Chapter 32

Survival of the fittest

- Here they come, with fin and tail, with eyes of gold and silver scale -

The trio found a safe spot well past the section of tall yellow razorbladed grass from which to launch the barkboat back into the water. No one spoke. Each was exhausted. Movement was slow and lethargic.

The water was clear and sparkled like gold under the late afternoon sun. The current had picked up but it was not as strong as before. Pushing the barkboat back over the water, the three climbed aboard and took up their usual positions. Immediately, the current pulled them forward and they gained speed. 

"We are moving swiftly, though not as fast as before," observed Thonavar, taking up the place in the front. "This is still good for us."

He turned back to face his friends. But received no response from them.

Lyla sat in the middle, staring into space. For once, her frosty blue eyes seemed lifeless and dull. Chaeron too had not spoken for a while.

Not a good sign. He is usually full of things to say.

Thonavar knew that the mood of the company was grim. He waited till the barkboat hit a smooth patch of water before standing suddenly to his feet. Lyla and Chaeron both looked up at him as he did so.

"Friends," began Thonavar, speaking loud and clear, "we almost lost our lives just then. But this is no cause for despair."

Lyla rolled her eyes.

"Are you going to make a speech now?"

"We almost lost our lives," continued Thonavar, ignorning Lyla’s snide remark. "But we have learned. And we have grown. We have made it thus far and this is something to be acknowledged. We may face many other trials before us but now let us come together and hunt for some food before making camp."

"Aye, food is what we need," agreed Chaeron. "I am famished."

"But make no mistake," said Lyla, her eyes locking with Thonavar’s. "This will be a difficult journey. For we are almost spent. And this is but the first day. We each have two more days to reach the mountains and we may not survive the next ordeal, especially if it is like the one we just had today. Who knows how many traps like the last may be waiting for us within the forest and across the land?"

"This is true. We are well spent. But have faith" said Thonavar with a reassuring smile. "All will be well."

Lyla shook her head.

"It is almost evening. Let us make camp just before it gets dark," decided Thonavar. "But let us travel inland a little more."

"As you wish," said Lyla, resuming her despondent silence.

Thonavar bit back his anger. He sensed a bitterness growing in Lyla.

Her strength had failed her and she had to rely on our help. She feels weak. And so, she is angry.

"This is no one’s fault Lyla," said Chaeron, speaking up suddenly. "If not for Thonavar, we both would have perished back there. You should be grateful."

Lyla’s eyes flashed in anger and she turned back to face to Chaeron indignantly. She was about to retort when Chaeron raised his voice at her again, looking at her straight in the eye.

"And if it was not for your foolish decision to spend your strength fighting the current, you would not have gone wayward. You would have made it to the barkboat and we would not have had to risk our lives trying to save you!"

At this, Lyla fell silent. She looked at Thonavar and then turned away, embarrassed. Thonavar shook his head and quietly signaled to Chaeron to stop. Chaeron fell silent and turned away. Lyla turned back to the front but stared at something on the right, refusing to look at Thonavar.

Silence reigned between the trio as the water carried them further downstream. As they passed around a bend, it became apparent that the stream was growing in width. In the distance, the snow-covered peaks of the cold mountains drew closer.

The skies were darkening and painful hunger pangs were beginning to rack Thonavar’s stomach. Staring mournfully into the water, Thonavar suddenly saw a dark shape darting about. Recalling the overseer’s words about food, Thonavar peered again into the water and saw a more shapes darting to and fro.

"Look! I think there is fish in the water," said Thonavar, breaking the silence.

Chaeron and Lyla stirred, perking up at the mention of food. Thonavar gestured for them to peer into the water to see for themselves, pointing out the dark shapes moving within.

"Yes! I see one," said Lyla, pointing excitedly.

"Where? I do not see even one fish," said Chaeron, straining his neck and bending so close to the water that his nose was almost inside the water.

"Then let us quickly make camp and hunt for some food," said Thonavar decisively.

At the mention of food, energy flowed back into their bodies. Steering the barkboat to a few overhanging roots by the side of the stream, the trio wedged their mode of transport between the tangling tree roots and stepped ashore.

"I have a plan," Chaeron announced suddenly. Thonavar and Lyla exchanged a look before moving in to listen to Chaeron, intrigued.

"Go on. Tell us," said Thonavar.

"It better be a good plan. I am starving," said Lyla.

"See the tangling roots over yonder? Both of you shall draw the fish therein and I shall catch them," said Chaeron proudly.

However, both Thonavar and Lyla stared back at him, unimpressed.

Seeing the look upon their faces, Chaeron reassured them.

"Trust me. I know what I am doing," he said. "Both of you stand in the shallows with hands in the water. Be careful as to stand very still. When you see fish, chase them toward me. I shall be standing here," said Chaeron, taking position within the tangling roots. "I shall trap them here and seize them."

Thonavar was not entirely convinced.

"What do you think Lyla?"

"His plan might work," she replied thoughtfully, hands on her hips. "At any rate, it is the only plan we have."

"Then let us try," said Thonavar, eager to start.

Both of them waded into the shallow river and placed their hands into the water, peering into its shallow depths, seeking out the small darting figures that might be fish. They stood about a metre apart, eyes hunting for any signs of fish.

Not long, as clear as day, the silver forms of two fish were seen gliding close by. Thonavar’s eyes followed the fast-gliding fish, determined not to lose sight of them. He nodded at Lyla to be ready.

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"I see them," whispered Lyla, her forehead knotted in concentration. "No sudden movements."

"Chaeron, be ready," said Thonavar, not taking his eyes off the fish.

The fish glided past Thonavar and stopped, fins flapping somewhere in between Lyla and Thonavar.

Thonavar shouted. "Now! "

Putting their plan into action, he and Lyla suddenly moved toward the fish, hands waving madly in the water. The fish, alarmed by the sudden movement, darted in the opposite direction toward the waiting Chaeron.

Thonavar and Lyla surrounded the fish, preventing any escape back into the open water and continue to wave their arms behind the unfortunate fish which had swum straight into the trap. Caught in the shallow water and entangled by the roots, Chaeron easily picked it from the water.

Chaeron exclaimed in delight, holding the struggling fish in the air, before placing it upon dry land. "I have got it!"

"Nicely done," congratulated Lyla, her face breaking into a brilliant smile for the first time. Her blue eyes sparkled into life. Thonavar nodded at Chaeron and patted him on the shoulder. The mood was suddenly ecstatic and lightened considerably at the prospect of food.

After trying the same tactic once more, the trio caught two more fish.

Lyla started a fire while Thonavar and Chaeron found small sticks to spear the fish. The three of them sat around the fire cooking their fish. There was a fish for each person sitting around the fire. Thonavar and Chaeron both ate with ravenous ferocity while Lyla ate gingerly with small bites.

The warmth of the fire was strangely comforting and for a brief moment, each ate in silence, mesmerised by the sight of dancing orange-yellow flames. The mood was light and the three felt their spirits lift. A few minutes later, the trio finished devouring their fish, and threw the carcasses and bones back into the fire.

"T’was a good plan Chaeron," said Thonavar, acknowledging Chaeron’s strategy. "A very good plan indeed. Because of you, our stomachs are full and our hearts are glad tonight."

At this Chaeron nodded modestly, turning slightly pink.

"See now you have made him smug," said Lyla cheerfully.

"You know," said Chaeron, managing a grin through a mouth full of fish. "The land of Ayumah is not all that terrible. It is a land abundant with natural resources. There is wild life for food and fresh water aplenty."

"Yes, but not only that," added Lyla, as she looked up at the night sky. "Ayumah would be a good place to hide if one was keen to disappear. There are large swathes of forest and hidden grooves and caves in the rocks. I could stay hidden for weeks or months in this land."

Thonavar studied Lyla closely. Her words revealed a troubled past. He sensed a darkness in her. The darkness of a past that she was keen to hide from them and the world.

"You would be quite mad to do that. There is absolutely nothing to do here," retorted Chaeron with a snort. "It would be terribly boring to live out here."

Lyla shook her head with a look of exasperation.

"I am not sure I agree with you there Chaeron," interrupted Thonavar with a smile. "Lyla does have a point. City below, where I come from, is cramped. There is no space and living conditions are far from satisfactory. Out here, one need not worry about space or food or the lack of clean and fresh water. There would be no broken houses, broken windows, tables with three legs, creaking beds and leaking taps. There would be no need for fathers to come home without seeing their children because there would be no need to work for anyone other than yourself and your family."

"Ah, I see," said Chaeron, nodding solemnly. "Is that how life is down in city below?"

"Yes," replied Thonavar. "Though I have merely described some of it. Have you not been down to city below?"

Lyla relaxed and leaned back against the trunk of a nearby tree, listening to the conversation.

"I am afraid not. I have lived in city above my whole life," continued Chaeron, his eyes staring into the night sky above. "Far away from the real world. My life has always been surrounded by books and study. It was a sedentary life. But tell me of city below. I want to know more."

Thonavar made as if to speak but was surprised when Lyla spoke instead.

"There is dust. So much dust," said Lyla, still leaning against the tree trunk. She too stared at the night sky above. "And dirt. But so much dust. People die all the time from simply inhaling dust. Toxic dust. And there are toxic pools, chemical spills and acidic vapours and clouds. There is violence. Petty crime, looters, vandals, gangs and credit sharks haunt the streets of city below. The wardens and watchers do little to protect the citizens of city below, choosing instead to look after the more valuable citizens of city middle and city above. Life is cheap from where I am from. Everywhere I go, there is only struggle, despair and death."

"But yet, I am proud of it," said Thonavar, his eyes shining. "For, it is my home and where I come from. It has taught me to appreciate what I have been given and to protect what is close to my heart. In the narrow streets and dirty alleyways, I learned to climb and scale walls and buildings, jump from rooftops, to tread light as a whisper and to run as fast as the wind. There, only the strongest survive. There, only the strongest are made."

"I would love to see for myself," said Chaeron, widey-eyed as he listened.

"And you shall," said Thonavar. "For one day, Chaeron, I will take you there."

Lyla was silent as Thonavar finished speaking.

"Let us come up with names for each other," said Chaeron suddenly, eager to lighten the mood.

Lyla rolled her eyes before replying.

"What now? Names? Do we not already have names?"

Chaeron ignored her and stood to his feet.

"You may call me charo," he declared dramatically.

Thonavar smiled and nodded.

"You are Thon, of course," he continued, turning to Thonavar.

"Thon? Well. I am not sure…," began Thonavar awkwardly. Only one other had called him by that name. A memory surfaced – this time of a man twirling a ruby-encrusted scepter, pupils gleaming red.

But Chaeron protested.

"It is shorthand for Thonavar. Do you not see?"

Thonavar turned to Lyla but she smiled and shook her head, much amused by all this. Thonavar nodded and gave in while Chaeron whooped and clapped. Even Lyla could not resist a chuckle.

"You may call me varu," said Thonavar suddenly. "It is what my moth-, I was called back home."

"So be it," said Chaeron with a nod.

Then turning to Lyla, Chaeron frowned and put his hand under his chin as though he were deep in thought.

"As for you," he began, "I… I think your name shall remain Lyla. Your name is too short for shorthand."

At this Thonavar chuckled to himself.

"Fine by me," said Lyla with a cock of her head and a slight raise of her eyebrows.

The trio exchanged some light-hearted banter for a bit, laughing and sharing experiences and stories, before turning to plan their next move.

"After we have finish this meal, we must leave no trace of our camp," said Thonavar, his face becoming serious. "We have not encountered any of the others thus far which means we might soon do. We should douse the fire and move quickly downstream again by the light of the moon."

"We must be quite ahead of the others given the speed at which we have been travelling," observed Chaeron. "The barkboat has been a great success!"

"I do not think so," said Lyla, shaking her head, staring at Chaeron with her piercing gaze. "We should not underestimate the others. Some of the boys, especially some of the bigger ones, I know to be strong. Then there are other girls and boys who possess certain talents and skills. Not a single child who made it through the testing should be underestimated."

"Lyla is right. Let us not concern ourselves with how the others are doing," said Thonavar. "Let us concentrate on our own progress. The cold mountains are near. If we continue at this speed, we may reach them well before noon on the third day."

"Nay," said Lyla her piercing eyes locking with each of theirs. "We should be concerned about the others."

“What do you mean?” asked Chaeron, his eyes narrowing.

"I listened closely to the overseer’s instructions," began Lyla. "He said that our main task was to make it to the mountain before sunset on the third day. He did not state a single rule concerning the use of force against a fellow candidate."

Force?

At this, both Thonavar and Chaeron froze. A cold gust of wind swept through the small clearing, sweeping leaves and dust into the air, almost putting out the fire.

"The use of force," repeated Chaeron with incredulity. "Why would there be a need to resort to using force?"

"There is always violence," said Lyla, her voice becoming low.

"Now, Lyla," said Chaeron, shaking his head. "I think you may be overthinking this."

"There is always violence," repeated Lyla, her tone dropping to just above a whisper, her blue eyes lost in memory. "There is a violence in the world. A violence within each of us. It haunts us. It drives us. It grows within us, sprouting from seeds of discord, disharmony and discontentment. In a struggle for survival, when hopes, dreams, fears and even lives are at stake, there will always be violence. You, Chaeron, belong to a world in which you cannot comprehend what real violence looks like. You cannot understand the depravity and darkness of the human soul. But I know. For I have seen it. I understand it."

As Lyla finished speaking, an awkward silence ensued. Chaeron was at a loss for words, and could merely nod to show he had understood. His face was grave and serious in expression.

As Thonavar listened to Lyla’s words, he felt a tinge of sadness within. He wondered what she must have gone through to understand what she now knew. Her view of the world was dark and grim indeed, and he was certain no child should ever have to undergo whatever she had undergone in her life.

One day, decided Thonavar, I will ask her and she will tell me when she is ready.

"Lyla is right. We must be on our guard," said Thonavar firmly. "For now, let us make camp and rest before continuing tomorrow."

Both Chaeron and Lyla nodded and Thonavar felt a surge of determination.

We will make it to the mountain. Then we shall ascend it.