The Windcaster [Fantasy/Adventure | Featured | Complete ]

Chapter 35: The Beginning

The gentle, sweet vocals of the Wind intertwined together in a harmony, drifting slightly apart at regular intervals before converging again in a beautiful spectrum of tuneful overtones and notes. They danced in the chilly night, slowly buffeted along by the weak breeze; their messages were crisp and clear in the cold air.

Tia's quill dipped into the ink and flew across the page. She kept her eyes closed, ears tuned in to the conversation Master Marduk was having with the Elder Down Consuls and Censor and the Westersands Censor.

Gwentian army numbers are nearing five hundred thousand; it seems they may be utilising all able bodies as weapons. Their greater population will be to their advantage.

What is the expected path of invasion? Both Ptarmigan Fortress and Elder Down have evacuated all the civilians.

King Ea – or rather, Apsu, his advisor – has initially suggested flanking; however as Mawlin has steadfastly refused participation in the conflict, we cannot engage in that manner.

We are to invade first?

This is madness! We are wholly unfamiliar with the terrain of Gwent; they have a huge advantage there.

These are the king's orders from Capital: eradicate their army before they are fully prepared. Consuls are to be third line in battle, behind the slaves and the cavalry. Praetors are to be back-up in battle and Aediles and Quaestors to remain stationed at the borders. Censors remain in their respective cities, supported by one Consul, and keep the king informed of the current status; the city will be under their sole charge.

Will King Ea be overseeing the army in the southwest?

No; he remains in Capital.

This will end very badly.

Such are the orders of the king: we are bound by our sworn loyalty to the monarchy.Two nights from the morrow we are to begin; Grace be with you, my comrades.

Master Marduk withdrew from the song. Tia released a breath she didn't know she had been holding and returned the quill and ink to the nearby scribe.

The general almost snatched the transcribed paper from her hands and scanned it, a look of panic dawning on his face.

War is on the rise, Tia thought, biting her lips. In just a few days, Dernexes will be waging war against Gwent. There will be thousands of casualties and lives lost.

She supposed that it was good that Master Marduk had thrown her into such a harsh environment in the past months; whilst seeing the punishment and decrepit conditions never became easier, she was more immune to the cries and screams.

There was a knot in her stomach, however; for some reason, she had a very bad feeling about this invasion.

"But sir!" said the general, rolling up the scroll. "You do not have a Consul!"

Master Marduk's eyes flicked at Tia, who was standing at alert, sleepy eyes barely open. A small wind blew around the stone-brick tower they were standing on, making the candles in the cadets' hands flicker. Stars winked down from above; it was only a couple of hours before dawn.

"I have more than adequate assistance."

****

It was strange to see so many Windcasters congregated in one area. From the other eight cities, Praetors, Aediles and Quaestors – the lowest three ranked military Windcasters of Dernexes, beneath the Censors and Consuls – were stationed on the southwest borders of the country, split between Elder Down and Ptarmigan Fortress. The great hall of Ptarmigan Fortress was swarming with figures clad in pale blue Windcaster cloaks; on their chests, there hung shining pendants, not unlike the king's Keep version on Master Anu and Master Marduk's chests, signifying their rank.

Amidst the lot, Tia spotted a familiar waif-like figure moving amongst the other Casters, her light blue cloak, rimmed with white, billowing with each long stride.

"Ki!" she called, flying down the steps.

The person turned at the sound; serious dark brown eyes, framed by long, straight dark hair parted down the middle, gazed down at the younger girl.

"Tiamat." She didn't sound displeased. "What are you–?" Her eyes flew to Tia's chest.

Tia followed the direction of her look, puzzled.

"What is it?"

"You are not a Quaestor." It was a statement, but she sagged with relief.

"No, I am not."

"Good."

Tia blinked. She had been kept so busy working and studying that she had not given her aspirations much thought in recent months. "Why do you say that?"

"Let us just say that I now understand and fully support Masters Mami and Anu's reluctance in letting their trainees enter the king's Casters." Ki's jaw tightened.

"What do you–?" The former Hume trainee shot her a warning look. Tia made to speak again before it struck her there were too many ears around. The king's Casters were bound by their oath to King Ea and any badmouthing could be regarded as treason.

And she knew all too well what would be the punishment.

Ki was gripping her own metal pendant so tightly that her knuckles went white. She let go, exhaling. The Quaestor's medallion was a circle with a sparrow perched on the bottom of the ring, shining golden upon her chest.

"It is not what I signed up for." Her eyes flashed. "Do not enter the king's Casters, I implore you, Tiamat."

"Y-yes," Tia said, startled. The headstrong, fiery girl who had snubbed Enlil back in the City of Power appeared to have lost a lot of her vigour. Ki shook her head, long hair covering her face before she brushed them back, changing the subject.

"What are you doing here, then, if you are not a King's Caster?"

"I am the trainee under Master Marduk now."

"Oh?" The surprise in her tone was obvious. Her expression turned to one of interest. "You have survived for longer than two months?"

"I have studied under him for near a year now."

"I am impressed." Ki's eyebrows rose as she folded her arms. "Master Marduk is notorious for dismissing his students for 'incompetence' or forcing them to quit of their own will. He has not had a dedicated student since he qualified as Censor. Even Kingu was dismissed."

"Kingu of Kiramone?" Tia's jaw dropped. She glanced over her shoulder; the severe Windcaster in question was deep in conversation with a group of Consuls. "He was dismissed by Master Marduk?"

"This is before he was taken in by Master Enki."

"Kingu is here also?"

"No, he did not enter to be a Quaestor, luckily."

Tia eyed the unfamiliar faces wandering around the hall; there was nobody she could recognise.

"Anyone else entered the king's Casters?"

Ki jerked her head to the side. Tia squinted and spotted, in the distance, a vaguely familiar figure. The girl stood with her arms crossed, an inherently frightening presence emanating from her sturdily-built shape. People around her kept at least two metres away, as if knowing her dangerous thoughts.

"Is that...?"

"Namitillaku of Elder Down; she used to study under Master Enurta. She is now an Aedile." The dark-haired girl shook her head. "She is just like a younger version of Master Enurta: bloodthirsty with ruthless perseverance. She has been trained as a military soldier. I pity any enemy of hers in battle."

"In battle," Tia echoed. She could see the muscles in her face tightening and a grave expression in her eyes. "Have you been told what to do?"

Ki was but a year or two older than Tia, but it was evident that the girl had resigned herself to her duties: to go into war and kill. Tia swallowed. Everything was about to change.

"We shall be, this evening," she said, sombre. "Our army marches tonight."