THE intercom on Daooth's shuttle came to life with an incoming message. He tapped the panel and a video image of Ultis Thau, the council delegate for the city of Onnith, appeared on the panel.
'Daooth, we are convening an emergency session of the Council in two hours. Your presence is required.'
Daooth showed a look of disapproval on is face. 'Councilman, I have a previous meeting that I must attend during that time, is there any way that I could be excused and briefed later?'
'No.'
Daooth looked put-off by the lack of flexibility being shown.
'I would remind you that as a representative of the Council your first duty is to us-'
'I was under the impression I dwelt under the authority of the King first and foremost, as does the Council,' he interrupted.
'Your duty should be to your people first!' shot back Ultis. 'As for the King's authority over this council, that is entirely questionable. You will report to the Council in two hours.'
'I'm sorry, Councilman, your transmission is breaking up…'
'Daooth, we-,' he cut the transmission off. He still did not understand the radical change of view spreading through the Council of Twelve toward Tiet's rule. Gradually more and more council members had come to view the Horva under Grod's command as a threat.
There had been no reason at all for the change of mind; it had come about mysteriously. Once the Council subscribed to it, the civilian population of the Vorn began to be swayed by it as well. Having been unwilling to sever the peace between himself and the Horva, Tiet was quickly branded as a traitor to the Vorn and his leadership had become the target of constant scrutiny of late. It didn't take much insight to see that the Council would soon move to remove Tiet's title. The threat of civil war was even floating around, and it was becoming dangerous to be caught between sides-as Daooth was in his position as Council representative to the King.
In his own mind he believed Tiet was right to hold fast to the peace. Grod, whatever he may have been before the Baruk war, was certainly no threat to the Vorn now.
He had actually taken the whole situation quite well and caused his warriors to return to the lands near Nagon-Toth rather than stir the pot of conflict. Many of the warriors, including Grod, had taken wives from among the Vorn and started families in the time after the war. When they pulled out they had taken their families with them and had not made any effort to reintegrate back into society.
Castillian and Vorn relations had certainly suffered because of the situation, with the Vorn generally following the Council and the Castillians unanimously holding Tiet's position of reconciliation. The situation was growing more volatile by the hour.
Daooth's shuttle careened around an outcropping of rocks and the fortress of Nagon-Toth came into view. Grod had agreed to provide a place for the trials to be held today. It was hard to believe thirteen years had already passed since the birth of Tiet and Mirah's son.
Kale was certainly proving to be a child to be proud of; following in his father's footsteps. It would be nice to one day see the young man lead-if there remained a people to lead, anyway.
He landed the shuttle on a landing pad at Nagon-Toth and upon exiting was greeted by General Grod himself.
'General how are you?'
'I'm well, my friend, and you?'
'Things have been better.'
'Ah, the Council still vilifies us-as usual?'
Daooth only smiled through his sarcastic expression.
'Don't worry, Daooth; we'll manage to get through all of this. I've seen Tiet handle more dangerous situations than these.'
'Yes, but public opinion can be a sly enemy to defeat.'
'True. Anyway today is a happy day. Let's try to put those matters away for today and enjoy it for the family's sake.'
They walked on toward the site chosen for the trials of Kale Soone, which lay beyond the fortress' perimeter wall. The area was a nearby crater site that allowed those assembled as spectators to line the rim for a fantastic view of the action a hundred feet below in the hollow.
Tiet and Wynn were standing at one end where they prepared for their attack against Kale, who remained at the opposite end of the crater floor. Between them were large hunks of rock that had collapsed out of the crater wall and remained where they fell.
Kale was feeling very confident. He could sense his father and Wynn at the opposite end of the crater talking with one another. He could sense their awareness of him as well; their minds as they took in the surroundings in detail. He did not perform any physical exercises to prepare, but his mind was alive with activity, taking in every inch of the battlefield available to him, even the weather around him. It was of particular interest to him at the moment. He looked up to the overcast sky that was the prelude to a coming storm. No matter the rain, if it came they would not stop the trials. One must be ready for any situation and use every opportunity afforded by it. Wynn had mentioned that to him on many occasions and Kale was a very good student.
Kale watched the dark clouds hanging overhead as heat lightening flashed through them. Excellent, he thought as he pulled two of his four kemsticks to his hands. Then he began to walk out into the floor of the crater toward his adversaries.
Tiet and Wynn talked strategy a little, but mostly they bubbled over Kale's progress and it was easy to see their mutual pride in the young man.
'I have to warn you that Kale came by last night and pulled an interesting stunt on me.'
'What do you mean?'
'Somehow he was able to persuade my senses that a feral Horva was coming through the courtyard and he completely masked his own presence from me.'
'Are you kidding, you!?'
'If I hadn't figured out what he was doing just in time I could have been in the infirmary today instead of here with you.'
They both grinned delightfully, and then they turned toward Kale's position across the crater.
'He's moving,' said Wynn.
'Shall we?'
The two warriors moved out onto the crater floor. Tiet took to the air and landed upon one of the huge pieces of rock covering the ground. Wynn stayed to the ground and began to weave between the rocks toward their prey.
As Tiet crossed part of an outcropping he suddenly lost sense of Kale; as though he had simply vanished. He looked over the rock protruding in front of him and could not see him.
'Wynn, I've lost him! I can't sense him!'
'Be careful,' said Wynn from below Tiet's position. 'I told you, he's gotten sneaky.'
Tiet brought his blade to bear. He was grinning the whole time. As the proud father of this warrior coming of age, he couldn't help it. He could sense the worry from Mirah on the crater rim above them. She doted on the boy as much as any mother could, and as a concerned parent, the trials worried her. Kale was growing up, and it required him to develop more and more independence especially after today.
Thinking of Mirah above them, Tiet almost didn't see the piece of rock skimming low across the surface of his perch. Quickly, he found a piece of his own and hurtled it mentally into the path of the projectile; smashing them both to rubble. Now, where had it come from?
LUCIN looked at his own reflection in a mirror on his shuttle's restroom wall. A greenish tint faded to fleshy white across his conjunctiva. He opened his mouth to examine his mucus membranes. The greenish tint faded to pink as Lucin looked over his form as the Vice Commander Estall one last time while the shuttle landed at Nagon- Toth.
He was late for the trials. They had evidently already begun. Lucin could see beyond to the trial site at the nearby crater specified in his invitation. Castillians and Horva warriors alike lined the crater rim. The trials were scheduled to take place on the crater floor.
