The others all quickly piled out of the house. Allaso approached and stood on the other side of Kasey while Alethia, Dinami, and Laberos lined up beside him. It was not often that the order had visitors. Their location was supposed to be a secret. As the visitors got nearer, Kasey made out who it was and smiled.
It was Ischus and Protos. Kasey smiled big. She couldn’t help it. They were both like brothers to her and she missed them. She recognized Protos by the way he held himself, he wore a dark purple hooded cloak and a wooden mask over his face with slots for the mouth and eyes. He had on leather armor with a reddish-purple color to it and carried a large walking stick. He was dressed almost like a bard ready for travel at a moment’s notice with only a medium sized bag hung by a strap on his shoulder. Ischus wore white silk with blue trim. He was dressed and looked every part a noble from Loefel Meren.
“Have some food for a weary traveler?” Protos asked as he dismounted and approached Kasey.
Kasey gave him a big hug, “You know we don’t serve food to the likes of you,” she said still beaming. Ischus had some trouble dismounting his Kuon. He was quite obviously not used to them. Then he walked over and also hugged Kasey and joined in the joking, “That is too bad, we heard you had the worst cooking in the country and we were interested in finding out for ourselves.”
They all laughed. “You two are a sight for sore eyes.” Protos surveyed the other Miyka, “I don’t see any reason to have a sore eye here.” He winked at Alethia and gave her a hug before holding her at arm’s length to look her up and down. “I would swear you actually look better than when I last saw you, if that is possible.”
She blushed at the obvious flirt. “Is it that distance makes the heart grow fonder or do I just look better than the rear of the Kuon you have been following behind on the way here.”
Protos laughed heartily, “Beautiful as always and a great sense of humor.” He put his arm around her and looked to Kasey. “I would say that it is great to be amongst my people when they are as unusual as you lot. Not a snob in the whole bunch.”
Kasey cleared her throat, “Oh, there is a snob amongst us, but she is currently contained.”
Ischus cocked his head, “Another female Kalat? How intriguing. Snobby you say… she couldn’t be nobility could she?” Kasey nodded, “She is and very obviously so. She refuses to eat to the point that she passes out and we have to go in and force feed her. Then she does her best to do us physical harm. I have spent the last week in her cell, trying to break through her thick skull. And as to her lineage, she is the granddaughter of Sothseneas himself who, from every bit of news I can gather, is demon possessed.”
Protos shook his head, “Speaking of demons. We received a letter from the Tower of the Magi. I would rather discuss it over food.”
Kasey gave him a smile, “Well, I will just have to burn something for you then, won't I?” and he laughed. As they were continuing to catch up on the way toward the house, Davaag and the other two Kuon began to growl. They paced back and forth a few times before shooting up into the air and taking an offensive advantage that Kasey had seen the animals take just before battle in the past. As they all turned in defense, Laberos was met in the chest with 3 flaming arrows sequentially plunging into his body. His garments caught fire and he screamed dropping to the ground in flames. Alethia took her cloak and began to beat the flames out with it. Kasey rushed to help, (he had stopped breathing with two arrows through his heart). She put her hands on him praying, “Oh Shepherd please bring him back, please heal him. You wouldn’t let him die after all of this, please bring him back.” He remained lifeless.
As Alethia knelt beside him with tears in her eyes, an arrow hit her in the shoulder and knocked her back with force. The arrows were black, the color of choice for Kalat. Kasey had not seen where Ischus or Protos went but she was sure they were with their Kuon fighting somewhere. She looked down at Laberos with tears in her eyes waiting for signs of healing that never came. “It’s just not fair. Why save him just for this?” She did not mean to say it out loud, but she did.
Kasey grabbed Alethia as two arrows whizzed by her head. She let her wings erupt in flames and flew to the house where she heard fighting in the basement. “Allaso,” she called, “Alethia has been hit. Tend her wounds!” Allaso, who had taken cover in the house as soon as the first arrows were shot, stepped forward from the back room and began going to work on her arm.
Kasey ran out the door, sword and gun drawn. On the front porch she found a Kalat with a knife to Misia’s neck. Kasey didn’t hesitate. She shot the Kalat in the head and he crumpled to the ground. Misia looked at her in shock as she took a defensive position to protect her.
Kasey could see a bowman from the corner of her eye. Davaag took care of him, but not before he loosed an arrow. She didn’t have time to talk or warn Misia. Kasey lunged forward pushing Misia out of the way as the arrow punctured Kasey's back and she fell to the ground. Misia got up and dusted herself off. She walked over to Kasey and shook her head. “You are stupid if you think that gesture meant anything other than you are weak.” Misia laughed, “Not so tough now are you?”
Kasey tried to get up but the pain in her back was agonizing. Misia turned around and walked into the woods dodging a few arrows as the fight went on. I guess I no longer need to figure out what to do about her. She could not go back home, she was wanted dead for her failure.
They eventually won taking two more Kalat prisoners. No Kalat escaped so they didn’t need to worry about further attacks. When the fighting was over they found Kasey where she lay. Allaso removed the arrow from her back and stitched the wound up. Thankfully, it had not severed her spine or punctured far enough to hit any vital organs.
They deduced that the Kalat scouts had followed Ischus and Protos all the way from Loefel Meren. There would be none returning to reveal their position, but they had lost Laberos. They buried him and prayed together.
Protos and Ischus did what they could to comfort the others. Kasey, though, felt that the Shepherd was distant from her. She could not understand why He would not grant her the power to heal or resurrect Laberos. Why should she have been healed but not him? He was so young and full of life… and now he was gone. It wasn’t right and to her the Shepherd was the one who made things right. She did not blame the Shepherd; she blamed herself for her lack of understanding, but it still ate away at her.
She could not sleep the whole night. She lay in her bed with the window open. When the first few rays of light started to show on the horizon, she saw Misia standing outside her window looking in at her with a frown on her face. When she realized that Kasey had seen her she climbed through the window and approached her, vulnerable in her bed. Kasey was still and calm. She waited for Misia to speak but for some time she just staring at Kasey with anger on her face.
“Who do you think you are anyway? You are so high and mighty aren’t you? Better than me because you would sacrifice your life for mine while I would take yours at the first chance. Is that it? Does it make you feel better about yourself to prove that you are a better person than me? Because I’m not a very hard target. I've killed, maimed and massacred. How dare you have the gall to think that you could change me… reach me… save me!” She was breathing heavily with tears streaming from her eyes.
Protos swung the door open and rushed in with sword ready. Misia raised her own blood covered sword pointing it at him. “You idiots let a scout get away. Had he reached base, he would have revealed your position. But I took care of him… he begged for his life.” She continued crying, “He had once called me his sister but I know… yes, I know my people. The moment that I showed the weakness of compassion and spared him, he would have taken my head back to Sothseneas and they would have celebrated my death. But you! My enemy!” She spit on Kasey’s floor and drew a deep breath. “You save me? You put your body between me and an arrow?”
Misia crumbled to the ground tears streaming down her face with a blank look in her eyes. “N
o one has ever done such a thing for me… no one,” she whispered so quietly that it was almost inaudible.
Kasey got up carefully so as not to re-open her stitches. She walked over to Misia and held her. At first Misia pushed her away but it was a very weak push. Kasey persisted. They held each other there and cried on the floor of her bedroom. Kasey looked up with tears in her eyes and there was a figure standing in the room by the window. At closer look she recognized Him as the Shepherd.
Misia turned and Kasey could tell that He was beckoning her to follow him. He stepped out through the window outside the house and walked toward the first rising sun. Misia looked at her questioningly. “Go… quick, follow him,” she said.
Misia climbed out the window into the sunlight and ran to Him with her skin burning. Kasey could not make out what was being said but she had a good idea. He held Misia for a good moment as she cried in his arms and her skin stopped burning. When He let her go, she fell to the ground and her body was engulfed in a purifying flame. This was the first time Kasey had seen someone come to the Shepherd just like she had. When Misia emerged from the ashes no longer a Kalat but a glowing Miyka, all heard the Shepherd proclaim, “I name you Misia Phoenix, daughter to Kasey Phoenix.” And just as suddenly as He had come, He left.
Misia returned to the bedroom through the window. Kasey lay with her in her bed holding her as she cried. Kasey found sleep for a few hours holding her new daughter. A daughter with a bond thicker and stronger than blood.
When Kasey woke, she left Misia to sleep. The question still nagged at her and the Shepherd was no longer there to answer it directly. He came to accept Misia, not to deal with my trivial issues.
She made everyone breakfast and then went to sit on the roof and think. This time Protos joined her. “You still haven’t heard what I came to tell you.”
She looked up at him. “Good news I hope?”
He shook his head, “Bad news, but not your problem. It will be taken care of, but I need information from you.”
“Oh?” She asked with a touch of shock.
“How did you defeat Thanatos?”
“He is here?”
“Yes, he is at the tower of the Magi.”
She looked at Protos, “I prayed, and I vanquished him. But he was possessing you.” Protos nodded with a distant look in his eyes. “You need to go to this thing in Lake City. I will watch this place for you while you are gone.”
“I want to go with you,” they heard Misia say from behind them. Misia was so beautiful and radiant now. She had feathered wings like Protos.
Kasey turned to look at her, “Are you sure that is a good idea?”
She nodded, “Yes, I will watch your back, but most importantly we will get to spend time together.”
She nodded in return, “That sounds good.”
“Then it’s settled, we will leave today,” she said giving Kasey a look as if it was really a question. Kasey nodded again. They packed their things and Ischus volunteered to escort them to the city. Misia was given Protos’ Kuon to ride so that they could reach the city with speed.
By the time the first sun was going down they were at Lake City. The ride there was silent. They took in the scenery and Misia loved being able to see the world in the sun from the heights that a Kuon could take her. She zipped around and did flips in the air on him. She really hadn’t had the chance to test out her own wings.
On the way, Kasey noticed that her wound must have been healed overnight. Why does He heal the wounded and not the dying? Why does He feed the hungry and not the starved? The book says, “my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.” But that is not how it goes. Later he promises us persecution and Christ even asks Peter if he is willing to drink the same cup as Him meaning his death? I’m missing something and I don’t know what.
As Kasey pondered these things, they came upon the massive gates of Philos built by all of the non-hostile races of Soterion. It was beautiful. Statues of all of the races lined the columns starting with the Raphad and likely ending with the Nepsah. She was not close enough to the ends of the archway to be able to tell. People of every race walked about. There were lines of hundreds waiting to get into the city to be part of The Gauntlet.
“What is this Gauntlet?” asked Misia.
Kasey shrugged, “It is the test by which they will find a champion.” Misia had been given Protos’ cloak which hid her wings as well as it had his. She looked around as if seeing the world for the very first time. Kasey could remember that feeling. It was refreshing to be able to see the world as it was and not tainted with hate and anger.
Kasey and Misia followed the throng into the center of the city to a main street. She could not make out the name of the street, but it seemed to run through the whole city. The Raphad Guard led by Sabriel, a five-foot tall golden praying mantis, cleared a path into the midst of the crowd. The guards stood, each baring a flag with a different sigil: a tower for the fallen King of Drakonage, a peacock for Queen Hope's house, a gryphon for the House of Lurin, and finally a phoenix; the new national emblem of all the seven kingdoms. Kasey looked down at her armor and smiled at the phoenix symbol.
King Erestar Lurin and Queen Hope walked into the circle of posted guards and sat on the street in the midst of the people. He wore a new crown that was also in the shape of a rising phoenix. King Alagaar stood upon one of his shoulders and on the other shoulder… some kind of man-bull. Not a race that Kasey had seen before.
King Erestar smiled, “It gladdens my heart to see that so many would turn out in defense of the realm. I have an announcement before King Alagaar speaks to you about the Gauntlet.” At the word 'Gauntlet' everyone cheered making King Alagaar smile.
Erestar waited for the noise to die down surveying the crowds as he did. His eyes landed on Kasey and their gaze locked. He smiled at her as if in recognition. What? He continued looking through the crowd before he spoke, “There is a new province in Philos that will from this day be known as Showradam. On my right shoulder is my new duke, he is to be known as the Sheriff and he will rule over this province named after his race. They are to be treated as my family and given respect within my Kingdom. The province stands between us and Drakonge, this was at their request so they are acting as protectors. Then Erestar looked to King Alagaar.
King Alagaar cleared his throat. “Let me be clear, this is no child’s matter. Those who survive the Gauntlet will be the soldiers of the seven kingdoms, our line of defense against the Drakoni or any other enemy that threatens us all. The Gauntlet, therefore, can be fatal. Those who enter the Gauntlet shall do so at their own risk. Those who seek only to be soldiers will find it less fatal than those seeking the Championship. I will tell you nothing more about the Gauntlet except that all who still wish to enter need to gather in the Cathedral of Lake City now.”
Several people in the crowd booed and many who came did not enter the giant sized cathedral. Once there they sent their Kuon back to the house north of Lake City, Kasey and Misia were the first ones in the Cathedral.
Several hundred people of all races filed in after them. The doors were shut and the candles went out. There were several screams, but Kasey was almost sure she knew what was going on. This was their entrance to the Gauntlet. Kasey prayed and the natural light that she normally gave off became ten times as bright lighting the entire Cathedral. She looked at Misia, “be ready to have to fly.”
As all of the focus and attention was on Kasey, she took advantage to maybe help some of those who were disoriented. People shielded their eyes as she walked by, “Be ready for anything and welcome to the Gauntlet,” she said in the most authoritative voice she could manage. As if in response to Kasey's voice, the floor went out from under them all. It was as if the support beams had been removed. Some Nepsah and Gabad took flight in time to react and others
fell to the darkness below with splashing sounds.
Kasey immediately let her wings burst into flames. Who is going to believe them anyway right? As Misia spread her angelic wings from under the cloak she wore. Misia smirked, “They wasted no time at all did they?”
Kasey nodded, “It is an urgent matter.” A Gabad with long dark blue hair, purple skin, and a bright orange glow about him flew to Kasey and Misia and bowed, “I am Tifus Gabadam, and I do believe that you ladies have already proven that you will survive this place if it is possible.”
They both bowed their heads to him. “May I join your party? I’m not sure that there are rules here, but it seems there is always strength in numbers,” he said in a humble tone.
Misia started to object but Kasey interrupted her, “Of course Tifus. You are more than welcome. I am Kasey and this is my daughter Misia.”
He raised an eyebrow, “Not many mothers would let their children enter such a perilous place.”
Kasey shrugged, “I would rather allow for her to enter than have her do it behind my back where I cannot protect her.”
Misia looked annoyed, “I am right here you know.”
Kasey looked at her and laughed. “We best not let them get too far ahead while we still have the advantage.”
Kasey dove into the darkness lighting the way as she went. “What I wouldn’t give for a few dozen of Omar’s gadgets.”
7
Back to the Maze
Omar woke on the floor of his room covered in dried sweat. What came over me?
Sometime in the night he had clenched his fists so tight that his fingers dug into his palms. I am not this person. He got up, a bit dizzy and walked to his shower turning it on. Hot water poured over him as steam rose through the bathroom. He finished washing up and then went to his desk to look for ideas of where he would go. There he found a note attached to some kind of child’s bracelet. The bracelet was covered in wires and circuits but it was so small that would fit only a child.
Bridgeworlds: Deep Flux Page 12
