Chapter 7

Chapter 7

            A guard yanked the black hood off Oryan. His eyes didn’t need to adjust to the light because there wasn’t any light. He searched for outlines; nothing came into view, only blackness. He heard a dripping faucet and the distant conversations of guards.

            “Oryan, I have some questions for you.” It was a female’s voice.

“And who might you be?” Oryan asked.

“I said I have some questions for you. I didn’t say I would answer any of your questions.”

A few guards laughed. Judging by their laughter and the clanking of armor, Oryan estimated there must be five guards in his general vicinity. He leaned his back against what must be a granite wall.

“I thought our village didn’t have prisons,” Oryan said.

“A prison? How do you know you are in a prison? You can’t see in the dark. You could be in paradise.”

Oryan scoffed. “Paradise? Against my will. I doubt that.”

            The holding cell smelled intoxicatingly sweet. Oryan ventured to guess the female wore an expensive perfume.

            “Oryan, did you meet anyone when you entered the path?” His female interrogator prodded.

            “Yes. Your twin sister. She’s hideous.”

            A guard kicked Oryan in the stomach. Unguarded, the blow hurt.

            “Boys, no need for violence. I am sure Oryan will be more forthcoming, when he realizes the full danger of Leviathan Path. He will do anything to set things right.”

            “What have you done with Esis’s body?” Oryan asked.

            “I might be willing to answer that question, if you compromise and answer my question. Did you meet anyone on the path?”

            “I can’t trust you,” Oryan said.

            Oryan heard a gate open and then shut.

“You can trust her. Don’t be afraid, Oryan.  This is Elder Nolan. You can answer her questions.” Elder Nolan’s voice sounded different, but recognizable.

            The guards shuffled in the dark.

            “Queen Felda is the most trustworthy being in our world. Our world is in danger because of your misadventure. Oryan, your cooperation could lead to its salvation. Answer her question. Did you meet anyone on the path?”

            Oryan slowly lifted himself from the floor, leaning against the granite wall again. His rib hurt from the blow. He wondered what Presti would do in this situation, and then suddenly he knew.

            “I met one being. His said his name was Enhon. He seeks to destroy the Purity Stone.”

            “We must dispose of the prisoner. He knows too much.” Elder Nolan’s queen spoke with quick aggression.

            “We are failing to contain the situation,” Elder Nolan said. “I don’t think killing him is the best option. He may be of use to us.”

            “This vile man has seen Enhon!  He can be of no use to us! He must be killed and anyone who denies that judgment must die with him!”

            “I understand your zeal, my queen. However, please spare me your wrath while I explain my intentions.” Elder Nolan pleaded.

As this confrontation of words escalated, Oryan tested the eyesight of those around him. He slowly shifted to the right, heading in the direction where he heard the gate door open. He moved three feet in the dark without detection. He abandoned his escape once the conversation became too intriguing to ignore. No villagers knew the Elders submitted to a queen. He needed to know her plan and influence. Elder Nolan continued to plead for Oryan’s life.

“Presti hears Enhon in her head. He speaks to her even though she has never entered the path.” Elder Nolan explained.

“That is preposterous. Your healer altered the test results.  She entered the path, and you are simply unaware of it.” Felda remained unconvinced. “That is why Enhon is speaking with her. She is tainted by the path just like your pathetic prisoner.”

“You don’t understand, Queen Felda. Presti is the most dedicated priest in 400 years. I’d believe her even without a test. I believe she is telling the truth.”

“You are blind, Elder. Enhon can’t encounter any villager until that villager enters the path.” Felda spoke with force and conviction.

Oryan chest tightened.“Presti, didn’t enter the path. She never would. She’s too devoted to that stone.”

A cool breath glided across Oryan’s face. Felda’s long finger slid down his cheek.

“That stone has continued to protect your village from a most terrifying demise, foolish harvester. You should respect it as well.”

Oryan spit into the darkness, warding off her advance.

“Elder Nolan, you and this girl priest must be close companions. I will grant your request of mercy. I don’t value your prisoner’s life, but Presti values it. I could use that to my advantage.”

“Yes,” Elder Nolan said. “If she knows we have him held captive, Presti may return to us.”

“Where is she? Have you lost her?” Oryan asked.

Oryan felt the heel of a shoe slice his face.

“You ask too many questions. We should cut his tongue out. We can’t have him telling stories.” Felda laughed. “I’ll get the knife. I have one I use for such occasions.”

Oryan heard the gate open and shut.

“Elder Nolan, you aren’t going to let her cut out my tongue?”

“Oryan, your actions will have consequences. I showed you great mercy by saving your life. I value your skills as a harvester. Our village is dependent on sap production, so I can’t afford to lose someone of your strength. However, your conversations are worthless. This loss seems to be a proper punishment for your disobedience. I will excuse myself. I don’t enjoy violence.” Elder Nolan exited.

            Oryan rubbed his wrist against the wall, hoping to weaken the cords. Sure that they wouldn’t give, he made an insane attempt to crawl to the gate. Two guards lifted him and tossed him back into a corner.

            “Did he try to escape? How foolish can he be?” Felda returned. “Hold him!”

            A thick hand pushed Oryan’s head against the wall.

            “I love this knife. It was a gift from a very special being.”

            Oryan fought to free his head, but the guard only pressed harder.

            “My knife serves me well. Words are often needless.” Felda placed the knife to Oryan’s lips.

            “Then you don’t desire to know what Enhon said about you.” Oryan thought this falsehood would gain him time.

            “He spoke about me?”

            “Yes, he did.” Oryan lied.

            “Well, enlighten me.”

            Oryan couldn’t believe Felda had given him such an opportunity. He quickly snatched the knife with his mouth and kicked his legs forward, pushing her back. Rolling repeatedly, he avoided capture for a moment. As the guards grappled in the dark, he hid the knife under a rock and then rolled back to the corner. The guards finally found him and began to beat him.

            “Enough! Chain him to the wall. Apparently, ropes are not enough for this harvester.” Felda yelled. “He has stolen my knife.”

            “We will find it for you,” a guard said.

            “Yes, you will. I have pressing matter to attend to. When you find the knife, call for me!” Felda exited.

            Moments after her exit, the room filled with light. Straw blanketed the floor, and old bloodstains covered the walls. Four guards searched the small holding cell. A timid guard with barely any body mass found the rock and pocketed the knife. Secretly nodding at Oryan, he addressed the other guards.

            “We don’t need four guards to search this small cell, I will get the prisoner's chains from the main room.”

            “You do that, Okal. Terry, go with him, so he doesn’t get lost.” The largest guard ordered with a laugh.

            The guard followed the order. The two guards that remained emptied the cell of all the straw. Oryan, unsure of the impish guard’s plan, wanted to know more about Felda.

            “Why isn’t your queen supervising the search?” Oryan asked.

            “You ask too many questions, harvester.”

            “She doesn’t want me to see her face. Is that why?”

            “Maybe. Shut up!”

            The other guard let out a sigh of frustration. “The knife isn’t here.”

            “We haven’t searched him, yet.” The largest guard approached Oryan.

            The timid guard, Okal, returned with chains and hardware. “We can chain him to the north wall, farthest from the gate.”

            “Yeah, I know how to do my job!” The largest guard grabbed the chains and began to hammer the hardware into the wall. Okal smiled with delight as the three other guards busied themselves with the distraction.

            Okal tiptoed toward Oryan, a snicker wanting to explode from his lips. Oryan sternly shook his head, wanting to convince the silly boy that they hadn’t escaped yet. The boy’s eyes widened as he pulled the marble knife out of his pocket. The knife’s strange circular shape fit well in the arch of the young boy’s palm. He cut the cords like a warrior even though he looked like a peasant. Waving Oryan toward the gate, he jingled the keys as an added luxury. Oryan slowly shut the gate and Okal quickly locked the gate behind them. Even the clinking of the latch didn’t disturb the guards, who were entrenched in their masculine venture of hammering metal into stone.

            “Follow me. I know how to get you out of here.”

            “Why are you helping me?” Oryan asked.

            Suddenly, the gangly face of an impish boy transformed into a glowing being with violet hair and crystal skin.

            “Because I am not one of them. I serve Enhon. I am here to deliver you back to him. Come away!”

            He smiled a glorious smile full of hope and deliverance. As he headed down the hall, he transformed back into the impish Okal. Oryan knew he knew nothing now. He followed the being because he had no other options. Once they reached the end of a long hallway, full of other holding cells, he heard the guards yelling for Felda.

***

            Otti held Presti’s face in his palms as she hyperventilated.

            “Presti, you need to slow down your breathing or you will pass out.”

            “I…just…attacked an Elder. I can’t….calm….down.”

            The two of them had successfully escaped through the loading tunnel. Otti had led her to one of the many storage rooms that he owned. She rested on the floor, leaning against a barrel of tark weed. He considered emptying a barrel of sudar lark and forcing her to eat it. She would sleep for three days. She needed the rest. A teardrop collected in her eye, and he hated to see it.

            “Presti, the Elders will appear soon. We need to decide what we will do.”

            “Elder Nolan…will seek the…council of the other Elders…before he…comes after us. We have time.” Presti tried to slow her breathing.

            “Not so. He must come soon because he will need to discuss the Purity Stone ritual with you. It is almost morning.”

            Presti took three quick gasps of air. “I must summon the Elders.”

            Otti forced his hand on her mouth. “Don’t you dare! Let’s discuss this first.” Otti collected himself before he spoke again. “There is no doubt in my mind that Elder Nolan intended to kill you back there. He had verifiable proof that you didn’t violate his laws, but he was still determined to kill you. I believe you saw Elder Nolan as a beast because he is the one who is defiled. You see him defiled because you are pure. He is trying to destroy you because you know the truth.”

            Otti clutched Presti’s hand. Her head fell as she considered everything he said. She shook her head in denial. Otti caught her face in his hands.

            “You don’t see your value, and you over value those who aren’t worthy of it. I consider you as my own daughter and I am telling you now, Elder Nolan was going to murder you.”

            Presti allowed the words to penetrate, “That is what the apparition said.”

            “What apparition?”

            “Otti, I saw something else during your test. I didn’t tell you because I was scared.”

            “What did you see?”

            “A man, I think. He wore a maroon robe.”

            “A man?”

            “Yes. Elder Nolan knew I was hearing a voice from the outer lands. That is why he was so insistent about me taking the test. Then I drank the third sip of the liquid you gave me, and then I saw the man. He told me that Elder Nolan wanted to kill me. Does this mean I am deceived?”

            “But, you didn’t walk the path?”

            “No! Why do I have to keep saying that! I didn't walk the stupid path!”

            Otti chuckled. “Sorry.”

            “The man wasn’t actually there. Or at least I don’t think he was there. He looked more like an apparition than a man.”

            “He told you that Elder Nolan was going to murder you?”

            “He said that Elder Nolan was wicked and didn’t care about the truth. He just wanted to kill me.”

            “Presti, I don’t claim to be a man of wisdom, but I saw murder in Elder Nolan’s eyes. It wasn’t justice. I don’t know if this apparition is good or bad; however, I agree with its assessment. Elder Nolan wanted to kill you. And for no good reason.”

            “Otti, I put my faith in the Elders. I can’t just betray my heart. I believe Elder Nolan is fighting for something beyond us. I can’t fall victim to cynicism. However, I will wait for the Elders to come to me. I won’t summon the Elders until they are ready.” Presti closed her eyes and rested her head on the barrel. “I trust the Elders.”