“What is going on?” demanded the colonel.
“Someone must be inside with the Katana,” reported one of the Monitors, “although we checked the garden before allowing the Katana to enter. We have attempted to break the door down, but something is stopping us from entering.”
The colonel pushed his way through the assembled Monitors and looked at the door. It was practically destroyed with large holes in it. The colonel stretched his arm through one of the holes and touched something solid. He pulled his arm out and crouched so he could peer through the hole.
“It is an invisible barrier,” he remarked. “It must be magical.”
Suddenly, the invisible barrier dropped and the wrecked door fell to the ground in splinters. The colonel shook his head and walked into the garden followed by the rest of the Monitors. At the far end of the garden, the colonel saw the Katana. He was frozen solid with a coating of blue and icicles hanging from his hands. Around the frozen Katana stood six hooded mages, each an identical replica of the others. When one mage spoke, they all did.
“Welcome, Colonel Zanta,” said the mages. “Do not even think of rescuing the Katana. To do so would result in his death, and most assuredly yours as well.”
“What do you want?” the colonel asked, although he already knew the answer.
“The Katana is to be moved outside to the plaza,” the mages said in unison. “If your men cooperate, no harm will come to them. If they attempt to interfere however, all will die.”
“And what will happen to the Katana once he is outside?” asked the colonel.
“He will be judged,” declared the mages.
“It would appear that you have already judged him,” retorted the colonel.
“We have,” agreed the mages, “but that is not what we meant. The citizens of Okata will judge him outside. They will decide his fate.”
The colonel’s eyebrows rose in surprise. He had expected the Sakovans to stage a mock trial and then execute the Katana.
“What would you have us do?” asked the colonel.
“Have your men carry the Katana to the plaza,” answered the hooded figures. “Place him upright in the plaza facing the Star of Sakova. Then you must control your Monitors, and the Imperial Guards, so that they do not interfere with the judgment of the citizens. Do this and order will be restored to Okata. Fail and your lives will be forfeit.”
The six mages instantly disappeared. The Monitors whirled in circles looking for any sign of the mages, but the room was empty except for the Omungans. The colonel ordered his men to carry the Katana out of the garden.
* * *
“That is the situation in what you have long called Omunga,” the Star of Sakova said to the assembled crowd. “Now you can appreciate what your leaders have done to you and your fellow citizens.”
A junior officer of the Imperial Guards spat in the direction of the Star of Sakova. “How long must we listen to her babble,” he scowled to those around him.
“What do you propose to do to stop her?” retorted a senior officer as he looked around at the thousands of people and Imperial Guards gathered in the plaza. “Nothing seems to affect her. I am not going to be the one to lose an arm to that magical shield. Besides, her talk will accomplish nothing. Unless she threatens the Katana, or starts attacking us, I am willing to let her talk.”
“She called the Katana a fake,” snapped the junior officer. “Maybe we could all rush her from each side. Some of us would get hurt, but surely not all of us. Her shields must have some limitations.”
“In a short while,” Lyra continued, “the false Katana will be brought out here for your judgment, as will the members of the Katana’s Council. It is to you, the citizens of Okata, to judge the actions of these men. If you find them lacking in their service to the city, they will be punished.”
“Did you hear that?” scowled the junior officer. “Do you still think she does no harm by speaking? She probably has confederates inside the Imperial Palace while she stands here distracting us.”
The senior officer turned nervously and stared at the Imperial Palace. Although he saw no signs of battle at the palace, he nodded his head in agreement.
“All right,” he said to the junior officer. “Pass the order around the plaza. We will all charge her at once.”
Lyra saw the disturbance as Imperial Guards moved methodically whispering orders to others. She had expected an attack for some time, but she did not want the innocent citizens hurt. She quickly wove an air tunnel and let it stop just beyond the Imperial Guards who had crowded in front of the citizens. She warned the citizens to flee and not return until the dust settled. She repeated the message continually as she moved the air tunnel around the perimeter of the plaza. While the Imperial Guards gathered to attack, the citizens quietly turned and fled. The only people left in the plaza were Lyra and five thousand Imperial Guards.
The Star of Sakova gazed skyward as the soldiers prepared their attack. Her hands rose and soft words murmured from her lips. Suddenly the sky turned angry. Dark black clouds gathered over the Star of Sakova and began flowing into her blue cylinder. The clouds whirled ominously within the cylinder until Lyra was barely visible. As the dark mass rotated viciously, Lyra’s words rang out through the plaza.
“Do not attack me,” threatened the Star of Sakova. “I am loath to harm you, but I will do what I must to end this war. Stay away from me.”
“She is afraid,” grinned the junior officer as he gazed at the black swirling mass inside the blue cylinder. “She thinks she can hide in that darkness, but we will be attacking from every side. She will die.”
The senior officer nodded as he shouted the order to charge. Five thousand Imperial Guards shouted war cries and charged towards the Star of Sakova. Many raised their swords as they charged, others extended pikes before them. The Star of Sakova shook her head sadly and dropped the magical spell holding her blue cylinder shield. The cylinder winked out, leaving the Star of Sakova vulnerable.
When the cylinder disappeared, the compressed swirling winds were loosed. They spread outward with the force of a hurricane. The winds tore into the charging Imperial Guards and lifted them off the ground. Similar to the ripple caused by a pebble thrown into a pond, the ring of soldiers flew outward in a wave. The innermost soldiers crashed into those behind them. The collisions continued until the plaza was empty except for the Star of Sakova. In a huge ring outside the plaza, large heaps of Imperial Guard bodies littered the ground. Lyra slowly turned and surveyed the wreckage. She gritted her teeth in anger at the foolishness of the soldiers.
The front door to the Imperial Palace opened, and Monitors slowly ushered the members of the Katana’s Council onto the steps. They stood and stared at the piles of Imperial Guards and wondered if they should return inside to the safety of the palace.
“Make way,” shouted Colonel Zanta as he led the Monitors carrying the frozen Katana.
The colonel stepped through the door and moved aside so that the men carrying the Katana could exit the door. He gazed across the plaza and his mouth dropped open. He turned questioningly to one of the Monitors stationed outside the doors.
“The Imperial Guards decided to charge the woman,” the sentry reported. “A terrible wind suddenly ripped through the plaza. I am sure that she did it, but I cannot imagine how.”
“Are they all dead?” asked the colonel.
“No,” the sentry said as he pointed to Imperial Guards rising and separating from the pile. “I think they were just blown away from her. Look. Others are rising over there.”
“Fools,” shouted Lyra as she saw the Imperial Guards rising. “Do you think Kaltara would allow you to harm me? Have you lost whatever brains Kaltara has given you? Why do you constantly need to be demonstrated to? Can you not understand the power of God? Do I need to show you more power to make you understand?”