Chapter 20 - The Messenger

Gabriel ascended to cloud level as he passed over the Klidz city. The city itself was about ten times larger than first Klidz city he had been to. It was also built on the steep incline of a rocky mountainside. The decimated remains of a forest stretched for miles in all directions, and the timber had been used to build various structures. The wall that surrounded the city was built from the mountain itself, and formed a dark ring around the parameter. Like the first city, this one had two main gates that were currently open, and he could see several Klidz as well as centaurs in the areas outside of the city walls.

The buildings inside the city had two distinct appearances. Some were the domed earthen huts he recognized as Klidz, while others were built like the buildings in Lendoren. The buildings were not intermixed. The white ones were located closest to the walls, while the Klidz lived in the interior. At the back of the city, farthest up the mountainside was a structure nearly identical to Merek’s home.

‘Even if Klidz can travel at ten miles an hour, I’ve got roughly two hours before they can make it back. That should give me enough time to find the gateway Merek told me about.’

Gabriel traveled over the city and came in from the top of the mountain. Considering that he had to explain what ‘flying’ was to centaurs, he doubted that anyone would be looking up into the sky. And even if they did his white clothes and white wings blended perfectly with the clouds. However, once he was over the rocky surface of the mountainside its dark gray surface would give his presence away. He would just move in quickly and hope that nobody saw him.

That hope vanished immediately when he passed within inches of a guard tower. It had been camouflaged to look like a rock spire, but as he flew past he could see that it was painted fabric attached to wooden scaffolding. Instantly he heard drumbeats, and what seemed like fractions of a second later more drums took up the call.

“So much for sneaking in the back way,” he grumbled as he headed for a large balcony. ‘Why do I have a feeling that this is going to get real ugly, real fast?!’

Speed was going to have to be his ally. If he encountered any Klidz he would have to dodge them or take them down very quickly. ‘Merek said that the castle had been built around the gateway. If that were true it would be on the lower levels.’

The room he was in now was roughly fifty feet in length by forty feet in width and was a little more than fifteen feet high. Two fireplaces were located on each side and tapestries lined the walls. Gabriel was tempted to study them, but considered the fact that the Klidz had watched him land in this room. It would be seconds before he had company. Or would he? The room itself had no doors leading out of it, and no archways or entrances were visible. He could however hear the scratching sounds of hundreds of clawed feet scurrying towards him. He headed back towards the edge of the balcony.

One of the tapestries moved as an armed Klidz pulled it aside and held it as several others poured into the room. Gabriel weighed his options. There were seven of them, and god only knew how many more could show up at any second. He dove over of the balcony and flew uphill to the opposite side of the castle. Finding a window barely large enough for him to squeeze through, he found himself inside an ornately decorated chamber; with inlayed wooden floors and rich colorful tapestries hanging on the walls. Gabriel gave the tapestries a tertiary glance, but suddenly realized that what he had seen on them were centaurs.

It was a crude depiction to be sure, but the figures on the tapestry he was standing in front showed several Klidz emerging from a large black obelisk and several centaurs facing them carrying bowls of fruit. One of the Klidz had been embroidered more ornately than the others, with layers of cloth making the figure three dimensional. If the picture was to scale, then the obelisk was roughly the size of a semi-truck trailer.

‘Looks like a prop from 2001,’ he though to himself, ‘That shouldn’t be too hard to find.’

He gave the others a glance, but stopped cold when he found one depicting several Klidz with spears herding several dozen centaurs into a dune-worm pit. The centaurs were being devoured by the dune worms while the Klidz watched on with their weapons drawn. In none of the pictures did he find a single Klidz attacking a dune-worm. Only one tapestry showed a Klidz with a dead dune-worm. The same embroidery technique had been used to make the central figure three dimensional. It was standing on top of a medium sized worm than had been drawn like it had been broken in half and gutted.

The sound of approaching Klidz stopped Gabriel from examining the tapestries further. Looking behind the tapestries he discovered a descending staircase with three armed Klidz coming up the stairs. Quickly checking two others he found no other exits. As the first Klidz pulled the tapestry aside Gabriel kicked it back into the two others. All three tumbled down the staircase, curling themselves up and looking like huge truck tires as they ricocheted off the walls. Gabriel took the narrow stairs four or five at a time as he chased the three down the flight. The spiral staircase ended in a very large hallway that must have spanned the width of the entire castle. The walls were lined with evenly spaced columns carved from the dark mountain granite. The roof arched high overhead, supported by ribs that were anchored on the tops of the columns. The floor looked to be made of lacquered marble; with intricate patterns of jeweled stones set into the floor. In the center of the hallway was a large rectangular reflecting pool filled with ebony liquid. At the far end of the hallway were several steps leading to a platform roughly four feet above the floor of the hallway. The other end of the hallway seemed to come to an abrupt dead end.

Between each pair of columns hung a tapestry that stretched from floor to ceiling. All of the tapestries were a dark yellow; with various insignias and crests embroidered on them. Everyone who was standing in the hallway was looking at the commotion. There were a number of Klidz, two centauresses and one centaur. He instantly recognized one of the two women.

{Lady Shalynnda!} he yelled, noticing that the three Klidz hadn’t kept hold of their weapons, {I must speak with you! I-}

The tapestries near him moved slightly, and the smell of ozone filled the air. He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

‘Oh crap, not again!’

Gabriel dove for the opposite wall just as the lightning struck the point where he had been standing. The moment he landed, he rolled onto his feet and bolted towards the three.

{Shahira is alive!} he yelled, feeling another buildup of static. Diving to his right, the bolt of lightning struck the ground about two feet directly ahead of where he had been standing.

‘If I had jumped forward, I’d have been toast. Somebody really doesn’t want Shahira to be found alive.’

The Klidz, as well as the male centaur, began running for cover. The remaining centauress was desperately trying to pull Shalynnda with her but the blond priestess wouldn’t budge. Seeing that neither of them would make it to safety in time the brown centauress let go of Shalynnda and held her arms out to her sides. She said something in her native tongue that the amulet didn’t translate, and the electric wind instantly subsided. One last lightning bolt fired from the ceiling of the hallway but curved down the side of the walls and struck the floor harmlessly.

{Your daughter Shahira is alive,} Gabriel said as he sprinted the last remaining yards towards the two mares, {As is her sister Shaniddia. I have seen them both.}

Dozens, then hundreds of lightning strikes reigned down through the hallway. And again they all traveled along the outer walls of the hall. The brown centauress held out her arms again, as if repelling an attack. The noise was deafening.

After several tense second, the lightning stopped as quickly as it started. The tapestries that had adorned the walls were now shredded and burning, revealing four hallways that branched off from this one.

“Who are you?” Shalynnda asked in amazement.

{My name is Gabriel. A few days ago I happened to meet a group of your people, one of which was a centauress with a curse on her that makes her look like she’s dead. She told me her name was Shaniddia. Yesterday I was passing by a worm-pit and heard voices coming from it. I went it to investigate and found Shahira. I tried to bring her here but King Derit has sent an army to Lendoren to kill both of us,} Gabriel said in a single breath.

“Shahira... is... alive?” she stammered. Gabriel realized that the situation was nothing short of shocking to this woman, but time was of the essence. It suddenly occurred to him that whoever didn’t want anyone to know that Shahira was alive would now try to kill Shalynnda. He has inadvertently just signed her death warrant.

{I realize this must be quite a shock to the both of you,} he said, {But ever since I found her someone has constantly tried to prevent me from telling anyone about it.}

Gabriel looked at the two women. Shalynnda was shorter than most of the centaurs he had met. Her coat was bright gold while her hair and tail were platinum blond. She had dark brown eyes that were currently unfocused. She wore only the white poncho with blue and green stripes around the edge.

The darker woman had a dark brown coat with nearly black hair and tail. She too wore the same style of poncho with the exception of a light yellow coloring and four thin red stripes along the edge. She too had dark brown eyes, and something looked very familiar about her....

{Please forgive my appearance,} Gabriel said as he looked around the room, checking for any approaching Klidz, {I-}

Gabriel stopped short as he noticed that his hands were glowing blue. {Don’t!} he shouted. The blue glow vanished.

{Don’t brighten me,} Gabriel protested, {When we escaped the worm pit, I was knocked unconscious. When I awoke I found myself completely healed but Shahira was unconscious and not breathing. I don’t know if her brightening me hurt her.}

“I... I saw her... She was standing with Fiona and Kayla near our house,” she said in an almost dreamlike state, “Dewdrop is with her.”

‘How does she know that?’ wondered Gabriel. {What is ‘Dewdrop’?}

“One of Shahira’s pets,” said the other centauress, “Do you know what a Strandon’s Fruitpicker is?”

Gabriel shivered at the mention of the name. {You mean to tell me that that giant creature is Shahira’s pet?}

Shalynnda looked at Gabriel... directly at him. Gabriel felt as if she had opened a window into his very soul. The other centauress answered his question, but he couldn’t hear it. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t react.

<Do not fear me, young one,> her voice said in his mind, <Your knowledge is safe with me.>

‘Don’t do this to me,’ Gabriel frantically replied, ‘I am not a good person.’

There were a few moments of silence as Gabriel desperately struggled in vain to free himself.

<You pulled my Shahira from a death pit, and freed Shaniddia from tortured slavery. For that I am eternally in your debt.>

Gabriel suddenly regained control of his senses. He felt nauseous, infuriated, violated, and scared out of his wits all at the same time. Shalynnda burst into tears.

“My daughters,” she sobbed, “my beloved daughters.”

The darker centauress gave Gabriel a stare that gripped the very core of his being. “What have you done?” she commanded. Her voice rattled him like a rag doll.

{Sss...sssaa....saveeed.}

“Lenora! NO!” cried Shalynnda, “He saved them! He saved Noliea!”

Whatever grip the woman had on Gabriel vanished instantly. He felt like he had been flying through the cloud barrier for days. Lenora looked at him for a brief second with an emotionless stare, then her eyes rolled back and she passed out on the floor.

The door exploded with enough force to level a building. Everything in the room was instantly pulverized except for a single table and the items that lay upon it. The ebony coated centaur stormed the room, grabbed the crystal box in the center of the table and threw it fastball-style at the far wall. Tubing popped and beakers tumbled as the crystal container struck the far wall. Amazingly, it didn’t shatter, but ricocheted off the wall and tumbled across the debris-ridden floor.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!!” he screamed.

Before the box had time to stop skidding across the floor, he kicked it against the far wall again. This time the box bounced off the ceiling before tumbling into a far corner. He picked it up and shook it in a blind rage.

“Answer me!” he yelled so loud chips of rock flaked off the ceiling, “What are you doing with those... those things?!”

“Why Kennek,” answered the tiny centauress in the box, seemingly unaffected by the physical abuse, “That was truly a god-like temper tantrum. I couldn’t have done better myself.”

He stared at the figure in the box with unrelenting hatred. His eyes had no irises, no pupils... just pure blazing white. “How did you create such creatures?” he hissed.

“With the slightest flick of my tail,” she hissed back, “You think you can learn in a few seasons what I have known throughout time?”

“Yes,” he said, his rage instantly replaced with near hysterical joy, “Look.”

He scrambled back to the table, slamming the box down on the hard wooden surface and lifting a clear flask. The flask, which contained barely three drops two days ago, now contained five times that amount. “Perfection, isn’t it?” he grinned, “Even you have to see how perfect my plan is.”

“I see only a power-hungry madman. You are nothing-”

“Spare me your disgusting drivel!” he spat, the maniacal joy on his face replaced once again by stark rage, “Only a third of your beloved remain. And when they’re gone, you’re gone.”

His pronouncement of the word beloved held a taunting tone.

“And you think they will worship you?” she asked, folding her arms, “Worship the man who tortured and exterminated his own people?”

“And remade them into a superior being!” he retorted, “They shall be more than just your play toys.”

“They will be your play toys. They will hate you.”

“THEY WILL LOVE ME!” he screamed, droplets of spittle spraying across the outer surface of the box, “THEY ALL WILL LOVE ME!”

“Who will teach them to love? You? You can’t teach what you don’t know.”

Kennek’s eyes were wild with rage, he looked about the room as if others were speaking to him in some invisible voice.

“I... I’m winning! See?!” he said, grasping the flask and shaking it in front of her, “You’re dieing goddess, and I am winning.”

He frantically reconnected the flask back onto the crystal box. “I’m winning, you stupid, stupid little stupid, stupid brat. You of all people deserve to die.”

“Kennek, please, come back to me.” she said, a tear running down her face, “If you do not release me your death will be an eternity of solitude. I will not be able to receive you.”

“I don’t need you to attempt to humor me,” he snarled, “I have more than enough things to amuse me, and that includes these creatures you’ve managed to create.”

And with that, he left the room.

“Hurry Gabriel,” the Blessed Goddess whispered, “Hurry.”

Shalynnda laid her hands on Lenora, and the centauress was instantly awake and clambering to her hooves.

{We need to find some place private to talk,} Gabriel finally stammered as his eyes stopped rattling around in his head. He could see several Klidz peering into the hall and knew there would soon be hundreds more.

“Follow me,” said Shalynnda as she helped Lenora up, “Do not speak until we are safely alone.”

Shalynnda held on to Gabriel’s right arm while Lenora stood on his left. The three walked up the hallway and turned down a side corridor. Several Klidz came running towards them, and Gabriel jumped in front... well... tried to jump in front of the two mares, but Shalynnda held him back.

<They cannot see you.> her voice echoed in his head, <As long as you stay between us they will completely ignore you.>

Sure enough, the Klidz sprinted past the three and continued towards the area they had come from. Gabriel was once again surprised at the sheer strength the woman had displayed in keeping him beside her.

<I apologize for offending you,> she said as they slowly descended another flight of stairs. It was obvious that the two women had difficulty navigating the thin steps. <I sense your fear of mindspeak, but->

Gabriel could see tears welling in the woman’s eyes, and she bit her lip to keep her composure. Gabriel had seen that look of desperation all too many times in his career. Every child abduction case, every child restraint seat he had pulled from a wreckage, every blanket-wrapped child he had carried from a fire; the look on the parents was always the same. And for a brief moment Gabriel didn’t see an alien creature with its three-fingered hands clutching his arm; he saw a mother desperate for the safety of her children. Overcome with pity, he bent over and kissed her on the head.

‘I know a mothers love for her children when I see it.’

Shalynnda broke down and wept as they exited the castle and headed towards a small white house.

Once they had entered, Lenora swept her hand across the doorway and whispered a single syllable. “We will have privacy,” she announced, “Now tell me: Where is Noliea? Is she safe?”

{She and several others are east of here. I do not know how your people measure distance.}

Lenora looked questioningly over at Shalynnda.

“I... can’t tell exactly,” she replied. She suddenly swayed, and Gabriel held her arms to steady her, “You travel strangely. And your measures are different.”

{There is a flaw in the amulet when it translates numbers, but I can tell you that the distance between here and Noliea is about two hundred times the distance between here and Lendoren.}

“Across the great plain?” asked Lenora.

{Yes, I’ve heard it called that.}

“You were with her two days ago,” said Shalynnda.

{I can travel much faster than your people.}

“Why are you covered in blood?” asked Lenora sternly.

{While I was traveling to Lendoren, I flew over... um... passed by a worm pit. I heard voices of your people crying out and went in to help them. The worms attacked me and I defended myself.}

“You killed them?” asked Lenora.

{Yes. They were trying to kill me.}

Lenora’s expression hardened, “How many did you kill?”

Gabriel’s expression hardened as well, {All of them.}

Lenora’s eyes widened with disbelief, and she looked to Shalynnda for conformation. Shalynnda looked stunned for a few moments, then nodded to Lenora wordlessly.

Lenora looked genuinely offended. “My people do not kill, for any reason.” she said indignantly.

‘That explains why there were so many corpses in the worm-pit,’ he thought to himself, then replied, {I come from a world that does not afford us the luxury to avoid killing.}

“How can I trust you when you tell me that Noliea is alive?” Lenora asked.

{Okay,} said Gabriel, his temper flaring, {Here we go again. You know the last time I had this conversation was with Shaniddia, and I’ll give you the same lecture I gave her: Don’t trust me. I am a twelve-fingered, two legged alien stuck in this god-forsaken world who would like nothing better than to leave and never come back. However it seems I can’t because someone or something is stopping me.}

He shifted his gaze to Shalynnda, {Now I have it on good authority that the Klidz have a world gate that allows them to travel between their world and this one; and I’m going to march back into that castle and dismantle it, brick-by-brick if I have to, in order to find it and get the hell out of here. And I strongly suggest that if a little blood offends either of you, then you stand there and stay out of my way.}

Gabriel turned and headed for the doorway. Lenora was so infuriated by his outburst she literally did stand in place as she stomped a rear hoof. It was Shalynnda who stepped after him.

“Gabriel!” she called, “Wait! I know of this gate you speak of, and I know where it is.”

She had sifted through his memories of the past few days. His memories of ‘flying’ made her nauseous, and his joy in slaughtering the death worms outside the fortress made her think she was dealing with evil incarnate. But she also saw his compassion for Shahira; even baring his own shoulders to keep her warm. She did not understand a great deal of his thoughts, or why someone brave enough resist an entire army of Klidz would be so frightened by the curse on Shaniddia. But she knew she could trust him. She felt...something. Some feeling she would have to meditate on when the time presented itself.

Gabriel had spun around and faced the blond centauress. Lenora stood there scowling.

“It...” she began, but stopped.

{Shalynnda,} he said, seeing the obvious fear in her eyes, {I have seen that look before. You must believe me when I tell you that you can say anything to me without fear of being harmed.}

Shalynnda took a deep breath, squares her shoulders, and said, “I said that I would be eternally in your dept for saving my daughters, and for that I will tell you that the world gate is lying just beneath the waters of the pool in the hallway where we first met.”

Gabriel recalled the reflecting pond in the hallway. It was the correct size. But what about the lightning? What if that returned while he was standing in the water?

“But...” she began, but the look of fear overwhelmed her, and she stopped.

{But what?} he asked.

“I have spoken the truth too soon,” she said, looking down at the ground.

Gabriel looked puzzled, ‘What does that mean?’

{Shalynnda, I do not understand. Is there something else you need to tell me?}

She nodded her head, and crossed her arms across her mid-section like Noliea and Mariah had. It was a pose that Gabriel had come to realize as fear.

{Shalynnda, I have every intention of going into that castle and leaving this world. If there was ever a time for you to tell me anything then that time is now.}

“Please save my children,” she whispered.

“Shalynnda!” exclaimed Lenora.

“I am tired beyond my years,” Shalynnda said as Lenora came up beside her, “I feel the very life ebbing from everyone I brighten, and there is precious little hope left. Even our own scholars admit that we shall all be gone in the next few seasons. If I am to die then I choose not to die as a meal of some disgusting worm. And before I take my place in the halls of the Blessed Goddess, I would look upon the faces of my two daughters one more time!”

“Gabriel you should go now,” said Lenora, taking Shalynnda by the arm, “Shalynnda and I have much to discuss-”

Lenora’s sentence was squelched by the utterly infuriated look she received from Gabriel.

“Do not give me that look young one,” Lenora snapped, “I too have lost family since the Klidz arrived. We all have. And I more than anyone have felt the sacrifice of our people. But killing someone; even those as vile as the death-worms or the Klidz is not the answer.”

{Tell me Lenora,} he growled, now infuriated even more because everyone seemed to be reading his mind! {How do you stop the Klidz from killing your people?}

“The Klidz have never killed so much as one of our people!” she replied, shocked at the accusation, “We live in their city because they invited us here. The provide protection for us from the death-worms.”

That caught Gabriel completely off guard. {You live here voluntarily?} he asked, making sure he understood.

“I would love for us to return to our homes in Lendoren,” she said, “But the death-worms attack us at night. It finally got so bad that we moved the remaining people here for protection. But the worms have become more aggressive. They occasionally come out when the sky is very overcast.”

{But I just met two centauresses in Lendoren this morning.}

“Fiona and Kayla,” replied Shalynnda, “They went with the Klidz to investigate the fire they saw yesterday.”

Gabriel’s mind was racing. There were far too many inconsistencies in the past few days for all this to fit together. It just didn’t make sense.

{You say that you have never known a Klidz to harm one of your people. And yet King Derit has commanded his troops to kill both myself and Shahira.}

“So you have said,” Lenora replied coolly.

“The king has ordered you and your men to return to the city immediately,” Shalynnda whispered, looking dazed, “The king is marching this way with a full battalion of elite warriors in combat armor. His orders are to kill a strange creature in the centaur city,” she paused, and looked over at Lenora, “and the white centaur it protects.”

{That’s what the messenger said when he approached us in Lendoren. How did you know that?}

“I... saw it,” she said absently, her gaze not leaving Lenora’s, “I see... a young girl... tied to a wall... two Klidz have beaten her to death. Another Klidz orders them...”

Shalynnda shifted her gaze back to Gabriel, her face showing no expression, “to kill Noliea.”

The centauress suddenly jerked back away from Gabriel like she’d been shoved, but easily kept her balance. For several seconds all three looked at each other in stunned silence.

“You said my daughter was safe,” said Lenora, breaking the silence.

Gabriel was more confused than ever, {Which one is your daughter? Fiona or Kayla?}

The two women looked at each other. “He doesn’t know,” said Shalynnda.

{Know what?}

“Gabriel,” said Lenora, stepping within arms reach, “I’m Noliea’s mother.”

Two more pieces of the puzzle suddenly fell into place. ‘The eyes!’ The coloration was close, and the face was similar, but the eyes were practically identical.

But if Gabriel had been suspicious of finding Shaniddia’s sister twenty-five hundred miles away, he was even more suspicious of meeting Noliea’s mother a day later.

{I find it a little hard to believe that I could travel all the way across the great plain and the first person I meet is the sister of someone I just left. But I find it nearly impossible to understand how I could meet Noliea then have a chance meeting with her mother. Would either of you care to explain how such a coincidence could happen?}

The two women looked confused. “I don’t know,” said Shalynnda, “The last news we heard from Noliea and Shaniddia was well over a hundred seasons of spring. And it’s been five seasons since I was told Shahira was dead.”

{Who told you she was dead?}

“King Derit brought the news to me personally,” Lenora replied, “He said they found the remains of a struggle in the woods nearby, and a death-worm tunnel.”

{Tell me this,} said Gabriel, thinking back to the tapestries, {How many Klidz have been killed by dune worms?}

The two mares thought for a few moments. “None that I know of,” said Lenora.

{And have you ever seen a Klidz kill a dune worm?}

“Rarely, but it does happen at times,” she said.

{Then how do they protect you from the dune worms?}

“The walls around the city stop them. The city is also built on rock so the worms cannot tunnel under the ground.”

{Hmmm...} Gabriel said aloud as he pondered the situation, {I was told that the Klidz came from another world much like I did. Did they build their city here after the worms started attacking your people?}

“The Klidz starting building their city two seasons of fall before the first death worms appeared,” replied Shalynnda.

{And how long have the dune worms been attacking your people?}

“A few seasons after the Blessed Goddess stopped visiting Lendoren,” said Shalynnda.

{Stopped visiting?}

“Lendoren is the summer home of the Blessed Goddess,” Shalynnda explained, “One hundred and fourteen seasons of summer ago she didn’t come. It was the first time in recorded history that she had never visited. All of us presumed it was due to the great debate. But soon, others traveling to the city reported that no one else had seen the Goddess, and that her other homes lay empty. In less than three seasons after that the Klidz started their city. Two seasons of fall later the city of Lendoren was attacked by the first death worms.”

‘One hundred and fourteen... seventy six years.’ {What is the ‘great debate’?}

“Three seasons before the Blessed Goddess did not show, the city was divided over the issue of segregating paints from the rest of us,” said Shalynnda. The look on her face told Gabriel that this was a touchy subject.

{What are ‘paints’?}

“’Paints’ is the word we use to describe a person who has a multi-colored coat,” said Lenora matter-of-factly, “We once believed that paints should be of their own herds, and not live among those of us with one-color coats.”

‘Prejudice?’ thought Gabriel, ‘Now that’s something I wouldn’t have expected.’

{I fear that argument is not unique to your people.}

“It divided our city, our homes, our families. Many people left Lendoren to settle in other parts of the world,” said Shalynnda, bowing her head, “Our arrogance knew no boundaries.”

‘The settlers Mariah spoke of?’ {And that’s when the dune worms came?}

“Yes. We begged the Blessed Goddess to forgive us. We saw the error of our ignorance but she never returned. And when the wizards disappeared, we-”

{Wizards?}

“You have seen how Shalynnda and her daughters can perform the brightening?” asked Lenora.

{Yes,} he replied, looking down at the backs of his hands and seeing no scars.

“Only women chosen by the Blessed Goddess possess the talent. However, women cannot work magic. Only those men chosen by the Goddess can wield it.”

‘Huh??’

“Shortly after the great debate, one of our greatest wizards discovered that the world gates had opened,” said Lenora, “Klidz were coming to our world by the thousands. We held a counsel and gathered any and all wizards we knew of. They went out to see if they could close the gates and never returned.”

{Who was the wizard that discovered the gates had been opened?}

“My father, Shirhon,” said Lenora.

{Shirhon. He’s the one who made the translation amulet I’m wearing.}

“Oh? Let me see it.”

Gabriel removed the amulet and handed it to Lenora. She read the inscription aloud on the back, {‘May this gift of peace bring understanding and happiness.’ Where did you get this?}

“Noliea gave it to me,” he said.

“Lenora,” said Shalynnda, followed by several unintelligible words. Lenora handed Gabriel the amulet.

“That is the amulet prince Wikki was wearing when he left for the city of King Nukkew,” said Lenora

{Are you sure?} asked Gabriel.

“Absolutely. There are only four translation amulets, and each one is unique.”

{How long ago did prince Wikki leave?}

“About two seasons ago,” answered Shalynnda, “He was going to bring back King Nukkew’s daughter for his mate. Gabriel I must change the topic of conversation. I fear the day is going and you will not be able to bring Shahira here before nightfall.”

{If I bring Shahira here the Klidz will kill her. But there’s something else I can’t figure out. Lenora, you said that only men can wield magic, correct?}

“With only two exceptions, yes.”

{And who are those two exceptions?}

“The Blessed Goddess, and myself.”

{Can Klidz perform magic?}

“They have never shown that they can. They are afraid of it.”

{Did you use magic to repel those lightning bolts in the castle hallway?}

“Yes.”

{And were those lightning bolts magical?} he asked, feeling another piece of the puzzle falling into place.

“I...,” she hesitated, “I just assumed that you were the one causing them.”

{I can’t perform magic. But please answer me: Were the lightning strikes magical?}

“I believe so, yes.”

{Okay. Now, here’s the big question: Who put the curse on Shahira?}

Both women stood motionless in stunned silence.

{Hello?}

“Kennek,” whispered Shalynnda.

“Have your men signal the city, general,” fumed King Derit, “Tell them to expect an attack. Post lookouts and notify me the moment they see anything. Summon your best trackers to me, and bring me that worthless sergeant Uhrup!”

“Yes, my king!” general Kror responded. A few moments later, four solders stood before the king.

“There are at least three centaurs in the city,” the king instructed in a tone that made each of them step back in apprehension, “Find them and bring them to me alive. Kill anything that tries to stop you.”

“Yes sir!” they replied in perfect unison, and scurried back to their respective units.

“Kror!” yelled the king, not realizing that the general was standing next to him.

“My King!” yelped Kror in surprise.

The king hunched over to eye level with the general. “It can fly.”

“Yes sir,” the general replied, seeing his life flash before his eyes.

“My spies neglected to inform me of that little detail,” he said in a low tone, looking back at the centaur city, “And with the battalion not equipped for an aerial assault, we are at a distinct disadvantage.”

“I... I thought centaurs had never seen something fly,” stammered Kror.

“They haven’t,” replied the king, “I have spoken to them about the concept, and they know nothing of flight.”

“Interesting,” Kror observed, now feeling some of his bravado returning, “It flies, yet it has half the body of a centaur.”

“I noticed that as well,” said the king, “Where’s that worthless sergeant Uhrup?”

“Present, my king,” said Uhrup, noticeably shaking.

“Tell me, sergeant,” the king said in his most ominous tone, “Did you inform your superiors that this creature could fly?”

“Yes, my king,” Uhrup replied meekly, “Although it was only a few spears distance.”

The king paused. It was not the reply he was expecting. “Very well, Uhrup. Reassemble your patrol, and continue to the southern pit. I expect you will find nothing alive, but I want a detailed report none the less. Stay there two days in case the creature returns.”

“And what of the two centaurs who were to accompany us?” Uhrup asked.

“They are my concern now, sergeant. Carry out your duties.”

“By your command, my king,” Uhrup replied, and quickly left.

“Do you believe him?” Kror asked once the sergeant was out of hearing.

“Uhrup is both insubordinate and reckless, but not stupid. I doubt he gave anything but a full report. Find out who failed to report that detail, and discipline them.”

“Yes my king,” Kror said, and turned to leave.

“One other thing, general,” the king said, pausing in thought, “My spies reported to me that these creatures have destroyed at least two worm nests, as well as king Nukkew’s city.”

The general gasped in surprise, “King Nukkew’s city is destroyed? Correct?”

The king paused for a moment, stroking an antenna, “That is what my spies have reported. Tell me general; how many troops have we lost to these creatures?”

“No loses have been reported, my king.” Kror replied, “But I beg your enlightenment: What news of my brother, prince Wikki?”

The king hesitated. He himself now wondered if his son was dead. However, the creature did speak to them, and he could only assume that it was carrying Wikki’s translation medallion. But could such a creature fly all the way across the great plain in such a short time? It didn’t seem feasible. He and Kennek would have a very frank discussion on this.

“I have not heard the status of Wikki,” lied the king, “I will go to the centaur castle and consult with my spies there.”

“King Derit!” shouted a messenger as it ran towards the king, “King Derit! I have most urgent news. The city had signaled that they are under attack!”

“Dung!” shouted the king, flinching so hard his spear snapped cleanly in half, “This creature moves with the speed of the great fate himself!”

“Shall we march back to the city?” Kror asked.

“No,” replied king Derit, accepting a new spear from one of his attendants, “There are more than enough warriors there to deal with any single creature. However, I want you to signal the city and tell them hide and guard all members of the royal family. Meanwhile, I want you to disperse the entire battalion throughout the city. I want those centaurs found now!”

“Yes, my king!” Kror blurted as the scrambled to follow his father’s orders.