The Guardians' Pendants (The Zor Chronicles Part I) (15 page)

A look of deep sadness
washed over Kaho’s face as she eyed her fellow workers. “And what
about all of you then?” she asked. “Where have you been…
reassigned?”

“I was told to head to
the plants,” replied Senma, folding her arms over her chest. “But
clearly, that hasn’t been the case.”

“I was ordered to the
Dal’Lanu outpost,” said Nora.

“As was I,” stated
Maruni.

“And you, Kahla?” Kaho
asked, eyeing the only one out of the group who had yet to speak.
She frowned, realizing that something seemed off about Kahla today.
The youngest of the instructors and normally lively and talkative,
she seemed quite distant today. Even given the circumstances, Kaho
would have expected something more from her.

“What?” she asked, startled. “Oh, yeah… I was told to report
to… the plants. I did… yesterday,” she admitted.

“And? What was it like
there?”

At that, Kahla winced
as if she were suddenly overcome by pain. “T-terrible,” she
stammered. “Sirens watching your every more… we were worked until
we could work no more…”

“My apologies,” said
Kaho, reaching out her right hand and clasping Kahla’s tightly in
reassurance. As she did, she took note of the latter’s Life Ring,
casting a worried glance over her as she bore witness to its
already near-depleted state.

“So, does anybody have
any idea what’s gotten into these guards?” Enoke suddenly piped up.
“I mean, it was really almost an overnight thing. I never did trust
those Sirens, let me tell you, and part of me worries that they
might be controlling the Zor Guards more than anyone out there by
now, for all we know. But is that really enough to bring about this
sort of change?”

For a moment, there was
silence around the table. Then, Nora spoke anew.

“It was
Remula.”

All eyes turned to
her.

“The sudden inclusion
of Sirens as part of Paradius Security is by no means an act of
random chance. This was one of Remula’s main ideas – a principle he
practically lived by during his first tenure as head of the
Authority during Tavar Havea’s reign. In some ways, he was almost
obsessed with them,” she stated, pausing for a moment as her eyes
scanned the others. “Of course, as you all know he was later
dismissed by Havea, most likely for that very reason. I suppose he
saw the dangers that such a reckless Security Chief posed for all
of us, and quickly sought an end to it. However, it is my fear that
our new Tavar does not yet realize the true extent of those
dangers,” she proposed somberly.

“Nora has a point,”
Senma admitted. “Remula has always had a way of talking himself
into increased power. I am shocked – albeit relieved as well, of
course – that he never considered a run for Tavar
himself.”

Eyes were now turned
back towards Kaho and Enoke, who sat side by side, eyeing Nora and
Senma attentively.

“I
only wish there was a way to make Nuraka understand the true danger
that he is putting us all in,” Kaho lamented.

“Is there truly no
way?” asked Nora.

Enoke shook his head.
“At this point, at least, he sees us as frauds,” he simply stated.
“He does not see us fit to call ourselves Veha.”

“I need to leave!”
exclaimed Kahla suddenly. All eyes shot towards
her.

“Kahla?” Kaho asked,
concerned. “Is something wrong?”

Her whole body was
shaking violently; a look of intense pain had spread across her
face, consuming her. It was then that Kaho saw it – the deep red
glow emanating from the side of her neck.

“Who gave this to you?”
she demanded to know, standing up and eyeing Kahla’s neck in great
fear. On the right side of her neck was a circular mark that glowed
an ominous, dark shade of red. On the inside of the mark, something
appeared to be scribed in verse.

“What is it?” Enoke
demanded to know.

“Don’t you know?” she
exclaimed. “It’s a Mark of Silence! One of the four forbidden Marks
of Shadow,” she stated, her eyes downturned. “They’re born out of
only the truest of evil hearts. Performed properly, the Mark will
inflict unbelievable pain upon its bearer if her or she utters but
a single word. That’s why she was wincing as she spoke earlier! And
what’s worse, if a bearer of a Mark of Silence utters the name of
its grantor…”

Enoke eyed Kahla in
fear, backing away.

“The bearer dies,” Kaho
breahed.

At that, the female
Veha turned back towards everyone else. “You three!” she exclaimed.
“Stay here and keep an eye on Kahla. Keep her away from Security,
and see to her safety at all costs!”

“But what about you?”
Nora begged.

“Enoke and I must seek
out Remula!”

“Are you sure you are
up for it?” Senma asked, worriedly. “Even with all of those Sirens
and Guards out there?”

“We have no choice,”
replied Kaho simply. “May the Gods protect you, until our
return.”

And so they hurried
back towards the surface, reaching fresh air just in time for the
sun to slip behind the distant horizon.

“
Where do we start?” Enoke asked
helplessly.

“I… hadn’t thought that
far ahead yet,” Kaho admitted, feeling her spirits fall
immediately. “Remula may have been here in Af’Lanu yesterday, but
there’s no telling where he might have gone by now. Perhaps back to
the Hub?” she mused.

Enoke growled in
frustration. “In the name of the Gods, could somebody give us a
sign!” he cried out.

“Enoke, quiet!” Kaho
hissed.

At that, however, the
male Veha watched in disbelief as the Guardian’s Pendant around his
neck suddenly began to glow anew. As if guided by the same
invisible force as before, the jewel became erect around his neck,
pointing westward.

Chapter XIII –
Garahi

At first, Ikani was
naturally skeptical. He rubbed his eyes, worrying the sight of the
lights ahead might have simply been a wandering reflection of
Af’One Village far below, or perhaps even the lights of the distant
Hub City were visible from this high up in the mountains for all he
knew. However, after blinking several times more, Ikani finally
came to the conclusion that the opening in the mountainside before
him was truly there.

Ikani would have missed
it with ease, he realized, had it not been for the pair of torches
that guided him after his long journey to the small crack in the
mountain’s wall, just large enough for him and potentially one
other smaller Zor to fit through. He squeezed his way inside, soon
marveling over the way that the cavern opened up once he was fully
inside. However, it soon dawned on Ikani that if this was truly the
residence of the fabled wise Zor known as Garahi, then he was
intruding on his property uninvited.

“Hello?” Ikani called,
studying the inside of the cavern. “Is there anybody down
there?”

His calls were answered
only by the echo of his own voice that bounced off of the cavern
walls. Ikani hesitated at first, fearing what might potentially be
dwelling in the darkness that lay ahead. Perhaps he had stumbled
upon the family of bats, or even worse, yet another pack of
Firewolves awaiting his inevitable journey further into the
darkness. His fears, however, were not enough to stop Ikani, as he
made good use of his new tool, drawing his sword from its holster
and focusing his energy into the blade. Within moments, there was a
glow of fire that sprung from its tip, lighting the Veha’s
way.

Keeping the unknown at
bay with the light he had conjured, Ikani ventured deeper inside.
The cave was not as deep as he had once estimated it to be, and as
he rounded the first corner to his right it had practically already
come to an end. It was here that the first faint glow of light
could be seen in the form of more torches that lined the far stone
wall. Below their flickering flames stood a wooden table and a
couple of makeshift chairs. Hanging above the flames, Ikani caught
sight of a series of scrolls lining the walls. Curious now, he made
his way towards one that hung to his left. Holding his Fireblade
close and straining his eyes, be began to read aloud to
himself.

“Foretold is the path
that they shall roam

Chosen by They to
protect our home

From the far to the
near, with courage through fear

Are the Heroes who vow
to keep the skies clear…”

Ikani paused for a
moment, analyzing what he had read. “
The Veha
,” he breathed,
taking note of the title before continuing onto the next
verse.

“Into legend, once they
have come far

To rescue the souls of
each falling star

Their courage they
send, to bring to an end

The Demise of all, of
which they shall mend…”

Ikani’s ears suddenly
perked up to what sounded like a distant growling growing nearer to
him. His eyes shot to his left in the direction of the approaching
sound. He readied his sword, watching as the figure of a
flaming-bodied Mountain Firewolf appeared from around the corner,
snarling at him. Ikani could feel fear building up inside of his
mind. It was an experience eerily similar to that from the tunnels,
and only his second close encounter with a Firewolf in his
lifetime, considering they normally remained in the mountains,
rarely venturing into Af’One Village. But now, Ikani realized, he
had ventured into
their
territory, and he was
cornered.

Just as the wolf
prepared to pounce, a booming voice echoed off the walls of the
cavern.

“Kanae!” the voice
bellowed. “That’s enough!”

He did not need to be
told twice. The Firewolf quickly backed off and sat obediently as
the silhouette of its master made its way into view through the
darkness.

“My most sincere of
apologies,” the Zor spoke rather slowly and with a distinctly wise
tone. “I’m afraid Kanae here is still riled up from being out
hunting. I’m sure the sound of another voice in here took her by
surprise and she quickly grows defensive, I’m
afraid.”

“No!” Ikani blurted. “I
mean, I’m sorry – for being here – I should have…” he stammered,
unsure of where exactly he was going.

“Not to worry, my
friend,” the wise Zor reassured him. “I never sensed any sort of
danger about your presence myself, of course. You do, however,
appear to be somewhat lost. Am I correct?” he asked
benevolently.

“Actually,” Ikani began, “that… well, that is not quite the
case, you see. I sought you out,” he explained. There was a brief
silence between the two, and immediately Ikani feared the worse.
“You
are
the one they call Garahi, are you
not?”

At that, the Zor
stepped into the light. He was dressed in a long black robe,
completed with a pale headscarf that concealed all but his eyes,
with visible skin markings that classified him as a Zor native to
Af’One. He was short in his stature – barely half of Ikani’s height
– and carried with him a walking stick that seemed to double as a
spear.

“I have been called
many things in my time,” Garahi answered vaguely. “But yes, I am
the one which you seek. However, my question from before was not
meant to be taken in such a literal sense. After all, I would not
expect someone to come all this way and find me here by chance.
What I meant, dear adventurer, was that you appear to be oddly…
troubled, if I may, given the hero’s aura that you carry with
you.”

Ikani hesitated.
“Well,” he began, “It’s a long story, you see…”

“And one that I shall
be most interested in hearing, have no doubt,” Garahi interrupted.
“If you would be so kind as to sit down and stay a while, of
course.”

At that, Ikani smiled.
He quickly took the wise Zor up on his offer and retreated to the
back of the cavern, taking a seat in the wooden chair to the right,
observing as Garahi gathered together a pile of wood before
preparing the earnings of his hunt to be cooked.

“Would you be so kind
as to do the honors?” Garahi asked suddenly.

At first, Ikani glanced
at the Zor, unsure of exactly what he meant. Garahi simply nodded
towards the pile of wood at their feet. “Well, you don’t expect it
to start itself, do you?”

Ikani hesitated for a
moment, partially waiting for Garahi to hand him a torch, though he
knew eventually that it was not going to happen. He reached for his
sword once more and readied it before the pile of wood, watching as
flames tricked up the length of his blade almost effortlessly,
reaching the tip and igniting the pile of wood, bringing the entire
cavern under a dancing luminance of flame. Through the flickering
light about them and even through the scarf that covered the
majority of his visage, Ikani could see the smile that had now
taken shape across Garahi’s face, as if he were witnessing a form
of art that was long lost to him. He couldn’t help but smile back,
wondering what secrets lay beyond the wise Zor’s flickering
eyes.