by C. J. Haines
“You know what that thing is, and you think it should live?! That thing is going to kill everyone, and I mean everyone! It has to die!”
Runa put herself between Satthias and Rartyr, Rartyr scoffing as he looked at the old one. “You think your old body can get in my way, Runa? You think I won’t kill you, when I would kill a child to save everything?!”
Runa shook her head, as Satthias walked around her and looked upon Rartyr, Runa speaking. “It is destiny, Rartyr, it’s meant to happen. He has a purpose!” Rartyr shook his head in a shaming manner at Runa and then took his gaze to Satthias as he approached.
“Satthias, you loved Renume, she would not want this. She wouldn’t want her child to be a murderer, Satthias!!!”
Satthias looked at Runa and then to Rartyr, and spoke. “I did love Renume, but I love our son too, Rartyr. I can’t give him up. All Renume and I wanted was a child and now we have it…all we’ve wanted, its here…in my arms, I can’t let go.” Rartyr shook his head and lowered his sword to the relief of Runa and Satthias.
Rartyr looked into the calm eyes and tear ridden face of his friend, Satthias, and took his sword in sheath at his side, and spoke calmly. “Okay…okay, Satthias, you can have him. I won’t take your child from you, but I won’t have any part in this…not anymore.”
Backing away, Rartyr kept his gaze on Satthias and spoke over the wind as it grew sharp, the sand spraying against his form as he tread further and further away, speaking to Satthias.
“I can’t help you take care of that…beast. But the day will come Satthias, only you can stop this. If he were my son, I would do it, but he is not…he is yours.”
Satthias stared through the sharp sands, as he held his son near, Runa grabbing his shoulder, as for him not to follow Rartyr. Satthias calling out to his friend in wounded tone.
“Rartyr, I…I’m sorry…”
Rartyr was drawing further away into the wilderness and shouted out his last words before he left. This would be the last time he would ever see his friend, Satthias.
“Don’t be sorry, Satthias. I understand you, I always have. You’re protecting him out of love…as I was protecting you out of my love…for you…brother.”
Satthias watched as Rartyr disappeared and would never be seen by his eyes again. Runa let go of his shoulder and looked upon the child Satthias stood bearing close, the beastly child grasping at its father.
Satthias looked upon the child, and smiled as the child’s eyes burned like twin flames, its teeth sharp as it opened its mouth for breathe.
Satthias truly loved this child, as his wife would have, even though they both knew he was the Red Wolf, a beast of death and destruction.
Satthias stood in the wilderness, sharp sands caressing his face roughly as he donned his facial covering, Renume’s last words a constant whisper in his mind. Words that spoke of a name for the boy, but he was the Red Wolf, and that was the only name he’d ever know.
-Chapter 20-
Present
The storm shook the land in its wild grip, as it spread out, dealing fury upon open plain, destroyed town, and the Order.
The Mother stood on the tongue of the high chamber, water pounding upon her linen clothed form and the green stone balcony as she stood with her veil removed, feeling the cool rain course down her features as she had Samana and the younger’s journey in mind.
Thoughts of the beast of prophecy ran through her head as she concentrated, trying to sense where Samana was and if she was alive, for she did not sense that the journey was complete, or the beast killed. The Mother focused and focused, and then saw a vision of Samana greatly wounded, some strange, tall, metal warrior, Samana rising from her wounded state, and continuing her journey. She was strong in will, and in physical characteristic.
The Mother’s eyes shot open, green and bright, glowing with sweet illumination as she knew what she had to do, now.
Below, the rain drifted down rather heavily, the wind hissing and scraping against the form of the great tower, as the owl stood on his perch, enduring the bitter weather, as he watched all below. Flashes of lightning rented the air, as thunder boomed out loudly and righteously.
Then the owl felt a voice of familiarity call his attention. He flew from his perch, descending in a smooth spiral to meet his caller as they stood awaiting him at the tower entrance below.
The owl landed, spitting water outwards from his sharp talons, for he had landed in a pool, and put his attention on the figure in the entrance, and spoke. “Mother, you called?”
Inside the infirmary, Amen and Henk were sitting on their corresponding beds, tossing pillows back and forth, bored and looking for entertainment, as Mensh sat on the countertop, with Maela resting in a good chair in the corner, slumped and snoring, peacefully.
Henk had just taken a shot at throwing the pillow and turned to Mensh, who was surveying, and spoke to her. Mensh was looking bored as the others, sitting stooped, with her legs dangling over the counter, and her hood drawn over her head. “You look bored. I can’t imagine why. It must be the air.”
Mensh answered, watching her dangling legs. “Could be, or maybe the proper storm pounding outside. I’m getting tired of this weather, already.”
Mensh left the counter, as Henk was nodding in agreement, and received a hit from a flying pillow to the side of her head, and stopped, looking at Amen severely as the silent one cut a comical figure. Mensh passed inbetween the two, and went to the window, speaking as she looked out through the runny glass. “It looks pretty boring outside, too. I guess we’re not mis…hey, looks like something is up. Hoosun and the Mother are talking out there, we should go look!”
The weather outside was tense and wet, as the Mother and Hoosun were speaking words amongst the trees and were approached by the trio of Amen, Henk, and Mensh, the last of who invaded the conversation. “Hey, what’s going on?”
Hoosun shook water from his feathery head, as he and the Mother stopped their speech, and took attention upon the conversational intruder and spoke urgently, not wasting any time, the Mother took first word. “I had a vision of Samana. She had met the Red Wolf in conflict and was injured, and she also seems to have met someone on her journey that is helping her.”
Henk spoke in a worried manner, approaching the Mother. “Is she okay? Is she hurt badly?”
The Mother placed a good hand on Henk’s shoulder, and nodded, as she continued.
“She is okay. The warrior that she seems in alliance with has fixed her, and afterwards she arose, and is continuing the journey now, but it seems they may not make it in time on foot. The Red Wolf has far superior speed and could outrun them without trying, which is why I set upon Hoosun a task of his own, but it is risky.”
The three young ones turned to Hoosun with questioning glare as he spoke.
“I am to fly southwest to Murta Sota, and hopefully find Samana along the way, for this is her journey, and she must complete it. It would be of great risk due to the weather and the metal spear in my shoulder, but I am willing to take such a risk, do not worry, young ones.”
Henk patted the feathery hand of the owl, and smiled at him. “You are brave, Hoosun, take care, and find Samana for us.”
The owl nodded and morphed his wings into their fully stretched, flying forms, flapping them in preparation, as the Mother and the others stood at his side, the Mother speaking over the storm and the wild flaps of the twin wings. “You will be safe, my friend. I guarantee it. Fly straight and true, and be ever watchful with your keen eyes.” With those last words, the owl sped off across the ground. Though he usually moved across solid ground in a slow and serene manner, now was a time of great importance, so he ushered all his strength to his aid. Shooting from the ground, he began flying southwest through the chaotic winds and stormy skies.
The Mother stood with the young ones, Mensh speaking as all looked out after the owl as he disappeared into the mess of weather. “I’m sure he’ll do it, I can feel it.”
The
Mother put her arms around the young ones, looking through her veil at the furious sky above, as she ushered the young ones back inside to the infirmary. “He will. Let us go in now, and await the storm’s end.”
The passing days were long and tiring. The storm had well-passed over the ground where Samana and Kurlank had tread, leaving the weather heated and furious, as the skies grew thicker and thicker with ash, the blackness falling down majestically upon the traveling two.
Samana was thirsty and feeling warn out, as she strode onward, her partner on the journey, ahead of her by but a few feet. Kurlank felt well and strong. He could not tire as Samana could, and did not need food or water to survive.
After Samana was beginning to fall back more, the metal one elected the idea of carrying her on his back, which she accepted, but not as willingly as he would have liked, Samana wanting to walk the distance herself. The Metal one spied ahead as Samana grew ever weary on his back, hearing the echoing voice of her friend, as Kurlank pointed outward with a free hand, at an awesome sight. “Look ahead, Samana, it’s there, the City of Murta Sota, and only but another day of walking left. We can make it, rest assured.”
The City of Murta Sota was grand, and was surrounded by one outer wall, tall and fearsome as it concealed the bottom quarter of a towering city. Spiraling and jagged with countless buildings of great stone built over many years, adding to the vastness of the legendary city, it sat. Atop the sight, built upon a foundation of buildings, a great tower stood, encircling a flaming pit, ash spewing furiously, with smoke reaching into the atmosphere to create ashy clouds that spread for a great multitude of miles in the sky, leaving the sun and moon invisible to those within the city and around it, even when their presence was made well-known to others.
Kurlank marched ahead, strong and willful, but the city was still a great length of distance away.
Further south of Kurlank, the Red Wolf was running eagerly, his goal repeating in his mind like the beats of his burning heart, as he took great strides to reach his goal. The City of Murta Sota stood only but miles before the Red Wolf as he ran, the spirits’ voices speaking to him as he continued his effort. “There it is…the pit. It looks like the humans have built a fortification around it, but it is of no matter. You can break down their doors and climb your way there. Hurry, many will try to stop you, but all will fail!”
Kurlank was running speedily, as Samana was taking a look at the ash ridden skies above, surrounding them for miles. They were close to their goal. The journey to Murta Sota was near complete, but that was very much different from the true journey, which was to stop the Red Wolf from destroying all life.
Samana spoke as she heard a loud, repetitive motion ringing in her ears, each beat of the motion only but a second apart. “Do you hear that, Kurlank? There’s something coming, do you hear it?”
The metal one spied about, as he continued his forward pace, and did not see anything to his view, and spoke. “I do not see anything, Samana. You are tired. Take rest upon my back as I carry us ever closer to our goal.”
Samana did not want to rest, and looked about as the air was thick with heat, and her throat feeling dry, as she spoke, investigating the air around her. “I don’t think that’s it…it sounds like…like wings!”
The courageous form of the white owl, Hoosun, dove down through the ash ridden air, and was beside the travelers. Samana issued for Kurlank to stop, and hopped from his back to meet her good friend, the owl speaking with urgency. “Samana, I am glad to see you alive. I had my worries. I am here by word of the Mother. She had a vision of you and your friend, and said that it looked as though you may not make it to Murta Sota in time.”
Samana hugged her friend and spoke, as Kurlank stood at her side. “She did? Well, it looks like it’ll take us another good day to get there…Hoosun, this is Kur-”
The owl interrupted, and spoke of his purpose. “Let’s leave introductions for later, I am here to insure that you get to Murta Sota in time. I can travel far faster than anyone can on foot, so, get on me. I can only carry one. Your friend can take it on foot.”
Samana took to her old friend’s back, as Kurlank nodded in agreement and ran as the owl took off, speaking to the pair that was now flying. “I agree. I will make haste to the city. Hurry, Samana, and do not hesistate, you know what you must do!”
Samana waved to her friend and gripped her arms around the neck of the strong owl, as he flew her to the city. It would only be a short time until they would arrive at their destination.
The young warrior spoke to her owl friend, as they flew speedily and gracefully. “It’s great to see you, Hoosun. It seemed like it has been so long since I last saw you.”
The owl looked ahead at the city, drawing closer and closer. Grinning with his beak ridden features, the owl spoke in a caring tone to his young friend. “I was worried about you, very much, but in my fear, I also had faith, Samana. I know you will fulfill your destiny, and this beast of fire will be stopped, as surely as I trust in you.”
Samana smiled and patted her owl friend. They were arriving upon their destination, the City of Murta Sota.
The owl flew down upon the great vastness of buildings, jagged stone, and many structures shaped of it. The owl continued, passing over the outer walls, as figures were standing upon them, armored, and guarding the outer edges. They pointed at his feathery form as he shot past them, and up to the great tower, where rested just below the top of the spiraling form was a temple.
The owl landed on a stone balcony, allowing Samana to leap from his back, as horns sounded around the city to the appearance of intruders.
Guards fully armored, and in shimmering red fashion, approached from the mouth of the balcony, spears drawn forth, with the one they called leader, behind them.
Samana stood still, as issued by Hoosun, as the owl stood in front of her, and bowed to the approaching guards, speaking in a peaceful tone. “Greetings, my friend, we have come in great need of your ear of listening. We bear news of danger, shall you hear, Hatchlen?”
The guards had created a perimeter around the owl and his young friend, but soon parted, revealing the fully red cloaked leader of their numbers. The leader removed his hood and revealed a slithery head of formation. Blue dots ran down his cheeks red, as his eyes flicked in blinking as he overlooked the owl, releasing a great orange frill outwards, as he spoke to the owl in a hissing manner. “Well, if it isn’t Hoosun, my old friend. Put down your weapons, these ones are good.” The lizard motioned down the guards’ sharp spears, and took his friend in arm, and led him into the temple in the side of the billowing structure, gesturing the young one to follow as well, backed by many following guards. “Who is this one you have brought with you? More importantly, what is the newssss you have to gift upon me?”
The owl presented Samana at his side, as they walked, the owl speaking to his old friend. “This is Samana. She is of the Order, and the reason I have come here, my friend.”
Hatchlen had led his friend and welcomed-guest through the inner temple. It was dark, and echoed the ember light of torches, as the lizard led them through one side and out the other, speaking to his owl friend as Samana looked down below upon the intense flames. They were standing on a lower level of spiraling stairs that ran down the inside of the great tower, the heat, smoke, fire, and embers escaping madly through the topless tower.
“Tell me of this newsss, my friend.”
While Hoosun took his friend aside and regaled the reason for his coming, Samana was left alone, as warriors went up the spiraling stairs, inserting themselves into pockets of housings, others reaching the top for watch duty. The young, braided-haired Samana looked upon the mixing flame, as it spat, twisted, and erupted wildly within itself.
The Red Wolf was running madly across the distance. He had reached his destination. Tasting it in savored manner as he took the last few great leaps of his stride, he heard horns billowing from above. His presence must have been discovered. It was now or never.
He must make his way to the pit.
Hoosun had finished his story, and stood with Hatchlen and Samana, amongst many guards at the temple balcony, which the owl had landed upon just earlier. Horns of warning rang out as the leader, Hatchlen, issued orders of defense.
The owl stood behind Samana, who was sharpening her sword against the stone balcony tip. The owl spoke softly to her, as she was in preparation of the Red Wolf’s coming.
“Are you ready, Samana? Are you ready?”
The owl tried to gain Samana’s attention and finally did so, on his second attempt. He watched as the young warrior finished sharpening her blade and held it out, as she looked down below, speaking in readiness. “I am ready, Hoosun. Will you help me in this? I have a stance I think would help favorably in battle.”
The owl nodded as he watched Hatchlen take a blade and run down for the walls, taking his leave of the two. “Ofcourse, Samana, tell me, what do you have in mind?” The young warrior smiled at her old friend, and patted his shoulder. “I wish to ride you into battle, Hoosun. It would give us a great advantage of speed and strength over the beast.”
The owl, without answer, threw the young one onto his back, and stretched out, and leapt from the balcony, spiraling down below, speaking to Samana as he did. “I will do anything for you, my friend…my daughter!”
Samana swung her sword in a spinning glimmer of burning light, and was ready to take on the challenge of the beast.
The outer wall guards rushed about with weapons, and were preparing for battle, when a howl was cast out from the wall borders and was heard by all, as it shook the very foundation of the city. One wall guard looked down from the wall to see the sender of the beastly cry, but found something else far more perplexing. The guard was met with a sharp blade through his chest, with the chain attached, and dragged down from the wall, thudding roughly on the ground below.