The Demon's Return

by Selva, SK

  The unicorn leader was looking at Balaraj with utmost disbelief.

  “I decide our Vlatta Potti participants. Roshna and I have an agreement on this, and I wouldn’t want her to use her power as leader to usurp what little I can do,” Balaraj declared.

  “What good does this do to the clan? I’ve been training for this ever since I got here. It’s all I’ve ever wanted. I can bring glory to our clan.”

  “If you want to bring glory to our clan, you must first decide where your loyalties lie, and it is evident it is not with me.”

  “My loyalties are to Marutam and the land,” said an infuriated Aaryav, his finger pointing to his former teacher. “Maybe you should decide if yours are too, you cowardly excuse for a unicorn!”

  Balaraj started thunderously toward Aaryav as Maran and Jagan lifted their bows. Aaryav stepped forward, not intimidated in the slightest. The young unicorn had never been angrier in his life.

  “I did exactly what our tribe leader told us to do, even though the circumstances were some of the most dangerous we have ever seen. Sammelanam Karoti was called for it, for Ilemuria’s sake. I showed who I really was, yes, but no one could ever tell me I went against our tribe!”

  Balaraj’s face was filled with shock. He had always assumed complete control over all his students, but this was different, especially from one he had such high hopes for.

  “I had always held you in high regard and hoped one day you would have brought our tribe great respect, glory, and success,” he said.

  “And that’s exactly what I did last night, regardless of what you think,” countered Aaryav.

  He pounded a heavy fist on his chest, giving Balaraj pause. Aaryav’s eyes narrowed dangerously as his body heaved, feet digging deep into the earth.

  Any lingering thought that maybe he was wrong vanished from his head. Balaraj was here himself telling him how much disappointment and shame he had brought to the clan when he had been following Roshna’s explicit orders. Despite how crazy her requests might have been at the time, Roshna had been leading their tribe to glory for forty years. They had reached levels never before thought possible.

  “Are we done here?” asked Aaryav, throwing a nasty look at Maran and Jagan, who happily returned it. They had lowered their bows.

  “With you, yes,” said Balaraj. He looked at the other two unicorns. “You two make sure that demon doesn’t leave this house.”

  They saluted Balaraj robotically.

  “We’re running late,” said Roshna. “Let’s go.”

  She put a supportive hand on Aaryav’s shoulder. He ignored it. Though he was shorter than Balaraj, he stood taller and braver than Roshna had ever seen.

  It had not gone the way Balaraj had wanted, but he had gotten his message across. There was nothing left for him as he turned to leave. He stopped and looked back once last time. Aaryav was still eyeing him furiously.

  Roshna had left, clearly not wanting to be late for the meeting.

  “Never thought you would have been a traitor too,” spat Balaraj. He followed his leader out of view.

  “Get back in your hut,” said Maran suddenly, aiming his bow and arrow at Aaryav when they were alone.

  He faced his former battle warriors with a venomous look.

  “I’ll be leaving to train in a bit,” he said.

  “Train for what?” laughed Jagan. “You’re not going to the games anymore. We’ll be lucky if the king even lets us participate. And guess what, it will be all your fault. You tried to bring us glory, and you messed it all up. Just like Balaraj said, you’re a traitor, you use...”

  Aaryav slammed the door shut in their faces before they could finish. Veeran was right behind him, looking more guilty and ashamed than ever. He had clearly heard everything.

  “Are you all right?” he asked.

  Thousands of thoughts were swirling through Aaryav’s mind. He had always followed orders from higher-ups. Maybe, just maybe, it was time he did what he thought was right.

  “You still want that map?” he asked.

  Veeran could feel his heart skip a beat.

  “Let’s go get it.”

  Veeran felt his legs give way as he held on to the table for support.

  “Are you serious?”

  “Yeah,” said Aaryav. “We need to get you to that demon village. If something is happening with the magic balance like Roshna said, we need to make sure we have proof it’s not you.”

  “You don’t have to do this.”

  “Doesn’t matter. Think it’s time we take matters into our own hands. Not just for Marutam, but for Ilemuria.”

  Veeran still stared at Aaryav like he had just grown antlers in place of his horn.

  “I can’t, man.”

  The thought of all the trouble he had caused weighed him down. If they got caught, his grandmother’s request would be over before he even got started.

  But what if we don’t get caught?

  “I’ve been to Kurunji before,” Aaryav insisted. “It’s the biggest and oldest city in the land. Lots of different creatures call it home. Centaurs, ogres, trolls, and orcs. We can do this.”

  It was reckless, and he knew it.

  “What if we someone sees us?” asked Veeran.

  “I’ll say it’s my fault.”

  “I can’t let you do that.”

  “I mean, what are they going to do? Ban me from the games?”

  Despite the tension, Veeran laughed harder than he had in days. And it made him feel much better.

  “You remember where Roshna said the book and map are?” he asked.

  “Yup,” said Aaryav. “Karnan’s chambers.”

  The same sense of daring was coming back as Veeran pictured the map that could lead him to the answers he craved. It was incredible the emotional roller coaster the last several hours had been.

  He had felt alone the night before, despite the company of good creatures. But right now, the audacity of Aaryav was infectious. This time, he wasn’t going to let it run out.

  “The centaur embassy is in the same building as the library. Karnan has got to live around there,” said Aaryav.

  “Get in, get the map, and get out,” said Veeran. “Thalia said the Kurunji library is the biggest in all of Ilemuria.”

  Maybe I can still do this!

  “Great! Get ready!”

  Aaryav had slapped his table so hard that Veeran was sure the guards heard.

  “Wait, what?”

  “We won’t get a better time than this. All the leaders are in the emergency meeting.”

  Try as he might, Veeran could not come up with an argument against him.

  “How do we get past the guards?”

  “I’ll take care of that,” said Aaryav. “Grab your cloak. It’s still not daybreak, so the village will be empty and the portal too. Once I give the all clear, rush for the gate and we’ll run through it together.”

  They couldn’t waste another second. Veeran ran to his room, his stomach in knots as he waited for Aaryav's signal.

  I mean, if I’m already in trouble, may as well see how far we can take it.

  “Where are you headed?”

  Veeran gritted his teeth at the blatant arrogance etched across Maran’s voice. He peeked out the window, making sure he could not be seen.

  For a guy who had two fully loaded bows pointed at his chest, Aaryav was remarkably calm.

  “To train,” he said with enough venom for Jagan to back up. “Is that a problem?”

  “What about the demon boy?”

  “He’s right there.”

  Maran took several steps into Aaryav’s home, glaring at the hooded figure seated at the table, his back conveniently turned.

  “Maybe we should test these arrows on him before we get to you,” he said to Aaryav as he came back out.

  “You wouldn’t be able to hit me from that close.”

  “I’m the best bowman in the clan,” Maran retorted.

  “Hit that,” said Aaryav, poin
ting to a tree far off.

  An entitled scoff escaped his lips as Maran lifted his bow and fired an arrow deep into the lonely tree trunk.

  “Try that other one. This was an easy shot.”

  Not wanting to be outdone, Jagan lifted his bow and shot at a more distant tree, Maran following suit. Again and again they strove to prove the better archer.

  “One more time.”

  Instinctively reaching for another arrow, both guards felt their fingers grasp at air. Grumbling, they went to refill their quivers.

  “And make sure you take them out of the trees,” shouted Aaryav. He could see a cloaked figure sneak through his hut’s window, racing toward the Yonder Gate. Thankfully, it was still early, and the village was empty.

  The tips of the trees shone bright as the sun began to rise over the forest. Ensuring his former warrior mates were busy retrieving their arrows, Aaryav hastened to the Yonder Gate. Veeran was already there, unsuccessfully trying to control his pacing. Aaryav quickly shushed Veeran’s heavy sigh of relief when he arrived.

  “Kurunji!” they shouted, disappearing from view.

  If Aaryav had looked a bit more thoroughly, he would have noticed someone did see them leave and heard exactly where they were going, before she could get there and stop them.

  Thalia sank to her knees, her heart racing.

  “We’re doomed.”

  CHAPTER 2 1

  ***

  A aryav landed athletically on his feet as he helped Veeran get out of an entanglement of weeds. He could feel the glares from the trolls nearby as they surveyed the new visitors. Veeran pulled tighter on his hood as the entrance to Kurunji graced their eyes.

  It looked like a smaller version of the Great Vayil. They even had guards. At least these guards look a bit friendlier, for a troll at least, thought Veeran.

  “What’s your business here?” The surly-looking guard was clearly not playing games.

  “Research at the library,” said Aaryav.

  “In you go then.”

  Trying not to be suspicious, they walked through the gate.

  “Easier than how I got into the land in the first place,” said Veeran.

  “If you’ve already entered Ilemuria, then you’ve done the hardest part anyways.”

  Kurunji was not Marutam, that much was for sure. Veeran was tempted to lower his hood so he could see more. Stone huts were cramped side by side, each a different size than its neighbor. The sound of metal striking metal filled the air as if in tune to a symphony while smoke billowed from every chimney. Battle armor seemed to be in fashion as the different clans showed off their shiny new gear and helmets. Veeran felt his hooves clack against the stone roads, just like in Kiramam Square.

  “I don’t see any centaurs,” Veeran remarked.

  “They’re mostly night creatures,” explained Aaryav. “Guessing they’re heading to rest now, or the library. We’re going to have to travel deep into Kurunji to get to their area.”

  “Here to get ready for the battle games?” a sudden voice shouted into Aaryav's ear. “My shop has the finest swords, rarest steel in the land. Forged from a fire the king himself started many years ago.”

  “We’re fine,” said Aaryav while Veeran eyed the glistening swords rather guiltily.

  More and more peddlers began to shout their bargains, battling with each other for sales. Sweat was dripping from Veeran’s brow as his stomach churned, but he kept looking forward. They were here for one thing only.

  Roshna’s orders elevated his guilt as they walked deeper. He was going against the words of the woman who had given him everything in this land. The hordes of creatures eyeing them suspiciously did nothing to quell his beating heart.

  Maybe we should go back...

  Suddenly, an incredibly wonderful smell uplifted his spirits like nothing before. He sniffed the air gratefully, hoping to find its source.

  “What is that?” he whispered, pointing to a cart just off to the side.

  “Meat,” said Aaryav.

  His stomach was rumbling for a different reason now. Veeran could not remember the last time he felt full, and this smell was making things worse.

  “Meat is a delicacy here. Animals are very rare. We try not to take from them, since that uses a lot of magic and you must pay heavy dues back. Not sure if the Kurunji creatures know that.”

  Veeran could almost feel the drool starting to drip from his mouth.

  “You want to try it?” asked Aaryav.

  Veeran’s hood almost fell off as he nodded vigorously. Aaryav sighed as he instructed Veeran to wait. Bumping into several creatures in his excitement, Veeran let out a small cheer when he saw Aaryav returning with several sticks filled with meat.

  “They looked at me weird, a unicorn buying meat,” said Aaryav. “Don’t eat it now. Let’s wait until we’re out of this market.”

  Salivating, Veeran quickened his pace to the point Aaryav had to keep up. He grabbed the nourishment, his tastebuds roaring in satisfaction as the food passed his lips. He had never tasted anything so delicious in his life. The energy flowing through him was more than he had ever felt.

  “So good,” he said.

  He forgot his most recent thoughts, and they continued walking. A massive structure came into sight not too long later.

  “That’s it,” said Aaryav. “I’ve never gone this deep, but you can’t miss that place.”

  Veeran had never seen a castle before, but he knew this was as close to one as he might ever see. Several towers built from ancient stone stood tall over the village, flying creatures soaring through their windows without a care. The steps to the main entrance were cracked, no doubt from the centuries of creatures bounding up them, hoping to satisfy their thirst for knowledge.

  Passing several centaurs who gave them disapproving looks, Veeran and Aaryav took the steps two at a time until they stood before the entrance to the library. Though it was early in the day, there was a lot of activity. Creatures from all clans were making their way in and out a set of ancient double doors. Aaryav pulled on one, using all his strength to get it open as they shuffled inside.

  Veeran knew he could spend his life in this library and still not have finished one shelf. Thousands of rows of books lined up perfectly in neatly arranged shelves that rose so high, he could not see the top. The sounds of pages being turned and books flying off the shelves to satisfy their readers’ yearning was incredible. Veeran tried to strain his ears more to hear all the conversations on the most learned topics. Pixies, fairies, goblins, and even merpeople were spread across the many centaurs, scholars from all the different clans. A sound of chains caused Veeran to turn his head, and he saw several dwarves using a small wooden platform to lift them to the books out of reach.

  “This is incredible,” said Aaryav.

  “Indeed it is.” Veeran jumped as a scratchy voice interrupted them from behind. An old centaur eyed them from behind her beady glasses. “How can I help you?”

  “We’re looking for a book,” Aaryav said without thinking. Veeran nearly facepalmed as he quickly stepped away, trying to stay out of sight.

  “Of those, we have plenty,” she responded. “What kind of book?”

  “His...history?”

  It was clear Aaryav's initial confidence was fading as he stuttered.

  “I think Marutam would have those books already. Why would you need more?”

  “Thalia asked,” he said suddenly.

  Her eyes sparkling, the librarian let out a gleeful cheer. “Oh, such a wonderful, studious unicorn. I remember when she came here for the first time, such a little girl. Still has that same enthusiasm for learning. How is she?”

  “Excellent,” said Aaryav, exhaling with relief. “She is teaching first returns magic.”

  “And doing a fine job of it, I’m sure. Come, let me show you some great texts.”

  Even though he knew they came here for different reasons, Veeran could not help but marvel at where he was. The sheer amount of k
nowledge available in a world he barely knew was magnificent to fathom. He followed closely behind Aaryav and the librarian, making sure his hood covered his face.

  They walked through several shelves, Veeran keeping one row behind. The twists and turns were plentiful as Veeran tried to memorize the way out.

  “Here you go,” said the librarian.

  Aaryav could feel his knees give way as she dropped several heavy texts into his arms.

  “Thanks,” he murmured.

  “Anything else?”

  “Yes,” said Aaryav, a little braver now that his face was hidden behind a stack of dusty books. “We want to talk to Karnan about something. Do you know where we can find him?”

  Stopping in her tracks, the librarian turned her head. “Why would you need to ask him personally? And at such an hour?”

  A choked gulp escaped Aaryav's throat as he struggled to think of a reason. Veeran winced, hoping Aaryav would not mess this up.

  “We’re scared. There’s a demon in Marutam.”

  Clutching at her chest, the librarian let several books fall to the ground with a loud thud.

  “Goodness,” she stammered, bending over to pick them back up. “Of course. I didn’t realize the rumors were true.”

  “Yes,” said Aaryav, “can you help us?”

  The previously stern centaur softened her gaze, sympathy pouring out through her words. “Indeed, you are so young. It was a terrible time. Karnan’s chambers are in the courtyard through that exit behind you. You cannot miss it. I’m afraid he’s not here right now, but maybe you can wait there.”

  “Thank you,” said Aaryav.

  “You are such a brave soul.”

  Aaryav turned away to leave, moving as fast as possible without trying to arouse suspicion. Veeran could feel the librarian’s eyes piercing his back as he followed Aaryav, maybe a little too closely.

  “They’re going to know we’re here now,” whispered Veeran as they exited through a back door.

  “Means we’ll have to grab that map as soon as possible.”

  A small hut stood alone near the edge of the forest. Aaryav groaned loudly when they saw the centaur guards.

  “Great, how are we going to get past them?”