CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
*~~~**~~~*
King Te’Korei
*~~~**~~~*
18th of Decepter, 935 PC
----------------------------------------
Tol had pressed his forehead to the dirt. As had Savar. So, King had too. As had Colin. Even the man in black, Barik was his name, had knelt and he hadn’t done anything but scowl and offer snide remarks since being saved. Now, King had always considered himself a man of The Creator, he was quite accustomed to blessings after all, but this was something else. On and on it went and with nothing to say after the first few minutes. The Creator was a fine listener but lords she was shy, not a word in all this time.
Perhaps if the muscles in his legs and back weren’t begging him to get out of the uncomfortable position, to lay down and relax, he could have enjoyed the peace and quiet, but this was really more like torture at this point. Have the others fallen asleep? He opened an eye just enough to see through the blur created by his eyelashes. Little could be discerned with everyone’s head pressed to the ground. He sighed quietly and tried to relax.
Several more minutes of boredom passed and as he managed to fall into a better state of relaxation, his mood began to shift. Suddenly, he didn’t want to be a warrior facing an inevitable death with courage, he didn’t want to deal with what he was going through alone and with a smile on his face. Suddenly, he felt like talking. A lot. He felt like tossing the weight that had been sitting on his chest off a cliff with vigor and triumph. But where to begin? He took an honest route. Oh, my. Well… I don’t know exactly how to do this, Your Magnificence. I’ve thought this many a time now, so many that it’s crushing me, but never when I’ve hoped you’d be listening. Ha. You’re always listening, aren’t you? You know what I mean, just as you know what I’m going through. You as well as anyone. Seems so petty to complain to someone who gave her life to give me mine… but… but…Whew… Um. I guess I just can’t bear this burden alone any longer. His mind felt clearer right away. He took a deep breath, let it out through his nose slowly. Scold me if you must, but I’m scared of dying. Terrified, really. I don’t want to die. Not yet. Not so young. I guess thirty-five years to your name isn’t that young but it feels like it in my mind. And it’s not that I don’t want to meet you, I do. I want to shower you in the praise you deserve… but… I’m not done here yet. I still have something to give to the world, what you gave to the world…
A sadness rose from all the places he’d hidden it. It felt cathartic and freeing as it seeped out of him and back into the world from which it came. A better self waited just on the other side of one important admission. Something he’d tried to escape for years but could never quite elude. I ruined his life. Turned him into something you never intended. I didn’t want to but I did. And it scares me. I’m afraid you’ve judged me, given me this burden of my own to punish me for what I’ve done. He let out another long breath. Please forgive me. I just want to be forgiven. By him. By you. By Iggy. By everyone I’ve ever wronged. He knelt there in silence, waiting for something. Anything. But nothing came.
He sat up to see Tol and the others staring at him.
“A devout man,” Tol said and smiled. Even without wielding a bloody sword and sitting atop a horse he looked more folk hero than man, and he knew it. Old, in age but strong and sturdy, capable, a man to follow. Each wrinkle told a different tale in King’s imagination. Most of which made Tol a man of heroism and incredible feats. No one would be taking his honor or morals any time soon and that was to be respected.
All King could do was nod as he still flushed with something disheartening to be useful. Tol need-not words to say he understood what had happened, just a stoic nod that was somehow encouraging.
“Savar,” Tol said, heading across the campsite and leaving King to recover.
“Father,” the young man said, staring at the sky. Not in the manner one might mindlessly stare at the clouds either. He studied the light blue sea above them with intense curiosity in such a way it was as if he was listening to it speak. Of all the men and women King had ever met, Savar was the most unusual. And not by a small margin. He had not a single bit of symmetry on his face, not even the color of his eyes – one blue, one brown. Neither was the best shade of either and the same went for his skin. He had a light burn all over his arms but some patches were darker than King’s skin and his legs were as pale as Colin’s but covered in much more hair. His personality was lacking as well, as if people were of no interest to him. Which might explain his blunt way of communicating. Said what he needed to and not a word more.
“Retrieve us some firewood,” Tol said to the young man.
Savar sniffed. “Rain soon.” One might think he was making a claim that there’d be no need for firewood shortly but he wandered off into the woods anyway, staring at the sky and moving with what could only be called an innate knowledge of the rough terrain they found themselves in.
“Rest, King. You still look weak,” Tol said. Few could speak so convincingly without threats. He made his way toward the man in black robes and began a rather one-sided discussion.
Colin was waiting for King at the log they’d colonized. He helped King get to the ground then joined him, pressing his back against the fallen tree and letting out a short, sharp breath. “Did you pray that whole time? Lords, could anyone pray that long?”
“I must admit, I did not.”
“Me either. Spent most of the time thinking about everything I wanted to see around the empire.”
“And what did you come up with?”
Colin’s eyes lit up like he’d been given permission to tell a story to the adults. “The Fountains of Ashe for one. Mum always said they were one of the greatest mysteries out there. I’d like to blow the Great Horn in Iron Helm. I want to climb Mount Gyu. Swim in the Hollow Lake. I even want to fly in a Cloudcruiser. Without having to take lotus, of course.” He was already caught up in his adventures, looking through the trees and into the future.
“That’s quite the list.”
“And that’s just the beginning of it.”
King chuckled, causing a pain in his chest and throat. “What else could there be, my boy?”
“I don’t know, but it’s a big world.”
“World!” King said. “You intend to leave Amrith now?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
King shrugged. “I suppose I always thought Thandlecor offered plenty in the way of adventures.” Colin’s excitement slowly turned to solemnity. “What’s wrong?”
“I wish you could do it all with me.”
If that wasn’t a dagger in the heart, King didn’t know what was. “Oh, my boy.” He patted Colin’s thigh. “You don’t want me tagging along. I’d only slow you down.”
“I’d go as slow as you needed me to.” There was truth in the boy’s eyes. Not that King needed reassurance, Colin had scooted along at a snail’s pace with him through the Emerald Forest.
“With all the traveling you want to do… you’ll meet tons of people, make new friends. Ones who will be able to keep up with you. No need to let your dreams be ruined by my misfortune. Besides, I’ll be watching all your adventures.”
“I’m not good at making friends,” Colin said, picking up a sharp twig between his legs. “People always find something wrong with me. Or I talk too much. Or my parents don’t approve of them. You might be the only person I could call a friend. And now I’m going to lose you. It’s not fair.” He drove the twig into the dirt, snapping it in half.
King rubbed the back of his neck in search of any relief that didn’t require the use of his magic. “T’is, Colin, t’is unfair, but if you wake up each morning looking for something unfair about your life to dwell on, you’ll find the list is endless. You’ll never see any of the empire sitting around pouting.” He put an arm around the lad and squeezed him. “Better you learn to live the life you’ve been given than spend your time trying to make a new one.”
*~~~**~~~*
“We ran so fast the bottoms of my feet started to burn.” King let his head fall backward, smiling at the memory of him and Iggy running from a cave in the middle of the night.
“You outran a bear?” Colin asked.
“We might have. Never found out what it was. We sure celebrated ourselves like it had been a bear though.” He sighed. “Oh, Iggy. Best friend a man could ask for. If you’re looking for a friend that will get you into and out of harm’s way.”
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
“I bet it was another one of your mountain trolls.”
King swatted him with the back of his hand. “No, you twit. Although, that would have made for a better story.” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Perhaps I’ll make a few adjustments.”
Both chose to ignore the fact that this was likely the last time King would ever tell the story.
“Where is Iggy now? Still traveling the empire?”
“Not exactly.”
“I know that tone,” Colin said. “Rubora used that tone when she had bad news for a customer. Did something happen to your friend?”
“Aye.” He struggled to get the next words out. “Fell from a cliff. That same night. Never saw him again.”
*~~~**~~~*
Savar had found an arched bridge fumbling its way over a dry creek bed just after it started to rain and just before it started to pour. Sheets of hazy white swept past in a hurry, sending worrisome puddles into their dry dirt. Not the way he’d have expected to go, carried off by a hellacious flood, but his legs weren’t outrunning anything, especially not a storm sent by The Creator herself. So, he sat with his back against the dirt wall beneath the bridge, hoping for divine intervention.
Colin slept beside him, lying in something similar to a fetal position, his light snoring drowned out by the rain. Tol’s forehead was pressed into the dirt for the third time since King’s failed plea for forgiveness. Up and down, up and down. Tol spent as much time on the ground as he did on his feet. Of course, King did too these days, and for far less good, so who was he to judge? As much of a presence as Tol was, he was predictable, less fascinating than his companion. King found himself watching the odd boy regularly, waiting to see what new mystery his odd behavior would write next.
As if on cue, Savar walked straight into the harsh elements and crouched, rear-end pressed to his ankles, arms wrapped around his knees. Again, he stared at the sky as if reading some message no one else could see. Barik watched him closely as well, but with less intrigue than suspicion.
“What is he doing?” Barik asked, practically screaming to be heard. He was looking in King’s direction but was speaking to Tol who had come out of his prayers and took a place beside King. Tol opened his hands and gestured at the rain around them. “He’s doing this?!” Tol nodded. “Tell him to stop!”
Tol gave orders, he didn’t take them, and he didn’t give any now. Savar continued on with whatever it was he was doing causing Barik to frown angrily and pull his knees closer to his chest. Barik hadn’t said a word about why his sellsword may have wanted to turn him over to the most ruthless mercenary group in the empire and no one had asked either. Not even Colin, and the question had been hanging on the end of his lips like an icicle for days. Say what you must about Colin Humphrey, but he was no fool. A fact that lay beneath his surface but could be found with some effort.
Savar lifted his hands into the air, palms open, arms wide and growing wider. Somehow the rain got harder. A feat King would have thought unthinkable a moment before. Their space beneath the bridge became one epic sound of water punishing the earth. King covered his ears and watched Colin awaken in confusion, clasping his own ears immediately. Nothing could penetrate the wall of noise, nothing could escape it either. The puddles grew, rushing toward them now with ill-intent. Then Savar threw his hands at the sky, clapping them together though no noise could be heard, and the chaos was gone. All that remained was a simple drizzle.
A few moments of confused stares between the startled onlookers were broken by Tol’s voice. “Forgive him. He chooses not when he works but rather listens for obligations.”
“Was he obligated to drown us?!” Barik said, climbing to his feet to avoid the pervasive water, pants already wet.
“Perhaps,” Tol said. “I never know what exactly he’s doing, just that it must be done.”
“I’d be thankful to not die out here with you… you…”
“Careful,” Tol said. “Words are often the cause of regret.” Barik looked disgusted having been spoken to in such a manner. But he held his tongue. King would have too, not because Tol’s words were too threatening, but because there was a strange sensation under the bridge just then. Not quite ominous, but certainly oppressive. A thickness about the air. “You know Mister Liskin… I have yet to hear you thank Mister Te’Korei for saving you.”
“Must have gotten lost in the shuffle,” Barik said.
Tol grunted a laugh that made a quick appearance then darted away, leaving only an expectant expression on his face. “Now is as good a time as ever, wouldn’t you say so?” Perhaps King was more cynical now, or perhaps his judgment was blurred behind sadness, but Barik looked more likely to draw a dagger and off himself than to thank anyone for anything. “Go ahead. Thank him. If not words, surely you have another way to repay a debt.”
“Thank you for killing the one man that could help resolve my problems and letting my brother die,” Barik said. The light rain became the only sound. Not even Tol was sure how to respond. Barik sat back down in a mostly dry patch of hard dirt and stewed in his anger.
Finally King managed to say, “If I disrupted something I apologize. From the outside you appeared to be in a great deal of danger.”
“And thanks to you, I still am.”
Colin was frothing at the mouth to ask his own questions now that the bubble had burst. “So, that was planned? Was the driver your brother or the ug-” He rethought his words. “Or the one with the scar?”
Barik’s glare insinuated the lad learn the power of context.
“You know who can help,” Tol said.
“I’m not praying ten times a day. I solve my own problems, my own way.”
“Well, Mister Liskin, when you are ready to accept The Creator’s aid, all you must do is ask. I think you will be most pleased with her answer.” Would he? Because she’d had fewer words for me than a mute.
Savar came back under the bridge, clothes saturated, hair matted and stringy. He walked straight toward Tol, stifling any more conversation that may have come about in his absence. “The moons.” He held his hand out. His brown eye was glazed over and cloudy.
Tol pulled his bag from the water puddling beside him and tucked it between his knees. A cloth-covered object appeared from within and found its way to the dirt between him and Savar. Corner by corner he revealed a crescent moon made of stone. Two other moons should have accompanied it but they had clearly been broken off. He handed the damaged symbol of The Creator to Savar similarly to how one might pass a precious infant to another.
Savar found a space of his own and lowered himself to his knees. He laid the symbol in the shallow water and pressed his lips to the stone moon. Then his forehead.
“What good can one of the three moons do you?” Barik asked, only masking his mockery of the men’s strict religious behavior minimally.
“Yes, there are three crescent moons, but only one represents The Creator. That is what we have here,” Tol said. “The one that will answer our prayers.”
“When are we leaving here?” Barik said, “I need to get far from here as soon as possible.”
King had similar thoughts. The Hounds would surely come looking for them soon enough. And he’d like to be in Thronerock by the new year if possible. He’d tried to leave days ago, not long after they’d found safety in the woods, but his legs were too worn out to carry him far without huge amounts of magic. Better to have the protection of these men, odd as they may be.
“Savar and I have no intention of going anywhere but back to Haldar,” Tol said.
“Back to Haldar,” Colin said, shocking no one with his disgust with such dangerous intentions.
A stoic nod came from Tol’s part of the underpass. “Aye. We have unfinished business there.”
Barik scoffed. “Only General Camdrie finishes business in Haldar. You fools will only get yourselves killed… unless this one floods the whole place.” He gestured to the praying Savar.
“And yet you were there with something up your sleeve?” Tol said. “A hidden dagger is scorned far worse than a revealed one.”
“I play my cards when and only when I believe I can win,” Barik said. “And with the general elsewhere now was the time to strike.”
“Is he now?” Tol’s face suddenly lost the coat of charisma that made him look so suave and in control. Now, he simply looked like the kind of man to cut off a head in the middle of the street.
Savar rose, remaining on his knees but genuinely interested in what was being said around him for the first time in days. “Where?”
“I don’t know,” Barik said. “Elsewhere.”
“Return?” Savar asked, expecting an answer.
“I’m not his assistant.”
Savar looked at Tol, delivering some kind of message only the two of them could decipher, then lowered his forehead back to the stone moon.
“May I ask what your business with The Hounds is?” King said to Tol. “Few seek a collision with such a force.”
“Aye, but General Camdrie sought a collision with an even greater force than himself when he came to T’Ria and burned our village, destroyed our temple. Now he will feel the wrath of those who are most devout to The Creator.”
“You’re from the Birthlands,” King said.
“I didn’t realize The Hounds traveled to other continents,” Colin said.
Barik scoffed again. Oh, how he could make you feel with his scoff. “Greed knows no boundaries, you naive idiot. Though, I must say, if he traveled all the way to T’Ria, he must have been paid quite the commission. Still, this brings up an interesting idea.” He looked at Tol. “It appears you and I are on the same path, might we travel down it together until we meet a fork in the road?”
Tol climbed to his feet, moving toward Barik and offering a hand. He hoisted the other man up with one of his muscular arms. “We take our commitments to one another very seriously in the Birthlands,” Tol said. “Cross us and you will be no better off than General Camdrie.”
“I will stand by you until my job is done then you will never hear from me again.”
Not the most sound agreement to ever be forged, but Tol was satisfied. He turned his powerful eyes on King. “And you Mister Te’Korei. A devout man like you must surely see the honor in fighting in the name of The Creator. Might you and Mister Humphrey join our bond?”
King swallowed, glanced at Savar as the young man rose again, this time to his feet. The rain picked up again. Not quite as heavily as before but with a message so obvious only a fool would ignore it. The sky grew darker, surrounding them with encroaching shadows. Colin’s hand found King’s in the dirt. If a squeeze could talk, it would have shouted run. A coward is built with survival instincts in mind after all. But King wasn’t outrunning anything, especially not this storm sent by The Creator herself. “Of course, we’ll join you.”
And then the rain was gone, sunshine illuminated the forest.
“Wonderful,” Tol said, smiling handsomely and capping it off with a wink.