The Saga of Tallia the Unwilling Ch. 09

Then it suddenly struck him who he could hurt -- the peasant farmers of the Rice Lands. True, he'd already savaged one village. But there were so many more villages that were just out there, quietly, peaceably existing. He could raid them, acquire more slaves and replenish his army in one stroke. And any who dared defy him -- he still had not yet had a chance to really try out his new collection of ivory-handled acupuncture needles. Oh, who is he kidding? Defiant or not, a few prisoners would need to get heated needles shoved in their scrotums.

"Arion, you're a genius," he whispered only to himself. He would half his security. True, that would leave his fortress vulnerable to concerted attack. But who did he have to fear now? His spies in Denggang reported no army moving towards him. Rontus and Burning-Horn would soon deal with the only credible threat he'd faced in years. And if, by the slimmest of chances, the assassins did somehow make it back to his sanctum -- he had defeated them before. He could do it again. He was Arion the Invincible! He was the three-eyed king! What chance did they have?

It's decided then. He could afford to weaken security for a time. And then, when the raiding parties returned with their captures, he would embark upon a spree of mutilation and monster-men creation. Peasant after peasant would scream in anguish as he transformed them into diverse horrors each worse than the last. A few weeks of that and he could put this whole funk behind him. Soon this Tallia business would be just a bad, distant memory.

And then he would raid Denggang, abandon this fortress and its bad memories altogether and make that pirate port his new capital. From there, he could create legions of slaves who would crew raiding craft and spread his empire of blood and terror all along to the coast. The suffering he would inflict then -- it would be the stuff of legend. It was all too perfect. Tallia? Tallia who?

"Diagoras!" he cried. He had work to do.

***

Tallia had been rowing for almost an hour. Mela sat forward, scanning for any sign of their destination. Liandra, who living on an island all her life had the most sailing experience, steered. Shadow Eagle proved a worthy craft and easily plied the glass smooth sunless sea. Every once and a while, the sidhe would purport to see something and they would slightly adjust their course. However despite these navigations and maneuverings, they had seen no sign of any island, white-stoned or otherwise. Instead all that they had discovered was a stygian abyss of violet-tinged water that seemed to stretch out now in every direction. Tallia almost wanted some ancient horror to erupt from the water and attack, just to break the monotony. But today, it seemed the lake monsters were on holiday.

The occupants of the boat were largely quiet for the entire journey. Tallia had urged quiet back on the shore not wanting to attract a beast or distract Mela. But finally the priestess spoke. "Would it help if I asked a fish?"

"You can talk to fish?" asked Tallia incredulously.

"Not exactly," explained the priestess. "Fish don't talk, you see. But I can sense the love in all living things. I've seen a great multitude of blind fish in this lake. If I communed with them, we might learn something."

"So, you can talk to fish then," said the Amazon.

"I guess, yes," said the priestess.

Tallia looked at the sidhe. "So any better ideas or are we talk-to-fish desperate?"

"It couldn't hurt," answered Mela.

Here was Tallia's conundrum. Liandra clearly did have magic powers. Half a world away, she had located the wizard. She'd healed both Hilarius' deadly stab wound and Melaerryn's burning fever. She had discovered that there was a secret entrance into the fortress of Arion Three-Eyes using only fire, sex and drugs. But she was also, and Tallia meant this with a good deal of affection, absolutely crazy. So it was possible that they were stopping on a monster infested lake for no other reason than to humor that insanity.

Tallia sighed and stopped rowing. The boat slowly glided to a halt. "Alright, do it."

Liandra crouched down and peered intently into the water. She then thrust her head into the lake. This did not surprise Tallia. She then emerged from the water, shook her curly blonde hair dry and began to take her clothes off, especially her prized new shoes. Liandra getting naked for no reason never surprised Tallia. Then Liandra closed her eyes, sat naked in the boat and whispered some sort of prayer. Again no surprise. Totally a Liandra thing to do.

What did surprise the Amazon was when the priestess stood up suddenly in the boat, causing it to rock wildly and nearly capsize, and dived into the lake completely naked. The Amazon managed to use the oars to stabilize the pitching craft, preventing the boat over-turning, but did not have time to do this and avert Liandra from her insanity. Liandra did an almost perfect dive into the dark water and disappeared beneath the surface of the lake.

She was gone for a distressingly long time. "Liandra!" cried the terrified Amazon.

But finally what did, utterly and completely surprise the shit out of the Amazon was when Liandra emerged from the water, riding on the back of a giant armored, eyeless lake monster probably as long as five or six men laid end to end. The creature was sort of a fish, but yet unlike any fish Tallia had ever seen or even heard of. Its head was covered in armored plates that were somehow living parts of the creature. It had a mouth full of strangely interlocking teeth that could easily cut anyone in half. It had no eyes at all. And yes, it had a smiling nude sopping wet golden-hair priestess mounting it like a horse.

"This is Caomhnóir Dall, the undying guardian of the sunless sea! And he would be happy to show us the way to the White Isle," cried Liandra excitedly, gasping for air. The fish lurched back in the water and Liandra did her best to hold on as it began to swim rapidly to the right of their present course.

"She can talk to fish," said Mela in no small amount of awe.

"So it would seem," said Tallia, who started rowing slowly following the lake monster at a respectful distance. Tallia checked her spear was still in easy reach, but then realized it was probably useless. The fish was longer than their entire boat and could likely swallow all them in a single gulp. She resolved right then that her best strategy was to get to shore as quickly as possible.

"Whee!" exclaimed the priestess as the fish again dived out of the water with Liandra still maintaining her hold on the beast.

For about another fifteen minutes they followed the fish monster across the sunless sea and into a bank of low hanging mist. It was good that Tallia was a strong rower for the fish was fast and it took all of her considerable strength to keep up with it. She put her back into it and the Shadow Eagle sped through the water so quickly that they would have had scarce chance to dodge an obstacle. But Liandra's new fish friend seemed to be a fine guide.

"Look!" cried Mela.

Then across the lake, they saw their destination. Ahead was an island -- a pearl of white stone in an ocean of indigo dark water. Tallia kept up speed and headed for the island as quick as she could manage. Between the mist and the monster, she craved dry land.

The beached the boat on a shore of round white pebbles. Liandra waded out of the water, completely soaked and smiling madly. She turned to wave farewell to the giant creature, but it was already submerged and gone. She cried out to it regardless. "Fair travels, mighty guardian! Liandra of Amathus and her friends thank you!"

Tallia approached the priestess. "Please. No yelling, Liandra. There may be less friendly monsters here."

"Oh, Sorry. But wow... just wow," the priestess found a comfortable white boulder near the shore's edge and sat there for a moment, deep in contemplation. "Today I have touched the soul of the sea. I have been one with a vision of a lost world that I suspect shall never come again."

Mela also approached, bearing Liandra's clothes, shoes and pack. "What did the fish tell you?" asked the sidhe, sitting next to her on the same stone.

"Fish can't talk," said the priestess, "but I sensed his love, his memories of a time when his kind once teemed in this lake. The guardian is the last of his kind, his life prolonged by a sidhe keeper who bonded with him long ago and shared his immortality with the guardian. I gave to the guardian the notion that you were the kin of that keeper, which I think likely true. This idea pleased the guardian greatly for it gave him hope that the keeper's voice had not yet truly left this world. And then the guardian became most eager to help. Do you by chance know a Lorcan Summersea?"

Mela shook her head. "I'm afraid not."

"The guardian would very much like to touch him again, to hear his voice echoing across the surface of the lake," said the priestess softly. "He is lonely you see. He hoped you might know him."

"When I go home again, if I ever go home again, I'll see if I can find record of this Lorcan. To be entrusted with keepership of so mighty a guardian, he must have been a person of some importance. But so much, so many were lost when Gaelynglas fell."

"I understand," said the priestess. She judged herself finally dry enough to redress. "Anyways, we have a stave to find."

Liandra then, for no discernable reason, gave Mela a hug and a soft kiss on the lips. "Fear not, child of summer, you too will find someone to share your own gift with someday. Oh, and if you do ever go home and see your husband again, would you tell that guy to go fuck himself? What a jerk!"

Mela sat on the stone, stunned and uncertain what to say, as the priestess hastily redressed and walked back towards the waiting warrior woman who was already unpacking their remaining gear from the boat.

***

Diagoras sat in his small private cell in one of the lower halls of the fortress and painfully unrolled a map of the Rice Lands of Dao. Working with his new pincer was difficult, but at least the searing pain had subsided and he was slowly becoming more adept at employing the appendage for simple tasks. He managed the deed but the pincer did unexpectedly slice through the edge of the map. It mattered not. He had more important business to attend to.

At last the order had come. He had been anticipating this command for some time, but at last the moment was before him. He felt within himself a rising conflict, a flickering green flame in his mind's eye. It whispered to him. He was a good slave, the best of slaves. He would never betray his master! He would give his life willing for his master, for Arion, for the Eye! But then he remembered, indeed he forced himself to remember, that what he did now was what he was commanded. This was what he must do!

'All hail the Eye!' he all but yelled it. No, no, it was silent in his cell. He was alone. No, he was never alone. The Eye was watching.

He had been commanded to organize raiding parties to attack the farmer's villages. And this he would do. This he must do! But which villages? The master had not been specific. So, he must choose them himself. To trouble his master with such trivialities would only waste Arion's time. His master's time was precious.

Yes, the major domo must choose and so scanned the map. He did not want to attack the villages too close to the fortress. Those villages might unify and counterattack. That would endanger his master! So, he would send the raiding parties far, far afield. Yes, to the more distant villages. That would make it harder for the farmers to band together.

Yes, it would mean the beast-men would be absent their posts longer. The castle would be vulnerable longer. But this is what the master commanded of him! He had no choice! Again, he fought against the scalding green fire in his mind.

'All hail the Eye!'

The master had commanded him to send half his beast-men on these raids. Of course, he must do this. But the master had not specified who to send. So, he must choose the raiders himself. To trouble his master with such trivialities would only waste Arion's time. His master's time was precious, so very precious.

Yes, the major domo must choose. These raids -- these long ranging raids -- they would be difficult undertakings. He would send only the best of the beast-men. These raids must be successful! That is what his master commanded! There must be more slaves for the master!

Yes, it would mean the castle would be even more vulnerable. All the best warriors gone. All the best archers sent far afield. But this is what the master commanded of him! He had no choice! Again, he fought against the green fire burning within him.

'All hail the Eye!'

Lord Arion had commanded him also to see to the castle's security during the raids. Of course, he must do this. But he had not specified where to position the beast-men, how to defend the castle. So, the major domo must choose. To trouble his master with such trivialities would only waste Arion's time. His master's time was precious, exquisitely precious, so very precious.

Diagoras was sweating now from the exertion of these mental gymnastics. He could barely sit upright on his stool. But that did not matter. His suffering did not matter. He was a slave, the best of slaves. He must do as he was commanded! He must!

Yes, he must choose where to send the soldiers. The walls, the main gate, the upper towers -- those were the most critical of locations! If those fell, the entire fortress fell! His master would be endangered! He would send every beast-man there. Every remaining soldier must be there in order to secure the fortress from an outside attack.

Yes, it would mean the dungeons, the path straight into the master's sanctum, would be almost unguarded. But Rontus and his pack were already down below. They guarded the way in. That way needed no further security. The all-knowing Arion Three-Eyes had said it himself! He must do what his master commanded of him! He had no choice! The sweat on his brow had now become a green burning fever. His very soul was being scorched.

'All hail the Eye!'

At last all was decided. Diagoras summoned the most senior of the beast-men to the meeting hall and there dispensed his carefully constructed commandments. The master's bidding must be done, precisely, exactly as commanded. The mind-fever subsided.

He limped painfully back to the master's sanctum later that night. He reported that he had done all that was commanded. He did this, because he must. His master was dismissive and asked not even a single question about the specifics. Instead Arion Three-Eyes was already scheming about the conquest of Denggang. He was pouring over maps and plotting his far ranging stratagems. Arion did take a moment to mock Diagoras' ungainly new pincer.

"How's the new hand. It really does suit you, my friend," the wizard laughed. He laughed!

The major domo said nothing in answer to this jest. Instead Diagoras bowed and slowly, painfully limped from his master's dread presence. There Tallia, I have done all that I could do. The gate is open. It is now up to you to find the courage to walk through it.

"All hail the Eye!"

***

The White Isle near the center of the sunless sea was so named because, instead of the dark stone of Gaelynglas, the Collegium had instead chose to construct its grand campus entirely of white marble. It's spires rose high into the indigo gloom of the massive cavern. They glittered and danced with purple light that seemed to Tallia to give the stone an odd, almost translucent quality.

Because of the white stone, it was brighter here and the silver rune-light became unnecessary. In fact, Tallia ordered for it to be extinguished. Here in this new ruin, it was already bright as morning. Stealth would not be easy and that worried the Amazon. This white décor did nothing to reassure her that this elder eldritch place was not equally as dangerous as the dark metropolis.

Mela and Liandra were both equally entranced by this place, though for slightly different reasons.

"Look at all the high towers and the archways," whispered Liandra. "It's like a temple."

"It was a temple of sorts," answered Mela also in a low whisper. "The tripartite goddess of wisdom was venerated here above all."

Mela clearly had much more to say and was dying to say it, but Tallia hushed them both. First, they must see if there were any dangers here. Then the scholar and priest could yap endlessly.

They wandered for quite a while amidst this labyrinth of alabaster. The paths and roads were cobbled also in pale stone. But there was also everywhere a fine layer of white sand. The Amazon guessed this was a sign of the antiquity of this place. The wind and water were slowly, even in this seemingly still and silent place, grinding this marble wonder to powder.

The ubiquitous sand did reassure the Amazon. There were no footprints or paw marks anywhere to be seen. If the beast-men somehow made it this deep into the cavern past the guardian they would surely have left traces and here there were none. And if some monster prowled this place, wouldn't it also leave tracks?

They came at last to a wide courtyard of splendid, achromatic stone. Tallia peered carefully out an alley way and surveyed the place. At its center was a grand fountain, now utterly dry and adorned by a fallen statue of a robed figure. Beyond that easily the largest building they'd seen -- a massive square building, columned and adorned with intricate friezes and countless statuary.

At the front of the building appeared to be the only entrance -- a massive set of double doors similar to the Magister's Gate where they'd began their trek into Gaelynglas, but instead graven from the omnipresent white marble of this place. Standing on two podiums flanking that door were two striking familiar statues. They each depicted a nude curvaceous woman and were twice the height of a man. They were made of polished white stone and had not a single seam upon them. The leftmost sported the head of an owl and the right had the head of an eagle.

Tallia gasped as she saw them. "Are those..."

Mela peered around the corner with the Amazon. "Yes, those are two of the Stones that Walk. The obsidian one, I think, patrolled the city and the gate before you dumped tons of stone atop it. These though are likely permanently stationed. They guard where we must go. That building is the Mausoleum of the High Magisters and I believe the resting place of the Eater of Magic."

Tallia stepped back. "This is folly. I barely survived one of those demons. But two on open ground? This is a fight we cannot win."

Mela looked at the Amazon, her eyes suddenly alight with understanding. "You're right. You are absolutely right. There is no way we can win this battle. But then we were never meant to."

"We need to retreat back. These buildings are old and weathering. Maybe if we circle round, we can find another way in and... MELA!" the Amazon screamed.

The sidhe sorceress walked out into the open courtyard, dropping her only weapon, the dagger, to the ground as she approached. Tallia tried to reach out and grab her but she was already out of reach. To catch her, the Amazon would have to also break cover and enter the courtyard of these demons. Liandra put her hand on Tallia's shoulder just as the warrior was contemplating doing that.

"Wait," said the priestess. "Just wait."

"But they'll kill her!" cried Tallia.

Liandra only smiled, that wild, mad smile of hers. "She shines with love now. She is aglow. She knows what she is doing. And now she is beyond our reach, mighty Tallia."