CHAPTER

Thirteen

It is not how much one hates that is important, but rather how that hate is manifested. Nor is it how much one plans for revenge, as much as how that revenge is carried out. And it is not even so much the form of the revenge itself that matters, but how long one can make it last. It is therefore not in the doing of the thing that one derives the greatest pleasure—for the act itself shall surely be fleeting. No, it is much more than this. It is the sublime knowledge that the pain administered shall be never ending.

—FROM THE PRIVATE DIARIES OF RAGNAR, BLOOD STALKER

Geldon and Joshua stood in the cool morning sunshine of the country called Parthalon, looking down at the city that for over three centuries had imprisoned all of those deemed undesirable by the Coven.

The Ghetto of the Shunned.

The Ghetto‘s walls had been repaired, the dwarf noticed, and the drawbridge over the filthy, dank moat had been reconstructed. The drawbridge was raised and locked, seeming to haughtily reject all visitors to this once-desperate place. The flags of the Coven had all been removed, and from their perch high up on the hill, Joshua and Geldon could see movement upon the catwalks that lined the top of the wall. But the area surrounding the Ghetto was strangely abandoned, an eerie sense of quiet pervading it.

The figures standing guard atop the walls of the Ghetto were easily discernible to the dwarf.

They were some of the winged warriors and former taskmasters of the Coven—the Minions of Day and Night.

Joshua and Geldon had not been able to come to Parthalon immediately, as Tristan had wished. After discussing their journey with Faegan, the three of them had decided it would be best for the consul and the dwarf to be delivered outside of the city walls, rather than inside.

This would hopefully allow them to take stock of the situation before trying to enter. And since the wizard‘s only calculations for the portal would exit them at Geldon‘s destroyed aviary in the heart of the city, he was forced to restructure the spell slightly. Despite the proximity to the original destination, it took him three days of working day and night to produce the desired effect.

The trip through Faegan‘s azure portal was dizzying, but worse for Joshua since it was his first experience. Faegan had instructed them that when they wished to return home they should go to the exact spot of their arrival at high noon, just as Geldon and the others had done the previous time, that day not so long ago when Tristan had become the new lord of the Minions. The wizard would re-create the portal and hold it open for an hour each successive day, until such time as they returned.

The dwarf and consul had then walked into the swirling maelstrom . . . and landed in the grass at the top of the hill. It had taken them both several moments to regain their bearings and for the dizziness to stop. But they were now themselves again as they looked at the city below, trying to decide what to do.

―It is amazing!‖ the consul exclaimed softly. ―Just as you said it would be. Did the Coven truly banish anyone here who was not to their liking?‖

―Oh, indeed,‖ Geldon answered, his eyes still locked upon the drawbridge as he wondered what to do.

―Why did the Coven send you here, if I may ask?‖

Geldon closed his eyes for a moment. ―I stole a loaf of bread,‖ he answered sadly. ―A simple loaf of bread. My family was starving, and I was sent here to languish. I never learned what became of them, or whether I have any descendants still living. I suppose I shall never know.

It was shortly after my internment that Succiu, second mistress of the Coven, found me here and made me her personal slave.‖

His hand automatically went to his neck, where he had worn the jeweled collar for three centuries, until its removal by Wigg. ―She made me wear a collar. At night she would chain me to the floor of the Recluse, the Coven‘s palace.‖

―I‘m sorry, Geldon,‖ Joshua said.

―We have other things to worry about,‖ the dwarf said quickly. ―As much as I hate to say it, our only option seems to be to walk right up to the drawbridge and demand that the Minions lower it for us.‖ He gave the consul a hard look. ―You have no experience with these beings, so let me do all the talking. I can only hope that there are some of those still present who will recognize me as a friend of the prince. Under no circumstances are you are to display your powers unless I order it. Do you understand?‖

―Yes.‖

―Very well, then,‖ the dwarf said with finality. ―Let‘s go.‖ With that the two of them began to approach the drawbridge.

As they neared the moat, about one hundred paces from the city walls, Geldon looked up to see two silver whirling disks flying toward them: returning wheels, the throwing weapon of the Minions.

He immediately grabbed the unsuspecting consul by the robes, stopping him short. The wheels, purposely underthrown, landed in the dirt at their feet. Geldon looked up to see the silhouettes of several dark, winged figures standing on the city walls, and he raised his hands high in a gesture of surrender.

The Minions would wish to speak first, to establish their control over the situation. Geldon gave the consul a tacit glance that spoke volumes. Joshua nodded.

―Come no closer!‖ a strong, masculine voice cried out from atop the walls. ―We have express orders to allow no one near. If you persist in advancing, you will be killed! You have been warned.‖

―I am Geldon, the emissary of the Chosen One, your new lord,‖ the dwarf shouted back. ―I have come from across the Sea of Whispers to confer with you. This man next to me is Prince Tristan‘s representative of the craft of magic. Are you going to lower the drawbridge, or must I return to Eutracia and tell your lord that you will not let the servants of the Chosen One enter?‖

A long silence followed. Then, from atop the wall, came the next words.

―If you are who you say you are, you may enter. But first you must prove that what you say is true.‖

Momentarily stymied, Geldon thought for a moment.

―Joshua, can you damage the drawbridge?‖ he asked the consul quietly. ―For many of these warriors, violence is all they respect.‖

―Yes,‖ Joshua answered. ―I do not have enough power to destroy it completely, as Wigg or Faegan could. But I can surely cause it damage.‖

―Good. When I tell you to, do so,‖ Geldon answered. He turned back to the figures on the wall. ―Remove your troops from the area of the drawbridge,‖ he shouted. ―For it is now you who have been warned!‖

Complete silence followed for several moments as Geldon and Joshua waited. Then the dwarf nodded to the consul.

Joshua raised his hands. Slowly the familiar glow began building around them, and finally a small, azure bolt of energy flew from his hands toward the center of the drawbridge, making a great crashing noise as it hit. Splinters of wood careened and whirled into the air, some falling into the water of the moat.

As the smoke cleared, a neat hole could be seen directly through the drawbridge. The figures once atop the walls were gone. The drawbridge began to come slowly rattling down.

―You may enter,‖ a voice called out.

Geldon turned to look at Joshua. There was no going back now. Awkwardly they made their way across the sound sections of the shattered drawbridge. The scene that greeted them inside the city wall stunned Geldon.

Hundreds of Minion warriors were down on bended knee, just as they had been that day when they recognized Tristan as their new lord. And then, in a single, earthshaking chorus came the familiar oath.

―We live to serve!‖

Hundreds of Minion warriors, kneeling before me—the onetime slave of the second mistress!

Geldon thought in disbelief. But calmly, he said, ―You may rise.‖

Standing, the Minions were even more impressive. They were all large and muscular, most over six feet tall, some approaching seven. They were uniformly armed with both the dreggan and the returning wheel. They all seemed to have dark hair worn long; some of them had braided it down the center of their backs. Their uniforms varied slightly, but for the most part consisted of black leather body armor, with long leather boots and gloves. And over the top of each of their shoulders could be seen the tips of dark, leathery wings.

One of the larger ones stood before all of the rest, and Geldon took him to be the leader. He was tall, with brown hair down the back of his neck and a matching, dark brown beard.

―Are you in command here?‖ Geldon asked bravely.

―Yes,‖ the warrior answered. ―I am Rufus. There are approximately fifty thousand of us here.‖ The warrior stood before the dwarf with a defiant gaze.

Geldon realized he must be supremely careful in how he handled this. A revolt by the Minions was not something they needed to deal with just now. ―Is there somewhere in the shade we could talk in private?‖ he asked.

―Of course,‖ Rufus replied. After dismissing his warriors to their duties, he directed Joshua and Geldon to a nearby building, where they sat together on the porch.

―We come under the protection of the Chosen One‘s wizards,‖ Geldon said calmly. He indicated the consul seated next to him. ―This is my friend, Joshua. He is the Chosen One‘s representative of the craft while I visit here.‖

Rufus looked with curiosity at the young consul. ―You say little,‖ he said, narrowing his eyes.

―Do you have no tongue?‖

Joshua looked to Geldon, and the dwarf nodded. ―Uh, er, yes, of course,‖ the consul answered politely.

Rufus snorted a short, almost insulting laugh, then turned back to Geldon. ―At least it is good to know that you received our messages, asking for your help. That is why you are here, is it not?‖

Geldon paused for a moment, his heart pounding. He took a deep breath. ―Your messages?‖

he asked politely.

―Yes,‖ Rufus answered quizzically, furrowing his brow. ―We considered sailing to Eutracia to express our concerns directly, as the armada we used to invade your land still rests intact at anchor just off Eyrie Point, waiting to be used. But it would have proven too problematic.‖

Their armada is still intact, Geldon thought. But of course it would be! That could prove very useful.

―Many times we sent you requests for help by way of the enchanted pigeons.‖ He stopped for a moment, obviously perplexed. ―Did the birds not arrive in Shadowood, as they should have? We stopped sending them out when the first ones did not return, since we began to fear for their safety and they are known to be very rare.‖

Geldon‘s heart sang. He had thought his beloved pigeons lost. How he had mourned them!

He had repeatedly risked his life to release them with messages to Faegan. When Kluge and his Minions had ransacked the Ghetto looking for any of the prince‘s conspirators, the Minion commander had destroyed the aviary. To now discover that some of the birds had survived was news that the dwarf had never expected. The ones that had been sent to Shadowood must still be there, as the gnomes would not have known what to do with them or how to contact Faegan in the Redoubt. He could only hope they were being well cared for.

―The ones that remained here—where are they now?‖ he asked, trying to contain his glee.

―In the aviary, of course,‖ Rufus responded, still confused. ―It was one of the first buildings we reconstructed upon the orders of our new lord.‖

But before the dwarf could express his desire to see the new aviary, a cloud seemed to gather above, blotting out the sun. Geldon and Joshua heard a great rustling of wings and looked up to see several hundred Minion warriors flying overhead in pairs, each pair carrying between them some kind of litter. Geldon turned to the consul with questioning eyes, and then looked back up to the hundreds of flying Minions.

―What do they carry?‖ Joshua asked.

―These warriors are bringing us provisions,‖ Rufus answered. ―Traax, the acting Minion commander, has regular shipments sent in from his base at the Recluse, just north of here.‖

The consul and the dwarf watched in awe as the Minions wheeled and careened above them, then finally soared down. Flying very low to the ground they dropped their precious cargoes, then climbed back to the sky. When they were done, a giant mound of food and other supplies lay in the middle of the square.

The aviary would have to wait. It was Traax they most needed to see, and Geldon thought he had just found the fastest way to get there.

―Rufus,‖ he said, turning to the Minion officer, ―can you command them to take us to our next destination?‖

The Minion smiled. ―Of course.‖ He immediately walked into the square beneath the circling warriors and motioned them down. Selecting two pairs of them and ordering them to stay, he sent the others back into the sky to wait.

―I wish them to take us to the Recluse,‖ Geldon said. He turned to the consul, seeing distinct horror on the younger man‘s face. It was obvious that Joshua did not like this idea at all.

―Uh, er, isn‘t there any other way to do this?‖ the consul stammered. ―Can‘t we just ride horses to the Recluse?‖

―Look around you,‖ Geldon said impatiently, ―and tell me how many horses you see here.

Given the fact that they can fly, the Minions have very little use for them. Besides, it is a hard two-hour ride with horses. The other choice is a long four-day walk. So which do you prefer, eh? The walk of several days, or a free ride of only several moments?‖ Confident that his logic was inescapable, he stood defiantly before the apprehensive consul.

―There is another reason one should not travel across this land on foot,‖ Rufus said, a serious look darkening his face.

―And that would be?‖ Geldon asked.

―I think it better that you ask Commander Traax that question,‖ Rufus answered cryptically.

Geldon wondered what the Minion officer wasn‘t telling him, but decided not to make an issue of it. Climbing aboard one of the empty litters, he beckoned the fearful consul to enter the other.

―Is there anything you would like me to tell Traax?‖ Geldon asked as he grasped the sides of the litter.

He heard Rufus let out a great belly laugh. Turning, Geldon saw that Joshua was only holding onto the litter with one hand, desperately covering both his eyes with the other.

―Just that it has been a most interesting morning,‖ Rufus shouted back.

That is something I can certainly agree with, Geldon thought as the litters began to ascend.

In mere moments, they were aloft.