The New World (The Last Delar)

by Matthew Cousineau

  "Ahhhhh! It burns! So much pain! Wicked boy hurt me! Ahhh!" There is blood squirting out of Puddle's hands, and when the Muddler takes his hands from his face the boy can see what he did to him. A deep, bleeding gash is slashed across his master's face. His heart begins to pound with fear and excitement when he sees what he has done. Puddle desperately tries to escape from the boy by running back into the cave. The young boy takes a deep breath, looks at the cave, stands up, turns and runs into the dark forest.

  Frightened, the he runs as far as his feet will take him. He does not know where he is going, but the air feels good and he enjoys his newfound freedom. He continues running until his chest burns with each short breath. The cold night breeze cools his wet skin. He sits down at the base of a tree and begins to shiver from the cold. The forest is dark here and the canopy allows little moonlight to penetrate its leafy thickness. He huddles against a tree, anxiety and apprehension of his surroundings begin to play with his mind, and he starts to see things all around him. He holds his necklace tight for comfort and closes his eyes.

  He is nearly asleep when he feels his hands warm against the stone of his necklace. The amulet begins to glow dimly in the darkness, and the small boy opens his eyes wide in wonder. He stares in amazement at his necklace, clenching it tightly, absorbing all of the stones warmth. A noise then startles him, and he turns his head, peering into the forest. A rustling from above catches his ear. His large reflecting eyes follow a small beam of moonlight that has begun to gradually penetrate the forest, casting a blue hue from the heavens to the ground.

  It is not much light, but he makes out most of his surroundings. He is intrigued by the light's sudden appearance, and he slowly walks toward it, reaching his hand inside the light. Playfully, he smiles at the shadows his fingers create in the light. Lost in the moment he stares at his hand and hears the same voice as before, but this time it seems much closer. He spins around, but sees nothing in the forest. The deep, chilling voice speaks again, and he stumbles backward into the light. He loses his footing, falls back, and crashes through the forest floor. He feels a sensation he has never felt before, as if the wind is blowing up from below him, and his stomach begins to turn from the sensation. He starts to kick his legs and arms but he can't find anything solid. He reaches up, watching the light slowly dim away to nothing.

  ---

  The child wakes to the feeling of cold sand against his skin. He opens his eyes to total darkness. Alone, cold, and seemingly blind, he grasps his necklace and it begins to glow. With the soft light from his chest, he explores this dark world. He digs his hands into the soft sand and tries to climb the steep incline before him. The farther he goes, the steeper he climbs. His muscles ache as he struggles to continue his ascent. His necklace pulses with every step, keeping him warm in the cold emptiness. He can see a beam of light shinning down from the dark abyss above. It stops on a narrow door carved into a stone wall. He reaches the top of the summit and slowly reaches into the light. It warms his skin and he stares at his hand as it manipulates the heavenly beam. He walks into the light and looks up into the brilliance from above. He closes his eyes and embraces the warmth, breathing heavily and smiling at the peace he feels. He opens his eyes and faces the great door. Squinting into the light, he can see nothing beyond the doorway. He looks down and sees markings carved into the stone around his feet. He does not understand the symbols, but as he looks at them he grows fearful. He hears whispers behind him and he turns to the darkness. Afraid, Oskeau creeps backwards into the open doorway. Once he is inside the doorway, the light from above vanishes, and the floor begins to shake. Boulders fall behind him with such force that he is thrown to the ground. He scampers farther into the darkness and curls into a ball, waiting for the violence to stop. Once the world calms, he stands up and waves his hands blindly in the dark. "A wall," he mumbles in relief, and drags his hand along the wall.

  He feels an indentation, flat on the bottom but round on the top. There is something inside, small and smooth, with a type of hair sticking out of it. He takes the unfamiliar object and smells it. It has no odor, so he licks it, but the object tastes like nothing. He plays with it for a while, but becomes bored and drops it. He continues his journey and comes across many similar indentations. He reaches a gap in the stone that is unlike the others. He moves his hand inside the gap and grabs at something he has never felt before. It has a strange square shape and does not feel like stone. He runs his palm along its brittle surface and makes out the shape of a hand. His own hand fits inside the indentation, so he presses against it with an inquisitive smile. As soon as his palm presses firmly into the object, he feels a wind blow against his face. Startled by the warmth, he tries to pull his hand away. Struggling to free himself he waves the object violently. Then, a flare of pain shoots through his hand and up his arm. His hand goes cold, and the object releases him. He takes back his hand and throws the object into the cave's darkness.

  The room begins to shake, and more stones fall from above. He puts his hands over his head, and when the shaking ceases, he opens his eyes. A dim light glows from behind him. He turns to see what it is. He looks to the ground and spots a single flame. The object he found and discarded casts dark, contrasting shadows on the floor. He stares in awe as many more of these lights begin to ignite, lining the walls of this hidden chamber. His eyes settle on the strange object that he threw. The boy remembers the pain this object caused and looks at his hand and sees that it is dripping blood. His glance returns to the object, and he notices it is changing. It has opened itself, becoming bigger, and its insides are flapping from side to side.

  What Oskeau does not understand is that he is staring at the flipping pages from an ancient book. A book, over a thousand years old and bound in the flesh of his murdered kin. The boy sits down in front of the book, gazing intently at the pages while carefully touching them with his fingers. Markings begin to bleed onto the open page, and he stares at them for a long time. He doesn't know what to make of the symbols, but the longer he stares at them, the more they rearrange themselves on the paper. His necklace glows, and from inside his head a voice speaks to him. The voice resembles his own, and unbeknownst to him, he is beginning to read his first words.

  "Who opens the book of Ixkin?" he hears. He does not know how to answer, so he speaks out to the empty room.

  "Ah, I-I do."

  The markings fade from the page and are quickly replaced by new ones. He looks at them and hears his self-voice. "I have tasted your blood, child of the Delar. How have you come to this place?"

  As the boy knows nothing of his lineage or of himself, he says with a true innocence, "I am nothing but a slave with no master. I was l-l-lost when the forest attacked me and I fell into the dark."

  The book slams shut. The boy nervously stares at the handprint on the cover. He feels more alone now than he did before and yearns to read more. He continues to stare at the book, and then he has an idea. He knows it will hurt, but his curiosity is too great to resist, so he puts his hand into the indentation and waits. Nothing happens, and he slumps his shoulders in defeat. Then a new sensation raises the hairs on his neck. The boy's head snaps up, his eyes close, and his jaw clenches shut. Pictures flash through his head with great speed. He watches images of his life pass him by. The flashing pictures begin to slow, and he sees images of this very night. His body becomes hot, and he clenches his fists, breathing in quick, short breaths. He sees Puddle throw his stone into the woods. He sees a brilliant flash of light and Puddle squirming on the ground. He sees himself running through the forest and then the beam of light from above, just before the forest floor vanishes under his feet. Everything goes dark and his hand is released. The book opens, flipping its pages, and when the pages stop shuffling, the markings appear again.

  He begins to read again. "You should be the slave of no one, my child. You have great power inside you. Bind yourself to me, and I will teach you to use this power. I will teach you about the world and all the crea
tures in it. I will grant you limitless power, so one day you will be the master."

  He is filled with excitement; the nameless boy likes the idea of learning very much. "Y-y-es, I will bind myself t-t-to-o-o you. Will you be my new master?"

  "Place your hand upon me, my child."

  He places his hand on the book. The same feeling of pain returns as the book pierces his flesh, and blood rises around his fingers. The book's light ashy cover grows dark, and the boy watches the book's skin changes from brittle and broken to healthy and smooth. His eyes become heavy, and he falls asleep next to the book.

  He wakes feeling very hungry. He looks at the book, and there is an apple beside it waiting for him. He pounces on the offering and devours it with a ravenous hunger. The apple warms his belly, and he feels fuller than he can ever remember. Strength fills his aching arms and he stretches and rubs his belly. He does not know whether it is night or day, for the only light he can see is the candles flickering on the walls. He looks next to him and feels comfort at the sight of the book. He crawls to see if there are markings on the page waiting for him.

  "My fallen son now begins your new life. Take me into your hands and embrace your destiny."

  The boy takes the Ixkin onto his lap and eagerly begins to read the markings that appear.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Waking, Taeau gasps for air. He rubs his swollen, bloodshot eyes and wipes sweat from his forehead. He looks up at the moon, and his eyes shimmer, reflecting the moonlight. Taeau pushes himself to his feet and wraps his bed furs around his shoulders. Making sure not to wake Mia-Koda, the boy slips out of camp. He shivers as he steps on cool leaves filled with their payment of dew from the night. Taeau stands taller now than the day he left his home in the Menoli city nine years ago. His body has grown lean and strong, and his hair has become wild and confused like his spirit. Walking away from camp, he comes to a small stream and takes a drink of the cool water. He stares at his reflection as droplets from his lips ripple through his image. Taeau sits down against a tree and stares numbly at the moving stream. He has always liked the sound of gurgling water and the way it clears his mind. The darkness of the night fades and moisture from the coming dawn gathers on the plants and trees. A tugging on his blanket shakes him from his mindless wondering. Tib is trying to get his attention and bring him back to camp.

  "Oh, okay, Tib, I'm coming," Taeau manages through a yawn and stands up to follow the Wicker.

  Back at camp, Taeau notices that Mia-Koda has started cooking breakfast. Tib goes to work cleaning, and Taeau follows him and starts his morning chores. The silence of their morning routine is interrupted as Broomay begins to stomp and snort at the ground.

  "Whoa, boy. Settle down," says Taeau as he strokes the horse's neck in reassurance. Taeau combs Broomay's thick, knotted hair with his fingers to calm the animal. He looks up over the horse's mane and stumbles backwards, startled at the sight of a young woman holding a long bow. She is dressed in strange clothes and stands beside a horse with patch-colored fur. She lets down her hood, revealing her face and long black hair. Motionless, Taeau stares at her. She has markings painted on her face, legs and arms. The cloth of her clothes is made from an animal he has never seen. Her chest is tightly wrapped in furs and her loincloth hangs down to her thick furry boots.

  "Mia-Koda!" yells Taeau, but the old woman's hand is already on his shoulder, reassuring him all is as it should be.

  "Do not be alarmed, child, for she is here on my invitation. Good morning, Leotie. I hope your trip was safe and without trouble."

  Leotie bows her head before speaking, "Yes, Mia-Koda, it was . . . is this the boy you spoke of in your writings?"

  "Yes, this is the boy. Taeau, this is Leotie of the Enopay people." Taeau gives her a small smile and nods his head.

  "Is he of a sick mind, Mia-Koda? I saw him staring at a stream, whispering to himself."

  "You were watching me?"

  Leotie pays no attention to Taeau. "I hope you do not mean to bring a boy with a lost mind into our tribe."

  Mia-Koda chuckles, "The teachings of Alo, your shaman, is why he goes to your tribe."

  Taeau has become annoyed at how everyone seems to be speaking about him but not to him. He glares at both Mia-Koda and Leotie. "What is going on? Where am I going, and why do I not know about it?"

  "Oh, now you decide to talk to me? Well, since you have been so quiet and lost in your own thoughts these past few seasons, I did not want to disturb your solitude to tell you." Leotie snickers at Mia-Koda's words.

  "What is so funny, huh? Who are you anyway?"

  "I am the one who was watching you all night. I could have taken your head at any time, and there was nothing you could have done about it."

  Taeau's blood heats with anger. "You think so? Well, why not try it now?" he asks as he reaches for a wooden staff in the wagon. Leotie smirks at Taeau, chuckling again, which only makes the boy angrier. With speed and skill she grabs an arrow from his quiver and loads her bow, pointing the stone tip at Taeau’s head. Taeau suddenly feels silly standing alone with just a wooden stick.

  "Put your staff back, Taeau, before you get yourself hurt again," dismisses Mia-Koda.

  Taeau's face flushes with embarrassment. His necklace dimly glows red, and he slams the end of his staff into the ground with such power it creates a shockwave, causing Leotie to step back in alarm. She lifts her eyes from the ground and peers at Taeau with suspicion.

  "Leotie, mount your horse, and we will follow you out of the forest."

  "Yes, Mia-Koda," she says, and swings her leg over her horse and begins to trot off into the forest with Mia-Koda, Tib, and Taeau following close behind in their horse-drawn wagon.

  The morning passes quickly, and Taeau remains silent with a clear scowl on his face. He refuses to speak, trying to wait for Mia-Koda to apologize to him for keeping such secrets. But as the sun rises higher in the sky, Taeau becomes impatient with Mia-Koda's quiet humming. "Why did you not tell me about this?" Taeau asks with a hint of sadness. His mentor looks up at her student, who has grown tall over the last two summers, and answers him clearly.

  "I am sending you to live with the Enopay tribe and into the teachings of the tribe's Shaman. The Shaman is wise, and he will help you find yourself and your vision. I have taught you many things over the time we have spent together. Alo will complete your training. He will help you better understand yourself and the power inside you. I have kept you away from others for too long, which may have been a mistake . . . I think. You have become too solitary, and your mind wanders to a past that you should have long ago accepted. You must take the journey that all boys do and become a man. Alo, I have chosen to guide you on this path."

  "Have I not been a good student?" whispers Taeau as he tries to fight back his emotions.

  "Yes, child . . . you have. You learn quickly and do not argue, but there is more to life than just doing what you are told and following instructions. You still have much to overcome, and I cannot teach you how to become a man. I have chosen a better teacher than myself for this part of your journey."

  Taeau has never understood Mia-Koda's many speeches about the man he needs to be. He sits silently, staring out at the landscape as it passes by, and wonders when the time will come when he can make his own decisions. Tears well up in his eyes, but he dares not let one fall, especially with this strange woman so close.

  "You will understand soon . . . when we depart you will be a boy, but when we meet again, a man will stand before me."

  Taeau, sulking and wanting to make his teacher feel badly, brushes her hand from his shoulder and stares off into the forest.

  ---

  The Black Forest has been the only home Taeau has ever known, and now in the company of a stranger he reaches its western edge. They have arrived at the plains of Ora, a flat land of rolling hills and tall grasses. Taking his first steps out of the forest, Taeau raises his arms to block the light of the sun. He stands still, watching the grasses sway aga
inst the quiet prairie wind. Lifting his face to the sun, Taeau takes a deep breath, inhaling the perfume of the plains. The smell of the grass and dirt fill his mind with thoughts of his father. He wishes his father was here now by his side. Together they could listen to the soft songs of the golden grasses. Taeau knows it would be something his father would like very much. Taeau is startled as Mia-Koda rests a hand on his shoulder, smiling at him as they move away from the setting sun.

  That first night in the plains while sitting by the fire, Taeau is mesmerized by the night sky. It's as if he is looking at it for the first time. Free from the confines of the forest, he has never seen the moon or her children stars with such clarity. Overwhelmed by the majesty of the celestial heavens, he realizes how little of the world he understands. It is on nights like these when he feels most alone, and memories of his mother are the only things that bring him comfort.

  They travel deeper into the prairie and Taeau becomes more curious about Leotie and her people. Each night, Leotie arranges her bed in alignment with the moon's path, and when the moon is in a specific position, she grabs a handful of dirt and sprinkles it on herself. She then sits silently, watching the moon with a strange peace that Taeau is sure he has never felt. When he asks Mia-Koda about Leotie's strange nightly rituals, she explains that the word "Enopay" means "people of the great night star." The moon is sacred to Leotie's tribe, and everything in their culture revolves around its movements and cycles.

  When the four travelers come within a day's journey of the Enopay camp, Mia-Koda explains to Taeau what he should expect. "You will have to build your own hut and tame a horse . . . you --"

  Taeau's head perks up, "I will be getting my own horse?"

  "Yes, you will learn to become a fine rider, among other things. The Enopay are great horsemen, and anyone who wishes to become a man in their society must have at least one horse."

  Taeau has never imagined having his own horse. He has never lived alone before, and a deep feeling of excitement comes over him. "But how will I pay for all of this? I have no precious stones nor valuables to trade."