Karik walked towards Tower Sien. Karik had been meeting with Akior a lot more since the Silkopi Feast. The House Akior banner was strung all along the tower. The banner was a yellow chicken on a green background, the words reading, "We stand our ground until retreat is necessary."
Karik walked into the waiting room, greeted by no one at first, "Excuse me!" Someone said, "Down here!" Karik looked down and saw a Kalmgy attendant about half his height. "What is with you tall folk? Come on!" The Kalmgy said. She had a lime green cap, with yellow dots spread out on top. "Akior Sien will be right with you," she said, "Asyfatali, jutamnia hudje kasha!" The Kalmgy said under her breath while walking to her desk. Karik knew very little of the Kalmgy language but could tell she was cursing about him in some fashion. This waiting room did not have chairs, deep blue pillows lined the walls. Karik sat down on one pulling out his small book and read a passage while he waited.
The Kalmgy are a short race of mushroom people from the Capital South. Being that they originate from one massive forest, they fit right at home. The Kalmgy date back to the Second Era, and were isolated until the year 21 of the Fifth Era. Salktum expanded into the south, eventually uncovering the Kalmgy. By this point, the Kalmgy were separated into clans and did not care about these 'tall folk'. Their squabbling to their downfall, however, as these 'tall folk' had chamber bows and weapons beyond the Kalmgy's wildest dreams. At the beginning of year 22 of the Fifth Era, the hidden Kalmgy city of Jumady fell. From there, the rest of South Capital was conquered, and most of the Kalmgy became citizens or slaves.
Some Kalmgy escaped and started a guerilla warfare campaign. This war, known as the Kalmgy Rebellion, has gone on since the year 23 of the Fifth Era and continues to this day. This campaign has been disastrous for Salktum, as the Kalmgy take thousands of lives each year. The continuation of this war has led to a Kalmgys' hatred of tall folk, taking their homeland and not leaving.
Karik looked up to see the Kalmgy attendant in front of him. Sitting down, Karik was at equal height with her. "Akior Sien will see you now," she said. Karik got up, balancing himself for a moment, and followed her into the elevator. Karik could feel how slow, and thus how new, the Sien elevators were. After a couple of minutes, Karik walked into the penthouse. The entire thing was an orb, like most penthouses. Unlike other houses, the orb had no covering, just dark green curtains. The penthouse was shaded nicely, but bright in some spots. Akior was sat on a yellow and green pillow. The opposite one was a deep blue one, matching what he sat on in the waiting room. "Let us start, shall we?" Akior asked.
Karik sat down, "I have secured the Thaumaturgical materials." Karik said, "Good. So you place your clone to trick the assassin, I get the guards, and they arrest him." Akior said. "Yes, that is the plan," Karik said. "Tomorrow, when the assassin strikes, I shall chase him and lock them up in these manacles," Karik said. He held up the manacles. Karik stood up, "Have you informed Zakra of the plan?" Akior asked, "No, I have not." Karik said. Karik walked into the elevator, and out of the tower.
Karik walked through the bustling streets. He felt he was being watched, stalked. When his supposed stalkers took different turns in the streets, Karik realized he was paranoid. Not every person was following him. Yet, Karik was unable to stop seeing these people. A kalmgy took several turns he did, "A kalmgy assassin? They must be here to cut my legs!" Karik thought. The Kalmgy immediately took a turn that he did not. A man in a blue cloak followed him, "Is this the assassin from before? Wearing a different cloak!" The man turned around, shortly afterward. Karik was scarred inside and out from his last encounter. The assassin was seemingly around every corner.
He approached the sight of his last brawl. At this point, it was the early evening. The site was fading into darkness. Karik remembered that fight, and something else. He would be safe if he could catch the assassin. Karik breathed a sigh of relief, his safety meant less paranoia. Karik walked inside of Tower Zhala, Su'i greeted him, "Hello master." She said, "Hello Su'i, have the cooks make all-spice soup and bring it to the war room," Karik said. "Yes Master." Su'i said.
Karik walked into the elevator. He did not go to the penthouse, but to the third floor. He walked out of the elevator shortly afterward. He walked straight through the hallway, taking a right, and entering the second room in that direction. The war room. The war room was filled with maps of all shapes and sizes, as well as a Hifun board, a Junkaij board, and a Zhygaisi board. The three games were used for testing the capabilities of a general. It also was where Karik kept the thaumaturgy pack's ingredients.
The first tested the ability to plan where battles would happen and how to win them. The second revolved around putting troops into formation and holding that formation against the enemy. It was often played alongside Hifun, switching to Junkaij when troops collided in Hifun, and back when a battle was over. The last was an actual simulator to see how any given battle would go. The game had taken years to develop, scholars spent days looking over different historical accounts to accurately depict every possible battle that will ever happen. The resulting game was a masterpiece. It could simulate how long an army's morale would survive and when their rations would run out. It could simulate battles past, present, or future.
The war room itself was a windowless space, lit by steam lanterns, --recently invented by House Kanfut-- with every recent map of the known world hung on the walls. Su'i brought him a mug of all-spice soup, he quickly chugged it. Karik had not eaten the mid-day meal, so he was starving. Despite simply being broth with small chunks of meat, the soup provided a surprising amount sutenance. Karik handed the mug to Su'i. "I need you to pull archived plans of the Center Square Gardens," Karik said, "Right away master," Su'i said back. Karik grabbed three ivory figurines. One was a sculpted model of himself he had an artist make, the second was a generic person he had bought off of some merchant --representing Akior--, the third was an assassin wearing a similar cloak to the one who hunted Karik.
After about ten minutes, Su'i came back to the room, holding a rolled up scroll, "I have the plans master," she said, her tone enthusiastic. She handed Karik the plans, who rolled them out. Su'i quickly placed small weights at each of the four corners. He placed the figurines on the map. He grabbed a notepad from the war table, and simply wrote,"Strategies." Underneath which he wrote, "Illusion Pack." Karik needed to plan what tactics to use in hunting that assassin. He would use these things to plan the perfect capture, that was his goal.
Karik walked toward Tower Valazim. He had to meet with Zakra Valazim, quickly, before the banquet started. The banquet would be starting in three hours. Thus, Karik had two hours to meet with her. He walked into the waiting room, not much had changed in the two weeks since their last meeting. "Karik," Ilkai said, "Zakra will meet with you very shortly," he said. Karik sat down in one of the chairs, waiting for the meeting to start. He pulled out his book, reading a small passage.
Throughout history, the most devastating events have been feasts. The revelry of a feast allows for a distraction from most things. In year 487 of the Third Era, the Feast of Zhygengly celebrated the end of the Great Flood. Meanwhile, an assassination was happening within the great Palace of the Ship. As another example, the Feast of the White Rose occured in the year 597 of the Fourth Era. This feast distracted from the murder of several generals in the Myzhuyn Kingdom. The Myzhuyn Kingdom would go on believing that the Salykun murdered their generals. Finally, the Treachery of the Pact occured only a year later. In the next year's feast the Myzhuyn Kingdom betrayed the Pact of Stone and Steel by invading Salykun land in the east, while all of the Salykun generals were at the feast. This would start the Pact War, allowing Salktum to invade both nations in their weakened states.
The attendant walked up to him, about ten minutes later, "Zakra will see you now," he said. Right before they walked in, another man walked out of the elevator. He was familiar to Karik, but he could not quite place it. The two stepped into the elevator. Karik could feel that the elevator was much faster than last time. Karik stepped out into the penthouse, Zakra stood up to greet him. "Nice to see you Karik," she said, "As to you," Karik said back. The two sat down in their repsective chairs, Zakra's blue and yellow, Karik's a typical light brown. "Tell me," she said, "Why have you called this meeting right before the feast?" she asked. "I must tell you the plan for today," Karik said, "Yes?" She asked, "Akior Sien and I have planned to catch the assasin at this feast." Karik stated, "The plan is to wait until the assassination is attempted, I chase the assassin, putting him in magic manacles. Afterward, I give Akior a Thaumaturgic message to alert the guards." Karik explained. He had not told Akior to only get the guards on signal, but it made more sense.
"Where do I come in to the plan?" Zakra asked. "I need you for two things," Karik said, "First, I need you to avoid being killed. That one is self-explanatory." He said, "Second, I need you to help me capture the assassin." Karik finished. "Revenge?" Zakra asked, "Revenge." Karik said. "We shall capture their assassin, to confirm the validity of our suspicions." Zakra said, "Then we shall chop off his head!" She exclaimed. That was brutal, even for Karik. He sensed other things at play. "Ilkai, what is the current time?" Zakra asked. Ilkai held up his time piece, "Why, three hours after mid-day, one hour until the Jakliai Feast." He said. "We must cut this meeting short," Zakra said, "I must prepare for the feast, I would reccomend you do too." She said. "Right this way," Ilkai said. They walked into the elevator, which quickly descended. Karik walked out the door.
He hurried back to Zhala Tower, one hour would allow him to prepare all of a social gathering's necessities. Karik could have Su'i prepare the Palanquin, but he would need to have the Thaumaturgy Pack ready. Karik had not prepared the pack, the politics of the nobility had distracted him. Karik reached Zhala Tower quickly, he had been running at full speed the entire way there. "Su'i," Karik said, "Yes Master?" She asked, "Prepare the palanquin for the banquet. I also must borrow your time piece," Karik said, "Right away master," she said back. Su'i handed the time piece to Karik and ran off to order the Palanquin. He walked into the elevator upon its availability. The elevator felt especially slow going up.
When he got out, Karik checked the watch, fourty-five minutes. Karik ran to the war room, where he grabbed the plans for the feast and the Thaumaturgy pack's materials; going to the magic room to start assembling it. Karik took the the recipe posted on the wall down, doing the instructions as he read them.
Crush the elephant's heart in a mortar and pestle until a thick paste is made. Place three packs Essence of Magic inside the mortar, and continue crushing until the paste has turned a light purple. Start boiling a pot of water and place the paste inside the water after a minute of boiling. Sprinkle in a handul of cayenne, rosemary, garlic, basil, and saffron as you stir the mixture. After two minutes of this, strain the mixture. This should leave a light purple clump, while the clump is still hot, dry it, and then freeze it in any way possible. If it touches room temperature while soaked in water, the clump will create the illusion desired, yourself.
Karik had followed the instructions exactly, and got the desired result. He froze the dry clump using Flosku, placing it and a glass jar of room temperature water inside of the pack. When he pulled the string, the pack would fall off of him and the two ingredients would combine, creating the illusion. Karik looked at his watch, thirty minutes. He sped his way to the bed chambers, quickly clothing himself in the appropriate suit. Afterward, he ran straight into the elevator. When the elevator descended, again feeling quite slow, Karik stepped out into the waiting room. He walked outside, seeing the palanquin, and stepped on top of it. Su'i sat on the back, all assisstants sat on the backs of palanquins. The Kalmgy servants were quick at first, but eventually they slowed down when approaching the Center Square.
Karik finally reached the Center Square Gardens. A colorful sign atop the building read, "The Center Square Gardens." Karik had never been to the gardens before, only hearing rumors about the beauty inside. Karik stepped off of the palanquin, Su'i following shortly after. While Su'i commanded the palanquin back to Zhala Tower, Karik watched as the other nobles stepped off of their palanquins. Hesan Kassald, Rupred Kanfut, even the Empress and her Vizier were here. More importantly was Zakra and Akior. Karik signaled them, channeling a brief thaumaturgic message, "Meet at second door to the right." it read. Karik stepped into the Center Square Gardens.
The feeling of being in a shaded garden hit Karik. He stood entry side of the room marveling at the chamber while Sunteng Jakliai sat at the back. Karik looked at the plants all around him. Tropical plants, from the Crowded Isles; with all of their unique colors from red to green. A faint mist of water floated in the air. A Kanfut engineer had clearly designed the building.
Karik refocused himself. Second door to the right. He walked over there, attempting to be inconspicuous among the crowds of nobles. Circular table lined the walls, while nobles danced in the center rectangle. Two table sat on either side of the door, where Zakra was standing. She was wearing a blue dress with golden jewelry and gloves to match her house colors. "Karik." She whispered, "Zakra," he said, "Where is Akior?" She asked, "I saw him come into the chamber, but lost him from there." Karik said, "Over there," Zakra said, pointing.
Akior was coming over to them, holding a plate of food. Akior was wearing a suit similar to Karik's, black and white with an undershirt. He started talking, "You guys really have to try this, the shrimp is amazing" he said. "The plan starts on my signal," Karik said, "What is that?" Akior asked. "I will give each of you a paper reading, 'the time is now,' when you get it, start your part of the plan." Karik said. "Akior, I need you to get the guards, get them to follow you to me." He explained, "Meanwhile, Zakra and I will chase the assassin down, subduing him." Karik said. "Questions?" Karik asked, "Yes, how will I know where to go?" Akior asked, "Simple, I will send you another message with the location." Karik said. "Until the plan starts, scatter." Karik said. The three walked in opposite directions, Karik walked toward the back of the room, Zakra the center rectangle, Akior the entrance.
Karik walked up to a waiter, and grabbed a drink, "I'll take that," he said. Karik sipped the drink as he walked around the room. When the drink was empty, he placed it on a different waiter's plate who was walking by. Karik continued walking around, until he bumped back into Zakra and Akior. "Did we just go in a big circle?" Akior asked, "Yes, yes we did," Karik said. "New plan," he said, "We blend in with the dancers and execute the capture plan on my signal." Karik explained, "Akior, you partner with one of the Yastid ladies, Zakra and I will partner." Karik said. Akior walked over to one of the Yastid ladies, who wore a flourishing yellow dress with their curly blond hair. "Shall we," Karik asked, "Yes, we shall," Zakra said. The two danced over to a large group of dancers, blending in. Both of them were moderate at dancing, not exactly good. Karik looked up at the ceiling, a figure could be seen walking in the shadows. "Up there," Karik whispered glancing upward, "I see," she said, "Jump out of the way when the sword is dropped," Karik said.
It was a gun. Karik could hear gunshots go off behind him, the crowd panicked. He channeled his thaumaturgy, giving a message to Akior Sien. The crowd was running from the center of the rectangle. "Let's go!" Karik shouted. He ran towards the door on the right, quickly glancing at who was shot. None of the bullets had hit Zakra or him, but he did see three laying in the rectangle. The empress, Hesan, and Akior. "Zakra, Akior has been shot." He yelled as they were running. "We'll have to get the assassin ourselves." She said. Karik had planned the chase. He knew the assassin would have to take the next hallway to escape. While Karik chased him, Zakra would cut the assassin off around the back.
Like clockwork, the assassin appeared from the right hall. "Stop!" Karik yelled. The assassin ran through the corridor intersection into the left hall, skipping by an exit. Why did he skip a perfectly functional exit? The smell of lavender permeated the air, "Cut him off through the exit, I'll meet him on the left." Karik said, "Got it," Zakra said, going through the exit straight ahead. Karik went through the left hallway. He was able to see the assassin running towards another exit. Karik continued running toward him. The assassin stopped running, charging straight at Karik. Karik pulled the Thaumaturgy Pack's string, it created a cloud of dust, and then an identical copy of Karik. The assassin did not pause at this. He took out two daggers and stabbed both of them. Karik got out of the way in time, only taking a cut instead of a stab. The illusion faded, and Karik took out his sword-spear. The assassin took several jabs at Karik, using both knives to get as many jabs. While they were fighting, Karik could see Zakra sneaking behind the assassin. Karik continued evading his jabs while Zakra took her spear and slowly walked toward the assassin. The assassin turned around, allowing Karik to stab him in the arm, and Zakra in the heart.
The assassin fell, his lavender scent fading eerily quick. "The man is dead, but we have gotten our revenge," Zakra said. Karik and her rushed back to the main room. Sunteng had fled the scene, medics had picked up all three bodies. "They will survive," Zakra said assuredly. "I have a feeling you are wrong," Karik said.
