Chapter 26 - Alliance

“Shaniddia,” whispered Noliea, “wake up.”

Shaniddia had finally succumbed to exhaustion several hours ago and was sleeping against one of the thick limbs of the thinellis bush the herd was using for cover. She even slept through a small rain shower that barely lasted long enough to get anything wet.

Shaniddia raised her head and tried to focus on the face in front of her but it was pitch black within the confines of their hiding place.

“Are you awake?” asked Noliea.

“I must have fallen asleep.”

“It’s nightfall. We need to get moving,” said Noliea.

Shaniddia slowly got to her hooves. She was disoriented, and in the total blackness had forgotten where she had fallen asleep inside the thick tangle of limbs.

“I’m a little lost,” she admitted as she reached out and found Noliea’s arm.

Noliea took her hand and led her through the maze of limbs until they were outside the canopy of thinellis leaves. Once they were outside, her night vision adjusted and she could see the faint blue outline of the trees.

Noliea verified that everyone was present. “If we keep an even pace we should reach the plains by mid-day tomorrow. I don’t want us to stop until we reach open field. We’ll try and find some food before we start across the plain but not before then. If you get separated from the herd, keep heading west but also travel north and south as you go. We should be able to find your trail.”

She turned and headed west, with her herd flowing her.

The carrier had been programmed to flip him over and absorb the brunt of the impact on landing should he go unconscious, so Gabriel was not surprised to find himself on his back staring up at the last remnants of daylight. Looking at his watch, he had been out for two hours, thirty one minutes, and seventeen seconds. Checking the readings on the carrier’s on-board computer, the inertial guidance system reported that he had fallen nearly four thousand feet and drifted about half a mile.

Rolling off the carrier he flipped it over and opened the compartment in the back. A quick inventory revealed that everything was still intact. Pulling out three stakes he tied the carrier to the ground and activated its com beacon. This would be the ‘alpha’ signal source for all of the other beacons and would allow him to measure distance relative to its position. He had packed two repeaters as well and would put them down when he got almost out of signal range. Packing the repeaters and several tracking devices into the huge heavy backpack and making sure that his watch was receiving the telemetry, he headed east.

“Queen Lenora?” asked Barry as he stood in the reception area of her home.

“I’m in here,” she called.

“I... um... fixed the cauldron in the bathhouse,” he said excitedly as he entered the main room, “The water should be hot by now.”

“A hot bath,” Lenora said, trying to remember the last time she had taken one, “You are too kind to me.”

“I suggest you hurry,” he said, shifting his weight from hoof to hoof, “When word gets out the entire city is going to be there.”

Lenora managed to smile. “If anyone comes looking for me,”

“You’re not available,” Barry finished, handing her an orb of woodstone soap.

“Are you okay?” she asked, noticing Barry fidgeted with excitement.

“Yes, my queen. I’m just happy to be home again, even if it is for one night.”

Lenora made her way to the bathhouse, which was already giving away her secret with a plume of smoke rising from the chimney. She noticed that there seemed to be a great deal of commotion going on. It was like the entire herd was busy moving about in this one particular area. Yet nobody seemed to notice that the bathhouse had a fire going. To make matters even stranger, she felt like all eyes were on her; like everyone was looking at her without actually looking at her.

‘I wonder if Barry told them to give me some private time. He’s so good to me.’

The bathhouse was deserted which confirmed Lenora’s suspicions. She felt a twinge of guilt as she filled one of the tubs partially with cold water then topped it off with hot water from the cauldron. She also filled a much smaller tub with hot water and dropped her serape in to soak. She pinched off a small piece of soap to wash her clothes then slowly sank into the wonderfully hot waters in the tub. She completely submerged herself, feeling the warmth engulf her from head to tail for nearly two minutes. When she finally came back up for air, she immediately noticed the silence. The only sounds were her breathing and an occasional crackle from the fire under the cauldron.

“So,” said a male voice somewhere behind her, “does the queen of Lendoren need help washing her tail?”

Lenora let out a scream that was literally heard in every corner of the city.

The night vision goggles were the only thing that made flying in the total blackness of this world possible. The homing beacon was still giving a signal strong enough to determine he was seven hundred miles away from the carrier. He continued to fly eastward until the plains beneath him became dotted with small forests. Climbing to a safe altitude he took off the goggles and let his eyes adjust to the darkness. It would be much easier to spot a fire without them.

It didn’t take long. He spotted several dots of light to the southeast. Once he reached that area he discovered several more fires that had been intentionally shielded to display as little light as possible. The Klidz city was barely visible to the east.

Assuming the fires were Klidz troops searching for the centaurs, he activated the night vision goggles and landed a short distance away from one of the more obvious camps. The forest floor was wet, so he propped his backpack against a tree and worked his way towards the fire on foot.

“I suggest we split up into groups of two,” said one of the Klidz as Gabriel came within earshot, “If the slaves have split up then only two of us will have to fight for the title.”

“And if they haven’t split up,” said another, “then those two will each have their own kill. I like it. I vote for pairs.”

Several others around the fire mumbled something too soft to hear.

“Who here says we split into pairs for the hunt?” said the first Klidz. Most of the group clicked in response.

“And who here wants to try it on their own?” another Klidz asked. Two or three clicks could he heard.

{And who wants to go back to the city and live to see another day?} said Gabriel.

“Gorkin!” hissed one of the Klidz, punching the one next to him, “I told you if you did that voice one more time I’d beat you. Correct?”

“I didn’t say it!” protested Gorkin.

{He didn’t say it,} said Gabriel, walking into the firelight, {I did.}

As if seeing the false god walk into their camp wasn’t enough, Gabriel let loose the loudest roaring scream he could muster. Klidz scattered in every direction, and in a matter of seconds he was the only one left. Gabriel gathered their spears and supplies and chucked them into the fire.

‘They left their weapons,’ Gabriel noted, examining one of the spears before he threw it into the blaze, ‘And they don’t have metallic points. Their fire is out in the open, and they’re voting on strategy. These aren’t trained solders, just weekend warriors.’

Gabriel went back to his huge backpack and carried it to another obvious fire. This time he didn’t land at a distance; he simply dropped into the middle of the camp and let loose another hair-curling yell. Again the Klidz surrounding the fire scattered in every direction; leaving their weapons and supplies where they lay. Gabriel examined those weapons as well before dumping everything into the fire. They too weren’t tipped.

Next, Gabriel landed a short distance away from one of the less noticeable fires. Walking towards the encampment, his leg caught on a vine. There was a small ‘snap’ sound followed by a spear imbedding itself in his backpack. He'd hit a booby trap.

‘Bastards,’ he thought has he pulled off his backpack to examine the damage. It was a metal-tipped spear lodged in one of the repeaters. He could hear several Klidz running up towards him. Reaching into the backpack he pulled out one of the assault shotguns and chambered a round.

“Did you hear that?” whispered Alec.

“Shh,” whispered Noliea, “Someone’s coming.”

Everyone stopped and waited. The forest wasn’t dense in this area and the night light made it easy to see. Two Klidz were crossing though the woods; clicking loudly and stumbling blindly as they made their way through the brush. They crossed a good distance away and continued onward until they were out of sight.

“They cannot see,” Alec whispered when he was sure they were out of hearing range, “It is odd that they would travel through the woods without fire.”

A strange sound, like a log popping in a fire far off in the distance echoed through the forest. A moment later it repeated... then again... then several times more.

“It’s coming from the north,” Henna said, “It may be some trick of the masters to make us go back.”

“Or make us go south,” offered Alec, “Either way they know if we make it to the plains they won’t be able to catch us.”

“I don’t know,” said Noliea, “but whatever it is we should keep going. I don’t want to be in these woods at dawn.”

The herd resumed their trek through the forest. Occasionally they would hear the popping sound coming from far off in the distance.

Gabriel quickly discovered that Klidz have an extremely small heat signature. If they’d been sitting near the fire they would show up on IR, but any Klidz away from a heat source for more than a minute was practically invisible.

Gabriel had guessed right about the fires. The warriors had built their camps with simple traps around the parameter and kept their fires partially hidden. Other Klidz that seemed to have no battle sense at all had gathered together and built community fires for large groups. They spoke loudly and had simple spears. And while Gabriel was able to scare those off with just a bluff the trained and equipped warriors stood their ground until Gabriel started shooting.

‘I think it’s time I paid Merek another visit,’ he thought to himself as he placed the last of the spears from this camp into the fire.

Taking to the air he flew over the city and landed in the same room he had met her before. There was no fire in the fireplace, and the room was completely dark. It was hard to make out any fine detail with the night vision goggles so he switched them off and turned on the flashlight attached to the barrel of his shotgun.

The room had been ransacked. There were no straw mats on the floor and all the carved wooden statues were missing. Everything in the room that was combustible had been thrown into the fireplace and burned. Gabriel guessed by the look of the ashes that it had been done no more than two days ago. Switching back to night-vision he exited the room through the doorway he had watched Merek leave by and descended a flight of stairs to a hallway below. The architecture was strikingly similar to the castle king Derit had constructed. Tapestries adorned the walls and the floor was inlayed with an intricate pattern of stonework.

“Who’s there?” came a voice from the end of the hallway. Gabriel could see a single Klidz figure standing at the other end of the hallway. He slipped his thumb over the safety to verify it was off.

{I am looking for Merek,} he answered, waiting to see if anyone came from behind the tapestries. When he saw that nobody was attacking he turned off the night vision goggles; only to find that the room was pitch black. He turned them back on.

“I was once known by that name,” the Klidz answered.

As Gabriel advanced he saw that the Klidz had two long antennas protruding from the top of its head. It was also badly damaged. Gabriel was shocked to find that it had no upper arms, and was missing both eyes.

{Merek?} he said as he got close enough to see how extensive the damage was, {What happened to you?}

“The king found my suggestion not to follow the salves... disturbing,” she said, rising up to her full height, “I have been waiting for you, false god.”

Gabriel dodged to one side and spun around, expecting an attack from Merek or some unseen foe. What he received was a sound from the Klidz that translated into laughter.

“You once threatened to kill everyone in the city,” Merek chuckled, “And now you fear a blind woman.”

{I have learned much since we last met,} Gabriel countered, {And one of those things is that your people are very cunning.}

“Cunning?” she repeated, “My people are fools. Even now they risk their lives to gain status within the family that will be dead once king Derit and his troops arrive.”

{King Derit is dead,} Gabriel said.

Merek was silent for a moment, “You killed him, correct?”

{Yes. I discovered the worm nests and how he was feeding the slaves to them. He somehow knew I had discovered his secret and tried to kill me.}

Merek stood for several seconds in the total darkness. “Then the only reason I can understand for you to be here is to finish the task king Derit was going to do. Correct?”

{No. I am only here to ask you a question.}

“A single question, correct? And what is this question?”

{When you showed me the location of king Derit’s city, the map had three red symbols around the area where his city was located. What do those red symbols represent?}

Again, Merek chuckled, “The false god has lied to me. If you had truly been to king Derit’s city then you would already know what the symbols were there for.”

{I know they are markers for the worm pits,} he growled, {But why would a map located in a city all the way across the great plains have them?}

“And why should I tell you?” she hissed, “There is no reason for me to speak with you any further.”

And with that, she laid down on her mat.

{As you wish,} he said as he turned to leave, {If you would rather live out the remainder of your life as a blind woman in this castle when you could go back to your home world, that is your decision.}

“Wait,” Merek said as he was about to ascend the staircase, “What do you mean, ‘go back to my home world’?”

{The world gate at king Derit’s castle has been reopened. You can return to your world whenever you wish.}

“Impossible, correct?” Merek said as she walked up the hall towards the false god, “How can this be?”

{There is no reason for me to speak with you any further,} he said, and began walking up the stairs.

“Wait!” Merek yelled as she lumbered after him, “I will tell you anything! I will barter with you! Please don’t leave me here to die!”

{Very well, Merek. Here is my bargain: I am going to find the slaves and return then to their home. If you will help me get them home safely, then I promise you I will take you to the world gate and get you home.}

“How do I know I can trust you?” she asked.

‘Why does everyone I meet ask me that same question?’

{You don’t. But it would seem very stupid on my part to take you all the way across the great plain just to deceive you.}

“You are going to take me across the great plain?” asked Merek.

{Unless you know of another world gate, then that is the only one I can take you to.}

Merek though about the offer for a few seconds. “Agreed.”

“Dustin!” yelled Lenora as she vaulted out of the tub. A title wave of hot bathwater flooded half the bathhouse as she embraced her mate, “Bless the Goddess!!”

Dustin received his wife with open arms as she literally knocked him back into the bath house wall. For the longest time, neither of them spoke as her lips met his and she locked her left foreleg around his right.

“I missed you, my love,” she panted as she broke the kiss, “Goddess knows I missed you so much.”

“I missed you too,” he replied, running his hands through her mane, “I though I would never see you again.”

“I thought you were dead,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck, “When you didn’t come back, I though you... were...”

A thought occurred to Lenora. A glimmer of hope so faint she almost didn’t want to believe it existed. Dustin saw it in her eyes and knew what his wife was thinking. He pulled her arms from around his neck and stepped over to the smaller tub. Picking up her serape he wrung it out and placed it over her head.

“He’s outside,” Dustin said with a smile.

Lenora had to steady herself as she walked towards the entrance of the bath house. Her legs felt like they would buckle at any moment. Dustin must have seen it as well because he walked up beside her and held her waist. There was still an unnerving quiet in the air, a calmness that seemed almost surreal as the two walked out of the building and onto the street.

Every resident in Lendoren stood silently before her. They were all carrying candles or torches and the area was as bright as day. In the middle of the herd stood a well-built man with grayish-brown hair that cascaded over his shoulders and flowed down his back onto his withers. The poncho he wore was off-white with a blue pattern around the border she had never seen before. He slowly walked up to her and smiled in a way that warmed her like nothing else in this world could ever do.

“Hello Lenora,” he said in a voice that nearly made her collapse. She stepped forward and embraced the man.

“Daddy,” was all she could say.

All of Lendoren cheered at their reunion.

A short time later everyone was gathered in the great meeting hall, filling almost every tier. Lenora found it depressing that her entire city’s populace could stand under one roof. Dustin hadn’t left her side; keeping her arm locked in his. She caught a brief glimpse of Shalynnda. She was standing in one of the isles talking with the other healers. Shalynnda turned for a second to point at someone across the hall and caught sight of Lenora. The two exchanged knowing glances and traded smiles. She would say it privately later but Shalynnda knew her lifetime friend had apologized. Shirhon had taken the Blessed Goddess and spoken with her for nearly half the night. Now he walked into the middle of the great hall and waited for everyone to settle.

“People of Lendoren,” he said, “I have spoken with the Goddess for some time this evening and have learned of the pain you have endured. Our thoughts and prayers were always with you during our exile, and I believe an explanation is in order. One hundred and fourteen seasons of summer ago several of the word gates seemed to lose control. They all attuned to the world that is the origin of the race of creatures you know of as the Klidz. They came pouring in by the thousands, and try as I may I could not close them. I called upon every wizard and consulted with them, and we formulated the plan to destroy the affected gates. Looking back at the situation I realize we were all being manipulated. The wizard Kennek had formulated a plan to drain the magic from us as if we were ginsberries, and use it to kill the Goddess. His treachery was discovered at the very last moment, and instead of killing the Goddess he was forced to use the magic he drained from us to imprison her.”

He held up the crystal container holding the Blessed Goddess. “The box is designed to drain the Goddess of her essence the moment she attempts to use magic of any sort. It is also cursed and will explode with enough force to kill the Blessed Goddess herself.”

A murmur swept though the group. And Shirhon waited until they finished. “I have consulted with the other wizards, and we believe that given time, we can free the Goddess from her trap. However, there is a problem: Our exile has drained us completely of all magic, and according to the Goddess it will take several days to restore. Therefore we will have to proceed with Lenora’s plan to evacuate Lendoren and head out into the plains.”

“Where did you go?” asked Geila.

Shirhon paused and looked at the other wizards, “We were transported to a world the natives call ‘Ge’. The people there look similar to us but have only two legs. From what the Goddess has told me they look very similar to the person named Gabriel, with the exception that they are only a third his size.”

“How did you get back?” asked someone else in the crowd.

“Celesta and Ryan,” he said, pointing to two people in the crowd, “When they came through the gate we knew it had been reopened. I gathered the others and we returned before the gate could close.”

“So it’s closed?” asked Lenora.

“No,” her father replied, “It remains open. But the other side of the gate is in a very remote location and the chances of anyone coming through are slim.”

“What if the Klidz use the gate and enter that world?” asked Shalynnda.

Shirhon looked at the priestess with a look that sent a chill down both her backs. “The natives, like the Klidz, are not a threat in small groups. It’s when they band together they become a force to be feared. If the Klidz invade Ge then they will quickly find themselves outnumbered and destroyed.”

“Warriors,” said Merek as she entered the area near the campfire, “I come to you looking for mercy. Please hide me from king Kussuk!”

“Traitorous whore,” one of the warriors hissed as it stood and faced Merek, “You escaped the king’s castle, correct? I will kill you for your insolence!”

“Yes,” Merek replied smoothly, rising up to expose her underbelly, “Please end my suffering here and now before king Kussuk finds me!”

Several others around the campfire quickly surrounded the former concubine. “We will take you to king Kussuk. That should provide us with plenty of entertainment!”

“No!” she hissed as she tried to run, but it was no use; that had her bound in mere moments and were dragging her on her back through the darkness of the forest. Just out of range of their torchlight, Gabriel checked the magazines on both shotguns and ran his thumbs across the safeties to verify they were off.

‘You got a lotta guts, Merek,’ he thought to himself as he watched her being dragged through the woods, ‘A hell of a lotta guts.’

It took about half an hour, but the warriors finally brought Merek to another camp. Gabriel had guessed that the king would have an entourage of warriors, and the number of people milling about confirmed his suspicions.

“Merek!” king Kussuk roared as he recognized who was brought before him, “I did not expect to ‘see’ you so soon!”

The other Klidz clicked their approval at the king’s pun.

“Kussuk, I-” Merek began.

“Silence! Nameless bitch!” the king roared. He spat a wad of musk on her carapace. “You are not worthy of addressing me!”

Again the crowd of warriors clicked their approval, and one handed Kussuk a spear. “My warriors have brought me two prizes this evening,” Kussuk continued, “Behold, the slave they have captured.”

“Oh, my apologies,” said Kussuk, slightly bowing in mock humility, “I forgot I had your eyes cut out.”

The crowd roared with laughter.

“Let the slave go,” said Merek, “You do not need it to summon the false god.”

Kussuk chuckled, “And how would a nameless blind woman suggest I summon it?”

Merek laid herself face down on the ground and pulled her legs under her protective shell, “It is already here.”

Gabriel dropped straight down in front of Kussuk, shoved both barrels of the assault shotguns between his mandibles, and pulled the triggers.

Everyone in the herd jumped as several dozen of the strange thunderous sounds reached them. Noliea motioned everyone to remain still. The sounds continued for some time; becoming less frequent as time progressed. It was only some time after the regular sounds of the forest returned that they dared to continue.

“That was from the south,” Melinda whispered to Alec, “The last ones were from the northwest. Could whatever the Klidz are using to make that noise be moving away from us now?”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” he replied, “It is something I have never heard before. I suspect that the masters want to frighten us into revealing our location.”

“Blessed Goddess, I have already begged of you to receive me twice today,” said Rowena as Gabriel walked towards her, “I don’t think a third time would be proper.”

Looking around to make sure there were no other Klidz nearby, Gabriel removed the night vision goggles, engaged the safeties on the two shotguns, and set the equipment down on a mat near the fire. {You can get up now Merek,} he said, {they’re gone.}

Merek managed to get her legs back under her. “Where is Kussuk?”

{Take one step to your left, then three steps forward,} Gabriel replied, shifting his attention to the painted centauress tied to the tree. {Where are Noliea and the others?}

“I do not know what you speak of,” replied Merek.

{I was speaking to the centauress,} he said, turning his attention to the Klidz.

“What is a ‘sin-tar-ess’?” she asked, bumping into Kussuk’s lifeless body.

{You call them slaves,} he said, watching Merek stroke the carcass with her antenna, {They are known to my people as centaurs.}

The woman stood there, her arms lashed around a small tree. She was shivering uncontrollably.

{I don’t remember your name,} he said to her, {But I do remember you being with Noliea and the others. Where are they?}

Rowena said nothing, and just looked at Gabriel with defiant resignation.

“They cannot speak,” said Merek as she continued to stroke Kussuk with her antennas, “They are nothing more than beasts of burden.”

Gabriel took the translation amulet and held it in his hand, {Tell me Merek, would you believe that centaurs were intelligent if you spoke with one?} He then placed it in the hand of the centauress.

Merek made several clicks and hisses in response.

{Then I suggest you eat it!} the centauress blurted. Merek leapt off Kussuk’s carcass in surprise making several high pitched sounds in the process.

{I hate you,} the paint said, {I hate you all! If there is any justice in this world at all, the Goddess will spend the rest of eternity making you repent for all the evil you have done! There is-}

Gabriel pulled the amulet from the woman’s hand, and her perfect English switched to Zeffra. The centauress realized the purpose of the amulet, and stopped her rant before he got it back around his neck.

“Trickery,” said Merek, “This is some kind of game you are playing.”

{It doesn’t matter if you believe the centauress can speak or not,} replied Gabriel, pulling a large knife from his belt, {I’m about to set her free. If you have any sense about you whatsoever you will not harm her in any way. You know what I am capable of doing to protect one of her people.}

“I understand,” Merek replied.

Gabriel was about to cut the straps on Rowena, but stopped. Instead he pulled off the amulet and placed it in the woman’s hand again.

“The masters are searching these woods looking for Noliea and the others,” he said, “Their leader is dead and I’m trying to get the rest of them back into the city. If you find Noliea and the others have then head west back to Lendoren. The Blessed Goddess is trapped there and Noliea’s mother is trying to figure a way to set her free.”

{You were in Lendoren?} Rowena said as her eyes widened.

“Yes. But the city is in ruins. The masters there have been sacrificing your people to the worms and only a few remain. I must go back there and help free the Goddess before any more of them are killed. But first I will help you and the others escape.”

He opened his backpack and pulled out a personal transponder. “I need you to do two things for me. Tell Shaniddia that her twin sister Shahira is safe, and give this to Noliea.” He handed her the transponder. “It will help her find her mother.”

Rowena nodded, and Gabriel took the translation medallion then gently cut the straps binding her to the tree. For a moment she just stood there looking at him.

{Go,} he said, {The Goddess will protect you.}

Rowena disappeared into the blackness.

“Goddess?” said Merek once the slave had left, “They worship a female deity?”

{Merek,} he said, ignoring the comment, {Do you know how your people got to this world?}

“My ancestors crossed through the world gates in search of new lands to conquer.”

{And what made your people choose to enslave the centaurs?} he asked, picking up the two shotguns.

“It has always been that way,” she answered, “And I notice you left me no means to extract my vengeance.”

{Vengeance?} he asked, pulling the drums off the shotguns and attaching fresh ones.

“I would chew Kussuk’s eyes out!” she said, “But that weapon you use left very little of his face.”

{This is not about vengeance, Merek,} he said as he picked up the goggles, {Your people have systematically exterminated the slaves-}

“The slaves are weak.” Merek retorted, “They deserve no less.”

{Weak? They are ten times stronger than your best warriors. If they were taught to fight your people would be trampled to beneath their hooves.}

“Fight?” Merek chuckled, “They can barely be taught to harvest their own food. They could never be warriors.”

Gabriel was silent for a few moments while he cleared the chambers and rechecked the safeties. {Do you think I’m a warrior?}

“You killed my consort, two of my sisters, thirty of my children, and many of my clan. I am standing in the middle of a camp with a headless king and countless dead solders around me. You are no warrior false god, you are a monster.”

{Strange, I feel the same way about your people.}

“Then why don’t you kill me?”

{How many slaves have you killed in your lifetime?}

“I was the king’s concubine. I never went near those filthy beasts.”

{Then you have your answer.}

“You waste your time with the slaves false god. You are a fool.”

Gabriel set the comment slide. {We need to get moving.}

“Where are we going?” Merek asked.

{We aren’t going anywhere. This is where you and I will part ways for awhile.}

“You would abandon me out here alone, correct?”

{Not exactly. Here: Take this,} he said, placing a locator in the insect woman’s claw. {Don't lose it. It will allow me to find you no matter where you travel. And here,} he said, handing her his knife.

“You do not fear that I will use this against you?” she asked.

{Do you want to go back to your world?}

“Yes.”

{Then until I send you through the world gate and stand on your own soil I have no need to fear you.} He placed the empty ammo drums in the long duffel bag and placed it on his back. {I suggest you find something to eat. When I come back we will be traveling a very long way.}

“Where are you going?” she asked.

{To find the slaves,} he said, and left Merek alone by the fire.