Seed of Scorn

by Aaron-Michael Hall

  M’eloahnte

  When she heard the screeches in the distance, Thalassa struggled to push up from the bench. Jahno was quick to her side, offering his support. She leaned, positioning a hand in the small of her back.

  “They’re approaching,” she said.

  “Are—are you certain that this is the best course? I mean, can’t Arinak and Baldon remain here with us? By your mother’s estimation, it’ll be less than one full moon. I’m fearful of your plan.”

  “The Protectors can’t remain in Nazil. Their place is in Afferea with the Guardians. This, too, is our place for now. Our child must be born beyond the falls in Afferea. You’ve known this from the beginning, Jahno. Why now do you turn against that which was agreed?”

  “I’m worried, Thalassa, for you and our child. Taking to the skies in your condition is dangerous. The time of birthing isn’t definite, and it’s possible that you could go into labor as we make our way. If such a thing were so, you both could be taken from me. I can’t risk such a loss.”

  “The Guardians wouldn’t have it so. Their protection covers us as we travel with their children, my family,” she said, stroking his cheek. “Our children must be birthed among them. All of them. It can be no other way. Don’t you understand?”

  “I understand that it’s important to you, Thalassa, but I’m afraid for you and our child.”

  “Allay your fears, and have faith in the gods of these lands,” she said as Xandi’s screech caused her to turn. She smiled, witnessing the graceful descent of the majestic beast. “Come, Jahno.”

  “What about my duties here? The Zaxson needs the both of us,” he protested.

  “Beilzen will work in your stead, and Nzuri will continue with the scrolls. I haven’t been training the new sentries since learning about my pregnancy. Everything has been arranged.”

  “Thalassa, [17]pahn’taal m’eloahnte,” Arinak said, dismounting Xandi and embracing her.

  Jahno bowed to Arinak and Baldon respectively. Each time the Protectors visited the citadel, he couldn’t help but stare.

  The Protectors had pierced flesh adorned with heavy chains. None of the seven had hair upon their head nor hair of any kind. Only a small forehead crest with raised markings was prominent above their hooded brows. Jahno nodded again, looking into Arinak’s eyes. Those eyes also entranced him, with triangular irises and a purple hue, identical to the three large eyes of the beasts they commanded.

  “[18]Ein k’aun zan’ner?” Baldon’s voice brought Jahno back to the moment.

  “Baldon asks if it’s time,” she translated, turning her attention back to Baldon. “Jahno [19]zo’ton ganalo sorhnye r’aymed ain’shinc r’rabeda,” she said, reminding them of his poor grasp of the Mehlonii language.

  “We’re prepared to leave,” she said, pointing to the small chest. “What we need is just there.”

  Jahno swallowed hard, gazing up at the Protectors. He could hear the exchange between Thalassa and Arinak, yet couldn’t discern the words. He’d grown used to their presence, but this visit was different. They hadn’t come for their scheduled visit or on urgent business. They’d come at his wife’s behest.

  [20] “Meh’tol, pahn’taal m’eloahnte. R’aymed Guardians K’naan,” Arinak said, lifting his daughter up in his arms.

  “We’re leaving, husband. Join with Baldon and keep a tight hold. It’s been some time since you rode on the back of a Desu Beast.”

  “What about you, Thalassa?”

  “My daughter rides with me!” Arinak snapped, hoisting his leg over Xandi’s back. He cradled Thalassa securely, gripping Xandi’s raised crest.

  “I’m all right. My father will take care of me,” she said as Xandi began restlessly pawing the ground.

  [21]“K’aun Ein’ Zan’ner,” Arinak said. “Baatheer Xandi Baatheer!” he continued, commanding the beast to take flight.

  Before Jahno could respond, Xandi charged toward the edge of the citadel’s wall. He tried to protest, but her wings extended, causing him to dive for the ground. When he rolled on his back, Xandi had taken to the skies, banking toward the Animus Wood. His mouth went slack, watching the huge creature speed away with his pregnant wife.

  Baldon’s thunderous laughter further soured his mood.

  “You anger Arinak, husband of Thalassa,” Baldon said, still laughing.

  “Anger?”

  “Thalassa is his daughter. You cause her belly to swell and keep them parted from each other.”

  “Pardon?” Jahno asked, finally understanding some of the acrimony between them.

  Baldon laughed again, securing the small chest in his bag. “Come, husband of Thalassa, before Arinak returns to the mountains instead of the wood.”

  New Beginnings

  “It was a pleasure to witness your ceremony. I’ve known Sahma for many years, and she’s a wonderful young woman.”

  “Thank you, Zaxson,” Ahvixx said. “I feel the same. Sahma has enhanced my life, and I wish to provide her with all the happiness that she deserves. We appreciate the use of your family home. The distractions here in the citadel are greater than the last time I visited. My communing and clarity come more easily in the solitude that you’ve graciously provided.”

  “It was my pleasure. Olam spoke to me about you at great length. I’m just sorry I didn’t have the opportunity to get to know you better during your previous visits. Your abilities amaze even your mentor.”

  “I’m honored, and hope that I can be of help to you. There’s much to decipher, and I need to meditate on the latest images imparted to me. When Olam arrives, he’ll assist me to decipher those images and their possible implications. The High Priest has also shown me better meditative techniques.”

  “Nzuri has many talents, and of them, his service to the Seven is most prominent. However, you’ll find Kuhani extremely beneficial. He was the head priest in Bandari and trained the others. He speaks little, but his erudition and perspicacity is profound. He should be arriving from Spero soon with one of our guards.”

  “Is he Nazilian or human?”

  Pentanimir smiled, pouring some honeyed tea. He thought about Kuhani then, and the unique individual that he truly was. Knowing what he now knew about the lands’ inhabitants, did such a query even matter?

  “Kuhani is neither and both, I’d say,” he said, awaiting the bemused look that would surely follow such a statement.

  “In Bandari, Kuhani was called the warrior priest. He’s from the desert isle of K’ohshul, and is a Drah’kuu. Many believe that K’ohshul is an illusion or myth, but Kuhani and even my First Chosen, hail from the isle. I’ve learned that there’re numerous K’ohshulians residing in Faélondul.”

  “I’ve known about K’ohshul for some time, and have had the honor of meeting several who’d lived there,” Ahvixx said. “I’ve even seen the levitating knolls near the Xatari Mountains.”

  “You’ve been there, Ahvixx?”

  “Not as yet, but I’ve seen them in numerous visions. There are other like lands encompassing Faélondul, with inhabitants as exceptional as the K’ohshulians. Unlike the skeptical, I’ve seen these lands and experienced the uniqueness of their inhabitants.”

  “Other lands?” Pentanimir said, considering the possibilities. “What others?”

  “The seen and the unseen, Zaxson. Vision is beyond sight, but they are there if you move beyond your perceptions. Just as K’ohshul is there. By day, it’s shielded by the sun, appearing as waves and sky. By night, the stars conceal the lights dotting their landscape. These natural safeguards have shielded it from the eyes and reach of Nazil. However, it didn’t shield Nazil from the reach of the K’ohshulians.

  “There’ll be much to learn about such a mystical place in times to come. Turmoil will erupt in Faélondul, Zaxson, and K’ohshul is where our aid shall come.”

  Pentanimir’s expression changed from awe, to concern, and then finally bemusement. He regarded Ahvixx, his eyes squinting. What did this intriguing man know that others di
d not?

  Ahvixx’s smile faded, morphing into placidity. He sucked in a sharp breath, stiffening in his seat.

  Pentanimir gasped, witnessing Ahvixx’s eyes shift from pale blue to lavender, and then to completely black. Before Pentanimir could utter a sound, Ahvixx’s head turned, though the rest of his body appeared frozen in place. He stared toward and through the Zaxson, unblinking.

  “Allay your fears, son of Manifir,” Ahvixx began in a voice not his own. “The Protectors will be at your side as we are yet with you. Ahvixx, son of Haden, will be your guide, and lead where you must follow. Ayrmeis will need him if he chooses to accept his task.

  “Remake that which is broken. Mah’saahc will have no victories in Faélondul when the pure of heart stand united against the blood of Oisin.”

  “Guardians?” Pentanimir gasped, staring into the blank visage of their host.

  “We are with you. Remember our words.”

  “Your words? What must I know?” he asked, scrambling for a blank vellum.

  “Find what has been taken. To recover what has been lost. In a land that time’s forsaken. Or the victories for naught. For the man who soweth no seed. In a field that cannot take hold. The fruitless branch adorneth. What the leader shall behold,” the melodious voices spoke as Pentanimir frantically scribbled each word.

  “The fruitless branch? What does that mean?” He wrote feverishly, not ceasing until Ahvixx inhaled a deep breath.

  “Ahvixx?”

  He regarded the Zaxson curiously, reaching for his cup. “Yes, is there something wrong?”

  “You don’t know? You didn’t hear it?”

  “What have I missed?”

  Pentanimir squinted again, nodding. “The Guardians.”

  “Yes. The Guardians protect K’ohshul. There’s a symbiosis between the Drah’kuus and the Affereans. Little is known about the other like lands, but Shy—”

  Pentanimir upraised a hand.

  “You don’t know, do you? When they speak through you, you’re truly unaware.”

  “They’ve spoken to you?” Ahvixx asked. “The Guardians?”

  “Yes, through you. I wrote most of what you said, but I wasn’t aware in the beginning.” He slid the parchment across the table. “Do these words hold any meaning for you?”

  Ahvixx perused the parchment, moving his lips with every syllable. When he’d finished, he read it again. “I don’t understand. What’s been lost?”

  “I don’t know,” Pentanimir said.

  “This is what I said? This—this riddle.”

  “It’s what the Guardians communicated through you. Before this, you mentioned Mah’saahc and the blood of Oisin. I was told that you’d lead where I must follow.”

  “I’ll lead?”

  “Yes. Ahvixx, think. You said that Ayrmeis will need your assistance for a task, and we must mend something broken. You don’t remember any of this?”

  Ahvixx shook his head, ruminating on those words.

  “It’s there; I’m sure of it. I just can’t bring it forth. I see only fragments of thought or memory of which I cannot recall. I’ll need to meditate and pray for clarity.” Ahvixx said, standing from the table. “May I take this?”

  “Take whatever you need. Please make haste and return to us soon.”

  Ahvixx bowed, collecting his belongings, and slinging his satchel over his shoulder.

  “It can’t be rushed, Zaxson, but I’ll do everything within my power to find the answers.” He turned and then paused. “I beg, when Drah’kuu Kuhani arrives, send word to me. I’ll need his assistance to decipher the meaning behind the riddle.”

  “Ahvixx?” Sahma called out as he closed the rear door to their home.

  Sahma smoothed his tousled hair, as Odahg nudged at his leg.

  “You’ve been pulling at your hair again,” she said, removing his satchel and taking his hand. “What has your mind?”

  He halted, turning her around to face him. “There’s much that I need to do. The Guardians spoke to the Zaxson through me. I must meditate to better understand the meaning behind their words.”

  “I’ve never seen you so troubled, Ahvixx. What did they say?”

  “I’m not completely certain. They spoke of coming trials, my importance here, and…and me providing aid to Ayrmeis.”

  “What? Ayrmeis? What do you mean?”

  “I don’t understand it, not yet. I need to meditate and clear my mind. Once I’ve cleansed and prayed, I must commune in solitude.

  “I didn’t know that the Guardians would call upon me. I’m their conduit, but that’s different than what might soon come. I fear that I’m not worthy or prepared for something of this magnitude.”

  “No, Ahvixx. If the Guardians have called upon you, they’ll prepare you for what lies ahead. Go now and cleanse, and I’ll bring your tapers and tea. Evening meal can wait, this is of greater importance.”

  Ahvixx stripped away his clothes, hurrying down the corridor. By the time he’d reached his prayer room, he was completely bare. He dipped his hands in the basin, offering a prayer. As he dried his hands, Sahma appeared in the entryway, handing him seven tapers and a large mug of tea. After offering his thanks, Ahvixx began preparing his chamber.

  Removing the spent tapers, he replaced them with the new ones. As he recited a prayer, he lit each of the six tapers with the flame from the seventh. After nestling the seventh in the center, he lowered to his knees.

  “Blessed Seven, fill my heart with your love and my mind with your knowledge and wisdom. Provide me with understanding and clarity. Tell me your will and guide me along your path. I’m your vessel to impart with that you so choose. Bless me with understanding so that I might serve you with all of my being.”

  He rose, respectfully placing the tip of his middle finger on his forehead. Then, taking the seventh candle, he ignited the incense. Ahvixx lifted the smoking thurible from its stand, walking the length of the room, chanting his cleansing prayer. Once seven circles were complete, he placed the thurible on an acacia altar, taking a seat on the cushion in the center of the room.

  Ahvixx crossed his long legs, resting one foot on each thigh. Breathing steadily and deeply, he turned the clepsydra at his side. Within moments, the water began to drip rhythmically into the chamber below. He used that cadence to focus not only his breathing, but also his mind.

  He positioned his elbows on his thighs, nestling both hands between them. His fingers pointed downward with the middle fingers and thumbs resting within the enclosed palms. After another deep inhalation, his breathing slowed, and his heart rate declined.

  He focused inward, using only his mind, limiting his bodily functions to facilitate the deep meditation. If anyone came upon him in this state, they’d believe him either lifeless or near expiry. The rise and fall of his chest could barely be seen by the naked eye, and came so infrequently, one would hardly notice.

  For several turns of the glass, he sat, unmoving.

  Flashes of indistinct images beset his mind. Each image was more disturbing than the last: an unrelenting barrage, inundating his subconscious whilst enervating his soul.

  Cold sweat poured over his face as his breathing became staggered.

  There was an interruption: an unfamiliar presence attempting to overwhelm not only his mind, but also his body. Ahvixx’s head spasmed, jerking as his eyes clenched tight. A pained groan escaped his lips, the besieging, malevolent visions, nearly causing him to topple.

  The Guardians’ words repeated louder in his mind, discordant tones, raising and lowering in pitch. Crying out in agony, Ahvixx grasped his temples, struggling to regain consciousness. Flashes of dizzying dots streamed in toward his closed eyes.

  He tensed and shuddered all at once, his mouth gaping in a pained, silent scream. Ahvixx defensively jerked his hands up, before being knocked from his cushion. An otherworldly energy surrounded him, syphoning the breath from his lungs.

  Clutching his chest, he attempted to rise, only to be forced back w
ith and encompassing energy. He careened against the stone wall, slumping to the floor from the debilitating impact.

  “Ahvixx!” He heard faintly as if someone was speaking through a distant tunnel.

  He tried to open his eyes or move, anything to be free of the malevolence pervading his mind. But he remained tethered to the floor, lifting a trembling hand forward before the blackness closed in from the corners of his eyes.

  CHAPTER sixteen

  Endeavors

  The door swung open as Kuhani approached the solar. He halted, taking measure of the man who was exiting. To his surprise, the Nazilian offered a low bow.

  “Afternoon, High Priest Kuhani,” he said, continuing on his way.

  Responding with a nod, Kuhani stepped through the doors, greeting the caretaker.

  “Welcome, Kuhani,” Hosdaq said, pouring him a drink. “I’m pleased that you could come on such short notice.”

  “Whenever you have need of me, Caretaker, I’ll be at your side.”

  “Hasn’t that always been the way of things, old friend?”

  “For the both of us. Our times in Hyorin are long past, but your honor has endured in spite of all you’ve experienced. You’ll always have my respect, son of Wesleyon, and my friendship.”

  [22]“Daihmud tak pahn’taal daihmud.”

  Kuhani placed his palm on Hosdaq’s chest. “Our hearts are aligned, warriors of a like mind. Blood of my blood.”

  “I was honored when first you shared the affirmation with me. It was a greater honor than when I earned the right to wield my Xtabyren.”

  “Integrity isn’t a symbol that can be earned, Hosdaq, you evince that integrity through your actions and words. This, you have always done.”

  Hosdaq paused, reflecting on his words. “I’ve never shared my knowledge of your origins or abilities with anyone, Kuhani. Not even my family was aware of the Jasiri or K’ohshul.”

  “It was prudent to keep such confidences in times past. Now, much has changed, and even the Zaxson has Symeon as his First.”

  “I’m certain that Symeon will be an asset to him, as much as you’ve been to me,” Hosdaq said. “Were you able to greet him when you visited?”