Rojuun

by John H. Carroll

  ***

  The horses were content when the group returned to the building where the cousins had left them. “We can all ride I think.” Tathan began saddling his. “Do either of you have any supplies you need to bring?”

  “No, just my sword.” Sir Danth jerked a thumb at the hilt over his shoulder.

  Vevin shook his head. “Nope! Not until I get treasure.”

  “All right then, we can redistribute the supplies evenly between the four horses.” Tathan placed the halter over his horse’s head.

  The others went to take care of their mounts.

  It was noon when they rode out of the ancient city. The day was warm, but did not yet contain the heat of summer. The sounds of hooves echoed from the walls until they reached the softer road.

  Sir Danth was an experienced rider. “Apparently riding a horse is something a person doesn’t forget in a millennium and six hundred years. It probably helps that I no longer have buttocks to become sore.”

  They laughed.

  The road to the north led them into the trees again. Occasionally it neared the edge of the cliff where they would look down at the lush forests below. The scenery was stunning with mountains in the background framing the view. When they looked back to the south, the companions could see the ruined city at the edge of the cliff.

  Sir Danth told them that it had been a beautiful sight when the city was in its prime. He pointed out features that would have existed then. Minarets and towers had fallen in the centuries since, he explained. After a while, the path along the cliff face trended toward the west, hiding the ruins from their sight.

  Liselle glanced down at the ring Sir Danth had allowed her to keep. It glistened in the light of day. “Sir Danth . . .”

  “Yes, Milady?”

  “Tathan and Vevin think this ring is magical. Is that true?” They were riding two by two with Liselle and Sir Danth in the back. Thankfully, Sir Danth had put his helmet back on.

  “Ahh yes, Milady. It is magical and quite powerful, a gift from a woman I was betrothed to. She bequeathed it to me shortly before she disappeared.”

  “Disappeared . . . You mean with all the others?”

  “Yes, during the third year of The Great Disappearing. I had agreed to stand watch over the doors of the vault. She gave me the ring to help me in my duties. Two days later, she disappeared.” His head hung in sorrow.

  “I’m so sorry to hear that, Sir Danth.”

  “Thank you for your kindness, Milady.” He lifted his head. “I must admit that I haven’t a clue what it does.”

  “You don’t?”

  “I’m afraid not. My Lady never told me, only that it would help me when I most needed it.”

  “Is there any sort of key word to activate it?” Tathan asked over his shoulder.

  “No. She told me it would work when I needed it, and that there were no gestures or words required. Truth is, I was never in danger the entire time I guarded the vault, so it wasn’t necessary.” He shrugged.

  Liselle looked down at the ring again.

  His gaze followed. “It fits you, Milady. I believe it is right that you should wear it.”

  “You said the armor keeps you alive, do you need any sort of sustenance, food or otherwise?” Tathan asked.

  “No. I am attached to my armor and the magic it uses is recharged by everything it touches; air, stone, grass, water . . . anything.” The held up a gauntlet and turned it each way. “It is a brilliant piece of work.”

  “Can anything harm it?” Liselle asked. “I noticed there isn’t a scratch on it, even from the wall you were banging your head against.”

  “It can be damaged by magic, either directly or through a weapon of some sort. It would be difficult however. Plus, I’m likely to kill anyone who tried to damage me.” His voice held amusement.

  Liselle giggled. “Well, I suppose there is that. I’m curious as to why your armor is black though. Aren’t knights supposed to wear shiny, silver armor?”

  “No. That’s a terrible idea. Shiny armor would be a distraction, methinks. A knight needs dark, intimidating armor, preferably black or red. Intimidate, then kill!” Sir Danth thrust his fist in the air.

  “That is definitely intimidating, Sir Knight.” Liselle gulped and hunched her shoulders. “Surely you don’t . . . like killing?”

  “Of course I do.” Surprise echoed from his helmet. “One doesn’t become a sword wielding, killing machine and then avoid killing people. That would just be silly!”

  The blood drained from Liselle’s face. “Oh.”

  Sir Danth studied Liselle for a moment. “Here now, Milady. I did not realize how truly gentle you were. Do not fear for those who die. One lifetime is not the end of existence.” He banged his chest with a gauntlet. “These are just bodies. Expendable bodies . . .” Sir Danth looked down at his chest-plate. “Well . . . this is armor, but you get the point!”

  “I know that we continue to exist even after our bodies die, but . . .” she trailed off.

  “Yes, exactly!” Sir Danth nodded. “We are immortal souls. We have bodies for a while, do noble or ignoble things, love and kill each other, and then we get on with existence. After death, we go to the heavens, or to a new life, or to another existence elsewhere in the universe.”

  “Well . . . still . . . to kill things . . . is considered bad . . .” She had a hard time wrapping her mind around Sir Danth’s beliefs.

  “There are many who feel so, Milady. However, I assure you that life is purely a game spiritual beings play. Death is an aspect of a temporary life.”

  Liselle turned away. A flower alongside the road reached a leaf out to her as though to offer comfort. She wiggled her fingers in greeting.

  “I fear that I have upset you terribly, Milady and that makes me sad.”

  “I don’t know, Sir Danth. Give me time to think about your words.” Liselle rode on in disturbed thought.

  Sir Danth raised a gauntlet as though to make another attempt at convincing her, but thought better of it.

  “What about you Vevin?” Tathan asked a few moments later. “I know you aren’t human. Will you tell us what race you are?”

  Vevin looked at him with concern and then looked at the other two to see if they felt the same way. “You don’t think I’m human?”

  Tathan stared at him. “You are definitely not human, Vevin.”

  The creature thought about it for a moment and then asked, “Why do you think I’m not human, exactly?”

  Tathan raised an eyebrow. “Really?” He counted off the points on his fingers. “One, you have liquid-silver eyes that glow in the dark. Two, you have purple hair and your skin is tinted purple. Three, you have very sharp teeth. Four, you can see through rock, in the dark, and across vast expanses.” He used his thumb for the last point. “Five, you leap distances that aren’t humanly possible.” Tathan looked at the creature intently. “You are most definitely not human, Vevin.”

  The creature looked at Liselle and Sir Danth, who nodded in agreement. Then he looked back at Tathan. “Oh . . . I tried to look human.”

  Tathan raised the other eyebrow. “Tried? . . . What exactly are you, Vevin.”

  Vevin panicked. “Oh no! I can’t tell you that! You might not like me!” He shook his head side to side.

  “It’s all right, Vevin. We already like you,” said Liselle.

  “Nope. Uh, uh.” He shook his head in refusal. “I’m not gonna tell you. I like you and I promise never to eat you, all right? I promise!”

  “Uhh . . .” was all Tathan could come up with.

  Liselle’s lips quirked in amusement. “We accept your promise, Vevin. Will you tell us what you are now?”

  “Nope. But I promise not to eat you.” Vevin smiled hopefully. The sharp teeth didn’t make his audience any more comfortable.

  “Do you like killing too, Vevin?” Liselle asked quietly.

>   “Oh no! I don’t like killing at all. Killing is bad unless you need to eat, but only to eat. You should never kill if you don’t have to eat!”

  “Oh. All right, Vevin. As long as you promise not to kill or eat us.” Liselle gave him a hesitant smile.

  “Oh yes! I promise.” He nodded vigorously.

  Tathan looked ready to argue, but relented at Liselle’s determined expression.

  The party traveled on for the rest of the day and engaged in small talk. At night, they stopped in a clearing near the cliff to eat and rest. For the next four days, they rode peacefully deeper into the forest. Most of the conversation was light. Tathan told a few general stories of his past, Liselle talked of growing up in her valley, and Sir Danth told of his knight training and details of the city in which he lived. Vevin remained mostly quiet, but was always helpful and eager to please.