by C. K. Rieke
“Anytime,” he said as she went back inside. He rolled another cigarette from the pouch she’d left on the table. As he smoked, he pulled his father’s compass out from underneath his shirt. It shimmered in the moonlight as he twirled it in his fingers, and he thought of the story he had just heard from Tilda. He thought of his family, and for the first time since he’d come to Auracity, he felt homesick.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
AFTER the full weekend off, Gar and Zaan walked in the shop doors Monday morning, and they saw Gildur standing in the middle of the room, staring right at them.
He motioned for them to follow him. They did not hesitate. Zaan gave Gar a puzzled look as they walked behind Gildur. They followed him out the back door and walked silently for three streets. He led them to the back entrance of a small dwelling adjacent to the tavern they’d been at for Tilda’s birthday.
Gildur used a skeleton key to open the door to the abstractly put-together mortar-and-stone building. They entered the building behind him; it was pitch black. A spark of flint hit the corner of the room, and slowly a blue flame emerged.
“Shhh,” came from another corner of the room.
The blue flame was carried around the room, lighting seven other torches hanging from the walls. They were soon surrounded by the flames. The soft blue light illuminated Gildur, Tilda, and four others whom Zaan did not recognize.
There was an uneasy silence among the group. Gar began to open his mouth to speak, but Gildur spoke before he had the chance.
“You are here for a very important reason. Zaan, you are in great danger,” Gildur said.
Tilda spoke. “I’m sure you want an explanation. However, time is short and of the essence. We must hide you; there are forces out there that seek you as we speak.” Zaan was more than confused at this, but he could see the concern in her eyes.
“These other people with us are here to assist you,” Gildur said, “and you can trust them. We are all part of an Order, and it is very important that we only speak of it inside this circle of blue flame. Never talk about these things outside of the blue flames. They will be able to listen and track you.”
“Who are ‘they’? And why do they want Zaan?” Gar asked Gildur.
“Zaan carries something they want.” Blue light reflected off Tilda’s eyes. “The Azulūz,” she said. “Its name comes from a very old language; it means the Blue Light or Blue Flame. Zaan carries it in him. It is very rare and very important to us. Again, time is short, and hopefully there will be more time to fully explain these things to you soon.”
“Who are they? Why do they want the Azulūz? How do I have it? What do I do?” Zaan asked. He was scared, all of this coming so suddenly.
A woman’s voice spoke. “There are things in this world that have been hidden for many years. There are dangerous creatures and mighty heroes that exist outside of plain sight. There are false prophets and deep, dark names that, when spoken, unleash a great evil. We are talking about the difference between good and evil, Zaan.” The figure’s eyes glowed blue. “We are the good. The ones who hunt you use many names and guises. The one who hunts you is Armoz the Devil King.”
“What? Okay now, what are you going on about?” Gar was half laughing as he spoke. “These are just fables kids tell. The stories of the gods ended almost a thousand years ago. Even if Armoz was real, why would a god be hunting people because of this Azulūz?”
“Armoz is real, and he is very powerful and dangerous. He is greedy and hungry for power. He only wants to extinguish the lights of the other gods. The Azulūz is the path to awaken the other gods to save us from him. It was passed to you by Jonji El’Rue, may she rest in peace,” the woman’s voice said.
“That was real?!” Zaan said.
“What’s going on, Zaan?” Gar asked, turning to where Zaan was dimly lit in the pale blue light.
“I thought it was a dream. A woman on a horse shot a blue light at me and knocked me out on the road. I thought it couldn’t be real, but they are saying it was, and now I’m in danger,” Zaan replied.
“Yes, Zaan, you need to leave Auracity. If they find you, it will be the end of you, and maybe not as quickly as Jonji met hers,” Tilda said.
“How long do I have? Can I give the Azulūz to one of you?” Zaan replied.
“It doesn’t work like that. Jonji chose you. It was no accident she crossed paths with you at that moment before her flame was extinguished. You may only pass it on when your time is nigh and another who is worthy can accept it,” one of the voices said. “We know not how the gods choose.”
A low voice, speaking slowly, came from a quiet man in the corner. “The soldiers and detectives have been asking around the city about anyone who came to Auracity on the day you arrived, and from where you came. They will find you, and when they do, only Ojiin knows what will happen to you. My name is Gogenanth, and I have lost too many to the ones who hunt you. I will not lose another.”
“Halen Ojiin.” The five in the room said together.
“What do I do?” Zaan asked.
“You are to travel north with Gogenanth to Barrier Cliff, to talk to one of the Elders. There are some amongst them with great knowledge of carrying the Azulūz who can teach you to use it. The fortress has been rebuilt over the years to give us a home, and it will be safe there for you. You will travel with Gogenanth along secret roads for more than two weeks to get there. You two must go alone,” Gildur said. Looking to Zaan’s friend, she said, “I’m sorry Gar, you cannot accompany him.”
“When do I leave?” Zaan asked.
“Right now,” Gildur responded.
“I still don’t understand, and . . . I have so many questions,” Zaan said.
“We understand you are confused, but you have to go, right now. Trust us,” Tilda said, grabbing his shoulders as she said this.
Zaan and Gar shared a somber glance of farewell to each other.
“Gar may go up to visit you at a later time, Zaan. But you must leave immediately,” Gildur told Zaan.
“Bye, Gar. Thanks for helping me and everything. I guess I’ll see you later,” Zaan said to his friend.
Gar wiped a tear from his eye. “I wish I could help. I don’t want you to get hurt. I don’t really understand what’s going on, but I trust Gildur and Tilda.” He gave Zaan a hug.
“Just when everything started going so well. I’m worried. What if things don’t work out?” Zaan said, still hugging Gar. “I don’t want to leave.”
They released from their embrace. “Don’t worry, Zaan. That Gogenanth guy looks big enough. I wouldn’t worry about it. You’ll be fine, I’m sure.” He wiped away another tear.
“You’re just trying to make me feel better,” Zaan said.
“Is it working?” Gar asked.
“Not really.”
“Just be careful,” Gar said, and looked over at the man Gogenanth. “You’d better protect him, or God help me . . .”
The woman in the corner then asked, “Are you ready?”
Zaan took a deep breath. “I guess. I really don’t want to go, but I trust you.”
“Okay, let’s go,” the large man from the corner said as he walked toward Zaan. “My name is Gogenanth. I’ll be your guide.”
“Okay, I’m ready,” said Zaan, wiping tears from his own eyes.
Gogenanth took Zaan’s arm and pulled him toward the front door. “Remember, never speak of any of this outside the blue circle of flame, or they will be able to find you.”
Zaan took one last look at Gar, Gildur, and Tilda as he was pulled toward the front door. There was his new life, leaving him, and he didn’t know what to do next.
Gogenanth pushed him through the front door and out into the afternoon sun. “Put this on,” Gogenanth said as he handed Zaan a set of heavy hooded robes. He put on the robes and covered his face with the hood.
“This way,” Gogenanth said as he pulled Zaan by the arm.
Zaan could
n’t get a good look at Gogenanth yet, but the man’s grip was forceful and his hand was large. He was powerfully hunched over and pulling Zaan away quickly. As they walked together, the sun began to illuminate Gogenanth’s features. He was tall, strong, and as white as the moon. He had no hair on his face, and a sharp widow’s peak on his brow. He also had a large scimitar at his side.
They walked quickly through alleys in areas of the city Zaan had never been before. They seemed to go on for miles, treading through some rough parts of town.
“Don’t stop for anything until we get outside of the city,” Gogenanth said as he handed Zaan a dagger eight inches in length. Zaan quickly grabbed it.
Zaan pulled back on Gogenanth’s hand. “I need to take a breather really quick, and you can let go of my arm now,” he said.
Gogenanth didn’t respond but kept pulling. Zaan then pulled his arm out of Gogenanth’s hand with a jerking motion.
“Stop, I just need a minute,” Zaan told him as he breathed heavily.
“Okay, one minute. Then we move,” Gogenanth replied.
“So why are you the one taking me up there?” Zaan asked, trying to understand the big man.
Gogenanth did not respond; he only scanned the surrounding alleyways and roofs.
“Get over here!” He pulled Zaan over to his side of the alley, behind him, then pulled the scimitar from its scabbard. “Quiet,” Gogenanth whispered.
They heard the clacking of many footsteps approaching. As it got louder they heard the rhythm of armor rustling in unison. A group of soldiers then appeared and went by the alley they were hiding in. As they trotted by in single file, they seemed not to notice. The dozen soldiers passed, none of them looking down the alley, except one, the last one, who gave a quick glance in their direction, then continued with the group.
“Our minute is done.” Gogenanth put the scimitar back in the scabbard.
“Yes, it is,” Zaan responded.
They backtracked two alleys, went down a perpendicular alley, and then headed north. They were moving fast without running. Gogenanth did not let go of Zaan, and he kept up now.
A side gate to the city came into view. Gogenanth stopped and looked at the gate, scanning the area. “Two guards at the gate, and two in each tower; that makes six and any that we can’t see on the other side.”
“There’s no way we’ll make it through unnoticed,” Zaan said.
“We are going to walk right through the gate. I’m going to let go of you now. You’re going to walk behind me slowly and quietly. You just keep your head down, and try not to breathe too heavily. Do you understand?” Gogenanth looked directly into Zaan’s eyes. “Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Zaan replied, calming his breathing.
“Let’s go,” Gogenanth said as he lowered his head and began to talk faintly. Zaan couldn’t make out the words, but he listened intently. His eyes widened as light wisps of blue smoke crept through the cracks at his feet. He knelt down to inspect them, and they grew in size and began to circle around his legs.
“What the—?” he asked, and took a step back. “Do you see that?” Gogenanth did not respond, but continued to speak unintelligible words.
The blue smoke wafted around them until it was swirling in an orb of light. Gogenanth stood, and looked toward the gate. “Let’s go. Be quiet. They won’t be able to see us while we’re cloaked in this.”
Zaan didn’t understand what this was, but he followed behind Gogenanth. As they walked at a casual pace toward the gate, Gogenanth’s heavy footsteps muffled on the paved street. The guards at the gate made no mind of the two as they approached, yet Zaan was nervous.
The closer they got to the gate, the faster Zaan’s heartbeat increased, despite efforts to steady his breathing. He closed his eyes to concentrate on calming down his heart and mind. Beginning to feel more calm and relaxed, he stepped absentmindedly onto a broken bottle, and it shattered further under his foot.
Dread returned quickly to him, and he opened his eyes to see both guards staring straight at him.
“What in the hell?” one of them said as they both unsheathed their swords. “Stop right there!”
“Where did you two come from?” the other guard asked. “Hey, that’s the kid!” he said, and began to walk toward Zaan. His face was gnarled and angry.
Zaan’s heart began to pound in his chest as his breathing grew more rapid. Holding out the blade that Gogenanth had given him, he readied himself for the first knife fight of his life.
In a flash of movement, Gogenanth appeared next to the soldiers. With amazing speed for such a large man, he hit a guard squarely in the chin with the strength of an ox, then spun and knocked the other guard to the ground with a single blow of his fist. Their bodies both lay limp.
Zaan wanted to say something, but fear still gripped him. Gogenanth moved both of the bodies into the shadows of the archway, then waved Zaan over to follow him out of the gate.
Gogenanth whispered in his ear, “Walk casually. The guards above can’t see that spot.” Zaan’s heart sank into his chest. This man he’d just met had knocked out two trained guards in seconds. If the guards had caught me, would they have killed me?
They walked casually out of the gate toward the northern sky. There was a large grass plain for two hundred yards or so, and on the other side of the plain was the Yelden Forest.
“We have to make it to the forest. Can you run, Zaan?” Gogenanth asked.
“I’m tired and a little scared, but yes, I can,” Zaan replied.
They walked casually for around fifty yards, and then Gogenanth glanced back at the tower guards.
“Go, now!” Gogenanth began to sprint, holding the hilt of his giant sword.
Zaan kept up. They ran, and they had quite a distance to cover still. Then they heard it: a great and loud horn call from behind, then another, then another.
“Keep running. Don’t stop!” Gogenanth said. Zaan began to run ahead of Gogenanth. “Don’t look back. Keep running!”
Zaan breathed heavily, in and out. He was focusing on the path into the forest as it got closer.
Then the sound of horse hooves came from behind and was getting louder. Gogenanth’s clacking of sword and hilt was falling behind.
“Keep going, Zaan!” Gogenanth yelled.
The sound of the horses was getting louder, and they were catching up to Zaan and Gogenanth.
“Don’t look back. Keep going!” Gogenanth yelled.
The forest was close now; Zaan was almost there. The horns were many and fading behind him, but it sounded like the horses were about to be on top of him. Zaan could hardly breathe now as he took his last big leaps into the forest. He fell into some brush and quickly put his back to a tree, held out the dagger, and tried to catch his breath again. There was a lot of noise out on the grass plain still, horse hooves and yelling, but it was hard to make out what was happening.
Then a crashing came through the woods, coming right at Zaan. It was Gogenanth.
“Come on. We must hide.” Gogenanth grabbed Zaan and pulled him to a stream a few yards away. “We must be absolutely silent.”
Gogenanth began to speak softly to himself, and blue smoke came up from the ground and encircled them. Gogenanth continued the barely audible words as slowly twirling and dancing blue streaks of smoke enveloped them and hid them.
“Where did they go?” one voice said.
“Couldn’t have gotten far,” another replied.
“They were just here!”
The pursuers rode around for a few minutes. There were six of them on large horses.
“You two, head back and get the trackers. You two head that way. We’ll stay here and search the area. Tell the king’s captain we’re in pursuit of the boy he wants,” Zaan heard one of them say.
Gogenanth spoke. “We must leave now.” They crept along the stream, the blue mist following them, for hours and miles. There was no sign of the soldiers, or
sounds from any people. The forest was dense and beautiful, tall evergreens and crystal clear streams glistening in the sunlight.
Once the sun had gone down, Zaan did not know where they were, but he knew they were somewhere in Yelden Forest. He hadn’t seen a path since they hit the creek bed, so he assumed this was somewhere safe.
“We’ll sleep here the night. The guards won’t bother us further,” Gogenanth said as he collapsed to the ground with a loud grunt. He lay on his back on the soft leaves. “We won’t make a fire, but we’ll be safe here until the morning. Tomorrow we’ll go into the mountains.”
Zaan had a lot to think about, with everything that had happened since this morning. The Azulūz, in particular, was at the forefront of his mind. Then the things Gildur and Tilda had told him and how Gar was gone from his life. He started thinking about all this, but was far too fatigued to continue. There would be time tomorrow to consider what had happened, but now his body and mind needed rest. Gogenanth lay on his side, smoking a pipe. Zaan began to imagine himself safe in his bed in Fur-lol, with Oscar sound asleep at his feet. He then closed his eyes, and fell into a deep sleep.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
ZAAN had dreams of lying in bed in his old home in Fur-lol. He dreamed of petting Oscar, who lay on his chest. He could feel the soft fur between his fingers. It tickled his fingertips. He stared at the beams on the ceiling of his room in the dusk. He dreamed that he would go to see his mom and dad the next morning. He dreamed about how hard it would be to get up in the morning, but he had to get Oscar outside quickly to urinate or he might do it inside by accident.
He was awakened by the bright lights of orange and red burning torches. It took Zaan a couple of moments to gather his wits. Gogenanth was hanging from a tree, his toes barely touching the ground, and he was gasping for breath. He hung by his neck from a whip, and at the other end of the whip was a giant knight dressed in silver plate. He wore a red mane of fur across his back and at the neck. Accompanying him were a handful of other soldiers.
