The Chronicles of Kale: Dawn of Retribution (Book 2) (9 page)

“When we awoke, there was darkness in all directions. We had no shape of form. Over many years, we learned to control the very element that took our lives and formed this village—a village of souls lost to the world above. We can now hold a bodily form through manipulating the sand around us.”

Kale sat in silence, absorbing the information just revealed. He wiggled his fingers, which now felt slightly numb after returning to normal. Glancing down at the surrounding sand, he gently pushed at it with the tip of his boot. Though he had lost his true form when becoming a human, he couldn’t imagine having to live as no more than specks of rock.

“Forgive my ignorance, however, might I ask why it is you continue to remain here underground? If a vow of revenge is why you’re unable to rest in peace, I would think the most logical of options would be to seek this clan of bandits. Yet, here you remain.” Thomas intertwined his fingers and leaned forward.

“A fine question. We have tried just that—to escape from this accursed tomb. Sadly, to be returned from death itself came at a price. There are rules to this second-life which must be met. Guardians, as we call them, whom ensure boundaries are set in place to prevent the undead from roaming freely among the living. Should we attempt to surface from this place, we will crumble to the ground—our souls sucked back into the earth.” Reem’s black eyes shifted upward. “Until the elf arrived, I was certain that we may never see the light of day again.”

“And you still shall not!” Kale stood in a sudden burst of anger. “I don’t know what you had intended to do with her, but she leaves with us.”

A humming from outside of the cave distracted Kale. He turned to see two men escorting Neelan into the room.

“Ah, why we were just speaking of you, my Queen.” Reem bowed.

Neelan now wore a shimmering silk robe that was open in the front and hung down to her ankles. Within her hair, which had been tightly twisted into a bun atop her head, were many strings of beads, woven into her brunette strands.

“Kale!” Neelan cried out with no regard to Reem. “I’m so glad you’re safe!” She wrapped her arms tightly around him, burying her face into his chest. “I want to get out of this place.” She turned her head slightly. “And I refuse to be your Queen! I already have a life with Kale and no one will take me from him. I’d rather die.”

Kale pulled her closer against his chest with a hand protectively placed around her small frame.

“I am afraid you have no choice, young elf. You see, we have waited nearly a century for a woman to grace our presence and break us free from this prison. The guardians require a queen to lead us above. It is our only hope for seeking vengeance upon the bandit clan, Imbola. Only a queen, formally bound to us through a sacrificial ceremony, can grant us the power to maintain form on the surface.” Reem rose to his feet, straightening his posture for the first time. He was much taller than they had assumed and easily stood above Illadar.

“Sacrificial ceremony?” Neelan’s fingers dug into Kale’s back as she tightened her grip around him.

“Not you, my Queen. One of your companions. They will give their life in return for sparing yours.” Reem eyed Illadar and Thomas.

“I refuse to allow this!” Kale shot Reem a look, confirming he was not about to back down, no matter how many sand-people waited outside the cave entrance.

“You will not interfere, dragon. I have something of
your
interest, after all. The fate of your entire species lies within our underground village—I guarantee to you, it will be impossible for you to retrieve them without my assistance.”

“I’d rather die as the last of my kind, than to lose the woman I love and be forced to live a life without her in it,” Kale’s words were firm.

Neelan gasped and both Thomas and Illadar stared in silence. No one had anticipated for Kale to refuse the eggs he so longed to obtain. All for her—for love.

“No. Wait. I’ll stay.” Neelan suddenly spoke, despite the churning within her gut. “I will be your Queen. But you must give him what he seeks. And, I do not wish for either of my friends to become a sacrifice to your Guardians. I will remain here until another human falls upon the sinking sand.”

“You will starve here!” Illadar leapt up. “There’s no way I’m gonna’ walk away and leave you here with these crazed sand-
things
. Besides, what happens once they’ve fulfilled their vengeance? Will you perish to the afterlife with them? It’s all nonsense!”

Reem adjusted himself upon his stool. “I will have you know that upon my command, my men will enter this room and the sacrifice will begin. In our world, beneath the surface, you are powerless.”

Kale looked away in distaste. He knew Reem spoke truth in his words. On the surface, Kale’s abilities surpassed those any normal human—yet in the dark village of sand, he was defenseless. No attack of his could stop the sand people from prevailing. Their power came from within the grains of rock, and in the desert, it was nearly limitless.

Reem chuckled to himself. “We are not your enemy; despite your presumptions. Though now composed of no more than sand, I do have a heart.” He turned to Kale and his friends. “We will not allow you to simply go free—we have waited far too long for a chance at peace to arrive. Yet, I can offer you a bargain—a trade so to speak.”

Kale raised an eyebrow and gently moved Neelan to the side. “Go on.”

“I have something you want—two things to be exact.” Reem glanced at Neelan. “And you, dragon, have something I desire. You have the ability to travel the surface.”

“Get on with it. You mark us as sacrifices—disposable humans—and then rant on with these mind games. If you’re gonna’ take action, do it quickly.” Illadar slammed his fist into the wall, causing it to crumble and fill the surrounding area with dust-like particles.

Thomas extended an arm and smacked Illadar’s back. “It is frightening how alike you and Kale behave sometimes. Patience. With our options, it’s in our favor to listen to his words.”

“You can walk where we cannot,” Reem spoke to Kale as though there had never been an interruption. “If you wish your friends to live, and your betrothed to remain by your side, then you must bring something to me—or rather, some
one
. In return, I will allow safe passage to the surface for you all. And of course, the dragon eggs.”

“How do we know you can be trusted after all of this?” Neelan confronted Reem. “And how do we even know you possess the eggs?”

“Come.” Reem walked to the cave entrance, gripping his elaborately detailed staff.

Without hesitation, the others followed, still uncertain of the bargain Reem spoke of. A group of sand-men clustered on both sides as they exited the cave’s mouth. The men formed a solid wall to ensure there would be no where for anyone to run. They walked across to the grand doors that towered high above their heads. Kale could now make out the elaborate engraved swirls and circles. Starting toward the top of each door and written vertically downward was writing Kale did not recognize. He was amazed at how something made of sand could appear so solid and magnificent.

“The future of dragon-kind rests behind this door.” Reem forcefully gripped Kale’s wrist. Using one of Neelan’s daggers, he sliced across the flesh of Kale’s palm.

“What in Pan’s name are you doing?!” Kale pulled his hand back in anger as blood oozed from the wound.

“Place it on the door, dragon, before the wound runs dry,” Reem commanded.

Kale furrowed his brows in confusion, but did as instructed, smacking his palm against the door. Almost immediately, it felt as though the door was feeding from his blood. It gently sucked at the gash and pulled his flesh firmly against the surface. He feared what might happen should he attempt to withdraw his hand, and let the process take control.

The door began to tremble and the hold on Kale was released. He pulled his arm back defensively and examined his palm.

“How. . .” Kale’s voice trailed off at the sight of a freshly healed hand. There was no trace of any torn flesh.

“Kale, look!” Neelan exclaimed while pointing toward the doors.

The words on both sides were now glowing pale green. Each panel shook and began to slowly move inward, as though pushed by an invisible force. The musty smell immediately engulfed their lungs and Thomas could be heard from behind, fighting against his gag reflex. As the doors inched away from them, a hideous sight came into view. The skeletal remains of human corpses lay scattered across the room in the most unnatural positions. The room they just opened—was a tomb.

Chapter 8: A Trade Of Life

T
he flesh had long decomposed, yet a sickening scent filled their nostrils. Aside from the sand-people, Kale was the only one who seemed unaffected.

“I suppose, as human sacrifices, we have nothing to lose.” Thomas cupped his nose and entered the room.

“What is this place?” Kale casually strolled inside and glanced around.

Before cautiously following, Illadar and Neelan took notice of the warriors, who now had their backs facing them.

“They will not enter,” Reem spoke in response to Neelan’s continuous stares toward the sand-people’s odd behavior. “This sight—even after so long—is still too much for them to accept. You see, we are surrounded by our own corpses.”

“You mean . . . these bones belong to you and your men?” Neelan spoke from behind a cupped hand.

“Correct. It’s an indescribable feeling to wake without form, staring down at your own lifeless body. Once we mastered the manipulation of earth, we moved our corpses into this chamber. It was the last time they ever saw their human form. They now refuse to lay sight on what has become.”

Kale suddenly felt a tinge of sympathy for the men. Had he looked upon his dragon body as it lay lifeless on the ground, it would have brought out an incomprehensible feeling.

“So where are the eggs?” Kale questioned. He refocused his thoughts upon the fact that, regardless of their misfortune, the sand-people were a threat.

“Why, they are right before your very eyes.” Reem gracefully extended an arm.

Kale squinted through the room, lit by the same mysterious glow from the sand-people’s village. Clutched within the hands of three skeletons were beautifully vibrant-colored eggs.

Reem firmly gripped Kale by the shoulder. “This is as far as you go—for now. You have seen your proof, and now it is time to discuss a bargain.” He turned to exit where they had entered. “Follow.”

Once back within the cave, Reem wasted no time in explaining his demands.

“We have received word from many men who have had the misfortune of finding our underground village that the Imbola clan is residing at the southern desert area. Though the ones who took our lives have long passed, their kin live on—still committing atrocities to those they cross. They are trained from birth to take what they desire and leave no survivors.

“What I want is for you to travel south and find their exact location. Seek their leader, and bring him to me. His sacrifice to the guardians will fulfill our vow, and we can finally rest. In turn, the young elf will be free.” Reem stood directly before Kale. “Do we have an agreement? The life of an evil man, for the lives of your friends—and her.”

“Consider it done,” Kale’s response quickly came.

“Then let it begin, though I do suggest you hurry. Oxygen and water are plentiful from the craters—though food is not, and the young elf will surely die, should you prolong the quest. She will remain here with us as assurance you will return. We will divide your food rations found within your bags between the three of you, and her.”

“No.” Illadar spoke. “We bring only our weapons. The food stays with Neelan.” He could see the worry in her eyes, though she tried to remain confident.

“So be it. Though, I will warn you, game in the desert is scarce,” Reem cautioned. “Do not forget that her life relies on you completing this quest.”

“We
will
bring the man you seek back with us.” Kale turned to Neelan. “It will be all right—I promise you.” He leaned in and gently pressed his lips to hers.

“I know it will.” Neelan replied while sitting herself upright.

Kale smiled to himself, knowing that Neelan fought to conceal her uncertainties. When among those she didn’t trust, Neelan refused to show her fears. He delicately caressed a finger along her cheek.

Reem grunted uncomfortably. “You may sleep in the village before your journey. We do not sleep, so there are no accommodations, though you will find quiet solitude within the huts.”

Kale glanced at Neelan, then over at Thomas and Illadar.

“I know what you are thinking—impatient dragon.” Thomas shook his head. “We will stay and rest briefly before departing. Without food, any additional energy we can provide for our bodies will be valuable.”

Kale exhaled heavily and nodded. Failure was not an option at this point, so he willingly gave into the temptation of rest. Neelan was instructed to sleep in a separate, much larger hut that Reem explained was the royal sleeping quarters.

In the underground village, there was no way to determine how late into the day—or night—it was. Kale was the first to rouse, unable to fully succumb to a deep slumber with so much at stake. He rubbed his heavy eyes and sat upright. The room was dark with only the faintest hint of light entering through the open window.

“Are you ready, dragon?”

Kale leapt up at the sudden sound of Reem’s voice.

“Have you been watching us sleep?” Kale questioned as he scratched at his dry scalp. The thought of Reem’s black, beady eyes staring upon him with every breath, was an uncomfortable feeling.

“As I have said—we do not sleep. Someone had to ensure you didn’t try anything foolish.” Reem laughed as though finding amusement in his own words. “I advise you to wake your comrades. Your gut will soon feel the stab of hunger—time runs short.”

Kale grunted, already feeling the effects of an ill rest. He nudged Thomas and Illadar, who equally appeared to struggle with their lack of sleep. The small amount they had, teased their bodies, causing them to crave more.

They gathered their satchels of water and weaponry before being escorted to a sizable, flat wall. The etched glyphs along the sand were alien to Kale, yet he seemed to understand this was their path back to the surface.

“Where is she?” Kale looked in all directions for Neelan.

“The young elf sleeps. You will go while she rests. It will preserve her need for food.” Reem replied. “Take this.” He handed Kale a star-shaped piece of rock. “When you are near the sinking sand, the trinket will respond. The desert breeze will shift the sands—it is ever-changing. Seek your brethren to guide the path. Go now—step forth and enter.”