by Selva, SK
“I have enough to worry about without you causing any damage,” he scolded.
“Sorry,” said Aaryav, unable to contain his grin.
He could feel as though his excitement was going to burst. Aaryav had long been biding his time for a chance to prove himself so that Roshna would let him enter the games to represent the unicorn clan. Ever since he had been coming to Ilemuria, he had been waiting for any opportunity. Finally, he felt trusted.
Quickly scanning the store, his excitement suddenly turned to confusion. There were a few others there, a couple fairies, a goblin, and an orc, but no unicorn. He continued to walk around. Where was he?
“I’m looking for a unicorn named Veeran,” Aaryav told the store owner as he continued to look around.
“No unicorn,” he replied a little scathingly.
“But there is a Veeran,” said someone, stepping out from a shadowy corner.
Curiously, Aaryav ventured forward. No one was paying them any attention. The creature slowly lowered his hood.
This can’t be.
Roshna wanted him to partner up with a demon?
CHAPTER 8
***
“N ot what you were expecting, I’m guessing?” said Veeran.
You could say that, thought Aaryav.
Everything he had ever been taught about demons was coming back to him. Balaraj, the unicorn warrior trainer, was extremely adamant about their danger and how they almost destroyed Ilemuria. He kept his guard up.
“No, sorry,” gulped Aaryav. “It’s just that when Roshna said she wanted me to partner with someone…”
“I don’t understand,” said Veeran. “What do you mean by partner?”
A wave of sympathy flooded through Aaryav. Now that the initial shock was wearing off, he had a chance to really survey the demon. He was younger than him by a few years but still old enough to make his own decisions. His eyes stood out the most. He saw nothing but an expression of worry. Veeran was frightened.
“Sorry, man,” said Aaryav. “Just got startled.”
They looked at each other, not speaking for a moment.
“How did you get here?” inquired Aaryav.
“I came with Roshna. She said I could be part of her clan.”
And now I’m supposed to be your mentor? Aaryav could imagine just how furious Balaraj would be with him if he found out.
“Look,” Veeran began, “you don’t have to do this.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re hesitating. If you’re not comfortable mentoring me, I’m okay on my own.”
Despite himself, Aaryav began to feel guilty. “It’s not that,” he replied. “Just needed a second.”
He smiled at Veeran, who slowly smiled back.
“My name’s Aaryav,” he said proudly, holding out his hand. Veeran grabbed it and shook it shyly.
“Veeran.”
“First time in Ilemuria is always a shock. I spent my first visit being amazed the whole time. It’s my fourth return. Roshna uses some of her most trusted clan members to partner up with newcomers so that they can come to us with any questions. I’ll be taking you to Marutam, our unicorn village. You can stay in my hut, and anything you need, I’ll help you out.”
Veeran hesitated for a second. “Um, well, what do I buy here?” he asked, rather softly and embarrassed.
Aaryav looked confused for a second before it dawned on him. He turned to the shopkeeper. “We’ll need some clothes. Unicorn wear should be good, need space for a tail and horns.”
The leprechaun eyed Veeran strangely but grumbled and scurried away. He came back with some basic cloaks that Veeran gratefully changed into. He felt a lot more comfortable after that.
Veeran kept his hood over his head as he reached for his small sack of coins before Aaryav stopped him.
“It’s on me,” he said, paying the leprechaun.
The shopkeeper counted the coins and bowed them out.
“So what now?” asked Veeran.
This is what I wanted, surmised Aaryav. I wanted a chance to show Roshna I can enter the games and represent our clan proudly. May as well show her.
“Let me show you around Kiramam Square,” replied Aaryav cheerfully. “And don’t worry about the hood. Lots of creatures keep it on.”
Aaryav began to lead Veeran along a long cobbled path.
“That right there is the pub I was just at. Not sure if you’re old enough to drink in the human world, but here, it’s for all. Our ackal form makes us so much stronger.”
“What’s ackal?” asked Veeran.
“Right,” said Aaryav, slapping his forehead. “Don’t worry, even I’m still learning every day in this world. Do you see how we all are right now? Not quite human and not quite full creature?”
Veeran nodded.
“That’s our ackal form. It requires very little energy, and we take it naturally while here. This is how our ancestors looked. I can’t fly like this, though.”
Veeran stopped in his tracks. “You can fly?” he asked, incredulous.
Aaryav’s face lit up. “When I change into mirakum, or our full creature form.”
“This isn’t how we stay the whole time?”
“No way. Ackal is our natural form here, but mirakum is where we truly feel at one with the land. You’ll learn more about all that. Took me a while to be able to do it, to be honest. And it takes a lot of energy to stay that way.”
Veeran’s eyes lit up. “Tell me more.”
“Gladly,” said Aaryav, loosening up a little. “See that bookstore? Legend has it that it has been around since the beginning of Ilemuria. That’s a magic potions shop. The fairies and elves try and sell us their magic, but we’re fine on our own.”
They continued turning corners and going deeper in the village as Aaryav nodded to some other creatures that shouted their greetings.
“What magic can you do?” asked Veeran.
“Me?” laughed Aaryav. “Not that much. I can make fires and track my way through a forest. The land helps me a lot, but I’m no mage.”
Aaryav was delighted with all the questions Veeran had.
“How would we get to Marutam?”
“Through the Yonder Gates. There is one in each of the five villages, another to Tirakan, which is the dragon kingdom, and of course here in Kiramam Square.”
“Is it safe?”
“More safer than walking, to be honest. You never know what animals are going to jump out at us.”
“There are animals here in Ilemuria?”
“Yep, and they have every right to land as we do. They were here first. If I don’t use the gates though, I’d fly.”
Veeran was feeling extremely overwhelmed. The wave of emotions engulfing him could not be described. He was anxious then excited, frightened then amazed. There’s so much I don’t know.
“It’s all so incredible.”.
It really is. Aaryav smiled. “Ah, perfect, look at that!” he said, pointing straight ahead.
A magnificent coliseum was in their sights. It was a wonder that Veeran had almost missed it.
“What’s that for?” he asked.
“Vattapi Arena, where most of the games take place,” explained Aaryav.
“Looks like it’s been here forever.”
“And still standing strong,” declared Aaryav. “There’s a lot of history here. Some of the most legendary battles, contests, and races were here. Their history is on the Great Vayil and captured in all our books.”
“Can we go in?”
“Sure, the land is always open.”
Two troll guards stood at the entrance to Vattapi Arena. Veeran secured the hood covering his face. Thankfully, the guards seemed to sneer at every creature that walked by and not just him.
Aaryav handed each of them a gold coin as they made their way through a pair of stone doors. A long tunnel lit by several torches welcomed them as several other creatures were exploring. Veeran nearly tripped over a few particularly short o
nes who looked at him in anger.
“Watch out for those dwarves,” laughed Aaryav, pulling him away.
The same markings adorned the gray walls here as on the fountain in the middle of Kiramam Square. Aaryav made sure a large group of fairies had passed them before he stopped, looking around to ensure the coast was clear.
“Don’t tell anyone about this,” he said suddenly, to which Veeran nodded curiously.
Aaryav laid a long finger on a rather ordinary-looking piece of the wall. Incredibly, it began to pull apart as the stones gave way. Two paths appeared from within, one that looked like it led back outside and the other to a mysterious darkness.
“I was not expecting that.” Veeran laughed. “How’d you know about this?”
“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you another time.”
Stepping bravely forward, Aaryav ensured the opening closed behind them. Ignoring the path that led outside, Veeran followed Aaryav down a steep stone staircase, making sure to hold on to the wall so as not to fall. A sudden gust of wind told him that they were near an opening. Metal gates ended their path as Aaryav invited Veeran to look through.
“Amazing, isn’t it?” remarked Aaryav.
A remarkable gladiator arena was bestowed upon Veeran’s eyes. An obvious battleground with scars marking every wall. The stories of each mark could have filled an entire library. The stadium was full of bleachers that would hold thousands, all looking down into the center, where legends could be born.
“The race game is here?” Veeran asked.
“It ends here, starts at Tirakan.”
“And you’re going to enter?”
Suddenly shy, Aaryav looked down. “Well, I want to. I’ve been training for it ever since I heard about it. Balaraj has taught me so much, and he is incredible. Every unicorn that wants games training goes through him at one point. But I’ve seen other creatures, not just unicorns, train and not even finish.”
“If you need help training, I don’t mind. Not sure how I could help, but anything you need.”
A generally friendly person, Aaryav could not help but feel there was something between him and Veeran that clicked. Maybe it was because both of them felt a little out of place, Veeran more so than him.
“I’d appreciate that,” he responded.
A sudden burst of light shone through the gate, blinding their eyes. Veeran basked in a sudden warm tingle through his body as he looked to the middle of the battle arena.
“That fire never stops, but it burns brightest at the top of every hour. To open up the Vlatta Potti, the dragons traditionally bring the torch to the top of the arena,” explained Aaryav.
Veeran wasn’t listening. The more the fire burned, the more comfortable he felt. A great feeling of oneness flowed through him. Was that the land pulsing, or his own heart?
Nahi srambh…
“I’m sorry?” said Veeran.
Aaryav looked at him.
“Thought you said something.”
“Nope.”
Veeran stared deeper at the ever-burning fire.
Nahi srambh…
Veeran tried to hide the disturbed expression on his face. Was the fire talking to him?
Are you trying to tell me something? he asked inside his head.
Saahaayamh…
What are you saying? I don’t understand.
Saahaayamh….
It grew softer.
Hello? Hello!
Nothing. The ever-burning fire started to simmer away, smaller and smaller. Veeran strained to hear more, but nothing came.
“Everything okay?” asked Aaryav in a concerned tone.
“Yeah,” said Veeran. “Thought I heard something but must have been my new ears. Still getting used to it.”
“There’s going to be a lot more to get used too. We have so many abilities, even in our ackal form. It’ll take a while to get the hang of it,” said Aaryav, slightly unconvinced.
They left the coliseum, this time through the path that led outside, marching back to Kiramam Square. There were considerably less creatures around.
“It’s getting pretty late,” said Aaryav. “There are some creatures that stay here, but most go back to their villages. Some of the older ones are already gone, but the younger ones will be partying all night.”
Veeran shifted uncomfortably. “Not sure if I’d be comfortable going to a party. If it’s all right with you, I can stay anywhere on my own and wait for you to go to the unicorn village.”
Feeling another tug of empathy, Aaryav put a hand on Veeran’s shoulder. “No, it’s all right. I think Roshna might be done with her council meeting soon. Let’s check out the fountain and see if we can meet up with her.”
Veeran kept his head down as they found their way back to the center of Kiramam Square. He asked questions just to keep his mind busy and was grateful when Aaryav answered cordially.
He could not help but think of the voice that came from the fire. What was it saying? And it was obvious only he could hear it. Someone or something was trying to reach out to him. Or had he imagined the whole thing?
Aaryav kept himself talking just to have something to distract himself, happy to answer any questions. All he could think about in those few seconds of silence was how angry Balaraj was going to be with him.
CHAPTER 9
***
R oshna had glanced behind herself as she rushed to the embassy, making sure Aaryav got inside the clothing shop safely.
Will that boy ever have just a little bit of patience?
Not stopping to return any of the greetings, Roshna could see the main embassy building near the Great Vayil. Karnan’s message was full of urgency. She could not worry about Veeran for just a little bit. The Council of Elders was going to require all her attention.
King Nahusha needed to be informed, but Roshna had wanted Veeran to settle down in Marutam before calling the king. No need to get his hopes up if anything were to go wrong. Even though he had been the one to ban the demons originally, the king had long since sympathized with bringing them back and starting their clan anew. It took a great monarch to try to rectify what he thought was a mistake.
The embassy buildings were as old as Ilemuria itself. Even flying creatures had to soar high just to get to the upper floors. Scurrying inside, Roshna narrowly avoided bumping into an exasperated troll and knocking over the mountain of papers she was carrying. It was not an easy task, of course, to make sure all creatures were present and the portals were open.
Out of the corner of her eye, Roshna could see a group of leprechauns arguing with an irate ogre, perhaps over the amount of gold coins in front of them. Two centaurs were carefully weighing gemstones on a set of scales, ensuring perfect balance. Several dragons roamed from section to section, making sure that all was running smoothly.
An ancient grand staircase made from some of the first stones greeted the unicorn leader as she gracefully ascended the steps and saw one of the meeting rooms with the door ajar. Karnan, Yachana, and Hemadri were already there.
“You have a lot of explaining to do,” accused Hemadri, pointing a stubby finger at her once she entered.
Roshna kept silent.
“Do you think you could just bring one of those monsters past my guards, and I wouldn’t know? How could you even think that would be kept secret? You didn’t even tell Karnan.” Hemadri’s voice was getting louder.
“She had her reasons,” reassured Karnan.
“And they are clearly the wrong ones!” shouted Hemadri.
He stood up and walked to Roshna. Even though he was shorter, he still stood with purpose.
“Explain.”
Choosing to ignore the arrogance and rudeness, Roshna told them about Samara’s human husband and how her horn had glowed. It had called out to her through her map, and she found Veeran. She purposely left out the part about talking to Veeran’s grandmother. That was for people she trusted only.
“So you took it upon yourself to make a mass
ive government decision on your own, without asking anyone in council? Or even our Raja?” accused Hemadri.
“I did,” Roshna responded, standing her ground. “He has done nothing wrong. I have already included him in the unicorn clan.”
“How do you even know if it was Samara controlling the horn? The boy has passed manhood. What if it is an old demon trick?”
“Because the map showed his location,” answered Karnan.
“What?”
“The maps are ancient centaur magic. We drew them centuries ago, and they are of the little magic that is allowed to leave the land. If it showed where the demon was, there is a reason,” Karnan said.
The great centaur leader looked through the window, lost in thought. Roshna wondered if they were thinking the same thing.
We don’t know what triggered his location and caused the horn to glow. We’re missing something.
“Do you not all remember what happened forty years ago? The demons nearly destroyed the land!” Hemadri was almost in hysterics.
He’s frightened, thought Roshna.
A loud silence filled the room as Charak and Ubhay entered, their heads turning to each other, wondering what they might have just missed.
“Why are we discussing the demons?” asked Ubhay, suddenly tense.
“Because I found one. He’s here with me,” responded Roshna.
Charak dropped his staff as Ubhay turned a bright red.
“And the king? Have we told him?” asked Charak.
“Roshna here hasn’t seen the need too yet,” said Hemadri.
“This is my decision, and I will let the king know. The boy deserves a chance to be here,” she continued. “He has as much right as you and I.”
“No, he does not,” argued Hemadri. “I fought for this land. What has he done?”
“One should not be judged based on the actions of their ancestors,” said Karnan.
Roshna gave him a grateful nod.
“Be that as it may,” said Hemadri. “I vote to exile him immediately. He has seen Kiramam Square. That’s enough. Good for him. Now be gone.”
“Even I think that’s a bit unkind,” interjected Yachana.