~~~
Nakali said she would get used to the smell, but she could not see how. The ever present odor, a mixture of mildew and sweat lingered upon her like a wet blanket. She said eventually she would find comfort in the depths of the Jagged, but for now she found herself in a deep cavern splattered with a million inter-connecting hallways leading to living quarters, training rooms and places she could never hope to explore in a lifetime.
The sunlight far, far from her, hanging high over the surface with her far below, surrounded by flickering orange light. It made her dizzy. Upon every wall in the rooms great and small, in the hallways and the training arenas, in the kitchen and the study, in the waste chambers and living quarters only fifty paces between, torch after torch burned but never went out.
“Do you know why there are so many torches?” Nakali tucked sandaled feet under her as she sat down on one of five high-posted beds in the center of the sleep quarters. The head of each bed touched the head of the one beside it. The feet pointed outward like petals on a star flower. Only bare rock lay beneath them, not a rug in the whole area.
As Nakali patted the place beside her, Ren’ai took a seat, melting into the cushion, dangling cold bare feet off the edge not quite touching frigid stone below her. She looked up at Nakali whose eyes beamed with knowledge and experience. “I guess the same reason our beds are all pointed outward.”
Nakali released a gentle laugh. She loved having an apprentice. She could not hide it.
Ren’ai released a nervous laugh. This place smelled. She sensed danger all around her.
“Good Girl. Someone always has to keep watch in the Jagged. There are dangers about. Even our bedchamber is no safe harbor.” The woman slid slender hands up and down her arms for a moment fighting back a chill. “Tonight is my watch. So shall be yours as well.”
“What are we watching for?”
Nakali’s eyes narrowed as her cheeks lifted. “You’ll see.”
Ren’ai’s eyes scanned across the room. She saw no threat, only rock and more rock and that dancing orange light. Flame popped and cracked into the air as the silence of the sleepers in three of the four beds met her ears.
The silence lulled her. As the girl’s eyes fogged, Nakali jostled her to attention. “Watch.” A dark hand went up and a finger out. “Over there.” A golden band snaked up her wrist to mid-arm.
Ren’ai’s eyes shot out across the floor to the wall, against it two well-made chests, one with a secured lock to other with latch hanging free and lid cracked open by the slightest. To the left hung a tall mirror, likely her height. Nothing. A smile replaced her look of apprehension.
She turned again to see Nakali’s face. Her visage had not changed. Enormous dark eyes watched with bitter intent toward the south wall. To the right of the chests. The girl’s eyes sailed back, trying her best to see. Shadows whipped across her features. Torchlight bounced from cheek to cheek.
Scratching met her ears. The wall livened into a twinkling as perspiration upon an expended chest.
Nakali leapt to the floor, nearly knocking Ren’ai from her place as she moved past in one swift motion. The woman drew a torch from the wall, held it close. The wall continued to shimmer. Light and shadow danced across the hills and valleys of a surface uneven. The scratching grew louder. Nakali looked back to her pupil to be certain her eyes had not strayed.
Ren’ai could not move her eyes from her.
As the woman’s chin turned outward, white claws long as a thigh bone pierced through the rock surface as if only a kerchief separated them.
Ren’ai jumped to her feet. Her heart pounded in her throat. Eyes grew wide with fear. Try as she might she could not bring a word to her lips.
Nakali gave a knowing smile, holding the torch tight in her fist, waiting, waiting.
What was she waiting for? A face followed the claw out past the surface as yellow eyes squinted to the light. Moisture slicked back its long snout as its mouth opened slowly revealing teeth, long and curved.
Nakali waited. Still, Silent. Shoulders flexed in anticipation. Dress tight to the flesh. Back arched. Chest flung forward. Only shear fabric preventing the toppling out of ample breasts. Hair now unbraided lay across her shoulders and down her back in huge soft curls. She remained poised for attack. The smile remained on her face as she listened. Waiting. “He can’t see you until you move.” She called out to the girl still frozen steps in front of her.
Ren’ai stood still. Warm breath curled up her nose, settled on the surface,torturously tickling her but she dared not seek relief.
As the yellow eyes adjusted they grew wider, moving slowly from one side to the other, searching.
Nakali turned her head slowly. Their eyes met. Recognition flashed across the beast’s features.
In a straight motion the flame plunged into the beast’s nose. It released a wail. The pain overwhelming. The shock of it crushing. In retreat the beast melted back into the wall. In a moment no sign that it had been there.
Suddenly, Ren’ai realized her mouth fell agape. She closed it as Nakali turned back to her.
“Kali, do you have to let them get so close?” A head of blonde pig tails peeked up over the edge of the bed. With sleep weighting blue eyes, her voice met the room weak, almost disinterested.
“She had to see one to know why she must not let them come through.” Nakali spoke in an even tone.
“It will be back?” Ren’ai scooted back up onto the bed and curled her feet up to her side protectively.
Nakali replaced the torch on the wall and returned to her place on the bed. “Maybe a hundred times before the night is done. So you must watch. When you see the shimmer on the wall, hear the scratching, you must burn them before they get into the room.”
“Like that one?”
“Oh, that one did not get into the room. You’d have been a goner had he broken free from the wall. They’re faster than you can imagine.” Nakali rushed her hands to Ren’ai’s shoulders. It gave her a start. “Just don’t let one out.”
The girl shook her head hard to the left and right lest there be doubt in her trainer’s mind.
“They could come from any wall, so watch all of them. We take turns. This room has never seen a time when all were sleeping save once.” A grim expression reached out across Nakali’s features. “We’re not going to let that happen again, are we?"
“Not on my watch.” Ren’ai spoke confidently. She would not let them down.
“Good.”The woman patted her on the back. “Nai, over there. This one’s yours. Don’t let him get through.”
Ren’ai leapt with force and determination to the rock floor. Seeing the glistening spot on the cave wall she stretched up to pull a torch free. Thrusting it into the wall, she heard only a low moan and knew she had forbidden the creature’s entry.
“Over there, Nai. Another one.” The pupil’s eyes shot around until she saw the spot. Thudding across the room, past the beds to the other side, she laid the flame upon the shine and again a low moan released into the air.
“There, Nai.”
The girl swept around to catch another with bare feet slapping cold rock, arms swinging to thwart the next enemy advance. Sweat rolled down a cold chin as she stood waiting, eyes shifting about seeking out signs. It never ended. How could one ever do this all night long?
Nakali watched her, still perched upon the bed with feet tucked beneath her. A look of pride upon her face, she whisked a dark strand from her cheek. “The faster you move, the faster they will come. Remember they don’t see you until you move. You must take one out and then stand perfectly still while you look around for the next one. If you dance around after each defeated, the next will arrive that much sooner. Slow, measured movement not reckless jabs defeats the FlameChaser.”
Ren’ai moved slowly as another shimmer appeared on the far wall. Moving across as if no movement at all, she waited before laying the flame upon him.
“Here, come sit with me, Nai.”
br /> Ren’ai started toward her with heavy step.
“Slowly.”
The girl crept forward, eyes moving about seeking the shimmer. She slid up onto the bed next to her trainer.
Nakali pat her firmly on the back. It comforted her, eased her fears. Somewhat. Strangeness defined this place. Dangers ever present. She wanted to cry now, but tears would not fall.