The Questing Game

by James Galloway

  "I will, believe me," she agreed. He felt her slowly, gingerly slide off of him, then sit down demurely on her legs in the middle of the dark, cluttered alley, putting a hand to her ribs with the other on the ground to hold her up. Tarrin got up and moved some distance away, getting ready to change back.

  Not yet, the voice of the Goddess touched him.

  He looked up into the sky curiously. "Goddess?" he asked in the manner of the Cat.

  Yes, it's me, she answered winsomely. Tarrin, my sweet kitten, you have done so well. I am so proud of you I could cry. You have made me very happy.

  He felt a bit foolish, lowering his head. "I'm just doing what you told me to do, Goddess," he said meekly. "I don't need frilly thanks."

  Yes, you do, she replied. You are entitled to a little basking, my kitten. Despite everything, you have triumphed, and that is something that you will always have. But as you've already realized, we have simply won one game to begin another. And that's why I need to talk to you.

  Tarrin looked to Sarraya, who was looking on soberly. The pain was evident on her face, but she said nothing, just watching him. She knew he was speaking to the Goddess, she could understand him perfectly when he spoke in the manner of the cat.

  Because you have won, I am now allowed to give you information that I wouldn't have been able to give you, she began. It isn't much, but it will help you greatly in many ways. The first bit of this information concerns the others. Tarrin, my kitten, you cannot rejoin them.

  "Why not?" he asked immediately, standing up and looking to the sky.

  Because if you do, it will kill them, she replied gently. What you carry has caused you to become the most sought after being on the world. By tomorrow, everyone in Dala Yar Arak is going to know that you have the book. That puts anyone with you in terrible danger. The others are on Renoit's ship, and intend to sail away with him. If you are there, Renoit's ship will be attacked, and all of you will perish. They know of your alliance with him. The Arakites, the Zakkites, Wikuni, every interest with a ship in the water will come after you. If you attempt to leave by sea, you will perish, no matter what ship you are on. Don't ask me why, I'm not going to tell you. Just trust me on this. In fact, if you wish to save the others, you must give yourself away. You must do this, my kitten. You must let them know where you are, and allow them to chase you. Only then will they abandon their interest in your friends and come after you. It will be dangerous, but I already know how you feel about keeping the others out of danger. Because of that, you must be in an area where you have the advantage. You must stay on land. Only then will you have the ability to outrun them. My kitten, no horse can match you in running a great distance, and once you are far enough away, you can change back to your cat form and simply go west.

  Tarrin bowed his head. It made sense. His presence would certainly pose a serious threat to anyone around him. And on the water, on the sea, there was nowhere to hide, he was at the mercy of the ship on which he rode and the winds that made it move. On the land, where he could run, he had the advantage. A horse could sprint faster than him, but he could hold a pace long after any horse that tried to match him literally ran itself to death. On the land, he could go in any direction, and he could outrun his pursuers. And when he changed into cat form, there would be no others to be exposed. There would only be him. It made sense, but it hurt him. To be separated from the others, to be separated from Allia, it would be terrible. He'd feel lost without his sister at his side, giving him her love and her support, gently guiding him with her quiet wisdom. He had already had Keritanima taken from him, and now he was going to lose Allia as well. But if the Goddess said that was the way things had to be, then that was the way things had to be. It was just that simple. He didn't have to like it, he just had to do it.

  "I understand," he said quietly.

  I knew you would, and I know how it pains you. But don't worry. You'll see them again. I promise you that.

  "What else do I need to know?"

  Only this. You must return to the Tower, in Suld. The Book of Ages will be useless to you unless you return it to Suld. The location of the Firestaff is not within its pages, my kitten, but a means to find that information does exist within it. That is why you must return to the Tower. That is the only place where you can find out what you need to know.

  That made his fur stand up. The Tower. He hoped he'd never see that place again. It was full of bad memories, and he didn't trust anyone there. And there was still a ki'zadun spy in the Tower, someone that would make going back there a very dangerous proposition. But again, he had no choice. He would have to go back, no matter how much he hated it.

  Sitting down, lowering his head, he reflected on that news a bit, then realized what it meant. He would have to travel thousands of leagues, either on foot or overland. The Goddess told him not to get on a boat, and he would not get on a boat, unless it was a ferry crossing a river. He would have to cross the arid steppes of Arak, the dusty plains of Saranam, even the Desert of Swirling Sands. He would have to climb the Sandshield Mountains and cross the West. Suld was on the coast, about as far from Dala Yar Arak as it could get. It was a journey of mind-shuddering proportions for one to undertake on land. About as dangerous as a journey could get. If he made it out of Arak and Saranam alive, he'd have to cross the most inhospitable ground in the entire world, the Desert of Swirling Sands. Full of Selani, who would see him as an enemy, and the exotic, deadly beasts which called the desert home.

  It would be extremely dangerous. But facing extreme danger seemed to be what he was meant to do.

  "I will do as you command, Goddess," he said dutifully.

  I think I'd like it better if you did as I asked, my kitten, she replied sharply. You know that I care for you. I would feel much better if you would admit that you obey me because you wish to, not because you have to. I know your heart, my kitten.

  He lowered his head. That was exactly why he obeyed. He loved her, she was his Goddess, and he would do anything she asked. Because he loved her.

  "I love you, Goddess," he said simply, sincerely, straight from his heart.

  He felt that same glory through the link to her, the sensation that her own power flared to life in some strange way.

  Tarrin, if anything, what you have just given to me is better than any act of faith or deed of bravery, she said with strange power. You are my champion, Tarrin Kael, and you have done my will better than I could have ever hoped. I am proud of you. We all are.

  "Goddess...Mother, what I did today. Was it possible?"

  Your Druidic magic? My dear kitten, it is not only possible, it is what you were meant to be from the beginning. You are the Mi'Shara. In time, you will understand its true meaning.

  "It means I could be a priest too, right?"

  You already are, she said winsomely. As you realized before, my children are my priests. They tend my flock, which happens to be the very priests among them, and they do my will. I just don't grant them my power like other gods grant to their priests. You summed it up nicely, kitten. You already have my power. I just give it to you in a different way.

  "I figured as much."

  You are much wiser than you give yourself credit for, my kitten. When you want to be. Now call me that again.

  "What?"

  Mother.

  Tarrin would have smiled sheepishly. "You're just like Triana, Mother. All bluster and pretend. You make a big deal out of establishing your dominance, then you tell me to forget all that and treat you like my own mother."

  If I were mortal, she and I would be very close friends, the Goddess laughed. Now go, my champion. Your time is running out. You must be off, to lead your pursuers away and keep the others safe. They need you right now.

  "Can I say goodbye?" he asked quietly.

  Just be brief, she said. They are very close to you. You will only have a moment, and when you finish, you must run.

  "Alright. Mother--"

  I know, Tarrin. I will always be here to
watch over you. You will never be alone so long as your love for me remains strong. I must go now. Be careful, and know that my light shines upon you. You are my champion, and that makes me the luckiest god in the world. A girl can't go wrong when you fight for her honor.

  Make me proud, my dear kitten. Make me proud.

  And then the sense of her was gone, making him feel strangely empty inside. As if she had taken a little part of him with her when she left.

  "I will, Mother," he said in a quiet voice, staring at the ground, a voice full of determination. "I'll make you proud of me."

  With scarcely a thought, Tarrin shapeshifted into his humanoid form, and his paw went immediately to his amulet. "Allia," he called calmly, quietly. "Allia, respond, and speak as I do," he said in Sha'Kar.

  "Tarrin!" came the instant response. "It's about time! I was about to break your mother over my knee and come after you!"

  "I wouldn't be surprised," he said calmly. "Now listen carefully. I only have a moment, and I'm risking alot to do this. I have the book."

  "I knew that was you!" she said with a laugh. "The entire Weave lit up and began to move. We knew it was you! But why didn't you respond to me before? I called to you!"

  Tarrin considered that, and realized that the Ward had been too effective. It blocked out all magic, even Allia's attempts to contact him. "I didn't hear it, sister, things have been nuts. But I can't talk about this. Sister, I can't rejoin you right now."

  "What? Tarrin--"

  "I said listen!" Tarrin barked, cutting her off. "They can find the book with magic, and that means that every two-copper mage and apprentice with any ability is going to know exactly where to find me. I'm not going to expose you to that, sister! Anyone with me will be in too much danger, and to be honest, the others will only slow me down! I'm going to lead them all off, inland, and I want you to get that fat circus master and his troupe on that ship any way you can and make them cast off immediately! I don't care what they have to leave behind! Just get them on that ship and get out of Arak!"

  There was a short pause. "It will be as you ask, my brother," she replied.

  "Good. Now listen. I have to take the book back to Suld. The Goddess told me to do it. So I want you to go to Suld and wait for me. Don't try to contact me, sister. I'm going to have to spend a great deal of time in cat form, and I can't hear you when you try. Let me contact you. Just get to Suld, sister, go back to the Tower. I'll be there as soon as I can manage."

  "Tarrin, please, reconsider. You will be alone--"

  "Allia!" he snapped. "Give me more credit than that! On the open plains, they'll never catch me! I was trained by the best, sister. Just trust me."

  "I have dishonored you, my brother," she said in chagrin.

  "Save the sucking up til when we're together again," he told her shortly. "Just get out of Dala Yar Arak, and don't worry about me. Remember, go back to Suld. Back to the Tower. I'll be there as soon as I can."

  "We will do as you ask. Did Sarraya find you?"

  "She did. She'll be travelling with me. Now I have to go, sister. I'm out of time, and they'll be coming after me any second now. I'll contact you as soon as I think it's safe, my sister. Until then, my love goes with you."

  "May the sands part for you, and the Holy Mother show you the way," she said in a ritual farewell among the Selani. "I love you, my brother."

  "Be safe," he said fiercely. "Be there for me, Allia."

  And he broke the connection.

  He wasted no time. He instantly shifted into cat form, then rushed over and lowered so Sarraya could mount him. When she was secure, he stood up. "Let's go, Sarraya. Are you ready?"

  "Not really, but I don't have much choice," she grunted. "What was all that about? I only heard half of it."

  "We'll talk about it later, when I'm not running," he told her. "Hang on back there."

  Tarrin turned and dashed down the alley, towards the street with all its pedestrians. He knew where he had to go, and what he had to do. The Goddess had showed him the way.

  It would be a long, torturous, treacherous journey. He would have to travel months, many months, to get to Suld, and it seemed like a phantom to him, a misty thing with no substance that was beyond his comprehension. But it was there, and it was where he had to go. And he'd have to lead every mage and Questor in Dala Yar Arak with him, draw them off, lead them away from his sister and the others. It would be dangerous, but he much preferred only him being in danger rather than everyone he cared about being in danger. He would accept that burden, he would protect the others. He had vowed not to lose another friend, and he would not.

  It was a long road ahead, full of great danger, and probably many surprises. It was the long, uncertain path that the Goddess had told him about so long ago, the path with the uncertain conclusion. But it was the only path he could take. He owed it to his friends, his sister, he owed it to the Goddess. She had been there for him whenever he needed her, and he would not abandon her now. He would never abandon her.

  He had won the Questing Game. Now came the Race. A race for survival, where he lured everyone who wanted the book away from his precious friends, his beloved sister, a race whose only conclusion would be measured in who lived to reach the goal. It did not frighten him. He was still too shocked over everything that had happened to be afraid. It was simply another task, another chore, another thing to do. It was another game, a game he was duty bound to play, to play out to its end.

  It was his duty. Duty was honor, and the price of that honor was blood.

  Honor and Blood.

  Scrambling towards the northwest under the feet of the unsuspecting people around him, he fled towards the open grasslands of the Empire of Arak, and he knew he'd be leading about half the Arakite army and most of its mages. Not to mention the ki'zadun, the Zakkites, the Stygians, and whoever else wanted the Book of Ages. The people around him had no idea who he was, how important the cargo he carried was, what it meant to the world. What it meant to them. If they did, they may have very well turned on those who intended to chase him, prevent them from following, give him the time to escape. But they were blissfully unaware of the stupendous importance of that day, a day that, to them, had been filled with mysterious explosions and strange lights in the sky.

  They were better off not knowing.

  With a determination borne of emotionless exhaustion, borne of the tremendous weight that was now placed directly upon him, Tarrin fled for the open grasslands. He fled for freedom, he fled to protect the others. He fled because it was what he had to do, knowing full well what would be coming up behind him. Once he was out of the city, he would change form and lead them, draw them, lure them out, let them get on their horses and chase him, where he would run them into the ground.

  He felt the weight of the responsibility upon him, not only to his friends, but to his Goddess and to Janette. He could not let them down. Not after he had come so far. He would prevail, he would triumph, because he absolutely refused to allow himself to be beaten. It was a weight that was more noticable now, but had always been upon him, and it was a weight he accepted with eloquence and simple pragmatism.

  Better him that someone else. At least he trusted himself to do what was right.

  And it was his duty.

  Duty was honor. And the price of that honor was blood. Blood he had freely given for his duty, for his honor, blood he would shed in the future if the need arose for it.

  Honor and Blood.

  Epilogue

  Shiika was very, very annoyed.

  It was an absolute mess. Her minions roamed around the grounds like ants, confused and flustered. Her soldiers rushed around Dala Yar Arak madly, unsure of what to do, uncertain of who was in command.

  That damned Were-cat!

  It was all his fault! When he killed her Emperor, he had hamstrung her very nicely. They would not obey the Empress. They would only obey the Emperor. Now she had quite a dilemma on her hands, because of him. Without the Emperor, there was no
Empire. There would be another Emperor, but it would take a while for one to establish himself and be accepted by the rest of the Empire, and during that entire time Shiika and what was left of her brood would be out of the Palace. Not to mention the fact that there would be chaos in the streets of Dala Yar Arak, chaos in the Empire, until an Emperor arose and order was restored. It had happened before, many times before during the two thousand years she had come to dominate Yar Arak, but at her age, having to live out of the Palace again was an inconvenience she didn't care to suffer.

  It was insufferable!

  And the damage he had done! It was ridiculous! Hundreds of soldiers, guards, and servants killed! Huge craters in her city! And the Arena was destroyed! It was infuriating! It took her people thirty years to build that stadium, and he destroyed it in seconds! Thousands killed--not that it mattered much to her--and huge holes cut into her beautiful city!

  And the Palace! That, that, that Were-cat! Whatever he had done to make magic not work on the Palace grounds was permanent! The Weave, the matrix of magical energy that existed on this world, had been pulled away from the Palace, and without that mystical link, no magic would work anywhere on the Palace grounds. The entire area was now magic-dead. This in itself wouldn't be much of a problem for most people, but Shiika hid her Demonic nature behind magical shapeshifting, and it would no longer function! She could no longer hide herself in her own home!

  Insufferable!

  She crossed her arms, her wings shivering as she looked down from a balcony, out onto the manicured lawns and beautiful gardens. It was ridiculous, how much damage he did in only a few short days! Even a Demon would be impressed at the havoc the Were-cat had wrought in her city in such a short time. She would have appreciated it, if it hadn't been her city.

  Shiika wasn't the usual Demon. Unlike her ilk, she did not revel in chaos and destruction. She was certainly no sweet maiden, and her grasp on morality was not profound. Her only interest was her comfort. Not her power, not her influence, but her comfort. Taking the Empire had been nothing more than a means to secure her own luxury. After all, there were no beings on this world more pampered than the Emperor and Empress of Yar Arak.