by Cara Violet
“Help!” she listened to the alarm in – was that Tiegra’s voice?
Kaianan could hardly move her arms. Having gained movement back was a shock to her body. But she had time to study her whereabouts. Had time to realise the music had stopped. What were they doing in – in the Felrin watchtower –
YANK –
She was snatched around the mouth and wrenched backward; immediately she was clawing at the hands suffocating her airways. Gap and Path appeared barking and growling, and swiping their midnight fur paws out in her direction. Their long nails were aiming for the hand across her face too. But they were close to slashing her. Their yellow eyes glowing in rage, the Flugers scratched their nails across her cheek. Pain surged through her face.
A loud roar sounded. Her mouth was freed and she was shoved backward again, this time in someone’s shadow.
The Defeated King straightened up; barely fitting inside the half-destroyed tower; stretching his wings out; his arching spine facing her, all the while he was hawking at the Flugers. Was he trying to protect her? No – he’d just tried to smother her to death!
“You beast! You’ve taken my smoke!” Tiegra shouted, standing behind her guard dogs.
Kaianan, getting up off the floor, made a quick assessment; it was anomaly versus gatekeeper and Flugers, and it wasn’t looking like anyone was backing down. Who would she put her gold on though? With the Defeated King inhaling the air inside him, generating a fire deep within his belly, it was a surety his fireball was about to destroy not only the whole tower, but all of them in it. Fire plus tower plus those-inside-tower equalled out to death by mass suicide—she’d have to give him the win.
How to remove him from the tower equation was the question?
“Open a Vector, Tiegra now,” Kaianan said in the only audible voice she had left, and made her way to the nearest wall to hold on to.
Tiegra offered Kaianan a puzzled glance, but then automatically sliced open the Siliou and enlarged a Vector opening with the flick of her wrist, “Enjoy the Harpies!” She propelled her hands sideways.
The gap in time was opened and behind the Defeated King the flurry of space flashed by.
The man-beast lunged at Tiegra to stop himself falling backward into the Vector; her Flugers leaped at him to defend her, and all Kaianan could see was the Flugers prancing on top of the man-beast and landing in the smoke clouds, the same moment his fireball was released into the watchtower. Tiegra screamed; and only seconds before the Vector was sealed shut the Felrin Conductor had shielded herself from the flames and jumped in after them all.
“NO TIEGRA!” Kaianan shouted.
It was too late to think anymore; the Defeated King’s inferno had penetrated enough of the tower for it to start burning out of control. The other four had gotten safely inside the Vector but Kaianan, alone in the watchtower, felt her lungs on fire. She felt the warmth; sweat was dripping down her. The elevator was blocked and burning. The glass walls were heating up around her, too hot to even touch. How was she going to get out of this inferno?
The smoke had completely invaded her nostrils and on her knees, she found it difficult to inhale…
Then she heard a voice. Dazed and confused, arms slid around her, pressing against her body. She heard another mumble, not sure of what the words were saying to her. It did not matter, purple sparks lit up around her fingers and hands and body, and she was ‘ported out.
Kaianan coughed and spluttered. The grip on her dropped and she was laying in the Felrin terrain, beat. What the holom was going on?
After several minutes of coughing, she sat up.
To her right was the burning tower and standing above her was—Dersji Brikin!
She went to open her mouth to object to him, but with a fiery jolt, the blast of the watchtower ruptured out around them. Again, and again, Kaianan felt her ears pulsate. Glass had cracked and was burning like a fire made waterfall.
When everything died down, Kaianan just stared into the small pile of rubble and flames. Tiegra and her Flugers were gone, sucked into the Vector with the man-beast, and Kaianan knew it was her fault. All her fault. Not only had she just lost her sister to Caidus, witnessed the death of Boku Jove, the execution of the Pernicious and Felrin Shiek by some sadistic creatures, she was sitting here on the verge of a personal breakdown. How much more could she take without addressing what was truly going on inside her head?
“We must get into hiding,” Dersji kept saying, “I don’t trust the Felrin at this point to give you a just and fair trial … Kaianan.”
He was repeating words. Listening required too much energy though. Didn’t he understand that she actually didn’t understand. Everything was falling apart; everything had fallen apart.
“Kaianan, I won’t say it again, we must leave.”
“Okay,” was all she could manage.
Her face dropped and when he picked her up, she didn’t struggle against him. She stared into his brown eyes as he ‘ported them out one final time.
Chapter Forty-Seven: Unkept Promises
Ryar searched through the contents of the Valley Woods’ cabin. It smelt quite clean, despite its appearance. Someone had lived here not too long ago. It was cramped and cluttered. Furniture was on top of furniture. Small bookshelves, multiple lamps and stools scattered around the other necessary pieces of lounge. Trinkets and bobbits were everywhere. And books, there were hundreds.
Ryar moved further inside, opposite the kitchen, into the main bedroom.
Ordinarily, the bed was made. The quilt was fabric of Gorgon manufacturing, so not as warm as the Giliou brand nor as pretty. Was black even a colour?
There was a Felrin uniform hanging on the exposed side rail. Which seemed odd to Ryar. He scanned his eyes to the small wooden dresser and opened the top drawer. Several white chestplates sat there. He quickly slid the draw shut and retreated.
“There’s a Felrin Liege Shiek been living here!” he said in surprise and shock.
He went back to the main room and spotted the owner’s desk. He sorted through a ridiculous amount of parchment to find out more. Who was this Liege living on Rivalex? He analysed the scriptures, but most of them were written in illegible hand writing.
“Dersji Brikin,” Jahzara clarified behind him, and he jumped at her sudden appearance. She was easing her bleeding body down on the Clee sofa, “the Felrin Liege is Dersji Brikin,” she clarified at the sight of Ryar’s agape mouth. “He was a recluse in all senses of the word.”
Ryar frowned. “I did not know a Liege lived on Rivalex.”
“You’re a Giliou, of course you didn’t … he worked for the Gorgon—”
Something moved against his fingers and Ryar screamed; up from the messy desk a purple bird rose, squawking. “What the holom—” he threw the papers aside.
“Saffie,” Jahzara said, keeping her eyes on the purple critter circling the beams in the cabin ceiling. “Ryar, there are seeds somewhere, and she needs water.”
He nodded and went to the small, poky kitchen, filled a teacup with water and set it down on the wooden bench. The Dovelet swooped down so quickly the teacup nearly up-ended.
He raced around searching for seeds. He found several mesh bags of different types scattered around the bench top and in the cupboards, and tipped them all on a plate next to the water. Saffie was animated and loudly chewed down everything she could as quick as she could. Ryar stared at her long, large wings, and beautiful small face. Did she have blue eyes?
“I’ve never seen a Dovelet before,” Ryar said.
Jahzara whimpered and Ryar snapped back to attention. “Right, I may be able to find some aid materials in an infirmary kit, although I would not know where to look.”
“Try the locked cabinet over there.” Jahzara pointed with her eyes, clasping her hands around her waist. “And don’t touch anything marked joy. He had a preform drinking problem.”
“A what?”
“Never mind.”
Ryar made his way to th
e cabinet, through all the inappropriately placed stools piled high with books, and broke the glass door with his elbow. The cabinet was full of herbs and potions and bottles labelled joy 1, joy 2, for times of finding little joy. Ryar fuddled through some of it, finding a quick healing bandage amid the lot.
“Was he a weird man?”
Jahzara shook her head. “No, he is a great man. He has just lost sight of what matters most.”
“And what is that?”
Jahzara sniffed. “Love, of course.”
Ryar shrugged. “Here,” he ripped the packaging apart and spread out the dressing, “best you lay down.”
She nodded, pulling her legs up onto the sofa.
“Turn sideways …” he instructed, lifting her ripped dress across and noticed two separate wounds, “… wait, how many do you have?”
“Oh, yes,” she said mid-daze. “I was shot twice.”
Ryar’s eyes bulged and using the dressing to measure above her skin, he was able to position it on her body to fit over both wounds. He pressed the material down and almost instantly, the bandage started closing the wounds and drawing out infection.
“It’s working quickly.”
“Aye, thank you Ryar,” she said, giving him an appreciative smile. “Keep close to Master Xandou in the future, okay?”
Ryar nodded.
“He has your best interests at heart.”
“Aye, I will do.” Ryar, then looked down to her hands and arms beginning to twitch. “Are you okay?”
“I feel better …” she confessed, “but I am feeling light-headed.”
“Really?” he analysed her disorientation. “Let me look.” Ryar removed the bandage now full of her blood and wiped the fresh skin. “You’ve completely healed.”
“Ryar, there – there is something wrong,” she said. Her legs began to shake and her body was rising from the couch. “My body is not in my control.”
“Lay back down!” Ryar shouted.
“I can’t! Get Master Xandou! Quickly!”
Ryar raced out of the cabin looking for Xandou amidst the trees and bushland. “Master Xandou!” he called out into the distance. “Master Xandou!”
Within a few seconds Ryar could see Xandou sprinting toward him, “Sir, come quick!”
Xandou was running, then decidedly ‘ported to Ryar as the young Giliou’s voice was so panicked it sent his neck up in prickles.
“What is it?” Xandou asked, out of breath.
“It’s Jahzara, sir.”
The two Giliou burst inside to confront the Conductor who was seized in a type of a frenzy. Her body was vibrating and her eyes were rolling back in her head. “I can’t control it. Something is … happening … to me! Xandou—” she cried.
“Where are you going?” Xandou watched her leave the sofa and stumbling, move past him and out the door of the cabin. “Stop!”
Standing in the Valley Woods, her arm stretched out and she sliced open a whirling Euclidean Vector.
Xandou was at her flailing side immediately. “What are you doing?!”
“I don’t know; I can’t stop it. Please Xandou, help!” Her body advanced a step toward the Vector. Xandou tried, without success, to grab her—she was unstoppable.
“I’m coming with you, just breathe.” He held her tightly as she ventured over the threshold of ice.
“Wait for me,” Ryar raced in behind them.
“Get out of here,” Xandou ordered curtly.
“No,” Ryar said defiantly, “I will help you.”
Xandou did not know what happened next; he heard a bird squawking in his ear, other people yelling in the distance—perhaps even Ferak Jarryd? All he could do was hold onto Jahzara’s body as tightly as he could and try not to misjudge the stars flashing by. What of saving Yasminx? What would be the outcome of Rivalex? Would Layos and the Insurgence know of his sudden disappearance?
The first time he was putting his home first, he was stuck in a Vector headed holom knew where. He gulped, the Vector started to stall and the three of them braced themselves to depart the shadowy vortex.
EPILOGUE
Dersji was pacing through the coloured leaf shrubbery with a slight wobble.
“What was that back there?” Kaianan called from behind him. “Wait, I’ve been here before.” He turned around to see her touching the tree next to her. “This is the woods I ran through with Ar—with Arlise.”
“The Woods Devine,” Dersji clarified. “We are not far from the Elixir Waterfalls; we should camp here …” his breath was short. He glanced down to the wound in his stomach. He couldn’t keep going. He didn’t have any idea how he had ‘ported to her and ‘ported her out again. It was like he actually gave a crap about her. Did he?
And for her to see him in this state? It punished him; he didn’t like it. He tightened his robe over him. He needed an onion.
“Step back,” he said, stopping, and hoping, that with a flick of his wrist, the Siliou would create his dark green tarp shaded shelter. After the slow wave of his hand, it appeared and Dersji felt relieved. The Kan’Ging was holding on. He needed to as well.
“How do you do that?” Kaianan said, intently staring at the tent.
“Practice makes perfect, my dearest,” he said in the strongest voice he could. “The Kan’Ging never leaves you restless … any how I need to get to the Elixir waterfall by tomorrow.”
“You know, Ferak Jarryd called me dearest too, is it a Liege thing?”
Dersji felt his face pale. He didn’t want to talk about his biggest rival right now. He just wanted to start a fire. He burned his aura through his fingers and lit the ground on fire.
“I saw him in Forsda, with Queen Maya,” she went on, “Xandou told me that the Giliou had helped sort out my safe lock in the Milky Way Galaxy so they could send Necromancers there to kill me. I question if my parents knew of this since they thought I was the sacrifice stated in the prophecy?”
Dersji felt his mind go into meltdown. The Giliou orchestrated to put her on Earth? Had Xandou known? Did he know about the Necromancers planning to kill her? Did her parents know? And was it the Felrin who set this up the same time they apprehended him in La Merce Inn?
“Did Liege Jarryd know about me and you?” she said hastily. “Was he the one who told the Giliou to plan my death? Why do the Felrin want to control the prophecy? What is it that will happen with the stupid prophecy?”
The questions just kept piling up, Dersji felt his whole face crease in concern. He couldn’t answer any of these revelations right now. He had no idea who to trust anymore. He never wanted to know about the Felrin Congress’s plans. Nor did he care what they did to run the universe the right way, as shonky as it was. Now it was happening to him and the people that he cared about, it hurt. She was right to question him earlier. What had he been doing?
“It will be cold soon,” he said, changing the subject, “keep warm.”
Her eyes were on him and she nodded letting the questions go. He couldn’t stop staring at her. What the holom was she? It had been such an unrestrained past few days. From being on Croone to fighting on Felrin. He couldn’t help think back to their days at the Manor, to their conversations at training. Her admiration of him had given Dersji another chance at finding purpose. That his life was worth something more; he was able to help. On top of that he enjoyed it. Her smart mouth was fun to banter with despite her spotty bladework skills. He recalled her bloodied face and the consistent effort she put into everything he taught her. She never listened to him, to her parents, no one. She put everything into trying, into failing better. This was his Menial.
Yet the face in front of him with three claw marks bleeding down her cheeks, that had just interrogated him, was not. The past few days gave him an understanding that she was more than just a Menial or a prophecy. She was at the highest end of the aura graph.
Kaianan had created her own aura.
Training would be the best way to protect the galaxy. Dersji didn’t want her to bl
ow this planet up like the previous aura versus aura battle blew Rawl up. How much about her own power did she know though … and more importantly, something that was close to his heart, aside from all the duplicity she had found out about from those close to her, did she still see him as her trusted mentor?
Dersji fidgeted with his fingers, nervous to ask, and nervous about the answer but did anyway, “You do remember me? Don’t you?”
She sat by the fire and warmed her hands, looking starry-eyed and then after a long pause, said: “No. I told you I don’t.”
His heart suddenly sank; anger consumed him. He wanted to break a neck. Why did she still have no recollection of who he was? After everything he had done and been through with her, still nothing? His brain jerked him back to his cabin. To his cabinet of rum—his joy, to the manuscripts he could be writing, and what of Saffie? Or even the onions growing out the back? He hadn’t taken a bite of a spice since Croone. And even then, nothing seemed to be in his control. His mind was not winning this battle. But maybe with Kaianan, he could at least fix this mess. Set the galaxy straight so he could get back to living his lonely life?
Yet how could he go back? His son was alive and he had reconnected with Sachin in the Siliou. The Felrin and Giliou and Necromancers were trying to destroy Kaianan and there was a man-beast, capable of controlling the Siliou with Silkri let loose on the universe, not forgetting his humble servants the Pernicious also joining him on that devilry requirement. Nothing was as it should be. There were things before him, he had to regrettably deal with. His face flushed with indignation.
“Well, you’re going to have to trust me,” he said slowly. Her eyes stayed downward at this.
“Right now,” she whispered, “you’re all I’ve got.”
He wasn’t sure if he felt comforted by this but in a way, it was the same for him. Over the past eighteen years, all Dersji ever had was Kaianan. He’d rebuked his entire life only to become her Liege. And now look where it had led them. A prophecy—no, two prophecies—about her leading the universal order, and not only had her parents just died but her sister had left her too.