by Aaron Hicks
Uktesh! Focus spirit into your fist and palm strike the air!
Uktesh could do a perfect form, but there were only three balanced forms he could use while on his back. He trusted the dragon and gathered spirit into his palm and Struck the air at the charging dragon. The air concussed and Uktesh’s ears were ringing as he stood up to see the dragon on the ground fifty feet away shaking his head. Uktesh saw that all five of the grand masters were killing the two children. Uktesh felt himself Walk behind Dayho, who was in the process of burning the son. He stabbed his sword at the old grand master who somehow deflected it and kicked Uktesh to the ground.
Uktesh could feel the dragon struggling to wrest control of Uktesh’s body against the force trying to control him. I thought between the two of us this couldn’t happen!
Shut up! I’m focusing! As Uktesh stood and moved toward the grand masters he fought with all his might to halt his movements. Uktesh Stepped next to Wyde, then stabbed at him, only to Step again and continue his stab at Ryth who never saw his sword descending.
Mycha blocked the block on both his gauntlets and quickly stabbed Uktesh twice in the chest with his spiked gauntlets. Uktesh fell again to the ground and felt the control leave his mind. As he lay there he thought, did you do that?
There was more rage than he expected. No, I was bested by a mortal girl. Only her final death released us. I was close, though, which did allow us to break her control at her death, instead of mindlessly following her last command.
Thank you! Sorry if I snapped at you back there.
Uktesh could feel the dragon’s disgust with himself. Uktesh stood to see that behind him three leviathans were dead or dying on the beach. Not baby leviathans either, but full-sized giant beasts at eighty to a hundred feet long. Those are really just adolescents, the big ones are dangerous to my kind.
Uktesh nearly vowed then and there to never swim in the ocean again.
The brother of the two necrolan kids soon followed the sister in his fight against Dayho and the corpses that were still moving dropped to the ground. Uktesh stood, “There are still two more.”
Mycha said, “Necrolan!” Before he could stop the grand master, he stabbed Uktesh again in the chest, and again Uktesh flew to the rocky ground.
Uktesh stood up, “I’m not a necrolan, you fucking idiot!” He jabbed himself in the minotaur coat, “Minotaur hide, basically damage proof, but your stabbing still hurts like hell and bruises the skin behind the hide!” Mycha looked ready to try again anyway, and Uktesh, said, “If you try it again, I will end you. You got me once when I was being controlled and once more when I was trying to explain there are two more necrolans. I won’t allow it to happen a third time.”
Dayho said, “We do not have time for this!” They quickly Walked to the cave entrance and found the head of the mother on a rock by the entrance. Her body was trying to grab the head as the head winced each time the body walked into a wall.
When she saw them she said, “Oh fuck.” How she did it without lungs was almost as impressive as being still alive. Dayho quickly burned her head to a final death. In the cave they found the bones of hundreds of more people who must’ve decayed beyond use. They also found two arms that Uktesh knew belonged to the father, as they were holding his crown in a death grip. They could not tell what had happened to his head or the rest of the body. Dayho burned the arms just to be on the safe side before they headed to the beach.
Utkesh saw that Repus, Esloc, and Thulmann all had minor cuts. Repus had a serious injury to his leg. Uktesh hugged them each in turn and said, “We did it! We got all of them but the father and it looks like his kids attacked him and his wife before they attacked us. He lost both of his arms when they did.”
All four of the Justicers arrived armed to battle, but stopped when they saw there had actually been a serious fight that had left a hundred and thirty-seven corpses. They learned what had transpired from Dayho and after much bowing and apologizing for not being here, and with more than a few glares at Uktesh they left.
Dayho walked over and said, “It is good that you’re here. Had this happened without warning hundreds would have died.”
Uktesh said, “Or maybe if I hadn’t provoked it, it wouldn’t ever have happened.”
Dayho shook his head, “Those two had madness in their eyes. They were going to do this sooner or later. This way we have no deaths, a few scrapes, and poor Royn will most likely lose his hand. The spike burst backwards through the gauntlet and into his fist. He was one of the ones to kill a leviathan though. We’ll do what we can, and hope for the best. Send your friend to us for healing. We can’t work miracles, but we can speed the healing process.” With that he walked off to join the other grand masters.
Uktesh saw that Repus was being supported by both Thulmann and Esolc, so he put his hand on Esolc’s shoulder and Walked them to the houses. Laurilli, Heathyr, Larut, Tylor, Pamfilo, Leilani, Pippy, and Sara were all waiting for them. The girls jumped to help bind Repus’s leg while the men who had been left out demanded a status report. Thulmann told them while Uktesh got his first good look at Repus’s leg. A single tooth or fingernail seemed to have torn one long gash from his thigh to his knee.
The women had been ready for injury and Repus was quickly bandaged and being helped into his house by Leilani.
Laurilli took that moment to stand nose-to-nose with Uktesh. Anger and betrayal warred for dominance in her expression. “Husband, you will join me in our house.” She turned and stalked away.
He muttered, “I hear and obey.”
She shut the door behind him in a way that a less discerning man might have called a slam. She locked the door behind them and he sat on the bed. She stalked around the bed and into the bathroom where she slammed that door too. He heard the water start running and he lay back on the bed. She’s so angry she literally needs to cool off! He was confused by that. She’s never done this before. We’ve argued and yelled before. Then he knew what was different, I betrayed her. Kind of. She said Thulmann or her, and I chose her, then without talking about it, decided to make her stay. And I used our special code to do it. He sighed. The day after I marry her, I betray her? That doesn’t set a good precedence. He sat up. But why the shower? Oh! I am an idiot! It’s so I don’t hear her cry.
He walked into the bathroom, to find Laurilli crying next to the shower. He held her and she sobbed on his chest. Slowly she sobbed out her anger, “You left me!” She gripped his shirt, “You promised me you wouldn’t do that!” She took a shuddering breath, and continued, “You used our special code to do it too! Now that’s ruined too!” She pushed him away and shrieked, “Say something!”
Uktesh said, “You’re right. I betrayed you, I ruined our special code, and I’d do it again. I love you. I love your life more than my own. If protecting it means sometimes forcing you to stay behind, I’m going to do that, every time. You agreed to that for the Heroes for Hire. This is no different, except that you feel you could have contributed, and you could have, but you also could have died. I deemed the risk too great and I didn’t have the time to explain it like I do now. So ask any question; ask anything, and I’ll answer as best I can.”
She said, “You could have died! You could have died and you would have let me live the rest of my life with the knowledge that I might have done something to save you. This marriage is a partnership, not a dictatorship. I get to decide when I put my life on the line for something I believe in, and for someone I love.”
Uktesh knew he could apologize again and let it end
Then do that, you fool!
I can’t! I can’t be who I am and willing put her in a situation she’s not ready for!
She’s not saying that! She’s saying she gets a say in her life. She’s saying that if she wants to stay with you when the fires dim, that it’s her choice. That’s all. That you can still talk her out of it, but that she makes the final call on her life.
“You weren’t ready.” The words were out before he co
uld stop them.
You idiot!
She tilted her head dangerously, “What?”
“You weren’t ready. You can’t Shadow Walk the only prerequisite we had for the dragons. You lost to literally everyone this morning including your mother, who didn’t come either.”
Laurilli shouted, “You said you knew I can do better!”
Uktesh nodded and said, “I do, and you can, but you didn’t,” he could hear his voice turn cold and he tried to amend his hurtful statement. “We were fighting for real. Had you been at your best, I probably still wouldn’t have let you come, but you weren’t at your best. You would have been a liability to your father, to me, and to both Repus and Esolc who would be paying more attention to you then their own fights.”
Her next words came out with an arctic chill, “Get out.”
Uktesh felt like she just punched his soul in the gut, “What?”
Her red eyes, and tear stained face looked resolute, “Get out. Take your clothes and sleep in one of the houses we’re renting for Basam.” Uktesh hesitated. He had to come up with something to say to make her understand his point. “Uktesh, I’m going to help you understand what you did to me. Husband, get out.”
Then he understood. Truly understood. The soul-crushing betrayal those words could cause. He felt his eyes water as he said, “I’m so sorry, I understand now.”
He quickly packed his clothes and Walked into one of the houses they were renting for Basam. He threw his chest of clothes on the ground and fell helplessly on the bed. He stared at the white ceiling, instead of the thatched roof he and Laurilli had shared.
How can I fix this?
XII. An Arrival in the Life of
Two weeks left
Uktesh sighed and stared at the white ceiling, wishing for the second time that day that he’d taken the dragon’s advice and just apologized. It was his second time wishing and he’d woken up only minutes earlier. He’d skipped breakfast, as he normally did now, and he realized that he’d slept in to the point that he needed to start getting ready for lunch. He sighed again and thought about Laurilli and how he’d messed up their relationship.
In the half a week since their fight he’d seen her a handful of times, and each time she walked away from him. He’d decided to eat alone and on the other side of the dining area. He had also started to use the necrolan cave as a training area for his spirit-enhanced attacks. He’d started to hear voices in his head and didn’t know if his isolation was causing him to go insane, but the dragon said it was just part of his Affliction. He was also gaining a better control over the elements. He had figured out the god form and that was the most depressing part of his isolation. He had no one he could tell.
Hey! The dragon thought at him.
No one, he amended, who would understand that I am now better than my old grand master Uktan. He sat up and meditated as he’d become accustomed to doing each morning and night. He fell into his trance and for a time his worries flew away. Each day he picked an element to practice and today he worked on channeling air.
He ended his trance rested, fell to the bed from where he’d be hovering, and felt refreshed for the day.
He Walked to the dining area and started to get his food. He was distracted by a shout from Laurilli of, “Basam!”
He turned and saw Basam at the entrance of the dining area. With him were ten blue haired children to match their blue-headed father. One was barely old enough to be away from its mother, though it too had blue hair. I didn’t even think to check to see if he was on today’s boat, and from the shock on everyone’s faces, they must not have ether.
As Uktesh walked over to Basam his discomfort with Laurilli evaporated and as Laurilli stepped back from her hug Uktesh moved forward and hugged Basam as well. The two tables suddenly emptied and after several more rounds of hugs Uktesh said, “We have so much news! But you first, I assume your delay was because of this little one.” He said and touched the baby’s hand with his pinky finger.
Basam said, “Yes. Basam was surprised to find that while Basam was gone Marylla had another child. Basam had enough money to pay for all of Basam’s children, but Basam needed to hire a wet nurse for Sy. Basam just made it to the Isle de Tramonto and Basam is glad Basam didn’t miss you. Basam wasn’t sure how long you were going to stay.”
Laurilli said, “We were going to go to Red Lake to find you if we didn’t see you, but now that you’re here we won’t have to. Basam, please introduce us to your children.”
Basam nodded, “In order of age, this is Basam’s eldest Myranda. She’s nineteen. Then Rasam he is seventeen. Fayth and Trysha are sixteen and twins, but Fayth has a scar at her hairline. Elysha he is fourtheen. Kayla she is thirteen. Katy she is eleven. Robyn she is eight. Mychael he is four. This is Sy, he’s not yet one.
Uktesh noticed that the children who’s ages were eleven and higher had the same red spiral tattoo on their cheek that Basam had. Uktesh asked, “Do children in Croatoa get that tattoo when they turn eleven? Also why did you choose to dye their hair blue?”
Basam said, “Basam dye’s their hair to show they’re Croatoans! Basam tattoo’s them on their tenth birthday to mark them as adults and that they’re from Red Lake.”
Uktesh gapped at Basam, “The eleven year old is an adult?”
The eleven year old, Katy, kicked him in his shin, and said, “Katy is an adult. Katy is going to marry soon.”
Uktesh felt his jaw drop, and fortunately Laurilli was able to ask the question Uktesh wanted answered, “If they’re adults, did they all choose to travel with you?”
Basam nodded and said, “Basam’s children all chose to come with Basam, because they know Basam loves them and they know Marylla doesn’t. Basam also learned that Basam’s family had a bad reputation and Basam’s children couldn’t find anyone to marry there. They hope they will find good mates in Sinai.”
Fayth, Uktesh could tell from her scar, sidled up to Uktesh and asked, “How old are you?”
Uktesh swallowed and said, “I’m sixteen.”
Fayth smiled, traced a finger down Uktesh’s chest, and said, “Fayth likes this, Fayth heard from Fayth’s father that you’re a mighty warrior. Fayth will have your children, and Fayth’s children will be mighty warriors.”
Trysha moved to his other side, and added, “Trysha will also have your children so that Trysha can also have mighty warrior children.”
Uktesh could tell his face was bright red from the amount of heat he felt radiating from his head. “Um, thank you for the offer, but I’m married to Laurilli, her over there,” Uktesh pointed at Laurilli. “Even though we are fighting at the moment I love her and only her.”
Trysha looked at Fayth who looked back at her, then they both looked at Laurilli. “Fayth doesn’t want your love, just your children to be hers. Fayth can share.”
Trysha agreed and said, “Trysha can share. Trysha is good at sharing. Very good.” Uktesh swallowed as her eyes bore into his.
Basam pulled him from their clutches and said, “What Basam heard can’t be true! You and Laurilli are no more together? But are also married? How can this be? Either divorce or forgive!”
At the suggestion of a divorce Uktesh felt his heart shudder in his chest and saw that Laurilli was just as fearful of that as he was. She smiled tentatively at him and he knew they were over the worst of it. Thank you Basam!
Some shock treatment for the soul made her realize that she didn’t want to lose you. If she hadn’t already realized it.
Uktesh pulled up a third table and found himself seated between Trysha and Fayth who seemed more than a little interested in keeping him away from Laurilli. They also seemed to be playing a game to see which one would physically stop touching him first. That meant when he went to get his two cups of tart berry juice they came with one draped on each of his arms, even after they caused him to spill half the drinks on himself and had to get both topped off.
As they ate they filled Basam in on everything that
had happened. He was shook his head and said, “Basam thought that this was a vacation! If Basam knew such great deeds would take place Basam would’ve waited to get Basam’s children!”
The worst part of the retelling of their five and a half months on the Isle of Tramonto was that now Myranda, the eldest daughter and Kayla, the thirteen-year-old were now also interested in him. Fortunately Katy announced that he wasn’t her type, no matter how good a fighter he was. Uktesh stood, still being held by the twins, and said, “I should make sure your houses are ready for you. Laurilli will show you how to get to them.” He took both girls’ hands in his and then Rushed backwards, putting some space between them and him before he Walked to Basam’s house.
He quickly packed his trunk and was going to Walk back to his and Laurilli’s house when he suddenly didn’t know where to go. A knock at his door drew him out of his dilemma. He blinked, walked to the door, and opened it, to find Laurilli standing before him. She said, “We need to talk.”
Hope blossomed. He nodded and motioned for her to come inside. He shut the door behind her and said, “I’m so sorry, I know what you were saying and I think you were right.”
No you don’t, but at least your stiff neck can bend a little.
Uktesh ignored the dragon and continued, “You have every right to determine the course of your life. You’re now skilled enough to make your own decisions and live with the consequences of them. I understand that now.”
“Dad and mom are helping Basam with his wagon now. Repus and Esloc are moving Leilani and Pamfilo’s things respectively into their houses. Tylor and Larut are going to help Myranda with the second wagon and then he’s going help Repus and Esolc. Sara volunteered to help Basam as well and I’m just here to get your trunk, to move you back into our house. You don’t need to help out at all.” She spoke in a monotone that had no feeling in it.
