Fic: Ruins of Tasur'ke (2/4)

["sochankitsune" <annelise@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Well, thanks to both of you who commented on this :>

Anne-Lise

--

The red-haired woman glared at Sodoshi, her arms crossed.
"Why did you summon me here?" she asked in an imperious tone of 
voice.
Sodoshi blinked. "It was not I who summoned you," she offered in a 
quiet voice. "There was a battle... Great majicks unleashed. I think 
your being brought here was but an accident."
Willow contemplated this. "I don't believe in accidents," she 
muttered, darkly. "I believe in vengeance."

*

A small crowd of magic-users, fighters, mercenaries and idiot 
neophytes gathered at the central crossroads of Hashan.
"Silence!" Calla bellowed, but to no avail. She took a small egg-
shaped crystal from her belt-pouch and span it idly on a fingertip, 
before embedding the vibrations into a spell of silence.
All sound immediately died, except for a peasant-girl who dropped 
her water jugs in surprise.
Calla dampened her vibrations, and, before the hubbub could return, 
spoke thus: "Let Tasur'Ke be a lesson unto you all. For too long have 
we been idle and lax in the arts of war. May Aegis once more guide 
our hands, and let us put an end to this threat upon our sovereign 
nation!"
A ragged cheer rang out from all around, but a note of discord 
arose from some of the Lesser Magi.
Calla idly span a spiral-shaped crystal, and a wave of 
disorientation forced the Lesser Magi to their knees. "This is a 
time," she said dryly, "when we must all work together."
"Which means do what she says," Dracnor added unecessarily.
A red-haired woman fought her way to the front of the crowd and 
stared hard at Calla, who frowned and fingered her Elemental Staff 
idly.
"Are you in charge of this... rabble?" The woman asked.
Called stared back. "I am High Sorceress," she replied with a wry 
chuckle. "I guess that means I qualify for the role."
The woman's lips quirked as she held out her hand. A globe of white 
light shot forth and knocked Calla over onto her backside. "So I 
see," she said. "I don't suppose you have the knowledge of how to 
form inter-dimensional portals?"

*

Helthis gathered his battered legions together and the warband 
slowly reformed; albeit raggedly.
"How many did we lose?" He asked of his sub-commander.
"Too many," was the ready response. "At least four-score grunts, 
perhaps a further quarter-score officers." He cleared his 
throat. "Including Cathis."
Helthis nodded, his granite features showing neither sorrow or 
remorse over the loss of his bondmate. "Gather the grunts," he 
ordered. "It time we showed the monkeys what true Orc warfare's all 
about!"
Tethis inclined his head in acquiescence, but paused slightly, in 
the time-honoured fashion of those who wish to question their 
superior officer... without being brought to task.
"What is it?" Helthis demanded.
Tethis posed his question carefully. "Who are we working for?" he 
asked. At the flare of indignation in his superior's eyes he 
added, "the grunts are asking questions... For many of them this is 
the first time they've undertaken a strategic offensive... without 
concise Command Oversight."
Helthis nodded. "Our allegiance in this fight is purely mercenary," 
he admitted. "We're being paid well by Shallam to seed disorder in 
Hashan, to take eyes away from their... misdeeds in the West."
Tethis' eyes widened. "Are our own lands secure?" 
"Of course!" Helthis replied, incensed by the very suggestion. "I 
believe our patrons are looking more to the north of Thera..."

*

"Mother!" Sodoshi squealed and leaped into Fhyn's waiting arms. The 
two Tsol'aa kissed and hugged as if they'd been apart for an age.
Enoc sauntered over, his feline grin widening in pleasure. "Hello 
butterfly," he greeted and mussed up his daughter's hair. Sodoshi 
grinned up at him.
"I missed you both," she sighed. "My journey to visit Tarah's shrine 
took longer than expected."
Enoc raised an eyebrow. "And here I thought it was young Apollo who 
was to account for your dalliance!" He smirked as Sodoshi's face grew 
crimson. Fhyn caressed her daughter's cheek as she grinned.

*

>From the hidden deeps of Lake Balaton, a robed figure with a 
serpentine tattoo stared fixatedly upon the enigmatic pages of the 
Shadow Codex. He frowned and stared up at the ceiling for a moment.
"I sense power," he muttered. He returned to his work, but this time 
with a more focused interest as he searched for a remnant of Prophecy.

*

End Part 2.