The Sorcerer's Sword: Part Three

By Jack Cee

War has torn the once great Ilyian Republic in two. In the north reigns an Emperor, in the south a Senate under the Second Republic. And within both nations lies the Shadow Kingdom, lead by the mysterious Red King. But can even one of them stand against The Mighty’s hordes, his army of the dead?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jack Cee
• Release date: Dec 16, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463283332

Jack Cee

I'm just a guy who writes stuff.

Book preview

The Sorcerer’s Sword – Part 3

By Jack Cee

Copyright 2018

ISBN: 9780463283332

To find out more about the author visit: www.jackceeauthor.wordpress.com

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Chapter One

Where is he?

I don't know!

Rik repeated the question and struck the farmer again.

"Where is he?"

I'm telling you I don't know! The man yelled, stumping his feet in frustration. Nobody does. He moves around and he's fast like the wind. It's impossible to know where he'll show up next.

Tired after giving out a long beating, Rik sat down and sighed. He studied the black and blue face of the farmer and pondered another way to make him talk. Remembered that he had a daughter just blossoming into a woman. Perhaps raping her in front of his eyes would loosen the poor peasant’s tongue.

But Rik found he wasn't quite in the mood and, besides, it had never worked before. He was starting to think that maybe these people really didn't know the whereabouts of their elusive leader.

I believe you, he said and searched the farmer's disfigured face for a sign of gratitude. Still, you and your family were disloyal to the Emperor. That cannot go unpunished. You and your sons would be a useful addition to the Emperor's galleys. And pretty as your wife and daughters are, they'll be popular in whatever whorehouse I sell them to.

No! No, please I beg of you! Don't hurt them. This is all on me, they had nothing to do with this.

Rik looked at the man in front of him. Tied to a kitchen chair, sobbing like a child. He found him pathetic and had to repress an urge to strike him again because of it.

I’ll think about it, if you explain something to me.

Yes! Absolutely, I’ll tell you anything.

From the pocket of his vest, Rik took out the mysterious object like the ones he had found on every member of the Red Assembly who he had questioned. It was a round and thick piece of reddish brown metal, about the size of a fist, on which was engraved the image of a small bird in flight. He held it up in front of the farmer’s face.

What the fuck is this thing? And don’t dare lie to me or your family is going to get it.

The man nodded and swallowed nervously. Cast an eye towards the barn where his wife and children were being held captive.

It’s money.

Isn’t it a big large for a coin?

But it’s not a coin. You see, the Red King, he has this whole army of magic people working for him. Thousands of sorceresses and sorcerers who with their combined powers can do all sorts of things you’d never even dream of. They invented these things. It’s a little bit like a coin but it’s value is based on its memory, on the transactions you’ve made and that it remembers.

This coin remembers things? Like a person?

Not really like a person. But… I’ll show you. If you hold it up again and look at it, look at the bird, you’ll understand.

Sceptical but curious, Rik did as he said and held the metal disk in front of his face.

I am Gura Trukam, the man said, and this is my wealth.

Rik could barely believe his eyes when he saw the image of the bird disappear and be replaced by a number.

Two-hundred twenty-five. What does that mean?

That's the amount of money I have.

But how do you spend it without getting rid of the coin?

Well, for example, if I had a friend here who also had a similar coin then I could say 'I am Gura Trukam and I wish to give', and then I'd say the person's name, 'this and this amount'. The other person accepts by saying their name and ‘I accept this transaction’. Then it happens by itself.

Rik looked at the strange piece of metal. The image on it had turned back into a bird as if nothing had happened. So, the Red King had given his people an invisible currency that could not be found by the Emperor’s taxmen. Rik found that brilliant, although he wouldn’t have said it out loud.

Content with the information he had been given, he rose from his chair. Just as he was about to walk out the door, he turned to the farmer again.

One last thing. This magic money, what do you call it?

Freedom Gold, sir.

*

Ily was, since about four summers back, cut in two by a large wall which ran through the middle of city. It had been erected after the end of the Great War, which had gone on for about three and a half cycles of seasons. Everything south of the wall was part of the Second Republic while what was on the north side, where Rahin on this day found herself, belonged to the Golden Empire.

This splitting of the old Republic into two new nations had begun shortly after the death of Elizz and her senators. Seeing that the Republic was suddenly standing without a leader, the Golden Lions had attempted to seize the power. The Republican Guard, loyal to their mission, had fought against them. What followed was a long and bloody conflict everyone on both sides wish they could forget about.

Rahin could still remember the same streets she was now walking being littered with thousands of bodies and the blood flowing downhill like a river. Peace was not something to ever take for granted and as she gazed up at what the people of Ily called The Great Divide, she felt relieved that, at least for now, peace reigned.

She spotted on the other side of the street, facing the wall, a little shop named The Four Roots. After entering it, she put down the hood of her jacket and the shop-keeper smiled when she recognized her.

Rahin! So good to see you. It has been far too long since last. How are you?

I am well, thank you. How are things with you, Su? How was Toyan?

Oh, she is as well as ever, that old sandbox.

Rahin took no offense at her hometown being referred to in such a way. It wasn’t unusual for people in Ily to refer to Toyan as a dusty sandbox, but when Toyanese people did it themselves it was tongue-in -cheek.

It’s Safur that’s not so good, Su revealed with a sudden expression of sadness.

Safur? Why? What happened there?

Su gestured to her to come sit next to her on a chair behind the counter. Rahin did so and, her heart beating hard in her chest, awaited the learn what had happened to that beautiful city.

Do you remember, Su said whispering, how during the Great War, many dead soldiers just vanished?

Yes, whole battlefields of corpses seemed to have disappeared into the air. Both sides accused each other of stealing their fallen ones.

Well, the war is over but it’s happening again. Except this time it’s soldiers who were last seen alive who disappear. There was this garrison right outside of Safur. The leadership of the Republican Guard hadn’t got any rapports from them in a while and they weren’t answering letters. So, they sent people other there who found the garrison empty. The locals were asked if they knew anything but they said the soldiers one day just weren’t there anymore and everyone assumed they’d been sent somewhere else. But the Republic’s emissary wasn’t buying it. He ordered people to be tortured to make them talk. Some were even killed in the process. Nobody talked, because the truth was: nobody knew anything. So the guy ordered all the grain storages of the city burned to the ground. Then they destroyed the temples, the beautiful Spirit temples our ancestors had carved into the rock of the mountains. With mallets they went at hit. For days and days until there was nothing left but dust.

Rahin shook her head. It seemed things weren’t much better on the other side of the wall.

Oh, before I forget. I prepared something for you, Rahin.

Su got up and got a wooden box from a shelf. Opening it, she revealed its content: about twenty little bags of Toyanese spices.

Just like the lady ordered. I hope they’ll make the Ilyian food more tolerable. These people, I tell you, they don’t know how to flavour a stew.

The two friends sat and talked for a while, until Rahin looked out the window and saw that the sky had turned pink and orange with sunset light.

I’ll better get going. Thank you once more for the spices. You’re sure you don’t want anything for it?

No, no, no. You and… She lowered her voice. And the Red King have already done so much for me. For all your people. I’m telling you: if anyone in this world should be emperors then it’s the two of you.

Moved by Su's words, Rahin gave her a long hug before they parted. When she stepped outside, she saw a group of street kids playing on the rain-wet pavement. They were kicking an empty glass bottle between themselves, probably for lack of a better toy. A painful sympathy grabbed Rahin as she saw their dirty faces, torn clothes and sad children's smiles. She called them to her.

From her dress pocket she took out the sprouted bread with dried figs she had wrapped in a piece of cloth. After breaking it in five equal parts, she gave them one each and smiled with a motherly affection as they all, one after another, thanked and bowed for the gift.

She stood for a moment and watched them go back to their game. It always amazed her how children could keep such a playful disposition in situations which would have turned most adults bitter.

Some want the vermin gone, others feed them bread.

Two golden lions were leaning against the border wall and had been observing her with the children. One of them was staring with hateful eyes at her while picking away dirt from under his fingernails with the point of his dagger.

The Emperor has not outlawed feeding the hungry, last time I checked.

Her words made his face flush red with anger.

Are you giving me attitude, you little shit?

They both smirked at her, as if letting her know that they looked forward to teaching her a lesson. Rahin found herself in that moment longing back to the days of the old Republic. Things hadn't been much better then but since their leader had become the most powerful man in the land, the Golden Lions were on a power trip which never seemed to end.

No, Rahin said reluctantly. I’m sorry.

She turned and walked away without awaiting a response. But she could hear him mumble under his breath:

Dusty faggot.

*

Rik was in a good mood. He wasn’t anywhere near finished when it came to his investigation but he had learned a lot in the last few days and was confident that he could deliver quite an interesting rapport to the Emperor. When he then decided to reward Rik, like he often generously did those generals who helped protect the Empire, he wouldn’t mind it at all. In fact, he had already his eyes on a beautiful slave and a triad of war horses he would acquire with the money.

Perhaps because he was having such a good day, Rik did not become angry when he saw the cloaked figure standing in the middle of the dirt road.

Get off the trail, you peasant, he said only slightly annoyed.

The man held up his head and Rik saw that he was blind, with empty orbits where his eyes should have been.

Ah, Rik said. I understand. You might not see it, old man, but you are standing in our path. Would you please move aside so me and my men can continue our travel?

Unfortunately, no. My king has sent me for you. He needs to speak to you of important matters.

Your king? Who is that? The only ruler I know of is back in Ily.

I speak of the Red King, of course. I will take you to him but your men must stay behind.

Rik shook his head and exchanged glimpses with his soldiers, who laughed with him.

You must think I’m stupid. If the Red King really sent you, which I seriously doubt, then the fact that you want me to go alone means this is a trap. Go away. You are making an ass of yourself.

The man pulled down the hood of his cloak and lifted up his walking stick.

Well, if you won’t come of your own free will then I’ll have to drag you to him by force. Are you sure you want to go that road?

Rik was beginning to feel irritated. He wasn’t going to let some blind fool ruin an otherwise beautiful sunny day like this one.

Just kill him, he whispered to his second-in-command.

The soldier obeyed. He dismounted from his horse and drew his sword. Right as he was about to strike him down, the man suddenly hit him in the gut with the end of his stick. He struck him again in the head, making him drop his weapon.

The blind man quickly picked it up and tossed aside his walking stick and his cloak. He spun the sword in his hand before slashing the throat of the soldier who was getting back up on his feet. Dark red blood splashed back on his clothes and face as he turned his head towards Rik, like he knew exactly where he was.

Seeing that the man was holding up the point of the sword as if to challenge him, Rik decided to take care of it himself. He signalled to his men to stand back as he dismounted. Confident that this would be quickly resolved, he unsheathed his weapon and charged.

As if he had been able to see him coming, the blind fellow jumped aside from the first swing of Rik’s sword. He had probably heard him running, Rik thought, but he wouldn’t be able to counter his next attack. This proved to be false as the