The Crimson Vault Part 17

"Just a minute," Denner said. "We've established how Simon knew what the Grandmasters were planning. But how did you know he knew?"

Indirial smiled. "Trade secret," he said. "Now, if I may have your attention."

The Overlord spread a map out on his table, pointing. "We're here, just to the southeast of Harinfel. Well, what used to be Harinfel. If the Incarnation had continued in a straight line toward Cana, he would have reached the village of Belcor, which is only a few miles south of our position. But, as far as we can tell, Belcor still stands."

Indirial nodded to Simon. "What does that mean, Simon?"

Simon hurriedly scanned the map. Presumably, the white tent-shaped piece on the center of the board represented their location. Harinfel was a small labeled dot to the northwest, Belcor another small dot to the south. If the Incarnation was headed straight to Cana, there was no way around.

Simon cleared his throat. "Either he's still here, or he went the long way, around the village. Or, I guess, he could have moved through the village without killing anybody."

Indirial nodded. "Well put. We find it unlikely that he stayed here. Even as a human, Valin didn't like standing still, and I'm sure he's even more restless now. So it's unlikely he stayed here, and even more unlikely that he moved through the village without killing anyone, but we know he wants to get to Cana."

Kai waved a dismissive hand. "He could have pa.s.sed through another Territory. If Enosh found him, we won't see him again until he's tearing down the gates of Cana."

Indirial hesitated. "Let's just say I have reason to believe that's not the case. Even if it is, though, Cana is well-defended. But I find it more likely that he will show up somewhere between here and Cana, where the land becomes so populated that he can't sneak through. If we wait here, we'll be close enough to Travel as a group and catch him as soon as he appears. We should be ready to move in a day or two."

"Wait here," Denner said. He sounded oddly hopeful. "Justawait around?"

The Overlord chuckled. "Sorry, Denner. We need someone to deal with the Grandmasters."

Denner sighed.

"Now," Indirial continued, "We know what they want: they're trying to attack a Hanging Tree, wherever they can. Since each Overlord guards one of the Trees*"

"The Hanging Tree?" Simon interrupted. He had heard references to it before, but no one had ever explained what it meant.

"It's an artifact of Ragnarus," Denner explained. "It keeps the Incarnations in check. Each Tree seals one Incarnation, but they're all connected: the more Trees destroyed, the closer all Incarnations get to escaping."

Indirial returned his attention to the map. "We know that the Grandmasters will be attacking the Overlords they see as weakest. We've checked on each Overlord, and we feel confident that will mean Deborah, Eli, and Malachi. Malachi's wife isn't a Traveler, so they'll almost certainly hit that point. I was planning on giving you two," he indicated Kai and Denner, "a team, and have you each defend one of these points. But without Kathrin to cover the third..."

Indirial paused thoughtfully. "Simon," he began, but Kai cut him off.

"No," Kai said firmly.

"Do you have access to ghost armor?" Indirial asked Simon, ignoring Kai.

Simon glanced between Kai and the Overlord, trying to determine what had pa.s.sed between them. But he was missing far too much information to make any sense out of the situation. "What? Ghost armor?"

Indirial nodded, digesting the information. "How about the frozen horn?"

Simon shook his head. Were these Valinhall powers?

"The black gauntlet?"

"Sorry, no."

The side of Indirial's mouth quirked up. "What do you have, then?"

Simon did not consider himself a dramatic person. Big, flashy gestures were for people like Alin. But every once in a while, he felt the situation called for more than just a simple answer.

He reached out his mind in a mental call, and Azura answered.

At the same time, he summoned steel and essence both. In a fraction of a second he held Azura in his hand, and he spun the sword forward, so that the razor's edge of the blade rested against Indirial's neck.

A flap of fabric from the tent fluttered to the ground, where Azura's blade had neatly sliced through it.

Indirial's lopsided smile didn't vanish. His eyes turned to Kai. "Nye essence?"

Kai shrugged. "Not my doing," he said.

"Clearly. Well, Simon, I've got news for you."

First, Indirial was standing over his map, sword at the edge of his neck. Then, suddenly, he just wasn't.

There came a blur of black motion, and then a pain in Simon's hand, and he was no longer holding Azura.

"You're not the only one," Indirial said, from behind him. Simon turned around to see Indirial offering Azura's hilt back.

Simon's face flushed, and he took Azura and banished it without a word.

That's what you get for showing off, Angeline said.

You're not helping, Simon sent. His embarra.s.sment lent an edge to his mental voice.

No need to snap.

"That's good, Simon," Indirial said. "But I can't send you out on your own if you're not prepared to stand against a real Traveler. Kai, you protect the Naraka Incarnation in Malachi's realm. Denner, I'll send you to protect the Asphodel Incarnation with Eli. You have some experience in Asphodel anyway, don't you?"

Denner repressed what might have been a twitch in one eye, and Hariman chuckled. But, eventually, the Traveler nodded.

"Excellent. So you'll support Eli, Kai can help Adrienne, and I'll come up with a team for Deborah. She probably needs the least help. Simon, you'll stay here with me. If the two of you don't make it back in time, then Simon and I will be the ones to intercept Valin."

No one liked that.

"Oh, I see, he'll stay with you," Kai said. "Under your protection, I'm sure? Pardon me if I don't trust in that."

"He's just a boy, Indirial," Denner said. "He's not ready for this."

Simon didn't say anything, but he didn't relish the idea of spending his time in battle alongside a Damascan Overlord.

Indirial held up a hand to their objections. "Honestly, he'll be safest here. I'll be able to keep an eye on them, and I spoke to the King only moments before I met you. I'll be getting some backup. They will arrive in two hours, at most."

"If you'll have so much help," Kai said, "then you don't need the boy."

Simon was beginning to get a little sick of being called 'the boy.'

"He should learn how the world works, Kai," Indirial said. "Since you're not going to teach him, somebody has to."

Denner raised a hand, like a child waiting for an adult to call on him. "Uh, excuse me, but I think we brushed past something fairly important. What kind of backup are you expecting, Indirial?"

This time it was Indirial's turn to sigh, and Simon was surprised at how much it made him sound like Denner. "That's the other thing," he said. "I'm getting a pair of Ragnarus Travelers. Maybe some Travelers from other Territories, if they can be spared. But two Ragnarus at least."

Fascinating, Angeline murmured. It's been so long...

What? Simon asked. What is going on?

Kai c.o.c.ked his head like a bird, though this time he looked more angry than curious. "Very well, Indirial. You've obviously thought this through."

"I try," Indirial said dryly.

"It wouldn't be wise for either of us to fight alongside a royal," Denner agreed. "Too much bad blood. But how about Simon, though? He's killed his share of Damascan soldiers."

Indirial regarded Simon seriously, and a bit sadly. Involuntarily, Simon took a step back. The guilt returned, sick and heavy in his stomach. Was Indirial going to try and arrest him? Would Simon have to try and fight his way out.

"The King is aware of Simon's...situation," Indirial said. "He has yet to render judgment. I'll do everything in my power, Kai. You can trust me on that."

Kai stared from behind his white bangs for a long time. Then, to Simon's surprise, he nodded.

"Very well. You have a Naraka Traveler prepared for me, I a.s.sume?"

"I'll have someone take you there in a moment," Indirial said. "And Denner, the Asphodel quarters are only a few tents down from here, so I'll take you myself. There's one thing I need to know first. Where's your Dragon's Fang, Kai?"

He gave the question so much weight that Simon got the impression that there was more to that question than showed on the surface.

"In the Wanderer's hands," Kai responded.

Indirial nodded slowly, and then he grinned. "You may not believe me, Kai, but I'm glad to hear it. Maybe this whole thing can have a happy ending after all."

Ten minutes later, Kai and Denner were both gone, en route to their respective realms. Simon leaned back in a chair in Indirial's unoccupied command tent, deep in conversation with Angeline.

How did I end up helping Damasca? Simon asked.

I wasn't aware you had ever sided with Enosh, Angeline responded. Alin just a.s.sumed so because of what happened with the sacrifice and the Overlord.

I never thought of myself as siding with Enosh, Simon agreed. But I sure never sided with Damasca. So what now?

Angeline was silent for a moment. Simon had noticed that she tended to be a little more thoughtful than his other dolls.

I wouldn't think of it as siding with or against Damasca, she said. You're not, really. What you're doing is opposing a violent and deadly Incarnation. After he's taken care of, your part here is done.

Simon wished he believed that.

Just a minute, he sent. You're part of Valinhall. Shouldn't you be on the Incarnation's side?

The doll didn't move, but Simon somehow got the impression that Angeline shrugged.

Some of us in the House would see it that way, I'm sure. For myself, though, I find his actions morally reprehensible. He needs to be stopped.

Simon considered that for a few minutes, until his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of trumpets, shattering the night. Instantly, soldiers boiled to life in the camp around him, arming themselves and shouting to one another. He heard them, even saw some of them through gaps in the tent's fabric. A few poked their head into the command tent, apparently looking for Indirial. Upon not seeing him there, they immediately ducked back out.

What's going on, do you think? Simon asked. Then he heard the first screams.

And one of the Nye entered the tent.

The Nye, looking like a man in black clothes and a hooded black cloak, carried an iron chain in between its two gloves. It stopped for a moment when it saw Simon, apparently surprised.

"Well," Simon said. "It's been a while since I've seen one of you."

The Nye stepped forward, and Simon summoned Azura.

The sword was far too long for the cramped confines of the tent, so its point materialized a fraction of an inch from the Nye's chest. There was a brief blue-white flare of light within the cloaked figure's hood, and the Nye slid to one side, still rushing to get its chain around Simon's throat.

But Simon had experienced enough of that for one lifetime, and he had the speed of the Nye on his side.

Simon had called steel at the same time he summoned Azura, but now he called essence. His lungs were filled with ice-cold light, and time itself slowed before him. He gripped Azura's black-wrapped hilt in both hands and swung as hard as he could.

He sliced the entire tent in half, Nye included. He saw the black robes collapse and then squirm together, like a severed earthworm of shadows, cloth, and moonlight. It slithered together and began crawling off into the night.

Of course, that was all he saw before the tent collapsed on his face.

He struggled out from under the heavy canvas, flailing around with Azura in one hand, and with the other hand trying to get a handful of fabric and pull it off him. He had cut through the lines and poles holding the tent up, so the remainder of the fabric had just deflated on top of him. It took him several minutes before he finally managed to extract himself from the fallen tent.

Ahem, Angeline said.

Simon whirled around for a moment, trying to figure out what the doll was warning him about. Then he realized he didn't have Angeline.

It took him another few minutes of searching through the tent's shredded remnants before he located the doll. Her straight blond hair and black dress were in perfect order, but her serious-looking face managed to express clear disapproval.

Cradling Angeline in one hand and carrying Azura in the other, Simon moved forward through the camp. He kept Azura's tip pointed at the sky, to avoid slicing open someone else's tent as he had done to Indirial's.

I thought Valin wasn't supposed to wait around here, Simon sent to the doll. We weren't supposed to fight him for another two days!

Apparently Valin decided to change the plan, Angeline said. Behind you.

Simon spun around. One of the Nye ducked behind his first swing, though he did manage to slice through a rack of spears, sending a handful of spearheads clattering to the ground. Simon whirled the sword around into an overhand strike, bringing Azura's blade down on the robed servant from above. He sliced off about a foot of fabric from the Nye's head, which apparently pa.s.sed for a fatal wound, as the man-sized robes collapsed into a pile of shadow and light.

The essence faded from Simon's blood, and he didn't bother to hang on. It would regenerate in a few minutes, and he would need it if he had to fight Valin himself. For now, he could survive with just the steel. He had been defeating the Nye since before he had gained their speed, after all.

First, he had to find Indirial. Soldiers ran here and there, many of them engaged in combat with Nye, but this wasn't some random village full of civilians: very few of the Damascan troops needed any help fighting a single Nye. As a result, the soldiers maintained an orderly retreat more than a panicked flight. Most of them were running in the same direction, so Simon followed. Maybe they would lead him to Indirial.

Despite the fact that they were armed and trained, the soldiers had been caught unawares, so some of them found themselves overwhelmed. Simon helped these as best he could, but he rarely stopped moving. If Indirial expected to engage Valin, he should be there.

After what felt like most of an hour, but was probably more like ten minutes, the soldiers led Simon to the edge of camp. It was an open field on a high hill, overlooking the empty remnants of Harinfel village.

There, on the hill, Damasca had engaged Valinhall in pitched battle.

Light from the moon and stars turned the scene into a vision from a particularly strange and violent dream. Dozens of Nye ducked, leaped, and slithered their way around attacks, striking back with their chains. Some of them swung weighted chains in huge, deadly arcs, smashing through armor. Others used their chains more nimbly, like ropes or la.s.sos, grabbing weapons out of the soldiers' hands and pulling them to the ground. Still others used the tactic that the Nye favored in the House: sneaking up to their victims and strangling from behind.