The Panids' Children_The Panids of Koa

by Lee M Eason

  “Sorry,” Bryn apologised. “We’ve been on cold dried rations for weeks.

  “Eat on, it’s good to see someone enjoying this stuff.”

  Ressca watched them eat. They’d both lost an alarming amount of weight and had injuries that needed attention. Despite their bravado she could tell they were near exhaustion and in serious need of rest. Eventually their pace slowed and Ressca deemed it appropriate to start questioning them about their journey. As they recounted the events in Lont she stopped them many times for clarification and to ask further questions about Maga and The Children.

  “…and so Kellim intends to accompany us to High Holt and then leave for The Field’s Cap.” Bryn concluded.

  “It’s interesting that he thinks Jenna will be safer in Aylis with Meg. That said, I have heard if Meg doesn’t want her home found then it won’t be. The academy in Naddier is a mess and with most of us on the front line it’s probably best she heads north.” Resting her hands on the table she thought back over all she had been told, piecing it together in her mind. “You said the Ildrans were up to something near Delak?” Ressca said puzzling.

  “We didn’t have time to check it out fully but assumed they were trying to open up the pass through the mountains,” he paused thinking for a while. “Mind you at that point they could be navigated by sky ship.” Bryn could see Ressca was trying to remember something.

  “Oh, that is annoying,” she said finally. “There’s something else about Delak and The Great War that I cannot remember for the life of me. You should mention it to Kellim when you see him next.” It clearly irritated her that she could not bring the information to hand. “Something I found in old records set down after the war...” Finally, she held up her hands in exasperation. “I must be going senile.”

  “So what of the current war?” Bryn sat back feeling full for the first time in ages.

  “You said Cian was in trouble,” Jac added pushing his plate aside and stretching in satisfaction.

  Ressca nodded grimly. “We’ve had reports that he’s moving into Neath and we know he’s trying to push his way above us and along the Kersel mountain edge towards the coast. It appears he’s trying to wipe out any possible insurrection inside the mountain ranges. Then he won’t need to watch his back while he focuses on Amaria.”

  “So that’s his next move?” Bryn asked.

  “That’s the general feeling. Amongst other things he has a family grudge against The Empress and so will most likely follow his emotions in that direction. But that of course is purely conjecture.”

  There was a call from outside, to which Ressca responded and a soldier entered.

  “The Captain would like to talk to the gentlemen ma’am. If they’ve finished eating.”

  “Tell your Captain I’ll bring them presently,” Ressca responded. The soldier nodded and left.

  “Have the two of you eaten enough?” she asked.

  “Stuffed,” Jac replied yawning.

  “Then we can make our way back over. I never like to jump when the good captain commands but given the circumstances you know a lot that can help him.”

  ***

  “So this was once a city,” Kara marvelled carefully picking her way around the creeper-encrusted ruins that still managed to hold themselves above the tide of the forest undergrowth.

  “Yes. This was once the Urukish capital. The Lantrium of Luesh once shone here,” Mia Sara was pulling away at a fern to get a better look at the carvings on a section of crumbling wall. “This hasn’t been a city since the war.”

  “What happened?”

  “It, like the country, was laid waste,” Mia Sara stated bluntly.

  “And so the jungle took it all back,” Kara said thoughtfully. She didn’t want to think about the forces that could destroy a country. Mia Sara was engrossed in her weeding and so she leapt to the top of a broken column and stood, hands on hips, atop the huge support. The canopy of a giant red fern towered above her. The ever-present noise of the jungle filled the air. The other giants of the jungle, the great bower trees with their stark white trunks, punctuated the mass of greens and occasional red. All about them sections of rust stained masonry merged and thrust, still defiant, from the rich vegetation.

  “We should think about leaving soon,” Mia Sara said after she had finished her inspection. “I’m not convinced we’re in the clear yet and he seems recovered enough to travel.”

  “It’ll be slow going this time round,” Kara said. Stating the obvious, she told herself but this time with no arch comment from Mia Sara. How things had changed between the two of them. “He’s still weak.”

  “He will have to cope,” Mia Sara said flatly. “The ship is set to return three more times at set intervals to await us. If we miss the last one they’ll give us up for lost and we will have to head south to the coast and more populated areas, which will undoubtedly be infested by Ildran forces.”

  Kara turned to look down at where Halleck was still sleeping. Over the past few days he had done little else but that and eat. He had steadily become more communicative and less confused but still couldn’t remember anything of what had happened to him prior to his arrival in Magor. They had spent most of his waking time explaining what had happened to him. Occasionally some of what they said seemed to ring bells but most of it was a mystery.

  “Mia Sara,” she caught the other woman’s attention. “He’s awake again.”

  “Good, see if you can explain the art of bathing to him. As I assume it’s my turn to collect fire wood, again.”

  “How convenient,” Kara replied dryly.

  “Yes it is, isn’t it? What do you normally say at times like these? Ah yes, have fun,” and with that she headed off to find dry fuel.

  Kara leapt down off the pillar, landing perfectly and walked over to where Halleck was.

  “Morning,” she said brightly as he sat up. “Mia Sara thinks you smell and should take a bath.”

  Halleck sniffed at himself and pulled a face. “How long have I smelt this bad?”

  “Weeks but the fact that you know must be a sign you’re improving.” Kara rummaged in one of their packs. “Here,” she said throwing fresh clothes at him.

  “Thank you,” he said examining them and then stopped as he remembered something. “It was you who used to come and see me in the room and make me eat. Was it always you who came?”

  “No that would have been Letta. It was me for the last couple of weeks,” Kara explained.

  “That helps I couldn’t figure it out. Though I can’t remember her much at all.” Halleck said struggling to piece things together.

  “I’m not surprised. You were drugged to the eyeballs. Don’t rush things. It’ll all come back eventually,” she encouraged.

  Halleck got up with a grunt. He was still weak and unsteady on his feet and took a moment to get his balance.”

  “Can you manage?” Kara asked concerned.

  “Sorry,” he said guiltily. “I don’t think I can get there. Can you give me a hand? I must really stink.”

  Kara smiled. Suddenly feeling sorry for him she guessed he’d been through a lot. “I think I can cope. I’ll even scrub your back.”

  Halleck laughed which quickly broke down into a cough. Kara grabbed hold of his arm before he fell over. Eventually the coughing stopped and his breathing returned to normal. She supported him as they made their way down to the river and helped him get his shirt off. She winced at the sight of the bruises and burns on his sides and the paler cut marks on the dark brown skin of his back. His ribs showed through what looked like paper-thin skin. She was glad he hadn’t seen her reaction and handed him some soap.

  “I’ll wait over here and give you some privacy. Shout if you need anything. I don’t embarrass easy though, I had four brothers.”

  “Thanks,” he said awkwardly removing the rest of his clothes and lowering himself into the water.

  Kara sat with her back to him and the two chatted as Halleck washed. He asked about her
family and how she had come to Naddier.

  “Pretty straight forward really. Like I said I come from a big family, nothing special. We all got on, most of the time. Everyone worked hard, we were always well fed and lived in a nice house in a village near Oren. I was identified at an early age and so my parents got regular visits from the academy and help when I started to explore what I could do.”

  “How old were you?” Halleck paused before trying to clean his back.

  “About ten but I’d been well prepared and so when I started it wasn’t a problem. Though I think I gave my parents a scare or two when I learnt to change fully. That’s it really. All very average.”

  She waited before asking her own questions until he had finished washing his hair, scooping water over his head to get rid of the soap.

  There was a long pause behind her. “Everything okay back there?”

  “Fine thanks,” Halleck said sounding a little distracted. “I’ve lost my necklace. I think. It must’ve fallen off while I was washing my hair.”

  “Is it valuable?”

  “Don’t know,” he laughed. “I didn’t know I had one until I caught sight of something drop.”

  Kara faltered for a moment. It seemed odd they would leave him with anything he valued.

  “Oh well easy come easy go,” he said giving up the search in the water.

  “So what about you?” she asked thinking she would mention the necklace to Mia Sara when they returned.

  “Me?” he paused in his washing to think. “You’re talking about a long time ago.”

  “Are you really the same age as Kellim?” Kara interrupted.

  “No,” he replied but Kara thought he sounded baffled by the question. “He’s a bit older than me. What makes you ask?”

  “When was the last time you saw Kellim?”

  “I don’t know,” he said his voice suddenly subdued. “I remember events up to the later stages of The Great War as clear as if they were yesterday but everything starts to break up after that. I was injured badly in Akar. From then on my memory started to let me down. It’s hard, frightening even. Can you imagine whole sections of your life just disappearing? I would wake up somewhere strange and over time realise that I’d no recollection of the past ten years or the past five and so on.”

  Kara thought it best not to mention that Kellim had grown old, albeit unnaturally slowly, while he had apparently not aged a day since the end of the war. She wasn’t sure just how much he was aware of this and if it would be a good idea to tell him at this point. Instead she changed the subject, offering to give him a shave and hair cut when they got back to the camp. He agreed and they continued to chat about more mundane things while he finished washing, dried and dressed himself.

  “There,” Kara said standing back to admire her handy work. “You look quite presentable. Now all we have to do is get some food inside you and you might look like your old self.”

  His beard gone and hair cut short Kara could see he was about Jac’s age and not bad looking, in her eyes anyway but the harsh way he had been treated had aged him prematurely.

  “Thanks Kara. I appreciate all you’ve done. All you have both done. I haven’t felt lucid for a long time,” the thought was clearly a revelation. “It feels different, my head that is.”

  “Good,” Kara said genuinely pleased. “What do you think Mia Sara?” she turned to give her a clear view.

  “Well. I can’t smell him from here so that in itself is an improvement. The fact that he still has his nose and both his ears must also be a relief,” Mia Sara put her bundle of wood down and altered what she was about to say, managing. “He looks quite presentable.”

  “There,” Kara said turning back to Halleck, satisfied with Mia Sara’s response. “It’s official. You’re gorgeous.”

  ***

  If the first part of their journey had been slow but eventful the second part was by contrast fast and dull. After an overnight stay Bryn and Jac were given all the papers they would need to get them to Naddier. They wished Ressca goodbye and continued on their way. At first they rode back with a small escort and then continued by sky ship across the Sancir border and onwards to Naddier. They landed late one afternoon, after flying over the city’s enhanced defences. The sky towers now had a strong military presence and soldiers, Talents and officials inspected everything that came into and left the city. It took them some time, even with their papers, to gain entrance. Once on the ground they decided to walk to the academy not knowing what to expect when they got there.

  They passed the main academy entrance watching as a steady stream of carts entered and left - all subject to security checks from the newly built guard house at the gates. They could see a large amount of damage had been cleared and building work had begun and was well underway.

  “Guards here too,” Bryn noted as they approached the gateway to the smaller Adepts’ Buildings.

  “So long as that’s the only changes,” Jac added.

  They were stopped by the guards but then hailed by one of the Talents assigned to check all those who entered.

  “Bryn, Jac,” the Master Speaker greeted. “I hardly recognised you. You both look like you could do with a good meal and a long rest.”

  “Pell, it’s good to see a familiar face,” Bryn shook hands with the Master. “Are we ok to go in?”

  “I’m afraid only after you’ve been checked. We’ve had some problems. So if you wouldn’t mind,” he gestured to the guards his own subtle probing satisfied.

  They made their way to their rooms noticing the repair work and the guards posted at all doors and entrances. They had just enough time to settle in when Jenna, Aaron and Lewen burst through the door.

  “Hello!” Jenna called throwing her arms around Bryn and then Jac. Jac couldn’t help noticing she’d lost weight and despite her warm welcome looked tired. He was sure Bryn had noticed the same.

  “It’s good to have you here,” Aaron followed hugging them both. “You look like you’ve been in the wars,” he said noticing the extra bruises and cuts both men carried.

  “Not quite,” Bryn winced involuntarily as he lowered his pack. “But near enough.”

  “We only just found out you were back,” Lewen explained greeting his friends warmly.

  “I’m so glad you’re here,” Jenna enthused. “I need to hear about everything you’ve done and seen. Durnin told us what he knew but there must be so much more,” she said beaming, her arm still around Jac’s waist.

  Jac smiled and stifled a yawn. “We’ve missed the questions,” he said giving Jenna a squeeze. “It’s good to be home. But right now I need a bath…”

  “And a sleep,” Bryn added.

  “Too right,” Jac agreed with obvious relief at the thought of a comfortable bed. “A bath and rest before we have to sit in Jenna’s interrogation chair.”

  “Well, we’ll let you get sorted and see you at dinner,” Aaron said seeing the two men were shattered.

  “Good,” Bryn said thankfully. “Come back up here and we’ll eat. I’ll ask for some food to be brought up.”

  A mixture of more welcome backs and quick good byes were said and then the door shut and the room was quiet.

  “Did a hurricane just pass through here?” Jac said flopping down in an armchair.

  “A breath of fresh air. I’m glad they’re in one piece.” Bryn replied a little distracted. “Was it me or did Jenna look tired to you?”

  The next day they met with Durnin in his office. Having been allowed entry by a guard now permanently posted there. Durnin was pleased to see them and welcomed them back. Kellim had written him a long letter, which Bryn had handed over. He’d set it to one side eager for first hand news of their journey. Jac noticed however that his eyes occasionally strayed to the letter.

  “I spend my time divided between here and Oren and the front in Cian.” Durnin was saying. “They wouldn’t accept our help at first but Segat’s forces are packing a punch. Those powder weapons give him an adv
antage.” He tapped at the pad on his desk with a pencil before putting it down as if reluctant to admit to current events. “We’ve started to develop our own you know,” he admitted. “Just as a backup in case our Talents can’t hold him at bay.”

  “A sensible precaution,” Bryn said giving no hint of a judgement. Knowing how Durnin felt about such weapons. “Are you getting any news from Amaria?” he asked offering a change of subject.

  “We’ve managed to get some of our people across to them and back with information but now we’ve got a reasonable system working. Conveyers are working in groups relaying information from Oren across Hallorn and into Cian. The information is then conveyed across the Cian Sea to Jedesyut. They send it across country and then onto Tirasa. From there it’s conveyed to Amaria and southwards to Amar.

  “Impressive,” Jac commented.

  “It’s taken some setting up and it works but if we lose Cian we’ll have to find another way of spanning the gap between us and Jedesyut.”

  “Ressca said Segat was using a lot of his Talents on the frontlines. That’s not been done since The Great War.” Bryn said concerned by the repetition in historical events.

  “He’s using everything at his disposal. The Fury attack on Amar was a surprise; an event we thought could never be repeated. We can only guess at what he has in store, so since then we’ve taken no chances and placed our strongest Summoners on all the front lines,” Durnin paused. “That said I’m not sure they could realise anything to match one of those things.”

  “So how have they managed to resurrect something like that?” Jac asked.

  “We’re not sure. One possibility is The Panid Halleck. He’s reputed to have created The Guardians and certainly would have understood how The Fury could be made.”

  “Why has no one gone looking for this Panid earlier?” Jac asked. “Even Kellim hasn’t seen him since the war.”

  “No one’s seen Halleck of Nebessa since the war,” Durnin corrected. “He disappeared shortly after and has managed to keep himself away from the world since then. How or why I haven’t the foggiest. I know Kellim and the other two searched endlessly for him. But now Amar thinks he’s in Ildra and have sent Kara and Mia Sara to bring him back.”