by Rori Bleu
“If you can hear me…your mother is very ill!” Like a match top caught in a breeze, both his image and words bowed forward. “I don’t know how or if she will...” Once more he wavered out, only to barely reemerge in the flames, “…nor if it matters to you or not…”
And then, like a wisp of smoke, he was gone.
Blinking dumbfoundedly at the pit, she waited for him to return. He managed to figure it out once, maybe he could do it again. But she had no such luck.
Sitting in disbelief, Atsa’s message swirled in her mind. Ajei could not believe it, she had already lost her mother to Hashkeh Naabah once. Now, she was going to lose her again, forever?
She did not want visitors tonight, but it was too late to stop them. Disappointed, and even more heartbroken, she left her cabin to get everything ready…and plan her next move.
Chapter 14
Tomorrows
After the obligatory greetings to the women who had attended the gathering, Ajei fell silent. Their chatter was like an insect buzzing around her ears. Insignificant and distracting. Her gaze remained fixed on the bonfire, wondering if Atsa would appear in it again.
The uncertainties of what she had seen churned within her like a thunderstorm. Fire was her mother’s choice element to speak through. She had no idea why. But how was it Atsa had been able to? Especially after all this time? Was Atsa lying? Is Mother really sick? Can I really chance going home? Even if it did mean her life, she had to return to her mother…and her people. It was time.
As the night wore on, one by one, her friends returned to their own realms. As the last patted Ajei on her shoulder and vanished into the night, she remained fixed on the fire until the last of the embers finally died away.
The cold, fading violet of the night sky was beginning to give way to the palest of pinks, announcing the coming morning. Though she knew what awaited her on the other side, it still filled her heart with an odd happiness. Home awaited.
Brushing herself off as she stood, Ajei took one last look around her sanctuary. This was the last she would see of it.
Pulling Lexi’s medallion from its hiding place under her tunic, Ajei kissed the face of the disk before tucking it back in its place. Feeling it rest against her flesh increased her determination.
“Death and Hashkeh Naabah be damned!” Ajei cried out to the sunrise, “I need to see my mother, no matter what!”
Calling to the gods, she demanded, “Take me to Yá’ąąsh!”
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Her feet gently set down upon the desert sands for the first time in years. Even with the baking heat of the summer sun, Ajei reveled in its feel. How she had missed it. The land had always been a part of her. Ajei had been taught by her parents the importance of understanding and accepting it.
However, her joy was fleeting. As she surveyed the land around her, the surrounding bleakness became apparent. Both the sky and dunes were void of life. The usual sturdy desert grasses were gone. Death’s stench permeated the air.
Ajei could not believe her people, the ones the gods had left the care of the land, had miserably failed to do so. They had ravaged everything it had provided them.
She cursed Hashkeh but was well aware the blame did not lie only with him. Ajei also accepted her share for not returning in time to stop him. The thought flared her anger.
Turning to the east, Ajei began running. Kicking up sand with each stride, she launched herself skyward. Effortlessly, she transformed herself into the one creature she had been hesitant to do so since her father’s death, but now was not the time to hold back.
With a powerful thrust of her arms, her wings burst forth carrying her higher... An angry screech broke the silence as the great eagle headed home.
Spreading her wings wide, the thermals held her aloft. Ajei covered the expanse of the Western Desert faster than she had anticipated. She had hoped the sun would slip beneath the horizon before she reached camp, but luck was not with her.
Instead, she was forced to land on the rocky ledge above the camp. Ajei could only hope her approach had not been noticed.
Just as her talons gripped onto the rocks, Atsa’s voice rang in her ears, startling her. Why in the gods are you here, Ajei? Are you insane?
Ajei furrowed her brow in concern. I came to see Mother before she dies! I was not here for my father’s; I’m not about to miss being here for her.
Dying? Who told you she was dying?
You did, Atsa! Through the fire—
No, Ajei, I didn’t! His words hit Ajei like a lightning bolt. Her heart pounded wildly in her ribcage. It’s some sort of trick! RUN!
Before Ajei could react, searing pain tore through her right wing. The shock instantly spun her from animal to human.
Looking at the source of the pain, she saw the river of blood pouring from four deep torn slashes of flesh which was once her shoulder. She let out a low guttural howl.
Trying to recover from the trauma, a second blow struck the side of her head. It lifted her from her feet and sent her tumbling to her left, toward the ledge’s edge.
With all her might, Ajei shifted into a Manor Wolf and dug her claws into the dirt to prevent her from going over. The intense pain radiating from her injured shoulder made it difficult to concentrate, but she had no choice.
She leveled her eyes to glare at her attacker — a grizzly bear— looming over her preparing to take another swipe at her. The matted brown fur of its massive right paw was stained a muddy red with Ajei’s blood, along with the dirt from the ledge. Bits of her flesh clung to its claw.
Ajei focused on the bear’s dark, hate-filled eyes. They belonged to Hashkeh Naabah. His ground rumbling roars spoke of his blind rage.
As he charged at her, she jumped to the side, avoiding his attack. Bounding up a rock, her lips curled around her pearled white fangs, and a snarl broke from her. Muscular haunches launched Ajei onto Hashkeh’s back. Her teeth sank into his neck, tearing a bloody mass of flesh and brown fur from it.
Howling in pain, Hashkeh reared wildly. His massive paw raked across Ajei’s back as he tore her from him. Like a rag doll, he flung her to the side.
Skidding along the rocky ledge, Ajei realized too late she would need to transform into something more powerful if she were to stand a chance against Hashkeh Naabah.
Pushing herself up, Ajei’s body nimbly shifted from wolf to a grizzly to match him. Though she was still smaller in stature than her opponent, she hoped she was quicker than the old man.
Charging at Hashkeh, Ajei’s claws caught him in an unexpected flurry culminating in her sinking her fangs into his shoulder. The coppery taste of his blood filled her mouth. She found it vile, but mysteriously satisfying. The years of training for this day had readied her for just this moment. As Ajei moved to once more tear at Hashkeh’s throat in hopes of bringing her misery to an end, she failed to see the heavy paw come crashing down against her side. Like a bug being swatted away, her body was sent airborne, wildly flailing.
Stars exploded in Ajei’s eyes as her head smashed violently against the rocks. Once more, she lost the ability to hold her form and slid back into human form. Ajei struggled to maintain consciousness as she feebly tried to lift herself to her feet. The sounds of condescending laughter echoed through Ajei’s brain.
Trying to focus on the approaching figure, she vainly tried to cast a defensive warding spell at Hashkeh. Ajei’s eyes widened as he brushed it aside without even slowing down. Without warning, it felt as if the weight of the entire world down on Ajei’s body.
Hashkeh’s magic was indeed much stronger than hers, and he was enjoying showing her as he bound Ajei in place. Even before he reached her, Hashkeh Naabah spun Ajei over like a marionette dancing on a string.
Forced to look up at Hashkeh Naabah, Ajei could still make out traces of the wounds she had inflicted on him. While the ones on his shoulder and face still oozed a bit with blood, the one on his throat had closed. His magic had allowed him to accelerate his healing.
>
“Is that all you have? How disappointing,” he said with a feigned frown. “I was hoping for a better fight, but what should I expect? After all, it was your cowardly father and your worthless witch of a mother who trained you.”
Ajei’s gaze followed Hashkeh’s hand as he raised it over his head. With a snap, the healer conjured his knife from thin air. The blade glinted strongly against the desert sun, hurting her eyes.
“You know, Ajei, I grew tired of waiting for the day you would finally find the courage to return and claim your place. As expected, the weakness you have for your family made it almost too easy to trick you into returning. It was a shame I had to bother wasting any of my magic on you.”
Slowly, he knelt beside Ajei. Drawing the tip of the blade to her flesh. He stopped when his eyes fell on the amulet around her throat. Hashkeh tilted it forward with his knife to examine it.
“What is this, girl?”
Ajei said nothing. Anger and hatred raged in her eyes.
A closer look at the medallion made Hashkeh’s blood freeze. He recognized the language; it was that of the gods. No one had dared utter it in eons. While he did not understand what it said, he doubted the foolish girl wearing it did either. Tearing it from her throat with his knife, he hurled it away.
Seeing the blade swing upwards again, Ajei closed her eyes and waited for it to plunge into her chest. At least she would be reunited in the afterworld with her father.
But, the deathblow never arrived.
Ajei saw the surprised look on Hashkeh’s face as the blade froze in mid-strike, inches from her heart.
Energy filled the air around them, fighting Hashkeh’s fury. The intensity caused the pair to cast their eyes toward its source.
Iina stood defiantly facing them. Anger rang from the mother as she protected her child, “Get away from her, you bastard!”
Her hands were trembling as she struggled to hold the knife in place. But it was a battle she was quickly losing. Hashkeh Naabah was proving to be too much for her to control.
With Hashkeh’s spell suddenly broken, Ajei tried to scramble out from under the blade. Before she could, she saw Hashkeh’s body topple sideways by the force of the gray-black wolf on top of him— Atsa! He was mauling any part of his father’s body he could manage to sink his fangs into.
The years Atsa spent watching his father manipulating their tribe, spreading vicious accusations about the family he’d respected and the girl he’d loved had reached the point where he could no longer turn a blind eye. He would not let his father control him...even if it meant killing him.
Without thinking, Hashkeh tore the wolf from him by its throat. Even as the wolf struggled to break free of Hashkeh’s grip, the medicine man threw his fist, still clenching his blade, at Iina, locking her in place with a binding spell. “I will kill you for your insolence when I’m done forcing you to watch your daughter’s death!”
Turning his attention back to the wolf, Hashkeh Naabah cared less if it was his son. The betrayal burning through his soul caused him to act without a second thought. His knife swiftly and deeply sliced along the wolf’s throat. Blood gushed from the open wound. A strangled howl gurgled from its mouth as he threw it aside.
Unsteadily, Ajei crawled to the wolf and curled him in her arms. Horrified, tears broke forth as she watched the bloodied animal slowly transform into the gasping form of Atsa. He fought for every breath he could gather.
Finding the strength to rise up, Ajei screamed wildly at Hashkeh, “Look what you’ve done!”
“Me?” Hashkeh tried to defend himself, his voice trembling as his only son slipped from their world. “T-the boy should have known better than to be a fool and waste his life for you!”
“This boy is more of a man than you will ever be, you bastard!” Blind rage forced her to charge at the medicine man.
“His sacrifice was for naught, you foolish girl!” Hashkeh’s blade caught Ajei mid-stride, sinking deep into her chest.
Her scream echoed along the canyon walls. Tumbling back into the dirt, she caught the faint glitter of the amulet. It beckoned to her, willing herself forward. Ajei dragged herself over to it, a trail of blood marking her path.
“There is nowhere you can hide! Accept your fate!” Hashkeh howled at her, his blade plunging into her back. The force caused it to break from the hilt.
Blood pooled around Ajei. Pain consumed her every thought. As her strength began to wane, she reached forward and grasped the medallion. Death was just a breath away.
Closing her eyes, she remembered Lexi’s note, breaking it before your life ends will release your pain.
The image of Atsa wrapping his arms around her, pressing a kiss to her filled her. With her last gasp, Ajei whispered, “F-free us both!”
The coin split open in Ajei’s dying fingers releasing a brilliant blue energy globe. Instantly, it began absorbing any magical energy surrounding it. Drained of their powers, both Hashkeh and Iina collapsed to the ground.
In a blinding flash, the globe shot towards the heavens and filled the sky. A thundering screech of eagles quickly followed, ricocheting throughout the canyon.
Rolling to his back, Hashkeh covered his ears trying to block out the deafening sound. Blinking skyward, he saw the pair circle above him for a moment before vanishing from sight.
Slowly, Hashkeh rose to search the ledge for either Atsa’s or Ajei’s bodies; but he never got the chance. He felt Iina’s hands on his back as she shoved him off the cliff.
It was only as he was falling into oblivion did he finally understand his own fate. While he had won the battle, he had ultimately lost everything. Atsa had been willing to betray him for the sake of the worthless girl. He cursed the gods for bringing him this misery.
Still, as the end came to claim him, Hashkeh desperately tried to transform into anything to save himself. However, between the jumble of thoughts filling his brain and the hatred burning his soul, it proved impossible for him to focus on anything but the approaching ground. The last image that filled Hashkeh Naabah’s consciousness was of how Ajei and Atsa chose to sacrifice themselves for the sake of love; and how it would be forever sung around the fires.
As for the great tribal healer, the jagged rocks below silently escorted him to the eternal darkness.
When neither Hashkeh nor Atsa returned to camp by the rise of the moon, the warriors were sent out to find them. They found Hashkeh’s mangled corpse at the base of the cliff the next morning, but they were never able to find any trace of Atsa.
But there was one in camp who would always remember the truth...
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Each morning, as the fingers of the morning’s sun began to brush the prior night’s shadows from the sky, the head of the tribe would climb to the top of Lovers’ Cliff, as it eventually came to be known amongst the tribe. From there the Chieftain would offer prayers to the couple for continued peace and protection.
What may have become an embellished myth told around the campfire, the Chieftain still held the factual story to her heart.
Through her mind’s eye, she could still see the images of the battle and ultimate sacrifice the Lovers had given for each other’s life. For that, Iina would offer up an additional prayer to her daughter for her forgiveness and love.
But in her heart, she had already received Ajei’s blessing. It brought Iina joy to hear the screech of the eagle pair echo through the canyon as they greeted her to the new day.
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