Chains of a Dark Goddess (23 page)

General Togisi knelt, trembling. “Exile?”

“Exiled to the Yundragos Plains in the far north. You will also forfeit to the Church all your holdings and wealth save what you can carry.
If
you should survive. We both know that Breskaro will come for you.” 

She looked to Ilsimia and Kedimius. “Sister Ilsimia, I know of no priestess of greater ability than yourself.”

“Thank you, your excellency,” she replied, blushing.

“You shall accompany General Togisi wherever he goes, along with High Priestess Blasidia of the Grand Order and eleven priestesses of her choice. I will give you crystal matrixes of great power to take with you. 

“Sir Kedimius Threnna, I hereby promote you from the rank of captain to that of colonel. You, Colonel Threnna, and a cohort of your choice will accompany and guard the priestesses. You will also be charged with seeing to it that General Togisi does as I have requested.”

“Yes, your excellency.”

“I apologize that you must accompany, advise, and aid a traitor and murderer. One who caused you personal harm. But we must work with what we have, and we have no commander better than General Togisi. We don’t know how powerful Breskaro and his allies might be. But if what they have done is any sign that—”

A Scarlet Guardsman and a priestess rushed into the chamber from a side entrance. A harried knight crusted with the grime of travel followed behind them.

The priestess knelt. “Your excellency, I only interrupt out of the utmost need to report to you. The matter is of great concern.”

“Go on then.”

The knight knelt and introduced himself. He gave General Togisi a nervous glance. 

“Your excellency, I apologize for interrupting you. I bring ill tidings to you and General Togisi. An attack took place at the Chapel of Blessed Night in Norvus. Thirty-two priestesses were murdered, by poison. Another was encountered on the road. She was dead but ... walking. I was part of a patrol. She ... She attacked us. Pulled a man from horseback and broke his arm before we were able to put her down. It took many blows before she stopped moving.”

“More of Breskaro’s work,” Kedimius said. “Norvus wasn’t far from Fortrenzi’s estate.”

“What have I to do with this?” Magnos asked, puzzled.

“General, sir, I am sorry, but your wife, Lady Deltenya ... She was found dead, sir. In the chapel.”

Togisi stumbled and collapsed. “H-how?”

“Sorcery, my lord. It could be nothing more. Her body was nothing but a dried and decayed husk. We identified her based on artifacts left behind and the witness of a servant who traveled there with her and then was dismissed to go home. There were implements of sorcery left there. We believe some of them were hers. They were marked with the emblem of her family.”

“You are both dismissed now,” said the Matriarch. “Report to me in an hour. Speak of this to no one. Soldier, have you spoken to anyone else?”

“No, your excellency. Colonel Vitus bade us to keep quiet about it. The townspeople know the priestesses were slain. They thought by poison, but the Colonel told them it was accidental, from some poorly identified mushrooms.”

The soldier and priestess departed. The Matriarch looked to Togisi with no sign of pity nor compassion. 

“Did Deltenya know you killed Breskaro?”

“She only found out recently,” Togisi replied in a whimper. “I told her in anger, during a spat, after Albiria died. It was right before Kedimius came to tell me Breskaro’s body was missing.”

“She was always obsessed by Breskaro and she was found with implements of sorcery belonging to her.”

His voice rose. “Are you accusing my wife of being a witch?”

“I warned you of her family’s history. And surely Breskaro needed help on this side to come back from the dead.”

“What family history?” Kedimius asked, but then he quickly added, “Sorry, your excellency..”

“Deltenya’s family roots trace far back into Mûlkra,” the Matriarch replied, offering no further information.

“But why,” Togisi muttered, beginning to sob. “Why would he kill Deltenya? He loved her. He married her sister. She raised Orisala until he married Metra. I don’t understand.”

“Breskaro is an evil being now,” the Matriarch replied, “and he would do anything to have vengeance on you. Regardless, it was your actions that brought all this about. And you will correct it. Now get on your feet.”

Togisi stood, shaking.

“The three of you will speak of this to no one. When Breskaro is known to be alive by the populace, we will tell them it is a demon that animates his corpse and pretends to be him. Go home, General Togisi, and see to your wife’s funeral. You two, accompany him. Take soldiers and priestesses with you in case Breskaro comes for him next rather than going to Mûlkra. Then rally the army to Norvus. I will see the crusade hastened. We will not wait for Spring as planned. We will march in Winter.”

“Winter?” Togisi murmured. “The cold, the snows...”

“The army will endure.
Make it happen
.”

The three of them bowed and departed. Once they were gone, the Matriarch slumped back into her throne. 

“Llia, I need to write several orders and proclamations. I also need to research several texts which you can retrieve for me. We can resume our talk after dinner.”

“We can wait until tomorrow, your excellency. You are tired.”

“We cannot wait. You must be prepared.”

Chapter 32

A week of hard riding put Breskaro and his companions near to the city of Mûlkra. They traveled through the Pass of Kerokar and made camp in an abandoned graveyard in the rough hills to the east of the city. The glow of Mûlkra’s oil lamps, lighting its brothels, towers, and inns, illuminated the horizon. 

“
The city is still beautiful to me,
” Harmulkot said into his mind. “
I know what you think of me. That I am evil, callous, power hungry. But I am very much like you. I too would do whatever it takes to save that which I love. And I do love my people and my home.
”

“
And when you have saved your people, what then? Ambition will return and you’ll risk them as you did before, and ultimately, you’ll lose them.
”

“
This time it will be different. Time has softened me. I know now the true cost of power and ruling world requires more than anyone can pay. Even Vôl Ultharma could not rule for more than a thousand years.

“
When we have won the day, Breskaro, what I want is a peaceful, thriving city. That is all that I ask for. As my champion, you and all those you choose shall be welcome here and shall be treated like kings, with the utmost respect. You may, if you wish, help me guide them through an age of prosperity.
”

Breskaro had no interest in residing in Mûlkra or helping Harmulkot with her plans, beyond what he needed to save Orisala. Once she was saved ... Breskaro wasn’t sure what would happen to him then. He didn’t have a purpose beyond restoring Orisala’s health. He could spend time with her, but he was a corpse and she needed to have a prosperous, happy life. He could certainly maintain his distance and watch over her. He could guard her until she passed on from old age, keeping all harm away from her. And then ... 

And then...

He turned his mind to more practical matters. “
Where we’re going, the dark alleys, I may need you to watch my back, to scout for me. How far can you get away from your qavra?
”

“
Twenty paces maybe.
”

“
If someone else wore your qavra, could you control them?
”

“
I can compel someone weak minded if they’re wearing it, yes. Why?
”

“
Once we take over the city, I’ll need you to appear separate from me. We need a priestess you can dominate. Or someone completely faithful. Then we use a seeming to make her look like you, so that the people will think you have returned in physical form.
”

“
Clever.
”

Larekal and Chentius approached.

“Master,” said Larekal, “when we go into the city, what of your ... Valiants?”

The Rrakans were uncomfortable around the animated dead, though they had said nothing in complaint. Esha complained constantly about their smell but frequently told her master that bringing them back to life was a brilliant plan.

“The Valiants will remain in this graveyard and await further instruction. Only Amrasi will come with us.” The undead captain stepped forward to present himself when he heard his name. “When I give the word, he will return here to summon the rest of the Valiants. Chentius, you must keep watch here. Remember that the Valiants are but children mentally. They will obey your orders today, if necessary.”

Breskaro mounted one of the other horses, leaving Nightsoul, who was far too conspicuous, in the graveyard. “Larekal, Amrasi, let’s go. I have an old friend to visit.”

~~~

It was said that in Mûlkra, only its devious, six-legged cats lived well, for the vermin were so plentiful. But in truth, crime lords, thieves, whores, and slavers prospered, too. Once a gleaming and wondrous city, Mûlkra was now covered in grime. Centuries of decay had darkened her domed temples, her towering estates, and her twisting spires that kissed the clouds. High walls, solid but in disrepair, encircled the city. Statues of winged warriors with monstrous faces and forked-tongues loomed over her gates. Smoke hung over the city like a funeral shroud. Hovels and shanties piled against the walls outside the city. It was a slum that faded into a barren waste of land that had long ago been over-farmed and soaked in the blood of countless wars.

Every building within Mûlkra was a rotting husk of wondrous architectural design, from the city’s barrooms and warehouses to the four universities and the hundreds of smaller temples and shrines. In the center of the city loomed the jagged, twisting, many-spired sprawl of the High Temple of Harmulkot. 

Clogged sewers blanketed the city with the smell of waste and refuse. Vagabonds and vermin scuttled through streets and alleyways. Cutthroats plied their trade freely through most of the districts, especially the narrow ways between the oldest buildings where twilight reigned at noon and the bright sun never showed its face. 

The city’s ruling councillors were corrupt businessmen and crime lords who constantly warred with one another. Assassinations were common. Open rivalries often led to warfare in the streets. The Queen was weak and only interested in wealth, lovers, and opium.

It was into this that Breskaro, his Knights of the Dark, and Esha went, still disguised as a mercenary band, picking their way through a mass of refugees: those fleeing the city and those entering out of desperation, knowing that the Issalian crusade would tear through their land in a few months. Some were coming to the city hoping for food after another year of failed crops.

Breskaro paused and gazed around.
She expects me to lead this rotting mass? I can’t save this. Why would I want to? I must have an alternate plan for healing Orisala when this fails.

“Mûlkra,” Breskaro declared with a sweep of his hand. “Looks even worse than the last time I was here, twelve years ago. The city was wretched then, and it looks like hell now.”

Esha stood in the saddle to get a better look over the crowds.

“We’ve got to save
this
?” she asked.

“Regretting that you came along, little one?”

“No,” she replied defiantly.

It was noon when Breskaro and Larekal entered a tavern called
Your Worst Night
. The others remained outside. Breskaro kept his hood up and maintained the glamour over his mask that made people think they were seeing an unremarkably average face. Only three men were drinking in the bar. The barmaid immediately went to the back. The barkeep moved his hand under the bar. 

Breskaro sat on a stool across from him. “I would like mead, red wine, another mead, and three more red wines. Eprosian, if you please. And a flagon of your darkest ale.”

The barkeep’s eyes bulged, then his calm demeanor returned. He leaned toward Breskaro. “I’ve not heard that phrase in five years,” he whispered, glancing at the three men drinking the far corner.

“I haven’t been here in more than that long.”

“If you’re a friend to the Lord Darkheart, you should know that he’s dead.”

“How long?”

“A year. And there’s a war amongst the Darkhearts to replace him. I don’t pick sides, my friend, in case you’re wondering. Never have. That’s why I’m still alive and working here.”

“What about Whum?”

“Alive and struggling for power against Yurisi. But there’s something strange afoot.”

“Is there anyone else here?”

“I just admitted eight brothers, not an hour ago. Members of Yurisi’s faction. Not sure what they’re doing here. But there’s something big going on.”

“I’ll get to the bottom of it then.”

The barkeep tugged his mustache. “I’m not sure I should let you.”

“Do you think you could stop me? I know what’s here and how to get below. I could have pushed my way through.”

The barkeep looked him up and down, paused to stare in his eyes, then shivered.