Alphande'

The once dull stone I’d taken from Gedric’s hold shone brilliantly under the moonlight. The centre had become so clear that it was possible to see right through it. There was magic in this strange stone, I was sure. I knew it from the very moment I saw it pulsing with light on the floor, but what magic it held I did not know. I placed it back into the woven pouch on my belt as I heard someone coming. It was Harfr.

“The claws of your village have arrived and is meeting with Handarac, how is it that you do not commune with them?” he asked.

“Because I do not wish to. I have neither brethren nor friend among them. So I have naught to say.” I said as I looked up at the tall spire of what was called a cathedral in the midst of Indué.

“You might have naught to say, but they have much. The stories of their victories in the human towns of Nalahead and Resna have been inspiring. The tin town of Timon has posed more of a challenge though. The steel houses were hard to break and the weapons were of strange mechanical design. The human king was also on the side of those humans. The copper, gold and iron trade are too important to break hence they retreated.

“Glorious their battles sounded, scales against flesh as it was over a hundred years ago.”

“Except then the divide between claws and humans was strict. Humans never aided in the destruction of their own kind, and claws never required human help to win battles.” I said morosely.

“That my friend is only for a while, the time draws nearer when we will no longer need to pretend. In five days the kings of the northern and southern tribes will meet with those of the humans to discuss trade and widening of our borders. But how much widening we intend to bring in our hold is beyond their knowledge.” He chuckled in amusement.

I remained silent, looking only at the five towers that hurdled towards the sky. They looked like sharp daggers about to tear apart the heavens. But instead of water it was blood that would pour down.

“Why do you think that victory is secure this time? We lead the humans into an ambush, do you not think that they may have called us into one as well? It is no accident that they won the war over a century ago.”

“It wasn’t by accident nor was it by luck or invention of their own kind.” he said as he took out a strip of dried meat and tore at it with his teeth.

“What do you mean?” I said turning to him for the first time.

“They had help from a race that has been like lice under the scales of our clan for centuries.”

“Another race?”

“Yes, the Alkarbrafä. Human like in form, but their power is much greater as they manipulate the forces around us into what they call magic. It is by that power the feldünstar works and it is that source that Oaklanf the human warlord had managed to win the last war.”

“How?”

“The Grey Mage that is what the Alkarbrafä or changelings called their leader. He gave Oaklanf four jewels, each with their own magic. The human king developed strength of ten claws, he could see dangers that lay ahead and averted all our traps. The beasts of the land were under his control and so were we. The treaty was formed and even though we didn’t want it, it was not in our power to refuse.” he said staring at the cathedral. “That is why we hate them. They had removed our will and freedom, so we will take their lives in return.”

“Why has it taken so long? Why do we go to war now?”

“In the north we were always ready for war. That was our purpose to escape the Alkarbrafä’s hold on our mind and prepare for battle. We just waited for the sign.”

“The trumpets.” I said knowingly. He nodded once.

“Yes, the trumpets called us to your shores and to your help and we could not refuse it. But on getting here something else shifted. The shackles that bound our rage were gone and we were again free. It is hard to explain, but I think it has to do with the magic of the human king falling. It has been the lowest it has been in years. There is nothing holding us back now. It is like their strength has died.”

I silently thought about what he said. Most of it was still outside my understanding, but I did understand what he meant about our rage peaking. For me it started the day the feldünstar destroyed Au Valley and since then it had grown steadily, it being worse after I was rescued by Harfr. I saw the world burning and I didn’t care as I wanted it that way. How different I had become in a matter of months. I was not the same person my father would have known and Aesha what would she think…. I put away those thoughts immediately.

“Does our kind deal in magic as well?”

“No. We have trapped only two changelings over the years to get them to teach them their ways, but even after torture they sealed their lips tight and into death they took their secrets. I had never seen the death of an Alkarbrafä, but it is something talked about among our clan. The moment they die their bodies burst into light and then their forms are no more to be seen. Their cities are guarded by pools that call you to your death and so we mainly leave them to their own devices.”

I thought about this for a moment, interesting as it sounded this was not what I wanted to know. “And the feldünstar where would our people get one from? Did a changeling give it to us?”

“Alkarbrafä give nothing to us, if our people possessed such a thing it would have been stolen. Besides we are Ulgana and we fight with tooth, claw and axe not by magic. There is no glory in magic.” he said with immense amount of pride.

“In days of old that maybe have been the case, but I doubt that is true anymore.” I said as I burrowed my toes under the loose sand that lined this camp.

“What is it that you are not saying Dominic of Au Valley?” he turned to face me and I him.

I wondered whether or not I could trust him with knowledge I had only unburdened on a single other soul since gaining it. I decided that I would, what harm could it possibly bring. “The feldünstar that killed most of my village was not sent by a human, but one of our own kind.” I said bluntly.

“Watch your tongue else you lose it Dominic.” he warned. “You speak treasonous words.” He started to whisper.

“Treasonous or not, it is truth as I have proved it for myself.” I said lowering my tone.

“How?” he said coming closer.

I went on to tell him about my meeting with the claw of the hill and the footsteps that I found before the rains erased my proof.

He was silent for a while and then he spoke. “Who else have you told of this?”

“Only an old female of our tribe. I did not tell her who it was that did it though as she did not want to know.”

Again he was silent. “I can see why it is you wish not to meet with your clan.” I only stared ahead at the spires of the cathedral whose tips had become shrouded in darkness. “It is probably best it remains that way. I will keep this knowledge only to myself .You?” he asked.

“I have kept it quiet so far and I will keep doing so.” Until the time is right and I would exact my vengeance on Gedric. I finished quietly in my mind.

“I think that is best.” he said not knowing what he had just affirmed. He rested one of his hands on my shoulder. “I had almost forgotten why I came to collect you. There is a wrestling match on tonight. It would be good entertainment and practice. The distraction it would provide would be welcome.”

“It would.” I agreed and together we walked back to the middle of our camp.

Before we made camp another claw came running up to us. From the large turquoise jewel that he wore on his belt I could tell that he was one of Handarac’s guards. “Bufrak Handarac wishes to council with you Harfr.”

“I will go my way.” I said heading to camp by myself.

“No you should come along and wait.” he said calling me back. The guard looked at us unsure but said nothing to dispute his decision.

There was nothing special about the tent that marked it as belonging to the clan leader except two guards each with turquoise in their belts standing outside.

“You wait here.” said Harfr and then he disappeared into the dwelling. Several moments passed since before Harfr reappeared. “Dominic come, the Bufrak would speak with you.”

I followed him in wondering what a king could want from me.

“Dominic of Au Valley at your pleasure Bufrak,” I said bowing.

“There is no need for formalities.” he said getting up from a chair made of glossy dark wood. “You are right Harfr, he seems to be the one suited for the task at hand. He has the strength of the north and the fighting skills you imparted, but not our bulk so he would fit in perfectly.” he said as he walked around me with a slight limp, his sapoli fresh from the cutting. Our tribe performed the ritual in the morning but they did it at night.

“Dominic will perform the task efficiently.”

“I believe you. You’ve never let me down before Harfr.” he then stopped directly in front of me. “What I want to ask of you, no one else is to know. Can I trust you?”

“I will do whatever it is you ask Bufrak. You can trust me.”

He shook his head once. “The stones of Mern are currently in the possession of King Asher. I want you to retrieve them.”

“How?” I said frightened at the enormity of the task suddenly put before my feet. “The castle is well guarded and surely the human king will not allow me to enter at my own will.”

“Yes, he wouldn’t. But you will accompany us to the meeting as one of the guards.” explained Harfr. “We already have a drawing of the palace. You will find his bedroom as it is said that is where he holds his most precious treasures. You find the stones and you bring them to us.”

I was very sure that the task was not as easy as he made it sound. However, if I refused, my career as a northern soldier would come to an abrupt end.

“You could refuse…” started Harfr.

“If I did then I would be a coward. Cowardice is not rewarded in our clan.” I stated firmly. I could see the pleased look that crept on both of their faces.

“So be it. If you complete this task Dominic son of Au Valley, your reward will be great.” said Handarac. “That is all I require of you both at this time.” Both Harfr and I bowed and left his tent.

“You have made a good impression on Handarac. If successful you would shift the changeling magic from the humans to the Ulgana. There will be no stopping us then Dominic, for our victory would be complete.”

I only nodded in response. I was sure that there was something else going on. It did not seem right for them to choose me, an outsider to complete such a task.

The wrestling matches were entertaining enough, but my mind still wandered. The northern clan was strong and beauty lay in their strength. But so did terror and brutality. If the strange magic that lay in the stones really existed would I want to deliver it into their hands? I brushed the thought temporarily from my mind. I had five days to think on it more.

“If Harfr asks for me, tell him it is my time to watch.” I said to the claw closest to me. He blinked once and then turned back to the match. I walked off into the nearby trees.