by Kyrja
Preparing Uchawi symbols to hold someone in place, he turned slowly around. The hallway was empty, as far as he could see, although dimly lit, with various doorways lined against both walls. There it was again! Or, at least another sound. Not exactly like the last, but noise just the same. Hoping it was nothing more than an opportunistic rodent making off with something from the kitchen, Kaya tread quietly on the tiled floor, his ears straining for anything to give him more information. He could see there was something lying on the floor further down the hallway. Something large. Maybe a pile of laundry that had been dropped? Or a chair turned over? He had tried to imagine what could have made every occupant of the palace leave in such a hurry, with it left unguarded, but couldn’t put enough pieces together to form a solid answer. Or even a decent guess. Poison of some sort – even a gas of some sort – would have been dealt with magically. And quickly. And the guards would have still been on duty. Nor was there even anyone left to warn against entering. He’d felt wary when he’d entered the south door, then confused. As he’d moved through the palace, he’d seen little to give him any idea what may have happened, but he’d felt confident he’d be able to figure it out. Until he’d entered the kitchens with the dinner abandoned. Obviously, the only thing of importance had been the people. Everything else was left behind.
Except for this poor man, Kaya sighed, looking down at the body lying on the floor at his feet. A fleeting glance in the dimly-lit hallway gave him no immediate cause of death, other than the fact that he wasn’t lying in a pool of his own blood and had no weapon in his hands. Since the gentleman in question was facedown, Kaya wasn’t even sure who it might be, although his clothing clearly spoke of his place within the palace, and not a stranger from the city. Too, he was an older man, so it was possible that whatever happened to cause everyone else to leave had caused his heart to fail and he’d simply been left behind, because everyone else was in such a hurry to leave. Still, Kaya was beginning to think magic of some sort had been the cause of everyone’s sudden departure.
He hadn’t allowed himself to be overly concerned that Rhian might have come to harm, but was beginning to wonder if maybe he should be alarmed. Certainly she would be at the heart of any kind of attack, but the empty palace was simply bizarre.
When he saw a movement out of the corner of his right eye, he turned his head quickly, only to see some kind of white mist floating away from him. “Poison mist?” he heard himself wonder out loud, then snorted. No, he decided, even though that would certainly make people run as quickly as possible, Rhian or the guards would have mounted some kind of defense instead of abandoning the entire palace. Grimacing at the thought of confronting whatever it was by himself, after having spent the day defeating the Emperor and then disbursing the army, he shook his head a little, then inhaled deeply and started down the hallway.
Drawing Uchawi symbols on his hands for both self-protection and attack, he paused for a moment to draw the Afya symbol Sahil had recently taught him to intensify the results of his intentions on both palms. And again he felt the second heartbeat pulsing within his palm, just as he had the last two times he’d drawn it on the battlefield. One day, he told himself, he would have to ask Sahil about it – when he wasn’t in the middle of confronting an enemy. Still, he wasn’t at all prepared for what waited for him as he rounded the corner at the end of the hallway.
“Hold!” the specter told him. “Stand where you are Kaya, son of Dayam, child of the Tadashi line, keeper of the Rising Sun Prophecy.”
“So you know who I am,” Kaya retorted, raising his hands, palms towards the floating apparition of the man in front of him. “Care to return the favor?”
“Councilor Tojiru was Emperor Eazim’s most-trusted aide and I was his,” the transparent being told him.
“Did you do all of this?” Kaya wanted to know.
“If you will think carefully, my young friend, you will remember seeing my face when your friend tore the lid from the Jadu where I was sequestered.” He paused then, obviously waiting for Kaya to respond. After a moment, he added, “You discovered that the Emperor was not within the Jadu, as everyone thought he would be.”
“Jadu?” Kaya frowned, his forehead wrinkling with confusion.
“The box, or coffin, if you prefer,” he responded. “Although it is much more than that. I am Fumaini, councilor to the Emperor.”
“Are you dead?” Kaya wanted to know.
“My body continues to function in a state which will keep it alive for a short time,” Fumaini replied, “but I will not be reunited with it in time for it to be reanimated, so I will soon be dead.”
“Then why are you here?” Kaya pressed.
“My essence, or spirit, if you prefer, is bound to the palace. I cannot leave without your help.”
“My help?” Kaya was startled. “How did you know I would be here?”
Kaya gasped when Fumaini held up his left hand to reveal a glowing Afya symbol there – one that matched his own. He didn’t have to look at his hand, which was still aimed at Fumaini, to know his symbol was also glowing; he could see the light through his fingers.
“What happened here?” he asked, raising the volume of his voice. He wasn’t adverse to surprises, but today had already held too many. Most of them unpleasant.
“Lord Rajesh escorted some young women to a place where they hope to be able to use the Emperor’s blood to nullify magic imposed by the Goddess of Beauty in order to free Lord Rajesh’s mother from an eternity of imprisonment,” Fumaini told him.
Kaya lowered his hands, sighing deeply, then shook his head in frustration. “And how did that odd set of circumstances cause a whole palace full of people to disappear?”
‘There is a spell keyed to the Emperor which causes everyone within the palace to die if he dies,” the specter of the councilor explained. “Obviously the magic interpreted Lord Rajesh’s attempt to take his body through an archway through time as the Emperor’s death.”
“I saw one dead man, just back there,” Kaya said, his voice still rising as he pointed behind himself. “But if what you say is true, then the entire palace should be full of dead people!”
“Yes,” the councilor agreed, “except that Sahil and his friends created another portal which swept everyone else away to another place, along with Lady Rhian.”
“Where?” Kaya demanded, snarling.
“I have no idea, ”Fumaini said, shrugging.
“You’re lying. Even dead, I can tell you’re lying,” Kaya told him flatly. “What is it that you want from me anyway?”
“This,” Fumaini told him, holding up his hand to reveal the Afya symbol once more – as if that told him everything he needed to know.
“It must mean something different to you than it does to me,” Kaya replied, shaking his head. “What’s so special about it?”
“You know so little,” Fumaini told him, and Kaya would have sworn the councilor sounded positively annoyed.
“Then enlighten me Councilor,” Kaya growled, leaning towards him, baring his teeth. A moment later, he straightened, shaking his head. “Never mind. I don’t need to know. Whatever you want done, you can do it yourself. I’m hungry and tired and I’ve had enough for one day.” Then Kaya turned his back on the specter, taking three steps away from him. A moment later, he quickly turned back around, throwing everything he had at Fumaini, intent on binding his essence to the wall behind him, even if that meant embedding him physically into the structure of the building for all of eternity.
To his surprise, the councilor must have had the same idea, because he found himself on the receiving end of a blast of the same intensity he’d thrown at the specter. Pushing himself to give more, he felt the same degree of energy expended in his own direction. Narrowing his eyes, he had a sudden suspicion. Hoping he wasn’t wrong, and didn’t end up a permanent stain on the palace walls, Kaya abruptly closed his fists. Seething, he shouted, “What is this? What’s going on?”
As he thought �
� hoped! – might happen, Fumaini had responded with equal measure to what efforts he was putting forth, so as soon as he stopped, so did the councilor. Nor was it by accident. There was more here than met the eye – something involving magic of some sort.
Raising the palm of his hand, Fumaini said, “I will explain, if you will listen.”
“I’m listening,” Kaya responded, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Your lineage is from the first Empress, Deiserin Tadashi, as many know, or have come to know. Through your mother, Dayam. But what you do not know is that your father’s lineage is from Deiserin’s adopted son, Daiti. He and his sister, Ladakee were slain by their sister, Binti. His infant daughter, Kweli, survived the slaughter.” Fumaini held up his hand again, only this time Kaya understood it was to stop him from asking questions.
“The Afya symbol upon your palm confirms it. Any may use the symbol, as I’m certain Sahil told you when he taught it to you,” and here the specter looked at him to confirm his guess. Kaya nodded, but wondered how Fumaini would know who had taught him the symbol.
“Sahil learned it long before I did, but we both learned it from the same place. As did Emperor Eazim, in his turn. You should know it is not an Uchawi symbol, Kaya. It is a Usawa symbol, created by a race of people you have not yet met, nor learned of before this moment.” He paused, cocking his head, giving Kaya a strange feeling. If the councilor was supposed to be dead, why was he here, talking to him? Maybe he wasn’t, he thought. Maybe he was still in the desert, dying of thirst, and this was all an illusion. Sighing deeply, he let himself lean against the wall of the hallway. Obviously Fumaini wanted something from him, and all he could do was listen until he figured out what it was.
“Can you deny that you felt the echo of a heartbeat when you used the symbol? Or that it’s effects were more powerful than you’d imagined?” After a moment, Fumaini said, “No, I didn’t think so. That’s because both of us are from Kweli’s lineage. It is only we who are marked thus,” he said, holding out his palm to show the symbol clearly glowing on the palm of his dead hand.
“That’s a fine history lesson,” Kaya said, “but you still haven’t told me what any of this has to do with me, or what you want from me. And,” he paused, raising his hands to encompass the space around them, “I’m a little busy at the moment, trying to figure out what to do about finding the people who live here. Especially,” he emphasized, “the Empress.”
“They cannot return until you bring back the other half of the Andhera Stone. The spell that should have killed everyone in the palace will last for a thousand years unless you bring it here, to me.”
Shaking his head, Kaya sighed again. “That’s just a little crazy, you know. A thousand years?”
“It wouldn’t matter by then, because those who guard the stone would have already sought out the half I hold and would have destroyed the palace long before then, along with everyone they encountered,” Fumaini explained. Then he chuckled. “It’s all a bit overwhelming, yes?”
“Yes,” Kaya responded, flatly.
“I should have been protected from the spell when it ignited, but because I was … attached … to the Emperor when Lord Rajesh tried to carry him into the other realm, I am as you see me. Both here and not here. Once the Emperor died, I would have gone to fetch the other half of the stone to bring it back here to name the new emperor.”
“And Rhian?” Kaya asked, his face a portrait in suspicion.
“If she had lived, then she would have been named. If not, then I would have followed royal protocol and named the next ruler,” Fumaini shrugged.
“You?” Kaya guessed.
“That is the way of things,” the councilor confirmed nodding.
“Where is this rock?” Kaya asked, eager to be done with the task so life might go back to normal as quickly as possible.
“Come, I will show you. I can no longer pick it up nor hold it, so you will have to,” the specter told him.
“And how will I know where to go?” Kaya asked, as he started to follow the councilor floating in front of him.
“I will be accompanying you,” Fumaini replied.
“But you said your essence is tied to the palace. How can you come with me, if you have to stay here?” Kaya wanted to know.
“I think, my friend, that you will like the answer to that question even less than you liked the answers to any of the other questions you have asked tonight.” And with that, the specter increased his speed, making it impossible for Kaya to do anything but to follow in his wake.
* * * * * * * *
Rhian could feel a headache coming on, and wasn’t at all happy about it. She had been discussing the “Sakari” situation with Jahari, the Goddess of Nohoyo far too long. They needed to come to a resolution and quickly. “All right then,” she offered, trying a different tactic, “do you know of a time when a woman became pregnant without having sex with a man?” Oh no! she thought to herself – looking at Jahari’s expression – she does! These damned gods! What was wrong with them?
“There have been times when it has been necessary, yes,” Jahari nodded.
“Fine,” Rhian conceded, “but try to understand that Sakari has not been impregnated by a god – she has my father inside of her!”
“But he is not a god,” Jahari countered, “so this isn’t possible.”
“I’m afraid you’re wrong, Lady Jahari,” Sahil told her, slowly opening the door to the private office where the goddess and empress were having their discussion.
“The emperor of Bila is a god?” Jahari practically gasped.
“No,” Sahil assured her, “but he is something quite … more,” he chose the word carefully “than merely a man.” Sahil sighed deeply. “And,” he added reluctantly, “perhaps less.”
“What does that mean?” Rhian asked, her eyebrows raised.
“Dark magic is that which is used to harm others in order to gain benefit,” Sahil explained. “Purposefully.” Turning to Rhian, he continued, “Your father always claimed to “have no magic” as he was prone to saying, but that’s not entirely true.”
“How do you know this?” Jahari interjected.
“I have traveled with him to … a place,” he paused, considering. Then sighed again, determined. “This place holds a fascination for those who are invited to enter. It is a marvel of magic employed to its best uses, but it also possess great danger for those who are …” he paused again.
“Say it, Sahil. I’ve never known you to hide from the truth,” Rhian encouraged him. “At least not with me,” she added.
“Oh, there are a great many things I withhold, my Lady,” he told her. “It is ever my desire to create beauty and harmony in our world, but there are … things … “ he trailed off, cleared his throat and continued. “Things which need to be known so that we may guard against them.”
“My father would have used that kind of knowledge to harm others, not help protect them,” Rhian declared.
“Yes,” Sahil agreed slowly, drawing out the word.
“What are you talking about Sahil? There is something specific you have in mind,” Jahari’s eyes narrowed.
“As you know, Lady Rhian, there was a spelled keyed to your father in the event of his death,” he looked to her for confirmation that she knew about the spell.
“Yes,” she agreed. “Which is the only reason I hadn’t killed him myself. I couldn’t determine a way to kill him without killing everyone else.”
“Really?” Jahari seemed taken aback.
“He was a cruel and selfish man, and was constantly terrified that everyone around him wanted him dead,” Rhian told her. “He wasn’t wrong about everyone wanting him dead – except those who benefited from providing him with some service he desired.” She paused, turning to Sahil. “Were you one of those Sahil? Did you benefit from providing him with a service? Is that why you took him to this “place,” so that you would gain favor with him?”
“My Lady,” Sahil said, stand
ing up taller, “I assure you, the only service I provided your father was keeping him as far away from those he might harm as often as possible. Nor was I always successful, as he eventually imprisoned me in my own home, as you know.”
“And yet you traveled with him to this place you have mentioned,” Rhian pressed.
“Indeed, I most certainly did. It was imperative that I know what he learned so that I might be able to prevent, or – in this case – undo what he has done.”
“So you know what he has done?” Jahari leaned forward, obviously anxious to know there was a solution to the problem Sakari presented to her people.
“The Empress has already told you,” he nodded at Rhian, then smiled in return to her when she smiled her gratitude at him. “The essence of her father, the cruel emperor of Bila has left his mortal shell and now resides, unfortunately, within Sakari. She is, indeed, a threat to everyone in Nohoyo, and anywhere else she may go.”
“So you plan to take him back to the place where he learned this “dark” magic?” Rhian asked. “What good will that do? Won’t they try to … I don’t know … bring him back to life or something, since he is so much like they must be?
Sahil inhaled deeply, broadcasting his obvious loathing to hold this conversation. “To the best of my knowledge, those who offered the emperor the knowledge of this Usawa magic are not … currently … available.” He grimaced then, knowing that explanation wasn’t nearly enough to satisfy the likes of Rhian and Jahari. Nor could he simply brush them off as he could do to many others by claiming they had no right to the information. If he wished to remain in the good graces of the leaders of the two nations they represented, he would have to provide them with information he would rather not.
“You will have to do better than that!” Rhian smirked, a sharp edge to her tone.
“Yes you will,” Jahari agreed, clearly not amused.