by Sarah Cathey
Once packed, Aput made himself a bowl of broth marrow, gili fruit and succulent rodent. The warm soup helped to calm his nerves and hopefully would put him into a deep sleep, so he was fresh for the next morning. Despite his doubts, he did sleep, and it was in depth.
“Run!” The voice echoed in a cavernous chamber. Aput ran as fast as he could trying not to take up too much slack. He followed a well-armored warrior deep into a cavern. But, as deep as they went the blue light behind him followed, furiously gaining in intensity. The warrior came to a deep gorge and without thought leaped into a churning river hundreds of lengths below. But, Aput could not jump. He was terrified! He spun around and the blue orb was coming directly at him. He pulled his wings across his body and just as the orb struck…
Aput jumped up. His room was filled with light and his hearts were racing. He must’ve been dreaming. The first moon was at mid-cycle and he knew his escort through the banished forest would be arriving soon. He didn’t have much to do, but he grabbed his bags, finished the remaining soup from the previous night and stepped out of his residence.
As he left his dwelling a massive charcoal brown Drjeen was standing outside dressed in full military battle armor with a long pike strapped to his back, a quiver of throwing spears and a longsword at his hip. Aput had never seen a fully dressed warrior up close and couldn’t help but choke a little at the sight, half in fear and half in pride that this statuesque soldier’s duty was to protect only him. He was the perfect Drjeen to escort him.
Despite the warrior’s immense size, stern face and full battle gear there was a simplicity to the soldier, something approachable and friendly, quite unlike what Aput had assumed. The soldier made the first move and approached Aput, his talon out in front of him with his wings furled back to allow for easier mobility on the ground.
Aput stretched his own talon out and the two clasped, Aput amazed by the strength in the warrior’s single talon.
“It is nice to meet you Aput. I assure you that as long as you are with me, no harm will befall you.”
“Well, thank...thank you. I am glad to meet you. I must admit, I’ve never been to the forest before.”
The soldier weighed Aput’s response, “I practically live there with my Daken.”
“Oh, a Daken Rider? I’ve always been curious about your class. Quite famous and notable.”
The Daken Rider showed no sign of pride, although politely bowed to acknowledge the compliment.
“Do you think we will have the opportunity to ride a Daken?”
The Rider finally relaxed into a subtle laugh. “I wish, but from what I understand we do not have the time. A Daken is land-borne and we must fly for speed. I’ve spoken with the historians and understand we seek the ancient caverns. It is a task we must do by air, but I feel as if I know some of the markings the historians spoke of from my time in the forest.”
Aput was obviously saddened and the Rider cut back in quickly, “Perhaps, on our return and if we have time, I can take you on my Daken. She has both a gentleness and ferocity none have seen before her.”
Aput couldn’t help but note that he felt the same could be said of the Daken Rider.
The Rider loosed his fierce wings nearly twice as wide as Aput’s wings. Aput sheepishly let his own wings spread, feeling somewhat ashamed at his comparatively meek stature. The soldier turned to Aput before taking off.
“My name is Shook. You are in charge, Aput, so I will let you lead the way.”
Having such a powerful warrior as Shook tell him that he was at Aput’s command only worsened Aput’s nerves. There was no turning back. He was now stuck in this new position he never asked for. “I suppose we head for the Grand Mountains amid the banished forest.”
Shook nodded.
“Once there, you can help guide our way,” Aput went on and again Shook nodded.
Aput leaped into the air and in a mighty down-sweep, he could feel the upstream of Shook’s mighty wings force the air behind him. Shook remained a wingbeat behind Aput, taking a position to Aput’s non-dominant side as they flew toward the western end of the banished forest.
When Ittar woke the back of his sloping skull was in pain and he still didn’t have movement in any of his joints or limbs. Even his tail wasn’t able to be controlled. The good thing was that he wasn’t shackled and, at least, despite how he felt, appeared to still be living. All that he could recall was that his assassin had seemingly turned on him or hadn’t fulfilled his duty or something. Everything was still a blur, and with the pain, Ittar didn’t know if he was capable of getting any thought straight.
The room around him was dark, although there were some lights along the edges which led in and out. There was someone in the room with him and maybe more, but he couldn’t see or hear well enough to figure that out either.
“What is going on here!” He demanded with as much authority as he could muster.
“You tell us.” came a response. “You hired an assassin and yet the task failed.”
Ittar paused a moment trying to think through the events of the day. “I did not hire an assassin and had I and the plot failed I would still not be responsible. It is Drjeen law. The offender is at fault regardless of coercion.”
“At least you didn’t hire an assassin.” the other person mused.
“I did not.”
“Your knowledge of the law may speak another truth.”
Ittar, as moody as always verbally struck out again. “Who are you and why am I here?”
“You sent a youngling to take calculations of a star.”
Ittar snarled, “He is a fool.”
“As foolish as the king?” said the Drjeen, an obvious remark directed at Ittar’s comment earlier in the day.
“The king is not a fool,” Ittar muttered, realizing there was nothing else he could do to comment on his earlier remarks. It’s likely the king already knew.
“Tell us, is the youngling correct?”
Ittar didn’t answer, but a swift shock from a lance drew him to sit upward, “Yes, yes, he is correct.”
“Then tell us why your other scientists did not come to the same conclusion. Are they lying to you or are they lying to the king and queen?”
“I don’t understand the question.”
“You have fifty scientists under you and as we understand each one denied that the blue star was an asteroid. All of their reports are conclusive and eerily similar. Yet, you have a youngling who not only has data supporting something quite different. Not only does his data support a different theory, but he felt so strongly that he went to the royal palace to request an audience.”
“And did he get an audience with a royal advisor?”
“No.”
Ittar sighed realizing that perhaps his plan may still work.
“He received an audience from King Horax and Queen Neparon.”
“He couldn’t have.”
“It was in the king’s interest and so he chose to take up the audience. He was quite impressed with young Aput.”
Ittar smiled and tried to sit up further basking in feigned pride, “Well he is one of my—.”
“The king and queen were impressed with Aput, not you. Then again, you were explaining why forty-nine of your scientists had a different conclusion. Please, go on.”
“They must have been wrong, or perhaps they conversed with each other whereas Aput was on his own.”
“That is interesting. Is there another possible explanation?”
Ittar knew there was another explanation. It was called the truth. Ittar purposefully ordered his scientists to fabricate the blue star theory. After all, any of his senior scientists would be taken at their value, whereas Aput, a youngling, a novice held no weight or experience in such matters. Aput was brilliant though and keeping the others away and eventually taking out Aput, meant that Ittar could come to Aput’s conclusion, citing him as the better of all his scientists securing a prominent future one not stuck in the bowels of a stone tower, rega
rdless the prestige.
“I cannot think of another.”
“We can. Would you indulge us?”
Nearly verbatim to his thoughts the hidden Drjeen laid out a plot that Ittar had planned for weeks implicating his own unwitting scientists who hadn’t so much as looked skyward to verify any of Ittar’s provided data. Ittar remained still, nervous, but creating an exterior which eliminated his own responsibility.
“That is all laughable.”
“And yet, forty-nine scientists all had the exact data and conclusions, and all were wrong.”
“I cannot explain it.”
“You don’t have to. It is evident that they all lied and by doing so may be putting all of Jeen at risk.”
“What of Aput?”
“Your brilliant youngling is currently en route with a Daken Rider to find the ancient caverns, perhaps our only refuge.”
“But you haven’t asked about your other scientists?” The hidden Drjeen said as the room began to glow into the light. Ittar was surrounded by windows. As the room filled a hooded figure stood before him, the hidden Drjeen. Alongside him was Ittar’s assassin.
“You…” Ittar snarled. “Where am I?”
The cloaked Drjeen responded while the assassin stood perfectly still. “You are in a viewing room. Please, take a look.”
The effects of the drugs on Ittar’s body still existed, but he had now regained his full sight and managed to stand up. He walked to one of the windows. Below were his scientists, all standing, gathered and seemingly jovial.
“We’ve told them that there is a celebration in their honor.”
“What celebration?”
“Their good work of course…” The cloaked Drjeen nodded toward the assassin who seemingly disappeared into the wall next to him. “You know, on the blue star project.”
“But, I... But...I don’t understand.”
The first screech of terror broke through Ittar’s ears like an insect sliding down his ear canal.
“Please,” the cloaked figure raised a talon toward one of the windows. “It is a viewing area after all.”
Ittar raced to the window. Below him, methodically and one by one the assassin used an array of weapons from spear to saber to dispatch each of the scientists. He struck at their guts, ripped horns from their heads and decapitated nearly half. When all was said and done every scientist had been executed.
Ittar had never seen anything like it. Sure, in myths and stories of old such gruesome savagery was prevalent, but in modern times? This massacre was unheard of. It was inhumane.
The cloaked figure stepped up behind Ittar and placed a talon on his shoulder.
“So, what will you do with me?” Ittar asked, his voice quivering at the loss of so many great minds.
“You? Why would we do anything to you?”
“I don’t know. I just…” Ittar cringed as he looked below and watched the assassin go from one scientist to the next expertly plucking the eyes out of each which he quickly tossed into a basket. “Why does he…”
“The Daken love Drjeen eyes. You probably wouldn’t have known that would you?”
Ittar turned, his eyes red. Terrified? Sorrow? “I will do anything, anything to not hurt me.”
“Why on Jeen would I hurt you. After all, you put it so eloquently just a few moments before. Let me see, I believe you said, ‘had the plot failed I would still not be responsible. It is Drjeen law. The offender is at fault regardless of coercion.”
Ittar collapsed onto the table he’d found himself on when he woke. His mind and hearts raced. He would not die, but so many had and all because of him...No! All because of Aput! All those great minds died because of Aput.
“You will have new scientists by the first moon. They have already been dispatched. Perhaps this is a moment to think upon. I advise you think upon it with deep thought. You may leave.”
Ittar left the viewing room and after walking down the long corridor he realized where he was and found his way to his office where he locked himself inside for the rest of the day. No one was coming in or out.
He collapsed in the small bed around the corner from his desk.
Aput would pay for the death of all those Drjeen.
The ground below Aput and Shook swept passed faster than Aput had ever experienced. Since a child, he’d been raised to work in the Tower of the Moons. He’d never had the opportunity to expand his wings and fly or glide in the open expanse as he was experiencing now. They flew over the city and then the outskirts toward the banished forest and its inner depths. Like most everything from the day before and onward, Aput basked in the beauty of the banished forest surprised that it was more stunning than terrifying. As Aput glided forward he took a moment to look back on Shook noticing that the Daken Rider was alert and seemingly looking in a dozen directions all at once. Aput had no doubt the warrior could have easily flown passed him, but almost as a subordinate, the powerful Shook maintained an exact wingbeat separation.
“See anything?” Aput was nearly screaming into the oncoming gusts.
Shook politely shook his wings indicating he hadn’t.
Their flight over the forest would last for another couple hours until they reached the deepness of the Great Mountains. However, as they flew onward the forest began to overcome the entire sightline of the two Drjeen and Aput could feel his nervousness once again mounting. If they had to land in the forest, there would be no Daken patrols close enough to save them. Aput was already becoming winded from the flight, but he couldn’t falter. He had to remain vigilant along with Shook. He couldn’t help but notice that Shook had armed his talon with a throwing spear as his eyes darted now faster, taking in more of the surrounding forest.
“Did you see something?” Aput curiously asked hoping he wasn’t being too much of a pain.
Shook nodded and flew up alongside Aput. “I saw movement just above the tree cover. I suggest we fly south and away from this area?”
“Would you like to lead?”
Shook rotated his head downward, “No, you lead. If I am ahead of you then I cannot see what is coming for you.”
Aput managed to guide the pair exactly as Shook stated and the first moon was now falling, leaving less light to illuminate their way. Aput wasn’t as adept at flying in a darkened sky and instead of focusing on the forest below or to his flanks he tried to focus on the still illuminated trees well ahead of them.
It would be a mistake.
“Down!” Cried out Shook as if commanding an entire division. “Quickly, fly down!”
Aput responded quickly, but not quickly enough. He furled his wings inward, allowing him to fall like a rock, but as he did he lost his own full control and was struck by something which sent him flying away from Shook.
Shook rebalanced himself and darted toward the flailing Aput. Once Aput stopped and managed to toss his wings out to gain control of his flight he saw what had struck him.
The Rawkta beast was maneuvering for another pass, and this time the stunning blow would not be to knock Aput from an obvious protector. Rather it would be a death blow.
Shook darted but was too far away. Aput was in his own line of death.
Chapter 6
It didn’t take much for Shakja to realize that her every movement was under close scrutiny. She could see it in Gradjn as he watched her from a distance, occasionally attempting to hide from her and stumbling from his shadowy layers just as she caught up with him. She noticed the sudden glances in her direction from field workers as she passed by, from the scouts lurking overhead and even from the Daken-riders who often had little care for the lesser Drjeen.
Still, Shakja went through her day as if nothing had happened all the while ticking off in her skull any number of infractions she’d committed. She’d wasted the time of a Daken-rider, she’d saved a fellow low-caste Drjeen, she’d fled a small army of Daken-riders and if one were truly out to get her, she’d fraternized outside her caste. While fraternization was rarely considere
d a crime or even frowned upon if a high-level Drjeen had reason to cause problems for a low-caste Drjeen, fraternization was one way to do it, that is if the fraternization did not include a powerful high-caste Drjeen. Truthfully, Shakja did not know and had never inquired as to Shook’s level of influence. He’d always just been a friend to her. Their friendship began in the Daken pens as it was the only place, outside of trouble, that Shakja would ever run into a rider. He’d never been unkind to her, although certainly was aloof in the beginning. However, when Darma, his Daken, had taken ill, Shakja seemed to be the only one whom Darma would take food from, or even administer medicine. Darma had killed two others before Shakja stepped forward or was rather ordered by Gradjn. It was this care that slowly built on their relationship.
Shook had been gone for days and Shakja hadn’t been able to inquire where he was or why he’d gone so quickly. She couldn’t help but feel sorry, wondering if she were the cause of his sudden disappearance. After all, if she could tell he purposefully threw his spears astray, then certainly the other riders noticed as well. He was the link in her recent troubles, and if he were suddenly exiled...or worse, it would all be her fault and she could not live with that.
Shakja had been given a permanent place in the Daken pens and as she understood it, the orders had not come from Gradjn, but rather from one of the Daken-generals. This was either a blessing or something much worse. From the way Gradjn had been watching her she could tell, he wasn’t pleased with the orders that had come down upon him, but it may not have mattered, he made his opinion clear the other day. If it were not for Shook, who knows where she would be now.
Shakja scurried along the edge of one of the fields when her anxiety caught up with her and she took the unusual decision to take to flight covering the remaining space between her and the Daken pen. On the farm, it was uncommon to see Drjeen flying. Not that it was forbidden, but the flight did draw attention, something few low-caste Drjeen ever dared do. But, when you’re already under scrutiny, did it matter?