The Tower Of The Watchful Eye: The Legend Of Kairu Book 1 (33 page)

“
What is your name?” I asked the leader.

“
Silence Mage,” he snapped. “It is unlike Mages, to travel
alone. You have made a foolish mistake.”

“
Have I?” I asked.

“
Yes,” he answered trying to be intimidating. “Your kind is
unwelcome on this mountain. Harkis will see that the Evenawks are
free.”

Right again,
Cathy
said
. I’m on fire.

“
So, then I haven’t made a mistake at all,” I stated boldly.
“I am here to achieve the same goal.”

“
Your tricks won’t work,” the Evenawk said. “For far too long
you have thought us stupid but that will be the last mistake you
make.”

Viva la revolution!
Cathy exclaimed
before laughing.

“
So, then answer me this,” I said calmly. “Why didn’t I attack
you when I saw you? Or when you were landing? Or right now for that
matter? Consider what I could have done, IF I was here to hurt
you.”

The two other
Evenawks looked towards their leader nervously. Something told me
it wasn’t their decision to expose themselves like this.

The leader
looked at me sharply.

“
If you don’t have the answer, I do,” I said
hopefully.

“
Why are you here?” the leader asked instead.

“
To help,” I said seriously. “I need to speak to your leader,
Harkis. The last of the Bloodline must remove the Mages from power
here and reunite the Evenawk. The continent of Kalenden itself
needs to change and that change needs to start here.”

Think he’ll buy it?
Cathy
asked.

It was
exaggerated just enough to appeal to the revolutionary heart in
him.

“
Why would a Mage help us?” the leader said still a little
wary.

“
The provinces want change,” I answered. “The King of Balendar
and the Emperor of Nesqa want the Evenawks as Allies when they
fight the Tower. I am an exile from the Tower. They wanted to
execute me for my beliefs but I fought back. Why do you need me,
you asked? Because you’ll need my magic...to defeat
theirs.”

The leader
lowered his bow. “If what you say is true then Harkis needs to
know.”

“
Will you take me to him?” I asked.

“
We will fly you there,” he explained as he attached the bow
to the quiver. “But if you try anything, we will drop
you.”

The other
Evenawks attached their bows to their quivers, gripped my arms in
their talons and lifted me off the ground. We climbed higher and
higher as I kept my head in a position so my hat wouldn’t blow off
again.

Yeah, because that would be tragic,
Cathy said sarcastically.

Chapter 28

It was lucky
for me that I wasn’t sick of trees and forests yet. Then again, it
is hard to get sick of something when you are always being shown a
fresh, new perspective. Dangling from the talons of two Evenawks
was giving me the chance to study what the top of the trees looked
like and...

What are you doing?
Cathy
asked.

You don’t like
my narration?

It’s weird,
she
responded.

I’m just
bored. I thought walking was bad but this...I could fall
asleep.

You’re flying...and you could fall asleep?
She asked.

Well it’s not
like we are flying over the Kays of Nesqa or the White Castle of
Balendar. It’s just tree after tree after tree with the rare
pleasure of seeing a tree that is a slightly different color to all
the other trees.

They could drop you,
Cathy
suggested
. That would be fun.

For a few
seconds at least. The prospect of the large amount of pain is a
little discouraging though.

Here we go,
Cathy said as the
Evenawks slowed to a hover.

They lowered
us through the trees to reveal what I’m guessing was the rebel’s
camp. I didn’t know what I expected an Evenawk village to look like
but when I saw the makeshift shelters resting on tree branches I
smiled. The whole village looked like a child’s playground with
tree houses, rope ladders to the ground and wooden bridges
connecting tree branch to tree branch.

They are descended from birds,
Cathy
stated
. Does it really surprise you that
they would continue living in the trees after they achieved
sentience?

I sort of
expected something like this. I was just more shocked by the
simplicity of it. I’m sure the main cities are more complex in
their architecture and structure.

Such is the life of rebels,
Cathy
said.

You wouldn’t
have happened to have possessed a Mage that worked in this area and
have any memories that could help us out?

I...
Cathy
started
. Might have...give me a moment, I
wouldn’t have been too focused on current events if I did possess
anyone.

I was drawing
a small crowd as the two Evenawks lowered me onto one of the
bridges. The leader of the little group had already landed and
transformed to his ‘human mode’. He was most likely discussing me
with the couple spear wielding Evenawks while the rest pointed
their bows at me.

“
This has to be the most special welcome I have ever
received,” I said to the group as my feet touched the wood. I was
released and the two started transforming so they could join me on
the bridge.

The group
didn’t seem amused as my words went without response. The spear
wielding guards approached me and motioned me forward. With one in
the lead and the other’s spear pointed at my butt we walked single
file across the bridge to the large ‘needs a little work’ house,
the leader had already run off too.

The house was
three levels high with a door on each level. It occurred to me that
each level could be its own separate house and the Evenawks stack
them to save space. Being able to fly at will meant you didn’t have
to worry about stairs. At the top of the third level was another
branch. This was probably another trick of theirs. Having the house
sandwiched between two branches probably helps spread the weight so
the branch doesn’t break. I would have to check some architecture
books before making such a bold claim out loud, of course.

If you have the right attitude, everything you can say is the
truth,
Cathy pointed out as we entered the
bottom level of the building.

The inside of
the house was simple. Wooden floors and walls with no decoration
and a large table with a map stretched out on it. A few stools were
scattered along the wall and in front of the table. The leader of
the first group I met was already whispering to the slightly larger
Evenawk who was standing at the table. The Evenawk listened while
staring at me with unblinking eyes. He finally nodded and the
guards led me to the table so I could stand in front of him.

“
I’m a Nerrilok,” he said crossing his arms as the other
Evenawk disappeared into another room, “advisor to the Great
Chieftain Harkis and Field General of the Rebellion. Verats tells
me you are here to help us reclaim Scert’chak. He seems convinced
that you won’t betray us. I trust that he is not easily fooled,
which is why you still breathe. I am not so easily
convinced.”

“
I’m sorry, Scert’chak?” I asked.

“
The proper name to the great capital of the Evenawk Tribes,”
he answered. “We refuse to call it the Mage name of ‘Willow’s
trap’.”

“
I assure you I am being honest,” I said. “The Mages are
entering war with one another. Setting the Evenawks free is in my
best interest.”

“
A Mage’s best interest has always been in himself,” Narrilok
said. “How do we know that after this little war with yourselves,
you won’t just try and enslave us again?”

“
You’ll be too strong to let that happen,” I answered. “My
goal is to make sure you will be your own independent province. IF
any of the Mages, we wish destroyed, survive and try to run away
and find refuge here, you will simply be too powerful to fall
victim to them.”

“
I will believe that when I see it,” Narrilok
smirked.

“
Hence why I am here,” I said calmly. “My task is to assist
your Chieftain and collect an item which will help defeat our
common enemies.”

“
There is always something,” Narrilok said.

“
Maybe we should hear him out,” a voice called from the next
room.

A shorter
Evenawk walked into the room, followed by Verats. He walked up
beside Narrilok who bowed slightly and stepped aside.

“
I’m Harkis, the Last Great Chieftain of the Evenawks...I
guess,” the short Evenawk said.

“
I’m Second Keeper Andrew Holcombe,” I stated. “I was hoping
we’d get the chance to talk about your Rebellion.”

“
It’s more my father’s then mine,” Chieftain Harkis said. “I
was thrust into this position when he died.”

“
You still fight for your people though,” I stated.

“
They’re not my people,” he said. “I’m just the puppet leader
behind Narrilok’s army.”

“
You are the last surviving Chieftain from the Karorik
Bloodline,” Narrilok argued. “When you speak, the Evenawks listen.
When you command, the Evenawks go to war.”

“
For all the good that has done,” Harkis countered. “We’ve
been enslaved for generations and the Karorik Bloodline hasn’t done
anything to save us before and I can’t do anything now.”

The kid is without hope
, Cathy
said.
You need to get him to hope in your
success. His hope wins Narrilok’s favour which helps our
goal.

“
If that was true then why do the Mages hunt you?” I asked.
“The Mages seem to have things under control but they still seek to
exterminate the Karorik Bloodline. Do you know why?”

“
No,” he answered.

“
Out of fear of who you can become,” I answered. “They have
seen the lines of the future,” I held up my hands like I was
reading them and pushed a little power into them so they glowed,
“we all have. The Mages will forever hold the Evenawks slaves when
the last of the Bloodline lies dead. But should the Last Chieftain
regain his throne, the Mages will forever be cast out.” I cut the
power from my hands and looked back up at him. “The Mages have
grown fat and lazy, thinking they have defeated you. Now is the
time to strike back. With you at the lead, the Evenawks will join
your cause and reclaim your capital.”

I think the
hand thing impressed him a little, Cathy said as Harkis studied me
quietly. Pour it on.

“
And this brings us to why I am here and how I can help,” I
continued. “I am here to be the missing element that has prevented
you from succeeding. I am here to be the insider. I can walk into
anywhere and weaken them from within. Who would suspect a Mage of
working with the rebellion? Maybe, I burn down a few structures,” I
raised my hand as it became engulfed in flames, “like the places
they sleep in. Weaken them for when you strike.”

The fire in my
hand went out as I noticed Narrilok rubbing his chin.

You might have given him an idea or two,
Cathy said.
Plus, you are really hot
when you talk about destroying things.

What?

“
Part of me says not to trust you, Mage,” Narrilok said
snapping me back to the meeting.

“
I will never earn your trust with words,” I replied. “But if
you give me a task, I will use that to demonstrate the truth of my
intentions.”

“
If I end up in a prison cell somewhere, I WILL escape and
find you,” Narrilok threatened.

“
I wouldn’t expect anything less,” I smirked.

“
Is it possible?” Harkis asked snapping out of his little
trance.

“
Chieftain?” Narrilok asked.

“
You kept saying that you wanted to hit the Falindat Mine and
the Casik Valley and free the slaves there,” Harkis said. “With the
Mage on the inside, could it work?”

“
No, because while we are attacking one the other will send
troops to assist and we will be overrun,” Narrilok
replied.

“
Then hit both at the same time,” I suggested.

Both of their
heads snapped quickly in my direction.

“
Which would be easier for you to attack?” I asked
Narrilok.

“
The Valley,” Harkis answered. “Narrilok was saying the
soldiers fight better in open skies.”

I looked at
Narrilok who nodded. “Okay,” I said. “I recommend splitting your
troops up into melee and archer.”

“
Already done,” Narrilok said. “We learnt the hard way from
earlier fights.”

“
Good,” I said. “If Narrilok and the main forces hit the
Valley and send a small number of troops to the Mine, I will weaken
the defences and free the miners. We’ll regroup with you at the
Valley and assist you.”

Narrilok
looked down at the map and shook his head. “I don’t like the idea
of leaving a group of troops with you. You are asking for a lot
from someone who has had nothing but trouble from your kind.”