Shards of the Past - Chapter 1

In the beginning there was ... Emptiness, Order, Chaos, All, Nothing, Logos

In the beginning there was ...

In the beginning I was.

I was Chaos given form. I was infinite variety. I was infinite hope. I was the source.

Before there was anything Logos, the pattern, the concept was. From Logos the centre was made. Time passed, reality spread, order and chaos. The universe was created. Animates and inanimates spread, filling existence with infinite slowness. I was everything, I was everyone and everywhere.

Then something new, Free Will. Of me, but not of me. A dynamic was introduced, something unexpected.

I was stolen and fragmented. I was ended.

Balance was broken.

In the beginning there was ... Stone, Jewel, Concept, Pattern ... Shards, I made incarnate.

I was Shattered. One became many. Free Will took the shards, the broken pieces and remade. Each inscribed a reality into the Ether. Each formed a Centre, Order to chaos, chaos to order in a new focus. I remained broken but existence was restored.

I was lost outside existence. I wait there.

In the beginning there was ... Bear, Hawk, Behemoth, Puma, Dragon, Lotan

Dragon, Bear, Hawk, Behemoth, Puma, Lotan were there. They were the centre. They were poles apart. They were fragments. They had Shards. Lotan had but a single Shard, others had more. By holding on to the pieces of original existence they were made strong, they were made real.

They are ...

For infinite time they were. Bear Stood, Hawk Swooped, Behemoth Struck, Puma Hunted, Dragon Roared, Lotan Was

Time passed and Free Will existed within them. They battled for power over reality. They battled to spread their focus further than each of the others. They granted Free Will to agents and their power and their reach extended. They grew mighty. They used the power of the Shards they held in ways beyond imagine.

Free Will spread. As far as their influence was, Free Will spread further. Their responses were many and varied. Puma embraced, Bear resisted, Dragon used, Hawk soared above, Behemoth dominated, Lotan destroyed.

Each to their own.

Roar to Whimper, a Shard Removed, the Universe Rewritten, a great upheaval.

Dragon used and bound Free Will, spread influence further than the others. Free Will refused to be bound. Free Will incarnated as Andor. Andor served Dragon, became the greatest champion. Free will escaped. Andor obtained a Shard.

Andor took the Shard to the farthest corner of reality. As was done so long ago a new Centre was formed. A new centre inscribed in reality. Stag was made whole. Reality shook, Powers rose and Powers fell.

In the beginning there was ... Stag, Bear, Hawk, Behemoth, Puma, Dragon, Lotan

A New Power Arisen. Night and Day. Centres Shift. Chaos to Order.

The existing centres shook. They struggled. They resisted. A new Centre arose. Reality was rewritten, time made fixed.

Each Centre responded differently. Each took steps to preserve what mattered. Stag took steps to extend influence through the Willing Servant. One to many, the Lineage created.

Stag Builds.

Dragon Hoards.

Bear Heals.

Hawk Observes.

Behemoth Fights.

Puma Sleeps.

Lotan Is.

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Forces Move

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Chapter 1:- Home

Jak surveyed the valley, the place he had once called home. The Duchy of Lewis had changed since it had been that way. Jak had changed also. He no longer called any Duchy home.

Lewis had changed over the last two years.

Lewis had been a small town, a hunter-gatherer economy. There were limited resources gathered there, a small Copper mine and quarry. The Forest was forbidden, the surrounding woodland were a plentiful source of firewood, and building materials. The town stockade was low, some eight feet tall, enough to stop wild animals, but not much more.

In short, it was a Duchy much like any other.

Over the last few years the lands and the Duchies had changed dramatically. Agriculture had been introduced, no longer did people need to rely on the vagarities of the seasons for food. Beasts of burden were also now starting to be used , making trade much easier. Porters were still used, but were not the only choice.

The Duchy of Lewis town had grown. Before he left there had been fifteen hundred, to two thousand people. Lewis now had a population of close to ten thousand people. Duke Lewis had worked hard and the whole town was now industrialised as had never been seen before and the process was continuing. The original stockade was more or less gone now, and a complete new wall was being built around the town. The wild countryside had been changed into a patchwork of fields.

Jak took one last look across the valley before heading down to the town. The changes to the land were vast and like nothing he could have imagined.

* * *

It was more than half his lifetime, 15 years since the place had really felt like home. At that time Lewis had been a small town on the edge of the inhabited lands.

He had been a shiftless child; always striving to avoid work, and better at it than most. He used to hide in the eaves of the thatch and just listen to the world go by; listen to the bustle of the townspeople and the secrets mentioned when they thought no one was listening.

Of course, listening was how things had changed. He was just twelve then. As usual he had been going to the eaves to avoid work, but on that occasion his father had caught Jak heading to his hiding place. His father sent him to a nearby copse to collect fruit. He could remember the day vividly, the sky had been clear, the air still and cool in the fading summer sun, leading up to the point his whole future would change. Jak had headed up to the woods, intending to collect enough fruits to keep his father happy and then rest amongst the trees until dusk.

As he headed up the valley toward the copse he noticed some partridge in the undergrowth by a stream, and hoping there might be a nest, he moved to investigate. He spent a couple of minutes looking for eggs before getting bored and carrying on up the side of the valley along the cutting of the stream. Reaching the level of the trees he left the cutting around the side of the valley.

As he reached the copse he heard voices, which was unusual, normally it would have been deserted. He headed in quietly intending to avoid being noticed, afraid that it might be friends of his father, who would report back to him. He positioned himself behind some bushes on the edge of the copse.

There were two men talking inside in hushed tones. Intrigued Jak approached to hear better.

“So when do you want the job done?” said the first voice.

“Tonight. It must be completed tonight.” The second voice sounded familiar, but Jak couldn't place it.

“And the payment?”

“As agreed, you collect from me once you have the necessary.”

“OK”, the first voice finished.

Jak moved forward at that point to try and identify the speakers, but in the process of moving forward he knelt on a twig, snapping it.

The speakers, who had started to move off, stopped. “What was that?” the familiar voice said.

The second voice responded with a muttered “Not sure, I'll check it out”. As he spoke he was approaching Jak. Even in the soft woodland flooring it was clear that he was not more than ten or fifteen paces distant.

Jak started to shuffle back into the briars and bushes, and was becoming worried about what would happen to him when he was caught. The footsteps were within five paces when a faun started and jumped away in panic. In his concentration Jak hadn't noticed the faun, but had never been so glad to see anything in his life. At the sight of the faun panicked and running, he heard the approaching man stop and turn saying “It was nothing Cal, just a baby deer and anyway, we would have seen people approaching if they came from the town.”

On hearing him addressed by name Jak identified the familiar voice. Cal was a travelling merchant who supplied Lewis with goods from the surrounding areas. He was well regarded in the town and always welcomed.

Having identified Cal as one of the speakers Jak was puzzled more than concerned. Whatever this was about, he had been a good friend to the children of the town, with sweet dried fruits and other rare treats for them.

Cal said “Right, just remember the job. He must be done tonight” and made to leave the copse. Jak was surprised to see Cal leave the copse heading away from the Duchy town and into the wilderness.

Having been momentarily relieved by the discovery that Cal was present, Jak was suddenly much more worried. Who was to be done, and what was meant by that anyway? The second speaker also started to move, but only reached the edge of the copse before stopping.

Jak stopped and waited to see if this second speaker would leave. It was late afternoon, not long before sundown. After some 20 minutes Jak was becoming restless and there was no indication that the stranger was going to move.

Jak started to shuffle forward quietly, trying to see where the stranger had gone, and to see what he looked like. He got to the edge of the briar patch and looked through the trees. The stranger was standing by the edge of the copse, overlooking the town. He was a fairly tall man, with a neat short cropped beard and short brown hair. He was wearing dark grey soft woollen clothing, with a thoroughly functional looking leather belt. Attached to the belt were a number of knives. As Jak looked more carefully he saw that the man was wearing leather boots. On the toes of the boots he glimpsed something metallic. The overall impression he received was of a predator observing his prey.

Jak withdrew back through the bushes and briars and quietly headed for the edge of the copse. It was on the crest of a ridge, but a little way around along the ridge there was a stream that had cut a channel down. Jak watched the man from the bank of the stream uncertain as to what to do. He waited, intrigued to see what the sinister stranger would do next. As the sun set below the horizon the man started to stir and move down toward the town.

Jak moved along ahead, to reach the town first, he quickly shinned over the wall, which wasn't meant to do anything more than deter wolves and other wild animals. He watched as the stranger approached the town and also pulled himself up onto the wall.

It was getting late and the town life was starting to settle down for the evening. The last few of the regulars were making their way to the inn. It was late enough Jak knew he would have been missed, and that when he returned he'd be yelled at and hit again, particularly given that he had failed to return with fruit as instructed. He decided he might as well follow this up and find out what was going on. He wouldn't get into any more trouble for being any later.

The last traces of the sunlight had faded and the night was dark. The moons hadn't yet risen and a haze in the air meant that the stars were mostly obscured. Some little firelight and lamp light from the houses faintly lit the town. The stranger was still visible to Jak, but his wool clothing was almost invisible in the darkness. If Jak hadn't known where to look, he would have missed the stranger.

As they waited by the wall the town quieted down and people settled to their evening routine. The night was cool, but not really chilled. The summer was fading fast but the chill nights had not begun.

Jak found himself drifting off and awoke with a start uncertain as to how long had passed. Looking around he saw that the stranger had moved from his position on the wall. Afraid that he had lost his quarry he frantically scanned the town. He saw movement in the darkness, a solitary figure approaching the centre of the town. Jak jumped down from the wall and moved to parallel the motion. From firelight through a nearby window Jak caught an impression of the individuals face. He was still following the stranger through the town.

It was now obvious that the stranger was going to the centre of the town and moving, with purpose. Off the town square there was the church, the town storehouse and the Duke's manor house and of the three, Jak guessed that the stranger would be going to the Duke's residence. Could this be the 'he' that was to be done? Jak moved to be around the side of the house before stranger reached it. Knowing all the shortcuts and back alleys he got there ahead and waited to see what would happen next.

Jak heard an odd sort of gurgling sound like the sink draining away, followed by a dull thud from the front of the house. He looked round the corner and saw the open door and the guard slumped drunkenly on the floor. Jak went to check on the guard and saw his throat had been cut. He started to panic, not knowing what to do. If he called for help it would only arrive too late, and the stranger would turn on him anyway. He couldn't stop the stranger on his own.

Jak ran round the side of the house, searching for another way in. He climbed the ivy on the walls of the house to an upstairs window. As he scrambled in through the narrow window he found himself in a small dressing room. As silently as he could he tiptoed across the bare wood floor and pushed open the heavy oak door. He found himself looking into Duke Lewis's bedroom. The firelight was dying and the Duke appeared to be asleep. Jak moved to continue into the room and stumbled heavily.

The Duke awoke and sat upright in bed, from the floor Jak turned and whispered as loudly as he dared “Assassin my lord!”.

The Duke moved in one fluid motion and stood poised, holding a short sword pulled apparently from nowhere. He looked to Jak. Jak pointed to the door, and the Duke crept behind it, listening.

Jak started to speak; to explain what he had seen, but Duke Lewis cut him off abruptly by a sharp chopping motion with his spare hand.

A faint creak came from the outside of the room and the door was pushed gently open. The Duke stayed absolutely still until the door was opened and the stranger started to enter, then launched himself at the door catching the stranger half way through. A knife dropped to the floor before the stranger pushed the door open.

The Duke was thrown back violently and the stranger rushed into the room, pulling another knife from his belt.

The Duke attempted a blow with his sword, but the stranger parried with one knife and swiped toward the Duke with a second knife held in his left hand. The Duke jumped back crouching on his bed and moved back while the stranger moved to the edge of the bed.

The stranger flipped the knife in his left hand over and threw it at the Duke. The Duke fell back off the side of the bed with the knife in his side. He stumbled but managed to ward off a blow that would have gutted him.

Jak could see the knife on the floor where it had fallen. He looked toward the two men fighting, and seeing them distracted moved quickly to grab the knife.

Again the stranger lunged for the Duke, and this time caught him on his left arm.

The Duke was bleeding substantially, even after only a few moments of fighting, A few more seconds and the stranger would surely land a fatal blow.

With a knowledge that he had to do something Jak grabbed the knife and moved behind the stranger, holding the knife for an overhand blow. The stranger turned and with a surprised look swiped a knife towards Jak; an obvious warning to the newcomer to the fight. At that moment the Duke and Jak both lunged. The stranger squirmed away from the Duke's blow and went to block Jak's. In the lunge Jak stumbled, the knife slipped below the strangers parry, and sank into the grey wool of the strangers tunic.

His eyes opened wide. He looked down at the knife protruding from his stomach, then turned the knife he was carrying and plunged it in to his own heart.

The Duke collapsed off the bed and onto the floor. He turned to Jak and said “Are there any more, boy?”

Jak shook his head trembling in shock at what had just occurred. The Duke grimaced and said “Fetch the priest – Now boy!”.

Jak stumbled out of the door and saw a staircase in front of him. He made his way down and out of the front door. The Church was on his left. He turned and retched then stumbled forward to the Church door and started to hammer on it.

The town priest, Father Mikhal, came to the door after a few moments holding a lantern. A quiet and unassuming man, Mikhal was wearing the traditional hooded robes and cloth across the face. “Yes, Jak is it? What is the matter?”

“The Duke is hurt, an assassin. He needs help!”

“Wait here!” Father Mikhal stepped back into the Church, and re-emerged carrying a leather bag.

“Show me where”

“In his bedroom, Father.” Jak lead the way back into the manor house.

On reaching the bedroom Father Mikhal glanced round. He saw the assassin on the floor, then moved to the Duke, lifting him up and placing him on the bed. The priests robes covered him completely. Jak had never noticed, or thought about this before, but it suddenly became clear that the robes must conceal a muscular form.

The priest said “Light the lamp”. Jak looked around the room and saw, on a shelf by the fire, a lamp. He took a spill and lit the lamp.

“Now, leave me to work on the Duke.”

“But Father, what if there are more?” Jak asked.

“Go and wake the servants, tell them to get the guards, then go home.”

The Duke moved to try and sit up, winced then said “Have the boy stay nearby. I will need to talk to him” He then collapsed back onto the bed.

“Go and wake the servants then get guards. Leave me to work now. Please Jak.” Father Mikhals tone was softer this time.

Jak left the bedroom to find servants. Not sure where to look he opened doors on the Dukes floor at random. In one of them he found a young woman, her throat had been cut while she lay in her bed. He moved on to the attic room and found the cook in bed asleep.

Jak ran over and shook the cook awake. With a grunt and a snort the cook stirred muttering “morning again is it”.

“Wake up, get the Duke's guards” Jak shouted in an urgent voice.

“Wha', guards? Who are you? What are you doing? Huh? Will's on guard duty tonight. Go bother him and get out of here.” the cook said with rising indignation

“Will's dead. Where are the other guards?”

“Will's dead!” The cook suddenly moved from an irritable half doze to fully awake. He leapt out of bed and dashed down the stairs to the Duke's room. He burst in and Jak overheard muttered conversation, before the cook scurried at speed out of the front door.

Not sure what to do, or where to go now, Jak went to the top of the stairs and sat there, his feet pulled up tight and curled up, his chin on his knees. He had never before seen anything like the events of the evening. The only time he had ever seen a dead person was at his grandfather's wake. His grandfather had been laid out in the cask; he had looked peaceful. There was nothing peaceful about the events of this last night.

Jak sat there at the top of the stairs for what appeared to be hours that night. He could hear people busily rushing around on the floor below. Everyone seemed to have forgotten about him. He didn't know what would happen now. He was terrified of the trouble he must be in; after all he'd broken into the Duke's house and stabbed a man. He knew that Murder was a sin and a crime, and that the Priest surely knew what had happened. His father would go mad and thrash him for this. He could not imagine how much trouble he was in. Eventually Jak cried, sobbing from from fear, relief, panic and uncertainty. Then eventually he slept.

When he awoke he found himself in a strange bed. He sat up and looked around. Sat in an armchair in the corner was Father Mikhal. As usual the Priests features were obscured by the cloth across the face.

Mikhal looked at Jak. “How are you feeling now?” he asked. He spoke softly and with concern in his voice. Jak was reminded of his grandfather, the only person who had protected him from his father. He found himself curiously reassured by the feeling.

“OK, I guess. Am I in trouble?”

“Trouble? No Jak. You saved the Duke's life you know. He would like to talk to you once you have eaten. I think he wants to know how you knew the assassin was there.”

“But I killed a man. I was not supposed to be there. I should have been working.”

“Do not worry about that now, Jak. You have done nothing wrong. You saved a man's life last night. Now eat Jak.”

Jak found himself being fed a full and substantial breakfast before being lead out of what he realised must be the Fathers quarters.

He was taken back into the Dukes house, through the front door and through into the Duke's hall. A a room maybe thirty feet by fifteen where the Duke held court, hearing and deciding on local disputes. The room was deserted. Father Mikhal indicated that Jak should sit in a chair at the side of the room. Father Mikhal positioned himself alongside and waited and the Duke entered through a door at one side.

The Duke was walking unassisted, though he was wincing a little. He approached the chair Jak was sat in and positioned himself carefully in a nearby chair.

A servant entered with a jug and cups and poured out a drink for the Duke. Duke Lewis said “Boy, would you like some apple juice?”

Jak sat, once more panicked and uncertain. He had never spoken to the Duke before the attack and didn't know what to say. Father Mikhal nodded, “Yes, Jak will, I'm sure.”

The juice was poured for Jak. Priests never ate or drank in company, it was one of the strictures to which they adheared. It was obvious that the Duke was aware of this, for nothing was offered to Father Mikhal.

“So boy,” said the Duke “what happened last night that you entered my room in such a timely fashion?”

Fortified by the juice and the Duke's gentle manner, Jak began to recount his tale. “My Lord, I overheard a conversation and I was curious. I followed the man, then I saw that he had killed your guard at the door. I didn't know what to do, so I climbed the wall hoping to alert someone in the house. That was when I fell into your room.”

Father Mikhal said “Come now, I am sure there was more to it than that. What was this conversation you overheard. Didn't the man notice you following?”

After some more questioning Jak managed to provide Father Mikhal and the Duke with most of the pertinent details. When Jak mentioned that the overheard the conversation had taken place between the assassin and the trader, Cal Mithron, the Duke nodded, but didn't seem overly surprised.

Once they finished the Duke asked Jak “So what do you do? What do you want to do?”.

“My Lord?” Jak was barely able to croak out the words.

Father Mikhal said “Try the juice. It will wet your throat, then answer the Duke honestly. Just tell him what he wants to know. You won't get in trouble” His voice was calm and reassuring.

“My lord, I help my parents, collect wood and fruit. I have learned my letters. I don't know what I want to do. I don't want to do very much really.” At this, the Duke smiled slightly. ”I like listening to people.”

“You showed a rare presence of mind last night. You kept your head and acted when unsure.” The Duke then tossed a pair of objects at Jak. He reached for them and caught them both, one in each hand.

He looked. One of them was a small piece of metal, similar to a coin, but not like any coin Jak had ever seen before. It was made of silver with a sign of a triangle enclosing an eye. The other object was a small stoppered stoneware vial. The wax seal had been broken.

“What are these?”Jak asked, his curiosity overcoming his caution.

“The coin is a symbol carried by certain individuals who work in the Duchies. It is a declaration of their status, that they must carry. The vial contains a poison that was on the blades of the assassin's knives. Fortunately Father Mikhal was able to administer an antidote in time, and more fortunately you were able to fetch Father Mikhal in time. I am told that it is a particularly unpleasant and painful poison, which may have had something to do with the assassin's decision to finish the job you started.”

“So boy. Will you work for me?”

Jak considered the offer briefly. Working for the Duke would surely protect him from his father. His father would not dare to hurt a servant of the Duke.

He had no idea what the job would entail then, but he had no regrets about accepting the offer. He had worked harder than ever before, but he had enjoyed the work, first in learning the skills required of him, and then later in working for Duke Lewis. After his initial period of instruction Jak spent the next ten years travelling around nearby and distant Duchies, acting as eyes and ears for Duke Lewis. For the last five years he had worked as an agent in the court of the Duke of Gian, a long term political and economic rival of Duke Lewis. Now he had been sent to Lewis by Duke Gian as Gian's representative in a joint venture.

* * * * *

Home. No not home. He did not think of anywhere as home now. It was too long since he had left Lewis. Lewis was not home any more. Gian would never be home. He told people it was home, but it never would be. He was always on guard there, watching for a slip that might give him away.

And yet, Lewis was the closest place he knew to home. He looked into the valley, to the place he had once called home and stepped forward.