by M. R. Polish
Zeus nodded. “Very wise. I think you just made Captain.” He chuckled before scanning the faces of the other racers. “Just as Brady said, you shall do. Be swift, be wise, and be safe. Brady, you will report back to me as soon as you arrive, yes?”
Brady nodded. “Yes, but I don’t know how long we’ll be. Especially not knowing Baratrum, we are at a disadvantage.”
Grunting, Zeus nodded, but said nothing.
Karis could almost see the wheels in his head turn on the outside he was so deep in thought. For a man so revered for his sternness, he didn’t conceal his worry very well.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Without knowing where to create the other end of the portal on Baratrum, Karis hoped that she wasn’t placing them directly into the mouth of the beast. Black sand swirled around them, scratching any skin it touched. The wind died and the sand dropped in a plume of dusty smoke around them.
Gasping, Karis stared at the enormous structures. The red glow over the rock facing of each tower looked as if it were on fire, but it was only the energy of the material found in the rocks pulsating to the surface. Skywalks branched out connecting the fortress. Lights flickered as guards in cloaks patrolled every level with orbs that lit the way. Cracks in the walls made an open view of cells with prisoners encaged.
The group backed up to the foot of a rock facing cut out of the hillside. The only thing that stood between them and the towers of hell was the mouth of an ocean. No dry ground that Karis could see connected the two lands together.
The tide rose, creating waves that splashed up the sides of the towers. Gates with a drawbridge on the other side of the water stayed open, giving entrance to each structure. Torches with orange orbs lit the passageway into the unknown. Was there something beyond the mountain of cells, or were there only more?
It was so dark without the brightness of a sun. The only thing in the sky was a black circle of a moon with a red ring around it. She was certain it wasn’t midnight, although the lack of light made it hard for her to discern time.
Masked figures strolled along the drawbridges, all the way to the water’s edge and back.
Groans, cries, and screams filled the air. Deep wails seemed to go on forever, when one stopped another started. Karis cringed as a new cry split the air in a soul shattering plea for mercy.
Of all the stories Karis heard as a child about Baratrum, she always thought they were just to scare little ones into behaving for their parents. Not one story even came close to the unspeakable reality.
“It’s so horrible. I don’t think I can do this.” Karis stared at Brady, afraid to take her eyes off of him, for fear that she’d see something she couldn’t handle.
He grabbed her hand. “You can do this. Just block it out.”
She nodded, but wasn’t sure she could do as he suggested.
Hunching down, Brady gestured for the others to do the same. A dry, dead bush was their only cover beside the wall. A cloaked body ambled toward them.
Karis’s hear caught in her throat. A guard on this side of the water? Even though she never tried it, she was determined that she could do this. She was needed and wouldn’t fail while just beginning. Holding her breath, she closed her eyes and concentrated on the small group. The strong pulse of her energy flowed to the ends of her fingers and filling her palms. Another surge throbbed under her skin. She raised her hands, palms out and released her power.
Euphoric colors radiated from Karis’s torso and palms in a transparent bubble, pushing her energy farther, the bubble stretched, building the kinetic force up around each of the men in their group.
The guard got closer. His stench assaulted them before his presence did. Nothing on any world could shield them from the horrid vomit inducing stench that radiated from the guard.
Karis buried her nose as far into her shoulder as she could get without dropping her shield.
“Don’t drop it,” Brady said. “You’re doing great.”
“What is that?” Focusing on the shield was harder the closer he got.
Brady watched the guard’s every move. “I don’t know, but I’d rather smell decomposed skunk lying in a pool of throw up. Just don’t breath.”
Karis gagged. “Thank you for that mental image.”
Brady stifled a chuckle. “He’ll be gone soon. You can do it.”
It wasn’t soon enough. Karis felt her power flicker and she worried her senses were overloaded, unable to contain full control. Sweat broke out in tiny droplets over her forehead as she strained to hold their position a secret.
None too soon, he rounded the corner of the facing. Karis dropped her shield and took in deep gasps of much needed fresh air. Well, fresher than when the guard was next to them.
“We need to get in, but not all of us can turn into fish. Do you see any way to the other side?” Brady glanced up and down the banks.
“All of the boats are docked over there. They must bring their guards over and row back.” Frog, the Thurg sentry pointed to the heavily protected marina next to the gates.
Karis still couldn’t get over his name. Well, his nickname. Back on Thurg he was known for not only his speed but his jumping abilities as well, thus his name was born. She was just glad he could speak Earth’s English, because Thurganese was harder to understand with a G at the end of every word. Although his accent was strong at times when he said words that ended that way.
Karis gestured with her head to the towers. “Well, I guess we learned our first lesson about Baratrum. We are going to have to scope out a place for a portal on the other side to bring everyone here.”
“Yes, but we need to find a way over there first. Without knowing a place for a portal to land, we could be just asking for trouble. Besides, we aren’t supposed to be seen yet,” one of the other men said.
“What about swimming over?” Frog asked.
Brady shook his head. “No one here but Karis and I can grow a tail to fight with, and as murky as that water is, there is no telling what’s hiding in it. We might not make it across alive.”
Frog nodded. “True, that other dude who walked by us was enough to deter anyone from wanting to enter anything unseen. I just didn’t think about it like that.”
“This isn’t doing us any good. We need to move. There’s nothing here to help us get across.” Brady slinked along the bottom of the hillside, following the water’s edge.
After a few minutes, the gates disappeared from their view as they rounded a corner. Brady stopped. “Up there. That’s how we’ll get over there.”
A skywalk connected a large chunk of the growing hillside to a tower.
Frog frowned. “How will we get past the guards? We can’t endanger Karis until we know what’s over there.”
Brady smiled. “We’re gonna run.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Karis didn’t know she could hold her breath for so long. Each minute they were gone left her with a sickening dread that something would go wrong. Constantly, she rubbed her arm with Brady’s bond and whispered pleas to the universe to protect him.
Hiding behind a deteriorated wall of rock, she kept quiet waiting for their return. How long had they been gone? Twenty minutes? Thirty? She didn’t know. For being the fastest, they were sure slow getting back to her.
The howls got louder with no one to help direct her focus. Each wail grabbed at her heart.
“Karis,” Brady’s voice entered her head. “Be ready to leave. We are almost there. I’ll grab your hand as soon as I get there, but get us out of here.”
His panicked urgency worried her. Standing out in the open, she began to make a funnel wide enough for them all to travel in. It wouldn’t reach its destination until Brady channeled the link, but she was ready.
Footfalls on the rocky skywalk thundered toward her. “Now!” Brady yelled as he clasped her hand.
His power surged through her faster and harder than it ever had before. In seconds they were gone and back in Shamike. The funnel of golden san
d sifted down to the ground. Karis’s heart beat wildly in her chest. “What happened?”
Brady tried to catch his breath from running. “I saw Marin. He’s preparing his army for an attack. First place is Aridam.”
Karis’s heart dropped to her stomach like a lead weight. “You need to tell Zeus. We need to gather everyone and attack him before he has a chance to leave.”
“Agreed.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her with him.
Zeus frowned as he paced. “I was hoping to have a few more days with them. So many are new and this is the first training they’ve ever had.” He stopped to look at Karis and Brady. “What will happen if I send them over against these beasts without proper training? They’re gonna die, and I will be to blame.”
Karis moved forward, leaning her hands on the t able. “We will all die if we don’t. And, I’m the queen so the decision falls on me. I will be at the fault of all blame, not you.” Tendrils of hair fell from her braid, framing her face as she hung her head. Days of worry and nonstop coming and going were taking a toll on her appearance. It wouldn’t be long before rest would come to them all. In one way or another.
Brady’s hand rested on her back. “There will be no blame on anyone. With the new circumstances only those who volunteer will be going. It is unfair of us to ask each person to walk to their deaths.”
Karis straightened. “He’s right. No one will be forced. Those who are not going will be asked to stay and protect the families of those who do go.”
Zeus nodded. “This is not easy.”
“With so many who rely on us, it never is.” Karis couldn’t help but think of her father as she said those words. The burden he faced of carrying the weight of Shamike must have been heavy but he never complained. His smile was something all the people saw first. How did he do it? She was just beginning to take her role as queen and already she felt the pressure of deciding their fate press down on her.
Pushing the doors open, she exited the palace and briskly walked to the gate, flinging it open. “Shamike,” she cried out, her voice amplified by her power and higher calling. “It is your queen, hear me now.”
Her voice spread across the sky to every ear around the world. Tingles raked across her skin as she heard her own voice coming from the air, it echoed off the trees and buildings, and sunk deep into the sea.
She remembered witnessing her father calling out to the world once before, when she was a child, and could almost feel the chills that swept through her body as his voice boomed across the heavens. The effect it carried was staggering.
“We are not only a single world or one nation, but we are many. We are the universe. We have survived for thousands upon thousands of years. But now, we are under attack. Each and every one of us is worth more than anything a precious stone or money could buy and our freedom is not for sale. I will fight against Marin and his army, but I will not ask you to. My heart is heavy as a decision had to be made.
“I have pulled our troops from the battle and the only ones who will be fighting will be on a volunteer basis, for I cannot ask you to sacrifice yourself and leave your families. Before, I said we would be leaving in a sennight, but with Marin ready to attack, we must leave today. It will leave many of you untrained and unprepared. Those who still wish to fight; we will be leaving within the hour.”
Karis turned and strode toward the palace. Brady stood, waiting on the top landing of the stairs. “You never cease to amaze me. Your determination and ease of leading makes me want to do whatever you say.”
She smiled. “I’ll have to remember that. Right now, we need to get to Perditus.”
“I figured you say we needed to go swimming.” He winked at her and held up their small Syrenae bags.
“Rachael, get them together and make haste, we’ll meet you there.” Poseidon ran toward the wall of water, jumping through in one leap, immediately changing. The transformation was so quick that the tip of his tail flicked and sliced through the wall of water before he was completely through.
Karis gave Brady a side glance. “Go with him, I’ll go with Rachael to gather the ones here.”
Brady nodded quickly before diving in after Poseidon, changing nearly as fast as he did. Karis ran to catch up to Rachael. “Where do we start?”
Rachael gave her a curious look before pointing to the row of houses. There had to be at least a hundred or more on every street. “Over there. Knock on every door. Do it only twice and run to the next. They will know.” She gestured to a second row. “I’ll start there.” She took off faster. “Thank you,” she said over her shoulder before disappearing behind a house.
Karis pushed herself and dug her heels into the sea-stone for more traction. Darting up the stairs, she rapped her knuckles across the hollow door twice before sprinting to the next one. One by one, she knocked on every door in her row, matching Rachael’s time, meeting her at the end of the street.
“Now we go there,” Rachael said, pointing to the next two roads. “Each one until they are all done.”
Karis stared wide eyed at the house tops that seemed to go on forever. “All of them? There isn’t an easier way? A sea shell you blow in or something?”
Rachael laughed. “No. But, that is a great idea for next time.”
“Next time,” Karis said, losing her breath as she tried to keep up with Rachael. “There better not be a next time.”
After knocking on numberless homes, Karis’s knuckles were raw and bleeding. At that point she was certain breathing didn’t count anymore, because she lost her breath several streets back.
As she rounded the corner to head over to the meeting spot, she saw Brady’s tail behind the water. At least he made it back. She jogged over to meet him. “I think we’ve got everyone.”
Behind her hundreds of Syrenae were filing in, waiting to be called to duty. She never saw a fiercer looking bunch of men. Their bare chests showed off their strong upper bodies. Strapped around their waists was an array of weapons ranging from spears to daggers with evil claw hooks spewing out at the ends.
Every man had a painted face that would match his tail. Karis stepped back in awe. They were amazing to see. Gold with black stripes covered the face of a man who stood closest to her. His jet black hair was shaved on one half of his head, and long and flowing down his back on the other. He stepped forward with his eyes on Karis. “I am Aughust. We are ready.”
Karis nodded. “We will be taking the first group over, then you will leave. I want you to know that we have no idea what is in the waters of Baratrum, but we need our backs covered and are grateful you will be there to fight with us.”
Aughust scoffed. “We are not afraid of anything in the water, here nor there.”
“He might change his mind once he’s there,” Brady said for Karis to hear.
That was the truth. Just knowing she was heading back there gave her the chills.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The last of the Syrenae disappeared, along with the last rays of the setting sun that glared off the water surrounding the city.
“What did we do?” Karis stared at the woman and children left behind. “We just sent them to their graves. We don’t know what’s in the water there. What about them?” She pointed to a group of children.
With Poseidon and Rachael gone, their home was left unguarded. No husband or father to watch over their family. Karis hated how the war tore everyone apart.
“Come on, we need to go. We can’t leave them there alone. They’ll need us on land like we need them in the water.” Brady tugged at her arm.
She stepped back, barely acknowledging the grip around her arm. “You’re right.”
Once they were back in Shamike, Zeus ran to greet them. “The hour is almost up, and you won’t believe this.” He began running away, toward the city, and the palace.
They rushed after him, trying to keep his pace. Once they hit the city wall, Karis knew instantly why he was in such a hurry. There was no room to enter the city with all the
bodies that crammed together. Zeus nodded to a man who stood on the roof of a tall building.
In seconds, loud bangs and shouts came from within. The wall began to crumble and a mass of men and women flowed out. They were tearing down the wall. Karis watched, speechless.
Zeus grinned, ear to ear. “They heard your plea earlier, and they all came to fight. When they got here they were all so empowered that they’ve become determined to take back their city. I didn’t want to stop them.”
She touched his arm. “I’m glad you didn’t. They need to have that fire in them before heading into what could be their last moments. It will keep them alive longer.”
Zeus raised an arm over his head. “We are ready to fight. Who’s with us?” His cry thundered across the city.
Shouts echoed for miles with their resolve to win.
Karis grabbed Brady’s hand. “One more time?”
“I’m ready whenever you are.” His grip tightened around her hand. “Are you sure you won’t change your mind and stay here? I just don’t want anything to happen to you or the baby. I can’t even bear the thought.”
She stood up on her tip toes and gave him a quick kiss. “And I love you even more for worrying about us, but we’ll be fine. Nothing could stop me from going. Not now. I have too much invested and my people need me.”
Tight lipped, Brady nodded. “Don’t hesitate, just react. Make sure you keep yourself safe and worry about all of us later.”
She smiled. “You know I could never put everyone second.”
The city plowed out into the field, surrounding the couple. There was no more time for discussions. The end was there.
Karis pulled her energy from Brady. Dirt and sand picked up speed, twirling around them until a funnel formed, closing them off from the outside. Anticipation climbed in Karis like a sickness. They planned to drop in Baratrum where they landed the last time and run over the skywalk, but at last minute, Karis felt a tug, pulling her inside the city. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized she had no more control over the portal.
