***
"Nooo!" Javin's anger flared and the shout was ripped from his lips. Suddenly the spear stopped mid air just inches from his heart. It hung there in mid air. Javin only now noticed a burning is his chest, the crystal flaming with power.
"It's about time this thing was good for something," Javin said. He concentrated again and flexed his muscles, amplified by the power he felt still coursing through the crystal, the bonds holding him broke and he moved forward.
A harsh order was given and another spear was cast in his direction. Javin noticed it and with a furrowed brow, that spear also stopped mid air, inches above his heart, then fell. Gasps came from the gathered Pontu' Gi as Javin stopped and stared.
He turned to release Sauros, but found he'd watched Javin and had released himself in the same way. Javin looked at Sauros’ breast and saw a subdued glow come from the pelted cavity. Then he looked at his own bare breast and noticed the same red glow.
"How did we do that?" Javin asked as Sauros moved up beside him and they turned to look at the still gaping Pontu' Gi.
Sauros didn't answer, but glanced at Javin's breast then down at his own.
Javin thought through what he'd done. The power to stop the spears had come through the crystal, but not from it. With shock, he realized the power had somehow come from him! His desperate need to stop the spear had made a thrust of power surge from inside! The crystal had simply taken hold and amplified it, creating a shield the spears couldn’t pierce.
Now this is going to take some serious thinking . . . but not now.
Sauros was looking at him.
"Shall we?" He gestured to the group of Pontu' Gi.
Sauros inclined his head.
They moved over to the stunned group. They made no move to try another volley, nor did they run.
"Look, we don't mean you any harm. Will you talk with us now? As you can see, we can’t be hurt." Javin wasn’t sure it was a lie, but didn’t want them to know. Hopefully it was more than a bluff.
Javin looked at their leader. He wasn't holding a weapon so Javin moved closer, both he and Sauros maintained their shields.
The leader looked at Javin closely, his head tilted, wondering. He took several deep breaths before answering.
"We are in your hands." He held his hands out in a supplicating fashion that Javin took to mean they agreed. It surprised him.
This shouldn’t be so easy. Why are they giving up? What’s the catch?
"Okay," Javin said and he thought real hard, still not sure he could do this, but the shield around him disappeared. It was a relief he could still do it without it being a matter of life and death. Now he was relatively sure he could make the shield again if needed. But what else would he be able to do? Again, now wasn't the time to figure it out.
Sauros eyed all the Pontu' Gi warily, still maintaining his shield. Javin saw a faint glow outlining his profile. He stayed close to Javin watching especially those still holding weapons. Javin had no doubt he would jump in front of him the instant they showed any move toward hostility. Great. Javin would do the talking then while Sauros watched.
"Why did you try to kill us? How did you even know we were going through your . . . territory?" Javin said without preamble.
The leader hesitated a moment. "We were commanded to kill any who should come after . . ." He acted like he didn't know how to finish. Then he spoke again. "We knew you were in our lands just as we always know."
"What?" Javin said. "How do you always know? Have others come before?"
"Very few," the leader said. "But others have come. Our lands have been forbidden to any except the Pontu' Gi. We were to remain here until the time came for us to fulfill our destiny.
“Whenever others have come into our lands we know they have come. We know it here." The leader gently touched the side of his head. "And we feel it here." He laid a hand over his breast. "We felt you most strongly . . . Just like the Chaurvitoos." The leader glanced around at his warriors. Some nodded. "You look like the Other too. Are you from him?" The leader looked confused, worried. "Your powers feel like him though . . . different. Are you testing our obedience?"
"What other?" Javin asked, afraid he already knew the answer.
"One who looks and feels like you. Though he knew his place. He announced himself as Chaurvitoos and Mulda’ fi. He appeared in the center of our village before we felt his coming. How did he do this? Can you do this too? If so, why have you come as others, trespassing? Our lands are forbidden to all but our Chaurvitoos, and Mulda’ fi.
“The Chaurvitoos told us our time was now. He fulfilled the Proving and our young warriors have gone with him."
Javin was confused. "Wait a minute. This Other you're talking about. You said he looked like me?"
"Yes. Very much." The leader scrutinized him. "His pelt was of a darker color, but you look the same. You feel the same too . . . but . . . different."
"You feel me? How? What's it like?"
"I don't understand," the leader said. "You do not feel?"
"I guess not."
There were murmurs around the group.
"Yet you have the Power,” the leader said. “How can you do this without being able to feel?"
Javin ignored the question. He knew it wouldn't be something he could explain, and he didn't have the time or the patience to explain even if he could.
"Let's go back to this Other. What did he do here? Why did he come? Did he give you a name?"
The leader looked a little surprised. Like Javin should know. Especially if he was one of these Mulda’ fi everybody kept insisting he was.
"The Other said to call him YahWinn."
Javin gaped. He's even stealing my name! Why? What has all this got to do with me?
The leader continued. “He said he came to place us on the path of destiny. But you should know this . . .” There was a silence while Javin thought.
“Where did he go? What is this destiny you people are supposed to fulfill?”
“This is strange. You should know all. You have the Power. Perhaps you are an enemy. Perhaps you are an enemy of the Other -- our Chaurvitoos.”
“Yes. I’m his enemy,” Javin said. “But he’s your enemy too.”
Again murmurs went around the group. Sauros emitted a low growl that got their attention.
“Look,” Javin said. “I think there’s been a big mistake here. You people don’t realize who you’re dealing with. This Other isn’t who he says.”
“Who is he then? He showed he was Chaurvitoos, and did the Proving. You have not.” The last was spoken in a plaintive tone. “You have only come as a stranger. Perhaps the Other was right to have us try and kill you. You are trying to deceive us. Take us from our path.”
Javin noticed that the warriors were starting to bristle again. Sauros continued to watch, his shield still in place. They weren’t in any danger . . . yet.
“You say this Other proved himself? How? Show me.”
The leader looked at the others then shrugged his shoulders. “Follow.”
The leader started off. Sauros looked at Javin. “Have them all go ahead so we can keep an eye on them.”
Sauros nodded then gestured for the warriors to all preceed them. They looked to the leader who’d stopped, watching.
“Do it.” he said.
This still worries me, Javin thought. They haven’t tried anything. Why?
They walked through the clearing and around the base of a huge rock that was as big as a house. It was away from the village, which was good because they didn’t want anyone else to be able to sneak up from behind.
Around the far side of the boulder was a cavern that looked like it’d been hollowed. It was big enough to hold all the assembled group underneath standing straight and tall with plenty of room to spare. The leader motioned to the back.
“Have your warriors mo
ve aside. Over there would be good.” Javin pointed to the far side of the clearing so he and Sauros could both watch them as they moved into the overhang.
“Do so!” The leader snapped and the warriors jogged over to where had been indicated. They still held their weapons, but they weren’t threatening at all. Just curious.
Maybe they think they have us right where they want us. Or maybe this Other did something to put a little scare in them. They think I can do the same. They did talk about a Power.
“Here is what proves one as Mulda’ fi.” The leader stepped into the cavity with them.
At the back wall of the cavern was a statue carved out from the stone. Javin gasped. The closer he got the more surprised he became. Sauros had much the same reaction.
“How is this done?” Sauros asked, turning to Javin.
Javin could only shake his head as he gaped.
That’s me! That statue looks just like me!
Then a burning started in his breast, the closer he came. But that wasn’t all. There was a glow coming from the statue too. Right over its breast.
Javin continued to move closer, the searing in his breast rising. Sauros stopped to watch. The leader was staring. On the statue the light over the breast grew the closure Javin drew to it.
“You are Mulda’ fi and Chaurvitoos too! How can this be?” the leader’s voice was hushed. “Why would the Other command us to kill any others? Perhaps he didn’t know you were coming.”
“Oh, I think he knew,” Javin said, still keeping his eyes on the statue. His naked, full-sized image was etched into stone. He scratched the bearded stubble on his chin. This image was clean shaven, the way he preferred.
“This Other had hair on his face?” Javin turned to the leader.
“Yes. It caused us confusion at first. The Other said it just happens that the Proving had some differences is all. After all he was wearing clothing and the image on the Proving doesn’t. Then he showed us the sign.” The leader pointed to the still glowing breast on the image.
Javin came back from under the overhang and came to stand beside Sauros. “I’ve got an idea. I’ll watch while you go in and have a look.”
Sauros looked at him a moment then nodded. Javin watched the image closely the closer Sauros came. It began to glow over the breast just as it had when Javin approached. Sauros grunted then turned back to Javin, his hand above his breast.
“You felt this too?” Sauros asked.
“It’s the crystal.” Javin answered. “It’s got to be tied in some way.”
“It makes sense,” Sauros said moving back out of the overhang. “But how can it look like you? You said before you are new to this world. And who is this Other they keep referring too? His name sounded like yours.”
“An imposter, believe me.” Javin said. “I can’t tell you how I know, but there is another here like me. We’ve met before . . . I think. He’s not one of the good guys. In fact, I think he’s behind the trouble that’s being stirred up around here. Maybe I’ve been sent here to get him off your backs.”
“Off our backs?” Sauros said.
“Just another stupid figure of speech from where I come from . . . Wherever that is. It means I need to find him and stop him.”
At this point the leader moved up. Javin and Sauros turned to stare at him. He held his hands up as he moved forward.
“I’ve been listening to you speak. I saw this other is also a Mulda’ fi, though he doesn’t look anything like the Proving. Please help us. Why have you come? Why did the Other not tell us of you? Why did he want no others to leave here?”
“I think you’ve been deceived.” Javin said. “The Other is not a good man. He is trying to harm your world.”
The leader’s eyes grew wide. “But he proved himself! He knew he was Chaurvitoos and also a Mulda’ fi!”
“I can’t answer your questions, but I know what this Other is like. He is not honest. He even stole my name.” Javin hesitated a moment. “My name’s really Javin, by the way. Javin Cox.” He held out his hand to the leader.
The leader stared at his hand until Javin reached over and grasped his hand. It was limp and cool.
"That's how we greet friends where I come from."
"YahWinn. That is truly your name?"
"Well, you're not saying it quite right, but yes. Try it again. 'Javin'."
"Yah'Vin. Jah'Vin."
"That's it. And what's your name? Are you the leader here?"
"I'm called Preegha. And I'm but one of the leaders." He looked back over his shoulder to the warriors still standing at some distance.
"It's okay. They can come over." Javin gestured for them all to come closer. "Let 'em come," he said to Sauros.
Sauros nodded but only relaxed his stance slightly, still keeping a close eye on everyone. His shielding had long since been dropped.
"I'm the Sarhzaa, a Chieftan of my people. I deal with the civil matters of my people."
Javin noted the differentiation. "There's another leader here?" He looked at the warriors moving closer, trying to pick out another that might hold leadership.
"No. Not here. Our Chahkzaa . . . has gone." The Sarhzaa hesitated a moment, looking for help from his warriors as if he was at a loss as to what to say. One of the warriors moved closer, shrugging his shoulders. "If Chahzuu were here, he'd know what to do," he said.
"This is Luuhzzho, my second."
Luuhzzho held out his hands waste high, right palm up, left down then inclined his head in a nod. Javin looked closely and repeated the gesture making sure to use the same palm up and same palm down as Luuhzzho had used. He nodded then smiled. "That's your greeting?"
"Of friends, yes."
"Ah, good." Javin carefully reached his hand out and Luuhzzho took it. It was plain he'd watched the Sarhzhaa. The shake was a bit firmer this time, but the hand was still cool to the touch.
"Our Chahkzaa left just a short time before the Other came. No one knew where he'd gone until the Other came and told us he'd given his life bringing Chaurvitoo knowledge of his people."
"What is a Chahkzaa?" Javin asked. The word didn't translate well, but he had some slight intimation of possible meanings.
"The Chahkzaa is our spiritual leader. A teacher, record keeper, and in Chahzuu's case, some say prophet. The elders who were teaching him said he had the gift of Dreaming. He's been Chahkzaa for a very long time."
Javin thought a moment then asked. "Did any of your people ever leave this valley -- your land here?"
"Not until the Chaurvitoos came and took all our young warriors to fulfill their destiny, no. Only Chahzuu has ever left. And he only once . . . to bring the Other."
Something about this sounded familiar to Javin. Then it clicked.
"He's not dead!" Javin said. "At least not the last time I saw him. He saved my life."
"You saw him? Where? How was he? Why hasn't he come back?" Preehga sounded anxious.
"Hold on. I saw him in the jungle a long ways from here. Where, exactly, I can't tell you. And I didn't exactly get a chance to talk with him. When I tried to speak to him, he bound off through the trees like nobody’s business."
"Luuhzzho cocked his head to one side. "Business?"
"He has funny speech at times, I know," Sauros' Bho said, moving closer, apparently satisfied now no one was going to attack. "But listen beyond his funny words. There is wisdom and truth there besides."
"Thanks a lot." Javin said.
The other warriors started moving closer now, but not threatening. They were starting to become comfortable.
"You trust us now?" It was a strange question to ask, but seemed right considering their apparent actions.
"Yes." Preegha said without hesitation. He looked to his second, then the other warriors. "You feel as if we should trust you. Both of you." He nodded to Sauros.
"Oh." Was
all Javin could think of saying. There they go with this 'feeling' bit again.
"Now I know the difference in your feeling from the Other. You feel better, stronger . . . more . . . good than the other," the Sarhzaa said. He then made a supplicating gesture, both hands down low, palms out and down, then bowed low at the waist. The others immediately followed suite.
"Jah'Vin," Preehga looked up. "Have we made a mistake in trusting the Other? This man claiming to be Chaurvitoos and Mulda’ fi?"
"Yes." Javin was certain. There was silence as his words sank in.
"Then are you the one who was promised us? Are you the one to lead us?"
Javin waited a long time. Then in a very quiet voice, he said. "I don't know."