ANUNDR: THE EXODUS (35 page)

Natalia looked around her. She was in a cave filled with human bones. She needed to find a way to escape. There were no doors. She looked up and gasped. She was in a deep well that went so high to the top that she suspected she was in a mountain.
How did she get in there?
The walls to the top had large holes like caves. She heard scratching and bubbling from a foaming black water pond a few feet from her. The sunlight was fixed on it and she noticed white things moving within. She narrowed her eyes to see better and gasped.
Skeletons! Living skeletons!
They were struggling to come out of the pond but the foam prevented them. She tugged at the bones holding her down. Her eyes caught a figure in a black cloak passing through the caves above her.

‘Finally, you rise.’ the figure said.

‘Who are you?’ she shouted. ‘Where am I?’

‘Princess Natalia, welcome to the Death End. I am Fritjof, though many call me
Esu
, whichever you prefer. I am the liege of this game.’

‘You call this place a game?’

‘Of course, this is greatest game itself and it’s what stands between you and fighting for your people.’

‘And if I don’t choose to fight here?’

The figure came down in front of her, the ground beneath trembled as he landed. He was huge and dressed in all black. His face was the color of ash with a long horn extending from his forehead to the back of his head. His eyes were like long slits and were the same color with his skin and he had three long dents on each cheek. His chin was long like a knife and his grin reached his ears when she backed away from him.

‘If you don’t play,’ he said, ‘you’ll remain in the palace as a prisoner till the battle ends.’

‘And if I play?’ she asked.

‘It’s either you win or lose. If you win, you’ll be set free.’

‘And if I lose?’

‘That’s for them to decide.’ he said, pointing to the skeletons. ‘Will you play?’

She stared at his smirking face. Looking at him reminded her of all her fears, even her childhood fear of bees.

‘I’ll play only if you return my jewel.’

‘What jewel?’

‘I had it around my neck the last I remember.’

‘I didn’t come near you till you woke. Whatever you do not have is what you didn’t come with.’

‘If you’re lying—‘

‘Lie?’ He chuckled. ‘I have no reason to in my world. Are you ready to play?’

‘Yes.’

‘Good.’ He grinned and rose in the air and clapped his hands.  The foam on the water disappeared and the skeletons swam out and the ground caved in around her, exposing more black water. She tugged at her bonds and was able to free her legs. Her hand came free just when the ground behind her gave way. Two skeletons ran towards her with swords in their hands. She picked up two bones and knocked them down. She felt something drag her foot. She fell. A skeleton was pulling her towards it. She picked one of the swords and cut off its hands. She rose and knocked down three skeletons coming at her. She looked around her. The scattered bones were coming to life and they were coming at her six at a time. She disarmed the skeletons holding swords and dismembered all who came at her, while avoiding the increasing black puddles. The skeletons kept reassembling as more came out of the water.

‘What are the rules?’ she shouted to Fritjof as he moved around in the caves.

‘The first; don’t get pulled into the muddy water.’

She avoided getting her foot into it as the earth gave way in front of her. She jumped to a large piece of earth in middle of the pond and fought off the skeletons that climbed up to it.

‘What’s the second?’ she asked.

‘Don’t get killed or you lose.’

‘Of course.’ she said, spinning around to knock off the head of a skeleton. The creature still remained standing.

‘They keep returning.’ she said.

‘That’s the nature of the game. The only way to destroy them is to find the heart of the skeleton army and destroy it.’

‘How do I find it?’

‘You’ll find it.’

‘That’s not an answer.’ she said, jumping to another ground as the one she was on caved in. ‘The army is marching and I’m here fighting skeletons.’

‘That’s no way to talk about your elders.’

‘They’re dead.’

‘And they are still able to scare you. That’s something to respect.’

Natalia didn’t have time to reply, she was being dragged into the muddy water. She kicked the skeleton’s head and rose up. The skeletons came together and were forming a giant skeleton. She sighed. Things didn’t seem to be going in her favor. She jumped unto the earth and dashed towards them before they formed the head. She slid underneath and ran her sword through them, causing them to collapse.

‘You cheated.’ shouted Fritjof. ‘I like it!’

‘I challenge you, Fritjof, to a fight.’ she said, pointing her sword at him. She knew he was her only way out. The skeletons looked at him and trembled, retreating to the mud as he jumped down.

‘Accepted.’ he said, and sprouted two more arms. He turned around and Natalia gasped. There was no difference between his front and back. The horns on his faces joined at the top. Natalia took a deep breath. Fighting a creature with no back meant she would need more speed.

‘Are you ready to play?’ she asked.

‘Are you? Or are you afraid?’ he asked as he picked up two swords.

‘I fear nothing.’ she said, taking up one more sword.

He chuckled and said, ‘Not yet.’

They charged and their swords clashed. She realized quickly she was at a disadvantage as he turned fluidly and interchanged the weapons in his hands. He tore at her sleeve, injuring her arm. She disarmed him of one of his swords and he knocked her to the ground. He grabbed a spear and aimed it at her head. She dodged just in time and sprang up. As he brought out his spear, she ran her sword into his heart. He fell on his knees. She panted and doubled over. She heard him rise. She looked up and saw him pull out the sword from his chest.

She moved back. ‘How—’

‘I have no heart.’

‘So who—’

‘You. You are the heart.’ he said, handing her the sword. ‘If you kill yourself, all this will be over.’

‘No.’ she said.

‘Are you not tired of living like this? Confused of who you are and watching as your nightmares come alive. Your father left you here to fight to your death.’

‘My father didn’t leave me here.’ she said.

Fritjof changed to her father. She moved back as her father said, ‘You are a bastard that is why I left you here to rot. Kill yourself before I do it for you.’

‘Do it.’ Natalia turned and saw the image of herself with a sword. The image smiled and said, ‘Do it now before you destroy Calderon. You’re going to kill everyone that loved you.’

‘No.’ Natalia said, her hands shaking.

‘Do it.’ she turned and saw Akasha. He said, ‘Your mother is dead and you have no claim to the throne. You’ll be dragged through the streets like the abomination that you are.’

‘Do it.’ Gisilfried appeared and said, ‘I cannot have a bastard for a wife.’

Her mother appeared and extended her hand, ‘Do it and be with me.’

‘Do it.’

They chanted, walking towards her as she went down on her knees and placed the tip of the sword on her chest. Tears escaped from her eyes.
They were right, it was the only way.
She kept making things worse. Maybe it was better the talisman was gone from her. If she killed herself, her father wouldn’t have to know how much of a disgrace she was—that she was not his blood. If she died all her fears would be gone.
Fears!
He was using her fears against
her. Behozi’s words echoed in her mind,
I came because of you.

Natalia rose and said, ‘I’m not afraid anymore. I don’t live for myself, I live for others.’ She swung her sword and cut off her twin’s head. The other images disappeared, leaving Fritjof’s head on the ground, his body still standing.

‘What a fine ending.’ he said.

‘Listen to me.’ she said. ‘You’re no longer the liege. I am lord here and I demand my freedom.’

His body put his head back in place and he said, ‘You’re free.’

Natalia stepped back in surprise. ‘So how do I get out?’

‘You have two choices. You either make the climb or you jump into the pond and find yourself outside.’

Natalia looked up. Before she reached the top, it would be too late to ride. She saw the skeletons within the pond.

‘But I thought you said entering the pond would be the end.’

‘No, I said you would lose the game but it’s the fastest way out of here.’

‘I have to fight more skeletons, don’t I?’

‘You have to deal with your fear.’

She wrestled with the thought in her mind.

‘Are you ready?’ he asked.

‘I am.’  She ran and jumped into the pond. She found herself rapidly descending past the gnawing skeletons. Moments later, the pond spat her out. She was outside, under the hot sun and covered in mud. A brown steed stood alone without a rider
. She was free!
She jumped. She felt like she had woken up from a nightmare. She looked around her and saw Arngeirr a few miles behind. In front of her was an anthill, the height of her waist with a hole at the top. She bent to stare at it.
No, it couldn’t be
. Sand poured out from the top and a tiny version of Fritjof’s head burst out. She moved back.

‘How did I—how did you—’

He grinned. ‘Everything hangs on what you see. Now, to important matters; the horse was kept there for you. You’ll ride south to join them.’

She nodded and mounted the horse.

‘You’re supposed to thank me.’ he said.

‘You’re not worthy of it but thank you.’

‘You’re welcome. Gratitude is a language in all worlds.’

‘What else do you want to tell me?’ she asked impatiently.

‘Ah…yes, there are some good kinds of fears, you know.’

She snorted. ‘After this, I believe every fear is darkness. Farewell, I hope I never see you again.’ She hit the reins and rode off.

A skeleton head popped out of the hole.

‘My lord,’ it said, ‘what follows?’

‘Tell the great lord and the others that a new Anundr has risen and she’s not to be trifled with. Time is running out.’

                           
My days with you are happiness,

                       My nights with you are joy.

                        With you I have no sorrow

                       Because you are my joy.

Amse couldn’t sleep throughout the night. He was burning up and his head was in a haze, breaking open the doors in his mind. Memories of Nayet flooded in that he couldn’t stop. He remembered her singing the song to him the day before she turned sixteen. They had been at the river as she fetched water into her calabash. The wind had carried her voice, engraving the song in his soul.

Amse hummed it as the day broke and Maris came to bring his food. He didn’t respond to the rahi’s greeting. He kept his eyes fixed on Nayet’s face. He hummed the song even as the soldiers took him out of the cell and made him walk on his injured feet. He fell many times because of the pain but he kept going, paying no heed to Kalani’s cries. He was taken to the court but he didn’t notice the presence of the king nor the Rahmon. He rummaged for the second verse in his mind.

‘Are you listening?’ Rinosius shouted, getting his attention.

‘No.’ he replied.

‘The king said you’ve been sentenced to death by burning. You’ll be executed tomorrow.’

‘Is that all?’ he asked. He wanted to return to Nayet.

Rinosius whispered, ‘You could save yourself if you talk.’

‘I don’t see any value in my life.’

‘What of the girl’s? Imagine what I would do to her, then would you see?’

‘All I would see is you dying a painful death. I can already see it.’ Amse said, staring him in the eye.

Rinosius drew back and swallowed, hardening his face.

‘If your eyes are removed I doubt you would still have foresight. Take it as my parting gift. Hold him down!’

The soldiers held Amse as he struggled to break free and they held his head still and his eyes open. Rinosius was given a hook and he approached. He stuck it into one of Amse’s eyes. Amse screamed but the pain greatly outmatched his voice. He struggled and trembled as he was thrown into darkness.

                           
Even when the wind blows against us in a storm

                            We will hold each other

                            And make it together

                            Even when the fire comes to test our love

                            We will always have each other

                            We will always be together.