Trials

by Pedro Urvi

  “The rest of the fare?” he said in the common language of the West, with a strong accent.

  Komir turned round and looked at the enormous Nocean man.

  “When we get to Abudai we’ll give you the rest as we’d agreed, Captain Albatros. Not a coin before that.”

  “You’d better have the money at hand,” said the Captain in a threatening tone. “Things might be rather unpleasant for you if you didn’t…” he added with a glance at his two men.

  Komir smiled. It would have taken much more than that to intimidate him.

  “You’ll have your gold, Captain. Besides, during this trip I doubt you’d want to start a fight that could get out of hand,” he said as he looked at Hartz who was flexing his powerful arms before the three Noceans with a wide challenging smile.

  “Don’t you dare threaten me, foreigner,” said Albatros, pointing his finger at Komir’s chest. “Remember you’re a long way from your home now, in enemy territory. The patrols of the all-powerful Nocean army sail up-river regularly. We’ll probably meet one today. It would be the easiest thing for me to draw their attention. What do you think they’d do if they found a group of northerners, pale as the snow? Or do I have to remind you that we’re at war? They’ll hang you from the mast right here. All of you, no exception.”

  They all tensed at once at the Captain’s words. Their hands went to their swords.

  Albatros put two fingers to his lips and whistled twice.

  “Don’t move…” said Komir when he saw five other sailors come to join their captain with scimitars and curved daggers.

  “I guarantee you there’ll be no need to get to those extremes, Captain,” intervened Aliana with a sweet voice, somewhat more so even than usual. “We have the gold and we’ll honor the agreement. There’s no need for either bloodshed, or involving the army I assure you. After all, we’re no more than a group of peaceful travelers on a pilgrimage, that’s all.” Aliana offered her sweetest smile, trying to draw attention from the tense faces of her friends.

  “Peaceful travelers on a pilgrimage? Huh!” said the Captain and laughed heartily. “All you need to do now is convince me that you’re clergy.” He went on laughing. “What you’re doing here, and why, is your business and none of mine, but if you don’t pay me what we agreed I’ll hand you over to the first patrol we see. Be warned!”

  With this last threat the Captain walked on towards the stern, followed by his men.

  Komir and Aliana exchanged glances. Komir bent his head in gratitude for the Healer’s opportune intervention.

  The group settled down, and the hours went by endlessly under the scorching sun and the slow progress of the ship.

  “I not like river. I sick,” complained Asti in her peculiar way of speaking.

  The young Usik looked pale: the soft greenish hue of her people seemed to have faded from her face. She was sitting beside Aliana at the foot of the massive mast, surrounded by large bundles of cargo, keeping herself at a safe distance from the gunwale. She had thrown up several times, overwhelmed by sea-sickness. Aliana had her arm around the Usik’s shoulder and was trying to alleviate her sickness with her power, although a little later she would be overcome again.

  “All this is very different from your own land, isn’t it?” Aliana said as she looked at the great river and felt the swaying of the ship under them.

  “Yes me trees, not water,” she said, shaking her head weakly.

  “It must be very hard for you to be so far from your land, surrounded by landscapes that are so different from your own woods…”

  “I know river, father take me many times. He teach me. Prefer big trees. No move. No sick. Father teach many things…”

  Aliana remained thoughtful, wondering whether to ask.

  “You didn’t tell me much about your father… he was the Chief of the Usik tribe, wasn’t he?”

  Asti sighed.

  “Yes, father Chief, king tribe. Shamans kill father and mother, take power. Kill friends. I prisoner.”

  “I’m deeply sorry, Asti. It must have been terrible. I never knew my parents. I’m an orphan, and I’ve always felt an emptiness in my heart because of their loss. Losing your parents like that must have been incredibly painful.”

  Asti lowered her gaze, tears shining in her eyes.

  “Much pain. Someday revenge. Someday I back to tribe, I princess.”

  Aliana could understand about the still-open wound in the Usik’s heart.

  “I orphan too. Father find me as baby.”

  That revelation struck Aliana powerfully.

  “You mean your parents weren’t your real parents?”

  “Yes. Father find one night and raise me like own.”

  Aliana was flummoxed.

  “What…?” said Asti, seeing the expression on Aliana’s face.

  “Perhaps nothing… probably nothing…” Aliana began thoughtfully. “It’s just that… Komir is an orphan too.”

  Asti looked up at the sky.

  “Three orphans. No coincidence.”

  Aliana nodded. “My thoughts precisely…”

  Half the afternoon had gone by when uproar broke out on the port side. Komir, startled, looked in that direction. Several passengers were gathered tightly together at the gunwale, towards the middle of the ship. They were waving their arms and shouting desperately in Nocean.

  “Something bad’s happening,” said Komir.

  “I agree, my friend,” said Hartz. “Let’s go see what it’s about.”

  The two Norriel made their way towards the noise.

  On the gunwale Komir’s attention was caught by a rotund middle-aged man who was screaming and waving his arms in desperation. His clothing, of rich silk, stood out among the other travelers, who were much more modest and in some cases even poor. He looked like a glow-worm among a group of caterpillars. Around this man, who Komir guessed must be a Nocean nobleman or a rich merchant, three armed men, probably his bodyguard, were looking overboard. The rich man’s chubby face, with the characteristic tanned Nocean complexion, appeared rigid. His black eyes shone with overwhelming fear. He was yelling and pushing his men, but they seemed to be avoiding him, as if they were afraid to help him. This surprised Komir.

  He and Hartz arrived and surveyed the scene.

  In the river, a figure was trying to keep afloat as the big ship began to pass it by and leave it behind.

  “Man overboard!” shouted Kendas behind the two Norriel. “It looks like a woman…” He immediately turned to Asti, who was standing by the mast without moving an inch.

  “Why hasn’t anybody dived in for her?” Komir asked in surprise, seeing the number of men watching the scene without doing anything to help.

  “I’ll go for her,” said Hartz as he took his footwear off.

  Komir looked at where some of the passengers were pointing and saw that it was not at the woman but the sandy shore of the river. And then he understood.

  “Hartz, look out, crocodiles!”

  A huge crocodile jumped into the water with a whiplash of its tail.

  Komir tried to stop his friend, but he was too late. The big man was already diving, paying no attention to the warning.

  “Damn it, Hartz!”

  Captain Albatros appeared at a run and ordered the sail to be lowered and the anchor dropped to stay the ship’s course. The sailors began the maneuver and threw a rope to Hartz, who by now was swimming towards the woman with strong strokes.

  “Isn’t he a fool!” said Kayti. “He’ll get himself killed,” she added in a broken voice. Her eyes were moist as she choked back a worried sigh.

  “He’s nearly got her!” cried Aliana.

  Two arm’s-lengths from the woman, the crocodile reached Hartz. It broke the surface with its terrifying mouth open, jaws hunting for the flesh of its prey. Beast and man disappeared under the water in a mortal embrace.

  “Nooooo!” cried Kayti above the cries of horror from the other passengers and crew.

  “By
the three goddesses!” cried Komir, and jumped in the water to help his friend. Kendas followed him.

  Komir was swimming as fast as he could. He was not a strong swimmer and at that moment he truly rued the fact. Luckily the current at that point of the river was not strong, and he was able to make progress with each stroke. He reached the point where Hartz had disappeared. The river had swallowed both the big Norriel and the woman. Komir dived underwater. As soon as he did he felt a strong blow in the abdomen which threw him upwards to the surface. In the midst of a whirl of foam and violence the fierce predator emerged. Hugging the back of the beast like a limpet was Hartz. The reptile turned over itself with tremendous violence, and Komir was hit once again. He was half stunned, but managed to keep afloat. Hartz held fast to the crocodile, which was trying to get rid of him, thrusting and turning.

  Kendas reached Komir.

  “The woman… save her…” stammered Komir.

  Kendas nodded and dived under the surface in two strokes.

  The great reptile turned again and went under with a powerful blow on the surface of the river, taking the big Norriel down with it.

  Kendas resurfaced with the woman. He was holding her under the arms to keep her head above water.

  “I got her,” he said, panting, and began to drag her back to the ship.

  A burst of water and froth reached Komir, who was thrown aside once more. He recovered, and taking his knife out, he swam towards the huge crocodile. The beast was turning on itself, trying to get rid of Hartz’s bear-hug. Komir swam on with his remaining strength. When he reached the reptile he stabbed it twice in the belly before it submerged again.

  The river was suddenly calm. Blood surrounded Komir. He waited a moment as he looked around the surface in all directions. He feared being torn into pieces by those jaws, but the crocodile did not re-emerge. Then the fear for his own life gave way to the fear that the beast had dragged Hartz down with it.

  He looked towards the ship and saw Kendas reach out for one of the ropes. The sailors rushed to help him bring up the half-conscious woman. Suddenly, the huge mouth of the reptile emerged again, its deadly jaws aiming for Komir’s head. Fear exploded inside him, and with a flurry of his feet he submerged to avoid the attack. Although the water was greenish, he still had a clear vision of Hartz stabbing the huge crocodile repeatedly in the head. Finally the beast, surrounded by a cloud of blood, stopped struggling, and Hartz let it sink.

  “Thanks… friend… but I already had him…” he panted, spitting water and smiled confidently, exhaustion painted on his face.

  Komir rolled his eyes.

  “One of these days you’re going to get us into a mess we won’t be able to get out of…”

  “But… that won’t… be today!” said the big youth with a guffaw.

  “Look out!” Kayti shouted from the ship. Komir followed her pointing hand and saw three more huge reptiles plunging into the water.

  “Swim, for your life! Swim!” She yelled at Hartz. And the two Norriel swam with their little remaining strength after the ship. They swam and swam as if they were possessed, death at their heels. Komir reached one of the ropes, held on to it and searched for his friend. But Hartz was lagging, the brutal fight having drained him almost completely. Komir could see the face of his friend, corpse-pale, with his eyes sunken and his strokes coming slower and slower with the tremendous effort.

  “Come on, Hartz! We’re almost there! Just a little more!” he called to his friend, his voice sounding shriller than he would have liked. His heart skipped a beat. A long shape had emerged and was fast approaching his friend. The big man was not going to make it. He let go of the rope and put the hunting knife in his teeth ready to go and help him.

  Two arrows fled across the river with a deadly hiss and pierced the hard skin of the great reptile’s back. Komir looked back at the ship and made out Aliana and Kendas, bows tense, arrows nocked ready to let fly again. Komir heaved a sigh of relief when he saw the crocodile turn violently and go under. Hartz managed to reach him at last.

  “No… strength… left…” he stammered, spitting water.

  “We’re nearly there,” said Komir cheerfully as he helped him to the rope. “Hold on.” Hartz passed the rope under his arms and looked at Komir with a smile on his gaunt face.

  “Pull! Pull!” cried Komir as the sailors, to the count of four, heaved up the big Norriel.

  Straight away Komir grasped a second rope just as a shadow in the water under his feet set fear racing inside him. His heart skipped another beat and nearly leapt out of his mouth. He kicked out.

  The line of fangs opened to tear him to pieces.

  And he was heaved up.

  The jaws closed an inch away from the tip of his foot as he was pulled on board.

  Komir snorted, exhaling all his anguish.

  The two Norriel remained lying on the deck, exhausted.

  The fat man in rich silks, his face pale with worry, was looking at the young woman who had been rescued. Aliana had turned her on her side to make her bring up all the water she had swallowed, and now the young Nocean girl was beginning to breathe normally. Komir watched Aliana place her hands on the young woman’s chest, and guessed she was comforting her with her healing power. When Aliana had finished, the noble man hugged the young Nocean, beaming with happiness. The girl was smiling shyly, her face showing the terror she had experienced, terror which would take a long time to disappear.

  Asti went to Komir. With her eyes fixed on Hartz, she said. “Big warrior, very crazy.” She shook her head before going back to sit by the big mast of the ship.

  Kayti went to Hartz and knelt beside him. Tenderly, she took his face in her hands.

  “Stop being so brave, you’ll get yourself killed.”

  “I had to help her… she was drowning…”

  “Tremia’s graveyards are filled with anonymous heroes,” she scolded him. “I don’t want you becoming one more of them.” Her eyes were filled with tears.

  “I am what I am… I can’t help it…”

  For once Komir totally agreed whole-heartedly with Kayti. He had no desire to bury his friend because of some noble, heroic stupidity. But Hartz was Hartz.

  Epidemic

  Iruki Wind of the Steppes raised her gaze at the majestic mountain. She never tired of admiring the Fountain of Life, one of the greatest wonders of Mother Nature. According to the Masig legends, this was the origin of her people. She stared in awe at the gigantic waterfall. An immense volume of whitish water leapt from the heavens to the foot of the mountain with the roar of a thousand lions. Her tribe, the Blue Clouds, had been camping at the foot of the sacred mountain of the steppes for several generations. She looked along the course of the river, the one which carried the flow of life from the mountain range to the great sacred lake. The spiritual lake with its peaceful waters always calmed Iruki’s fierce and restless soul. Although not on that particular day. Neither the waterfall from the skies nor the sacred lake at her feet could soothe the horrible unease which was gnawing at Iruki’s heart.

  Her father, Kaune Eagle Warrior, leader of the Blue Clouds, had fallen seriously ill, and they could not make the fever abate. She was consumed by worry: her beloved father. That noblest, most pure-hearted man had been sick for days, and no remedy could be found.

  Ilua Hidden Path, the Healer Woman of the tribe, came out of the tent followed by Iruki’s uncle Unco Lake Owl. After them came Oni Black Cloud, the Shaman of the Blue Clouds.

  As soon as she saw them Iruki ran to Ilua Hidden Path, “How is he?”

  “I’m sorry, child, there’s no change. I haven’t been able to stop the fever. I’ve given him a concoction of medicinal herbs and the salve you helped me prepare will prevent the fever from increasing. But for the moment I’ve only been able to control whatever it is that ails him, not cure it.”

  “Tell me the truth, is it the Prairie Fever? I’m only your apprentice and I haven’t even been that for long, but I recognize the sympt
oms. Don’t lie to me, please. Has Mother Nature inflicted upon my father the worst of the diseases of the steppes?”

  Ilua Hidden Path lowered her gaze and sighed deeply.

  “I’m sorry to say that you’re right, you’re a bright student. There’s no doubt, it really is the Prairie Fever. We have to isolate your father’s tent and let nobody come in contact with him, the disease is very contagious. The last time there was a bout among us I was just a child, and it decimated the tribe. Only a few youngsters survived, the ones who fled in time before they could catch it. We’re faced with a life or death situation, not only for your father but for the whole tribe. We have to act quickly or our people will be doomed.”

  “Damnation!” cried Iruki, torn by the terrible prospect. “The worst of our fears has become true. My poor father… why? Why do the evil spirits punish us by sending one of the worst diseases known to the Masig? If it spreads… what shall we do? We must save him. He must survive this plague, my father must live to guide the tribe to a better future.”

  Oni Black Cloud spoke now: “The evil is still inside our beloved leader, his spirit is poisoned. I have consulted the spirits from Beyond in a ritual over burning stones, by the sacred lake. The Bear Spirit has talked to me. He came to me in a mystic vision. He showed me the arrival of the Crow Spirit… that is a very bad omen…”

  “The Crow Spirit…?”

  “The Crow Spirit symbolizes the nearness of death. It is even more worrisome that it was the Bear Spirit who showed him to me, because the bear has a brave heart, he represents your father. I am very sorry, Iruki, but this is how I interpret the vision.”

  Iruki began to weep. She was terribly anxious for her father, and the words of the tribe elders made it even more painful.