Under a Starless Sky

Before light, in the calm of the morning, Shen had stealthily deployed chimes. They started moving slowly after sunrise. The noise was gentle at first, but it was enough to draw people’s attention. In darkness, hearing is enhanced. Deploying chimes was the last thing he did. He planted a bamboo torch near a sleeping tree, and lit the pitch in the top cell with his snake. He then retreated and waited for morning. When he reemerged from the forest they were oriented on the torch. He came out, notched an arrow. His arrow wasn’t sharpened, but had a small ball at the end. It was notched, but he didn’t raise it. Three rows of men. An archer in the second row, holding a cross bow, let an arrow fly. It hit the sleeper tree. Shen went down. The first row of men ran to get his body. Before they arrived, Shen stood up, hit the tree with his knife, and the whole row fell, even while running. Not one of the first row remained awake.

His immunity to the sleeper tree mesmerized them. Not a sound was heard, minus the chimes. He smiled, lit the ball on the end of arrow. It flamed like a marshmallow. Shen launched it. It landed between the second and third row of men. The field caught fire. A flash fire that flared and began to spread, expanding out in all directions. It spread like a fire on kerosene. Indeed, the ground had been seeded with snake venom. The second row of men’s only escape was to come towards Shen. He took the knife out of the tree. Waited, stabbed the tree, dropping them near the first row. The fire ended at their feet. The third row of men had to retreat. She came forwards, notching arrow, and letting it fly. A thigh shot downed one of the retreating men. It caused the fire to catch him and he screamed. He tried to get up, and Shen hit him again, ending his pain. His third arrow scored Kole in his thigh, dropping him. The fire came right to his feet but did not advance, but continued around circling the men , blocking them from retreating further.

The nine guards, plus Tien, came out to meet him even as he notched an arrow.

“Will you come to the circle?” Tien asked. “Please.”

Tien surrendered his bow and the quiver. He was protected by the circle, Tien walked with him. The gathering at the circle was huge. He imagined there were people from West, East, and Middle Midelay. He recognized some folks from Lakewood Province. Tell, Neva, and Lanore were there. He entered the circle and bowed to N’Ma.

“Do you wish to speak first?” N’Ma asked. The tone was reverent.

“I surrender the honor of first voice to you,” Shen said.

“We concede. This must end,” N’Ma said.

“With all due respect, it my understanding you cannot interfere in the affairs of men,” Shen said. “What does Kole want?”

Kole was brought over. The arrow was still in his leg.

“He is a monster! Kill him,” Kole said.

“I was called monster because of my lack of skin coloring. I was called monster because I did not want to kill rabbits. I was called monster because I did not want to fight. I was called a monster for not wanting to be fucked by men. Compelled to fight, I am now a monster because I won the battle?” Shen asked.

“You fight with sound and fire and weapons…’

“You and me, on the field, no weapons, I will win, but I cannot fight every man at once without a scale to balance. Fire is a great equalizer,” Shen said.

“Shen, please, end this,” N’Ma said. “We concede…”

“You can’t speak for us,” Kole said.

you,” Gittan

“He’s immune to the

“Not mine,” Lanore said. “Command me, and I will

it,” Kole

“Now you want intervention?” Shen

you immune?”

of the trees,”

“Men don’t get

bother asking me if you want hear me? I am

“You can’t declare yourself Shaman,” Lanore said.

plunged the depth of ‘between’ and tasted its water, and assumed a prankster. I am immune to the sleeper trees. I have been given gifts of true sight. I handle fire snakes. The fire today wasn’t magic. I milked fire snakes for their fuel. I have jars full of it.” He removed an egg from his pocket and tossed it to a rock. More than one person jumped. “Sand, soaked in fire snake venom,

“He’s a monster and needs to

count the men left standing, you don’t have enough people to enforce that,” Shen said. “Killing the burning man

said. “Shaman Warrior. The war is over. You

“The war is not over!” Kole

She was actually tearful. “The reason for you fighting is no longer. Endel

Shen clenched his first. Tears fell. “What the hell! You

man, but you made him a girl, gave him protection status,” Kole said. “He hung himself because he was

“Or you punished

“We didn’t touch

“Did you talk to him or ignore him? Not communicating with a person, man or woman, is a death sentence. And you

Kole said, laughing in a taunting

on Kole’s neck, he brought the arrow up as if he were going to plunge it into his eyes. Every guard near the circle rose their staff

N’Ma stepped forwards.

my light. He still holds my protection. Everyone in my light is protected, even you. But do this here, like this, you will die. Please, stay in the light,”

“You protect him

said. “I have failed you,