Thrice she looked back at Bikkar. He was so far behind that she saw only his outline as he sat hunched on his horse. Sometimes she detected a cloud of dust behind him. Was it caused by the stone warriors? Were they still pursuing them despite Bikkar's attempt to divert them?
Even if they were now safe, she dared not wait for Bikkar. He was on his own.
And so was she.
Eventually the mountains loomed large in front of her. She could clearly see the sharp V at their base where nestled a valley filled with tall trees. They obscured the citadel Bikkar had told her lay hidden among them. He could not have been wrong. The citadel was there. She could all but feel the key pulsating around her neck, as if sensing the end of the journey.
Was this also some form of magic?
Sweat ran down her back. Her muscles were strained to the point of exhaustion. Beneath her, the mare trotted forward bravely but Aria could feel how her overworked muscles quivered. If they did not reach the valley soon, the horse would collapse.
Aria looked behind again. No sign of Bikkar. He was lost somewhere among the clumps of tall heather. She longed to go back and look for him but dared not.
He was safe, she told herself over and over again, as with each great step her horse carried her closer to the valley. The sunlight was fading when she entered the shadowy valley. Her horse, exhausted beyond measure, stumbled to a halt under a tall eucalyptus tree.
For a moment, she sat quivering on the animal, too tired to move. Her legs muscles seemed to be welded to the saddle. With an effort, she moved her legs and slid off.
She lay there for a while until she got the strength back in her legs. After leading her mare to a water stream, Aria returned to the edge of the valley to search for any sign of Bikkar. She dared not go deep into the forested depths to search for the citadel until she knew he was safe.
Where was Bikkar?
Straining her eyes, she peered back across the plain. There he was. Bikkar was bent over his faltering horse. Close behind them were four immense figures.
The sight chilled Aria's blood. The figures--were they men?-- were impossibly tall and each carried a spear topped by a shining blade that flashed in the setting sun's light. They ran easily, a few yards behind Bikkar, as if they could catch him at any moment, but were more interested in harrying him.
Even as she watched, Bikkar turned in the saddle and shot a fireball at the warriors. The fireball transformed into a great curtain of fire that blocked his pursuers' advance and seemed to swallow them whole.
For a moment, Aria thought that he was safe as his horse sped forward and the warriors remained engulfed in the fire. Bikkar bent even lower on his horse, almost as if letting go of that fire robbed him of what little strength he had left. He was safe. Her heart sang with joy.
The warriors remained hidden from view inside the fire as Bikkar sped towards the valley.
Suddenly Aria saw movement in the fire and the warriors emerged unscathed. They ran headlong towards their quarry. Bikkar's fire had only managed to gain him a few extra moments. Still, he was closer to the valley. Aria could make out the strain on his face as he struggled to stay on his horse. His eyes were narrowed in concentration.
The warriors were right behind him. As Aria watched, mouth open in a silent scream, one shoved its long spear between the hind legs of Bikkar's horse.
Aria heard the sound of the gelding's bones breaking as he tumbled on a grassy knoll. Bikkar leapt free, narrowly escaping being crushed underneath.
Aria screamed and ran toward him.
"No!" Bikkar raised his hand to stop her.
With trembling feet, Aria forced herself to a halt and stood within the valley, her eyes brimming with tears.
One of the warriors raised its spear, ready to pierce Bikkar. Before the sharp blade could impale him, Bikkar raised his hands high. Thunder boomed overhead, and silver lightning burst from the cloudless sky.
The crackling bolt stabbed through Bikkar's chest.
The whole valley shook with the sound. The earth heaved and buckled. A bright light surrounded Bikkar and the warriors.
Aria fell to her knees and covered her ears as the thunder reverberated all around her. Within a crater the size of a house all the grass was burned and only black charred earth remained.
The warriors had disappeared. So had Bikkar. And his horse.
With his final act of magic, Bikkar had turned the stone warriors into dust from which they were created. Even in his dying moment, he had thought to remove the danger that threatened her.
Keening, Aria rocked on her knees, unable to believe that the wizard who had brought her to this site, protected and saved her, was dead.
What was she to do now? Without him, she was alone, was scared and vulnerable. Who would guide her to her destination? Who would encourage her and believe in her?
For the first time in her life she had made a connection with someone other than family--and now to have that connection snap like a fragile twig was too much to bear. Heartbroken, she lay down on the grass as silent tears escaped down her cheeks, and wept.
Life was a battle, and Aria always fought it with unbridled courage and stamina. She had taken in stride the loss of those she loved. She had learned to think of everyone in the world, save Marcus, as a means to an end, rather than someone to care about.
Bikkar had changed all that.
He had believed in her, valued her, supported her. And loved her. Despite the Tsarina of Dryads' lack of faith in her, he had trusted her to fulfill her mission.
And now, he had given his life for her.
His life had been worth ten of hers. She was nothing but a street thief and a con artist. He had been a powerful wizard. She was humbled with the realization of what he had done.
She felt as if her heart had broken into a million pieces and now would never be the same again. She longed to run to the charred crater and run her hands over the scarred earth--but dared not do so. What if any of the warriors had escaped? What if any one of them was left behind?
After a while she forced herself to rise. She was going to fulfill her mission. She was in the valley and the citadel was somewhere nearby. Using the key that now hung cold against her collarbone, she would open the citadel and take out the Dragon Claw.
And she would do what Bikkar wanted her to do. Destroy the Black Orb and defeat the Queen of Azmeer.
Chapter Thirteen
Aria passed the night in mind-numbing grief. Unable to believe she had lost Bikkar, she lay awake, staring at the bright stars twinkling through the canopy of the trees. If she waited long enough, perhaps he would come back? Hope burned in her heart only to be extinguished by the memory of the horrific scene she had witnessed.
No one had escaped the carnage. Bikkar had died along with the stone warriors and no matter how much she tried to deceive herself, it was a reality she had to accept.
Sleep eluded her. How could she resume her quest without Bikkar's guidance? Who would lead her? Who would tell her what to do?
She did not even know how to use the Dragon Claw, if she managed to get it out of the citadel. What if she was unable to draw upon its power? She did not know any magical incantations.
After coming this far, and losing the only friend she had ever acquired, what if she failed? Without her brother and Bikkar, what would she do? Where would she go?
Along with heartbreak and pain, countless questions sifted through her mind. The sun was still sleeping below the horizon when she got up from her blanket and walked over to the stream to wash her face and feed the horse. Despite the early hour, it was time to move on. All around her was the quiet of the jungle. The first rays of the sun broke through the heavy curtain of darkness and lit the edges of the sky in a dusty hue of orange and yellow.
Aria munched on a stale piece of bread and washed it down with cold water from the stream. Leading her horse, she walked quietly through the leaf-strewn floor of the valley. The air was biting cold as it slapped across
her face. With her cloak tight around her, she trudged through the undergrowth and thick forest, looking for the citadel Bikkar had said would be there.
For three days she roamed the valley, searching from west to east and north to south. It was all in vain. The valley was scattered with muddy ponds and narrow streams and crowded with thick brush. There was no citadel anywhere.
Finally, defeated, Aria set up camp near the base of the mountain, under the jagged peaks. She was at a loss. What else could she do?
The citadel was nowhere in the valley. Had Bikkar lost his life for nothing?
Was there really no magical weapon which could annihilate the Black Orb and rescue Marcus and the thousands of other soldiers who were under the Queen's spell?
Had their journey been in vain?
Aria lit a small fire and huddled close to it, unable to believe that there was nothing else she could do. She tried to recall her conversations with Bikkar, sifting through everything he had said. Was there anything else he had told her regarding the citadel and the Dragon Claw?
She could not recall a single thing that would help her in her search.
In the morning she would begin once more. Perhaps she had missed something. There had to be something that would give her a clue as to where the citadel was hidden.
Her provisions were almost exhausted. As she chewed on her last pieces of stale bread and cheese, she realized that tomorrow she would have to hunt. There was plenty of game in the valley. She would snare a few rabbits or perhaps hunt up some berries and fruit. At least she did not have to worry about feeding her horse. There was plenty of fresh grass.
What would she do if she never found the citadel? Go back to Akba empty-handed?
Tired of asking questions to which she no answers, she settled down to sleep. Failure seemed inevitable. Still, she had not come this far to give up so easily. She was not ready to admit Marcus might be lost to her forever.
Aria woke at dawn to find a man, old and gnarled, staring at her across the dying embers of the fire. She sat up quickly and found to her relief that the dagger she had placed under her blanket was still there.
For the past three days, she had combed the valley from one end to another and found no sign of human habitation. Where had this old man sprung from?
Cross-legged he sat, staring at her. His hair was white and plaited down his back, his face was bony with sunken cheeks, and his body was wizened with age. Yet, his eyes were clear and sharp.
"Who are you?" Aria tightened her grip on the dagger and threw the blanket off so she was ready to ward off any attack.
Immediately she realized that if he had wanted to attack her, he would have done so while she was sleeping. But in no mood to take a chance, she readied herself for any danger.
"Come with me," the man said, his voice scarcely above a whisper.
Aria stared. Why would she go with him? She touched the key hanging around her neck.
"I can take you to the place you seek," he said.
"What?" She hid the key under her tunic and narrowed her eyes to look at him. "What do you mean?"
"Come." He stood. After gesturing for her to follow him, he walked away, leaning on a staff.
"Wait," Aria hastily tied her blanket to her horse's saddle. She emptied her water skin on the fire. Gripping the reins of her mare, she followed after the old man who was serenely waiting for her. In one hand, she still gripped the dagger. Even if he was willing to take her to the citadel, and she hoped that is what he had meant, there was still no reason for her to trust him blindly.
He led her across the valley floor, along the mountainside, until they reached the point where the twin peaks joined together, high up. With one hand, he made a quick motion and then moved, ghost-like, through the vines that grew over the mountainside. And disappeared.
"Wait!" Aria rushed forward. "Where did you go?" she yelled.
He reappeared, as if from nowhere. "Leave the horse. She'll be taken care of. Bring what you need with you."
"This just gets better and better." Aria removed her clothing bags, blankets and water skins from the horse. After slinging everything on her back, she removed the mare's saddle and hung it on a nearby tree. If she did not come back, she did not want the horse to be forever saddled. Leaving the mare with the last half-bag of corn, she patted her flank, and hoped she would be around when Aria came back.
"Come!" The old man parted the vines once more.
Now Aria saw a narrow opening through the rock face, almost as if the mountain had slit open. The old man disappeared within the depths of the jagged fissure. After taking a deep breath, she followed.
To her surprise, the opening was bigger inside than it looked from the outside. Above and around them was solid rock, but ahead the path went on until it disappeared in darkness.
The old man lit a lantern he took from a niche in the wall and walked ahead. Deeper and deeper they traveled, until Aria's feet began to ache.
Time flowed together, until Aria was not sure whether it was afternoon or evening. She got hungry and ate a dried apple. She would have offered one to the old man but he was far ahead of her now and did not even bother to look back when she called him. She considered heading back, but when she glanced behind, the tunnel was eerily dark. Not relishing the thought of finding her way to the entrance in the pitch dark, she thought it prudent to simply follow her guide. After all, how long could the tunnel last? It must end somewhere.
And it was not as if she had anything to go back to. She had not fulfilled Bikkar's dying wish. The mere thought of him caused a pang in her heart. She wished he was there with her. Not only because he could have guided her but also because she yearned for his company.
She missed seeing his bright eyes looking at her with understanding and wisdom. She missed bantering with him, fighting with him and shocking him with her occasional boast of stealing wallets from rich men.
Suddenly the old man disappeared again. Aria hurried forward through a narrow crevice into a brightly lit space. She closed her eyes tightly.
When she opened them, she was in a small clearing, protected on all sides by tall oak trees. In the middle was a bonfire, around which sat a number of men and women. Scattered throughout the cleaning were little huts, their walls made from dried mud and their roofs from thatched bamboo.
Aria blinked in surprise. This was not as she had expected.
Who were these people? And why had the old man brought her here? Had she walked into danger? With her grip tight around the dagger still held in her hand, she walked boldly towards the bonfire. Everyone stood, all of them silently staring at her as if she was a wild animal that had walked into their camp.
She hoped they were not cannibals. Aria had heard of tribes in distant part of the kingdom who ate the unfortunate travelers who dared to wander into their territory.
Had the old man led her into a trap?
He launched into speech in a language she did not recognize. No one interrupted as he talked. After a long harangue, he turned back to look at her.
Aria took an involuntary step back, but no one attacked her. Instead they all left the clearing and went to their huts. The old man motioned for her to follow him to a hut at the far edge of the clearing.
After casting a long careful look around her, Aria hobbled after him on sore feet. The hut was small, but neat and clean. On one side was a straw pallet and in a corner was an empty pot.
"You stay here," he said. "You need anything, tell me." He turned and walked out of the hut.
"Hey." Aria dropped everything she was holding and ran after him. "You told me you'll take me to the place I seek. I seek the citadel." Grabbing the key around her neck, she held it high. "The citadel!"
"I take you there on full moon."
"Full moon?" Aria gulped down a protest. The full moon was at least four nights away. What was she supposed to do until then?
"Stay here. Rest!" The old man banged his staff on the ground and walked off.
"What's your name?" Aria yelled after him. Not bothering to answer, he disappeared into another hut. Aria counted off the huts to make sure she remembered the one he was in, just in case she needed anything. With one weary hand, she rubbed her eyes. It would be nice to sleep indoors. But was she safe?
A few children came out of their huts to stare at her. The boys wore short cloths around their hips and the girls wore long cloths tied around their upper body and hips. The cloths were not stitched, just tied behind their necks.
To avoid their curious stares, Aria walked back into her hut and sat down on the straw pallet. The straw smelt fresh. She would have to do something about getting some food and water though. Was there a stream nearby?
Almost as if in response to her thoughts, two women walked in. One of them carried a clay pot on her head, the contents of which she dumped in the pot in the corner. It was water. The other women placed a trencher of baked bread and a small clay bowl on a clean cloth in front of Aria. The bowl contained what appeared to be curry made of vegetables.
"Thank you."
"Ba Laiam Tukum Pe?" the woman said.
"I'm sorry. I didn't understand what you said."
"Takum Pe Pe Chalam To Loo." The woman looked at her companion and shrugged. They looked at her as if she was an oddity. To them, she probably was.
"Oh well, I guess the old man is only one who can talk to me." Aria picked up the trencher and broke off a piece of bread. Dipping it into the curry, she took a cautious bite.
It was not bad. Tasted a bit bland, but it was food and would satisfy her hunger. What more could she ask for? Had the old man asked them to fatten her up before they butchered and ate her?
She smiled at the two women. "Good food!"
"Fo fo!" one of them said, with a grin. They walked out.
"Fo fo, indeed!" Aria shook her head and took another cautious bite of the bread. At least, she would not starve.
After her dinner, she washed her face and hands, while longing for a hot bath. That would remain a dream for a long time to come, she realized with a pang. Four more days and nights of waiting! What would she do to while away her time?
The Black Orb Page 11