The Pain of Compassion

by Roland Boykin

  Following the scent up and over a rise, she stopped and raised her head at the sound of approaching hoof beats. Hope and joy soared in anticipation of seeing Navon riding on Moshere’s back. Too late she realized her mistake. The trail had led her far into Shadhuin territory, and three men on horses closed quickly, weapons raised.

  Too late, Moonlight spun around as pain exploded throughout her body driving out every though other than to run. One hind leg soon began to drag as it no longer obeyed her, but she continued to run. Unable to breathe, she slowed and finally collapsed. Her last thought was a desperate call for Navon.

  ***

  Navon left to find Atora and quickly dealt with the concerns the elder had for several of the Brothers. A feeling of unease suddenly fell upon him. It was nothing he could identify, yet something was wrong, somewhere. Straightening up from his last inspection, he felt a playful nudge in the back and the presence of a certain young colt in his mind. Navon spun around in mock anger, and took several menacing steps toward Elishere who pranced away, mane and tail flying. The little Brother hadn’t developed the ability to communicate with words, but his emotions came through loud and clear.

  His mind filled with joy and happiness, Navon held out his arms as the colt trotted up and nuzzled the Deluti’s chest. Navon wrapped his arms around Elishere’s neck, projecting to him how brave and strong he had been, but please be more careful in the future. With a vigorous nod of his head, the little Brother pulled away and ran off to join his friends chasing each other out on the plain.

  Navon watched them play, looking forward to the time he would spend with Moonlight later. He turned away and had to chuckle at the look on Chaska’s face who stood wide eyed, nose to nose with Moshere. The elder Brother would give the young sorcerer an “ear” full on the proper behavior while in service to the Shadhuin.

  After Moshere finished and left, Navon came over. “I see you’ve met the true power of the Shadhuin.”

  Chaska stared at him in confusion and a little fear. “If you both know what I am, why am I still alive?”

  “We do not kill someone for what they are, only for what they’ve done to deserve it.” Turning the apprentice in the direction of the storage rooms, Navon continued. “Come, I’ll show you where the grain is stored and help you feed everyone properly.”

  Navon and Chaska headed back into the city at the end of the day, returning the empty buckets they had taken earlier. Next to the lake, they came across three of the Shadhuin guard being confronted by Jamar. They must have just come in from patrol as all three still had their weapons about them. As the two got closer, Navon caught the elder’s angry words.

  “No matter the size of the beast, Shadhuin do not leave an animal to suffer and die!”

  “We had planned to follow, Elder Jamar, but as soon as the first arrow struck, our Brothers bolted and ran back to the city,” the first guard explained.

  “It was like they were afraid,” added another guard. “But they refuse to talk to us to explain why. Besides, all three arrows hit their mark. Surely the beast must be dead.”

  Fear and apprehension churning in the pit of his stomach, Navon’s voice quavered as he asked the lead guard, “What did this beast look like?”

  Surprised at being addressed in his native tongue, the guard turned from Jamar, faced the young Deluti and held out his hands. “About this tall, covered in grey and white fur, and a muzzle with large fangs.”

  The buckets dropped from Navon’s clenched fists, the rope handles smoldering where they had burned through. The waves of heat radiating from the Deluti’s body forced the men back, and the water at the lake’s edge began to steam. The city groaned as a tremor swept through its center, chunks of stone falling from the surrounding buildings.

  He sent out a desperate call for Moonlight and found nothing.

  “Nooo…!” The verbal and mental cry of anguish reverberated through the men’s souls as the sorcerer fell to the ground, more sensitive to the power than anyone else.

  Anger and sorrow pulsed inside of Navon with every beat of his heart. The men should die for what they had done, but yet, how could they have known? They were only protecting their own.

  Navon ran for the nearest city gate. The power of his anger broke free and reached deep into the earth to slam shut the conduit feeding water to the lake. Another tremor rocked the city, causing people to cry out in fear and flee their homes. Reining in his anger, it found another target and turned inward. It was his fault she was dead. He should never have brought her along to face unknown trials.

  The crops in the fields, and then the grass out on the plain, shriveled and fell smoking as he ran past. Dark clouds began to form on the horizon. The wind came from all directions as if confused while the ground continued to tremble.

  As he ran calling out her name, the anger turned to hate; a hatred for what he’d become. He reached up, undid the chain around his neck and threw the amulet to the ground. If anyone deserved to die, it was him.

  Why? Why did this have to happen, and why to Moonlight?

  Navon stumbled to a stop and fell to his knees. No matter how far he ran, he would never find an answer or Moonlight’s body. He knew he could only lose his life to another Deluti, but could he kill himself? He was determined to find out.

  ***

  Prince Mathias shook off the feeling of awe that had settled on him while in the presence of a man considered by many to be only a legend. The revelation that Sofia was also a Deluti put the idea of a betrothal out of reach. Deluti had always kept themselves separate from the world of men, and rightly so.

  The heaviness of despair lifted to be replaced with hope. They now had a chance, but Emma would have to leave quickly.

  “Emma, before you go, a suggestion. If you manage to convince Altair d’Roddell to provide us with men, have them stop just out of view from the city gate. Men on foot, two or three together, should have no trouble entering. The guard will not allow a large, armed force to enter, and you would have to fight your way to the Palace. Someone will meet them at the first street crossing and lead them here. Aaron will know what to do.”

  Emma kissed him on the cheek and laid her hand on his arm. “Stay strong and have faith, young prince. Sebastian and our new friends from Dahlian are a small army themselves. I’m sure they will do whatever is necessary to protect you and your family.” She nodded to the others and disappeared.

  The silence hung heavy in the room. Sebastian pulled one of his smaller knives, turning it over and over in his large hand. Ronald had his sword out, quietly running a stone along the edge of the blade.

  “How far is this d’Roddell Keep, Sebastion?” Sofia asked quietly. “Can she make it in time?”

  The ogre leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes. “Emma, human not be. Reach Keep tonight.” Grumbling under his breath, he leaned forward and faced the Princess. “Whether the men on horses can return in time depends on how soon they start.”

  Mathias stood and bowed to the Princess who, along with the others, rose from their seats. “I must go, Sofia. I regret not having more time to spend with you, but my mother is set on making this a grand occasion even though you haven’t officially arrived yet. I believe she expects you to make a royal appearance at any time.”

  “Truly, I plan on making an appearance, but I’m afraid it won’t meet with the Queen’s expectations,” she retorted, and shared a smile with Ronald.

  The Lieutenant reached out to clasp Mathias’s hand. “Well met, Prince Mathias. You’re a good man, and I promise we will do everything in our power to stop the Duke.”

  Mathias nodded his thanks and turned to look up at the ogre. “Sebastian, my friend. I feel I have learned so much from you in such a short time. As a favor to me, would you stay behind tomorrow? The passage to the galleries is too narrow for you, and I fear you would only become a large target for our enemy’s crossbows. If things go badly, someone will have to warn the Elder Races.”

  “I will s
tay out of the Palace, if that is your wish,” the ogre promised.

  Lastly, Mathias approached the woman who had made a place for herself in his heart. The Prince lifted her hand to his lips as they gazed intently into each other’s eyes. “Lady Floanne. This may sound old fashioned, but I truly believe the spirits have brought us together for a reason. When this is all over, I would like to spend some time getting to know you, if that’s agreeable?”

  Blushing, she whispered. “I would like that, Highness.”

  A smile lit up Mathias’s face as he released her and made for the door. “Come on, Poppie! You have work to do, and I must speak with Aaron.” He paused at the door. “Tomorrow, the watchers will be blinded.”

  “Roll, wait,” the ogre called out, handing the small knife and sheath to the Elintria. “Tomorrow maybe not safe for little man. Take this, stay alive.”

  Emma’s cousin stared at the knife, and then up at the ogre. “Thank you, Sebastian. Hopefully I won’t have to use it.”

  After the two had left, Ronald filled the wine glasses and handed one to Sebastian, who was shaking his head. “Lieutenant, does this mean Prince Mathias cares for Floanne?”

  “Uh huh.”

  “Humans are so strange,” the ogre remarked, to which Ronald laughed out loud.

  Sofia had wrapped Floanne in her arms, and wiped the tears of joy from her face. “I told you the spirits weren’t done with you yet.”

  The two women surrounded Ronald, each grabbing an arm. “How would you like to escort two ladies around the streets of the Capital? I may know the inside of the Palace, thanks to the Ancient One, but I want to get a feel for the city.”

  “It would be my pleasure,” he replied, grinning, and followed them out the door.

  Sebastian, alone again, took the bottle of wine to his room. He sat on the bed to read, and waited for the Duke’s son to arrive.

  Chapter Twenty Three ~ Hope Revived

  Moshere shook off the disorientation caused by Navon’s mental cry, struggled to stand and ran towards the city where the cry had originated. He could think of nothing that would cause Navon so much anguish unless it involved Moonlight. The Deluti ran past, completely unaware of the Elder’s presence, power pulsing from him in waves of heat. There was nothing Moshere could do. He needed help.

  The guards at the gate dove out of the way as Moshere galloped through headed for the city center. Sliding on the paving stones near the lake, the first thing he noticed was the quiet. The constant sound of water cascading over the rocks into the lake was absent. Only the faint tremors still echoed through the city. Would that be the extent of Navon’s retribution?

  Three wide-eyed guards stood transfixed, and stared at the sight of a Brother inside the city walls. Elder Jamar muttered angrily to himself while assisting the sorcerer to his feet. Chaska swayed and almost fell again, clutching his head.

  Years of anger and frustration dealing with the stiff-necked and narrow-minded Shadhuin burst forth along with his mental voice. “You fools! What have you done?”

  The guards exchanged nervous glances, afraid to answer. Jamar ignored them and turned to Moshere. “These three shot and killed a large beast they felt threatened our herds. Navon overheard. I hope I never come that close to the Eye of Death again.” He shivered at the memory. “What I don’t understand is why he reacted that way.”

  Moshere’s worst fear had come to pass, and he berated himself for the decision to keep Moonlight’s existence a secret. But there was still hope.

  “The great beast you shot is Navon’s bonded partner and companion. If you had truly killed her, this city would be nothing but a pile of rubble.” Focusing on the guards, he ordered, “Find her, now! And pray to the Eye of Compassion that she still lives. Her name is Moonlight. Tell her, Navon is on his way.”

  As the guards ran for the stables, the two elders faced each other and shared private thoughts. Jamar was the first to speak. “I’m afraid we both made mistakes with what we knew or suspected. Navon values life too much to come back and destroy us, but will probably blame himself and turn the power inward.”

  “He has already done so. Have Elder Atora bring a large cart and be ready to bring her back here while Chaska and I try to rescue the Deluti from himself.”

  Left alone with the confused slave, Moshere worried if this was another mistake, but what choice did he have? Reaching out for the mind of the apprentice, the Elder Brother shared a memory of Navon and his companion. “I need you, sorcerer. Where Navon go, I not follow. You have power call him back. Decide.”

  Touched by the images of Navon and Moonlight frolicking in the grove, and the obvious affection they held for each other, Chaska once again began to doubt what he’d been told about the Elder Races. Unable to follow the earlier conversation, and then being knocked to the ground by Navon’s mental cry, it was now clear something terrible had happened to Moonlight, and the Deluti blamed himself. It was time Chaska believed what he saw and felt, and not what he’d been told.

  Grabbing a hold of Moshere’s mane, the sorcerer hoisted himself onto the Elder’s back. “I will do what I can.”

  The path of unintended destruction was easy to follow once they left the city. The dust cloud from the guards could be seen already far to the north. It was clear Navon had fought to control his anger as areas of dead plants and smoking fence posts alternated with areas untouched. A strong wind had arisen, and the farther they traveled, the fiercer it became, eventually forcing Moshere to a slow walk. Head down, straining against the wind, he spotted the amulet and chain and stopped.

  Chaska, who had attempted wrapping part of his head covering over his face to protect it from the abrasive dirt and debris, carefully opened his eyes and realized why the Elder had stopped. There lay the one thing his Master desired more than anything else, the amulet of another Deluti.

  “You pick up,” Moshere ordered.

  A shiver of fear coursed through Chaska as the words of his Master replayed in his head. “I cannot! I will die.”

  “Dark One lie. Pick up.”

  The sorcerer put aside his fear, fell from Moshere’s back, gingerly picked up the amulet and sighed when nothing happened. Unable to pull himself back up with one hand, he held on to the Elders tail and blindly followed. If he’d seen what they strained towards, he might have given up.

  The wind formed a vortex that reached up into the sky. Dark clouds sped from the horizon to be swallowed up in the mouth of the vortex. Lightning flashed along its length, unheard above the roar of the winds. At the base knelt a solitary figure seemingly untouched by its power.

  Moshere fell forward and Chaska was jerked to his hands and knees just feet away from the specter that was Navon. They had reached an area of calm surrounding the Deluti, cracks in the ground radiating out from the center like spokes in a wheel. On his knees, with arms raised above his head, Navon’s eyes were open, but only the whites showed.

  The young apprentice sat cross-legged before Navon, the amulet resting on his lap. His thoughts scattered at the display of unfathomable power. Never had Chaska felt so insignificant.

  Moshere’s voice rang out in his head. “Attack, sorcerer. Now!”

  Knowing it would be a useless gesture, Chaska still brought up the most lethal spell he knew, reached out for the energy to power it, and gasped. Not only had Navon drawn to him the power of the Deluti, the power used by sorcerers had amassed alongside it. Without hesitation, the apprentice forced more power into his spell then he thought possible, and hurled it at the unsuspecting Deluti. Chaska experienced a moment of fear. Certainly, no one could survive what he had just unleashed.

  The resulting concussion knocked the sorcerer back several feet. Moshere lay on the ground, stunned. An ominous silence followed as the vortex slowed to a stop, the winds diminishing. Chaska hurriedly crawled forward to where he’d started and held out the amulet. Pain began to pulse through the life thread to his hands, smoke curling up from burning flesh.

  The vort
ex suddenly collapsed into a roiling sphere of darkness directly over Navon’s head, his arms now pointing forward. Pupils appeared and focused on the sorcerer. About to destroy the apprentice, Navon hesitated at the sight of the tear stained, dirt covered, and ravaged face before him. The acrid smell of Chaska’s burning flesh drove the Deluti to look at his own blistered and burnt hands, the only sign of his failed attempt at self-destruction.

  The apprentice’s strained voice, forced through clenched teeth, brought Navon back from the edge of the precipice he’d longed to jump from.

  “Take it, please. He… is… killing me.”

  Navon focused on the power pulsing along the life thread and knew there was no better target for his anger. With deft precision, he painlessly disconnected the thread, and with the speed of thought, sent the sphere of raw power and emotions chasing the thread back to its source.

  Chaska still held out the amulet to him. Navon studied the sorcerer before asking, “Why?”

  “The world needs you, Navon. They cannot fight this evil alone. And if you’ll have me, I would fight by your side.”

  Navon placed the chain around his neck once again and took Chaska’s hands in his, healing them.

  “Thank you, but what of your own hands?”

  The Deluti starred at hands that no longer bled, but were covered in ugly scars. “A reminder to never doubt myself again.”

  Moshere reached out to the strongest of the Brothers accompanying the three guards. They had found the wolf, but she was unresponsive. He lowered his head and confessed. “Forgive me, Navon. I must share the responsibility for what has happened to Moonlight, but now that you have returned, I can tell you there is a chance she still lives.”

  Navon surged to his feet. “She still lives? But how?”

  “Apparently, being bonded to you gives her the strength to endure injury, but we must hurry.”