Robert awoke, squinting at the bright sunlight. What time is it?
“Good morning, Spirit-Sent,” Veol said, walking by his small sleeping area.
“Morning, Veol.” Robert rubbed the sleep from his eyes and attempted to tend to the terrible case of bedhead he now had. “Where is Amynta?” he asked, looking at her vacant spot several feet away from his own. Her bedroll and gear were neatly organized and folded.
“She decided to take a morning stroll. I think she went over to the river.” His hand extended to point south of their current position. “I warn you though, Spirit-Sent, she has not had her breakfast and is likely to be quite cranky.”
Robert smiled and started to get dressed; in the middle of sliding his boots on, he took a moment to breathe in the air. It was a crisp and beautiful morning. There were many just like it since they arrived at the Spirit Forest. After their initial encounter with Miza, the elder spirit, Amynta, and Robert were given special access from Mioh to enter and meet with her as they pleased. They did this for the several weeks they had been here. Every morning, Miza and Mioh would meet them just within the forest, Robert would ask questions, and Mioh would do her best to answer them. Miza, however, remained silent for the most part. After her initial conversation with Robert, she seemed content just to observe. It was maddening. Eventually Robert just ended up telling them about himself and his situation. He told her how they arrived and that they had no idea how to get back. However, unlike the other spirits he had come into contact with since their arrival, Miza seemed much more casual about their sudden appearance in Pelemont. Robert often wondered what the ancient and wise spirit actually knew about it. Other days he spent relaxing and enjoying the view while Amynta studied the forest.
He stood with a stretch and began walking through the makeshift camp they had made into their home for the expedition. There were eight Dae warriors who were their escort, including Veol, a powerful noble, who was the officer in charge of their protection. They had treated Robert with a surprising level of respect and gave him nods as he passed by.
Robert found his way over a small hill that flanked their camp. On the other side of it was a river that glistened in the morning light and ran straight into the forest. Robert saw Amynta sitting on a small stool at the bank, writing in one of her scrolls.
“Well, you were up early,” he said.
She yelped, nearly dropping her scroll on the ground. “By the spirits, Robert! You can’t sneak up on people like that! What is wrong with you?”
Robert chuckled as he found a seat in the dirt beside her. “Veol said you would be cranky this morning. I thought nothing got in between you and your breakfast.”
“I didn’t have time this morning. I am on the verge of something magnificent!” She pointed excitedly at her scroll.
Robert casually eyed the parchment. It was a jumbled mess of unintelligible scribbles. It seemed that the spiritual power that enabled all Dae to understand their speech did not extend to the written word.
“I can’t read your writing, Amynta,” he said.
Amynta sighed, gently rolled up her scroll, and placed it in a pack at her feet. “Basically, it goes over the hierarchy of the spirits. They have a structure like we never dreamed of. Elder spirits, lesser spirits, and many more we don’t quite know of yet. There are so many questions I have, things I want to understand better; not to mention the strange connection your kind have with them. How could an elder spirit, that is thousands of years old, look into your eyes and tell you that you are ancient?” She stood, smoothing her cloak. “Are you ancient?” she asked playfully but with a hint of seriousness.
Robert laughed. “I’m not. Don’t worry.”
She smiled and leaned down to pick up her pack. “You know, I have grown quite fond of you humans. I am sure we will find a way home for you.”
“I hope so,” he said. “Not that I don’t think your world isn’t amazing, but at the end of the day, I would like to lay my head down in my own bed.” He sighed. “Seems a tall order from where I’m standing now.”
Amynta smiled apologetically and opened her mouth to speak, but froze as she looked behind him. Her eyes widened as some unseen realization flashed across her face.
“Amynta? What’s wrong?”
Robert turned to see dozens of riders coming over the crest of a hill across the river. Grey capes billowed atop the Cro’kan he had come to know as the common mount for warriors.
“Who the hell?” he said, fear beginning to fill his heart.
“We have to run!” Amynta shouted, grabbing Robert’s hand and forcing him up the hill.
“Rexunii raiding party!” she screamed as loud as she could. “Veol!”
Robert could hear the thumping of the Cro’kan talons tearing the ground as they dashed behind him. His heart sank as he could hear them getting closer and closer.
As the two came over the hill and saw the camp, Robert could see the eight warriors from Vul De Rah were just finishing their formation. It looked like a V with the single point facing the enemy charge.
“Get behind us!” Veol shouted, holding his spear in a defensive posture.
Robert couldn’t tell which one he was. The warriors had all donned their pale white helmets. Regardless, they both slid past the formation and skidded to a halt behind them.
“There are too many of them, Veol! We have to get out of here!”
Before they were able to react in any way, the Rexunii warriors came streaming down the hill.
There was one in the center of their charge that raised a sword and let out a howl. The others echoed the strange shout, and the sound sent shivers down Robert’s spine. Suddenly there was a blast of energy from the front of the Lokkadonian formation. A cyclone of wind tore at the ground and forced the Rexunii warriors to break formation and dodge.
As they got close enough, they leaped from their mounts and came down on the formation with violence and precision. Crackles of the Dunamis began to roar from the battle, and soon the formation was engulfed in the grey-clad Rexunii warriors.
Robert’s eyes squinted at the flashes of elemental bursts. Earth tore from the ground, launching spikes at warriors who dodged nimbly, escaping death. Electricity screamed past him, slamming into walls of stone or being swept away with wind and redirected into the ground. Robert held on to Amynta, whose scream was drowned out by the melee. Holding her hands over her ears, tears streaming from her face as the fear turned her into a shivering child.
He mustered the courage to look at the battle. Amid all the chaos that raged about him, he caught the sight of Veol fighting, who he could only assume was the Rexunii leader. His mask had fallen off, and his yellow skin now shone brightly in the light. Veol wielded a large two-handed bone blade but used it in such a way that its cumbersome size did not leave him open for attack.
The Rexunii leader wore a bone helmet as well; only it sported intricate designs of black paint and had long and short horns sprouting out, giving it a fearsome look. He had two smaller swords of bone, each curved outward, almost like a sickle. Veol roared as he skillfully brought his sword down toward the Rexunii warrior. There was a spray of water that shot from one of the sickle-like blades as the Rexunii swung it. The pressure was so high that it acted as an extension of the weapon and almost took Veol’s head off. He ducked under the attack, interrupting his own, and retaliated with a blast of wind that knocked the Rexunii off his feet and into two other warriors who seemed to be waiting patiently to fight him.
Veol’s face was painted with a grimace, and he found Robert. “Run to the forest!” he yelled, turning to block an overhead swing with his sword.
Robert’s legs moved like heavy stone as he started running. Adrenaline pumped through his body, and the world seemed to have slowed down to a crawl.
“Come on!” he managed to shout, hauling Amynta to her feet. They stumbled together toward the tree line that was several hundred feet away, and Robert’s hopes rose as he saw there was no one in his path. “We can make it!” he said, attempting to encourage the Dae scholar.
They came closer, and the sound of battle began to die down. Robert kept moving despite the inevitable truth of the outcome. They were outnumbered, and though the Lokkadonian warriors were skilled, the Rexunii seemed to match them.
Almost there! he thought.
They were almost ten feet from the forest edge when the ground before him began to rumble. There was a moment of pause, but Robert knew what it was.
“No!” he screamed, feeling his already fleeting hope disappear completely. In a split-second decision, he grabbed Amynta, and with all of his strange and unnatural strength, he hurled her the rest of the way toward the tree line. She looked at him with wide eyes, streaming with tears. A massive wall shot out from the ground before him, smashing his extended arms as it shot almost twenty feet in the air.
Robert cried in pain as he felt his arm’s bones rattle with the impact. He flew backward and brought his battered limbs to his chest.
Then, there was silence. Only the rapid beating of his heart remained. Robert whimpered as he lay on the grass, trying to see if his arms were broken. His hands tingled and were a bit numb, but as he opened and closed them, he could tell that they were not severely damaged.
He opened his eyes slowly and saw the now silent battlefield. His heart sank at the sight of twenty or so Rexunii warriors all standing before him. Closest was the warrior with the bone mask who he had seen fight Veol. It was simultaneous, the brief thought of where the Dae noble was, and the gruesome recognition of a severed head the Rexunii leader held, bloodied in his hand. The butchered noble’s face was now slack but still held in time the moment of his death in a terrified expression. The Rexunii warrior tossed it toward Robert, blue blood still spraying from the wound.
Robert was frozen at the horrible sight, wanting to retch but being afraid to.
“How lucky we are,” said the leader. “It would seem the reports were true. There is a demon here.”
Robert trembled on the ground, unable to look away from the broken and ruined bodies of the Lokkadonian warriors he had come to know over the last month.
“Doesn’t look like much of a demon to me,” a female voice said. “He’s ready to piss his pants!”
Laughter followed the Dae’s remark.
“I want it bound,” the leader said harshly. “Look for the other one!”
The world around him began to move again, his eyes focused again on Veol’s head. The man was always so cheerful and protective. Now all that remained of his enthusiastic smile was a look of horror. Robert vaguely felt hands grip him. His daze was interrupted, however, as the Rexunii warriors wrenched his arms back and pain shot through his body. Robert yelped as they lifted him up to his feet.
A Rexunii warrior approached him and removed her bone mask, stained with blue blood. Her face was well proportioned. As Robert had by now noticed, most Dae women he had met had this in common. She had light grey skin, and her eyes were wild and green, with black face paint that surrounded them, further pronouncing the color. She smiled a feral smile, showing her canine teeth.
“I’ve heard stories of your kind, from all across the land. Demons, huh?” She grabbed his face and turned it to the side. “You just look like a strange, sick creature to me.” She stared into his wide and terrified eyes. “No, definitely not a demon. Whatever you are, you aren’t much of a threat.”
“Demessa!” the leader shouted, causing the female Dae to flinch and let go of Robert. “Don’t speak to it. Just get it mounted and ready for travel.”
Demessa saluted with a fist across her chest. “Yes, my Lord,” she said crisply, pulling Robert to a Cro’kan that had been brought by another warrior.
Robert was tied down across the back of the animal and left for hours as they attempted to find a way into the Spirit Forest. It seemed that the spirits had fortified the tree line against the Rexunii and decided to protect Amynta. The raiding party did not wait for long.
Robert had time to think as they traveled, but his mind was numb from stress and fear. He thought this was past him, the terrible danger of this new world just a footnote in his mind from after first waking up. Kat, he thought. We ended things on bad terms… will she mourn me? The thought was painful, so he closed his eyes, but all he could see was the face of his brief friend Veol, butchered before him. What are they going to do to me? They keep calling me ‘it.’ That means they don’t see me as a sentient creature. Are they going to kill me?
Still, the hours passed, slowly but surely, until they stopped to camp for the night on the top of a hill, with decent concealment from some trees.
They brought him down and tied him to one of the trees for the night. Robert sat with his head hung, looking at his boots, noticing at that moment that Veol’s blood was all over them. Must have been when they threw his head at me.
The Rexunii warriors set up camp and dug in. Robert realized they were still in enemy territory, so they took precautions; they built no fire and expressed effective sound discipline. Nothing more than periodic hushed voices met Robert’s ears. He said nothing either, only pondered his predicament over and over again. His thoughts were dark, mainly on how he would meet his end. Still, he did his best to keep tears from pooling in his eyes. He was only marginally successful with this.
“Demon,” called a familiar female voice. Demessa walked over to him and crouched. “What type of food do you eat? I have been told I must offer you some.”
Robert did not respond. He just continued to look down at his boots.
He was struck with a massive blow to the side of his face. His eyes flashed with light, and a daze came over him. He did his best not to cry out, but a grunt of pain escaped. She grabbed his face and forced him to look at her.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“I asked you a damn question, demon,” she hissed, throwing his food to the dirt below. “There, eat that off the ground.”
She stood and walked away again into the darkness. Robert slumped and closed his eyes as tight as he could, stifling more tears and cursing his weakness again.
The next two nights were very similar to this. The Rexunii found a defendable position, set up a concealed camp, and Robert was abused and taunted by Demessa. He had tried to speak to her as she approached, to ask her some earnest questions, but before a proper sentence could be formed, she punched him in the face, shouting that she hadn’t given him permission to speak. During the day, they traveled long, and tied him up the same way they had before.
It was on the fourth night that Robert guessed they had entered Rexunii territory, as they had a blazing fire going, and all sat around it, drinking wine out of skins in celebration.
Robert saw them now, sitting together and singing strange songs of battle and vengeance. Demessa had removed her cloak and was dancing with several other warriors as they sang, and she took long drinks from her wineskin. Robert’s eyes hardened at his tormentors, having such a blissful time. It was then that he noticed the leader of their raiding party sitting still with his horned mask secured to his face. He was the only one who did not celebrate, only watched his warriors with an unreadable posture.
Almost as if he could sense Robert’s gaze, the Rexunii looked to meet his eyes; only the black holes of the bone mask revealed none. He stood swiftly and strode over to where Robert had been tied for the night.
The Dae stood before him, his grey cloak still stained with the blood of the Lokkadonian warriors Robert had called friends.
“Be careful who you look at with such hate in your eyes,” he said coldly, the fire behind him giving his form a frightening glow. “Are you hungry? You look weak.”
Robert said nothing, just stared at him with as much malice as he could muster. He’s trying to trick me; as soon as I say something, he’s going to hit me. he thought.
“Perhaps Demessa was not the right person to look after you; she can be extreme sometimes,” the Rexunii said, cocking his head to the side. “It seems she hasn’t been feeding you either. I’ll see to that. Though your hunger won’t matter much when we get to Thule.”
Robert’s eyes focused on the name. He had heard from Amynta that Thule was the capital of the Rexunii territory and that they worshiped dark spirits and were evil. He hadn’t cared much to listen about the history and culture of a foreign clan, seeing as how he was trying his best to get home. It seemed so far that she had been accurate in her teachings.
“Why?” Robert said dryly, his voice cracked from dehydration and stress. “Why did you take me? And why are you bringing me to your capital?”
“We have heard much of you. The King of Lokkadonia and the High King have spoken contradicting truths about what you are. Their High Espi-Dae has branded you demons, here to destroy us all. And the Hego of the southern territories in Lokkadonia has taken it upon himself to shelter your kind, despite orders from his masters.”
He knelt down, closer to Robert. “Our King has been most interested in seeing what you might bring us. We thought capturing you would not be possible, but here you are.”
“Then, why the mistreatment? Why have your warriors beat me?” Robert said with more defiance than he thought he could muster.
The Rexunii warrior laughed at his little outburst. “Because I don’t know what you are. Demon or not, you are a creature I am not familiar with. So, I am being cautious.” He paused for a moment, as though in thought. “I will tell Demessa to stop beating you. And to feed you more, she seems to have been taking your rations and using them for herself.”
Robert was speechless at the sudden but strange gesture of kindness. He killed everyone… and Veol, he thought, tending the fire of hatred in his heart.
Then a thought came to him. The Dae did not know what he was, though the Lokkadonians showed curiosity in the form of scholarly intrigue, aside from the attempt on their lives the day of their arrival in Vul De Rah. The Rexunii may do something similar, but from the looks of things, more extreme.
“I will tell you what I am,” Robert said, fishing for a chance to get to know this leader. If he had enough compassion in his heart to offer food, maybe he could get more.
The Dae said nothing, then cocked his head slightly to one side. “I’m listening.”
Robert took a deep breath and did what he could to steel himself. “I am what you call a human being, from a world called Earth. I was transported here in a flash of light, and awoke in the Spirit Forest. There were three of us there, and we were picked up by Oros and Boros as we made our way out of the forest.”
“Oros and Boros? Of House Ignos?” the Dae asked, sitting down before him, against another tree.
“Yes,” Robert replied. “We were brought before the Hego and were forced to compete in the trial of Doxo.”
The Dae chuckled at the mention of the trial. “Some traditions never die. Do you know who Doxo was? A Rexunii warrior, that is ours from a time when this whole area was a part of our clan. Before the traitors from clan Lokkon rebelled and carved out Lokkadonia through blood and death. They enslaved our people who remained loyal to the true King of Rexunii.”
“The… Doulos…” Robert said, slowly.
“Yes, the Doulos. They continue to commit crimes against us by forcing our lost brothers and sisters to remain slaves. Using the women and children for all manner of foul things, and the men, of course, to fight and toil.” The Dae paused again. He seemed to contemplate often, showing the heart of a very intelligent and determined leader. He removed his pale and terrifying mask. The Dae had pale blue skin and green eyes; he had rugged and handsome features and would have been a very attractive young man, save the massive and gruesome scar that tore its way across his face. Robert was not expecting to see it, and his eyes widened at the sight.
“You are an interesting creature,” he said, setting the mask to the side. “And you seem intelligent enough to know that there are powers at work here that we cannot control. The High King has brought the Espi-Dae to Thule. What they decide to do with you… I don’t know what to tell you.”
Robert’s heart sank at the blunt declaration of his inevitable fate. The last person who was brought before them, that I know of, they burned at the stake. I’m dead.
The Dae must have noticed his obvious discomfort because he handed him a wineskin. “We all have a duty we must uphold, creature.”
Robert looked at the wineskin and shrugged, gesturing that he was bound. The Dae tilted it and let him drink from it.
“My name is Robert, by the way,” Robert said weakly, after the skin was pulled away.
The Dae stood and turned to his warriors celebrating around the fire.
“Demessa!” he yelled, bringing silence to the festivities.
Robert thought for a moment, on the sudden outburst, how powerful this Dae must be to command the immediate obedience of such fearsome warriors.
Demessa came shuffling out of the crowd, her pearl-white hair disheveled and the smell of wine on her breath.
“Yes, my Lord?” she said, coming to attention before the Dae leader.
“The rest of you,” he said, pointing to the fire. “You may continue.”
The warriors turned as directed and continued to drink and enjoy themselves. However, there were many more eyes glancing in their direction, and the noise level had dropped significantly.
“I noticed here that our prisoner is not in the same condition as he was on the day of his capture.” He grabbed Robert’s face and turned it from side to side, showing bruises, cuts, and a bad split lip. “He also has not been fed properly for the last several days.”
Demessa glanced a look of hatred at Robert and squinted her eyes at the accusation. She was clearly not entirely sober, but she said nothing.
“I was not clear in my order to refrain from beating him, so I will not bring that up further. However, from now on, I would like for you to do your best not to beat him. Unless he is disrespectful to you.”
His eyes turned hard, and he grabbed the scruff of her grey tunic. “But, I did give you instructions to keep him fed, and you have ignored it.” He tightened his grip on her and pulled her in close. “I don’t give a damn who your father is in court. I am second only to the king, and thus, you will obey my order as though I were a great spirit in the flesh. I have no qualms with tying you up and lashing you until your skin hangs from your bones.”
Demessa’s eyes flared with anger, but still, she said nothing. The Rexunii leader let go of her tunic and pushed her away. “Now go enjoy your night. Have some wine, and find a mate for the night.”
Demessa saluted him with an arm across her chest and stumbled back to the fire. She was drunk, but still, she turned to stare daggers at Robert. He knew this would have a terrible outcome.
The trek after that improved with respect to Robert’s condition, but still, he dreaded every step he took closer to his imminent death. Thule was known for two things by the Lokkadonians he had spoken to about it: The worship of dark spirits that resided beneath them and a hole in the ground known as the ‘Pit of Mar’ that served as some execution place. The limited knowledge he had of the Rexunii culture maddened him, but he could see how they were different from the Lokkadonians just from observing them. They had rituals and customs that were similar, of course; they had once been one nation. However, it was the distinct difference in how they acted and dressed that separated them the most. The Rexunii were passionate people, who lived in the moment more than the Dae he had come to know already.
It wasn’t long until Robert saw enormous spirals standing tall over the horizon. Thule. His chest ached at the sight. He hung his head and closed his eyes, hoping with some unknowable power that he would open them again and find himself back home.
He was positioned behind Demessa on her mount, who had not spoken to him since the night with the bonfire. She had followed her orders robotically and without any further complaint. She was feeding him what she should and refraining from beating him, but today she had a smile on her face. “You know they will not treat you well, demon,” she said, not attempting to keep her satisfaction hidden. “They will torture you for information; they will cut your fingers from your hand.” She turned to look him in the eye. “And you will beg them for the sweet release of death, during which I will enjoy every second they pull you apart.”
Robert’s insides churned with the thought, and his already racing heart began to double its efforts. She said nothing more as they approached the city. Its walls stood high above the ground, several hundred feet or so, with towers and large curved spikes of stone that jutted from the top of the wall and curved downward toward the ground in an unnatural way.
As soon as the gates opened, Robert could see an immediate change in the manner of people that resided in the open area that surrounded the entrance. There were many shops and merchants that were crowded around, but they sold no merchandise or services. All that could be seen was a massive crowd of people who were split at the center, giving the Rexunii raiding party a clear way through their city. The buildings were much the same as Vul De Rah, looking as though they were grown from the ground itself. Some massive spirals loomed overhead, only larger, much larger. The city of Thule seemed to be near twice the size, if not bigger, than Vul De Rah. It was appropriate, seeing as how it was the capital city of Rexunii territory.
The crowd around him was quiet. Only hushed murmurs and gestures could be detected. Robert tried to curl in on himself, instinctively attempting to hide from the thousands of peering and piercing eyes. His hands were shaking visibly, and he realized he must be a sad sight. -Here I am… The Spirit-Sent… pissing his pants before his death.
Robert closed his eyes again, feeling tears pooling, causing his vision to blur. Why was this happening? Why did he come to this forsaken place? His mind began to go numb with the relative quiet. The slow and constant pattering of the Cro’kan’s feet and claws clicking on the stone pavement assaulted him. He kept his eyes closed as much as he could as they walked through winding roads and up steep inclines.
He opened them when they halted, and he heard raised voices. Robert could see a large and imposing castle before him and saw its large doors swing open.
“Get off,” Demessa said, jumping from her mount.
Robert did what he could to maintain his composure, but he found it hard to keep his legs from shaking.
He wobbled through the door and into the massive halls of the castle. It had large rugs, and works of art decorated the walls. Not hanging paintings or fine pieces of furniture, but pristine sculptures made of crystal and massive stone murals that sported no paint but had colors all mixed together to create an image. It was as if some master mason melted the different colors of stone and mixed them together to show a beautiful picture.
They brought him through the castle and finally into the throne room. Much like Hego Agron’s, it was a large room with pillars and an entourage of nobles, warriors, and Espi-Dae. The man on the throne seemed like a young Dae. Compared to the seasoned look of Vul De Rah’s Hego, this one had an aura of arrogance and youth that was difficult to measure. Robert still hadn’t seen any extremely old Dae in his time in Pelemont. He had often wondered how old these people could get. There was a crown on his head and short-cropped hair, which was different compared to the majority of Dae he had seen, with their hair at shoulder length. He had light grey skin and piercing yellow eyes.
“Welcome back, Lord Turak!” The King said, standing to greet the band of Dae who entered the hall. The raid leader removed his horned mask and clasped forearms with the king in a very familiar gesture of friendship. The King’s yellow eyes then turned to Robert, who stood wide-eyed and frozen. “So this is the demon, correct?” He took a few steps closer to him.
“No, your highness!” called one of the Espi-Dae, the leader from the look of his garb. “This is a dark creature. Don’t let its timid and fearful exterior fool you. These are not to be trusted and can be quite dangerous.”
The King ignored the Espi-Dae’s words and approached Robert regardless. “What do you think, Turak? You have been exposed to this creature for some time now. Is it dangerous to us?”
Turak looked at Robert for a moment, his eyes showing none of his earlier compassion. “He is harmless. He has not resisted us thus far. I don’t think he is what they say he is. Espi-Arl should have investigated this a bit more.”
There was a stammer of protesting from Espi-Arl, but it had little effect on Turak.
“That is my humble opinion, your majesty. I can, however, tell you with confidence that the reports of these creatures feeding on the flesh of our people, stealing children away, and being responsible for the misfortunes of businesses and crops are most likely… fabricated.” He couldn’t help a small smirk directed at the Espi-Dae. “I would recommend more study… and, of course, monitoring him for the duration. I volunteer to do so.”
Robert’s heart rose at the suggestion. There was still hope for him.
Turak bowed his head slightly in respect, and the King squinted while rubbing his chin. “So, this is your counsel then?”
Turak nodded his head, eyes still stone cold.
“Your majesty, might I remind you of our agreement?” the Espi-Dae chimed in, stepping closer to the King. “The High Espi-Dae has given his decree on these demons, and our cooperation with you is dependent on your decision here today. When you sent word to us detailing your intention to capture one, we came here. You gave us conditions for turning it over, and we have agreed and given our word. Your little conflict with the Lokkadonians will never develop into a war. The High King will never tolerate two of his most powerful clans slaughtering each other. But Vul De Rah and their heretic Hego have disgraced their clan and, as far as the High King is concerned, are fair game for your campaigns. We will support you if…” the Dae holy man looked at Robert, “…you give us this demon.”
The King’s eyes narrowed at Espi-Arl. There was a short period of silence where Robert didn’t breathe. His heart pounded in his chest with every second.
“What do you want to do with him?” the King asked.
“We wish to interrogate it… and do our due diligence. Purification.”
Turak scoffed at the words. “We do not purify anything here. You are in our land, so you follow our laws. Our Espi-Dae do not burn criminals.”
“The Pits of Mar?” Espi-Arl asked, his face slightly disgusted. “That awful place.”
“It is the test of our patron spirit,” Turak said, irritated.
“Yes, yes, I know. The dark spirit Dio’Mar carved it out of the ground and made it her home. You throw criminals and deviants into the pits to be devoured by the creatures that live there and their own madness. We have all heard of it. However, we aren’t fully in agreement with it. The monsters that are said to roam there are truly horrific creatures.”
“It is our way,” the King said, in support of Turak. “So, if you want to have him, you may, but all we ask is that you respect our customs. We will honor no other spirits than Dio’Mar. And your idea of purification is blasphemy here.”
Robert inhaled sharply. The three Dae turned all at once to see him. He couldn’t help himself; he was now crying openly. His sobs erupted as all the emotion and confusion of his situation poured out all at once. “Just let me go!” He pleaded, with all he had, to the Rexunii before him. He begged for them to let him go; he couldn’t bear this place any longer. His dignity, or all that was left of it, was gone now. Robert didn’t care about customs or his image to these horrible creatures. He wasn’t sure what he was trying to accomplish, but by God, he was going to do something, anything.
For a moment, they listened. Soon after, though, the Espi-Dae signaled for his guards to take Robert from the raiders. He flung his arms in an attempt to fight off the warriors and even managed to toss a few to the ground with his unnatural strength, but eventually, he was overpowered and tied. His screams were muffled as well when a gag was put in his mouth, and they dragged him away.
~
The King stood, staring at the large doors to his throne room, still open and echoing muffled screams. He was in deep thought.
“How very strange, the last one only spoke in gibberish. This is quite interesting. Please excuse me, your majesty. I have work to do.” Espi-Arl bowed and walked away, following the human.
They waited for him to leave after his small entourage of holy men.
“This does not bode well,” Turak said. “If I may speak freely.”
“Go on…” The King said.
“Alektor, we should have never spoken to these fools. I know it is important that we free our people from Lokkon, but these repugnant and decadent Espi-Dae? They are all from Torre’... they are all corrupt. They do not believe in our ways, and they openly mock us. They will torture that creature and discard him. We could have learned much more if you had allowed me to work with him. Now who knows what will happen? I don’t believe he deserves to be thrown into the pits, such a fate is reserved for only those who are irredeemable.”
The King raised his hand for silence. “I will do what is necessary to achieve my goals, the goals of our people. This is a win for the Rexunii, Turak. With the support of the High King and the Torre’, we will finally be able to free our people from oppression and slavery.”
“And if this angers Dio’Mar? What then if the spirit doesn’t like our offering? She is a spirit of justice and vengeance. This creature may very well be innocent of any crime at all,” Turak said, frustration in his voice.
Alektor looked at Turak with a chastising smirk. “My dear friend, I think we both know that she doesn’t live there anymore. Either that or she died a long, long time ago.”