![]() They were silent as ghosts, but Okubo had no difficulty hearing ghosts either. Okubo heard his warriors returning from the fort. Okubo did not care what station his warriors had been born into, only that they were useful, and Hattori was extremely useful. Hattori had once been an honorless collector of debts and inflictor of violence, but Okubo had still recruited the young man into the Brotherhood of Dark Ocean. “I believe you are correct.” Due to his criminal background, Hattori was also no stranger to blood, most of it shed in the darkened back alleys of Edo by flashing knives. Having fought in countless battles, Okubo was exceedingly familiar with blood and could usually estimate how long ago it had been spilled. He knelt next to one of the huge red stains in the sand. Passing his horse’s reins to his subordinate, Okubo slid from the saddle with practiced grace. I do not fear death, but I will not tolerate failure.” Soon we will find this invader, and the outcome of our struggle will determine the fate of the entire world. “Yes, Hattori, only a fool would not be concerned. To display anything other than complete control was a weakness, and weakness was the one thing that Okubo could not accept. A warrior had to control his public face at all times. “I will have to work on that,” Okubo stated. “I do not need magic to know what is on your mind when your concerns are so plain to see upon your brow.” The man had been subtle in the ways of magic, but when Okubo had sensed the intrusion, he had surged his own Power and ruptured vessels in the spy’s brain so forcefully that blood had squirted from the man’s ears. In fact, an attempt had been made by a Qing spy only a few days before. He had already demonstrated on more than one occasion that attempting such a thing had terrible consequences. ” Okubo nodded in agreement, not that he was worried about a mind reader stealing his secrets. “Attempting to listen to your thoughts would be insulting.” “You seem particularly intense this afternoon, my lord.” The man astride the horse next to him spoke politely. Their pursuit would end shortly, with what Okubo could only hope would be a battle worthy of legend. Even those without the slightest inkling or familiarity with magic could feel the wrongness in this place. Animals seemed to be able to sense the Enemy long before men could, but that difference no longer mattered. The horse beneath him shifted, protesting, not wanting to get any closer to the dangerous scent. The visible gatehouse told him a too-familiar story, no bodies, only drying puddles of blood, unidentifiable scraps of meat, and stained fabric whipping in the desert wind. Several of his scouts had gone inside to investigate, but he already knew what they would report. ![]() The gates of the fort lay broken open before him. Okubo could sense its unnatural presence lingering in the air. ![]() History shows the greatest names are coupled with the greatest crimes. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority, still more when you superadd the tendency or the certainty of corruption by authority. Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. If there is any presumption it is the other way, against the holders of power, increasing as the power increases. I cannot accept your canon that we are to judge Wizard and Pope and King unlike other men, with a favourable presumption that they can do no wrong. Grimnoir into existence Justin Otis and Aura Farwellįor the glossary art Zachary Hill for the interior artwork Īnd the awesome staff of Baen Books for all that they do. Thanks to Reader Force Alpha for the comments,Īdvice, and corrections Mike Kupari for brainstorming
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