Spirits of Falajen

by Ginger Salazar

  Ibrienne and Sulica both suffered minor injuries during their escape to the berthing compartment. When the ship fell silent, the two emerged from below deck to search the bodies of dozens of men. Most were from their own crew, including Sulica’s father.

  Sulica had told Ibrienne that her mother died giving birth to her. Losing her only living parent at such a young age for a Resarian traumatized her. Ibrienne remembered how Sulica spent the remainder of that evening grieving for her father, forgoing any attempt to give her food. She stayed in her father’s cabin, refusing to speak to anyone, even Ibrienne.

  Sulica emerged the following morning, her hazel eyes red from tears, and began issuing orders. Sulica took command of the surviving crew, a diverse group of Resarians, Beccilians, and various other neutral nations. After sinking the vessels of her company along with the bodies of her father and fallen comrades in a ceremonial funeral, the crew seized the Lantheun ship. She had it refitted by removing any sign of Resarian and replacing all banners and emblems with her own family crest of the Nin’s. The ship was dubbed the Hantira, in honor of Sulica’s father.

  As the months passed, Ibrienne grew increasingly uneasy with the new clientele. At first, the profits were high. Since their trading business no longer took place on a Resarian ship, Sulica had fewer restraints with whom to do business. Then they began catering to customers who were less noble and more unprincipled. Sulica had learned much from her father, but not enough on economic skills. The amount of coin coming soon began to decrease, and her crew became desperate for money.

  One day, a half-Kiaran, half-Beccilian man tipped Sulica off about a lucrative opportunity. The Pahl’Kiar was paying outrageous sums of gold to anyone turning in Resarians with powerful mystics. Sulica, having reached a dark path in her mind among the gods and monsters of thieving guilds, jumped at the chance to regain lost coin and the loyalty of her crew.

  The Hantira pulled into port at a harbor town south of Res’Baveth where Sulica could gather information on any Resarian who acquired the skill of summoning mystics. It was a humble town, mostly made up of fishermen who could barely heal one another with mystics, let alone summon any type of destruction. Sulica directed Ibrienne to make daily visits to the town, trading healing techniques for information on the more prominent mystic-wielders. When she saw the Dominion warship pull in for replenishment, however, her plans became bigger. She knew that at least half of the Dominion sailors would have some type of destructive mystic that she could suppress until the trade could be arranged.

  Sulica spent hours observing the men who disembarked the warship, trying to feel for any specific type of mystic that would be worthwhile to the Kiarans. Ibrienne had feared the look she saw in Sulica’s eyes when she spotted the rear admiral. They both knew exactly who his daughter was and the power she possessed. “In fact,” Sulica had reasoned, “why not make double the gold for two Resarians?”

  Sulica selected three skilled assassins to sneak onto the warship with her under the cover of darkness. While she suppressed four sailors at a time – the limit of her mystics as long as they were in her line of sight - the assassins crept along the deck. She had ordered her men not to kill any of them, but two of the sailors still died in the process of her men overpowering them. When they finally reached Admiral Sen Asel’s cabin, the rest of his crew was incapacitated.

  Even inebriated, Admiral Sen Asel put up a nasty fight with the three men, but, without the unusual use of his mystics, he was outnumbered and eventually knocked unconscious. One of the assassins had nearly killed the drunken admiral out of frustration once they finally brought him down. Sulica was furious when she and the others reboarded the Hantira with their charge. Immediately, Ibrienne was summoned to ensure the admiral would live. She felt she should have known then what Sulica had in mind when she was ordered to not fully heal the broken man. They left the harbor that very night.

  The following morning, Sulica inquired as to the location of their former comrade. Foolishly, Ibrienne believed Sulica had a change of heart and assumed she would return the admiral to his daughter. She had no idea that the information of Brisethi’s whereabouts given to her through the letters she exchanged with Korteni and Livian would be used to abduct the young captain. Sulica suggested that they meet up with her when her division would be near a harbor. Eventually, Sulica found out Brisethi’s division number and sent her message as soon as she was able to.

  When Ibrienne discovered the content of Sulica’s letter and the wrongdoing she’d inadvertently contributed to, she pleaded with her friend to at least abide by the words in her letter and set Brisethi’s father free. Ibrienne hoped that, by attempting to abduct Brisethi, her fire would easily overpower their crew, thereby setting Ibrienne free from the purgatory she found herself in.

  Once Brisethi was on their ship, Ibrienne had to suppress the urge to talk to her, to beg her for forgiveness and help her get back on the right path. Leaving the thieving guild they had joined wasn’t an easy procedure, but if anyone could help her, Ibrienne believed Brisethi could. Unfortunately, Sulica’s power was stronger than Ibrienne had imagined, and Brisethi was unable to best it. When Sulica was forced to escort Brisethi to the Lantheun capital, Ibrienne desperately hoped that Brisethi could overpower Sulica’s mystic and escape.

  Due to the damage Brisethi and the Kiarans had brought upon their ship, Ibrienne and Kanilas spent two weeks repairing the Hantira before sailing to another port. Then they spent another week or so tracking down any division with a competent commander to help them find and rescue the two women.

  They hoped to find a patrol division with experienced soldiers but instead found a recruit training division. Kanilas nearly overlooked the division to search for another one when Ibrienne convinced him to at least talk to the commanders if only for the remote chance they would tell them where to find a patrol division. Ibrienne instinctively kept her hood over her face, partly in shame, when they realized the commander of the division was someone they knew. But when Captain Vorsen was reluctant to believe Kanilas, and for good reason, she had to show her face to prove they were acting in good faith. And that they were desperate for help.

  While on the DSV Reliant on their way to Lantheus, Captain Vorsen and Chief Pyraz had an overwhelming amount of questions for her and Kanilas. Their instinct was to lie to protect their own reputation, but eventually Ibrienne crushed under the pressure and confessed all. She told them of Sulica’s father’s contraband, how they were initiated into a thieves’ guild, and the abduction of both Sen Asel officers. Kanilas understood why she folded and forgave her. Unlike Sulica, Kanilas still held the Dominion in high regard and would beg them for mercy when it came time for his trial.

  Ibrienne stared through the partly open cargo door, refusing to let her memory take her any further. The Lantheun laboratory still haunted her dreams. Outside, the countryside of Trycinea continent was flat as far as she could see. Tall grass swayed in the wind among the plains where few cottonwood trees scattered the land. The plains reminded her of eastern Sariadne, and she felt a pang of homesickness. She yearned to return home, though realistically she had no home to return to.

  “While in Beccilia we’ll find work on a Kiaran transport ship,” Kanilas spoke, startling her out of her reverie. He was studying a map. “I hope you’re still fluent in Kiaran.”

  “Re bava’khan mikar,” she reassured him in Kiaran with a sigh.

  “That’s more than I remember. You’re doing all the talking,” he ordered.

  -:- -:- -:-

  Sulica awoke in confusion. She lay still for a few moments, trying to make sense of her surroundings. Suspicion set in as she realized she’d been sleeping in a soft, clean bed. The gentle familiar swaying of a ship put her at ease, but it was louder than any ship she had ever been on before.

  She struggled to recall her last memory. She remembered sitting on a cold floor, screaming at Brisethi to end their torture, watching her former adversary turned fellow prisoner fighting a br
ute of a Lantheun guard. Brisethi then lay unconscious in a pool of her blood. She dimly wondered if Brisethi had died or was on this ship with her.

  Sulica sat up, wincing in pain. Taking a breath, she looked down at her aching body to assess the damage. Bandages covered the open wounds where her pieces of her skin had been stripped away. Where it was intact looked blotchy but clean, and her hair smelled of scented oils. She no longer wore the disgusting white gown from Lantheus, but simple, clean undergarments. Pushing the plush covers off, she placed her sore, bare feet on the carpeted deck. She tried to stand but felt weak and lightheaded, forcing her to sit back down on the bed.

  The small table next to the bed held a silver tray displaying various fruits and pastries. Her stomach grumbled at the sight, so she reached over and placed the tray on her lap. She hadn’t eaten anything solid in weeks. She bit into the sweet, juicy apple with no regard to where it came from. Tears welled her eyes as Sulica realized she was no longer suffering behind bars, starving and dying of infections and torture. When the scent reached her, her stomach flopped, feeling nauseated despite the swollenness of her belly.

  Forcing herself to forgo the tempting fruit and pastries, she moved on to the pitcher of cool water, drinking straight from it. Her stomach still ached as she drained the water, but she felt satiated for the first time in weeks. She leaned back on her arms to stretch, wanting to regain energy enough to walk freely around the room and the ship without feeling like she was going to pass out. Her eyes wandered around the cabin, taking in the plush furniture and unique carvings.

  Using her mystic, Sulica scanned the ship for Brisethi’s unique power and sensed no mystics at all. There were no other Resarians on board the ship. She glanced behind her, then did a double take as she saw the dark blue banner on the wall displaying the gold clockwork emblem of Pahl’Kiar.

  She froze momentarily while her thoughts raced. What am I doing here? she asked herself. Now what are they going to do with me? The idea of looking for a place to hide was useless on a ship full of people who already knew she was there. Someone had brought her here, rescued her from one nightmare only to be placed in another one. The food and water were probably drugged, she thought, furious with herself for her thoughtlessness.

  A soft tapping on her cabin door startled her. She didn’t know how to respond or what to do. The tapping sounded again and the door finally cracked open. She remained seated on the bed, too weak to move, but her eyes were riveted to the door.

  “My apologies, Miss, I didn’t realize you had awoken. I only meant to check on you,” the man in the doorway spoke in fluent Resarian. He walked over to the dim lantern to brighten it. “How are you feeling?” He was tall and fair-skinned, with dark hair, few age lines and bright blue eyes that were pupil-less, giving her the distinct feeling she had met him before.

  “I drank all the water,” she replied. She didn’t know why that was the only thing she could think to say.

  The man in ornate clothing smiled. “That’s a good sign, Miss. Would you mind telling me your name? The Lantheuns only had you listed as a number.”

  She briefly considered giving him a false name. “Sulica,” she said quietly.

  “You may call me Ekani,” he replied with a slight bow. “I imagine you must have dozens of questions. So let me explain. As the Kiaran ambassador to Lantheus, I was ordered to buy your freedom and escort you to Pahl’Kiar. Emperor Vimbultinir is interested in hiring you for your unique abilities.” He paused, considering her for a moment. “Once he has spoken with you, he will offer you two choices; either accept the position he’s offering you, or he will have you returned to the Dominion.”

  “He would allow me to return home with no consequences?” she asked skeptically. She wondered why even waste time speaking with the emperor if she could just go home.

  Ekani cleared his throat. Still smiling, he rocked back on his heels and said, “Would you mind refreshing my memory on what the Dominion does to ex-military members who abduct their officers and abandon them to their death? They consider that an act of treason, yes?”

  How could she have forgotten the crimes she would pay for? She momentarily looked away from Ekani’s timeless eyes. “They are beheaded,” she hesitantly replied.

  “Ah, yes, such is the savage culture of your people.” He gave her a sympathetic look. “I would hate to be the one allowing them to abolish such a valuable paragon like yourself. As of now, you are under the protection of the Pahl’Kiar. Deny service to the emperor, and your people would gladly take you off of our hands.”

  “I understand,” she weakly told him. She didn’t realize how tightly she had been holding the blanket in her hands.

  “Do feel free to roam the ship, Sulica. When you are up to it, of course. You are our guest. There are suitable clothes in the dresser. The galley is the deck below if you’re still hungry. We’ll be in Pahl’Kiar in twelve days.”

  She watched him leave her room, sighing out loud as she thought about her new unfortunate circumstance. She had no compulsion to align her loyalties to the Kiarans. But she also had no desire to return to Sariadne where the Dominion would convict her of her crimes and likely sentence her to death.

  Chapter II

  After Livian took the short hike toward the stream, Korteni finally approached her distraught commander. She hesitated since Captain Vorsen had snapped at everyone after rescuing Brisethi that morning. Since their arrival at the rally point, he had distanced himself from the three women to sit alone on a rock.

  “Captain, are you well?” She softly asked.

  “I’m fine. What do you need?” Etyne quickly replied.

  “Do you think we should wake her? It’s been over ten hours since she went to sleep,” Korteni fretted.

  “She likely hasn’t had proper rest since she was captured. Her body needs to continue healing.” Etyne replied, finally rising from his perch to stretch his achy muscles.

  They stared at the shack the small group shared that morning and afternoon since freeing Brisethi from the Lantheun capital. Their setup was a small abandoned tool shed nestled among a dead garden north of the city. They were close to the shore, awaiting pick-up from the DSV Reliant which had to stay out of sight of the Lantheun patrol ships. With any luck, they would be on the way home soon.

  Livian Reej sat upon a tree that had fallen across a stream, turning it into a small bridge. Wearing only her undershirt and undershorts, she basked in the late afternoon sun, drying from her bath in the stream. As she watched the shallow water bubbling and tumbling over the rocks and sand, her mind began to wander.

  Her spirit had been troubled since the previous night when she witnessed Ibrienne Sestas running away from them. Korteni filled her in on Ibrienne’s entire confession when they finally felt relatively secure. It nearly broke Livian’s heart to hear that her childhood friend had defected. Ibrienne had been like her older sister in the orphanage until she left for the expedition. When the orphanage burned down, she had lost contact with Ibrienne until the day they reunited at Ibrienne’s graduation ceremony. Livian didn’t know much about the other woman, Sulica, except that Ibrienne was working for her and her father. That man who traveled with her, Kanilas, seemed to have thought the world of Sulica, however.

  “Elion, are you responsible for that suppressor?” She asked toward the sky. Her heart still ached at remembering her seven years spent at the citadel with him. Her eyes watered at remembering the day he was arrested for his crimes against Sariadne, driving her to seek out the Dominion recruiter. She recalled the first night she met Sen Asel and how easily persuasive she was to Livian. The way she advertised the Dominion military could have convinced the most belligerent, stubborn child to enlist. Livian thought about Sen Asel’s impressive powerful demeanor and ability to command authority from anyone during their two-week division integration. But whatever had happened to the woman had left her a shell of her former self.

  When Livian was initially asked to assist Vorsen and Pyraz
on their mission, she was inclined to respectfully tell them no. She didn’t join the Dominion Armed Forces to rescue Resarians who had gotten themselves captured. She joined to protect her continent and prevent said cases of abduction. However, if she declined Captain Vorsen’s request, she would have been transferred to the division that was eight months behind them, extending her expedition by that much longer. Her choices were to either go where Chief Pyraz went, or get set back, repeating desert training again.

  She wasn’t at all interested in sailing to Lantheus to rescue some nobody that Ibrienne and her male friend knew. All she wanted was to finish her enlisted expedition training so she could attend officer training and finally take charge of fortifying Sariadne’s defenses.

  Upon seeing the fallen captain last night, barely alive, Livian lost what little pride she’d had in achieving their goal. Her respect for the officer had also diminished greatly. Livian’s recruiter, her enlistment officer, had allowed her mystics, her strength and her dignity to be taken away from her by petty Lantheuns. For all Livian cared, the woman could have been left to die in the puddle of blood they found her in instead of allowing the Dominion to risk the lives of the DSV Reliant to rescue her. In spite of her convictions, she still felt queasy recalling the conditions of that laboratory and felt a pang of pity for her Captain and Chief finding their friend in such a condition.

  It took them over six hours to reach their small refuge outside of Lantheus City. They had left their packs and provisions in the abandoned shack the day before. Captain Vorsen arranged for the ship to pick them up from the shore nearby after a couple of days in case the group needed more time to find Captain Sen Asel. The DSV Reliant would return to them by tomorrow night to take them back to Ancient Kiar to finish the expedition training. Livian splashed her bare feet in the stream, sighing loudly and impatiently.