“I got them from a blackber I killed when I was but eight years old. Honestly, he fought much better than you.”
Then Malak took the offensive, launching several attacks of his own. The king countered but was pushed off balance as the young Malak advanced with swing after swing. Then Malak stopped. He brought his sword down to his midsection, the blade pointing upward in front of his face, then took several steps backward and stopped.
“No king retreats!” roared Eudart. “What kind of king would you be if you retreat in the middle of an attack? I will show you how you have failed!”
With a burst of anger and rage, the king brought his sword over his head, and with a slicing motion, brought it down towards Malak’s head. In the blink of an eye, Malak spun out of the way and slashed his sword across the king’s midsection, just below the leather breastplate. Blood began pouring out from the deep wound. The air in the plaza seemed to be sucked from the area as everyone gasped at what they had seen.
The king tried to bring his sword up to a fighting position once again, but as blood began to trickle out of his mouth, he fell to his knees and then slumped over onto his side.
Malak stood up straight, looked at everyone around him, and wondered who he would have to fight next. The warriors and the gathering crowd was silent. And then, only a few at first, then everyone, sank to one knee and bowed their heads down. Nonham, also on one knee, called out to the masses, “All hail King Malak!”
Hail King Malak!
cHAPTER 16
“Arise. Everyone, to your feet,” Malak said, as his first official royal order. Everyone rose to their feet. Nonham went to the downed former king’s body and removed the scabbard from the belt. He picked up Eudart’s sword from the ground where it lay, slid it into the scabbard and presented it to Malak, taking a knee once more doing so.
Malak hesitated, then took the sword from the elder’s hands and ordered him to rise once again.
“Nonham, I wish to get settled in, and then I will need counseling on the ways of the Midlanders, and what is expected of me.”
“Of course, my Lord.”
Malak attached the new scabbard and sword to his belt and followed Nonham towards the center of town. The people made a path for the new King to walk through and bowed their heads as Malak passed.
Nonham led Malak to what appeared to be the nicest hut in the village. It stood two stories tall, overlooking the plaza and most of the surrounding huts and shops within the walls of the town. As they entered the hut, they startled two naked servant girls, both of whom appeared older then Malak by several years. The servant girls quickly covered themselves with anything they could find.
“Girls, this is the new king, King Malak.”
The girls stood still, not knowing what to do.
“These are the king’s servants?” Malak asked.
“It would appear so. Why are you naked, girls?”
“King Eudart demanded it. He said we were to be unclothed at all times.”
Malak looked at them, then he looked at Nonham. “I have never had servants before. What do I do with them?”
“Whatever you wish; they are yours to do with as you please.”
“Can I have them put clothes on? I don’t feel comfortable with them being naked around me.”
“Whatever you wish. Just tell them.”
“Okay… girls… get some clothes on. Until I say otherwise.”
Nonham nodded. “Come, let me show you the rest of the king’s hut.”
The lower level held a dining area and a place that looked as though it would be used for entertaining, with plush couches and chairs that looked more comfortable than anything Malak had ever seen before. Then he was led to the upper level that had a sleeping area that was disheveled and looked as though it had been recently used.
“Will the servants tidy this up a bit?” asked Malak.
“If you tell them, they will do it,” Nonham replied. “Over here, you can step out and see the entire town,” he said, leading Malak out onto a small patio above the main entrance. “And if you wish to address your people, you can do it from here.”
“I don’t know how I will ever get used to this. This is all a bit overwhelming.”
“You do not have to take it all in at once; I will guide you if you wish.”
“Tell me, Nonham, how did you know that I was the son of Hayden?”
“I have been watching you from afar. I watched you grow into the fine young man that you are.”
“But how did you know? No one around me seemed to know. How did you know?”
Nonham pondered whether or not he should give up his secret, but he decided that now was as good a time as any. “My king, we have a spy among the Blackhorn.”
“So this is the Valley of Death?” Noske asked.
“In all its glory,” kDira answered.
“It lives up to its name. What was this before?”
“We can only guess, but it is believed that this was once a great city. Karn City is only a small portion of what remains of whatever this city used to be.”
“What could have caused this much destruction?”
“It was something that happened before the Great Cloud; the history is not clear. Come, we must move onward. Be vigilant, the Karn could be behind every ruined building or rock.”
Onward the Blackhorn party pushed as they followed what appeared to be a road, though it was often completely obscured by fallen buildings or rusted metal carts that seemed to appear together, sometimes in lines, other times in fields, side-by-side, in long rows.
Noske and the others studied their surroundings and the strange artifacts they passed by. All had weapons at the ready. All were afraid to make a sound as they walked deeper and deeper into the Valley of Death.
“kDira,” Bracken asked quietly, “How will we find the Provits?”
“I believe I remember where they are. We must enter the south side of the city. A lot of those buildings look the same to me, but I think I can remember what their building looks like.”
“What if they are not there any longer? It has been a long time since you were there last.”
“The Provits did not come across as a people that frequently changed their location. It seemed to me that they had been in their location for a long time.”
“But what if someone has killed them off?”
“Bracken, I do not need your what if’s right now.”
“I am sorry.”
“If I had known you were going to look at things in a bad light the entire way I would have left you behind.”
“I am sorry,” Bracken repeated.
Without warning, the path ahead became blocked by half a dozen figures brandishing swords and spears. Immediately the Blackhorn took a defensive stance, and Ari tried her best to push kDira behind her.
“Karn!” Ari said.
“Whooo arrrre yoooouuu?” one of the Karn demanded.
kDira forced herself to the front, despite Ari’s efforts her shield her.
“I am kDira, leader of the Blackhorn. I do not come to fight the Karn.”
“Kah-dee-rah?” the Karn hissed. “You could not beee the one that murrrrdered our king many years agooo. You are too puny and weak.”
“I am the one. Your king took our breeders. We had to get them back. You understand.”
“I understand your treachery!” the Karn blurted out. “King Tutower will be pleased that we have captured you once again.”
“It was King Tutower that let us go the last time we met. At the time, he was only General Tutower; I am pleased that he is your King.”
“King Tutower would have removed your heads!”
“Do you not remember your own history? Do you not remember the spirits? They told your king that I was the chosen one and that I should be left alone.”
The Karn digested the words of kDira as though he was working out a difficult problem in his head. He was clearly conflicted in what he should do.
�
�Let us pass, Karn, or we will have a talk with your King Tutower.”
The Karn looked at the others in his party. He mumbled a few words and each of the Karn moved aside to let the Blackhorn pass.
“Thank you. If I do see King Tutower again, I will speak highly of you. What is your name?”
“I am Battalion Leader Garam.”
“Thank you, Battalion Leader Garam. Until we meet again,” kDira said, leading her party past the Karn warriors.
As they moved down the road, the Karn continued their way to the west.
“That was easy,” Ari said.
“I think I need to change my breeches,” Noske said to no one in particular.
Standing on the balcony, Malak and Nonham took in the panorama of the Midlandia Village below. Slowly, as word got around that there was a new king, people from the village began to migrate out in front of the hut of Malak.
“So tell me, my young Sylys, how did it feel to kill the king and take his throne?”
Malak thought for a moment, not having taken the time before to evaluate how he felt. Did it make him feel good? Sad? Or even happy? He searched his thoughts for a moment to come up with the right words to express how he felt.
“It felt… right,” he said finally. “Yes, it felt right.”
“Yes, it did. You will make a fine king.”
“Nonham,” Malak asked in a slightly different tone. “The old king said something about Sylys Hayden, and a moment ago you called me young Sylys. What is meant by that? What is Sylys?”
“Sylys is your family name. We have come to know the name as another word for king.”
“So that means…”
“Yes, you are Sylys Malak…King Malak.”
The crowd below began to swell as the two talked. Some looked confused and questioned amongst themselves the worthiness of this young boy now claiming to be their leader.
“Nonham, how many people are in the Midlander tribe now?”
“We have about seventy. Many are from outside tribes that joined us because of their weak numbers. We even have one breeder that one of our wolfpacks managed to fetch from a northern tribe. She is between births now, so if you would like to try your luck, she is ready.”
“I might enjoy that later. Have her cleaned up and prepared for me this evening.”
“Spoken like a true king, my Lord.”
“I have yet to enjoy a female. Most of the young females in the Blackhorn tribe are my sisters. It never felt right.”
“As it should not. We will make your first time here special. Look, your people gather for your guiding words. What will you say to them? They need a strong leader.”
“I do not know. I guess I will have to think of something.”
Nonham moved the center on the front of the balcony. He looked down at the people and raised his hands to silence the crowd. As the rumbling died down, he lowered his hands and cleared his throat. With one quick glance at Malak, he began to speak.
“Good people of Midlandia, today marks a new day for us. Today we have a new leader, the rightful heir to the throne. All bend a knee for Sylys Malak, son of Hayden!”
The sound of the gathering going down on one knee followed by complete silence would stick with Malak for a long time. It seemed as if even the birds in the distance had stopped chirping for the occasion. He reveled in the moment as he looked down at the backs of his people, patiently waiting for him to give permission to rise.
Malak looked at Nonham and smiled, and Nonham winked his approval.
“Arise, my people,” Malak announced to the crowd. The Midlanders rose to their feet and again looked upward, anxiously awaiting Malak’s first official words as their king. “I come to you an unwitting king, as I did not know until a few days previous that I was of royal Midlander blood. I know I have it in me to lead this tribe to do great things, and if you will be patient with me, I will learn what it takes to be your king. I, Sylys Malak, vow to do everything in the best interest of the Midlanders, and to make us once again the greatest tribe in all Mericana!”
“Hail, Sylys Malak!” Nonham shouted.
Hail, Sylys Malak!
“Hail, King Malak!”
Hail, King Malak! Hail, King Malak! Hail, King Malak!
cHAPTER 17
As the party of kDira and her followers neared Karn City, they could see the tall buildings that were still standing rising up ahead of them. Faint lights could be seen flickering in some of the windows, but no details could be made out from this distance.
“We will be entering the city from the south, in the area where the spirits reside,” kDira said.
“Spirits?” Bracken asked, nervously.
“The Provits. The Karn know them as the spirits and are afraid of them. Therefore, they don’t go into the southern portion of the city. They stay clear upon fear of death.”
“Good to know the Karn are afraid of them. Not sure I like the sound of spirits, though.”
“How did you become a warrior being afraid of so much, Bracken?”
“I will fight to the death if you demand it, Queen Mother. But spirits and places called the Valley of Death just strike me as things to be afraid of.”
“Okay. Well, with you protecting us, I am sure we will be fine.”
“Thank you for your faith in me, Queen Mother.”
“Just keep your eyes open. If we run into more Karn, I am not so certain I can talk our way through them again.”
“Yes, Queen Mother.”
Before long they were entering the south section of Karn City. The tall buildings jutted upward on both sides of the road they were traveling. The lateness of the day and the tall structures blocking out the sun made the streets dark. The travelers slowed their walking as they made sure that every door or window did not have an arrow trained on them, or worse; spirits.
“I feel like someone is watching us,” Ari said, her bow at the ready.
“I have felt this before,” kDira said. “Be careful with that bow; we do not want to take down any of the Provits.”
As they walked further on, the street grew darker, and the sensation that they were being watched only intensified.
“Maybe we should come back in daylight?” Bracken said.
“We will be fine; just do not be aggressive. If they show themselves, we do not want to come across as attackers. Stop here. This place looks familiar. It has been a long time, and I was pretty beaten up when I was here last. I do not remember what door we used to enter their chambers. Ari, do you remember?”
“No, I do not.”
kDira looked around at the windows above to see if there were any signs of movement; she saw none. She feared that she’d made the trip for nothing.
“Shall we search the buildings, kDira?” Ari asked.
“I am pretty sure it was a doorway along the road that led immediately to stairs to an upper level. If we can find that, we might find the Provits.”
“kDira,” a voice echoed down the street from no discernable point, “why have you returned?”
The group looked around to try to locate where the voice was coming from but saw nothing. They searched high and low to no avail.
“I have come to see the Provitos. I am hoping your leader will be able to answer some questions for me.”
There was silence in the street. kDira and the others waited eagerly for an answer, but none echoed into the street as before. A lone figure stepped out into the street with a dark robe and what appeared to be a skull for a face. Bracken and Lyren stepped in front of kDira, weapons drawn.
“Easy now,” kDira scolded. “This is a Provit and our friend. Sheath your weapons.”
“You are kDira?”
“I am.”
“You are the chosen one. Come, join the Provitos in his chambers. The Provitos is getting on in years and doesn’t come out much anymore.”
The Provit led the group to a door, as kDira had remembered, then up a set of wooden stairs and through a door into a large hall.
“Come, we will pass through here and enter the Provitos’ chamber. Please come.”
Again, the group followed as they crossed the hall and the Provit knocked on a door. He listened a moment, then entered the room, gesturing the visitors to follow.
The room was far from ornate, with dusty curtains and a washbasin on a small table next to a window. A single chair sat next to a comfortable old bed positioned in the middle of the room. The Provitos was lying in bed.
“kDira,” the frail Provitos said in just a bit more than a whisper. “Please sit. What brings you back here?”
“I need to ask you about the provicy you gave us,” kDira said, taking a seat next to the bed.
“Ah yes, the Book of kADERAH. What can I help you with?”
“In it, the book says Beware the first male child, for he will betray the world. What does that mean?”
“The question, dear child, is not what does the question mean, but what does the question mean to you?”
“Provitos, I do not understand. It sounds like the world will end because of my son. Is there anything we can do to stop this?”
“The boy is alive?”
“Yes, I had not learned of the provicy until he was several years old. Even so, had I known before, I do not think I could have killed my own son.”
“Where is the boy now?”
“We do not know. He has run off, upset to find out that his father was a mad king that murdered hundreds.”
“This is very bad. Better to keep your enemy in sight than to not know where he is or what he is planning.”
“Provitos, can you give us more of the provicy? What are we up against? What can we do to stop the events that seem to already be in motion?”
“I cannot undo a provicy. A provicy is what it is. But remember that the provicy I gave you is your provicy; someone else’s provicy could always be different. There is always an alternate provicy.”
“Provitos, I do not understand. What other provicy?”
“It is not right that you should know another’s provicy, only your own. I cannot allow you to act on another’s destiny.”
The kDira's World Anthology Page 33