Guardian of Heaven and Earth
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New Yogo
Prologue - The Emperor's Decline
There was an enormous chamber with two perfectly round windows. The eastern-facing window showed a darkening world, and the western-facing one let in the last bit of golden summer sunlight before sunset. The room had been built to take full advantage of the cycles of the sun.
The elderly Emperor of the Talsh Empire lay stretched out on a large bed inside the chamber. His skin clung to his bones. He appeared dead already, but the light of consciousness still shone in his eyes. Emperor Orahan had seen the Talsh Empire expand in influence and power over the course of his long lifetime. The time had finally come for him to make his last wishes known.
A white-clad high priest of the temple of Arueh stood at the Emperor's bedside, bearing a sacred staff. Golden circles representing the sun god Arueh were affixed to the staff. The staff was called an Arueh Koh, and was only used by high-ranking priests of the official Talsh religion.
There was a low desk next to the high priest where a harried-looking scholar sat making notes with with a brush pen. The Emperor's children sat on the other side of his bed, with their advisors and councilors sitting behind them. The Emperor had children late; the first of his six children was born when he was past forty. Two of them had passed away from illness. Three sons and a daughter had survived. Crown Prince Hazar and Second Prince Raul were both near forty now, but the youngest prince, Yural, was only twenty. Princess Kasarina was twenty-three and had just been married the year before.
The most privileged place to sit—at the foot of the Emperor's bed—was not occupied by a family member, but by the Emperor's closest advisor, Aoil. Aoil was not a Talsh citizen, but he was inflexibly loyal to the Emperor and was one of his oldest friends. Aoil had been with him in times of both war and peace as the Talsh Empire expanded across the world.
The Emperor breathed heavily. The sound echoed loudly in the silent chamber. After a few tense moments, the Emperor gasped out, "It seems...I will not be blessed...to see the northern continent brought under our rule." There was gentle self-deprecation in his tone, as if he felt foolish for even hoping to see such a thing. Second Prince Raul appeared genuinely grieved. He faced his older brother, Prince Hazar, and found him staring back. The two of them had fought fiercely over who would be the next Talsh Emperor for many years, but there was nothing in the look they gave one another but shared sadness.
They hadn't been able to bring their father's dream to fruition during his lifetime. They understood that their father was going to die—and soon.
Their father's dream was simple, but not easy to accomplish. The high priests of Arueh, Yogoese Star Readers, and common magic weavers all agreed that a sacred land existed, far to the north beyond the ocean. The land was unexplored and undeveloped. When the southern continent's resources began to dry up, the Talsh Emperor started investigating this supposed sacred land, where spring lasted for a century and everything needful existed in abundance.
It wasn't clear if the northern continent really was this sacred land. It appeared to be like any other land, and it was already settled. The people there spoke of another realm called Nayugu or Noyook that might be the sacred land the Talsh Emperor was seeking, but it was difficult to be sure. Untold numbers of taku—Talsh spies—had visited the northern continent over the years, but none of them had discovered the entrance or the border to this sacred land. The Talsh Emperor had no choice but to order the subjugation of the northern continent so that he could search for this sacred land at his leisure. The Emperor prayed that he would live a hundred years—or at least long enough to see the sacred land with his own eyes. He had lived so long and seen so much. He longed to gaze at the future hope of the Talsh Empire before his death.
When people had cast doubt on the existence of the sacred land, he'd laughed. All of his actions were founded on the fact that it existed. But even if it was real, it was out of his reach now and always would be. He had been healthy and strong throughout his rule, but no one was completely immune to illness and old age.
"Every decision I've made is so that Talsh can be prosperous for a hundred—no, a thousand—more years," the Talsh Emperor rasped out. "Long after I'm gone. Hear the last decision that I will make in this world."
Everyone gathered in the room bowed their heads. Prince Hazar and Prince Raul's expressions were tight with worry. They watched their father, scarcely daring to breathe.
"Hazar," the Emperor said. "Raul. I leave the decision of who will be the next Emperor to my advisor, Aoil."
Both Raul and Hazar lifted their heads. The room remained silent, but the quality of the tension in it had changed. The Emperor's decision was a shocking, a possibly destabilizing, one. Aoil might have been the most shocked of them all.
The Emperor gazed up at Aoil. He was smiling slightly. "Are you really surprised?" he asked. "This might be the only time I ever surprised you in my entire life." He laughed hoarsely, but it turned into a hacking cough.
"The conquest of the northern continent is ongoing. Right now, it's not clear how the empire should proceed. But in a few more months, the path forward should become clear. I will not be here at that time, but you will Aoil. Choose whichever son you think will lead the empire into the most glorious future."
Tears streamed down Aoil's face. Raul and Hazar looked at their father, speechless. The light in the room was failing. The last light of the sun fell on the Emperor's face as Aoil bowed his head gravely.
"The sun sets, but it always rises again. I promise to choose an Emperor who will shine new light upon the empire."
That night, the Emperor fell into a deep sleep. He didn't die, but everyone close to him knew that his death was near.
Prince Hazar returned to the southern wing of the Sun Palace complex, where his own castle stood, and ate a somber dinner. The commander of the Southern Army, Hamil, remained at his side: he was Hazar's closest advisor. Hamil brought out glasses and a wine called araku. He poured out the araku into the glasses, then placed one in front of Hazar. Hazar didn't even seem to see it.
Hamil wasn't a Talsh citizen. He had the dark skin and large eyes of the people of Karal. Though he was born into a conquered nation, he rose to become the right-hand man of Talsh's oldest prince.
"Why are you in such low spirits?" Hamil asked quietly.
"Why? What do you mean, why? You were there in that room with me, Hamil. My father might never wake, and he left Aoil in charge of making the decision on who would succeed him. It's almost certain that I won't be the next Emperor. Aoil has always felt sorry for Raul."
Hazar frowned deeply. He felt renewed sorrow every time his father praised his brother over him.
"Forgive me, Your Majesty," Hamil said, "but I do believe you are mistaken."
Hazar looked up at him, still frowning. Hamil was smiling kindly. "I believe that Aoil will choose you. There are qualities you possess that are lacking in Raul and and in Kurz, his chief advisor.
Hazar looked at Hamil in fascination. "And what qualities are those?" he asked.
Hamil's smile deepened. "Aoil sees them, too. I'm certain of it. Following Prince Raul's intended path for our nation would be dangerous. I have a plan to help Aoil see that, if you would like me to put it into motion, Your Majesty."
Hazar narrowed his eyes and leaned forward. "What plan?"
The Emperor lingered on in sickness for another ten days. Prince Raul ordered one of his own councilors, a man from Koranam, to be imprisoned on charges of causing harm to the empire. Aoil, too, was from Koranam.
The door to Prince Raul's room opened. He looked up from the documents he was reading to greet his guest, who knelt down in front of his writing desk and bowed his head deeply.
"Stand up, Hugo," Prince Raul said.
Hugo stood and looked up at Prince Raul. Prince Raul smiled slightly at him. "You're as brown as a nut. I imagine that happens, traveling from the north to the south so much. When did you get back?"
"I returned to the capital this morning."
"Oh? And how are things in the north? I want a report on the state of the invasion."
"I'll tell you everything you wish to know," Hugo said, "but if I may beg your indulgence, there's been something of an emergency, Your Majesty."
"Emergency?" Raul asked, furrowing his brow. "What emergency?"
Hugo's expression was grave. "Is it true that Kurz's chamberlain Oiram has been arrested?"
Prince Raul rubbed his chin.
"You're asking about that? Yes, it is true. He's the mastermind of a plot against the empire. It's only natural; he's from one of our conquered nations, and we don't expect all subjugated citizens to be loyal. What of him?"
Hugo frowned severely and shook his head. "Please don't be hasty in your judgment, Your Majesty. Oiram isn't the mastermind of any sort of plot. He was framed by someone else. There's no evidence to implicate him in anything except for the word of other people—people who might have an interest in stirring up discord and discontent at the moment." Hugo dropped his sword, still in its scabbard, on the floor.
Prince Raul stood up straight. "If Oiram isn't the mastermind of the plot, then who is? Who masterminded it? You're my spy, Hugo. You should tell me more about these things before they happen."
"I was waiting for more evidence to present itself before bringing the matter to your attention," Hugo said. "I—"
"You idiot!" Prince Raul shouted. "If you even suspected something like this, you should have informed me immediately! We could have nipped this whole plot in the bud before it was ever an issue."
"I...didn't want to inform you sooner, Your Majesty."
"What?" Prince Raul's eyes narrowed.
"The plot had no form—no shape, no obvious mastermind. I wanted to lure out the instigator of it and trap them red-handed. All I knew was that it had something to do with the Emperor's succession. It came to be because someone is concerned about the direction the Talsh Empire will take after the Emperor dies."
Prince Raul remained speechless for a short while. He gazed down at Hugo with an expression of clear disapproval. Hugo had been born in the conquered nation of Yogo and had made it this far in Talsh society based on his own merits and ambitions. He was still young, but he might be the most perceptive and intelligent of all of Prince Raul's spies. He was also incredibly difficult to read.
Hugo knows something that I don't. The thought enraged Raul. "Hugo Arayutan. Do not apologize for your failings. You are not supposed to have failings when it comes to your business with me. I put you on the noble path of light, and I can take you off it just as easily. If you're no longer of any use to me, I'll lock you up just like Oiram. Guards!"
Palace guards rushed into the room and seized Hugo's arms.
"Abnormal events have been happening all over your territories," Hugo said calmly. "I've seen them. They're in my reports. My information can still prove useful."
Prince Raul snorted through his nose. "Worry about yourself now, Hugo. If you tell me the name of the actual instigator of the plot Oiram was blamed for, I might not lock you up."
Hugo said nothing. Prince Raul glared at his back with an expression of white-hot rage as he was led away.
Hugo awoke to wind blowing against his face. Someone else was standing outside the stone cell across from him: it was Sodok, the magic weaver. He was middle-aged and slightly built. Hugo had worked with him for years.
"What are you doing here?" Hugo asked.
"Is that any way to greet someone who came to rescue you?"
Sodok must have used magic weaving to make the guards on the cell sleep. His voice was hoarse from overuse and remembered pain. If he rescued Hugo from prison, he would be committing a severe crime.
Hugo stared straight at Sodok. They'd met when Hugo was seventeen. He was more like Hugo's irascible uncle than a colleague. Hugo found it difficult to believe that they were in this situation now. He never would have thought it possible as a teenager.
Hugo pursed his lips slightly, then shook his head.
"I don't feel like running away," Hugo said. "Thanks for the thought, but you should probably head back before what you're doing is discovered."
Sodok narrowed his eyes. "Don't be an idiot, Hugo. They'll torture you."
"Probably. But I can't leave right now." The light in his eyes shone strangely, as if it were coming from the bottom of his soul. "A plan is in motion to shake this empire to its very foundations. I know exactly what I have to do now. I have to be here—right here—when that plan sparks to life."
Sodok opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. He understood what Hugo was talking about now. "You got yourself suspected on purpose, so that you'd be thrown in here," Sodok said.
"Took you long enough to figure it out," Hugo said with a smile. He removed a small pill from a false tooth.
Sodok frowned when he recognized it. "An urasu?" Urasu were used to send souls wandering away from their bodies. He shook his head. "Are you serious? You know what will happen if you use it."
Hugo shrugged and returned the pill to his false tooth. "I won't give up the name of any contacts," he said. "If I die here, then that must be my fate."
All trace of Hugo's previous smile vanished from his face. "I understand how they feel. Truly and completely. That's one of the advantages of joining the other side, although I only did it for survival."
Hugo received three messages during his travels from the northern continent to Rahan, the capital city of Talsh. The first contained the news that the next Talsh Emperor would be chosen by his advisor and prime minister, Aoil. The second came from one of Hugo's subordinates who had infiltrated Prince Hazar's Southern Army, informing him of Hamil's plot to implicate Prince Raul in a reputation-damaging plot. And the third was a message about Crown Prince Chagum, the seed that Hugo himself had planted on the northern continent. He was traveling with the bodyguard Balsa and would be arriving in Rota soon.
Hugo was willing to stake everything based on the information he'd gleaned from these three messages. If Prince Hazar and Hamil wanted to stir up trouble in the empire, Hugo could help with that. Much would depend on Aoil's decision. The waves of discontent and unrest were still small, but they wouldn't remain that way for very long.
When Prince Raul learned that his invasion of the northern continent wasn't as going as well as he'd anticipated, he'd be forced to make a critical decision—perhaps the most important decision of his life. Hugo had engineered this crossroads specifically for him. The Talsh Empire would either change or steer itself into the rocks and self-destruct.
"You really didn't have to come all this way to visit me, Sodok," Hugo said.
"I know, I know," Sodok cut in before he finished speaking. "Leave it to me. You don't have to do everything yourself, you know." He coughed, then said hoarsely, "You've always been a boy—you never grew up. You might die before you do, at this rate. Wherever your soul wanders, I'll find it. You've come this far on a gamble. Someone should see whether or not it pays off."
Hugo smiled, then bowed his head. He watched Sodok as he walked away down the dark corridor of the dungeon, listening to his measured footsteps.
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