Chapter 19
Ka stalked the halls impatiently. The Chosen One should have been delivered into her hands by now. She was getting impatient as the time was dragging on, and her mood was worsening. Even Mailek didn't want to be around her.
Ka turned the corner, deciding to go in search of one of the new Talsian slaves. They made such great punching bags and she could release her pent up frustrations and get some practice with her powers at the same time.
She passed by the audience hall, where people routinely were kept to cool their heels waiting for her. As she approached, she heard voices and slowed down. She had not been told that anyone had come to see her and she was curious about what they wanted. Slowly she made her way to the door to listen.
"I don't want to be the one to tell her. Why the hell didn't the captain come and do this himself?" A low voice of a man came from the room.
"For the same reason you don't want to be the one to tell her we lost the girl." A second higher pitched male voice answered. Ka's interest was definitely piqued now. "He wants to keep his head that's why we were sent." The second voice continued. "Do you think he would actually survive telling the Empress that he lost the Chosen One? You and I, at least have a chance of keeping our skin. But the captain would certainly be killed."
So that's why the girl has not been brought to me yet, and that imbecile won't even face me, but instead sends me some little errand boys, thinking that they will somehow placate me. That he will escape my wrath. She muttered to herself
"Well it was his fault that she escaped." The first voice could be heard saying. "He should have known better. Someone who is wanted this badly by the Empress obviously has some sort of power. She should have been guarded around the clock instead of being kept outside his tent as his little pet."
Ka swore under her breath and clenched her fists so tightly that her nails cut into her palms, drawing a small amount of blood. She had heard enough. She stalked into the room where the two men were, slamming open the door as she went.
"What do you mean she is gone? Explain yourselves!" She yelled, her eyes flashing dangerously.
"Your Majesty ... I ...I ... we ..." one of the men who was standing before her stuttered, as he fell to his knees, pressing his face to the floor.
"You ... nothing. I have had enough of this foolishness. I want the entire story and I want it now. INCLUDING the name of your captain." Ka hissed.
The two men exchanged looks and the first one to have spoken finally stepped forward. Quickly he told the story of how Alia had been captured and their march towards the fortress. He retold how their captain had beaten and tried to humiliate the girl in front of her people and of how she did not break down and the courage the others had gained from it. Ka's anger increased as the soldier continued to talk. She silently swore that she was going to have a very very long talk with the captain, and that he was not going to enjoy one bit of it.
Finally, the soldier spoke of Alia's escape and their subsequent search for her. He finished by giving his captain's name and then stood quietly. His eyes were fixed to the ground, almost as if he was expecting that he was going to be struck down where he stood.
Ka stood motionless for several minutes. When she finally spoke, her voice was cold and deadly. "I thank you for the information. You may leave." She said matter-of-factly, as she turned and left the room.
"That went better than I expected." The voice of the man who had given the information to Ka drifted to her ears, as she stood just outside the door.
"You see ... I told you she would be reasonable and that she would take it out on the captain. Didn't I..." the second voice broke off into a scream of agony, and the sounds of bodies hitting the floor could be heard.
Ka smiled, as the screams coming from her victims grew louder and louder. She concentrated more on her power and focused it to their intestines. Twisting them into intricate knots, their screams continued. Finally, she reached out with her power and stopped the Soldiers heart.
Humming softly to herself, she went in search of the soldiers Captain. She had a few things she wanted to speak to him about.
****
Alia woke at the insistence of Syros. His cold wet nose nudging her into consciousness. Light had barely started to touch the sky and Alia groaned. She had only been asleep for a few hours, and the prospect of another day of hard travel was not pleasant.
Alia rose to her feet and stretched, trying to get the kinks out of her body and to prepare herself for the inevitable marathon that Syros would lead her on.
The sky was gray and slightly overcast. But it was different today. Rather than being a dingy depressing gray that almost always meant rain, it was lighter with almost a silver twinge to it. The land was effected too, it was almost as if someone had taken all of the color out of the world.
Alia stood staring at the area around her. "It's like the world knows something is about to happen, and it's waiting." She mused, lost in thought, until Syros insistent urging brought her back to the present.
"Yes, Syros. I know." She said, quietly.
The two took off towards the East at a fast walk. Though Syros kept urging her to go faster, Alia regulated her pace. She had realized after a couple of days of letting Syros set the pace, that she was not a wolf and that she was no match for him. If she let him set the pace, he would run her until her feet fell off.
They crossed the valley that they had taken shelter in the night before, and started up a low sloping hill. Alia looked at Syros with a mischievous smile, and then took off running up the hill, her laughter trailing after her. It wasn't long before Syros overtook her, his tongue lolling out of his mouth in amusement.
The two of them ran together for quite some time. As they crested the top of the hill, Alia halted suddenly and stared in awe. There before her was the sun, creeping over the horizon. The rays spilled down and hit the land, splashing color everywhere, almost like the sun was reaching out to the earth and tenderly feeding life into it with its gentle probing fingers.
"It's beautiful." Alia exclaimed.
Yes, it is. Syros agreed. He cocked his head and regarded her for several moments. Are you ready Alia?
"Ready?" She turned to Syros and breathed out loud. "Ready? Am I..."
Are you Ready Alia? Are you ready to face Shadar's Chosen One? Are you ready to face Ka? Syros interrupted. We are but a half days walk from the fortress. The time is at hand. Are you ready for the final battle?
"I ... I ... " Alia stuttered. "I don't know. I just learned to use this power. I haven't had much practice. I don't know if I am able ... if I am ready to fight her yet."
Syros sat on his haunches and stared at the girl for several moments before lifting his muzzle to the sky. One doesn't know Talsia. She is definitely strong and has the power to face the Shadar's Chosen One. But its her own will ... Syros sounded dubiously in Alia's head, but he was obviously not speaking to her.
Trust me, Syros. Talsia's voice replied. Alia is the one. She has more in her than she knows. The air in front of the shimmered slightly as the Goddess appeared before them.
"Great One." Alia said as she bowed her head.
Talsia looked at Alia slightly startled. "You have not called me that in quite some time. Why do you not call me Talsia, dear one?"
"I don't know, I guess ... I guess I am just a little... " Alia stuttered and struggled for the words to explain the sudden fear that had crept into her.
"I know child. I know." She said reaching out her hand and brushing Alia's cheek. "Alia, listen to me. You have more in you than you know. I know that you don't feel that you have been using my power for long, and haven't had much practice, but why do you think that I have been talking to you for all these years? Why do you think I have been watching you? To help guide your mind, to help mold it. When the time comes, you will open doors you never knew were there. But only if you trust in yourself and in me."
"Yes, Talsia. You know I will follow you anywhere. I trust you." Alia said, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"I know you do, but you don't always trust yourself, and you must. I chose you for a reason, my child. And you have yet to disappoint me." The Goddess smiled. "Syros will be with you and so will I ... as will the Will and wishes of all of our people. Go now, and face the one that has brought this upon my people and yours. I will be there by your side." Talsia bent and kissed Alia gently on the forehead and then disappeared.
Alia stared for several minutes at the place where her Goddess has just stood. "I suppose we might as well get started, Shadar's Chosen One awaits. We wouldn't want to keep her waiting. Come on Syros." She said with the bravest voice she could muster.
Syros nodded once and the two took off again towards the East and towards the fortress.
****
The sun has reached its peak when Syros and Alia had reached the top of another hill. Alia was breathless and tired and was just about to fall down in exhaustion when her eye fell on something in the distance that made her gasp. Below her, in the valley stood the Shadarian fortress.
Alia's mouth dropped open in awe. She had never seen anything like it. It was huge. The houses and buildings all seemed to be crammed together, almost sitting one on top of the other. She was sure that there was what would have amounted to at least three or four Talsian villages crammed into the one city.
The city was surrounded by huge stakes that were lashed together to form walls and gates. Each of the stakes were at least as tall as the tallest Talsian, three times over. It was probably possible to climb those walls, Alia thought, but it wouldn't be easy.
Right in the center of the fortress, Alia's eyes rested on what could on be the Empress lair. It rose above the other buildings, towering above their magnificence, if you could call it that. The lair was black and it seemed to be shrouded in shadows even under the bright sun of noon. There were two tall towers that climbed up towards the sky, but rather than seeming magnificent, they were gnarled and grotesque. Briefly, Alia wondered if this was the nature of towers or rather of the owner who had it built. Alia stood in awe for several more minutes, as her eyes swept over the fortress, again and again, in an attempt to drink it all in.
Finally, she noticed, a small enclosure, just outside of the walls. She strained forward for several seconds, to see what it was. As realization dawned on her, she gasped and her eyes widened in horror. There before her was the slave enclosure of her people.
"Oh Syros." She whispered horrified, as she pointed towards the enclosure below them.
Syros peered out at the foreboding fortress and followed Alia's arm. His eyes became steely, but he said nothing.
"We have to get them out!" Alia exclaimed, as she started running down the hill.
Syros loped ahead of her and turned and bared his teeth. You have a greater responsibility, Alia.
"But Syros. They are my people and they are slaves! I have to do something."
Alia. Syros barked, startling Alia. If you go down there and try to free them, you will be caught again. If you are brought into KA's presence as a captive, you will die and then there will be no hope for any of them. Steal your heart Alia. Do what must be done. Syros eyes pierced through her heart as his words reverberated through her head.
Tears streamed down Alia's cheeks. She wanted to help her people. She wanted to be able to free them, but she knew deep within her that Syros was right. She had a task to do and she had to finish it, or there would be no future for Talsia or any of them.
Slowly, Alia nodded and turned back to gaze at the fortress. An afternoon breeze had come up and it teased and played with her skirts and whipped her hair.
Brushing a few strands of hair out of her face, Alia looked at Syros, "All right. To the fortress it is. To meet Shadar's Chose One." She said with as much confidence as she could muster. "Any idea how to get in?"
Easy. We sneak. Syros replied, his tongue lolling out in amusement. Come on! He urges, as he loped off down the hill with Alia uneasily trailing after.
Chapter 20