An Emperor's Fury: The Warlord of Pyndira Read online

  An Emperor’s Fury

  Book Three

  The Warlord of Pyndira

  by Paul Heisel

  Chapter 1 - Awake

  Chapter 2 - Arrest

  Chapter 3 - Crypt

  Chapter 4 - Warlord

  Chapter 5 - Pyre

  Chapter 6 - Alive

  Chapter 7 - Demon

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

  An Emperor's Fury, Book Three, The Warlord of Pyndira

  Copyright © 2016 by Paul Heisel

  All rights reserved.

  Cover design by Paul Heisel

  This book is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or other unauthorized use of the material herein is prohibited without the express written permission of the author.

  This book is dedicated to my Mom and Dad, who told me I could be anything I wanted to be. Thanks Mom for being straightforward, loving and honest, and thanks Dad for having such an impact on me, I often think “What would Jim Heisel do?” when I’m face with a life question.

  Oh yeah, thanks as well Dad, for wanting your fair share of meatballs.

  Chapter 1 - Awake

  The winding roads that Pearl traveled she had never taken before. Faded signs and townsfolk promised her it eventually led to Daiwer-dar. This road meandered through lush hills and dark forests that were common in Hikimi. She reflected, this used to be her home. Further to the east near the coastal forests was where her family lived, unless her mother had moved again, and she thought that was highly probable. Pearl purposely didn’t think about it. It was too much to endure for any length of persistent thought. After the death of her father, her mother moved them around, in fear, to prevent them from being marked. Pearl and her mother fought and words were said that can never be taken back. Promptly she departed and did the one thing her mother despised; she received her marks with the intent on staying on Salt Island forever. From there she fled to Malurrion with the help of a friendly Fury, and she hid. There she discovered the Accord of the Hand and other unmarked, untapped Furies. Months later she found Bora, became friends with Kara, and began teaching about magic. They found others who had the gift who wanted to learn. After establishing her connection back to Salt Island, Pearl collaborated with the Kolun’s moving Furies back and forth. The remainder was a blur now.

  Her attention was back on the road. Today she scared off desperate bandits with a display of magic, and she knew more was in store if she didn’t remain alert. Owori was weak and partially conscious, and in time she would be strong enough to talk and hear the good news she bore. Feln was alive and they would get to see each other in the near future. It wouldn’t be as either of them had planned though. Paq, at her urging, sent a message on her behalf to Safun so Feln would know that Owori was with the Emperor. She hoped Feln would understand. The way she saw it, he didn’t have a choice. He would be angry, she was sure of that.

  The first week on the road softened her anger over Owori’s binding. She didn’t blame Paq. She did blame his father and his greed. She felt stuck, frustrated because she would be unable to fix the situation. Owori’s trust in her was most likely shattered. It was impossible to break the bond between a magic belt and a Fury; Owori would have to serve the Emperor, just as she would have to serve Feln and the Xialao family. There were myths about breaking the bond between Fury and belt, and she knew of them well. It was rumored if a Fury’s master died and the belt went unclaimed, after a time the magical binding would wane. What complicated this was most Furies were bound to the family and not a singular belt. Loss of a belt or it changing hands or families didn’t change the magic or change the Fury’s allegiance. Perhaps if the Emperor died, the forced bond would be broken. Pearl shuddered at her next thoughts. Getting rid of the Emperor wasn’t an option and never would be. The other way to break the bond, it was said, was to take an unclaimed Most Favored belt, have the Fury wear it, and will it to break any and all bonds. The chance of a Most Favored belt being unattached and in her possession was next to impossible. If Feln died, yes, maybe it was possible. Again, his death wasn’t an option and she was certain Owori wouldn’t want to consider that path. Without the ability to break the bond, though, Owori would have to serve the Emperor and his family. It would be best to prepare Owori for her new role and not expend energy trying to break a bond that couldn't be broken.

  Her thoughts wandered. Her decision to bind herself to Feln for the good of her Furies came to mind, and she wondered if any of the rumors Paq told her were true. It sounded like speculation, and she couldn’t believe that Feln would come to Pyndira and announce his presence by murdering a Most Favored. It didn’t fit his character either. Most likely he was outmaneuvered by those who wanted Chang dead, those who could benefit from his death. When she arrived in Safun, she would get the full story either from the family or from Feln.

  The sun dipped on the horizon and she came to a wooden bridge that spanned a large crevasse. The churning river below was hundreds of feet away, the drop dizzying. She hurried across because the opposite side would be a perfect spot for an ambush when it was dark. The horse’s shoes clopped on the worn wood planks, the sturdy bridge creaking in the wind. Pearl drove the wagon, pushing the horse faster so they wouldn’t be caught near the bridge. In the distance, on a high hill, she could see the ruins of an ancient temple. It was overgrown with trees; the most recognizable feature was a gray stone arch. The shivers that went down her spine made her urge the horse on. She didn’t know why the temple had been abandoned long ago, and if bandits weren’t hiding there, then other creatures were. To the east the twin red moons shone with exceptional clarity, the sun to the west was waning. Ahead she could see the lights of a village, quiet and unassuming. She neared, noting the militia and makeshift barriers blocking the road were to keep bandits away. She explained to the guards that she was seeking shelter for the night, and they promptly motioned toward a large boxy inn in the middle of town. It was square shaped and two stories high, with a long sloping roof and ample eaves to keep falling rain, snow, and sleet away from the building. The roof’s wooden shingles were gray and covered with bothersome moss. The wooden plank walls were warped by time. She brought the wagon to a halt and jumped down. They were another day closer to Daiwer-dar, she thought, the capital couldn’t be more than a week of travel away. Pearl regarded Owori’s prostrate form, wishing she would wake. This was the hardest part. Taking an unconscious person into a business without drawing attention was futile. A reasonable explanation, like sickness, was believable but not always accepted and was additional grounds for being turned away. People in nearby homes and businesses peeked their heads out of decorated doors and dirt stained windows. Pearl took note of them while she went to the covered portion of the wagon, waving to the more curious folks as if she knew them. She pulled back the canvas cover and opened a small pack that contained the wealth she had taken from Paq. To her surprise and delight, Owori was awake. Though she didn’t look any better than before, at least she was conscious.

  “Feel like walking?” Pearl asked.

  “Where? Where are we?”

  “All in good time. Let’s see if you can sit up.”

  Owori pulled herself up with Pearl’s assistance, coming to a sitting position in the wagon.

  “I’m sore,” Owori said. She swooned but Pearl caught her.

  “I’ve tried to move you into different positions so you wouldn’t get too sore,” Pearl said. “You’ve been lying down for
weeks. Now that you’re able to sit up, you’ll heal quickly. We need to get you stronger. I know a few tricks that will help you.”

  Reaching into the wagon, Pearl pulled Owori toward the edge. Between her strength and Owori’s, they got her out of the wagon and on her feet.

  “The ground is cold,” Owori said.

  “I have your boots for you when you’re ready to walk more,” Pearl said, looking at Owori’s bare feet. “Until then, I have slippers for you. Let's get inside.”

  Pearl threw the pack over one shoulder and gripped Owori tightly with her other hand. Together they walked into the establishment, aptly named The Cliffside Inn. It was cozy inside, sparsely decorated with patrons leaned over bowls of wine, ale, and stew. She paid for room and food, asked to proprietor to look after her wagon, and took Owori upstairs to their room. It was a struggle to get Owori up the stairs and Pearl could feel the collective eyes of the common room upon them. Pearl put Owori on the bed and fetched warm water from downstairs, washed Owori’s feet, and put on slippers to keep the chill off.

  “I feel better,” Owori said. “Explain to me what’s going on?”

  “How about some good news first to lift your spirits?”

  “There is no good news in the cursed place. These tattoos were forced upon me, as was my service to the Emperor. What good news could you have?”

  “I found Feln.”

  The tears of joy came pouring out and it wasn’t the last time that evening that Owori would weep.

  #

  Though they were only a week away from Daiwer-dar, Pearl decided to stay in the small town to help Owori regain her strength. The quiet village went by the name of Droban, and according to the locals, they were known for one thing; centuries ago one of their citizens had become the Warlord of Pyndira. The ruins outside of the city were all that was left of the Droban family’s legacy as the bloodline were lost years ago in a conflict. The people here were quiet and reserved, not too interested why she wanted to stay for another week, so Pearl thought it was a good place work with Owori. Along with the physical rehabilitation came mental preparation for her position as the Emperor’s Fury. She would be expected to protect him, travel with him, and serve a purpose within the palace. Though Pearl couldn’t guess what that purpose would be, she assured Owori it would be important. She was smart and had skills, and the Emperor would be sure to take advantage of them.

  The days wore on and Owori made remarkable progress toward getting back to her normal self. Along with a few tricks Pearl showed her with using magic to reinforce her body and mind, they trained and fought against each other numerous times each day. After a week went by, they decided to leave for Daiwer-dar and the Emperor’s palace. Droban now behind them, the two companions traveled across the border to the north, took a road to their immediate left, heading west, and found a major thoroughfare to the capital city. There were merchants, caravans, and soldiers traveling the road in both directions and going about their business. Wrapped in their robes and traveling clothes, the two Furies traveled amongst the masses without being bothered. The long hours on the road gave Owori ample opportunity to think, though it often made her depressed to think that Feln would be here in Pyndira and she wouldn’t be able to see him. Her anger softened; it wasn’t going to help her situation to continue to be upset about Paq’s father agreeing to bind her to the Emperor’s magic belt. In passing Pearl mentioned there was a possibility that another type of magic could break the connection between her and the belt. Owori hoped that was true. The other thing Pearl wanted her to consider was willingly serving the Emperor. Pearl thought the willingness would nullify the magic of the belt binding her, thus releasing her from the tie to the belt and the punishing effects of being too distant from it. Despite the initial attraction, Owori refused. Perhaps one day she would willingly serve, but that wasn’t today or any day soon.

  Though she longed to be with Feln, the thought of him seeing her and her marks made her anxious. Nervous was the real word, but she didn’t want to admit that the presence of her tattoos made her self-conscious about how she looked. Would he think the tattoos were beautiful, ugly, or hideous? She admitted that she was accustomed to them, and she was happy that her hair was reaching a better length, though not long enough for her to put up or tie back as she wished. She was thinner than she wanted to be, stronger though because of the techniques Pearl taught her to heal her body with the magic. Her recovery amazed her to every degree.

  According to Pearl, all that stood between them and the capital city was a mountain range. The road was a black line winding into the hills, through small villages and terraced farms, and up to a natural slit that went through the range. Clouds rolled in and it started to rain, forcing them to stop for the evening in the foothills. The roads here were well-protected by the Emperor’s army, as was this important pass. Mere presence of the soldiers kept the area clear of bandits. Once they were over the pass, they would be a few days away from the Emperor’s palace. That night Pearl opened a case that had been locked the entire trip and she presented Owori with new clothes and expensive robes. Amongst the clothes were fighting outfits and new weapons. Pearl gave her two small, but thick and sharp swords similar to her khukuris, decorated with black runes up and down the folded steel blades. They were light, almost like feathers in her hands, and each had a distinct jewel set in the hilt. One was a bright green emerald in an octagonal cut grasped by a dragon claw, the other a brilliant red ruby in a trillion cut grasped by a similar dragon claw. Pearl named them the Dragonblades, fitting blades for a Fury with twin dragon tattoos. The two other weapons she had were for Feln, wrapped in silk cloth. They were smaller swords, one a ninjato, the other a knife. They were lightweight, and Pearl told her that these blades were part of a trio and the third one was in Feln’s possession. They were known as the Dragonfly blades. For a time, they moved the blades back and forth across the candlelight to find the faint etchings, and after a time they saw the inscriptions. These blades were sharper than anything Owori had ever seen.

  She admitted with regret, but only to herself, that she was jealous of Pearl. Pearl was bound to Feln’s family and in a short time would join him, unlike her, who would be stuck with the Emperor. Although in their conversations Pearl spoke of her duty to the family, Owori knew Pearl was bound to Feln. She claimed it was to help the other Furies and see to their safety, but deep inside Owori knew that Pearl admired Feln. That worried her, because what man wouldn’t want this statuesque beauty by his side? Thinking about it caused her teeth to clench. There was little she could do about it. Accusing Pearl would do her no good, particularly if she was wrong. Instead she kept Feln in the conversations as her best friend, as her love, as the person she wanted to spend eternity with. The reinforcement of it got to the point of irritation for Pearl, and Owori was reassured that she shouldn't worry about it.

  Newly dressed, they continued the next morning with a host of other travelers who were going through the mountain pass at a reasonable pace. At the apex there was an outpost built along the steep crack in the mountain, a building not more than twenty feet wide that extended for thousands of feet along the pavers. Soldiers were here, as well as administrators collecting tolls. There was lodging for those who couldn’t make the pass in one day, an expensive stop according to merchants. Pearl and Owori were like many who paid their toll and hustled down the other side of the mountain along the twisting road. As the sun set and the twin moons came into view for the evening, they were within sight of the town and reasonably priced lodging. Though they couldn’t see it, the capital city was a day of brisk travel away. They spent the evening discussing their story, what they might encounter when they arrived at the palace, and how she would be expected to act. It was difficult for Owori to accept her role without knowing what it would be. She didn’t know the Emperor or his family, or others who would be in the palace. What lingered was what Yan said to her, that she would be punished when she arrived. She doubted she would get off lightly.
It was a question of what would they do to her for disobedience and how far the punishment would go. She would face it, though, and not give them the satisfaction of seeing her squirm no matter what they decided to do to her. That night she fell asleep wondering if this was the last night of freedom she had, if it could be called that.

  #

  The city was larger than anything Owori had ever seen, stretching for miles and miles on end. Pearl explained the palace was at the center, surrounding the palace were districts allocated to each family, and beyond those walled sections was the rest of the city populated by the normal folks. There was a mixture of areas, both opulent and downtrodden, that they traveled accompanied by a steady stream of people going to and from businesses, homes, and marketplaces. They arrived at the palace unscathed but tired from the travel. It was at the front gates that Pearl and Owori parted ways, wanting to take no chances that Pearl would encounter trouble or questions from the Emperor. She needed to get to Safun anyway to meet Feln.

  The palace was a foreboding monstrosity built to be intimidating. The walls were high and thick, protected by hundreds if not thousands of soldiers. There were buildings in the distance, as well as a monument farther back on the property. Owori figured in time she would get to know every square foot of the palace and the grounds. Based on the size, it might take her a year. That was no deterrent, and with hesitant steps she moved forward. Time and distance passed as the entrance to the palace loomed in front of her. Nobles were coming and going, and as she came closer to the entrance, she realized that her life wouldn’t be the same. She didn’t know what would be expected of her other than what Pearl tried to tell her, nor did she know how well she would be received. The atrium was full of nobles dressed in finery. Administrators were dressed in black uniforms crested with golden dragons. The clothing was colorful and the styles of women’s hats were wide ranging from delicate to obnoxious, all sizes large and small. There was a great variety of dresses and Owori felt the clothes Pearl had given her were appropriate, perhaps a bit rumpled and lightly soiled from travel, but those conditions were hardly noticeable. The room was noisy and she saw that the attendees were standing in lines. She found one and stood in it, passing the minutes listening to the conversations. Most of it sounded like gossip, which she suspected was the norm. At times she would touch the blades hidden underneath her robes, and it occurred to her that being so armed could cause problems. The soldiers lining the perimeter of the room carried spears that were more decorative than dangerous. She counted five nobles that had short blades at their waist, the scabbard backwards on their right hip. One man who looked out of place had a katana draped over his shoulder. The assumption was weapons were permissible here. Anywhere else guests would be asked to disarm, she was sure of that.