Not much to say about this chapter. It pretty much just a transition into the next chapter, where the action will happen. The importance of the magicians who appear will depend on whether I decide if they get eaten or not. Oh, and Sirles Athol continues his likely hopeless quest to make people realize that he was the victim in his and Yama's encounter.
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Kubera
Chapter 10: The Refugees
"Priestess-nim! Mr. Cheonjae!" a messenger boy cried, running up to them. He stopped to catch, bracing his hand on his knees.
"What's wrong?" Chaya asked.
"Sura!" he cried. "Sura are attacking the refugees!"
"What refugees?" Yama asked.
"When we learned about the stronger Sura moving into the area, we decided to move the population of all the outlying villages of the Thanciel area into the city. It'll be a drain on our resources, but it better than leaving Sura bait lying around." Chaya said. She turned back to the kid. "Tell me exactly what's happening. No, actually, take several deep breaths, and then tell me what's happening." The kid sucked in several large mouthfuls of air, and started talking rapidly.
"Temple Magician Matius was guiding the refugees to the city, but they were attacked by several Upani. They managed to escape with the help of the magicians with him, but they used up their daily usages for Hoti Vayu, so they're stuck. He's requested reinforcements; the Sura were too numerous and powerful for them to fight off, and they will probably be found soon." he finished.
"Gods," Chaya said, "this is bad. We can't afford to lose any civilians, let alone magicians."
"Good thing that buffoon can teleport, right?" Yama said.
"That's right!" Chaya said. She smiled. "Ha! For once in your miserable life, Sirles, you're going to be useful!" She turned to Yama. "And you! We might as well take this chance to see what you're made of."
"What? Me? Why me?" Yama asked.
"Well, you said you were a better magician that Sirles. Now's your chance to prove it." Chaya said. Yama took a breath to argue with her…
…and saw a sly quirk to her smile. Yama closed his mouth and narrowed his gaze. She was testing him.
"Fine." he said. "I'll go. I'll prove to you how good I am. I'll bring every one of those people back without a hair on their head harmed." Chaya blinked.
"I don't know, maybe you should raise your goals a little first." she said.
"I'm serious." Yama snapped.
"I know, I can tell, I'm sorry. By the way, what attributes do you have?" Chaya asked.
"Triple…uh…Yama, I guess." Yama said. He wouldn't be able to pull off magic not his own well enough to maintain secrecy.
"You guess?" Chaya asked, raising and eyebrow. Yama kept his mouth firmly shut and looked back at her, deciding that shutting up was the better part of subtlety.
"Let me repeat the question, so you won't have to evasive, and this is important: What attributes do you have?" Chaya said, enunciating each word of the question.
"Triple Yama." Yama said, without hesitation this time.
"Good. You," she said turning to the messenger, "Take Mr. Cheonjae to the Exit Road checkpoint. I'll contact the other magicians who will be going with him, and have them meet up there."
"Yes, ma'am!" the messenger said, and ran off, waving at Yama to follow.
"Off you go!" Chaya said, smacking Yama on back so hard he nearly fell over. "Don't let Sirles bully you too much, and try not to break him either."
"I make no promises." Yama said, and ran after the messenger.
*I*
Approximately fifteen minutes later the party of five magicians was assembled, with Athol arriving with a blast of wind from a Bhavati Vayu. He looked around at the group, arrogant smile on his face, until he saw Yama. His face froze, and changed into a look that was part astonishment and part righteous fury.
"YOU!" he cried.
"Me." Yama replied.
"What are you doing here? Why aren't you in prison?!"
"I'm here to join you in this mission; and because I got drafted instead."
"What? How could Chaya bring a brigand like you into the service of Thanciel?"
"I understand that there was a need for magician-power. Also, I got the distinct impression that she doesn't like you very much." One of the other magicians, a woman with dark purple hair, coral color eyes, and red robes covered her mouth to stifle a laugh.
"How dare you! The Priestess and I have known each other for years, I hardly think she would impart any such information to you!"
"I said I got the impression, not that she told me. And I notice that you aren't denying it." The woman and another magician, a man with dark hair and an orange coat, were clearly trying to not double over with laughter. Athol was steadily growing red. As took a breath to make his retort, the last magician stepped between him and Yama. He had bright red hair, and black robes that identified him as a Temple magician of the Death Temple.
"Okay, okay, let's just settle down everyone." he said. "We have a job to do, and fighting amongst ourselves isn't going to make it any easier. Why don't we introduce ourselves? Break the ice, and all that. I'll start." He stepped back so that they were all facing him.
"Hi. My name is Ernest Nessam. I'm a Temple Magician at the Death Temple here in Thanciel, and I am a Yama-Yama-Vayu magician. Next?"
"My name is Caile Itua." the woman said. "I am a non-denominational magician from Cerun, and my attributes are Kubera-Indra-Indra. Pleased to meet you all." she finished with a little curtsy.
"I am Rodrick, the Mighty!" the man with the orange coat declared. "I am a wandering hero, who has come to the aid of Thanciel in its time of need. I am an incredibly handsome and talented Agni-Surya-Agni magician, and so long as I am by your side, you need not fear for your lives!" Everyone stared at him for a minute. Ernest turned to Athol and Yama.
"Riiiight." he said. "Now, how about you two?" Athol stepped forward.
"I'm sure you all know who I am, but I shall introduce myself anyway. I," he said, smoothing his hair back, "am Sirles Athol, an AA, Vayu-Vayu-Vayu magician, teleportation expert, and supreme master of all things concerning wind magic –."
"Which suits a pompous windbag like you." Yama remarked. Athol glared at him while Caile bit her lip to stop herself from laughing, and Rodrick stop trying to control himself and start laughing his head off. Ernest looked at Yama disapprovingly.
"Is it really necessary to provoke your teammates like that Mr.–?"
"Cheonjae Tun. Yama-Yama-Yama magician. And I'll have you know that this buffoon was incredibly rude to me when we first met for no legitimate reason, and then he kicked up a fuss over me borrowing his license –,"
"You assaulted me and took it off of my body while I was unconscious!"
"— and he got me drafted into defending your little city. Which is why I'm here." All the other magicians were staring at him.
"Oh," he clarified, "but don't worry, I'll give you 100%, be a team player, and all that; even though I'm here against my will. I unfortunately promised Chaya I would get the refugees back here safe, so now I gotta go do it."
"You dare address the Priestess so informally?" Athol spluttered.
"Take it up with her, she told me to call her that. Oh, you don't get to call her that? Yet another sign that she hates your guts."
"I am going to teleport you over the mouth of an active volcano!" Athol screamed.
"Just try it! I'll rot your eyes out; we'll see how far you can teleport then!" Yama shot back, getting in Athol's face. They were about to start strangling each other when Ernest seized their collars and dragged them apart.
"If you can act like adults for five minutes, perhaps we should get going. Those people could come under attack at any time." he said. Athol and Yama ended hostilities with mutual I'll-get-you-later glares.
"Everyone grab on." Athol said. Once all the other magicians had gotten a grip on him, Athol glanced at the city wall. There was a surging of wind, a twisting of space, and suddenly they were on top of the wall, which Yama nearly stumbled and fell off of.
Well, that was a thing, Yama thought. He'd never traveled using another God's power before. It was…discomforting. Yama's jurisdiction was death; that was a part of who he was. Entering another God's domain was unnatural. He hoped he could convince these people he was good at teleporting really, really, quickly.
"Okay, here are the coordinates," Ernest said, holding up a piece of paper. "Everyone take a good look so if something happens on the way there, we can meet up."
They all crowded around and memorized it. Athol held out his arms, and called,
"All aboard!" They all grabbed on, and Athol shot sly grin at Yama before sighting on their first transport point. "Don't fall off." he said.
The surging, twisting, wind came again, and Yama closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. The wind faded, and he opened his eyes…to find that he was miles away from were he was supposed to be. In addition, all of the other magicians were missing.
It took Yama only a few moments to jump to the proper conclusion.
"THAT DULL-WITTED, NARSSISSISTIC, SELF-IMPORTANT SON OF A BITCH!" Yama screamed, startling birds into the air for miles around. The bastard had deliberately sent him to an incorrect location, separately from the other magicians. If Yama hadn't been so thoroughly pissed off at Athol, he might have felt some grudging respect for the human for pulling off such a difficult feat.
He snarled, brain seething with rage and horrible things to do to Sirles Athol, but as he looked in the direction of his true destination, his snarl turned into a nasty grin. Here was an opportunity to show that buffoon who's boss, and display sufficient teleporting ability so that he would have to experience Vayu's power again. If Athol wasn't such an annoying idiot, Yama might have thanked him for this golden opportunity.
Yama laughed, and dissolved in black mist, his essence speeding across the land to the coordinates Ernest had shown him. When he sensed the presence of human life, he discretely reincorporated nearby, but out of sight. Then he walked into sight of the encampment.
As soon as he was spotted, the group of humans swarmed him and started asking questions.
"Are you one of the magicians the Priestess sent?
"Can you get us out of here?"
"Where are the others? Weren't a lot supposed to come?" As if to answer this last one, Athol and the others chose that moment to appear. Athol threw out his arms and started strutting like a peacock.
"My dear people! Do not fear, for I, Sirles Athol, and my brave associates are here to ferry you the rest of the way to safety! Hopefully the last member of our group will arrive soon, and we can –." Athol spotted Yama and did a double take. Yama waved.
"Hi." he called cheerfully. Athol took a breath to make a respond, only to have the wind knocked out of him by Caile's timely placed elbow. The group made their way over to him, wheezing Athol in tow.
"Mr. Cheonjae, how did you get here so fast?" Ernest marveled. "Even Athol-nim wasn't able to bring us here en route as fast as you got here from miles off course."
"I keep saying it: I'm a far better magician than that buffoon." Yama said. Athol managed to get a hold of himself enough to glare at Yama and stagger upright. Anything he might have said was lost to history when loud crashing noises began to echo from the forest around them. Frightened whispers and a few screams began to emanate from the mass of humanity. The blood drained from Ernest's face, and he whirled around to face Athol.
"Get these people out of here! Now!" he yelled.