“GO!” Syrk demanded even louder.
Like a child caught stealing a sweet, Gryn’s head hung low.
“Yes father.” He snarled.
As Gryn turned and headed off to investigate the lands, Syrk’s sinister gaze fell once again upon the beautiful prisoner. He felt off. He felt something awry as he watched her slow movements. An unsettling discomfort took home in his gut and fearful thoughts swelled in his mind. He motioned for one of the guards he had sent out earlier, who quickly responded.
“Bring me the Abomination.” He ordered quietly and without taking his eyes off Kara.
The guards face twisted in disgust and he hesitated. Syrk noticed no reply or movement coming from the guard and turned his menacing stare towards him.
“Do you want to die today?” He asked calmly.
The guard thought for a second about the order he was given as well as the follow up question, contemplating the lesser of the two evils.
“I would rather die than free that monstrosity.” He answered defiantly.
In the blink of an eye, Syrk lunged and threw a devastating punch to the guard’s throat, breaking his neck instantly. The guard dropped lifeless at his feet and turned to stone. Syrk quickly brought his foot smashing down on the death statue, shattering it to pieces. He then looked to another guard.
“Bring me the Abomination.” He ordered.
The guard looked at his hate filled leader, then at the bits of stone scattered about. He nodded his head and then left to carry out the order. Syrk took his seat upon the throne and turned his attention once again towards the tower.
“Clean this mess up.” He demanded quietly at the remaining guards. All the while locking his gaze upon Kara and watching her every movement.
Chapter 27
“I hate to be that guy, but how much further?” Connor asked as the foursome traversed the magnificent landscape of Theros.
“It’s not far now.” Etria answered.
Her smile locked him in and he failed to see the rock in his path, jutting up from the ground. Alina saw it but decided it would amuse her more to leave him unwarned. Connor tripped and stumbled, tried desperately to recover his balance, but crashed to the ground instead. Alina broke out in hysterical laughter causing her to stop and crouch, holding her sides. Ryaal quickly turned his attention to the commotion behind him and saw Connor pushing himself back up off the ground. Realizing what happened, a smile broke on his face and he quickly began laughing along with Alina.
“Yeah, laugh it up you two. Real mature.” He said, with frustration.
“At least someone has some…” He turned to Etria to finish his praise but saw her tightly covering her mouth with both hands, so as not to laugh.
“Really! You too?” He exclaimed.
Connor’s reaction put her over the top and she too erupted with laughter.
“We’re supposed to be a team ya know.” He tried to reason.
“Someone should’ve told me there was a rock there.”
His anger and frustration served only to make the situation more comical and his friends began to laugh even harder.
“Whatever!” He exclaimed, storming to the front of the group and continuing their trek.
The laughter began to subside when Ryaal spoke up.
“Connor!” He called out.
“What!” He answered without looking back.
“It’s this way.” Ryaal pointed in the right direction as Connor stopped to look.
“Whatever.” He said, changing course.
The group’s laughter again escalated at their friend’s frustration. The next hour was spent mostly in quiet with the occasional, Con, watch out for that rock coming from one of the group, followed closely by laughter from the others. Connor was not amused.
After travelling for a couple more hours, the group stopped and became completely silent. Before them, not far in the distance was their destination, the Ishra capitol, Shi’ Kar. Connor and Alina were amazed by the overwhelming beauty of the city before them, while Ryaal was flooded by more painful memories. Tears streamed down Etria’s flawless face as she once again looked upon her home.
“I never thought I’d see it again.” She spoke softly.
The smile she held on her face slowly faded as her eyes rose to the sky above her home. Connor noticed.
“Etria, what is it?” He asked.
“The clouds.” She answered.
Connor’s focus turned to the enormous, deep blue clouds resting high above the city.
“What about them? They’re clouds.” He said, matter-of-factly.
“They’re not dancing.” She responded sadly. “I had forgotten they stopped.”
They’re not what?” Alina asked, surprised at the possibility of dancing clouds.
“Our home world is very much alive. All are.” She said, turning her focus to Alina.
“We live in complete harmony with our world and in return, it does so with us.” She informed as her gaze returned to the clouds.
“Before all this, you could look to the skies and the clouds would change color and part to let the sun shine on you. It was there way of smiling at you.” She smiled in fond reminiscence.
No one noticed the smile form on Ryaal’s face as he too remembered how it once was.
“You could easily lose the day watching them swirl and sway high above you. Now they sit motionless waiting for things below to be made right again. Do you see that violet glow, faintly emanating from within the city?” Etria pointed at her home as the young humans nodded.
“That does not come from my people. It is our home calling out to my sister. It feels her pain and is weeping for her.”
Alina found a deep and beautiful sadness in what she had just heard and her resolve to help rescue Kara grew even stronger. It was such for all of them.
Connor stood amazed at the city before him. Buildings, taller than any he had ever seen back home, soaring high into the sky as though reaching to touch the majestic clouds that one time danced and played above them. What looked like transparent walkways connected the entire city together in such a way that there seemed to be only a few joining the massive city together.
The combination of the faint, violet glow and amber sun rays peeking through heart wrenched clouds was utterly sublime as it shimmered and glistened off the ivory and gold that accented every crystalline structure. Connor was not a religious young man by any account, but seeing this place, in all its radiant elegance, brought to his mind the thought that maybe heaven was a real place. A physical place like the one before him and, if so, could it be this beautiful?
“Let’s go.” Ryaal commanded softly.
He began walking towards the city that had captivated them all for the last few moments. Connor and Alina looked at each other in wide-eyed silence. Their expressions asking, Can you believe this place? Can you believe we’re here?, as they too headed towards the city.
Etria waited for a moment still taking in the city she had not seen in far too long, before she too headed with quiet excitement, towards home.
Chapter 28
As he stopped and stood at the entrance to the long silver and golden trimmed walkway leading into the city, Ryaal thought about how the Ishra would feel towards him or if they would even remember him. Would they run at the sight of the obsidian skinned Akirian? Would they blame him for what’s happened to Kara? Had they believed the twisted lies spread by his father and brothers? He remembered crossing this walkway everyday with his brothers when they studied at the Ishra Academy. He remembered holding Kara’s hand as they left the city and headed towards their spot on the cliffs overlooking the valley.
“Ryaal!” Etria’s voice interrupted his thoughts and he noticed his three friends were already halfway across the impressive footbridge.
“You want me to hold your hand big guy?” Alina asked with the wiseass sarcasm usually employed by Connor.
Ryaal shot a
look reminding her how unafraid he was of anything and how unamused he was by her offer.
“Alright, settle down, I was just kidding.” She responded.
Ryaal began to cross as the others continued forward. A few moments later the group arrived at the monolithic archway granting access into the city. Through it they could see the residents milling about in the streets and in the city square. Etria instantly noticed something startling.
“Ryaal.” She whispered in a confused and worried tone.
“What is it?” He asked as he made his way to her, not yet looking towards the city.
She responded with no words, only the point of her finger. Ryaal looked in the direction she pointed and was immediately bewildered by the sight that filled his crimson eyes. Among the Ishra people walking around with their poetic and intellectual grace were, in vast numbers…Akirians! Ryaal drew his weapon and the others quickly followed suit as the four proceeded cautiously into the city square, hoping to go unnoticed as long as possible.
It was an Ishra citizen that noticed them first and her glance quickly spread like wildfire. All eyes in the city square fell upon Ryaal. They loudly and collectively gasped at the sight of the massive warrior as their faces became masked in fear. All but one. A very tall and elderly Ishra approached Ryaal, expressionless and with no fear about him at all. He stood before the great warrior and said nothing, only staring into blood red eyes as if he were searching for something…for someone. After a few moments of tense and complete silence the elder Ishra placed his hands on each side of Ryaal’s face as a great smile stretched across his own.
“It is so good to see you again, Ryaal.” The elder Ishra said.
The crowd stood waiting, expecting the Akirian to react with swift violence. Instead, a great smile spread across his face as it had with his former instructor.
“Larak.” Ryaal greeted.
The two threw their arms around one another the way only great friends can, as a sigh of relief swept across the large crowd. After a moment Larak stepped back. Still beaming, he spoke again.
“Welcome home Etria.” He said with great sincerity, turning his attention to the brave daughter of Ishra.
“Hello Larak.” She said smiling as he stepped forward and embraced her as well.
“We have missed you so.” He told her as he stepped back and held her with extended arms. “Welcome home indeed.” He repeated with a great smile.
“There are people I would like you to meet.” Etria said as Ryaal stepped aside, moving his massive frame and unveiling Connor and Alina. The crowd again gasped, this time at the small strange beings. Larak’s eyes and smile grew even wider as he pressed his hands together in amazement.
“Humans!” He exclaimed with great excitement.
He quickly stepped forward and bent down to get a better look at the smaller beings. He bowed slightly and extended his hands to the two as though he were an English gentlemen meeting the queen.
“It is my great pleasure to meet you.” Larak told them with a warm smile which was immediately returned by the two humans, who felt very welcomed by the warm greeting.
“The pleasure is ours sir.” Alina responded on their behalf.
Just then, a pair of voices was heard as it moved hurriedly through the crowd.
“Etria?” The voices questioned in unified disbelief.
Larak, still smiling, stepped aside. A short distance behind him Etria could see who spoke her name. She could not hold back her tears as she spoke.
“Mother…Father.”
They ran to one another and embraced so tightly it was as though they would never let go. Tears streamed and streaked down the faces of the not yet complete family and the happiness that emanated from them quickly spread throughout the crowd. Mother held son, father held daughter, those without children or mate, held each other. The sight of Akirian holding Ishra gave Ryaal a glimpse of the future his grandfather had not been able to realize.
Chapter 29
Ryaal soon noticed that Etria and her parents were ending their hug and that Etria’s mother, Rana, was directing her attention towards him. Seeing the look on her face, the look only a mother who’s suffered great loss can hold, Ryaal hung his head in shame. He felt disgraced. He felt an overwhelming sense of failure wash over him. Even with his head low he noticed her moving towards him. Apart from his time with Kara, this is the most vulnerable he had ever been and if she decided to plunge a blade deep in his heart for what has happened to her daughter, he would do nothing to stop her.
Instead, he felt a soft warm hand take place on his cheek as she raised his head to meet her sparkling, tear filled eyes. The look on the great warrior’s face was of a child on the verge of tears. When he looked at her she smiled with deep sadness and overwhelming motherly love. She was not angry with him in the least, but that did not stop the tears from streaming down his face.
“Oh Ryaal.” She said with great love and concern.
“What did you do?” She asked softly, referring to his raven black skin.
Through tears he answered.
“I tried to take her pain away.”
Hearing this, the tears fell even faster and with more frequency from Rana’s amethyst eyes. She pulled the great warrior in close and hugged him tightly.
“I am so sorry.” He told her.
As the embrace ended, she once again placed her hands on his face and directed his eyes towards hers.
“Oh Ryaal, you needn’t ever be sorry for what has happened. It is no fault of yours. She has been taken from you as well and I know how great your suffering is. And I know, with all my being, that you will bring her home safe. Now come…” She instructed as she gently wiped his eyes and then hers. “…it is time for our people to meet their true leader.”
As she walked him slowly through the mixed crowd, Ishra and Akirian both looked upon the sculpted warrior in an attempt to discover who he was. As they ascended a small set of stairs and arrived at a raised, podium like structure in the heart of the city, Rana raised her hands and the already hushed voices in the crowd became completely silent. She then motioned for Ryaal to join her. He obliged and in turn, motioned for his friends to join him. As they all took their place atop the platform, Rana began to speak.
“My fellow Ishra. Our dear Akirian friends. For too long now we have been at the mercy of Syrk and the Akirian armies. They have forced some from their homes. They have murdered those who have stood against them. They have taken loved ones as prisoner.”
Rana fell silent for a moment as she remembered her daughter and all those who had fallen. Her head hung low as she fought back tears, but after a moment, as she raised her head to again address the crowd, it held no look of loss, no look of sadness, no look of remorse. Instead, her expression had changed to one of hope and with it, extended promise.
“Today, our people, our families, and our world have gained their greatest ally. For the true Akirian leader has returned home!” Her voice rose loud with excitement and pride.
“Ryaal has returned!”
The shocked gasps echoed throughout the city. Rana looked to him and motioned for him to stand before the people. As Ryaal stepped forward the crowd quickly fell silent and then a moment later, erupted in thunderous applause. Ryaal was taken aback by this as he quickly realized they had not bought into the twisted lies cast by his father and brothers. They knew he was not capable of the atrocities he was framed for and for the first time since they arrived, he felt like he was home again.
They knew what had been taken from him as well and though they couldn’t fathom his pain, they could see it in the color of his skin, for it exemplified the darkness of despair. Ryaal stepped forward to address the crowd and they again fell quiet, giving him their full attention. With anguish in his blazing red eyes, he spoke.
“My dear Ishra. My brother and sister Akirians. No words can express the sorrow I feel for what you have had to endure in my absence. No
words I could ever speak could replace all that’s been lost. But know this…I will take back all that has been taken from us. Those responsible will pay for their villainy in blood and will no longer be afforded the privilege of life. And upon their destruction, upon the ashes of all that has transpired, we shall build together a new future for the Ishra and Akirians. Our people shall work together to ensure injustice like this never happen again, here or in any other worlds. My grandfather envisioned the future of our people as that of guardians and guardians we shall become!”
At first his words were met with silence as the crowd took it all in. But, as Ryaal turned to look towards his friends, a roar exploded from the crowd. His words had inspired them. They would no longer stand for the injustice and pain that had been inflicted upon them. Nor would they stand for it to happen to others. They were ready to fight and they now had their leader. They now had something that had done so long without. Hope.
Chapter 30
Ryaal approached his friends waiting at the rear of the podium platform, as his eyes held steady to the sky. It was as though he sensed something.
“I will return soon.” He said, returning his attention to Etria, Connor, and Alina. He then shifted focus only to his human friends.
“You will be safe here.” He told them.
“Where are you going?” Alina asked with concern.
“I must see to something.” He answered and began to walk away.
“Whoa man!” Connor exclaimed. “What are we supposed to do?”
Ryaal stopped and motioned toward the crowd.
“Make friends.” He told them.
They watched confused as he proceeded to leave the city.
“Well, you heard him.” Alina said as she descended the stairs, heading towards the crowd. She soon disappeared among the much larger beings, who couldn’t wait to meet her.
“Would you come with me?” Etria asked, turning to Connor.
“Where?” He asked knowing his question was meaningless as he would follow her anywhere.
“I would like for you to meet my mother and father.” She answered in an almost bashful tone.
“You guys call ‘em mother and father too?” He asked, a bit surprised at the shared parental terms.
“Well of course. Why wouldn’t we?” She replied.