Zein: The Prophecy Page 5

  Malkin in turn was proud of Kabel, remembering when he brought him into the Western Quadrant. He had purposely kept a low profile after escaping the invasion of the Southern Quadrant and Malkin liked the title suggested by Lord and Lady Southgate. The Inner Council agreed that Malkin should play more of a back seat role in which he could look after Kabel. Only the Inner Council knew who he and Kabel were. Lord Malacca was still banned from the Inner Circle due to his clan’s historic involvement on the issues in the Eastern Quadrant.

  Good call, mused Malkin. Irrespective of this, Malkin knew that Lord Malacca would know who he was. The principal challenge was to keep Kabel’s identity as secret as possible. It was Elder Vois who suggested that the Wheatstones could be trusted to keep the secret until the Awakening. The rest fell into place. Malkin ensured that his role as a teacher in the village encompassed Kabel’s education at all levels.

  For his part he had noticed signs in Kabel of the Awakening, the name given to the time when one of royal lineage became aware and developed their particular trait of clan magic. It was a destabilising period in late teens/early twenties and some youthful royals had misused, misunderstood their new skills, some even dying from mistakes made. He remembered the time when one of the young Southgates took a giant leap straight into some unseen spike that had been driven into the ground for a fence. Malkin grimaced; Lord Southgate had been inconsolable at the loss of his grandson.

  He had seen Kabel looking at him during the training, trying to understand who he really was as his magics made him more sensitive to what was going on around him, other people’s thoughts, their pain and dreams. He wouldn’t be able to read Malkin’s thoughts as Malkin was trained to block any incursions. You could not do what he had done and be open to the threat of the magics.

  Malkin acknowledged he was a strange looking man, different from the other villagers. He was slightly taller than the other adults, not a surprise as he was part of the Blackstone Clan; however, it was his powerful physique that truly set him aside, that and the bushy grey beard of course. He ran his hand down the beard and inwardly chuckled. He always carried an elegant gold tipped cane, somewhat working against his brusque physique. The cane was unusual. It was three feet in length and there was a handle half way down.

  The handle was nothing special but was well-worn from much use. What the villages did not know was that at each end of the cane was hidden a sharp blade which was activated when Malkin touched a pressure point in the handle. The villagers were used to the sight of Malkin walking down the street twirling his cane like a majorette’s baton. As for Malkin, he was comforted at having a weapon to hand that he could handle deftly.

  Malkin and the Wheatstones’ entered the transportation room.

  Hilah turned to his son and said, ‘Now son, it’s your first time and it will feel a little strange but enjoy the experience. Just keep an eye on Drogan and Delilah and follow what they do.’

  Drogan looked at Kabel with a condescending air and Kabel had to stifle the urge to laugh. He had lost count of the number of unauthorised adventures he had been on. Malkin, sensing Kabel was going to have some fun at Drogan’s expense, gave him a warning stare and he swallowed the laughter.

  Kabel didn’t know that Malkin knew all about his “trips”. Malkin had placed a tiny tracker in the pendent around Kabel’s neck when he was a baby. He was able to follow and keep an eye on his ward.

  They stepped into the portal and as the transportation room dissolved the large Federation Fair portal materialized. Kabel was taken aback. There were thousands of people milling about and he eagerly followed the group outside to the main stalls and games.

  The Federation Fair was enormous. It covered the ground as far as the eye could see. There were flip acrobats, dragon slaying theatre groups, magicians, vortex rides, great-snouted lizard racers and many, many beer tents. The beer tents were selling mind blowing hola beer, a queer looking red beer that did not look pleasant but after tasting it you could not drink any other beer. The taste was clear and true and the fluid made every part of your body, head to toe, tingle. It was probably one of the strongest beverages you could obtain in the known Universe. Before the Pod conflicts the export of this fine beer brought untold wealth to Zein. Simple to make, it required the local ingredient hanish, a small Zein flower not unlike the Earth’s daisy flower.

  Kabel set up his stall with the help of his sister, who was supporting her mother’s stall selling medicines for aches and pains. With his Diffuser on display, Kabel could not help but feel a little pride. Malkin stayed with him for a time until boredom took over. He gave his apologies and left mid-morning, feeling the draw of the beer tent.

  Later, after successfully obtaining orders for five of his Diffusers, Kabel and his sister decided to celebrate and have a walk around the Fair, leaving their mother to look after both stalls. They bought crunchy apples dipped in a sweet glaze covered in nuts, sweet cordial that curled your toes and took in the sights and sounds of the Fair.

  As they walked they didn’t see the two men who followed them. One was short and sturdy and the other slightly taller but had a horrible scar where his left ear should have been. Every time Kabel and Delilah stopped they stopped as well and watched. The happy pair continued to walk on oblivious of the two men. As they approached a large recreational area they noticed that a large crowd had built up. Looking over the crowd Kabel could just make out a huge animal.

  Help me.

  Kabel looked around him. Where did that come from? He noticed Delilah showed no signs of hearing anything unusual.

  The plea came from someone in front of the crowd. No one else paid any notice. Pushing through the crowd he made his way through to the front. People in the crowd at first vented their anger until they saw the imposing figure of Kabel bearing down on them. They made way. Delilah followed, bemused.

  When he reached the front of the crowd Kabel found a strange spectacle unfolding. There was a large, fierce and ugly animal tethered with manacles on its front feet. There was a big sign knocked into the ground: “5 credits for a chance to ride the beast”. A deep voice bellowed, ‘They call me the Keeper of the Beast of the Four Quadrants. If you stay on the Beast for one minute you win twenty credits.’

  Wow, that’s quite a sum of money. Kabel thought. His eyes took in the oak of a man who stood in front of the crowd throwing out his challenge, not particularly liking what he saw. He was a rough, course looking man from the borderlands close to the Eastern Quadrant. His fine tunics spoke of ill-gotten gains amassed at others’ expense. He also had a photon gun on his hip. As Kabel watched he listened to the gossip amongst the other members of the crowd.

  ‘He is one of those who may have fled the Wars but would have been at home on the side of Zylar,’ one old woman whispered conspiratorially to her friend. The friend willingly agreed.

  ‘Been watching all morning, no one has stayed on more than twenty seconds, let alone one minute!’ Another woman exclaimed to everyone in the range of her strident voice

  ’Don’t much like the look of his helpers. Look like more Eastern refugees to me,’ one man spat out taking into account the recognisable dark and flatter features readily seen in the Eastern Quadrant. Kabel followed his gaze and noted the other two men walking in front of the crowd in their red Eastern Quadrant tunics with hats held in their hands to collect money for new and lost bets. There was no shortage of takers. Men full of drink tried their luck and failed. The beast threw them off with a great roar of anger well within the time given.

  Help me. The voice implored. Kabel searched for who was making the plea and then he caught the baleful eye of the creature looking directly at him. Kabel jumped.

  Yes you, Mr Blue Eyes. The creature projected his voice into Kabel’s mind.

  ‘What the…’ he said.

  ‘What’s the matter?’ Delilah asked. The bemused look still plastered on her face.

  ‘Nothing important,’ Kabel replied, frowning.

  Thanks. Ni
ce to know I am ‘nothing’, the creature moodily said telepathically.

  I didn’t mean that, Kabel replied.

  Well, help me with these imbeciles. I am a Changeling and these manacles force me to retain this shape for their enjoyment. I will serve you once freed, the creature pleaded with Kabel.

  The Eastern man calling himself the Keeper was suddenly in front of Kabel, sensing a challenge. The rest of the crowd moved back.

  ‘Well, do you have the guts to go with that abnormal height?’ he asked scornfully, looking Kabel up and down. Kabel made an impulse decision, not liking the way this man was talking to him.

  ‘If I can stay on the beast for twice as long as your challenge and get it to kneel, will you grant ownership of the creature to me?’

  The Keeper was stunned along with the people at the front of the crowd who heard the challenge. The Keeper’s head snapped back and emitted a loud laugh,

  ‘What’s in it for me, my friend?’ he said sarcastically. Kabel thought quickly.

  Carefully, Kabel partially pulled out the seckles from his tunic so that only the Keeper could see.

  ‘You can have these seckles. They will fetch a high price,’ Kabel offered, lowering his voice so only the man could hear. The Keeper eyed the weapons greedily. He reached to touch the jewelled handles but Kabel pulled them away from his grasp. The Keeper angrily expressed his disapproval.

  ‘Deal or no deal?’ Kabel asked, keeping eye contact.

  The Keeper relaxed and said sardonically, ‘If you can ride him for double the time and make him kneel then it’s a deal.’ Kabel held out his hand to seal the deal. The owner looked down with a sneer, shook Kabel’s hand quickly and turned on his heel.

  ‘Prepare the animal.’

  The two attendants threw the ropes around the animal and set the seat for Kabel.

  If you think I am going to kneel, think again. The Changeling’s voice heavy with disgust echoed in Kabel’s mind.

  Do you want to be rid of this idiot? Kabel projected back, glancing at the cocksure Keeper. No answer.

  Well? Kabel demanded when the Changeling had not replied.

  The Changeling raised its head and his eyes caught Kabel’s. There was defiance in his gaze and stance. The Keeper spotted the look. He raised his electrified stick and prodded the Changeling. The Changeling reared onto his back legs, roaring with pain.

  Kabel reeled backwards as he felt the pain. The Changeling settled back onto all four legs. His vicious front claws pawing at the ground. The Changeling’s eyes sunken into the scarred and hideous face displayed the pain he was feeling.

  OK. I will do what you need me to do, the Changeling promised.

  Recovering from the pain, Kabel asked, why do I feel your pain?

  You are a Royal Blackstone. It’s in your blood to not just understand others’ thoughts but what they feel. My people and the Blackstones go back a long way. The Changeling replied, slightly surprised.

  Royal Blackstone? What do you mean? Kabel queried, surprised. He had met members of the Blackstone Clan of course and he knew he was from that clan but what was the meaning behind the “Royal Blackstone” comment?

  ‘Are you riding this monster or just wasting my time?’ the Keeper asked, moving forward with one hand on his photon blaster.

  ‘OK, let’s get on with it,’ Kabel answered.

  The Keeper grinned back. The smile never reached his eyes.

  He handed the rope leading to the saddle fastened onto the Changeling’s back. Drogan and Malkin had also made their way to the front of the crowd and now stood next to Delilah. The two men who had been following Kabel and his sister edged to the front as well. Malkin saw them out of the corner of his eyes and melted back into the crowd.

  ‘What are you doing, Kabel?’ His sister grabbed his arm, her concerned face confused.

  ‘Trust me,’ Kabel said and then without waiting for an answer he grabbed the rope that dangled from the bulging neck of the beast. He saw his brother watching open mouthed. His brother’s distaste was evident on his face.

  Make it convincing, he instructed the Changeling. The Changeling just grunted.

  He noticed his sister’s petrified face and mouthed silently “don’t worry”. With that he leapt onto the creature’s back.

  Nothing happened at first. The Keeper’s false wide grin began to disappear, the crowd murmured their surprise. Then the Changeling launched into vicious bucking, trying to unseat the young Zeinonian. Kabel grasped the rope in front of him tightly, holding on for self-preservation. His long legs wrapped themselves around the beast’s body as best as they could.

  Kabel was nearly launched violently into a number of travelling caravans as the creature covered all the area of the fenced in rodeo site.

  OK, I said convincing but try not to kill me, Kabel gasped as another huge lunge by the creature nearly unseated him.

  Has the little boy had enough? the Changeling gloated.

  Kabel gritted his teeth and answered. Pretty tame really! he replied nonchalantly.

  This resulted in a new spate of lunges and bucking. Kabel held his grip on the rope and a strange power tingled through his hands and thighs as he felt one with the creature.

  After a particularly heavy bucking session the creature gradually slowed down with the odd buck and then stopped still, panting and exhausted.

  Kabel was elated.

  He pulled the rope to the left and wheeled the Changeling one hundred and eighty degrees so he was facing the three Easterners. He patted the Changeling, who was remarkably silent and told him in a loud voice to kneel. The beast did what he was told. Kabel jumped off in front of the mesmerised men and other members of the crowd.

  ‘I think that makes this big guy mine,’ Kabel said with a cocky smile on his face, the adrenaline storming through his body.

  The face of the Keeper was stumped at what he had witnessed and then realising his income could now be lost his hand automatically went to the photon blaster on his hip.

  Kabel, still high from the excitement and an increasing power he had not really felt before, saw this all in slow motion. As the man reached for his blaster, he found his training take over.

  He closed the distance between him and the Keeper. When the Easterner’s hand came up with the blaster Kabel caught his wrist and shoved the blaster back into its holster. He then used the weight of the now off balance man to pull him into a throw lock and threw him over his shoulder. The man hit the ground hard. The other two Easterners watched this initial exchange in disbelief. Seeing their colleague being thrown spurred them into action. The shorter of the men tightened his grip on the whip he had loosely held and launched it at the young man’s face. Again Kabel watched all this in seemingly slow motion and easily dodged the whip.

  In the crowd the two men edged forward, their hands reaching into the folds of their tunic.

  ‘I wouldn’t do that if I were you.’ They turned and saw Malkin behind them. ‘You know who I am and what I can do with this,’ He glanced at his cane, which had both sets of blades now showing with the blades resting on the spines of the two men.

  Both men removed their hands from their tunics and impassively returned their gazes to the action unfolding in front of them.

  As the whip passed his face, Kabel grabbed the centre of it and pulled the shorter man off his feet. The remaining Easterner was also reaching for his blaster but with the whip now in his hand Kabel tossed it up, caught the end in his hand and launched the whip at the blaster. The whip caught hold of the blaster and he pulled it so it went flying. He then sent the whip back to wrap round the taller Easterner’s throat and drag him off balance as well.

  The two men in front of Malkin, with no backward glance, moved away from the fight as the Fair’s marshals made their way to the disturbance.

  Malkin eyes followed them, a frown creasing his face. He then noticed the former Keeper of the beast pulling out his re-holstered blaster and aiming it at the back of Kabel. He reached for his
own blaster but in a blinding fast move Kabel, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, reached into his tunic and flung one of the seckles in a curved flick of his right wrist at the hand which had drawn the blaster. The seckle completed a semi-circle mesmerisingly quickly, severing the hand holding the gun and then completed the circle and returned to the young warrior’s right hand.

  Malkin moved quickly. People in the crowd, although entertained by the fight, expressed astonishment at what had just happened. Malkin raced to Kabel, quickly followed by Drogan and Delilah.

  ‘Put the seckle away. We don’t want anyone to see it, do we now?’ Malkin whispered quietly. Kabel startled, followed the instruction.

  ‘What’s going on here?’ said one of the Fair’s marshals who had come to check on what the disturbance was about.

  Malkin turned to them and stepped in front of Kabel, who was stunned at what he had done. He exchanged astonished looks with his brother and sister. Malkin explained what had happened. Others in the crowd stepped forward and supported the story of the bet. It was clear that the only person who had seen the seckle had been Malkin. Others in the crowd had just seen a flash and then the man’s hand sliced off.

  The marshals accepted their version of events and arrested the three Easterners, including the Keeper’s severed hand still holding the blaster.

  ‘You must be mad!’ said Drogan, still amazed at what he had seen. ‘That was pretty impressive, bro,’ he added. Kabel looked at his brother and for the first time respect passed between them. ‘Is this beast yours now to own?’ Drogan asked. Kabel nodded.

  Kabel moved to the Changeling, who was still standing where he had dismounted, shaking from the exertion. He pulled his hunting knife from his belt and with one look at the Changeling he slashed the cord around the beast’s neck and then, after picking up the keys that had fallen out of the Keeper’s pockets, he deftly unlocked the bracelets on each of the ankles. When the last bracelet was released the mighty beast let out a huge roar. Malkin glanced behind him, alarmed, as did the others in the crowd still hanging about.