Chapter 25: Feel the Burn

Earl Machayis was a cold hard politician. He honed his skills in negotiation over hard fought conquests, both internal and external, yet worry and confusion crept across his face. Is the boy possessed? I’ve never heard of a demon being so cooperative. The earl casually reached his hands around the shoulders of the aid to his right and left to hide his intense tapping.

“The streams of my people cry for your losses, but it is not their blood you smell on our ranks, but the blood of our brothers. We can no longer claim to move as one.”

[Boy valid?] tapped Machayis.

[Yes, announced] replied one aid.

[Matches portraits] replied the other. It was common for paintings to be circulated in celebration of the lives of prominent nobles, and none in the West were higher than Ahanu. In part to spread word of Talo’s good health, and in part to begin cultivating a public myth about his persona, Ahanu was particularly prolific in disseminating his son’s image. It definitely wasn’t because Huritt was his firstborn... or that he was just so darn cute.

Ha! So they admit it, sent Caloner. Powaw wants you to press the attack.

“You spill the blood of your brothers, yet suppose I mistake the essence of my own mother?” A rage slowly boiled in Talo. “I have heard the drums of your land, and they lack rhythm. Such noise pains the order of the heavens. Who can lead such a dance?”

Pull it back a little, and stay exactly on script. Powaw wants to make sure we don’t scare them off.

[Demon?]

[No signs.]

[No aura.]

[Floating angry toddler!]

[Spins winds well.]

[Spirit clear.]

“Our tribe dances as one, but a few lodges have closed their ears to my chief’s drums. We will pull our people back in, and… perhaps The Voice of the Axculi would be willing to speak with me more plainly.”

“Oh? You find yourselves in such a rush after such an arduous journey. It’s a shame that our guests find themselves unable to pass the wind properly through our grievances. But, we can understand that you are hungry. Come, let us rush into feasting.” Talo flicked his wrist, and more Axuli warriors materialized with three wonderfully dressed caprini. They placed one over each brazer and blew fire directly into the spiced chest cavities.

I have to do what!? Talo sent back to Caloner. He dropped at least two centimeters before he caught himself.

They’ve injected the heart with honey and spices so it should be a lot easier to handle, but you need to hurry. The whole point is that it still needs to be bloody to show both how rushed the situation is, and how we are still in control. Caloner did his best to convince Talo, but even he was a bit skeptical.

Move it. I’ll heal you later, urged Powaw in a wind message.

Talo resigned himself to his gory fate. He glided over to the largest beast in the middle and placed his hand on the head of the warrior cooking it. The warrior immediately stopped and knelt facing Talo. This is going to suck. A lot. At least I’ve been building up my pain tolerance. Talo then flew halfway into the still sizzling beast. Wisps of green flame still danced along the inside of the ribcage, and the brazer roared below.

Talo burned his shoulder but tried not to flinch. He continued to stretch out his hand. Finally, he had it. The ram’s heart held firmly within his grasp. The warrior resumed cooking as Talo floated back up the platform. Dripping blood marked his path and highlighted just how staged the scene was.

Machayis understood the theatrics, but it didn’t matter. When Talo turned to face him and began to devour a raw goat heart, it was disturbing. A floating toddler, greedily biting into a bloody heart, staring you down under the impression you stole his mother. It was a sight that might haunt him the rest of his life.

“We took our choice cuts, and know our guests must make haste with their mouths,” called out Talo between bites of heart. The chefs really managed to make it delicious despite appearances, and so Talo was doing his best to channel every creepy kid vibe he had seen in movies. “Please go tear to your heart’s content. We hope to talk when you’ve filled your plates.”

The male Lamians quickly filed over to the closest sheep and tore off the shanks. They placed these on ornate wooden plates from the side of the braziers and returned to their pillows.

“I must thank Marquis Hurrit for his hospitality, and commend him for processing our urgent pleas.”

“Indeed, the Earl must have pressing matters for my father’s court. I believe you were going to explain the unprovoked crossing into our lands, the building of an illegal gatehead, and the capture of my mother, the Grand Duchess?”

“I fear I can’t speak to many of these matters, for Antipater sent us before the incursion began. We came to warn you of the rebellion and request for aid, but it appears we were far to slow in our travels. We would like to offer you a tenth of our first fruits in this year’s harvest.” Machayis became more and more unnerved as Talo was finishing up the heart.

“We will take a quarter for your tardiness, for how can you be expected to handle such riches? Your current state provides little confidence, and we have little cause for aid.”

The earl swallowed hard, looked at his aids, then nodded.

“Yes, of course, Lord Hurrit. But we ask that you gather an imperial army, and come help us crush this rebellion.”

“Gather? Our forces are already at your borders. We ARE the face the Empire, and as long as we’re being clear, we will soon be at Antipater's door. You will allow our forces in without conditions or we will crush you once and for all.” Talo put on the creepiest smile he could muster as licked his fingers clean.

“Yes...Yes of course, but such an agreement must be burned into a heartstone. The young marquis is clearly brilliant, but surely it would be unwise to undergo such a painful and draining experience at your age?” A smile was finally breaking back onto Machayis’s face. But, Talo’s next action caused him to freeze.

Talo reached into the middle brazier and pulled out a glowing red stone.

That’s it, sent Caloner, keep spinning the wind mana around your hand and it won’t burn as much. He’s going to try and overpower you, but you just use both of those crystals Powaw gave you with your other hand. With your mana well there’s no way his efforts will get through to you. The important part is that you don’t let go of the stone. Remember Powaw can regrow your whole hand, and he says...well he says you better not let go even if it’s just your bones.

It’s nice that you all care so much for your youth around here, replied Talo with sarcasm. I CAN DO THIS, he thought. If I’ve prepared for anything over the last few years, it’s pain and sticking it to jerks. “Speak then Earl of the Lamians, and I shall hold your vow.” Talo floated down right next to the Lamians and finally landed on the floor. He held out the glowing red heartstone with one blistered hand.

Machayis had no choice. He stepped forward and grabbed the heartstone with his right hand. “I, Earl Machayis, servant of the Empire and vassal of Landgrave Antipater do swear.” After every word the stone grew brighter. Burns clearly festered on both their hands. “That we the Lamians, will allow the Axculi, Grand Duke Ahanu, and all his forces into our ancestral lands and all the holdings of Antipater.”

At this point smoke visibly rose from their burning flesh. “I, under the full stake of my office, assure the cooperation of the entire court of Antipater in the matter of this rebellion, and hold no condition, malice, or purpose of evasion on this agreement.” The smell permeated the room, but Talo’s face remained an eerie calm. “So I swear by my heart.” Flames flared up from their sizzling fat. “So I swear by the gods.”

“The Voice of the Axculi heard your heart. We are the gods’ agents to bind your words. So you have sworn, and so you shall be held.” Talo then tossed the stone to Kitchi with his other hand. “Now get the fuck out of our territory.”