The second short story from Behind the Throne...
The
Eagle and the Egg
Five
men faced each other across the oak table, their faces shrouded in
deep shadow so that no man saw the other fully. The darkness was a
little too theatrical for Zandral, one of the men, as they all wore
their formal masks over their faces, as always. Zandral expected the
darkness was merely a ploy by the Master of the North to set the
others on edge. Let him have his silly parlour tricks, he thought,
only a fool would fall for them. Another thought occurred to him
then, perhaps the ploy was not so foolish after all – any here who
were perceived as being affected by this would show a weakness that
can be exploited later. He smiled under his porcelain mask and he
could not help but let a short ‘harrumph’ escape his lips.
“Do
you find the destruction of an entire culture funny, Master of the
West?” queried the Master of the East.
“Not
at all, Alephand,” he apologised, “I hold the destruction of the
Noi in the most serious of lights, my mind was merely on other
matters. Please, forgive my interruption and continue.”
“As
I was saying, the Arch Mage Singrefel was successfully motivated to
lead the Academy’s contingent into the Noi homeland, their defences
utterly useless against their Sorcery. The Emperor’s Arm is
expected to send the report within the month of the city’s
destruction. As hoped, the surviving Noi will galvanise in their
desire to hunt the Academia Alchemica and will be one more thorn in
the Sorcerer’s side for many years to come.”
“Excellent
work,” praised the Master of the Eye, a man known only as Tens of
the Foe, “Now we turn our gaze upon the Hunters of the Empire, the
Ordos Venatori.”
“For
too long have they acted without our guidance.” Agreed one of the
others.
“They
are too spread out, too independent, their leaders have too little
power over their members.” spoke another.
“And
what of this Aguila Magnus, The Great Eagle? From all accounts he is
incorruptible, scrupulous and honourable. A great man, indeed. How
does one manipulate a man such as he?”
Zandral
stood, it was time to reveal his plan.
“We
do not. We kill him.”
“No
easy feat, Zandral, many assassins have met their end on his blade.
As memory serves, Grand Master Grendal has forbidden any contracts on
the man at any rate.”
Tens
of the Foe turned his full attention to Zandral. A gaze that can
bring Emperor’s low.
“And
how would removing the only man with the power to direct the entire
Order allow us to direct them more easily? This is foolishness!”
The Master of the North was also standing now.
“The
Ordos Venatori are driven by their pledge to destroy the monsters
that plague the Empire. Aguila Magnus Tieth has proven that he is
more than willing to lead from the front of his Great Hunts. I say we
give him a foe that he can neither ignore, nor hope to defeat. When
his death at the hands of such a mighty foe reaches the rest of the
Hunters, it will unite them in a way that no other has in
generations.”
“Yes…and
controlling such a beast is a far easier task…we relocate it, or at
least spread rumours of its presence where we want the Hunters to
gather…a good plan, Master of the West, a worthy plan.” Approval
from the Master of the Eye was a good sign.
“But
where do we find such a monster? They don’t simply advertise their
presence, they are not so easy to locate as you would think,
Zandral!”
Zandral
smiled, he had taken authority of the meeting from the Master of the
North, by showing that his information was far more pertinent to the
group.
“I
suspect that Master Zandral already has a candidate in mind, am I
right?”
The
Master of the Eye sees many things, Zandral mused. He reached around
behind him to a chest, and placed an ovular object on the table
before them all.
“An
egg, captured from the nest of the Great Wyrm Vermilloximunda…”
