Death in the Jungle by Gary Smith (most inspirational books .txt) 📕

world, the originator. Hundreds of worlds have been created since the Ascendants began their rule, perhaps over a thousand. Many have been utterly destroyed, and many have drifted from our knowledge; all paths to them cut off. Who knows how many isolated worlds are out there, bereft of any connection to the others? The Sextant sitting before us is believed to be the last; apart from it, none have been seen in ten thousand years. If we manage to activate it, then not only will it find the two worlds we have been looking for, but every other world that it has created; it could reveal to us realms that have been forgotten for millennia.’ He smiled. ‘That was a long way to say that I don’t know.’

‘It seems so haphazard,’ she said. ‘Why isn’t there some kind of record detailing where these worlds are located?’

‘The knowledge required to record such things has long been lost. Without Quadrants and Sextants, we would all be marooned on our own worlds. Nathaniel was reputed to have a measure of such knowledge, enough, it was said, that he might have been able to construct a new Quadrant; but he was the last as far as I know.’

‘But you must have some of that knowledge. Didn’t you create the greenhides?’

He smiled again, but this time it seemed genuine. ‘Yes, that was me. I assisted Theodora, the First Ascendant, when she was creating a new world. In the grand scheme, the creation of a single species next to the creation of an entire world is insignificant, but I am rather proud of what I achieved.’ He sighed. ‘I worked a long time on that project.’

‘I have another question,’ she said.

He nodded.

‘How many worlds does Implacatus control?’

‘Around thirty, nominally. Most of them are uninhabited; wastelands. The wars, after all, took their toll. Dragon Eyre was the most recent addition; it fell under our sway a mere two decades ago. But, if we can get the Sextant working, there will be fresh worlds for the taking.’

The sound of a door slamming came from the hallway, then the door to the study opened and Arete strode in, rage creasing her features.

‘The city is in uproar!’ she cried. ‘Hundreds of mortals have been slaughtered at the Northern Pits.’

Leksandr frowned. ‘By you?’

‘No, you fool, they’re killing each other. A Holdfast is responsible.’

‘Arete, my dear,’ said Leksandr; ‘please sit and I’ll get you a drink. Then you can tell us all about it.’

Arete collapsed into a chair across from Belinda, her hand rubbing her forehead as Leksandr prepared a drink for her. He brought it over and she drained it in one.

‘A Holdfast has a Quadrant,’ she said. ‘Felice’s Quadrant; the one Lord Renko left with our incompetent new governor. It was Sable.’

‘Sable Holdfast?’ said Belinda.

Arete stared into the mid-distance. ‘She stole the dragon.’

‘What dragon?’ said Leksandr.

‘The new one; the one we captured in Yoneath. Latude bought it for the Deadskins, and the Blue Thumbs were trying to kill it, when Sable Holdfast appeared, then took the dragon away.’

Belinda almost lost her composure. Sable had rescued Blackrose? Part of her wanted to cheer that the black dragon was safe; the other scowled at the thought that it was Sable who had done the rescuing.

‘Are we sure it was her?’ said Leksandr.

‘Felice recognised her from when she worked here at the residence. I have also seen her face within Lord Renko’s memories; it was definitely her.’

‘But why would she steal a dragon? Was she making a demonstration of her power? Was she trying to prove something to us?’

‘She was trying to sow chaos in the city, and it worked. The Deadskins think that the Blue Thumbs are responsible, and they broke through the lines of militia inside the arena and started killing every Torduan they could get their hands on; while the Blue Thumbs believe that the Deadskins pulled the dragon out of the contest before she could be slaughtered on the sands. Each side is blaming the other, which is, no doubt, precisely what Sable Holdfast intended. The Northern Pits is a bloodbath, and when the Torduans discover that hundreds of their brethren have been killed, they will attack the Fordian districts.’

Leksandr’s expression changed from bemused to angry. ‘We’ll have to send out the garrison.’

‘I’ve already done that,’ said Arete, ‘for all the difference it will make. We need to get the dragon back; it’s the only way to restore order.’

‘The Holdfast witch could have taken the beast anywhere.’

Arete caught his glance. ‘Latude has a theory about that. He says that the dragon, Obsidia, used to be known as Blackrose, and apparently, she has fought in the pits before. She was sold a decade ago, and was presumed to be dead. And then she turns up in Yoneath and attacks our forces? Latude says that there is only one place she could have been hiding all this time.’

Leksandr raised an eyebrow. ‘The Catacombs?’

‘Exactly. Where else in Khatanax could a dragon remain unseen?’

‘It might be a good idea,’ said Belinda, ‘if I have my team of vision demigods search the Catacombs.’

Arete’s eyes narrowed slightly. ‘Thank you for the kind offer, Third Ascendant, but I know how busy you are. I’ll take this task; I will lead the search for Sable Holdfast and the missing dragon.’

‘That seems sensible,’ said Leksandr. ‘Your mission, Third Ascendant, is far more important than the hunt for a single dragon.’ He glanced back towards Arete. ‘If you find them in the Catacombs, what will be our next step? Banner forces would be next to useless in that environment.’

Arete smiled. ‘I’ll think of something.’ She stood. ‘I’ll get started right away.’

She gave a brief nod to Belinda, then strode from the room. The moment she had gone, Leksandr turned to Belinda.

‘Sable Holdfast has a Quadrant? Please, Third Ascendant, tell me that it’s a mere coincidence that I loaned you my Quadrant at the same time as this happened.’

Belinda frowned. ‘Are you accusing me of helping Sable Holdfast? I detest