----------------------------------------

Kalon

----------------------------------------

Chapter Nine: Ula

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

----------------------------------------

The crowd erupts in celebration and protest. A brawl almost breaks out on the edges again, but Nekam holds our tribe and our allies back, telling them no. Arrum’s bruised face is full with a grin as he nods to me from the edge, standing with Nevari’s help still. Her eyes though tired sing me praise.

Keno slaps his son trying to rouse him to no avail. The other fighters can no longer stand to fight me either. They have lost, soundly. The crowd roars for Barnak to declare the winner.

“Nekam tribe…” Barnak says, eyebrow twitching, jaw flexing “Winner.”

Nekam comes to me first, grabbing my shoulder.

“You fought well.” He says, then moves to the other allied tribe leaders to converse. Something is bothering him, yet he tries to hide it.

It is chaos as our allies jump and yell with excitement, my tired tribe comes to me and grabs my shoulders, no longer casting insults. Now they whisper praise, for the first time since coming to the tribe… I do not feel like an Ulima. Arrum comes to me now with Nevari’s help, the runic lines upon his body are faintly red, he gave much to ensure I could win. He plants his hand behind my head and pulls our foreheads together as we look to the floor that is coated in the sweat and blood of our tribe.

“Well done, Kada,” Arrum says.

Nevari comes next, giving me a wide smile.

“I knew you would win Kalon.” She says.

I thank them and the others, but I do not see Nekam celebrating like the rest. His face is calm, as are the allied chiefs Dekarn and Yuri. They speak in a small huddle with serious faces. There is a growing quiet over the room. My eyes move towards the source.

The smile that once wished to blossom on my face begins to fall as I see all of Barnak’s personal guards filing into the room. A hundred strong, with energy weapons. All wearing mechanical exosuits with metal plating covering their vitals. Even though it is old equipment, handed down from the City Chief’s old stock, it would be folly even if all of us tried to fight them. They would surely slay us.

“One hundred and ninety-five spots,” Barnak says after the room becomes quiet.

Nekam steps forward, but he does not show he is afraid. His eyes level with Barnak.

Barnak laughs heartily, filling the silence.

“No tribe has ever secured so many before.” Barnak says, beginning to clap his hands “You have done well Nekam.”

“Thank you, my chief,” Nekam says, now uneasy, yet he still stands tall.

“Too well,” Barnak says, Keno stands behind him now, grinning at Nekam.

“My chief?” Nekam asks, but he is not a fool, he understands Barnak’s intent.

“If you intend to take all of those spots, then you seek...” Barnak begins, then without a veil, in the old tongue he says “Ula.”

The crowd becomes so quiet that I can hear the lights flickering on the ceiling above, my own heartbeat is loud enough to swallow the deafening silence. All of us know the meaning of the word… Death.

There are no whispers as all look to the weapons and suits of metal the Clan Chief’s guard use. This is not a bluff, he will slay Nekam and all of our tribe. He seeks one thing from Nekam now. Submission.

“My tribe withdraws with our… sixty-seven spots, my chief.” Nekam says, then bowing deeply as the guards grip their weapons tighter “The rest we give back to you, my chief.”

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

Barnak says nothing for a time as he looks down at Nekam who still bows. Nekam does not dare look up either, he holds the bow. My eyes flitter over to Arrum and Nevari, both of them wear a concerned expression. My eyes move back to Barnak who stares down at Nekam with his eyebrow twitching and a forced grin on his face. I do not think he liked that Nekam still kept so many spots, even if he returned more than half. The silence does not break until Barnak speaks again.

“I accept your offering.” He says, then turning to the rest of the room he says “Collect your surface chits and disperse. In one week's time, we march with the other Clans.”

Each of the tribe leaders who won spots on either day come to the Clan Chief now and collect their chits, one for each spot they earned. Our tribe is last. Barnak makes Nekam bow deeply again, this time holding it for more than a minute before he gives him the total of our winnings. Sixty-seven from today, and thirty-three from yesterday. One hundred spots. Still a feat for any tribe. Yet there is no celebration anymore. There is uneasiness amongst all of the tribes that are not of Barnak’s blood.

We move toward the entrance, our pace is swift. With allies helping to carry our wounded warriors. Nekam shows that he is calm, but the way his eyes flit towards the guards, I know he is wary. When we are dressed, the silence in the room is broken by a yell of pain from a voice I know. Henek.

My eyes turn to meet his, he clutches his jaw, trying to speak, but he cannot. It is broken. Even with a healer, it may take a week to heal fully, perhaps longer. He seethes when he sees me. More so than the day before. In this moment as I look into his eyes, I know in my gut. One of us will die by the other's hand.

“We move,” Nekam says to the group. His eyes meeting Keno's and then Barnak’s one last time before we leave.

When we are on the other side of the Clan’s door, we move with swiftness like never before. Our allies carrying the wounded from both sides. I carry Arrum on my back, much to his reluctance. He knows he cannot keep the pace, wounded as he is. My eyes search for the gaunt man who Nekam warned previously, I see him farther down the walkway than before, on the opposite side of where we move. He laughs as he sees us, but Nekam does not stop to threaten him again.

“Faster.” Nekam barks, there is worry on his face as we rush, his eyes moving behind us.

When we arrive at our lodgings, our allies do not leave as I thought they would, they file in with us. My eyes take in the room, all of our belongings are packed. All of my tribe that is not injured is saddled with full packs. My eyes blink but it takes me another moment to understand… we are leaving. But to where? Is Nekam afraid Keno and Barnak will come to slay us? Would they do that? My mind races as I think back to stories I have heard in the past about them.

“Kalon!” Nekam yells from across the room, waving me down.

I rush towards him, still in a daze. Still not fully sure what is going on.

“Listen carefully to me.” He says grabbing both of my shoulders “I need you to do something for me.”

I nod to him in understanding, looking around the room, many people are moving and making defenses out of the bunks now. I recognize some of the things, they are laying traps. In the way that we practice defending raids.

“The sick man who lingers outside the Clan hall, I need you to bring him to the Dekarn tribe’s lodgings.” Nekam says, his expression is serious “Do not kill him, you must bring him alive. We will wait for you as long as we can. If we are not there, go to Yuri’s tribe.”

“My chief…” I begin, not understanding fully the task.

“There is no time to explain, go now,” Nekam says to me.

Moving backwards, I turn towards Arrum who Nevari is holding up.

“We will take care of him, go now!” Nekam yells sternly.

My legs move quickly, but I do not understand why I must grab the gaunt man. What purpose does he serve? Sekat. How will I convince him to come, and not stab me in the back? My hand checks for the extra blade in my boot as I turn the corner out of the tribe’s lodgings. My feet echo on the arched ceilings. What is going on? It’s all happening so fast.

Running still, I turn the corner, now seeing the gaunt man. My steps slow as I approach him.

“So many pretty lights…” he says, staring over the edge of the railings into the abyss of the chasm below. His eyes are both completely red now. Shadowy lines ebb and flow under his skin like parasites.

He turns towards me now, I take a step back, hand moving to my blade’s hilt.

“You…” he says, tilting his head to the side, stepping towards me with a hand outstretched.

“I need you to come with me,” I say, still gripping my blade’s hilt.

He cackles, stepping closer to me, there is madness in his eyes that glow dully. Soon he will be beyond reason. I am about to try to convince the man, but I hear something strange in the distance. Metal boots.

My eyes turn, looking beyond the pillar that hides me, in the distance, a hundred metal suits march towards us, they come from the direction of the Clan building. The gaunt man hisses and runs down the walkway.

“Sekat.” I curse under my breath.

I sprint after him, he is faster than he looks. The only relief is that he runs towards where my tribe is. Instead of overtaking him, and then having to carry him, I let him run.

Only when we approach my tribe’s area, do I overtake him and throw him to the ground. My jaw flexes as he fights against me, he is stronger than he looks, those who are close to the changing usually are. I do not have time to argue with him, I must get back to my tribe. There is only one solution, so I hit him in the back of the head. He does not go unconscious as he squeals, scratching and clawing at me. Beating a sick man fills me with shame, but I must follow my chief’s order, the look in his eyes told me it was serious. I strike him three more times until he is still. There is no time to even tie him up.

Reaching our lodgings now, I bang on my tribe’s door, but there is no answer.

The metal boots are drawing closer, the cadence echoing faster as they increase their pace. Dragging the man to the next walkway, I peer between two steam pipes at the hundred guards. My heart sinks when I see it is Keno leading them. He pounds on the door.

“Nekam!” Keno yells, there is glee on his face as he says “Did you think it was over?”

There is no answer, so he motions for the guards to blast the door. Molten metal rolls to the floor until there is a hole large enough to enter.

“Bring Nekam alive.” Keno says to the guards, then folding his arms “Kill half of the tribe, we will sell the rest. Father wants to send a message.”

Keno waves them in. Single file they enter steadily.

My mind is racing. Heart pounding. Did they manage to leave in time? Should I go to the Dekarn tribe as Nekam ordered? My hand clenches as I think of what might be happening behind the melted doorway.