Published 03 10 2025 (Monday) ☽
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• Naughty language, blasphemy, sacrilege, etc.
• Insensitive and uninhibited references to disabilities and/or differences
• Recreational drug use and alcohol abuse
• Paganism and unconventional beliefs/practices
• Homosexuality
• References to the supernatural
• People praying and saying "praise God" and so on
• References to slavery and slavery-related subjects
• Expressions of misogyny, "homophobia," and so forth
Also, do not read any of this stuff – any of "JTPYO" – to children or allow them to read it. It's not for kids. Come on, you know that! If you've let your children read this at any point in the past, you're already having problems. (Actually, no one should read it, but that's another topic for another day.)
Anyway, yeah: Back to teh children. Tell the other parents before it's too late. Form a support group; you could call it "nax-alt" or something like that, i.e., a wholesome alternative for kids (and retarded adults) who have become a nuisance because they're constantly trying to act out scenes from my stories.
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JTPYO – King of the Land of the Dead [3] / a devil's work (excerpt from "the streghi")
Copyright © 2025 by Kristi A. Wilson
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Which is me.
The synopsis may be found here: https://scarlett156.blogspot.com/2025/03/something-from-jtpyo-king-of-land-of.html
Note: There's also a reference in this segment to JTPYO – King of the Heights [2] / the slip (unpublished)
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(Naxosos and Joliel are on their way into Jaraniesca town, where Naxosos has said he will help the sorcerer free a creature, a "streghi" that is illegally being held captive by a corrupt politician. Joliel has just finished telling Naxosos in plainer terms why he enlisted his help in spite of the fact that they are quarreling.)
At first Naxosos was stunned speechless and could do nothing but open his mouth, then close it again. Finally he said, angrily, "What about you? Isn't your blood any good?"
"Yes, I was planning on helping; Nirith has allowed it to drink. If one's blood is given without coercion or trickery, there is a lifelong, infrangible attachment. The streghi can be a most valuable ally – and you are very stupid, you see: You really need all the help you can get!"
Naxosos started to speak but again the sorcerer interrupted: "That is how I became Garisha-vidov's master! You've met him! Is he not wonderful?!"
After a moment, when Naxosos didn't say anything, Joliel giggled and said, "The expression on your face! 'Well, I'm not going to get a kiss from him tonight, am I?' – that is what it's saying! You are indeed a very stupid person, Naxo! And so blind!" Leaning in closely, the other poked him in the chest with a long, spidery, white finger. "You'll consider this better, and remember it longer, than any kiss, I'll wager! And you will say so before the sun comes up!"
Sourly: "I'm not in a betting mood right now." After a pause: "And the night isn't getting any younger. Let's go."
With a childlike gasp of delight: "Are you indeed serious?"
"Let's just go!" Naxosos turned and took a step, but the other grasped his arm.
"Truly, I didn't expect you would do this! Nirith told me that she was almost sure you would refuse!"
"Let go of me!"
"I will kiss you, if you like!"
Shaking Joliel's hand away, Naxosos growled "Some other time! Let's go!"
This he will do, and ask me to do, but he will not pray with me – or even pretend to simply to gain my greater affection!
And: What is he afraid of? What in the name of everything holy does HE fear?!
And: If he has broken oaths to the Goddess, he is not afraid even of her…
And so they left the prominence and threaded their way carefully back through trees and bushes until they were on the path again, and continued on toward Jaraniesca town.
As they ran, Naxosos spent some time in wondering whether Joliel would ever reveal this thing that he feared – for, he recalled, the other had not feared even to die merely so that Naxosos would have a chance to say goodbye to the maiden Raikha who he had loved and who had died untimely. Clearly, the archmage considered death a trifle: for Naxosos, the experience had temporarily robbed him of all courage, manliness, and reserve, and, for a short time, his senses.
But I did die.
That you did.
On the other side of the valley, torches on the Temple Vranaps – easy enough to see with its white stone dome and pillars, though low enough to the ground that, if not for its lighting, might have been the lid to a cistern or well – flickered dully in the increasing gloom, set against a steep hillside shaggy and black with many trees. Soon it would be almost completely dark, as the moon was about to set.
And who was there when you returned to life, to make sure you really had returned?
Nirith, the Second.
Now that Naxosos had heard the streghi's furious, hopeless cries, he could not stop hearing them.
Don't be afraid. I'm coming.
***
Before they had got to the first turning of their road, the streghi's lament seemed to stop. The sorcerer was now running at Naxosos's elbow, for the way had indeed grown slick with drizzly rain and the moon had set: a dull yellow glow was left, silhouetting the westernmost hills. The Temple of Vranaps was behind them and the town of Jaraniesca lay large, bright with lantern-light and smoky with torches, directly ahead.
Also they were required to run without magic Sight or Hearing, so the going was a bit slower, for Naxosos anyway.
They had passed a couple of small crofts lying close to the trail: one was seen to have lantern-light shining from its open door. "Keep going," the sorcerer had hissed. Naxosos had run on, skin crawling, trying not to hurry or make any sort of sound.
The spoor of the fighter Merelioides (but not his horse) was present all along their way, but he didn't see this one anywhere; he couldn't ask Joliel about it as they were keeping silence.
Naxosos was not sure what he would do if Red asked him to return to the camp: In mild desperation, he reviewed his last dozen or so interactions with the giant, which was anything but heartening, as thereby it became all too plain that he owed Thais's brother a good many favors.
But…I'm the King!
At that instant the sorcerer plucked at his arm and made a gesture for them to stop. The road was quite broad here, with some ruts, obviously heavily traveled, and currently muddy enough that a carriage might become stuck; they had been running on the margin for half a mile.
No lighting or watch was set – he had been informed of a tacit agreement between the landholders in the area, on both sides of the river in fact, and the Celan governorship, that if they felt the roads needed to be patrolled for safety, the landholders would supply the men. Probably why they chose this spot for us to camp for a while, he reflected.
For some weeks now the Six had been watching over the paths on this side of the river, and the landowners and shepherds had shown their gratitude, in fact, by bringing the camp food and other supplies, and had even brought students to study with the priests to the point that a large tent for classes with an attendant smaller enclosure for sleeping had been pitched. (And in their turn, the richer students brought silver and gold, and the poor ones more food, tenting, building supplies, and sumptuously woven-and-dyed cloth, for which the district was famous.)
During their time here, Naxosos had been as far as the town wall, less than a mile from where they now stood. Fisher dwellings were scattered throughout this part of the district, the low, long buildings lightless, dead silent, abandoned in appearance, the closest one about fifty yards back from the road. There was the odor of tenancy by fisher-folk (charcoal and smoke, shit-pits and dog-pens, fish guts and vegetable rot, and that smell of nets soaked in brine, slime, and blood, hanging to dry on a line) but no one was about, and no nets hanging out, likely because fishing was good in spite of the impending seasonal change: Everyone was at the shore.
In terms of what the sorcerer was planning, that was a fortunate sign.
But seeing all the structures downhill and ahead of them, a house-full settlement with a lighted gate, a wall, and guard-towers made his knees trembly in a way running six miles in the dark had not. It was still and quiet right now, but within an hour or so would begin to stir: Bells would be rung and horns sounded, people would yell, animals would bellow; shops and kitchens would stoke their fires.
Surely, they are our friends!
Not all of them. Be glad you stood by your promise that you wouldn't enter the town, and influenced the sorcerer to your will.
"Breathe!" the other hissed into his ear. "Catch your breath now!"
Naxosos took this advice and waited for Joliel to say something else, which he did after a few moments. The road and few trees around them were still, still and silent, though there was a constant noise of the rain that wasn't heavy enough to make its own sound except as it collected, dripping off the rocks and branches. The fisher-lodges lay in a haphazard jumble on mostly open, grassy hillside – though it was from here a good long walk to the shore, there was in suitable weather an excellent view of the harbor and Channel beyond, and the river below – Kazikah, it was called by the locals, though on most maps it went by its Celan name, Aghlam-an – teemed with fish at almost every time of the year.
Joliel said, "Merelioides is here, he is watching us to see which turning of the road we will take. Don't look around! Don't talk! Listen!"
Miserably, Naxosos nodded. How will I ever be able to run back to my bed after this? Damn this asshole, this "druid" or whatever it is called! "Better than a kiss" – watching your just punishment will be better than anything!
The sorcerer went on: "We need to hustle if we are to arrive at the pier before the streghi and its guard! They're on the road right now! We must run quickly and quietly – without any magic at all, without any sound! until we arrive, and we must conceal ourselves so that we have a good view of the proceedings! Nod to show me you understand!"
Naxosos nodded.
"I know the area so I can probably find us a good spot to hide when we get there, but if there's any sort of disturbance –"
Naxosos began to remonstrate, but the other squeezed his arm so tightly that all he could do was gasp.
"No! You will not pant, wheeze, cough, sneeze, groan, or say a fucking thing!"
A nod.
"If Merelioides appears, don't take any notice of him – I doubt he's going to talk to us, I think he intends to trail along behind; he is waiting for you, or me, or both of us, to do something wrong."
Naxosos sighed, and nodded.
"If Merelioides is with us, we don't need to worry that much, but of course you should be ready to defend yourself."
A nod.
"That is an excellent sign, but it also signals that we'll probably face a foe!"
A nod.
"That goes for Nirith – if you recognize her by any token, do not show it in any way, unless you have the all-clear or I tell you to!"
A nod.
Now the sorcerer leaned in close and his grip on Naxosos's arm tightened painfully. "Ploighan engages in illegal activity, and he will doubtless go down for it, one way or another! Nod to show you understand!"
A nod.
"However, it doesn't matter how much of a criminal he is, because any of the local constabulary will kill us on sight, regardless! The streghi is currently Ploighan's property, the ship is contracted to him, the men guarding the streghi are hired by him, and we are stealing from them! Also, we will damage their cage. The pier may also take damage. That's all the sheriff and his deputies are going to care about, and they will shoot at us!"
Now Naxosos did speak up. "You assured me we would be relatively safe."
"I did not! I said I would look out for you! And you came this far voluntarily, I would even say eagerly! As though we were just going to a tavern or something! You cannot front with me, Naxosos!And when you saw the town walls you were scared! You are afraid of the town, just like you always are! I took this into consideration at the last instant. That's why we are going around Jaraniesca instead of through it! But we have to make haste."
Naxosos began to speak, but the sorcerer pinched him and went on in a hurried manner. "If you were going but to drive a cart to market on a nice day with an armed escort, and everyone in the town was breathless to see you with the ships all blowing their horns in the harbor, I would still remind you that you could get killed! Because that's how stupid you are, Naxo!"
"I understand what you're saying, Joliel. Let's go on."
There was a sense of wafting, a breeze and a scent, and a shadow, and Joliel released his arm so rapidly it was a shock (with an immediate stinging, needle-like return of sensation), and the warrior Merelioides was there blocking out what light there was; he was cloaked and he didn't rattle, but from his contours the giant was hauling quite a bit of gear including a shield. Joliel began to speak, but Merelioides grabbed his arm – in much the same manner as the sorcerer had been been gripping Naxosos's arm only a second before – and motioned.
Suddenly tractable and without another glance or word, the sorcerer sighed and made a little jump, animal-like, onto the warrior's back and settled himself like a cape made of black rags upon his shoulders.
Merelioides then turned an inscrutable look upon Naxosos, who couldn't think of anything to say. Finally the other said, in a normal speaking tone: "There is no danger if he goes back to the encampment – these lodges are empty and the road is empty and will be so until daybreak; he has plenty of time and knows the way."
"I –" Naxosos began but the other then said brusquely, "Follow, or don't!" whereupon he turned and strode with great speed down toward the crossroad and the town.
After a few seconds, Naxosos followed at a quick jog.
The warriors could walk faster than many people could run, and silently, if they wanted to: in spite of his size and the heaviness of his equipage, the giant man was nearly lost to hearing after he had gone only a few yards, and then at twenty yards – just a few strides for him – he was almost lost to sight as well, for he blended remarkably with the landscape. A man sitting up at night might see him passing, but at second glance (What the devil WAS that?!) he would already be dozens of yards along.
The fighters, he knew, disliked going into a settlement as much or perhaps even more than he did, but they were always ready for anything and could accomplish almost anything, in spite of their limitations.
However: Joliel was probably breaking an oath, and if he lived, he would be punished. Red was helping; Nirith also, if the sorcerer was to be believed. Why were they risking so much? Why had they drugged or enchanted the Goddess-on-Earth and part of the camp, if she wouldn't particularly mind?
He remembered the streghi's cries. Soon they would begin again – if they didn't hurry, they wouldn't be able to help Nirith, who was there by herself.
He ran.
***
(End of excerpt)
