„Who’s there?” Strebasus shouted the moment he heard a barely heard noise coming from the forest. Not hearing an answer, he raised his left hand, giving the signal to the other soldiers, who were with him at the borders to protect them that night, to prepare for shooting the arrows.
They right away calmed down the moment they heard Eṉōl’s whisper, „It’s me, Strebasus!”
„Commander?” Strebasus shouted, stunned. After that, he took a few steps toward the place where he heard Eṉōl’s voice, asking, „Wait a minute: how is this possible for you to come from there when we knew you on the East?”
„It has been necessary to change the route,” Eṉōl said in half a voice, finally approaching Strebasus, who kept staring in amazement at him, not totally convinced that he was talking to his commander.
Only when he saw Alena, who suddenly appeared from behind Eṉōl, Strebasus understood they were real and not a magic trick. That’s why poor Strebasus breathed a sigh of relief eventually because, „It wouldn’t have been good at all if I had been allowed to be deceived.”
„Actually, it would have been so easy to deceive you,” Alena told him, smiling. „Why? Because everybody with Black Magic could have used our voices to deceive you, and you would have easily believed him, without even checking if that voice was real.”
Strebasus frowned. „To check? Honestly, it seems an exaggeration to me because… I can recognize the commander’s voice from thousands of other voices. I know his voice.”
„Yet, she’s right, Strebasus: we have to deal with unusual enemies now. Those who have magic powers and could have easily used this trick to deceive you. However, once this hasn’t happened, let’s not panic! We are fine, for the moment. Now, tell me: Queen Inlan Diar is still awake?”
„Yes, she is. Actually, our queen gathered the Council of Elders. They are all in the Big Hall!”
„Got it! Then… I go to see them there!” Eṉōl said, smiling, resting his palm on the left shoulder of his soldier and best friend, whom he scared to death that night when he appeared so suddenly there. Then, looking at Alena, Eṉōl told her, „Let’s tell our queen the news!”
„Go alone to the big hall! I’ll go to the camp to tell the others about what we have found out. Thus, we buy some time and make some good plans to win this battle!”
„A good idea this one!” Said Eṉōl confidently. After that, tapping twice on Strebasus’s shoulder, he told him, „Don’t let anybody in, Strebasus! Outside there are only enemies and no friends!”
„What if someone comes and says that he comes to the queen?”
„Then… tell us first and only after checking that he’s a friend and not an enemy we’ll let him in.”
„Got it, commander! I’ll do as you said!” Strebasus replied confidently, greeting his superior.
Staring at Strebasus’s „submission,” Alena frowned. „It looks like an exaggeration to me,” she whispered to Eṉōl when they were moving away from the others.
„What exactly?”
„The submission of the one who guards the borders. Strebasus you said his name was. It seems to me that's more hypocrisy than exaggeration.”
Eṉōl smiled. „This is what you think it is? Hypocrisy? I would rather call it devotion because… there are so many dangers we have faced together. Something that makes me trust Strebasus.”
„What I advise you is to be cautious because you don’t know when the one you considered your best friend can stab you behind your back.”
Saying this, Alena put her hood on and headed North, to the Camp of the Beasts, to tell the others what she and the commander found out while they’d been in that strange Forest of Shadows. While leaving, she didn’t look back even for a second. Unlike her, Eṉōl looked behind her for a long while, not because her words made him think about Strebasus, but because he started to feel something strange seeing her leaving.
***
„Are you sure that Maranam is at the borders of our kingdom?” Inlan Diar asked, frightened, suddenly standing off her throne the moment Eṉōl told her, Zeal, and the rest of the elders that were present at the Council of Elders that Maranam got to the War Zone.
„I’m sure, My Queen!” Replied Eṉōl, worshiping in front of her. Then, the commander looked left and right when he heard the elders whispering to each other: part of them were asking if it was true what Eṉōl said while the other part was really worried because if Maranam had gotten there, it meant he wanted to destroy Paṉi Makkaḷ, and this meant:
„That our people are in danger, Grandma!” Zeal suddenly said, making everybody present to the Council wince. „Because of this, I think it’ll be a wise idea to put them in a shelter.”
„It goes without saying,” one of the elders said. „Yet… we don’t know how to do that because, from what the commander Eṉōl told us, the eastern field is guarded by the Vanamars of Ṭirākulā, the South Part is guarded by Colte, his wolves, and the Virgins Yātrīkar. Only the western area is free, even if we don’t know for how long.”
„The Western Area isn’t also safe,” Eṉōl cut the elder's speech off. „While heading here, surrounding the Coal Burners, the Yātrīkars, and the Vanamars, we found out that the Virgins Uyarvu, led by Āram, are heading over there. And… I think that it’s Maranam’s next point to visit too.”
Inlan Diar shuddered, hearing Eṉōl mentioning Maranam’s name. She even trembled to her feet, being about to fall. The queen would have fallen eventually if Zeal hadn’t noticed her and hadn’t run toward her, supporting her body. Thus, the moment the queen felt her granddaughter’s hands tightly holding her arm to support her body, Inlan Diar looked into Zeal’s eyes, to whom she said, „I think it’s the end, Zeal! The end of Paṉi Makkaḷ and the People of Ice because… our last chance to survive would be the Northern Area, where…”
„…we can only jump off the rocks and squash like cockroaches, after hitting the rocks of Kaṟkaḷ Pēy,” another elder present at the Council murmured, making everybody wince again and stare at him, frightened. The poor old man didn’t look at any of those present there, but at the ground, at his feet full of calluses and veins, something that hinted to the others that he walked a lot while being young. He hoped to live at least his old age peacefully. Yet, Fate decided something else for them all: to run if they wanted to survive.
Suddenly the second old man winced when the first one, who talked to Zeal, yelled at him, „What are you talking about, Illas? Why jump off the rocks of Kaṟkaḷ Pēy? Have you lost your mind or what?”
„No, Celario, I haven’t lost my mind. I only say the truth,” the one named Illas said. „If the Northern Area is the only one we can take to escape, this means that’s something our enemies planned: to allow us to escape only if we jump.”
„This won’t ever happen,” a third old man, named Pittar, said. „Nobody leaves this place. If we have to die, then we’ll die together, here, in the arms of evil, and not in the heart of Kaṟkaḷ Pēy.”
„An evil that threatens us from everywhere,” insisted Celario. „To protect ourselves, we have to do something, Pittar. It’s absolutely necessary to do this and save those who don’t have magic powers. We can’t allow Maranam to kill them.”
„What you propose then?” Pittar asked in a harsh tone. „To lead our poor people on the rocky and sinuous paths of Kaṟkaḷ Pēy straight into the wide-open mouth of the snake Tetapas?”
„Of course not,” Celario stuttered a little. „Yet, if it’s our only chance to survive, then I think we should take the risk and follow that path.”
„I agree with old Pittar this time,” said Eṉōl, making everybody pay attention to him and interrupt the quarrel of the old men. „Why is it risky? Because I have the feeling that it was planned that way: for us to have only the Northern Area free to escape. Yet, I think it’s the most dangerous one because it means that there is a dangerous trap for the People of Paṉi Makkal.”
Zeal winced. Then, frowning while helping Inlan Diar to sit back on her throne, she looked at Eṉōl, whom she asked, „Do you mean that there is a secret deal between Tetapas and Maranam? Something to make us head over there and they have the chance to close our souls in that jar Koṭi?”
„That’s right, Princess Zeal. Actually, if to think carefully now, I don’t think that appearing in your dream, a few days ago, was just to „warn” you about the attack. I think Tetapas show a fake interest in helping us.”
„I agree with Eṉōl this time,” Inlan Diar whispered, powerless. „Tetapas is more than capable of doing this. Now, with Tikil free and with Maranam at our borders, he’s able to do what he has always dreamt about. Yes, I’m sure of this now: that they have planned everything down to the finest detail - that if they aren’t able to break the Barrier created by me, to make us cross the borders and lead them to triumph. Something that won’t ever happen. I won’t allow this, ever.”
„Then? What you propose, my Queen: to leave our people here while war is coming?” Illas asked in a shaking voice.
„No, we’ll play our last card, the only one that can help us survive,” the voice of the panther Accam Kuṉṟu was heard coming from the door. Looking over there, everybody saw Accam Kuṉṟu heading toward the throne. While approaching his daughter, Inlan Diar, the big Black Panther Accam Kuṉṟu looked with kindness at those present to the Council, to whom he said, „We’ll do that by opening the gate that I have never thought we’ll be someday forced to open. Yet, we’ll do that to save us.”
„Do you mean the Secret Gate of the Mount of Fear?”
„That’s right, Zeal,” the panther said, looking at the girl. Yet, even if Accam Kuṉṟu tried to seem confident in himself while talking to the others, Zeal still could read fear in his eyes. Nevertheless, she didn’t say a word about this. She only listened to what the panther said after this, „That gate was closed a long time ago when Tikil stabbed his dagger into my heart, a gate that I’ve never thought was closed forever. Yet, it seems that I’ve been wrong in thinking that.”
Shaking like hell, while swallowing hard and staring randomly through the Throne Hall, Inlan Diar managed to stutter eventually, „A Gate that only two souls in this world can open.”
„Only two souls? Who exactly, Great-grandma?”
„You and me, sweetheart!” The queen said, looking with teary eyes into the eyes of her great-granddaughter. „A gate that asks for a huge sacrifice from those who open it.”
„Sacrifice? Which one?” Asked Zeal, taking a few steps until she got in front of Inlan Diar and could deeply look into her eyes.
Instead of an answer, Zeal saw her great-grandmother bitterly smiling because Inlan Diar didn’t want to tell her great-granddaughter that the one who can open the Gates of Mount of Fear pays with his life. She could only sadly smile, even though her soul was sobbing because it meant that the vision she had had when Anaya visited Paṉi Makkal was real: Zeal was meant to die. Yes, she saw Zeal’s death in the water of the stream Pārvai too, the one that suddenly turned red right in front of everybody that night, making everybody shudder from top to toe.
***
Staring east, where strange red lights were seen in the sky as though there were fireworks, Alena sighed. „A big battle is announced soon,” she whispered eventually, shuddering.
„I agree with you,” replied Inmar to what seemed a question, even though what Alena said was a simple remark.
Looking to her right, where Inmar was, Alena frowned. She did that not because Inmar suddenly appeared there. No, they came to the Northern Borders of Paṉi Makkal together. Alena frowned because she would have liked Inmar to lie to her instead of telling her the truth. Yet, realizing that telling lies at that point wouldn’t have helped them in anything, Alena smiled, whispering shortly after this, „Even so, I would have liked you not to agree with me this time.”
Inmar smiled. „Do you say this because of what you’ve seen in the Forest of Shadows?”
„That’s right, Inmar. Those events made me remember the past. I clearly remember everything that happened there twenty years ago. A past that marked me more than I ever thought.”
„That past marked us all, Alena. Starting the moment Nikkari brought you to our camp two decades ago.”
„Do you still remember this?” Alena asked, frowning.
„Of course, I remember,” replied Inmar cheerfully. Alena considered that joy strange. Even so, she said nothing. She only listened to what Inmar said after this, in silence. „Actually, I couldn’t forget that event because… you pretended to be mute that day. For months in a row, we all thought that you couldn’t talk. Then, when Ahi finally made you say something, you said only a few words, „I’ll tell you my story when better times come.”
„Did I say that then?”
„Mmm, word by word. Yet, that’s still a story we have never found out after that. Why?”
„Because that’s a story I hate to remember.”
„The reason?”
„Death, Inmar, because… death brought me that day to your camp.” Inmar looked at Alena, confused. Alena instead, feeling that she wasn’t able to look into her friend’s eyes, suddenly looked east, whispering, „My mother’s death, the one whom the Vanamars killed. Also… Zeal’s mother’s death, which brought me by your side.”
Inmar looked at Alena, thunderstruck. „I don’t get this,” she suddenly hissed through her teeth. „What did Zeal’s mother have to do with your mother’s death? Was she involved?”
„Yes, but… not how you think! Zayleea was who saved me that day from Ṭirākulā and his Vanamars. The same day she died.”
„Is she dead?”
„Mmm, she’s dead. Because of Tetapas.”
„That snake? But… what has he to do with the death of the former Titanide of the Limitless Sky?”
„That day, trying to save the family of the Coal Burner Rueb, Titanide Zayleea met Ṭirākulā and his Vanamars while descending the mountain. She, aware that she wasn’t capable of protecting herself and the other three souls, decided to turn back and she took Rueb’s family with her. Thus, passing in front of Tetapas’s grotto, she allowed herself to be deceived by the snake’s words, who offered her protection. Yet, entering his grotto, she never came out or had been seen by any other alive creature after that day.”
„Now I get why the other Magos often said that the snake Tetapas has something up his sleeve, something that ensures his salvation: he has a Devin Soul closed in Koṭi.”
„It seems so, Inmar. Yet… there isn’t the moment for the others to find this out. Especially Zeal. This can knock her down.”
„I agree. We’ll keep this secret, for the moment. Yet, if we manage to defeat Maranam and his servants, we should tell Zeal where her mother vanished. She has to release that soul.” Alena looked at her, confused. Inmar frowned. „What now?” She asked eventually.
„It seems strange to me that you feel compassion for someone. Especially for someone from Inlan Diar’s family.”
Inmar grinned. „Don’t call it compassion, but… ensuring my own back.”
„And you do that because…?”
„Because… I wouldn’t like to see Tetapas free. That’s why I say to release Zayleea’s soul from Koți. If this happens, he’ll be attacked and, with a little bit of luck, we get rid of him once and for all.”
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
Alena sighed. „I wouldn’t be that sure of this, Inmar. Let’s not forget that Tetapas is supported by Tikil and Maranam.”
„Yeah, for the moment. Yet, with a little bit of luck, we can defeat them. More than that, as long as Tetapas is closed in his grotto and he can’t escape, he’s weak. Not the same happens to those who are outside the grotto: their power increases with each second that passes. I mean here Zeal’s power, who, now that Accam Kuṉṟu has given her part of his power and Argol to serve her, has impressive strength. A bigger power than I would have liked her to have, honestly.”
„Yet, her power isn’t enough to defeat Tetapas alone.”
„Who said she’d go there alone? The red foxes will accompany her if it’s necessary.”
„And this miracle?” Alena cunningly asked.
„Just… a thought I had. And now… let’s return to the camp! I think Kkāṟṟu is already planning a surprise attack against the Coal Burners. I wouldn’t like to let him boast later that I did nothing. At least… let’s find out what he tries to do!”
Finally turning her back to Alena, Inmar headed toward the camp. She was proudly walking toward the Camp of Beasts. Even so, Alena still saw that Inmar was concerned. She felt it in the fox’s words and she knew that Inmar was worried for Mayar and Ahi too, from whom she hadn’t heard any news from months already and this made her heart badly bleed.
***
The red lights that Inmar and Alena saw on the eastern field of Paṉi Makkal were the reflections of the bonfires Tīmai ignited on that field, to let everybody know there was a passage nobody could cross. At the same time, those reflections were also caused by the power of the Vanamars of Ṭirākulā, who spread all over the field, at Tīmai’s command. Thus, their power managed to reflect the light of the bonfires like in a mirror, amplifying their force and making others think that those bonfires were rising up to the sky. „To let the other Titans know that this field is ours,” Tīmai suddenly hissed through her teeth, grinning, while staring at the eastern border of the Kingdom of Ice, the one protected by the Barrier Taṭai. That Barrier was like a fish bone stuck into her throat because not even Tīmai was capable of breaking it or crossing through it, something that enraged her and made her hiss through her teeth, „Such insufferable.”
„What exactly?” Maranam asked, without watching her. He was only a step in front of Tīmai, with his hands behind his back, proudly looking at the Barrier that he was dreaming to see torn apart and controlled by his power.
„The Barrier is insufferable. The same thing you think about too. Just… like me, you have no power over it, and this seems damns suspicious to me,” the Titanide replied in a slightly mocking tone.
Turning his head to his left a little, where Tīmai was, Maranam squinted at her for a short while. Then, he said, „I don’t see anything strange in having no power over an earthly thing, Tīmai. Eventually, we are on the enemy’s territory, something you know as well as I do.”
„Of course, I know that. Yet… once you decided to attack and destroy this place, I think you should have control at least over the Barrier, don’t you also think so?”
„A Barrier you have tried to destroy, in vain, not only once,” Maranam reproachfully told her. „Even if you have been created for this, you have always failed in doing this, Tīmai.”
„You know very well the reason why I have always failed in destroying this Barrier. Even so, you had never helped me to put my paws on that fox. If we had done this, we would have succeeded now. You instead… you decided not to have problems with damn Fate, not before the final battle. That’s why the fox is protected by Ahi now, who won’t be ever by our side, even if he should have been.”
„All in good time, Tīmai. Or what… do you still think that that fox is the only one capable of destroying the Barrier?” Tīmai looked at him, confused.
„Is there another soul capable of this?” She asked.
„Of course. Mannar.”
„Aaa,” she ironically exclaimed. „A dog that’s long ago closed in his cage, with no chance to escape.”
„He’s still a useful dog to us, even though others think the contrary.”
„Do you mean Eris?”
„Who else?! It’s the only reason I allowed her to control Mannar on earth. Better to say… I allowed her this because I needed her to prepare Mannar to serve our cause, in the end.”
Tīmai made a wry face. „We’ll see this,” she said, taking a few steps around Maranam, who kept squinting at her because her attitude was something he disliked. Not only did Maranam hate Tīmai’s manner of acting, but the panthers felt the same. Because of this, they kept showing her their fangs while Tīmai passed in front of them. The Titanide, at all bothered by their anger, hissed a „Tzzz,” through her teeth at one moment, hinting to them to be quiet and not poke their noses in her businesses. After that, suddenly turning toward Maranam, Tīmai asked, „Now what? Will we just stay and wait after we have conquered this field?”
„For the moment. First, we have to secure the western zone. There, along with the Virgins Uyarvu, we’ll impede Inlan Diar’s people from escaping. Thus, when they see themselves surrounded and without a chance to be helped from outside, will understand that their only chance to escape is the Northern Area. And, taking the path of Kaṟkaḷ Pēy, they’ll help us to fulfill the promise we made to Tetapas.”
„Do you think they’ll fall into the trap?” Tīmai asked, frowning. „I have the feeling that they’ll do the opposite because neither Inlan Diar nor her servants seem stupid. Maybe they are coward, but not stupid.”
„Maybe! Even so, they don’t have why to suspect what we’ve planned. That’s why I’m sure that they’ll take the path of Kaṟkaḷ Pēy, getting into Tetapas’s wide-open mouth eventually. Then, when his Jar Koṭi is filled to the brim with souls, we’ll have what we have waited all this time: the Supreme Power over the Entire World.”
„And Tetapas will be your servant forever even if he thought he’d be the Master,” Tīmai chortled, mischievous. „Ah, poor snake: he dreamt about freedom, but he’d get captive in another trap eventually. Honestly, I feel sorrow for him.”
Maranam squinted at her again. „You should rather spend your time thinking how to cross that border than feel sorry for the snake.”
„And you should rather go south than scold me. And… related to that Barrier… you know that I have no power over it,” the Titanide shouted, taking the Vanamars by surprise.
Hearing her yelling and getting all riled in front of Maranam, Ṭirākulā reproachfully shook his head, hissing through his teeth, only for himself, „She has lost her mind for sure!”
Ṭirākulā winced eventually, the moment he heard Domas’s voice in his left ear, „Who lost his mind is you if you dare to insult our master, Ṭirākulā. Or what… have you missed a trimming?” Yet, Domas suddenly jumped to the right when he felt Ṭirākulā’s sharp fangs stubbed into his throat. Ṭirākulā didn’t bite deeply from Domas’s throat: only to make sure the other one understood the message. A message Domas understood right away because Ṭirākulā saw him heading toward the panthers after this while slowly squealing.
Seeing Domas approaching the panthers, Ṭirākulā showed his fangs. „Poor idiot, he looks for trustful allies there were only enemies can be found. Well, it’s up to him if he’s stupid because nobody on this battlefield is by his side, even though he waited for something else when he believed in empty promises from the evil.” Then, still growling, Ṭirākulā turned his back to Domas, going around the field to check if his Vanamars were in a fighting position. He wanted to make sure that everybody listened to his command because… Ṭirākulā didn’t want to make enemies with Maranam or the Titanide of hatred. For the moment… yes, for the moment, he had to keep his mouth shut because he was powerful, alive, and had eternal life only thanks to them.
***
„There are enough dogs in this world, it seems to me,” Karayel growled. He was at the eastern borders of Paṉi Makkal, staring at Ṭirākulā and his Vanamars.
„And that one over there is the famous Maranam, right?” Īramāṉatu asked, frowning. „I don’t like that guy.”
„Who is not on my taste is that black princess over there. She doesn’t only wear black vestments, but even the roof of her mouth is black, like at the bad dogs.”
Īramāṉatu squinted at his friend. „Where do you know this from? That the roof of her mouth is black? Did you check her teeth or what?”
„She’s not a horse to check her teeth,” Karayel hissed through his teeth. „I just… realize who she is by listening to how she’s talking and behaving. And her clothes are also something that makes me understand this. Actually, I think she has stolen the black color from others to make that dress. More than that, I feel the evil wind blowing from her and from that weird flower she wears in her hair.”
„That’s Malar or the Flower of Death.”
„Malar? The flower that the commander Eṉōl often mentions when he tells others about his father?”
„Mmm, that’s right. That is the flower the ancestors of Paṉi Makkal warned us to avoid seeing or smelling it. If we do this, we can lose our minds.”
„I also know this. I thought everybody knew this because the one who serves the Malar, even though he’s someone with Dark Power, also acts unpredictably, heading with quick steps toward Death. That devil instead… even though wears it, she seems to act normally.”
„I wouldn’t be that sure that she acts normally.”
„What makes you think so?”
„Because… if she had been normal, she wouldn’t have talked as she talks right now to the Master of Evil: with authority and ironically. I think I felt the mockery in the tone of her voice too.”
„Even so, she’s still in one piece because… if I had talked like that to my father, I would have been a ghost right now.”
Īramāṉatu burst into laughter. „It’s because Kkāṟṟu must have some wallop. Yet, Maranam, with all the evilness he has inside, doesn’t seem to be able to hurt someone. However, the one with a black roof of her mouth, as you called her a few moments ago, seems stronger than he is.”
„It's all a front,” said Karayel harshly.
„Does it seem so to you?”
„I’m sure of this because, unlike her, Maranam can hide his force. A war strategy my father often talked to me about.”
„Thus, if your enemies are confused about you and you keep them always wondering how to defeat you, you can make them act impulsive.”
„Something like that, Īramāṉatu! It seems to me that they intend to act like this to split us. That’s why they plan to surround us only from three sides, allowing us to escape only through the Northern Zone, heading toward Kaṟkaḷ Pēy rocky area.”
„What they don’t know is that Queen Inlan Diar knows already about their plan and it’ll remain a dream only.”
„Yet, we have to accept that’s a damn good plan this one because… they made us open the Secret Gates of Mount of Fear this way.”
Īramāṉatu shuddered. „The Secret Gates of Mount of Fear?” He stuttered. „This is…”
„…sure death for someone,” Karayel hissed through his teeth. „I just hope not to be our death.”
Saying this, Karayel suddenly turned his back to the Barrier, heading toward the Camp, to tell the others that their suspicions were true and that Maranam’s plan was to make them head toward Tetapas’s Grotto. Behind him, Īramāṉatu looked a little more toward the field surrounded by bonfires and Vanamars. The wind was thoughtful and sad. He really felt surrounded by enemies from everywhere. Even so, he still kept hope in his soul that their allies would help them eventually and he would be able to dance on the eastern field again, the field he loved the most.
***
„To open the Secret Gates of Mount of Fear, daughter of mine, it’ll be necessary for you to stop Time right above the mountain,” Accam Kuṉṟu told Inlan Diar.
„To stop Time? But, Father: for this, won’t we need Tikil’s help?” She said, stopping in place. By doing this, she also forced Zeal to stop, who was only a few steps behind them.
Accam Kuṉṟu sighed, stopping too. Then, closing his eyes, because the pain from his soul was bigger than he imagined, he said, „A help that we’ll have eventually. I mean… Tikil’s help.”
„I doubt he’ll willingly help us,” Zeal idly said, making Inlan Diar reproachfully squint at her. The girl, at all bothered by Inlan Diar’s reproachful glance, shrugged as though saying, „I was just saying… that’s a sure thing.”
Staring in front again, at the panther Accam Kuṉṟu, who was still in the same place, Inlan Diar said, „Even if I don’t like to accept that, Zeal is right, Father: I also doubt that Tikil will help us if we ask him to do that.”
„And you are right: he won’t do that, not willingly,” the panther whispered, making Zeal and Inlan Diar exchange glances, amazed.
„Then? How we make him accept?” Zeal asked.
Slowly turning toward her, Accam Kuṉṟu smiled. „Did I say that we’d ask Tikil for help?”
„No, you didn’t say that. Yet, it sounded like that.”
„Then… you misunderstood my words because what I said was that we needed Tikil’s help to open the Gates. How do we get that help? I never said.”
Upset, Zeal folded her arms over her chest. „Then, I think it’s time for Your Majesty to illuminate us,” she told the panther in an ironical tone because she also considered that Accam Kuṉṟu was making fun of them.
„Zeal,” Inlan Diar scolded the girl, looking at her. „I told you so many times not to be impolite with the elder ones. You never listen, however.”
„Yes, you said that! Yet, you never said that I can’t do that if I feel offended,” the girl replied feistily.
Zeal’s answer made Accam Kuṉṟu laugh. „This is what you think I’m doing? That I make fun of you and this offends you?”
„Well… honestly… it sounded like that.”
„Well… you are actually right! I tried to play at least once in my life and make my great-great-granddaughter’s life impossible.”
„Something damn impolite, don’t you think so?”
„Maybe you are right. However… how should I feel better if not making fun of you?”
„What do I know?! Finding another clown?”
„Why bother myself when my descendants have brought you into this world?” Said Accam Kuṉṟu, laughing.
„It didn’t sound well at all,” Zeal hissed through her teeth, a hiss that brought the cobras closer to them.
Looking at the green creatures, that threateningly had risen on their thick tails and threw their forked tongues toward him, Accam Kuṉṟu suddenly became serious. „Now I get it,” he said eventually.
„What exactly?”
„Why do you bite when you feel attacked? It’s because of them. They have taught you that trick, right?”
„Actually, I’ve learned this from you because… you also bite well,” the girl replied in a harsh tone. „Now, leaving this aside, what about telling us how we make Tikil help us?”
„We don’t have to do anything to manage this. There are others who’ll take care of this for us,” Accam Kuṉṟu suddenly murmured. After that, turning his back to Zeal, he headed north.
Looking at her great-grandmother, extremely confused, Zeal reproachfully shook her head eventually. „I understand that I haven’t understood anything.” After that, snapping her fingers, she demanded her cobras return to their holes.
„Honestly, I also don’t understand too much, the queen whispered, sad. Then, she looked around, at the deserted fields, where no alive soul was seen because, since their enemies had surrounded their kingdom, the People of Ice and the Siars hid in their houses, which they left only for urgent deals. „A view that makes my heart bleed because… Paṉi Makkal has never looked like that. Here… it has always been joy and peace. Now… only the wind dances around.”
„Is it so because of the winds from the Camp of Beasts?” Zeal jokingly said. Yet, seeing that neither Inlan Diar nor Accam Kuṉṟu smiled, she murmured, upset, „You could have at least pretended that my joke was good.”
„A heart that bleeds cannot smile, Zeal,” Inlan Diar whispered. „Not when there is so much sufferance around.”
„I’m also aware of this, but… making jokes also makes the suffering easier, don’t you also think so?”
„The girl is right this time,” Accam Kuṉṟu cut their talk off. „It’s easier even in harsh times if your heart is calm.”
„I know, Father, but… I can’t pretend that I don’t feel this. Not when my People suffers so much.”
„Something that you have learned from me,” Accam Kuṉṟu sadly whispered, bowing his head and sighing. „And still something that’ll end soon.”
„Will it end? How?” Zeal asked in amazement.
Accam Kuṉṟu turned his head toward Zeal, telepathically answering her question, „Only our suffering, Zeal! Our suffering will end soon. Now, let’s go!”
„Where?” The girl asked, staring at Inlan Diar this time.
„To the heart of the mountain,” Accam Kuṉṟu replied instead of his daughter. „To see the place from where you’ll take the power to open the Gates. And you, daughter of mine, don’t be sad after this because I’ve chosen with my heart when I’ve decided this.”
„You decided what?” Zeal insisted on finding out an answer to her question.
Neither Inlan Diar nor Accam Kuṉṟu said anything. They only deeply looked into each other’s eyes as though they were reading in their souls that big secret they tried to keep unknown by Zeal. A secret that had only one target: someone’s life brought like an offering for saving others.
***
„Wait for me here!” Accam Kuṉṟu told Zeal when they got to the western border of Paṉi Makkal. „Before descending into the depths of the mountain, I have to talk to someone.”
„With someone? With whom exactly?” The girl asked, stunned.
Accam Kuṉṟu kindly smiled when he said, „Someone whom I thought I would never meet. Yet, he’s someone whom I have to meet for the first and the last time in this war.” Then, somehow depressed, Accam Kuṉṟu turned his back to Zeal, heading toward the Barrier.
In the same place where she stopped when the panther told her to wait for him there, Zeal stared behind him. „What is this old creature planning?” She wondered. „Nothing good, I think, even though… it seems to me that he has good intentions through everything he does. Even so, I feel he hides something. Not only he, but Great-grandma too. What they said before was too strange. Especially… what did they try to say to each other by exchanging those strange glances? Have they planned my death or what? Ah, Zeal, you definitely think too much lately!” The girl scolded herself. Then she kept silent the moment Accam Kuṉṟu crossed through the Barrier.
Watching him, Zeal saw the panther stopping in the middle of the field eventually, the field that was guarding the western borders of Paṉi Makkal, a place that looked so deserted at that moment. Yet, it was only an illusion, and Zeal understood this so soon that it made her shudder: the moment many torches had been lit by the Virgins Uyarvu, who were all over the field at that moment.
„It can’t be!” Zeal almost shouted, taking a few steps toward the Barrier after she had seen the Virgins Uyarvu there.
She stopped again when Accam Kuṉṟu turned his head toward her, telling her in a harsh tone, „Stay where you are, Zeal! Don’t take any more steps from that place, not outside of this Barrier, did you hear me?”
„But, Great-grandpa,” the girl tried to stay against his idea. „You are alone there. Those Virgins are dozens if not hundreds around you.”
„It’s just a number, how many there are here! Even so, they won’t do anything to me because… no Uyarvu can’t control me, even if this is something they have always wanted.”
Hissing these words through his teeth, Accam Kuṉṟu looked at Āram: he was outraged seeing her there. The leader of the Uyarvu didn’t move from her place even if she saw his scolding and furious glance. Contrary to what the panther wanted, Āram proudly looked at him. No hate was read in her eyes, but stubbornness because the panther was right eventually: the Virgins Uyarvu had always dreamt of freedom, something they would have had if they had defeated Accam Kuṉṟu. Yet, this was something they had never managed to do because „You have always tried to keep us tied to you!” She told the panther eventually.
„If I did that, it was because I knew that your freedom would have injured you more than your souls were hurt already. And I’ve been right in doing this because… you have allied with the worst of your enemies eventually. I don’t talk about Maranam, the one who approaches this place at a quick step, on Vakkurti’s back, but about Helyos, the one who darkened your mind, swearing to give you something he won’t be able to give you… ever.”
„You are wrong now, old man,” Āram told him with superiority, staring into the panther’s eyes. „We aren’t looking for eternal life while fighting by Maranam’s side, at Helyos’s command.”
„Then, if it’s not that, what you are looking for here? Power?”
Āram shook her head. „Light and Warmth, this is what we are looking for. We want to see the sunshine again, something we won’t ever see again as long as this damn Kingdom is still standing!”
„Something you won’t ever have!” Accam Kuṉṟu reproachfully told her. „The defeat of the Kingdom of Ice! Do you know why, Āram? Because… there cannot be Light where Darkness is ruling and neither Kindness if a cruel being like Maranam stays on the Throne of the World!”