Kaija: Queen of Stone

25.5

We walked through the forest, coming to the Guardian. My stomach twisted as Dari gasped.

"Is that?"

"The Guardian," I answered. "It's his carcass."

Dari's face went bloodless. "We can't leave without a few words," he whispered. "It would be an insult to its memory."

I nodded. "It's fair. Everyone else received kind words."

"The Guardian was a kind and divine being Udan loved," he began. "It will live on in history."

I nodded. I bowed to the Guardian, swearing I saw its eyes twinkle. Shaking my head, we continued on through the thicket of the woods until we reached the cliff.

I gasped, noting down below was what could be the kingdom of Kaija. A colorless village with tall buildings stood before them. The streets were dirty and the skies were teeming with bridges, stringing from building to building. Instead of a castle, there was a large tented structure.

It is much different than Udan.

"I never thought I would see it," Dari whispered. "It's different."

"Aye," Lenox agreed.

"We must get down there," I answered, looking around. Beyond a small amount of trees, near the north side of the kingdom, was the river. The same spot that I had been found in. My mind whirled, and I looked around. There was a massive drop next to us, leading down to the kingdom.

As my eyes still traveled, I saw the pathway that had been carved into the side of the cliff. It was a dirt pathway spiraling toward Kaija. On the pathway were torches lit with flames. I looked beyond the riverbank, noticing the sky was a different color than it was over Kaija. My breath froze, smoke was rising from where Udan was. The sky was amber.

"Fire," I whispered. "There's a fire."

Dari's eyes widened. "We must help!"

"No," I answered. "We came to seek out the help we need. We cannot face the Rabaka alone."

Dari nodded regretfully. "Right."

"We are steps away from making history and saving Udan," I assured. "We just need to keep moving forward and hope for the best. Today Kaija and Udan will no longer be enemies. They will become united against the same evil threatening to take over our world."

We reached the bottom of the pathway. Looking up, I stared at the trees hovering over us. They felt familiar, like I had seen them before.

I shook my head, keeping my eyes ahead as strange people who bore a resemblance to me gasped as they walked by. I wondered what thoughts were coursing through their minds.

Dari offered them a wave, but most mothers pulled their children to their sides, and most children shielded their eyes in fear. They murmured to them to stay away from the monster. I thought back to my reflection, and realized I had not had the chance to wash myself. I was still stained in Arawn's and Makaio's blood. I probably appeared savage, beastily compared to the well kept people of Kaija.

"Excuse me," Dari said to a woman. "Can you tell us where the king resides?"

She shook her head, trying to understand what he was saying.

"He was asking if you knew where the king was," I answered, translating his answer into a language I didn't know I knew.

She pointed a shaky finger toward a large pitched tent toward the north.

"Thank you," he answered in his native tongue.

"Thank you," I said in the other language before stalking down the dirt street toward the tent.