The Order of Events: The Council of Eight

by Haines, C. J.

  The girl with red and grey streaked hair, six braids tied to her left side, and the rest of her hair left to hang to her right, stood on the edge of a great balcony, overlooking the great city formed below her from the great tower. The wind rapped upon her, blowing upon the knotted hair atop her frame as it stood firm with three sticks tied within it, all to keep the bunch in shape. Her runic, gold jacket blew wildly as she stood clad in a battledress, iron padding garnering her form as belts wrapped their forms around her as if protective arms around a child.

  She leaned on the balcony rail, her fingers fidgeting through holes of tattered and worn gloves as she closed her green eyes, enjoying the breeze royally, even if it was riddled with ash and with the taste, and scent, of musty smoke.

  Through a grand archway behind her, the figure of the owl, white and massive, made approach. His green cloak was bustling in the wind as he walked serenely. A well-rounded and puffy white collar was surrounding his beaky features as he made his form at the side of the young heroine.

  Samana turned to her old and loyal friend, turning and resting her back upon the stone edge as she spoke. “Good morning, Hoosun.”

  The owl stifled a laugh and looked out into the distance of dark, patchy land as he spoke. “You mean good evening, young Samana. The morning is far gone by, now.”

  Samana cut a look of surprise and leaned heavily on the ledge, stretching her form as she answered tiredly. “Who can tell with all this ash and darkness everywhere…yawn…that explains why I’m so tired. When do you think we’ll be heading back to the Order, Hoosun?”

  The great owl walked upon the balcony, cutting a pace with his feathery arms at his back as he spoke. “We’ll stay here until you are ready to return, young Samana. You strained yourself a good deal in battle, and still have some healing to do. I don’t want you pressed too hard.”

  Samana lifted one of her sleeves and looked upon her arm, wrapped in bandages, and quivered as she spoke. “I see what you mean. You sure the Mother won’t mind us staying?”

  The owl smiled through his beak, and closed his eyes in thought, as he answered.

  “Do not worry, Samana. She expects that we take our time on this. There’s also the curious purpose that stands before us of your friend.”

  The young heroine left the ledge and was at the center of the balcony as she spoke, looking ahead into the dark entrance to the balcony. “You mean Kurlank?”

  A figure heavily clad in silver armor, flecked with dried blood from ages long past, and a slit visor made himself visible to the ones upon the balcony. He craned his neck, as the dried flesh that was visible through an opening at the meeting of his helmet and torso plates twisted to a creaky affect, speaking in a booming tone of echoing manner. “Yes, I think he does. Samana, there is still a great purpose for you. I can sense it.”

  The owl approached the metal one and bowed as Kurlank returned the gesture with a bow of his metal shrouded skull, Samana putting a curious finger to her lip as she pondered, and spoke her mind. “Do you know what it is, Kurlank? I don’t have any idea. I mean, there has to be something, or else you would not still be with us.”

  The metal one nodded, and was in agreement with her, and then made his proposition.

  “I do not know, Samana, but I’m sure something will come to us, a sign. Until that time, we should train and get you back to fit shape, for we do not know how soon the need for you could come.”

  The owl seconded the notion as Samana felt her waist jokingly and cut a comical grimace. “I don’t look that bad, do I?”

  The elder two watched in silence as Samana returned to a serious manner and cracked her knuckles. “Let’s get to it then. Where do you want to do this?”

  The metal one looked up above to the top of the tower, and spoke. “Up there would seem most proper a place, young Samana.”

  Samana looked up at the towering form above and couldn’t help but feel memories passing through her mind as she did. It was the very spot she had fought the Red Wolf, and slain him in a brutal battle that nearly claimed her life.

  Brushing the thought of the past conflict away, as the touch of a friendly and feathery limb was pressed on her shoulders, Samana nodded in agreement and left with her two friends to make way to the top of the towering structure.

  Far way, in the distance, in the sand covered lands, a lone figure strode, covered in ripped rags, bottom to top, as they pressed on through the wilderness of rough winds. Making their way through the flurry of sand, they stumbled and tripped on the sand that they tread upon, pushing ahead with great effort in search of a shelter from the harsh and tiring weather.

  As energy was low and sleep calling, the figure felt they would not make it another step, but just then, the wind cleared, producing a massive and archaic sight of stone walls, battered and broken, and spread wide upon the open sand. A tower jutted from the sand and tipped to an uneven stance as many walls were encircling it, crushed, sitting silent and torn.

  The figure looked around and found that there seemed to be no life around the sandy sight of dead stones. It appeared to be a structure that had seemingly once been the form of a great city, but now was broken and in ruins. Taking rest behind a large broken stone that had once formed an archway, the figure rested his body and leaned back, removing his facial covering to show long, black hair, messy and sand strewn as he breathed heavily in a tiresome manner.

  His dark eyes, black and watchful, roved the surroundings for the sight of any living thing, but were welcome by none. He was alone on the grounds of the ruins, but what of beneath the ruins?

  Below the surface of the sand scraping mess above, far below, in catacombs dark, creeping, and many, a figure rose from the smooth ground of the cavernous mass and surveyed what was around them. There was nothing but cold and empty darkness.

  The figure felt strange. He felt like he had been asleep for ages, but still remained tired.

  Reaching for a pouch at his side, he produced a crystal fashioned powder that had been mixed with an explosive black powder, and spread it on the cave ground, causing an iridescent sparkle to spread from a small explosion that resulted from the substance hitting the ground, lighting the dark scene as the figure surveyed what was around him.

  Another figure was lying on the ground, passed out in the chamber. The figure went over to the feminine one that lay on their stomach and turned their body over, revealing their features, a horror upon his eyes. Creeping back across the ground from the female’s side, the figure looked ahead at them and sighted their malformed manner. Their skin was pale blue, vein stricken, and their hair, black and stringy, and her mouth…gone. Running his fingers through his own hair, in fear, the figure noticed rather quickly that he too was freakish as clawed fingers met his head.

  Shocked and frightened, the figure stood and surveyed his body in the light and saw that he was transformed and was not what he knew his former self to be.

  As he surveyed his change, the female awoke and saw the horrifying figure of the male standing in the light, and stood up, and stumbled to get away. The male ran for her and grabbed her form, and held her close, attempting to speak as he tried to calm her, but his words did not come vocally, but mentally as he held her.

  The words echoed through the head of the female as she loosened her struggle against his grasp and looked upon his features with her golden eyes. “It’s me, Sinfus. Don’t be afraid, Gelga!”

  The female, known as Gelga, stood up with the one known as Sinfus, and held him close, burying her head in his chest, speaking with her mind as they shared every word. “Sinfus, oh Sinfus, what has happened to us? We’re infected by those, those beasts, those Keraij!”

  Sinfus held Gelga in care and lifted her head, nestling it next to his as he spoke.

  “Gelga, it was a risk I should have thought of, after…my father. I should have thought that they would still be down here.”

  Gelga attempted to kiss the male, her love, but was only rubbing an empty face against
another as they both possessed no mouth. Turning away, she felt Sinfus wrap his arms around her from behind as she surveyed the surroundings and questioned him. “Where do you think the others are? Do you think they are dead?”

  Sinfus looked ahead and spoke in the darkness. “We’re alive, aren’t we? The Keraij did not kill us. The others have to be left alive. Let us search for them!”

  As they began to wander the passages of tunnels, the two lovers heard a rustling patter of movement ahead, Sinfus pushing his wife behind his form as he looked ahead and pressed his thoughts forward. “Who’s there?”

  Seven figures were produced from the darkness and stood in the dim lighting before Sinfus. They were friendly as they patted his shoulders and made themselves amongst him and his lover. A sturdy looking one, bigger than the rest and with four arms to call his own, stood at the head of the group and spoke in a deep manner. “Sinfus, we are here, your friends, your council. It appears we have all been infected by the Keraij. Now that we know where we are, where are they?”

  Sinfus looked around, and shook two of the four forward limbs of the hulking and obscured sight, and spoke. “I do not know, Karkor. They did not kill us, for that I am thankful. There may still be time to help Kaimana, even in these cursed forms!”

  Gelga took Sinfus’ arm and nestled her head on his shoulder, and spoke. “My love, my husband, do you think you can find it, the weapon of your father?”

  Sinfus took and held Gelga’s hand, firmly, and rubbed it on his sealed mouth, and looked out into the darkness among them. “I know the way. It should not be far from here.”

  The giant figure with four arms, known as Karkor, spoke and placed a hefty hand on Sinfus’ shoulder. “Let us follow you then, and find our quest!”

  After wandering the darkness for only but a bit, the eight figures, and Sinfus, had found their way through the tunnels and had come to the very spot they were seeking. The darkness was drowning as Sinfus threw more illuminating powder to bring light to the desolate scene. A body, torn, ravaged, and skeletal lay on the ground. What was once a royal cloak was now ragged as the dead figure sat gripping tightly to a blade worthy of great praise.

  Sinfus knelt at the side of the figure, as all surrounded him, Sinfus swiping a hand across the being of his father, a crown worn of silver on the head of the fallen one. His head was lolled as he closed his eyes and felt pain course his cursed veins as he bowed before his father, one word in thought transferring to all others in his presence as he sat kneeling. “Sorry.”

  Gelga looked around the dark chamber, and was at Sinfus’ side, and placed a caring hand on his shoulder, speaking. “It’s not your fault that he’s dead, Sinfus. Don’t blame yourself. I know he wouldn’t.”

  Sinfus nodded and took the hand of the stiff and long dead figure, and looked upon the blade in his grasp. It showed a glow of glistening green. It was silver and bright as it was also long and deadly, crafted with care, and holding a power great within its silver confines, the power of the Aura.

  The solemn son took the sword and inspected it as he spoke. “This sword holds the power of the very life of all, the power of the Aura. Crafted by the Mother Oregeira herself in the confines of mighty Aura, with this we can help Kaimana and stop the Elushu! I swear on my father’s soul, and my honor, I shall drive this through the very heart of Druskele!”

  As Sinfus held the sword high before his view, all stood watching, but then something happened.

  The sword coursed with curious veins of white, shimmering wildly as Sinfus spoke urgently to those around him. “What’s going on?! What’s happening?!”

  Before anyone could answer, the sword shattered, all its pieces falling to the ground, causing an echoing clatter. Sinfus was left holding the hilt, and looked down at the pieces that sat at his feet. All stood perplexed as he questioned what had happened. “It’s broken…what happened, how could this?”

  As Sinfus became broken and knelt before the shattered pieces, the hilt in his grasp, Gelga wrapped her arms around him and tried to calm him as he began to become very upset.

  “It’s okay Sinfus. It’s okay. Calm down, you’ll be okay. We can fix this.”

  The others watched as Sinfus became enraged and began to thrash about, his eyes becoming intense as he was held by his love. Gelga was alarmed, and looked at the others, and spoke her mind sharply as she pulled Sinfus up from the ground. “He needs blood, how’re we going to do this in this state? He doesn’t have a mouth!”

  The others watched and thought of solutions as something echoed through the tunnels. Something was coming for them. Karkor gripped his hands together and looked amongst the tunnels, and spoke his thoughts as everyone felt the urgency of the situation upon them.

  “We can find a way out of here. The entrance can’t be too far. Someone grab the pieces of the blade, we’re getting to ground level!”

  As the remains of the sword were bagged, all ran through the tunnels as the noise of approach traveled behind them in pursuit. Something was coming and to all it was obvious…the Keraij.

  Karkor led the pack as they hurried along. All stopped as they found themselves at a giant caved in archway, the entrance to the catacombs that they were in.

  All stood watchful as Karkor threw his massive weight against the stone boulders that were blocking the way, but was unsuccessful at shifting them. Pressing hard and slamming the rock, Karkor was unable to budge the bulk of stone, and felt failure envelope his heart. Gelga looked back into the many cavernous tunnels and heard the pursuers coming ever closer, and had a thought. Taking the explosive powder from Sinfus, she tossed it to Karkor, who looked at it with curiosity as she spoke to him. “We’re not going to die here. Karkor, blast the load!”

  Karkor hefted the pouch and knew exactly what she meant. Gesturing the others back, he swung his arms and flung the pouch at the rocks, causing it to burst in a bright and huge explosion, blasting a great chunk of the rocks away to allow an opening for escape.

  Karkor called all to the hole as he tossed loose boulders aside to create more space for escape. Gelga stood at his side and spoke cautiously as she looked back. “Don’t make it too big, we want to seal these things in once we leave!”

  Karkor agreed and everyone filtered through the hole as the sound of following numbers grew louder and louder. All were through the hole as Karkor made his exit last and started piling boulder upon boulder to block the opening as the others stood outside the opening behind him.

  Sinfus was starting to thrash uncontrollably and fell, dragging Gelga, who was holding onto him, to the ground with him. The scene was dusty as all were amongst a broken structure of encircled stone and pillars, light scathing down through the broken scene of desperation. Gelga held Sinfus desperately as she thought madly for a solution to their problem and looked to the others. “What’re we going to do?!”

  The others looked around, as they did not know, Karkor cramming boulder upon boulder in the way as he peeked through the hole and caught a glimpse of their pursuers. Many that were marked as they were, cursed, twisted, were flying through the inner catacombs and were but moments from the opening as Karkor pushed himself to block the way of their release.

  As all watched and thought of a possible solution, one had succeeded.

  One of the council, a hunched, beastly, and grim looking one, named Hersei, went to Sinfus’ side and leaned over, his one eye roving the form of Sinfus as he spoke scathingly. “Gelga, rip his mouth open. That should work.”

  Gelga looked at Hersei and reached her clawed fingers for her husband’s face. “I hope you’re right, and this works, Hersei.”

  As Gelga reached to open up Sinfus, the mass of creatures were near, and though Karkor tried willfully and hard to block the opening…he had failed. The creatures burst through the opening, desperately, and sent him onto his back as they poured out and flew around the scene, light pouring from behind the pillars, blurring the imagery of the Keraij as they circled those below.

  The
figure lying out in the sand awoke from a deep slumber as he heard a raucous from within the sandy stone grounds. Leaping up from his place of rest, he took a short blade form his waist and went to investigate with caution.

  As the creatures circled the mass of pillars and stone, some escaped the confines and flew outwards while others gripped to the ceiling of the stone mass and watched those below. The figure looked ahead and saw objects flying from within a stone mass, and felt alarm engulf him, and soon fear, as it gripped his spine in a cold hold as one of the figures appeared to have spotted him and took a dive in his direction.

  The boy was afraid, and ran frantically for cover, but was not fast enough.

  The creature flung itself to his back and wrestled him to the ground, and dug a few good scratches against his flesh as the boy writhed in the sand against the twisted creature as a black substance was injected into his body. The boy moaned in pain as the creature was upon his back. He gripped his blade tightly and threw his weight sideways, sending the creature jumping from his back, and then soon to be met in mid-air by his blade as it cut sharply, decapitating the creature and leaving its form to fall upon the sand, black fluid pouring from its cursed form.

  The boy struggled to get up, and without looking back, ran away from the stone structure, in an attempt to gain as much ground as possible from the source of the cursed creatures, one of which had left a good mark upon his flesh…one he would not forget.

  In the stone structure, Gelga looked upon the many creatures and then to her husband, digging her claws into his face and ripping his flesh open to reveal his sharp teeth. Sinfus grabbed her as she offered her arm for him to dig his teeth into.

  As Sinfus sucked the blood from her arm, Gelga sat rather comfortable and calm as she was used to offering her blood to him. The others watched and stood in protective stance around the lovers, as the Keraij began to grow calm as all stood gripping to the ceiling and watching, many standing on the ground in crouching positions, watchful of the council as Gelga offered her blood to Sinfus.