Chapter 6
Mescan swatted a fly stinging his neck, wondering if this stupid Pallian plain would ever end. It was all very well for HIM to say go attack Mal Zeth and keep Emperor Zakath from sending his Mallorean army over to the western half of the world, but doing it was another thing. Mescan was a Melcene, and what was a Melcene doing at the head of a horde of howling Karandese fanatics? Mescan shook his head. If he hadn't been bankrupted when Zakath had ordered the autonomy of the Dalasian Protectorates, he wouldn't have dreamed of doing this. As it was, however--
"General Mescan!" the call interrupted his thoughts. He turned as a young Karand galloped up. "There's a force of about five hundred men up ahead, General," the scout reported. "They probably think we're just a minor annoyance."
Mescan smiled grimly. "Tell Colonel Renka to take an equal force and go out to meet them. Pile their bodies in a heap."
The training HE had given them had made them invincible, Mescan admitted to himself as the scout cantered off. The method of fighting was very unusual, very unexpected, and very deadly.
At about an hour later, the five hundred men returned with Colonel Renka, the vacant saddles limited to seven or eight.
General Balakyt glanced impatiently at the Karands vomiting over the rail of the ship. He would have thought that at least some of them would be used to sailing, but no... As soon as one spot was vacated on the rail, another Karand rushed up to take it. Shaking his head irritably, Balakyt turned to the captain of the ship, who hovered nearby. "Have we entered the Gulf of Urga yet?" he snapped.
"Not yet, General," the captain answered.
"We've got a schedule, captain. We can't dawdle along at the coast waiting for the wind to rise."
"General, we can't go any faster. Our wind held all the way from Voresbo to the mouths of the Mangan, but then our speed dropped. We drifted around the tip of Gandahar and Likandia, trying to avoid the icebergs, and then a east wind made us shoot up to the warmer waters of Perivor and over to the lip of Cthaka. General, we've sailed thousands of miles. Now all we've got to do is to enter the Gulf and sail around behind Rak Urga. A few days at most will do it."
"We don't have a few days, you fool! We've got to block the roads to Rak Urga before King Urgit hears news of the capture of Rak Cthan!"
The captain shook his head. "We're carrying full sail, General. There's nothing more we can do."
"How about rowing?"
"Not enough crewmen, General."
"Captain," hissed Balakyt sarcastically, "We've got over three hundred Karands on each ship. What do you suppose we could use them for?"
"The Karands?" The captain looked dumbfounded.
"Captain, I want this ship to reach the landing point by sunset."
General Halmon smirked as his soldiers poured into Rak Cthan, a flood of black-garbed Karands. His stupid fellow Angaraks had attempted to fight back, but they were dead before they had time to loose an arrow or draw their sword.
Too bad this was just a diversionary tactic to draw King Urgit out of Rak Urga. King Urgit! Ha! Halmon was a Mallorean, and he held nothing but contempt for the weakling king of the Murgos. And Emperor Zakath had befriended him! Ever since he had married that Dal, Cyradis, Zakath had really gone soft.
So Halmon had joined HIS forces. This was power! Halmon clenched his fist, crushing an imaginary Rak Cthan in his hand. What HIS motive was, no one quite knew, but as long as they conquered cities, Halmon didn't really care. He nudged his horse and cantered down the hill.
"So far as we know, there are three forces of Karands and Morindim abroad," Queen Porenn stated, looking down the table at the gathered kings.
Belgarion of Riva, Varana of Tolnedra, Sadi of Nyissa, Belgarath the Sorcerer, Durnik of Sendaria, Polgara the Sorceress, Fulrach of Sendaria, Kheva of Drasnia, Barak of Cherek, Hettar of Algaria, the Gorim of Ulgo, Korodullin and Mayaserena of Arendia, Nathel of Mishrak Ac Thull, Cyradis of Mallorea and of Kell, and Ayan of Gar Og Nadrak were all in attendance. The most conspicuous absenses were Urgit of Cthol Murgos, Anheg of Cherek, and Cho-Hag of Algaria. Hettar and Barak looked worried, and Porenn's eyes showed her concern for her nephews.
"So far as we know?" asked Barak.
"There might be more, my dear Barak. My agents can't cover both continents in every square mile. The three: one's moving through the mountain region to the east of Drasnia. Their aim might be either to block the North Caravan Route or to occupy the Moors of Drasnia. They've already burned parts of the Forest of Nadrak."
"We could mobilize the Drasnian army, but we don't know where they're going," Kheva said.
"You haven't even mobilized the army yet?" demanded Ayan incredulously. "Don't you take Drosta's messages seriously?"
"We haven't had any reason to yet, before we know where they're moving to," Kheva retorted.
"The second one," Porenn continued to head off further wrangling, "is the force marching on Mal Zeth. It consists mostly of Karands, a howling mass of fanatics. They shouldn't be too much of a challenge for Zakath's army."
"I am afraid thou art in error, dearest Porenn," said Cyradis in her soft voice. "Methinks that these Karands art more a match for my lord's army than thou dost perceive."
"How so, Cyradis?" Porenn frowned, turning to the heavily pregnant Empress of Mallorea.
"These Karands whom thou dost speak of seem to have a method of warfare that doth far surpass anything the skilled Mallorean soldiers can do."
"Then Zakath will be committing his forces to this invasion?"
"Yes."
"Might this not be a foul effort of the Karands to distract his Imperial Majesty's gaze?" asked Korodullin earnestly. "Might not Emperor Zakath be less inclined to send armies to our aid when his own capital doth hang in the balance?"
"So where's the third force?" rumbled Barak.
"Rak Cthan's been captured by Karands," replied Porenn, sifting through her papers.
"In order to distract King Urgit's army," concluded Hettar quietly.
"So the main attack is the one coming through the mountains of Gar Og Nadrak, "Kheva surmised.
"Good job, genius," muttered Ayan.
"Maybe not," Garion spoke up. He had been thinking about Porenn's words before. "As you said, Porenn, your agents can't cover every square mile. It could be the main force hasn't struck yet. The mountain invasion is in all probability the main mission, but we can't get our minds set on that."
"The main question," Varana stated, "is who. Who's leading the Morindim and the Karands?" The emperor was wearing the traditional gold mantle, but he looked preoccupied.
"Belgarath?" asked Sadi.
"I haven't the faintest idea," the old sorcerer replied.
"But...the prophecies?" asked Barak.
"Ended after the Choice," Garion replied. "We're breaking into new ground. They're obsolete."
"Cyradis," asked Aunt Pol, speaking for the first time, "What do your people sense about these invasions?"
The girl who had once been a seer closed her eyes. "A great evil moves throughout the mountains," she replied. "There is one who has great power and who was thought to be dead by all. He is searching for one who is hiding in the west."