Prologue

Ryane sat on the couch in a dark cabin, lit only by the dim, flickering flames coming from the fireplace; waiting for Jaxon to finally get the lights working again. He had just gone downstairs into the basement to try and restart the generator...
She felt slightly nervous and uncomfortable sitting in the relative dark, all alone in an unfamiliar place. She had never been to this cabin before. It had been Jaxon's idea to bring her here, his uncle’s cabin, to celebrate her birthday. She liked Jaxon, but she had never told him so.
The lights suddenly flickered on and she sat back with relief. In a moment Jaxon would be back upstairs and they would continue their night. She thought about what that might entail, if Jax would only build up the courage. Or maybe I'll make the first move? she thought.
Her mind drifted to the bottle of wine on the kitchen counter. She made her way into the kitchen and grabbed two glasses from in an upper cabinet, and then fished in the drawer for a bottle opener. She quickly spotted the device and uncorked the bottle, pouring Jaxon and herself each a large glass.
Ryane then sat back on the couch in front of the fire, placing Jaxon's glass on the side table with the bottle. She sipped her wine as she wondered why he hadn't returned yet. She figured she should go down and see what the hold-up was. Something didn't feel right, so she picked up a nearby fire iron and clutched it tightly, just in case.
She crept toward the basement door, yelling aloud, "Jax, what's taking you so long?" There was no reply. She said his name again, this time louder, but still nothing.
Now she was really getting worried.
She started down the stairs, saying aloud, "If you're playing some kind of a joke on me, it’s not funny. Seriously!"
Still there was no reply.
She made it to the bottom of the stairs, and, turning, spotted the dimly lit lantern Jaxon had used to find his way down the steps, but he was nowhere in sight. She walked over to the lantern with the fire iron still raised in her hands.
Where the hell is he? she wondered, then shook her head and pursed her lips as she noticed a gaping hole in the wall. Of course. It would be just like Jax to go exploring at a time like this.
Reluctantly, and somewhat annoyed, she entered the opening, lantern in one hand and fire iron in the other. She followed the only path down a lengthy tunnel, calling Jaxon's name every few yards. Then, all of a sudden, a rush of magnificent bluish-green light filled the tunnel. As abruptly as it came, it vanished, and she continued in the direction it seemed to have originated from, figuring that she would find Jaxon there. She soon entered a large, domed chamber with mica-encrusted walls, and there was a small circular opening in the ceiling that led to the sky. The chamber was empty, but on the floor in the center of the room was a small leather-bound book. She picked up the book and scanned the room once more, feeling the hairs rise on the back of her neck. Still, there was no one. She then opened the book to its first page and began to read.


Thinking back, I don't even know if I can recall all that has occurred since that fateful day on Earth, now so long ago. In my dreams it was just yesterday. Me in my apartment, head in your lap, with your hands running through my hair. I can even smell your comforting scent; a smell so sensational and real. In my dreams I reach for a kiss, but then I fall and am roughly jerked back into reality.
I don't even know why I'm writing this. There's no hope it will ever reach you. Maybe I'm writing it to help myself grasp the strange phenomena that are now my everyday reality, and in the back of my mind I can't escape the fact that it’s you that has kept me alive this long. The hope of one day returning to you is all that keeps me going; all that keeps me rational and sane.
I know it can be done for I am here now, so far gone from the cabin I left you in; trapped on an alien world with no way to return home. But I'm here, and if there's a way to get here, then there must be a way to get back.
At times I look up into this moonless sky and wonder if you are doing the same; gazing at the stars, hoping one day for my return.
I don't know what writing this will bring. I don't even know how much longer I might have, always on the run from the primitive yet powerful race that rules this planet; constantly alert for fear of predators lurking in the shadows. I know it must sound crazy, but what else can I tell you? Everything here is a mystery to me, a mystery I fear I'll never be able to solve. A mystery that has plagued my body and mind ever since I first awoke on this planet; Tatora.




Chapter One
I Awaken


I’m not sure exactly when I came to, but I think it was the warmth of the sun on my face that stirred me to consciousness. I was lying on my back, and could hear several strange voices talking above me. Awake, but with my eyes still closed, I tried to listen to the conversation between the men, or whom I supposed to be men. I didn’t know where I was or how I came to be there; only that my head was pounding and felt as if someone had driven an ice pick through the side of it.
I felt the ground beneath me. A bed of long grass, warm from the sunlight; so different from the hard-wood floor in my uncle's cabin where I should have been. I wished I could have remembered whatever had happened, but all my recent memories were escaping me.
The voices of the men around me were deep, hard, and guttural. I couldn’t place the language. I thought maybe I had a concussion, but after focusing hard I knew this was no language spoken by any humans. I smiled, thinking jokingly that I had been abducted by aliens.
At that moment, the three figures stopped speaking, and I knew my smile, however brief, had betrayed me. I opened my eyes to greet whoever, or whatever, surrounded me, but before I had time to fully adjust to the light, the blur of a dark object came swinging toward my head. In a coursing jolt of pain, I was again rendered unconscious.
The next time I awoke, I found myself bound belly-down over the saddle of some sort of draft animal. It must have been the size of a Sherman tank, and was covered in large, thick scales, which created a permanent shield for the massive beast. I doubted anything short of .50 caliber rounds could penetrate the scaly hide.
As I was bound, and bound well, I couldn't move my head around much, so I was unable to see most of the surrounding area, or even which direction we were headed. Not that I thought it would do much good. I couldn’t explain it at the time, but I knew the impossible had happened. Somehow, I had been taken captive on an alien planet. The strange animal that carried me substantiated my thoughts further, as did the air! The air was almost intoxicating, so fresh and uncontaminated, making each breath on Earth seem stale and tainted. This air, however, was energizing and exhilarating! What was more surprising to me, though, was that I wasn't particularly frightened by this prospect; only worried for what had happened to you. I could only hope that you were still in my uncle's cabin, safe and out of harm's way.
I tried as I could to look around, but all I could see was a nauseating view of the ground. The scaly animal continued on its way, making grunts here and there, as did other animals of the same sort. I noticed the animals were traveling in a line, and I realized we must have been part of a larger group.
The massive draft animals continued across the grass for a long time, until I was finally positive that we were heading into a forest, most likely to find a place to camp.
From directly in front of me, which was the left side of our path, there was some sort of a loud commotion. Without warning, I suddenly heard thousands of projectiles whistling through the air. A moment later, the missiles struck the draft animals’ hard exteriors, making loud pings and bouncing harmlessly to the ground. I could hear cries of pain and then the sound of bodies as they struck the ground. More frightening, I heard ferocious growling and snarling, followed by dozens, if not hundreds, of deafening roars. All hell seemed to have broken loose.
My captors must have regrouped. I heard shouting and screaming in the strange language, what must have been the relaying of commands. The beast that carried me stopped, and, turning slightly, fell into formation with the other beasts. Once in position, they dropped to the ground, closing off any possible space beneath or between them.
Though I couldn't see much, I was still able to understand what was being done. The draft animals, with their completely scaled bodies, were forming a wall for my captors to take cover behind. I thought about how well trained and disciplined these creatures had to be. Then I thought how their owners must be equivalent in such matters. Unfortunately for me, as I was securely bound, I had no way to protect myself. I was left to lie in wait for the outcome of the battle, if I were to even survive it.
As the minutes ticked by and shots from the antagonists showered upon the make-shift wall, I somehow miraculously remained unscathed. On the ground before me, I could see piles of stunted arrows, less than a foot long, bristled with feathers on their tail ends. These were the projectiles that tormented our group in the beginning of the attack. In the tips of the arrows, I could see inch long needles, which I fearfully assumed carried lethal poison.
From behind me, and behind the beast-wall, return fire erupted out of nowhere. Simultaneously, I heard shouts, commands, being issued. The draft beasts turned ninety-degrees to the right, leaving their rear-ends facing the enemy with only a shoulder's width of space between them.
In another instant, four-toed footprints and fur-covered feet were all I could see, as my captors swept between their defensive lines to confront their antagonists head-on. Within minutes I could hear them returning, exhausted but triumphant in forcing their attackers to retreat.
All was calm then, except for the hasty increase in our walking pace.
On the ground below me, I suddenly saw the shadow of someone approaching, coming up on the back-right side of the beast I was bound to. With a sharp, shocking pain, I felt a needle enter just under my left buttock, and almost instantaneously my body became heavy and drowsy, with each attempt to stay awake becoming a greater challenge.
The last image that came into focus just before I fell asleep, the deepest sleep I think I have ever known, was the hand of the creature who had forcibly administered the injection. The hand was covered in short fur and could easily have encompassed the full circumference of a basketball. The most peculiar thing about it, though, was the number of appendages. There were four in total, not five as with the human race, and each came to a sharp point. In combat, I had no doubt that these four-fingered claws would deliver many menacing and deadly blows.
Then, all went silent.
Then, all went black.




Chapter Two
I Begin To Remember


I abruptly jumped from my sleep as my dream, so real and vivid, came to its curt end. My body was covered in sweat and my heart pounded so hard and so fast that I wasn’t sure if my chest could contain it. I was lying in a dark cell on a rough dirt floor.
During my sleep, I had found the memory I had been searching for; the one knocked so far from my mind that only this drug-induced deep sleep could give me the time to find. I knew it was somewhere in my subconscious, and now I had retrieved it as if I were living it all over again.


We were driving north in my old 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee, with the good ole classic “Johnny Be Good” playing on the radio.
"So, who else did you say was going to be there?" you asked curiously.
"Everyone," I replied, shrugging my shoulders.
"Care to elaborate?" you asked, with a smile creeping onto your beautifully freckled face.
"I invited everyone I thought you’d want there, but I don’t exactly remember which ones are definitely coming."
"Oh Jax, this is so sweet of you,” you replied, squeezing my hand. “You didn't have to do any of this. I would have been fine just getting dinner in town."
You looked so beautiful and radiant. How could a guy like me be so lucky to know you?
"I know," I said, with a wide grin of satisfaction growing on my face, "but I wanted to do something special for your birthday this year."
The plan was to bring you to the cabin where I said our friends would be meeting us. What I didn't tell you was that no one would be arriving until the afternoon of the following day, on your birthday. This night, I wanted you all to myself.
I don’t know if you've ever surmised as much, but I've been madly and incomprehensibly in love with you for years.
I know we've known each other for so long, and this whole time it's seemed like I was condemned to be just your friend. You went through boyfriend after boyfriend, never finding what you were looking for, and I just remained stagnant, pursuing relationships that would inevitably fail, hoping one day I'd have my chance to be with you. And this was it. For the first time in years, we were both available at the same time. In my mind, what better way was there then to proclaim my love for you with a special birthday weekend getaway; one in which we could be all alone in a romantic candle-lit setting.
I was finally past the fear of rejection. Though the thought was ever present, the closure that would come after finally revealing my feelings seemed a much less torturous route. To be honest, it was more of an anxiousness that I was feeling, but everything still had to be just right before I could tell you.
For a long time, I've felt some sort of intangible connection to you; one I feel you might possibly reciprocate, even though I know we've never talked about it. It's as if our brainwaves have synchronized and we share an almost telepathic means of communication. Like when I’ll wake up from a bad dream in the middle of the night and a minute later I'll receive a text message from you asking if I’m okay. Or sometimes when I go someplace far away and just happen to run into you there, as if we had planned it; I can’t recall the number of times that has happened. I couldn't explain it then, but it’s like I know our minds have somehow melted together. I like to believe we are all connected in some sort of cosmic way, but since there are so many of us out there, only those who can truly connect with each other are able to acquire the ability to synchronize minds. My theory might be kind of reaching, but I still believe we are such a pair, and I can’t help but hope you recognize it too.
"Well thank you,” you replied, leaning over and gazing at me. “We'll have to do something special for your birthday now too.” You looked ahead down the road, "I'm so excited! How much longer until we get there?"
"Not long,” I said. “Just another fifteen-minute drive after we pass the waterfalls up ahead.”
"Waterfalls!” you said excitedly. “Can we stop and see them? I love waterfalls!"
"It'll be dark by the time we get to the cabin then…"
"Does that matter?" you countered.
"I had a feeling you'd say that,” I answered. “Don't worry, I had already planned on stopping there.”
"You know me so well," you commented, happy and content.
We pulled onto a dirt road that led to a rocky parking lot in front of a three-tiered waterfall. The water cascaded down from the top of one to the base of the next, and so on. The falls dropped into a large basin enclosed by vertical rock walls that had been cut away from thousands of years of turbulent water flow, forming a completely private and secluded getaway.
We tested the water. It was too cold to swim in, but we still stayed there for a while, talking and laughing, very much enjoying our small oasis in the woods. Then, when the sun was low in the sky, we climbed up to the top of the waterfall so that we could see the sunset and watch the Northern Lights come into view.
We settled into our destination and the sunset was immediate and beautiful. The Aurora Borealis took over the night sky as we lay on our backs and gazed into the heavens.
“Do you think there’s life out there?” you asked randomly.
“Of course,” I replied matter-of-factly. “The universe is just far too vast for only our planet to have life.”
“I agree,” you replied. “I like to believe that there is something out there. It gives us new and exciting things to think about.”
At that moment, you looked intently upon the sky, taking in the beautiful rays of the magnificent light show. You looked even more beautiful than the phenomenon you were watching, and I thought this would be as good a time as any to tell you my real feelings.
I fumbled with the words in my head for a second, but finally I opened my mouth to speak, only nothing came out. All of a sudden, I was extremely nervous and my heart was beating so fast that I was sure you could hear it.
"This place is really beautiful,” you said, breaking the silence. You rolled over, half on top of me. “Thank you for bringing me here.” You squeezed me, and I hugged you back.
"Oh, you’re welcome,” I replied, somewhat flustered “Anytime. I, uh, love it up here."
I'm sure that if it hadn't been for the darkness you would have seen my face turn as red as an apple. I was all choked up and embarrassed, tripping over every word as butterflies seemingly fluttered around in my stomach.
“Should we start heading back to the car now?” you asked. “Everyone should be at the cabin by now, right?”
I stuttered, "Oh yeah, I forgot to mention it. I just got a message from everyone and they said they got the days wrong. They'll be up tomorrow afternoon…”
"So, it will just be the two of us tonight?" you asked.
"Yeah...sorry," I replied.
"Don't be. They messed up, it's not your fault," you reassured me. "And we have wine, right?"
I smiled. "Well, of course.”
"Good, the night is still young," you said with a smile. And indeed it was.
After a few more minutes, we found my jeep and made our way to the cabin. When we arrived, we rushed up the porch steps and hurried inside. I flipped the light switch, and the lights flickered on. The cured and tempered timber gave the place a pleasant smoky-wood smell, which we both enjoyed.
All alone in this remote mountain forest, we laid down next to the fireplace on the fur pelt of a large grizzly bear my uncle had taken down when I was a young boy. The fireplace had wood already stacked inside, ready for ignition. My uncle had always made it a habit to stock the fireplace before going anywhere, so that, no matter when he returned, he could quickly start a fire. I took out my trusty Zippo and sparked a flame, thinking back on my childhood.
I remembered coming to this cabin as a young boy. I had a lot of fun exploring the caverns and old mica mines. There was always work to be done too, but I didn't mind the work. Cutting and splitting wood, retrieving water from the well, hunting and cooking, trips to town for gas and other supplies, etc. Luckily, my uncle kept a gas-powered generator in the basement for the electricity. Otherwise, oil lamps were all we had.
Of all my childhood memories in these woods, the most enjoyable ones were when I learned how to hunt and shoot. I became exceedingly skilled with a rifle and sufficient with the bow and arrow as well. My uncle also taught me some useful trapping skills, like how to set a basic snare or dead fall trap, as well as how to use the stars and Sun as navigational guides. He even showed me how to find places most likely to hold fresh water, which in turn would usually lead to food. He was a huge believer in self-sustainability.
He truly was a brilliant man, my Uncle Deecan, but he liked to spend his time here in his cabin. He liked his peace and solitude. In the end, it proved to be his undoing. One day, on one of his long hunting trips from the cabin, he just went missing, and no one ever saw or heard from him again. After six months of searching, he was declared dead. The cabin had been left to me in his will. This was the first time since his disappearance that I had come to it.
On the floor in front of the fire, now lit and rolling with flames, I leaned toward you to whisper in your ear what was written for you in my heart, and then the lights went out.
"What was that?" you asked, clearly uneasy.
"It's probably the generator,” I answered. “I don't hear it anymore, so it must be out of gas or something. Let me just go down to the basement and check the fuel level. We'll break out the wine when I get back.”
I grabbed the oil lantern from above the fireplace mantle. I used my trusty Zippo lighter to light the wick, and then I adjusted the brightness.
Once downstairs, I proceeded to search for the generator in the dim light. The basement was one room that stretched the length of the cabin. The foundation, I was told, had been built inside an old cavern, with a little bit of empty space between the cement walls and the walls of the cavern. I always found this fascinating, but since there was no entrance to the extra space, I never had the opportunity to explore it.
The stairs opened up in the middle of the basement, so I turned left and continued in a circle around them until I found the generator in the northeast corner. It was out of gas, so I refilled the tank, pumped the generator, flipped the switch, and the machine roared to life. It took a moment for the lights to flicker back on, and before they did I noticed some sort of bluish-green light coming from behind the generator. It wasn’t noticeable once the cabin was re-illuminated, but being inquisitive in nature, I decided to make a quick inspection.
I crouched next to the generator and examined the wall behind it, checking for any cracks or holes. In the shadow of the generator, I was able to see a decent size fracture in the wall, with about a two-inch gap, glowing with a bluish-green light.
When I touched the wall, it broke away and crumbled to pieces, forcing a cloud of cement dust into my eyes and lungs. I coughed violently for a minute, shaking my head and trying to wipe the dust from my eyes.
Once I was able to see again, I saw the breach was large enough for a person to fit through. I could see the odd light glowing on the cavern walls. It looked like a reflection of the northern lights above, somehow seeping into the cavern.
My curiosity was getting the better of me; I wanted to see how this marvel was even possible, and why no one had discovered it earlier. I took a step through the breach and stood inside the cavern. My footsteps echoed as I turned and walked toward the fading bluish-green light. I rounded a corner and the light finally vanished, leaving me in complete and utter darkness. Then, to my surprise, I heard voices.
Voices, down here? I thought, bemused.
I tip-toed silently toward the voices, trying to be as stealthy as possible…and walked straight into a wall, causing me to fall hard on the ground. I quickly regained my footing, hoping whoever was down here, doing whatever it was they were doing, had not heard my clumsy approach. I don’t know why, probably one of those intuitive feelings people sometimes get, but somehow I knew whoever was down here was not someone I wanted to run into. In retrospect, I probably should have turned around right then and there, but we both know it's not within my nature to walk away from a mystery.
I couldn’t understand any of it. Where were the voices coming from if the path before me was blocked by a solid wall of rock? And how did they get in there? I was utterly perplexed and almost ready to turn back, to feel my way back to the basement, when a bright white light shone through a small crevice in the rock wall. But then it, too, disappeared and there was nothing except pitch blackness again. I felt foolish for leaving my lantern on the ground by the generator.
I peered through the tiny crevice and found the source of the echoing voices. Two men dressed in identical clothing stood within a large chamber, conversing in the strangest English accents I'd ever heard. It was as if they were unaccustomed to speaking the language. I couldn't tell what nationality they were, though.
I was suddenly drawn from my thoughts when the light, which came from metallic cuffs on their forearms, shone in my direction. I ducked back from the crevice as quickly and quietly as I could. I tried to stay in the shadows, but they must have been moving toward the crevice, for the area that the light encompassed grew on my side of the wall. Then, to my utter disbelief, I saw the rock wall split at the crevice and receded into itself, as if it was being pushed aside like a window curtain! I jumped back out of view, flabbergasted by what I had just witnessed. It was unbelievable! I knew what my eyes had seen but my mind was incapable of comprehending what had happened.
“These can’t be the correct coordinates, can they?” asked one of them, the taller of the two.
“This is where Orric has sent us,” the other replied, “and we do not question the will of our noble and holy protector.”
“I just don’t believe this is where he meant to send us,” said the taller one.
“Orric is infallible,” the other snapped.
Before either ushered another syllable, they stopped dead in their tracks, staring directly at me. I didn’t move, hoping beyond hope that I was somehow invisible. They quickly looked at each other with raised eye brows, clearly surprised, and then one aimed his light at me.
I turned and ran at full speed, knocking into the walls as I rounded the corner into darkness, but suddenly my feet lost traction. It was like I was stuck in a dream, trying to run but I couldn’t propel myself forward. Please just be a dream. I tried harder but began to float backwards. I was being pulled by an invisible force, right back to them.
I looked over my shoulder, and the shorter man was aiming his arm at me, the one with the arm cuff. I wondered what the hell that thing could be, but then all around my body I was struck by an intense, crippling pressure.
“What are you doing?” shouted the taller one in protest.
“It will do us no good leaving any witnesses,” said the shorter one.
I couldn’t move, couldn’t even breathe. My body was being crushed together from every direction. It was the worst pain I’ve ever felt in my life, and at that moment I would rather have died than bare it any longer.
“We are of the same DNA,” the taller man argued. “We cannot just kill our cousin!”
“Orric won’t mind,” said the smaller man, enjoying his torment.
“I mind!” shouted the taller man. He lunged for the smaller man’s cuff, and they struggled back and forth, one with the advantage and then the other. I dropped unexpectedly to the ground and twisted my ankle. I tried to get up and immediately went back down.
“Get off me!” roared the smaller man, breaking loose from his comrade’s grasp and pushing him away forcefully. He pressed a button on his cuff, and I was instantly paralyzed again, forced hard against the ground.
“Can’t you see what’s going on here, or are you still as naive as an infant?” asked the taller man. “Orric isn’t our protector. He, the Council, and the rest of them are just using us. They aren’t gods! They just have all the power! We shouldn’t be hurting this man! We have the choice! We don’t need to do what the Scynthians want! We can rise up and make a stand, but it needs to start here!”
“Blasphemy!” cried the other.
Without hesitation, he lunged toward the taller man with a dagger that had come from nowhere. The taller man threw up his hands, gripping the other by the wrists high above their heads, but was struck in the ribs by a savage knee, and then to the face, sending him reeling backwards to the ground. The smaller man walked forward triumphantly and dragged his companion to a standing position. He forced the dagger up under the man's rib cage and twisted hard.
The taller man looked his companion in the eye and tried to say something, but blood gurgled out instead and he began to choke. A smile played across his face, and then the room filled with the magnificent bluish-green light again, blinding them both from sight.
The rock wall around the tunnel snapped shut, closing us inside, and the invisible force on my body instantly went away. I could finally breathe again. I struggled to my feet, using one hand to shield my eyes from the light. When it finally dissipated, I saw the taller man lying on the floor, but the smaller man had inexplicably vanished.
Without another moment’s thought, I rushed forward. I made it to the man and turned his head toward me. Blood spilled from his mouth as I rolled over his limp body to check for a pulse, but I couldn‘t find one. He was dead.
I didn’t know the man, but he had stuck up for me, and I couldn’t help but be affected by his death. Not just his though; any death really. Some might miss-construe this as a sign of weakness, but, in my experiences, expressing one’s emotions can sometimes be among the most difficult things to do.
I put my hand over his heart and did the only thing I could think of; something I had heard once at a funeral.
“May your soul rest in peace and your body provide new life, and know, brother, that you are loved and will always be remembered.”
Wiping the tears from my eyes, I contemplated what to do next. I ran through my most recent memories and recalled the bright white lights they had used. Maybe I could use them to find another way out. My thoughts then turned to the metallic cuff upon the deceased’s forearm. This was where the lights had come from. Thinking that this was my best hope, I attempted to remove the cuff from the fallen victim, but it gave me strong resistance. I felt around for a button that might disengage the cuff from its owner, and found a raised bump on its edge. I heard a click, and then the cuff released its hold on the nameless-departed’s flesh.
“Sorry,” I said aloud.
I took the strange cuff and placed it on my forearm. With a terrific shock, I felt a series of pricks, akin to needles sliding into my flesh, locking the cuff in place. It hurt, and I frantically tried to pull it off, but that only made my arm hurt even more. I tried pressing the same raised bump too, but the cuff remained locked on me.
I stood dumbfounded, feeling like I had stepped into some kind of sci-fi novel. I wished I had some light to work with, and the cuff instantly produced the same white light that it had earlier. Now, for the first time, I was able to see the entire cave. I gazed upon the full chamber, some fifty feet across with a dome-shaped ceiling cresting about twenty-five feet above my head. The entire interior of the chamber was encrusted with mica, a reflective mineral common in this area. In the direct center of the domed ceiling there was a circular aperture. This must have been the avenue of escape for the other man. From where I was, I judged this must be exactly where our well was. Then I saw in the aperture, high in the ceiling, the stones that lined its bottom.
How can this be? I thought, completely bewildered. How can any of this be?
The well had never been a deep one, and drew its water from the rain absorbed by the ground and captured in pockets inside the dense, rocky terrain of the mountains. During droughts, one would occasionally have to obtain water from the nearby lake. But how could this place be here? Then I recalled all that had just transpired and decided it was beyond my abilities to calculate.
I walked to the center of the chamber, looking up through the well and into the night sky. All I could see were waves of colors from the Northern Lights, easily over-shadowing the stars.
I noticed a flash of light as a small rectangular screen appeared on the cuff, with three lights on each side of the screen. Curious, I pressed the top left of these lights to see what it might do. What happened next would change my life forever.
A beam of bluish-green light shot down through the well, hitting the ground where I stood. It fully encompassed me with some kind of transparent bubble, and I tried to break my way out of this bubble, but it was as strong as titanium. The bubble then shot up through the well and carried me off into the night sky.




Chapter Three
I Arrive; I Arrive Again


I looked ahead from inside the bubble and saw that the bluish-green beam of light extended toward the moon, bending close around it. I thought that if I passed this close to the moon, then its gravitational force would surely kill me, but my body continued to feel weightless as the moon’s pull sling-shot me around.
I was out of Earth’s atmosphere, but somehow I could still breathe. I bounced around inside the bubble, afraid for my life. I quickly realized, however, that if I broke the bubble, I would be released into outer space and die horribly. I tried to calm myself, but I still shook with fright.
My path now approached the right side of the Sun. The stars around me seemed to elongate as I neared the Sun and my speed accelerated out of control. I must have been approaching the speed of light, yet the G-forces that should have ripped my insides out and the lack of air that should have crippled my lungs went unfelt. It must have been the bubble that drew me along inside the beam, like some sort of car traveling at light-speed on a solar highway. The beam bent around the Sun, hugging it even closer than it had the moon. Still my body maintained a comfortable, weightless feeling as my speed increased exponentially until it seemed like I was one with the light; traveling with the light particles as they moved through the empty space. Then, out of nowhere, I was blinded by another magnificent flash of light.
I emerged through a literal tear in space, revealing a new world lined with new planets and new stars. This would have boggled the minds of scientists and enthusiasts on Earth, and I was truly in awe.
I could see the beam’s inexplicable and abrupt termination at an empty point in space up ahead. As I approached the endpoint, I drew in a long breath, preparing for the worst. Then my body passed through some sort of invisible barrier and right in front of me was a small planet!
I looked behind me through the bubble but saw only empty space.
Where the hell had this planet come from? I thought it must have been some massive camouflaging system that projected the images from behind it to its front, in an infinite number of angles, to make it seem as if there was no planet there at all. Or, perhaps, the light was being bent around the planet in a way that rendered it invisible. Either way, it was a marvelous feat; an entire planet hidden from the naked eye. The only way one would find this planet would be by complete accident.
My path brought me toward a mass of shining towers, designed like the spiraling double-helix of a DNA strand. At the tops of these towers were large disk-like rooftops. I descended toward the towers, and my speed gradually started decreasing. On the flat, circular rooftops, I could see strange aircraft landing and departing. I couldn’t see the ground, however, only a layer of cloud blocking its view. My path seemed to take me toward the tallest of the towers.
I winced as I approached the structure, thinking I would crash into its roof and be pulverized into a carbon-based pile of goop, but I was gladly mistaken.
My speed steadily decreased as I approached the rooftop of the magnificent structure. I figured I was still traveling somewhere in the realm of five hundred miles per hour, at least. Moments before impact, I let go of the breath I had held for so long. Miraculously, my body slipped through a small aperture in the roof, roughly the same size as the one in the cavern chamber on Earth. Just before smashing into the floor inside the building, the bubble stopped short, leaving me levitating several feet above a raised platform in the center of an entirely white room.
I looked around and saw the room contained only a tall, white podium. There was a small window in one of the walls, which rested high off the floor, and through which only more white could be seen.
The bubble suddenly dissipated, and I fell unnaturally hard to the floor.
It was hard to breathe at first, and my body immediately felt a tremendous compacting pressure keeping me down. I attributed this to a potential change in gravity or pressure, but that didn’t make sense since this planet seemed to be much smaller than our Earth. I then considered the possibility that this planet was made of some sort of element that was denser than ours, or perhaps it used artificial gravity.
Barely able to rise to a hunch-back position, and partially using my arms to keep myself upright, I felt as if I were an ape on Earth. I recalled the men in the cavern chamber. They didn’t seem different from me, at least not in their outward appearances, but, then again, they must have been born on this world and were well adapted to the planet. Then I thought of the one they had referred to as Orric. What role did he play in all of this?
My body was beginning to adjust to the new planet and I was finally able to stand upright without much difficulty. My thoughts were irrational and not fully complete, but my body continued to function so that I could do whatever I needed to in order to return home.
I pushed aside my fearful thoughts and made my way to the podium. Perhaps it was a transport terminal and I could send myself back the way I came. I saw it has a viewing screen like a computer, and my hopes began to rise. After several minutes of searching, though, I failed to discover any means to turn it on. I turned my attention to the cuff I wore, but the screen was blank. Nothing was going my way.
I went to where the window was in the wall and looked through it, finding a large corridor that stretched out of sight to the right and left. I rubbed my hand along the smooth wall, hoping to find a door seam, but came across nothing. Then, as I was removing my hand, a light flashed on the wall where it had lain. There must have been some sort of motion sensor, because just then a portal opened up before me. It happened the same way the rock wall had opened back in the cave; receding into itself as it opened from the center. To explain it a little better, imagine a jail cell with vertical iron bars. Now imagine prying apart two adjacent bars to form a larger gap between them. This would take tremendous force to accomplish, and is only possible since there is empty space on either side of each bar, giving it room to move. This is exactly what the wall had done, but there was no space to work with, so the wall must have literally compressed into itself.
I stepped through the impossible opening, looking in both directions and seeing nothing but white walls and an endless, curving corridor. Faced with the dilemma of choosing which direction I should go, I stuck with my patented hunting plan; when in doubt, go right. It was random, but worked surprisingly well for some reason.
I walked along the corridor without seeing a single soul. The word peculiar hardly epitomized the situation. My stomach churned with an unfamiliar and incredibly anxious feeling. What would I find? What would I learn? Who would I encounter? The seconds of intense anticipation that passed in silence felt more like hours ticking by slowly.
I continued on, passing several hallways, but still no sign of life. Where were the people of this world?
To my left, another portal automatically opened in the wall. I jumped back at first, but then leaned my head inside curiously, not quite sure what I was looking at. The room was partly comprised of mechanical terminals, like the one in the first room, only attached to them were long, thick wires of two distinct colors; red and blue. The wires led up to the ceiling and the two colors branched off, circling the room several times over. The wires wove in and out of a strange wall, which looked eerily like living tissue. In the far corner was a giant vat, and beside it was a glass tube filled with some kind of bluish-green fluid; both connected by the blue and red wires.
I was suddenly aware of footsteps coming from behind me. I turned around and saw two very large individuals coming my way, each wearing a purple cloak that concealed their features. They spoke to me in a strange tongue, and, when I failed to produce a response, they growled impatiently. I tried to explain myself to them, but, to my dismay, they too could not understand me. Then they grabbed hold of me simultaneously. I tried to break away from their grasp, but they carried me down the hall with ease, despite my struggles.
They brought me to a room and strapped me to a medical bed. Though I knew they could not understand me, my will to fight and live kept my mouth chattering away. It was too late that I realized this was only aggravating them further. One of them forced a gag down my throat, and then they left the room.
A leathery skinned individual wearing a medical face mask stood alone in the room with me. The face mask concealed most of its face, but I could still see that it had black, beady eyes and some kind of fin-like protrusion sticking out from the top of its head. Here it was; a living, breathing alien. My gaze then shifted from its head to its hand as it came toward me with a dripping syringe.
I tried to scream, but the gag proved effective. The physician injected me with the needle’s contents, and my heart began to beat faster and stronger, while my body tingled with energy. It then reached for an instrument on a nearby table and started toward me with it.
I tried with all my might to break my bonds, but they held strong as the physician approached me with a scalpel steady in its hand. It came dangerously close to my chest, when a voice rang out inside the room. The words were indecipherable to me, but they must have had some sort of significance since the blade ceased its progression.
The portal to the room opened and in walked a figure completely concealed by a thin grey robe. The figure motioned for the physician to exit, which it did, muttering something under its breath and sounding annoyed.
The newcomer removed its hood and a horrid looking creature was revealed. It was bald, with the exception of a small crest that ran from its forehead to the back of its neck. The creature bore no nose. Instead, it had two vertical slits where the nose should have been. Its skin was hard and leathery, like that of a rhino. The ears on this creature were small and fin like, with what could only be a set of gills behind each. As I stared at the creature, it too stared back with scrutinizing black eyes that never blinked.
Then it spoke.
The voice was soft and gentle, consoling almost, but still utterly indistinguishable. Seeing consternation on my face, she removed the gag from my mouth and then pointed to the cuff on my arm, gesturing for me to let her see it. I haven’t the faintest clue what she did to it, but the device instantly sprang to life. She quickly sped through a series of prompts, and then a jolt of electricity coursed through my body. She again tried to speak to me, and this time her voice was as clear as day and the words she spoke fell into order in my mind, allowing me a fluent understanding of the language.
“There, that is better now isn’t it?” she asked tenderly.
"What the hell is going on? Where am I? How did I get h-"
"Calm down, relax. I am a friend. I am here to help," she replied calmly.
I was almost hyperventilating and had to work hard to control my breaths. "What did you do to me? What did it do to me?" I demanded.
"It’s...complicated. But all you need to know is that you are safe now," she said.
"I'm anything but safe!” I replied. “I can't trust any of you things!”
“But I am the only option you have if you wish to return home,” she replied with admirable patience.
I said nothing.
“Here, cover yourself with this,” she said, and handed me a robe from a nearby table. “You will blend in better with this on, but do not speak, for your accent will reveal your true identity as quickly as your clothing did.”
She touched a series of buttons on the metal cuff again. When she finished, the device morphed into a perfect camouflage, blending into my arm, just like the technology I had seen around the planet. “This, too, will help, for we do not permit our humans to wear these devices while not on assignment.” She looked to the doorway, “Stay here while I fetch my two servants. When I return with them, we will all proceed toward the transport room with you between the three of us to further mask your Earthly behaviors. Understood?”
“I understand,” I replied. I think I was in shock.
With that, she exited the room. Several anxious minutes went by, and I began to doubt the truthfulness of her words. Yes, she had stepped in to stop the physician from slicing me open, but I knew nothing about her or what her underlying intentions might be. It was too hard for me to believe that she rescued me just because she pitied me.
The door slid open, and a resurgence of hope filled my body. Maybe she was in fact true to her words. Maybe she would get me home, back to you.
I looked to the doorway and, to my dismay, I was greeted by a small group of cloaked beings. The leader, a massive creature towering well over ten feet in height, stepped forward and shoved me into the hallway. Forming a tight circle around me, they led me through a labyrinth of hallways and doors, until finally we came to a set of grand chamber doors. I was pushed through the doors forcefully and brought to the center of a circular room, to stand beside the very alien I had so recently encountered.
My blood boiled as I stared at her. She built up my hope only to have it shattered into a million pieces in an instant. What a cruel joke.
In the few seconds that I had been caught up in my own emotion, I had failed to realize that the two of us were not alone. We were surrounded by a large number of similar aliens, all sitting high on pedestals in a circle around the room. I felt like I was standing in front of some type of jury or council, and I swallowed hard at the prospect.
All were silent until I realized they were there. Then one spoke with a booming voice.
“You think we do not know all that transpires on this world, Nadina?" it asked.
“No, my Lord, I was simply trying-”
“SIMPLY trying to interpose in the matters of the council,” one of the others interjected. “Do you know what you could have done?”
“He is stupid and ignorant, my Lady,” replied the female defendant. “What harm could be done by returning him to his world. He knows nothing, and his people would call him a raving lunatic for talk of aliens and other worlds.”
“You think too small,” chimed in another of the creatures, this one behind us. “You know the delicate fabric of our people. We are but a few, and we cannot afford to show weakness or leniency. Our people need strong, decisive leadership.”
“Yes, my Lord, I understand but-” and again she was interrupted.
“But nothing!” announced the first of the aliens to have spoken. There was a lot of emotion in its voice, and it alone showed this emotion while the others remained docile. Its voice resonated with anger, but when I glanced up at it, its expression was one akin to hurt. It quickly regained its calm and readied itself to speak again.
“This is not a hearing,” it said. “This is a sentencing, for you know your crimes, Nadina. Since you wish to ally yourself with this inferior brute, he shall share your fate, along with your human servants. I hereby ex-communicate you from Scynthia, to be banished for eternity to the planet Tatora. It is decided!”
“But Father!” Nadina shouted, clearly surprised by the outcome. Her father had already turned his back on her though.
We were quickly ushered out of the chamber and taken to the transport room, which was the same room I had first appeared in. We were thrown into the center of the room, and then two human females dressed in skin-tight gowns of white silk were pushed through the doorway as well.
The guards stood to the side as their massive leader walked to the computer terminal. I thought perhaps this was Orric. He took out a metal key, of a color I had never seen; new and indescribable. He inserted the key into the machine and a moment later all four of us captives were trapped in the familiar blue bubble.
“Thuric, no! Please, don’t!” screamed the Scynthian, Nadina. “You used to love me! Please do not do this to me! It’s like you always said; they hunger for the power. We cannot let them do this! Please!”
“My dear,” said Thuric, with an evil smile on his wretched face. “This has all been part of my plan. I know your weaknesses, along with those of the Council. They will soon fall, and I will rise to power! You had your chance to be with me, but you sealed your fate long ago. Now you will perish far from your home, all alone. Farewell, Nadina.”
With that, the bubble that encased us shot up and slipped through the aperture in the ceiling. The bubble flew through the sky, again following its bluish-green beam of light, but this time in a different direction.
We sped through the camouflage barrier, none of us breathing a word to each other. I think what had just occurred was still being processed by all.
A large round shape emerged in front of us, and I got my first glimpse of the planet wherein lie our destination. It seemed about the same size of the earth, perhaps slightly smaller, but still much bigger than Scynthia. We started to slow down and entered the planet's atmosphere.
I realized we were headed toward an enormous landscape made up of flat grassland stretching for miles in every direction. In one area, I could see a thick patch of forest too.
Our steady beam of light was suddenly severed by a sparking explosion above us. In the same instant, a rain-drop shaped aircraft materialized out of thin air at the sight of the explosion, sputtering and smoking. It must have been camouflaged, and had the side of its hull partially vaporized when it struck the beam of light. It quickly fell from the sky on a slanted angle and plowed into the field below.
With the beam of light severed, our bubble popped in the sky nearly twenty feet from the ground. We dropped without warning and hit the ground with too much force. I rolled my ankle, and when I tried to stand, I discovered I couldn't put any weight on it. Instead, I lay there staring at the sky, and then at the aircraft that had broken the beam, now lying half buried in the dirt.
A moment later I heard one of the servants scream. I turned to learn why, but, unfortunately for me, I was struck hard by an unknown adversary in the left temple and was knocked unconscious.


It was after this blow that I had awoken to the individuals surrounding me, only to be rendered unconscious again, and later stuck with the needle that forced me into a comatose-like state. This series of violent thrashes and strains on my brain had left me without the memory of the aforementioned events, but during this dream I had recovered them.
Now, I found myself locked away without the faintest clue as to how much time had elapsed since I was last awake. I had no knowledge of where the Scynthian female and her servants were, or if they were even alright. I was left to wait inside the dark cell, pondering equally dark thoughts.




Chapter Four
I Make A Friend


I discovered I wasn’t the only one in the cell.
To my left sat a skinny blue alien. He was tall and completely hairless, with rubbery looking skin. In the dim lighting, I could see he had an elongated skull and a large wrinkle in the center of his forehead.
He looked at me as curiously as I looked at him. I went to stand up, and he backed away. He was extremely apprehensive.
Not knowing if he would understand me, I decided to attempt to communicate with him. There was so much I needed to know; so many questions I needed answered.
I was about to speak, but he stole the opportunity.
"You are a human, aren't you?" he asked.
"Yes, I am,” I replied, surprised that he knew. “I'm sorry, you have me at somewhat of a disadvantage…”
"I guess a proper greeting is in order,” he offered. “My name is Demtrius, of the planet Dotara, acting Captain aboard the Aramis, of his majesty's royal fleet.”
"Jaxon Grey...of Earth," I replied, reaching to shake his hand. He drew back affronted, not sure what I was trying to do. I should have thought first; his customs might be entirely different from our Earthly ones.
"I was just trying to shake your hand," I explained.
"Why would you want to do that?" he asked.
"That is how humans greet one another," I replied.
"How peculiar,” he mused.
"How did you know I'm a human, by the way?" I asked.
"We Dotarans take pride in being well educated and informed," he said.


Demtrius and I sat and talked for a long time, getting to know one another. Demtrius was rather formal, and we didn’t delve into too much, but I still learned a great deal about our present circumstances. With all that had gone on, it was pleasant to speak with someone friendly.
Demtrius used his finger to draw a crude map on the cell floor. "This is Tatora," he said, "or at least as much of it as our recognizance ships have been able to map. This," he said, pointing to the east side of the large continent, “is where we were taken captive. I’m not sure of our exact location, but it is somewhere within this great jungle, possibly near Aanthora; one of the continent’s more advanced cities. Now, all the way on the other side of the land is where my ship, the Aramis, is stationed. It is so far north and west that most natives aren't even aware there’s land there. The only way to the ship is over an ice bridge. It's completely inaccessible during two-thirds of the year because the ice is melted. It is almost time for the bridge to form again, however. The only problem is the distance. There are thousands of miles between here and there, and the native Tatorans that lie in the way are not known for their affability.”
"What are they like?" I asked.
“A very fascinating species, to say the least,” he replied. "The best description I can give you is a very strong and very intelligent bipedal race, covered with fur and fitted with razor-sharp claws. They have four appendages on their hands and feet, unlike our five, and their biology only gets more peculiar from there.” He was talking very animated now. “You see, from what I've gathered, the Tatorans have three genders. They are born gender-neutral and remain so until they mature into adulthood. At that point, some become males and some become females, in a sense. A better description would be dominants and non-dominants. They look very similar, but the males develop manes during puberty and tend to grow slightly larger than the females. In rare cases, though, a Tatoran won't receive a gender assignment and will remain gender-neutral. I'm not sure why it happens like this. The complexity is simply astounding.”
“You're so passionate,” I observed with amusement.
“The medical field has always been a bit of a hobby for me,” he replied.
The door suddenly swung open and a burly Tatoran came in bearing bowls of food and water. We stopped speaking and watched the beast walk into the room. He was about eight feet tall and probably weighed a good four hundred pounds. Aside from his four-fingered hands, he was completely covered in fur and had the fierce face of a lion. He had a wavy brown mane and tight-knit fur of a slightly lighter brown. He also had a small patch of white fur in the center of his chest. His countenance was hard and entirely unwelcoming.
This seemed as good a time as any.
"Excuse me, sir, I have a question I was hoping you'd be kind enough to answer," I said, but he just looked at me with the same hard and uncompromising look. I continued anyway, "We have committed no crimes and broken no laws that we’re aware of, so why have we been imprisoned here?”
His demeanor was relentless and showed no sign of any understanding or care. He placed the food and water bowls on the ground, growled at us, and then turned and left, closing the door behind him and locking it with a key.
I raced to the bowls. I was extremely hungry and didn't know the frequency with which we would receive these small meals. I smelled the bowl of gruel and drew back in disgust, yet I still tipped the bowl and sucked some down my throat. It went down like slime and didn't taste much better, but it was food and would hopefully satisfy my empty stomach.
Eventually, Demtrius crawled to the bowls as well and fed, which must have been a very degrading act, for he would not look at me for a short while afterward.
After we fed, we talked for hours. I told him my entire adventure in detail and he listened intently. At its conclusion, he stared at me at length. "It seems the Scynthian scum are up to their old games," he said. "I should have known they were involved the moment I saw you. Your species is decades away from discovering trans-dimensional travel."
"You still haven't explained how you know so much about my people, and about the Scynthians, too, for that matter," I said.
"I guess no harm would come from telling you," he said. "My ship, the Aramis, was of an entirely new breed; a class all of its own. We had just embarked upon her maiden voyage. Our mission was to make contact with another species using our newly developed long-distance communication system and a specially-designed propulsion system that our fair Captain helped to invent. We had luck early on in our voyage and contacted our first alien species, the Scynthians. They seemed very eager and excited to meet us, as we were with them. The Scynthians showed us their vast stores of information, among which were pictures and information regarding various intelligent species. Your race was listed as a developing world, while my race and the Scynthians were listed as developed worlds."
"At first, everything was going well,” Demtrius continued. “We learned from them, and they from us. Being so far from Dotara, however, left us vulnerable. We underestimated the ambition of the Scynthians and soon found ourselves captives aboard our own ship. A Scynthian, known as Phrail, then came to us. He was charged with our extermination. My Captain, however, offered up himself and his services to the Scynthians in order to save the crew. I will never be able to thank him for his bravery. After irreparably disabling the Aramis' propulsion system, Phrail took our captain to his ship. The next thing we saw was a magnificent blue light that engulfed the entire vessel. When the light finally dissipated, we found ourselves on this new world, Tatora. Our ship was no longer capable of making it out of the atmosphere, and our resources were already extremely limited. We tried to gain assistance from the native Tatorans, but war seemed to be the only thing on their minds. We have been trapped here ever since."
"So even if we were able to make it to your ship, there's no guarantee that anyone could get me back to Earth?" I asked.
"I'm afraid not," said Demtrius, "but your chances would be considerably higher there."
"You're probably right," I replied, "but we're trapped down here in this dungeon. We'll never be able to escape, unless your shipmates are somehow able to rescue us.”
“I wouldn’t count on it,” said Demtrius. “They might not be aware that I’m still alive. Even if they are and they were able to find the crash site, we could be anywhere inside the great jungle by now. They wouldn’t know where to start and would be reluctant to send valuable crewmen into dangerous enemy territory.”
“Your aircraft isn’t fitted with some sort of tracking device?” I asked.
“It was destroyed when I struck the beam of light that transported you here,” he replied. “Most of it vaporized instantly, along with my communication capabilities.”
“So then what do we do?” I asked desperately.
Demtrius sat thinking. “We must be patient; for now, at least.”


We remained alone in our cell for immeasurable lengths of time. With the coming and going of the guard but every once in a while to the dimly-lit, windowless cell, time was imperceptible. Judging by the number of times we were fed between having our waste buckets emptied, we surmised that every time the waste bucket was replaced marked a new day. Using this method for time keeping, we estimated we had been held for sixteen days so far.
Something had to give.




Chapter Five
I Learn My Fate, And More


With no knowledge of what dangers lay ahead, we devised a poor plan of escape. The guard who fed us seemed more at ease in his post as of late. He would often get extremely close to us, turning his back on us and leaving the keys within arms’ reach. It was as if he was inviting a confrontation.
When he opened the cell door, Demtrius and I both lay absolutely still, attempting to convince the guard that we had passed out or died. After he put down the food and water bowls, he came to check on us. We waited until he was standing directly over us, then, simultaneously, Demtrius and I sprang to life and pulled him to the ground. We got to our feet and ran for the door, but the guard had managed to grab each of us by our ankles before we could make a move. We struggled, but then fell to the ground. We were nothing compared to his strength.
He stood up and tossed me aside like I was a doll. I slammed into the rock wall at the back of the cell. Jagged rocks cut and bruised me in a dozen places.
Demtrius, with astonishing speed, had spun around the guard's forearm and scratched the guard across the face, leaving three parallel slashes down and across his right cheek. The massive guard reeled back in pain, throwing his hand to his face. He peered at us through his fingers with evident malice, and then backed out of the cell, slamming the door shut and leaving us to ourselves once again.
After that, we were too weak and starved to fathom another attempt or even create an alternative plan. We decided, rather, to conserve our energy and wait for the day when our fate would be decided.
It was then that I noticed my scrapes and bruises had mysteriously healed somehow; no scar, nothing. I thought back to the physician and the needle he stuck me with. What had he done to me?


Sometime later, I was stirred from my sleep by the cell door opening. I presumed it was time for another feeding, but I was mistaken. Three guards entered our cell, all with trimmed manes, and one of them carried a bundle of shackles. All three had swords slung about their waists and sheathed daggers hung on a single strap crossing each of their chests. Strapped to their backs were longbows and a quiver of arrows each.
They placed the shackles on us so that our hands were bound together, as were our feet, and then they added a length of chain running between the two. I couldn't raise my hands higher than my waist. The guards led us into the hallway, and it was very awkward and difficult to walk confined as we were.
We followed a dimly lit corridor past many closed, windowless doors until we finally came to a large metal door. One of the guards unlocked the door and we continued into an empty room. The guard then closed the door, which blended seamlessly into the wall.
One of the guards drew his sword and tapped the ceiling in the center of the room three times with the tip. One of the ceiling panels shifted and was removed by someone on the other side, revealing a small room above the one we were in. We were handed up to another group of three guards, who manned the other side of this panel, and they all had trimmed manes as well.
The new room was circular with carved-out wooden walls. Above us was a ladder system running straight up a vertical shaft.
The three guards below us pulled themselves up through the panel. When the last one was through, the panel was closed, once again leaving its compartment hidden.
The length of chain running from our hands to our feet was removed. Three guards began climbing the ladder, and then we were motioned to follow. Demtrius began to climb first and I followed just under him. The three remaining guards then started their ascent as well.
It wasn’t a very difficult climb, even with the cuffs still on me, and I slowly made my way up the ladder. Below me, I could see the last guard start on the ladder. As he climbed, he retrieved the wooden pegs that we climbed on, thus preventing anyone in the lower section from escaping. He handed them up one by one to his two companions just above him. All three of them had bags slung over their shoulders, to assist in carrying the pegs.
The three guards above us made it to the first destination rather quickly, well over a hundred feet from where we began, where a hatch-door blocked our progression upward. I was very much exhausted by the time we made it here, but they didn’t give us any time to rest.
One of the guards spun the handle and pushed it up on the hatch, revealing yet another carved-out wooden room. There was more ladder running above us in this room too, with the same type of removable wooden pegs. We didn't climb these just yet, however. Instead, we waited for the last guard to finish his ascent, removing the last peg behind him and closing the hatch securely.
We were positioned in front of the six guards and the length of chain was added back to our shackles, preventing Demtrius and me from raising our hands above our waists. One of the guards, whom I presumed to be the highest-ranking member among them, stepped forward and prepared to speak. He wore three emeralds on his weapons harness, while the others wore only one or two, and his voice started with a low growl. "You are to follow us without resistance and remain silent. Look straight ahead and keep your steps measured at a quick pace. You may only speak when given permission. Do you understand what is expected of you?" His voice was harsh and guttural.
"Yes," I replied, "but I'm not sure if my friend does. Let me relay your instructions to him in his own tongue."
"Very well," growled the guard.
I informed Demtrius of what had been said, and he nodded his head to confirm his understanding.
The guards all strung their bows, and each of them placed an arrow on their string. The lead guard then opened a door in the wall, shedding fresh light from the outside world into our cramped compartment. I was momentarily blinded by the sudden brightness, but my eyes quickly adjusted as we stepped through the doorway.
For the first time in weeks, I took in the fresh and exhilarating air of this world. We stood high in the trees, on a platform of branches that were literally grown together to form a sturdy, gapless walkway through the upper canopy of the dense jungle. I would later learn that the Tatorans are able to manipulate the tree growth, along with several other types of plants, forming whatever shapes they desire. They can also somehow accelerate the plants’ growth rates and make magnificent natural structures that blend in seamlessly with their environment. This is one of the greatest achievements of the Tatorans; a secret known only to the Aanthorans.
The platform extended over a hundred yards and terminated at the base of a large building. As we traversed this walkway, I saw no avenue for escape. Below us, all I could see was the dense foliage, effectively obstructing our view of the jungle floor, and also acting as camouflage to conceal the structures grown above. There was only one direction to go; forward.
We passed straight through large trees that stood as support beams for the walkway. It really was quite spectacular how the growth patterns of the branches arched from tree to tree, yet still created the flat surface upon which we walked. The passage through each tree was clearly Tatoran-made, carved out by hand, and the trees grew around the walkway, bulging outward from the trunk. The entire structure was nothing less than a spectacular accomplishment on the part of the Tatorans, far surpassing anything of the sort back on Earth.
I looked back once and saw that we had also emerged from a giant tree. The Tatorans had hollowed the trunk and converted it into a ladder that led to their underground dungeon. I knew then that there would most likely be other tunnels like this, leading to either the ground or to more passages below. The cleverness of the four-fingered, lion-faced beasts was surprising indeed.
Then I was struck from behind.
"Eyes front," growled a guard.
I again faced forward.
The foliage only allowed bits and pieces of the jungle to be seen, but I still saw a great deal. Birds of different sizes and exotic colors flew from branch to branch, singing and chirping. Some perched above us and watched us as we walked. I also saw strange, over-sized animals and insects roaming the trees. Giant spiders half the size of a human dangling from their webs; rodents as big as hogs scurrying down trees; snakes as thick as telephone poles coiled around limbs; centipedes larger than alligators hiding in the bark grooves. From somewhere below, I heard the bellowing of a frog, and off in the distance came the roar of a jungle cat.
If these creatures lurked just outside the perimeter of this city, I could only wonder what dangers lay deep within the jungle, away from the safety of civilization.
We were almost upon the wooden building when my ears caught the sound of a low, concentrated buzzing noise. I hadn’t the faintest idea what it was, and figured it was nothing. Unfortunately, I was again mistaken.
“Do you hear that?” asked a guard behind me.
“Hear what?” replied one of his comrades.
“That sound. It’s subtle, but sounds almost like a…Wait! I know that sound! Hurry to the doors!” said the perceptive guard with a sudden sense of urgency.
Just then, we saw a swarm of giant wasps emerge from under the platform on our rear. The massive, hawk-sized insects approached, flying ferociously fast, clearly intent upon our group.
Without hesitation, our guards sprang into action, raising their bows and releasing arrow after feathered arrow into the densely packed swarm. Almost instantly, six large wasps fell from the air, each struck with an arrow protruding from the center of their thoraxes, but still the dense configuration came our way, undeterred by the loss in numbers.
A moment later, six more dropped from the sky, and then another six, but after that they were upon us. The wasps instantly broke from the swarm and spread out to surround us. I saw a full dozen of them still terrorized the trees as they circled us menacingly, one after the other plunging toward us with stingers long enough to pass straight through our bodies.
Demtrius and I dropped to the ground and lay as low as we could. The guards had now discarded their bows and drawn their swords, forced to do dangerous hand-to-hand combat with these vicious flying insects.
The speed and agility of our attackers was nothing less than astonishing, but our well-trained guardians rivaled these creatures with their brute strength and intuitive fighting skills. The Tatorans were obviously seasoned warriors. As they struck at empty air, in what seemed like terrible misses, I saw swords return covered in yellow blood. It was truly amazing how the Tatoran warriors could predict the sporadic flight patterns of the wasps.
They felled three more in this fashion before one guard was pierced through the back of his left shoulder. He had been fending off two wasps when a third caught him off guard, sinking its venomous stinger into his flesh. Though the wound itself was not mortal, the guard seized violently and fell to the ground, succumbing to the nerve-attacking venom from the stinger.
The five remaining guards now formed a tight back-to-back circle around Demtrius and me. Over the next few minutes they showed Tatoran fury as they disposed of all but one of the wasps. This lone wasp must have realized its disadvantage, for it suddenly abandoned its attack and flew back from whence it came. The lead guard picked up his bow, set his arrow, and launched a single shaft at the retreating insect. I must congratulate the Tatoran, for I thought a shot at such a distance would be impossible, even for these amazing warriors. Nevertheless, I saw the insect drop from the sky with a feathered arrow jutting out from its sizable rear end.
The guards then pulled us to our feet.
“The nets must have torn again,” the leader said to his fellows.
“That’s the third breach we’ve had this month!” one of them complained.
“I hear the lines were severed by a blade the last time,” said another.
“Only rumors,” said the leader. “Nothing to concern yourselves with.”
“Is that nothing to concern ourselves with?” asked a soldier, pointing to the contorted figure that lay completely still only feet away from us.
The leader cast him a menacing look. “Forward!” he commanded.
Two guards picked up the dead warrior and carried him with us.
Nothing more was said as we hurried down the last twenty yards to the building. The leader knocked three times on the door to the structure and our group was subsequently admitted.
We were led to a table in the center of the large room. Along the walls to my left, right, and back were hundreds of seats forming a wide semicircle; all filled with Tatorans. Some had large furry manes, while others had them trimmed like the guards, and many had no mane at all. Their seats ascended in height as the number of rows grew, allowing every occupant to see the stage in the front of the room. The stage had a half-shelled dome behind it to echo and amplify sound; an amphitheater of sorts.
The room must have held over a thousand Tatorans, while twenty-one individuals sat halfway inside the domed portion of the wooden amphitheater. I noticed the Tatoran that Demtrius had scratched in the dungeon cell sat among them, and all twenty-one souls wore weapon harnesses, each with four large emeralds embedded in the straps.
Twenty-one, just as in the Scynthian court.
Above them, sitting in a private balcony seat, was the Scynthian female. She was adorned with sparkling diamonds, rubies, emeralds, amethysts, and sapphires that covered her body like a dress.
The complete silence in the room was very unnerving. The seconds felt like minutes, but everyone seemed to be waiting for something.
With a blare of trumpets, a new Tatoran strode forward from the side of the amphitheater. He wore a dark green cape and his weapon harness held five large emeralds; the only individual I had seen so far with as many. The entire room stood at his arrival, and he motioned for them to seat themselves again. He strode to the center of the amphitheater and turned to the crowd. "Though we Aanthorans don’t normally allow prisoners inside our city, our lovely and merciful Goddess,” he said, indicating Nadina up on her balcony, “has petitioned for us to grant them lenience.” There were hushed murmurs from the crowd. “Therefore, we have granted her request." His voice was strong and unquestionable. "We hereby sentence the two of you,” he said, now staring at Demtrius and me, “to the Pit of the Gyx!"
The crowd ushered a ferocious and terrifying roar. Tatorans pounded their chests with closed fists in approval. At the side of the half-dome, a scribe vigorously wrote down the speaker's decree on a piece of parchment,
"You must fight to prove your worthiness!" the speaker shouted. He then pointed to the Goddess, as if the entire idea rested upon her approval.
The crowd went silent once again as Nadina rose slowly from her lofted seat to a standing position. With an outstretched hand, she curled each finger in toward her palm until only one remained.




Chapter Six
The Goddess


The silence was broken by a thunderous applause from the audience, demonstrated by pounding hard against their chests with closed fists. Their entire demeanor had changed rapidly. What was once a docile and attentive crowd had now transformed into a red-eyed, blood-thirsty mob.
I could only guess from their reactions that the gesture from the Scynthian, the curling of each finger until only one phalange remained, was a sign of approval to their spokesman. The spokesman, I would later learn, was the High Chieftain of Aanthora, this city, and the five emeralds he wore designated his position.
Without another word said, we were ushered from the amphitheater, still completely at the will of our captors.
Demtrius turned to me for an explanation to the whole event, but I was of no help. I had no idea what this Pit of the Gyx was. I conveyed as much as I knew, but the words meant nothing to Demtrius too. It was painfully obvious, though, that it wouldn't be pleasant for either of us.
We were escorted through several doors and into a long, curved hallway. The guards left us here, telling us to proceed on our own and knock three times on the door at the end of the hall. These were apparently specific instructions from the Goddess, Nadina, herself.
With an eerie feeling, we slowly followed the upward-winding hallway until we came upon its termination; a single unguarded door. I knocked hard three times on the door as directed, and then stepped back to wait.
The door opened gently and out came one of the human females that had accompanied Nadina and me to the planet. She still wore her skin-tight gown of white silk, and my eyes inadvertently began caressing her completely smooth body from head to toe and back. Our eyes met once, and she, blushing heavily, turned her face away. I couldn't help but notice she smiled as she did this.
She faced us again, and, tossing back a bit of hair, bade us to enter. She was strikingly beautiful; one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. I'm sorry to admit this to you, but, in order to fully understand what transpired later, this detail needs to be included.
Demtrius was the first to enter, and, as he passed in front of me, I remembered we had business with Nadina. I went past the woman, and we brushed up against each other ever so gently. I'm not sure which one of us it was who leaned into the other, but for a brief second our skin met. I didn't dare let it touch any longer for fear of what it might lead to. Though I found her excruciatingly attractive, I knew my heart belonged to you. I knew if I could only escape these people and somehow make my way to Demtrius' ship, the Aramis, it might be possible to get back to you.
"Our guests have arrived, Mistress," announced the woman.
"Excellent," came a voice from behind an ornately designed partition.
An instant later, the Scynthian emerged, now in her normal attire. "Thank you for arriving so quickly," she said as she approached us. "We have important business to discuss."
"No disrespect, but was there a choice in the matter?" I asked.
"I see. My apologies,” she said, bowing her head slightly. “I do forget myself at times.”
"What important business do you speak of?" I asked her.
"Escape!" she whispered, as if we were under surveillance.
"For who?" I prodded.
"For all of us!" she said. "It may be difficult for your simple human mind to comprehend, but I, too, am a prisoner here. A prisoner of my status! I am more slave to the will of the people than I am a Goddess. That is why I had to support the Chieftain earlier. I would not have done so otherwise."
Demtrius sat idly, almost meditating, upon a cushioned seat. He could not understand what was transpiring, and, therefore, sat patiently.
"They worship me as a Goddess here, but they are set hard in the ancient ways of my ancestors. I'm forced to do as these people expect of me, or else they become wise of my will to leave. They would never allow it. With me, they believe themselves to be unconquerable and indisputable."
"Well then, what should be our plan of action?" I asked.
"Since I am closely watched and always with company of some sort, it remains up to you two to figure out the escape. I have done what I could to prepare things for you."
"What do you mean?" I persisted.
"In order to stay here, you must contribute somehow to the community. One earns their keep among the Tatorans."
"What is it that we'll be doing?" I asked.
"Your exact duties I do not know, but you will be in the city, and I've been assured that you will be safe. Tomorrow, you are to report to the great well in the city square at first light. There, you will be met by your overseer." she said. "Learn what you can and do as you must, but proceed with our plans in absolute secrecy. There are those out there who want you out of the picture; killed and disposed of. Danger lurks everywhere."


Later, in our assigned sleeping quarters, Demtrius and I discussed the day’s events. We had been escorted to the semi-private dwelling and left there by ourselves. The Tatorans were apparently not too concerned with us.
"I don't like it one bit,” said Demtrius. “We are left to all the risk and danger while she remains basking in god-like comfort.”
"Weren't we planning on escaping anyway?" I replied.
"Yes, but that was just the two of us, and even then things seemed grim. Now we have to account for this false goddess and her two servants. Escaping will be nigh impossible with them," he said.
"You think too negatively my blue friend,” I replied. “I would think one as old as you would have learned to be more patient.”
"My patience runs very thin with the Scynthian scum."
"But if not for her we might not even be alive," I said in Nadina’s defense.
"That is true," he murmured.
"And, if it is at all possible, we will find a means of escape, for all of us,” I said. “But remember, as Nadina has just made clear, there will be many dangers along the way.”
"That much is certain," Demtrius replied.
I lay down on a mat of luxurious furs and flowers, and then closed my eyes to try and sleep.
I was restless that night; tossing and turning, awaiting the coming tribulations. This was when I felt the pain and stress of it all. While awake, I could control myself. I could always distract myself with work and projects, but when I tried to rest for the night, everything would begin to surface. First, the dying man in the cavern on Earth, then all that happened on the Scynthian world, followed by my time in the underground dungeon, and later the attack from the giant wasps on the wooden walkway. How could one stay sane through so much?
I could smell the faint scent of a sweet aroma in the air, like that of a flower.
The last thing to enter my mind, and never far from my foremost thoughts, was always you. My heart longed to see you and hear your voice, and I swear at times I would hear it. If only I hadn't brought you to the cabin a day early! The only part of that plan I could enjoy now was the time we spent at the waterfalls and watching the night sky. It stirred something within me.
For a moment, the human female in Nadina’s private chambers crossed my mind. Her curvaceous figure, her smooth complexion, and the clothing she wore, or lack thereof! Then I thought of you in the same garments. A smile grew on my lips. Never before had I pictured you so. It left little to the imagination.
Finally, at long last, a calm began to take over my body and I started to doze off. In the last seconds before I was asleep, I thought I saw flower petals surrounding me. I must have already been dreaming.




Chapter Seven
Reporting For Duty


The next day, I awoke refreshed and renewed. Demtrius sat off to the side of the room with his legs crossed, meditating like he did in the mornings.
"I was wondering when you would awake," he said.
I yawned. "Well it’s not like I’ve needed to be punctual for anything as of late," I replied, smiling. I was inexplicably happy that morning. “How did you sleep?”
"Excellently,” he answered. “It was the best sleep I've had in a very long time…”
We didn’t know what time it was, but light was barely visible outside the dwelling, so it must have been early morning. We didn’t want to be late to our first day of work, whatever it was, so we quickly got ready to leave.
Before we left the room, I noticed my pocket-knife and Zippo were on the table next to my bed. I forgot I had them in my pockets when I left Earth. The Tatorans must have taken them when I was first captured, and now, for some reason, they had decided to give them back. I picked up both items and checked them for any damage or tampering. I flicked the lighter and the flame came on strong. Next, I checked the knife and found the spring-assisted blade still opened and closed properly. The blade was sharp as a razor and had a serrated back edge to saw with. In the bottom of the handle was a compass, and it unscrewed from the hollow handle to reveal a small compartment, where I kept spare fishing line and two hooks.
Now I felt more comfortable. I was taught to always carry a knife and lighter with me. You never knew when you might need them, and they had proved handy on more than one occasion.
We left the room and went outside, walking down wooden steps that were carved into the giant tree limb that supported our room like an extended arm holding an apple. I was happy to see there was no guard or escort waiting for us outside the dwelling. We began making our way to the great well in the center of the city square, where we were to meet our instructor. We had been taken past the well the day before, and the route was fairly direct, so we had no trouble finding it again. Along the way, we passed dozens of slim walkways that branched off from the main path, each leading to separate Tatoran dwellings. None of them were occupied, and some were apparently still being grown. I figured we must have been placed in a newer, less-populated section of the city.
We soon made it to the city’s main platform, where shops and businesses surrounded the city square. Through the dim light, I could see it was already booming with life as we proceeded toward the enormous well at its center. The massive fur covered Tatorans were crowding the avenue on their way to their diverse duties, with many stopping at the well to fill their water skins or wooden jugs. Others were pulling back specific branches, creating openings for the sun to penetrate through, giving light and warmth to the small city. Off to the side in one area were several Tatoran cubs running around on all fours, playing some type of game. They stopped playing the moment we were spotted, and they gaped at us in wonderment.
It seemed as if everyone's eyes were on us. The adults looked on us with clear contempt, showing just how welcomed we were, but, surprisingly, no one gave us any trouble. We were given a wide berth as we walked, but I was still incredibly nervous for our safety. Nadina’s mention of lurking enemies had been very unnerving. Demtrius and I would have to remain on-guard at all times. One swing of a Tatoran’s four-fingered claw could be the end of us.
The water in the well almost reached the rim, so, as Demtrius watched the surroundings, I cupped some into my hand and splashed my face. It felt good to wash off some of the dirt and grime, and I noticed how long the stubbles on my face were growing. I always had a small beard, but now my facial hair was beginning to fill out.
Demtrius washed his face as well, and I kept vigilant of the area for him as he had done for me. As I looked around, I noticed some of the adult Tatorans licking and grooming their cubs’ fur, sifting through for mites and insects too.
Just then I felt the presence of someone standing next to me. I turned and noticed a young Tatoran standing by my side. I say young since he was not as tall as the other adults in the area, but he still matched my height and had a short, thin mane that was just beginning to grow out.
"Come with me,” the Tatoran youth said curtly. “I have been sent by my father to summon you and your companion to the Harvesting District, where he awaits your arrival."
"Why does your father not come for us himself?" I asked.
"He has his reasons," said the youth, "but now, come this way. There is much work to be done."
We followed him down the avenue toward the Harvesting District, traversing walkways and arching bridges along the way. I saw a great deal of the manipulated tree growth and how it extended both above and below, with crisscrossing platforms grown atop one another and leading in every direction to various points in the city. It was awe-inspiring how these beings lived in perfect harmony with their environment, and I felt jealous that humans hadn’t discovered the ability to make structures this way.
We made it to the Harvesting District without incident. The district was walled off from the rest of the lofted city, which made sense since there would need to be some form of control over the access to the food supply. Animals must have been a constant nuisance in such an environment, and criminals are bountiful in most cities.
The Tatoran youth knocked six times on the bark and vine covered wall, pausing between the third and fourth knock and then finishing with two in quick succession. A panel slid back in the wall and the youth walked through the passage.
"Follow me," he said to us, “and do not dally. Keep your left hand on the left wall and be careful not to get separated. It is quite the dark maze in here."
We followed him through a dark labyrinth of passages with our left hands sliding down the left wall. Occasionally we would reach a gap in the wall and were instructed to pass it by. At other times, the ceiling or floor would suddenly drop or rise, and, more than once, we tip-toed over pits on narrow planks of wood or climbed short ladders to higher levels. It seemed impossible for anyone not familiar with the exact passage to find their way through this wicked maze.
"This seems a bit much for protection, don't you think?" I questioned the youth.
"It is not just the Harvesting District we are protecting here," he replied vaguely.
"Well what then?" I asked.
"You will find that out later, perhaps," he replied.
We continued a bit further, until, finally, there was a light at the end of the passage.
We walked into an enormous room filled with hundreds of low lying objects dangling from branches high in the ceiling, like some sort of strange fruit. Near the base of a massive tree trunk in the center of the room stood a large, burly Tatoran.
"I've been waiting," said the individual.
"And here we are, Father," said the youth.



Chapter Eight
Jotus And Jotan; Trouble Brews

Few words were exchanged with Jotus, our instructor, that first day. He delegated our responsibilities and then we didn't see or hear from him for the remainder of the day. His son, Jotan, was the one to show us how to do our work and was with us for the majority of the time. He was an excellent worker and made sure his instructions were followed precisely. He explained to us that our duty lay far above us, even higher in the trees.
He brought us to the massive tree trunk in the center of the room, where his father, Jotus, had stood waiting for us. Jotan pressed on a specific part of the trunk. As he did this, there was a click, and a door popped open. The door had blended in so well with the rest of the tree, and I wouldn’t have known it was there otherwise. We took a step inside the doorway, entering a small carriage inside a long vertical shaft, and then Jotan closed the door. He pulled a lever on the carriage and the whole compartment began to move, sending us upward at a fast and steady pace.
The elevator carriage brought us to the roof of the structure and came to a gentle stop.
"Here is where you will be working," said Jotan.
We stood atop a platform made entirely of thick, impenetrable roots. Every yard or so there was a stem, like the stem of a bamboo plant, which shot up from the roots. At the top of each stem was a shiny, funnel-shaped flower.
"These flowers are my father’s newest inventions. They are directly connected to the meat sacs hanging below us inside the harvesting room. The meat sacs grow like plants, by our design, and these funnel-shaped flowers are how they get their food. Twice a day, your responsibility will be to nurture and care for each of these flowers. You will take a bucket of water from the cistern in the room below and thoroughly mix it with one cup of honey. You will pour the resulting solution into the flower's funnel so that the level inside the funnel never falls below the midpoint. Do you understand?" he asked.
"Yes, we understand," I replied. "Is there anything else we are to do?"
"Finish this task first. It is tedious work, and you have already lost an hour of light," he said. "Today, I will help you, but tomorrow you will be on your own. Now, let's get to work."
We started where the sun first struck the flowers and moved from east to west, following the sun around the central tree of the structure. It’s interesting to note that the sun rises and sets in the same fashion as it does on Earth, but the planet apparently has a slower revolution, making our work day that much longer. I eventually learned that Tatorans count time differently than humans do. First of all, their second is shorter than ours, and they have one hundred seconds in their minute. There are one hundred minutes in their hours, and only ten hours in a Tatoran day. To make it easier for you, a Tatoran day is about twenty-six and a quarter Earth hours. I would also learn that the Tatorans, coincidentally enough, have a distance measurement system that is almost identical to our Metric System, though the sizes of the increments are different. A famous Tatoran explorer named Gallahan is said to have created the first standard lengths of measurement for the civilization. He started by measuring the length of his arm from the top of his shoulder down to the tips of his fingers, making that the first length. This first length he called an incubit, which was slightly longer than a meter. He then divided the incubit into ten equal parts by making marks on the stick. These smaller increments he called docubits. Gallahan repeated this process and divided each docubit into ten smaller sections, called abits, and then repeated the process once more to create his smallest form of visible measurement, the bit. He made names for larger measurements as well, such as the verabit, which equals ten incubits, and the malabit, which equals one hundred incubits. His largest increment is the tarabit, which equals one thousand incubits. Gallahan later went on to help measure the distances between cities and other places too, but I digress.
It didn't seem like much of a task, but we soon found out there were more flowers than we had initially estimated. We had to climb higher to other levels, walking on thick limbs that branched out from above the elevator. Here, the stems of the flowers grew out longer in search of the sun. They had to grow past the leaves of the trees in order to obtain enough light, making it much more difficult for us to complete our task. The only way to fill them was to hang down from a higher branch and carefully poor the thick mixture into the funnel below.
More than once, I saw insects and small birds stuck to the food in the funnels. Some of them, if fresh, would be collected and stored for later consumption. Others would just be cleared from the funnel and our work would continue uninterrupted.
It wasn't heavily laborsome work, but it was taxing and time consuming.
At about mid-day, we stopped for a brief lunch. Jotan brought us to a small cafeteria where other workers sat and ate. We were greeted no friendlier here than in the street earlier. We ate a delicious stew and some fresh-from-the-oven bread, then washed it down with some water and went back to work.
Jotus did not dine with us.
"How come your father doesn’t join us for lunch?" Demtrius had me ask Jotan.
"He does not leave his chambers much," Jotan replied.
"What if one wanted an audience with him?" I relayed to Jotan from Demtrius.
"I will let him know," said Jotan. He then got up and left the cafeteria.
"Why do you want to see him?" I asked Demtrius.
"I'm just curious to know more about our overseer," he replied.
"We’re supposed to be finding ways to escape..." I said.
"And that is what I am doing," said Demtrius.

Jotan met up with us at the end of the work day. He told us his father was busy and would send for us when he was ready.
That night, I lay down to sleep and the nightly anxiety began to fill my veins. Then, suddenly, it ceased, and a calm once again took over my body. I was asleep in a matter of seconds.
Demtrius and I awoke well before dawn and hurried ourselves to our work station. We worked all day without seeing Jotus or Jotan and finished with our tasks just after dark. It was good to feel useful again. Not many things gave me as much satisfaction as a hard day’s work.
Demtrius and I were preparing to leave when Jotan appeared before us. "My father will see you now.” He escorted us to his father’s office and opened the door for us to enter.
Inside, Jotus sat at his desk with a wooden cup in his hand. He looked at the both of us and took a large gulp from his drink, which I would later learn was an alcohol that the Tatorans, coincidentally, called grogg.
"Which one of you wanted to speak with me?" asked Jotus.
"I will be speaking with you,” I answered him, “but on behalf of my friend here. He does not know your tongue, so I will have to translate.”
"Thank you, but that will not be necessary," said Jotus. With that, he reached into one of his drawers and removed a small, cylindrical object. "My people haven’t been able to figure it out, but I know this one can,” he said, indicating Demtrius.
Jotus handed the object to Demtrius, and he was very eager to receive it. He immediately removed a small earpiece from the contraption and placed it in his ear. "I haven't even been able to say a single word to you, and already you’ve begun to answer my questions," he said, and his words repeated in Tatoran from the device in his hand.
"Well, you are not the only one with questions, Demtrius, of the Aramis," Jotus replied.
"So, you do remember me," said Demtrius.
“It was long ago,” Jotus replied, “and, though all of you Dotarans look so much alike, I don’t forget a face easily.”

Jotus and Demtrius spoke for a while on many subjects. From what I could gather, Jotus had once tried to reach out to the Dotarans; an action that did not fare well for him with his people. In the process, he lost his mate unexpectedly during a surprise raid, and then lost most of the warriors under his command trying to get vengeance for her death. Jotus, now a grieving outcast at that point, had locked himself away with his work and began to train his cub, Jotan, in the art of combat. He swore his son would never know the shame and dishonor he felt. He was a broken Tatoran; a disgraced Tatoran; a depressed Tatoran.
It really was quite tragic.
Demtrius, being the acting-captain aboard the Aramis, was present at the early meetings between the two races. He had urged for peace too and they nearly achieved it, but then the raiding incident occurred, and, though it hadn’t been the Dotarans, it was directly related to their presence. This dissolved any hopes of peace.
And that had all been a long time ago.
They continued to speak for a while. The conversation changed from the past to the present, as each began prodding the other to see what had transpired during the many years since they had last conversed.
Demtrius was very interested in talking about our sleeping arrangement. Jotus seemed pleased by this.
"You are very perceptive," Jotus said to him. "I wasn't sure you'd figure it out so soon."
"Figure what out?" I asked. I had been left out of most of the conversation.
Jotus looked to Demtrius.
"It is okay,” said Demtrius. “I know him well. He is trustworthy.”
"Very well,” said Jotus. He turned to me, “Have you noticed anything odd about your sleeping quarters?”
"No, not anything I can place," I responded.
"Take a moment and think about it," said Demtrius.
"Wait, I think I remember something. Yes, the leaves around the bed! I don't know how I could forget!" I said.
"Anything else?" Jotus questioned me.
"The aroma!" I said, almost shouting. "What does it mean?"
"It is a sleeping aid," Jotus replied. “The natural aroma, when concentrated, becomes an extremely powerful sleeping agent.”
“Ah yes! It makes so much sense!” I commented. “Even when I awoke I didn’t think anything was amiss.”
“That’s part of its charm,” said Demtrius. “It lowers one’s inhibitions and anxieties. In lower doses, it acts as an excellent sort of truth serum too. My people employ something very similar back on Dotara, and we even use it on the Aramis so our crew is always well rested."
“The plant has been incorporated into all of the homes in the city and produces the sleeping agent in the evening. It ensures our citizens are fast asleep at night when the curfew is in effect,” Jotus explained. “It is the main reason why crime and conspiracy are relatively non-existent here in Aanthora.
“And the people suspect nothing?” I asked.
“It is almost entirely unnoticeable if you are not looking for it. There may be those who have noticed, but we simply increase the dosage and they lose the will to pursue the matter,” said Jotus.
“You don’t think that’s too invasive?” I asked.
“It is the price our citizens pay in order to live here. We are the safest and securest city in all of Tatora. Our location is remote and hidden, our exclusive crops are plentiful, and our warriors would rather die than give up their home. The only thing left to worry about are the people themselves,” he explained.
I may not have agreed with the practice, but it did make some sense. How often had man been his own demise on Earth? And even here, we had already seen evidence of self-destructive behavior, by which I mean the whole ordeal with the wasps and the cutting of the nets. Life, liberty, and security are not always guaranteed, but when they are, they usually come with their costs, whether one realizes it or not.

We left his office soon after that, walking toward the communal dining hall for some dinner. As we approached the great well, saw Nadina's two human servants filling large water-skins. They spotted us too, as if they were looking for us specifically, and began to make their way toward us.
That intense emotion I had begun to feel earlier arose within me as I saw them in the light of the late afternoon. I learned their names were Mya and Minka; a match raised together and partnered as servants. They were both exquisite females, but Mya, the one I had brushed up against, had some sort of spell over me.
It was hot, so I took my shirt off and dipped it in the water. This made the girls smile and blush. They seemed to like my figure, and I found myself flexing before them, feeding off their enjoyment. I turned around, and suddenly they drew back with looks of horror on their faces. I was so confused. Did I repulse them or something?
Tatorans looked at us with disdainful looks, and then a few of them gasped. They began to crowd around us, and I was suddenly very worried for my safety.
Someone grabbed my arm, and I tried to break free, but the incredible strength of the Tatoran overwhelmed my earthly muscles. The individual drew me forth and displayed me to the others, presenting my exposed back.
The Tatorans moaned in disapproval, and I heard someone call out, “Skin him!”
“What?” I screamed. “Why? I’ve done nothing! I’m innocent!”
“You have desecrated your body!” someone shouted in anger. “You have violated a sacred law!”
I instantly remembered my tattoo! On my 21st birthday I had gone out and gotten a large dragon tattooed on my back. "They want to skin me over some ink?” I thought. “This is insane!"
I tried to please with the crowd. “I didn’t know it was against your ways!” I screamed. “I swear!”
“Don’t speak, you heathen!” someone shouted.
They all began to grab and claw at me; each wanting to see the "hideous desecration" up close.
I was ushered violently through the crowd and placed up onto the well’s flat, wooden brim. Now the entire crowd could see me and the dragon portrait that was so detailed and intricately woven into my skin.
I heard a blade leave its sheath.
"Let us take care of the problem ourselves!" screamed the owner of the dagger. It was the guard that Demtrius had scratched while in the dungeon cell. I noted the three emeralds embedded in his harness. He clearly held some higher status among the Aanthorans.
Upon his words, at least a dozen more daggers left their sheaths.
The point of his blade was at my skin, ready to make the first cut. I winced from the pressure, but was held firmly and unable to move away from the blade.
A magnificent roar suddenly rang out from the back of the crowd, drowning out all the other voices. It was the most fearsome roar I had ever heard or would ever hear again from this savage race. "Wait!" petitioned the unknown voice.
The crowd, thrown off by the interruption, turned to see who might challenge them. As they turned, I could see some of them begin to realize who it was. Nostrils flared and scents were taken in by the spectators. It was Jotus! Most of them eyed their new adversary with dignity and respect, while in some eyes I could see clear contempt.
The crowd parted as Jotus walked through with careful and determined steps. I could see they were all very apprehensive of what would happen next.
I had later learned from Jotan that his father, though a distinguished veteran, wasn't highly regarded among his peers. This, I was told, had to do with his earlier attempts for peace with the Dotarans, and his failure in command, where he lost most of his warriors.
Jotus made it to the foot of the fountain, and, never taking his eyes from the dagger that still lingered on my skin, voiced his reason. "You are all so quick to act on your beliefs, yet none of you care to see what it is exactly that you are condemning," he Jotus in a calm and measured voice.
"He has illegal markings on his body. You can see that clearly," said my aggressor, who still held the blade close to my body.
"Yes, I know this, but have you even taken a moment to examine the markings?" asked Jotus.
Murmurs began to sprout among the crowd.
"What do you mean?" asked more than one.
Jotus slowly moved away from me, and the others that stood immediate to me did the same. Now, on display in front of the all villagers, everyone could see my tattoo definitively.
"The Gyx, the Gyx!" shouted a few of the citizens.
"Meaningless!" shouted others, my aggressor chief among them.
"It’s a sign!" more of them shouted.
"A sign," said Jotus. "Yes, I believe it is a sign. You are all aware of his sentence to the Pit of the Gyx…" There were whispers of agreement in the crowd. "And he just happens to bear the mark of one of our fiercest and most deadly adversaries, the Gyx, though he arrived so recently from wherever it is that he comes from. This can be nothing else but a sign; a sign that he will make this year’s fair the best we have ever experienced!"
At this, the crowd jumped and shouted in approval. Tatorans love their fairs and competitions, and now they didn’t want to pass up on the potential sport. Many blades were resheathed, and then, finally, the blade at my skin was withdrawn and put back in its sheath as well, though I might add it was done so reluctantly.
The crowd slowly began to disperse, going about their business as usual again. Mya and Minka were nowhere to be seen, and Jotus had also departed, but I could see Demtrius making his way back toward the well.
"I see you're making friends," he said.
"I guess that's one way of putting it," I replied. "If it hadn't been for Jotus, I would have been as good as dead; filleted like a fish."
"Jotus is a Tatoran who knows honor,” Demtrius said, trying to reassure me. “It is not within him to see a defenseless person cut down unjustly.”
"What do you make of his remarks?" I asked.
"If nothing else, it was a ruse, and an ingenious one at that,” Demtrius replied. “Jotus knew it would capture the imagination of his people, and now he’s purchased you some additional time.”
"Then let’s hope, for both of our sakes, that we find a way out of here before that time is up," I said.
"Well," said Demtrius, "our search might just be over."


Chapter Nine
Into The Depths

"We must be absolutely silent," said Demtrius. "Guards make rounds regularly, always in pairs. They will have more of a presence near the well because of its centrality, but I believe I have their patterns and schedules fully memorized now." He suddenly turned back to me, “Are you sure you want to accompany me? It is only a scouting mission tonight, so perhaps only one of us should go.”
“And let you have all the fun?” I asked him with a smile. “Come on, let's go.”

After the incident at the fountain, Demtrius and I had continued our business as usual. We filled our water-skins at the great well and went to the communal cafeteria, where we ate a nice meal before making our way back to our dwelling. Once there, Demtrius finally began laying out his plan.
Apparently, for the last two nights, Demtrius had been stealthily surveying the city, taking note of the guards' movements. It seemed that no civilians traversed the wooden walkways of the city during the night, most likely due to the hypnotizing and tranquilizing effects of the sleeping aid that silently, almost undetectably, seeps from the bed flowers each night.
For a moment, I thought of the ingeniously evolved plant that Jotus and Demtrius had spoken of. In nature, it would soothe and caress its victims with its diabolical pheromones until it engulfed them and digested them whole. I shivered involuntarily, picturing that awful fate.
The purpose of Demtrius' scouting, I should add, was for possible escape routes; anything that our diverse party could use together. At this point, our party included myself, Demtrius, Nadina, and her two servants, Mya and Minka. The task already seemed close to impossible, but Demtrius believed he may have found a practical route for all of us to use. He explained that the well must draw its water from an underground source, one which might lead to an opening on the jungle floor or the bottom of a lake. “It can also just as easily lead to a completely enclosed reservoir,” he said, shrugging his shoulders.
“But what good does any of that do for us?” I asked. “I'm not sure about your species, but humans can't breathe underwater. Even if the well does lead to a way out, there's no way Mya, Minka, and I would be able to hold our breaths long enough to make it out.”
“We can with this,” he said, taping the cylindrical translating device that he received from Jotus.
“What exactly is that, anyway?” I asked.
“It is many things,” he replied. “It's a multi-purpose utility device. Translating is just one of its many functions. It can also be used as an underwater breathing apparatus. When you put this end in your mouth, it can act as gills, allowing you to extract the oxygen from the water. We can use it alternately as we explore the well."
It seemed like a long shot, but it was better than any other idea we had come up with.

We crept from the room as quietly as possible. Demtrius was incredibly stealthy, but I felt like my steps echoed in the night, or at least it seemed so against the dead silence of the city. Not even a cricket chirped, and that only made me increasingly nervous. I kept looking around, expecting to see a pair of eyes staring at us from one of the many dark recesses.
Demtrius moved quickly, taking me on a roundabout route to the great well so as to try and avoid the majority of the patrolling guards. Even still, we encountered the patrols twice; but, thanks to Demtrius' keen senses, we were able to evade detection. Soon we were at the edge of the city-square.
Demtrius turned to me. “I can still go down alone,” he offered.
“I'll be safer down in the well with you than I will be up here,” I replied.
He nodded. “You know what to do then.”
“I'll be right behind you,” I whispered.
Then we came to the great well and Demtrius stopped short.
No one was within sight or sound, and Demtrius went sprinting across the courtyard. Before he was even at the well, I followed in suit, so by the time he had slipped into the water, I was just climbing over the well's rim. With a small splash, I dropped into the water; and down we went.
We passed the breathing apparatus back and forth as we descended further and further into the well. We latched arms together to ensure we didn't become separated, and it was more of a struggle than I imagined it would be, but eventually the shaft curved upward and opened up into a large underground reservoir. We suddenly broke the water plane, discovering an air pocket on the ceiling of the reservoir, and we gladly took in the stale air. It was much easier to breathe than using the breathing apparatus.
Demtrius flicked a switch on the device and activated a bright white light. He hadn't activated it earlier just in case the light was visible from the well's surface, but now we used it to survey the slimy walls, looking for any other passages. We found one about twenty or so feet above the water line and could see steps cut into the wall leading up from the water to the tunnel entrance.
I cast Demtrius a hopeful glance.
We climbed the wall ladder, making it to the top without incident, and then continued down the new tunnel. I could smell a rancid odor coming from somewhere up ahead.
“What in the world is that?” I asked, covering my mouth.
“We'll find out soon enough,” Demtrius responded, seemingly immune to the horrid stench.
The tunnel led us to a large square chamber with a waterfall of waste gushing down from its sidewall into a pool of sewage in the middle of the room. The pool drained into another large tunnel, and along that tunnel, slightly above the sewage, ran a ledge wide enough to walk on. We crept along this ledge until we saw a small dot of light at its end.
“There it is!” I cheered.
We quickened our pace, but as we neared the light we could see some sort of obstruction. Then, to our dismay, we saw that the tunnel was closed off with iron bars. The sewage poured out of the tunnel through the bars and dropped hundreds of feet down to a surly sea. The stars were bright and reflected off of the water. I could see out into the water for miles, lit by tiny sparkles of reflected starlight. It was dazzling, and would only have been better if Tatora had a moon like Earth; but at the moment I was dismayed. This wouldn't work for an escape.
“Let's keep searching,” Demtrius said sensibly.
We headed back toward the reservoir. It was the only place we hadn't explored thoroughly, so back into the water we went. With arms latched again, we swam along the walls, passing the breathing apparatus back and forth, but we were finding nothing except for small holes and crevices in the bedrock. I'm not sure how long we searched like this, but it was exhausting. I knew I'd be feeling it in the morning, which couldn't be far off by now. Soon the Aanthorans would start pouring into the wooden streets as the sun rose and the day began.
Just as we were about to give up for the night, we stumbled upon an opening that was large enough for us to enter together. I started swimming into the opening, but Demtrius held me back. I turned to him, and saw he was pointing upwards, so we both rose to the surface.
“We've been lucky so far with single passageways,” he said, taking in large breaths of air. I was doing the same. “My utility device has a spindle of high-tensile string. We should use it to make a clear line back to this reservoir, just in case the tunnel branches off further down.”
Demtrius was able to secure the string to a jagged piece of wall that jutted out like a door knob, and then deeper we went.
This tunnel made me feel very claustrophobic, as the walls narrowed considerably the further we progressed. I took a long breath from the breathing apparatus and passed it back to Demtrius. I was aware of a faint current pulling us deeper into the tunnel. I signaled to Demtrius, and he too felt the current. Hope was rising in me again.
We swam further down the tunnel, feeling the walls for guidance now that the passage was less than an arm span wide. The water was much colder down here, but I was too anxious and excited to care. It suddenly became much easier to breathe. We went a little further, and then the faint current we felt seemed to change direction, now gently tugging us back the way we came.
We continued on, but, again to our dismay, we came to a point where the tunnel branched off into many smaller tunnels, each no wider than the thickness of my arm. Another dead end.
We headed back through the passage, pausing once we felt the current shift again. Now I could feel the faint current being sucked upward. A thought instantly crossed my mind. I reached up, hoping to find another passage, and my hand struck a metal grate fixed into the bedrock.
There was a passage, though it was blocked, and I had a good idea where it would emerge. I took out my knife and started carving away at the rock around the metal grate. After a few seconds, a piece of stone broke away. I took another breath from the breathing apparatus and aimed the light at my work. I saw dark brown wood, confirming my hunch. I chiseled away at the rest of the rock around the grate until only wood was left. I then tried to pull the grate free from the wood, but it wouldn’t budge.
Demtrius signaled for us to leave then, so after one last futile tug, we departed.


Chapter Ten
One Down, Four To Go

It took us some time to trace our way back to the base of the well. Once there, I took one last breath from the breathing apparatus and then slowly exhaled as I made my ascent. It was much easier than the descent had been, and soon we broke the surface. I wiped my face to clear off the water, and not a second later I was startled by a voice from above.
"Seize them!" said the voice, and before I could make another move I was grabbed by the shoulders and forcibly pulled from the water. I struggled in the clutches of the Tatorans, but their grasp was too strong and I couldn’t break free. Demtrius was similarly restrained, and now we were knelt in front of the same the guard whose face Demtrius had scarred in the dungeon cell; the same one that had wanted to fillet me in this exact spot only hours before. He stood with hands on his hips and a savage grin that showed rows of jagged teeth.
"What do we have here?" he asked, clearly delighted by our compromising situation, but we said nothing. He laughed sinisterly, “You're my prisoners now.”
The moment the words left his mouth, an explosion rang out from a building off in the distance, taking us all by surprise. A bright flash of light shot upward into the sky as debris rained down over the treetops, but something else emerged too. At first it was just a blur, but then I saw her as clear as day. It was Nadina! She flew through the sky like she was being drawn along by some sort of invisible rope and was quickly out of sight.
She had escaped, and left us behind!
The scarred Tatoran was still staring at the destruction. “Sound the alarm,” he ordered two of his guards, “and then go investigate.” He turned on Demtrius in anger, “Where have you taken the Goddess?”
“Why do you ask me?” Demtrius replied. “I was nowhere near her.”
“You had something to do with this!” the scarred Tatoran shouted. “This reeks of Dotaran mischief! Now bring her back this instant!”
“We don't know where she went!” I interjected. “You have to believe us! We didn't do anything!”
“You were trying to escape,” he accused us, “and don’t try to deny it!”
Alarm bells sounded, and more armed guards began flooding into the streets. Citizens came out of their dwellings to see what the commotion was all about, and in under a minute the whole city-square was filled with curious spectators.
The scarred Tatoran was issuing commands to his subordinates, sending them off in different directions. He turned back to the guards holding Demtrius and me. "Take them to my office and lock them inside,” he ordered. “I will deal with them later."
"Yes, sir," the guards replied simultaneously.
They pushed us ahead of them, bringing us to a building located near Amentus' palace. Once inside, they brought us to the office and locked us within, leaving us to wait until morning.

"What happened last night?" I heard our guard ask as his relief arrived for the shift change. They stood just outside the office in front of the door, so Demtrius and I were able to hear them well.
"Your guess is as good as mine," the relief guard replied. "The Goddess is gone and no one can find her. The High Chieftain is absolutely furious.”
"I would be too if I let a Scynthian slip through my fingers," the first guard said caustically. “Has anyone questioned her servants?”
“The pitiful creatures do not speak our tongue, unfortunately,” the relief guard replied, “but Amentus has already sent out dozens of search parties to look for Goddess. The city garrison is at less than half its strength.”
"And Amentus thinks that is wise?" asked our guard.
"He doesn’t care," said the relief. "He’s completely obsessed with recovering the Scynthian and bringing her back. You should have seen him reprimanding the commander.”
“Lucran received a scolding, did he?” the first guard asked. “I’d have paid to see that.”
“If the Goddess isn’t found soon, you might get a free show,” the relief replied, “but no one has interrogated these two yet.” He must have been talking about us. “Hopefully they yield some useful information.”
“I doubt it,” the first guard replied. “If they were working in cohorts with her, then they’d be gone too.”
“Or maybe they were captured on their way to meet up with her?” the relief guard suggested.
“I hadn’t considered that,” replied the first guard.
“Have they said anything?” the relief asked.
“Not a word,” said the first guard, “but the commander will get them to speak; one way or another.”
The guard then took his leave.


Chapter Eleven – Words With
Amentus; Training; A Buzzing Feast

In walked the High Chieftain, followed by the guard with the scars on his face. The scarred Tatoran stood off to the side, seeming angry and belittled.
The chieftain wore his harness, with the five emeralds signifying his status. He was a tall, prominent figure, with an air of confidence about him. I could see why he was their leader.
"Greetings," he said kindly. His words repeated in Dotaran on Demtrius' translator, and I saw a flicker of annoyance on his face as he noticed the device. He continued pleasantly though, "I am Amentus, High Chieftain of Aanthora and leader of the Emerald clan. I would like to apologize for the way my more savage colleague here, Lucran, has treated you both. He is a warrior, and a good one at that, but it is all he knows and all he is good for."
I could see Lucran's fists clench.
"As I'm sure you know,” Amentus went on, “last night we had a small mishap. Nadina, our fair Goddess, was taken from us. I know it was our blood enemy, the Ruby clan, led by their tyrannous leader, Barthos. He is a shrewd, attention loving scoundrel who would do anything to undermine me. Now he has taken the Goddess from me, and I want her back.” He paused, as if judging our reactions to his assumption. "This is what I ask of you; I need information. You were found in the well last night after the city curfew, and so you are also implicated in the night's events. Tell me where to find her, and I will show mercy."
"We don't know where she is,” I replied. “Her escape was as much a surprise to us as to you. We were only out last night trying to enjoy a swim and some fresh air.”
"Absurd!" Lucran protested.
"Silence!" Amentus ordered him, not even deigning to look up. He returned his attention to Demtrius and me. "You claim it was a coincidence then? You are hardly in a position for me to believe you."
"But if we were somehow involved in all of this, why would we stop to play in the well?” I asked him. “And why would she leave behind her two servants? It doesn't make any sense, especially if it was this other clan that took her. We don't know them, and we definitely aren't of any value to them.”
Amentus considered my words, rubbing his chin and twirling his furry mane with his long finger. "For the time being, I will choose to believe you,” he said at last, “but only because I have another, more important agenda for you."

Three weeks passed by, and the search parties for Nadina returned to Aanthora empty-handed, only to be immediately sent out once again. No signs or tracks were found, and there was no one left to interrogate, but still they searched for her at the will of their High Chieftain, Amentus.
Demtrius and I were being kept under constant watch by a two-guard detail, and Amentus had our schedules changed to better suit his plans. We still worked under Jotus' command in the Harvesting District, but now, at dawn, we would report to the training platform for sparring and weapons training in preparation for the coming People's Fair. The High Chieftain wanted to make sure we would put on a good show in the Pit of the Gyx.
Amentus, as we found out, had gotten wind of the previous incident at the well, about my tattoo, and the way the crowd reacted to it. He wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to capture the hearts of the people during this year’s fair. He wanted to use us. We were to be his star spectacles. He said we were part of a much bigger plan.
He had explained that there are five clans on Tatora:
The Emerald clan, the clan we were currently prisoners of, recognized by the green emerald, is one of agriculture. They dwell in the great jungles and plains of this planet, such as Aanthora, Thora, and Garthora. They try to live in harmony with nature and understand the symbiotic relationship that all life shares. Amentus has led the clan for a number of years, and he is part of a long lineage of leaders, the previous ruler being his father, Tyrentus.
The Ruby clan, distinguished by the red ruby, inhabits the Sea of Flames and its surroundings, including vast stretches of desert. The heart of their clan is located on their island-capital, Dracothia, but they control a number of volcanic islands off of the southern coast, such as Demurric, as well as the large desert city of Brathens. They are a fire worshipping nation and make sacrifices to the great volcano on Dracothia. Their clan has the largest population, and they are ruled by a red-maned Tatoran named Barthos.
The Sapphire clan, identified by the blue sapphire, is a partially nomadic clan that is known to migrate up and down Tatora’s western coast and along the great Zi River. They also have some permanent settlements, such as Souzul at the mouth of the Zi, as well as their capital, Thasol, on the great Lake Azizi. They apparently worship the sea and all that comes from it, understanding water as the source of life. Amentus has a sort of alliance with the Sapphire clan, and he has allowed the clan’s High Chieftain, Ishmae, to form small settlements on the southern bank of the Sea of Aspuron; much to the displeasure of the neighboring Ruby clan.
The Amethyst clan, represented by the purple amethyst, is a historically neutral clan. They have no organized religions and are almost completely disconnected from the other clans; living far to the north in the isolated land of Mercer. Unlike the other clans, they have completely white fur, rather than the variations of brown shared by the southern Tatorans. Being so far away, they do not participate in any trading and tend to keep to themselves.
Amentus then explained that the Diamond clan, recognized by the clear diamond, is the fifth and most secretive clan. Not much is known about them, except that they dwell within the snow-capped Okala Mountains, and practice odd and mysterious rituals. They are the northern neighbor to the Emerald clan, and are generally only seen by the other clans during the annual Peoples’ Fair.
“The fair,” he had said, “has been going on for over a thousand years; long before the Dotarans or Scynthians ever set foot on our land. Even then the clans were always at odds with each other, but the High Chieftains of the era came together for the first time in history and managed to form a peace treaty. The Peoples’ Fair was created to solidify the peace. It became a place for all the clans to meet on equal footing, compete in various competitions, showcase their strengths, relieve built-up tensions, and share new technology and information. It prompted one of the greatest periods of economic growth and prosperity that Tatora has ever seen.”
He paused, seemingly reminiscing about a time long before his birth.
“The Scynthians,” Amentus finally continued, “have been intertwined in our history for so many generations that no one truly remembers where or when they first appeared. Of course, each clan claims that the Scynthians appeared to them first. My clan, for instance, maintains that during a long famine when no crops would grow and food quickly became scarce, the Scynthians came down from the sky. They gave my ancestors the seeds of a plant that can grow anywhere, and taught them about rotating crops and using irrigation systems.”
This all apparently occurred hundreds of years before a great war broke out between the clans; one that shattered the long-held peace and rapidly spread across the entire civilization. “The treaty was abandoned,” Amentus had explained, “but the fair remained and became a tradition that all Tatorans look forward to.”
The Scynthians, interestingly enough, remained mysteriously absent during this conflict. “Generally speaking, they do not like to meddle in our interpersonal affairs,” Amentus had told us, “and after the Dotarans appeared, the Scynthians were not seen again, not until just recently. Some believe it was the coming of the Dotarans that caused the Scynthians to leave, while others say the Scynthians brought the Dotarans here; but all that matters is that our gods have returned.”
As I knew from Demtrius, it was indeed the Scynthians who had exiled the Dotarans here; but we were not about to tell that to Amentus.
It was Amentus' hope, after all these years, to reconcile with the other factions, uniting under his leadership, by using Nadina as the centerpiece. She was the only confirmed holy visitor in over hundreds of years. She was real, not just an idea or belief; something that could be proven. With her, Amentus could make the entire Tatoran species come together again. He described the Tatora’s like a body. “Separate, we are like limbs,” he had said, “and we can do a great deal by ourselves, but when combined with each other and put under one brain, one leader, we can finally enjoy the prosperity we once shared.”
“So how do Demtrius and I fit into all of this?” I asked.
Amentus looked down on me, “The clans need to be dazzled, and that is what you will do for me in the Pit of the Gyx.”
We left his office soon after that, accompanied by two guards.

I gripped my sword, tip up, as Demtrius approached. My sword was a sleek, well-balanced blade with a slight curve, much like that of the samurai‘s katana. At the base of the blade was an engraved gyx, or dragon. Demtrius held a sword identical to mine, with the exception of the insignia. Both had been specially crafted to our specific needs, since the Tatoran swords proved to be too heavy for us to wield.
We were given the option, axe or sword, and both chose the latter. We were also given bows and spears to train with. In the Pit of the Gyx, no one knew what weapons would be available.
I felt the weight of the blade and considered the distance between us. With his sword aimed at my breast, Demtrius crept toward me with slow, measured paces. Then, suddenly, wielding his sword like it was an extension of his arm, he struck at my right side, but I was able to parry. He swung round and tried for the left, but again I parried. Now he faced me, sword level with my breast again, ready to strike. He lunged forward with lightning speed, but I was able to side step his attack in the nick of time. As he fell past me, he cut at me with a back-handed stroke. Again our blades met, clanging, and his slid to the side harmlessly.
Before I even had time to strike, Demtrius was upright and on the defensive. He was patient as I tested his abilities, striking here and there to determine his weaknesses. He was exceedingly skilled. I was surprised I had fended him off this long.
We did have a fine instructor.
"Excellent," Jotus commended us.
It had been three weeks since we had spoken to Amentus. Every day since then had been spent learning arms and defense. Demtrius and I sparred daily, first starting with wooden practice swords, and then yesterday we received our blades, dull though they were.
I slashed down and left with most of my force. Demtrius caught my blade mid-stroke with his. I leaned forward with all my weight, inching my blade closer and closer to his skin. At the last moment, Demtrius ducked out of the way, and our blades smashed to the ground, with his pinned under mine.
I kicked his blade, breaking his grip, and his sword fell to the ground. Before he had time to retrieve it, the point of my sword was at his neck.
"Nicely done!" Jotus praised me.
I noticed Jotan was now standing by his side.
A young messenger came running toward us at full speed. The cub stopped in front of Jotus, gasping for air. When she recovered, she put her arm to her chest and bowed to Jotus, affording him the appropriate respect.
“Go ahead,” said Jotus. “What news do you have for us?”
"The Goddess has been found!" the messenger exclaimed, "and she was with another! They are being escorted back to the city now and will be here by nightfall! The High Chieftain is hosting a grand feast tonight in celebration!"
This was the first news we had heard of Nadina. Where she went or how she got there was still a mystery to us; and now she had mysteriously returned with a companion.
Demtrius and I gave each other troubled looks. Our plans had taken yet another turn.

"No glass shall go unfilled tonight!" Amentus shouted jubilantly.
The entire room roared and cheered with approval.
We feasted in a grand dining hall, where sections of the ceiling were propped open to allow in the cool night breeze. Amentus sat at the head of a long table, with Nadina sitting on his left and his new guest sitting on his right. Demtrius and I sat close by, a few seats down from Nadina, with our swords and bows hung behind us on the wall, as were most others' weapons.
The new arrival was also a Scynthian. I recognized him as the Scynthian from the council chambers on the Scynthian planet; the one that had shown inexplicable emotion at Nadina's banishment. He was now the guest of honor, as was Nadina.
For some reason, Amentus acted like nothing had happened; like Nadina had never escaped, only to be found and returned. He was in too good of a mood, but I attributed this to the fact that he now had two Scynthians by his side; two Gods to add to his authority.
The feast lasted for hours, and Amentus wouldn’t allow any of his guests to leave before it was over. Among those serving us were the two human females, Mya and Minka. Everyone had a full stomach and more than their fair share of grogg. People were pleased and at ease, happy to have something to celebrate. I, however, longed for nothing more than to return home to you.
It still haunted my thoughts, how I had left you there in the cabin, all alone. I always wonder what happened after I left, and what you told everyone the next day when they arrived to celebrate your birthday. What did everyone think? What did you think?
My depressing thoughts were cut short as screams rang out from the far side of the hall. Tatorans began running in every direction, but from our vantage point we couldn't make out what the disturbance was.
Growing in volume, an intense and familiar buzzing began filling the hall. It was the wasps!
Now I could see them as they poured into the hall by the dozens through the open portions of the ceiling.
All chaos had broken loose.
I grabbed my sword belt and buckled it around my waist, but for now I would use my bow. After it was strung, I placed an arrow on the string and launched the projectile into the heart of the swarm. I saw it slice clear through one wasp and then pin another against the far wall.
Contorted bodies littered the floor at the other end of the hall, and the majority of the Tatorans, swaying from their many drinks, were struggling to escape or take up arms. My side of the room was mostly cleared at this point. I hadn’t even noticed Amentus and the Scynthians exit, but they were the furthest from the wasps and had the easiest escape. Demtrius was still with me though.
The wasps were making their way to our side of the hall, and those of us who stayed behind to fight were doing the best we could, but it was hopeless. We couldn’t aim directly at the intruders with so many Tatorans still stuck in the melee.
I picked off a wasp on the edge of the swarm, but the wasps were approaching too fast. I aimed at another and missed my target. Undeterred, I fitted another arrow on the string and released, but again I missed, and the arrow stuck into the wall. It was much harder to hit moving objects than I had anticipated.
The wasps were almost upon us. Our efforts proved futile and we were forced to abandon the room before the swarm overtook us. It didn’t feel right to leave people behind, but they were separated from us by the swarm and would have to fend for themselves; there was nothing we could do for them.
Outside of the hall, citizens were running to and fro with torches, and others were stacking wood and tinder in front of the doors to the hall. Guards were sent to the roof to close the ceiling hatches, trapping the wasps inside, while others were sent to ignite fires in front of all but two of the doors. Green vegetation was then thrown onto the fires, and smoke began pouring into the hall.
I stood on-edge, my heart racing, waiting for whatever would happen next.
A single wasp sped through one of the two open doors and was immediately taken down by an arrow. More came out of the openings, lazily and woozily, and were slaughtered at the doorways before they could escape.
As the minutes dragged by, no more wasps emerged. The smoke from the fire had done its job. I would later learn that this was due primarily to an added sleeping agent found in a certain plant; the same plant that was subtly administered to the citizens at night.
A short while later, armed and ready for a fight, a regiment of warriors entered the hall. I was able to slip in behind them without being noticed. Inside, we found twisted and contorted figures on the ground; thirty-three in all. These were the Tatorans that had been unfortunate enough to sit at the far end of the hall where the wasps first appeared. Their faces were all set in horrifying positions. They had died very painful and tragic deaths from the venom in the stingers. It was an awful reminder of how dangerous this world was.
Littering the floor were dozens and dozens of wasps, fast asleep from the chemically-enhanced smoke. The warriors used their spears to stab each and every wasp through the abdomen, twice for good measure. Greenish-yellow slime spewed from the insects' insides.
I looked to my left and saw one of Nadina's handmaidens on the floor, motionless. I ran to her and turned over her body, seeing her hideously crooked jaw, already stiffening from the beginnings of rigor mortis. It was Minka.
I felt sick to my stomach. I had been to funerals and wakes, but nothing had prepared me for the sight of the dearly departed, as twisted and mangled as she was.
I turned and heaved up my dinner. I had to leave the hall; the sight was too much for me.

Later that night, all of Aanthora came out in mourning for their fallen brothers and sisters. The bodies were burned in a massive fire and the ashes were placed inside paper lanterns, which were then lit and held up high by a relative from each kin. The lanterns gently lifted off their hands and ascended high in the sky, drifting away into the night.
Interestingly, I learned that the Aanthorans, and Tatorans in general, don’t typically believe in an after-life. They do, of course, worship their deities, like the Scynthians; but life after death is not a consideration since there is no physical proof. They have long lives and long memories, and that is apparently enough for them.
Soon, the thirty-three lanterns were tiny specs in the distance. Minka’s remains were given to Mya, for they had been like sisters to one another, and she cried as the clay urn was presented to her. She walked away immediately, not staying to watch the paper lanterns, so I'm not sure what she ended up doing with the ashes.


Chapter Twelve
An Unexpected Visitor

The next morning, on the practice field, I stood a hundred yards from my target, bow in hand, ready to release.
I arched my shot and then released the string, sending the arrow hurtling through the air. Seconds later it struck the target, just an inch above the bull’s-eye.
I was pleased with the shot.
“Did you see that?” I asked.
“Yes, you’re improving rapidly,” Jotus replied. “Too bad your enemies won’t always be kind enough to stand still while you're fighting them.” He was an excellent instructor. He was demanding, but that only pushed me harder to meet his standards. “Now, let's try something a little more challenging.” He picked up a disk and threw it high into the air. “Release!”
I shot the arrow a moment before the disk was at its peak height, and the disk shattered into dozens of pieces.
“Good," said Jotus. “Again! This time with two disks!”
He tossed the disks into the air, even higher than the last time. I fumbled with the arrow and released unevenly, just missing the first disk. A moment later, I launched my second shot, rushing to get it off in time, and missed again.
“This time, as you draw your bowstring, take in a deep breath and exhale as you release,” he said plainly. “Your aim is not the problem; it is your nerves.”
He tossed the disks into the air again. I did as he suggested and took a deep breath, exhaling as I released the string. The arrow went flying toward the target, and just barely grazed the disk. I pulled another arrow from my quiver as fast as I could and sent it whizzing, but missed the second disk by at least a foot.
"You're trying too hard, and still letting your nerves get the best of you. Breathe in, and breathe out. Take into account your surroundings. You must feel the shot. Visualize the arrow's flight and watch it hit your mark," he said.
I took in a deep breath and exhaled. I felt the wind gently caressing my face. A bead of sweat ran down my cheek. The sun was high in the sky overhead.
Once more, Jotus tossed the disks into the air; his highest toss yet. I followed the lower disk with my bow, and then released. A split second later, the disk shattered. I drew another arrow and released again, this time just nicking the second disk's edge. It cracked into pieces once it hit the ground.
I smiled, as did Jotus.
My smile turned to a frown as I recalled the previous night. That was the second time I had been involved in a fight with a wasp swarm. I had asked Jotus about the constant attacks before we began practice this morning. He told me they were called syers and were a plague upon his people. He claimed no one was sure where they had come from, only that they appeared suddenly a number of years ago after Amentus assumed leadership of the clan.
He went on to explain that Amentus quickly dealt with the infestation by installing large-scale safety nets that surrounded the city, as well as creating special defense courses for his warriors. They had nearly exterminated the invaders, but every once in a while there were resurgences in the syer population, and no one could locate the main nest.

The sunlight reflected into my eyes, blinding me for a second. I searched for the source of the reflection and saw Nadina standing atop a balcony that overlooked the training courtyard, wearing a sparkling silver crown.
She motioned for me to join her. I looked to Jotus and he bowed his head, allowing me to break from training.
A few minutes later, I was standing next to Nadina looking out over the courtyard. For a few seconds, neither of us spoke. I wanted to ask her what had happened, where she had been, why she was with this other Scynthian, but too many others observed us, so I waited for her to speak first. It is a custom on Tatora, I should mention, to let those with the higher authority speak first. Sometimes individuals wait in long periods of silence to better impress their stature upon their subordinates. Usually, however, the superior is quick to speak first. “Dallying can often costs lives,” as Jotus put it.
"First off,” Nadina began at last, “I would like you to understand my recent departure was not of my choosing. I did not wish to abandon you, but Pharon willed it and attempted to bring me home. Not many know this, but he is my father.” She paused for a moment, as if expecting some reaction, but continued when I gave none. “We Scynthians are raised to suppress our emotions, for the better of our race you see, but he couldn't stand my banishment. He tried to bring me home without the Council's approval, but his plans were thwarted by the traitorous Thuric.” She clenched her webbed fingers together tightly and cast her head to the side, distraught. “My world is now in chaos and disarray. Members of the Council have been impeached and exiled for incompetence. Some have even been executed. My father and I were barely able to escape the wrath of Thuric and his rebels, and now both of us are stranded here. We can never return home while Thuric and his band fight for control."
Again she paused, allowing the full scope of her words to sink in.
"That aside, I'm sure there is much we need to discuss,” she continued. “Here, out in the open, where many can see, is the safest place we can speak. So tell me, what has transpired since we last spoke?"
I quickly explained the incident with the tattoo, our search inside the well for an escape route, and our discussion with Amentus.
She frowned, "I no longer have a place to call home, but I will still see to it that you and your friend are restored to your own people. I know how you must feel, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't at least try to help, no matter what my father may think. For now, however, it seems we will have to continue going playing our parts."
"And is your father now included in our plans?" I asked.
"Of course," she replied.
"Is there anything he can do for us?” I asked. “Any advice or help he can offer?"
"He will be useful, that I promise, but only if we are able to escape the Tatorans. He has been on the Council for ages and is a very intellectual individual. He even helped to further develop and enhance much of the technology we possess on Scynthia," she said with a sense of pride lingering in her voice.
"I would like to meet him," I said.
"I'm afraid the obligations that once imprisoned me here have now become his burdens. Amentus will not let him leave his side. Indeed, if not for that I wouldn’t have been able to visit you here. Amentus has us quite at his will, unfortunately.”
"A puppet in his games," I whispered.
"Yes, but a very unpredictable puppet," she replied, winking at me in very human-like fashion.
We both stood silent for a minute, looking over the courtyard.
I thought of a question that had been eating at me. "Nadina, I need to know what was done to me on your world.” I told her. “My body has gone through changes...changes that I can't explain…”
"As I've said before...it is complicated.”
"I don't care how complicated it is,” I replied. “I've done what you've asked of me, and now it’s my turn to get some answers.”
"Very well," she relented, "but you're not going to like what you hear."
"So be it," I replied.
She wouldn't look at me while she spoke. Instead, she continued to look out over the training field. "I guess I should start by explaining the metal cuff that you wear.”
My eyes widened. I had forgotten about the cuff. It weighed next to nothing and I could barely feel it. Plus, it was invisible to the naked eye ever since Nadina had adjusted its setting.
"That device is extremely sophisticated. Picture your mind as you would a computer, with circuit boards, software, hardware, programming codes, etc. What this device does is tap into your mind, your hard-drive if you will, to reprogram the way your mind works. In essence, it rewrites your mind’s computer code. With it, we can give someone more access to their full brain capacity, or we can limit it. In your case, I increased your normal brain functions and receptors, allowing you to gather, process, understand, and speak any language you hear."
"That's incredible," I replied, and I truly was awe-struck. It was also quite unsettling. "But doesn't that make the people you use it on into your own personal mind-slaves?"
"The Council saw to it that this technology is not used for immoral acts or greed,” she answered me. “I’m afraid now, however, that may no longer be the case.”
“What else does it do?” I asked, thinking back to the cave on Earth. “I’m pretty sure this cuff is what brought me to Scynthia in the first place..”
“Indeed, it is,” she replied. “A one-way trip, I’m afraid.”
“So we can’t use it to get us back?” I asked.
“Our cuffs can only transport one individual at a time,” Nadina explained, “but each also has a special safety feature, so they only work in conjunction with a unique detriminium key. If this key is not inserted into the receiving station on Scynthia, the transport function remains disabled.”
“Is that what Thuric put into the computer before he sent us here?” I asked.
“Precisely,” she replied.
“But I don’t remember anything like that being in the transport room when I first arrived on Scynthia..”
“That is because it wasn’t there,” she replied. “When we send our humans on assignments, their cuffs are charged with small amounts of detriminium and programmed to return to Scynthia without the need for the key. When you intercepted the device, you inadvertently accessed this fail-safe.”
“And there is no way to reprogram the cuff now?” I asked in angst.
“Not with the Tatorans,” Nadina responded.
This news was discouraging, but with all she was telling me, I couldn’t help but ask more questions. "And what about the injection I received? I remember feeling recharged and invigorated. What did it do to me?"
"Exactly that,” she replied. “It energized you considerably. Every organ in your body has been greatly enhanced to perform at its utmost ability. Now you will tire less, heal faster, and live longer without fear of disease or deterioration.”
"’That sounds all good and well, but why?" I asked. "Why would you want to give me these enhancements?"
"Well, to put it bluntly,” she began, “so that we can use you, or rather your body I should say. Compared to us Scynthians or these Tatorans, human DNA is simple and much easier to manipulate. Otherwise, we would just use the Tatorans since they are naturally stronger and more resilient.”
"Use me? Use me how?" I asked.
"For some, we allow them to stay enhanced, like you,” she replied, “but the vast majority of our human cattle is used for organ harvesting.”
"You were going to harvest my organs?" I asked, completely shocked and disgusted. "What possible use could they be to you?"
"The body is like a machine,” she replied, “a machine that can convert food and nutrients into useful energy and can heal on its own with little outside maintenance. After the enhancement, the body and everything within it will work perfectly and maintain itself that much better, so by using your organs, we can create anything we want using live tissue and completely avoid using non-replenishable fuels, like gas and oil. This, in part, is what has allowed our race to thrive so much.”
I was flabbergasted, and at a complete loss for words. These Scynthians were able to do so much; and it was incredibly unsettling.
“I understand how incredibly immoral and downright offensive this practice must be to you…” she said.
"You power your world using humans!” I said, almost shouting. “How the hell could someone do that to an entire race?”
"Hence why I stopped that physician from finishing his work with you," she retorted.
I was upset and breathing heavy, but none of this was Nadina’s doing. "I'm sorry,” I told her. “I didn't mean to insinuate that you were of a like mind. I should have known better," I said.
I couldn’t stop thinking about she said, but she had warned me I wouldn’t like it. It sprouted other questions in my mind though. "What do you do with the rest of the remains, after the organs have been harvested?"
"It somewhat shames me to say this to you, for you are a kind and rational creature..." she began.
"Don't tell me you...you don't eat the remains, do you?" I asked.
She looked down, embarrassed and ashamed. "It is not us who eat them..." she replied.
"Then who-"
I cut off the thought I was about to have. I already knew the answer. I instantly felt sick to my stomach. My body became clammy, covered in an icy sweat, and I started to sway woozily. I took a few deep breaths and was able to keep my composure. "You feed the remains to the other humans," I finally said.
"We are an efficient race," she replied.
I didn’t know what to say.
"I think perhaps this has been too much for you to take in all at once," said Nadina.
I was absolutely appalled. Without uttering another word, I turned around swiftly and stormed off the balcony.


Chapter Thirteen
Animals of Tatora

Jotus held up a wooden board with a detailed picture painted on its smooth surface. Demtrius and I studied the picture, and I immediately recognized the ponderous animal.
"This is the Dugaan," Jotus explained. "It is the largest land animal on Tatora, and is covered in thick, protective scales, as you can see. It is an herbivore and is generally a very docile creature, but it is as territorial as it is large, especially when placed in confined spaces, as the Pit of the Gyx will be. Its scales are stronger than any sword or arrow, but it does have a few areas of weakness. For one, dugaan do not see well, and if you stand still it will have trouble spotting you in the dim light of the arena. If you end up facing this beast, try to stay out of sight on its rear and you will be relatively safe. To kill it, however, you need to attack its senses. The eyes, mouth, and ears are the only points that a blade can penetrate. A spear would be the best approach, or a well-placed hammer strike to its skull."
He put down the painting and showed us another one. It depicted some sort of feline, about the size of a bobcat, but with a long tail and webbed skin stretched taut between its limbs, like that of a bat or a flying squirrel.
"This we call the Panta," he said. "They make excellent pets when raised from birth, and a single panta is not generally threatening, but in nature they are cunning and efficient pack hunters. Armed with razor-sharp teeth and claws, they will cut you to ribbons in seconds. They can jump astonishingly high and can glide for short distances using their webbed limbs and appendages. When they hunt, they like to herd their prey into closed circles before striking, preventing their victims from slipping away. They will attack from all angles, and when one finds an opening it will lunge straight for the neck, dealing death quickly and effectively. They are much easier to kill than a dugaan, though. They have thin skin and narrow bodies, so a sword or dagger will usually suffice, at least against one foe."
The following image I knew very well; it was of an over-sized wasp.
"This is the Syer," said Jotus with a heavy breath. "You've already had the misfortune of meeting this deadly insect, so you know they attack in nasty swarms. Of course an entire swarm cannot be released in the Pit of the Gyx, but one or two of the pests may be. They move quickly and sporadically, and each wields a large, venomous stinger. The venom attacks the nerves and muscles, killing its victims in seconds. A spear or an arrow is best when dealing with this creature. Strike it through the center of the thorax, for that is where its heart lies and will be the quickest way to kill it."
Next, Jotus held up a painting of a worm-like creature with what looked like a sharp, pointed beak. The creature also had a circular mouth lined with serrated teeth, and its body was covered in small spikes that created a spiraling pattern down its length.
"Here we have the Dota," Jotus continued. "This animal burrows through the ground incredibly fast. It doesn't have eyes, however, and relies on a type of internal sonar to navigate. If you don't move, it won't be able to find you, but if it does, beware of its sucker-mouth. Its razor sharp teeth will eat through your flesh in an instant with an unyielding grasp. Easy enough to kill, but they are a considerable nuisance, especially to farmers.”
The next painting was the most familiar; a spider. It actually looked strikingly similar to a wolf spider, with eight long legs, two smaller arms just below its head, and a bulging rear-end. In front of its mouth it had two nasty looking fangs that curved inward, and at least a dozen or so eyes crowned its head; two of them large and prominent.
"This we call the Waurag spider, the largest of the spider species," Jotus told us. "It is a robust and agile hunter with excellent eyesight, and it can spin thick, sticky webs at an alarming rate. It likes to trap its prey using its webs, but it can also jump and even run short distances. Either way, there is no escaping once it has subdued you and wrapped you in its tightly woven webs to preserve you for later. You will be alive the entire time, even when it sinks its fangs into your body and sucks the life out of you.” He stared at the painting, smiling and almost laughing to himself, as if a fond memory had just popped into his head. “It relies mainly on sight,” he said, placing the painting on the table. “Disable its eyes and you will take the advantage, but beware of its webs. Even the sharpest of blades have trouble cutting through them.”
“Not all of our creatures are so fearsome,” Jotus said, moving on to the next painting. The image depicted three different creatures, though they looked like they were all of the same general family. They were basically giant reptile/amphibian hybrids, looking eerily similar to dinosaurs, though one had two legs, another had four, and the last had webbed appendages and a thin, lengthy tail.
"This is the Rapt family," Jotus explained. “The Bipedal rapt is fast and agile, with two long legs built up with muscle. It can carry a single Tatoran while still being able to leap considerable distances, and is often used for racing sport. Then there is the quadrupedal rapt, which can carry two Tatorans without much difficulty, and is known for its speed & endurance. It is smaller than the dugaan, but larger than the bipedal rapt, and is our primary mode of transportation. It also produces a highly nutritious milk year-round and is often used on the great plains to till farmland. The third type is the aquatic rapt, which is essentially a giant amphibian with an incredibly long tongue. It can climb onto land and remain out of water for hours, allowing it to spread to other waterways and ecosystems. A spear to its side will do damage, but make sure you stay clear of its tongue or it will wrap it around you and suck you into its mouth. Its teeth also curve inwards, making it exceedingly difficult to tear away from its bite. Same with the bipeds and quadrupeds.”
The following painting looked like something straight out of a horror film. To give you somewhat of an idea, the creature resembled a giant, mutated scorpion; but with some obvious differences. It had three visible eyes on top of its body, and what looked like more eyes spread out in pairs at the corners and sides of its head, as well as the characteristic pincer claws, external jaw, and the sizable tail. In addition, though, this nasty animal had needles jutting out all over its tail and the sides of its body, and its tail split near the end into two curved stingers that hung over its body. It wasn’t long like a scorpion, but more of an oval shape, and had eight segmented legs that ended in short, stubby pegs.
"Here we have the Osolisque," said Jotus. "I pity anyone that duels with this monster. Like the dugaan, this creature has a nearly impenetrable body, but instead of scales, it has a hard exoskeleton covering it entirely, providing no viable weaknesses. In its front, it will snag you with its claws or pin you with its tail stingers. In its rear, it can slam down its tail and impale you with its spikes. And if you’re caught underneath this menace, it has a second mouth with another set of external jaws that it will pull you in with. No one has ever faced an osolisque in the Pit of the Gyx and survived; but they are also incredibly difficult to capture so there is little chance you will encounter one.”
"How do we defeat it, though?" I asked.
Jotus humphed, "That unfortunately remains up to you to figure out.”
The last painting that Jotus showed us depicted a gigantic wolf fitted with rows of terrifying teeth and a thick, bushy coat of fur.
"This is the Faoler," he said. "A dreadfully persistent beast, it is. Death lurks wherever it treads. It can fast for weeks, even months when necessary, and can survive in the harshest of conditions. They mainly dwell in the north, but from time to time they’ve been spotted south of the Okala Mountains. The thick, bushy fur impedes the slice of the sword, but direct strikes with the tip of a thin blade can penetrate the thick coat. It is grim work, however, and difficult for even the toughest of Tatorans to accomplish."
There were no more paintings after that.
"What about the Gyx?" I asked, wondering about the fighting arena’s namesake.
Jotus waved his hand dismissively, "The Gyx is just a legend, or its species died out years ago at the very least, for no one in my life time or my father's lifetime has ever seen one. There are no remains of any either as far as I'm aware, but they are depicted as looking quite similar to the markings on your back, Jaxon, and if you were to ever face one, I would wish you tremendous luck, for they are said to be the most fierce and deadly creatures ever to exist. Just one of them is said to be able to destroy entire villages and decimate small armies. But again, that is only what the legends say. You need not worry about fighting a gyx."
"Remember, these are just some of the animals you might encounter in the Pit of the Gyx,” he said, walking toward the door. “You may see others, but they will be no deadlier than any of these that I've shown you. I wish I could do more, but, aside from hands on experience with actual creatures, which I cannot provide you, I've taught you all I can about what lies ahead.” He opened the door for us to leave. "The rest will be up to you."


Chapter Fourteen
In My Free Time

For weeks, Demtrius and I practiced the same routines. Combat training in the morning, followed by lunch, and then off to work in the Harvesting District. Training was progressing well, and I was learning a great deal. I still struggled with hand-to-hand fighting, but my skills with the sword, spear, and arrow were becoming increasingly proficient.
As we became faster and more efficient with our agriculture work, we began to find some extra time on our hands in the evening. Demtrius and I took to walking around Aanthora, and were still being followed by two guards at all times. We were prohibited from entering certain areas of the city, like the armory and the laboratories, but on the whole we experienced a lot freedom to explore.
On one such walk, we came upon a recreational courtyard with several different events going on. A group of Tatorans played some sort of dice game in one area, with a crowd of spectators jingling coin pouches and placing wagers. In another area, two Tatorans were locked in a fierce arm wrestling match, and on a platform in the center of the courtyard were three Tatorans playing some guitar-like instrument called a findler. The largest group stood around a table in one of the corners where two Tatorans sat and studied a large checkered board with many small wooden pieces spread out over it.
Among the wooden pieces were the carved figures of dugaan, pantas, faolers, osolique, dota, syers, rapts, gyx, waurag spiders, eight Tatorans each bearing a single emerald, two Tatorans bearing three emeralds, and one Tatoran, presumably the chieftain, with five emeralds. The board depicted a landscape with hills, valleys, lakes, rivers, and a vast swath of forest covering most of the table. As the players moved the wooden figures around, I noticed each piece had its own designated movements. The game was similar to Earth’s chess, but each side contained twenty pieces over chess' sixteen; among other differences.
The players strategically moved their pieces, taking time to consider which positions to take. From what I could gather, each game piece inflicts a certain amount of damage points per skirmish. They also begin with a limited number of health points, which are reduced per fight, so even the victor of a battle sustains damage. Upon occasion, one of the players’ pieces would land next to the square of the opponent’s piece, which is considered a formal challenge. The opponent can accept the challenge or move to another square. When a piece lands on an opponent's occupied square, it counts as a surprise attack and adds ten damage points to the piece's attack power. The environment plays a part in the point system too. Being on high ground can give up to three additional damage points to a piece, while being in a low takes away a damage point. Different formations also yield health and damage point adjustments, as some pieces complement each other when next to one another, while others can actually have a negative effect if paired with the wrong pieces. It is an extremely interesting and complex three-dimensional game that can take hours, even days, to finish.
One of the players made a move and the crowd around him clapped in awe and approval. It seemed there would be a victor.
The other player, with a creeping smile, moved his panta piece, and the crowd suddenly cheered with surprise and admiration. The game would continue.
I heard two Tatorans speaking off to the side.
"What a splendid move!" one of them remarked.
"He should play in the tournament at the People's Fair!" the other added.
"They both should!" commented the first.
"I guess we'll read about it on the public boards tomorrow when the fair announcements are posted," said the second.
The evening was growing late and we hadn’t eaten dinner yet, so Demtrius and I soon took our leave from the courtyard.

Late one afternoon, after tending to the plants, I walked through the room with the strange hanging meat sacs. I wanted to stay a bit longer. Working in the Harvesting District was the only place Demtrius and I weren’t followed by guards.
As I walked across the room toward the office, I passed the elevator that led to the surface where Demtrius and I had just finished working. Demtrius had stayed behind, taking the opportunity to meditate to a dazzling sunset high above, so I was all alone. Out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw something move. I turned to look and noticed a sac in the far corner gently swaying back and forth. "Who's there?" I said as I approached, but there was no reply.
I crept toward the strange fruit, fearing a rogue Tatoran might be planning to ambush me; but I saw no one. I went to place my hand on the hilt of my sword, and cursed when I remembered it was back in the armory by the training courtyard. I had my small knife, but still felt vulnerable and almost defenseless against a Tatoran foe.
The sac moved again, bulging from within and jerking to the side as it hung. Something was in the sac, and trying to get out!
A hand landed on my shoulder, and I jumped.
"Do not be frightened,” Jotus laughed. “It is only I.”
“I didn't hear you,” I replied. I pointed to the meat sac. “What is happening to it?"
"It's dying," he explained. "Soon it will shrivel and be no more. That is what happens when we let them grow for too long. There is a relatively short window to harvest them once they have ripened, and then they become inedible."
"Is there anything you can do to save it?" I asked.
"None that I am aware of,” he replied, somewhat sorrowfully. “All that is left now is to cut it down and burn it to make room for another sapling.”
"Why not bury it?” I asked. “It will do more in the ground than by being roasted to ashes.”
I actually thought that if he buried it, I might be able to accompany him, or at the very least see where he went to get to the jungle floor. I didn't like deceiving Jotus this way, but I desperately needed to get back to find a way out of this arboreal city so I could make it home to you. To be honest, I didn't think he would mind too much if Demtrius and I were to somehow sneak away in the night. I couldn't be sure, but he had helped us often enough to give me hope.
"Actually, that does make some sense," Jotus replied after a moment of thought.
I was somewhat surprised by how easy that was, but I didn't question it.
Jotus cut down the spoiled sac and dragged it toward his nifty elevator. The counter-weights dropped after he pulled the lever, but this time we sank downward. The descent was slow and seemed to take forever, all the while the meat sac was oozing a viscous white fluid from its stem, and then the elevator came to an abrupt stop. I thought it was stuck, and the space we were in suddenly seemed so small and confining.
Jotus pushed on one of the walls and a panel slid to the side, revealing another small room. “Right this way,” he said, tossing in the meat sac first.
We stepped into the room and Jotus closed the opening behind us. Then he turned around to repeat the same task on the opposite wall, revealing yet another room. We stepped through the opening into this new room and Jotus closed the panel. "An added measure of security," he said, before activating another counter-weight and sending us downward.
Eventually, we came to a stop, and Jotus pushed back a bark door that concealed any evidence of the elevator to the outside world.
We walked a short distance from the elevator, and I turned to see we had stepped out of the base of a massive tree. “This way,” Jotus grunted, hefting the meat sac over his shoulder, “and stay close.”
A dozen or so yards away, we found a decent spot and Jotus began clawing out a shallow grave. The sac was tossed in the ground and covered with dirt, very unceremoniously, and then we returned to the elevator.
When we reached the harvesting room, we were met by two guards with serious faces. A third guard had Demtrius held by the arm.
"Where have you been?" one of them demanded.
The question was directed at me. "I was--"
"He was assisting me with my work," Jotus interjected.
The guard looked at him with narrow eyes. "Well I don't have all day, so next time make sure you finish on time.”
“Of course,” Jotus replied, bowing slightly.
I then followed the guards out of the Harvesting District.

Now back in our sleeping quarters and out of earshot, I turned to Demtrius with excitement. “You'll never guess the luck I've just had!"
"What kind of luck?" he asked.
"I found a way to the jungle floor!” I said whispered, suddenly concerned I might be overheard. “It's been right under our noses the entire time!"
I quickly relayed the events that transpired with Jotus, watching Demtrius' face fill with hope and relief. Finally, we had found our avenue of escape!
We had to act fast because the People's Fair was fast approaching, as we had learned from the spectators at the cassa game. We needed to get a hold of Nadina and the others before it was too late.


Chapter Fifteen
A Fight Against Time

With no time to spare, Demtrius and I tried as we could to arrange a meeting with Nadina, her father, or Mya; but to no avail. It was days before I ran into Mya again, happening upon her by chance during one of my walks. That day I had gone alone, as Demtrius had become enthralled by the board game we discovered; which we learned was called Cassa.
I had just left him in the recreational courtyard and was walking through Aanthora’s beautiful flower gardens when I saw Mya hunched over on a bench, crying with her hands in her hair, almost ripping it out.
Instinctively, I went over to console her, though I had no idea what I would say. I barely knew her, and she was obviously still grieving over Minka’s death, but I couldn’t just leave her as she was.
I turned to the guard that followed me and asked him to give us some privacy. He reluctantly complied, but still kept watch from a short distance.
Even with tears running down her face and her hair all in disarray, Mya was still strikingly beautiful. She saw me from across the walkway and tried to regain her composure. She wiped her eyes and tucked some hair back behind her ear, but then gave up and burst out crying again. "I can't do this,” she said over and over. “I can't do this!"
I went to put my hand on her shoulder to let her know I was there for her if she needed someone. Before I could, however, she threw her arms around my waist and shoved her face into my stomach. I felt her tears seep through my clothing to my skin.
After a few minutes the crying subsided. She leaned back and looked up at me with wet, swollen eyes. "Thank you, I...I needed that," she said.
At first I didn't say anything. I hated these situations. I was never good when it came to crying women. But at last I felt compelled to say something. "I'm sorry for your loss,” I said lamely. “I know you and Minka were very close.”
"She was like my sister,” Mya replied hoarsely. “We spent every waking moment together; from birth till her death. We were raised together as a pair. We never even spent a night apart from one another.” She started to cry again, but was able to choke back the tears.
"Well, she will always be with you,” I said, “in your heart and in your memories.”
"Thank you," she replied, fixing her hair again. "I'm sorry I'm such a mess. I didn't expect anyone to see me here like this."
"To be honest, I was actually looking for you," I said.
She stared up at me, somewhat surprised.
"Well, for you or Nadina,” I corrected myself. “I have news pertaining to our escape."
Her eyes widened with hope.
"Can you relay a message to her for me?"
She wiped the last tear drop from her face with a determined look. "You can count on me," she replied. "I desire nothing more than to leave this place and rid myself of these terrible people. Everyone here is cold, like the plants they hold such high regard for," she said. "At least you are here; someone of my own race; someone who understands the way I think and feel."
At this point I was sitting next to her.
"I doubt I could even begin to understand how you think,” I replied, “but I believe I have somewhat of an idea. I, too, have suffered losses in my life.”
She leaned on me, putting her head to my chest. I hate to say it, and most of all to you, but I enjoyed the physical contact. It had been so long since I shared a real intimate moment with someone. I found myself putting my arm around her and giving her a gentle rub on the shoulder. She wrapped her arms around me and we stayed like that for a time, until the hour grew late and I had to return to my room.
"Don't forget to tell Nadina what I’ve told you, and no one else,” I reminded her. “We can’t waste any more time if we plan on getting out of here before the fair begins.”
"I will let her know immediately," Mya replied.
"Good, meet Demtrius and me here tomorrow at the same time," I told her.
We then parted ways.

The next morning, I awoke calm and refreshed, excited for the day to commence. If all plans proceeded well, we would be out of Aanthora that night, if not the next.
Demtrius and I went about our day as usual; training in the morning and work in the afternoon. The only thing different about our routine was that, this time, Jotan was our instructor; not Jotus.
We immediately asked Jotan where his father was, to which he had no reply. We decided not to press him on the subject. He seemed on edge as it was, and if you had ever seen a Tatoran you'd understand why being around an angry one is the last thing you'd want.
"Today, you'll spar with me," he said simply.
I was a bit surprised, and, seeing as I had only sparred with Demtrius, I was eager to see how I might fair against a Tatoran.
We walked into the small sand arena and Jotan told me to get into my defensive position. I knew he was aware of my skills, but I hadn't the faintest notion as to his, so I needed to play it safe.
Only a few feet separated us. Jotan watched me with unfaltering eyes, and I stared back, ready for the attack. As the seconds passed by, eventually I needed to blink, and the moment I did was when Jotan made his move. He bridged the gap between us in a single stride and raised his sword, slashing downward with brutal force. I caught the blade above my head, but the power of the attack almost forced my knees to buckle. Keeping my sword from hitting me in the face was all I could do. He struck again, this time forcing me down to one knee. Then he drew back and slashed again, but I was able to roll out of the way. His sword struck the ground, spitting up dirt and sand.
I noticed that although he was much stronger than Demtrius or myself, he was a hair slower than us. This helped, though not as much as I would have liked.
Without a moment's hesitation, I grabbed a handful of sand and threw it in Jotan's face. Just as the sand hit him, I followed up with my sword, but Jotan must have been expecting this. He swung his sword, catching mine low on the blade near the handle. It hurt like the sting you feel when a baseball hits too low on the handle of a baseball bat, and the sting forced me to drop my blade.
Jotan's sword was then at my neck. He had won.
"Next time, you need to move around more. Keep me at a distance, and wait for the right moment to strike. If you get too close, I can easily take you down with my superior strength and size. My arms are also much longer than yours, as is my striking distance, so remember that even though you may not be able to reach me with your sword, I will be able to do so with mine. Your best bet is to tire me down first, and wait for me to make a mistake. In that instance you must not hesitate, and capitalize where you can. Also, remember, I am still very young. Against one of my elders, you would be no match, no matter how hard you trained. Now, Demtrius, front and center!"
After a few rounds of sparring, in which Jotan was always the victor, we stopped for some water. My brow dripped with sweat from the morning sun as I sipped from my water skin. Demtrius' hairless body was gleaming with sweat. We were both extremely exhausted. Jotus had never put us through such a barrage of attacks.
"The point of this exercise was to show you how to maintain a defense for an extended period of time. Sometimes, you will be helplessly outmatched, in which case defense will be your only option. Remember, over-exertion can be a deadly foe.”

After training, we ate lunch and then proceeded to the Harvesting District. On the way, we passed by the public boards, where a crowd had amassed around a Tatoran who read from the board. Today was the day that the lists were put up, revealing Aanthora's contestants in this year’s fair.
I knew my name, as well as Demtrius', was written somewhere upon that board.
Though I could speak Tatoran, among other languages, I couldn't read it. From what I could see, the letters were small and elegant. They resembled flowers, trees, and animals; like some sort of calligraphy, and the writing went from top left to the bottom, and then started again at the top one space to the right. Jotan later explained that when the language first started out, they used pictures to tell stories. As it grew more complex and sophisticated, the pictures became the basis for their alphabet.
We resumed our walk toward the Harvesting District. I felt slightly uneasy knowing my name was somewhere on that list. I knew there were other events at the People's Fair, but I was sure ours would be among the most dangerous.
In any event, I didn't plan on staying long enough to find out. Only hours from now, Demtrius and I would meet with Mya, Nadina, and her father, and we would make our escape.

When we finally arrived at the Harvesting District, Jotus was still nowhere to be found. It was very peculiar. He was a person of punctuality, as I had learned during my extended stay. Whatever the reason for his lack in attendance, I figured it must be a very important one.
The day dragged on as usual. In the early evening, a half hour before we finished, a light rain came down. I hoped the heavy rains would hold off until we made it to our dwelling. I wouldn't look forward to walking home through a torrential downpour. However, I decided to welcome the rain, for it would aid us in our escape. It would help cover our tracks and conceal our scent once we hit the jungle floor.
With the last funnel-shaped flower filled with its nutritious mixture, Demtrius and I took our leave from the roof.
The tree-lift brought us down to the harvesting room, and, after stepping off the elevator, the door suddenly closed shut behind us and the lift sunk downward rapidly. Curious as to who was calling it from below, we waited in the room filled with the strange hanging meat sacs to find out.
It took longer than usual for the elevator to return. The thought of the second, hidden elevator that ran parallel to this elevator came to mind; the one that Jotus and I had used to reach the jungle floor.
"Perhaps that is where Jotus has been all day," I thought, though it seemed unlikely.
I couldn't understand why he would abandon his normal duties to go down below, but, alas, it was he who came out of the elevator moments later, with a look of pure excitement written upon his face.
Jotan was just stepping out from his father's office at that same moment. He, too, noticed the uncharacteristic excitement in Jotus.
"Hello lads!" Jotus shouted jubilantly.
"Where have you been, Father?” asked Jotan very seriously. “You've been gone all day and no one has had a clue as to your whereabouts."
"Something splendid has happened!” Jotus replied. He suddenly stiffened, looking around the room suspiciously, “But I cannot talk about it further here. Come, all of you, to my office!"
We entered his office and Jotus locked the door behind us.
"So what is so important?” Jotan asked, clearly irritated. “What's got you so riled up?"
"Something both grand and, now that I think of it, extremely tragic. The impossible has happened! Undoubtedly some error on behalf of myself and others, or perhaps the miraculous efforts of life to prevail!" he exclaimed.
"You speak in riddles…" said Jotan.
"The hanging fruit; the sacs of meat that grow just outside this office, are...well, alive!" Jotus explained.
"Yes, we know this,” Jotus replied. “They grow by our design, like a plant.”
"Yes, but that's not what I mean," Jotus answered him.
"Well out with it then," I said, impatiently.
"The other day, as you remember, Jaxon, we took a dying sac down to the ground level and buried it, giving it back to the earth from whence it came. It has been long believed that after the sacs pass their due dates, they just die and that is the end of it. But it's not! Last night, I went down to bury another sac, and when I came to the place where we buried the first, there was a young sapling in its place! And it spoke to me through my thoughts!" said Jotus with a shrill of excitement, "I've been down below the entire day, talking to and learning everything I can about the being. My god, I think we've created an entirely new species!"
It took me a moment to grasp the full meaning of what he said. It was unbelievable. Through their experiments, they had inadvertently created another species; an intellectual species that communicated through thoughts.
It was funny, actually. The scientists on Earth were experimenting down the same lines of research, with their high tech machines, genetic enhancements, test tube babies, clones, etc. Yet these primitive people had figured out how to create life by accident.
"But this means that we've been murdering these poor, defenseless creatures for years by the crop load!" he said, suddenly filled with sorrow.
He was right; it was genocide, of sorts.
I could tell Demtrius and Jotan felt the same way by the expressions on their faces. It wasn't like raising cattle or chickens on a farm for work and sustenance. These creatures were apparently smart and rational. They could feel and had emotions.
Just then there was a loud knock on the door.
"Do not speak of what I have told you to anyone,” Jotus whispered to us.
"Who goes there?" he shouted toward the door.
"Lucran, Commander of the city guard."
"What is this about?” Jotus replied. “If you‘re looking for our guest-prisoners, I have them in here, but you‘ll have to wait.”
"We are not here for your pets,” Lucran yelled through the door. “We are here for you.”
Jotus grunted, and then motioned for Jotan to open the door.
Six guards poured into the room with Lucran at their lead. He was holding a piece of rolled up parchment in his hand.
Two of the guards secured the door; the room’s only exit. Another two guards grabbed each of Jotus' arms.
He struggled for a moment, demanding, “What is the meaning of this?"
"By order of our fair chieftain,” Lucran began, clearing enjoying the display of authority, “you are hereby placed under arrest for crimes against the state.”
"Absurd," Jotus responded, offended by the notion. "I've done nothing of the sort."
"The warrant here says otherwise," Lucran said, holding it up for a second and snatching it away when Jotus leaned down to read it. "Now will you come with us of your own free will, or do we have to force you to come? I don't really mind either way," he smiled.
Jotus growled fiercely, but relented and allowed his arms to be cuffed.
"Take him away!" Lucran commanded, and Jotus was led from the room.
From the corner, with a solemn and determined look on his face, Jotan got up to stand in their way, but he was quickly restrained by the remaining guards. His fists clenched as he tried to break free of their hold on him. I don’t know from where he drew the strength, but he overpowered them and punched one of the guards holding his father. Jotus gave him a sharp look, however, and Jotan instantly stopped, with hurt in his eyes. He was grabbed forcefully from behind by a guard and then kneed in the stomach by Lucran. Cuffs were placed on Jotan then, too, and he was led away with his father.
Fighting on Tatora was a regular thing; it was a part of their everyday lives. Therefore, the punishment for fighting, even with an officer, was negligible. The punishment for compromising the city’s security, however, was severe. One goes before the high council, all alone. The public is excluded from the trial so they can't interfere, and the results are announced to the public afterward.
We sat dumbfounded in Jotus' office. His arrest had taken us by surprise as much as it had him. Demtrius thought that Jotus might have been taken into custody because he compromised the safety of Aanthora by bringing me down to the jungle floor. There were no witnesses to the event, but as Demtrius reminded me, there were those who wanted us dead and gone. Quite possibly, these anonymous enemies had spies placed within the Harvesting District. Or, as Demtrius went on, they could just as easily have had cameras and voice recorders hidden in any number of places. The Dotarans had brought such devices to the planet, and certain Tatorans had managed to acquire some of this technology. The Aanthorans bragged about being the most advanced clan, so it made sense that they might be aided by Dotaran technology.
In any event, I felt terrible; responsible for Jotus' arrest. If not for me, he might still be free, and now we were just leaving after turning his world, as well as Jotan’s, upside down. The guilt was overwhelming.
I couldn't think about that at the time, though. With all that had just happened, I had almost forgotten about our secret rendezvous in the flower gardens. It was nearly time for Demtrius and me to meet Mya, Nadina, and her father.
I looked to Demtrius, who must have been thinking the same thing. He nodded, and the wrinkle in his forehead twitched slightly.

With no time to waste, we walked as fast as we could back to our room while trying not to arouse any suspicion. We hadn’t realized it yet, but no guard had escorted us back.
Presently, I wore a loose tunic and ill-fitting pants borrowed from Jotan, since my Earth clothes had been saturated with filth and were in desperate need of a washing. I quickly changed back into my regular clothing and gathered my belongings, which consisted of my pocket knife, my trusty Zippo, and my water-skin. The bow and sword I used to spar with were locked away in the armory next to the training courtyard. I would have felt more comfortable had I had either of them, but unfortunately the armory was too well guarded to attempt retrieving the blade.
Once we were finished packing, we turned to leave the room. There was still a good hour before curfew, so we had plenty of time to make it to the flower gardens, as long as we didn't run into any mishaps. If any guards stopped to question us, we would tell them we were just going to check the public boards for updates on the fair. The public boards were just a minute’s walk from the flower gardens, so the story would hold up against any scrutiny. The only flaw in the plan was that neither Demtrius nor I could read Tatoran, but we hoped that was something the guards might fail to realize.
I pushed aside the giant leaf curtain that closed off the room to the outside, and, to my dismay, saw two guards waiting there for us; making sure we didn't sneak away or cause any unwanted trouble. It was an oversight on our behalf. Just before then we hadn't had the guards escorting us, so their presence slipped both of our minds.
The guards had their backs to us, so we silently fell back and let the leaf curtain fall shut.
"We should have expected this," I said.
"Should have, but didn't,” Demtrius replied. “The question now, however, is how do we get rid of them?"
"Get rid of them?" I asked. I doubted we could ditch them, for on foot they would overcome us without much effort, and I didn’t think we’d be able to overpower them. "I don't like forcing things to happen…"
"Neither do I, but we don't have the time to wait,” Demtrius replied. “We have to leave tonight.
"Agreed," I said. "Hopefully something will present itself on the way."
With that, we left the room. The guards inevitably saw us leave and followed close behind. They would have to be dealt with quickly, for time was of the essence.


Chapter Sixteen - In The
Heat Of The Moment

It didn't take long to make it past the great well in the center of the settlement. We scanned the surroundings along our route for a way to ditch the guards, but the way Aanthora was built left little room to run or hide. It was very open with few structures on the walkways or near the well.
The branches that were normally pulled aside to allow sunlight into the city were resting shut now that the sun was beginning to set, leaving us in twilight. Most of the citizens were either inside their homes or on their way to their homes, while the night patrol hadn't yet come on duty. The air was calm and there was a sense of mischief lingering in the fading light. You actually would have loved the atmosphere of the city on that night. Time seemed to stand still and anything and everything seemed possible.
We were almost to the public boards. No opportunity had presented itself for us to abandon the guards, so now we were forced to consider a more dangerous plan; killing or incapacitating them. Neither were ideal options, and both Demtrius and I had no wish to do harm to anyone, but the Aanthorans were not just going to let us go free and we knew we fared little chance of success in the Pit of the Gyx.
I knew brute force would be a risky move against the guards. They were trained Aanthoran warriors, and so far they had taken their assignment very seriously. Our only conceivable advantage was how little the Aanthorans think of humans and Dotarans. From the many conversations I overheard, it was quite clear that they consider themselves a far superior race. They even believe themselves the most fierce, cunning, and abled people on the planet; incomparably better than the rest of their species. It was their over-confidence that hindered them, and it was their over-confidence that would win the day for Demtrius and me.
I leaned over to Demtrius and whispered, "I have a plan."
He said nothing in return, but nodded his head in affirmation. He despised the thought of what might happen next, but he also knew it was necessary.
"I can't wait for the tournament!" I said to Demtrius happily, and my words repeated from his translator so the guards could hear.
Demtrius just looked at me and shrugged.
"I guess you'd be happier if you had any chance in winning," I joked. "I'm not worried at all. I'm a survivor."
He was quick to grasp my intentions. "With your slow moves, you won't survive long."
The guards smiled at the banter.
"Still fast enough to beat you," I countered. "If anyone will survive, it'll be me. I'll be the champion."
At that, the guards gave audible chuckles.
I looked back to them, as if angered by their lack of confidence in us. "What, you don't think so?" I said with severe attitude. "Do you know who trained me? I'd be worried facing Demtrius, but I could beat either of you without breaking a sweat!"
"The Pit of the Gyx was designed to test you to your core and push you to your limits," said one of the warriors, now completely serious. "Not many Tatorans can survive past the first match, and few have ever lived to tell about it. I highly doubt a race as scrawny as yours, or yours, has what it takes."
The other guard huffed in agreement.
"I may be scrawny to you, but you wouldn't be so smug if we were fighting in an arena," I replied. "It's easy to talk tough when you're armed and I'm not."
"Don't be absurd," said the first guard, waving his hand dismissively. "I could squash you with one arm tied behind my back and a blindfold on; weapon or no weapon."
I exaggerated a laugh. "I bet you can't even throw a knife as well as Demtrius or I."
"Clearly you think much too highly of yourself," he replied.
"As do you," I countered, "but I'd like to see you prove it."
The guards looked at each other, and one gave the other a smile.
"Well then, how should we do this?" he asked quickly.
I pretended to think. "How about a contest with the bow and arrow? Anyone can overpower someone, but true skill lies in attention to detail and accuracy."
"You won't be fighting from a distance in the Pit," said the guard, "so that won't really prove your worth." He drew his sword, "but we do seem to have two blades here that might work."
"If I use one of your swords, then I'll definitely lose," I replied. "That sword weighs half as much as I do!"
The guards laughed, resheathing their weapons. "Let's get moving then."
"Take us to the training platform!" I demanded. "There are swords there that I can use properly, and then I'll fight you." It would take us further away from the flower gardens, where we were supposed to meet the others, but it would all be for nothing if we didn't get rid of these guards first.
"Challenge accepted," the guard replied. "Don't worry," he said to his partner, "this will be over quickly." He was confident.
We quickly made our way over to the armory next to the training platform, and it was just the four of us there; no witnesses. One of the guards watched us while the other retrieved our weapons, and I couldn't help but second-think the whole idea. I'd be lucky if they didn't accidentally kill me.
"Now we'll see if you can fight as well as you talk," the guard said upon his return. "All out of excuses now."
"Let's do this," I said, snatching the sword from his hand. I knew I couldn't waste any time; I didn't know how long we might be alone, and we would still have to deal with the bodies. I immediately spun around, swinging the blade for his neck and taking him by surprise.
Midway through my stroke, I caught sight of warriors marching toward us from the direction of the flower gardens, and Lucran was at their lead. They began to spread out around us, and then I saw Mya being pulled on a rope with her hands tied behind her back.
"I thought I might find you here," said Lucran, just as his group came to a stop in front of us.
Our guards looked surprised, nervous even. Demtrius and I just stayed quiet.
Lucran continued, talking to Demtrius and me. "When we found the Scynthians and their human servant sneaking out of the palace earlier, we had them followed, and they brought us to the flower gardens, where they sat and waited. We kept ourselves hidden. Soon enough, we heard voices, your voices. When the human female heard you, she started running toward you, but we sprang out and intercepted her. And now, we find you at the brink of curfew, with weapons in your hands, seemingly about to strike down your guard detail."
"You don't understand, sir," one of our guards spoke up. "We were just-"
"Don't understand what?” Lucran asked, cutting him off. "That you were just in the cross hairs of death a moment ago?" He spat. "They played you like a findler."
"We had the situation under control, sir" said the other guard.
"I'm sure you did," said Lucran, with growl of sarcasm. "I will deal with the two of you later. Go, now."
Lucran turned back to us. "You two, come with me. Amentus will want to hear about this.”

As Lucran walked us to Amentus' palace, he wasn't shy with his words.
"And after I arrested Jotus, he faced the High Council, and they charged him with treason!” he laughed. “Not only was he convicted of intentionally compromising the city's security, he was also charged and convicted for the syer attacks as well! I couldn't have devised a better outcome!”
I couldn't stand to listen to him. Jotus was a good Tatoran; no, a great Tatoran. He did not deserve a fate like this.
“He was sentenced right then to be executed during the People's Fair, in front of all to see,” Lucran continued. “Not so high and mighty now, huh?”
We were in front of the door to Amentus' palace. One of the guards knocked and a small panel slid back, revealing a pair of large brown eyes. All the while, Lucran kept boasting arrogantly about how things had played out so perfectly for him.
The owner of the large eyes said something to the guard, and then slid the panel shut.
"And his pathetic son! He'll have front row seats to his father's execution! Hah! What a humiliating and heart-wrenching experience that will be for him! I wonder if he'll..."
I had had enough. In the heat of the moment, I allowed my anger and want for vengeance to get the better of me. I dug into my pocket and flicked open my knife silently. I winked at Demtrius, elbowed the guard next to me in the crotch, and sprang forward. I brought the knife back over my head and drove it down with all my might at the back of Lucran's neck, dealing a death blow. Or at least it would have been if I had hit my mark.
He turned just in time, throwing his arms in front to stop the progression of the blade. The tip of the knife just barely grazed his left eyebrow, cutting him down to his cheek, yet somehow leaving his eye unscathed. A single tear-drop of blood ran down from the cut.
Lucran was furious, and I was helpless in his grasp. He overpowered me, wrenching the knife from my hand and sinking the tip deep into my right shoulder. A sudden jolt of pain shot down my arm and back, and the pain was immense. He pressed harder, twisting the blade, and I could feel the tip carving at my bone.
I groaned in agony.
Demtrius protested, but was struck from behind by one of the guards and sent sprawling to the floor.
"I'd cut your head clean off if it was up to me!" Lucran roared into my face, panting with rage.
The doors to the palace opened, and he quickly withdrew the blade before we were admitted.
My shoulder was useless, and blood ran down my arm and chest. My vision became blurry and the world started to tilt sideways. I felt like I was going to be sick, and thought I might even bleed to death. This was the first time I had ever been stabbed, and, I promise you, it is a very unpleasant sensation that you never want to experience.
All I could do was put pressure on the wound and follow the guards.


Chapter Seventeen
As Fate Would Have It

"So, after everything I've done for you,” said Amentus, “you thought you could just get up and walk away?"
His demeanor had changed since we had last seen him. Before, he had been cool, calm, collective, and confident. Now, however, he seemed angry, undermined, and dangerously capable of doing something rash.
"Well I won't have it. You forget that I am the reason you are both still alive, and I will not be played for a fool. I'm very disappointed in you."
He was talking directly to me now.
"I would have expected as much from this hairless Dotaran, but I thought you might have understood me a little better. You could have earned your status and prestige among our people. All you had to do was show your worth by succeeding in the Pit of the Gyx. But that is now out of the question. I still have a role for you in my plans. You will do what I want, solely because I want it, and for nothing in return except your life. That is, if you survive the Pit, of course."
He stood there for a moment, his hand on his chin, thinking.
"I'm sending the both of you to the fairgrounds in an advance team. It will be hard for you to attempt anything stupid and ill-conceived when chained and on the march," he said. "Nadina and Pharon will stay here with me until the caravan is ready to leave. They will make a great spectacle upon our arrival to the People's Fair."
Amentus went on for a few more minutes, caught up in the plans he was making. He truly was full of himself. Eventually, he returned his attention to the two of us.
"Now, you'll stay the night here,” he said. “Your escort will be here in the morning."
Without being able to utter a word, we were ushered out of the study and taken to an ornately designed roomed filled with silks, paintings, and meticulously carved sculptures. An attendant was sent to clean and bandage my arm. The blade had missed any major arteries and landed between muscles, so the damage wasn't as bad as it could have been. Still, the attendant told me it would take weeks to fully heal.


Chapter Eighteen
On The Road To Thora

We were awoken an hour and a half before sunrise the following morning.
“Get ready,” Lucran said. He was smiling, but then he saw my shoulder was fine and he became serious. “You are to leave within the hour.”
We gathered our things and were brought to the main hall of the palace, where we met the two warriors that would escort us to the fairgrounds. Their names were Lorthredo and Montaug. Apparently, they were brothers, who, out of sheer joy for adventure, had volunteered for the journey. I don't know what their true motives were for volunteering, but I didn't much care who it was that took me to my most probable doom. I did note, however, that they each had three emeralds embedded in their belt, just as Lucran had.
Like I mentioned, the stab wound I had suffered the night before was completely healed. I knew it was from the enhancement serum that the Scynthian physician administered to me, but I was still surprised by how quickly it had healed. I wondered how bad of a wound I could come back from.
We were blindfolded and hooded in the hall, and then led a short distance to a spiral stairwell. We followed the stairwell downwards for a few minutes until finally reaching its bottom landing.
I heard one of our escorts pull out a set of keys and unlock a door. We passed through the doorway and the door was locked behind us. Next, I heard a lever pulled, and the floor we were on sunk downwards. In a few seconds, we came to a stop. We then walked down a straight corridor for what must have been a good quarter of a mile, and then climbed a series of steps. At this point, I heard a door open and fresh air flooded into the room. I knew we must now be level with the jungle floor.
Shortly thereafter, Demtrius and I were unhooded and our blindfolds were removed. A pair of cuffs were placed on my wrists and attached to a length of chain that Montaug held. Demtrius was leashed similarly with Lorthredo holding his chains.
We were led through a large underground tunnel. It looked of natural makings. It was dark, damp, and had luminescent mushrooms growing in large thickets all around. The mushrooms actually gave light to most of the area with their dull glow.
Eventually, I saw the sun's rays penetrating through in the distance. Now I could see the cave was actually the underside of a massive root system. The extent of the Tatorans’ growth manipulation was truly astounding.
Near the entrance to the underground passage stood three guards. The way the entrance was grown created a small maze of roots before it opened up to the outside. It made it so only one Tatoran could enter at a time, but whoever that might be would have to first know which path to take. I'm sure one could eventually figure out the correct path, but then they could be dealt with or held off until one of the guards returned with reinforcements.
Lorthredo and Montaug stopped to talk with the three guards for a short time. They talked low, but I could still make out parts of the conversation.
"These are the two going into the Pit of the Gyx? The way the people talk about them, I thought they'd be..." said a guard.
"...never going to make it out alive," said another guard.
"They will make a quick show!" laughed a guard.
"There may be more to them then there seems," Lorthredo replied mysteriously.
A few minutes later, we were through the root maze and at the entrance to the cave. A series of overgrown roots blocked the entrance from the outside. We had to weave our way through these roots, and then, finally, we were outside.
I had wanted to escape from Aanthora so badly, and now I was outside of the city at last, only I was still a captive prisoner. Demtrius and I still had hopes, if only we could escape the clutches of the two guards, Lorthredo and Montaug. The chances of us besting them chained as we were would make that extremely difficult, though. Still, Demtrius and I knew we must try, if a good opportunity ever presented itself. These guards, however, learning of what we had planned for their two comrades the night before, were on high alert. They sure wouldn't fall for any tricks or mind games now.
A small creek ran perpendicular to the entrance. We followed the creek downstream for a while until the tributary dumped into a small river. On the opposite side of the river was a road, seemingly paved with wood, which traveled parallel to the riverbank. With no other visible trails, I figured that was where we were headed. The water, however, was too fast and turbulent for us to go through, and we had no boats to cross with.
Lorthredo and Montaug turned us to the left and we started walking up stream. After several minutes of stumbling over logs, roots, and rocks, we came to a large plunge pool for a high, narrow waterfall that shot out from the side of a massive rock wall. The pool was calm enough to swim across, but it would be a long and arduous swim. The plunge pool was dark, very deep, and was about seventy yards across at its widest.
It suddenly occurred to me. Can Tatorans even swim?
They are very large, muscular beasts to begin with, and with the added weight of their wet fur and whatever weapons they might be carrying, it almost didn't seem possible. I knew bears could swim, but they had a lot of fat on their bodies to provide some buoyancy. The Tatorans had no extra fat, so they would sink easier and have to work that much harder to stay afloat.
We continued around the left side of the pool until we reached the foot of the massive wall of rock.
"Follow our footsteps precisely and with caution,” Lorthredo informed us. “We don't need either of you falling and dragging us off the wall.”
With that, we started our ascent. Lorthredo went first, then Demtrius and I started to climb, leaving Montaug to take up the rear. The free climb wasn't too difficult, at first, but soon footholds became increasingly scattered and spread apart. Not to mention the spray from the waterfall making every surface wet and slippery.
The climb reminded me of the last time you and I had been together; when we climbed the three-tiered waterfall to gaze at the aurora borealis. Oh how fate torments me.
"Whoa!" I shouted, as my foot slipped off one of the footholds.
Lorthredo caught the chain that connected us and Montaug put his hand on my lower back to steady me. We were lucky all of us didn't fall. I had to pay more attention to what I was doing.
"Be more careful," said a disgruntled Montaug.
They made sure I had a secure grip on the wall before resuming the climb.
About forty feet up, we came to a small ledge wide enough to stand on. Once we were all on the ledge, we started making our way right, toward the downward rushing water. It was much easier to walk along the ledge, but the closer we got to the falls, the more dangerous every step became. Luckily, the water poured out from above so fast that we were able to slip behind it without going through its main stream, though we did get drenched from head to toe by the mist.
Once on the other side, we began to descend.
Now I could see the wooden road again. It curved off on the right side of the plunge pool and up a steady incline into the woods. In the opposite direction, it followed the river downstream as far as I could see. The wood of the road seemed to be one long piece. It had no breaks or seams; it was just a solid length of wood extending in both directions. I would later find out from Lorthredo that the road was made from the same species of manipulated wood that supports all of Aanthora.
“The road itself is still alive and growing,” he said, “repairing itself continuously and providing a flat, smooth surface for travelers to use.”
It was ingenious. Once the road was grown to its pre-selected diameters, it required no maintenance or regulation. A true autonomous system.
When all of us made it to the ground on the other side of the waterfall, we proceeded to follow Lorthredo and Montaug up the road. Soon, I could hear animals of various sorts coming from up ahead. When we got closer, the overpowering stench of animal feces began to blow our way.
This must be where they keep their cattle, I thought.
Sure enough, we soon came upon various types of animals. They were penned inside a similar root structure like the one we emerged from earlier. Each pen was at the base of a gigantic tree whose roots extended above ground, providing secure bars to keep the animals from wandering off or escaping.
From what I could see, there were at least three different types of animals in the many pens. I immediately recognized one of the animals as the large, scaled dugaan, which was used as a pack animal. I remembered being slung over one of them on my first day on Tatora. The other two animals I saw were of the rapt family; the fast and agile bipedal rapt and the larger, four-legged rapt,
We walked to the closer of these pens, which contained the quadrupeds. Lorthredo and Montaug spoke to one of the caretakers and obtained two of the rapts. They were saddled, packed, and prepared for an immediate departure.

As large and bulky as the rapts were, they moved with a smooth grace. The rapt I was on skittered down the wooden road at a comfortable speed while Lorthredo held the reins. I was tied belly down across the back of the rapt, as was Demtrius on Montaug's rapt, so the smooth ride was very much appreciated.
We were half a day’s trip from the pens when Lorthredo and Montaug stopped to eat and rest. Demtrius and I were unbound from the rapts and chained to a tree. When Lorthredo and Montaug finished eating, and then they fed us some scraps from their meal and let us drink from their water-skins. Soon after that, we were again bound to the rapts and on our way down the road.
Here and there we would pass other Tatorans; travelers, farmers, traders, etc. We passed a few small villages and several guard towers, and also crossed over a large ravine that dropped hundreds of feet down. The bridge that we used to get across the ravine looked to be hundreds of years old. It wasn't grown like the many structures I had seen so far; it was built the old fashion way with brick and mortar.
We continued on for a few more hours until the sunlight began to fade. We then left the main road and went a good distance into the woods.
Lorthredo and Montaug made camp well out of sight of the road. They tied Demtrius and me to a tree like they had done at lunch, but this time we were there for the night. They cooked their dinner over a small camp fire, making a delicious smelling stew that filled the air around us with a mouth-watering aroma. Once again, after they had their fill, they fed us the little left-overs that remained.
While Lorthredo cleaned the stew-pot, Montaug put out the fire. Montaug then retrieved a blanket from one of the saddle bags on his rapt and threw it to us. It seemed they packed the blanket solely for us because they both slept without one; one of the luxuries of having fur I guess.
The ground was hard and rough, but months of falling asleep at almost the exact same time every night must have made it a habit, because even without the sleeping agent and soft bed of flowers, I was soon fast asleep.

The next morning, we broke camp and were on the main road again by daylight.
All morning, I was carried belly down as before. When the sun was overhead, visible through the small gap in the foliage created by the river, our small group stopped. At this point, Demtrius and I were made to walk. We were pulled along by chains attached to both Lorthredo and Montaug's saddles. Our pace was significantly slower. I could only guess that we were getting close to our destination and were now meant to be displayed as prisoners should be.
"We will be in sight of Thora within the hour,” Lorthredo announced. “There, we will rest and find lodging for the night while our ship is prepared.”
Demtrius and I nodded our heads in acknowledgment; Demtrius, of course, still using his translator.
We continued down the road, which was now only dirt. I was tired, sweaty, and filthy. A nice dip in the river beside me would have been fantastic at that moment.
Suddenly, from the woods to my left, trees and branches cracked and bent as a savage boar came barreling across our path and into the river. It struggled to stay afloat, but was able to quickly make it to the opposite bank.
In the wake of the boar now stood several bipedal rapts. The animals seemed to be in magnificent shape. Atop each rapt sat an equally magnificent Tatoran rider. Some riders held spears, while others kept their spears buckled to their rapts. Two of them also held crossbows. I could see two emeralds in the belt of one of the riders. Other riders showed one, and some showed none.
They began to circle our group.
Lorthredo stepped forward. "Good afternoon gentlemen. How goes the hunt?"
"It was going better up until we lost our quarry a moment ago," said one of the riders near the back of the group.
"Maybe we can eat one of these strange looking animals," said another rider, as he gestured toward Demtrius and me.
"We are not animals," I said.
"It speaks!" said a rider, genuinely surprised.
"Sirs," said Lorthredo, "my colleague and I are on a time sensitive mission. If it is alright with you, we have an appointment with a boat captain in Thora that we cannot afford to miss."
"And what might be the nature of your visit to Thora?" asked the rider with two emeralds.
"My chieftain, Amentus, has sent us ahead with these two prisoners,” Lorthredo explained. “We are on our way to the fairgrounds.”
"Do you have any papers, documents?” asked the rider with two emeralds.
"Of course," said Lorthredo.
Montaug was already reaching into the folds of his tunic and retrieved a rolled up document. The rider took the paper and examined it. After a minute of scrutiny, he seemed satisfied.
"Very well then," he said. "Welcome to Thora."

For more information, visit http://thejaxongreychronicles.com, or you can purchase it directly through the links below. Welcome to Tatora!

_