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Hejira: Crystalline Hall

By Mantrid Brizon

Episode 23: Crux

They return to the village as a blanket of darkness slowly slips over them. Gareth walks his friends back to the hut that they had been using.

“I’ll talk to Gishner about building you a better home soon.” He assures them.

“Sure. Can we spring for a hot tub?” Kelly quips.

Chuckling, the friends say goodbye and Gareth and Kahlera continue on. They walk Sarvah back to her yurt, recently erected by her servants. They wish her a good night, before returning to Kina’s home. They enter the home quietly, but Kina is awake, eagerly awaiting them. She bombards them with questions, but neither wants to talk about what it is that they had seen. Quickly realizing this, she avoids pressuring them, instead leaving them alone and entering her own room in the back of the cabin.

Now alone, Gareth and Kahlera strip off their clothes, leaving them in a neat pile on the floor beside the firepit. They lie down on their large bedroll and pull the covers over them; Gareth lies on his back and stretches out as Kahlera tucks herself under his arm, her hand on his furry chest. He stares up at the ceiling, as though focusing on some distant, invisible object.

“Are you alright?” She asks him.

“Huh?” He turns to look at her.

“I asked if you were alright.” She reiterates.

“I am, but I’m worried about the others, especially Faye... They all wanted to leave so badly; I was just thinking about how they are going to cope to life here.” He answers.

“They will be fine. You were.” She assures him.

“Yeah, but I’m not like them.” He retorts.

“I know.” She coos.

She gazes up at him, feeling his soft fur in her hands. She rakes her claws gently across his chest, gaining his attention. He looks down at her, wrapping an arm around her body and stroking her back with his own claws. She closes her eyes and purrs, trembling at his touch. He rolls over onto his side, sliding Kahlera off him. He leans on an elbow, looking at her. He strokes her side with the claws of his free hand. Their eyes lock and she grins wide at him, her fangs poking out from behind her upper lip.

“You know, I never had the chance really test out this new body...” He winks.

“Do you need any help?” She asks sweetly.

Her hand reaches over, still underneath the blanket, resting gently on his side. He leans in and presses his snout against hers, their lips touching. They kiss passionately, as her hand slides down his side, exploring his new body. His hand moves in kind, carefully slipping between her legs. She closes her eyes and moans softly. Her hand reaches ever lower, brushing his member. Kahlera’s eyes open and she looks down at the blanket.

“I think this body is a bit bigger than my last one...” He comments with a smug grin.

They share a laugh as he leans in, wrapping both arms around her, kissing his lover as he slowly climbs atop her.

“Mmm, lucky me.” She coos.

Back in the hut, Faye sits upright, in the fetal position. She stares at the fire as Naomi and Kelly cook lean ham on a small brass grill. She cries softly as her sister and friend watch on. They look to each other, wondering if there is anything that they can say to Faye to make her feel better. Naomi scoots closer, sitting beside her sister.

“Are you going to be alright?” She asks Faye softly.

“I... I did... Such horrible things...” Faye chokes out.

“But you aren’t a horrible person.” Naomi assure her.

“Aren’t I? I nearly killed Gareth. I nearly killed Kelly. I murdered dozens of innocent people... A child! Oh God... What happened to me?” Faye weeps.

She drops her head down, resting it on her knees, while the tears stream down her face like an open faucet.

“It’s going to be okay. You didn’t realize what you were doing.” Naomi says softly, trying to comfort her sister.

“It doesn’t matter. They’re all still dead.” Faye retorts.

“It does matter. You can get through this. You aren’t a bad person. You just made a mistake.” Kelly adds.

“I nearly killed you!” Faye yells sorrowfully as she looks to Kelly.

“But you didn’t, and I’m not mad about it. You’re going to be alright now.” Kelly replies with a pleasant smile.

Faye lowers her head again and cries.

“Have something to eat. Food always makes me feel better.” He continues.

He leans over, presenting her with a wooden plate of cooked ham.

“I’m not hungry.” She murmurs.

“Miss Piggy sacrificed herself to become a delicious dinner, and tomorrow’s breakfast.” He quips.

“So... You’re eating Miss Piggy?” She asks.

“Yeah. Wait... No? ... Maybe...” He thinks aloud.

The girls both giggle. Faye reaches out and takes the plate.

“Give me that.” She says with a smile.

“That’s better…” Kelly grins.

Early the next morning, Gareth slowly opens his eyes. He sits upright on the bedroll and looks around, taking a moment to stretch his arms and back. Kina sits by the fire, stoking it with a brass poker, while Kahlera takes a sip from a familiar red tea that she had mixed with her mortar and pestle.

“Good morning, love.” Kahlera smiles.

“Hey, babe. How is it that I never wake up before you?” He asks.

Kahlera shrugs her shoulders and quickly drinks the potion.

“Is that...?”

“Yes, it is. We are not quite ready for children... Just yet.” She winks.

Kina hands Gareth his clothes. As he dresses, she cooks some lean ham for their breakfast. Kahlera sits beside him; they finally begin sharing their tale with Kina, revealing everything that they had learned from Sahvath. They talk as they cook and eat their breakfast, sparing no details. Kina is amazed at the revelation; she looks depressed by Sahvath’s true nature. Kina openly pities Sahvath for losing its way. After revealing the truth of their origins, and Sahvath’s being, Kina asks for permission to inform Gishner. They grant it without hesitation. Kina quickly departs to tell Gishner, leaving the couple behind.

“I’d like to go check on the others.” He begins.

“We should also see Sarvah and see how she is coping. This is... Troubling news.” Kahlera adds.

They exit the home and walk toward the camp, where the Feather Fingers have already packed nearly their entire nomadic village. In the distance, Volaren stands at attention as Sarvah barks an order. He quickly turns and leaves. She sees her friends approaching and her expression suddenly changes, becoming noticeably happier. Her tail sways and she waves to the couple.

“Come to wish me well?” Sarvah asks with a smile.

“If we have too...” Gareth jokes.

She laughs as she looks to Gareth, hugging them both.

“You know you are going to miss me.” She smirks.

“Maybe...” Kahlera smiles.

“Well, maybe I will be back then.” Sarvah retorts.

“Please, take your time.” Kahlera quips.

“Seriously though, how long do you think you will be gone?” Gareth asks.

“I’m not sure. I plan to visit several southern villages; the nearest is three days away. In order to truly profit, I must travel much farther, but I’ve made arrangements with Gishner to regularly return, and barter supplies. You should see me once every month, give or take a week.” She explains.

“Oh good... Another monthly visitor to annoy me.” Kahlera facetiously comments.

“She learns quickly.” Sarvah interjects.

“I’ve been training her.” He nods.

“Well, keep up the good work. With a proper sense of humor, I may actually be able to talk to her.” Sarvah chuckles.

Sarvah turns to her people. She waves goodbye to her two friends, then walks away, her bushy tail happily swaying as she glances back. Inside, her chest stings as she leaves, but she must lead her people, and she knows that she will see him again. Even if there was no profit in it, she will visit as often as she can; at this stage, Sarvah both needs and desires Gareth’s attention, however limited. The couple sits on a log and watches the tribe march down the long southward road. As Sarvah and her tribe slowly shrink into the distance, they are disturbed by Kelly and Naomi running towards them. The humans look frantic.

“Thank God we found you!” Naomi speaks, gasping for breath.

“We already tried Kina’s house.” Kelly adds.

“What’s wrong?” Kahlera asks.

“We were about to come and see you.” Gareth adds, standing to face them.

“Faye is gone...” Naomi says through labored breaths.

“What?!” Kahlera asks in shock.

“She packed some supplies and left during the night. We woke up this morning and she was already gone. All that she left behind was this note.” Naomi explains.

Naomi hands over a small slip of memo pad paper, written with faded ink from an old pen. Gareth recognizes it as part of Faye’s adventure kit, used to make patrol maps. He takes the note and looks it over. It reads:

“Dear family,

I’m very sorry to have to do this, but it’s the only way. I can’t come to terms with who I am, and it’s better if I just go. I’m going to walk the earth, or whatever this planet is called, and let God decide what to do with me. Stay strong and support each other, just like you tried to support me. This isn’t your fault. There was nothing you could have done to fix me.

Forever yours, Faye.”

Gareth lowers the note, placing a hand on his brow, and closing his eyes tightly. He hands the note to Kahlera, who quickly reads it over.

“When do you want to leave?” She asks him.

“Whenever Naomi and Kelly are ready.” He grumbles.

“We’re ready now!” Naomi chirps.

“Yeah, after we get our gear.” Kelly quips.

“Then gear up.” Gareth grunts.

“We’ll meet you at the hut when we’re ready.” Kahlera interjects.

The couple quickly returns to Kina’s home, where they collect their gear. Gareth packs a quantity of food and emergency ammunition in his black musette bag. He has mastered holy bolt, but is always prepared; he only carries loaded magazines in order to either enchant the rounds and enhance their power, similar to Kahlera’s enchanted arrows, or to use as a backup, if too weak to use his talents. He places his web belt through the loops of his faded cargo pants, attaches his holster, recurved knife, Crusader canteen and pouch, and double magazine pouch. Kahlera does not wear her pack, but takes two goat bladder canteens, coated with tree resin to prevent leakage, along with her stainless-steel knife, yew bow and arrows.

They rush back to the storage hut where Kelly and Naomi are already waiting for them. Kelly wears his pistol belt and a water bottle, with a makeshift sling that wraps around the bottle’s neck, but neither wears a pack. Wasting no time, they begin by walking the perimeter of the village near the hut, looking for Faye’s trail. Using her enhanced vision and keen sense of smell, Kahlera picks up her trail. Though Gareth now shares these traits, he is still adapting to them; although his nose can find scents from a distance, his untrained mind can’t discern them yet. They follow Faye’s trail, picking up faint footprints in the light snow, and discovering several broken branches.

They follow the tracks nearly a mile away from the village, before coming upon a stream. They follow Faye’s trail along the stream until it widens, before the faint tracks end, the scent disappearing. Faye had taken care to cover her tracks by hiking through the stream. They cross it, walking a quarter mile in both directions, but can’t find her trail again. Faye is long gone, and her trail has grown cold. Naomi is devastated.

With no other leads, and nothing else they can do, the search party gives up and returns to the village, hoping that Faye will change her mind and return. A day passes, and then another. Every day Naomi walks around the camp, several times a day and at regular intervals. She maintains her vigil for the next week. Faye never returns. Kelly, Gareth and Kahlera had quickly realized that there was no point in hunting her down, instead quietly resigning themselves to her loss, something they kept from Naomi.

One afternoon, Kelly walks through the camp, trying to decide what to do with himself. The boredom often becomes palpable. Gareth and Kahlera are building a life and home together, and both have tasks in the village. Naomi is quite popular among the Blue Feet, and also Kahlera’s apprentice, learning her skills as an apothecary and healer. Kelly, however, has nothing to do but train with his talents, and eat; the latter hobby is considerably expensive in a society that has to provide everything for itself. He sits down at a blank patch of dirt and sighs, staring at it.

The barren land at his feet once held the village’s shrine to Sahvath. In the time since they had returned from the Crystalline Hall, Kina and Gishner decided to share the truth of Sahvath’s nature to the entire tribe. Though some find it difficult to accept, most adapt quickly, and manage surprisingly well. The shrine was taken down only a few days earlier, in accordance to Sahvath’s own desire not to be worshipped. He looks over and sees a familiar, grey furred Sahvorai sitting on the porch of Kina’s home.

Gareth holds a small piece of wood in his hand, using a small bronze knife and tiny chisel to carve something into it. Kelly approaches Gareth, watching him work. He is carving a deep impression of a cross into the piece of wood. His spent shell casings sit in a small cloth sack beside him.

“Hey Gary... What are you doing?” He asks, sitting beside his friend.

“Just carving a mold.” Gareth replies.

“Oh... Why?”

“Well...” He sighs, taking a moment to think. “I guess it just makes me feel better...”

“Right on... So, then you’re going to make it out of brass?” Kelly looks down at the cloth sack.

“Nothing else I can do with them, and I have enough blades.” He smirks as he holds up an empty hand, flashing his claws.

Kelly chuckles and looks at the ground while Gareth quietly whittles the cross into the chunk of wood.

“I never expected village life to be so... Quiet.” Kelly suddenly speaks, breaking the silence.

“Well, what else did you expect?” Gareth asks, his eyes focused on his project.

“I don’t know... Adventures. Demon slaying, then coming home to a feast every night. Prostitutes that are so impressed that they don’t charge you afterward.” Kelly retorts.

Gareth laughs, still carving the cross.

“Sounds like you need a trade, or at least a useful hobby.” Gareth comments.

“Escape one dead-end job to find another?” Kelly raises an eyebrow.

“That’s just life, Kel, anywhere you go. Although, here a trade actually provides something tangible, and not just worthless Fiat money. Also, that’s a very bleak outlook.” He explains.

He inhales with his black, feline nose, contorts his lips and gently blows the wood shavings from the completed work. He stands and takes the cloth sack in his hand and walks toward the village forge, where the smith, Balahn, waits for him.

“I’m just getting use to this place, is all. You adapted fast. A lot faster than I can. Naomi too; I didn’t think she’d do so well here.” Kelly continues.

“You’ll find your place too, man. Everyone has one. Start talking to the tradesmen; I’m sure you’ll find something to occupy your time. Something that you can do in public, anyway.” Gareth laughs.

He hands the block of wood to the older Sahvorai male who runs the forge. The smith holds the object in his hands and looks it over curiously.

“So, this is it?” Balahn asks. “This is a strange symbol.”

“I know.” Gareth replies, handing over the bag of shell casings. “Let me know as soon as it’s done. You can keep the leftover brass, if there is any.”

“I will. Do not forget that venison you owe me.” The bronze smith adds.

“Just remind me a few dozen more times, because I’m sure I’ll forget.” He facetiously remarks.

Balahn shrugs his shoulders and set the shell casings on a workbench. Gareth turns to Kelly and pats his arm.

“Don’t worry. You’re going to be fine here. We’ll get you a job, a nice apartment, maybe a puppy.” Gareth smiles.

“Thanks dad...” Kelly mutters sarcastically, looking to the horizon.