Chapter 30
Javin’s mind snapped. Something in it opened up, became free, and he felt a surge of strength. He didn’t know what he did. He just did what he had to do . . . whatever it was.
At once he was floating on the void, like when he and Sauros had passed through the portal. But he wasn’t alone. He’d pulled others.
Sauros was there, Siri, Mouhra’ Lah and her sister. And still others. Who? The power still flowed through him in a way he didn’t understand. He felt as if he had all the time in the world to seek, to learn, to discern. Still the answers to what he most wanted seemed just out of reach. It was like he could reach out and grasp them, but his arms wouldn’t extend. He couldn’t feel his arms, couldn’t feel his body, yet he knew he was still whole.
Then he recognized the others. There was the strange Pontu’ Gi who’d rescued him. The other Pontu’ Gi had called him Chahzuu. Though they’d never spoken he could feel it was him. He was the one who’s call he’d felt! Now the pain was gone, and touching his mind, he could sense . . . relief! There was also a determination that came without words. Javin knew what it was. It had been part of the earlier message that had filtered into his mind and was finally coalescing into meaning.
Nemesis! He felt the other then, and it shocked him. It was that familiar feeling he’d felt in the throne room, the presence of the evil one who’d tried to imitate him, but there was something else -- a sense of more familiarity than he was comfortable with. A sense of oneness. A sense of . . . kinship?
As he was feeling this, he could also feel Nemesis start to build his own power, sensed him readying himself to strike back!
No! Javin shouted in his mind, and everything resolved itself. The grey vanished and washed through with wavering colors, assembling themselves into a pattern inside the throne room of Puntra’ Fi Sorro.
Javin wasn’t surprised that he’d brought them here, but he didn’t know how he’d done it and doubted he could do it again.
Javin felt the solid floor beneath his feet and heard the exclamation of Tranthra’ Joh sitting on the throne.
“Where! How!” he sputtered.
Javin hid a smile then exhaustion overtook him and it was all he could do to remain standing. He looked around to find everyone else standing in shock at their sudden appearance.
Tranthra’ Joh was sitting behind a row of four guardsmen on the main level of the floor between Javin’s group and Tranthra’ Joh. Sauros still stood to his side. Siri, Mouhra’ Lah and Dierni’ Lah were huddled together in the place they’d been standing just before Javin transported them. They moved closer, their eyes wide, though not panicked. In front of Javin stood a startled Saballa. I didn’t feel him. Javin’s thoughts flashed through his mind quicker than movement. It’s just as well. Saballa had fear plainly written across his face, visibly trembling and gasping with shock.
Then Javin felt danger and whirled to find Nemesis standing to one side up on the small balcony that ringed the throne room. There were no archers this time, just Nemesis. A smile moved across his face, his breast a churning cauldron of black and red. His right hand started to glow and Javin felt the power building as Nemesis raised it, palm up toward him . . .”
“No!” Javin heard the shout, saw the bolt flash from Nemesis’ hand toward him, but it was blocked, by another bolt.
Javin spun further and saw where the bolt came from.
It had come from the other Pontu’ Gi – Chahzuu -- his first rescuer in this place. Chahzuu stood, his eyes glinting, his breast a white hot swirling, and his palms glowing as well. Javin noted two small crystal forms laying on the floor several paces in front of him as if they’d fallen there. They’re important! Javin’s mind registered that in an instant, but he couldn’t get to them just now. For the life of him, he didn’t know why they were important. His eyes were diverted back to a jerky movement from the man. He thrust his palms at Nemesis and another bolt shot out. Nemesis, eyes wide in shock, raised his hands in a warding, and the white stream of pure power spread around Nemesis, charring the walls behind, but he was untouched.
“You’re no match for me, animal!” And Nemesis launched another bolt, this one directly at his attacker.
“Guards take them!” He heard Tranthra’ Joh order, finally shaken from his stupor. Guards who’d frozen in shock snapped to action.
There were another four guards at the doorway on the other end of the room. They moved towards Javin. Out of the corner of his eye, Javin, with relief, saw his rescuer deflect the bolt thrown at him and delivered another back. He’ll watch our backs!
“Guard Mouhra!” he heard Sauros snarl as he turned to face the four guards in front of Tranthra’ Joh. They’d all drawn their blades and were moving forward. “I want this Malthrap for myself!”
Javin knew the word. It was a large, disgusting rodent, though he hadn’t seen one since being here on this world. The image floated in his mind and he just had time to smile in irony before he lifted his own blade, motioning for the women to stand behind, between him and Sauros and all the guards that faced them.
“This is going to be fun.” He said to no one. Fatigue made his blade seem heavy. He tried to raise a shield to protect himself, but couldn’t. He was drained from what it took to bring them all here. I guess I’ll have to do this the old fashioned way, he thought, and stole a glance at Saballa.
Saballa’s blade flashed from his scabbard but he made no move to come in at Javin from the side. That would have been a good move, to try and encircle him as much as possible. Instead, Saballa moved back, motioning the guards to come at Javin while he moved behind, shouting them on.
Again Javin smiled. “Ever the coward, Saballa. Don’t worry. I’ll get to you.”
The first guard lunged forward, jabbing a thrust straight forward. Javin barely parried it and swung in a counter strike. He was too slow, missing the guard who danced back out of range just as another of the four pressed forward in a swinging cut.
Javin ducked, hearing the clang of blades from behind, knowing Sauros was facing four of his own. Sauros, at least, could raise a shield. He felt for him but couldn’t sense a thing. He was so drained all vestiges of power within were gone. I won’t survive a prolonged fight, he thought.
Javin stood upright and swung to block yet another blade coming down and countered, this time quick enough to draw a line of blood along the guard’s forearm.
Next, two came forward at once, a third held back, then moved behind. The fourth held his bleeding arm, waiting for an opening. Javin parried the first thrust, moved his blade to block the next swing then snapped out his right leg to catch the third in the diaphragm. It didn’t have the force he’d like, but it was all he had. Anger started to build.
Time to stop playing around! Javin gathered his little remaining strength, still hearing the sounds of conflict behind, and hearing the roars of power being thrown back and forth between the Pontu’ Gi and Nemesis. He leapt forward, his blade thrusting, weaving and cutting, driving the four guards back. They weren’t fast enough. One went down with a stab to the throat. The next was sliced across his stomach. He fell, clutching the wound. The third tried to turn and run, but Javin caught him a blow to the back of the head. The fourth, the one he’d wounded, did run, and Javin let him go. He hoped they’d be finished before he could come back with help.
Javin nearly staggered, then felt movement and jerked to the side, narrowly missing being stabbed by Saballa’s blade. The coward had snuck around behind and was trying to get him in the back. Javin felt the blade slice through the skin of his chest as he turned away leaving only a long, thin cut.
He reached out and caught Saballa’s extended arm, jerking him forward. Saballa swept out with a knee as he was pulled forward, knocking Javin to the ground. Javin’s strength was so spent he let go his hold, expecting Saballa fall on him and finish the job. As he looked u
p, all he could see was Saballa’s backside as he fled the room.
Javin tried to struggle to his feet, and couldn’t. He felt arms helping him as Siri and Dierni’ Lah came into bleared view. He cranked his neck and saw Sauros was now fighting Tranthra’ Joh. Sauros had been quick and cut off Tranthra’s escape behind the throne. He was now fighting like a caged animal. Javin had no doubt Tranthra’ Joh was filled with terror. It was only right Sauros should face him.
His main concern now was Nemesis. What could he do? He could barely stand without help. He gripped Siri’s hand then turned to watch the Pontu’ Gi still blocking and hurling energy bolts. Javin could tell by the color of his skin, the look of his eyes, and the fading glow at his breast that he was being worn down. Conversely, Nemesis was occupied, but the red/black swirling at his breast was just as bright as ever. The bolts now mostly came from Nemesis, with the Pontu’ Gi struggling to block and deflect those sent at him and others.
He had protected them well. How long could he hold out? Javin watched closely, trying to see where he could help. Javin staggered to the center of the room, away from the bolts lest he be caught in the backwash. Siri and Dierni moved with him. He kept glancing at the doorway, expecting someone to come at any moment. Mouhra’ Lah stood watching Sauros, rooted where she was. Occasionally she would spare a glance around the room as if she, too, were trying to find a way to help.
“Bolt the door,” Javin said to Siri. She nodded and grabbed Dierni to help her. Then Javin turned back to the Pontu’ Gi and Nemesis. The last bolt seemed to get through and Chahzuu groaned with pain as his flesh was seared. He chanced a glance at Javin. Time seemed to stop as their eyes met.
The look was one of understanding, of friendship, though they’d not been together other than just the once. The look conveyed feelings: comradery, loyalty, hope . . . Then the Pontu’ Gi’s expression changed. It was instantaneous, but stretched in Javin’s mind as endless. He saw surprise, worry, and . . . panic, as if something were happening. Something neither one of them could prevent. Then he saw the look of decision in the Pontu’ Gi’s eyes and his face hardened. His eyes burned into Javin, imploring . . . but for what!
Then Javin watched in horror as the Pontu’ Gi raised himself to full height, closed his eyes, squinting them in concentration, and dropped his shield!
“No!” Javin shouted and tried to stagger forward, but his mind faltered as he felt a powerful mental surge spinning out from the Pontu’ Gi. Not at him, but to somewhere else outside of the palace. Then a bolt took the Pontu’ Gi square in the breast and blew him backward with powerful force.
Javin watched as his scorched body came to a rest many paces across the floor. He stared at his lifeless form in tired shock and heard a hollow laugh behind him. He turned to see Nemesis’ glowing palms rising . . .
Javin could do nothing as Nemesis threw both hands forward sending an immense beam of searing light straight at him. Everything seemed to slow. He had time to wonder in that instant if his body would be burned as bad as Chahzuu’s.
He saw a blur of movement from the corner of his eye, heard a shout from behind and felt heat as the beam struck -- but not him.
Mouhra’ Lah had leaped in front of the lancing energy and took the powerful beam herself to protect him. He caught her as the force thrust her into him, and he held fast, looking into her eyes, seeing the pain, the surprise then the light in her eyes fading . . .
“Save . . . my . . . people,” she whispered as she slumped on Javin and he layed her gently to the floor.
Anger boiled and Javin staggered to his feet to face his enemy. The smirk on Nemesis face only added to Javin’s anger. He tried to call up energy, to draw on the crystal. None came. He tried to nurse the anger, tried to pull out any reserves he had. Still nothing; he was truly spent.
Nemesis’ smile grew wider, and Javin clenched his teeth, forcing himself to his full height to face Nemesis directly and hold his head high.
Javin watched Nemesis’ eyes dance with glee as his palms again started to glow one last time . . .