Chapter 1

Hega was a small town in the Cordonian Province of Alcea. Its citizens made their living selling furs and lumber. Being one of the northernmost cities in the new nation of Alcea, its winters were harsh, and its summers were short. It was a small community where everyone knew everyone else, and the affairs of the rest of the world had little impact on the people of Hega. The only outside influence in the last generation had been the clearing of the skies more than three years earlier. The return of the sun promoted growth in the trees and the animals, and that pleased Karl Gree.

Karl was a seventh-generation hunter of the Gree family, and he knew his trade well. Even during the years of darkness, his father had no trouble providing for his family, and Karl managed to learn all that his father knew before the younger Gree took a wife. It was a simple life, but a satisfying one for Karl and Lyda.

"You look tired this morning," Lyda said as Karl drank a cup of milk and pulled his boots on. "You should get more rest. There are still two hours before dawn."

"I want to hunt the far meadow today," Karl smiled lovingly at his wife. "I saw large bear tracks heading out that way yesterday. The time to strike is now before the first snow comes. If I get an early enough start, I will be able to make it home to bed tonight, otherwise I will need to sleep in the forest. You aren't trying to get rid of me, are you?"

Lyda stopped stirring the pot and walked over to her husband. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him passionately.

"Never," she smiled. "I just don't want you getting sick. You need to spend more time in bed."

Karl kissed Lyda and rose to his feet. "Everyone warned us to get married just before winter so we could spend our first months together," he chuckled. "We'll have more time to spend together real soon. I have to make the best of the hunting season while it lasts."

"I know," sighed Lyda. "Is your father going with you?"

"Not today," Karl shook his head and frowned. "In fact, I promised that we would share some milk with them today. I should have gotten up earlier."

"I will take care of it," offered Lyda. "You go get that early start and come home tonight if you can."

"Thanks," smiled Karl as he leaned over and kissed Lyda again. "Make sure you do it early. Mother likes milk for the morning meal."

"I will tend to it right after you leave and take it over there as soon as the sun rises," promised Lyda. "Good luck."

"Getting a bear does not involve luck," grinned Karl as he picked up his bow and quiver. "I will try to be back tonight."

Lyda smiled and waved as Karl left the small hut and tromped off into the night. She hummed happily as she finished preparing the stew and set it to simmer. She looked out the single window in the small home and saw that the sky was beginning to lighten. Grabbing a pail, she left the hut and skipped around to the rear of the house. Tethered on a long rope was a brown cow, and Lyda beamed with pride as she saw it. There were only a handful of cows in the small town, and it pleased Lyda to be the owner of one of them.

Lyda filled the bucket with milk and started off towards the road to town. It wasn't much of a road, but there was little need for anything better. There were about as many horses in Hega as there were cows and only two wagons. Most of the citizens of Hega had never been farther than five miles from the town. There was little need for roads except for the occasional merchant and the timber wagons that came up once a month.

Lyda started singing a joyous tune as she walked down the center of the road. She smiled as she saw the sun begin to peek over the distant mountains. She always marveled at the beautiful colors the clouds turned at sunrise, and this day was no exception. When she reached the center of the town, neighbors began to say hello to her. Everyone in Hega rose early, and the town was a beehive of activity. Lyda smiled and waved to everyone as she walked down the center of the road towards the house of Karl's parents.

Suddenly, Lyda heard the dull roar of thunder, and she halted. Her eyes rose to the sky, and her brow creased with confusion. The clouds were light and fluffy, but the thunder increased in intensity. She put down the pail of milk and shaded her eyes with her hand as she gazed at the sky.

"Riders!" shouted an old man. "Get out of the road, Lyda."

Lyda lowered her eyes and saw the riders coming towards her. Her mouth opened in surprise at the large number of horses being ridden towards the town. She had never seen that many horses at one time before, and she stared in awe. There appeared to be more riders than people in all of Hega. As Lyda remained frozen in the middle of the road, the riders peeled off the road to each side of the town. She stared at the men in confusion and wondered what they were doing.

As the riders spread around the buildings of the town, the first screams split the air. The riders shouted loud, unintelligible words, but it was the screams of death that filled Lyda's ears. The young woman wanted to race out of the town and hide in her hut, but her feet would not move. Her eyes grew large and her mouth fell open as she watched the men shoot arrows into anyone they saw. Friends and neighbors fell to the street with blood-curdling screams, and Lyda's legs began to shake violently as fear gripped her heart.

Suddenly, the riders were everywhere. They were behind the buildings and racing up and down the road through the town. Dozens of them rode right past her. She tried to close her eyes as she waited for the sting of the arrow that would kill her, but her eyes refused to close, and she was forced to watch as the riders killed everyone. Not content to just kill the citizens, the riders shot fiery arrows into the buildings and soon the entire town was ablaze.

As the heat of the inferno began to sear her skin, two riders dismounted right in front of Lyda. They stared into her face and then turned to gaze at the flames. That was when Lyda saw the elven ears. She tried to plead for mercy, but no words escaped her throat. Inexplicably, the two elves moved off without harming Lyda. As the town of Hega burned around her, the elves mounted their horses and slowly rode past her and out of town. Lyda's eyes flicked from rider to rider as the elves rode by, and still she could not move from the center of the road. Within minutes the only sounds in Hega were the crackling of the fires as the buildings of the town collapsed into fiery heaps of rubble. Soon after the elves were gone, Lyda's legs gave out, and she fell to the ground as she passed out.

When the young woman awoke, Hega no longer existed. Lyda gazed around the burnt town, hoping that she was deep within a nightmare. She struggled to her knees and then to her feet. Lyda left her pail of milk in the road and slowly walked through the destroyed town. She examined the bodies of her neighbors, hesitantly at first, but with increasing despair as she searched for anyone alive. Only after Lyda had walked the entire length of the town did the first tear arrive.

Lyda screamed in anguish as she fell to her knees, and the tears started flowing. Only she had survived the slaughter.

Rut-ki was a petite woman with shiny, black hair cut short in a boyish manner. Her black almond-shaped eyes were clear and devoid of emotion. Her lips were set firm in neither a smile nor a frown, as if her mind was a thousand miles away. Rut-ki looked more like a young girl who sold fish and rice at a stall in the marketplace than a master instructor of martial arts in the Imperial Palace of Lanoir.

Rut-ki watched silently as nine warriors filed into the training room. Each of the pupils bowed with respect to Rut-ki as they entered the room and sat on the floor. The warriors bowed their heads in meditation as they awaited the instructions for the day's lesson. Rut-ki waited until the men were settled before walking to the corner of the room and moving a human-sized dummy to the center of the room.

"Today we will practice the flying kick," announced Rut-ki, "but with a twist."

The nine students immediately raised their heads and gave their instructor their complete attention.

"I need two of you to hold the dummy while I demonstrate," declared Rut-ki.

Two of the warriors rose and held the dummy from the sides. Rut-ki nodded and continued her instruction.

"When you are facing a lone opponent," she continued, "the flying kick can be a potent maneuver, but in certain situations it can leave you more vulnerable than before. This is particularly true when there are multiple opponents. Today I will show you a technique to lessen that vulnerability. There are many variations of this technique, and we will learn them all over the course of the next few sessions. We will begin with the simplest of the variations. I need another volunteer."

Another warrior rose to volunteer and Rut-ki positioned him so that she was equidistant between the volunteer and the dummy.

"For this exercise, I will face two opponents," explained Rut-ki. "I will strike a blow to one and simulate a strike to the second. Tomorrow I will secure a second training dummy so that we are able to perfect both strikes. Observe."

Rut-ki took three quick strides towards the dummy and leaped into the air. Her right foot streaked outward and smashed into the chest of the training dummy, causing the men holding it to struggle to maintain their balance. Instead of riding through the kick as normally demonstrated, Rut-ki's left foot struck a second later as she used the dummy to reverse her momentum. Her hands hit the floor and her legs flipped over her head. As her feet touched the floor, Rut-ki leaned forward and dove towards the volunteer. She rolled into a ball and rose swiftly with her right arm streaking upward. The fingertips of her right hand stopped an inch from the volunteer's throat.

"Any questions?" asked Rut-ki.

One of the men holding the dummy raised his hand and Rut-ki nodded at him.

"You used the bulk of your first target to propel you backwards," stated the warrior. "What if the target was a scrawny man? You would not succeed."

"If it were a scrawny man," smiled Rut-ki, "you would have no need for a flying kick. Also note that I used a kick to the chest of the dummy. A kick to the head or neck would be more lethal, but it would not offer the momentum needed for the recovery. Always remember to measure your opponents. Each technique has pros and cons. That is why I will teach them all to you."

The warrior nodded with understanding, and the instructor waited for any other questions. There were none. Rut-ki opened her mouth to give further instruction when the door opened and a soldier entered. The soldier bowed to Rut-ki and then crossed the room and handed her a slip of paper. Rut-ki read the paper and then examined the new arrival.

"Have you had prior training, Wei-ra?" Rut-ki asked.

"A little," Wei-ra answered. "Certainly nothing comparable to the quality of the Imperial Palace, but I am a quick learner."

"We shall see," Rut-ki replied without emotion. "Join the rest and let us begin the warm-up exercises."

As the warriors began exercising, Rut-ki stepped away and observed. When the exercises were complete, the warriors returned to their seated positions. Rut-ki again asked for volunteers and performed another demonstration. Again she asked for questions, but there were none.

"Now you shall have a chance to practice the new technique," announced Rut-ki. "Two will hold the dummy. There will be no second opponent for today. You are to imagine one present. Remember to strike the chest of the dummy. Begin."

The first two men in line held the dummy while the rest tried the technique. Rut-ki watched silently. When all eight of the men had attempted the technique, the third and fourth held the dummy and everyone tried it again. Rut-ki watched dispassionately, but a frown marred her face when the new man changed position with another warrior. Instead of being the tenth man in line, he wound up being the eighth. The order of the warriors did not carry any significance, but the move disturbed Rut-ki for some reason.

It was when the ninth and tenth warriors were holding the dummy that disaster struck. Wei-ra missed the dummy with his flying kick. The newcomer's foot smashed into the throat of one of the men holding the dummy. The stricken man fell to the floor with a gurgling sound, and Rut-ki rushed to his side. The man was dead.

"A thousand pardons, Instructor," bowed Wei-ra. "My footing slipped as I launched into the kick. Will he be all right?"

Rut-ki rose and turned to face the newcomer. She peered into his eyes as if trying to read his thoughts, but the man's face was a mask of concern.

"Begin meditation," Rut-ki said calmly.

The warriors hurried to their positions and sat on the floor. They bowed their heads in meditation as Rut-ki crossed the room and opened the door. She slipped into the hallway and snared a passing soldier. She issued terse instructions to the soldier and immediately reentered the training room. Within a few minutes, three soldiers entered the training room. Two of the soldiers loaded the body onto a stretcher and carried it away. The third soldier was an officer, and he spoke briefly with Rut-ki before asking for everyone's attention.

"As with any death in training," announced the officer, "there will be an investigation. You nine men will follow me."

The students rose and formed a line. They followed the officer out of the room. Several of them turned to glance at Rut-ki as they left, but her face was emotionless as always. A few minutes after the students left, a young servant entered the room. Rut-ki looked towards the door and frowned at the man. She desired time alone to think about the accident.

"This is a training room for officers," she declared. "You do not belong here. Leave."

The young man closed the door as he entered the room and glanced around.

"I will not tell you again," snapped Rut-ki. "I will not bother to have you arrested. I will deal with you myself if you do not leave immediately. You are not authorized to be here. Leave now."

The servant's eyes glanced around the room examining the training dummy and the instructor with interest. Rut-ki's normally calm demeanor began to fade. Her lips drooped into a determined frown as she walked across the floor towards the obstinate servant. She passed the young man and opened the door to the hallway.

"Get out," she demanded. "I need to be alone."

"Close the door," the young man said. "I am here to investigate the death of an officer."

Rut-ki looked at the servant with disbelief. "I have already met the inspector," she snapped. "Za-chan does not send a servant to investigate accidents."

"So," smiled the man, "you think it was an accident?"

"Who are you?" demanded Rut-ki.

"My name is Bin-lu," smiled the young man as he walked past Rut-ki and closed the door. "Tell me what happened."

"I will say nothing to a servant," Rut-ki shook her head. "I am within my rights to force you to leave. Do not make me do it."

Bin-lu smiled at the young woman. "It is obvious from your attitude that you have suspicions about the circumstances of the death. Do you think the attack was deliberate?"

Rut-ki suddenly lunged at Bin-lu with an attempted debilitating strike. Bin-lu moved swiftly to one side and slapped the instructor's hand away. Rut-ki whirled, extending her leg to sweep Bin-lu's feet out from under him. Bin-lu leaped into the air to avoid the strike. Rut-ki dispensed with any pretense of being nice as she launched into a series of furious strikes against the servant. To her amazement, Bin-lu avoided each of her attacks. She suddenly halted her offensive.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"I am Bin-lu," smiled the man.

"That is not what I meant," retorted Rut-ki. "I am the instructor in the Imperial Palace because my skills are superior to all others, yet it is obvious that you are a man of considerable worthiness. Who are you?"

"I am a Knight of Alcea," smiled Bin-lu. "Za-chan is aware of my presence in Ongchi, and he gives me free rein to investigate as I need to. While I would very much enjoy a bout with such a worthy opponent as you, it must wait. Tell me about the incident."

"A Knight of Alcea?" echoed Rut-ki. "Why are you dressed as a servant?"

"To remain invisible," shrugged Bin-lu. "I trust that my secret will not be repeated from your lips?"

"If you can prove your assertions," Rut-ki replied suspiciously.

"Very well," nodded Bin-lu. "There are two ways that I can do so. We can go before Za-chan, and he will verify it, or you can come to my room, and I will show you the tunic given to me by King Arik. I would prefer not to expose my interest in this matter to anyone at the moment. Will the tunic suffice?"

"It will," Rut-ki nodded.

Bin-lu opened the door to the hallway, and the two Lanoirians left the training room and walked to Bin-lu's quarters. Rut-ki noted that the quarters were in the diplomatic section of the palace, and when Bin-lu showed her the tunic, she nodded and sat down.

"I am sorry to have doubted you," Rut-ki said softly.

"I am pleased that you did," replied Bin-lu. "One must never take anyone at face value. Tell me what happened in the training room."

Rut-ki told her recollections to the Knight of Alcea. Her telling was matter-of-fact without any indication of her true feelings on the matter.

"According to your story," Bin-lu summarized, "each student had four attempts to try the technique being taught. Were any other kicks off the mark?"

"None," replied Rut-ki. "It is an exceptional group of students. They learn very quickly, and they are well-skilled."

"Including Wei-ra?" asked Bin-lu.

"As I mentioned," answered Rut-ki, "this was his first session with me. It was obvious that he had had prior training. Still, I cannot come out and say that it was intentional. Even the best of us can miss once in a while."

"True," Bin-lu conceded. "How did he land?"

Rut-ki frowned. "He landed well. That bothers me a bit, but not enough to condemn the man. It was his first session. Surely, he must have been nervous."

"Did he appear nervous?" asked Bin-lu.

"No," conceded Rut-ki, "but we are trained to hide our emotions. Surely, you are aware of that?"

"I am," nodded Bin-lu. "That does not mean that we always succeed."

"True," agreed Rut-ki, "but he showed no nervousness that I could detect. It could have been just bad luck. It was the last kick of the session. Had he not slipped, there would be no investigation. It was a senseless death."

"The last kick of the lesson?" echoed Bin-lu. "Did you not say that Wei-ra had just joined the group?"

"I did," replied Rut-ki.

"Then he should have been the tenth student," frowned Bin-lu. "Why was he not holding the dummy for others?"

"He should have been," the instructor said softly. "He changed positions in the line. That bothered me at the time, but not enough to remark on it. He was new after all."

"Was the dead man the ninth in line?" asked Bin-lu.

"Mu-chen was his name," Rut-ki nodded. "He was ninth in line."

"Interesting," mused Bin-lu. "Wei-ra would never have had a chance to strike Mu-chen unless he did change his position in line. That is one coincidence too many for me."

"But why kill Mu-chen?" queried Rut-ki. "And why in such a way?"

"Those are the questions we must find answers to," shrugged Bin-lu.

"We?" questioned Rut-ki. "I am not an investigator."

"I could use your help," smiled Bin-lu. "While Za-chan would certainly give me access to anything I want, it might draw some unwanted attention to the investigation. As the death occurred in your training room, certain questions coming from you would be taken as mere curiosity."

"I am not authorized for investigations," objected Rut-ki. "I am an instructor."

"As a Knight of Alcea," smiled Bin-lu, "I can authorize you. Will you work with me on this?"

"What do you want me to do?" asked the instructor.

"You have access to the records of your students," answered Bin-lu. "I need to know what the duties of Mu-chen and Wei-ra were. Did they know each other? Did they both know a third person in common? Was either of them working on investigations? Basically, if it was a murder, and I suspect it was, there has to be a motive."

"Won't the Lanoirian investigator find that information and act upon it?" asked Rut-ki.

"I would be willing to wager that it will be ruled an accident," answered Bin-lu. "It really is a clever way to silence someone without having to go into hiding. If Mu-chen was simply murdered in his bed, there would be a murder investigation, and all sorts of alarms would go up. As it is, it will be ruled an unfortunate accident."

"And a blemish on my record as an instructor," frowned Rut-ki. "I will do it. What else do you need?"

"I want to enroll in your class," replied Bin-lu. "Perhaps I can befriend Wei-ra."

"My classes are only for officers," Rut-ki shook her head.

"Then I will be an officer," smiled Bin-lu.

"Can you do that?" questioned Rut-ki.

"I can do anything," grinned Bin-lu. "Being one of your students will also give me a reason to be in your company. This is going to work out quite well."

Rut-ki watched Bin-lu grin and wondered what she was getting herself involved in.

Chapter 2

Wei-ra flew through the air, his right foot slamming into the training dummy and his left foot following a second later. His hands dropped to the floor as his legs were propelled over his body. Rolling himself across the floor, Wei-ra suddenly sat as his legs scissored together, catching Bin-lu's legs between them. Bin-lu tumbled to the floor, and Wei-ra struck quickly. The warrior released Bin-lu's legs and jumped to his feet. As Bin-lu sought to rise to his own feet, Wei-ra delivered a swift kick to Bin-lu's ribs.

"Stop!" shouted Rut-ki. "Your team members are not practice dummies. Simulate the attacks for now."

Bin-lu inhaled deeply as the pain shot through his body. He grimaced as Wei-ra smiled and extended a hand to help Bin-lu to his feet.

"My apologies," Wei-ra said softly to Bin-lu. "I guess I got carried away."

"No apology necessary," gasped Bin-lu as he accepted the helping hand and rose to his feet. "Your attack was most efficient. You take to your lessons well."

Wei-ra grinned as the training dummy was abandoned and the ten students formed a line waiting for the instructor to speak.

"That will be all for today," announced Rut-ki. "Tomorrow we will work on a variation of the flying kick where you will face three opponents. Dismissed."

The students bowed low to the instructor and began to file out of the room. Wei-ra approached Rut-ki and bowed once more. She waited silently to hear his words.

"Has the investigator completed his investigation?" asked Wei-ra.

"He has," replied Rut-ki. "It was an unfortunate accident, but you must learn better control, Wei-ra. Even today you struck another student. Perhaps you need more individualized attention in your training."

"I apologize," smiled Wei-ra. "I sought only to show what my next move would be. It has been a long time since my previous lessons. I will be more careful in the future."

"Very well," replied Rut-ki. "I trust you apologized to Bin-lu?"

"Of course," declared Wei-ra. "He understood. After all, he is new here himself."

"Fresh in from Barouk," nodded Rut-ki with a slight smile. "Let's not disable him before he gets to see the capital city."

Wei-ra smiled and bowed to the instructor. As Wei-ra left the training room, he spied Bin-lu in the hallway outside the room. The new junior officer was leaning against the wall studying a map of the Imperial Palace. Wei-ra ignored Bin-lu and started to walk by him, but at the last moment he halted.

"I must apologize again," stated Wei-ra. "I did not mean to follow through with that kick. Are you all right?"

Bin-lu subconsciously rubbed his bruised ribs, but a smile split his face. "I understand. Your skill in the arts is quite impressive. Someday I hope to have half the skill you possess. A few bruises are a small price to pay for such knowledge."

Wei-ra studied Bin-lu's face for a few moments before responding, "Actually, it has been some time since I had lessons. I need more practice to gain better control. Twice now I have struck accidentally."

"The officer who promoted me said that fighting is not a game," smiled Bin-lu. "I can imagine it is hard to adjust from the battlefield to the classroom. On the battlefield one does not have to hold his punches."

"Words of wisdom," nodded Wei-ra. "The officer must have thought highly of your skills to place you in Rut-ki's classroom. Did you fight well on the battlefield?"

"I was not in the army during the war," Bin-lu shook his head. "My father would not allow it."

Wei-ra's curiosity was aroused. Service in the army was compulsory during the reign of Emperor Hanchi and while Bin-lu looked young, he did not appear to be that young to have escaped such service.

"How is it that you were able to remain outside the army?" he asked.

"My father is a fisherman," answered Bin-lu. "Whenever the recruiting drives came to Barouk, he took me to sea for several days at a time. He does not approve of the military."

"Yet you are now an officer," Wei-ra pointed out.

"My father died two years ago," Bin-lu said sadly. "He could no longer stop my desire to join the army."

"Only two years and you are already an officer," noted Wei-ra. "That speaks well for you. You must know someone special."

"No," Bin-lu shook his head. "I am just willing to work hard and do whatever my superiors tell me to do. I want to be the best at all that I do."

Wei-ra nodded as he gazed at Bin-lu contemplatively. He saw that Bin-lu noticed his examination and smiled defensively.

"You are studying the map of the palace," stated Wei-ra. "Is there some place you need to go?"

"Not need," explained Bin-lu. "I have no further classes for today so I wanted to see some of the palace. I have heard that there is an old shrine on the grounds, and I was trying to locate it."

"Are you religious?" asked Wei-ra as he took the map from Bin-lu's hands.

Bin-lu hesitated only briefly as he contemplated which way he should answer the question.

"I do not follow any god," Bin-lu replied, "but neither do I deny their existence. I sought the shrine because of its historical importance."

"It is right here," Wei-ra responded as he pointed to a spot on the map. "You must go through the gardens to get to it."

"Thank you for your help," smiled Bin-lu as he bowed slightly to the higher officer.

Wei-ra nodded and walked away. Bin-lu watched the man's back until he disappeared around a corner and then retreated into the training room.

"Are you hurt?" asked Rut-ki.

"A little sore," shrugged Bin-lu.

"Why didn't you halt his attack?" asked the instructor. "I know you have the skill to do so."

"And expose my skill?" retorted Bin-lu. "That would not have been wise. I must maintain my cover of a fresh junior officer."

"Cover?" balked Rut-ki. "Wei-ra is obviously on to you. Why else would he have attacked you?"

"To show his supposed clumsiness," answered Bin-lu. "I was not a chosen target, but rather a target of convenience. He wishes you to believe that he has been out of practice too long and that the death of Mu-chen was truly an accident."

"Perhaps," mused Rut-ki, "but I am not convinced. I will keep you separated from him."

"No," argued Bin-lu. "That defeats my purpose. I can take a few beatings to learn the truth about Wei-ra. I need to get close to him."

"I do not think you will get close to him," countered Rut-ki. "He speaks to no one."

"He spoke to me outside the room today," smiled Bin-lu. "It was idle talk, yet I felt he was sizing me up for some reason. I need to know more about him so that my answers become pleasing to him. What have you managed to discover?"

"Not an awful lot," admitted Rut-ki. "Wei-ra's record is impeccable. I am sure that record was taken into consideration by the investigator, which is why Mu-chen's death was declared an accident. Before the war Wei-ra was assigned to a group that tracked down rebels in the north. He advanced quickly. He was known to be a ruthless officer, but he always got results. His unit was responsible for wiping out several bands of rebels, and he received a decoration from the emperor for his work."

"What about during the war?" probed Bin-lu.

"He commanded an elite group during the war," frowned Rut-ki. "I have not been able to discover much about the group, but it appears that their activities were centered around spying and interrogations. Many of the records are sealed, and I do not have access to them."

"I will see about getting access," nodded Bin-lu. "What about right now? What branch does Wei-ra work for currently?"

"Transport," answered Rut-ki. "He is an officer that handles the schedules for commodity transfers."

"Transport?" frowned Bin-lu. "That makes no sense. A man of such a background should be far too valuable for such a lowly position. Were there any reprimands in his records?"

"None," Rut-ki shook her head. "His record is spotless. There is not a single infraction in there."

"Very odd," mused Bin-lu. "Something here is not right."

"You said that you have the ear of Governor Za-chan," suggested Rut-ki. "Why not ask him to open the records for you?"

Bin-lu stared at the floor for several moments without speaking. Finally, he shook his head.

"That would not be wise at this time," he said eventually. "We are talking about an officer with high credentials. If he were a loner, going to Za-chan would be the right thing to do, but if he is involved with others, I would assume that they are also high level officers."

"We are talking about a simple murder," frowned Rut-ki. "Why do you seek a conspiracy?"

"Did you find any information that Mu-chen and Wei-ra even knew each other?" asked Bin-lu.

"No," admitted Rut-ki.

"Neither have I," declared Bin-lu. "If they did not even know each other, then why the murder?"

"I don't know," conceded the instructor.

"I don't either," stated the Knight of Alcea. "That is why we must not reveal that we are investigating this. Tell no one of what we are doing until we learn more about what is going on."

Bin-lu noted that the instructor was biting her lower lip in a display that was wholly out of character. He sighed with concern.

"Who have you told?" asked Bin-lu.

"I had to gain access to the records," answered Rut-ki. "That involved explaining to a number of people that I was investigating the incident in my training class."

"That can be explained," posed Bin-lu. "One can expect you to be concerned about the incident. Did you ask the questions before or after the investigator made his determination?"

"Both," answered Rut-ki. "He made his determination last night. I still was going through the process of getting the records this morning. Does that matter?"

"It might," nodded Bin-lu. "It depends upon whether or not anyone is concerned about your questions and how closely they look at it. Perhaps I was wrong to get you involved in all of this."

"I want to be involved," replied Rut-ki. "If Mu-chen was murdered in my classroom, I want justice served."

"And it will be," promised Bin-lu. "I can accomplish that on my own. I will not endanger your life."

"I can take care of myself," retorted Rut-ki. "I was not handed this training position because I have friends in high places. I can defend myself quite well."

"I understand that," Bin-lu smiled thinly, "but you are getting involved in a different world. The types of people that I deal with do not attack you in the classroom. They poison your food and burn down your house. They sneak into your sleeping room at night and slit your throat while you are sleeping. It is not the type of combat that you can easily fight against."

"Aren't you blowing this out of proportion?" questioned Rut-ki. "We have no real evidence that a murder has even taken place, and you are acting like there is a rebellion against the king."

"It is events on the scale of rebellion that I am interested in," confided Bin-lu. "If it is a simple murder, the case will be closed quickly and quietly. I always suspect something more sinister."

"I thought the Knights of Alcea were involved in protecting King Arik," Rut-ki replied with an expression of confusion. "What does that have to do with the Lanoir Province? Why are you even here?"

"The Knights of Alcea are involved in protecting Alcea," corrected Bin-lu. "At times that may mean protecting King Arik, but there are always other dangers as well. I want you to halt the investigation. It is too dangerous now. I will proceed on my own."

"You cannot portray a junior officer and gain access to confidential military records at the same time," Rut-ki pointed out. "You will need help."

"When I need further help," stated Bin-lu, "I will ask for it. Stay safe."

The junior officer turned and exited the training room.

The Vault of Records in the Imperial Palace was like a fortress within a fortress. The large room sat at the end of a long corridor with no other doors lining it. There was no excuse for being in that section of the palace other than to request records. Inside the large room were rows of shelves that rose from floor to ceiling and spread almost wall to wall. Only small walkways at the ends of the shelves allowed passage from one row to the next. Just inside the door of the large room was a desk that was constantly manned by two soldiers, and another two soldiers stood guard in the corridor outside the room. The names of all visitors were recorded in a ledger along with the date and time of the visit and a description of the records requested. The procedures required both guards to initial the entries in the ledger to avoid any single soldier disobeying the rules for personal gain.

At the rear of the large room was a smaller room with a barred door. Two more soldiers sat outside that door, and their task was to escort people into the Special Records section. Entry to the Special Records section required approval from the Governor or the head of intelligence and even then the visitor would not be permitted into the small room without an escort. The Lanoirians took their record keeping seriously, and Bin-lu knew that while he could use his status as a Knight of Alcea to gain entrance to the Special Records section, he could not do so anonymously as the current case required.

There was one chink in the armor of the Imperial Palace, however. The small room that housed the Special Records had a small window high on the wall. The window was barred and considered inaccessible. The roof of the palace was constantly manned, as were the grounds, which left only one method of access.

Bin-lu sat by the window of his small room in the junior officer section of the Imperial Palace. He occasionally glanced out the window to gauge the progress of the moon across the night sky. As he waited for the moon to set, Bin-lu packed the tools he would need to remove the bars from the window. When he was done packing, Bin-lu sat and gazed at his gloved hands.

Bin-lu had been the unfortunate victim of a magical attack during the drive to complete the Ancient Prophecy. His hands and feet had been severely burned by fireballs. To make matters worse, a young, inexperienced mage had instructed deadly spiders to bite his hands and feet in an attempt to heal him. It was fortunate that Master Khatama was present at the time. The Mage had quickly ordered the dwarves to take Bin-lu to the elven healers of Sorelderal. The elven healers were able to restore Bin-lu's burnt flesh and save his life from the poisonous spider bites, but the episode left Bin-lu with a peculiar disability. His hands and feet stuck to anything he touched.

While Bin-lu contemplated suicide because his warrior days were over, Master Khatama convinced the young Lanoirian that his life had just begun. He had the elves fashion special gloves and boots, and he instructed Bin-lu in how to use his disability to his advantage. Over the years, Bin-lu had come to accept his condition as a blessing.

Seeing that the moon had set, Bin-lu stripped off his special gloves and boots. He hoisted the pack onto his back and slipped out the window. Bin-lu halted outside the window and gazed around. The guards on the roof were not visible from his position on the wall of the building, but the ground level guards were. He watched them for a few seconds before starting to move towards the rear corner of the building.

Bin-lu had to cup each hand and foot to unstick them from the building. The process was exhausting, but Bin-lu was well practiced in using his gift. Within moments he was at the rear corner of the building, and he hesitated to view the guards below. When he was satisfied that none of them were stargazing, Bin-lu turned the corner and continued his journey.

The window that Bin-lu sought was on the fourth level of the building, and he stopped outside it to examine the bars that covered it. When he was satisfied that he could remove the bars, Bin-lu maneuvered himself so that his head was facing downward. He moved his feet so that they stuck to the top of the window enclosure, allowing him two free hands to work with.

The bars were old and rusty from the constant exposure to the salt-laden air. Flakes of rust drifted downward as Bin-lu worked on the bolts, and he had to time his attack of the bars so that the passing patrols below would not be alerted by falling debris. It took half an hour before Bin-lu managed to get the two lower bolts out of the window, and he was feeling light-headed from being upside down for so long. The Knight of Alcea righted himself and examined the upper two bolts.

After a careful inspection of the bars, Bin-lu decided to try to bend the weak bars rather than unbolt them. He only needed enough room to squeeze through the bars, and he was able to bend them enough to accomplish his entry as long as he removed his pack. Bin-lu removed the pack and hung it on the bars. He moved under the bent bars and tried to peer through the dirty window. He could see nothing inside.

The Knight of Alcea tried to slide the window open, but it was stuck with age. He removed a knife from his belt and went to work on the edges of the window. Another half hour was wasted getting the window open, and Bin-lu began to fear that the rising sun might make his escape impossible. He slid through the window and worked his way down the wall inside the Special Records room.

The heavy door to the small room had no window in it, but the crack at the bottom was large enough to let light out. Bin-lu stripped off his tunic and used it to block the crack at the bottom of the door. When he was sure that no light would escape the room, he lit a candle and began looking at the shelves of papers.

Bin-lu first looked at the files for the Transport section. The files were thin and held no information regarding Wei-ra. This did not surprise the Knight of Alcea, as the records in this room were secret records. Only matters and personnel that were required to be closely guarded would be stored in the Special Records section. If Wei-ra were truly what he portrayed himself to be, his records would be in the larger room where most personnel files were kept. In fact, Bin-lu was sure that those records existed as Rut-ki had already looked at them. They were not what Bin-lu was after.

Bin-lu next searched the Intelligence Section. These files held the records of all spies, Intelligence officers, and investigations into suspect spies. Bin-lu swallowed hard as he saw a file with his name on it. He quickly scanned the papers to see why they were there as he had specifically asked Za-chan not to record his position. The information in the file was sparse. It copied most of the false data that he had just had inserted into the record as cover for his new junior officer status. Bin-lu looked at the name of the investigating officer and nearly gasped. The file had been started by Intelligence Officer Wei-ra.

Bin-lu put his file back in place and quickly moved to the Intelligence Section personnel files. He found the personnel file for Wei-ra and scanned it. The file was thick and Bin-lu noticed that the dawn was fast approaching. Still, there was one more thing he needed to check before he left. Working on a hunch, Bin-lu scanned the personnel files for Mu-chen and found that he too was an Intelligence Officer. Bin-lu took both sets of files and set them aside. Glancing up at the window he saw the sky was quickly lightening. He blew out the candle and retrieved his tunic from the floor.

Bin-lu put on his tunic and shoved the two personnel files under it. He scampered up the wall and peered out the window. Seeing that the guards below were still marching their normal patterns, he slid out the window and retrieved his pack. He shoved the two files into the pack and attached the pack to his back. He carefully bent the bars back into position, making sure to do so when no one was underneath him.

He quickly restored the bolts so that the loose bars would not vibrate in a storm and give away the knowledge that the Special Records room had been entered. He scampered along the wall to the corner of the building and peeked around the corner. Seeing no danger from the guards below, Bin-lu moved along the wall to the window to his small room. He slid into the room and closed his window. Only after he had put his gloves and boots back on did Bin-lu light a candle and take the time to read the files in earnest.

Both Mu-chen and Wei-ra had exemplary careers, but they had never served together. While the files listed past operations for both men, their current assignments were missing. At the end of each file was simply a number of the case that they were currently working on. The two numbers were different, and there were no further clues as to why Mu-chen would have been murdered.

Bin-lu sighed as he put the files down. His visit to the Special Records section had not been long enough. He would have to return to the vault to find the files that related to their current cases, but that would have to wait for another night. Bin-lu blew out his candle and prepared to catch some sleep before the new day began.

Bin-lu woke several hours later and prepared for the new day. His first stop was to see Za-hong, Supreme General of the Army of Lanoir and brother to Governor Za-chan. When he stepped into the waiting area, he heard loud voices coming from the general's office. The soldier on duty looked up at Bin-lu expectantly.

"I will come back," Bin-lu smiled meekly as he moved back into the corridor.

Bin-lu moved away from the general's office and waited. He wanted to warn the general that maintaining his cover was important over the next few days. Seeing his new file in the Special Records section had disturbed him. When he finally saw an officer leave the office, Bin-lu once again entered the waiting area. The soldier looked up upon his arrival.

"I need a few moments of the general's time," smiled Bin-lu.

"Your name?" demanded the soldier.

General Za-hong's door was still open and the general looked out and saw Bin-lu. He walked to the open door and waved Bin-lu inside and closed the door.

"I hope this is not a bad time?" Bin-lu asked.

"Is there ever a good time, Bin-lu?" sighed the general. "Some fool is claiming that the Special Records section was entered last night without a log entry. He is demanding that the guards be punished."

Bin-lu frowned heavily and asked, "If there were no log entries, how would anyone know if there had been an unauthorized entry?"

"One of his men swears that he was the last man into that room last night," explained Za-hong, "and that the candle was considerably shorter this morning. Does he really expect me to discipline guards because of his man's memory of the length of a candle?"

"I would merely rotate the guards," shrugged Bin-lu. "Who is the man with such a good memory?"

"Wei-ra," answered the general. "The man has an impeccable record, but I can't believe that spirits entered the room and burned a candle on his say so. What did you want?"

"I wanted to get word to Za-chan about my new cover," Bin-lu said softly. "I did not feel comfortable being seen near him as a junior officer. Even coming here has risks for me. Can you ensure that no information on me is given out?"

"What are you investigating that requires secrecy from the Imperial Palace staff?" questioned the general.

"It is too early to speak of," smiled Bin-lu. "It is possible that you have rebels within these walls. I must be careful."

"You have free reign in Lanoir," replied Za-hong. "Neither I nor my brother would interfere with a Knight of Alcea. I will make sure that Za-chan is informed of your wishes, but I would like to know what is going on as soon as possible."

"You shall be the first to know," promised Bin-lu, "but I will not spread fears and assumptions without proof."

"I understand," nodded the general. "Anything that you need will be given."

Bin-lu bowed respectfully and exited the office.

Chapter 3

Bin-lu moved slowly through the corridors of the Imperial Palace on his way to the training room. He was lost in thought as he mentally reviewed the stolen files from the Special Records section.

"Did you not sleep last night?" Wei-ra asked suspiciously. "You look rather tired."

Bin-lu glanced up and smiled at the Intelligence Officer. "I did have trouble sleeping last night," he admitted. "Each time I rolled onto my ribs I woke up in pain."

Wei-ra reacted with genuine surprise. "I am truly sorry," he apologized. "I did not realize that I kicked you that hard."

"It was not your fault," smiled Bin-lu. "Perhaps you have taught me a valuable lesson. I must learn to expect the unexpected."

"I am glad that you hold no grudge," Wei-ra replied. "Did you find the shrine without difficulty?"

"I did," nodded Bin-lu as he opened the door to the training room for Wei-ra. "The visit was quite worth the trip."

The two men entered the training room and took their positions on the floor. They bowed their heads in meditation while they waited for Rut-ki to appear. When the instructor arrived, the students bowed with respect, but Bin-lu noticed that Wei-ra did not bow. That lack of respect bothered him, even if the instructor did not notice. As Rut-ki explained the technique that she would teach, Bin-lu tried to understand Wei-ra's hostility.

All of a sudden the answer came into focus. If Wei-ra had suspected that someone had been within the Special Records section, he would have thoroughly reviewed the logs for the entire vault, not just the Special Records section. As an Intelligence Officer, he would have the authority to do so. He would have learned that Rut-ki had been seeking his records even after the investigation had been completed. If Wei-ra was indeed a murderer, Rut-ki's life was in danger.

"I expect my students to pay attention when I instruct them," Rut-ki said loudly.

Bin-lu looked up with embarrassment when he saw the entire class staring at him. "I am sorry," Bin-lu bowed with respect. "I was trying to will away my pain. It shall not happen again."

"You are in pain?" asked Rut-ki. "Perhaps you should sit out for today's lesson."

"No," Bin-lu replied quickly. "I am fine. Forgive my inattention. I am ready to learn."

"Perhaps your ribs are broken," Wei-ra whispered as the instructor dragged the dummy across the floor. "You should have them looked at."

"The pain will focus my learning," Bin-lu whispered back. "Do not worry about me."

Wei-ra shrugged. The instructor demonstrated the technique and then called for exercise. The class progressed without incident, and Bin-lu dallied as the other students filed out of the room. When everyone had left, Bin-lu moved quickly to Rut-ki's side.

"Come to my new quarters when you can," he whispered. "I am in the junior officers' section. My name is on the door."

"What about?" Rut-ki asked in a normal tone.

Bin-lu glanced at the doorway nervously. "Your life is in danger. Come when you can."

Bin-lu moved quickly out of the training room and closed the door. He saw Wei-ra waiting for him.

"You are moving slowly again," Wei-ra commented. "You appeared to have no infirmity during the practice."

"I am glad you noticed nothing," smiled Bin-lu. "I was afraid that the instructor would make me leave if she thought I was in pain."

"Impressive," Wei-ra responded. "It takes great control to block out one's pain, especially while performing flying kicks."

"It does," Bin-lu chuckled, "but now I must go to my quarters and rest. I feel like you have kicked me all over again."

"Let me take you to a healer," offered Wei-ra. "I feel bad about injuring you."

"No," insisted Bin-lu. "Pain is a powerful instructor. One must learn to accept it as punishment for his mistakes."

"But the mistake was not yours," frowned Wei-ra. "It was mine."

"I disagree," Bin-lu responded. "I should have anticipated such an event and defended myself against it. In the future I will remember this pain and not make the same mistake again."

"I admire your attitude," Wei-ra replied. "I may be able to help your career if you maintain such an attitude. Are you interested in advancement?"

"Oh yes," Bin-lu grinned. "I will excel at whatever tasks you require of me."

"We shall see," Wei-ra said as he turned to leave. "I must learn more about you first. I cannot waste my recommendations on the unknown."

"I understand," Bin-lu said eagerly.

"Perhaps we can sit down tonight and discuss things," offered Wei-ra. "Are you agreeable?"

Bin-lu wanted to see the case files for Wei-ra and Mu-chen before the meeting, but he feared losing the chance that had presented itself.

"I am agreeable," Bin-lu blurted out. "Where shall we meet?"

"Come to my quarters after sundown," replied the Intelligence Officer.

Wei-ra turned and walked away. Bin-lu watched him leave and then returned to his quarters. He reclined on his bed and closed his eyes as he tried to figure out how to get into the Special Records section during the daytime. Around two hours had passed when someone knocked on his door. Bin-lu's eyes flew open, and he leaped to his feet. He opened the door to find Rut-ki standing in the corridor. He quickly ushered her into the room. Rut-ki looked at the small room and shook her head.

"The room in the diplomatic section was much nicer," she said.

"Comforts do not intrigue me," shrugged Bin-lu. "Sit down."

Rut-ki sat in the only chair in the room while Bin-lu closed the door.

"What do you know about my life being in danger?" she asked bluntly.

"I cannot be sure," sighed Bin-lu, "but I believe that Wei-ra knows that you have asked for his records after the investigation was closed."

"How could he possibly know that?" asked Rut-ki. "Seeing the logs would require an order from General Za-hong or the Governor."

"Or an Intelligence Officer," added Bin-lu. "Both Wei-ra and Mu-chen were Intelligence Officers."

"Another assumption?" queried Rut-ki.

Bin-lu shook his head and retrieved the stolen files from under his bed. He handed them to the instructor. Rut-ki examined the files in silence and shook her head the entire time.

"How did you come by these?" she asked. "These are Special Records files."

"They are," nodded Bin-lu. "It is safer if you do not know how I came by them."

"You could be hung for having these in your possession," warned Rut-ki.

"I do not fear punishment from Za-chan," shrugged Bin-lu. "The truth is, he would deliver those files to me if I asked for them, but then people would know that I requested them. I cannot afford to have that knowledge known."

"Yet you are sharing your secrets with me?" posed Rut-ki. "Why?"

"Because I have gotten you into a mess," admitted Bin-lu. "I should have contemplated that Wei-ra might be a spy. I made another mistake last night when I was getting these files. I let the candle burn too long. Wei-ra discovered that someone had been in there. Add that to the fact that he knows you are still investigating him, and it spells trouble for you. You need to leave the city."

"I cannot just abandon my post," balked Rut-ki.

"You would not abandon your post," explained Bin-lu. "You could leave for a family emergency, perhaps the death of a parent. Where are you from?"

"Marchek," Rut-ki answered. "I could be demoted for taking a false leave. I will not do it."

"I can ensure that you are not penalized for the leave," promised Bin-lu. "I just want you safe until I finish this investigation. Surely you know that Intelligence Officers have access to your quarters?"

"They have already been there," frowned Rut-ki. "That is what took me so long to get here. My quarters were ravaged. Someone tore everything apart looking for something."

"The files," sighed Bin-lu. "They must have noticed them missing. They will not stop with just tearing your quarters apart. You must leave."

"I have done nothing wrong," protested Rut-ki. "I will not run from those who seek to break our laws. If Wei-ra is a murderer, I will see that he faces justice."

Bin-lu sighed heavily and sat on his bed. While he greatly admired Rut-ki's attitude, he was concerned for her safety. They sat silently for several long minutes before Bin-lu sighed again and looked into Rut-ki's eyes.

"If you will not run," Bin-lu smiled thinly, "then we shall work together. I need to get back into the Special Records section, and I must do it before sunset. Will you help me?"

"I have no access to those records," frowned Rut-ki. "How can I help you?"

"You have access to Mu-chen's belongings," explained Bin-lu. "Take some insignificant item and tell the healers that you want to add it to his personal belongings. When they let you open his box of effects, take his papers and smuggle them out."

"His papers?" questioned Rut-ki. "What do you want them for?"

"Mu-chen was also an Intelligence Officer," answered the Knight of Alcea. "He would have access to the Special Records section. I plan to impersonate him."

"Impossible," Rut-ki shook her head. "What if the guards know what he looks like?"

"Look at his file," replied Bin-lu. "He was just transferred here from Chi-Chan. The odds of the guards recognizing him are remote at best. I should be able to get in there and restore those files and get what else I need in just a few minutes."

"The guards will remember what you look like," warned Rut-ki. "You will be dead before nightfall."

"While you are getting his papers," grinned Bin-lu, "I will be altering my appearance."

"Start your transformation," Rut-ki said as she rose from the chair and dropped the files on the bed. "I will be back within the hour."

"Be careful," Bin-lu warned the instructor.

Rut-ki smiled and nodded as she opened the door and peeked into the hallway. As soon as she closed the door, Bin-lu began fashioning his disguise. He took his spare uniform and cut off the insignia that identified him as a junior officer. He rummaged through his pack until he found the proper insignia and sewed it into place. For extra measure, he placed a gold metallic star on each shoulder. He did not have an officer's cap, but he could make do without one, as many officers did within the walls of the Imperial Palace.

Next he retrieved a jar from his pack and opened it. He stripped off his uniform and sprinkled white dust from the jar over his head and worked it into his hair with his fingers. When he was sure that he had worked it in well, he shook his head vigorously and then put on the spare uniform. Just as he was straightening the uniform a knock sounded from the door.

"Who is it?" Bin-lu asked without opening the door.

"Rut-ki," came the muffled response.

Bin-lu pulled the door open and the instructor scooted into the room. She looked at Bin-lu and smiled.

"Let me coat your eyebrows," offered Rut-ki. "They should also be white."

Bin-lu nodded and asked, "Did you get his papers?"

"Of course," smiled Rut-ki as she pulled the blanket off the bed and draped it over Bin-lu's shoulders. "Cover the uniform so the powder doesn't get on it."

Rut-ki applied the white powder to Bin-lu's eyebrows and dusted them off. She walked around him and inspected his hair before giving her approval.

"It looks good," she said. "Just don't sweat too much or the powder will turn to soup."

"I only perspire when I am nervous," chuckled Bin-lu.

"Then try to not be nervous," Rut-ki responded seriously. "Should I wait for you here?"

"No," answered Bin-lu. "If we are to work together, you must officially disappear. I want you to go see General Za-hong. Make sure that you speak to him in person without witnesses."

"And what should I tell him?" asked the instructor.

"Tell him that I have asked for your assistance," stated Bin-lu. "Also explain that I want you to officially appear to be on leave for a family emergency. He should give you travel papers to Marchek. When that is all settled, you need to fashion a disguise for yourself. I would suggest becoming a servant. They are practically invisible to most people."

Rut-ki smiled as she remembered the first time she saw Bin-lu. "A servant it shall be. Will Za-hong truly give me travel papers?"

"His only decision will be concerned with whether or not he believes that I requested your assistance," mused Bin-lu. "Tell him that you know that I am a Knight of Alcea. Precious few people in Lanoir are aware of that. One last instruction," he added as an afterthought as he retrieved a key from his pack and handed it to Rut-ki, "do not return to your quarters for any reason. That key will open my quarters in the diplomatic section. Hide there until I return. You will even find some servant attire in the room if you do not mind being male for a while."

"Being male would be an excellent way to disappear," smiled Rut-ki. "I think that is a good idea."

"I think it would be a crime," grinned Bin-lu, "but it will keep you safe."

Rut-ki blushed, but Bin-lu did not notice. He had opened the door and was peering into the hallway. He waved Rut-ki out of the room and the two spies split up and left in different directions.

The false Mu-chen made his way directly to the vault. The guards outside the door straightened as he approached and promptly opened the door without being asked to. Inside the large room of the vault, both guards at the desk stood and bowed with respect when they saw the gold stars. One of the guards rotated the ledger on the desk for the general to sign. Bin-lu scanned the ledger to see if anyone was checked in that had not yet checked out. He smiled as he signed Mu-chen's name to the ledger. Bin-lu took the papers out of his pouch and held them before the guards' eyes only briefly before turning and walking towards the rear of the room.

The situation at the door to the Special Records room was similar. The guards quickly deferred to the high officer. They barely looked at the papers before opening the door for him.

"We have orders to accompany everyone into the room," declared one of the guards.

"Are you authorized to view the material in this room?" Mu-chen asked brusquely?

The two guards looked at each other and shook their heads.

"We are not authorized," frowned one of the guards, "but our orders are to accompany everyone."

"If you are not authorized," the officer shook his head, "then you shall not enter the room. Wait outside."

Bin-lu walked into the room and closed the door. He lit the candle and placed the stolen files back in the proper spots and scanned the shelves for the numbered files. He found the numbered file for Wei-ra first and examined it thoroughly. As he searched for the second numbered file, Bin-lu felt his body starting to perspire. The room was small and stuffy and the spy felt exposed with no safe exit if someone should choose this particular time of day to visit the vault.

When he found the second file, he noticed it was much thicker than the first. He started scanning quickly, but he felt the sweat building up on his forehead. Bin-lu skipped to the rear of the file and saw that the last paper was torn in half. He read the top half of the paper and then read the four papers preceding it. When he was done with the file, Bin-lu had a fair idea of what Mu-chen was working on, but not the reason he was killed. Still, his time in the vault had to come to an end before his disguise disintegrated.

Bin-lu replaced the file and extinguished the candle. He opened the door and quickly signed out. He walked briskly around the rows of shelves to the desk near the door. He signed out of the vault and left without further conversation. As he walked along the long corridor, he saw an officer coming towards him. Bin-lu felt a shiver race up his spine when he recognized Wei-ra coming towards him. Bin-lu purposely focused his eyes on Wei-ra's face as the two men approached each other. Wei-ra saluted as they came close, but he immediately averted his eyes when he felt he was being examined. Bin-lu had counted on precisely that reaction.

As soon as Bin-lu reached the end of the corridor, he sprinted for the stairs. Before he reached the next level of the palace, he heard the shouts from above. The pounding of feet echoed off the stairwell, and Bin-lu dashed away from the stairwell and into the diplomatic section. He quickly made his way to his quarters and pounded on the door. Nobody answered. He could hear shouts in the distance, and he tried to think of a place where he could hide. Suddenly the door opened, and he dashed in, closing the door behind him. Bin-lu sank to the floor with his back against the door and tried to calm himself.

"I was getting dressed," explained Rut-ki. "Is there trouble?"

Bin-lu merely held his finger to his lips and Rut-ki nodded. Moments later the muffled sounds of shouting and pounding footsteps echoed down the hallway on the other side of the door. Neither spy spoke until several minutes after the sounds had passed by.

"What happened?" whispered Rut-ki.

"Wei-ra decided to visit the vault again," replied Bin-lu. "He was on his way in while I was leaving. He surely saw Mu-chen's name as having just signed out. I have to get rid of this white hair and uniform."

Rut-ki filled a basin with water from a pitcher while Bin-lu stripped off the uniform. Together they washed the powder from his hair. While Bin-lu dried his hair, Rut-ki removed the stars and insignia from the uniform in case someone came in.

"What did you discover?" Rut-ki asked as Bin-lu slipped into his spare servant's uniform.

"Both of them were working on the rebel problem," Bin-lu answered. "Mu-chen was based in Chi-Chan and Wei-ra in Ongchi. Some of Mu-chen's file was destroyed or stolen. I think he stumbled onto something that might embarrass his higher-ups."

"Embarrassed enough to kill him?" frowned Rut-ki. "That makes no sense unless the higher-ups are aligned with the rebels."

"That is one possibility," nodded Bin-lu, "but he might just have been able to expose some incompetence. I can well imagine an officer killing someone to maintain his position and honor."

"Hardly a way to maintain one's honor," retorted Rut-ki. "Were there no clues in the files at all?"

"Oh, there were clues," replied Bin-lu. "There were many mentions of the Temple of Balmak in Chi-Chan. I suspect some of the rebels must have been using the temple for some reason. Who is Balmak? Have you ever heard of such a god?"

"He is unknown to me," Rut-ki shook her head, "but there is a temple here in Ongchi, too. I think it used to be the Temple of Thun. I guess there is no need for a god of war anymore."

"It would not be the first time that rebels have hidden in a temple," shrugged Bin-lu. "I wonder what was stolen from the end of the file?"

"And who stole it?" added Rut-ki. "There are few people who have access to the Special Records section."

Bin-lu nodded silently, and the room grew quiet as the two Lanoirians pondered the mystery of Mu-chen's death. After a few minutes, Bin-lu broke the silence by issuing instructions to Rut-ki and then leaving the room. He made his way to his quarters in the junior officers section and dressed in his uniform before going to meet with Wei-ra.

Wei-ra appeared mentally distracted when Bin-lu arrived, but he ushered the young officer into his quarters anyway. After a few awkward moments, Wei-ra focused on the meeting with Bin-lu and began asking questions about the young man's life. Bin-lu recognized the interrogation for what it was and was thankful that he had based his cover on his personal life. Only the years spent with the Knights of Alcea had been dropped from the story. Everything else was the truth.

"So you have finally developed into the great fighter that you have always wished to be?" smiled Wei-ra.

"Not yet," replied Bin-lu. "I have finally begun my journey, but the road is long."

"I am sure that the road will not be as long as you expect," replied the Intelligence Officer as he focused on Bin-lu's eyes. "Did you know Mu-chen?"

"Who?" Bin-lu replied without wavering.

"Mu-chen," repeated Wei-ra. "The officer who died recently in the training room."

"I did not arrive until after the accident," Bin-lu replied calmly. "I did not know the man."

"So you did," Wei-ra nodded with acceptance, "yet you seem to have heard about it."

"I did hear about it," stated Bin-lu. "All of the students talked about it. I guess such an accident is unusual in training."

Wei-ra smiled and appeared satisfied with the answer. "What do you think of instructor Rut-ki?"

"She appears to be quite knowledgeable," offered Bin-lu. "I had not expected the instructor to be female, but I feel as if I am already benefiting from her instruction. I am pleased so far."

"I meant more on a personal level," probed Wei-ra.

"I do not know her," shrugged Bin-lu. "As I have not come to Ongchi for romance, I am only interested in the level of her training."

Wei-ra nodded and the room lapsed into silence as the Intelligence Officer appeared to be weighing what he had learned from the interrogation.

"Can I trust you to keep a secret?" Wei-ra finally asked.

"Of course," Bin-lu nodded eagerly. "My goal is to serve faithfully."

Wei-ra smiled. "I am not really an officer in the Transport Section."

"I had not heard that you were," Bin-lu replied.

"That is what most believe," stated Wei-ra. "I am truly an Intelligence Officer, and I have been assigned to investigate Rut-ki. I could use your help."

"Intelligence?" Bin-lu echoed with a tone of awe in his voice. "I will do whatever you want me to."

"Excellent," smiled Wei-ra. "I want you to watch Rut-ki. You are to consider this a test of your loyalty. If you are successful, I may be able to advance your career."

"I will be successful," Bin-lu said enthusiastically.

"You are to be careful," warned Wei-ra. "She is not to know that you are watching her. If you are discovered, I will renounce any knowledge of you. Do you understand?"

"Perfectly," Bin-lu nodded eagerly. "I will not let you down."

A tear welled up in Karl Gree's eye and rolled down his cheek. He hurriedly wiped it away, but there was no rational reason for his action. While he might have been embarrassed to cry in front of his wife, Lyda would not notice. Her eyes stared right through Karl as if he did not exist. He reached out and took her hand in his, but it was like holding the hand of a corpse. Though her flesh was warm in his hand, there was no response to his action, no tightening of her grip, no movement, nothing. He gently placed her hand back on the bed and leaned over her to kiss her goodbye. Her lips were as unresponsive as her hand had been, and Karl fought back the tears. The hunter turned and shuffled out of the room.

"Don't give up hope, Karl," one of the healers said as Karl headed for the exit.

Karl turned and stared at the man. "Hope? Hope for what? Lyda doesn't even know that I exist. You already told me that you have done all that you can do. How can you even mention the word hope to me?"

Karl's eyes bored into the healer as if he wanted to tear the man apart. The healer meekly lowered his eyes and moved away from the hunter. Karl turned in disgust and stormed out of the building. He strode along the waterfront for a while wondering if life was worth living without his loving wife by his side. His emotions clashed within his mind until he was thoroughly confused. Life, death, love, hate, they all bombarded him at the same time until he could no longer think clearly. Emotionally drained, he stopped and stared into the dark waters of the sea.

"This is no time to be thinking about a swim, Karl," a soft voice said from behind him. "Let me buy you an ale."

Karl turned and gazed at Sammy. The dockworker had been a close friend of Karl's when they both served in the Army of the West during the Great War. Sammy did not have a false smile of hope on his face like the healer did. Sammy's concern was genuine, and it was clear that he was worried about his old friend.

"I could use the company, and I bet that you could, too," pressed Sammy. "What do you say?"

Karl merely nodded. A tavern was not far away, and Sammy led the way slowly. As soon as Sammy opened the door to the tavern, Karl was assaulted by the loud voices and the smell of tobacco. He hesitated. Sammy patted him on the back, and Karl walked into the tavern. Sammy followed him and closed the door. The room was packed with men, but Sammy led Karl to a table and shooed the men there away from it with a nod of his head. They picked up their mugs of ale and moved without comment. Many of the men in the tavern had been in the same group in the army, and they knew Karl, although they had not seen him in three years. They had heard about the attack on Hega, and they knew about his wife's condition. They were quite happy to let Sammy have the table. Sammy and Karl sat at the table, and the dockworker ordered a pitcher of ale and two mugs. Sammy started talking about the Great War. He wanted to take the hunter's mind off of his troubles, but Karl didn't seem to hear the words that came out of Sammy's mouth. He sat staring into his mug of ale. The conversation in the room died as everyone stared at Karl.

"You have to snap out of this, Karl," frowned Sammy. "You've seen death and dismemberment on the battlefield. It is a part of life that we all must deal with. You can't let this situation destroy you. You have to snap out of it."

"Bet he would rather snap the neck of an elf," someone commented softly.

Karl shook his head as if to clear the fog and turned to gaze in the direction of the voice. He could not tell who had spoken, but it didn't really matter to Karl. Instantly his mind became clear. Gone was the confusion and the fog of emotions, only two remained, hate and death. He stood up.

"Snapping their necks is far too easy a death for those stinking elves," he snarled. "We fought in the Great War to make this country safe for our families. How can we sit back now when elves are massacring our wives and loved ones?"

"Easy, Karl," Sammy cautioned softly.

"Easy?" snapped Karl. "Why shouldn't I speak my mind about this? Look at us! A whole Cordonian village has been wiped out. Every man, woman, and child has been murdered by those vicious savages, and we are sitting here in Kantor drinking ale and telling stories. What kind of men are we?"

The men who had been staring at Karl lowered their eyes with embarrassment.

"Are we cowards?" Karl asked, his voice getting louder and his eyes beginning to fill with hatred. "Is that what the men of Cordonia have become? Cowards?"

"The soldiers will find the elves," suggested one of the men.

"The soldiers?" balked Karl. "We are the soldiers. Those men in uniforms who strut around the city don't have a clue what we are up against. They aren't out in Hega looking for elves. They are here protecting the cities. The elves won't attack Kantor. They won't attack Kalamaar. No, they will pillage the remote villages, where they can run and hide until their thirst for blood needs quenching again. It is not the army that will make Cordonia safe again. It is the real men of Cordonia that will take the fight to the elves."

"You are going to hunt elves?" retorted one of the men.

Karl glared at the man. "I am going to hunt elves," he declared. "My village might be burnt. My wife might be lost to me. My parents might be dead, but those stinking elves are not going to destroy another Cordonian village as long as I live and breathe. What are you going to do about it? Are going to sip another mug of ale and talk about how you saved the country during the Great War, or are you going to join with me and do something to save Cordonian women and children now?"

A number of men shouted boisterous agreement with Karl, and the barkeep slipped into the kitchen. He whispered to one of the serving girls and sent her out the back door of the tavern. Karl continued to inflame the men in the tavern until all of them were shouting for the death of all elves. Unexpectedly, both doors of the tavern burst open, and soldiers charged into the room. They grabbed Karl and hurriedly dragged him outside. The men in the tavern started to pour out the front door, protesting the arrest, but more soldiers arrived and forced the men back inside. Karl was carried off and thrown into a cell normally used to hold drunks until they sobered up.

The moon had already set by the time the large group of men arrived at the prison. The guards outside the entrance watched with concern as the men arrived. They knocked on the door and informed the inside guards that there might be trouble brewing, but the group of men were not boisterous. Instead of shouting and making demands, the men started singing war songs and proceeded to form a line and march around the entire building. Their singing was loud, but not threatening.

"Maybe one of us should get reinforcements," one of the guards said to the other.

The other guard looked warily at the singing men. "One of us would have to get through that line, and the other would be left here alone. I don't fancy being in either of those situations. I think we should slip inside and barricade the door."

That is exactly what the guards did, but the sound of the singing only increased until they could hear it inside the prison just as loudly as they had heard it outside. With the outside guards no longer able to watch the walls of the prison, four men snuck up to the wall. They threw a grappling hook up until it caught on the roof, and the four men quickly climbed up. One of the four men led the others around the roof until he found what he was looking for.

"Right here," he grinned.

"Are you sure about this?" asked Sammy.

"Positive," nodded the man. "I helped roof this building. There is an access hatch right under my feet. They had us tar over it because it is only supposed to be used for emergencies, and even then from the inside only, but this will put us right down in the guardroom."

"Won't the guards be in there when we break through?" frowned another of the men.

"No," Sammy shook his head. "When we give the word, the men below will start banging on the front door as if they are going to break it down. All of the guards will gather there to defend the prison."

"That will still leave us outside the cells," the man frowned. "How does that free Karl?"

"He is not in a real cell," Sammy answered. "They took him in as a drunk. They don't even bother to lock that cell. They let the men sleep it off and release them in the morning."

"Then why are we doing this? Let's just wait until morning."

"Karl is not going to be let out," stated Sammy. "I heard that the governor has decided that Karl is a risk. They will transfer him in the morning to the provincial prison. We would never get him out of there. It's tonight or not at all."

The roofer had found the hatch and cut through the tar. He looked up at Sammy and grinned. "Have the men start banging on the door. We are ready to go in."

Sammy moved to the edge of the roof and signaled the men below. The singing line of men converged on the door with angry shouts and banging fists. Shouts rang out from within the building as guards rushed towards the front door. The roofer pried up the hatch and stuck his head in the hole. He held his hand out with his thumb up, and Sammy fed a rope into the hatch. The other two men wrapped the rope around their waists and braced themselves as Sammy grabbed the rope and lowered himself into the prison. He eased the door of the guardroom open and peeked into the hallway. The noise of the banging on the door echoed through the hallway, and Sammy slipped out of the guardroom. He eased himself away from the front of the prison to Karl's cell and swung the door open.

Karl was awake and ready to go. When he saw Sammy, he leaped off his mat with a grin on his face. Sammy led him into the guardroom and Karl eased the door shut. They climbed the rope to the roof and the roofer lowered the hatch and smoothed over the lines as best he could. The five men moved swiftly to the edge of the roof and descended the rope to the ground. They immediately moved away from the prison to the five horses waiting for them.

"What about the others?" Karl asked as he mounted the horse.

"They are coming," grinned Sammy. "They will give us a head start before they break off the assault at the prison. Once the guards are free to report, someone will decide to close the city gates. We must be out of the city when that happens. The worst the others can be arrested for is being drunk. They will meet us in the morning at a spot well outside the city. If they can't meet us there, I set up another spot for the following morning."

"You do good work, Sammy," smiled Karl. "How many of us are there?"

"Fifty so far," answered the dockworker, "but there will be more. I think you have woken us up and made us realize what needs to be done. Cordonia has a new army, Karl, and you are leading it."