“I agree,” nodded the Emperor. “I will even see that you have a ship so you don’t have to steal one,” he added with a smile. “Let us go get Mistake and MistyTrail. I want to hear all about the Island of Darkness before your memories fade.”
“My memories will never fade,” frowned Caldal as he thought back on his time in the Chamber of Horrors.
* * *
Lady Mystic and Aakuta reached the top of the stairs in the great pyramid on the Island of Darkness. The soldiers immediately opened the doors to the throne room and admitted them. Aakuta trailed slightly behind Lady Mystic and followed her without question. She strode off to one side of the room and moved to the front to get a good view.
“What is the significance of today’s meeting?” Aakuta asked softly.
“I am not sure,” Lady Mystic admitted. “I do know that Clarvoy has returned from the mainland. I suspect that he brings great news.”
“Who is this Clarvoy?” asked the dark mage.
“He is the spymaster,” answered Lady Mystic. “He is Vand’s most favored servant. Do not cross him if you wish to live.”
Aakuta’s eyes swept the room, noting the presence and absence of those he had come to know during his time on Motanga. As his eyes swept over the Emperor, he saw that Vand was watching him. Aakuta quickly averted his eyes.
“He has been asking questions about you lately,” Lady Mystic said softly with a cruel smile upon her lips. “Perhaps you are not fully trusted yet.”
“Do not be so smug,” Aakuta retorted. “I do not think Vand trusts anyone. I have been as loyal as any other.”
“Perhaps,” replied Lady Mystic as the doors opened once more.
A man entered the chamber. He was neither tall nor short. Nor could he be described as either wide or thin. He had no facial hair, save thin eyebrows. When he removed his hat, Aakuta saw that the man’s head was clean-shaven. His nose was average, and his ears neither protruded too far from his head nor did they lay flat against his skull. The only things remarkable about the man were his eyes. The eyes were a sparkling black that seemed to penetrate whatever they focused on. And those eyes instantly surveyed the people in the room as he marched down the center carpet and halted several paces from the throne.
“Welcome back, Clarvoy,” the Emperor said dryly. “What news do you bring me?”
“There is much to tell,” Clarvoy reported in a dull monotone voice. “Is it necessary for all to hear?”
“I have chosen the audience for today,” declared the Emperor. “Speak.”
“Omunga has fallen to the Sakovans,” Clarvoy began. “Their crops are being rejuvenated by mages, and the bloodshed during the war was much less than we had hoped for. Karnic obviously failed his assignment. He has already paid for his failure.”
Vand’s eyes darted to gaze upon Aakuta and then returned to the spymaster.
“This does not please me,” frowned the Emperor.
“Many things will not please you this day,” replied Clarvoy, “but you will be wiser for having heard what I must say.”
“Continue,” prodded the Emperor.
“The Khadoran Emperor is training all of the armies of Khadora,” continued the spymaster. “Each clan has been instructed to send troops to Khadoratung to be trained. When they return to their estates, others replace them. This could cause us a great deal of concern.”
“What can be done to disrupt it?” asked Vand.
“Only trouble in the local areas would disrupt it at this stage,” replied Clarvoy. “I have been using some hellsouls to test the reactions of the clans. When there are unexplained murders near the estates, the armies are reluctant to move. If enough of this happens, Emperor Marak will not be able to train the armies. The clans will cite the need to enforce order in their home regions.”
“What else have you found out?” asked Vand.
“Four elves were seen in Khadora,” reported the spymaster. “Two females and two males. The males wore the uniforms of Motanga. It is rumored that the two females rescued the males.”
Rage fell over Vand’s face as he pointed to a soldier with gold trim on his uniform.
“There was a watch house abandoned not long ago,” stated the Emperor. “Their boat was also missing. Summon that sector commander to me immediately.”
The officer bowed and swiftly left the room.
“What is that about?” whispered Aakuta.
“The watchers were thought to have deserted their post,” replied Lady Mystic. “It now appears otherwise. The sector commander will be punished for allowing the escape.”
“What will happen to him?” asked Aakuta.
“Whatever happens to him,” smiled Lady Mystic, “he will wish he was already dead.”
“The enemy also has a method of communicating magically,” continued the spymaster. “They call it an air tunnel. It has the capability to send speech over great distances.”
Vand sat staring blankly for several moments before saying, “I want that spell known by my people. Discover how it is done. I also want to know how to disrupt their use of it.”
“I will see to it,” promised the spymaster.
“Is there anything else?” asked Vand.
“I could use more hellsouls,” Clarvoy stated.
“How many do you need?” asked Vand.
“As many as you can spare,” answered the spymaster. “I can make good use of them on the mainland.”
“Then I shall create more for you,” the Emperor smiled wickedly. “You shall have as many as you require.”
“Hellsouls?” asked Aakuta in a soft voice.
“They are revenants,” explained Lady Mystic. “They are very interesting creatures. When they are killed, they rise again to continue serving their master. We should watch as Vand creates new ones. He will probably be doing so this afternoon. Want to go?”
“Very much so,” smiled Aakuta. “I also have an idea regarding the punishment of the sector commander.”
“Oh?” Lady Mystic asked with interest. “What have you thought up?”
“Remember telling me about the special chamber that Vand visits?” questioned the dark mage. “Would not that be a fitting end to a traitor?”
Lady Mystic smiled broadly as she subtly nodded her head. “I do like the way you think, Aakuta. That would be greater entertainment than anything I could think of. Do you mind if I mention it to Vand?”
“Not at all,” smiled Aakuta. “The credit shall all be yours.”
Lady Mystic smiled as she separated from Aakuta and approached the Emperor. Vand stared at Aakuta while Lady Mystic whispered in his ear. He nodded slowly, and Lady Mystic returned to her spot next to the dark mage.
“The Emperor agrees with you,” Lady Mystic whispered when she returned. “When everyone else is dismissed, we are to remain behind. He wants us to witness the punishment.”
Aakuta let Lady Mystic’s words roll around in his mind as he thought about the way the Emperor had stared at him. A cold chill ran up Aakuta’s spine. He suddenly realized that Vand did not trust him at all. The punishment was to serve as notice to Aakuta should the dark mage get any ideas of treason.
The meeting dragged on for another hour after the spymaster had finished. Aakuta became bored with listening to the trivial concerns of the petitioners. Suddenly, the door opened and a man was thrown into the room. The man wore the uniform of the Motanga military, but he had no weapons on him. The officer who had left the chamber to fetch the sector commander strode through the doors before they closed.
“Today’s session is over,” announced the Emperor as he glared at the soldier on the floor.
People silently turned and filed out of the room. When the door finally closed, only Aakuta, Lady Mystic, the Emperor, and the two soldiers remained. The Emperor rose from his throne and walked down the steps. He circled around the officer on the floor and spat upon him.
“Your dereliction of duty has cost me greatly,” snarled the Emperor. “You have allowed elves to escape this island. Even now they walk the roads of Khadora. How should you pay for your failure?”