Song of the Earth: Book Four of the Firebird's Daughter series

by Kyrja

  “Very well,” Sahil looked at the floor, shaking his head with regret. He had hoped this day would never come, and now that it had, he was sure there were things he could leave left unsaid, and secrets he could keep hidden, while still providing them with the necessary facts. But he was tired, and that fact alone could cause him to make a mistake. Now – at this time in history, at this point in their current circumstances – he could not afford to make a mistake. And so he would tell them.

  Pulling out a chair from the table to join them, he rested his elbows on the table, then said, “Jikangai is not the only portal to other realms and times, you see. Our world is much more vast than the few lands which most people in Kinji, Bila, and now, Nohoyo, are aware of. There is already enough to know and enjoy for most people who live in these places without being concerned with traveling throughout the whole of the world.”

  “As you may recall, I have traveled the world, Sahil,” Jahari reminded him. “Without restriction or limits.”

  “And you have known of Jikangai for a very long time, yes?” When she nodded, Sahil continued, “Lumas created two such places, the first of which was Jikangai. She did not create this place out of normal time for Deiserin; she had created it when first the world was new, when Sov was still very pleased with his new jewel and while he was still falling madly in love the Goddess of Beauty. It was, however, the perfect place to ensure that Deiserin would be punished for all of eternity, as Lumas intended, precisely because it was out of the normal time flow, and no mortal could enter it to disturb her incarceration. In short, no rescue was possible.”

  “But …” Rhian started, only to stop when Sahil held up his hand. “Before Lumas imprisoned Deiserin there, Jikangai was a portal through which strange and wondrous creatures and beings visited. Some remain there even today. Once Sov discovered what Lumas had done, he was furious.”

  “When was he ever not?” Jahari interjected, with a sigh.

  “Because it was a place outside of time, however,” Sahil continued, “Lumas argued that none of those who visited would be able to interact with the humans, wildlife, or other inhabitants of Sov’s world, and so he relented, allowing the portal to remain because it gave Lumas so much pleasure.”

  “And the second portal?” Rhian asked.

  “Lumas was not pleased,” Sahil continued. “She was most-certainly unaccustomed to being told she could not have a thing. The fact that a “lesser being” such as Sov, who would dare to consider restricting her! Well,” Sahil drew out the word, rolling his eyes and tilting his head. “Let’s just say Lumas did not take kindly to it. So she created another portal out of spite.”

  “And Sov never knew about it?” Rhian’s skepticism was obvious.

  “He did, in fact,” Sahil smiled a little, “but wisely said nothing. Or so I’ve been told.”

  “By whom?” Jahari wanted to know.

  “Yes, Sahil, do tell us. How do you know all of this … missing history … when no one else seems to know it?” Rhian asked, her eyes shining brightly, as if she had caught him out in a lie.

  “The woman who bore me was the wife of Daiti, who was the stolen son of Deiserin, the first empress of Bila. What her name was, I have never learned. The woman who raised me was Qoraa, the healer who cut me from my mother’s womb after Binti had killed her. Qoraa also found my sister, Kweli, who was a very small child at the time. She raised the two of us, but felt it would be bad luck to tell us our mother’s name, so she never did, although each spring we cast flowers on the river in her memory.” Sahil was quiet a moment then, remembering.

  “But that would make you …”

  “Yes, Lady Rhian, quite old indeed,” Sahil replied, inhaling deeply. “And glad of it, if you want to know the truth. Living such a great many years has given me the opportunity to learn much more than I would have otherwise done, and …” he emphasized, “has afforded me the opportunity to flit in and out of history as it was being made, and as great events were being considered. And so I have spent time in many places which most others have not.”

  “Including this other portal,” Jahari prompted.

  “Those who live very long lives or can move from one realm or time to another are rarely content with living “ordinary” kinds of lives for hundreds or thousands of years. Often, for good or ill, they seek out … adventures, shall we say? Or activities which may amuse them for a time, or teach them something new. Those who live long lives discontent with the choices available to them, or their surroundings, or the people with whom they cohabitate, may even seek out other places or people for the sole purpose of stirring up trouble. And so it is with some who have come through the second portal, aptly named “Badala,” which translates,” he paused to sigh and roll his eyes as he looked to his companions, “ as “revenge.””

  “And people from other … places … come to our world through this Badala portal?” Rhian asked.

  “Oh yes,” Sahil nodded. “People, creatures, animals, all manner of beings.”

  “How is it that … well … “Jahari stammered. “That … that … well … humans know of this portal and the Ahadi do not?”

  “I could offer a guess or two, “ Sahil replied, “but that’s all they would be. And,” he said, leaning forward, “when the task before us isn’t so pressing, perhaps we might sit and speak of it some more. For now … Sakari. Give her to me and I will take her to Badala to see if what the Emperor of Bila has done to her can be undone.”

  “And if it cannot?” Jahari asked, not unkindly.

  “How will you get there? Aren’t you afraid of my father taking over her mind – and her body – to cause more damage? How will you keep her under control? I cannot allow him to hurt anyone else. I have a responsibility here too,” Rhian interrupted.

  Plucking a blue stone from an inner pocket, Sahil held it up for them to see. “This is called an Andhera, or Andhera Stone if you like. And while it may look like a particularly pretty gemstone, it will transport me and whomever I am touching to the Badala portal. Once there, I will insert this into the second half of the “stone” and it will call to those who can help us.”

  “You keep giving me more questions to ask, my friend,” Rhian told him, stretching out her hand towards the stone, but stopping short of touching it.

  “Even if you kill Sakari outright, there is no guarantee you will stop the essence of the emperor from moving to another host. Give her to me so that we might save her,” Sahil said, looking into Jahari’s eyes. To her credit, the Goddess of Nohoyo looked to Rhian, the Empress of Bila, who nodded her head in agreement, before telling him to take her.

  Although he would never admit it, and made certain to keep his face adequately stern, Sahil was privately amused by the expressions on their faces when he leaned back in his chair, saying, “Yes Aidena, you may accompany me.”

  “Thank you for not making me argue with you, Sahil,” Aidena said as she entered the room, crossing directly to the man to hug him. “Sakari is my friend,” she told the others.

  “Aidena is the daughter of the Goddess of Air,” Sahil smiled. “She wields a mighty arsenal, which may, in all seriousness, be needed if our hosts in Badala are less than accommodating.”

  “Let’s get you on your way then,” Jahari said, a tight expression on her face, as she rose from her chair, “and release Vray of the burden of being terrified he may actually have to relieve Sakari of her life.”

  * * * * * * * *

  Sharun stared in disbelief at Aku. She was standing instead of being unconscious like she was just a moment ago, and had returned to “normal” time. He could feel the difference in her vibration. Damn that Baya! She was always such a hypocrite. “We all have to be careful” is what she always said. Always. But it was all right for her to skip ahead – go all the way into Jikangai – and then just stand there like nothing had happened. He was tempted to skip ahead himself to see what she’d seen and to figure out what she had done so he could rub it in her face. Why was he forb
idden from moving through time, but it was all right for her?

  “I am not your enemy,” he heard her say, making him jerk his head up to look at her.

  “And I am not your friend,” he retorted, with a snarl on his face.

  “No,” she said, “you are my brother, which is even better. Please?” she asked, holding out her hand towards him.

  “Please what?” he scoffed. “Please behave? Please be nice? Please stop thinking you’re a hypocrite and a jerk?” He tsked loudly. “Not likely.” He turned his back to her.

  “Please try to stop hating yourself,” he heard her say. “We need you Sharun. We all do.”

  Suddenly the vibrations stopped. They were in the Second Circle of Jikangai and he could feel a vast void of nothingness beckoning him. Calling his name. He’d been here before.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight – Splitting Time

  “Are you real?” Chared felt disconnected and confused. There was no reason to believe the man – or apparition of a man – standing in front of him was any more “real” than the panther, trees, or desert had been. Was he here to cause him pain as well? He had experienced increasing levels of pain with each new environment in which he’d found himself. Was this to be the death of him then? If he let go of the grid lines, would he die? Would the panther suddenly reappear? Was this man actually the panther? Or maybe the panther had been this man in disguise? And how would he know to recognize his real father anyway? He’d never met the man, nor had his mother, P’onyem, mentioned much about him.

  “You’ve come a very long way to get here, and I’m glad you’ve finally come. Please,” he paused, holding out a hand in invitation, “sit down so we can get to know each other.”

  “Sit down?” Chared looked around, and knew he shouldn’t have been surprised to see an old table with three benches around it, all made of weathered stone. In the middle of a deep forest. There was no point in arguing with his imagination, or whatever this was, so he may as well be comfortable while doing it. And yes – there was a pitcher of something to drink, and four wooden mugs to choose from. All right, he shrugged mentally, I’ll play the game. And yet, he knew his mind was still searching for clues to understand what was happening. Inhaling deeply, he unclenched his fists, prepared to grab the grid lines again if anything at all happened. When it didn’t, he flexed his fingers repeatedly, looked all around him to make sure everything was still the same, then took four steps to the seat offered, doing his best to not be terrified.

  “How is your mother, P’onyem?” the man asked while pouring himself a mug of something that smelled like sweetened tea.

  “Are you trying to get me to confess?” Chared asked the man, more convinced than ever his imagination was playing tricks on him. Was this something his mother was doing to him, or was this the “price” of traveling to find Giya? The stone chair felt solid enough, even slightly cool, as it probably should have, given that they were seated in the shade of a great number of trees.

  “Confess what?” the man asked. “I just asked how your mother is. It seems like a simple enough question, since I haven’t seen her in a very, very long time, and she may be the only thing we have in common to talk about.”

  “She’s dead,” Chared told him, taking a drink of the liquid in his cup. He frowned, unused to drinks that were so sweet. Still, it was refreshing enough. And it seemed wet. But then, he supposed his mind would supply the appropriate sensations needed to make everything seem real.

  “Oh,” the man replied. “I didn’t know.”

  “I killed her,” Chared told him, setting the cup down while looking straight at him. “I was insane at the time, but that’s no excuse. She’s dead and I killed her.”

  “That’s not what I expected to hear,” the man said, looking down at the table, his forehead creased.

  “Well then!” Chared replied, purposefully acting overly-cheerful. “If you’ll tell me what you were expecting to hear, then maybe I can tell you all about that!”

  With a pained expression on his face, the man looked at him, saying, “The normal kinds of things, I suppose. That she is well, and happy, and doing the things that please her.”

  “Ha!” Chared crowed. “There has not been one single thing about my life that has been “normal,” and if you were truly my father, and if you had been there to watch it all play out, then you would have already known that. But no – you aren’t real, and this is just some kind of fantasy playing itself out in my head for reasons I cannot begin to fathom. Perhaps I’m going insane again!”

  “Chared …” the man held out his hands, then sighed. “No matter how strange this may seem, this is not just in your head. I am really here, and I really am your father. I may not have been there while you were growing up, but your mother didn’t want me to be. She did as Giya asked so that she would have a child, and then I never saw her again.” He paused. “The truth of the matter is that I’ve never been a good father, no matter how I tried. My first son turned out to be a god made by Lumas. My wife killed him when he was only three days old when the Goddess of Beauty told her to, then she went insane. I stole three children from three families and raised them as my own, only to have my youngest daughter kill her older brother and sister and all their children. So you’re not the only one to not have a normal life.”

  Chared sat staring at the man, knowing he could not have made that up if he had tried. He had told many stories himself over the years, especially while he’d been a Merlarn priest of the Blue Dolphin Order. This man was not making up this story. He was telling the truth.

  “I lived for hundreds of years in what is called the “Second Circle” of Jikangai. It’s a place out of time that was created by Lumas thousands of years ago. My wife was the Empress of Bila. The very first empress. There is a magical bond that is invoked when you marry the ruler of Bila. It’s called “Chi Tomo” or the “Blood Bond.” If the Empress – or Emperor – dies, then the husband or wife of the ruler must take their own life, or their life is taken in a ritual.”

  “But that’s not what happened,” Chared heard himself responding, fascinated.

  “No,” the man shook his head. “When my wife killed our son, the Goddess of Beauty told her she been had tricked, because the child was never a human to begin with – Lumas had created him. Oh, she went so far as to pretend to breathe life back into him, but he had truly never been harmed. And so Deiserin went really quite mad.”

  “So you stole those children you talked about, to help her to find another child to love,” Chared felt his own heart hurting with the pain of what Lumas had done to these people.

  “The thing is, that Lumas let this all happen, and then came back much later, when we were old, and enjoying our grandchildren. She came back and turned Deiserin into a tortoise and brought her here, to Jikangai. She said it was her punishment for breaking the peace.” The man dropped his head, shaking it back in forth, miserable. “I couldn’t live without her, so I came here, to what is now called the “Second Circle” because I refused to leave her. The Blood Bond didn’t take me because she wasn’t dead – and never will be. I lived here for hundreds of years, but because time in the Second Circle is different than time inside Deiserin’s circle, I could only see her every once in a while.” He uttered a chuckle filled with sorrow. “So I looked for pockets of time – and I found some.”

  “What?” Chared was shocked. “How did you do that?”

  “The same way you were able to hide from the panther – I used the grid lines.”

  “I … I … never thought of that!” Chared exclaimed.

  “I thought that if I could go back in time, that I could change everything. That I would be able to warn Deiserin and we could figure out how to beat Lumas at her own game.”

  “Oh!” Chared suddenly gasped. “But it didn’t work, did it? Damn!” he exclaimed. “I’m sorry. I just got caught up with what you were saying.” He felt his own heart fall.

  “Not at first, no,” the man replied, smiling
a little, then reaching across the table to pat Chared’s hand. “But thanks.” He took another drink from his mug, wiped his lips with the back of his hand, then continued. “It wasn’t until I finally left the Second Circle that I understood why I had failed. I could feel the changes in the vibrations. And how the Uchawi symbols also have vibrations. So once I did as Giya asked, I wasn’t too upset when she brought me back here and ended up tossing me into a crack in time – to the past.”

  “What? Why did she do that?” Chared was furious. He could have known his father! Everything would have been different!

  “She said that she could feel that I would be able to travel through time, and that she couldn’t have me interfering with her plans,” the man smirked.

  “Damn! That’s just not right!” Chared exclaimed, scowling.

  “Maybe not, but I understand why she did it. Don’t feel bad, Chared. Really,” he said, reaching across the table again to pat his hand. “She brought me out of the Second Circle in exchange for creating a new life, and then ended up sending me straight back to Deiserin when she brought me back here,” he said, searching Chared’s eyes.

  “What?” Chared exclaimed, excited all over again.

  “She did me a kindness, really. It was wonderful at first. I really thought I’d done it – had gone back in time. So I could change things. But … “ he paused, lifting his shoulders in a shrug. “After a while, I came to understand that it was a false life. I kept living the same four years over and over again. Quite some time before our son was to be born. I remembered him, but she never quite believed me. And even when she wanted to, she could never quite do anything to change the events that happened. It took me a long time to figure it out, but being able to move through time wasn’t something Giya was able to take away from me, once I understood how.”

  “But … “ Chared protested, “then why are we here – wherever this is? I don’t know what it is, but I know it’s not “real” time. Or, at least, not the time that I live in.”