Chapter 30

"This is our opportunity!" Lord Uras boomed, slapping the back of his hand against the map. "We may never get one again. Duric's army could be a match for them."

"I am sure there is a very good reason why Lord Duric has not marched yet," said Lord Tarras, his hands folded behind his back.

"Then why is he not here to explain himself? I have not seen him for three days now!"

"He is consulting with the other Lords. That takes time."

"With all of them? What could he possibly..." Uras trailed off. His eyes widened, and he shook a finger at his fellow Lord. "He better not be giving any more credence to that ... that fairy tale Roquan told him!"

Tarras turned more fully towards him. "Have you not heard the latest, Uras?"

"I did not bother myself with it. The very idea that Portals could be opened without a focus is sheer madness!"

"I will take that as a 'no.' Allow me to enlighten you..."

Tarras recounted what Duric had told him of his last contact with Roquan. The Overlord had conveyed everything that had happened with Jollis, and the subsequent proof that he had arrived without the benefit of a focus.

For a moment, there was genuine anxiety in Uras' eyes. In the next breath, however, he waved his hand in dismissal, though his voice betrayed worry. "Oh, now, that's just circumstantial. It has to be."

"Nevertheless, Lord Duric sees it as a viable threat, enough to warn the other Lords."

Lord Uras frowned. "And since when is he suddenly in charge of the other Noble Lords?"

"Since he became the heir apparent to the Oceanus throne. More likely, he did not want to deal with convincing you of the merits of the case." Tarras turned away and approached the window, which looked out over a small courtyard. The Lords had gathered in a small palace belonging to a lesser noble clan, one indentured to Tarras' clan. It was a half-day's travel to the base camp of Duric's army.

"He did not ... he ... oh, come now, Tarras! I am not some ogre that..."

The door to the chamber opened. Lord Duric strode in, his booted feet echoing off the stone floor.

Uras immediately turned to him. "It is about time you showed up!"

"Uras, you seem to have made that your standard greeting for me now," said Duric with a tiny smile. "Perhaps that will start a trend towards a new formal protocol."

Tarras turned away from the window and did not both hiding his grin.

Uras looked between the two of them and shook his head. "How anyone can see humor in any of this is beyond me."

"Have you finished contacting the other Lords, Duric?" asked Tarras.

"Yes. They are less than enthusiastic about what I had to tell them."

"I can imagine."

"It doesn't help that the Mage Guild appears to be in the midst of an internal power struggle."

Uras frowned. "And just how do you come to that conclusion?"

"As I got to the end of the list, some of the first Lords I spoke with Farviewed me back," Duric explained. "They had tried to confirm it themselves with the Guild. Those that contacted Mages other than the Guildmaster got confused replies. Those that contacted the Guildmaster directly got a vehement denial."

Tarras' face darkened. "That is not good."

"Tell me about it. We need a united Mage Guild in case we need help in taking measures against this threat."

"And just what measures can be taken even if this were true?" Uras demanded. "If this enemy of yours can put a Portal anywhere they please, it hardly matters what we do."

Duric raised a hand. "Not quite anywhere, Lord Uras. Only in places that a slave has been."

"And that could be anywhere in the palace! I personally tend to have my slaves at my side wherever I go."

"Yes. Wherever you go in the palace." Duric sat down at the table and searched among the rolled-up map scrolls off to the side. "The places where Portals can be opened is limited. We know what those places are. We will simply not have the Noble Lords in those places."

"You cannot be serious!"

Tarras stepped forward. "I must admit, Duric, that asking the Lords to simply abandon their Palaces is hardly a long-term solution. While a Lord's power is vested more in his title than his location, the Palace is a symbol, and symbols are important as I have pointed out."

Duric took a moment to partially unroll a few scrolls until he found the one he wanted. He unrolled it completely and stood. It was a more detailed depiction of Imperial-held territories and the lands immediately surrounding them. "I know. And I am not asking them to abandon their palaces, not permanently."

"Would you care to speak a little more plainly?" Uras asked in irritation.

Duric looked up. "It's really quite simple. The claim is that this enemy can read the thoughts of people and use that to project a Portal to a place that those people have been. So we get the Noble Lord out of the place that slaves have been long enough to create places they have not been."

Uras frowned and turned to Tarras. Tarras considered but also came up empty. "I do not follow you," said Tarras.

"All they have to do is build something additional on the Palace grounds. Something easily defensible that can be isolated from the rest of the structure. The Lord conducts his business there. He remains at the Palace, and the power of that symbol is intact. Meanwhile, men-at-arms are stationed outside the Palace on around-the-clock shifts, ready to move in and retake the Palace if and when the strike comes."

Tarras slowly smiled. "Brilliant."

Duric grinned. "Yes, I rather thought so, too. It's just too bad that the Mage Guild is not a source of assistance. With their help, we could put these measures in place much more quickly than with manpower alone."

Uras snorted. "I cannot believe that any Lord would wish to give up the luxury of his suite inside his own Palace!"

"Perhaps not. So I suggested some other courses of action as well. Tunnels could be built to allow a quick escape. Or even just rearranging the interior walls may be sufficient to make the location look different enough that the Portal will fail to open."

"That is a rather big assumption to make," Tarras said.

"But it's all I've got to work with. Either way, we're covered. So, yes, an invasion might catch a few Lords off guard, but hopefully not many."

"If Mage help is needed, perhaps Overlord Roquan could Farview his contact again and request assistance that way. One assumes that there is some faction in the Guild that is both 'in the know' and willing to assist."

"I'll do that just before I leave. But as long as the Noble Lords heed the call to leave their Palaces for a short while, we will be okay, perhaps until this war is over and we no longer have that distraction."

"And are we actually going to have an end to this war?" Uras demanded.

Duric looked at him squarely. "That's the part you'll like, Lord Uras. I will be ordering the army to move out in the morning."

"So you are to attack?" Tarras asked.

"Yes. I've already given the orders, so I must make for base camp shortly in order to arrive before dark."

"It is about time!" Uras declared.

"I've had a good reason for waiting, Lord Uras, and if it were not for what Roquan had told me, I would be waiting still. I am very suspicious of the way this new attack to the north is being conducted."

"Why is that?" Tarras asked.

"Because he is moving two legions instead of one."

Tarras considered. "He cannot sustain the incursion very far with only one. Does it not make sense for him to use two?"

"Not from the pattern we've seen. The Emperor would never compromise his strength. And the man commanding the Imperial forces to the north is shrewd. It would be unlike him to leave the Imperial lands weak, despite how badly he might wish the firepower to conduct the attack he truly wanted to perform."

"Oh, now, hang on!" Uras said. "How do you purport to know the mind of this Lord General?"

Duric pointed to some annotations on the map. "Because he originally had three legions arranged in a classic knife-thrust and moving-flank arrangement, perfect for a long term campaign."

Tarras smiled. "So you did read those scrolls I recommended."

Duric nodded and smiled in return. "They were quite helpful, yes." He slid his finger across the map. "So then he disrupted this arrangement to attack Talrad Pass instead, but intelligence showed that he was not with that contingent. He stayed behind and let a lesser Commander handle it. Good in his own right, yes, but he was no Rithas. Thus I conclude that this was not Rithas' doing. Most likely the Emperor ordered the attack against the Overlord Manor, and the Lord General wished nothing to do with it, as he wanted to stick to the original plan."

Uras looked dubious, but Tarras nodded enthusiastically. "And it appears you also read the scrolls on the psychology of war. That is some very fine reasoning, Lord Duric. Perhaps the Lord General's pride got the best of him, and thus blinded him to the danger of taking both legions."

"Yes, that's certainly true. But if that was the case, would he not have arranged both legions side-by-side? Not as effective as three, but still better than one."

Tarras frowned faintly. "You mean he isn't?"

Duric shook his head. He pointed to a red "X" on the map just to the north of the Imperial territories. "The Emperor's forces have engaged the Appalanchian Lords' defending army here, at this town. But only one legion. The other..." He slid his finger below the "X" and made a circle. " ... is here somewhere."

Both Tarras and Uras leaned and peered at the map. Uras was not sure of the conclusion, as he was not at all versed in military matters, and the frustration showed on his face. Tarras, by contrast, observed with a thoughtful look.

"I don't like it," said Duric. "Rithas may be up to something."

Tarras looked up. "So why are you attacking now and not waiting any longer?"

"Why not attack now?" said Uras. "He has four full legions in play to the north. That is one too many to keep the Imperial lands properly defended. That much I understand."

"Did you not hear him? He is not sure about that last legion."

"But I am sure that if we wait too long, those two that went through Talrad Pass will return!"

"Those legions are scattered about the countryside searching for someone or something. It will take them two or three days to form ranks again. They have also taken heavy casualties and will be low on supplies. They are likely understrength and not worth more than one legion in firepower. And it would take them nearly a half-moon to march back to Imperial lands and cross over to the east to protect the Imperial Palace. And they will be exhausted when they arrive."

"Still, Lord Tarras, one might be enough to tip the balance," said Duric. "So Lord Uras has a point. I refuse to let the war descend into a battle of attrition, not when we have this other potential threat."

Tarras nodded. "I believe I see your approach. You want to take the throne quickly and unite Oceanus against this threat."

"Yes, exactly."

"And the unknown factor? The remaining legion unaccounted for?"

"A chance we'll have to take. I have already contacted the Appalanchian Lords and requested they do a 'fighting retreat.'"

Uras glowered. "And I thought we were done with this nonsense of giving up land to them!"

"Notice I said 'fighting, ' Lord Uras," Duric said. "I simply want to draw the Emperor's forces further north, and hopefully that 'mystery' legion with it."

"How long do you estimate it will take your army to reach the Imperial lands?" asked Tarras.

"A little under a quarter moon. I am hoping to maintain the element of surprise. Since the war officially started, we were able to sweep the lands of most Imperial patrols and agents. We hope to get within a day or two travel of the border before being discovered. We have paid the merchants handsomely to keep information of our movements quiet."

Uras let out a windy sigh of relief. "A quarter moon and this nightmare will be over. Well done!"

"Lord Uras, it will take longer than that to actually storm the Imperial lands and take the Palace," said Duric. "But we cannot take more than another quarter moon after that. So yes, it will not be long."

"But this is our last chance, is it not?" Tarras asked. "We are committing everything to this campaign."

Duric nodded solemnly. "Yes. All or nothing. If we fail, our forces will be too weak to attempt this again anytime soon. We may stave off a new Imperial offensive, but it will leave Oceanus split. Neither side may gain the upper hand for the foreseeable future."

"That will not happen!" Uras declared. "This will be the end of it. No more! Z'haas will be finished. He will be no more than a footnote in history."

Tarras turned to him. "On the contrary, Z'haas should be well-remembered. His reign should be taught to the generations that will follow us. If people do not learn history, especially the mistakes that have been made, they will be made over and over again."

"So long as there is a history to be told, Lord Tarras," said Duric. He rolled up the map and gathered the other scrolls as well. "I must be off. I will Farview you as soon as I have the chance."

Uras clasped him hard on the shoulder. "Good luck to you, Lord Duric."

Tarras walked up to him and clasped his other shoulder. "Good luck, Duric. Let us be calling you Emperor Z'garon the next time we meet."

Duric smiled at the two Noble Lords before he exited.

This corridor in the Mage Guild was rarely used. The last time any footfalls were heard here was over a century ago, when Guildmaster Torrusa "Mad Mage" Q'rostan was called to task for his bouts with mental instability that he refused to have treated by the Guild Healer.

Yet the corridor was pristine. The marble floor shone as if it had just been polished. Not a speck of dust nor a strand of cobweb could be found. A preservation spell kept this place in this perpetual condition of neatness, just for such occasions.

Guildmaster Q'ixanna marched down this corridor, a scowl etched into his ancient face. His eyes blazed, small and narrow, focused on the great double bronze doors ahead. Small, heatless lamps flickered dimly beneath portraits of past Guildmasters, going back to before Oceanus even existed. Each one cast his or her dour look into the sepulchral atmosphere.

Those that had been brought to Oversight but were exonerated bore a sash of blue silk across his portrait. Those that had been removed from office, a red sash. Then there was the extremely rare purple sash. This one represented a Guildmaster that had been removed, refused to recognize the authority of the court, and eventually was taken down by another in a Mage Duel.

Q'ixanna ignored them until he came upon the doors. He stopped and turned his head, and gazed upon his own visage captured in paint and oil canvas. His bore a white sash, which it would remain until his fate was decided.

The Guildmaster's eyes narrowed to mere slits. He turned towards the doors and gestured. The doors blew open violently, swinging on their great hinges and smashing against their stops with reverberating clangs like two gongs slightly out of tune with each other.

Q'ixanna stepped forward and beheld the Great Tribunal Hall. A high, vaulted ceiling soared over head. From long chains hung great and ancient lamps of wrought iron. Mage-light glowed within them, casting a muted blue-white light.

Ahead of him, just inside the door, was a huge chair. It was carved from marble and sat upon a small dais, much like a throne. It had no cushioning whatsoever. It was symbolic. It was grandiose and opulent to indicate respect for the title borne by the one that sat upon it, and hard and uncomfortable to sit in to represent the scrutiny to which the office of Guildmaster was about to be subjected.

A single, low marble table ran in a semicircle about throne. It merged with the walls on either side, diving the room in two. On the other side, facing the throne, sat the twenty-three Mage Elders, the ones that would level the charges and decide the fate of the Guildmaster.

Just beyond the table stood a podium, for those that were called to testify before the court. Beyond the podium, in straight rows at wooden tables, sat any Mage that wished to attend the proceedings, or that might be called to testify. This was the one egalitarian event at the Mage Guild. Every Mage from lowly Apprentice to High Master was allowed to bear witness. Yet the Traditionalists and Empiricists had self-segregated themselves, the latter occupying their own table.

Uroddus was among them, sitting quiet and still.

The echo of the doors faded. Q'ixanna stared at the Mage Elders, as if daring them to justify their actions. He knew that once a court was called, he was bound to suffer its proceedings. All the Elders looked impassively at him.

The Guildmaster let out a long sigh. He gestured in irritation behind him, and the great doors swung shut with a deafening thud. Glowering at the Mage Elders, he lowered himself into his seat.

A Mage near the center of the semicircle rose. "I, Tristo Q'land, have been chosen to be spokesperson for these proceedings. If I may?"

"Get on with it," Q'ixanna growled.

Q'land slipped on a pair of tiny spectacles and unrolled a scroll before him.

"We, the Elders of the Mage Guild of Oceanus," he began in a clear, ringing voice. "Do hereby sanction and convene this Court of Oversight in year two-one-seven After Founding against Guildmaster Wytho Q'ixanna, for actions in possible violation of the Mage Guild Charter. The charges are as follows:

"One: That he forced a competent and healthy Mage Elder into retirement against his will and for no justifiable reason.

"Two: That he willfully withheld information critical to both the business of the Guild and to the security of Oceanus.

"Three: That he acted in an exceedingly authoritarian manner well beyond what is prudent and expected in running the Mage Guild." Q'land peered over his spectacles. "Guildmaster, how say you as to your belief in the merit of these charges, yea or nay?"

"Nay!" Q'ixanna shouted. "To every last one of them!"

"Very well. According to the Rules of Oversight, each charge will be debated and a vote taken. A unanimous vote is required for a charge to be accepted. It has been agreed that the results of these votes will be as follows..."

Q'land dropped his eyes to the scroll.

"With no charges accepted, the Guildmaster is fully exonerated.

"With one charge accepted and two negated, the Guildmaster will be censured and must provide a redress against the charge.

"With two charges accepted and one negated, the Guildmaster will be censured and suspended from his duties for a period not exceeding one moon. At that time, the Court will reconvene and decide whether to remove the Guildmaster from office permanently or restore his power fully.

"With three charges accepted and none negated, the Guildmaster will be removed from office permanently." Q'ixanna glowered as Q'land closed the scroll and looked up. "Before I open debate on the first of the charges, do you wish to make a statement?"

"Only to refute these ludicrous charges and call for an immediate Vote of Cessation!" Q'ixanna declared. "This is nothing more than a twisted attempt to gain political power at the Guild. Blatant and poorly executed. And I hardly need to answer the first charge. My supposed accuser is not even here! If Q'yros is so enamored of retirement that he would not bother to attend these proceedings, I cannot be expected to be called to task for it."

"It is my understanding that Q'yros is ill, Guildmaster," said Q'land.

"And perhaps that is all the more reason for his retirement."

Several Mage Elders nodded as if in agreement.

"Your first charge is that I forced a healthy Mage Elder to retirement. And now you tell me that he is ill. Your very words contradict the charge!"

"Here, here!" called out another Mage.

Q'land sighed as he peered at the others. "Respectfully, Guildmaster, fellow Mages, debate has not opened yet." He looked at Q'ixanna. "Please continue with your statement."

"And as for the second charge, it is I that has the most experience of everyone in this room concerning the Portal device artifact."

Uroddus coughed. Next to him, Katla jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow.

"I shall not have others presuming that they know more than me on this subject and hence presume they can tell me what I can or cannot do with this information!"

Again, a few Mage Elders nodded, though fewer this time.

"And as for the third, and the most ridiculous of all of them, I am granted whatever powers I see fit in discharging the duties of my office. Republicanism did not work for Oceanus and it does not work here."

Q'land nodded. "Thank you. As per your demand and your right, I will call for a Vote of Cessation among the Elder Mages. Indicate 'aye' if you agree to cease these proceedings and exonerate the Guildmaster now, 'nay' if you do not."

He called each Mage in turn, added his own vote, and tallied. Uroddus frowned as he heard more "aye" votes than he cared to, but the end result was satisfactory.

"The final tally," announced Q'land. "Nineteen 'nay, ' four 'aye, ' no abstentions. A supermajority of sixteen or more deny the request and thus wish to proceed. Vote of Cessation is not carried."

Q'ixanna glowered at the court and clenched his teeth. "Very well. We will continue to waste time."