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KALON
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Chapter Sixty-Three: Kota Voh
Galactic Quadrant: Darna Quadrant
Ruling Government: Talum Merchant Federation
Solar System: D-447
Planet: Ora
Location: Daska City
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Time’s cadence has stopped, only my perception remains, like when the horned woman appeared to me. Something feels different though, like the air itself humbles itself in the presence that comes. There is a deep ethereal light coming from the edge of my vision. Existence itself trembles, sending ripples in my vision as I feel the presence breaking the laws of nature. A hand finds my shoulder, I cannot look upon the face, my body is frozen in time. Warmth spills from the hand, shaking the core of my being, laying me bare before it. Just like the being swathed in light. Yet something is different, this being does not cloak itself in the light.
The hand moves into my perception, it is a woman’s hand, silver skin, nails dipped in gold, and runic lines upon the skin dance with some kind of meaning, the closer I stare the further my mind wanders. The hand begins to shape words in the air in front of me, golden letters in the old tongue forming before me.
Ulima Dom Sekar
The words find meaning within me, resonating with my existence. Summarizing my life in three words. Images of the pain I experienced flow into my memories. The weight of all the pain I have felt crushing my very soul. All the misery I have witnessed adding to it.
The being carves new words in the same golden letters.
Alakin Dom Jukora
The weight lifts as I feel warmth spreading within me at the words. Purpose finding me, despite my beliefs. Despite what I feel. Yet it does not last, the words press away as the pain of my life rejects these words above all. Anger fills me as energy thrashes inside me, the very words causing insult now as my senses come back to me. The being releases my shoulder, touching my forehead now. It writes more words in golden letters.
Kota Voh
The meaning, a gift my child lingers until more images come into my mind. Images of the brothers Haki and Daki, in chains, in a bustling metropolis of some kind. There are others with them in a line, all chained. I see a name written in the master's symbols… Tarvashal. The city of the Arasha. Does she mean to help me find them? Is that where they are?
The being moves her hand like she wants to write more, but there is something else building in the air, humming a different tune to existence. Red light erupts from Luna’s pocket… a voice I recognize hits the air, malice embedded deep within it.
Another false god comes to play with my muse
The being tries to draw runes in the air in front of me, but shadow billows from the box as the being swathed in darkness takes form. It swipes its hand lazily through the runes the being tries to scrawl on the air, disintegrating them instantly, sending a shockwave through the air, knocking back the being.
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My… how weak you have become in my absence, Amara
The being swathed in darkness touches my shoulder now, pain ricochets inside me like cold thunder.
It is eons too soon for you to try and steal my prey
The being swathed in darkness flicks its wrist and time’s flow shatters back into rhythm, the being it called Amara, the one I prayed to, now having disappeared. The cadence of time sends me to the floor, gasping in pain. Luna comes to my side, worry on her face as she tries to cradle my head in her hands as I slam against the ground. I hear the demented laughter of the being swathed in darkness echoing in my mind as it fades from my vision.
“What’s going on?” Luna asks, pulling back my garb, steam rising from my body.
Looking down, I see crimson lines etching across my skin, flickering in and out until they fade altogether. The being swathed in darkness’s distorted voice enters my mind again, becoming distant.
Soon, you shall be mine, and it will be my name that you call
The pain abates as I feel its presence leave. The steam coming from my body begins to fade as well, bringing me the cool embrace of the cold air of the abandoned city.
“Kalon, what is going on, how can I help you?” Luna asks as she looks down at me, cradling me tightly in her lap. Her eyes move to her pocket, only now noticing the glow of the box “Is it the Cursed Edict?”
Cursed Edict? Curiosity would call me, if sleep did not call me harder. I try to strain my eyes to stay awake, but it calls me too strongly.
***
I am stirred back to reality, the lingering feeling that I had a dream I do not remember weighing on my thoughts. Light flickers from beyond my eyelids. Something caresses my face, it takes me a moment to realize what it is. A hand, soft to the touch, so soft that it almost feels like a crime to touch me, my skin unworthy of it. My eyes flit open, and staring down at me are wondrous purple eyes, blue hair dances across my skin as Luna blinks quickly. Her face is close to mine, her cheeks blushed, her other hand that does not hold my face parts her hair behind her pointed ear. Reminding me of her truth. She is a master. Leaning up, I brush past her face, she does not try to stop me as I sit up, realizing now that I lay upon a bed. Her body pressed against mine, a wet rag on my forehead.
She jerks her hand away now, pushing away from me slowly, her gaze leaving mine as though she is embarrassed.
“Thank you for tending to me,” I say, trying to stand, my entire body feels sore though for some reason.
“It… it was nothing.” She says, still avoiding my gaze.
“How long was I out for?” I ask.
“A few days.” She says.
“Days?”
My eyes blink at her… days? But, how can that be? My belly growls, telling me she speaks the truth. The feeling that something happened in the realm of dreams spills into my thoughts again.
“What happened to you?” she asks me, her eyes finally finding purchase in mine.
“All I remember is praying, and then…” I say, recalling the being swathed in darkness calling the other entity Amara. That cannot be though, have I become mad? There is resentment in me building as I remember the words that the one called Amara wrote.
“Kalon?”
“I need air,” I say, pulling from the bed, and finding my footing as I walk from the room.
What did I see? What does it all mean? Are the Gods real? What is the black box? My ears tingle, remembering they heard Luna call it the Cursed Edict. What is an Edict? Why is this happening to me? There is some kind of grand design that I am a puppet in, something centered around this woman, Luna. Everything became strange as soon as she appeared in my life. That is the explanation, it must be.
As I pace the large assembly hall, I think of the being swathed in darkness. It said I would call its name, it said it would make me its. The words irritate me, more than the Shulka ignoring me, more than many things. As if I am so easy to control… my eyes lower as my feet stop. But I am. Nekam used me for years as a blade. Now this creature wishes to do the same. Anger. Is that all that I am feeling? This creature, this demon. It has angered me now, the way it sifted through my memories indelicately, brushing my life of pain away like it was nothing. I feel the rage rising in my blood. I feel the hate falling on the demon’s shoulders. I will not succumb to it. The remnants of my pride, they will not allow it.
If the gods and the demons are real… then maybe the visions of the brothers Haki and Daki, maybe they are real. Like the box was. There are so many questions unanswered, so many things that I must figure out. Above all though, I have a duty to the brothers, and to find the ones who killed Riza and the Arasha woman. Purpose… just what I needed.
“Kalon, what is going on?” Luna asks from my side, I did not hear her approach.
My eyes blink at her again, I am about to speak, but I see what concerns her. Red runic lines ebb back and forth trying to form patterns on my skin. Did I make them? As the anger leaves, so too do the lines.
“I have never seen a person do that before.” She says, giving me a cautious look “Krothaspawn yes, but never a person.”
My eyes narrow at her, she asks my secrets. If she wants to trade, then she will have to give first. The debt of truths between us demands it.
“What is an Edict?”