Dreams Read online

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  Harmony Ink Press

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  Ste 2, PMB# 279

  Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886

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  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Dreams of Fire and Gods: Dreams

  Copyright © 2012 by James Erich

  Cover Art by Paul Richmond

  http://www.paulrichmondstudio.com

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Harmony Ink Press, 5032 Capital Circle SW, Ste 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886, USA.

  [email protected]

  ISBN: 978-1-62380-105-2

  Printed in the United States of America

  First Edition

  December 2012

  eBook edition available

  eBook ISBN: 978-1-62380-106-9

  GLOSSARY

  SOME words in Tövon (TAW-vohn), the language spoken in the kingdom of Dasak:

  Note: In addition to the unusual characters ö (pronounced “aw”) and ü (pronounced like the “u” in the English word “put”), Tövon also differs from English in that there are no plurals. Whether an object is singular or plural is derived from context.

  demen (DEH-mehn): nightmarish creatures composed of bits and pieces of dead animals and people.

  denök (dehn-AWK): a rabbit warren. From den (“den” or “warren”) and ök (“rabbit”).

  dönz (DAWNZ): “of,” used in the context of family names, as in Sael dönz Menaük—Sael of the Menaük family.

  ghet (GHEHT): a large, lumbering animal used in farm work, generally considered genial but not overly intelligent.

  ghusat (GHUH-suht): an enormous fresh-water serpent with horns along the length of its body.

  gönd (GAWND): a game of chance, in which small wooden sticks and disks are cast upon the floor and the outcome of the “battle” is tallied up according to complicated rules.

  kanun (KAH-nuhn): a tall tree with broad leaves and hard, round seeds.

  kikid (KIH-kihd): a speckled, pheasant-like game bird that nests in fields.

  kim (KIHM): large fish, approximately the size of a medium fishing boat. There are both fresh-water and salt-water species.

  komid-minid (KOH-mihd-MIH-nihd): “banded flower.” A white iris-like flower with metallic gold veins in the petals.

  makek (mah-KEHK): “chief” or “supreme.” The suffix “-makek” can be applied to most political or social classes to designate the highest ranking member.

  mat (MAHT): town.

  nagaing (nah-GAH-ing): a mythical creature that is half human woman and half fish.

  nened (NEH-nehd): “glowbugs.” Small beetles with glowing yellow-green abdomens.

  nimen (NIH-mehn): “lover.” Sometimes “spouse,” but only in the context of a romantic pairing, as opposed to a spouse in an arranged marriage.

  nud (NUHD): a penis, often implying a small one.

  rawuk (RAW-uhk): an herb with mild analgesic properties, especially in the root. People often chew the pleasant-tasting root to relax.

  stosam (STAW-suhm): an ale infused with herbs. The herbs vary from town to town, giving each region distinct flavors.

  ten’nak (TEHN-nahk): a carnivorous plant that uses thought-sensing and illusion magic to lure animals and people into the swamp to drown them and feed off their life force.

  tondekan (TOHN-dehk-uhn): the title and lands associated with the position of dekan. This always includes one major city and often includes small villages nearby.

  veikit (VEY-ih-kiht): the hereditary title and lands of the vek. It only refers to the East Kingdom. The veikit is further broken down into tondekan, as is the West Kindgom.

  zeinimen (ZEY-ih-nih-mehn): “love-bonded.” Also “married,” but only applicable to marriages of love. It would not be applied to a marriage for social or political reasons.

  SOME words in Osyeh (OH-syeh), the language of the Taaweh:

  Note: Osyeh is characterized by long vowels, in which the vowel sound is held for two beats. Osyeh does have plurals, but speakers of Tövon tend to use the singular “Taaweh” to refer to both one Taaweh and multiple members of the Taawehnai.

  fya-iinyeh (fyah-EE-een-yeh): close friend or companion, fya meaning “close.”

  iinu (EE-ee-noo): “cherished.”

  iinyeh (EE-een-yeh): friend or ally.

  tyeh (CHYEH): “greatest.” A commonly used superlative.

  tyeh-areh (chyeh-AH-reh): “great mist.” The mist that marks the boundary between the world of the living and the world of the dead.

  tyeh-iinyeh (chyeh-EE-een-yeh): “greatest friend” or “lover,” in the context of the person one is closest to. Similar to the Dasak word “nimen.” To the Taaweh, this is the closest possible emotional bond between two people.

  shaa (SHAH-ah): “lord” or “man.” The male ruler of the Taaweh is the Iinu Shaa, the Cherished Lord.

  shavi (SHAH-vee): “lady” or “woman.” The female ruler of the Taaweh is the Iinu Shavi, the Cherished Lady.

  taaweh (TAH-ah-weh): “guardian.”

  zouvya (ZOH-oh-vyah): “lake.” This word migrated into the language of the humans in Dasak as zovya (ZOH-vyah) and is used in many place names.

  NOTES

  TIMES of day in the kingdom of Dasak:

  The kingdom follows the temple practice of dividing the day into four “hours,” beginning at the following major phases of the Eye of Atnu (what we would call the “sun”):

  Penent—sunrise

  Cabbon—midday

  Nemom—sunset

  Manduccot—midnight

  These are of variable length according to the time of year. They are further bisected into “early” and “late” halves. There are also “hours” associated with the Eye of Druma (the moon), but they are only used by the ömem and samöt.

  POLITICAL positions within the kingdom:

  The Tövon words for different political positions and classes in the kingdom.

  komük (KOH-muhk): emperor. The ruler of the entire kingdom. The position is hereditary, though dynasties have changed through assassination and wars.

  vek (VEHK): the emperor’s regent in the East Kingdom. Though he answers to the emperor, in practice the isolation of the East Kingdom gives him immense power and autonomy.

  dekan (DEHK-uhn): the ruler of a city or region dominated by a city.

  ömem (AW-mehm): a woman allied to the goddess Imen, who is granted the ability to see anything illuminated by the Eyes and trained in healing magic. Ömem cannot foresee the future. The ömem also refer to themselves as the Sisterhood.

  vönan (VAW-nuhn): a mage allied to the god Caednu and granted the ability to use fire magic.

  caedan (CAH-eh-duhn): a priest of the Stronni. Caedan are primarily scholars and clergy with little magical ability.

  samöt (sah-MAWT): an assassin guided by the Sight of the ömem. Their larger organization is referred to as the Brotherhood. The word samöt means “dagger.”

  Chapter 1

  THE Great War had lasted two thousand years. The Stronni, driven back into the northern mountains, had built a tremendous stone wall, stretching to the sea. But not before they destroyed the Taaweh capital cit
y of Gyishya and drove the Taaweh deep into the forest. Neither side appeared close to victory.

  Then one morning at dawn, a beautiful woman appeared at the gates of the Stronni’s Great Hall, dressed in a gown of the finest pale-green silk trimmed with opals, amethysts, and rubies. Her long tresses shimmered as though made of gold. Unaccompanied and showing not the slightest hesitation or fear, she walked quietly out of the mist toward the hall.

  The guards at the gate exchanged puzzled glances, then stepped forward to block her entrance.

  She smiled serenely and said, “I’ve come to speak to your lord.”

  But they had heard much of Taaweh trickery and brandished their weapons at her, attempting to force her back. Without a word, the woman raised her hand and they instantly crumpled to the ground, where they lay still.

  The Iinu Shavi turned her gaze to the massive wooden doors of the Great Hall and they burst open, splintering the great wooden beam that bolted them closed and twisting their great iron hinges. When the warriors inside saw this along with their fallen comrades, they rushed forward to attack. But not a blade touched the Iinu Shavi’s skin, for all the men began to fall until their bodies littered the floor about her.

  Calmly, she walked around them, moving steadily toward the high throne.

  King Caednu, his muscular, naked body bronzed and tattooed with shimmering magical fire signs, stood, enraged, and ordered his sorcerer to stop her. Terrified, the wizard unleashed a storm of fire upon the woman, hot enough to scorch the stone of the hall and melt the metal shields on the pillars near her. No Stronni or Taaweh could have survived it.

  But out of the wall of flame, the woman stepped forward, still smiling, not a thread of her garments nor a strand of her golden hair scorched. She waved her hand at the sorcerer and he, too, fell like the others.

  Then she smiled at the king and said softly, “I’ve come to offer you peace.”

  The king looked at the fallen body of his wizard and all the bodies lying in the hall, and for the first time in his long life, he was afraid.

  KOREH felt groggy when he woke, which was usual after he’d dreamt of the Taaweh. Not simply tired or sleepy, but as though it was a struggle to come back to consciousness. He lay wrapped in his wool cloak for a long time, getting his bearings. Not even the priests claimed to know what the Stronni looked like, and the possibility that his dream had just revealed the appearance of King Caednu and Queen Imen to him was a frightening thing to contemplate. He didn’t know whether to feel honored or terrified. The Stronni were cruel gods and not to be trifled with.

  The night was dark—at this time of the month, Druma did not rise until daybreak—but Koreh sensed that it was still several hours until morning. He had no real need to wake up yet. He pushed the thoughts of the Stronni from his mind as best he could, and stretched. Then he rolled over to find a softer tuft of grass for his head. He was sleeping in one of the ancient stone circles, and the ground radiated a subtle warmth he found comforting.

  Others feared the ruins of the Taaweh and shunned them, but Koreh had always felt safe among the broken stone structures—far safer than he’d ever felt in the city. There he had begged for food and fought for shelter in the streets, for a place where he wouldn’t be killed or beaten or forced to do disgusting things for the amusement of the royal guardsmen. Koreh had been having visions of the Taaweh for years, and they now felt familiar to him. They were gods too. Or at least he thought they were. But he felt safe in the Taaweh ruins, as if he were a welcome guest.

  Koreh could feel the spell the Iinu Shavi had used to open the door. Its intricate patterns lay imprinted upon his mind like a song he’d just learned. He would have to recall it several times and practice it in order for it to become second nature, but the pattern was there. Over the past several years, he’d learned many of the ancient spells through these dreams. He didn’t know how or why, but whenever he slept in the ruins, his dreams were filled with tales of the gods who’d once lived in these forests. They’d vanished a thousand years ago, during a time when men were still living in small tribes. But somehow their stories came to him, telling him of great battles and cities that seemed to merge imperceptibly into the vast forests that once covered these plains. He heard beautiful music, and sometimes he would catch a small fragment of their speech. And sometimes he would awaken with something new residing in his mind—the power to melt into shadows, to move silently, or even to meld with the earth.

  He kept wishing the dreams would teach him something like the spell the Iinu Shavi had used on the guards. It would be wonderful to be able to render his enemies—mostly the emperor’s guards—well… unconscious, anyway. Or to walk through fire! But the spells the dreams revealed to him were mostly peaceful or defensive. He’d learned some hunting spells over the past few years, but nothing that could be used in a fight.

  As he was just drifting off again, he heard something that pulled him painfully back to consciousness. Men. Approaching along the road.

  Koreh slid forward on his elbows, keeping low and behind the stones, until he could see them. It was a small party—he counted four who were clearly guards or soldiers, all armed with swords and shields. Two of them were carrying lanterns. Three civilians walked in the middle of the group, dressed in ragged clothing with the hoods of their cloaks drawn up over their heads, trying to disguise themselves as commoners… and failing. Commoners would never travel under guard, unless they were shackled. These three weren’t prisoners. Something about the way they walked made Koreh think they must be noblemen. They were too… confident… to be peasants. One looked to be about Koreh’s age, just on the verge of manhood, but the other two were very old. The man walked with the aid of a staff, gesticulating with his free hand, as if talking to his companions, while the old woman steadied herself on the young man’s arm.

  Koreh inched closer, hoping to overhear some of their conversation where the road came closer to the ruins.

  SAEL shifted his pack, wishing for the hundredth time since leaving the city gates that they’d brought servants with them. Surely Morak could have been trusted. But his master had wanted no one informed of their departure.

  Sael never paid much attention to politics, but he knew enough to realize the danger they were in. His older brother, Seffni, was the dekan now, ruling over Harleh. He had sent a message through Thuna, the family’s old, trusted ömem—a woman gifted with the Sight—instructing Sael and Master Geilin to leave the capital city just before the great gates closed at nightfall, taking care to avoid being recognized by anyone. They did as ordered, bringing Thuna with them, though the old woman grumbled about making such a long journey at her age. They then met up with four soldiers the dekan had waiting for them, just out of sight down the road.

  Something was brewing. And more than likely it had to do with the long-standing rivalry between Sael’s father, Vek Worlen, and the emperor. The kingdom that once spanned hundreds of leagues in all directions from the western coast had been, for the past three hundred years, divided into two halves by the breakdown of the old imperial road system. Historically, the vek ruled over the eastern inland half of the kingdom as a regent of the emperor, while the emperor resided in the western capital of gü-Khemed. But the isolation of the East Kingdom had gradually given the vek more power, and the conflict between Sael’s father and the emperor had been increasing.

  Sael suspected that retrieving him and Master Geilin from the capital was due to more than just concern for their safety. As wizards, they would be expected to function as artillery, if it came to war.

  “I wonder if my old garden is still there.” Geilin had been reminiscing about Harleh Keep for a while now, with Thuna nodding politely but probably only half listening. “I used to have the most wonderful komid-minid! White ones, with just the faintest hint of gold at the tips of the petals—”

  “Heads up!” one of the guards suddenly shouted.

  Sael reached for his sword instinctively, even before he saw what the guard
was looking at. Shadows moved rapidly toward them through the grass. They seemed to come from all sides, dark shapes crouched down low. In a moment, men in black tunics and breeches were upon them, swords drawn.

  The attackers targeted the guards first. Sael fumbled to drop his pack and draw his sword as he watched the nearest of the guards tumble to the ground, blood pouring from a slash wound to the stomach. A second guard cried out for just a moment, the sound ending in a nauseating gurgle as a blade sliced through his throat.

  “Dinu ad Caedni!” Geilin chanted above the shouting men, and one of the attackers burst into flame. The man spun around, screaming and slapping at the flames in an attempt to put them out, but all his clothing was alight. He toppled over and lay on the ground, kicking his legs as he burned.

  Sael wasn’t experienced enough with the incineration spell to use it reliably, so he charged one of the men in black, sword drawn. He was a fair swordsman. He’d even placed in one of the royal fencing tournaments. But this was no fencing duel. His opponent was far less skilled, but he wielded a heavy broadsword and fought with a ferocity Sael had never encountered before. Sael held his own, adjusting his tactics to fit the situation, but the other man fought viciously and wasn’t above fighting dirty. When Sael’s cloak fluttered into his grasp, the attacker grabbed it and tried to yank Sael off his feet. But years of training came to Sael’s aid, and he maintained his balance by executing what might have been mistaken for a shuffling dance move in another context. He twisted his shoulders sharply, and suddenly his opponent was the one stumbling forward, his forearm twisted up in the woolen cloak. The man’s eyes, set in a face painted black for camouflage, widened in surprise just as Sael’s sword drove hard between his ribs, directly into his heart.

  Sael kicked the man’s body to force it off the point of his sword, and whipped around to see another attacker pause in his charge and then burst into flame. Sael wasted no time on him, seeking out his next opponent.