Sunlord (6 page)

He probed with his mind as consciousness slowly
returned. He was wrapped in furs and he felt the heat of a fire at
his back. His eyes cleared and he could see he was inside of a tent
like structure.

Memory slowly returned. He had been in the forest for
weeks upon end searching for the Eloprin, the old maps his only
guide. The meeting at the odium seemed so long ago and the city so
distant as he trekked through the treacherous jungle.

But where was he now?

He started as a voice whispered in his ear.

"Easy now. Drink some of this, it will make the pain
fade."

Thoughts flashed through the Vizier's mind. The voice
was not like any Currach's; the accent was deep and guttural.
Emphasis was placed on the wrong words and it was spoken so
differently it almost sounded an alien language.

"Where am I?" he mumbled weakly.

He felt a spoon at his parched lips and a warm soup
dribbled into his mouth. He swallowed greedily as his hunger was
reawakened.

He lost consciousness soon after and did not wake
until four hours later.

Capac was looking over the Currach when he awoke the
second time. He hailed the Elder and together they watched as the
Currach drew himself together.

"Who are you?" he asked blearily.

The Elder stepped forward. "We are Eloprin. It seems
you ran into some trouble in the forest. What were you doing out
there?"

"You're Eloprin? I've come to seek your aid." The
Currach coughed and wiped the back of his hand across his mouth.
"I've come about the invaders from the sky." The Vizier sat up,
then winced as the half-healed flesh in his shoulder pulled. He
continued on. "I came to get your aid and together we shall fight
back." As he spoke he gained strength and looked more alert by the
minute.

Capac was taken aback. "I thought the Currach didn't
fight at all. Those insane missionaries preach against all forms of
violence. Scroch, he even ate plants and roots instead of killing
prey!"

"I...I am no longer a part of that society. I have
broken away from the system for the good of both our races. I must
get aboard the Starmen's ship and send them away before my people
are killed."

Capac was uncomprehending. "The Starmen?"

"I think he means the Sunlords," put in the Elder. "I
think his name resembles ours in meaning."

"Sunlords," mused the Vizier. "An apt name. I need to
get aboard the Star-, I mean Sunlords ship."

"Aboard? Are you crazy?"

"Some call me that," laughed the Vizier. "I have a
plan. My brains combined with your cunning will enable us to
succeed."

A silence followed.

"What is your name?" the Elder asked.

"They call me the Vizier back in the city. That's my
rank in the Council."

Capac glanced at the Elder. "What sort of name is
that? What is your real name?"

The Vizier hesitated. He hadn't used his real name
since childhood. His position dictated what his name was and he had
no need for another. "I once used to be called Ashian, of the Bire
household, but that was long ago."

The Elder nodded his approval. "It is better to be
known as one's self rather than one's role. My curiosity is aroused
concerning this plan you speak of, but I see you are still weak.
Try and get some more rest Ashian Bire and we can talk again
tomorrow. There is some soup there, help yourself."

Ashian was grateful. He sat up a trifle groggily and
grasped the small wooden bowl in his white hands, cupping its
warmth to heat his cold hands. He sipped from it and when sated
fell back into the furs. It wasn't long before he sank into a deep
sleep once more.

"What do you think?" Capac asked once the Currach was
asleep.

The Elder shrugged. "Either he is insane with fever
or a very brave Currach."

Capac was silent. The Currach's strange quest had
chilled his blood; whoever would dare to go to Sunlords home?

* * *

Ashian recovered slowly and the days past as his
strength returned. He had beaten the last remnants of the fever and
could think clearly once more.

He was mostly ignored by the rest of the villagers,
but Ashian knew that behind his back they whispered about the
strange new creature. But suspicion of the unknown was
understandable for he was the first Currach many of the villagers
had seen.

As the week passed he became overwhelmed with the
generosity of the Elder, this was certainly not the 'wild savages'
Orlin had spoken of. Ashian had also spoken to and thanked the
Eloprin hunter who had found him and brought him back, a man called
Nobilor. The hunter had gruffly accepted the thanks and walked
away.

As Ashian recovered the Elder coaxed more of his
story out of him. The old Eloprin was very interested in his plan
to attack the Sunlords full frontal.

"Have you had any encounters with the Sunlords?"
asked Ashian one day as they sat in a clearing by the bathing
pool.

"My village was destroyed by them," muttered the
Elder with passion. "The survivors are those you see before you,
and many carry the scars of attack. I have pledged to avenge those
who have fallen to the Sunlords fire."

"The Sunlords threaten to destroy my city, too. When
I spoke to them-"

"You spoke to the Sunlords? You didn't tell me of
this before."

"I was taken aboard their ship among the stars and
there I was taken to speak with the leader."

"I don't understand, the Sunlords' home is the
burning sun." The Elder gestured up in the sky to the glowing
yellow orb.

"No, they live in a steel city in the sky. They are
not gods."

"Indeed? Many of the villagers refuse to fight them
for fear of invoking the wraith of the spirit world. They think
that the Sunlords are invincible and to fight is useless."

"Aye, many of my comrades in the Council thought as
they do. But your fear must be overcome, for that is the greatest
barrier."

"Capac and Huso are the only hunters who have killed
a Sunlord," mused the Elder half to himself. "They said once it was
dead voices still emerged from it, like it spirit was still alive.
But this didn't bother Capac, and Huso, well, he follows Capac like
a puppy. Those are the only hunters who dare raise weapons against
the gods from the sun."

"You must introduce me to this Capac."

"You have met him briefly when you first awoke a week
ago. He was the Eloprin who was with me when you first spoke to
us."

Ashian's brow furrowed. "I cannot recall his face. I
was still half-asleep when I spoke."

"Well, you will get a chance to speak to him soon. He
is returning from a week-long hunting trip this evening. He was out
with Huso to see if the Sunlords are amassing against us."

"Why should they be?"

"Capac killed two of their number and I'm sure they
won't let it pass unheeded."

Ashian agreed. "When the rebels attacked the Sunlords
they were killed within five hours. Traders from the Old Coast Road
reported that very little was left of them."

"They shall not find us so easily. These rebels are
unsuited for warfare and it is not surprising they don't last long.
We came across a small band of rebels a few weeks ago blundering
through the jungle."

"Did you give them aid?"

"No, they would be a burden. Our tribe was on the run
and we didn't need to look after a bunch of wild Currachs would
couldn't be trusted."

"Then why trust me? Why did Nobilor bring me
back?"

The Elder chuckled softly. "It must have been your
lucky day, for Nobilor has no love for the Currach. He must have
taken pity upon your form. Either that or the wood sprites worked
some of their magic."

Ashian smiled. "Wood sprites? No, it was Abas, the
One God."

The Elder scratched his neck absently. "The forest is
alive with spirits. One day you will come to learn the Marshad
Teachings."

"It sounds fascinating, and I would love to talk to
you about my Religion. But there is the Currach in me coming out,
chattering about Religion when there are more important
concerns."

The Elder sobered. "You really want to go to the
stars and fight the Sunlords there?"

"Will you help me?" Ashian asked simply.

"It is not up to me, but my hunters. If any wish to
travel with you that is their business, and I admire their courage.
As to me, I am too old to gallivant to the sun. I must get my tribe
back in strength before the winter storms."

"But don't you see," exasperated Ashian. "If we don't
do something then the planet might not be here before the winter
storms! Your hunters must help me."

"Hey, keep your voice down. But I ask you, if a man
from another race wandered into your city and wanted you to travel
with him to the end of the world, even to your death, you would
hesitate. We are a simple people but are not willing to be pushed
into anything."

"I meant no offence," covered Ashian. "I'm sorry,
it's just that every day I sit here I feel I should be doing
something. As I sleep I think of all the Currach who have no doubt
fallen that day, the rebels, the farmers, the citizens."

"You take pride in your city, don't you."

"Of course," returned Ashian. "It is the heart of
Currach culture and its streets are the lifeblood of Abas."

"Strange beliefs," chortled the Elder. "Everyone
knows the holy spirits reside in the forest."

Ashian was about to reply when a shouting rang out.
The Elder stood immediately to see what had happened.

"Capac has returned," came the explanation from a
small excited Eloprin boy who ran messenger through the
village.

"He is early. Come, Ashian, and let's hear his
tale."

They met with Capac and Huso as the two hunters
stepped into the forest clearing. Their faces were black with dirt
and camouflage sap and they walked slowly. The Elder bade a
welcome, and Capac returned it.

"We have been walking since yesterday," panted Capac.
He lay down his bow and small pack. "We stirred the Sunlords up
like bees, and they were pretty furious." Capac grinned with the
memory. "We managed to shake them off our trail, though. It was
tough."

Huso came up behind his leader. "They almost had us a
couple of times, and this crazy scroch kept taunting them. We'd be
in hiding and a patrol of Sunlords would pass and thop! Capac would
take out one with his arrow, and we'd be on the run again."

"But it was fun, wasn't it?" grinned Capac.

"What did you do to them?" asked the Elder.

"We found another of their encampments and buzzed it.
I took two Sunlords and Huso here got one. The others got pretty
worked up so we lead them on a wild chase through the forest. We
booby trapped our trail and set up ambushes. We lead them right
into our environment."

The other villagers had gathered in awe about the
hunters. They were the only Eloprin in the village with enough gall
to face the Sunlords, and great respect was deserving.

"Did you bring back any Sunlord fire weapons?" was
one of the other hunter's question.

"No," returned Capac. "We had to travel light and
quick. Extra weight, especially one of those heavy things, would
surely slow us. Besides, nobody knows how to use them anyway."

This was greeted with silence. The Elder hadn't be
able to work the rifle and neither had any other of the hunters who
had tried.

Ashian stepped forward to the Elder. "You have a fire
weapon? I didn't know."

The Elder shrugged. "I didn't think you would be
interested in a tool of killing. Besides, if a hunter can't figure
it out a city Currach can't."

Capac's attention was attracted to Ashian. "So you
are out of the furs? Recovered from your delusions yet? When I last
saw you, you babbled on about some mad scheme."

"I will drive off the Sunlords myself if I have to. I
would like to speak to you once you have rested, Capac Fletfod. The
Elder had told me much about you."

Capac was silent. The serious mood was broken as the
Elder called out:

"Prepare the feast! Capac is home!"

A cheer erupted, for the villagers had been
stockpiling and preparing gourmet dishes all week. Everyone wanted
to get stuck into the grub.

The villagers dispersed to go about their duties, and
Capac's hut-wench came and took him and Huso to the bathing pool
where soap and fresh clothing awaited.

The Elder, Capac, Huso and Ashian sat about the
smouldering remains of the bonfire. The festivities had lasted long
into the night and now the moon hung bright overhead. The village
was quiet now as the Eloprin slept deeply under the influence of
Jawkra root.

The four natives sat on bench-like logs about the
crackling fire. The Elder spoke.

"We must speak of what we are going to do about the
Sunlords. Ashian has something to say to you Capac. Listen closely,
for his words have merit."

Ashian looked up as he heard his name, startled out
of his daydream. He quickly informed Capac of how he intended to
drive away the Sunlords.

"You what?" cried Capac. "This is suicide. How easily
you think of flying like a bird to the sun, only a madman could
dream of such a thing. Our only chance is to draw the Sunlords into
the forest where we stand a better chance."

Ashian shook his head. "They will send down a
powerful force and everything will be destroyed. The only way to
save this world is to go up there ourselves. We could ambush one of
their craft and pilot it up to the mother ship. Of course, it you
are afraid..."

Capac fumed. "I have more courage than all the
Currach put together. Why should we place our live in your hands?
Who said you're any better at fighting Sunlords?"

"I can work their machines."

"What makes you so sure?" barked Capac. He
contemptuously tossed the rifle across to the Currach, who caught
it awkwardly. "If you can work that thing, I may just consider
going with you."