Thesila Prophecy - The Journey Home

by Robert Rumble

  “Oh, I like that,” he replies with enthusiasm.

  Taking out the papers, he asks her, “What are these?”

  “These are papers of ownership for the two slaves. They’re your slaves now. You are a slave owner, that gives you stature,” she says with a somewhat cheerful tone.

  He knows that Kazimir must have realized that, and that is why he wanted the papers. Dalistra also tells him that the marbles are a form of money used in the Khusari region.

  He returns to help set up camp, before disappearing into the forest again. He returns a short while later carrying a deer over his shoulders. Everyone except for Abigail congratulates him, welcoming fresh meat for dinner.

  Abigail looks at him, then the deer, and says, “You killed that poor, defenseless creature?”

  “Yes, for food, you don’t have to eat it if you don’t want, but I would advise that you do to keep your strength up,” Mashaun responds nonchalantly before plopping the deer on the ground. He goes to work skinning and cutting it up, handing pieces of meat to everybody to cook. He finishes cooking the meat for travel while everybody eats their fill and settles down for the night. Berg spreads his map and writing down by the twins and learns some of their language and they learn some of his.

  The twins skin is a mild blue under the moon. When asked about it, they shrugged their shoulders not knowing why. Dalistra tells Mashaun that they have the blue magic in them. From the looks of it, nobody has told them, that they are part Thesilan. Only they have the ability to use the moon magics. They decide not to tell them, because without the proper training it could kill them.

  He carefully leans Dalistra against a tree and lies down, looking up at the trees, when a long shadow covers him. Mai is standing over him with her fur, asking if she can join him. She doesn’t like the forest at night and would feel safer with him. He agrees, welcoming the company and the added warmth. Mashaun looks around at the others as Mai spreads the fur over them. Abigail is not far from Berg. The twins are on one side of Kazimir, sharing a single fur. Mai curls up close, putting one arm across his chest, and quickly goes to sleep. He hears Dalistra venomously say, “You got a friend already,” as he slips into the peaceful bliss of sleep.

  pull!” Dalistra commands.

  Mashaun awakes with a start as he hears the bow hit the ground. Grabbing Dalistra, he jumps up in a flash knocking an arrow, not knowing what is happening. There stands Kazimir with a frightened look.

  “What are you doing?” Mashaun growls.

  “I…I just wanted to see your bow,” Kazimir says sheepishly.

  “In the middle of the night?”

  “Uh, I couldn’t sleep.”

  “I don’t care if you couldn’t sleep. You do not touch my stuff again, understand!” Mashaun states, being upset that Kazimir would even try such a thing, let alone lie to his face.

  “I… I am sorry,” Kazimir replies and goes back to the twins.

  I don’t believe him, Mashaun thinks, and Dalistra agrees.

  “Are you OK?” he asks her with concern.

  “Yes,” she replies, a little touched by his concern.

  Mai asks Mashaun who is he is talking to. It dawns on Mashaun that everybody is awake and is watching. He casually blows off Mai’s question by telling her that he often talks to himself, and she accepts his answer.

  I bet the twins somehow put him up to it. But why and how? They don’t speak the same language. But one thing’s for certain, we will have to watch them more closely, Mashaun thinks while stirring the embers and adding some more wood to the fire, knowing that the morning will be chilly in more ways than one.

  Mashaun wakes as the sun’s first rays pierce the light fog covering the ground. Seeing the fire is nothing but a bed of embers, he adds some wood to the coals and stokes it back to life. Mai, then Abigail and Berg, join him by the fire and start to discuss the plans for the day. Somewhere in the middle of the conversation, Kazimir slips in, trying to be unnoticed. There is an uneasy silence before they catch him up on the options before asking him what he thought. Kazimir feels good about being included in the decision making for the group. They all agree to continue down the road. They know what’s behind them, and none of them wants to go back. Kazimir informs the twins of the decision as best as he can, trying to make it sound like it’s his idea. After a quick breakfast, they pack up the camp and head out down the road.

  By midmorning, the stream turns sharply away from the trail, and they break to fill their waterskins. The morning fog dissipates, leaving the foliage damp, giving a rainbow of colors as the sun reflects off the water droplets. Through the day, Mashaun points to different tracks on the road, informing Mai and anybody else who is interested. Most of the tracks he knows the animal from his days of hunting. A few are unfamiliar, and some are foreign. Mai is not interested in track identification and falls back to talk with Abigail. The two talk up a storm, giving Berg a sad smile, reminding him of home and his two daughters, whom he misses.

  Frequently during the day, Mashaun appears to be lost in thought. Sometimes he talks to Dalistra about everything from directions to local politics. Learning her language or anything else he thinks about and sometimes just remembering other places and times. He finds out that while spirit weapons are rare, others do exist. Most of the time, they can sense others when they are close, and sometimes they can even speak to each other. He gets a history lesson about the world from Dalistra at least from her era. He tries to remember the important names and dates, but nothing is recent, and her memory is a little fuzzy and out of date.

  During the journey, Kazimir and the twins work on learning each other’s language while everybody spends the evening learning the twins’ language. Using Dalistra, Mashaun manages to put enough words together to ask the twins a few questions. He asks them about the year, they tell him that they don’t tell slave about the years. If the master wants a slave to know the year, they will tell the slave. He asks them about being a slave.

  They only say that they waited on their master, and they have been slaves for many seasons. They tell the story, how their father sold them to pay off a gambling debt when they were about eight years old and they have been slaves ever since. Mai is surprised with Mashaun’s ability to speak their language but doesn’t say anything, figuring he is a quick learner. During the night, they set up rotating watches, so everyone has the middle watch about every third night.

  The journey is quiet until the fourth day when they run out of fruit. Abigail becomes distraught about having to eat meat, wishing they would find some fruit. Around noon, they round a corner, and there are a couple of fruit trees full of apples, pears, oranges, and some wild berries, along with a few other fruits and vegetables. They spend the whole afternoon picking fruits and vegetables, eating their fill that evening.

  Ericka and Elina watch with wonder as the rest pick from the air and eat. The only fruit they see are the wild blackberries. The next morning, when they leave, Abigail goes to get an apple for the road, but it is all gone, except for the wild berries. Confused, she looks in their rucksacks, and the fruit is still there. A little mystified, she accepts that it is just part of their dream and continues down the road. Every few days, they would find wild fruits and vegetables to fill the rucksacks as the twins stare in amazement, not understanding the group’s actions. All of them are getting weaker, but Abigail seems to be suffering the most. After examining her, Mai says she is suffering from malnutrition, as is everybody. The only difference is that she is not eating the meat.

  Kazimir was telling the twins about a stew when they come across an old garden with potatoes, corn, carrots, and herbs with a campsite set up next to it complete with a makeshift stove and cooking pots. The twins have gotten used to them getting excited over nothing, but this time, they run around the meadow, pulling and digging. That night, Kazimir makes his stew. The twins don’t see anything but act as if they were eating a bowl of stew out of fear of angering their temporary master. The vegetables found
on the trail satisfy their hunger but leaves them still hungry. Their pace slowed during the day as everybody feel the pain of hunger.

  The nights steadily get colder. Forcing them to keep the fire going, both for warmth and safety, but there is some concern that it might attract some unwanted guest even though they haven’t seen any signs of bandits since they left the cave. The fire burns out one night, and they awake to a cold, damp dawn with frost on the ground. Rubbing their arms and huddling under the furs in the pre-morning dawn, they agree not to let that happen again.

  Mashaun turns out to be a successful hunter, and the group always has fresh meat, which is the only real food the twins can see, except for the occasional mushrooms or wild berries growing along the road. Around the evening fire, they often swap stories about their lives. Mashaun listens more and over the week, Kazimir and Berg manage to learn a little of the native language, and when the twins realize that the group are naj tewb they shake their heads in disbelief, not knowing what to think. At first, they shy away from the group. But decide that Kazimir is big and strong, and they are used to having protection, so they stay with him anyway.

  CHAPTER 5

  The Merchant

  For nearly two weeks, they follow the abandoned road. The days are quiet. Mashaun teaches Kazimir how to build a fire, and about different edible plants. The only sword fight he has seen is on T.V., but they practice in slow motion, and the group learns a few phrases of the native language.

  One morning they wake to the clanging of metal on metal somewhere up ahead. Mashaun and Kazimir jump up and run ahead to see the commotion. Mai briefly hesitates but soon realizes that they are the only two fighters among the group and chooses to go with them while the rest remain behind. Mashaun’s group closes in on the sound until the road opens into a clearing connecting to a well-traveled road. There is a caravan with five wagons and a group of armed men fighting off a larger group of attackers. Moving off to the side, they take cover in some bushes along the tree line. Mashaun watches for a moment as the attack plays out like his dream a few nights ago.

  Mashaun suggests that it would be in their best interest to help the caravan from the cover of the forest with their bows, spreading out to choose their targets. Closing her eyes, Mai fires first. Her arrow goes way over the caravan and into the forest on the other side. Kazimir hit his target, wounding the attacker, causing him to hesitate, allowing the caravan guard to finish the job. Mashaun spots a person on a horse across the road, fighting several of the caravan guards and beating them. Mashaun draws back and lets the arrow fly, hitting the rider in the shoulder with a loud clink, taking everyone by surprise. He rears his horse, getting the attention of everybody, stopping the combat for a split second before turning and heading into the forest with his men close behind him. The guards do not follow. Some go to work making sure that all the bandits on the ground are dead while scavenging what they can as others tend to their wounded.

  One of the guards comes across one of the group’s arrows, sounding the alarm. The three remain motionless as the guards scan the tree line, looking for anything that will give them a clue as to who shot the arrows. Slowly several of the men move toward the three. Mashaun motions for them to slowly back away, but Kazimir’s massive frame and inexperience give them away when there is a sudden snap as Kazimir steps on a branch. Seeing the guards homing in on Kazimir, Mashaun steps out of hiding yelling “Stop” with Dalistra across his back and his hands up in plain view. Mai quickly follows suit, not knowing why. She stands a little behind Mashaun shaking like a leaf in the wind. The guards stop their pursuit, turning toward them as Kazimir disappears in the forest. The pair slowly walks toward the guards. Several additional guards run out and surround them, taking them to the wagons covered with tarps.

  The first wagon is different from the rest, looking more like a covered carriage than a wagon. A portly man, probably in his fifties, exits, wearing a blue robe of fine linen trimmed in gold, and each finger has an ornate ring. From inside the coach, a young girl asks if it is safe, making specific hand gestures and her words are coarse and choppy. He tells her to be quiet and to stay put with a firm but gentle voice while facing her while performing hand gestures.

  No one says a word as he studies Mashaun and Mai for a long time, while Mashaun sizes up the situation. Dalistra tells Mashaun that she doesn’t like it and that he needs to be cautious about what he says. Mashaun agrees. Mai thinks she must be a mess, days on the trail without a comb or a bath, and they must stink too. She tries to straighten out her tangled hair to make herself presentable before one of the guard’s glares at her shaking his head for her to stop.

  Finally, the man asks them who they are and what they are doing out here. His English is superb and Mashaun is not sure that it has to do with his station or if he might also be from the cave. In any case, Dalistra doesn’t need to translate. He speaks with the clarity of a native Filipino that it surprises Mai, and it shows on her face for an instant. The man notices her expression while remaining stoic.

  Mashaun speaks in a low, firm, but respectful tone, introducing the two of them. He tells the man that they are just travelers, and when they heard the noise, they came to investigate. Seeing the battle, they decided that they could either sit by or help, and they chose to help. The man listens to Mashaun intently, analyzing every word to determine if this person is a friend or foe, occasionally looking at one of the guards. After Mashaun finishes his story, he shuts up.

  The merchant speaks with one of the guards. After a long pause, the man welcomes them and offers them some food and drink. They try to be polite while eating, but it has been a long time since either of them had something other than meat and berries. He introduces himself as Pavvo and his granddaughter Toni as she steps down from the carriage, wearing a long dark-blue tunic trimmed in gold. She’s in her early twenties with medium-length caramel hair tied back in a waterfall. During the introductions, they move their arms and hands in a stylized rhythm.

  Pavvo also introduces the captain of the guards, Wilmer, and his lieutenant, Axtel, both wearing full chain armor, carrying long swords and bows. Mashaun finds it interesting that Pavvo conversed with Axtel instead of his captain, Wilmer.

  Pavvo asks where they are heading. Mashaun shrugs and tells him that they are not sure. Pavvo offers them a job, telling them that a couple more guards would be nice to replace the ones they lost on the route this time. Mashaun and Mai look at each other, telling him they would have to think about. He offers them a place to bed down but they respectfully they decline.

  Mashaun asks Pavvo if he has ever heard of the city Thesila. Pavvo tells him that it used to be magic capital eons ago. It is somewhere east of the Dragon Mountains, but not to waste his time searching for it. Many have searched for the ancient city of Thesila, but it remains hidden, and he would say no more. When he asks Mashaun why, he just says that he thought it might be someplace to explore. Mashaun thanks him, and with Mai, they head back to camp. Mai tells Mashaun that she was surprised how well he spoke Filipino. Surprised, Mashaun tells her that he was speaking English. Maybe he is also from the cave they say in unison.

  Dalistra tells Mashaun that she doesn’t trust Pavvo and that they should take a roundabout way back to camp. Mashaun discusses the situation with Mai, who also feels uncomfortable, and agrees that they should take a long way around. They turn off the road onto an animal trail, taking them away from the rest of the group. A few times, they catch a glimpse of two figures following them and decide to split up. He ducks behind a tree, and she continues hoping that they will follow her. The plan works as he sees two soldiers following her pass by, oblivious to him. The two soldiers come around a large clump of bushes, and there sits Mai on a log with her back to them. They chuckle, seeing her in such a vulnerable position when they remember there were two of them, only to hear Mashaun behind them. The soldiers quickly turn around and see Mashaun with his hands on his swords' hilts. They know they’ve been caught, and sit down without s
aying a word. Mai is glad they chose not to fight because she can’t fight and doesn’t want Mashaun to know.

  Mashaun asks the soldiers why they are following, only to find out that Pavvo has ordered the soldiers to follow them back to camp. Pretending to understand, Mai sits and listens. Mashaun tells Mai that they are just foot soldiers and are just following orders. Mashaun suggests that they escort the soldiers back and have another talk with Pavvo, she agrees. They march the guards back to the edge of the road to let the two guards go, telling them they want to speak with Pavvo at the forest edge. Pavvo and Axtel meet with Mashaun and Mai at the edge of the forest a short time later.

  After a lengthy conversation, Pavvo agrees to go with them, providing that Axtel and one of the guards go with them. Mai and Mashaun agree. The five head through the forest to the old road and arrive at the place where they left the group, but no one is there. After a few short moments and some calming words from Mai, the others slowly appear from the bushes. First is Kazimir, followed by Berg, Abigail, and eventually, the twins. Pavvo and Axtel look at them for a while before Axtel nods his head, and Pavvo sits down by the cold fire pit, joined by Mashaun and, everybody, except the twins, who remain standing by the bushes, not saying a word.

  Pavvo and the twins look at one another for a long time as though they recognize each other. Pavvo tells the group that they are smart, not trusting anyone at first sight, but at the same time, they need to know whom they can trust. They talk for some time before parting ways, and Pavvo tells them that his offer still stands. After he leaves, the group asks about the offer and Mashaun tells them, asking for their opinions. Kazimir doesn’t trust him, and the twins just say “Tzsjs” with a tinge of fear. Berg and Abigail are unsure about him but believe it will be safer in a larger group, especially since they know that there are bandits in the area. Dalistra commands Mashaun to take the group and join the caravan. After all, Pavvo is correct as to the location of Thesila. After some discussion, they decide that they will join up with them in the morning; however, they need to watch one another’s back and sleep as a group at night with their own watches.