Journey to Yesod

Art drawn by: Bintang Hamal

Written by: Hunter Ake

Edited by: Lilliana Steele and Dee Dee Davis

Chapter 9 (Part 2)

        Sook ripped off a sizable branch from a nearby tree, Zenebe wrapped the end in cloth from the medical bag he bought earlier and Pirouz used his divine fire to light a torch to help keep track of the rough terrain. “Alright, something definitely isn’t right. Let me fly up again to see where we are. My eyesight isn’t the best in the dark though. I’ll need to use the torch to reference myself. You guys keep pressing ahead and I’ll follow from the sky.” Pirouz flew up again and looked around at his surroundings. He could barely see the break in the tree line where the road was. It didn’t even look any further from the last time he checked. Pirouz slowly moved forward above the torchlight, looking in all directions for something fishy. Then he suddenly noticed the trio below him curve to the left. He flapped his wings in place, like one would tread water, as he watched the torch make a wide arc until they were going in the opposite direction, back toward the road. “What in the world are they doing?” Pirouz thought. He continued to watch as they eventually came around again and completed a full circle before beginning the same turn that he noticed before.

        Pirouz swooped down toward the torch light. “Why did you guys just walk in a circle?” 

        Sook looked confused, “What do you mean? We’ve been walking straight the whole time.” 

        Dulani and Zenebe both looked at Pirouz’ face and then at each other. “We must have stumbled into some kind of illusionary trap,” Zenebe said. 

        “Well, that’s just great, Dulani’s great sense of direction directed us right into a trap,” Sook teased. 

        Dulani clenched her fists, “Well, excuse me for trying to save our lives!” 

        The group pondered what they should do next. “Maybe if we just walk off in a different direction?” Sook offered. 

        “Hmm that could be, but it seems to mess with our perception as we walk. I could fly each of us over to another part of the forest and see if that works,” replied Pirouz. 

        Zenebe shrugged, “I don’t have a better idea and I hate starving to death so let’s do it.” 

       Dulani took another makeshift torch from Sook before Pirouz held her under arms, “Hey, watch the hands, buddy.” Pirouz lifted her up over the treetops and flew her further East toward the mountain pass. Dulani suddenly shouted, “Wait! I see a clearing over there! It almost looks like a structure too!” Dulani pointed to the right and Pirouz had to squint his eyes to see it too. 

        “Wow Dulani, your eyesight in the dark is quite impressive.” 

        “Yeah well, it’s one of my many talents.” 

        “You mean like getting us into trouble and then getting us into even more trouble?”

        Pirouz placed Dulani down near the clearing and told her to light her torch. He then flew back up to get the other two after spotting their torch back where he left them. Pirouz arrived to pick Zenebe up, “Dulani found what appears to be a structure deeper in the forest. I set her down near it, so I’ll take you next.” 

        Pirouz flew Zenebe over when Zenebe asked, “So, how are you enjoying our group so far?”

        Pirouz laughed, “Well, you three certainly are lively. It’s never a dull moment. Even if Dulani might not be my favorite person.” 

        “Ah don’t worry about her. She teases me constantly, but she cares more strongly about us than she does herself.”

        Pirouz set Zenebe down next to Dulani and left to go get Sook. Pirouz landed in front of Sook, “Are you ready to fly again?”

        “Oh, you bet I am!” Pirouz lifted Sook over the treetops, and she gasped at the view of the stars in the sky around her. The peaceful tapestry of lights in the darkness above her felt closer than they ever had before, yet still felt so far away. “I wonder if we could ever travel up there someday.” I’ve never felt so close to the heavens before! This is so beautiful; I wish I could fly whenever I wanted like you!” Pirouz and Sook landed over by Zenebe and Dulani who were waiting with varied levels of patience.

        “Alright, now to check out this place. It looks like a collection of stones and trees now, but I could have sworn it looked more like a building from the sky.” Dulani said as she stood up from leaning against a tree.

        Pirouz decided to take a jab at her, “Maybe, your eyesight isn’t quite as amazing as you thought it was.” 

        Dulani flipped Pirouz off; as she stepped forward into the clearing, a distorted voice that sounded like the guttural utterances of a demon rang out through the night air, “Who dares to trespass on my sacred ground?!”

        The voice was spine-chilling;  the group froze in place and stared wide-eyed at the hovel. Dulani was the first to speak, “Hmm, on second thought, maybe we shouldn’t go in there.” 

        Pirouz slowly drew his sword, “Now that we have discovered something like this, we can’t just let it live so close to a populated area.” 

        Zenebe stepped in front of Pirouz, “Whoa, let’s not jump to any conclusions here. We haven’t heard any rumors of people going missing in this area.” 

        Pirouz pushed Zenebe aside and stepped forward, igniting his sword, “This thing could be responsible for the disappearance of the town in the Silent Basin. Or it could be the cause of the thralls.”

        Suddenly, Sook’s voice carried over Pirouz’ in a gentle but cutting tone, “You’re sounding an awful lot like Borzou right now.” That was enough to pin Pirouz in place; a deep shame washing over him as he looked down at his burning sword. He disenchanted it and sheathed his steel while Sook stepped forward, patting him on his shoulder. “It’s okay. Let’s try talking to it first before we get all stabby burny.” 

        The voice rang out again, “You angels disgust me. Always so quick to draw your weapon and threaten violence just because you fail to understand something.” The ground began shaking under their feet. “Leave my domain at once, and you may live another day.”

        Sook stood up straight and bellowed back, “We did not mean to intrude, we were caught in an illusory trap and thought that this area might help us gain our bearings!”

        “That was my trap, it’s to keep fools and officials from stumbling into a place they don’t belong. Unfortunately, you seem to have missed that warning.” 

        “We are deeply sorry; we came this way to avoid the military”, Sook responded.

        The voice didn’t respond for a moment. “Why was the military after you?”

        Sook looked back at the group and then forward again, “Because, I am born to a race of people that have been outlawed. My companions refused to allow me to be put to death, so they fought against the garrison soldiers. The angel in our group is actually a traitor who defended my life in opposition to his commander.” The voice was silent for a time, then suddenly, the air wavered like the surface of pavement on a hot afternoon. Stone after stone appeared to dissolve before their very eyes while trees seemingly scattered like sawdust in the wind until a well-built, illuminated cabin had been completely uncovered by the mirage.

        Dulani smirked to herself and walked in front of Pirouz before flipping her hair, “Who has bad eyesight now?”

        The group approached the door. It was a homely place, with plenty of potted plants all around the cabin, warm light peeking through the windows, and an outdoor cauldron was surrounded by a reef of flowers. As they came closer, the door creaked open and before them stood a short witch with thick rimmed glasses and a hat that was clearly too big for her. Her unkempt, long black hair hung down from under the hat. She was wearing both slippers and an expression of clear annoyance. “You four can hide out here for the night and then I’d like you to leave in the morning.” 

        The group huddled together in the tiny cabin, enjoying the warmth of the fireplace and taking care not to break anything else after Sook accidentally knocked over the robe-rack and got hit with a slipper from the angry witch. The tiny woman offered cocoa, which Zenebe, Pirouz, and Sook gladly accepted. 

        Dulani put up her hand, “No offense, but I don’t make a habit of accepting drinks from strangers.” 

        The witch sat down in her rocking chair, her oversized robe poofing out over the arms, “None taken. A wise philosophy to keep.” 

        Zenebe felt the warmth of the drink trickle down his throat and heat his core from the inside, “If I may ask, how did you do the voice?”

        The witch lowered her mug of cocoa from her lips, “I simply cast an auditory distortion enchantment.”

        “And the growling and snarling at the beginning, that was also you that was making those noises while enchanted?”

        The witch looked around and then pointed at a dark corner of the room with a strange structure of carpeted panels and towers, “That was me enchanting Chico over there.” Sook quickly stood up, taking extra care not to break anything and she went over to the device. Near the top, curled up into a pitch-black ball, was a somewhat rotund feliz wearing a jeweled necklace. Chico unwrapped himself and stared at Sook who pressed her face close with a big goofy smile. The feliz’ big orange eyes rounded on her. Without warning, Chico reached out and swiped her nose, baring his fangs and hissing. “Oh yeah, he doesn’t like people. That’s why we get along so well.” 

        Sook hissed back at the animal as Pirouz spoke to the witch, “I apologize for our rudeness. How may we address you, gracious host?”

        “Oh, stow it, you angels talk all polite, but it’s just dressing to mask your cold and violent behavior.” Pirouz was quiet, not wanting to agitate her further. “My name is Abha.” 

        “So, you’re pretty skilled with enchantments, is that fair to say, Abha?” Dulani leaned forward with her elbows on her thighs, practically perforating Abha’s form with her scrutinizing gaze.

        “I’ve been known to dabble. What more would you ask of me?” 

        Dulani noted she needed to be more careful; this one was clever, “We have a rare box we have been trying to open. I’m a somewhat decent lockpick but I’m starting to think it may be sealed with magic and the keyhole is just for show.” Abha just held out her hand, motioning for the chest. Dulani produced the box from her robe and handed it over; annoyed with the witch’s attitude.

        Abha inspected the chest, “You stole this. Looks like it belonged to some fancy noble house, I don’t mind helping you, but I’m going to need something in exchange.” 

        Dulani looked at her carefully, “What would you like from us, a cut of the profit when we sell it?”

        “Please, money is of little consequence. I would like to inspect your angelic enchantments as well as that staff of yours, Alkebuvian.” Both Pirouz and Zenebe handed their weapons over to Abha. “No no, I need to inspect as you enchant them. You first, angel.” 

        “I have a name, Abha, it is Pirouz.” 

        “Yes yes, please enchant your sword for me, Pirouz.” Pirouz focused and held his sword horizontally, the orange flames slowly licked up the blade, spreading out from the hilt. The glow from the heat crept up the edge of the sword before fire engulfed the entire blade. 

        Abha stared; her eyes shining in the firelight, “So, you angels do tap into the power of Jakawyts.” 

        Pirouz looked at her confused, “No, we angels are blessed by the God Atchar. He grants us his power.” 

        Abha continued to inspect the fire, her face anxiously close, “Jakawytz is simply what my people referred to the deity as. Atchar, Nyanbi, Rho, Zhulang, Amoderous, Puronedeus, Zertr, Bere, it has gone by many names. Throughout all cultures, there is always a patron God of fire, your enchantment is quite similar to others that I have seen from my travels.” Pirouz was offended by that. 

        Zenebe quickly offered to show her his enchantment so as to change the subject. Zenebe held out his staff and focused, the cracks in the wood glowing with a faint blue light as the water from his pouch snake out and spiraled around the staff, forming into a spherical shape above. 

        “My people told me that I was blessed by our patron God of water, Bonzhi.” 

        “And the people of my culture refer to the God of water as Tchaak. Tell me you two, when you utilize these enchantments, do you feel the presence of a divine being?” 

        Pirouz answered with a resounding “Yes.” 

        While Zenebe offered a less decisive, “I’m not sure.”

        Abha continued, “For centuries now, scholars have argued over the existence and nature of these deities. The magic that is harnessed in the name of these entities is evident. While the history of them remains a mystery. Many different cultures describe the God of fire in so many different ways. They disagree on their appearance, history, gender, and the very nature of their existence. Yet, those cultures make use of extremely similar magic. Take you two, for example, you both come from very different parts of the world. Pirouz, was it? Your culture seems to worship Atchar above all other deities.” 

        “Well yes, for he is the one true God above all.” 

        “Hm, yes, I’ve heard as much from Ydalians. Yet, Zenebe, where you come from, what standing is… what was the name near Alkebuv… Nyanbi?” 

        “Nyanbi is considered Bonzhi’s brother. The two were born together, twins, yet they grew apart as they were so different; polar opposites, really. Eventually, they had a falling out and designated their own domains in heaven where the other was forbidden from interfering. Now, they utilize mortals, manipulating them into setting back the other any way that they can. They are considered complete and total equals.”

        “I’ve spent decades researching this phenomenon. There is a budding theory in the theological corners that posits all these names could be referring to the same thing. That these “deities” we pull power from are instead concepts that embody some aspect of our world. This would imply that they have no personhood, no intelligence or will to speak of. They would simply be aspects of reality, sources of power, that can be connected to in certain ways or certain situations.”

        At this point, Pirouz’ entire body was vibrating and he had only just kept the blood in his lip from being drawn by his own teeth. He looked like he was about to burst when Dulani placed her hand on his shoulder, “That certainly is an interesting theory. We appreciate you talking philosophy with us, but we have upheld our end of the bargain. Can you help us unlock this chest?”