Maker of Fire

(Continued from installment 2.77 - Usruldes, Healing Shrine, Planting Season, 5th rot., evening of the 9th day)

My mother returned after a moment and sat down in the armchair next to me, sighing and pinching her nose. "Maybe I should have let her sleep. Emily shared some rather choice words with me while I put her back in bed. I confess I am not accustomed yet to her newfound assertiveness."

She looked up and around the room. "Sister Kamagishi, there are days when I think you live here. I should assign you a room or maybe lease you a house so you can pay me rent," she grinned. Yes, my mother still loved to needle people. "Master Snow Bear, why are you still standing? Please, sit down."

"You're already visible, Snow Bear," I told my subordinate. "You might as well get off your feet and sit for now. Everyone already knows you're here."

"Your will, Spider," he carried an unoccupied armchair and placed it by the King's side but slid it back a few hands. It was a nice touch of respect for his sovereign. After Snow Bear sat down, I addressed the room.

"I cannot escape the conclusion," I began, "that a lot has happened over the last two days. I would like to hear everything about the events in Aybhas and elsewhere. The more you can tell me, the better. Gathering information for the King is my job, after all."

"I can provide many of those details," Imstay said, "and what I failed to witness, your mother did. Before I start, did anything happen while you were across the river, Holy One?" Imstay asked Moxsef.

"No, I had a rewarding afternoon speaking with the Coyn that my shrine owns," Moxsef replied. "I feel like I gained a better understanding of them and their concerns. They certainly appreciated that I shared the shrine's plans for them. They were reassured that the Shrouded Shrine will help them to become employable Coyn when they are freed. I now believe I should travel to every place we have bunkhouses of idle spoot workers and speak to them as did I here.

"Given that the garrisons have uncovered bombs and conspirators in seven other towns and cities, there is some urgency to this task. I will leave in the morning, start in Kas and Yant, and work my way south. I have already sent word to my subordinates throughout the kingdom about my plans. I'm still working out a schedule for the rest of the places I need to visit. And no, I won't delegate this. After my experience today, I believe a visit from their High Priestess is something my shrine's Coyn need and deserve."

"I think that is a wise and prudent plan, Holy One, "Imstay said. "If I can help in any way, let me know, please." Then he outlined everything that happened over the last two days, including who was living or dead, how Emily arrived in Aybhas riding on the dragon god Landa, Emily's disturbing aura and godmarks, and High Priestess Foyuna's offer from Tiki to use the charm of returned time. No wonder the little Coyn was so upset when talking with Asgotl earlier. Kamagishi's plan to arrange a break for Emily was in tatters.

"Tell me about these clay bombs Emily invented," I had to ask when Imstay was done. "These sound like a different kind of bomb from the ones we used in Yant and Black Falls."

"It is a different type of bomb," my mother replied. "These are the horrible bombs that were used in the slave uprisings in Impotu last year. They are much worse in several ways. First, when the clay of the bomb breaks, the bomb explodes, and the clay fragments fly in all directions, though the amount of physical damage is limited. Next, the contents of the clay balls will burn, and they will keep burning until they are completely gone. Putting water on the flames makes the fires worse. The flames are immune to water, and a charm of extinction will only put the fire out for a breath or two. Last, the flames give off a poisonous gas whose effects are similar to the orange poison but harder to stop once they start. We have had many deaths after people were exposed to the gas."

"And Emily invented these clay bombs?" I asked, shocked at their effects.

"Yes, last year. She taught the Impotuan slaves in the slave pits of Sailcet how to make them so they would have an effective weapon against Impotuan mages. Emily is distressed that her bombs were used here. The fires started by the bombs were the cause of Wolkayrs' death, and so she feels responsible," my mother said, who then closed her eyes and blotted away her tears.

I only knew Wolkayrs professionally. Regardless, he was a good guy and took good care of my mother, who refused to employ any personal attendants. He had been my mother's constant companion for seven years. He was part of Emily's little family here at the Healing Shrine. Yes, Emily would be distraught, as would that sweet girl Kayseo, the funny Twessera, and the sturdy and steady Thuorfosi.

Oh gods, Thuorfosi! "Please tell me that Thuorfosi didn't lose her baby over this?" I begged my mother.

"Kibbilpos, Kayseo, and Otty have been with her constantly. Twessera arrived this afternoon and is with her now. We aren't leaving her alone. The house that she and Wolkayrs lived in burnt to the ground. She lost everything. She has the clothes on her back and nothing more. I will make sure she does not lack."

A tired Lyappis walked into the study and made her obeisance. Then, her face lit up with a smile when she saw her daughter, Kamagishi, next to me.

"Kami," Lyappis rushed over, and Kamagishi got to her feet. Mother and daughter embraced.

"I was so worried about you. You looked so bad when you left the shrine this afternoon," Lyappis leaned back to look at Kamagishi. "Now you look like yourself again. So the strange lack of future thing resolved?"

"Yes and no," Kamagishi sat her mother between us on the lounge. "Losnana is in bed with her head spinning because she can see so many futures right now. I know I would see them too if I looked, but I'm avoiding it. I suspect I would be affected in the same way. But enough about me. How is Foyuna?"

"I just cast a charm of deep sleep on her," Lyappis admitted. "I would have invoked the Grace of Mugash if she had not accepted the sleep charm. She has all the symptoms of unbearable acute stress; however, she's young, and she's otherwise a healthy, happy girl, so she should be fine tomorrow or the day after. I suggest we keep her here until I'm sure she has recovered. Tiki was not kind to his avatar today, that's for certain. He did a terrible thing to both Foyuna and little Emily." Everyone in the room was startled that Lyappis had just criticized the ruling god of Erdos. Was Emily rubbing off on her?

Lyappis then looked at me, "I heard you and Tom showed up just after sunset. That's a good thing if you're Emily. Having Tom here will help her return to normal, but why is he here? My daughter told me Tom declined to come up for the wedding because he wanted to stay in Sussbesschem to prepare the Chem fleet."

By now, I felt exhausted, but I needed to share what had happened in Sils'chk. "The god Vassu, in her aspect of a shark, appeared above the hill of Sils'chk yesterday around noon. She circled it, which guaranteed every Chem would see her and follow her as she floated through the air and down the hill. She stopped where Tom was trying to teach me how to fish.

"Vassu relayed that she had a message from Galt. Galt wanted Tom to come to Aybhas immediately because there were slave riots and fires, and Emily would need him. She gave us no more information than that. Then, she vanished before we even thought of asking her any questions. So we quickly packed some clothes and hopped on Cadrees and Spot. We flew through the night to get here. That's why Tom is already asleep, and I would like to be. That's really all that happened."

"You call a visitation of a god 'all that happened?'" Imstay laughed and held his head. "Unbelievable! What a world we live in these days."

"The Blessed Spot is here?" my sister Katsa sat up, looking eager. "Can we meet him?"

"I would give Spot a little time so Cadrees can show him around the mounts' residence and the mounts' quarters over at the garrison. I'm sure everyone can meet him after that," I replied, "but he needs to learn his way around. He has never been in a human city before. He is also not accustomed to talking with other sapient races. I can tell he tries to be polite, but he doesn't understand social niceties. As a result, he comes across as tactless. He has no idea that he does this. We're trying to coach him before he is thrown into Foskan society. His status as a revelator should shield him from most of the consequences of his malapropisms."

"I can confirm that," Moxsef laughed. That startled everyone in the room since laughing was not something the famously sour High Priestess was known for. "Despite his ability to say the wrong thing, I found his sincerity endearing. Spending more time with Cadrees will help him."

"Fair enough," Katsa said.

"What a horrible time and place for his first visit to Foskos," Imstay said. "Poor Spot."

"Now, I have a question for the Holy Kamigishi," I got her attention. One aspect of Vassu's appearance had astounded me, beyond that expected from a divine visitation. Kamagishi might be able to explain it to me since her historical knowledge was without peer.

"Yes, Lord Irhessa?" Kamigish replied.

"Holy One, I know you are a scholar of all past events involving the gods. Do you have any record of the god Vassu wearing a gauzy pink robe when appearing in her aspect as a shark?"