Serial
58: If women ran the world
January
25th, 33 S.D. 11:42 Ganglan Pass, Sventa
A horde of curious and suspect eyes fell upon Losha as she steadily rode across the snow on her horse. To either side, Henron parted, looking up at her uneasily. Though she was technically their single most powerful enemy, the soldiers could do nothing but move out of her way. With the flag of an emissary, the Guarded Arms, Losha, Delri, and three others formed a group, heading east to meet Core Lead Liveta.
The Ganglan Pass was a very narrow corridor of a sort, linking Henron and Sventa. To the north and south, high earthen walls rose up, creating a valley. The space therein was only a dozen meters wide at best. Frequently, the path shrunk and turned about at such convoluted angles. It had always served as a natural barrier against invasion since it discouraged the transport of many units. However, the Henron had just done that, squeezing numerous fighters here through brute force. Now the entire process happened yet again, only in reverse.
Losha couldn’t imagine how they’d managed it at all, but now she saw firsthand what they’d done. It certainly wasn’t fast. The whole stretch of the Ganglan Pass was nothing more than a line of people sluggishly marching forward. A single kilometer seemingly took half an hour to traverse, even with the Henron stepping out of their way. Some sections bottlenecked to a standstill as well. On top of this glacial pace, Losha and the rest found themselves surrounded by deep tension. As if charged within the air, a nervous measure of distrust permeated the pass. They were technically situated right in the middle of thousands of potential foes. A single spark could set things awry. Nevertheless, Delri wore an expression of stone while Losha paid no mind herself.
At that moment, she didn’t consider the Henron a threat she couldn’t handle. If anything, the soldiers were rather frightful of her. The Henron nearby had fallen into utter silence, save for a few slight whispers. Losha had not donned her Wolf of War pelt, yet she gathered that the Henron had an idea of who she was. In any case, they eventually came to a segment of the path that pinched in tightly. No one could move, it appeared, as they waited a quarter of an hour without advancing.
“We shall hardly get to meet Liveta today at this rate,” Losha said to Delri.
“It cannot be helped,” Delri replied, gazing straight ahead. Losha frowned a bit and turned towards the walls of the Ganglan Pass. They slanted downwards steeply, like a “V”, but they weren’t completely vertical.
“I respectfully disagree, Delri,” she said. Before anyone could do anything else, Losha simply waved a hand over at the wall, casting a series. Almost instantly, the snow began to extrude in a pattern of blocks. The Henron nearby jumped back at the seemingly unnatural event, scurrying to the other side. Those behind Losha and Delri backed up cautiously. Even so, no one dared to draw their weapon out of fear. The blocks formed stairs that climbed over the soldiers in front of them.
“Prime Lead, if you will follow me,” Losha said. She and Izel walked up the steps to their height, and without so much as gesturing, Losha serialized large stretches of ice. It were as if a separate platform were jutting right out of the rocks. Delri only waited a moment before nodding to the other three.
“Pardon us,” the Prime Lead said, steering her horse after Losha.
The ice Losha crafted soon spanned the same width as the ground as it created a sort of ceiling over the jammed Henron. She continually generated this frozen road ahead of them. After a certain distance, she also melted their trail into harmless water. What a sight it was for the Henron army, to see the lot of them, traveling above their heads on a cold, crystalline walkway. Losha could see their bewildered faces beneath the glass. She wondered if this had been one of the few peaceful applications of serialization these people had ever seen. Time after time, she’d only used it to attack them. Her head snapped up to the gray sky; snow swirled overhead as it fell quietly. When this petty conflict was over, she’d make sure people knew what the art truly was meant to be. Not a tool of war, but a tool of life, something that could change everything for the better. Sighing, she tilted her gaze back down as they crossed the Ganglan Pass.
On the other end of this long, winding route, Core Lead Liveta had stationed herself here to oversee their exit. The first units she’d arrived with yesterday were already well on their way home. She would stay until every last one of her people made it through. Things had proceeded smoothly, until that morning.
“If you would, Range Lead, I need an update on the situation.”
“Unfortunately, it is as we previously thought. He is nowhere to be found,” said a female officer as she checked a small notepad. “We gather it must have been around some time late last night. The fresh snowfall must have masked his footprints.”
“Shrieks,” Liveta shook her head. “What is that man up to? To imagine he would escape...”
“To be fair, Ver Liveta, he still retained a number of supporters. Those few still under his influence have apparently gone missing.”
“I do not like the looks of this.”
The Range Lead adjusted her glasses as she leaned to the side, peering into the distance. “Perhaps that is not all that you will not like.”
The Core Lead turned around to see a most unexpected guest, no less arriving in a fashion that boggled her mind. She blinked twice and hard, once to comprehend who she saw and again to make sense of it all. The Wolf of Sventa was coming through the pass on a bridge of ice suspended over her soldiers. Her group bore an insignia of peace as well. Whatever could this be about? Had they not left these lands civilly already? What more could there be to speak of?
“Inform Range Lead Kal to be hasty with his side of the pullout,” Liveta instructed her subordinate.
“Sa, Ver Liveta. But, will you be alright?”
“Of course,” she nodded. “That woman before us may be the greatest military threat we have ever faced, but she is not a monster. We have not been able to substantiate a single fatal casualty to her on our side. It is safe to say she is a different breed of warrior from all we have ever known, in more regards than one. And let us not forget, we are no barbarians. Our peoples may be at war, but eventually we must talk.”
“...Alright,” the Range Lead said, turning away. “I will report back in once you and they are finished.”
At the last stretch of the Ganglan Pass, Losha formed a ramp that gently sloped over to the side. Delri and the others followed shortly after her, and the ice reverted to liquid some seconds later. Losha dismounted first, trusting Izel to stay put. Liveta approached as well, drawing them away from the stream of departing Henron.
“Core Lead Liveta Henron,” Losha said, halting to display a short bow. “I am Losha Holvate Sventa. We come here for diplomatic reasons to discuss-” Before she could finish, she felt a large body pushing its way past her. “I-sa... Hey!”
Izel forced himself into the scene, walking quickly up towards Liveta. Losha reached out for his reins, but her hands were too late. What in the world had gotten into that animal’s mind? What she thought was going to turn into an embarrassment happened to be quite the opposite. Izel came up to the Core Lead and affectionately started nuzzling her. Although Liveta wore a look of surprise and disbelief, it was not a negative reaction.
“Izel...” Liveta breathed in wonder. “Shrieks, it really is you,” she smiled, hugging the horse around the neck. Izel snorted in delight.
“...Izel, what are you doing? Wait, do you know this horse?” Losha asked, all at once confused by the situation.
“Sa, of course. I have raised Izel ever since he was born.”
“So... this is your horse. I see.”
“Sa. He disappeared on the night you destroyed the cannons we had planned to deploy. I was told that you had taken him away.”
“Well, Ver Liveta, it is more accurate to say things were the other way around. He came to me, essentially offering a ride.”
“Is that so?” Liveta asked. She frowned for a moment, but then shook her head. “Hmm... With Izel, he could never sit still while he felt there was something he had to do. I do not know what caused him to leave the stable that night, or how he managed to do so. Whatever the cause, he seems to have taken well to you. He does not allow just anyone to ride him, after all.”
“Losha, what is this about?” Delri asked coming up behind her.
“It appears we have a mutual friend,” Losha said, motioning towards the white stallion.
Liveta gingerly lead Izel to the side, despite the protest of the latter. “In time, Izel. I have business. My apologies for the digression,” Liveta said. “I suppose this is not how you imagined two enemies would meet.”
“We are only foes out of coincidence,” Losha said. “The times and circumstances have pressured us to war, but that is simply fate. Would we not be sisters if it were not for meaningless boundaries and claims of territory? That is why we have come to you today, to propose a path to peace.”
“You speak as if our clans, Henron and Sventa could actually have a healthy interactions,” Liveta remarked.
“I certainly refuse to think it impossible.”
“But surely you know it will not be easy.”
“Am I not proof enough of that? How many scores have I thrown down just to stand before you now? I have waged a war just to have something as simple as a conversation. Adversity is by no means a deterrent for me, or for my people,” Losha said.
Liveta smiled as she folded her arms. “Wolf of Sventa. You fascinate me to no end. Your powers go unrivaled, yet you speak such pacifying words. I do not think we have ever heard another Asten quite like yourself. Perhaps you are just what these lands need...”
Losha cocked her head to the side curiously. “So, you shall hear us out then?”
“Sa.”
Delri stepped forward and nodded at the Core Lead. “Delri Vasta Sventa, Prime Lead, Sventa First Division. Our government has deemed it appropriate to approach Henron regarding a total end to our hostilities.”
“Ah, I see,” Liveta grinned slightly. “We are ‘on the run’ as they say in Gandian. You have us at a disadvantage.”
“True enough, but there is more to our decision than that,” Delri explained. “It should be evident to both sides that further conflict will gain nothing for either. We stand to gain nothing from Henron itself, and your people do not seem too enthused about the way things are headed.”
“Your withdrawal from Valia tells us that it is time to conclude this wretched dispute,” Losha said. “Sventa is not lusty for blood. We are ready for relations to normalize.”
“Indeed,” Liveta murmured. “The soldiers under my command have little hope for any chance of victory. Henron may be proud, but we are no fools. For myself, I personally believe this war has been misguided from the start. Please do not quote these thoughts; it would be treasonous if heard by the wrong ears.”
“Heigon Henron?” Delri asked.
“Among others,” the Core Lead responded.
“How much can you do to sway the direction Henron will take?”
“Heigon Henron holds supreme authority over our clan. He has come from a series of rulers who have brought order to Henron. You must realize that we were once rife with our own internal struggles, until power was centralized onto a single person. Defying him risks bringing back the instability we long suffered from. We may scarcely like or support his actions, but we fear the alternative. If you cannot convince him to quit the war, either it continues on in some form, or we have a collapse of some sort in our society when we oppose him.”
“Such a grim reality,” Delri noted.
“However, talking with me today will not have been a waste,” Liveta continued. “Although it seems unlikely, there may be a way to stand against Heigon and get him to back down, all without having Henron fall into chaos.”
“And that would be?”
“The Henron army itself. Heigon may hold power akin to a king, but a military is the means through which it manifests. Convince enough soldiers to simply stop fighting, and there is your peace. Ver Losha Holvate, you have already done much toward that goal. Core Lead Ano Taksat has been removed in place of Range Lead Kal. He and I are of the same mind. Core Lead Vitna Jas, who you defeated at Lake Lada, is still crushed by the loss. Additionally, you made him vow never to fight you again. I doubt he would willingly engage you once more. That leaves only Core Lead Lisk Vaner and Prime Lead Govan as obstacles. Both, however, are fiercely loyal to Heigon, Govan in particular. The two have a history between them.”
“They cannot mean to press on with the war, right?” Delri wondered. “Especially if our advantages were overwhelmingly stacked against yours.”
“It would not be wise to underestimate Govan. Everything you have dealt with so far has seen his hand in it,” Liveta warned. All of a sudden, her lieutenant came rushing back, breathless.
“Pardon the intrusion, Ver Liveta, but the prior matter we discussed seems to have grown quite serious.”
“Go on then,” the Core Lead commanded.
“Sa,” the Range Lead said, flipping through her notes.
“Excuse us a moment, this will be brief, I hope,” Liveta said to Losha and Delri as she and the Range Lead moved away a bit.
“We discovered a large quantity of ordinance missing recently. Furthermore, Search Team 7 failed to report in half and hour ago.”
“Do you think they are in league with that man?”
“No, Core Lead, that is very doubtful. They were found dead.”
Liveta’s eyes narrowed. “When?”
“Their bodies were discovered not too long ago, but they had already partially frozen over by the time another search team saw them.”
“Shrieks,” Liveta sighed. “And we have no need for this sort of mess with others around.”
“Forgive my overhearing, but did you say some of your soldiers had died? That they had been killed?” Losha asked.
Liveta shook her head and turned around to the Sventa. “Unfortunately, that is exactly what has happened.”
“Is this a problem we should be aware of?” Delri questioned; her single eye sharpened finely.
“I will not hide the matter from you all. We were holding one of our own in custody, but it appears now he has escaped. He has gone renegade, from the looks of things. He is not without his sympathizers, however. An unknown number of our ranks may have been subverted.”
“Who is this person?” Delri asked.
“Ano Taksat, the former Core Lead.” Losha’s eyebrows raised slightly upon hearing Liveta say this. “It may be his intent to disrupt the pullout. He is a criminal by our laws, though. He is dodging justice all the while harming his people yet again. If here were merely reprehensible beforehand, now he is disgraceful.”
“Be at ease, Ver Liveta. I shall see to his immediate capture,” Losha said.
“Hey,” Delri said, leaning in close to the serialist. “Do you think that is the best course?”
“It is as Liveta spoke. Ano is a danger, both to his people and ours. Allowing him to interfere with the beginnings of peace is an unacceptable outcome. I will ensure that his antics come to an end.”
Delri pulled back and nodded. “So long as you are confident.”
“You need not do so,” Liveta said, raising her hand as Losha began to move away. “He is our problem; I insist you allow me to deal with him. Besides, how can you hope to find him?”
“It would take some time to properly describe the exact principles, but as one who performs serialization, I can sense the presence of other souls. I can also locate specific people of interest. Since I have encountered Ano before, I should have no trouble recognizing him. Range should not present an issue either; he could not have gone very far. You need to focus on what Prime Lead Delri has to say. There remain a handful of details yet discussed. I shall return shortly.”
Before Liveta could say anything else, Losha propelled herself away with a speed-step. As light flickered beneath her feet, she quickly bounded up the walls of the Ganglan Pass. Liveta looked on in awe as Losha swiftly disappeared from view.
“Serialization, sa?” she trailed off.
“It may hardly seem any different from magic, but it is a very structured art, as I understand it.” Delri said.
“She is a bit impulsive, do you not think?” Liveta asked, turning her gaze back to the Sventa. Delri simply shrugged.
“It is not as if anyone could stop her. She has defied people greater than I just to be here. At any rate, she is not reckless.”
Liveta shook her head. “That is more than I can think of someone,” she mumbled to herself. “I suppose we should continue where we left off now.”
“Sa,” Delri agreed. “Putting aside Heigon and the war at large, we can at least come to peaceful terms locally. That much is within our control. I believe we were just about to bring up the matter of a temporary cease-fire.”
The very peak of the Ganglan Pass was at least some 50 meters above ground level. Even so, Losha had scaled it in seconds. Landing on top of this place, she saw nothing but a flat expanse blanketed by snow. As she recalled, the land around the Ganglan Pass actually smoothly rose in elevation many kilometers away, an oddity in the Central Plains. Some geological event had carved a walkable fissure straight through here, thus creating the pass they used today. How Ano had made it this high baffled her, but she knew desperate men could do many surprising feats.
She’d already located his seras frequency to the general area. Pinpointing him any further remained difficult. Thousands of nearby Henron soldiers, each with their own frequencies, created various disturbances, cluttering a precise view of any individual frequency. While she knew Ano was around somewhere, she could not parse his signature clearly from so many others. Perhaps if she improved as a serialist, she’d develop a finer resolution. Regardless, she didn’t think this would be a long search.
Turning around, she inspected everything in a wide circle. She wondered if she ought to use her third-eye series to gain insight into the rouge Core Lead’s whereabouts. All at once, as she faced east, a strong gust of wind kicked up. A veritable tempest, the stiff, billowing air rushed around her, whipping about for the better part of a minute. Flakes whirled up in her eyes, forcing her to look in the opposite direction while it blew. There was no value in merely standing there, so she decided to advance in the direction she felt would most likely lead to Ano. As she stepped forward, however, an inexplicable sensation overcame her. Her mind flipped on alert as she came to an instant halt. While her own footsteps stopped, another’s crunched on behind. Eventually, her stalker paused as well.
“It has been a while, sa?” said a familiar voice. Losha spun around slowly, coming to see Koter through the snow. He threw out both arms slightly aside, as if presenting himself. Like before, she hadn’t sensed his seras frequency, not until he revealed himself. Additionally, she hadn’t seen him come up this way at all.
“Koter, what do you want?” Losha asked in a rather plain tone. He quickly raised a pointed finger at her.
“To pick up where we left off, Wolf.” His other hand moved and flexed as it drew close to his knife’s holster. “I always catch my prey, remember? I have waited an entire month for this. We already know each other, so let us get right to the hunt.”
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