Leodan the Son of Lion Chapters 1-7

The sun quickly sat down at mountain tops. There time of evening shadows came and it was possible to start the Interview ritual. Kiris returned to an office, replaced a working robe with the Shadow cloak. Except Kiris only two persons in all Sheran had the right to wear such attire — Hraor the Head of magicians of the Bowl and Her Majesty the Queen Margiana.

Three persons on whom Sheran's power keeps. And everyone has own gift.

The queen Margiana was granted the Bowl Gift from the birth.

The Archmaster Hraor was granted an opportunity to touch the Bowl — the only creation of the Shady Side which still could be in the world of people.

Kiris' gift was that he could have dreams in which the Shady Side expressed the will. Kiris was a Negotiator. Among of all magicians of the Bowl only Kiris could communicate with the Father's envoys. He had to be an intermediary between the Shady Side and magicians of the Bowl.

The day before the envoy of the Shady Side was to him in a dream again and warned that this evening Kiris should be to the Hall of the Interview with a gift. The Shady Side always demanded different gifts. Usually it was blood — sometimes blood of animals, but more often the human`s the most desired for Shadow Inhabitants. This time Kiris was told to bring to the Father of Shadow ten orcish hearts.

Kiris came to the Hall of Interviews via the system of portals — it penetrated all Tower of Magicians. The master H'zar the head of the Silents already expected him with a basket in which fresh hearts of the orcs killed in glory of the Father of Shadow lay.

Kiris entered the circle designated by sixteen columns from pure quartz. Out of a circle, opposite to each of columns, was established on a support the mirror of the black polished bronze reflecting light spread by the powerful magic lamp under the Hall arches. The shades, cast by quartz columns, met to the center of a circle, forming a sixteen-final star — a symbol of sixteen Houses of the Shady Side.

The master H'zar spread out the bleeding hearts in the low bronze braziers located between mirrors meanwhile. The smell of burned meat floated on the hall. The wave of a stench covered Kiris, and during the next moment the magician felt approach of the envoy of the Shady Side.

This time a keiche the lowest vampire was an envoy. Kiris always liked these fragile graceful beings similar to very young girls with greenish skin, pretty faces and the huge shining eyes. They seemed to Kiris extraordinary erotic, and he sometimes regretted that cannot enjoy illusive flesh of keiche.

— "Speak", — Kiris told.

— "The Father of Shadow is happy with you, the Negotiator", — told keiche, having bared sharp teeth in a smile. — "He ordered to tell you that your merits are big".

— "I thank keiche for a praise. I was told to be, and I came. I expect orders of the Father of Shadows."

— "The Father ordered to transfer to the servants owning the Bowl that they will shortly face the new foe".

— "About what foe does the Lord warn us?"

— "The Sheran army broke orcs, but the kingdoms of people are not yours yet".

— "It is only a matter of time. We will win Schur and Aglam soon. Our allies are just about beginning war against Sabia, and then the Crownof Abyss will belong to us at as our general master wishes. After that you, inhabitants of the Shady Side, will be able to join us at last in common to bring closer the hour returning blessed times of Shoo".

— "You have less time, than you think, the magician".

— "What do you speak about, the envoy?"

— "One of relics of the Nine, Ayvari's stone, passed from orcs to people. So other relics have lost the Cover of the Shadow and become available to the human tribe".

— "It is impossible. Relics of the Forgotten were protected by the strongest spells at the time of Shoo!"

-" Orcs are guilty of everything. Once the Father of Shadows patronized them because it is difficult to find soldiers braver and more skillful than orcs. But then orcs betrayed the Father of Shadows, having refused to serve queen Margiana and also to our general master. You beat orcs, but they are not defeated yet. Their leader Uday is not only brave soldier but also skillful magician. He knew that there was a Hostility spell on Ayvari's stone. While the stone belonged to orcs people could take control of it only by force. Blood of the killed orcs and people profaned stone, depriving magic power of it. Uday thought up how to bypass an ancient spell of magicians of Shoo. His messenger gave the goddess-healer stone to the human of own will. Now the spell of Hostility is destroyed, and the stone found force again".

-"It could not happen, keiche. It is impossible. People and orcs always fiercely hated each other. Wars between them became a usual thing since ancient times".

— "However it happened. The one who received a stone from Uday was the half-blooded, the son of an orc and the human. And he gave the stone to people. We do not know yet who owns Ayvari's stone now but the ordinary person could not receive such gift. The Forgotten noted this mortal`s birth in an hour. You know, the magician, that Relics of the Forgotten choose themselves whom they want to belong".

— "It is bad news. What can it threaten us with?"

"The one who will collect all Relics of the Forgotten will be able to resist to the power of the Shady Side. Magicians of the Bowl should remember it".

— "Do you know who got the Orcish stone?"

— "Ask the Bowl to give you the Shadow look, and nothing will take refuge from your looks in one of the worlds, — Eyes of keiche flashed as bright stars. — Be through with that one whom the Shadow will point to you as soon as possible. It is wished by our mutual Lord".

Keiche disappeared also inexplicable as well as appeared. It was a property of creations of the Shady Side — they appeared from nowhere and disappeared in anywhere. Kiris felt as if he had nightmare dreamed. The Interview finished, the will of the Father of Shadows was stated, and it would be necessary to inform magicians of the Bowl about it.

The hall of the Interview was more and more filled with a stench from the orcish hearts burning in braziers. Kiris left a circle of quartz columns, made the sign to the master H'zar to follow him and went to the portal glowing in the dark depth of one of hall apses. The meeting of council of the Bowl will begin soon, and Kiris did not want to be late.

* * *

— "Did you find him? Speak!"

Samedyar grievously shook the head. If Shemmer-Ta-Nat could cry she would burst out crying — but all tears were dropped for last days.

— "Really you cannot find him, Samedyar?"

— "My people turned upside down all Darnat, my beloved. Nothing and no traces. Poor Leodan disappeared as if he was taken away alive by gods".

— "It is impossible. Surely somebody has to know about him!"

— "We interviewed all beggars, all our secret informers, all dealers and holders of brothels. Nobody saw Leodan. Alas, my love, he disappeared. But, I swear, I will continue searching. I am sure that he is alive".

— "He is alive?" — Shemmer-Ta-Nat stepped to the legionary. — "Of course, he is alive! He is so darling, so kind, so harmless. Unless it is possible to do him any harm? Perhaps, somebody frightened him, and he ... hides. Find him, Samedyar, I beg you".

— "I will find him", — with confidence in a voice the young man answered. — "For the sake of you I will return the boy from the kingdom of the dead".

— "How good you are next to me!" — The girl's face brightened up. — "I would die of despair if you weren`t here. I miss Leodan so much".

— "I will find him", — Samedyar inspired with the words of the girl repeated.

— "Find and come back together with him", — Shemmer-Ta-Nat gave a hand for a kiss, and Samedyar dropped it to lips with great feeling. — "I will be waiting for you".

* * *

— "And she told?" — Uzmay grinned. — "You apparently managed to become the favourite of my daughter".

— "Yes, she told. Only I do not know now what to do. I even begin to regret that I hurried with this ship".

— "Oh, yes! Just imagine what heights you would rise in the opinion of Shemmer-Ta-Nat if you brought Leodan here. But how I think it is impossible?"

— "Alas, master. The ship left the Igerabal's Palm four days ago".

— "Poor boy! We treated him very severely. But we had no choice".

— "Truly so, master. To make a little amends, I want to compensate to you the cost of the slave", — Samedyar put a bag with gold on the table before Uzmay. — "I know, Leodan costs more, but that`s all I have".

— "You are truly a noble young man, Samedyar!" — Uzmay in the fulness of the heart even threw up the hands. — "You even thought of it. I swear by palms of Kua, I did not expect. Drink some vine".

— "I hope, Shemmer-Ta-Nat never learns the truth?"

— "Do you joke? I am in the same way involved in this story, as well as you. I gave you ring of my unforgettable wife. The daughter will never forgive me what I made. So don`t you worry. Only you, me and the judge know what happened. And though I feel sorry for the guy we cannot turn back the things made. Let's think of the future and not to regret for what was created".

— "Gold words, my master. And absolutely to disseminate your grief, I will tell you what heard in the palace. The lightest Shofet signed the decree on construction of twenty more fighting ships. You will be a contractor. And still, — with a smile Samedyar continued, — you and fine Shemmer-Ta-Nat were included in lists of persons invited to celebrations in port, in day of the Holiday of the Sea. The Shofet himself approved these lists".

— "Your words sound like divine music, my friend", — Uzmay did not restrain, embraced the young man and right there in a volley drained a wine bowl. — "Let's not think more of the ill-fated slave. Now I see that I didn`t make this sacrifice in vain. Gods love sacrificing. Especially everything that I make I do for the benefit of my daughter and gods should see it. They will not condemn me for love to my child".

* * *

The Shofet Ras Navan was happy. In any case court recorders to whose duties belonged to document any event with participation of the Son of the Sun, several times entered in the plates that "the radiant smile did not descend from a light face of the Sun from the House of the Sun all this day". However what raised that smile — the shows and games organized on the embankment by Igerabal's priests or rich gifts presented to the Shofet by merchant guilds or opportunity to see a certain blue-eyed beauty next to him — nobody could tell definitely. Shemmer-Ta-Nat sitting near the father in an honourable guest row at first considered how many times the young Shofet looked at her then lost count. She did not want to go on this holiday but her father insisted.

— "You will mourn your Leodan after time", — told her Uzmay. — "Such the honor is done to us and you go obstinate! You go on a holiday such is my will".

To obey to the father — the daughter's debt and Shemmer-Ta-Nat did not begin to argue though her heart was black. However on the embankment she forgot about Leodan for some time. The atmosphere of holiday disseminated melancholy and captured the girl. She was surrounded by magnificently dressed court, important men and beautiful women covered with jewelry like ritual statues in the temple of Kua. Not only the Shofet glanced at Shemmer-Ta-Nat: many men appreciated beauty of the debutant. Another time it would flatter the girl strongly, but now she did not want to flirt for some reason. And she just watched what happened on the embankment especially as representation was really interesting.

In the beginning the actors dressed up by gods, demons and heroes passed on the embankment, showing scenes from the Book of Heavenly Waters — the sacred book of Ygerabal cult. Further the turn of the parade of vessels came: twelve richly decorated fighting galleys at full speed passed by the embankment under applause of guests of the Shofet and an enthusiastic roar of the common people covering piers. Then the most real sea battle with hijacking of the "enemy" vessel was showed. After that on the embankment, under the beating of drums and whistle of flutes, hundreds of the Sacred Legion marched. Tall stately soldiers in the scaly gilded armors and helmets which were brightly shining under beams of the sun with white and red plumes and big square shields and long spears. The last one hundred was conducted by Samedyar and Shemmer-Ta-Nat saw that the young soldier looked only at her.

Time approached evening when soldiers in easy leather armor of the Sea Lions unit appeared again on the embankment. They accompanied a ship catapult which was dragged by six white bulls decorated with flowers and tapes — the sacred animals of Ygerabal. The audience become silent observed how soldiers established the catapult on the embankment, having developed it to the bay. And then many saw on water in several hundred yards from the coast the stocky birema with black boards and signs of a Fiery Eye drawn on a vessel nose — the ship has been recently seized in fight with Sabian pirates.

— "Kind citizens of Darnat!" — Lord Ashran, the Supreme priest Shat-Tsebu, rose from the place and addressed guests: — "Nowadays in order to glorify the greatness of Ygerabal in day of the Holiday of the Sea, we, great Shat-Tsebu's priests, want to show you something extraordinary. Look and wonder the marvel of gifts which gods sometimes give to the mortals!"

Two soldiers carefully brought the big wicker basket to a catapult filled as it seemed to the audience with big balls made of gray felt. The third soldier according to the sign of the team officer carefully lifted one of spheres and put in a catapult cup. Bemmmm — the catapult with a clang and roar threw out a strange shell towards the Sabian birema. Several moments all people watched tensely in that side where the sphere departed, and was thought by much that catapult team made a booboo, having missed the target, but there in the condensed twilight the orange flash blazed and the Sabian ship was literally shrouded in a rusty smoky flame. Under cries of delight and applause catapult sent the second shell to the target. The raging flame in minutes captured all birema and the burning ship began to be filled up sideways slowly.

— "Great gods!" — Ras Navan exclaimed looking at the sinking ship. -"Is it your surprise, uncle?"

— "It is delightful, huh?" — Ashran literally radiated complacency. — "Do you see how Shat-Tsebu's magicians seek to strengthen your greatness, dear nephew?"

— "What is it?"

— "Magic elixir. Fiery jelly. I thought you should look at its action".

— "Incredibly! You managed to strike me in the heart, uncle".