Dinner & Desert

The personal diary of Darig, son of Lorraine, part 22

So the army moves out. The fort we leave behind is as strong for its size as any place can be built on level ground. Rhodri and Elektra have melded the stones right down to the bedrock and it looks to have been carved rather than built, its walls smooth and tall. Fordan, an officer of engineers, says that outrageous shortcuts can be taken when you can just weld stone together. The engineers will be last out and will make their way up the column to rejoin the vanguard tomorrow. Elektra will stay with them for now. Some of the garrison are already building horse pens and even a garden.

Hector of Zigo rides up to the Vanguard and offers to 'Part the Veil' to get a party to the Golden Circle more quickly. Most of our troops come from the circle or just outside and so want to get there as soon as possible. Artemis and Isis are also anxious to be back in areas where their pantheon is worshipped.

Another day's travel from the reality that is Ygg and we can send out scouts to assess the local shadows. At evening camp there is a small family meeting: Ben, Bleys, Corwin, Deirdre, Gerard, and myself. We are plotting quite a gentle route through shadow, and are camped in an area with rich grass and plentiful autumn fruit in deserted orchards, way stations are being planned. Bleys and I have been planning this route, only a little slower but well suited to our needs.

Hector will be taking a team on the fast route to the Golden Circle, Surpanakha – who can fly, Ibemo, Alitta – a chaos witch, Tim O'tei – a ranger, Delambre, Dirk, and me. Caine clearly is against Dirk going but Ben is sure his skills will be useful, I am glad he is there to balance the Chaos. Julian has picked the ranger as also having appropriate skills.

Gerard will be taking charge of the Vanguard so I introduce the kids: Rhodri, as a trainee officer, greeted with bluff joviality; Elektra as a trainee engineer. I have warned him of her tendencies. He greets her with a hug and laughs when she tries her strength against him, lifting her off her feet. He seems charmed and I hope he is just being charming!

A whole night's sleep with no responsibility at all, unfortunately we are leaving at dawn.

The party meet in a tent in the early light. Hector calls upon dark forces and sinister faces dance before our eyes. Our first stop will be the Field of Slaughter, delightful. Mists roil at his summons; I walk through at his shoulder.

We emerge on a blasted heath, torn by shot and shell. From the state of the countless corpses the battle was fought a fortnight ago but the smell of the gunpowder still lingers. Muskets, cannon, dead horses, troops in dark blue, had been pitted against those in blue-grey. The latter seem to have broken through here and pushed their enemy back but there can have been few, if any, survivors, for no attempt has been made at burial. There is always fog here apparently, a gloomy place. One hopes these dead do not rise, there are so many.

Our next stop is to be the Sea of Sands. Again the sickly powers are raised and I step forwards at Hector's shoulder. Not to my surprise, we are in a desert amid rolling dunes. Nor am I surprised that there are signs of a threat, reptilian birds circle above, their screeching calls suggesting a message to others, not just one of hunger. As soon as they are through Surpanakha, Delambre, and Alitta take to their winged forms and to the sky.

Hector says that he had hoped to avoid the locals here but that a hunting party will now be here soon. They arrive over the hill only moments later, a dozen or so lizard men, big ones, in slate armour with obsidian weapons, brittle but brutally effective. We form up to protect Hector, he must stay safe to get us on our way but some part of my mind looks for shadows to work, just in case.

The moment they come into range I take one down with Gae Bolg but that armour seems to hold her for a few extra seconds. Another goes down with Tim's spear through his eye. Another advances, despite Dirk's dagger piercing his eye.

They arrive at the run! Two are circling round Ibemo, a power word seems to confuse one for a moment. As I step forwards to deal with another, some sense warns me as sharpened stone spikes erupt from the ground. I attack in 'salmon leap'; though my left boot is shredded, I come down on my opponent with my full weight behind the tip of my sword, hitting one inch above his breast plate. With Gae Bolg once more in my hand I take down one more and the fight is over. Ibemo is clutching a wound in his side, everyone else is unhurt. Surpanakha has dealt with one of the winged creatures, as its disassembled parts scatter the area. We call in our fliers and recover thrown weapons.

Hector casts his travel spell again. I do wonder if it feels as unpleasant to him or if, being Chaos, it is just sunshine and buttercups. This time we travel to the 'Place Assigned' the certain danger is still behind us so this time I am the last to leave. The new place looks like a meeting room in one of the technocracies, though with a low table and cushions rather than chairs. Ibemo has already used shape changing to heal himself, he still seems a little uncomfortable but assures us he is fine.

The room looks out over a city, bright with neon lights, we are apparently in Hotel Zigo in Nippon, a shadow right at the edge of the Golden Circle, I think I have been through it but never stayed, certainly somewhere with similar aesthetics. The only surprise is the presence of Lord Torc, for a moment dressed it the clothes of Tim the Ranger but swiftly returning to his glamour and usual colours, I greet him politely.

I speak to Hector and he calls for room service, they show only mild surprise at this sudden influx and we are assigned to rooms and, blessing of blessings, hot showers – one of the few things that reduce my dislike of the technocracies. My boots are being repaired while we are here, all part of the service apparently. When we return to the main room wine is waiting for us, grape not rice, which I had been expecting. Lord Torc suggests that if he can reach a Fey Portal he can move us quickly in to Arden, if it is still there, but I fear we are far from any such portal.

Dinner for fourteen is served, chopsticks, the trick of which comes back to me, though I have to admit that Surpanakha has a certain style with one stick in each hand, stabbing with one stick whilst eating with the other. It is fortunate that they have provided a generous quantity of food.

We get an update on local conditions from Hector's local agent: despite the apparent prosperity the economy is stretched and the Yakuza are dominating the important dock area. Nippon is 7^th Circle and its trade with Amber had been mostly via Zircon but there are tensions within the Circles. Silicon is apparently throwing her weight around and wars are breaking out among the technocracies but Amber has not stepped in. Almost everyone (except Silicon) thinks that Amber needs to exert its power and restore order. We need to move inwards, Zircon next.