Chapter 8: A Punishment from Domhain

Cameron was unconscious, his body lay crumpled beside Ameera. Valor stood watching him for a moment, his chest heaving from the adrenaline. Beside him Diargo radiated strength, like steam in the cold. There was something hypnotic about the picture laid in front him. Diargo’s saliva dripping from his uncle’s face, pooling on the fold of his double chin.

“Time to go,” the ape turned away from the scene, “we go through the wall.”

Valor agreed, it would be foolish to try and squeeze their way through the door, a waste of precious time.

Diargo trotted over to the wall beside the door, his padded knuckles scraping across the stone floor. He followed him, and as he took a couple steps forward, his foot struck something on the ground, it was Ameera’s whip. He picked it up, running his hands along the thick corded rope. It felt alive and he shuddered, tossing the weapon onto Ameera.

“Did you sign those papers?”

Valor’s heart sank, he never got the chance. His uncle went full crazy mode before he could submit the forms. 

“No, his psychotic episode ruined that chance.” 

Diargo flexed his jaw, showing his fangs. “Grab the papers, we’ll sign them and submit them at another arena.”

He ran to grab them, snatching them off the pile of splinters where they were resting. He clutched them in his fist as he jumped on Diargo’s back. Once secured, the ape channeled his galden into the stone wall. For a second it vibrated with a low hum before exploding, showering the room in rubble and dust.

“Do you know how to get out?” Valor shouted as they raced through the stone corridors.

Diargo continued his pace, his knuckles thudding into the ground as he galloped through the tunnels. “It’s fine, I can smell the fresh air.” He looked at Valor out of the corner of his eye, “I’ll be able to find the exit.”

“Thank the sun for a Beast’s sense of smell.” He grinned. 

“I can also smell you,” Diargo crinkled his nose, “it’s foul, you didn’t bathe after the race.” 

Valor scowled but said nothing, he was too busy worrying about the enforcers and civilians diving out of the way to escape the barreling Beast. Finally, without any serious collateral damage they arrived at the cave exit. It was a cavernous maw in the side of one of the mountains, larger than any of the caverns underground, and it was bustling with activity. Thousands of people were walking around the opening, pouring in from the desert and the different tunnels. Merchants could be heard yelling from their stands, trying to sell their goods. The occasional Desert Strider could be seen, though it was obvious from the leather bags hung around their backs, that the great birds were nothing more than pack animals. Domesticated purely to lug heavy goods around the desert. 

Valor jumped off Diargo’s back and took a moment to take the sight in. The dull roar of thousands of conversations overlapping with each other. Beyond the sea of people, he could see trees. The Silliaph oasis, one of the last remaining water holes in the region. The stadium itself must have been home to hundreds of thousands of people. Small settlements and villages located close to the base of the mountains, Siliaph stadium was really Siliaph city.

“I knew there was an oasis was on the other side of the mountains, but I had no idea there was such a huge marketplace.” Valor placed his hands on his hips and looked up at his friend. “I mean this place is huge, it has to be four times the size of the marketplace dad took us too.” 

“and closer,” Diargo snorted, he had always hated the long journey to pick up supplies. 

Valor agreed ruefully, it was significantly closer. Making him wonder if his father had been avoiding the place.

“You think their chasing us?” He asked, eyeing a patrol of enforcers warily.

Diargo slammed a fist into the ground, “That would be a poor decision.”

“Yeah, I think were fine- NO WAY”

With a sigh, the ape followed Valor who took off running towards one of the stands. 

“Diargo look! They have mundee fruit!” He was practically jumping up and down in excitement, pointing at the golden globes stacked on the merchant’s table. They were nearly the size of a human head and dripping with condensation. 

There was a merchant sitting behind the table, he was a tall and skinny man. His skin brown and wrinkled from the many years out in the sun. He had a grey goatee, trimmed neatly to a point. “I haven’t had mundee fruit in four years, the marketplace I used to go to ran out after the Creder oasis dried up.”

The old man’s eyes lit up, “I was raised at that oasis, my grandad used to own a salt farm just a mile away,” He stroked his goatee, “Real shame about that water”. His speech was so grating it sounded painful.

“Tell me about it,” Valor said, eyeing the mundee fruit lustfully.

Normally he would have been paid handsomely for his third-place finish, but since this race was his eligibility race, he was still as broke as he was yesterday.

“You two had fantastic debut today,” The man said, nodding at Diargo. “It was nice to see someone give Dartari a run for his first-place spot.”

Valor grimaced at the mention of the Giant, “Maybe for a couple minutes.”

The merchant’s spit on the ground beside his chair. “The boy’s a dirty mount stealer anyways,” He licked a drop of spit from lips, “He’s been nothing but a nuisance since his qualifiers, and now he’s nearly rank five.”

The merchant swore and the grabbed a mundee fruit, “A mount stealer at number five… absolutely foul.”

The mundee fruit was so close he could almost taste it.

“I remember seein’ the machari limpin’ through here about an hour ago, that big pup he brought with him was nowhere to be seen.” He shook his head, a disgusted look on his face. “That big bastard practically ripped that man’s soul out.” 

For a moment the fruit was forgotten. “You saw the Machari? Here?”

“yessir,” The man licked his cracked lips. “black mask an’ all, walked right up to my stand. Didn’t buy anythin’ though, don’t think he bought anythin’ anywhere. Just wanderin’… lost.” 

Valor looked up at Diargo, the ape standing over top of him like a statue. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like to lose him. 

“Do you remember where he went?” 

The merchant stroked his goatee thoughtfully, “Probably just headin’ back to Machar. It’s about a two day travel that way,” he jerked his head towards the oasis.

The duo made eye contact, and formed a mutual agreement. 

“Looks like that’s where were headed.”

The man eyed Diargo’s massive legs and his muscle-bound forearms. “You’ll catch up to him pretty quick.” He tossed Valor the mundee fruit he was holding in his arms, “Give him this when you find him, it’s the least I can do… an apology from Siliaph.” 

Valor swallowed the crushing disappointment he felt as he held the mundee fruit in his arms. He shot Diargo a look of annoyance when he heard the ape’s laughter in his head. The fruit was tucked protectively between his legs as he climbed back on the Beast’s back. Two more fruits were tossed his way and his heart soared. 

“Thank you,” Valor said, feeling the rumbling in his stomach, “I’ll repay you when I return.” 

“Yes, thank you.” Diargo blinked his eyes and dipped his head in thanks.

The man gave Valor a toothy smile, “A welcome gift, Silliaph needs more like you two.” He swept his gaze across the sea of people that continued to mill about the room. “Kypeera has waited a long time for a Rider as special as Keenan. Don’t let us down.” 

He raised the fruits in the air to the man, one last thanks before Diargo raced out of the cavern and into the vast desert they were raised in.

*** 

They flew across the sands, short pillars propelling them through the air in rapid bursts. Sand stung his face from the occasional cloud blowing through air, He scanned the desert for the machair, squinting his eyes to keep the sand out of them. The mundee fruit had vanished in a couple of minutes, and the juices still dried on their chins. The remaining fruit was tucked away in his pack, and he was ready to defend it with his life.

“That doesn’t look good.” Diargo said in a worried tone, his head angled slightly to the left. 

A sandstorm was moving quickly, towering over the land like the Siliaph mountains. It tore across the sand dunes, devouring everything in sight, like an impenetrable tsunami.

“We need to find the Machari before that storm does.”

Diargo grunted in agreement and picked up the pace. With the direction they were going now, it wouldn’t be long before they collided with the sandstorm. He glanced at it again and watched the constant churning of the sand in the wind. The ominous slow march of nature devouring itself always filled him with a sense of awe and dread. Diargo suppressed a shudder, the Trykoori fear only nature itself. He was grateful when Valor patted him on the neck. 

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“That herd over there doesn’t seem to be in a big rush.” Valor tapped the right side of Diargo’s neck. 

Up ahead was a pack of Sand horns, close to five dozen in number. They watched as the males lumbered around the outside of the pack, surrounding the much smaller females in the center. Most of the Sand horn bulls were bigger than Diargo, and in the right situation could be just as deadly. They were highly respected members of the Kypeeran ecosystem, sentient Beasts whose kind was found among the legendary tribes of Domhain. Occasionally they were seen in the race, though they liked to keep their distance from the humans. 

“That storm won’t bother them” Diargo said, and then cried a greeting to the herd, a crude impression of their welcome call. “Maybe they’re going to their burrows. We could follow them, perhaps they would offer us shelter.”

The sand horns swung their heavy heads to look at Diargo soaring by their seven horns on their head gleaming in the sun. They opened their mouths and bugled back, a loud greeting that rumbled across the air. Their hides were a dull grey, made of thick skin that was practically impenetrable. They stared at them with two sets of eyes, the larger of two was set was behind a transparent casing, a lens that offers protection from sand so they could still see in the worst storms. 

“Not unless you want to go digging for the Machari when the storm settles.” Valor said, watching the great mammals lumber on, dragging their scaly tail behind them. 

Diargo begrudgingly admitted that Valor was right, and he ruefully watched the Bulls start to dig, they wouldn’t risk the females getting lost in the storm. The Trykoori bellowed one last call and continued on his way, listening with satisfaction when the Sand horns bugled in return. 

“It’s a good thing they like you, I don’t think you could outrun one.” 

Diargo snorted indignantly, “It wouldn’t even be a competition.”

He smiled and watched the great beasts casually set up camp as they dug deep burrows. 

He was jealous of their indifference to the storm, which was fast approaching and hungry to swallow them whole.

“Valor, I’m going to need to make us a shelter, we won’t be able to breath in there.”

The sand around them was starting to get kicked up, and he tightened his grip on Diargo’s neck in frustration. 

“If we won’t be able to breathe, then neither will the machari!” 

The Trykoori shook his head, the wall of sand was almost right on them. “Maybe he found shelter, he could be in an old sand horn burrow, or maybe a cave.” 

Valor clenched his jaw, something in him was telling him that wasn’t true, that the Macharineeded them. His galden pulsed in his heart, and he took that as confirmation.

“He’ll die Di, we need to find him.” 

Diargo let his lips curl back, it was impossible to argue. 

The storm hit hard; the force of its wind knocking the great Beast clean off his feet. Valor clung to his neck for dear life, knowing that separation could be fatal. The Trykoori dug his feet into the sand trying desperately to hold his ground against the wind. His eyes were slits, barely open to avoid being blinded. He didn’t dare open his mouth, afraid that the sand would suffocate him the moment he did so. He could feel Valor’s face buried in his neck, shielding his eyes and mouth. 

“I can’t… breathe.” Diargo nostrils were already caked with sand. He wasn’t getting enough air.

“He won’t make it.”

“We won’t make it.” Diargo was starting to panic. Everywhere he looked was a solid wall of sand and dust. For all he knew, they were travelling in circles. Doomed to walk the same few steps until the sand filled his lungs.

Valor let out a scream of frustration that was completely muffled by his friend’s coarse fur.“Fine,” Valor’s voice was bitter, “Do it”

Almost immediately translucent crystal walls rose from the ground and surrounded them. They moved with the fluidity of rushing water, the same bluish white tint that the Trykoori had protruding out of his own back. In a matter of seconds, they were encased in a crystal dome, completely cutting them off from the hellscape. The silence was deafening, and he could his own blood rushing in his ears. He sat down with a sigh, sick to his stomach at the thought of the machari suffering while they were safe.

“Valor, I’ve never seen a storm this bad.”

With a grim nod he stared through the crystal walls, desperately trying to see a sign of anything. It was impossible, the visibility through the crystal was practically non-existent, regardless of the opaque weather. 

Yet for some reason he swore that he could see the shadow of a figure, “I see him!” 

Diargo was still blowing sand out of his nostrils, so he responed with a distracted, “huh?” 

“The Machari! I see him, he’s there.” He was shouting at this point, frantically pointing at whatever shape he thought he saw. 

“That’s impossible. You can’t even see your own hand in this storm Valor, there’s nothing there!” But he hesitated, he could feel it how adamant the human was in his mind. 

“Let me out, Di, we can save him!” 

Diargo let out a loud snort, “Absolutely not, there’s nothing there, you can’t see-“

“I can feel him there, please, let me out.” Valor stared up at his friend, unflinching from the intense amber gaze.

Without a word, the Beast placed the palms of his hands on the sand, and a moment later a small opening was formed in the crystal wall. The howling returned immediately, and sand flew into their shelter. He dove through the opening, fighting like a rabid animal against the wind that ripped at his clothes, skin, and hair. The wind was so powerful for a moment he felt himself go weightless as it lifted him a couple inches off the ground. It was terrifying but he ignored it, focusing instead on the excruciating burn he felt on his face, using that as anchor against the panic that threatened to take over. 

The galden pulsed in his heart. 

Valor stumbled forward, blind to anything in front of him. He waved his arms, hoping he would simply feel the body of the Mahari. Another pulse, right in front of him. So strong he felt his heart skip a beat and for a moment his galden brought clarity. He knew he was there, but with growing certainty it became clear that it wouldn’t really matter. He couldn’t breathe, his lungs were screaming… 

Another pulse, and he cried out in relief when he realized he had found him. He stumbled forward and collapsed at the man’s pitiful shape. As he fell in front of the Machari everything stopped. The pain, the noise, the constant pushing and pulling of the wind. He was able to rub the sand from his eyes and crack them open. The masked man was seated cross legged, his eyes closed. Surrounding the two of them was a bubble of calm air. A miraculous sanctuary from the storm. The Machari’s eyes flew open and locked with on his own. 

“Thank the Alpha…” His voice sounded hollow, and his eyes looked lost, as if he was just waking up from a deep sleep. “My galden, it won’t last much longer.” 

Valor opened his mouth to say something but coughed violently, he could feel sand grating his throat. “Your galden is…” Another violent cough, sand spewing from his mouth. “Your galden is doing this?” 

The machari nodded his head, his voice sounding sad, “I’m afraid we have a couple of minutes at best.”

Sweat was dripping from the man’s forehead, his spiky black and white hair slicked back from the moisture.

Suddenly the pocket of air vanished, their shelter evaporated in thin air. The storm ripped through them with a malicious savagery, avenging the time lost when they were protected. As sudden as it vanished, the air pocket returned, the wind’s gone once more. 

“I was wrong… we have much, much less time.”The Machari looked pale, his eyes seemed more and more out of focus. 

Valor watched in horror as the man’s eyes rolled to the back of his head and he toppled backward unconscious. The storm returned and without thinking Valor leapt on top him, covering his face with chest. He buried his own face into the ground, buying himself as much time as possible.

“DIARGO”

No answer, the wind was too strong, his mind was too chaotic. 

“DIARGO PLEASE”

Valor waited a moment, his arms, and legs raw. He was too panicked, his thoughts too out of focus for his friend to hear clearly. 

“Diargo please,” Valor thought.

Valor lifted his face slightly, just enough to take a breath of air. It was hopeless, the sand only filled his nose and throat, he couldn’t breathe. He could feel himself blacking out. He fought it with all his might, but the beckoning of unconsciousness was too powerful… too alluring. Reality was slipping away. He could hear the storm start to change; the roaring of its winds sounded like Diargo. The same bone chilling war cry that he had grown to love and admire. 

***

Diargo screamed as he leapt through the air. His protective instincts fueled him, he had felt Valor’s dread, and the comforting presence of his consciousness start to slip away. The gorilla screamed again, a challenging war cry to the storm. He no longer felt the sting of the sand and his eyes no longer watered. He ran across the ground, his knuckles pounding into the sand as he galloped towards the shadowy glimpse of too bodies. The storm was trying to bury them forever. He leapt and landed on top of them, cradling Valor’s head in his armpit. He focused his galden once more and formed the crystal shelter. Diargo squeezed his eyes shut and waited. The storm continued to rage and howl well into the night.

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