
CHOICES is the first book in the Chronicles of a Hero fantasy series. This is the story of Wendell P. Dipmier, who I’ve been writing about since 1990. I hope you’ll join me on this new adventure….as I tell the honest, complete story of this amazing 17 year old, exclusively on Life of Fiction.
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Chapter 7
There comes a moment in every life when the Universe presents you with an opportunity to rise to your potential. An open door that only requires the heart to walk through, seize it, and hang on.
The choice is never simple. It is never easy.
It’s not supposed to be.
The state of your heart always determines your potential.
The rest is just practice.
“What did you think of Sanctuary?” asked Delnar.
We stopped at the terrace and took the time to gaze over the last light in the valley. It looked…peaceful. High above us, Elämä moved through the expanse of space, blotting out the last rays of the sun…a silent call to the magic hidden throughout Erimuri. As the darkness of night fell over us, millions of embedded crystals along the stone wall came to life. Soft blue stars cast their light across the white city, while small lamps, filled with similar crystals, breathed life among the streets and paths I’d walked that day.
“Did you find food?” Delnar asked.
“Uh-huh,” I said, distracted by thoughts of the day.
“What happened to your arm?” He asked.
I looked down at the makeshift bandage to support the wound, but all I could think about was Kyliene.
“Wendell?”
“What?” I said. “Oh. Sorry. I-I fell…out of a tree. Nana said I cracked the bones in my arm.” My attention drifted from the day’s labors to the market. It still blew me away that people were willing to feed a complete stranger. They didn’t know me at all, and yet they were willing to care for me as if I was one of their own. “It…doesn’t hurt anymore,” I added lazily.
She liked me.
Kyliene didn’t know who I was. She didn’t know where I came from, or any of the dozens of things that were wrong with my life and personality. She liked me. That simple fact, which almost sounded unnatural to a nerd like me, made me smile. Even when I made a dork of myself, and…I looked down at the bandage. It was stupid, taking those risks, jumping out of a tree. I know it was stupid trying to impress a girl.
But she still liked me.
“Today was wonderful,” I said, grinning wider. “Amazing, actually. I’ve never had a day like it. Everyone was so kind and giving. No one questioned my presence or remarked how visually different I was.” But one thought nagged at me. “My mom would have enjoyed meeting the friends I made today.”
The High Elder seemed to struggle, trying to keep his smile in check. “Especially Kyliene?”
I smirked. “Still, a month is a long time to be away.”
The High Elder looked at me, surprised. “You won’t be gone a month. It will be far less than that.”
My head snapped up. “What did you say?”
“You will not be gone as long as you suppose,” he clarified.
“You’re not making sense,” I said. “Not that you’ve made much sense since I got here, but…explain this to me.”
Looking upward, Delnar swept his hand across the sky, as if revealing the whole of space and the countless stars filling the expanse before us. “What your world has yet to discover is that time is a relative thing…specific to the sphere in which it is bound. Time does not pass at the same rate as Earth.”
I could feel my brows curving inward. “Yeeaaah, we’re still talking crazy here.”
The High Elder laughed. “This world rotates faster than your adopted planet. We brought you to a world where time moves slower. Many generations have passed on Elämä since you were born. Thus…you have time.”
“Generations?” I said. “Wait. Wait. That’s…lifetimes!”
“Correct,” he said.
Shock, confusion and realization battled for control of my face as we walked along the torch lit terrace. Not like I’d studied the subject of time, or the cosmos, but,…I thought time was just, you know…time? This made little sense to me.
“Says the teenage kid trapped in a magical land with a diamond sticking out of his chest,” Doubt laughed.
All this had me thinking. “How long do you think I could live here and not…you know…be missed?” I asked. “If, suppose, I wanted to stay awhile…longer?”
The High Elder stepped to my side. “Let’s look at that wound before we go in, shall we?”
Frustrated, I didn’t want to push the point. The last thing I wanted was to have Delnar think I was caving and changing my mind. So I stood still and raised my forearm. Unwrapping the handkerchief, the High Elder handed the sticks and cloth to me and examined my arm.
“Does this hurt?” He pressed his fingers into the skin near my elbow.
“Nope,” I said.
“Uncomfortable?” he asked, running his thumbs up and down the length of the bone.
I shook my head. “Not in the least.”
Satisfied, he nodded. “The Ithari has performed her wonders. You are whole once more.”
With all the preoccupation over Kyliene, I just had paid little attention to my wound. Staring at my arm, I flipped my palm back and forth. I had full range of motion and not a single tinge of pain or discomfort. “I noticed a warming sensation soon after the fall, but…” A flicker of motion in my peripheral vision cut me off.
Three robed men briskly approached from a far corner of the terrace. Two wore white robes, both of similar height, but one filled out the cloth with broad shoulders and a barrel chest. The third, his face hidden in the shadow of his hood, wore black. He was nearly a head taller than the others, slim, but also broad. He moved with certainty and purpose, his strides even and leveled, which gave him the illusion of floating across the ground. Two nodded in polite acknowledgment as they passed.
The youngest one turned deliberately, and our eyes met.
He looked to be fifteen, maybe sixteen at the most, but his self-confidence was unmistakable. His posture, stride, and his expression. I knew that expression. It was one the rich kids in school had when they believed they were God’s gift to the world. They were better than you, and they knew it. His pace slowed as his stare intensified, curious.
“What’s his problem?” said Doubt.
Good question. I avoided the stare and looked down at my feet.
The High Elder turned to address the three. “Gaidred?”
Bowing slightly, the one in black spoke clearly in low tones. “High Elder, we have yet to hear from Tiell. As we discussed in Council meeting, our situation becomes grave. In light of this, Brother Tursin and I would offer our services.”
Looking to each robe and then back to Gaidred, deep furrows in his brow, the High Elder nodded. “Continue.”
“We would open the way to Tämä-Un and discover why Tiell is delayed.”
Delnar slowly paced in front of them, stroking his beard thoughtfully. “I fear opening the gate more than necessary. Shea spoke of a dark presence he felt within Sanctuary this very morning.”
“He was not the only one,” Gaidred added. “I myself have felt an intruder.” He looked at his brothers. “When I tried to identify its source, the presence eluded me.”
Delnar stopped short. “Eluded? Do you believe our defenses breached?”
Gaidred pulled back his hood. His lean face and chiseled features complimented his trimmed, raven black goatee. His eyes narrowed as they met Delnar’s. “I believe something has entered the protected city and is moving from valley to valley.” His eyes flickered in my direction without actually looking directly at me. “I believe it is searching.”
The High Elder turned to the youngest. “Shea?”
I noticed a moment of hesitation between them. This Shea and the High Elder. They looked almost identical, except for the grey facial hair and wrinkles.
Shea bowed his head. “We detected the presence near the time Tiell opened the Prime Gate. When I inspected our defenses, I discovered that none had been tampered with. That leaves the Gate itself.” He shot me an uncomfortable glance. “With brother Tiell long overdue from his routine excursion, logic would point to the gate.”
I did my best to make it look like I wasn’t listening, but I had nowhere to go. Quietly, I shifted my weight from one foot to another, keeping my hands at my side, trying to focus on the distant lights of the city. I even held my breath in spurts, afraid I’d grab their attention, exhaling slowly through my nose to muffle the sound of my breathing.
Again, Shea looked over with aggressive eyes.
“What the crap is his problem?!” Doubt jumped in. “Just go punch him in the face.”
What? No!
“He’s annoying.”
When did you get violent?
“When you got super powers. Don’t let this bubble up into another bully. Take him out before he has a chance to test his resolve.“
I quickly turned my head away, as if I didn’t notice. It didn’t matter though — I could still feel the hair rising on the back of my neck. How could he not like me? He didn’t even know me!
“Tursin?” The High Elder motioned to the exceptionally broad elder to join him.
He was a pale blue and shorter than his brothers. His cannonball shoulders and thick arms were clear, even through his robe. Unlike Gaidred, he was clean shaven, his wedged jaw hosting full lips and a wide, flat nose, which looked to have been broken. He walked to the edge of the terrace.
“I ask that you use your instincts to give us insight,” Delnar said. “What do your heightened senses tell you?”
Gripping the balustrade with his wide hands, Tursin peered through the darkness, ears twitching. He sniffed the air, his head twitching as if finding something in the wind. His breathing deepened and slowed until he stopped moving altogether.
No one spoke, all eyes waiting for him.
“Evil lurks within this valley,” Tursin finally whispered. “It moves even now, among the shadows.”
The High Elder turned to include the others. “Wisdom dictates we remain together, united and alert. Tiell must be retrieved immediately and Sanctuary fortified without delay. We must weed out…”
A bright light appeared in the night sky.
A luminous drop of liquid fell from overhead, gaining speed as it plummeted toward Sanctuary. It silently struck the Prime Gate, causing the center of the platform to flare. Even from where I stood, I could see the runes on each black claw pulse to life. Complicated patterns glowing red, creating an eerie glow throughout the wooded park.
“Thank the Makers,” the High Elder said. “Tiell has returned.” Exhaling a sigh of relief, he nodded to himself in satisfaction. “Now that we are whole, we can—”
A singular scream ripped through the night air.
The High Elder winced as if someone had struck him across the face and stopped short, his eyes wide with terror. He looked to the elders.
Then I knew. “Kyliene,” I said, my voice little more than a distressed whisper.
Next thing I knew, Tursin dove headfirst over the balustrade. The shock of his action almost pulled a shriek from me as he plunged into the darkness. An instant later, the searing screech of an eagle jolted everyone into motion. We all darted across the bridge.
A second scream, seizing the night, was hauntingly and abruptly silenced.
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Sprinting after the elders as fast as my feet would carry me, we all followed the silhouette of the eagle. It circled the park, diving toward the Prime Gate.
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
My limbs pulsed with a warm energy I couldn’t explain. Without exerting myself, I dashed past the elders, across the bridge and down the ramp towards the park. Cutting through the shrubs and trees, my thumping heart faltered when I heard the deafening roar of an enraged beast.
Oh no, no, no!
Stumbling, I instinctively raised my hands to protect my head, and all but fell through the last branches and into the open area of the park. I wasn’t prepared for what I found.
Even in the odd white and red glow of the platform, I could see blood. Red and black spatters over stone and grass. Next to the base of the Prime Gate was a black grizzly bear. At least that’s what I thought it was at first. It was bigger, broader, with probably twice the muscle mass, but its fur and facial structure looked like a grizzly to me. The thing stood erect, growling at an equally intimidating green giant, crouching opposite him. Hissing aggressively, the giant shook a long hammer gripped in his hand.
Laying between them was the prize: a torn heap of white cloth, caked in blood and dirt. A bald, blue head barely visible between the folds.
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Something in me wanted to jump in and drag the elder to safety.
“Are you INSANE?!” Doubt shrieked. “You’ll get eaten on one hand, or punctured on the other.”
The giant’s left shoulder sported a gaping wound, bleeding down heavily tattooed skin. Blood and a clump of dark fur hung from the spike end of the weapon. His bulky arm flapped limply against his torso, smearing the oozing black liquid across its dirty leather jerkin and trousers.
Taunting, the giant made a shallow lunge toward the body between them, feigning with the hammer.
The bear bellowed, warning its enemy to stay away.
Each movement from either giant threatened the safety of the elder helpless between them. The fighting has shifted away from the platform enough that I had the opportunity to…
“What is WRONG with you?” Doubt wailed. “Do you WANT to get us killed? There is no safe path to the blue puddle in the grass, so STOP IT!”
The mocking laughter of the giant was barely audible over the roar of the beast. He was enjoying the conflict. You could see it in his expressions, in his taunting body language. Only when his gaze went to the elder did I understand the reason for taunting the bear. Throwing his arms out to his sides, the giant feigned to one side, then made a lunge in the opposite direction. In one powerful motion, he swung the hammer with full intent. To drive it through the prone elder.
It never met its mark.
Dropping forward protectively over who I assumed was Tiell, the bear’s agile paw slashed across the enemy’s torso. The dagger-like claws tore through clothing, flesh and sinew, sending the hammer spinning across the grass. It stopped just a few feet from where I stood.
By this time, the others had caught up, and the elders fanned out. A black robe — the one they called Gaidred — walked calmly towards the fight. It was amazing to see a man with such confidence approach two beasts several times his size. Gaidred ignored the bear altogether, keeping his attention on the giant. The whole situation confused me. What did he think he could do?
Reaching into the folds of his sleeves, Gaidred pulled a long slender knife free and threw it with one fluid motion. Tumbling silently through the air, the blade stuck true, sinking to the hilt, lodging in the giant’s throat. The giant roared, the sound coming out more like a gurgle, flinging itself into the light to confront its new enemy.
I recoiled as it did.
Its head had a misshapen and oddly proportioned appearance. One cheek bone was considerably larger that the other, with unusually thick black eyebrows, and sickly yellow eyes. It reminded me of another monster. I cringed at the sight of the morbid green face. But this one was bigger and had seeping boils and odd hairy growths littering its forehead and down the left side of its face. Countless scars, cuts stitched badly and healed even worse, littered its face and neck. Protruding from its lower jaw were two long, sharp teeth.
Okay, not like Dax.
“Both are ugly though, so…” Doubt chimed.
Stop it.
The giant rolled back its thin lips and snarled, stumbling again. It didn’t fall, though. Gurgling, black liquid sputtered out of its mouth and down its chin. A second spray pumped from the wound in its neck.
Distracted, the bear struck its opponent across the head with a single, downward blow. A sickening crunch resounded through the air. The body collapsed lifelessly to the ground.
The bear lumbered over to its fallen enemy, rolling the body over with an immense paw. The beast completely ignored Gaidred, even as it moved into striking range. It hovered a few moments, sniffing and studying the grotesque face and wound it had inflicted. Then stood upright.
As it stretched, bones shifted and popped, realigning themselves. Claws softened into fingers as black fur lightened and retreated through millions of open pores. The transformation, which took only seconds, completed into a white robe and a gasping Elder Tursin.
My jaw dropped open.
“Shape…shifter!” Doubt and I said in harmony. “That is…so…COOL!”
Tursin walked slowly, panting heavily as he moved across the grass. Sweat dripped from his brow. He knelt to one knee and picked up the bloodstained hammer, turning it over in his hand.
I watched him, inwardly cringing at the red stain growing over his shoulder and down the left breast of his robe. Tursin, noticing my stare, smiled reassuringly.
“Um,” I gulped, pointing at the wound, “You’re bleeding.”
“Come,” Tursin said softly as he leaned his head toward the others.
I followed, but kept my distance to not get in anyone’s way.
While unconscious, they positioned Tiell on his back. Gaidred was already kneeling at his side, carefully examining the wounds. Tiell's eyes were swollen shut, his bottom lip bloated and opened at one corner. The tear on his bottom lip reached nearly an inch toward his chin. The High Elder knelt beside the body, taking one of Tiell’s hands gently upon his lap. His fingers showed signs of disfigurement, with joints that were darkened and bent in the wrong directions. Look, I’m no warrior, but those didn’t look like battle wounds to me.
“Shea,” called the High Elder.
The young elder quickly knelt down at Delnar’s side.
“We will need Jiin,” he whispered. “Gather our brothers as quickly as you can.”
With a nod of understanding, Shea jumped up, spun on his heels, and sprinted right into me, knocking both of us off balance. I landed on my backside, and surprisingly, Shea offered a hand to help me up. I was hesitant at first, but accepted the offered hand.
Images forced their way into my mind. Like a movie being played, I saw hands moving across the Prime Gate stones, weaving symbols I didn’t understand and then hearing whispers, causing the symbols to fade from view. The scene changed to sitting in a secluded room, surrounded by books and scrolls, a small orb upon a desk. Smoke swirled in the orb and my stomach sank, twisting unbearably. Glowing red slits looked at me through the smoke.
When I blinked, Shea had released my hand. However, this time, fear contorted his expression. He backed away.
“Shea!” the High Elder shouted. “We need Jiin now!”
The young elder turned and raced up the path.
I noticed people gathering in the park out of the corner of my eye. Like wandering sleepwalkers, old and young gathered round the Prime Gate, wide-eyed faces taking in the quiet scene. Some gassed, others whispered and pointed at the gore strewn across the grass. Others bowed their heads or averted their eyes. My anxiety grew as their intense whisperings grew..
“What happened?” said one.
“Who was screaming?” asked another.
Someone pointed accusingly at me. “I saw Kyliene walking to the park with him,” they said.
“Is someone hurt? Should we help?”
“What is that?!” a young lady said in disgust.
“That’s a Vallen, my dear. Our enemy. Foul creatures!” answered an elderly man.
“Is it dead?”
“I thought the enchantments were supposed to keep them out,” a fearful woman wailed.
“Take the children home,” grumbled an old woman. “This is no place for them!”
“How…how did that thing get through the Gate?!?”
“It’s a sign!” yelled a man.
“It’s the sign of the Gnolaum, I say!” cried another.
As more arrived, I could hear the muffled sobs of those afraid and confused. And then a timid voice asked a question that silenced the crowd.
“Has Mahan escaped?”
The High Elder looked up from Tiell, glanced briefly at the growing number of people, then to Gaidred. The black robe nodded with understanding. With a gentle expression on his face, he turned to the crowd, opened his arms wide, and walked toward them.
“Friends, calm yourselves. Be at peace. Yes, I, too, believe this is a sign of the Gnolaum, for the time has come for his return.” Gaidred glanced pointedly at me, and my gut sank. The elder’s voice was firm yet soothing as he walked among his fellow citizens. He moved from person to person, placing a gentle hand on a shoulder or gripping a forearm reassuringly.
“These valleys were created for our protection. Erimuri was a gift because of the faithfulness of our ancestors. Given with a promise that we, as a people, will survive the evil that will scourge the world and decimate the races. We were never promised we would survive the evil unscathed.” Gaidred took a deep breath. “If the Lord of Darkness has escaped that prison built for him, it matters not.” His eyes once more lingering on me before sweeping across the crowd.
“We should run,” Doubt whispered. “Find a roomy closet that no one uses, and hide. We could use a bucket, you know. Wait a month and go home.”
Gaidred broadened his smile and turned slowly so everyone near could see it. “Generations of our people have lived in peace. Prosperity for hundreds of years since Mahan was banished by the Hero. The Ithäri is the key. We are a sturdy people, and that is why the hero entrusted her protection to us. The Ithäri has always won. She will always win. I believe the Gnolaum will appear when we least expect it. The hero will return, and we will vanquish this evil and triumph at the last!”
Smiles appeared all around me, heads nodding in agreement. It was a good speech, except for the part that I wasn’t taking the job. If Gaidred knew who I was, he did not know I was bailing as soon as the door was open. Man, did I feel like a total… “Uh,…Delnar?” I said.
Elder Tiell stirred. His body twitched under the robe, his body letting out gasping noises. His free hand gripped a fistful of cloth at his side and his body shuddered hard.
A gentle but firm hand rested on Tiell’s chest. “Easy now, my dear brother. You have had a great shock.” The High Elder spoke fervently, leaning over his friend. “You are safe now. You are home.”
Tursin came to kneel opposite the High Elder at Tiell’s side, the deep furrows in his brows darkening his scowl. “Who did this to you, little brother?” A rumble in his broad chest coated his words. “Give me a name.”
Tiell coughed again, harder this time, and winced as blood appeared at the corner of his mouth. “Vallen camp. Tämä-Un.” He tried to smile, causing a fresh crack in his dried lips. “I will live, Tursin. Thus I am, to return and report.”
The High Elder smiled tenderly. “Not now, my friend. Rest. Jiin will be here soon to ease the pain.”
Some of the people pressed forward to see what was going on. Was this Tämä-Un a person? Maybe a place? Questions were forming fast in my mind, but there wasn’t the opportunity to ask. Many eyes went from me to the prone elder and back again. I tried to look casual, to seem like I belonged, but I stuck out like a big, sore, over-white thumb.
“Vallen?” Tursin pressed on firmly, ignoring the High Elder. “In Humär?” his expression was now incredulous.
Tiell nodded weakly. “The Prime Gate at Tämä-Un is being watched,” he groaned. “They have control of the Gate and have sent out scouts.”
“Cursed be their paths,” the High Elder scowled under his breath. He blinked hard, and his jaw became rigid. “It seems the enemy has found alternative paths in the human lands once more.”
“The Gate…showed no signs…of activation,” Tiell whispered haltingly. “The King…is safe for now. I locked…the Evolu out of Tämä-Un. ”
The High Elder exhaled a sigh. “It appears, my brothers, that we are once more forced into the world of men.”
Tursin nodded, his expression sober. “Our seclusion could not last forever.” Then, surprisingly, he looked up at me. He smiled. “I am glad you are here, young one.”
“Uh. I…” I started, but Delnar cut me off.
“We will address all things in Council,” he said. “For now, we have a brother to heal and an invader to locate within Sanctuary.” Turning his attention to the misshapen hand, the High Elder lifted the limp and motionless onto his lap. Lifting his elbow to pull back his robe, Tiell flinched, grunting as muscles rebelled. His hand fell back to his side.
“Here,” the High Elder whispered, “allow me.” Leaning down, he gently lifted the wounded arm, and slid the torn garment up Tiell’s forearm.
Tiell flinched hard. “Shoulder,” he gasped.
Here I was, thinking the poor guy had a nasty bruising, maybe some nasty cuts or even a broken arm. I wasn’t ready for a broken arrow shaft protruded from Tiell’s shoulder. Delnar gently lifted the flap of the robe back to fully expose the wound. The blue skin was black and dirty. Something that looked a lot like oil dripped down the thick shaft of wood, mixing with bright red blood seeping up from the pierced flesh. Tursin groaned.
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
“Vallen left their arrows to rot in vats of their own blood,” growled Tursin. “Intent on spreading disease to their victims. Specifically, those who do not die by arrow alone.
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Tiell gulped. “Surprised me. The gate closed. Could not protect…myself.” He paused, laboring to breathe. “Forced to run.” He smiled weakly. “Trousers…would have been…convenient.”
Tursin and Delnar chuckled knowingly.
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
“Uh…guys?” I said. “I don’t mean to bother you, but…” I stammered, pointing to the overturned body of the giant. “Is it…supposed to do that?”
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
If there’s one particular fear I have in the fantasy, make-believe realm of fiction, it would be zombies. It was bad enough, the concept of something coming to life after dying, with a singular desire to eat you I never found appealing. In fact, it outright terrifies me. But when movies were made and the zombies could RUN? We all turned in time to see the dead giant rise unnaturally from the ground.
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Unnatural? Duh.
How does anything dead rise ‘naturally’ from the ground, right?
“I think I pee’d a little,” Doubt squeaked.
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Like a puppet, some unseen force lifted and pulled the chest first by invisible strings, its grotesque face sputtering as its limbs convulsed. The giant’s left eye dangled from a fractured socket, splintered bone puncturing flesh as brain matter fell to the ground. The bear inflicted wounds mushrooming the raw black meat as it was forced to engage in motion. Those nearby the body quickly backed away.
Many did the smart thing and fled.
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Elder Gaidred turned to face the giant, placing himself instinctively between enemy and the innocent. Arms flung to his sides, a parental motion as if protecting one’s children. He whispered something under his breath, and the skin of his hands pulsed a dull red color.
“The intruder,” growled Tursin, jumping to his feet. “The shadow we have been searching for…is here.”
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
There were too many people gathered. Too many people too close.“Get the people back!” shouted the High Elder, rising from Tiell’s side.
But it was too late.
Before Gaidred could react, the giant lunged at a group of Iskari citizens. People who had gathered too close to the platform, many looking from the corner of the structure. A wide, calloused hand snatching a young girl from the crowd. Its filthy hand wrapped around her slender neck like a vise.
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
A girl with bouncing black curls.
“NO!” I screamed, running forward. A powerful hand grabbed my tunic and held me back.
“Don’t,” Tursin growled. “Keep your distance.”
“But he has Kyliene!” I screeched, pushing against his iron grip. Of all the people, of all the things that could go wrong, this could not be it. That sick, twisted thing could have anything it wanted, even me, but not… “I have to help her!” I cried aloud.
The grip tightened, holding me in place.
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Kyliene kicked wildly against the beast’s legs, without effect. Fingers clawed at dead flesh, her eyes pleaded, tears streaking down her face. Her complexion slowly turned a deep purple, her lips gasping for air.
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
I panicked. What can I do? I-I don’t know what to DO! There has to be SOMETHING!??
The giant pulled Kyliene tight against its blood drenched tunic like a tiny doll.
“NO!!” I screamed, pushing forward again. Tursin held me fast, his own stance immoveable. Gaidred shot me a stern look.
“It wants you, my friend,” Tursin whispered. His voice was not coarse or unkind. “That is what the evil is here for.”
“Then let it HAVE me,” I choked. “It’s hurting her!”
The giant looked at me, a sadistic grin on its mangled face. Drops of black blood trickled from its chin onto Kyliene’s cheek.
“Hand me over!” I hissed behind gritted teeth. “He is hurting her!”
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Why was it so hard to understand? As the hero, then the Ithari would heal me. If I wasn’t the hero, I could exchange myself for the kindest person I’ve met in my life. If she was safe, it wouldn’t really matter what happened to me, because I wasn’t important.
She was.
“You have nowhere to run, creature,” goaded the High Elder. He stepped into the open. “Let her go and we will let you live.”
“You know that’s not what it wants, Delnar,” a raspy voice called.
The crowd parted, allowing a figure to pass.
An old man in grey, tattered robes and a wide-rimmed, pointed hat emerged. He leaned heavily on a gnarled walking staff that stood as tall as he did. His snow-white beard was so long it brushed the ground as he moved, only matched his bushy white eyebrows. Dax and a young boy in red robes followed in his wake. The old man wasn’t blue.
I stopped, pushing against Tursin’s arm.
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
“Kyliene!” cried the boy. He rushed forward haphazardly…only to be scooped up by a wrinkled old hand.
“Stay still, Caleb,” the old man hissed, moving him into the arms of a woman behind them. The old man, followed by Dax, moved to stand near the High Elder. The old man elbowed Delnar. “Looks like you found your unwelcome visitor.”
The High Elder smiled. “I’m glad you are here.”
The old man frowned. “You won’t be.”
“If it doesn’t want to live,” Dax cut in, cracking his knuckles, “I’m more than happy to help with that request!” His glare changed to a smile as he locked eyes with Kyliene. “Hang in there, sweetie. I’m comin’ for ya.” Swaying on the balls of his feet, a growl rising deep in his chest. “Tell me when, and I’ll bite his throat out.”
“No,” the old man said, eyeing the giant. “This is going to require a…gymnastic style solution.”
A wicked grin crawled across Dax’s face. “Gotcha.”
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Taking a step forward, the old man used the tip of his staff to tilt back the rim of his hat. “You’re not planning on leaving here alive, are you? You wouldn’t have animated a body so damaged, if you were.”
With a widening smile, the giant licked the blood from Kyliene’s soft face, a lusty grumble in its chest.
She cringed.
“Don’t think it can talk with that pig-sticker in its throat,” Dax smirked. “Gaidred’s been throwing toothpicks again.”
I jumped as a rush of movement exploded behind me.
Shea had returned with the rest of the Council.
Without a word, the elders spread out around the Prime Gate, walling themselves between the enemy and the people. Several of them drew closer, hands on weapons hidden beneath their sleeves.
The old man glared as he leaned forward on his staff. “Do you know of me, velpä?”
“We know you, Chain-bringer,” it gurgled. “He who see’s all time, and will…”
“Silence,” the old man snapped, striking his staff on the ground. The motion sent a wave of force through the crowd. My throat felt restricted and tight. Small flecks of white light danced at the edges of my vision. “Let her loose, and I will send you back to your master.”
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
“Ahhhh, Oath-Breaker, I shall be with my master soon enough.” It swallowed roughly, “All the…” it looked at me “secrets I have collected will be his.” Gurgling in its own blood, the giant laughed as it pulled the knife free from its throat and cast it aside.
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Turning to stare directly at me, he squeezed Kyliene tighter to his chest. “You were warned, boy. Now, those who love you will suffer.”
Those words knocked the air from my lungs. My throat constricted, and my gut twisted in knots. Where had I heard that?
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
The giant flinched as a small rock struck its collapsed skull.
“LET HER GO!” screamed Caleb, looking for another rock around his feet. He found one and immediately launched a second attack, bouncing off the giant’s jaw. “Uncle Delnar, why don’t you do something!?” A woman dashed out and secured her grip upon him, pulling the child back into the crowd. He kicked and jerked fiercely as he screamed, “HELP HER!!”
"Be forewarned," the old man said, taking another step towards the enemy. “There is enough knowledge here to keep you alive and trapped indefinitely. Have you thought upon that?” A sly grin appeared under the frosty facial hair. “These Iskari can utterly destroy you.”
The creature’s grin faded.
“Think about that. You serve a master that cares for no one. Serves no one but himself…and if you harm this child, I can promise you pain never imagined by your kind.”
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
“Then let me secure your wrath upon me!” it gurgled.
Wrapping its arm around Kyliene’s torso, hugging her firmly against its chest, the giant grabbed her head and…
BAMPH!
BAMPH!
BAMPH!
Flashes of light and bursts of air pummeled the crowd…as the giant howled in agony.
Where the creature had held Kyliene secure against its body, now remained an exposed ribcage and stumps for arms. Blood drained from its organs, dripping down its legs and pooling in the grass between its feet.
Kyliene’s body rolled up to the feet of the High Elder, along with an unconscious Dax…and several extra body parts. Both lay, unmoving…covered in the black blood of the vallen.
Screams erupted through the crowd.
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Kyliene’s tear-stained face rolled to the side as the last breath of life ascended into the night.
I shoved my way forward and dropped to her side. “No!” I whimpered. “No, no, no, no, please…” Leaning over her lifeless body, I pulled the caked curls from her cheek and pressed my face against hers. “This isn’t what’s supposed to happen,” I whispered softly in her ear. “Please get up, Kyliene. Please.” I couldn’t get my hands to stop shaking. “Please don’t leave,” I choked.
Please get up, Kyliene. Please!
Reaching up, I tugged at the High Elder’s robe. “H-heal her,” I stammered. “You have magic. All of you have magic. Use it on her. Heal her and bring her back.”
Eyes wet and moist, the High Elder whispered, “I wish I could, my Lord.” He swallowed hard, “With all my soul…I wish I could.”
Th-THUMP-Thump.
Th-THUMP-Thump.
Th-THUMP-Thump.
I couldn’t hear beyond the thumping in my ears, thoughts sluggish and unconnected, eyesight growing veiled and dull. At some point, I tried to focus on the dragging movements around him, which seemed so far away now. Everything was watched through a long, foggy tunnel. The ground trembled…and then the trees along the perimeter of the park swayed.
Roots pierced the soil, shooting up around the murderous invader, wrestling free of the earth. One by one, the roots curled and wound themselves around the vallen. The giant thrashed violently and was forced to its knees. Without arms, the things were completely at the mercy of the attack.
“He’s all yours,” the old man yelled to the High Elder. “You don’t have long, I’m afraid, before the body dies and you lose your opportunity.” He gave a heavy sigh. “Make it count.”
Unrelenting, the possessed vallen smirked, foolishly glorifying in his victory. “You did not have to bind me,” it laughed. It met my stare, then. “ I will let you kill me!”
Slowly, each step thoughtful, the High Elder approached the giant. “No. This body will not serve your purposes. It will no longer transport you to your master in its death. You will not make a sacrifice of the Iskäri in Erimuri by divulging any secrets.”
Delnar cleared his throat, wiping away tears and composing himself. “You have taken one of our children. You have shed the blood of an innocent. One that did no harm. One that loved deeply and was deeply loved in return.”
The creature laughed, snapping its teeth.
“You are treacherous and cannot be allowed to return to your master. It is, therefore, your unfortunate lot to suffer the pain of a million deaths.”
The laughing stopped.
“Ah,” said Denar, “I see you understand…now.”
The giant trembled, pulling and straining against its bonds.
“You are condemned a traitor. Seeking the body you were denied in the beginning, you shall be denied what you were given. Every molecule of this body and your spirit bound to it shall repel one another, tearing away, being consumed in unquenchable flame. You will pay, not only for her life but for the generations stolen from us that were to be hers.”
Tha-THUMP-Thump!
Turning, he addressed his fellow council members. “Elders, we must imprison his mortal substance. That his pain may not be eased in separation but compounded in its restraint until he is no more. I ask if this sentence is just and true.”
One by one, each of the Council replied, “By our law, this is just and true.”
Tha-THUMP-Thump.
A warmth washed over me, and breathing became easier. I tried to shake the growing fog in my head, but so much still felt muffled. Rubbing my eyes, I took the clean sleeve of my tunic and started wiping the blood and dirt from Kyliene’s face.
The Council gathered around the enemy in layered circles. First three, then five, and then six, each placing their hands upon the shoulders of the elder to each side. The Council closed their eyes in united concentration.
The surrounding air stirred.
Stray leaves danced across the grass, fluttering upward and around the elders. My hair jumped and swayed in the wind, and I stood up as the light breeze increased. The air grew warm then, tugging at my pants and tunic. The trees of the park swayed in the wind, while the symbols of the Prime Gate flared in answer to the magic being employed.
A radiating heat pulsed outward from the circle.
That’s when a huge hand gripped the sleeve of my tunic and pulled me back, nearly off my feet. Spinning around, I threw up my fists, ready for a fight.
“Oh, get a grip already, will ya?” Dax said, irritated, but he didn’t let go of my tunic. “You need to step back, kid, or you’ll get fried. Come sit with us.”
In that moment, I felt more alone than I had in the whole of my life. “Kyliene’s still there,” I sobbed. I didn’t care what Dax or anyone else would think at this point. Kyliene was my friend.
Is my friend.
Dax turned, his own tear flowing. “I know, kid,” he choked. He looked down at his hand gripping my clothing and let go. Rough fingers smoothed out the crinkles on the cloth, then patted me on the arm. “I know.” Then softer, “Wasn’t…fast enough.” He looked me straight in the face. “She’ll be there when this is all over. I promise. It won’t harm her body in the least. This is to keep you safe.”
He walked to a small rock wall and sat near the old man.
“That abomination believes it knows pain,” the old man mumbled. He shook his head. “I assure you, it does not.” Looking up at me, he added, “…but it will.”
“What’s happening?” I asked.
“Something I never thought I’d see again.” The old man kept his attention on the spectacle before him.
The growing wind whipped around those too close to the circle, lingering spectators, biting and pushing them away. The Elders widened their stances as the wind escaped at their feet, circulating high above them, and then forcefully funneled back into the center of the circle.
The ground shuddered under the force and pressure, light flaring from the point where the vallen knelt, restrained.
No sound escaped the circle, other than the howling vexation of the wind.
Finally, glancing over at me, the old smiled. It was a gentle smile, crystal clear blue eyes studying me. Much like my experience with the High Elder, these were knowing eyes. Eyes that sat in a vast ripple of laugh lines and wrinkles that whispered of a lifetime of experience. The truly odd thing about that look was that it dispelled my fog. A sense of self-assured peace washed over me and I immediately felt at ease.
W-who is this guy?
“Morphiophelius,” the old man said cheerfully, holding out his wrinkled hand. “I have other names, even some titles…but they’re usually not very nice, bestowed by people who don’t like me much. Best if you just call me Chuck. And you are?”
“Wendell,” I said, shaking Chuck’s hand.
Chuck looked at our hands clasped together, rotating my wrist slightly. “Hmm. Firm grip. All five digits. A proper pink color.” He nodded approvingly. “You’ll do nicely.”
“Excuse me?” I frowned, confused.
“I said they’re throwing him back into the melting pot,” Chuck said. “Pay attention, boy, or you’ll miss it. The Universe can use core elements for something else. A world, stars, a bookcase…even pancakes!” He considered for a moment, rolling his eyes and vigorously licking his lips, “Blueberry and chocolate chip pancakes…love those. ”
“Great,” sighed Doubt. “You found the local loon.” I looked back at the ring of elders. “So they’re ripping him apart?”
“You got it, kiddo. Starting from scratch.”
“Good,” I snapped, “That foul creature deserves it!”
“Deserves?” Chuck looked at me, puzzled.
“Absolutely, he deserves it,” Dax grumbled.
“He killed Kyliene,” I said.
Turning fully to face me, Chuck placed a hand on my forearm. “Careful, son. Judging is a tricky business. Kyliene’s death is tragic. We all agree on that point — but she’ll live on — able to progress in another form. This poor creature will never have such a chance.”
Bursting from the center of the ring, a shock wave exploded through the park and across the crystal lake. The force lifted water from the surface, misting the surrounding buildings.
Then all was still.
…except for the sobbing of a young boy.
Caleb had broken from the crowd and thrown himself over the body of his big sister.
Chuck got up and went to him, putting his hand on the boy’s shoulder.
“Go away!” Caleb cried, slapping the hand away. He glared up through a river of tears. “You could have helped her!” he sobbed. “Why didn’t any of you help her!? I hate you! I hate all of you for not saving my sister!” Burying his face into his sister’s neck, he sobbed loudly. “Leave me alone!”
There was nothing I could say. Nothing I could do, but look on in silence, unable to turn away from Kyliene’s body. The emptiness once again consumed me. All I could focus on was the mourning of friends and loved ones around her frail body. My body wouldn’t move. I wanted to hide and weep — in this helpless, scared state, to pull the surrounding mountains down on my own head so I could…not exist.
Brushing past me, the High Elder knelt down at Kyliene’s side, opposite Caleb. He leaned down and nuzzled his face in her curly black tresses. Even now, you could smell the sweet scent of the silveen blossoms she worked with every day. Tormented eyes transfixed on his weeping nephew and he rested a trembling hand on the back of Caleb’s neck.
Delnar pulled him in closer.
Shea quietly knelt opposite the High Elder. “Nana approaches, Father.”
Guided by the fat baker I’d met earlier, Moira shuffled through the parted crowd. She had a white sheet draped over one arm. Her face was grave, eyes swollen from tears already shed.
Positioning herself at Kyliene’s head, Shea then lifted his hand to support her as Nana knelt beside them. Her gnarled hands reached out, running her fingers through Kyliene’s hair. Reaching for her little grandson, Caleb eagerly grasped his Nana’s hand, bathing it in tears.
“Strength, my Caleb. You are the last of this house,” she choked, gripping his hand firmly. “Strength to our family, strength to our people.”
Her head held erect, she looked about in blindness. “Who will help a daughter of Iskäri?”
Standing, the High Elder removed Caleb, stepping back from Kyliene, motioning for Shea to do the same.
One by one, twelve women, some old, and some that seemed little older than Kyliene, came forward. The one thing they had in common was their expression. They knew her. You could see it in the swollen eyes and reverence as they spoke. Each nodding first to Delnar and Caleb, then taking a place around the body. “I will help my sister,” each said as they wept. When they had all taken their place, they slid their hands under Kyliene’s body, gingerly lifting her. Moira then took the brilliantly white fabric from her arm and gracefully rolled it across the grass. The women gently laid Kyliene down once more, proceeding to wrap the body.
All present closed their eyes as Moira placed her hands on Kyliene’s head. She wailed, “Never would I have thought this cloth we wove together would have been used for anyone but I!”
Caleb rejoined his Nana as the people gathered around them.
Kneeling in silence, each Iskäri placed their hands upon the shoulders of those in front of them. It created a web of arms and bowed heads, every one reaching to the center. Reaching and connecting to Caleb and Moira. Each whispered prayer for the last of a family line, offering all the love and strength of their people.
They wept as one.
A daughter of Erimuri had been taken.
My heart pulled at me. I wanted to kneel with the people who had accepted me so readily and mourn the loss of my friend. But I felt empty and exhausted, like a fading echo. So I moved to stand next to the High Elder. Why hadn’t I done something? Anything. My hand went to my chest, tracing the small ridge under my tunic.
Could I have prevented this?
The idea tormented me.
Isn’t this what you’re for, Ithari? Should I have done something? An irrepressible rage kindled in my chest. What was I supposed to do?!?
“I’m sorry for your loss, Wendell,” whispered the High Elder.
Go home…or you and those who love you will suffer.
That’s what the voice had said.
I had been warned.
When I looked up at Delnar, I could barely see him through the tears.
…this was all my fault.
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Uhh!!!! You made me care again!
Such a great scene.
And did you change how it was from the first book with how time moves? Or am I just crazy.