13 Day War (28 page)

“We are not in the Cordonia that we expected to be in,” answered the black-cloak. “We are in a false Cordonia.”

General Ross raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Is this all an illusion of some kind? Are the Alcean mages talented enough to accomplish something like that?”

“It is not an illusion,” answered the mage. “What you see and feel around you is real. It just is not the Cordonia that we expected. It is something that I cannot explain.”

General Ross did not like the answer, but he accepted it. “What about the portals in Paso and Carid?”

“All four of them are just like the ones in Darcia,” answered the black-cloak. “The portals have been physically removed and taken away.”

“So there is some kind of life in this Cordonia,” stated General Haggerty. “Someone took those portals and hid them.”

The black-cloak merely nodded.

General Ross started writing messages, and the black-cloak stood patiently waiting. When General Ross was done, he slid two papers across the table to the mage.

“These are orders for Team Paso and Team Carid,” explained General Ross. “I want you to understand them before you take them so that you can tell General Testa and General Nunes that they mean exactly what they say.”

The black-cloak nodded in understanding.

“Both teams are to cease their march on Kantor and set up permanent camps where they are,” declared General Ross. “While our armies can survive by foraging, it makes no sense to gather sixty-thousand men in one place. The forest would not support such a large gathering. I want you to explain to the generals what we have discussed here. I want them to be fully informed of our situation. I also want the black-cloaks assigned to those armies to start surveying the land around them in ever widening circles. I want to be informed immediately of any sighting of people or structures, anything that would indicate life in this Cordonia.”

“I will arrange for daily reports from my people,” promised the black-cloak.

General Ross nodded and waved the mage away. The black-cloak turned and left the tent.

“I do not like to be around them,” General Haggerty said softly after the mage was gone.

“That is how they like it,” General Ross replied. “They carry an aura of fear around them at all times. It is meant to make people uneasy in their presence. Once you know about it, it becomes easier to handle.”

“Do you think they will find any life here?” asked General Haggerty.

“I don’t know,” frowned General Ross, “but they will continue searching until they do, even if they have to search all of Alcea.”

“All of Alcea?” echoed General Haggerty. “I am not sure that I understand your words. Do you think they made all of Alcea disappear?”

“I am not sure what to think,” admitted General Ross, “but I have sixty-thousand men under my command. I have to start thinking about how to protect them.”

“But no enemy has even been sighted,” General Haggerty said in confusion. “Who are you trying to protect them from?”

“Themselves,” answered General Ross, “or each other. You and I can sit here calmly and discuss this problem, but do not expect the men to react the same way. If they think that there is no chance of returning home to their loved ones, things will get rather ugly here. We have to be prepared for that.”

“What are you saying?” gasped General Haggerty. “You can’t possibly mean that we will never return home?”

General Ross sighed. He had thought that he could rationally discuss the situation with the Ertakan general, but Haggerty’s emotional response disappointed him.

“We could start the men building ships,” General Ross said with a hint of false optimism in his voice. “There is plenty of wood, and I suspect more than a few of the men have worked in shipyards at one time or another, but that is a plan for the future. Right now we need to let the mages gather information.”

General Haggerty nodded enthusiastically. “You shouldn’t scare me like that. Sometimes I can’t tell when you are joking.”

General Ross smiled silently at the Ertakan general. Ross was fairly sure that if the mages found no life in all of Alcea, there would be none in Zara either. Wherever they were, the mage had made it clear that man had not walked these lands before. Ross could not quite comprehend the whole situation, but he suspected that he was in a different world than the one he had known before. The only way of completely understanding their predicament rested in speaking to one of the elusive Alceans they had come to kill. That thought did not please the Force Cordonia leader.

* * * *

Kaz glided through the night sky and landed on the Gortha-Trekum Road north of the Sordoan city of Gortha. Alex instructed the unicorn to ride northward as the Knight of Alcea tried to get mentally prepared for an infiltration of the Federation camp. After they had ridden a short ways, a tiny blue head poked out of Alex’s pocket.

“Are we there yet?” whispered the fairy.

Alex smiled. “Do we look like we are surrounded by twenty-thousand Federation soldiers?”

Bitsy squirmed out of the pocket and leaped to Alex’s shoulder. “I was just asking,” retorted the fairy. “Have you decided on a way into the camp yet?”

“I think I have,” Alex nodded as he ran his hand lightly over Kaz to signal a stop.

The black unicorn slowly eased towards the side of the road and entered the forest. He stopped when he found a small glade, and Alex dismounted.

The Knight of Alcea rummaged through his pack and pulled out a Federation uniform. He silently put it on while Bitsy watched from her perch on Kaz’s head.

“That patch says you are in the 11
^th
Corps,” frowned the fairy. “That is not one of the armies that we will be visiting.”

“It is what I have available,” shrugged Alex. “It is the one I used to abduct Prince Harold.”

“I remember,” stated Bitsy. “You were Colonel Belasko, and I saved you from being killed. I put Captain Ergard to sleep just in time to save you from his sword.”

“That you did,” chuckled Alex. “And I am forever indebted to you for your help.”

“That is what partners are for,” beamed the little woman. “Tonight I shall save you again.”

“That you will,” smiled Alex, “but I have been thinking a bit on the way down here. I want to do more than just kill the mages.”

“Just kill the mages?” balked the fairy. “As if that wasn’t enough for one night. What else can you hope to accomplish and still live to tell the tales?”

“I want to learn more about this fear spell,” explained Alex. “Before you put the black-cloak to sleep, I want to see how it affects me and Kaz. That might be important information for the others.”

“That is risky,” frowned Bitsy. “What if all three of us are stricken with fear? We will be doomed.”

“That is impossible,” grinned Alex. “I heard that fairies are fearless.”

Bitsy swallowed hard. “What if you heard wrong?”

“We will be careful,” Alex promised as he turned more serious. “I plan to have a valid reason for approaching the mage tent, so they will not kill me right off. If you and Kaz are frozen, I will find a way to rescue you.”

“Hmmph,” pouted the fairy. “I am supposed to be saving you.”

“Maybe that is the way it will turn out,” replied Alex as he mounted Kaz. “You will remain apart from Kaz and me until we leave the encampment. Let’s go.”

Kaz turned and headed back towards the road. Bitsy shot up into the trees and disappeared. After riding a while, the southern end of the encampment came into view. The smell of smoke hung in the air, and there were trees felled across the road. A squad of Federation soldiers manned the barricade. The squad leader cautiously approached the barricade as Alex rode towards it. The Knight of Alcea could see archers nocking their arrows.

“You are a long way from home, Colonel,” the squad leader said when Alex was close enough to see his patch. “Are you lost?”

“You’re rather flippant, Sergeant,” retorted Alex. “Has General Ritka forgotten how to train his men in the proper manner of addressing superior officers?”

The squad leader stiffened. “No offense meant, Colonel. It’s just that someone from the 11
^th
Corps is the last thing we expected to see tonight.”

Alex sighed loudly and nodded. “Fair enough, Sergeant. I need you to direct me to the mage tent. I have business with one of the black-cloaks.”

“Begging your pardon, Colonel,” replied the squad leader, “but I do not have the authority to comply with your request. My orders are to admit no one.”

Alex frowned. He had hoped to bluff his way past the barricade, but that obviously was not going to happen the way he wanted.

“Then get your captain out of bed,” replied Alex. “I do not intend to sit here all night.”

The squad leader turned and spoke softly to one of his men. The chosen man turned and ran off into the night. Alex sat and pondered what approach he should take with the captain when he arrived. Before he could formulate a plan, a colonel rode up to the barricade.

“What are you doing here?” asked the colonel. “The 11
^th
Corps has no part in the attack on Alcea.”

“I have been sent to speak to one of your black-cloaks,” answered Alex. “I am Colonel Belasko of the 11
^th
Corps. Who am I addressing?”

“Colonel Pierce of the 21
^st
Corps,” answered the colonel. “Your visit is highly irregular, Colonel Belasko. May I ask the nature of your assignment?”

“It is of a highly-confidential nature to the Crown of Ertak,” Alex replied. “I am not about to speak of such things here.”

Colonel Pierce nodded understandingly. He spoke softly to the sergeant and the squad leader directed Alex to take the path into the forest to his left. Alex complied and soon found a narrow opening in the barricade. He passed through the opening and was met by Colonel Pierce.

“If you will follow me, Colonel Belasko, I will take you to where we can discuss your assignment.”

Alex did not like the sound of the colonel’s voice. He turned and saw soldiers closing the hole in the barricade. With a soft sigh, he nodded and followed the Spinoan colonel.

This is not going as I wished, Kaz. Be alert and stay ready to bolt at a moment’s notice.

I am always ready to fight or flee as you wish, Alex.

Colonel Pierce led Alex to the large command tent and dismounted. Alex also dismounted, and a soldier came forward to take the reins of both horses. The guards pulled back the tent flap and Colonel Pierce led the visitor inside the tent. A Federation general sat inside the tent, and he looked up as the colonels entered. Colonel Pierce saluted the general and Alex mimicked him.

“What is this, Pierce?” asked the general.

“A visitor from the 11
^th
Corps, General Ritka,” answered the colonel. “I thought it best that you speak to him. He is Colonel Belasko.”

The general waved Alex forward. The Knight of Alcea immediately complied, but his eyes scanned the interior of the tent as he walked across the room. The general noticed the visitor’s gaze and frowned.

“You have a great deal of curiosity, Colonel,” stated the general. “Have you never seen the inside of a command tent before?”

“I apologize, General,” Alex replied as he openly looked around the tent again, “but I am sure that you will want to know why I am here, and I am hesitant to speak of such things openly. My mission is confidential to the Crown of Ertak.”

“This is a Spinoan operation, Colonel,” replied the general. “While there is a contingent here from Aerta, there is nothing in this camp that would be of interest to the Ertakan Crown.”

“Except your black-cloaks,” declared Alex. “May we speak privately?”

General Ritka raised an eyebrow at the mention of the black-cloaks. He stared at the Ertakan colonel for a moment and then nodded. He waved dismissively at his guards and they retreated from the tent, but Colonel Pierce remained. Alex looked questioningly at the general.

“Colonel Pierce has my full confidence,” stated the general. “This is as close to alone as you will get with me. We are, after all, in enemy territory.”

Alex nodded in agreement and sighed. “Very well, but I must stress that word of my visit and its purpose must be kept confidential. It is a rather sensitive issue for King Harowin.”

“We have no desire to embarrass the Ertakan king,” assured the general. “What do our mages have to do with Ertak?”

“I am not sure how aware you are of the situation in Ertak,” Alex began, “but there is bit of a rift between King Harowin and his son, General Montero. General Montero has kept his brother, Prince Harold, in a secluded castle in the Dark Forest. With General Montero marching off to war, King Harowin was eager to ensure that there is an heir to the throne of Ertak. As part of my duties for the king, I was dispatched to that castle to bring Prince Harold back to the Royal Palace of Ertak for his safety. I also took a group of black-cloaks with me to check on the health of Prince Harold. I believe one of those black-cloaks is now assigned to your command, and I need to talk to him.”

“And you came all the way to Alcea to do so?” the general asked, his eyes narrowing as he gazed skeptically at the Ertakan colonel. “Why am I finding your story a little hard to believe?” Before Alex could open his mouth to reply, the general continued, “I pride myself on knowing the up and coming officers in the Federation armies, Belasko, and I have never heard of you before. I find it hard to believe that King Harowin would trust the life of his son to an unknown officer. Why are you really here, Belasko?”

Colonel Belasko stood in the command tent of Team Gortha, General Ritka staring at him in a very hostile manner. The general had made it clear that he did not believe Alex’s story, and the Knight of Alcea felt the mission coming dangerously close to failure. He sighed anxiously and returned the general’s stare with one of determination.

“I know little about your familiarity with up and coming officers,” retorted Alex, “but I am proud of the rank that I have attained. As for why I would come halfway across the world and into a battle zone to speak to a mage, I do so because my king demands it, and I am loyal to King Harowin even unto the point of death. I have stated my request to speak to your black-cloaks. You are the leader of Team Gortha, and it is within your power to refuse me, but I think such a choice on your part would be unfortunate.”