by Davis Ashura
Rukh was already long gone.
He raced far ahead of the dog-like Chims, but this time he was unable to shake them, even Blended as he was. The Ur-Fels had his scent, and they weren’t about to let him go. They kept after him. Rukh’s lungs burned, and he took a different tunnel, this one wide and tall.
He should have realized why because a moment later, he stood in another Balant breeder cavern, this one occupied with Balants on guard, although a few were sleeping. They hadn’t seen him yet, but they soon would, even with his Blend. He only had a few seconds before he would be discovered, and he put those seconds to good use.
He killed two breeders before the others knew what had happened. A Balant tried to corner him, and the dull creature reached to crush him in its massive paw. It hooted in pain when Rukh cut its hand off at the wrist. It swung a club. So slow. Rukh ducked the blow and stepped forward, thrusting up through the creature’s slack-jawed mouth, piercing its brain.
The room was in an uproar.
Perfect.
The other Balants were enraged and pounded after him, trampling a few Ur-Fels, who had just emerged into the chamber. As Rukh had hoped, the baboon-like Chims ended up blocking in the quicker dog-like Chims.
Rukh ran, trying to ignore the stitch in his side. He needed speed and distance. He could lie down when it was time to die.
The tunnel narrowed further, and the Balants couldn’t pass. Rukh glanced back, seeing one of them eyeing him hungrily as it hooted in anger. The thick-headed creature had the entire tunnel blocked and nothing could get past it. Rukh ran back, meaning to kill the stupid Chim. Somehow, the fragging creature blocked his blow with its club. A backswing smashed into his Shield, hurling him away as it almost crunched through his defenses. Rukh smashed into a wall, hitting his head hard. He stumbled to his feet and immediately fell to a knee. His vision blurred and his balance was off. He shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs.
Suwraith’s spit that hurt. His whole body ached, but at least nothing seemed to be broken.
Rukh glanced at the Balant, who was hooting in glee.
Laugh now, jackhole.
Rukh hurled a Fireball. The force of it punched clear through the creature, taking the Balant directly behind it as well.
He felt a momentary triumph but quickly realized maybe the Fireball hadn’t been so wise. His Jivatma was growing thin. Blending took a lot out of him, and that Fireball…he should have just run. Worse, with his momentary distraction, he no longer knew where the fragging Ur-Fels were. He couldn’t hear them. They must have taken a different route, and if he didn’t get out of here, they would have him trapped against the corpse of the Balant filling the passageway.
Unless…
He slithered past the dead Balant and the one directly behind it. The tunnel beyond was empty, all the way back to the breeder’s cavern.
He shook his head in disbelief at his luck. Dead-tired as he was, there was still one last thing he could do.
The Balant breeder’s cavern was unprotected, and the beasts within were quickly silenced.
There. One more cavern cleared.
Afterward, he sheathed his sword and squatted, taking great gulps of air. His arms and legs were noodle-weak. Fighting, running, and conducting Jivatma non-stop took its toll.
Eventually some strength returned, and Rukh levered himself back to his feet. He leaned against a wall, resting as long as possible.
An arrow sliced across his right biceps, ripping open the skin. He Shielded. The next two arrows bounced harmlessly away. He looked for the source of the attack. The fragging Ur-Fels. They’d doubled back. They must have heard the Balant breeders’ cries while Rukh was killing them.
Time to run again. This time, he couldn’t risk drawing Jivatma to quicken his pace. He could maintain a Shield or increase his speed but not both. Not anymore. There wasn’t enough Jivatma left in his Well.
He ran with only the speed of his weary legs to carry him forward. It felt like he was running in sand, like he’d been fighting for hours. Who knew? Maybe he had. He was tired, maybe too tired to win this race. The Ur-Fels pounded after him. They wouldn’t give up. Not this time. Not after what he’d done to them. They wouldn’t stop until either he was dead or they were.
He heard growls and hisses from up ahead.
Unholy hells.
Tigons and Braids.
Rukh took an adjoining passageway. This one was different. The walls were more roughly hewn, and it was dimmer. There were only a few lanterns mounted here, barely providing any light at all. The darkness might actually work to his advantage.
The Ur-Fels didn’t need to see him to hunt him down. They had his scent, but the Tigons and Braids…they relied on their vision. They might overlook him in the dark passage. Maybe he’d even find a way to lose the Ur-Fels down here, too.
Rukh made his way down the tunnel as fast as he could. The sound of pursuit slowly faded. It was replaced by muttered growls and barks of fury. It sounded like the Tigons and the Ur-Fels were arguing about something.
Whatever it was, Rukh hoped it kept them occupied long enough for him to escape. Otherwise, he was well and truly fragged. He followed the rough tunnel, moving as quickly as he could given the gloom within it.
A large hand reached out from an unseen passage and grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against the wall. “You should not have delved so deep, foul creature,” it growled.
Rukh grabbed the gripping arm, ready to break it…but…wait. He knew that voice. “Choke? Li-Choke? Is that you?”
He was abruptly dropped. “Devesh does have a sense of humor. Rukh Shektan?”
Rukh couldn’t see in the dimness until several torches were lit. He stood in a cavern, much like the ones in which the breeders were housed, and standing before him was Li-Choke and a dozen or so Baels, ranging in age from a white hair to a young one barely up to Rukh’s chest.
Rukh would have been afraid if he wasn’t so damn tired. Choke might be a friend. He didn’t know, but even if he was, the others didn’t look particularly friendly. He couldn’t take them all, and he couldn’t run, not with his legs as rubbery as they were.
“It is a Human, covered in the blood of Tigons and Balants,” said the old one. He sniffed again. “And Ur-Fels.” He fixed Rukh with a glare. “What is your purpose here?”
“Surely you alone aren’t the cause of all the noise and uproar taking place in the caverns?” another one asked.
Rukh had actually been hoping for just this particular moment, and with Aia’s promise, he didn’t intend to waste this opportunity.
“Ashoka has learned of the caverns here. We mean to disrupt Suwraith’s plans for the spring by killing all the breeders,” Rukh said. “It was, Li-Dirge who told me of this place, and he named me his brother.” While he had no real fraternal affection for the deceased SarpanKum, he had respected the commander. And more importantly, the Baels seemed to have a special love for the word ‘brother’. Maybe they’d give him a chance to explain himself before gutting him.
“He named you his brother?” the old one asked, suspiciously.
“Choke must have told you what happened on the Flats,” Rukh said.
“He spoke of it. And now, after centuries of slaughter, you consider the Baels to be your brothers?” the old one jeered.
“No,” Rukh said. While a lie might have smoothed his way with the Baels, he suspected they would have detected it. Besides, the truth might serve far better. “But I came to believe in Dirge’s vision. He spoke of a world at peace, and I hope that I might see it come to pass.” Rukh’s words caused a stir amongst the Baels. He took it as a good sign. Other than the old one, a few of the others didn’t seem quite as hostile. He still gazed at Rukh with suspicion and distrust. “I don’t think of the Baels as my brothers, but I wish I could. I wish I had a reason to,” Rukh added.
“It is a start,” Choke said. “The SarpanKum would have been overjoyed to hear this.” He turned to the old one. “Leav
e it be, Li-Chant.”
“The SarpanKum was a Bael of vision and wisdom,” the old one said, “but how can we trust this man? He is Human. They hate us. They have always hated us.”
“Trust begins as Li-Dirge taught, with a dropped weapon,” Rukh said, letting his sheathed sword slip from his hand.
Another stir, and this time, even Li-Chant appeared impressed. The old Bael nodded. “So be it. Your life is yours,” Chant said. “But what happens next?”
Rukh had a thousand questions, first and foremost: why were the Baels hiding down here? And it was clear they were hiding given the ragged and grimy state of their fur and clothing. And where were the rest of their kind? Did no more than this bare dozen here still live?
Questions would have to wait. Something more pressing took precedence.
“What happens next is we have to run,” Rukh said, bending to retrieve his sword. “A couple nests of Ur-Fels and a claw of Tigons along with what sounds like two traps of Braids are on my tail. They’ll be here any minute.” Rukh listened and heard the unmistakable sound of pursuit. “Make that seconds.”
“The Ur-Fels are still loyal to us,” Li-Choke said, stepping out into the passageway, followed by the other Baels, who arranged themselves behind him, their tridents and whips at the ready.
Rukh was about to follow, but Li-Chant held him back. “Leave this to us. If the Ur-Fels see you, there will be no reasoning with them.”
Rukh reluctantly agreed. He wasn’t sure what the Baels had in mind, but he had to trust them.
After the old Bael left, taking his torch with him, the chamber was enclosed in darkness and Rukh was left to ponder his next move. One thing was for sure: there was no way he was going to wait inside this cave like a lamb waiting for the slaughter. Rukh Blended and edged outside, sliding behind the Baels. He drifted deeper into the passage, stopping once he was hidden in the darkness, well beyond the light of torches held by the Baels.
The Chimeras who had been pursuing him finally arrived. They stumbled to a confused halt when faced by the Baels.
“Your time past,” a Tigon said, thrusting to the front. “The Queen kill you.”
Li-Chant laughed in his face. He barked several commands, gesturing with his trident. The Ur-Fels ceased their growling and listened. Their attention infuriated the Tigons, who began laying into the dog-like Chims with sword and claw. It was the signal to set off a melee with the Baels and the Ur-Fels against the Tigons and the Braids.
Rukh could have helped, but Chant’s words held him back. If he were seen, the Baels would lose the Ur-Fels as allies.
The battle was evenly matched, and it ended just as quickly as it began, with a final Tigon dying upon the prongs of Choke’s trident. All the Ur-Fels and Braids were also dead as were several Baels. Rukh counted six of them still standing. The youngest of their number was amongst those who had fallen, and so was Li-Chant.
The passage echoed like the quiet after a storm.
Li-Choke shuddered when he saw Chant’s body lying face up, a horrific, bloody rent tearing open his chest.
Rukh carefully stepped forward, passing by several Baels, who rumbled at him. He kept his hands from his sword. He didn’t want any trouble. Not now when he might get all of them out of this mess with their skin intact. He stopped beside Choke. “I can’t stay,” he said. “I still have a mission.”
Choke nodded.
Rukh knew what he had to do, but questions still burned in his mind. “What happened here?” he asked.
Choke frowned. “You mean why are the Baels hiding in these dark caves like frightened mice?” he asked. “Mother exterminated all the commanders at the Hunters Flats. You saw what She did. She intended the same here, but She couldn’t do it Herself, not without also killing Her breeders. She is like a living hurricane. If She had entered the caverns, She would have erased all life from the tunnels. She cannot contain Her powers for the fine work needed to kill the Baels and leave the rest of Her Chimeras alive.”
“She commanded the other Chimeras to kill you instead,” Rukh guessed. “And you hid down here where they wouldn’t find you.”
Choke nodded. “The Ur-Fels remained loyal to us. They brought us food and water and did not reveal our location to the Tigons. The Ur-Fels and the Tigons have always hated one another.”
“What will you do now?” Rukh asked. “If my people are able to defeat the Chimeras, they will find you eventually. They’ll kill all of you.”
Choke shrugged. “We will have to avoid them then.”
“You could come with me,” Rukh suggested. “I can Blend you and get you out of here.”
“Where would we go?”
“If the Queen doesn’t know you live, you could go anywhere.”
“And where in this world would the Baels be safe?” Choke asked, bitterly. “The cities of men where we are rightfully reviled? Or the Wildness where Mother holds sway?”
“She doesn’t bother with the Kesarins, the Shylows, very much.”
“The great cats have little love for us, either.”
“I spoke to one of them, a female named Aia. She’s the daughter of one of the leaders of their glarings. Aia says she can ensure your safety.”
Rukh quickly explained about the Shylows, and the conversations he had with Aia. When she had first invaded the expedition’s camp, he had requested safe harbor for the Baels. At the time, he hadn’t been sure why he had asked her for something so treasonous. While he had come to believe the Baels had truly done their best to protect Humanity over the centuries since Hammer’s fall, he still wasn’t sure what the one-time Chimera commanders were to him. Why should he protect them? All his life, he’d been taught extinction was their just reward. A part of him still believed that, even with what he now knew was probably the truth about their nature.
But, something that night, the loneliness of it all maybe, had sparked him to change his opinion. He wanted to see the Baels live. If Suwraith came for Ashoka next spring, a few of her former commanders wouldn’t tip the balance one way or another. And Rukh didn’t think they would be fighting alongside the other Chimeras of the Fan Lor Kum. Not if Dirge had been telling the truth, which Rukh believed to be the case. The Baels deserved life, not extermination, and Rukh wanted to help see it happen; even if doing so was considered wrong by everyone else, it felt right. Besides, he’d done enough killing today.
Aia had come back with her answer during the time when Rukh had been scouting ahead all alone.
“She says the Kesarins would allow the Baels entrance to the Flats and leave them undisturbed, so long as they kept to themselves,” Rukh told the remaining Baels.
Choke blinked, and he looked surprised. “It is a generous offer,” he said. “One I can scarce believe offered by a son of Humanity.”
“Will you come?” Rukh asked. He hoped Choke would say ‘yes’.
“We will come,” the Bael replied.
The others gathered around, and Li-Choke explained Rukh’s offer. The others murmured amongst themselves, sounding hopeful.
“We have to go,” Rukh said, feeling a rush of pleasure and excitement over what he was about to do. “We need to get to the southernmost entrance before the warriors finish off the Chims. I don’t think I can get you past them otherwise, not if they’re blocking the way out.”
They set off, and Rukh Blended all of them. The sound of conflict was dying off, and there were few Chimeras left to defend the caverns. The Ashokans still searched, looking for any final enemies to slay. Rukh avoided the squads of his fellow warriors even more carefully than he did the Chimeras. The Murans and Rahails could sense his Blend better than Ur-Fels, Braids, or Tigons. His shoulders were tight with tension the entire way.
Luck must have remained with him. Somehow, they made it unnoticed and unchallenged to the southern entrance; the one Rukh had entered hours before this night of blood and death. It was light outside, early morning. Rukh had been fighting and killing for hours. The Baels crowded behind him, and
he glanced at them, seeing their anxious expressions. At least there was a chance he could save some lives today instead of only ending them.
Rukh pointed south along the banks of the Slave River. “Head past the Tripwire, then cut east. Aia says she’ll find you there and lead you to safety.”
Li-Choke took his hand, shaking it as a man might. It was an unnatural and awkward gesture for the Bael. “Thank you Rukh Shektan. We owe you our lives.” The other Baels murmured similar words.
“Just remember what I told you and get moving. If anyone sees you out here, you’re dead,” Rukh said.
Li-Choke nodded and led his Baels away.
Rukh watched them swiftly march off into the distance, feeling an unexpected kinship with the Baels. They finally disappeared from view, and he breathed a sigh of relief. The entrance to the caverns was still empty. No one had seen the Baels leave or witnessed his role in their departure. If they had, Marshall Tanhue wouldn’t have bothered with a tribunal back in Ashoka. He’d have ordered Rukh killed right there on the spot.
But Rukh figured his actions and the accompanying risk had been worth it.
As he had led the Baels through the caverns, it had become clear that the Ashokans had won a great victory here today. Rukh felt like he had won one as well, though a different kind. His life had been hard the past four or five weeks, but in the end, maybe he had found a way to redeem his pain. There had to be more to life than simply killing one’s enemies. Maybe it had something to do with changing an enemy into a friend. And maybe he could change the hearts of the Ashokans as well. He hoped so.
He turned away and re-entered the gloom of the tunnel.
Time to find out who was still alive.
“Do you have a moment,” Jessira asked, closing the door to the House Library.
Jaresh was alone, reading a history or some such. It was how he typically spent his free time these days. Jaresh wasn’t sulky or surly, but ever since Rukh had apparently spoken to him a few weeks back, warning his younger brother about his relationship with Mira, he had been distant. And after that meeting, Jaresh had thrown himself into his work, with hardly ever a free moment.