Conseh itself would master the First Denve.
The First and Second Denve made up the Tsien Denvedah; the front fighters. The Tsien would always be the first to meet the enemy, and the first to take the enemy’s wrath.
Conseh knew itself to be a good hunter, and able to take action when such was needed. But the warmaster knew that the Tsien Denvedah needed something more in spirit than Conseh itself could provide.
It was during its search for the master of the Second Denve that Conseh happened upon some hunters. The hunters were practicing the accuracy of their spear throwing. The hunters aimed their spears at each other to see and feel the meaning of having Sindie at the ends of spearpoints.
The old food preparer Nuvvea also watched the hunters practice with their spears. Nuvvea had once been chief of the hunt, and as it watched the practice, Nuvvea shook its wrinkled head. Conseh saw this.
"What displeases you, Nuvvea?"
"Warmaster Conseh, I have studied the young hunters with their spears. Although they think otherwise, they still act as though they are on the hunt for darghat. On the hunt, if you throw and miss, the darghat will bolt and run.
A hunter of the Diruvedah still has a spear to throw back. And in close the spear is no use, so the hunter attacks the darghat with its stone knife. The darghat can only bellow and try to strike you with its tail. A hunter of the Diruvedah also has a knife."
Conseh looked at the hunters at their practice. "Your eyes see much, Nuvvea. They are still hunters rather than warriors. What should they do?"
Nuvvea looked down and thought for a long time. "The hunter must keep its spear until it can be certain of both a kill and retrieving the spear. To ward off the enemy weapons until such certainty presents itself, the hunter must be shielded."
"Nuvvea, what is your answer to the problem you have made?"
The old food preparer held out its hands, then dropped them to its sides. "There is an answer. I do not know it yet." Nuvvea faced Conseh. "But there is an answer to the in-fighting when the spear is useless." Nuvvea pulled the food preparer’s ax from its waist and handed it to Conseh.
"A butcher ax?" Conseh studied the hammered, black-metal blade. "Are we to go after the Diruvedah as butchers?"
Nuvvea took back its butcher ax and faced Conseh. "Pull your knife, warmaster."
Conseh studied the old food preparer for a moment, then the warmaster crouched and extended its knife at arm’s length, its point aimed at Nuvvea’s middle. Before the warmaster could react, Nuvvea whipped down its ax upon the knife blade, knocking the knife from Conseh’s hand. When Conseh looked at the ground, it saw the knife, its stone blade shattered.
Nuvvea laughed at the warmaster. "Your face tells me that my suggestion is a good one. Conseh, we are no longer hunters. We are to become warriors, and a warrior is one who hunts its own kind for the purpose of killing it." Nuvvea held up its ax. "We will be butchers, Conseh, if we are to defeat our enemies."
"Nuvvea, how many of your blades can you make in the next twenty days?"
"Of all the clans, there must be many. In a land without meat, there is little need for a butcher’s ax. In the lands that we shall see, the meat will fight back. The metal workers can make more, perhaps twenty a day if we can supply them with food. Their work is hard."
Conseh thanked the food preparer and returned to watching the hunters at their throwing.
The first warmaster thought upon the things that it had seen and heard, and Conseh made Nuvvea master of the Second Denve.
On the thirty-ninth day of Uhe’s rule of the Mavedah, the six Denve were prepared to cross the mountains and strike into the Irrvedah, a third of the Tsien Denvedah armed with the black metal axes. Uhe was forward counseling its warmasters in the morning shadow of the Akkujah Mountains when Iyjiia approached, followed by the old masters of the Mavedah.
Uhe was speaking to the warmasters of the need to obtain the heights of the first mountain crest before Aakva’s light blinded them, and then waiting until Aakva was at their backs before striking into the valley.
Iyjiia interrupted. "Uhe, the masters of the Mavedah would talk with you."
Uhe turned and studied Iyjiia. "I see that you approach me after working up some great resolve, Iyjiia. What is it that you want?"
"The masters of the Mavedah have come to challenge your vision."
Before Uhe could answer, Daes, the warmaster of the Sixth Denve, walked forward and shoved Iyjiia to the ground. "I am a master, Iyjiia, and I do not challenge the Law of War!"
Iyjiia stood and backed away from Daes. "Daes, you are either fool or blasphemer. Uhe has colored your eyes."
Uhe restrained Daes and indicated that Daes should resume its place with the other warmasters. Then Uhe faced Iyjiia and the old masters. "It is important that the attack is begun at the proper time, Iyjiia. State your business quickly."
Iyjiia brushed the dust from its skins, looked at its followers, and then faced Uhe. "While we kept starvation from us by eating the bodies of our loved ones, you kept us at the foot of the Akkujah for thirty-nine days. You could have spared us this by attacking thirty-nine days ago. It cost us many lives."
"Iyjiia, it was necessary to take the time to turn hunters into warriors. Had we attacked without the proper preparation, it would have cost us many more lives."
Iyjiia paused, and then continued. "By forming this new council of masters to rule your Denve, you have destroyed the identity of each clan within the Mavedah."
"It was necessary to do this to turn a collection of clans into an army." Uhe folded its arms and held back its head. "Is that all?"
"I have more." Iyjiia gestured with its hand toward Conseh and the warmasters. "This new council of masters you have made. Each has selected those who would follow it, while Aakva’s Law says that each clan must choose its own master by vote, ordeal, and challenge. By taking away the powers of the masters, you betray the Mavedah and the laws of Aakva."
Uhe’s eyes closed. "Now I see the lay of this hunt." Uhe opened its eyes and glared at the chief of Aakva’s servants. "Do you think the salvation of the Mavedah less important than your possession of power?" Uhe turned back to face its masters of war. "You have said enough, Iyjiia."
"No!" Iyjiia moved forward until it stood only a breath from the ruler of the Mavedah. "I challenge your vision of the Law of War. I say it is false! And even if a murderer’s spear takes me now, I say it is your law, Uhe, and not from the God of the Day Light."
Uhe turned, brows raised, and faced Iyjiia. "You surprise me. The removal of your power has found you your courage at last, Iyjiia. And I would stand the stones with you, except that there is an attack to supervise."
Iyjiia pointed at Uhe and screamed. "I have challenged your vision! Before all else, you must suffer ordeal, unless you have changed that law as well!"
Uhe looked around and saw that the warriors within hearing had gathered in a circle to observe the confrontation. The ruler of the Mavedah looked back at Iyjiia. "That law has not changed." Some say that Uhe shed tears as it said, "Iyjiia, I say that your challenge is against the new law of Aakva, and that we shall let the stones decide who is right."
Uhe looked among the warriors. "Eighteen of you; each place aside your weapons and choose three killing-stones." Uhe pointed to the ground at its feet. "We will stand the ordeal here."
Nuvvea, master of the Second Denve, walked away from the other warmasters and stopped in front of Iyjiia and Uhe. Nuvvea stabbed its scarred fingers against its broad chest and said to alclass="underline" "l, Nuvvea, say that Uhe’s vision of the Law of War is true. And I, Nuvvea, shall stand the ordeal in Uhe’s place."