by Narro, B. T.
“Isn’t that better than nothing?” Vithos argued.
“No,” Zeti said. Then she sighed. “Though I suppose I should let you know of my gratitude for helping me when those Humans wanted to kill us.” She lowered her head.
“You’re welcome.”
“We’re moving to another house, Vithos,” Zoke said, already certain the Elf would want to come with them.
Vithos nodded. “I’ll get my belongings.”
Zoke heard Zeti stumble as she followed him toward his room.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
“Fine,” she said. Though he knew she wasn’t.
“You needn’t be strong all the time,” he said.
“All I’ll say is that I look forward to sleeping tonight.”
Zoke and Vithos could transport everything they’d accumulated since coming to Kyrro in one trip. For clothing, Zoke owned two pairs of leather pants, both stained with blood with a few small rips. Vithos had far more clothes, but they weren’t in much better shape than Zoke’s.
They both had a few books that didn’t belong to either of them. Zoke constantly borrowed books from Steffen and his roommates, but mostly Steffen. He had the best collection. Reela had been teaching Vithos to read, though the Elf was still nowhere near Zoke’s level.
As Zoke walked beside his sister toward their new house, he realized that—while she’d grown—she was still small in comparison to the Human warriors, and especially to the other Krepps they would be fighting.
“I suppose it’s pointless for me to ask you not to fight,” he said.
“Yes, that would be pointless. You can’t stop me from fighting this time.”
“Zeti,” Vithos said, “it’s going to be dangerous, especially for you.”
“Why me?” Zeti was insulted. “Do you think I’m weak?”
“No,” Vithos said. “Because you’re unfamiliar with Humans and their language. You’re likely to get confused when the battle begins.”
“Kill my enemies, protect my allies…seems simple to me.”
Zoke had to agree with Vithos. “You’re going to be surprised,” he informed his sister, going on to explain some of the strategies and plans that had been discussed.
“I’ll stay with the archers, then,” Zeti said.
“I’d rather you stay with me so I can protect you.” The moment Zoke finished his statement, he regretted it. Zeti showed him a look of fury.
“You think I came all this way to be protected by you?”
“No,” he said sullenly.
“I’ve made my decision. I’m going to be fighting, and you know I won’t be of much use with just a sword. Tomorrow, you’ll ensure that I’ll be fighting beside the archers, alright brother?”
Zoke knew there was no point in arguing. Something about her tone made him think of a Krepp that hadn’t entered his thoughts in a long time.
“Does Father know you’re here?”
“Ruskir’s dead,” she said indifferently. “I was going to tell you this tomorrow after I rested. He killed Mother. So I killed him.”
Zoke saw Vithos’ jaw drop, though the Elf remained silent. Zoke didn’t know what to say. He felt…nothing? It was strange.
“I see,” he said indifferently.
That made Vithos’ eyes nearly come out of their sockets.
Two more days.
Zoke noticed that they were near Steffen’s house. His sister was tired, but he felt an obligation to introduce her.
“This way,” he said. “You should meet some Humans while we’re near their home.”
“Who are they?” Zeti asked.
“Friends,” he said. “Trustworthy.”
Zeti looked confused. “You’re not joking?”
“Just because I have some Human friends doesn’t mean I’m no longer a Krepp.”
“Will they expect me to say anything?” Her tone was disrespectful, and she spoke with a scowl.
“I’m sure they know me well enough to not expect much from you.”
“What does that mean?” Zeti asked. “Have you been cruel to them?”
“No. It means I’ve treated them how I would a Krepp who behaves like they do.”
“But you’ve always been too nice to Krepps. They couldn’t possibly think you were mean.”
Zoke laughed. “These Humans would find it very humorous to hear that.”
Zeti’s introduction was quick and uneventful. Zoke and Vithos taught her how to shake hands and say hello, and that’s all she did. They gave directions to their new house, and then they left.
Zoke couldn’t help but smile all the way there.
“I’m proud of you,” he told Zeti. “You’re very honorable.”
She looked down to the dirt, embarrassed. “I would feel much more honorable if I’d fought Doe instead of running.”
Vithos spoke before Zoke could. “That wouldn’t make you honorable, just dead.”
Chapter 35:
STEFFEN
One more day, Steffen thought as he awoke. The last day before battle.
His mind kept putting him on the battlefield, surrounded by Krepps. Then he would find Brady’s face among them.
He couldn’t help but relive being beaten, his king about to be murdered. Brady was stronger, bigger, a few years older…he was everything more than Steffen. With each passing day, Steffen’s confidence had been dwindling, and now—with Krepps nearly to Kyrro—it was gone completely.
He dressed slowly, wondering what Effie would say if he told her about Brady. He held me back easily. I was no match for him. The shame of the memory had only worsened over time. He would never tell Effie, for then he would have to relive every detail.
She doesn’t need to know anyway, he’d remind himself. She probably doesn’t even want to know.
The worst was the feeling of fear itself. It weakened him. He hadn’t been afraid before. Even on his first day at the Academy, when he found out there might be war, he was courageous.
He laughed and shook his head. Stupid would be more accurate. He knew nothing about nothing back then. He should’ve been terrified…as he was now.
Anger—why wouldn’t it come? Steffen knew it should be there. He almost could feel it, somewhere deep within him. He was reaching for it, stretching his arm as far as he could, barely scratching it with his fingernails. Brady, Tegry, the Krepps, they deserved his anger. But his fear of them was like a blanket over fire, smothering his rage.
Reela knocked on his door. “Cleve and Eff went to the dining hall a while ago,” she called into his room. “Do you want to go?”
Steffen wasn’t hungry, but he knew he needed to eat. “Yes, thank you. I’ll be ready soon.”
He heard her footsteps going down the hall. His eyes found Gabby’s most recent letter on his desk. Every time he looked at it, it gave him comfort. He turned it over for another read.
Steffen,
If I’ve learned anything from stories, it’s that no one can be a hero without challenges of both heart and body. I know this must be the most difficult challenge for you yet, especially after what you told me happened between Tegry and Welson, but you can do this.
I used to cry every time I thought about you, Effie, and Reela fighting. It didn’t seem fair. I hoped with all my might there would be some way all of you could come home and others could take your place. But as time went on and your letters kept coming, describing everything you three have done for Kyrro, I started to realize I was being selfish. You’re there for a reason. There’s no such thing as a replacement for you, my sister, or Reela. I know this from what you’ve told me, from everything you’ve described.
Just keep going, keep doing what you’ve been doing. That’s all I can think to write. You need no further advice from me.
Love, Gabby.
Steffen had cried the first time he’d read it…and the second. Gabby’s letters had rekindled his strength, his confidence, over and over throughout the months.
Then he started
to feel it—the fire of his anger burning through the blanket of fear.
My seed, he suddenly remembered. The seed of anger that had been created after the spies revealed themselves and killed Marie. When Brady tried to take Effie to Tenred.
Steffen felt the blanket burning up, the fire spreading over it. He sat on his bed and cried as his teeth ground together from exasperation. Never had he felt such vengeance. It hurt, but somehow in a good way. He longed for violence.
Reela came into his room with her eyes glistening. “Oh, Steffen.” She sat on the bed beside him, putting her arm around his shoulders.
“I’m just so angry,” he said.
“I know.”
Reela sat with him, rubbing his back. Neither of them spoke. He didn’t want her using psyche. His feelings were so raw and natural, it seemed wrong to interfere. But he didn’t need to tell her this. It was clear she was doing nothing but offering her touch. She must’ve known this was his emotional challenge. He didn’t need nor want her help.
“Thank you,” he told Reela when he felt calm enough to speak. His tears had ceased to fall by then, though he still could feel them on the verge.
“Ready for some food?” she asked.
“Yes, I finally feel like I can eat.”
Chapter 36:
CLEVE
One more day. Every time the thought came, he grabbed the handle of his Bastial steel sword, wanting to draw it from its sheath and give it a swing. The wooden sword he’d been using was twice its weight, making him eager to fight with his true weapon.
He’d been struggling with whether he should inquire about retrieving Nulya from Kyrro City for the battle. But eventually he came to believe that she would be cut down or impaled by an arrow soon into the fight. He trusted his body more without being on her back.
Cleve’s heart thumped against his chest when the Redfield bell dinged. It was impossible to forget how loud it was.
Ding! He started toward Redfield, knowing that two rings would be it. Battle wasn’t until tomorrow. It had been only nine days since Terren’s announcement.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
What was this? The bell was continuing to ring. But more than two rings meant enemies were within sight.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
He looked around at the other warriors, their brows creasing as they glanced at each other. Soon, he and the rest of them rested their gaze upon Sneary’s face, waiting for him to address the incorrect rings of the Redfield bell.
“Must’ve marched faster than we expected, men!” Sneary shouted through the sound of the bell.
Then the ringing stopped. A trumpet blared from the east.
“Grab your weapons and armor! Meet at the east wall!” Sneary yelled.
No one moved.
“Now!” he screamed.
Many muttered curses of surprise as they broke into a sprint toward their student homes.
“Bastial hell,” Alex said, running alongside Cleve.
Zoke and his sister caught up to them.
“Is it like Krepps to be early?” Alex asked Zoke.
“It depends on the activity. Battling Humans, Krepps must be very eager.”
Reela was already inside when Cleve got home. She was putting a dagger into the small sheath on her belt as she came down the hallway. After sliding it into place, she stopped and opened her arms.
As they held on to each other, pressing tighter, their chests heaving from deep breaths, Cleve wanted to tell her he would keep her safe. He wanted her not to worry. But he knew she would be insulted. He already could hear her retort.
“You’re just going to get yourself killed worrying about me the whole time. And I can protect myself just fine.”
Reela kissed him quickly and started to let go. She seemed reluctant to part, holding onto his arm as the rest of her body turned. They still hadn’t spoken. Cleve felt as if he had to say something before she left.
“Reela.”
She looked back with arched eyebrows, her eyes making Cleve forget about the battle for just a breath.
No words came. So instead, he leaned down for another kiss. When their lips came together, Cleve realized that his worries weren’t about himself but about Reela and his friends. They had to win. There was no other choice. If Cleve fell, so be it. He would fight his hardest and protect everyone he could.
Reela was smiling when they broke apart, but her grin was surprisingly coy. Cleve brushed his hand by the handle of his Bastial steel sword, as he did hundreds of times a day, only this time his body went into a panic when he didn’t feel anything.
Just as he realized it must’ve been Reela, she presented it to him from behind her back, still smiling. “And that’s why you mustn’t think about me while you fight.”
It was good advice. He kissed her one last time before taking his weapon back and going to his room. There, he dressed in the thick Kyrro tunic he and the other warriors had been given. Next was the strap that came over his torso, holding his bow and quiver to his back.
He was given no steel armor, but he knew his quickness was more likely to save him than armor anyway. Even most of the King’s Guard would be wearing leather. Only the officers and those on the front line would don steel.
For a moment, he saw Alex’s brother in his mind, ready to scream orders. Cleve’s next breath was somber.
Effie was rushing in as he was leaving. “It’s happening!” she shouted. “They’re here!”
He didn’t understand what she wanted him to say. Perhaps nothing. She started by him, muttering something he didn’t understand.
“Effie,” he called after her.
She stopped and turned, eagerly shifting her weight back and forth. Then he saw from her face it wasn’t fear that he thought he’d heard in her voice. She was ready to fight, and all he was doing was slowing her down.
“Fight hard,” he said.
“I will.”
Just outside the door, Steffen collided with him and fell on his rear. “They’re early!” Steffen shouted as he jumped up.
“Fight hard,” Cleve said, running past him.
Everyone was gathering by the east wall, most of the students and instructors already there. Cleve quickly noticed his uncle standing halfway up the ramp to the—what Cleve now saw as meager—ten-foot-high wall.
Cleve found Alex standing near Zoke and his sister. Zeti glanced around them and looked at Cleve’s bow. Then her eyes fell to his waist. She asked Zoke something in Kreppen, which he translated for Cleve.
“Will you be fighting with the archers or the swordsmen?” Zoke pointed at Cleve’s sheathed Bastial steel sword. “You have both sword and bow, but other archers only have bow and dagger.”
“I’m starting with the archers. Then I’m fighting with you and Alex when everyone has engaged.”
“I’ve never seen you use the bow,” Zoke commented. “Are you good with it like you are with the sword?”
Cleve couldn’t help but smile.
“He’s the best archer we have,” Alex answered. “The rest of them only began training this year. But Cleve’s been training his whole life.”
“I thought bows were outlawed before?” Zoke said.
“Yes, but he trained anyway,” Alex said.
Zoke seemed to have a look of pride in his hard eyes. He turned to Zeti and began speaking in Kreppen.
Vithos came up behind the two Krepps, putting a hand on each of their shoulders. Zeti promptly shrugged it off her. The three of them spoke in Kreppen.
Terren lifted his arms, and everyone went quiet. He climbed the rest of the way up the ramp to the top of the wall, keeping his gaze on everyone watching. Cleve turned for a quick look behind him. The entire Academy was there, every young man, woman, and instructor Cleve had seen on campus. All prepared to fight.
He felt something warm starting in his chest, a comfort of some sort, perhaps a sense of belonging. These were Kyrro’s defenders, and he was one of them. He always thought of this moment whe
n he trained, but never did he imagine his uncle would be leading them.
Cleve was overwhelmed with pride, and why shouldn’t I be? he asked himself the moment he started thinking about pushing away the feeling. He was proud of Terren. Cleve could see his uncle transforming, his mouth steady, his eyes squinted and brushing over everyone. It was quiet as Cleve and the others waited for him to speak.
“Their target has been confirmed as Oakshen. But we’ll be standing before them so they don’t reach the city.” Terren pointed a thumb over his shoulder. “On the other side of this wall, you’ll find thousands of enemies. There are Krepps, men and women from Tenred, one fat, hideous Slugari, two Dajriks, and Tegry Hiller. There are more of them than us. Most of them are bigger than us. Many are stronger than us. Tenred has chemists with blinker potions and other substances that will quickly debilitate any of us within contact…just like we do. They also have psychics and mages…just like we do. But as you follow me out of the gate and stand before our enemies with the rest of Kyrro’s army, do not fear what they have. Think about what they don’t. We have Rek and Vithos, the most powerful psychics in the world.”
Cleve heard a few whistles and hollers.
“We have Slugari feeding our mages Bastial Energy, allowing them to cast fireballs big enough to kill five Krepps at once!” Terren’s voice was getting louder.
More people whistled and cheered.
“We have more synergy, heart, and determination just here in the Academy than all of our enemies combined!”
Applause broke out. Terren grinned but held his hands for them to quiet down.
“There’s something else we have…” Terren stroked his chin as if he’d forgotten something. Cleve couldn’t tell if he was feigning or not.
“It’s something large, and you can hear it coming hundreds of feet away...”
He was feigning. But what could he be talking about?
“Do you feel that?” Terren asked them.
Cleve did feel something. There was a slight shake to the ground coming from behind. Just as he turned to see what it was, Terren continued.
“We have the Slugari’s Dajrik fighting with us!”