[The Anagolay]
"You were recruited that day." Lila says. "When that Anagolay came."
We were given upstairs bedrooms for free even though I destroyed the first meeting I had with Denai and Tato in a decade. As the environment quieted for the night we left our rooms and entered the farthest, unoccupied room.
Cozy, though blanketed in layered dust for years of disuse. A single lantern hangs near the door, windows on the side facing the road. The single bed, hapless on coated dust, lays dismal on one corner. Lila paces, restless as I tap the wall on my right, checking for a certain hollow area.
"You trained with him here, secretly. Then your family, they went to the valley without you. They were killed with the Vanuyans. After that you tried to assassinate the king."
She urges on, monologuing. I rest my ears on the wood giving it one knock or two then moving to the next.
"But you didn't do it…"
I found it.
"No." I reply to her as I wedge Lila's dagger between the slits and forced the wood to come off.
"Because the queen was there?" Setting it aside I pause. The woman in that memory – the queen of Aeon sees me, surprised at first glance, fearful at the dagger in my hand.
"I have different reasons for not seeing it through."
My hand dives in, a rat scampers out as I take out a sack. I unravel it to know if everything is there. The bow and arrows and the Tanabas I bought on Essius. A black cow-leather armor, dark tunic and hose, coal-black woven cloth to cover my entire head and face, my knives, its waistband, and the long, double-edged dagger.
Forged of silver and steel by the best swordsmith of old. The dagger that is used by the Anagolay before me, the Anagolay before him. Safe to say the dress code of an Anagolay.
"You hid those in here? When you did not want to came back?" Lila stoops across me, her voice in an edge.
"I needed a place in this city where no nose would poke in."
"You're a jerk," she states.
"Let us face it. I am not the nicest guy you have met," I say, snugging in the leather armor. "I am the oiliest, fattiest, sweetest food you know. Unhealthy, of course! Perhaps even poisonous, but alas irresistible."
Lila glowers at me before rolling her eyes. I belted the knives, strap the long dagger, horizontal on the small of my back.
"Have you got the satchel?" She roughly throws it at me, standing up.
I pour its contents on the floor and only rolled papers came out. "It's a wanted poster of your face, the redhead and a letter I can't read. Who was the boy?"
Rough sketches of me, sullen in all that beard, under the bold WANTED and below it says: Usurper. Enemy of the kingdom. A sack of gold for anyone who can bring him ALIVE.
"Wow." Flattered, I whistle. I crumple all my posters, tossing it on the wall and replacing the wood on it.
"The boy you ask, is one of my tentacles." She belts her own dagger as I wrap back the bow and arrows.
"Tentacles?"
"Make yourself useful," I hand her the Tanabas and the sack. She gawks at it, at me, before accepting.
"Yes, tentacles. Informants. My eyes and ears in every city."
I give her the missive. "This says that another Elite unit is heading towards Sebelicia. If they ride on without rests, which I know they would, they will arrive tomorrow… or tonight."
She gasps.
"We do not have much time left either way. Sending reinforcements could mean that the regiment is ready to sail. The reinforcement will chase us here while the regiment plunders over there. Good tailwinds can carry them to Gakaloai in two days. Us, well…"
Lila seem to pale.
"Why, it would be interesting if your captain's unit will be the reinforcement." I tease, she actually shudders.
"No. We're probably gonna die if that happens. As in the three of us."
I did not want for anything to be official but I guess we really are a team, even just temporarily.
I hate that.
"Then you better hope we can get out of the city tonight."
* * *
Back doors exist like a fire exit, useful at times of trouble. I like back doors. On my friends' home, it is behind the series of rooms, disguised as a fence. I am about to close it when loud banging abuses the main door. I hear another door opens, Denai's voice.
"Who goes there?"
"Open in the name of the king!" The voice shouts in Aeonnite. Lila and I stare at each other. It does not take a seer to guess how unhinged we feel. They found us. We need to run.
But I stay, listening.
"Open with haste!"
Tato must have acquiesced because there is a chorus of shuffling feet, voices, barking dogs, doors opening, Denai's disapproval.
"We need to search this place," I hear a local say. "Do you know everyone here?"
I think local soldiers are there with Aeonnite foot soldiers. Of course, Elites will not miss a raid. I can imagine them reading every person, notes every room and corner as if they are thinking of buying the place.
I take the bow with the quiver of arrows from Lila. Whatever conversation they were having hushed or ended. I cover my head, conceal my face with the cloth so only my eyes are visible and hold my breath.
Do not hurt them, do not hurt them.
Do not dare –
"Tato, no!" Denai yells suddenly. Grunting, pealing of swords. My heart kicks and I burst into action.
I sprint, retracing the structure to the end until I can see the yard. Four locals, two of them plants Tato in place with a naked blade and he is bleeding on the head. One pulls a sword on Denai while the other holds a torch. Two Aeonnite soldiers are on the rear of Captain Erasmus and Lieutenant Tyros who is nearest to Denai. About five other militias keep track of everyone in various positions.
In the shadows, I nock two arrows, draw, hitting the locals beside Tato on the chest. I glimpse the Elites whisk their heads in my direction. Not missing a beat, I shot the man on Denai and the other.
They drop like flies almost at the same time. Tension snaps like a cord taut hard, it shoves everybody to act.
"Anagolay!" Tyros releases a cry. There must be someone who heard Tyros' warning outside because drumbeats instantly fill my ears.
Everyone is moving including the students of Kitchra who frequents here were awakened and have taken arms assaulting the Aeonnites. Tato freed, takes a bolo from the local soldier and runs to Denai.
Erasmus' eyes do not leave mine. Rapier on ready he aims straight to me, not minding the crowd. I speed towards the house where Tato is toe to toe with Tyros, releasing arrow after arrow at the captain.
Tato may not be able to talk but he can fight well. He proves it by staying alive battling for more than a minute with an Elite.
Erasmus whips my arrows aside with his rapier, jumping from table to table in order to intercept my path, but I reach them in time.
Lieutenant jabs, Tato sidesteps yet his arm is nicked. As I swing my bow I step between them, duck and slash his underarm with my dagger. When Tyros jumps back, Erasmus is there to replace him.
I wheel out of the way of his rapier thrusting towards the top of my head, pivoting then standing up to another onslaught. We exchange blows, screeching our weapons insanely fast. I spot a small opening when he tries to target my torso and before he can make that move, I whirl and kick high landing on his right cheek.
We break apart. I steal a glance to Tato's side. Lila is there with Denai trying to bolster him away from the fight to the bar.
Erasmus laughs.
"For once you are the real thing," he says, tilting his head.
"Tyros…" His lieutenant strokes a wide arc with that simple command. Tato is late to block and he cuts him on the chest. I did not wait to see him fall. I strike sending the captain momentarily aside, with my free hand I flick a dagger to Tyros before he can kill Tato.
I take up position between the Elites and Tato. Lila and Denai behind the counter. Aeonnite foot soldiers were overwhelmed by the students and now the rest are on the backs of Erasmus and Tyros.
The captain throws a nonchalant look at the Faye'ins behind him, knowing that they are as easy to defeat as a wounded dog. I adjust my grip, holding the hardwood handle of my dagger in both hands, one foot in front of the other. Palpable as fear is the anticipation for what is coming. Waiting, muscles contracting, blood pulsing. First to move, will have the advantage.
"Beraman to oui Captain Erasmus Rema Ischtius panantana rahan."
Every single one of us stiffens.
A hand grips my shoulder. I see Lila, hood up, walk to my side. Air hitches, my eyes bulging, cold sweeps my entire body when I recognized what she just said.
You are looking for me, Captain Erasmus Rema Ischtius.
Vanuyan's tongue.
The last time I heard the dialect of the valley people was a decade ago, I thought I forgot. Now Lila is speaking it.
Surreal.
The aura shifts, gorillas trample my stomach, eyes look around unable to believe what they heard. Everybody knows the sound of how the Vanuyan speak without need of knowing the dialect.
Captain Erasmus narrows his eyes to the girl, looking her over up and down. "The Vanuyan survivor."
"You can tell your king…" she begins, this time in Aeonnite. "Alas! Alas! From ashes and dust, they will rise up and overthrow your kingdom."
Some thing is thrown on the floor, it shatters, then fire and smoke bursts, wrestling high up to the ceiling. It separates us from them for seconds. I grab the chance to pull Lila. Tato heaves Denai on his back and we race to the street.
"Get them!"
I veer Tato my way before we go to different directions. We turn left, left again and right. We steer on alleyways, leap on fences, dogs bark and cats scream but we run, and run and run until our feet hurt.
"What was that… that?" I cough out to Lila. We hunch on a house so old it is leaning far forward. Its roof had rotted in, moonlight bathes us through it. Wood is covered in molds, mildew all over, wild grass peeking between stones.
"Denai needed a diversion!" She says between gasps.
"Who are you people?" Denai asks.
"It was not a diversion, it was a threat." I say, laughing at most. "It was a threat! Minna. It felt like you were daunting them."
My friends start. "You really are him."
Tato lets go of his brother in his surprise and gapes at me. I nod at them both. "How–what–who–who is she?"
"This is Lila," I tell them.
"You say that like it explains why Kan turns out to be a girl and that she can speak Faye'in, Aeonnite and… and Vanuyan!" Denai exclaims.
"Shh! Shh!" Both Lila and I implore him to quiet down.
Lila kneels in front of Denai. "The Elites are after me because I survived. And I saved Sanim. The Anagolay was just on the wrong place at the wrong time."
She puts a calm hand on Tato's arm, gripping his weapon hard. "Do not be afraid. He is still the friend you knew."
He seems to object but decides against it.
"We can stay here for a bit. Catch our breaths."
I spy on the shadows. Light breeze caresses our faces but a tingling in my nape tells me it is not the wind. We are being stalked. Tato locks my gaze, sensing it and readies his bolo.
I pivot, taking the dagger out its scabbard. It halts on a neck of a colossal man as he steps forward.
His gait is the same as his friends yet dissimilar too. Liquid grace of such precise that makes every move effortless, radiating immense strength. Yet he strikes me more like he measures, holding back. The emotionless face I am acquainted in a far, stares down on me and the effect is intense. His wide shoulders take up most the moonlight plunging me in the dark.
The same moment he and I moved, Tato raises his bolo, but behind him another person puts a leaf-shaped sword on his throat.
"Stop!" Lila says, quiet but commanding. I think I flinch slightly, Tato is shocked apparently. The Elites stay unmoving.
"Captain Gaviel," I mutter. His eyes bore on me, scouring what little is revealed on my face. I was hoping Lila's presence would transfer his attention. It did not.
"Anagolay," he greets in a flat voice. Reluctant, I retrieve my dagger. Gaviel in turn, sheathes his rapier which is inches away from my heart a while ago. His lieutenant, Hughes Vertii, does the same. Tato is last. Lila exhales for all of us.
Awkward silence ensues.
Sir Gaviel, finally, gazes at Lila beside the tense Denai. His eyes so discreet and empty beforehand vibrates with life.
"Are you hurt?" He whispers.
"No," she says to him, smiling. Lila regards the lieutenant and his lips kick up a bit.
"It's alright, they're my friends." She says to Tato and Denai. Gaviel turns to me again.
"Show me your mark."
Of course, he knows about the mark. I wink at him "Do not trust me, eh?"
"Trust goes both ways," he counters.
Fine.
I hold my dagger up, Hughes shifts his hand to his sword but Gaviel gestures and he relaxes. Using both my hands, I split my dagger in two. The blades thinner, one in each hand I twirl it. The surface of the blades that was hidden when it is united, has an engraving.
One who seeks, finds, returns.
It is the pledge, the will, the promise. The very first, prime Anagolay, carved it himself. Apparently it is not the thing now.
Captain Gaviel observes it as Lila traces the mark with her fingers. Both of them solemn. They look at each other and seem to agree that I am authentic. I roll my eyes, sliding the blades back together.
"Five Elites from Erasmus' unit have caught your tracks," he says. "There are others nearby, locals, north and west, a hundred yards."
I know there are people tailing us though not this accurate. I am impressed.
"My unit has been instructed to hunt for you as well. You have a long night." Gaviel warns.
"What will you do?"
"Head east then circle back to the direction of Sebelicia's dock."
The Captain nods. "Then we will head the opposite."
"Why?" Denai voices, suddenly. "I mean, why help us?" He scowls, mistrust in his features but bothered by the gesture of kindness from an enemy.
Yes, Sir Gaviel, why?
Lila mentioned that he is a traitor. But, why, that is the question and Lila said, "It is the guilt that drives him."
I want to hear the answer from his own lips.
The captain in his full height turns to Denai.
"We are taking a stand," he says in fluent Faye'in, no accents.
As Captain Gaviel replies, a memory replays at the back of my mind. One that happened eight or nine years ago.
I was sprinting on the halls of the conqueror's citadel. It was as though time has slowed and elongated as I accept that I may not actually be able to escape. King's sentries are on my tail. The drip of blood made me keenly aware of the viscid liquid snaking on my arms. It is not my blood, it is not mine. The smell almost made me threw up again but I swallowed it, forcing to put one foot at a time. I stopped in another dead end.
The citadel is a maze, I was thinking, and then a small boy stepped out of nowhere with a rapier taller than he is. I was ready to end him yet he just looked at me.
"There is a hidden passageway right there." He pointed at the lower right of the wall behind me. His voice was small nearly pinched.
"It leads to the canals west of the city. Turn right for three times then left the rest of the way." I did as he instructed, finding myself on the west side of Bessilus minutes later.
The rest of that night is lost on me but I remember one rigid detail of that boy. He had golden eyes.
* * *
Noon. We reached the other side by noon as we got on a merchant vessel leaving Sebelicia's seas two hours after midnight. The sailor agreed to let us off when Lila gave him fifteen minted gold coins. He gave us a skiff along with some oars. We rode it for a couple of long hours until we can land yards from the village proper. None of us slept a wink.
Ocean on our left, coconut grove on our right, the breeze buzzing around us. I felt the soft sands through my boots, drowning my feet up to my ankles. I carry Denai as Tato is being scolded by Lila for not cleaning his wounds. They walk a distance behind us.
We took the brothers up to date when we were on the boat, my mischiefs to how I met Lila, except her being an Eng't Urh.
"My people will have to evacuate," I say. "I want you and Tato to go with them."
Denai shifts on my back. "What?" He says near my ear. "Why?"
"Because Aeon will be looking for you now. They will use you –" I explain but Denai cuts me off firmly.
"No."
"Denai…" I say, my voice tinge with irritation and desperation. "They will torture you before killing you."
"Let them come. I will stay and fight."
He announces with finality. I inhale deeply through my nose, closing my eyes. "I was afraid you are going to say that. You know, there is no dishonor in hiding–"
"It is not about honor," he says, a hint of anger slipping. "I live in this land and I was robbed of it. I may be cripple but I can fight. Tato can fight. 'Tay trained us just so we could have a chance to liberate Freobel. He died trying, Royu. If I can die fighting for freedom then sure."
What is with all this altruistic people? I am surrounded by them. It is all crap.
"Tato says he will fight." Lila inserts. "You can tell just by looking at him."
"That is all well and good, but after I warn my tribe and the Thraine guerrillas, I will vanish."
My speech has taken the brothers aback, as expected Lila is not. I stride forward, Denai wriggles out my grasp.
"Let me go." He let out a string of curses, pushing as if disgusted, so I let him go.
"After everything…"
Exasperated, he is at a loss for words. His face crumples in an angry, pained, disappointment and he looks at me like he does not recognize the occupant of my body. Lila lays a hand on his shoulder, stopping him from blowing up.
"I am just being realistic here." I inform. "If you fight will the bloodshed stop? No. Will something change? No. If Aeon takes over, what then? If Thraine topple Aeon, what then? More wars, more conflict, more death. It will never stop.
"Sacrifice? Freedom? Heroism? Empty words. Promises written in sand." I snort. "You – you have this perfect notion that if you wave a sword, acting like a hero you have done a great deed. I am telling you, that is not, that is never true. This world is rotten. It sucks you dry. Whatever you do, it is already fixed, the oppressed will always be the oppressed and the powerful will be more powerful. And you. You will die for nothing."
Tato and Denai walk out on me. I let them. I only expressed my opinions out loud and they act as if I throw them into the fire.
"You're wrong…" Lila says. For argument's sake I take her bait.
"And why is that?"
"Because you only ever think about yourself."
I was staring at the waters licking the shoreline, at her words I glance her way. She steers closer to me.
"They're thinking of the future, their people. Their land. You're thinking of your efforts. You're wrong, because you lack the spine."
Lila motions to the brothers. "To believe. To trust."
"Trust. Right. In who, you? In Sir Gaviel? In hope and the wonderful life?" I mock. "I survived because I did not waste my time believing in those excessive niceties."
She nods, agreeing. "It's why you're miserable."
I release an uppercut and she disappears. Curse that Eng't Urh.
Later on, the huts we can see jut out of the trees like a thorn. Denai and Tato which were ahead waves me over.
"What is it?" I ask, noticing the smoke rising from a large bonfire in the open ground, adjacent to the houses. There are no children playing, no men tending to their nets and traps, the boats neglected.
"A smoke signal," Denai says with an edge, forced to speak. There is one person near the fire. At his clothes, I tell the brothers to hide. We squat behind trees. Clad with chainmail and metal studs' breastplate, a scimitar on his loincloth and a bow in hand, the sentry of Thraine feeds the fire.
"Guerrillas are here," I mumble. They already know then.
"Lila…" She appears on my side, a ghost summoned. "Hide these with you."
We hand her our weapons, my armor, my bandana… we should look as civilians as we can be.
"What about you?" Denai asks her.
"Don't worry, I will be right behind you," she says.
"Do not resist them." I say "Leave the talking to me."
The sentry unsheathes his scimitar when he sees us. Our hands are already up in surrender as he repeats one word: stop. It is the only Gakaloai word he knows.
"Friend. I mean you no harm." I try to implore in my tongue. He yells even more in his own language for us to stop and tell him who we are but I also only repeat the single line.
His yells attract other Thraine standing guard on one house. They flock on us. I still try to say I am a friend even when there are ten swords pointing at us.
"Ease!" Someone in their back orders. The soldiers stand in attention as they part in between and two figures came forward.
One is a high–ranking officer in Thraine's army. His metal studs are plated in gold and with arabesque designs. I know him as Isham.
The other, chest exposed, clothed in dull breeches that are wide near the ankles, cogon sandals. Arms tattooed with symbols, single line of braided hair at the center of his bald head with a face of calm and authority. His staff, fashioned with glittering shells, interlacing withe and a black pearl as big as a fist sitting at the tip, is equivalent of a crown.
Chief Igmato nods at me. "Make yourself known, child."
I gather my wits, kneel on one knee and made a half circle in the air then offer my hand palm up, bowing. Our gesture of greeting and respect.
"O great chief, I am Royu son of Boyo," I begin.
"Royu?" He blinks, face lighting up in recognition of my name.
"You live." The chief made me stand. "But your family… I am afraid they are with the spirits of the seas."
"I know, great chief," I say. "I bear grave news. My friends hail from Sebelicia."
The chief eyes Denai and Tato, he says, "Aeon is coming to pillage our village."
"Yes. A regiment of hundred men and two Elite units, maybe more." At my mention, the chief and Isham glance at each other.
"When will they arrive?" the officer asks, Chief Igmato translates for me even if I also know Thraine's language.
"Tomorrow at dawn," I answer.
"I see." My chief says. He tells the officer and they fall into conversation of where is the greatest vantage point in the village, that he will have men brought here. Two of the soldiers carry Isham's orders while he goes his own way.
"My chief, our people cannot remain here."
I introduced the brothers as we walk towards the village center passing huts left in a hurry, open doors, fallen sacks.
"The women and children have gone ahead to the hills led by Cosau. A few of our men that can fight, Elder Pryo and I are the only ones left."
He leads us to his home, a humble hut a tad larger than normal. The hearth at the middle cooks a stew of crabs with herbs. On one corner is a room separated by curtains and the rest is the kitchen. Denai and Tato sit near the hearth, I linger on the doorway.
"Eat, my friends, help yourselves, while I gather the council. Meet me on Elder Pryo's home in an hour. That is where we will decide our course of action," he says.
I nod. Chief Igmato smiles, resting a sure hand on my shoulder. "It is good to see you, child. I pray that this will not be the last time we get to talk."
When he left, the smile had gone and in exchange is a troubled scowl. Lila observes my Chief, leaning on the house as if she was standing there this whole time.
"I was not needed after all. My job is done," I say.
The agreement we had that night, was that I help (equals job) them convince the Gakaloai to skedaddle for the meantime and to tell the Thraine they have a war coming. Seeing as the two conditions are met just a few moments ago, I am free.
"Not yet," she says. "Go to that council and tell the Thraine, Isham about Sanim."
I scratch my head. My memory is a bit blurry about that – ah! Right. Galahad, that stupid seeker, knew of my helpings with Lila because Bror, the slaver I thought I had killed fessed up after a few beatings. He also told of where they delivered Sanim and so on his dying breath, Galahad informed Aeon and thus, Gaviel told us.
"Fine." I say, petulant. "But after that–"
"Yeah, yeah, you vanish." She finishes for me. "What about Denai and Tato?"
I shrug. "They can decide on their own… besides they already made up their mind."
"Is there really nothing and no one that can convince you to–"
"Do not say stay and fight."
"–stay and fight?" she continues.
"Everything. This…" I point all around me. "Kid, I left this kind of life years ago. What I have now, is being the Anagolay. And being him is not asking, not knowing, just as long as I get paid."
Lila nods thoughtfully, then shrugs.
"I don't know." she says. "It seems to me that this… is what you need most. You may distance yourself from everything and from everyone. Not get hurt. But in return, you will never heal."
* * *
Round two.
An undefeated soldier in a winning streak for weeks, is having a one on one against a new challenger. The crowd just loves it. They are getting mad as the undefeated cartwheels away from the challenger, taking his sword then slash! The undefeated cuts the challenger's forearm but wait, the challenger was hiding a knife and he jabs it at the undefeated.
The people falls quiet as the fighters are locked in a deadly embrace, anticipation building up. Did the winner finally lose? Is Essius city having a new champion?
I grin.
What the others may not have seen, the undefeated has quick hands. As the challenger moves, one hand of the champion grips the wrist then the other stabs the stomach.
He won. He is still the winner.
Deafening roar erupts in the amphitheater. I wave my straw hat in the air, tossing it in a cheery mood.
"Pay up! Pay up!" I say.
Essius is making me rich! Those that bet on the challenger drops five silver coins, with a grudge, on my hat as I pass them by.
"Better luck next time boys!" I holler. Giddy, I start to count my money while skipping to the exit. My, my. I earned fifty silver coins just this hour. As I put the coins in a purse, I notice a small cut paper underneath.
In it are six words: We need to meet. Now. – G.
G? I know a lot of people with a G as the first letter of their names. Gomin, Gjimara, Gok… Gaviel.
My head shots up. The crowd mills all around. Putting on the hat, I stalk on them in a casual way. One moment a tall man in a hood got my attention, a blink and he is gone.
I went straight to the tavern I'm staying in, pass the stairs to a secluded upstairs room.
"I got to say, I was not expecting company."
The captain closes the door without making a sound. He paces, eyeing the scarce space of a room. Is it not scary how he moves like a cat and yet weigh like a water buffalo?
"Are you on a job?" He asks.
"No. I am on vacation." I cross my arms.
"How are things at your end?"
"Quiet. Yours?" I say. His eyes pause on my weapons sprawled on the unmade bed. "Elites are pulled out of the front but there are still militias on Gakaloai."
I see. Which explains his presence.
"Any word from your friends?"
"No… they are not the type to send me letters. They are probably occupied fighting anyway."
Sir Gaviel bobs his head lightly.
"How is she?" he says so quietly I barely connect the words in a sentence.
"Why are you asking me when Lila has been with you."
He stares at me.
"No."
"No, she is not okay or No, she is not with you?" I ask.
"She is not with me." His concern is striking. I blink.
"The last time I saw her was in Gakaloai, three months ago."