The First Compact: The Karus Saga (The Karus Saga: Book Book 3)

by Marc Alan Edelheit

  “Will you allow us to help you?” Tal’Thor asked, pulling bandages from a small pack he carried, along with a stopped jar of what Karus took to be vinegar. “We will clean and bind your wounds.”

  The Vass gave a nod and the two elves approached and set to work, first examining the leg wound. Ugin kept his eyes upon them as they worked. They set about first cleaning and then bandaging the leg, tying the bandage tight. Ugin said nothing, made no noise, and gave no indication that their ministrations were causing him pain, other than the occasional grimace.

  “Do you think there are any goblins left?” Karus asked, looking over at Kol’Cara.

  “If there were,” Kol’Cara said, “I think they would have finished him. The fight here seemed to the last.”

  “There are none left alive,” Ugin said. “I dispatched the last goblin with my bare hands, choking the life out of him. Their womenfolk and children fled into the deep. You need not fear them, as they are not aggressive.”

  Kol’Cara regarded the Vass for a long moment.

  “Make a litter,” Kol’Cara said to Havren’Fen. “When they are done, we will need to move him back down the hill.”

  “My sword,” Ugin said. “I would not leave it. The weapon has been in my family for generations.”

  “I will bring it,” Havren’Fen said, “and make sure it travels with us.”

  “I also have a pack,” Ugin said. “We left our packs at the base of the south side of the hill. Mine is brown leather. There is a small clay jar with a potion that will kill the pain. I would ask you bring the pack too.”

  “Demanding, aren’t you?” Kol’Cara asked.

  “I am only asking for some relief from the pain,” Ugin said. “Surely you would not begrudge me that?”

  Havren’Fen looked to Kol’Cara, who, after a long moment, gave a reluctant nod of assent.

  “Thank you, elf,” Ugin said, “for your generosity.”

  Karus thought Ugin’s tone lacked sincerity. There was clearly no love lost between Vass and elvenkind.

  “Ugin,” Kol’Cara said, turning back to the Vass. The elf’s lips twitched with sudden amusement. “How do you feel about dragons?”

  The Vass eyed Kol’Cara in question. “Dragons?”

  “Surely you saw us arrive?” Kol’Cara said.

  “I awoke to find this one standing over me.” Ugin nodded toward Tal’Thor. Then his eyes narrowed. “You have dragons?”

  “Oh yes,” Kol’Cara said, “and they are not part of the bargain you struck with us.”

  Chapter Six

  Karus sat down on a small tree that had fallen down some years before. Tall grass had grown up all around the trunk and it made for a natural seat. It felt good to sit down and take a load off.

  Amarra was over by Kordem, digging through her pack, likely for food, for they had not stopped for lunch, nor brought food up the hill with them. Karus did not feel like eating. He wasn’t hungry. He was tired, bone weary. The only problem was that he knew when they returned to Carthum there would be no rest, just lots more to do, for an enemy army was marching against them.

  It had taken over an hour for the elves to fashion a litter and move Ugin down the hill. Because of the serious nature of his injuries, the going had been a slow, careful process. They had just now reached the dragons and set the Vass down, a few yards away from where Karus had sat.

  Both suns had moved across the sky. With their movement, the heat of the day had increased. It was more than warm, and Karus, from his exertions, was perspiring heavily. He untied the straps on his helmet and removed the heavy thing, setting it down next to him. Karus ran a hand through his sweaty and matted hair and then cracked his stiff neck.

  He turned his gaze to watch as Si’Cara checked over Ugin’s bandages, making certain none had come loose on the journey down the hill. With an inscrutable expression, Tal’Thor stood by and watched, as did two of the Anagradoom who had helped take turns with the litter.

  During the trek down the hill, Ugin had repeatedly slipped in and out of consciousness. Now, however, he was fully awake. His eyes were on Cyln’Phax, the nearest of the two dragons. Karus wondered what was going through the Vass’s mind.

  Cyln’Phax was simply staring back at Ugin, studying him. She’d said nothing since they’d arrived, which had surprised Karus. He’d expected some type of protest or caustic comment. Instead, neither dragon had uttered a word. Karus got the impression both were concerned, perhaps even worried, by the presence of a Vass. Karus knew the elves were troubled too.

  Compared to the Horde and their immediate threat, the Vass seemed like a secondary concern. Still, Karus was too weary to worry much about it. He would cross that bridge when he came to it.

  He supposed he was worn down from all that had happened since they had set out from Carthum. Even now, Karus was having trouble wrapping his mind around it. He was more than ready to return to his legion, craved it even. He wanted some semblance of order in his life, and the legion represented a return to that. At least it always had. Stranded and cast adrift on this strange world, Karus wondered if normalcy would ever return.

  “In his weakened and injured state, he will still need to be watched, both night and day.”

  Karus nearly jumped out of his skin and turned.

  “You need to stop doing that,” Karus said, looking to his right at Kol’Cara. “You scared me half to death.”

  “Perhaps I should have made more noise as I came up.” Kol’Cara looked amused. “I had forgotten you are only human and not accustomed to such things.”

  “Uh huh,” Karus said. “And you’re a terrible liar. You intentionally snuck up on me.”

  “If I had, I would never admit it. Besides, a deaf elf would have heard me approach.” Kol’Cara chuckled. “You need to be more situationally aware. It might just save your life one day.”

  “Right,” Karus said, “I’ll try to keep that in mind.”

  Kol’Cara took a seat next to Karus, his gaze shifting to Ugin. The elf let out a barely perceptible sigh, as if he too were relieved to be finally sitting. They sat in silence for a time before Kol’Cara broke it. “We found and retrieved his pack, along with those of the other two Vass.”

  “Find anything interesting?” Karus asked, recalling the orc pack he’d studied in the enemy’s camp. There had not really been anything surprising, only what one would expect to find in a soldier’s pack.

  “There was nothing in it to warrant concern,” Kol’Cara said. “We will bring his pack with us and leave the others behind.”

  “The painkilling potion was there?” Karus asked.

  “Yes.” Kol’Cara held up a small clay jar he’d been holding and shook it slightly. The jar was so small it fit in his palm. The elf regarded the jar for several heartbeats. “If that is what this truly is. With the Vass, there is no trusting what they say. They are known to speak honestly but twist the truth to their own advantage, what we might consider bordering on a lie or outright deception. I am told they have a twisted sense of honor. You must measure every word.” The elf glanced down at the clay jar. “So, I am hoping this is for dulling the pain.”

  “What else could it be?” Karus asked.

  “Poison, perhaps,” Kol’Cara said, studying the small jar. “Honestly, I really don’t know. Whatever it is, he wants it and that concerns me.”

  “Have you looked inside?” Karus asked. “Poured some of the contents out? Given it a smell, maybe?”

  “No,” Kol’Cara said, looking suddenly horrified. “Whatever is in here, I might spoil it, waste it, or worse, if it’s poison, become contaminated with it. I am unwilling to take that risk, for some poisons can kill from smell alone.”

  “Does it really matter?” Karus asked, feeling impatient to be off and on their way to Carthum. “He says it’s for killing the pain. Perhaps it is; maybe it’s not. I imagine, with the severity of his wounds, he’s been suffering terribly.”

  “I suppose you are correct,” Kol’Cara said.
“It does not really matter. Still, I find I worry. Perhaps I am just overly concerned because we are dealing with a Vass.”

  They fell silent for several moments as he considered the elf’s words. Karus’s thoughts drifted back to the ruins on the hill. Three Vass had killed at least thirty to forty goblins and there was no telling how many they’d killed inside the den itself. That alone gave him pause, for he knew three humans would be hard-pressed to do as well.

  “His people are really that big of a threat to us?” Karus looked over at Kol’Cara.

  “We can only hope they are few in number.”

  “And if they’re not?” Karus asked.

  Kol’Cara did not reply, which was an answer in and of itself. Karus decided to change the subject.

  “You were not born of this world,” Karus said, “were you?”

  “How can you tell?” Kol’Cara said with genuine interest.

  “You knew what bugs were,” Karus said.

  “I could have just traveled to Solestra,” Kol’Cara said.

  “I doubt that,” Karus said. “Elves seem to like their forests too much, kind of like a grumpy neighbor who is completely happy on his own property. Trespass and he will come after you. Leave him alone and he’s no bother at all. Besides, your people are long-lived and came to this world from another. I’d bet you were not born on this world.”

  Kol’Cara laughed. “It seems you are getting to know my people well.”

  “I figured,” Karus said, “there was a good chance you came here like us.”

  “Like you?” Kol’Cara shook his head. “My people came through the World Gate. Yours came another way, through an ancient portal that should not have been opened.”

  Karus thought on that. He did not really understand the difference between a portal and a World Gate.

  “I was born on Longtow,” Kol’Cara said. “It is a world that has since fallen to the Horde. My people came here when it became clear resistance to the enemy was a hopeless endeavor. The Horde eventually followed.”

  “What was it like?” Karus asked.

  “Longtow?” Kol’Cara asked. “Or the uprooting of my people?”

  “Longtow,” Karus said. He imagined such a move of an entire people would have been a painful experience, and decided it was best not to probe too far.

  “A world very different than this one, actually,” Kol’Cara said, getting a faraway look in his eyes. “Longtow has vast and seemingly endless oceans. There are no large land masses, like here on Tannis, just many … many islands. Truth be told, it was a wondrous and beautiful place to spend time as a youth … exploring the marvels it had to share, sailing the waves. I miss that time.” Kol’Cara fell silent for several heartbeats. “That was long before the Horde arrived.”

  “I never much liked the sea,” Karus admitted. “I spent a summer serving with the navy. That well cured me of a fondness for ships and the water.”

  Kol’Cara shot him a slight understanding smile.

  Thoughts of what Kol’Cara had lost stirred unhappy feelings of his own. Rome and all she offered, his extended family, retired life in Sicily … it was all lost to him.

  His gaze slipped back to Amarra. She was chatting with Kordem while munching on a hunk of bread. He had lost, he reflected, but … he’d also gained much. It was something to be grateful for. That was for certain.

  “Are there elves on Solestra?” Karus asked.

  Kol’Cara gave a nod. “There are even elves sailing the Barrier Ocean, living much as we once did. Leaving Longtow saw a rift emerge amongst us. My people, once unified, fractured and split upon coming to this world.”

  Kol’Cara fell silent for a few heartbeats.

  “Longtow was one of the reasons I chose the path I now walk,” Kol’Cara said. “We as a people elected to flee instead of fighting for what we had. Upon reflection … I think we gave up too much, were too willing to leave, when we might have stayed. We surrendered who we were. The price for a temporary refuge was just too high.”

  Karus looked over at the elf, who met his eyes with steel.

  “I swore,” Kol’Cara said, his voice trembling with emotion, “I’d not run again. When the opportunity came, I took it, and so too did the rest of the Anagradoom. There are some elves who, just like you and your people, would stand against the dark tide sweeping across this world. That is why we are here. That is why we turned our backs upon our people. That is why we gave up everything we cared about. As I am sure you know, there are some things worth fighting for.”

  Karus decided it was time they got something out in the open between them. Kol’Cara needed to understand Karus’s priorities, so that later there would be no confusion.

  “The High Father gave me a mandate to find a way off this world,” Karus said. “He promised an empire without end. I intend to find a new home for my people and rebuild, to begin that empire. You must understand, we’re not standing and fighting for this world.”

  “I know.” Kol’Cara sounded regretful. “This world is lost. The peoples that reside on this planet wasted their opportunity, squandered what time they had. No … we do not fight for this world either. It is the next one I am fighting for. Karus, I will stand with you, so that those who settle there, those I love … can finally have a permanent home, like your empire … one without end. A home without fear of the Horde. That is the path I have chosen … the one we will walk together.”

  As he stared into the elf’s gaze, Karus found the bone-tired weariness had gone. He gave a nod. “You made the right choice, for some things are definitely worth fighting and dying for.”

  “I know.” Kol’Cara’s gaze shifted to his sister. In the elf’s eyes, Karus saw a deep love and fondness. He turned back to Karus. “I am pleased we understand one another.”

  They fell silent once again. Si’Cara had finished her examination and handed the Vass a waterskin, from which Ugin drank deeply. Some excess water ran out of the corners of his mouth, wetting the orange and black patterned fur. As he considered the Vass, Karus placed his palm upon the bark of the fallen tree and felt its rough surface. Ugin was an unknown quantity, and a dangerous one at that.

  “Do you think he will survive his injuries?” Karus asked.

  “Truthfully, I don’t know much about the Vass,” Kol’Cara said. “What I do know has been passed down from others. I have only ever encountered their kind once before and that was simply in passing. We exchanged only pleasantries and went our separate ways without violence. The elders know them better and I learned from them what I know of Ugin’s people. I understand the Vass are reputed to be a hardy race. Where there is a will to get something done, it is said, they usually find a way.”

  Si’Cara retrieved her waterskin and straightened before turning away. She made her way over to them, leaving Tal’Thor and the other two elves to watch over the Vass.

  “We’re almost ready to load him onto one of the dragons,” she said. “Is that the potion he wanted?”

  Kol’Cara nodded, but he did not hand it over.

  “You’re unhappy about this arrangement, brother,” Si’Cara said, “aren’t you?”

  “You know I am,” Kol’Cara said. “We’re taking a potential enemy back with us and will ultimately release him to his own devices. Even if this is the High Father’s will, I do not see the logic or the reason.”

  Karus saw where Kol’Cara was going. A cold feeling stole over him. “When he leaves, he can take back information on our strength.”

  “That is how I see it,” Kol’Cara said.

  “I am not so sure, brother,” Si’Cara said. “There is a purpose here. We do not know the intent, but it is there nonetheless.”

  “Well, there’s no helping it now,” Karus said. “We’re committed and we’ve given our word. We don’t have to like it, but the High Father brought us here to save him. Give him the pain potion and let’s be on our way.”

  Expectantly, Si’Cara held out her hand, palm up, to her brother. Kol’Cara hesit
ated a heartbeat, then passed the small jar over. Without another word, Si’Cara returned to Ugin, unstopped the jar, and handed it over to the Vass.

  Ugin took it and gulped the contents down greedily, almost as if he were afraid she’d stop him. He closed his eyes and, with an audible sigh, dropped the jar into the grass. A moment later, he went completely limp, seeming to go to sleep. Then his body began to shimmer with a dull blue glow. Si’Cara took a stumbling step backwards, as did Tal’Thor and the two Anagradoom.

  The glow lasted no more than a heartbeat. It left Karus wondering if he’d imagined it. But for the elves’ reaction, he’d have thought so. Something magical had just occurred. He was sure of it. Magic, Karus had learned, could be frightfully dangerous.

  To his side, Kol’Cara stiffened and then slowly stood.

  “What is it?” Karus asked and looked over. “What just happened?”

  “That was no pain potion,” Kol’Cara said, very quietly. “I fear Ugin had something infinitely more valuable in his possession, something so rare I find it difficult to believe such things from the Age of Miracles still exist.”

  “What did he have?” Karus asked.

  “A healing potion,” Kol’Cara said, his gaze fixed upon the Vass. “The art of making them has long been lost to the mists of time.”

  “A healing potion,” Karus said. “Like how Amarra healed Tal’Thor?”

  “That was a god’s direct power,” Kol’Cara said, his gaze still fixed upon the Vass. “Amarra was a conduit for the energy that provided the healing.” Kol’Cara gestured toward Ugin. “This was something altogether different and, if I understand correctly, inherently dangerous.”

  “I don’t understand,” Karus said. “Dangerous? How?”

  Kol’Cara shook himself slightly and turned to Karus.

  “He should sleep for more than a day,” Kol’Cara said. “He will heal as good as new within the week. I had thought we might get away with simply watching him while he convalesces, as his injured leg would have kept him immobile. Now, he will have to be watched closely … very closely. He cannot be let out of sight or allowed to wander.”