by CJ East
They broke from the Wilds in a sprint into the twilight of the Small Dome. The company defending the gate erupted in cheers and made way. Taurean’s troops did not stop until they were inside the gates.
The cheers continued as they passed. They echoed from the walls as the Damned were seen retreating down the long walls of Arx. The enemy was on the run.
Taurean gave the order to halt deep inside the safety of the walls. He laid down the body draped over his shoulder cradling Kinch’s head with gentle care. The shouts of triumph died away to a whimper. Soldiers pressed together in silence to see the body of the boy they had witnessed killing hundreds of their enemies in the glen. Their hero had mortally wounded the Duobus and had been their rallying point to victory.
Taurean removed his helmet and cast it to his side. He walked forward and dropped to one knee. He thrust his sword in the ground many feet from the body. He bowed and backed away. Another of his men came forward to the opposite side of the body and knelt. He plunged his sword into the ground as was their custom and backed away.
More soldiers came and paid their respect to the fallen in the same manner. They created a box of swords open ended at his feet. Soon the borders were 5 feet thick with the gratitude of the Auri army.
Amica stood and watched in stoic silence. Her distant, painful expression alert for some unknown event. Justinius and the Coccino Council gathered behind her. Justinius placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I feel your love for the boy. I now understand why. My sympathies for your loss.”
Amica inhaled a deep breath of strength, fighting back the tears. “His time has not yet come. The Lord has not yet closed his book.”
Justinius winced as he shook his head. “My Dear…”
She spun to face him. Her eyes held strong words her mouth did not release. She turned back to face the shrine. “Have you no hope, Magistrate? You? Most powerful of Coccino? We will wait upon the Lord.”
Justinius raised his eyebrows to the council. “Amica, let us weigh these actions against our understandings. Our Holy Text states ‘A man is appointed but one death and then the Judgment.’ This applies to the Terra Boy as well.”
Amica whirled to the entire council this time. “This appointment is for prophets and judges as well? Will you assign our God to such a small box to contain him?”
The council lowered their eyes at her rebuke. She turned back to Kinch, with desperate anticipation.
Under her breath, she sought direct intervention. “Please God. You have made these signs come to pass. You have given the signs with so much precision. Only those with eyes to see can devise your ways.”
She listed her justifications. “He is the One foretold. He comes from the Red People. He was purified in the blue light and survived. He is zealous for the freedom of Your people. And he knows of You. In time, he will grow to understand You and love You. Lord, Your people call to you in our bondage, in our sin, in our persecution.”
The crowd of soldiers parted for the procession of the Patrician. Otho entered the center of the memorial at the open foot of the shrine. He was flanked by Senator Flavius and Lamia.
The Senator whispered in his ear, “I counsel caution your Excellency. The outlaw has garnered the respect of your military.”
“I have eyes, you fool,” said the Patrician. He stole a look at Lamia.
Lamia smiled at the dead boy and drifted a satisfied gaze at Amica. She removed her cowl from her white hair and exposed her golden face to the crowd. She spoke loud enough for those around the body to hear. “The boy was under the judgment of Drakon. Dead criminals under judgment are to be exposed to the Wilds with three handfuls of dust upon them.”
She paused, letting her words press onto the hearts of the listeners. The whispers began to travel back to the furthest corners of the audience. Her beautiful face surveyed the crowd. She examined her rival and scoffed.
“Drakon the Wise, Drakon the Immortal rewards submission. The boy fought bravely for Drakon, to protect his city. For this he is granted an honorable burial in the Coccino grave pit for infected bodies and unidentified dead.”
The Auri soldiers voiced their approval of the pronouncement with a chant of “Honor, honor”. Lamia raised her hands and bowed to the chanting army.
She looked to the soldiers standing nearest the body. “Take his corpse.”
“No!” Amica’s voice rang over the chanting, causing its abrupt end. She stepped forward. Justinius’ hands flew out, capturing her shoulders. She tore away and spun to face him, stumbling backwards. A wildness was in her eyes.
She backed away shaking her head. Scanning the faces of the crowd, no help was coming. She looked to Lucius, his face bright with hope. She stumbled to the body lifting her arms and her palms high above her.
“People of Arx, your time is upon you. Behold the Prophet of the One True God. Lord, quicken Your Right Hand!” She looked down at Kinch. His eyes were still open and blank. His body was a chalky white. He was splattered with blood. In the center of his chest was a large dark red stain circling the four-inch rip in his green jumpsuit.
“Arise!” Amica shouted to the Dome ceiling. She waited. She stole a quick glance down at the body. There was no movement. She lowered her arms and turned her palms toward the body.
Amica clenched her eyes shut as in pain or concentration. She spoke with more urgency. “Arise.”
She tried to steal a glance at the Elders - at Justinius. But the eyes of the world were upon her. This would be her last mistake, there would be no others.
Finally, her eyes still closed, she whispered. “God please, move among Your people.”
A familiar feminine laugh peeled over the crowd and echoed from the inner walls of Arx. All eyes moved from the shrinking frame of Amica to the mocking laughter of Lamia. “Perhaps your god is indisposed? Maybe he has gone to the toilet and cannot answer your calling? Or best, perhaps your unseen god is a child’s story?”
Lamia turned her small frame to the Patrician’s guards. “She is an embarrassment to your Patrician and to herself. Remove this delusional woman.”
The guards rushed forward and snatched Amica’s arms. She wailed and tore one arm free with a hard yank. She pulled free of the other guard, falling in the dust within the doorway of the death shrine of swords.
She was crying now, open and unashamed. She was broken. She was on the knees of her white toga when she turned to the body of Kinch. His pale bare feet, childlike in their dirty innocence. Red soil ground into her toga as she crawled on her hands and knees to his corpse. Tears streamed to the ground and heavy sobs came from a deep place inside her.
She stopped, running her hand over his sword wound, taking in his cold face and vacant eyes. Her wet hair stuck to her face. She whispered a quiet plea.
“I am undone, Lord. I cry out to You. There is nothing left to burn away from me. Do not punish the boy, do not punish Your People because of my shame. If I must again be put away - even to the point of death, then so let it be done. Let me not be a stumbling block your plans. For the sake of Your People, help us in our time of need.”
With those words she put both palms upon his chest. She straddled his body and stretched out prostrate upon him. An audible buzz whipped through the crowd. It was unheard of to enter the death shrine except to remove the body. To touch it, moreover, to lay on it, was a cultural taboo of the highest magnitude.
Amica closed her eyes, surrendering all she was.
Reckoning
Justinius leaned over Amica and spoke with a quick, gentle tone. “Daughter of Coccino, our hearts break with yours. Our hopes also are crushed. God has not abandoned us, he has chosen a different hour than now. Come, let us walk together.”
She did not answer. Her toga, now soiled with blood and dirt, covered the body. Her back rose and fell with the tacit control of a person trying to regain their breath. He placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Dear One, I am under an oath from your father as your protector. I ask y
ou listen to me…”
Amica pulled her hands under her chest and pushed up from the body. He helped her to her feet. A look of dismay painted her scarlet face as she stared down at the body. Justinius moved between her and the body, trying to replace her fixation.
She met his eyes with a look of wonder. Her words came in a whisper. “I felt power come down upon me, like the lighting of the smallest of birds. It settled on my heart with the weight of a boulder, Justinius.”
“Child…”
She shook her head and tears fell from her swollen blue eyes. “It remained only for a moment. It flowed through me. God’s power flowed through me.” Justinius could not interrupt her again. She searched his face for understanding, but was unsatisfied. Her hands clenched his as her eyes widened and tears of joy filled her eyes. “He lives!”
Anguish flooded the Magistrate’s face as his lip began to tremble. He gathered his strength and looked back to her. She was looking past him, down to the body, an expression of awe on her face.
Dumbfounded, he followed her gaze to the corpse at his feet. Turning, he saw the boy’s eyes begin to flutter. The chest expanded, taking in a large breath and lowering. Kinch moved his arm and his palm came down over his forehead and down over his face.
The audience of warriors erupted in gasps of surprise. Shouting from the walls rang out - “He lives! The boy lives!”
Justinius stumbled backward to the arms of Amica. She smiled in astonishment and glee. He laughed, grabbing her shoulders with both hands and pulled her into him with an enormous squeeze. He let out a long, heart-felt laugh.
Lucius ran and wrapped Amica in a hug. She cried aloud in a wail of joy and relief. They all three looked down at Kinch, who had pulled himself up on one elbow, his hand on his forehead in confusion.
Lucius rushed forward, sliding down next to him on his knees. “My brother! You were dead and now you are alive!”
Kinch stared with the confusion of a man shaken to consciousness. “Dead?” His hand squeezed his temples hard. He looked to his friend with a vulnerable expression and asked, “So this is real?”
Lucius threw his head back laughing and pulled Kinch into him. “My brother, this just became very, very real.” He pushed Kinch away and held him with a solid grip. His blue eyes blazed. “You have come back to us. Amica’s faith has brought you back.”
Kinch twisted to his side. “Help me up, Lucius.”
Lucius leapt to his feet glancing back to Amica and Justinius. His smile stretched across his face. He leaned into Kinch and linked his arm onto Kinch’s forearm, his other hand on Kinch’s shoulder. He pulled Kinch up in a single, quick motion.
The crowd of soldiers went mad. They yelled and cheered in a thunderous echo of joy. Kinch walked a slow circle to see men from the walls, war machines and ground raise their fists and cheer. A genuine smile etched across his face.
“Silence!” A supernatural feminine voice screeched above the thousands of warriors. All eyes turned to Lamia. The outstretched arms of her small robed frame seized the attention of each individual.
She spoke with her outer voice, but it echoed with the powerful ring of an inner voice. Her power trespassed the mind of everyone within proximity - even Amica.
She stepped forward scrutinizing the crowd with disdain. “This boy is under judgment. It was commanded he was not to be within the city gates until dusk.”
She pointed to the ceiling of the Small Dome. Darkness had moved to the edge of one side of the cavern ceiling. The darkness would spread across the dome until only the dusk pattern of a setting sun remained.
A rumbling of discontent rippled through the warrior mob. Treasonous retorts of “let the boy live” were heard deep within the safety of the mob.
“Enough!” Lamia scanned the men looking for confrontation. “Come forward if you will stand against his judgment. For the judge comes even now. Drakon the Immortal inspects the destruction of our enemies.”
The crowd hushed, intimidated into silence. “He will expect his decree on the Outlander to be fulfilled. I ask for a final time, a query open to all citizens of Arx. Who among you will defy Drakon the Destroyer of Cities? Who will meet him on our high walls and admonish him to turn away?”
She peered at Taurean. He met her glaring black eyes and lowered his head. She stepped forward. “None, then? There is none among you with the authority to defy our god?” She turned and glared at the Patrician. She surveyed Justinius who was staring at his feet.
She cast a long finger to Amica. “These two blasphemers will face the consequences for their heresy. Drakon alone will determine their fate. Not you, men of Arx.”
A grumble of whispers rattled through the crowd as she scanned the faces of the soldiers.
Lamia pointed to Taurean and shouted, “Take the priestess and the boy. Chain them to the Reckoning Posts outside the walls. Drakon comes at nightfall.”
Taurean winced. His eyes flashed to Amica. She gazed back with the strangest expression. She seemed - joyous.
Taurean signaled to his squad. He walked up to Kinch, pulling his sword from the shrine. He examined it with thoughtful intent. “Follow me, Badger Cub.”
Kinch waited for Amica to join him in the prisoner march. She gave him a tender smile and touched his cheek. Her blue eyes were welling with tears of joy. “Everything is going to be fine.”
He jolted at the words. He had used those words on the surface in their darkest hours. He had spoken those words to the Auri soldier who died in his arms. Everything didn’t turn out fine. Not by a long shot.
“How did you do that? How did you bring me back?”
Amica smiled, her eyes widening with the amazement of a child. “I did not, you see? No man has that power. I felt God’s power flow through me and into you. I felt it Kinch. It was the most beautiful touch I have ever known!”
Taurean spoke, “It is time.” He did an about face and began to march forward. The prisoners were given firm shoves to start their walks. Kinch twisted and grabbed the arm of the soldier, bending the elbow the wrong direction and downward. The soldier collapsed to his knees. Golden swords flew from their scabbards and circled his chest.
Amica grasped his shoulder. “No, your battle is outside.”
Kinch pushed the soldier to the ground. “Easy fellas, I just don’t like being your dog, alright?”
Lamia’s gloating expression hung before him as he walked. She smiled at Amica in self-satisfied victory. Her gaze drifted to Kinch. He dipped his head and spat blood. She eyed him with a cruel assessment. “Your luck has run out Terra Boy. Prepare to meet the persona of Inevitability.”
The guards stopped as she addressed him. Her face softened with compassion. “You may beg for your life. There is nothing stopping you, except for your overdeveloped pride. Of course the inevitable conclusion is imminent.” She laughed.
Kinch licked the caked blood from the corners of his mouth. “I’m willing to bet you thought killing me once would be enough. Ends up you were wrong.” He leaned into her, pressing against the guard’s side. “That’s because you are a fake, a fraud. And everyone has just seen you fail. Everyone knows you are a scared, vengeful little girl with a great big dragon on a string. They don’t fear you anymore.”
He turned dismissing her and began to walk. Her arm flew out and hit the guard in the chest. “Wait!” Her eyes were wild with indignation. She composed herself with a serious expression. “Drakon existed before the creation of time and space. You are insignificant in his plans.”
A long silence passed between them. He felt her seething power all around him, but she did not make contact. It pressed coldness upon him, trying to coerce him into despair. He began to feel small and defeated as her poison touched him.
He turned toward the gate. “You know, this has been a rough day. I woke up this morning seeing Red People, then Gold People, killing Grays and I broke a dragon. I don’t want to spend any more of it talking to an unpleasant witch whose breath smells like she’
s been eating garbage.”
He elbowed the guard between himself and Lamia, “YOU know what I’m laying down. You are directly in the hot zone, am I right? That is nasty isn’t it?”
The guard gaped at him in terror.
“Yeah, I understand. You can’t say anything because she will kill you and everyone you know. But her breath isn’t doing your health any favors. Let’s go.”
The procession moved through the crowd to the high arch of the gate. Kinch scowled at the Auri soldiers. Amica built a bridge to his mind.
“Kinch, give them your pity, not your scorn. These men lack your faith. They do not have anything larger than Drakon. They believe he is their god.”
Kinch concentrated on the bridge. “Wait, you don’t think I’m going to kill this dragon do you?”
“You defeated Pythia. She is an extremely powerful dragon.”
“That was different. She isn’t a ‘Destroyer of Cities’. And I had Argus. He has saved my hide more than once.” He examined the thick stone walls of Arx as they passed through the gates. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m not afraid to fight the thing.”
“Kinch, there is not much time to tell you everything you must know. There is time to tell you only what you need to survive. These new powers you have gained, they hold power over will. Everything has will, both living and inanimate. You have learned to resist this will and even use your own will against Pythia.”
Taurean led the squad out the gate and turned a military corner to the left. Kinch scanned ahead and saw three tall posts sunk into the ground. Secured to each was a long, thick chain.
“If I learned to resist, then why was Lamia able to make me ram a sword through my heart? Which was painful, by the way.”
“I’m sure it was, but it was necessary for many reasons I cannot explain right now. Believe me when I say the Lord is a loving teacher. He will give you precise instruction specific to your method of learning.”
Kinch analyzed her. “That’s an insult, isn’t it?”