Amazonia - The Spirit of the Sword

The command tent's not much smaller than the old tent of the Khan's back in the encampment, but it's a lot newer, with charging boars and other warrior symbols painted red on the outside. The inside's bare except for a wooden table beside the Khan's throne: a single piece of wood sculpted into a boar's body with the head right above the Khan's, glaring down.

As we walk in, Khan Khingla's sitting on its seat, with Lys sitting cross-legged beside him on the table. Prince Timur's on my right, which would be the Khan's left... that's not a good sign. The prince looks haggard, as do his other Bloodguards, Chingol and Argat, and even Kula, who's standing on my left and the Khan's right with several of the Chosen and Captain Tang, seems tired. Others are here as well who must have ridden in the the Khan, mostly nobles, though there's a few Tartaros warriors as well, all of them talking among themselves. But all conversation stops as Karl and I walk between them towards the Khan.

We stop a couple horse-lengths away from the throne and bow, mine coming a scant moment after Karl's, and we kneel as Khan Khingla says, "Karl the Outlander, the tribal khans of the Ghost Goat and Bloody Dog clans do not speak Greco-Roma, nor does the outrider for the Black Dragon clan, who is here as a courtesy. Might I impose upon you to translate for them?"

Karl murmurs, "That's strange." Without explaining, he rises to his feet and claps his hand to his heart. "Great Khan, it would be my honor." He strides over to a pair of noblemen standing together with a Tartaros warrior in leather armor, a round metal cap lined with Warghorse fur on his head.

Karl bows to them and begins speaking quietly as Khan Khingla looks at me. "Amazonia the Reaver Knight, yesterday evening you were transformed into a creature of the Shadowlands known as a Shadow Knight, at the express order of my eldest son, Prince Timur. Because you agreed to this transformation, you were able to turn the Sasnayam's dishonor back upon them and achieve a great victory for the People. Tell me, was this transformation painful?"

Behind me, people are shuffling in as I reply, "Yes it was, Great Khan." I shrug. "But pain can be endured."

His weatherbeaten face gives me a kind smile. "War-leader Kula gave me a description of what you looked like after the transformation, and I cannot imagine the agony you endured. But tell me this," his face growing stern once more. "Would you agree to become this Shadow Knight again if you were asked to?"

Breathe, Az; he's just testing you. "Great Khan, if you ordered me to do this, I would, but not by choice. It wasn't just the pain... Great Khan, I don't have words to describe how horrible the transformation felt. I'll never do that again unless I'm ordered to."

I think that's the answer he wants to hear, because he's nodding. "For as long as I am the Khan of khans over our people, I will never order you to become such a creature ever again. However, you did so, which I understand permanently changed your Rune sword, and I begin to wonder whether or not I should let your service with Prince Timur continue." I go still as a stone statue while the Khan glances at Lys. "The Shadow Fae tells me there is a way to speak with the spirit of your sword and ask it questions, which it will answer with the truth. Are you willing to let me do this, so I might put my doubts to rest?"

Bells of Hades, what should I say? "I... didn't know such a thing was possible, but if you want to speak with Antonius, or at least what he's become, I've got no objection."

You're lying through your teeth, Az, but I don't think you've got much choice. "Lys," Khan Khingla says, "if you would?"

"As the Great Khan commands." She leaps off the table and walks over to where I'm still kneeling. "Antonius' voice can be heard clearly by those who speak to the dead, yet a person with the ability to dream-walk can, if they wish, allow a spirit to take them over and let the spirit become them, at least for a little while."

Muttering begins behind me as my eyes narrow. "Why haven't I ever heard of this dream-walking?"

"Because it got suppressed during the war of the Daemo Princes, since it was something the Celestials could not use and were afraid of. Dream-walking is being able to use your dreams to become part of someone else's dream and even influence it, so the dreamer experiences what you want them to."

Behind me, a woman's voice gasps. "Yrg used to give me nightmares." Glancing back, Wysper's flushing bright red. "Apologies for speaking, Great Khan."

He smiles and beckons her forward. "No apology is needed. According to Lys, you showed a warrior's true bravery by shielding Greywolf with your body when he was too hurt to defend himself."

Wysper takes a few steps towards him and bows. "I am Brittani, Great Khan," she says as she straightens, "and even though we cherish life, I was taught not to fear death, but instead to always be ready to embrace it."

"Wysper is also the youngest daughter of Queen Boadicea," Titan rumbles.

The Great Khan raises his eyebrows. "Indeed? Once this matter is settled, I shall take up the betrothal between you and Greywolf. Now-"

"Great Khan," Lys says, "apologies for interrupting, but if Yrg has already dream-walked inside Wysper's mind, it means she has the ability. I know Prince Varsena has consented to become the host for the spirit of the sword to command, yet because of the... rivalry, between the two brothers, I believe Wysper would be a better choice as there is no way anyone could claim she was faking possession."

Khan Khingla nods in agreement as a voice says from behind me, "Not if it's going to hurt her." Greywolf has more than the hint of a growl in his voice as he stalks forward to stand beside her. "Wysper's been through too much already."

"She will be fine," Lys replies. "I will have my fingertips on the hilt of the partially unsheathed Rune sword to maintain the connection, and the sword will be on Amazonia's lap. All she will have to do is sheathe the sword and the connection will be broken."

My eyes meet his. "If I think she's in trouble, or you tell me to sheathe the sword, I'll do it without question."

Greywolf grimaces, but nods. "I trust you." Wysper smiles up at him, squeezing his hand with both of her own, and a pang of longing shoots through me. This is stupid, I tell myself as Greywolf lets go and walks back towards Titan. Az, you don't want someone making doe eyes at you like she's doing at him. They're both children in love and you're a warrior, so brace up and stop this foolishness. It must be Antonius' doing. This isn't like me at all.

Wysper turns around. "Great Khan, if this will help you, then I am willing to do it. What must I do?"

The Shadow Fae turns toward me. "Amazonia, if you please, sit down nomad style with your sword upon your lap and draw it out a half-foot or so." I sit down with my legs crossed and pull the sword a short way out of the sheathe, while Lys sits in front of me but sideways, and has Wysper sit facing her. "Great Khan, I need to be in a dream-trance so I can maintain the connection, which means I will not be able to speak."

"I understand. Begin when you are ready."

Lys rests her right palm on the sword guard with her fingertips touching the hilt, and places the fingertips of her left hand upon Wysper's forehead. The girl shudders. "Apologies, but Yrg used to do the exact same thing."

For a moment, Lys' hand moves to Wysper's face and caresses the girl's cheek. "For what it is worth, apologies that she treated you in such a way. I promise I will never give you nightmares the same way she did, though I cannot predict how the Rune sword's spirit will react to feeling alive again. You and I will experience this together as the same dream, so you will not be alone. Are you still willing?" Wysper nods, and Lys puts her fingertips back on the girl's forehead. "Now relax, and look deep into my eyes-"

"Thinking of nothing." Lys nods once before staring into Wysper's eyes, the room quiet as an empty arena while the two continue staring at each other.

Then together, both of them close their eyelids as their eyes underneath flicker as if they're sharing a dream... which perhaps they are. For several moments they remain facing each other.

Wysper opens her eyes. "I can see again, really see again. This is marvelous- Az!" She scoots away from Lys, who folds her hand in her lap as Wysper jumps to her feet. "I've missed your holding me close so much."

As he begins to move her towards me, I hold up my hand. "Lord Antonius, remember where you are and why you're here." Wysper's face gets a hurt look, and a smile quirks at my lips. "Besides, you know I don't like girls the same way you do."

Wysper's expression becomes puzzled. "Meaning what, I'm a girl?" Antonius puts Wysper's hands to her breasts and her eyes widen. "I am a girl." The tent erupts in male laughter as he puts Wysper's hand between her legs and gasps. "There are no dangling bits."

The laughter grows louder, and even Khan Khingla grins for a moment before clearing his throat. "I believe I can safely assume you are the spirit of the sword and not the young woman I see standing before me."

The laughter dies down as Wysper's body turns his direction. "Great Khan?" He nods, and her body bows in the sweeping manner of the Eastern Empire's court. "Apologies for my ill manners, but my perceptions are much different wearing this body. I mean you no disrespect."

The tent's quieting down again as Khan Khingla's hand makes a dismissive gesture. "None has been taken. I understand that, because of what you have become, you can only tell me the truth?"

"The enchantment allows me to speak nothing else."

Khan Khingla's face hardens as he leans forward in his chair. "Then tell me this: were the Sasnayams planning to overrun our encampment with the dead of Buhara, or was that a ploy by Amazonia to embed herself with Prince Timur?"