I agree. Lasat won't want to risk Makri reaching the final, and facing Elupus. Lisutaris again gives me the spell of deflection, to help her hold off enemy sorcery. #51 | | |
"If the Samsarinan Sorcerers Guild really makes a mass attack, it's going to be difficult to hold them off," I say. #52 | | |
"I know. But Makri's got a good spell protection necklace, it's not that easy to hit her. We might be able to protect her." #53 | | |
I'm still not looking forward to the Sorcerous barrage I'm letting myself in for. I have another plan of action already ticking over in my head, though I'm not going to mention it to Lisutaris. Makri's opponent in the semi-final is Bhuralin, a swordsman from Kamara, north west of Samsarina. I've seen him fight and I was impressed by his technique. Makri picks up her sword and shield. #54 | | |
"Thanks for the notebook." #55 | | |
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"But I wasn't crying because of that," says Makri. "I was just upset about the dragon." #57 | | |
Lisutaris's carriage is outside. As always, there's a gang of children and a few older youths hanging around, gawking at Makri. I hang back for a few moments, talking to them. Then we ride towards the edge of town, where the crowd is already dense as the tournament nears its climax. Both semi-finals will be held in the late afternoon and the final will take place at midnight, by torchlight. After that there's drinking, dancing and feasting round bonfires. I'm looking forward to the drinking and feasting. I haven't felt the urge to dance for a while. #58 | | |
"Makri, do you know how queenstone got its name?" #59 | | |
"It's said it was named after Queen Eferinis." #60 | | |
"Wasn't she just a legend?" #61 | | |
"The stories about her are semi-legendary, but my old history professor thought she probably did exist. She was meant to have discovered queenstone in the Samsarinan mountains with her sorcery. She gave it to her daughters so they were splendidly arrayed when the Star-God's sons came to visit. That part's probably legendary." #62 | | |
There are so many people converging on the tournament that we're unable to drive the whole way, and have to get out of the carriage and walk. We pass an impressive bonfire, beside a line of spits for roasting beef. #63 | | |
"Best bit of the whole event," I say. "Free food." #64 | | |
Minstrels wander through the crowd. It's a cheerful scene, though once again I can sense the air of abandonment that takes hold when war is just around the corner. Young couples dance, holding onto each other as if it's the last chance they'll ever get. As well as the revellers, there are a lot of Sorcerers present. Lasat Axe of Gold has brought his Guild out in force. Lisutaris accompanies Makri to her changing room. Someone taps me on the shoulder. It's Kublinos. #65 | | |
"I hear you've been sneaking round Lisutaris again," he says. #66 | | |
"I don't need to sneak around her. I'm her adviser and we live in the same house." #67 | | |
"Her adviser? Does that normally include bringing her flowers?" #68 | | |
I sigh. I should have known he'd soon learn about that. Arichdamis's servants are no doubt as keen on gossiping as everyone else. "Kublinos, I'm fed up with this. I have no romantic interest in Lisutaris. Not that it makes the slightest difference, because she'd never go for a fop like you anyway, with your fancy cloak and that ridiculous necklace. Do you think Lisutaris would be interested in some overdressed puppy who's never even been to war?" #69 | | |
Kublinos glares at me with loathing. "How dare you speak to me like that! I am a senior Sorcerer!" #70 | | |
"Turai had a better Sorcerer than you in every tavern." #71 | | |
Kublinos expression becomes even grimmer. "You will regret this," he says. "You are now my enemy for life." With that, he disappears into the crowd. A bit over-dramatic, I'd say, but probably what you'd expect from a Samsarinan Sorcerer who prances round in a fancy cloak. #72 | | |
Lisutaris and Makri appear. Makri has a new breastplate, courtesy of General Hemistos, along with her new sword, both of superior quality. Good quality equipment or not, she still looks small in comparison to Bhuralin of Kamara, another very large swordsman. It's going to be a tough fight, particularly if the Samsarinan Sorcerers get involved. Even if she gets past Bhuralin, she still has to fight Elupus. I'm suddenly gripped by the feeling that this whole enterprise might not have been fair on Makri. #73 | | |
"Do you want to do this?" I ask her. #74 | | |
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"You've had too many fights already. Maybe you should just stop now." #76 | | |
"I can't stop," protests Makri. "Lisutaris needs me to win." #77 | | |
"Lasat needs you to lose. The semi-final's going to be tough. The Marshals aren't so picky about illegal blows. More or less anything goes. If some Samsarinan Sorcerer manages to get a good spell onto your opponents sword, he's liable to take your head off." #78 | | |
"No one's taking my head off," declares Makri. "Lisutaris, tell Thraxas he's talking nonsense." #79 | | |
"I think Thraxas may be right," says Lisutaris, surprising us. "You're had a lot of fights. When I encouraged you to enter the competition, I didn't realise it was so dangerous. Maybe we should just call it a day." #80 | | |
"But you'd lose 10,000 gurans to Lasat." #81 | | |
"We can afford it. We've got more than 12,000 already." #82 | | |
"But Lasat will be War Leader!" #83 | | |
"Perhaps. Perhaps not. We can come up with another way of boosting my status." #84 | | |
Makri looks from Lisutaris to me, and back to Lisutaris. "I need to fight," she says. "I can't give in. I'd never feel right again." #85 | | |
"Very well," says Lisutaris. She looks around her. "Has anyone seen Kublinos? He was meant to meet me here." #86 | | |
"I may have scared him off," I admit. "Also, he's declared me his enemy for life." #87 | | |
"How did that happen? We were only gone five minutes." #88 | | |
"I have a talent for offending people." #89 | | |
"Couldn't you have waited?" says Lisutaris. "I was hoping he'd give me information on Lasat's plans." #90 | | |
"That probably won't happen now. I'm off to place our bet. Bixo's going to regret he ever met me." #91 | | |
"He already does," says Lisutaris. "Didn't he send these men to kill you?" #92 | | |
"Possibly. Though I don't have any proof he was behind it." #93 | | |
Despite Makri's impressive performances, she isn't favourite for the fight. She's quoted at evens. Her opponent, Bhuralin of Kamara, is eight to eleven. That might be because Bhuralin has already won a few smaller tournaments, and people have been talking about him as a potential challenger to Elupus. But I wonder if word has leaked out to the public that the Samsarinan Sorcerers are going to sabotage Makri. That would certainly make her a less attractive proposition to bet on. #94 | | |
As before, Bixo won't take a bet of more than 5000 gurans. I place this on Makri, then travel the short distance to Generous Ges's shop, and do the same again. I hurry back to the tournament, just in time to lead Makri out onto the field. Her reception is noisy, but still mostly hostile. Bhuralin gets a far better ovation. He's tall and broad, with some very noticeable scarring down one side of his face. He strides out confidently, looking like a young fighter on the way up, which he is. #95 | | |
As the Marshal prepares to start the fight I leave the field quickly. Already my senses are tingling. Now that I'm carrying Lisutaris's spell, I can feel sorcery everywhere. I take up position next to her. Lasat is not too far away, standing with Charius and two more of their Guild. Other rainbow cloaks can be seen all round the arena. The Marshal drops his flag. Bhuralin and Makri advance slowly toward each other. A great roar goes up from the crowd. Immediately I sense a spell heading towards Makri and try to deflect it. This causes the spell to hit me in the face and knock me over. I get to my feet, yelling angrily, to find Bhuralin retreating, having lost his footing. Lisutaris seems to have got a spell of her own in, perhaps as a result of me having taken the brunt of the attack. Makri closes with Bhuralin but as her blade flickers over the top of his shield she herself loses her footing, and stumbles backwards. #96 | | |
"Damn," mutters Lisutaris. Her fingers are twitching, as she tries to locate and deflect the huge amount of Samsarinan sorcery now flying around the arena. I sense another attack and manage to bring Lisutaris's spell into action, deflecting the bolt of sorcery away from Makri, but the effort sends me reeling backwards into the man behind me, who curses me for my clumsiness. So far I've taken two mighty blows, which is more than either of the combatants have, as they struggle to come grips with the other. People in the crowd are starting to wonder out loud just what is happening. Makri thrusts her sword at Bhuralin but the blade stops in mid-air, impossibly, and Makri is jarred backwards. #97 | | |
Suddenly a tomato flies over the crowd and hits Lasat in the face. To my great satisfaction, the tomato is immediately followed by several heavy yams. Charius the Wise finds himself assailed by a barrage of apples. The scene is repeated all around the arena, as every Samsarinan Sorcerer comes under attack from a hail of fruit and vegetables. There's some laughter from the crowd, even as Makri and Bhuralin continue their struggle #98 | | |
"What's going on?" says Lisutaris. #99 | | |
"My back-up plan," I explain. "I bribed the children." #100 | | |
