For our part, the officers and men around me, we more and more considered ourselves as representing the true Vallia. As I was told by these choice spirits: “The Empire of Vallia has been destroyed and no one can deny that. Now the island and islands are cut up, fragmented, separate. We are the true Vallia, the continuation of the old, and under our banners march men who are true to you, Jak, and to Vallia.”
If this was high-flown stuff, then that was sometimes the way of your bluff Vallian — as of any other of the peoples of Paz on Kregen, so it seems — but they remained for all their quoting of poetry and singing of songs just as slippy at slitting a throat or two.
Phu-si-Yantong was a mere crude conqueror; if he was a sorcerer also, the protections afforded me appeared to be working so
