Bridgeworlds: Deep Flux (16 page)

Matters were now more pressing since the message one of her
members brought from Lake City earlier that day. It seemed the
monarchs were not going to waste any time finding their champion. An
official letter signed by the King stated that any who wanted to join the
Philos army or wished to be champion and general of all the armies of
Soterion would need to be in Lake City by the next new moon. That was
only three days away.

A horn sounded in the woods. That was the signal from the
watch tower that there were riders approaching.
This late at night?
The
sound came from the northern section of her land. Kasey dropped down
from the roof with grace as she saw two figures approaching riding
Kuon.
Magi.

Kasey could hear her own Kuon Davaag, barking from close
above. He swooped down and walked to her side. She found it amazing
that the older a Kuon, the larger they became. Daavag had lived over
175 years and was now the size of a mini-van. Most of the Kuon his age
had died in the battle with the Great Red Dragon, but the ones
approaching were the same size, so they were of the same generation.

The others all quickly piled out of the house. Allaso approached
and stood on the other side of Kasey while Alethia, Dinami, and Laberos
lined up beside him. It was not often that the order had visitors. Their
location was supposed to be a secret. As the visitors got nearer, Kasey
made out who it was and smiled.

It was Ischus and Protos. Kasey smiled big. She couldn’t help it.
They were both like brothers to her and she missed them. She
recognized Protos by the way he held himself, he wore a dark purple
hooded cloak and a wooden mask over his face with slots for the mouth
and eyes. He had on leather armor with a reddish-purple color to it and
carried a large walking stick. He was dressed almost like a bard ready for
travel at a moment’s notice with only a medium sized bag hung by a
strap on his shoulder. Ischus wore white silk with blue trim. He was
dressed and looked every part a noble from Loefel Meren.

“Have some food for a weary traveler?” Protos asked as he
dismounted and approached Kasey.

 

Kasey gave him a big hug, “You know we don’t serve food to the
likes of you,” she said still beaming.

Ischus had some trouble dismounting his Kuon. He was quite
obviously not used to them. Then he walked over and also hugged
Kasey and joined in the joking, “That is too bad, we heard you had the
worst cooking in the country and we were interested in finding out for
ourselves.”

They all laughed. “You two are a sight for sore eyes.”

Protos surveyed the other Miyka, “I don’t see any reason to
have a sore eye here.” He winked at Alethia and gave her a hug before
holding her at arm’s length to look her up and down. “I would swear
you actually look better than when I last saw you, if that is possible.”

She blushed at the obvious flirt. “Is it that distance makes the
heart grow fonder or do I just look better than the rear of the Kuon you
have been following behind on the way here.”

Protos laughed heartily, “Beautiful as always and a great sense
of humor.” He put his arm around her and looked to Kasey. “I would
say that it is great to be amongst my people when they are as unusual
as you lot. Not a snob in the whole bunch.”

Kasey cleared her throat, “Oh, there is a snob amongst us, but
she is currently contained.”

 

Ischus cocked his head, “Another female Kalat? How intriguing.
Snobby you say… she couldn’t be nobility could she?”

Kasey nodded, “She is and very obviously so. She refuses to eat
to the point that she passes out and we have to go in and force feed
her. Then she does her best to do us physical harm. I have spent the last
week in her cell, trying to break through her thick skull. And as to her
lineage, she is the granddaughter of Sothseneas himself who, from
every bit of news I can gather, is demon possessed.”

Protos shook his head, “Speaking of demons. We received a
letter from the Tower of the Magi. I would rather discuss it over food.”

 

Kasey gave him a smile, “Well, I will just have to burn something
for you then, won't I?” and he laughed.

As they were continuing to catch up on the way toward the
house, Davaag and the other two Kuon began to growl. They paced back
and forth a few times before shooting up into the air and taking an
offensive advantage that Kasey had seen the animals take just before
battle in the past. As they all turned in defense, Laberos was met in the
chest with 3 flaming arrows sequentially plunging into his body. His
garments caught fire and he screamed dropping to the ground in
flames. Alethia took her cloak and began to beat the flames out with it.
Kasey rushed to help, (he had stopped breathing with two arrows
through his heart). She put her hands on him praying, “Oh Shepherd
please bring him back, please heal him. You wouldn’t let him die after all
of this, please bring him back.” He remained lifeless.

As Alethia knelt beside him with tears in her eyes, an arrow hit
her in the shoulder and knocked her back with force. The arrows were
black, the color of choice for Kalat. Kasey had not seen where Ischus or
Protos went but she was sure they were with their Kuon fighting
somewhere. She looked down at Laberos with tears in her eyes waiting
for signs of healing that never came. “It’s just not fair. Why save him
just for this?” She did not mean to say it out loud, but she did.

Kasey grabbed Alethia as two arrows whizzed by her head. She
let her wings erupt in flames and flew to the house where she heard
fighting in the basement. “Allaso,” she called, “Alethia has been hit.
Tend her wounds!” Allaso, who had taken cover in the house as soon as
the first arrows were shot, stepped forward from the back room and
began going to work on her arm.

Kasey ran out the door, sword and gun drawn. On the front
porch she found a Kalat with a knife to Misia’s neck. Kasey didn’t
hesitate. She shot the Kalat in the head and he crumpled to the ground.
Misia looked at her in shock as she took a defensive position to protect
her.

Kasey could see a bowman from the corner of her eye. Davaag
took care of him, but not before he loosed an arrow. She didn’t have
time to talk or warn Misia. Kasey lunged forward pushing Misia out of
the way as the arrow punctured Kasey's back and she fell to the ground.
Misia got up and dusted herself off. She walked over to Kasey and shook
her head. “You are stupid if you think that gesture meant anything other
than you are weak.” Misia laughed, “Not so tough now are you?”

Kasey tried to get up but the pain in her back was agonizing.
Misia turned around and walked into the woods dodging a few arrows
as the fight went on.
I guess I no longer need to figure out what to do
about her.
She could not go back home, she was wanted dead for her
failure.

They eventually won taking two more Kalat prisoners. No Kalat
escaped so they didn’t need to worry about further attacks. When the
fighting was over they found Kasey where she lay. Allaso removed the
arrow from her back and stitched the wound up. Thankfully, it had not
severed her spine or punctured far enough to hit any vital organs.

They deduced that the Kalat scouts had followed Ischus and
Protos all the way from Loefel Meren. There would be none returning
to reveal their position, but they had lost Laberos. They buried him and
prayed together.

Protos and Ischus did what they could to comfort the others.
Kasey, though, felt that the Shepherd was distant from her. She could
not understand why He would not grant her the power to heal or
resurrect Laberos. Why should she have been healed but not him? He
was so young and full of life… and now he was gone. It wasn’t right and
to her the Shepherd was the one who made things right. She did not
blame the Shepherd; she blamed herself for her lack of understanding,
but it still ate away at her.

She could not sleep the whole night. She lay in her bed with the
window open. When the first few rays of light started to show on the
horizon, she saw Misia standing outside her window looking in at her
with a frown on her face. When she realized that Kasey had seen her
she climbed through the window and approached her, vulnerable in her
bed. Kasey was still and calm. She waited for Misia to speak but for
some time she just staring at Kasey with anger on her face.

“Who do you think you are anyway? You are so high and mighty
aren’t you? Better than me because you would sacrifice your life for
mine while I would take yours at the first chance. Is that it? Does it
make you feel better about yourself to prove that you are a better
person than me? Because I’m not a very hard target. I've killed, maimed
and massacred. How dare you have the gall to think that you could
change me… reach me…
save me
!” She was breathing heavily with tears
streaming from her eyes.

Protos swung the door open and rushed in with sword ready.
Misia raised her own blood covered sword pointing it at him. “You idiots
let a scout get away. Had he reached base, he would have revealed your
position. But I took care of him… he begged for his life.” She continued
crying, “He had once called me his sister but I know… yes, I know my
people. The moment that I showed the weakness of compassion and
spared him, he would have taken my head back to Sothseneas and they
would have celebrated my death. But you! My enemy!” She spit on
Kasey’s floor and drew a deep breath. “You save me? You put your body
between me and an arrow?”

Misia crumbled to the ground tears streaming down her face
with a blank look in her eyes. “No one has ever done such a thing for
me… no one,” she whispered so quietly that it was almost inaudible.

Kasey got up carefully so as not to re-open her stitches. She
walked over to Misia and held her. At first Misia pushed her away but it
was a very weak push. Kasey persisted. They held each other there and
cried on the floor of her bedroom. Kasey looked up with tears in her
eyes and there was a figure standing in the room by the window. At
closer look she recognized Him as the Shepherd.

Misia turned and Kasey could tell that He was beckoning her to
follow him. He stepped out through the window outside the house and
walked toward the first rising sun. Misia looked at her questioningly.
“Go… quick, follow him,” she said.

Misia climbed out the window into the sunlight and ran to Him
with her skin burning. Kasey could not make out what was being said
but she had a good idea. He held Misia for a good moment as she cried
in his arms and her skin stopped burning. When He let her go, she fell to
the ground and her body was engulfed in a purifying flame. This was the
first time Kasey had seen someone come to the Shepherd just like she
had. When Misia emerged from the ashes no longer a Kalat but a
glowing Miyka, all heard the Shepherd proclaim, “I name you Misia
Phoenix, daughter to Kasey Phoenix.” And just as suddenly as He had
come, He left.

Misia returned to the bedroom through the window. Kasey lay
with her in her bed holding her as she cried. Kasey found sleep for a few
hours holding her new daughter. A daughter with a bond thicker and
stronger than blood.

When Kasey woke, she left Misia to sleep. The question still
nagged at her and the Shepherd was no longer there to answer it
directly.
He came to accept Misia, not to deal with my trivial issues.

She made everyone breakfast and then went to sit on the roof
and think. This time Protos joined her. “You still haven’t heard what I
came to tell you.”

She looked up at him. “Good news I hope?”

 

He shook his head, “Bad news, but not your problem. It will be
taken care of, but I need information from you.”

 

“Oh?” She asked with a touch of shock.

 

“How did you defeat Thanatos?”

 

“He is here?”

 

“Yes, he is at the tower of the Magi.”

 

She looked at Protos, “I prayed, and I vanquished him. But he
was possessing you.”

Protos nodded with a distant look in his eyes. “You need to go
to this thing in Lake City. I will watch this place for you while you are
gone.”

“I want to go with you,” they heard Misia say from behind
them. Misia was so beautiful and radiant now. She had feathered wings
like Protos.

Kasey turned to look at her, “Are you sure that is a good idea?”

 

She nodded, “Yes, I will watch your back, but most importantly
we will get to spend time together.”

 

She nodded in return, “That sounds good.”

 

“Then it’s settled, we will leave today,” she said giving Kasey a
look as if it was really a question. Kasey nodded again.

They packed their things and Ischus volunteered to escort them
to the city. Misia was given Protos’ Kuon to ride so that they could reach
the city with speed.

By the time the first sun was going down they were at Lake City.
The ride there was silent. They took in the scenery and Misia loved
being able to see the world in the sun from the heights that a Kuon
could take her. She zipped around and did flips in the air on him. She
really hadn’t had the chance to test out her own wings.

On the way, Kasey noticed that her wound must have been
healed overnight.
Why does He heal the wounded and not the dying?
Why does He feed the hungry and not the starved? The book says, “my
God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my
salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from
violence. I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am
saved from my enemies.” But that is not how it goes. Later he promises
us persecution and Christ even asks Peter if he is willing to drink the
same cup as Him meaning his death? I’m missing something and I don’t
know what.

As Kasey pondered these things, they came upon the massive
gates of Philos built by all of the non-hostile races of Soterion. It was
beautiful. Statues of all of the races lined the columns starting with the
Raphad and likely ending with the Nepsah. She was not close enough to
the ends of the archway to be able to tell. People of every race walked
about. There were lines of hundreds waiting to get into the city to be
part of The Gauntlet.