Chapter 6.5

“The Windy Territories lie to the North,” answered Jaala.

Katashi considered this for a moment.  “You seem hesitant.  There are tales of ghosts, ancient civilizations, and giant ruins but the Territories are a desolate land that hold nothing of interest.”

“Oh there are tales, my young Zealot.  And there are also the Haizea who belong to a civilization that was at its zenith when our ancestors were squatting in the mud, skinning hares with stone knives.”

“The Haizea?  Are they related to the Kaldone?”

Jaala let out a peal of irreprisible laughter.  “Oh no, my friend.  They are unlike the Kaldone in every way imaginable.  Where the Kaldone are solid and brutish, the Haizea are emphemeral and subtle.  Some call them ghosts, some Elementals.  Either way they cannot be dealt with by the blade or the bow, at least not without some sort of aid.”

“Cuauhtemoc’s pin!”

Damn the boy is quick, thought Jaala.  “The pin is one way, but force will get us nothing.  As I mentioned they are nothing like the Kaldone.  They only let those in who have something they want.”

“But we have nothing,” protested Katashi.

“I have something that may interest them.  I hope at any rate.  Now, please let’s start on our way.”

Katashi realized then that Jaala was eager to move.  The man exuded anticipation and this partly amused Katashi and partly frightened him.  Focusing on the pin, he allowed the tug to draw him to the North and slightly East.  Away from the Shikoba tracks.  Well that is one group we shouldn’t have to worry about, thought Katashi, having no idea what it was he should be worried about.

Chapter 6.5

“The one,” Jaala said simply. He held a hand up to forestal and protest that would be forthcoming from Katashi. “Please, please my friend. Do not accost me again about with holding secrets. I assure you I will tell you everything that I can but you must trust me in this. There are some things that cannot be shared until the time is right. If you really are, ‘The One,’ then to tell you all the prophecies before you have a chance to fulfill them may present a bit of a problem don’t you see?

Then changing the subject and hoping Katashi would follow his lead Jaala moved on, “But come. There is something I can tell you of and that is about what lies Northward. First though, let us leave this scene of carnage and continue our journey. I would show you the way to go, but my guess is with that pin on you may well be able to lead me even better than I could you.”

Katashi listened to the words of Jaala and sensed he was telling the truth so he did not press further. Besides, the words of, “The one,” and, “Prophecy” intrigued him. Even though he was devout he was no less susceptible to pride than anyone else. The thought that he may be at the center of something, and that as a chosen one, had some sway on him. He felt this could pull at him if he let it so he did all he could to stay present and feel the moment, how he was reacting, and not letting himself run wild with any thought of being, “The One.” it took much effort and in this he was successful, so when Jaala urged them to go onward Katashi simply nodded and motioned for Jaala to lead the way. He did, in fact know where they were going though. He could almost see the place in his mind. Interesting. He touched the pin and felt nothing out of the ordinary. To him, physically, it felt just like an ordinary pin, which clearly it wasn’t.

Before he got lost in thought he looked over at Jaala who walked beside him and said, “So Jaala, tell me about what lies Northward.”

Jaala looked over at Katashi and smiled, clearly impressed by the control he was showing. Yes this one had much potential he thought to himself, but there was much yet to test him with.

Chapter 6.4

“There is no need to tell you anything my young friend.  Fasten the pin to your smock.”

Katashi did so, instantly feeling something change, although he couldn’t identify what exactly at first.  He looked quizically at Jaala.

“Perform the swooping dragon,” commanded Jaala.

This was a form that could be done with or without a sword.  It was one of the warmup exercises known to all Tataki.  As Katashi moved through the exercises he could sense a grace and fluidity that far outstripped his normal movements.

“It is as if my mind and body are fused–I have hardly formed the beginnings of thought and I flow.”

Jaala laughed.  “A very good description.  In time you will discover other properties as well.”

“You mean such as it tugging at me, nagging me to head Northwards?”

“What did you say?” Exclaimed Jaala!

“I feel it pulling at me.  Drawing me to something.”

Jaala’s eyes widened.  “You truly are Him.”

“Who?”

Beinn 6.3

Jaala studied him for a moment that hung in the air almost too long. “Are you sure Katashi? Once embarked on turning back will be difficult and in time impossible.”

“I am a leaf on the water Jaala,” Katashi responded. Jaala nodded in understanding. Katashi was accepting this path that opened up to him just as Jaala hoped he would. Before he could respond though, Katashi continued. “But in this matter, this journey we have embarked on, we must approach it together, as partners, equals.”

Jaala smiled and nodded, “Yes of course, just as it has been from the beginning.”

Katashi stared at Jaala evenly, feeling the natural anger and indignation rising. Noticing it but not dwelling in it he remained calm. “Perhaps I have misjudged then,” he spoke and turned to leave.

Jaala watched him in silence as he moved to pick up his meager belongings. He weighed the decision in his mind carefully using these few brief seconds to make sure that what he felt in his heart was right. He was certain Katashi was the one he had been searching for. Young yes, talented to be sure, but also a bit too sure of himself. It was a failing of all the Zealots, or was it that they attracted such? No matter, the question here was could Katashi be molded still? Could he be directed? Jaala’s heart told him yes, his mind wasn’t so sure.

The moment was here to decide and like a leaf on the water Jaala did. He let his heart lead him. “Katashi,” he said softly.

Katashi was ready to turn and walk out of the clearing but he stopped when Jaala called his name in nothing more than a whisper. He stood silently looking at him, waiting.

“What you say is true,” Jaala began. “I have not been forthcoming with you in the matters related to our journey. There is much going on here, much that you are not aware of. To tell you all of this at once would be overwhelming for you. It would be more than you are ready for. It would assume a trust between us that has not yet been proven. Can you understand this? Will you trust me to tell you everything that I can at this time, but no more?”

Katashi listened to the rotund one speak. He felt sincerity, that this time he was getting the truth from him. The humor and veiled deceit were now gone. It was just the same he felt with Master Michi and this is perhaps what changed his mind. “I sense you speak the truth Jaala, and so long as I sense this we will walk this path together.” What was unsaid was equally as well understood between them, that if Jaala dissembled and Katashi detected it they would part ways. Jaala understood and accepted.

“Like two leafs on the water.”

“Like two leafs on the water.”

A gentle breeze brushed his cheek and Katashi continued, “Now Jaala, perhaps you can tell me about Cuauhtemoc’s pin.”

Beinn 6.2

Not only was Katashi the top swordsman from the academy but he had the potential to be the greatest swordsman of his era.  The Daicho were out and engaged with Jaala’s Yitte as the short pot-bellied man came upon him.  The Yitte were blades just shorter than his smaller Kizahsi but with a prong for entrapping the sword if the opportunity presented itself.

In a normal duel Katashi might probe his opponent for weaknesses and keep him at bay while he developed a strategy to deal a decisive blow.  However, he had meant all he said to the stout monk about his confidence in the man’s skill and he fought with a quiet fierceness meant to win quickly if at all possible against this deadly little man.

The one advantage Katashi had was that Jaala’s weapons were limited to two basic strategies of either negative tae to deflect and entrap, or positive tae to attack at close interval under the Ugatana’s longer reach.  Jaala had briefly engaged in negative tae but against a true swordmaster this was a losing strategy and he had moved quickly into the attack.

Just as Katashi began to wonder if perhaps this man were not as skilled as he had imagined, Jaala slipped into a stance that seemed to spell his certain demise.  His Yitte were no longer at the ready and he was at the perfect distance for the Ugatana’s reach.

Yet when Katashi struck, Jaala made an almost imperceptible movement that altered the Ugatana’s killing blow to a deep slash across the shoulder.  The Kizahsi moved in concert with its partner blade, as the temple drummers wield their sticks, but its purpose to keep close to the body and shield any blows that might slip under the Ugatana.  But Jaala made no move to strike Katashi, again only moving his body slightly so that Katashi impaled both hands on the Yitte.

Reflexively he jerked his hands back, dropping his swords, and wrenching the Yitte from Jaala’s grasp.  They stood facing each other, Jaala bleeding from his shoulder and Katashi from his hands, their blades on the ground.

“What was that?” demanded Katashi, losing his composure as he had expected honorable death not this unorthodox maneuver ending in a weaponless stand off.

“Inert tae. Well, not exactly.  A true master utilizes inert tae in its pure form.  But that was as close as you will see for some time.”

“A master?  But you did not defeat me.”

“Was that the goal?”

Katashi paused staring at the bald monk, breathing deep and steady.  Jaala waited patiently.  Ignoring the pain in his hands the best he could, Katashi slowed his breathing and emptied his mind.  Closing his eyes he felt the breeze through the clearing cool the sweat on his brow, the high grass brush his calves, the throb of his hands, the blood drip down his fingers to the earth.  Soon he separated himself from these things too.  His awareness of Jaala remained but he grasped at nothing.

Opening his eyes he looked at Jaala.  “Another path.  Not a compromise or blending between two but an inherently different third way.”

“Yes.  Good.  Very good.”

“But why?”

“Because it reflects another path in this life.  Not the one you follow nor that of those you call enemy.”

Katashi held his tongue for a moment.  Before he uttered the words, he had to make sure.  He sensed he could not go back.  But then he would never feel whole knowing he had rejected a piece of existence out of ignorance.  If it felt wrong to him he would cast it out, even if it meant his death, but to ignore it was wrong in its own right.

“Show me.”

Beinn 6.1

Katashi studied him silently giving him time to take in what he was looking at. The truth was, Katashi was surprised that Jaala made no move to reach for the object. That he seemed to value it highly there was no doubt, he was very content to let Katashi hold it though. The emotions that clearly played across the face of the short pot bellied man faded into the same enigmatic smile at which point their eyes met. Katashi was content to let him be the first to speak. He didn’t, and while Katashi was content to let the silence extend out as long as necessary he decided to force the situation. He drew his arm back and to the side making as if to toss the item into the weeds.

“No Katashi!” Jaala said softly but firmly. “You must not do that.”

“What is this?”

“It is Cuauhtemoc’s pin.”

“It doesn’t look like a pin at all Jaala.”

“That is because you don’t know what you are looking at and what it is used for.”

Katashi found Jaala’s response typically cryptic and perhaps it was standing in the midst of dead highlanders, barbarians but fallen warriors nonetheless, that put Katashi a bit on edge. He surprised himself that he felt anger welling up inside him. He stayed with it, silently, while he let Jaala’s words sink in and watched the man content to do no more than smile. After a minute or two when he felt calm again he spoke.

“Jaala. You seem to be withholding information from me ever since we met. If we are to continue this journey together you need to be more forthcoming or our paths part here. I understand that each of us has our secrets, but if yours extend to not answering simple questions such as the one I asked then perhaps a journey alone is better.”

“I answered your question,” Jaala replied, smiling.

Silence hung between them which was broken when Katashi slipped the artifact into a pocket inside his robe. “Farewell,” and with that he turned and began to walk towards the other side of the clearing.

Beinn 5.9

As Massoud strode back to his original vantage he felt the anger and tension slip from him and when he sat back down on his rock he started to feel faint.

“Olive-skin,” began the archer coming up behind him.

“You may call me Master,” interrupted Massoud.

At this the Archer laughed heartily and clapped the weakened man on the back, “I call one Master and it is not you.  But let me finish.  Be careful with the Beinn.  We admire your strength as a leader, but do not make threats you are not certain you can carry out.  I killed the woman because she was an outsider.  The men I sent are both of my clan but then you did not know that.”

Massoud opened his mouth to deny his ignorance, pride perhaps his second greatest fault, but the Archer cut him off with a wave of the hand. “You could have a hundred arrows pointed at a Beinn and he would split your skull in response to a threat if he was certain he could kill you before dying.”

“Thank you for your advice,” Massoud replied neutrally.

“But that was the Right Hand that fled and I tell you now that you won’t have to kill those men for he will do it for you.  So those were men of my blood and I sent them to their deaths, which means that you, who are about to pass out at my feet, must be pondering your fate.”

That was the last thing Massoud heard as his eyes rolled up into his head and he slid off the rock to the ground, overcome by his wounds.

Beinn 5.8

Massoud breathed heavily as he leaned against the rock watching the troops below clean up and dispatch the remaining victims.  Too much had gone wrong with this in order for him to feel any sense of victory or elation.  The entire ambush had been handled sloppily and it had all started with the oaf next to him who bungled things up by launching too soon.  Then there was the interesting occurrence down below with Elspeth.  He had seen from his vantage point the apparent magic that had caused Elspeth to miss her target.  It all fit together quite nicely and that was the problem wasn’t it?  If there was one thing Massoud had learned it was not to be too trusting of coincidences, and other measures of good fortune.  If a caster had been in the group then it made sense.  But why, Massoud thought to himself wasn’t he wearing the robes of a caster, and why was he grouped with the guards and not the nobleman who was their target?  There were of course answers to those questions but they required a bit of a leap of faith and the game Massoud was playing didn’t allow for such luxuries. 

He turned to the archer and spoke, “You, come here.”  He decided to make this man his liaison with the group and ignore Andrew, who he saw as completely incompetent.  The archer stood at his side, clearly attentive.  “Who here is your best tracker, and do you have any Ranger’s in the group.”

The archer looked over the team quickly, “You,” he said pointing at one and gazing over a few more, “You.  Both of you come here.”

They walked and stood in front of Massoud.  “These are the best?”

The master archer nodded his head in the affirmative. 

Massoud satisfied, made a note to find out more about this archer as he was clearly quite impressive.  He spoke to the two.  “Did you see the lone rider leave back down the pass?”  They both nodded that they had so Massoud continued.  “I want you to bring him back to me, alive if you can dead if you must.”  He reached into his cloak and pulled out a purse heavy with coin.  “A hundred gold for you both if you succeed, fail me and forfeit your lives.” 

The gold was high motivation to them both, and they saw it as an easy mission for such a high price.  The chance of failure seemed miniscule.  “Done,” they said and they were off. 

Impressive thought Massoud.  For a team so skilled why had this gotten bungled in such a fashion?  There was a mystery here to solve and he had no time to do so.  He turned to the archer and spoke so softly only he could hear, “Ready your bow and when I give the word fire as quick and as true as you are able.  We will have only one chance and I am in no state to defend either one of us.”  The archer nodded, and nonchalantly unslung his bow and put an arrow in it.  He held it in such a fashion as to look completely at ease.

The team began to break up and chaos reigned for a bit.  After a good ten minutes or so the team from below came into sight.  Elspeth was in the lead, smiling and laughing with the men she had led.  She was a mere fifteen yards away when Massoud turned to the Archer and whispered, “In her kneecap.”  The arrow was flying before Massoud had finished speaking and Massoud realized the archer had not been boasting at all about his abilities.  He was a master indeed.

Elspeth cried out and crumpled to the ground.  All eyes were on Massoud and he realized the situation could turn ugly all too quickly if he didn’t assert control immediately.  “Back all of you”, he said in his best command voice.  He strode up to the crumpled woman making all back down by the strength of his presence.  Glancing back to the archer he motioned for him to follow, which he did.

“Why,” she managed to get out?

“Because it was all too neat  Elspeth, because one got away, one who was a caster, in a land where such are coveted possessions, probably worth more than he whose life we took.”

“You are a fool Massoud,” she spat out between spasms of coughing.  “This is easily explained.  It is no more than a coincidence.”

Massoud cut her off, “I don’t believe in coincidence,” and with that he turned to the archer and said, “In the throat,” and walked away savoring the sound of an arrow pinning Elspeth to the ground.  He should have felt good about the outcome but far too many questions had been surfaced, not the least of which was what had really happened down there.

Beinn 5.7

Massoud then sat down with his back against a boulder.  His current vantage point hid him from view of the road until they would be almost straight down from him.  Even if they saw him at that point the ambush would already be in motion.

Inanna’s tit, but I feel weak.  Sometimes the bleeding stops at the surface but they say a man can keep bleeding inside until he dies.  So dizzy.  Damn me for not having a better grasp of my limits today.  Must stay conscious.  Must stay conscious.

Massoud barely found the strength to groan when the spearman, a towering hulk of a Beinn, stood much too soon with a curdling bellow and heaved his spear.  Normally Massoud would have killed the man with a Bo-kri as soon as he gave a sign of moving against his wishes.  Right now though, the most he could do was prop himself a little higher against the boulder to witness the stout mountain-ash spear crunch through armor and bone, sending a horseman whirling to his death.

Elspeth was crouched with the men part way down the hillside.  She had given them the command “Follow my lead” in the gruffest voice she could summon, hood still drawn over her features.  They had eyed her warily, but none, not even Andrew, had challenged her.

As soon as she heard the bellow, Elspeth did not even wait to see what would occur.  It was too soon and they would have to move quick if they were to have any chance of success and still gain some minor advantage of surprise.  She had leapt over the boulder she was crouching behind and covered several spans before the spear came hurtling down from the mountainside.

She had heard the others scramble over the boulders and follow her.  The Kaldone guards were well-trained.  The three that remained immediately surrounded their charge.  Things might have been different that day if they had all fled back down the road, but the noble-born, perhaps seeing the poor condition of the rabble coming at him, called for his guard to stand fast.  The man next to him, sword drawn long ago, looked askance and hissed something in retort, but they all stood their ground.

Two arrows passed over Elspeth’s head, one landing harmlessly in the saddle of one of the horsemen and the other sprouting from a man’s thigh.  Elspeth gripped her crossbow, refusing to take her shot until she was sure.  The three horsemen threw their spears at the group.  One was meant for her but she could tell it was just a little off, thrown by the wounded horseman.  It brushed past her left arm as she heard the sickening thunk of the other two spears finding their marks.

Not fifteen spans from the men they sought to kill, Elspeth planted her feet firmly, raising the crossbow as the guards, swords now drawn, rode towards her.  The twang of the string sounded and the shaft flew straight, striking the noble-born square in the chest.  Elspeth knelt to load another bolt as the remaining two men passed her to meet the horsemen.  Fortunately the next set of arrows flew true and one guard toppled from his horse dead while the remaining unwounded man was hit in the shoulder.

Elspeth’s two remaining men were both sturdy Beinn armed with long hafted war-axes and despite their disadvantage against mounted men, they showed no fear as they were bred to fighting from the time they could walk.  One crashed his axe into the horse’s neck, severing the spine and causing it to collapse on its hapless rider, while a second blow clove the rider’s head.  The second Beinn was a little taller and simply swung his axe at a height that crashed into the other rider’s torso, lifting him from the saddle and killing him instantly.

Elspeth had the bolt cranked and brought her weapon to bear on the remaining man, when he wove an intricate pattern before him with his hands.  Elspeth recognized it, but did not know how she would be able to help this man survive in these circumstances.

“He weaves magic,” one of the Beinn gasped.

Yes, that’s it, thought Elspeth as she gave a cry of false pain, shooting her bolt wildly above the man’s head.

He gave a scarcely perceptible nod as he turned his horse and spurred it back down the road to Blathan, arrows clattering harmlessly on the rocks at his horse’s hooves.

Beinn 5.6

Massoud walked silently down the path if not swiftly.  It was impossible not to communicate by his movements that he had been injured.  It put him at a disadvantage but even so he was confident that the situation was manageable.  Elspeth was right at his side and the truth was it was starting to irk him more than a little for her to be here at this encounter.  Roy would have been most valuable, but this woman?  Suddenly he stopped and turned looking at her a smile coming to his face.  He voiced the thought that just had come into his head. 

“Elspeth,” he said with measured kindness he did not feel, “Your role in this will be to go with the men down by the hillside.  Tell Andrew an the rest of them I gave you authority to lead the ambush.  Make sure the wave of arrows and spears have landed then go in quickly and clean up.  Remember, you must be quick and you must at all costs make sure no one escapes.”

Elspeth studied his face as he talked and could detect no sign of deceit.  This was not what she was expecting and not what Roy had told her to expect.  She had to make a decision to trust Massoud and she smiled as she realized she really had no choice.  She sensed a loss of control in leaving Massoud’s side and determined to make sure she used the opportunity to gain his trust.  That was one of her objectives here at any rate right?  It was not her primary objective, but yes it was an important one.  She smiled and nodded and spoke, “By your command,” and turned to run down the path by the hillside.

Massoud smiled as he led the spearmen and archers to the vantage point.  Now things were back in his control.  He could watch her and see how she performed.  If he still had any doubts, any hesitation, he could have one of the archers make sure his aim was off a bit, and well it wasn’t uncommon for troops to get taken out in friendly fire was it?

He slowed down a bit and glanced pointedly at the lead archer.  “You there, come here please.”  The man approached.  “Time is short so I want to tell you what I have in mind for this ambush.  First though, I need to know how good you are with that long bow.  Tell me honestly, lives depend on it.”

“I sir, am a master,” and glancing down to where the ambush would take place he continued.  “At that range you can tell me who to hit and where on their body you would like the arrow to penetrate and I will oblige.”

“Excellent, excellent,” Massoud said.  “So here is what I want you to do.”  At this point their voices lowered and they quickly discussed the upcoming engagement.  The only thing anyone would have noticed out of the ordinary was a small purse change hands.  No one did though because the party was well in sight now and positions were being taken up.

Massoud glanced down to where Elspeth and the others were secreted.  She gave him a discrete signal to let him know they were ready.  He turned to the archers and spearmen.  “Wait for my signal and then let fly, not one moment sooner, or later.”  Then he turned and waited smiling easily now.  Yes now things were well in hand.