Darkness Descending
Harry Turtledove
Darkness Descending
Harry Turtledove
This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this novel are either fictitious or are used fictitiously.
Copyright © 2000 by Harry Turtledove
map © 1999 by Miguel Roces
0987654321
Dramatis Personae
(*-denotes viewpoint character)
Algarve
Almonio
Constable in Hwinca in Forthweg
Balastro
Count; Algarvian minister to Zuwayza
Bembo*
Constable in Tricarico
Buraldo
Mage in Skrunda, Jelgava
Clovisio
Trooper in Trasone's squad
Domiziano
Young dragonflier; squadron commander for Sabrino
Dosso
Jeweler in Trapani
Evodio
Kaunian-speaking Algarvian constable in Oyngestun
Fronesia
Sabrino's mistress
Galafrone
Tealdo's company commander
Gismonda
Sabrino's wife
Gradasso
Aide to Colonel Lurcanio in Priekule
Lurcanio
Colonel on occupation duty in Priekule
Mainardo
Mezentio's brother; new King of Jelgava
Mezentio
King of Algarve
Mosco
Captain on occupation duty in Priekule
Olindro
Dragonflier; squadron commander for Sabrino
Oraste
Constable in Tricarico; Bembo's partner
Orosio
Dragonflier; squadron commander for Sabrino
Panfilo
Sergeant in Tealdo's company
Pesaro
Constabulary sergeant in Tricarico
Raniero
Mezentio's cousin; named King of Grelz
Sabrino*
Colonel of dragonfliers; wing commander
Saffa
Constabulary sketch artists in Tricarico
Sasso
Constabulary captain in Tricarico
Spinello
Major in occupying force in Oyngestun
Tealdo*
Footsoldier in invasion of Unkerlant; Trasone s friend
Trasone*
Footsoldier in invasion of Unkerlant; Tealdo's friend
Forthweg
Brivibas
Vanai's grandfather
Conberge
Ealstan and Leofsig's sister
Daukantis
Kaunian olive-oil merchant in Gromheort
Doldasai
Kaunain girl in Gromheort; Daukantis' daughter
Ealstan*
Student in Gromheort; Leofsig's brother
Eanfled
Woman in Gromheort
Elfryth
Ealstan and Leofsig's mother
Elfsig
Felgilde's father
Ethelhelm
Bandleader in Gromheort
Felgilde
Leofsig's girlfriend in Gromheort
Hengist
Sidroc's father; Hestan's brother
Hestan
Ealstan and Leofsig's father
Leofsig*
Laborer in Gromheort; Ealstan's brother
Oslac
Laborer near Gromheort
Peitavas
Kaunian laborer near Gromheort
Penda
King of Forthweg
Sidroc
Ealstan and Leofsig's cousin in Gromheort
Tamulis
Kaunian apothecary in Oyngestun
Vanai*
Kaunian girl in the village of Oyngestun
Gyongyos
Alpri
Istvan's father
Arpad
Ekrekek (ruler) of Gyongyos
Batthyany
Istvan's great-uncle
Csokonai
Istvan's cousin in Kunhegyes
Fenyes
Soldier in Istvan's squad
Gizella
Istvan's mother
Horthy
Gyongyosian minister to Zuwayza
Istvan*
Sergeant in the Ilszang Mountains
Jokai
Sergeant on the island of Obuda
Kanizsai
Trooper in Istvan's squad
Korosi
Villager in Kunhegyes
Kun
Corporal in Istvan's squad; former mage's apprentice
Szonyi
Trooper in Istvan's squad
Tivadar
Captain; Istvan's company commander
Ice People
Abinadab
Follower of Elishamma
Eliphelet
Follower of Elishamma
Elishamma
Tribal chieftain on the austral continent
Gereb
Follower of Elishamma
Hepher
Follower of Elishamma
Machir
Follower of Elishamma
Pathrusim
Scout in Yaninan service
Jelgava
Ausra
Talsu's younger sister
Donalitu
King of Jelgava
Gailisa
Grocer's daughter in Skrunda
Laitsina
Talsu's mother
Talsu*
Ex-soldier; tailor's son in Skrunda
Traku
Talsu's father; tailor in Skrunda
Kuusamo
Elimaki
Pekka's sister
Heikki
Pekka's chairman at Kajaani City College
Ilmarinen
Elderly master magician
Joroinen
One of the Seven Princes of Kuusamo
Kuopio
Professor Heikki's secretary
Leino
Mage in Kajaani; Pekka's husband
Louhikko
Mage in the customs service
Olavin
Banker in Kajaani; Elimaki's husband
Parainen
One of the Seven Princes of Kuusamo
Pekka*
Theoretical sorcerer in Kajaani
Rustolainen
One of the Seven Princes of Kuusamo
Siuntio
Elderly master magician
Uto
Pekka and Leino's six-year-old son
Lagoas
AfFonso
Second-rank mage on austral continent
Brinco
Grandmaster Pinhiero's secretary
Diniz
Commander aboard the Implacable
Fernao*
First-rank mage visiting Kuusamo
Fragoso
Captain of the Implacable
Junqueiro
Commander of Lagoan forces on austral continent
Peixoto
Colonel in the Ministry of War
Pinhiero
Grandmaster of the Lagoan Guild of Mages
Vitor
King of Lagoas
Xavega
Second-rank mage in Setubal
Sibu
Barbu
Lumberman on Tirgoviste
Brindza
Cornelu and Costache's baby daughter
Burebistu
King of Sibiu
Cornelu*
Leviathan-rider in Tirgoviste
Costache
Cornelu's wife
Giurgiu
Lumbermen's gang boss on Tirgoviste
Levaditi
Lumberm
an on Tirgoviste
Vasiliu
Naval officer exiled in Setubal
Vlaicu
Lumberman on Tirgoviste
Unkerlant
Addanz
Archmage of Unkerlant
Albion
Soldier in Leudast's company
Annore
Garivald's wife
Ansovald
Unkerlanter minister to Zuwayza
Chlodvald
Retired general
Dagulf
Peasant in Zossen; Garivald's friend
Euric
Cavalry colonel
Garivald*
Peasant in Zossen
Hawart
Leudast's regimental commander
Kyot
King Swemmel's twin brother; deceased
Leuba
Garivald's daughter
Leudast*
Corporal in Unkerlanter army
Magnulf
Leudast's sergeant
Merovec
Marshal Rathar's adjutant
Morold
Dowser east of Cottbus
Munderic
Leader of irregulars in Duchy of Grelz
Ortwin
General near the town of Wirdum
Rathar*
Marshal of Unkerlant
Roflanz
Leudast's former regimental commander; deceased
Swemmel
King of Unkerlant
Syrivald
Vatran
General fighting in the south
Waddo
Firstman in Zossen
Wimar
Sergeant in the western Duchy of Grelz
Valmiera
Bauska
Krastas maidservant
Dauktu
Peasant and irregular near Pavilosta
Gainibu
King of Valmeria
Gedominu
Peasant and irregular blazed by Algarvians
Krasta*
Marchioness in Priekule; Skarnu's sister
Merkela
Widow to Gedominu; Skarnu's lover
Negyu
Farmer near Pavilosta
Raunu
Skarnu's former sergeant; irregular
Sefanu
Duke of Klaipeda's nephew
Simanu
Count over Pavilosta; the late Enkuru's son
Skarnu*
Captain; irregular against Algrave; Krasta's brother
Valnu
Viscount in Priekule
Yanina
Broumidis
Colonel of dragonfliers on austral continent
Iskakis
Yaninan minister to Zuwayza
Tsavellas
King of Yanina
Zuwayza
Hajjaf
Zuwayzi foreign minister
Ikhshid
General in the Zuwayzi army
Kolthoum
Hajjaj's senior wife
Lalla
Hajjaj's third wife
Muhassin
Colonel in the Zuwayzi army
Qutuz
Hajjaj's secretary
Shaddad
Hajjaj's former secretary
Shazli
King of Zuwayza
Tewflk
Hajjaj's majordomo
One
Tealdo slogged west across what seemed an endless sea of grass. Every so often, he or his Algarvian comrades would flush a bird from cover. They’d raise their sticks to their shoulders and blaze at it as it fled. They were ready to blaze at anything.
Sometimes they would flush an Unkerlanter from cover. Unlike the birds, the Unkerlanters had a nasty habit of blazing back. The Unkerlanters also had an even nastier habit of staying in cover till a good-sized party of Algarvian soldiers had gone by, and then blazing at them from behind. The ones Tealdo and his comrades caught after stunts like that did not go east into captives’ camps, even if they tried to surrender.
“Stubborn whoreson,” Sergeant Panfilo said, dragging one such soldier in rock-gray out of his hole once he’d been stalked and slain. His coppery side whiskers and waxed mustachios were sadly draggled. “Don’t know what he thought he was doing, but he isn’t going to do it anymore.”
“He wounded two of ours, one of them pretty bad,” Tealdo said. “I suppose he figured--or his commanders figured--that’s fair exchange.” His own mustache and little chin beard, about as red as Panfilo’s, could also have used sprucing up. No matter how fastidious you wanted to be, you couldn’t stay neat in the field.
From up ahead, Captain Galafrone called, “Come on, you lazy bastards! We’ve got a long way to go before we can take it easy. Unkerlant isn’t much of a kingdom, but it’s cursed big.”
“And that’s the other thing this fellow was doing,” Tealdo said, stirring the dead Unkerlanter with his foot: “Slowing us down, I mean.”
Panfilo swept off his hat and gave Tealdo a sardonic bow. “I thank you for your explanation, my lord Marshal. Or are you perhaps pretending to be the king?”
“Never mind,” Tealdo said. Arguing with his sergeant didn’t pay. Neither did showing Panfilo up.
They started marching west again, toward a column of smoke that marked a burning village. A young lieutenant with soot streaking his face came up to Galafrone and said, “Sir, will you order in your men to rout out the last of those miserable Unkerlanters in there?”
Galafrone frowned. “I don’t much like to do it. I’d sooner leave ‘em behind and push on. If we fight for every miserable little village, we’ll run out of men before King Swemmel does.”
“But if we pass them all by, they’ll harass us from behind,” the lieutenant said. Then he noticed that Galafrone, while wearing a captains badges, had none that proclaimed him a noble. The young officer’s lip curled. “I don’t suppose commoners can be expected to have the spirit to understand such things.”
Galafrone knocked him down. When he started to get up, the veteran knocked him down again, and kicked him for good measure. “I don’t suppose they teach juniors to respect their superior officers these days,” he remarked in conversational tones. “But you’ve just learned that lesson, haven’t you?”
“Sir?” the lieutenant wheezed, and then, “Aye, sir.” When he got up again, Galafrone let him. He took a deep breath before resuming, “Sir, you may not care for my tone”--which was, Tealdo judged, a pretty fair understatement--”but the question remains: how can we leave the Unkerlanters behind us?”
“They’ll wither on the vine once we pass them by,” Galafrone said. “We’ve got to knock this whole kingdom flat, not fight through it one village at a time.”
“If we don’t capture the villages, sir”--the young lieutenant was careful now to speak with all due military formality, but did not back away from his own view--”how are we going to knock the kingdom flat?”
Despite the fellow’s earlier insolence, Tealdo thought it a decent question. Galafrone didn’t hesitate in answering it. Galafrone, as far as Tealdo could see, rarely hesitated about anything. “We’ve got to smash the big armies,” he said. “These little village garrisons are just nuisances, and they’ll be bigger nuisances if we let them.” He waved to indicate a path around the village. “Come on, men,” he called, raising his voice. “We’ve got to press on.”
“Captain,” the lieutenant said stiffly, “I must protest, and I shall report your conduct to higher authority.”
Galafrone gave him a wave of invitation so elegant, any noble might have envied it. “Go right ahead. If you care to let people know your favorite way to knock down a stone wall is by ramming it with your head, that’s your affair.” He waved again, this time getting his company moving in the direction he judged best. The lieutenant watched them go, his hands on his hips, the picture of exasperated frustration.
Coming up alongside of Trasone, Tealdo said, “I hope those Unkerlanters don’t break out of there and kick
us in the arse when we’re looking the other way.”
“Aye, I can think of things I’d like better,” Trasone agreed. He pointed ahead toward a tangled wood of oaks and elms. “I can think of things I like better than heading through that, too. Powers above only know what the Unkerlanters have got lurking in there.”
Several unpleasant possibilities crossed Tealdo’s mind. Evidently, they crossed Galafrone’s mind, too, for the captain ordered a halt. Now he looked unhappy. “They could have a whole regiment in among those trees,” he said. “I don’t care to bypass them, not even a little I don’t.” His face grew longer still. “Maybe that cursed lieutenant wasn’t as stupid as I thought.”
Now Tealdo did see him have trouble making up his mind. Before he could give any orders, a man emerged from the woods. Tealdo threw himself flat and had his stick aimed, ready to send a beam at the fellow, before noticing he wore tunic and kilt of light brown--Algarvian uniform--not an Unkerlanter’s rock-gray long tunic.
“It’s all right,” the soldier called in Algarvian with a northwestern accent much like Tealdo’s. “They threw us out of here day before yesterday, but not for long. A few of the whoresons may still be running around loose off the paths, but you shouldn’t have any trouble getting through.”
“That sounds good enough,” Galafrone said. He waved his company forward. “Let’s go! The sooner we’re through, the sooner we can hit the Unkerlanters another lick.”
Tealdo rapidly discovered the Algarvian soldier who’d told him the woods were mostly clear of Unkerlanters was a born optimist. Some paths through the woods were clear. The Algarvians already in among the trees kept those paths clear by posting guards along them. One of the guards called, “You go off the road to squat in the bushes, you’re liable to get blazed or get your throat cut or have something worse happen to you.”
“Who does hold these stinking woods, then?” Tealdo called back.
“Wherever we are, we hold,” the guard answered. “Eventually, they’ll run out of food and they’ll run out of charges for their sticks. Then they’ll either surrender or try and pretend they were peasants all along. In the meantime, they’re a cursed nuisance.”
Galafrone swore. “Aye, maybe that lieutenant did have a point.” A moment later, though, he snorted and added, “Besides the one on top of his head, I mean. Thought he was a noble, so his shit didn’t stink.” He turned back to his men. “Hurry along, you chuckleheads, hurry along. Got to keep moving.”
“Got to keep moving is right,” Trasone grumbled. “Sounds like we’re nothing but targets if we don’t.”
They turned out to be targets even when they did keep moving. A beam slammed into the trunk of an oak in front of Tealdo. Steam hissed out of the hole charred in the living wood. It would have hissed out of a hole charred in his living flesh the same way.