Pursuer (Alwahi Series) (7 page)

There were not very many trees, only the twisted parched creatures that yearned for good soil and water that could penetrate the soil. But that did not happen here, and still the warped boney forms stood, each brittle finger holding steadfast to the earth. A cloudy fog eerily shadowed the large black hole that was the entrance to the beneath.

They stood there for a moment and then Arrelia clasped Zanas’s hand in hers.

“
I must give you a message. Panrrela says be wary. Trust no one with the knowledge that you go below to find your sister. If this knowledge finds the wrong ears, your quest ends in failure. It must be believed you enter with a pure heat and not with an ulterior motive. The forces will bring you back together when the time is right,” Arrelia stopped, her face stained with sorrow. “May Alwahi protect you, my clan sister,” she said, turning and disappearing into the trees, a ghostly shadow of herself.

Zanas turned and looked at the cave mouth, a huge dark expanse that seemed ominous in some way. Shaking off her sense of unease, she began the last small hike into the entrance.

The cave was musky, a greenish pond of water pooled to one side. The light from outside reflected in on the water, and cast beautiful creations of light that danced on the cave walls. Part of top of the cave had fallen in, and Zanas could hear the trickling of water as it fell from above. Her steps seem to echo in the big expanse and she tread as quietly as possible. There seemed no sign of life, as Zanas walked in the quiet peaceful emptiness that was the entrance into Alwahi.

She walked around the cave and noticed the entrance to a tunnel that lay behind the pond. Reaching inside her pack, she pulled out the cloak Arrelia had given her, and tightly secured it around her shoulders. She pulled her long black braid through the font and let it fall down her chest. The touch of her hair would be soothing in the dark abyss that she would be entering. Finally, she pulled out her club and placed her pack on her back alongside her bow. Zanas gave one last look at the beautiful, serene cave and then she started down the black gaping mouth.

The club cast a creepy yellow shadow on the smooth walls as she walked down. She trailed her hand on their surface, thinking that it must have taken hundreds of years for walls to be made so smooth. Zanas kept her breathing steady as she walked, noticing the slight decline of the floor beneath her. She had no idea where she was going, but she felt in her heart that she would find her way. Closing her eyes, she visualized her sister. A burning began in her temple and then it sounded as though she could hear her sister’s voice. Zanas’s eyes flashed open; she
would
see her sister.

She continued down corridors for hours. She came to forked tunnels that branched off in multiple directions. Each time she stopped and closed her eyes, willing herself to see her sister. Zanas instinctively knew which way to turn, using her radiating yellow club to shine the way down the dark shafts.

Zanas saw a light in the distance and thought for a moment that her eyes were deceiving her. She walked closer to the glowing entrance and into what seemed to be a small chamber. Zanas was amazed by what she saw.

The entire wall and ceiling surface was covered by a translucent looking moss. It gave off a warm glow that lit the whole room. She walked over to one of the walls and placed her hands on the soft organic substance, and it squished beneath her fingers. Zanas pulled back her hand and brought it to her nose, inhaling the soft musky sent, and immediately recognizing the main ingredient of Klah. It was this glowing substance that allowed the people to speak with Alwahi.

Zanas hurried back into the main chamber tunnel, increasing her speed. She had no idea where the knowledge came from, but she knew she still had a long way to go.

… … …

It had been two days. Zanas took time to rest when she needed it, sleeping just enough to recoup some of her strength. She knew that time was against her. Her club had been slowly fading before her eyes, and now only gave off a dull glow. It would soon go dark and she would be left to find her way in the black, groping her way down the smooth tunnels that stretched on for miles.

She decreased her pace. She could not afford to crash into a wall and injure herself, and now could no longer see more than a few feet ahead of her. She had come to other crevices filled with the glowing moss. It was comforting to be surrounded by a chamber of light. The moss lost its glorious glow when extracted from the wall, only keeping a dull example of what it was before. And so she continued.

Her eyes were beginning to ache as she strained to see what lay ahead of her. The club was fading fast and she breathed in deeply to calm herself. It gave its last flicker and she was left in the dark, deep beneath the surface. Her pulse began to race and Zanas felt a sudden fearful urge to scream. Then the dominant part of her took over, calming her mind and slowing her breathing. She channeled courage from deep down inside of herself and felt her nerves become steel. She pushed out her steady hands and placed them on the tunnel walls, feeling their curve and texture. The walls spoke to her, telling her which way they ran, where they would lead her. She continued forward.

Zanas didn’t know how long it had been when she saw the glow of the cave up ahead. She felt her spirits soar, even though she would only be able to bask in the glory of the light filled crevice for a moment in time, continuing on in the black of the earth.

She walked into the round cavity. The chamber had a small pool that glowed in the middle of its expanse. Zanas believed that if she were to drink this liquid she would soon find herself in an incomprehensible stupor. A sound drew her attention to the corner.

She had not seen it at first, Zanas realized, as it shook its fur and changed color. It had been camouflaging itself against the wall. It stared at her, its big hulking frame moving in and out, as it sucked in the air around it. Its fur was sharp and wiry looking, she had a feeling that if she were to touch it she would bring her hands back cut and bloody. Its long muzzle and pointy ears reminded her of something, and when the creature let out a low menacing growl, she realized what.

This scene reminded her of a time not too long ago, when she had been running in the woods of her home and come upon the wolf. This creature had an appearance of being related to a canine; however, his size was bigger than any dog Zanas had ever seen. It bared its sharp mass of pointy teeth and Zanas looked into its gleaming slivery eyes. It placed one muscular paw forward, its backbone tensing as it prepared to leap on her, its growl echoing the chamber.

Anger began to boil inside of Zanas. There was a challenge in that low grow, in the baring of the teeth. A challenge of dominance. It didn’t matter that she had never been in this place before, that she had no claim to this terrain. Her vision began to redden as she felt her muscles tense, her hands flexing in the air, preparing to spring for her weapon. Her anger boiled over. She felt the rumble in her vocal cords and the echo of her growl of fury.

The animal jerked to a stop, its pointy ears flattening. Its eyes began to gleam brighter, and then they dulled, changing color to a deep sea blue. The creature shook its fur again and changed to a soft glowing red, the low growl turning to a purr. It slowly walked towards her, no hint of the previous aggression showing. Zanas could almost feel the emotions the canine was omitting. She reached out with one hand as it placed its wet nose on her, breathing heavily on her arm.

A shock erupted through her body, as her vision went black and she began to see images. She felt herself small and weak, as she was sent down a tunnel of light. Zanas could not open her eyes but sensed that there was someone near her. She lay there blind, and then she felt a wet soft touch that left her shivering, as the cold air swam around her body. Only she was not
her
. She was Maleek, a male cub, silky and strong.

Zanas watched as other flashes crossed her mind, Maleek learning to hunt besides his beautifully strong mother. She felt the pride that flowed through him when he overtook his first kill. Zanas saw him grow older, more deadly. Then she saw through pain-streaked eyes as his mother left, the wild look back in her eyes. It was back to the solitary life that their kind lived. His long roaming began, as he lived his lonely life in the dark. He was a magnificent creature, strong and lethal, with eyes that could decipher any kind of movement in the long dark tunnels. The last thing that Zanas saw was how Maleek had first seen her, standing tall and beautiful, her black hair trailing to her knees, a fierce look in her eyes. The low growl echoed the cave and she felt a memory surface…mother.

Her vision cleared and she came back to the present. Maleek began to nudge his nose against her hand, and she scanned his face. She stared into his blue eyes; the large eyes staring lovingly back at her. She moved her hand along the side of his face, stroking his cheek, and then scratching behind his ears. He let out a low rumble as Zanas continued to pet him. She almost felt guilty in thinking that she was
petting
him. He was far too glorious a creature to think of as a pet. No. It felt more like she was being allowed into his world.

When she got up to leave and continue on, he rose and followed her. She smiled as he took lead, shifting his color once again, giving off a vibrant glow that brightened the passageway around them. Zanas felt a wave of relief as they began to pick up pace, Maleek shinning the way.

They continued on for days, taking time to rest and eat. Maleek had no trouble drinking the glowing water that they found trickling down in some of the cavernous rooms they passed. He had lived beneath his entire life, and his body had adapted. She wondered in what other ways he had been changed by Alwahi, it was obvious he could see in the dark, as well as camouflage himself to hide. As she thought this Maleek turned his intelligent eyes on her and gave an almost toothy grin, pawing at the water.

Zanas finally succumbed, and took the translucent liquid into her hands and drank deeply. The water had a slight coppery taste. She expected to start feeling disorientated, as she had with the Klah. But this was something much different. She felt her insides sucking in the water; her veins seemed to expand and energy started rushing through her. When they resumed their pace, they freely ran through the narrow passageways, flying through them like a pounding zoom of light.

A glow lit the dark tunnel they were running in, shinning in from a chamber that lay ahead. Zanas recognized that this light was coming from a gigantic cavern, far bigger than the dozens she had passed in the days since she had left the above. She felt Maleek growl beside her, his muscles rippling in tension beneath her hands, as they walked into the beam of light.

Zanas was blind for a moment as her eyes adjusted to the bright environment. The world she had entered was enormous. She stared at the top of the mountainous cave, the tall ceilings and walls were covered in the translucent moss. The moss gave off a bright yellow glow that shined on the realm beneath it. Everything around her seemed to have a sparkly radiance from the way the light fell. It seemed magically beautiful to Zanas.

The floor of the cave was below her and she could see over the village that filled its expanse. Stone structures were placed throughout zigzagging alleyways. The noise of a city drifted towards her, as Zanas began to walk down the narrow path carved into the side of the cave wall, glancing wearily towards the sharp drop that lay to her right. Maleek stalked behind her, his blue eyes scanning the view ahead.

They walked down the steep pathway, deep into the stone city. The buildings seemed to rise sharply above her on each side. Zanas walked past the first crooked alleyway and saw meandering people, all brightly dressed in a variety of colors. She noticed a cornucopia of braids piled high on a woman’s head, overflowing her body in a slithering way. A couple stood in front of one of the buildings, the woman laughing at something the man had said. Their conversation came to an abrupt halt as they turned and looked at Zanas as she walked towards them. Maleek let out a low growl and Zanas tried to calm him with her presence, projecting serene thoughts, and sensed his relaxation behind her.

The woman stared at them with an open mouth. Her face, painted in bright greens, reminded Zanas of the forest she had left behind. The man’s face was similarly painted in darker greys, his black hair hanging loose. They said nothing to her as she strode confidently past them, her large canine beast following closely.

Before she had left the above, Arrelia had taken the time to explain the knowledge that Zanas might need. The societal structure of the people of the beneath, mimicked the societal structure the people of the above. All high levels of the society would be placed at the center of the village, with the housing structures along the borders. Arrelia had also explained that unlike the people above, the people beneath had strict clan units that rarely mixed. Her only chance of finding her sister would be to join a clan that interacted with her, or join the clan her sister had been kidnapped into.