by Tom Rogal
“Who are you?”
“My name is Jeris Dyfarin . . . sir.”
Kile examined him. He looked a little out of sorts. He must have been drinking all night and was feeling the high the next morning. That was a known effect of Arborite red wine. Expensive, to say the least, which had Kile thinking it was stolen from a merchant cart abandoned after the attack. He would do nothing to him for that, though. He recognized him and knew he could give him some answers. A heading would have been a good start.
Kile asked, “Do you know anything of a boy and a young girl that passed through here yesterday? The girl would have had a staff.”
Jeris was not sure how to answer. Kile remained silent, almost daring the man to try and say he didn’t recognize them. He wanted the man to mention Levus’ sword.
“Young boy and girl?”
Kile gazed at him somewhat annoyed, yet kept his cool. “I remember seeing you and your wife watching our battle the other day from a large window.”
Jeris began to think a little.
Kile then asked, “Where does your allegiance stand? With fugitives?”
Jeris looked down to the ground and then toward Kile. A big smile was on his face. He gave a little chuckle.
“Oh! Yes, that boy and the girl! I remember now. The one with that fancy-looking sword, correct? Such nice folk, but a little strange.”
“Where are they headed?”
Jeris thought for a few seconds before he remembered.
“Up north.”
Kile turned to his men, “They must be heading to Tartus. Send out a regiment to meet them at the town’s gates. Have them also keep a tight watch on the docks. If they are heading there, it means they’ll look to escape. I want a squadron hunting the plains as well.”
Kile told Jeris, “Thank you. If the boy is found, your reward from Lord Ulcinar will be great.”
Jeris nodded as one would bow to a king. “I follow whoever leads the capital.”
Kile snickered as he turned away from Jeris. He yelled to his men something that Jeris could not understand and they were off again. He was so glad he was able to help those in need. Particularly a stranger like that man was who sounded extremely excited by what he said. Even said he’d get a gift. Although he didn’t require one, he’d take it. Jeris continued his skipping on the rocky streets just as the sun hid behind a cloud.
***
The ocean was at peace. The water was much cleaner and purer than it had been at the gulf by Porsita. The whole coast was full of rocks and very little sand. Divi watched on the beach leaning against a boulder as a few birds landed on one of the large rocks partially submerged in the water. The white feathers reflected the sun’s light to where the bird was almost impossible to look at. It reminded her of the Kyroselips, a bird that would reflect the colors of the rainbow when the sun hit them. This bird of light had to be an omen, Divi figured, as it flew away to join the rest of his flock. Divi had always wondered what it was like to be a bird. Not a care in the world and more importantly, free. Free of all of life’s stress and problems. She always figured that one day, the birds would get the last laugh as they watch humanity destroy itself. Then there would be peace again.
Divi’s train of thought was disrupted by Levus’ return. He appeared tired, carrying three medium bags that were slightly larger than a common satchel. There was a little bit of mud on his face and his fingers were stained green. He rested the bags onto the sand and walked over toward Divi. Her chest began to thump hard again as he sat down next to her and placed his hand over hers. His hands were soft and damp. Divi assumed he’d dig in the water to find some of the items he was looking for. He soon removed his hand and the thumping stopped. For the first time in her life, she was truly lost for words. She wanted to say something, but was nervous as to what to say. Why was this? Divi took a quick look at him, but turned away when she noticed him looking at her.
He finally asked, “What’s the matter?”
I wish I knew.
All she could say was, “What’s it going to be like inside?”
Levus could see it in her eyes that she had something else on her mind, but figured to leave it for later. He looked out toward the ocean as he explained.
“Just a cave. Actually, it’s a series of cave outlets. It is told that humans first lived in these caves. As they became more sophisticated, they connected them all. When that was done, they eventually moved out into the woods and plains because although safe, food stuffs were getting scarce because they fished so much. Plus, the caves can be cold at night and wood is rare on the plains. That’s where we are heading. The first established settlement on Dyyros.”
“How long are we to be in there?”
“Probably a day or two. Although the first paths are mostly straightforward, it’s more like a maze the deeper we go. That’s why I got a week’s worth of food with us.”
Levus checked over at the bags of berries and leaves he collected throughout the day.
Divi suddenly said, “Levus.”
She just gazed out toward the sea. She couldn’t ask it. She wanted to, but something just wouldn’t let her. A white cloud covered the sun, leaving them both in the shadows. He looked at her in confusion.
After a few moments, Divi said, “Never mind. It wasn’t important.”
Divi just stared down at the sand below her. Levus, still unsure about what was bothering her, grabbed the bags he’d dropped on the ground. A few berries fell from one and were instantly pounced on by a large crab. Levus quickly snatched the remaining three bags before they could steal anymore of their hard-earned food. He handed Divi a bag, almost missing it as she was not paying attention.
She jumped slightly. There was that thumping again! When she noticed Levus touching her shoulder, things started to become clearer. It couldn’t be. These feelings she was having could not be right! As soon as he took his hand off her, the thumping eased to its regular pace. She watched as he headed toward a pathway leading up to the cave entrance.
She asked, “Have you ever gone through these caves?”
“Well, I tried once, but I didn’t make it very far.”
“Why not?”
“Thought I heard something. Voices. Ran out of that cave faster than the speedy zolcotts.”
Divi was not totally sold on the idea, but she finally stood up, took her bag, and followed Levus. She also didn’t know what a zolcott was, but she assumed it was one of the faster animals on this continent. Couldn’t be much faster than the varnotts. Riding those creatures was a rush!
By the time Divi got to the base of the path, Levus was already halfway up. The path itself was sand and loose dirt. She figured the latter was from traveler’s boots when they went into the caves. They certainly didn’t get it from this rock-laden beachhead. The firmly packed sand helped them walk up the steeper parts of the slope, giving them better traction.
The entrance was at least sixty feet higher from where they were. An icy chill emanated from the cavern’s beast-like mouth, forcing Divi to glance at the ocean and the warmth of the sun, fearing she might not see them again. It was still calm. If only she could have felt the same way right now.
When she reached Levus, she shivered from a fresh blast of cold air that escaped the cave mouth. Even he had to rub his arms for warmth when he passed through. Hanging on the ceiling were stalactites as far as the light would allow her to see. Similarly, stalagmites covered the floor of the cave, though not as numerous. Many appeared to be broken. This must have been from those first humans. The walls dripped with condensation. The clear sections of the floor were dusty, probably just the stone particles from all the broken rocks and other things left by previous travelers. Levus and Divi looked at each other before walking inside.
The first step in the cave was a polar shift. It had to be thirty degrees cooler inside. The dust crunched underfoot. After a few feet, Levus stopped, let down one of the bags, and pulled out a piece of wood. It was very thick and had some type of
sap around one end of it. He next grabbed a large loose piece of stalagmite and began striking it on the blade of his sword. After just one strike, the sparks lit the wood into a bright flame, instantly turning into a torch. As Levus lifted it, they could see another fifteen feet ahead of them.
Divi asked, “Are caves always this cold?”
“They are, but not usually this cold. Especially at this time of year. Give it another month and it will be even colder.”
They moved deeper into the cloaking shadows. Divi noticed a blue light coming from the ceiling in the distance. Levus noticed it too, but didn’t seem too concerned with it.
He soon explained, “Those are our ventilation pockets. There’s one in each major room of the cave, if I recall. The first settlers made them so they could move deeper in the cavern without suffocating. We’ll have to watch the floors so we don’t step on one for a lower level.”
They had nowhere to go but forward into the cave, bypassing the air pocket, and back into darkness’ teeth.
***
Night came suddenly on this day, known to the locals as Day of the Dead. It was about this time of year that Dyyros’ days began to shorten and the nights became longer. For reasons unexplainable, even the animals, if they hunted at night, would hide. Insects became mute, chirping softly only if needed. Throughout the Dyyros Woods, there was an eerie silence. Only one noise echoed through the forest that night: Kile and his men traveling slowly between the trees. No established road lead north except the one to the capital, so they had to move on the uneven forest floor. Kile remained astride his dragon-beast even though it put him at great risk. It wouldn’t recognize a change in elevation until it was too late. With the number of troops behind him, he couldn’t glide on the creature like he normally would without getting too far ahead.
Kile scanned the area with a sharp eye. He knew what lurked in these woods. He had many meetings with them himself. They were watching them at this very moment.
The winds blew heavily as they made it to a clearing. He signaled to halt his men by raising his arm. Kile looked around, slowly to the right and then the left. He could hear them; The chanting, the power of their footsteps on the ground. Thankfully his men could hear none of this. The special bread Ulcinar had given him allowed him to hear things from far away. He didn’t have much of it, so it was used sparingly. This was the right spot. Kile dismounted and his boots snapped every twig they landed on. His long, white hair swayed unfettered with the breeze as he passed two large trees. He stepped into the middle of the clearing. The cry he heard in the great distance allowed him to know heading. He smiled and turned to his men.
“I want two of you to come with me. The rest stay here. I will return shortly. Don’t worry about the Night Predators. They will not come here.”
Two men instantly stepped forward. For miles, Kile lead them along a straight course, never turning even to move around a tree.
The two men behind Kile shook with fear. They didn’t like what was going on. Finally, about three miles ahead, they could see a large fire. One of the men glanced behind him. The convoy they left behind was no longer in sight, afraid that the forest had already taken them. Their only hope remained in Kile, their high officer.
Kile moved at the same pace the entire trip. The twigs he crushed with every step reminded him of the sound of bones cracking. It satisfied him so that he gave a large smile, doing his best to hide his act of glee from his men. Not that he had to. Their fears kept them occupied so they did not see their true fate. Figures passed in front of the flame. They reached the pit where the fire was, stopping for a second as three creatures passed by it. Kile’s eyes followed those three toward some strange road. The creatures didn’t acknowledge their presence and continued their present course.
What a personal accomplishment! To beat their scouts back to their camp was not an easy task, as Kile knew far too well. The path was stony and so narrow that the Dyyros soldiers had to travel single file to stay on it.
At the end of the path, Kile could see a small bowl. Next to it, one solitary creature was bent down, drinking of its contents. His back was turned so he did not see them enter. Kile purposely stepped hard on one stone, making a noise that echoed loudly. The creature turned around and looked straight in the eyes of the intruder. His armor was exquisite compared to the others, made of copper, steel, and a hint of gold. The breeches matched the chest armor, though the boots were very different. He must have inherited them from a previous kill.
The creature unsheathed his sword and Kile followed suit. The soldiers, not knowing what was going on, readied their weapons.
Kile moved slowly, appearing ready to fight. He stopped about five feet away from the Night Predator leader. Extending his arm, Kile brought his sword toward his chest, and said, “Ertui jutre briopolit her taka.”
The creature eased his body, mirrored Kile’s gesture, and said, “Ertui jutre briopolit her taka.”
By this time, the other creatures had crowded the area. Kile and the lead creature sheathed their swords.
The soldiers were confused at this unholy alliance that the two were sharing. The troops had battled a few times against these monsters of the night near Fort Kerran. Although they did little against the thieves now these days, a nearby Night Predator sighting was taken with all seriousness.
One tapped their leader on the shoulder and asked, “Sir Kile, what is going on? These are the Night Predators!”
The lead creature immediately screamed, “Kijuytu buhyop liu retta!”
Kile faced the head Night Predator and said, “I apologize for their lack of respect, General Keth. They obviously have no sense of the rich history of your people or your great accomplishments.”
This seemed to appease the creature. He gave a growl to the soldiers before facing Kile again.
Kile continued, “I come in the name of Lord Ulcinar. We seek some answers.”
Keth shouted a group of commands to the rest of them. Within seconds, all the creatures departed but five. The area was once again quiet except for the fire crackling behind them. Keth took a couple steps toward Kile, the Dyyros general unnerved by any movement the creature made to him.
“What is it Lord Ulcinar seeks?” The Night Predator’s voice was rough and deep. The two men behind their leader were shocked it knew how to speak their language. They realized that this was not the first time Kile had ever met with this band.
Kile smiled and said, “He seeks a boy and a girl whom recently came this way. The boy carries a certain . . . weapon your kind would be familiar with. We believe they are on their way to Tartus by an unconfirmed source. They learned of our return to Porsita and eluded us. We assumed they could be no further than ten miles away from us, but we have seen none of them. Did you or your band encounter them?”
The creature moved toward the bowl and dipped his hand in it. As he pulled it out, a thick, red liquid dripped off its fingertips. He gave a growl as he looked at his blood-soaked hands, clenching his fist.
“Yes. We chased them to the sacred place. Not more than two days ago. We could not follow. We left.” Kile could almost hear his teeth grinding in anger at their failure to catch the pair.
“How did they get so far ahead of us? They are probably halfway to Tartus by now. Yet this news is most fortunate. They have chosen the plains, which are vast and more importantly, open. Our forces should be able to see them. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.”
Kile turned to leave but Keth stopped him.
“What of my reward for information?”
He turned to face the small band of Night Predators surrounding him. He had a feeling about what it meant by “reward.” That was why he brought two men with him. He looked back at Keth after glancing at his terrified men. “Yenta, uno rupdra. Hu himes wi futuya a plesta.” Yes, your reward. Do with them as you wish.
Kile turned when he saw Keth nod that he was satisfied. He began to walk away with his men following. Suddenly, the five remaining
creatures pounced on the two soldiers. Kile continued walking. The men cried out for their leader, hoping he would come to their rescue. There would be no rescue, though. He wouldn’t even look back. One of the cries was silenced. Before Kile left the small path to return to the rest of his troops, the only sound he would hear was the cracking fire behind him.
***
Divi and Levus sat around a small fire he had made. She could barely see the night sky through the air pocket above them. The cave itself was getting warmer and it certainly wasn’t because of their flame. Perhaps she was so used to the temperature of the cave by now.
They had spent the last twenty minutes eating food Levus had collected. This was the first real rest they had taken all day since entering the caves. They had been walking along winding pathways and between strange rock formations. Divi was not very confident that Levus knew where he was going. The fact that he kept swearing to himself every time they entered a new cavern---or the same one again---gave it away. Even at this moment, Levus was drawing lines in the rock dust, trying to recreate the paths they had taken today. She didn’t mind it. Whenever he was near, she felt safe. That was a feeling she hadn’t experienced in a while and she didn’t want it to end.
She took another look up to him. He gave a deep sigh and tossed down his drawing twig. Divi smiled at his frustration. For some reason, it seemed kind of cute.
“We’re lost, huh?” she asked.
Levus looked at her after rubbing his eyes. She thought he’d be annoyed seeing her smile at his lack of success, but he just flashed a smirk back.
“Not lost . . . just not sure . . . of where we need to go next.”
She also found it adorable how he tried to make an excuse and not admit he messed up. Of all the differences between this continent and hers, one thing that was similar: the men would not admit they were lost. She almost couldn’t count how many times she and Tasi had gotten lost outside of Myyril. Never once would he admit he didn’t know where they were. Levus threw one more branch into the fire. The flames consumed it quickly, thanking him for the offering by growing slightly larger. Levus took another handful of berries, rolling them gently down his dry throat.
