He stumbled down the cobblestoned street. He shook his head, feeling it getting fuzzier with each step. He had to stop. He held himself up against a nearby wall, as his eyelids screamed to close. What was happening, he wondered. Why did he feel so strange? He’d only had four ales, maybe five. That was nothing for him. He blinked, trying to focus, but to no avail. Suddenly, there was a sound. Was it coming from behind him? It wasn’t clear. He couldn’t discern what it was. He stilled his breathing, trying to listen. Silence. Nothing. He took a step forward and the thud of his foot hitting the stones echoed in his entire body. It felt as though he weighed a ton. He looked ahead. He needed to continue on. Soliyah was waiting for him. Damn! Why had he drunk any ale at all, he chastised himself. He continued walking until he was out of the village. He grabbed a tree nearby to steady himself again. He could barely keep his eyes open now. They felt heavier. And his body felt numb. He brought his hand up and tried to touch his finger to his thumb. It looked as though he was doing it, but he couldn’t feel it. This was no state of drunkenness, he realized. Someone must have slipped something into his drink.
”I think he’s out,” he heard an unclear voice. He looked up and saw two blurry figures, one short, one tall, walking toward him. They stopped a few feet away from him.
”How is he still conscious? Did you give him the entire dosage?”
”Of course I did. Maybe it wasn’t enough.”
”Oh, it was enough, believe me,” the tall one seemed to say as he stepped closer and looked him up and down. He appeared close but when Zayver lifted his arm to grab him, he wasn’t within reach. The momentum from the movement seemed to pull him closer to the ground and before he knew it, he was on his knees.
“There he goes,” the little one sounded excited.
”Shhhh…” the tall one stepped closer to him again. “He’s still conscious. Amazing!” He bent down to look into Zayver’s eyes and smiled. At least, it looked like a smile. “What an astounding creature you are.”
Zayver wanted to grab at him, or at least hit him, but he couldn’t move. He couldn’t even yell at him. The only sound he seemed able to make sounded like animalistic growling. The strangers both laughed.
”You can’t fight me, Gigan. Within minutes you will be unconscious, and my friend and I,” he gestured to the short one. “We’ll take care of you. Don’t worry.”
Zayver wanted to ask questions. Who were they? What did they want? He felt a sudden bout of strength come to him. He clung to it and forced his arm out. He couldn’t see what he’d grabbed, but it felt thin, like a neck.
“What the? Hey!”
He could already feel his strength leaving him, his arm weakening. Before it would disappear completely, he squeezed his hand with all of his might. There was a deafening crack and then all went black.
Soliyah awoke to the sound of footsteps. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep. She’d been waiting for Zayver and must have dozed off. Darkness surrounded her, but she couldn’t tell if it was late night, or early morning.
Crack! The sound of a twig breaking. Perhaps Zayver had finally arrived. She wanted to call out his name, but something told her not to. She slowly stood from the position she’d fallen asleep in. Her knee cracked as she stood and she winced at the volume of the sound, worrying whoever was near would hear it. She stopped and listened. She heard rustling in the leaves and light footsteps. Her heart was beating fast and loud. She could feel her breath quickening and reminded herself to slow it down. As quickly and quietly as she could, she removed her dagger from it’s hiding place. It still felt awkward in her hand. She didn’t know if she’d ever get used to it. As a youth, she’d never had to, no one had. But times were different. The world wasn’t the same. It was a more dangerous place, filled with violent creatures. It was a sad and dark time.
She heard another step and crouched down, ready to jump whoever came through the bushes. The leaves parted to let the stranger through. Soliyah took a deep breath and held it, releasing it only when she recognized her friend, Tryte. She sighed and smiled, putting her dagger back in its sheath.
”You were going to attack me?” Tryte asked her in a whisper. She smiled.
”Only if I had too.” Tryte came closer to her, his finger held up against his lips.
”Whisper,” he told her. She looked at him confused. “Not a safe night.”
”Zayver never showed,” she whispered to him. “He’s never late. I’m worried.” Tryte nodded.
”As you should be,” he answered and Soliyah sighed, lowering to her knees to meet him eye to eye. She bent down to his just-over-three foot height. Tryte‘s kind were known as Nanos. They were small, typically skittish creatures. Most were very intelligent and well educated, as it was in their culture to be so. Their libraries were some of the larger buildings with the most extensive book collections. And Tryte was well known for his scholarly aptitudes. He knew so many languages, he’d lost count. He also had an in-depth knowledge in history. Though he’d been given many offers from institutions and royal families to teach, he’d always said he’d rather be a part of history, than just reading or teaching about it.
”What’s happened?” she asked, her heart still racing. Tryte looked at her, and then left and right. He seemed nervous, uneasy.
”It seems our friend has been abducted.”
”Abducted?” Soliyah yelled and Tryte quickly covered her mouth with his small hand. His eyes were wide and she quickly apologized with her own. He slowly removed his hand.
”Sorry,” she whispered. ”What happened?”
”I am positive he is alive,” he assured her. ”At least at that we can be calm.”
”What happened?” ”It seems he was attacked just before he was coming to meet you.”
Soliyah’s eyes filled with fear and guilt. ”Attacked? But he’s Gigan!”
”He was injured and taken by two assailants.”
”Taken where?” Tryte shrugged and sighed.
”Could be anywhere now. Hopefully I can determine who the assaulters were and recover our friend before it’s too late.”
”Too late? Too late for what?” She felt the fear tighten her chest. ”And you mean ’we’, right? We’re going to bring Zayver back.” She could tell Tryte wanted to argue, but she really hoped he wouldn’t.
”Not a good idea,” he told her matter-of-factly.
”I don’t care! I’m going!” she yelled in a harsh whisper. She could see concern and kindness in Tryte’s eyes, but she ignored it. Who was he to tell her what she could or couldn’t do.
”You cannot,” he told her kindly. ”You must abscond. You must… evanesce.”
”Evanesce?”
”Flee! You must go.”
”I know what the word means. I just…”
”No time to argue.” She wanted to push further, but couldn’t. She knew she could trust Tryte, and just needed more information.
”Who took him, Tryte?”
”I do not know. I wish I did.”
”How will you find him?”
”No concern of yours at this time.“
”No concern of…? Are you joking?” He leaned in to her and took her hand. Their eyes met and she could see such kindness and concern.
”You must go,” he told her. ”I am going to speak now, and you will listen.”
”Tryte…”
”No!” he stopped her. ”No interruptions. I am serious.” He was speaking in a calm yet commanding and quiet voice. ”You must leave this place. You must go East. There, you will meet a man, a man of your kind. He will help you. When you meet him, you will tell him you are the ’Venera Profera’. He will know what to do.” Soliyah’s mind was racing. There were a million questions storming through and she couldn’t think clearly. She wanted to ask something, for clarification, for further guidance, for an explanation, anything, but something stopped her. She suddenly felt one of his hands on her face. She looked back into his eyes, so gentle. ”Listen to me,” he told her. ”This is of the utmost importance. You are not to trust anyone, do you hear me? No one!”
”Ok, now you’re scaring me. What’s going on? What are you not telling me?”
”Did you hear me? Venera Profera. Trust no one. You must…”
”Go East. I am hearing you,” she pulled away from him and stood. ”But you’re confusing me. Nothing you’re telling me makes any sense.”
”No need for sense right now,” he said. ”You need only listen to me. Do as I say.”
”East. Meet a man. Trust no one. Uh…. prvena ferora… or something…”
“Venera Profera!” he repeated a little louder. ”Soliyah, that is a most important detail.” To her surprise, Soliyah could feel tears coming on. Her throat tightened, her breath quickened, and she did the best she could to hold it all back. She looked up at the stars, trying to distract herself. They were bright and beautiful. As always.
”Why can’t life be as simple?”
”Hmmmm?”
”The stars. They’re always so beautiful, constant, and peaceful. If only life could be that way.”
”I could tell you many things about the stars that prove their complexities and take away from their beauty,” Tryte offered. Soliyah sighed and looked down at him. ”Perhaps another time.”
”Why must I go? I’ve never left Beroun. I’ve lived here all my life.”
“I know.”
”No, you don’t. You’ve travelled everywhere. You Nano’s are the only ones that really do. It’s not in me to leave. I don’t know what’s out there. I’m…”
”Scared?” Tryte asked. And she didn’t want to admit it, but it was true. She slowly nodded and Tryte squeezed her hand. ”This will not be easy friend. I know that. I wish I could tell you all will be fine, but I cannnot know that.” He sighed, let go of her hand and took a step back. ”I wish I could say something to make this easier. Better yet, I wish I could take away what must be done. But I cannot. I can only tell you that I wish you well. That I believe in you and will do my part to keep you safe.” He looked up at her and smiled. ”That was Zayver’s and my intentions. We were to go with you. But now, I must recover our friend and time is wasting. You must go.” He moved to her side again and she swore she could see tears in his eyes. ”I will miss you, my friend.” He hugged her, and Soliyah was taken aback. It wasn’t like Nano’s to use physical affection. She returned his hug, though she was still confused. When Tryte didn’t let go shortly after, she pulled him in tighter and finally let a tear fall. ”You are strong,” he whispered. ”Much stronger than you know.”
”I don’t understand,” Soliyah said as they let go.
”I know. But we will meet again. I am quite sure of it.” He pulled her close again and whispered, ”Go east. Meet a man. Tell him you are the ’Venera Profera’. Trust no one.”
”This man…” Soliyah started, but Tryte shrugged.
”I do not know who he is. You will know him when you see him.”
”How?”
”I wish I knew,” he shrugged again.
”But what is this about? Why must I go?”
”I cannot tell you.”
”But you know?” She stood and he nodded.
”I do,” he confessed.
”Can you not say, or will you not say?” Silence. He fidgeted with his fingers. ”Tryte!”
”Both,” he finally answered. ”I was told not to tell you, and I do not think I would even if I could.”
”Who told you not to say?” She was almost yelling. She could feel anger rising within her. Tryte moved to look at her, a strange look on his face.
”How long have we been friends?” he suddenly asked.
”What? I…”
”How long?”
”A long time…”
”Almost thirty years.” He smiled at her. “And in all those years, have I ever misled you? Lied to you? Have I ever put you in any harm?” Soliyah shook her head, no.
”You’ve been like a father to me,” she told him.
”Thank you. Now, this must be done and you…” he suddenly stopped and his ears perked up.
”Tryte,” Soliyah started, but he put his hand up to quiet her. Soliyah quieted her mouth and her breath. She couldn’t hear anything and simply waited. Tryte suddenly turned to her, wide eyed.
”Run!” he whispered harshly. He pulled a small sword from his belt and turned his back to her. He looked over his shoulder at her. ”I mean it, run! They must not see you.” She could finally hear it. Several footsteps moving quickly towards them. Part of her wanted to run, but she didn’t want to leave her friend. Finally, she pulled out her dagger and stood her ground.
”I’m staying,” she told him. Tryte turned to face her immediately. His eyes were filled with anger.
”You must go. Now! Your identity has been compromised, though I do not know how. You must go east. Now!”
Forms suddenly burst through the trees, swords drawn. Within seconds, Tryte was facing them, ready to fight. He deflected an oncoming attack and Soliyah watched in amazement. He fought with such speed, agility, and grace. It was like watching a bird fly. He used his height to his every advantage, crouching and hitting low, and using his strength and flexibility to climb attackers and strike from above. She’d never seen him fight before, and had never heard him talk as though he could. Zayver, the Gigan, was a fighter. He’d even taught her a few things, but Tryte was clearly experienced.
”There she is!” A voice suddenly broke through her thoughts. She turned to the source. A tall, thin man with his right arm in a sling was pointing at her. ”Bring her to me,” he ordered. ”I need her alive.” Soliyah planted herself on the ground, ready to fight.
”Run!” Tryte yelled from somewhere, but she ignored him. She could feel her fear growing and this time, she wanted to face it. Her attackers were only a few steps away when Tryte flew into them out of nowhere. He knocked them to the ground and cut one of them across the throat. A tremendous amount of blood burst from his neck and spread across the area, some of it landing on Soliyah’s hands and arms. It splattered against Tryte’s face, but he didn’t stop. He continued yelling at her but she stood still, watching in silence as he kept yet another stranger from attacking her.
”Get her! Bring her to me!” the broken-armed man yelled. Who was this man, she wondered.
”Run!” Tryte yelled again. Soliyah could see the blood and sweat mixing on his face. He looked as though he could be hurt, but when she stepped toward him, he stabbed his opponent in the chest and turned to her. ”Now!” he said, a look of calm over his face, and a love in his eyes. He nodded and she finally turned away, and ran as fast as her legs could carry her.
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Ⓒ August 2022. Beki Lantos. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, or transmitted in any form by any means without prior written permission of the author.
