Chapter 9
StarCity
The hawk soared high over the Sakova looking down at the tops of the giant fargi trees as they sped by far below. The air chilled as the large bird gained altitude and turned towards the Wytung Mountains. The forest below turned to smaller sevemor trees and grew sparser with numerous clearings, a favorite hunting spot of the hawk, but the hawk was not hunting right now. The small capsule attached to its foot was a constant reminder of its mission and the hawk never strayed off course. Soon the sevemor forest gave way to sharply rising mountains and the hawk caught an updraft and soared higher, banking swiftly into a near vertical climb. The side of the mountain whisked by in a blur as the hawk ran the updraft to its peak and catapulted over the top of the mountain, and pulled its wings in slightly and dived down the other side. Plummeting towards the ground, the hawk spread its wings wide and skimmed along the canyon floor, which twisted its way through the mountains. Its sharp vision picked up a rabbit running ahead, but it knew this was not hunting time and continued onward. Several more journeys over mountaintops and the distinctive three peaks of the Sakova stronghold appeared. Rising high over the mountains now, the hawk peered down at the broad expanse of the valley nestled in the center of the three peaks. As it dropped into the valley, its keen eyesight focused on its perch and the rest of the valley blurred as its speed increased in a dramatic dive. It spied the red-haired boy running towards the perch area and screeched out a welcome as it flared its wings and extended its talons to grab the perch in a controlled high-speed landing.
The red-haired boy skidded to a halt at the perch and extended his hand with a treat for the bird. Quickly the boy retrieved the capsule and ran off towards the building nearby. He ran through the gateway and turned sharply left, heading down a long stone corridor. Several more turns and corridors and the boy skidded to a halt outside a wooden door. Panting from his exertion, he banged loudly on the door. A muffled voice shouted from within and the boy opened the door and raced in.
An old man sat behind a desk, his long snow-white hair flowing down around his shoulders. A large hawkish nose in the center of the man’s narrow face always reminded the boy of the birds he cared for, and the boy smiled as he slid to a halt before the desk.
“Ah, Jostin,” the old man smiled, “you bring me news from afar?”
“From HawkShadow, RavenWing,” the boy gasped handing the capsule to the leader of the Sakovans.
“Well, well ,well,” smiled RavenWing. “Let’s see what HawkShadow has to report.”
RavenWing opened the capsule and pulled out the note. He quickly scanned the message and handed the empty capsule back to Jostin. “Tell StarWind to see me as soon as she is free, Jostin. There is no need for a reply to HawkShadow so see to his bird and then release it.”
“I will see to it, RavenWing,” Jostin nodded as he turned and left.
RavenWing rose and walked to a wall map, which depicted the Sakova and the surrounding lands. He reread the note again and scanned the map to see where HawkShadow was having trouble. The note bothered RavenWing for a number of reasons and his brow creased in thought. He was not sure how long he stood at the map considering HawkShadow’s note when he heard a knock on his door.
“Enter,” RavenWing called out.
A young muscular woman with wavy brown hair and a perpetual smile on her face walked in. “You wished to see me?” StarWind asked.
“Yes I did,” confirmed RavenWing. “Come to the map and I will explain.”
“Are you familiar with this area of the Sakova?” RavenWing inquired as he pointed to the area that HawkShadow mentioned in the note.
StarWind’s green eyes narrowed to the area of the map that RavenWing pointed to. “It is a border area of the Sakova, but yes I am familiar with it. We had a training session out there just three months ago. Have we had an incursion?”
“We have indeed,” frowned RavenWing as he returned to his desk and waved StarWind over to it. “Please sit down.”
“You are bothered by this incursion,” StarWind surmised. “We have had others in that area over the years. Why does this one bother you?”
“I received a note from HawkShadow,” RavenWing explained. “He has never asked for help with an incursion before and that causes me to think it is more serious than his note states.”
“Perhaps he has another incursion elsewhere that requires his attention,” StarWind suggested. “He does cover a large area.”
“No, that is not the case,” RavenWing continued. “There have been three incursions and he has MistyTrail with him this time. The first incursion was a group of three youngsters and MistyTrail was sent to handle them.”
“Youngsters?” quizzed StarWind. “We don’t get many of those. MistyTrail might not be a good choice to deal with that group. She may try to divert them away from the Sakova. We have learned our lesson with that approach, but MistyTrail has a very soft heart.”
“I know a portion of your work involves monitoring those who were turned back in the past, so I value your judgement in that area, but HawkShadow had no choice in the matter. There was another incursion of twenty men that he had to handle.”
“Twenty?” StarWind asked, clearly astonished. “That is more men than we had in all of the last five years. I thought spreading tales of the horrors that await visitors to the Sakova had been working. We were getting less and less visitors each year.”
“These men were not concerned with where they were going, StarWind. They were tracking the three youngsters. HawkShadow dispatched them quickly enough and in the process he found out that they were professional assassins. He found this news particularly disturbing.”
StarWind was clearly shocked. “Assassins! Twenty of them? Something very strange is happening in Omunga then. Is HawkShadow sure they were after the Youngsters and not heading here? I mean twenty assassins for three youngsters is a bit of overkill.
“Not as much overkill as the second group of twenty assassins,” RavenWing stated, his brow assuming a permanent crease. “That is why HawkShadow asked for help. He feels the second group will be especially leery after finding out that the first group has been killed.”
“He is wise to ask for help,” StarWind agreed while shaking her head. “What is so special about these youngsters? Forty professional assassins cost someone a fortune.”
“I don’t know,” RavenWing conceded, “but I want to know. I want you to organize a group to support HawkShadow. He wants you there within three days so your time is short, but not critical. Pick the best, StarWind. I trust your decision in this. Let me know who you want and pull them off whatever they are working on. Twenty assassins who are expecting to be attacked will be very worthy opponents. I am not sure how HawkShadow dispatched the first group, but I am willing to bet that they were not expecting trouble. The second group will be.”
StarWind did not hesitate in her choice of companions. “StormSong, SkyDancer and Goral ought to do,” she stated. “That should give us the advantage over twenty assassins.”
“Wise choices,” RavenWing confirmed. “You can take more if you wish. I would prefer no casualties.”
“The assassins may be well-trained killers, but they are in our world now, RavenWing,” StarWind smiled. “I will not need more.”
“Well enough then,” RavenWing acquiesced. “There is one more caveat, StarWind. HawkShadow will want to kill the youngsters. MistyTrail, as you surmised, will want to divert them.” RavenWing smiled as StarWind nodded. “I, however, want them brought back here.”