Early in the morning, Tyrian and Cassie reported to the meeting room. Matthias was already there and he smiled when he saw Tyrian. "I understand we had a bit of an eventful evening, Lord Tyrian."
"That's one word for it," Tyrian said dryly. "Startled all of us when she appeared out of nowhere. I hope her cold is better this morning. I'd hate for her to transport herself away right in the middle of battle."
Lane walked in and said, "It's not likely to happen. Miranda's wildest transports tend to be more because of Destiny's whim than from her own lack of control. However, her lack of control doesn't help either. Partially it's because of the nature of the Echo Relic itself. It bounces its own power backwards sometimes. If she transports you, you might end up in a place relative to where she aimed rather than right on target."
Tyrian winced. "And there's nothing she can do about it?"
"Not really. She tried to take off the relic once and it transported her into the middle of the ocean." He shook his head wryly. "She trained with Lady Tanelia for a while. She's three hundred years older than I but has much less control over her relic. Then again, I have more natural talent."
The other three let that slide without comment. "Where can she transport us to?" Cassie asked. "Anywhere we want or are there limitations?"
"Anywhere you've been previously. She matches the magic you've left behind to send you there. And, again, it might be relative to that spot."
"As long as it's closer than walking or riding, I can handle that," Tyrian said. He sat down at the table and pulled the map closer. Thomas had been hard at work, and the map showed clearly what was still under Imperial control and what was now under Rebellion control. T'que had been crossed off with the universal symbol meaning a ghost town. It still infuriated Tyrian.
Evelyn arrived with breakfast right ahead of the others in the meeting. Ewan and Kyle took coffee gratefully while Gordon and Samantha took tea. Leonard opted for neither, and Cherry had juice. Plates were passed out, and Evelyn left the room with a cheerful step. She loved cooking for everyone.
"Dry Basin," Matthias began. He tapped a finger on the map where Dry Basin was located. "We stand at ten units, including two ranged and one magic. There are eight units at Dry Basin."
Kyle looked over in surprise. "Weren't there ten as of the last time we discussed this?"
"There were. Two units have been recalled to Trinan. Kell is investigating the reason why. We only found out this morning from Tod. One of his gossip partners is in Dry Basin and sent a pigeon to us. Something seems to be happening at the capitol, but information is scarce right now."
"So we could probably overwhelm them with sheer force." Samantha frowned. "That sounds too easy."
"It isn't as easy as it sounds. Among the eight remaining at Dry Basin are four magic units and two ranged. They only have one close-combat unit, but they don't really need more than that with their current set-up."
"We'd never have a chance to get in close to them," Ewan said. "Unless we could manage to put up some really good cover, we'd be picked off from a distance."
Cherry suddenly frowned. "Are they backed up against the city?"
"Yes." Matthias looked at her expectantly. "If you have an idea, I welcome it. I can't do everything alone."
"I was just thinking," she said slowly, "that we might be able to take advantage of our greater numbers if we can draw them away from the city. If we can clear enough space, we could just drop in an additional unit behind them. Say we distract them with our ranged and magic units. They won't be able to move in close-range either. But . . ."
"But if we can lure them into following us across the field, then we can drop in our close-range units right behind them." Gordon smiled at Cherry. "Very clever."
"And it might just work best." Matthias looked at Lane. "How much bluster can you make?"
"As much as you need."
"He is full of hot air after all," Ewan muttered.
Lane pointedly ignored him. Tyrian wisely hid a smile as he said, "Then we'll look at having you, Crimson, and Verdure each leading a unit. Laia will ride with you, and Halkern can ride with Verdure while Marian is with Crimson. Myr is good for helping enhance spell potency, so she can ride with you as well." He looked at Kyle. "It's a waste of your sword arm, but you're good with that relic. Ride with Verdure."
"You're the boss."
Suddenly speculative, Tyrian looked at Ewan. "Night? Just how much of you is still a relic?"
"Oh, I probably have one or two good spells inside me. Ewan's magically stupid, but he doesn't need to be a mage for this. If he points me at the enemy, I can do the rest."
"So just like normal?" Lane muttered under his breath.
Tyrian kicked Ewan under the table before he could open his mouth. "Don't encourage him. Ewan, you'll ride with Crimson. Samantha, will you ride with me and Cassie?"
"Gladly, Lord Tyrian."
"Emma and Olan can lead one ranged unit while Shots has the other. Matthias, will you ride?" At the nod, Tyrian drummed the fingers of his relic hand on the table. "Then you can ride with Emma and Olan. Yhalenia can ride with Shots. Cherry, I'd like you to ride along as well. Shots will need your guidance since he's acclimated for small combat."
"Okay. What about the ambush units?"
"Mine will be one of them. The other will be Dylan, Leonard, and Sean." Tyrian blew out a hard breath. "It's harder to play tricks on an enemy than it is to confront them head on."
"Which is why I prefer it," Samantha agreed dryly.
Dry Basin was one of the bigger cities in the Empire. It boasted a population of nearly thirty thousand and had six units to call its own. Because of its size, the effects of the tyranny were both easier and harder to see. If you looked at the upper class portion of town, it seemed as if nothing was happening at all. If you looked at the lower class, you realized it was low indeed. The middle class had been eliminated entirely.
But even the upper class was not happy. It was hard to eat breakfast when you knew people were starving. It was hard to go to sleep knowing people slept on the streets. The condition of the city was holding on by its teeth only by the benevolence of those few upper class people. They made the right noises to the capitol, got breaks on their taxes, and poured the extra money into their town.
The lieutenant leading the Imperial units had noticed what was happening but had said not a single word. Her duties were to guard the city, not tattle on people struggling to survive. She hated how people flinched when the soldiers went through town. She hated more that it was deserved. She even knew who in her own units could not be trusted. It was as if the water in Trinan had begun to poison everyone.
There was a bright flash of light and she straightened quickly. "The Liberation Army is approaching!" she snapped to her units. "Ready for engagement!"
Because she knew full well the Rebellion had more units on hand, she was understandably surprised when only five appeared on the field. She was more surprised to not see the familiar green scarf of Tyrian Southerwind. She lightly touched her Voice Relic. "And where stands Tyrian Southerwind?"
"Is there a rule against an army fighting without its leader?" Matthias said politely. "If there is, then your Emperor should be on every battlefield."
She couldn't argue with that, but she also couldn't help her suspicion. Tyrian had been on every other battlefield, so why not this one? "I see."
One of the other soldiers leaned over and said softly, "It is possible he has not recovered from the events in the mountains. I heard that he collapsed. I have no idea how long it takes to recover from evolving a Pure Relic, but you'd think it wouldn't be easy."
"Hmm." It was certainly plausible. "I suppose it would be a waste of time to ask for surrender," she said to Matthias.
"Quite."
"Very well, let the engagement commence."
The lieutenant's unit was the sole close-combat one, so she stayed to the back of the field as the other units began trying to lure each other closer. It ended up playing like a game of chesstac where only the king and queen were left. One couldn't win without losing at the same time. Not unless someone got aggressive.
She watched intently and realized that the range of the enemy magic units was not that great. They had to dance back after every attack. Sensing an opening, she began to move her unit across the field. If she could catch them in a back step, she could take out at least Matthias and end the battle.
No sooner had her unit moved away from the city than did a flash of light announce the sudden arrival of reinforcements. She turned sharply and stared in dismay at the sight of two more Liberation Army units standing right behind her. Riding at the front of one of them was a familiar figure. Sometimes being right wasn't enjoyable, she discovered then. And recognizing Samantha Yureny riding with Tyrian did nothing to make the defeat easier to swallow.
She could stand and be slaughtered, or she could surrender and spare what remained of her soldiers. Many had already fallen to the more potent magic on the other side. She threw her battleaxe on the ground with a sigh. "Yield."
All units stopped fighting. The three Healers on the field set about curing the wounded while the bodies of those who had fallen were retrieved. Casualties dotted both sides, but the lieutenant's swift surrender had ensured things did not get truly bloody.
Samantha and Cassie rode with Tyrian across the field toward the defeated lieutenant. Matthias and Cherry also rode closer. "Lieutenant . . . Araceli, correct?" Samantha asked. At the nod, she smiled. "Well met, Lieutenant. You've gotten much stronger since I last saw you."
"Apparently not strong enough," was the rueful response. She was silent for long moments as she weighed her choices and then lifted her chin distinctly. "Lord Tyrian, I would ask to join your fight. My soldiers are free to make their own choices, but I would lend my strength to you. I can't stomach what our Empire has become."
"Your skill will be appreciated," Tyrian said.
Ewan walked over and picked up the fallen axe. "You'll need this."
"Thank you." Araceli turned to her units and said, "Laws of engagement stand. Your choice needs to be made now as to whether you return to Trinan or follow me to the Liberation Army. My choice is a willing one."
Of those remaining on the field, five units' worth removed the emblems from their uniforms and switched sides. The rest did not and returned by magic to Trinan. The good news for the Liberation Army was that of the five they gained, they gained three magic and one ranged. The fifth was Araceli's close-range unit.
Ewan looked at Tyrian and asked, "Are you going into the city to look for Stars?"
"I am. I also wish to speak with the mayor about any strength that he or she can lend to us."
"Okay. We'll hold out here until you're done so you can transport back with us."
"That would be much appreciated." Tyrian glanced at Samantha. "Are you going with me and Cassie?" She arched a brow and he had to smile. "Alright, I suppose it was a silly question." He was also unsurprised when Dylan and Sean opted to go along as well. He was beginning to get used to everyone being overprotective.
A dramatic mood change had swept through the city. As Liberation Army soldiers moved in to start helping people, spirits immediately lifted. The six units belonging to Dry Basin were coming out of dormancy and talking to Liberation soldiers about obtaining uniforms and a flag to fly. It was a quick reminder to Tyrian that he needed an actual army symbol. Mouse and Myr were supposedly working on it. He would have to prod them along.
While they walked through the streets, he kept his senses alert. He had learned that not only did his Stars stand out in a crowd, but they also had a tendency to be in unlikely places as well. He wasn't discounting anyone or anything. It still baffled him that he had only a total of forty-eight Stars found. If he went on the theory that the remaining generals, including his father, were also Stars, then he could say that he had fifty-three. There were fifty-six to be found.
Commotion rose from inside a building and he glanced over curiously just as two kids came rushing out the doors. One was a girl with ashy blonde hair, roughly around the age of ten. The other was an auburn haired boy in the same age range. They came to a skidding stop in front of Tyrian, and the boy said, "You're Lord Tyrian!"
Tyrian smiled as he knelt down to be more on level. "I am."
The boy stuck out his hand. "I'm Mikey. This is Kami."
Tyrian shook his hand solemnly and then shook Kami's as well. That familiar tug was inside again, telling him even faster than the mark on their shoulder that they belonged to him. Neither looked to be anything more than a civilian, but there was an unquenchable spirit inside both that called to Tyrian. It was these children, these young ones who survived in the harshest climate, that he wanted to fight for. "It's nice to meet you," he said.
Kami took Tyrian's relic hand and studied the relic with immense curiosity. She had always been fascinated by relics, and she felt lucky to see a Pure Relic in her life. "My mom and dad were Relic Masters," she told Tyrian. "That's what I want to do when I grow up!" She got a speculative look in her eye. "Do you have anyone to take care of your relic supply?"
Cassie and Dylan shared a smile with Samantha and Sean. It was the familiar game to be played between Kaiten and Destined Star. That two such young children would know their destiny was not so surprising. The legend had spread rapidly.
"You know," Tyrian said, "I actually don't. We're looking for a Relic Master as well, but if you'd like to keep our relics safe, then I'd be glad for it. If we find our Master, you can help them with all the work. How old are you, Kami?"
"Twelve. I know, I'm small." She wrinkled her nose. "I turn thirteen in a few months. Mikey is almost eleven. We're not related," she added quickly, "but we've been friends since we were little. Uhm, littler."
Mikey nodded firmly. "I can make beds and stuff at the inn. We can be helpful!"
"Well . . ." Tyrian hedged. He grinned when both gave him big-eyed pleading looks. "Alright." When they cheered, he added firmly, "You can't just go running off to the castle, though." Recalling the use of past tense that Kami had used, he asked gentler, "Are you orphans?"
Kami nodded. "Our parents were killed at one of the checkpoints a few years ago during a skirmish with Foresalia. The lady who runs the orphanage here has raised us. She's super nice and sweet! You have to meet her! We're the only orphans left, so she'll be glad to get rid of us. She's really old."
The kids grabbed Tyrian's hands and pulled him into the building they had run out of. "Grace!" Mikey called. "Guess what! Guess what! We're going to go with Lord Tyrian and we're gonna help him get freedom for the people!"
The old woman sitting in a rocking chair beside the fire just sighed. "Only months ago I would have thought you addled!"
Tyrian studied her and a little smile began to tug at his lips. Age had settled gracefully on the old woman for she was still lovely and fit. Her white hair softly curled around her dark face and her wrinkles seemed to emphasize her age beautifully. "I must ask," he murmured, "just how they knew about their destiny."
An impish light twinkled at the corner of her green eyes. "A good informant never reveals her sources." She got to her feet with surprising agility and let her cane lean against the wall. Without any hint of a physical ailment, she walked over to Tyrian and peered up into his face. "You're much more handsome than I expected," she told him. "You remind me of Kell in his youth."
"Ah! That's why your name is familiar." He took her offered hand and bowed over it as if she were nobility. "Your fans still speak of you highly."
Grace looked at Cassie and said blandly, "Watch this one. It's dangerous."
"I'd noticed," Cassie grumbled, causing Samantha to laugh and pat her shoulder in sympathy.
The white star appeared on Grace's shoulder, and Tyrian said, "Kell does a great job as an informant, but I think we could use a second sharp mind as well. How would you like to put your skills to work for the Liberation Army? They're wasted here, and I need your help." He tilted his head. "Tell me, did you ever marry after Kell chickened out?"
She smiled. "Love can wait patiently when it is needed."
He glanced at Cassie, thinking of the patience he had exerted for her sake. He would have waited a hundred years, even a thousand, to finally claim her for his own. "Indeed it can," he agreed softly.
The note of intimacy in his voice had a hint of pink climbing Cassie's cheeks. It took a lot of willpower not to kiss him in front of everyone. Not that she really had to worry about her reputation anymore; it was actually growing thanks to her being his Kentei Star. She mostly still just had to occasionally deal with her strict upbringing. Her orderly life had gone completely out the window, but she didn't regret it one bit.
Grace sighed contently; she remembered those days very well. She rubbed her hands together. She was old, but she didn't think that meant she had lost any right to claim the man she loved. "The kids and I will head out to the base," she decided firmly. "I'll help gather your intelligence, and I'll work on getting Kell's butt to an altar. I'll be married before I'm seventy or I'll toss him in the moat!"
"I want to be Grace when I grow up," Kami told Samantha solemnly.
The general grinned. "Me too."
Tyrian smiled at Sean and Dylan. "Dylan, can you help them get their things together? Sean, I want you to go talk to Ewan. Find three soldiers willing to make the trek back to the base on foot so that these three can go along."
"Four," Grace said. When Tyrian lifted a brow, she explained, "That old codger, Ted, is in town too. He and Tod are inseparable friends." She shook her head. "They and Tad courted me all at the same time. I was seeing Tod until Kell came along." She pointed a finger at Samantha. "You mark my words, young lady. When you see the right one, sit on him or her."
Dylan elbowed Samantha lightly and she coughed. Tyrian just smiled. "Alright. Sean, ask for four then. We'll find Ted on our way to talk to the mayor."
The problem with transport magic, whether relic or mechanical, was that it had max capabilities, Tyrian reflected as they headed outside. It couldn't transport more than a thousand soldiers at a time, nor could it do less than roughly nine hundred. Araceli's swift surrender had limited the number of casualties on both sides. Because of it, the units that had come to battle were going back at max even though they had lost some soldiers along the way. "Sometimes I wonder who tried to impose sanity on war," he murmured.
"That would be the people who knew it was an inevitable evil and were trying to limit the carnage," Cassie said softly. She slipped her hand into his and held on. "Someday, Tyrian. Someday we won't need rules of warfare. There won't even be war."
It was the hope that Ophelia had died for, and he was determined to do his part. And if there really were to be more Kaiten Stars, then he would damned well help them too. If someone was born under the same star as he was, then he or she would be a little brother or sister. He didn't want a need for more Kaitens, yet he couldn't help but wistfully think of how much fun it would be to have younger siblings. Especially a little sister. Tavi helped fill the void, but he felt the age gap too clearly.
The mayor's house was located near the center of town. Technically, of course, the mayor hadn't been mayor for more than a year, but the shift in control of the town had restored her to the position. When Tyrian arrived, she was standing outside her house issuing orders to people to work on restoring the city.
She was a slightly plump grandmotherly woman with riotously curly gray hair tied at the nape of her neck. When she spotted Tyrian, relief filled her eyes. "Lord Tyrian, thank you so much!" she said fervently. "We can't repay you for what you've done for us. If one more person lost their home, we would have all just collapsed entirely."
He shook his head slightly. "There is no repayment needed, but I would ask for your assistance. Dry Basin has six military units. I ask that you lend them to us."
"Done," she said instantly. "One can remain to hold the city, and the other five can go with you. One is a ranged unit, the rest are close-combat."
That would bring the total for the Liberation Army up to twenty units with five others in cities. Of the twenty, five were ranged and six were magic. Tyrian realized with a little chill that with numbers like that he was perfectly matched to the twenty units commanded by his father. It was not a welcome or pleasant thought. Necessary evils, he thought again. There were far too many in the world.
The mayor watched him and then said, "I would also ask a favor, Lord Tyrian." When he lifted a brow, she smiled. "Take my good-for-nothing husband with you. He's good for little except sending messages."
He found himself smiling back. "His name wouldn't be Ted, would it?"
"How did you guess?" Her tone was dry. She waved a hand for them to follow her. "Come with me. I'll show you where he roosts. Or where his pigeons roost. Damned little difference," she grumbled.
Samantha coughed to cover a laugh. Tyrian just followed along behind the mayor as she headed around behind her house. It wasn't hard to tell where Ted 'roosted.' The little shed behind the house was liberally covered in pigeons. An old man who certainly looked to be in Tod's age frame stood in the doorway and had pigeons all over his shoulders and head. "I'm not appreciated," he told Tyrian.
The mayor rolled her eyes expressively. Tyrian coughed lightly. "Well, we could use your assistance. If we could have more than one person to send and receive messages, it would be quite helpful." He offered his relic hand. "Tod is with my army, as is Kell, and now Grace."
"Just like old times," Ted said fondly. "I wonder if Grace will get that old coot to marry her finally. Ah well! Can't miss the fireworks, now can I? Count me in!" He took Tyrian's hand and the familiar white star appeared on his shoulder. He promptly wiggled his brows at his wife. "You'll miss me when I'm gone."
She turned her back with a flounce of her hair. "So you said when you visited your friends last year. I rather enjoyed the quiet!"
As she walked off, Ted said, "Pay her no heed. We've been married for fifty years for good reason." Fondly, he said, "Still my favorite girl."
Tyrian smiled at Cassie. They were at the other end of the spectrum from Kell and Grace. Sometimes it took fifty years to find that one person. But then, sometimes you were lucky. Even with everything else going on, Tyrian considered himself lucky. Now he just needed to figure out how to propose to his lady monk without making her get nervous. Unlike some people, he wasn't waiting fifty years to put a ring on her finger!
©Stacy J. Garrett. Do not reprint or redistribute without permission.
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