“Your men? This 1 do not know. But Carac reports that many more of your countrymen have arrived-a fleet of those great canoes such as you sailed. They have landed at Helmsport.”
“More of my people? Soldiers?” The news fell upon Co dell like a bolt from the sky. He had almost forgotten that a world existed beyond Maztica, a world of” magic and steel and power that seemed like a distant dream to him now. “How many of them? What did Carac see?”
“He counted five and twenty great canoes. In the field before Helmsport, some one hundred horses stood. And many of the silver-shirted soldiers debarked from the vessels. There may be more, but that is what he saw.”
“A new force-here, in Maztica?” Cordell couldn’t keep the amazement out of his voice. An army larger-perhaps twice the size, or even more-than the legion I brought to Maztica a year ago!
“Have you summoned them here?” Chical’s voice was heavy with suspicion now.
“No!” Cordell didn’t even think to lie. At the same time, his mind reeled with questions and possibilities. Who could? these men be? How had they located Helmsport? Who was their commander? And perhaps most important, were, they his allies or his foes?
“I don’t know who they are. I have not summoned them, but perhaps they have been sent to aid me by those who funded my own expedition.” He turned decisively toward the growing site of Tukan, in the valley below. Chi stepped beside him.
“Whatever the case,” Cordell explained, thinking as walked, “I must go to them as quickly as possible.”
1 must insure that they aid me, that they do not take what spoils I have earned and still keep. His mind whirled with suspicions and halt-formed plans. And yet, with a new army, with fresh troops, perhaps my mission need not end in failure!
Chical remained with Cordell, still suspicious, as the commander summoned his legionnaires and the chief of the Kultakans, Tokol. They started to gather around him in a great meadow that would someday be the city square of Tukan.
Before the assemblage was complete, Chical pulled Cordell to the side and spoke to him seriously.
“We have fought together, you and I-and also we have fought against each other.” The Eagle Knight’s voice was steady, and his black eyes faced squarely into Cordell’s own.*Know this, my new ally: If this is a new army, brought here to make war on my land, we will fight it every step of the way. And this time, our warfare will not be held in check by the whims of Naltecona!”
“I speak the truth when I tell you that I do not know who these men are or why they come. But I will make you this promise: If I can reach them and bring them to follow me, I will use them as your allies.”
Chical still stared, with a concentration that disquieted the captain-general. “I pray that you speak the truth,” he said finally.
“Let us make a plan. I ask your help now.” Cordell’s tone remained level. “You and your eagles have flown over most of this country. Can you sketch me a rough map of the coastline near hear?”
Chical took the tip of his dagger and inscribed an outline in the dust on the ground. “This is the land of Payit, and below here the jungles of Far Payit, sticking like a thumb into the sea. Where the waters come around it, between the desert and the jungle, it is called the Sea of Azul.”
“Good!” Cordell exclaimed. He saw that the coastline curved inward, bordering the great desert for much of its extent.
“1 will take all the men 1 can mount, and we will ride to Helmsport,” he told the captain of eagles. “If you and your eagles will fly with us, we can reach these men quickly. Then we shall see what their purpose is and how we can make that purpose fit our own,”
Chical thought for several moments. “I cannot bring all the eagles from our valley. The danger is still too great. But some of us will accompany you, and we will see if it is as you say.”
“Very well. I cannot ask for more.” Cordell turned away, startled to see that the assessor of Amn, Kardann, had come up quietly behind him. The pudgy accountant’s face betrayed a look of passionate hope.
“Rescue!” he whispered loudly. “They have come for us! We’re saved!”
“They’ve come for something”, Cordell allowed. “But I’m not so certain it’s to save us.”
“What else could it be? Surely you will go to them, place us all under their protection?”
The captain-general looked at the little man with distaste. Kardann had been the one member of the original expedition assigned him by the merchant princes who had funded him. Cordell had never liked him, and nothing during the defeat stained retreat from Nexal had changed this opinion.
“We will go there, to be sure-but we go cautiously, a small number of us, to investigate. If they are here to help, that is very well, but if they are here to obstruct us, we shall learn this first.”
“But-“ Kardann’s objection died on his lips. He nodded quickly, hiding a crafty smile that played across his lips, before looking up at the captain-general. “That, of course, is only sensible. I ask you, please-allow me to accompany you when you return to Helmsport.”
Cordell frowned. Little did he relish the thought of the little man’s constant presence. But he realized that, as an official of Amn, Kardann could prove useful in negotiations with any relief expedition. And whatever other considerations he had faded to the background in the face of one truth that had become totally clear to him: These newcomers to Maztica must join him and accept him as their leader. He would not subordinate his force, small and beleaguered though it was, to another. And to this end, Kardann might prove useful. As he thought, plans began to crystallize in his mind. He grew anxious, pacing absently as he prepared to take action.
Finally the legionnaires and the Kultakan chiefs had gathered, so Cordell turned to speak to them all. Briefly he explained the news brought by Carac. The legionnaires raised a hearty cheer when they heard that more of their countrymen had landed in the True World. If any were as puzzled or concerned as Cordell about the origins of this new expedition, they kept their misgivings to themselves. Then, referring to the map of Maztica provided by Chical, he began to give specific orders.
“Horsemen, you will prepare your mounts for a long ride-across the continent, back to Helmsport. We will reach die anchorage, where the ships now await us.” He studied the faces of his men, his voice ringing confidently. They looked back, filled with hope and enthusiasm for the plan, any plan, that would bring them closer to a return to the Sword Coast.
“I want the footmen and Tokol, with your Kultakans, to march southeastward from here. You will reach the coast of a tropical sea. Your force will be some five thousand strong.”
His men shouted hurrahs. None raised any questions or objections, and indeed Cordell would have been very surprised if they had.
“It is my intention to send the fleet at Helmsport-twenty-five ships in all, according to the count of our good eagle- around the Payit peninsula. They will meet you at the coast, and there you will embark for the return to Helmsport. One* we have gathered there, fully reinforced, we will be ready to stand against the Viperhand.” Or any other threat that I identify, his mind added silently Cordell admitted to himself that his purposes, in his own mind, had not yet fully crystallized. He only knew that he saw potential before him that he would not have imagined a few days earlier.
“The warriors of Nexal will remain here,” he continued. “The threat to the north has receded, hut not disappeared entirely. However, with the breastworks on the ridge and steady vigilance, Tukan will remain safe.
“Then, when all of our forces have gathered, we will be ready to claim Maztica together for humankind!”