The Storm's Own Son (Book 3) (28 page)

"And I'm sure he'll be eager to help us," grinned Larogwan, "and quite trustworthy."

"I'd imagine we could find ways to encourage him," added Adriko, lightly and almost absently, as he straightened his armor and gear.

"We'll see," replied Talaos. "I doubt he's the only one in the world who can make them."

Ahead, the crowd had now almost completely gathered. A handful of stragglers trudged toward the flat stone area before the platform of nine steps. Talaos smiled. When all had arrived, he would begin.

"Since you collect titles and nicknames, Talaos," said Adriko with a smile, "I thought you'd want to know that in Idrona, the anti-Prophet people are starting to call you the Dragonfriend, possibly based on your dramatic performance in full public view there. And perhaps the one in, and over, our camp. A few in our army have picked it up too."

Talaos shrugged in resignation. He wasn't going to waste effort fighting such things, this time.

"They're assembled," announced Auretius in his eloquent voice.

"Form up," said Talaos to those around him.

He took his place at the head, with Auretius and Adriko side by side next, followed by Miriana, Sorya and Katara, and then the seven Madmen.

Talaos raised his right hand, with lightning-lit sword held high, and called commands to the troops around, "Wolves, forward! Gifted and Stormguard, follow behind me, first from the left, then the right!"

Adrus started forward, his dangerous eyes alert. The Wolves stalked with him in their easy, predatory way along the road to the platform. Talaos and his companions walked solemnly behind. Following them marched the two cohorts of Stormguard with their charges, the Gifted in the center of each.

The Wolves passed through the gap in the crowd of representatives, and it widened to make way. They continued on, over the stone platform, till they reached the ancient cobbled street behind. Half of them fanned out facing the army downhill behind them, while the others turned to watch the platform.

Talaos and his companions stopped at the top of the platform itself, then they turned to face the representatives gathered below.

As they did so, the first cohort of Stormguard turned, walked around the steps of the platform to the left, and then took a place on the street at the base of the platform on that side, next to the flags. They turned left, facing outward to the army below. The second cohort of Stormguard turned right, and took up an identical place on that side.

There was a low noise of conversation among the representatives, and a louder one among the vast army assembled all around them. Talaos raised his right hand, his sword arced with power, and the crowds grew quiet. He drew upon power from his armor, took the pain and harm to his body, and his eyes blazed bright. He spoke in a voice loud as thunder.

"Warriors of Hunyos, friends and allies from afar, there are eighty thousand of us here, gathered in might at this ancient place. On this ground, the history of Hunyos unfolded, and it unfolds before us now.

"We have broken the enemy within and driven them into the north. Savaric and Kossos alone remain under their grip. Etosca, which they destroyed, will be rebuilt. However, we are far from finished. The remaining traitors now call on help from old enemies in Dirion, new enemies from among the Plainsmen of the Northeast, and the Prophet's slaves in the Eastlands.

"In Hunyos, each city, town, league, clan and warlord is free to choose a path. But we will remain so only if we fight and win. Here we have assembled the greatest body of skilled soldiers and commanders in the world today. This army is united in a way not seen here since the old Empire. To win, we'll need to remain so.

"I stand before you with my troops, the commanders in my service, with my mighty companions, with gifted wielders of magic, and with a true prophetess ready to challenge the Prophet. All these and I are ready to fight for Hunyos, and I call on you now to choose."

Hadrastus, General of the League of Five, stood towering tall in his bronze armor. He walked forward to the base of the steps as he and Talaos had planned, turned, and called out, "Brothers in arms, I call for the acclamation of Talaos, our victorious commander, by the ancient title of the great days! In sign of our victory and brotherhood, I call on you to acclaim him. I call to acclaim Talaos, the Storm Lord, as Imperator of Hunyos!"

Then, one by one, eight more joined Hadrastus.

Kurvan, warlord of the western hills, and now paramount chieftain of nearly all the hill clans, ambled forward like a massive bear in rich, mismatched armor. His black hair, streaked with gray, flew wild about him, and he carried his massive two-handed axe on his back. He spoke in his booming, growling voice, "I second the call of Hadrastus! Talaos, Imperator of Hunyos!"

Maxano, Dictator of Kyras in his black, white, and gold armor, helm, and cloak, joined Hadrastus and Kurvan and spoke simply in his eloquent, clear, yet sweeping voice, "I add my call! Talaos, Imperator of Hunyos!"

Weathered and hard-eyed Warlord Tescani, armed and armored to the teeth, and grim inside his plain but well-forged steel, added the same words as Maxano. After him was Lurios. The trim, polished General of Aledri in rich silvered and gilt armor and helm, with brocaded blue tunic and cloak, spoke the same words.

Valanus, General of Teroia, was next. The tall, strong officer had dark blue eyes and trim light brown hair that grayed at the temples.  He had many old scars, and a gilt breastplate over a plain red-brown cloak of Teroia. He added his call for Talaos as Imperator.

Megaras, loyal General of Avrosa, was next. His intense eyes peered from an olive face under black hair, and his silvered, polished breastplate had been repaired. His scars remained. He walked solemnly to the steps in his dark gray Avrosan uniform, and made the same call.

The next was a young officer from Etosca named Drennus, who'd been among the deserters to join Talaos at Avrosa. With his brothers in arms, he was now one of few survivors of all his people. Of medium height, sturdy build, dark hair, and a youthful face, he looked almost out of place in looted antique gilt armor and the white cloak of a general of his city.

Drennus spoke different words, and with fierce intensity on his young face, "In the name of my brothers in arms here, and of all my slaughtered people, I declare war and undying vengeance upon the Prophet! For vengeance, I call for Talaos as Imperator of Hunyos!"

The last to speak was a woman named Hekata. Her iron-gray hair framed an elegant, aquiline face, lined from care, and her piercing dark eyes were merciless. Though she wore the silvered chain shirt and blue-green military tunic, bordered in white waves, of a senior officer of Idrona, Talaos knew she was a former patrician, and the widow of an assassinated admiral, but not a military woman herself.

From hiding, she had led a resistance against the Prophet in her city for nearly two years. In the bloody struggle that followed Talaos's arrival in her city, she had been far and away the most ruthless and effective leader among those fighting against the Prophet. With red-stained hands, she had taken for herself the silver-bordered, blue-green cloak of the Dictator of Idrona.

In secret, she and Talaos had begun organizing a new hidden force across Hunyos, to fight the efforts of the Prophet much as his old Hounds had done in Avrosa. She'd suggested another name, one that he liked. The Furies.

Hekata spoke in a grim voice that carried far across the field, "For the sake of my murdered husband and sons, for my daughters and grandchildren who died on the Prophet's pyres, for all my people slain by traitors, I swear death to the Prophet and all who serve him! For the death he brings, I call for Talaos as Imperator of Hunyos!"

"Hail Talaos, Imperator of Hunyos!" shouted the nine leaders on the steps.

"Hail Talaos, Imperator of Hunyos!" shouted those on and around the platform.

"Hail Talaos, Imperator of Hunyos!" shouted nearly a hundred and fifty representatives, with arms in salute, and a moment later, eighty thousand voices raised the same shout and salute. Three times they acclaimed Talaos. Then they beat weapons to shields, or against armored fists, and the earth seemed to shake with the sound.

Talaos surveyed the vast spectacle before him with approval.

He sheathed his swords and raised his right hand to the crowd for quiet.

He spoke, and his voice thundered for miles across the rolling plains and hills. "I accept that which is offered, and as Imperator, swear by the honor of my soul to protect Hunyos and its people."

Firio then stepped forward and opened the bundle he carried. The black cloth was revealed to be a cloak with a broad border in the design of laurel leaves, like the cloaks awarded to imperators in the old Empire, but in silver on black instead of gold on red. In place of the eagle and wreath used by both the old Empire and the current Republic, the center of the cloak was blazoned with his downward-pointed sword with six radiating lightning bolts.

Inside the bundle was a diadem forged from silver badges of clouds and lightning bolts that had been found in a chest in the old tower of Avrosa. Adriko placed the cloak on Talaos's shoulder, while he took the diadem in his hands and placed it on his own head.

"Now, I call on all present in this place," said Talaos in his thunderous voice, "to swear an oath to me personally. Hear the words of my companions, and follow when they are done."

Those on the platform and the steps spoke as one, in voices audible across the camp. "I swear by the honor of my soul to obey the commands of Talaos, Imperator of Hunyos, and to fight all the actions of the Living Prophet, enemy of mankind."

From the voices of eighty thousand men and women came the terrible sworn oath.

From the circle of standing stones atop the wooded hill, a cool wind blew. On that wind could be heard faint voices, many men turned in surprise, but they saw nothing.

Talaos spoke again. "Brothers in arms! Hear my words, and obey my commands! Defending Hunyos from its enemies will require the work of many, and in many roles. I now appoint the first of them, the nine Commanders of Hunyos!"

He motioned Adriko to him with his right hand. The latter saluted. Talaos returned it, and announced to the assembled soldiers, "Adriko, many times victorious commander, and now the General of Hunyos! My right hand in war."

He called Maxano forward from the line of nine on the steps. The latter saluted, Talaos returned it, and then announced, "Maxano, Dictator of Kyras, and now Strategist of Hunyos, who will pierce the veils and plans of our enemies!"

Then he called Tescani with the same exchange of salutes, and announced, “Warlord Tescani, Warmaster of Hunyos, who will forge the steel of our many armies into one!"

Next he called to Lurios, who would be in charge of training and discipline. Talaos announced him, "General Lurios of Aledri, Taskmaster of Hunyos, who will temper the steel!"

The next was Kurvan, who grinned a fierce, craggy grin. They exchanged salutes, and Talaos announced him, "Warlord Kurvan, Commander of the Wild Hunt, whose hillmen and huntsmen will show no mercy to enemies that dare cross our lands!"

Then he called forth Auretius, exchanged salutes, and announced him in turn, "General Auretius, victorious commander in the war of the Republic against old Dirion. Now, Commander of the Stormguard, who will defend Hunyos, and the powers of magic we are gathering in its service, to the last."

Hadrastus was next, and with the exchange of salutes, Talaos announced him to the crowd, "Hadrastus, General of the League of Five, and now Commander of the Stormhammers, those who will go first into danger, bringing death to our enemies!"

Drennus was next. His was a special purpose, as public as Hekata's was secret, but much the same. They exchanged salutes, and Talaos announced him, "Drennus, general of the fallen city of Etosca, and now, avenger of its murdered people as Commander of the Bane, who will scour Hunyos and the world for servants of the Prophet."

Last of them was Megaras. He would be Talaos's eyes, ears, and, up to a point, voice while away. To put that into practical effect, Talaos hoped to make use of the speaking amulets they'd taken from the enemy at the battle of Avrosa. However, they first needed to see if they could be removed from connection with the Prophet.  They exchanged salutes, and Talaos announced him to the troops, "Megaras, General of Avrosa, my personal Legate and emissary, who will carry my word and speak with my voice!"

When all had returned to their places, Talaos again raised his right hand for emphasis.

Then he spoke, and at the price of pain, raised his voice beyond human scale once more.

"Warriors of Hunyos, brothers in arms, friends and allies, hearken! This generation has been forged in war. Endless war against one another, and it has made us strong. Now let that war and that strength be turned away from each other, and against our true enemies! Today we begin a new path, a straight path toward victory against all who would enslave us, all who would take what is ours. Today we stand together, unconquerable!"

Cheers erupted, with roaring voices and beating of shields from eighty thousand men.

With that, Talaos formed his companions about him and prepared for the procession to the command tent. There was much to do, he thought, much to discuss, and everything of worth would be bought with risk and pain.