The two followed a street that ran along the edge of the western docks then cut down another street that led back into the city. As they moved away from the ocean, the crowd thinned and the buildings became more dilapidated again. The setting sun made shadows dance down alleyways, and a few tall buildings began to rise behind the houses that they passed.
"The building to our left is Drenk's old temple. The larger one to our right is the Pantheon. All of the gods, except for Ze'an, used to be worshipped in there. Sermons were given that showed respect to all of the deities instead of focusing on just one."
Looking up, Ean realized they had reached their next destination. Plants grew up the sides of the stone building. The glass windows were either broken or completely gone. Faded banners bearing the design of an overflowing coin purse in front of a bottle of wine hung along the walls, some slanted and on the verge of falling off completely.
The Pantheon was another hexagonal structure similar in size to the Tower of Mylon Hursh, although it was nowhere near as tall. Banners depicting numerous gods and goddesses hung from every wall.
"That was common back then?" Ean asked after taking in the buildings. "To worship them all at the same time?"
"It's not now?"
"The people I've grown up around focused on one, maybe two, at the most."
"Interesting."
They walked between Ze'an’s and Drenk's temples and entered the heart of the temple district. A large road, twice the width of any other that ran through the city, started at the bottom of the steps to the Pantheon. It continued on, running past all of the other temples before merging into a narrow street that led toward the Eishamalgo Concourse.
"As you can see," Raneth said, "very little effort has been spent on restoring the temples. I would be surprised if people who grew up in the city after the Plague have even heard any of the deities' names."
"That's the second time that you've mentioned residents growing up in the city after the Plague. I thought that those infected by the Plague don't age."
"A partial truth. I'm sure you know by now that without the proper nourishment, the Plague takes more of a hold and the Rot sets in, eating up our organs while keeping us alive."
"Yes, Dao said something to that affect."
"Well, this makes the possibility of our people even having children a rare occurrence. Only those that have kept their meals at least partially containing untainted food even have the chance to reproduce. But when they do, a most miraculous thing occurs . . . " A smile bloomed on the man's face. "We've found that every child born is free of the Plague."
"Really? That's amazing! Are they immune?"
"Sadly, no. If they live here long enough, even only eating pure food, they eventually become imbued with the Plague just like everyone else." His smile faded. "It becomes a burden for the parents to decide what to do with their child."
A cold chill crept up Ean's spine. "Why? They don't . . . " He couldn't finish the sentence.
Raneth looked at him for a moment, then his eyes went wide as understanding permeated his expression. "Oh! No, no, no. It's not a matter of whether the child should live or die."
Ean let out a long breath of relief.
"Despite what you might have heard," Raneth continued, "we're not monsters. Quite the opposite. The parents have to decide whether to keep their child in this land, knowing full well what that means, or delivering them to your lands before the Plague can take a hold of them."
"But that doesn't seem possible. They can't cross into our lands unless they have the same trick as Dao. I can't see the people here wandering along the border hoping to run across someone on my side and then tossing the baby across."
"Tossing a baby, could you imagine?" Raneth said with a laugh. "No, it's nothing as far-fetched as that. The infants used to be taken across by traders from your lands . . . " He grew quiet for a moment.
"Until I caused the destruction of the one band of traders that were brave enough to trek up to your lands," Ean finished for him. Then he stopped dead in his tracks. "Oh no. There weren't . . . "
"No, thank The Silent King. As I mentioned, someone having a child is extremely rare. As far as I know, there weren't any children in Ulundkin when it was destroyed." Shaking with relief, Ean began walking again while Raneth continued to speak. "Novufyr is the only place that even has people capable of bearing children. Anyone found with the ability is granted immediate residency here."
"How many rules--"
"Sorry to interrupt"–Raneth avoided Ean's gaze–"but since you've brought up the subject . . . "
"You want to know what happened in Ulundkin."
"You were one of the few people to escape. Anyone else that we've come across blamed you for the whole ordeal, but The Silent King has always proclaimed otherwise. But now you are here, and I can ask you directly. What was it that destroyed the town? Was it really some fire-breathing creature from the Abyss? Or a pack of these horribly mutated humans I've heard about? Or something else entirely?"
The mention of the flesh monsters, human beings twisted, torn apart, and put back together made Ean's mouth run dry. He hadn't really thought about them since his “rebirth.” Or Sadiek. If there was any justice in the world, that man had died of his wounds.
"A combination of things." Ean tilted his head back and looked at the sky for a few moments before continuing. "There was a man that traveled with us. Sadiek Nidot. Claimed to be a scholar, but he kidnapped and transformed some of the men traveling with us into horrible creatures. I believe he is what set off the confrontation between the traders and the people of Ulundkin."
"And these creatures destroyed the entire village?"
"No. Azalea and the people of Ulundkin killed most of them in the Plaguebringer's old lair, I think. The creature that destroyed Ulundkin was something much more powerful. Something the Plaguebringer had trapped in his home that remained there even after his death."
"Lav'zernathar."
"You . . . " The words Ean was looking for caught in his throat. "How do you know that name?"
A grim twist touched Raneth's mouth. "I'm afraid we have always known about that creature. Look there." He motioned towards a city guard walking down the street. "Notice the red armor? Have you seen its like before?"
"No, I haven't. At least not anywhere outside of your lands."
"That is because they are made of the scales shed by Lav'zernathar."
"But Lav'zernathar didn't have scales--he looked like a man."
"Looks can be deceiving, because a man Lav'Zernathar is not."
"What is he--I mean, what is it then?"
"I'm afraid Lav'zernathar is our dirty little secret." Raneth clasped his hands behind his back and grew silent. They walked on, Ean hovering between wanting to ask more and not wanting to press an issue that was clearly bothering the man. Curiosity won out and just as Ean was about to ask, Raneth continued on his own.
"A few years after the Plaguebringer's death, we found it deep in the Plaguebringer's lair. It was quite the impressive beast and showed an amazing intellect, as well as a cunning side. It tried to have us release it, but we did not know how." Raneth rubbed at his ear a moment before continuing. "What we did learn is that the scales it shed had amazing properties. Hard as steel but as flexible as fresh reeds. Easily malleable under the right conditions. It was perfect for use as armor and a valuable commodity with the traders from your lands."
"Really? But I've never seen anyone in my lands wearing anything like your guards."
Raneth shrugged. "What the Ciantar family did with the material after we traded it to them was none of our concern."
"Still, strange I've never seen it used anywhere."
"Regardless, Lav'zernathar was very disagreeable about being locked up and us taking his shed scales for our own use. It's not surprising he turned his wrath on the village as soon as he was set free."
"Set free by me."
"Ah, I've always wondered how it happened. Did you s
et him free intentionally or was it an accident?"
"It's complicated."
"Give me the short version then."
"Azalea was missing, those monsters Sadiek had created were still after us, and Zin and I were running around with no idea what to do. I figured out how to open and close doors in the lair, and inadvertently opened everything. Which included whatever had held Lav'zernathar prisoner."
"A mistake then. Not something you did with malicious intent."
"A mistake that caused numerous people's deaths."
"A tragedy for sure," Raneth said, his voice growing somber. "We didn't have an accurate count of the number of people in Ulundkin, but we estimate between seventy-five and a hundred people were lost. I'm sure there were quite a few like Dao and me who had been around since before the Plague, so the loss of their knowledge and experience is irreplaceable."
"I know--"
"You are not to blame for the creature's anger. The wrath it unleashed on the people of Ulunkin rests squarely on our shoulders. For centuries we took advantage of its predicament. You would think we would have treated it with kindness for the scales it provided, but instead we beat it. And when we weren't beating it, we were neglecting it, when all it really wanted was a friend." Raneth placed a hand on Ean's shouder. "Its anger had been building up long before you were born. You are not to blame for the monster we created behind that closed door. You had no idea what would happen when you opened it. If you're guilty of anything, it's simple ignorance. So, if you have been carrying the burden of what happened to Ulundkin on your conscious all this time, let it go."
"I appreciate that. Still, it’s not something easily forgotten."
"But you must try. If you are going to be any kind of leader, you have to expect to lose people. Sometimes even those close to you. It is a sad part of leadership that only those in our position can understand."
"I guess that is true."
Raneth waved his hand as if he could knock the bad mood away. "Enough talk. My plan was to show you the wonders of what this city was and could be again. The last stop on our tour: the temple district.
"There hasn't been much desire for a return of religion. With everything that happened, it’s not surprising that most of the people in our lands have become disenchanted with our gods. Since order returned to the city, no one has expressed any desire for the temples to reopen. I myself was not a very religious person, barely going to any of the temples even during the peaceful years before the Plague."
"I understand," said Ean. "It was rare that I spent any time praying to the gods."
"Except for Ze'an, I'm sure."
Ean let out a laugh. "Only when I wanted to annoy the people of my village."
"Truly?"
"More often than not, the people of my village were cursing me with his name. Not the type of thing to build up my love of the god."
"But with what you can do . . . the creatures at your command. I would think that would change your attitude a little."
"I leave the gods alone and they leave me alone." An image of Kaz'ren flashed in his mind for a moment. "Mostly."
"Fascinating. You truly are an interesting person, Ean Sangrave."
"Thank you," Ean said, rubbing at the back of his neck.
"Well, we should start to make our way back." The sun had disappeared behind the temples completely now. "It's getting late and I do not want to anger your Yulari. Her moods seem tempestuous at best."
"You don't know the half of it."
They began to walk back towards the heart of the city.
They reached the front gate just as the first stars came into sight. Raneth extended his hand and Ean took it, receiving a hardy shake.
"Pleasure showing you our fair city. A pleasant night and restful slumber to you. I'll send someone by tomorrow to take you to see The Silent King. ’Night!"
With that, the man hobbled off, leaving Ean standing in front of the castle with more questions than he had when he arrived in the city.
Chapter 37
On her knees, with her hands tied behind her back, there wasn't much Kaytlin could do except endure the seemingly endless beating. The meditative techniques Master Dak had taught her to block out distractions like the cold, the heat, and broken bones had helped her keep a stiff upper lip throughout the day. Unfortunately, her power of concentration had reached its limit. The pain was beginning to overwhelm her resolve. A guard struck Katylin's already swollen right cheek, snapping her head back. Although she didn't cry out, it felt like lightning zigzagging through her head, complete with a flash of white. Another guard kicked her in the stomach hard enough that she felt something inside of her burst. Her spleen perhaps? Despite the agony rippling through her body, she would not give these men the satisfaction of seeing her cry or beg for mercy. Not today, not ever, because that kind of supplication belonged to the gods.
"Tough, this one," the man grunted. "Been working her all day and haven't even gotten a single yell out of her."
"Not to worry, Shen," another man said from somewhere behind her. "Just supposed to soften her up anyway."
"Still, it's kind of insulting she won't let out even a whimper."
"Just look at her. She's a warrior. You can see it in how she holds herself. Got steel in her eyes."
"Steel in her eyes, huh?" A hand grabbed Kaytlin's chin and lifted her face up. Cold, black eyes stared back at her from deep inside a pale blue-skinned face. "I have yet to see--"
Kaytlin planted a foot and launched herself into the man. They didn't travel far in the cold, stone room before smacking up against a wall. Kaytlin drove her shoulder into the man's stomach then brought the back of her head up into the man's chin.
She felt a grim satisfaction as the man crumpled to the ground, letting out a low moan.
Spinning on her heel, she lashed out with a kick, expecting the other man to rush to his companion's aid. Her foot caught a glancing blow to his hip which spun him away from her.
Unfortunately, two other men were also in the room and grabbed her before she could do much else. A rain of blows descended upon her, driving her back to her knees. They continued for quite some time. Never enough to knock her out completely, but they got their point across. She knelt there as the blows continued for a time until either the men were satisfied or their hands had started to hurt. She glanced up to find her attackers had backed off. Through the pain, Kaytlin took grim satisfaction in the fact that they all were a good five paces away from her.
"I bit ohf a peeve of muh tong!" Shen whined. His hand covered his mouth, tiny streams of blood flowing out between his fingers.
"Told ya she was a warrior," another man said with a laugh. He grimaced, though, as he walked over and gripped his hip where Kaytlin had kicked him. "You should have been more careful."
"I'll soe ya capful . . . " He shot a kick out at Kaytlin's midsection, but she was able to turn her shoulder enough to catch it with her arm. After the beating she just received, the blow did little to add to the pain she was already experiencing. Shen's face twisted and he turned back, preparing to send another kick in her direction when a voice cut through the air.
"What's going on here!"
Shen immediately stopped and took a few steps back. He kept his eyes locked on Kaytlin, however, and she could make out a few red-tinged teeth in the snarl that sat on his face. She returned his gaze with a defiant one of her own.
"Your instructions," the voice continued, "were to keep our guest entertained while I was preoccupied today. I did not ask you to beat her into a bloody mess."
"She attacked--"
"I also didn't ask for you to speak!"
A man walked around in front of Kaytlin, the edges of his black robe rubbing against her arm. He was a much older man, the only hair on his face sitting above his eyes. He moved around her with labored steps and slightly bent over in a manner that looked a little too practiced. A metal cane rested in his hand but when he placed its end on the ground, the man didn't
put any weight on it. When he reached a few paces in front of her, he bent down slowly.
"Look at this poor beautiful face, marred now with cuts and bruises. I'm sorry about this, miss . . . Kaytlin, is it?"
"Yes." Even a word made her jaw ache when she moved it.
"My name is Raneth. I'm the High Counselor here under The Silent King. Hopefully, we can get this little matter straightened out."
"And then you'll let me go?"
"Well, you see, it’s a bit complicated." Standing straight, Raneth began to pace back and forth in front of her. "From what I've learned, you're here to kill another one of our guests. Someone summoned here by The Silent King himself."
"A dangerous man."
"You think? From what I saw, he is nothing more than a simple man. I just returned from a walk with him only a few moments ago and did not feel in the least bit of danger from him."
"He is connected to the Abyss."
"Yes, I know."
It was the casual way he replied that caught Kaytlin off-guard. Like he was responding to finding out Ean liked the color blue. "That doesn't concern you? With the history of your lands?"
"My dear, what is he going to do? Curse us again?"
"But--"
"If you had the imagination to see the world from a perspective other than your own, you might come to realize that the people of the so-called Deadlands don't see the Plague as a curse."
She stared at him as the question bounced around in her head. How could anyone not see it as such? He seemed to take her silence as acknowledgment.
"What does this curse do? Our bodies suffer if not nourished by untainted food, but it also grants us eternal life. It traps us here, in an area of land comparable in size to Ven Khilada, but is that really so horrible? Our wildlife might be a bit more aggressive but no more dangerous than the animals that can be found on your lands."
"But the Plague was only one of dozens of catastrophes that the man behind it caused. He started wars, unleashed countless horrors upon the land . . . "
"And before that, he had been a hero, had driven the Shadaer Umdaer hordes back into the southern lands. We could have all been slaves if not for him. Ze'an was held above the other gods, and the Abyss was not so widely feared."
Enemies and Allies (Bound to the Abyss Book 3) Page 31