Mina spread her hand to encompass the scenery before her. "You help. We no die."
"I can't help you. You have no idea what I'm capable of doing. Lock the gate. Please, lock the gate." There was no way she could understand the danger of Ofkelenmek.
Mina repeated her gesture and sat back on her haunches. "We no die."
The opaque veil seeped into the corners of his vision. With a growl, Gumus kicked open the gate. His cramped muscles ached in protest as he stretched his legs. Mina scampered up to his glowing chest and patted her hand just under his neck. "Remember? Better now." Gumus's breathing slowed. He did feel better.
***
Although they walked upright, Kertenkele could travel on all fours when they wanted to. Gumus trekked across the rocky expanse with Mina curled up on his back. He was outside of Rasima for the first time since he was young. There were three main areas to Dohla: Shimel sahaerat, Zeroob sahaerat, and Waha. The outside entrance to the mines was located in Shimel sahaerat, the inner entrance was found in the Kertenkele section of the city Rasima. Gumus was traveling through Zeroob Shahaerat. At the far end was the Waha. It was dangerous, but it was also the only source of accessible water in this part of Dohla.
Beasts appeared and disappeared as specks on the horizon. Several times he moved away from abandoned campfires, not wanting to fight with Padda or Vartalf. The sun was setting when he passed a large valley on his right, the road to Shimel sahaerat, a mountain enclosed area that lead to the mines and deeper still Padda's underground tunnels. The Elyun were decimating their population using their tunnels and underground caverns to mine the precious stones and minerals of Varlid. He couldn't afford to seek high ground in case the Sudawa were searching for them so he kept going until he came to a small gathering of rocks. Gumus circled the area several times until he was sure no other beast was using the spot.
Gumus scooped Mina to his chest and curled up around her. He resigned himself to seeing the Mikachiari to the safest town. Gumus had promised to try and protect her. He could always return to his brothers to let them carry out his death sentence. The sentence he deserved, but they wouldn't care about Mina or the fact he was the cause of her being banished from Rasima. He still didn't know why or understand how this had happened. Gumus understood she would die and her presence did calm him more than any concentrations.
Mina stirred underneath his arms. He checked to make sure he wasn't squishing her in some way. Mewling sounds drifted up from the center of his chest. Her tail and paws twitched. She must be dreaming. The fur between her eyebrows puckered.
A long forgotten hum vibrated in his chest and a vague image of a Kertenkele face, rounder, smoother then a male's, with bright eyes flashed for a second, then disappeared. Gumus knew why he was given a death sentence. If there had been any female Kertenkele left, his Cinsel Iliski would have been a period of celebration. Since there wasn't, all it brought was the painful remembrance of all the lives lost.
Gumus stopped humming. Mina lay loose limbed against him, her breathing deep and regular. The Asistan Ti had decimated the male Mikachiari and the females were left at the mercy of others. They had no protectors. Gumus felt tears form at the corner of his eyes and Kertenkele never cried.
***
Another new sensation coursed along his side... pain. Gumus heard and felt a thwack! He opened one eye to see a Padda, mouth drawn back in a grimace, glittering, pitiless eyes fixed on Gumus. The Padda brought down his solid wooden weapon with one hand and in the other open palm held a green vaporous ball.
Loana! Gumus cursed. Magi Padda. Although he should be grateful, they weren't as powerful as some of the others. The Padda drew his arm back to fling the poison at him. Still, this is going to sting.
Gumus flipped so his back faced the Magi Padda and took the brunt of the attack to spare Mina. A sharp burning crawled up his spine as the poison dug in. It was a weak poison, meant to drain life force. It wasn't fatal unless a creature was sufficiently weakened first.
Gumus was weak from lack of food and water, but not that weak.
Mina's eyes flew open at being dumped on the ground. Gumus grumbled, "Stay!" He looked over his shoulder to see the Padda, his weapon on a downward arc aimed at Gumus's head. His forearm smacked the Padda's wrist and Gumus twisted his body around smashing the Padda's face with his fist.
The Padda rocked backwards his head striking the boulder behind him and sank to his knees. Gumus drew back to strike again and paused, realizing the Padda was young, not full-grown. He hesitated. A rumble deep in Gumus's throat burst out and the glow along the front of his body pulsed. Kill, he struck first. Gumus followed through with all his power. The Padda's face ricocheted off his fist into the boulder again. When the dust settled, dark purple liquid flowed from the nose and mouth of the Padda and a healthy smear covered the boulder above the slumped form.
Gumus's victory was short-lived considering the poison now had a firm hold and was burning it's way along his spine just below his skin. He flung himself against a rock and rubbed.
"No!" Mina shouted. "Bad. More bad." She tugged at his arm. Gumus knew she was right. He paced a few steps back and forth flexing and rolling his shoulders. The burning and poison would subside, but he had no idea how long it would take and he would be weakened. He couldn't carry Mina on his back like he had yesterday and he couldn't afford any more encounters with Padda.
"Can you walk?"
Mina nodded.
After a few feet Gumus knew it was not going to work. His gait was too wide and Mina still limped from her beating. He signaled her to wait and removed her cloak, turning it into a sling. "Come, sit inside."
By nightfall Gumus could see the campfires from a caravan of Vartalf on the left in the area before the entrance to the Waha. The Zeroob sahaerat curved to the right. After another day's walk they would reach the first Galen, or wild area, Slat. None of the nations owned the various Galen scattered throughout Varlid or even tried to maintain order in those areas. It was overrun by beasts and, if rumors were true, Aventyrare. They had to cross that wilderness to get to Sanddyner, still a half-wild Galen with beasts, but the three nations jointly maintained an outpost there. Gumus had decided their final destination lay in the relative safety of the Free Port of Sanddyner.
If the Vartalf didn't kill them on the spot, the Vartalf would wait until they were asleep and kill them then. Gumus could smell water and Mina stirred and whimpered. It was so near. The poison had worn off a while ago but Gumus felt tired for the first time in his long life. He circled closer to the camps looking for any unoccupied pond where they might grab a quick drink.
A puddle of thick, brackish water guarded by a lone Waha crab was the only option Gumus found. With an agility that surprised him, Mina sprang from the sling in front of his chest and pounced on the back of the crab. She grabbed both arms of the crab right below the dangerous claws and pulled backwards until the joints cracked. She flung both to the side and flipped the crab over, ripping tiny legs away until she reached the tender underbelly and made short work of dissecting it.
Mina handed a thick chunk of pink meat to Gumus with a grin. "Eat."
Gumus grunted, impressed.
They both choked down two gulps of water before the nasal language of the Vartalf and the skittering noises of more Waha crabs made them shrink back. Gumus was in no position to take on more than one at a time and probably not even that many.
Mina settled back into the sling as Gumus thought about a plan to cross the first Elyun outpost of Zeroob sahaerat. There would be a second one to sneak past at the entrance to Slat Galen. "We're going to pass the outpost by the Great Nahara. We'll rest there until night so we can pass the second outpost before the Galen."
Mina's voice was muffled. "Galen, bad."
"Goddess Gudina willing we'll make it to Free Port Sanddyner in a few days."
Mina snorted, "Goddess Jimotekuari."
Gumus wasn't going to argue which Goddess to supplicate to and would pay hono
r to them all if it meant they reached their destination safely. The outpost was dark, but he stayed to the right and didn't double back until he was sure they'd made a large half-circle around it.
Even from this far off the rushing water of the Great Nahara and Great Nahara Falls sang in his ears. Water and plenty of it. The Great Nahara and its underground tributaries were the only reason Dohla was inhabitable. The Waha and Rasima were fed by these large rivers that ran through the mines and all the way to Buyuk Col, Gumus's homeland. During the Sabah Yuruyusu, the surviving male Kertenkele had simply followed the river until they reached Rasima and prostrated themselves before the Elyun Emperor Rehis Abja.
The air cooled as they neared the falls. The Elyun maintained a large, sturdy bridge, but Gumus hadn't been here since he was young and didn't remember the river was far below them, too far to drink from. He edged along the bank closer to the falls, the water roaring in his ears. Spray covered the rocks along the bank making them slick. He picked his way carefully until he found a flat rock—half dry, half wet.
Mina and Gumus licked water from small indents in the rock until they were full. In the cool air they bathed in the spray and then settled back on the dry half of the rock. Gumus hadn't seen any creatures stirring, but with morning only a few hours away they'd have to find a better hiding spot to spend the day.
Gumus lay on his back. A half moon hung low and the night twinkled with the light from a million stars. Why had this happened to him? He squirmed feeling the flames at the fringes, threatening to engulf him. Killing the Magi Padda and fighting the poison had returned him almost to normal. Now it was back, reminding him of what his future had become.
He searched his mind for Onyx Ay's concentrations and the mantra - Do no harm. It sounded distant and softer than before. Gumus watched Mina, curled up on his chest no doubt believing she was in the arms of a protector. Gumus knew she was in the arms of a monster.
***
Mina slept in the heat of the day as Gumus Ay tramped through the rest of the wasteland of sunburned rocks to the final checkpoint before the Slat Galen. Gumus knew they were close since faded tufts of grass dotted the horizon in front of him.
That morning Mina had gasped after looking at his face.
"What's wrong?" Gumus asked.
"Eyes change," Mina said.
Gumus rubbed his eyes.
"Yellow, orange, red."
The color of fire. Gumus felt a dark swirl of doubt and anger seep into the marrow of his bones replacing the Do No Harm teachings so carefully instilled over the years.
A solitary Sudawa sat in front of the guard shack with a sword draped across his lap. The entrance to the Slat Galen had been narrowed to a large single lane. A bright shine of green blossomed on the other side.
There was nothing to do but pass directly in front of the Sudawa. Gumus eyed him while keeping his steady pace. The Sudawa righted his head first and then tilted his armor faceplate back to get a better look at who was approaching. A slight clang of armor announced the Sudawa was moving. Gumus watched as the Sudawa raised his hand for him to stop.
Past this narrow road a different existence awaited. Gumus decided there was no reason to stop. The Sudawa must have sensed something amiss or realized he was seeing a Kertenkele on four feet instead of two. Gumus whispered, "Get ready to jump." He felt Mina tense in response.
This was probably the most excitement the Sudawa had seen in a long while because he seemed to Gumus to be amused. "Halt!" When there was no response he shouted louder, "I said halt!" The rest of his muttering was lost as he picked up the pace to cut Gumus off before he reached the gate. "You dumb, rock breaking—"
The rest of the sentence was lost as Gumus came up swinging. Mina leaped to one side as the Sudawa went sailing in the opposite direction. He landed with a loud metallic crash and didn't stir.
Mina's jaw was slack with surprise at the sudden violence. Gumus held out his hand and noticed her hesitation before she returned to her seat on his back. Breaking into a trot they passed into Slat Galen. After the Kertenkele invaded the Padda's territory to mine for the Elyun, the Padda had retreated to this Galen through tunnels deep in the surrounding mountains. Vartalf also used this area to hunt and fish. Once they reached the wide open area Gumus stood up and swung Mina to his shoulders.
"What do you see?"
"Animals."
"Padda or Vartalf?"
"No."
"What animals?"
"Many wild. Flying, running, hopping."
"How far can you see?"
"Maybe ten miles."
"Good."
Every five or ten miles Gumus would stand up and let Mina scout the area. The Padda in Slat Galen were not like the weak Magi Padda he'd fought in Dohla. These were a head taller than Gumus. The Vartalf in this area would hunt alone or in pairs. In pairs they would be easy to contend with if they decided to attack but if one were able to get back to their caravan with news of unarmed travelers, Gumus knew it would mean more trouble then he could handle.
By the third scouting, dusk had fallen. Mina's movements were slow and unsteady as she lowered herself.
"Are you okay?"
"Hunger, Gumus."
The way had been clear so far and Gumus hated to stop now. He estimated they were thirty or forty more miles. Then there were another forty or more miles to the Free Port of Sanddyner. Water was plentiful at small ponds scattered throughout the Galen, but Gumus was no hunter. "Can you catch another crab?"
"I try."
Gumus took his time circling around the next pond checking for danger before allowing Mina to spring into action. Much smaller Slat Galen crabs clicked their claws in the darkness. Mina came back with a handful and offered first to Gumus. "No, I'm fine." A look of doubt crossed Mina's face so he insisted. "I need water, food can wait."
Mina chewed her food and slurped some of the crab juice from it's shell, then she curled up in his lap.
"We can't stay here," Gumus said.
Before the sun set there was a large hill on the right and mountains on the left. On the right side of the Galen were two more Galen, Trask and Falt, which needed to be crossed before reaching the jointly held capital of Enade. The Elyun, Manskliga, and Asistan Ti held and maintained this city as a neutral zone for the three nations.
On the left side of Slat Galen was the way to Sanddyner. Gumus searched along the small outcroppings until he came to a small hole that smelled like some creature had used it in the past. "Here." He enlarged the opening enough for Mina and then laid down in front. The grass wasn't tall enough to conceal him but since they'd traveled in darkness and heard nothing out of the ordinary he hoped to pass for a rock in the darkness.
The next day passed much the same way only they made more stops for food. As they neared the entrance to Sanddyner Mina spotted an upright figure walking in the distance. Gumus squinted. "Too small to be Padda and too big to be Vartalf. Must be Aventyrare. Is he armed?"
"Not know."
They gave the figure a wide berth and continued through the green grass of the Slat Galen until it gave way to the blinding white sands of Sanddyner. The guard shack was on the far left so Gumus stayed to the far right. At this distance he couldn't tell which nation was on duty. There were no Padda in Sanddyner and the Vartalf were numerous here but a bit more civilized since they relied on trading with the outpost and Free Port. There were several more aggressive beasts they needed to avoid until Gumus could properly arm himself. With food in her system Mina was alert and even trotted by his side for sort periods of time or scouted ahead over a dune.
Mina pointed. "Small tree patch three miles."
"Small tree patch is an oasis." Gumus replied. He had tried improving her Loha during the journey. Since entering Sanddyner and having fasted for almost a week, the flames and burning were at bay. He couldn't carry on much longer this way though and he didn't know what would happen when he was fully rested and fed. "We'll stop there."
On the ledge ab
ove the oasis they hunkered down as figures appeared. Gumus could make out small groups of what appeared to be Aventyrare scattered around campfires. They looked Manskliga and Elyun in stature. No Kertenkele and no Mikachiari. To the left the pound of the surf could be heard although dunes obscured it from sight and to the right were more sand dunes which eventually led to the Galens before reaching the Manskliga capital of Fond.
Gumus turned to Mina and saw her for the first time in days. Her hair was matted and either lying flat or puffed out at odd angles. Her bruises and cuts were gone and only faint scars remained. He reached out as Mina prepared to spring to his back and instead he drew her up. He straightened her filthy cloak and pulled up her hood to cover most of her face. What could be seen of her features he tried to clean by licking his palm then rubbing at her face. Mina closed her eyes and shivered until she slapped at his hand.
"Stop. No more!" She drew the backs of her hands over her face. "What doing?"
"Now is as good a time as any to see if we'll pass for Aventyrare. How do I look?"
Her eyes wandered up and down. Tentatively she brushed at dirt and scratched at larger patches of dried mud. After trying the same licked palm technique on his hair, Mina threw up her hands. "Okay, I guess."
"If they try to attack us head that way." Gumus pointed away from the water.
Mina's eyes twitched with nervousness. "Alone?"
"I'll meet you just before the guard shack."
Her hands ran up and down his forearm and she pulled tight to his side.
"No," Gumus said as he pushed her away. "I work for you. Stand tall, shoulders back. You tell me what to do."
Mina's head drew back in surprise and one corner of her mouth jerked up in amusement.
They pulled back from the ledge and circled to the left so they could walk on the sand covered path edged with white brick and small thorny bushes. Gumus pushed Mina in front of him when she hesitated. With every stride she straightened until even under the cloak he could see her bouncing gait, hips swinging, shoulders drawn back, head held hauntingly high. At the last second before they came into view, Gumus dropped down to all fours.
Crowning Fantasy Book 1 Page 3
