When they finally left the tent together, Dracon was euphoric, with a smile that wouldn’t go away. Venalina was at his side, and where he went, she was inches behind, always touching him in some way. It made him walk taller, he felt he could take on anything, or anyone, with her at his side. She too smiled with a satisfaction and utter contentment. Thikuf was the first to join them in the morning at the fire. He knew right away they were different, it would be obvious to anyone with eyes. “Good morning, my lord.” He greeted then nodded to Venalina, “My lady.”
“Thikuf,” Venalina and Dracon said at the same time making Venalina giggle like a child. It made Thikuf smile and raise his eyebrows as he looked at Dracon, curiously.
“Uh,” Thikuf began, but could not find the right words for what he was thinking, instead, he chose to say nothing and eat. Slowly, the others woke and began to prepare for the day, Venalina was all smiles. It made everyone curious. Dracon sat eating while Venalina stood behind him with her hands on his shoulders, constantly touching or rubbing him. Dracon paid no attention like it was normal. Everyone was curious, but no one wanted to say anything. Satana was on watch and returned to eat, accompanied by Velen.
“Eat,” Dracon said to them all, “We have quite a night ahead of us.”
“We don’t know what lies ahead of us, but when we get there…” Venalina said to them.
“Venalina and I will handle these Priests of O’on.” Dracon finished, everyone looked around at each other.
“That was odd, glad you’re both of the same thought.” Satana offered with a smile.
“What?” Dracon asked looking up at her, he stood and threw what was left of his plate into the fire. Venalina handed him a flask of water from behind, he took it as though he grabbed it himself and drank. Venalina hugged him hard from behind, laying her head against his back and smiled, feeling him breathe.
“Finishing each other’s sentences now? Odd, but ok,” Satana said not knowing what else to say, then turned to the rest of the men, “Let’s get moving. Eat if you haven’t eaten, if you have, then let’s break this place down.”
Thikuf followed Satana off, as she started to pack her horse and break down her tent, “I dare say, you noticed the difference in your lord and the Kina?”
“Her name is Venalina, Thikuf.” Satana said as she packed up, “Yes, I see it. I’m not worried, Thikuf, Lord Dracon knows what he is doing, and he has my trust. Try not to let your past prejudice affect your current relationships.” She finished, looking him in his eyes. He nodded, “I see them as two people, who finally stopped fighting what they both knew to be true, and are at peace with it.”
When they were ready to go, Venalina and Dracon shared a horse. “We were never here, my love.” Dracon whispered, turning his horse around and starting up the hill, to the top of the ravine’s edge. Venalina whipped her arm in the air above her head in a circle, then forcefully pulled it down. A wind instantly kicked up, like a small hurricane, erasing any evidence they had ever set camp there. When the whirlwind stopped, no trace of them existed, not a footstep or even a broken branch. The men lingered behind watching in awe, then slowly followed Dracon, who now led the way. Thikuf made his way to the lead again, next to Dracon. Thikuf watched Dracon, who looked like he was in deep contemplation. Venalina watched Thikuf carefully, she could not keep anything less than a smile on her face, even though her eyes were suspicious of him. “I know where we are going now, Thikuf.” Dracon said without looking at him, “When we get there, you and the rest of the men will stay behind us.”
“My lord?” Thikuf said.
“I will not risk anymore of my people, not when Venalina and I can handle this alone.” Dracon finished.
“We don’t even know yet what to expect? My lord, you may be feeling the effects of-” Thikuf started.
“No, Thikuf, my eyes are open. Finally.” Dracon said and Venalina squeezed him from behind even more tightly. Thikuf slowed his horse, letting them go ahead of him. He feared them. What he knew of the Kina and what he saw of this mighty king from across the expanse, and the power the two would share, meant oblivion for any that stood against them. Despite his warnings, Dracon had tasted the fruit that was the Kina’s power. Satana stopped alongside Thikuf.
“What is it?” She asked, Thikuf continued watching Dracon and Venalina as they travelled on. He took a very long pause, then looked at Satana.
“They wish to face the Priests of O’on alone.” Thikuf said.
“Well, they may wish it, but it isn’t going to happen that way.” Satana chuckled.
The day seemed to take forever, as their travels took them through more inhospitable lands. The forest closed in around them, became darker, thicker, like a jungle. More than one soldier felt the eyes of some sort of predator stalking them, making them all on edge. Satana made her way to the front of the tightly formed column they had become. They could only travel in a straight line. She had to brush by everyone ahead of her to get to Thikuf, who was just behind Dracon. “Are we getting close?” Satana asked, as she brushed by, trying to get ahead of him. Branches and dangling vine’s hit her face and head as she tried to talk. More than once she had to spit, because a bug flew into her mouth or face.
“We are here,” Thikuf said looking around, he looked over his shoulder at the men behind him and said, “No unnecessary talking from here forward, pass that along.” He said in a hushed voice.
“My lord,” Satana said as she reached the hind quarter of Dracon’s horse, “The horses won’t be much good to us for too much further, I suggest our youthful soldiers, Simon and Danyll stay behind and tend to them while we move ahead on foot.” Venalina listened to Satana as she clung to Dracon’s back.
Dracon nodded without turning around to look at Satana, “Venalina, we need an open area for the horse’s.” Venalina looked around as Dracon stopped his horse. She slid off the back between Satana’s horse and her own, moving to the side of the path, they were making through the jungle. Venalina started talking to the jungle in a language that sounded like a snake’s hiss, Satana watched on, listening. It sounded evil to her, like she was cursing at the jungle in some strange snake language, even pointing at it, like she was cursing at a person. The jungle around the area she spoke to, recoiled away from her, creating a large open area, revealing many wild creatures that scurried away, having the protection of the jungle stripped from them. “That’s big enough.” Dracon said and dismounted. Satana looked at Dracon with a look of bewilderment. “What?” he asked.
“What?” Satana returned, right back at him, “That doesn’t faze you in the least? Where has that Venalina been.” She pointed at Venalina, who laughed.
“I’ve been hiding like a butterfly, Satana, and now I can spread my wings,” As she spoke she circled Dracon very closely, rubbing against him, “Don’t be afraid, sister, we are more powerful together than we were apart.” She walked to Satana who was still atop her horse, then put her hand on her leg and whispered, “We can talk later, and I will answer to you. Don’t lose your trust in me. I will always tell you the truth.” It made Satana feel better, and remember when Venalina saved her life.
Simon and Danyll were less than pleased to be stuck caring for horses, but seniority had its perks. The rest of the men gave them a quiet ribbing as they readied themselves, wiping down their blades, and removing their heavy armor. They moved through the jungle quickly and quietly, Thikuf and Dracon leading the way. They were all shoulder to shoulder keeping Venalina in the center of the group. They were stealthy, moving in a crouch, listening for any signs of a foe. Thikuf held the group up for moment and signaled night was coming. They all crouched lower, covering their heads, waiting for the crack of lightning. It came a good distance from them this time, which made them all breathe easier. It was several minutes before they could start to make each other out. Venalina and Dracon started to move before the group was ready. Dracon could see in the dark clear as he could in daylight. It made him chuckle as he and Venalina ma
de their way a few yards away from the others.
“What can’t we do?” Dracon whispered, turning to Venalina and slipping his arm around her waist, pulling her close to him.
“Live without one another,” Venalina whispered back and grabbed his face, kissing him.
Thikuf noticed they had moved away in the darkness before the rest of them could regain any sight, he called out, “Wait for us!” making Dracon chuckle. He and Venalina scoured the area, as they stood waiting for the others to get enough vision back to move on. Venalina pointed out a light ahead of them. Dracon smiled and nodded. The others started to move toward them in the darkness, having gained enough sight from the stars above to see Dracon and Venalina’s silhouette. “Satana,” Dracon whispered. She made her way to him quickly, he pointed out the light ahead, she nodded. They started using hand signals as the ten of the men split in two teams, one headed by Satana, who headed to the right, the other by Velen, who went left. Dracon, Thikuf and Venalina continued moving straight at the lights while the others began to flank it. The jungle opened on a large hole in the earth, some hundred yards across. They regrouped on its edge, looking down in to it where the light was emanating from. The hole was a bottomless pit. Down below them, was a bridge, sixty feet down that crossed the pit to a cave on the far side from them. Satana pointed to the left of their position, at some rudimentary steps and ladders that led down to the bridge across the pit. The far end of the bridge had torches lighting the area. They watched as two bald Priests of O’on came out of the cave, each taking a torch from its holder then walking across the bridge, lighting unlit torches on either side. Velen slapped Dracon’s shoulder, who looked back at Velen nodding. They looked exactly like the men with Terrax, in the cave where they met Venalina. She also recognized them and started to move to the edge of the pit, Dracon, knowing her mind, stopped her. Dracon looked at Satana then pointed across the top edge of the pit, to the left and to the right, then made a motion like he had a bow and was shooting it at the two priests. Satana shook her head ‘no’, and stretched her arms out wide, telling him it was too far. Dracon shrugged. Satana pointed at Velen, then at herself, and made one hand crawl like a spider in her other hand and then grab the air in front of her. Velen nodded excitedly, understanding her plan. Dracon looked at the two priests then smiled, also nodding. They both handed over their swords and took out daggers, then disappeared into the jungle along the cliff that circled the pit. After a few minutes, Dracon saw the bridge move slightly like it was swaying in the breeze, the priests also noticed the movement of the bridge. They began to cross the bridge looking over its edges, trying to see what was amiss. When they reached halfway across, Satana and Velen emerged from under the bridge, on the other side, where the priests had come from. Satana quickly went into the cave, then waved her arm for Velen to follow. The two priests made their way back across after a few minutes, having found nothing. As soon as they posted up on either side of the cave entrance, Velen and Satana moved on them, cutting their throats so fast, no sound could be heard. Satana spotted the group up on the cliffs edge and motioned them over, as she crouched, wiping the blood off her blade with a priest’s robe.
Dracon and the others made their way down the steps to the bridge and began to cross. They could see in to the cave as they walked across the expanse. Torches lit up the inside of the cave, coming their way. Dracon motioned to Satana and Velen, who quickly dragged the priests away from the cave opening and dropped them over the edge into the bottomless pit, then both hid, waiting the new arrivals. Dracon and the others were at the midway point of the bridge and had no place to hide, nor could they make it back in time. Venalina stepped passed Dracon, threw her hands in the air in front of her with her open palms, then crouched with her forearms blocking her face like she was hiding behind them, it made them all invisible. The priests who came through the cave entrance could not see them on the bridge, but did notice their missing brethren. Satana stepped out of hiding and let fly her dagger catching one priest in the neck, dropping him to a gurgling, bloody mess on the ground. Velen could not get himself in position quickly enough to do the same. The priest pulled a horn he had on a rope around his waist up to his face, about to blow it. The group on the bridge had not only disappeared to the priests, but to Velen and Satana as well. Venalina stood, suddenly visible, and crossing the bridge with deliberate steps, marching at the priest with her hand pointing at him like she was crushing him in her palm, all the while speaking a language no one but she could understand. The priest choked as he tried to put the horn to his lips. Venalina walked to the priest, cursing her words at him with a snarl on her face. The priest sunk to the ground the closer she got, and when she was upon him, she clenched her open hand closed into a fist and his head imploded like she had crushed it in her hand. She stood over him, snarling down at him, panting. She looked like she wanted to do more to him, the way she stared down at his body. Satana and Velen looked at each other, in shock and a little bit of horror. She was scary, the way she came out of nowhere, hissing like a snake in her evil tongue.
“Damn.” Velen said then looked at Venalina again. She straightened up tall and relaxed breathing normally again, “I should reconsider how I speak to her in the future.” He said to Satana as he joined her in front of the cave.
“Yes,” Satana said, “I think that would be wise.”
“Are you scared of her now?” Velen asked.
Satana chuckled, looking across the bridge at the others approaching, “A little bit.”
Dracon joined them at the cave opening, “Well done,” he said looking around the group, “Let’s see what we came here for. I want to be quiet. Satana, Thikuf, you’re with me. Velen, cover our exit. We may come back in a hurry, with company.” Velen nodded and ordered everyone to their positions just inside, and just outside, of the cave, “Lets post up two men on the other side of the bridge, in case any stragglers out there come home. Everybody stay out of sight.” Dracon led the way in the cave, the first fifty feet were dark and unlit, after that, the cave was lit with torches sporadically on either side. There was only one tunnel and it led down. They moved quietly, listening intently for any noise to alert them of anyone coming. Venalina had her hand on Dracon’s lower back and crouched just behind him, whispering, she made it so none of them could be heard. Satana and Thikuf both moved in tandem along opposite walls, looking around every gradual corner as much as they could. They came to an opening that led to another crater, only this one was filled with jungle flora and fauna. A complete underground eco-system. There was a whole city before them, and on a cliffside, opposite from where they were, was a gathering of what looked like thousands of creatures flying into a portal through the side of the giant cave to somewhere very far away. “That’s it, that’s how they traversed the expanse.” Dracon said, “They have a portal.”
“Where are they going now?” Satana asked not caring about being heard, “Is that Ganlin they’re sending those creatures to?” The panic was clear in her voice. Venalina reached over and grabbed Satana on either side of her head.
“Trust me.” She said then touched her forehead to Satana’s for a moment, then pushed away gasping, “No, not Ganlin.” Venalina whispered.
“Me next,” Thikuf said desperately, “Is it Qinkas?” his eyes were wide with panic. Venalina looked at him like she was about to say, ‘go to hell’, a Ffrei asking for her help. Dracon grabbed her hand and squeezed it.
“Go on,” Dracon urged her, “do it.” Venalina grabbed Thikuf and did as she had with Satana.
“No, your people are safe.” The disdain in her voice was not lost on anyone, Thikuf was embarrassed he had any part in making her feel that way about him, or his people.
“We need that portal, any thoughts?” Dracon asked.
“We don’t have a force big enough to take them in a fight, my lord.” Satana answered, “Stealth is all we can do. Maybe if I move to that position there and then-” Venalina stopped her from pointing, and walked be
tween her and Dracon. She put her hand on his cheek, turning his face from Satana to look at her.
“We can do this,” she whispered, “Send them back.” She nuzzled her face into his neck with a kiss. Dracon smirked, considering her words.
“You can’t be serious, my lord.” Satana said violently opposed to any such thing. Venalina continued at Dracon’s neck like they were alone. Satana’s face stared at them both incredulously, “My lord… Dracon!” Satana snatched his hand, getting his attention. He pushed Venalina back gently.
“Satana, go back and get Velen. Thikuf go with her.” He ordered.
“No!” Satana protested. Venalina pushed them both back into the cave they had come from with a magical flip of her wrist, then whipped her hands in front of it, quickly making a barrier, neither Satana or Thikuf could move through. Satana raged against it, trying to break her way through. Venalina came close to the barrier, making eye contact with Satana and said, “Trust me and watch.” Satana yelled at them as they walked hand in hand along the path to the cliff, where the portal was, along with thousands of demonic creatures, and the Priests of O’on. Thikuf ran back up the cave, quickly getting Velen and the others. They ran back down the tunnel to the barrier, where they all tried with everything they had to break through it.
Dracon and Venalina walked through the empty city to the path up the side of the crater to the cliff. It was very loud, screeching filled the air. As they crested the edge of the cliff, and looked on at the Priests of O’on, for a moment. The priests stood shoulder to shoulder, by the hundreds, summoning creatures, in waves above them, that immediately flew into the portal. In front of the priests, were what appeared to be warrior priests in armor, matching the robes of the priests behind them. Those warrior priests were fewer in number than the conjuring priests, only numbering in the tens. They looked in to the portal yelling commands at the creatures ahead of them, and the priests behind them. Dracon and Venalina could not see what it was they were attacking, but it was on fire and an orange light emanated from the other side of the portal. Venalina turned to Dracon and put her hand on his face, making him look at her, “My king, I know your power.”
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