Ordermaster

XXV

On threeday, Kharl decided against trying to see Hagen immediately after breakfast, and instead returned to his quarters to study-and to think. While the problem of the white mages was solved, for the moment, Fergyn remained in revolt and was avoiding any semblance of battle. At the same time, Kharl realized how fortunate he had been in his encounters, though he had not thought so at the time. He also understood that he could not continue to draw the order out of living things, even trees and crops, not for long and remain welcome in Austra. He needed to find a better technique for dealing with chaos-fire and white mages. Whatever technique that might require was not described in The Basis of Order. But then, very few techniques were.

Kharl settled into the most comfortable chair in his sitting room and, once more, began to leaf through the black book that was far more worn than he would ever have believed possible when it had fallen into his hands less than a year before. He turned page after page. The light coming through the window behind him strengthened as the morning sun burned away the mists. He paused at the paragraph near the bottom of one page.

One might also say it yet another way. Chaos is power without form, and order is the form that enables chaos to inspire the spiritof life, to allow the crafting of tools and of all manner of devices that improve the way of life of man and woman …

That was true enough, Kharl reflected, but not exactly helpful. He kept reading. Some twenty pages later, he came across another few words. He had seen them before, but there was something about them that had nagged him before … and still did.

One danger of order-magery or chaos-magery is that the mage who handles either in mighty efforts may become what he attempts to control. For a part of that mage must accompany the order or chaos that he infuses or creates. An order-mage may become so fixated upon order that he can do nothing without a structure so rigid that he accomplishes nothing of value …

Kharl skipped farther down the page.

… more unnoticed is the danger that order or chaos may rebound upon him who casts it forth, for there is a tie between what is cast forth and the one who casts it …

The mage frowned. If there were such ties … could he use order to strengthen them? Ties had to have a basis in order. That might be far easier than creating hardened air tubes.

He laughed silently. Once he developed such a technique, it might be easier, but could he do so? How? What would happen if he did?

Thrap.

“Ser Kharl? Are you there?”

Kharl looked up in irritation. “Yes?” He cast forth his order-senses without rising from the chair. A man, an armsman, stood outside his door.

“The lord-chancellor′d be seeing you right quick.”

“I’ll be with you in a moment.” Kharl closed The Basis of Order, set it on the side table, and slowly rose from the chair. The stiffness was worse when he hadn′t moved for a time. He made his way to the door and out into the corridor.

As he closed the door behind him, the armsman, another he had not seen before, turned without speaking. Kharl followed him down to Hagen’s study.

There, one of the guards spoke. “The lord-chancellor said for you to go right in, ser Kharl. The other mage is already there.”

“Thank you.”

The other mage? Lyras? Could there be any other in Austra? What was he doing in the Great House? From Lyras’s own words, he avoided the Great House and the Lords of Austra in any way possible. As Kharl stepped into Hagen’s study, even before he closed the door behind himself, his eyes took in Lyras first. The older mage looked even more gray than Kharl recalled.

Lyras rose from the chair on one side of the table desk and bowed. “Ser Kharl.”

“Lyras. I had not expected to find you here.” Kharl inclined his head out of respect.

“I had not expected to be here.”

“We have news that is less than good.” Hagen gestured to the other empty chair.

Kharl settled into it, gingerly, and, without a word, waited for Hagen to explain.

“While you and Undercaptain Demyst were dealing with Hensolas,” Hagen said, his eyes on Kharl, “the Hamorians landed a force at Northbay. That’s fifteen kays to the northeast of Valmurl, just east of the Nierran Hills. The harbor there is small, with just one pier, mostly for fishing craft. They’ve taken over the town for now, but they’ll likely start their march on Valmurl tomorrow or the next day. Lyras was telling me that there are two more white wizards with them.”

Two more? How many did Hamor have that the emperor could keep sending them? Kharl glanced at Lyras.

“One doesn’t seem that powerful. The other one-I′ve never sensed a white wizard that strong.” Lyras turned to Kharl apologetically. “Begging your pardon, ser Kharl.″

“They also brought another company of lancers, doubtless to serve as his personal guard. I’d wager that Fergyn and his forces will move north and that they’ll join the Hamorians at Ghalmat. That’s a town about eight kays up the Fahsa River from the harbor at Valmurl. Ghalmat’s where the northeast road from Valmurl ends. The river road from there to Northbay isn’t much better than a cart path.”

Kharl didn’t pretend to understand totally the geography, but it was clear enough that the Hamorians had picked the small harbor because itwould not be easy for Ghrant to send forces there, even if he had known about the landing.

Hagen added, “Fostak and Lord Joharak departed from Valmurl last night on a Nordlan trader.”

″That′s …″ Kharl wasn’t sure what it was, except a sign of trouble.

“As close to war as Hamor will go,” Hagen replied. “It’s also a sign that Lord Joharak realized that his position here was about to become untenable. He didn’t wait for a Hamorian ship.”

“The emperor would just have left him here if he hadn’t left on his own?”

“There are privileges associated with being an envoy, but there are also risks.” Hagen′s smile was brief and cold.

“The Hamorians intend to make Fergyn their puppet, you think?” asked Kharl.

“Oh … the emperor might even let him have some real power, so long as he serves Hamor,“replied Hagen. “Or … he might just be trying to foment so much internal warfare and bloodshed that everyone would welcome the stability that Hamor would bring.”

“The lords would not like that,” Lyras pointed out.

“There won’t be any of them left,” Hagen said. “They’ll either die in the fighting or flee before Hamor takes total control of Austra.″

Kharl said nothing. It seemed as though, with each success he had, matters just got worse.

“What do you suggest, ser mage?” Hagen looked at Kharl.

“That we attack,” Kharl said tiredly. “There’s little to be gained by waiting.”

“Attack? Just like that?” An ironic tone colored Hagen’s words.

“Attack,” Kharl repeated. “Most of the rebel armsmen and lancers were with Hensolas, you said. Fergyn doesn’t have that many left.”

“We may not, either, not after attacking.”

“Do you think these white wizards-especially the powerful one-will let me just ride up to wherever they are and attack them?”

“Why will they meet us?”

“Because Lyras is going to be with the attacking force,” Kharl said.

Lyras paled. His swallow was audible in the stillness of the chamber.

“These two wizards have never sensed me, not up close, and most whites don’t seem to be that good at locating blacks. Lyras will show someorder-magery, and I’ll do what I need to do while they’re concentrating on our force.”

“That could be dangerous,” Hagen said. “They could wipe out our entire force.”

“If I can’t do what I need to do, you can order a retreat. Or Casolan or Norgen can.”

“It’s best, I think, if I’m there.” Another grim smile crossed the lord-chancellor’s lips. “One way or another.”

Kharl understood.

Hagen rose. “We may not need to ride out until fiveday, but you should be ready tomorrow, mages.” His eyes went to Lyras.

“Yes, lord-chancellor.” Lyras’s voice carried resignation. He looked to Kharl. “Ser Kharl.”

“I will see you both in the morning,” Hagen added, in dismissal.

Kharl inclined his head, then turned and left the study. Lyras followed.

Outside, in the corridor, the older mage turned to Kharl. After a moment, he said, “You have learned much, ser Kharl, but do you think you can face one of the most powerful mages from Hamor?”

“I can certainly face him,” Kharl said, with a laugh. “Whether I can prevail … that is another question. If I can, it is best to end this now. If I cannot, then it is also for the best.”

“For the best?”

“We could retreat, and harass, and attack, and in a year all of Austra would be in flames, and most would be starving.” Kharl did not add that there was already too much blood on his hands, and too many deaths weighing upon him. At times, his mouth, his food, everything still tasted of ashes.

“You are saying …”

“I am saying that there are worse things than being conquered. I would rather not live under the emperor. I will do my best so that does not happen. What we do does not affect us alone. Already, Lord Ghrant has lost more than half his lancers and armsmen, one way or another. Hundreds of women are already widows, and thousands of children are orphans. How many will there be in a season, in a year? What sort of land will Lord Ghrant have then, if he has any at all?”

Lyras looked away.