The Corin Chronicles Volume I: The Light and the Dark (12 page)

Kirinki wondered what had become of the rest of his men still outside, afraid that the lack of noise could only mean that they had all been killed. But seeing the sole Monoroi gave him hope that there was still a battle taking place. Then he saw Thane step aside, followed by the emergence of another familiar face.

“Master Kirinki.” The voice of General Aspac carried with a hint of satisfaction. “We meet again. It seems the voices of men cannot be kept silent for long. Word has been spreading about a young woman, paying for the services of mercenaries with huge stacks of rubies and gold. It did not take long for us to realize who it was.”

Kirinki tightened the grip on his sword. “You have no business here,” he said. “These people have done nothing to you or your master. Why would the God of Gods order the slaughter of so many innocent people?”

The general turned toward Thane and raised his left hand. Reluctantly, the Monoroi changed his stance to a more relaxed posture and sheathed his sword. Moments later, a number of men walked into the tent, forming an orderly line next to General Aspac. Although all armed with swords, Kirinki sensed that they were not battle-hardened soldiers. One of them, a tall, gaunt man, carried a metal tray before him. Kirinki stared, perplexed to see several daggers arranged neatly on the tray.

“This could have been so much simpler if you had surrendered the boy during our first meeting,” the general started. “The deaths that have happened here, the men that fight for you, the innocent children…I am afraid that was all your doing. Or maybe, just maybe, it was that of the boy’s mother?”

Kirinki turned around to face Selena, who was looking at the ground. He returned his gaze to General Aspac, his eyes filled with anger. “What do you mean?” he asked.

The general edged forward, closely followed by Thane, whose hands remained on the hilt of his sword. “You are not the first man to fall prey to the poison that resides within her.” The general knelt beside Kirinki, whose sword was now by his side. “How else could a woman, hunted by the entire galaxy, elude the God of Gods for so long? Her entire existence is one almighty lie. The deception that follows her is as potent as the threat her son wields. I have seen many men do what you did for her, deceived by her seemingly kind nature and gentle manners. I looked into your eyes when we first met, and I knew you genuinely believed the words that came out of your mouth.”

“It matters not whether I have been deceived by her or by my own conscience.” Kirinki stood up angrily, and Thane started to unsheath his blade.

“Thane, please,” General Aspac said. “The man has nowhere to go. He poses no threat to me.” The general remained in the same kneeling position. Slowly, the Monoroi removed his hand from his sword hilt, and the general continued. “You really are a good man, Master Kirinki. I told no lies when I said that I had heard about you. In fact, I did not mention the extent of the tales I have heard. The lives you have saved, the people you have served, both here and in Corin. Just as with your brother, your legacy could be great. All I ask is that you forget what you have seen here and over the past few weeks. None of this death would have happened, if not for this young boy.”

The general shifted his gaze to Siroco, who shook nervously, then looked back to Kirinki. “I know you have lost some good men out there, but I assure you that you will be rewarded with land and wealth beyond comprehension. You will walk in the finest silk. You will be bathed with the waters from the forbidden mountains. Women will fall at your feet. Armies from all reaches of the galaxy will come when you call. I give you my word. Everything I speak of will be written with the ink of Auphora himself. All you need to do right now is surrender that boy to me.”

Noticing Kirinki’s hesitation at the offer, Selena stood abruptly from where she knelt and walked to within a few feet of her protector and General Aspac. She glanced at the Monoroi, who remained a pillar of concentration. “Your words will not poison Master Kirinki, for he is a good man,” she said.

General Aspac laughed loudly. “I am afraid you misunderstand the situation, Lady Selena. There is no more negotiating to be done. You are all my prisoners now, and I could strike you down where you stand. But I want you to witness this. Master Kirinki!” He moved his gaze to the troubled man, sensing the conflict within him. “Master Kirinki,” he repeated, “will you stand with me, or do you want your fate to fall with those who are about to die?”

With a sideways glance, Kirinki looked into the eyes of Selena and then across to the faces of Tranin and Cramo, who still had their hands on their sword hilts. He gave a slight nod, and they both relaxed their stances and took a few steps backward. Kirinki had never before questioned the motives of the God of Gods, and he was not about to now. Shrouded with guilt, he rested his gaze on Selena. “Please forgive me for what I do now, my lady,” he said softly. Selena’s eyes widened with evident shock. “I stand with you, General,” he said. “This is no longer my fight. I was deceived, but everything is now clear in my head and in my mind. I will no longer stand against the God of Gods.”

The smile on the general’s face broadened, much to Selena’s agony. Pushing past Kirinki, she rushed toward Siroco and held him. With his head down, Kirinki walked toward Tranin and Cramo, standing next to them as he watched General Aspac summoning a gaunt man to approach.

“Begin at once,” the general ordered.

“No!” Selena screamed. She began cursing at the top of her voice. Most of her insults were directed at Kirinki, who could not even look at her. The anguish in her voice brought tears from Siroco, who became progressively louder in his sobbing. With immense force, Thane grabbed both of Selena’s hands and started to drag her outside the tent before Kirinki halted him.

“Do as you wish with the boy,” he said calmly, “but give her to me.”

General Aspac immediately held his hands out, halting Thane’s exit. “That’s a very curious request,” the general said. “What do you wish to do with her, knowing she has done nothing but deceive you?”

“I think we are all in agreement that the woman has committed a great sin, and I stand before you as your servant, but I ask for one thing in return.”

“But I have already promised you many things.” A confused look crept on the general’s face.

“I thank you for all that you have promised,” said Kirinki. “But I ask that you show mercy. Her son’s life will be claimed today. Would it not show compassion to at least spare hers? Or does Auphora demand her death too?”

“Her death is of no consequence to me,” said the general. “I will let you decide what becomes of her.” The general signaled to Thane. “Give her to him. Let her fate lie in his hands. Stirini, we have no more time to waste. Begin immediately.”

The gaunt man nodded and picked up a dagger from the metal tray. Kirinki could just make out the imprint of horses across the dagger and immediately knew what kind of blade it was, for his father had been one of the blacksmiths who forged the first ones ever made. As the man picked the dagger up, Kirinki tried to study the other blades that remained untouched and realized that they were mostly identical, except one which was made of solid gold, with the imprint of what looked like a person’s head, along with numerous other markings. As much as he tried to reach into his memories, he could not remember what the symbols meant.

Still screaming and cursing, Selena was thrust into the arms of Kirinki, who held on to her hands, trying to avoid her stony glare. Still without uttering a word, Thane approached the young boy, whose screams became louder with each step of the Monoroi. Without remorse, Thane lifted Siroco with his left hand and placed him flat on his back in the middle of the tent. Following the raising of his right hand, the Monoroi commanded the elements, as previously unseen ropes emerged from the ground, binding the boy where he lay.

Stirini was now within a few inches of Siroco, the dagger firmly in his grasp. With a nod of his head, the general gave the final order, and the gaunt man raised his hands, poised and ready to strike the boy in the arm. Unable to watch, Selena kept her eyes shut and both hands squeezed into tight fists as she struggled to escape the hold of Tranin, who had assumed the responsibility of keeping her under control.

Concentrating fully, Stirini drove the blade down. But as the point came into contact with the boy’s skin, an explosion sent the gaunt man flying backward. A bright blue glow filled the tent for a few seconds, blinding everyone. Regaining his senses, Kirinki looked on in disbelief. Selena continued to wipe the tears from her eyes, and the general was on his knees, examining where the blade had struck Siroco. He rubbed his fingers over small specks of blood, barely visible.

“This is beyond comprehension,” he said. “His body repelled the blade like water on stone.” He leaned forward to pick up the dagger, but it was shattered into multiple pieces. Turning, he then saw the motionless body of Stirini. “By the gods,” he said, rushing toward him. He examined the man. “He is dead. The power emitted from the boy killed him. The legend is true. Only the Dagger of Pyro can kill him.” He looked at Kirinki, who seemed just as bewildered as the rest of them. Turning toward another of his men, he summoned him forward. “Abrim, the duty now falls on to you. With the Dagger of Pyro, you must pierce the skin of the boy. Then, if the wound is sufficient, we can proceed with the full sacrifice.”

Nodding, Abrim reluctantly walked toward the remaining daggers, trembling with each step. Kirinki watched as he picked up the golden dagger, then faced Siroco. Like Stirini, he too was a gaunt man, though slightly shorter and considerably older, as evidenced by the wrinkles around his eyes—eyes so dark that Kirinki felt a chill each time they met his own. As the blade moved closer to Siroco, Kirinki put his lips by Selena’s ear.

“Your son really is the Anointed One,” he said quietly.

“That he is,” replied Selena after some delay. “I curse the day I lied to you, Master Kirinki, and may the gods forgive me one day for the lives lost because of my deception.”

Kirinki did not say anything in response but only leaned over, whispering into the ears of Tranin and Cramo. Selena could not make out what was being said, but she did notice that the grip Tranin had on her lessened considerably.

Abrim now stood directly above Siroco. He raised his hands and prepared to strike. Kirinki shifted his stance, and slowly edged closer to Thane and General Aspac, who were both focused on the uplifted dagger and Siroco.

Abrim stabbed downward toward the boy, and Selena screamed and closed her eyes. But then she opened them to see Abrim wriggling in agony and slowly slumping toward the ground. Kirinki stood above him, pulling his sword out of the old man’s chest, and the golden dagger fell to the ground.

2.6

T
HE
E
SCAPE

T
hane immediately drew his sword and swung it at Kirinki, who blocked the blow with his own blade. Seething in rage, General Aspac reached for the dagger, eager to complete the ritual himself. But he did not notice Tranin beside him. Tranin planted his foot across the general’s back, sending him toward the opposite side of the tent. The rest of the general’s men sprang into action, drawing their swords and charging toward Tranin, who fended them off on his own, as Cramo cut loose the bindings on Siroco’s arms and feet before returning him to his mother. Selena held her son, crying uncontrollably. Cramo glanced back at Thane and Kirinki, their swords flashing. Then he cut a long slit through the tent with his sword and helped Selena and Siroco through.

“You must go at once,” he said. “There are horses just on the edge of the forest. The general’s men are all at the front of the village. No one will see you leave. Go. Now!” Without waiting for an acknowledgement, Cramo rushed back inside the tent, toward the fight.

Selena ran, with Siroco keeping pace beside her. She glanced back once to see flames rising from the tent, and she stopped momentarily, realizing that yet more people had sacrificed themselves for the safety of her and her son. As she began turning around to continue her escape, she saw a man running out of the tent toward her. The closer he came, the more frightened she became. But then she heard the voice of Kirinki, urging her to continue running. Smiling with relief, she obeyed and continued running toward the woods, knowing her protector would catch up with them soon. She spotted two horses tethered nearby and felt her worry ease. Upon halting, she felt the heavy breathing of Kirinki immediately behind her.

“We must go at once,” he said frantically. “Tranin and Cramo are dead, but with my last breath, I will protect you.”

Kirinki helped both Selena and Siroco onto the first horse and then started to mount the second, but he suddenly felt his right leg go numb. A moment later, excruciating pain spread up his leg.

Startled, Selena looked at Kirinki and noticed that he was only halfway on his horse and for some reason unable to climb fully into the saddle. With haste, she jumped to the ground, leaving Siroco. As she tried to help Kirinki onto the horse, she noticed a small blade lodged in his heel. A quick glance back to the burning tent, revealed the dreadful silhouette of Thane, slowly walking toward them.