by Sanders, Dan
In the end, all of them, even Rupurt, left her alone to simply curl up on the soft skin seats and watch the lonely scenery flash by.
The ARail was a fine way to travel. It was fast and comfortable, and the rhythmic rocking of the carriage as it floated over the crystal tracks helped Emily catch up on much needed sleep. She had angered the others when she took control and sent Arun to seek help from his kind. But they didn’t see what she saw with Torek. They could not succeed without help from all the Exotic nations.
Emily looked around and saw Zane standing just inside the front carriage door. The early afternoon light dully glinted off his dark blue body as he gazed blankly into space. What was going through his head? Lupi and Rupurt tentatively slid onto the seat opposite Emily.
Rupurt wrung his little blue paws as he spoke. “How are you, Emily? Are you feeling better?”
“I’m tired. I have this pain in my head that won’t leave.”
“Do you still feel angry?” Lupi asked.
Emily looked up at Lupi and tried to smile. “My shoulders ache from the anger I can’t seem to let go of. The land seems angry, with me I think. I can’t help it. It wants more from me than I can give.”
Lupi held out a drink. “Try this. Kato had the kitchen hand make it for you. It will help you relax.”
Wondering where Kato was, Emily stretched her head around and saw Kato sleeping on the back platform outside the carriage, her head nuzzled in between her paws. She hadn’t thought about her needing sleep.
Emily held the pink liquid between her paws and gulped it down, hoping to soften her parched throat. Her shoulders relaxed. Feeling returned to her earthy, bushy tail. But the anger was still there. She decided to brave the heat and joined Kato on the platform at the back of the carriage. She wanted something to take her mind off the pain and off Daimon.
“Kato, why did you decide to help me? You must have known the dangers.”
Kato panted, licked her whiskers and her deep voice said slowly, “It was nearly a millennia past, long before the Confederation was formed, and when the Fire-Tigers were a vast and admired nation of Exotics. Our many clans would travel the land as defenders of the lost and weak and downtrodden.
“No Annwynian nation could defeat the might of the Fire-Tiger clan. Sometimes the aggressors were spies and assassins of competing nations, other times it was a family or village that had simply fallen on the wrong side of their nation, ostracised and abandoned. We would take them in, and protect them until they were ready to move on their way.
“Often we would frustrate the attempts of the dark Melder Torek and his Melders. Over time this enmity grew until the Silder’s War, when we were instrumental in helping the Melders of Eostra defeat Gorgos and Torek. From that time on the dark Melder vowed to forever end the Fire-Tiger race.
“It was a campaign of fear never seen before in the history of our planet. His Melders would seek the location of a clan and use the combined power of the dark elements to deharmonise entire clans. At first it happened so slowly that nobody noticed.
“But one time, the dark day of our race was upon us. In one massive attack he wiped out entire clans, including tigresses and pups, even where they slept. By the time his plan was discovered by the Melders of Esotra, like Magas Whiteoak, only one clan was remaining, mine.”
Kato remained quiet for some time before continuing. “We were in the Blue-Sage Cliffs at the time. I was the youngest pup and still suckling from my mother. My father and his kinsmen fought valiantly but were overpowered by Torek’s Melders. He came for my mother and…” Kato howled long into the setting sun.
“A young Magas and Melder Raewyn Tilposs arrived and fought Torek’s Melders off, but they were too late. All had been lost. Magas snatched me and my litter away to the heart of Drenchwood Forest, where even Torek fears to tread. I had six siblings, still young pups themselves.”
By this time Lupi and Rupurt had joined Emily in listening to the tale. Emily tried to wrap her paws around Kato’s massive head. The tigress purred with thanks.
Emily said, “I saw this in Magas’ memories. You were the pup he saved.”
Kato reached out her giant paw, and with her nails tucked into her furry finger, gently lifted Emily’s drooping nose. She growled her mothering growl, “So you see, Emily, I had to find my own meaning from the loneliness and darkness, and find the purpose of my life, so I could fulfil the measure of my birth.”
Emily looked away from Kato, and for a while they all listened to the hum of the PowerPlanks. Rupurt timidly broke the silence. “Kato, why have you lived so long?”
“Ah, that was a mystery to many. But the answer is easy. To protect us, Magas had to connect with us at a very deep level. In that connection, I assumed some of his powers and have had a special connection with the land. I have lived much longer than one of my kind has ever lived. My siblings have rejoined many years ago, leaving me the last of my kind. Once I am gone, the once great Fire-Tigers will be no more, only a memory in the tales of our land.”
Emily felt great sadness for this magnificent being. “I am glad to have seen and known you, Kato, and not only in a tale. I hope our own tale will be told across the Twin Worlds, so that your clan’s bravery will be remembered throughout the memory of time.”
“We should be in Havendel soon,” Lupi said. “I’m sorry I doubted you about the A-Rail. This carriage is really fast. I was also wrong about Havendel not having a station.”
“Did you just admit you were wrong?” Emily said. She regretted it immediately.
Rupurt chimed in at Lupi’s defence. “You couldn’t have known, Lupi. Nobody knew about the hidden track to Havendel. It was built as a secret project. The driver told me.”
“You certainly are handy to have around aren’t you, little blue one?” Lupi laughed.
“How did the A-Rail start?” Emily tried to make amends.
“It’s an interesting story,” Lupi said. “About one hundred years ago, they discovered they could make large PowerPlanks draw energy from tracks made from the same crystal. This turned into the first rail travel. I am sure Sabina would know all the Lore about how they achieved such a feat.
“Anyway, in an attempt to foster better relations between the east and southern nations, Bevan’s father, a young king back then, suggested they build a comprehensive A-Rail network to physically connect all the major nations. Before the rail, it would take a whole lunation to get between Jalpari and Errenor. Now it can be done in about three to four days.”
“That makes Bevan’s father old,” Emily said.
Lupi laughed. “Well, a typical Annwynian can live for two to three hundred years. Exotics and Melders can live for a thousand years or more. Take Magas, he would be nearly three thousand years. Some say he doesn’t have long to go before he rejoins, but they have been saying that for decades now.”
“But why doesn’t the rail travel to the north, at least to Ibendari?” Rupurt said.
“I don’t know all the details but apparently they didn’t like each other so much and so the connecting of the people never really took off as they hoped. It’s mostly used for trade between the more moderate nations of Werremond and Gardsvor in the east, and Vodnik and Alaswen in the west.”
Just then Emily hunched over, grabbed her belly and groaned in pain.
“What’s wrong, Emily?” Rupurt said, jumping across the seat and patting her paws.
“I don’t know. I felt the pain just get stronger. It hurts. The buzzing in my head is getting louder.”
Kato suddenly bounded up and roared, “We have trouble. I have seen the Paytah on the horizon. They are travelling to Havendel as you said, Emily. But they travel under the power of the Dark One, at great speed. They will arrive before us.”
They followed Emily as she pushed past them and hopped up the internal stairs to the roof platform. Hanging onto the gold railing Emily squinted into the distance. At first she couldn’t see anything. She relaxed and used her honed hearing. She
heard it, like the clicking of a thousand crickets caught in an enormous furnace, squealing tormented death calls.
Lupi sniffed the air and shuddered. “I see them on the wind. Their stench burns the air before them.”
“What do we do?”
Lupi and Rupurt looked to Emily for answers.
“I don’t know. This is what I saw in my dream-fight.”
“Can we go faster?” Rupurt said.
Lupi said, “No. The carriage wasn’t designed for battle. It was designed to carry the rich and the royal.”
“Then we need to slow them down,” Kato growled.
Emily stared into the sky above the black line forming on the horizon. An idea occurred to her. “Lupi, I saw what you could do with air. Can you make a storm?”
“Are you kidding? A storm can take days. You are interfering with large complex Air Lore.”
In the distance, a red gust of molten fire shot high into the air. Emily felt the heat and anger in the land.
“You must try,” she said. “Rain on them; make the sand wet enough to slow them down.”
“I would have to be in the air, close to them.”
“It’s too risky, Emily.” Rupurt’s squeaky voice seemed insignificant in the wind. “She can’t.”
Emily shouted above the rushing wind. “We must try something.”
“The wind is blowing our way, Emily,” Lupi shouted. “I would fly too slowly to get close enough in time.”
Kato said, “I can run with her on my back. My body can create a shield that would protect her from the heat of the fire. When we get close, Lupi, you could fly straight up into the clouds and command the clouds to dump rain on the plains below.”
“Command the clouds. Hah. You’re all crazy. I’m a no-good, lonely Agramond. That is tricky Lore. I have just seen it done and learned about it in school.”
Kato roared gently at Lupi, swinging her head. “You are powerful, Lupi, and inside you know it. You must believe in yourself.”
Lupi’s anguished face pleaded with Emily to find another solution. Emily looked at the still Zane, standing at the edge of the roof, arms akimbo. What use was this creature? Maybe she could get the Egg from him and use the power. She stared at him for a moment and realised he wouldn’t help.
Emily shook her head at Lupi. She had no further answers.
Emily yelled to the driver to slow the carriage so they could jump off. Almost instantly the roaring hum of the PowerPlanks eased, and the rushing wind subsided. The heat from the sand below felt more intense, burning Emily’s thick fur.
Lupi hovered against the slowing wind and settled on Kato’s giant back. Kato bounded off the roof onto the dark sand and was soon a shimmering gold spot on the horizon.
For a long while Emily stared at the skyline, hoping for a sign. Rupurt pulled on her and said, “We should go inside; it’s cooler.”
Just then Emily caught Zane looking at a spot in the sky. Her eyes followed his gaze and saw a dark red ball of flames hurtling through the air towards them. Emily breathed faster. Kato and Lupi were gone. What good would she and Rupurt be alone? She glanced at Zane, but he looked blankly at her, as though asking Emily what she was going to do.
Chapter 44
Xavier Bargains
HAVENDEL–EOSTRA‘S CITY,
ANNWYN
Emily yelled as loudly as she could. “Driver, go now, fast.”
Just as the Planks reached their peak hum required to move the large carriage, the nebulous sky-flame landed on the track in front of them. The fireball disconnected the link between the carriage and the Planks. Without the charge from the tracks, the proud carriage awkwardly bumped onto the track, lifeless.
The flame subsided into three beings standing in front of them.
“Daimon,” Emily screamed, “you’re alive.”
Emily’s paws gripped the railing in anger. It was the Xavier boy she’d fought in Springton Forest. He’d killed Aldrick. Next to him stood a woman. She was slightly smaller than the boy, with blazing red hair and large wings that almost touched her feet. Emily recognised her as one of the Faoir, like the one who gifted her in Ibendari. What was the gift the Faoir had given her? Emily shook her ears.
In a single hop Emily bounded over the railing onto the tracks. She ignored the pleas from Rupurt as she flew through the air.
“You,” she screamed, “what do you want?” The sun was blinding and the heat from the ground burned her footpads.
“I come to trade,” Xavier said. “I have something you want and you have something my master wants.”
She stared down the boy who met her gaze with derision. He had changed since they last met. Confidence oozed from his wiry body as he lazily tossed a tuft of flames between his hands. While he was a similar age to Daimon, his face, gaunt and blazing with hate, looked much older and crazed like a trapped animal.
Xavier dropped the limp Daimon onto the ground in a heap and adjusted his red robes. He drew Daimon’s blue CBlade from his hip, shaking it in victory at Emily. Emily hopped towards him but a fire-bolt from Xavier stopped her in her tracks.
“What do you want?” she shouted.
“The only thing you have that is of value to me, Eostra’s Egg.”
“It is not mine to give.”
Xavier laughed. “I thought you might say that. Are you willing to see your Earthling friend die before you?”
She gazed in horror at Daimon. His brown tunic was tattered, his beautiful blond hair matted with dirt and blood and his feet were bare and blistered. She looked into his eyes and saw the blackness and blood that had filled her with horror in her dream. But this time they had life in them. She held a small hope for them and for the Circle.
Using TC, Xavier held out his hand and lifted the rag doll of Daimon into the air. Daimon grabbed his throat and gurgled a dry squeal of gasping air.
“Stop. Please. Take me,” Emily said without thinking. “I am more valuable to Torek than the Egg.”
Xavier eased the invisible grip on Daimon’s throat and considered Emily’s proposal.
“No Emily, you can’t,” Rupurt yelled.
Xavier refocused and again lifted Daimon into the air. Daimon’s feet kicked at the empty ground beneath him.
Emily panicked. She had to help him. Magas would forgive her. She glanced at Zane. He stood to her left, looking calmly at Xavier.
Xavier saw the exchange of glances and said, “Who is this, Chosen One?”
“This is the guardian of Eostra’s Egg. It is he who has the Egg.”
“I have heard of no such being.” Xavier turned to the relaxed Zane and said, “No matter. Blue boy, where is the Egg? Give it now or he dies.”
Zane continued to stare impassively at Xavier. Xavier squeezed the air in front of him. Daimon struggled before blacking out.
“Please Zane, please. This is a life of one of the Circle.”
Emily hopped up to Zane and pleaded quietly so that Xavier couldn’t hear. “Zane, don’t you understand. Torek may have the Egg now, but we will get it back in the final confrontation. He will try and use it to defeat Eostra and the Melders. But Daimon,” Emily choked with dust and tears in her whiskers. “Daimon will not last. They will kill him.”
Zane looked at her and spoke. His voice was flat, without emotion. “Chosen One, I am made to guard the Egg and deliver it to Kalen Na. I cannot be involved in your fight.”
“Don’t you see this is your fight? You are in it. Do you have a heart?” But as she said the words, Emily realised this being had no heart. It was useless. Zane would never hand over the Egg.
Xavier saw Emily’s failure and said, “If you will not give it, I will take it. He released his hold on Daimon, held his arms high and created a sandstorm that whirled and wrapped dirt around Zane. Zane stood lifeless. The Faoir flew into the air and sent a blast of red-blue heat directly at the ant-mound of packed dirt piled around Zane. The blistering heat that covered the pile of dirt melted into a pile of molten lava that dripp
ed across the tracks.
Xavier laughed hideously and said, “Maybe this will change your mind.”
Xavier drew both of his arms into his body, held his palms flat, then pushed them towards Zane. He pushed an ice-cold wind across Zane, turning him into a calcified one-person volcano.
Emily’s mouth dropped open and her belly went to water.
“Yes, Chosen One. I have become more powerful than you know. I now have power over the other elements.”
Fighting the urge to run, Emily laughed at Xavier and said, “How do you propose to get the Egg now?”
“You will show me where it is.”
Emily laughed and pointed to the pile of cooling rock. “It’s inside him.”
Xavier slammed his fists into his sides. He walked over and kicked Daimon’s face. Daimon’s head flopped onto the ground and a fresh gush of blood oozed down his lips.
Emily bent to hurl herself onto Xavier but the petrified stone that Zane was trapped under shimmered and began to melt into lava. Soon the lava turned into a slurry of desert mud and easily slipped off him and onto the ground.
Zane stepped outside the mud and looked blankly ahead. Emily couldn’t believe it. Neither could Xavier.
“If I can’t hurt him, I will get you.”
In fury, Xavier raised his arms to throw fire at Emily. She felt the boy’s power surge through the ground. She pushed her footpads into the earth, hurling herself behind Zane for protection. The fire burned the ground where she had stood into black tar.
Xavier laughed hysterically. He looked at his Faoir companion who responded by joining her fire with his, and together they hurled a white-blue ball of fury directly into Zane’s shiny belly. The fireball hit. Zane swelled and shimmered, ready to explode. Emily closed her eyes and shrank behind Zane’s smooth blue legs. When nothing happened she opened her eyes and saw Zane had changed into a reddy-blue hue. Zane simply pointed his finger at Xavier and released the pent-up energy back to the owners of the power.
