The Hidden Prophecy Trilogy

4. A Bittersweet Boon-2

Maheer nodded in agreement. Hatem, he said. If you spend so much of your time here, you must have something to show us. Feroz grinned wickedly behind him. Get in here, and you will spar with… Parwez.

Hatem, If you spend so much of your time here, you must have something to show us. Get in here, and you will spar with… Parwez.Zaid internally groaned. This was going to hurt. He walked back to the ring and climbed over the bars as Parwez did the same from the other side. Not only was Parwez five years older than him, but his ability was also strength. Once, several years ago, Zaid had witnessed him punch through the branch of a baobab on a dare. The entire branch had broken off and fallen to the ground in a loud crash. One could only imagine what that would have done to a person.

Zaid’s heart started beating frantically as the other boy came closer. He was of average build, but of course, that was deceptive. His hair was kept in short twists about his head, and he narrowed his eyes as Zaid stopped in the middle of the ring. The soft sand shifted under Zaid’s feet, and his palms started to sweat. This was really going to hurt.

Maheer whistled for them to begin.

Zaid tried to think fast as Parwez started running toward him, but fear had his mind going blank. Parwez got close and raised his fist, and swung. Zaid threw himself to the left, a knuckle just barely grazing his cheek.

Parwez turned and threw another punch aimed at his gut, but Zaid instinctively shifted to the right. The lack of impact had Parwez stumbling, and Zaid almost smiled, but his heart was still pounding, and all his focus was on not getting hit.

Parwez stood, this time anger twisted at his features. He knew the trainers were watching, and while it was unlikely he would be expelled as a pupil, he didn’t want his reputation tarnished by a little boy with no abilities. So he settled into a stance, and Zaid was frozen in place again. Parwez dashed two steps forward, twisted, and rocketed his arm at Zaid’s face.

Zaid could almost hear the collective satisfaction through the collective Auras of the crowd, knowing he couldn’t dodge this hit, Parwez was too close this time, and Zaid had waited too long to move.

In a blink, Zaid had reacted on some primal instinct again and sidestepped. As he was moving, he watched in slow motion as Parwaz’s fist soared right by him, and as soon as Zaid stopped moving, things sped up again.

The crowd gasped. Zaid didn’t understand what had happened.

Parwez stumbled and fell to the ground. He whirled and got to his feet, looking at Zaid incredulously. In a fury, he came at him again. This time Zaid ran several steps to the right at the last possible second. He watched again as he moved; Parwez swung in slow motion until Zaid stopped several feet away.

The mental chatter from the crowd was getting louder. But Zaid kept up this dance. Parwez would come at him, swing, and by the time he finished, Zaid would be standing several feet away, having moved too fast for Parwez to strike.

After several minutes of this, Maheer called out, Enough! Both boys stopped. Parwez bent over, hands on his knees, and panted. He looked up through his hair and glared at Zaid, who was barely winded.

Enough!Zaid looked around at the dumbstruck faces of the crowd and Maheer and Feroz’s confused expressions. Was this… was this his ability? Had it finally manifested? What is this? Maheer snapped. When Zaid didn’t immediately reply, he stalked over to him and moved to clamp a hand on his shoulder.

What is this? Zaid ran. The world moved slowly again as he ran to the far edge of the training ground, hopped the fence, and kept running until he was out of the warrior’s grounds and down to the main boulevard that ran through the center of town. He kept running until he was in the western quarter, which was nearly empty.

Rhapta’s dwindling population meant that large sections of the city were uninhabited. The city was built to house many more, but with the increasing emigration into the human world, through ubir or transitions into human society, areas such as the western quarter started to decay.

The large limestone buildings towered several stories high. Rhaptan architecture had a uniformity to it. Long, rectangular buildings with high windows and high ceilings kept out the heat of the African sun. The baobab trees were the only vegetation in the more inhabited areas, but in the western quarter, vines, moss, and little flowers crept back over buildings and through doorways. Cracks started forming in the limestone as nature started taking back its home.

It was in one of these buildings that Zaid finally stopped running, and the world sped up again. He was out of breath now and sat down against a wall covered in moss. It was soft, and the building was cool. Dropping his head down to his knees, he fell asleep.

* * *

Zaid woke to the sound of thunder rumbling across the city. It was much darker, almost twilight, and a gentle rain came down outside of the building. The wall adjacent to him had partially crumbled, and vines covered part of the opening, leaving him a scattered view of a small plaza beyond.

He sighed, realizing he had missed dinner and his mother would be angry. The happy news of his manifested ability should have been enough to have him running home to joyfully tell her, but instead, the knowledge of his ability sat like a stone in the pit of his stomach.

Why wasn’t he happier? He could move faster than anyone could catch! That was better than anything he could have hoped for. And surely it was more than enough to get a spot as a warrior’s pupil? Maybe it was the fact that no one had cheered for him when he won? No one had smiled or stared in awe. They had only looked on in dumbstruck confusion. As if they wondered how he could get such an ability. That wasn’t what he wanted.

he Zaid heard a faint sound coming from the plaza. It was steady as a drumbeat and in perfect rhythm. He c****d his head and listened as it got closer, and a few moments later, Amir pushed his way through the vines, startling him and the steady beat faded away.

Hello, little brother. I see I have found you, Amir said not ungently. He sat down next to Zaid, who put his head back on his knees. I heard what happened. Congratulations! Zaid didn’t know what to say, so Amir put his hand on the back of his neck, and Zaid slowly started to release the tension he didn’t realize he was holding.

Hello, little brother. I see I have found you, I heard what happened. Congratulations! After a few minutes in silence, Zaid said, is Mother angry that I missed dinner?

is Mother angry that I missed dinner?Mmm, no. She was overjoyed to hear you manifested your ability, but saddened when you did not come home to tell her. Why did you run?

Mmm, no. She was overjoyed to hear you manifested your ability, but saddened when you did not come home to tell her. Why did you run?I don’t know…

I don’t know…Do you not like your ability? Or were you just testing it? he teased. Amir tried to keep a balance between being a wise older brother and the laughter-filled boy he had been when he was younger.

Do you not like your ability? Or were you just testing it? No, I do like it. It’s just… He picked his head up. It’s not what I expected.

No, I do like it. It’s just… It’s not what I expected.Ah, Amir said, understanding. You thought people would love you and fawn over you the moment it manifested then?

Ah, You thought people would love you and fawn over you the moment it manifested then?Zaid shrugged.

Amir gripped his shoulders. You must understand, people aren’t in awe of the powerful. They are in awe of those they perceive are powerful. Things like money, status, and reputation are what they look for. That is how the Elders got to their position; they played their cards at just the right time, knowing when to play the card that will wow the crowd most. Amir leaned down to look at him and gave him a little shake. Don’t you worry, little brother, we will get there. I promise.

You must understand, people aren’t in awe of the powerful. They are in awe of those they are powerful. Things like money, status, and reputation are what they look for. That is how the Elders got to their position; they played their cards at just the right time, knowing when to play the card that will wow the crowd most. Don’t you worry, little brother, we will get there. I promise.Zaid didn’t understand what he meant, not truly. But his brother’s calming presence seemed to repair his tarnished mood, and he smiled a little. Amir gave him a smile twice as big. Zaid would miss that smile soon. Amir had accepted an apprenticeship the week prior. He was going to start studying with the scholars. In truth, the branch he was to apprentice under was more focused on aiding the Elders than pure scholarly research, but that was what he wanted.

Come, Amir said, let’s go home before Mother comes looking for us.

Come, let’s go home before Mother comes looking for us.* * *

Later that evening, Zaid sat in the main room of their small home after dinner. His mother had been angry that he and Amir had come home sopping wet but gave him a kiss on each cheek afterward to say he was blessed to have received such an ability that day.

She had given him a bit of food and told him not to be late the next day. Afterward, they sat together in the main room and relaxed while the rain continued to pour outside. In this area of the city, at the edge but not outside the psychic barrier of the collective Aura, there were multitudes of apartments stacked side by side or on top of each other, limestone overlapping. Stairs twisted around outside and separated the homes, and they all surrounded small courtyards and alleys where people would hang bright strips of cloth and beads from balcony to balcony.

He had often wondered why they had to live so closely together when much of the city lay empty. Most of the central plazas were already occupied, but many other homes were abandoned and available for use. Amir told him it was because the Elders had decreed that they must remain empty. He had used this as another lesson to point out that the Elders did this as a display of power. As long as it was flaunted in such a manner, people would believe them powerful and would continue to obey. Zaid didn’t understand that either, but he didn’t actually care. He liked their home.

It was small but beautiful. From their home at the top of a cluster of apartments, Zaid could see the tops of a line on baobab trees a street over through the open window. The air was humid, but his mother said the cleansing properties of water were good for the home. Every time it stormed, she would keep the shutters open as long as possible to let the mist coming off the rain make its way into the house.

She sat in the corner on a low cushion covered in a pile of furs. He knew his mother was beautiful. The other women said so. Short, dense coils sat about her head above a wide forehead and deep, glowing skin. Amir got his build from her, both of them slight but quick like a gazelle. It was ironic that he was the one who had ended up with the speed ability.

Amir sat in another corner, reading by candlelight, studying for his upcoming apprenticeship, and Zaid lounged on a stack of blankets against the opposite wall, listening to the rain. He had school tomorrow and thought about how his classmates would react once they found out about his ability.

As he lay there, Zaid started to hear a faint sound as he had earlier. It was similar in rhythm, but as it got louder, he realized it sounded more like three separate drums beating out of sync, each keeping to its own rhythm.

He sat up and c****d his head, trying to hear better.

His mother looked over at him. What is it, my love? she asked, smiling faintly.

What is it, my love? Zaid’s eyebrows pinched together, and he shook his head. The sounds were getting louder and something like fear prickled across his skin. What was it? Amir had stopped reading and looked at him as well. As the sound got closer, his mother whipped her head to the door, and Zaid could hear footsteps outside.

Zaid, get— his mother started to shout, rising from her seat, but before she could finish, the door burst open. Two men strode in and stood to the side, followed by a third man who was tall and wiry. He moved with precision, standing straight-backed with hands crossed behind him.

Zaid, get— Who are you? Zaid’s mother shouted. What are you doing in my home?

Who are you? What are you doing in my home?The third man spoke. Good evening. My name is Savar Basu, and I’m the head venari trainer. He gave a slight nod in greeting.

Good evening. My name is Savar Basu, and I’m the head venari trainer. No… Zaid’s mother said, looking at her son. You cannot… it is too dangerous for him!

No…You cannot… it is too dangerous for him!Unfortunately, the number of ubir is increasing, and we need every possible Anunnaki we can take. It has been decided.

Unfortunately, the number of ubir is increasing, and we need every possible Anunnaki we can take. It has been decided.No! she shouted and lurched toward Zaid, who didn’t fully comprehend what was happening. The two other men strode across the room to hold her back while keeping an eye on Amir, who stood scowling and silent in the corner. Zaid could have sworn he felt the rage emanating off his brother, but was too distracted by Savar to know.

No! Savar came over toward Zaid, who stood and looked to the door. Just as he was about to run, Savar pulled a small cloudy stone from his pocket. It had a c***k down the middle and hung from a piece of cord.

Deathstone.

Zaid, Amir, and their mother all suddenly clamped their hands to their heads, screaming through gritted teeth. A high-pitched whine permeated the room, and Zaid felt as if his head would split open. Savar came forward and tied a bit of pale rope about one wrist and put the stone back in his pocket. The pain receded. Only then did Zaid notice the three men had something stuffed in their ears keeping them from being susceptible to the Deathstone’s song.

As soon as the pain receded, he tried to run, but Savar easily caught him. Zaid realized the rope must have been laqueus, used to bind and dampen abilities. While it was around his wrist, he could only run at the speed of a regular eleven-year-old.

laqueus, Savar pushed him against the wall, and he heard his mother yelling again. Savar took out a small, blue Aurastone, small enough it would fit in Zaid’s palm, and pressed it against the tattoo on his chest. Savar closed his eyes and mumbled a few words. The stone became hot, and just as he was about to yell, it was removed.

His mother had stopped shouting and looked at his tattoo with sorrow. It had grown! Zaid saw that the outer ring of the tattoo extended just slightly further than it had before. It wasn’t much, but any Anunnaki would know what it meant.

He had been tapped as venari.

venari