The Mutant World (57 page)

“Say no more, boy,” said Terrence, not without sympathy. “I believe I understand. Remember this; courage is not the absence of fear. Rather, it is the ability to overcome it. You yet have the ability to either remain a coward in the eyes of your people or overcome the mountain within you and prove them wrong. Prove you are a man and those who plot to kill you when this thing is done may change their minds. Or at least you can leave this world dying the way a real warrior would wish to go, in battle.”

Stragg nodded. “Thank you, elder,” he replied.

Take heart,” smiled Terrence, laying a hand on Stragg’s shoulder. “We’ll send for more warriors from the western border tribes. Thanks to Lord Jawara, we have a truce with Queen Shanis and most of the tribes beyond our border, remember? We won’t have to worry about them raiding our towns there. With these fresh warriors we’ll recoup our numbers and deal with these bastards the right way.”

Just then the elder received a telepathic message, and much to Stragg’s surprise Terrence turned white as a ghost.

“What?” said Stragg. “What is it?”

“Summon your war council,” said Terrence. “Call all those lords and chiefs loyal to us back! Do it now!”

******

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
THE BEGINNING OF THE END

T
he war in the west had been going on for several months now. The worst fighting had taken place in the mountains. For the empire, troop movement and supply was a simple matter due to the teleportation technology in the lowlands and foot-hills. But this became a problem in the mountains where there was little mapped territory or very large cities. In the mountains war was being fought and armies supplied pretty much old school. The Battle of Cartagena had changed that somewhat. With her main base secured in the valley, Empress Beral III had a fixed location to send and receive troops and supplies into the mountains quickly.

Naturally, they had the location and means to teleport warriors directly to Dinos City, but there were definite risks in doing that with so much of the mountain towns still fighting them. Despite their victory at the valley battle, the Barratians were never known to give up easily. Everyone expected weeks and even months of hard fighting and another massive offensive by the Barratians at some point of their choosing once they moved out of the valley and back into less known regions of the mountains. Surprisingly, that didn’t happen. There had been some sharp skirmishes with various bands of warriors and they did encounter abandoned towns, but many of the once hostile towns were now sending envoys of peace. Some of these made it clear that were not surrendering or submitting to Bellasarian rule, but rather had no interest in fighting for the usurper king. If he was all the Bellasarians wanted, they could have him. For now, that was good enough for the empress. She could always bring these defiant communities into the empire by other, gentler, means later.

However, the many abandoned towns were cause for worry. The enemy was massing somewhere, which meant that a big fight was coming. After a point, the fighting did become more frequent and intense. Larger and much more defensible towns were being spied out that would have to be taken with hard fighting. Then suddenly, much of the resistance seemed to just melt away. Many of the strongholds were abandoned when the empress’s forces approached them. The large war parties shrunk or disappeared altogether.

It was at times like this that the empress really wished she could use high level technology and clear the hell out of all the damn trees so she could know what was going on. However, the rules of war were clear. There would be no deforestation by bombs. No advanced surveillance by air. No drones of any kind. So unless you had wings yourself, air surveillance was a bust. From the air a winged or mounted warrior would only be able to see vast forested areas. If they flew closer to the ground they would be exposed to archers. Forts and towns could be seen by air, but these settlements were equipped with primitive but effective anti-air weaponry. Also, the enemy’s winged fighters would certainly spot them and then it would be a race to get anything relevant back before they were killed or captured. The empress stopped her advance and strengthened her new base at one of the more impressive fortified towns. Her forces were smaller now because she immediately had every abandoned stronghold or town occupied, but she still had formidable forces in the field and now secure bases for supply and fallback points as well. The enemy didn’t even try to destroy their fortifications. They just ran and left them there…intact. Beral III and her command didn’t know what to make of it. Then word came via a messenger from the interior. The empress was in council at the fortress city of Alba when the news came.

******

“Empress, it is obvious to me that the Barratians’ resolve to fight has crumbled,” said Queen Mab of Akonia. “If we push on we’ll be taking Dinos City before the end of the next month…probably sooner.”

“Is that your opinion, my husband?” said the empress.

“It is true,” said Lord Talos, “that many have sued for peace. Many have come over to our side. Many have been captured or killed in battle…but Barratians’ don’t buckle that easily. Not the ones who think they have something worth fighting and dying for. And I don’t mean Stragg. Abandoned cities are not a sign of surrender, no, just the opposite. I recommend extreme caution if we begin to advance further.” There was much assent to High Lord Talos’s council.

“We will continue to send out scouts. We will strengthen our presence in the territories already taken before any further advancement into unknown domains,” said the empress. “These mountains are full of places for ambush and the enemy has been taught to respect us. They are more dangerous than ever. I will not expose my warriors to needless slaughter. Something is going on out there and I won’t budge until I know what.”

“Your pardon, Empress,” said a young page entering the hall and kneeling. Beral III motioned that he should rise. “Highness, I have word. A woman brings important news from the interior.”

There was a murmur of surprise from among the gather kings and queens, very few women escaped alone from the interior controlled by Stragg’s people. They were surprised further when the woman came before them. She was clearly
not
a Barratian slave. In fact, she gave the appearance of someone trained and experienced in battle.

“And you are?” said the empress, burning with curiosity.

“I am Lady Corina,” said the woman. Lady Corina was a short but lithe woman clearly built for speed rather than power. Above the waist she had very little, but her legs were quite firm and muscular.

“What news do you bring, lady?” asked Talos.

“My lord, Prince Jawara marches on Dinos from the west. He brings many allies from the frontier tribes and the border towns and tribes of Western Barrat have risen and flocked to his banner.”

Tidor and Pantherus jumped to their feet. The newly arrived Princess Sandra as well. “Our brother is here?!” cried Tidor.

“Aye, Prince,” said the woman. “He has sworn to avenge your father and mother’s murder and mount Stragg’s and Elder Terrence’s heads on spikes. Already he has smashed a large Barratian force in the western region and is battling Stragg’s forces even now. Until recently, he had been sweeping all before him. Then the Barratians were reinforced by several thousand warriors and he was checked at the Battle of Golas…for now.”

“NOW I have the answer to the deserted forts and mass troop withdrawals!” cried Beral III rising. “Is my daughter with him? Is she well?”

“Yes, Great One,” said the messenger. “She is with him and is eager to see you and your consort, Lord Talos. Indeed, my lord has taken prisoners who swore that his brothers and sister, whom he believed dead, were alive as well. This was confirmed by enemy defectors who actually saw the princes in battle. My Lord Jawara is most eager to join with you and destroy Stragg once and for all.”

“How do we know this is not a Barratian trap?” said a chief. A quick mental probe, with the messenger’s permission, confirmed her words…and more.

“Hah! Our daughter has chosen well!” laughed the empress. Queen Mab, it looks like you’ll get your wish. We mobilized immediately. We wouldn’t want my new son-in-law stealing all the glory, now would we?”

The vassal queens and kings left and returned to their various camps to make their preparations. It would take a day or two before the whole army could march, but the empress set loose packs of feral warriors into the interior to scout ahead and worry the Barratians’ lines. Jawara’s messenger was led away to rest. She would eat with the empress and her family that evening. Then she would carry word back to Lord Jawara as soon as she was ready. When almost all had left a tall white haired woman came out of the shadows of an adjoining chamber and approached the empress and High Lord.

“Honored ancestor,” said Beral III, greeting Bellasaris. Lord Talos inclined his head in greeting as well.

“Beloved descendant,” said Bellasaris, greeting the empress. “Beloved kinsman,” she said greeting Lord Talos, who smiled and nodded.

“You have heard?” said the empress.

“I have,” said Bellasaris. “You should remain here. The empress cannot constantly expose herself to battle. If you should be slain it could be disastrous.”

“I don’t happen to enjoy this kind of fighting,” said Beral III matter-of-factly, “but my place is with my warriors. Am I a human now? Or do you think I should follow Stragg’s example?”

“You have proven yourself many times already in this war,” said Bellasaris. “No one will question your skill or courage. But as empress, you have other skills. You cannot use these skills to hold what you have gained if you are dead. And that reminds me…” Bellasaris switched to private telepathy.
“This Lord Jawara must be brought into the empire at all cost. If he should return west once this war is over we could be facing a rival empire down the line later on.”

“I have reached this conclusion already, honored ancestor,”
replied Beral III.
“I have the matter in hand.”

“Naturally we can’t have the boy harmed,”
warned Bellasaris.

“Of course not!”
laughed the empress.
“But there are other ways of getting our way, especially if the man is of impeccable honor.”

“I see,”
said Bellasaris with a chuckle. Then she looked at Talos and smiled.
“What do you think of our kinsman, Lord Jawara?”

“I think he is a young man who has fought hard to prove himself most of his life,”
said Talos.
“He may not wish to be anyone’s vassal. If he has managed to unite several barbarian tribes under his banner he could become another Harold the Great.”

“Harold did not seek to become a king,”
said Bellasaris,
“the job was kind of forced on him. He was loyal to the empire and willingly became part of it and continued our traditions…mostly. Jawara, as you have said, may have ambitions and the will and desire to do things HIS way…and he is a Barratian. True, a liberal Barratian, but a Barratian nonetheless. However, I do believe that if we can get his ass back to Illyria and bestow upon him the honors that are not only his birthright, but which he has clearly earned, he will remain and use his considerable gifts to the empire’s benefit.”

“My love,”
said Beral III to Lord Talos,
“no empire needs rivals. The boy must be brought into the family fold. I loved Roc like a little brother, but he was a fool where his eldest son was concerned. His folly however can be made to work in our favor.”
Then the empress giggled and said,
“Besides…wouldn’t you like your daughter and a son-in-law like that close to you? I know you can’t wait to meet him.”

Talos grinned and replied,
“This is true. In fact, I’m so eager to meet him ‘Alive’ that I suggest we waist little time in supporting him. Obviously Stragg has marked him as either the greater threat or the one more easily dealt with…possibly both. It is obvious that Jawara does not have the same overwhelming numbers at his disposal as we do. Unfortunately for Stragg though, Jawara knows these lands and mountains well while we do not. Also, being a Barratian himself and a son of former King Roc, albeit illegitimate, Jawara may draw followers from the region like flies to a rotting carcass. If I were Stragg I would destroy Jawara first before he could gain such allies while the invaders from the east trudge along delayed by ignorance of the country and groups of fighters left behind to stall them.”

“I agree,”
laughed Bellasaris.
“Lord Talos, you, I and my lord Cato shall march as soon as we are prepared. Empress, you really should remain behind with the Barratian Princess and work to consolidate our friendship with the Barratians who’ve surrendered or joined us willingly. Still, as you have said, you are the empress not I.”

“I’m glad you remembered that,”
said Beral III.
“I think I will. Under the circumstances, I don’t believe it necessary to send our entire army either now. Half our legions should be enough to make the difference now. The rest of our forces will remain here in reserve just in case and to help consolidate our gains here. Lord Talos, you will remain here as well.”

“What?”
protested Talos.

“I insist!”
snapped the empress.
“The High Elders can take charge. I can see they’re dying to even now.”

Bellasaris chuckled at this.
“Is it that obvious?”
she said.

“The looks of glee when going into battle and the way you forget yourselves at times and start to give orders gave you away,”
said Beral III with humor
. “Besides…I like fighting, but I don’t like killing. If you and Lord Cato go I believe the fighting will stop much quicker. Indeed, just the sight of ‘The Cat’ may make many surrender and come over to our side.”

“I agree,”
said Bellasaris.
“And you’re right. Living for centuries in a pleasant little paradise hidden away from everything and everyone is nice, but it gets boring as hell! This is the most fun I’ve had in centuries! Don’t get me wrong. I’m not too fond of the killing either, at least not when it’s other mutants, but…”

“I quite understand,”
said the empress.
“Well, as my beloved has said, we need to get busy and aid our kinsman. I don’t want my daughter to be a widow before they can be formally wed.”

******

Days Later, The Battle of McGrath

Lord Jawara with, a bit of cunning, had managed to slip warriors around the forces arrayed against him wining the next battle by distracting the enemy…with a battle. Yes, with a battle. Warriors charged out from his ranks bright and early with signal horns blaring and began challenging enemy warriors from among the Barratian ranks to personal combat.