Magi'i of Cyador

CV

THE EMPEROR LEANS forward in the malachite and silver chair that dominates the smaller audience hall. His eyes are hard as he fixes them upon the First Magus. “If you would, most honored of Magi’i, explain just how you plan to make this barrier work, and how long the process will take.”

Chyenfel bows. “But, of course, Your Mightiness. All know that there are chaos towers that confine the Accursed Forest. As you have been informed, of the dozen towers that once enfolded the Forest, three have failed. Two of thosewere at the cardinal points of the wall. Where once every tower station at the cardinal points had two functioning towers, now only the south and west stations have two towers. The other failed chaos tower is the northeast midpoint tower, and that has meant forcing more chaos energy through the cupridium cables on the northeast ward-wall. That requires more chaos energies precisely from the cardinal point tower stations most burdened. Thus …” the First Magus shrugs, “ … the barrier on that wall is not so strong as on the other walls, and there have been more attempts by the Accursed Forest to break through the wards there.”

In the far more modest malachite chair behind the Emperor’s shoulder, Ryenyel sits, her eyes not upon the First Magus nor upon the Majer-Commander of Mirror Lancers, but, once again, upon Bluoyal, the Merchanter Advisor to the Emperor of Light.

“We will use the remaining power in the towers to create a barrier,” Chyenfel continues, “a barrier like that which separates the inner part of a tower from the outer, and that barrier will also place a slumber-ward, if you will, over all of the Accursed Forest. We think re-setting the chaos fields to do this will take a good two-score mages. It will take a season to assemble all that is necessary, and but an afternoon to accomplish it.”

“If it can be done,” suggests the Emperor.

“So you should be able to move the towers by the fall if His Mightiness agrees to this now?” asks Bluoyal quietly.

All faces turn to the merchanter advisor at his interruption. To Bluoyal’s right, Rynst nods slightly, almost as if urging the merchanter to go on.

“We are seeing more pirate attacks upon our trading vessels,” the heavy trader continues. “Yet we understand that we can expect less support from the fireships and fewer Mirror Foot on our ships with firelances. For generations, those chaos towers have sat around a forest that hasn’t caused a shade of the trouble that the barbarians or the pirates have, all because the ancients thought there was something there. So a few.wild creatures escape, and a few cattle and sheepare killed. It would be far cheaper to pay for the lost livestock, and move the lancers and the towers to where they can do real good.”

“If you may recall,” offers Chyenfel, “no chaos tower can be moved, unless it was placed in something that contains it and can be moved, such as a fireship. The records and history are quite clear on that. They are also quite clear on the dangers of the Forest.”

“Has anyone tried to move them in, say, the past five generations?” counters Bluoyal.

“Which one would you like to lose, honored merchanter? If we try to move one surrounding the Forest, we cannot contain the wild order, even under the new barrier. Why would we wish to move any of the others?”

“I was not thinking of the others, most honored First Magus.”

“As we have told the Emperor before, although you may have missed such, honored advisor on trade and commerce, the towers will still be there, although none will be able to see or sense them.”

“Not sense them?” Bluoyal raises his bushy eyebrows.

“They and the wards will be twisted so that they will not quite be as they are … or that they do not appear as such, more precisely.”

The Emperor of Light frowns. “If the towers … vanish … will this not alarm the people? You had not mentioned this aspect of your barrier. What of the lancers?”

“We would see no need of the present numbers of lancers,” answers Chyenfel cautiously.

“So that they could be moved northward, or placed on the new sail-powered warships?” interjects Bluoyal.

“That would be the decision of His Mightiness, in consultation with the honored Majer-Commander,” replies the First Magus.

“A moment.” Toziel lifts his hand. “Let me make this most clear. You are telling me that unless I agree to your plan, I will have no choice?”

“Sire …” Chyenfel offers patiently. “You have no choice.If you try to move the towers, they will fail, and the Accursed Forest will reclaim much of eastern Cyador. If you do nothing, the towers will fail within years, if not sooner, and the Forest will do the same.”

Toziel looks at the perspiring magus. “I cannot say that I am pleased with the performance of the Magi’i.”

“Sire … this day has been foretold from the very first. You have read the original writings of the Firstborn ….”

“And I would be the man to be Emperor when it may occur?” Toziel’s words are like cold cupridium. “So … for how many more years will your plan confine the Accursed Forest, so that Cyador may continue to prosper?”

“Sire … as you know, we would use all the power in the Towers to create a barrier, the slenderest barrier of time passing, and by doing so, we would layer order and chaos about the Forest, and place the Forest in a type of sleep, so that it would come to resemble a normal forest ….”

“You have told me that. How long?”

“Twenty-five to thirty score years, we would judge-if … if, no one brings a focused order or chaos of that same magnitude to the ward-walls.”

“How could that occur, if there is no other source of focused chaos or order besides the chaos towers-which are failing-and the Forest which you will lull into an enchanted sleep?”

“We know of no such way, sire.” Chyenfel bows.

“As you say … I have no choice. Let it be done.” Toziel stands. “We will not visit this issue again.” He turns and moves toward the exit from the chamber.

A smile flits across Bluoyal’s face, a smile noted by Ryenyel alone before she turns to follow her consort.

Rynst’s cold eyes scan first Bluoyal and then the First Magus. The three advisors remain standing in place until the chamber is vacant of imperial presence.

As is their custom after the audience with the advisors, the Emperor and his consort return to the Empress’s salon, where she seats herself on the white divan.

Toziel studies his consort. “I do believe we have finallyhad enough meetings on the barrier for the Accursed Forest so that Chyenfel can create it without interference.”

“You could have ordered him to proceed a year ago,” Ryenyel points out, “were it not for other considerations.”

“Folk-even high advisors-must talk and talk and repeat themselves until they are confortable with an idea, for if they are not …”

“The delay is greater,” Ryenyel finishes drily.

“And I must appear almost dense, as if forced into acceding to the plan.” Toziel shakes his head.

Faint smiles appear on both their faces.

“And all the Magi’i had to understand that the towers there will fail.”

“You mean Kharl and Liataphi … perhaps Kien,” she suggests.

“Kien understands. He always has. He prefers to advise, and stand in the shadows. That is why he will never seek to be First Magus. Or even Third.”

“Many would not agree.”

Toziel grins at her. “But you do, and I trust your judgment.” The grin fades, and he paces to the window. There he looks out at the heavy spring rain for a time before he turns and speaks again. “Each eightday we delay, we risk failure of another tower, and the chance that the Accursed Forest will leap the wards beyond our ability to contain it.”

After a silence, the Empress-consort speaks. “Rynst now understands that Bluoyal only wishes the towers and the lancers in order to support the merchanters’ trading ships. He also understands that while he cannot brook Chyenfel, the First Magus can be trusted far more than the Second. Or the Third.”

“Only now?” Toziel snorts. “Or is it that he fears Bluoyal more than the Magi’i?”

“Bluoyal walks a narrow and dangerous path, trying to ensure that the lancers and the Magi’i do not see that their interests are closer to each other’s than to his.” She reaches for the goblet of spring water on the table, nearly draining it in a single swallow.

“They see that. They have always seen that.” The Emperor’s smile is cold. “But neither can afford to trust the other allied to Bluoyal. Yet they know that both Magi’i and Lancers are few outside of the three cities. They cooperate like a pair of giant cats against a pack of night leopards. Most carefully.”

“And when the towers fail?” she questions.

“There will be towers after we are gone,” Toziel answers.

“Not many, and not for long. You hesitate to answer?”

“You know, as do I, my dear. There will need to be more lancers against the barbarians, but the Magi’i who can draw chaos from around them will be far fewer.” He shrugs. “That will make each more powerful individually, but the families far less so, and there will be fewer. Bluoyal’s successors will find they still need lancers, but not until many perish, and more than a few vessels are lost.”

“Little will change,” she prophesies.

“The appearances will not, but the emperors to come must either be powerful Magi’i or inspire loyalty within the Mirror Lancers, for either lancers or Magi’i can destroy an Emperor. Yet they must have the support of the Merchanters, for without that there will not be the golds to support the Mirror Lancers.”

“Bluoyal is coming to believe that he can decide who will succeed you, even now. I wonder if he holds the Brystan sabre in reserve … or the man who does.”

“That part of the riddle has not surfaced.” Toziel sinks onto the divan beside her, breathing slightly heavily.

“No,” she replies, “but it will. Bluoyal already believes that the merchanters will purchase the Palace of Light in years to come.”

“For a season, perhaps, in two generations. Sooner, if we fail, and blood will stain the sunstone so deeply it will not be removed, should that occur.” He studies her drawn face. “You give too much to me.”

“What else would I do, dearest? We know there is no one else.”

“Not yet.” Her fingers rest lightly on his cheek.