Seriphyn Knight Chronicles

Scene 9-03

2011-06-25T00:11:00.002+10:00

Wolf bounced along littered mortar. He suddenly rolled along the ground in a fluster and cursed profanely in his skirrat way. He was on his back with his hind paws kicking at a shard of crystal that had been lodged in his front left paw.

'You big baby,' I teased as I pulled the shard out and examined it.

Don't forget your obligation Seriphyn, a ghostly voice whispered into my ear. My mind flashed to a bloody battlefield littered with the dead warriors I had seen in my dreams. I felt a pull in my heart and a dreadful urge to fix a problem no matter what the cost. Nothing was making sense. I was coming to the realisation that I was nothing more than a ignorant doe caught up in some twisted, magical madness. I had hoped the Masters would have answers but I've only been led to more questions and problems.

'Don't forget Seriphyn,' I whispered to no one in particular.

'What you say two-legs?' Wolf stared at me with those orb-enquiring eyes of his. It took me a moment to realise his question.

'Huh? Oh, um, nothing.'

'What's a seri-thing?' he struggled to ask; completely ignoring my 'nothing' answer.

'I'm not sure,' I replied staring at the tiny shard in the palm of my hand again. 'I think Seriphyn was a person, ghost maybe.'

Ghost. If that was what I had seen earlier why wasn't I afraid? I was more annoyed by its prescence, especially by the way she stared me in the eye. There was something horribly wrong and oddly familiar with her. A feeling close to home; hitting a raw string in my heart.

'Seriphyn.'

I met Wolf's gaze and sensed his mind probing mine, deep down, for the truth of who I am.

'We need to go,' he eventually concluded and turned toward the fissure opening.
I threw the shard into a pile of rubbish mixed among ruins and followed Wolf's lead through the fissure's tight space.

Scene 9-02

2011-06-12T19:59:00.003+10:00

I faced the way toward my left and saw a narrow fissure behind a ruin slab that was broken into sections.

'Wolf?' I whimpered. My ankle throbbed in protest against my movements. Where the hell was Wolf?

'WOLF!'

'Neven?' Wolf's voice was but a faint whisper in my mind but it was enough to quell some of my fears. At least I wasn't alone.

A moment later, I saw the fur ball scamper down a jagged section of the wall-face toward me. His tiny body rested against my sprained ankle.

'Thank the cheese I found you,' Wolf breathed out. 'It's terrible back there.'

'What's back there?' I pictured a hoard of five-legged -four-eyed monsters rushing toward us to finish us off.

'No food. I'm hungry,' Wolf joked.

I breathed a sigh of relief and heard it echo around the room. Mists gathered around the fissure opening, drawing in light and dust until the room glowed a phosphorous green color. Wolf gasped and curled himself into a ball when he saw a figure appear within the fissures glowing space.

The figure was an impression of a queen, judging by the gleaming crown on her head and rows of sparkling gems woven into the braids of her free-falling hair. She stood with grand composure. The milk-lace gown, she wore, flowed down her body with its long train pooled around her feet like a pond of still water. She stared with fixed determination. I shuffled toward the right, hoping to hide away from her view and almost choked on my breath when her head follow my direction.

'I see you Waybearer. I see you as clear as the day I was alive,' her voice sliced through the patch of darkness between us.

'Wh-who?'

'My name is Seriphyn, Knight Commander of the Evadale Knight Order and Grand Queen of Creamoraesop. Years ago, I made a terrible mistake. I believed I could make our world superior and the human race the greatest beings in the universe. I was wrong. In my wrong doing, I allowed creatures from the Shadow world glimpse our own. They invaded our world. Claimed human souls for power. In one year they turned our most fruitful lands into deserts. Our river of life became the river for the dead. With all my power, I was only able to imprison them in-between. If you are here, it means the Lazareth are awake; scratching the walls of their prison for a way out so they can complete their conquest. They won't stop until every human soul has been devoured and our world depleted of life.'

The woman fell silent but her eyes still told a story of pain, regret and something else. I stared in her splendor and significance and felt sick in the stomach with the thought that her regret was anything but sincere.

'What's a Waybearer?' I asked candidly.

The woman smirked at my question. She began a lecture.

'A Waybearer holds the power to the doors of this World provided they have the key from the Keybearer. You are more than human thanks to the gifts given to you by the world's Weasquelle.'

So that would explain the weird magic crap coming out of my mouth at times and my dark sight? Was I only limited to these abilities? I had hoped so.

'What's a Weas-Key... what you said before?'

'I'm sorry, I do not recognise the question. Please ask again.' She fell silent, waiting for my response.

I frowned at the Queen, suddenly realizing what she truly was.

'What is a Keybearer?'

The woman's smirk widen. Her green-sea eyes glistened with a new story to tell.
'A Keybearer shows the Waybearer the way. They also keep the Tsazcuths hidden least the Waybearer finds them and corrupts their power. Like the Waybearer they are also gifted with power from the Weasquelle but of a different kind.'

'Why would the Waybearer corrupt power?'

'I'm sorry, I do not recognize the question. Please ask again?'

Her condescending tone was beginning to bug me so that my next question came out with a huff.

'Why are you here?'

The Queen's smirk went wide and her eyes burned with a fiery passion so for a moment I glimsped the person that she possibly once was.

'Now that is a question to ask.' She beamed with a knowing smile. Her impression glowed for an intense moment before it faded out of sight and the ruined room was dark doom and gloom again.

Neither Wolf and I moved for a good moment afterward. We were both still trying to comprehend what had just happened and what was going to happen.

'Neven, what was that?' Wolf piped up.

'Trouble,' I said sarcastically and offered a smile, hoping it was enough to ease his fear.

Wolf uncurled his body and took a few steps toward the fissure. He sniffed he air. 'I smell humans in there. Your friends.'

We both stared at the fissure's darkness. Of course, I had almost forgotten. We had friends to try and save.

Scene 9-01

2010-11-22T22:54:00.002+11:00

There's nothing more frightful than being alone in the dark and surrounded by silence. Your thoughts take on a life of their own and become enemies unto themselves. What, where and how questions are nothing more than pestilence circling a harsh truth. There's no one around to save you from your pain.

'Gawd damn it!' I moaned at my throbbing ankle. I'm not sure how far I had fallen but I had landed pretty hard, so figured it would've been some drop. Surprisingly, something soft broke my fall and the only damage to my body was a sprained ankle. Still a sprain hurts like hell when you haven't got painkillers. My concern for Wolf offered some distraction. I couldn't sense him near me and prayed he wasn't too far away and hurt.

'Wolf!' I cried out, hoping for his voice to squeak inside my head but heard only silence.

I searched the ground for something that would help me stand and felt the smooth edge of a wall. I pulled myself up, struggling against the pain at my ankle and felt around the wall some more. It was cool to touch, smooth in most places with grooves cut in here and there. I felt the wall some more, hoping to come across the edge of a dormant torch but felt nothing of the sort. I could see in the dark before so why not now? I breathed in deep and slowly exhaled, trying to clear my mind from its chaos. A moment later, outlines and impressions of objects appeared from out of the darkness. I found myself within a room. Most of the ceiling was left as rubble along the ground, revealing a dark hole above. I saw myself on of a pile of sacks and material, which hinted intricate patterns of finely spun richness amongst mould stains, rips and tears. The walls carried a series of drawings and patterns similar to the ones I had seen on that square archway to Master Dagor's house. Although, there was something else about them. I felt a chill crawl down my spine.

Scene 8-08

2010-07-15T18:00:00.000+10:00

'So weak, so dumb,' it hissed with obvious disgust. Or was it disappointment? Either way, it glared at me with its beady red eyes.

'Ooh, smells it. Fresh life.' It stepped further into the light so I was able to make out its shape. It was the black snake I had met before in my dreams, and the voice that plagued my mind.

'Tell me you're not seeing this Wolf,' I whispered.

He answered by trembling near my legs and its orb eyes fixed on the monster before us.

'Now yousee see, Ish be real.'

It stretched its sinew body, snuffing out the light with its shadow so only one flame remained. In near darkness, it towered over my head. I sensed the want to squeeze out life and devour it.

Shadows entered my mind and began turning my thoughts into dark holes. Words were pulled out of an abyss, out of my mouth and I had no control over them.

'Worthless creatures of the Chiorntex. You don't deserve Chiorntex gifts,' we scorned.

The shadows pressed their assault further into my mind but were stopped by a high pitched scream. I shook myself free and saw Wolf unconscious before me.

'Wolf – Wolf!' I screamed.

I cupped Wolf's body in my hands and trembled. This couldn't be happening.

'Yousee did this,' the snake thing taunted. 'Yousee killed it.'

Wolf didn't move. He seemed to be sleeping but his body was losing heat, losing life.

'No! Why you do this? Why you want to kill?' I sobbed.

It leaned in close so I felt my face go numb with cold and my body sag with the want to become nothing. I was subdued.

'Ish can Waybearer, ish can,' it hissed sardonically. 'Yousee disappoints me. Ish expected more.'

Shadows entered my mind again, and with greater persistence.

'Nothing more than flesh,' it hissed with obvious disgust.

The ground shook. I felt the earth quake and cave in around us. The air wafted with mildew and the sweet elegance of white lilies.

'NO!' The snake screamed. As its voice faded and the danger eased, I felt my warmth and will return.

'Wolf,' I whispered, hoping my warmth would pass on into him and bring him back to life but he didn't stir.

'Wolf,' I sobbed. 'Please, get up.'

There was still no response. I refused to believe he was dead.

'Get up you stupid rat!'

I felt a tiny beat against my fingers.

'Stupid two-legs, I'm no insect,' Wolf whispered.

I picked him up and hugged him so tight to my chest. Wolf was alive! All was well.

'Gef off meh.' I heard Wolf muffle and placed him back to the ground before me. He shook his body and faced me. His orb eyes betrayed fear.

'The snake talked,' Wolf said soberly.

'It's not a snake,' I said, hoping it would reassure him but it only made his fear more obvious.

'Neven,' He said but didn't say anything else. I had to change the subject.

'We better get moving,' I said and offered him a lift on my shoulder. He was quick to scamper up my arm and snuggle against my neck.

My dark sight returned so I was able to see what had changed. The path behind us was blocked with rubble, which only left the way forward. It was a tricky way as half the path had crumbled away leaving nothing more than a ledge to tippy-toe along.

'There's not much of a path left.'

I glanced at the newly made abyss next to us. I couldn't see any bottom.

'Hang tight,' I said and wobbled to my feet.

I gripped the solid wall and began making my way along the edge. I didn't expect the earth to shake again. The wall started to crumble around me so it was difficult to maintain my grip. I felt Wolf's claws dig deep into the folds of my dress. The earth shook more ferociously so dust and rock debris rained on us. My hands slipped and feet lost their footing. I couldn't hold on anymore.

'Hold on!' I shouted to Wolf and felt his claws dig into my skin.

The air was sucked out of our lungs as we fell into the abyss.

Scene 8-07

2010-06-24T21:30:00.003+10:00

I felt a cold sensation numb my skin, causing my feet to drag along the ground like I was the walking dead. I was tired, cranky and wishing I could sleep in a comfy, cosy bed. Good wishes don't come true now do they?

'Almost there Neven, just around the corner,' Wolf's voice sliced through my consciousness, so much so I fainted. When I woke I found Wolf's nose nudging my cheek and his stale-cheese breath warming my lips.

'Eew, get off me Wolf!' I looked about and saw myself sitting on the grey mossy path of the rock corridor. Only this corridor had patches and strands of wispy silk wrapped around rocks or dangling from stumpy stalactites. We were getting closer to the Hollow Hill's and the path to the Banshees' lair.

'You're getting weak two-legs. Not as fit and smart like us skirrats are you?'

'Careful with your wit skirrat or I'll chase your sorry ass into a box and lock you in.'

'If there was a box, I doubt you'll have the breath in you,' Wolf huffed back. He hopped off my chest and started sniffing the path and ambiguous space before us. Suddenly, he arched his back and started hissing.

A chilling gust of wind smacked into my face like a pair of hands, freezing my cheeks for a brief moment. When warmth returned to my skin so did my senses. I felt a weird, horrible feeling in my stomach; a feeling of the familiar crossing paths with unknown danger. Wolf and I were in danger?

'Wolf what is this place exactly?'

'Ssh!' Wolf hushed.

'Something with us, something...' His voice trailed away. He raised his back higher so his front shoulders were bunched right up to his head then he dropped his back and padded his way back to me.

'Seems to have moved on.'

Wolf bounded up my legs and on to my shoulder. He opened his mouth to say something else but went stiff instead; his mouth seemingly frozen in place. I placed him in my hands and brought him to my lap.

'Wolf, you okay?'

Wolf didn't respond. I fingered his belly and ran my pinky along his spine; no twitches. Fear and panic pumped through my unfrozen blood veins that I found myself chanting 'no' over and over between breaths blown into Wolf's nose. I felt some relief warm my heart when Wolf's nose regained its warmth and his breaths came out of his mouth although, he was still stiff as a statue and non-responsive to my attention seeking antics. I wasn't sure what to do. How do you bring life back to a comatose skirrat who was perfectly fine minutes ago?

Suddenly, I felt my energy being drained from my blood. Images in my mind flickered on and off with the strong sensation of drowning in darkness. That's when I heard the slow, rhythmic chinking - scratching sound against rock. It was coming toward me.

I glanced at the only torch burning fiercely against agate walls and noticed my own shadow raise its arms and grab at my throat. I felt a squeeze around my neck and my head about to explode. Then it stopped. The shadow was my shadow again. Wolf shook himself out of whatever force had kept him in a coma.

We both stared at the being before us.

Scene 8-06

2010-05-21T04:00:00.001+10:00

How was I going to find my way in the dark? I stood underneath the fissure's eaves, praying for some sort of light to flick into existence. I almost fell backward when the way was revealed before me as bright as the early morning sun. I glanced around the moist rock walls and path carpeted with yellow lichen. Some of the lichen dotted the way with miniscule beacons here and there but not enough to bring the whole area into picture. I couldn't see anything else, which would light up the area. Is it possible I was able to see in the dark?

'Oh my God Wolf - I can see you. I can see everything!'

'Don't you always?' Wolf cocked his head to one side, clearly confused at my surprise.

'No. Humans are not supposed to see in the dark without a torch or some sort of extra light to guide the way.'

'What does this mean Neven?'

A raw feeling gripped my heart. Ele's words of being more than human chimed around my ears. I felt sick in the stomach.

'Two-leg, you be okay?'

'I - I don't know. I feel strange like something's changing in me.'

'Changing?'

'I don't know - hard to explain.'

'Neven we must move on and find your friend.'

Scene 8-05

2010-03-26T05:00:00.001+11:00

'Is that you Wolf?'

'Neven! By cheese, I've found you.'

Wolf ran up to my side and rubbed his nose against my arm.

'Okay – okay,' I let out with a laugh. His rubs tickled.

'Oh sorry,' he squeaked and took a step back so I was able to see his furry face clearly. His eyes peered into mine with an expression I hadn't seen in him before – worry.

'Why were you looking for me?'

'For your two-legged friends, the female ones,' he lowered his voice, 'they be in trouble.'

'Trouble?'

My head throbbed with images of Edde and Kalia being locked away in holding cells, constantly whipped and tortured because of my actions. Oh Anwar! What was I thinking when I ran away? I placed my friends in danger.

Wolf's lips twitched uneasily, he answered carefully, 'The one with the head of sunny fur was caged in the underbelly of the big house. The tall one went with the old man and a group of black monsters to look for you.'

'Kalia caged?'

Wolf frowned.

'The one with the sunny fur,' I explained.

'Oh, yes,' Wolf said, He told me how he had other skirrats to look out for her while he followed the search party. When he caught my scent, he followed it to find me.

'Why would you do this?'

Wolf twitched, 'We friends right?'

I gave him a reassuring smile and a few lies about why I had asked. He seemed more at ease.

'So what'd I do?'

'You can run away and hide. I fear your tall friend is walking to her death.'

'Death?'

Wolf shuffled to my left so half his body was blended in with the shadows. He gave the cave a good check with his orb-like eyes before telling me of the dangers.

'These parts be home to horrible creatures we call Banshees. These creatures like the dark cold holes and cracks these rocks make,' Wolf whispered.

'Tell me of these Banshees,' I asked and scratched his back. He arched his body to meet the strokes of my fingers.

'Ooh that be good. Get the spot at the back of my leg – ah yes!' Wolf sighed and shook himself free from the rest of my scratching, 'Right, the Banshees.'

My heart skipped a beat as he described, in more detail, the spider creatures we had already faced. The tallest banshee was ten times the height of a henchman and the babies just as big as a child. Their spindly legs where sharp as swords and flexible to climb the hills at fast speeds. They always hunted in families, covering the entire area of the Rocky Hills. They had nests scattered all over the place like a web itself.

'Banshees don't care what they eat as long as they eat. They even eat their own when there's no other food,' Wolf said with a shiver and flinched when he heard a faint howl from the fissure.

'We must go Neven.'

'Okay but what about my friend, you said she be walking to her death.'

Wolf's whiskers twitched nervously. 'Her group were headed toward the path between the hollow hills.'

'And?' I pressed. Wolf shivered as he told me what existed within the hollow hills.

'Anwar! We have to get to them.'

'You'll be in danger too.'

'I know Wolf but it's because of me my friend is in danger in the first place. I have to save her!'

Wolf sighed and stood up. I followed his lead out of the cave and into the darkness ahead.

Scene 8-04

2010-03-17T21:52:00.001+11:00

'The forest, from where I grew up, was once abundant with life.' Ele's voice sighed through my mind as gusts of cool air.

Images of baby-blue skies and wispy stratus clouds, peaking through gaps between families of Giant Red Cedar and slender Kauris, sailed into view. My body twitched with the urge to sprint. I wandered through soft underbrush; danced over moss covered rocks and fallen logs well rooted into their places. I breathed in the rich aroma of wood and damp earth and felt bursts of energy pulsate through my veins. My heart beat in time to the tune of Spring Morning, which resounded through out the trees, evergreen undergrowth and the blossoming Emerald Ebony amongst majestic Forest Flames and their fiery leaves.

'Everything had its place of respect,' Ele recounted sadly. 'The trees were the wise advisers of the Sun and Moon's moods. The flowers were always putting on a grand show with their flashy colours. The ferns were gentle friends who kept me warm at nights. We lived and let live. The humans of this time understood us and what we valued or so we were led to believe.'

The vision of her world changed into one of devastation where shadows moved with a life of their own to bring disease, despair and death to each living thing they passed over. Trees became lifeless corpses, the flowers wilted and rotted into pulp and the undergrowth was uprooted and burned from existence until the forest was nothing but a desolate wasteland. The song of Spring Morning was silenced and forgotten.

Tears welled in my eyes.

'I'm so sorry Ele.'

Ele sighed deeply and faced me. Her expression was a sober mask of her true feelings.

'Are you?'

I frowned. 'Of course I am Ele. Who would want such unthinkable devastation?'

'You'll be surprise,' Ele replied bitterly.

My body shivered with cold. My heart beats slowed.

'W-What c-caused it Ele?' I asked between chattering teeth.

'Are you ready to know? Are you Daughter of Marsilien?' she warned with a brittle voice.

She sighed and said more warmly, 'One day you'll find out for yourself. Know this - the shadows that destroyed my home are the very shadows that exist in that memory of yours. There'll be a time when you need to decide who you truly want to be and what side you want to be on.'

Ice winds slapped my cheek. There was a pause before warmth raced through my body to sooth my aches and fears. I opened my eyes and saw a skirrat enter from the fissure entrance. Ele was gone.

Scene 8-03

2010-02-18T19:45:00.000+11:00

‘Neven!’

I opened my eyes; white lilies, ginger leaves, baby breath and red roses swam into my view. My head throbbed as if I had been clobbered from behind.

‘Oh.’

‘You’re okay.’

‘Okay?’ I cursed. I was nauseous, my head pounded with pain and, on top of all that, I was grumpy as hell. ‘Ele – I feel like crap!’

‘At least you are feeling,’ Ele chimed and flashed me a smile like some sort of peace offering.

I eased into a sitting position and stared into Ele’s glistening eyes. They seemed kind and innocent. Seemed.

‘Why did you show me that vision?’

Ele frowned, perplexed. Her frown changed into an expression of concern.

‘I only hoped to show what was in your heart; the core memory of your soul that is keeping you from remembering who you truly are.’

‘In my heart?’

‘Yes.’

Ele explained, as an elemental she was able to draw out memories from a person’s mind like water drawn from a pool. She explained how Mother Earth was made up of four base elements: Earth, Air, Fire and Water, and each were connected by threads of energy they called “Synapsiums”.

‘By connecting to the Synapsium in your heart, I was able to draw out the memory.’

She sat, crossed-leg, before me; her earthly gown spreading out over the cold hard ground like soft patches of dew-fresh grass.

‘Please, tell me of this memory?’ She asked with a voice that resembled the pitter-patter of raindrops, which came after a bitter storm.

I sighed and told her then wished I hadn’t when her reaction turned into one of anger. The whole cave darkened. I felt a cold hand grip my heart and squeeze. ‘I… breathe…’ Each breath burned up my throat. When I felt I was about to die, the pain went away and light returned to the cave.

Ele stood and faced the dark fissure. ’160 years ago, the Realm of Leinard was once known as the Kingdom of Greater Marc, and was controlled by a human monarchy.’

I was surprised when Ele turned to me with a warm smile. ‘I learned the human ways from a good man who ended up being the last king.’

She then elaborated on her history. As she spoke of her past, I found my mind wandering into it and seeing a completely different and wondrous world.

Scene 8-02

2010-01-21T19:44:00.000+11:00

Suppression is deadly. It’s the motivation behind the sword thrusts into another person’s heart, the final straw that breaks a person’s sanity and the deciding step off a five hundred foot cliff toward a suicidal death. It only takes one suppressed person in power to see a world fall into chaos and desolation.

I stood underneath a blood-red sky, feeling suppressed anger coiling around my limbs. My temples ached from the calamity of grinding steel, desperate grunts, wails and sinister screeches that assaulted my ears. My eyes watered from the taste of iron and sulphur that blew into my mouth and up my nose.

‘Die evil scum!’ A voice boomed at my back. It was met with a high-pitch gurgle. I felt a heavy weight drop near my feet. When I looked down, I bulked at the squirming three clawed hand scratching its way toward my big toe; stumbled backward , so I found myself in the middle of a kill with the segregated edge of a heavy sword about to slash my chest open.

I was able to dodge the blow in time and see its way into its intended target and that of a monster. I stared at a body of a snake and vampire bat combined: on its slender back were large paper wings that had a claw at each joint. Two sinew legs and arms, with three claws on each, flanked either side of its middle. Its face was a cross between a cobra and an adder. It glared at its prey through beady red eyes and everywhere about its countenance was black and oppressive with its scaly skin seeming to suck in the light rather than reflect it.

The sword went deeper into the scaly space between its arms and legs. The monster crumpled to the ground. Its eyes turned yellow before they went black.

I cried with fright as its body coiled in on itself and materialized into a pile of black ash. From the ashes uncoiled impressions of people that were quick to dissipate.

I heard a high whistle move toward my left ear and turned my head at the time the nicked edge of a blade sailed across my eyes. I ducked and fell to the ground and wanted to scurry away from the mangled human remains but there was no where to escape. Everywhere I looked, it was a bloody massacre.

I turned and watched a soldier swing a sword toward the heart of a black monster and felt the edge of the monsters claw against his neck instead. His helmet was shaken free from his head as the monster buried its claw further in and raised the soldier’s wriggling body toward its face.

Thunder shook the sky. A dying sun was further weakened by a gathering of threatening clouds. In a moment of semi-darkness, I watched the monster open its mouth and reveal four rotating black fangs, which churned each side of the mouth so the opening became a vortex.

The soldier’s eyes widen with fear. He wriggled desperately to break free only to find himself lodged deeper in the monster’s hold. My breath went cold against my stunned lips. I felt the urge to help the man and try to save him from his fate. I was too weak to move. It was as if some evil force had locked my body to the spot. Every breath I used to cry out for help turned into nothing more than whispers. All I could do was watch.

I stared into the monster’s mouth and suddenly felt my heart crushed under feelings of hopelessness, betrayal, guilt and pent-up anger. My days slid through my mind as an image reel; seeing everything I had come to value loose its meaning. As my heart started to loose out against the pain, I felt my will taken away from me along with the air from my own lungs and the energy from my body and soul.

I fixed my eyes to the dangling solider and watched his shadow break free from the hold only to be sucked into the monster’s mouth. The monster tossed the carcass aside and went toward the next attack. Within moments, I felt my sense of self return along with my energy and my heart beating free from negative emotion. Yet, the tension around my limbs were more obvious so I found myself gripping a sword in either hand.

I pulled myself off the ground and started fighting my way through the hoard; not caring what I slew in my path. When I felt the battle would last forever, it stopped with dead silence. My heart skipped a beat when I realized not one soldier was left standing. I faced a host of monsters on my own.

A dust storm rolled in at their backs, gathering up broken bodies and displaced souls into the air.

‘Ish see yousee.’ one of the monsters hissed. It stretched its wings wide, engulfing the rising storm, and flew into the air with all its glory.

‘NOW YOUSEE SEE THERE ISH NO WILL BUT MINESEE!’

It flew a path over the other monsters that pawed the riled ground and snarled threats my way. In a heart beat, all the monsters jumped into the air and flew circles around their leader.

I gulped back my fear and gripped my sword tight as they turned and made their way toward me.

‘Demonocorahn Inasoula Ventura Ni Lazerth obligano.’ The incantation left my mouth like a subconscious thought. I felt heat to my chin and neck, looked down and realized I gripped a crystal in my hand and not a sword. The crystal burned an intense white with power; feeding my mind with thoughts of “being in control” and my heart with the urge to grip its fire in my hands and hurl it toward the monsters.

I heard a thousand cries in my mind and felt the unified beating of a thousand hearts against my chest as I raised my palm high and bathed the vile vermin with white fire.

With a wink of an eye, they were gone; with another so was I.

Scene 8-01

2010-01-15T10:46:00.001+11:00

I ran blind, struggling to ignore the sting against my legs.

'Kalia - why?'

Her voice rang through my ears as a foreboding death bell and her words, oh how they stuck in my heart like a knife. The further I tried to understand, the deeper the knife went until I found all the bends in the truth choking my throat. There was no doubt she had meant every word.

'I should've drowned at the river.' Why did I live?

'WHY!'

I huffed at the silence.

'Thought so - skirrat got your tongue.'

I allowed the cold darkness to nip away my warmth until I was nothing more than a useless lump in the middle of nowhere.

'Not today daughter of Marsilien.' The words chimed through my ears and soothed away the pain I felt against my skin. A silk touch kept my blood flowing through my body and my heart pumping desperately with a hope to live.

Light danced around head and filled the dark spaces of my vision and mind until everything was revealed before me as it would in the midday sun. I saw myself standing in a cave overwhelmed with yellow flowers and vibrant blue lichen. A fissure opening was before me.

'This is the way back to the masters who will use you to bring the end of this realm.'

The voice bounced around the cave like a ball. Suddenly, I realized how stupid I was to do a God damn stupid thing as running away.

'Your instincts compelled you. You were right to listen to them.'

The voice... Pins and needles jabbed my temples. It was so hard to breath. I was choking to death.

Neven you must listen. Neven!

I couldn't breath. Something squeezed my heart, stabbed at my back. Anwar - the pain!

Let go Neven. The pain will ease.

Let go?

Trust me Neven. Think of a white flower and hold it in your mind. Imagine it a bud blossoming.

Without invitation, a rose bud surfaced to my mind. As I imaged it blossoming, I felt the pain subside until I was able to breath freely again. I was soon my self - just.

A woman eased into view, before the fissure. She wore a dress adorned with white lilies, hand-size ginger leaves, baby breath and red roses; running all the way along the length of her arms and legs and covering up to the top edge of her neck. Her eyes glistened like moonlight and her flowing hair relaxed around her shoulders as fine spun silk of gold. She was very pleasing to the eye that I found it hard to look away.

'Thank you for listening. I was worried my defense systems would destroy you.' Her voice chimed through my ears.

'Who - what are you?'

The woman smiled and offered me a curtsy. I frowned and shook my head not understanding why.

'I am Ele of the Elm. I am an earth elemental.'

'Your voice. Were you the one I heard at the river?'

Ele nodded her head. 'I saw you at Lila's edge and felt I had to watch over you'

'Why?'

'I saw you were different; not one for Lila's bitter waters.'

'But why did you do it? If I was different, wouldn't it be best to let me die?'

Ele's countenance wavered before it was clear and solid again.

'Something I can't explain, only that you seem more than human and magic.'

I peered into Ele's doe like eyes and watched them churn light in irregular patterns. A sense of doubt entered my mind. She was hiding something.

'What's that meant to mean?' I clenched my teeth at the frustration I felt rising at the back of my head.

Ele sighed. 'I don't know but I fear that you have brought into our world a terrible monster. One that has plagued our realm before and almost destroyed it.'

Monster? I shook my head. It was a ruse to get me worked up and all jittery.

'You think you can taunt me with your twisted words? You better leave before -'

'I do not mean to anger you, only to tell you the truth so you can learn how to stop a flood from flowing, at the right time,' Ele rushed out and placed a twigged hand on my chest. As quick as a lightening bolt, I was suddenly transported into a raging battle.

Scene 7-09

2009-12-29T07:23:00.001+11:00

Kaila’s lips twitched with words but nothing came out. What did they want me to say, that I was at fault? It wasn’t! For once in my life, I wasn’t going to be blamed for something I didn’t do.

‘It wasn’t me Master.’ I wanted to add on and say I would never hurt my friends but held my tongue. Just stick to the facts girl. I could almost imagine a lengthy lecture on what I did do prior to all of this.

He stared at me for awhile, judging my responses perhaps. When it seemed the night breeze was going to freeze our bones and turn us all into icicles, he spoke.

‘Then go stand with Edde and await orders.’

I acknowledged his orders with a nod and started toward her.

‘Neven – don’t let me hear that you’ve used any form of magic again,’ the Master threw out over his shoulder. I turned and frowned at the wise magician’s robes, which had been riling up more dust clouds. He honestly believed it was my fault then?

I opened my mouth, which had being itching to respond then closed it. Fine – I’ll stick with Edde.

I gave Master Dago a wide berth as he made his way to his colleague but it wasn’t wide enough for the scowl he threw my way. I hurried to Edde’s side.

'You alright?'

I nodded my head.

She sighed and gave me a reassuring pat on the shoulder along with a thin smile.

The masters soon returned with orders. We were to make our way toward the front entrance, which was still intact, and to the utility room that was located toward the right of the entrance foyer. This was where the Porter resided along with provisions we needed for a journey. We were to ask the Porter for packed bags and a way through the Darkseed Lanes.

Kalia was none to pleased when she saw the awkward spaces we had to squeeze through because of the fallen chunks of cliff that had blocked off parts of the side walkway. She kept her thoughts to herself most of the way even when we passed through the front courtyard.

'Such a pain in the ass,' she cursed as we neared the front door.

I faced her. Did she mean I was a pain in the ass? It was obvious, from the moment we left the temple, she wasn't happy.

'You hate being here don't you?'

Her eyes flinched at my question then narrowed. 'Of course I do! I have had to walk sick - run from giant, icky, spiders and stress over what's going to happen to me next! I just want to be back at the temple.'

'You didn't have to come you know!'

Kalia screwed up her face as if she was in pain.

'You have no idea Neven.' She stepped nearer so she could whisper her words. 'You think I wanted to come? The choice wasn't mine. I begged to stay but the Master kept saying I had to come for your sake.'

She spat out the last words as if she was spitting out the most horrid piece of meat she had ever tasted. My heart froze. Something terribly heavy and horrible sunk low in my gut; dragging my stomach down to my knees.

'You're lying.'

Her expression smoothed into one cold and heart-breaking. 'I'm not. You forced me here with that magic of yours. I'd rather be some where else.'

'Neven - Kalia stop lagging!' Edde called out, seemingly unaware of Kalia's revelation.

I felt Kalia's body trail away from me like an unforgiving chill slapping against my skin. My head throbbed with raw pain and crushed memories. The tears I held back stormed to my cheeks. Memories of the river came to mind. I wanted the currents to drown me.

Now yousee see yousee 'ave no friends. Yousee a plague, an unwanted spot - a killer!

'Neven!' Edde called out. I felt her hand on my shoulder, about to pull me around.

I pulled it off and faced her. Edde's concern was obvious. I couldn't face her and give her the reassurance she wanted. I glanced over her shoulder and saw Kalia before the door as still as a statue.

'I'm sorry I put you through this. Follow the Master's orders, I must follow mine.'

I turned and ran up a ruined path toward obscurity.

Scene 7-08

2009-12-22T01:11:00.001+11:00

My throat itched all of a sudden. I coughed to try and clear it and felt it itch even more.

‘Kalia,’ I coughed and opened my eyes to semi darkness and deep grumbling sounds. Suddenly, my cot was shaking.

‘Holy Mother!’ I cursed as I was shaken out of bed. I shuffled over to Kalia and shook her awake.

‘Get up K!’

‘What the hell!’ Kalia mumbled and soon found herself screaming her way out of bed and dodging a huge chunk of rock that had fallen out of the wall and onto her cot.

‘EDDE!’ Kalia screamed. Her eyes bulged with fright.

I grabbed her arm and yanked her into the corridor but the scene was no better. In fact it was worse. Thick clouds of dust blanketed the area, making it difficult to see. I gagged at the bitter stink of mildew and limestone stuffing up my nose and covered my mouth with one hand.

‘Kalia, Neven,’ I heard a few paces before us and saw Edde curled over. She stood upright and made her way to us.

‘Girls you’re alright,’ she coughed with relief. But, relief was short lived.

The way before us exploded into showers of rock. We were knocked backward into a wall. Bits of brick and mortar rained on our heads.

‘Ouch!’ Kalia moaned. I hugged her side, hoping it would suppress the pain I felt in mine.

Other slaves stumbled out of alcoves in a mad panic for the exit at the corridor’s end. We soon found ourselves amongst a frenzied mob and pushed further toward the back wall.

‘Stop it!’ I yelped as body parts bruised my sides and slammed into my stomach. ‘Ugh-gog,’ I spat out, tensing against the pain and trying not to fall over and die.

The way behind me exploded into a high pitch shrill. My body cringed with pain; I felt my ears were about to burst. Debris knocked me to the ground. I narrowly missed a chunk of rock that would’ve squashed my head if it had stayed put.

‘We ‘ave to get outta ‘ere!’ Edde shouted over the din.

I was hurled to my feet and pushed into a walk. I glanced over my shoulder and saw Edde guiding my body through fallen debris, toward an opening just visible between dust clouds.

‘Ugh!’ Kalia cried out as a crowd of panicking slaves knocked her into an alcove. I searched around for her and hoped I pulled up the right person. The air was so hot and black now, it was hard to see. The ground shook again.

Now yousee know Ish have returned.

Pain swelled at my temples, I felt drained and so tired that I wanted to lie down and stop breathing.

Ish have returned!

Torch light sailed toward me. I felt locked into place.

‘NEVEN!’ My name whistled around me. Time slowed as my head was knocked to the side, dodging flames by a hair’s breath. I fell to the ground, breaking free from the semi daze that had almost killed me.

‘Come on,’ Edde ordered as she hauled me to my feet and dragged me out of dangers way. We fumbled our way out of the corridor and found ourselves standing in open air. Kalia waited for us, along with a handful of surviving slaves and the two masters. I faced the way back, my heart beat for the shrieks and painful cries behind me. I jumped back as the opening crumbled in on itself. Soon the screams of those left behind were entombed - silenced. Half the mansion had turned into big piles of rumble.

‘Neven,’ Master Asuras stormed toward me. I lowered my eyes toward the clouds of dust his boots made, ‘tell me this wasn’t your doing.’

I gulped and glanced around. They all stared at me, waiting for an answer.

Scene 7-07

2009-10-08T19:43:00.000+11:00

‘The fight is suicide. Yet, they stand beside me ready to fight for all they hold dear. Trust. If only they knew what I do, would they trust still? Creack – boom! It comes. Creack-boom, chink – chi – chink, clunk – duff – clunk! Gurgling cries of lost souls, hope, shattered dreams and the images of a future breaking against steel; blood – sweet, pulsating, rich, blood smearing my lips, splattering my face. Fallen. Failed. They die – they die. Oh god – they die. Taste it Neven – TASTE IT!’

NO! My eyes opened to darkness. I felt the hot, chocking feeling against my chest ease as the calm of night gradually pieced together my reality. It was just a dream.

‘Ssh!’ Kalia moaned from her cot. I sat up about to apologise until I noticed Kalia’s eyes were still closed, deep in sleep.

‘Kalia?’ I waited for her response but after awhile of not getting anything but snores pushed myself up and swung my legs over the edge of my cot.

The dream bugged me. Why the same one over and over like a spinning wheel? I couldn’t help feel a sense of being there, where there was. Is that why I can’t remember who I was? Did I survive a battle? No one has said any sort of war is happening around here. Certainly, I haven’t heard or seen evidence of any.

‘Ah hellbore,’ I breathed out and stood in the chilling night, exposed. ‘Brrr,’ my lips sounded instinctively and pressed closed to trap escaping breath. I fiddled around my cot for my blankets to wrap around my shoulders.

Neven

I froze with my blanket in hand and body still exposed to the night elements.

‘Ish see yousee.’

A snake-like head emerged from the night. Holy mother of crap! I wanted to scream but found my mouth frozen shut with the rest of my body.

Yes, keepsee quiet. Don’t want to wake dems do yousee?’

The head came closer so I could trace a network of reddish veins around a papery neck and gaunt cheeks.

‘W -Who are you?’

‘Ish be Lazareth, they best and Ish thank yousee for releasing me.’

Releasing – what the hell? How could I’ve freed this beast?

‘Yousee gave me key. Thanks yousee.’

It sniffed in air and sighed with eyes rolled back to savour the smell of real life; a rush of memories flooded my mind on waves of nausea. It sped through cycles of family life, royalty, simple stupid peasants to the most knowledgeable sorcerer. ‘Conquer, control, bleed, burn, masacre, shatter, destroy…’ It rolled through its wants with a dazed voice. Seeming to catching itself, snapped its head back and returned to my view with clarity in its piercing eyes.

‘Ah to taste Neven, to taste. ‘ It cocked its head to one side and peered at me with shrewd eyes. ‘Or should say Ser – ip – hyn.’

I gulped back the nausea and faced Mikhalz square on, no idea what he/it was talking about.

Moans and scratching on rock outside caught the lazareth’s attention.

‘Ah yousee hear that? Ish go and leave yousee a mark of this moment.’

It reared its head back into the obscurity of night and was gone.

I held my breath, waiting for something terrible.

Scene 7-06

2009-10-01T19:43:00.000+10:00

We stepped into something of a massive library, broken up into three levels. Stairs zigzagged a line up the walls, connecting the levels. Before us were rows of L – shaped bookcases filled with all sorts of books, scrolls and papers kept in order by silver book ends. At our feet, an enormous map of the realm was painted on the black marble floor. Chairs and desks sat on the map’s corners. In the middle of the map was an elaborate silver pedestal.

‘Damn,’ Edde cursed.

‘Neven,’ a tiny voice whispered from a corner. I saw a black thing hurry across the map and hide behind the pedestal. I approached the center and pedestal and saw a black and white skirrat looking up at me.

‘Howdy,’ it said.

I sighed with a smile. ‘You following me Wolf?’

‘Yes and no. I got kicked out of the clan cause of Reddy going belly-up. So figured you ‘ave more cheese. You do don’t you?’ His orb eyes stared with earnest and sighed with disappointment when I said no.

‘Sorry Wolf, I’m just a slave.’

‘I’ll snuffle around the kitchens. Might get lucky for both of us two-legs.’

”Who yah talking to?’ Edde approached my side and went stiff.

‘Howdy two-legs,’ Wolf said not fazed.

‘It t-talks, it-’

‘Talks, yes-yes. Love to – gotta find cheese.’

He scurried off without a backward glance and disappeared behind a bookcase.

‘That skirrat talked,’ Edde turned to me.

‘Yeah one of Master Asuras’s experiments.’

Edde’s eyes bulged at the word experiment. Her mouth opened with more questions but closed before any could escape.

‘Dis place gives me the willies, lets go,’ Edde said and gestured for me to follow her. My eyes caught a thin gold edge. I was surprised I hadn’t noticed the thick book spread open between the pedestal’s hands.

‘Look Edde,’ I said.

‘No, we go,’ Edde grabbed my shoulder to pull me around. It was too late. I read the text on the pages and noticed a familiarity.

…and the Ryder stood before the armies of the world with her sword raised high. She was fearless amongst the afraid; steadfast against the howling devils and their thirst for souls…

My heart stopped for a split second. Bits and pieces of dreams whirled distorted images through my mind. I shook my head free and faced Edde, noting an expression of obvious concern.

‘Yah okay?’

‘Yes,’ I sighed. ‘No. It’s this page. I had a dream of facing an army and I read about it in this book.

Edde glanced at the page then at me, her worry not going away.

‘Coincidence.’

‘Is it Edde? I don’t know who I am? I have this stupid magic in me I don’t want and all these strange voices bugging my head.’

‘Voices?’ Edde’s eyes bulged. She crossed her arms.

‘Yeah, a snake voice and that of a woman’s now and then.’

‘Oh Neven – neva realized, er, how troubled yah were.’ She hugged my shoulders. ‘Slavery affects us in a ways. I’ve seen the worst in the best of folk – dah best come out of the worst.’

She pulled me eye to eye with her. ‘Always know dah rules and stick to ‘em.’

I nodded my head conscious of my frown, and followed her lead back through the corridors and finally to our cots.

Scene 7-05

2009-08-26T19:42:00.000+10:00

We walked the corridors in silence until we felt certain we were far from the masters’ ears.

‘Thanks Edde.’

‘For what?’

‘For being here.’

‘Someone hasta keep yah girls in line.’

She picked up her pace and walked ahead; an obvious full stop to the conversation.

We turned right, walked straight for a bit, turned left, walked straight again and right into similar corridors. We did a few more turns, entering the same type of corridors. I was glad Edde knew where she was going as I was clueless.

‘Geez this place is huge,’ I puffed out. It felt we had been walking for ages. We came to a wide fork offering lengthy choices. Edde stopped with a deep frown etched on her forehead.

‘Edde?’

‘It’s thus way for sure.’ She mumbled unconvincingly to herself. ‘Nah, thus way or is…’ Her head turned back and forth in each direction, trying to decide what way was correct.

‘I’d say we go right.’ I offered. She wheeled about and faced me square on.

‘How’d you know the direction?’

‘I don’t. It’s bound to be one of the three right?’

‘If yah wrong, who knows where we end up.’

‘We could just end up back here.’

‘Nah – we need to be certain. Not waste time.’

‘Getting lost should be excuse enough.’

We stared at each other for a long time before Edde studied the fork again. I gave her space to work out the direction. She did another turn and after a scratch to the head , started up the right fork. The corridor took a downward bend and led us to a black sackcloth door. Edde pushed the door wide and hissed her curses. It was the wrong door.

Scene 7-04

2009-08-12T18:15:00.001+10:00

I returned to the world in a semi-daze and found myself lying on Master Dagor's futon.

'She should be dead on the floor.' Master Dagor complained from somewhere in the room. I felt shuffles behind me. I closed my eyes and played my unconsciousness.

'And what would that achieve huh? Besides, it wasn't intentional.'

'She burnt half my bloody books! I'd a right mind to flog her awake.'

'But you won't do that Roth because she's special. She doesn't know how to control what she does. It's up to us to teach her.'

'What then Drazer? We teach her how to be this great sorceress only for her to zap off our heads and bite us in the arse! No, I say she needs to be disposed of before any more accidents happen.'

'She can be controlled Roth. We have the means to do this.'

'Drazer, this a fool's want.'

'She knows of the Tsazcuth myths, she has shown us the power of the Oracaseer that Caldera Scholars have take years, even lifetimes to master! You can't stand there and tell me we should kill her without first extracting this knowledge.'

'Then what we do?'

'Let me take her to Novak. He's good at getting from others what we need.'

'I hope for all our sakes you're right about this,' Master Dagor sighed. 'Right, I'll order a summary that will allow the slaves passage to the Temple of Equala. You'll have to wait until that chinka doll has recovered.'

Their presence loomed over my head.

'Still can't believe this girl has the power to find the doors. She looks dumb.'

'I – quiet.'

The talking fell to a silence all of a sudden. I felt a strong presence studying my face. I sighed and open my eyes, pushed myself into a sitting position. The masters stared down on me with intimidation. I hugged my knees, lowered my eyes to the floor and waited.

'Humph, look at her – a slave on a master's futon. BRANGI BRING MY WHIP!'

I flinched and coward underneath their stare.

'Master Dagor please - can you not see how scared Neven is? Look at her,' said Master Asuras.

Master Dagor turned up his nose and looked away.

'She better not pee on my futon.

Master Asuras raised his left brow. 'She's not a puppy. Besides, I think it's time she joined the others. I will get Edde.'

'Stay where you are and don't speak,' he ordered before leaving me alone with Master Dagor.

The tension in the room was stifling and I couldn't help wondering what the master was going to do to me before the others returned. He faced me with narrow eyes and, after a while of up and down looks, ordered me to stand up. I practically jumped off the futon and slouched before him.

'You're a mousy thing.' He circled me, slowly as if I was a puzzle he was trying to solve. 'If it was up to me, you'd be dead.'

He was about to say something else when a rustling in the corner caught his attention.

'God damn vermin!' He cursed and hurried to the corner to chase whatever it was away. I braved a look and saw a black and white skirrat disappear behind the map curtain. Wolf. A sight of a charred bookcase caught my eye. All the books were burnt to a crisp except one thick tome, which sat firmly in its position.

'What you looking at slave? The Master's eyes went to the bookshelf. They lingered there before going back to me with obvious distaste. I could say I was sorry but I felt it would only serve to inflame him. The last thing I wanted more of was trouble.

'You will pay for burning my books.' His eyes narrowed with the threat. Luckily Master Asuras and Edde returned before Master Dagor was able follow through. I hurried up to Edde's side and was grateful when I was ordered to go back with Edde.

Scene 7-03

2009-07-29T19:41:00.000+10:00

‘Yes Master?’ A slave boy stood across the threshold with a glint in his eyes.

‘Master Asuras de Caldera to see Master Dagor de Caldera. Please chime your host.’

The slave boy sighed and pressed a purple quartz button toward the side of the doorway. Chimes echoed behind him for a split moment.

‘Follow me please,’ said the slave boy.

We stepped into a square foyer with animal statues of smooth white marble occupying the corners and sides. I passed a statue of a bird creature with feathered wings spread wide, sharp beak open and hawk eyes bulging as if with fright. The one next to it glared at us with cat like eyes and a spotted skinny body ready to pounce. I picked up the pace as we entered a white-washed corridor.

The corridors flowed and connected to each other like pipe channels. I soon lost track of the way as we followed the boy. He eventually led us toward a sackcloth door at the end of a short hallway.

‘This is my master’s chambers. Please wait here.’ The boy disappeared through the door and reappeared a short while latter.

‘He’s finishing up with a guest but will see you now.’ The boy bowed and left us.

I pried around the master’s shoulder and took in a spacious room both strange and marvelous. An imperial red rug covered the gray marble floor at the entrance. Flames from the top of marble columns lighted the area. Marble stairs zigzagged their way up limestone walls towards a clear quartz ceiling and toward the back wall where book shelves and a test bench were. A curtain map of the realm fluttered in the farthest corner.

‘Master Dagor. Lord Equala bless you for allowing us audience at this late hour.’ Master Asuras approached two men who were lounging on a pinewood futon near the book shelves. A heady sweet scent wafted past my nose. I took a step away from Edde’s side so I was able to see the men better and almost choked.

‘Chief Morriset,’ I whispered and felt Kalia cower at my side. The conversation at the latrine ring entered my mind along with a suspicion that perhaps Branwyn and Sister Malia weren’t the only people wanting us banished from the temple.

‘Stop with the formalities Asuras and have a drink with us.’ I braved a glance at the man Master Asuras address. Gray stubble covered his pudgy chin, stringy hair fell as a tangled heap to his shoulders. He wore blood-red robes similar to Master Asuras’s. However, where Master Asuras’s robes were crisp and well looked after, his robes were carelessly stained and creased in places where creases shouldn’t be. I figured he didn’t get out much.

My eyes wandered to Chief Morriset and noticed his jerkin was still too tight across his chest, almost as if he wanted people to see his pecks and muscled abdominal.

‘You’ve bought some entertainment!’ Chief Morriset chuckled as he took a swig from a silver goblet gripped loosely with one gloved hand. He wasn’t feigned by Master Asuras’s curt stare.

‘The slaves are not for entertainment,’ Master Asuras stated.

I felt Kalia’s small sigh tickle the back of my neck and saw Edde’s fists uncurl slightly.

‘Why are they here then?’ Chief teased. His eyes met mine with sharpness I wasn’t expecting. I suspected he wasn’t as tipsy as he made out.

‘Definitely not for your sadistic pleasure Chief Morriset. If you don’t mind lad, I need speak with Master Dagor about some pressing matters, which does not involve you at this stage.’

The chief’s eyes narrow vehemently. His gloved hand gripped his goblet so tight, droplets of wine splattered the floor like blood stains. Rage and anger gripped my heart, I felt a squeeze at my throat and thumping to my temples. His eyes transformed into slits of a snake, his hands black wings of a serpent god/demon.

‘AT LAST ISH FOUND IT!’ A snake hissed at the back of my mind. I felt a rush of wanting and the realization of freedom.

‘No!’ My voice was weak but it was enough to break through the chains that kept the beast at bay.

White fire scorched my view of the room. The ground quaked, voices screamed with both confusion and fear, destructive energies smashed through layers to the core of my soul. I wanted to break, burn, steal and destroy the world that wasn’t mine…

‘I am power now Neven. Yousee gave me the key.’ The words breathed in and out of my ear.

In a split second the quaking, feelings of anarchy, the world itself… gone.

Scene 7-02

2009-07-18T19:40:00.000+10:00

They kept a distance from me as we trekked deeper into the obscure areas of The Zone. Every time Kalia’s eyes met mine, she’d turn away and I’d catch her lips twisted in one of those pouts she used to give the dirty floors she had to clean. I could imagine it was her illness making her cranky, yet imagination couldn’t disguise the awkward silence between us. It was heavy.

My mind kept going back to the moment of the corridor and the magic. It was the second time I had used it. My stomach churned at the thought of facing those fish-things again. What was I that I could call up a spell like that with not so much as a backward thought? Do all magic folk have this sort of ability? I suppose they must if there is a university dedicated to the use and control of magic. If this were so, I was a walking danger to myself and all those around me.

‘No magic,’ I promised myself, ‘even if it would mean my death.’

‘Girls don’t lag.’ The master’s voice broke through my thoughts. I saw him half a meter along the moss steps we ambled down. I shook off the rest of my thoughts, gripped my stomach and fears and followed the way down carefully.

The steps led to a long path and a square archway similar to the one at the rock corridor. Sea-green ivy overwhelmed the archway’s surface; white moon-flowers, the shape and size of a man’s hand, graced the path’s ragged edges. A musky fragrance sailed past our noises. I pulled my cloaked around my chest and focused on my steps.

Night came quickly. The way became a cold and desolate journey where each end of the path was hidden within obscurity. We were walking blind.

Where’s the end?

‘Where indeed child. The way is dark with both your past and present lives but it doesn’t have to be this way.’

‘My past and present what? Edde?’

‘No – a witness to who you are. I know you Neven. The Lazareth knows you. You must be cautious with magic. The lazareth is freer each time.’ A sing-song voice chimed into the night breeze. A sensation of wet leaves iced my cheeks, the smell of moss brought my mind back to earth.

‘Heed my warning. The lazareth comes!’ the voice faded.

I blinked in light and a vague outline. It flapped wings and stretched a long sinew body. I recognised its angled jaw, narrow head and beady eyes.

‘What – how you come to be?’

The lazareth faced me. ‘Yousee, that’s how.’ Light danced over the edges of its body, highlighting talons it flexed and uncurled before its eyes.

‘Ah.’ It lifted its head and sniffed in the air. ‘It comes back.’

‘What comes back?’

The lazareth’s lips twitched with a smile. ‘A taste.’

‘A taste of -’ Light heated my eyes; they stung, blistered and swelled. Pain pushed at the soft spots of my brain like thumbs pressing down and blocking relief. I felt fire melt away layers of my skin, my heart and soul.

Xixus fyre quios mendoza.

Words circled like stars in my eyes. The pain pushed deeper, stripping off more of who I was and replacing the meaningful with raw – desperate ache.

Xixus fyre quios sander.

Heavy drumbeats pounded my ears – shattering the lasting layers of my consciousness. Suddenly, the pain – feeling – memories were gone. I faced nothing.

‘Now yousee see what comes back. Now yousee see…’

The drumbeats gave way to crackling, lightening and a earth-shattering screech. I blinked in a moment of blue fire sorching the way before me and felt raw pain all over my limbs.

‘Damn it Neven! Chiardoras putus esander.‘ The master’s voiced wrapped around my ears and conscious thought, and eased my pain. I saw the master, Edde and Kalia staring at me before the entrance of a courtyard and prism shaped mansion beyond.

‘Wh-what happened?’

Answers twitched on the master’s lips; instead, he shook his head and turned toward the mansion. I glanced at the others and felt ill at the awkwardness in Edde’s eyes, darkness behind Kalia’s. Why? I frowned.

‘Wait! Why you all being like this?’

‘Why Neven?’ Master Asuras faced me again with sternness. ‘For the magic inside of you.’

‘Why is that bad?’

The master shook his head and sighed. ‘It’s not bad – it’s dangerous.’ He gestured toward the way behind me. I turned and faced darkness.

‘Look.’

Heat tickled the back of my neck as a ball of white light threw rays out toward the night, highlighting patches of charred earth, broken boulders and a path blocked by a hill of rubble.

‘The way was clear when we passed.’

‘It was until you turned up the earth and spewed out rumble, almost killing us.’

‘B – but, Master Asuras I didn’t know, I -’

‘No you didn’t,’ the Master said with a sigh and snuffed out the light. ‘That’s why magic is dangerous .’

He stepped before me. I felt a stifling energy pass between us and something else dark and hard to explain.

‘It is why the Empire has the death decree for unskilled magic users. It is why we have a university dedicated to magic and science. It is why I take you to the Alchemist in hopes of suppressing what lies inside of you before it-’

The Master left the sentence hanging but I felt what he was going to say. I gulped back my answers and followed him through the courtyard toward the mansion.

We passed through a monolithic archway and toward stepped walls that shimmered with silver flecks. Two glowing columns stood sentry on both sides of an intricately designed iron door. Light danced across a lion-head handle. Master Asuras lifted the lion-head and released it, causing the door to echo with a clang before falling to silence. The door gave way.

Scene 7-01

2009-06-11T19:40:00.002+10:00

Numoir. The word plagued my mind as we traveled the jasper path toward the southern caves of The Zone. I was worried for Edde and Kalia. Damn them for being martyrs. If anything happened to them, I would never forgive myself. What would I do if something should happen, the question came to mind. I felt sick in the stomach at the possibilities involving magic. I snorted back my thoughts and focused on the master’s shadowy figure.

First signs of color should through the darkened sky as we eased down a slop through a group of caves covered with luminous lichen and mildew. Smells of moss and dirt filled my nostrils. A sighing breeze cooled my skin. Tears welled in my eyes. I couldn’t shake the feeling of loss.

‘Ridiculous,’ I whispered and saw the master stop. Light, from the lichen, danced over his face and highlighted the serious expression in his eyes.

‘Don’t speak Neven unless it’s dire,’ he said.

I blinked back my tears and nodded my head.

‘You crying?’ His voice betrayed curiosity. I frowned and shook my head with a no.

Edde patted my shoulders. Kalia stared at me a far-off look. I figured she had one foot in and out of sleep.

We continued on.

The path picked up activity as the sky brightened. Slaves, henchmen and patrons moved past us with purpose. I stepped lighter and felt more appreciative of my surroundings. The caves had taken on a shimmering moonstone effect, glamorizing the jasper path and dull rock patches. I lapsed within my own thoughts as we followed the master. So involved with my own mind I was that I didn’t hear Kalia’s moans nor noticed her discomforts until she collapsed unconscious near a flight of stairs. Edde was quick to grab her arms and drag her toward an inconspicuous part of the path, away from prying eyes.

The master checked her forward and hands. ‘She’s feverish.’

‘Feverish?’ Thoughts of the holding room entered my mind. Is this a result of what my magic had done? I chewed my lip and prayed the master was able to help her.

He fished through his robes for a purplish vial and held it before her lips.

‘Ysth dracuth Kalia,’ the master muttered. I squirmed at the warm tingles I felt to the nape of my neck and turned toward Kalia’s face. Her complexion was a ghastly pale color. I gripped her clammy hand and whispered reassurance.

Kalia moaned. Her lips gave way for some of the vial’s liquid. We waited for some effect to take place. her breathing relaxed, she blinked at us with red eyes.

‘Get her up – we can’t stay here,’ the master order. Edde and I grabbed an arm each and helped the Dweamer to her feet.

Two henchmen approached us, gave Kalia an up and down look before turning to the master.

‘Sick slave bound for the Alchemist and his disposal,’ Master Asuras declared.

The henchmen nodded their heads. One of them pulled out a crystal tablet and did some sort of finger dance on its surface before they went on their way.

‘Now we need to make a slight detour. Luckily, I have a friend not too far from here.’ The master said more to himself and approached the stairs.

It was an awkward descent down the stairs. Not only did Edde and I had to lug Kalia’s body down each step, we also had to be sure patrons and their slaves had plenty of room to move past us. Eventually, we reached the bottom without any confrontations and veered of the main path toward a corridor between rock hills and boulders.

The corridor was a total contrast to the bustling activity of the jasper path. It was quiet and less of a burden. Kalia had recovered some of her strength so she was able to stagger on at her own pace. Edde followed behind her with arms ready to catch her fall. I smiled at them both and paced myself closer toward the master. I soon found myself sweltering in the midday heat and staggered in step myself.

‘Master – dah girls tire.’

Master Asuras stopped and glanced around the hills and boulders then at us. ‘Guess it’s okay to take a rest,’ he muttered and gestured for us to take a break.

We found a set of rocks to sit on and stretch out our aches and pains. Edde fished through her knapsack, pulled out a bread bun, broke it into quarters and threw Kalia and I one quarter each.

‘Psst Neven,’ someone whispered. I glanced around then down and saw a black and white skirrat near my feet, its eyes fixed on my bread.

‘What you doing here?’ I muttered underneath my breath and checked on Edde and Kalia’s prescence hoping they wouldn’t notice the creature. It was too late. Kalia screamed, ‘kill it!’

The master regarded it with surprise. The skirrat peered at him with its back arched and fur raised before it scurried up a set of boulders and disappeared from sight.

‘What dat sound?’ Edde stood and searched the rocks surrounding us. Pebbles treckled toward us and was followed by a scratches on rock and low hisses.

I swallowed my morsel and stood to look around. The rock outcrop looked peaceful enough. ‘Probably just skirrats – right Master Asuras?’

The master didn’t answer, his attention was toward a set of boulders ahead of us.

‘Get up girls, we have to be moving.’

My frown deepened, noting a tone of urgency. ‘What is it master?’

Scratches toward my left pulled my attention toward a man-sized boulder up on a ridge near me. I peered in the distance and stepped back as a fall of pebbles came to rest at my feet. Behind the boulder, a spindly leg flexed and curled.

‘Ah master – there’s something here.’

‘I know Neven.’ Master Asuras grabbed my arm and pulled me into a brisk walk. ‘Edde- Kalia, you girls better run like the wind.’

‘Like the what?’ He didn’t need to answer why. Three kid-sized spiders emerged from out of the boulders. Their spindly legs scratched at the rocky wall, causing showers of pebbles our way. It stared at us, weighing up options.

A rush of wanting churned my stomach and filled my mind. So long had it been since I tasted the sweet succulent meat of man. Here, four stand to wrap up and savor over the cold months. Live, fresh blood. Tasty sweet morsels to eat – devour – suck up – chew out… Eatsee – eatsee… My head spun in circles. I felt the earth rumble with a high-pitch scream.

‘NEVEN!’ The master’s voice broke through. I saw myself an easy target for the black-widow spider scurrying my way.

I shook off my disorientation, turned tail and fled as fast as my legs could move. Kalia puffed uneasily at my side. Edde next to her. The sounds of scratching against rock and tip-tap of millions of feet pushed us harder so our breaths burned at our throats and chest.

‘Effactum – momentum,’ the master bellowed behind us. I glanced back and saw a wide area of orange light push the advancing spiders backwards. There were so many now and all different sizes – some bigger than man-size!

‘For the archway!’ The master yelled at us. We sprinted for the monolithic archway and clearing at the end of the path.

The master over took me. Kalia tripped into my side and knocked us to the ground. We fell meters away from the archway. Edde and Master Asuras had managed to pass through it.

‘GIRLS!’ Edde screamed and went to run for us but was held back by the master. I glanced back and saw why. The entire rock corridor was covered with hairy legs, bug eyes and horrid spider faces. The nearest being a body width away.

I held Kalia in a tight hug and prayed to Anwar for deliverance. The masters voice echoed a chant our way. FYRE ZELTEC SPIDORA QUIXOUS!

A ring of blue fire flamed up around Kalia and I at the very moment a large spider had pounced for us. Its black hairy stomach burned, legs reared up and were caught in flames. It shirked backwards into a ball and was soon completely consumed with flames. Its display didn’t stop the others from making an attempt. They pounced and were consumed with blue fire until the entire corridor was in flames, and the air reeked of burnt hair and a foul smell of bile and sulfur.

‘What we do?’ Kalia breathed out. We both searched the ring for a way out. It was hard to see amongst the haze and burning insects. The way was a big mess. ‘The ring won’t last forever.’

‘We have to reach for the archway.’ I answered.

‘But we can’t even move past the flames. We’ll burn!’ Kalia said breathless. I held her shoulders tight. Words filled my mind with symbolic images. Suddenly, I knew what to do.

‘No we won’t.’ I stood and faced the flames.

‘Gavadis ysordia pratoris.’ The words pushed their way out of my mouth and formed an image of swords slicing a way out of the flames toward the archway.

I picked up Kalia by the shoulders. We hurried along through the safe way and over the threshold of the archway.

I faced the corridor and devastation left behind. The surviving spiders still advanced.

‘Fortusies exile,’ I whispered.

The archway sparked and threw out lightening that zapped the front spiders to their death. The ones that managed to live turned tail and fled into hiding.

We stood for a moment to catch our breaths. Kalia stumbled toward Edde. The master turned and faced the horizon toward the opposite end.

‘We have to keep moving,’ the master ordered. We followed him through the clearing, toward the horizon.

Scene 6-11

2009-06-10T19:30:00.000+10:00

I fell asleep on the futon and woke in the heart of night. The master’s room took on a sleepy quiet. I pushed off the blankets and swung my legs over the edge to sit up.

‘Yah feel better?’

I glanced at the master’s desk and saw Edde sitting in the chair.

‘Edde,’ I breathed out and rushed to her with a hug.

‘Okay – okay,’ she brushed off and pushed me back to take a good look at me. She checked my forehead and cupped my cheeks in her hands. ‘Yah look tired.’

‘Nah – been sleeping all day.’

‘Not what I mean.’

I sighed and perched on the edge of the desk. ‘What happened Edde?’

‘With meh or yah?’

‘Both of us.’

Edde released me with a smile, ‘some how Branwyn found out about my help with yah girls. She threatened evidence – took it to the sisters. Her that Sister Malia are close, so didn’t take much to convince the head-sister to punish meh. They’ve always wanted an excuse.’

She inclined her head to one side and peered at my face for a long time before speaking. ‘Yah give them a big surprise. Not expectin anything from yah – least magic.’

‘Kalia.’ I leaned forward. ‘She’s okay?’

‘Yep. She got her sight back – they all did.’

Edde went to futon and busied herself with tidying-up. I watched her face, noticing the changes of expression behind her eyes, as if folding blankets and straightening cushions was helping her sort out her mind.

‘Why this happening?’

She paused and faced me. ‘Trouble I guess.’

‘Right.’

Edde sighed and sat down, her weariness revealed on her face. I can’t believe I brought this to her. Wolf was right – I was stupid.

‘I’m sorry Edde.’ I sat on the edge of the futon.

She stared me in the eye and unexpectedly told me her story of her arrival to The Zone. She was born into a family of horse-breeders who raised the infamous Western Rangers. While most horses were good for cart pulling and the odd travel, the Western Rangers were revered for being steadfast in battle and hardy travelers. The Emperor, himself, favored the gallant steeds amongst all others and ensured his knights rode no other. The families who bred the horses were respected and given a status of grand importance. Edde’s young life saw visiting nobles, dinner parties and the finest of everything including education. Life was a pleasure until the year she turned eight when a whole herd of stock fell victims to a foot and mouth disease carried into the High Plains of Nordia by common Tempra horses. Four healthy stallions were the first to lose their lives,. Within a full moon cycle, all of the stock had died. Her parents were unable to fulfill orders. They had to return lein and favors received as pre-payments. Their home was seized upon by Merchant Huntsmen who repossessed furniture, slaves and all manner of personal items then the house itself. After loosing all they had ever known and treasured there was still one final tax her parents needed to pay. Her parents had no choice but agree to the Empire’s conditions of payment by slavery. Edde and her brothers were handed into an imperial office to clear the last dishonor from the family name.

‘Bane, meh brother, and I were taken here. I never saw the others again.’

‘Where’s Bane now?’

‘He was taken to the South Hold to be a henchman. Dunno after that.’

‘Thanks Edde,’ I whispered, not really sure how to take what she told me but grateful she had.

She flashed a weak smile then resumed her tidy-up of the master’s room. I helped her clean up the bench and master’s desk.

Footsteps entered. We faced the door and saw Master Asuras.

‘Good you’re both here. Gather things for a journey girls. You’ll find a knapsack near the cot and all items required in this room. When you’re ready meet me in the library.’

‘We going somewhere now?’

‘Yes Neven – now.’ The master turned and left the room.

We did as he ordered, picking up things, putting them down or in the sack Edde carried. My eyes touched the titles of the books on his shelve and saw a common theme amongst all of them – tsazcuths.

‘Master’s life work.’ Edde came up behind me.

‘What are tsazcuths?’

‘Who knows – who cares,’ she brushed off and gave me a nudge toward the door.

I followed her into the library where the Master waited for us near the desks. Torch light flickered across the Master’s face, highlighting a sober expression.

Shuffles came up behind us. I turned and saw Kalia. I wanted to pull her into a hug and tell her I was sorry but caught an awkward look in her eyes and refrained.

‘You, er, okay?’ I whispered.

She nodded her head and fiddled with the ties of the gray robe around her neck.

‘Here.’ The master threw Edde and I a gray bundle. I unraveled a long woolly robe, the same as Kalia’s, and a pair of sackcloth boots. I felt horrible Edde and Kalia had to leave this way.

‘Master – surely Edde and Kalia don’t have to leave for my crime?’

Master Asuras regarded me for a while before answering. ‘They have the choice to stay but have decided to journey with us.’

I flashed Edde and Kalia a look then frowned and shook my head.

‘Please don’t do this, especially you Kalia.’

Kalia smiled. ‘It’s my choice.’

‘No,’ I shook my head harder. ‘You have a safe life here.’

‘Exactly,’ Kalia butted in. ‘Besides – I think I’ll drive Cora and Les crazy after awhile.’

‘Edde?’

‘Meh time here’s ended. Time for change.’

‘Master?’ I faced the master and was taken-back by the sternness in his eyes. Was he expecting them to tag-a-long?

‘We need to leave now. Master Vega is expecting us at the Temple of Equala by noon-light in two days.’ He turned and headed for the opposite archway.

I sighed and placed on my cloak and boots. We followed him down the marble corridor to the end statue door of Anwar. The master stopped at the door and glanced at our robes and the knapsack on Edde’s shoulders.

‘I trust you’ll keep the girls inline with the laws of The Zone Edde?’

Edde nodded her head.

‘It’s a long trek I take you on girls. Make sure your cloak is on tight.’

Edde did a final check of the knapsack.

The master place his hand over a glimmering rosebud resting between Anwar’s breasts and gave it a good push. The statue gave way to a night sky and a sleeping courtyard. We followed him through.

Scene 6-10

2009-06-09T19:31:00.000+10:00

Gotta be here – gotta be here. A voice broke through my consciousness and woke me up.

‘Where that stinky cheese old two-legs keep it.’

Two-legs? I sat up from the futon I had been sleeping on and glanced around Master Asuras’s room; my eyes touching the crowded bench, master’s desk, cot and the shelves at the back of the room.

‘What’s that? That you two-legs? Drats.’

‘Hello?’ I called out, searching the room some more although not quite sure who or what I was looking for. I suspected the lazareth from my thoughts yet this voice was different. It was tiny.

‘You ate the cheese two-legs?’ The question came into my ears. I felt a short breath to my neck and tickles to my skin. I tensed, slowly turned and came eye to eye with a furry thing.

‘Ugh!’ I jumped off the futon and took a few steps back. I searched the bench for something to whack the moving mound in my blanket and settled for a glass tube.

‘What you gonna do, pickle me for lunch?’ A furry black and white rat (the size of a kitten) crawled out from underneath my blankets and sat bravely before me with its green orb-like eyes regarding me carefully.

‘You can talk!’ I raised the tube.

‘Ei-ya-yi, throw the two-legs some cheese. Actually, throw me the cheese you have those filthy anchovies that old one tries to give me.’

‘Ancho – what?’

‘Born stupid were we? You couldn’t whack me with that thing if you tried.’

‘I – um, hey! You’re a rat I don’t have to talk to you. Now stand still so I can whack you.’

‘RAT! Insult. I’m a skirrat – not a stupid insect. You whack me, I bite your ankle.’

‘Bite my ankle? Why you, fluffy, furry, thing -’

‘Save the bumbles stupid. Where’s the cheese?’

‘Wait,’ I shook my head and lowered the tube. ‘What I’m doing arguing with a rat?’

‘SKIRRAT!’

‘Whatever.’

‘Cheese – two-legs, read my snout – where’s the cheese? Don’t make me repeat that in stupid talk.’

‘Why should I tell you?’

The skirrat jumped off the futon and scurried toward my feet. As quick as lightening, it nipped me in the ankle.

‘Youch!’ I cursed and hopped to the futon, slumped down and rubbed the sting better. I glared at the fluff-ball sitting smug on the ground.

‘If I was mean, I’d clobber you into mince meat.’

‘Yes – yes, very threatening. I’m scared. Now where’s the cheese.’

‘What makes you think I have some old stinky cheese?’

It sighed and looked at me with a mixture of impatience and expectancy, as if two-legged creatures only existed to give it cheese.

‘Its not where the old one leaves it. Your here.’

‘The master gives you cheese?’

‘Every day, same time, same place, here,’ it gestured to the bench. ‘I like the blue ones the best. They so stinky.’

‘I didn’t know cheese was blue.’

‘You wouldn’t – you’re stupid,’ it answered in a matter-of-fact manner. ‘There are all sorts of cheese: pink – yellow – orange…’

I frowned as it rabbited on about the different texture and colors of cheese, like I cared to know.

‘And why I’m listening to this drivel?’

The skirrat grr’d.

I sighed, stood and searched the bench to see if the master had, indeed, left something for the creature. I pushed aside a set of tubes and saw a plate of cheddar sitting like a prize amongst testing equipment. The cheddar had two tubes feeding liquid in and out of vials, gradually changing its color from normal yellow to lime and its smell into a sweet-pungent stink. I was surprised I wasn’t aware it was there before.

‘Ah – there it is,’ the skirrat declared. It scurried around a mess of tubes toward the plate. I disconnected the tubes and removed the cheddar just as it was about to jump on top of it.

‘Give me the cheese two-legs’ It arched its back and bared its fangs.

‘Cheddar shouldn’t be lime. I fear this isn’t good for you.’
‘Who cares. It taste good.’

I looked at the cheese then at the angry skirrat. I could give the creature its meal and think nothing of it. After all it had survived the last meals. Yet, knowing what I knew of the master, I couldn’t allow the creature to be a test-rat under my eyes. It didn’t feel ethical.

‘No – this has been tampered with. You know what tamper means?’ I gave the fluff-ball a smug look.

It grr’d and pounced on my legs. I wriggled and cursed as its clawed feet scampered up my body towards the cheese I held in the air.

‘Get off me you fluff-ball!’ I wriggled and twisted about to shake the vermin off but it wasn’t budging, too focused on getting the cheese.

Amongst our struggles, a few more of its kind entered the room sniffing around for food. They saw us and hurried over to join the fight for the cheese.

‘Vermin!’ I cried out and threw the cheese toward the far wall. An earth-red skirrat got to the cheddar first. It sunk its fangs in and started dragging it toward a hole in the corner architrave. The others were almost upon it when the earth-red skirrat cried out with pain then fell to the ground – ifeless.

The skirrats sniffed the cheese, their fallen comrade then ran off through the hole.

I picked up the fallen, dead, skirrat and cheese and searched the master’s desk for something to wrap it in.

‘Place him in the hole. The others will take him from there.’

I turned and faced the black and white skirrat on the futon. I nodded my head and did as it suggested. I went back to the bench and drowned the cheese in a fat vial of black liquid; never to cause death to any tiny creature again.

‘Thanks two-legs,’ the skirrat whispered. It hopped off the futon toward my legs.

I took a step back. ‘No more bites.’

‘Stupid two-legs,’ it breathed out and started licking the wounds it and its kind had given me.

As icky as it felt, oddly enough, my scratches seemed better. They didn’t sting at least.

‘I’m Wolf,’ it said.

I almost chuckled at its name; hard to imagine a fluff-ball named Wolf. I was able to compose myself in time.

‘Um, er, Neven.’
‘Not stupid then,’ it said lightly.

‘Not stupid.’ I smiled.

‘Well, er, look at the time. I must hurry two-legs,’ it flashed me a funny look. ‘Neven.’

It scurried toward the hole in the wall, paused and turned around. ‘If you need help – just call.’

‘Um – okay,’ I said politely and waved goodbye. I think the skirrat took it as a gesture of sarcasm because it hissed and went on its way mumbling about the stupidity of two-leg females and how dumb we all were.

Scene 6-09

2009-06-08T19:32:00.000+10:00

Neven wake!

I came too gasping and spluttering and shivered. Memories rushed into my mind, returning my senses and my pain. I attempted to walk but found myself swallowing water and splashes stinging my eyes.

‘You’re not going to drown if you keep still.’

I stilled my body and felt water ease around my face. I blinked in a view of oily water and myself shoulder-deep in a rock pool, which occupied the center of a rose quartz cavern. Glaring torches spotlighted imperial banners and those of Anwar performing rites of justice. Navy robe sisters sat on benches, which ringed the pool’s rim. Light from a night-blue crystal sky poured over them through tiny window openings, covering their skin a light purple. One sister stood on the rim before me. It was Head-Sister Emorgen.

‘Neven belonging to no man of no land, you have defiled the name of Anwar with your reckless crime,’ her voice rang around me.

Crime? What did I do to warrant imperial justice? I glanced at the amber stone around the head-sister’s neck and wondered if it had been placed into my mouth.

‘We have heard the crime confessed by the accused. There is only one punishment fit and that is death.’

DEATH! Surely, it couldn’t have been that bad whatever I did. I tried to think back of the moment I was in the holding room with Kalia. We were bound for a whipping by Sister Malia. She was cracking her whip, I was cracking sarcasm and… nothing but images of black nasty snakes whirled through my mind.

I wanted to shout out my side of the story, plead for my life but realized any form of attempt would seem pathetic and, quite possibly, hurry my sentence. Exactly how were they going to kill me anyway? I gulped down the question.

‘By order of the fair and just Lord Equala, sanctioned under the blessings of the Goddess Anwar and God Dan, I Head Sister Emorgen, sentence Neven to de -’

‘Wait!’ A voice broke in. I sighed with relief and searched for who it was.

The head-sister spun around and boomed out her annoyance. ‘Who dares interfere with the order of the sisterhood!’

‘Not interfere as such but request a chance to trial this slave.’ Master Asuras stepped onto the rim next to the frumpy sister.

The head-sister glared at the magician. ‘The slave used magic against our sisters. We have the proof in the healing ward. What is there to trial?’

Healing ward – magic? Kalia’s words on slaves using magic circled my brain. I realized the predicament I was in. ‘Here I go again,’ I breathed out and sunk lower into the cold – oily water.

‘Under the laws of this temple and our government, intentional harm to a sister or mistress and ill use of magic by a slave are offenses punishable by death under section 37a of the imperial magic code of practice; authorized in the name of our great god of law and order Equala. I do so witness testament through the power of this umin.’ Head-Sister Emorgen rose the amber stone before the sisters and master.

‘You are correct sister but you have also not considered Section 37b which states “ magic incited with no intention to harm and no awareness of casting will deem the subject under influence.” I have been made aware Neven was unaware of the harm she caused therefore request the other punishment take place of the one you propose.’

‘Unintentional! She blinded the sisters and her cot-mate with magic. How is that unintentional?’

‘Self defense. An instinctive reaction.’

Head-sister Emorgen shook her head. ‘She muttered foulness and turned them blind! That is as any good reason to sentence death.’

Aggressive spits and splashes at the corner of the pool caught my attention. Something awaited me in the water. I instinctively trided to swim away but found myself struggling on the spot and my ankles gripped tight. I glanced at the master with hope.

‘Is it? I agree if the slave knew what she was doing. I do believe she didn’t and the evidence of the victims’ injures suggest it wasn’t. Need I remind you sisters that her own cot-mate was a victim. Someone most dear to her. I don’t see the punishment of death as fitting as the punishment of imprisonment.’

‘Surely you wouldn’t mean here?’

‘Of course not. I would refer her to the Temple of Equala and the care of Master Vega.’

The head sister paused, weighing up his offer with heavy consideration. ‘No, Master Asuras, the punishment of death must stand otherwise slaves all over can think they’d get away with using magic.’

Before the master could answer, she announced that the punishment begin. Spits and splashes of water aggravated my face, stung my eyes and blocked my ears. I heard the master muffle protests over the splashes but couldn’t see what else was happening on the rim. More water thrashed and foamed at my face. My vision blurred into one big mess. I swallowed an awful metallic taste and tried to throw-up but the water continued its assault. Drowning again. This time I was to drown with a party to witness.

Some of water moved away from my face. My heart paused with hope. Hope turned to concern as I spied a dirty silver head racing for me. It raised its bulging eyes to my direction and opened its mouth showing me tiny dagger-like teeth. Out of the blue, concern changed to an urge to rip and taste flesh. Destroy and savor. Eat flesh – eat flesh – eat flesh – EAT – EAT – EAT!

‘Not me!’ I gargled and shook off the feelings. I struggled hard to lift my feet, it only served to drag me further into the water. I glanced more silver heads with hungry mouths racing for me. Anwar! My heart pounded so fast it threatened to shatter my ribs. My breaths burned at my throat. Pain banged the back of my head. I tried to call up magic, to save myself. Nothing happened. The teeth kept coming – wanting to bite, taste, rip and savor me. I panicked as something whipped my ankles and tried to shake them away. A sucking feeling gripped my stomach. I was lifted out of the water at the moment teeth snapped to a close on the spot where my head had been.

I landed to the rim coughing and spluttering next to Master Asuras’s feet. Pins and needles aggravated my naked body. I whimpered and coughed some more. A few minutes later, I felt the burning around my throat and chest ease and was able to breathe evenly.

The master helped me to my feet. A woolly robe wrapped my body. I faced the pool, which had become a dusky rose color under the morning light. The water was animated with angry splashes and a chorus of wails. I yelped with fright as a silver head leaped up to the rim and snapped at my feet. It’s teeth chattered on the edge near my toes for a moment before it slid back into the pool. I turned away and faced the master.

We stayed on the rim until all the sisters left the cavern and the wailing stopped. I faced the pool again and sighed at its glossy surface and illusion of peace.

‘I thought I was fish food.’

‘You almost were,’ the mastered said soberly. ‘You’re too special for that.’

I wanted to ask questions but sighed them away. The master ordered me to follow him back to his den.

Scene 6-08

2009-06-06T19:34:00.000+10:00

I faced a small window. Moonlight struggled through the pane’s fine cracks; patterning my face with silver threads. Darkness was everywhere else.

‘Please tell me I’m not dying again,’ I complained.

‘Ifs only that easy. Ish make sure.’

I peered into the darkness and watched the moonlight thread together an image of a black snake. Its beady red eyes met my stare.

‘Ish didn’t think to meet yousee soon. Here weese are.’

‘Who – what are you?’

‘What ams Ish?’ The snake snorted, threw back its head and blew flames from its nostrils briefly revealing the truth of its world and the other snakes sleeping behind it. Rows and rows of other snakes.

‘This is your den?’

The snake shot its head before my face so its scaly nose was inches from mine.

‘Den – you cruel wretchsee.’

‘Why?’

The snake reared its head with laughter that shook the core of my body and sent my ears clanging. I tapped my ears and pressed against them until the noise faded to silence and I felt calm.

‘What’s dis pathetic act? Huh!’

‘Why you hate me so? What’d I do to you!’

‘EVERYTHING!’ It roared and spat out fire so I was able to see its dwelling clearly. We appeared to be in a cavern that stretched beyond my line of sight, yet the walls smoked and buzzed with ethereal light and the floor was so dark it gave an impression of not existing. On either side of the walls were the rows of winged snakes, curled up asleep.

‘See dis place? Its prison. Only Ish awake. Only Ish see – feel – think… only.’ It blew out the flames. For a moment, I glimpsed a sadness in its eyes.

‘I’m stuck here with you aren’t I?’

The snake chuckled and cocked its head to one side. The sadness was replaced with small satisfaction. ‘Itsee seems the cleverish Waybearer stumbles into own trap.’

‘Why you call me waybearer?’

It hissed and bared its fangs with annoyance. ‘Why yousee ask these stupid questions! Yousee are waybearer – Ish lazareth. Stop with dis games – now.’

‘Games? Hmm, I don’t think I can do that,’ I said levelly.

‘Aah – so yousee play huh? Not surprised.’ It stared me in the eye for a long while before it moved away and turned toward the darkness. Before I had time to figure out what it was about to do, it faced me again and blew orange flames into my face. Heat and a fowl stink of sulphar overwhelmed my senses. I writhed and fell to the ground, feeling the raw pain across my body. It hurt to breathe. It hurt to move. If only there was such a thing as death.

‘No feeling – no wanting.’ The lazareth finished off the thought for me. It blew out the flames and covered my body with coldness.

‘You read my thoughts?’ I breathed out.

‘Weese connected waybearer. Weese live and die together.’ It faced me again. ‘Ish your darkness.’

‘Or a thorn in my side – lazareth.’

‘Yesee thorrns. Nasty – painful – stubborn wesee are. I prick yousee waybearer – I prick yousee…’

I closed my eyes and thought of Kalia and the time she named me Neven. My mind reeled back to the day I woke up in the old man’s cabin. Was it so long ago I found myself here? Chatter and the sound of water breaking entered my mind. The cold seeped further into my skin so it became numb. My mind switched to the moment of the river. I was struggling to live yet I felt nothing of it, and someone called me daughter of Marsilien…

Waybearer no! the lazareth cried out. Its voice was swept away on a great tide, along with the image of its prison.

Scene 6-07

2009-06-05T19:34:00.001+10:00

I encountered Mistress Mohan in the sisterhood foyer along with Kalia, Cora and Leslie, and a trail of sisters who looked ready to mob the girls with angry fists and faces.

‘What’s going on?’

Kalia stared at me with unexpected worry. The other girls avoided eye contact.

‘You – come with me!’ Mistress Mohan demanded.

I frowned, not understanding what was going on. I followed them deeper into the sisterhood, skirting the sisters and their glares, and found myself headed for a holding room. My body tensed, hands shook unsteadily as the mistress ordered me to enter the first room.

‘What’d I do?’ I asked.

‘What did you do indeed but neglect your washing duties this evening, causing the sisters gowns to turn a muddy blue.’ Sister Malia stepped towards me. ‘Get in here now.’

I hugged my chest, stepped inside and glanced in a stone room void of anything except us. Six navy-robe sisters entered and stood before me with crossed arms and faces. A couple held out the ruined robes for me to see.

‘I wasn’t given that duty. I’ve never done the washing before.’

‘Poppy-cock. I gave that order to pass onto you. Cora swears black and blue that she gave it to you but you pushed her aside and said you had important things to do.’

I shot Cora a look of disbelief. ‘I honestly don’t remember talking to you today.’

‘Cora tell her what you told me. Unless you lied to me and need a whipping too,’ demanded Sister Malia.

I peered into Cora’s eyes and noted her fear. Her shoulders bunched with expectation, lips twitched with uncertainty. I imagined it was either the loss of a friend or the skin off your back. I had skin to spare.

‘I remember now. Yes – Cora passed the message.’ I blurted out and saw tears well in Cora’s eyes.

I glanced at Kalia and saw exasperation written all over her face.

‘How dare you speak without being asked? Cora needs to explain her actions not you for her.’

‘Her actions are as I stated. She has no more part to this intention.’ I braved. Sister Malia’s eyes glinted with venom.

‘You’re not accusing me of intending this are you?’

‘Yes, I am. Not Cora. Not Kalia. Me.’

‘I’ve heard enough.’ Sister Malia turned to the sister next to her. ‘The whip.’ The other sister pulled a bull-whip from her robes and handed it to Sister Malia.

‘Mistress Mohan, you are free to leave this room with your charges except Neven of course.’

‘And me,’ Kalia piped in.

I shot a look the dweamers way.

Sister Malia glared at Kalia and faced her square in the eye. ‘You’re already on the blacklist my dear and inches away of being expelled.’ She leaned in close to her and whispered, ‘so If I were you, I’d take that pretty-stupid face, leave this room and do as I were told.’

‘Never. I know Neven didn’t get that message and Cora never said a thing.’

‘Kalia get out!’ I said underneath my breath.

‘No – I can see what you were getting at now.’ She gave me a wink.

I sighed.

‘Very well. It seems you both have a thing for punishment.’ Sister Malia stepped back with her sisters.

‘Sister Malia, Kalia is hot-headed but she doesn’t need to punish for Neven’s crime. I’ll take her back with me.’ Mistress Mohan reasoned.

‘Doesn’t she? Neven did for her.’ A wide grin broke over sister Malia’s ghostly face. Her gray eyes revealed an inner urge for dominance.

‘Take your charges and go mistress. Leave these two with me.’

I glanced at Cora and Leslie and smiled, hoping it would ease their shame. ‘It’s all good,’ I mouthed.

‘Very well.’ Mistress Mohan gave the sisters a formal bow and ushered Cora and Leslie out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Kalia and I faced seven sisters of Anwar.

‘Never have slaves defiled Our Lady’s good name and hospitality as you two have. We have tolerated your poor performance and given you the privilege to be who you are. Yet you disrespect time and time again.’

Lies – lies – lies! The sister was spinning truths based on fabricated perceptions. I imagined it was easy for her to convince the others since the revelation of Kalia’s heritage and her recent punishment. Anger swelled around my heart, I felt heat rush through my body and a white fire spark inside my mind. How dare they make trivial matters an excuse for severe punishment. Ignorant – selfish – subjects…

And now yousee see truth. It starts… said the usual snake voice in my mind.

White light flashed across my vision. My skin itched around my throat and palms. My heart picked up in beat. My fingers tensed and indistinctly stretched tight flattening the mounds of my palms.

‘Its your turn Neven.’ Sister Malia flashed me a sick grin as she uncoiled the whip and cracked it to the ground. I felt Kalia step close to me and her instinct to protect.

Whatsee going to do? Crack de whip – bleed her through? The snake voice teased. Yousee have magika.

‘No,’ I mumbled as the whip cracked again for emphasis.

Use it! The voice pounded my ears. Pain stabbed at my temples.

NO! I cried out and threw my palms forward.

Xelsis delvert fyre, the words hissed around me. The room exploded into white fire. My eyes stung and burned. I tried to blink – think but the pain was – was…

Scene 6-06

2009-06-02T19:35:00.000+10:00

It was late afternoon when Kalia and I woke and readied ourselves for our duties. Kalia looked worse for wear as we headed to the gardens to see if Edde was about. When I asked how she was feeling, I received her evil eye for an answer so I decided it was best let her be.

‘What time is it?’ Kalia asked as we approached Edde’s usual bench and no Edde.

‘From the red streaks in the sky, smells of chicken, I’d say almost dinner time.’

Kalia faced me. ‘Shouldn’t Edde be here?’

‘Perhaps she got caught up with something. She’ll probably be here soon.’ I sat down to wait and watched two blow-flies do a dance around Anwar’s skirt.

‘It’s hard to believe a slave garden could have a glorious statue in it.’ I thought aloud.

‘Not really Neven. Having this statue serves as a means to distract bitter truths. Look at me – I had the luxury, fame, high status and ended up a slave. If anything, the statue is a manipulation. To me it’s false and ugly.’

‘Those are harsh words Kalia. Don’t let the sisters hear you or you’ll be back in the holding room.’

‘I guess,’ Kalia sighed and kept the rest of her thoughts to herself.

We sat patiently, watching others go back and forth along the paths with purpose. I was beginning to worry if Edde was expecting us some where else.

‘Edde should be here by now,’ Kalia commented. We both checked the sky and noted darkness descending.

‘I think we better look for her.’

‘If she returns here to met us?’ Kalia said.

I chewed my lip with choices. I could go and check her usual places whilst Kalia stayed here. If Edde was expecting the both of us and Kalia wasn’t with me, she might get in trouble. Then again, if we both went searching for her we could cover more ground quickly then explain ourselves when we found Edde.

‘Maybe we should split up and search opposite ends of the grounds – places she usually go.’

‘Whatever they are,’ Kalia said as she stood up. ‘Okay – I’ll search the kitchen areas and slave quarters.’

Of course, I expected her not to venture into the sisterhood alone.

‘That leaves the sisterhood and temple foyers for me. We’ll met back here with or without Edde?’

Kalia nodded her head. We both went on our way.

I asked almost everyone I saw if they knew where Edde was. Each one shook their heads with a no. I chewed my lip with worry, unable to shake a feeling something wasn’t right. I raced up and down the gold gilded foyer, sisterhood quarters and discreetly around the sisterhood gardens but there was no sign of her. The only place I didn’t check were the holding rooms.

‘Surely she couldn’t be there?’ I gulped down the thought. Not Edde unless she was caught helping us with the punishment duty. I stepped aside to allow passing sisters to go by and paused within the shadows. I had covered all the areas she would usually go. An insistent urge pulled at my heart. My muscles tensed at the thought of visiting the holding rooms again. I had to know if she was there or not. With a deep breath, I scurried through the corridors toward the dreaded rooms.

I slowed my pace as those white corridors loomed insight. This place always seemed too quiet and empty, almost as if life skirted around it. I padded my way toward the first stone door of a holding room, mindful my steps carried little sound. The door was closed. I pressed my ear to it, struggling to hear sound. After a short while, gave up on it and went to the next one. I tested all three. Neither produced any evidence of life. I sighed with relief and made my way toward the sentence room. My fear surfaced as I heard shuffles and voices. I crept towards the door and saw it was ajar. From the gap, could see Head-Sister Emorgen and Master Asuras standing together. They were looking down toward the benches. The door blocked what/who they were looking at.

‘Edde of all mistresses. The last thing I would expect from you is disrespect.’

My heart jumped to my throat. I pressed my lips to keep them closed and swallowed my whimper.

‘Why?’ Head-Sister Emorgen demanded.

There was a long pause before Edde said, ‘because Kalia was wronged.’

‘Outrageous! You dare accuse the temple of punishing that girl unfairly?’

‘No I do not. I don’t like dah punishment Dyc got.’

‘I ought to strip you from your privileges here and cast you out to the South Hold. After everything we’ve done for you.’

‘Sister Emorgen. I understand Edde’s actions are not right but they were for the best intentions for her charges.’

‘If they were for the best intentions, Master Asuras, she would have respected the sentence of this temple and not help that pretty chinka-doll.’

‘Have you ever known Edde to do something so rash?’

‘No but it doesn’t mean it will not happen again.’ Sister Emorgen took a step toward the bench so some of her face was blocked from my view.

‘I am very disappointed. You have wounded me deep with your disrespect. To find these cloths as evidence – it’s hurtful. I know Branwyn is a pratt but she has never disrespected the temple as you have. What do you have to say?’

‘I did what I thought right,’ Edde responded firmly.

The head sister cried out with exasperation and turned to the master for punishment.

‘Edde we confine you to your room until we call for you. Neven and Kalia are not to see you or have anything to do with you until such time.’ He turned to the head sister.

‘We need to consider all the facts before we decide proper punishment.’

‘What’s to consider master! She has pleaded guilty.’

‘Sister Emorgen,’ Master Asuras said calmly. ‘Lets do this first then work toward the next step.’

The head sister sighed. ‘Okay Master, we’ll do it your way. I expect the girls into Sister Mohan’s care as soon as possible.’

I had heard enough and slipped away before I was noticed. I made my way back toward the gardens and met up with Kalia who looked frantic and exhausted. She met me near Edde’s bench.

‘No one knows anything of Edde’s whereabouts. Now everyones at dinner.’

I glanced around, making sure we were alone then grabbed her arm and led her to a bench subdued within shadows.

‘Edde’s in trouble,’ I whispered low. ‘It seems someone ratted us out. I overheard the head sister talking with the master about it.’

‘How and what sort of trouble are we talking about?’

‘Us going into Mistress Mohan’s care and Edde jailed, maybe even expelled.’

‘How’s this possible Neven, we were careful to cover our tracks -’ Kalia paused then narrowed her eyes and said, ‘You look guilty Neven – what’d you do?’

‘Nothing, er, perhaps, maybe, the rags that Edde gave us were in the buckets of gunk we tossed on Dyc and Jen. But I didn’t see them at the time, if they did pick them up, I’d assumed they’d take them for rags and…’

Kalia stood up with exasperation. ‘Stop bumbling you nit-wit! I can’t believe you’d do this. Those cloths were gauze. What slave uses gauze for cleaning rags?’

‘Keep your bloody voice down,’ I warned. ‘It’s not as if I intended it. I forgot they were even there ’til now.’

Kalia slumped next to me with sagged shoulders. ‘What we going to do Neven?’

‘Nothing we can do – the head sister has already ordered Edde’s lock-down.’

‘You sure of all this? You’re not saying this as a bad prank?’ Kalia hoped. I sighed and shook my head.

‘Well we have to do something. We can’t let Edde be punished just because she was caring for her charges.’

‘What do you have in mind huh? Shall we storm into the head-sisters room and demand her release?’

Kalia glared at me. ‘I can’t believe you’re saying this. Edde risked everything to help us and now you’re just going to let the Head Sister take that away?’

‘I’m not saying that. Anyway, we don’t know if that will happen. It might all blow over and nothing will come of it in the end.’

‘I don’t get you You placed your back on the line for me – not for Edde?’

‘I’m not saying I’m not going to put my back on the line for her. I don’t know what we can do. We should think about this first.

‘Think? We don’t have time to think Neven. It will happen fast.’ Kalia shook her head. ‘Soon the sisters, the other mistresses and slaves will find out what she did and her life here will be nothing short of miserable. Edde’s respect here will be gone. I can’t sit here jabbing and do nothing.’

‘Listen – Edde had the know-how to do what she did – she knew the risks, knew what she was doing. We’re just slaves! Even if we lobbied for support, who’s going to give it? Whose going to listen to us – slaves? No one will defy the head sister. Mind’s well say Edde’s as good as done.’

Kalia stood up and took a few steps away from me. ‘I can’t believe you’re saying this.’

‘Your not listening to me -’ I tried to reason.

‘I don’t want to. Everything you said are words of a coward. Get away from me No-One!’ She turned on her heels and fled toward the sisterhood.

I sat on the bench wrestling with my conscience. Of course I wasn’t going to let Edde suffer, yet I was undecided on what to do.

Undecided or playing safe, the snake voice taunted in and out of my ears. Nothing different to de day yousee let all dem soldiers die so yousee could live. Gutless – spineless wretch…

‘Stop it!’ I cupped my ears but the voice spoke on with its deep-throated hiss; words scratching against my eardrums.

‘Ish remember dis day well. Now yousee remember soon.’

‘No – go away.’ I pressed my head between my knees.

‘Neven? What you doing here?’

I looked up and saw one of the sisters before me.

‘Oh – um, I’m waiting for my mistress. I’ve been looking for her but no one knows where she is. So I came back here hoping to…’

‘Well it’s late for a slave. You better find Mistress Mohan. Where’s Kalia?’

I chewed my lip. ‘I, er, lost her too.’

The sister sighed and rolled her eyes. ‘They do tell me you don’t have much in there.’

My eyes went wide. I wanted to gasp with exasperation but thought better of it and decided it might be to my advantage.

‘Do as I say. Find Mistress Mohan in the sisterhood then follow her order.’

I stood, gave the sister a modest bow and went on my way.

Scene 6-05

2009-05-31T19:36:00.000+10:00

‘That’s done – now we can sleep.’ I glanced at our buckets and sighed. ‘Not after we clean this mess I guess.’

‘And have a decent bath. I feel so icky.’ Kalia added.

‘You smell icky too,’ I joked.

‘If my sister Coralie saw me now she’d be rubbing this in for the rest of my life.’

‘Well lucky for you I’m here to do that in her place.’

Kalia poked her tongue at me. I smiled.

‘Seriously Neven, I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again. You’re stupid – but I’m grateful.’

‘So will you violate the suppers of the sisters again?’

‘Not in a million summers.’

I helped Kalia to her feet. We gathered our buckets and cleaning gear and headed toward the cleaning well.

Kalia stopped. I saw the two girls she was growling at. Jen and Dyc were headed our way.

‘I have a score to settle.’ Kalia stepped toward them.

‘No Kalia – leave it.’ It was too late to convince her as she was already set to battle with the nit-wits.

‘Yah look like a couple of filthy pigs dat need putting down,’ Jen taunted.

I rolled my eyes and tugged at Kalia’s arm to ignore her stupid retort and move on.

‘At least I can get clean. You’re filthy through and through. No matter how much you try, you’ll never be as good as me but always a try-hard.’

‘Ha – yah so stuck-up. I don’t need to try for dah likes of yah?’

‘Oh please – I’m far better than you and we both know it. Why else would you hate me.’ Kalia replied coolly.

‘I’ll make yah face so messed up, you’d wanna someone to put yah down,’ Dyc came back and curled her hands into fists.

‘Oh come on guys – we’ve all had to suffer in some way. Lets leave it for now and annoy each other another day,’ I said as I stepped in between them all.

‘Yah pathetic,’ Dyc hissed at me. ‘Alls know you’d kiss ass than fight – wuzbag.’

‘Neven,’ Kalia whispered at my back. Her hand gripped my shoulder but it didn’t deter my arm’s reaction; the way my hands gripped my bucket, raised it in the air and tipped the gunky – smelly water all over Jen and Dyc.

Their heads were covered with muddy – slimy goo. Kalia and I stepped back to avoid the splatters. We screwed up our noses at the fowl stink coming off them.

‘Ugh!’ Dyc screamed. ‘Yah pay for that wuzbag.’

‘I don’t think so,’ Kalia came back and threw the foulness of her bucket all over them. They were double-dunked.

We both roared with a laughter as they cursed and cried about the stink and blowflies that had swooped in for an opportunity not to miss.

‘Ugh – get ‘em off me!’ Jen waved her arms about, trying to rid herself of the flies swarming her head. She lost her footing; her arm knocked Dyc toward the ground. In an attempt to break her fall, Dyc gripped Jen’s shoulder. Both girls fell to the path with their bottoms in the air and faces near each others cheeks. Laughter came from the kitchen pathway. We turned and saw slave girls pointing fingers at Dyc and Jen’s comic display.

‘Off meh yah git,’ Jen cursed as she poked at Dyc and tried to shove her off with her foot. Dyc pinched and shoved her back.

‘We better go,’ I said and picked up my bucket.

‘I feel so much better,’ Kalia said as we made our way to the cleaning well.

The rest of the morning went without trouble as we cleaned up and made our way to our alcove for some well needed rest.

‘Neven I’m worried something bad is about to happen to you,’ Kalia blurted as I snuggled underneath my blanket. I sat up and faced her.

‘Despite what people think of me, I can look after myself.’

‘I know you can. If the master thinks you’re some key, I’m concerned he might use you in horrible ways.’

I swung my legs over the edge of my cot and sat up. ‘And here I thought you didn’t care.’

‘Oh don’t be like that,’ Kalia yawned. ‘Not after last night. Besides – you’d make a good handmaiden for me if I was still noble.’

‘Prissy.’ I threw my pillow at her.

‘Wuzbag,’ she joked and threw it back. I noticed the wince she tried to hide.

‘Kalia – you alright?’

‘Neven don’t be such a fuss-pot. Of course I’m fine.’

‘Okay – just take it easy then.’

‘you take it easy,’ she said and changed the subject. ‘Seriously Neven, you must remember something of your life.’

I frowned and tried to think back. ‘In my dreams I see weird skies, grand faces and bloody battles, and there’s always these winged snakes.’

‘Okay, that really narrows things down,’ Kalia said sarcastically.

‘Kalia don’t joke. I don’t know why my mind is filled with this stuff. It’s all a mess and nothing related to who I am.’

‘Well the snakes are simple. We have them on our arms so naturally you’d dream of them in some way.’

‘Do you dream of them?’

‘Of course not,’ Kalia snorted. ‘I’m not a nut-case like you.’

‘Thanks for the confidence boost. I feel so special now.’

‘You’re welcome.’ Kalia snuggled into her blankets. ‘We have to find out who you are before the master does. if you do have magic in you, find out how to keep it locked away.’

I frowned. If magic was who I was, why was it so bad to use it. ‘I don’t understand – why can’t I use magic?’

‘Because it’s against the law for anyone but a master. You have to be licensed and have studied at Caldera University for a mastership before you can freely cast spells and stuff. Even then, only the most high-ranked sorcerer is allowed to use destructive magic and other high-level skills. If a slave uses magic – it’s a death sentence.’

‘Jeeze – okay. I promise not to use magic then. Honestly, have you ever seen me do anything magical.’

‘Nope and that’s what worries me. You’re as normal has anyone and the master has this fixation you’re something else.’

‘Well I’m glad to be considered a normal nut-case.’

I sighed and snuggled back underneath my blankets. Thoughts of a river entered my mind and the master’s idea that I was the “dead come back to life” when the old man found me.

‘Stupid nonsense,’ I whispered and though about mentioning this to Kalia. I heard her snores and thought better of it. Besides, she didn’t need to know everything and there were somethings best kept to myself.

Neven, a voiced hissed at the back of my mind. I shook it off and closed my eyes.

‘Go away. Not now,’ I whispered into my sleep.

Scene 6-04

2009-05-26T19:37:00.000+10:00

A red sun rose over drought-ridden earth. I breathed in the stink of sweat and steel and felt reassured I was doing the right thing. This was the moment of truth – we either died victims or fighting for the safety and future of our loved ones. Our partners and children had already placed chrysanthemums on the plots that would be our graves. There was no going back. The only thing I could do for the kingdom is not fail.

‘Death for love,’ I whispered into my mare’s ears and heard her acceptance in my mind. I wheeled her around and faced a sea of soldiers on horses and on foot; all heavily armed with weapons gripped tight and ready to be worked. Waiting for the moment.

‘My brothers and sisters. On the other side of the plains comes the enemy to all that is life! Do you want your children slaughtered for food, their souls eternally doomed?’

‘HELL NO!’ Yelled the armies.

‘Then we fight for our right to be free spirits, our own will and destinies. We fight for our truths – our dreams and a future!’

I paraded the front lines, and felt each soldier’s surety, devotion, loss and fear. I faced the red sun and saw approaching shadows of winged creatures and a sea of black dust, blowing that unmistakable fowl stink of sulphur and old blood toward us.

‘And so it begins,’ I whispered to the wind and stood before the soldiers one last time.

‘When you thrust for death – make it deep! Take out as many and all that you can. This is our land – our world. Lets send these bastards back to hell. For your family – their future – freedom!’

‘FREEDOM!’ they roared, shaking the ground with their voices and clanging of steel.
On a battle cry, we tore up the earth as we raced for our enemies with only one thing in our minds…

‘Neven wake up – they’re coming out!’

I shook my self out of sleep and dreams of bloody battles, and stood up – wiping drool off my mouth.

It was late . My body shivered with cold. Edde and Sister Mohan were the first to come out.

‘Come with me,’ Edde said. I followed her around the corridor and into another room where Kalia huddled in the corner.

‘Oh Kalia – what’d they do to you?’

She didn’t answer, instead glanced nervously at Edde.

‘Yah need to get up and clean the latrine ring now – the whole ring too,’ Edde ordered.

I snorted with disbelief. Kalia was barely able to walk and they wanted her to clean out something that took a lot of elbow grease? And not to mention time!

‘What’s Dyc doing – she going to clean too?’

‘Nah – see go to sleep. Just Kalia.’

‘That’s ridiculous Edde! Dyc’s as much at fault. She should be doing it as well.’

‘Not my problem and yah watch yah mouth or yah find yah doing the job too!’ Edde threatened.

‘Really? Kalia can’t do it on her own. With me – it can be done.’ I said on impulse and wanted to curse at such a suggestion.

Edde sighed and rubbed her temples. ‘It not me yah need to convince. Go to Sister Emorgen before she leaves dah sentence room.’

I chewed my lip – worried she was gone already.

‘Don’t dally – GO!’

I nodded and hurried back down the corridor into the room. Sister Emorgen was on her way out.

‘Head-Sister Emorgen,’ I stumbled and bowed low when I saw her acknowledge me.

‘What is it slave?’ she ordered.

I bowed lower. This was it. I’d either be of help to Kalia or a terrible hindrance and incite further problems.

‘Your gracious one, your kindness would be more than appreciated if I were included in Kalia’s latrine duty.’

‘You would beg to be do punishment with your cot-mate?’

I nodded my head.

‘Are you stupid or a plain fool?’

‘Plain fool,’ I answered without thinking and felt like kicking myself.

Sister Emorgen chuckled. ‘Indeed – well go help. If neither of you can finish the task as ordered, you will each get ten lashes.’

I thanked her profusely; bowing on my way out.

Edde and Kalia had entered the corridor as I was making my way to them.

‘Well,’ Edde asked.

‘I’m allowed to help,’ I whispered and faced Kalia.

She peered at me with a frown. ‘What’d you have to pay?’

‘Kalia don’t worry about me – we have to get started.’

Edde sighed and repeated Kalia’s question.

‘Okay – okay.’ I toed the floor. ‘I only had to agree we get ten whiplashes should we fail.’

‘We Neven? You mean I’ll get more lashes to my back.’ Kalia hissed and threw up her hands. ‘How could you be so stupid!’

‘How could you!’ I shot back. ‘I’m doing this so you won’t fail.’

Kalia stared me square in the eye. ‘How dare you Neven -’

‘ENOUGH!’ Edde interrupted. She faced both of us and outlined our reality. If we didn’t get all we needed now and worked together to finish the job, we would fail. We had to clean out twenty five latrine caves by morning. The night was well and truly in so there wasn’t much time for further bickering.

‘I’ll ready the buckets,’ I said and made my way out of the sisterhood quarters, from the way I remembered, and onto the path that led toward the latrine ring.

Foot falls came up fast behind me. Kalia flanked my side.

‘You really are stupid.’

‘Shouldn’t you be in pain?’ I said levelly.

‘I should if it wasn’t for Edde’s magic salve.’

I stopped and faced Kalia. ‘Won’t Edde get in trouble for that?’

‘Why should she? Healing me up is not going to make my punishment any lighter.’ Kalia reasoned.

I sighed off my worry. Of course, Edde wouldn’t do anything to contradict her standing with the temple. I started toward the ring again and walked around to the cleaning well. We gathered our buckets, soaps, rags and brushes and made sure it was enough to cover all latrines. The only time we wanted to make trips back to the well was for water, and hopefully we could stretch out our supplies.

‘I’m starving,’ Kalia moaned as we stepped up to the first cave. A fowl smell, of something hell would cook-up, wafted past our noses. I choked and gagged on a breath and spat out my distaste.

‘Second that, I think I just lost my appetite.’ Kalia grimaced.

I flashed her a smile and gave her a gesture to get started.

‘Oh wait.’ Kalia fished through the inside of her tunic and pulled out a couple of rags.

‘Tell me that hasn’t been anywhere I don’t want to go,’ I joked.

‘Don’t be silly. Edde gave these to me in the holding room when you were with the head-sister and told me to keep them hidden.’

I frowned. ‘Why?’

‘To cover our mouths.’ Kalia handed me one and started fastening hers around her mouth.

Now I know Edde would be in big trouble should we get caught with them on. She was taking big risks in easing Kalia’s punishment behind the head-sisters’ back, especially when leniency was already officially granted.

‘Lets make this as quick as possible.’ I fastened my rag and entered the first cave with my buckets.

We cleaned out five latrines before the first signs of silver star streaks in the crystal sky, working silently and as efficiently as we could. It was the first time I saw Kalia do so much with no complaints. As the night chills settled in, it started to impact our performance and by the tenth latrine we found ourselves cutting corners to finish things off. Still, Kalia didn’t complain. She scrubbed and wiped down walls with diligence I had never seen in her before. We had progressed to our twenty one.

‘I’m ready to drop,’ I said as we moved the next one.

‘Not yet,’ Kalia whispered and stepped into the cave. We completed it in good time. As we left for the next one, we heard people talking behind one of the caves near the jade path.

‘People at this time of night?’ Kalia whispered. I gave her a sign to hush and tip-toed around the corner to peek at who it was then frowned when I saw it was Master Asuras and a chief. Kalia came up behind me. I gave her a sign to keep still.

‘Master Asuras, I trust you have a good explanation for this late meeting,’ the chief said and shifted positions so we were able to see the side of his face.

Kalia gasped. I quickly slapped a hand of her mouth before she was able to let out a sound and give ourselves away.

‘Yes Chief Morriset, I do. It’s about that girl you bought in Port Culcuth.’

‘Port Culcuth? Oh, yes, the mousy brown-haired one,’ Chief Morriset replied.

‘I think you have found the right key.’

The chief cocked his head to one side and replied with a yawn.

‘I did think of you when I saw her. Young brown hair and those docile eyes… sort of reminds you of someone doesn’t she.’

Master Asuras shifted his weight uneasily and re-approached the chief from a different angle so his face was hidden from our view.

‘If you are referring to Aerial – the two are nothing a like. This girl, Neven, does know of the Tsazcuth myth in her subconscious. I had a one-on-one session with her and was able to tap into her mind and see confirmation.’

The chief snorted. ‘Ha – so you fancy the girl. Well she is a slave to the temple now, but if want permission to go carnal on her by all means.’

‘Chief Morriset stop thinking with your member! You don’t understand what I’m saying here and your master will not appreciate your disrespect to his old friend now would he?’

The chief’s face sobered. The master continued.

‘Neven is what we call her. I’ve been keeping an eye on her as she works. The little things she does betrays a heritage I’ve been researching since my time in Caldera. It’s a heritage of an extinct race. I’m at wits end to ascertain where she came from and who raised her in such a way. This information remains a conundrum.’

‘Get to the point Master Asuras!’ the Chief snapped impatiently.

‘The point is – Neven has the ways of the old magic locked in her mind. She has the ways of the Oracaseer within her.’

The chief regarded the master before he replied, ‘you’re certain of this?’

‘Of course.’ The master stepped closer to the chief. ‘I suspect you felt she was, otherwise why else would you have paid a ludicrous amount of lein to a lowly fisherman and give her to me for assessment.’

‘That’s so – I must see her again.’

‘Not now chief – all in good time. Tell your master, this time we have the right key to our answers. He will see her when the time is right for him.’

Chief Morriset looked annoyed at this request but bowed to Master Asuras and confirmed he would do just that. He made his way back up the path.

I felt Kalia’s breath go short at the nape of my neck and heard the start of her sneezing. I twisted around to pinch her nose and dropped the brush that was in my hand.

‘Hello? Someone here?’ Master Asuras called out.

‘Shit,’ I hissed under my breath. I picked up my brush and pulled Kalia around. We hurried into a latrine and carefully closed the door. Kalia almost whimpered aloud when footsteps stopped at the door. There was a tense pause before they moved on again and faded into silence.

I peeked outside, left and right, and didn’t see any signs of the master.

‘I think we’re in the all clear.’ I declared.

‘What were they on about and what’s this about looking into your mind?’ Kalia said and yanked the cloth off her mouth. She grimaced and re-tied it back on.

‘I don’t know what they were talking about nor why they think I have all that hoodoo in me.’

‘That chief creeps me’ Kalia shivered and glanced at the winged cobra on her elbow.

‘If only there’s a way to scrub this mark off my arm.’ She twisted her arm around a bit more and cried out with pain. Tears welled in her eyes.

‘Geeze Kalia – sit down.’ I closed the latrine trap, which covered the septic hole, and helped her sit down.

‘I suspect the salve is wearing off ,’ I said as I checked her back beneath her tunic. I noticed some of the lines were still deep in color and guess they would leave permanent hairline scars.

‘All in all it’s healing okay,’ I reassured and faced Kalia with a smile.

‘Thanks Neven. I honestly wouldn’t have made it this far without you.’

‘Don’t thank me now – better finish off as quickly as we can.’ I said.

Kalia nodded her head and stood up uneasily. ‘I’ll be okay,’ she said as I helped her steady herself.

We finished the cave in silence. The last few were hard for Kalia. Here hands shook unsteadily and she winced every time she had to bend down. I couldn’t see her work in pain and forced her to rest, taking her buckets from her and ignoring her protests while I finished off the ring.

It was morning when we came out of the last cave – ready to drop. Kalia dumped the last of the muddy buckets outside and sat cross-legged on the jade path. I slumped next to her and stretched out my legs.

‘Twenty five caves cleaned,’ I breathed out.

‘Thank heavens it’s done.’ Kalia replied and closed her eyes.

We heard foot steps and shuffled to our feet.

‘Damn the covers.’ I pulled off mine and ripped off Kalia’s. I hid them in my bucket just as Edde and Head-Sister Emorgen came around the bend.

‘Keep your charges where they are,’ the head-sister said as she entered the nearest latrine. We watched her go in and out of each one and was worried when she took a while in a couple of them. She came back to us a while later and announced her verdict.

‘Just as well you had Neven sacrifice her time to help you slave. Otherwise, I doubt you would’ve managed to clean one.’ Head-Sister Emorgen said to Kalia, whose cheeks had flushed red.

‘The punishment is over,’ the head-sister declared. ‘Let that teach you not to violate the suppers of the sisters again.’

She stared at Kalia for a while with an expectant look in her eyes. Edde slapped Kalia’s shoulders with a hint to get on her knees. I got there first and offered my humble thanks to the head-sister for her gracious leniency. I heard Kalia mumble the same response.

‘I doubt you mean it slave,’ the head-sister replied. ‘Lucky for you Neven means every word and it’s on her integrity I allow this to slide.’

She faced Edde. ‘You have permission to feed these girls and make sure they have some rest before their evening and night duties. I trust you’ll keep your charges in order next time.’ She left us on that note.

‘Yah heard Head-Sister Emorgen, clean up and get some sleep. If yah need me I’ll be in dah gardens before meal times.’ She turned to leave.

‘No more trouble,’ she ordered over her shoulder and marched up the path.

Scene 6-03

2009-05-25T19:37:00.000+10:00

I met Edde at the top of the corridor, quite glad she had waited for me.

‘It alright?’ she asked.

I nodded my head and glanced at the way back to the temple.

‘We go different way,’ Edde said and led the way through the library and onto a jasper path, heading toward the sisterhood quarters.

Red streaks faded in and out of the darkened sky. Night was closing it and I was looking forward to sleep. We reached as far as the side entrance when Cora and Leslie raced into our view.

‘Mistress Edde – Neven, my Mistress Mohan bade you to come and quickly,’ Cora rushed out in a series of puffs. Her cheeks were quite flushed and pudgy hands deep pink with heat and sweat.

‘What is dah urgency?’ Edde asked.

‘It’s Kalia,’ Cora said before her cot-mate Leslie could utter a word.

Leslie frowned and broke through with, ‘It’s quite serious, yes indeedy, Mistress Mohan, is, like, with the sisters, like who, you know, was overseeing Kalia and like things got…’

Edde raised a hand to stop the fumbling chatterbox.

‘Lead the way, and quiet.’

‘Yes Mistress,’ both girls said with a bow and led the way into the sisterhood.

We were mindful to give each sister we passed a respectful greeting; bowing lower, to those with rich colored tunics and headdresses. I couldn’t help but notice disapproving looks and careful whispers into ears as we passed. What did Kalia do to attract gossip?

‘…it said she’s a dweamer.’ I heard at my back and glance over my shoulder at the sisters whispering our way. Cold chills crept down my spine and worrisome thoughts slammed into my mind. I hoped whatever Kalia did was redeemable. I gulped down my nerves and kept at my mistress’s heels.

We weaved through a maze of marble corridors I had never been allowed to see before and entered a clear quartz chamber that was divided by a clean sheet of quartz.

‘Mistress Edde.’

We made our way through benches and mistresses, toward Mistress Mohan. I noticed Branwyn was seated between sisters in the front rows . I glanced behind the quartz sheet and saw Kalia and Dyc standing on opposite ends. Both hugged their chests and blew out frosty air. Their faces were ghostly pale and their lips almost blue. I noticed spatters of blood to Kalia’s shoulders and arms. I gasped and covered my mouth.

‘Edde,’ I pleaded.

Edde turned and ordered me to wait outside with Cora and Leslie.

I shook my head and faced Kalia, hoping she could see I was here for her. Edde had to get her out of there!

‘Out now!’ Edde grabbed my shoulders, snapping me out of whatever thought zone I was in.

This time I obeyed and followed Cora and Leslie out of the cavern, closing the marble door behind us. The corridor was quiet and, thankfully, free of others.

‘This is, like so, terrible,’ Leslie whispered. ‘But not worse like the time Cora -’

‘Worse? How could this be worse!’ I hissed at the scrawny girl. Leslie took a step back and started to fumble her apologies only to be saved by Cora.

‘I think she’s trying to be nice in her own thoughtless way.’ Cora whispered with consideration.

Leslie frowned and found something interesting on the wall a few steps away from us.

‘Neven – it’ll be alright. Kalia has the backing of my mistress and yours. You may not know it but they have considerable weight around this place. More than that Branwyn.’

I sighed and flashed her a weak smile of thanks. Cora patted my shoulder and went to stand next to her cot-mate. I pressed my ear to the door and tried to hear what was going on. All I could make out was muffled noises.

‘You won’t hear much.’ I flinched at Cora’s words and turned around.

‘What’d Kalia do?’

Cora made herself comfortable against the wall and told me what she had heard.

Kalia had entered the kitchen as Edde had ordered and was cleaning the floors with them. Half way through cleaning, Sister Malia came in demanding Kalia to go to the storeroom for sacks of flour that would be used for the sisters dinners. Cora had offered to go in Kalia’s stead but Sister Malia had insisted only Kalia go.

‘Not sure what happened, but from the gossip it seemed Dyc was in the storeroom when Kalia entered and claimed she attacked her with no apparent reason, causing food to go everywhere and lie to waste on the floor.’

‘Kalia would never!’ I yelled.

‘Ssh!’ Both girls rushed out.

‘Of course Kalia wouldn’t,’ Cora said. She stepped in close to my ear. ‘Can’t you see? It’s a setup.’

I flashed her a look then lowered myself to the floor, feeling sick in the stomach and a throb to the back of my head. I gripped my stomach and closed my eyes. I guess it was something that was coming Kalia’s way with all her complaints but I would change places with her so she could be okay. It wasn’t right to have her treated this way.

I opened my eyes and pressed my stomach harder. Now everyone knew what she was, I worried it would make life harder for her. For both of us.

‘How’d they know about Kalia?’ I whispered.

Cora sighed and shuffled down next to me. ‘Well we all suspect she were noble of sorts. It only took Head-Sister Emorgen’s justice stone to tell us what sort.’

‘How a stone do that?’

‘When the stone is placed in a person’s mouth, it forces them to tell the truth to any questioned asked of them.’

I faced Cora and studied her eyes, noting understanding and surety behind them. Experience?
‘She’ll be alright?’

Cora sighed. ‘Who knows? Kalia’s lasted this long and is tougher each day. You remember the time we first met you guys?’

I chuckled. It was our first day on the job. We were working the foyer of the slave quarters. Kalia had slipped on the slate patches she had cleaned, doing an awkward jig before landing with the splits and dirt all over her face. She had sobbed hysterically about being filthy before I was able to snap her out of it and help her up. It was at that moment Cora and Les walked in with the giggles.

‘Yeah – she’s come along way from moaning about breaking a nail.’

‘It’s not like she was…’

I stopped Leslie before she was able to ramble on. ‘Not now Les.’

Leslie huffed and turned her back. I sighed and closed my eyes. We waited in silence.

Scene 6-02

2009-05-22T19:38:00.000+10:00

Edde stopped before a sackcloth door. She knocked on the door frame, pulled the cloth to one side and gestured for me to enter.

‘It alright Neven,’ she said seeing my hesitation.

I stepped inside.

‘Ah Neven, please take a seat,” Master Asuras said upon seeing me. He gestured to a cushioned futon near his desk. The door swung to a close. I heard Edde’s footsteps retreating up the corridor.

I glanced in a small cavern with a domed roof and a big luminous quartz stalactite casting rays here and there. Quartz walls shimmered with a dull purplish hue. Master Asuras sat in a high-back chair before a marble desk; behind him was a generous sized cot littered with pillows and blankets and a wall of shelves crammed with scrolls, books, papers and vials. Opposite the futon, stood a bench crowded with glass tubes, vials full of colored liquid and strange contraptions and tools.

What is this room? What he want with me? I gulped down the questions and sat on the futon’s edge.

‘Would you like a drink or perhaps something to eat? I know you would’ve missed your meal time,’ he offered.

I chewed my lip, not sure what to say. I was hungry and if the Master took offence to a no? I nodded my head and said, ‘yes please. Something to eat and drink would be nice.’

He approached the bench and cleared aside vials and tubes so a wooden surface showed through. He closed his eyes, held his hands over the surface and mumbled strange words.

My skin prickled with heat. I gasped when the bench glowed with white light. Was this magic? I had never seen anything like it. My eyes went wide when I saw the master’s hands. They shone bright like orbs so it was hard to determine their outline. But, I could see something else within the light.

‘Hesa-minoquious – quixnoxium,’ the master chanted.

My gaze was fixed to the table and gradual revelation of a silver tray filled with a large plate of fruits and next to it a silver tankard.

‘Hesa-bel,’ he whispered. The light faded. His hands returned to normal.

I peered at the tray not believing it was real. Surely it was a trick to mess with my mind.

‘It can’t be real?’ I whimpered and shuffled off the futon.

The master answered by picking up the tray and placing it on the futon near to me.
My eyes danced around the plate taking in the furry peaches, green apples, ripe looking bananas and strange hairy balls that was a blood orange color. I found myself frowning at the hairy balls.

‘Lychees,’ the Master said, ‘you peel the outer skin and eat the white flesh inside. It’s a rare delicacy and worth the experience.’

I stared at the other fruit again, they looked juicy but I didn’t feel brave to touch them.

‘Go on Neven the food is real. I used a transporting spell to whisk them into this room and on this tray,’ coaxed the master.

I sat next the tray and grabbed an apple. It felt solid and real. I took a small bite. It was juicy sweet and delicious. I ravished the rest, ate two more apples, peeled a banana and scoffed the soft squishy insides then did the same thing to an orange, wiping its sticky juice off my chin. The scent of fruit left a heady impression around the tray as I left a trail of peels on the tray. I even ate the inside flesh of the hairy balls. Master Asuras was right, the balls were an experience not to miss. They had a sour, sweet taste that reminded me of autumn leaves.

I liked it and was disappointed when there wasn’t more. I pushed the discarded peels to one side and drunk from the tankard with greedy gulps; spicy wine warmed my chest. I relaxed into the futon thinking it was the best meal I ever had.

Master Asuras returned the tray to the bench, made it go away with a poof then sat next to me again.

‘I need to ask you a favor,’ he whispered.

I nodded my head and rubbed my full stomach.

‘I’ve been watching you and I’m surprised you don’t remember your name but seem to recall mundane knowledge.’

He was watching me? I sat up.

‘There is something,’ he paused for a while before coming back with ‘strange and yet familiar about you. A feeling.’

A cold sensation gripped my chest. A bitter taste rose up my throat.

‘Neven don’t look at me like you’ve seen a ghost,’ Master Asuras joked and patted my knee.
‘I brought you here to help you and see why there are those blocks to who you are.’

Why would a master be interested in a slave’s blocks? I peered into his eyes and sensed questions. It didn’t feel right for him to be interested in my affairs. There had to be something he wanted.

‘I honestly don’t know why I am.’

He raised his brows, ‘of course you don’t, which is why I’m here.’

‘Enough talking. Time for action. Now-’ He broke into his nonsensical mutter and raised his glowing hands to my face.

I felt the urge to jump up and run out the door but some force kept me rooted.

Who are you Neven? His voice twanged through my mind. My eyes watered with dizziness. The ceiling whirled into a blurry mess. I felt heavy. A thousand thoughts flashed through my mind. They pushed at my temples, causing my brain to pound with pain. Black clouds covered my inner vision. I slipped into oblivion.

‘Yousee! What – how?’

A set of wings swooped across my face, knocking me into a void. I fell without reason to fall. No life – no purpose. All gone.

‘Stolen. Yousee stole it from me. Trapped…’

The void made way for light and the image of a reptile face: beady blood-red eyes, steel-sharp teeth, long snot and black brittle scales barely distinguishable save from the glints of light balancing on the edges.

‘I see youse now. We’ll get out. We payback proper Waybearer!’ it snapped at me.

‘I know nothing of you!’ I snapped back. The reptile jerked sidewards.

I faced the thing square-on. ‘You’re problems aren’t mine.’

It was quiet for seemingly an eon before it roared with laughter and did a jig from side to side.

‘Ha – Ish see – Ish see!’ It hissed.

‘What?’ I yelled.

It showed me its teeth. ‘Pathetic, trapped weakling – Ish be free soon. We talk again. For now, taste dis Waybearer.’

White light swelled and burned into a ball that gradually engulfed the entire darkness. Static stirred the air. I felt heat. The ball exploded.

‘UGH!’ I screamed and came to in a cold sweat. My hands shook from a raw sting I felt all over my skin. The vision and pain was quick to pass.

‘Wh – what did you…’ Master Asuras stood before me. I looked up and almost froze with fear. The entire bench was drenched with dark liquid and shattered glass. White ash was smeared across the wall and inside a newly made indent. Crystal shards littered the floors. What did I do – if I did anything?

‘Oh my, please Master Asuras, I don’t know. This wasn’t me was it?’ I pleaded.

He pulled at his hair, rubbed his chin briskly before taking a seat in his high-chair. He stared at me for a long time. His eyes boring into mine, probing for answers. A moment later, he dropped his gaze and came over to sit next to me again.

I hugged my chest and stared over the mess.

‘I’ll clean this up master.’ I leaned towards the broken pieces and began picking them up.

‘Leave it. I’ll have someone else clean it up. We need to talk.’

I dropped the pieces and sat up. Talk might be good. At least I could try to explain my way out of this. Allthough, I wasn’t sure what this was.

‘What do remember of this experience?’ Master Asuras composed himself formally with a straight back and his hands on his knees.

I sat up and faced him eye-to-eye. ‘Not much, just a lot of darkness and…’

‘And?’

‘Hate. I felt so much hate for me.’

‘Do you have a slightest reason why any creature would hate you?’

Creature? Why would he say that? I frowned, trying to source an answer and shook my head when none came.

‘I queried one of the Journeymen who brought you to The Zone from Port Culcuth. He said the funniest thing.’

My frown deepened.

‘He said a fisherman pulled you out of the Morsaquais River – alive.’

‘Why would that be a funny thing -’ I blurted and gulped back the rest of the question.

‘To say?’ Master Asuras finished off. He leaned in close and whispered his reasons.

‘The river is guarded by ancient magic. Only those dead or dying enter the waters, for The Dalmarc of Marsilien, our magical bible, cites the water frees the soul from the body and moves it into another life. No one comes out of the waters alive. No one.’

I shook my head not understanding what the master was saying here. Was I actually dead? Dying?

‘Then what was the fisherman doing at the river?’

‘Probably giving someone he loved a proper burial when he saw you.’

‘Burial?’

‘Yes. The locals of Port Culcuth surrender their dead to the waters and pay offerings every solstice.’

My breath went short, heart pounded my chest. Why did the waters keep me alive? Why did the Old Man keep me alive?

‘Master Asuras – what am I?’ I whispered.

‘Someone I’ve never met before.’ He surprised me by offering a smile.

‘I suspect your alive for great things. There is powerful magic in you – I feel it.’ His smile turned into a sober expression. ‘There is also a darkness.’

His eyes flicked to the mess then me again. I saw concern and something else (I couldn’t put my finger on) behind them.

‘Magic is born in us all but it is us who decides to be magical. Suppress your powers at all cost. Deny them if you have to. You can not use magic – whatever you do.’

I acknowledge the order with a nod. If magic meant one big disaster, I’d gladly avoid using it.

His smile returned. He patted my shoulder. ‘Right – off to bed so you can rest for your duties tomorrow.’

I stood and stepped toward the door.

‘Oh Neven. I trust you’ll keep this session to yourself?’

I nodded a yes and hurried up the corridor.

Scene 6-01

2009-05-21T19:39:00.001+10:00

I was beginning to really like this life. Despite the stand-offs with Dyc and Jen every now and then, most times we went about the grounds without trouble.

This morning, Kalia and I had even finished our duties earlier than usual. As a reward, I had hoped we were able to call it a night and rest in our alcoves before dinner. I carried this hope to Edde and her usual bench in the gardens.

‘Ah – girls, good.’ Edde stood before us. ‘Kalia, Sista Mohan want yah to clean out dah kitchen with Cora and Leslie before dinner.’

Kalia frowned.

‘Forgive me Edde – shouldn’t Kalia be cleaning out the kitchen with me?’ I asked.

‘Nah,’ Edde answered, ‘yah go with me.’

Kalia and I exchanged looks.

‘We always do duties together,’ Kalia protested.

Edde glared at her. She raised her hand and slapped Kalia, hard, across the face. Kalia yelped and stumbled into a group of blue beauties.

Edde’s angry green eyes turned to mine. ‘Yah, want one too?’

I shook my head with a no. She grabbed my arm and dragged me away from Kalia before I was able to help her up.

I followed her through corridors, which twisted and turned toward the worship areas within the sisterhood quarters. I stared at Edde’s for clues to where we were going but her face gave nothing away. All I could do was trust whatever she was up to was for the best reasons.

We passed through the gold-gilded foyer and entered the temple foyer. I slowed my steps. There was only one area beyond the foyer and it was not a place slaves were allowed to enter. Surely, she wouldn’t dare! I stopped and gasped, quickly slamming my hands over my mouth. Edde pushed the temple’s rose quartz and gold doors wide. If she wants a killer load of whips and a night in a freezer – be my guest. There was no way in Hellbore I was willing to pass through those doors. I turned around.

‘Stop!’ Edde ordered.

I cringed as her voice rebounded off the walls and into my ears. I faced her and saw the expected austerity behind her eyes.

‘Yah must follow me in despite what dah temple orders are.’

‘And the punishment?’ I whimpered.

Edde sighed. ‘No punishment. We ‘ave okay from dah master. He wanna see yah. Dis a quicker way to him.’

I frowned. The master wanted to see me? Why would he be able to permit me entry to a place forbidden to slaves by temple law? If Head Sister Emorgen discovered our presence, I’m sure that cranky old bat wouldn’t hesitate to punish us. This was bad – bad – bad.

‘Don’t be afraid. As long as we keep to dah path we be fine,’ she reassured.

What choice did I have? I lowered my head and followed at her heels, trying not to look at the stained windows of Anwar, which glorified an enormous worship hall with beams of rainbow light. Nor the white smooth finish of the marble pews, which filled the center area in precise rows of two columns. I kept my steps quick and light along the rose colored carpet, making sure sisters and patrons weren’t disturbed by our presence, and sighed with relief when we entered a hidden alcove and passed through a door into a boring corridor.

I followed Edde at a comfortable pace the further away from the temple we were.

Scene 5-08

2009-05-12T09:15:00.000+10:00

The day began and ended like any other. We worked hard, covered a lot of ground and was rewarded with lunch, dinner, a chance to rest and do it all over again the next day.

I hastened through my clean-up and prayers, and was so happy to see my cot, ready and waiting for me.

‘Bed – bed,’ I chanted, ready to dive underneath the blankets and drift off.

‘Not yet,’ Edde broke through and entered the alcove. ‘Inside meh room now.’

‘Damn,’ Kalia hissed underneath her breath. I shrugged my shoulders and followed her in.

It was the first time I saw a real bed; cotton mattress, sheets and a pillow all neatly made. I guess it was a privilege for being a mistress of Anwar. She gestured to her bed. Neither of us hesitated.

Kalia sighed and stretched herself out on one side. I sat near her feet. Taking up the little space Kalia didn’t hog.

Edde sat on a neatly folded stack of blankets and started telling us about The Zone.

‘Yah be good servants so far so I tell yah things about dis place. Listen up.’

I listened, intrigue with her telling. When the first masters arrived on an archaeological dig, they were giddy at discovering solid traces of what was thought to be a myth. Aesop. The Zone is left-overs from this ancient city.

‘Dem say the earth opened and swallowed the city whole,’ her eyes widened and voice picked up in tone. ‘No one knows why. People say it cursed – we cursed being ‘ere. Perhaps.’

She explained how the jasper path and the island of Jade Hill were here before the caves and people. This lead to the current purpose of the place.

The Zone was owned by an imperial corporation known as the Boss Gem Trade. The people here were either slaves, soldiers and masters. The few free citizens were employees for the company.

‘We know them as patrons,’ Edde said and moved on to the origins of the henchmen and who they belonged too. Most of them were slaves imported into the corporation. The chiefs, although were employed as Boss Gem Trade soldiers, had allegiance toward the Albator Mafia; a criminal syndicate who purported the Boss Gem Trade to support their cause. Edde was reluctant to tell us what those causes were but I received the general impression they weren’t meaningful.

‘How you know all of this?’ I voiced my wonder.

Edde replied with a wink, ‘When yah been ‘ere long enough, talk get round.’

I readjusted my position to keep myself awake as I was interested to know more. We both ignored Kalia’s snores.

‘Edde, I’ve been meaning to ask about henchmen.’ I bit my lip, not sure if it was right to say this but it had piqued my mind a couple of times when I saw them speak with their hands. ‘Why do they speak with their hands?’

Edde sighed and turned away in thought for a moment before giving me an answer.

‘Dem voices are takin’ away from dem.’ Her voice quietened. I figured we had overwhelmed our stay.

‘I’ll grab Kalia,’ I said and whacked her legs.

‘Who there? What’d I miss?’ She rushed out.

I heaved her body off the bed and into her cot. She snuggled underneath the blankets and went fast to sleep.

I frowned at her back then turned to Edde and smiled. ‘Thanks for tell us all this.’

Edde nodded her head and slipped back into her room.

Aesop fell so men could see the truth and be free. Otherwise, they would remain a proud and vulnerable race.. The thought flashed through my mind.

I sighed and eased to sleep.

Scene 5-07

2009-05-12T08:16:00.000+10:00

The next day, Kalia and I carried out our usual routines. We were finishing faster and covering more area, so by midday we had cleaned both the sisterhood foyer and utility foyer, which led toward the kitchen and store-room. I was certain Edde was going to let us eat when we met her in the gardens. Instead, she order us to scrub out the gold gilded corridor and temple foyer. Only then we could eat.

‘Don’t bug the patrons with your noise. You’ll get a whiplash if you do,’ Edde warned before leaving us to it.

‘Bugger,’ Kalia hissed as we grabbed buckets and made our way there.

We started with the corridor. I blinked in the gilded engravings of rosebuds and Anwar.

‘Nothing is too excessive for Anwar,’ Kalia said with sarcasm and a flourish.

‘She is a goddess,’ I replied levelly and glanced around the hallway for eaves-droppers. It wasn’t right to speak about Our Lady in such a way.

‘Bit of a show off for a goddess if you ask me, then again, my play-room had more elegance.’

‘Mind you tongue Kalia or I’m sure the sisters will have no hesitation in cutting it off.’

‘You’re such a goodie-too-shoos aren’t you?’

I faced the dweamer. ‘If it means keeping my head on and my back free from pain, then, yes I am.’

She huffed and made her way to the opposite end. We worked the corridor as far from each other as possible.

I finished my part first and headed into the temple foyer. The place was as elegant as the corridor with embossed images of Anwar reflecting light from the domed crystal ceiling above. Potted firs added a pleasant touch to corners and white marble floors glinted light. Of course they would be clean. It was our job to make then spotless.

‘Okay – I’m done there,’ Kalia said as she came up behind me. I cringed as her voice bounced around the foyer a few times before it came to rest.

I whirled around and threw her a gesture that said ‘shut-up’.

If anything could silence her. As we worked into a comfortable pace, she started talking again – in a whisper of course.

‘I think my bones crunch better than a bony-knocker.’ She sat up.

‘A knocker what?’

She described the oblong musical instrument to me, which led to other aspects of her life. She was the youngest daughter of a large family, having thirteen brothers and sisters. Her life was quite selective indeed. She was also born into extreme wealth. Her parents were Dweamers, the official entertainers for the great Emperor Leinard of the 167th Reign. Her father was the imperial bard who seemed to have some high esteem with the emperor himself or so Kalia talked-up.

‘You should see the court dinners; gold plates, silver spoons and always a grand banquet of every single meal you could ever want and have.’ Her voice drifted. ‘I loved dancing before all of them. The buzz it gave was like a giddy-rush, a dream.’

She stared at her brush for a moment before sighing and getting back into her work. I started to wonder what she did to end up here. She must’ve done something disgraceful or perhaps she was conspired against. I opened my mouth itching to ask, but didn’t have the guts and instead said,’what else does dweamer do?’

She leaned in close, her eyes glinted eagerly as she whispered. ‘Dweamers entertain important people and the emperor himself. My parents also had the right to predict warnings and advise the court what they knew. My dad was quite close with the General Senator Nicholi Averdis.’

‘Who?’

She frowned and shook her head.’Of course I wouldn’t expect a peasant to know who he is. He’s the grand adviser of the Emperor and the hero of our people. He ensured the Alpine Range of Armia were free from the ruthless Northern Bandits. In the years prior, the bandits were notorious for robbing and attacking travelers passing through the mountain pathways.’ A far-off look entered her eyes as she talked more about her home land.

‘I danced the Salome’s Wishes before the great Emperor you know, the great Lord Dan keep him strong.’ She sighed and stared at her hands. We both saw the raw patches on her knuckles that would soon become hard calluses, and the once smooth – elegance faded into nothing more than a distant memory. Poor Kalia.

‘At least we’re not numoirs,’ I joked then turned away when I saw tears well in her eyes. We both went back to scrubbing.

Footsteps entered the foyer. I cringed, imaging whoever entered was going to walk over the spots we had just cleaned and dirty them again. I muttered a curse, chucked my brush into my bucket, stood up and faced Master Asuras. His indigo robes billowed near Kalia’s head. She snuffled and blew out a mighty sneeze.

‘Bless you,’ he said with a smile.

Kalia scrambled to her feet and stood behind me. I wanted to curse at the wet drops that trickled down the back of my legs and her hands and scrubbing jabbing my sides.

‘Edde tells me good things about you girls.’

I raised my brows.

‘Keep up the good work. Oh, mind the drips.’ His eyes pointed to Kalia’s brush.
Kalia tossed her brush into her bucket with an ‘eek’.

‘Sir, you’re, er, Master Asuras?’ My voice a whisper.

‘I am indeed. Master Asuras de Caldera. Master magician for Anwar and her temple here,’ he beamed and bowed with an over exaggerated flourish.

Kalia chuckled. Her hands snapped up and over her mouth when she heard her voice echo around the foyer.

‘Magician sir?’ I whispered carefully.

‘I entertain our patrons and oversee your needs, your mistresses and the sisterhood. As a temple magician, I also need to ensure Anwar is at her most glamorous. A shabby deity is shabby respect.’

‘Oh, sorry.’ I was concerned I had asked inappropriately.

Master Asuras’s smile widened. ‘No need to fear you’ve done wrong. In fact, it’s good you know.’
A group of white robed ladies with rose colored sashes across their chests entered the foyer and called for the master’s attention.

‘Please excuse me while I attend to our patrons. Keep up the good work.’ The Master whispered and went over to greet the group.

Kalia and I went back to our scrubbing. Their voices and footfalls faded out of the foyer and a while later we were alone to finish off the floors.

We both sighed with relief when we finished. I didn’t realize how tired I was until I sat down for dinner and almost fell asleep in my bowl. It had been a long, hard day with a lot of ground was covered. I was so glad Edde ordered us straight to bed afterwards. I quickly cleaned up and eased into my cot.

‘Neven,’ Kalia whispered from her cot and sat up.

I faced her with sleepy eyes.

‘Er, um, I’m glad you’re patient with me. It’s just, well, er, hard for me and…’

‘You don’t have to say it Kalia, I can see where you’re coming from.’

She smiled and snuggled back underneath her blankets. I sighed and faced the ceiling.

‘Tomorrow will be like today,’ I said to myself and smiled at Kalia’s snoring. ‘Yes all is well.’

For now, a voiced hissed and cackled in my mind. I blinked it away and fell into sleep.

Scene 5-06

2009-05-12T07:18:00.000+10:00

After lunch, it was back to scrubbing floors in the sisterhood foyer. Kalia was her usual self as we pushed soapy water into the slated squares of a circular foyer.

‘My hands!’ she cried out and held her raw spongy hands in my view.

I rolled my eyes and bit my tongue as I pushed my brush at a slate square.

‘How did I ever end up here?’ she moaned. It was followed with a plop in her bucket.

‘Don’t stop now or we’ll have to do this all night,’ I said, keeping my eyes to the floor. I felt Kalia’s glare on my back as I inched my way to the next square.

‘We’ve done so much. Surely, as benevolent carers of Anwar, they wouldn’t do that. We need to rest still,’ Kalia whimpered.

‘Wanna bet,’ I sighed. ‘Benevolent they be to patrons, they would be nothing more than strict on us.’

I heard a splash from her bucket and saw her scrubbing at a square next to mine. Her face contorted with misery.

We scrubbed the rest the foyer in silence and were up to the last few squares when the sound of chatter and feet entered. I sat up and saw Branwyn and a couple of scrawny slave girls walk their muddy feet over the parts of the foyer we had cleaned. One of the girls snickered our way as she skipped and twirled around a good length, ensuring we had to cover the area all over again. It was going to be a long afternoon for no good reason.

‘Bitch!’ I hissed underneath my breath and glared at them as they made their way toward the door at the opposite end. They paused and faced us.

‘Make sure you clean up this area here or you’ll be scrubbing all night,’ Branwyn ordered spitefully. The girls cackled.

I fisted my itchy palm and gripped my brush so tight the whites of my knuckles showed. I saw Kalia about too snap-back and gripped her shoulder.

‘It’s only mud – we can do it again,’ I whispered and allowed for them to pass through the door with this victory. ‘ There’ll be plenty time to get them back.’ I felt certain of this.

The foyer was its peaceful quiet again. We went back to our scrubbing.

‘I’ve feeling Branwyn hates us,’ Kalia said between scrubs and slops.

‘Whatever made you think that,’ I joked as I finished off a bugger of a square.

Kalia smiled, ‘What’s with the zombies clinging to her side? I swear one of them had a bird’s nest growing on her head.’

I snorted comically. Kalia burst out with laughter. We finished off the foyer in a lighter mood and headed back to the cave-ring to clean our buckets. We met Edde at the usual spot in the slave gardens and was relieved when she said it was dinner time.

Branwyn and her zombies entered the kitchen at the same time as us. We found ourselves on opposite ends of the table – fortunately. One of the sisters offered a prayer to Anwar. I almost choked with laughter at the funny face Kalia made but was mindful of Edde’s glare. No one hesitated when the sister ordered everyone to eat.

‘Edde,’ I whispered between mouthfuls and glanced at Branwyn and her girls over the brim of my bowl. ‘Who’s those girls under Branwyn’s care.’

Edde paused, her hand tensed around her spoon. She sighed and swallowed a spoonful of broth. ‘Jen and Dyc – stay out of der way.’

Nothing more was said.

Kalia and I cleaned the kitchen before we headed back to our quarters for bed. We wash our hands and faces and paid our respects to Anwar in the worship alcove before settling into our cots for some blissful sleep.

‘Kalia,’ I whispered. She was unresponsive and snoring loudly.

I eased into my pillow and glanced out the tiny alcove window. Lavender streaks rolled and faded across the crystal sky. Soon, The Zone was a place of darkness.

Look beyond the disguises even it hurts, a voice flew through my mind. I closed my eyes with surety of the life I was living.

Scene 5-05

2009-05-12T05:20:00.000+10:00

The first part of the morning was a quick tour around the grounds and places we were going to work on for the day.

‘These the servants gardens. Yah can come and go as you please, but don’t mess the plants or you’ll get whiplashes.’ Edde said and led us into a small ring of rose and pink colored heather and marble benches, surrounding a majestic rose-quartz statue of Anwar.

‘This is where yah report in,’ she said and led us to a bench toward the goddess’s left. ‘Each duty, come ‘ere – wait for more. I tell yah when you eat and sleep.’

We acknowledged her orders with a nod. She gave us instructions for our first few duties of sweeping and scrubbing floors in the sisterhood quarters toward the temple foyer. We went on our way and finished the ordered chores later in the morning, learning our way back to the slave gardens and our carer.

‘Time for a break,’ Kalia declared as she picked up her pace toward the rose quartz statue of Anwar and gardens.

I huffed my reply, re-gripped the handle of her bucket and tried to keep up with her fast-pace. We made our way to the bench before a group of boxed heather. I dumped the buckets and sat down next to Kalia, who was stretching her legs.

Edde met us with two brooms. ‘Dump dem buckets, back of the latrine ring over there.’ She pointed toward a scraggly set of caves at the far left, behind the slave quarters we slept in.

‘Then go to kitchen with brooms and sweep out the floors. Murray, needs help with sacks too.’

Great – no lunch and definitely no rest. I stood to grab the buckets and saw Kalia huff off her seat and Edde’s jaw tighten. I straighten and jabbed Kalia in the side.

‘Grab your bucket – damn it,’ I cursed.

Kalia’s eyes narrowed in my direction. I expected some reply in defence, instead, she grabbed her bucket and stormed off toward the ring.

I sighed, readjusted my bucket and took both the brooms from Edde. She shook her head and mumbled her complaints down the path and into the sisterhood quarters.

I turned and caught up with Kalia. She stood hesitant before the first cave in the ring.

‘Oh crap – this place smells worse than the latrine in the slave quarters.’ She covered her nose with one hand. Screwed up her face and dropped her hand.

‘We have to go to the back – lets make it quick.’ I said and made my way around the path that wrapped the cave-ring and dumped my bucket at the bucket stack near a slimy well.

‘Yuck.’ Kalia screwed up her face. She dropped her bucket haphazardly and hurried out. I followed her through the slave quarters and into the workers kitchen where we continued our duties.

Kalia moaned and made pitiful noises the entire time we swept and scrubbed down the floors. It annoyed the hell out of Murray the cook.

‘Damn child – you whine worse than ‘em pig,’ Murray shouted from her boiling pot hanging over a fire in the hearth.

‘I’ve a right mind to roast you on a spit,’ she chuckled.

Kalia sat up and stared at the burly woman, gulped and looked away.

‘Pretty girls cry – do they bake, do they fry,’ Murray teased and bellowed with laughter when Kalia cowered behind me.

I sighed and flashed her a reassuring look. ‘Just do the work – don’t complain.’

I handed back her scrubbing brush. Kalia worked this time and without moans.

She was eager to run when Murray ordered us to take sacks to the store room. Out of the cooks sight, she was able to be herself. The storeroom was a cool and secluded place.

‘God – my arm’s going to drop!’ Kalia breathed out as she dumped her only sack – a light one at that, on top of the pile I had made in a corner near a set of barrels.

‘Your arm? My whole body’s had it,’ I grunted as I dumped my four sacks to the pile.

Kalia checked her hands and started to cry. ‘I broke another nail.’

‘I hate this place. I want to go home,’ she sobbed into her hands.

I pulled up a sack and dumped myself down next to her. ‘This is home.’

‘It’s not.’ Kalia shot up right and faced me. ‘I had a king-size room overlooking a royal courtyard. Silk sheets, lacy curtains – all fuchsia and purples…’

‘Fuchsia?’

‘It’s a color silly,’ she snapped back and continued on, ignoring my disinterest. ‘My bed wasn’t any other, it was solid gold and matched my armoire.’ Kalia’s voice softened into a sing-song dream.

‘There was a different dress for the meal of each day: rose cotton for breakfast, sienna silk for lunch and white chiffon for the evening.’

‘Now we have gray sack-cloth to cover them all.’ I interrupted – I couldn’t help myself.
‘What would a peasant know.’ Kalia pouted. She stormed out of the storage room and up the hallway.

‘Damn Dweamers!’ I cursed and followed her trail.

Scene 5-04

2009-05-09T09:21:00.000+10:00

I greeted a baby-blue sky spotted with heavenly clouds, and glanced across a vast area of lush grass, rolling toward calm crystal waters. I couldn’t shake the feeling I was dwindling between the now and then.

‘No future exists here.’

‘All worlds have a future.’

A pair of olive orbs appeared before me, followed by the face of a wise old cobra. Its patina scales reflected daylight as fine rainbow beams. ‘All worlds should have a future child. Alas, this one faces the fate of none.’

‘This one? You’re confusing me.’

It moved further into my view so I could see its body and set of glorified feathered wings tucked into its sides. ‘Confusion is necessary to ensure the path of understanding.’

I glanced across the land again and frowned not seeing the devastation. ‘This world looks okay. Surely, it’s only in stasis.’

It sighed. ‘Stasis. It’s nothing more than a picture painted out of air.’ Its eyes fixed to mine, ‘you sense it don’t you – the hanging on to something once real now nothing more than a faded dream?’

I frowned and nodded my head. Of course I did but that doesn’t mean it has to be fate.

‘Devastation comes in many disguises and some we will even accept as our answer to reality. Truth is what it is. Nothing can change it.’

‘What are you, why you telling me this – are you that voice in my head?’

It inclined its head to one side and peered into my eyes for a long time before it showed me its fangs and replied, ‘you are everything to do with what I show you here and there are many who know. Be careful of the voices that enter your mind and trust those you feel comfortable to trust.’

‘How do I know you’re one to trust?’

The wise cobra sighed. ‘Only you can answer this question. Look – the sky fades, meaning your sun rises.’

I faced the land and saw darkness descending. The illusion of peace was scrubbed away to show the truth – a barren wasteland.

‘You must see beyond the disguises even it would hurt you.’ The voice faded.

The darkness consumed all.

‘Get up.’

Edde’s voice sliced through my consciousness, picked and pulled at my thoughts and rearranged them into a sensible order. Soon, I found myself stretching and shaking sleep from my limbs. I sat on the edge of my cot and glanced in a small alcove. Kalia was still snoring in the cot across from me. On each end, sack-cloth doors billowed.

‘Get up girls,’ Edde ordered as she stormed into the alcove and yanked the blankets off Kalia’s body.

‘Ugh – it’s freezing,’ Kalia cursed and groped for the blanket. It was way out of her reach, in Edde’s hands.

‘Up now – we wurk,’ Edde ordered.

‘Come’on Kalia.’ I shuffled to her and helped her moaning body up and out of the alcove.

‘Why me?’ She complained and made little moans and huffs the whole time we walked our way down stone corridors to a large prayer room.

‘Enough!’ Edde whipped around and slapped Kalia’s cheek. ‘Show some respect – remember how fortunate yah are. Other girls end up Numoirs for all dem soldiers at the holds. Deh ‘ave to cover der mouths for the rest of der lives.’

Kalia winced. She rubbed her cheek sheepishly and lowered her head. When Edde saw her message had hit home, we carried on.

We said our morning prayers to Anwar and declared our unconditional servitude. Afterward, entered a moonstone niche cluttered with boilers and other smoking equipment.

‘Phew, it’s hot here,’ Kalia whispered behind me. I scratched my sticky neck and fanned my face with my hands. Edde, however, seemed unaffected. She approached the elderly man behind a stone bench and greeted him warmly.

‘Morning Ernest. Dem girls dat need the mark.’

Ernest nodded his head and started testing a set of pokers sticking out of a smoldering cauldron.
Oh Anwar, not another marking! Suddenly, I wanted to turn tail and flee but Edde’s words to Kalia circled my brain. I had to be brave.

‘It won’t hurt for long,’ Ernest said. I flashed him a weak smile and stepped up to the table. He held my arm and gently turned it over so we saw the dirty patch still stuck underneath my elbow. I had forget it was there.

‘It’s still on,’ Ernest muttered and carefully removed it, revealing a burn symbol of a winged cobra. ‘Ah, yes, the mark of the Lord Exacles.’

‘Lord Exacles?’ I asked, glimpsing a rainbow trail along the sides of the cauldron.

Ernest shared some of his knowledge whilst he prepared my arm and pressed the rosebud of Anwar into my arm below the cobra. I was surprised I didn’t feel the pain as much as the last marking. Edde slapped a slimy patch to my arm as soon as air touched raw skin. I glanced at her with questions.

‘Healing salve blessed by Anwar.’

I raised my brows. ‘Wow that works quick. Thank you.’

Edde smiled.

I turned to Ernest again, eager to know more about this Lord Exacles. ‘What sort of god is Lord Exacles.’

‘Humph, not so much as a god but an emissary for the high gods such as Anwar.’

‘Emissary?’

‘A messenger or overlord,’ Ernest replied as he positioned a reluctant Kalia into position. She squirmed and moaned as he pressed the mark to her skin.

‘Bloody hell!’ she cursed in a very unlady like way. I chuckled and met her glare with a warm smile. Edde slapped a patch to her mark. Kalia sighed with relief.

‘Okay, we go now Ernest.’ Edde declared and started shoving us out of the niche.

‘Thank you Ernest,’ I said and received a kind smile.

‘Out – out, come on girls, lots of work to do.’

We followed her back to our alcove.

‘Change into these – give meh your robes.’ Edde pointed to the sack-cloth bundles on our cots.

‘Don’t dawdle.’ She left the alcove.

‘Sacks with arm holes,’ Kalia whispered with a screwed-up face.

‘We can be a walking sack of potatoes,’ I joked.

‘Humph – you can,’ she commented and shook out the rest of the tunic. It had the same metal hoops as Edde’s. ‘At least there’s some class.’

I shook out mine, took off my robe and pulled the tunic over my head. The hoops rested comfortably to my shoulders, the hem ended just over my knees. It was a good working dress. I smiled and faced Kalia who was still adjusting to her outfit.

‘Awful,’ she moaned.

I sighed, grabbed my old robe and stepped out of the alcove. Edde was waiting in the corridor.

‘Good,’ she muttered and nodded her head when Kalia emerged. ‘We go to work.’

Scene 5-03

2009-05-08T09:22:00.000+10:00

We made our way to a large kitchen set at the back quarters of the temple grounds. The women led us down a flight of steps, toward a long table set at the center and one of the benches that flanked the table’s sides.

At one end of the kitchen, pots hung over a fire. Orange flames hissed and crackled in a generous size hearth. Smells of charred wood, cooked beef and vegetables excited our senses. The other end contained shelves and containers of various ingredients.

‘Sit,’ Edde ordered and gestured to a spot on a bench.

Kalia and I eased into a position before the table and faced our carer. The other women muttered complaints over a pot and soon returned with bowls of hot broth.

Real food! The meaty broth steamed my cheeks into a rose-red blush. I didn’t hesitate and shoved down mouthfuls – not caring if I was disrespectful and a pig. God – it was the best thing I ever had in my life!

‘When yah done we show yah beds,’ Edde said. Something about her accent triggered a memory in my mind. I know that voice or rather had heard her kind speak before.

‘Norcatia,’ I muttered without thinking and still stuffed with food in my mouth.

Edde tensed; she glared at me. I gulped down my food and lowered my eyes to my bowl.

‘S-sorry,’ I mumbled.

She didn’t reply but continued to stare at me. I glanced at the other women over the brim of my bowl and felt the nape of my neck itch as I spied their hush-hush conversation whilst keeping one eye on us.

My stomach turned, bile ran up my throat. I coughed it down and pushed my bowl aside.

‘Eat.’ The woman next to Edde said. I met her eyes.

‘I have.’

Her blue eyes narrowed – jaw tightened. Did I offend her? I frowned, not understanding why.

‘Do you know we had to make sure Murray the cook left a pot out for you? She hates leaving left-overs stewing and hates an untidy kitchen even more. It took a lot of effort for her to do this. Murray is not a woman to mess with.’

And what was I meant to do with this information, clap my hands and go oh-joy-for-joy? She honestly wanted me to finish the bowl and lick it clean.

‘Sorry. It was yummy, I’m truly full.’ I looked at the bowl.

‘Food should never be wasted. For that you will…’

‘Branwyn enough!’ Edde interrupted. ‘Dem my charges, I say when deh full.’

‘Then tell your charges about the proverb of waste. It’s disrespectful to Murray’s hard work.’

Edde and Branwyn faced each other in a staring stand-off. I braved a glance at the two, noting the distinct difference in features. Edde’s face was heart-shaped with defined lips and an austere composure, whilst Branwyn had a softer edge to her looks with high cheekbones, silk-shiny black hair, full lips and smoother skin. She was pleasant to look at but it seemed that’s where the pleasantry ended.

‘I’m sure Murray’s not gonna worry ’bout leftovers.’ Edde argued. Branwyn opened her mouth to argue back but closed it.

Kalia pushed her bowl aside and eased back a little. ‘So what, pray tell, are we to do.’ I cringed at her stuck-up tone. Wasn’t she listening? Either she wasn’t or didn’t care about the tension thickening between the two woman and myself. Now we were going to get it.

I kicked her ankle – hard, and flicked her a warning at her ‘ouch’. She frowned at me .

‘Mistresses please,’ the old woman sighed, her papery voice crackling around the word ‘please’. We faced her.

‘Branwyn, I go wif Edde. If dah child’s full der be no disrespect.’

‘Mistress Mohan, I was only stating a point that these girls need to know the, er, etiquette here.’ Branwyn replied with forced gracefulness.

‘Yeah deh do but tis Edde’s job not yours.Dis child dun nuttin wrong not finish’n her food. If dah bowl not touched dat is waste.’

Branwyn opened her mouth then closed it in a tight pout and frown. Edde sighed and declared it was late and best we get to bed.

‘Yah girls clean up dah mess before yah go to sleep. I’ll be back to get yah.’ She threw out.

Kalia scowled. I sighed and surveyed the kitchen; stacks of pots and plates were piled high in three water barrels nailed to one length of the walls – all of them filthy. As if the night wasn’t long enough.

The women shuffled out of their seats and left us with a warning; if the dishes weren’t spotless and packed away when Edde came back, we’d get one whip lash to our backs. Oh what a treat! I sighed away my sarcasm. It would only get me into more trouble.

‘You should’ve eaten your food,’ Kalia snapped at me.

‘You shouldn’t speak like a stuck-up fool,’ I bit back and saw her cringe.

‘I,’ she shook her head, ‘never mind.’

We both worked silently at opposite ends of the basins. When I saw Kalia struggle with her load, I took over and managed to scrub down the benches and utensils. on my own, until they gleamed. Edde returned a while later and surveyed our efforts. She nodded her approval, killed the fire and led the way out of the kitchen.

Kalia and I dawdled down a limestone hallway and into some space. My mind faded into the sleepy quiet. My body found its way into a cot and blanket. Lights went out.

Scene 5-02

2009-05-08T08:23:00.000+10:00

We came to an enormous domed chamber crowded with shelves of books, scrolls and cabinets containing colorful vials. The ceiling glistened and changed color like the sky itself. White flamed torches illuminated book ends made of clear quartz. Rich blue and blood-red futons, sets of tables and chairs filled the center space; surrounding an elderly man adorned in robes of indigo-blue. He was bent over a scroll,which spanned the faces of two desks. Long strands of his sliver hair covered half of his face and the scroll’s contents from our view.

‘Scum muffin.’ he cursed and straightened up with a frown. His frown eased when he saw us standing a couple of futons away from him.

‘Edde, Branwyn, Mistress Mohan, to what do I owe this visit?’

The scarred-face woman stepped forward and gave the old man a formal bow. ‘Master Asuras, beggin’ deh intrustion, dem dah slaves Chief Morriset offer us.’

‘You mean owed us. That soldier still needs to pay for his lewd insult to our most respected patron.’

I raised my brows. The chief insulted a patron? It must’ve been bad if he had to offer slaves as compensation. What was a patron anyway?

The man stepped toward us and took a good look at Kalia and I. ‘Well they may be young but I see strength in both of them.’

He stood before Kalia and met her stare square-on.

‘What is your name child?’

‘Kalia, sir.’ Kalia stated.

I lowered my eyes to the floor and started fidgeting with the ties of my robe. I paused when I felt the old man’s eyes on my scalp.

‘And your name?’

I gulped and glanced at Kalia. She was staring at the futons.

‘It’s okay girl, I won’t bite,’ he whispered. I stared at the master and was greeted with a smile.

‘N-Neven, sir.’

He cocked his head to one side. ‘Why on earth would someone name their child Neven?’

Was he asking me to explain or speculating? Either way, I couldn’t give him an answer – obviously.

He waited with brows still raised. I couldn’t ignore the feeling he wanted me to say something.

‘I d-don’t know sir.’

He stared at me for a moment before replying, ‘perhaps, but you must admit being called no-one in the imperial language is as strange as calling a child Numoir.’

Kalia snorted. I saw her gulp down her unexpected impulse and lower her eyes when the master’s darted to her.

‘You seem a strong willed girl,’ he said to Kalia. Her fingers twitched against her robe.

‘It’s okay child. I don’t mind personality around here as long as it doesn’t interfere with rules and requirements of this temple.’

Kalia relaxed a little and faced the master. He smiled and gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

‘I do warn you girls, how you are here you must not be to the outside world. The rules of The Zone must be upheld or consequences will be severe. Our patrons are quite firm about the image we uphold in Our Lady’s name. Is that clear?’

Both Kalia and I nodded our heads.

‘Excellent!’ He breathed out and ended with a clap. ‘Mistresses, please ensure these girls get something to eat before they go to bed. They have a lot to do tomorrow. Sister Emorgen would like the gilded hallway and sisterhood foyer scrubbed down and spotless. I think this would be a good start for them.’

The women nodded their heads.

The master took a step before the blond woman. ‘Edde, I entrust these girls into your care.’

She acknowledged the offering with a formal bow then turned and gave Kalia and I a prod toward the archway at the opposite end.

With formalities out of the way, the master returned to his scroll. We made our way out of the library.

Scene 5-01

2009-05-04T09:24:00.000+10:00

It was the first time I saw others like us dressed in colorful tunics, even if they were shapeless and stiff to their bodies. The big metal loops on each shoulder added a nice girlish touch.

‘You come with us. Don’t talk. Don’t cause any problems. I’ll notify the chief if you do,’ said the oldest woman dressed in midnight blue. Her gray eyes narrowed, revealing a shrewd mind behind a faced scarred by years of harsh reality.

I acknowledged her order with a nod. We followed the woman out of the room, down the corridor and out into the night.

They led us through a maze of jasper stone paths and limestone caverns that glowed with yellowish patches and a slight shimmer. I felt the enormity of The Zone and started wondering how the hell a city of such a size came to exist underground, and with a sky! Either it was a freak of nature that crystal ceiling came into place or some workings of a genius.

‘Ugh!’ I muttered and ducked as a flock of black bat-birds squawked over my head. Kalia moaned and stepped into me as a line of blood-red beetles screeched their way across her path and out of sight.

‘Girls.’ One of the woman warned. We stepped back into our places and continued on.

Eventually, we veered off the main path and entered a small courtyard. The place was an image of serenity with its white marble benches, potted firs and low growing hedges trimmed into neat squares.

We approached the glowing statue of a woman toward the end of the courtyard. I took in the image of Anwar, standing with a graceful deposition. Her rose quartz sword resting in her hands, its tip fixed to the ground. Warm feelings of surety and safety wrapped my heart. If anyone could protect a woman it was Anwar.

Are you willing to protect me? I gazed into her topaz eyes for hope and truth.

‘Be careful what you ask for child. Of all people, you will get it.’ A woman whispered into my ear. I turned and faced the three woman. Neither said a word. Two disappeared around a corner, leaving us with the taller woman in a bottle green tunic, of straw-blond hair. She glared at me with a look that said ‘don’t speak’.

There was hiss and sigh, a gusty breeze blew into our faces and stirred through our hair. I turned to the statue and blinked in a rose quartz corridor reflecting gold light.

‘Be quick and step light.’ The woman ordered and led the way.

Scene 4-05

2009-05-03T12:02:00.000+10:00

I rolled my eyes, sniffed in the heady scent of musk and savored the warm moisture that soothed my skin. Heaven. Bliss. Something good after such a hard welcoming.

We alighted atop of a landing overlooking a circular chamber, lined with rings of benches coiling their way down toward a rock pool in the center.

I fixed my gaze at the center, hungry to dive into its milky water and rub away itches on that moonstone stalagmite smack-bang in its the middle. The blue-turquoise wall added a nice touch. A nice way to get back to being a girl.

I glanced at the henchmen hopefully, as we made our way down and felt my spirits leap up to my throat when they ordered us to stop near the pools edge. The water was calm. I could feel its promise of relief as dew-drops to my skin. Come on guys – cut us some slack… please, I begged with my eyes.

One of the henchmen fiddled with the latches of his jerkin. Both Kalia and I stepped back. He shook his head and pointed to our robes then the water. I sighed with understanding, turned around, slipped out of my robe and into the water as quick as I could.

There were bubbles underneath the surface! Bubbles that needed that sore spots and released energy into all places that needed it. I dove, swam through a white dream only to resurface back to the cavern again. If I was a fish, this is where I’d live.

‘Oh yeah – this is worth it,’ I whispered and paddled toward the stalagmite.

I felt something cut through my back wash and saw Kalia emerge a head of me. We rested against moonstone and watched the henchmen seated on the benches.

‘Whatever happens Kalia, I’ll watch your back if you watch mine.’ I flicked her a glance through the steam and bubbles that hissed near my face. I gulped at Kalia’s flawless beauty and noticed the fear in her eyes. She has every reason to be. We all do.

She met my look and squeezed my fingers underwater to say ‘okay’.

The men stood. I sighed and followed Kalia back to the edge.

Steal glinted into my eyes as I gripped the outer rim. I stared up and saw a henchman looking down on me with my robe spread wide. I counted to three and heaved myself out of the water and into the robe, making sure my body was completely covered.

Kalia shivered at my side. I gripped her hand. We followed the men into a dank corridor and into a small room that only accommodated a desk and chair. The usual banners fluttered around the walls, between torches. We were given a signal to wait before the desk.

‘Henchmen leave the room.’

My eyes went wide when Chief Morriset entered the room and took his place behind the desk.
He relaxed back in the chair and rested his feet on the desk. He peered at us long and hard before he said, ‘I get two girls, Randall gets the boys.’

He sighed and sat up straighter, more formal. ‘At least you aren’t bad on the eyes, especially you.’ Kalia tensed when he pointed his finger at her. I gripped her hand tighter.

‘Still, I bought you and you’ve came all this way… hmm the uses for you.’

Bought us! I saw it all now. I was nothing more than a tool for a function alright – a slave.

Yesee – slave dance, slave sing, slave slashed on me wings, slave hurt, slave beg,
slave see the end. the words hissed around my mind. I cupped my ears as it sung its rhyme louder.

Slave beg
Master abuse. Maser hurt
Slave diesee – pain – diesee

Its hissing words and irritating song danced around my ears. Its joy, longing, thirst for revenge and deep-rooted hunger for power swayed in and out of my mind – overrode my heart beats. It was hell-bent on giving me payback. It wanted me to hurt behind imagination… the pain!

STOP!

White fire scorched my mind. Everything was gone within a blink.

I returned to consciousness with Kalia fussing over me and an expression of disgust on the Chief’s face. I was still in the room.

‘Get her up,’ Chief Morriset ordered.

Kalia helped me up. When he saw I was able to walk, he ordered us to follow him.

We ambled down stairs, along a hallway and into a small anti-chamber where three women waited.

Chief Morriset eyed the women, in particular the fair blond in the middle, then turned to us. ‘I don’t have time for girls and since I owe a favor, you’ll go with these women’

He stepped up close and peered into our eyes. ‘If you so much as make one mistake to disgrace the temple, I will personally throw you off the chasm and watch you dangle to your deaths or worse, give you to my master for his twisted pleasure.’ His lips twitched with a sadistic grin. ‘Believe me, my master is known to make girls scream for mercy over and over and not bat an eyelid.’

I gulped down nervous knots and gripped Kalia’s arm. He stomped out of the room.

Scene 4-04

2009-05-02T12:03:00.000+10:00

The men gripped our shoulders and tugged us around toward a sackcloth door behind us. We were pushed into a walk and followed the men along a corridor and into a small anti-chamber and the top of a stairway. Our attention was directed to a sackcloth door on our right. One of the henchmen pointed a finger to go in.

The other girl pulled it aside to reveal a small fissure and, on the floor, two neatly folded bundles. A change room?

We stepped inside and closed the door. I peered through the slits and watched the henchmen exchanging hand gestures with each other. It looked like they weren’t going to come in.

‘Here,’ the girl whispered and handed me a bundle.

I unraveled a sack-cloth robe that felt stiff and scratchy.

‘Ugh,’ I complained as I peeled off my rags and wrapped the robe around my body.

‘Awful,’ the girl spat out. I saw her squirming about to scratch her back.

‘Here,’ I said and scratched the spots she was trying to get to. She sighed and moved about so I could get to the problem spots.

‘Thanks,’ she said and faced me. She was quite pretty to look at; sky-blue eyes, gold silk like hair that rested on slender shoulders and flawless milk skin behind dirt marks and smudges. Not what I’d expect to find trekking the underground with a bunch of derelict bastards.

‘Kalia Dweamer de Armia – thirteen summers,’ she said and held out her hand.

I frowned and glanced at her. Did she want me to slap her hand?

‘Here, take it like this,’ she said and gripped my hand to hers, shook it three times then released it. ‘It’s a greeting courtesy respectable people use to break, er, the ice I guess.’

‘Oh,’ I said and bit my lip.

She stared at me with a frown and her hands on her hips. I shook her hand- what else was I to do? I toed the floor and fidgeted with my collar to make it more comfortable.

‘Well aren’t you going to tell me who you are, what your social position is and where you’re from?’ She demanded. ‘It’s impolite to not complete a greeting and could lead to terrible life long rifts.’

Life long rifts? My eyes bulged at the thought. Being sandwich between henchmen seemed a far better idea.

‘Ooh, fine then. Be a numoir and kept to yourself you low in-grade.’ She huffed, flicked strands of hair off her straightened shoulders and turned her back to me.

‘What’s a numoir?’ I sighed and straightened my robe. Kalia spun around with obvious shock and a twinkle in her eyes.

‘You honestly don’t know?’

I shook my head.

‘Dear Lord Dan, how can I explain it so you would understand. I doubt I have the time as I fear our escorts would grow restless,’ she whispered and flicked a glance at the door.

I peered between the slits and saw them swapping gem stones back and forth. ‘It looks like we were good for now.’

‘Numoir is the most offensive name you could call a girl. It means she’s, well, er, does stuff with men – horrible stuff no respectable girl would even think of.’

And she called me one? How rude!

‘You think I’m one?’ I replied calmly.

Kalia sighed and shrugged her shoulders with “sorry”.

‘Whatever – truth is I can’t tell you my name because I don’t have one. I don’t even know who I am, where I came from and even what I’m meant to do in life.’

She raised her brows and regarded me with a sweeping look. ‘You don’t seem clueless. In fact I thought you were the most orderly person out of all of us.’

Orderly? I would never had guess that aspect of me – mental maybe.

‘Why can’t you remember your name? Did someone drop you on your head?’

Damn, is she always this blunt? I was starting to see why she was in the fissure with me.

‘I almost drowned. An old man saved me then some how I ended up here.’

‘Oh, I suppose that explains the memory loss. Okay, I’ll believe you for now.’ She relaxed her arms and pushed her shoulders back.

‘Lets see,’ she cocked her head to one side and scrutinized my face. ‘From your olive skin, curly hair and dark round eyes, I’d suspect your from the lower parts of Armia – maybe even Minoa. Does this ring any bells?’

I shook my head.

‘Well I suppose it’ll all come back to you with time. For now, since you have no name you will be a neven girl.’ Her face light up. ‘Yes, Neven will be your name.’

‘Neven,’ I whispered. It was a name at least.

She was about to say something else when the door swung wide and the henchmen stood before us. We flicked glances at each other before filing out of the fissure and down the flight of stairs.

Scene 4-03

2009-05-01T09:05:00.000+10:00

More walking, dull – awful corridors and the nagging frustration of wanting it to end already. I almost braved a scream but huffed instead and dragged my feet along the ground. I followed the group onward – it was the only thing I could do.

We ended at a set of crystal doors. All my frustration went pfft. The doors were as gigantic as the others. These ones shimmered with rainbow colors, warmed my skin and soothed my discomforts. There was a feeling of purity mixed in with the clear quartz. Hope.

I stared at one of the bull-helmets with questions and watched the henchmen approach the doors and fix a round mirror into round grooves on each door. Light danced off the mirror’s surface; bouncing off our faces, hands and other body parts. Streams of light overwhelmed our darkness. A way was opened before us. I wanted to cry with joy when I heard so many different noises; shouts, whirs, squawking and much more. There was life – finally. Whatever happens, has to better than what I’m going through now.

I followed the way through the doors and found myself on a cliff overlooking a labyrinth of shimmering paths, moss covered rock and crystal caverns that weaved squares pattern toward a zig-zagging bridge which connected them to a port and an island of grand buildings, monuments and glistening paths. I squinted at the vast sky above, amazed at how closely it resembled natural light. It even had cloud patterns moving about the crystal surface. Sounds of running water drew my attention to a gemstone ring at the far end of the island and an edge of a waterfall tumbling into sparkling jade waters.

Definitely better.

We made our way down granite steps. My eyes touched everything we went past; the red jasper path we trekked, small caves, sack-clothed workers and lots of black clad soldiers. I was surprised to see a handful of elegant white robed people amongst the rough and the poor.

We veered away from the masses and took a quieter path into a lion head cavern, and stopped at the middle of the entrance foyer, making sure we weren’t in the way of the henchmen coming and going from the surrounding black sack-cloth doors. The henchmen arranged us into groups of boys and girls, which looked odd because there were eight boys and only the two of us.

I felt nervous fingers grip mine and flashed the girl a weak smile. It didn’t take us long to work out this was a separation. The boys fought a plenty to stay with us. What could they do? They left through a door and we were left alone with henchmen.

‘It’s alright,’ I said with eyes and clung closer to the girl who trembled and gripped my hand tighter.

Two henchmen emerged from the sackcloth door and towered over us.

We both glanced up. I gulped at the formidable bronze bull-head glaring down on me.

Scene 4-02

2009-04-30T09:06:00.000+10:00

That was the end of our recovery. The henchmen order us up and out toward a small smithy cluttered with metal scraps, iron tools and thick piles of junk. We stood before a beefy man in smudged overalls who stood behind a dark iron stand that had a blunt point to end.

A boy was pushed up to the table, and his clamps held out before the man. He took a good look at the boy’s wrist, picked up a hammer, an iron bar and wedged the point of the bar into the middle link. And the hammer head fell with a clink – clunk.

The sound echoed with a battle cry, drumming the last heart beat before the plunge. A red sun rose over a blood soaked ground. A tsunami of desires, memories and fears clashed against each other as steel on steel. Dreams were broken. Hopes were dashed. Lives were left behind – torn apart and the sun swelled into a hell-fire. Life was scorched from the face of the earth. Darkness.

‘See the hell-fire? I give it. I bring it. Wait – see.’

I yelped at the jarring pain I felt at my arms and blinked in the reality of the man’s hammer going down on the bar wedged between my clamps. The hammer went down one more time with a final clunk. My clamps were pulled away and discarded as junk on the floor. I was pushed aside to allow for another.

My head swam with dizziness. I felt sick in the stomach and suddenly wished I hadn’t eaten so much. There was no time for recovery nor sympathy. I was prodded into line behind the others and pushed into a walk.

We entered a side chamber, which sweltered with heat and condensation that streaked the rock walls. We were crammed around a wrought iron chair and a pot of steaming pokers. The chair’s arms and feet were wide with leather straps dangling toward the floor or coiled around the front feet. One arm was raised, giving us a clear view of its holes. I could only guess what the pokers were for. I pressed my stomach to silence its whining and straightened my shoulders.

The man entered the room and uncoiled the straps. One of the henchmen grabbed my arms and forced me into the chair. They strapped me down so quick I wasn’t able to kick them away. Putting up a fight would’ve been pointless anyway. The best I could do was pretend to be brave.

The pot hissed and steamed more as the man pulled out and tested each poker. When he was happen with one, he studied my arm raised before him then pushed the end through before I had a chance to scream blue murder. Hot – white pain ran up my arms and burned the back of my neck. Drowning in a river was god sent compared to this!

Ugh! Fire scorched my body and I saw a red sun swell before me.

‘Now yousee feel the pain. Feel it. And the blood’s revealed on your hands.’

‘No! Blood is not on my hands,’ I babbled before blacking out.

I came to by a weird feeling that thankfully soothed away the pain but left me wondering what happened. I wasn’t in the chair any more but dumped to one corner between a girl and boy. Both didn’t look at me but I felt their tension. Had something gone on when I was in the chair or were they nervous about the whole thing? I sighed it off and studied my right arm. A slimy patch covered the spot beneath my elbow. It was quite cool and pleasant to touch. I frowned with questions but shook them away and watched the others go through the same torture.

The man shoved the pokers back in the cauldron and left the room. The henchmen ordered us to our feet and herded us out of the room.

Scene 4-01

2009-04-29T09:06:00.000+10:00

I didn’t see the end when it came. Even when it was right in front of me, my legs still twitched and my heart still beat at a walking pace.

We entered a small room that was bare except for a table and set of chairs . Light came from a small stalactite hanging directly above the table’s center.

This is it? I shook my head. I had walked such a long way. My shoulders ached like hell from the extra burden the clamps put on my body. When I shuffled into one of the chairs, I suddenly felt all my aches. Sure, the chair was the best invention since the wheel. Right now I wanted to kick it down and keep moving. Do anything to stop this annoying pressure built up around the nape of my neck, pain at my hips… everywhere! I was itching to swear so the henchmen could put me out of misery. When they brought baskets of food to the table, suddenly my pain wasn’t dreadful.

I glanced at the yellow, stinky cheese, thick bread and savored the delicious aroma of fatty meat and gravy. Hmm, now this was the best invention – food! I could gobble the lot and be happy.

I glanced at the others and saw the same wanting. Our hands twitched for the taking but neither of us were brave enough to dare a snatch.

The henchmen gave us a hand gesture to eat. That was our cue to grab and shove in our mouths as much as we can. A few of the boys elbowed me to make a try for my hefty pile. I was quick to block their advances and scoop up my lot of gravy soaked bread and mounds of cheese, and shove them in my mouth. And the nasty glares we gave each other when we ate, especially when some of us had more of a share. Tough. I wasn’t in the mood for charity. Although, I was sorry to see the baskets empty so soon.

I wiped my mouth clean on my sleeves, avoiding the clamps and links that chinked near my cheeks, and felt hopeful about my situation for the first time.

Footsteps entered the room. I looked up and saw a Chief before us. I frowned, trying to remember where I saw him and gulped when I did. My hope went down with my food. He stood next to the henchmen near the entrance.

‘Still alive I see.’ His eyes skimmed our faces. ‘Good. It means you can take whatever hell we give you. You’re to serve our masters, and be the hands that make this place function.’

His eyes narrowed, ‘don’t think that makes you special. You’re tools and nothing more. If you don’t function… well you know what would happen right?’

We nodded our heads.

‘Good! Now lets see what we have here.’

I lowered my eyes to the swirly knots drawn on the table’s surface as he circled us with slow,
predatory steps, and tensed when I felt warm breaths to the back of my neck. I swallowed my sigh of relief when my neck went cold and I saw the chief in front of us again.

He clapped his hands, the henchmen approached his sides. He directed his orders to the one on his left. ‘They’re to be marked under Chief Randell and myself, Morriset, and make sure my girls are properly prepared.’ He walked out of the room.

Scene 3-09

2009-04-28T11:53:00.000+10:00

We finally came to the East Hold; a small maze of crystal caverns, narrow paths and limestone stalactites and stalagmites that either glowed with green light or shimmered gray. At the heart of the maze was a clearing and a gigantic set of double doors at the end.

Our line stopped before the doors. I took in its stainless face and two limestone stalagmites on either side of it. The limestones had glowing scrawls and patterns wrapped around it, reflecting green symbols onto the doors’ faces. The henchmen held a round mirror before a stalagmite and moved it around certain angles to catch a pattern of light. Various symbols glowed in a certain order on the doors faces. The limestones went dark.

There was a deep grunt. The doors swung wide to reveal a smithy. We followed a path through men, in sack-cloth tunics, banging on anvils, sweating over boilers or threading bits of leather together. No one talked. Each worker carried the same serious expression. I noticed all of them had a burn mark shaped in a symbol of sorts just below their right elbow.

I turned away and faced the path before us.

Scene 3-08

2009-04-27T11:55:00.000+10:00

We shuffled along a path toward chi-chinks, hisses, grumbles, grinding, chatter and heat that made my skin itch. I breathed in raw ore and mildew and released a sigh of relief when we entered an enormous cavern where the wind sighed and cooled my itches.

Rock walls were supported by white marble columns carved with images of gods and goddesses. White flamed torches burnt a steady line around the room, casting beams that offered life to each impression.

‘Zin,’ I whispered my respects carefully as I passed the column dedicated to her.

‘Lord Dan.’ I gazed up at the column of a lion-faced champion riding his chariot over cowering fauns.

‘Lady Anwar.’ I went to place my hand to my chest but could barely raise it past my hip. The clamps. I sighed and said a silent prayer at carving of a woman standing over a man with a sword to his throat and saving the scared woman beneath him.

I wanted to linger with the deities and wondered if I feigned death the henchmen would leave me then shrugged off the idea. The columns were nothing more than majestic and timeless pieces. I wasn’t.

The cavern ended before an enormous set of steel doors that had majestic symbols and images embossed into its oiled surface. A bell twanged through out the cavern. The doors opened with a drawn out grind. We passed through and continued our journey through more rocky paths.

Scene 3-07

2009-04-26T11:55:00.000+10:00

We entered a chamber that shimmered white and purple. Torches, hanging out of silver sconces, ran a perfect row. There were those red and black banners and a few red oak chairs to the corners.

The henchmen lined us up at the center and gave us more water to drink. When everyone had their fill, a bell sounded. The men sat down in the chairs.

A door opened and slammed to a close. An unmasked soldier entered and paraded our lines. He was quick with his inspection. He faced the henchmen and delivered his report.

‘These are rags and bones,’ his concluded with a raspy voice. ‘What happened?’

The henchman stood, bowed, then made various symbols with their hands.

The man nodded and waved for them to sit down.

‘I suppose these cretins will do. I know the masters and some of the chiefs wanted more hands,’ he sighed.

‘Take them to the East Hold so they can be marked for their places in The Zone.’ He marched out of the room.

Scene 3-06

2009-04-25T11:56:00.000+10:00

We followed a line of torches to a small anti-chamber where we were given scoops of cool water to refresh our dry throats. We carried on into another cavern that opened into the start of metal tracks and tunnels. Wooden box-carts sat on some of the tracks.

One henchman opened the door of the first cart, removed the rope from my clamps and herd me and a few others in. I huddled in close to the boys either side of me and rested my head to my knees. The cart door closed, it jerked forward then, quite suddenly, dropped.

We were yanked up, down, left and right so fast my face was stretched tight and my back pressed to the wall. Every time we dropped, my stomach was yanked to the ground and everything else pushed up my throat. The ride was showing no signs of slowing down. Instead it jerked at greater speeds, to the point all the whooshes and screeches were instantly silenced. I was deaf! I wanted to scream but all that I could bring out was messy drool to the sides of my mouth. Pain pushed at my temples as the box-cart zoomed upwards. We sailed through the air for a moment then fell to the rails with a harsh bang and jolt. Light and shadows danced before my eyes. Everything went out with a buzz.

I returned to consciousness as the cart slowed its pace into an even run and eased to a stop. Something went pop in my ears. I could hear! I could move my body. I sucked in a good dose of air and sighed out my relief.

‘Some ride,’ I muttered.

The boys threw me odd looks as they tumbled out of the cart opening. One of them vomited on the ground. I took a wide step over it and cursed when my clamps smacked my stomach. I shook off the pain and watched the others come out. One boy collapsed to the ground and didn’t get up. His body was dragged to one side and discarded.

I wiped my mouth on my shoulder and followed the henchmen into another corridor.

Scene 3-05

2009-04-24T11:58:00.003+10:00

We came to a change as we turned a corner. Before us was a circular platform, which creaked and sighed against howling winds.

The henchmen grouped us in the middle. One went to a wheel set at one end and gave it a good turn. We wobbled into each other as the platform rotated and stopped before the start of a stone stairway. The way was dark with turbulent breezes that made my eyes water and nose itch. A length of rope was nailed to one side of rock. The other side had no support at all.

I sighed into the first step and cautiously followed the way down, trying not to lag behind. It was hard. The stone was slippery and I was so tired that a few times I almost fell backwards. I was able to right myself in time and keep up with the burning torch before me.

‘Don’t think thoughts,’ I muttered to myself, gambling on a risk the henchmen wouldn’t hear my voice amongst the ferocious winds.

‘UGH!’ Someone cried out.

I screamed as I felt my body pulled towards the edge. Darkness faced me. I can’t believe I was going to die again. After everything I had gone through. One tug over a set of steps and that was it. ‘Bastard!’

The wind howled and whooshed. I felt a big tug and saw myself reeled back to the safety of rock. A henchmen re-secured my link and nudged me forward.

Finally, thank Lord Dan, we stepped onto solid ground that was connected to the mouth of a large cavern. Rows of torches on the rock walls showed the path we had to travel. We had survived, for now.

Scene 3-04

2009-04-23T11:59:00.003+10:00

Rope linked us together as one line again. We walked a stone corridor where the winds howled and chilled our skin. It seemed endless. We’d come to an end only to twist and turn into another.

Whatsee here, Little missee captured? Oh dear. A voice hissed around me, its sarcasm kindling my anger. I glanced at the others to see if they could hear. They were lost in their own heads. A henchman threatened me with hand gestures.

Ish what thee deserve. Yousee will pay now – yousee will pay. Ish see you will pay! It screamed around me, hissing, spitting noises cannoning around me.

Diese – die!

‘No!’ I screamed and was knocked to the ground with the boy in front of me. We were both given a kick in the stomach. Tears welled in my eyes. My gut burned and ached as if it was churning fire. The other boy didn’t move a muscle. I was hauled to my feet and reconnected behind a girl. The boy was disconnected. When they saw I was right to walk, we continued on.

Scene 3-03

2009-04-22T11:59:00.000+10:00

We came to a round chamber surrounded by walls of orange-flamed torches and red and black banners of an authoritive quality.

One of the soldiers removed the rope from out links and positioned us into two lines at the center. The other disappeared around a corner and came back with slices of bread. We scoffed the dry, tasteless slices and wiped our mouths clean on our shoulders.

More black clad soldiers marched into the room and stood around the walls with their hands resting on the black hilt of their swords. They were still and silent as statues. We were still as statues; no one brave to move.

The silence was interrupted by solitary footsteps. A man entered wearing the same uniform as the soldiers. Although, his head was free from a helmet so we could see his face; all the tiny nicks along his square jaw and chin and the thin scar marks across his cheeks. He had wry lips and a hawkish nose. His black hair was short and spiked at the ends.

He paraded our lines: peering into eyes, patting backsides and giving us girls suggestive touches to our arms and legs.

‘Good,’ he commented and made his way back to a commanding position.

‘Where are you? Don’t ask. You don’t matter. You don’t belong to society. It threw you to us, like the son of a bitch spawned out of loathing. All that matters is your tasks. No failure. No punishment.’

He pointed to the soldiers. ‘These black creatures are henchmen. They obey rules and make sure you will obey rules. If you don’t…’ His green eyes narrowed. He made a sign of a throat being cut.

‘The first rule is silence,’ he yelled out. ‘Utter one word, I’ll cut your throat. I mean it. The second rule is obedience. Question orders – be punished over and over again.’

He stepped up to a boy and stared down on him, so close their noses touched. The boy kept his attention fixed to a banner, he gulped nervously.

‘You got something to say boy?’

I noted the man’s hands twitching around the black hilt of his sword.

The boy shook his head. They stood face to face in silence for a while before the man returned to his position before us.

‘Heed these rules. Obey orders. Don’t…’ He paused and made his way to a small boy in the second row. The boy was too busy fidgeting with his shirt to notice the man’s eyes on him.

‘You!’ The man pointed a finger at the boy, who raised his head and stared up at the man so they were eye to eye. I quickly guessed the boy to be no more than eight summers old. Young and stupid.

The man’s lips stretched wide in a sick smile. ‘You think you’re special.’

The boy shook his head. His hands twisted the hem of his shirt.

‘You must – why else interrupt my authority.’

The boy’s eyes widen with fear and realization he was in trouble. He fisted his shirt. His legs wobbled slightly.

‘To interrupt a chief and his duty is punishable by death you know.’

The man leaned in closer to the boy’s face and whispered loud enough for all of us to hear, ‘I’m one chief who does not tolerate interruptions – boy.’

A trail of urine ran down the boy’s legs. His body trembled.

The chief screwed up his face then sighed and stepped his way back to the commanding position.

I saw the boy gulp and make sure his attention was on the chief.

‘Believe me, you break rules – you will suffer. We have no tolerance. We’re not your mommies or daddies. I don’t care if you bleed. I have no problems in making the rest of your life miserable.’ The Chief stared at the boy. ‘As for you. You won’t be breaking any more rules and making messes on the floor.’

He snapped his fingers. Two henchmen broke through our lines, grabbed the unfortunate boy and dragged him away through a side door and out of sight.

My heart paused for the moment the boy’s terrified screams resounded into dead silence. What have I been dragged into?

No one dared show any expression when the Chief turned and left the room through the same door.

Scene 3-02

2009-04-21T22:14:00.000+10:00

It was night when we stopped before a set of glowing boulders twice the height of the soldiers. Carved in the center was a figure of a three-headed woman wearing a crown of thorns. Her left arm held a decorative blade toward the heavens. Three sets of ruby eyes glared at us. Snakes barring fangs fell about her face as locks of hair. Coiled up her legs and around her waist were two boas whose heads faced each other. The light showed the silver twinkle in their eyes.

Zin – the night goddess and her watchmen, Jeba and Pabo. The knowledge came and went. I frowned. Why would this enter my mind? I shook off questions. It was pointless.

The soldiers push the heads of Jeba and Pabo into Zin’s stomach causing the boulders to open as a door.

I closed and opened my eyes, peered at the void set before me and hoped there was light at the end.

The line was tugged forward. I swallowed my emotions and entered the darkness with the others.

Scene 3-01

2009-04-17T22:13:00.000+10:00

We jerked to a halt. There was moments pause and silence before the cart doors whined to an open. Slivers of daylight violated our darkness. I blinked in a stark gray sky over a rocky hills and thick bush.

Men herded us out onto dry grass and prodded us into one line before two soldiers in black.Gods they were a frightful sight! The instinct to turn and run was pushing against my legs. The instinct for survival was stronger and I found myself staring at the soldier’s bronze helmet head and his etched bull’s face snarling back at me. My eyes twitched and instinctively lowered to the impression on their belts and what it supported; two swords of different lengths, short chains and pouches.

One stepped forward with a thick loop of rope in his hands. He uncoiled the rope and started threading the end through an eyelet on the outer side of our clamps, and continued until we were all linked together. Metal rods were tied to the rope’s ends, securing our link.

I felt the rope and my wrists yanked forward, and hopped into a walk. We created a path between brush and entered a clearing framed by stone boulders, wise old trees, ferns, bottle brushes and other plants with sword like fronds. Smells of nettle and pine tickled my nose.

“Ouch,” I yelped and winced at the dull pain I felt on my arm. A bull mask entered my view then disappeared at my back. I rechecked my steps and made sure I stayed in line.

After a while, it felt I had been walking forever. The scenery rolled past us as the same pattern of boulder crops, trees and bushes. It was easy to slip into thought.

Mists blanketed my vision then dissipated into the image of the cabin. I entered and stood before the fiery kiln, facing the old man who was asleep in a chair. A plate of fish and vegetables had gone stale and cold.

‘Sir!’

His left eye opened. ‘Huh? Wh-what yah doing here?’ Both his eyes opened attentive.

‘You let your dinner go off.’

‘Dinner?.’ He sat up straighter and held my eyes with his usual scrutiny. ‘Why yah here?’

‘Why shouldn’t I be?’

‘Cause yah shouldn’t.’

‘Why?’

‘You should be with ‘em soldiers.’

I fisted my hands and stepped forward. ‘Why’d you do it old man. Why’d you sell me?’

The old man faced me with tired eyes. ‘Sold yah? No. Profit – yes.’

‘I don’t understand.’

He leaned forward. ‘Them people said you ain’t normal. Them said you shouldn’t ‘ave lived.’

‘Me?’ I shook my head. ‘They’re wrong. How should they know if I’m to live or not.’

‘Wrong maybe. I know one truth – yah not what I first thought.’ His face twisted into a bullish frown and bronze smirk.

‘Ouch!’ I yelped and rubbed my arm. A bronze helmet lingered in my view before it disappeared at my back again. I kept pinching my own skin to make sure my mind stayed where it was.

Scene 2-06

2009-04-09T22:10:00.002+10:00

I wanted to yank my dress off and go nude just so I could be relieved of my itchy back. Unless I wanted to pull my arms off, there was no way to rid myselfe from the discomfort. The best I could do was shrug my shoulders every now and then and try to think of something else.

Fortunately, I was so involved with my itches I didn’t realize the steep, winding track we had taken to a clearing. Although, I was sure I’d feel aches in my legs later.

We stopped before a windowless, metal box-cart.

‘You stand here!’ The older soldier ordered and dragged me to a spot before the cart’s doors.

‘Gods!’ I gagged. It stank of wee and lord knows what other foulness existed in the world. I wanted to spit out my distaste, but caught a nasty look from the men so swallowed the bitterness instead.

Whines and sounds of scrapping hooves entered the clearing. Two grooms lead horses toward the front of the cart. There was a bit of banging and shifting noises. The grooms made their way back to the doors and swung them wide. Shuffles and rattles approached at my back. I felt others stand behind me.

‘Right – get in cretin,’ the younger soldier ordered.

I was pushed up two wooden planks, the grooms balanced on the edge of the cart and ground, and inside where I fumbled my way to the darkest and coolest corner.

‘Ooh,’ I sighed and rubbed my back against the wall, relieving my itches. I cursed as others jangled into place and the coolness changed into a dry warmth. I sighed away my annoyance and watched the box-cart’s space dwindle. Soon, there was not a free space in sight.

The doors closed us into uncertain darkness.

‘I want mommy!’ one girl wailed.

‘It’s okay, things’ ll be alright,’ a boy reassured.

‘Waaaa!’ another cried and was told to shut it by someone else.

Children of the unwanted, meaningless threads of society, that was what we were. Why take the effort to squash us in a box-cart? Are we to be disposed of in secret? Used as tools for someone’s politically-twisted motivations? Why should I care so much? If hopeless was my fate, all I could do was embrace it. Any reality was better than having none. I should be grateful I was alive at least.

‘Do you believe this daughter of Marsilien?’

‘Marsilien?’ That voice again. ‘Who are you! Why don’t you show yourself you miserable creature!’ Of course, no reply but silence.

‘We’re going to die!’ A boy cried out in anguish. It was the last straw for all of us.

‘SHUT IT!’ Kids screamed out. Their voices resounded around the cart before they went silent. No one said anything afterwards.

I closed my eyes and tried to ignore the calamitous screech the cart’s wheels made in motion.

Scene 2-05

2009-04-08T11:06:00.000+10:00

We passed through a wooden door and entered an empty courtyard where more soldiers paraded the battlements above and black crows wheeled about cloudless skies.

‘Ouch,’ I winced at the jab I felt to my backside and glanced at the younger soldier over my shoulder.

He grinned. ‘So you don’t forget I’m here cretin.’

I looked away and gulped down the pain.

We crossed the courtyard, passed through an archway and down steps to an open doorway. A stumpy man stood before us.

‘Whatchya soldiers want?’ He raised his brows at me. ‘What’s with the kid?’

‘Marcello’s haul,’ the older soldier replied.

The man nodded his head and grunted to follow. He led us through a section of corridors to a large set of double doors.

‘Through the barracks, to the right. Make sure she’s secured,’ the man instructed before he hobbled back up the corridor.

Secured – what the heck did that mean?

My arms were yanked forward and stretched so my wrists were in plain view. A set of iron clamps snapped around them before I could pull away.

‘Hellbore!’ I cursed at the weight I felt upon release and was slapped in the face. I tried to raise my hands but it was such an effort, all I could do was rub my cheek to my shoulder. I swallowed down the rest of the pain and kept my hands to my stomach as I shuffled behind the soldiers through the double doors and into the barracks.

I was surrounded by more brutish soldiers. They either grunted and yelled at each other in practice fights or marched the perimeters with thuggish halberds over their shoulders, sheathed long swords and daggers at their waists. I cringed at the horrid stink of metal and sweat blown into my face, and found it was better to keep my attention to the dirt ground.

Scene 2-04

2009-04-07T11:03:00.002+10:00

We climbed a spiraling stairwell and stopped before an iron door at the end of a hallway. The soldiers positioned me directly in front and warned me to stay still.

The older man thumped the door twice. It swung wide with a drawn out creak to reveal a tiny, cramped-in room.

I was shoved over the threshold and kicked to the floor before a set of worn desk legs. I didn't move, figuring I'd get another kick if I did. Instead, I stared at the ray of light and irregular shadows on the slate patches before me.

‘Soldiers wait outside,’ a man ordered.

I was conscientious of their boots clomping their way out of the room and the door slamming to a close.

‘Stand up,’ the voice ordered.

I wobbled to my feet but kept my eyes to the floor.

‘Look at me.’

I faced a pristine officer sitting behind a disorderly desk. His lean frame filtered out most of the light from the small window behind him. An eyesore of books, papers, vials and quills crowded bookcases of a worn quality.

I watched his eyes skim over my body then return to the papers he was reading. I stood on the spot not sure what to do and was relieved when he looked at me again.

‘You were surrendered at Port Culcuth – found near the river Morsaquis. Interesting,’ he commented more to himself.

Port Culcuth – Morsaquis? It was good to have a name to the town and the river. Why was it interesting I happened to be there? I hunted his face for clues but he gave nothing away.

‘You don’t have questions?’

I was surprised he asked and wasn’t sure how to answer. He raised his brows.

‘N-no s-sir,’ I stammered. It was a lie of course.

The man stretched his right arm across the desk, uncovered a brass bell from amongst some papers and gave it a good shake. The soldiers returned to the room.

‘I’ve seen all I needed to see. Take the child to the west wing sentry,’ he said with his eyes pointed to the stretched out scrolls and papers on the desk. ‘Tell them it’s another one for Marcello’s haul. They’ll instruct you from there.’

I frowned. He had seen all he needed to see? What was he looking for to begin with? I peered at him hoping for something more but there was nothing.

‘Come’n you.’ The younger soldier knocked my back.

I stumbled into a walk down the hallway and stairs. The older soldier assumed the lead through a maze of corridors where the air was warmer and dry.

Scene 2-03

2009-04-06T11:02:00.001+10:00

I followed him along a miserable corridor. It was damp – cold and seemingly endless with no twists or turns.

Should I deserve this? I blinked the thought away. It resurfaced into another and another and another. Tiring.

‘No.’ I stopped.

The man faced me with a threatening look. His hand tensed around the hilt of the short-sword sheathed against his hip.

‘You don’t speak cretin – get moving.’

‘No,’ I repeated.

The man unsheathed his sword and swung it before me. I felt the cold edge on my neck. All he had to do was push a little to draw away my life. I looked into his eyes and saw madness wanting release.

‘Do you really want to die?’

‘I don’t know what I want.’

Something changed in his eyes. He gulped and pushed the blade a little further so I felt a sharp sting.

‘Children should be scared.’

I held his stare and sighed, ‘I’m too tired.’

‘Soldier – stand down!’ An older and more polished looking man in a uniform stepped into view and stood next to the younger soldier. ‘Sheath your sword and hold to your orders.’

The younger man hesitated. He sighed and sheathed his sword.

I was given a sharp kick to the backside.

‘For every word you utter – a part of your body will be removed,’ the older man said. The sternness behind his eyes told me he wasn’t fooling around. He would do it. Dying and pain are two different things. I wasn’t that tired to ignore the pain of missing fingers. I acknowledged with a nod and followed the men further down the corridor.

Scene 2-02

2009-04-05T10:57:00.000+10:00

Coldness slapped my face and backs of my legs. Reality came back to sounds of heavy footsteps and torchlight stretched across the floor. My heart beat with hope as free space was drawn out before me as the outline of a corridor.

They’re going to let us out!

A young man, half-done-up in a red and black uniform and mud stained boots, stepped into my view. He stared down at me with a sly grin.

‘Get up cretin,’ he ordered.

‘Ugh!’ I yelped at the sharp pain that attacked my legs and lower back. He stepped on my toe again for emphasis. I rolled about the ground in agony, and didn’t fight when I was hauled to my feet, pushed across the room and out the opening.

A door slammed behind me.

Scene 2-01

2009-04-03T10:55:00.000+11:00

Time raced by. I wasn’t sure if it was late afternoon or the next day when the cart stopped. A mixture of grunts and grinding noises surrounded me. I was grabbed at the shoulders and dragged out. Hands steadied me. I felt something wrap my waist, my fingers told me it was a rope.

A raspy voice ordered us to walk with the pull. It yelled at us to turn left every few paces then grunted to take right and not to trip, failing to tell us on what. I cursed as my toe stubbed a hard edge, causing me to topple into the person in front. Everyone cursed and cried out with pain.

‘Shut up or I’ll cut yah throats!’ the voice warned.

Everyone fell silent.

We carried on straight for a long time without a sound of complaint. I was soon lost in my own head, so much so, I almost didn’t hear the voice order us to stop.

The blind folds were finally removed. I blinked in an unfurnished room and miserable girls and boys crowding the floors. All with dirt stained clothes and faces.

‘Wait!’ I called out and was answered with a curt bang!

I sighed and picked my way to a spot in a corner behind a small boy and an older girl I guess was his sister from the way she hugged him. I hugged my knees and allowed my tears to fall.

The room stank of stale wee and moldy residuals like traces of lost hope and dreams. I glanced around; we were all too young to be here. What’s the point in being born when your life falls into misery, corruption and pain, and your values nothing more than a slap to your cheek and a hit on the head?

‘It’s not like that – surely.’ Baby blue skies, lazy clouds sailed into my mind. I felt I belonged somewhere else yet I had to be where I was. Something made me be apart of this group. Why? I closed my eyes and switched my thoughts to the old man’s meanderings. If he could see me now, would he have really done what he did? Some how I felt he didn’t have much of a choice.

‘Does anyone?’

‘We all have choices daughter of Marsilien – all of us. It’s how meaning is weaved into each life.’

‘Hello?’ I sat up straight and glanced around the room but everyone had their head’s low.

I went back to my own pitiful solitude; focused on irregular blood beats and throbbing temples.

Scene 1-08

2009-04-03T01:00:00.000+11:00

Not sure how long I had been stinking in the cell. My mind wandered in and out of thought. Gold strands, bright skies and marble faces flowed around me. Their voices carried emotional songs and dreams. I drifted.

I felt a plate and the rough texture of the bread. It seemed real. I scoffed up the food and washed it down with the cup’s offerings; it was nasty but at least my stomach had stopped moaning and my mind was clearer. I also saw the cell was real.

‘God hope this isn’t my last meal.’ I closed my eyes and moved my thoughts to the old man’s cabin.

Screeches and footsteps brought me out of dream. I was shocked to see daylight. I squinted back the figure standing in the open door way.

‘Come on you, get up!’ A soldier stepped further into my view and hauled me to my feet. He pulled me out of the cell, down a hallway and across a dirt clearing to where an open cart and two other soldiers waited. They pushed me in and got the cart moving up a rocky track; following a windy path up a steep hill toward a clay-stone house.

The cart trotted around the back and stopped at a barn entrance. I spied a gloomy view behind its opened doors.

I was yanked out of the cart with a warning, ‘Keep your ‘ead down. Don’t speak or I’ll kick yah ‘til you bleed.’

I lowered my head and followed the boot heels of the soldiers through the stable toward another solider checking off a line of girls positioned before a large box-cart and draft horses. From the corner of my eyes, I saw sad, defeated expressions behind mud stained faces. The hopeless bound for doom.

I was knocked to the dirt ground. I felt a boot upon my back and saw the tips of other boots surrounding me. One of the soldiers ordered me to stay down and keep still. The boot pressed pain onto my back for emphasis. I did what I was told.

‘The Chief’s gone to a lot of trouble with this one,’ a soldier said to another.

Chief? I suppressed the urge to ask.

‘Humph. Nothing but skin and bones. The Chief’s been ripped off.’

‘Yeah – he’s from dat place. Git don’t know better.’

‘Whatever – load her up with the others.’

I was hauled to my feet and prodded into the line behind a small girl probably no older than nine. My hands were tied together with coarse rope. More rope looped my waist with its end tied to the rope around the waist of the girl so we all formed a hapless chain.

The soldiers order us into the box-cart, pushed us into spots and covered our eyes with strips of sackcloth.

A shrill whistle and sharp bang made me flinch. I wobbled into the person next to me as the cart clip – clopped into motion.

Scene 1-07

2009-04-02T10:50:00.000+11:00

Oi, wake up!’ Someone yelled into my ear. I yelped and opened my eyes.

The old man stood before me and next to him was a soldier with a stubbly chin and unkempt hair – as if he had just been roused out of sleep. His red shirt was crinkled and heavily stained and his black jerkin half done up. The sheathed sword looked too big against his hip. I raised my brows with a question and received a sheepish look from the old man. He took a step back behind the soldier.

The solider looked me up and down then smirked, ‘Yeah, she do alright.’ He pulled a leather pouch off his belt, gave it a good jangle before he tossed it to the old man as if it was some tidbit.

‘Be on yah way man,’ the solider ordered.

The old man turned, gave me a look over his shoulder before he hurried off down the path and was lost amongst the wandering people.

‘Sir!’ I tried to go after him but was held back by the soldier.

‘Stop it wrench.’ He slapped my cheek and forced me into his view, ‘I’ll hurt yah in worse places if you play up.’ He licked his lips. ‘Give meh an excuse.’

I stopped my struggles and gulped back my pain and confusion. He looked disappointed as he pulled me out of the shadows and dragged me around the corner to a back entrance of the building.

We entered a room where miserable people queued before a booth on one side. On the opposite end of the room, soldiers either drunk ale around wooden kegs dragged other people down hallways or played cards on boxes in the corners.

‘Mate – break her easy!’ I heard one of them say and felt sick in the stomach. It was all a gag. Nothing bad was going to happen to me – right?

The soldier laughed and pulled me to his chest. He was an awful mixture of sweaty body odor and bitter ale. I wanted to throw up. He smirked at his comrade and gave them a nod as he pulled me into a hallway, out of their site. His smirked dropped as he dragged me to the end and down a winding stairway where daylight was scarce.

‘What are you going to do to me?’ I whimpered and felt a sharp sting to my cheek. I went to rub it better but he yanked my hands away and forced me before a grilled door. When the door creaked opened, I was thrown into a dark and dingy cell. I landed awkwardly, on to stone cold ground and cursed at the sharp pain I felt along my arm.

‘Yah be good, maybe you get fed.’ He smirked and slammed the door. His foot steps faded up the stairs and ended with a bang then dead silence.

‘Ugh!’ I cursed. What happened? Who was this soldier and why was I locked up? Was I really a wanted person? How could I have done something so bad to be here?

‘What’s going on?’ I felt clueless and gave up guessing. I was soon distracted with an all over cold and ache over my body. Even hugging my knees and pulling my dress over my legs and hiding my arms in my sleeves couldn’t do much except warm my chest.

Tut – tut, youse a naughtee girl. Words hissed around the cell, bouncing off walls and in and out through my ears.

‘What – who’s there?’ I sat up and peered around the dark corners. Nothing stirred except me.

Yousee thought yousee escaped like clever creeture. Yousee wrong. The voice bounced around the walls again.

‘Escape from what? Who are you? Show yourself!’ I shuffled to my knees and crawled around the cell, feeling corners, walls, crevices but there was nothing but slime, furry lichen, stone and me. Was the lichen talking to me? Information about lichen fluttered into my mind on how certain types were effective for illusion spells. Could it be causing an imaginary voice?

‘Has to be,’ I reassured myself.

Yousee wrong. I real. I no imaginee. Yool see. The voice bounced around, louder and more insistent to be heard. I hugged my knees and buried my head between them to block out the sound that kept ringing through my ears, lingering on the words “yool see”.

‘No – stop it. It’s not real. I’m not here. No…’

Silence came swiftly. I shook off my confusion. It was all madness.

‘Is that why I’m here, why I was left for dead near that river. I was mad?’ Why did the old man save me?

A weight dropped onto my shoulders and into my heart, all my energy was gone. I cried myself into full exhaustion and finally sleep.

Scene 1-06

2009-04-01T10:48:00.000+11:00

We weaved and pushed our way through grizzly-bearded men cloaked in thick oil-stained coats reeking of fish guts, tobacco and raw iron. Some of them either yelled out to each over barrels or stood over tables of mullets, cutting through fish bellies and ripping out offal. Eventually, we entered a dirt lane where people with run-down faces and shabby tunics hurried after the elegant gentlemen or ladies styled in crisp white robes, colorful sashes draped across their chests, silver jewelry and headdresses.

The old man was careful to avoid contact with the white robed people but he had no hesitation in shoving the others aside as we made our way through the lane and down a street of mud huts crowded with food carts of various wares and more shabby people fussing over white robe folk who either looked down on these people or ignored them completely.

‘Sir, who are those people?’ I asked, my eyes pointed toward a tall man in a white robe, and received a nasty pinch to the ear for an answer.

‘It’s rude to stare,’ the Old Man said. He grabbed my hand and quickened his steps. I was dragged away from the activity and up a steep path that led to a complex of stone buildings.

We hurried across the path, narrowly missing a passing horse carriage. I coughed at the clouds of dirt the carriage stirred up and into my mouth.

‘Sir,’ I spat out. ‘Can we get some water?’

Again, I felt the nasty pinch to the ear and a warning not to complain. ‘Yah open your trap again, you get a slap.’

Questions rushed into my mind but I kept them to myself as I followed him up the path toward a large sandstone building with a statue of a man with an eagles head and wings standing near the front steps.

We made our way up the steps toward a set of double doors. I flinched when the old man turned and gave me a sign to stop.

‘Nah,’ he said and pointed to the tree behind the eagle-man statue. ‘Yah wait there.’

I nodded again and watched him enter the building, allowing groups of white robed citizens and uniformed men to move past me. I was quick to realize it was best to get off the steps.

I back tracked to the tree and found a shady spot underneath its leafy branches. The shade was refreshing. I felt at peace.

‘Hello,’ I whispered and offered a friendly smile to a passing couple in white robes. They stared at me with screwed up noses and whispered horrid words before moving on. I sighed and leaned further into the tree’s shadow, keeping out of everyone’s way.

I watched more uniformed men going went up and down the steps taking note of the changes in the sun’s position. The feeling of peace was now one of time lagging and a worry something wasn’t right.

‘It’s all good,’ I reassured myself and chewed my lip. He hadn’t been in there that long had he? What was he doing? Did it really take this long to report a missing person or get information? What if something happened to him? I wanted to do a search but if he came out and saw I was gone . . . I pressed my back against the wall, closed my eyes and waited.

Scene 1-05

2009-03-31T10:42:00.000+11:00

I woke when daylight touched my eyes and saw the edge of an island through thin mists. As we were near, I was able to make out small clusters of huts surrounding a hill of clay buildings and the tops of a stone coliseum. Rows of boats against a crowded quay skirted the island’s edges.

‘Is this a town?’ I asked and faced the old man.

He kept his attention to the approaching island and didn’t answer. I sighed and faced the way ahead – counting waves as the boats became bigger and the crowd more distinct.

‘Oh,’ I moaned as my stomach groaned and churned with a bout of nausea, and gagged as a bitter hit of bile rose up my throat. I was able to calm the burning sensation with a few gulps, but that made my stomach more nauseous.

‘Can we stop,’ I moaned and slumped against the edge, not caring if water soaked my head.

The boat eased into a space between two similar sized dinghies. When the boat’s direction seemed set in place, the old man lifted the oars into the air and allowed it to drift in. It came to a halt with a bump that saw me release my stomach’s contents into the water. Seagulls screeched complaints over my head. I breathed in brine and threw up again.

‘Ah feh gord sake,’ I heard the old man mumble over my head and was pulled upright. I wiped my mouth on piece of rag he handed me and threw it in the water afterwards.

‘Now, nun of your mouth going off. I see you wander, I give yah back of my hand,’ he warned and made his way toward the crowds.

I frowned. It was the first time I had see this side of him and wondered if it was because he truly cared for me. I decided it was best to do as he said and hurried to keep up with his pace.

Scene 1-04

2009-03-30T10:42:00.000+11:00

Three full moons had come and gone when the old man surprised me with the question, ‘Do yah wanna find out what happen to yah?’

I must have looked like a frozen carp with my mouth stuck on a “why”. Up until now, I had forgotten about the struggles for my life. His words brought the river’s assault back into my mind. I was all ready to say ‘no thank you’. The steadfast look in his eyes told me a decision had already been set for me. We gathered things for the journey that night and went to bed earlier than usual, waking before sunrise.

We walked through wet mists and down a ramp, which creaked and sighed underfoot. He settled a dinghy against the sides then tossed our sacks in, stepped in and sat on the only part of the boat you could call a seat. I staggered toward the center and sat on one of the sacks – hugging my knees with one arm and gripping the side with the other. The old man jiggled a couple of oars into two eyelets and started rowing the boat into open water.

The boat was damp and the water a miserable misty surface that did nothing but splash up the sides and wet my skin causing shivers to the point of annoyance. I did what I could with the coarse blanket wrapped around my shoulders. It did nothing to ease my discomforts and my thoughts of wanting it to end already.

‘H – How far?’ I whispered, trying to stop my teeth from chattering. The old man didn’t say a thing and kept his focus toward the way before us. I swallowed the rest of my questions and hugged my body into a fitful sleep.

Scene 1-03

2009-03-29T10:05:00.000+11:00

The old man came home early with a brown dress in his hands. ‘Get into this,’ he said then left me alone again.

The dress was comfortable. It went down to my ankles and covered my arms. I moved around the cabin better and was surprised the dress didn’t hinder my cleaning rituals.

The next time I saw the old man was the usual time. He stomped through the door grumbling about what a hard day he had and smelling of fish and a strange sick-sweet odor. He dumped his sack on the table then went to rest in a chair. I cooked and serve our dinners. We ate after the sun had gone down, always in a comfortable silence.

I figured the old man didn’t speak much. I’m sure he had a lot of questions and I expected a lot of them to rush out in one go but he kept his talk brief and general with most of his sentences ending with grunts and grumbles. After dinner we don’t do much but watch the misty swirls out side the window or fire crackling in the kiln before falling asleep.

Life moved on with a simple purpose and order. I grew used to the constant cold despite the fire burning from the kiln. I find myself liking the heavy mists and the sounds of breaking water in the background. I relished the smell of fish and taste of salt in the air. It was a good and comfortable life.

Scene 1-02

2009-03-22T09:32:00.000+11:00

I came back to life with dull senses and that feeling of something missing Questions circled my sluggish thoughts and it took me a while to figure out I was in a room. I glanced around noting walls of stained wood and a thick woolly blanket pulled up over my chest. The walls were covered with coiled ropes, odd shaped ornaments, tools, hunting traps and whatnots. A small window framed a dark misty landscape on the opposite side of the room. In the center, sat a small table and two chairs. A practical place.

My mind churned with where and why but a wave of nausea knocked me out before I was able to form an answer.

Time ticked on as I existed between dreaming and seeing. I wasn’t sure if I was really alive. Harsh bangs and ice chills to my face brought me back to reality.

I blinked in a man’s silhouette, stomping his feet beneath an open door. He pushed it closed and stepped forward so I saw his face in the torchlight from the lamps behind him.

His skin was wrinkly and hands calloused. Tufts of gray hair stood out in places. A grizzly beard covered a pudgy chin. He wore a coarse robe that ran the entire length of his body. It was plain, well used and slightly tattered. He offered a smile. Did I know him? I pressed my memory for clues and received blanks for answers. And the lights went out.

The old man was sitting in one of the chairs when I returned consciousness. He eyed me for a moment before he moved to my bed side and started feeding me soup. No conversation. His actions were automatic as if he was accustomed to having dying strangers in his place and helping them recover. He spoon fed me with care until he saw I had had enough and made sure I was comfortable before I fell asleep. He did this for me every night until I was able to sit up and feed myself. After a few days of this routine I was able to shuffle around the room that was actually a cabin.

Each morning my wounds were cleaned and redressed with care. I walked and moved more. Soon I was able to help with cleaning. When he seemed sure I knew what I was doing, he left the cabin in the morning and didn’t return until the evening for supper.

The cabin was a lot quieter and colder when he wasn’t around, despite the crackling fire from the small kiln against the back wall. Recovering had taken on a different meaning with a list of questions I couldn’t even hope to answer. I wasn’t comfortable asking the old man. He had done so much for me already that it didn’t feel right to bother him with more of my problems. Although, I couldn’t shake the feeling he knew something about me from the way he stared at me every now and then.

Was I a resemblance to a loved one – a daughter – a friend’s child? I studied my hands, they were a light olive and smooth on the back. My palms were filled with scratchy lines most forming shapes and patterns, which were connected together like flies within a spider’s web. The lines felt familiar – my hands didn’t.

More questions pestered my mind to the point I felt an urge to see my face. I shuffled around the cabin looking for a mirror and came upon a watery image on the underside of a metal pot. A moon shape face stared back at me. It blinked with dark doe like eyes. Its full lips mirrored my “oh” expression. Strands of wavy black hair rested on small shoulders.

I don’t know you.’ I said. My eyes didn’t feel familiar. They were as strange as my hands.

I shook my head and turned my attention to the state of my dress that hung as a tattered mess toward my knobby knees. Sleeves were ripped half way up my bony arms. The fabric was brittle to touch and almost colorless.

‘Where’d I get this?’ I asked myself then shook all my questions away. They were doing my head in. I had to trust that answers would come to me in good time. I was alive and in a safe place. Answers could wait.

Scene 1-01

2009-03-20T18:00:00.000+11:00

This must be dying.

Thoughts raced through my mind as senseless images. If I wasn’t so exhausted I’d stab my own heart and die already; curl up in a God forsaken hole, close down my mind and succumb to eternal sleep.

‘Peace and freedom,’ I whispered and felt my breath cold against my cheek. My body was on its way.

I opened my eyes to a grassy sludge and winced from the instant hit of aches and pains I felt, especially at my chest.

‘Death’s no enemy,’ the wind whispered around me.

‘It’s a pain in the butt,’ I coughed and cringed at the sharp jab I felt to my lower back. So much for that peaceful hole to die in.

I closed my eyes to the shadows flickering on the ground before me and listened to the irregular pounding against my ears.

Duh-dum, it comes, duh-dum, you’re done…

‘Done,’ I whispered.

I drifted into a dream and relief of baby-blue and peach colored skies, swirling watery clouds, a collection of grandiose images, faces, far-away places… all so wondrous and inviting.

‘…here.’

Not yet. The wind slapped the back of my legs, cheeks and did all it could to keep me alive. Damn nature. The dream was whisked away and replaced with reality: the sludge, pain and weakness.

Grip the pain. Listen for water. Find it, find answers daughter of Marsilien.
I opened my eyes to light, heard the rustling of trees, a shifting in the grass and a steady gush.

Find the water.

‘Why?’ I groaned but it was too late to argue. The idea of finding water had latched onto my brain like an insistent fly. I inhaled deeply, coughed out my pain and dropped my face into the sludge. My arms and legs tingled with chills. A short while later, the chills made way for warm relief so I was able to tense my muscles, grip earth and push my way along the ground. I made a slug trail toward a muddy river edge and felt cold life brush my finger tips. Water!

‘Find the water.’ What if what I found was tainted with diseases and death itself? Is that why I was dying? I fingered the sense-snapping coldness. If I’m dying what does it matter. I scooped a handful toward my lips, lost my balance and slid into a watery assault.

Water invaded my throat and nostrils. It stung my eyes, pushed against my chest and threatened to break my ribs. My screams came out as gurgles and pitiful bubbles. I’d open my mouth to breathe only to swallow more vile water. My mind reeled backward. I felt my life pulled away from me again. I tried to turn and free myself, to keep my head above the waves but the river held me fast. Somehow, I found the will to keep my nose in the air.

The river was brutal. It punched, knocked and dragged my body for some time before it spewed me out as deadwood toward the hard edge of something.
Twilight flickered about my eyes. I felt a sense of calm wash away my aches.

‘The end.’ Those definite words blew out of my mouth like it was my last breath.

Rest now – know earth and magic are with you. The wind whispered around my ears.

I felt something wrap my waist and lift my body into dry air. Pins and needles jabbed the tender spots underneath my skin. Suddenly, I felt and saw nothing.

Notes & Updates

2008-06-09T11:50:00.009+10:00

They call me Neven. I'm a slave with magic - not a good thing. You can die under law if you're lucky. My masters want to use me. They think I have the way to their obsession - powerful, ancient magic. They have no idea they're way over their heads.

Posts fortnightly on Thursdays, 6pm

Notes and Updates

12/06/2011

Almost a year, but Scene 9-02 is uploaded. Will continue to upload each week until there is a regular routine established for this year in place.

1/12/2010

I've felt motivated to compile the posts into an ebook format that will be available for download. There will be one for each episode. Episodes one and two are already up and available via scribd.com and issuu.com. Once I've completed all of them up to the current episode, I'll make them available via Mobipocket also.

I've also created a facebook account to link them around places. There is now a specific email address for the story, seriphyn (at) gmail.com.

Scene 9-02 this thursday.

21/11/2010

Update. As soon as I wrote out the below, I felt the urge to reconnect with this story again. I've added a new post and will continue to do so at the regular time slot. Albeit in bite size posts.

I know it has been a while since post updates. I've seemed to have lost interest in writing. Not only with this story but in the craft in general. More to do with the fact of life responsibilities, little time and no audience. We all like to believe in the illusion that we write for ourselves. A story becomes less of a gem if it's not gleeming in the eyes of others. If no one wants to read your works, what's the point in wasting time on it. Still, the story breathes life of its own. So the question is whether to continue giving it oxygen or cutting off its supply.

If there were, per chance, people reading this story and wanting continual updates then it would be nice to know this so I can feel motivated.

Right now, I have no confidence in writing anything.

PS: That could be as soon as next month or as long as next year. Depending on my mood of the day and the leisure I have at my disposal.

19/07/2010

Corrected a few errors found in scenes 3-04 & 3-05, previously overlooked. Posted the updates to Fictionaut.

21/05/2010

Something weird happened to the blogger site for this story. The posts went screwy and the template was a mess. Unfortunately, I had to change to a different template . Even more unfortunate, manually upload all the scenes as the conversion from wordpress to blogger doesn't work. So if you tend to favour the Blogger site over the Wordpress one, mighty apologies. Hopefully, I'll have the blogger site operational in a few days. On a good note, all scenes have been checked for errors and fixed accordingly.

18/05/2010

I’ve corrected a lot of errors whilst reading through episodes 1 – 3. I can’t believe how many had slipped through the cracks. Once I’ve gone through all the episodes and filter out the mistakes, I’ll have to discuss with Gayla on having a second version of the ebook released in place of the first.

God, I wish my mind wasn’t so scattered and my time stretched thin. At least I’m able to fix them up on the site itself.

30/03/2010

I’ve updated the wordpress site with a snappier theme and one that has a better “back tracking” scheme. I was getting over the last one. Although, I still like the orange. Mikhalz makes its return as the banner feature.

Posting will be cutting it fine this month with Script Frenzy and Easter holidays. I’ll being posting to schedule nevertheless. Well trying to anyway. Besides, I’ll be using SF for episode trailer work for this story. So expect more youtube clips.

09/03/2010

Post schedule is on stand-by until the first of April. I’ve been dedicating my free hours learning 3D skills and working on illustrations and trailer animations for this story.

Good news. I have been redrafting up new episodes; cut and pasting from old drafts and working them into the current story line.

In the next few scenes, When learn more of who Neven truly is. Neven’s state of mind is tested when she enters the lair of the Banshees to rescue Master Dagor and Edde who have been captured.

So a lot is going on behind the scenes. The story will continue regularly from April onwards (fingers crossed).

16/02/2010

I’ve taken the plunge and tested my courage with web fiction directory submissions. Most, these days, are quite articulate in what they taken on. Previously, a story like mine tends to end up in their slush piles. Neven and I have learnt a lot. Failure is just another way of “working to get it right”. Sort of like a Thomas Edison thing.

Since I’m submitting to webfiction directories, I’ve re-released all earlier posts with an option to buy the ebook version. Whatever reception it receives, it will still be written. Who knows, maybe someone would like it. I won’t bank faith on it. Rather work to gain better skills and enhance my style. Failure is only my own. Success with spiritual gratitude is fulfilling.

07/02/10

The ebook version of Episodes one to six have now been released for sale via Katarr Kanticles Press. It is titled “In Anwar’s Care”. Coinciding with the ebook release, these episodes will no longer be available for reading online. However, episodes seven and onwards will remain with the story updated accordingly.

3/02/10

I’ve began with the post transfer. The oldest posts will be uploaded first. More than likely, will be taken offline once the eBook version hits the shelves.

31/01/10

New wiki up and away. Although, I still have a lot to add in.

12/01/10

I’m definitely going to pin a post date on my forehead and do all I can to stick with it. So far, I’ve been procrastinating. I’m losing the feel for the story more each time I fail to write it. This time, I will recommence with the Thursday time slot as of next week. It’s only one post a week and I should be able to meet it. Should.

21/12/09

New scene has been uploaded. I’ve decided to post ebook versions via Kantarr Kanticles Press now. If this falls through, will fall back to scribd.com. I will continue to upload scenes on a fortnightly to monthly basis, and will test for regular time slots before advertising a new one I can keep to.

28/12/09

Just to clarify with the header. The current header image is under kiyasart.com. A digital creation.

21/12/09

The story will also be made available for monthly download via scribd.com. I was intent on canning this site but have decided to continue to upload scenes when I rewrite them. I will also revise current scenes for errors I had failed to notice when uploading.

Fixed up some of the pronouns and missing context from scene 7.2

There will be more errors to correct but my time is limited to the cockroach hours, and the story must go on until the end.

03/10/09

Seriphyn knight reaches the Google auto select page. Is that good?

Seriphyn Knight @ 707

30/09/09

Okay, I’ve set an official showing date for each scene/episode, which is now Thursday – weekly at 6:00pm. It will give me plenty of time to tweak and post the story. I’m also set to create Season 2 as my NanoWrimo entry.

13/09/09

The adventure begins again and this time it’s my way for sure. I’m going to Lulu this story for print and ebook publication. More than likely it will be edited for better meaning and intention. So there will be variations in scenes but only slight and the story itself stays the same. The intention is for the ebook to be a free download but print versions charged at a very cool price. It’s all for the love of the story and my piece of immortality.

07/09/09

Credit of the model goes to Krystle who has allowed her images to be used freely via Morguefiles

28/08/09

Update: If you happen to read this story, apologise for the haphazard schedule but with long work hours and family demands, writing takes a back seat these days. By the time I have the time, it’s like, “do I have to?” I plan to update more regularly in the coming months.

Oops! It seems my host account has expired.

That’s what I get when I’m offline for a bit.

So here I’m with this account.

I’ll be adding in more later. For now, you can

enjoy the story here and on your mobile

via mofuse. I’ll add it to the home base links.