Amazonia - Return

Eyes closed, I slam onto a hard surface. Male voices yell as my flailing limbs knock small items away with the sound of breaking crockery, the smell of wine and old sweat sharp in my nose as I come to rest, flat on my back. There’s a collective gasp.

Then a familiar voice says, “I’ve always wanted a naked woman to appear out of thin air, but not one ugly as an ogre’s arse.”

Despite myself, I bark out a laugh as I open my eyes. “Troll, why in Hel’s name hasn’t anyone cut off your head and stuck it on a pole?”

“Because Troll’s so ugly he’d scare off the khan’s new allies,” Dancer replies as I sit up and look around. I’m in a room at a caravansary somewhere, sitting on a large round table with broken wine cups and spilled wine around me. We’re not far from the entrance, for there’s sunlight coming from the passageway to the right, along with the sounds of men and animals coming from that direction. Both my Wardogs are still in armor, as is Fenris, and hearing a rustle behind me, I turn around.

Two blue-skinned, four-armed Nomads, in armor, are at the table. My eyes go wide. “Am I seeing things?”

“The tattoos found them,” Dancer says as both Nomads bow from the waist. “They understand Greco-Roma, though they can’t speak it.”

Without taking my eyes off them, I say, “Then how do you communicate?”

“Fox knows their tongue.” I turn around as Dancer goes on. “She’s with Khan Timur right now, but the Runesword will draw her here any moment. Speaking of which,” and he reaches down under the table to bring something long and thin wrapped up in a cloak. “Antonius has been anxious.”

I unwrap the Runesword and grasp it by the hilt. The feeling of anxiety radiating from the weapon eases, and I wrap the cloak around myself as I scoot off the table. “He’s not the only one. Where’s Timur?”

Dancer holds up his hands. “The Khan’s fine. Fox learned that Akbal was really Tanit, and raced back here through the Shadowlands, warning Khan Timur just in time to stop him from drinking from a wine goblet Akbal had prepared for him. Now, Lys and Karl are protecting him so Tanit won’t get a second chance.”

Settling down on a cushion, I blow out my breath in a rush. “Gratitude to them. What happened to Tanit?”

“Gone,” Fenris growls. “Took the undead Warghorse and fled.”

“Good riddance,” Troll chimes in. “I never liked her, anyway. Creeped my flesh every time she looked at me.”

I look around the table at my Wardogs. “All of you seem to be taking my return in stride.”

“We knew you weren’t really dead,” Troll says with a shrug. “The link was faint but always there.”

Dancer leans forward towards me. “So what happened while you were in the Shadowlands?”

“Pour me some wine out of that jug I see behind you, and I’ll tell you the truth… which I’m not telling anyone else,” I add as he grabs a ceramic goblet and fills it with red wine. “So keep it to yourselves.”

I take a long swallow, savoring the slightly sour taste, and as the others retrieve their cups or get unbroken ones, launch into my tale without hiding anything. I finish with Ghostdog sending me back via the tapestry, and take another sip of wine as a voice says from behind me, “Domina, sorrow that you had to return, but we need you here.”

I glance back as Fox, wearing black leather armor, walks in from the passage and kneels beside me. I hand her my wine cup and she takes a sip as I ask, “How much did you hear?”

“Everything,” she replies, handing it back. “The link flared into life again, and I ran to get here. Did they tell you that Akbal-”

“Is actually Tanit; she admitted the truth right before she had Inanna’s corpse kill me.” I set the goblet back down on the table. “So what happened after the Shadowlands pulled me in?”

“The dead held the line until the last of them were destroyed,” Dancer says, taking up the tale. “The Sasnayams retrieved the Storm Lord’s body, then attempted to sweep over Timur’s infantry, who were dug into defensive positions in the hills.” He gives me a sly smile. “The battle turned into a rout, and when their army tried to retreat back across the ford, Timur unleashed his Warghorse riders on their rear. Their corpses are piled so high that some are blocking the ford while the rest have fouled the river.”

“And their army?”

Dancer motions behind him with his hand. “Last we heard, most of it had deserted, while the shattered remnants are heading for the capitol.”

“Where they hope to rebuild their forces before I arrive,” Timur’s deep voice says from behind me. I turn around and begin to rise off the cushion as he strides towards me, grinning from ear to ear, with his Bloodriders and Karl, with Lys on his shoulder, flanking him. He holds out his arms and embraces me. “Fox told Lys the good news before she rushed over here to see you. What happened?”

Holding my cloak closed with one hand, I awkwardly return his embrace with the other. “The Shadowlands were so worried I’d take over that they spit me back out.” Timur, dressed in rich robes of dark purple, snorts as we let go. “In truth, after Tanit had Inanna’s corpse kill me, I wandered around for a bit before Greywolf and his father found me. Actually, Ghostdog was the one who sent me back.”

“He was the one who responded when I activated the amulet,” Fox says from beside me. “He said Greywolf wasn’t able to talk to me, but that he would help restore you to the real world. Ghostdog was the one who confirmed Tanit’s identity, and told me if I used the dry riverbeds in the Shadowlands to travel, the Shadow creatures wouldn’t be able to see me.”

“Ghostdog told you the truth,” I reply, looking back at Timur. “Before he sent me back, he mentioned that Attila and his warriors were in Britannia, but would be returning to help the Empire of the East defeat you after you conquered the Sasnayams.”

He raises his eyebrows. “We have destroyed one army, yes. However, defeating the next one they raise won’t be as easy.”

I suppress the sigh longing to come out. “We have corpses in plenty, my khan, and a map showing where all the locations of the dead, grey trees are in the Sasnayam lands. Once they are raised, my Shadow Knight self-”

“I am done with relying on the dead,” Timur growls. I blink in astonishment as he looks up at the ceiling above us. “Just a little bit ago, I was out in the courtyard under the open sky, praying to Tengri. I know he’s upset with me for everything that’s happened, and after I avoided being damned forever in his eyes by drinking Tanit's foul mixture, I told Tengri that, if he would return you to me, I would turn my back on necromancy and never ask you to become a Shadow Knight ever again. The next thing I saw was Karl and Lys running towards me.”

Az, you’re gaping at him like a fool. Stop it. “You truly mean this?” He gives me a solemn nod, and even though it’s like a weight being lifted off my shoulders, my mission drives me onward. “My Khan, I want this more than you’ll ever know. But how are we going to win this war if we tie one hand behind our backs?”

“Keep this a secret among ourselves,” Lys replies before Timur can speak. “According to your spies, the stories about the walking dead are spreading like wildfire in the Sasnayam empire, so do not give them a reason to stop.”

“Even if they raise another army,” Karl adds with a shrug, “the Sasnayams will be hard pressed to keep much of it from deserting before the first battle.”

“Especially if the tales grow even wilder still.” I can’t keep the grin off my face as an idea grows wings and flies. “Send riders with news that our entire army’s been transformed into ghoulish warriors who look like men, but are actually monsters that eat the bodies of the dead.”

“Or just send Troll,” Dancer quips. “One look at him, and they’ll know the rumors are true.”

All of us laugh except Troll, who gives Dancer an annoyed look. Timur strokes his beard. “I like this plan. We move fast, raiding and plundering the towns and villages instead of conquering them, until we reach Tesiphon.”

“That should please Kax,” Lys says.

“I imagine so.” Timur looks at me. “Az, we’ve got a lot of new recruits, many who have never used a spear and shield before. I want you to take command of them, and train them as much as possible on the march so they’ll be good enough to be a help and not a hindrance when we reach the capitol.”

I rear back. “Command them? But-”

“You’re the goddess Inanna incarnate to many,” Lys says, cutting me off. “The recruits might balk at a Tartaros general giving them orders, but not you. Besides,” she adds as I open my mouth to protest, “you led the Shamblers just fine.”

“They didn’t have any choice except to obey me.”

“While the new recruits will obey you out of devotion.”

“It’ll be easier than training new gladiators,” Dancer says. “Just give them a rousing speech now and then, and they’ll fall right into line.” He gives me a wink. “Got to be better than commanding Shamblers.”

“You have no idea,” I reply, looking at Timur. “If you want me as their commander, my Khan, then I’ll do it. However,” I add as I pull the cloak tighter, “unless my armor survived the battle, I’m going to need a new set or fight naked.” I stab my finger at Troll’s face without looking his way. “Keep whatever sarcastic comment you’re about to make inside you, or I swear I’ll have Fenris sew your lips shut with a blunt needle.”

From the corner of my eye I see him grin. “Yes, Domina.”

“Then it’s settled,” Timur says as his gaze sweeps the room, taking us all in. “Everyone eat well and get a good night’s rest. Tomorrow, we march for Tesiphon.”