by Jeff Gunzel
Mise wandered back to the other students and dropped back down to her former position. Many were no longer meditating, just glaring at the foreigner. Nima had only told a few ranking palins about Jade’s potential, and certainly none of the regular students. They knew this was one of the outsiders, but nothing of her potential.
Nima waited until she was sure the plump girl was no longer paying attention to them. “Mise is a fine instructor and an even finer woman, but that doesn’t change the fact that she will have little to do with your training. Mind you, dear, it’s not that I don’t trust her—far from it, in fact.”
“Why then?” asked Jade. “You said yourself she is a fine instructor. She seems very nice and has shown more than a passing interest in me. I’m not saying I would choose her instruction over yours, I’m just wondering why you’re so concerned about her interfering. Why can’t I learn from both of you?”
Nima sighed. “Follow me, we’ll talk in the other room.” They went through one of the five doors, with Nima leading the way. The smaller room looked very similar to the first, except that the carpet was red. Two standing oil lamps flickered their scattered light along the same green walls. There had been very little furniture in the main room, but there was none in here at all. The only things that even came close were a few red pillows scattered across the floor.
Nima sat down on one of the pillows with her legs crossed, then gestured for Jade to have a seat across from her. “I will try and answer your question with a confession of my own.” Jade readjusted her pillow and listened attentively. “Not so long ago, because of my deal with Kelus, I more or less lay claim to your life. Your life was my responsibility, and I was to be held accountable for you, as well as your actions. I understand this must sound strange to you, but this is the way of our people.”
“We’ve talked about this before,” said Jade. “And as I told you before, I hold no resentment.”
“That’s because you don’t know the whole truth, dear.” Jade leaned back a bit, eyeing Nima suspiciously. “My intentions were not exactly pure. I had personal reasons for making that deal, and none of them had anything to do with your safety. When we scooped your half-dead body off the beach, I saw nothing but an endless bag of knowledge lying there before us—an actual human being from the old world right here on our shore. My only intent was to extract as much information from you as I could, maybe even rewrite a few of our own history books. After all, how accurate could they be, pieced together from barely legible scrolls? You...you were the key to that lost knowledge.” She hung her head, having difficulty meeting Jade’s eyes. “Your well- being was never any concern to me.”
“I was the key?” Jade hissed as a tear ran down her cheek. “What did you plan to do with me once I no longer proved useful? Throw me back into the sea where you found me? Oh, no, that would be a waste of good meat, I suppose. Perhaps you would have cut me up and fed me to your livestock. That way I would have served one last purpose, even in death.”
“I’m sorry, Jade,” said Nima in a soft, breaking voice. “I’m not proud of what I did, but I feel no shame either. Remember, I didn’t know you, yet I still put myself at great risk. Yes, I took that chance just so I could gain from it, but then everything changed. I learned more about Jade Ethrista than I ever intended to. I listened to stories about her friends, and shared her fears that you might never see them again.” She took a deep breath. “I’ve come to think of you as my friend. In a way, I still feel as if you are my responsibility, and I plan to honor that by being your personal mentor. I alone will share my knowledge with you, and we will see just how far you can go.”
Jade stood slowly, than flashed her companion an icy glare, before walking toward the door. “I need time to think,” she said over her shoulder. “If I decide to accept your teachings, I will be back in the morning.”
“Don’t bother trying to play the victim, Jade,” said Nima. “I told you everything so we can start clean. I really do consider you my friend, but don’t you dare forget,” she waited for Jade to look back, “your secret was far bigger than mine. When were you planning to tell me you travel with the Shantie Rhoe?” Jade’s eyes opened wide for a second, but she quickly recovered her composure, then hurried out the door. Nima smiled, then whispered as if Jade were still in the room. “See you in the morning.”
* * *
Dark dreams haunted Eric as usual while he tossed and turned in his sleep. He awakened with a jolt, sitting up, covered with sweat. He wiped the moist brown curls from his eyes, then kicked back the damp sheet. After a moment he lay back down again, eyes wide open as he tried to remember his dream, an exercise in futility to be sure. Many a time recently, Jade would awaken him when he cried out for no reason, but when he tried to explain the nightmare that had him shivering with terror, he couldn’t recall a thing.
This time was no different as he lay there trying to remember some sort of detail, anything. How can I not remember the horrors that nearly drive me to madness? Thinking on that a little further, he decided he might have answered his own question. Any normal mind would rather purge these dark thoughts than store them in memory.
He glanced at Jade, who stirred a little but thankfully never woke up. He noticed she hadn’t been herself this evening, after returning from her meeting with Nima. Sure, she wore her usual smile meant to fool him into thinking everything was all right, but he knew her much better than that. He decided it was best to let her believe she was fooling him rather than call her on the ruse. Besides, she was entitled her secrets. If things got really bad, she was sure to say something. How did I ever get so lucky?
He admired her beauty as she laid there, her messy black hair wrapped around her face. I don’t deserve you. Knowing there was no point in trying to go back to sleep, he decided to get up. An idea came to him as he moved silently through the room, trying not to wake the other two. Grabbing a cloth sack from the corner, he tiptoed over to the bowl of fruit on the table. One by one he placed apples, oranges, and some odd yellow-skinned fruit none of them had ever seen before. Long and curved, you had to peel the yellow skin away to get the white meat inside. The first time they saw it, Jacob just ate the whole thing, but swore it was quite good anyway.
With his sack of goodies slung over his shoulder, he snuck out into the street. No one was out at this early hour, so the walk felt rather lonely, but that didn’t ruin his surprisingly good mood. Besides, it was probably best he didn’t run into anyone this morning. Everyone seemed to have mixed feelings about this group, so there was no telling what kind of encounter he might have.
He wandered a little farther, until he recognized the alley Kelus had taken him through once before. Eric couldn’t deny his growing excitement as he began to walk a little faster. Through the alley and into the clearing, the familiar sturdy-looking barn came into view. There were only two guards at the door this time. Wearing their green capes and wicker helmets, they stood perfectly still, appearing lifeless as he approached. He really believed they weren’t going to offer any resistance until the last second, when they suddenly crossed their spears over the entrance.
“You know who I am, let me pass,” said Eric. Standing with his arms folded over his chest, he stood nearly a head taller than each of them.
They glanced at each other, a subtle movement barely noticeable due to their covered faces. “Yes, we know who you are, outsider, but that does not mean you have permission to enter,” said the slender man to the right. “Only Kelus himself has the authority you seem to believe you have. Our orders are clear, now go back the way you came.”
Eric could feel his anger building up inside, but pushed it back down. There had to be another way. Come on, think. He slung the sack over his shoulder and took a deep breath. “You are correct, my friend, your orders were made clear. You were told that my companions and I were to have all our belongings returned to us. This order, handed down directly from Kelus, was given days ago. Well, my property is in that barn, and I want it back.
I thank you for doing your duty and protecting it from harm, but now that I have returned...”
It was clear they weren’t sure what to do as they looked around nervously. Eric’s argument held just enough truth to give them pause. He figured he could drive home the half-truth without much resistance now. “Here, for each of you,” he said, reaching into his sack and handing them each an apple. “I will personally tell Kelus what a fine job you’ve done. Now go home to your families and send them my regards.”
With an uneasy shrug, they walked off, each one munching away on their newly acquired treat. Eric felt a little guilty for tricking them, but the lie was at least partially true. The flying lizard inside belonged to him, and Kelus had told his soldiers to give the four companions all their positions back. If there is any misunderstanding here, I’ll clear it up in the morning.
He saw the hammer the boys had used before, lying in a pile of grass off to the side. Once he had it in hand, he made quick work of the wooden plank securing the two doors. He had to admit, the blacksmith in him liked the feeling of swinging that tool—a feeling he didn’t know he’d missed so much until this very moment.
He eagerly kicked open the double doors, picked up the sack, and walked into the darkness. The reddish brown outline came rushing toward him, then knocked him to the ground as if he were a small child. Per Eric’s request, the beast was now unchained and allowed to roam around the barn. Partially trapped beneath the beast, Eric fell victim to a long, thin, forked tongue as it swiped across his face over and over again.
“Easy now. Hey, easy there,” he said, laughing and pushing futilely against the beast’s bony frill. It just kept on licking, showing no signs of slowing down. The krackledon clearly didn’t know its own strength, as it kept its full weight pressed down on Eric’s chest. Realizing this might get out of hand if he didn’t do something, Eric shook the bag open with his one free hand. The fruit spilled out across the ground.
The only thing that could ever make this beast forget all about his friend had just been presented. It turned from Eric as if he wasn’t even there, then pounced on the colored treats. A lightning-fast tongue lashed out, pulling a bright-red apple back into its leathery muzzle. A few crunches were followed by a loud gurgling swallow, and the apple was no more. Eric couldn’t be sure of how well the reptile had been fed, but by the way it was gorging, the poor thing must not have eaten in days. Of course, he immediately dismissed the absurd notion. Just because the beast was greedily gobbling up the sweet fruit, didn’t mean it hadn’t been fed. It only meant it wasn’t given treats every single day.
“Looks like I’ve already spoiled you,” Eric said, brushing the dirt from his shirt, and watching the krackledon slurp up the last of the fruit. He stroked the side of its neck as it purred and gurgled, soaking up the attention like a loyal dog. “You know, we’ve never given you a name, have we?” Eric tapped his chin, still stroking the creature with his other hand. “Since I still don’t know if you’re a boy or girl, I need something that will work for either.”
“I assure you she’s a girl,” came the familiar voice from the doorway. Eric turned to face Kelus, suddenly very embarrassed. “And yes, as you’ve seen, she certainly loves fruit too.”
“Oh, I didn’t see you standing there.” Eric kept on stroking his friend while keeping his gaze to the floor. “I…um—”
“That’s quite alright, my boy,” Kelus laughed. “I understand what it’s like to bend the rules a little, just to be near our loved ones.”
Eric looked at the krackledon fondly, thinking on how much he owed her. Without her aid, he would have never gotten to the village in time to save his friends. Without her, they would have... He shuddered at the thought.
“May I make a suggestion?”
“Of course,” said Eric, not even sure what Kelus was taking about.
“I think ‘Asami’ is a beautiful name.” Just like that, the little man turned to leave.
“Asami,” Eric whispered, looking to his companion. “What do you think of that? Do you like it, Asami?” A series of fast licks across his face was answer enough.
From just outside the barn, Kelus called back over his shoulder, “You know, those wings have not touched fresh air in some time. Perhaps you should do something about that.”
* * *
Eric clung to her back with his legs while holding on tightly to her bony frill. Together, the reunited pair soared across the sky. Asami pulled up into a steep climb, the pressure causing Eric’s fingers to ache. Up and up she climbed, but began slowing as the air grew thinner. She pumped her leathery wings harder and harder, trying her best to defy the physics of flight. When each pump no longer produced elevation, she retracted her wings, clamping them against her scaly sides.
Eric’s stomach fluttered as the free fall began. It felt as if he were floating at first, but the acceleration continued until they were streaking into a full dive. The skin on his face stretched and flapped as the icy air blasted against him. As the ground approached them at blistering speed, the lizard pulled up, using the built-up speed to streak across the tops of the trees.
Squirrels jumped while rabbits perked up their ears. All the woodland creatures watched the supernatural sight as the two of them whipped through the air. For the moment, all the world’s problems could wait. For the moment, Eric felt free.
Chapter 9
The white-robed figure glided across the red crystal floor, each smooth step graceful and precise. The jagged walls and ceiling glimmered with the same hardened red substance. Flattened surfaces along the rough, diamond-like walls mirrored tiny images of him as he drifted past. The man’s chiseled facial features remained hidden by the low-hanging hood.
A black catlike creature skittered past his legs, rustling the bottom of his robe as it whipped past. Its body was lean yet small, with skinny legs and a long tail. Its head was flattened, like some sort of catfish, and its yellow eyes sat high on its face, much like a frog’s. The wild creature was no bigger than a medium-sized dog, which drew even more attention to its large, oversized paws. It skittered across the red crystal, slipping along the smooth surface as it stumpy legs galloped along, then skidded to a halt, spinning around to face the man. The cat opened its impossibly large mouth, showing off three separate rows of razor-sharp teeth. With a shrill, hawk-like screech, its two separate tongues flapped about like red whips.
The young man grinned beneath his hood, eyeing the vicious cat, one of hundreds that roamed these halls. With a hissing snort, it disappeared around the corner, its steel-hard claws clacking against the crystal floor. The man continued down the hall, his flowing white robe swishing with each graceful step. His thick black boots never made a sound against the hard surface, as if he were weightless.
This crystal chamber existed not in the physical world, nor in the spiritual world either. In an unnatural balance between the two, this place resided within its own private dimension, a place where time itself moved differently, and both the laws of physics and nature simply didn’t apply. This was the reason no witnesses ever saw the killer come or go. His home existed in a realm of nothingness. Although young in appearance, the man was thousands of years old by any quantitative calculation, but years meant nothing here—time meant nothing here.
He methodically turned the corner and marched down the next hall. It looked no different than first. Jagged red crystals covered the place from ceiling to floor, making his white robe appear even brighter. The hall emptied into a wide-open chamber, encrusted by the same red stones covering each wall. The only item in this wide-open room was a transparent crystal chair, shimmering like a diamond throne. Encrusted with large black jewels that lined the arms and backing, it would have been priceless in the physical world. It was so bright in comparison to the red room, it could have been made of ice.
He threw himself down in the rock-hard chair and began drumming his fingers along the black- jeweled chair arm. The insane man cackled at nothing, glaring at the floor
from underneath his drooping hood. With his completely broken mind submerged in constant blackness, the lunatic’s shoulders shook with laughter as images of death danced through his head. Living a life of complete solitude, the rogue never believed in companionship.
Why would a god ever view humans as equals? After all, I am the chosen one. He pulled back the loose sleeve hanging from his left arm, revealing numerous black scars. The ancient symbols running up his arm looked like dark tattoos at a glance, but it was clear the charred markings were burned directly into his flesh. He ran his hand across the ridged grooves, feeling the gritty, sandy lines slide underneath his fingertips.
“I am the chosen one,” shrieked the madman. “My only purpose is to guide the people away from their own impending doom. To show them the light and keep them safe.”
Why help these inferior beings? They never helped me in my darkest hour. After all, I am a forgiving god who only takes what is rightfully his. Mad laughter burst through his head as spittle sprayed from his mouth. And everything in the world rightfully belongs to me.
“No, they need my help. The spirits’ gift is not to be wasted on such greed. I alone was born to save them from this impending evil.”
His eyes rolled back into his head as drool flowed freely, dampening his shoulder and chest. And just how do suppose they will repay you for your decency? By returning the same kindness as they did before? His fingers rubbed along the same identical charred scars on his other arm. Do you not remember the pain, the fire, the burning?
Unshed tears began to pool within his bright blue eyes, making them glisten with wetness. “That was just an accident, nothing more. The spirits did that, not the loving people. There was no other way, it was the price I had to pay.”
He began to chew his lower lip, never once noticing the fresh blood as it began flowing down his chin. After a violent fit of coughing, his eyes rolled back again, showing nothing but the whites of his eyes. Gripping the armrest with his fingertips, they began trembling from strain. One nail snapped off, followed by another that just curled upward, away from the fingertip, still remaining attached by a small piece of skin. Is that really what you believe? Then why did they laugh at us? Why would they taunt a god? No sane man would ever taunt a god.
