Death's Sword Book 1: Finding and Seeking

Chapter 10, part 2: Day 14, Day 15

Vrakschtek watched the boy until he disappeared down the trail. He then scurried to the back of the cave and fluttered to a small opening high in one wall. He snapped his fingers and muttered a single word. A small ball of flame sprang into place above his head. The tengu hopped down the narrow tunnel, chattering to himself. The tunnel opened out into a larger chamber, strewn with an assortment of odds and ends. Ropes, tarpaulins, furs, weapons, sacks of flour and waybread, some vicious-looking bear-traps, casks of beer and water, skins full of wine and sake, and much more besides. It all lay in great untidy heaps, much of it covered in dust and cobwebs. The little bird-man detached a small sack from a hook on the wall and began to stuff it with items from the piles. First, a small keg of beer, then a sack of waybread, some dried fruit and cured meats. 

 After a moment's thought, Vrakschtek added a smoked ham, smacking his lips in anticipation. A coil of rope and a tarpaulin followed these into the sack. A skin of sake, two bowls and a stone bottle were next. A thick length of bamboo, more than twice the tengu's height, was then carefully lowered into the small sack he held in one clawed hand. A small bow, two quivers of arrows and a belt full of scabbarded daggers were thrown in. He hopped to the back of the cave and rooted about under a heap of furs. With a grunt of satisfaction, he pulled out two small pouches, one of which seemed much heavier than the other. These, too, went into the sack, which now had a slight bulge in it. Satisfied at last, Vrakschtek tied up the neck of the sack, attached it to his belt and fluttered back towards the entrance. "Sqwark!" he cried, coming to an abrupt halt, wings a-flutter. He turned and grabbed a small jar from a nearby shelf. He added the jar to the collection in the sack. Stopping only to dismiss the light and buckle on his kodachi, Vrakschtek hurried out of the cave and headed north.

Day 15.

It was a great chasm, far beneath the surface of that strange world where the klchzak were confined, their ancient home and now their prison. In its depths was a dull, red glow, the colour of molten rock when first spewed out of a volcano. This was no opening into the fiery heart of the planet, however. A closer inspection showed the glow to be made up of hundreds of twisting columns of flame, most red, some orange, a few yellow. Each one danced a tiny dance, never moving more than a metre or two from one place. High overhead, floating in mid-air, hung a silvery globe the size of two fists held together. It moved, swinging about as though hunting for something, then faded into non-existence. An orange flame eased out of a fissure near where the globe had been. "One of the other factions checking that our cousins are still bound," it hissed, colours chasing each other over its surface. "As they are - for now. They should be able to conceal our absence for a little while." answered a second flame, emerging from the same hiding place. Its tone was full of menace and centuries-old hatred. "So we continue our mission," replied a third as it joined the others from concealment nearby. Abruptly, without further warning, they were moving. They hurtled upwards, scorched together through tunnels and caves, past palaces of ice, castles of fire and spires carved from clouds. They came to a place where a twisting, shifting sphere of darkness fully ten metres across span slowly within a ring of standing stones, each stone at least fifteen metres tall, dark blue in colour and shot through with faint green veins. They paused, as though catching their breath or waiting for the right moment then, as one, shot forward and burned into the darkness. A moment later, an eon of agony later, two burst out under the night sky, screaming in pain and fury. Around them lay the remains of another circle, stones fallen, tumbled, broken. Behind them, they could faintly hear the screams from the third member of the group, caught and unable to break free, ensnared in torment forever. They snarled but made no attempt to offer aid. If their master succeeded, all would be freed. If not – well, better that one than themselves. Dismissing their companion from their thoughts, they soared up into the air in the star-light, revelling in the freedom, burning away the hurt. Then the two flames plummeted earthwards and began their journey north and east, two srchzak joining the hunt for Death. Even at their best pace, it would take them two nights and two days of travelling to reach their goal: Vartansberg, where an increasing number of klchzak and their kin gathered and sought entry. Vartansberg, where the hunters were baulked and held at bay. They milled around like angry wasps, travelling east and south, seeking some trace of the boy and the sword but, so far, they had found nothing for all their efforts.

Susoo scowled ferociously. The answer from the Shogun Inquisitor was unequivocal; she was to leave Cheikatoma post-haste and travel to Vartansberg. From there, she was to proceed across the border with an expedition that would be delayed for her, to seek out a certain wu-jen wise in the lore of the Weapons of the First. Folly upon folly! It was folly to send any expedition out across the border. It was doubly folly to send a Grand Inquisitor with such an expedition. Once the tuigrahan realised what she was, they would pay almost any price to kill or capture her. However, she had no choice; the Shogun Inquisitor had spoken. She wondered if she was selected because of what she already knew or if it was an adroit move by one of her rivals. She suspected the latter. She was packing her bag herself, distrusting maids, when she heard the guards outside her rooms crash to attention. A visitor? Probably Tzumak, to inform her of how the College of Thaumaturgies had reacted to his report. It was fortunate that the leader of the Enchanters was currently the Arch-chancellor of the Mage Council itself, that at least reduced the spread of their news. The involvement of one of the Colleges in this matter caused Susoo as many worries as anything else. She knew how the various Colleges vied for supremacy on the Council of Magick which effectively ruled modern Hywhen, whilst the daiymos fumed against the mage-inflicted restrictions. The whole situation was a powder-keg and now one College knew something no other did; Death was back amongst the living, in the hands of a renegade ninja, and there were klchzak loose once more! Susoo fervently hoped that the Shogun Inquisitor was capable of dealing with the political dimensions of this crisis. There was a knock at her doorway. "Enter!" she called out, voice firm and clear in spite of her doubts. The door-screen was slid to one side and Tzumak entered. He bowed low. "What does your College say?" Susoo asked the mage, watching him carefully.

"The College has given me no special instructions, Grand Inquisitor. I am at your disposal." He seemed mildly surprised at this turn of events. Susoo considered the matter for a moment, then came to a decision, "I am travelling to the border, with all speed. You will accompany me. See about organizing a new guard; use the local Inquisition sohei or hire kujamai. Find a dorvei for me, too - the palanquin will be too slow. Also, we will not be wearing our robes on this journey – find us alternative clothing." Tzumak bowed low again.

"I will see to the arrangements immediately, Grand Inquisitor."

"Good. You are dismissed, Judge Tzumak." Susoo turned away from him, returning to her packing. Once Tzumak was absent from the castle, she had a few matters to discuss with the daiymo. Her mind plotted, working like a finely-tuned set of gears and cogs.

It was just after dawn the next day when the small party set out on their journey. Susoo sat astride a small, chunky dorvei as though she had been riding every day of her life. Tzumak looked more ill at ease, especially when his beast rolled its eyes and tossed its wicked little horns at him. Susoo smiled, stroking the neck of her mount, which had been docile from the moment she had first touched it, "It senses your unease, Tzumak. Have confidence and relax; the creature will soon learn who is the master."

"That is exactly my problem, Grand Inquisitor. At the moment I am not sure who is the master," grunted the mage, sawing on the reins as the animal made another attempt to nip his leg. The waiting kujamai smiled amongst themselves, though taking great care that Tzumak should not see their smiles. The escort was a dozen strong, all skilful and experienced warriors, well mounted and heavily armed. Ten rode dorvei, while two rode war-yaks. No band of ronin would think to trouble this party. Susoo was confident that this part of her journey would be uneventful. The rest, however; well, that was another matter.