Chapter 4

Remembrance

Waking on his own shortly after the mingled rays of the suns of Antares crested the eastern horizon, Gloag tried to think on what kind of day had just passed in Schan, but soon gave it up as friutless conjecture. For the nonce he must put all his faculties and efforts toward the here and now. And the now meant one of the eight square meals he so enjoyed in Zenicce, but had been so sadly lacking during the campaign in Mehzta. A few palines to munch on quickly evaporated what little head ache that resulted from the imbibing of too much Zond. Here Gloag stopped a moment and offered a prayer to Opaz that his friends Nath (so many Naths) and Zolta were safe in the Eye of the World, where the Zond had originated and thanks to King Zeg had been forwarded from. He had last seen those rascals at the royal wedding of Prince Drak (soon to be Emperor) and Lady Silda (correspondingly the Empress of puissant Vallia).

Ah but that peacful interlude had been brief, since word of the Shank invasion soon filtered out of the Island of Mehzta. Shanks of the Schturgin variety (four armed and red-blooded) had landed on the east coast and were rapidly steamrolling over the poorly organized defense forces. The loosely united confederacy had never been called upon to stop so great a menace before, even counting the infamous Chulik bid for supremecy hundreds of seasons ago. Well, that had resulted in a thumping defeat for the militaristic and tusked diffs but had resulted in a peace treaty that safe guarded Mehztan independence, from that quarter at any rate. In fact it had lead to several settlements of Chuliks on the coast and even in the sparsely settled interior. The Mehztans could fight but needed a leader to unite the loosely confederated chieftains, as must have happened when they repulsed their fierce foes from the south.

In the days following the wedding in Vondium Gloag had heard of the invasion and closeted himself with the new Emperor of Vallia and pled his case. Others included in this first meeting of crisis were Nath the Thief, Hap Loder, Prince Varden, Silda, and Dray Prescot. Both leaders from Segesthes immediately pledged to add to Drak’s Vallian forces that were soon promised. This was the making of the initial expeditionary force that the Mehztan would lead. Dray could not accompany it as he had unfinished with Csitra down in her Coup Blag in Pandahem. Gloag had the uncomfortable feeling that his Lord of Strombor was not surprised by news of the shocking events in his homeland and most disturbingly, seemed to have advance knowledge. But how could that be? Why had he not mentioned it to him if he had known? But there were many mysteries surrounding the man rapidly becoming known as the Warlord of Paz and Emperor of Emperors. Even back when Gloag had first met Prescot, he had known there something more to him than just his inordinate amount of yrium and being the Zorcander of Clansmen. Events in Ba-Domek had furthered this thought. Perhaps the Savanti gave his Lord the information, even though he had been tossed out of that paradise. Maybe there were powers beyond human ken, as Great-Aunt Shusha had hinted at. Powers that dwarfed even those of Aphrasoe. Gloag shuttered at the thought and came back to the present, for he had a meeting scheduled with that ancient woman , in spirit if not physically and it was time to ferret out Klarg for that very purpose!

As if reading Gloag’s mind the Chulik sorcerer emerged from his own spacious tent, apart from any others. Men such as he were often given wide berth! After a quick grip of forearms in greeting, the two comrades made their way down the coast, waving off their respective guards that attempted to perform their allotted duties. Wending inland a bit after a walk of half a bur, the two then climbed a short hill with a fairly commanding view of the coast and a ways inland. Gazing around the saw that the Schturgins dead were being burned in a massive pyre as had been the custom throughout this bloody war. But the fish stink took weeks to disperse. Maybe it was better that Prescot not be here, Gloag thought with a sudden grin. There were no prisoners now, especially after it was seen that they could not speak the language of Paz (could such hissing actually be speech?) and thus were useless to gain information on their homeland, hundreds of dwa-burs across the solemn gray sea, which crashed near the foot of the hill they were perched atop of. Gloag had personally overseen the distasteful business of their execution. He should not have known the tinge of remorse he felt, for weren’t these very Schturgins part of the same band of marauders that so mercilessly plundered his homeland? Yes, but they were men too, however cruel in the ways of war. But back to the business at hand.

"It is mid-day Gloag" declared Klarg "and I am ready to be a vessel for Shusha again. Perhaps one day you will tell me of this woman who so easily brushes aside my own powers and controls me wholly" Not that I mind, and I know she does so with my permission but still, it is disquieting.

"Klarg" stated the Mehztan, I will gladly relate all when time permits. Perhaps on our voyage into the unknown East? For I believe that to be where we next jorney, to carry the fight to Schan. But perhaps it won’t be Schturgins we fight. Shusha hinted as much and now we will hear from her herself. Are you prepared for lupu my friend?"

"As ready as two-tusked Chulik mage can ever be" grinned the diff in reply and immediately set to. As before, Shusha’s ib soon entered the mind of Klarg and she saw Gloag through the beady Chulik eyes.

Glancing skywards she note the high positions of the green and red orbs. "Right on time Gloag". Your punctuality and that of good Klarg is appreciated. For now is when my ib is most free to travel the astral and yes, the physical planes of Kregen. Are you ready for that journey I promised you" husked out the strong voice of the former Savapim? "As ever Shusha, I am at your service" Gloag almost bellowed, coming to a rigid posture of both attention and apprehension. "Very well you fambly. And I’m glad you knew enough not to call me your great-aunt, because I’m not" she cackled, in fiesty style.

"Opaz preserve me from this woman," Gloag thought inwardly as he perpared to follow Shusha’s instructions for the freeing of his ib and the ensuing journey around the curve of the planet. "I love her dearly but I fear for my sanity. What seasons of cruel warfare with foes almost beyond human comprehension could not accomplish, she has! Opaz give me strength."

Closing his eyes, atop the windy mesa, Gloag concentrated on ... nothing! As instructed he cleansed his mind of most every thing to make it receptive to the probings of Shusha, through the mind of Klarg. After awhile of hearing only the whistling of the wind and the roar of the wild surf, which both began to fade away by degrees, slowly the image of his long lost matriarch of Strombor materialized before him. But could this be Shusha? In place of the robust but ancient crone he had known back in Zenicce, there appeared before him, in a non substantive way, a glorious woman of less than a hundred years! Gone were the wrinkles that marred her skin. Long and rich was the onyx colored hair that used to hang languid and white. Full and voluptious was the curvacious body before him that used to be bent and withered. Long of leg, full of breast, and beautiful of features was Shusha.

Laughing at Gloag’s astonishment she once more exclaimed "close your mouth you hulu! I know you’ve ravished many a willing maiden or two that looked as I now do. But I know why you gape. For Gloag, this is what I should look like. What I did look like after my baptism in the Pool of Vanti, lo those hundreds of years ago. I was punished but have since claimed back what is mine. But that story can wait. We have a journey to make and Klarg will also be privy to the sights I show. He deserves at least that!"

With those words ringing in his ears the now close mouthed Gloag felt himself rising out of his body and flowing toward Shusha, now hanging meters above the rocky hilltop. Looking down he saw both himself and Klarg standing immobile, facing each other. "Come Gloag, we are off so that you will learn the true nature of the menace facing Paz. Something that even our missing Lord of Strombor can only guess at. Come, let us begin!"