The Black Sword Trilogy: The Four Nations

by VanMeter, Jeffery

  Terri and Kenner tried naming some of these creatures, such as “tree children”, “rainbow beaks” and “sword birds” and laughed at the thought that whatever name the Masallans did have for them was nothing like they had come up with.

  At night, the noise was deafening. The birds and other animals called to each other from all around them. Kenner had discovered how to make the Sword glow with a dark blue light and he would sometimes see the reflection of some creature’s eyes, like the reflection of wolf’s eyes in firelight. The dark, blue light also seemed to repel the mosquitos that had tormented them before. Back on the Golden Serpent, the crew had given them both an ointment that helped with the itching and burning and now they barely felt it at all.

  On the morning of the third day, Kenner noticed that Terri looked cold, despite the stifling heat. She was curled up and holding herself as if she were in need of a coat. She had a sad expression and was her breathing was a little heavier.

  “Chills,” He asked her seriously?

  Her pained eyes darted at him.

  “How could you tell?” She asked.

  “I’ve seen it before,” he answered sadly.

  She tried to smile and look brave.

  “I’ve been through worse. Let me tell you about the winter we spent near Calderon one day.”

  She noticed that he wasn’t laughing. He had a sad and worried expression; one that knew more than she did of what was to happen. He leaned back and sighed.

  “I wish I could tell you that it gets better from here, but it doesn’t.” He told her.

  “What do you mean?” She said shivering.

  “Soon, your hands will begin shaking. You’ll feel colder and your whole body will quiver. Before nightfall, you may begin seeing things that aren’t there.”

  “Why are you telling me this?” She asked shakily.

  “So you’ll know what’s coming.”

  “What good does knowing do when I can’t do anything about it?”

  She was starting to become frightened and wished for some way to avoid the fate that Kenner seemed to know was coming.

  “You’re wrong.” She tried to say bravely. “There’s nothing wrong with me.”

  “Is that why you’re starting to sweat?”

  “Well, it’s hot isn’t it?”

  “And you’re shivering.”

  She started to lean more into the railing of the boat as if trying to hide from Kenner.

  “Look, this isn’t going to be easy for you.”

  “Nothing’s going to happen to me that I haven’t been through before.”

  “Even if you have been through this before, it’ll be different this time.”

  “In what way?”

  “You won’t be alone.”

  “That’s a comfort.” She said angrily.

  “It may not seem like much, but I’ll be right here the whole time.”

  “Like you’ve got somewhere else to go.”

  “Even if I did, I wouldn’t leave you.”

  She looked away from him and for what seemed a long while wouldn’t look at him. Later, she noticed her hands starting to shake a little and she felt colder. Sweat began trickling down her face and pooling all over her, but she still felt cold. She then noticed Kenner wrapping a blanket around her and she felt herself huddling into it.

  “How do you know about this?” She asked him.

  “I’ve seen it before.”

  “Anyone I know?”

  “An old man in the village. It happened every time he stopped getting drunk for more than a day or two.”

  She shivered and quaked in the blanket, then curled up more seeking any sensation of warmth.

  “How did he turn out?”

  “It almost killed him.”

  “I really wish you hadn’t told me that.”

  Later, her hands were shaking uncontrollably and her legs began to suddenly jerk on their own. Sometimes a spasm would rip through her torso and all the while she was freezing and sweating at the same time. Every now and then, Kenner would give her a cup of water. At first, she would try to refuse and only comply to keep Kenner quiet. Later, she felt so thirsty; she was drinking them greedily; gulping them down and spilling the water over her face and neck. She felt frightened. The noise of the forest was getting louder and louder and all the sounds were directed at her. They were calling her.

  She felt compressed and found it hard to breath. The heavy air was closing in on her, surrounding her. Suddenly she felt something crawling all over, like tiny insects crawling over every inch of her. She started to panic.

  “Get them off me!” She cried. “Get them off me!”

  Another blanket was thrown over her and she felt strong arms holding her down. But now her body was doing what it wanted to do and she had no control over it. She was confined inside herself and had to get out. She wrestled herself out of the arms and started to climb over the railing. The river was her only savior and she knew she had to jump to save her life. The arms grabbed her again and pulled her back.

  “No!” She screamed. “No!”

  She was pulled hard back to the deck and then another pair of arms and hands wrapped around her. She then felt enveloped in a warm, soft blanket, but she was still so cold. Her body convulsed and her insides felt as if pouring out of her. Still the massive hands and arms held her. She screamed and yelled, “No! No!” and tried desperately to free herself. She was dying…she knew she was dying. She had to fight it somehow. She struggled and screamed. She shook against her captor as hard as she could but he was far too strong. This enemy would not be denied. Death was coming. Death was coming. She fought and fought, but then she could fight no more. Feeling as if death had won, she wailed and cried like a child.

  Soon, she felt as though she were floating. This is death, she let herself believe. Her soul was leaving the world and she was floating to wherever her life had earned her. She felt numb and soft. The cold was gone. The shaking and convulsing was gone. The terrible sickness, the pain and the thousands of creatures all over her body were gone.

  Suddenly she heard voices and felt afraid again. They were the same voices she had heard so often in the nights before sleep would take her. She needed a drink; an ale, a glass of wine; anything to silence the voices. They talked, they whispered. She thought she opened her eyes to look for a flagon or glass. Nothing was there. The voices grew louder. The screams of the dying surrounded her and enveloped her. Suddenly a high pitched scream felt as if stabbing into her ears and piercing her head. Sharp knives dragged across her thighs and something boiling hot poured onto her bare flesh. She tried to scream again, but no sound came out. She felt as if falling from a great distance. As she fell, she saw a forest on fire and a voice of a beloved friend shouting angrily at her. Once more she tried to scream but nothing came out. The noises became deafening and the sights of all the horror and death she’d ever seen poured through her eyes. Men and women died around her. A forest burned and then a golden weapon pierced a hundred naked bodies. They all looked at her with dead eyes and then faded away into the darkness.

  Then came the dreadful whispering: “Murderer…murderer.”

  “No,” she begged and pleaded over and over. “Please no.”

  “Murderer…murderer…”

  “No…no…” she cried and whimpered.

  She felt her hands wrestle out of the soft and warm arms surrounding her and try to cover her ears. The voices would not be silenced.

  “Murderer…murderer…”

  The voices became louder and louder, until reaching a deafening roar. Finally, she felt a scream escape her lungs. She opened her eyes, saw only the planks of the boat underneath her and passed into the dark.

  Awaking from dreams she couldn’t remember, she heard and then felt herself breathing again. She was drenched in sweat from head to toe and felt as if a very thick fur had been wrapped around her. She opened her eyes and saw the soft light of early morning around her. The air smelled thick and wet an
d examining herself, she found she was being held by the large paws and legs of a beast. At first, she felt afraid, but her memory soon returned to her. It had to be Shela holding her, she reasoned.

  Searching around her, she looked up and saw Kenner sitting on the stern of the boat sleeping with his head down and the Sword across his lap. She coughed and then she saw him wake with a start. He looked at her and smiled.

  “Welcome back.”

  Chapter Thirty Six

  Terri stood on the bow of the small ship silently watching the forest pass in front of her. She was naked, except for being wrapped in a blanket and frequently sucking on one of the cigars that Kayla had given her, as if each draw comforted and soothed her in a way. Daylight had only just taken over from the night and the heat was still tolerable. The forest was somewhat quiet as if it were taking a rest for a moment before coming back to life. Kenner came to stand next to her with another cup of water in his hand.

  “Are you trying to drown me?” She asked dryly.

  “You need to be drinking as much water as possible. How do you feel?”

  “My head hurts and the sunlight feels like needles in my eyes.”

  “That’s to be expected.”

  “Why does my stomach feel like it’s been kicked repeatedly?”

  “Because, you spent most of yesterday puking your guts out.”

  “That makes sense. And out of pure curiosity, where are my clothes?”

  “I tossed them overboard.

  “Why?”

  “Trust me, you don’t want those back.”

  She chuckled a little and then, still feeling a little weak, sat down on the deck. Shela then lay next to her, curling into a large ball of fur.

  “Am I supposed to wear this blanket all the way to Merz?” She said stoking Shela gently.

  “I’ve been going through some of the boxes that I found stashed behind the supplies that were loaded at Lahkhert.

  “And?”

  “There’s some clothes there, but I don’t think you want to wear them in front of any men we might meet.”

  “I see you found the sexy underwear, then.”

  “Yup.”

  “Did you pack any for your red head?”

  “Absolutely,” He said and they both laughed.

  In addition to her physical ailments, Terri felt smaller and somehow fragile. She felt as if a part of herself that she wanted hidden had revealed itself to someone she didn’t want knowing that she had any weaknesses.

  There were very few men in her life that she’d respected as she did Kenner and even fewer she’d allowed herself to trust. Not even her father had managed to earn as much respect as Kenner had and no one had ever been as honorable. He’d seen her at her weakest and not taken advantage of her in any way. In a different world, she might have loved him.

  “Must have been a long night for you last night.” She joked.

  “Long two days, actually.”

  “Two days?”

  “Yup.

  “Great Lady! No wonder I feel so weak.”

  “Yes, well if I ever had any doubts about Shela as a mother, they’re gone now.”

  “Took good care of me, did she?”

  “If she could have nursed you, she would have.”

  Terri laughed again, but then felt afraid. In addition to her vulnerability, what other side of her had he seen?

  “Did I talk any?” She asked.

  “A little,” He answered simply. “None of it made any sense, though.”

  She felt a little relieved, but still slightly afraid. Did he know that she’d lied to him about their journey? If so, what would he think? What would he do?

  Later, they did find some clothes that fit her; including a pair of men’s boots that fit better than the ones lent to her by the Golden Serpent’s crew.

  “This must have been a cargo vessel.” Terri observed.

  “Going to Masallah or coming from?” Kenner asked.

  “Probably going to,” She answered. She then picked up a very small and very revealing piece of women’s underwear. “I can’t think of any Masallan with this kind of imagination.”

  As the day wore on and became hotter, Kenner and Terri found themselves feeling heavy and slightly sleepy in the oppressive heat. By (what they assumed) noon, it was so hot and steamy neither felt as if they could move. The strange forest was alive with noise again and animals seemed to be getting bolder in their efforts to look at them.

  “Do you think they’re getting used to us?” Terri asked as she saw more ‘tree children’ staring at her.

  “Must be,” Kenner answered. “Those mean looking lizards are coming closer to the boat too.”

  “Do they look hungry?”

  “As a matter of fact, they do.”

  “Well, if they get too close, I’ll have to toss you overboard.”

  “Why me?”

  “Because you’ve got more meat on your bones than I do.”

  “I don’t know. You look like a mighty tasty meal to me.”

  She answered that by extending her middle finger.

  Later in the day, Terri, still sitting on the deck noticed something strange.

  “Do you hear that?” She asked Kenner.

  “Hear what? I don’t hear anything.”

  “Exactly.”

  Kenner suddenly understood her meaning and felt slightly alarmed. The forest had been alive with sound for four whole days and now it was silent. He stood up and then felt his armor jump on to him. Terri saw this, scrambled to her feet and grabbed the Bow and a quiver of arrows.

  For a few moments, the boat went silently along the river with only the breeze blowing the sails making any noise at all. Shela came up between Kenner and Terri and sniffed at the air. She then began to growl and her fur bristled.

  The boat rounded a bend in the river and they saw the narrow path in front of them blocked by two boats stretched from bank to bank. Several familiar looking creatures stood on the decks of the boats staring at them.

  “Morgrils,” Kenner said.

  Chapter Thirty Seven

  Terri prepared to shoot a fire bolt at the boats blocking the river, but Kenner put his hand up to stop her.

  “Why are you stopping me?” She asked him. “I could blast them apart with one shot.”

  “I’m not sure if you’ve noticed,” He replied, “But they’re not armed.”

  Terri looked across at the Morgrils. Indeed they weren’t armed. None of them even had so much as a knife.

  “I wonder what they want.” She told Kenner.

  “I’m not sure. Right now, it looks like they just want to stare at us.”

  There were ten Morgrils standing on the boats. They were all about the same sizes and all covered in the same thick fur that Kenner and Terri remembered seeing Saab covered in, except they were different colors; including brown, orange, yellow and a kind of tan color. The skin on their faces all matched their fur.

  After a few silent moments, Kenner finally called out to them.

  “Good afternoon!” He said.

  The Morgrils all looked at each other, two of them shrugged and the one stepped forward.

  “Hello there.” He said.

  It was quiet for a moment more.

  “Nice day today, isn’t it?” Kenner said, hoping to get some kind of conversation going.

  “Yes, it is…quite nice.” The Morgril answered.

  This was followed by more silence.

  “Do you mind if I ask you a question?” Kenner called out to them.

  “Didn’t you just ask one?” The Morgril responded.

  “Great…comedians,” Terri muttered.

  “Is there any particular reason you’re blocking the river?” Kenner asked.

  “May I ask you a question, sir?” The Morgril asked in a very polite tone.

  “Sounds like you just did.” Kenner answered.

  The Morgrils chuckled.

  “Are you Kenner from the hills?” The Morgril asked
him.

  Kenner looked over at Terri.

  “At least he didn’t say Walechia.” She said to him.

  “And what if I said yes?” Kenner asked.

  Well sir,” The Morgril answered, “Unless your answer was a lie, I would probably ask you another question.”

  “And what would that question be?”

  “I would probably then ask if Kenner and his lovely friend would like to follow us to our temple to meet our father.”

  “That just earned him a point.” Terri said.

  “Why does your father want to meet Kenner?”

  “My father would very much like to speak with him.”

  “And what about?”

  “I’m sorry sir, but I don’t know. Our father wouldn’t tell us as it seems to be none of our business.”

  “Well, if you don’t know what your father wants to talk to Kenner about, why would Kenner go to visit him?”

  “That’s a very good question sir. I hadn’t quite thought about that.”

  “Why don’t you go back to your father and tell him that Kenner doesn’t like having conversations that he doesn’t know the topic of discussion first.”

  “Most people don’t; especially when they’ve never met the person that wants to talk to them.”

  “That’s very true. I think it would be a good idea that you find out the topic he wants to discuss with Kenner and then come back.”

  “I don’t think that’s a very good idea, sir.”

  “And why not?”

  “Because it will be dark before I get back; and the crocodiles have a tendency to climb into boats that aren’t moving.”

  “Don’t you think we could probably take care of that?”

  “You could sir, but we couldn’t. As you’ve already noticed, we are unarmed.”

  “I could defend you.”

  “Perhaps. However, how would you know to defend us unless one of us is first attacked, killed and then eaten? None of my brothers or I are particularly keen on that possibility.”

  Kenner and Terri exchanged tired glances. This conversation was going nowhere, they both thought. However, the Morgrils didn’t seem to pose any threat to them. Kenner’s armor had climbed off of him and even Shela didn’t seem concerned with the visitors.