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It was the dusk of the last age, the time before the War. The Kingdom rejoiced in its successes, revelled in its apparent superiority and prepared further attacks upon its ancient enemy. Young men and women like the Baroness Erica del Erica and Tarek ir Teriss inspired hundreds of others of the noble classes, and all prepared to go forth to visit death and destruction on the people of Aisorbma, unswayed by any more rational arguments.

And across the border, the Aisorbmii rallied together to recover from their greatest loss.

A time of choices. A time of preparation. A time to be counted.

The following is reconstructed from contemporary accounts.

Episode Four: Reports and Portents

Paladin Tekowariaura stood before the fountain. To his right, the groom, Kadocasitari. To his left, the fair-haired bride, Cafialerasun. Between them, completing the circle, their child. Their families and friends were seated in larger concentric circles around them.

Tekowariaura spoke. 'Kad, son of the man Cas, son of the woman Tari, you have declared yer love and begun the path of love. Take my right hand.' The bearded farmer did so.

'Cafi, daughter of the woman Lera, daughter of the man Sun, you have declared yer love and begun the path of love. Take my left hand.' She did so.

'Yer child is born. Bring 'im inter the circle.' The parents used their free hands to pick up the child together, and they placed him carefully in the bowl at the centre of the fountain. They then held the other's free hand.

'What will be his name?' asked Tekowariaura.

'Fer,' said Kadocasitari and Cafialerasun together.

'Child, before all these witnesses, I name you Ferokadicafi. Man, woman, before all these witnesses, I declare yer truly wed, husband and wife.'

Tekowariaura moved his hands together, and placed the couple's hands together. The witnesses applauded. The innermost circle of guests began to throw rice over the fountain and the circle. Tekowariaura turned and backed away from the rejoicing families, and moved to another Paladin at the outskirts of the festival. By his feet was a long backpack, from which the hilt of a sword protruded. He wore a long red cloak and darkened chain-mail. His shield and crest bore the mark of the Ministry, but as a Paladin he wore no further symbol of office. Only those intimate with the Ministerial ranks would know him to be the Prime Minister, leader of the Aisorbmii.

'Paladin Tekowariaura, I greet you,' said he, extending his hands. Tekowariaura bowed, and clasped both hands in the warrior's grip.

''S good to see yer again, Teacher', said Tekowariaura. 'In fact, it's good to see anyone again. It's been quite lonely the last few months. Didn't think I frightened people that much.'

'Then today will be a pleasant change. There's a great meeting this afternoon, a few miles from here. The Rangers are coming with reports, Paladins are coming to decide their worth and Marshals are coming to offer their aid.'

'Aid? What's happened?'

'What've you heard?'

'Nothing. The only reason I'm here is I had a dream last night. I'll meet my brother today.'

'Well, I've not heard the full story meself yet, but I'll tell you what I know. Ranger Finogilisera tells me there's been an attack. The processing factory at Anilomes was destroyed by Kingdom raiders. I'm also told one raider was captured and interrogated. We will hear more when it all gets going. Come on, old friend, we will go and sit together at table.'

They walked west, and talked of old times. It did not take them long to reach the meeting place, but the magnitude of the event struck Tekowariaura far earlier, as paths converged and entire troupes of Paladins and Marshals walked the same paths they did. Their shields and crests all bore different colours. Tekowariaura was astonished; there were warriors here from all across the country!

'Relax, old friend,' said the Prime Minister. 'This is not an army, merely a gathering.'

The field of meeting was immense, and already filled with tents, but the centre of the field was clear. A great circle of tables had been laid out, and the Paladins found themselves seats around its exterior. Some Marshals acquired seats along its interior, others at tables in the centre. The Prime Minister found two seats to the west of the circle, and sat Tekowariaura beside him.

'Tek?' asked a nearby Marshal.

'Rek!' exclaimed Tekowariaura. 'Rek, my brother, I knew you'd been called here. It's been ages, what've yer been up to?'

'Long time indeed, but still the dreams bind us. What've I been up to? Plenty, plenty. What have you heard?'

'Precious little. But Teacher tells me I'll hear it all here.'

'I'll be telling you some things myself. I have a report,' Rek said proudly. 'These are interesting times, Tek, interesting times.'

'May they also be good times.'

'Amen to that. I'll have a drink with yer later, if we get time.'

The Prime Minister called all to order, then motioned to a nearby mage, who rose his hands into the air. Around the circle, other men raised their arms. They chanted. As they progressed Tekowariaura began to hear their voices: 'Theeay jovdacoo star dwill star t' now!' He did not know the words but he knew what they signified. Whatever was said would be heard aloud by all; there could be no idle gossip now.

'We're gathered here to learn. Whatever yer've heard, however yer've heard it, ferget about it; here and now we'll hear together the first-hand reports, and make our minds up properly.'

A Marshal stepped forward. 'I am Marshal Senodenilapa. I worked at Factory Anilomes, forty miles south-west of here. Seven days ago that factory was destroyed.' There was a burst of exclamations and mumbles, which everyone heard clearly but simultaneously. Then there was a burst of shushing, and equal confusion, and eventually silence once more. 'I was inside the factory, observing the rites. Then there was a light... a blinding light. It lasted only a few seconds, but we knew something bad was happening, and I sounded the alarum, got everyone I could out. Some, really close to the light, died quickly, there was nothing left of them; there were others, blinded by the light, struck as they run. Terrible to watch. And then... there was an explosion.

'By my account, sirs, two hundred dead. A score or so with serious burns. But the machinery is destroyed, and the building barely intact. The fire took much out of it, and only the rains since have put it out.

'Anilomes is destroyed. That's all I have to say.'

A burly Ranger was second. 'I am Ranger Tesorilivesa. When Anilomes was destroyed all nearby Rangers were alerted, to find the villains. I saw two individuals fleeing to the west, and relayed the message, and soon there were nine of us in the hunt. I saw them heating their rice pudding at a campfire, and casting spells to hide their tracks, and we knew we'd found them. So we attacked.

'We didn't know one was a very skilled swordsman, or that the other was a sorceress. Six of us fell, but we killed the swordsman and captured the witch. She was restrained and brought back for interrogation.' The Ranger finished abruptly, unused to long speeches. Rek stepped forward to give his report.

'I am Marshal Rekowarilani. I interrogated the sorceress. Her name is Baroness Erica del Erica, of the Kingdom. She told us many things.

'Her companion's name was Marquis Endam ar Berrita. He was training to become a blademaster, and the Baroness thought she loved 'im. He was the one who suggested the raid to her. As I understood it, she wasn't an official agent of the Kingdom, and her actions were not sanctioned by their King. She did it for the Marquis.

'We interrogated her for several hours, until she couldn't speak any more, so we let her rest a bit. Only, a short while later, her dungeon was broken into. There were at least four of them, including another sorcerer; we fought. We killed all but the sorcerer, and they killed everyone except me and the girl. He carried her off and away. I was injured, I couldn't follow.'

Tekowariaura saw the hurt in his brother's eyes, but made no comment. The Prime Minister stood.

'We have agents in the Kingdom. The raid has been acclaimed as a pre-emptive strike. Already the Kingdom prepares to take advantage of our surprise.'

'We need time,' said Tekowariaura. 'Time to prepare. I suggest we use our agents to disrupt them, to buy us time.'

'Agreed,' said a Paladin somewhere at the south of the circle. 'I am Paladin Torosanifeya. They have managed two raids on us in one week. On both occasions they have used sorcerers and we have suffered heavy casualties. Their grasp of magic on the battlefield leaves us at a disadvantage. We must prepare.'

'Time,' said the Prime Minister. 'We do not have enough of it, and we must not waste what we have. But before we get too far ahead of ourselves: they are not declaring war, they are increasing hostilities. They have the resources to do this, they have the resources to declare war if they choose. We do not have that luxury. And for us to declare war ourselves would be fatal.

'I think it is time to think,' he said, sitting down. 'We will observe the rites of our forefathers. The last production line of the destroyed factory has been brought here for us to remember it. Eat and be thankful, for the lives that it costs us.' The Prime Minister motioned to the mages, who allowed the spell to fall. He held his bowl high. 'Remember Anilomes.'

Before every Paladin and Marshal at the table was a bowl of cold rice pudding. All the Rangers were eating from the tin. All lifted their bowls, and the great chant was heard, 'Remember Anilomes!'

The rest of the meal was full of jollity, for long into the night the Paladins and Marshals chatted, ate and drank, and told each other stories of the events in their parts of the country by the firelight. One Paladin drank too much wine and became boisterous, challenging another to a duel, who promptly won; however it drew such attention that soon others had started a small competition. None of these were from Anilomes: those Paladins who felt the raid and its consequences were of great gravity discussed plans and strategies late into the night.

The Prime Minister talked with Tekowariaura as they made their way to sleeping-tents. 'I tell you, old friend, I want peace. My years of battle are long behind me, and I no longer lust for it. Instead I wish to meet with the King, and talk. We have managed to maintain peace for many decades. I do not want two children, however skilled they may be, disrupting the entire world on a dare, or some such prank.'

'Yer cannot go alone,' said Tekowariaura. 'They would kill yer instantly.'

'I cannot go guarded,' countered the Prime Minister. 'I'd be seen as an invader.'

'Then send a messenger. A Ranger: someone who can survive. See what response this brings.'

'That is a good idea. I will select someone on the morrow.' They paused outside the Prime Minister's tent, and said their goodnights. Tekowariaura walked to his own tent, and prepared to rest.

Then the vision hit him.

A pride of lions, dozens strong, all marching together, a silver lion at their head. A convocation of eagles, in their hundreds, descending to attack. Another lion becomes a snake and silently attacks the silver lion. Lion and snake fall to the ground, swallowed by shadows. The lion's silver teeth remain, shining in moonlight. The grass grows around lions and eagles, smothering them all.

Cafialerasun holds a sword in her right hand. She wears black. The sword is stained.

The snake again, striking without sound. A voice.

'Your blood has seen this too.'

Tek, son of Aura and son of War, unsheathed his sword and ran back to the Prime Minister's tent. The old Paladin was on his back, another Paladin kneeling above him, dagger already unsheathed.

Tekowariaura yelled and charged. The traitor Paladin did not speak, but turned about and aimed the dagger low. Tekowariaura's blade missed but he careened into the dagger, and it plunged deep into his thigh. He swung, tearing a hole in the tent with his sword, but the traitor backed away. Suddenly he looked up, and they all heard it: the alarum had been sounded. The traitor ran away into the moonless night.

Tekowariaura collapsed, his leg wet, his head dizzying. There was no pain.

Tekowariaura died the following day, in the company of his brother. He lived long enough to be honoured by the Prime Minister for saving his life, and for his other deeds, and he is usually remembered as the first great casualty of the War.

Of course, this great meeting is usually remembered as the place where war was declared. I hope that our research will clarify that this was not so. One only wonders what else one can discover, when one researches deeply enough.


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