37-2-2-4012 DM, Perangar Eranga, Telama, Hilaraya
Sami turned in his bed for what seemed like the hundredth time that evening. He had just heard the bells of the Garalahi heralding the coming of the fifteenth hour of darkness and sleep still eluded him. He opened his eyes and looked around the room. There weren't any lights inside but it wasn't totally dark because of the light coming from the torches on the grounds outside. Shadows from the branches of the trees by the windows danced around the room whenever a breath of wind blew. Across the room, in the other bed to his left, Lakban snored loudly as he slept. He was glad that it was Lakban who shared the room with him. He didn't know Sanji at all and he would have felt very uncomfortable with him in the room. Thankfully, Sanji slept in the room between Dari's and Alyana's rooms, which were located at the other end of the corridor. He stirred once again, turning his back towards Lakban and stared at the bare wall beside his bed, trying to push away the thoughts that had been clouding his mind.
Feeling weary and a bit sore from lack of sleep, Sami sighed as he failed to silence his thoughts. The interrogation he had with the Saraji and the Menaji that morning was very stressful. The Menaji had a serene demeanour the entire time while the Saraji was very upset about his presence at the Perangar, which was understandable. What struck him as odd, however, was that he saw more than distraught in the Saraji's eyes. He felt a deep sense of loathing whenever the Saraji's gaze fell on him. He probably deserved that because of everything he had done but it made him feel more uneasy throughout the interrogation. He expected that they would ask for more details about the Gorasha and he told them all he knew. He didn't hold back. He was given orders from Avarna to do so anyway. He received that order from one of the hakadanani, the stealthy secret messengers of the Gorasha who travelled in disguise, along with the order to kill his own brother. He just didn't understand why they ordered to execute his ayi for revealing some information about the Gorasha, but they commanded him to tell them everything he knew. Perhaps, Avarna thought that what he knew didn't matter anymore. Perhaps, they had already moved the abducted harani to another safe house and he wouldn't know where it was. He was practically useless to the Gorasha, and soon, he knew that they would have him executed as well.
After the interrogation, Sami was emotionally exhausted and paranoid. He only did what he was ordered to do. He had not overstepped at all. How could he? He had been very loyal all these cycles. He had. He had even... Yes, he had been very loyal. He told himself that over and over after the interrogation, but it wasn't enough to ease his mind. Every strange little sound around him made him jump. Every dark corner seemed to be a likely hiding place for a hakadanadu who could silently and instantly kill him. He only did what he was ordered to do... He was just following orders...
Sami closed his eyes and tried to ignore the annoying chirping sound of the night crickets outside. He was very tired and was desperate for some sleep. There were only three hours of darkness left and he wanted to fall asleep before sunrise. He started to breathe slowly, pushing away all thought from his mind. He felt his body relax and his mind started to float towards sleep. Then, he heard it. The door of their room slowly creaked open.
Sami immediately bolted out of bed and moved towards Lakban to wake him up, but before he could reach Lakban, something frighteningly strange happened. He couldn't move a muscle. He felt the pressure of something that prevented him from moving any of his limbs, but he couldn't see any visible restraints around him. He tried to cry out for help, but there was something invisible gagging his mouth so his voice came out as a weak muffled sound. He tried to struggle but it was no use. He was completely immobile and stuck in a very awkward position.
Sami also noticed that it suddenly became absolutely silent around him. He could no longer hear Lakban's snoring nor the sound of the crickets outside. He could only hear his own muffled breathing and the hard pounding of his pulse in his ears. Panic rose inside him like a rogue tide and he felt like he was going to be sick. To his surprise, however, he found that he could still move his eyes, so he looked towards the slowly opening door. A shadow, darker than the normal evening shadows in the shape of a serpent, slithered through the crack at the bottom of the door into the room and slowly moved towards him. He knew this asuwadu very well. It was Jinara, the adaradu that worked with Avarna.
Avarna. She was the last person that Sami wanted to see. What was she doing there? Was she going to finish him off? He ignored Jinara and anxiously looked towards the door again, expecting to see the hooded figure of his most hated and feared person on Tahana. Then, a horrifying thought came to him. How was she doing this to him? He knew that Avarna was a kabaharadu and no kabaharadu possessed such power. This power was nothing of fire, which could only mean that his visitor wasn't Avarna. He felt his heart beating faster and faster as he imagined a very powerful haradu, possibly more powerful than Avarna herself, walking into the room. He didn't wait long. The door finally opened wider and a tall hooded figure came in and slowly walked towards him as Jinara slithered around the floor by his feet. The figure's hood was drawn down, hiding the figure's face in shadow.
As the figure came closer, Sami suddenly felt his limbs moving on their own! Terror grew inside him as he saw that he had absolutely no control of his limbs. His hands moved to his sides and he felt his feet step backward until he was leaning on the wall behind him. The figure was now standing just a few fingers away from him, too close for his comfort.
"The traitor's brother," a soft whisper issued from the hooded figure, startling Sami. The whisper was very clear in Sami's ears, which seemed impossible given that he couldn't hear anything else.
"I came here at the risk of exposing myself because I wanted to speak with you personally," the hooded figure continued.
Who was this haradu? Sami couldn't quite place a gender on the whisperer but he somehow felt that it was coming from a lakadu. How did this haradu get past the sentinels who guarded the walls of the Perangar?
"I know of the great sacrifice you did for the sake of the Gorasha and for the glory of the Mamuja Jayamalan," the hooded haradu whispered, sounding rather pleased.
Sami wanted to scream. Sacrifice? What was he talking about? It was murder! And he didn't do it for the sake of the Gorasha but to save his own skin. Because of his selfishness. Because he was a monster.
"You know that we only need a bayaharadu and a piriharadu, don't you? You even told the Menaji and the Saraji yourself this morning."
Sami was stunned. How could the haradu possibly know that? There must be a spies somewhere inside the Perangar, members of the Gorasha who had not made themselves known to him and Lakban. Then again, he didn't know most of the members of the Gorasha until they were ordered to make themselves known to each other, or if they joined the organisation together like Lakban, his brother, and himself.
"I suppose I don't need to spell out what is needed to be done, do I?" the hooded haradu said menacingly.
Sami blinked once in answer. It won't do to upset this powerful haradu.
"Good," the haradu said in mocking delight. "I am very close to completing the sixteen that I would need for the ritual so you must not fail."
Sami's eyes widened in terror. He thought that being in the presence of Avarna was terrifying enough, but this... This was different. He knew who the haradu was. He was none other than Hara, Avarna's Menaji.
"Those two harani have caused me much delay already and it is absolutely necessary that they should be captured immediately," Hara continued. His cold whisper made Sami's blood curdle.
"If I'm being honest, I'm not even sure why I'm trusting you to do this task since you let the bayaharadu escape with that red-headed piriharadu. But you have proven your loyalty when you sacrificed your brother, so I'm willing to give you another chance."
Hara looked towards the open windows of the room to the left and started to speak in a quick whispered voice. He sounded as if he was talking more to himself than to Sami.
"It is very important that I should complete the sixteen immediately or the ritual will be delayed. If the captured harani are not fully and properly converted before the autumnal equinox, I would have to wait for the vernal equinox next cycle to do the ritual. I can't have that. No, I can't have that!"
Suddenly, Sami felt something choking him. He couldn't breathe! He struggled even though he knew it was pointless. He started to feel dizzy and his vision blurred, but he could still see Hara looking towards the windows. He was about to pass out when he felt the choking force releasing his throat. He instinctively took a deep breath but almost choked because of the invisible gag over his mouth.
Hara turned his hooded gaze towards Sami and said, "You made me angry. That was entirely your fault."
Hara started to pace slowly back and forth. He didn't say anything but with every step, Sami felt more horrified.
A few seconds later, Hara stopped pacing and looked towards Sami once again. "On the eve of Midsummer, you need to make sure that both harani are in this room, unconscious and bound before the second hour of darkness."
Sami waited to hear further instructions but Hara said no more. He took a deep breath through his nose to calm himself. He had already received his instructions and all he needed to do was to obey the order. Suddenly, the smiling face of Jienri appeared in his mind, his brother who loved him so much that he was willing to die for him. His brother didn't want to serve the Gorasha anymore. He argued with him over the matter in Gelang while on their mission to abduct the kabaharadu, and it resulted in his brother's capture by the Watchers. If he had just agreed with his plan, to abandon the assignment and flee, his brother would still be alive.
Without any preamble, Hara turned towards the door. Sami saw the door opening on its own, making way for Hara as he stepped out of the room followed closely by Jinara. When the hooded figure and the shadow serpent disappeared into the darkness of the corridor, the door moved and closed on its own.
As soon as the door was completely shut, Sami heard Lakban's snores and the chirping of the crickets once again. He suddenly felt his limbs give way and he fell on the wooden floor. He thought about shouting for help but he knew that if he did anything foolish, he would end up dead before anyone could come to his aid. He knew that Hara was still somewhere close by. He wasn't ready to die just yet. He looked at Lakban, hoping that he'd wake up but he was fast asleep, snoring away peacefully. He envied him for not having experienced what he had just minutes ago.
Sami slowly got to his feet and laid on his bed. He covered himself with his blanket and thought about Hara's command. It seemed to him that he wouldn't be doing it alone if he was simply to leave Dari and Alyana unconscious inside the room. There would be festivities on Midsummer's Eve and the Perangar would be filled with guests from the town of Eranga and the surrounding areas. The Gorasha would take advantage of that, he was certain of it. He thought about telling the Menaji and the Saraji about Hara's plan but he couldn't risk it. If he did, Hara would certainly know that he had betrayed him. Hara could simply change the plan altogether, and if that happened, the Menaji and the Saraji would think that he lied. Worse, he would absolutely be dead before the moon ends. He wasn't ready to die even if it meant that he and Jienri would finally be together again in death. He wouldn't tell anyone about the plan, but he decided that he wouldn't do as he was ordered. He may not have the courage of his dear loving ayi, but in his own cowardly way, his inaction could possibly thwart Hara's plans.