by Pedro Urvi
“Can any man use it?” Liriana asked. “Could I use it?”
“That I don’t know. I’ve only seen Master Sejof, and for that he protects his hand with a special gauntlet, which is also of the Gods. I don’t really know much about the Artifact. They say it’s the Eyes-of-the-Gods who give them to the Masters. When a new Master Hunter is invested, he meets with the Eyes behind closed doors at a certain place for three days and nights, and returns with the Artifact. The Masters keep everything about the object absolutely secret. That’s all I know, I’m afraid.”
Gedrel nodded and sighed. “Does it have any other power you might have witnessed?”
“Yes, one more,” Ikai said. He glanced down at the Golden Ring on his left arm. “It allows the master to communicate with the Hunters over long distances.”
“How?” Liriana asked, her turquoise eyes shining with excitement.
“I don’t know how, but he projects thoughts and images to our minds, and he does it through the Rings.”
“Very interesting…” Gedrel mused.
“It’s all I know.”
Liriana frowned. “We must find how to hide from the Falcon Eye, or else they’ll hunt us down like sewer rats.”
“Easy, my child, all is not lost. We’ll find some way of fooling it,” Gedrel said soothingly. “Today we know more than we did yesterday. Young Ikai is being a great help.”
“I told you I’d help, and I always keep my word. You said you wanted two things of me, Gedrel. What’s the second?”
Gedrel’s face shadowed. “I want you to help Liriana cross the Boundary.”
Ikai was left at a loss for words.
“Fate has chosen that your paths will cross and be one from this point on.”
“Our paths?” Ikai muttered. “I don’t understand…”
“You can cross the Boundary, and knowing what a Hunter knows, you’ll find a way for Liriana to cross alive.”
“That’s not possible. As far as I know, only the Enforcers of the Gods and the Hunters can cross the Boundary. Nobody else.”
“I’m sure you’ll find the way, because your destiny awaits you and Liriana has the key that will lead you to it.”
Ikai looked at Liriana, trying to make sense of what he was hearing.
“She will lead you to your sister,” Gedrel assured him.
Ikai tensed and turned to the old man. “Do you know where she is? Do you know?”
“Yes, I do. Accept the deal and I’ll tell you.”
Ikai weighed up his options. He did not know where the Enforcers of the Gods had taken Kyra. The Guard was after him, and soon they would send the Hunters to find him. He had no options. He could do nothing but accept the deal, he could not risk going out into the open in search of answers.
He gazed at Gedrel for a moment, wondering whether to trust the man or not. Finally he made up his mind.
“I accept. You have my word.”
Gedrel heaved a sigh and clasped his hands together.
“Your sister has been taken to the Eternal City.”
Ikai received the devastating news and felt his soul sink. His worst fear had come true. Kyra was in the city of the Gods. He could hardly believe it. If the idea of freeing her had been all-but-impossible before, now it was plain suicide. He felt as if a mountain had fallen on him and crushed him.
“We’ll leave at dawn,” Liriana said, and left the room without waiting for a reply.
Ikai watched her leave, full of determination. Suicide or not, Kyra was alive and that was what really mattered. He would rescue her. If he had to go to the dwelling of the Gods themselves in order to do so, then he would go.
Only death would stop him.
16
Startled, Kyra woke up. She opened her eyes wide and pierced the strange glassy material in front of her with a look of wonder. She saw Yosane opposite her, staring at her from inside a vertical pod, her face contorted by terror. Kyra pushed the glass hard, but it did not move in the least. She was trapped. She half-closed her eyes and studied the sinister cell she was imprisoned in: it looked to her like a sarcophagus with a glass cover.
“What the hell’s going on?” she asked her friend, but the sound did not penetrate the pod. She tried to remember what had happened, but it was impossible. She was on her feet, locked up and without any recent memory. She looked down at her body and saw her naked skin covered in red. For a moment she thought it was blood and she was afraid. What have they done to me? She felt her arm and found that it was not blood. Something was wrong with her skin; she only hoped it would not be permanent.
Her feet felt cold. She saw they were submerged in some viscous substance, like oil, which reached to her ankles. The soles of her feet hurt terribly and she felt weak. The pod was filled with a whitish substance, like mist, which floated around her body. When she breathed she could see it coming in through her nostrils. What on earth are they doing to me? she thought uneasily. Luckily the substance did not seem harmful, but she felt invaded, outraged. She stopped breathing, but realized at once it was a stupid thing to do. She had no choice, she would have to breathe.
“Bastards! What are you doing to us?” she shouted, but once again the sound did not penetrate the pod. Pure wrath came over her, and she beat at the glass as hard as she could with both fists. She shouted and went on battering at it until the pain made her stop. Full of frustration, she knew she would not be able to break it. She looked behind her and saw that the back part of the pod was metal. She hit it with fists, elbows… but that too was useless. All she managed to do was hurt herself more. Finally she stopped, furious at her own fruitless attempts. She was exhausted. It seemed to be unbreakable, at least without a weapon. She would have given anything for a steel bar to hit the walls of the pod with.
I wonder why they’ve put us in here? What have they got in mind?
She leaned her face against the glass and tried to find out where they were. She looked for Idana and found her beside Yosane, two pods down to the right. Her eyes also showed fear, but when she saw Kyra’s eyes on her, she smiled wanly. Between her two friends she saw Lian and Urda. Lian’s face was as pale as if she had seen a ghost. The usual arrogance she sheltered behind was gone completely. Urda was glaring left and right, her thick brow furrowed; she looked genuinely worried.
Kyra counted six pods in all in front of her own, forming a semicircle, with two more on her right and left. She guessed there would be six on her side too, also forming a semicircle, although she could not see them properly: one for each of the prisoners. She estimated that there were about ten paces between her and her two friends. The chamber must be circular. Walls and floor were marble-white and shone spotlessly.
A sense of something ominous began to grow in her stomach, and no matter how hard she tried she could not get rid of it. Suddenly two Eyes-of-the-Gods walked into the chamber, one from each end, and came to stand in front of them in the middle of the room. Kyra tensed. Something was about to happen. The Eyes threw themselves on the floor and remained prone, in total submission. Kyra knew what this meant: The Golden God.
And as if on cue, the hated deity came into the chamber, moving as if hovering, without touching the ground. He stopped right in the middle, between the two semicircles of prisoners.
“Adamis…” She remembered his name, as if it came out of a deep nightmare.
Kyra could not take off her eyes of that graceful being with gold-colored skin, in shining scaled armor and with a long transparent cloak hanging from his slender shoulders. At a gesture of the God the Eyes got to their feet, brought out their silver books and went over every one of the pods, taking notes. When they had finished they stood to one side in silence with their heads bowed, like respectful statues. What the hell are they doing? Kyra thought, feeling more and more nervous. Her stomach lurched when she imagined the atrocities this being might have in store for them.
Suddenly somebody else came into the chamber.
Another God!
He
walked with determination. His golden skin and slenderness were unmistakable. He was dressed like Adamis: a long white tunic with silver trimming and over it, solid armor of silver which covered him from neck to thighs. His limbs too were protected with greaves and gauntlets, also of silver. From his shoulders, protected by plates, hung an almost transparent cloak. At his waist were two short swords with simple pommels, no precious stones. After a ceremonious greeting, he came to stand behind Adamis, who seemed to have been waiting for him.
Kyra swallowed. The new God was very tall, a whole foot taller than Adamis. He was also much broader in the shoulders and more muscular. From his physique, Kyra guessed this must be some powerful warrior. His head was clean-shaven except for a long braid which fell from the nape of his neck down his back. He was much more athletic than Adamis, and the features of his face were not as beautiful and delicate; there was a hint of… brutality in them. Seeing them together Kyra guessed this must be a lord and a warrior, perhaps his bodyguard. Watching those two Gods before her gave her such an icy chill that she shivered.
And then something terrible as well as unbelievable happened. Wide-eyed with awe, she saw not one, not two, but eight Golden Gods walk into the room. They came forward: slender, their skin the color of old gold, powerful, divine, lords and masters of everything before their eyes. They walked with the assurance and arrogance which belonged to those who were owners of the world. If the vision of the first God had shocked Kyra, seeing that group together, with that aura of power which surrounded them, terrified her. For a long moment she could not breathe. When she recovered, her heart sank. She had always doubted that the Gods existed, and if they really did, she had never imagined there could be more than a few of them. She did not know how many, but unconsciously she had thought there could be no more than a handful. Yet here alone, gathered before her, were ten. And then the horrible truth hit her with the force of a wild bull charging. That enormous and magnificent city in the middle of the sea, with its five great rings: how many Gods dwelt in it? How many, by the heavens?
When they had arrived Kyra had just seen Enforcers of the Gods and slaves; perhaps that had encouraged her idea that the Gods could be counted on the fingers of one hand. But now she came to think about it, it was not logical. If there were so few of them, why should they need such a huge city? What was more, why did they make humans produce things so ceaselessly while at the same time they starved them? How many Gods could there be in that accursed city? A hundred, a thousand? Even more? Kyra had no idea, but the mere possibility of a thousand filled her with horror.
The Gods walked into the chamber in twos, forming pairs in a strange parade. Kyra noticed at once that in each case a lord was accompanied by his bodyguard. They seemed to be coming to present their respects to Adamis, who waited in the center of the chamber. The first two were dressed in intense red, decorated with brilliant orange. Their armor was also red, but a darker tone, as if dyed in blood. The cloaks which fell from their shoulders gave the impression of having caught fire and were spreading it through the air as they passed.
They came up to Adamis, greeted him with sober bows and stood to one side. Watching the scene, considering what had taken place before, Kyra guessed Adamis was the host and the group his guests. The second pair of Gods wore soft blues, with different hues intermingled. Their armor on the other hand was an intense indigo. As they moved, their cloaks seemed to sway like the waves of a calm sea. These were followed by two Gods dressed in brown and ochre. The cuirasses on their chests seemed to be of pure rock and their cloaks, an earthy brown, to have been made out of the side of a mountain. Finally the last pair, in shades of warm white, reached the center of the chamber and greeted their host. Their cloaks appeared so light and delicate that when a breath of air lifted them they did not fall back to touch the floor.
Kyra was spellbound, not missing a detail. So strange was the scene that she nearly forgot her fears. What was this weird reunion? Who were these Gods?
The God-Host waved his hand. The four God Lords saluted him, then began to inspect the pods containing the prisoners, while their bodyguards waited with stoical expressions. Adamis did not move. The God in bright red approached Kyra at once and stared inquisitively at her through the glass. His face, though its features were delicate, did not have Adamis’ beauty: on the contrary, it was a cruel face. It was the eyes… bloodthirsty… red… and those curved lips which were smiling at her ruthlessly. Kyra, conscious of her nakedness and the fact that she was being examined like a sacrificial animal, felt so humiliated that she would willingly have put a dagger through the bloodshot eyes of this abominable creature.
Red, that is interesting… the God projected against Kyra’s mind. He gave her a crooked smile. Kyra felt the mental blow as if she had been slapped.
“Swine!” she cried furiously.
The face of the God darkened. His eyes shone with pure hatred. How dare you, you insolent slave! You’ll soon learn your place! There was such a load of malice in the words that Kyra’s mind blackened and a terrible migraine assailed her. She threw her head back, overborne. The God smiled a satisfied and malevolent smile. Kyra spat in his face, although the crystal prevented it from reaching him.
The God’s eyes opened wide with rage. You shall pay for this insolence. I shall tear off your skin in strips! The mental message was so strong that Kyra’s head hit the back of the pod.
The God in blue came forward. Kyra put her hands on her head; the pain was so excruciating she thought she would burst. The two Gods exchanged glances. Although their lips did not move and there was no sound whatsoever, she knew they were talking. The sinister God who had threatened her turned to examine her companions. Kyra immediately feared for Yosane. Unfortunately she could do nothing for her while she was trapped there, and felt as weak and powerless as an imprisoned animal.
For some time the four Gods examined the girls minutely, one by one. They took their time, observing not only their naked bodies, which were now painted in different colors, but the strange symbols on the pods above their heads. For some reason the four showed a greater interest in Kyra, which could only be bad for her, very bad. Anxiety was beginning to take its toll on her, and she was finding it difficult to breathe. After watching their behavior, walking calmly among them, inspecting them as if they were cattle in a market, Kyra was certain that this reunion of Gods, this event, was some sort of auction or sale. Adamis had invited these four Gods to show them the merchandise his Enforcers had brought him, and now he was going to sell them, like animals.
Yes, it makes sense… it also explains why I haven’t been raped yet: I’m more valuable to those degenerate golden-skinned monsters if I’m unspoiled. They’ve prepared us and now they’re putting us on show for the sale. Yes, that’s what’s happening. She closed her eyes and sighed heavily. Even though that might be the brutal fate awaiting her, she would never stop fighting, she would never give up, in spite of everything. Kyra looked with loathing at the God-Host, who returned an unfathomable look with his blue-gray eyes.
Behave, you are gambling with your destiny, Adamis warned her. The mental blow was clear and painless.
The warning caught her unawares; she was not expecting it from the haughty God. What did he care if she, a slave, survived or not? Survive… the word made her think of her brother Ikai. Yes, she had to survive and escape, and so she would. But she could not trust this God. Why should she, in that situation? She was his prisoner, his slave, she was at his mercy. No, she would never trust him, never. She half-closed her eyes and gave Adamis a glance of complete distrust. The mental message reached her at once.
You do not trust me. It is natural. But believe me when I tell you that your fate is about to be decided. I do not have time for explanations. Hold your tongue and your temper before the Lords, or you will suffer.
Kyra shook her head slowly at him. And in reply something reached her which totally confounded her. In her mind she began to hear voices, distant at first, stronger a
fter the first moment, growing louder. The voices clogged her mind, so that for an instant she believed she would lose her sanity. Closing her eyes hard she concentrated and managed to modulate and contain the voices. They began to make sense. She was listening to the conversation of the Gods. She could hear the mental voices of the four Lords, each different and unique. She shivered.
Adamis was staring at her. He must be relaying the conversation to her. Why? What did he want? Kyra thought for a moment, then she understood: he wanted her to trust him. He was allowing her to listen in on that private conversation, hoping to gain something of her trust in exchange. Kyra concentrated to avoid being overwhelmed as she had been before and listened inside her head, giving all her attention to it. In fact Adamis had surprised her with that move, and the best Kyra could do was to put all her senses into listening and try to find out what was going on. That way she might have a chance…
Respected Lords, Adamis said, bowing solemnly before the other four God-Lords, as is required by our law I here present to you the Selected Girls from the East. Before beginning the Ritual of Selection the representatives of the Five Royal Houses must inspect them and give their approval. This is required by the protocol to guarantee the equity and transparency of the ritual.
The four Lords returned the greeting, one by one, with brief but respectful bows. The Lord dressed in blue silk waved a hand at the pods. Twelve young girls. A scanty harvest, I must say.
Adamis nodded. The harvest can never be estimated beforehand. Twelve young girls is all that were available in the East. The fruits of the earth are not always those hoped-for, and the harvest is unpredictable. It is not possible to know how many will be born and will survive to reach the minimum qualities required.
In any case, said the Lord-God in brown, quantity is not the factor which most interests my house, the greatest purity of the fruits is what we seek.
Each noble house has its own priorities, Adamis said with a slight twist of his head, and it is nobody’s business to question them.