Fulgar - Second Vision
Gask, who was again dressed entirely in black robes, which hung from his slim shoulders and stretched to the floor, was to Fulgar’s right. His pale, thin neck popped out of his drab garb and struggled to support his massive orb-like head. Completely bald and tattooed with strange runes, Gask’s dome bobbed like an apple in water as he spoke, “My Lady, the Great Khan asks what you have discovered.”
“Nothing I would reveal to you, Gask; I will tell him only when I have understood his intentions – and yours!”
“Well, mine are simply to serve you both, as best I can,” Gask grovelled.
The Lady’s beautiful face became clear out of the darkness, lit suddenly by the glowing pale-purple light which sprung from Gask’s hand. Black painted, full lips, moving rhythmically as she spoke, eerily charming Fulgar, luring him into a world of love and lust. Dressed in dark furs and travelling clothes as well as a bejewelled, and strangely patterned headdress. It struck Fulgar that the patterns on the runestones bore significant resemblance to those he saw now woven on her headdress in precious metals. She was incredible.
Fulgar sensed they stood in a high place, though he could not tell where in the darkness. The wind moaned as it squeezed between the rocks that lay all around and which Fulgar could just make out, illuminated by Gask’s wizardry.
“Stop your flattery, Gask, it has no power over me; your soft words may placate the Khan, but I have suffered a lifetime of sycophants.”
“My Lady, I meant no offense,” Gask spluttered taking a slight pace backwards as the woman placed a hand on a sword hilt at her side.
“Tell the Khan that I will do his bidding, provided he finds the path. Tell him that the travellers know it well and that they will visit him soon.”
“Ah, they have already spoken to his eminence, Lady Chimeg.” It seemed it was Gask’s turn to take the upper hand. A horse whinnied briefly to Fulgar’s left and it seemed to distract the woman slightly. Oddly, Fulgar smelled no animals, indeed all his senses were dulled.
“Oh,” she muttered turning to look back, past Gask and into the distant night, “what did they bring?”
“They said there are many of the old amulets scattered through time and space that provide clues to the entrances – the beginnings; but we knew that, did we not Lady?” (An image of the amulet came to Fulgar’s mind.)
“Some of us did, yes…” she nodded before regarding the necromancer intensely, “what else?” she whispered menacingly.
“Well…” Gask chose his words carefully and with a tone bordering on patronising continued, “we have disrupted the honour cycle as the Khan was ordered to do by the Gods, but that has meant the old paths and their markers are more difficult to follow.”
“That was the will of Chih-Chiang Fyu-Ya; we stopped those prophesied to unravel the path from doing so. This has been a master ruse which has undermined Shang-Ti’s power and left their prayers go unanswered for years.
“Yes, but we have also affected how we might travel.”
“So? That is why the travellers came to the Khan! What more do you know?” Gask seemed indecisive, “there is one among the travellers who has an artefact of great power.”
“Go on…” her voice a mix of threat and wonder.
“Well,” Gask paused, seemingly to consider what he should divulge, “they gave the impression that it enables a more direct path to be followed – without the trials, if you will. It is complex and needs careful operation.” (The image of the artefact flashed into Fulgar’s mind.)
She sensed that Gask was hiding something, “You have it – this artefact?”
“Not yet,” Gask took a pace away from her, before turning back to hold her gaze, “the Khan is in negotiation with their leader…”
“But he means to secure it? At whatever cost?”
“He does,” Gask smiled before turning away again, “they too are looking for something or someone.”
As quick a lightning she reached forward and spun the mage around, “What do you mean, Gask?”
“They believe another traveller – not aligned to them – has power over the path.” Gask looked scared, as if he was about to lose his pendulous orb. Chimeg’s composure returned and she stepped backwards, “Power?” she asked in a whisper.
“Yes, Lady, though they were reluctant to reveal more; it seems whilst this creature lives, he can block their access to the temples.”
“And why do they need the temples? What do they seek?”
“Oh, I think they are very much aligned with your cause, Lady Chimeg, but – perhaps – on a larger scale.” Gask was clearly dripping information like tasty morsels to a hungry dog. So, was this Gask’s power – his understanding of the paths?
“What do you mean?”
“I think they wish to unleash those ancient powers across all dimensions. In fact, I believe that we are merely the proving ground. They have a specific target in mind, once our work is done.”
“How does this sit with the Gods?” The question hung in the air between them.
“I have no idea, Lady, perhaps your priests might know?”
Chimeg glowered again menacingly, “Does the Khan not think the Gods might be concerned if their power is wielded by others?”
“I do not think the Khan has given it any thought, Lady Chimeg; he is determined to unite the world for Chih-Chiang Fyu-Ya and, if that means ridding it of followers of Shang-Ti or any others that stand in his way, so be it. He also knows that the ancient folk will need to be destroyed too – they have power we could harness”
“That is no concern of mine; actually, Gask, leave me out of your plans, they do little more than disgust me.” She turned to end the conversation and seek her mount in the darkness.
“Oh, but they will, Lady; all here will be affected. The blood and corpses of all creatures will be needed to harness the powers of the deepest realms.”
Snapping back, Chimeg’s tone again became menacing, “That is not my understanding of the prophesies – killing one Hengeyokai and one Human, does not mean the destruction of all. In fact, let us follow them – the hunter and the guardian – that way we could learn much.”
“We do not need to now, my Lady, we have the travellers and their artefact.”
A light began to seep into the world; a dull red glow spread like blood on parchment, replacing the pools of darkness with a colour no less threatening. Fulgar realised he stood before the caves, in the Khöndii. A little to one side was a horse and a few hundred yards further towards the valley below were 6 more Karash. Mounting her black steed, Chimeg looked back at the necromancer and said, “We shall see how far these travellers can be trusted and what becomes of your plans, Gask. By the end of this day, I will be free of my bonds, and we will be closer to unleashing a power not seen here for over a hundred and fifty years.”
“It will come here, my Lady?” Gask held open his arms to imply the Kondii.
“Yes, here,” Chimeg pointed to the central cave just behind where Fulgar thought he stood. The cave marked with a symbol, not yet know to Fulgar.
“But that is the mark of Shang-Ti, is it not?”
“Yes, my ill-educated wielder of dark magic, that is the mark of a God in their ancient tongue; a mark that will be broken as the creatures of the underworld rise up once more and spill forth from this cave, in this holiest of places.”
“How will you bring them if not through the blood of the creatures of this land? How, across the protection of Shang-Ti himself, will they come?”
“Because I have opened this gate, Gask, and hidden it in plain sight. I, Chimeg Gan, have done this so that my son will be Khan and rule a dynasty stretching across this and many other worlds.” As she spoke the woven pattern on her headdress glowed gold in the red-shaded gloaming. That is my bargain, Gask, I have done this and will betray my family to ensure my son has his glory.”
“This gate is open…” Gask said to himself almost in wonder, then raised his voice, “And we will join it through blood and souls to the darkest temple.” Chimeg wrestled the spirited horse to keep it pointing at Gask, rather than hurtling off down the slope to the valley below, “Join it with your new friend’s artefact! Save the blood and souls so that they have something on which to feast when they arrive, other than Gask the Bloody!”