by R A Oakes
Just then, a door to their left opened, and three unfortunate gargoyles wandered into the stone chamber and froze, unsure of what they were even looking at. All too late, the winged apes realized they were witnessing their own destruction, for as they turned to run, Chen quietly said, “Stop them.”
Gwendylln, Andrina and Corson quickly obliged, their knives whipping through the air, and the gargoyles were dead before they hit the ground. “See if any of them have the keys,” Chen ordered.
Corson leapt forward, riffled through their pockets and smiled holding up a large, circular metal key ring. Silently, Chen stepped back from the wall of bars allowing her friend to open the gate, but then Corson immediately deferred to the black leather panther allowing her to enter first. And wisely so, for Corson realized from the look on Chen’s face and by her demeanor, that her master was on the verge of being consumed with battle lust. Filled with explosive energy, Chen ran past the cages to the wooden double doors, but they too were locked.
Instantly, she dropped into a meditative calm, completely reversing her mood while patiently waiting for Corson to locate the correct key. Chen was not only a woman of action but could plunge into a sea of inner tranquility at a moment’s notice. Andrina had worked with her protégé for years, teaching Chen both the secret and the importance of taking a few seconds rest between bursts of dramatic action. Such pauses served as a rudder, allowing a warrior to direct extreme intensity with skilled precision. Both passionate and serene, there was never a more contradictory woman than Andrina’s greatest creation, the black leather panther.
When the doors were unlocked, Chen unleashed her emotions once more, took a handle in each hand and yanked them open. In front of her was a courtyard covering at least half a dozen acres with over 50 fully-grown tigers prowling within its confines. There were also various mounds of dirt, some forming small hills, others larger ones. In the center was the widest, highest and most prestigious one. It had been Chaktar’s domain before he’d made his escape. Now, a savage-looking tiger lounged at the top with blood staining his chest and the fur around his mouth. A man eater.
Chen took one step into the exercise yard, and several 400- and 500-pound tigers instinctively took a step backwards. Displeased by the intrusion, Man Eater looked up and growled a warning, but the tiger was used to pouncing on helpless villagers and was in for a rude awakening. Feeling annoyed that Chen hadn’t fled from his anger, Man Eater slowly got up and lumbered down from his perch.
The bloodstained tiger was in no mood for being inconvenienced and wondered who this impertinent human female could be. Having feasted on a woman about Chen’s size the night before, Man Eater wasn’t interested in having breakfast just yet. However, it didn’t matter given that he might not be living long enough to eat lunch.
Chen noticed the tiger’s sluggish movements but also observed that dozens of big cats were shying away from the bloodstained beast anyway. Carefully taking stock of the other tigers, she noticed several more with red coloring staining their snouts. These prowled at a respectful distance from their leader but were eager to share in ravaging Chen’s carcass should Man Eater leave any juicy morsels on her bones.
Glancing over her shoulder, Chen noticed some spears propped against a wall. After walking over and selecting one, she turned to Gwendylln and said, “Bring the rest with you.”
Her second-in-command looked at the big cats licking their chops hungrily and thought, Bring them where? How far do you plan on going into that courtyard? But with a sense of resignation, Gwendylln obeyed, going over and picking up a half-dozen spears, which she gave to Andrina, Corson and a few other warrior women. Immediately, Corson began smiling.
“Just remember, we don’t join the fight unless Chen invites us to do so,” Gwendylln warned them.
“There are other bloodstained tigers,” Corson objected. “She can’t take on them all.”
“Don’t be so sure.”
Gwendylln, Andrina, Corson and three other warriors followed Chen into the courtyard. Several more of Chen’s women found bows and arrows inside and hauled cages out to stand on giving themselves a commanding view of the exercise area. Others also took up spears, forming a protective position around the archers. It was a perfect recipe for chaos and confusion. Looking around her, Chen felt comfortable.
However, Man Eater was not enjoying himself. He didn’t quite understand what humans were doing with weapons, but he was determined to regain control of his domain. Charging at Chen, he reared up on both hind legs, pawed the air viciously and let out an enormous growl that reverberated throughout the courtyard. Chen didn’t so much as flinch.
Confused, Man Eater lowered his chest to the ground as if making ready to spring. Chen dug the blunt end of her spear into the dirt floor, tilting the sharp end upward ready to impale Man Eater should he make good on his threat to leap at her. Steadying the spear with her left hand, she unsheathed her sword but kept it close to her side not wanting to attract the tiger’s attention to it.
Man Eater reconsidered his course of action and began prowling in a circle around Chen, who responded by repeatedly shifting her stance and repositioning her spear. After a few minutes, the bloodstained tiger became frustrated that he wasn’t making any headway, but thinking about how he was going to sink his teeth into her warm, sweet flesh was a comfort. Even so, Man Eater was becoming impatient. Having never been up against a battle-trained human opponent before, he was quickly tiring of Chen’s resistance.
Lunging at the black leather panther, he took a swipe at her with a massive paw, tiger claws coming within inches of Chen’s face but fortunately cutting nothing but air. However, Man Eater wasn’t so lucky, and the black leather panther’s sword found its mark opening a long, deep gash across the tiger’s snout. Next, Chen spun around, slamming her spear into Man Eater’s right shoulder cutting deeply into his muscles all the way down to the bone.
Howling in pain, Man Eater retreated back a few steps, but Chen was relentless in her pursuit. Gwendylln quickly tossed Chen a second spear which the black leather panther almost embedded in the animal’s chest, but Man Eater turned suddenly and deflected it with his forearm.
In excruciating pain, Man Eater’s mind was becoming fogged, but he was aware of the stunned looks on the other tigers’ faces. Desperate not to lose his hold on the pack, he ran full tilt at Chen knocking her down in spite of her sword slashing across his neck muscles. Scooping her up in his jaws, he was about to clamp down when the black leather panther took a knife and plunged it into his left eye.
Screaming in pain, anger and confusion, Man Eater began thrashing his head back and forth unintentionally releasing Chen while at the same time launching her high into the air. When she came crashing down, her head struck a large rock almost knocking her unconscious. Then, as Chen was struggling to get to her feet, Man Eater sensed her disorientation and went in for the kill.
Chen saw him coming and tried to sidestep the enraged tiger, but the powerful big cat caught her with the back of his paw lifting the black leather panther off the ground and sending her flying once more. This time, after landing with a resounding thump, her body lay motionless in the dust. When Man Eater saw Chen’s inert crumpled form, he suspected a trap. He may not have respected her before, but he did now. Yet after looking carefully, Man Eater realized that the black leather panther wasn’t holding a weapon in either hand.
Making a final lunge towards his prey, Man Eater felt confident that the end was near. However, as he bounded towards her, the furious tiger encountered even more pain as Chen’s archers quickly began firing arrows. Still he pressed on, determined to destroy his enemy.
Now, directly over her, Man Eater opened his massive jaws and lowered his head to feast on Chen’s body, saliva dripping from his mouth onto her face. As his incisors began cutting into her, Gwendylln, Andrina and Corson raced to their master’s aid but pulled up short when a giant blur sped past them. Suddenly, Man Eater found himself being knocked aside with a
force so powerful it sent him sprawling. Whipping around to confront whoever was attempting to deny him his prize, his heart went cold. Chaktar, a 700-pound tiger, was now standing over Chen protecting her and daring Man Eater to defy him.
The bloodstained tiger hesitated, took a few cautious steps forward, and then charged at Chaktar with all his might. However, it wasn’t good enough. Chaktar outweighed Man Eater by at least 100 pounds. So when they leapt at each other, Chaktar wrapped his front legs around Man Eater, gripped him tightly, sank his incisors into his enemy’s neck and snapped it.
After Man Eater fell to the ground in a lifeless heap, Chaktar put one paw on the dead tiger’s chest and cut loose with such an enormous growl that the other big cats were shaking out of fear. But not fear alone, also respect. Prowling all around the giant courtyard, Chaktar was begging for trouble, but there were no takers.
Chaktar let out another enormous, ear-splitting growl, turned his back on the other animals and bounded over to the highest mound of dirt. There he scrambled to the top and stared down hard at the other tigers, exerting his will upon them. Slowly, one after another, the big cats came and knelt before their new leader.
All the animals bowed in homage except for one, a human animal, the black leather panther, who instead made her way up the hill and put her arms around Chaktar’s neck.
“Thank you for saving my life,” Chen purred.
Chaktar could feel the power exuding from this woman’s body. Chen hugged him tighter, nuzzled his fur and kissed him on the snout. Then, after climbing onto his broad back, she started massaging his shoulders. Chaktar felt himself beginning to relax. Soon, the huge tiger began wondering who was actually in charge here, this luxurious and violent woman or himself.
“Now let’s go save King Tarlen,” Chen purred. “But from what I hear, Marcheto’s incantation will be even more dangerous than a man-eating tiger.”
Chapter 18
Dominion Castle’s tiger compound.
Genevieve, Marcheto, Aerylln, Baelfire, Zorya, Jewel, Flame and Prophet watched as Chen and Chaktar came down from the hilltop and made their way across the courtyard towards them. Before entering the walled compound, all had reverted back to human form, except for Zorya who’d changed back into a warhorse.
“Charnuks are so revolting,” Zorya said feeling nauseated from having lived for even a short time as one of the wretched creatures. Aerylln sympathized with her friend. While in gargoyle form, the young woman’s ape-like hair had been matted, unwashed and infested with lice. “Don’t gargoyles ever take baths?”
“Rarely. I’ve heard they think bathing can lead to sickness and disease,” Genevieve said, smiling when she saw Aerylln looking at her with a horrified expression. However, Marcheto wasn’t thinking about the unsavory experience. His stomach was queasy but for other reasons. The potentially catastrophic results of the incantation Eldwyn had taught him were enough to give any apprentice wizard a panic attack.
Earlier that morning, Eldwyn had told him, “I still can’t sneak out of the College of Wizards. They’re watching me far too closely, which means that you and you alone, my young apprentice, can rescue King Tarlen and his men. I believe in you. I always have. But now, most of all, you must believe in yourself.”
However, looking at the 50 tigers in the courtyard only added to Marcheto’s feelings of apprehension for they were a sorry lot. The man-eaters in the pack had kowtowed to Chaktar, but they still had a shifty, unreliable glint in their eyes. The other tigers were not much better off. Worn out and downtrodden, it was obvious that they lacked the zest and vitality necessary to make the incantation work.
Marcheto thought, Oh Eldwyn, what have you gotten me into? These tigers are nothing like the dynamic, robust big cats you used to heal King Ulray. What am I going to do?
Aerylln walked over to Marcheto, placed a hand on his shoulder and said, “Seeing this lackluster bunch of tigers is enough to depress anyone.”
“Their spirits have been broken,” Marcheto said. “What good can they possibly be to us?”
“I don’t know,” the young woman replied shaking her head. “They are one pathetic looking group of big cats.”
Taking everyone by surprise, a thin beam of light suddenly shot out from the full length of Marcheto’s wizard’s staff signaling the opening of the gateway to the College of Wizards. Out stepped King Tarlen, Captain Polaris and their 20 warriors. Eldwyn wasn’t with them.
The king’s gaze swept the courtyard. When he saw Genevieve, he opened his arms and she ran to him. “Tarlen, Tarlen, Tarlen,” she cried gripping him tightly, never wanting to let go.
“Genevieve,” King Tarlen whispered taking her into his arms kissing her deeply and passionately, each hungry for the other and reveling in the veritable banquet of emotions pouring through them.
After the most luxurious kiss either had ever experienced, one that left them breathlessly invigorated, Genevieve took her husband’s hand, placed it on her belly and said, “Our daughter misses you.”
King Tarlen went down on one knee while resting his head contentedly against Genevieve’s tummy, savoring the moment. Then, sighing deeply, he stood back up, looked over at Chen and said, “I’d like an assessment of our situation.”
“Our situation is grim, sire.”
“How so?”
“We’ve taken control of the tigers, but they are a dispirited lot, sire.”
“I see several with bloodstains on their mouths and chests. Those are the man-eaters?”
“Yes, sire.”
King Tarlen looked over towards the center of the courtyard and saw a large tiger lying motionless on the ground. “Their former leader, I suppose?”
“That’s him.”
Looking around at Chen’s warrior women and Tenacity’s village women, he asked, “Did you sustain any casualties getting into the castle?”
“No, sire.”
“Was anyone seriously wounded?”
“Nothing that would be considered life-threatening, sire.”
“I’m relieved to hear that.”
Then turning to Marcheto, he asked, “Using the tigers we have here, can you bring us permanently back into the physical world?”
“Possibly,” Marcheto said feeling discouraged.
“What’s the likelihood of success?”
“I’d say the odds are against us, sire.”
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” King Tarlen said smiling ruefully. “Honestly, Marcheto, that’s nothing new. It’s been that way for as long as I can remember.”
Captain Polaris took a step towards Marcheto, put a reassuring hand on the young wizard’s shoulder and said, “For the last 30 years, King Tarlen, more than anyone else, has been responsible for keeping hope alive. He has believed the unbelievable, has sought to attain the unattainable, and has endured pain and suffering that would have broken a lesser man. Now that we’re actually inside Dominion Castle, I’ll admit that I’ve doubted this day would ever come.”
“But have you ever doubted yourself? I mean deeply doubted your ability to live up to the high expectations placed upon you by others?”
“Marcheto, I have repeatedly begged the king to relieve me of command. But he would hear none of it. He always gave me the same reply.”
“What was that?”
King Tarlen said, “I told him it was my father who made him captain. Who was I to doubt his judgment?”
“In much the same way, it was Eldwyn who chose you, Marcheto. Who are we to doubt his judgment?” Captain Polaris asked. “Now do your duty, for there is no one else to take your place.”
Marcheto was in a quandary. He’d come up against his own limitations, yet more was expected of him. Much more.
Without being aware of it, his mind began to drift. The young wizard took a step back from himself, placing some distance between his spirit and the physical world. He felt like he was encased in soft, penetrating energy, similar to soaking in a warm bath, being neither asleep nor awake
. Surrendering to the moment, Marcheto sank deeper into whatever it was, losing any concept of time or space. Clearing his mind of all thought, he slowly began sensing a vast ocean of limitless energy sprawling out around him.
Without making any effort, other than developing a willingness to be still and rest, an idea began flowing into his mind from a source other than himself. Soon afterwards, he opened his eyes seeing those around him while not being fully conscious of them. Then, gradually, he became more aware of his surroundings and said, “I have an idea.”
“I’m listening,” Captain Polaris replied.
“Okay, maybe I’ve been too pessimistic. I’ve been looking at these tigers and seeing their lack of energy rather than seeing what energy they do have.”
“And now that your eyes have been opened?”
“After King Ulray was rescued, the tigers who helped save him came out of the experience unscathed. They were powerful, regal big cats and their life force was strong.”
“Your point being?” Captain Polaris asked in the most quietly commanding tone the young wizard had ever heard. The warm reassurance had left the captain’s voice, and he was once more a man of action, a devoted warrior determined to save his king.
“By drawing on every drop of energy these tigers possess, the incantation could work. We’d save the king, and I realize he’s your main priority, not yourself, but the tigers might die in the process. We’d literally be draining the life out of them.”
“Chaktar, will the tigers freely give their lives to save King Tarlen?”
“Captain, these tigers have no concept of what it’s like to serve under a benevolent ruler. In their eyes, asking them to sacrifice their lives for King Tarlen is no different than Swarenth forcing them to fight and die in the arena.”
