Shadow Seed
Page 4
CHAPTER THREE
Gillan stepped through some brush to emerge from the forest. “What a beautiful morning!” he said, looking up at the clear sky.
Caycee was right behind him. “Beautiful? I’ve never been so hot,” she said, pulling her hood back.
The sound of the ocean could be heard.
“Hey, you’re like Leon,” Gillan said realizing Caycee wasn't affected by the sun.
“Not really,” Caycee said, wiping sweat from her neck, and then parting the top of her blouse to show Gillan the necklace she wore. “Since you're my friend, I’ll tell you. I took this from a Turin, but not just any Turin. It belongs to Marus, a member of the Vesuvian Council. With this beauty, I can withstand the sun for a short while.”
“Why did you steal it?” Gillan asked.
“I didn’t steal it,” Caycee declared. “I borrowed it, just in case. Gillan, please don’t say anything. If anyone asks, tell them I’m a very powerful Vesuvian.”
Gillan shrugged. “I didn’t see a necklace,” he said, then nodding towards the edge of a nearby drop-off.
Caycee walked over, unprepared for the amazing view she saw: a city in and around an enormous bay. In the middle was a large central island, surrounded by four smaller ones. The elevated land on one side of the bay was lined with cliff dwellings.
Strips of earth interconnected the islands and the mainland with each other like a bridge. The heavily populated mainland itself had a system of rivers and channels with boats transporting people everywhere.
Buildings seemed as though they had sprouted from the ground, as well as the thick, skyscraper pillars of rock that flanked the bay’s narrow entrance.
“This is Tiamat, the grandest city in our land,” Gillan said. “It may look natural, but believe me, it’s a hundred percent Khothu-made.”
Near a mountain next to the bay, wyverns flew about. Many of them carried Khothu with distinct yellow scales. One swooped down, waving at Gillan and Caycee as he glided by.
Gillan waved back. “Perak!”
“Hi!” Caycee said, waving as well.
After pushing through some more brush, both came to a wall of earth twenty feet high that encompassed the entire bay, making it impossible to go any further.
A guard peeked over and, with the wave of his hand, a section of the wall rapidly melted into the earth.
Caycee gawked at the display of power. “Not much need for technology, is there?”
“I'll show you around,” Gillan said. “But we have to find Melkor.”
“Welcome back,” the guard said.
“Green scales. Cool powers. You’re a Komodo, right?” Caycee asked.
The guard held one hand out toward a torch and made the flame jump to his palm. “I do have a hint of Typhon from my mother’s side.”
“Do you know a lot about our castes?” Gillan asked.
“Not really,” Caycee answered. “I can tell you apart, though. Your blue scales mean you’re a Leviathan. That Perak guy is a Draco, and Khothu with red scales are Typhon.”
“Not bad, but keep your eyes open, `cause it’s getting a little harder nowadays.” Gillan said.
Walking at a fast pace to keep up with Gillan, Caycee’s head darted back and forth to see what was happening. Some of the Khothu greeted her and others simply ignored her.
At a kiosk surrounded by children of all castes, a Komodo used his abilities to turn blocks of clay into small figures.
Gillan approached him. “Excuse me. Have you seen Melkor?” he asked.
“Sorry,” the toy man replied.
Continuing down the street, there were three Typhon females putting on a display of fire, spraying it from small openings in the wrist just under the hand.
One of the Typhon women made a series of rings with a wyvern flying through them.
Another had seven balls of fire darting around, changing colors.
The last female created what looked like a large lump of fire in the sky. It then opened up like a hand, and grew even larger, appearing to the people on the ground as though it were coming down to grab someone. The adults laughed as their children screamed in terror.
Caycee tugged on Gillan’s shirt. “Why is it called ‘spit’ if it comes out the hand?”
“It’s nasty,” Gillan explained. “It sticks to everything, even water, and they can make it so hot you can’t breathe.”
Caycee cringed a little. “That does sound nasty.”
Perak suddenly landed his wyvern in the middle of the street and hopped off shouting. “Well, if it isn’t Mr. Grand Champion!”
“Have you seen Melkor?” Gillan asked. “It’s really important.”
“I saw him on East Island,” Perak said, looking around. “Where’s Kamala?”
“She…didn’t make it,” Gillan answered.
“No way!” Perak said, stunned. “Not Kamala.”
“Don’t say anything,” Gillan pleaded. “Melkor has to know, and I have to be the one to tell him.”
Perak wiped his tear before it could run down his face.
“She was like a sister to both of us,” Gillan said. “I'll tell you everything, but right now I need a real big favor.”
“Name it,” said Perak.
“It won't be easy, but I need to see the Chiefs,” Gillan said, “Just tell them it involves the Pelasgians. I’ll be there shortly.”
“I’m sure they’ll want to see you,” Perak said. He turned back, taking a few steps towards his wyvern before stopping. “I can't believe she didn't make it. Good luck with Melkor.”
“Thanks,” Gillan said, hurrying with Caycee down to a small boat anchored at the shoreline.
The owner was a Leviathan. “Where can I take you?” he asked.
“East Island,” Gillan said, as he and Caycee jumped in.
Using his ability to control water, the Leviathan made the boat take off. Within minutes they reached the island. It was teeming with people moving between kiosks.
Caycee couldn’t take five steps without bumping into someone.
“Is Melkor around?” Gillan asked numerous times. A tall, muscular Komodo male suddenly grabbed him by the arm.
“Looking for me?” he asked.
Gillan turned. “Melkor!”
“Still jumpy as ever,” Melkor laughed. “How did everything go?”
Gillan stood frozen with nervousness.
“Hello,” Caycee said. “You’re bigger than I thought, but it makes sense Kamala would marry a strapping man like yourself.”
Melkor laughed more. “Yes, but I must say I’m the lucky one.”
Gillan’s voice trembled. “We…uh…ran into serious trouble, in the Shadow Realm. There were so many of them.”
It didn’t sink in at first, though Melkor’s joyful face slowly turned to one of uncertainty. “Where’s my wife?” he demanded.
“She...she didn’t make it!” Gillan answered, covering his face with his hands. “I’m sorry. There was nothing we could do for her.”
Melkor suddenly cried out in anguish, shoving Gillan hard to the ground and encapsulating him from the neck down with dirt.
The amount of earth on Gillan was so much he could hardly breathe.
“Hey, it’s not his fault!” Caycee said.
In a fit of rage, Melkor upended the ground at Caycee's feet, throwing her to the ground. Several Khothu immediately tackled him.
“No!” Melkor cried. The ground trembled as he struggled with all his might to break free until he had nothing left but tears. He fell to his knees.
Caycee quickly began digging to free Gillan until another Komodo easily unearthed him.
“You okay?” Caycee asked.
Gillan gasped for air. “Yeah...I'll be fine.”
It was difficult for Melkor to speak as he sobbed. “Forgive me, Gillan. Kamala...”
After catching his breath, Gillan got up with Caycee’s help. He knelt beside the powerful Komodo.
Gillan’s mouth slightly opened with an overwhelming ne
ed to say something, anything, but it all seemed so trivial.
It was Caycee who spoke. “Kamala wanted you to know that she loves you very much.”
Tears fell down Melkor's face. “I'm sorry. I lost control.”
“It's okay,” Caycee assured him. “I can sense your pain. Kamala is an incredible woman. You should have seen the way she fought. She was very brave. Before we left, she asked that you finish reading The Tale of Fyodor to Kemik.”
Melkor smiled. “His favorite story,” he said. “She read that to him every night.”
“Caycee's right,” Gillan said. “You would have been so proud of Kamala.”
Melkor sank his fingers into the ground. “The Pelasgians. I will avenge my wife. No matter what.”