Awakening

by Phoebe Brown

  Just outside the doors that led to the balcony, she felt the presence of a hundred men waiting. It was time. Gaia coughed loudly and pretended to cover her mouth and sip her water. The sound carried through the room, and while others turned to look at her, her friends remained aloof. This was the signal and she hoped that her plan would work.

  Helen and Khar returned to their seats and found that the cage had been removed and their chairs had been placed together. Tafari was at the front of the room assisting his Guild leader. He had taken the seat closest to the front of the room and where Kirk sat. Still, he was far enough away that she needed him to be closer. They all needed to be closer.

  The king sat once again, and Solomon stood. He looked around the silent room and his eyes landed on her. He smiled.

  “Fellow men and women, I am glad to have you all here today.” he began.

  She could feel the Abyssinians inching closer and she knew that Solomon was about to take siege of the throne. There would be no way out for anyone who defied him.”

  “Kirk,” she whispered.

  His eyes were on her in an instant and she smiled sadly.

  “Trust me.” She said.

  She broke their gaze and stood. Solomon raised a brow as she approached the front of the room, but she ignored him. Before anyone could object, she went to Tafari and motioned for him to leave. He looked a bit confused to see her and then realization dawned on him.

  “If you all could take your seats,” Solomon said,

  Tafari stood and gave her his seat and made his way towards the back of the room. The toilets were the cover, but it was also fortunate for them that the hallway that led to the toilets was directly behind the platform. If Tafari lingered in the halls, he was at a better advantage than when he was seated in the crowds.

  Nixon looked on as if he knew she was up to something, but she kept her gaze impassive and looked up at Solomon. She willed him to finish what he had started by giving him a blank unimpressed look. He cleared his throat and continued.

  “I’m sure you’ve all heard rumblings that in recent weeks the prince was attacked by the Abyssinians.”

  The room was silent, and Gaia knew they had all heard and were now waiting for Solomon to tell them how the crown was dealing with it.

  Kieron didn’t look at Solomon and she hoped that everyone was still buying the show she had put on.

  “What I will say is that today will be the beginning of a new era in this kingdom.”

  The room remained silent

  “An era that will be birthed through fire and blood.”

  The balcony doors opened and men in black streamed in. The crowd gasped but Gaia remained still and silent. Kieron looked up in astonishment and waved a hand to his guards to surround him. Instead of moving at his command. They turned toward Solomon and bowed. Kieron’s eyes widened and Gaia could have laughed at the pageantry, but she remained still and impassive.

  “What is this?” Kieron bellowed as the men moved further into the room. She saw from the corner of her eyes as Tafari re-entered the room and stood inconspicuously to the side, only a few feet away from where Kirk was seated. She would not look at Kirk but she knew that he would be surprised.

  “The rule of old has ended.” Solomon continued

  His eyes were blazing, and she could tell he was giddy with power. Kieron stood and faced his father. She saw that he was on guard and ready at any moment to strike the old man down.

  “I announce today that the kingdom will be returned to me. Kieron and Kirk will be removed from the line of succession in favour of the heir that grows within the queen; my heir.”

  The crowd once again erupted in murmurings and she could see the terrified looks as each leader glanced at the other.

  “He who opposes, make clear your decision, and face the consequence.”

  She looked around the room and saw no hands raised. It seemed that their fear of Solomon overrode their duty to the king and the kingdom. She stood and faced Solomon.

  “I object.” She said.

  There was another collective gasp and Solomon smiled.

  “You don’t count.” He said.

  She smiled and took a step forward. The guards who had been kneeling stood on her approach and faced her with spears drawn. She looked at Solomon as if he had lost his mind.

  “Should I tell them, or will you?” she asked aloud

  The men looked at one another.

  “Solomon stop this!” Kieron hissed

  His words drew the attention back to the front of the room. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Helen and Khar moving towards the centre as well. They looked terrified and she had to applaud their bravery. The soldiers didn’t even pick up their movements.

  “Son,” Solomon said, “you were never meant to rule this kingdom. You were meant to die a young death. Your son was to die at birth. Our lineage should never be weak and you, son, are weak.”

  Gaia turned and saw that the men in black had blocked the doors, but they still lingered towards the back of the room.

  “Tell your underling to stand down,” Solomon said motioning to Kirk, “Or we will have her head.”

  Kirk looked over at his grandfather as if he was losing his mind.

  “You can’t do this.” Kirk said, “You would kill your own blood?”

  Without warning, Kirk pulled his sword from his side and pointed it at his grandfather.

  “Let’s handle this like men.”

  Solomon looked at him and laughed.

  “You’ve always been so naïve,” Solomon said.

  Just then she saw Nixon walking towards Kirk with his sword out and at the ready.

  “Kill him!” Solomon said menacingly

  Gaia watched nervously trying to see how she could return things to order. This was not what she had envisioned and still, she knew that in the end, somebody would die. It could not be Kirk.

  “Stop!” she shouted.

  The room once again looked at her and she took another step forward. The guards rushed forward and immediately fell back as if they had run into a wall. She walked down the centre of the room as men scattered from before her. The surprise on Solomon’s face quickly turned into rage. He had known she was powerful and now he was seeing it for himself.

  “Aldon of Tyre.” Solomon said, “Restrain your guild member.”

  She heard faintly when Aldon stood from his chair but there was nothing he could do to slow her down. She had only one goal and she would do it even if it killed her. Aldon came rushing toward her and in the instant that he reached forward to touch her, he cried out in pain as she sent shockwaves of power through his hand. It was overwhelming to him, but it was nothing but a drop in the ocean for her.

  “You might have mistaken me for someone else.” She said as she continued walking, “I didn’t come to argue with you Solomon, I came to stop you.”

  She took off running but before she made it to the front, she activated the invisibility properties in her cloak and felt a sense of pleasure when the room gasped altogether. Helen and Khar were now where she had told them to wait. Tafari was next to Kirk waiting to pull him to safety. There was only one thing left to do.

  As she approached the throne she watched in horror as Solomon reached out and grabbed Kieron. He pulled him towards his chest and held a knife to his throat. She revealed herself at the foot of the throne and stared up into Kieron’s terrified eyes and smiled. Without looking at her, the king moved his hand and pulled the knife across his neck. Blood flowed from the wound and spilled down Solomon’s hand and he grimaced. She heard Kirk shouting as his father’s limp body fell to the floor.

  She watched as Kirk dashed forward but Tafari somehow pulled him back and dragged him to where Helen and Khar stood. Gaia grabbed the limp body on the ground and lifted him as if he weighed nothing. She brought him to where the others were waiting. Kirk was struggling against Tafari and Khar was sobbing weakly.

  “Kill them now!” Solomon shouted.
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br />   Gaia shook her head.

  “The next time we meet,” she said with a sly smile, “It will be my pleasure to kill you.”

  She closed her eyes and began chanting and soon the circle on which they stood began to glow. It would take all her strength to do what she was about to do but she hoped at least Cettie and Lolita would be waiting for her on the other side. The last thing she saw before disappearing was the confused looks on Solomon’s and Nixon’s faces and the crowd of men cloaked in black rushing towards them.

  Chapter 30

  Gaia’s eyes fluttered open and she looked up towards a cracked ceiling with sunlight streaming through. She was alive.

  “Gaia.” Kirk’s voice sounded unfamiliar and she realised that she wasn’t actually awake.

  She looked around again and saw Helen and Khar slumped down on the floor next to the bed on which her body lay. They were all huddled together in a circular hut. The roof was made of wood and hay and she assumed they were in one of the burnt-out huts that had been left behind so many years ago.

  It was big enough for all to move around in comfortably and she saw that her bed had been placed in the centre of the room facing the door. Roc’s human form was at the doorway looking out and she could hear Cettie mumbling something from beyond. There was smoke outside and she could tell that food was being prepared. What she didn’t understand was why they were all here and why she was no longer conscious.

  “Kirk.” She whispered willing him to hear her.

  His head remained slumped as he stared down at her face. A tear slipped from his eyes and fell to her cheek and she tried to reach out to touch him. The action was futile, her hand seemingly disappeared through his skin and reappeared behind his head.

  “Kirk!” she shouted.

  “Gaia.” He said as though he had heard her.

  She knew he hadn’t because his face was still grim and she could tell that this, them sitting here, was no celebration. They thought she was gone. As she looked down at herself, she saw how pale and grey she looked. It was as if all the blood had been drained from her body.

  “Why is she getting worse?” someone asked.

  She hadn’t realised that there was someone else in the room.

  She turned and looked towards the back of the room and her heart soared when she saw Kieron. He was here and he was alive. She’d known all along that he would be, but the last image she had seen of him was too painful to forget. It was then that she thought of Abito and how he had sacrificed himself. She felt a sadness so acute that she was sure her heart would have stopped if she had been conscious.

  “She’s fine.” Roc said, “She will re-join us when she’s ready.”

  Gaia wondered what he meant. There was nothing she wanted to do more than open her eyes and touch Kirk. She wanted to be there for him, for them all.

  “When will she be ready?” Helen asked.

  “She knows,” Roc said, “she can decide herself.”

  Gaia wanted to shout that she wanted to go back now, but she couldn’t. She was immobile. A sudden apprehension filled her, and she felt a prickle of unease. The room suddenly changed, and she stilled as people began to appear before her. They were ghostly and anguished in a way that frightened her. When they saw her recognition, their eyes widened and they bowed. Gaia was dumbstruck by their otherworldliness.

  “Kahli.” They said in unison.

  The sound of their voices made her hairs stand on end.

  “Who are you?” she asked.

  “We are the Kinta.” They said again in unison, “We are no more.”

  Her mind flashed to her first time in the village and recognition dawned on her. These people had died here in this place, the Kinta. Out of the centre of them, she saw a familiar face. It was the seer.

  “Gaia, he said, “I didn’t think we would see each other so soon.”

  His smile was genuine, and she wanted to step back, to step away from him. She looked at him closely to see if she could tell he had been killed but there was no scar, no reminder of what he had been through.

  “How are you here?” she asked, “How old are you?”

  He grinned and shook his head.

  “As old as I needed to be to usher in the coming of the Kahli.” He said.

  She shook her head and felt tears prickle her eyes. The enormity of what she had just done was finally settling in.

  “Why are you here?” she asked.

  “The Kinta will never pass from this plane to the next until our blood is avenged.” He said, “We have no past, we have no future, but we see all.”

  His words confused her.

  “What does that mean?” she asked.

  “It means Gaia, we’ve been waiting for you.” He said, “Every man who has died at the hands of the evil one awaited your coming. Only you can release us from the bonds of this earth.”

  Gaia’s confusion heightened.

  “You have a lot to learn still young one.” He said, “The Abyssinians are only men. Evil lurks in this world and that is what has corrupted the man who seeks your life.”

  What evil?” she asked.

  “Ichabod!”

  The words instantly set her body on fire and a scream erupted from her chest so loud it burned her ears. Her body began to convulse violently. She closed her eyes struggling to breathe and felt hands holding her down as she jerked and convulsed violently.

  “Gaia!” it was Kirk’s voice again but this time it was next to her ear.

  Her convulsions continued growing worse and more painful. It was as if the bones in her body were being shattered.

  “Gaia.”

  It was Kirk’s voice again and she could hear the desperation.

  “Gaia.” this time it was Helen.

  The girl’s strong arms held her to the bed like an anvil but still, her body resisted.

  They held her for what felt like forever as her body shook and convulsed. Slowly they became less painful, less all-consuming until she was able to lay still. Tears were flowing from her eyes and the breath in her lungs stung painfully.

  “Gaia.”

  Kirk whispered her name like a prayer, and she opened her eyes to see everyone looking at her with terrified eyes. Kirk, Helen, Khar, Tafari, Roc, Cettie, Kieron, and Lolita. They all looked relieved but there was terror in their eyes.

  “What’s wrong?” Kirk asked.

  “Ichabod.” She whispered.

  Author’s Note

  If you have made it this far, I want to say a very special thank you for taking an interest in the story of Gaia and her friends. As the first in the series, there is much we have to learn about our characters especially those close to Gaia. Just as Gaia has only just discovered her abilities, it seems we are only just discovering the world with her

  If you would like to keep up with the Legend of the Kahli series, sign up to receive our newsletters here. To interact with the author and share insights, follow our social media accounts.

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