by Doug Backus
“Go now Deo, before it is too late!”
Deo knew Palto couldn’t hear him but when he didn’t move, he suspected Palto would get the idea that he was not going anywhere, until he absolutely had too.
The Phits were now within sight, hundreds of them. Some walked while others flew, moving swiftly toward them. It was now or never. Deo was beginning to lose hope but fate was with them. He began to feel that familiar sensation. It was the sensation of his body melting away as new hunks of flesh replaced what was left of his once familiar shape. The Phits stopped advancing. They didn’t know exactly what they were looking at, as his body slowly twisted and contorted into an animal which they had never seen the likes of.
Palto too, looked on in wonderment at the animal which now stood before him. The beast was enormous and must have weighed two tons. Its horns wrapped over its head providing invaluable protection for anything that might try and strike it and then continued nearly three feet from either side. The creature’s black skin appeared thick and leathery making it hard to penetrate.
“What animal is this, Deo?” Palto asked as he prepared himself.
“It is one of the most dangerous animals on Earth, Palto. It is a Cape Buffalo.”
At that, Deo began to run toward the Phits, closely followed by Palto. The plan was working. The Phits that didn’t get out of the way, or couldn’t were launched through the air or bludgeoned with the beast’s horns. They had no time to react and scrambled to get out of the way. The first hundred or so Phits were of no consequence and Palto met no resistance as he followed the path Deo created. When they cut through several hundred more with relative ease, they became even more confident. They had broken through their lines and now had nothing between them and the Wall of Solace other than distance. Their only problem was that the Phits could move much faster than them in the tunnel and after reorganizing themselves, they were quickly coming up from behind.
“We are close Deo, I can feel it,” Palto panted as he ran.
“I do not feel well Palto, I ….”
Ω
Kiran ran toward Deke after Mary beckoned her. He was sweating profusely lying in the prone position unconscious.
“It is what I feared,” Kiran said. “He has exhausted his body. He was not ready for a burden such as this. We must snap him out of his unconscious state or he will die. We can wait no longer.”
Mary held Deke up while Kiran began slapping his face “Talk to him Mary! Bring him back to reality!” Kiran screamed.
Deke could not move and was having trouble breathing, yet he forced himself to keep concentrating. He was lost in his consciousness, unaware of his surroundings. He could hear something in his head, a distant moan but he kept fighting it off. He could not lose his concentration or all would be lost.
“It is not working Mary. He is not coming out of it!” Kiran said as she ordered her awaiting militia to proceed through the wall to find Deo and Palto.
“Run as fast as you possibly can. Their lives may depend on it!” she yelled as they streamed through the wall.
“Oisin and I are going after them as well Kiran,” Lorca said, walking slowly over to her. Oisin was already on her back. “Solko and his sister will remain here, should they be needed.”
Kiran looked at Lorca and simply nodded as the two turned and rode into the tunnel.
Solko looked at Deke and noticed that his face was turning a bluish grey. “Kiran, Deke is not breathing!”
Kiran leapt toward him and grabbed the amulet hanging from his neck.
“Ko liak somu, ko liak somu, ko liak somu,” a light burst out from her hand and shot her several feet through the air. She landed with a thud in the grass.
Deke coughed and gasped for air. “Mary…what happened?”
Ω
Palto ground to a halt as the mighty beast that was, collapsed and rolled through the dirt. When the dust cleared the buffalo was gone and Deo stood there, himself once again.
“Deo, take Jayden and get him to the Wall of Solace, I will hold them off.”
“No Palto, we can all make it if we run!” Deo begged.
“No we cannot. Now go!” Palto yelled.
Deo pulled Jayden from Palto and slung him around his shoulders and neck. He began to run taking one last glance back. Palto was standing on his hind legs preparing for battle, ready to die for Jayden and his beloved world.
Deo had run maybe fifteen minutes down the tunnel when Lorca came around the bend with Oisin. They were followed by a small army of Rholians.
Oisin jumped off Lorca and ran over to Deo. “You have Jayden, Deo! Does he still live?”
“I am not sure but thanks to Palto he has a slim chance. You must hurry. Palto is fighting the entire army of Phits on his own.”
Lorca was gone before the words left Deo’s mouth. Oisin who she had left behind in her haste organized the Rholians and followed at a distance, unable to keep up with her speed.
It was not long before Lorca could hear the fight just ahead. She was almost there. When she rounded the last bend, she stopped and stared in disbelief at what she was witnessing. She became consumed with anger. Palto lay on the ground unable to move while Phits fed on his flesh and blood. Lorca was disgusted. Her leader was slowly being eaten alive. Rage took over her anger and her eyes filled with hatred. The Phit’s did not know what hit them as she ripped and tore into every one of them that dared to disrespect Palto. Covered in blood, she stood over him waiting for the next group to arrive. They came, but none could get past Lorca who was being driven by pure insanity.
The Rholians finally arrived behind her, staring in astonishment at her valor as she continued to tear apart anything that came within reach. When nothing else came she continued to stare down the tunnel. Oisin finally approached her.
“Are you alright Lorca?”
“Get Palto to the Wall of Solace, I will stay here in case more come.”
“I will stay with you, then,” Oisin said.
“Leave five soldiers with me, I will be fine. I would like Palto to have a Lealian….you with him, should he succumb to his injuries before he reaches the wall and I am quite sure you would like to see Jayden. I will wait here for a half hour, and then return to Realm.”
Oisin obeyed Lorca. He and the other soldiers quickly loaded Palto onto a makeshift stretcher and began carrying him to the wall.
Ω
Deke was awake but was still having trouble breathing. Mary had gone to check on Kiran. When she got there she found that she was unable to move, she could hardly talk and seemed to have trouble catching her breath.
She asked Mary if Deke had survived. Mary assured her he had but that his breathing was raspy, making him too weak to move. Kiran smiled and said that he would get better soon.
Kiran weakly asked if their plan had been successful, but before Mary could respond, she had at least part of her question answered as Deo walked through the wall carrying Jayden. In minutes, Jayden was standing and appeared to have suffered no ill effects from the poison. Jayden immediately noticed Palto was not with him.
“Where is Palto?”
“He remained in the tunnel to hold off the Phits. It was the only way he could save you…us,” Deo responded.
Upon hearing this, Jayden immediately grabbed a sword from a nearby soldier and headed back toward the tunnel. He did not make it outside the Realm before Oisin and the Rholian soldiers rushed through the wall carrying Palto.
“Palto are you alright?” Jayden asked looking him over.
“I am now Jayden,” Palto said as he stood up and looked over at Deo crouching beside a sickly looking boy. “It seems our plan may have worked. Would I be correct in assuming this to be Deke?” Palto asked Deo.
“It is but he is not well. He can hardly breathe.”
“He will live,” sounded Kiran’s weakened, crackling voice.
Palto turned to see Kiran laying on the ground in obvious distress. He ran to her side.
“Kiran, are you
alright, what has happened…?”
“All in good time Palto. Where is Lorca?” Kiran whispered as she gasped for air.
“She is here with you, is she not?” Palto said looking around.
“She will be here shortly. She stayed behind to make sure you got back to the wall safely,” Oisin informed him.
“She is supposed to be by Kiran’s side, perhaps she would not be in this state if…..”
Oisin interrupted. “If not for her you would be dead, Palto. She risked her life to save yours.”
Ω
A half hour had passed and with no sign of the enemy Lorca was satisfied that the remaining Phits must have retreated. She instructed the soldiers to head back to Solace with her. She walked slowly behind the Rholians tired from the battle she had just fought. She had no idea that she possessed that kind of resilience until then.
She was glad to see the last leg of the tunnel, the wall was finally in sight and she was due for a welcome rest. She heard the soldier say the words that were so familiar to her. “Solert a piony du sa trquil.” She loved the ancient language which meant. “Open to a world of tranquility”. The wall turned from rock to clear welcoming warmth. She could see Palto was alive and well, waiting for her on the other side. She would probably be in a little trouble for leaving Kiran, but it would be worth it.
She quickened her pace but upon approaching the wall she noticed a strange orange glow reflecting off it. Some sort of light she thought. Lorca turned in curiosity, to see what caused the reflection. It was the last thing she would ever see as flames enveloped her and continued racing down the tunnel toward the Wall of Solace.
Palto saw it coming and threw Oisin out of the way as the fire tore through the wall causing him to fall backward.
“It is Phanthus! Solharn is near,” Kiran weakly whispered to Mary. “The wall must be closed before he gets here….Pert ne sacco.”
Mary jumped up and ran for the wall screaming, “Pert ni sico, Pert ni sico!” she repeated the words again and again but still nothing happened.
Palto hearing Mary realized what was happening. “Pert ne sacco!” he yelled.
Solharn would not make it there in time as the wall once again turned to stone. He was incensed and used all the dark magic he could summon upon the wall. But nothing worked.
“You cannot hide in there forever Kiran. I do not know why the Realm of Solace still remains protected but Elissa’s spell will not last forever!” he screamed in a rage.
Deke seemed to get much worse when Kiran spoke. "Your days on Rhol are coming to an end Solharn. You underestimate the power Elissa holds over you.”
Solharn laughed. “Elissa holds nothing, Kiran. All of her power lies within the amulet the boy holds. I know you are too stubborn of an old lady to simply hand him over to me but you will in time. And rest assured, the longer it takes to get him the more I will make him suffer. Do you hear that boy?”
The words echoed through Deke’s head as he lay on the ground gasping for air.
“There is only one way out Kiran. The dragon will remain at the tunnel entrance should you think of trying to find refuge elsewhere. When the wall finally fails you, I will be there and I will watch you all suffer the most painful deaths you can imagine. Until that time I will finish what I started in Rhol,” and as quickly as he had arrived Solharn was gone.
At her bidding Mary bent down closer to Kiran. “I am sorry Kiran, I spoke the wrong words,” Mary said quite upset with herself.
“There is nothing to be sorry about child, we are safe for now. You must guide him Mary, go now. There is no time to waste, show him the way,” Kiran said with her last breath.
Palto walked over and looked mournfully down at the lifeless body of Kiran. He was joined by Jayden, Oisin, Deo and Deke who by now had fully recovered.
After a prolonged period of silence Palto finally asked again how she came to be like this. Mary explained through her tears what Kiran had done when Deke had stopped breathing. That she had put her hand on the amulet and repeated words that she did not understand. Following this, a bright light had shot from the amulet hurtling her backwards to where she lies now.
“What words were they?” Jayden asked.
Mary repeated the words to the best of her memory. “Ko liak somu.”
Jayden translated. “Take my breath.”
PART II
The Beginning of the End
Chapter Seventeen
Deke stared sadly at Kiran. She had given her life for him. He continued to gaze at her remorsefully, unaware of anything around him. It was only the gentle voice of Mary that broke his trance.
“Deke,” was all she said as she gently grabbed his arm and pulled him away.
Hundreds of the blue creatures that he had first witnessed when he walked through the Wall of Solace suddenly swept down and surrounded her. A light blue glow began to emanate from Kiran’s body until it too formed what appeared to be one of the glowing creatures. In an instant the creatures dissipated and flew to the top of the cavern surrounding the tree.
All except one. It remained hovering in front of Deke. He wondered if it was somehow trying to communicate with him. He could not understand what if anything the creature was trying to convey but he did feel a sense of calm before it slowly floated away to join the others.
“They are called Chilings,” Deo said looking into Deke’s eyes. “Do not be sad Deke. Kiran would have died for anyone or anything had she thought its purpose was good. Her souls have joined now, ready to experience the next phase of life. She is complete, a Chiling.”
“A Chiling is a higher form of life Deke, like an energy life force. The word is derived from the ancient language meaning Divine Spirit. It is the last journey one makes before entering the eternal life,” Jayden continued.
“Is this where it starts then, the eternal life? There are so many that remain here,” Deke said looking up at the thousands of Chiling.
Mary was quick to respond. “No we, or at least Kiran, did not know why the spirits remain in this world. Only the Seraphim would have been able to communicate with them. Kiran believed however that they are simply trapped here, as a result of Solharn’s evil. She believed that it signals the beginning of the end of the Balance of Five and his plan coming to fruition.”
Mary paused before continuing, “if he should succeed in completely destroying the balance there will be nothing, no worlds and no eternal life…just blackness, nothingness.”
“Whatever the reason, the number of Chiling shows how many lives have been lost as a result of Solharn’s malicious intent and they just keep coming, entering from where the river runs into the Realm,” said Palto.
Even now, Deke could see a Chiling enter Solace as he glanced upon the river surging through the wall of the cavern.
“Why do they gather here?” Deke asked.
“We do not know the answer to that question either. It is possible that they are simply finding refuge here. At least Kiran finally knows the answer,” Palto said turning slowly and walking away.
“Deke, it is time for us to go. The last words Kiran spoke to me were to get you and Deo out of here,” said Mary suddenly remembering Kiran’s dying words.
Palto stopped and looked at Mary. “You heard Solharn, Mary. Phanthus lies in wait, at the entrance to the tunnel. It would be suicide for anyone to even attempt to leave the Realm.”
“There is another way,” Mary asserted.
Palto was surprised, but more so concerned with what Mary had just communicated to him. He knew what she was to eventually become.
“Do not seem so surprised Palto. When I first arrived in Rhol I spent several months here with Kiran before continuing on my journey to find Queen Elissa and nearly another two years after Lorca saved me and brought me back here. Kiran shared many secrets of this world with me during that time in hopes that Deke would finally arrive and that I might help him.”
“That is not what concerns me Mary. The concern I have is what yo
u will do with your knowledge when the inevitable comes,” Palto said glaring at her.
“What do you mean inevitable? How dare you accuse Mary of anything less than her good intentions,” yelled Deke turning to face Palto.
“I will excuse your tone because you do not understand what I speak of. It is something I would have thought you had already been told, but obviously you have not. It is only a matter of…..”
“Enough!” screamed Mary cutting Palto off. “There is no time for idle bantering. We must go now before Solharn destroys everything that remains in Rhol.”
“I agree,” Jayden said. “Palto, we must warn our people that Solharn has returned and plans attacks as we speak.”
“Very well,” Palto said still looking at Mary.
Mary sadly shook her head, “you will not be able to accompany us Palto, nor will your two warriors. You would not survive.”
Jayden looked at Mary, as did Palto. The rest stood still in their place, their expressions blank, not saying a word.
“Mary, I have just met you today. I do not know the extent of your knowledge of this world. Perhaps you don’t understand, but Palto is the leader of the Pegapires and is the most feared warrior in all of Rhol. Do not question his chances of survival,” Jayden sternly said.
“I do not question that, nor was any disrespect intended, Palto,” Mary said pointing to the tree in the meadow. “That is the way out, beneath the tree in which the water flows. Once you enter the water it sucks you under and there you will stay swirling around through the narrow cavern with no air to breathe until eventually it spits you out into the Swamps of Tiqor. I have done it once before and barely survived. The legs of a Pegapire would surely be crippled. Your size is too great.”
Palto thought momentarily before responding. “She is right. Jayden, you must warn our people that Solharn comes. You and Oisin go with them; it is your safest route. We will take our chances with Phanthus.”
