by T M Caruana
“You bastard!” I screamed as he departed to where Tarus was imprisoned with his upper body pressed down against a table in the middle of the dungeon.
They were some distance away, but I could still see and hear them.
“Tarus!” I cried desperately.
“Susy! Are you unharmed? They haven’t hurt you have they?”
His voice was full of concern, echoing across the room, as he tried to tear himself from the chains.
“Aw! Sob, such a sweet love story. And now you can watch me pick your boyfriend apart, bit-by-bit. I love romantic endings,” Nomnat scoffed. “So Tarus, tell me now where you are hiding the other power stones, I’d really like to expand my collection.”
“So, it is you who is the traitor, you stole the green stone!” Tarus said with difficulty as his mouth was pressed against the table.
“Outstanding reasoning, I must say. You don’t think you can become the ruler of Ubar city and Bomi if you’re nice. Eutychia can have the other worlds, I am only interested in this one.”
Apparently his negotiations hadn’t gained him any more worlds, but it would be a weakness to show his loss by stating that fact, as opposed to claiming victory over his exclusive interest on Bomi.
“Eutychia? It doesn’t surprise me. She must have the missing blue stone.”
Tarus stated his reasoning out loud so that I would hear them. He was probably afraid that he would never get the chance to warn Hunter and the others.
“You see, I’ve been waiting for your return. One by one, I have sent my army through the black hole to Pixi to wait for my orders to storm the fort and take back the stones. If you tell me how I can penetrate the city walls and where they have hidden the stones maybe we can come to some arrangement.”
His voice came from behind Tarus now as Nomnat circled him.
“I don’t know where they are or how to get in. The only arrangement we will have is if you free me now I will consider sparing your life,” Tarus spoke calmly, but the sincerity in his voice hinted that there was no chance that Nomnat’s life would be spared after his betrayal.
“I shake with fear,” said Nomnat theatrically as he shook his hands in the air. “If you haven’t noticed, the odds aren’t in your favour, so I wouldn’t make empty threats if I were you,” he hissed menacingly as he went to meet a man who had arrived in the room.
The man’s thin dark hair against his sickly pale face made him look like a walking ghost.
“Torture him until he talks,” Nomnat instructed on his way out.
I screamed in desperation and tried to push myself through the bars. My breathing had gone into a panic, gasping at short intervals and I had lost all perspective over my own life’s purpose. My life’s purpose wasn’t allowed to focus on this one man. But it was as if my days were numbered and I couldn’t imagine a life without Tarus and therefore entered into a tunnel vision, which only showed the situation before me. Trying to forge long-term plans of escape or negotiations to spare my life was pointless. His life was the only thing that was important to me.
“No! Stop! Let us go!” I yelled at Nomnat, but it was in vain.
Tears began to flow down my cheeks.
“And if he doesn’t talk?” The man’s said hopefully; his voice nasty, dark and rough.
“Admiral Milo my friend, I know you well. He will have nothing left to torture by then.”
His emphasis meant only one thing; Milo would play with his prey until he was lifeless. The horrible Milo hands and grinned with a laugh that showed some sparsely set teeth. I could see him pick up a tool from the metal case he was carrying and go over to Tarus.
“This will be my last warning before I start. Do you have something you want to tell me?” he chuckled.
“Go to hell voluntarily before I send you there,” Tarus whispered.
“Good, I was hoping you wouldn’t disappoint me. So, hmm…where should I start? Oh I know, the Spanish boot.”
The man sang happily whilst he prepared his tools as if he was going to be building a model. A half-round metal base with spikes inside was tied firmly around Tarus’s legs that got the spikes to penetrate his flesh. A wedge wrapped in brackets on the side got the spikes to penetrate deeper into his legs and a creaking sound indicated that his bones had burst.
“Ah…ah,” he moaned in pain, but he didn’t want to give Milo further satisfaction so he stopped as soon as he was able.
“No? Surrender yet? If not we continue with the thumbscrew on the left little finger,” he continued in the same happy mood.
He placed Tarus’s little finger between two plates of metal and a wing nut screw was tightened until his finger broke. This time I heard no cry from Tarus as Milo required. He fetched a cauldron from the open fire further inside the dungeon and poured out the contents, a black runny hot oil, over his back. Tarus was used to heat, but the oil would stick like hot wax across his back. It must have hurt badly, but he insisted on keeping the pain inside him and refrained from saying a single word. Milo angrily rushed to fetch a leather whip whilst the oil was still hot and whipped with anger over his back until oil and blood trickled from gashes.
“Ah…ah!” cried Tarus.
I had stopped searching for his emotions at this point, afraid of the pain I would discover from his torn skin and from the whip hitting his nerves, separating his flesh so that the hot oil seeped into the cuts, burning in his wounds.
“That’s better,” said Milo merely to himself. “Will you talk now?” he asked, surely with the hope of a threatening counter-thrust so he could continue his torture.
Tarus’s body had begun to droop, going numb from the torture and into unconsciousness. Milo kicked his foot at the Spanish boot.
“Well!”
Receiving no response he still continued.
“Strappado is an effective method to make victims talk or at least haul them into a position that makes it easier to continue,” he explained.
He tied Tarus’s hands behind his back and wrapped a chain around them to hoist up his body. From where I was I could hear the creaking of his arms, which must have been dislocated after Milo had twitched the chains a few times. Tarus’s eyes opened ever so slightly and I could see he was still alive, but dripping off every now and again.
“Ah!” I screamed.
I had felt a firm hand on my shoulder. I spun round and there stood Hunter. His hug this time was welcome and it didn’t matter that it was as hard as usual. I was just happy to see him.
“How did you find me? How can the portal lead…?” The unimportant issues came out in a hurry.
“Shush,” he hushed gently. “Samuel used his power to view what you see with your eyes. He saw the dungeons and Tarus and we assumed you were here. In other worlds than Pixi and Teli, the one with the stones can travel through portals to the destination he wants, if you know where you want to go. Instead of standing still in the portal, you can run to your destination if you can run fast enough before the portal spits you out. It’s complicated. The portal has a combination of seven dimensions: length, width, depth, speed, place, time and energy. You know, the same way we figured out the formula to travel from Teli. I don’t have time to elucidate further now, I will explain later. Come, I’ll take you home to safety,” he whispered, extending his hand towards me.
“No! You have to help Tarus as well or they’ll kill him.”
“This time, I can’t follow your orders, you must be in safety first. I can’t even imagine the consequences if you came under Eutychia’s power again before we have the opportunity to energise the worlds. Come now!” he pledged harshly.
“What’s this, who are you?”
Milo had heard the noise and discovered Hunter.
“Susy we have to go NOW!”
Hunter’s voice was strict, but I was adamant.
“No! I won’t leave Tarus here. Save him first.” I pressed my head against the bars to try and catch a glimpse of him.
“Susy, do as he asks, I’ll
be fine,” Tarus called across from his hanging position.
His restraining chains rattled in his attempt to break free despite his broken body.
“No…no…”
My voice died away as the tears flowed uncontrollably. I knew how bad the situation was and I could even feel that Tarus was lying. He wouldn’t come out of here alive. My hand finally gripped Hunter’s in obedience as I forced myself to comprehend the seriousness of the situation.
“Hey, Where are you two going? The master won’t be pleased if you leave before you can tell me where the stones are and Eutychia wants the fire-rose.”
14
THE ORACLE’S VERDICT
The portal had allowed Hunter and I to escape back to Pixi, but the vicious reality of our situation had started to penetrate my consciousness. Eutychia had the blue power stone, Nomnat the yellow and green ones. It would be difficult to regain them and highly dangerous to try. People I cared for would die, but if I didn’t get them back we would all die. There was no alternative.
The Gatekeeper welcomed us with a nod. Hunter ran out to the others whilst I drew deep breaths to collect myself and to wipe my tears. If my heart could bleed, this was just the feeling it would have. It was an incurable despair at having lost everything that meant something. Tarus’s feelings for me hadn’t been difficult to read in the dungeon. He hadn’t cared about himself, only that I would be safe. When I returned, if I could return, it would already be too late. I wished that Leo could accompany me to Bomi to save Tarus. But that was impossible since we would possibly be there for more than twelve hours without access to a water supply. It would risk his life as well as mine.
The waterfall sprinkled cold spring water in my face as I stepped out of the cave and the sun blinded my eyes after the darkness on Bomi. The seven horses were packed and everyone, but Katrona, was already seated on them, waiting for me. Katrona rushed into my arms and gave a hug. I was equally happy to see my good friend, but had expected that Noah would come rushing with apologies and explanations regarding his kiss with Kora. But he sat silently and just watched me as if nothing had happened, as if it was a closed chapter from which the Universe had now returned to normal, now that Tarus was dead.
“Hunter give me a power stone, I have to try to go back and help Tarus,” I appealed.
“Are you crazy? It’s too dangerous. Didn’t you see how he was stuck in all those chains? How are you going to get him out of them?”
“Come with me then,” I pleaded in despair. “You are strong enough to pull the chains off.”
I could tell Hunter’s conscience was pricked. My suggestion could be possible, but if Nomnat anticipated that we would come to Tarus’s rescue we would be walking into his trap.
“It’s too dangerous. Tarus wanted you to leave,” he reminded me.
“Please, Hunter, please. After that I will do anything you ask of me. Please help him!”
I was the creator of life and I must be able to find a way to convince Hunter. Maybe I could play the family card because he had stated that I had always been like a sister to him since he had met his wife and we all had lived in the castle together. He couldn’t resist my plea to save my true love. If the situation had been reversed I am sure I would have done everything in my power to help him. If Nina was in captivity, surely he would have done anything not to lose his wife.
“I have conditions. Only I go, you aren’t included. If I return without him, you must trust that I did my best. When I have gone, you will follow with the others to the castle and not insist on staying here whilst Michael heals Tarus; if I manage to bring him back.”
He jumped down from his horse and held out his hand. “Do we have a deal?”
His tone of voice clearly indicated that he wasn’t open to negotiation. If this was what it took to save Tarus I had to shake his hand.
“One more thing,” I whispered after shaking his hand, “Nomnat has the green and the yellow power stones.” The information would upset Hunter, but not come as a complete surprise. I diverted my ashamed gaze towards the ground.
“What? The green I can understand, but what is the yellow stone doing there?” he asked accusingly.
“It’s a long story and I had promised someone…I’ll explain everything when you get back.”
Now it was my turn to rush him and I didn’t want to waste more time talking when every second mattered.
“Now I understand why Tarus was injured so badly in the portal. It wasn’t three people on one stone, there were two stones in the same journey. You don’t understand how badly it could have gone for him.”
“Well, I know now, but if you don’t hurry, he might die anyway.”
Before Hunter disappeared behind the waterfall I cried out to him. “Hunter, you’re important to me too. If it becomes too dangerous, abort.”
I knew my love for Tarus had made me blind and it dawned on me that I was going to put another person in danger because of my stupidity. Hunter smiled in acknowledgement and disappeared behind the waterfall.
Michael stepped down from his horse and tied it, along with Hunter’s, to a tree next to the creek to await the two men’s return. He helped me up onto one of the horses. I noticed my bag was packed on the horse’s back and I thought of my little teddy bear, but also about the notebook with the prophecies.
“Your boyfriend will have two favours to make up for when he comes back, but who is counting?”
The light-hearted joke made me smile, not genuinely, but I was grateful nonetheless for his optimism.
“Actually, only one since he saved you when you were shot in Gibraltar,” I responded teasingly.
He gave me an agreeing smile back. No one else, except Katrona, was smiling, as they didn’t agree with putting Hunter’s life at risk. As we galloped across the fields towards the castle I could see that even the horse’s speed was faster here than on Teli. Noah rode first, followed by Kora with Samuel close behind, but not too close to her, as she had been grumpy with him since the news of her father. Katrona rode beside me. Leo was overprotective, and waited for us ladies, in order to ride behind us with watchful eyes. The sound of hooves changed to thunder as we crossed the moat bridge until the sound was interrupted by Noah’s sword ringing against the metal of the lowered port grille.
“Open the way for the King!” Noah shouted to the guards.
The guards came with raised spears.
“It’s Noah, how can it be Noah?”
“I thought he was dead, but it certainly is Noah,” the two guards mumbled.
“What if it’s a witch’s nasty trick, or someone from Sabi?”
The logic wasn’t straightforward when the possibilities of aliens were many.
“Someone from Sabi can’t change shape when they aren’t on Sabi and witches can’t come to Pixi. Plus the Gatekeeper let them in. It has to be Noah.”
Their debating could be heard in whispers before they decided to open the bars. Their spears were held up high in honour of their king as we rode into town and the bars closed behind us. The city looked bigger from the inside and was arranged in terraces up the mountain where the castle overlooked it all from the top. The cute huts made of stone were symmetrically built in rows on narrow streets, with only enough room for horse carriages.
We rode further, towards a square that was surrounded by huts with people standing outside them, displaying various handicrafts on stalls. Noah rode up and stopped in front of a man standing in the middle of the square and stepped down from his horse. The two men greeted each other enthusiastically, apparently happy to meet again since the time of my kidnapping.
“Net, what are you doing here amongst the people? Why are you not in the castle?” asked Noah, keeping one hand on the younger man’s shoulder to show his superiority.
I remembered the name. This was the king who had replaced Noah when he had disappeared.
“The best way to monitor what is going on is to see it with my own eyes,” he replied brightly, dispelling the di
scontent in Noah’s voice.
“What I heard is that you are becoming softer by the day. You are lucky that the people are loyal even through the economic downturn. We have to restore the respect for the Royal Family – it has been brought to my attention that even the wealthiest businessmen have begun to rebel, due to a lack of food and medicine.”
I could tell by Noah’s body language that he was happy to be back in charge and would want to avoid a civil war.
“And if you paid more attention to politics and less to the shoemaker’s daughter you would probably have become a great leader,” Noah stated disapprovingly as Net tried to ogle a slim blonde woman at one of the stalls.
Net had no more than nodded toward me as a welcome. The people had started to gather closer to us and a hopeful murmur spread when they realised that Noah and I were back. As the noise level increased and the groups started to split up, we began to walk towards the castle whilst Net updated Noah on the little he knew about the current political situation.
As we reached the courtyard I heard a voice calling. “Noah…Susy…Hunter…Hunter?”
It was Nina and she sounded panicked when she couldn’t see Hunter. She bounced down from the stairs to search the group.
“Don’t worry Nina, he is unharmed. He had to go to Bomi to rescue Tarus who is being held captive. He shouldn’t be long,” Noah told his little sister as he gave her a caress.
Nina fell silent, responding to her brother’s affection. “Where is my nephew?” Noah asked, seeming eager to meet up with his family again, and started walking into the castle without inviting the rest of us in.
Kora, Leo and Net were on his heels, which left Katrona, Samuel and I in the courtyard.
Katrona pulled me aside. “Susy, there’s something I want to tell you,” she whispered. “I just wanted to warn you about Tarus.”
“I know you are close to Noah, but my personal life is my own business. You have no right to comment on the matter,” I hissed and didn’t want to hear any more about my predetermined fate.
