by Darrin Long
“He’s fine” Kaylu whispered to her.
For thirty minutes Krell hummed and rocked as Neilan was taken on a journey deeper into his mind than he had ever thought possible. He found himself standing in a forest filled with deer and other forest creatures, but they did not seem to sense his presence. He did not fight the feelings that flowed through him, he just let the feeling guide him. He walked through the forest pausing along the way to watch the animals as they played. It all felt so normal to him as if he belonged there with them. Then he saw it; a glowing stag standing alone deep in the forest. Neilan began to make his way towards it and it seemed like his feet weren’t even touching the ground. The stag moved behind a tree and Neilan followed, but when he reached the tree the stag was no longer there. Instead, standing before him was a short old Tunai in white robes and a white beard. As Neilan walked around the tree, the old man removed his hood to show his slanted forehead and the tears that flowed from his white eyes.
“Yer a Dream Crier,” Neilan said.
“Yes, I am,” the old man said, “and you are the Reiteach.”
“I do not know what that means,” Neilan said.
The old man smiled, “there are not many who do” he said, “please sit.”
Neilan sat down on a stump as the old man moved closer.
“Let me see your hands,” the old man asked.
Neilan showed him his hands and the old man touched the callouses on his palms.
“Good, you are familiar with hard work,” the old man said.
Neilan began to feel a tingling sensation where the old man had touched him. He looked at his hands, but there didn’t seem to be anything different.
“So, you are Tunai,” the old man said.
“Yes sir, one-quarter,” Neilan said.
“That will be enough,” the old man said and he reached out and touched Neilan’s mark on his forehead.
Instantly the forest began to swirl around him and the trees began to be ripped from the ground. It was like one of the tornadoes that Neilan remembered from his childhood. But this was even more powerful as it tore up the ground and sucked the trees and plants out of the forest. The only tree that was standing strong was the one behind him, so he jumped up and grabbed hold of the lowest branch and held on. The wind pulled at him as Plants and shrubs and trees flew by.
He closed his eyes; blocking everything out and concentrating only on the grip he had on the branch. The wind pulled at him and pulled at him, but he held on and the wind slowly began to subside. As the wind stopped Neilan opened his eyes and he had the blindfold on again. He pulled it off and realized that he was still sitting before the cave with King Krell. He wanted to say something, but he could not. He still felt like he was consumed by something and he stood up and walked over to the tree. The breeze was blowing, but he did not feel it. He looked over at Kaylu and Iri, but they didn’t seem to notice that he had moved. Everything had slowed down and he could feel everything, even Iri’s heartbeat. He took a deep breath and the tingling started to fade. He reached out and grabbed the tree to steady himself as the feeling left him and he returned to his normal senses.
Suddenly Iri jumped as if startled.
“Where is he?” she yelled.
Then, she saw him standing next to the tree.
“But how did you-?” she asked.
King Krell stopped humming and stood up.
“Well done Neilan,” Krell said “well done.”
Neilan looked down at his arm and noticed that the braided rope had become a part of his arm now. He touched it, but it felt just like his skin.
“That will remain,” Krell said, “It is your Tunak.”
Neilan showed the braided rope on his arm to Iri.
“What is a Tunak?” Neilan said.
Krell laughed and looked at Kaylu, “he always asks the hardest questions, doesn’t he?” He said.
Kaylu smiled and Neilan could see that both he and Krell were happy with the outcome of their little test. Neilan started to walk over to Iri and she caught him as his legs gave out and he collapsed into her arms. She could barely hold him up, so she slowly lowered him to the ground.
“What is wrong?“ Iri asked, looking at Kaylu and Krell.
“Nothing,” Krell said, “he just needs rest that’s all.”
Krell walked over to Kaylu out of the ear reach of Iri and Neilan.
“I lost him,” Krell said “I was with him in the forest, but the next moment he was gone. I have to say, I am surprised at his strength. I have not seen such strength even in the Tunai warriors I have trained. You say he is only a quarter Tunai?”
Kaylu smiled again “It is the power of the Reiteach” Kaylu said, “It will sustain him and carry him to the end of his journey.”
Krell looked back at Neilan lying in Iri’s arms.
“Yes, but will it be enough to carry him to victory,” Krell said.
Kaylu placed his hand on Krell’s shoulder.
“Not if he has to fight alone my friend,” Kaylu said.
Suddenly a loud beating of wings could be heard as two large Shadows flew over the mountain towards them.
“What is this?” Krell said, “what is going on?”
Kaylu raised his hand “relax Krell, there is no danger here; not for friends.”
Kaylu walked over to where the two birds landed and they transformed into two Dargoine soldiers. They talked for a moment with Kaylu and then transformed again and flew back to the north at a very urgent pace.
“What is it, what is going on?” Krell yelled.
“We need to go, Krell,” Kaylu said, “seems your armies are about to attack the Dragoine city of Draioch.”
“You are kidding?” Krell said with a laugh.
“No,” Kaylu said, “they didn’t take kindly to me stealing their King.”
Krell laughed as Kaylu walked back to where Neilan was laying.
“Krell, help me get him inside and we will go before anything horrible happens,” Kaylu said.
Krell and Kaylu lifted Neilan and they took him inside the cave and laid him down. Krell looked around the cave and smiled with approval.
“A Tunai would be comfortable in here,” he said.
Then he and Kaylu exited the cave.
“Watch over him,” Kaylu said to Iri as he stood at the door. “I will return as soon as I can.”
Then Kaylu placed his hand on Krell’s shoulder and the two of them disappeared.
Iri closed the door behind them and returned to Neilan’s side. She sat down on the blanket beside him and cried. There was so much happening that she could not contain her fear and sorrow. Neilan reached up with a weak hand and wiped a tear from her cheek and she laid down beside him, pulling his arms around her. Exhaustion overcame them both as they drifted off to sleep in each other’s arms.
Chapter 12
An Alliance is Formed
Many miles away to the north, in the Dragoine city of Draioch soldiers rushed to the gate. Women and children scrambled to hide in their homes as their men armed themselves and prepared to protect their families. King Lamu stood at the gate with his soldiers peering out into the darkness that was the valley of Elu. As far as the eye could see there were torches.
“There must be thousands of them,” a soldier said, “but why are they attacking us?”
“I don’t know,” King Lamu said “something is wrong; very wrong. Lamu turned towards the soldiers. “Get the archers on the walls now” he yelled, “Soldiers three deep along the wall and ten deep across the gate.”
Lamu took another glance out at the valley as the torch-light seemed to increase every minute.
“Where are they all coming from?” he said.
Then in an area towards the centre of the valley Lamu could see two sets of torches gathered together and they lit up the area revealing two flags; one with the distinctive Tunai Hammer of King Krell and one with the Tunai Axe of Queen Karn.
“Tunai,” King Lamu said as his heart sa
nk in his chest. “Why would the Tunai attack us?”
He could hear the mumbling among the soldiers. King Lamu knew that they would remember what a war with the Tunai would be like and he knew that they weren’t looking forward to a repeat. The great wars had claimed more than half of the Dragoine population and they were nowhere near recovered from it. Lamu leaned on the wall looking out over the valley.
“Where are you Kaylu,” he said, “where are you?”
Suddenly there was a large crash as something from the dark smashed against the walls of the City just feet from where King Lamu stood. The soldiers on the wall grabbed on to something as the whole wall shook, but held together.
“What was that?” King Lamu yelled.
“It was a large stone” one of the archers yelled back.
A moment later there was another one, this time on the other side of the gate.
“They are just playing with us,” King Lamu said to himself.
Fear gripped him like he had never felt before. He knew very well that the Dragoine could not stand against the Tunai, not now. The Tunai had made themselves impervious to magic when they performed the ritual of Catuee and the Dragoine hadn’t practised magic since the incident with Brun and it was too late now to re-learn it. King Lamu hung his head in shame.
“I have brought my people to ruin with my selfishness,” he said. “If I had only joined the Tunai in the battle against the men from the south, maybe this could have been avoided.”
“Commander” King Lamu yelled and a soldier with gold sash ran over.
“Yes sir,” the commander said.
“Keep an eye on the valley. I will be in my dwelling. Send a messenger if anything changes or if Kaylu arrives. They won’t attack until morning.”
“Yes sir,” the commander said as he took King Lamu’s place on the wall.
“They will want to see our faces when they tear our walls down” King Lamu mumbled as he walked back to his dwelling. “Kaylu, where the hell are you.” Never before had he felt so alone and vulnerable. “If you are trying to teach me a lesson then, you are doing a good job of it” Lamu mumbled as he made his way down the empty streets towards this dwelling in the centre of the city.
He went inside and locked the door behind him. Then, leaning on the door, he sunk to his knees and shook in fear.
“My kingdom is lost” he cried “everything, lost.”
In the Quarry, south-east of Draioch, two figures appeared out of the mist and made their way towards the Tunai tunnels. As they approached several soldiers ran out of the tunnels and surrounded them. King Krell yelled something that Kaylu did not understand and the soldiers all dropped to one knee.
“Lord Krell,” one of the soldiers said, “you have escaped.”
“No,” Krell said looking back at Kaylu, “I was never a prisoner.”
The soldiers stood up and opened a path for King Krell and Kaylu to pass through and into the tunnel. Kaylu could hear the soldiers mumbling as they passed into the tunnel and he could hear the footsteps as they followed. He couldn’t blame them for not trusting him, not after all that had happened. Krell and Kaylu entered into the war room and Krell walked over to the far wall. He pulled down a lamp that was burning and a hidden door opened up for the two of them to enter a hidden room. Once inside Krell began to fumble through a stack of documents and scrolls.
“It’s here somewhere,” he said pushing a stack of books onto the floor.
Then he pulled out a scroll that had been flattened by the weight of the books that were stacked on top of it.
“Here it is,” he said handing the scroll to Kaylu.
“The Brun Agreement,” Kaylu said looking back at Krell. “It’s time we put an end to this once and for all.”
“I agree,” Krell said, “but will Lamu agree?”
Kaylu looked down at the scroll for a moment, “I may be forced to make him agree” He said. “Never before have I gone against my own king and brother, but I cannot stand by any longer and allow him to destroy our people.”
“I am sorry that it has come to this” Krell said.
“As am I,” Kaylu said, “as am I.”
King Krell began putting on his armour.
“Sonje” he yelled “Sonje, where the hell are you?”
A young Tunai ran into the room.
“Yes, my Lord,” he said, but then froze when he saw Kaylu standing in the room holding the scroll.
“Sonje,” King Krell said “help me get my armour on. Sonje! Move it.”
Sonje snapped out of it and started to help King Krell finish dressing in his armour then, he stood back and stared at Kaylu. Krell noticed that Sonje was starring and grunted.
“You have to forgive my people Kaylu, they are all scared to death of you,” he said, “I’m sure you understand.”
“Yes,” Kaylu said as he smiled at Sonje, who stood afraid to move.
Krell and Kaylu turned to walk out and Sonje finally broke his silence.
“I met your Neilan,” he said almost too quietly to be heard.
“You what?” Kaylu asked as he turned around.
“When I was captured, he set me free” Sonje said.
“So, I have heard,” Kaylu said looking at King Krell.
“We will talk of it later,” King Krell said to Sonje.
“Yes, my Lord” Sonje replied.
But then, King Krell turned to Sonje and placed his hand on his shoulder.
“I will not question your words again. You have served me well” Krell said.
Sonje looked as if he could not speak and he bowed to Krell.
“Let’s get going before my people wipe your people from the face of the land,” Krell said to Kaylu. “Come, Sonje.”
Once out into the war room Kaylu stood between King Krell and Sonje then, placing his hand on their shoulders they disappeared.
In the courtyard, just inside the walls of Draioch, three figures appeared, but the soldiers were so scared of what was about to happen that they didn’t even notice that two of the figures were Tunai. Kaylu, Krell and Sonje climbed the stairs leading to the wall. As they reached the top of the wall Kaylu was greeted by shock and fear as the soldiers saw King Krell and Sonje.
“Relax,” Kaylu said, “we are here to make sure no harm befalls the city.”
“King Lamu wanted to see you when you arrived,” the commander said to Kaylu, unable to keep his eyes off of Krell and Sonje.
“He would, would he?” Kaylu said looking at King Krell. “We’ll see about that.”
The three of them looked out over the valley of Elu.
“My sister must be here as well,” Krell said looking over at Kaylu. “The entire Tunai army would be here for only one purpose; to totally eradicate the Dragoine nation.”
“I can see that,” Kaylu said “good thing we came when we did. Come, let us go and talk to Lamu.”
The three of them made their way through the empty streets to Lamu’s dwelling.
“I have always wondered what a Dragoine city would be like,” Sonje said.
“Well, it’s not what It once was,” Kaylu said, “the great wars took its toll on the Dragoine pride.”
They reached a large dwelling in the centre of town and Kaylu knocked on the door.
“Who is it?” a trembling voice asked from behind the door.
“It’s me, let me in,” Kaylu said as he tried to push the door open. “What are you doing on the floor? Get up and let us in.”
“Us?” the voice said as the door creaked open enough to see the face of Lamu peering out in fear.
Lamu’s face turned to horror when he saw King Krell and Sonje standing outside his door.
“You’ve brought them inside the city?” Lamu yelled, “have you handed the kingdom over already?”
Kaylu turned to Krell, “give me a moment with him” he said then, he disappeared inside the dwelling.
Lamu was pressed up against the wall next to the door mumbling and Kaylu knew that this w
as not going to go over well.
“You need to snap out of this” Kaylu said, “Krell is here to end this war before it happens.”
“Why are they attacking us?” Lamu asked.
“Because they think that I kidnapped their King,” kaylu said matter of factly.
“You what?” Lamu yelled.
“Relax brother, we need the Tunai to help us fight Caudee and I really had no other options at the moment. But he has agreed to come here and talk.”
“Well I… We… I don’t…I” King Lamu stammered.
Kaylu struck Lamu in the face with his open hand.
“Brother,” he said “you must get it together. Your people need you.”
Lamu seemed to have snapped out of it and was rubbing his face.
“I’m sorry brother,” Lamu said, “for everything.”
Kaylu breathed a sigh and put his hand on Lamu’s shoulder.
“We need them brother,” Kaylu said, “we cannot defeat Caudee without them.”
King Lamu nodded his head and taking a deep breath motioned at the door. Kaylu turned and opened the door allowing King Krell and Sonje to enter.
“Krell,” Lamu said still a little shaky.
“I am sorry Lamu about the soldiers, but they were acting as anyone would when their king is taken from them,” Krell said.
“Understandable” Lamu said, “would you like to sit down?”
King Krell raised his hand “No, I think we need to be at the gate when the sun begins to rise” he said. “Sonje and I will walk out to the army before they can organize for the attack.”
“Ok,” Lamu said breathing a little easier.
“I just wanted you to know that Krell was here and that we will all sit down tomorrow and talk,” Kaylu said. “I think there are a lot of things that need to be said.”
Lamu nodded his head and then looked at the floor then, looking up he reached out his hand to King Krell.
“Thank you for coming,” he said.
Krell looked at Lamu’s hand for a moment and Kaylu wasn’t sure if he was going to take it but then, Krell reached out and grasped Lamu’s shaky hand and nodded.