by Karen Binnie
Chapter 30
Jez struggled to keep up with his brother, they were running through the forest of Kamerrean, he barely had time to notice the remarkable burgundy bark which changed shape as their shadows passed over. The forest was dense and he marvelled out how adept Al'ice was, avoiding the obstacles as they ran.
“Come we have a journey of discovery to make, let us get it over and done with” had been his first words as they had descended into Kamerrean.
Jez thought he was pretty agile himself and so far he was unscathed. Suddenly Al'ice was gone, where was he? Jez came to an abrupt stop, standing as time whirled round his body, his senses heightened he found his hearing had come alive, picking out the many sounds of the forest, his eyes moved in and out of focus as they adjusted to the surroundings, the slightest movement told him to look upwards, there was Al'ice high in the trees above, watching him.
“Hey what you doing up there?” he yelled.
Al'ice briefly broke his gaze and he thought he saw a flash of yellow in his eyes, it must have been the way the sun had hit his face.
“Your instincts are strong, come up I have something to show you.”
Jez looked at the trunk before him, he had climbed many trees as a young boy, there wasn't much else to do in his spare time on the farm, he grabbed for the first branch and climbed with relative ease.
Arriving next to his brother he asked, “What is it?”
“See that silvery line to the west, that is the Muneri River, it flows from the sacred golden river. See how it disappears over the side of the mountain, there is a large pool full of carlarni fish before the river jumps over onto the next ridge to continue its journey, we go to the pool.”
Al'ice jumped forward onto the next tree, then the next, leaping like a cat, Jez considered for a moment taking the same route but imagined what Al’ice’s laugh would be like if he fell. He gathered his bearings and climbed back down deciding the relative safety of the ground would serve him better, he ran off and hoped he had got the direction right.
Jez arrived at the edge of the plateau exhausted, only to find Al'ice already cooking fish, Al’ice had great stamina, Jez’s muscles already weary, he was ravenous. The sun hung high in the sky as he paused for breath, bent double resting his hands on his knees.
Looking down at the fire he asked, “does the sun ever set on Kamerrean? I thought we had been running all day.”
“No and yes, we have.”
Jez sat down beside the fire, “what kind of fish did you say that was?”
Three bug eyes stared out from the ugliest fish he had ever seen. Its scales were huge and looked hard like shell, it was about half a metre long with strange tentacles and tiny fins, the whole monstrosity a greenish grey as if it had been lying around dead for weeks.
“Trust me” replied Al'ice, “it does not look good I admit but the taste is phenomenal, here try some, you are weary.”
Al'ice passed Jez some of the cooked flesh, he pressed his lips to the meal, hesitating, he looked back at the bug eyed monster cooking on the fire, swallowing hard he closed his eyes and took a bite. The taste was fantastic, very meaty, it was the best fish he had ever eaten.
He looked across at Al'ice who did not eat, “not hungry?”
“Yes and no.”
“I'm worried about them too, what do you think this Ferimiah will do if Jol doesn't turn up?” he said stuffing Al’ice’s portion into his mouth.
“I cannot be sure, they have powerful magic, unlike ours it is evil, they nearly killed Eldeen once, when we first arrived on this land. Uncle was convinced it was they who sent the curse to our people.”
“Then why the hell did he make this deal! You should not have sent her, she could die.”
“Jez, do not make me feel worse than I already do, Jol is strong, she commands a great power within her, none like I have ever seen before, she will be fine.”
“Yeah! You just keep telling yourself that, so she has healing powers, will that be enough?” Al'ice sighed, he did not want to have this conversation with Jez but it needed to be said, “I have connected with Jol, her grandmother was one of our own, her grandfather an angel, believe me Jez, she commands a great power within. I do not believe her father is her true blood relative, Tadge commented on how even he was surprised at how he had managed to keep her hidden from his heavenly peers. It seems they know of all those born with human qualities, as aliens we cannot be detected, it appears only her looks are human.”
Jez was surprised, “does she know this?”
“I cannot tell her until I can be sure who her real father is or was, I must question Tadge on his return.”
“Will it change anything between you when you find out?” Jez asked hopefully.
Al'ice smiled, “I regret to inform you Jez, she will always belong to me, we are as one.”
Jez lay back on the rock and closed his eyes to the conversation, he had heard enough, Al'ice spoke the truth, didn't mean to say he had to like it. Feeling full he drifted off, the sounds of the forest seemed incredibly loud yet each sound uniquely individual, his ears pricked at the noise, his nostrils devouring the smell of the fish he had ate and the water slowly lapping at the land. He heard Al'ice picking at the fish, forcing himself to eat, he could smell the water, clear and refreshing it beckoned to him, he rose to his feet and took a dive into the pool, the waters cooling as he swam. Paddling strongly, he swam in circles mesmerised by the fish darting between his paws. It would have been so easy just to reach out and stab at one with his claws but there was no need for now his hunger had been satisfied. Stepping from the water he looked down at his feet, magnificent and powerful as he turned to look at his reflection in the water.
Jez woke with a start and removing his jacket, instinctively lifted his arms to inspect them, his skin had changed, underneath a large rosetted pattern could be seen as he checked his torso for the mark, they began to fade, blinking he looked at his arms again, the marks were gone.
Looking around he could not figure out where he was, the room unfamiliar, he lay in a bed, not alone for there were others in the room, all the beds had curtains for privacy, only his were open. At the other end of the room he could see the back of a rather large nurse struggling with a patient as if they were fitting, she punched a button on the wall, several others rushed through the door to help, he turned away from the sight and listened to the patients pitiful cries. Lost in the vision through the window of a grey brick wall, he felt trapped and alone, closing his eyes he clenched his fists in frustration and once more felt the grass beneath him.
Jez sat upright “What the hell was that?”
Al’ice had watched his actions carefully.
“It is what is known as the coming of age, only the flesh of the carlani can touch your inner beast and release it. You have described as you were sleeping the image of the black pantherus, this is true, you have become the beast of the warrior mark on your arm. Usually it happens the other way round, first the beast is released and then you receive the mark, but you are a unique case amongst our kind.”
“I can change into a black panther, you've got to be kidding?”
“Pantherus, not unlike the black panther you know of in your world, you will find this gift a great asset.”
“Okay! But what about the room and the grey wall?”
Al'ice thought for a while before replying.
“The carlani fish will only show you the truth, some of which may still lie in your future, I cannot explain how this is, I just know.”
“So did you eat enough fish, what did you see?” asked Jez.
“I relived a memory, chasing birds in Jol’s back garden, I recall that she did not like it when I brought her the gift of the kill.”
“Did you see anything else, the future?”
Al'ice frowned slightly, the image of what was to come, still etched on his mind.
“Nothing of consequence, do you remember ever having trouble with your eyes
ight?” he said quickly changing the subject.
“No, well not really, my mum told me once before she died that I was to look after my eyes, they were precious. Apparently, I was blind for the first two years of my life, doctors tested me but could not determine the cause, she said that on my second birthday I could suddenly see, it was a phenomenon.”
Jez and Al'ice had been talking for many hours during which another feast of carlani fish had been prepared. Jez was keen to experience his transformation once more, now that he understood its meaning, so much in life began to make sense, his incredible hearing and the hairs on the back of his neck, his warning signal. He had pressed Al'ice for more information about where their people had come from, keen to know more of his ancestry.
As the day passed Al’ice became more relaxed and confident that the time was right for Jez to know the truth.
“Our people are unique to this planet, although we appear human we are not, some have already left to live amongst the humans. Over one hundred years the powers will be weakened and lost forever, if we cannot save those who are left our descendants will become mortal, their powers diminished, thus relinquishing our species forever.”
“What do you mean, we are aliens?”
Jez recalled Eldeen’s words, he had an image from the alien film in his head, he hoped he wasn't going to turn into that!
“We come from a distant star that cannot be seen from here with the naked eye, our homeland is the true Kamerrean, a huge fireball threatened the destruction of our planet and our people, we could stay and face our fate or look for a way out and survival.”
“Is there a spaceship?” Jez asked warily.
“No my brother, not a space ship as you know it more like a large rock from the outside, the image of a meteor which transported us here. We travelled along ions in the sky, the aurorae light. On impact our ship broke apart, we were divided and many were lost in the great explosion. Eldeen believed that somehow our father managed to travel south along the aurora australis, it is unfortunate he did not realise this until after he touched your memories.”
“Do you remember it well?”
“I was only ten earth years at that time Jez, a very long time ago, all I know is we were to be the first of many to seek sanctuary on your planet. We carried a transportation device which once activated would create a portal between this land and ours, to allow the rest of our kind to travel here safely. Unfortunately the device was lost on impact, we searched for many years, Eldeen believed it had disintegrated upon impact. My memories are a little jaded, when our father was lost to me, I prefer not to think of it.”
“How old are you?”
“We have lived here for over seven hundred earth years, time moves slowly for us, if I were human I would be about twenty if my calculations are correct.”
“Jol and I have aged like humans, what does that mean for us?”
“Jol will age like me now she has matured and if my suspicions of her parentage are correct, but Jez I am not sure, others who have left us to live amongst the humans have borne children who age like humans, but then our father was one of the brotherhood, a leader with great powers. The leaders have bestowed on them a great responsibility which affords them greater powers than their brethren. Time can only tell.”
“The brotherhood, how many were there?”
“Eldeen was the last of the brotherhood, four souls chosen to lead our people to salvation.”
“Our father, he was Eldeen’s brother, were the others all related too?”
Al’ice smiled at this remark, Jez had misunderstood.
“The chosen ones are the brotherhood of the cascelet, they are not blood brothers.”
So Jez was not related to Jol in any real sense, this idea that had been holding him back no longer existed.
“Why did our father adopt you?” Jez asked.
“Ah! Jol, she does not like secrets therefore she cannot keep them, this is most strange” Al’ice shook his head as he tried to understand.
It was Jez’s turn to smile to himself, Al’ice had no idea about modern women and what makes them tick, truth be known, neither did he but at least he had a heads up.
Al’ice continued, “My real father was one of the brotherhood, my parents were both killed in a tragic accident and as a child of the brotherhood it made perfect sense for our father to adopt me.”
Look after your own, well that made sense, generations had been doing that for years.
“Tell me what good is it to me to be able to change into the panther, whatever it is?”
“The pantherus is your inner soul, when you die you will return to your true form, what you do with it when you live is up to you, it is your choice but know this, our kind do not use this power for evil, only protection.”
Jez was staring at the water, not just any stare or daydream, Al'ice knew the significance of the silent conversation. His blood boiled to the surface, for many years he had mastered the art of controlling his emotions until the day he met Jol. His angel had broken his resolve, though no matter how hard he tried, he could not speak with her mind. He was yet to become accustomed to these feelings of jealousy and fought hard to control them.
“Who are you talking with Jez?”
“I don't know what you mean?”
“It is alright, I understand, she does not want me to know, so it is alright for her to have secrets from me but I cannot keep secrets from her, does this seem fair to you?”
“I dunno, maybe she is more human than you think, how long have you known?”
“Long enough, what intimate secrets do you share, or am I to be kept in the dark?”
This could be his chance, his chance to get between them but Jez surprisingly did not feel comfortable with hurting his brother, he could tell him about the kiss but what was there to tell? As much as it pained him, Jol had already made her choice. Jez wanted her to feel that way about him but until now he had tried to resist, thinking they were related but he could not force her feelings. He looked at Al’ice’s pained expression, waiting for his answer, Jez was not a cruel person and no matter how much he wanted it to be true, he could not lie.
“We share images, and thoughts, we share dreams even but she has this uncanny knack of being able to shut me out when she wants to, if it helps they have stopped for the night in some sort of cave and she was scared by a spider, she was more concerned of how you were coping.”
Al'ice smiled before diving into the pool, Jez had surprised himself over what he said, perhaps his inner soul had changed him.
Jez spent many more hours running and climbing, testing out the flexibility of his new compact and well muscled body, the hair had just about receded back under his skin, he loved how his clothes would morph into the image so easily and back again, he didn't have to worry about ripped trousers and torn shirts like the incredible hulk.
He marvelled at the landscape before him when he was suddenly struck with a thought, he began to climb back down the rock to his brother, a task more cumbersome in his human form.
Al'ice was in a deep sleep, he shook him again and again until at last he began to stir.
“Hey I've just had a crazy thought, you know that fireball............”
Al'ice held up a finger to silence Jez he looked incredibly tired, lines etched on his face, he appeared much older than before.
“You had me worried, I thought something was wrong with Jol.”
“I can check in with her if you like? No wait hang on, I think something is wrong.”
Al'ice sat up and gave him his undivided attention as Jez nodded then shook his head for several minutes in silence. “What is it?” he demanded.
“She says there is a dark cloud heading for the village. Cooper is on her way and told her to face the Ferimiah alone.”
“What?”
“I know, I told her to stay put and I, we'll be there.”
Al’ice sprang to his feet. “No Jez, if Cooper has left Jol, then
it means my people are in a greater danger, I must help Cooper, you must go to Jol and keep her safe for me, I will show you how to get there, there is a short cut through Kamerrean. We will be quicker in our animal form.”
“Wait there was something else.”
Al'ice looked even more concerned now.
“She said to tell you, iclh shielpashen du, I hope that is some kind of coded message or not what I think it is by the smile on your face?”
Pete's energies were fading fast, he had eaten all of the fungi and gained enough strength to return to his snake like form. He had licked at the dew on the ground but only managed to capture one small mouse to sustain him. He was weak, weak from his final crawl to the rock, his plan to latch onto the next person who passed through, he only hoped he could survive the wait for their arrival.
The flash of light stunned him and he managed to grab hold of the material surrounding the beings body with his fangs. As the man sped off he bounced around in the air behind undetected until at last he managed to plop enough of his body in the deep side pocket of the man’s flowing jacket. Pete held on, sinking his fangs into the silk, he did not want to slide out as this person was in one hell of a hurry.
sanlous maich dearen,
Venur moush vait,
goolenda maich dearen,
salender maich passien.
The words echoed through Jez, accompanied by the smell of death, memories of his brother, the leader of their people, his rival in love.
Jez finally belonged, but did he want to?
He brought his hand up to feel the fingers on his left, where was the gift? His fingers had swollen, where was his legacy?
I have to get out of here, thought Jez, remembering Jol had restarted the will in his heart, how it beat just a little faster when he thought of her. Her lips, full and wanting, her body pressed against his, he had to shake these thoughts from his mind.
There is another in the way, another who she desires. The dull ache in his heart returned, he had to find her, know she was safe from the shadow walls.
She did not feel the same as he, did not look at him longingly as he did her but twice she had kissed him, twice she had wanted to, if all too briefly. Jez knew it was wrong.
The voice of the other came to him, breaking his thoughts...........