Kanela’s Diary, Volume Five.

The last annals stop just as the story was reaching a climax of excitement, but sadly they were stolen by a demonic shapechanger. This volume recaps the last few days, and scopes out our move to Kemuliaan.

We were in the forest's edge, hiding from a large demon and his minions, and had decided we couldn't allow it to attack the woods. The forest would undoubtedly blame us, quite rightly, and everything would go pear shaped. So we charged out of the forest, and killed the beast, managing to take its fiery breath upon ourselves, rather than the wood. The Yelani scattered, and we managed to get back under cover before they struck. That makes it sound easy, but it was certainly not. We were all severely injured, except our glorious leader. So she led us back, carrying most of the heavier stuff, and the rest of us trailed along behind, exchanging meaningful glances, and pithy comments. Vika pretended not to hear most of it.

Once back in camp, all but Vika retired to the doctor's tent for rest and care. Boy, were we screwed. We got the usual advice about rest, and protecting the wounds and burns from infection. Penggoda was fascinated by the Sergeant's ability to heal almost any wound in hours rather than weeks. Probably some divine blessing, I reckon, although the only part of me that doesn't ache around Vika is my teeth.

The survivors of Vika's patrol were now glad that she had been less than keen on the Lieutenant's post - her mouth got others into too much trouble. We decided to cast a medal for those who lived through a patrol led by Vika. It was just talk, but Rapeezo thought it splendid and donated the gold for the medals! He didn't even charge us!

The camp prepared to go and fool Smoke and Mist, with our "Sorceror Queen" Vreeo leading us on kedros-back. She put on quite a show. I stayed in my tent, sleeping mostly, or writing up the recent adventures of the brothers. I found I could only write for about twenty minutes, before needing a rest. I felt awful.

As I was sleeping, Epepetos came into my tent. He was one of the perimeter guards, and I was very surprised to see him. Vreeo had taught us all very well. We were never to interupt a sorceror in their tent. Unless it was very important, and an officer said so. He looked a little odd, so I quickly became suspicious, but before I could react, he attacked and overcame me. This proved that something was off kilter; he was unnaturally fast, and I'd never lost to him before - his talents were more usually used to spy upon the unwary in cities and the like. He was Rapeezo's man, through and through. He was usually someone's shadow, hence his common name.

I woke some time later in a muddy forest pit, bound and gagged. I had some memories of Shadow carrying me out of the camp, then taking my form - a shapeshifter, probably a demon. The place I had been left also held the injured form of Shadow. He was severely hurt, and had obviously fought hard. I found that something stopped me casting spells, so I couldn't contact Vreeo and warn my brothers of the danger in their midst. After much thought, and an attempt to help Shadow with some rough and ready first aid, I called to the forest to help me. It agreed to pass on a message to the Chaplain, in return, I agreed to plant some acorns next to the toppled throne once we had toppled Kemuliaan (right!).

During my absence, our Sorceror-Queen did a deal with Mist and Smoke, and my annals were stolen. The order to the Shapeshifter had to come from one of three people: Berbisadaran, Mist or Smoke. If we could find out which, we could get them back, or so I hoped.

When they returned to camp, the warning had been sent, and the shifter had gone. Vreeo eventually contacted me, and we reached the edge of the forest with hours to spare before its hostility resumed. I went back to bed, after explaining what had happened to T'Heros.

Vreeo came to call the next day, and we brainstormed a plan for dealing with a powerful demon sorceror-king. I admit that I was pessimistic about our chances - go with what you know. Vreeo decided that a cursed spear could be created to capture and imprison Berbisadaran's spirit. Lunak and I prayed to Aurora, and asked that I might be healed, so that I could help in this task. She was most amenable. I decided to start attending dawn services as a mark of my gratitude. To my way of thinking, she was one of us, a brother, and so deserved support. I got some very surprised and suspicious looks when I turned up for prayers. Being there set my teeth on edge, but much less than I expected.

Dreamy and I went and got some obsidion for the blade. Formed in magic at the edge of the curse, we had to run through the ghosts to get there. It was dangerous, but we made it. Dreamy got some mother-of-pearl armour from Penggoda, for picking up some herbs. I suspect that Penggoda was hoping for more than herbs, but that's all he got. A pearl earing proved enough to destroy a ghost that got too close, so Dreamy decided that this was an appropriate fashion for the moment. Wise move, as it turned out.

Much magic and prayer created a powerful spear, but I then had a bit of a relapse, and had to have a lie down - possibly an advantage to keep me hidden from our new "allies" anyway. Vreeo takes up the story:

I am Vreeo, company sorcerer. This account is to go in the annals should we ever get them back!

The lance is ready. Its a truly wonderful construct of sorcery and divine power. I am very pleased with it and have placed it in the centre of the camp. The brothers feel a bit spooked when they get too close, well that just goes to show how powerful it is. I have decided to name it Rantai Jin Ciuman.

The demon kings turned up with their armies today. A bit undisciplined but likely to be very effective if pointed in the right direction. I held a parlay with the demons. We agreed on our marching plans to cross the Ghosts. Kabut to cast the spell to keep the ghosts off us and I to cast an illusion of invisibility on the demon armies.

Kanela and I spent a long day preparing the Illusion. We marched the next dawn. Kabut created a bubble of resistance against ghosts, inside which we marched with the company safely keeping the demon armies apart. The ghosts did not like the spell one bit, they harried the boarders of the spell, gradually shrinking the bubble. Finally they shrunk the spell enough to grab a soldier (not one of ours).

At this point I ought to mention that the doctor has made Dreamy a decorated breast plate inlayed with Mother of Pearl. Very nice too. He swapped it for a few plants, given what he paid Rapeezo he must have been hoping for a bit more! Anyway Dreamy had discovered earlier that Ghosts blow up on contact with pearls and went to seal the breech in the bubble with a few well placed pearls. That's when she found that the Mother of Pearl in the breast plate provided protection from the ghosts. The ghosts didn't stand a chance after that. Dreamy waded in throwing ghosts to the four winds for the rest of the march through the mounds.

We marched on for several days along an old road through dry desert. The demon kings were well behaved, I think the companies little subterfuge is holding out. I am enjoying being a Sorcerer Queen with an army to order around. The Captain is very nervous, I don't think he likes having so many things out of his control.

Seven days after leaving the forest our scouts reported the presence of an army some hundred strong heading our way from Kamoulion. The Captain and an escort when off to parley with the Kamoulion army, mainly to keep them well clear of our illusions. The general of Kamoulion was commanding the army, a stone demon. The captain behaved with suitable arrogance and lack of concern and an agreement was made. The company escorting the demon king prisoners would follow the Kamoulion army back to Kamoulion where six company would then go into the city with the demons.

A ritual was performed by Lurak to call on the divine aid of Meleesa to protect those of us going into the city. She has given us red sashes.

The squad chosen to go into the city was myself, my faithful body guard Jahac, Vika to carry the lance, Lurak as chaplain, Dreamy and Lumpius. We were all well protected by sorcery and the favour of the Gods. The demons put on a good show of being controlled prisoners, though Kabut had got cold feet and decided to go in as an illusion of himself. I did not discover this until it was to late to do anything about it. Still it served my purposes.

The city must have once been very impressive. It is triangles cornered by pyramids within triangles cornered by pyramids with every surface covered in tigers eye. It suffered a bit in the battle that took place here long ago. There are many ruined areas where bubbles of sorcery are still eating at the stones, in some places the walls are nearly breached from the inside. Some bubbles contain ghosts. A multicoloured whirl wind for powerful sorcery jumps between the three central pyramids. It reminded me of the nature of time. For some reason we took a rather round about route across the city!

One of the corner pyramids is still fully intact. We were escorted into this past demon guards, to the head of a set of stairs. The escort demanded we disarm. I ordered us to charge down the stairs. The demons followed in hot pursuit throwing lightning at us as we continued round several corners, our so called allies did a runner. Dreamy set off one of the doctors fire pots, which gained us time to bring down the roof of the passage we found ourselves in. With pursuit at least temporarily out of the way we followed the tunnel for nearly a mile heading towards the centre of the city. Two guard were surprised in their guard room and dispatched in true company style, spear and spell combined. The demons were of the kind that grow, they are weak to physical attack when small and weak to sorcery when enlarged.

On the far side of the guard room we came upon a large door and to either side of it two alcoves. I took a quick look through the door. On the other side was a pyramidal chamber in the centre of which was a triangular island surrounded by a moat of lava. On the island stood a triangular throne with pillars and a pyramid roof. Gods I hate triangles. When the company builds its own city we will not be having any triangles. None at all, not bloody one. We'll tax them, that'll stop the bastards. Anyway Berabisadoran was on the throne - a massive head oozing poisons from the severed neck. I laid a spell of illusion on all the spears that we carried to make them look like the lance. Vika started his run up as Lumpius threw open the door. Vika cast the true lance directly at Berabisadoran to strike him in the eye. A horrible battle followed as Berabisadoran's spirit was sucked unwilling into the lance. The flesh melted from the skull which toppled into the smoking lava. Vika immediately cast a grappling hook at the lance whilst Lurak commanded the lance to catch on the rope which it did. We pulled it out just as the skull broke and disintegrated in the lava.

An extendible bridge leads over to the island. Jahac insisted on going first. Having a body guard is no fun sometimes. The throne looked pretty substantial, but a well placed rope and plenty of shouting from Vika soon changed that. I felt the curse break as soon as the throne toppled into the lava. The lava hardened too, must have been some related magic.

Lurak placed acorns from the forest where the throne once stood. Then he called upon our patron Aurora to return us to the safety of our brothers.

Aside from the spelling, probably accurate where Vreeo came from (and where was that I wonder?), this is a relatively true account, although some of the others who had accompanied her had to cough a lot at certain points as I read it to them later. They wouldn't gainsay Vreeo though - not much point, really.

Next we attacked Kemuliaan. The demons had a major battle, ours against theirs, and the Brigade had to rely on me for sorcery. This left Rasa in charge of our basic engineering and ballista work - and him only a recruit! Vreeo and her crew were still missing as the siege started.

One of the sorceror kings - Mist or Smoke, took control of all the demonic armies, and their friends. This would seem to be the only way to control them in battle, they are less organized than incontinent children, otherwise.

We received a message from Vreeo at about this point - "Berbisadaran is dead, the curse is ended, you may commence your attack"

We held back at first, then once they started to try to break down the walls, with limited success, Penggoda and I snuck forward to give some aid. Penggoda was whingeing on about Dreamy stealing his toys, and this was what led to him copping a poisoned arrow in the neck. These were fired by humanoid wasp-like people, who rode giant wasps. They were blindingly fast, and beyond range of our bows (its easier to shoot downhill than up). Nasty poison, too - I gave him some advice I'd received from a wise old doctor: " It 's best not to get poisoned in the first place." He thought it as fatuous as I had. Luckily for him, there was a medical expert really close when he was struck.

We reached the wall, avoiding contact with our allied army - demons on a bender are liable to rip your head off, then apologise later. This works for demons, they get better, but not for me. Penggoda got out his pots of explosive fire, and I laid them where they would do most harm. The wall at this point was already severely weakened, by ancient wars from long before, so we managed to break through - just.

We ran back to the Brigade, and started to send up Rasa to lay a ramp into the hole to allow rapid access. We then sat back and let the servants of Smoke charge through. Mist's forces were trying to force a strongly held gate to the north, with mixed results.

The main trouble that the demonic armies had was that they had no command structure, would not follow orders and lost their heads to bloodlust in battle. In short, they were morons. Our most inept recruit was better suited to a life as a soldier than were they. But they were virtually impossible to kill, and were big and strong, so they had their uses.

Once the wall was breached, huge demons fought, whilst little ones ponced about looking inadequate - "size doesn't matter" - oh yes it does! A huge fiery demon - Smoke? - ended up battling another giant one I called "Shagnasty". The fiery demon was screwed so hard he did't notice that Shagnasty's allies were killing him. He died.

But by then, lots of our side had got inside the walls, and forced the defenders back. In the air the wasp-men's demon leader - a whirlwind, was soundly thrashed by a gaping black flying maw, that I hoped was on our side.

As the attacking force pushed inside, T'Heros ordered a runner to go to Mist's army. Helped by the fesero, yelani and pithekos soldiers of Mist from the gate, we were winning the battle. I then noticed a terrible complication. The non-demon invaders at the edges of the horde were being destroyed. They shrivelled and burned, leaving husks collapsed at the entrance of this huge city. They died in a subtle scent of cinnamon. Oh, bollocks.

Rakhokalia ghosts were feeding on the weaker invaders, and gaining power. I then saw an awful sight. I saw a Rakhokalia gain enough energy to reform. It came back from being a ghost, and once again shone forth as a nightmare creature of awful force. Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit.

I was our only sorceror! Bugger!

Then, joy of joys, Vreeo and her crew arrived. I thanked my lucky stars. And the rising sun. I pulled Vreeo to one side, and warned her about our position. As I saw it we had two choices - run or fight. We decided to fight. We roped in Lunak and summoned Aurora to fight the creature. Even now, at its weakest, it could hold off a god and started to summon its own god to create trouble we really didn't need. A fresh Rakhokalia and its God!

Aurora needed help, and quickly. The only option we saw was to send in our own expert ghost-killer, Dreamy. She was clothed in mother-of-pearl, held a magic spear (from where?) and we furnished her with all the magical tricks we could - we were both knackered. Then she steamed in - what a girl!

The fight was brief and violent. Dreamy and Aurora fought well together using common Brigade tactics, and defeated the Rakhokalia before its god arrived. Lunak led the followers of Aurora in prayer (this included me - she deserved all the help we could give her, in my view), to strengthen her in the fight, and protect her soul from taint. He collapsed at the end of the fight, and Dreamy was cursed by the re-dying creature. We soon found out what it had said, and it was decided to take its mortal remains along to deal with later - if you that follow need to know more, then check the sorcerous annals, or ask your current sorceror (they'll probably tell you nothing, but you know that anyway). We trapped the Rack's soul in Vreeo's dagger, and the herald was returned to his skull.

Dreamy impressed all the brothers enormously, as she glowed in the dark, shining like a holy warrior from temple friezes. Her flambouyant appearance - all silvery mother-of-pearl, her reckless bravery and her great skill in a fight made her a firm favourite. She was thought of as almost a saintly figure. A lot of the brothers fell a little bit in love with her at this point, I think.

We took, held and then looted the nearest corner tower, finding more than enough food, water and treasure for all. I recovered the annals! I sent a little prayer of gratitude to Aurora, as this kept the history of the Brigade intact, and saved me from the remains of an exhausting and time-consuming duty rewriting them. Too much would have been lost that way - every annalist colours the writings with their own prejudices, and the whole would be weakened if written by one hand.

The treasure we found was of varying worth and usefulness - I got some few Emas worth of gold (alright, more than a few) and some magical dooodads - some of which would cause me trouble later.

During the battle we took some casualties, inevitably. 6 of our troops were badly injured - mostly through a bout of ghost fever - getting their life drained by Rack ghosts.

Eleven of our own died, including five brothers. I must now include their names to be remembered - the hardest duty of the annalist. Maybe when we build our city the names of all our dead brothers could be carved in stone. It would be a bloody long list though.

Sayur was the first to fall. He got a poisoned arrow in the neck that severed an artery. At least it was quick. "Soup" had lost most of his teeth, even though he wasn't that old, hence his favourite food and his nickname. He was a bastard in a knife fight, he could cut a throat without breaking stride. He joined in Merah, and had been part of Rapeezo's covert enforcement squad in the city. He looked and was evil. A cold blooded assassin.

Poruga and Napast were identical twin girls. They were part of the Ledenjak tribe we had destroyed a few years ago, when the Kekusutan played us both for fools. After the tribe ceased to be, they had joined us, as did several others of their tribe. Poruga, or "Sneer", looked down at anyone who tried to get too close. We had killed her husband after all. She was an excellent rider, and a good scout - she may have eventually become a ranger. Her sister, Napast, or "Tempter", was an entirely different kettle of fish. She was an early member of Aurora's cult - probably due to their similar view on clothes. Tempter wore very little, and teased everyone with her offers of a night's entertainment. As often as not, though, she then organized for her sneering twin to punch them in a slapstick comedy of mistaken identity. Hours of entertainment.

Visok was known as "Your Eminence" by everybody. Another nomad tribesman, he had joined during the long years in Merah. He was obviously of noble rank, and could always put on a good show of royalty, used several times to fool and misdirect opponents. He was another follower of the new goddess. Despite his high-born status, he was always willing to muck in with the shit jobs, and deferred to his superiors without a problem. Good guy, I'll miss him.

Sekop was the brother I knew best. "Digger" had been a Merah labourer, who helped us with the back-breaking work of defending the city during the sieges. He was enormously strong, and could work all day without a complaint. He got on very well with Lumpius, as they were often pushed into the same labour pool. They drank and arm-wrestled many nights away. I sponsored his recruitment. He was another worshipper of Aurora, according to the Chaplain. He never said. The stockades will take longer to put up from now on.

The Doc found a method of curing, or protecting people from ghost fever. It involved using mother-of pearl, inevitably.

Vreeo and I delved into the secrets of the magical treasures we had liberated. With mixed results.

A select group of the treasures, not specified here, could be used in a ceremony to control the "Well of the Worlds", which was most recently used at Kemuliaan by Berbisadaran to summon creatures from elsewhere to assassinate his enemies. I wonder whether "Shagnasty" was one of them?

This ceremony seemed to be connected with bringing demons to our world. It did not seem (from our slight knowledge) to be able to sent them back.

A sigil, one of the new magical treasures, was not only powerful, but independently intelligent. It could channel energy from "10,000 worlds". Be very careful with it, it has teeth - very sharp metaphorical teeth.

A piece of skin with a tattoo on it jumped up and bit me. I then had a gruesome tattoo of three claws in a trianglular arrangement on my left arm. The tattoo draws energy for "The Return of the Master". This master goes by the name of Extenerare - "The Disemboweler". Could be a Rakhokalia. Bum.

My mind was panicking when this all happened, so don't trust the detail - the names could all be wrong, for instance.

We bogged off south in a hurry. Mist had sent for our leaders to argue about the division of spoils, and probably to double-cross us. T'Heros had the brilliant idea of delaying pursuit by leaving a little present for Lord Mist. One of the demonic skulls of possession was left in a box tied up with ribbon. Vreeo had chosen the skull that was eternally miserable, and that she didn't like, for the task. The other one was fast becoming her friend, and travelled on top of a pole tied to the front of her wagon. It liked the view. Go figure.

We offered recruits the chance to join. The kemes all said yes immediately, the sailors from Pembelian all said no - too many of their own had died, and they had no interest in founding a city in the middle of nowhere. No entrants were black balled. The brothers now numbered 157. Up and up we go.

We went south down a sparsely populated peninsula in search of a likely site for our grand city. Eventually we found a likely site, by a large lake inland of the eastern shore. To our north were technologically primitive pithekos nomads - the tribe of the Kelana - friendly enough, and happy to trade their great supply of meat and crops. To the south were a tribe of friendly kemes - the Pemburu, and in the forest on their western border were pagoth - the Damai.

Happiness all around, good supplies, excellent site. We would need to check out the western mountains for minerals and ore, and clear the river from the lake to the sea, as it was swampy and impassable at the moment.

The only big problem was a village called Rumah at the estuary of the river. They were isolationist and militarily enthusiastic ex-slaves. They did not trade, spent a lot of time training, but did seem to be losing their technology. But we would need to deal with them at some point. The Doc had screamed for an immediate battle - we decided against that, and I had to explain that the decision to fight or not was not his to make.

These annals are getting too rushed - I have too many jobs. Rasa is now a brother, and can soon be Engineer. I will then be apprentice sorceror, and soon the sorceror. My engineering will be needed as the city is built. I have no time to keep the annals as well. I shall pass them on. My time as annalist has not been long, but it has been extremely eventful. This ends the annals of Kanela.

During the last year or two we have changed enormously. We have brought forth a new goddess to change the world, decided to settle for the first time, killed a Rakhokalia, broken the great northern forest's curse, and defeated a demonic city. We've been busy little buggers now haven't we?

Yet I fear for the future.

I worry about building a city in the wilderness.

I worry more about the Captain's wish for us to grow into a mighty army. We have quite deliberately restricted the Brigade's size to a maximum of two hundred and fifty. Bigger and we become much too big to hire - leading to smaller contracts and the danger of fighting against ourselves. We will also lose the closeness, which has been as much a part of us as the oath and curse.

I worry also about his thoughts on the worship of Aurora. A mystery cult for the bringer of light? Millions of misinformed followers as cheap labour? At least my attitudes about religion and priests won't have to change. It seems to me to insult Aurora.

During that time our numbers have about doubled, and our new brothers include unprecedented numbers of kemes. We are now seriously dangerous again. As I end this, however, I would like to remember our fallen brothers:

Life in barracks will never be the same without "Shark". Our newcomers will never again be joined to us by losing their treasures to his card skills. We were poorer with him, and we are decidedly poorer without him.

"Puppy" was just too protective of his little brother. "Mouth" got him killed, but I suspect they both expected to go together when they went. It seemed almost fated.

If only "Botherer" had lived - I would have liked him to meet Aurora. She might have been able to kick him into thinking for himself - although she's still having problems with some others who ought to know better.

Poor "Babyface". I still remember his shocked face on that night. I've got to sleep peacefully now to restore my energy for sorcery, but Vreeo's had trouble teaching me that bit. The hours after midnight do seem designed for haunting memories.

"Bastard" would have been useful if he had lived, but then he always was. That's what kept him from an earlier unmarked grave. I still don't miss him, but it does feel wrong without him.

"Sicknote" was idle, stupid, and got what he deserved. The Standardbearer was a poison within the brotherhood. Amongst our number we have rapists, murderers, thugs of every description, but I love the worst of them far more than that creature. He wasn't a brother when he died, but we made damned sure he died. It was the most satisfying moment of my life.

"Salty" would have been worth his weight in gold. He knew ships better than anyone we'd seen in years. Far better than the Galadiahan sailors who had recently parted company with us. Besides, I miss his overblown stories about his adventures, and how great boats were at not sinking. Never believed him, though.

"Kid" had been such a permenant fixture. I think he even pre-dated Vreeo. I suppose he had lasted longer than he expected. Not a shock, but a record to aim for. I'll certainly try to beat him. At least he saw the beginning of the regrowth - he'd lived through its fall.

Sorry, "Sorry", but you had to know that you weren't cut out for this job. But you showed some kind of guts to go in against that Yelani, having seen what it had done to your mates. I hope you proved to yourself whatever it was that had driven you into such a doomed career.

"Soup", "Sneer", "Tempter", "His Eminence" and "Digger" have all gone too. It's too soon to really write them out of the story. Maybe the next annalist can do them justice. Fifteen of my brothers have died, and those who read this in years to come will know them only through me. It some cases, your'e lucky bastards, in some cases, you missed a treat. You'll have your own losses to grieve, though.

KANELA. Engineer, Apprentice Sorceror, Annalist, Auroran (there, I admitted it at last!).