The Nevac. 30

High in a dark tower of the house of Darul sat its master, Lord Daru of the Savonti. He had just witnesses in his mind the fall of Fedru's manse. He had warned him this would happen, but that damned Fedru wouldn't listen. He was more interested in invasion and trying to make a move on Daru or one of his neighbors then in protecting the lands he held. Now the fool was dead. And at the hands of one of his own enemies. Serves him right. Any lord stupid enough to not take warnings when they are given, deserves just what he gets. Daru had watched as the humans crept in and hid until Fedru walk right into their hands. He saw the human boy drive his sword through him ending the life of the great lord despite his almost invulnerable hide and burning touch. But who were these beast? These humans. They were not the ones Trela had warned him about. Daru knew the boy that killed Fedru was of a nearby clan, but what of the two dark strangers? He could feel they were powerful, but where had they come from? They were nothing like any humans he had ever seen before. So who were they? And the two beast that wreaked havoc above. Great winged beast with amazing strength. Fedru's forces stood no chance against these things whatever they were. And where did they come from? One minute all was at peace with Fedru's warriors in control, and the next it was total chaos. Tracker beast running wild and humans armed and in revolt tearing his warriors apart. Daru was confused as he stood up and began to pace in his study. Something had changed on Pentanthin. Weird humans and creatures appearing suddenly. He thought of the two that had been found in his own lands. The white and grey. Where were they now? Could they be with the escaped one? He hadn't felt his presence in days now. Not since the two foolish hunters had failed to return him. Daru had had the forest searched, but all they found was an abandoned hut burned down and his ex-slaves collar among the debris. There was no trail for the trackers to follow anywhere in the area. But the human could be anywhere.

"It doesn't matter." Daru said to himself. "He can't hide forever. He would make himself known soon enough."

Until then Daru would have much to do. Hunt down every human he could find. Especially those with the spark of power. He had seen a few of them scattered across the lands. He didn't care whose land he found them in. If he had to invade another lords land to capture them, then so be it. He would not suffer the same fate as Fedru. he would not under estimate these humans and what they could do.

Mar sat exhausted on the dirt covered floor of his cell picking at the rotten roots and vegetables he had been even to eat. He looked to his left at the humans watching him. They were starving as they were rarely feed. Since he had arrived the humans had kept away from him. They didn't know what to make of a Savonti slaving right beside them. But hunger was making them bolder. A young boy crept closer as Mar ate and snatched a root he had dropped and ran into a corner to eat. Mar watched as a big man came and smacked the boy and took the root pushing him away. The boy backed off looking tearful as the man sat and ate his prize. Looking back toward Mar, the boy hoped he might find some other scrap. He didn't care if it was rotten or not. Mar looked around and realized this wasn't the only child here. There were three others and they were just as hunger as the boy. He picked a huge green melon from his basket and rolled it to the boy and pointed to it. As the boy reached for it the man roared and jumped to his feet and screaming at the boy.

"THAT"S MINE!!" He said. "DON'T TOUCH IT!!"

The boy retreated scared as the big man bent over to retrieve the melon. Mar kicked out at the man knocking him away from the melon. Anger the man got up and leaped at Mar with his hands stretched out ready to fight. With a quick swing of his tail, Mar swatted the man away knocking him back into his corner.

"You have the root." Mar said standing over the man. "You’re going to let them eat what I give them. Understand?"

"You’re a slave here just like us." The man spit. "I'll take what I want. What are you gonna do?"

"Eat you." Mar smiled showing his pointed Savonti teeth and licking his lips. Fear filled the man as he backed away to his corner and sat and chewed on his root. Mar picked up the basket and walked over to the five other humans cowering on their side and pushed the basket to them.

"Eat." He said backing away. Scared they looked at him. Why would a Savonti want to give them food? The two adults grabbed their children pulling them into the corner scared of Mar. The young boy looked at him with hunger in his eyes. He needed to eat and his hunger was overwhelming his fear.

"Can I eat?" He asked."

"Yes." Mar said. "It's for you."

"No!!" A woman grabbed the boy. "He just wants to get you fat so he can eat you. You heard what he said to Jerel. He's one of them!"

"This is more than I could eat." Mar told them turning back to his mat in the corner. "It's yours if you want it. And I won't eat you. None of you. Not even him."

The boy smiled and grabbed a deep purple piece of fruit and tore into it. As he ate the others joined him passing the food around.

"What of me?" Jerel asked pleading "I'm hunger to."

"You may eat too." Mar waved him on. "Just let the children eat first or you answer to me."

Stuffed with fruits and vegetables with his face covered with purple fruit juice the boy walked closer to Mar. The woman called him back but he ignored her and stared at him.

"Not afraid anymore?" Mar asked.

"No." He said.  "I never was scared. But why are you here?"

"I don't know." Mar shrugged. "They don't like me."

"But your one of them. Don't they have to like you?"

"I'm not like them." Mar explained. "Nothing like them at all."

"I'm Juelz." The boy said as he sat down across from Mar. "I never met one of you before that wasn't mean."

"Nazun* Juelz." Mar nodded. "I am Mar."

"Nazun Mar." Juelz smiled at him. "I've never had to thank one of your kind before. We've always run from you. But thank you,"

"How long have you been here Juelz?" Mar asked him looking the thin boy dressed in rags over. "How did you come to be here?"

"The same way we all got here." The boy told him. Juelz came closer and sat down. "I was taken in a raid with the rest of my family while our clan was moving. We fell behind because of a broken wagon wheel and somehow got lost trying to catch up. Next thing we knew we were surrounded by the Savonti and put in cages."

"I am sorry." Mar put his head down. He knew how the humans suffered here and hated it. He found it hard to look the boy in his eyes.

Juelz looked at him amazed at what he saw. It seemed impossible or some Savonti joke. But the Savonti didn't know humor so that wasn't it. This Mar was different. He was right. He was nothing like any Savonti Juelz had ever heard of before and he liked him. But could he really trust him? He didn't know. He would just have to wait and see.

"So where do we go?" Thalia asked Zarin as they walked through the forest of crimson plum and shades of lilac. They were all amazed at the beauty here. Dack reached down and picked a flower from a bush. It looked like a rose but it had no thorns and the smell was sweet like nothing he'd ever smelled before.

"I don't know." Zarin shrugged. "The Academy is somewhere here. Unless Eheren's spell was off. We keep looking until we find it or someone that can tell us where we are."

"I can tell you one thing." Reno said from behind them looking up at the two suns. "This isn't Keanna,"

"Well there must by people here somewhere." Craven called. "Right?"

"I'm sure there are." Eheren stop them in a small clearing of dew covered grass and put his pack down. "So how do we find them?"

"Well we could walk around out here for hours with no idea where we're going.” Zarin said. "Or some of us can shift and fly out and take a look from higher up."

"I'll go." Eheren said. "As Shine I can stay small and be inconspicuous."

Dack and Reno looked at him confused by his choice of words. Eheren smiled. He was glad to be out here with young people again. It had been so long since Magnes had felt young. He was enjoying their company.

"That means unnoticeable." He patted Dack's shoulder.

"I got it." Dack look to the others. "What about us?"

"Thalia can go north and you south. Trip, you fly west." Zarin suggested. "Look for the Academy of course, but find people too. Maybe someone here knows where we can find it. Be careful, this is a strange place and we have no idea what might be out there. The rest of you, we need to find water. That's our most important need right now. Reno, you should be able to sniff some out. Take Dack with you. You think you can control your panther side?"

"Yeah." Dack said joining Reno. "I think so."

"Good, you be careful to." Zarin turned to Craven and Zark. "Think you can hunt us up something to eat?"

"If that is your wish young master." Zark pulled his bow and a quiver of arrows from his pack and the two started off into the forest.

"Don't be gone too long." Zarin called after them all as the left.  “None of you."

"What should I do?" Rese the youngest of their group asked. The blond boy had the look of someone that had been forgotten or left out on his face.

"You." Zarin smiled. "Are my partner for today. We are going to practice our magic and see what we can do. How’s that?"

"Really?"

"You bet!" Zarin ruffled his hair. "I'll teach you just like Professor Insa taught me. But it's not going to be easy. It'll take a lot of practice and concentration. Can you do it?"

"I'll try my best." He smiled at his new teacher eager to begin learning all there was to know of magic and how to use it.

"Eheren will also help." Zarin told him. "He'll teach you things a young dragon needs to know. Craven and Trip I'm sure will have pointers for you too. Reno and Zark will be teaching you how to defend yourself and to hunt."

"What about Dack and Thalia?" He asked as they went and sat down in the clearing to talk.

"Thalia is one of the smartest people I know." Zarin said. "You can trust her with anything. For a girl, she's very wise  gives great advice. Dack is my best friend. I've known him all my life and we've gotten ourselves in and out of a lot together. If there's one thing Dack knows it how to be a good friend and how to have fun. And believe me when I say having fun is important. You'll see what I mean when the time is right. Now for your first lesson."

[Isn't it beautiful here?] Thalia sent as she and Shine flew over the tress heading out on their search. [I've never seen anything like this. So many different birds and animals.]

[Thalia you watch yourself.] Shine warned. [This is an alien world and we have no idea what could be out here. Even the most innocent looking creature could be most deadly.]

[I know.] She answered back. [But just look at it! what could be bad in a place like.,....]

And Thalia's message stopped before she could finish her sentence.

[Thalia?] Shine called. There was no answer. [THALIA!!!]

[SHINE!!] Was all he heard back. With a quick flip in the air, Shine turned and took off heading south in the direction he knew she had been flying. He tried a few more times be didn't get any answer from her. Worried he called out.

[Reno! Somethings wrong with Thalia. I need you to come quick!]

Down below Reno and Dack were drinking from the river they had found when they heard Shines call. Both of there heads went up with alert at his message.

[We're coming!!] Reno sent as they turned and with all their speed streaked south cutting through the thick forest to find Thalia and see what had happened to her.

It didn't take Shine long to find the spot Thalia had sent her last message from. He could sense the vampire's' presence all around him low in the trees. She had stopped right here in this tree to gaze at the wonders around her. He walked down along the branch carefully looking for and sign of her. Something had been here other then the girl. He could feel her sudden surprise as she was grabbed but he couldn't tell in which direction she had been taken. He hoped she was alright. As he looked around he heard something come crashing through the forest below coming in his direction. In a moment Reno's brown wolf form came rushing out of the forest followed but Dacks panther.

[Where is she?] Reno sent to Shine.

[I don't know. Can you find her scent?]

Reno and Dack begin sniffing around the ground down there looking for any sign she had been there. Suddenly Dack growled deep in his chest.

[Here.] He sent to them sniffing the truck of a tree. [I smell her here. She's not alone. Smell that Reno? It's pretty strong.]

[Yes.] He sniffed all around the trees base. [We go this way!]

Howling a warning Reno took off deeper into the forest with Shine high in the trees and Dack right behind him. He followed a strong scent. Reno wasn't sure who or what had made the scent, but it was getting easier to follow the further they ran. Soon they found themselves in a deep canyon with high walls to each side. The walls were riddled with caves. This was the perfect place for an ambush Reno thought and the smell of whatever had taken Thalia was thick in the air. Then stopped before entering the canyon and shifted forms.

"Can you still follow the scent?" Eheren asked Reno quietly

"Yea." he answered. "We both can. The scents pretty strong here. The problem is more of finding the exact right scent. Whatever took her has a scent like nothing I've smelled before."

"What do you mean?" Eheren asked confused.

"He means there's something strange out there." Dack told him his eyes still green and panther like.

"It's not easy." Reno sniffed the air walking around. "The scents so strong here. I've lost Thalia's scent."

"I haven't." Dack said pointing down into the crevasse. "It goes right in through there."

"Then let's go." Reno and Dack started forward into the canyon scanning above for an ambush. Reno and Dack pulling their swords to be ready for a fight weary of this new world they were in and its dangers.

"Wait." Eheren called to them. "We better call the others. Zarin will want to know what we're doing. He'll probably want to help."

"Call and tell him." Reno said. "But I'm not waiting for them. Thalia may need us now. We don't have time for them to get here."

"I agree." Dack nodded." We have to do this now."

Frustrated Shine called out and told Zarin all that had happened. Of course Zarin had tried to get them to wait until they could all catch up with them, but Reno refused to wait. And Zarin understood why. Reno, Trip and Thalia had grown up and come along way together. There was no way he would wait while she could be in trouble. So Zarin promised he'd wait until Eheren let him know what they found before he and the others came rushing in to help

Thalia opened her eyes to complete darkness. She sat up and looked around her lost as to where she was. The last thing she remember was gazing at the lush crimson forest she had been flying over. She had dropped down on a tree branch and was telling Shine how beautiful it was when something happened. She stood up and brush the dirt from her pants and wondered where she was. With her vampire sight she could tell she was in some kind of cavern. The sound of water dripping down from stalactites echoed thought the cavern as she took her first steps. There was a strange smell here she thought she had smelled for a second before she had passed out. Then out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw something move. It was quick, just a flash in the dark.

"Hello?"

She took a few more steps scanning all around her. Nothing else moved as her clear vampire vision showed her the whole cavern. It was like a large shadowed hall that had been hollowed out ages ago. In front of her was what looked like some kind of dais with a stand right in the middle where a speaker would stand and maybe give a speech. At her side were rows and rows of mounds. They looked to her like they were actually benches for some great town or something. Thalia walked up to the front where she stepped up on the dais. Suddenly a voice rang out echoing through the cavern.

"WHO ARE YOU?"

Thalia looked around to find the source of the voice in the dark. But nothing moved. She couldn't find anyone there.

"I am Thalia Samanis." She called out. "Who are you?"

"I AM THE ONE THAT BROUGHT YOU HERE."

"Why?" She asked.

"YOU ARE NOT FROM HERE. WHY HAVE YOU COME HERE?"

"I'm looking for friends." The feeling that someone was standing in front of her overcame her. Thalia reached out carefully, her fingers grasping empty air looking to see if there was someone there.

"FRIENDS? WHO ARE YOUR FRIENDS? THE SAVONTI?"

"No." She answered. "I'm looking for people from my home lost here. I don't know who the Savonti are."

"YOU HAVE THE TOUCH IN YOU." Thundered the voice even bolder tearing through Thalia's mind. "ONLY THE SAVONTI AND MY PEOPLE HAVE THE TOUCH. I DON'T BELIEVE YOU. THE ENEMY SENT YOU HERE BECAUSE WE ARE WEAK NOW! BUT I AM NOT WEAK! I WILL NEVER STOP FIGHTING THE SAVONTI!! "

Thalia fell to her knees clutching her ears to keep the sound out. Pain ripped through every fiber of her being. She wanted to run to get away, but the sound was so over powering she couldn't move.

"I don't know this enemy of yours!" She screamed. "I only want to find my friends and go home. But I know I can't prove what I'm saying, so I'm in your hands. Kill me if you wish, or face me and learn if I'm telling the truth. It's your choice. Kill a stranger, or make a friend! "

Suddenly the sound stopped and the pain faded away from Thalia's mind. She feebly stumbled to her feet confused, not sure why it had stopped.

"YOU WOULD HAVE ME AS YOUR FRIEND?"

"Yes we would." She called out.

"WE?"

"There are others with me searching." Thalia stepped down from the dais almost falling back to her knees. "They're probably looking for me now. Who are you?"

"I AM SACAR." The voice said. "ONE OF THE LAST OF THE NEVAC. WE ARE AN ANCIENT RACE LIKE THE SAVONTI. BUT OUR TOUCH WAS STRONGER, SO THEY DECIDED ONLY THEY WOULD RULE PENTANTHIN AND WE MUST DIE. MY PEOPLE WE'RE PACIFICE AND GREAT THINKERS. WE KNEW NOTHING OF FIGHTING AND OUR ELDERS WERE RESISTANT TO THE THOUGHT OF CHANGE UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. THE SAVONTI HUNTED US OVER THE AGENS AND WORE OUR NUMBERS DOWN. WE LEARNED TO FIGHT TOO LATE. WE LET THIS HAPPEN TO US."

"I don't understand." Thalia said as she sat down on one of the mounds. "Your people allowed this to happen to you? Why? And who are the Savonti?"

For a few minute there was no response as Thalia waited. Sacar had stopped talking. She what was wrong.

"YOU DON'T KNOW THE SAVONTI?" He asked. "HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?"

"We haven't been here long." She explained. "You are the first one we have met here. We know nothing of this place you call Pentanthin."

"THEN LISTEN WELL THALIA SAMANTIS." She heard. "I WILL TELL YOU OF THE WE PENTANTHINS CALL THE SAVONTI. ONCE I AM DONE, I WILL ALLOW YOU TO JOIN YOUR FRIENDS WHO ARE OUTSIDE NOW TRYING TO FIND YOU. THEN YOU MAY DECIDE IF YOU WISH TO BE FRIENDS WITH THE NEVAC."

And for the next hour, Sacar told her all about the horrors of the reptilian men called the Savonti. She shuddered hearing all the atrocities and horrors the people of Pentanthin suffered through the ages. The butchering and the hunting of Humans and Nevac until there was not enough Nevac for the race to continue. Tears ran from her eyes as she listened to the sad story he told.

"What can we do to help?" She asked him.

"FOR MY PEOPLE THERE IS NOTHING LEFT BUT TO AVENGE US." He said. "WE ARE DONE. WE LIVE ONLY TO HIDE IN THE CAVES NOW."

"Then join us Sacar." Thalia stood pleading with him. "There's nothing for you here. Help us find our friends and we will help destroy your enemy. Your people deserve their revenge and yours should be the hand to deliver it for them. Come fight with us."

"THALIA." Sacar called out. "FROM THIS TURN ON I WILL BE WITH YOU WATCHING AND HELPING WHEN I CAN. BUT THIS IS OUR SECRET. YOU CAN NOT TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT ME. THIS IS IMPORTANT. THE SAVONTI ARE POWERFUL AND MAY GET INTO YOUR THOUGHTS. I CAN SHIELD YOURS, BUT NOT YOU’RE FRIENDS. "

"What do I tell them?" She asked. "They will want to know what happened to me, why they couldn't enter these caves."

"TELL THEM YOU THOUGHT YOU SAW SOMEONE ENTER HERE AND FOLLOWED THEM IN. MAKE THEM BELIEVE YOU. THIS I PROMISE. WHEN THE TURN COMES THAT YOU HAVE THE ENEMY AT THEIR KNEES OR THE TIME IS RIGHT, YOU WILL SEE ME. UNTIL THEN, SAFE JOURNEY FRIEND THALIA. YOU ARE FREE TO GO WITH THE BLESSING OF THE NEVAC."

As the voice faded the cavern lit up and Thalia could see all the beauty of the Nevac. Wall paintings of ancient marvelous cities and landscapes that once were. She walked all along the cavern overcome by the magnificent scenes and colors. But in none of the paintings did she see a living being.

"FEAR NOT. THE TURN MAY COME WHEN YOU WILL SEE A NEVAC."

"I'll do as you wish." Thalia said as she made her way to the cave exit. "Farewell Sacar, until we meet again."

"We've been searching this canyon for over an hour." Eheren threw up his hands. "Where could she be? Do either of you still have her scent?"

"I lost it." Dack said wiping sweat for his brow. He put his sword back into the scabbard at his side and walked over to Reno as he searched along the canyon walls. "There's nothing there."

"She's here somewhere." Reno said. He was beginning to become frantic from worry. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to Thalia. "Don't you have a spell or something that could locate her?"

"Let me think a minute and I'll come up with something." Eheren put down his pack and joined his two friends in their search.

"Can I help?" Thalia said from behind them. "What are we looking for?"

"THALIA!!!!" Dack turned and ran to her and through his arms around her lifting her off her feet. Where have you been?"

"I got lost in the canyon." She laughed as Dack put her down. "I thought I saw someone and followed them in here and got lost. I've been wandering around in here for the last hour looking for the way out. Thank the gods I found you."

"You were lost in here?" Reno stepped out to confront her with an odd look. "You had us scared to death. Why didn't you answer our calls?"

"I didn't hear you calling." She looked at each of them a little stunned. "You were worried about me? Reno, I can take care of myself. I'm not some maiden you have to watch over every minute of the day. And that goes for all of you."

"But..!" Reno wanted answers.

"But nothing!" Thalia finished. "Either you trust me or you don't. Which is it?"

"We trust you Thalia." Eheren stepped in between them. He could see Reno still wasn't satisfied with her answers. "But we're all in this together and we will worry when we think somethings wrong. Trust or no trust."

"I understand." She smiled at her Reno and took his hand then kissed his cheek. "Thank you my knight. Now can we get back to what we're supposed to be doing? I'm heading south. I'll meet you all back at camp."

Eheren, Dack and Reno watched as Thalia shifted and took off heading to the north. Next Eheren became Shine and flew off heading south. Dack looked at Reno. He had that suspicious look in his eyes again.

"You didn't believe that lost in the canyon story did you?"

"No." He said. "She could have shifted and flew right out of here. There's something she's not telling us."

"What?"

"I don't know." Reno said. "But I trust her. Let's go."

Reno and Dack shifted and ran off out of the canyon while a hidden pair of eyes watched.

[YOU HAVE POWERFUL FRIENDS THALIA. I THINK WE WILL SURELY MEET AGAIN.]

[When?] She asked.

[THIS CAN BE A SAFE PLACE FOR YOU AND YOU’RE FRIENDS. COME BACK IF YOU NEED TO. YOU'LL BE SAFE HERE.]