The New World (The Last Delar) (19 page)

"Remember what I have told you.  Take this water pouch and wait for the pain to start before you dive into the water." Puddle looks up at his master and says, "What pain …"

Puddle grips his throat as his skin splits open.  The sides of his neck are on fire, and he starts choking.

"Dive, fool! Find the sponge."

Puddle dives into the ocean, and instantly he is relieved.  Above the surface Un-Nabus takes out a shell from his belt and crushes it in his hand.  Pieces fall, bubbling as they sink into the water.  From the crushed shell swims a fish with large veiny sacs over its body.  From its head hangs a long antenna that dangles between its black eyes.  Its underbelly is lined with many flapping legs that propel the strange grub-like fish in the water.

Puddle frolics in the blue water and tries to get a feel for the current.  His body grows strong and his blood warms.  He looks down into the abyss of the open ocean and sees streaks of glimmering light shining down from above.  A swooshing sound behind him attracts his attention.  He looks around and sees nothing but blue.  He looks up and sees the distorted shadow of his master.  Turning to swim away from the surface, he sees the small fish.  It swims in front of him playfully.  Puddle tries to catch the fish, but it moves too fast.  Intrigued, Puddle swims after it into the deeper ocean.

The water becomes darker the farther down he swims, and Puddle loses the fish in the hazy water.  He stops to look around to see where he is.  He looks up to find the surface, but it has long vanished.  He looks down, and bubbles creep out of his mouth as he gasps at what he sees: a vast oceanic mountain range that plummets into the darkness of the ocean.

Puddle wonders how he is going to find anything in this maze of underwater rock.  He thinks of what will happen if he comes to the surface empty-handed.  He thinks of the punishment that he will receive.  Suddenly, a thought enters his mind; I will not go back.  Master cannot find me here.  I will live down here in the mountains, in the water, free and safe from him.  Filled with a rush of joy, he swims up and down in celebration.  Then, Puddle slowly stops kicking and remembers what his master told him the day of his enslavement.  The dark mark on his back begins to burn, and Puddle senses that his master is hearing his thoughts.  Panic-stricken, he tries to remember where his master told him to find the sponge.  He thinks back to the shore and the map his master showed him, but all he can remember is the fish. Puddle is startled when he hears something disturbing the water. He looks over his shoulder and sees not one thing but thousands of small creatures racing towards him. He tries to escape but the tide of small fish engulfs him. Puddle senses their fear. Being a creature himself that has run from many beats he knows when something is fleeing a predator. Puddle is right and through the barrage of fish he sees the monster.

Puddle sees its gaping mouth first. It is like a giant hole in the water. It is devouring everything. Puddle can feel a sucking of the water around him, pulling him closer to this monster. He swims as fast as his arms allow. Hundreds of small sea creatures slam into his side, pushing in all directions. Now out of control a strong current tosses him out of the way of the monsters mouth just as it passes him by. Then another wave of water and strength suck him back. He bounces off the creature’s body over and over again. Then once he thinks he is free the giant tail of the beast flaps and shoots him away. Rolling in the bubbling aftermath of the great sea creature Puddle tries to gain his senses. He stops trying to fight the water and lets it control him. He floats deeper and deeper into the darkness of the deep ocean.

Once the water has settled and he can swim again Puddle opens his eyes. A light begins to glow in front of him.  An orb of light dangles in the water.  The light mesmerizes Puddle, and he is filled with the feeling that he must touch it.  His large eyes glow with light as he pursues it down the ocean mountain. The further he swims, the colder the water becomes, cramping his muscles.  The light is getting stronger and moving faster. He starts to hear a popping in his ears and pain in his head.  Puddle swims into the side of the mountain and scrapes his forehead.  Rubbing his head Puddle flinches feeling a shadow pass overhead. He tries to regain his senses in the darkness.  He looks around for the swimming light but it has vanished. Puddle hears something move above him again but this time it feels closer. Helplessly, he tries to feel for the mountain wall with his hands.  Searching the wall, he begins to see the outline of his shadow.  A light is growing behind him, and Puddle begins to shake in fear.  He can feel the presence of something, something evil, something dangerous.  He turns and sees the fish that came to him. A light dangles from its head. It is swimming peacefully. Puddle likes the fish its round shape and non-threatening look please him. Then through the light Puddle sees an open mouth filled with hair-thin fangs and white lifeless eyes. He screams, frozen in fear, Puddle panics and stares at death that is speeding toward him.

"Kick off the wall, you fool!"
Puddle hears inside his head.

Puddle kicks off the wall just as the dark fish bites down on Puddles companion.  He looks back and sees the bio-light from the antenna now blurred by thick murky water, and pieces of fish begin to fall like snow until the light dies out.  Darkness reclaims the deep ocean for a moment before a crimson glow grows, leading downwards.  Puddle follows the trail of glowing water and his heart stops, "THE BLOOD SPONGE!" he shouts as bubbles fill the water.

This very small but vibrant sponge is now sucking in the blood from the dead fish.  Its outer skin shines brighter as it absorbs more of the blood.  Puddle moves closer to the sponge. He watches blood from the fish being drained out of the water by the vampire-like sponge.

"Take out your water pouch and put the sponge inside it NOW!" Words from his master explode in his mind, propelling him into action.  He grabs the sponge and wraps it in the water pouch.  "Now swim to the surface, for the cold fingers of death are reaching for you."

Puddle feels the frigid ocean wrinkling his flesh.  He tries to swim to the surface, but his strength is fading with every stroke.  He moves fast, but his muscles are tightening and his lungs feel as if they are freezing.  He is getting closer to the light, but his vision is becoming blurry.  Puddle slows and his mind burns; he starts to choke and he touches his neck, feeling the gills around it shrinking.  He tries to swim farther, but his arms fail him and he floats dead in the water.  His eyes slowly shut and the cold waters take him.

---

The warm comfort of a crackling fire stirs Puddle.  He weakly opens his eyes and feels grey wolf furs wrapped around his body.  He sits up and looks around in confusion.  It is dark, and his body is sore all over.  He looks over to see a pile of shellfish by a log.  The smell of the fish rumbles his stomach and waters his mouth.  He sits on the log and picks up a very large clam.  He opens his mouth to eat the shellfish.

"You did well today, Gnyok." Puddle drops the clam as he hears his master's voice.  "The Blood Sponge is in good health, and our journey together is almost over.  Now feast on your reward and rest, for we wake early."

Puddle wastes no time devouring his reward, and when his stomach is full, he falls back into a deep sleep.  Un-Nabus disappears into the darkness, leaving his slave to his prize.

Un-Nabus opens the Ixkin, "
You must follow the inlet into the everglades.  There you will see many islands of trees and grass.  You must find the island that is covered in Brou trees.  That is where the Mankah guards the Len of Ituha.  Tomorrow will be the highest tide of the moon's cycle, and the glades will swell with ocean water.  Release the Blood Sponge into the current that flows back to the ocean.  There you must summon the Mankah and confront him.  Unleash the Eel-Tu-Naw.  This will distract him until they come.  When they have arrived, go to the island and have your slave enter the cave.  You cannot touch the Len until you have freed your servant.  After you have the Len, you must go to the edge of the Whispering Canyons and reunite with your Daboon warriors
." Closing the book, Un-Nabus raises his hand and the Ixkin transforms into darkness, seeping back into his dark mark.  After the book is gone, Un-Nabus lifts his hood, transforms into the Hornbill, and finds a tree to rest in.

"Wake, Gnyok," Un-Nabus shouts, and he hits Puddle with his staff.

Puddle gets to his feet quickly.  "Yes, Master," he says as he stumbles, trying to gather his things.

"We leave now."

Together Un-Nabus and his servant follow the shore to a bay searching out a large tributary that leads to the lowlands. Standing on the tributaries bank Un-Nabus waves his staff, and the darkness that surrounds him takes the form of a small canoe.  Once he and Puddle are inside the canoe, Un-Nabus points his staff inland, and the canoe begins its steady journey against the current.  The canoe moves deeper into the everglades toward the tall marsh grasses and tree islands.

"There, Gnyok," Un-Nabus says, pointing, "is the island where the Len resides.  Within that island the Mankah, guard of the Len, has slept for an age, protecting what we seek.  He was once the citadel guard for the Hhtuno.  But he betrayed the Hhtuno lord in a great battle, and today he will pay for his treachery.  Once he is slain and the Len is mine, then I will grant you your freedom."

Puddle's eyes blink in excitement, for he has dreamed of this day.  It could not come in a better place.  The everglades are muddy and wet with plenty of cover and food.  "Thank you, Master."

"Do not thank me yet.  You have to survive long enough to be given your freedom." Puddle's smile disappears, and he starts chewing on his nails.  The dark canoe stops on a muddy shore not far from the island where the Mankah sleeps. The boat disappears, leaving Un-Nabus and Puddle standing on the shore facing the island.  Small crabs franticly rise out of their borrows and scamper away sensing a predator is close. Un-Nabus takes out the water pouch that holds the sponge.

"Gynok, take this and swim out to the deepest part of the river.  Once you are in position lower the sponge into the water and squeeze it.  Once you have squeezed the sponge, swim back to me or be consumed by what comes."

Puddle takes the sponge and swims into the river.  The darkness that surrounds Un-Nabus swarms, circling his hand.  He speaks into the darkness and as his lips move, the darkness around it grows and vibrates to his voice.

"Guard of Ituha, an ancient order whom you once called master summons you from your slumber.  Wake and obey me, for I am the Atha-Ba, Lord of the Hhtuno and your true master.  Show yourself, for I have come to reclaim what you possess but do not own."

Un-Nabus lowers his hand into the water and the darkness grows.  With a deep thunderous crack the water dips, creating a wave that races toward the island.  Hearing the crack, Puddle looks back to his master.  He sees the wave moving closer and dives down to avoid being swept away by it.  Under the water he hears a deafening noise, so he covers his ears.  When the wave passes, he opens his eyes and looks at his empty hands.  He watches as the pouch quickly sinks in the water as if a large stone were inside.  Puddle hastily swims after it, but loses it in the bottom of the grassy floor.  Fear chokes Puddle and he searches for the sponge.  "I will never find it, he will kill me, he will torture me, I will never get my freedom."

He starts to cry and pound his head in frustration.  Then he remembers how he found the Blood Sponge the first time.  "That's it." Puddle takes a fleshy part of his forearm and bites down into it.  Blood seeps into the water in a red cloud.  It floats down toward the river floor.  Puddle follows the trail of blood until he comes to a rock lying inside the grasses.  He sees the sponge gripping the rock and absorbing his blood.  His breath is fading, so he quickly grabs the sponge and swims to the surface.  He splashes to the top, gasping for breath.  The water's surface has become very rough, and he can hear loud crashing noises behind him.  He looks down at his hands and squeezes the sponge.  At the first bit of pressure, a huge amount of blood is released into the water.  So much blood is expunged that soon the water turns color.  The more he squeezes, the more blood darkens the river and is swept downstream toward the ocean.

The sound of crashing trees and splashing water gets Puddle's attention.  He turns to see chaos raging from the island.  Trees are being ripped from their roots and water is crashing in all directions, for some creature of great size and power stirs on the island.  Puddle screams as he sees the Mankah emerge from the tree line.  The Mankah looks like a common shell crab, but it is larger than any beast Puddle has ever seen.  He does not move but rather squeezes the sponge harder with the shock of seeing such a creature.  The Mankah has one gigantic claw that is half its total size.  Puddle looks at its six armor-covered legs and its soft, curled, wormlike body that it drags above the surface as it walks.  Puddle looks up at the Mankah's two black eyes protruding high above its head.  The body of the Mankah is covered in a thick, horny armor with large, thin, black hairs sticking out from the horns.

Puddle sees Un-Nabus standing on the shore of a smaller island, pointing his staff at the great beast.  Un-Nabus and the beast appear to be communicating, but no sound can be heard.  The giant crablike creature slams its legs into the water, brandishing its enormous claw.  The beast lowers its two antennas into the water.  Water begins to bubble toward Un-Nabus.  Un-Nabus reaches for his robes and withdraws something that he shows to the Mankah.  Un-Nabus crushes it in his hand, tossing the remains into the water.  The ground starts to shake, and the water bubbles violently in front of his master.  The crab moves deeper into the water toward Un-Nabus, slamming and snapping its claw.  The bubbling stops, and everything becomes still.

The Mankah takes a defensive position, waiting for an attack.  Puddle sees the water sway back and forth in front of the Mankah.  Then, from under the water's surface a giant lizard lunges out toward the crab and in an explosion of mud and fury. The giant beasts begin to battle.  The crab hits the lizard with its claw and knocks it back into the water.  A massive wave rushes at Puddle, and as he tries to avoid the tidal wave, he is swept closer toward the Mankah's island.  The giant monitor slowly circles the Mankah hissing, opening its jaws showing the rows of spear sized teeth that line its deadly mouth.  It slams its long powerful tail into the water in the direction of its enemy.  Puddle looks into the lifeless eyes of the reborn lizard and shivers.  The eyes of the beast are blood-red. Dark liquid tears pour down the side of its snout and into the water.  The skin of the monitor is covered in open sores that are filled with pus that drip with blood.  The great claw of the crab snaps aggressively.  The Mankah charges, trying to claw the lizard, but the monitor strikes the Mankah's claw with its tail and dives back into the water, reemerging behind the crab.  Jumping on the Mankah's back, it bites and claws at the shell-like armor.  The Mankah’s armor is too thick and strong for the lizard to penetrate and the Mankah grabs the lizard with its smaller claw, throwing it to its back.  Puddle turns, hearing splashing coming from down the river.  Looking back and squinting his eyes, he sees something approaching from under the water.  Puddle hears a loud roar of pain and looks back at the battle.  The Mankah's claw has snapped off one of the lizard's legs and it flies over Puddle’s head and he dives into the water avoiding the down pour of blood. Under the water Puddle screams in terror at what he sees.  Puddle frantically swims toward the island as if the water were on fire.  The crab continues the attack, snapping its claw at the undead creature and grabbing the lizard by the neck.  A loud snap echoes in the air, and the lizard's body goes limp. Un-Nabus watches as his champion is killed.  The Mankah turns to Un-Nabus and lowers his antenna into the water.