Crowning Fantasy Book 1 (3 page)

"We were not always like this," Batu said. "We had a great nation once." Batu touched her forehead to Mina's and blessed her, "Zutakuari." The word held the history of all the blessings passed down for generations through the Mikachiari. It was used in time of great need.

"Zutakuari," Mina whispered.

The next day Mina opened her eyes enough to recognize the room was the one she shared briefly with the Kertenkele. She drank water and wondered what had become of him.

***

G
umus lay in the grip of agony. He had tried all of Onyx Ay's concentrations and even invented a few of his own. Every time he felt on the verge of control, it slipped away like Buyuk Col sand in the wind. He even tried to let the growing rage become a concentration, but it only intensified until colors in hues he'd never imagined, danced before his eyes.

Onyx Ay appeared before the locked gate. Gumus cringed, unable to face the fact he had failed at following Onyx's tutelage.

"I am sorry. The concentrations to curb the Cinsel Iliski, the mating time, have worked for so many. We never knew they wouldn't work until Golo, may his sacrifices be remembered, went on his rampage."

Gumus knew the story by heart, but kept quiet as Onyx continued.

"He killed so many. The streets of Rasima ran red with the blood of anyone who tried to stop him. Kertenkele, Mikachiari and the Elyun, who showed us mercy, all fell. He ripped limbs from bodies, he tore apart anyone who crossed his path and tossed the pieces aside. I saw this with my own eyes. We finally killed Golo, may his sacrifices be remembered, and that tragedy is forever known as the Ofkelenmek. Elyun law dictates that any Kertenkele who comes into Cinsel Iliski be... ." Onyx Ay's voice broke as he leaned against the bars of the cage. "Gumus, your sacrifices will be remembered."

Silence echoed through the tiny enclosure. "I understand, Onyx. Please make it swift." Gumus fixed his eyes on Onyx's through the bars of the cage. "Before I welcome what is building inside of me."

***

M
ina ate and drank and nearly peed herself in fear when she heard sounds approach the door of the Kertenkele's room. She remembered his name, Gumus. Nerves wouldn't let her wait a week. She packed the remaining food in a folded rag and planned to venture out the next night. She had gone back and forth between throwing herself on Tado's mercy and trying to survive outside Rasima.

A world she had never seen lay beyond Rasima's gates. She tried to imagine a life away from her sisters. What kind of life it turned out to be meant she'd have to make decisions for the first time. That scared her as much as being caught, as much as being returned to Tado.

Night drifted down to cover the city. Elyun enforced a curfew for everyone but themselves. Not that the Kertenkele or Mikachiari ever ventured out past their protected areas. The Sudawas would be patrolling the lower class Elyun and keeping them away from the higher classes as they drifted from house party to house party. Mina knew if she still held any favor with their Goddess, Jimotekuari, she would make it out into the night. If she only survived for a day before being killed by the beasts that roamed between the nations, at least she would die free and of her own choice. To her knowledge it had been ages since any Mikachiari had done so.

As she had anticipated, the Kertenkele market was quiet. She crept among the shadows until she saw a single torch by a lone Sudawa, slumped, his head to one side, asleep in a chair. Next to him was an entry way only large enough for someone to stoop through one at a time. Kertenkele couldn't pass through at all, they only used the three large main gates. Mina crept forward afraid the hammering of her heart would wake the Sudawa. She worried her lips to keep herself from panting in fear.

The Sudawa moved and Mina flattened herself against the far wall. She let out a whimper of relief when she realized he had only slumped further in his chair. His chest rose and fell with deep snores. Mina stayed against the wall and scooted down until she was flush with the gate. She reached one hand out and touched the gate handle. Locked.

She looked around until she saw a lever with four handles on the wall above the Sudawa's head.
Teka!
Mina cursed silently. The code to unlock the door changed daily and she could hardly stand over the guard and try combinations until one worked.

Back through the silent alleys Mina crept until she came to the Kertenkele market. Four very alert Sudawa stood at the main gate. A festival, the Elyun used any excuse for a festival, was being held in the main Elyun market up the stone slope.  A huge glow lit up the sky outside the gate at the top of Del Hill. The Kertenkele must be celebrating as well.

It was as she thought, there was no way out. Rasima was an impenetrable stone fortress. There were tunnels in the mines but she would be killed in minutes by Padda. Mina slumped down and landed on a grate.
It was useless. I'm useless.

Mina was thirsty but there had been no container to carry water. The sound of trickling water registered in her addled brain. There were public drinking fountains scattered throughout the city. She would need water to cross Dohla. She almost laughed out loud. If she could get out of Rasima. Mina put her palms on the metal grate beneath her to stand. It was damp. She felt its edges in the darkness. It was too small and sealed into the stone with no way to open it even if she could crawl through the opening.

But... .

She stood and aimed her hearing over the stone wall. A stronger sound of running water met her ears. She'd never been in the Kertenkele market long enough to notice it before but this wall was blocking off an aqueduct. In the dim light she thought she had maybe three feet of space between the large fortress wall and this one. She flexed her fingers testing the mortar with her claws.
Teka Torin!
Mina cursed her pampered lifestyle. Mikachiari were agile creatures but years of household service had left them weak. Still, it was her only option.

Mina moved down the wall toward the mines and took back her curses when she found scaffolding half dismantled by the aqueduct wall. The entrance to the mine was a dark, gaping black hole. No one except in the company of Kertenkele entered and exited safely. Looking around just to be sure, she climbed up and standing on tip toe was able to grip the edge. Her face wrinkled in pain and effort as she managed to drag herself up and rest her elbows on the edge. The sound of water could be heard clearly now. A couple deep breaths and Mina plunged over the side.

Mikachiari hated water, Mina remembered, as the cold liquid closed over her head.

Mina was carried out by the aqueducts to a river outside Rasima. Luckily the bars of the grate were set wide enough apart she slipped right through. She climbed out at the nearest bank. Her food was water logged. All that was salvageable were a few pieces of fruit and a bag of nuts.

The rugged land of Dohla opened up before her. The small spark of hope and excitement she'd allowed herself to feel at first vanished at the enormity of her task. Mina had no idea which direction would lead her out of Dohla. A glow from the top of Del Hill beckoned her. The Kertenkele hadn't cared what happened to her but Gumus had. He said he'd try to protect her. Well Gumus had failed once so he owed her.

A scuttling noise from some animal sent Mina hurrying away from the river and towards Del Hill. She couldn't think of another option but to find Gumus and get him to help. If Gumus didn't, this adventure was over before it had begun.

***

I
n the night, the deep, rumbling chants from hundreds of throats drifted down to Gumus's cage. The chants were in his native tongue, Dil. His brothers were chanting to the Goddess Gudina that his good name be remembered. That all his good acts, all his sacrifices, be

remembered. That any stains upon his name not follow him to her realm. Instead, they chanted, let them be passed on to his surviving brothers. Kertenkele lived hundreds of years and those years couldn't be born under the heavy weight of unsullied life. Gumus's brothers were already mourning his death.

The sound provided him more comfort then he'd felt in the past few days. He must have drifted off because he was awakened by a surge of heat causing his back to arch unnaturally. Gumus with deliberate force banged his head against the rock wall. He would rather spill his own brains then be left with nothing but the coming rage. It was worse than hunger, even thirst. Neither food, nor water had passed to him since he'd been incarcerated, but those pangs hadn't registered.

Gumus leaned as far forward as he could and then flung his head backwards.

"Stop!"

The Mikachiari crouched in front of him, one hand touching his shin. He banged his head a couple of more times, for good measure, then leaned forward to examine Mina.

"What did they do to you?" he asked. Even in the darkness he saw swollen features and a large split in the bottom lip.

Mina turned sideways and drew her cloak up to her eyes to cover the damage done from the beating. "I free."

Gumus resumed banging his head.

"Stop, now. What do to you?"

He paused, the corners of his mouth wanting to lift in a smile at her broken use of the Loha language. The Cinsel Iliski must be driving him mad. Kertenkele were never... amused. "I'm going to die to prevent the Ofkelenmek from happening again." Gumus closed his eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean any harm to come to you."

Metal creaked and he opened his eyes out of curiosity. Great Goddess Gudina the Kertenkele were never... curious. The door to his cage swung open. Mina had worked the simple latch open. She pointed to him and then to her chest. "No die."

"No! I'm a danger, to you, to everyone." Gumus reached forward and closed the gate. He motioned for her to lock it again.

Mina spread her hand to encompass the scenery before her. "You help. We no die."

"I can't help you. You have no idea what I'm capable of doing. Lock the gate. Please, lock the gate." There was no way she could understand the danger of Ofkelenmek.

Mina repeated her gesture and sat back on her haunches. "We no die."

The opaque veil seeped into the corners of his vision. With a growl, Gumus kicked open the gate. His cramped muscles ached in protest as he stretched his legs. Mina scampered up to his glowing chest and patted her hand just under his neck. "Remember? Better now." Gumus's breathing slowed. He did feel better.

***

A
lthough they walked upright, Kertenkele could travel on all fours when they wanted to. Gumus trekked across the rocky expanse with Mina curled up on his back. He was outside of Rasima for the first time since he was young. There were three main areas to Dohla: Shimel sahaerat, Zeroob sahaerat, and Waha. The outside entrance to the mines was located in Shimel sahaerat, the inner entrance was found in the Kertenkele section of the city Rasima. Gumus was traveling through Zeroob Shahaerat. At the far end was the Waha. It was dangerous, but it was also the only source of accessible water in this part of Dohla.

Beasts appeared and disappeared as specks on the horizon. Several times he moved away from abandoned campfires, not wanting to fight with Padda or Vartalf. The sun was setting when he passed a large valley on his right, the road to Shimel sahaerat, a mountain enclosed area that lead to the mines and deeper still Padda's underground tunnels. The Elyun were decimating their population using their tunnels and underground caverns to mine the precious stones and minerals of Varlid. He couldn't afford to seek high ground in case the Sudawa were searching for them so he kept going until he came to a small gathering of rocks. Gumus circled the area several times until he was sure no other beast was using the spot.

Gumus scooped Mina to his chest and curled up around her. He resigned himself to seeing the Mikachiari to the safest town. Gumus had promised to try and protect her. He could always return to his brothers to let them carry out his death sentence. The sentence he deserved, but they wouldn't care about Mina or the fact he was the cause of her being banished from Rasima. He still didn't know why or understand how this had happened. Gumus understood she would die and her presence did calm him more than any concentrations.

Mina stirred underneath his arms. He checked to make sure he wasn't squishing her in some way. Mewling sounds drifted up from the center of his chest. Her tail and paws twitched. She must be dreaming. The fur between her eyebrows puckered.

A long forgotten hum vibrated in his chest and a vague image of a Kertenkele face, rounder, smoother then a male's, with bright eyes flashed for a second, then disappeared. Gumus knew why he was given a death sentence. If there had been any female Kertenkele left, his Cinsel Iliski would have been a period of celebration. Since there wasn't, all it brought was the painful remembrance of all the lives lost.

Gumus stopped humming. Mina lay loose limbed against him, her breathing deep and regular. The Asistan Ti had decimated the male Mikachiari and the females were left at the mercy of others. They had no protectors. Gumus felt tears form at the corner of his eyes and Kertenkele never cried.

***

A
nother new sensation coursed along his side... pain. Gumus heard and felt a
thwack!
He opened one eye to see a Padda, mouth drawn back in a grimace, glittering, pitiless eyes fixed on Gumus. The Padda brought down his solid wooden weapon with one hand and in the other open palm held a green vaporous ball. 

Loana!
Gumus cursed.
Magi Padda.
Although he should be grateful, they weren't as powerful as some of the others. The Padda drew his arm back to fling the poison at him.
Still, this is going to sting.

Gumus flipped so his back faced the Magi Padda and took the brunt of the attack to spare Mina. A sharp burning crawled up his spine as the poison dug in. It was a weak poison, meant to drain life force. It wasn't fatal unless a creature was sufficiently weakened first.

Gumus was weak from lack of food and water, but not that weak.