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Kalon
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Chapter Five: Unata
Galactic Quadrant: Darna Quadrant
Ruling Government: Talum Merchant Federation
Solar System: D-447
Planet: Ora
Location: Beneath the planet's surface, Naro City, Nekam Tribe’s Lodgings
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“Give me your trust, and I will give you victory.” Nekam says, then he waits for a moment “Those of you that fought today that will fight again tomorrow line up after I call you.”
He calls a series of names, to which Arrum and I are the last ones to be called. We are not surprised by this, we were the best of our age during our tribe's selection. What I am surprised by is that his son Neeba was not chosen to fight again tomorrow. Neeba’s jaw is tight, yet he does not speak against it.
After all of us that he called are lined up, he leads us into the chief’s chamber, where he has us line up again. His mother, our tribe’s healer looks us all over, her eyes are sharp as her hands prod us where our bodies are bruised, feeling if the bones are intact. She turns a few away, those who do not need any healing. Nevari and Arrum are amongst them, which is a testament to their abilities.
Even though I was outnumbered, I cannot help but feel ashamed to have so many bruises on my body. The Sage always taught me to fight with my head before my fists. I should have kept my distance from the edge during my match, perhaps I would have won all the spots. Not expecting unfair people to cheat is like expecting the hungry to not steal food. Next time, I will remember this lesson.
It takes some time for Nekam’s mother to heal the others, she uses the Etherium Shard we won to channel it. Thinking on it, it surprises me that Barnak did not take it back from him. From the look of the shard, it does not have much left inside it, owing to Henek’s unrefined channeling and it being a weak grade. The once bright blue crystal has begun to lose its luster, it is dull as it glows. Soon its shade will change from blue to red and it will transition into Netherium, becoming hazardous to touch. Taking Maka from its holder instead of giving it. The deeper the red glow, the more dangerous it becomes.
When it is finally my turn, Nekam’s mother pauses for a moment. She is one of the few who has seen my truth. Though her eyes are softer on me after proving myself for five years, they are still wary of me, she was initially against Nekam taking me in.
“You are ready?” she asks me.
Nekam stands by the door, holding it closed. His eyes watch me closely though.
“I am, Unata,” I reply kneeling before her, bowing my head, addressing her by her title. It is the old tongue's word for Healer.
Her hands slowly move towards my skin, one hand clenches the Etherium shard and the other hand is extended outward, runes ignite upon her fingers. Her control is refined with almost no waste. When she touches my skin, I feel the Maka flow, warmth spreading through my skin, soaking into my body. Like existence itself is breathing into me, giving me life.
Seeing my apprehension she says “Do not fight it child, let the Maka flow.”
Pulling air deep into my chest, I release it slowly with the tension. The Maka rolls deeper into my skin, flowing through my veins, my body feels lighter, my muscles fuller. The feeling is intoxicating as it courses into my bones. The pain from my injuries during the match begins to leave as my body heals. Her hands are deft as they guide the flow of energy inside of me. Healers are rare among my people. Fewer still are as skilled as she.
Stolen story; please report.
“How you have survived this long being as you are… runeless, I will never understand.” She says, kissing the pendant of Hempki’s hammer around her neck, the symbol of the God our tribe worships. Now turning to her son Nekam she nods.
Runeless… my truth. I have known it since I was a boy, and felt its reality my entire life. Were there others to share the shame with, it would not be such a heavy burden, but I am the only one I know that has been forsaken by the gods from birth and lived. An anomaly of misfortune. Forsaken by man and the gods alike.
“Eat, then rest, tomorrow will be long,” Nekam says to me as he opens the door and motions for me to leave.
“Understood, my chief,” I say, giving him a bow as I pass by, but as I leave he stops me for a moment.
“If you and Arrum earn ten spots tomorrow, you will have earned your own bunks,” Nekam says.
My eyes blink at the words as I nod to him and depart. A difficult task, but it would take us one step closer to not being Ulima. My knuckles tighten as I think about tomorrow. Will he have me shame someone again?
When I reach our shared bunk, Arrum is already sitting on it. He is mixing the ration bars into a small metal bowl. Mixing it with water makes it easier to eat, the dry ration bar is hard to swallow otherwise. He eats less than half then passes it for me to finish.
“Not hungry?” I ask him, sitting next to him and looking at the larger portion he left me.
“You need it more than me, I think he will use you again tomorrow,” Arrum says with a sigh as he leans his back against the wall.
I do not waste time; I finish the food. It is bitter and salty. A familiar taste, it is what we all eat in the lower caste clans. Looking back at Arrum again I can see he is deep in thought.
“What troubles you?” I ask him.
“Thoughts of the heart.” He says.
“Thinking about the note from the Dekarn tribe still?”
He nods, then looks at me with an eyebrow raised, his mood seems to improve as he says “I imagine you can relate? I saw you talking with Nevari again today.”
Rolling my eyes at him, I remember what Nekam said to me earlier.
“Nekam says that if we get ten spots tomorrow, he will give us our own bunks,” I say, returning his eyebrow raise.
Arrum perks up at this, though he tries to hide his excitement a little.
“Only ten? He should have asked for twenty.” He jests.
A grin curls over my lip for a moment then I slap him on the shoulder and move to the floor. The bunk is too small for both of us to lie down to sleep.
“You can have first rest,” I say to him.
Within three minutes he is fast asleep. Soon I will follow. Memories of the matches play in my mind as I drift off. My mind searches for how I could have won the fight without Arrum’s help. Before I find sleeps embrace, thoughts of Nevari trace the edges of my mind as well.
***
Morning comes to meet me as the dim lights flicker on. We do our morning exercises quickly, making our bodies limber, and eating swiftly from our rations. There is anticipation as those who did not fight the day before join our ranks. I am surprised to see that Neeba is still not amongst us. However, I do not ask why he was not chosen. He is skilled, but unlike Arrum and I, he has never been at the top of our age group. His father Nekam is fair in this way, only those who prove themselves fight to earn spots on more than one day.
As I pass Neeba who leans against the wall, there is an expression on his face, a look that I know too well. Disdain.
“Do not disappoint the tribe, Ulima,” Neeba says to me in a low growl.
He has never liked me, he barely tolerates Arrum, his own blood. His sister Nevari and he are very different in this regard. Pressing the thoughts from my mind, I focus on the task. Today we must fight again for more spots so that our tribe can thrive on the surface crews. If we do not, only the mines await us. If Arrum and I can gain ten spots for the tribe then we will take the next step towards no longer being Ulima. Perhaps someday even being permitted to fight in the Madricka.
After we have left the tribes lodgings, and when we are close to the bridge to our Yul Clan, I see the gaunt man from the night before. He looks worse. One of the irises of his eyes is now fully red, it has a dull glow to it. The other eye is half-turned now. The man is whispering to himself and scratching at the bulging ebbs of darkness that crawl along his skin, shimmering red lines moving back and forth on his skin. The Netheric madness has begun to take root in his mind. He stands looking down towards the depths of the chasm.
“So many pretty lights…” he whispers as he peers into the darkness. His eyes look over towards me now, his head tilting to the side, he mouths something to me, but I can’t quite make out what he said.
He moves towards us, but Nekam turns on him, extending his blade outwards.
“Do not be here when we return.” Nekam warns him sternly.
The man hisses and moves towards the shadows under the pipes. Crouching down now, holding his legs and rocking back and forth, whispering to himself again. My eyes move towards Nekam, I can tell he is debating dispatching him now, before the changing. Yet, he decides against it as he sheathes his blade and bids us to follow.
As I move towards the Clan doors, I see the glow of his fully red eye in the shadows, fixed upon me. Pressing it from my mind, I find my breath and focus once more on the fights that will come.