Chronicles of Death

The next morning, after sharing a meal, Raven escorted Katya to a town near the northern shores of Mahinaka. They said their farewells long before Katya made it to the gates. The ocean breeze was cool and pleasant. The nostalgic aroma of the dark waves crashing onto sandy shores stirred a comforting memory within. Her nerves eased. Large white birds with over-sized beaks circled overhead before diving into the vast ocean for a meal. Their cries were distant siren calls to the sea.

The seaside town bustled with soldiers and villagers. She kept her hood pulled low over her face but remained unmasked for the time being. She’d chosen to keep a skull mask with black details, feathers beneath the negative space. It would be unmistakably hers. The mask was a tool for when she was hunting. While mingling harmlessly during the day, it would only draw attention to her.

In contrast to every town that she’d been to in Mahinaka prior, she was greeted fondly by soldiers at the gate. They weren’t suspicious of her. In fact, they seemed happy to see a fresh face.

“Welcome, madam. What brings you to town today? Need directions?”

“Just here for the beach. Looking for an inn if you don’t mind.” Katya wasn’t lying either. She really did love the beach.

“The beach is perfect today.” The soldier seemed happy. Katya felt like she was losing her mind. None of this could be further from the grim place she’d left only days prior. “If you follow the main road to the center of town, you’ll find an inn on the west end. Gull and Gather. Plenty of rooms I’ve been told.”

“I take it your troops aren’t staying there then?”

“No, ma’am. We’re set up outside of town. The villagers have taken plenty good care of us. All we need are our tents.”

“We’d be happy to recommend a place to eat. There’s a little restaurant across the way from Gull and Gather that the General’s fond of. Best fish in all of Lupinaio, she says.”

“Your General?” Katya made certain to sound reluctant. The soldier on her left smiled sympathetically. Was she taking crazy pills? Had Mahinaka changed overnight?

“I know we don’t have the best reputation in Mahinaka, ma’am. But General Cordelia isn’t like all that. We’re proud to serve beneath her. She’s a great leader. Really cares about Mahinaka and its peoples. Really cares about us. Her fellow Generals pale in comparison. I wish they’d take a lesson from her.”

Katya hadn’t realized how much she’d needed hope. Maybe they weren’t all beyond saving.

“Well, in that case, recommend away.” Was it true? Was Cordelia so different from her fellow Generals and the God she served? Her soldiers were certainly unlike any she’d encountered thus far. She listened politely while the soldiers went on and on about food. It turned out that their true passion was cooking, and their General had allowed them to work with the chefs at the restaurant in their off hours. They were even given the duty of cooking for the other soldiers when resources allowed.

She thanked the soldiers for their insight and then went on her way. Lautan, the seaside town, felt completely different than those before it. The people weren’t walking on eggshells. They were happy and productive. No one hid from the soldiers and the soldiers were eager to learn from the people. They were smiling and joking.

After what she’d seen of Mahinaka, the pleasantness made her uncomfortable.

Just as the soldiers had indicated, the inn was on the west end of town just beyond its center. She rented a room at Gull and Gather on the second floor and then explored the town while trying to gain information on this mysterious fourth General. It proved a much more difficult task than she’d anticipated. Soldiers were everywhere and many weren’t in their uniforms. Instead, they wore badges at their hips indicating their ranks. Most weren’t even armed. The soldiers were aiding villagers with chores, work, and construction projects. It was rare that she went unnoticed. So much for eavesdropping.

From what she overheard, there had been a significant fire two months earlier at the height of the war. The soldiers were helping rebuild. In fact, it was the whole reason for their presence.

She decided to see the project for herself. There she found a woman of power directing others. She was covered in soot and dirt, working just as hard as those she directed. She was tall, a few inches taller than Katya who was tall in her own right. Her green eyes, blue hair, and strong frame gave her away as their General. She wore her strength more obviously than Katya did.

“Make a pile over there and we’ll see what we can salvage, just like with the last one. Most of it’s beyond saving but you never know what can be reused.” She shouted to those below as she pried boards away and tested furniture that had been damaged by flames.

They were doing good work. Katya could find no fault with them other than that they served beneath Veran and that meant a certain willingness to deprive people of their humanity.

“Can I help?” Katya shouted to the woman who stopped prying up boards and smiled pleasantly in greeting.

“We could always use an extra hand. Gloves are over there. Masks too if you want. The stench lingers, just so you know. Fabian is handing them out. Hey, Fab!”

“Yes, General?” A dark-skinned elf approached from Katya’s right.

“It’s Cordelia, Fab. We’ve been through this. Could you help this young woman get ready to do some work? She’s going to help me with these old boards.” Cordelia looked back at Katya. “You see, ma’am, we’re looking to rebuild, and supplies are difficult to come by. The capital won’t give out any permits to gather wood so we can’t rely on the neighboring mills.”

Why wouldn’t Veran make it impossible for his people to thrive while he was in hiding? Their lives didn’t matter to him. It took every ounce of Katya’s restraint not to roll her eyes at the mention of their selfish God.

“Happy to help.” Katya took the gloves and mask that were given to her. She was then guided toward a pile of charred boards taller than she was. For most of the day she sorted through those boards. Every time she made a dent in the pile, more were added. The work was tedious, but the people were pleasant. It was also an excellent opportunity to observe Cordelia and decide what type of cloth she was cut from.

The most important thing she’d learned that afternoon was that Cordelia did not carry her key with her and she did not mention where it was kept. The others had worn it as a badge of pride. Cordelia didn’t mention it once.

Her willingness to help Mahinaka’s people and nurture her soldiers didn’t seem like a ruse either. Her soldiers respected her, and she respected them. They were also more diverse than any she’d seen thus far. There were even women amongst their ranks, and they weren’t talked down to by their fellow male soldiers. Cordelia was a natural leader with kindness and charm that were rare in Lupinaio.

How the hell had Cordelia managed her way into Veran’s good graces?

He was a pig.

There had to be something more. There was no way that Veran would allow a woman to be a General and offer her a pact then also allow her to lead her soldiers in such a way.

Even so, she required Cordelia’s key, and she would get it by any means necessary.

“Very few passersby volunteer to work, ma’am. Mostly townsfolk.” Cordelia joined Katya just as the sun began to set. Night would be upon them soon. As menial as the day’s labor had been, it felt good. It felt productive. A welcome change of pace from hunting and killing.

“I imagine most visitors to the beach aren’t looking for extra work.”

“You’re right. I wanted to thank you. You seem like a good person.” Apparently, Cordelia had been sizing her up that day too. “I don’t have any money to offer you, but I would pay you if I could.”

“No need. It was a welcome change of pace.”

“Still, thank you.” Cordelia offered a familial pat on the shoulder and then went on her way, commanding her soldiers to turn in for the night. Katya found a good stopping point and then handed her gloves and mask back to Fabian. Cloak once again pulled over her head, she made her way back into town. She returned to her room and ate. Then she grasped the raven pin and willed it to change her. A dark cloak with a white lining over armor and the feathered skull mask to hide her face. She kept her hair pulled back and hidden away.

She decided to try and avoid violence. If Cordelia gave her the key willingly, then there would be no need for it. She hoped the General was wise enough to know Veran’s pact was not worth her life. Katya had not been so lucky yet, but she had hope for the first time since she’d begun this quest.

The loss of Cordelia would be felt. It would be a devastating blow to Mahinaka. They needed people like Cordelia to make change. After Veran was dead, they would need competent leadership. Even so, Katya would do what she must.

The camp was easily infiltrated. She felt no need to hide. No one even gave her a second glance as she bounced as the raven along its border. The soldiers were settling in for the night, sharing pleasantries before they went to sleep. At the far end of the camp, Katya found a canvas tent with its flaps rolled up, welcoming all. It was large enough that she could assume it belonged to someone in a position of power.

Katya waited in the forest neighboring the camp until there were less soldiers mingling. She overheard soldiers discussing the recent deaths of the other three Generals. Veran hadn’t given any response to the news. The armies were at a loss. Adrift without a commander at the helm. Cordelia was the only one who bothered and many of the soldiers were resisting her leadership.

Unlike soldiers she’d met in the past, these were disgusted by Veran. They called him a coward for not protecting his people. Others called him a pig. Of all the horrors that Katya had witnessed in Mahinaka, this was exponentially more shocking. The soldiers were thriving. Diligent. Proud. Willing to protect their people and build them up rather than control and divide them.

This was how it should be. People helping each other and treating each other as equals. They genuinely wanted to do good. There was no abuse of power here.

Given that Cordelia was responsible for this, it would be a shame to kill her. But Katya’s plans were far bigger than a handful of soldiers in a single town. Bigger than a single continent and its peoples, even. She had made a pact and she would do what must be done to fulfill her end of the bargain.