Days had passed after Soliyah had revealed herself as Venera Profera to Zerik and he’d confirmed he was the man she was waiting for. Or at least, he’d known the words. But, did that mean he was the man she was waiting for? It had happened under the influence of a few too many ales. Perhaps she’d imagined it? They seemed to be awkwardly avoiding conversation and being alone together. If it were true, or correct, what did it even mean? She was sitting at the inn, eating her lunch, contemplating it when Trig approached her.
“You look lost. Or perhaps conflicted?” He sat across from her, smiling. “Perhaps I can help you.” Soliyah smiled at him and shrugged.
“I think I’m a little of both, to be honest,” she confided, though she wished desperately she was speaking with Tryte instead. She missed her dear friend.
”Tis the way of life for your kind. Though I must state what I think is the obvious,” he leaned in to whisper. “It always seems, to me, as though you women have things more in hand than the men.” He laughed and Soliyah couldn’t help but laugh with him. He leaned back and sighed. “Tis women who perpetuate the light.” Soliyah looked at him confused and he smiled at her. “The gifts of women, the miracles they bring forth and preserve over time.” Soliyah had no idea what he was talking about but continued smiling.
A moment or two of silence hung between them when Zerik walked in and headed straight to the barkeep. Trig smiled as they both watched him and then he looked back at her. “Venera Profera,” he said, and the smile was wiped from her face completely. “I never could have imagined this would happen in my time.”
”What do you know of it?” She asked. He smiled, a slight twinkle in his eye.
“I am Nano,” he responded. “I know a great deal about a great many things.” He sighed. “We did all we could to avoid what is to come.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You have a long and arduous path ahead of you, dhrehr.” Zerik moved to sit at another table but Trig turned toward him. “Join us!” He yelled. Zerik hesitated but then slowly walked over, seemingly afraid, or shy. Trig chuckled. “We don’t bite,” he joked. Zerik gave a small laugh and then sat in the seat diagonal to her own. He nodded to Soliyah but didn’t make eye contact. Soliyah smiled and nodded in return and turned back to Trig.
“Please, no more riddles,” she pleaded, not caring that Zerik had joined them. “Tell me what you know.” Zerik looked to her and then to Trig, interested.
“If it were only that simple. Unfortunately, the burden I carry is to know the truth, the possibilities, but I’m not permitted to affect the outcome.”
“What are we talking about?” Zerik asked. Trig looked at him directly, paused, and then spoke.
“Only the rare woman is corruptible,” he said. “Due to the accounts and roles they’ve been forced into these many ages, they are much better suited for guidance and achieving balance.” Both Soliyah and Zerik stared at him, confused.
”Okay…” Zerik uttered under his breath, confusion settling across his face. He looked to Soliyah who shrugged.
”He’s been speaking in riddles since he sat down,” she told him. “Though he did mention Venera Profera.” Zerik’s eyes widened.
“What do you know of it?” He directed the question to Trig and only Trig.
“We’ve been awaiting the Venera Profera for quite some time now,” he started.
“So Venera Profera is a person?” Zerik asked and Soliyah continued staring at Trig. Trig smiled at her and nodded. Zerik waited for him to speak and when he didn’t, he looked to Soliyah. His eyes widened even more and he pointed to her. “Her? Soliyah is the Venera Profera?”
Soliyah couldn’t bring herself to look at him. She had told him as much, just as Tryte had told her, but she still hadn’t made any sense of it. She didn’t know what it meant and hadn’t even thought it over as she’d solely been focused on finding the man who was supposed to help her. And ever since she’d discovered that man could be Zerik, there’d been rumblings of anger within her. How was he to help her? He didn’t seem to know anything about anything. Perhaps her avoiding him hadn’t been out of discomfort or awkwardness. Perhaps she was angry and disappointed with him.
“Venera Profera is more than just one person, though one can embody it. It is as the old verse states,” Trig told them. “True guidance. Balance.” Zerik looked even more confused but the words sounded familiar to Soliyah. She turned her thoughts inside out trying to remember where she’d heard them before. “The tale has been spun around a thousand suns,” he continued. “The warning of hardships to be. But no one took care to ever beware and hear well enough to see.”
“Hear well enough to see? That doesn’t even make sense!” Her voice was louder than she meant. She was clearly feeling angrier than she had realized. But she’d had enough. Life in the West had been fine. She’d had a home, friends, a life! And suddenly things went all awry. Zayver was taken by who knows who, to who knows where. And when she wanted to help her friend, she was denied. And Tryte had been ambiguous enough when she’d had to flee Beroun, only telling her to go east and find a man. Tell him you are the Venera Profera, he’d told her. She could hear his voice as clear as day. But he wouldn’t tell her what that even meant. He will know what to do, he’d said. And now, she’d found the man. At least, she’d thought she had. But he was proving useless and a huge disappointment. And now, this new Nano, the only other she’d met since Tryte, was even more ambiguous and frustrating than Tryte had been. She grunted in frustration and sat back, pushing her plate away from her with a resounding crash. The few heads in the room turned toward her, but she ignored them. Zerik was staring at her, a look of shock that also included sympathy on his face. It only angered her more. She looked back at Trig who remained stoic, solid. “What is the meaning of all this? Why can’t I go home?”
”You wish to go back to the West?” Zerik asked her, surprised. She nodded and held back tears.
“I want to find my friends. I need to know if they’re alive.” She paused. “I want to go back to Beroun and see if it’s still there.” She turned to Trig. “I need to see this war to believe it’s even happening.” Silence hung between them as everyone else went back to their food and drink. Soliyah leaned forward. “I’ve been on the run for three years and it’s brought me to what? Nothing has changed for me! Except for the fact that I am now all alone!”
”But you are not,” Trig smiled at her and motioned to Zerik. Zerik’s eyes widened.
“Him?” Soliyah huffed, not meaning to sound insulting, but her emotions were getting away from her. She could feel the tears she was trying to hold at bay, forming in the well of her eyes. She tried to swallow them back but to no avail. Zerik looked insulted and as though he wanted to argue until he saw her tears. He took a deep breath and looked away. Was he ashamed? Afraid? Soliyah couldn’t tell. Trig just kept nodding.
“Venera Profera and Sparai id Holera,” he said. Zerik and Soliyah looked at each other and back at Trig.
“Sparai id Holera? What’s that?” Zerik asked. “What language are you speaking?”
“A language no other creature knows,” he responded.
“Perfect,” Soliyah huffed as another tear fell. She quickly wiped it away.
“Am I Sparai id Holera?” Zerik asked. Trig only nodded once. If they hadn’t been looking, they would’ve missed it. In fact, Soliyah wasn’t even sure he’d done it. She was so frustrated, she couldn’t take it. She wanted to scream.
“Venera Profera! Spara die Holda! Who cares? What does it matter if we don’t know its significance?” She stood and began walking away.
“Soliyah,” Zerik gently called after her. She stopped and slowly turned back to them, looking Trig directly in his eyes.
“Will you tell me nothing?”
“I have said more than I should,” he answered. She sighed.
“Then it’s all been for naught.” She turned to Zerik, though she didn’t know why. “I am going home.” She turned on her heel and retreated to her room. She expected one or both of them to try and stop her, or to follow her, but they didn’t. And she felt relieved. She shut the door behind her and immediately fell onto her bed, crying.
She was back in Beroun, but it was gone. She recognized the lay of the land, but all of the houses, homes, and people were no longer there. She looked around, confused. How could an entire village disappear? She was standing where the tavern she’d worked at had stood. Barely a stone remained. Her heart was filled with an overwhelming sadness and she fell to her knees.
“It can be rebuilt,” a familiar voice said. She looked up to see Zayver walking toward her, but he looked different. Her heart leaped and she jumped up to hug him. His arms wrapped around her and she felt warmth, comfort, a kindness she hadn’t felt in such a long time.
“You’re here!” She said and pulled away to see his smiling face. He nodded as he let his arms fall back to his side.
”As are you,” he said. “It’s about time.”
“Have you been waiting for me?” He nodded. “How is that possible? Where are we? Is this even real?” He shrugged. Soliyah felt frustration building but didn’t care. Zayver was alive. She could feel him, speak to him. The happiness she felt at that moment could not be shattered. “I don’t care,” she said and hugged him again. Zayver was taken aback but returned it. “I’m so happy to see you,” she whispered.
“And I, you,” he whispered back. They held still for a moment and then she could feel him letting her go. She didn’t want him to. “Soliyah,” he started. She finally released him and stepped back, but she refused to look at him. “I know you must be afraid, but…”
“I’m not afraid,” she interrupted. “I’m angry.”
“That’s justifiable, I guess,” he gave a small laugh. “With all you’ve been through. But there’s more to come.” Soliyah sighed.
“So I’ve been told.”
“I can’t believe it was you,” he smiled. “This whole time.” She shrugged.
“I don’t even know what you mean. I don’t know what any of it means. Do you?” Zayver scrunched his face up in concentration and slowly shook his head, yes.
“I think so.”
“Can you enlighten me?” She was half-joking but hoped he’d answer. She just wanted and needed a little guidance.
“I think you already know,” he told her and she had to admit, he was right. She’d known all along what being Venera Profera meant. Maybe not in the literal sense, as she couldn’t translate the words, but she knew it carried a heavy weight and responsibility.“It’s unlucky you can’t be given clear instructions though, idn’t it? Didn’t we used to say life would be easier if it had come with instructions on how to live it well?” Soliyah laughed. She’d almost forgotten about that.
“We spent so many nights whining, didn’t we? Who’d have thought we’d look back on those times as having been the good ones.” Zayver gave a small laugh. She took a deep breath. “Ok, so I can admit it, I understand what being Venera Profera means. But, I can’t explain it,” she told him while thinking out loud and processing her thoughts. “I can only feel it. Somehow, I am important to the outcome of this war, aren’t I?” Zayver gave her a small smile. She took it as his agreeing with her.
“You’ll be the brightest light in an overwhelming darkness,” Zayver said, his lips smiling, but his eyes lamenting. Soliyah felt her nerves jumping as she took a deep breath.
“I don’t know what it all means though. I don’t know how I’m supposed to do it. I’m just a tavern girl from Beroun,” she laughed and Zayver laughed with her.
“The tavern girl who could keep a crowd of drunken men and Gigans under her thumb,” he joked. Soliyah chuckled. “This really shouldn’t be a surprise, you know. You always were the good one. The one with kindness to spare.”
“What are you talking about?” Zayver smiled at her.
“I was so proud to call you my friend,” he said, and Soliyah ignored that he was talking in the past tense. “Every day I felt lucky to have you in my life. Around you, I felt… lighter. As though there was a purpose to being alive.”
“Zayver…”
“No, listen.” He stopped her. “It makes sense that it’s you,” he told her, all seriousness in his voice. “You shine brighter than the suns. And you need to shine for the whole world to see.” Soliyah didn’t know what to say if there even was anything to say. After what felt like too long of silence, she looked at her surroundings again.
“Is it really gone?” She asked. Zayver nodded.
“The Beroun you knew.” She felt her chest tighten and tried to breathe through it, though it was difficult.
“And you? Tryte?” She waited with bated breath, but Zayver didn’t answer, and she was too afraid to look at him. “Will I see you again?” She looked at him but he showed no sign of answering. She looked away, frustrated. “Everything will change,” she began to cry. Zayver came to her side and rested his hand on her shoulder.
“It already has,” he said. “And it must.” They stood in silence for a moment. “Change isn’t always a bad thing,” he assured her. “Villages can be rebuilt.”
“But people…” she whispered through tears. “People cannot be rebuilt.”
“No,” he agreed, releasing his hand from her shoulder. “The darkness that consumes them must be balanced out with light.”
“True guidance. Balance,” Soliyah repeated Trig’s words to herself. Zayver turned and began to walk away. She turned to him, wanting him to stay.
“Where are you going?” She asked. He turned and smiled.
“It’s time,” he told her. She scrunched her face up in confusion.
“Time for what?” He turned away from her and began walking into a thick fog.
“Time for you to wake up,” he said, his voice loud and clear though he was several feet away from her. She could barely see him. His body seemed to become one with the fog and then the earth started shaking. She looked around in fear.
“Wake up!” A strange voice yelled from the sky. She looked up and saw only darkness. There were no stars, no moon. “Soliyah!”
Her eyes were forced open when she felt a biting cold hit her face. She gasped for air as she sat up in her bed. Her face and shoulders were wet. Someone had thrown water on her. She turned to see Zerik looking. His eyes were wide which she could only see because of the lit lantern that sat on the bedside table. Otherwise, darkness. She heard strange noises from outside, including screams.
“What’s happening?” She asked. He looked relieved when she spoke and tossed something heavy at her. Her breath was forced out of her body as it landed on her. Her hands grasped it and she realized it was a sword.
“Come on!” Zerik’s voice was filled with desperation. He moved toward the door and picked up his own sword leaning against it.
“What’s happening?” She repeated. Zerik turned to her.
“Riggans,” he said. “They’re in the village.” Without another word, he pulled the door open and looked out into the hallway. Soliyah quickly leaped up from her bed, the sword in hand. She moved to stand behind him. He turned to her. “Stay with me,” he said, though it sounded more like a plea than an order.
“Where are we going?” She asked. She was unsure if they were going to fight, hide, or try to flee the village. She only knew that she didn’t want to run, but the idea of fighting scared her.
“Just stay by my side, “ he told her. Suddenly there was a loud boom below and thundering footsteps filled the tavern beneath them. Screams could be heard as they waited in the doorway. Soliyah could feel her heart pounding, but she maintained deep breathing to try and stay calm. Footsteps could be heard running up the stairs to their floor. Zerik braced himself. Someone ran in front of them and stopped when they saw him. Before they could even ready to fight though, the hilt of Zerik’s sword met their face. They fell back, grasping their nose with one hand. Before they could respond, Zerik forced his blade through their torso. They bent forward from the pain and fell dead within seconds. Soliyah watched it all as if in slow motion. She hadn’t seen such a thing since her last day in Beroun three years ago. She stared at the stranger in a heap on the floor. It was a Riggan to be sure. She could tell by the markings on his neck. Every Riggan was marked the same way, though she never knew or understood why. She couldn’t help but notice their strange beauty when she felt herself being pulled away.
“Come on!” Zerik yelled at her, pulling her by her hand down the hall. She heard footsteps behind her and turned to see someone running after them. Zerik quickly pushed her into another room and turned to fight them. His push had been forceful and she almost lost her balance. She could hear the clashing of swords but could only see Zerik fighting. He was panting and sweating. Soliyah wanted to help but didn’t know how. Zerik suddenly ducked and the stranger’s sword passed over his head, then they jumped over him. Soliyah watched the fight continue for only a few seconds before she realized she could now do something. But what? She’d never killed another person before. The stranger grunted as Zerik’s sword pressed up against his, forcing him to bend back. His legs were strong, she surmised, and then realized, that’s how she could help. Her sword at the ready, she moved toward the stranger and slashed the back of their heels. He screamed as he fell to the floor. Confused, Zerik looked at her and then brought his sword down to strike. His blade cut through their chest as easily as though it were a knife slicing a freshly baked pie. Before she could form another thought, Zerik grabbed her hand and pulled her away. They quickly exited the inn and spilled into the street.
It was chaos. There was fighting all around them. Almost every building was on fire. How had they broken through the wall and gates, Soliyah wondered. Zerik continued to pull her down the streets, hiding along the edges of buildings as they went. She saw some of the villagers she’d gotten to know over the last several days lying dead in pools of blood, while others were fighting off the Riggans as though trained soldiers. But the Riggans were strong fighters. There were more than a few times when it appeared as though the villager was about to lose, and each time, Soliyah wanted to jump in and help, but Zerik kept pulling her along with him.
They finally stopped at the corner of one of the buildings and Soliyah could see the gate ahead. Zerik intended to flee and force Soliyah along with him. He was looking out into the street, waiting for a safe moment to cross when she pried her hand out of his. He looked at her, confused.
“We have to go,” he told her, but she shook her head, no. “Soliyah!”
“No!” She yelled. “We can help.”
“They are too many,” Zerik told her.
“All the more reason for us to stay,” she responded. Their eyes locked, Soliyah could see his fear, concern, confusion, frustration, and then his surrender to her, recognizing her determination. He broke eye contact, looking around just in case, and then came back to her. He stepped closer.
“We stay together,” he told her and she nodded. She wasn’t certain why he was so resolute to have her by his side but agreed. She’d rather fight together than alone. He finally nodded and turned away from the gate. Just then, two villagers were running toward them, being chased by a couple of Riggans. They jumped out to cut off the Riggans and began to fight. The clashing of swords filled Soliyah's ears as she fought toe to toe with one of them. He was big but not much bigger than her. In fact, he looked like a regular kind of person. Perhaps he’d simply been a farmer back home. Why then, was he fighting her right now? What had prompted him to come all this way and be a part of the attack on Zerr? What other villages had he already attacked? How many people had he already killed? The more she thought about it, the angrier she felt herself get. She felt herself get stronger also. Or perhaps the Riggan was simply getting weaker, tired from all the fighting he’d done. She pictured him roaming through the lands, tearing through villages, killing all kinds of people. Before she knew it, she had him on his knees, disarmed, vulnerable before her. She swung the sword towards his neck but stopped it right against the skin. The Riggan’s eyes were wide with fear, but also determination. She wanted to question him and learn as much as she could from him. But before she could get a word out, someone running by removed his head from his neck with one fell swoop of their sword. Blood splashed all over Soliyah, and she closed her eyes and turned away. She looked down at the lifeless body and didn’t know what to feel. She turned to look for Zerik and found him still in combat. He was down on the ground, the Riggan over top of him, holding a short blade to his neck. Zerik’s face was red as he tried to keep the blade at bay.
“Zerik!” She yelled, but he didn’t move or look at her. She stepped forward to help him when she saw the short blade enter his neck. “No!” She yelled. She ran toward him as fast as she could and shoved the Riggan off of him. He rolled off to the side, his blade falling to the ground. She looked down at Zerik. His eyes were wide open as he held his hand to the wound in his neck. Blood was seeping from between his fingers. Without thinking, Soliyah put her sword down beside him and brought her hands to the wound. “It’s okay, Zerik,” she told him. “I’m here.” Zerik’s eyes widened even more just before she saw a bloodied blade slice the air in front of her face. Instinctively, she grabbed for her sword and spun to where the blade had come from. She hadn’t even known what was happening when her blade slid into the Riggan’s body. She watched as his eyes widened and his mouth fell open. He looked down at her blade, surprised, and confused. She pulled it out and he slumped to the ground. She stared at him for only a second and then turned back to Zerik. He was struggling to breathe.
“No! No,” she stammered as she let her blade drop again and held her hand over the top of the wound. “Stay with me.”
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Ⓒ December 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.