Chapter 31
Javin stared death in the eye. His anger boiled. It rankled that he wasn't close enough to at least spit in Nemesis' eye before he was taken down. Nemesis eyes widened with unholy glee, the rictus smile still on his face as his glowing palms moved forward . . .
Then another beam speared out, flashing out of the corner of Javin's eye accompanied by a roar of rage.
Sauros! Javin thought. He must have seen Mouhra go down!
There was a blinding flash, and Javin raised a hand to protect his eyes from the glare. When he could lower it, he looked where Nemesis had been standing. The only thing left was a scorch mark on the wall . . . and a faint outline where Nemesis had been standing.
Javin turned to see Sauros standing over a fallen Tranthra' Joh, blood pooling at his feet. Sauros stood still for a moment, arm raised, pointing to where he'd sent the flashing bolt. Then he came to himself, dropped his arm and rushed down the steps to cradle Mouhra' Lah in his arms. There were muffled sobs and Javin wanted to say something . . . Nothing came. Nothing ever would, that could make up for Sauros' loss. Mouhra had died saving him!
Javin was jolted by a pounding coming from the doors, and Dierni' Lah, realizing what had happened let out a little cry and rushed over to Sauros' side. It must have been her screaming Javin had heard. Siri' Bhu just stood by the doors they'd bolted, staring into nothingness, tears congealing in her eyes.
Again there was nothing Javin could say. They'd won. But at such a cost!
They all ignored the continued pounding at the doors, then the curtains behind the throne parted and a group of men darted through, led by an older man, distinguished looking, but wounded.
"Siri?" the older man said hesitating as his eyes fell on the Keeper. "Is that you, my daughter?"
"Daddy!" Siri bolted forward and Javin lowered the blade he'd raised to defend himself and the others again.
Siri ran into his arms and they stumbled until Siri backed away, holding the older man at arm's length. "You're hurt!"
"Not now," the man said. He looked at Javin, at Siri. Then his eyes went down to the huddled form of Sauros, still quietly sobbing over his fallen love. Dierni was kneeling beside them.
"He's a friend, father; a real Mulda’ fi."
Javin didn't much feel like a Promised One right then. He let the blade he'd been holding clang to the floor and he strode over to kneel beside Sauros and rested a hand on his shoulder. This shouldn't have happened! It should have been me!
"Open the doors!" The older man gestured to two of the men he'd brought with him. "We've taken the palace, those outside are with us." He spoke this to no one in particular then followed Siri to stand over the huddled forms.
The gaurds swung open the doors, and a group of soldiers moved in, quickly taking up positions, then catching themselves, turning to their leader. What was happening? They caught the subdued spirit of the room.
Sohorkon strode in followed by two guards escorting another between them.
"We caught this one on our way here," Sohorkon said to Javin as he rose. There was a look of concern on his face as he saw his brother then glanced back up to Javin. "The palace is secure. My men are going through, taking everyone in black uniforms. This one, though, I thought you'd want. I know who he is." Sohorkon gestured to the grimacing man the guards held between them. Saballa!
"Indeed I do." Javin eyed Saballa coldly. "Let him go."
Sohorkon's eyes grew wide until he understood what Javin meant. "Block the door," Sohorkon commanded, "Make a ring so he can't get away until it's finished."
"I give you a chance," Javin whispered. "I give you more than you deserve, but if you don't take it, you're life is ended where you stand!"
Sohorkon nodded to the two guards and they thrust Saballa into the center of the room where Javin was waiting, forming a ring that excluded the still huddled forms of Sauros and those around him. For now, they were ignored by all the others . . . except Javin. This is for them! he thought. It wasn't enough, but it was all he had.
"Come. Let's see if you can fight or just shout orders."
A wild look came across Saballa's face. Javin could tell he was terrified. Javin moved closer, then Saballa suddenly darted forward, his hand sweeping down to pick up the blade Javin had let fall earlier.
It's an act!
Javin knew it the moment Saballa came up, thrusting, and barely missed being spit on the blade. The back swing caught him, though, and he felt an icy hot slice skim across his right shoulder.
Saballa danced back out of the way, gloating. Sohorkon started to move forward but Javin held up his hand. A blade was offered. He ignored it. This would be done with his bare hands.
"Come. Your little surprises are at an end. If you win, you walk. If you don't, you'll never walk again."
Javin continued to circle towards Saballa. Again a sweep of the blade came in. Javin leaned back out of reach, snapping out his left foot, catching Saballa on the wrist. There was a crack, and the blade slipped from his fingers. Saballa clutched his broken wrist. Another step and Javin swept out his right foot sweeping Saballa's knee inward with another crack. Saballa fell hissing in pain. He reached into his boot, pulling another, smaller blade, holding it out in a pathetic defense. Javin would have smiled if he weren't so weary of it all.
I'm not an animal who plays with his prey! he thought, though he admitted he was tempted.
Javin’s left hand was a blur of movement and he caught Saballa's knife hand, holding it, slowly twisting it until the blade fell, then he released it and caught Saballa a backhand across the temple with such force it made Javin's knuckles go numb.
Saballa rocked with the blow. His eyes were bleary, senseless. Javin stepped closer and put one hand on his chin, the other on the top of his head, and gave a sharp twist! Javin felt the neck snap as Saballa's lifeless body slumped to the floor.
Silence.
Sohorkon moved up, placing a hand on Javin's shoulder. Vaguely he felt someone putting a dressing to where he'd been sliced by his own blade. He ignored it. Something . . . someone was trying to say something to him. He cocked his head to one side, listening, but there was no sound.
"Pale One . . . " It sounded in his mind . . .
Javin left Sohorkon standing and pushed through the guards to Chahzuu’s heaped form sprawled on the floor.
I thought he was dead! Javin cradled him, lifting his head slightly so he could gaze down into the creature's filmy eyes.
Chahzuu opened his mouth as if to speak. Nothing came. Instead a frail voice sounded in Javin's mind.
"You alive? We won?"
"We won," Javin said back, not sure what 'winning' really was.
Chahzuu nodded, then a wave of pain wracked his body and he tensed. Javin tried to soothe, but he could feel the fierce pain that suffused his friend? Protector? Javin wasn't sure what the relationship was. There was a definite connection, though. He felt it.
Then Chahzuu reached up and placed a hand flat across Javin's breast. A warmth started, swelling, and he saw a soft light glowing inside Chahzuu's breast.
Javin felt a flood of memories, experiences, knowledge, joy, pain, sorrow, regret, and last of all . . . contentment? He realized all that remained in Chahzuu had been given to him, and beyond him to the rest of his people. And he understood. Without words . . . He knew . . . Knew all that Chahzuu had known . . . and so did his people. Such was the power of his final passing.
He held him a moment longer knowing life had fled . . . Then a glow started from the lifeless breast, spreading until all of Chahzuu's body was covered in a golden glow. Javin wasn't alarmed. He was calm. The light was warm, comforting.
Then Chahzuu's body faded leaving only Javin's arms holding empty air.
There was a small gasp from those who'd come to stand over him They’d seen it too. Javin ignored them and stood. He moved over to where Sau
ros was still kneeling. He rested a hand on his friend's shoulder, and this time Sauros looked up. There were tear streaks on his cheeks, his eyes were red. No words passed between them. None were needed. None would suffice.
Silence, again. Then,
"Look," Javin said. He'd sensed something. Sauros had felt it too. Mouhra' Lah's body was starting to glow! Like Chahzuu’s, it grew, spreading brighter, and the warmth spread all around, comforting, calming.
She never had a crystal! Javin thought.
The glow faded, and with it Mouhra’ Lah’s body. No one knew where it went. No one questioned. It just felt right.
Javin looked around. Everyone was just staring, wondering what to do next. He went to Sohorkon' Bho.
"I'm sorry," Sohorkon said as Javin approached. He could see the pain in his eyes for his brother's loss. Felt the sense of failure. "The gate didn't open and I realized something had gone wrong. We had to fight our way in then we were blocked by the Pontu' Gi right here at the palace. Even our Pontu' Gi couldn't reach them. They seemed in some sort of trance. They had strange weapons that hurled . . . lightning. We would have been decimated, but suddenly they just crumpled . . . all of them, even the ones with us. They're not dead. I don't know what happened."
Javin looked over to where Chahzuu had lain. "Don't worry about it," he said. "Consider it a gift." Javin now understood what had happened.
There was a small commotion at the doors and Javin craned his neck to see. He felt them coming. "Let them through," he said. The way parted for Preegha and the other Elders he'd brought with him. They came up and stood in front of Javin, touching fists to their breast, bowing their heads. They staggered slightly as if just waking from a dream.
Javin knew what the dream was. He'd felt it go out to all the Pontu' Gi, just as Chahzuu was giving it to him while cradling him him in his arms at the end. Preegha turned to where Chahzuu had lain. He looked back at Javin. Javin nodded. He knew what they were feeling. He felt it too.
Chahzuu had finally resolved his dreams. In the moment his people were about to shed the blood of the people they were destined to protect, he'd sent out a sweeping blunt to each of their minds, causing them to fall unconscious rather than shed blood. But in that instant, Chahzuu had been forced to lower his guard letting Nemesis through.
He'd given his life to protect his people, and his world. This time his death had meaning!
"Sohorkon?" a weak voice sounded from over where Sauros was still kneeling. "Is that you?"
"Dierni' Lah?"
Javin watched as Sohorkon’s face brightened and he moved and swept Mouhra' Lah's sister in his arms. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
Javin watched as Sauros stared, getting to his feet, his face a look of wonder.
"You know each other?" Sauros asked.
Sohorkon looked sheepish, but held his arm around Dierni's shoulder as he faced his brother. "Yes," he said in a soft voice. "Actually we've known each other since the first time I came here with a detachment of diplomats." He turned to look at Dierni and smiled.
Siri' Bhu moved up with her father, and they looked as incredulous as Sauros. Javin came closer.
"We actually met . . . and fell in love . . ." Dierni stammered, taking up the story, "before you met my sister. We talked about getting married, but when it was announced that you and Mouhra' Lah were betrothed, we decided to wait; to not take away anything from you . . . or her."
"Yours was more important anyway," Sohorkon continued. "You're the crown prince, and she was to be queen. We decided that once you’d married, and the official alliance forged, we would get married quietly.”
There was silence for a time then Sauros spoke. It was low, almost a whisper, but still powerful.
“The alliance between our cities must continue.” All eyes were on him. “Sohorkon, you and Dierni should get married and make it happen. Both our cities must be reassured. Both have lost leaders in assassination. They need something joyous to celebrate. Along with the mourning, they need the hope you two must bring. Then you must both do your best to bring others into the alliance, as it was planned.”
“But what about you?” Sohorkon blurted. “You are the eldest. It’s you who should lead!”
“No.” Sauros waived a hand. “I cannot. I have something else . . . You must do this. I ask you to do this.”
Javin watched between them, until Sohorkon finally nodded his head. He could see the relief pass through Sauros. Javin moved up, looking carefully at him, feeling out. “What now then, my friend?”
Sauros turned to him, and stared. It reminded Javin of the stare he’d received just after Sauros had recieved the crystal into his breast. Javin was about to ask again, to press him this time then something else caught his mind. He looked around the room, rushing to the last spot he’d seen them. He moved people aside, not caring about the angry murmurs.
“Where are they? Did anyone see them?”
“See what?” Sauros asked.
“They’re gone!” Javin felt a pit in his stomach. “The Articles of Power.” Javin knew now what those items he’d noticed on the floor were, compliments of Chahzuu’s memories. “They’re gone!” Then Javin felt the pit widen as the certain realization struck him.
Nemesis isn’t dead!