Rise of the Fallen

Chapter 18: A Trial and Marriage

“Blood for blood? Come on you can’t be serious?” I say
Kiva’s face lie emotionless as he continues, “So that’s the plan should everything go to plan we will have the first day of peace in two hundred years.”
The officers in the room all clamored in agreement and relief. “Now, we have a busy day tomorrow, you all are dismissed and have one the guards take him back to the cell.” Kiva says as he points at Tianna, “and you stay here with me and Kivara.”
The officers bow and one by one they leave the war room. A guard grabs me by the arm and takes me back to my cell. He closes the cell and walks out of the cave. I go back to the leak, place my hand on it, and focused in on the conversation in the war room.
“So, we have a deal?” Kiva asks
“Sure, but why only let me in on this scheme of yours? I’m sure you saw my partner fight, so why throw him to wolves instead of using them?” Tianna asks
“I did and that’s why he’s not particularly needed. I need someone calculated. Someone who’s done this before.” Kiva answers
“So why me?” she asks
Kiva burst out into a harrowing laugh and says, “You’re seriously going to play stupid with me? I can smell what you ate two weeks ago. You think I can’t smell the people you’ve killed?”
My heart sinks to my stomach, as I continue to listen in on the conversation.
Tianna chuckles, and says, “You’re right. I’ll do it.”
“Great!” Kiva exclaimed, “You can go back to the cell now and don’t say anything.”
Taking my hand away from the crack, I sit down and think as a thousand and one things go through my head. What did he mean she’s done this before? What does he want her to do? Should I ask? As all these things come and go without an answer, Kivara and Tianna enter the cave.
Kivara opens the cell, pushes Tianna in and closes the cell. As she leaves the cave, Tianna sits down across from me not making eye contact and not saying a single word. We sit there in silence as I try to gather the right words to say but nothing comes to mind.
“Hey,” I say as she refuses to speak to me, “We’ll get out this situation. I promise.”
As the bloody night came to an end, an auspicious dawn arrives. A small light peers through the crack in the ceiling. I open my eyes to find myself alone in the stone cell. I rub my eyes as Kiva, Kivara and more guards walk into the cave. 
“Get up!” one of the guards says as he opens the cell.
I stand up and ask, “What did you do with Tianna?” ‘
“You’ll see her soon. Take him.” Kiva orders as the guards take me by the arm as escort me as we all exit the cave.
After my eyes adjust to the blinding sunlight, the village is way more active that last night. You have the humanoid beasts and the wolf like beasts living together in harmony. As we walk towards the gate, a small group of around three kids and two pups, run by playing without a worry in the world.
I suddenly feel sick to my stomach. As we approach the front gate, we were greeted by an escort party of a mix of beasts. I see Tianna in the middle wearing a leather and hide ceremonial dress with jewelry embedded with green and blue jewels. As the guard pulls me to the back of the line, he ties a rope around my hands.
“Is everyone ready!” Kiva yells, “Today is the last day of war between the Black Claw and the White Moon clans! No longer will our children grow up knowing they will have to fight and die for the clan as a way of life. When my father and mother died last winter, I assumed the position of Alpha and since then we’ve won enough battles to create this opportunity for peace.”
The crowd cheers and howls. Kiva raises his hand and as they all fall silent he says, “Let’s go.”
As soon as he gave the command the escort party starts to move with Tianna and I in tow. We navigate through the forest for what seemed like a few hours. My stomach growls and clenches with hunger pains. It was long after that when we reached our destination. The White Moon Clan.
We stop in front of the two guard towers that were similar in build to the Black Claw, but had additional attachments on the roofs. Not long after we stopped, another kid around our age comes out with an escort of three silver and white wolf like beasts.
He had one eye and had scars all over the front of his body. Kiva walks up to him and for a moment I thought they were going to fight but, they shake hands. After talking for a while the leader of the White Moon Clan lets us into the village.
Welcomed by a huge procession, Tianna was in the center being showered with flower petals and praises. Opposed to me, however, who was met with hostility and malice. As I follow behind the procession in bindings, a rock hits me on the side of the head. As blood drips from my temple, more and more citizens start to join in.
As we approach the village center, I see a pit underneath a stone staircase that leads to up to an alter. We stop at the bottom of the steps as the White Moon leader ascends to the alter. He turns to us and his people.
“Hello! People of the Black Claw and White Moon clans! I am Hiso, the 334th chief of this clan. We have been at war for 200 years and now is the time for peace. For we have a common enemy, the humans that come in this forest every year and kill our fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, and so many more. Last night we were assaulted and lost two membersof the scouting unit. Kiva lost tens of men, your kinsman! So, in an effort for peace and reconciliation he has brung the killer of our kinsman and a wife so our two clans will be forever joined.”
The villagers roar with excitement as Hiso continues, “ Now, first we will have the trial. Bring him forward.”
The guards pull me up the steps and drop me to my knees in front of Hiso. Looking down at me with his one eye, he says, “You’re being charged with deaths of two scots Noken and Nikola.”
He stretches his hand out towards Kiva, as he gives Hiso the claws crafted into a hide necklace. Hiso clutches the necklace in his hands as he turns back to me and says showing them to my and the rest of the village, “Is this you’re doing?”
As I remain silent he says shoving the claws closer into my face, “Did you do this?”
I look him straight into his one working eye and say, “I did.”
His hardened face tightens as he says moving away from my face, “I declare you guilty. I sentence you to death by Hapu Lenka.”
The crowd erupts as the guard forces me to my knees and back down the steps in to the pit. The guard untired one hand, buy bound the other one to the rock. Hiso continues his speech and says, “ On a brighter note. Today is a day for celebration. Come, my future wife.”
Tianna steps up and stands beside Hiso, as she smiles and waves. As he looks at her he says, “We will hold the punishment and marriage at the same time to provide you all with the best day of your lives. Have fun, eat, drink, mingle with one another we are all one now.”
The crowd cheers as Hiso and Tianna prepare for the marriage ceremony, the guards start to set up the pit for the audience by adding seating around the pit.
Just as the preparations are complete the sound of drums start to resonate through the village. As people begin to come out of their homes, the alpha Hiso, and Tianna stand across from another at the top of the alter.
A humanoid beast wearing a black bear pelt and deer antlers crafted into headdress stand in front of them. As the rhythmic beating of the drum picks up in volume and intensity, The beast in the black bear garb says, “We will now begin the Hapu Lenka. Give the prisoner a weapon.”
One of the guards walk up to me with a serrated jaw bone from some sort of animal and forces it into my one free hand.
“As you all know Hapu Lenka is a sacred ceremony meant for the most heinous of criminals!” he yells over the crowd as they cheer, “ Human you use that weapon to defend yourself from our top warriors until you die slowly and painfully.”
As the drums start to beat more fiercely, the first warrior steps up carrying an axe. He looks much older than most of the warriors here. As he stands in front of me he says holding back tears, “You killed my boy.”
Nothing comes out of my mouth, as the man swings his axe at my neck. Dodging, I take the jaw bone and slam it down on his clavicle. He screams in pain for a moment and stand back up. As he tries to hit me agin with a huge swing of his axe, I move out of the way. In the slight opening after his missed swing, I counter and strike him in the side of the neck. As I pull the jawbone from the wound, the beast collapse lifeless onto the ground.
As I fight one after another, the marriage ceremony begins. As the drums beat even louder and faster, the beast in the bear garb starts the wedding by saying, “Oh, Great Wolf Lycan, our ancestor. We come before you today to seal the bond between the White Moon Clan and the Black Claw Clan. As well as offer you a sacrifice of the one who drew your children’s blood.”
He turns to the table behind him and picks up a golden green bowl made out of the same jewel that is in Tianna’s jewelry. As he pours a clear liquid from a hollowed horn, I defend myself from the third warrior.
Breathing heavy I continue to fight on, while the priest presents the bowl to Hiso. He takes the bowl by both hands and drinks. He then gives the bowl to Tianna and she drinks. The drums beat faster and faster as Tianna gives the bowl back to the priest.
“They have partaken in the ancient waters of binding,” the priest says as he looks at Tianna and then Hiso.
Blocking attacks from another warrior, I swipe his calf with the jaw bone and bring it down on top of his head with all my strength. Immediately after two warriors step up this time. I pull the bone out from the beast’s head and ready myself, as the priest continues to speak.
“Repeat after me.” He tells the two, “Through this marriage, you two will become as one, mind, body, and soul.”
As they repeat the priest, I take out one of the two warriors. My arms and legs get heavier as I dodge the quick attacks from the warrior. I kick him in the side of the knee. As he stumbles and tries to regain his balance, I bring the jawbone on top of him and put him down for good.
The drums crescendo into the climax, I look up at the alter and see Tianna and Hiso kissing. The crowd cheers, as a sharp pain shoots through my chest like an arrow, but another warrior charges towards me. Clenching my hand that’s tied to the rock, I pull as hard as I can, lifting the rock out of the ground and slamming it on top of the warrior’s spine.
At the same time the drums and the crowd fall deathly silent until a woman screams sending everyone into a panic. The few guards left run up the steps of the alter, leaving me to cut the rope with the jaw bone, freeing my arm.
Running up the steps behind the guards, one flies off the top of the alter. When I reach the top, I see Hiso’s lifeless body laying next Tianna as she fights off the warriors and guards of the White Moon Clan one by one.
Smashing a beast in the back of the head, I continue to make my way through the crowd of angry White Moon warriors. Eventually I make my way through the mob and stand next to Tianna, shoulder to shoulder.
“What happened?” I ask as I swing the jawbone against a warrior’s head sending him to the ground.
“I,” she starts as she stabs a wolf like beast in the top of the head with a small green dagger, “have no idea.”
Moving back as a warrior swings a sharpened femur bone at me, I say, “And what’s was this whole thing about anyway? I thought we…”
Tianna sighs as she kills another warrior and pushes him down the steps, “Sometimes Danny, you have to play the part your given.”
“What does that even mean?” I ask blacking a warrior’s attack.
“It means…” Tianna starts to say before being interrupted by the sound of a battle horn resonating through the forest.
“Charge!!!” Kiva roars as he charges with his army into the center of the city, forcing almost all of the White Moon warriors to go down the steps of the alter and face them.
As the last of the warriors descend down the alter, Tianna and I collapse and sit down next to each other. As I look at the ensuring battle, I can’t help but feel some sort of relief.
“So this was all a part of the plan?” I ask
Tianna puts her head on my shoulder and says, “Yea, but its all over now. Just let Kiva clean things up.”
I put my head on top of hers and say, “Yea, thank God.”
“And Danny,” she says.
“Yea?” I answer
“Sorry about all of this. I know it couldn’t have been easy on you.” She says as the pain in my heart goes away and is replaced by a warm comforting feeling.
“Oh, that? I wasn’t worried at all” I say jokingly.
Tianna lets out a cute little laugh and we sit on top the alter as the battle ends just as quickly as it began. Kiva walks up the steps with our equipment in his hands.
“I think these belong to you.” He says as he hands us our things back to us.
“So we’re fee to go?” I say taking my quiver, bow and knives, from his hands.
“You’re all set and look,” he says as he hands Tianna back her knives, “Sorry about before, I gotta look out for mine.”
“I’m just glad you didn’t decide to kill us.” I say
“Well, we could both help each other so why not.” He says as he starts to walk down the steps.
Walking behind him Tianna and I descend the alter and Tianna says, “It’s almost time for us to go back to the meet up point.” She says as the sun starts to go down, “How are we supposed to get back in time.”
As the sun slowly goes down turning the blue sky into a sherbert orange color. Kiva says as we walk through the battle torn village, “You just need to get out of the forest right? I can show you the way.”
Tianna and I let out a sigh of relief as I say, “Thanks a lot.”
As we follow behind Kiva, I can’t help but feel glad that this is all over. Tianna and I are getting out of here safely. We approach the edge of the forest where Kiva stops, turns around, and says, “Alright here you go and again, thanks and apologies we couldn’t have won the war without you.”
“It’s alright not like we had a choice.” Tianna says in a slightly comedic tone
“Yea, but uhm could you two things for me?” Kiva asks
“What is it?” I ask
“If you can try to get the hunt postponed next year. I plan on taking over the forest, but first we have to rebuild. You think you can help me with that?” he asks
“I’m not sure, but I can see what I can do.” I say unsure if I can even do that.
“Great! Thanks and the second thing,” he says putting a necklace of beast claws in my hands and says looking me in my eyes, “Remember, that we’re people too. You might call us monsters or beasts but we try to live our lives just like you. So… remember that not every creature is a mindless beast. You got a good heart, so try to keep it that way.”
Nodding my head, I take the claws and say, “I will.”
“Alright you two.” He says before disappearing through the forest vegetation.
Tianna and I walk out of the forest to see Everyone loading onto the bus. We run over to everyone as they greet us with welcome arms.
All of the stress leaves my body and I can finally relax. Tristian and Alison walk up to us and say, “Hey there you two are we’ve been looking for you all day.”
“If you were here the first day maybe you wouldn’t have had to. These past two days were exhausting I’m ready to go back to my bed.” I say as we find our seats on the bus.
Tianna sits next to me while Tristian and Alison take the seats behind us.
“Well, we had to take care of some stuff, but you guys made it out ok. How many did you kill?” Tristian asks
Pulling out the necklace, I give to him and he says, “Woah, you guys were busy.”
He hands me back the necklace as Julius, Ellie, and Mr. Blanc are the last people to get on the bus.
“Yo, D!” Julius says as he and Ellie find the seat across from ours, “What’s up? You look like shit.”
Letting out a tired laugh, I say, “Yea well being held prisoner does that to you.”
Julius laughs as Mr. Blanc starts to talk, “Alright, congratulations on making it back alive. Unfortunately, we can’t say the same for everyone. We lost two good students today, it’s ok to be sad, but we have to make sure that we fight on and continue to do better for the sake of our comrades. Keep your tokens from your kills for today and tomorrow we will evaluate performance and your experience.”
“Yes, sir.” We all say in unison as we head back to the Academy