Plague of Tyrants (Chosen King Book 3)

Excerpt from Plague of Tyrants

In Plague of Tyrants, two young kings lead the Kingdom of the Thirteen through a perilous new era. Surrounded by foes, they face a threat beyond their powerful airships' reach. While one king journeys to uncover its origins, the other defends against encroaching enemies. Trust is scarce, alliances fragile, and the Kingdom’s future uncertain as they strive to unite their people and stay true to themselves amidst relentless trials.

Chapter One - Maker Of Death                          

Seefer made his way into the darkening cave. The vast army of creatures echoed their welcome. The darkness grew, swallowing him as he went farther into the cave, and his thoughts turned to his journey. He had a powerful master now, even if he was mad. People were being flung from the cliffs every day now. No one was even allowed to see him anymore, this living god amongst them. What do I care? As long as I make my little toys, I am safe. The cave walls echoed with the chirping of his friends, the little monsters that gave him their precious gifts.

Seefer didn’t worry about anyone stopping him as he gathered his ingredients, he was protected now. The beatings and teasing he suffered as a child were distant, yet still painful memories. My mind saved me, he thought as the cave drew darker, I can build things, and I know how to be important to powerful people. Besides, he had nothing of value, not to anyone else. He laughed to himself as he realized that even if he was robbed, no marauder would ever understand what he had in his hands. But Seefer knew that he held the ingredients to create another batch of the most dangerous, and therefore the most valuable substances in the world.

As soon as the world finds out about it, that is.

The chirping sounds were getting louder, the noises bouncing around the great cave. They mostly stopped during the day, but these were easy creatures to frighten from their slumber. Quick to awaken. He was always quiet, never desiring to waken the horde all at once. Seefer only wanted what was left behind after their night of hunting. Precious droppings, valuable waste.

He wondered why the man had shared the secret. No, it wasn’t a man that gave me this secret. That fact bothered Seefer a great deal. The secret that three ingredients could make such a powerful weapon was now his. But why? Seefer decided to let that constant question sink into the lower waters of his mind, churning as always. Focus on the task.

There was little light this deep into the cave, but he had grown accustomed to that in his many recent visits. He opened his sack and took out his scraping knife. Seefer knew that he was made for this kind of work, not minding the smell or the way the droppings felt in his hands. All he could think about was what he was going to make it into, after it dried.

The beautiful destruction.

Above him, the horde of creatures hung upside down, their wings wrapped around their bodies, no doubt uneasy with dreams of last night’s kill. As he gathered his ingredient, his mind wandered to the problem of gods and men. Was his need to create worth the growing madness of his new master? Worse, could he deceive the Queen that he truly believed in the living god that she worshiped? The god was getting crueler by the day. Men thrown from the cliffs for even the smallest mistake, or slip of the tongue, or no reason at all. But he would have to pretend to love the monster and build more toys.

He collected all he would need for the next batch, and stood up with his sack, making his way back to the light. It would be a long journey back to his jungle home. Seefer smiled, thinking of the secret he had been shown. Now he had to focus on the task, calculating how fast he could make the dark powder. The god was demanding more and more. He kept just enough powder to protect himself, in case he was summoned to the tower and the cliffs. He wondered if the workmen even knew they were building a monument to death.

He stood at the mouth of the cave, finally back into full daylight. He let the wind whip at his face, knowing he was headed back to the heat and dark. He relished the fresh air as he looked out at his world. It would soon change forever. Seeing the distant mountains gave him a chill; the inner rings held monsters and men. He wondered how the distant rulers felt about this new god in the jungle. The old stories say they don’t let anyone rise above them. How long before they came and struck down this new god?

Seefer shook off his fear, thinking of the future world where his toys might be used by vast armies. The thought disturbed him and excited him at the same time. He felt a vibration, as though his very thoughts of the future shook the living world around him. Dark times are coming, and I will sit at the table. Like a dark omen, the fluttering chirping sound got louder, until the entire flying army exploded out of the cave, flying all around him. Something strange and unknown had awoken them.

Seefer closed his eyes, not afraid of the tiny flying monsters. He stood still, imagining the future world where his dangerous toys would bring down kingdoms.

Chapter Two - Late Visitors 

“Again, my King,” said Mantuan, and Gordon charged him with his curved longknife.

“Which one are you talking to?” Gordon said as he ducked under Mantuan’s swing and tried to get behind him, “Asa or me?”

Mantuan said, “Very funny,” and pivoted to meet his blow. Their longknives met with a loud clang, “you’re getting better, King for a day.”

Gordon smiled, “I’ve heard that one. The people who write the daily pamphlets have been saying some nasty things about their two kings.” He lunged at Mantuan.

“Nice try,” Mantuan knocked his knife away easily, “People will always gossip. This was the best way to start healing the kingdom. The people were all for it at the beginning. It’s just a few troublemakers talking through their little papers.”

Gordon tried to get at Mantuan from behind, staying in the training circle etched on the ground, “What do you think, my fellow king? Do you mind sharing the crown?”

At the next training circle, Asa tried to concentrate with his long wooden staff in hand, “I like it. Should we ask Skyler to move in too? Three kings to out shine the two kings of Artoth?”

Gordon laughed, “That would be fun. We could fly kites from the balcony…” he cut off as Mantuan saw his strategy and swung his longknife for his kingly head. Gordon bent down, missing the blow.

 “Almost took your head off. Stay alert Gordon,” said Mantuan, turning his head slightly, “and how is King Asa doing?”

“Better every day,” said Brenddel as he circled the smaller boy king, only a few feet away from Gordon and Mantuan’s fighting circle.

Asa had his long wooden staff in front of him and was slowly backing away from Brenddel. “That’s what he keeps telling me, but I’m not so sure.” Asa realized how close he was to Gordon. They were now back to back in Gordon’s circle.

“Switching circles won’t help you now,” said Brenddel, smiling darkly. Asa still couldn’t tell when his Firstman was jesting.

Gordon pushed with all his might against Mantuan’s long knife and Mantuan took a step back. The two warrior trainers were now walking in a slow circle around the two boys as they stood back to back.

“What do you think, my King, want to switch trainers?” asked Gordon.

“It wouldn’t help,” he lowered his voice to whisper, “both terrify me,” said Asa as he watched the two men give some sort of signal with their eyes.

Still circling, Brenddel asked, “Remember what I said yesterday?”

Asa furrowed his brow, keeping his eyes on Brenddel. “You mean… that your enemy will give you no warning before he attacks?”

Brenddel just smiled.

A loud yell arose. Gordon and Asa both looked up to see the warrior girl Aline leaping down at them from the nearest balcony. They both protected their heads. Gordon was afraid that she might fall on his long knife. That was not what should have worried him as Aline landed on both boys, bringing them to the ground, forcing both to drop their weapons.

Brenddel was putting his long knife away, “No my King, I meant about keeping your eyes open to all that is around you. But both lessons will serve.”

Mantuan laughed as both boys stumbled to get up on their feet. Aline smiled as she punched Gordon on the arm, before politely turning to King Asa, “my King.”

Gordon rubbed his arm, “Why don’t you punch him?”

Aline simply said, “He’s the King. I can’t punch the King.”

Gordon protested, “But, I’m a king too!”

“Oops. Must have forgotten,” smiled Aline as she bowed to Gordon, “my King.”

“Sorry to interrupt your fun,” said Gordon’s mother Ellice, as she strode into the courtyard.

 “Hello mother. It wasn’t that much fun,” Gordon replied, rubbing his arm.

“Training is always hard work,” said Ellice, “You should probably go see Loren and get your blood tested.”

Gordon knew better than to argue about testing his sweetblood after training, so he simply nodded as Ellice turned to Asa. “After you finish, King Asa and Gordon, two envoys just arrived and insist on seeing you.”

“At this hour? That’s unusual.” Brenddel looked concerned, “Can’t it wait until morning?”

Ellice gave Brenddel a quick, polite look. She did not answer.

Asa asked, “Who are they, Queen Ellice? I’m kind of sweaty right now.”

Ellice replied, “They say they are from the Outlands, a place called Ossmalan.”

“Never heard of it,” said Brenddel.

“Probably not,” she said coldly, “Since the Outlands are almost totally unexplored.”

“That’s right. The maps we use for our studies just stop at the Outlands,” Asa commented.

“Must be important if Outlanders came all this way,” said Gordon.

“Umm, let me just get cleaned up while Gordon goes to test,” said King Asa, “Tell our guests we’ll be there shortly. All right with you?”

“Sounds good,“ Gordon answered.

Ellice announced, “I will bring the envoys to the King chairs in one hour,” she nodded to the Kings and gave another cold look to Brenddel before leaving.

When Ellice was gone, Asa asked, “Is she still angry?”

“I’m sure she was hoping the trial would end with me in prison, or worse.” said Brenddel, “I don’t blame her for hating me.”

Aline agreed, “You did kill her husband.”

“Yes. But that is in the past,” Mantuan said. “Brenddel’s trial has ended. The people decided that Trunculin was to blame. Brenddel is firstman again, that’s the end of the tale.”

Gordon said nothing. He knew how his mother felt. It had been hard adjusting to Brenddel after the trial. He knew well all that had happened in the past half year. But the man standing only feet from him did kill his father, and he almost killed me, Gordon thought.

Betraying no emotion, Brenddel simply walked off as they all went to clean up after training. Gordon didn’t know what to expect from the mysterious Outlanders any more than Asa did. His books only hinted at what they might be like.

As the others went to clean up, Gordon left for the healing rooms. Mantuan found Ellice. He was tempted to speak about Brenddel, and moving on from the past, but he let that be, instead asking, “Why would two envoys from the Outlands need to speak to the king so urgently? We’ve never had any formal contact with the Outlanders.”

“It gets stranger,” said Ellice, “the one envoy won’t speak at all, almost like he doesn’t want to be here. He only reluctantly gave up his weapons for this meeting. Tolan insisted on searching the men himself.”

Mantuan said, “Tolan is a good secondman. Brenddel chose well.”

Ellice continued, “It’s just worrying. I’m not fearful for the kings with you around, but we should definitely keep both eyes on the younger envoy. Something feels wrong about this.”

Mantuan nodded as he pondered the possibilities of what such a meeting could mean. Soon they were all ready to see the visitors. The great doors to the room of the king chairs opened, and the visitors were welcomed. The two envoys were brought in front of the boy kings. The room was grand in size, and no one knew the Kings’ personal room was just down a hidden hallway behind the chairs. It was nearly round, and built to impress any visitor. The older of the two envoys looked around in wonder, the younger looked bored.

Asa still felt terribly uncomfortable sitting on the King’s chair. He understood why anyone might be unimpressed by him. It had been over half a year since Trunculin died.  The Firstcouncilor’s evil deeds had been unwound slowly, the people shocked at each new discovery, which had all been widely published in the numerous daily pamphlets. Bold papers told the story of how far Trunculin had gone, all in secret, for so many years. With the two councils struggling to undo Trunculin’s laws fast enough for the public’s taste, it seemed like everybody was printing pamphlets filled with news and gossip. Angry opinions and arguments happened daily in the streets. Former King Stathen, Mantuan, and Ellice assured the boy kings that this was the price of true freedom.

When they announced a new Choosing ceremony to the crowds, instead of wanting a new king chosen, they insisted the two boys rule equally until their five trials were up. The stories of Asa’s journey had been read by half of the kingdom, and the crowds cheered his name. Asa felt he had no choice but to stay king at least until his first five trials were over. He knew that only meant four more years, but it felt like he was in a prison sometimes. Especially when he had to pretend to know what he was doing for visitors, like now. He was glad he could share his responsibilities with someone else. Gordon’s story had already become like a legend. But Gordon was uneasy too, and they privately talked about it often.

The only thing that had changed was that Asa started to actually like his lessons, and he had grown nearly half a foot. Asa and Gordon were about the same height now. It started to become a game between Asa and Gordon: who would end up taller? Asa tried to force his thoughts back to the events at hand.

Brenddel stood between the two Kings’ chairs, ready for anything. Mantuan and Aline stood against a wall of the nearly round room, having no official position in the Palace Guard. King Gordon had tried to convince Mantuan to come back on duty, but he claimed he was having too much fun helping Queen Ellice and Stathen root out the corrupt men from the two councils. There were so many openings on the councils, and so many corruption trials, that choosing new councilors was put on hold. Lots of pamphlets had been angry at this as well, but they were working as fast as they could. They had still not elected a new Firstcouncilor. There was still much to be done. No one seemed to want the position.

The two envoys stood still, and it was obvious who was in charge. Both men were dressed in strange clothing. The Outlands must be warm, Asa thought, because there was a lot of skin showing. The clothes they wore were mostly of the same color, similar to the color of sand, but the older man had some extra clothing of solid black wrapped around his neck and waist.

They bowed to the two kings, but both Brenddel and Mantuan noticed that the younger man bowed only as much as he was required. He seemed not just bored, but a little hostile. Brenddel stood ready, staring into the eyes of the young man, hand on his knife. Before the meeting, the two kings had agreed that Asa would be in charge tonight. Asa tried to speak loudly and clearly, “It is an honor to have two distinguished men traveling so far, to come visit our kingdom.”

To everyone’s surprise it was the younger man who replied, “My king, of the great Kingdom of the Thirteen, it is our honor to be here. The living god has sent us here…”

“My companion…” said the older man interrupting, speaking slowly and deliberately, “…is a young man, like yourselves my two kings, and he speaks rashly. Since neither I, nor my young friend, speak directly with the living god, it is debatable whether we were sent here by him or by his Queen mother.”

The young man cut in “But we are here to make the first step towards friendship between our great people….”

 “That may be possible,” the old man smiled, “but exactly how we begin this friendship is unclear. My two Kings, the living god is fair and just. But we are divided on how to move forward.”

“Not everyone agrees we should move into the larger world,” the young man said, taking a step toward the two kings, “As for our new god…”

The old man made a quick movement to the younger, thrusting something into his neck. The young man jerked, grabbing at his neck. He groaned and crumpled to the ground, dead. King Asa and King Gordon shot to their feet. Brenddel had already drawn his longknife and was in front of the kings. Mantuan drew his knife, as had Aline and all of the guards. The old man was surrounded.