by T. D. Steitz
“Who are you sending?” Alistair asked.
“You will know her when you see her.”
Alistair felt encouraged. Maybe he wouldn't have to face this journey alone after all. Branches rustled behind him and Alistair spun around to face whoever was behind him.
Chapter Twenty-One
His Name is Ardent
The scene was bizarre. A large ring of unarmed soldiers stared at the empty air where an unbeatable army had just been destroyed. The stacked rubble of the Key Village sat beneath a cloudless sky. A lazy breeze spread sand across empty fields. The Shadow Lands' bloodthirsty hordes were gone.
Chief Hatha and the other Tusk Clan hunters who had opted out of the mad venture made their way carefully into the serene desert field.
Jacosa stood with her back to them. Her shoulders rose and fell with heaving breaths. Her auburn hair blew in gentle wisps in the whisper of the wind.
Chief Hatha stopped behind her. “How is this possible?”
Jacosa replied without turning. “It’s not, but he did it.” She started walking. Those that had stood with her returned to her side. Her steps were calculated and deliberate as she neared the Key Village. Sakina joined her and together they led a silent procession through the village outskirts, straight to its heart.
Jacosa and Sakina climbed a large pile of rubble in the village square. From there they could see into the village streets. As the rest of the company poured in, dozens of terrified, dirty faces peered from the shadows.
“You should speak to them,” Jacosa encouraged Sakina.
Sakina spoke gently to the frightened masses. “We are not here to hurt you. It’s alright.” Sakina’s voice, the voice of a leader, spread through the abandoned streets, and the people responded.
They cautiously left their hiding places and made their way to the square. Before long, it was full of people.
A shout split the pregnant silence as a skinny, old woman screeched with rage. “What have you done?! You’ve ruined us all! When will you learn?! You have insulted Calamity, and we will all pay! We are all dead because of you!”
A shudder spread through the crowd at the woman’s frightening words.
Caine went to remove the raving woman, but Sakina held up her hand. “Wait! It’s alright.” She spoke to the woman directly. “I understand your fears. We have certainly angered Calamity, and he will be back. But, the days of us living in fear are over. From this day forward, the Southern People are uniting against the darkness!”
“Who are you to make this decision?!” The old woman demanded.
Sakina took a deep breath and pulled her hair out of her scarred face. “I am Sakina, your Yetta.”
The air filled with excited whispers and questions.
“She’s alive!”
“Look at her face…”
“Sakina? Is it her?”
“Many of you don’t recognize me. Most of you have never met me. But I am Sakina.” Sakina’s voice was calm, and the air carried it to every ear. “My parents served you as your Yetta for many years, and as you know, they died in the Wyvern attack. We’ve all lost people. We all have scars. We have been forced into a fight we didn’t choose and are not ready for. We’re all afraid. I’m afraid. But we cannot give in! Calamity does not own this world. We must make him understand that we will not be slaves to the darkness and that even with our losses and despite our scars, we will stand together in the light!”
The citizens of the Key Village scattered through the streets. They tore down the statues and gathered the sacrifices offered to Calamity. They tore down the banners left by the Fallen. They gathered every bit of evidence that they had ever welcomed the darkness into their village and piled it in the square. When the mountain of Calamity’s influence was complete, they burned it. The flames grew hotter and consumed the dreadful pile, and a palpable sense of joy rose in the hearts of the people.
Jacosa and Sakina joined the celebration. They both knew that this was the beginning of a long and dangerous journey for the Southern people, but they had to continue.
Jacosa and Sakina sat in the remnants of their childhood home. Sakina had sent word to the other Southern Villages over the past week, and they were each sending representatives. Before the Southern people could rebuild and rejoin the world, they had to unite under Sakina’s leadership. Today she would announce their new alliance with the Forest Clan and their commitment to join the fight. Today would usher in a new era for the Southern Villages.
“How do you think they’ll take it?” Sakina asked.
“I’m not sure,” Jacosa admitted. “But you have to stand your ground. You’re making the right decision.”
“I know. Thanks.” Sakina stood and walked slowly around the room. “So much has changed since we were here last.”
Jacosa agreed. “It’s hard to believe.” She got up and hugged her dear friend before they stepped out into the bright morning sun.
Jacosa and Sakina entered the square as the Village leaders were arriving.
First, was Stellan, leader of the Rocky Plains Village, and his advisors.
Chief Hatha and Caine joined them.
Then, Jacosa and Sakina smiled at a familiar face as Gerou strode forward. He was one of several advisors to Bahari, leader of the Coastal Village. “Jacosa! Sakina!” He exclaimed warmly. They ran to embrace him. “I knew it. Didn’t I say that you two would lead us to brighter days?” They smiled.
“It’s good to see you, Gerou,” Jacosa said.
Amani joined the growing group of Southern leaders sitting amidst the rubble of the Key Village, waiting for Sakina to speak.
“I’ve grown up watching each of you lead your people well,” Sakina began. “Each of your strengths has strengthened your lands. I cannot guide the Southern Villages alone. We must come together as one people.”
The men and women in the circle nodded their agreement.
“Calamity is growing stronger every day,” Sakina continued. “The south is one of the few pieces of Terrene still free from him, but that will not be true for long. He won’t stop until our homes are Shadow Lands, and our people are slaves. But we have an opportunity.” Sakina gestured to Amani. “This is Amani. Wymond of the Forest Clan sent her to seek an alliance with the Southern Villages. Calamity has only recently turned his attention toward us, but the Forest Clan has been fighting him for years. They have been driven from their home, but they are still a strong people. If you, as representatives of the Southern Villages, do not want to unite with the Forest Clan, then this will be the end of it, but I implore you to see that we are past negotiation or escape. We need to act, and we cannot do it alone.”
The village leaders turned to their advisors and whispered urgently back and forth.
Finally, Bahari spoke. “We agree with you, Sakina. It is time to act, but we in the Coastal Village are only merchant fishermen. What do we have to offer against Calamity?”
“Bahari is right. The Southern Villages stand no chance against Calamity, with or without the Forest Clan,” Stellan added. “Yet, remarkable tales have reached my ears of an entire army of Fallen soldiers; obliterated. Flocks of Wyverns, even black storms, wiped from the skies.” Stellan turned to Sakina. “Is there truth in these tales? Do we stand a chance after all?”
Everyone leaned in close.
“The stories you’ve heard are true,” Sakina said. “I don’t fully understand what happened myself. All I know is that there is a power out there. He has spoken to Jacosa many times; even when she was a little girl.”
Stellan was disappointed with the answer. “Are we to go to war based on the stories of a child?”
“It’s not only that.” Sakina explained, “although if it was, it would be enough for me. He is the one who destroyed Calamity's forces. We tried and failed, but when we followed him, they were decimated.”
Stellan was still unconvinced. “This makes no sense,” he said. “If he is as mighty as you say, why would he bother with one little g
irl?”
“Because that's who he is,” Jacosa said with a conviction that drew all eyes to her. “He is strong and powerful. He is loving, gentle, and kind. He is maddeningly complex and shockingly simple. But above all, he is real. I’ve seen him. I… I know him. As the free people of Terrene, we must trust him. He’s the only hope we have.”
“It’s true.” It was Caine who spoke this time. “I too have heard this voice and seen its power. I understand your hesitation. But, after what happened here, there can be no doubt; he is with us. We must be with him.”
The gathered leaders fell into deep thought. Gerou spoke next. “It seems that our decision is clear,” he said. “We align with the Forest Clan, and we find out what we can about this power.”
The leaders nodded.
“I may be able to help with that,” Amani said. “In the Forest Clan, there is a legend. Most think of it as a bedtime story for children. The story goes that before anything, there was a spirit of light. The spirit created all of Terrene and dwelled amongst the people as a great man. The people called this man Ardent. Everything was good for a time, until another spirit, the spirit of darkness that called himself Calamity came to Terrene. The legend says that Calamity tricked the people of Terrene into choosing the darkness over the light and banishing Ardent. But, before he left, Ardent made a promise; that he would return and free Terrene once more.”
Jacosa’s mind flashed back to what the voice had said to her in her dream. “There was a time when all was as I created it to be. It was not until my people chose Calamity, that fear ruled…” It all made sense. The voice belonged to the legend. His name was Ardent.
“It’s probably nothing,” Amani admitted. “It’s just an old story.”
“No. It’s him,” Jacosa insisted. “It has to be. It all fits. How do I find out more?”
“I’m not sure,” Amani replied. “There are people in the Forest Clan that know much more about the legend than I do. I would start there.”
Sakina interjected. “Jacosa, I’ll need someone to return to the Forest Clan with Amani as a representative for the Southern people. It should be you. You can go to them on my behalf to solidify our new alliance, while the rest of us stay here and rebuild. Maybe you can find out more about this legend while you’re there.”
Jacosa eagerly agreed.
“You said that the Forest Clan had been driven from their homes,” Bahari said. “We should send food and supplies with Jacosa. We can provide for them, and they can provide military strength for us.”
“Any help you can provide the Forest Clan would be gratefully accepted,” Amani said with a smile.
“It is settled then,” Sakina declared. “Chief Hatha, Bahari, and Stellan send word to your people to send whatever provisions they can manage. Jacosa and Amani will deliver them to the Forest Clan, and I will oversee the Key Village restoration.”
Everyone agreed and went about their duties with the buzz of changing times in the air.
Throughout the following weeks, supply caravans arrived at the Key Village. The Southern Villages had sent food, wool, medicine, clothing, and much more to aid their new allies.
Jacosa eagerly awaited the coming journey and the answers she hoped it would bring. Her thirst to discover more about Ardent grew daily. However, when the time came to leave, it was very hard to say goodbye.
“We’ll see each other soon, right?” Sakina asked.
“Yes, of course,” Jacosa replied.
“Be careful.”
The two life-long friends held each other in a lingering embrace.
Finally, Jacosa pulled away. She led Sitara to the head of the awaiting caravan, looked back at her friend once more, and took the first steps of a long journey.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Matana
Alistair stumbled back and hit the ground as a huge, black bear lunged from the bushes. The bear was on him before he had time to react. The tendons in his neck bulged and his lungs failed as the bear pressed Alistair into the dirt with a massive paw. A thunderous roar exploded from behind its powerful jaws and saliva splattered Alistair’s face. His ears rang, and his heart pounded in his head as he groped blindly for his staff.
The bear reared up on its hind legs. Its eyes were blood-red, piercing, and full of rage. The bear roared again, and the bellow echoed through the trees. It raised its powerful paws above its head, ready to bring them crashing down on Alistair.
Alistair’s fingers found his staff and he lifted it to the bear’s chest. His eyes burst with light and a white blast from his staff sent the great bear flying. Alistair staggered to his feet.
The bear flailed on the ground, whimpering.
Alistair felt a moment of pity for the bear as he watched it thrash in the dirt, clawing helplessly at its chest. But the moment passed when it stopped and rose again to its feet.
Alistair scrambled up a rough hillside, sending rocks and debris down the slope behind him. He could hear the bear following him. He glanced over his shoulder but couldn’t see it. He kept going; climbing over boulders as he neared a small peak. Alistair pulled himself onto a ledge and saw a narrow trail leading around the rock face. He hugged the cliff and inched his way carefully along the thin path. He reached the rock’s edge and peered around. A chorus of shrieks pierced the air. He had wandered into a Wyvern nest.
Alistair ducked back behind the boulder, but it was too late. The Wyverns had seen him. They took to the sky. Alistair tried to run, but he couldn’t get across the narrow ledge in time. Alistair shouted over the whirlwind of beating wings and snarls. “Ardent, I need you now!” His eyes cracked and Ardent’s light erupted from the fissures. Alistair swung his staff, sending two Wyverns careening to the ground. The challenge enraged the Wyverns and they swooped around him. Alistair ducked as a barbed tail swung at his head and ripped away a chunk of rock behind him. He shot jets of fire blindly into the fray. There were so many of them. Alistair raised his staff in the air and created a forcefield of white light around himself. The stone behind him sizzled and crumbled as the Wyverns spewed their venom. The Wyvern’s poison splattered against the forcefield until it was covered entirely. Alistair couldn’t see. He gasped when a drip of poison hit his shoulder. It was getting through. The shield wouldn’t hold any longer.
Alistair stood alone and exposed on the precarious, rocky ledge, surrounded by Wyverns. The only sound was the terrible beating of their wings until a deafening roar shattered the air. Alistair turned and saw the bear on the stony ridge above him.
She stood tall and threatening.
The Wyverns fell silent.
The moment froze as Alistair looked into the bear’s eyes.
She looked away from the Wyverns and met his gaze. Her eyes were bright blue and clear. She set her jaw and stared down the Wyverns. She tore forward with a staggering bellow. Muscles rippled beneath her thick, black coat as she ran and leaped off the edge.
The Wyverns scattered as the powerful bear flew towards them.
She snatched the biggest Wyvern in her powerful grasp, and they fell, clawing, and thrashing, to the forest floor. They hit the ground with a great thud, and then, only silence.
Alistair was stunned. The bear’s attack had scattered the Wyverns, but they would return. The Forest Clan had taught him that Wyverns were clumsier and easier to fight once they were drawn into the trees. He had to get back down to the forest’s cover. He carefully made his way back across the narrow ledge and hurried down the hillside. He reached the forest floor and saw the bear and the Wyvern she’d brought down through the trees. Their fall created a natural spotlight through the dying canopy that illuminated their bodies. Alistair approached cautiously and heard a weak whimper. The bear was alive.
Alistair knelt beside her, and her eyes flashed open. Alistair flinched, but she didn’t have the strength to move. He held out a shaky hand and touched her head.
She closed her eyes.
Alistair ran his fingers through her fur, and she
let out a shallow breath. Her body was twisted and broken. Blood seeped out of huge wounds and soaked the ground. It was heartbreaking. Alistair didn’t know what to do, so he spoke to her. “Thank you,” he whispered. “You saved my life. I’m so sorry this happened to you. I wish I could take the pain away.”
The bear responded to his voice and struggled to move so she could see him better.
“No, no, don’t move,” Alistair urged. “Shhhh. Just relax. It’s okay.”
The bear dropped her head back on the ground.
Alistair hated watching her suffer, but he stayed so she wouldn’t suffer alone. “It’s alright,” he told her. “Don’t be afraid.”
Alistair felt Ardent’s presence filling him. He felt power surge down his arm and into his hand. His hand rested on the bear’s head, and he felt the energy flow into her. Her wounds pulled themselves together and mended. Her bones cracked as they repaired themselves, and her body straightened again.
She struggled to her feet and Alistair backed away as she lumbered towards him. She stopped a few feet away and stared at him.
Alistair noticed a large patch of white fur on her chest that hadn’t been there before. It was where he’d hit her with Ardent’s fire. Alistair considered her face and knew; she was not going to hurt him. He stretched out his hand, and she stepped into it. He scratched her head and her ears laid back. “You’re different now, aren’t you?” Alistair asked. “I understand. His fire does that.” Alistair smiled. She was a bear. She couldn't experience a healing of the heart and soul like he could. Still, the difference he saw in her reminded him of his redemption. Alistair gave her one last scratch behind the ears. “I have to go. Take care of yourself.” Alistair walked away.
The bear followed him.
“No. No, you can’t come with me,” Alistair chided. He walked away again, and the bear followed him again. He stopped. “You don’t seem to be getting this…”
