The Narkurru

by Shannon McRoberts

  “Enough brother. You must show the servant how to handle the staff so she can begin her time here. I am much too busy to train her tonight. I will leave you with her, but do not harm her.”

  “Busy, busy, not busy. You just want to spend time with your play things. You only think of your pleasure these days and I must sit alone in the shadows and teach your servants their jobs.”

  “Fine! Do as I ask and she will stay in your realm of Ild’dart’it for six months when you return, on the condition that you bring her back each day. Really, you are getting very demanding Seorithcal.”

  Lye-Ashe turned back down the path and left Isri alone with the voice in the dark. Isri was not at all excited about the prospects of what was to come next.

  “Take the staff from the alter; it will tell you what to do next.” The voice commanded from the darkness.

  Isri was confused. “That’s it?”

  “Yes. That is it. Your other duties were to be my consort, but since sister says no I must obey. The only reason she even wanted servants in the first place was for her own pleasure. She calls you undead, but you are not undead, merely under a spell. A few of you come down here very clear minded. Spell doesn’t work. We have elixirs for that, but sister says no. Sister always gets her consort, but not always Seorithcal.”

  “And why exactly do you need consorts? Do you not have any of your own kind to consort with?”

  “Yes, we have plenty, but humans make best consorts. Sister is also trying to create a new race of creatures to do her bidding. Real Chreuthecals they would be. They would be able to travel both worlds and capture souls for Shultash. But Seorithcal has said too much now. Little girl must come with him now to his dimension. We come back tomorrow.” With that he leaped from the shadows into the light. Although he talked like a monster Seorithcal was a beautifully muscular human looking creature; not at all what she thought might be lurking in the shadows. He was pale like the moon with shoulder length black hair. He was wearing only pants. Isri could not help but stare. His demon orange eyes glinted with lust.

  “Little human change her mind about Seorithcal? I talk funny because this language is new to me. I am eons and eons old. I only learned new language to speak to you, but it no matter. I already see there is no reason to waste time talking to you.” He stepped closer to Isri and made her back into a pillar as she tried to avoid his advances. He sniffed her hair and pawed at her dress like an oversized Neanderthal. She tried to push him away but that just made him grab her so she could not run away. He began whispering in her ear some strange long forgotten language. This language was not as crudely spoken as her own tongue. Then he moved down to kiss her. It was full of white-hot passion and she was helpless against him like a rag doll beating against a mountain.

  She was pinned with nowhere to go as his hands moved down her robes to where they fastened. She felt the first outer layers of the robes fall away and her skin exposed to his touch. She had to think of something quick, but she did not know what. She had not had time to review the area or the weapons she might have at her disposal. Then she had a vision. She called to Shultash and it sparked. She had one hand free and she willed the staff to come to her. The appearance of the staff made Seorithcal take a step back, but still he kept a hand firmly on Isri. Before either one of them knew it Isri had commanded the staff to attack Seorithcal. It bludgeoned him over the head until he let go of Isri. Then an incantation came to her. She was not sure what kind of magic it was, but giant roots appeared and trapped Seorithcal inside a magical cage. Isri knew this was her chance. She would have to make a run towards the Kisaka so she could find Arocia and the main point of the N’Loron to complete the plan.

  Verse Two: Chapter 10

  HARMONIA STOOD LISTENING to the waves of the Kisaka pool. She had just returned from a visitation with Essnem in the Nysasia. It was a wonderful time in the other realm for Harmonia as she became more confident in her powers. Essnem even commented that she had surpassed the powers she had when she was Und-vor. Yet, the visit was not all social. Essnem had summoned Harmonia to the spirit realm because she felt something was coming. She could not pin point what it was, but something was going to happen that would start a chain of events that would likely start a major conflict.

  Harmonia paced back and forth trying to get a vision, but her mind was still cloudy from the trip through the pool. Just as she was about to go up to her study she heard a bubbling noise. It was as if someone was coming up through the pool from another dimension. She thought that it might be a rogue spirit trying to enter the land of the living. She readied herself for battle.

  A few seconds later Isri popped out of the pool gasping for air. In her hands she held Shultash. She drug herself up to the edge of the pool where she was greeted by a spear being pointed at her face. Harmonia stood over her with a question in her eyes. All Isri could do was gasp for air and mutter the word help before she collapsed.

  Quite sure that the girl in the water was a girl and not a spirit, Harmonia summoned help for Isri and took her upstairs to a temple room where she waited patiently for the strange and wet girl to awaken.

  Isri opened her eyes and glanced at Harmonia while looking around. “Oh, no. I have failed. I’ve managed to die and pass on. Now what?”

  “Beg your pardon young lady, but you have not passed on. You merely are sick from traveling in the Kisaka pool. May I ask why you have shown up here and how you managed to travel through the pool?” Harmonia asked Isri.

  Half delusional and half distressed Isri laughed and said, “I am here to try to find the N’Loron at the temple Arocia.” Then she passed out.

  Verse Two: Chapter 11

  ATHINE STUDIED THE note transported from Harmonia to her in Arocia. The note stated that there was a strange girl looking for the temple and that she came up from the pool of the dead. She was slightly delusional and halfway dead. Harmonia suggested that Athine come at once to the temple. She was just about to leave when a strange woman appeared before her.

  “Forgive me, Athine, I am Lye-Ashe. I’ve come about the girl with the staff.”

  Athine quickly readied her weapon, “And what do you know of this girl with a staff?”

  “Plenty. I know she stole it from me. I know she attacked my brother. And I know that she plans to come here and fill the staff with souls so she can become an immortal.”

  “Uh huh. Tell me more Lye-Ashe, before I cut off your head for intruding on my domain.”

  “There isn’t really much to tell. Her name is Isri. She comes from Cerynian. I am their patron immortal. She was sent to be my sacred servant for a year as most Cerynian children are. However, on her very first night with me she tried to seduce and then kill my brother in order to steal the staff. If you do not stop her from obtaining more souls in that staff she will become an immortal and she will terrorize your realm until she is the only ruler left.”

  Athine paced back and forth with Is’che’aiq clasped in her hand. She wasn’t quite sure what to think of this immortal that had invaded her temple. All Athine knew was that this immortal was drenched in the stench of the Underworld. A thousand thoughts crossed Athine’s mind before she felt the presence of Is’che’aiq.

  “You cannot trust her Athine. She and her kind are evil. They are ancient soul controlling demons that often bind innocent souls into weapons and servitude. This staff is probably full of helpless human souls.” Is’che’aiq quietly rumbled in Athine’s mind.

  “So, what do we do about this old friend? Do we trust her or do we dispatch with her and aid Harmonia?” Athine telepathically asked her sword.

  “She is dangerous. We should probably dispatch with her, but if there are souls trapped in this staff, we may need her to set them free. Take her to your sister. This creature would be no match for the both of you even with trickery. But watch your back.”

  Athine nodded in affirmation of the plan and turned towards Lye-Ashe. “Seems my sword doesn’t like you much. He tells me that I should be ca
reful around you.”

  Lye-Ashe glared at the sword. She instantly recognized it as her brother’s own work. She had heard stories of the great Athine and how she can dissolve even an immortals’ essence. She had no wish to figure out if that power was used discriminately or not. If Athine found out that she had disturbed the balance of the N’Loron gathering her powers, even if it was back in ancient times, she surely would destroy her. She chose her next words carefully. “You have nothing to fear of me great Athine. I only wish to claim that which is mine. The girl and the staff are mine by every right. Help me recover them both and I will be forever grateful.”

  Athine looked at Lye-Ashe. She did not believe everything this creature was telling her. She could feel the scorn that Is’che’aiq had for Lye-Ashe. She guarded herself carefully, but she had no choice except to take her to Harmonia’s temple in Ing’old’oik. There the matter could be straightened out. If the staff really had ill-acquired souls in it Harmonia and Athine could find a way to free them.

  “Take my hand Lye-Ashe.” Athine commanded as she began making the portal to Ing’old’oik. The creature obeyed and in a moment’s time they were standing in front of Harmonia’s great council room. The doors were large and made of solid marble. It took an immortal’s strength to open them. Athine pushed them open effortlessly as they moved with an ancient creek.

  Directly inside the pair found Harmonia in meditation over Shultash. Her face looked perplexed. She seemed to be communicating with the staff in some way. They both waited for Harmonia to look up. When she did, she had tears streaming down her face.

  “Sister, what perplexes you so that you cry?” Athine asked immediately as she ran over to her side.

  “The staff is full of pain. It seems that there are millions of innocent souls locked away in there by something called a Narkurru. A great betrayer.”

  Lye-Ashe felt like she had been kicked in the stomach with these words. This person could commune with the souls in the staff?! She knew the legend said that Harmonia was an Und-vor, but she did not know how powerful she was. She was surely going to be dissolved by Athine if the souls could tell her what happened to them. She had to think quickly. She approached Harmonia and bowed gracefully. “Lady Harmonia. Perhaps I could help. I am Lye-Ashe and your sister has brought me here about the girl that came with the staff. You see that girl you rescued was from Cerynian and that staff you have there is actually a staff she stole from my brother. I believe the Narkurru the staff speaks of is in this Isri girl. The legends in Cerynian say that there were ascended mages from the original founding members of Cerynian capable of possessing living Cerynian folks. She must have been possessed by one of these ascended mages and imbued with dark magic. I imagine she is trying to fill the staff with powerful souls so she can become an immortal vessel for the Narkurru. I think she intends to punch a hole in the N’Loron to try and find immortal souls for the staff to absorb because immortal souls have much more power than human souls. I suppose she desires to take over the whole realm with her new powers.”

  Harmonia sat there pondering what Lye-Ashe had said. She had an uneasy feeling about this creature. Some of the things she said appeared to be true, but her instincts told her that the truth was not being fully divulged.

  “Well, Lye-Ashe, thank you for your assistance in the matter. However, I am not quite sure what you speak is the truth. The staff has confirmed some of the things you have suggested, but many of the souls in the staff say that you are the one that imprisoned them. The older souls say you bound them inside the staff. What would you say to that?”

  “I would say that the souls are confused. It is true that I have often had possession of Shultash, but I am simply the keeper of the staff. I saved it and the one soul that I saw dragged inside it from eminent doom several thousand years ago. I encountered one of the Narkurru creatures the staff talks about one night. I saw the Narkurru chanting over it and then what appeared to be a young girl’s soul being sucked out of her. It looked as if it went in to the staff. Then the staff appeared to be possessed and spoke. It screamed in agony. I, being a young immortal, decided that this was not good. Immortals should not be binding human souls to weapons to do their bidding. I faced the Narkurru and took the staff. I managed to trap the Narkurru into the staff because I was not strong enough to destroy it.

  From then on, I have kept the staff safe and out of harm’s way. That is, until recently, when this Isri came to me under the guise of being my newest servant from Cerynian. She was supposed to help me protect the staff, but instead she tried to kill my brother and ran away with Shultash. She apparently had been planning this for some time. She also seems to possess some kind of odd magic. When I found my brother, he was woven into a magical cage of vines. It took me quite some time to get him out of the cage. That is when I realized what Isri’s plan must truly be and why I came to Athine.”

  Both Athine and Harmonia listened with intensity. They glanced at each other and then Harmonia waved Athine over to her private study. She looked back at Lye-Ashe. “Lye-Ashe, my sister and I must consult with one another privately with all we have acquired here. You are welcome to stay and rest by the fire while we discuss the situation. My servants will be glad to bring you any food or drink you require. When Athine and I have reached a conclusion on what to do we will come for you.”

  Athine and Harmonia moved to the small private quarters to the end of the room far away from Lye-Ashe’s ears. Harmonia cast a circle of silence just in case.

  “Sister, I do not trust this creature. She smells of death and decay. The staff is full of many souls. Many who say that Lye-Ashe was the creature that came to Cerynian to help them defend themselves from Amazonian raids hundreds of years ago. They all swore a blood oath that they and their kin would be servants to her. In return they received some kind of twisted control over the dead. This is also the story that I have gotten bit by bit from Isri, although it is a little scattered. I am not sure what either one of them would gain from lying.” Harmonia explained to Athine.

  “Is’che’aiq told me not to trust Lye-Ashe because her and her kind bind souls to weapons to make them do their bidding. What if everything Lye-Ashe has said has been a lie? We can’t allow spirits to be trapped in weapons to make immortals more powerful. Surely such an act will throw off the balance of the N’Loron. We must figure out what is going on here.” Athine responded to Harmonia.

  Just then the circle of silence was pierced by the loud screams of Lye-Ashe. “She has the staff! Stop her. She must not be allowed to leave!”

  Athine and Harmonia quickly looked around to see a half walking half crawling red headed Isri commanding the staff to come to her and away from Lye-Ashe. Guards were around both Lye-Ashe and Isri trying to regain order. Isri had walked into the study looking for Shultash when she found Lye-Ashe instead.

  Isri raised Shultash high and began chanting repeatedly until a mystical portal opened up in the ground. Isri pounded Shultash on the floor and was gone in a flash of light. Nothing but green leaves flew in her place.

  Everyone stood there stunned. Even with all the magical wards Isri was able to escape and with some form of foreign magic. No one had ever heard of the spell she had used to transport herself out of the temple and now anyone’s guess was as good as to where she went.

  “Lye-Ashe, do you have any idea where Isri would have gone with the staff? Is she headed for Arocia?” Athine asked.

  Lye-Ashe turned and shook her head. “No, I believe in the state she is in that she would have returned to her home. After all, even if a Narkurru possesses her she is only a sixteen-year-old girl that appears significantly injured. My thoughts are she would have returned to her mother’s care.”

  Verse Two: Chapter 12

  ISRI APPEARED INSIDE her own bedroom. She had no idea where these strange spells were coming to her from. Perhaps a spirit within the staff was trying to help her. It was of no concern to her now. She had to find her mother to make sure the next part of the pla
n went into action. She raced down the hall to her mother’s study. By the position of the sun she knew that she would be there meditating. She would not have time for lengthy explanations. She threw open her the study door. Aesurnu was startled by the door flying open to reveal her eldest daughter standing before her half-dead and leaning on the mystical staff Shultash.

  “Isri, what is the meaning of this? Why are you here in this realm with Shultash? What have you done?”

  “Mother, I have no time for questions. I need you to listen to me carefully. Several people will be teleporting here in the next few minutes. Lye-Ashe will lead two immortals here named Harmonia and Athine. You must tell them that I went to Ialo. I need you to do this mother, to keep everyone here safe.”

  “Have you gone mad? You have stolen Shultash and bring it here with Lye-Ashe, our great protector, right behind you? Do you wish to damn us child?”

  “No, mother, I am going to free us. This is all I can tell you. If I fail, we will never be free. Please, promise me you will cooperate and send the immortals to Ialo.”

  “Very well child. I will do as you ask, but only because I have to trust you know what you are doing.”

  Isri embraced her mother and ran out of the study. On the way through the grand gardens she ran into Est’it. She looked horrible, but she had no time to worry about that. She had already won his heart and if she played her cards right she would come back to him someday. She tried to run past him, but he caught her. He was horrified at the condition she was in. Her clothes were tattered and dirty. Her skin was pale and scratched.

  “My love, why are you here with that staff? I know you had a plan, but I did not think angering the goddess that protects your town by stealing her prized staff was what you had in mind.”

  “Est’it, I have so much to explain to you, but I cannot at this moment. Lye-Ashe is coming with other powerful immortals. I have to lead them away from here because if I fail I do not want them to annihilate the village. Please do not further delay my escape. I need to get to Ialo as soon as I can.”