by Matt Russell
"Hah!" Glavius laughed, bringing a gloved hand to his forehead. "Thank the Gods! I've been searching for weeks!"
"Oh?" she said, raising an eyebrow. "We have been right here—at least most of the time."
"Well it’s damn good to see you," he said, grinning as his eyes scanned about. "Where's Kota?"
"He was not in a position to abandon his task when you blasted your obnoxious horn," Gretis said, and then she gestured through the trees. "You are welcome to come and see him. I think he has grown very lonely for his old friends."
Glavius swallowed. He had crucial things to tell them both, but after a year and a half, there were a few questions he could not resist asking as they began to move together. "Did you... unlock Kota's power—or whatever the hell you call it?"
"Oh yes, we accomplished that almost immediately after we left."
Glavius tried to read her serene expression as they walked, which was impossible. He had no idea how Sansrit training worked, and he doubted she would reveal much in conversation. Still, there was no harm in trying. "Can you at least tell me why you kept him away so long?"
"I have not kept him at all," Gretis said, her voice smooth and patient. "I encouraged Kota to return to the temple many months ago, but he insisted on remaining away."
"Why?"
Gretis's face became somber. "Kota has grown very, very powerful—more so than I think either of us expected. He's afraid of returning to the company of normal folk."
They walked for perhaps a quarter of an hour with little more conversation other than Gretis asking questions about Otho and the goings-on of the temple. Eventually, they came to a small clearing in the forest where Glavius saw two very large animal skin tents built near to a flowing stream. Around them was a clean and orderly campsite. Cooking utensils sat drying in a neat pile atop a blanket, with small sections of cloth laid over them to protect from dust. There was another mat upon which rested a large assortment of knives and swords, each polished to a shimmering patina. In one of the tents, Glavius saw books—dozens and dozens of them—stacked in neat piles, and there was a thick stack of papyrus paper as well held in place by a rock. The top sheet had a great deal of writing on it, and several charcoal pencils rested at the center of the page. There was also a somewhat worn cornerstone set against the back wall.
"You've been out here this whole time—just the two of you?" Glavius said.
"We have traveled to nearby settlements here and there and encountered occasional caravans. Kota and I needed supplies after all. But for the most part, yes, we've been out here, where there was no one for him to hurt." She gestured past the stream and said: "He can tell you himself. It will do him good to talk to a friend."
Curious, Glavius stepped up to the edge of the stream and gazed in the direction she was pointing. On the other side, past a handful of trees, he spotted Kota, walking slowly down the side of a small mountain, carrying a boulder directly above his head that was twice as tall as his body and larger still in width!
“HOLY SHIT!” Glavius exclaimed. No twenty Onkai could lift a mass of rock that size, but Kota was plodding along, the great stone bouncing with each step he took. Glavius gaped as he walked closer, barely noticing as his boots sank into the stream. The display of strength was unreal, like the stories the older Onkai told of the power of the Demon King.
Glavius drew closer and closer and more details came into view. Kota's claws and indeed his fingers had penetrated into the stone, and there was a crunching sound as his sweating friend took each step. The claws on Kota's feet were extended as well and were biting into the mountain face beneath. Was that for traction?!
When Glavius was within a few dozen steps, Kota wheezed out without turning his head: "Hello, Glavius!" He sounded friendly, if strangely nervous. "I'm almost done. I can't set it down until I get to the bottom." Kota made his way to the bottom of the slope where he came to a clearing of dirt and grass, at the center of which a large hole had been dug. His feet sank up to the ankles in the soft earth as he trudged forward with the impossible weight held over his head to the edge of the pit where he slowly brought the boulder down over his head. It occurred to Glavius distantly that the rock should have crumbled free of Kota's fingers under its own tremendous weight, but it did not. Somehow, his shamalak friend was able to lower the thing gently into its hole.
"Sorry," Kota finally said, whirling around with a timid smile of teeth and fangs. The simple look on his face did a great deal to assuage Glavius's fears that his dear comrade had been changed by this awesome power. The kind, humble young man was still there.
"I've missed you, little brother," Glavius said, and he darted forward, extending his hand.
Kota's grin widened, and his own hand shot out, but he noticeably hesitated before gripping Glavius, drawing in an uneasy breath.
"Worried you're gonna break my arm?" Glavius chuckled.
Kota let go and said: "A little." It was strange to see fear in the silver eyes. Kota had always been so brave and full of hope. "I... I've missed you a great deal too.” He grinned. “Nobody’s made fun of me in over a year.”
"How long you been carrying that thing?" Glavius said, gesturing to the massive boulder.
"Ah," Kota sighed, "about a month. I was carrying a smaller one before, but I keep... getting stronger."
"You're amazing!" Glavius said, and he clapped Kota on the arm—or tried to—the movement was cut short with such abruptness that it took Glavius a second to realize that Kota's left hand had snapped up and caught his wrist. It had happened almost too fast for his eyes to register.
"S-sorry," Kota said, letting go of Glavius's hand and shrinking back a step.
"It's alright," Glavius said, trying not to let the nerves show in his voice. "You didn't hurt me."
"You're my friend," Kota whispered, gazing down at the hand he had just drawn away. "It understands at least that much."
"What does?"
"My animu—"
"Kota!" Gretis's voice snapped. Glavius whirled around to see her standing a few paces behind him. She was staring with a hard expression at Kota. "There are sacred rules to what you may reveal to the uninitiated."
"Rules I made in the first place," Kota said in a quiet voice, and he lifted his eyes to meet hers, "my first incarnation that is." These incredibly perplexing words seemed to steal some of the fire from Gretis's eyes. She hesitated, and Kota went on: "Glavius is my friend—maybe my best friend. I trust him completely."
For a long moment, Gretis and Kota stared at one another, and then finally the Blade Witch said in a quiet voice: "Do as you like," and turned back toward the campsite.
"Wait," Glavius said. She paused but did not turn. He whirled back to Kota and said: "I want to know whatever it is that you have to tell me, but I came here to deliver important news to both of you.”
Gretis spun slowly back around and said: "What is your news?"
Glavius reached into his bag and drew out one of several papyrus scrolls he had packed. "First, a girl named Livia has been trying to contact you almost since the day you left." Gretis's face paled a little at the name—something Glavius had never seen before. "She's sent dozens of letters to your home and even to the temple asking your whereabouts."
"Is that one of her letters?" Gretis said, eyeing the paper he held.
"Yes," Glavius said. "Would you like to—"
She darted forward and snatched it before he could even begin extending his arm, and as fast as he could blink, she had broken the wax seal and had the thing open. He watched her face as she read it and saw more color drain from her skin. As soon as the Blade Witch finished, she looked up at Kota and said: "I... I think I have to go south for a time."
Kota was about to say something to this, but Glavius held up a hand. "There's more." He swallowed, a little nervous about what kind of reaction his next words might produce in his friend. "We've gotten reports—unconfirmed mind you—that the Demon Lord Narakum has b
een attacking shamalak tribes near..." he swallowed and gazed into Kota's silver eyes, "near where Cassian Asango met you almost seven years ago." He watched his best friend's bronze face fill with horror. Kota began to breathe very quickly, and blood vessels began to stand up under his skin around his eyes. Feeling uneasy, Glavius went on: "Like I said, this is unconfirmed. We don't have any real lines of communication with your people. Hell, nobody even knows where any of the tribes are—"
"I know where they are!" Kota said in a sharp hiss. He looked at Gretis. "The demons are trying to get to me, aren't they?"
Her face twitched, and she said in a low voice: "There is no way to know." He glared at her, and after a brief pause, she conceded: "But yes, you are most likely the reason."
"And I'm up here hiding!" he said, and the last word sounded lower than the others, almost like the snarl of a wolf. He looked at Glavius. "Gods! How long did it take you to find us out here?" He put his forehead into his hands, his fingers curling around tufts of dark hair. "Hundreds of my people could be dead by now!"
Glavius held up a hand. "Otho sent search parties before I left. For all I know they've already subdued the threat—if there even was one."
Kota looked at him for a few seconds, then said: "I have to go."
"Kota," Gretis said in a very soft voice, "you are not ready to face a Demon Lord yet."
"It's what I was born to do," he whispered. "My people are being killed because of me. Do you honestly think I could just play cornerstone up here with you and carry rocks up and down a mountain while they’re slaughtered by demons?"
Gretis gazed down at the dirt beneath her feet, pausing for a few heartbeats before murmuring: "No."
"Go do whatever you have to do about this Livia and her letters. I will go to my tribe."
"I'll go with you," Glavius said.
Kota pursed his lips, looking at him. "I thank you, but I can travel much faster on my own, and," he swallowed, "lives are at stake."
"No, Kota," Gretis said in a somber voice. "You must not rush into this."
He stared at her, an incredulous look on his face. "What do you mean?"
Her eyes shifted to Glavius for a fraction of a second and then returned to her pupil as she whispered: "It is true that these attacks—if they are indeed real—are most likely being conducted to draw you out. That is good reason to proceed with caution."
Kota grimaced, and said in a voice that sounded desperate: "I can't let them die—not when I can save them!"
"Are you so certain that is what you will do—save them?" She moved to Kota and put a hand on his shoulder. "You remember what happened to you the last several times you encountered demons. What do you think will happen now, all your terrible strength and speed?" She leaned into his face and whispered: "You have become more lethal perhaps than even you realize. What will happen when you cannot think? Neither one of us knows how your animus will react when you come into contact with a Demon Lord." She lowered her head and sighed: "You might kill everything in your path.”
Kota shut his eyes and drew in several very slow breaths, a pained look on his face. Finally, he said: "What would you have me do?"
Gretis gazed down at the letter in her hand, appearing troubled for a brief instant, but then her expression hardened. "We will go together. Before we do though, we must commune and seek clarity of mind." She gestured to Glavius without looking and said: "If you truly wish to confide your secrets in your friend here, then he may as well participate." She cocked her head and said: "Glavius, you cocky little imbecile, I think you could be of great help to your friend right now if you have the courage."
Glavius blinked and murmured: "I... I have no idea what the hell the two of you are talking about." He shook his head. His very perceptions of reality felt somewhat strained at the moment. "You both sound like insane heretics babbling horse-shit that would make the Nemesai turn red, but..." he sighed and looked at Kota, "your animuh, or whatever the hell you call it, was right: I damn-well am your friend." He turned to Gretis, and several dozen instances of her knocking the hell out of him flashed through his mind as he grunted: "I got courage, Blade Witch."
This drew a wry grin from her dark lips. "All right then," she whispered. "Let us prepare."
Gretis directed Glavius to gather a great deal of dry wood, which he did over the next hour or so as the sun set. In truth, he was glad to have a simple task to perform as his mind attempted to unravel the conversation that Gretis and Kota had had. Dozens of questions flooded his thoughts, but he was not sure he wanted the answers to them. It had taken him many years to learn one religious ideology, and he did not particularly wish to trample over all that tedious work. Still, his sense of wonder had been ignited, and he quietly admitted to himself that he was quite curious at what the two Sansrit were going to do.
When evening came, Glavius followed further instructions and set a roaring bonfire going in the center of the camp. Kota, who was in the midst of carefully grinding bits of plants, said: "How are things at the temple?" He sounded distracted, and of course troubled. Glavius could only imagine the thoughts that must be running through his mind.
"Darius is taking over more and more administrative duties. I may as well mention that the party of Nemesai who took you prisoner were attacked by a mysterious group of men in masks."
"Oh?" Gretis said, looking up from a table upon which she had laid out an assortment of strangely colored powders. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Men in masks?"
"So I hear," Glavius said with a suppressed grin. "I was not there of course. This is all conjecture. Anyhow, they were attacked. Of course, a Starborn had recently shattered all their crossbows, and, as we all know, Nemesai are complete shite with swords, so they were subdued in seconds."
"No one was killed?" Gretis said, her voice tinged with dark amusement.
"No," Glavius sighed, "but the leader.... I heard he got it pretty bad. It seems that one of the bandits forced him to eat several pieces of dog excrement." Glavius shook his head. "Terrible shame to do such a thing to a man of the church. I heard they made him chew every bite."
Kota's face twitched just a little with humor, and Gretis sighed: "What did Otho do?"
Glavius shrugged. "He said it was not the Onkai's business to police banditry." He chuckled and added: "On a completely unrelated note, I was given a promotion and a sizable bonus immediately following these events."
"I see," Gretis said. She rose from her table, carrying a large clay urn in each hand. "Well then, shall we begin, gentlemen?"
Kota rose with a handful of freshly chopped herbs which he carried over and tossed into the fire. The flame shifted instantly from orange to purple where the substance touched, and the air took on an acrid scent of something like flowers mixed with alcohol and soap. Gretis knelt down in front of the fire, placing the jars in front of her. She reached into the first one and brought out a handful of light gray powder, which she tossed into the fire. There was a hiss and then an explosion of purely white smoke.
"Breathe normally," she said, looking at Glavius. "We are only going a little way in."
"In where?" he said.
She gave him a playful smirk. "The spirit world."
"Yeah..." Glavius muttered, and he inhaled in the smoke. It seemed to tingle in his lungs. He watched Kota sit down in front of the bonfire, crossing his legs and placing his hands on his knees, palms facing up. "Should I—" Glavius muttered, turning to the Blade Witch, but he saw she had assumed the same pose. "Just like our sword training," he muttered, "Don't tell me what to do. Just watch me flounder and have a nice chuckle."
"Just sit down," Kota said without opening his eyes. "You'll understand in a few moments."
"You're as bad as she is," Glavius murmured, rolling his eyes, but he sat as instructed. The scents of the fire were growing pungent, and as he drew them in, a feeling of relaxation began to wash over him—a profound sense of peace. It was actually quite wonderful. Minutes pass
ed, and his muscles lost their many tensions, giving way to a deep warmth that did not seem to be coming from the fire, but inside of him.
“Glavius,” Gretis whispered.
He felt so entirely calm that it did not alarm him immediately when he opened his eyes and saw the Blade Witch as a figure shrouded in blue, translucent fire. He blinked, and then looked again. The flame did not dance around her in wisps, but had a distinctive shape, with curves and angles. It took him a moment to piece the image together, for it felt as though his tether to reality was slipping by the second, but he finally deciphered the form of a wolf sitting back on its haunches. It was tall—taller than Lady Gretis herself—and its form was large enough that she sat within it with legs still crossed in front of her. Glavius panted as he stared at her, so serene within this creature's glowing body, and then her eyes opened very suddenly, and two orbs of blue fire stared out at him.
"You can see it, can't you?" she said with a chuckle, gesturing up to the wolf. "I always suspected you had a strong spirit of your own."
Glavius might have panicked, but the sense of tranquility the smoke had granted him was still present. "What am I seeing?" he managed to say, and he was surprised at how soft his voice was.
"This is a part of the person I am," she said. "I used to think it was so mighty, but then I saw his spirit." She gestured to the right.
Glavius turned his head and let out a gasp as he beheld a mountain of blue flame, wide and vast, stretching up above the trees. This burning mass also had a distinctive shape, with monstrous limbs and a fierce, lion-like head far above, but Glavius did not look at these things. In the center of the inferno of power sat Kota, bathed in blue light. His legs were crossed like Gretis’s, his hands still resting half open on his knees, palms up.
"Kota bears a terrible burden," Gretis said. Glavius turned to see her stand up and walk toward him, the wolf-spirit rising up on its limbs and moving with her, its head hovering just above hers. "Perhaps he was right to share these truths with you." She sighed. "I cannot guide him forever. What if I were to die? There is far too much for him to face alone."