The Bones of Titans

by B. T. Narro

  “Men like them do not care.”

  Dasfis shouted with anger. “They would see every Analyte city fall to Jaktius Perl just for coin?”

  “Yes,” Darren answered coldly. “They are your enemies now, so make sure you understand them. They would not only watch your cities fall, they likely plan to ensure their destruction.”

  “How?”

  “By killing enough of us that we can no longer stop the rift. They targeted Mavrim, Erisena, and myself in the capital. They came to the palace to kill KRenn and my sons, as well as to take your coin and gems. Once the capital needs to be evacuated, I have no doubt they will be ready outside the mountains to attack your people and steal every last copper from them. They will do the same with the next Analyte city to fall, and the next after that. They do not care about the destruction of your land. They do not even care about the destruction of all of Aathon. They will be dead by the time the rift gets as far as the first human settlement. And they will die with the wealth and power of kings.”

  Dasfis seemed to be drained of anger as he looked to the ground, his face white. “I knew there would be risks allowing humans on my land, but I figured the risks would be worth the aid. They might steal, I thought. They might plot to take my palace when this is done, but they will at least destroy the rift with us. They must. It will one day kill everyone, so they can’t possibly ignore it.” He glanced up at Darren, tears in his eyes. “I have made a terrible mistake.”

  “No, you didn’t.” Darren stood proudly before the king. “Keep your head up; your people are watching.”

  “I don’t see the point. Even my daughter is missing. She could’ve been killed already.”

  “This is not over, sire. Far from it. Your daughter is alive. She is with my son Andar. I don’t know where they have gone, but I can feel that they are safe. My other son is with KRenn. They fled south to escape the cavaliers. I have sent riders after them. Hope is not lost. For now, we recover and rebuild the palace. It must be stronger than it was before this attack.”

  And so must you.

  Dasfis stood tall and gave a nod.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Earlier that day

  “Let’s get out of here!” Andar yelled over the storm of wind screeching past his ears.

  “Siki, get the door open!” KRenn told her. “I can’t hold the rest of the Artistry much longer.”

  She was the closest one to the door of their sealed room. Andar cursed inwardly as he thought of what would happen as soon as Siki tried to open it. He was done trusting KRenn. The mage had gone mad, telling Leo to explode the Taesitry from a testing stone in this confined space. Now look at what was happening: a group of portals threatened to suck in all of them.

  Andar rushed toward Siki. “Wait!” he hollered as she pushed on the door with all her weight. It opened a crack before slamming shut and throwing her backward, as Andar had predicted. She slid toward the nearest hungry rift.

  Andar crouched down to catch her as she screamed, his arms blocking her shoulder and back. He stopped her momentum for the moment, but her arms and legs extended out past him. She would slip by in a moment as Andar struggled to keep hold of her.

  He noticed his brother rushing over to help. Andar held onto the princess as tightly as he could until Leo arrived and got her to her feet.

  Andar asked Leo, “Is there any Taesitry left you can use to destroy these rifts?”

  “No,” Leo said with dread. “Even if there was, I don’t even know if Taesitry will hurt them or help them at this point.”

  They fought against the hurricane winds to reach the nearest wall. There, Andar turned to check on KRenn on the other side of the room. He had one hand on the wall to steady himself as the other aimed at the rifts.

  “I don’t know how to destroy them!” KRenn said. “We have to get out of here before one of them absorbs the rest of this Artistry and grows in size.”

  Andar would open the door, but Leo was closest.

  “I can do it,” he called as he started toward it.

  “Come on,” Andar said as he took Siki’s hand. “That corner there is the farthest place from the rifts that we can reach.”

  She let him lead her along the wall until they came to it. She crouched down and Andar huddled in front of her. They watched Leo wage war against the wind as he took one step after another toward the door. Andar trusted that Leo could get it open. Hopefully, Andar and KRenn could force out the excess Artistry before it was swallowed up by these rifts. But if they failed, and the Artistry was eaten by one of these rifts…Andar didn’t know what would happen to all of them.

  Andar remembered seeing the last testing stone in the corner where he and Siki were huddled, but it wasn’t here any longer. Had it been sucked into one of the rifts?

  He would have to worry about that later. His brother was about to open the door.

  Leo got it open a little farther than Siki had, but the screeching wind that entered was deafening. Andar feared for his brother’s ears. Nonetheless, Andar felt KRenn move the excess Artistry out of the room in a blink. Leo let the door slam shut.

  Now they just had to wait for the rifts to collapse. Andar was about to take his first breath of relief, already thinking of what he would say to KRenn for putting them through this, but a terrible sight interrupted the long list of insults.

  Two rifts were about to touch one another. Each one must’ve pulled the other closer, and they were still pulling at one another. He pointed and screamed, “KRenn!”

  “There’s nothing we can do!” the mage yelled back. “Brace yourselves!”

  Andar really panicked as he heard the princess curse for the first time. She grabbed hold of Andar’s legs as if to…offer him assistance? He was surprised but thankful as he crouched and wrapped his arms around her body. Andar checked on his brother to see him taking a firm hold of the door’s handle. Good, he should be safe.

  The edges of the rifts pulled on each other, creating a sharp bend in the oval shape of both spheres. The images inside them blurred as the rifts rippled violently. It sounded like something was tearing.

  There was a thunderous clap, then boom. A flash of light blinded Andar for a moment. The joining rifts became one as they sucked with such tremendous force that Andar and Siki started to slide along the floor.

  There was nothing to hold onto! Andar wanted to scream at KRenn for forcing Leo to open these rifts in this tiny sealed room, but all of Andar’s effort went into clawing the floor with his palms and fingers as best he could. The power of the portal was as strong as a tornado. Andar could feel himself about to lift off the ground and fly in…and he was a lot heavier than Siki, which meant she should take off any second.

  With her still behind him as they slid, Andar quickly turned around and planted his hands and feet as if about to start a race. Siki’s screams of panic could barely be heard over the roaring rifts. Andar needed his hands on the floor to keep from slipping, so he could only restrain her sliding body with his shoulder and neck.

  As she inched closer to his side, he leaned in to try to keep her in front of him, but her flailing made it damn near impossible.

  “Be still!” he ordered. “I can’t hold you if you keep flailing!”

  But she screamed so loud it was obvious she wasn’t listening. She started to go around his right side. He extended his arm and swept her back in front of him, but in the short moment that he took one hand off the floor, the rift pulled him backward. He lost his balance and flew off the ground.

  There was no hope now. He wanted to be angry at Siki, but he only had a blink before he would be sucked into the rift. He felt a strange sense of calm as he saw the end of his life approach. He had lived a difficult life, but he was proud to have done everything he could to help his family and to make the world better. He wished he could’ve stayed here longer to do more, but this was not his fault.

  I love you, Leo. I love you, Father.

  He had no regrets, except stealing that da
mn golden ink from Gartel’s storage room.

  Andar’s vision went black as he entered the rift.

  Something pulled Andar harder and faster than he’d ever moved before, and it wasn’t wind. He felt an immense pressure throughout his whole body, as if it was being stretched. The pain was severe as the pressure reached his head, which felt like a sack of bricks. His arms were made of stone. Even his heartbeat was strained, for his blood could barely pump through the pressure.

  He felt as if he couldn’t take it anymore and wished for death. Suddenly, everything went black.

  Andar awoke groggy and sick to his stomach. His vision was blurry. There was a scent to the air that reminded him of dry dirt and harsh wind. He wanted to get up but could barely lift his arms to rub his eyes. His muscles were sore as if he’d just finished training for the day.

  Suddenly, it dawned on him that he was alive. Siki might need your help. He got to his feet and looked around. She was on the ground nearby. She groaned as he approached, seemingly unaware of him.

  “Siki, we’re alive.”

  “What?”

  “We’re alive. Can you get up?” He offered a hand. She had her eyes open but glanced around as if partially blind.

  “It’s…I don’t know the word.”

  “Blurry. That’ll stop soon. Can I help you up?”

  “Yes.”

  He got her to her feet. She wavered a bit, but Andar steadied her.

  Soon she seemed herself again. They each took some time to look around as their hands lingered on each other’s arms.

  “Have you seen a place like this before?” he asked. “Because I haven’t.”

  “No.” She dropped her hands, so he did as well.

  Dirt and rocks composed the ground, with no grass to be seen. There were many trees, but they were strange. The ones with normal, straight trunks had mushroom-shaped tops, and all the leaves formed a tight dome. The trees with normal tops had fat, stubby trunks. The texture of them was a little disturbing, for they appeared like swollen flesh.

  The hills were not steep, but they were prevalent, making it impossible to see far in any one direction. The heat was oppressive. Andar removed his shirt and held it over his head. He looked around for the best spot of shade. If he was alone, he would’ve removed his pants as well.

  Damn this heat.

  “Over here,” he told Siki as she seemed to be disrobing as well. He politely did not stare as she removed her robe, though he did notice a flash of greatly accentuated curves.

  She joined him beside the swollen tree trunk as he tried to figure out which way was north. The sun hung high somewhere between the horizon and directly overhead. So it was afternoon here, wherever “here” was, but what time was it back in Analyte territory before they were sucked into the rift? He hadn’t checked the sun at all during their time in the palace.

  “What time was it back where we were?” he asked Siki, trying his best not to look at her. He didn’t want the distraction of her beauty on his mind.

  “It was the afternoon, and it seems to be about the same time here.” Siki looked up at the sun with a hand over her eyes.

  Andar would not look at her body. He would not look at the curves he thought he saw out of the corner of his eye.

  “We can figure out which way we are facing after we see how the sun sets,” Siki said.

  “Hopefully that won’t matter,” Andar said as he glanced around. “My brother will make another portal as soon as he can, and we’ll go back.”

  Siki was silent for some time. “I think it almost killed us.”

  Andar could feel her gaze on him. He was intent on resisting his attraction to her, so he didn’t meet her eyes as she spoke to him.

  “Do you suggest we stay here?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  They waited for quite some time.

  A sudden fear tightened Andar’s chest. “No, no, no.” He ran back out into the sun to search around.

  “What?” Siki called from the shade.

  “Come here and help me look for it! Let’s hope we don’t find it.”

  “Find what?”

  But Andar had already located it. “Damn. For this.” He picked up the testing stone and held it up.

  Siki muttered something in Analyse.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  “All right, let’s not panic,” Andar said, mostly in an attempt to calm his own increasing worry. He joined Siki by the tree again. “Wherever we are, it’s even hotter than your home. We need to find water. Then we need to find shelter. It’ll cool greatly after sunset.”

  Siki nodded. “Which way?”

  Andar inadvertently saw her as he glanced in each direction. She wore a thin gown with a low neckline that afforded a generous view of her chest. He was angered by her beauty. It wasn’t right that her face already pulled at his heart in ways he didn’t appreciate. Now he had to deal with the sight of her bosom as well?

  Skyfire and ash.

  At least with frustration pumping through his blood, he could forget his attraction for the moment and focus. Except he realized she was glancing at him more frequently now. It was because his shirt was off, he figured.

  Andar smiled inwardly as he imagined her noticing the defined muscles of his broad shoulders and capable arms. His chest and stomach had never looked better than they did now, with every muscle defined across his lean body. He would’ve felt pride to show off his years of hard work, but this was not the right time, so he let go of his arrogance with a sigh.

  Andar had no idea which way to go, but they walked on nonetheless.

  Siki spoke to herself in Analyse for a time. She sounded scared.

  Andar focused on his stalwart link. It was the only thing familiar in an otherwise unfamiliar land. It was weak, stretched thin, but at least it was still there.

  “I can still feel the link to my brother,” Andar said.

  Siki looked at him with hope. “What does that mean for us?”

  “We might be able to follow it to reach him, but…”

  “What?”

  “I think he’s very far from us, Siki. It could take weeks…or even months.”

  She let out her breath.

  Andar continued. “But I know my brother. He’ll find another testing stone and create another rift. Here’s what we’ll do. We’ll find water and shelter, and hopefully something to eat. We’ll stay as close to this point as we can. We’ll need to mark this spot somehow.”

  “We’ll set the rocks in a circle.”

  Andar nodded. They went about gathering and setting rocks. Andar feared someone else might notice the marker, someone who was not looking to help them, especially after this person saw how beautiful Siki was. But they could not risk losing this location.

  As they finished, Siki said, “We should separate and meet back here in an hour.”

  Andar thought for a moment as he looked at her legs. They were thin, somewhat defined with muscle.

  “Why are you staring at me like that?” she asked in offense.

  “Are you quick? Can you run fast for a long period?”

  “Why?”

  “In case someone sees you.”

  “Someone seeing me could save our lives.”

  “There is a chance that seeing you alone, dressed like that, would give them another idea.”

  Siki looked down at herself and gave a resigned sigh. “Perhaps we should stay together.”

  “I think that would be best.” Andar picked the direction, toward the nearest hill. They headed there together.

  “I am quick,” Siki said. “I can run fast and far.”

  “Let’s hope that won’t matter.”

  Andar focused harder on the stalwart link again. Sometimes it allowed him to feel a hint of his brother’s emotions, but he got nothing from it now.

  I don’t need to feel anything from it to know that Leo is panicking. At least he’ll feel the link. He’ll know I’m still alive.

  Damn that KRenn Trange. Wh
en I get back, I’m going to…but Andar remembered how sickly KRenn had been. There was a chance he might be barely alive when Andar returned.

  He and Siki walked in silence for a while. They came to the top of the hill and saw no water in any direction.

  They were soon off to the next hill.

  “Could it be possible we are still in Analyte land?” Andar asked.

  “Certainly not. Could we be in human land?”

  “I don’t know,” he told her. “I haven’t traveled very much in my life.”

  “I’m sure you at least would’ve learned about a place as strange as this one if it was in your territory.”

  “I wouldn’t. I didn’t have any schooling like you did.”

  He caught her looking at him with disbelief. “Are you lying to me even now? We have to be able to trust each other, Andar!”

  “Of course I’m not lying.”

  “Then how did you learn Artistry if you had no schooling?” She spoke with anger.

  “I taught myself.”

  She stopped and put her hands on her hips. “If you are going to lie to me, then I’m better off on my own. I will walk away right now if you don’t tell me the truth!”

  “It—”

  “I don’t know why you always must disrespect me!”

  “I’m not—”

  “Ti astla etti refa!” she interrupted him again, this time in Analyse. She quickly transitioned to common tongue. “I cannot even describe how angry you are making me by continuing to lie!”

  Andar waited for her to keep going. She didn’t speak.

  “Skyfire and ash, are you done?” he asked rhetorically. “Ready to listen?”

  “If it’s the truth.”

  “I promise I will always be honest with you from now on. Always, all right?”

  “And?”

  “And what? That is an important promise, yet you act like it means nothing!”

  She sighed. “Just tell me how you learned Artistry, and stop angering me. We don’t have time.”

  Angering you? You’re the one—! Andar took a deep breath to try to calm himself.