by Cara Violet
“That’s a scary thought,” Dersji said, pointing toward the top of Rook Mountain where Gorgon Kaianan was currently screeching. “You are quite the entertainer. Were you planning on doubling your efforts as jester? People would pay good money for it …imagine the Rivalex Mark in a stage show, two bodies, one dance—”
“Entertainer? Do I look satirical to you, Felrin?” Kaianan resisted the urge to unsheathe her Rapier and cut his tongue out.
“No, you’re right,” he ushered out, “just uptight.”
“Gah, be gone old man!”
He surrounded his body in his lavender aura. “Yes, that is my cue, another half-wit Menial to save.” And his beaming face disappeared in a whirl of ‘portation.
Chapter Twenty-Seven: Selfish or Selfless?
On the floor, heavy breathing, Jahzara withered in pain.
“Are you alright?” Xandou said, kneeling above her.
He ripped a piece of his tunic off and stuck it to her bleeding abdomen.
Her preform eyes lingered around the bluestone watchtower as if to confirm the Gorgon Queen had successfully escaped through it. The Conductor had morphed into some type of witch like beast; a wraith—when she was threatened by Caidus and Adrel. Xandou had never seen anything like it. Then again, he did not know nearly enough about the woman who held his home planet’s Siliou gate.
“I am fine,” she said in a moan.
“What was that?” he asked, staring at the orange strands over her dirty face which had previously turned into flying midnight strands that reached out to the walls, “what you became?”
“I’d rather not talk about it,” she muttered under her breath.
Then neither did he. He nodded and picked her up, carrying her body from the floor to her chair.
“Can you open a Vector?” he said evasively, placing her down gently, and wiping his hands and robe of blood.
Her eyes cast over him in disdain. “No, I can’t. I need to heal, Xandou.”
He felt slight remorse asking, but he needed a Vector to follow Kaianan. “What can I do then, Jahzara?”
“Nothing.”
“Let me help you,” he said weakly, “I promised you my friendship.” That he did, but his brain hurt; conflicting emotions that were clouding every inch of his better judgement kept telling him to hurry after Kaianan. The other option which he tried not to think about, splitting him down the middle: to stop a brewing civil war on his home planet.
“I think you are trying to keep face Xandou; look at the worry torn across you,” Jahzara said, looking through him. “Don’t blame yourself: I sent her through the Vector.”
His chest tightened. “You did, but why?”
“It’s where she needs to be.”
“How can I assist at this moment, Jahzara, I feel helpless.”
“You are no-one’s guardian anymore, Xandou,” Jahzara said, placing her hands on her stomach. “She doesn’t need you anymore. Think about your friends. What about the others?”
“What about them?” he said indignantly. “I must protect Kaianan. I hadn’t seen her since she left. I need to make amends … she needs my help… I’ve let her be taken hostage by Caidus and Adrel, Jahzara please!”
All Jahzara gave him was a deep, all-pervading look, but it couldn’t sway him. Deep in him he had already decided which option he would pursue. He would come back to the impeding civil war; the Layos General, Yasminx, Desrix, his friends could defend Layos; right now, he would go after Kaianan.
“I am the only one who can protect her,” Xandou pleaded.
Jahzara took her time, scanning her eyes over Xandou’s tousled hair and sweaty face before she finally answered. “There is a Felrin cruiser in Forsda,” she explained. “I cannot open nor prevent Vectors anymore. You can use the cruiser instead … you will have many after you, Xandou.”
His eyes widened, remembering Liege Ferak Jarryd was in Forsda. “Thank-you…” he said, “but …. I can’t leave you here.”
“You’ve given enough. I will regenerate slowly. Leave me.”
“Let me help you, I can take you back with me to Forsda, get you a healer.”
“No, I need to remain here,” she said harshly. “Get out of here! Now!” He stood motionless. “I said get out!” Jahzara cursed again.
Xandou backed away from her. The azure aura wrapped around his troubled face and he ‘ported out.
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Saving Chituma
Caidus ran faster, away from Adrel, and put enough space between himself and the Felrin to escape her. He evaluated the vocalising, lively Rook Mountain of Daem-Raal and a tall lanky Sprite. But it was the huge serpent-looking Queen that had him mesmerised. How did Kaianan get here before them? And what was she doing? A small caged box suddenly exploded by the impact of the Gorgon Queen’s heavy tail coming down upon it and he was sure he saw limbs somewhere in amongst all that.
Around the broken bits of box, his vision stopped. His mouth dropped as Chituma crawled out helplessly on the stony rock. His heart beat faster and without a second thought, he leaped, rock by rock, closer to the platform. Disregarding the Daem-Raal trying to fling themselves at him, he exploded his Silkri aura outward and threw them back. As he approached the platform, he diminished his aura and hid.
There was a lot going on: Dersji Brikin had just materialised, spear tackling the Sprite while the Gorgon Queen, in maddening swings of her Rapier, kept Humkar busy. Perfect. This was his moment. Sitting in a saddening kafuffle and looking destitute, his eyes were on Chituma.
Without thinking, he dashed for her.
She was bursting with panicky fear, wet blotched tears were all over her filthy cheeks, and her hair and robes were matted like she’d been playing in a Seevaar burrow. Then she screamed: “Kaianan!” and his chest lurched.
“Psst, Chit,” he whispered, anxiously, “Chituma, Chit!”
She spun in time to see him running closer to her but stopping at a spot behind a rock. Her expression altered all at once; her long lashes blinked just once and her messy face ceased crying.
“Come on, Chit,” he said, waving his hand.
Her feet started moving, the dirty and mangy robes tugged by rips exposed her thin and cut legs. He calmed the bubbling rage inside him, barely.
“Caidus!” she said, jumping down to a lower rock. He grasped her as she tumbled downward and regathered her balance.
She clutched him around the neck so securely, he was sure she was going to strangle him. “Shh, Chit, softly, breathe.” She released her hold slightly and began sobbing into his neck. “Slowly be calm.”
“Oh—Caidus, please …” she was choking on the words.
“Who did this to you?” His voice was robotic and her demeanour changed when he said it.
“I’ve … missed you.”
Yes, he missed her too, but by the look of her, someone had done terrible things to her and they were going to pay. Inch by inch, he would tear them apart. “I said who did this?”
“No-one—please!” Her voice grew and he held his hand across her mouth to silence her. She pulled it away, “Please can you take me home?”
“I can and will do that, but first answer me.”
“We need … we need to help my sister.”
He was silent in thought. He didn’t care about her sister. He cared about the fiend that hurt her. Why was she not answering him? Perhaps Chituma was more like Kaianan than he dared believe. “What’s wrong?” Chituma said to Caidus’s withdrawn behaviour. “What’s been said? I can see it on your face; don’t lie to me. Does she know about us?”
Know about us? Caidus tried to hide his guilt. He’d told Kaianan a lot more than he probably should have about them.
“Caidus! I told you, she won’t understand.”
“Somehow I think she does. Now stop these tears,” he said, wiping her face, “and tell me who did these things to you.” He didn’t blink. And hadn’t realised tears sat in his own sockets not falling. This pain running through him was
not normal. Every time she moved, or spoke, Caidus felt a tug of anger pull at his heart.
“Caidus we need to help my sister prevent the opening of Holom’s door.”
It was the way she said it that infuriated him. “She can handle herself—”
“Caidus!”
He looked at her in disconcert and felt every inch of him burning, like someone had taken a firelight and lit his whole body up in flames. He needed to control himself; he buried his face in her neck and breathed out.
He got her on two feet, grabbed her hand and headed downward.
Caidus had ran from her. Kaianan was gone. The Daem-Raal were suddenly racing to the platform. Where were they going? Adrel pulled her shoulders back and stuck her hand across her forehead, locating a smaller mountain next to Rook Mountain; another way to reach Rook Mountain without being seen.
“Where is Ferak when I need him?” she muttered, lifting up onto the first rock at the base of the smaller mountain and forming a strategy in regard to owing the Felrin for her casual loss of prisoners and disappearance; she would need to secure Kaianan and stop her from opening Holom’s door, bring her back to Liege Jarryd and somehow resist the urge to kill the woman at the same time. Maybe she should, if it came down to preventing the opening of Holom’s door? The Holom Galaxy would destroy the Siliou. Could Adrel kill her though? Kill the Marked Identity? She was just a Menial. What could she do? She silenced the thought and stuck her boot out and up on another rock, to keep going.
“Cease!” she heard from over her shoulder. A man in black slacks, boots and tunic drew nearer. Did he come from the forest? She intended to ask him who he was but the tattoos running along on his forearms and chest gave it away. “Who are you talking to?” he said, advancing upward to her.
“What is going on here?” she shouted, hysterically.
He clasped his right ear. “Aye, I can hear you,” he said. “It looks like the enlightenment is beginning …” His eyes went to her orchid chestplate, “You’re a Felrin?”
“Shiek Adrel Darlen.” She said nodding, and stared at him for a long moment. His thin face between long strands of scarce brown hair hid his features which resembled his … his mother’s.
“You’re … You’re …” She again examined his stern chin, wide mouth, and golden eyes. “You’re Sachin’s son, aren’t you?”
Arlise grimaced. “I am Arlise Brikin.”
Adrel was taken aback that the infamous son of the Brikins was standing right here, in her presence. His unsmiling gaze had her slightly nervous. Then his mouth curved at her revealing the smallest of dimples and she was charmingly shaken.
“What is going on here?” she restated, not wanting to regard him further.
“We must fight the Daem-Raal and find the gatekeeper.”
She reluctantly nodded.
“Cuki can help!” The pint size Daem-Raal popped up in between them.
“Ah! What is that?!” Adrel questioned frantically.
“Cuki, me Cuki!” Cuki repeated, shoving his finger into his chest, “Dersji up there, then down there. We must help.”
Arlise shook his head. “Listen, Shiek Darlen, was it?”
Adrel didn’t realise she’d began blushing. “Just call me Adrel.”
“Fine, Adrel, listen, I’ll try and keep my father, Chituma and Kaianan shielded. I suggest you find the gatekeeper and see what we can do about getting out of here.”
“Kaianan?” Adrel said startled. “She is the Mark, we are assigned to capture and destroy her, not protect her.”
Arlise regarded her incredulously. “Says who?” he said in disgust.
“The Felrin Congress have a bounty on her head.” Adrel was more than matter-of-fact. “Every system, including some intergalactic systems, have been given clearance to locate her and send for the Felrin so they can terminate her. I have orders.”
Arlise’s eyes widened. “You are not to touch Kaianan.” His words were laced with spite, “Understood?”
“Cuki understand!” Adrel surveyed the critter at her feet, jumping around and flinging his huge maroon ears about.
“Yes, thanks Cuki, I’m talking to Adrel.” Arlise said and Adrel brought her eyes back to him, troubled by his anger. She nodded to him almost unwillingly. As much as she wanted to apprehend the Gorgon Queen and fulfil her obligation to the Felrin Congress, there was no way she would object to Arlise. A part of her deep within wanted to please him and she would do her best to follow and avoid making an enemy of him. “Aren’t you a Conductor?”
“Aye, but my powers are not working on this planet for some reason—”
Suddenly, Adrel was drawn by a screeching cry and she shot her sight to the raging Medusa-headed Gorgon on Rook’s mountain platform. “Is that …?”
“That’s the Gorgon Queen, yes.”
When did she transform? Adrel turned back to Arlise in distress.
“Let’s go,” he said. She nodded and analysed the sincere regard in his expression casting his eyes over Kaianan. No way … She did not believe he would have any connection with the revolting beast. With another look to the serpents squealing out of her head she made her conclusion—absolutely not.
“What are we going to do?” Chituma asked Caidus after they had reached the base of Rook Mountain and stopped at the bottom of the adjoining, smaller mountain. As much as Chituma was happy she was with Caidus, she didn’t want to leave Kaianan to die. She had come all this way to save her too, “Kaianan is the only one trying to—”
“Trying to what, Chituma?” Caidus burst out agitatedly, cutting her off, “what can we do? It’s not the time to go up against the Felrin. I’ve seen a Liege and a Menial here, plus that sprite, and look at the small Daem-Raal trying to get at everyone. I may be a Silkri Drake, but my ability using the Silkri is basic. You know this. Besides you can’t even give me an answer about what happened to you.”
“We can’t just leave her.” Chituma’s voice lowered and her face dropped in sadness. A weak attempt to make him feel guilty.
“Are you honestly going to be the one that stands here and agrees with her absurdity of fighting a losing battle?” Caidus was becoming slightly hysterical and she feared his reaction would turn further sour if she pushed him.
“I have no choice, my love; we must try to protect the universe from the Holom galaxy, should we not? If Kaianan is the sacrifice—”
“Sacrifice? She’s the Rivalex Mark, Chit.”
“No, but she’s also the sacrifice …. as Boku Jove had told my parents, I can’t leave her until she is on her own two feet.”
“She hasn’t got any feet.”
Chituma furrowed her eyebrows at him and crossed her arms. Then her pupils grew at someone in the distance starting to climb up at the base of the mountain. White tunic, orchid chestplate, black slacks and broken boots stumbling on the rocks. But it was the thick untamed bushy brown hair flying about that sparked Chituma into anxiety. “Hang on,” she whispered and swung her eyes back up to the platform, back to the Gorgon Queen. “Impossible … Ka!” she called breaking into a run.
“Kaianan!” Chituma called again desperately, feeling Caidus close by her side as she raced for the girl.
Swinging around, Kaianan’s eyes lit up. “Chituma?” Preform Kaianan jumped back down to the ground. Yet, immediately she pulled out her Silver Rapier and raised her blade at … at Caidus—who promptly stopped and unsheathed his own blade. She paced around him as he kicked dirt toward her.
“Are you seriously going to take her? I will fight for you for her freedom!” Chituma had never heard Kaianan so evil. The words were coming from a place of deep hatred and her excitement at seeing her sister had suddenly turned into hurt and confusion.
“She wants to stay with me.” Caidus defended.
“Enough!” Chituma shouted, standing in front of Caidus, “Kaianan, please. I must go with him.”
“Are you seriously senseless, Chituma?”
“He is with me.”
�
�I know him; you don’t know his intentions with you.” Kaianan was more like a beggar than a caring sister right now, but Chituma listened without judgement. “This freedom he speaks of, it may never come. He can’t guarantee your safety. I have travelled from the ends of the galaxy to rescue you. Let me save you. Take you back to Layos.”
“I don’t dispute otherwise, but I don’t need to be saved by you, Ka.”
“Are you so ungrateful?” Kaianan asked, disbelievingly.
“No, I want to thank-you. But you’re my sister, not my guardian.”
Caidus wrapped his arm around her waist and whispered, “We must keep going, Chituma. Let’s get to the gatekeeper and speak with your sister when she returns to—”
“What are you saying?” Kaianan said aggressively. “Or is this what he wants?”
“In no way will Caidus speak for me. This is my decision. I want to go with him.”
Kaianan dropped her chin, looking defeated. “Chituma, look at you,” Kaianan’s face contorted. “I want what’s best for you. You shouldn’t be on this planet.”
“I know. I thank you for coming for me. But I can take care of myself now, with Caidus,” she paused, looking at back up to the rowdy and violent mountain then quickly said, “and we can assist you with the Daem-Raal.”
“No,” Kaianan said firmly. “Leave. The whole point was your extraction. I will have more confidence in knowing you’ve alive, far away from this planet and System.”
“You don’t need to do it alone all the time.”
“I’m not alone,” she said, looking up to the glowing mountain platform. “My comrades are here.”