Note: Underlined bits are Kathula tail sign language.
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Daero approached it and the creature came forward. The glaring yellow eyes turned out to be small round eyes with slit pupils like a lizard. Pinti eased her bristles down when she realized it wasn't hostile. A rumble like a purr came from deep within its chest.
"Don't be afraid. This is just my Faud." Daero held out his paw. The Faud bent its head and pressed its forehead against his paw as Daero rubbed it. "Ryerden," he said, "Thanks to him, I was able to save you."
"I don't like Fauds," Deel pipped up. "I don't trust magick taken form."
"This is a Faud? What is he?" Pinti cocked her head in curiosity, but she kept her distance. She could smell a little lemongrass, just like Daero.
"It's a manifestation of my magick. Sorcerer magick can take the shape of different Fauds depending on the personality of the Sorcerer, simply speaking. All Sorcerers have Fauds. Developed around puberty. Do you know what that is? Although it was different for me. You might have seen Lalina's? Hers is a small orange elephant."
"Orange elephant?" Pinti could vaguely remember seeing something like that, but such little memory details were lost once she discovered the scepter was real.
"Do you want to take a closer look? We rode on him. He's kind, don't worry."
Pinti hesitated and shook her head. Maybe he was kind, but she wasn't ready to trust Daero or his Faud. With a shrug, Daero whispered something to Ryerden who tipped his head back and burst into green and yellow sparkles. The lights converged into a ribbon and swirled inside Daero's body.
"My Lunar marking," Pinti whispered, feeling it warm slightly.
Daero turned and brushed away his bangs to show his Lunar marking had a hint of glow to it. "Like I said, not my magick. Deel's residue. Despite having no training whatsoever, his Shaman powers still exist."
"Yeah. I'm still Shaman of Jurana Clan!" Deel puffed out his chest in pride. "The youngest!"
"So that was true? Your mother gave it to you? Even the youngest passing of duty, traditionally, is sixteen." She frowned. "In normal circumstances, you know."
"Why don't we sit?" Daero pushed Deel and the two of them shuffled back to sit in front of the fire. Pinti took her place back on the dried grasses of the makeshift bed.
"Deel, would you like to tell the story o—"
"You tell, I'm going to bed." Deel yawned. "Way passed my bedtime, goodnight Pinti," he said and disappeared inside Daero's body.
Her stomach grumbled like a growling beast. She licked her shoulder in embarrassment but then Daero's stomach grumbled even louder than hers. He gave a soft chuckle.
"I have something for our stomachs." He smiled and flicked his bangs out of his face. He went to the other side of the fire to retrieve something. "As only a soul, Deel can't eat, but he can still taste. We also like different things."
He was rustling around dried leaves when the scent of mouse made her mouth water. On a giant leaf were four dead mice fresh enough. "You can have this. Here's more water if you need." He set the leaf down with the water pouch and went back to fetch his own mice. At last, he sat near her, but not too close, keeping his distance.
Pinti took a mouse, sniffed it once to make sure of the freshness and bit into the flesh, letting the raw taste fill her mouth. It immediately revived her, and she let out a soft trill, licking her chops. Quickly, she finished it to the bone and tossed the carcass over her left shoulder in the Kathula way of showing it was good prey.
"I'll tell you as you eat." Daero began. "Deel's mother was the clan leader of Jurana at that time. A well-respected Shamala. She died at his birth and at that point, gave the title to him in haste. It should have been his father. Once he was old enough to understand what was going on and what happened, he ran away, got into an accident in the First Ring, and died.
"The story from here is only what Deel told me that Galag told him. Galag found his body and noticed it was in a coma but on the brink of death. He used forbidden Sorcery called revival or resurrection magick to save Deel. But then that created a side-effect. It split Deel's soul into him and another, the origins of me. This other wasn't Kathula for it had no Kathula magick, but it could take on Deel's physical Kathula body and grow mentally with the body. Deel, on the other hand, couldn't be in the Kathula body because he was no longer part of it, because he had died at ten years of age. So, Galag gave him a Human vessel also using forbidden cloning magick.
"'Forbidden', I emphasized because I found that out later." Daero finished his last mouse and gulped down some water. When he sighed, the skin on his back rippled in mild irritation. "Knowing it sooner wouldn't have changed anything. It would have happened anyway.
"The other was a soul made of Sorcery side-effects. The Sorcery became a parasite to Deel. Out of control. So Galag decided to give it—me—a task. I could be an individual only to control the Sorcery and save Deel from getting hurt with Sorcery. A chance to still retain his Kathula magick, although that didn't happen."
"Parasite..." she whispered, now understanding why he was called that name. It wasn't just because he was another, he had been dangerous to Deel. Harmful, and maybe even life threatening.
"I wasn't supposed to be an individual with a name, likes and dislikes, personality, a life that Deel couldn't share. Galag probably didn't anticipate how good of a Sorcerer I would become. Soon, I surpassed him and then instead of controlling the Sorcery hurting Deel, I added more on it, becoming more dangerous to his existence."
His story reminded her of this herbal cream that would stop the itching from a bug bite. You could put it on to stop the itching, but if you put too much on, it would make the itching worse. Even more would cause a rash for some Kathula, but it was always hard to tell how much was needed. It was different for everyone.
Silence stretched on between them as they both stared into the flames as the fire ate wood. Daero rose to his feet and put some more dry wood into the fire, making it dwindle for a second and then grow.
He muttered something under his breath. She widened her eyes as an azure light ribboned upwards and flowed around him. It was the same one she saw in One Prestigious Parlor and, she recalled, also the last thing she glimpsed before losing consciousness during her fall.
He gave a little smile. "The first Kathula Sorcerer to ever exist, that I know of. I wouldn't say I'm known to the Sorcerer community, but some might know me."
How did you learn to sign? She flicked her tail.
That's another long, long story, he signed. "Not really important now. I suppose though, maybe when this is all over, I can tell you."
"You say it like you know we can get out," she said but all he did was shrug with a smug smile playing on his lips. She twitched her whiskers. He might not be immature and childish like Deel, but he still managed to mildly annoy her.
"You know something?" she pressed him.
"Mm, well, I have an idea." He swished his tail in playful rhythm but Pinti wasn't feeling particularly playful.
"So, what is your idea?" She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. He stopped swishing his tail and cleared his throat.
"Well, I might be able to send a distress to any Sorcerer willing to help. And the answer may come rather immediately. Especially now that Galag left a trail."
Well, that sounds like the worst idea ever. Come get a fresh Kathula, Sorcerers. Very cheap and possibly injured! She grimaced. "And what does this have to do with a dead Sorcerer?"
Daero shook his head. "Not dead. Sorcerers don't die that easily, Pinti. They heal faster the stronger they are. I've been trying to warn you about Galag. He wanted to trap us here, so he could go find the scepter and use it for himself."
"You're saying Galag lied to us?" She bristled. She knew she should have questioned his kindness!
"He's a good actor. And he used pills and magick on me so I wouldn't tell you. Not that you would've believed me," he grimaced, "but it was worth a try. And Thereanbold doesn't live here. He lives in the Fourth Ring like any sane Sorcerer."
So many new things! Pinti groaned. It was almost like the first day in Bairenshire City. Everything was so new and overwhelming. And why does it have to be Sorcerers? All this is all about Sorcerers!
"I know it's a lot to take in with me being a parasitic Sorcerer soul, saving you with a Faud, Kathula Deel having died at ten but still existing, and now you learn Galag's criminal and Thereanbold doesn't live here—"
"Nicely summed," she grumbled and lay down on the makeshift bed. Her head just might burst now.
Daero dipped his head. "Now, I'll send the signal. You get some rest. I don't need to sleep." With that, he said nothing more and stood up to walk to the other side of the fire.
Pinti had questions whirring around in her head now. Why was he after the scepter? And where was that scepter book? What was Galag going to do with the scepter? Only Kathula could use it. And if Galag wasn't dead, where was he?
Sighing, Pinti curled her tail around her body as silence followed. One thing was for sure—Galag now knew where the scepter was hidden because Pinti had read the ancient Kathulan for him.
If only I had been a little smarter or learned my lesson with Lai-ikolo. She remembered many times in the past she chose one path over another and ended up getting the Kathula survivors in a dire predicament where one false move could mean death. Kalis had called her a failure that could never do anything right. Maybe if she had just taken the scepter book and run for it, she wouldn't be here now. Maybe if she had...
Maybe if. Maybe if. There are so many of these. Pinti sighed. But if she didn't begin to trust Galag, she would have never known about Thereanbold who might know how to get to the Sixth Ring and back. And if she didn't trust Galag, Lai-ikolo would have captured her at the Portal Station. But because she trusted Galag, she was stuck in Crup with a double-souled creature that was Kathula and Sorcerer at the same time, and one of them was dead.
What is my life? One simple task. Get the scepter. Why is that so complicated?
She lay on her back in defeat and watched the stars move around in the sky until they dislodged themselves from the cosmos and vanished. Unexpected things happened at every corner and horizon in the Forest Crup. Nothing was under her control and only uncertainty lay before her. It made her heart thump and her stomach feel a bit nauseous. She tossed and turned in the makeshift bed but couldn't find a comfortable position.
Pinti liked the security of clearly knowing the next task at paw for whatever goal she was trying to reach. Uneasiness made her tighten her jaw and tense the muscles in her shoulders especially the more she thought about it. Unsheathing her claws, she scratched the ground in frustration and exhaled in a huff out her nose.
I hate this, Heizak. She let out a sigh. A little bit of her voice came out in a high-pitched squeak. The longer they stayed here, the more likely the Edglings would find the scepter before her. Then Kathula would all go extinct, Edglings would rule over all, and Pinti would have failed her father, failed Makiista Clan, and all Kathula.
The hum of a flute touched her ears with its soft almost mournful tone. It was the one she heard in the inn in Nuaka. Now she knew it had been Daero playing the 'Saboteur Lullaby' and this time, she sang it in her head, following the melody. As she did that, little by little the tensions in her body loosened.
Forest, field, and mountain moor
These are the children of the light
Far away you hear their howl
Don't worry for it is only a fright
After one long note there was a pause. She heard a quiet intake of breath and kept still as stone as Daero began to sing. Pinti closed her eyes as his deep velvety voice relaxed her like a nice warm bath.
They are the shadows, we are the light
They have long promised us only a fright
Young and old, alive and dead
Fear your Saboteur and hide in your bed
Days that are short, days that are long
Unbothered happiness forever gone
But don't you cry, and these words are true
For all he does is frighten you
"All he does is frighten you..." he repeated at the end. Pinti breathed in deeply and let out a long sigh. Sleep overcame her like a comforting blanket.
"Fauseilézna." Came Daero's voice like a soft purr of thunder. "Straivila, tren."
Pinti tried to see through heavy eyelids what he was doing, but she couldn't keep them open any longer. Soon, she slipped into a comforting unconsciousness filled with dreams of Makiista Clan, her loving parents, her sister, and her best friend.
For the first time since leaving home, they weren't nightmares and each sequence left her wishing her family and clan were here with her, supporting her on her journey. In and out of sleep she went, occasionally waking up with tears moistening her eyes. She let them stay there and curled up tighter to keep warm.
When she fluttered open her eyes next, her fur tingled sensing a presence around her. It wasn't sinister, but it threw away all the sleepiness she felt. The sky was still dark and only firelight illuminated the immediate area, but something was unsettling.
"Daero?" she whispered, searching for his silhouette when a white lightning bolt zipped across the sky. Pinti sat up, heart racing, with eyes wide. The air around her rippled but it didn't smell or feel like a rainstorm was on its way.
"Daero?" she called out this time, hugging herself. "Daero!" Confusion muddled her mind. Where had he gone? Did he leave her here to fend for herself? Had she even trusted him too easily?
"It's here!" His voice came from behind, startling her. She jumped to her feet and turned in time to see a churning grey tornado coming their way.
"What's here?!" She yelled over the roaring winds. It was a Forest Crup tornado. Why did Daero seem so happy about it?
He gave her a beaming smile. "That's a kind of rogue portal. It's Thereanbold. He heard our signal! Gather your stuff and help me put out the fi—" His words were cut short as a branch hit him on the head. The tornado picked up leaves and branches from the ground and began hurling them around.
From his chest swirled out streaks of yellow and green light and the Faud began to take shape—first the silhouette, then the details. It spreads its wings wide and dug its claws into the ground as its wings caught the wind threatening to throw it over. All around the pine trees swayed back and forth, their almost sinister silhouettes looming over her.
"Here." Daero shoved her pouch at her. "We have to go. We need to go into the tornado."
She blinked. "What did you just say?" Into the tornado? Had Daero lost his mind? Was Deel's craziness coming through?
The roaring black tornado descended upon them slowly like a hunter stalking prey. Blue and white lightning bolts zipped across the prune-colored sky behind it. Thunder rumbled and a raindrop hit her nose. Without warning, Daero grabbed her paw, pulling her to Ryerden.
"Heizak!" she complained, refusing him. "It's a feigat tornado, heizak Daero! You're out of your mind!"
He whipped his head around. "I'm a Sorcerer," he retorted. "I know Sorcerer magick. I feel it. It tingles. I can tell it's Thereanbold's magick. Okay? Come on!" He spoke quickly and climbed up onto Ryerden, swinging his legs over the neck.
She could not believe it. Her flight instincts were telling her 'no'. She trusted those, not him. It could well be another way to trap them inside One Prestigious Parlor to devour their souls.
Thunder rumbled and the scent of rain thickened in the air. Trees were leaning so much that some of them snapped and fell over. Too dangerous to take cover.
"Pinti," Daero said and she turned her head, "I know you don't trust me yet. And I promise to take full responsibility if we end up in a worse predicament. Just, take my paw, please."
The tornado growled. The sound amplified in her ears, vibrating through her body. Pinti bit her lip, standing at a dilemma. Before she could decide, her feet lifted out from under her.