by Tom Rogal
“Night Predators. I was on my way back when a group of them were in the distance. I was hoping they’d go west more, but headed in my direction instead. I climbed the tree and hid until they passed but there were so many of them so I couldn’t get down right away. You came running before I had a chance.”
“Where do we go?” asked Divi.
“Far away from this place. They know we’re here. If we don’t get out of here we’re going to have the whole band on us.”
Divi began to run. Her steps seemed easier, unhindered----because she wasn’t carrying something very important.
“Wait! We have to go back for my staff!” Sure, she didn’t know how to cast magic, but even she was proud of the day she earned it by completing basic telekinetics training. Plus, if she eventually did learn magic, she would need it.
“Why?”
“I only get one in my lifetime. If I lose it, I’ll never get another one again. Please!”
He did not agree with it, but decided to follow her advice. He knew that their only hope to survive this was to either reach the coast, which was still days away, or to reach the sancaratis. It was a word used by their ancestors that meant “sanctuary.” There were two such locations, with the other being further northeast and better known, as it resembled a city because of its multiple structures. This one, while humbler, was more importantly not too far from where they currently were---but with the Night Predators already giving chase, it wasn’t going to be easy.
Both were now running at almost full speed. The Night Predators roared so loudly that the entire forest seemed to echo their cries. He began to run faster, so fast that Divi seemed to find it difficult to stay with him. The dry earth under them kicked up with each step. The sounds of the enemy were getting closer. Combined with their heavy breathing and twigs snapping under their feet, no crevice in the forest was silent.
As they passed between two large, old trees, three Night Predators charged out. Levus disabled one of them by cutting its torso in half. As he did, the sword glowed a bright orange before going dark. One of the two came after Divi while the other sought revenge against Levus.
She could see their old camp in the distance, but could feel her pursuer getting closer. She leapt over a log and ran a few feet before turning to face her attacker, knowing she couldn’t outrun it much longer. It, too, jumped over the log, ready to pounce on her and make the kill. Divi closed her eyes and concentrated, using her telekinetic powers---and the log---to take out the creature’s legs from under it. It landed with a thud on the forest floor. She then lifted the log and brought its full weight down on the Night Predator. With the creature disabled, Divi sprinted toward the camp. More loud grunts behind her. She could not look back this time, though. It slowed her down and she was so close.
Levus saw Divi’s maneuver and wanted to chase after her, but he had his own problems. It seemed like with every one of them he killed, three more would spawn from these cursed woods. He had to get moving or else they would tire him out completely. Levus eventually stabbed the one he was facing off with, but the one behind him instantly took his fallen ally’s role. He had to seal off the group behind him, even if just for a minute. That would give him enough time to catch up with Divi, who was just about at the camp.
He looked furiously around the area. The creature that was faced was so aggressive that it backed him into a tree. It looked for the finishing blow, but missed and struck the tree, which rocked when the blade hit it. The solution then presented itself. More than half the trunk was already cut. Perhaps some woodcutters had been trying to take it and the Night Predators got to them before they could finish. Yet it looked like the tree was supported by something besides the weakened trunk. Levus glanced up to find his answer. A branch from the adjoining tree was the crutch that held the tree up. He quickly sheathed his sword and began to climb furiously up the old trunk.
Ancient bark fluttered off with his every advancement. Levus finally reached a sturdy branch halfway up. He turned around to see at least forty Night Predators had surrounded the trunk . . . and a couple who decided to climb it. He had to get moving, as the crutch was still at least another ten feet up.
Levus was astonished at the skill of these creatures. Not only did they know how to fight, but they knew how to climb like trained professionals could. These were no ordinary beasts.
He finally reached the branch after many near falls, which would have resulted in death with a hoard of Night Predators waiting on the bottom. He could hear the rasping sounds below him, the tree shaking. Most the creatures there were now climbing furiously up the trunk. The first group was no more than five feet away, on the branch right below him. Levus unsheathed his weapon and aimed it at the branch. The creatures were now on the branch.
Levus brought down the magnificent blade, which glowed orange again as it cut through the ancient wood easily. The tree began to tilt. He was close to falling off, but caught another branch. The Night Predators on the ground tried to hustle and get out of the way. The ones on the tree panicked so much that many fell off before the tree collided with the very earth that brought it up. Levus was tossed to the ground as it hit, knocking the wind out of him for a few seconds. There was no time to waste. He quickly got up and fought his way through the dead twigs. The Night Predators were too confused to even worry about Levus. He sprinted hard toward the camp and Divi.
At the edge of the clearing, Divi spotted her staff right where she thought it was. Her blanket partial covered it, perhaps the only reason these creatures didn’t take it. Including the two behind her, there were seven Night Predators within range. Not the best of odds, but it was the hand she was dealt. When she reached the edge of their makeshift dwelling, Divi dropped and rolled. The two behind her had pounced and her sudden movement made them miss. As her roll, she grabbed onto her staff. By the time she stood up, the other five creatures became aware of her presence. She might not have known how to use magic, but she was good for a mage at fighting at close quarters thanks to her father’s influence. Of all the negative opinions about him that she held, considering the circumstances, this was something he had done right.
Two attacked her, their swords raised. She used her staff to block all the shots, but their speed was making things difficult. Levus, where are you? A third one got involved in the assault.
To Divi’s delight, Levus finally arrived, taking out two Night Predators on the outskirts trying to sneak up on her. As they fell, the ones attacking Divi gazed at Levus. He returned it with a smiled. Their yellow and dark green eyes seemed to magnify their hatred, glowing as their pupils shrunk even without much light. They charged, driven with revenge. Levus brought his sword back as an orange aura grew around him. The Night Predators, to his surprise, didn’t slow down even though they were curious about the change in color surrounding their target. When Kile and he were in the same position as the creatures, their legs became paralyzed just being the target of a Technique. What made them different?
Levus yelled, “Circle of Fate!”
He charged through the circle that appeared in front of him. Something was different this time that he used his technique. He could see what he was doing! Previously he had blacked out during the mysterious move. Now he could see as he met the Night Predators’ charge. He saw as his arms began to move extremely fast in front of him, almost as if they were disembodied. He saw the three Night Predators in front of him disappear. His attack finished and he looked back where he killed them. Nothing remained except one of the enemy’s swords, which fell to the ground.
Divi ran up to him and looked into his eyes. She could see the confusion in them, but this was no time for questions.
“Levus, where to?”
“Follow me.”
Before they could move, one creature grabbed the leather strap that held her staff on her back. Levus cut off the creature’s hand off by the wrist, black blood spewing from the wound. Even their blood is so strange!
The two of them set
off, retracing their steps toward the sancaratis. For the first couple miles, they ran without pursuit. Maybe the Night Predators had finally given up on them and decided to catch much easier prey. No sooner did she think this than a large group of Night Predators appeared behind them. There had to be hundreds of them!
Nearby, a small cliff overshadowed a creek. Levus grabbed her hand as they neared the edge and leaped together. It was about a twenty-foot drop, but they landed safely in the rushing creek. The cool water felt nice on Divi’s legs, but they waded out just as soon as they landed. It was difficult to sprint now, though, because their wet boots made their feet heavy. Levus took a quick look behind him. The Night Predators did not even give the cliff a second thought. They all jumped down, many crashing into fallen tree trunks. Yet, almost all of them survived and continued their hot pursuit.
What was that in the distance? Levus smiled faintly as he put whatever energy he had into sprinting forward. “Divi! This way!”
She tried to keep up with Levus, but was always a step behind. Ahead she did begin to see what appeared to be some type of stony temple, which was the typical design for religious practices at the time, shaped in a four-sided pyramid. The Night Predators were about twenty feet away. Two stone pillars were about ten feet. The creatures prepared to attack.
Levus yelled, “Jump!”
Both Levus and Divi jumped between the two pillars. Landing, they began to roll down a short slope. For the next few seconds, all they could see was a blur of green as they crashed through shrubbery. At the bottom, both looked up at their attackers. They were shocked! The Night Predators just stood behind the pillars in an insurmountable rage.
The head of the group, the one who originally attacked Divi, moved in front of the rest. It stared down at the two tired individuals. It was angry, yet calm at the same time. That ominous blade also stared into their eyes. Finally, at a loud roar from their leader, they began to back away.
With a sigh of relief, Divi turned to Levus, who was looking up at something.
All he said was, “Thank you, ancestors.”
Divi jumped, seeing the huge statue on a pillar behind them. It looked like a man holding his hand out as if to warn individuals to go no further. She remained mesmerized by it as Levus walked around the statue. She secured her staff on her back as she joined him.
Divi asked, “What is this place? Why did they stop?”
Levus explained, “This was originally the first settlements of the human race after leaving the caves. It was pronounced sacred by the high priests a long time ago. It has become a sanctuary for all humans. Night Predators won’t enter. They’re afraid of something here.”
He walked on, but Divi remained standing in place. She still was not too sure about this place. All the statues and the ominous shadows they cast made her spine tingle.
“Come on! We’ll be safe! At daybreak, we’ll head for the coastal caves. At least get out of these woods.”
Divi followed Levus through the ruined settlement. All she could make out of it were statues and pillars. Where was this temple she saw? Was she seeing things? After a few minutes, they reached a circle of stones with a very small pool in the middle. It reminded her of the fountain in the market square of Myyril, which was not much larger. Yet this was not what caught Divi’s gaze. At the other end of the circle, a pathway lead to a nicely-sized temple. All its stones were either broken or eroded away by the wind and weather. The terrible wind that they felt in the forest had subsided to a breeze that blowed in the trees. It was as if the leaves were consuming the frozen spite of the wind. She believed she could feel a strong magical bond here, too. It must be from the ritual that Levus had spoken of.
She found him sitting on a white stone bench, taking inventory with what they still had. They’d lost one bag at the camp, and unfortunately it was the one with all the warm blankets. There was no way either was going to retrieve it. Levus carried the satchel with food, so they didn’t lose everything.
Divi joined him as he finished, pebbles rattling under her steps. When she sat next to him, her animal skin skirt did little to protect her from the frigid stone, and she had to adjust her staff to find a comfortable position. When she was finally in order, she turned to face Levus, who looked up at the stars, seeming to wander the heavens with his gaze.
Suddenly, he said, “I used to look every night into the sky. I’d stare at the moons, the stars. I always tried to reassure myself that somewhere my father was watching the same sky as I was.”
Divi remained quiet, turning her focus at the ground.
Levus noticed her emotional change when she didn’t reply right away. She looked down. He scooted closer to her. He almost thought he saw a tear roll down her cheek.
“Everything okay?”
Divi replied, “Yeah. Sorry. I guess I’m just a little sad. You have hope. Mine . . . I don’t even know what they did with his body.”
Levus did not know what to say. Her reason for returning was becoming much clearer to him. Divi didn’t want to get back to Porsita to re-united with her father. She wanted to find his body. Levus wasn’t so sure about hope on his end. Unlike her dad, no one had seen his in over ten years. He truthfully would have been surprised if he saw his dad alive again.
He said, “Hey, we’ll find out what happened to him and the rest of the mages. We just need to ask the right people. Sarya and Jeris were not one the right ones. We’d better get some rest. We’ve got a busy day tomorrow.”
He stood up and went to the small pond. Divi remained on the bench. What did he mean by “the right ones”? Although she didn’t initially trust Sarya, she’d won Divi over by her kindness.
She asked, “Levus, why didn’t you want me to talk about Myyril when we were with Jeris and Sarya?”
Stopping in his tracks, Levus dropped his head so he was looking at the ground. Divi knew it was something serious.
“The people on this continent don’t like mages . . . well, they hate them, actually. I doubt our stay with Sarya would have been as kind if they knew or noticed your staff. I guess about three hundred years ago, a group of wizards from Myyril began to invade the south. Killed everyone that got in their way. Cordca stepped in and helped drive them back. It led to the fall of the Volcannin Dynasty as it proved it couldn’t protect its people. The only evidence of their takeover today is a magically sealed cave at the extreme tip of the continent. There is always a guard there since the armistice.”
“Why do you trust me then? I’m a mage.”
“My dad once told me that things in the past should stay there. The past is there to learn from so we don’t make the same mistakes. If that were the case, there would be no more wars. It happened a long time ago. No one is probably even alive still from that time. Besides, it’s my nature to help those in need regardless of race.”
Levus waited to see if she’d respond, but was met only with silence. There would not be any more questions asked tonight, so he went to lie down next to the pond. She continued to sit motionless, almost blending in with the rest of the statues.
If only he knew. A good portion of the wizards involved in that incident were alive and well in Myyril . . . at least before this latest visit to Porsita, they were. Dinermar told her about the incident as it happened two hundred years before she was born. Not even he knew why Neeza did it. She always believed Dinermar was trying to use it as a bridge for the two of them to talk again and be a happy family. It didn’t work out quite that way. Levus obviously was not very cultured; maybe the entire continent was lacking in education. If he were, he would have known that both Myyril and the residents of the kingdom of Lozela outlived generations of regular humans. Her friends in Myyril, though she had few, were enemies here. That must have been why they arrived at Porsita in the black of night. That, and from what Dinermar had told her, the cave, supposedly located at the southern tip of Dyyros, was always magically sealed. Her father was trying to break it for some reason.
Divi’s quadri
cep muscles suddenly began to tighten on her when she attempted to stand. She was so relieved that they were resting that the soreness of her muscles had never crossed her mind. She rubbed it until it finally eased up. Lifting her legs onto the bench, she lay down on her side. The position had her looking straight at Levus. Perhaps it was fate that she met up with this native of the land. If what he said was true, no one would have accepted her. It would have just been like in Myyril, only worse. That pounding in her chest began again. She almost wished it would stop, almost. She had an inkling what she was feeling, but also knew what would happen if they . . . got together romantically. She couldn’t do that to him. Sleep, Divi. That will fix everything. Her thoughts faded away as her heavy eyes could stay open no longer.
***
The next morning dawned gloriously. Jeris had gone outside for his usual stroll after consuming more than enough wine already. Whatever that stuff he found earlier was, made him feel happier, like he didn’t have a care in the world.
The wind was not heavy and the sun shined brightly. It was the kind of day one was used to seeing in Porsita. The sun made the charred buildings look beautiful again. Jeris fancied the idea and the idea of all the people returning to the streets and bartering just as before. A large smile enticed his face. It was if he had been born anew again. Jeris began to skip through the molten streets of the quiet town, singing a song of joy.
He could see the people cheering him on from their partially broken houses, wanting him to be the leader and bring their spirits up again. He waved at one of the folk in front of the mangled animal trough. Taking a shortcut through a nearby alley, he continued his jubilee of song. He even began to dance with one of the homeless citizens near the broken garbage containers.
At the end of the alley, Jeris’ illusion ended abruptly. Along with the rest of his unit, Kile stopped on his dragon-beast making their way north from the docks. Jeris strained his eyes as all he could see of the individual was his silhouette.