The Corin Chronicles Volume I: The Light and the Dark (13 page)

“We have to get it out now,” she shouted. More footsteps started to approach, and with another glance toward the village, she saw the shadows of numerous men in the distance running toward her, following the lead of the Monoroi, who was now close enough that she could see his sword at his side. “We must remove the blade at once. With every passing second, they approach.”

“We have no time, my lady,” said Kirinki in agony. “You must go now. I will only slow you down.”

Ignoring him, Selena pushed and pushed until Kirinki was safely on the horse. Then she mounted her own mare and, holding Siroco, set off deep into the forest with Kirinki following closely behind.

After an hour of riding, the sounds of the birds brought some relief to Selena, especially compared to the noises of death in the village. The bright glow of the green moon allowed her to see far into the distance, and though she could see none of their pursuers, she remained certain they were still being followed. At least, she hoped, they had gained some ground.

“Go east,” she heard Kirinki faintly say. “We must go to River Jabba. Kuskus said we will be safe there.”

Kirinki continued speaking, almost whispering, and although Selena could not make out every word, she heard enough to remember Kuskus mentioning River Jabba and Master Morgise. For a moment, her mind recalled the image of Kuskus falling to his death, along with so many others who had tried to protect her. She longed for the safety of her son, but how many more had to die to ensure his survival?

She reined the horses toward a narrower path, leading them east toward the Moving Forest. She had heard tales about it her whole life. It was a forest with numerous paths that led to the River Jabba, but some routes could take days, while others just minutes. She had heard about its prominence during the middle stages of the Corin war and the many people who died there.

The horses continued to gallop forward, with no signs of fatigue. The sight of the entrance to the Moving Forest brought a warm smile to Selena’s face. She signaled her horse to gallop faster, but at that moment, she heard Kirinki shouting for her to stop.

Bringing her horse to a halt, she quickly dismounted, helping Siroco to the ground at the same time. Kirinki also began to dismount, grimacing in pain, which prompted her to rush to his aid. Hobbling slightly as he walked, he led her and Siroco to a large area of fresh grass, greener than most around the forest. As he stretched his feet, he loudly screamed, even as he gritted his teeth to contain the sound.

“We must get the blade out, Master Kirinki,” Selena said.

“We cannot do that.” Kirinki found it difficult to look at Selena and Siroco. “This is no ordinary blade. It is a Monoroi dagger, lethal to any human. Its venom will claim me eventually. It is only a matter of time, but I need that time to stall them. If we pull it out now, I will die instantly.”

“No, you must not give up.” Selena put his head on her lap. “Master Morgise might be able to help you. I have heard of ways to repel these venoms.” Siroco rushed forward to join his mother, with small drops of tears in his eyes.

“They are not far behind, Lady Selena. I will stay back and delay them as much as I can. You and Siroco must go now.”

“But you will most surely be killed if you remain here.” Selena started to wipe her tears away.

“For so long, my lady, I have felt that my life needed purpose, something besides the things I have done with it. From the day I was born, I have seen death. My time has been during the worse stages of the war with Corin, a struggle that claimed my father and brother, and now will claim me.” He moved around, trying to get more comfortable. “I have never believed in anything until I saw what happened tonight with your son. For just a moment, I was willing to surrender all of us, believing that the God of Gods could not be wrong, but Siroco made me believe otherwise.” He planted his gaze at the still weeping boy. “I do. I really believe again, and as I fall, my life will be complete.”

Selena, sobbing uncontrollably, wrapped her arms around him. “I understand now why Genevieve loved you so. You are a wonderful man, Kirinki Shamana.” She continued to hold him, with Siroco watching.

A few more minutes passed, and Kirinki seemed to develop an unforeseen surge of strength, pulling himself to his feet. Selena and Siroco stood with him. “You must go now, my lady,” Kirinki said. “They could be anywhere right now, and Thane has the ability to sniff out your trail. You must take the third path on the left. It will lead you directly to river Jabba in the shortest possible time.”

Just then, Siroco ran past his mother and embraced Kirinki, to the man’s surprise. But he was even more surprised when the young boy spoke to him for the first time. “I love you, Master Kirinki. I shall never forget you.” Siroco stayed in the same position for a few seconds, until his mother joined him.

“You are a very brave boy, Siroco,” Kirinki said, maintaining the embrace. “I want you to do something for me. I want you to be the man you are destined to be. But above all else, look after your mother. Do you think you can do that for me?”

In between his sobbing, Siroco was able to mumble the word “yes” before stepping back.

“You must go now, my lady,” said Kirinki, and this time Selena nodded and summoned Siroco toward her. “Siroco can take my horse,” he added. “I will not be needing it anymore.”

With tears returning to her eyes, Selena dashed toward Kirinki and pressed her lips against his. It was only a few seconds, but the warm feeling that went through her body made it worthwhile. “I will never forget you. Never,” she said. “Even during dark times, you will be my light, guiding me through the pain I have already suffered. I love you.”

His reaction was muted, but the tears in his eyes spoke a thousand words, and his nod signaled his desire for her to leave him. Reluctantly, she pulled away from him and led her son toward the now restless horses. The sounds of the birds within the forest continued to increase, indicating that people were approaching. Following a final glance at their protector, Selena and Siroco shot off into the deeper realms of the Moving Forest, entering the path Kirinki had indicated.

Gesturing for Siroco to ride in front of her, she marveled at the thin layer of trees that separated each path, which grew denser the farther they rode. Soon she started to feel consumed by the path she had chosen. The sounds of the birds had ceased, and in their places were those of insects and the smaller creatures. The sounds of insects eventually gave way to those of howling and screams, causing panic within her and Siroco. The boy stopped riding on a few occasions, during which times Selena had to whisper comforting words into his ear. She too knew the stories of the vast, open graves that were home to restless spirits, the souls of those slain during the most brutal battles of the war that had spilled onto Tyranis. And like Siroco, she hoped this path would not lead them by those ghastly pits.

With his sword drawn, struggling to remain steady, Kirinki stood in the central position before the ten paths into the Moving Forest. He had waited in silence for a short while, following the departure of Selena and Siroco, but the unmistakable sound of Thane approaching told him that his time alone was coming to an end. The glow of the green moon drew his attention to the four horses that approached, led by General Aspac, with Thane close behind. With all the strength he could muster, he lifted his sword in the air and above his head.

Coming to a stop, the general dismounted his horse and walked to within a few inches of Kirinki’s outstretched sword. “Master Kirinki,” he said, “we had an agreement, did we not?” Kirinki did not say a word, instead fixing his gaze on Thane, who had also dismounted. “Why sacrifice yourself for evil?” the general continued. “For that is what the boy is. His appearance might hint at gentleness, but let me assure you, he is evil personified.”

“Be that as it may, General, I shall not let you take him.” Kirinki maintained his posture.

“Let me kill him, General,” snapped Thane. “He is starting to bore me with his petulance.”

The general gave Thane a hard stare before returning his focus to Kirinki. “Thane wants your head, and I should give it to him,” he said. “But the truth is, you are a good man. Confused, but good. Surely, you know that as you stand there, you are moments away from death, unless you let us help you. All I ask is that you tell me which path the lady and her son took.”

“I will never tell you,” shouted Kirinki. “You will just have to kill me.”

“You disappoint me, Master Kirinki,” said Aspac. “So much potential wasted. Your brother would not have imagined this path for you. It saddens me that this is how you choose to honor his memory.” He turned toward Thane. “Kill him. We will go through the entrance on the left. We know not how long they have been in there, and it is likely that you will not be able to sniff them out.”

With a ruthless grin, Thane drew his sword. “With pleasure!”

Kirinki remained in the same position, his eyes on Thane. Abruptly, General Aspac remounted his horse and dashed forward with the rest of his men, glancing at Kirinki as he rode past. “So long, Master Kirinki,” he said. “May the gods grant you the peace in death you have not found in life!” The trail of the horses was long gone before Thane started to approach him.

“So it is now you and I, Kirinki.” Thane still had the same look of bloodlust in his eyes. “Make it easy on yourself. Surrender to me, and I will make it quick.”

“If you want my blood,” said Kirinki, stubbornly, “you will have to claim it yourself.” He shouted and rushed toward the Monoroi, who seemed bemused by the energy still present within the human, even after the poison of the blade continued to sap his life.

The clash of swords sent a flock of birds high into the sky. In constant pain, Kirinki defied his own expectations, as he landed a number of swift strikes of his own. The strength of the Monoroi, however, continued to push him farther and farther backward. Kirinki ducked and dodged, and more than once Thane’s sword narrowly missed his head, only to slash across a nearby tree.

After almost five minutes of intense fighting, and with his wound festering, Kirinki screamed and rolled away from the Monoroi, hobbling off some distance and leaning against a tree. He panted for breath as he watched Thane approach him again. The Monoroi charged for the kill, and Kirinki stepped quickly aside. But his trailing leg caught the shin of the Monoroi, causing Thane to lose his footing. Kirinki turned and charged in for a quick finish, but Thane kicked his heavy, metallic boot at the dagger still lodged in Kirinki’s foot.

Kirinki screamed again and reeled backward, clutching his ankle. He could only watch as the Monoroi rose to his feet. Thane’s previous grin was absent, replaced by sheer rage. Retreating, Kirinki found it difficult to withstand Thane’s power but still managed to stay on his feet. He knew that the longer he kept Thane away from the Moving Forest, the better the chance Selena had to secure Siroco’s safety. But the combination of the pain and the poison had taken their toll on Kirinki’s body. After a few more minutes of combat, Thane landed a clean swipe across Kirinki’s abdomen, knocking him to the ground. Clutching the wound on his stomach, he could only watch as the Monoroi approached with his sword held in the air, ready to end his life.

“You shall never find the boy,” Kirinki said, struggling to stay still as the poison consumed him. “He shall elude you and your master.”

Thane paused for a moment, lowering his sword. “General Aspac speaks of peace for you upon death, but the words that come from your mouth are nothing more than blasphemy. The child you speak of is destined to be the savior of Corin, whose god is more evil than anything that walked in the First or Second Coming. You shall die today, Master Kirinki, but you shall never know peace.”

“I lost my faith a long time ago.” Kirinki slurred his words. “And I serve no one. Not your god, nor Baran. But that boy will live.”

“Worry about yourself, human.” Thane suddenly lifted his sword and plunged it straight into Kirinki’s chest. “For no one will mourn you when you are gone,” the Monoroi continued.

Slowly, Thane walked toward the grass and wiped Kirinki’s blood off his sword, looking at his motionless body. Kirinki’s eyes remained open, almost as if they were staring back at him. Clearing his throat, the Monoroi dashed toward his horse and entered the Moving Forest.

The growling and screaming had lessened, but Selena could still feel death all around her. The deeper they got into the Moving Forest, the thicker the trees became. Before long, they could not move even a short distance without being slashed in the face by branches and leaves. As it worsened, Selena and Siroco had to ride crouched down, with their heads practically in their horses’ manes.

For a while, the path straightened and seemed to head directly for the River Jabba. But Selena’s mind could not settle. She could not avoid the feeling that Kirinki was no longer with them. Although she knew that people had to die for her son to survive, the constant bleakness that had surrounded her since Siroco was conceived threatened to overshadow the hope that lay at the end of the forest.

“Mother, look!” shouted Siroco, pointing ahead. “I see it. I see the river.”

Selena quickly composed herself and focused her eyes. Although not clear at first, the ripples became more visible, bringing a smile to her face. Without a moment’s hesitation, she prodded Siroco’s horse, which went into a gallop, with hers close behind. As they neared the water, she started to see the flicker of a flame on the southern bank of the river.

At first she was filled with enthusiasm, but that was immediately replaced by fear and worry—worry that some unexpected calamity still lay ahead. In a clearing, with the trees now behind them, she saw that the flames were aloft on a small boat floating around the edge of the river. Someone was on board, but she could not even make out whether he was human or something else altogether. The closer she came, the clearer she saw that the figure was on its back, possibly asleep, with a large, woolly black hat covering its face.