Zoran Chronicles Volume 1 A Dragon in Our Town (48 page)

            
“Days, I don’t know,” she replied weakly.

            
“Okay, food Jarka.” The Mage dashed off to the carriage and returned with her
arms full of items. Quickly Zdenka and Jarka fixed up some rations, and the two began
feeding the mermaid, who greedily ate almost as fast as they could stuff it into her
mouth. Zdenka urged her to slow down.

            
A bit later and with some more water, the woman began to become more
coherent. “Now tell us what is the matter and where is your sister,” Zoran asked her.

            
“It’s my sister, Chika. She’s lost and can’t find her way back — I just know it.
Please, you’ve got to help her.”

            
“We will. First, what are you called?” Zoran asked, wondering how he could help
a mermaid.

            
“I am called Akira. Chika’s my sister. Our mother, Nao, died a few weeks ago.
That’s when Chika and I decided to escape. Chika and I found it and she said she could
use it to find us a new place to live. She promised she would only be gone a little bit and
then come back to get me too, but she’s been gone for days now and I can’t find her.”

            
All this made little sense to Zoran. He asked, “Just what did you find and how
could she use it to find you two a new place to live?”

            
“It’s something magical that belonged to the barons. It’s round and got all these
different colored bands that glow and move around in it. We thought that it must be
what Nao called a Circle. Chika said that we should be able to use it, and she tried and
hasn’t come back. Please, you must help us,” she begged yet again.

            
Now the pieces began to fall into place. Baron Hajime and Duke Goro had told
them that their original Circle of Ascension had been destroyed in a hurricane.
Obviously, it hadn’t! It was now underwater. Yet, she said that the bands moved. That
could only mean that it was still active and operational. However, only a Duska could
use it and then only after the person was given the Ceremony of Ascension. It was fatal
to attempt it without having the Priestess perform the ceremony! He had no idea what
would happen to a non-Duska who attempted to use a Circle. Indeed, he could recall
nothing at all about such. Normal people simply could not use it. Yet, apparently, her
sister had done so.

            
“Where is this Circle, Akira?” he asked quietly, though his three companions
knew precisely what he was thinking. It was obvious Chika was somehow trapped in the
lost Circle of Ascension.

            
“Down there,” she pointed off into the waters. Zoran knew that he could spend
days looking for it underwater. He suspected they didn’t have days to waste finding it.

            
Just then, he felt a mental contact being made. Then a second one.
Baron Hajime
here.
Momentarily, he received,
Duke Goro here.

            
Hi Baron, Duke. Just enjoying your magnificent beaches.

            
Okay dad. I’ll drop the connection.

            
No, stay with us, Goro. Zoran, I’ve just sensed that there have been some illegal
arrivals on Asami. I have traced their origin point back to Rehor. I am now very
concerned for your safety. Shall I send some forces to protect you and your party?
These could well be assassins out looking for you.

            
Thanks for the warning. No, we will Shadow Walk back home shortly. Goro,
what about our carriage? I think that we are somewhere near Ma-meido.

            
When you leave, I’ll come and get it later. Not a problem. Did you take our
suggestion?
He couldn’t resist asking.

            
Sure did. You and Kimiko were quite right! Thanks for the alert. We’ll Shadow
Walk home in a little while. It has been a wonderful honeymoon. We can’t wait to come
back for another visit, Baron.

            
My pleasure, son. Anytime.
Both broke their contact.

            
“Damn, it looks like some assassins from Baron Bogdan are now on Asami.
Hajime just sent me an alert. He’s detected some illegal Shadow Walking here. I told
him that we will Shadow Walk home from here. But first, I have to help these
mermaids.”

            
“Okay, gang. Protective spells time,” Zdenka ordered and the four cast spells
rapidly. Jarka made doubly sure that everyone had the Skin of Stone spell on their
bodies. This was one of the best defenses against assassins.

            
Zoran reached his decision. “Akira, are you strong enough to show me where this
Circle is located?”

            
“Yes, I feel much better now. Please, can you help her?”

            
“I will do my best. I want you to show me the Circle. As soon as I see it, I want you
to come back here. My wife and friends are powerful magic users, and they will protect
you until I get back with your sister.”

            
“Thank you. Please, you must take us away with you. We cannot stay here on
Asami. Please we will go anywhere. We will do anything that you want of us. Please,”
Akira was literally begging for her life. That was clear to all.

            
“We will take you with us off of Asami,” Zdenka decided before anyone else could
say otherwise. Zoran gave her a smile of appreciation.

            
“Okay, come on then. I’ll cast my water breathing spell, and we can go under.”

            
“Wait until I cast mine,” Akira cautioned. All four stared at her in shock as she
carefully recited the spell. “Okay, follow me.” She crawled into the water and began
swimming and then dove under. Zoran followed after her.

            
“Okay, let’s set up a defensive position here. Get all our things ready for an
immediate Shadow Walk,” Zdenka ordered. The three set to work.

            
Once the two had dove under the water, Zoran saw how she swam. She did not
use her arms, merely her legs and tail in an undulating manner akin to a fish. Yet, she
was vastly faster than his kicking and pulling. Zoran just could not remotely keep up
with her! She was incredibly fast. He now realized that her tail and big fin made all the
difference in speed. Akira glanced back and saw him far behind her and slowed down.
Zoran relaxed, thankful that she had.

            
How far they had gone, he had no way to really judge. As he thought, “I am out of
my waters here.” He laughed at his own pun. They were at least fifty feet under the
surface when she began pointing at something below her. When he arrived, he saw the
Circle of Ascension. Zoran signaled for her to return to the surface and waited until she
was well on her way, before turning his attention onto the Circle. If he could have
spoken, he would have exclaimed, “Incredible! There is my sky blue thread in this one!”

            
Now what do I do? he wondered as he activated the Circle, stepping into the
Shadow world. He needed a Priestess; they were trained in such matters. What do I do?
Suddenly, his nightmare kicked in once more, and he now realized that it was not a
nightmare at all! It was Chika trying to make a Duska mental contact with another
Duska! A totally untrained Duska at best!

            
I am here. Focus on me and I will focus on you.

            
Wham! He was totally unprepared for the strength of her connection! She latched
on to him for dear life! Slowly he moved toward what he thought was her direction. After
what seemed ages of walking in the black void, he finally found her ahead, valiantly
attempting to swim, though there was no water here. As he came up to her, she grabbed
on to him with her arms and clung to him with all her might! She nearly crushed his
ribs!

            
Quickly, he stepped back out of the Circle. Unfortunately, she did not have her
water breathing spell cast and she began to panic. He saw that she was holding her
breath but had only seconds left. Zoran then cast his Mystical Door spell and pulled her
through it onto the beach, where she collapsed, gasping for air. Zoran canceled his water
breathing spell and looked at the four looking at him.

            
“Any signs of the assassins?” he asked worriedly.

            
“Goro Messaged me that he saw two assassins arriving at Tesaki. He saw them
heading down the island heading our way. They stole two horses and are riding hard. We
still have some time before they get here unless they can teleport or fly,” Zdenka replied.

            
“Okay. I’ve got Chika rescued. Chika, Akira has begged us to take you two with us
to another planet. Is this what you two really want?” Zoran asked.

            
Poor Chika was totally delirious, nauseated, as well as out of breath. She gasped,
“Free, we want to be free. Take us anywhere but here. Please. We can pay.”

            
Whether this was a right move or whether this action would ultimately put him
on the baron’s hit list, Zoran had no idea. However, he acted. “They cannot stand, so
Bernard, you carry Akira and I’ll carry Chika. Zdenka, you and Jarka hold on to me and
hold on to Bernard.” Once they were firmly gripping him, he Shadow Walked them off of
Asami — their honeymoon abruptly ended.

            
He felt Chika’s terror of the void returning, but focused his attention on
Adapazan and then Brn. A moment later, he stepped everyone inside the entrance of the
tower. “Let’s take them quickly up to our bedroom. The fewer eyes that see them the
better,” he requested, opening a Mystical Door to his bedroom.

            
He and Bernard placed both mermaids on Zoran’s bed, for want of any place
better. “Now what?” asked Bernard.

            
“They look half starved,” Jarka replied. “I’ll fetch some food and water. Bernard,
you go tell everyone that we are back, but don’t say a word about the mermaids.” He
nodded and the two left.

            
Akira hugged her older sister, who looked to be perhaps two years older than she,
Zdenka thought, if age appeared the same with mermaids. Chika was still pretty much
incoherent. “We’re safe now, Chika, we’re safe,” she whispered to her. Chika moaned,
but Zoran detected a sigh of relief as well.

            
Shortly, Jarka returned, her arms full of food and drink. “Okay, men out of here.
Let we women tend to their needs a bit.” To Zoran, she whispered, “And stop looking at
their naked breasts! Men!” He flushed. Was it that obvious? He beat a hasty exit.

            
Zoran quickly checked with General Janos and Archmage Karel and found that all
was well. All had been boringly routine in their absence. He was thankful of that. They
chatted a bit and Zoran was brought up to date. He told them about Asami, but didn’t
mention his two mermaids.

            
A while later, Zdenka Messaged Zoran, and he headed up to their bedroom. Chika
was now conscious and coherent. Perhaps now he could get their story and try to figure
out what to do with two mermaids. There weren’t any oceans around here or any ponds
for that matter. What could he do with them anyway?

            
When he entered, he found that Zdenka and Jarka had put tops on the two
mermaids and that both were sitting on his bed. “Thank you for rescuing us,” Chika said.
He noted that both women’s long black hair had been brushed out, and they looked
rather pretty.

            
He smiled, “Well don’t thank me yet. You are on the mountainous planet of
Adapazan in the Brn Province, a province of free people. However, there aren’t any
bodies of water anywhere around here. I’m not sure how long you two can remain out of
water or where you can live. The waters around our continent are freezing in the
wintertime.”

            
“I’m sorry, we don’t know anything about Adapazan. It is enough that you say
free people. That’s what we want to be, free people,” Chika replied quietly.

            
“But we’re not mermaids really,” Akira added. “We’re people too.” Zoran looked
totally confused.

            
Zdenka came to his rescue. “Dear, their bottoms are some kind of man-made skin
that covers their legs.”