The New World (The Last Delar) (34 page)

"No, let them get a little fire in their bellies.  They have become restless from all of this waiting.  It will help them on the battlefield."

"You are a wise and great leader, father.  It will be a great day when you become king." Ullace and his son watch the men fight and cheer.

An archer from the rear of the ranks pushes against the warrior in front of him, he hears a rustling behind him.  There is movement in the trees.  He takes a step closer trying to get a better look, when an arrow knocks him to his back.  He opens his mouth to warn his fellow warriors, but his warning is drowned out by the screams and taunts of the men.  He lies on the ground and sees men covered in dark paint and armed with arrows and spears.  In the trees, eyes stare down at him and he takes his last breath.

"We are under attack!" a Nossa screams as a spear drives into his back.

"Arm yourselves! Fall back into rank," a Nossa spearman yells, but the men are confused being attacked from all sides.  The Nossa warriors charge after the painted men who have fled back into the swamp.

"Pursue the attackers, form a defensive barrier around Ullace," shouts Inon as he tries to regain control of his men.

"Wait for my signal, Argle.  We must catch them by surprise.  Together we will take out the leaders.  I will handle the smaller one, and you, my brother, can have the honor of killing the Nossa leader."

"Thank you, Stripes.  Our lands will again be ours, and I can bring my mother back to her true home."

Stripes looks over his shoulder toward other Salali, hidden in the trees. He scratches his claws against the bark of the tree.  The treetops begin to echo with scratching.  Salali leap from the branches, attacking the remaining warriors.  The trees unload with gliding Salali that float down toward the unsuspecting men.

"FATHER, LOOK!" shouts Inon as the gliders attack from above with their false claws open.

Ullace turns to see Stripes tackle his son from his horse.

"INON!" he yells, and he raises his sword to save his boy.  He aims his sword at Stripes and yells, "RODENT SCUM!"

Argle leaps onto his back, driving his large thumb claws into his shoulders.  Ullace falls from his horse screaming.  He hits the ground and rolls away, grunting in pain.  Argle leaps onto his belly.

"Many years ago, you and your men destroyed my home and murdered my father.  Today we will avenge those who fell under your swords and were taken as slaves." Argle takes the spear tip given to him by Broken Wrist from his helmet. "This is for you brother, and for you father!"  Argle slams the blade that took his fathers life into the heart of the Nossa captain.  Argle raises his false claws and cuts off the head of Ullace.  He grabs the head of the Nossa leader, leaps on the back of Ullace's horse, and holds it out for all the men to see, "YOUR LEADER HAS FALLEN! YOUR LEADER IS DEAD!"

The Nossa turn in the direction of the voice and see Argle holding the head of their beloved chieftain.  "Ullace has fallen! Fall back! Save yourselves!" yell many of the Nossa.

The men scatter and run off into the woods in retreat.

"We must fall back to the city and help Akelou.  Come, brothers, leave the defeated men to run and hide," yells Argle.

The Meno and Salali warriors cheer as they charge toward the city and to the aid of the Pokwa.

---

"Theopa, we will not be able to hold them for long.  Their numbers are too many, and we must get to higher ground, away from the crocodiles," Akelou shouts.

The king agrees and tells the Pokwa to sound the horn of retreat and follow him into the hall of Eol.  Akelou, with Toe's help, carries Oboe up the stairs and into the hall.  A few Pokwa warriors stay behind and defend the stairs.  Akelou makes it into the hall and places Oboe on the floor.  He goes to the door and looks out as the last of the warriors comes up the stairs.  He waves at the last two Pokwa to hurry into the hall. The remaining Pokwa are brothers, guards of the hall.  They look at each other, then to the stairs, and back to the door.

The eldest brother speaks, "The Nossa are close, and the last of the Pokwa warriors have been slain.  We must defend our home and protect the king." The brothers embrace each other.  They butt heads and raise their weapons, charging down the stairs.  The brothers leap to glory, killing many Nossa and martyring themselves for their people.

"Find what you can and bar the door," Theopa tells the Pokwa that are left.  The king sits down on his throne and lowers his head, taking off his crown.  Then he feels a hand grip his shoulder.

"This may be the end, my king, but do not lower your head, for your Pokwa look to you for courage.  My Lord, I weep for the loss of the many Pokwa who have died here today.  My friend, Leotie, whom I love, is nowhere to be found, and I fear she has fallen.  If we are to die, then let us meet death with courage, so we can be reunited with our kin without shame," says Akelou.

The Kings looks at Akelou and feels shame for his moment of doubt.  He stands proudly and looks at the few that still stand.  His warriors have little strength left and in their eyes Thoepa feels the loss they have suffered today. "Release the door and let them come, and may we meet our destiny with the pride of our people.  Let it not be said that in our darkest hour we died as cowards, but rather united and worthy of being called Pokwa warriors."

Theopa raises his weapon, and the Pokwa cheer.  They stomp their feet, rallying the last of their strength and courage for the final battle.  They walk away from the door and stand next to each other, tall and proud.

"Son, look at me," Oboe calls out.  Toe wraps his arms around his father and sobs.  "Do not weep for me, son, for I die with honor, and I will see my father again soon.  I have missed him and will have no shame when we meet.  You, my son have made me proud, and have become a true warrior.  I shall tell my father and his fathers of your deeds.  You have earned the right to carry our family's name.  You must survive, Toe, and take care of your mother.  Do not feel shame in fleeing the warriors here, you have already proved yourself in battle.  You are young and can fit into tunnels and hide from the Nossa.  Go to the swamp's edge where the princess leads our women and children away and help them survive."

Toe's skin begins to fade as he shakes and sobs, "I love you, father.  Don't go.  I need you.  I am afraid, I am not strong like you, FATHER!"

"You are stron g e r  t h a n  y o u t h i -"

Oboe takes his last breath in the arms of his weeping son.  Akelou reaches down and closes Oboe's eyes, lifting Toe from his father.

"No, he is not dead.  I must stay by him.  LEAVE ME!" But Akelou forces Toe from his father and shakes him.

"Your father is gone, Toe.  He would not have wanted you to die crying over his body." Akelou holds his axe in front of the youngling.  "Take this and fight by my side, and when the time is right, climb that wall if you can and escape out a window."

Toe wipes his eyes and stares at the axe.  He grips it with both hands and stands tall by Akelou's side.  The axe begins to glow, and Toe shakes under the power of the weapon.

"Theopa, look!" yells a Pokwa warrior.

Toe's bright youngling colors fade.  His size and stature change and he matures into a young adult.  The warriors and the king watch in wonder as the axe shines and Toe morphs into a man.  The axe fades, and Toe falls to his knees.  Having witnessed this before on the day the axe chose him, Theopa walks to the crouching youth and removes his crown.

"The great axe of our people has chosen a new master.  All hail King Toe, son of Oboe, and the future of our people!"

The Pokwa fall to their knees and honor their new king.  Theopa lowers the crown onto Toe's head and kisses him on the forehead.  "You, son, are now the leader and the future of our people.  You must flee.  Survive and take my daughter as your queen.  If the Pokwa are to have a future, it will rest on your shoulders. You alone must see them out of this darkness."

"Yes, my Lord," Toe says.

They all stand and face the breaking door.  Akelou raises the Namid and takes a deep breath. "I am sorry I could not save you.  I will see you and my families soon.  I loved you...I never told you, but I do."

The wooden boards of the door crack.  Everyone waits for the last assault of the Nossa.  They stand ready, but it does not come.  The pounding on the door stops, and they hear the men screaming and running back down the stairs.  Fresh cries are heard from the swamp, and they rush to the king's terrace too look down at the swamp.  They cheer as warriors on painted horses ride out of a door opened by the Moura stone.  Akelou sees Alo leading Enopay warriors on horseback against the Nossa.

"Mia-Koda has succeeded.  Let us go to our allies from the plains!" yells Theopa.  He points to the Salali and Meno warriors who are surrounding the Nossa army.

"VICTORY!" yells the king, and they charge, joining the battle.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Un-Nabus opens his eyes and sees the Daboon staring at him.  He gazes at the Kaah. It is glowing with inscriptions he has never seen before.  "
Wake up, WAKE!"
echoes loudly in Un-Nabus's head.
  "Remember your quest.  Remember what you still must do.  Kill this thief, climb the tower, face the moon, and play the Ithua
."

Un-Nabus approaches the dying king, whose half open eyes are dark and unfocused.  With foam seeping down the side of his mouth, he retracts his head as Un-Nabus shows him his necklace.

"
You and I have met once before, thief.  I was an infant abandoned to the darkness, and the darkness embraced me.  That night, a prophecy was foretold, but I will not yet fulfill it, not yet
," Un-Nabus whispers into his ear.

Un-Nabus lowers his staff and touches it against the Kings chest.  His poisoned body goes rigid, shaking violently.  His eyes turn black, and his body relaxes and the poison effects begin to fade.  The defeated King collapses exhausted but alive.

"Un-Ra."

"Yes, master."

"Take this thief and your warriors and leave the tower, burning everything in your path.  Go back and retrieve the sacks of black sand, and follow the path that will be revealed to you."

All the Daboon bow to their master.  "Yes, master, as you command," growls Un-Ra.

The Daboon leave the hall and set the tower ablaze.  Un-Nabus walks to a gargoyle carved into the wall of the chamber and touches the wall with his staff.  The wall crumbles, revealing a circling staircase.  He walks up the winding stairs to the precipice of the tower.  Un-Nabus walks out onto a platform and stares at the still lake below him.  He watches the moon rise from behind the reflective horizon.  He faces the moon and takes the wooden Len of Ithua from inside his robes.

"
Remember what I have taught you.  It is time, NOW!
" the Ixkin shouts.

Un-Nabus puts the Len to his lips and plays the notes he was taught many seasons ago in the cave.  The notes are silent and the world becomes still. Un-Nabus can feel his necklace burning under his robes, but he does not dare stop playing.  He feels all of his energy being drained with every note.  With great effort and agony he plays the last note and falls to his knees.

"
You have done it! The Hhtuno will rise again
."

Un-Nabus raises his arms to the moon and feels the world shake around him.  The first note he played now reverberates in all directions in a giant wave of energy.  A ripple creases a line through the water and the music continues. The lake erupts, parting into giant walls of water.  Un-Nabus stands still holding his arms to the moon feeling the power he has unleashed.  The water reveals a Caldera, and the earth splits, falling inside itself.  A pyramid rises from the depths of the underworld.  The earthquake becomes more intense the higher the structure rises, and the tower below him begins to crumble.  After the last note plays, Un-Nabus lowers his arms, and the water falls back into the Caldera in a raging torrent of kinetic energy.  Un-Nabus waves his arms again, and the waters become still.

He hears the echoing of the Ixkin laughing in his mind.  Un-Nabus lowers his hood and flaps his wings and the last of the tower crumbles into rubble below him.  He dives down toward the black water, following a bridge just above the water's surface.  Fire ignites on the bridge leading to the stairs that rise up the side of the black, crystal Pyramid of Havadar.  He lands on top of the Pyramid, materializes and looks below, watching the Daboon marching between the fires. They are followed by the Yosemites that the dying king banished from the fallen tower.  He smiles and removes his robes before turning and walking into the Pyramid of Havadar.

---

A body floats in a mucky stream of water and blood.  The body, lifeless and cold, settles in a shallow pool.  A scavenging bird flies down from a tree and crows as it stands on its prize.  It begins to pick at the body's clothing, trying to get to its fleshy meal.  A wind rustles the trees and the swamp darkens and contracts in fear anticipating the evil it has known would return.  An eerie, unnatural tune blasts through the forests and with every note darkness claws at the world.  Creatures begin to stir in the ground. Bubbles break the pool's surface and a lifeless body spins, grabbing the bird in a cloud of feathers.  The corpse's head jolts from the water and gasps for air.  It begins to breathe, opening its bloody eyes, its veins pulsing against its dead, cold skin.  The bird struggles and bites its captor, trying to free itself.  The corpse flashes its teeth and rips the bird's head from its neck, and begins to drink its blood. With each drop it drinks its eyes become darker and its veins pulse under its dead skin. The Wraith gets to its feet and moans, turning toward the music that plays in the forest.  Leotie opens her blood-covered mouth screeching at the moon and begins to shuffle her way into the forest, answering the call that pulled her back from the darkness.