Warriors of Kagolania

"Dirty girl, I'm just waiting for the order!" The guard has threatened Kalena since Samin announced that she would be executed. "The previous king was sick in his mind when he decided to bring a slave to a higher circle. But soon it will be over! Only you remained and the Silver Guard is over. You are no real guard! Do you even know what ranks are in the palace guard?"

Kalena did not answer to any provocation. She sat with her back to the door as far as the chains allowed, and pretended to hear nothing.

She could do nothing at all in the cell. The escape was impossible. So she decided to go back to the meditation exercises, which she and Galaspiael began, and then abandoned when he went to war. She had a lot of time for this because her peace was disturbed only by a tray of food, inserted through a narrow hole between the door and the floor.

Kalena still didn't know if she could enchant something, but she felt her internal energy increase. She wasn't afraid of death. She didn't even think about the execution ahead of her, she just concentrated on herself and what surrounded her.

She was able to examine the entire room and part of the corridor in her mind. Everyone, even the smallest detail could not escape her. She heard the voice of the man guarding her, but also how he got up and walked down the hall, sighed heavily, and sometimes yawned. She noticed how calmly he breathed and how his breath went faster when someone approached. And then she focused on what she felt around.

The stone floor was hard and the metal keys cold and inaccessible. The water she got to drink was completely out of harmony with her energy. She could only breathe with air.

She didn't feel the connection, with anything she noticed during the day. It just seemed like she couldn't do it. She scolded herself thinking about how pathetically she decided to waste her last moments.

However, during the evening shift, Kalena noticed something else that she had not paid attention to before. A warm light blinked on the piece of wall visible through the tiny window in the door. The new guard brought himself a candle.

Kalena couldn't see the flame, but she could feel it. It trembled under the breath of man sitting outside. She focused even more and felt the bond.

The flame just fit. It formed a unity with her so closely that she had the impression that the part of herself was outside. She focused on it and felt a surge of excitement when she managed to keep the fire tongue straight, despite the guard still breathing. This art required a great deal of concentration and was very engaging, so she couldn't do it for too long.

Suddenly someone came in. The steps were heading towards her cell. Kalena had no idea that Aymon was on the other side, but she wondered why the guard won't say anything. He would say hello to the other guard and make any stranger stop. She listened carefully.

"You can leave," said the newcomer calmly. When the guard didn't move, there was a sound of a shen sword pulled off the case. "I'm not used to murdering compatriots, go away man."

"I received the order..."

"And now you're getting another. Give me the key." Aymon fell silent as if waiting for something.

Kalena didn't need to listen anymore. She bonded with the flame again and forced it to move. Up, down and then sideways, straight to the face of the guard who covered himself screaming from pain and picked up the alarm bell with the other hand.

"He attacked me! Help! He came to free her, somebody help me!" He shouted really loudly. "Traitor! Traitor!"

"I haven't done anything to you yet!" Aymon impatiently stunned the guard and reached the barred window. "Kalena?"

"Master Aymon!" The girl smiled, recognizing his face. "Nice to see you!"

"Nice to see you too. I felt like you would end up in the dungeon someday, but I didn't think it would happen so soon! Don't you know where they keep the keys?"

"I think the second guard took them during the morning shift.

"I have the keys! Someone shouted far too loudly. We need to hurry, soon half of the Golden Guard will be here."

"Golden?" Kalena repeated

"Long story" Aymon began to tinker at the lock and after a moment opened the door. "They treated you like the most dangerous criminal in history!" He added, seeing how she was tied.

"Wait! Do you believe me?" She asked when he tried to free her from the shackles. "Do you believe that I'm not crazy, and all this is all Samin's plan to take over Kagolania?

"Well, we hope you haven't lost your mind, but we can't be sure, can we?"

"The queen trusts you and you are a declared opponent of his self-appointed rule," Aymon said. "Now such people are valuable."

"Lin-Si told you to save me?"

"We'll talk later, now let's get out of here." Rikken came out of the cell first, followed by Aymon and Kalena. "We'll tell you everything in the quarters."

"Are we going to Yagn-Sho?"

"We can't stay in the capital city anymore. The escort is waiting at the back gate."

At the end of the corridor, they met with five guards ready to attack. They ignored Aymon and Rikken and focused only on Kalena.

It was hard to pay attention to the move, but she managed to combine her energy with the energy of the lantern against the wall and burn them. She was overwhelmed with fatigue. Also, someone hit her elbow, because focusing on the fire, she forgot to dodge. Aymon stared at her not even trying to hide his shock.

"How do you do this?" He asked, but she could not answer him. A hand pulled her in the opposite direction that they were heading to.

"Nailan, what are you...?"

"Quiet!" The girl poked her hard. "Nobody can see me!"

"Where are you going, the exit is on the other side!" Rikken and Aymon caught up with them, followed closely by four courts, which Kalena recognized immediately.

"Her Highness changed her plan. Horses are waiting at the main gate."

"Main?" Aymon pushed Kalena to stand next to Nailan. "It's suicide!"

"Lea, Hama, stay here and cover us. Put the masks on! Don't worry, everything is already planned" she turned to Aymon. "The Golden Guards are waiting at the back exit. We gave them a false lead."

They ran out to the small courtyard where Kalena had not been before, then proceed straight to the main gate. Contrary to Nailan's assurances, ten armed guards were waiting there.

"I'll go get the rest and distract them. We will go to Kalena's house. You'll only have a moment, so try to drive fast. With a bit of luck, we'll all meet at Yagn-Sho."

"You don't know where they put my am-shen?" Kalena stopped her. " I got them from Galaspiael..."

"I would like to help, but it's really not the time or place to think about such a thing!"

They waited briefly, but this moment seemed to last forever. Finally, three masked people left, heading for the main street of the upper circle.

Kalena felt a painful prick in her heart. She knew Samin would have her house looted when the guards start looking for her. She lost the only place on earth that she considered her own. She touched her necklace with a jade eye that she had hidden in her inner pants pocket and felt Rikken pushing her forward.

"There's no time for sentiments, we'll find you some other weapon! Move!"

Kalena ran, but she felt she was running out of strength. She got on the horse last but managed to catch up with her saviors. They galloped off to Yagn-Sho, which was to be the only safe hideout.

*

"Now let's start from the beginning," Kalena spoke, as soon as they sat at the table to talk. "What happened when I was locked up in this cell?"

"Quite a lot," Aymon replied. "Immediately after your arrest, Jun's body was found. And a letter to other members of the guard, in which he ordered to pay back for the dishonor they had let allowing the king to remain unprotected. These are fake suicides, although this one looks surprisingly true. I knew the captain very well and I suspect he might have been forced to do so. He was not the type of person who would do such a thing, though honor was his highest value. And then there were fake elections for the new king."

"Everyone from the Silver Guard is dead?" She asked quietly. "Zarkin…?"

"We haven't found his body so he might've survived," Rikken replied. "I suspect that Samin will now want to liquidate the royal academy. I know that he plans to close it, although he says it is only for a while, I don't believe it. Mizar left some books there and had to ask for a return, but we advised him to hide far from the capital."

"They'll reach him anyway, if they start looking for me," Aymon went on again, "but I think they'll focus on the city first. Some people resent His Majesty for openly disregarding the time of mourning, and I noticed that he does not like criticizing his decisions."

"He doesn't like people who criticize his decisions," finished Bimala, and Kalena responded with a slight smile. Nailan, who didn't say a word, let out a loud breath.

"It's not funny," she said. "I don't know what you're going to do, Kalena, but you'd better not go back to Kagolania. Samin will probably announce the prize for your head soon."

"Because he is afraid of me! He knows I could save Galaspiael and bring him back. And then public execution is the only thing that could happen to this traitor."

"If you could bring him alive," Bimala interjected. "Galaspiael is most likely in Madegaldian captivity. In my opinion, the chances that he survives are small."

"So there's no time!" The girl jumped up abruptly. "We must leave as soon as possible! Every minute is precious!"

A long and awkward silence followed her words. Nobody wanted to speak to break it. Kalena looked at everyone and an expression of unspeakable surprise began to appear on her face.

"I can't go with you," Nailan finally said. "I should get back to the palace quickly so that I won't be suspected of anything. Samin can't stop trusting the queen because she is the only person who favors us and is so close to him."

"We planned to organize a resistance thanks to which Aymon would take power. If Okiani had not been bribed and threatened, he would have been elected. He is more closely related to Galaspiael." Rikken paused, seeing Kalena's expression. "I know what it sounds like, but try to understand. We must save Kagolania. There is a war on, we are weak and rely only on ourselves. The Emperor of Madegald is certainly aware that we are weakened now. What if Galaspiael is already dead? We will have neither a king nor a kingdom!"

"I can't believe it... you gave up on him!" She drawled through her teeth. "You want to leave him to die!"

"We have not given up, we are just trying to protect the country which he could return to." Aymon got up. "If Galaspiael would come back, I will personally help him regain power, but we must prepare, otherwise we will achieve nothing, whether he comes back or not. He believed that Kagolania was more important than his life. I'm sure if he were here, he would make us do it. Besides, my brother may be in danger! Each of us has something here that tries to protect, we can't go on such a risky mission."

"All right. So I'll go myself!" She decided and clenched her fists tightly. "And I don't need your help at all! I think you should be ashamed. None of you were in the Silver Guard, but that doesn't mean you don't have certain responsibilities to the king. And I think that trying to save his life is one of them!"

*

Zarkin woke up in a completely unknown place, feeling as if he would die in a second. He could see absolutely nothing around him. He blinked several times but still couldn't see the outlines of anything.

"Someone... help" he croaked and his voice broke off. He began gropingly looking for something to support and stand up.

"Zarkin?" Suddenly he heard a woman's voice above him. "How are you?"

"Who are you? Light a candle, I can't see anything!"

Zarkin found her hand. She helped him rise to a sitting position and he felt that she sat down next to him.

"Can't you see? It's midday," she said calmly, and he got paralyzed by fear. "The room we're in is on the sunny side of the house. Sun rays are coming through the window. You really can't see anything? Absolutely nothing?"

A terrifying truth began to reach Zarkin. He was completely defenseless, at her mercy. He blinked his eyes several times and put a hand to his face. He didn't even notice the outline of his fingers.

"No..." he admitted and wiped tears with his sleeve. He hissed in pain as the rough material touched his arm.

"Don't touch it. Let it heal. We have to wait, if I cut right now, the wound wouldn't heal well. I will explain everything, just, don't be nervous. You are safe."

"Do you know me? Who are you?" He repeated the question and there was a long silence, broken only by her trembling breath.

"Have you forgotten my voice, lord?"

"Mei! Mei, it's you! Is it really you!" Zarkin realized that he was squeezing her hand tightly, so he relaxed his fingers a little. He couldn't control his tears. "Mei I'm so sorry! Forgive me, please, forgive me" he broke off as she gently put her fingers on his lips.

"I have forgiven you a long time ago," she said, "you have no idea how glad I am you finally woke up!"

"And Kalena? Is she here?"

"No. I asked about her, but she stayed in the capital. I found you at the slave market."

"What?!" The joy he had felt was replaced by a pang of anxiety as he slowly began to remember all the events of the king's funeral. "I was attacked at Kalena's house," he confessed, "someone shot me with a poison arrow."

"I suspect they've shot you more than once. When I found you, you were still under the influence of the mixture. I asked for help from various people, but they couldn't help. Yesterday I gave you your antidote, which you one gifted me. I didn't know if it would work, after a few years..."

At the mention of the antidote, Zarkin felt something tight his throat again.

"You still had it?" He whispered incredulously. "I threw everything away... Anything that reminded me of you."

"That's okay."

"I stopped collecting money for a house under a white tree," he continued as if he hadn't heard her. "You know, in Velikania, on the road to Epag, there is such a beautiful, big tree with white leaves. When I joined the guard, I swore to myself that in a few years I would be rich enough to come back and build a house."

"Then we must go there someday," she said. "It would be hard to search the entire Velikania for one tree, but since you remember that it is growing along the road to Epag, I think I will be able to lead us there."

"Those were childish dreams," he interrupted her. "I couldn't build a house anyway. Without sight I am nothing! I can't even look at you! I can't look into your eyes and apologize. I was punished, adequate to the sins committed!"

Mei sat down again and put her arms around him.

"You can regain your seeing. We'll find someone to help you."