The Tsuki Saga

Preparing For Battle

The few fighters were seated around the table where they had eaten on their first night. Okami had returned to human form. The head of the table was clear for Tsuki again. She seated herself while our travellers sat further down.

"Friends," she said, calm, and cool, as if nothing had happened, "I believe we have a problem. My half sister informs me that the magician's league has deemed us a threat. This means that they will hunt down each of us, and at best deport us, maybe kill us, or at worst," she paused for effect, "At worst, they would turn us against our friends." She looked down the table, at each individual in turn. "I am afraid that we now have no choice. We fight, or we die. Perhaps if we are unlucky, then both." She looked again at the travellers. "My friends, I am sorry. We thought that the attack on the night before you arrived was a one-off. Not something that would recur. However, you do have a choice. If you flee now, you may be able to get of the island before they re-group."

The five looked at one another. Sven spoke to them. "We wanted an adventure? We've got one. We can't turn our backs on these people; they've been good to us. The least we can do is help. Do we have anything else we could do?" Shirrol piped up, "I agree with Sven. There is no way we can turn our backs on our hospitable friends here." Smotty shook his head. "No, I say we leave. I knew something like this would happen, but you wouldn't listen, I only agreed to stay until Lienad was better, and now he is." Lienad looked a little surprised. "I - I don't know." He said, "My common sense says we should leave, but I have nothing to return to and nothing to live for other than my friends. Ginny and Okami have been good to me while I was ill; they are as much my friends as you are. I vote we stay." Shalnek looked at Smotty. "If any of you want to go, then feel free. I am staying." A few murmurs and mutters later they nodded, Smotty also agreed, somewhat reluctantly, that he would stay.

Shalnek looked up at Tsuki, who was gazing at him, her eyes a fantastic pink colour. "We are with you." He said. She smiled properly for the first time since their arrival, revealing her fangs. Shalnek gasped in surprise. She shook her head, "so," she said, "you hadn't figured it out? Okami, you were wrong. Okami thought that one of you overheard our argument." Shalnek visibly paled. So the man was Okami, and he had seen him. He decided to explain, with a few white lies. "I couldn't sleep." He began, "I came out of my room to get a drink, as I couldn't find my bell. I heard raised voices and wanted to make sure nobody was being hurt. I only heard a snippet of the argument, before I left." Tsuki nodded and chuckled. "We will have to explain this whole family feud thing after the battle. Of course more importantly, what news of my half sister? Has she rallied the Clan Cimmerian?" she paused. Sidney, who had just finished putting his brother out, nodded, "they a'e on the way now, including Maste' Bwadley." He raised an eyebrow and looked at Tsuki in a strange way. Tsuki's eyes filled with fire again, an angry looking fire. "He is my half-brother, not my lover! How dare you even suggest it? You know fully that I will only love one, and I have not yet decided whom! Do not presume to know me, Sidney, do not presume anything about me." Her face was burning almost as brightly as her eyes and her hair was beginning to turn orange. Okami rose to his feet and put an arm around her. "You know he's teasing you sister, we all know how you feel about your favourite half brother." Tsuki looked at Okami, "You are my favourite, Okami, you have much more about you." This minor disagreement over, Okami returned to his seat. Tsuki took a moment until her hair and eyes returned to normal.

"So, we have Kinella. That is good news at least." She looked at Okami, "What about your clan?" Okami cleared his throat. "My family are on their way, well, some of them. Mother is ill and can't travel, but my four brothers and my father are coming. Tissi is guarding and keeping mother well. So you shall have six of us, with our teeth and claws at the ready. Tsuki smiled and nodded. "So that's Kinella and clan, Okami's family, Sidney, tell us something helpful about your family?" Sidney shook his head. "No, only Stanley and I have the gene, the othe's are plain, weak humans. Howeve', Janie my siste' and Lucife' are coming. They have the othe' disease." Tsuki smiled again, this time more of an evil look in her eyes. "Good, good. Now, onto you Leyenna." Leyenna was about a foot tall now, and her silvery colouring made a startling contrast to Tsuki's darker complexion." Your father's magic has gone; therefore we are much less limited. The other fairy folk are not willing to risk their lives for a son or daughter of Nillian though. I only chose to because you have been good to me, and because I owe you for saving the poor elf who I put to sleep and allowed to be 'got' by the misshape." She climbed back down from the table and stood on her chair to hear the rest of the inputs. Mann and Calder stood up, "My lady," Mann said, "We have good news. The lake dwellers have heard our plight and will help us. They have no love for the magician's league. They are sending six of their water-imps." Tsuki nodded, "a token gesture, but proving that they too think we are a force to be reckoned with." The twins sat back down, and the hall was silent for a few expectant seconds. Ginny gave a light cough and spoke without standing; "I have had word from Klarrik. There will be no elves, on either side, that come from these islands. Those who fight will be outcast." Tsuki nodded. She looked at Shirrol and Lienad. "That includes you two?" they shook their heads.

After a few moments Tsuki spoke to Shalnek. "So, you five will stay, but what do you offer us?" Shalnek smiled at her, "Five more fighters, Sven is a knight, Smotty a mage, of sorts. Otherwise we are only what you see." Tsuki nodded to Sidney and Stanley who disappeared through one of the doors. Tsuki looked at the family crest above the door for a second. Sidney returned first, followed by a group of black-clad tall, slender warriors. They all carried swords, some of them looked a little like Tsuki. The fist female especially. She bowed to the gathering. "Kinella of Cimmerian, at everyone's service. These are my brothers, and my mate." The other four bowed. She introduced them as masters Bradley, Jowein, Allan and Krallay. They took their seats at the table and awaited Tsuki's next speech. It did not come, for at that moment Stanley came staggering through the door carrying several sets of chain mail and a few other items. Kinella smiled, "So you still keep these fiery men? Good for you sister." Tsuki smiled and moved to allow Stanley to put all of the chain mail and such onto the table.

After a little clinking and a lot of squeezing, all of the travellers were clad in chain mail. None of the Cimmerian's wanted any, the flame-boys couldn't have any, nor could Mann and Calder. Ginny had her own hand made armour, which she wore with pride. Then Tsuki handed out various items. She gave them each a ring with her father's crest on. For luck, she told them, as much as for anything else. She offered the travellers any weapon from a weapons cabinet set into the wall. It contained a multitude of weapons, including swords, axes, knives, daggers, dirks, bows, and arrows of all kinds, shields, clubs, whips, knuckle-dusters and many other unrecognisable weapons. Shalnek took two light, single-handed swords with 'N' engraved on the base. Lienad took a sheaf of arrows, made of the wood from the orchard, and a matching bow, with a silvery coloured string. Shirrol took a similar set of arrows and a smaller bow. Sven took a very large broadsword, with a golden and green handle and a smooth leather sheath. Smotty refused any weapons, on the grounds that his magic was bad enough, without a 'damnable metal encumbrance' to get in his way.

Tsuki sat back down at the table and began to gaze into the mirror. She was watching the borders. "Brother, come look!" she suddenly exclaimed. Okami wandered over and looked into the mirror. He said something, apparently in another language, and then rushed out of the door. The others watched him, bemused, and then looked enquiringly at Tsuki. She grinned broadly, "My brother's family have arrived. We shall have much better chance now."

Okami burst into the room, dancing around as if he were a boy. He slowed down when he saw Tsuki's disapproving gaze and went to his seat. His family refused to sit on the chairs, but remained standing. Okami began his introductions: "This is my family," the oldest of the five new arrivals stepped forwards and bowed to Tsuki. "My father," explained Okami, "Okami senior. He knows none of our common speech, but he understands the elfish and orcish tongues, as well as his home language. The younger four are my brothers. Lichien, Milldrak, Endron and Houlver." The four bowed in turn as their names were mentioned and then they seated themselves upon the floor.

Tsuki looked as if she were about to speak when there was a knock on the castle's main door. Sidney ran to answer it, and shortly ran back, followed by eight others. Two of these were tall, thin and very pale blue-green coloured. The other six were blue-grey coloured imp-like creatures. Sidney introduced the two taller ones: "This is my sister', Janie, and my brothe', Lucife'." The two smiled and shook hands with everyone. Tsuki then cast her eyes upon the other six. The older looking one spoke first. "I salute you Princess!" he said, in true military fashion. He saluted her, and then swept a deep bow, as did his men. "We are the Pal-ya. The Lake Lady chose us herself from our twenty elite. Although there are only six of us, we promise you, we shall make a difference. Water goes a long way, we can bring you intelligence of the League." Tsuki nodded, and then waited for him to go on. Realising that she was waiting for their names, he continued, "I am Pal'ii Leaou, my second in command," at which point one of the men saluted, "is Pal'io Colcheki. The others are Shhille, Millii, Fiss and Branna." At each name a different man saluted. Satisfied with these introductions, Tsuki nodded, and then they began to discuss their battle plans.

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