Kasey scanned the fields for the Shepherd, who she found standing over Myles. Will the Shepherd strike the same deal with Myles as he did as the Master with me? Will Myles accept? Is he even still alive? The Shepherd bent over and touched Myles, healing him, and then He walked away. Kasey smiled as her heart warmed. Of course; the prophecy. He wouldn’t leave Myles to die. She wanted to go to them then but she had been warned by the Shepherd that when she next saw him he would still be far from ready. I can’t wait until I get my hands on that mule-headed idiot… running into the middle of combat like he was invincible.
The Kings and Queens of Soterion met the Shepherd in the middle of the field and they all knelt before Him. King Erestar threw his crown to the Shepherd's feet. He said something to them that she couldn't hear before disappearing almost as if fading out of reality.
The battle was over; the time to hide was gone. She had followed the Shepherd's orders, but now it was time to rebuild and Kasey was sure the Monarchs of Soterion would soon be discussing how they planned to do that. With her invisibility device still active she swooped in above the Monarchs to listen in on their conversation as they rode south towards Philos. The Shepherd did not want her to fight so maybe he wanted her to help the nations heal or unify.
Erestar stepped in their midst and spoke. “Let this day never be forgotten. Let there be a day of remembrance every year amongst all nations to mourn the lives given in this battle against the evil forest of the Great Red Dragon and the Drakoni hordes. Let it be a day of silence and a day by which we mark our histories. It is the end of an era of oppression and destruction at the sacrifice of these brave men and the beginning of an era of freedom from the darkness that has overtaken these lands. As today we rise from the ashes in memory of the lives sacrificed I change the banner of Philos from my house banner to the banner of the Phoenix. When our nations meet let us have a moment of silence before discussing national affairs.”
They call him King Erestar the Golden Hearted. Now I know why.
King Magus then spoke, “Yes, today is year one of Post Epher.”
The Monarchs then rode in silence for some time before discussing what they would do next. King Alagaar was the first to break the silence. Apparently he had spent the time thinking of future strategy. “We need to rebuild the armies from the refuse that is left in the Kingdoms and we need to come together to do so. Philos, though a multi-racial abomination as I have always said, is the perfect spot to do so. We can test the mettle of those looking to give their lives to their Kingdoms. For the purpose of fighting our common enemy the Drakoni, there will be one General to lead an inter-Kingdom army against the forces of the enemy. We will hold a yearly meeting or as needed in Philos to declare interkingdom enemies. For now as stated it’s the Drakoni. The General will pick a nation’s army to lead. Even I, who have never let any but the Daqad reside in my Kingdom will allow this General, no matter what race, to live among us. We must create a testing ground to select our nations' armies and rank them in their different Kingdoms. King Erestar, is it agreed that we will use Philos for this testing ground?”
King Erestar looked to be deep in thought. “It depends on the test.”
King Alagaar nodded, “I will come up with a fair system for selection and you, King Erestar, will have final veto power on this system. There will be no system until we have one that you can agree with.”
King Magus interrupted, “What of the Kalat?”
King Alagaar raised an eyebrow as he looked to King Magus, “The Kalat are your problem Magus.” The Miyka King shook his head while Queen Elizabeth spoke her own disagreement, “The Kalat were the first enemies of Soterion. Do you forget your history, sir?”
King Alagaar laughed, “As I remember, history is written by the victors… that would be you now wouldn’t it?”
“The Kalat have been a problem for Suchikos and Loefel Meren for ages and they brought the fall of the first Kingdom, Emerailda,” King Pacal argued. Queen Ariana offered her own opinion, “But they are currently only a problem for Loefel Meren and Suchikos; a problem which you have been able to contain. The Drakoni caused the fall of an entire kingdom then invaded all of the Kingdoms posing a threat to us all. This is what King Alagaar is referring to... a common threat.”
King Magus sighed, “Very well then, the Drakoni for now.” Kasey wanted to speak; she wanted to tell them the power of the sword that King Erestar held to cure the Kalat of their curse. She wanted to point out a way that they could eliminate the Kalat as a threat forever, but she was not supposed to be there and would not have a voice amongst the Monarchs. Instead she kept quiet and kept listening.
“Tell me about this testing ground, Alagaar. Is this really a good way to rebuild?” said King Erestar. King Alagaar smiled. “I am so glad you asked.” He cleared his throat and began explaining his ideas for a testing ground. “I would like to call it The Gauntlet. It would be a building or series of buildings strung together as a battle ground to test the fighting and leadership skills of recruits. It would be maze-like with problems to solve, traps, and enemies to fight and get past. There would be referees to assign points to participants based on leadership, speed, competency, and ingenuity. The first Gauntlet will be to establish armies and rank of those in the armies. Finishing the Gauntlet will get you enlistment and scoring high points will get you rank. We would need to set an almost impossible goal for those participating to find the one general to lead them all. This person should be extraordinary and rise above the rest.”
King Erestar rubbed his chin, “What peril do these recruits face? How dangerous is this Gauntlet to them?” King Alagaar threw his head back and growled with frustration. “Why did a warrior race such as yours pick a sissy for a King? Do you want to hold their hand through the Gauntlet and sing them lullabies to sleep at night too? Or do you want real warriors who brush their teeth with gravel in the morning?”
Kasey had heard accounts that though King Alagaar was a great and mighty warrior he was a buffoon of a king. He really is doing a great job of living up to his reputation.
And King Erestar, The Golden Hearted, lived up to his reputation too. The King looked down and smiled at King Alagaar. It was not a sarcastic smile, but one that showed good will. “Alagaar, I am not beyond holding their hands and singing them songs if that is what must be done to keep them safe. Let us not forget the purpose of this Gauntlet. We are trying to keep our citizens safe. Having them killed in a death pit does not help accomplish that goal. This seems like a way to add insult to injury after losing all of our soldiers. Can we afford to lose even one more?”
King Alagaar shook his head in protest. “No! There is a difference between citizen and soldier. Only a fool would say otherwise. First, we mustered all of our best men for this battle and now all of our best are dead. All that is left is criminals, cowards, idiots, and the weak. ”
Kasey could see the disgust on the other Monarchs’ faces. It was obvious that Alagaar was right but they did not like the spirit with which he presented his facts. He did not regard the lives of his citizens or his soldiers the way the other Monarchs did and this bothered them.
Queen Elizabeth stepped forward and gave King Alagaar a stern look. “I will not mindlessly sacrifice the lives of my people.” Queen Ariana buzzed around his head up to his face until she was hovering right in front of him. He swatted at her like she was a fly. Queen Ariana moved out of the way, but only just in time. This angered Queen Elizabeth and just as she was about to reprimand King Alagaar, King Magus spoke. “You would do well to use some diplomacy. You would not want the Daqad added to the list of enemy races you were talking about, would you?”
Before King Alagaar could respond, King Erestar interrupted with a booming voice. “Enough! You are all acting like children. Are these the shoulders that the fates of my people lie on? The shoulders of selfish and immature leaders?”
There was a moment of silence broken by Queen Ariana, “Well, he started it,” she said with a half grin
on her face. “And I am ending it,” came an older and wiser voice. Kasey looked around but it took her a moment to see the one foot tall Remmy standing on the ground before them. Kasey knew who this was but she had never met him before. He wore the standard Remmy mushroom cap on his head over long white hair that flowed into an even longer white beard. He wore a green cloak with an emblem of a tree on the back and carried a walking stick that was taller than he was. Following close behind him in flight, a white owl with a saddle strapped to its back. It was “The Elder”... the first King of Soterion, the oldest creature alive, and the father to the Remmy race. He was also known to advise the Monarchs of Soterion in times of conflict.
The Elder looked up directly at Kasey flying above them and smiled as if to acknowledge that he saw her. She panicked. How can he see me? The Monarchs lifted their heads to follow his gaze, but they did not react like they saw anything. Kasey quickly darted higher into the air and flew south toward Philos. She hoped the Elder would not tell them that she had been there spying on them. She tried to recall everything she could about the Elder and the Remmy race. They were playful tricksters and, if the Elder was their Patriarch, she hoped he would find it more amusing to keep the little secret between the two of them. Does he even know who I am? she wondered. She wasn’t sure but she would just have to hope for the best.
At least now she had some direction. She knew how she could help Soterion heal from the loss of all its armies. She had to best the Gauntlet. Kasey had set up in Philos long after Myles had disappeared, buying some farm land in the plains just north of Lake City. There, she had a small home built where she ran The Phoenix Collective -a group of seven Kalat who had accepted the Shepherd and made the transformation to Miyka. The only purpose of the order was to do the will of the Shepherd. Much to Kasey's dismay, the Shepherd's will was for The Collective, Protos, and Ischus to stay out of the battle.
She flew south for some time until she reached the small home where they would be waiting for her. As she landed she saw the six she had come to call her sister and brothers sparring in the horse training ring. They were all adept fighters, having been Kalat at one time. They dropped their weapons and ran to greet her, hoping for news of the battle, she was sure.
“What word?" Allaso asked excitedly, "We were hoping for tidings of victory!” He towered over her at about six and a half feet tall with blonde hair and blue eyes. The one thing that Kasey loved about her brothers and sisters of the Phoenix was that though they were Miyka, they were not stuffy and pompous like many Miyka were. Even Ischus and Protos showed some of the signs of the haughtiness of nobility, but these were not raised in the upper class. They were simple soldiers in the Kalat army working for their King and General Sothsenies. The reports she had heard of Sothsenies scared her. He was said to be inhabited by the Kalat god Mors. She knew that she would one day face this demon possessed King of the Cursed. She had experienced a similar run-in before and, while she had escaped unharmed, Myles had almost died.
“Well, what news?” asked Aletheia impatiently. She was the only female of the group and quite strikingly beautiful. At times Kasey could tell that more than one of the Order had an eye for her. She had crimson red hair and light blue eyes. Her ears were longer than most Miyka which was said to be desirable amongst all Malakadam, even the Kalat.
Kasey smiled at Allaso and bowed her head to Aletheia. “I bring bitter sweet news. The battle and war have been won… but at the cost of hundreds of thousands. The dead could not be counted, but it was the entirety of the armies of Soterion.”
Aletheia gasped, “Everyone?!”
Kasey nodded, “Save the Kings and Queens who defeated the foul Great Red Dragon when our Shepherd gave them the Sword.”
Allaso blinked, “You mean the sword that you used to break my curse.”
Kasey sighed, “Yes, that very sword.” Dinami, a scholar and a swordsman with dark blue hair and green eyes, spoke with hope. “So the Monarchs of Soterion now know. They know of the Dragon and the Shepherd. They know the Shepherd’s power.”
Kasey smiled, “Leave it to you to see a bright side to the matter, Dinami. Yes, they know.” Laberos, a tall but skinny bowman with extraordinary aim had silver hair, long silver beard, and blue eyes hugged Kasey. “It is good that you are back.” He surveyed her for the signs of battle. “You did not fight. I'm sure, sister,that it was hard to watch and to obey the Shepherd’s words to you, but it is for the best.”
Kasey slapped Laberos firmly on the back. “Yes, my friend. It was very hard. But…,” she paused, considering her words. "I have found purpose in this tragedy.”
Kasey then told them all about the conversation the Monarchs had and her plan to be the head General. Aletheia was very supportive. “If anyone can do it, Kasey, it’s you.” The woman cleared her throat. “We… we caught a new one since you were gone last week. She is um… well, she is difficult.”
Kasey raised an eyebrow, “A female? So far from the Skotos Plains?” Aletheia shrugged, “Yes, we found her while fishing around the lake. She was alone. It seems that she was left by her group on some kind of scouting mission.”
Kasey sighed, “It was so much easier when I had the sword.” Aletheia smiled, “Ah yes, it took almost a year to break me, but the proud must be broken. This one reminds me of the way you described yourself before the breaking.”
Kasey only shook her head, “A lot of work. It took the Master Himself to break me.”
Laberos laughed, “You are so stubborn now. I can only imagine what you were like before your transformation.” Thinking of those times caused her to think of her brother, Protos. Where has he been? I haven’t seen him since almost a decade ago when we last met to discuss the fact that Alicia is nowhere to be found.
“I just wish the Shepherd had given me wings like you,” Dinami said with a note of jealousy “To fly would be wonderful.”
“Bah,” Kasey said gesturing toward her Kuon, "You can ride on Davaag any time you want.”
Dinami looked at Davaag who let out a low growl as if to say, “Don’t even try it.”
Dinami cleared his throat. “That dog won't let anyone but you ride him and you know it. Besides it's not the same, now is it?” Kasey shook her head and began walking toward the small farm house, “No, I suppose not. Maybe we can talk the Magi into gifting you with a Kuon of your own or some tool that would allow you to fly just the same. But enough of flight. I must see this new captive of yours. What does she call herself and what house is she of?”
“She is Misia of Skotos; Sothseneas' own house. He is her greatgrandfather,” Dinami filled her in as he followed her.
“Impressive! It is time she met one of the two surviving heirs of House Zophos alive in Soterion,” Kasey replied with a bit of sarcasm. Kasey removed a rug in the middle of the floor of the farmhouse and opened a latched door leading to a stairway. Kalat were great diggers and these prior soldiers had not lost their skill. Kasey had asked the Magi to build a prison for any Kalat they captured over the years, and her brothers had dug a basement under it. The prison was built from a special metal made by the Magi infused with some of the moss from Musterion. This moss had proven to heal all Malakadam except for the Kalat to whom it was poison, even to the touch. Those who touched it fell ill but did not die. It made the prisons glow in the dark and it made them impenetrable by the Kalat super-human strength.
As Kasey approached the cell where Misia stood, she noticed her hands were holding the bars so tight that her white knuckles had a pink hue to them. She snarled and spit right in Kasey’s eye, then laughed.
Kasey wiped at her face trying to hide a look of disgust. “Was that really necessary, child? I hardly see what that is going to accomplish.” Misia began shaking at the bars. “That is because you see no true purpose in life, none like the purpose my people have. We will crush you and all like you, and if you do not let me go now, I will be sure to feast on your blood some day!”
Kasey rolled her eyes, “You do not sca
re me, Misia of House Skotos. I wonder, what would Sothseneas think of his granddaughter being so weak that she managed to be captured by a hand full of Miyka? Would he welcome such incompetence?”
The sneer left Misia’s face. None but the oldest of Miyka even knew Sothseneas’ name and none save the Kalat knew about the existence of houses within the Kalat.
Misia blinked, “How do you know these things?!” she demanded. Kasey shrugged and pressed her face ever so close to the bars of the cell. You wear the Skotos house sigil upon your armor; the symbol of a dead tree growing from an acorn.”
Misia screamed in rage. “These things did not come from me and he will never believe it. How do you know these things!?” Kasey spoke barely above a whisper, “I was once Ragal of House…” She paused for a moment knowing that the next word would strike fear into Misia’s heart, “…Zophos.”
Misia’s eyes widened in shock and Kasey could see hints of alarm even though Misia hid them well. “You… I mean, they are all dead. Hundreds of years ago they disappeared.”
Kasey gave a knowing smile, “Yes, but we did not die. We became trapped in a maze and resided there for ages. I and my brother are the only ones to make it out of the maze.”
While Misia was still dazed in thought, Kasey unlocked the cell, passing the key to Dinami, and slipped in. Misa challenged her, “You are no Kalat, you are Miyka.”
Kasey cocked her head, “And what is the history of the Kalat? Where do they come from?”
“We are the cursed,” she said with pride in her tone.
Kasey nodded as she moved closer, “You are the cursed what?” She blinked, “Miyka…,” she finally said as if it was a word that tasted foul on her mouth. Suddenly she seemed to realize that Kasey had entered the cell and was approaching her. The girl leapt for her and though Kasey was trained to fight better than most creatures on Soterion, she let the girl wrap her arms around her. Misia squeezed hard and yelled, “You are a liar!”
Bridgeworlds: Deep Flux Page 4