Ra' van (Book Three of the Items Trilogy)

by H. Lee Morgan, Jr

  Zara stood as a formidable woman in her own right, but all came to fear even to glance at Kyri. The female Makkien is the largest and deadly of the Big Three fiends. Black and reddish stripes wrapped around her entire body from head to twitching tail. Her white breast contrasted beautifully to the markings that would break up her form out in the wild. Two, fifteen inch long sabers descended from her mouth and looked like polished pearls with a deadly purpose. Every now and then smoke would escape from her maw or nostrils and after a meal it smelled like charred meat. Large pads and legs held the massive frame while she kept her curved claws from extending out.

  A warm pink nose nudged Zara’s shoulder and she looked up into her partner’s large brown eyes. “We must go, Zara. Our fathers will not take kindly to our dallying now that he knows we’ve arrived.”

  “You’re right, my sister.”

  For the second time in their lives they walked through the grand city that they could only see from a great distance. But an escort of fifteen Royal Guardsmen positioned themselves around the two and led them up to the palace.

  Winter had only just begun, but already a foot of snow blanketed the rugged lands and frigid winds forced the people into heavy clothing to keep warm. The mountains to the north were no longer solely snowcapped, but nearly completely white with evergreen trees dotting the landscape. Continuous clouds hung overhead, blocking out any direct sunlight while showing itself to be building again for another snowy downpour.

  Ra’van’s streets remained full of life during this midday hour and continued trading, buying and selling. The wealth of the greatest land showed everywhere as nearly every building had been constructed from different shades of marble. Smoke billowed out from nearly every chimney to keep the inhabitants warm, but here in the lower, poorer section of the city a great many homeless try to survive each day by begging or doing the odd job befitting of their item. The saddest to look upon were the itemless. They had no future to strive for.

  Nearly all were slaves. Those who weren’t were careful to hide such facts.

  The long roads were constantly being swept to keep the snow from making passage through the vast city impossible. Leftover marble had been repurposed for the road they traveled upon. People parted as the seventeen bodies moved up the subtle incline to reach the next siege wall.

  Ra’van is designed with five great siege walls that become more difficult to breach than the last. The first stone wall, at the base of the slightly mountainous city, stands at fifty feet tall and twenty deep. The next is ten feet taller and five deeper. It grows the same for the next two walls till it reaches the fifth that stands nearly a hundred and fifty feet in the air and sixty deep. Never in Ra’van’s history has the fourth wall been breached, but the fifth stands like a great, untouched monolith or sentinel that stands guard over the entire city.

  None impeded the progress of the princess or her partner, but stares from the people made the pair highly uncomfortable. Not one person seemed happy.

  Then Kyri stated in an uncertain purr “Zara, look around us. Is it me or are there many more Guard’s than when we initially left back in the spring?”

  “I had hoped it was only me.” Zara replied and glanced upon all of the red clad warriors, healers and specialists. “I remember seeing a few of their faces back when we fought against Freelan, but how have they reached the city before us? Very few creatures can outrun you, even if we didn’t rush back here. Look at how they are staring at us… something has happened.”

  The Makkien lord remained silent, but couldn’t disagree. They moved to walk closer together and Zara clutched her partner’s coat for support and Kyri didn’t mind the connection.

  Together they silently moved further up the main street.

  “We’ll take the princess from here.” Stated a King’s Guard captain as they and their escorts reached the fifth gate. The three large men and two women with the golden armlet signifying their station as her father’s elite guard made the fifteen who escorted Zara and Kyri seem utterly insignificant. The King’s Guard are the very best of Ra’van and the most dangerous. Each and every one are level five and have received the greatest training and best supplies the nation had to offer. All of the fifteen from the escort knew beyond any doubt that just one of the five before them could effortlessly slaughter them in an instant.

  They parted and the female Furion and the Makkien followed the five who came to retrieve them. While they passed through the tunnel Zara noticed the murder holes lining the passage that arrows can slip through or boiling oil poured down to kill any who had somehow been capable of reaching this far into the city.

  Behind the fifth wall became a different feel from the rest of the city. Groups of children with the grandest items marched uniformly behind their instructor instead of a parent. Some of the younger ones were struck when they saw the Makkien and stopped for a moment to get a closer look and it angered Zara for some reason, but she decided to not get involved. It wasn’t her place to interfere.

  Most who moved behind the last wall were either the excessively wealthy, servants, slaves or King’s Guard.

  Merchants selling only the finest wares were allowed within and are strictly regulated. High class men and women in the most expensive livery walked around to things they wanted to do or needed to do. Normally servants or slaves carried whatever their master wished, but no commoners or beggars were allowed into the royal section of the city. The buildings and streets were by far the cleanest and pleasant smelling in this section of the Royal City.

  Huge stone mansions for nobles lined the wide streets and had hired guards protecting their gates and patrolling their property.

  But the grandest building of all is the palace. Built at the foreground of the foot of the Bend Mountains awaited their goal for the past few months. The palace looked to have been cut from a single piece of the purest white marble that had been polished to perfection. Gigantic buttresses spread out like butterfly wings to support the thick framing of the grandest building of all the world. At its peak it stands over two hundred and fifty feet and takes over an hour to walk completely around it. Banners and flags flap from the winter wind at the pointed tops of the five towers sprouting from the roof of the Palace. The five stand almost looking like a grand crown atop the palace’s brow. Statues of the finest craftsmanship line the guarded path to the palace. Zara fell in love after seeing these sculptures created of stone the very moment her eyes fell upon them. Ever since, she has held a fascination of them although she knew she’d never be allowed to do something so mundane and below her station. Still, these past few months have been the most exciting in all her life.

  Just before it vanished behind the palace both Kyri and Zara glanced towards the mountain where they had been kept hidden from the word. It was their sheltered home for many years.

  The grand, golden doors of the palace parted to accept the princess. “Where is my father? I must speak with him immediately.”

  The lead King’s Guard paused for a moment to say “The king is awaiting your presence in the garden at this very moment.” and then proceeded down the meeting hall until they reached the stairs and took the labyrinth of hallways and stairwells of stone till they reached the roof of the palace.

  Then the lead warrior knocked loudly upon the large door and somewhere beyond they all heard an unmistakable voice boom “Enter!”

  Both Kyri and Zara swallowed dryly as the door opened and they stepped out into the filtered sunlight to face the inevitable while the five stayed behind until ordered to take a step in either direction for none but the king or his personal guards were allowed to set foot or even look upon the sacred garden.

  The scene before them was baffling. Green leaves continued growing on blooming flowers while blades of grass appeared to be growing as if summer were still fully upon them. The pair has only been to the Royal Garden once, but nothing has changed whatsoever. The garden is open for over a hundred yards in any given direction and can overlook the c
ity between the five pointed towers surrounding them. Chilling wind blew between the five building, but by the time the breeze reached the plants they were somehow warmed.

  They walked and padded forward and they then understood how it was possible for such beauty to thrive in the dormant season. Somehow the entire palace itself generated heat. The grass and dirt between Zara’s toes were pleasantly warm. As they passed one tower they felt heat coming off to keep the wintery air from killing the lush growth of plant life. Together they came to the same conclusion without speaking that someone had a powerful item to heat an entire palace for no smoke billowed out of any orifice, except from the kitchen.

  The Makkien herself glanced up into some of the holes overlooking the garden and witnessed long range King’s Guard watching their every move and be ready to strike should they threaten the king.

  Centered in the garden lay three large forms laying upon a plush bedding of pillows. Rake, the Fury lord stood upon the highest pillow and glared at the two approaching. His eyes never blinked or showed any kindness and always left both Zara and Kyri with a feeling of dread. But they continued walking without revealing their reservations, as they were taught.

  Jerkin lay curled atop dozens of cushions and also silently watched their approach, but every other breath revealed small flames sparking from his nose as he seethed in a perpetual rage while revealing nothing in his stoic expression. Jerkin and Kyri shared familial markings as his kitten, but his size alone overwhelmed her. Where she is large and sleek like any female, ready to pounce, he is nearly a foot taller and layered in coiled muscle ready to rip his prey apart or completely incinerate them. His fangs are an inch longer and thicker. He’s the epitome of the deadliest fiend there is and exudes raw killing potential in his four thousand pound frame.

  Then there beside the two sat her father, King Runkamon. Fitted into the finest white silk with precious stones did little to make him seem indolent as large muscled arms that looked chiseled by some grand artist escaped the short sleeves of the tunic. Light blue pants encased his overly muscled legs that were crossed. She couldn’t find his sword, but she noticed his unadorned bracers clasped to each forearm that acted like a warped mirror. Long blond hair hung behind his shoulders while his deep blue eyes seemed amused, but his handsome expression seemed inviting and fatherly, like she hoped.

  Two large platters of food lay before the king and his partners and looked recently prepared. One lay with a mix of meat, cheese and fresh fruit while the other held a plump deer. Unlike other people Zara felt glad that her father could speak to Kyri like she as his deep tone said “We welcome the two of you home. Please eat. I’ve just had these meals sent up after hearing of your arrival.”

  But even Kyri could sense there wasn’t going to be a warm welcome from the other two. She had long since ceased to try and win her sire’s approval after bonding to Zara, but she didn’t say anything as she eased herself down into the warm grass to begin devouring the deer.

  “I trust your journey back went uneventful?” Runkamon asked as Zara began picking at her grapes. She didn’t dare look at the meat.

  After bottling it up for the past few months Zara couldn’t stop herself from saying “Father, please forgive me. I tried to defeat Freelan to please you and completely failed. I know I deserve punishment for retreating, but I had no choice. I couldn’t fight against it, no matter how hard I tried...”

  Quicker than the strike of a snake Runkamon backhanded Zara with the force of ten men. If not for strengthening her body at the last second he would have snapped her neck, but still the force of the blow threw her several feet back. Grass cushioned much of her fall, but did little to ease the sudden shock.

  Stunned silence lasted only a moment before Kyri dropped her meal, jumped up and growled towards the impassive features of Runkamon. Never before had she seen him raise a hand against his own flesh and blood like that. Jerkin then breathed a foot of fire as he rose to the challenging threat and his size alone forced Kyri to submit and step back. “Kyri, nay!” Zara commanded weakly as she rolled and feebly forced herself to stand without disorientation. Her partner obeyed and slowly resumed laying down, all thoughts of hunger gone as anger towards Runkamon surged from hitting her love.

  “Now, Zara” The king said in a casual tone like nothing had happened “sit again and let me be the first to speak.” She did so while rubbing her throbbing jaw and looked upon his features to reveal that he honestly didn’t care what he had done. “After the continuous failures in the unification of all lands I’ve learned of a great many disturbing details that I had thought were taken care of a long time ago. Besides you and Kyri running away with your tail tucked firmly between your legs in the first actual battle I sent you on, I’ve been beset by more disappointment than a man in my position can allow. For the past fifteen years I’ve ruled over lands my forefathers didn’t dare dream could be possible yet I succeeded. Gagiat and Nicronane bowed to me in fealty and brought my dreams into reality so that everyone could bleed a little bit for each other and unite, but in only a few months have ties been severed and the blood-loss become greater. Instead of the people using their items for a great purpose they’ve begun to squander their gifts and seek petty, personal ambitions.

  “Now, after all my hard work and ceaseless efforts, both Nicronane and Gagiat have been seized and sent couriers in this direction to inform me that they are no longer part or will take any orders from me or anyone within Ra’van.

  “To worsen matters, the greatest army ever conceived has been ripped apart before they could slit the throat of Freelan and were scattered all over the lands. Do you have any idea how difficult it was to gather over a hundred thousand to expel Allahandra’s blight let alone the cost it took to feed the horde?

  “Reports that I’ve gotten say that a rogue priest gave his life to send the united Royal Guard back home… in an instant all my work was for naught!”

  Zara and Kyri glanced at each other and after being together for so long came to the same conclusion that much had happened during their journey alone together and realized why so many faces looked familiar and beat the two of them back to Royal City.

  “To add further insult to this kingdom, you return in disgrace for not completing a task that should have been effortless to you. Furions like us rule over every other being in all the lands. The number of soldiers I gave you were more than sufficient enough to crush Freelan on their own lands yet they blatantly traipse across my lands and ruin many years of sacrifice and merging.”

  “Can I…” Zara tried asking, but the dark glint her father sat upon her silenced anything about to be said.

  “I’ve had setbacks and have been thwarted many times over the years, but never like this. I’m going to have start all over once again. It is as if the Ancients are laughing at me for trying to bring an ideal dream to fruition. Sacrifice is the only way to salvation and happiness to reunite with them, but why can’t others see this…” Zara couldn’t help but remember the short conversation between the other Furion she met in combat and just how different their ideals are. But between them she felt, deep down, that Alex and his fight to free people from sacrifice is more right and true. Never before had she questioned herself, her beliefs or her own father till she met him. And the way her father’s rant continued the more she saw of a madness she never knew or chose to believe existed, but he is still her father and she feels loyalty. She couldn’t bring herself to disobey. “And to make matters worse than ever I learned that my aid Travis has been an agent ever since he brought me the head of a man who looked identical to my father.” Zara couldn’t believe her ears. She was told since she was little that he died of an illness and believed it, even though she had never been sick a day in her life and wondered how he did. Runkamon’s anger and disappointment had loosened his tongue. Then he realized what he said, but the damage had been done.

  Pressure grew within both Kyri’s and Zara’s chest to the point of pain. “Father, I must know what
happened to our clan.”

  He paused to eye her more closely. “Why? You know the story by heart.”

  “Because Alex told me to do so.”

  The king rubbed his jaw. “So it’s true my brother’s seed is still breathing… Nevertheless you still know what happened.”

  “Father, please?”

  He harrumphed in an uncaring way while Rake spoke. “You impudent hatchling. Leave before you say something foolish.”

  “We cannot!” Kyri growled and showed they couldn’t leave by trying to back away till she couldn’t breathe properly. “This Alex is a Furion like my mistress, but he has done something to us that I cannot explain or resist. Somehow when he spoke we couldn’t fight any longer, as if our will left us as helpless as newborn cubs. He forced the two of us back here and to get answers to what really happened to the Furion clan. No matter how hard we fought to disobey we couldn’t turn around at any point of our journey. We could only come in this direction.”

  The pair witnessed a concerned look pass between the king and his partners atop the pillows. Jerkin quickly said “Yet you took your time coming here. I know you could have arrived within two months, not four.”

  Without submitting she quickly purred “That is because we’ve been forced to live upon that wretched mountain.” She looked to the jagged peaks and subtly shuddered before returning her brown eyes to her large feline father. “For the first time in our lives we were allowed to view the world outside the tower and grounds. I learned that although we had to return, we didn’t have to rush. I got to hunt true prey for the first time and enjoyed the thrill of tracking, chasing and catching. I let go and ran till I could no longer. If not for this feeling that cannot be disobeyed and if Zara had wished it we would most likely never have returned!”