by Stuart Jaffe
“Because your Queen is dead?”
“Dead before she could transfer rule to the Artisoll.”
Malja glanced at the girl. “You mean she’s a princess?”
“No. She’s the Artisoll. The only being in all the world who can create magic. It is her duty, her destiny, to be the next Queen of Reo-Koll, and whichever country she resides in when she rises to power will be the ruling country for as long as she lives.”
“So that fight was between three countries?”
“Dovell, Ro, and Bechstollan — the three strongest countries of the Western Hemisphere. None of them expected to be fighting in that street; otherwise, they would each have brought full armies instead of a few hundred men.”
Malja’s stomach dropped. “And I stole the Artisoll away from them.”
“I think you’re starting to see the mess you created.”
“Damn Korstra.”
“Who’s Korstra?”
“One of the Brother Gods — the evil one. It’s just an expression. It means I’m angry at what has happened.”
A familiar voice spoke loud and strong from the mouth of the cave. “Well, my dear, there’s no going back. You can’t return what you’ve purchased here.”
Stray jumped to his feet, both his weapons ready to strike. Malja put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay. This is a fellow traveler. His name’s Harskill.” She stepped forward, and as an afterthought, she added, “Keep ready, though. Just in case.”
Harskill entered the cave, his eyes zeroing on the Artisoll. “You really did take her. I had thought that perhaps you would have left them in the woods once you thought they were out of direct harm, but I can see that you are determined to bring chaos with you wherever you go.”
“Me? You’re the one who wants to be a god to all worlds. I was only trying to help a little girl.”
“By destroying the political system of an entire world as well as trampling on one of the basic rights of all Gate? Interesting choice.”
“I didn’t do anything to Abrazkia or any Gate.”
“Each world has one Gate and only one Gate looking after it. For you to interfere with Abrazkia’s handling of this world is a serious breach.”
“Enough bickering,” Stray said, his voice booming off the cave walls. “How did you find us? Have you led the others here?”
Harskill pulled back his suit sleeve to reveal his do-kha. “Malja and I are of the same race and we all wear this special cloth. With it, I had no trouble locating her when she was so close by. And no, I did not lead anybody here. I’m alone. However, Abrazkia is also Gate which means she wears a do-kha, too.”
Malja stepped between Harskill and the Artisoll. “Why would she bother? She didn’t care about the girl before. By Kryssta, she was serving us a banquet.”
“She’s not coming for the girl.”
“Me? Why? Because I’ve upset the political situation?”
Harskill moved toward the wall opposite the fire, placed his hands in front of the cold stone, and closed his eyes. “I don’t know the politics here. I just know it’s all askew now. But she’s coming here because you violated her rights to control this world the way she saw fit. A basic right, yes, but hardly a small matter.” A dim light formed between his hands. “She’s also coming after me because she knows I’ve raced ahead to find you and to help you escape.” The light opened up into a portal.
Stray gasped and the Artisoll scurried to his side. “What is this?”
Harskill grinned. “This is a magic doorway to another world. One in which Malja has saved many lives and where she has friends that will help protect your charge.”
Through the portal, Malja could see a bright morning on Carsite. The rock formations protruding from the ground like stone fingers cast long shadows across the land as the sun rose. Toward the right, the small town of Raxholden stood and somewhere in there, Tommy and Fawbry awoke to begin another day.
“We can’t go,” Malja said, even as the words squeezed her chest. She turned to Stray. “We can’t trust this man. I don’t know why he wants to remove us from this world, but I promise you there’s a reason beyond helping us out.”
Harskill peeked toward the cave entrance. “You don’t have much time. Abrazkia or her people will be here soon. When they arrive, you and I will be taken away. The girl and her guard will be left to die or be captured. And I promise those are the only two outcomes left for them here.”
Stray bent down and tossed the Artisoll on his back. “Then we will go.”
Two great strides brought him close to the portal. Malja leaped in front of him and shoved his chest. He stumbled back a step. Before he could counter her assault, she lifted a rock and threw it at the portal. It burned in an instant. Nothing remained but a puff of smoke and an acrid odor.
“You can’t go through without me,” she said. “This suit I wear, my do-kha, it’s the only thing that will protect you.”
A voice from outside yelled, “Over here. This should be it.”
Harskill snapped his attention to Malja. “Have I not taken you from world to world to find a Gate? Have I not earned at least a small amount of your trust?”
Malja heard the jangle of armor and weapons as Abrazkia’s men approached. “You took me to nothing but empty lands. Yet the first Gate we come across lands me in this situation.”
“You think I planned for you to jump through a window and disrupt a political battle?”
“I think you have more motive here than altruism.”
“Of course, I do. I’m doing this for you. How many ways must I prove my love for you?”
Stray repositioned in the cave so that he would be ready to attack anybody who entered. “Please, Malja. If you can help us, if you can help the Artisoll escape from here, then do so. I won’t put on a false face of understanding, but I do beg of you to protect this girl. I will hold them off long enough for you to take her through the portal.”
“But you said —”
“I grant you permission to touch the Artisoll.”
“Damn,” Malja said. Shadows of approaching figures darkened the snow at the cave’s mouth. Malja took the Artisoll in her arms and then nudged Stray in the side. “You’re going, too.”
“I can do more good —”
“You want to argue or do you want her to live?”
Like any good warrior, Stray made an instant call. “Very well. What must I do?”
“Wrap your arms around us, and we all go through together. Hold tight. Stay as close to my body as you can.”
Stray did as instructed. They stopped at the edge of the portal. Malja nodded to Harskill. He smiled back. “Don’t worry. I’ll let them capture me. Abrazkia will find it amusing.”
Malja wasn’t sure he believed his own words, but the soldiers entering the cave prevented further discussion. With Stray holding her as she held the Artisoll, they tumbled into the portal.
Chapter 4
Over the months since Malja helped end the war between the Carsites and the Scarites, much had changed. The floating islands had come crashing to the ground after Malja had destroyed their source of power — the wells of magic energy. The dry, rocky ground became fertile again with the added rich soils that had been horded above for so long. And the town of Raxholden had begun to reconstruct itself.
As Malja walked down the main street, she saw familiar faces stacking rocks to make walls, cutting wood to make doors, and clearing debris to make room. When they noticed her, the work ceased and the faces stared back at her in shock. At first, she assumed the reaction was aimed at Stray and the Artisoll behind her. But the further in they walked, the more Malja noticed the eyes upon her watched with caution — perhaps even fear.
Until she saw one charming face. A bright, young woman who nearly tripped on her robes as she came running over — Hirasa. She took off the wide-brimmed hat so common amongst the Carsites, lowered her head, and placed her left hand on her stomach.
“I’m honored to see
you again,” the woman said.
Malja kept her attention on the people. “It’s good to see you, too. Maybe you can get the rest to greet me with the same enthusiasm.”
“Forget about them. They thought you’d never return; that you’d abandoned us. But I told them you’d be back. If not for them, then for Tommy and Fawbry.”
“Are they okay? Was Fawbry angry that I left without warning?”
“He’s been your strongest supporter, heroic even, promising everyone that you would be back soon, that you had a good reason to leave, and that all would become clear when you returned.” Hirasa lifted her head, smiled, and then scrunched her brow as she looked upon Malja’s fellow travelers. “Are these two the reason you left?”
“Not exactly.” Malja glanced back. The Artisoll looked cute, possibly even charming — Malja found it difficult to judge such things. Stray’s color had yet to return. His stomach did not handle portal travel well. “Is Canto still in charge?”
“Of course. Why wouldn’t he be?”
Malja smiled at Hirasa. “Things sometimes change very fast. Especially when a people are rebuilding their lives.”
Hirasa grabbed Malja’s hand. “Come. Canto will want to see you, and you should see our new Assembly Hall. It’s not done yet, but it’s got everybody excited.”
As they walked further along the street, the wary people returned to their work. Others continued to watch, many with excited looks and even a few smiles. Apparently, not everyone thought ill of Malja.
The original Assembly Hall had been a monstrous building, numerous stories tall and built upon the highest floating island. What Hirasa led Malja to resembled the beginnings of a humble home — a single room of wood with a flat roof and a narrow door. Malja opened her mouth to comment when she finally saw where the excitement lay.
Stones from the original Assembly Hall had been laid in the dirt to outline where the walls of the New Assembly Hall would be built. They planned to construct a building grander than the first. With the limited tools and the lack of magic, even if they only built three stories to it, the project would take them a lifetime. Malja had no doubt they would prevail.
The door to the small structure at the center of the planned New Assembly Hall opened, and out stepped Tommy and Fawbry. Fawbry, wearing his multi-colored robe and maintaining his wild, unkempt hair, caught sight of her and laughed.
“By Kryssta and Korstra, it’s good to see you.” He opened his arms and headed toward her. She shrunk back involuntarily. “Don’t worry. I wasn’t actually going to hug you.”
Tommy, however, had no hesitation. He rushed by Fawbry and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Gone were the days when he was a little boy and clasped to her hips. He had grown into a young man, and though she had learned to return his affection, she still found it difficult.
He stepped back and looked over at Stray and the Artisoll. He smiled at the girl, and as he did so, Malja caught sight of his arm — a new tattoo.
Tommy was a powerful magician — perhaps the most powerful Malja had ever known. In the world they came from, all magicians manifested tattoos for each spell they knew. They used the tattoos as focal points to cast their magic. But Tommy had grown far beyond that. While he still retained many of the tattoos he once had, he also could will tattoos to come as needed. At least, that was how Malja thought it worked for the boy — the young man. Yet here he stood with a new tattoo on his forearm — a design like the branches of a tree — and Malja wondered whether that meant the spell would be more powerful or less than the kind he created instantaneously.
Tommy caught her staring at his tattoo, and he patted her shoulder. With a raised eyebrow, he said all he needed to.
Malja shrugged. “You can’t stop me from worrying.”
“And you can’t stop us from the same,” Fawbry said. “Don’t you ever leave us like that again. No word that you were going. Nothing to say where you went or when you’d be back. Or even if.”
Tommy punched her in the shoulder — a playful scolding, but Malja noticed that he had more strength than she remembered.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “When I left, I thought it would only be for a few hours — a day at most. I never expected to be gone for weeks.”
“As long as you’re okay, then I guess we shouldn’t be too upset. Besides, I took care of things around here in your absence.” Fawbry tapped the wooden badge on his shoulder.
Hirasa chimed in. “He had some help.”
Fawbry mussed the top of her head. “Yes, this little one wants my job before I’ve had a chance to really get started with it.”
Before she had left, Malja learned that Canto had appointed Fawbry as Sheriff. The idea that the flamboyant and scrawny man could lead a police force amused her. But then, when she first met Fawbry, he had conned a bunch of little griffles into making him their king. So why not Sheriff?
“I’m sure you’ve kept everyone safe,” she said.
Fawbry puffed up. “I’ve certainly tried.”
“Especially the single women?”
“Well, they need special protection, don’t they? With all those who died in the war, there aren’t enough men around here.”
Hirasa scolded Fawbry with a slap on the arm. Malja chuckled. “So how many girlfriends do you have?”
“Too many,” the strong voice of Canto said, as the large man stomped over. Wearing a plain, tan robe and a yellow wide-brimmed hat, he looked like any other Carsite working through the day. But he was a leader with integrity, something Malja found all too rare. When he reached them, he placed his left hand over his tight stomach and offered a slight bow. “It’s good to see you again.”
Malja returned the gesture. Canto craned his neck to peek at Stray and the Artisoll. An odd expression crossed his face. Malja glanced behind to find Stray on his knees with his body prone forward. “What are you doing?”
Stray lifted his head. “Is not this man a Holy Man?”
“Not at all,” Canto said. “I’m the leader of this town but far from Holy.”
Brushing off his knees as he stood, Stray said, “But your skin is so dark. Where I am from, all the dark-skinned men are Holy Men.”
“Then perhaps I should move to where you’re from. Where is that, exactly?”
Malja shook her head. “You know better. Like myself, they come from far away. Now, I’m happy to find that you’re still in control of things here, that all seems to be peaceful.”
Canto eyed Stray and the Artisoll. “Are they going to change that?”
“I hope not,” Stray said, extending his hand to shake.
With a frustrated grimace, Canto looked at Malja and jutted his chin back toward the humble building. “We should talk.” Hirasa started for the building, but Canto put out his hand. “You’ve been a fine help. Now it’s time for you to return to your other work.”
She knew better than to argue. With a disappointed, “Yes, sir,” she scurried back up the street.
Canto pointed to Fawbry. “I want you, too, Sheriff. The rest can wait here.”
To Tommy, Malja said, “Stay here with our guests. The big man is called Stray. The girl is the Artisoll. You’ll like her. The two of you can talk for hours.” She smirked as she walked away.
Inside the small building, Malja discovered many pieces from the original Assembly Hall. Plain, stiff-backed chairs lined the walls — all except one. On the far wall, that chair had a purple cushion and above it hung a portrait depicting the central myth to these people — Carsite and Scarite gazing upward at the beautiful Pali. Both men sought her and the triangle of love between them caused great tragedy.
Canto sat on the purple cushioned chair and gestured for Malja and Fawbry to sit. He lowered his head, put out his arms, and said, “For the honor of Pali, Carsite, and Scarite.” He stayed silent for a few moments.
Malja and Fawbry waited. They both had experienced the Carsite silent prayers and knew to be quiet for as long as it took.
Fina
lly, Canto lifted his head and leaned forward, bracing his hands on his knees. “I wish you hadn’t brought these strangers here. We are at a delicate time.”
“Has something happened while I was away?” Malja asked.
“Nothing like that. But my people are still recovering from the war. They have lost everything they knew. Our lives had been centered around the Great Well and the magic it produced. With that magic we built our floating islands which provided us perfect soils to grow food. We created vehicles that soared through the air. That magic gave us protection and strength to thwart our enemies. That magic was seen as a gift from Pali herself, perhaps even a nod that she favored Carsite.”
“And I destroyed the wells.”
“Without that magic, our old world has disappeared. Not gradually, the way a mother loses a son when that boy changes into a man, but so abruptly that many feel as if they had been startled awake from a beautiful dream only to find a horrible nightmare around them. We are learning how to survive, how to live, all over again. Surely, you can imagine how some will not embrace it quite as well as others. I think our Sheriff has had more work than he expected because of this.”
Fawbry waved off the comment. “Nothing I can’t handle. But I will admit that I can feel the animosity from some people.”
“Many of us will forever thank you for all you have done. But there are some who think that if you had not come along, we would have fared better.”
Malja nodded. “I’ve come across this before. Plenty of times I’ve helped people only to have them hate me for it. Doesn’t change anything, though. These people can’t undo any of it.”
“They’re afraid. They had put their trust in Harskill only to be betrayed. They put their trust in you, only to see the end of the world as they understood it. And, frankly, seeing you walk here with two strangers frightens me, too. I have to protect my people, and right now, their willfulness to trust strangers is not to be found.”
“I brought them here while I regrouped. I had hoped for a warmer reception, but if my presence here is going to cause you trouble, then all I ask is for a few days to figure out where to go next.”
