Coil of Worlds

Chion and Lara were within several hundred yards of the natural spring when Chion stepped in front of her, halting her progress. My Lady, beware. I hear at least two people talking by the water.

Leery of meeting new people, she asked, What do you want to do? Do you think it safe to go in?

Chion listened for a moment before turning his head to look at her. They are my countrymen. We will be safe. However, there are no pakas travelling with the humans. This means they do not yet know we are nearby. We will continue walking toward them until they call out to us. Remember, as Ais we can speak to each other without others overhearing our conversation. If you are unsure how to respond, I will assist you. Although I wasn’t expecting company this evening, we both need rest before continuing our journey. He rubbed his head against her hip.

Nibbling her lower lip, she nodded, knowing he left the final decision up to her. Are they scouts like Juno?

He shook his head once. No, they sound as if they are travelling together, and they are men, not boys. Soon enough, we will hear their story. Chion lifted his left paw toward the doorway ahead of them and said, Let us continue to our destination.

She gripped the paka’s neck ruff for reassurance. Before they reached the edge of the corridor leading to the natural spring, she felt a double sensation of wariness slither up her spine, making the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She glanced around the corridor at the same time she shared the sensation with Chion.

Before he could respond, one of the men called out in a gruff voice, “Who goes there?”

Because of her grip on Chion’s neck, she stopped in mid-step when he halted in his tracks. He replied with authority, I am called Chion from the city of Malkese. I am a scout of the outregions on my way back to reconnoiter. I have with me a young woman. May we enter the cave?

This close to the cave, she could hear the two men converse with each other before the same man responded with formality. “Join us so we may share the food and wa’er with others who obey the God and Goddess.”

She cocked her head at Chion and smiled nervously. The man’s words were so badly garbled, she hardly understood him. Not every Kurite spoke like Chion. Chion crossed the entryway of the small cave. Lara trailed after him, making certain he was between her and the unknown men. When she saw the men standing and felt their corresponding feelings of wariness, Lara ducked her head, peeking through her hair.

The tiny cave was a semi-square room with a brook running from a hidden spot in the far right corner of the space. The water exited beneath an outcropping of rock formation on the left—making a slight u-shape curve. On the opposite side of the stream in a small alcove, glistening stalactites and stalagmites reached for each other as droplets of water dribbled from the ceiling and down the stalactites. The two men had set up camp on the left side of the entrance.

Chion finished the traditional welcome and acceptance. We accept your welcome and will share your food and drink. He bowed respectfully to the two men before turning his attention toward the wall. She turned her head to the right of the entrance, surprised to find a third man sitting two yards away from the water’s edge. She’d only felt two men’s emotions, not three. Upon closer inspection, she realized he was bound with a thick line of rope. A prisoner then. The two guards stared at her in curiosity.

The prisoner in question had eyes only for the paka. Although he was folded in on himself, he was well built and tall. Powerful came to mind as she studied the blond-haired man.

Chion huffed beside her, making her cheeks burn in mortification at being caught staring. So intent on the prisoner, she’d neglected to introduce herself to the men.

She stepped closer to Chion and returned her attention to the guards. What she saw left her tongue-tied. Both wore clothing that had seen better days. One man’s shirt was stained with something brown while the other’s shoes looked as if they’d disintegrate any second. Both wore their swords and daggers with ease. They reminded her of poor but dangerous bikers with their worn clothes and gruff appearance. Their physiques shrunk the small cave.

Lara said, “Thank you for letting us join you. We have been travelling for a while and needed to rest.” Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw the prisoner look in her direction, though he was a couple inches off.

The larger of the two guards smiled in response, showcasing a smile filled with rotted brown teeth. He surveyed her up and down and said with false sweetness, “What is ye name, li’l lady?” Her disgust was difficult to hide. Lara felt his lascivious intentions like a thick, viscous tar coating her skin.

Chion discharged a threatening growl, his stature doubling in size. He said in a low, quiet voice, You will show the proper respect to My Lady.

Both men quickly backed away, raising their hands in surrender. One man complained, “How were we supposed t’ know. Her eyes are not the gold of the Ais. My friend mean’ no disrespect.”

She couldn’t help it. Lara’s bitter laugh caused everyone—even the prisoner—to look her direction. Wanting to break the tension, she looked around, her gaze landing on the camp. She motioned to the bedrolls and food. “Why don’t we all sit down. We can start the introductions over.”

Chion raked the ground in front of him and chuffed loudly before getting his temper under control. He boxed her in until she sat against the wall, forcing the men to sit on the other side, leaving the red stones in the middle. While they settled, the men went through a series of emotions so fast she couldn’t follow. Curiosity with a healthy dose of fear won out.

They fear you, but only have curiosity for me. I’m not scary. I just stink since I haven’t showered in three days.

Chion laughed in amusement. No, My Lady. They fear you as well. They do not know what magic you can channel through me. Tal’Ais are feared by those who do not have such a bond and respected for the power they control.

To the men, Lara said, “My name is Lara. If you do not mind me asking, where are you headed?”

The two men shared a look. One of them jabbed a thumb over his shoulder toward the prisoner. “We have come from Luth’s just two days ago. We were ordered t’ take the P’ran prisoner t’ Areth t’ join the other prisoners.”

Chion asked, Do you know how he was captured?

“Rumor has it he was caught investigatin’ one of the tunnels beneath the city of Gharra. They interrogated him, but he doesn’t know any of their king’s plans. The three tha’ caught him didn’t want t’ kill him because he might of had information.”

While they talked, Lara watched as the other guard reached out and broke the rock in half by tapping it against the ground. The man set the two halves of the rock down. She had no idea what he was doing until she felt the warmth pulse from the rocks, steadily increasing in temperature until it was as hot as any fire. She stared at the two rocks in awe and raised her hands toward the heat. Amazing. The rocks didn’t emit any light. Leaning down, Lara glanced up and realized the second guard watched her with suspicion. She could feel the emotion like shadows. She was giving herself away with what was probably an everyday tool for Kurites.

Sighing out loud, she asked him, “You now know our names. What is yours?”

“I’m Matu and me friend’s called Tighan. We are both warriors from the city of Luth’s,” said the man in front of her.

“What about the man sitting over there? What’s his name,” she asked, jerking her head in the prisoner’s direction.

Matu stared at her in surprise. “I don’t know his name. He’s from P’ran, and all P’ranni are not worthy of having names.” He spat on the ground, shrugged his shoulders, and said, “Why should ye care the name? I would as soon kill him than escort him t’ Areth.”

To Areth? Why would the Luthis elders transport him so far?

Tighan looked up from digging through his bag and said, “Elders never spoke t’ us. We were giv’n our orders from the cap’n.” Tighan leaned over and snagged two big rocks and laid them flat on either side of the hot rocks. He then placed two pieces of meat on one and got up, a small pot in his hand. Lara followed him with her eyes as he filled the pot with water from the natural spring, still trying to figure out what the man said.

What news from Luthis?

Tighan answered while adding two handfuls of food to the boiling water. “The rumor is that information was brought back from the P’ran ports. Invaders are slowly makin’ their way t’ Kureto. Tis said they sail swarm’d by sea creatures. They say men, women, and children are captured as slaves and never seen again.”

Matu snorted at the description. “The person that told us didn’t know where they came from, only that they were makin’ their way t’ our lands.” He shook his head and mumbled in disbelief, “Sea creatures. Tis a bedtime story.”

Lara glanced over to the prisoner and found him intently listening to their conversation. For the first time, she realized the man’s eyes were too wide, almost as if he was trying to see.

Can the man see us, she asked Chion.

No, My Lady. He is a Pyranni warrior. Only Kurites can see underground without light.

Then how can I see as if it’s the middle of the day? I’m not a Kurite.

I do not know. It is one question we must wait to ask the Malkese Elders.

She ran her hands through her hair in frustration. How about why I cannot feel anything from him? Is that normal for Ais?

In answer, Chion growled and stood up. He stalked over to the other side of the cave. No, it is not. It is an anomaly. Come, let us see whether being closer will bring out your magic. Let us see whether you can feel any emotions from him.

While he spoke, he prowled closer to the Pyranni, making sure the man knew he was there. Lara studied the prisoner. The closer Chion got to the man, the more stoic the Pyranni became. He kept Chion in his sight. Her eyebrows rose in surprise. He can see you. Why can he see you and no one else?

As a Paka and an Ai, our eyes glow in the tunnels. This allows even Pyranni warriors to see us, but only our eyes.

As she approached Chion and the man, she thought about it for a bit. It’s because I don’t have gold eyes and my eyes don’t glow, right? This is why he can’t see me.

Chion purred approvingly through their link. Are you able to sense the Pyranni’s emotions?

She shook her head. The prisoner was a blank space on her radar. She could feel the growing consternation from the two men behind her, but nothing in front of her. She watched as the man searched for her in the dark. He’d heard her approach. To put the man at ease, she asked him, “What is your name?”

With a sneer, he replied in a raspy voice, “And if I choose not to tell you?”

The two guards growled and stomped over. She was shocked speechless when Matu seized the man’s binding, yanked him up, and brutally slammed him into the stone wall. With Matu holding him in place, Tighan hurled his fists into the prisoner’s body. Throughout it all, the prisoner grinned, mocking his tormentors.