by J. R. Wagner
With that, Margaret quickly stood and left the room. James stared into the fire. How can I be more than what people already expect of me? he wondered. His head was swimming. Part of him wanted to run away, to rid himself of all of this. The prophecy, his father's death—he wanted to leave it all behind and never have to think about it again. He stood, having made up his mind.
He walked out of the kitchen and down the hallway toward the room where he slept. He stopped outside the door to the room where his mother had retreated. He knocked. She opened the door, red-eyed. He could tell she'd been crying.
“I've made my decision,” he said. Margaret stood, waiting for more but more never came. The troubled-looking boy turned and went into his room.
Later that morning, Tabitha Ogilvy returned. Margaret discussed the conversation she'd had with James briefly, then went to get James from his room so he could start the day's lessons. She stepped inside and for the second time in her life, her heart felt as if it had been torn from her chest. James was gone.
— 28 —
THE BELATOR
After a sleepless night, James was relieved to see the first signs of dawn on the horizon. He had stowed all the gear they would need on the dinghy. He was climbing down the rope ladder to board and make a trip alone when he heard stirring on deck. Kilani leaned her head over the side. The bright moon provided enough light to recognize her silhouette.
“In a hurry, are we?” asked Kilani.
“Anxious is a better word, I think,” replied James, settling into the stern of the canoe. “Care to come along?”
Kilani looked over her shoulder to see if anyone else was awake, then quickly made her way down the ladder. James positioned the boat with his paddle so the bow seat was just beneath her feet. She stepped cautiously inside. James handed her a paddle, and they began pulling at the water.
“I'm curious, James,” said Kilani.
“So I've learned,” he replied.
“I'm curious why you are paddling this boat when you have the knowledge to use probably a dozen incantations to get us to shore without all the work.”
“I shall satiate your curiosity by telling you this. Even when I was at home both my body and mind required some physical exertion to get going in the morning, which is why at the present moment, I am paddling us across the harbor.”
“So it's got nothing to do with a fear of your newfound abilities?”
James couldn't tell where Kilani was going with this line of questioning and decided to tread cautiously. Kilani rarely asked questions for the sake of conversation.
“What makes you think I'm afraid of my new abilities?”
“I'm not sure, exactly. Just a feeling I'm getting.”
“Worry not, my lady. If you'd prefer, I'll propel us across this harbor at maddening speeds,” said James. He extended his hands over the water and said, “Tertiri zé Manukto ahlnãs svartbek.” Immediately the boat lurched forward. James let his oar drag in the water as a rudder.
Within minutes the small boat ran aground on a beach. Kilani had to hold onto the sides to keep from being thrown over the bow onto the sand. She laughed out loud. What a wonderful sound, thought James. They quickly unloaded the supplies and readied the canoe for another trip. Kilani volunteered to stay behind.
“I forgot to tell you some exciting news,” James said, looking over his shoulder at Kilani as he prepared to push off the sand with his oar.
“It's so exciting you forgot to tell me?” said Kilani.
“The natives can transport,” James said, immediately pushing off the sand and gliding across the water toward the Queen Mary. Kilani stood dumbfounded, staring after him. A smile stretched across her face as she watched him paddle back to the ship.
James first returned with William and Roger and then made another trip to bring Luno. As James steadied the canoe beneath the ladder for the last time, Luno stepped inside. A small satchel, which James had not seen before, was slung over Luno's shoulder. James was tempted to ask what was inside, but he decided against it. He turned the boat and began to paddle. Instead of reaching for the second paddle, Luno simply sat staring at the sunrise.
“Amid all your excitement yesterday I didn't get the opportunity to tell you about our travels,” Luno said, looking over his shoulder at James. “We reached the abandoned village that overlooks the northern coast.”
“And what was your impression?” asked James.
“I agree with Roger's and Kilani's assessment. It has been abandoned for about a year. Its constructors were European, masters of their trade for sure, and most likely abducted from their homes.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Their belongings are still inside the buildings. Several of the beds are turned down. One house had long-rotted food on a table, and outside there were the sun-bleached bones of some kind of creature tethered to a pole.”
“Do you believe the natives have something to do with it?” asked James.
“My list of suspects at the moment is short.”
“Do you think we're walking into a trap?”
“If they wanted us captured or dead, my boy, I believe they would have already taken or killed us.”
“So what do you believe?”
“I believe, my boy, they are not so different from us. Based on what you've told me, they too have been waiting for someone of unprecedented abilities to come along and deliver them from whatever it is they need delivering from.”
Luno had confirmed that James's suspicions were rightfully founded. He had spent most of his life being that person and was rapidly growing weary of it. Neither spoke for the remainder of the paddle across the harbor.
By the time they arrived, Kilani, Roger, and William were standing ready. They had divided the supplies among them and left two piles for James and Luno. James sheathed his dagger and slung his bedroll over his shoulder. He looked up and down the beach for any sign of Peroc. The beach was empty in both directions. He decided to drink from the stream before they got going. Luno joined him, as the others had already had their fill while waiting for the pair to return from the Queen Mary.
James knelt at the edge of the stream, his long hair dangling in the water. He splashed some in his face before drinking. As he drank, he suddenly noticed a reflection in the water. He looked up. Peroc stood on the opposite side grinning down at him. James smiled back and looked over at Luno, whose entire head was submerged in the water.
“Today is a good day,” said Peroc in his native tongue. “I bring you and your friends to my village.”
“My friends are happy to meet you and the members of your tribe,” said James.
“And I am happy to bring Chief and his friends home,” said Peroc.
At this James could only smile awkwardly. He reached over and tapped Luno on the shoulder. Luno lifted his head from the water and gave James an irritated look. James tilted his head toward Peroc. Luno's expression quickly changed to a smile.
“Muojärvi,” Luno said in the native language James had taught the group.
“Muojärvi,” said Peroc. “It is an honor to meet friends of the Chief.”
Luno looked at James for a translation.
“He said it's an honor to meet you.”
“Where are the others?” asked Peroc.
“Down the beach,” replied James, pointing behind him.
“We must gather and go,” said Peroc. “It is a long walk, and we don't want to be out after sunset.”
He nodded and the trio walked back to where Kilani and the others stood. James introduced everyone and they set out in a westerly direction. No words were spoken as they moved through the jungle. Peroc was pleasantly surprised to find out they could all keep pace with him with little effort. What he didn't know was this pace was still not as fast as they usually traveled.
They followed a well-worn game trail for some time, until it broke through the jungle into a grassy field. James recognized the field immediately from the hill with the
weary-looking tree perched on top. Peroc gave a slight bow in the direction of the hill and kept moving. Not long after crossing the western edge of the grassy field back into the jungle, Peroc came to a halt.
The group looked down into a crater. Rather than being barren and void of life, this crater was teeming with trees and plants. So dense was the vegetation that one couldn't see the bottom. Trees grew inward from the sides of the crater, stretching impossible distances before bending slightly up toward the sun. The edges were steep, yet plant life was still able to cling to the sides. James noticed there were birds here as well. Thousands of them moving about from tree to tree.
“Our home is at the bottom,” said Peroc.
He quickly turned and ran along the rim of the crater until he reached a narrow path on the far side of a giant tree. They made countless switchbacks and traveled over and under numerous trees, all growing from the sides of the crater rather than the bottom, before reaching flat terrain. The bottom of the crater was completely treeless. Only a closely knit groundcover grew on the crater floor. Looking out across the expanse, James was reminded of the manicured lawns of manor houses he'd sometimes stayed in back home.
In the distance, he could see several structures, but there was no sign of people. Peroc beckoned them on and moved across the clearing toward the structures. Roughly halfway from the crater walls, the deep shade provided by the trees disappeared. James realized they all stopped growing in exactly the same place, creating a perfect circle of sunlight. A large rectangular stone platform sat in the center of the circle. As James was about to step into the light, Peroc's arm swung out across his chest.
“We do not step into the light,” Peroc said, with a most serious look on his face. James relayed the message to the others.
The group made their way around the circle of light and on to where the structures sat.
“This is our home,” said Peroc. James translated for his group.
“Where is everyone?” asked Luno.
James translated Luno's question. Peroc studied the sky for a moment before answering.
“They are hunting. I did not expect us to make such fast time. They will be surprised to see us here when they return. It won't be long now,” said Peroc.
James translated.
“Why can't we go in the sun?” asked Kilani.
James relayed the question.
“He calls it the circle of fire. Anyone who steps inside while the sun is overhead will burn,” said James.
“Intriguing. I wonder if it is anything like the sun at the top of Mt. Misery,” said Luno.
Peroc looked at James questioningly. James translated and found that Peroc was unfamiliar with the lone mountain on the main island.
“We do not travel there,” said Peroc. “We are forbidden to travel to the main island.”
“By who,” James asked.
“By the island,” said Peroc, pointing to the ground.
“How many are in your tribe?” asked James.
“There are thirty-four of us. You are the thirty-fifth,” he said with a smile.
“All of the others went hunting? Why?”
“What we hunt requires many men. We've yet to send a hunting party where at least one man has not returned.”
“What is it that you hunt? We have traveled far over this land and seen little in the way of life.”
“We hunt the tampere. You did not see them because they did not want to be seen. They were watching you, of that I'm sure.”
James took some time to relay everything they'd discussed to his group. When he was done, he noticed Kilani had an impatient expression on her face. He knew she desired to know one thing. James turned back to Peroc.
“When you left yesterday you vanished. How?”
Peroc reached into the small satchel, which hung from his belt, and removed a pinch of orange powder. He smiled and tossed it over his head. In a flash of orange smoke and light he was gone.
“So it's true,” said Kilani, more excited than James had ever seen her.
“We call it travel powder,” Peroc said, startling the group when he appeared out of thin air behind them.
“Where do you find this powder?” James asked.
As Peroc opened his mouth to answer, he was interrupted by a loud horn sounding from somewhere on the rim.
“They're back,” said Peroc.
He took off at a run, careful not to step into the circle of light, and made his way toward the trail that had taken James and his group to the bottom. He yelped, his hands cupping his mouth. There was a reply from somewhere between the rim and the bottom.
“They have slain a tampere. We will eat well tonight, my Chief,” Peroc said excitedly.
He began running in circles shouting with excitement. It took quite some time for James and company to see the first of Peroc's tribe make their way out of the undergrowth. All members, including the women, were similarly dressed (or undressed). All save one stood even shorter than Peroc. The tallest led the line. She was a stern-faced warrior whose war paint was mixed with blood. Each tribe member was marked in bright yellow paint and shouldered part of the large creature.
From end to end, the tribesman spaced about three feet apart and still the creature hung past the last man in line by a good four feet. The skin was smooth in texture with a marbled green and black pattern. The carcass left a trail of blood in its wake. With each step, the hunters let out a short celebratory shout. Despite the size of their burden, they moved with apparent ease.
When finally the tribesmen had all stepped onto the flatlands they stopped.
“They've slain a bloody croc monster,” said Luno. “Biggest one I've ever seen.”
The hunters wore expressions of pride as they began to march toward the camp, shouting with each step. Peroc let out a joyous cry and raised his bow into the air several times as they headed toward camp.
A horn sounded from behind. Peroc stopped his dance and turned toward the sound.
“What is it?” James asked.
“Meloc's been injured. They're bringing him down,” he replied.
Despite the troublesome news, Peroc continued to dance to the rhythm of the hunter's song back toward the trailhead. James relayed what Peroc had told them. Shortly, two tribeswomen appeared. Between them they held a crude stretcher made of sticks and leaves. On the stretcher lay an older man, Meloc. His hair was white, his skin was ashen, and his legs were torn apart and bloodied. The two women carrying the stretcher trotted off toward the camp. Peroc followed, still calling out his celebratory cries despite the return of the injured man.
James exchanged concerned looks with the rest of his group and fell in behind Peroc as they headed to the camp. When they arrived, the hunting party had already begun cutting pieces of the creature and setting them on stones positioned around a roaring fire. They had set the head of the creature just outside the ring of fire. Its lifeless green and amber eyes looked on as its flesh was prepared for a feast. Everybody continued about their business as if James, Kilani, Luno, Roger, and William were not there.
The injured man was propped against the head of the creature and left to himself. He appeared to be fading in and out of consciousness as he attempted to remain seated. James called to Peroc several times, who was still dancing around celebrating, with no luck. Finally he grabbed him by the wrist.
“What will you do with him?” he asked, pointing to the injured man.
“Meloc is our eldest. It is an honor to die in the hunt for tampere. He will live to see us feast on its flesh, then join our ancestors,” said Peroc.
“Will you not tend to his wounds?” asked James.
“It is against our laws,” said Peroc. “It appears you are upset by this. Please don't be. Meloc has accepted his fate and will die with honor.”
“But there is no need for him to die at all,” said James.
“We only have the skills to prolong his death with injuries so severe,” said Peroc.
“I
would like to try. I believe I can heal him,” said James.
Peroc's expression changed immediately. He looked over at Meloc, who appeared to be teetering on the brink of unconsciousness again. Luno watched the exchange curiously. While he couldn't understand what they were saying, it was easy enough to infer the conversation topic. James said something that made Peroc's casual tone and posture change immediately.
Peroc turned and shouted at his reveling tribesmen. The music and festivities immediately came to a halt.
James turned away from Peroc and made his way to the dying man, who had slumped to the ground beside the teeth of the beast, which were exposed in a perpetual snarl. James put his hand on Meloc's forehead. Immediately, the little man's eyes opened. He smiled at James. James took his hand and helped him sit up.
“Tertiri zé Manukto tupasarri ojala,” said James. A pink light rose from the palms of his hands and rolled into itself like a wave in the ocean as it hovered above them. James moved his hands apart. The light stretched and finally broke into two pieces. James sent each piece toward Meloc's legs, where they quickly wrapped themselves like bandages around his legs. Meloc let out a terrible cry and fell to the ground.
“Tupasarri,” said James. The pink light lifted like a mist from the grass, revealing uninjured legs. Meloc stirred on the ground. Behind him, James could hear the cheering of his tribesmen as he helped Meloc back to a sitting position.
The old man smiled again at James but remained silent.
“Rise,” said James. “You are healed.”
Taking Meloc by the hands, he helped him to his feet. He was unstable for a moment but quickly found his equilibrium. Before he could say anything, he was swept away by his reveling tribe mates who'd reconvened the celebration. Still no one, with the exception of Peroc, had directly addressed James or anyone else in his group. James returned to where Luno, Kilani, and the others stood watching the tribe prepare for the feast.
“Well done, my boy,” said Luno. “Does anyone else find it the least bit odd that we've been invited here only to be ignored?”
“Oui, zis is not right,” said William.