Brinks in Time: The Unification

by Tom Rogal

  Divi looked just as confused as he was. She rejoined him in the middle of the street.

  Levus asked, “Where did he go?”

  Divi was about to answer when a voice came from behind them.

  “Ulcinar saved him.”

  A middle-aged woman stood on the remains of the sidewalk, seeming to favor her right foot. She had brown hair that barely covered the sad expression on her face. Levus thought he recognized her from his many ventures to Porsita.

  Divi asked, “How?”

  The woman explained, “Ulcinar is a great magician. Stronger than the wizards at Myyril some believe.”

  Divi seemed offended. “That’s impossible! Myyril is the only place where mages . . .”

  Levus put his finger to his lips and hushed her. The woman looked perturbed, but the expression passed away once her eyes hit Levus.

  She said, “Yes, but no one knows where Ulcinar came from or what his intentions are. Neither does anyone south of Tartus know what he looks like. They say that when we see our greatest fear standing in front of us, we see Ulcinar.”

  Divi badly wanted to defend the place where she lived despite her own feelings for it, but Levus shushed her again. Why? She knew that there was no way Ulcinar could come from Myyril. The birth rate in Myyril was low due to the time it took to not only produce the child, but also for it to be conceived by the magical properties that allowed its residents to perform their special gift. There was not one pure mage living that the leaders of Myyril didn’t know about.

  The woman continued, “But aside all that, we are thankful that you have driven Kile out. Since they attacked our town a few days ago, they have patrolled it non-stop. You may stay in our house as long as you wish. It is but a few doors down. We can keep the patrols at bay.”

  Levus glanced at the sky. It was obvious that the sun was setting through the new wave of clouds. The ominous shadows engulfed the Gulf of Dyyros and were heading quickly toward Porsita.

  “I guess we can stay the night,” he said to the woman. “Don’t want to get caught in the Dyyros Woods again after dark with no walls.”

  “Because of the thieves?” Divi asked.

  Levus and the woman already were walking inside when she asked the question. They stopped and looked at each other.

  He explained, “Worse. Night Predators. They’re cannibals in the mountain ranges and forests surrounding the capital. They feast at night in the Dyyros Woods, sleep during the day. We were lucky to not run into any on the way up.”

  Levus and the woman walked inside. Divi was frozen at the thought of the horrible creatures Levus described. She was happy not to have run into any of them on her first night on Dyyros. She didn’t even want to think what they would have done to her. It made her shudder a little.

  “I see your point.”

  Divi followed everyone else and entered the house.

  ***

  “Not even you could defeat the boy?”

  Kile trembled where he knelt. Ulcinar was shocked that his number one man had failed him . . . twice! The Dark Lord paced across the throne room floor. The echo of each step deafened Kile’s senses.

  “My apologies, my lord. He had that girl with him. She must be a mage like the others on the boat. Her name did not appear on the list of council members.”

  “Enough excuses!”

  He went silent quickly. The brief confidence he’d had to lift his head up shattered like glass. For Kile, this was the first time a mission had ended in complete failure. He was unsure how his master would react. He had seen what Ulcinar did to those who failed him, but they ranked lower than he and had less history with him. He could only hope that his fate would be different.

  Ulcinar continued to pace until he finally looked toward Kile.

  “This is unacceptable! Stand up!”

  Kile stood quickly with his head still looking down to the ground. Ulcinar began to circle around him, ending his walk at a most curious flame that not even the wind affected.

  “I feel the shame in you.”

  Kile pointed his sword toward Ulcinar, who was on the other side of the flame. “The boy will not best me again!” yelled Kile.

  Ulcinar, seeing how close the tip of the Marasam was to the fire, quickly moved to push the sword away from it. Kile was a little confused at his reaction. It was the first time he had seen Ulcinar show any fear. What was that flame?

  “You will get another chance, but this time I want to see this boy myself. Next time you meet him, perform your Technique so I can track you. I shall deal with him and his friend personally.”

  Kile replied quickly, “Yes, Lord Ulcinar.”

  Ulcinar walked to the window. The moonlight hit his deep purple hand. The yellow claws gave an eerie glow in midst of the light. Ulcinar began a maniacal laugh that scared even Kile.

  “I shall see what this boy is made of. Begin your search. Take the portal back to Fort Kerran and assemble your forces.”

  Kile didn’t like to use what Ulcinar called “the portal.” It was a strange device in his throne room that looked like a mirror frame without the mirror. When Ulcinar incanted a few sentences, the void was filled with a light. It always left Kile woozy and he tended to vomit at his destination. There was no denying, though, that it sure beat the six or seven days travel it would take to ride to Fort Kerran from the capital. Ulcinar rarely used it, and to do so now meant his lord saw capturing or killing this boy as extremely important.

  “I will start in Porsita and track him from there.”

  He bowed one more time before turning to leave until Ulcinar stopped him. “By the way. If you ever place the sword that close to my everlasting fire again, you will regret it. I like you, Kile. You have served me well since in my service. Don’t mess it up because you can’t control your patience. Did Ardeeza’s death teach you nothing?”

  Kile nodded. He did try to learn from her mistakes, but they were so much alike. Her fate was one he’d like to avoid, though. All that talent and anger, but in the end, it only got her killed faster. Kile knew he had to work on his patience, he just hoped he’d figure it out before it killed him. He left the throne room determined.

  Ulcinar continued to look out the window. He wanted to test something. He could feel a strange presence in Porsita. Although not strong enough that he could pinpoint it, he was certain it was there. He closed his eyes and softly whispered, “Your time is near.”

  ***

  Levus stood up quickly from the kitchen chair, holding his hand over his forehead. What just happened? His vision went dark and he thought for a split second he heard a voice calling him . . . warning him. It seemed so familiar to him, but why? Suddenly a hand touched his shoulder. He turned quickly and grasped it. As his sight returned, he released his hold. The stranger was none other than Divi. Levus turned to the wall and returned his hands to his face.

  Divi was very worried. What was happening to him? When his hands grasped hers, they felt ice cold. The weather itself was not warm, but certainly not this cold . . . so much for those hot evenings he described to her on the way to Porsita. The weird thing was that for some reason, when their hands met, she could briefly see a figure looking out a window. She wasn’t sure who it was, but she could not deny it.

  Their host, named Sarya as they’d found out, walked over to them and looked at them both.

  “Are you two all right?”

  Levus could see the look of concern on her face. He finally took his hands off his forehead. “We’re fine. I just had a small headache.”

  “Well, if you are feeling better, why not come back to the table? Jeris is . . . worried.”

  Levus nodded and the woman left the room. He glanced at Divi before following Sarya to the kitchen. It was a decent size compared with the rest of the house. It was composed of three rooms, with the bedroom being the largest. The kitchen was considerably warmer, though, because of the cooking. Divi was surprised the house kept the heat, as it had no door to block the incoming cold ai
r. At least in rural Myyril they used a thick cloth to keep in the warmth, although it didn’t work when the winds were too heavy.

  The kitchen was not fancy at all. Its furniture was composed mainly of a table, a place to store dishes, a few chairs, and a sink---a luxury in its own. Of the four main cities of Dyyros, Porsita was the only one south of the Woods that had running water. Plumbing and advanced irrigation was relatively new to their land, as Levus could attest. If not for the Cordcan merchants that rarely landed here, they might not have gotten that.

  The table itself looked rather old and the chairs poorly made. Divi hoped that this was the result of Kile’s attack. On the way here, her father told her Porsita was one of the richer cities in Dyyros.

  Levus sat at the far end of the table while Divi assumed her spot next to Jeris, Sarya’s husband. He was a little taller than his wife, had short brown hair, and short whiskers coming from his face. He was a very husky man, also. Divi believed he had to work in an occupation that required a lot of lifting, like dockhand perhaps. She wondered if she had seen him the day they arrived. His hands were very chapped. She seemed to notice them every time he reached for his drink.

  “Well, glad you’re all right. Thought you two daft when you accepted to fight Kile and his men. What made you think you could ward him off?” asked Jeris.

  “Not over dinner, Jeris!”

  Levus turned to Sarya and said, “It’s all right.”

  Jeris took a long gulp of his wine before putting it down with such force that Divi thought the table was going to collapse. Jeris turned to Sarya, who was doing the dishes. “Hey, more wine!”

  Divi did not appreciate the way Jeris had talked to his wife. In Myyril, he would have been punished for his attitude toward women. This continent was so different from the one she came from; it amazed her how just water could separate two ways of life. Sarya poured him another drink. After chugging the whole pint, he slammed it on the table, only this time, drips of the red wine fell on it. Jeris’ attentions were once again on the two travelers instead of his booze.

  He said, “No, she’s right. I’m sorry. It’s just that Kile and his forces have been ripping through the Dyyros continent. It is only a matter of time that he sweeps to the south toward Arnis and Salba. But you have been the only ones who’ve been able to stop him. Perhaps they’ll send that crazy General Alcatar out of Fort Kerran to finish the job with Kile’s failure?”

  Levus leaned over to Divi and whispered, “Alcatar also helped Ulcinar to take over the capital. Because of his . . . character, Ulcinar stationed him at Fort Kerran to maintain order and make sure none of the small villages revolt.”

  Divi received a chill. Ulcinar seemed to have a great talent at finding ones like himself: crazy, determined, and having a great lust for power.

  Jeris took one more sip before asking, “While on the subject, how did you do that attack where you turned orange and purple? Almost thought with power like that you secretly worked for Ulcinar.”

  Sarya intervened. “Jeris! Stop being so rude to our guests. If they worked for Ulcinar, why would Kile be trying to kill them?”

  Jeris flashed a look at his wife before returning his curious gaze toward Levus, who began to feel uncomfortable with those strange eyes staring at him.

  Levus finally answered, “I’m not too sure.”

  Jeris let out a laugh that made him feel even more awkward. “So, wait . . . you don’t know how to do it? It was just stupid luck? And here I thought it was pure skill!”

  “It’s not that I don’t know how I can do it, but why?”

  His answer quieted Jeris’ haughty attitude. Divi figured he finally realized he was making a fool of himself . . . maybe.

  Sarya saw the way things were going at the table and decided to interfere. “Listen. You must be very tired. I’m sorry we don’t have another room, but I can give you many blankets and a place to lay your head. You are welcome to stay, and I recommend it at least until morn.”

  Levus and Divi stood up, glad that their little conversation with Jeris had ended so subtly. By now, he was almost passed out, muttering nothing but useless words. Sarya led them into a little niche in the bedroom. It was not a very big space, but it was more than enough for both to rest. She set a couple blankets on the floor and threw a few more down for them to use for cover. The cool breeze came through a small window. Except for the candlelight and the moonlight, it was an eerie black inside the room.

  Divi hesitated to get to their makeshift bed. As kind as Sarya was, she did not completely trust these people. They seemed sincere, but sometimes people are different on the inside. For the right amount of money, she felt these people would turn them in without a doubt. This crime rarely happened in Myyril, but she did read about it in the city of Cordca. Considering what happened to their home and how odd thee couple have acted around them, she could see this same type of betrayal in these two.

  Sarya finished setting their bedding and began to walk out of the room, stopping in the doorway.

  “Jeris and I will be turning in shortly. Just need to make sure doorways are secure and no water is leaking around the house.”

  She took the candle with her, so the moon gave them their only light. Levus took off his breastplate and laid it against the wall next to the bedding. The blankets Sarya had given them felt comfortable and soft on his bare arm. Levus’ thoughts were halted when he saw Divi had cuddled near him. She looked so beautiful. She reminded him of Leeta when they first met. It had been on a cool night just like this. He suddenly felt Divi shivering from the latest breeze that entered the room.

  Levus asked her softly, “Are you cold?”

  Divi silently replied, “Inside and out.”

  He scooted closer to her side. Divi instantly wrapped her arms around him. It was strange to her. The moment her body was close to Levus, she became all warm inside, especially in her chest. What was this? She had never felt it before in her life. She didn’t care, though. Whatever it was, she liked it. She closed her eyes end entered deep sleep.

  CHAPTER 5

  The Night Predators

  Divi looked confusedly around the barren plains. The last moment she remembered was being in Levus’ arms. She felt safe for the first time in her life ever since her mother died. Now, though, she felt completely the opposite. The air was freezing, though there wasn’t even a wind.

  Regardless of her continuously growing fear, she moved onward. Withered grass and skeletal trees filled the landscape. The ground was dry and inhospitable to any life; the cracks assumingly hiding a deep abyss. She crossed her arms in the hopes of feeling some warmth, but generated none.

  Divi tried screaming, “Levus!”

  Her voice echoed in the infinite terrain. She gripped herself tighter. She was alone. Wanting to scream again, she knew it would be pointless. Her cries of panic and confusion would be only heard by herself. Still, even after knowing this, she decided to take another chance.

  “Levus! Somebody, please!”

  What was that? She thought she heard something faintly reply. Or was it only her voice echoing again? She stood motionless, hoping to hear it again. As time passed, she began to wonder if she’d heard anything at all. It must have been her imagination. She took a couple more steps.

  “Divi.”

  She froze in her tracks. There was a voice whispering her name. But where was it coming from and whose was it? How did it know her name? She searched for the source of this voice, but dead plants were all she could see.

  She finally screamed, “Reveal yourself!”

  Tears came to Divi’s eyes. Her fear was reaching new heights. Everything went silent after her scream’s echo traveled through the wasteland.

  “Fear is your fate.”

  As the voice spoke, wind suddenly began to swirl heavily around her. The loose dust on the ground flew up and formed a pillar around her. Divi shielded her face, sputtering and coughing, but the wind remained heavy. She took a couple steps forward before al
l the dead plants around her burst into flame. Divi jumped back as the fire before her leapt so high it reached her face. The heat around her was almost unbearable. What was going on?

  “Fear is your only ally.”

  After the whispered voice spoke again, a figure stepped out among the flames. She could not see him well because of the heat fumes, though he looked very muscular. The footsteps echoed even through the loud crackle of the flames. He seemed to be carrying a spear, but could see little than that until the flames around him lowered. Her eyes followed him up until she reached its head. She fell to the ground. The man had a blank face. How was he calling her? There wasn’t even a mouth!

  Suddenly, two red eyes appeared staring coldly at Divi. They were dull from the beginning, but soon grew bright. The fire from the terrain seemed attracted to the man as they gathered until he was encircled by it.

  “You will never defeat me!”

  The fire around the man danced until she too was surrounded. Divi panicked as the flames trapped her. There was no escape. All Divi knew was the figure laughing as the flames reached for her head.

  “Divi!”

  Divi sat up. Levus was shaking her, almost violently. She scanned around quickly in all directions. The fires around her were gone and so was that hideous figure. She was very thankful it was just a dream. But it was another one featuring some evil creature! This one, though, was different than the others. The man in this one was completely different than in her other dreams.