Tylywoch ~ 28

Tylywoch ~ 28 Fighting Back… 

By Len Morgan

 Axen, the fourth member of stealth quad, returned with news that Galyx had gone to confront Glamhorten.

"We have to provide him with support," said Soren.

"The other three members of my quad are with him, as well as a captain Vadeem?"

"A good man!   He couldn't be in better company." Lieutenant Veille assured them.

"Galyx said they would be able to look after themselves, we should get to the Throne room in the palace to support the Empress and her guardians," said Axen, "an all-out attack is imminent, and despite rumours to the contrary the Empress still lives!"

A cheer went up from those within earshot, re-echoing as the news was passed on.

The spread of the news and the obvious boost it gave to the morale of all, was evident.

Schell looked to Veille, "What is our current position Lieutenant?"  

He squatted on his haunches and cleared a space in the dust at their feet with his poniard.   They gathered around, torches were hoisted above the spot.  

He inscribed a small cross with the point of his blade "We are here - Two floors above is the rear of the Throne room,  we should emerge about thirty yards from the rear entrance which will be heavily guarded on the outside."

"A quad will reconnoitre and report back before we move," said Schell, nodding to a quad leader who motioned to his men.   They moved out swiftly to complete their mission. 

.-…-. 

"There is a unit of two hundred men on call in a nearby suite of rooms, and a guard of ten permanently watching the door.   They are there to prevent escape, they are not positioned to defend themselves from without.   There have been several unsuccessful attempts to break into the Throne room, there is blood in the passage" the quad leader explained.   "The doors are heavy and solid, made of Ironwood which is not predisposed to take fire easily, the hinges are heavy and unmarked by previous attempts to break in.   I would suggest they are holed up in the safest place in the palace, there's no good reason to break them out at this time."

""Can we take out the guard & support units by stealth?" asked Schell.

.-…-. 

Glamhorten held out her arms to Galyx gesturing as if to draw him to her, like a fish on a line.   He walked slowly and purposefully towards her as if in answer to her beckoning.   She felt an inner thrill of excitement, if she could only get into his mind and turn him she would have accomplished something her people had attempted in vain for centuries, to gain access to the secrets of the Tylywoch.   She, would if successful become the 'Premier Bride' at a stroke.   His mind seemed strange, but it had submitted easily enough to her will, they embraced.   Maybe too easily she thought, alarm bells ringing, in her mind.   They kissed and she relaxed her poisoned lip balm was intended to bind him to her, ‘I have him, he's mine now,’ she thought. 

He felt the taint of infection, the beginnings of a non-reversible chemical reaction that would fix his addiction.   His lips tingled and burned, the heat spread rapidly to his mouth, throat, oesophagus, lungs, then into his bloodstream.   He had set in motion the body mechanisms to contain and counter its effects, but it spread so rapidly he was doubtful they would be successful.   He may have acted in time if the antidote were of sufficient potency…   Even as the thought flashed through his mind he remembered his purpose; ‘to protect and defend the empress’. 

She entered his mind, moving easily without let or hindrance, into his higher conscious mind.   'Who are you?' she asked.

'I am Kebu master, thirteenth warrior of the Natural Disasters, welcome to your release!' He replied.   "Death with Honour" he screamed with every sinew of his body fully expecting to die. 

"OOOH!"  She cried out involuntarily and hastened to escape from his mind but found the way barred.   She struggled, writhed and squirmed in her efforts to find a way through, but he held onto her as if they were fused as one.

"AAAAGH!"   She cried in fear and terror, she called out ferociously for Bedelacq to aid her, but nothing escapes his carefully crafted mind trap. 

He slid his blade into her back and inscribed a circle six inches in diameter, six inches deep severing veins arteries sinew and bone, effectively separating her heart from her body.   As he did so he released her from his mind trap.   "You fool!   I have escaped," she yelled in triumph, but it was short lived, in her haste to leave his mind she returned to her own body without checking it was still viable.   Once back inside her dying form, she discovered her error too late! There was insufficient life force remaining, to enable her to transfer to another host.  She was trapped and would suffer the fate of this ageing body.   In an instant, she relived her whole life and acknowledged her release.  

"Thank you" she whispered in his ear with her remaining breath.

Still supporting her now limp form, he thrust his arm into the hole in her back, grasped her heart, and tore it from her body, as Aldor had instructed him during the final sessions of his training as a Generalist.  

"The brides of Bedelacq, can only be released by separating the heart from their body."  He realised as he did so that he'd probably signed a death warrant for all those she had enslaved.   He remembered Vadeem had warned of her cry for help…   He looked down at the corpse, now ageing rapidly as if attempting to recoup stolen centuries.   He removed himself from the heap of putrefaction, in order to retain the contents of his stomach.

The heavy doors burst open and in came an eclectic collection of men and women. 

"She's dead!" he announced, raising her heart high.   "You can do nothing to aid her now.   There must be a way to ease your suffering and fight the addiction, but I can promise you nothing." He said in a neutral voice. 

A young soldier in his early twenties spoke for them, "we were forced into slavery far worse than anything you would believe, we have all done things we would like to forget, not willingly you understand, but we are far from proud of our actions.   Now you have freed us, and given us an opportunity to atone for those acts, you have earned our gratitude, and as best we can we will fight with you to eradicate the Surbatt from this land they have defiled!"   There were general murmurs of agreement from all the others, inside and outside the room.   When he looked he realised there were several hundred from all walks of life.

.-…-. 

Veille watched with admiration as the six quads, disguised in 9^th Clan Brown, moved amongst the sleeping enemy troops.   Silently and efficiently slitting the throats of the would-be killers of his cousin, and empress.   He felt no compassion or guilt for their demise.   There is no glory in warfare; he'd learned that in his first engagement, six months after receiving his commission.   The rule is kill or be killed.   If you are greatly outnumbered you reduce the odds in any way possible.  Half an hour later the work was complete.   The last to die were the guards, the bodies, 200+, were used to create a wall to barricade the door to the Labyrinth where others were still lost, they would find no escape this way.  His own men, now with 9^th Clan colours over their own red, took up the positions recently occupied by the hostile force and by so doing released the quads to disperse and carry out other covert operations. 

Veille and Schell stood in plain view of the rear door to the throne room.

"We need to speak with my cousin the empress and the Tylywoch commander" Lt Veille called out.   They waited several moments, then the door was unbarred to admit them.

After quick introductions and handshakes all round they explained what actions had been taken and their future plans. 

"As we speak there are quads engaged in acts of sabotage, damaging stores and equipment, poisoning food and water supplies, killing covertly, anything to demoralise and lower the morale of the foe.   Soon they will be jumping at shadows.  I've seen how Schell's quad's operate, they are impressive. With their help, I know we can win!" Veille enthused.

"What news from outside?" Ferrice asked. 

"There is a large 9^th Army outside the City, which is currently being held there at stale mate by a force commanded by General Aldor" said Schell. 

"He’s alive?”  The Empress smiled “I know who my money would be on." 

"We must get back!" said Schell.

"May chance never be a factor," said Ferrice as they left.  favouring him with a smile. 

.-…-. 

"How did he get away?" asked Weilla.

"It seems he abandoned his post momentarily to talk with a young woman.   When he returned his companions were gone."

"So, he reported back to the guard post?"

Amree nodded.

"Open up inside or we break down the door, then we will take no prisoners!"    The guard sergeant yelled.

"How many?" asked Weilla.

"Between fifty and sixty military, but there are others, the curious, trouble makers and the easily led and many more…"

"Too many to fight.   What Clan are they?"

"It's another mixed unit, about a third are from the 9^th," said Amree.

"Then I think I should try talking with them.   Tell the quad to leave now.  I will do what I can to sow the seeds of doubt in their minds.   You and Galt stay to give the illusion of normality."   She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.   "Open the door," she whispered.

"What do you want with us" Galt yelled into the square.

"You're Tylywoch, enemies of the empire," a faceless voice replied. 

"I am Tylywoch!" Weilla called from the shadows in a clear strong voice, "I am sworn to protect the Empress with my life, against all her enemies and any who plot against her.   This is and always has been the sole purpose of the Tylywoch and the 13^th Clan.   If she is dead, we have failed…" 

"You lie!   Your spawn are even now holed up in the Emerald palace, denying us the right to pay our respects and bury the Empress you have killed!" 

"They are holding the throne room, the oldest part of the palace.   If they are still holding, it can have only one meaning.   The Empress still lives!"   She paused for effect, conscious of discussions going on in the hidden places; she waited for the talking to subside before continuing.   "They are simply doing their duty, in this instance, protecting her from Surbatt assassins, who made this abortive attempt on her life.   I've no doubt the person to who I am speaking is a member of the Surbatt or he would already have acknowledged the truth of what I say.   Outside the palace, and even in this group here today the 9^th comprise a 3^rd  of its complement, in the palace, they are in even greater concentration, two in three.    There are tens of thousands of warriors from 9^th Clan outside the walls effectively, laying siege to the Eternal City.   Is that correct would you say?"   She spoke to the voice without reply.  

Weilla stopped talking and walked out into the sunlight.   A young woman, small in stature, apparently harmless and vulnerable.  

The voice in the crowd seemed to wake up.   "Emperor Taleen will cleanse the world of all you verminous outcasts!" he yelled.

"You see at last?   There it is, Emperor Taleen!" she paused for effect "they have no intention of assembling the Knodd as the law decrees, upon the death of a ruler.   You imply they will select Taleen over the other eleven nominees, do you know something we do not?" she left the question hanging a moment, after cleverly isolating the voice from the crowd.  "Obviously not!    Yet here you are talking of Emperor Taleen…?   If the Divine Light has been extinguished, there is no heir, and the Knodd must be assembled immediately!   Has this been done?"

"Kill her!"   The voice yelled full of anger and venom.   A dozen arrows sped toward her.  Weilla stepped neatly aside as if to avoid something she would rather not step in. 

Then stood, defiantly in full view.   "Will you try again?   Does the truth hurt you so…?" 

The volley was not repeated.

" I believe bloodshed can be avoided and common sense prevail.   There is an army of the 9^th Clan currently encamped outside the Eternal city, this was never meant to be.   Even so, the threat to peace is not from the 9^th, but from the Surbatt."   She became silent as the combined voice of the crowd rose in response.    Incredibly all around the square, Surbatt members and sympathisers were being disarmed.

"The word is spreading, truth cannot be stifled, it grows and spreads like a cleansing wind, banishing the fog of lies and deception, removing the mist of doubt and uncertainty revealing, in all it's clarity, that truth alone remains!"   She hurled the words with feeling and passion with the full force of her lungs, like javelins, throwing her arms wide in triumph as her missiles so obviously hit their intended mark.

(To be continued) 

Copyright Len Morgan