"The Elephant Crusade" -- Act V

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"The Elephant Crusade"
(c) 2008 by Charles Shaver. All rights reserved.

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ACT V: Balori Begins His Army

UNEASY BROTHERHOOD: Wherein Akadia Dorn Resigns as Head of the Elephant Crusade; Balori Visits the Grand Bazaar of Tenhar Intent on Murder; An Uneasy Brotherhood in Formed; Sinvergüenza Arrives at the Peony Tea House

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CHAPTER 1

Akadia Dorn returned to the Grand Bazaar of Tenhar and his large center from which he managed the Elephant Crusade. His workers greeted him with questions about the Eternal Empress, asking if their work was serving a glorious cause. Akadia could say nothing on the matter. Indeed, he seemed quite reserved to many of his people, but they soon decided their employer was tired from the long trip and therefore in no mood to converse on business.

That night he had dinner with his old friend Macia Thrace. They ate a fine meal of breads and couscous with lamb. Macia brought with him as a gift a bottle of fine palm wine.

Macia had missed his friend Akadia and said so. "It would seem we rarely have time to carouse together," said the former-mercenary-turned-river-pilot. "I am always on my boat ferrying people about and you are off on grand adventures across foreign countries and command teams of elephants. We should have dinner like this more often."

Akadia simply stroked his braided beard. He ate only lightly. He drank heavily. When the meal was finished the two friends found themselves drunk and lounging in Akadia's plush living quarters within the center - a room filled with extravagant silk pillows of bright colors - and talking.

"Tell me, friend, how is the Eternal Empress?" Macia asked. "Is she as beautiful as the traveling merchants would have us believe?"

"More so," Akadia admitted.

"Did she treat you well?" Macia asked.

"Better than I could have expected," Akadia said, then added with some sadness in his voice, "Better than I deserve."

Macia squinted, considering his friend. "If all went so well, why do you return as the forlorn hero?"

Akadia sighed. He looked at his friend. He said, "What we do here is wrong."

Macia took time away from his boat to be with his friend. Together the two spent the next three days together. Akadia used his time to get drunk and tell Macia of what he had witnessed in the land of the Bizo. Macia spent his time tending to his Akadia.

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CHAPTER 2

Balori the Towering Elephant, knowing not where else to go, came into the Grand Bazaar of Tenhar to find the land of his people. Torn was he for his desire to fulfill his quest for the Eternal Empress, but after some thinking decided his time would be best spent killing those that commanded the Elephant Crusade.

He wandered the shops and souks of the bazaar. Not many turned their heads to eye the elephant, but a few did - in part due to his size and in part in desire to capture this creature and sell him to the Elephant Crusade. Few, however, had the courage to even speak of the matter and none could will themselves to attack such a large creature.

After asking a few merchants and getting directions, Balori found the large and elaborately carved center for the Elephant Crusade and entered, smashing his way through the doors and shoving workers aside.

"I demand to see the one in charge here!" Balori bellowed.

The workers scattered, afraid of this giant elephant that spoke as a man and was so tall his ear brushed the rafters of the tall ceiling of the foyer.

"Bring the man in charge before me!" Balori cried out again. "I am Balori Shongoyo of the Elephants of Ife! It is my people you capture and enslave! I come to free them from your tyranny! I've come to kill those in charge!"

When no one came forward, Balori produced his three weapons from his belt. With his battle axe he began chopping at the pillars that had been hand-carved with scenes of the Elephant Crusade. With two strikes, his axe was already halfway through the first pillar. A third and final blow sent the elephant ear blade through the pillar.

"If no one comes forward, I will kill you all!" The center shook with Balori's rumbling voice.

Hearing the commotion and fearing for his friend's life, Macia Thrace left Akadia Dorn - who had passed out - and presented himself before the angry elephant.

"I am Macia Thrace," said he. "And I am the one in charge here."

Rage welled within Balori's heart. He thought of Tafari's suicide, of his mother's murder and he cried out, "I will squash you under my foot! You deserve no less than death for what you have done to my people!"

So great was Balori's fury, it shook Akadia from his drunken stupor and he also came forward.

"Do not fight me," Balori told Akadia. "I will kill your master and you would not stop me."

"He is not my master," Akadia said, rubbing his head and cringing at the noise. "I am the master of the Elephant Crusade. Macia is merely a friend who did not wish to see me harmed."

Macia found all his old mercenary ways return as he took a defensive stance against Balori, knowing he could not kill this large creature but readying himself to leap away or push Akadia out of the way.

Balori shook his head. His ears flapped with agitation and confusion. At last he made a decision and spoke, "Do not confuse me. Your ruse will nto work. I will kill you both."

"Go ahead," Akadia said, sighing deeply and looking up at the elephant. "I deserve no less. But let my friend go. He has no part in this. He is a sailor come to pay a visit."

Akadia admission of guilt confused Balori. "You know what you do to my people, yet you carry on with it?"

Akadia said, "No. I knew not the outcome of the Elephant Crusade. I've just come from a visit to the Bizo and saw the atrocities there. I knew nothing of what went on under the Eternal Empress' rule. The things I saw disgusted me. I've returned and I will resign from my position. If you come from Ife, you truly have a right to kill me. I will not fight you. I will lie down and allow your vengeance to come. It is what I deserve."

Balori excitedly said, "At last! My people will be free!"

Akadia shook his head. "No they won't."

"How's that?" Balori asked. "If you are head of the Elephant Crusade and I kill you, then the Elephant Crusade topples."

"No it won't," defended Akadia. "The Empress will find someone to take my place. Killing me for vengeance is right and just. Killing me to end the Elephant Crusade is foolish. It would not end with me."

Fearing Akadia's words true, Balori lowered his weapons, returning them to his belt. He sighed. He nearly wept. He said, "I've been sent by the Eternal Empress to rediscover the stars. She said she would release my people, set them free if I were to return the stars to the Heavens. But how can one do such a thing? I am no god, I am a mere elephant. Thought I my best chance to end the suffering of my people was to kill you, but now I see the truth in your words. Your death will accomplish nothing but to quench my own bloodlust." At this Balori looked at Akadia and said, "Which is not a matter that is yet out of the question."

Akadia nodded. "Again, do as you wish with me. I deserve it."

Macia, unable to remain silent, said, "How can you say such things?"

"I told you of the horrors I saw in Bizo," said Akadia. "I am at the heart of it, no matter how ignorant I was of the matter. My hands are just as bloody as the Empress'."

Disgusted with the ongoing talking, needing to think things through a bit more, Balori harrumphed and turned to leave the center.

"Elephant!" Akadia called out. "Where do you go? I'm here! Kill me! Please, I beg of you! I deserve it!"

"Bah!" Balori spat. "The greatest punishment I could deliver would be to let you live so that you may feel your pain and despair."

"Do you go to find the stars then?" Akadia asked.

Balori sighed. "I suppose I've no other choice."

"And where will you start?" Akadia approahced.

Balori shook his head. "I was told a black tentacled man stole away with one of the jewels of Zingtai. Would you know him?"

Akadia shook his head. "No... but... tell me of this jewel."

"It's large and green like an emerald," said Balori.

Akadia and Macia immediately recognized the description. "We have seen it!" claimed Akadia.

Balori's eyes widened. "Where?"

"Here, in the bazaar. It was sold to a man who sent it to his master some place called the Plain of Adoration!"

Balori approached the tow men. Macia backed away a little as the elephant drew near.

"When did this transpire?" Balori demanded.

"Not long ago," Akadia answered. "Perhaps two weeks or more."

"Could this be the jewel I seek?" Balori asked.

"I doubt there can be many giant emeralds," Akadia said.

Balori nodded. He turned to leave once more, saying, "I suppose then I go to retrieve the Jewel of Zingtai from this master of the Plain of Adoration."

"Elephant!" Akadia called once again, running out the smashed doors to yell after Balori. "If you do not wish to kill me and if you return to your quest to search for the stars, though I may not deserve it, I ask for a chance at redemption. Let me join you. Once I was a pirate and a soldier for hire. Perhaps my skills would be useful to you."

Balori looked back, harrumphed and walked off in anger.

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CHAPTER 3

Balori returned to the center the next day. Again the employees scattered. Again Akadia presented himself to the elephant.

Balori, nervous, ears twitching and hands fidgeting, said, "I've received martial training for this task I've been sent to do. Both of my masters thought spilling blood would be a necessary thing, or at least an unavoidable thing."

Balori sighed and fidgeted as he spoke with Akadia in the foyer of the center, shifting his weight from one leg to the next. "Sometimes I wonder if I'll need a small army. Returning the stars to the Heavens seems an enormous task, even for one enormous as I am."

Akadia listened attentively, set to not interrupt.

"I... I was wondering," said Balori. "If you would like to join me. Your skills may prove useful."

Akadia smiled, "I am at your side."

Balori nodded. "Good, but if we are to work together, we must do so as brothers. I cannot afford fighting an enemy only to discover a friend is also an enemy. Any disloyalty will be punished swiftly and with agonizing death."

"I would not betray you," replied Akadia. "I could not bring harm to another elephant again. If I displease you for any reason, you've still the right to take my life and I would not fight it."

Akadia sent word to the Eternal Empress he had resigned, instructing his messenger to state, "Akadia Dorn resigns because of the crimes you commit against nature, against the Cosmos, and against elephants. He will never harm another elephant again."

Akadia left the center behind, never looking back and idly chatting with his new friend Balori.

As the two gathered a few supplies, as Akadia had insisted, Akadia also suggested, "We should seek more aide."

"From whom? Know you trustworthy persons?" asked Balori.

Akadia nodded. "At least one, perhaps two."

That night a tremendous thunderstorm rolled over the bazaar and indeed all of Tenhar. Akadia left Balori's side, who was camped outside the bazaar in a makeshift shelter he had made himself with palm fronds and mud. He came to the dock where Macia Thrace's boat was tied, where Macia himself lived on the boat.

Akadia boarded the boat to find Macia lounging and drinking palm wine.

"Some storm, eh?" Macia asked. "It'll kill my business tomorrow, but the farmers will be happy."

Akadia, not wanting to chat, said, "I've resigned from the Elephant Crusade. I'm going with Balori to restore the stars and free his people."

"What foolishness is this?" Macia demanded as he stood.

"It is no foolishness and I am no fool. Restoring the stars will be no easy task. Balori needs help, our help."

Macia grimaced. "Are you asking me to throw in with the two of you?"

"Yes."

"Bah!" Macia scoffed. "I'll have none of it!"

"But we'll need people like you, people of your skill. Balori thinks he may need an army."

"Then let him hire one. I am no longer a mercenary and neither are you!"

Akadia sighed. "Whatever is behind the disappearance of the stars, it cannot be anything but wicked."

"Get off my boat!" Macia demanded.

Akadia did as he was told. He stood on the dock in the heavy rain. He looked at his friend still standing on the boat. He said, "He needs our help."

"For what?" Macia asked. "To purge the world of evil? The world is evil. It has always been filled with evil, as have the hearts of men. Whatever we do with our lives will never change that. Restoring the stars to the Heavens will not cleanse the world. Helping the changed beast will not cleanse your hands."

"Perhaps not, but to stand by and let the evil reign is to be as evil," Akadia attacked.

Macia stood a long time looking at his friend getting soaked in the downpour. The truth of his heart came forth as he spoke, "Saw I once before a jewel take the life of a friend. I'll not see it again. Go."

Akadia stared at his friend a long time. Thunder shook the Heavens as he said, "We have to do something." He then turned and left the dock.

Macia was alone on the boat. He watched as his friend walked from the river's shore. Rage welled within him. He picked up a crate and threw it across the boat, crying out in anger as it smash against the deck.

Lightning strike after lightning strike hit the ground nearby.

Macia breathed heavily, almost panting with anger. He went to the front of the boat, kneeling to a trap door in the deck. He lifted the door. Hidden within was a large and heavy war hammer. It was old and long unused. Macia pulled the hammer out, placed it to his forehead, his eyes closed. He whispered, "Never did I want to use you again."

He stood suddenly, left the boat, left the dock, following and finally catching up to his friend Akadia Dorn.

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CHAPTER 4

"I have one more thing to do," Akadia said the next morning as he left the camp where Macia and Balori were busily packing up supplies.

Akadia entered the streets of the bazaar and wandered, asking questions of souk owners and regulars, trying to find one particular man. When Akadia finally found his man, he was sweeping mud and water out of the souk where he worked as assistant. Akadia approached him

"Negkendra," Akadia said.

Negkendra looked up to see Akadia. Unsure of what the head of the Elephant Crusade wanted, afraid he may be in trouble, Negkendra decided the courtesy given to a customer was his best approach. "How can my master help you today, sir?"

Akadia placed his hands on Negkendra's shoulders. With some effort he said, "I went to see the Bizo. I saw what you told me to see. I've resigned as head of the Elephant Crusade."

Yet uncertain as to Akadia motives, Negkendra said, "I'm sorry."

"No. Don't be," replied Akadia. "I've come for you."

Negkendra backed away, breaking Akadia's hands from his shoulders.

Understanding the former mahout's fears, Akadia said, "No, no! Not to harm you. I've come because we have joined with an elephant called Balori-"

"Balori?" Negkendra recognized the name.

"Yes! He quests to return the stars to the Heavens. If he does, the Eternal Empress will free the elephants. I've come to ask you to join us."

Negkendra wondered at Akadia's words. He then let the broom in his hand fall. He left with Akadia.

"Where do you go? Come back here! There is much work to be done!" cried the souk's owner.

"I quit!" Negkendra called back.

The former mahout followed Akadia as he bought for him a horse and a few supplies, listening to the tale of Balori and the Jewel of Zingtai. Then the two men returned to the camp. When Negkendra saw Balori, he was in awe.

"This is the other man you spoke of?" anger entered Balori's voice.

"Yes," confirmed Akadia.

"He was a mahout!" Balori raged.

"At one time, yes," Akadia said. "He was the First Mahout, but he gave it up."

Balori thought of Negkendra standing up to Ghalib, of telling him to quit beating on the already dead Tafari. The elephant recognized some good in the mahout-turned-sweeper, but the idea of traveling again with a mahout did not settle well with him. He said nothing of it, however, vowing that he would have to perhaps kill all three men one day should they betray him or do anything wrong against him or his people or hinder his quest.

Balori spat out his cloud and mounted it. Akadia Dorn, Macia Thrace and Negkendra mounted their horses. They began their journey together.

As they rode, Negkendra asked Akadia, "Is this the way to the Plain of Adoration?"

Akadia shrugged. "We don't know. We will follow rumors and the words of locals until we find the way."

"The jewel that you saw, was it really the Jewel of Zingtai? Will be at the Plain of Adoration?" Negkendra asked.

Again Akadia shrugged. "We don't know."

"If we know so little, why do we set out?"

Akadia looked the former mahout, but before he could speak, Macia gave the answer, "Because we have to do something."

Negkendra silently nodded in agreement.

When Negkendra got the chance, he rode alongside Balori who found their progress slow. He could fly faster than the horses could run, but had determined not to go to the Plain of Adoration alone. The elephant battled with himself for patience. More than that, he knew he was very close to the homeland of his people, close to Ife. he wanted desperately to see the country, but his desire to free his people and this new word of a jewel that may be the jewel he sought pushed him onward and away from Ife. balori was a battlefield of emotions at the start of the journey.

"It is good to see you again, Balori," Negkendra said. "How did you come to be like this?"

Balori harrumphed, then said, "The alchemist Albert made me this way."

Negkendra nodded. "I always knew him to be a good man."

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CHAPTER 5

Long had it been since Shabar received word from the city. When a traveling merchant passed his form one day, Shabar stopped her. "Dear lady, where do you go?" he asked.

"I go to sell my wares in the city of the Eternal Empress. Would you be interested?" said the merchant.

Shabar shook his head. "No, but I would be interested in ending word with you to a friend named Albert. He is well known within the city and should be easy to find. I would pay you a small coin now and, if you return this way with word from him, I would pay you with more."

The merchant agreed and she set about her way.

For four days Shabar worked his fields and saw no sign of the returning merchant. He wondered if she had made off with his coin, never to return this way, but did not feel bad as he had paid her only a small amount.

On the morning of the fifth day, as Shabar was working his field, the merchant returned and hailed to him from the road. Shabar came to her side and said with a smile, "I must admit, I thought you may not return."

"Business went well," said the merchant. "I stayed on a while longer than I had intended."

"What news have you for me?" Shabar asked of her.

"This friend Albert, was he an alchemsit?"

"Yes! He is the very one," Shabar confirmed. "Is he well?"

The merchant's face grew grim, knowing this farmer had not heard the news. "I fear I must tell you your friend is dead."

"What?" Shabar was shocked, but reasoned that the alchemist was quite old.

"I could not confirm the tale one way or another, but rumors say he was murdered by some fish called Fei Li Mi within the Empress' palace," said the merchant.

Shabar's mouth worked, but no words came to him. So strongly had he felt the news that he stepped backwards once, as if he had received a blow in a fight.

"These are only rumors," the merchant tried to soothe, "but they were persistent. And there was no other Albert I could find."

Shabar thanked the merchant, paid her a small pouch of coins and watched her go. He did not move, standing at staring after her until she could no longer be seen. He then entered his home, sat at a table and asked his wife for some water.

Alia did as he asked, then sat at his side. She was once more pregnant. Their son played on the floor nearby. She asked him, "Dear Shabar, what bothers you so early in the morning?"

Shabar looked at her and said, "Albert was murdered by a servant of the Eternal Empress."

Alia cried for the old alchemist. She had loved him so. At last, she asked, "Why has she done this?"

"That I do not know," admitted Shabar, adding, "though I wish I could go discover the truth of the matter on my own."

"No!" Alia cried out. "You have a son here and another child on the way. They need you. I need you. Do not ever speak of leaving us again, even for a small respite."

Shabar consoled his weeping wife, taking her into his arms. "Quiet yourself, dear Alia. I would not leave you," he promised.

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CHAPTER 6

On went Sinvergüenza across many countries. When he had amassed a collection of fifty or more men and women who would be warriors in Yaska Selith's army, he would send them heading for the Plain of Adoration. But a last time he let the warriors collect and follow until there were nearly two hundred at his side.

Then he came at last to the Peony Tea House. Long did he stand before its painted green lacquered walls with fine details and pink trim so light one might consider it white if not glared upon with some small intensity. Men, women, gods and Gifted Ones flowed easily through its door. It's was an immense structure, especially for a tea house, but Sinvergüenza knew this was hardly a tea house at all. Wondered he if the same old bookies and gamblers, drunks and fighters resided within.

He turned to his chosen second, a woman named Laskmana, and said, "Go to the Plain of Adoration. Find Yaska Selith and tell him I have made it to the Peony Tea House. Tell him I will return soon with fine warriors to fill his ranks, the best warriors the Heavens and the world below it have to offer. Tell him I hope to please him."

Laskmana nodded and lead the hired soldiers away.

Sinvergüenza stood alone before the Peony Tea House. It had been a long time since he had been here. He had been a young boy, barely out of childhood, when he had first come here.

A man, poor and in rags, passed by Sinvergüenza, looking at him and then inspecting the tea house as Sinvergüenza was. "Quite a beautiful thing, isn't it?" the man in rags asked. "You'd never suspect what goes on inside by the looks of it out here."

Sinvergüenza nodded.

The man in rags entered the tea house.

Sinvergüenza followed.

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EPILOGUE

Dark was the Land of the Midnight Sun. So dark was the land it seemed the captive of eternal night. Black was the land. Black was the sky. No horizon made itself visible. Its only feature was the large, oppressively glaring, blood-red sun that shone high-noon at all times.

It was this land that Momoki the Marmoset came into. He awoke in new form. His eyes were now blazing red as the Midnight Sun and flicked occasionally with solar flares. His silk hat, too, that Szu Ri had made and Gogi had given him long ago glowed with a fury of red. The rest of his body was as thick black smoke as though he smoldered, as if a shadow of his former self. Momoki looked at his new form in wonder and fear.

A demon appeared before him, gurgling with ugly laughter. The demon appeared as a giant shadow. Only its eyes and a pair of horns were not black, instead were brilliant red as the Midnight Sun and the eyes and hat of Momoki.

The sight of this demon made Momoki cringe in fear, backing away.

"Fear you me?" the demon lowered its head and asked of Momoki. The demon's voice was low and caused the air to rumble with thunder.

Momoki gave no reply. He did not know this land. He feared it, he feared the demon.

"Good!" bellowed the demon, laughing maniacally. "I am Radiant Gui. Welcome to your new home, Momoki. Welcome to the Land of the Midnight Sun!" Again the demon bellowed with laughter, causing Momoki to scurry away.

Radiant Gui followed him. "There is no escape," said the demon.

Momoki found the courage to ask, "Will you eat me?"

Once more Radiant Gui laughed, but now so loudly the black ground shook beneath Momoki. "How I wish!" cried Radiant Gui. The demon bent low and said, "But the Cosmos have greater plans for you than I. How sad it is that even I, overseer to the Land of the Midnight Sun, one of the very layers of Hell, should have to answer to the Cosmos, but I do."

Radiant Gui brought his face down to almost touching Momoki's form. Momoki shook with fright. He could now see the demon's face was that of a mangled horse with jagged teeth inside a salivating mouth. "Know you what you have become, little Momoki?"

Momoki said nothing, staring in fear and wanting desperately for his eyes to go shut to block out this nightmare world, but he found he could not close his eyes. Indeed, his glowing red eyes were now lidless and eternally staring.

Radiant Gui squatted near Momoki. "You have become the First Regret. The Cosmos charged you with the care of Taliesin, but your desires lead you elsewhere. You fell. You strayed from your purpose. But instead of killing you outright, the Cosmos wish you to be trained, to become Master of the Chamber of Despair and every now and again, whenever the Cosmos wish, you will gather soldiers together who have died prematurely or without their lessons learned and lead them on one final, great battle.

"You are lucky, Momoki. Not all creatures can find a new path. They either fulfill their destiny or die horribly following another. You have been given a second chance and a second destiny, a second path." Radiant Gui did not say this without some jealousy. He added, "Do not fail the Cosmos a second time."

As he spoke this, three baboons appeared behind him, slowly coming to rest beside the demon. Each baboon was of solid substance - one of silver, one of gold and one of amethyst. Their teeth were wicked and long and they salivated as the demon. They made small grunting sounds that further frightened Momoki.

Radiant Gui laughed. "How I love my charge in life," he said. He used a single finger to pet each baboon who, in turn, screeched pleasure and excitement for the tortures to come.

Momoki screamed in horror as the demon reached out and closed a clawed hand around him. His small smoky form shivered within the colossal hand as he filled with anguish, despair, sorrow and regret.

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That's it, folks! Thanks for reading "The Elephant Crusade". Be sure to check back in a week or two when I will begin posting the next story, "Song of Momoki"!

"The Elephant Crusade" -- Act IV

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"The Elephant Crusade"
(c) 2008 by Charles Shaver. All rights reserved.

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ACT IV: Balori Quests for the Stars

A TREE GROWS FIRST ITS ROOTS: Wherein Balori Shongoyo Visits Taliesin; Young Cordelia Plots Against the Weasel King; Aniabas Gambles in Desperation to Usurp Raiju Yu; Akadia Visits the Eternal Empress and Bears Witness to the Results of the Elephant Crusade

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CHAPTER 1

Long had Aileas been quiet, trapped within the shaft of the Spear of Sorrows. It was as though she slept, resting for the first time since her death and turn into a Bean Nighe. Xiao-tep had planted her into the ground at the base of Taliesin, far from the open fields, intent on never using her again. Aelis was pleased by this. Each new day brought to her the warmth of the sun and a smile. Indeed, so long had she sat, the spear's four eternally sharp blades pointed skyward, that small vines began to grow where the shaft entered the ground. She was as a tree in a forest with no sorrows nor cares. She lived for the sun and nothing more. Taliesin was paradise.

Xiao-tep had continued to work the fields and gardens of Taliesin. He made for himself a sickle with which to harvest and trim using flint from the mountain and a broken branch from a cherry willow. His fins would shift into arms with hands as he grasped the sickle. he arms had grown strong with the daily work. Most of all, his face had grown a happy, content smile. He came to love Taliesin as he had never known love before. Taliesin was paradise.

Each night he would pack fruits and roots into a small basket he had woven from dried leaves of elephant grass that grew on the base of the mountain. He would then take the basket of foods to the peak of Taliesin and share a meal with his friends Aglina the Dove and Zingtai the Butterfly. Every night they would talk lightly and enjoy each others' company, but Xiao-tep knew, could sense the despair in Zingtai. Each night he would watch the fallen butterfly, her wing wounded and torn with a hole where the missing jewel had been, as she stole a peak at Kalavata flying overhead. Though she had not mentioned matters for a long time, he knew she desired returning to the nighttime sky. But her broken wing kept her grounded. So she quietly despaired and ate and talked with her friends.

Then one day, while working the fields late into the day, Xiao-tep came across Oti the Firefly who had flown to Taliesin looking for a mate who had playfully lead him on a chase.

Xiao-tep gazed in amazement at Oti's ability to spark light like fire. "How can you do this?" he asked. "Know you the ways of mysticism?"

Oti chuckled, "Oh, no, no, no. It is a natural thing. All us fireflies can light up the night." Then Oti added with some small embarrassment, "We do it to attract mates."

Xiao-tep laughed at this. "Well, it is a beautiful thing. It reminds me of the stars. I can only imagine what many more of your kind would be like."

"If you allow my friends to live here," said Oti, "we would be most happy to light up the night for you."

Xiao-tep thought this would be a wonderful present for his friends on Taliesin. He invited Oti to bring more friends to Taliesin and soon the night was lit up like the nighttime heavens used to be under Zingtai's wings.

Xiao-tep flew to the side of Zingtai and Aglina and pointed out the massive fields below sparkling with the firefly light. "It's as the stars!" he claiemd.

Aglina glowered at Xiao-tep, ,angry he might offend Zingtai. She drew the butterfly closer under her wing. But Zingtai, though she did feel some sadness in seeing the lights below, found also beauty and wonder in them. She thought Xiao-tep had done a wonderful thing to bring such beauty to Taliesin and told him so.

"I can only hope seeing them does not hurt you," Xiao-tep said softly.

Zingtai admitted they did. "But that is no fault of yours. It is the fault of the one who stole my jewel."

Their friendship affirmed, Xiao-tep carried on with his work each day and picnicked with Aglina and Zingtai each night as they watched the field of sparkling bugs below.

This was how Balori Shongoyo, the Towering Elephant, found Taliesin when he came to it.

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CHAPTER 2

Balori came at dusk, riding atop his cloud and following rumors about Zingtai. He had heard the tale of how she fell. He then heard Taliesin was the closest to the Heavens than any other place in all the world. He came and he saw the evening slowly light with the bugs' twinkling.

"I've found them!" he cried out, landing in a well-kept field amidst all the bugs. "I've found the stars!"

His heart welled with hope as he gazed at the beauty around him.

"I'm afraid you've not found the stars," said Xiao-tep. He had seen Balori come to Taliesin and approached cautiously and without notice as the elephant was busy staring at the bugs. Xiao-tep, seeing the immense size of Balori, grew to his height.

Balori backed away, quickly arming himself.

Xiao-tep raised a hand to stay Balori's attack, putting the sickle down on the ground next to him. "I am not your enemy. I am the caretaker here. I am Xiao-tep the Ankh-fish of One Hundred Thousand Sorrows and Beauty, son of Hapi the River God and Lei-zi the Goddess of Thunder. Welcome to Taliesin." Xiao-tep bowed deeply in a sign of respect.

Seeing Xiao-tep meant not to attack, Balori put his weapons away in a belt he had obtained as a gift from an old woman asking him to return the stars to the sky for her grandchildren. The belt was blue silk and glowed with a soft sheen and edged with golden puffs that dangled gracefully against his skin. He then snorted the cloud into his trunk, saying, "I am Balori Shongoyo of the Elephants of Ife." Balori did not return Xiao-tep's bow with one of his own, instead flapping his ears in nervous fidgets.

Xiao-tep felt the slight, but said nothing of it.

Balori eyed Xiao-tep and thought of Fei Li Mi, the loyal servant to the Eternal Empress. Balori asked, "I've known a fish like you once before. A brown catfish. Have you known this fish?"

Xiao-tep was shocked to hear of another fish like him. Awe filled his heart. "I know of none other than myself," confessed Xiao-tep. "Is he a son of Hapi?"

Balori shook his head, his big ears swaying as he did so. "I know little of him except he serves the woman I serve. She has sent me on a quest. I've come looking for the stars."

"There are no stars here," said Xiao-tep.

Balori was uncertain about this fish before him now, saying, "But what are these?" His swept a hand over the field to indicate the bugs.

"They are fireflies, mere bugs. I asked them to come here to replicate the stars, but they are not the stars themselves."

Balori, defeated and angry, said, "I've come chasing fables about a butterfly and find bugs."

"Zingtai is here," Xiao-tep confirmed. "She is the Nighttime Birdwing. Once she was the stars on the Heavens, but no more."

"Why not? Let me see her!" Balori demanded.

Xiao-tep nodded. "I was about to gather some foods and visit her myself. You are welcome to come along."

Balori helped Xiao-tep gather fruits, using his long trunk to reach high into trees to pick fruits, and they went picnicking with Aglina and Zingtai. Xiao-tep introduced him and Balori could not believe the size of Zingtai. "You are so small," he said. "How can one so small have commanded all the stars of Heaven? I've been told they reached on forever."

Zingtai sighed and nodded. "They did, but when my wing was whole, I could grow to immense size. I cannot do that now."

And so Zingtai told her tale of how she lost her jewel and how the stars fell from the Heavens as they ate.

Balori said, "I must find this tentacled man that stole your jewel. Know you why he would want such a thing?"

"My jewels have the power of granting one with immortality," explained Zingtai.

Balori nodded. "Men are weak and fear their weakness. In that fear they do desperate things, even if their actions cost others beauty and comfort. I will find this tentacled man and I will crush him."

Zingtai shook her head. "No, please, don't kill him. If you could return the jewel, I would be most happy, but death for my sake would not do."

Balori harrumphed at this. "This man deserves death and nothing less. I will squish his head beneath my foot."

This made Zingtai cry and Xiao-tep asked Balori if he would leave their side. Aglina tended to Zingtai.

Balori and Xiao-tep descended the mountain into the fields. It was late in the night and the fireflies were slowly going to bed. Xiao-tep said, "Some do not like the thought of death. Zingtai is one of them."

"But this man deserves no less," retorted Balori.

"I did not say that I argue with you, but I can see Zingtai's side of the matter, as well. Killing is no kind business."

Balori looked at the fish-god. "Am I to assume you've killed before?"

Xiao-tep lowered his head. "Not in a long time. And it is no easy matter."

Balori harrumphed. "I, too, have killed and I relished it. The bastard deserved it."

"Perhaps he did," Xiao-tep allowed, "but the course of things forever changes with a death."

Balori thought on this for a while.

Xiao-tep told Balori he could stay in Taliesin for a while, but suggested he stay away from Zingtai. Balori gladly accepted. he spent three days with Xiao-tep, helping him tend to the gardens and enjoying the sun and sharing each others' stories.

"I can understand your love for Taliesin," said balori. "It is beautiful here."

Xiao-tep nodded. He smiled and was happy to see the elephant, so filled with anger, return the smile. He was happy, too, that others could see the beauty of Taliesin.

On the third day, Balori said, "I must go after the day's work."

Xiao-tep nodded. "Yours is a blessed quest."

As they worked the fields, planting rice in a paddy, Balori using both hands and his trunk to plant the rice, he said to Xiao-tep, "Friend, come with me to find the stars."

Xiao-tep straightened, looking at Balori. He frowned, shaking his head, "I cannot."

"Why?" asked Balori. "Surely you enjoyed the stars, too. And Zingtai is your friend, you should help her. And, if the tales you tell of your father and the demon Ketsueki Sato be true, you are a skilled fighter. I could use your help. the whole world could use your help now."

Xiao-tep's frown grew longer. He shook his head again. "I fear your quest will be filled with blood. I've said before, though I have taken lives, I cannot ever again. Or, in the very least, I must avoid it. I have been cursed to feel each death I cause. When I came to Taliesin, I gave up that life. I cannot go back to it. I will not go back to it."

Balori planted a few more times before saying, "That death I told you of, the man called Ghalib... I murdered him. I have no doubt it was a deserved death nor do I regret having killed him, but I felt it. Long before killing him I had become sad. Long before killing him I lost the joy of playing, of slapping the grasses on my knees before eating my meals, of prancing with the other elephants and working. But when I killed him, I killed that child in me that enjoyed those things, that could enjoy those things again. The closest I've come to that child is being here with you, working in the fields. This is the closest I've been to happiness since that man's death, since the death of my friend Tafari.

"I understand why you would not go with me, why you would want to stay here. Working and having a place where you're needed - where you're meant to be - fills one with happiness and accomplishment. But there are many people out there besides my elephants that are in trouble because of this tentacled man. They are in pain from the loss of the stars. They are being subjected to wicked things I cannot imagine, I refuse to imagine."

Kalavata began to pass overhead. The fireflies came out, dancing and sparkling in their mating rituals. Xiao-tep and Balori were surrounded by a sea of darkness and tiny counterfeit stars. Balori looked at the tiny lightning bugs and said, "I cannot allow it to go on. At some point one has to ask when it's right to take time for themselves and when it's wrong to do the same. I must help these people. I must help my people. And I must help Zingtai. Pain has entered the world like never before, it's creeping into everyone and everything. I cannot stand here in this paddy forever. Come, Xiao-tep. Come and fight with me. Come and help me return the stars to teh world."

Xiao-tep, afraid Balori spoke the truth about pain entering the world, slowly shook his head. "I cannot. Taliesin needs me."

This angered Balori. "To the hells with Taliesin! And to the hells with you! You are a god! I am a mere elephant, fashioned into a Gifted One. I am no god! I haven't the powers or abilities you do, yet I take up the weapons of war, of change and of righteousness! Any god that is beaten or bears witness to beatings and does nothing in response is no god at all! He is a coward!"

Balori trumpeted angrily. His cloud sprung from his trunk and he mounted it. He threw the three remaining plants he had in his hands into the paddy. He then drew his three weapons, glowered at Xiao-tep, saying, "That other fish. His name is Fei Li Mi. And I didn't care for him, either!" and left Taliesin.

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CHAPTER 3

Cordelia had not left the castle since the day her and her brother Roct had been made servants to the Weasel King named Raiju Yu. But, after night had come and all within the castle were asleep, drunk with sex and wine and opium, she stole away into the streets of the town. She did this three nights in a row before she met the man calling himself Urien the Leper, but otherwise known by select few as King Aniabas. She came before him in a back alley where he stood with a hulking man at his side. She did not know the other man to be Vitor, but he was. She saw only another leper, suspecting he may not be.

"Child, I've been told you are quite close to the Weasel King Raiju Yu. Is this true?" Aniabas asked.

Cordelia, afraid of the man's ugly, scarred face, nodded. "My brother and I are his personal servants."

"Why would you seek me out?" asked Aniabas.

"He hurts my brother," she answered.

"He hurts many people," said Aniabas.

Cordelia shook her head. "Not like my brother. He has taken him as his lover."

Aniabas gasped at this. "That wretched fiend!"

Cordelia nodded.

Aniabas looked her over. "Child, how old are you?"

"Next summer I will be a woman of fourteen," she said with some pride.

Aniabas smiled at her. It was an ugly smile on the surface, but Cordelia felt its warmth and decided then she liked the former king.

"Who are your parents?" asked Aniabas.

"They are both dead. Killed in the raid by Raiju Yu when he took the throne."

He then frowned. "Child, should the opportunity present itself, you should take it."

Cordelia answered, "I know not what you mean."

Aniabas wanted to explain, but was uncertain how to tell a child to commit murder. He only said, "Never mind, child. The time will come when I regain the throne and when I do I will care for you as if you were my own."

She smiled and ran off, returning to the castle and her bed. She fell asleep hoping the day they would be free from the Weasel King came soon.

The following day she could not find her brother despite all her efforts. At last, before she had to serve supper to the Weasel King, she heard from another servant that Roct was in the king's personal infirmary within the castle. She rushed to his side.

He lay on a bed, bundled in wool blankets and asleep. She knelt beside the small boy and caressed his head.

A nurse, a witch by some standards, named Daireen approached. She had long, curly black hair and was thin. She was pretty and not old, though not entirely young. Cordelia knew her as a woman of many fine skills, including the making of poultices and of healing. The witch placed a hand softly on Cordelia's shoulder and said, "He is weak. He may not wake for many days. If the gods are watching over him, he will never awaken."

"No!" screamed Cordelia.

Daireen removed her hand from the girl. She knelt beside her. "He has lost a lot of blood. The Weasel King did many great, unspeakable things to your brother to fulfill his own pleasures. His wounds are deep. The damned king even bit him in the arms and chest. For his spirit to let go of his body would be merciful."

Recognizing the truth in the witch's words, Cordelia wailed and leaned into her, crying for her brother. She cried out to the gods, wishing them dead for not saving her brother. She cried out for her brother, wishing him dead and his misery at an end. At last she cried out for Raiju Yu's blood and then she knew what the former-king-turned-leper had meant. She wanted desperately to kill Raiju Yu and told Daireen so.

"I know, dear," consoled Daireen. She held the Cordelia close to her breast and said softly, "You are not alone in that."

Soon the two were plotting Raiju Yu's demise.

"I can get the help of Aniabas," confessed Cordelia.

"He still lives?" asked Daireen, awed.

Cardelia nodded. "He told me to kill Raiju Yu should I get the chance, but I do not wish to do so until I have alerted Aniabas so he and his followers will be ready to take control of the castle."

Daireen nodded. "His help would be welcomed. Adn we could deal out the Weasel King's death thusly: you have access to his foods, do you not?"

Cordelia nodded.

"Good. I can make you a poison to slip in his food as you serve it to him. Then, with well-timed efforts, Aniabas can assault the gates of the castle - which I could open them from the inside - and we would leave the rest to him and his men."

Cordelia thought this a good plan and said so.

That night, after Raiju Yu had been served his meal and Roct had been visited once more, Cordelia slipped out into the town, found Aniabas and told him of the plan.

"Can this witch woman be trusted?" asked Aniabas.

"She hates the king as much as anyone," Cordelia vouched for her.

Aniabas then asked, "How many are within the walls? How many soldiers does Raiju Yu have?"

But Cordelia did not know such things. "I'm sorry," she said.

Aniabas shook his head. "It is forgiven. You have done well by your king."

Knowing Raiju Yu took his meals every evening at dusk, the following night was chosen to execute the plan.

After Cordelia had left, Vitor confessed, "I do not like this. We do not know this Daireen. I think she came with many of the other beggars and vagrants when Raiju Yu took power. And to put you faith in a child, my lord, with respects, is insanity at its best."

Aniabas sighed. "Your words are true, but I feel my words to that young girl were also true: should the opportunity present itself, take it."

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CHAPTER 4

Daireen went to Raiju Yu's side. He was happily playing with Kama, Gala and Jian - the three weasels he could summon to his side. He lay across a plush bed of red silks with the weasels.

"What is it you want, witch?" he grumbled, thinking she had come to reprimand him for harming the boy Roct.

"I've come to tell you plots are being set forth against you," she answered.

Without looking at her, without pausing in his playful slapping of the smaller weasels, Raiju Yu said, "Of course there are. I rule with fear, but my rule yet to be tested. Once the remaining rebels attempt whatever it is they wish to attempt and I quash it, the fear will grow stronger and I will never need worry again about blades pointed to my back."

"But these blades that I speak of are quite close to you," she said.

Raiju Yu finally looked at Daireen. She was a handsome woman, but he did not desire her. "Oh? Know you the designers of these plots?"

Daireen breathed deep. "Indeed, I do. It is the girl. She has made contact with none other than Aniabas himself."

Raiju Yu leapt from the bed. His sudden motion left the other weasels skittering for cover under the bed. "Where is he?" he demanded.

"In the town, amongst the people, disguised as a leper," Daireen told him.

Raiju Yu salivated at the thought of the kill. "I'll hunt him then."

"But this plot against you, my lord, I have a hand in it," Baireen confessed.

Raiju Yu's eyes narrowed. "You plot against me?"

Daireen shook her head. "I help deliver Aniabas to you. Tomorrow when you are fed, I will have given Cordelia a vial of poison to slip into your food, but no poison will truly be therein. It will be harmless water. At the same time as your meal, when the sun goes down, Aniabas and his followers will assault the castle. I have relayed to Aniabas through the girl that I will have opened the gates from the inside, allowing him access. I will not do this, however. You will merely have to dispatch some of your soldiers to round up and slaughter the betrayers as they stand at the gates, wondering what happened."

Raiju Yu sat on the bed again, considering the plan. "I enjoy your mind," he confessed. "But you will alter the plan in one way."

"How is that, my lord?"

"You will open the gates. If my men attack them outside the walls, there would be chance for escape, at least by some. But if we allow them within our walls and allow them to think their plan is succeeding, they will run blindly into our awaiting blades. Yes, outside many could escape, but within the walls there can be none. Outside the walls there would be a great fight, but inside the walls we would introduce unto them a great slaughter. It would as if we had lead them to the butcher and pushed them into the meat grinder. Perhaps you could provide my soldiers with additional cover with your witchery."

"That I could. I could create a fog through which the attackers could not see, but if your men remained stationed and knowing of each others' whereabouts, they could attack the oncoming rebels without fear of being properly counterattacked," suggest Daireen.

Raiju Yu further considered this, further salivating at the thoughts of the copious amounts of blood that would certainly be spilled. "Yes, this handling of the matter will suit me just fine."

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CHAPTER 5

Roct awoke to find his sister at his side.

"Oh, brother!" she cried out and kissed him repeatedly on the forehead.

"Where am I?" he asked.

"In the king's personal infirmary, but do not fret. You will be better soon enough. In fact, all things will be better soon enough," she told him.

"I'm hungry," said Roct.

"Good, that means you're on the mend. Soon you will be up and about."

"How is our king?" Roct asked.

Cordelia frowned. She had already decided not to tell her brother anything about her plans with Aniabas lest he attempt to send word to the king. Instead, she said, "Overseeing the kingdom as usual."

"Good," Roct moaned with some pain. "I'm hungry."

Cordelia went to the kitchen to retrieve for him a bowl of soup. Along with it, she returned with a small but sharp and pointed knife. She handed the knife over to her brother.

"What's this for? I cannot possibly cut soup. You are silly, sister," said Roct and giggled, then moaned in pain.

"It's not for the soup, brother. I want you to keep it in the chance you might need it tonight or any other night."

Roct looked at his sister, "Does someone plot against us?"

"You know well people plot against our king and as we are his servants they may very well plot against us," she half-lied. She hoped, in truth, that he would not need it in the oncoming assault when the gates were opened and Aniabas' men flooded into the castle. She feared some of them may seek vengeance against his servants, thus she had given her brother the knife.

"Take it back," said Roct. "If someone plots against us I would prefer you have its protection."

"I have one of my own," she revealed a similar knife in her bodice.

He accepted the knife, hiding it under his pillow.

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CHAPTER 6

Aniabas sheathed his falcata on his belt. He donned his spangenhelm which he had hidden within the burial mounds outside of town. He spoke to Vitor, "How many men have we?"

"It is difficult to take a head count under such circumstances, but I would say near a thousand," answered Vitor.

"That's nearly a third of the town," Aniabas commented.

"Many hate the Weasel King," explained Vitor. He added, "When first we attack tonight, at dusk as we had planned, we should take only two hundred. A thousand within the halls of the castle would only serve to intensify the chaos."

Aniabas thought this was well, "But we know not how many men he has inside the walls."

Vitor added, "Perhaps we should have the rest attack an hour later, should the fighting within the castle still be carrying on. Or, more likely, if he finds out about the attack. I trust no one within that castle, not even the little girl. Let the dastardly weasel think us small in numbers and weak, then when our main force hits the castle his forces will most certainly scatter in fear and confusion."

Aniabas nodded. "You make a fine general, Vitor."

Vitor thanked his liege for the compliment, then went forth to give the orders.

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CHAPTER 7

That night Daireen handed Cordelia a vial of clear water.

That night Cordelia slipped the assumed poison into the food of the Weasel King, mixing it well.

That night Raiju Yu enjoyed his supper, watching Cordelia standing by patiently in case he needed anything further.

That night, as Raiju Yu ate, Cordelia wondered how long it took for poison to work.

At dusk Aniabas lead two hundred of his men into the opened gates of the castle, halls filling with mystic fog created by Daireen. His men were impaled one by one, unseen hands slipping sharp blades into their throats, chests and bellies. Blood flowed, filling the hallways of the castle ankle-deep in some parts. Raiju Yu's men did not simply murder the rebels, they dismembered them. Limbs and heads were separated from bodies to be later impaled upon wooden shafts and placed outside the gates of the castle as a warning. Ears, noses and fingers were taken as momentos. Jewelry was removed and worn or sold.

Hearing the commotion within the castle, Roct sat up and struggled out of his bed in the infirmary. He started to walk away when he turned and retrieved the knife his sister had brought him from under his pillow. He placed it under his loose garment and held it to his side as though holding a pain. Slowly, painstakingly, he made his way through the castle filled with fog and death.

In the end, nearly all two hundred men lay dead.

In the end, only Aniabas, Vitor and nearly fifty others were captured for torture and entertainment or to be sent to Yaska Selith's men on the Plain of Adoration to be used as sex slaves.

In the end, Raiju Yu belched after his last gulp of food, turned to Cordelia and said, "You are a whore and your king is as good as dead."

He then lead her into the throne room where he donned a cape of deep red line with rabbit's fur. He donned the crown of gold that was once Aniabas'. He then sat on his throne, his three weasel friends appearing. Kama sat on top of the throne's back. Gala sat on the left arm of the throne, Raiju Yu gently stroking him. Lastly, Jian took up a spot at Raiju Yu's feet.

Cordelia, made to stand next to the throne, nearly jumped with fright as Raiju Yu's men brought Aniabas and Vitor before the Weasel King. Both men had been stripped naked and badly beaten. The young girl wanted to run, but stood instead silently fighting tears.

Roct then appeared in the throne room, crying out, "My lord! Are you all right?"

Raiju Yu smiled as a father smiles with pride at a son. "Yes, dear boy. Come to my side."

Roct did as he was told, though with great effort as his wounds were yet to heal. He looked at the two naked men, both of whom he recognized. "You caught the traitors," Roct said as he leaned against the throne.

Raiju Yu placed a loving hand on Roct's back, "That I did indeed and in part thanks to your sister and to our dear Daireen."

Cordelia could not help but gasp at this moment.

Vitor spat and one of the soldiers punch him in the stomach, doubling him over.

"Sister?" asked Roct. "You lent aide to our king?"

Cordelia said nothing.

"Oh, she was most helpful," said Raiju Yu. "She told me everything. At least, she told Daireen and Daireen told me. But it was your sister who designed the attack tonight on the castle which flushed out the traitors in our midst. She is a most wicked general."

Cordelia could not maintain her composure. She began to cry, sobbing.

Roct, knowing his sister's desire to be free from Raiju Yu, said, "No, she helped create a revolt," at this he turned to the Weasel king and asked, "Didn't she?"

"Well, that was her plan," said Raiju Yu. "But it worked out in my favor nonetheless."

Roct turned to his crying sister, "How could you? Remaining loyal to Raiju Yu would have assured our future. I may be younger, but I think you're far stupider."

"Tut-tut," Raiju Yu scolded the boy. "Don't be so harsh. It is not her fault she is so weak. Come here, dear girl. All is forgiven."

Afraid, not knowing what else to do, Cordelia approached the king on his throne. Here eyes overflowed with tears, her arms crossed at her chest.

Raiju Yu placed two clawed fingers on her small face. He soothed her, "All is well, my child. I cannot blame you for your immature desires. I do not hate you, child. In fact, I love you all the more for your wickedness. However, I cannot allow you to stay here."

Roct asked, "Where would you send her?"

Raiju Yu smiled an ugly little, bestial smile. He ignored Roct's question, instead answering as though Cordelia had made the inquiry. "You will make a fine little whore for Yaska Selith's men."

"Don't you dare touch her!" Aniabas cried out.

"Shut your mouth, traitor!" Raiju Yu yelled back. Then, his attention on the girl once more, he said, "Fare you well on teh Plain of Adoration, young one."

One of the soldiers approached, intent on taking her away. The words of Aniabas returned to Cordelia as she stood before the Weasel King. She knew then there would be no better opportunity. She drew the knife she had taken from the kitchen from her bodice, she gripped it hard until her knuckles went white, she lunged, slamming the blade all the way to the handle, slipping it deep into Raiju Yu's chest. The Weasel King gasped. Blood appeared on his mouth as he coughed. His eyes widened with the sudden sting of thrusting pain. He shook so violently the crown fell from his head, making loud clunking noises as it hit the floor of the throne room.

"No!" Roct cried. He let go the knife at his side, letting it slide down his body and catching it with his hand. He, too, lunged, digging the blade deep into his sister's ribs. Her mouth sputtered. Blood trickled from her nose. She turned to look at her brother, her eyes wide and sad. Her face contorted into several different emotions, all of the sorrowful. Her eyes welled with more tears. She whispered laboriously, "Brother?" before she collapsed at her brother's feet and died.

In awe and shock from the pain and sudden attack, Raiju Yu stood, threw off his cape and ran for the nearest window. He jumped out, landing on the castle ground far below. His three weasels quicly joined him.

Vitor quickly attacked, wresting a weapon from a nearby soldier and killing him. Aniabas followed suit. As more of Raiju Yu's men came towards them, an alarm was sent up. The second wave of attacks, the main force of of those loyal to Aniabas, was flooding into the castle.

Leaderless, Raiju Yu's forces fled or were killed or captured.

Roct ran to teh window after Raiju Yu, calling out to him but afraid he would not survive the jump himself. Realizing he had been left alone, Roct turned on Aniabas and Vitor. "You killed my lord and master!" he cried. He charged, swinging the small knife wildly at Aniabas.

Vitor's swiftness was deft as he plunged his weapon into the boy-child's chest.

"Vitor! No!" Aniabas cried out, but it was too late. Roct fell from Vitor's bloody blade.

Aniabas reprimanded his general. "He was just a child!"

"He was a Raiju Yu loyalist, defended Vitor.

"He was just a child!" cried Aniabas again.

"He was an enemy and was attempting an attack on my liege," Vitor defended again.

In softer tones, as Aniabas looked to the two dead children laying near his throne, he said, "They were just children."

Vitor, this time, said nothing.

As Aniabas' men poured into the throne room, the former-king-now-king-once-more was clothed and newly armed. Vitor then picked up and placed the crown upon Aniabas' head. He was now and would forever be known as Aniabas, the Ugly King.

Vitor then sent forth ten ment to search for Raiju Yu. Three returned shortly after carrying a fourth man. The fourth man was bloody and one leg was nearly chewed off. The three others reported that Raiju Yu's weasels had attacked them killing six and badly wounding this other man.

Aniabas, still in shock from the deaths of the two children yet knowing he was needed, said, "We cannot waste time. We must assume retaliation from Raiju Yu and his demonic liege Yaska Selith."

Vitor nodded and set himself about the difficult task of raising an army over night.

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CHAPTER 8

Raiju Yu presented himself to the demon dog Yaska Selith immediately upon his return. The weasel's return did not please Yaska Selith and Raiju Yu was claimed a failure. He was, however, accepted back amongst the demon dog's numbers. Yaska Selith remained in a foul mood until, later the next day, some men arrived on the Plain of Adoration saying they had been sent by Sinvergüenza. They produced and presented to Yaska Selith a giant emerald, stating that Sinvergüenza sent it as a sign of his loyalty. These men further told Yaska Selith, much to his delight, that Sinvergüenza was busily raising an army for him.

Yaska Seltih then said to Neboshazzar, "I am glad for Sinvergüenza. Soon we will have an army we can use to expunge this king to the south. We will leave no survivors."

Neboshazzar listened attentively and screeched in joy.

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CHAPTER 9

Akadian Dorn left the Grand Bazaar of Tenhar to visit the people of Bizo not so much for the reasons Negkendra had suggested, but, as he had explained to his friend Macia Thrace, "I deserve a break from my work and I should meet this employer of mine in person."

And so Akadia came to visit the Eternal Empress and found her to be courteous, beautiful though frail, charming and well-loved. He adored her children who went fishing with him three times during his stay down at the river. While at the river their faces would often grow forlorn. When he inquired as to why the river made them sad, the children lied and said they were not sad, afraid of telling unhappy tales to their guest and upsetting him.

The Eternal Empress washed Akadia with accolades for his work and gave him a large bonus in the form of a chest filled with coins and farmland outside the city should he ever want to retire there. Akadia liked the food and spirits of the Bizo and loved the people even more. He had a wondrous time during his stay.

On the last day of his visit, as his things were being packed for him and the chest of coins being lifted onto an elaborately decorated carriage - also a gift from the Empress to show her appreciation - he decided he should witness the elephants he worked so hard to caravan to the Bizoan people, to see the work they did here.

As he mounted a hill, the very hill Albert had once stood upon, he saw the things the dead alchemist had once seen: elephants being beaten into submission, some with gashes and wounds and infections secreting yellow pus, many with eyes so wary they knew not where they were nor what they were doing. Akadia saw mahouts beating the poor animals even when they did their work properly. As Akadia stood atop the hill, watching the elephants mindlessly, obediently building the ever-growing tower in honor of the Eternal Empress' dead husband, his heart was touched by sorrow.

And as Albert had once stood atop the hill, bearing witness to the tragedy of the Elephant Crusade, whispering words of disbelief, so too did Akadia whisper the very words Albert once spoke, "By the gods... what have we done?"

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Thanks for reading, folks. Be sure to check back next Friday when I post the fifth and final act (this time I promise!) of "The Elephant Crusade".

"The Elephant Crusade" -- Act III

First, a quick note: As I was finishing up the third act of "The Elephant Crusade" I realized three acts simply was not going to suffice, that am additional fourth act was necessary. That means today's post, originally intended to be the final act, will not be the finale of "The Elephant Crusade".

I'll be posting the fourth and final act next week.

Thanks and, as always, enjoy!

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"The Elephant Crusade"
(c) 2008 by Charles Shaver. All rights reserved.

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ACT III: Balori Leaves the Bizo

SOFT SNOWS AND WICKED STRENGTHS: Wherein Balori Receives Training; Negkendra Confronts Akadia Dorn; The Weasel King Learns of Plots Against His Throne

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CHAPTER 1

Akadia Dorn's facial hair extended down from the tips of his mustache and a thin goatee into three cords. Each end was braided unto itself and then all three braided together below the chin as a rope of hair. As was his mustache and beard, so too was the hair atop his head. Three large cornrows had been made and braided to hang as a rope down the middle of his back. His hair was dark, though lightening with the slightest onset of middle-age.

He wore a thawb of deep green embroidered with scenes of mahouts herding elephants. He carried with him a crop, though he never used it. He provided elephants to the Eternal Empress to the far east, but never had he trained one. The crop was a signature of his station and nothing more. The crop was an ornament, a piece of jewelry sent forth by the Eternal Empress, an expression of her gratitude for his services and loyalty. It was finely made with leather. the handle had been wrapped with a silver encasing hand-carved with elephants trumpeting in a long parade, much like the Elephant Crusade he commanded from the Grand Bazaar of Tenhar. The end was tipped with incredibly short gold chains, perhaps three or four links each, and weighted with solid gold globes. It was a fine treasure, a treasure many secretly lusted after.

Akadia Dorn's task was simple. He managed the mahouts and organized the business matters of the Elephant Crusade from the bazaar. Prior to the Elephant crusade, he had made his way through the world by many means. He had been a mercenary, a bounty hunter, a handler of horses, a stable hand, a sailor for a brief time until he discovered the roiling seas made him ill, a cook, a mule, hired guard, and an exporter of fruits. He came to manage the Elephant Crusade through a friend called Macia Thrace who had once known him as an exporter in a port. Macia recognized Akadia's mind for business and numbers. "You are much too smart for thuggish work," he had said to Akadia, "one day you'll learn to work with your mind and rest your back."

Akadia enjoyed the work he did for the Eternal Empress, a woman whom he had never met nor did he need to. He was happy to work hard without using himself physically, noting his friend had been right to suggest such work. The pay was the best he had ever received, plus he occasionally took a little extra for himself. He dared not do this often, for he feared being found out and forced from the position. Plus, with the pay and enjoyment he got commanding the mahouts, most of whom he found amiable, he slowly came to realize he was growing quite loyal to the Empress and her cause.

In time the sailor and mercenary Macia Thrace - once the friend to Zahir the Indomitable - departed from the ship Baqir and duty to Captain Faraj. they parted well and as friends and colleagues. Macia felt himself getting old with work and, however, and several years before had begun to amass a small fortune and investing it, mainly in the port near the Grand Bazaar of Tenhar.

When he parted from the Baqir, Macia cashed out all his monies and invested them into the Elephant Crusade, making him a small partner in the matter and relieving the Empress and the few other investors from the financial strain of the effort. Macia's main reason to invest in the Elephant Crusade was his faith in his friend Akadia.

Once the money was invested, Macia paid a visit to the manager. Together they smiled and regaled one another with tall tales and bold lies of adventures. Akadia was happy to have Macia invested with his business. They drank all through the night and enjoyed themselves with women and each others' company.

The next day when Akadia went about tending to the elephants and mahouts and general daily business, Macia asked if he could somehow help in matters. Akadia asked Macia to be his assistant. "It is not a position of glamorous adventures," Akadia warned.

"I care not for that, but I've been at sea a long time and working as a hired warrior for many years before that. I cannot foresee myself sitting around all day. Anything to keep my hands busy will suffice," Macia explained.

Akadia was correct in his warning. The tasks set to Macia were rarely little more than pedestrian, but Macia enjoyed them in comparison to the demanding life at sea.

It was not long, however, that Macia was offered the chance to own a small sloop. "I know you need my assistance," said Macia to Akadia, "but it would seem I cannot purge waterborne life from my blood. I expect to merely ferry people up the river and back a few days each week. the rest of the time I could work here with you."

Akadia laughed and slapped his friend on the back, "Do not fear offending me! You are a partner in matters now and can do as you wish. i am not your captain, you are at last your a captain of your own. Buy the sloop and be happy. If you still wish to help here, I would like the company!"

And so the two friends became neighbors, businessmen and respected members of the community. Together they forged a life of prosperity and health and happiness.

Once, after the day's work was completed by both men and they little else to do besides spend their time luxuriously, they entered the main street of the bazaar to find a place to share a lunch and take in the sights. As they passed a jeweler, Akadia's eye was caught by an enormous emerald flanked by three young and strapping guards. "By the gods!" he exclaimed. "That must be big as a small man!"

The jeweler agreed. "I've just received it. It is said it was once the jewel of Zingtai and was sold here before, but as all grand luxuries must be sold, it had returned, this time to me. Would you care to purchase it?"

Akadia was tempted, but knew the price would surely set him back a fortune.

Macia shook his head, afraid, and told his friend, "Do not even think it, friend. Once I had troubles with an enchanted jewel and what I tell you be true: a good friend died from it."

The jeweler nodded. "Great prizes breed jealousy and greed. This is why I have these young men guarding the jewel."

Again Macia shook his head. "This was not mere greed that took my friend. Indeed, I and my old mates gave up the jewel to rid ourselves of it. Such thing are often cursed!"

Unknowing, the man called Sinvergüenza - loyal servant to none other than the demon dog Yaska Selith - stood nearby, listening. He looked to his men, now eight strong, before approaching the jeweler. "How much do you ask for such a fine item?" he asked.

The jeweler smiled, hoping the two interested men would start a bidding war. "A tawdry ten-thousand would convince me to part with such finery."

"Ten-thousand!" Akadia scoffed. It was far more than he had expected. And though he scoffed, he secretly desired the jewel.

Thinking the matter was settled, Macia said, "Friend, let us leave from here. I am hungry."

Akadia, at first, did not move away from the jeweler. But when he saw Sinvergüenza produce the money from a large satchel at his back - money he had robbed from people all over the world in his travels towards the Peony Tea House - Akadia reluctantly turned away. His desire for the jewel, however, persisted.

Akadia, as he was ushered away by his friend, saw Sinvergüenza take the jewel and wrapped it in a large cloth. He then heard this purchaser of the jewel send his men along their way with instructions to deliver the jewel to someone at the Plain of Adoration as an offering of his loyalty. He then was whisked away amidst a crowd and lost sight of the jewel, the man who had purchased it, and his desires were soon forgotten.

Sinvergüenza followed his men outside the bazaar, watching as his men dipped beyond the horizon. He then turned, proceeding alone the rest of the way to the Peony Tea House.

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CHAPTER 2

As Balori left the palace of the Eternal Empress he thought her request possibly impossible. In stead of continuing on in his quest, he stopped at the site of the tower. There he found the abusive mahout known as Ghalib. The workers and even the elephants stopped their labors as Balori walked into their midst. He approached Ghalib. Lashing out his trunk, he grabbed the mahout about the neck. Ghalib coughed, choking as air escaped from him.

Balori cried out, tears of rage in his eyes. He thought of the bloody forehead of his cousin, half-brother and friend Tafari as he impaled himself against the edge of a massive stone. He thought of his desires to see homelands he had never seen. He thought of his own childhood foolishness, thinking stupidly his training was playing. He cried out in rage and horror as the head and face of Ghalib turned fist red, then purple and at last blue.

A spearman's shout caught his attention. Balori looked to see the spearman with a javelin to Masozi's ear. "Let him go!" cried the spearman.

With great reluctance and little care, Balori unraveled his trunk from about Ghalib's neck. The mahout fell to the ground with a thud. Gasping, coughing, Ghalib yelled out, "Kill her!"

The spearman did as he was commanded. He drove the javelin deep into Masozi's ear.

With a gurgle and horribly loud death rattle, Masozi toppled.

With great force and another cry Balori picked up Ghalib once more, strangling the mahout with his trunk. He threw the dead body to the ground. He then pressed his heavy foot against the mahout's head. The weight was much too much for the small man's skull to resist. It spattered, liquefying into crimson viscous gore.

Balori stood, eying the rest of the mahouts and his fellow elephants, the body of Ghalib lying motionless up against his foot and the ugly spatter sprayed out under his foot. He went to his mother, dead and lying motionless. He approached her.

Balori squatted near her, the mahouts nearby afraid to attack. He caressed her trunk with his own, rubbing his massive ear against her side. he removed the javelin from her ear with his trunk. He whispered softly to her. "I'm so sorry, mother. I've failed you. I'm so sorry we're here. But I will make things right once more. I'll free all our people and you'll be so very proud of me. I promise you this." He cried out in pain and anguish.

Several javelins bit at his skin. Balori stood, fighting back and killing another three men, but in the end there were too many attackers for him to defend against.

Afraid, reluctant, unknowing of where to go or how to start his task of restoring the stars to the nighttime sky or if the Eternal Empress would even honor her word after the deaths he had caused, Balori left the land of the Bizo.

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CHAPTER 3

It took many days before Aniabas' wounds healed enough they did not sting, but they truly made him unrecognizable. His face was minced severely into ugliness. It did, however, provide him with a great mask with which to hide within the town renamed Yutown in honor of the Weasel King, as the kingdom had been renamed Raijudon also in his honor.

After several days of searching and frightfully hiding and carefully stepping through shadows, Aniabas had amassed a network of subjects loyal to him - or in the very least people who hated the tyranny of Raiju Yu. Many were pleased to hear of his survival and longed for his return to the throne.

One such person was a young boy named Roct, a child far from being a man and not yet capable of surviving on his own. He had caught the favor of Raiju Yu as he allowed the Weasel King to sodomize him whenever he desired. In return, Raiju Yu allowed Roct and his older sister Cordelia to live in the castle. Cordelia was a personal servant to Raiju Yu, as well, bringing him foods and the like. Their parents had been killed in the overthrow. They were all the family they each had.

But Roct came to Aniabas as a smuggler of goods outlawed by Raiju Yu. Aniabas had been looking for weapons to arm his loyalists, but Raiju Yu had taken all the weapons away from the townsfolk. Roct, however, knew people that could get weapons and other contraband to him outside the town. As a favored subject of Raiju Yu, Roct could pass in and out of the town with little notice to himself and without being inspected or hassled by Raiju Yu's guards.

Roct brought to Aniabas a beautiful falcata. "I doubt you could hide it on your person," Roct told him as he collected his money for delivering the sword to the former king.

"I'll not need to when the time comes," hinted Aniabas. He thanked the boy and they parted ways for a time.

That night as brother and sister bedded down for the night together as they often did for security and warmth, Roct said he thought someone might be planning a coup against the Weasel King.

"Why do you think this?" asked Cordelia.

"Today, when I was doing my usual business in town, I sold a disfigured man a rather large sword. There would be no way he could carry it without notice and I told him so. He said he hoped he would soon not have to," the boy explained.

Cordelia thought on this. She hugged her brother and said, "Should anything ever happen in this castle, we must hide and let things take their course. We should never be involved in such matters."

Roct said, "But sister, we are fortunate ones. Every day I travel into the town I see people turned out of their homes and living as beggars and whores. Raiju Yu has been kind and given us a safe place to live. We barely do anything for him in return. Should we not be good to him in return?"

"When first Raiju Yu fouled you, you came to me in tears and pain. You were quite bloody and afraid. Do you remember this?" Cordelia asked.

Roct nodded, shivering with memory.

"This is what he does to the people in the town. Every day he hurts them. They have been turned out of their homes by Raiju Yu. He is an evil creature, a creature of hate." Again she said, "Should anything ever happen within the castle, we must hide and allow things to take their course. If Raiju Yu is overthrown, we will surely be freed. If he remains in power after an attempted coup, our lives would not be changed. Things could only be made worse if we were to involve ourselves in such matters and the person we did not help, indeed the person we worked against were to take power. We must hide and do nothing more."

"But now, when the Weasel King does what he does to me, I do not feel the pain as I did once before. All I must do is lie still and allow him to do as he needs. Is that so bad? Why be in pain when one only has to remain still momentarily?" asked the little boy.

Cordelia shook her head and sighed. "I fear I cannot explain things any better."

Roct fell asleep that night thinking of coups and the homeless people he knew of in the streets.

Early the next morning, he was called to Raiju Yu's side. He went as he always did and presented himself fully nude before the Weasel King.

"How are you, my young one?" asked Raiju Yu.

"Well, sire," Roct yawned. He turned around and bent over.

Raiju Yu mounted the boy.

When Raiju yu was finished, as Rot was dressing himself, the new king called him to his bed. Roct obeyed. He lay beside the king. Raiju Yu then called for Cordelia to bring him some fruits and wine to eat and drink.

"How sweet you are," Raiju Yu nearly cooed, stroking the boy's fine hair. "If ever I were to lose power of my throne, you would surely be a missed thing. It is good, then, my power is unchallenged, is it not?"

Roct thought on these words, thought about how nice his life appeared compared to those suffering in the town and how it was all because Raiju Yu was his benefactor. He felt a certain loyalty to the weasel.

Cordelia brought the fruits and wine.

"Your highness," said Roct. "I've something I must tell you."

Raiju Yu poured the young boy some wine before pouring himself some. "What is it, my sweet lad?"

Suspecting her brother's words, Cordelia, who stood nearby in case Raiju Yu needed anything further, said, "Roct! There's no need to bother the king with matters!"

Raiju Yu's curiosity perked, he asked, "Matters? What matters?"

Cordelia shook her head vigorously at Roct.

Roct said, "But sister, we owe Raiju Yu everything. We must tell him."

Growing impatient, Raiju Yu demanded, "What is it you desire to tell me but not your sister?"

"It is a matter of which we cannot be sure of," Cordelia said swiftly.

"Hush, girl," Raiju Yu commanded. He then turned to Roct, "What is it, boy?"

Roct said simply, "There are traitors in our midst."

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CHAPTER 4

Negkendra knew nothing of Ghalib's death for he had left the Bizoans long before Balori had. He wandered many countrysides without aim. He begged for his food more than once. His clothes fell to tatters and his spirit followed. Not a single day passed without his thoughts turning toward the elephants he had witnessed abuse and driven to near-death.

Unknowing where else to go, he at last returned to the Grand Bazaar of Tenhar where he was hired as a souk's assistant, sweeping floors and carrying out trash. Once a trusted and respected member of the bazaar, he returned to his humble origins of nameless shopkeeper's hireling.

Every day he heard whispers of the Elephant Crusade. it seemed to him to have become the single largest business in all the bazaar, second only to textiles and incense. Whenever these whispers came to his ears, he would turn his head away, burying himself amidst work and going deaf to the world. At last, on a night he was allowed some freedom from his duties, he decided to visit the other areas of the bazaar. Perhaps unwilling to admit to himself, he found the center of the business for the Elephant Crusade. He entered as they were closing the doors. Some assistants tried to turn him away, but her remained determined in seeing Akadia Dorn.

Akadia Dorn obliged this stranger, thinking he may be a customer or future employee.

"Let him in," commanded Akadia Dorn.

The souk had a large foyer. its walls were wood as were two pillars in its center. Every inch was hand-carved with elephant motifs and the thin carvings were inlaid with gold. The eyes of the carved elephants sparkled with various jewels. Negkendra knew then the business he had helped start was now immensely profitable and this only served to make him fill with more sorrow.

"How may I help you, friend?" asked Akadia.

"If you be Akadia Dorn," Negkendra said timidly, "I ask you with all humbleness to end your career with the Elephant Crusade. Indeed, I ask you to end the Elephant Crusade all together."

Akadia and his men laughed uproariously. Surely, thought they, this man jested. But seeing his face now somber, sad and serious, Akadia Dorn approached him. "Why would you ask such a thing? What matter is it of yours that I carrying on in my business?"

Negkendra bowed his head, half in shame and half in respect to Akadia Dorn, and introduced himself. "I am Negkendra, the first mahout to have helped Shabar, aide to the Eternal Empress, start the Elephant Crusade."

Akadia's brow creased with curiosity and confusion. "Then you should know the healthy life I command. Why would you ask me to give all this up?"

"Because," explained Negkendra, "they torture the elephants, sometimes to death."

Akadia chuckled, wanting to laugh but afraid for some reason to offend this man. "Who are you really?"

"Sir, I tell you the truth of my identity."

"If you are truly who you say, then why are you here in rags and not living a life larger than I at the side of the Eternal Empress?" Akadia asked.

Negkendra sighed. "Once I did, but one day I saw another mahout beat an elephant to death and beyond, not ceasing in the beating until I stopped his hand."

Akadia cocked his head, still confused. "What does it matter if a mahout kills a rebellious and therefore useless elephant? They are dumb animals, not men or gods or gifted ones."

Negkendra could not think of a response, but knew any response he would give would most likely not change Akadia Dorn's stance. He most likely loved his life of abundance too much to give it up. But then, as Negkendra thought, he himself has once had enjoyed such a life and he had given it all up. Perhaps, thought negkendra, this man would, too. The thing that had changed his mind over a life of abundance had been bearing witness to the atrocities against the elephants.

"Please, sir," Negkendra said at last, "I think it in your best interests to visit the Eternal Empress one day and see witness the work she does, the work she needs the elephants for."

Akadia grew wary of Negkendra's words. "You dare suggest more how I should conduct my business?" he raged. "I live a good life! I hurt no one! I make no wars! I murder no one with my hands! And you dare suggest I change my life? To give up my very livelihood?"

"With apologies," Negkendra said as he made for the door.

"And what has become of you? What has become of the glorious First Mahout of the Elephant Crusade you can make such demands of me?"

Negkendra stopped at the door, looked back and said, "I sweep the floors of a souk."

Akadia Dorn and his men laughed riotously as Negkendra left their presence.

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CHAPTER 5

Balori first came into a village along a river. The people there were in awwe of him, regarding him as a god. They fed him and told him of their gods. He felt respected and loved by the people and loved them in return. He felt he owed the people the truth and confessed he was not a god at all, but once was a normal elephant and that he had been made to help free his people.

The village's headman, hearing this, came to Balori saying he should visit the old man that lived in the mountains nearby. "His name is Nahum of the Snows. He lives high in the mountain where it always snows. He has been our spiritual guide in times of crisis for hundreds of years. Go to him, Balori. See him and feel his wisdom."

Trusting the headman, Balori did as he was instructed. It took him several days to climb up the mountain called Bai Baldric. On the way he passed a pleasant man descending the mountain on a tired old mule.

"Have you seen the old man of the snows?" asked Balori.

The pleasant man cackled and nodded. "And he knows you are approaching!"

Balori thanked the man and continued on his way, struggling to find cliffs and crags large enough to serve as foot- and hand-holds. At last, in the wintry forever winters of Bai Baldric. He hated the snow and the cold as it made his skin crack and stretch thin as though shrinking and the snows numbed him toes and feet.

Looking around, Balori found a large cave. He entered, hoping at least to escape the torrential winds that bit at him if not actually discover the lair of Nahum of the Snows.

The cave opened onto a cavern even larger than its mouth. Balori found he did not have to duck or struggle to get inside. Stalagmites and stalactites spotted the cavern that sparkled in a fire's glow. Looking to the fire, Balori found the pleasant man he had passed on the mountain sitting beside it, stoking the flames.

"Sir," said Balori as he drew near the warm and comforting fire. "How did you get back here? When we passed one another you were descending the mountain. Now you are here and not once did I see you pass me on the way up. Is there some other entrance to this cavern?"

The pleasant man laughed. "Oh, no. There is no other ingress or egress than that which brought you here."

"Then how did you get here without me seeing you?" Balori asked.

Again the man laughed. "Why, this is my home. I can come and go as I please. Now come closer and enjoy the fire with me."

Content on warming himself, Balori sat on the hard rocky floor of the cavern next to the man and let the fire warm him.

The pleasant man offered him food in the form of ginger cakes he professed to making himself from vegetation from the mountainside.

"I saw little vegetation near here," said Balori as he gratefully accepted one.

"This is my home," explained the man. "I can harvest as I need."

Balori nodded and enjoyed his fill of the ginger cakes. Balori then asked, "Old man, when first we passed you said I could find Nahum of the Snows here on the mountain. Where would he live?"

The pleasant man giggled, "Why, right here. This is the only spot he could live." He then added, "This is my home, I am the Nahum you seek."

"What? But why didn't you tell me that when first we passed? You could have saved me quite the effort and rescued me from these incredible frosts so high on the mountain!"

Nahum cackled. "Why, you never asked my name. Had you done so, I would have told you and you would have saved yourself all those troubles!"

Balori growled angrily.

"Tell me," said Nahum. "What has brought you here?"

Angry, wanting to do harm to the old man, but seeking guidance to fulfill his quest for the Eternal Empress and free his people, Balori said, "The headman of the village below sent me. I come seeking answers as to how to restore the stars to the nighttime sky."

"Oh!" gasped Nahum. "That is quite the task."

"Could you help me?"

Nahum did not laugh. He instead shook his head, "I know not what has caused their fall."

Balori's face grew long with defeat.

"However," said Nahum, "Know I perhaps where you could begin. First, you will need to know how to fly. Know you such a skill?"

Balori looked at Nahum confusedly. "Do I appear to have wings as the bird? I am helplessly grounded."

Nahum nodded, thinking. His own face grew long. He feared asking the next question, for what he thought Balori might need was something against his whole nature. "Know you how to fight?"

Balori said, "I can strangle a man easily with my trunk. Or crush him underfoot."

"No one would doubt you've the strength, but have you been trained in fighting arts?"

Balori shook his head. He admitted, "I've not been in this form long. I am most likely a whelp in most ways of the mortal world except where elephants are concerned."

Balori's candor made Nahum chuckle again. "I cannot help you learn fighting. I will send you to my brother for that."

Nahum got up and stepped outside, instructing Balori to follow.

"Must I?" Balori wrapped his arms about himself, peering out into the vast whiteness of the snowy mountaintop.

"Come!" instructed Nahum.

Balori did as he was told and soon Nahum was plucking a piece from a hanging cloud and placing it above the ground before Balori. "Sit upon it," instructed Nahum as he smiled.

Balori said, "I cannot! It's thinness won't support anything!"

Nahum raised a reprimanding finger to Balori. "The weakest thing has its strengths. Sit upon it, cross-legged."

Balori tested the cloud piece with his hand. As his hand went throug, he cried out, "I will fall! You instruct me in foolishness!"

Nahum's voice grew with great, deep commanding tones. "Sit upon it! Sit now!"

Balori thought the man to be quite bold in his attempt to command a creature more than twice his size. "Very well. I will do as you say and when I fall into the snow, making a fool of myself, I will murder you as though you were a wicked mahout!"

Balori turned, his back to the cloud, and leaned backward.

Much to his surprised, the cloud, which he could barely feel as a comforting, ethereal mist, held his weight.

Nahum laughed amiably and showed Balori how to sit on the cloud in the lotus position. "It is only from this position you will be able to command the cloud," said Nahum.

With some small practice, Balori was quickly able to fly atop the floating cloud to great heights.

"Now go to the mountain called Bai Mot. It is nearby and you will be able to fly there. There you will find my brother, the Dark Ram. He will teach you in the ways of fighting."

Balori thanked Nahum of the Snows whose laugh echoed off the Bai Baldric. Balori and Nahum waved to one another as the elephant flew away atop his cloud.

Balori then came to Bai Mot, a mountain so dark its stony surface, some parts of it peaking out from beneath a cover of snow, appeared black as Kalavata's wings. There, upon a peak, Balori spied a black ram charging and butting the mountain, shaping it again and again with his thrusting head. Seeing the ram thrusting his head into stone reminded him of Tafari and for a moment his heart welled with sadness and loss. He fought back a single tear as he flew closer.

When the ram saw Balori, he called, "Who disturbs my exercise?"

Balori floated nearer, shivering from the cold. "I am Balori Shongoyo and I have been sent by Nahum of the Snows to find his brother, one named Dark Ram."

The ram then changed into the shape of an old man with a face vastly decorated with ta moko in the shape of ram's horns around the nose and mouth. His ears were pierced with small ram's horns. "I am Dark Ram. Why would my weakling brother send you to me?"

"He seems to think I need to learn the ways of fighting," Balori drew closer still, so close in fact that he stepped off the cloud and stood next to the man. With a quick snort, Balori sucked the cloud up into his trunk where he stored it for later use.

"And why would you need to know how to fight?" asked the old man.

"I wish to free my people - the elephants of Ife - from the Eternal Empress, but to do so I must fulfill a task for her. I must restore the stars to the nighttime sky," Balori explained.

The old man considered this. "I could not begin to tell you how to do such a thing, but my brother may be correct in his suspicions that you will need to know how to fight."

"Your brother?" asked Balori.

"Indeed, I am Dark Ram, the brother of Nahum that you seek. And if he and I suspect correctly, there may be wickedness behind the fallen stars, which would mean you will need to know fighting skills." Dark Ram eyed Balori who was shivering in the cold and rocking back and forth on his feet, giving each foot temporary relief from the freezing snows.

"I may enjoy teaching one as weak as you," Dark Ram said.

"Weak? You dare call me weak?" Balori raged. "I could crush your head beneath my foot!"

"Oh, there is strength and there is strength," replied Dark Ram cryptically. "But if you are so strong, why do you dance in the snows? Do the little flakes hurt you?"

Balori, angry and feeling the slight, said, "It is cold! Surely every creature feels cold and heat!"

"Then why do I not shiver as you?" asked Dark Ram.

Balori then noticed the old man, seemingly feeble, did not appear concerned with the freezing snows. "You are a mystic," Balori explained more to himself than Dark Ram, "I saw with my own eyes your changing. You cast spells to be warm, doing tricks to assuage the effects of the snow."

"The only trick," explained Dark Ram, "is not minding."

Dark Ram lead Balori into a massive cavern, much like the one he had found Nahum in, and began his training. "You will learn testa," said Dark Ram. "It is an ancient art and few know it."

Balori began sparing, learning katas and punches and kicks and knees; he was taught how to gouge eyes and rake backs with his new hands; Dark Ram showed him how to utilize his long, long tusks as spears; he received blows to the chest from Dark Ram in his ram form to strengthen condition him to pain; he sat outside in the torrential snows for hours on end; at last he learned to deliver devastating headbutts to targets. Each time he practiced his headbutt, Balori screamed with sorrowful thoughts of Tafari, but his thoughts soon turned to grunts of effort and, indeed, concentrating on the memory of his dead friend allowed him to channel so much energy into a single headbutt that soon he was able to break stalagmites with one blow, causing them to explode into a rain of pebbles and powdery dust.

Between training, in the quiet moments after meals and sleep, Dark Ram further taught Balori lessons against pain by heating black stones in fires and then inserting them under the elephant's skin along the ridge of his brow. At first the pain was excruciating to Balori, but by the time Dark Ram neared completion of the design, Balori sat unmoving and unnerved. The final design gave Balori a line of raised black skin arching over each eye and extending almost to each ear.

In another effort to subdue pain, Dark Ram decorated Balori's forehead with ta moko above the line of stones. For this, he crushed the outer shells of bugs to make a red dye. He tattooed parallel lines sweeping from the center of Balori's forehead out to the ears. Dark Ram then ground a luminescent moss into a dye that he used to tattoo small dots throughout Balori's ears. Balori found this painful as his ears were thin and sensitive, but managed not to pull away. When completed, each of Balori's ears appeared as a tapestry of glinting, glowing stars.

Dark Ram next produced an iron rod and heated it in the fire. With it's sharp tip and burning heat he carved six black bands in the middle of each of Balori's tusks. Below these bands, towards the tips of the tusks and on the outer side, Dark Ram burn-carved first a snowflake in the left tusk then a ram's head in the right. "These represent you teachers," explained Dark Ram, "my borther and I."

After this Dark Ram instructed Balori to head to the far side of the mountain and dig in the snows there. "A few years ago," he explained, "when the stars fell from the Heavens, one such star broke lose and came to rest on the other side of Bai Mot. I've been meaning to retrieve it, but have as yet not done so. Go, Balori, find it and return it here and with it we will make you proper weapons."

Balori did as he had been instructed. He snorted out the cloud from his tusk, mounted it and flew to teh other side of Bai Mot. He dug and dug for many days until, at last, he found a large hunk of black stone, a stone unlike any other stone on the mountain. It had a slight sheen and was heavier than any other rock of its size would have been. Balori lifted the stone, mounted his piece of cloud again, and returned to the side of Dark Ram, presenting to him the odd stone.

"Good," Dark Ram said.

"It was quite heavy," Balori commented.

"Because it is no mere stone. It is made of Star Iron, the strongest iron one could hope for," explained Dark Ram.

Together they set about the task of making for Balori three weapons. Balori worked at stoking the fire, making it as hot as it would go. So hot did the fire become that much of the snow outside the cavern's entrance melted away. Dark Ram then showed Balori how to work the iron with a hammer and tools. Balori grew strong, his shoulders broadening, his arms thickening, his chest rippling from the work. One after another Balori was made to forge his own weapons.

At last Balori held all three weapons, finished and polished and ready. In his left hand he wielded a battle axe, its blade elongated to appear as an elephant's ear and nearly as big; in his right hand he held a massive kopesh; and in his trunk he gripped a tri-bladed mambele throwing knife. Each weapon glowed with a sheen. Each weapon was sharpened to fine edges. Each weapon gleamed deadly and wicked.

"Thank you," Balori told Dark Ram.

"It was my pleasure. You made a fine student. Now you must go and find your destiny. Return the stars to the nighttime sky and to the people all over the world," Dark Ram said with a smile, a rare thing for Dark Ram.

Balori again thanked him. He trumpeted, flinging forth his cloud, sat upon it and flew off the mountain called Bai Mot.

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That's it for this week, folks. Remember to look for the fourth and final act next Friday!