CHAPTER 9

“Keso...” Stheno stepped back. “You know I can’t–”

“I know.” Javan could see the anger in his eyes. So much hurt, which had only grown with time. It made Javan wonder what type of relationship they had before.

“I thought that, if I could win this race, if I could show you how much I’ve improved since you went away, you might fall in love with me again.” Stheno’s tongue wriggled around in her jaw like a worm burying itself in the soil.

“You know the pledge I made to Estreia. There’s no going back to the way it was, Keso. I’m a soldier now.” Stheno went over to Javan, her lampre following behind. All the joy Stheno had on her face from winning disappeared.

From outside the Oritorian racetrack, Moore yelled out to them. “Watch out! There’s something coming from above!” Javan looked up. Up in the sky, he could see a dark figure converging on the group. Air crackled around the person’s form as it descended. It took a second for Javan to realize the gravity of the situation. Stheno wasted no second.

Stheno slammed her feet on the ground. From the tips of her toes, a green, viny aura traveled up her legs to the chest and then concentrated around her arms. Rings of energy replaced flesh and from what was once Stheno’s arms formed into gigantic pythons four times the size of an average boa constrictor. The snakes lunged at the falling figure, mouths open.

“Get out of here, now!” Stheno yelled. Javan didn’t need any convincing. He ran towards where Moore stood. Keso, however, just stood there.

“I won’t leave you.” Stheno cried out in pain. Her serpents had been dissected mid-air but the figure above. Whatever was coming down there would be a true menace.

Javan got out just in time. As soon as he reached the edge of the Oritorian, a plume of smoke rose from where Stheno and Keso were. The sound was deafening. It was like a speeding missile had crashed landed. Javan looked to Moore who was standing just above him above the Oritorian’s arch.

“Are they…” Moore shook his head. “I don’t know. I can’t sense them right now with my feet.” He spoke calmly, though Javan could the worry on his face. The beads of sweat dripping off his face could double the Red Sea.

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“I managed to get Tulu and Tongo out of here already. Come with me Javan.”

“But what about them? Moore again shook his head.

“I don’t know, but whatever that thing is, I don’t think you could help. If they’re still–” He couldn't finish the sentence. Javan didn’t blame him. For as little time he had spent with Stheno, he did enjoy his time with her. He was the only one out of the Estria’s group that he felt safe around. The only person silly enough not to dismiss him, to make him feel welcomed in this new world. Without her, how would the rest of his adventure fare?

Moore reached out his hand and Javan grasped it. In one single pull, Moore pulled him up. Was everyone in this world so exceedingly strong?

Javan stared down at the open field. The smoke had cleared, but Javan still could not see Stheno or Keso or the person who came from above. It was almost as if nothing had been there at all. Except for that one thing. That giant crater in the center was hard to unsee.

“Seems someone hired a hit on us.” Moore crushed one of the glowing orbs in his hand, causing a small light show in the palm of his hand.

“A hit?” Javan was surprised, but not too surprised. He had already had an entire religious group try to kill him. Assassins wouldn’t be far-fetched. Who knew how many people wanted him dead or worse?

“What should we do?” Javan asked. The response Javan received was not what he expected. Moore lay on his back and let out a hearty laugh.

“Why do you keep thinking I have all the answers? I’m just as clueless about what to do as you are.” Javan’s heart sunk. There was nothing worse than feeling helpless. There was nothing more pathetic than being a bystander as others fought your battles for him. But what could he do? He was just a human in a land of monsters.

Javan could feel the tap of an arm on his shoulder. He turned to see Moore, now sitting up.

“Don’t stress too much about it. Stheno is a royal guard. She won’t turn in the towel so easily even if she were to die. Javan didn’t want Stheno to die. He knew what it was like. He didn’t want anyone else to experience it. That overwhelming coldness. The loss of breath. The pain.

“We have to get, Estreia! She’ll know what to do.” Javan started to run, but Moore grabbed his arm.

“You would be wise not to get her.” Javan tried to shake his hold of him, but that superhuman strength would render that idea impossible.

“Why not?’ asked Javan, still trying to pull away

“Because it would only make things worse.” Moore let go of his arm, allowing Javan’s forwards momentum to send him straight into the ground.

“You wouldn’t understand. A special project like yourself understands so little of what goes on in this country.” Javan coughed up some dirt. He raised himself up halfway. His knees shook. Javan first thought it was due to fear, but then he noticed that the ground below him began shaking as well. It was like a miniature earthquake was beneath him.

“Get out of there, Javan!” Javan didn’t have the time to react. Before he could even get up, the earth crumbled beneath him and he was swallowed whole.