Chapter 4: Clear Waters

  The noon sun beat down on the traveling party as they all picked their way across the rocky ground toward the looming city that was Clear Waters. It was an enormous structure, the rocky spire that jutted from the top of the round hollow flat topped dome of a rock, had been turned into a flag pole, the flag of the Oceaniers flying nearly two miles high, the flag itself nearly a mile long. It had been a feat of craftsmanship to even make the thing, each Tribe sending scores of people to sew it.

  Ji’an found himself, each time he had been to the city here, wondering what the world might look like from up so high, at the top of that flag pole. He was used to climbing the spires on Anthor, but what about that one? It was the highest point in the Ocean by a wide margin making The Spire look like a child’s block tower. He figured, for a brief moment, that if he could climb it and look to the east, he would see the Great River, maybe even over into Asin itself.

  The ground began to slope gently downward here, towards the base of the city. The massive archway, held up by pillars on each side, always made Ji’an shift in his saddle, and this time was no different. It seemed to have a similar effect on the other, all of them squirming under the invisible pressure of a structure so massive, so all consuming, when everyone here was used to wide open space, even in the largest of cities around the Ocean. Passing under the archway didn’t help that feeling, as if Ji’an were being stalked by some much larger predator.

  Getting into the city proper helped to shake the feeling, at least somewhat, as he was able to get lost in the beauty of it all. Clear Waters was a natural structure, one that wound down into the ground reaching a river that ringed the city in a U shape, flowing from the northeast to the south west. The city sat on an outcropping into that river, housing for the commoners, regular everyday farmers and workers, on the left and housing for the army and the tribe leaders on the right. For as much as it could only be a natural structure, Ji’an couldn’t help to think that somehow it seemed too perfect. The way that the streets were lined out between the rock houses, or the way this main thoroughfare split the city evenly, right down the middle. The stairs to the roof of the place were odd as well, natural rock stairs, exactly even all the way up, not one inch out of line.

  Though thinking that someone who lived the Ocean before them had conquered it better, more thoroughly, than Ji’an and his people could, to the point of being able to carve out the very stone of the Ocean, a material harder than steel by a wide margin, it was too much to handle for him. Not out of pride, necessarily, but rather out of fear. Ji’an didn’t like the idea that someone had been here first, for the very reason that they could carve the stone. If they were to the point that they found something that could carve the stone, even build houses to the underground rivers, what sort of threat could wipe a people like that out of the Ocean? Nothing they were prepared to face, of that Ji’an was certain.

  The sight of Jamma shook him loose from all worrying about long dead people. Jamma was coming for him, Ka’nata, his much shorter Humble One, in close stride. Ka’nata was talking very animatedly at Jamma, but he didn’t seem to be listening. “Great, Jamma’s in a foul mood,” Ji’an said to no one in particular.

  “What else is new,” Ammon said, from the wagon on his left.

  “I suppose you’re right,” Ji’an said, resigned to his fate.

  “Ji’an,” Jamma called, not breaking pace. He was a massive man, head and shoulders taller than Ji’an easily, and Ji’an was over six foot himself. He was pale white, with freckles covering nearly every inch of his sunburnt skin. His hair was gray around the temples, and some dotted the top of his head, but it was still easy to see the flaming red hair that he had a full head of in his youth. His face was square and jaw was permanently locked in a twisted sort of grimace from years clenching it shut while angry. It gave him a more sinister look than he deserved which isn’t to say that he didn’t deserve at least some of it.

  Ji’an raised his hand so that he could find him. “There you are. Get down here and out of this crowd, we have work to do.” Ji’an obliged and followed him just a ways from the crowd and talked to him on the side of the road. “I’m glad you made it in one piece, seeing as all that is going on in the world now. I assume you know what I’m talking about.” The lock in his jaw caused him to talk out of one side of his mouth only, and he could just open his mouth enough to eat, though he did so sparingly as it was painful for him, so mostly he spoke through closed teeth.

  “I do know. What was the damage in Sandstone?” Jamma would have come from there as it was his Tribe’s capital. Also Ji’an’s wife was still living there.

  “Two families killed. I believe the final death total was ten, two families of five. It was a bloody mess. I heard they took heads elsewhere.”

  “Yes, they did at The Spire. I must ask, how is Katran?”

  “Your wife is doing well, Ji’an, though she insisted on coming here with the party. I tried to keep her there, for safety, but she’s harder to remove from a wagon than one would think.”

  Ji’an smiled. That was his wife alright, still as fierce as the day he met her, a force of nature with a ka’pa, and an even better business woman if that was somehow possible. “You should’ve known better than to even try, Jamma. You know her better than that. Besides,” Ji’an said, waving his hand, “it will be nice to see her before heading off. Who knows when we’ll be back.” If we come back at all, some nagging voice in the back of his head told him.

  “You talk as if this matter is settled already,” Jamma said, wiping at the side of his mouth with a cloth. Ka’nata, who had been off to the side pretending not to listen, rolled his eyes.

  “You will stand against going?” Ji’an said, slightly confused. “Why is that?”

  “Anything this little rat here wants,” he jabbed his thumb over his shoulder at Ka’nata, “I oppose. It’s that simple.”

  “Jamma, that's petty,” Ji’an said, cocking his head to the side, as one might at a child when reprimanding him.

  “My thoughts, exactly, good captain,” Ka’nata spoke up, jutting into the conversation like a wedge into a log split for kindling. “You see, Jamma, even your own Second believes you to be petty. What do you have to say for yourself now, hmm?” Jamma said nothing, simply fumed. “I’m waiting.”

  “Take Ji’an’s pagona and stable it for him.”

  “That isn’t my job,” Ka’nata said testingly.

  “It is now. Go. Do it,” Jamma didn’t look at him and stormed off. “Ji’an, follow me up top.”

  Ji’an gave Ka’nata an apologetic look as the man walked off. Ji’an opened his mouth to speak, but Ka’nata cut him off. “Believe me Captain, stabling your Pagona is the closest thing to a break I’ve had in a few weeks. Maybe months. Jamma is a bit…. high strung… to say the least. You should hurry, Captain, Jamma doesn’t like to wait.”

  “Believe me Humble One, I have known Jamma longer than you. I served under him as an Officer of Fifty before getting this job, and if you think you have it rough, well… you do. You have it worse than me by a long shot. He seemed to like me. You have my sympathy,” Ji’an said as he backed away.

  Ka’nata bowed his head. “Why thank you Captain, I accept your sympathy.” He turned to lead off the Pagona, thought for a moment then turned and called, “oh, and Captain, when Jamma goes to get some water and remembers that he has a manservant for that, tell him that we Humble Ones are having a meeting at the top of Kada’s Tower. We will be going up shortly and won’t be down until probably much later than your meeting.”

  “Will do, Ka’nata,” Ji’an called over his shoulder, though keeping one eye on the angry Tribe Leader glaring at him from the bottom of the steps. Ji’an nodded to him and they began to climb up the side of the cavernous city, the city spreading out for nearly a half of a mile. From here they could see the river, flowing deep and clear, hence the name of this city. People were out in the river, kids playing, men and women washing clothes, and the water wheels turning which was grinding up the grains grown in the distant farms.

  Jamma glanced over at Ji’an, giving him a once over, then looked back up at the staircase. Battlements had access doors along some of the landings this high up. They provided a good amount of bow support if the city was under attack, though they also offered a clear and easy way for people to ride pogonas up the side of the mountain. It made Ji’an think that who or whatever carved out this wonderful city didn't know how to ride the pogonas. If that was the case, it was strange to think that the people before them were somehow more and less advanced than they were.

  “Do you trust Ammon, Ji’an?” Jamma asked suddenly, looking out over the city.

  “With my life,” Ji’an said, slightly incredulous. “Sure we pick on each other quite a bit, but who doesn’t, when you’re stuck with people like that. We aren’t the same, sure, but as the old adage goes, ‘iron sharpens iron.’” There was a pause. “Why don’t you trust Ka’nata?” Ji’an asked, driving at the heart of the matter.

  “They want to leave too badly, for starters. The whole group sprung up out of nowhere and then the next day they were some of the highest level of advisors in the Ocean. Does that not sound strange to you?” Ji’an had to admit to himself that it was strange, at least a little, but anything that had any hand next to or in the government always sounded strange and sudden.

  “Most things spring up from nowhere, Jamma, I don’t see how this is an issue,” Ji’an said, trying to dismiss it. Sowing doubt in people they could trust was the worst thing for them right now with the ramp up in activity from these so called Bloodbrothers, unity was what they needed most.

  “Most things that spring up don’t get to control the whole bleeding government in a night,” Jamma said, trying and failing to keep calm. He wiped the side of his mouth. “But it doesn't matter, not really. Everyone is already convinced that this is the right thing to do. Besides maybe Hima, that is. But two people won’t make the difference, so I might as well shut my mouth and bear the consequences.” There was nothing Ji’an could say to refute that, not in the slightest. He might even agree with Jamma, but there was something that he just couldn’t quite name that was holding him back to see his side fully. Maybe it was the breach of unity that they couldn’t afford, but maybe at the same time it was something deeper, more personal. He wasn’t sure, so the two men sat in silence for a moment, looking out over the city.

  “Come on, I want to check defenses around this place,” Jamma said, breaking the silence. “Not that I don’t trust the King’s Guard, not at all, some of the best soldiers in the land. Besides I’m in the bleeding city, aren’t I? It’s just that I want to see things over, that’s all. In case…” He trailed off. There was nothing he wanted to check, nor did he have the power to change anything he found, he just seemed to want to move on from their conversation and do something until it was time to head to the meeting.

  It became very apparent after a few stops that Jamma had lied when he said that he trusted the defenses of the palace guards. “They haven’t been out in a real fight, none of them. Look at him Ji’an,” he said, pointing to a particularly younger looking man, “how long do you figure he’s been off his mother’s milk? Two months? No, too generous. How about two weeks? That’s better.” Ji’an just shook his head and kept his mouth shut. He was only worse with his own men. Though to be fair his men were some of the best in the Ocean. Ji’an apologized to the man as they passed him, and he simply shrugged it off, but Ji’an couldn’t help but feel just a bit sorry for the young man.

  With what time they had left, Jamma went on to the top of the city, following the staircase upwards, while Ji’an went to collect Ol’ha and Micha. He found them in the barracks laughing and talking with some of the palace guards. Ji’an walked in and nodded them out to the street.

  He told them what to expect when they got to the meeting. “Alright lads, when we get there, I’ll be standing to the right of Jamma’s chair as the Captain here, Micha I want you on the left of him. Ol’ha take to the walls, partoling is fair game if you feel that it's necessary. If not, just watch the entrances and exits, the king won’t be there, though Hima said that he would be and his guards will have the doors as a frontline defense. Any questions?” Neither did, so the three of them made their way on up to the top of Clear Waters.

  They arrived in the meeting room, which was a room on the top of the city. There were a few rooms here, though Ji’an didn’t know what anyone from the people before them would have used them for. They were boxy, and most didn’t have a ceiling and the walls were falling in due to the wind blasting it with the rocky sand below for some many years. The people there were talking, most of them sharing war stories, the people from the south talking about fighting the cultists, others talking about run-ins with bandits that dotted the northern and eastern part of the Ocean. Hima was there, sitting in the far corner, away from all the chatter, right next to a torch that was lighting the room. A fire burned in the middle of the room, providing heat for the attendants.

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  Moa was already there, standing next to her Representative with some of her men lining the walls. As it had turned out, she had brought with her more than thirty men, on account of having an increased population of Bloodbrothers and the Cultists, a group to the south that might as well have been a separate world. Stories told of fire shooting from the ground all over the land. The people were cannibals and sharpened their teeth to fine points and killed and ate each other. War was said to be a constant there, each subgroup looking for food for the rest of their sick and twisted Tribe.

  Jamma was there as well, talking with some of the other of the six Representatives, most who were sure to have been in the army with him years ago, now no longer leading a life of war, but a life of politics. Ji’an wasn’t sure if the difference was all that large. Ji’an and his two men took their places around Jamma. The sun was going down by now, and that fire would be quite useful in but a few more moments.

  Hima stepped forward and cleared his throat, looking nervous, for some reason. “Well I believe that all the Tribes are present and accounted for. I would like to begin by welcoming you all to Clear Waters on behalf of King Akka. Regrettably, he is not able to attend this meeting in person, but has told his wishes to me and has asked that I speak on his behalf.

  “Now the issue at hand is, as you all know, my brother is dying,” the aged man didn’t give any hint of grief in his voice, but as the flames from the torches danced in his eyes, Ji’an could see the hurt behind them. “It is now being voted on to take Akka to Asin to seek the Magic in hopes that they heal or revive him as the need would be when and if he were to arrive. Akka and I decided that this very meeting would be called, should he make it to this point, when we united the Kingdom some sixty years ago.

  “As you know the king has no heir to the throne, his daughter married one of the Traders from the east and left the Ocean, and his son rejected the throne, so if the king were to die, a new king would have to be chosen from scratch.” Hima’s voice was tight. His eyes didn’t seem to see anything as he stared into the flames. He pulled a flask loose from his belt and took a drink of whatever was inside. Something wasn’t right.

  “It is for all of those reasons that I must regretfully inform you that the king has put in his vote to die peacefully and not seek the magic.”

  There was but a moment of stunned silence during which no one spoke a single word. But all at once, there came a deafening roar throughout the small roofless room as every representative began yelling at once, at each other at Hima, or even at nothing. It was just noise, any words said were lost to the din of all the yelling.

  Ji’an was keeping his eyes on Hima. He was begging the people to calm themselves, places unfelt hands on shoulders trying his best to calm the people, but it was to no avail. Ji’an reluctantly broke eye contact with Hima, just long enough to look at Jamma, the only other person who would agree with Hima in the room. He was silent just watching the people, his eyes bouncing back and forth between the people, following the argument.

  Ji’an bent down and whispered in his ear. “This is getting nowhere, Jamma. Should we do something?”

  “I’ll take care of it,” Jamma said, standing up. He stood there breathing for a long moment, working up to what he was about to do. Ji’an cocked his head to the side, and watched as Jamma opened his mouth all the way, teeth and all and screamed. There were no words, just a wordless scream that cut through the din ten fold, and everyone was immediately silent.

  Soon he stopped. He coughed, spat blood to the side, and pointed to Hima, then sat back down. He massaged his jaw where he had forced it open. Hima thanked him with a nod.

  “Now, I know, this is sudden, but please hear me out,” Hima said, bracing for another explosion, but when none came, he kept going. “As I said, sixty years ago, we planned that we would call this very meeting to discuss secession or healing him. This was a circumstance that meant to be rare, no heirs to speak of and dying of old age. We would’ve never called to travel to Asin, if we hadn’t failed secession before.” Hima shot Jamma a look, but moved on. A cold drop of sweat dropped down Ji’an’s back as he thought that maybe it was him that Hima was looking at not Jamma.

  “Now,” Hima continued, “we have failed secession once, which scared Akka. He knew then that he was going down hill, and fast. That was his attempt to avoid this situation we find ourselves in. After failing secession once, he realized in that moment you people were so hung up on the idea of seeking the Magic, that you would never agree to hunt a new king. So after that meeting we changed his will. He no longer wanted to seek the Magic, but instead he wanted to force your hands to pick a new king.”

  He looked around, meeting everyone’s eyes one by one. “Now, what this doesn’t mean. This doesn’t mean that you can’t still vote to seek the Magic. The intention of this meeting was never to say what you could or could not do. If you all had met when the king’s wishes were to still seek the Magic, and you all voted in favor of staying rather than going, then that would have to be what was done. We would never force an option on you. But know you know the wishes of your King, and so now you may discuss what comes next.” Hima took another swig from his flask, and sat back down with a nod. An eerie silence fell over the group gathered there. The only sounds were that of the fire crackling and the cold night air whistling through the broken walls of the roofless room.

  No one wanted to be the first to speak, as that would make what had just happened real. When secession failed some eight odd years ago, there was nearly a civil war break out over the fact that no one wanted the throne. No one felt themselves fit enough, out of those the King had chosen, and they had all been skeptical of those who claimed they were the most fit, as they felt they were all power hungry rather than kingly.

  Ji’an had found himself at the top of that list right above Jamma.

  There were those who were close to the matter that had said that Jamma had been first, but he had asked to be moved down, below Ji’an. Jamma didn’t blame him for turning it down, not really, and nothing had really changed between the two, but the crown would've been Ji’an’s had he just reached for it. He had deferred to Jamma, as he felt his place was at the Spire, rather than at Clear Waters. Jamma felt his place was at Sandstone Hold, so he had deferred to a man named Hican, one of the captains in that very room that had received the notification with nothing short of panic. The list had over four hundred names, and out of all of them, none took the power.

  Some on that list, however, deferred for no other reason that that was what they were meant to do. They thought that was part of the test, the first one that they would have to pass, and they thought difference was the only way to advance. They were sadly wrong, and they showed their true colors when some had mounted armies to push back against their original answers. Some tried to put in their bid outright which was not the way of things.

  A pasty white man, older with dirty blonde hair that was graying around the edges, stood up. Ji’an thought that his name was Adda’ka. “Well,” he said, clapping his hand in front of him and swinging them around to catch them behind his back, “the way I see it, lads, if Old Akka, wants to see the mantel passed on, then I reckon it’s up to us to do it for it.”

  “I suppose, Adda’ka, that you’d be the best pick for the title?” A woman said from the other side of the room. “I reckon that if they are meant to pass on the title then the best thing would be to bring out that old list and start from there. I don’t know all the names by heart, but I’m all but certain that you aren’t on it, Adda’ka.”

  “If we’re going with that list, then we have the new king in this room, unless he turns tail again,” Adda’ka said, not bothering to defend himself but rather pointing all eyes to Ji’an. Ji’an had taken the news well, and he had been unreachable for about a month after the list was released. He never meant to run, he just wanted to clear his mind, but he simply stayed gone, not returning for longer than he meant to.

  “We will not call what Ji’an did, desertion, Adda’ka,” Jamma said. “He was gone nearly as long as you were after your first child was born. How long did you abandon your family? Wasn’t it nearly a year?”

  “Enough, everyone,” Moa stepped forward. The Captains took up the role of mediators, helping to keep their Representatives on task. “We will not find a new King tonight. Besides that, this meeting was called for the act of seeking the Magic, and we must do that before we ever decide on a new king. If you all please.” She stepped back to her place, and leaned on the wall, looking relaxed as if the word slinging was over, but she watched everyone around the room watching and waiting for it to start back up again.

  Her fears subsided, however, as they all looked properly chided. Ji’an had no illusions that it would stay like this calm, though. It was bound to start back up again soon. A woman, not much older than Ji’an, stood up between her Captain and her Captain’s men. Ji’an didn’t know her name, so she must have been recently chosen. “With these new wishes of the King coming to light, I think that it would be nothing short of irresponsible to do anything other than what he wishes.” Hima, sitting in his corner, slowly drinking from his flask, looked visibly relieved. Chatter started back up, until the woman held up her hand, at which point it stopped. “However,” she continued, leading to many confused looks from the crowd. “However, I think that it would be even more irresponsible, if not detrimental to the health of the Ocean, to not try and heal or revive him.”

  No one spoke a word and Hima had emptied his flask. “It is no secret, not now for sure, that we all failed the King before. But with this resource that we have in the Magic, I believe that we should use it.”

  “But that doesn't change the fact we will have no King,” Hican stood. “With this change of heart from Akka, when he comes back to us, in mind and in body, he will no longer wish to be king.” Hima seemed to agree, and was nodding solemnly. “What will we do then? Trek back across the Ocean once again, just to call another meeting to pick a new King? Why even make the diversion to Asin? Let us vote no and let the man leave this life in peace.”

  “We can pick a new King before we go, Hican,” the woman said in retort. “I am not proposing we keep Akka in the same position that he is in now, but rather we pick a new King now, and then we allow Akka to come back and then serve as a mentor for the new King.”

  A few heads nodded in agreement, there were others who were still unconvinced. Ji’an looked to Hima to see what he thought about that idea. His face was a mask of calculation. He seemed neither for nor against the idea, but he was thinking about it, which Ji’an supposed that was the first battle in the war. Though, his mind could never be changed as it wasn’t his mind that needed changing, it was the king’s, which, his mind was more on paper now, than it was in his head and ink didn’t erase easily. That didn’t change the fact, however, that having Hima behind their cause would make things move smoother, even if he had little sway. He would be one less obstacle to climb over.

  There was the scuff of boots and the sound of a body hitting the rock just outside the walls. All the Captains and their soldiers raised weapons, and the Representatives reached for ones that were no longer there out of habit. “We’re surrounded,” one of the soldiers said, her head whipping around, listening to the sounds of boots outside. They were growing closer. Metal hit metal behind Ji’an, as Micha’s ka’pa flashed just above their heads.

  Black vested men and women dropped into the room around those gathered there. Micha was struggling against the man holding a wicked looking sword, but the man was on the defensive. “Micha. Enough. I don’t think they’re here to…” as Micha lowered his ka’pa, a lone figure, clad in much finer attire than the others, his vest a fine silk, and iron and gold looped necklaces wrapped around his neck.

  The man opened his arms wide and a smile split his face. “The Ocean meets. Everyone gathered here in one spot, ready to vote on the fate of the Kingdom. But, wait, someone is missing. Who could it be?” He faked an inquisitive mask, looking around the room meeting the eyes of every Representative.

  “Oh,” he exclaimed, snapping his fingers dramatically. “Shenar isn’t here, excluded once again.”

  Ji’an couldn’t believe his eyes.

  The Cultists were in Clear Waters.