Sekali, "The Sister City"
Chapter 65
When the tracker knelt to the ground and pointed, she unsheathed an ornately, rune-etched katana faster than Sekali could clearly see. He knew she was a master, and a hope sprung up within him that she was not confederate with the Veleighen. Six others behind her knocked rune-tipped arrows, aiming into the thicket where they were hidden. Sekali simply raised himself up and walked out of his hiding place, carrying Uther. From the look on his face, Finyat did not agree with this sudden decision, but he followed.
As Sekali came forth from the thicket, he noticed these elves were darker complexioned than Mabuhi, who was Aldarian Elf. He struggled up the embankment and stood on the path as she watched him without blinking. Her eyes moved to Uther and then to Finyat. She stood and pointed her blade at them, saying something in her tongue, which was smooth and flowing.
Sekali stooped and knelt, laying Uther on the ground before him. She looked over at the bear, then at the three.
“You speak the Human dialect, outlanders?” Sekali nodded, “Yes. We are travelers and explorers.”
The woman stared at Sekali and bit her bottom lip in thought for a moment.
“Your dwarfish companion is injured.” She glanced at the massive bear again and looked at the others of her company and whispered. “Use it all.”
A few of their numbers drew daggers and commenced skinning and butchering the animal while she watched Sekali intensely. Sekali noticed the toned muscles in her slender neck and face. Her dark-brown eyes seemed to bore holes into his as she kept watch on them. She was fair to look upon, and held the grace of movement not unlike that of Lykkinnin, an ancient species of man-wolf rarely seen in the world. She reminded Sekali somewhat of the Captain of the Harbringer.
She watched him unemotionally as he tended to Uther the best he could. Once he’d tended to the dwarf, she commanded all their personal effects removed.
“We will search you after. If you have withheld anything but your clothing, you will die.” She said it in such a matter-of-fact way that Sekali knew she meant it. As he stripped off his weapons and then his armor a terrible fear welled up within him. The amulets! Could they leave their persons, and not return to their resting places? Finyat glanced at him in alarm, his mind obviously on the same thought.
After they had removed everything but the amulets about each of their necks, Sekali decided he must take a terrible chance.
“Milady, please do not make us remove these amulets. I fear they will vanish to their resting places if they are taken out of our hands. Please allow me to explain.”
Sekali’s heart seemed on the edge of failing him as the woman narrowed her eyes at him.
“Show forth your amulets. If you are deceiving me, your deaths will be slow and painful. I have spoken.”
Sekali’s heart began to pound within his chest. She had made an oath in the Sardakk custom. She knew what he was, and this sparked some hope within him.
Slowly he took the chain about his neck and with his thumbs, raising it slowly out of his tunic, even as he heard the strain of many hidden bows all about him. The woman walked up cautiously, ready to strike Sekali down, should there be any traitorous act. But as her eyes fixed upon his part of the amulet, she gasped in abrupt surprise and stepped back.
“Hinya natuala shin (the sister key)!” She whispered loudly, awe filling her eyes.
Sekali took note of his blade; where he’d positioned the hilt for a quick-grab, roll attack. But it was not necessary, for the elfin woman sheathed her blade and fell to her knees quickly before Uther, looking upon him suddenly as if her life were linked with his.
“What are his injuries.”
Sekali dropped the amulet to the outside of his tunic and pointed. “His arms were chewed, and the weight of the bear on top of him, I fear, crushed him.”
She called out something in her native tongue quickly, as she placed a hand on Uther’s brow.
“We heard the fight. This is not good.” She seemed to be speaking more to herself than anyone about her, and there lay within it an anticipation.
“Equip yourselves quickly!” She backed up as four others of her kind gently picked up Uther, and quickly vanished back up the trail. Quickly Finyat and Sekali fastened armor about their bodies, helping each other as they hastened.
Soon they were being led up the trail, into the mountains. The tracker stayed with them both, leading them within a large group of elves. She spoke to them as they traveled, asking many questions about their knowledge of the land, and about the Veleighen and their position against all other races, other than themselves. Sekali cautiously gave what knowledge he had, but asked no questions in return. Finyat was silent and grim the entire time, always looking up the trail to where his injured friend had been whisked away.
For a full day they climbed swiftly until the path ended at a waterfall that cascaded down from a great height. It seemed they had come to an end, within a canyon from which there was only one exit, and that was the way they had come. There they rested for a while, regaining their strength. Uther was nowhere to be seen.
After they had rested, the woman led them behind the waterfall upon a narrow ledge, wide enough for one to traverse if carefully managed. Sekali found himself hugging the stone for fear of slipping into the deep waters just below him. Into the spray of mists they inched their way, into a hidden cavern. Once within, torches were prepared torches for Finyat when he began to stumble on scattered rocks and other obstacles.
Into the mountain they traveled, passing many other elves, who grew in numbers as the party made its way along. They were sentinels, guards, which sparked both Sekali’s and Finyat’s curiosity. The tracker informed the two that she had been leading a war band to scout out the Veleighen lands and see what they were up to. All this she explained to them as they worked their way to the other side of the cave, out of which they exited into a beautiful land, not four hours after entering.
They emerged to see the sun setting in the west, shedding its last hour of light across a grand forest of trees, in their many varieties, within a great valley. Sekali looked on in wonder at the sight unfolding before him as his eyes grew accustomed to the light. The land seemed to have been painted by a master artist. It would have taken Sekali a full day merely to describe its most eye-catching beauties and splendors. There were three sparkling waterfalls that fed into a forest of golds and greens, reds and yellows.
Finyat jumped up on a boulder and sat down, drinking it all in. But their guide gave them only a few moments to become accustomed to the light before urging them on.
“Come, friends, welcome to the Forest of Utaemia, my home, and the sanctuary of my people. This will be something seldom witnessed by your kind. Come, my friends, and I will introduce to you a wonder that yet thrills me . . . even after ten ages.” She smiled brightly at them both, as if they were old friends united once again.