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  Conseh studied Uhe’s face and said, “You see them before you now: the blood, the bodies?”

  “I see them now, Conseh. I never see anything else. Go now and fulfill my vision.”

  Conseh moved with its undermasters to the edge of the wood where the First Denve was already concealed. The first warmaster waited until Tocchah’s tribe was compressed to only six abreast by the narrowing path through the trees. When most of Tocchah’s people were in the narrows, Conseh bellowed its command, “To battle! Death to Tocchah!”

  The First Denve hurled its spears from the north edge of the wood. Nuvvea’s Second Denve, from its concealment along the edge of the southern wood, threw its spears at the same instant. With spears thrown, both denve raised their axes and closed with those left on the road.

  After the axes were done, there were a few of the Irrvedah left. They were taken over the Western Road from one end of the narrows to the other and back again. As they walked among the bodies, torches would shed their light upon a face, and then another. Once all of the faces had been seen, Uhe knew that Tocchah’s face was not among them. The leader of the Irrvedah had escaped.

  After they had walked the bloody trail and had seen the dead, the surviving Irrvedan soldiers were set free to carry the story of Uhe to the world.

  Uhe’s vision of battle served the Denvedah well. The Tsien Denvedah would take the land and the denve resting would turn over the acquired land and its spoils to Kessu’s Third Denve, while the Fourth under Birula would move up to secure the land taken by the next thrust. Yaga and Daes would then bring the Fifth and Sixth Denve up to relieve the fighters, secure the land, and distribute the spoils.

  The Denvedah filled itself upon fruit, cake, and grain, and the death drums of the Mavedah ceased their beat. Instead the drums beat an ever-quickening cadence of victory. In nine days Uhe and its warmasters stood upon the crest of the Black Mountains.

  As far as Uhe could see toward the east, there was crest following crest, a seemingly endless land of mountains. Once more they waited for Aakva’s light to come at their backs. As they waited, Conseh pointed toward the east. “Uhe, your plan calls for more warriors than we have. The Irrvedah is huge. Should we occupy the great valley from here to the Akkujah and call that our land, leaving the Irrvedah the rest?”

  Uhe studied the mountains. “If Aakva bakes this valley with its fire next, what then? We will be forced again to fight, except that the next time the Irrvedah will be better prepared. I will never again condemn us to a patch when there is a world. We do need more soldiers, more denve, though.”

  Uhe turned its gaze from the mountains and faced its warmasters. “Conseh, Nuvvea, when your warriors fall upon the Irrvedah, you will capture alive as many of them as you can.” Uhe faced Daes. “Their children will be sent to the Sixth Denve to become future warriors.”

  Shifting its gaze from Daes to Conseh, Uhe continued. “The adults captured will be told of Aakva’s new Law of War, and of the ordeal that proved this law true. You will tell them, as well, of the Battle of the Darker Wood Narrows, which has a lesson of its own. Tell your captives that they may become a part of this new tribe, the Denvedah, and by so doing they may serve the new law.” Uhe looked at Kessu and Birula. “Place the captives first in the Third and Fourth Denve. Should they prove loyal and fit, then move them to the Tsien Denvedah, Then as we move forward, we shall grow in numbers and strength.”

  The warmaster of the Third Denve, Kessu, remarked: “Would it not be easier simply to make the Irrvedah slaves? Under guard, they could take the burdens of supply upon their shoulders, thereby relieving Mavedah for service toward the front.”

  Uhe slapped the face of the warmaster. “Know this, Kessu! As there are worse things than war, there are things worse than eating one’s young. We fight to be free. We do not fight to make slaves.”

  Kessu then demanded, “What, then, shall we do with those who do not die in battle, but who also refuse to serve the Denvedah? There will be such, Uhe. What shall we do with them?”

  Uhe turned until it faced toward the west and the Akkujah Mountains. “Beyond those mountains, Kessu, are the barren wastes once ruled by the Mavedah.” Uhe lifted its arm and pointed there. “Should you capture those who refuse to serve Aakva’s Law of War, head them toward the Madah. Say to them that they are now vemadah: outcasts. This will be their new place, and it is a fitting place for those who will fight for neither the Irrvedah or the Denvedah.”

  Facing its warmasters once again, Uhe said, “But also tell them this: if the time ever comes that sees the water, grass, and game return to the Madah, the Denvedah will come to claim that land for the Sindie, the people of the world. Never again shall one tribe starve because of a boundary, tabu, or law while other tribes live in plenty. We are the Sindie: one people. But one’s place in this people is no birthright. It is a value to be earned. Tell them these things that I tell you and then let them choose.”

  As Uhe saw it, it came to be.

  With each mountain and valley crossed, the Denvedah saw the Irrvedah fight more fiercely for its land. And with each mountain and valley conquered, the Denvedah grew stronger as it fed upon the bounty of the Akkujah and as the captured Irrvedah joined the ranks of the Denvedah. Few Irrvedah chose to inhabit the Madah as outcasts. Tocchah, however, remained elusive.

  On the morning of a new day, the scouts reported to their warmasters that half of the Black Mountain crests had been crossed. The Denvedah prepared to advance through the next valley to the next crest.

  Aakva’s light had just stained the sky when a lone scout from the First Denve was carried by two warriors and placed at Uhe’s feet. Conseh was with them, and the warmaster commanded the scout: “Speak to Uhe the words you said to me.”

  The life blood stained the scout’s skins, and its breath was short. “My name is Pitea. My child, Rohmuna, is under Daes’s care with the Sixth Denve.”

  Pitea opened its eyes and looked up at Uhe. “Ruler of the warmasters, you must see that my child learns of its parent’s deeds.”

  Uhe squatted next to the scout and supported Pitea’s head with its hands. “Conseh, have you called a healer?”

  “Yes.”

  Uhe looked into the scout’s eyes. “Hear me, Pitea. A healer is coming. But if you should die, I promise that your child will know its parent.”

  Pitea brought up its hands and held tightly to Uhe’s arms. “Just beyond the next crest. Thousands of the Irrvedah wait for our attack. The near side of the crest is prepared with clever traps. Death pits covered with forest litter such that they look like any other ground. Hills of rock that can be loosed down the mountain with the single blow of a hammer. The warriors are of a new kind. Tocchah has learned from us. Its new warriors carry black metal axes, short spears, and shields of hide.”

  The scout seemed to drift away until Conseh spoke sharply, “There is more, Pitea.”

  “Yes.” The scout looked again at Uhe. “After counting the traps and fixing their positions, Lekki and I stole across the crest to count the Irrvedah To hide their numbers they burn no fires, but Lekki and I are hunters. We moved around and through them and felt their numbers. Waiting for the Denvedah there are eight thousand Irrvedah warriors.” The scout looked to its wound and then back at Uhe. “We were captured. Lekki died.”

  The scout maintained its grip upon Uhe’s arms. “I promised Lekki that if I returned alive Lekki’s two children would know their parent.”

  Uhe nodded. “I will see that it is done. What are their names?”

  The scout’s hands released their grip and dropped to the ground. Conseh squatted across from Uhe and helped lower Pitea’s head. Once the body was arranged in death, Conseh spoke to Uhe. “Our northern scouts report that the Irrvedah also waits for us to our left. There are another eleven thousand waiting for us there. They too have weapons of black metal. But although they are better prepared this time, the Denvedah outnumbers them, and with better warriors. We can defeat them, Uhe.”


  Uhe stood as the healer called by Conseh arrived. Uhe spoke to the healer. “It is too late. Arrange the rites for this warrior.”

  The healer nodded and stooped to pick up Pitea’s body, but was halted by Uhe’s hand. “But before that, I want you to go to the Sixth Denve and bring to me a child named Rohmuna, born of Pitea.” Uhe faced Conseh. “Did Pitea tell you the names of Lekki’s children?”

  Conseh nodded. “They are called Mos and Fanda.”

  Uhe placed its hand upon the healer’s shoulder. “Bring to me as well Mos and Fanda, born of Lekki.”

  As the healer left to do Uhe’s bidding, Conseh pointed toward Aakva’s light. “It grows late, Uhe. Shall I begin the attack?”

  “No. Have the warmasters give their Derive a day of rest. Double the camp guards and send out day scouts. I want careful maps and a detailed accounting of the Irrvedah’s numbers, positions, and weapons.”

  Anger crossed Conseh’s face. “Uhe, we have all this information. We can defeat them! We are trained, and we outnumber them.”

  “Do as I say, Conseh.” When the warmaster did not move, Uhe stared into Conseh’s eyes. “Yes, we can wade into them and slaughter them, and by so doing we can also lose many good warriors. All hunters know that it takes no skill with a spear to get a kill when the weapon is flung into a herd. But think upon this, Conseh. Waiting out there are almost two derive of armed Sindie with the will it takes to face an army that has seen nothing but victory. Think of what they and their weapons would mean if they were added to the Denvedah. This is what I will be thinking of as I tell the children of Lekki and Pitea the nature of the price paid by their parents. Now go and do my bidding, Conseh. I will never again justify my orders to you.”

  Conseh watched as Uhe turned and went into its tent. And then the warmaster gathered its runners, telling them to give Uhe’s order to the warmasters of the other denve. After the runners had left, Conseh squatted next to the dead scout’s body. And the warmaster asked:

  “Pitea, we have invaded their land, taken their crops, and killed their children, siblings, parents, and friends. And now they wait for us, sharp metal in their hands, praying to Aakva for our blood. From where you are now, Pitea, can you see how Uhe will transform this army that waits to blood us into faithful Denvedah?”

  The warmaster looked back toward the lightening skies. The breath of a prayer touched Conseh’s lips, then shame covered its face. “Do I feel this shame, Pitea, because I pray to that in which I do not believe? Or do I feel this shame because I offer to my true god the prayer of a murderer?”

  Conseh stood and walked away, letting the dead scout keep its answers.

  That evening, as Aakva sank into the Land of Death, the inside of Uhe’s tent was bright with torch light. Gathered upon the ground before Uhe were five scouts, and Kioe, the maker of maps. After Uhe dismissed them, the warmasters were called. When they had assembled in the tent and were seated around the map, Uhe spoke to them:

  “The scouts have confirmed what Pitea paid with its life to bring to us. Facing us are eight thousand. To the north are eleven thousand more. All are armed and stand ready to fight.”

  Birula pointed at the map. “And for this we have wasted an entire day? This we already knew.”

  “There is more.” Uhe squatted next to the map and pointed. “This is the valley where we are now.” Uhe’s finger moved. “Here upon the mountainside facing us are the traps prepared by the Irrvedah, and behind them, beyond the crest, are the eight thousand.” Uhe’s finger moved again. “But beyond the eight thousand there is another mountain, and upon it stands the ruler of the Irrvedah, the Great Tocchah.”

  Uhe rested its arms upon its knees and clasped its hands. “You should know this, as well. The Irrvedah was surprised that we did not attack this morning. This has had three results. First, the eight thousand spends this night in a different place than was planned. Their supplies of food are still being held by the eleven thousand to the north.”

  Yaga held out its hands. “Missing a day’s food is no great burden.”

  Uhe smiled and nodded at Yaga. “Not to those who have had to eat their young, Yaga. But the Irrvedah has never known hunger. But listen. They build fires and fill their bellies with wine, for they believe us to be afraid of them.”

  The warmasters laughed. Conseh, however, remained impassive. “Uhe, how does this avoid a battle?”

  “Perhaps it does not, Conseh. But consider this: Tocchah has not organized its warriors in stages as we have done. Tocchah commands directly even the smallest of units.”

  Conseh rubbed its chin and nodded. “As with the pida bug, if its head is removed, its many legs are without direction.”

  Uhe looked around at the faces of its warmasters. “The Irrvedah makes light, noise, and free with melon wine this night. Conseh, you will have your first undermaster order its sedenve to darken their skins with mud, and have them carry only their butcher axes. They will wait until full dark and then they will move east. Have them memorize well the positions of the traps on the mountainside in order that they may avoid them. The sedenve then shall move quietly through the eight thousand Irrvedah and capture Tocchah alive.”

  There was a murmur of surprise among the warmasters. As soon as they quieted, Uhe continued. “Those of our warriors who are captured must not reveal the plan. If any are wounded, they are to be put to death. Any who are captured alive must end their own lives.”

  Uhe pointed again at the map. “The Third and Fourth Denve will hold this place here where we now stand, and the Tsien Denvedah shall move west, and they must run. Before morning’s light, the Tsien Denvedah must reach the western end of the eleven thousand Irrvedah to the north, go around it, and then spread out on the high ground behind them. It is vital that knowledge of their action not be known until I choose to reveal it.”

  Uhe stood and looked at Conseh. “I will march with the sedenve that seeks the capture of Tocchah.”

  The first warmaster stood. “Is that, wise? Should you die, what of the Denvedah?”

  Uhe looked down at the map. “In answer to your second question, Conseh, if I fall, you will take my place, and your first undermaster will take the place of first warmaster. The Denvedah shall continue to fulfill Aakva’s Law of War.”

  Conseh then asked: “And in answer to my first question?”

  “Is it wise?” Uhe clasped its hands behind its back. “I have a message to bring to Tocchah.”

  “All of us have been taught since the womb how to memorize. Anyone can bring Tocchah your message. Again I ask you, is it wise?”

  Uhe studied many things, including the dark places in its mind. The ruler of the Denvedah concluded its search and faced its first warmaster. “I shall not wait for your runners to bring me Tocchah’s answer; I will be there myself to receive it. In answer to your question, it is probably not wise. Nevertheless, I have given my order, and the order stands.”

  After the details of the plan had been discussed and the warmasters had been dismissed, Conseh remained behind. “Uhe, in case you fall, what is the message you wish to bring to Tocchah?”

  Uhe lowered itself to its sleeping skins and looked up at nothing. “I am not certain. I will be certain only when I see Tocchah.”

  Conseh went to the opening of the tent. “I must see to your orders.” The first warmaster stopped at the entrance and looked back at Uhe. “It is hard to wait for the results of one’s orders, is it not?”

  Uhe closed its eyes. “Yes, Conseh. It is hard. Call me when your first sedenve is ready.”

  Conseh left to do its ruler’s bidding.

  That night, Tocchah, ruler of the Irrvedah, sat before its fire studying the flames for Aakva’s message. The rogues of the Mavedah had not acted as the servants of Aakva had predicted. The lack of food for one day would not harm the warriors, but constant reports of complaining came to Tocchah’s hearing.

  Why had the Mavedah not attacked?

  Could they fear the Irrvedah? Tocchah st
udied the facts and put aside its fantasies. Enough was known to say with conviction that the Mavedah feared nothing.

  Then why had they not attacked?

  Why, why, why?

  Tocchah stood and walked beyond its fire. It stopped as it saw the fires of its warriors on the mountainside across the valley. Tocchah waved its hand at the fires in disgust. “Warriors, dah!”

  They celebrated a victory that did not exist. Most of them, farmers, harvesters, and fruit pickers, had never faced war. Although they had trained hard to meet the Mavedah, they still knew more about planting than fighting. Yet they celebrated; celebrated the fact that they had not been attacked.

  Tocchah looked up at the mystery of the stars. The Mavedah would not be captured alive. But there were a few Irrvedah that fought for the Mavedah that had been captured. And they spoke of the hand of the God of the Day Light. Its name was Uhe, and Uhe ruled the Mavedah, which now called itself Denvedah. The prisoners spoke of Aakva’s new Law of War, and that this was Uhe’s charge.

  Tocchah looked down into the blackness of the valley below. It was clear that the warriors of Uhe were well-trained, and that they had numbers far exceeding those that Tocchah had been able to bring to oppose them.

  But why then oppose them? Would the Irrvedah defeat the Mavedah? No.

  Would the invaders go back to the Madah? No.

  Any injury inflicted upon the Mavedah would be more than compensated for by the captured Irreveden who would join the enemy’s ranks.

  Even the Diruvedah would not be served by feeding warriors into the ranks of the Mavedah, and the Irrvedah had no interest that would be served by protecting the Diruvedah.