Aurix the Bold

Neither Aurix nor Shlee spoke for some time after their encounter with the Nulla savages. Instead they watched the Jaw rise and expand through the dusk in a kind of stunned silence. Eventually, Shlee retrieved a loaf of bread from his bag. He tore off a hunk and held out the rest to Aurix.

He shook his head. His hands were still clenched into tight, cramped fists and his palms were sweaty.

“You did well,” Shlee said.

“I very nearly threw up.”

Shlee cackled cheerily. “Me too, whelp. Me too.”

“They must have believed your fribble about the flux.”

“Yes, but it wasn’t only that, Aurix. You paid them respect. I doubt that’s something they’ve been given in a long time. Even before Xu’ul, our peace with them was tentative at best.”

“Doesn’t everyone deserve to be respected?”

Shlee looked over at him. Through a wad of bread, he said, “Yes. But most people treat the Nulla as though they are little better than animals. Of course, we often invent our own monsters.”

Aurix thought about that for a few quiet moments and decided it was wisdom worth remembering. “We should build way stations along the desert road.”

“There once were. There was even a small town a few miles hence. We’ll pass the ruins soon. Xu’ul had them all destroyed.”

“Why?”

“It was how he paid for the Nullan allegiance. He gave them the entire desert to rule over. But it was also strategic. Restricting travel reduces the chance to amass armies and slows the flow of information. Plus it forces almost any attack on Glynn to come from the south—trying to cross the desert east to west is a death sentence. And no one in their right mind will travel the Wraithwood to the far west. So one must survive this desert road, the Jaw or Grimvale, then ride north through Annoaster and Lasette, cross the raging Stryk and then Ixia. By Xu’ul’s design, it’s not an easy journey.”

“Tell me about it,” Aurix said. “What other dangers lay ahead?”

“More than lay behind,” Shlee said. “Many more. Unless we meet Xu’ul’s soldiers first, the Raspula in Grimvale will be our next adversaries.”

Aurix remembered his uncle’s description of them and grimaced.

“The Grays, they’re often called,” Shlee continued. Their skin is the color of ash and their very blood burns human skin like an acid. The entire race is female, and nothing is sacred to them save for their black, winged raga-God, Callifrax—the ‘beautiful destroyer’.”

“A manticore?” Aurix asked.

Shlee shrugged. “Manticores are creatures of myth—I’ve only seen them in drawings, but the Raspula believe in Callifrax well enough. We’ll have to keep an alert watch overnight; the Grays are mostly nocturnal and difficult to see in the dark. If they attack, that’s when they’ll come.”

“And what do we do if they attack?”

“Try not to die.”

The rest of that day and the third passed without incident. The Jaw amassed before them, their white-capped peaks soaring. Clouds obscured the tallest among them.

“They look to go on forever,” Aurix said.

“It is a huge range, as I said.”

“Will we need to climb?”

“Not much. Mostly we will ride between the mountains deep into Grimvale. But first we will stop in Cragshadow to grab supplies and give these girls a rest.” He gave Aoni’s neck a fond pat. “We should arrive early tomorrow.”

“Thank the Gods. My hindquarters have never hurt so bad.”

Shlee laughed. “Speaking of pain, we’ll be able to work on your swordplay again.”

Aurix rolled his eyes. “Spectacular,” he said sarcastically. “I can hardly wait.”

He knew they were coming out of the desert more by a dramatic shift in temperature than a change in terrain. The night was colder, and the dry heat of the day felt heavier and more oppressive. Aurix spent a good portion of their last evening watching lightning lance down between the jagged mountains, the bolts reflecting off of the snow and ice crowning the mountaintops. Bright, colorful spots floated in his vision like luminous necronim.

Nyx and Aoni munched on the last of their oats and grazed at a small patch of grass that had managed to break through the desert floor where they had chosen to camp. The glimstone dimly lit the area with its reddish hue, and though Aurix was thankful for the light it provided, he’d be glad to be able to sit before a warm fire again.

They’d been riding only a few arcs the following morning when Aurix realized that a sea of bright green grass surrounded them. The caples seemed livelier, and Aurix was pretty sure it wasn’t just his imagination. By late morning, Cragshadow came into view. It sat at the base of the mountains, surrounded by foothills and towers of rock that seemed to defy gravity. Some looked more than a little precarious and Aurix was surprised they’d survived the earthquake.

Unlike Midian, Cragshadow was not walled with timbers, but instead was ringed by massive gray boulders. To the east of town, a crystal clear lake supplied by a frothy waterfall of snowmelt reflected the rocky cliffs and high ethereal clouds above. Even before they could see them, the boisterous laughter of children echoed back at them off of the mountain face. It was a happy sound, and Aurix caught himself smiling. When he looked over at Shlee, he too was wearing a mostly-toothless grin.

It hardly seemed possible that only four days had passed since they’d left Midian. It felt like they’d spent a brief eternity in the dry desert heat while biting back the nearly constant fear of attack from hungry Nulla.

Cragshadow’s stable was situated on the west bank of the lake, nearest to the city. On the way, Aurix and Shlee stopped to let the caples drink their fill. A few children waved as they passed, their feet dangling in the cold shallows. Further on, where the water was warmer and deeper, a few men and women waded with poles and nets, fishing for their dinner.

They boarded Nyx and Aoni, who seemed content with their stall beds of clean straw and all the oats and cool, clear water they could manage. Shlee paid the hands extra to have them washed and brushed and rubbed down to refresh their muscles for the rest of their journey. Aurix figured if their mounts were even half as sore as his butt, they’d be glad for the rest and massage.

They passed by a plot of land dedicated to a large community vegetable garden. Half a dozen people were tilling and turning the soil. A handful more were gathering the ripe pickings from lush bushes and stalks and piling them in large baskets. Beyond the tiny farm was a small field of wheat and chickseed, and just outside of the wall of boulders stood half a dozen trees heavy with an assortment of bright dangling fruits and berries.

The smells and sounds of braka, goats, sheep and barrochi birds carried over Cragshadow’s rock walls on the breeze. The town was much smaller than Midian—smaller even than Dren in sheer size—but there were many more shops and houses within. Most of the buildings were constructed of stone in shades of red, brown, and gray, flecked with a gold that glinted in the sunlight. It gave the illusion that the town was bathed in flame.

“Dynox,” Shlee told him. “They mine it from the mountains.”

“It’s incredible.”

“It is. I’m surprised that Xu’ul hasn’t already laid claim to it.”

“He has,” a voice said from just behind them.

They turned to see a woman with hair so blonde it may as well have been white. It was pulled back into a tight braid decorated with ribbon. Her features were sharp and angular, and her skin smooth and as pale as alabaster.

“We can no longer mine the mountains, under threat of death. And the taxes are so high, we are all but owned by the Ra. Still, it is home to many, and we are happy here. Welcome to Cragshadow.”

“Thank you,” Shlee said. His voice had taken on a solemnity and deference that Aurix had not heard before.

Aurix felt obliged to salute. “Well met, milady.”

She laughed merrily. “No need for such formality, young one. I’m Petra, and hardly deserving of such titles.”

The way Shlee looked at her said something quite different.

“We are happy to have visitors. Have you come along the mountains from The Jag?”

“No,” Shlee said. “We came through the Oose.”

The woman looked surprised. “A treacherous journey. Not all survive it.”

“We nearly didn’t,” Aurix said.

Petra smiled at him. “Well, you’re quite safe here with us. There is a comfortable inn straight on. You may sup there if you wish, or you are welcome to join us in the Great Hall across the main road two arcs after Nova sets. Most of the town gathers there for dinner. I think you’ll find it an enjoyable time. How long will you be staying with us?”

“We’ll most likely set out tomorrow,” Shlee said. “No later than the day following.”

Aurix was overjoyed with the idea of two days rest. It was more than he could hope for.

“Well,” Petra said, “stay as long as you like. We don’t get many visitors this far south, and it’s nice to hear tell of the rest of Valeria. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to find me. I’m at your service.”

“And how shall we do that?” Shlee asked.

“I am the vala of Cragshadow. You’ll find me at the Hall most of the time attending to town business, otherwise, just ask for me at the inn. Enjoy your time with us.” Petra gave them a small bow and walked out of the break between the boulders, heading toward the small farm.

Shlee watched her departure, only looking away when he could no longer see her over the tops of the boulders.

“She’s a bit young for you, don’t you think?” Aurix asked, giving Shlee a playful elbow to the ribs.

“Ha!” Shlee barked. “Who isn’t?” He looked amused, but there was more in his gaze that Aurix couldn’t decipher. The old man was a constant enigma.

Ahead of them, children scampered and played, oblivious to the troubles of Cragshadow and the rest of Valeria, which was just as it should be. Some expertly swung on the boulders ringing the town, hanging from small imperfections in the otherwise smooth stone by their fingertips. Others scaled a huge rock formation that seemed to explode from the earth in the town square in front of them. All were barefoot and barehanded, their toes and fingers finding grips that Aurix couldn’t even see. One girl, not much younger than he, hung inverted from a massive angled block that balanced atop two others. As he watched with his neck craned, she reached the end of the block, found a hold on the side of the slab, and let herself drop.

Aurix gasped—horrified—sure she was about to fall to her death right in front of him. Instead, she hung from her handhold by one arm, shook her free arm out for a few seconds and gave Aurix a wave from on high. She then pulled herself up until her arm was bent at the elbow at a ninety-degree angle, and used the other to find another grip. From there she ascended easily.

“That’s incredible,” Aurix mused aloud.

“The people of Cragshadow have been climbing for centuries. It comes as easily to them as swimming to a fish or flying to a bird. The mountains are where they are most comfortable.” Shlee looked (longingly Aurix thought) at the formation in front of them. “Want to give it a try?”

Aurix laughed. “Our journey would end right here. They’re like monkeys.”

“Balance and core strength—excellent swordplay skills.”

“Is that how you got so good?”

Shlee smiled and gave him a wink. “Four hundred revolutions, remember. Nice try.”

They walked past the square and took in the rest of the town. Aurix loved it from the start. The grass grew thick and lush between rocks that looked to have been scattered about like dice from a giant’s hand. Some yards had been landscaped with stacks of thin shale, used to form boundaries and occasionally small falls through which water rustled like the sound of leaves in a breeze. Everything seemed peaceful and easy, a haven from the miseries that seemed to have plagued Midian.

The people were friendly, tossing casual waves to them as they passed, and all seemed to be working at something.

“This seems like it would be a great place to live,” Aurix said, wiping sweat from his forehead. “A little warm for my liking, but nice.”

“It’s not for everyone,” Shlee told him. “Surrounded as it is by Grimvale and the Oose, not many from the north are willing to brave the trip. It can be quite secluded.”

“It’s pretty and calm.”

Shlee nodded his agreement. “It is.”

They approached two large buildings across the path from one another. The one on their right was massive, and could only be the Great Hall, which meant the smaller on the left must be the inn. They went inside and were greeted by a tall man with a prodigious belly and a long black beard flecked with gray and tied with a length of leather strap. His cheeks were rosy and he smelled of ale.

If he was a drunk, he was a pleasant one. “Well, well! Welcome to the Crag, halfway twixt Grimvale and The Jag. You boys’ll be needin rooms, methinks?”

Shlee smiled. “How’d you guess?”

The bearded man tapped his head. “No foon, I,” he said. “Ye did come into me inn, after all, and I ain’t never seen ye before.” He squinted at them. “Uh, have I?”

Shlee laughed. “No, I would think not, innkeep.”

“Ah, didn’t think so. Then as I said, welcome to Cragshadow. I’m Jizizoo. We don’t get too many visitors, so there’s plenty o’ room. In fact, ye lads are just in time for my two-fer-one sale.”

“That’s good of you,” Shlee said, still grinning.

“Yep. ‘Tis. But ye look like nice enough fellas, and no one else is boardin’ at the moment. No reason I can see for ye not to each have yer own rooms. Will ye be suppin with us at the Hall cross the way, or would ye prefer I bring yer dinner?”

Shlee looked at Aurix, “What do you think?”

“Oh, the Hall, without a doubt.”

Shlee looked back at the innkeeper and gave him a nod.

Jizizoo’s eyes twinkled. “Good choice, lad. Ye might even get to hear me sing a spot.” He looked at Aurix askance and put a hand to his mouth as if sharing something confidential, despite no one else being in the room. “I just ’appen to be the town’s best kept secret.”

“Yeah?” Aurix said, now grinning himself.

“Oh, ye better believe it. Ye’ll see.” He parted his thick beard with a finger and gave his chin a scratch. “And how long do we have the pleasure of yer company?”

A night, perhaps two,” Shlee said.

“Well, let’s hope for two then.” He came out from behind the counter and gave them a wave. “C’mon gents, follow me to yer rooms.”

Aurix was thrilled beyond measure to have his own room and a bed to sleep on instead of the hard and cracked desert floor. He could only imagine how much more so Shlee must be to have some comfort. At his age a trek like theirs couldn’t be easy. He rarely complained, though, and Aurix wondered—not for the first time—why he was doing all of this for a boy he barely knew.

Aurix shed his leather armor and dropped it on the floor next to the bed with a contented sigh. He was exhausted, and let himself fall backwards onto the mattress, which was plush with soft, thick hides. He was asleep almost instantly.

Dreams of sand and savages were interrupted by a knock. The color of the sky through the window told him his nap hadn’t even lasted an arc. Aurix stretched and found he felt quite refreshed. The knock came again.

“You asleep in there, boy?” Shlee called.

Aurix opened the door and glared at him. “Not anymore.”

Shlee gave him a grin. “Let’s go, let’s go!” He was much more animated and excited than Aurix had ever seen him. “We should go for a swim, explore the town, restock our supplies. There’s much to do yet before dinner in the Hall.”

His excitement was contagious, and Aurix laughed. “Alright, alright. You’re in a good mood.”

“It’s a fine town.”

“It is nice,” Aurix agreed, and verbalized a suspicion he’d had since they’d arrived. “It’s your hometown, isn’t it?”

Shlee’s grin widened. “Come on!” He was as giddy as any youngster.

They left the comfort and shade of the inn and made their way through the town. Shlee pointed out places and things that he knew.

“How about Petra? Who is she?” Aurix asked. “I saw the way you looked at her.”

“It’s not what you think,” Shlee said as they passed by a shop smelling strongly of tanned leather.

“Then what is it?”

“She looks like someone I used to know. That’s all.”

“You old devil. Someone you used to love?” He drew the word out, so it had an edge of teasing.

To Aurix’s immense shock, Shlee blushed. “Stop it, whelp. Or shall we talk about the way you were looking at that girl in Midian?”

“Inanna? What? Everyone looked at her that way.”

“Uh huh.”

Aurix smiled and felt heat in his own cheeks. “Do you think Petra is related to her? Your someone?”

“Oh yes. No question. Several generations removed, of course, but they could be twins.”

“You should talk to her. Tell her.”

Shlee shook his head, but the look on his face was cagy. “There’s nothing to tell. And even if there were, it would be rather difficult to explain.”

“You convinced me easily enough.”

“At great personal cost, remember. Every time I remove the Ring, there’s a chance I could die.”

“So you’d risk that for me, but not for her? Why?”

“Is there anything at all that you don’t question, boy? Gods! Some things are just supposed to be. Let them be.”

They’d arrived at the eastern side of the town. A break in the boulders formed a natural gate into the small grove of trees. Beyond Aurix could hear the waterfall crashing into the lake mingled with peals of laughter and delight.

“Come,” Shlee said with a broad smile. “You won’t believe it.”

The sounds of frolic got louder as they approached. Once past the small field and garden, Aurix saw where all the noise was coming from. There were hundreds of people in the lake, probably a good majority of the town at once. Some swam. Others floated on their backs, or waded out as far as they dared, or just dangled their feet into the water while chatting with friends and neighbors. Children flipped off of the rocky shoreline, shouting merrily at the mountaintops as they soared through the air.

Shlee cackled as they came up on the stable and started to strip off his clothes. “You comin’?”

He was.

The water was the perfect cure for the damp heat of the afternoon. It slipped over Aurix like cool silk, taking the muck and stress of the road with it. He swam for a bit, but spent most of his time on his back staring up in awe at the impossibly tall peaks, sheathed in ice and cloud. It was dizzying and made him feel tiny and insignificant, but it was also magical and mesmerizing. And despite (or maybe even because of) the chaos of an entire town bathing at once, it was also surprisingly peaceful.

Shlee grinned like a foon the whole walk back to the inn. He snagged an orange from a low-hanging branch on one of the orchard trees, peeled it, split it, and gave half to Aurix. It was tart and made the muscles in his jaw clench and ache, but it was delicious. As much as he loved his hometown of Fennoril, he had to admit that Cragshadow was an idyllic town that he’d be thrilled to call home.

Dinner did nothing to change his opinion. The adults drank ale (Shlee even had a few, to Aurix’s great surprise), and the atmosphere was rowdy and fun. There was much raucous laughter, and the food was excellent, all grown or raised by the townsfolk. There was also entertainment—a group of three young men performed nearly impossible feats with stones of various sizes and ended their show juggling at least half a dozen of the audience’s shoes between them while holding their noses as if they smelled. The crowd roared with delight, and coins bounced off of the floor in front of them when they took their bows.

A troupe of boys and girls flipped and twirled and twisted their bodies in ways that Aurix could barely comprehend. He recognized one of them as the girl that had been climbing the precarious rock formation in the town square when they’d first arrived. After the group had finished their tumbling routine, they gathered in a tight semi-circle around the girl and sat. They all raised their left hands. She took the hand of the last in line of her fellow performers and cartwheeled her body upward so that she was doing a one-armed handstand in his upraised hand. Over the next minute, Aurix forgot to breathe while she traversed the entire semi-circle on her hands. She dismounted with another cartwheel and a flourish to applause and whistles. She took a bow as if the show was over, but instead let her body fall forward until the palms of her hands were on the floor. She kicked up her feet and stood on her hands, shifting a bit to find her balance. Then she bent her arms and lowered herself until her head nearly touched the floor and then pushed herself back up. She repeated the trick three times, her body as straight as an arrow, the muscles in her arms rippling with effort. Aurix was already in awe, but his mouth fell open as she then shifted her weight onto a single arm and did still another push up before flipping herself back to her feet. The audience went wild.

When the hall had settled, Aurix saw a familiar ruddy and bearded face rise from one of the tables. The townsfolk cheered. He sat back down. The crowd laughed and booed. He stood back up and they roared a bit louder. This little amusement continued several more times until the gathering was whipped into a wild frenzy. The final time their innkeeper stood, he lifted a stringed instrument that Aurix had never seen before into the air. The hall erupted again with shouts and cheers. Boots stomped on the floor and fists pounded tables.

“Jizizoo! Jizizoo! Jizizoo!” they called. Aurix found himself joining in the chant. Next to him, Shlee was as well, his face split into a wide smile. The excitement was contagious.

Jizizoo made his way to the front of the hall. His red cheeks shone in the firelight. He bathed in everyone’s admiration for a moment, and then strummed a chord on his instrument. The sound was unusual—unlike anything Aurix had ever heard before—but it was not unpleasant. A soothing hum seemed to resonate in his head and jaw.

The crowd fell silent, waiting for him to start.

Jizizoo strummed another chord. This time the frequency vibrated in Aurix’s chest. He’d never experienced a sensation quite like it. He shivered, and barrochi bumps rose on his arms.

The bard took a breath and sang.

“In the time before time was measured

When all that is was yet to be,

Eight Gods did wade through the vast unmade

For nigh an eternity.

They knew not of one another

Until at last Their paths converged,

Their great gravity combined bent space and time

To but a single point All merged.

They had begotten the Nexus,

The Beginning and End of the void—

The place where all might be created

And all might be destroyed.

Parallax exhaled a mighty breath,

And the darkness yielded to His light.

Rhexis saw that this was good

And cleaved the day from night.

Ajax wrought the suns from the glim

And from the gloom He shaped the world.

Mighty Maximo took the suns in His hands,

And into the heavens they were hurled.

Xandra dreamt all life into existence,

Giving rise to the beings, the beasts, and the birds.

Ulixes taught all things how to survive

And granted His knowledge, wisdom, and words.

Anaraxus knew that life might possess meaning

Only through time and with duration,

So He braided his hair into one infinite thread,

And Xyp wound it through all creation.

Twas the end of the beginning

When the eight Gods each took hold.

With a mighty pull They set All in motion—

’Tis just as I have told.

The Gods then went Their separate ways

Never again to come together.

Thus did close the Nexus of All

Forever.

But if legends are to be believed,

Eight Relics still possess the God’s power,

And should they ever be reunited

All could yet be undone and devoured.

So waste not one precious moment.

Make each as glorious as it can be.

And should this be the end, yer the lucky ones my friends—

Because yer listening to me!”

By the time Jizizoo began his second song, the whole of the hall was dancing and laughing and singing along. Even Shlee was on his feet, moving like a much younger man. Aurix watched him cackling with delight while hand in hand with Petra for a few moments during the revelry. The vala’s fine hair glittered in the torchfire like the gossamer silk of an orbweaver’s web, shot through with the early light of dawn. Aurix thought the old man looked positively smitten and doubted he’d ever see him happier.

The luscious, tangy smell of fruit pies accompanied the dance, and by the time Jizizoo had struck his final, trembling chord, everyone was sweaty and ready for a slice. Most of the adults, by then, were well into their cups. Kids raced after one another around the tables, giggling with glee. It was a festive, rousing occasion and Aurix felt lucky to have been a part of it.

When Aurix finally made it back to his room in the inn, he was utterly exhausted. He didn’t even manage to undress before collapsing onto the cozy pile of skins.

He dreamt that all the people of Cragshadow were bathing in the calm, clear lake. A young girl jumped into the crystal waters but never came back up. A woman floating on her back slipped silently beneath the softly rippling surface. One by one they went under. Soon none of them remained. As Aurix watched, horrified, and hoped for them to return to the surface, a red bloom blossomed like a flower at the center of the lake. It slowly spread to the furthest banks and eventually darkened to a bubbling, swirling black—the black blood of the townsfolk.

Aurix tried to scream, but there was only silence. The blood stilled. He couldn’t breathe. He turned to look for help, but there was no one left. He wanted to run, but he was rooted fast to the ground.

As he watched, helpless, the blood rippled. Then again. The top of a head appeared, just breaching the surface at first, but then becoming more visible a bit at a time. Blood spilled from the thick hair and beard of a face Aurix recognized. Jizizoo. He emerged from the lake of blood, his lute in hand. He stopped a few feet from the shoreline, submerged up to his knees and began to sing a dirge for the dead. Aurix wept.

There were tears on his cheeks when he woke.