Richard S. Tuttle
Aakuta: the Dark Mage
Prologue
Khador halted his horse atop the small rise and dismounted. He gazed westward towards the mouth of the mighty river and the ocean beyond. As his eyes surveyed the fertile valley, he began to nod appreciatively.
“What are we searching for?” asked one of his generals as the vanguard of Khador’s army halted behind him.
“We are no longer searching,” Khador replied with a smile upon his lips. “Look at the mouth of this river. What do you see?”
“A wide delta,” shrugged the general. “The river is wide enough to provide a defensive border for one side of our troops should we be attacked, but that is not likely. The Chula are running from our army, not seeking to confront it. They will be exterminated completely before long.”
“Must you always be a soldier, General?” Khador shook his head. “We have not come to this land just to exterminate the Chula. We have come to found a civilization. Look at the fertile valley below us. It is the finest land that we have seen since coming to this accursed place.”
“You plan to make camp here for some time then?” asked the general.
“Not a camp,” corrected Khador, “a country. This valley will become Khadoratung, the capital city of our country of Khadora. Every piece of land between the Fortung Mountains and the Kalatung Mountains will be ruled from this valley. This is where Khadora will be governed from.”
“From here?” questioned the general. “Why such a remote area? I can see the valley is fertile, but we will be far removed from your brothers.”
“Brother you mean,” scowled Khador. “Only Omung lives now, and his people will settle the land south of the Kalatung Mountains. North of the Kalatung Mountains is my land.”
“And Fakar’s army?” asked another general.
“Fakar’s army must stay east of the Fortung Mountains,” declared Khador. “Nobody lives in Khadora that is not subjected to my rule.”
“Are we to stop them from coming to Khadora then?” asked the first general.
“Certainly,” nodded Khador. “Traders may cross the mountains to sell their wares, but this land is mine. There will be no migration allowed. How Omung handles his people and his land is up to him, but I plan to make sure the Khadora is the most secure nation of them all.”
“That could lead to fighting with the men from Fakara or Omunga,” frowned the general. “Are you sure this is wise?”
“It is necessary,” stated Khador as his brow creased in frustration. “I cannot remember what has caused us to flee our homeland, but the terror will seek us out. That is why this valley is perfect for our capital. It is as far away from everyone as it can be. Here we will build our city and set the course for our future. The highest-ranking generals will be gifted land around the new city. Others will also be gifted land, but as their rank decreases, the distance from their land to the capital will increase. The lowest ranking will receive their land near the Fortung Mountains or the Kalatung Mountains. They will be our border defenses.”
“So the more loyal the troops, the closer they are to protect you,” the general nodded appreciatively.
“Exactly,” affirmed Khador. “Also the size of the grants will dwindle as the distance from Khadoratung increases. Those who have proven their loyalty to me will be amply rewarded.”
“And those less loyal will be spread out over great distances and unable to pose much of a threat to your rule,” nodded the general. “I can see that you have thought on this subject for some time. What is to stop those clans on our borders from conspiring with others across the mountains?”
“They will not be able to conspire without us knowing of it,” Khador said. “The first law of Khadora will make lying a grievous offense. Any person who is caught in a lie will forfeit his life. This will be the law of Khadora. I have chosen six among the most loyal of the generals. Those six will form a council of lords to enforce the law and settle disputes. I, as the emperor, will have the final say on all matters. Together, our armies will ensure that the laws of Khadora are obeyed.”
“There will be grumbling when only six are chosen to be above the rest,” sighed the general.
“Each clan shall be headed by a lord,” smiled Khador. “Each lord shall have a seat in a national assembly. Its powers will be minimal, but it will give them a sense of participation. In the future the assembly of lords shall choose who sits on the Lords’ Council. The lesser clans will believe that they actually have a say in how the country is governed. That will keep the rabble quiet.”
“In reality,” grinned the general, “it will always be the strongest of us to rule the land. Our armies will ensure that. The rest of the lords will squabble amongst themselves.”
“Precisely,” declared Khador, “and in the future, the six shall choose the emperor. Together our seven clans will rule Khadora forever. See to your men, General. In the morning we begin to create a new country.”
Chapter 1
Karnic
Netura's eyes scanned the sides of the road in a continuous motion. He was aware of the Three Sisters Mountains rising sharply off to the right, but he did not allow the scenery to distract him from his duty, even though he had never been this far north before. The young Torak soldier was excited to have been chosen to guard the caravan on its way to Chantise, as he had never been to a large city before, but he also realized that the previous two caravans had failed to show up in Khadora’s second largest city. He vowed to guard the valuable shipment and enjoy the scenery on the trip back home.
Netura saw the squad leader signal for him to come forward. He passed three wagons loaded with golden ripe watula and a squad of black-clad soldiers escorting them until he was riding alongside Hira. The two soldiers rode in silence for several long minutes before the squad leader spoke.
“Netura,” Hira said, “it is getting late in the day. I want you to ride ahead and find a suitable spot to make camp for the night. Remember what I taught you. Choose a location that is easily defendable and where our sentries can be concealed. Also choose a location where wires can be strung during the night to alert us to any intruders.”
“Are you expecting trouble during the night?” asked Netura.
“I always expect trouble,” sighed Hira. “You must learn to do the same. All day I have had a nagging feeling that today is the day we will be attacked. I cannot logically explain the feeling, but it is making me nervous.”
Netura’s eyebrow rose as he gazed at the squad leader. Hira was known by everyone to be confident even under the greatest stress, so his admission unnerved Netura.
“I have detected nothing so far,” Netura offered sheepishly.
“I have not detected anything either,” admitted Hira. “Still, the other two squads had far more experience escorting caravans than we do, and they have not been heard from. I will rest easier when we arrive at Chantise.”
Netura nodded and started moving ahead of the caravan, his eyes constantly shifting from side to side. He heard a slight whistle and turned to see Hira motioning him back to the caravan. He immediately obeyed.
“Was I making too much noise?” Netura asked nervously when he was once again riding alongside the squad leader.
“No,” Hira smiled weakly. “You were doing fine. You have learned your lessons well, Netura.”
“Then why did you recall me?” questioned Netura.
“The feeling,” the squad leader stated flatly. “Look, Netura, if we are attacked, I want you to avoid the battle.”
“Avoid the battle?” scowled Netura. “I could not walk away while my fellow soldiers are fighting. How can you ask this of me? It would be a violation of my Vows of Service.”
“It would not be a violation,” assured the squad leader. “You are under my command, and you shall do as I order. Caravans do not just disappear, Netura. The real danger in this mission is that we do not know what to expect. Part of me wants the attack to happen so that we can get word back to the estate about who our enemy is. I want you to be that messenger.”