by Sarah Cathey
“The King is a dullard. He may not trust the data.”
There was silence on the other end. Ittar was getting nervous and just as he went to speak the line lit up again. “You best be careful how you speak. Your voice carries much farther than you think.”
It was a clear warning from an old friend that Ittar was being watched and whether it was a secret line in his office or on the phone, others were listening.
The knock on his door startled him, but then reality set in and Ittar realized he had dozens of people at his door every day waiting to speak with him. He took a long-drawn breath and then decided to walk to the door to open it instead of tapping the button on his desk.
As the door slid open Ittar saw his assassin standing there.
“So, you couldn’t find it.” He rasped angrily and turned back toward his desk.
“My orders have changed,” The assassin said as he entered the office. On his wrist, he tapped a few buttons and the door behind him closed.
Ittar spun, “You report to me you stup—.” But the words never came as a thin dart stuck in the thick artery at Ittar’s throat. Ittar collapsed to his knees and then his face hit hard against the floor.
The assassin tapped another button on his arm and without a response from the other end he simply said, “Task complete.”
The royal palace was finely etched into the tallest mountain in the Varn range. The face of the palace was ordained in sculptures depicting the Eastern continent’s greatest achievements in battle, science and of course the God-like comparisons to the royal family. As Aput walked up to the steps—as Drjeen were prohibited from flying up the steps, an order of submissiveness to the crown—he couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by the audacity of his own actions. He knew that by the time he made his way back to his normal duties, Ittar will have found a new way to torture him. The data he’d drawn over the past few days was stuffed full into a leather bag that was tightly strapped to his waist. From the start of the long set of stairs, the doors seemed only dots on the vast facade of white, but as he approached, Aput could see more definitively the ornate sculptures, the colorful beauty of stones adorning sculpted eyes and the power of royalty. He could feel his hearts begin to sputter and start over and again. Standing at the base of the palace he looked up, realizing the palace itself was taller than most mountains in Varn. He’d never seen a building as tall.
“What is your business?” The voice was bold and authoritative and the armored Drjeen stood nearly twice as tall as Aput. All that separated the two was a stone desk which Aput was certain the warrior could easily destroy with a single blow of his tail.
“I... I… seek an audience with the Royals.”
“Leave. You are denied.”
“Denied? But you don’t even know—.”
“Leave. There is nothing you can have that is so important.”
Aput was ready to turn and leave, but he couldn’t. He had to do something. No one else was willing and he leaned in, “I must have an audience. There is an astronomical threat to us all. A blue star that—.”
“Hold.” The guard stepped away and came back. “Very well. Enter and take a seat. Your name will be called.”
“Okay, my name is—.”
“Aput! Take a seat. You are testing my patience.”
How the guard knew the youngling’s name he didn’t know, but he did know he shouldn’t dally at all. He quickly made his way into the palace.
The hall in front of him appeared just as vast. Although hundreds of Drjeen moved throughout the open chamber, the area which Aput was directed had only six other Drjeen ahead of him. Aput found an empty seat, unstrapped the leather case from his waist and set it on his lap. He folded his wings to his back and had to keep focused to not tap his claws on the stone floor at the ground. Instead, his impatience rode along his tail which he allowed to waiver back and forth like a rattle.
One by one each new applicant was called into the royal chamber to meet with the king or one of his advisors. Aput was curious what the others wanted or were arguing, but he knew it was frowned upon to ask so he left his questions unanswered and only that much more curious. Nearly as quickly as the applicants were being called into the royal chamber, they were also returning dejected. One of the last returned, escorted by two soldiers who brought the terrified Drjeen through another door. If Aput wasn’t nervous enough that did cause his wings and tail to twitch. For the first time since arriving at the palace, he questioned whether he should just turn around and leave. Few would know the better and besides if his calculations were wrong his punishment would be severe. Even if they didn’t believe his data, regardless if true or not, he could be punished. But what was his alternative? Say nothing like Ittar was willing to do? Say nothing and watch as the asteroid struck and destroyed the planet offering no escape? No. Aput allowed his sharper fangs to dig into his gums relenting himself to the whims of the royals. It was the only way.
There were only two applicants ahead of him, but the wait felt as if his own lifetime had passed by before a royal herald stepped from the tall doors and called out his name. Taking his bag in hand, Aput stumbled from his seat, but as he maintained his stature, he stood tall and strode toward the open door. Crossing through the doors the hall quickly shrunk as the walls and ceiling seemed to collapse into a dungeon-like corridor. After a series of turns, the Herald opened another door which again opened into a royal-like chamber, tall wide and open. The room was more comforting than the utilitarian palace seating area adorned with tapestries of royals-past and a long red carpet leading to a two-throne alter.
Aput had never seen the king or queen in person, nor were their images broadly spread through Jeen, but as he stood there he knew at once that in front of him were both the king and queen. The queen was one of the most beautiful Drjeen he’s ever seen with slim and narrow wings meant more for show than flight. He knew that the flight of the royals was likely bred away over generations of leading from a throne rather than in battle. Still, he had no doubt that she was sleek in flight and likely had a few tricks he could not imagine. Her breast was a twirling mix of charcoal maroon and curiously her wings and he surmised her spine were of the same color rather than the two-tone which most Drjeen were accustomed.
While the queen was demure, the king was anything but. He was tall, broad and as muscular as any Drjeen he’d ever seen. He could only assume that the king had seen battle as much as any of his generals.
Immediately, Aput could feel the vibration of his tail on the carpet behind him and the quick twitch of nerves in his wings. Aput did not know when he had dropped to his knee to bow, but as he gained awareness, he realized he was bowing, and his head tilted downward.
The queen’s voice was as soft and gentle as her lovely charcoal maroon chest, “You may rise,” she said and then looked to the king.
“We’ve been informed that you believe there is a threat to Jeen. Of this blue star, I am hearing so much about.”
“Yes, your highness.”
“Proceed.”
“The claim came to me from my senior who requested I look into reports of a blue star. This was about a week ago.”
“Who is your senior?” The king abruptly interrupted.
“His name is Ittar.”
The king bellowed and grunted in anger. “Of course, it is.”
“Horax!” the queen politely hissed. “Be yourself.”
Aput went on, “Ittar seemed to share your opinion of the blue star.”
“My opinion is of your senior, not of these curious reports.”
The king and queen looked down on Aput waiting for him to start and awkwardly he did, “I... well, I hadn’t heard of the blue star until I was assigned. But, for the past six moons, I’ve been monitoring the phenomena in the southeast sky. I’ve never seen, nor heard of another similar sighting. So, each night I began taking calculations. By the first night, I’d developed a theory and approached my senior. He sent me back to confirm my calculations citing no other scien
tist had the same conclusion.”
The queen held a slender talon, “And what were the other conclusions?”
“I believe they concluded the blue star was a new star.”
“And what is your conclusion?”
I believe the blue star is a large asteroid in trajectory with Jeen.”
The queen winced and put a claw to her face as if astonished. The king leaned forward, his brow and massive horns coming together as his eyes squinted. “You believe that an asteroid will strike Jeen?”
Aput was nervous, but answered, “Yes, my king.”
The king looked to his queen. The queen had since composed herself, “And what do you say, my queen?”
The queen thought respectively, then turned toward Aput. “Well, young Aput, if you are correct and an asteroid is coming to Jeen, then what can we do?”
Aput’s tail began to rattle violently as he noticed a smear of anger growing on the king’s face, “I believe we can survive if we head deep into a cavern system. We have been bred for millennia to handle radiation and in the bowels of Jeen we can live off and harvest plants that the ancients survived on before coming land-bound.”
The king scowled, “How can you be certain that your calculations are correct? You are a youngling, a novice in your profession and your senior, as miserable as he is, does not support your efforts.”
“I did not say he didn’t support my efforts. After all, he assigned me to—.”
The queen interrupted him, “Your senior is not here at your side youngling. You may be naive in your youth, but I can assure you that Ittar does not support your opinion.”
“Yes, I am young and perhaps my senior does not support my calculations, but I am right!” The anger suddenly flexed through Aput’s body. “If I am wrong, then so be it. If I am right and we do nothing the Drjeen could be wiped from the planet!” Suddenly Aput’s wings turned from a twitch to a full spread as they released their entire length in front of the king and queen. Suddenly he caught himself realizing that unfurling his wings in the presence of the royal family was punishable by death. He dropped his leather bag in fear. But as he drew his wings back he noticed that the king merely raised a brow in curiosity as he turned to his queen.
“Neparon,” he questioned as she admittedly gasped in disgust, “What do you say?”
“I say our youngling must learn to keep his temper at bay or he shall never see the end of his journey.”
The king growled and snorted, but he also nodded approval. “Not many Drjeen have the gall to approach the queen with such preposterous opinions. Even fewer would unfurl their wings. You have done both which tells me that you have conviction in your belief. What do you suggest we do?”
Aput had taken several steps backward and once again was bowing, his eyes at the claws of his feet and his tail strapped around his legs.
“Raise your head youngling,” the queen ordered. “What is your suggestion?”
“As I mentioned, I believe that Jeen within the Varn mountains or even the banished forest has openings to unexplored cavern systems which we may populate. I’ve heard stories since I was a child about ancient tunnels where our ancestors used to live. Perhaps we can move deep and re-populate those caverns until the destruction of the asteroid has passed.”
The queen and king looked at each other. The queen reached over and took her scepter which she firmly struck the ground. Aput then heard the quick movement of the royal herald coming down the long red carpet.
The herald gently touched Aput’s wing, “You may come with me.” and he led Aput toward the corridor from whence they’d entered.
Aput could feel the pounding of his hearts deep in his chest. He’d never felt such pain and as he looked back, he saw the king and queen watch him being led off.
“What is going to happen to me?” Aput asked as the herald walked him down a different chamber than they’d walked in. The herald unlocked a door and Aput stepped in the room. Quickly the door slammed shut and Aput heard a lock turn. The Herald was gone.
Shakja landed hard near Gradjn’s office. The light was just now coming up on the horizon behind her and there were only a few Drjeen walking about preparing for the next shift to take over. Shakja, unlike others, often had to wait to be assigned her tasks for the day. Some of that was her ability to work on nearly any task on the farm. The other part is that Shakja’s daily work was often determined by whether she was being punished or not. Today, even as early as she was, she was nervous and did not know if she would be sent to the Daken Pens, the fields or somewhere else.
She heard Gradjn barking orders before she could see him, but as he rounded the corner, she knew something was wrong. Her wings began to flap, and her tail firmed as if she needed to pound it on the ground for a quick getaway. She looked around herself and into the sky to see if Daken Riders were coming, but she saw nothing.
The foreman walked up to her and looked her up and down. “I heard you were attacked by a Gramen yesterday.”
“I was.”
“And a Daken Rider saved you.”
“Yes, that is true.”
“It is embarrassing for one of my farm hands to waste the efforts of a Daken Rider.”
Shakja quickly bowed, “I apologize for any shame I have brought upon you.”
“Don’t mock me. Go to the Daken pens.”
As she walked, the foreman followed. Shakja opened the pen doors and was hit by the stench of fodder. Gradjn followed her as she closed the doors behind him. Then, as quickly as the doors shut, Shakja could feel the sharp vibration of the whip along her foreman’s side being torn away and swiftly moving through the air. The first strike came down on her hard and she dropped her head, digging her fangs into her gums expecting the second to be just as ferocious. However, mid-strike, a strong hand grabbed the arm of Gradjn stopping him mid-swing.
“That is enough!” The Daken Rider hissed. “This farmhand was saved by a Daken Rider who saw it fit for her to live and I find you punishing her? I should have you publicly maimed for such disobedience.”
“I apologize, I had no idea.” Gradjn winced and dropped his whip after the rider let his arm go. He knelt to a knee in obedience.
“Leave us.” The rider said.
Gradjn, scowled at Shakja as he passed by her, but for the moment she sighed in relief.
The foreman shut the door.
“Thank you, Shook.”
“Do I need to follow you everywhere to keep you safe?”
She could sense the curious vibration coming from Shook, a vibration she hadn’t felt before from him. “Perhaps you should.”
Chapter 5
Aput had been in the cell for less than a day when the royal herald once again approached.
“Am I to be executed?” Aput cried out. His cell was all stone with a small bench along the back wall and nothing else. He hadn’t even been given the satisfaction of food or water… only time.
“I don’t think so, is that what you want?” The voice was soft and charming as the queen stepped through the doorway, followed by the king who needed to bow to enter.
The king went on, “Since you have a plan, Aput, my queen and I believe you should be the one who finds these lost caverns.”
Astonished that the king called him by name, Aput was just as surprised by the king’s request. “Me? But I am not an adventurer. I can hardly find my way home, how am I to find lost caverns?”
“We believe in you. After all, you were the only Drjeen to approach us about the blue star. It is fitting you become the hero in your story,” the queen went on. “We have consulted our historical advisors who suggest that you begin your search in the banished forest near the Great Mountains.”
“But I can’t go there. I wouldn’t survive.”
“We will assign someone to you—a guardian.” Said the king. “Now, go home and prepare. Your guardian will meet you at first light at your residence. We have sent a messenger to Ittar, so you do not have to notify him yourself. He wil
l be mad. I enjoy this.”
The herald stepped in and pressed Aput through the doorway, leaving the king and queen alone. Aput followed and was left alone outside the palace.
Aput was still in shock, nervousness creeping over his body like thousands of hungry insects. Me? They want me to find the lost caverns. Certainly, the day hadn’t gone fully as planned. Aput walked into his chamber and once inside took a moment to sit down on the nearest chair to take a breath. This didn’t go at all as planned. He held the leather bag with his notes in his talons, but as weak as he was from the royal palace and meeting with the king and queen, he barely had any strength remaining in himself and allowed the bag and his papers to slip from his nerveless talons and fall to the ground.
“No one survives the banished forest, at least no one of my castes. Even with a guardian, what am I to do?” He contemplated his predicament out loud realizing that he no longer had to worry about who would or would not hear him. He was no longer a scientist in the tower, but rather his destiny lie elsewhere. He could not defy an order from the king and queen, but how could he fly into the forest—even with a guard. It would be his life.
This morning he’d woken with Ittar as his biggest worry, but now he had much more to fear, such as his life. It seemed at every step his fate was already laid out for him and Aput had little to say about it. He sat in his chair for what seemed like hours, but in reality, was a few short moments. When he stood up, he realized his legs and back had stiffened to the point of pain. However, he didn’t have much time as it was so he found a large leather bag for his trip and methodically began to plan what he might need. He didn’t even know how long he’d be gone, so he thought it would be best to bring only essentials and then if there was any room left, he could pack non-essentials. He packed food and tools such as a hammer and pick. He grabbed his imager, several notepads, and writing utensils. He found tools to light fires and small amounts of kindling. Once his essentials were packed, he had enough room for sparse leather armor he’d been given the previous year, die, and specialized clothing for elemental shifts in weather.