The Grandmaster of Sarthas - Chapter 11
#22 of The Grandmaster of Sarthas
In the northern reaches of the Kitsune Patriarchy...
The young Pheonix warrior approached the small black sphere with trepidation. Though his duty was simply to observe and report on his findings here, it always unnerved him to use a device considered Necromantic in nature as a communication device. He placed his talon on the small stone sphere and felt his consciousness ripped violently from his body and transported rapidly north. The trip was near instantaneous, but he had never become use to the first sensation of having his soul torn from its shell as he stood within the pure blackness of his lord's throne room.
"Report chui." Came the familiar tone.
"The operations here in Daquia continue unhindered for the moment my lord." The disembodied spirit intoned through the ether.
"But...?" the voice asked.
"You were correct my lord. The wolf has returned home, and despite the attempts of those who serve you loyally here, the wolf survived the journey in, and out of his homeland."
This was answered with a thoughtful rumble from the darkness. "And what of the last of the cursed Kitsune line?"
"She has unforeseeably found her way into the cur's paws my lord." He reported and winced as an inhuman roar echoed through the darkness.
"What fool decided to hire the Matriarchy to kill them?"
"The Emperor of Kokori my lord. I traveled with the courier of the message and payment. Suzujomei has begun to work directly against your interests." The spirit said.
Another thoughtful growl from the darkness. "Is the wolf a threat to our operations?"
The spirit winced. "Yes my lord. The wolf carries our doom where ever he travels. This new Grandmaster inspires the impossible in others around him. It is as if he is Suzujomei himself reincarnated." The spirit said.
Quiet permeated the darkness around the spirit before it spoke. "A wise male once said ‘spend little time making a plan, and a great deal of time with contingencies.' What of the Bsani mercenaries? Are they close enough to stop him from reaching the Vulpacha Estate?" the voice inquired.
"I can pass the order along my lord." The spirit said.
"Excellent chui, wrap up your business in Daquia quickly. Should the Bsani fail, and there is a good chance they will, I do not want you in harm's way." The voice said.
The spirit became disturbed. "But my lord..." the voice interrupted.
"It is not time for you to join me yet chui. There is more I require of you before you may join your brothers and sisters." The voice said.
The spirit silenced acquiesced the point. "Yes my lord. I shall have my duties completed within the month. I shall return on the 4th month's shipment at the absolute latest my lord."
A moment further of quiet in the room before another question. "There is something more chui?"
"Yes my lord. The wolf was joined at the boarder by his classmate Princess Bianca." It said.
"And what of the war priest?"
"High Priest Bomani Rajkosey knows of the wolf's return, and is waiting for him at the Bsani boarder under the guise of patrolling for a bandit group my lord." Deathly silence filled the room for a moment, and the spirit could almost sense fear in the next words that addressed him.
"A new War Council is beginning to form. Make haste in your duties Chui. Our forces in the East will need their general before long." The voice said.
With another violent trip, the soul was returned to its mortal shell. The phoenix warrior recoiled from the device and cursed himself a fool for ever having used it as he went to the leader of the camp.
"What is our lord's will?" the young Amarokine female asked the bird.
"Let the barbarians we've hired in the Bsani dunes know that we have prey for them. To add enticement to the offer, let them know that the prey is favored of the dragons." The young male said with malice on his beak.
The female nodded, calling in a runner to have a message sent. "They will know in no more than three days my lord, unless you wish to use magical means." She said.
"Send it magically. The Kitsune have no Nerco-hunters within a hundred miles of us. The nearest Akahoshi Ghost-hunter is in Midraria, and the Grandmaster does not yet suspect any kind of foul deeds are afoot to begin watching the ether for our magics." He said, she nodded handing the runner the message and instructing him to deliver it to the camp's entropy lord. The runner did like the sound of his destination, but ran off to deliver the message.
"Shall we get a little pleasure Kado?" the female offered, opening her blouse and showing off her considerable assets to the phoenix.
"If only I had the time. Our lord wishes me to finish my duties here and return as soon as possible." He said.
She harmuphed in frustration. "It figures, first worthy male to come through here worth screwing and yer in a rush." She said stuffing her breasts back into her shirt.
The male grabbed his swords and double checked his map. "I shall be happy to take you up on that offer should I have time when I return from my duties and if I must wait for the next delivery." He said, giving the wolfess a quick tweak on the butt.
She growled frustrated at him. "You had better'd bird, or I'll send ya to the Void myself." She threatened as the phoenix left the tent.
"Damned dirty harlots here. As if a samurai of the east would dirty himself on such filth." The phoenix spat out as he brushed off his kimono and set off into the forest for his destination.