22. Rourk
Chapter twenty-two
Rourk
T he walk back to the village is tense and filled with unspoken comments. Galene has been avoiding my gaze mostly, and whenever our eyes meet, she quickly turns away as if burned. And yet, there is no more sense of anger or hatred from her. Her small smiles and soft eyes are telling me that. The air is different around us and the only tension is the embarrassment we’re feeling from our passionate kissing earlier. I still have some smears of blood and guts on me from being pressed against Galene. We’ve managed to clear the worst of it off her with a pail of water in the field, but it’s hard to ignore the lingering stench of death on her.
Little Milo has stopped whimpering and looks more composed now as we go through the fields. Jonah has a disturbed expression, his brows constantly furrowed, which makes him look older than his ten years.
“So,” Leila says. “We were just almost killed by the biggest monster I’ve ever seen. And yet that somehow is not the most surprising thing to happen.” She regards us. “When did this happen with you two? ”
Galene has developed a shaky, awkward air about her, which I find adorable. “When did what happen?”
“The kissing.” Leila raises an eyebrow.
Galene focuses ahead, as if she hasn’t heard her sister.
“It’s new,” I mutter.
Leila wraps her arms around herself, reminding me of Galene. “She called you Rourk. I’m guessing that’s your real name.”
I nod. “But please, do not tell anyone.”
“Why? Why is your name a secret?”
I turn to Leila. “For the same reason I have not been able to speak to your elders.”
Leila nods with understanding. They’ve asked me to let them keep their privacy, and I’m hoping they will do the same for me.
“Did you recognize that beast?” Galene asks after a time.
Leila cocks her head.
“I did,” Jonah says, looking up. “That was Aramet. From Grandpa’s books. Is that right?”
Galene nods, and says to me, “Aramet is an ancient magical being from our legends. It was known for causing destruction wherever it went.”
Leila gasps. “Those are children’s stories. Folktales.”
“That wasn’t Aramet, though,” Galene says. “It was a behemoth like him, but not the same, I don’t think. Aramet was meant to be able to trample towns. This one was much smaller. I think it was a similar behemoth to the famous destructor.”
“How would this creature from legends be here now?” I ask, but I feel like I already know the answer .
Leila and Galene both believe it had returned to the world with the resurrection of magic.
“Speaking of magic,” Leila says. “How in all creation did you summon that light to kill the beast?”
Galene shrugs. “I’ve been practicing lately. And I think the more I try, and the more I summon, the easier it gets.” She gives a small grin. “Plus, a bit of panic seems to help summon it.”
Milo perks up. “Can you do that, too, mommy?”
“No,” Leila says quickly. “No. I didn’t inherit light magic. Instead, I got darkness.”
The world has been changing lately, and that disturbs me greatly. It must be that energy I’ve been feeling in the atmosphere. Ever since… the journey to the mountain foothills? Or before?
When we eventually reach the village, we see there is a disturbed murmur among the crowd gathered in the central field. Something seems to trouble the villagers.
A large stone pedestal has been placed in the field. A bowl shape is carved into the top of the plinth, which is filled with silvery water. A group of elderly people are standing closest to the plinth. The village elders. It’s a rare sight for me to see them among the other villagers like this.
Aldus comes to us as we make our way through the crowd. He hugs his daughters and grandsons, and claps me on the shoulder, full of relief. “What happened?” he asks when he sees the bloody remains on Galene’s dress.
“It’s of no concern now,” I tell him, as it's clear something very important is happening here.
“What is going on?” Leila asks, pulling the boys to stay close to her .
“We are in danger, my loves.” Aldus turns to his daughters. “Our worst fears are coming true.”
He takes us over to the plinth of water. Magdalena is standing nearby, while Colm and Yovin are on the other side of the crowd. It takes me a while to find Abby among them. I wonder if they’re purposely keeping themselves separated now.
Aldus’s eyes are wide and he has a trembling look about him. He’s almost unhinged. I’ve never seen him this shaken. But I suppose the idea of losing your family will do that to a man. That beast was headed in their direction. If I hadn’t got there as quickly as I did…
“We were just talking about the disturbances in the air,” he says. “You have felt it?”
Leila and Galene look confused and uncertain, but I nod. “I’ve felt it, yes. What does it mean?”
Aldus places a hand on the plinth. “The thoro-seer has spoken. It has shown us the danger we are in.”
“What does it say?” Galene asks.
At my questioning look, Aldus explains to me what the thoro-seer is. I think he does this to delay the news he has to tell us.
“The thoro-seer is a relic from the old world that is known to be able to sense ripples in the atmosphere, and even through time itself. It can show images of the future, or the past, when accessed by someone who knows how to command its power and read its images.”
“There is no easy way to say this,” Aldus continues gravely.
“Magic has betrayed us,” one of the elders says. “We have proven this is so. ”
Leila’s lips tremble. “What does that mean?”
Galene is silently stunned and horrified.
“You know the stories,” Aldus says. “The ancient king, Thanek Deidamos. The dark king who once ruled this world.”
“From the stories, yes,” Leila says. “I know Thanek once lived, but that was so long ago. What does that have to do with-”
“The thoro-seer has shown us,” another elder says, his face dark and heavy. “Thanek has risen again. His forces are back in this world.”
Galene and Leila look to the five elders, as if pleading with them for help.
One woman in their group, whom I believe is Magdalena’s mother, says, “Magic has been a blessing and curse to us. And it has allowed ancient forces to rise from their deep slumbers.”
Like that behemoth , I think, a chill washing over me.
“You’ve had access to this thoro-seer this whole time?” I ask.
“We’ve had it,” Aldus answers, “but it has only been usable since magic returned. It has shown us very little until now. One thing it showed us… was a man in an Oathlands Military uniform. That was a few days before your arrival.”
A stunned hush falls on the crowd.
“You never mentioned this,” I say. But I shouldn’t be surprised about that.
“We did not know what it meant,” Aldus says. “Or if it foreshadowed something good or bad for our village. We had to wait to see what kind of man you were. ”
“The thoro-seer never lies,” a hunched elder says, his voice strikingly gravelly. “Thanek Deidamos has returned to the world, and he will mean to take it once again.”
Galene shudders. “Thanek was slain, wasn’t he? You said so yourself, father. That’s what the stories say. Dashna Strongblood defeated him and banished him from this realm.”
“That’s right,” Leila says, trying to sound hopeful. “Irina Dashna, the heroine whom we are descended from. That’s what you tell us, right?”
Aldus nods, his expression severe. “Correct, my loves. We are descended from the heroine Irina Dashna, whom the stories call Dashan Strongblood. That has no relevance to our situation, however. And, yes, she defeated Thanek. But it appears the dark king has merely been slumbering all this time. And the resurgence of magic has somehow allowed him to grow in power and return to our world.”
“And you saw this?” I ask. “In the water?”
“We did,” Aldus says. “Only a few of us are capable of interpreting the images, but it was confirmed. Thanek and his forces roam this land. And they are intent on destroying everything. They will not stop until Thanek rules over the rubble that remains, so that he may rebuild this world for himself. He has done so before.”
I’m still struggling to take in all this information. The grave looks on everyone tell me they fully believe this, and the danger is very real. I take my cue from Galene, who seems shaken and horrified. That tells me I need to do something about this, for the sake of us all.
“Do we know where this dark king is heading?” I ask .
Aldus nods and pulls out a folded slip of paper. “We received a message earlier. A messenger came from The Kingdom.”
My brows shoot up. “The Kingdom? Here?” I didn’t even think the Kingdom knew of the Shanti People’s presence.
Aldus unfolds the note and holds it up. “It is a plea for help. The Kingdom seeks our aid. I believe they have sent messengers across the land, like the one who came to us. Their Kingdom is in great danger. Thanek’s army has been seen coming to them.”
“A Kingdom messenger came all the way here, to deliver a note?” I ask. “How do we confirm the note is true?”
“The thoro-seer proves the truth,” an elder says with some annoyance.
“Can I take a look?” I ask, although I know the answer before I finish speaking.
The same annoyed elder glares mistrustfully at me. “It is not for outsiders. Shanti only.”
I try to keep my voice even. “This is no time for customs if we are in such danger-”
“Shanti only,” the elder hisses.
Aldus raises a calming hand to me. “You will probably not see anything.”
“I’ve seen it work before,” Galene says. “It’s real. You can trust it.”
I have to take her word for it. The elders have been staring at me hard with wary frowns.
“We must help the Kingdom folk.” Leila voices what must be on many of our minds .
“We want to,” Magdalena says. “But we can offer no support to them. We will go there to die.”
“We have to help,” Aldus says sternly. “We believe the Shanti People have the most concentration of magic out of anyone else in this land. We have the means to help, and to actually be useful in the fight.”
“We will go to die,” someone calls out.
“The Kingdom will fall,” an elder replies, surprisingly calm. “And the rest of the world will follow.”
It would make sense for an invading army to go after the center of the continent first. Take out the biggest challenge, and the rest will be easier. Maybe Thanek can sense the power and influence of the Kingdom and is drawn to it.
Aldus is right. The magic users among us are likely the best defense The Kingdom has. The Oathlands will have their own magic users, but they are too far away to be helpful in time. And The Kingdom, for all its gold, power, and influence, has never been known for its magical heritage. They will not have the forces to defend themselves from this ancient army.
“How long do we have?” I ask.
“Thanek’s forces are swift and unyielding, but they ride no animals,” Aldus says. “The messenger came on horseback and said the invading army should reach the Kingdom by nightfall today.”
“It would take us a day to reach the Kingdom,” I say. “We have no animals to ride, either.”
“To the south, there are farmlands,” Leila says. “In the Sundown Ways. They have many horses there. We can ride them the rest of the way to the Kingdom. That will cut our journey by half. We could arrive at the Kingdom by tonight. In the middle of the night.”
“What army does he have?” I ask.
Aldus’s brows crease. “Horrors of the old world.”
That unsettles my stomach. “You need to contact the Oathlands,” I say. “They are the nearest military. And they have the largest force to aid the Kingdom. Koprus and Syraxia are too far away.”
Aldus frowns at me. “The Oathlands, coming to the Kingdom’s aid? Preposterous. You are both sworn enemies.”
“This is different.” I shake my head. “If this is all really happening, then it means our entire world is in danger. We can’t let innocent people die and then wait for the invaders to come to the rest of us. If the Kingdom falls, we will all be slaughtered.”
“The Oathlands is too far,” Magdalena says. “We will waste much time going there, and then the time needed for the Oathlanders to reach The Kingdom. Thanek’s forces will have taken The Kingdom before our message can even reach the Oathlands.”
“We have to try, though,” I say. “Please. Send a message to the Oathlands. Even if it takes a week. Even if The Kingdom has already fallen. They have to know. Tell them what is happening. And my… people will ride out.” I almost said, my brother .
Aldus is watching me closely with narrow eyes.
“We need to go now,” I say.
“You are right,” Aldus agrees. “We Shanti People are the only ones in this land who can sense the returning power of Thanek and the other forces among others. We are the most in tune with ancient magic. The Oathlands will not have detected Thanek’s return. And the only reason the Kingdom knows of the attack is that they have seen the approaching army on the horizon. That’s why they have positioned themselves so high above everyone else, so they can see approaching armies from miles away.”
“The Oathlands have their magic back also,” I say. “Perhaps they have sensed Thanek’s return.”
Aldus shakes his head. “The magic in this world is newer. It is diluted and filtered. I speak of ancient magic. The kind that runs through our Shanti blood.”
I frown in thought, coming to a dark realization. I must do what I hate. I have to defend the Kingdom and save everyone there.
All I wanted was to return home, and now fate has brought me back to this village. If we don’t help the Kingdom, death and destruction will spread across the world.
Galene shares a concerned, deeply troubled look with me. I can see the fear in her eyes. I want to reach out and comfort her but have to hold myself back.
One part bothers me. A Kingdom messenger coming all the way out here and knowing where to find the Shanti People. But that is the least of my concern, and far from the most outlandish thing I’ve heard today.
We make a plan to send as many people as we can to the Kingdom. We must do what we can.