Chronicles of Akhani - 18 - The Figure
A thick, choking, stale smoke surrounded Akhani as he awoke. He attempted look look around while he rose to his feet, but could make out no features to the landscape. He immediately recognized that his dream had the same setting as before.
“What is it this time?” Akhani asked impatiently.
“You must dismiss the Syverenian,” hissed a hoarse voice. “She is against us! She stands against the cleansing of the lands!”
“She follows me of her own will,” Akhani replied hotly. “I have never asked her to join me. She is convinced that the gods--”
“GODS?” the voice screeched. “DO NOT SPEAK OF THE VILE GODS OF HER PEOPLE! They stand in opposition to Achinos. They would destroy us all!”
Akhani felt a rage against the gods grow in his heart. All the anger that dwelt within him towards the Doiketians now had a new target. Curiously, a portion of his mind questioned this growing rage. It felt so foreign as though it did not originate from him. It was as though it was from some other entity that resided within him. He pushed these feelings aside. It was absurd that any other entity could dwell within him.
“If you are still loyal to your home, you will leave the outsider,” continued the voice in a more calm and menacing tone than before. “She is not one of us. She can never be one of us.”
“What good would it do if I leave her now?” Akhani asked. “She would track me down. Her gods--” another screech, but this time it did not cause Akhani to stop, “-- led her to me before. What makes you believe that I won’t be found again?”
As these words were leaving Akhani’s lips, the smoke began to thin. The ground glowed like smoldering coals and strange spires rose at odd angles. Out in the distance, the silhouette a figure loomed.
As the figure slowly strode towards Akhani, the veil of the smoke began to depart. Its eyes shown bright red, piercing Akhani to his soul. The head of the creature was that of the antelope. Its body and arms were that of a Xotokian. Legs were thick and covered with fur like that of the desert wolves. Finally, it bore the same wings and tail as that of the sand dragons. It appeared as though it was piecemeal of all the major, native creatures of the desert. Indeed, this cemented the impression upon Akhani that the creature was the archetype of all dwellers within Achinos.
As though commanded by some unseen power, Akhani knelt as the creature approached and submitted himself before it. Akhani’s eyes gazed down at the smoking floor below him, and watched as the black paws stopped within arm’s reach in front of Akhani. Feeling a hand gently laid upon his shoulder, Akhani looked up to his new master.
Fire shot up all around them, the figure spoke, “I will take care of all who pursue you. Do as we bid, and I will walk the lands once more.”
–
Akhani awoke alone in a dark room. A sliver of light trickled down upon the floor from he closed, but not covered, door to the barn above. As he struggled to free his hands, he suddenly smelled that same stale smoke as he had in his dream and the rope that bound him turned to ashes and he was free.
After standing and brushing himself off, he looked inquisitively up at the shut door. I wonder if they are on the other side, and if they are, how difficult will it be for me to escape, he thought to himself. There’s only one way to find out.
Quietly, rung by rung, he took his time climbing to the door. Upon arriving he held his breath and listened. After listening for what seemed forever, he still heard no noise. Unsure if the door had been locked from the other side, he gently pressed up on it, using just enough force to raise the door. Feeling no resistance, he changed position getting closer to to the door. He raised it slowly and peered out from a small crack that he had created. All he saw was an empty barn. Now was his chance.
As quickly and quietly as he could, he slipped out of the cellar, closing the door behind him so as to not rouse suspicion. He gazed over at the stall in which his supplies were stashed, then over each entrance to the barn. The back door of the barn was ajar, which made him believe that Kodomi and Zhorovna had exited in that direction. The wide front doors of the barn were shut and locked. His only other option would be the door leading out from the stall in which his supplies were stashed.
Akhani hurriedly walked on tiptoe into his stall, grabbed his bag, and leaned with his ear to the outer door. Hearing no voice, yet again, he cracked the door open just enough to peer out. Slowly opening it inch by inch, he was able to look in all vantage points in which the door was visible. He was safe. Now was his only chance. Luck, it appeared, was certainly on his side.
As Akhani made his way towards the desert, a thought came to him. Rather, the thought forced itself upon him. The thought was to make his way to Eilana, the closest stronghold of his people. No other thoughts had any room within his mind. This was his sole quest, to gather his own people to drive out all non-natives from the land at last.
–
In the once mighty outpost of Akraessi, a feast was being made. Fangs and claws ripped at the flesh of the fallen Doiketians therein. The cracking of bones could be heard as the wolves let no marrow go to waste. As Yassir approached the groaning, half-dead councilman, drool dripped from his open mouth. Nudging with his nose, Yassir flipped Gophylis onto his back and placed his paw upon his chest. He barked staring at the pathetic man. Gophylis’s strained to open his eyes, groaning and whimpering. Yassir barked once more and growled. Gophylis opened his eyes and pleadingly stared up at the mighty wolf as though begging for mercy.
A howl was let out by the mighty Yassir to let his pack know that he had found a living man. All were to gather round. Gophylis, becoming more alert and aware of his situation began to cry. His lips trembled as he blubbered and tears welled up causing him to only see vague shapes surrounding him. The last thing he saw was the figure standing over him. A figure whose horns resembled that of an antelope.
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