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Kalon
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Chapter Thirty-Six: Vasha Nul Tamak
Galactic Quadrant: Darna Quadrant
Ruling Government: Talum Merchant Federation
Solar System: D-447
Planet: Ora
Location: Beneath the planet's surface, Naro City, Yul Clan Assembly Hall
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My body aches as I rise from my bunk, three days have passed since the brothers honored their word and brought us back. I am still not used to having my own place to sleep, I remember our surprise when Nekam honored his word. Giving us a place to sleep in the Clan hall no less, such an honor we did not expect. It is strange to not have to sleep against the wall. Midway through the night I still awaken out of habit. Though now it is midday. Arrum rests still, his brow is full of sweat. My belly no longer feels like it might tear. Nekam still has not spoken to me about Neeba’s betrayal. Nor have I seen Neeba, he must be avoiding me. It is hard to sleep soundly knowing he might try to finish what he started. Still, I am glad that Nekam let us rest. From what Nevari told me, the city guards took more than half of the five bags the brothers brought back as part of the quota. Which tells me they did hide half as I asked them.
The City Chief’s Clan also fined our Clan for the damaged thermosuits, yet did not give us replacements. So, we are down two suits for when the worst part of the season comes.
I worry about the brothers, they still have not returned. Three days in the mines is not unheard of for a large group, but they were few in number when they left. Nevari told me when I woke again after the first day that Nekam and the tribe chief Yuri had sent some of their warriors to accompany the brothers. A kindness I did not expect. Arrum is a prized fighter and even as Ulima, he still has Nekam’s blood. Though, I suspect it was not just to help him, they need to stock up on their supplies. Nevari also said the other tribes sent some to join the expedition as well. Not to help the brothers, but to help their own tribes. Some fear that Nekam will not make the quota before the change of season and have begun to prepare for it.
Strangely, Nevari has been talking with me more frequently, pretending as though nothing happened between us. I am glad for it though, despite my apprehensions. I did miss her affections, even if they can be bitter at times. Even stranger still, Korra has joined our Clan, no longer Ulima, she serves under her cousin Yuri. She comes by each day, checking on us. However, I think her true intentions are to bother Arrum and Nevari. When I woke up the first day, I remembered Korra saying something about the black box. However, when I asked her if she knew how to open it, she said it was not time. When I humored her and asked when it would be time, she simply laughed.
I have spent many nights trying to learn the secrets of the strange box, growing more comfortable with it now. At one point I even took my laser cutter to it in frustration, strangely the surface did not even get warm though. Yuri no longer tries to bring it to the market for the blue-haired woman. He said if she has not claimed it by now, she never will. There is much curiosity in me about it, and her. Each night I still try and practice using the Maka like she did. Still, nothing happens. It is… frustrating. There must be a trick to it that I do not understand. Just like when the Sage taught me to feel Maka, it took me years to do it. Perhaps this will be the same.
Changing Arrum’s head cloth with a fresh and cold one, I ruminate on the events of the last few months. Much has changed. Questions I had long given up on answering have come back to the surface. Why does Netherium not affect me like the others? It is said that runeless cannot survive on this planet’s surface, yet here I am, in defiance of natural law. I wonder if it is true. Yet, there are many stories of babies born runeless killing their mothers in the womb. Are they just that? Stories.
Fickle thoughts play across my mind as I look at the wall, I am not used to having so much time to think. Not used to being allowed to rest when my body is wounded. Nekam says we are still Ulima, but the way others treat us now, and the way he treats us. It seems the opposite. There are many who have come to check on Arrum and me, wishing us well. Some of them giving Arrum a little of their Maka to stave off the change. Without it, he would have already turned. There is a feeling of debt growing now, the same people that used to pretend we didn’t exist, now ensure we do. The fighting during the proving appears to have increased our standing within the Clan. I wonder though, will Nekam truly make us real members, or is it false hope we cling to?
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
As I stretch my body, my mind replays the fight with the Carver. How could I have done better? How could I have defeated it… why did it die? What changed during the battle? Nothing comes to mind. When I asked Nevari about it, she said she had never heard anything like it. The Shulka do not get sick, they do not have weaknesses like we do. So how? Can it be replicated? What am I missing?
“Vek.” I curse under my breath.
There are so many questions, yet no answers in sight. All I can do is think of these things. Lest I begin to fester on Neeba, thinking about how my blade wishes to find his belly. No, these thoughts will get me killed. Better to not dwell on them… but if Arrum dies from this sickness. Neeba’s throat is the first my blade will find. That much I know. A noise behind me pulls me to focus.
“Any changes?” Arrum’s grandmother asks.
“None,” I say.
Surprisingly quiet for an old woman. I almost didn’t hear her approach. Giving her a polite bow, I move out of her way as she inspects Arrum. When she is satisfied, she turns to me, pulling back my bandages.
“Healing very well.” She says, eyeing my wounds “When we get more Etherium, I can fully close it.”
“Thank you,” I say, giving her another bow.
She turns to leave but pauses for a moment.
“Even though he won’t say it.” She begins, still not turning back to look at me “He respects that you saved those brothers.”
Silence hangs between us, I don’t know how to reply. She rarely even speaks to me, let alone offer words of encouragement.
“He has high hopes for both of you.” She says, now turning to meet my eye, she finishes with “Do not fail him. Your time as Ulima will soon pass.”
My eyes fall to the floor as I bow to her when she leaves. Her words stick in my mind. Will he still have high hopes for me if he knew the truth about his son? If he knew that my blade calls for his blood? My jaw flexes as I try to swallow the anger. It would be different if it had only affected me, but it has harmed Arrum. This is hard to forgive. Even the Sage did not have words for such things.
My mind wanders again to the chant I heard in the dream world. Vasha Nul Tamak… I know the meaning, Embrace the Abyss. Yet, what does it really mean, why does it call to those in the changing? So little is actually known about it, why does it happen? We know what makes it come, but we do not know why it happens. What is the Abyss…
***
Night has fallen, and the warriors of my Clan are finally returning from the City Gates after paying tribute. We are made to give last and made to give more than the inner Clans. The bounty over the last two days has not been good for our Clan. The new ship the City Chief gave for them to scavenge is sparse in resources.
The brothers and the others from the expedition still have not returned from the mines. The mood is palpable as people file in scarcely speaking. They look weary from travel. There is little hope in their eyes. It makes the guilt rise that I cannot go out and help them. I am not used to being so useless. As Ulima, you must always find ways to be helpful.
To pass the time and make use of my idleness, I go around and offer to help fix people’s gear. The Sage used to teach Arrum and me about mechanical things. Fixing laser cutters and their cores is not challenging after his tutelage. It is something we used to do to help the tribe before we were old enough to complete the walk. Anything to make sure our bellies were filled. The Kuwathi do not tolerate those who do not serve a purpose. There is no place for it here. It is not our way.
“It won’t change from the seventh setting to the eighth, it keeps skipping to the ninth.” The man whose laser cutter I am fixing says to me.
“The gear ratio is off inside the main cylinder,” I say after peeling it apart, a simple fix, but I will pretend it is more serious. Lest his pride will hurt.
He nods to me, unfolding his arms. It does not take me long to fix it. There are twelve more that I fix. One needs a new core, they have cracked the housing somehow. It will be unstable after a few more charges. Good for a trap, bad for a tool.
“How was he today?” Nevari asks as she approaches me.
Not looking up from the fractured core, I am curious about it. How did they manage to break it?
“Little change.” I say, still distracted by the core “How was the salvage?”
“Not good. There was fighting between two Clans that halted progress for all.” She says with a sigh, sitting down next to Arrum “There is talk of requesting a city move.”
My eyes look up to her. This is a serious thing. They do not happen often. The tax for such a thing is almost unbearable. It requires the Arasha and the masters’ cities to move our entire city. In exchange, no one will thrive for at least three seasons. Not to mention that we will have to enter fresh mines, it will take at least one or two seasons to even get to Etherium veins. If what the elders spoke was true. No, this would be a disaster for our Clan. Our reserves are not enough to survive such a thing without becoming indentured to an inner Clan.
“There is not enough at the new ship to salvage?” I ask her. Putting down the core.
“We finished it today.” She says, putting her head on her hand, and rubbing her temples.
“In two days?” I ask her, almost not believing. The journeys have become longer each year, but surely there are more ships we could reach and return before dusk.
“It is not just rumor.” Nevari says, leaning in closer “My father said the other Clan chiefs had a meeting with the City Chief about it yesterday.”
“Sekat.” I curse, looking at Arrum, my worry rises. Even if he pulls through, being Ulima, we will surely struggle if the city moves. If Nekam does not honor his word, we are surely doomed.
The Clan chamber falls silent as Nekam enters with his personal guard. His expression is not good. As he passes by, he turns to look at Arrum, before turning to me and Nevari.
“Follow,” Nekam says to me.
Standing and giving him a bow, I follow after him. He leads me to the Clan Chief’s private quarters where he dismisses his guard to stand outside. He beckons me to sit across from him, tenting his hands and resting his bearded chin upon them.
Nekam levels his steel grey eyes to me “There is much to discuss.”