The Strange Adventure of Maria Mercado (8 page)

“She was going to hand you to the Unknowns. She believes – and I think everyone in the kingdom does – that you are the human girl that our creator, King Astanfe had prophesied about. Have you heard of the prophecy?”

              “Yes. The man who took me from the Omtars and hid me in the cave told me. He said that I would have to make a decision; that I would have to pick a side.”

             
Jonas turned to look at her. “This man who took you, what did he look like?”

             
“I couldn’t see his face. All I know was that he was human – well, maybe not human but similar to a human – and he was wearing a robe with a hood, all in black.”

             
“Yes the prophecy spoke of you having to make a decision. Whichever side you choose will be the probable winner of the coming war. If you pick the Royals – the ones currently ruling the kingdom, and who have done so since the beginning - then it almost guarantee a peaceful kingdom forever. But if you pick the Unknowns…”

             
“What would happen if I pick the Unknowns?”

             
“Well first of all, they would destroy everyone that helped the Royals. You know after the Great War, the Royals actually forgave the ones who helped the traitors, even my tribe who was influential in it. But the Unknowns will not show the same mercy.  They will kill everyone, even the Royals. They possess the Diamond of Astanfe, which is the only thing they can use to kill them. But they can’t use it themselves; they tried before to kill themselves with it but instead of dying they managed to just strip themselves off their own powers and became what they are today. They will most likely get you to do the dirty work when the time comes. And after they have taken over the kingdom, they will most likely try to get out and take over the world – your human world.”

             
“Well then obviously I have to choose the Royals,” she said.

             
“It is not that easy. You may want to choose them, but the Unknowns uses powerful magic that might be able to make you choose their side. But if you remain strong and the Royals’ influence is within you, then you might have a chance at fighting back.”

             
“Then you have to take me there! To where the Royals are!”

             
“That is exactly where we are going Maria.”

             
“Wait. How do you know so much about the Unknowns?”

             
“I was working for them. Before I found you, I was doing their bidding and that of the Elders of my tribe. I knew where they were hiding and I was the messenger between them. I know how dangerous they are, and I know the extent of their magic. But I don’t agree with their intentions. I only followed orders before because I blindly believed that it was the right thing to do. Then I heard the Elders talking about how they had you taken, and well, that was the end of it for me. I want the kingdom to be of peace, for the future of everyone including my tribe. By now, if Reeza had gotten out, they would know that I betrayed their wishes and so they would hunt me down as a traitor. My only hope, like you, is to make it to the palace and plead my case before the Royals. Come, Maria, we must go before anyone finds us.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

Reeza arrived at the palace, escorted by a Bostav. She was placed in a room that had a simple table and a chair. The Bostav left her to wait for further instructions. As soon as the door shut after the Bostav, Reeza got up and began to survey the room. She examined the walls, trying to find a crack, but these walls were built with material that prevents damage. She sat back down, to think of what to do next.

             
Presently, the door opened to let a Bostav in, carrying a tray of fruits and a cup of water for her. As the door was closing, another Bostav held it open and motioned for the one inside to come out. They were speaking to each other in low tones, but Reeza managed to pick up a few words before the other one left and the door shut.

             
Old man… prisoner… remain… cellar…

             
They have to be talking about Ankar
, she thought.  If it is he, then he must have gotten caught as he was pulling a distraction to let her get away.  And he is in the palace, a prisoner in the cellar.
I have to get to him
, she thought. Reeza turned to the Bostav.

             
“What am I waiting for here exactly?”

             
“Be patient, they will be along shortly.”

             
“They?”
He must be talking about the Royals
, she said to herself.

             
“Yes. They will be along shortly.”

             
I need to get out of here before then
, she thought.  The Royals might sense her treachery and condemn her to be a prisoner along with Ankar. She looked around the room again, but she could clearly see that her only option was to fight her way out.

             
Reeza got up. She started to walk towards the door, where the Bostav is standing guard.

             
“Sit down,” he said.

             
“I was sitting down in that hole underground for a long time before you found me,” she said. “I just want to stretch my legs.” She walked around the room, slowly, as the Bostav followed her every move with his eyes.  Suddenly, she knocked over the tray with the food and water, and by instinct, the Bostav swooped down and tried to prevent it from falling in the ground. Reeza quickly picked up the chair and hit the Bostav over the back of the head with it.  He was stunned for a second but before he could get up, Reeza had already opened the door and had run out.  The Bostav quickly chased after her, gaining speed but Reeza was fast. Other Bostavs were blocking her way and she jumped up and pulled the same stunt as she did in the cave by walking on the walls. 

             
The original Bostav that she knocked over with a chair jumped up and caught her, knocking her back down on the ground. But Reeza was not giving up without a fight. She was well trained and equipped to handle herself against any and all adversary. She continued to fight him and as the other Bostavs were about to jump in and grab her, the one she was fighting signaled for them to stop.

             
Reeza kicked him in the chest but he blocked it. He then hit her in the head with the back of his left arm but she grabbed it, twisted his arm and then she kicked him in the back of the head. He shook it off and slid down with his right leg and knocked Reeza off her feet. She quickly did a flip and was back on her feet. She jumped sideways and stepped on the wall with her right leg and kicked the Bostav in the face with her other leg. He fell, and before he could get up Reeza was on top of him with another kick. He was lying on the floor and Reeza jumped up and was about to land an elbow on his face but he rolled over just in time and she missed. He then got up while she was still on the floor and kicked her in the face. He was about to do it again when Reeza grabbed his foot and twisted it, causing the Bostav to fall. She hastened to get up, and so did the Bostav. Once again, they were both on their feet, face to face.

Reeza smiled. “Had enough yet Bostav?”

He replied by delivering a series of hits, the first was his right fist aimed towards her head, which she grabbed. And as she was holding it, for that second, he turned his body around and his left elbow connected with her head. She stumbled, bent down a little, then he kicked her in the stomach with his left foot. She fell backwards down into the ground and the last thing she saw was his right foot connecting with her face.

              Reeza was knocked out cold.

***

              Gadik and his companions stopped in a clearing in the field. He took a deep breath and wiped the steady stream of sweat that was coming down from his forehead. They need sustenance, if they were to keep going as hard as they had been. He looked around for anything edible he can give to his companions. He found a tree abundant with fruit. He took them down and motioned for his companions to come over. They all ate the fruit, the juicy fruit containing natural juices that helped quench their thirst.

             
As the acting leader of the group, it was Gadik’s responsibility to ensure that his comrades are on their prime and is able to bring out their top-notch game.  So after they had been fed, they all took the time to have a quick rest because their bodies, as durable as Bostavs can be, are starting to feel a bit of wear.  They put their spears down on the ground and sat under the trees. Their bodies started to absorb the nutrients supplied by the fruits and they began to recharge themselves.

After a little while, he motioned for all of them to get up and to go out into the field. They had been searching for the girl for so long, and every time they catch up to where she was hidden she had already been moved. And here they are now, looking for any sign of the girl and the Meston, trying to sense the differences in the auras of each direction.  Gadik wished that there were more Bostavs to help them; but that is impossible to ask for. They can’t afford to be sending more out of the palace in case an attack is made against the Royals.

              Gadik remembers quite well the last time an attack was made against the Royals. It came from within the palace, and it caught him and the others off guard. It was started by one of the traitors, a Meston from the South, who had been supplied with magical spells and was able to seep through the palace walls and blend in as a Bostav. The magic was so well done and the spell well performed that none of the real Bostavs sensed the change in the air. It was a mistake they all vowed never to make again. Fortunately for them, the Royals are aware of their loyalty and did not consider that mistake as treacherous nor did they blame them for making it in the first place.  This made the Bostavs even more loyal and prouder to serve the Royals.

             
What made the Great War even worse was the fact that several of the Royals were in on it, rebelling against their own brothers and sisters. Their hunger for power was so strong and the thirst was difficult to quench. The one called Prince Amir was the leader of the traitors and it was his idea to try to take over the palace and to murder his siblings. And it was he, who had put it in the heads of the other Royal traitors that they can rule the kingdom without the others, and that they can have the whole world beyond that.  Such dangerous thoughts led to nothing but trouble and unfortunately for everyone in the kingdom, the trouble is not over yet.

             
Gadik personally fought against the Prince. He was on his way to the Royals chambers with the Diamond of Astanfe when Gadik and a few others tried to stop him. They put up a good fight too, but because of his dabble with magic, Prince Amir proved stronger than them. If it wasn’t for King Astanfe’s foresight and wisdom on making it impossible for a Royal to kill a Royal, even with the diamond, then the whole kingdom would have been doomed 50 years ago.

             
After the Great War officially ended and the Unknowns cast out in exile, Gadik and the surviving Bostavs and the remaining Royals took measures to ensure that such treachery would not occur again. The Royals began by using their telepathic abilities to open their thought to one another and avoid any secrets. The Bostavs went out to the human world to recruit suitable replacements for the ones that they lost in battle. Gadik took it upon himself to train the new guards to their full potential. He cannot allow the Unknowns to put the kingdom in jeopardy again.

Gadik’s mind came back to the present. For a moment there, Gadik thought he picked up an emotion, a faint emotion of fear, but it disappeared. It was coming from the west, from the direction of the palace. Gadik became concerned.
If there is something happening there while I’m here…

             
“Did anyone else feel that?”

             
His three companions nodded.
Then
there is definitely trouble in the palace
. His first impulse was to take off into that direction but he knows that he has a mission to complete. They must find the girl; the other Bostavs in the palace can take care of themselves and protect the Royals. The human girl is the key here and he must put aside his other concerns and really put all his efforts into finding her. Gadik took a deep breath and began to concentrate again on picking up anything at all that might lead them to the girl. He knew that Jonas is a skilled warrior and can harm the girl if he wishes to do so. He must have been acting on the wishes of the Elder they had caught, Ankar. He also knew that he is a spy, one that can easily know where the Unknowns are located and deliver the girl to them. 
If he had, then we are too late. But it doesn’t help that we can’t sense the Unknowns and have no idea where they are.

             
Wait
.
There. There is something
.

             
It was a different emotion than the one of fear he felt before. Yes there is fear, but a different kind of fear.
It’s her.
It is coming from the west also, but he is sure that it’s not coming from the palace. He waited for a while longer, to see if the emotion would stay. He looked at his companions, who have clearly sensed the fear also, and are awaiting his orders.

             
“Let’s go,” he said to the other three. And with that, they picked up their spears and took off in an instant, heading west.

***

              Meeka held on to Jasper’s hair as the young Meston cruised through the woods with impressive speed. They reached an area familiar to Jasper and they stopped. Meeka jumped down from Jasper’s shoulder and the two of them hid behind the bushes. They could see what looks to be a pile of burnt woods that were recently used. There was no sign of anyone or of any life at all in the area. Slowly, the two of them moved from bush to bush. Meeka found a tree and climbed up to the top to observe the campsite as Jasper stayed down in the bushes. As far as Meeka can see, it was abandoned. He shook his head at Jasper. He climbed down from the tree and Jasper came out of the bushes. The two of them started to explore the campsite.

             
“See anything interesting?” Jasper asked Meeka.

             
“Well… there are some dead animals. Nasty, I don’t know how they can eat that,” Meeka said as he made a puking noise.

             
“Haha yeah I forgot you guys only live off fruits and stuff. Personally we don’t eat those animals either, we eat mostly fish and fruits.”

             
“Yes, I just feel bad for the animals. But I guess the Unknowns need to eat to survive now right? Like when they had their powers they never had to worry about eating or drinking anything to survive.” He continued to look around. “Well there seem to be no sign of Maria, or anyone else. Do you think they’ve fled?”

             
“Not fled, probably just moved their camp. Or they could be out hunting for more animals or picking out herbs and things they need for their magic.”

             
“Well if that’s the case, we shouldn’t stay here,” Meeka said nervously as he looked around.

             
“Yes we will go, I just need to make sure that your friend isn’t being held here,” said Jasper.  He looked behind a shelter that has clearly been used as sleeping quarters. He looked around the area beyond the campsite as well but saw no signs of a hiding spot or of anyone being kept there. He turned around to look for Meeka and as he did so, he heard the crisp crunching of the leaves on the other side. He motioned for Meeka to go hide up on the trees as he retreated a fair way back and hid in the bushes. Presently, they saw five figures approaching. It was the Unknowns, and they seem merry and happy.

             
“I am looking forward to this spell,” said one of them.

             
“Indeed, sister,” said another. “This is perhaps the biggest spell we have ever attempted.”

             
“And do not forget, the most important spell we will ever do,” said someone else.

             
One of them took a cauldron from a pile nearby, close to where Jasper is hiding. Jasper held his breath and Meeka watched from above in horror. Luckily, the Unknown didn’t seem to sense his presence there and just turned around and walked back to the middle with the cauldron. Another one lit the pile of woods and started a fire. The rest were arranging the ingredients for the new potion that they were concocting.  Slowly, one by one, they put their hoods up on their heads and gathered around, forming a circle. One of them spoke.