“We don’t have time right now,” Aarav whispered desperately. “Please Bastion.”
There was a long pause. Kai wondered if the boy was going to answer when the response came.
“It’s too late,” the boy whispered. “They are already here.”
22
Kai could feel the anticipation of the coming fight. He knew the feeling well. He had felt it many, many times before. Uncertainty mixed with adrenaline. The combination was intoxicating. At first, it was always a struggle for Kai to keep his muscles relaxed, even after years of training.
“What are they?” Aarav whispered, his bow was nocked and half-pulled in anticipation.
“Gollas probably. Lots of them up around here,” Bastion said.
“What is a golla?”
“Do you know what an octopus is?”
“Of course,” Aarav said.
“They are like that but they live on land. They prefer the high mountains but some stray down to the lowlands for easier hunting.”
“A mountain octopus? Are you trying to fool us?” Kai asked.
“Maybe I should shut up again? You asked for help, so I’m helping. I’m not making it up but, really, I have no idea what is out there. It was just a guess.”
Bastion’s sharp retort made Kai regret questioning the youth. For just an instant, Kai had a flash of longing for his days in Shelby on Seron. After being exiled from Kosal, Kai spent a few years in the small village as its resident drunk. That seemed so much simpler than dealing with this kid.
“So, I am assuming these octopi are dangerous?” Aarav asked.
“They are not octopi. They just sort of look like them. Gollas have a tough hide so they are hard to kill. You got to hit them in the eye cluster. Makes them fall over. Then you can hit them in the underbelly where its soft. The problem is they release a toxic gas which will knock you out. If it does, then you’re done for. The golla will wrap its many legs around you and devour you until there is nothing left while keeping you alive as long as possible so you stay warm and chewy but unable to move. So, yeah, pretty dangerous.”
Kai scanned the woods again but the darkness caused reality to blend with shadow. He could feel his heart beating out of his chest. He willed it to slow down but to no avail. The fear was affecting him. It would affect his response time if he could not gain control. It could be the difference between dodging an attack and getting hit with who knows what.
A rustle in the bushes to the left drew their attention. From a large flowering bush emerged a long, tentacle followed by another and then another. Kai was not prepared for what followed those tentacles. Slowly a bulbous form came into view, slithering across the forest floor on a mess of tentacles. In the moonlight, Kai could see the reflection of light from the creature’s dark leathery skin. As the light shifted across the golla’s body, a group of twelve glassy orbs became visible.
Kai released an arrow toward the cluster which struck home. The golla’s tentacles began to wave wildly and then the creature fell over, just as Bastion had said it would. Kai immediately released another arrow toward the exposed spot where the tentacles joined the body but the spot had already been struck by Aarav’s shot. A horrific screech came from the creature before it fell still in a heap on the ground.
The air was filled with a putrid odor that filled Kai instantly with fear. “Is that the toxic gas?” he asked worriedly, covering his face the best he could with his arm.
Bastion let out a laugh. “Yeah, it sure is,” he said as he got to his feet and stretched his arms. “All of this is now a hallucination. You’re actually dying right now.”
It took Kai a moment to calm his instincts and come to the realization that the boy was being sarcastic. “Are you kidding me?” Kai asked.
“Oh, just relax,” Bastion said, shaking his head. “That’s just the way it smells. Do you think I would have just sat there the whole time if we were in any danger? Gollas are ugly things but generally harmless. They eat carrion and waste so it stands to reason that they would smell bad. Seriously, walking and talking. How do you do it?”
Kai had come to his wits end and was overcome with a rage that was fueled by the adrenaline that still rushed through his veins. “God’s damn you,” he screamed and pulled his bowstring, aiming the arrow directly at the moonlit silhouette of the youth. He willed his fingers to release the missile but they would not respond.
“Kai!”
Aarav’s shout caused him to take a pause and really see what he was doing. He looked at Bastion, who was staring right at him. The boy’s expression was calm but there was an intensity in his eyes. It was not a look of fear, which was what Kai had expected, but of curiosity. It was as if the boy did not understand why Kai was so angry.
Kai slowly lowered his bow and let the bowstring relax. He took a few deep breaths, in through his nose and out through a pursed hole in his lips. After a moment, his breathing slowed as did the beating of his heart.
“I … I … I’m sorry,” he managed to whisper before he turned and walked a few feet away, dropping himself to the ground with his back against a tree.
What did I just do? This is like Prince Erik and Rosalie all over again.
The only other time Kai could remember losing his temper like he just did was many years ago when he found Prince Erik of Kosal with his bride to be. He remembered walking into his tent to find his sweet Rosalie being rutted like a dog. That is the last clear memory he had until he woke in a jail cell. Kai could only remember short flashes of beating the man but he was told later that it was like watching a hungry, rabid animal attack its prey. Kai had been exiled from Kosal and it was not until years later that he discovered that the Prince was threatening to have Rosalie’s father killed if she did not bend to the noble’s will.
Kai could see Aarav talking with the boy, obviously discussing him and his behavior, but he was so caught up in his own mind that he could not hear them or understand what they were saying. After a few moments, Bastion sat by the extinguished fire while Aarav went to where Kai sat propped against a tree.
“We can’t stay here.”
Kai stared blankly at Aarav. He knew that the man spoke to him but he could not comprehend the meaning of what he was saying. Aarav put one knee down in the dirt next to him and, grabbing him by the shoulders, shook Kai until he snapped out of his daze.
“Kai, we have to move. We can’t stay here. We’ve made too much noise. There’s a good chance we attracted something more dangerous than a golla.”
Kai slowly nodded and took Aarav’s outstretched hand. He stood still for a moment and let his senses come back to him.
“Look, I’m sorry. It was meant to be funny. I didn’t think that you would freak out like that.”
Kai turned to face Bastion, his mind brimming with all the things he wanted to say to the youth but the only thing he could articulate was a mumbled “It’s fine.”
Bastion and Aarav managed to find a small cave in which they could safely wait out the night. It wasn’t big enough to stretch out or make a fire but at least they would not have to worry about being attacked. They huddled close together for warmth and waited out the darkness.
“It’s light enough. We should go.”
Bastion’s voice snapped Kai out of a light slumber.
“I know this area. We are not far from the trail we were following. We will make it Millpond before lunchtime if we leave now and head straight there,” he said.
Kai and Aarav both agreed that reaching an inn with hot food and comfortable chairs was a priority so they quickly prepared and were soon off.
The trail, because road would be too generous a word to describe it, was no more than an overgrown cart path. Bastion said to them that at one time it was a frequently traveled road but, once the mines began shipping their wares down the coast instead of overland, it was now falling badly into disrepair. There were still travelers but they were now few and far between. Kai had noticed that once they entered the pass that
led north, that there were no more villages or farms.
Once the morning fog dissipated, the day turned out to be bright. It was not too hot which made travelling with little rest a much easier task. The three walked as briskly as they comfortably could, each leaving the others to their own thoughts. The sun was almost at its apex when they came over a ridge and found themselves back in civilization, or at least what passed for civilization in this part of the Isle. The wheat fields and farmhouse seemed to stand out in the wilderness that surrounded them.
“We’re almost there. This farm marks the edge of Millpond, which is not a big place but it serves it purpose,” Bastion said as they entered the meticulously kept lane that led to the house.
“Which is?” Aarav asked.
“Boats. This is where we catch a ride down the river and make up for lost sleep,” Bastion said, displaying his rare grin.
“Do they have an inn there?” Aarav asked, hopefully.
“No, it is much too small of a place for that. I bet I can convince Marea to give me some food to take with us, though.”
Kai felt like his soul shattered when the prospect of a hot, homecooked meal was taken away from him. He struggled against the urge to shoot the boy again.
Millpond was no more than a collection of small but sturdy stone houses built on a hill overlooking a large lake. A small group of children ran to meet the travelers as they approached the houses, and were soon followed by an upset mother who scolded them and scattered them to their chores.
“Welcome to Millpond,” she said. She put on a wide grin to cover the exasperated look she had been wearing. “Oh, Bastion, I almost did not recognize you. My, you’ve grown tall. Did you not come down this way? Or did I miss you? Neg didn’t say he saw you. Maybe he forgot? He’s getting a bit grayer around the ears these days.”
“Hello Maera,” Bastion said as the grin that was so elusive to Kai was shared freely with the matron. “No, I was urgently summoned by Fronya.”
“Ah, I see,” said Maera, “Well, good. Off to Pal’Rhoc are we? Pleased to meet you. I am Maera Millpond.”
“Kai Woods. This is Aarav Graham,” Kai said as he took the woman’s outstretched hand. He gave her a polite bow as he shook her hand which caused the woman to blush and giggle.
“Oh my, well,” Maera said when she regained her composure. “Come have some lunch before you head down to the river. Neg is around here somewhere.”
She led them onto a large wooden patio that was built off the side of a stone house. Once they were settled, Aarav with a frosty pot of ale and the other two with water, Maera disappeared into the house to fulfill her promises of a meal.
“It must be nice to live out here in the country where it is quiet and uneventful,” Kai said as he lounged in a soft leather chair.
“It’s not actually that quiet or uneventful,” Bastion said, before taking a long swig from the mug of icy water. “It is very dangerous to live out here. Gollas destroy crops faster than locusts but they can’t be hunted because of all the other dangerous beasts that inhabit this island. Aren’t you supposed to be a tracker or scout or something? I figured you would have come to that conclusion on your own.”
Kai clenched his fist but relaxed as Maera entered the room with a platter of cold meats, cheeses, vegetables, and bread, still warm from the oven. He was immediately distracted by the smell of the fresh loaves as his stomach made a loud growling sound.
Maera laughed. “I guess I’m just in time,” she said as she placed the platter down in front of the travelers. All three were famished and it showed as Maera had to refill the platter three times before they were all fully satisfied.
“Thank you so much,” Kai said as he wiped his mouth and sat back in the chair.
“Oh, it’s my pleasure. I wouldn’t want you fellows to starve to death on the ride downriver,” Maera said, as she gathered up the dishes.
“Please, let me,” Kai said, taking the platter from her hands. “I will help you clean up. It’s the least I can do.”
“Why, thank you. I won’t say no to that,” Maera said with a laugh. “Bastion. Why don’t you take Aarav and see if you can find Neg. He should have a boat ready to go but I haven’t seen him all morning.”
A knowing smile from Aarav told Kai that his friend knew what he had in mind by offering to help with the clean-up.
Kai followed Maera into a large, well-organized kitchen. There was a pot bubbling over the cooking hearth, letting off a delicious odor that reminded Kai of hunter’s stew.
“I haven’t seen anyone else around. Is it just you and Neg out here?” Kai asked, initiating the conversation.
“Oh my, no,” Maera said as she filled a wash basin. “It’s a big place for just two people. Our children live here as well. They are just out working right now. Everyone has their own tasks to do, you know. Only way this place can survive.”
“Makes sense,” Kai said. He paused as he found the wash cloth and soap. He began scrubbing the dirty dishes and then continued with his real purpose. “So, you’ve known Bastion a long time?”
“Oh, yes. Fronya brought him here shortly after she picked him up from that orphanage on Droll. She was so proud of him. In the short amount of time he had been with her, he had already learned an incredible amount about using magic. He is gifted, that one.”
“He’s got a bit of an attitude, huh?” Kai had to try very hard to not make the question sound spiteful.
Marea laughed again. “Yes, but trust me, it will tone down. He has always been a little rough, he actually used to be a lot worse, but, I suppose, living in an orphanage will do that to a person.”
Makes sense, I guess, Kai thought.
“I suppose you are asking because you are taking the brunt of it?”
Kai nodded and told her of all the encounters he had with the youth.
“Yes, well, if I’m honest, it may not seem like it but that means he is fond of you. He’s normally a good-natured, quiet boy but he’s never really picked up the subtleties of human interaction so when he doesn’t really know how to act he reverts to the way he had to speak when he was younger. We thought that after a time the habit would fade but, as you know, it has not.”
“What you’re telling me is that he is rude and condescending because he likes me?” Kai thought the woman had to be joking.
“It’s true. He wants to interact with you but that’s the only way he knows how to.”
“That is some interesting insight,” Kai said as he handed the last clean dish to Marea who was drying them and putting them away. He now felt pangs of guilt for attempting to shoot the boy just hours earlier. “Thank you again. For everything.”
“My pleasure. I suspect you have a long, hard road ahead,” Marea said.
“I won’t expect anything less considering the road so far,” Kai said and could not help but chuckle.
Marea threw her arms around Kai and gave him a squeeze. “Good luck. Bastion will take care of you. Just try to be patient with him. Trust me, it will be worth it.”
Take care of me? He’s going to be the death of me!
Kai returned the woman’s embrace and went in search of his companions. He found them by the boat launch at the head of the river, speaking with an older man who turned out to be Neg.
After a few last-minute preparations, they boarded a long, wide-bottom boat. Kai was the last to get on as he had to repeatedly tell himself that it was not going to be like a larger ship. It seems that the experience he had with the pirates had scarred him more than he realized. The thought of being ridiculed by the boy pushed him to get on. He hoped that his pause would not cause the boy’s poison tongue to lash out at him. Thankfully it did not.
Neg said that the boat would steer itself so all they had to do was relax and enjoy the ride. Kai did not have high hopes for that, though, as Bastion was still his guide. The boat launched and began to speed down the middle of the river.
Bastion laid down on one of benches and shut his eyes
. “We have a way to go. I’m going to sleep,” he said.
Perfect, thought Kai.
Aarav laid down as well and was soon snoring quietly.
Kai watched the scenery go by but it all began to blend together as the weariness began to get to him. Soon, he followed suit, laid out on a bench, and closed his eyes. Curious thoughts about the mystical temple of Pal’Rhoc were the last thing in his mind before sleep took him.
23
“Kai. Wake up right now. You have to see this.”
Kai opened his eyes slowly. Dusk was beginning to settle over the land and they were still on the boat. Kai sat up and looked around but he all he saw was water, rocks, and trees.
“No, there,” Aarav said as he pointed downriver.
Kai looked in the direction Aarav was indicating. He rubbed his eyes. He must still be sleeping. He looked again but nothing had changed.
“Is that real?” he asked, frantically looking between his two companions for answers.
“As real as you are,” Bastion said.
At the end of the long channel was a huge structure built from bricks of white stone. It was seven sided with a massive tower in the middle that thrust up toward the sky. Kai knew there was seven sides because the building was floating above the earth and spinning slowly, giving him the opportunity to count them all. On one wall, there was a large gate, which Kai took to be the entrance but he could not discern at this distance how to get to it. Even as the sun disappeared from the sky, the walls let off a bright reflection.
“That is Pal’Rhoc? That is the most amazing thing I have ever seen,” Kai said, his jaw slacking. “And, I have seen some pretty amazing things.”
“It is one of the greatest achievements that has come from the collaboration between the A’kil and the Pyx. Pal’Rhoc is the product of centuries of research and experimentation,” Bastion said, unable to hide the pride in his voice.
“Research into what?” Aarav asked.
“Magic. Or, more specifically, the combination of magics. It is extremely dangerous work but unfathomably rewarding. The Pyx have a grasp of magic that even the greatest wizards and witches of legend would be jealous of. But, as with all things, they lack certain attributes that are found in the A’kil and vice versa. So, by working together, they can create new magics. There are truly never-ending possibilities. It is a hugely exciting time,” Bastion said with a wide grin, which slowly faded as he laid eyes on Kai, then added, “That is, if you are capable of understanding the implications.”
Dragon Flight: Sisera's Gift 3 (Dragonblood Sagas Book 5) Page 17
