"To the successful sea trials of the Black Ships!" he proclaimed.
As Wulfgar took a draft of wine, his Council of Seven cheered.
CHAPTER XXXVIII
Beating his dark wings through the sky, Ox blessed the good weather. A dozen stout warriors made up the arrowhead-shaped formation flying in his wake.
Ox and his phalanx had been searching for several hours. So far, they had seen nothing out of the ordinary. Truth be told, he wasn't really sure what he was looking for. Even Faegan hadn't been able to help very much when he gave the Minion his orders.
The wizard had done his best to explain, but the supposed existence of the Valrenkian community was not a simple concept to grasp, even for someone with a quicker wit than Ox. Faegan told him to scour the southern border of Hartwick Wood. Once there, he was to closely examine any villages or random groups of people he came across. If the warriors found a community that looked suspicious, they were to try to take a suitable prisoner. If the wizard's interrogation of him revealed nothing, he would, of course, be returned. So far, though, they had seen nothing unusual in the two hamlets they had searched. Only the Minions themselves were out of the ordinary: frightened citizens had scattered wildly when the warriors swooped low to take a look.
It was nearly midday, and the skies were clear. To scan as much territory as possible, Ox had taken his warriors very high. It was cold at this altitude, and frost had begun to form in their beards and hair.
Looking down, Ox could see the gentle curve of the Vitenka River. From its mouth at the coastal city of Far Point, it meandered southwest along the edge of the forest. In the distant south lay Heart Square, the fertile plain that always yielded so much wheat and barley. To the west of Heart Square the Vitenka would eventually split, its two branches reaching south toward the lower reaches of the Tolenka Mountains.
Thinking of the Tolenkas, Ox's mind turned to the Orb of the Vigors. He was no longer able to see the broken orb, but he was fully aware that it was still blasting its way through the granite peaks. He wondered what had become of the Minion party he and Geldon had left there, to watch the orb.
Ottikar, Ox's second in command, advanced to his side and pointed to the ground. Ox looked down again and saw a large, jagged circle of sandstone bluffs. Their wide, flat, tan-colored tops reflected scattered deposits of quartz. Inside their walls sat a small village, its inhabitants mere fly specks at this altitude.
As Ox looked closer, he began to see why Ottikar had brought this place to his attention. As best he could tell, there was absolutely no way in or out of the community.
Examining the stark bluffs again, he saw people standing atop them. Ox recognized guards when he saw them.
"Tell others stay here and circle," he shouted to Ottikar. "Then come back. You and me go down and look."
Nodding, Ottikar flew to rejoin the group. Moments later, he was by Ox's side again.
"Follow!" Ox ordered his second in command. "It not normal have no way in or out, or have guards atop walls! We try find reason!"
Folding his wings behind his back, Ox rolled over into a nearly vertical dive. The wind tearing at his face, he pointed himself toward the village.
Ottikar narrowed his eyes. Snapping back his wings, he followed his commander down.
His name was Uther, and he prided himself upon being one of the most savage Valrenkians. Because of the very high quality of his goods, he was also one of the wealthiest. The care and expertise he commanded in the preparation of his dark wares was second only to that of Reznik. It was often whispered among the Corporeals that Uther had long wished to usurp Reznik's place as their leader, and that he was willing to do anything-including murdering the revered herbmaster-to accomplish his ends.
Everyone knew that Reznik was aware of Uther's designs upon his position. They also understood that the wily leader of the Valrenkians would not be easily killed. And so they waited and watched, to see which of the two would prevail.
The front room of Uther's cottage, like Reznik's house, was filled with beakers, bottles, and books. Numerous fluid-filled jars held human and animal body parts. Uther watched his young apprentice cutting the toes off a corpse that had just been taken down from one of the street gibbets and grimaced. The boy was doing a terrible job of it. Many Corporeals did not appreciate the value of a good brace of toes, but Uther did. He shoved the boy aside and snatched away the knife.
"You ignorant bastard! How many times must I show you?" He waggled the knife in the apprentice's face. The boy blushed.
"Take each toe off at the joint nearest the foot!" Uther instructed.
"Otherwise you run the risk of rendering the entire appendage useless! I didn't age this endowed corpse just so you could come along and butcher it! Now watch me again!" Muttering under his breath, Uther placed the razor-sharp blade against the lifeless skin.
Before he could begin, they heard a commotion outside. Looking out the windows, Uther saw people gathering in the street. That was unusual enough to warrant looking into it.
Uther dropped the knife. Running his hands down his bloody smock, he hurried out the door. His confused apprentice followed.
The crowd in the street was growing, talking, pointing up at the sky. Looking up, at first Uther couldn't see what was commanding their attention. Then two dark forms appeared, seeming to plummet right out of the sun.
Uther had heard of the winged ones who had accompanied the Coven upon its return to Eutracia. He also knew of the rumors claiming that these creatures were now under the command of the prince. But, like the others here, Uther rarely traveled beyond the walls of the bluffs and until this moment had never seen one of the Minions of Day and Night. A cottage door banged shut, and he turned to see Reznik run over to join the stunned crowd.
At the last possible second, the two plunging forms abruptly pulled out of their dives. Snapping their wings open, the Minions leveled out and soared through the streets. The Valrenkians began to scatter.
Uther and his apprentice turned to run back to the cottage. But the apprentice tripped over his robe and Uther went down on top of him. As he hit the ground, he felt his ankle snap.
His apprentice scrambled his way out from under him and, with no regard for his master, ran into their cottage and slammed the door. Uther heard the lock in the door turn over. He looked frantically back to the sky, but saw nothing. The street had become deathly still.
Uther rose to stand on his good foot. Then he saw the two dark shadows tear across the ground toward him. He tried to run, but his bad foot collapsed painfully under him and he landed in the dirt again.
Uther watched in abject terror as the warriors soared down. In perfect unison, they leveled out on either side of him and expertly scooped him up, each holding one of his arms. Uther screamed, and tried to break free.
The next thing he knew was a meaty fist smacking into his face-and then nothing.
Finally seeing that it was safe, Reznik and a few others tentatively left their houses. They watched as the dark forms in the sky grew smaller, finally disappearing in the northeast. No one needed to tell Reznik who had sent the Minions, or where they were off to.
As he looked back down to the street, he couldn't escape the feeling that Satine was somehow the cause of this. Then he looked back to the sky, and another disturbing realization crossed his mind.
The wizards knew about them now, and they would be back. When they came, Valrenkium would have to be ready for them.
CHAPTER XXXIX
"The pollution that shall ravage the land will be never-ending, unless the Jin'Sai or the Jin'Saiou can summon the power to stop it. For the calamity shall be of the craft, and far beyond their wizards' abilities to control." -PAGE 333, VOLUME I OF THE PROPHECIES OF THE TOME