Despite her claim that ‘one combat is enough for these old bones’, Rah’Na set a blazing pace. Trying to keep up with her as they climbed the mountain left Kieran utterly exhausted. In addition to the two battles he had fought that day, the lingering backlash from two uses of Chilling Touch was a drain on his energy.
Thankfully, just as he was about to beg the wolf for a break, she halted.
“And we have arrived. Make yourself comfortable.” Rah’Na pointed with her head towards a set of doors carved directly into the mountain’s side. Kieran had failed to notice them. The stone doors could only be seen by standing directly in front of them.
Practically invisible unless you know where to look, Kieran thought. Ingenious.
He felt a moment’s disappointment that he wouldn’t get to see the ‘city’ further up the mountain, but the feeling faded quickly. There would be time enough for exploration later. At the moment, he was grateful for the opportunity to rest his legs.
Rah’Na pushed open the stone doors and stepped inside, motioning for Kieran to follow.
Afternoon sunshine streamed through a series of window holes, cleverly carved into the stone to be concealed from the outside. In its light, Kieran saw a spacious room containing a few tables surrounded by chairs. Most of the place looked deserted, but one table showed clear signs of recent use.
Kieran saw another door carved into the back wall. It was cracked open, revealing a simple bed in the room beyond.
“Out of sight and rather cozy. Perfect place to hide away,” he commented as the pair approached a table. He let his pack slide from his shoulders and leaned it against a chair before sitting down.
Rah’Na stepped away to close the other door Kieran had noticed. Placing her spear against the wall beside the door, she replied, “One of many, and not my favorite, but it will serve our purposes for now.”
Reading between the lines, Kieran could guess that Rah’Na didn’t want to take him directly to her main hideout. Not right after a first meeting. Others might have found it insulting, but Kieran appreciated the woman’s caution.
I would be just as careful in her place. Maybe even moreso.
Kieran folded his hands and rested them lightly on the table, observing Rah’Na while she walked back across the room.
Though her fur was graying with age, Rah’Na moved with the grace and presence of a true warrior. Kieran had seen a few people like that during his army days: older, high-ranking soldiers who liked to make a fuss about their ‘advanced years’ as an excuse to push the younger soldiers around, but were more than capable on a battlefield.
Yet, even compared to the most senior fighter Kieran had ever met back home, Rah’Na emanated a strength of presence that he couldn’t help but respect.
“So, Kieran,” Rah’Na growled as she sat down. “To answer your first question: this world is called Lyruna. Within that wider world, you now walk the land of Eon. Or whatever is left of it, anyway. The rest of your questions I will answer as best I can.”
Kieran thought carefully, going through the list he had curated during their hike. “You said Death likes to choose my kind. What does that mean? And is this not the first time this has happened?”
“It’s far from the first time this invasion business has happened. I have seen Eon’s kingdom fall and rise a few times now. With each invasion, the gods choose their Contenders to fight back.”
Rah’Na crossed her arms on the table and leaned forward as she spoke, her sharp fangs flashing with every word. Kieran reflected that someone who cared to feel fear would find her terrifying.
“Some gods like to pluck strangers from other worlds,” Rah’Na continued. “Vahr’Khul, Death Given Form, is one of these. Others, like Yry’Shar the War Bringer, prefer to choose from among the denizens of Lyruna. Either way, the Chosen Contenders vie against each other to end the invasion in their god’s name. It isn’t unheard of for Contenders to cooperate, mind, but… don’t expect much help from the others.”
Kieran nodded. He had more questions about Contenders, but decided another topic held priority at the moment.
“Tell me more of this current conflict. How far has the invasion spread? And how long has it been going on?”
“Five decades now. The monsters are seeping into all parts of our Lyruna.” There was a sting of pain in Rah’Na’s voice as she looked down at the table. “The land of Eon, First Among Kings, was the first to fall. Now the invaders use this kingdom as their base.”
“First Among Kings?” Kieran repeated. “Who is this Eon?”
“Was.” Rah’Na’s head snapped up. Her eyes held Kieran’s gaze with a coolness that rivalled his own. “Eon was the first Contender to beat back an invasion, and he was crowned for it. Truth be told, no one knows if he is dead or alive. La’Rata, Life Ever-Flowing, gave him the gift of eternal life. Yet when the second invasion started, he simply… vanished.”
Kieran studied her face, but he couldn’t read the expression on her wolfish features.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
“How often do these invasions happen, then?” he asked, deliberately turning back to more practical matters.
“Every few centuries, give or take a couple decades.”
Kieran raised a curious eyebrow. “Forgive my bluntness, but how old are you?”
Rah’Na laughed, giving him a fanged smile. “Let an old woman have some secrets, eh?”
“The monsters, then,” Kieran pressed, with a small smile of his own. “How many leaders do they have, and what’s the usual plan for fighting back?”
“Ten, total. Nine commanders and their supreme leader. If the supreme leader falls, the rest scatter. And if the commanders fall, some of their troops will join us,” Rah’Na explained. “They fight for the strongest. And as far as they are concerned, whoever kills the strongest is the strongest.”
Kieran considered the possibility. His logical mind resisted the idea of fighting alongside such creatures. The risk of betrayal was too high. He would rather bring them death, not guard constantly against receiving it at their hands through a stab in the back.
But it was pointless to keep pondering vague future scenarios. Setting aside the problem for a more relevant time, he returned to his mental list of questions.
“Alright. On the topic of gods and Contenders: how many of us are there?”
“Nine gods, nine contenders,” Rah’Na replied with a sigh. “And whoever remains of the previous lot.”
Driven by some kind of instinct, Kieran glanced at Rah’Na’s wrist. There was a bracelet there: a singular platinum cord, with a prismatic gem shaped like a nine-pointed star.
Rah’Na followed Kieran’s gaze, then caught his eye and nodded. “Yes, I was a Contender. In service to Gir’Amal, Defiant Star. Ah, but worry not: I am no competition to you. I lost interest in the gods’ games a long time ago.”
For a moment, Kieran considered showing Rah’Na the ring he had retrieved on Var’Khul’s orders. The nine-pointed star on the ring matched the gem on her bracelet, after all. But he quickly set the idea aside.
If she didn’t trust him enough to show him her actual hideout, he could hold his own secrets close for now.
“You no longer serve your god, but they left you with their gift?” he inquired. “I did not realize the gods of this world were so generous.”
Rah’Na shrugged. “I served them faithfully during my time as Contender, so the connection remains. They had no reason to take away their gift.”
“So all of your skills are still available to you?” Kieran asked, quickly realizing just how needless his help earlier that day had been.
Rah’Na gave the man a wolfish grin, allowing the silence to answer the question.
“You know all of it, then?” he went on. “The screens, ‘essence’, the flow of energy… could you help me understand all of that better?”
“The screens are simple. That is how the gods decided to communicate with their Chosen, for whatever reason.” Rah’Na kept her tone even. “The rest, however… that is a journey you will have to take on your own, Kieran. First, because we follow different gods. Second, because each of us must take our own unique journey towards understanding.”
Kieran tried to keep his own voice as measured as his host’s. “So you won’t tell me anything about the energy flow? Or essence?”
“These are weighty matters, Kieran,” Rah’Na said sternly. “I mean no offense, but one little combat is not enough to earn my trust. When you prove yourself properly, I can help you train your physical prowess and test your skills in sparring. But you have not earned that quite yet.”
Kieran’s face was as mask-like as ever, but the wolf must have sensed his disappointment. Her manner softened as she continued, “What I can tell you now, though, is that essence is important. It will be the way you make your magic stronger, when you understand how. As for understanding… if you are aware of the ‘flow of energy’ within yourself, you have already taken the first step.”
Kieran bit back a sigh. While he appreciated the brutal honesty Rah’Na gave him, he had hoped for a bit more insight regarding his new powers.
But her denial wasn’t final. She seemed willing to share more if and when he proved himself.
Coolly determining to pursue that goal in the near future, he turned the conversation back towards the main topic. “What of Lyruna’s citizens? Or the kingdom’s? Were they all slaughtered by the invasion?”
His flat tone combined with the serious question seemed to take Rah’Na off-guard.
“This is hardly the first time we have been invaded,” she said, watching him carefully. “Our folks are tough. They know what to expect. Many were lost in that first decade, and the military was decimated. But the regular folk know how to survive.”
Kieran nodded, sorting all the new information in his mind. He knew now where he was, what the stakes were, and a little more about his own role. But he still felt it wasn’t enough to orient himself properly in the new world. Without more information, venturing out to do his own research would still be too dangerous.
“Are there any cities nearby?” he asked in the same neutral tone. “Villages, maybe? I understand they’re probably overrun by monsters, but I would like to know where we are in this world.”
Rah’Na was still scrutinizing Kieran’s face. “I have a map in one of my hideouts further up the mountain. But that will have to wait, obviously.”
Kieran nodded again. Leaning back into his seat, he locked eyes with the old wolf. “Then I suppose I only have one question left: what can I do to earn your trust?”
“For now, take the time to mark this place as your Recall.” Rah’Na studied him for a few more seconds before standing up. “When you’re done, let me know, and we can discuss your next task.”
Rah’Na rose and crossed to the door in the back wall, grabbing her spear as she disappeared into the other room.
Kieran soaked in the silence for a few minutes. The stillness was occasionally broken by the sound of wind howling through the window holes, followed by waves of fresh air.
His thoughts returned to the ring in his pack.
A symbol of her god. But she said she was done with their games…
He shook his head. Prying into the mysteries of his new companion was a fruitless exercise. More resources and information would follow once he earned her trust.
And to do that, he needed to complete the ‘marking’ process.
He pulled on the threads of energy within himself, focusing on Recall as he did so. Cold energy rushed through his body, gathering at his feet. He could feel the energy slowly seeping out of him and into the ground.
As the process went on, Kieran felt something else forming in the back of his mind. Strings of energy were winding around each other to form threads. Those threads wove together into a cord, linking his mind to the ground beneath his feet.
All of it was far too engrossing for him to pay attention to anything else. Kieran lost track of time. He was vaguely aware of shivering from the waves of cold coursing through his body as the cords in his mind multiplied and strengthened.
And then, suddenly, the flow of energy ceased. The intense waves of cold faded to the normal, constant chill. Kieran felt the strength of the woven cords binding his mind to this place, but as the seconds passed, he found it harder and harder to focus on them.
Still shivering, Kieran pushed himself to his feet. To his surprise, he saw Rah’Na sitting at one of the tables, looking at him. He didn’t remember her reentering the room.
“I don’t envy you,” she commented. “Being bound to Death is a trial of its own.”
For the first time in a long time, Kieran truly laughed.
“Not as much as you might think. Now, you had a task for me?”