Sweat slicked Ectria’s skin as she leaped from branch to branch, racing through the jungle. Only two things flipped back and forth within her mind, the Thélméthra hanging overhead, and the Empress’ words.
She only partially felt the cool breeze weaving through the upper canopy, smelling the lingering scent of the Wixum’s mass gathering as hundreds of Ri’bot carelessly left their trail below.
Ectria made it two miles before coming to a stop, high in the branches of a blackwood tree, panting while hiding in the yellowish leaves that were half her size. Whipping her forearm against her wet forehead, she swallowed, mouth dry.
Calm down! I need to get some water … the closest source is…
Her mind paused, noticing a new stream that had been created by the storm far below. Hurriedly making her way down, she hopped into the slow current, liquid rising to her knees.
Kneeling to drink, she tossed water over her body, washing off her sweat; the cool brook helped clear her mind. She slid her tongue over her single right tooth while collecting herself.
The sun just passed its zenith, beginning its descent across the sky, and the Ancestors’ Wrath had long since faded, which drew her attention.
The Holy Stones transform into water … showing that the Heavens are merciful. The Ancestors punish us for our sins, but also bring new life … Elder Chief Valdar, mercy with pain. Elinor provided a path to forgiveness for the Clavex; she should offer the same for us, right? Valdar was brought back; he must have petitioned for our pardon. There’s mercy.
Her throat constricted, feeling tears forming in her eyes, and she puffed out a long breath while rubbing them. She could smell Ragnlar nearby; however, the fearsome jungle cats were like the harmless insects eating their rotten fruit before the terrifying Thélméthra.
I was dead … The One Above All knew where I was … of course, she’d know where I was! No, she knew I was watching, but chose to give me that sign. Mercy.
Ectria’s thoughts returned to Jolah and the other Warriors’ report as the flow of the water pressed against her trembling legs; she felt weak at the knees.
They did try to slice her up … why Elder Chief? And she bled fire … the Pits. The Supreme Chief of the Pits has come down to remind us of her presence. Why didn’t Elder Chief Valdar recognize her? Was even he blinded to the fact? Why have I never thought about a Supreme Chief of the Pits? It makes perfect sense. Is what we believe right?
No, but what if this is all a trap by the Flex and Lethix? I just can’t believe even they’d stoop so low as to try and play this kind of trick … after the Ancestors’ Wrath struck, too? No, no, it has to be real!
Setting her jaw, Ectria climbed out of the stream before continuing up the hill to the mountain shelf; she spotted a few Ranglar along the way, but they didn’t bother her, instead tracking other prey that was easier to deal with rather than chasing her in the canopy.
After an hour, she reached the swampland before the clearing, leading up to the upper shelf; to her left was the beginning of the Toruk River, fed by many underground sources coming out of the mountain range.
As a breeding ground for the wild Torlim of the river, it was swarming with the powerful beasts; it was nearing mating season for them, which was surprisingly close to the Ri’bot’s own seasonal reproduction.
Ectria took care to keep out of the creatures’ way while making her way across the landscape, waterfalls were still emptying into the growing surge below, propelled off the edges of the high cliffs.
It took her another thirty minutes to reach the grassy clearing, and upon making it to the shelf, her gut tightened. They’d already constructed rockfall traps, smaller than usual to make up for the short notice, but a much greater number; they were getting ready for a full-scale siege like they’d heard in the stories Valdar told.
The palisade that Valdar had constructed, funneling an attacking force into a gap was already manned, the vast black tree barriers were wet in preparation for possible fires. Chevaux de frise were brought out to provide a hurdle the enemy would be forced to overcome, the cross-shaped sharpened logs fastened with more wooden spikes to impale anyone stupid enough to smash into them.
Ectria dashed between the workers, Warriors, and citizens alike as news spread that she was back, called down from the twenty-meter wall; it all seemed utterly pointless to her now. This won’t stop a Thélméthra or Quen’Talrat! If we fight, we all die.
Despite the thought, she found it amazing how quickly her clan could mobilize. All of their people, even non-Warriors were behind the walls, holding newly fashioned wooden spears; Xaria Meji led them in thrust and defensive exercises with a few senior Warriors as assistants.
Rather than going around the maze of battlements, providing safety for their Clan for over sixty-five years, Ectria used the safe path she’d discovered over a dozen years ago during her daily training exercises, using small footholds to scale the structure.
Warriors atop the barricade saluted her as she passed, but she paid them no mind, hopping down the opposite side to report. Luckily, she found Plant Caller Nina, her assistant, Yupali, Chief Kalix, and Kole overlooking the valley beside the cliff near the fortification.
Nina was still fairly young, just barely reaching adulthood at the age of eight, and her assistant wasn’t much older at ten-years-old. Even with her quirks, she was respected due to her calling and relation to the Chief. Still, it was hard not to notice she had a soft complexion that Ectria lacked, having done little to no physical labor in her life. Her blue skin and purple eyes had a pretty shine to them, and some attributed it to being blessed as a Plant Caller.
It was odd for a woman of her age to not have a partner with so many suitors, but Ectria had noticed she was rather uncomfortable around Ri’bot males her own age. She came off socially awkward, and most brushed it off as having to do with her Mysticism without giving the same thought to Valdar.
She knew very little about Yupali, but she had the same stiff demeanor around most Ri’bot, which caused her to be excluded in most groups growing up. It made sense that the two would grow closer with the same social weaknesses.
Racing up to the four, she caught sight of the sun dipping toward the horizon; they only had six more hours before nightfall. Supreme Chief Elinor could be much faster than me … how soon until she arrives?
“Ectria,” Kole greeted with a deep frown, “you look like you’ve seen a Quen’Talrat.”
A lump dropped down her face as she slowed to a stop, panting while trying to catch her breath. He offered her a waterskin, and she poured half of it in her mouth, swallowing and blinking several times as spots danced in her vision.
“Is it that bad?” Kalix whispered, doing a quick sweep to make sure no one else was in earshot. “Uh, Yupali, if you could leave us.”
“Of course,” she softly replied, giving them a slight bow while retreating.
Nina gave her assistant an encouraging smile, waving her off. Her voice was even quieter than Yupali’s, and she recalled Valdar scolding her over not practicing louder speech habits. “Please, Xaria Ectria, tell us what you witnessed.”
Ectria brushed over everything Elinor had spoken, including Valdar, taking short pauses to use the remaining water in the skin to wash herself.
Nina’s expression brightened with relief, hand placed against her chest at the news. “Great-Grandpa’s alive, then; the Supreme Chief of the Pits brought him back?”
“I—don’t know about that,” Kalix muttered. “Didn’t you say that the Jungle showed you his death; why wouldn’t it show you his rebirth?”
“Eh,” Nina’s soft brow furrowed, left hand nervously gripping her bicep. “I don’t know—maybe I wasn’t in-tune enough,” she mumbled. “Still, I’m happy that he’s back.”
“Our great-grandfather’s with this Supreme Chief, then?” Kalix hummed. “Doesn’t this sound too jumpy?”
“I’d say so,” Kole replied, looking out across the valley. “Especially with Nina’s vision.”
“Well, not really a full vision,” Nina replied, blue cheeks lightening with embarrassment.
Ectria glanced between them, rubbing the last of the cool liquid in the waterskin across her neck. “What vision?”
“You see—I, umm—it’s more of a feeling that the Jungle shared with me.”
“Go on,” Kalix urged. “You need to have faith in your ability; remember what Great-Grandpa said.”
“Yeah—umm, so, there are a few colossal forces that have recently come into the world—bigger … I can’t even describe how vast they are—much larger than I can see.”
“In short,” Kalix popped his tongue, nose twisting as he glared at the valley, “the Heavens must be at war, and we must determine which side we’ll join. We don’t even know the Supreme Chiefs by name … maybe that’s why they’re finally coming down to make themselves known.”
“Maybe,” Kole mumbled. “At least we know The Supreme Chief of the Pits is accepting Ri’bot within her domain.”
“Is it her’s, though?” Kalix absently asked, focus still on the jungle below.
Ectria’s eyes widened at the question. “Of course it is … she’s The One Above All; everything is hers.”
Kalix didn’t respond right away, teeth pressing against his lips. “Right—but what if she isn’t The One Above All, but a Supreme Chief trying to take that place. The Heavens are much more complicated than we first thought.”
“Oh … umm—huh,” Ectria’s focus dropped to the empty waterskin in her hands.
Why didn’t I think of that? Sure, okay, Empress Elinor must be over the Pits, I mean, she’s bringing the deceased back, but that doesn’t necessarily mean she’s The One Above All. Still, why would a Supreme Chief lie about that?
She didn’t mention anything about other Supreme Chiefs in the valley or a war. Is that right? No, but if Valdar is with her, shouldn’t we trust the Elder Chief?
Nina gave them each a troubled look before clearing her throat. “I’ll—I’ll go try to ask the Jungle again; maybe I’ll learn something new.”
“Yeah, do that,” Kalix replied with a heavy sigh, and Ectria thought it almost sounded like he didn’t have faith in his cousin. “This is a big decision; we need all the information we can get—which Supreme Chief should we side with?”
They watched the Plant Caller hurry off to join her assistant, and Kole turned to give her a thankful smile. “Hey, Ectria, thanks.”
“For?” She asked, mind preoccupied with the problem at hand.
“What else?”
“Oh, Jama and your son?”
“Yeah, and for the recon. This is crazy, right?”
“Really crazy … Jama told me you must be going soft,” she said with a light chuckle. “Have you been giving her some lessons? She’s not half bad.”
“Bah,” he waved his hand, lips falling to the side, “as if I could take that woman seriously; she likes to talk to Ulpix.”
Ectria giggled at the light curse, referencing their prized pack animals meant for high-altitude trips; the one drawback was how much the creatures pooped, which more than a few Ri’bot disdained. It was a rotating job to clean it up and transfer it to the fields for their vegetables.
Kalix appeared lost in thought, seemingly not even taking notice of their lighthearted conversation. After a time, he whispered. “What will this war look like?”
Kole and Ectria’s mood darkened, mind returning to the depression discussion.
She shrugged her shoulders, scanning the foliage far below for any sight of disturbing wildlife. “Who knows? I felt a single flash of their strength … and that was likely restrained. I couldn’t imagine surviving, even if I ran.”
“The Thélméthra,” Kole nodded with a grave tone. “That makes things a lot more difficult; do you remember Elder Valdar’s stories?”
Ectria shivered, hugging her shoulders. “Yeah, they had nests nestled in the cracks of the cliffs during his grandfather’s days. Unkillable silent monsters of death.”
“Yeah, scary stories … remember how the Elder said they used to think they were invincible until they found the corpse of one that an Elite Hunter had killed.”
Ectria sucked in her lips, thinking of Valdar’s nighttime stories. “You know, I thought the stories were supposed to be scarier,” she mumbled, “but seeing that Thélméthra in person … it was more terrifying than anything I’ve ever seen.”
“How do we fight them, then?” Kalix growled.
Her eyes widened. “Fight—should we at all? I just told you that the Thélméthra was more horrifying than any of the Elder’s stories, and I haven’t even gotten to the other two creatures that rode on the backs of the smaller ones. She has Quen’Talrat, including a four-armed Elite Hunter! Not to mention the dozens and dozens of creatures hiding in the jungle around her.”
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She threw her hands in the air. “We’re talking about the Supreme Chief of the Pits … not just any Heavenly figure, but a primordial force! Those other two creatures that looked like Supreme Chief Elinor—yeah, Kole, there were two others like her, and they might be Supreme Chiefs, too. Think about that!”
“Even so,” Kalix growled, “we must be prepared to fight if we must.”
“No, no, no,” Ectria protested, muscles trembling as she remembered the aura that had passed over her. “I mean, the Lethix and Flex Clans have already bent their knees! The Chiefs are with her—they bowed…”
Kalix’s body became stiff as a board, wide eyes darting to her. “What? Say that again,” he demanded, the Chief’s tone becoming heated.
“The Flex and Lethix Clans,” Ectria repeated in confusion, “they bent the knee…”
His chest puffed up, blue cheeks becoming darker as his rage grew. “You didn’t tell me the Lethix and Flex are with this Supreme Chief!”
“N-no?” Ectria stammered, realizing it had slipped her mind until now. “I just—it wasn’t the most important news.”
“Not important?” Kalix roared, making Kole frown as he glanced between them. “Elder Chief Valdar, Hero of the Fire Wars, Grand Mystic of the Delthax, our three times Former Chief has locked hands in friendship with the jungle’s filth? You’re telling me, that wasn’t important?”
“No,” Ectria mumbled, vision darting to the ground as the connection linked in her mind. “I didn’t—I didn’t even consider it … all I could think of was…”
“Then this Supreme Chief is a fake,” Kalix stated, nose flaring. “There’s no possible way my great-grandfather would be on the same side as those dirt lickers! Either that’s not really my great-grandfather, or he’s a traitor, which is impossible. It’s not him, then.”
“Chief…” Ectria held up her hand, but Kalix stormed away.
“I need some time to consider our next move; go help with the preparations to meet them for battle.”
“Damn.” Kole whispered.
Ectria yelled after him, scratching her scalp with concern. “I wasn’t trying to hide it!”
“No, I get it,” Kole replied, folding her arms while giving her a deep frown.
“You believe me?”
“Eh, hmm—he’s just angry for even entertaining the idea. Honestly, I can’t say for certain that the Elder Chief wouldn’t set aside our blood feud if a Supreme Chief told him to, and she said he’d spent time in the Pits … who can even say what that’s like?”
Ectria took a shuttering breath, hugging her shoulders as a shiver ran down her spine. “Yeah … I just—I can’t think of fighting her—I can’t.”
Kole’s lips became a line as he glanced over at the fuming Chief, barking for reports from Warriors as he came to the nearest company. “Even if the Chief orders you to fight?”
“I—don’t know,” Ectria replied, vision still on the rocky ground.
He gave her a concerned look, knowing that meant desertion. A low groan left his throat as he scratched his shoulder. “I can respect that—but I’ll follow the Chief.”
Her single right tooth pressed against her lower lip. “Even if—what if it goes against the Heavens?”
“The Chief moving against the Heavens?” Kole fell silent, and after several seconds swallowed. “I can’t answer that … we’ll see if it comes to that. Anyways,” he sighed, “I’m going to go see if Meji needs help.”
A flood of anxiety filled her stomach as Kole jogged off.
Am I really that far removed from everyone else? Is it me? I mean, the Chief’s angry, which yeah, he should be … if the Lethix and Flex are involved, then we all should be mad, but—if The One Above All came down and ordered the feud to cease, then it was settled, right? Why am I the only one that sees that?
Ectria shifted to gazed down at the sprawling valley below; she’d looked upon its beauty throughout her life, tracing the massive structure of the Quen’Talrat fortress on the northern shelf and the dozens of landmarks that marked each territory. Her focus settled on one place at the moment, though, the Wixum Lake many miles away, knowing The Supreme Chief of the Pits was likely on her way.
The sun continued to fall, and she moved around the village, helping where she could. Chief Kalix hadn’t revoked any of her authorities, but he avoided her, and an occasional glare in her direction told her he hadn’t cooled off yet.
His words put a little doubt in her chest, but it only seated itself when her body wasn’t working. What if the Flex and Lethix are tricking us? I never actually saw the Elder Chief, and Nina didn’t sense his resurrection … she is young, though. No … I know what I felt. Even if I’m wrong, I know I can’t win. It’s impossible.
Her cheeks puffed out as the sun reached its evening place in the sky, turning the heavens orange. Nina returned in a rush, showing mixed emotions.
“Chief—our great-grandpa’s alive!” She cried. “The Jungle…”
“Nina,” Kalix warned. “Let’s discuss this in private. Xarias Meji, Kole,” he gave her an uncertain stare, “Ectria—join me.”
At least he’s cooling down.
There were quite a few sidelong stares as they moved to the cliff’s edge again, Nina showing an apprehensive smile.
“Okay,” Kalix groaned once they were in private, linking his fingers behind his head while giving his cousin a cautious frown. “What did The Jungle tell you?”
“The Jungle gave me the clearest vision I’ve ever had; it’s just like great-grandpa told me! He’ll be so proud! I can’t wait to tell him…”
“Alright,” Kalix mumbled, obviously impatient for the information.
“Oh, right, right—umm,” she blinked while swallowing, releasing a nervous chuckle. “So, there are three powerful groups that have formed recently within the valley, and they’re only growing stronger. I think we were right; they’re Supreme Chiefs with all the signs we’ve been given.”
“You think?” Kalix sighed. “I thought you said it was the clearest vision you’ve ever had.”
“It is!” She defended, cheeks lightening. “I saw The Supreme Chief of the Pits, Elinor,” she mumbled, giving Ectria a meaningful look. “She looks rather strange, and on fire—oh, and I saw the three other great ones with her—I believe they’re Supreme Chiefs, too! One of them was a Thélméthra.”
“What … uh, Supreme Chiefs?” Meji lifted an eyebrow, gaze shifting between them. “When was anyone going to tell me this?”
“Yeah, sorry about that,” Kole chuckled.
Kalix ignored his complaint. “A Supreme Chief—Thélméthra,” he slowly repeated. “You’re—positive, Nina?”
“Yes! The Jungle showed me just how immensely powerful they are, and that’s not all! There are three Thélméthra that are extremely powerful, too, maybe Ancient Grand Chiefs.”
Meji’s mouth dropped open, tongue pressed against his two left teeth, utterly lost as he tried to catch up with the conversation. “Ancient Grand Chiefs … Thélméthra?”
“The Quen’Talrat—no, even the Elite Hunter is nothing compared to the Thélméthra or the other Supreme Chiefs, and there are two great powers in the south, among the Nalvean lands, a long serpent-like creature and one that looks like the Supreme Chief Elinor.
“Oh, and there’s probably a group of Grand Chiefs attacking the Xaltan right now; at least, I think they’re Grand Chiefs—they feel abnormally strong, and look like Supreme Chief Elinor! They’re running, though—I think, well, moving further southeast with the Clan chasing them, and I saw the Roxim and Komath Clans…”
“Woah—this is getting crazy,” Meji interrupted. “This is for real, right?”
“Yeah, it is!” Nina huffed, showing a rare, aggressive side of her personality. “Shut-up and listen, The Jungle’s warning us! Umm—I was talking about the Roxim and Komath … they’re abandoning their lands.”
Kalix looked like he was about to interject, but his mouth snapped shut upon hearing the news.
“I heard that the Komath took possession of prisoners from beyond the Gateway, but it appears that for some reason they gave them to the Xaltan, and now they’re having trouble with them. Oh, but the Roxim are still in control of all of their creatures. I think they’re heading east with the Komath, outside the valley to meet with other Clans.”
“Go on, Nina,” Kalix prompted.
“Umm—that’s it,” she mumbled, suddenly looking a little self-conscious. “Was—I supposed to figure out more?”
Ectria felt cold sweat squeezing out of her pores, realizing they might be caught in the middle of a Heavenly War. “The storm last night,” she whispered, drawing their attention. “It signaled the battle above before they came down.”
“Oh, yeah, yeah,” Nina spoke up. “The serpent-like Supreme Chief has control over the water and storms! The Supreme Chief of the Pits, Elinor, well, yeah, she can bring back the dead. Our great-grandpa is serving the Supreme…”
Kalix seemed to have had enough. “I don’t care about any of that right now, Nina. Tell me, how can the serpent be a Supreme Chief when the Clavex took her prisoner. Some of the Warriors told me that they sealed it into a deep sleep and transported it to the Nalveans.”
Nina’s cheeks puffed up for a moment, realizing he doubted parts of her vision. “Well, yeah, but they’re worshiping her—like, right now. I mean, since she’s a Supreme Chief, then they’d be doing that, just like—you said she went by Empress, Ectria?”
“Yeah,” she responded, still processing the stunning information. The valley is falling apart.
“Empress Elinor is calling for worship, just like this other one … I believe hearing one of the creatures call her a Naga—yeah, I could understand one, just like Empress Elinor—but I can listen to everything they’re saying. The Naga’s name was Yesenia … kind of twists my tongue saying it,” she mumbled. “The Jungle showed me that their powers will grow to engulf the entire world!”
Meji’s lips had long been tucked in as he stared at her. “Huh—well, then … what do we do?”
Chief Kalix’s blue skin-tone was slightly lighter, showing he was nervous as he realized what they’d gotten themselves into. “If what you’re saying is true … we’re siding with Supreme Chief of Storms, Yesenia.”
Ectria stiffened. “What?”
Nina’s forehead creased. “Yeah, what do you mean? Supreme Empress—wait, umm, no, Empress Elinor is the one coming for us, at the moment.”
“Maybe—we should think about this a bit more,” Kole mumbled.
“No, I’ve made my decision,” Kalix growled, shooting a sharp glare at his cousin. “Empress Elinor sent our great-grandfather to the Pits … a hero, and now forces him to work for her. I won’t stand by it. We prepare for combat!”
Kole tried to ease the tension with a forced chuckle. “Should we really be choosing sides before…”
“Will you follow your Chief’s decision, or refuse?”
They all swallowed, knowing the consequences.
Nina timidly pleaded, “Shouldn’t you give everyone in the Clan the chance to choose? This is bigger than just the Clan … it’s a battle between Supreme Chiefs … our eternity.”
“She’s right,” Ectria voiced, putting a hand on Kalix’s shoulder. “Think about this, please, Chief; this decision will personally affect every Ri’bot.”
Chief Kalix hesitated, nostrils flaring as he glanced across the rocky edge at his people. After a moment, a frustrated sigh shot through his lips. “Maybe you’re right.”
Meji folded his arms, vision hardening while following his gaze. “No, I think it’s sound judgment, Chief.”
“What?” Ectria, Nina, and Kole’s purple irises darted to the Xaria.
“Why?” Kalix asked, giving the eldest Xaria in the clan his undivided attention.
“Listen,” he stated in a serious tone, “if I follow the conversation, then we’re being forced to pick between two rival Supreme Chiefs. If that’s the case, then it would split the Clan, morale would drop, and some might even jump off the cliff to skip the decision entirely, yet Ectria, you still think it would be a good idea?”
“Yes,” Ectria defended, doubling down on her view. “Chief, this is their eternity—our eternity; Empress Elinor is over the Pits … we’re damning ourselves for nothing!”
His nose twisted as he thought on her words; the next ten seconds was the tensest moment in Ectria’s life, and he closed his eyes before taking a drawn-out sigh. Vision opening, his hard eyes moved to her. “It is a hard decision, Ectria … you’ll stand down.”
“No … Chief,” Ectria whispered, feeling a sharp pain nip her heart.
“If you won’t fight, then you’ll be confined to my hut until the conflict is over … then I’ll decide your punishment.”
Nina stepped forward, tears in her eyes. “Kalix, please, listen to reason…”
“I’m not your cousin right now, Nina, and you’re not a little girl anymore. No, I know you—you can wait out the night with Ectria.”
Ectria’s jaw locked, fingers balling into a fist as she glared at the ground in frustration, yet she couldn’t help feeling the whiplash of dismay. “It’s all in vain … Chief.”
“Can we look at a different angle?” Kole offered.
Kalix’s hard irises slid to him. “Will you refuse my order, Xaria Kole?”
“No,” he whispered.
“Good, go prepare the Clan … Meji, you escort my cousin and Xaria Ectria to my hut for house arrest.”
“You heard him,” Meji stated, giving her a deep frown.
The thing that hurt Ectria the most was the disappointment in their eyes as if she were the one betraying the Clan. This is … wrong, but—what can I do? I said everything I could.
Her nose burned as her fellow Xaria escorted her to her confinement; she wouldn’t lie; it was embarrassing, disheartening, and frustrating. Every eye watched her in confusion as they trudged through the working throng to the hut.
Pushing past the Ragnlar skin pelts hanging over the entrance, separating the interior from the exterior. Meji gave a sharp click of his tongue as they both sat on wooden stools; Nina’s sad eyes were low, but Ectria’s was held on Meji with disapproval. “Don’t you know what this will do? I’m trying to save everyone … follow the Heavens.”
“Yeah,” he grunted. “The Heavens are at war, and we’re moving against Flex and Lethix.”
“How will you fight multiple Supreme Chiefs?” Nina whispered.
He smirked. “That’s easy, we chose The Supreme Chief of Storms, Yesenia, and she’ll come to save us.”
Ectria couldn’t curse his belief, and for all she knew, the Supreme Chief would, but at the same time, it was a risk they didn’t have to take.
“I hope you’re right—I really do,” Nina gave him a tearful smile.
“You know, a lot of good Ri’bot will probably not make it out of this because of your decision, Ectria. I hope you can live with yourself after this, and if you have any pride left as a Xaria, then you’ll stay inside.”
She gave the statement a weak chuckle. “Where would I go? Delthax is my home.”
Turning, he grunted, leaving without another word.
Spreading out her legs, she rested her elbows against her thighs, staring at the wooden floorboards, knowing she could escape at any time, but it would do her little good.
Nina sniffed, giving her a helpless smile. “I’m still just a little girl to him, whatever he says, and … you know, he’s not wrong. I’m only eight-years-old, and I don’t know much about being a Plant Caller, nothing like our great-grandpa.”
“I don’t think so,” Ectria whispered. “You told us so much … I don’t even recall the Elder Chief giving out so much information.”
“It’s not me, it’s The Jungle,” Nina’s toes pawed the wood. “He’s alive; I’m so happy—and so sad … the Chief can’t accept the Elder Chief setting aside his hatred—because Kalix never could. If just for a moment—I know he’d accept it. He entered the Pits—that’s what you said, right?”
Ectria’s thumbs pressed against her index fingers, nails digging into her smooth skin. “Well—that’s what Empress Elinor said.”
“I see—if he did, how couldn’t he have let go of his hatred. I just—it’s impossible to imagine he wouldn’t.”
Getting up, Ectria walked over to the pot in the corner, splashing water across her sweaty body, still in dismay. “I hate the Lethix and Flex, too, but—for the Chief to be this blind, and not even give the Clan their choice of which Supreme Chief to follow—it’s unthinkable—I can’t believe it. This wasn’t just a decision in the flesh, but eternity. It’s so much bigger than a Chief can decide.”
“I know,” Nina sighed. “I understand why he’s doing this; I grew up hearing about it. He could never forgive the Lethix and Flex for the murder of his father—especially, our grandfather. He looked up to his father, but the stories our parents told us about our grandfather were—legendary.”
Ectria remembered the stories well; most Delthax children grew up with the tales. “I get why, but—I don’t understand how he could make this decision for everyone. The Flex and Lethix betrayed their honor in his death, rekindling the feud, but this is a Heavenly War. It’s more selfish than I’ve ever thought him capable of … it spits in everything the Chief should stand for—it hurts,” she sniffed, feeling more tears coming to her eyes as the betrayal struck again. “It hurts a lot.”
Nina’s cheeks were puffing up as she cried, mirroring her feelings. “He’s given into his hatred over the Clan, but there’s nothing I can do. No one’s going to believe an eight-year-old girl, even if I’m a Plant Caller … they’ll trust the Chief’s word.”
Ectria rubbed her eyes, experiencing similar emotions. “You’re right—with my mixed skin-color, and if he then calls me a—a traitor, then it doesn’t matter, even if I’m a Former Xaria. The Chief’s word, mixed with the other Xaria, telling them of an impending threat with the Flex and Lethix … we wouldn’t get a word in. What can we do, then?”
Nina gave her a surprisingly hopeful smile through her tears. “Pray.”
They straightened as a commotion resounded around the camp, and Koma, the young Wixum girl she’d promised to train, snuck in through the front. “Xaria Ectria, why are you in here?”
Thank the Supreme Chiefs, she made it, and she’s not in the thick of the assault … well, how will Empress Elinor respond? Please, have mercy! Have mercy! See into the heart of our Chief and understand our situation! Please, spare us, Empress Elinor!