Mesilithia Page 4

  "And your Lord? Where did he come in?" David asks with a harsh tone.

  Rud looks at David, "Lord Wicket helped Katie try to get home for many nyias. Actually, for the first

  10 nyias they did not even get along." Rud chuckled, "Over time they grew fond of one another, he has seen her in pain for so long. He wanted to try to give her happiness, what life had left to offer her. He loves her, he would lay his life down for hers."

  David stands to his feet, "I feel so confused. I still don't believe this is all real." David says throwing his hands up.

  "It will take some time." Rud tries to reassure David. "I must go, and help the others prepare, they are heading out in the morning for a battle."

  "Am I going? Can I help in some way?" David asks.

  Rud looks at him.

  "Look, I'm gonna go nuts sitting here in this room. In my world we have technology, that doesn't seem to exist here. It's quite literally my worst nightmare."

  Rud laughs, "We have heard of this technology," nodding his head as he stands. "Come, you can help me gather weapons."

  David follows Rud out of the room and down a hallway. The sound of the waterfall roaring echoes throughout the caves. Rud grabs a torch off the wall at the top of a dark stairwell as he walks down. David follows closely trying to watch his step in the dark. Rud stops, David almost running into him.He watches a figure coming up the stairwell in the dark without a torch.

  "Who goes there?" Rud asks aloud.

  "Must create more dust, must create more, must create more," a voice says hastily as it draws near.

  "Tad?"

  David sees the creature move closer to realize it is the same one that had let him and Loo into the caves.

  "Must create more, must create more, must create more," Tad says as he passes Rud and David, not even acknowledging their presence.

  Rud sighs, and shakes his head, "Tad can see in the dark, he's one of the last of his species." Rud still turned upwards toward David, who is just turning back around toward Rud. "He is a little off, but very brilliant, a creator."

  Rud turns to continue down the dark stairwell. Not realizing Loo has snuck up behind them, Rud turns and JUMPS as his face meets Loo's bright orange face. He was so startled his wings expanded, knocking David to the ground.

  "Ha Ha Ha," Loo chuckles at Rud's reaction and to David on the ground. "Relax princess, I was about to tell you I was there."

  Rud lowers his wings as he helps David stand, “Loo, do you not have any sense of common respect?"

  "I respect your kind, just need a good laugh, that's all...."

  "And you think this is the time for that?"

  "Species is almost gone, no women left, no future, laughing is the only real joy left in my life, and food...." Loo leans against the wall, "Besides, I thought David needed a good chuckle."

  Rud turns to David to realize he is quietly laughing, "Why are you laughing?"

  David says laughing loudly, “That was great.”

  David and Loo both continue laughing aloud.

  "Let's go." Rud says in a harsh tone.

  The three continue down the stairwell and come to a room. David looks around the large room and sees that one wall is open to the cliff. He sees different creatures all working together. Standing in front of him is a woman with white hair turned in the opposite direction, speaking with someone. He can't help but to look at her wings, they are different from Katie's. As she turns he sees her glowing yellow eyes, and scales on her face. He stands there in disbelief, shaking his head as she approaches him.

  "You must be David. I am Lady Zeer."

  "...yes, yes.. nice, nice to me- meet you...,"

  David stumbles his words, too infatuated with her appearance. "Your eyes, wow, they glow."

  "You will get used to them." Lady Zeer smiles at David as she turns to walk away, and reveals Katie standing behind her.

  Katie is wearing a golden long sleeve dress, it flows to the ground and shimmers as she walks to David. She stops in front of him and looks to Rud, "What is he doing down here?"

  "My Lady, he wants to help, he seeks something to do," Rud mischievously smiles. "There was mention of, lack of technology."

  Katie looks at Rud, "I assume by your tone, you are almost reminded by me at his comment."

  "No my Lady," Rud says trying not to laugh. "I meant no reference to your past whining," He and Loo walk away to join the others.

  Katie smiles, then looks at David. "David, you can help us prepare, but you are not going to the battle. I am sorry, but with everything that is happening, I do not have time to discuss our situation. I must keep my mind clear and focused, do you understand? Lives depend on me," she explains softly.

  "Why can't I come along? I can help with supplies, I'm sure I can do something."

  "David, this is not anything like our world. There are no guns, no lines, no troops, only claws, swords, teeth, and magic. None of which you know how to use, and we do not have the time to train you."

  Lord Wicket enters the armory from behind David, "How are preparations coming?" He says aloud as he walks over to Rud in the back of the room, not glancing David's way.

  David watches Wicket, with a twinge of jealousy seeing him for the first time. He continues, "I want to go Katie, I want to help."

  "I'm sorry David, the answer is no. It is too dangerous."

  David, refusing to admit defeat, walks up to Lord Wicket. "Lord Wicket," he says loudly. "I want to go and help."

  Wicket turns to David, he looks at Katie, who shakes her head silently. "David, it is too dangerous, you do not yet know how to fight in our world. I can't have you endangering yourself or others around you. I am sorry, but you must stay here." Wicket turns back to Rud as David grabs his arm.

  "This is not about you, Katie or me! I just want to help, I'll go crazy sitting here waiting. You do not have to protect me, and I will not endanger anyone." David says harshly to Wicket.

  Wicket turns to David, and removes his hand from his arm. Looking David in the eyes, "It is about Katie." He continues even more harshly, "Do you not think of what it will put her through, if you go and are killed? After all this time, she finally has you back, just for you to die!" Wicket, still looking into David's eyes, "It is about Katie. I have seen her put through enough pain. You will STAY HERE." He commands David in front of everyone.

  David steps back, realizing he will not win this fight, "Alright."

  "David, come help me sharpen these swords." Loo shouts to David from across the room.

  David looks at Katie, then turns away from Wicket. Wicket looks at Katie, and nods, she nods back in agreement.

  "Continue preparations." Katie demands aloud.

  ~THE qUEST~

  The next morning the clans set out on their quest. The Zothan warriors wear black armor, which carries the clan emblem in a gold color on the chest and helmets. The Wiston clans wear a similar armor, but blue in color, with their emblem over their hearts. Twenty Wistons do not have armor on as they plan to transform for the fight, and their clothes will be destroyed. Bandorges wear a black armor on their chest, torso, and back. The back has silver spikes sticking out.

  The Zothan and Wiston Clans ride on cartems.

  Cartems are almost cat-like creatures that are a little larger than bears. They have thick black fur, and when they become angry or are about to attack their fur turns bright red. They have small black eyes, do not have tails, and their noses lay flat on their face. Cartems also have small sharp teeth, and sharp claws. They are very hot tempered creatures that will become angry, even if you look at them wrong.

  As they leave Gorath, Katie tries to not look back at David, who she knows is most certainly watching her. She keeps thinking about his words that morning....

  "David," Katie says as she enters his room. "We are leaving, I just came to bid, ummm, tell you goodbye." Katie enters the room wearing black armor on her chest, torso, arms and legs. She also has a gold armor over the top of her wings, her hair
is pulled back in a long woven braid. Around her neck is a black necklace with a gold symbol inscribed in the center, the Zothan Clan emblem.

  "Are you sure you don't want me going?" David asks as he approaches Katie.

  "David, I am sure. You will not survive if you go. Wicket is right, I would be devastated. You reappearing has given me hope that maybe we haven't missed anything back home." Katie smiles, “I keep thinking," her eyes fill with tears, "maybe if time moves slower, maybe the kids are still at school." Katie covers her face as she breaks down, "Maybe they don't think I abandoned them, or was killed like their grandparents, maybe they never have to know..."

  David walks over and hugs Katie, "I hope so.”

  "If anything happens to me, don't give up. There

  is a reason the people here speak English, there are human-like creatures..." Katie steps across the room, "There is a legend that a portal will open every 100-

  200 nyias, nyias are about 15 months our time," she explains to David, knowing he was about to ask. "No one knows the exact time...but when it is open, it links to other worlds. People from our world have slipped through the portals by mistake."

  "Has anyone made it back?"

  "No. Humans don't live that long."

  "David, I truly am one of the Zothan Clan, my parents were the rulers of Mesilithia. When they knew they were about to be betrayed, they searched for the portal they knew would open. They took me to a house and asked the people to care for me. My parents always told me angels dropped me off on their doorstep..." Katie said staring off for a moment, thinking of her parents. She then explains, "We think, when the portal opens, that the times also align. That would explain why my parents were able to take me to our world and return without anyone noticing they were gone."

  "So, how did the man come to take you away?" David asks.

  "We do not know, he is dead, we have no way of finding out either." Katie explains.

  "Was he the Snite leader?"

  "No, he was of a different species, he was the last.”

  "Katie, I'm not leaving here without you. I don't care if I die here waiting, I'm not leaving you." David promises Katie, as she turns to leave.

  As the clans pull farther away from Gorath, Wicket orders the cartems to make haste. The clans need to reach the forest by morning, that is when the Snites will likely attack. The leaders of the clans take lead, steering the clan to the North West toward the Forest of Lunel. Most of the journey is through the open lands of Mesilithia, and shall be relatively simple to pass through. The sky is a gray blue, there are no clouds in the sky, just the stars. The sun is to the east and is very small as it rises over the horizon.

  The ride through Mesilithia is a beautiful one. As the sun rises, the sky becomes a light blue as clouds form. During the day you can still see the stars and galaxies. They pass along the edge of the Muvet Forest, the forest David appeared in to the West of Gorath. The Muvet Forest is known for putting off a beautiful glow at night. Most of the trees have large white leaves and smooth clay colored bark. It also was once home to the Apholt Clan before the Snites destroyed it. The Snites all but drove the Apholts into extinction. To the North are mostly open lands and many villages for the various clans.

  After they pass through the open lands they come to Lake Hind. The clans slow as a shendoot warrior approaches. The lake is circular and not very large, it is surrounded by trees from the Forest of Dawrik. The trees of Dawrik are dark brown in color and have red or orange leaves. The trees are so close together it is almost impossible to pass through, unless you know the way. It is a dark forest, one that most never reemerge from. "Lord Wicket, my Lord Josque sent me. Our men are at the forest, helping the Seleens prepare for battle," the shendoot says as he bows to Wicket.

  "Thank you."

  "I will travel with you. And update you with any changes. I am called Misque." Misque is wearing shendoot armor that almost matches their skin color, except the eccentric gold design on it, and the collar comes up around the neck.

  "Can you ride a cartem?"

  Misque looks at the cartem nervously, “No sir, I will walk. I can keep up."

  Wicket nods.

  "Let’s rest here for a few moments, let the cartems rest and drink from the lake.”

  The clans step off the cartem, stretching their wings, as the cartem stretch their legs. Wicket stares ahead thinking about Josque’s warning.

  "I will have a man named Derque awaiting you at the lake. He will update you on the current situation, he will let the next lake you will pass, know you are coming. At the second lake, a warrior named Kysque will await you and travel with you from there." Josque looks troubled, "Wicket, you are the only one who knows this plan. I believe my captain Misque is about to betray me. If no one is there, or they are not the ones I have told you of, then something is wrong and I may be dead."

  "What will you have me do?" Wicket asks looking at Josque.

  Josque sighs, "I do not know. Misque craves power, has even tried to convince me to join the Snites. He was once the most loyal soldier under my command, but now..." Josque rubs his chin, "...don't do anything until you reach the second lake, if Kysque is not there then kill Misque and fly to the forest. If something has happened, my men may not be there and my people will have no way of knowing what is happening."

  Katie, Zeer, and Lithid walk over to Wicket, "Something feels wrong, death is in the air." Lithid quietly states while sniffing the air with his wolf like snout.

  "Misque looks like he can’t concentrate, he looks as though he is in pain," Zeer adds, looking at Misque.

  "We will continue to the second lake, we will reach there by night fall," Wicket states. "Let’s continue," he shouts. "Misque, you will stay next to me."

  Katie can tell by Wicket's tone he does not trust

  Misque.

  ~REVeLATION~

  "I hate waiting," Loo states aloud. After watching the clans leave this morning, Loo has been anxiously rambling on to pass the time.

  David stares across the cavern, watching children soar through the air as they laugh and play; the women cooking over pots and washing clothes in the falls, hovering as they scrub.

  "Do you have a family Loo?"

  Loo sighs, "Almost, once. My surleigh died of a sickness many nyias ago."

  "I'm sorry," David says looking at Loo.

  Loo lies on a table, throwing a rock in the air to pass the time as his mind wanders back.

  Loo is sitting outside, watching the aphets play down the hill. Pretending to be apholt warriors, fighting the evil Snites with sticks. An aphet girl with black fur stands on a rock with large white leaves in her hands, pretending they are wings. "I will never relinquish my parents’ kingdom to you!" She points at the little aphelt boy who pretends to be a snite.

  Loo chuckles to himself, realizing she is pretending to be Katie, when he feels two hands rest on his shoulder from behind him. He puts his arm up as he turns toward his surleigh, and wraps his arm around her waist, then kisses her. From down the hill you hear the aphets yell, "Guck!"

  Lou’s wife, named Rin, has brown fur around her face. She is smaller than Loo with a womanly figure. She giggles looking at the aphets, then looks at Loo smiling from ear to ear. "You don't think it's time we have an aphet of our own?"

  Loo's eyes get big, "Really?! N-Now?" The topic had never arose before, as Loo was taken aback by it. "I I I," his eyes still big, "Really?"

  Rin smiles, "Why not? The land is safer now than it was when we were aphets," she softly touches his face.

  Loo grins, then stands and picks up his surleigh, "Okay!" He exclaims smiling at her as he kisses her passionately.

  Rin and Loo both laugh aloud as he carries her back to their home.

  Meanwhile, Rud is in the council room looking over maps. As Selphie enters the room, Rud says, "I can’t believe he did that."

  "Why?" says Selphie as she walks across the room. "You don't think you have earned it?"

  "I don't think I'm r
eady," he replies staring at the table.

  Selphie walks over to Rud, who is leaning on the table, she places her hands on his shoulders. "You are ready."

  "What if I can’t protect the people?" he stands, looking at Selphie. "You?" he takes her hand and lightly kisses her palm.

  She looks at Rud smiling, "I believe I have saved your life more than you have saved mine."

  Rud chuckles as he lifts Selphie's chin and lightly kisses her. "At the next council meeting, I'm asking your father for permission for your hand," he says to her softly holding her gaze.

  "Rud," her heart feels as though she could soar through the sky, she shakes her head in agreement. Unable to find the words, she leaps up into Rud's arms and kisses him again.

  In the cavern, David hears a child scream, "What is that?!" David leaps to his feet to see a creature covered in a bright green slime climbing up the opposite wall.

  "Loo! Quick!"

  Loo jumps off the table and stomps to the opening. "Girk!" he motions to a zothan standing guard named Girk. Girk has red hair, with light blue eyes and dark blue wings, "It’s a shendoot. He's badly hurt, bring him here!"

  Girk flies off the cliff to the shendoot, gently lifts the shendoot off the wall and carries him to Loo.

  Loo looks at the shendoot, who has been stabbed repeatedly in the chest. He realizes this shendoot is Lord Josque, the leader, "Quickly, get Rud!" Loo yells at Girk. He turns to Josque, "What happened?"

  "...be- betrayed" he pulls on Loo's shirt trying to speak, "it’s a tr- tr-.."

  "A trap?" David says.

  Josque nods at David. Rud and Selphie enter the room from behind Loo.

  "What's happened?"

  Josque looks at Loo and Rud, "When they reach the second lake at da- dark, my people, the Shendoot’s of the lakes, plan to att-“ he stumbles his words. “-with the Snites. They want to capture Wicket so the leader can absorb his soul a- a- and claim the throne. They set it up, so the Seleens would be hiding, and not there to p- p- protect them."