Lands of Dust (The Dying World Book 1)

by John Triptych

  As she turned the corner and made it closer to the periphery, Nyx noticed her brother Jinn standing beside one of the huts along the alleyway, talking to his betrothed, the girl his age named Kere. Nyx remembered playing with the slightly older girl when they were small children. Her brother and his fiancé instantly noticed her and the couple quickly separated, Jinn moving away into the middle of the street while Kere ducked back inside her hut. Nyx placed a hand over her mouth to suppress a laugh. Her brother was not supposed to speak with his future bride at all until the marriage ceremony was over. For reasons she could not explain, Nyx wasn’t envious of the other youths who would be married in this cycle. She knew her destiny would be that of a powerful Striga, and her allotment in that kind of life was never to be married, or to bear children. Such is not the life for me, she thought. I prefer and accept the gift of Vis and all the obligations the position carries with it.

  Stopping in front of the protector’s entryway, Nyx called out her own name and her intention to come inside, as was the custom. When she heard an acknowledgement, the girl pulled back the leather flap that covered the entrance and stepped into the abode. She had only been within the protector’s house once before, when she was but a child of eight, to be scolded for doing childish things. Seizing her chance, she looked around to see if there was anything of interest. The protector’s dwelling didn’t seem any different from the other houses in the village. The walls were bricks of dried sand and silt, mixed in with the abundant black algae found just below the surface of the Silt Sea as a binding agent, and hardened by the sun. There was a large hole in the center of the roof, just above the fire pit. A crude stone table and two medium sized, flat-topped boulders that served as chairs were to the side. A bed made of soft sand, a fur pillow and a leather sleep sack lay at the far end of the single room hut. A tall rack made of bones held together with dried sinew string and leather strips held the black spear and a few other weapons.

  Miri was sitting cross-legged by the unused fire pit. She was tying a leather strap around a polished dargon tooth spearhead, to further strengthen its grip to the bone shaft. “You have come about the boy?”

  Nyx nodded. “Yes, Protector Miri. Elder Zedne has asked me to summon you. The boy is awake and she needs your help.”

  Miri placed the nearly completed spear on the ground and stood up. “Very well, let us proceed to the house of the healer.”

  As they came out of the hut, Nyx glanced at the protector as they started walking. “Protector Miri, I-I wanted to ask you a question.”

  Miri smiled at her. “Nyx, you do not have to be so formal all the time. You are now a Striga, a sister of the gift. The goddess Vis has strengthened your power and I consider you as an equal to me. Do not be shy.”

  Nyx blushed a little, but she quickly recovered. “I seem to have developed a problem with my brother, Jinn.”

  “What kind of problem?”

  “We were very close growing up, not long after our parents died of the fever,” Nyx said as they walked along the dusty alleyway. “Jinn always protected me, but now it seems he has become distant. When we were traveling during the hunt we became close again, but when we returned to the village it seems we once more go about our separate ways. All he can think about is his bride now.”

  Miri smirked. “He is of that age when his loins begin to dictate his actions. I sense he will be a great husband for that freckled girl. Are you jealous now that he has turned his attention to her and not to you?”

  Nyx shook her head. “I would not call it jealousy. I am his sister, not his mate. It just feels a little sad we are drifting apart now that we are back in the village. This had led me to think, why are Strigas not allowed to marry and why do the Magi slice off their genitals? I know it is customary amongst all the tribes across the lands, but I do not understand the reasoning behind this tradition. I heard the teller say it is because the ones who do not interest themselves in building a family are the ones who become powerful users of the gift of Vis, but that explanation seems so … inadequate.”

  “There is another reason why Strigas and Magi do not have any children,” Miri said. “It is quite an important justification as well, though few of us like to talk about it.”

  “Oh? What is the other reason then?”

  “You remember the legends of the Gorgons?”

  “Yes, of course,” Nyx said. “The tales of the Gorgons were one of the first stories the teller told. Powerful beings that enslaved the world, and only a destructive war which lasted for thousands of cycles finally ended their reign. The blood of so many men, women, and children was spilt. It is said that the last of the plants and trees had died out at the end of that cataclysm.”

  “Do you remember hearing about the power of these creatures?”

  Nyx nodded. “The Gorgons had the power of both Strigas and Magi, only magnified. I remembered hearing a tale that even said these Gorgons could do things that no one else could- they could disappear into thin air, or stop the sun from shining. Many people they enslaved worshipped them as gods who walked the land.”

  Miri stopped in front of the healer’s house. She turned to look at the younger girl. “There is your answer. After the Gorgons were defeated, the Magi and Strigas were separated and commanded never to bear any children. The Grand Magus at that time went a step further and decreed all Magi were to be stripped of their loins to guarantee that they would bear no successors.”

  Nyx scratched the back of her head. “But why, though? What did that have to do with the Gorgons?”

  “Think about it,” Miri said softly. “There is a legend not many tellers know about. It was the story of the origins of the Gorgons. Long ago, there were many wars between Strigas and Magi. One day, the most powerful Magus in the world fell in love with the most powerful Striga. They had three children. These three were given all the gifts their parents had, including their Vis. Thus, the first three Gorgons were born. After that, the world was enslaved. Now you can understand why Strigas and Magi cannot bear children. For any child born to this union could once again become Gorgons.”

  Nyx gasped. She just stood there, without saying anything else. She had once thought that the prohibition of marriage to one with the gift of Vis was just tradition, yet now it had a very practical side to it. The thought of being able to sire a Gorgon just like that was quite shocking to hear.

  Miri cupped her hand around her mouth so that the people inside the larger dwelling would hear her. “This is Miri and Nyx. We ask permission to enter the house of the healer.”

  The customary reply came almost immediately. “Enter and be welcome.”

  Miri pulled back the leather flap and gestured at Nyx to go inside first. The girl nodded and went in after. Elder Zedne’s home was larger than the others, for the healer needed the space. The main room contained many bone and leather shelves that contained all sorts of different ingredients for healing poultices and other medicines. A large, rectangular stone slab was near the central fire pit, it was used for surgery to mend bones and sewing up of wounds. A stone table was at the far end and contained many instruments for the healing of the sick and injured. Rare and valuable glass bottles contained strange powders and medicine. Two other entryways led to Elder Zedne’s private chamber and the other was for her patients.

  One of the inner flaps parted and Elder Zedne came into the room with a gap toothed smile. She had once been a powerful Striga, but age had slowly waned her Vis. Matted silver hair hung limply down on her shoulders, but beneath her wrinkled cheeks, her ever sharp blue eyes still held great wisdom and power. She was dressed in a leather tunic, as was customary for all elders of the tribe. Elder Zedne extended her scrawny arms as she hugged Miri and kissed her cheek. “Welcome, welcome, my dears. It is so good to see you again, my child. You must come see me more often here.”

  It was Miri’s turn to blush. Elder Zedne was considered to be her mother after Miri was found in the wastes by Zedne’s older sibling Elipe. After her sist
er’s death, Zedne continued to raise her and taught her the ways of the Striga. “Oh, Mother. We saw each other just yesterday, during the feast, do you not remember?”

  Zedne winked at her. “Of course, I do. But that does not count. We should not be seeing each other only when it comes to our needed tasks, we ought to just have pleasant talks, like the times when we were both younger.”

  Miri laughed. “We did have a nice talk during yesterday’s celebrations, that was not work, yes?”

  Zedne just smiled while they clasped hands. “Even a feast these days is work for me, child. I can only rest when I have no worries about my children and everyone is well and good.”

  “You still keep calling me child these days,” Miri said. “It is the one habit of you that I find slightly annoying. You can see that I am fully grown and have been for many cycles now.”

  Zedne tilted her head back and laughed. “I took care of you since you were just a baby. And since I am older than any of you, it is my right and privilege that I call you all my children.”

  Miri giggled. “I will give you that then, Mother.”

  Zedne moved over to Nyx and gave her a kiss on the cheek as well. The teen girl couldn’t help but smile. Elder Zedne was respected throughout the entire tribe, and when one needed to be consoled for any sort of sadness or grief, she would always be the one everybody sought out. The time began to pass by so pleasantly, Miri had to focus back to the task at hand.

  Miri finally placed her hand up. “Let us get back to work again. How is the boy?”

  Zedne nodded. “He is somewhat malnourished, but his health is coming back to normal. The boy must have spent days out there in the wastes. A very resilient child.”

  “Can he communicate with us?” Miri asked.

  “I asked him a few questions in the trade language, but he did not answer,” Zedne said. “Though I suspect he does understand our language from the way his eyes dart around.”

  Miri rubbed her smooth, delicate chin. “Have you tried to use your mindsense on him yet?”

  “I did a simple probe of his surface thoughts,” Zedne said softly. “But I was unable to discern anything. That is why I summoned you both. It seems this boy might have some sort of mind blocks in place to prevent the scrying of his thoughts and intentions.”

  Nyx’s eyes opened wide. “Are you saying he may be a Magus, Elder Zedne?”

  “It may be possible since only Magi would have that kind of training,” Zedne said. “But his loins are intact. If he is a Magus, then surely he would have been emasculated, yes?”

  Miri looked away. “This is most peculiar. We found the remains of two men in the dargon’s belly. Our skinner says at least one of them was a Magus. Now we have a boy who is not cut, yet exhibits the defensive mind techniques only taught by the Magi. No male user of the Vis has come anywhere close to our tribe in recent memory, so far all this to happen at near the same time cannot be a coincidence.”

  “Perhaps with the three of us working together, we might be able to determine who this boy truly is,” Zedne said as she gestured towards the second entryway. “Come, let us speak to him.”

  All three women ventured into the healing room, a simple place with two fur beds on opposite sides facing each other. There was a clay pot near the side and a small window that let in a shaft of light. The other bed was unoccupied, while the other contained the boy. The child was awake while lying on the bed, his bottle green eyes darting back and forth. When he noticed the three women step into the room, he immediately closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep. Zedne smiled as she stood over him and placed a reassuring hand on his arm. Not sensing any danger, the boy once again opened his eyes.

  Elder Zedne gently squeezed the boy’s arm. “Do you wish to have some water, child?”

  The boy looked up at her and shook his head. Miri suppressed a nod. So the boy could understand the trade language after all. Now they needed him to speak.

  Zedne gestured at the other two women. “These are my friends. The woman with the red hair is our protector, Miri. She was the one who found you in the wastes. The other woman is Nyx, her apprentice. Do not fear, child. No one shall harm you.”

  The boy blinked a few times. “W-where am I?”

  “You are in a settlement near the Great Silt Sea,” Zedne said. “Our tribe is called the Arum Navar, it is the old name for the people of the wastes. As our custom, all guests who enter peacefully into our village are given the promise of sanctuary. This means that no harm is to come to you here, as we pledge it by the names of our gods, Duun and Karma. Since you are a foundling, you may be adopted into the tribe if your parents are lost. What is your name, child?”

  “Rion,” the boy said softly.

  Zedne held her hand over her chest. “It is an honor to finally know your name, Rion. I need to ask- where are your parents?”

  The boy looked away. “I-I do not have any parents.”

  “Were they lost out in the wastes with you?” Zedne asked.

  The boy shook his head. “No.”

  Miri’s eyebrows arched. “Rion, how did you find yourself out in the desert?”

  “My friend Aertos,” Rion said. “He took me into the wastes.”

  Miri rubbed her chin. “Your friend … do you know where is he now?”

  The boy’s lips began trembling. “He is dead.”

  “We were out in the wastes hunting and we killed a dargon not far from where we found you,” Miri said. “Inside the beast’s stomach, we found the remains of two men. Could one of them be your friend?”

  Rion blinked rapidly. It looked like he was trying to hold back his tears. “I do not know. Perhaps.”

  “Was your friend traveling alone with you?” Miri asked.

  “Yes,” the boy said softly. “Two men were hunting us.”

  Miri glanced at the other two women. Both had surprised looks on their faces. She faced the boy once more. “These two men, why were they hunting you?”

  “They wanted to bring me back to the citadel,” the boy said.

  Elder Zedne let out a deep breath. The abodes of the Magi were called citadels. “Rion, why were you in the citadel?”

  “I-I do not know,” Rion said. “My memories fail me. All I remember was being held in some cold, dark room where the lights would come from bright yellow spheres. Then it was the bloodletting, when they would use these sharp needles and thrust them into my arms. It was very painful. I was in constant agony.”

  “Do you remember anything before that? Where did you grow up?” Miri asked.

  The boy shook his head once more. “I-I have no memories of my life before the dark room.”

  “But who taught you how to speak the trade language? Who brought you up? Surely every child knows that,” Nyx said. Miri placed a hand at the younger girl’s elbow, and Nyx instantly became quiet.

  Rion’s breathing became rapid. The boy was clearly uncomfortable at the line of questioning he was receiving. “I-I do not know. All I can remember is the pain of that horrid place.”

  “But you escaped,” Miri said. “Do you remember how you got away?”

  “One of the others who used to hurt me,” Rion said. “His name was Aertos. He saw my sufferings for many moons. I think he took pity on me and took me away when the others left the dark room. He made me wear a cloak and we made for the desert. We journeyed for many days, then they caught up to us. Aertos told me to run and then he tried to fight them. I saw them kill him.”

  Miri leaned closer. “Rion, these other men. Were they Magi?”

  The boy was weeping now. His words came out in slight gasps. “Y-yes.”

  “Do you know why you were being bled?” Miri asked.

  The boy placed his hands over his tear filled eyes. “No! All I-I remember was the pain!”

  Elder Zedne placed a hand on Miri’s arm. “I think the boy needs to rest now,” she said to the protector before placing a comforting hand on the boy’s shivering shoulder. “Go back to sleep, child. I sha
ll bring you some food. Do not worry, all is well.”

  The healer led the other two women back out into the main chamber. “I think that is enough questioning for now,” Zedne said to them. “The child is clearly upset, and he cannot seem to remember anything other than his terrible experiences in that citadel, and of his flight across the wastes.”

  “Mother, this could have serious consequences for the entire tribe,” Miri said. “We have given the boy the promise of sanctuary, and we are now pledged to protect him with all our lives. But what if the Magi come looking for him and we decide to keep him? This could be a start of a war.”

  Nyx was shocked. “The Magi will come here? But I thought they no longer send out patrols into the wastes. I was not even born before the last time they had come into this village.”

  “I was but a child myself when the last Magi patrol came into this village,” Miri said. “I have not seen another since that time. Rumors in the tribe spoke about their kind dying out. There has been no Magus born in this tribe since Elder Rawn’s son was sent away to the citadel. I was so small then, thus I could hardly remember it.”

  “Yet the boy’s story proves that the Magi still exist,” Zedne said. “It seems they have been doing things that we were not previously aware of.”

  Miri turned to look at the old woman “I was never sure as to how the ancient treaties worked when it came to determining the fate of a Striga or a Magus. How could the Magi know if any of the tribes produced Magus as offspring?”

  “The patrols would regularly visit the tribes of this area, at least once per cycle,” Zedne said. “Then the tribes were to give away any male child that had the potential power of the mindforce. Our people were allowed to keep girls who had the Vis. There was an old story about one tribe in the wastes, called the Dar’kar, who refused to hand over their male children, who had the Vis, over to the Magi.”

  “What happened to them?” Nyx asked.

  “The Magi sent in an army of warriors, each one with great power in their skills of Vis, and they slaughtered the entire tribe,” Zedne said. “Men, women, and children. Killed them all for violating the great pact. There were even rumors that the Magi employed a group of Strigas to help them in this most grisly task.”