The Land Below our Feet COMPLETE

PAST

-All right, give him back to me- Ussiariah ordered, standing up and reaching for the sleeping child.

Souna exhaled sharply as the pleasant heat of the boy was snatched away from her, and she pulled her clothes back down to cover her exposed chest from the warrior's prying eyes.

-Here- Ussi said, holding the child's limp body with one hand while rummaging through his belongings with the other, and tossing her a rolled-up blanket- It is going to be a long night. Better keep yourself warm.

-Thanks- Souna mumbled, grabbing the fur clothing and wrapping it around her shoulders - What about you? Aren't you cold?

-I am fine - The Yahurian shook his head, sitting back against a tree trunk and settling the boy on his lap, tucking the wrap tightly around him – So, tell me all about these invaders on your land.

-They came out of nowhere, one tragic morning, riding the waves of the Durúita sea and mounted on their horrific beasts. When they reached the shore, they marched towards our gates… Our men tried to stop them, but – Souna winced - They carried these long wooden sticks that spat fire out with a loud boom and tore holes inside their chests. There was little we could do.

-Ships… And firearms- Ussiariah nodded with a grave look in his eyes – So, that is what we are faced with.

-W-What is that? – Souna asked, pulling the blanket up to her chin and staring fearfully at him.

-That is what my people used to call what you mistook for beasts… Ships. Even if your perception might not be so farfetched in the end. They are still just as dangerous, even more so… And they can mean our downfall. So can firearms. If we fight them with only our weapons, I fear we won't stand a chance.

-So… What do we do then?- She exclaimed with an appalled tone - We can't just let them win.

-We won't- The warrior shook his head with determination- I know where we can find our leverage… But we will need to make a brief detour before we head north to Cahen. With some luck, it will hopefully still be there. And it might be just the incentive we need to persuade Hethan into joining our cause.

-Where are we going?- Souna finally gathered the courage to ask as they rode under the inclement sun-rays mounted on Kohu´s back.

-Home- Ussiariah´s deep voice responded over the loud gust of chilly wind that smacked their faces – If we want to have a slight chance of success, we need to pay my past a small visit first.

It took them three days of endless march. Alternating trekking and riding on Kohu´s back, only pausing to sleep and feed themselves briefly before renewing their procession.

The sun was already going down when they finally reached the decayed gates of what once used to be a blooming town. Now all there was left was an abandoned and dilapidated pile of ruins.

-Welcome to Enhisieh- Ussiariah called out as they passed by the crumbled debris - My birth city.

Kohu´s paws pressed silently down the dusty deserted roads. An ominous atmosphere looming heavily over their battered souls.

Not much of Enhisieh´s past glory remained standing. In addition to the evident tragedy that had clearly meant its falling, time had been nothing but unforgiving… Just a few half-caved-in buildings persisted under the relentless drafts.

Ussi directed his jaguar to a demolished large structure at the center of the village and, after a brief moment of doubt, he climbed off the animal's back and unstrapped Axe from his shoulders, placing him in her arms.

He walked decidedly towards the back of the place and Souna´s eyes widened when he cleared some rocks out of the way, revealing a hidden metallic hatchway door.

The Yahurian took a quick glance at her before grabbing its handle and pulling at it with a strained grunt. The ancient plate giving in with a loud creaking sound after a few minutes of struggle.

A second later, he climbed inside unceremoniously and disappeared before her eyes. He had been gone for a long time and Souna was debating between staying on the wild beast's back or following after him, when she saw him emerge from the earth's entrails, covered in dirt and carrying a heavy crate.

-Well, now we have gun-power – Ussi said as he dusted himself off beside the bonfire he had just lit and crouched beside the large, metallic box. Using his spear as a lever and cracking it open.

Souna let out a muffled squeal as she saw the Yahurian grab one of the tubes and start calmly inspecting it thoroughly.

-They seem to be in good shape, the chamber kept them dry enough- Ussi said after a while, grabbing a pinch of black powder from one of the wooden barrels that he had also carried up with him and loading it inside the tube, then inserting a rounded pellet into it and aiming at a nearby tree.

A thunderous roar emerged from the weapon as the tree bark blew into smithereens right before Souna´s startled eyes, and she ducked down in fear, holding onto Axe's trembling body.

-They are not enough for an entire army and I will still have to show them how they work without wasting our entire ammunition in the process – The Yahurian sighed worriedly, placing the weapon back inside the box - But at least it is a start.

-How did you know they were here? – Souna asked as she recovered from the impact of seeing the dreaded fuel of her nightmares in full action and at such a close range.

-They were once my family's heirloom- Ussi gestured with indifference, sitting by the fire – They had been stored down there for generations before my city was attacked and everyone was killed. Father used to take me down there from time to time and tell me all about the history of our people.

-What happened? – Souna asked with caution, avoiding his eyes and staring down at the child before deciding to feed him again.

The masked man's pupils glistened with hurt before sighing and fishing out two pieces of bread from his leather sack, handing her one.

-Xiblen happened - He started talking with narrowed eyes, his fingers shuffling the chunk of food distractedly between his limbs - When my people first settled here after vanquishing the bloodthirsty faction of their own back to the sea, there were thousands of us. But as time passed, sickness, warfare and hunger diminished our numbers and Ashrae saw the weakness in that.

Ussi paused, turning his head away from her and carefully lifting his mask up, placing the whole piece of bread inside his mouth. He took a few moments, chewing his food before staring back at her and speaking once again.

-By the time he decided to invade, our city had just a few hundred people left and most of the new generations had forgotten how to fight. They could not defend themselves, even less hold a firearm. We were no longer warriors. We had settled down in peace and that would prove to be our undoing.

The Yahurian exhaled deeply, catching his breath and struggling to bring himself to continue his tale.

-Father tried, but all the ammunition in the world would have been useless in the hands of a single man. He had asked for Yahur´s aid, and they came. But when they did, it was already too late. They were all dead by then.

-I am very sorry- Souna said sadly, offering him a sympathetic smile- So… How did you survive?

-Mother and I were running towards the chamber, she pushed me down the hatchway, and before she could join me, there was a loud crash. She promised she would be right behind me, but she never made it… She closed the door over my head and I heard her die as I held onto the stairs, frozen in fear.

The Yahurian directed his reddened eyes towards the sky. His hands visibly shaking. When he spoke again his voice was impregnated with self-hatred.

-I stayed down there for two days like a goddamn coward, crying in silence while my people were butchered to death, before I finally gathered the courage to climb up to the surface again.

-You were not yet a warrior back then, just a helpless little child. Do not blame yourself… What could you have done? - She shook her head at his remorseful demeanor – How old were you?

-I was ten - The warrior responded, his eyes hardening- And you are wrong! Things could have been different... I could have at least died with honor along with the rest of my people.

-But don't you see? - Souna insisted, looking deeply into his tormented soul- If you had done that, then I would have no one left to help me free my land.