Of Fire and Fury (Book 1: Light-Born Series)

Chapter 9 - Katshi

Katshi had to jog to keep up with Moru’s long and angry strides. They had barely cleared the courtyard of the palace before he began muttering more treason under his breath.

“We can’t just let her get away with this.” Moru whispered. 

“Be silent, you fool.” Katshi whispered back, glancing around to make sure the guards were out of earshot. “You almost brought death on us inside that hall. What were you thinking?”

Moru growled over his shoulder. Katshi could see red flecks sparking in his eyes briefly as the man turned his head to glare at him. 

“She will not be alone with this power. Mark my words. She will not…” Moru muttered.

“My friend, you speak dangerous words.” Katshi cautioned, trying to slow Moru down by grabbing his arm.

“I am a dangerous man.” Moru responded, this time not bothering to turn. He stormed out the front gate, pushing past a group of gatherers holding roots and berries in baskets on their heads. One of the baskets came tumbling to the ground, cracking open and spilling red berries all over the ground.

“Hey!” the man yelled, but Moru was already out the gate. Katshi knelt beside the man, a Napua, and helped him pick up his wares.

“I’m sorry about that… it’s been a rough day.” he said, forcing a smile. The man rolled his eyes but nodded once, picking up the cracked weave and examining it.

“No harm here.” the man said. “I understand.” 

The two men quickly replaced the fruit into the basket, and Katshi took off at a jog to follow Moru. He jogged out to the cobblestone road that led in to the city, stopping where the road split into three dusty paths that led to various tribe lands. He was about to turn right, heading back toward Omarihom and Reannihom, except he saw a dark figure standing on the hill just before him. The sun outlined his body against the horizon, yet Katshi could tell from the set shoulders and angry stance that it was Moru. Katshi turned toward the figure, jogging up the grassy hill until he reached his friend. Moru stood facing away from the bustle of the palace, looking off over the forest that seemed so quiet in comparison.

“We can’t let her get away with this.” Moru whispered again though his rage seemed to have ebbed, and he was back to the broken and hurting man Katshi had travelled here with.

“We cannot fight her. She is our queen, she has more power than all of us combined.” Katshi responded.

“There are other powers in this world.” Moru said. Katshi felt a chill run through him at those words.

“What do you speak of?” he asked, though he knew of what Moru knew. It was shared history between the tribes: the giants that roamed the land before their time, the darkness, the powers of evil. There was a world of spirits that did not answer to the Great One’s laws, to Minaloa’s laws. Though he had heard only stories, they were more frightening than anything he had ever experienced.

“There are other ways to get power.” Moru said flatly.

“You cannot.” Katshi warned.

“She should not have died, Katshi. You should have saved her. Not just her, but every other one of our people who has died too young.” Moru said, his voice catching in his throat. He looked at Katshi finally, tears welling up in his eyes. He looked so pitiful, Katshi had to look away. The guilt inside Katshi felt like a snake, wrapping it’s way through his insides and squeezing his heart. He could feel it’s venom soaking into his bloodstream, slowly strangling out his life. He couldn’t stay in this, forever. It seemed there was no good answer. 

“You  failed her.” Moru spat. Then, he looked as though he may fall to the ground as he whispered, “I failed her.”

“I’m so sorry, Moru.” Katshi said, tears welling up in his own eyes now. “If I could turn time back, I would. You know that I would.”

“We cannot.” Moru said, angry again. “But we can do this. We can bring a new age, where each of us can protect our own. Each of us can connect to the earth, so there will be no more struggle for food in the winter months. We could all heal, so no one ever has to die. We could know  all  history and see  all  futures. Even the Napua could learn to be warriors, if all of our leaders harnessed the power of the light born. Think of it, Katshi!”

Moru’s voice changed as he recounted his dreams of the future: a future of promise and painless hope.

“Moru…” Katshi tried to caution against his words, but he could not deny the thrill he felt inside at the prospect.

“Think of what Minaloa could become.” Moru said, gazing off over the rolling hills, as if he could see his vision coming to life before him. “Think of the greatness our children could experience. What  Raven  could do with these powers.”

The thought of his son, Raven, was enough to push Katshi over the edge of righteousness and sanity and into the dreams with Moru.

“I will help you.” Katshi nodded, though he had no idea what he was committing too. He only knew that his son had nearly died before, and it would have been Katshi’s undoing. So much death, so much pain. How could it be wrong, to end all of that? For a brief moment, Katshi couldn’t think of a reason it didn’t make sense.

Moru turned then, clasping Katshi on the shoulders and grinning widely. His eyes were alive with the fire of new hope and purpose.

“We can do this, Katshi.” he said.

“I believe you.” Katshi said, the pain in his chest lightening slightly under the prospect of redemption. “Where will we start? I know the stories, but…”

“They are more than stories.” Moru interrupted him. 

“How do you know?” Katshi said. “These dark creatures are long dead.”

“No. No my friend.” Moru shook his head, a wild grin covering his mouth. “The Angeni are alive and well.”

“What are you talking about?” Katshi said, suddenly feeling sick to his stomach.

Moru glanced around, falling silent as a group of travelers passed on the road down below. He waited several long moments for them to be well away, then continued,

“When I was trading skins across the sea in Numia, I heard stories.” Moru whispered, nodding widely along with himself as though he couldn’t contain his excitement.

“What stories?” Katshi said, unable to shake the deepening dread inside of him. He had heard stories, too. Stories of murderous dark things that were unkillable. Things that delighted in the blood of innocents, that breathed trickery and lies and enslaved those who trusted them. If there were such creatures in the world, he didn’t want to meet them.

“We were always taught that the giants were all killed off, and that was the end of it. But what if they weren’t?” Moru continued in his hushed tones. 

“What if they only let us  believe  they were gone? What if they changed forms, or hid, or shape-shifted into the great animals we have not been able to find and kill?”

“Do you think that is really possible?” Katshi said, his own eyes widening as he thought of every story he was told as a child, the ones that had plagued his nightmares.

“Do you think the children of spirits and men would so easily be destroyed?” Moru scoffed. “They have more power than anyone, even Khaya.”

“You cannot mean…” Katshi’s mouth was suddenly very dry. “You want to seek them out?”

“I know they’re real.” Moru said, laughing slightly under his breath. “The story  I  heard? There is a giant in Tyre. Let’s go find him, shall we?”