by Fiona Sweet
Perhaps I had been too curt with her, but it was critical at this time to get my message across. I was tired of the members in my swarm giving me hell and questioning every move I made. I felt like I had no one to back me up. Didn’t it matter what I thought? I hated to sound entitled, but I was the Swarm King for mercy’s sake.
“I see what’s going on here.” Cherish glared at me, nodding her head slowly as she cut me a disapproving frown.
“What do you mean?” I studied her. She thought she had me all figured out, but she hadn’t even scratched the surface.
“You swooped in, pretending to be the hero. You offered me kindness and your…” she trailed off as her eyes scrolled down to my loin cloth. She cringed and fixed her eyes back on mine. “You put on the noble act for the mere purpose of breaking through my defenses—”
“You have it all wrong,” I hissed.
“No.” Cherish shook her head in insubordinate disbelief. “I have it exactly right.”
I got in her face, maybe a little too abruptly because she gave me a harsh leer and leaped backward and away from me. I let her keep the gap between us and stayed where I was.
“You need to remember who you are talking to,” I gently warned.
Cherish mockingly began to laugh. “Or what? You’ll behead me in front of your swarm to make an example out of me or something?”
I tightened my jaw and stared at her. “Just leave the leadership decisions to me.”
Cherish eyed me with horror. “Would you … really do that?”
“I’m not going to behead you, no.” She was being ridiculous. “Don’t allow your imagination to carry you away.”
Cherish shrugged, now appearing indifferent. “It doesn’t seem to me like you want the position of leader.”
I held my tongue before I said something explosive in anger that I would never be able to take back.
I hastily whipped back the sashes of the tent and stormed out, brooding.
Cherish was hot on my heels.
“Where are you going?” She demanded.
I spun around, trying not to lose my temper on her. She was still my fate-marked, after all and I couldn’t afford to sabotage any remnants of passion that still might be lingering between us. Although I hardly assumed her to feel the same way anymore, not after this. She was giving me an icy death stare.
“Hunting. I need to go off by myself for a little while,” I said.
I needed to cool off the heat of my anger. My argument with Cherish had left me reeling.
Cherish was onto me. She was too smart for her own good.
“You don’t have any spears with you,” she contested, pointing at my empty hands.
“I don’t need them,” I said.
Cherish scoffed. “You don’t need a spear to go hunting? How in the world do you expect to catch any animals? With your bare hands?”
She was testing my nerves on purpose and I didn’t appreciate it.
“I just need to be left alone right now,” I said, my patience thinning.
Cherish scowled. “And what about me?”
“What about you?”
“What will happen to me while you’re gone?” Her eyes were wide with anxiety.
“Nothing,” I grumbled. “You stay put in the tent and wait for me to return.”
Cherish’s cheeks went ashen. She gave me a look of shock as if she hadn’t expected me to leave her alone at the oasis.
“You won’t be left unattended, so don’t try anything foolish,” I mentioned as an afterthought.
“You mean like run away?” Cherish gave me a condemning look and crossed her arms sullenly against her chest.
“That’s right.” I confirmed because it was the truth. “You don’t want to go down that road, trust me.”
“I don’t know if I trust you, but I won’t go anywhere.” Cherish promised, but still had the fighting spirit inside her because she ended with an eye roll. “But I think you’re making a mistake.”
“You’re in no position to tell me what choices I should be making,” I retorted.
Cherish’s eyes flickered with hurt. “All I’m saying is, you should know better than to run away from your problems. It’s not very leader-like.”
I approached her and loomed over her until she cowered and took a nervous step backward. I didn’t want to scare her, but she was leaving me no choice to show her who was in charge around here.
“I’m not running away. I’m hunting,” I said through gritted teeth,
Cherish gestured around our camp. “There is unrest here. Tension is getting worse by the hour. It’s not a good idea to leave the groups when there is a divide among the swarm.”
“I’ve heard enough.” I glared and turned around, jogging away before she could try and stop me a second time.
13
Cherish
Just as I’d feared, Rathum’s men broke away as soon as Varyx was out of sight. I knew they were up to no good, but what could I really do about it? I didn’t even have any sway with Varyx and he was my fate-marked. I’d never be able to stop Rathum and his clan in a million years with no army to back me but myself.
If they wanted to be irresponsible, there was no one to stop them. I’d never felt so powerless—and Varyx might as well had disappeared into oblivion, running away from his responsibilities.
When I saw Rathum and his men leaving the base camp at the oasis in the direction of my village to the south, I took off—disregarding Varyx’s direct order to stay in the tent where I ‘belonged’ according to his rules.
I was determined to find Varyx and drag him back kicking and screaming to the base camp if I had to. I wouldn’t stand idly by, watching Rathum bounding toward my village to do God-knows-what. I shuddered at the horror of the countless unspeakable things Rathum was capable of doing to the innocent and unassuming people dwelling in my nearby village.
It didn’t take me long to find Varyx. Just as I’d assumed, he wasn’t hunting as he’d claimed. He was sitting in the low hills—a preferred spot where Byromians normally hunted while they were camped at the oasis.
He was sitting by a grave with a destitute expression on his face.
“Varyx?” I whispered.
He slowly turned around and looked at me, his eyes flickering with despair. “Yes?”
“What are you doing?” I sat down on the rock beside him.
“I’m sitting with my father,” he said in a sorrowful tone.
“This is where he’s buried?” I asked and pointed to the grave.
Varyx solemnly nodded, staring at the tombstone made of sticks and clay mashed together. “Byromians bury their dead in the hunting grounds so they can live eternally in the afterlife with an abundance of food and sport surrounding them.”
“That’s a lovely way to honor them.” I offered him an authentic smile.
“These are peaceful places of community for the Byromians,” Varyx explained. “Where fathers teach their sons to hunt.”
He went quiet for a moment and stiffened, almost as if he had to check himself and correct his behavior after inadvertently showing vulnerability in front of me.
“My parents are gone too, and I miss them every day,” I said, hoping that it would distract him from his moment of weakness.
Varyx looked at me. “They died at the hands of my swarm…”
I nodded. “It was terrible. We were hiding in the caves on the outskirts of the village, but the swarm found us anyway. A few Byromian men with black and red horns tore my parents from the caves and killed them right in front of us—but I refused to let my younger siblings see it. I hid their faces, cradling them in my arms until the nightmare was over.”
“That is a terrible torture to experience,” Varyx said, but there was a look of optimism on his face. “But wait—it could not have been my father or a member of my family who killed them. My family has golden horns, not black or red.”
It was as if a tremendous weight was suddenly lifted off my chest. I
t felt so good to hear Varyx say that—and as our eyes locked—I could tell he sensed my relief and felt the same sense of reprieve as well.
“My father never went to the caves,” Varyx admitted. “He died in the center of the village when a riot broke out among the humans and the Byromians. A man from the village snuck up behind him with his own spear and pierced my father’s heart through the back.”
“That wasn’t my father, then,” I said.
The stories of our parent’s demises didn’t add up, which brought us both some comfort.
“Rathum has black horns,” I said. “I’m not trying to stir up additional trouble, but—”
“No, you’re right.” Varyx interjected and nodded, his angry edge all but vanished now.
“Rathum brings conflict wherever he goes. Even as a youth, he was out of control with sporadic bursts of violence.”
“Some people never change,” I said. “There are bad seeds, lost souls that cannot be fixed.”
Varyx took a deep breath. “Harder days lie ahead.”
I took his giant hand and cupped it with mine, giving him an endearing smile. “Sometimes, difficult decisions need to be made even if they appear terrifying at first.”
Varyx stared at his father’s grave. “I know. I wish I could have my father’s strength and tap into even a remote amount of his commanding presence.”
Varyx looked pitiful. I needed to give him an ego boost before he crumbled like a stone under a heavy mallet.
“You do have your father’s spirt.”
He frowned and gave me a perplexed look. “I don’t follow.”
“In here.” I pointed to his heart.
His chest was hard and strong. Some of the allure and affection I harbored for him was beginning to make a comeback.
“Rathum needs to be stopped before history repeats itself,” Varyx declared.
A tranquil darkness cast a shadow over his face and an eerily rare desert breeze crept through the oasis hills.
“I want to help,” I said.
Varyx looked at me and our eyes locked. “Perhaps you can provide some assistance.”
“We need to act fast,” I explained. “The reason I sought you out even though you’d asked to be alone was because I saw Rathum and his brood traipsing toward my village. To say that I’m frightened of what he might do once he arrives there is an understatement. Varyx, I urge you to do the right thing here and go after him.”
Varyx moved to a standing position and reached out his giant arm to pull me up too. He had an expression of resolve. Finally, he was going to adhere to my cries for help.
“Come quickly. We must form a party with the remaining swarm on our side,” Varyx instructed.
He didn’t have to tell me twice. I was proud of myself for having a successful breakthrough with Varyx. Now it was time to put a stop to Rathum’s wicked behavior before it was too late, and the blood of innocents was spread across the desert lands.
14
Varyx
“I need everyone to listen very carefully,” I shouted at the group of humans and Byromians who had chosen to stay the course with me and Cherish. It was a historic moment for the two species to unite.
For now, and hopefully for eternity on the horizon, this group was banded together for the first time in centuries. Our plan was to fight against an infection of inequality spreading through the opposing minds that had severed ties with us. With Cherish by my side, I could finally put the greater good of all valuable souls to ultimate priority.
My voice carried through the desert as I attempted to motivate and inspire those standing among me. I explained the next set of events that were going to take place over the next several days and weeks. The breeze was changing, and with it a shift in spirit—for the better.
I paced along the rows of Byromians and Earthlings standing cohesively. All eyes were locked on me as I wandered a straight line, rallying my troops and boosting moral among the group.
“We need all the help we can get.” I turned to face the crowd. “Are you with me?”
I was met with cheers, claps, and whistles. Everyone seemed eager to get out there on the front lines.
Cherish helped me pass out extra bows and arrows as well as spears that we had contained within our supply stock while traveling. We had a surplus, because many nights there was nothing else to do other than fabricate weapons to use for both hunting and protection. The effort and extra acquired supplies were paying off already.
As Cherish distributed the weapons, I explained the plan to cohabitate and share the oases spanning the planet among ourselves. It was time to bring a new age of peace to this planet. One that had not been known since the Earthlings immigrated here long ago.
It was a liberating experience. We weren’t met with resistance now that Rathum and his herd had taken off. They were still a problem to deal with, yes, but for now it was important prepare those who stood in solidarity with me for the battle ahead.
I felt guilty taking all the glory, so I allowed Cherish step in beside me and add her contributions.
“Our goal is to coexist as peacefully as possible,” Cherish said. “If we all work together, we can unite as one and live forever as one. We no longer have to be defined by the mistakes of our forefathers. We have strength and wholesomeness inside us that is just waiting for the perfect opportunity to shine—and that time is now.”
I stood back and smiled with pride, observing the way Cherish organically spoke to the crowd—a blend of species. She had a natural grace to her as if she were born to guide. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise for us both to be fate-marked. Never before had I truly believed that fate had anything but hardship in store for the people of this planet.
I would rally the troops forward with intensity and gusto. Cherish could balance the ammunition with cultivated compassion and a neutrality between both sides.
Both were vital if we wanted to see any fighting chance of seeing victory on the other side.
We had the support we needed and set off on the journey to the village. My heart was in my throat as we set off. I couldn’t imagine how Cherish was feeling. She had more to lose if this plan failed.
Every time I snuck a glimpse at her, I could tell she was nervous by the ashen color of her face and the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes.
“Rathum’s reckless nature will cause him to make mistakes that will work in our favor,” I said to Cherish as we rode side by side.
Cherish gave me an encouraged smile. “Let’s hope so.”
______________________________________________
When we arrived at the village, it was like descending into madness. Monumental chaos surrounded us.
Cherish’s eyes grew wide with horror. Rathum and his men were rounding up the humans against their will, pushing, shoving and beating them down while they cried and begged for mercy. It was a difficult sight to witness.
The villager’s wrists were bound together. Gags had been placed in their mouths. They were being marched into huddles where Rathum had his guards on alert just in case someone got a wild hair and attempted to escape.
Outlaws from Rathum’s forces were bursting from villager’s huts with stolen goods in their arms, looting the surrounding area.
Women screamed as Rathum and his henchmen tore at their clothes and bent them over, attempting to force themselves on the terrified ladies in broad daylight—all with their families watching. It was sinfully savage.
It was catastrophic by monumental scale.
A petite woman who didn’t look any older than Cherish was trying to squirm away from Rathum just as he pulled his loin cloth to the side to attempt to fuck her. He spread her legs apart as she helplessly begged him to stop.
Her husband was desperately scrambling to save his wife from Rathum—but he was weaponless and clawing at Rathum’s back—his only viable defense. He was no match for Rathum, but his tactic worked well enough to distract Rathum. The woman scurried away as Rathum focused his sole
energy on taking out the husband.
I rode my gwarn over to where the men brawled in the sand. I quickly dismounted with a single leap. I was prepared to kill Rathum to save this innocent and distressed villager—until I heard a bloodcurdling scream pierce the air.
It was Cherish, and she sounded petrified. The blood in my veins turned to ice.
My eyes met with Rathum and his mouth curled into a sadistic grin. His eyes flickered with a center of wickedness that stained him to the depths of his darkened and hollowed core.
I groaned and turned around, hastily changing course to follow the sounds of Cherish’s terror. The human took this opportunity to flee after his wife, moving out of sight behind a hut.
I had to let Rathum get away for now, and he knew it —Cherish’s life was more important to save than anyone else’s right now.
15
Cherish
Varyx rushed to my side just as the enemy was bolting with my strong minded little sister Beccy—thrashing and wiggling in the massive arms of the dissenters. She wasn’t going to give up without a fight, bless her.
My brother Joshu had boldly gone chasing after her and was nearly trampled by one of the giant lizard mounts. In the process, Joshu’s right leg had been broken but it could have been worse. In the turmoil, I had lost sight of Beccy and her captors. Tears filling my eyes, I prayed that her fate with Rathum’s aggressive men wasn’t sealed forever in a trap of abuse.
I paced nervously with Varyx comfortingly standing by my side. Varyx consolingly rubbing my back all the while trying to appease me.
“Everything is going to be alright,” Varyx said, even though his promises felt empty in this bleak situation. “We will find Beccy and we will mend Joshu’s leg fracture.”
Joshu wasn’t able to walk at all. I had him resting under a rocky alcove where he had a decent amount of shade and I had propped him up as comfortably as I could get him while Varyx and I took a moment to catch our breath and figure out the next course of action.