Date: Sun, 24 Apr 2016 14:46:03 -0600
From: Michael Offutt <kavrik@hotmail.com>
Subject: Chapter 15-The Orb of Winter-Gay Science Fiction

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				   *****

			      Chapter Fifteen


   The lamia went in search of Dr. Vampyr, and her path led through the
Librarium Apocalypto.
   A huge stinking chamber lay on the far side of the entrance Kahket
took. Before her soared a domed ceiling some one-hundred feet above the
foundation. Pillars carved to resemble human leg bones supported the
roof. Kahket saw these as a symbol of strength but appreciated that others
in the world might see them as morbid or even ghoulish. The whole of this
mighty room glowed because of chandeliers, which gave off her favorite
greenish light. Kahket thought that certain tones of green brought out a
lovely hue in her lips and skin. Of course critics the world 'round called
the light fixtures ghastly, but Kahket only saw loveliness because they
were suspended from cables meant to resemble braids of human hair.
   She descended a flight of black marble steps flecked with little bits of
silver (so as to resemble a night sky), and when she got to the bottom, she
let out a long meaningful sigh, for Kahket stood among the living
books. She stretched out her carefully manicured nails to thrum them along
the sides of gargantuan iron cauldrons, her black sequin dress making a
rattle as she walked in stiletto heels across the floor. Kahket counted
twenty or so of these enormous cylindrical vats, all of them skirted on the
outside with a copper skin. Within each rested the most obese men and women
she had ever seen. These beautiful fleshy creatures had given their vast
bodies and souls to the church of Zandine, and the Israfil rewarded them
with delicious nourishment made in the many vomitoriums of Zandan's elite.
   Tubes that flowed from clear containers holding liquefied food were
attached to muzzles where the mouths of the "living books" had been
permanently joined so as to avoid spillage. Faces were so overcome in folds
of skin that eyes virtually disappeared, the noses were hardly visible.
   To be spared the suffering of life to devote one's body to learning
brought tears to Kahket's eyes. In fact, just being in the Librarium
Apocalypto reminded her of a passage once penned by the great philosopher
Vaccino Rimbaldi: A society's greatness is reflected in its decadence for
one cannot be truly boundless and avoid the creation of excess. "I am a
queen of excess," Kahket said to no one but herself. "Zandans are
visionary, and the rest of the world must be made to see this truth."
   Kahket paused to admire one of the Living Books. Unable to determine its
sex, the thing was covered from head to toe in gorgeous tattoos:
inscriptions of the ancient lore of Zanda. Seeing the history of Zanda and
her reign in particular, inscribed upon such luxurious skin took her breath
away. Its vat had been marked with chalk. This meant it would soon be
killed so that its leather could be properly treated and stored on the
shelves. Spindly librarians wearing corsets that crushed their waists
almost to the spine and with skin stretched tight over bone, worked tattoo
needles on all of the "books" sitting next to this one. They added
illustrations to support the writing, and they wiped away blood when
needed. Kahket frowned at the agony of it all. Beauty did not come easily
to some, and people like herself had to work especially hard to obtain it.
   "Nothing beautiful is ever comfortable," her mother used to say. "If
something is easy, it's not worth having." These idioms were gems of wisdom
that she kept close to her heart. It made Kahket glad that Zanda was on the
verge of exporting its own brand of beauty to the world (and not a minute
too soon because the rest of the world was so ugly). She'd force the
heathens to take it by sword point and scourge if so demanded.
   I am committed to change, Kahket thought. I am committed to progress.
   Kahket felt girls had lost their way as far as idealistic beauty was
concerned. Girls needed to have small waists, even if it meant surgically
removing ribs to attain this. They needed to have nice round boobs, long
hair, and small dainty feet. She would insist that all girls have their
feet bound at birth to force them into the correct shape. And women
incapable of growing luxurious hair would have options to have fine threads
surgically implanted into their scalp. She envisioned a world where even
colorful yarn was used, and long lengths of dyed wool would hang over
shoulders at salons while people laughed. Kahket's society would be a happy
one, and the skin would be cut away from everyone's teeth so that all would
grin and the whiteness of the bone could be exposed to the world. No one
under the flag of Zanda would ever frown again.
   Men would have idealistic standards too. Boys would be stretched on
racks to ensure they reached the proper height, and each would be required
to work in the mines of Zanda so that they got the right amount of labor to
make certain they maintained the appropriate level of muscle. And once men
grew old and infirm, she would hasten their journey to heaven by granting
them comfortable passage in a gas chamber. Girls on the other hand had a
more plausible existence as educators, so they would be kept around much
longer. To Kahket, it all sounded like a utopia under her rule. She
couldn't wait to make it a reality, but first she would have to deal with
the Valion knights. The followers of Thomas were the ones directly
responsible for keeping Zanda within its borders, and they even had the
nerve to call her people "evil" and "monstrous."
   "Oftentimes people don't know what they want until you give it to them,"
she uttered out loud.
   Back from her daydreaming, Kahket noted that the area around her swarmed
with flies, and that rats scurried from one pile of feces to another one of
old rotting fat. The smell of shit filled her nostrils, pungent and
intense.
   "This place has the best perfume," she said with whimsy to one of the
librarians.
   He stopped at his work and looked at Kahket through a thick monocle that
appeared to be drilled into his very skull. The flesh had been cut away
from his teeth, and when she saw that permanent smile, it warmed her heart
"How can the outside world not see the good we do here? Look at how we've
addressed your disability. No doubt you had trouble seeing out of that
eye...it's lovely." Kahket said to the librarian. "We've made it so that
every life is fulfilling and that every task is a happy one."
   The librarian just bowed his head, and Kahket continued on her route.
   The engineering that went into building this place impressed the Dreaded
Irtemara. Long pipes attached to the base of each vat ferried away most of
the human waste produced by the Living Books each day. These in turn fed
into a central pool that bubbled with brown goo and urine. Something fleshy
swam in this tub, Kahket wondered if it was one of the Lemortis Corpiem:
one of the "skins that swim."
   I'll investigate that later when I have more time, she thought. They
make such fun pets.
   She found the path to the dungeon and descended a flight of stairs to
walk a corridor with many cells. Men behind bars cried out in pain. "Help
me," one man pleaded, his eyes missing from his face. Another tried to walk
forward on stumps, his legs newly amputated and sewn up. Yet a third was
covered in red diseased pustules. Fungus had consumed his genitalia and
most of his upper thigh which looked yellow with gangrene. A sign hung on
his door indicating that he was "patient twelve beta," and participating in
some kind of drug program for a sexually transmitted disease that plagued
some Zandans. Kahket nodded in approval.
   A cure needs to be found, Kahket thought, but my...has Dr. Vampyr been
busy.
   She walked into a room thick with heat from many fires. Men whose backs
had been flayed to reveal the muscles swung limply from their arms, wrists
held tight in iron manacles. Several scriveners sat at desks taking notes
for new anatomical tomes.
   Very useful, Kahket thought.
   Beneath their bare feet blood pooled on the floor. The aroma of death
filled every corner of the chamber. Kahket walked up behind three huge
individuals: one male, the others female. She knew two as Nevrenachtur
Slayers, guests of her husband. These incredibly powerful warriors had
obsidian colored skin, and they'd drunk from the blood of Yogwomaryl, the
Lord of Chaos, who'd been defeated in the wars of the second age at the
cost of a million lives. The last she knew as Nasharwyn, an emerald dragon
who liked to walk about in the guise of a humanoid female.
   She stopped next to the pair of Nevrenachtur Assassins to look for
Dr. Vampyr, and they said nothing other than to acknowledge her presence
with a slight turn of the head. Each was a death giant, which meant that
they'd undergone a ritual to make them "somewhat" human-sized yet they
possessed all the strength and constitution of the death giant that they
truly were. In addition, their former self overlaid their present self in a
shimmering cloud that muddled their actual location. Nine times out of ten,
a melee blow would land on the illusion rather than the real assassin. It
also afforded them a reach like that of a death giant, able to smite
someone from twenty feet away.
   The waspish Dr. Vampyr appeared from around a corner and bowed
deeply. The gleam of his scalpel caught the yellow light form a nearby
brazier filled with glowing coals. "Dreaded Irtemara. The cleric has given
us a full confession."
   "Excellent," she said, looking around. "Where is White Wolf Beryl
Loftcrag?"
   Dr. Vampyr stepped to one side and gestured at several bell jars
containing various organs he'd harvested and pickled. In one, she saw a
bearded face with eyes sewn shut. In another was his testicles and penis
floating in formaldehyde. In a third were fingers and toes, some of which
had been sewn together and placed back onto feet and hands for show (and in
random order), all meticulously preserved. The things went on and on:
nipples, eyes, ears, and even the man's anus floated in a jar and stuffed
with a plug of some sort.
   "He still lives," the doctor said. "I was waiting to hear from you
first, before we incinerated him."
   Kahket's eyes looked to where the doctor pointed and saw a table with a
pile of quivering skin. Jars to either side of the table held blood which
managed to circulate through clear tubes because somehow, the good doctor
had kept the cleric's heart beating. She also noted that Beryl Loftcrag's
brain appeared to be alive inside a fleshless skull, suspended fully inside
a block of brown gelatin.
   "This is exceptional work, and I'm certain all of this is being recorded
by the scriveners so that none of this knowledge on Valion anatomy is
wasted?"
   "But of course," the doctor said.
   "So what did you learn?" Kahket asked. "And before we go further, I just
want to say...you are an artiste, doctor. I'm humbled by your skill."
   Dr. Vampyr grinned sheepishly and color flooded his cheeks. "Oh thank
you, Dreaded Irtemara. I so did not want to disappoint. I think he screamed
in agony the most when I told him I would visit identical procedures upon
his friend, Ephram Skye, once he was captured. He pleaded with me, even as
I surgically removed his twig and berries, so to speak. I think he was in
love. I tried to keep him alive because he was so certain that his soul
would go to the god of war in death. I was hoping that you or Zandine might
have a way to keep that from happening. Souls are such pesky things, and we
can't have them going to our enemy. He's already strong enough, don't you
think?"
   "Let us not speak of Thomas, here," Kahket said. "My husband is in the
`rest of ages,' saving his strength for the battle against the godling. But
the sound of his enemy's name will disturb him from his rest."
   "Oh I had no idea," Dr. Vampyr said. "I apologize as I meant no
offense." Kahket stared at him, and the doctor fidgeted for a moment before
clearing his throat to unravel a map. Kahket marveled at how it was so
clean of ink stains and even blood drops, especially given the condition of
the priest on the table. "The prisoner said while he still had his vocal
cords and tongue that the fabled Orb of Winter is secreted in a keep in the
northern Icewall Mountains about two month's march from our southern
border. It lies on a clandestine highway that requires one to use a vast
network of magical corridors built by the ancient dwarves to go through the
mountains referred to by many as `impassable.' These huge corridors are a
marvel of engineering, and large enough to accommodate a vast host. But
their entrance is carefully hidden. Of course, I know how to find it
now. The prisoner indicated that one man could ride by horse on this
underground highway and reach the other side in just two short
days. There's a mechanism of faster travel using magical gates that
transform anything that goes between it into fog carried by a sorcerous
wind—this mode of travel covers the same ground in a half hour. However,
these gates were built a long time ago by ancient Atlantean sorcerers for
their dwarven friends, and they're no longer operable. Valion sages
studying the magic on the gates say that only a true-blooded Atlantean can
operate them. As you well know, that race is extinct.
   "Just beyond the exit is a well-traveled and broad highway that wends
its way to the south and east. It is patrolled by scouts from a Valion
legion stationed at a fork in the road, some six days march from the exit
of the underground passage. Along this highway are two garrisons, and each
is manned with a dozen men. The bulk of the legion rests and trains in the
Keep of Silverhawk located at the fork in the highway here. This is also
where the Orb of Winter is kept in a special chamber called the Heart of
War. It is guarded by a cibrian golem created by Thomas himself, and it
will only recognize one password: a thing known only by the disciple of
Thomas' church and one of the Crimson Guard identified as Ser Ephram Skye."
   "The one departed from Citadel Raven to rescue White Wolf Beryl
Loftcrag," Kahket said. "Pity, it appears he's too late."
   The Anatomica of Chagidiel bowed. "Most delightful, oh Dreaded
Irtemara. Your wit is as sharp as my scalpel."
   "Did you learn anything else?" Kahket asked.
   "Our prisoner stressed that the pass is a military secret for the
Bakorans. There's a deep water harbor located only a few days march north
of the keep in which the orb is kept, hence where the fork in the road
takes you. It's where the Bakoran empire keeps half of its naval vessels so
that they can be called upon quickly to defend the Sea of Winter or to
strike at our shores. The other road goes on and eventually finds its way
to the holy city of Citadel Raven. It's a backdoor into the most sacred
valley of the Valion lands."
   Kahket smiled and she felt her child kick inside her womb. "A master
stroke of information, my good doctor," she said, examining the map. "I
will discuss all of this with our allies. We will be able to march on this
information as soon as my child is born.'
   The doctor bowed again. "It will be a pleasure to see Typhon once more,
your majesty. It has been a long while, but I'm sure Typhon shall remember
me."
   "The dragon king never forgets," Kahket said, smiling. "At the head of
our army, not even a legion of Valion knights will stand a chance against
Typhon the Terrible, much less the walls of the Keep of Silverhawk. I don't
care how thick they are. Typhon's breath can destroy anything."
   Kahket turned and faced the two gigantic Nevrenachtur Lords, and the
female emerald dragon presently in human form. "Cirumoghel," she said, and
the eight-foot tall death giant bowed his head toward her. "Mara Kano," she
uttered to the other, and she too returned the gesture. Kahket admired Mara
Kano's knee high leather boots pulled tight over blue steel armor. Kahket
mused that the suit Mara wore must weigh three-hundred pounds. What it
would be like to have such strength... They gripped cadels in both of their
hands, mighty axes sometimes used to cut elephants in half. "I assume all
of you have met Nasharwyn?" At that introduction, the emerald dragon woman
bowed her head in reverence. Kahket noted that Nasharwyn's pupils were
vertical black slits, and they appeared especially wide here in the
dungeon. On her back, two scimitars crossed at the hilt, their individual
sheaths bound to her body with leather ties.
   "Why are we here, your highness?" Cirumoghel asked. "Your shadow demon
was not specific as to the purpose of this meeting."
   "I wanted you to hear all of what Dr. Vampyr had to tell us. And now
that you know some of what's at stake, I want you to assist me in bringing
in the outlaw, Ephram Skye, who you now know is a Crimson Guard."
   "You know where he is?" Cirumoghel asked. "Or do I need to find him in
the Valion lands?"
   "Oh, I know where he will be," Kahket said. "He's somewhere in the
countryside, near the Bone Wall I think, and he shouldn't be hard to find
because Valions mostly have fair skin. My agent Tomoluk has pledged to
bring him to me, and our last communication was too short to provide much
detail as to their whereabouts. But I fear the minotaur barbarian may have
bit off more than he can chew. We cannot risk that the knight escape our
grasp or get lost here in the holy city. He's coming because he believes
that his master still lives, which you've seen he does not. We need him
alive, because there's not a necromancer in Zanda that has the power to
wring secrets from the dead. Pity, but it's true."
   "Can you help us narrow down the search area?" Mara Kano asked.
   "Yes. I know he'll come through the Bone Wall at some point. I've asked
our allies, the Timeron Knights, to send scouts through the Bone Wall to
look for them because they have shadow demons that can cover a lot of
ground in a short time and have proved useful as couriers. Skellhaundar
Romax only gave me twenty of his men for such a mission. That's two per
outpost, but I equipped them all with teeth from the ancient Golden
Hydra. Half have reported back already. That leaves five that remain
silent. One of these keeps on the border knows something but hasn't gotten
word back to us by shadow demon yet. I want you to investigate all five."
   "What of the shadow demon that Tomoluk sent to you? Why does it not have
definitive information about Tomoluk's location at least?" Mara Kano asked.
   "Tomoluk didn't send a shadow demon. He has no such servants. It was my
personal shadow demon given to me by Ivan Boritsi, the headmaster of the
Lianon Pard Academy of Necromancy. The shadow demon got the message from
Ivan Boritsi himself. The headmaster has a magical device in his office at
the school that allows him to communicate over great distances. I'm not
sure how it works."
   "Going to five different keeps at the edge of the Bone Wall could take
days," Cirumoghel said.
   "Not by dragon back," Kahket replied, nodding to Nasharwyn. "You could
personally inspect each one and still have half a day remaining were you to
take a dragon as your mount."
   Mara Kano arched an eyebrow. Her jet black skin and otherworldly eyes
made her features difficult to discern in this light.
   "Who else knows of this plan?" Cirumoghel asked.
   "Do you mean, have I shared it with anyone? No. General Calisto and I
have a professional relationship, but I don't tell him
everything...especially when it concerns the Orb of Winter. They rightfully
fear its power, and I'm afraid that Noremost might express interest in
acquiring our super weapon to keep us from challenging them on land and at
sea. They especially cannot know we plan to acquire the Valion navy and add
it to our fleet. The general might take issue with this. I would hope that
you'd see the value of keeping a healthy business partnership between us. I
will reward you with twice your pay."
   This pronouncement made both Mara Kano and Cirumoghel grin. "Are there
any special precautions we should take?"
   "Do not underestimate the resourcefulness of Ephram Skye. He's a Valion
knight of the highest caliber, and a great warrior despite the fact that
he's insane. You should take shackles appropriate to apprehend someone like
him...ones made from Abyssal stone come to mind. If he has any companions,
you should kill them before you bring him to the city. Ephram's the only
one that's important. I will give you a special writ to pass the gates
without inspection once you return. Keep Ephram's identity from
Skellhaundar Romax and General Calisto at all cost. They must not know he's
my prisoner until after I get the password from him and he is a quivering
pile of flesh like his master. Then it won't matter if I have their
cooperation or not."
   "You play a dangerous game," Mara Kano said.
   "Politics can be challenging and not everyone is cut out for it," Kahket
replied. "That's why some of us must rise to rule the rest."
   "What of the minotaur?" Cirumoghel asked.
   "Tomoluk's earned a reward, and he's an agent for the school of
necromancy as well. Do not harm him but let him accompany the prisoner
here. He killed a great enemy for me today," Kahket said. "I think he may
even deserve to meet my husband, an honor I'm sure he'll just jump at like
so many others."
   The two Nevrenachtur lords and Nasharwyn, the emerald dragon, bowed and
left Kahket alone to her thoughts. Before she too departed this furnace in
the bowels of the palace, Kahket stared at the emaciated form of Dr. Vampyr
with admiration. The industrious Anatomica of Chagidiel busied himself with
the sharpening of a scalpel, most likely in preparation for yet another
fortunate soul who had yet to understand the true nature of beauty. It
reminded her of all the detractors over the years that went to war against
her, or the voices of those she conquered that fabricated lies about her
and branded her a monster.
   A visionary is so rarely respected in life, Kahket thought, but that
will not be how my story ends.


				   *****

Chapter Twenty-Seven through Chapter Twenty-Nine are now available to read
at http://slckismet.blogspot.com/p/discussion-board-for.html under the
label "The Orb of Winter" if you care to read ahead.

Are there any artists out there willing to draw some pics for my story? If
so, please email me.  There is an "Orb of Winter" map now in both the NEWS
section of my website and in the FORUMS of my website.

If you go to my website directly from this posting, you will want to begin
with "CHAPTER ELEVEN" in the forums.