Geetha Krishnan's Blog, page 14

New short work

A/n: This is the beginning of a new project. It will either be a short stoiry or a novella.

When he woke, it was dark, but that could be because he was in a dark room. Next it occurred to him that he was still alive. Someone had saved him.

Why can’t humans just let others die? Why do they have to go on saving them?

Zeityl rose from the pallet on which he lay. The room was unfurnished and unadorned, and he knew without going outside that it was noon, and that he had been unconscious for a day and a half and that he was on an island.

That was enough to cause the invisible bands around his heart to tighten again, leaving him breathless.

Why did humans extol love so much when it brought so much pain? It was almost physical, how it felt like there was something stuck in his heart, in his lungs, in his throat, something that hurt.

I am not made for pain. No god was. They knew joy, and fun and laughter, and how it was to look at humans from afar and feel contemptuous and to mock them. They weren’t supposed to love humans. He wasn’t supposed to fall in love with a human. He wasn’t supposed to get his heart broken.

His lungs seemed incapable of taking in air and he stumbled out into the sunshine, gasping for breath. For a moment, he was blinded by the brightness just as a human would have been. His eyes caught sight of a man, standing at the edge of a cliff, looking down into the ocean. His rescuer apparently. His eyes focussed, and he stared, his heart suddenly squeezing painfully.

The figure standing still was so familiar to him, from the hair beginning to grey to the powerful frame and the worn clothes. He tried to speak, to call him by name, but all he could manage was a sound that even to his ears was more of a strangled sob than anything.

The man turned around and the black eyes that meet his were guarded.

“You saved my life,” Zeityl finally managed to croak, an echo of words he had spoken so long ago.

Pel’s expression didn’t change and Zeityl didn’t like the silence, didn’t like it that Pel was so quiet.

“I didn’t realise you were trying to kill yourself,” Pel spoke, the exact same words he had spoken to him that first time except it was all wrong, the tone, the expression on his face… There was no smile on his face, no playful smirk, no teasing note in his voice, and Zeityl was suddenly tired, so very tired of all this. He didn’t want to be saved, he didn’t want the pain, and he didn’t want to look at Pel and know that he had caused this, that he was responsible for that cold look.

“I was,” he said when the weight of the silence was too heavy and Pel moved, coming closer to him.

Zeityl stood still, not moving, till Pelthiel was close enough for them to be sharing air. Pel lifted his hands and cupped his face, the gesture so familiar and intimate, evoking memories of the countless number of times he had done it before. Zeityl wanted to close his eyes so he wouldn’t need to see how Pel now looked at him as if he were a stranger.

“Why?”Pel asked, his voice so expressionless.

Zeityl stared at him, not understanding for a moment what Pel was asking. Was he asking him why he was trying to kill himself or why he lied, and pretended and messed up? He settled for the former because even he was not certain how to answer if it was the latter.

“Because I lost you,” he said, the pain in his chest almost unbearable now.

The hands dropped away and Pel took a step back, his expression clouding. Zeityl wanted to cry but he would not do that, not now, not when Pel was still looking at him, anger and sadness and emotions Zeityl couldn’t even put a name to swirling in his eyes.

“You did,” Pel agreed, his voice quiet and Zeityl turned away, back into the darkness of the hut. He was feeling as if something was ripping him open from the inside.

“Why do you hate me so much?” Pel asked from behind him and Zeityl stilled. “You and your siblings,” Pel continued. “Why do you perceive me as a threat?”

Zeityl wished he could answer. He could answer. Tell him they didn’t know him, that they didn’t know how to feel about his power, his magic, that they didn’t know anything about people, or anyone except themselves, that they- he rather, didn’t know what it felt to love, to fall in love. But he remained silent. Pel had told him he had lost him. What was the point in anything now?

“I’m going back,” he said, turning to look at Pelthiel one last time.”To my siblings.”

Pel nodded as if it was no more than he had expected. “I won’t be here when you return,”

Zeityl supposed he deserved that. Pelthiel thought he was going to his brothers for back up, to fight him. Let him think that.

“Would you really have drowned if I hadn’t saved you?” Pel asked.

It was not an unexpected question, but it still took Zeityl by surprise.

“Yes,” he nodded.”This ocean… it is toxic to us.”

“You’re gods,” Pel said.

“There are things older than us.” Zeityl said. “We can’t travel this ocean without it trying to kill us.”

“And yet you braved it twice,” Pel mused aloud.

Zeityl swallowed. What could he say? The first time had been reconnaissance. But this time… This time he was looking for death.

“I need to go,” he said finally.

“Of course,” Pel agreed, an odd note in his voice.

Zeityl looked at his face once more, fighting his desire to gather the other man in his arms and kiss him. Hadn’t he lost all those rights? If only he could turn back time! He would go back and would tell Pel the truth, he would have trusted Pel, and he wouldn’t have allowed his brothers to try and hurt Pel. He would have saved Leithia. It was too late now, and there was no turning the clock back. Zeityl pulled himself together.

“Good bye,” he said.

New Poster

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Kindle edition available in Amazon

New Project

Had a weirdass dream the other night, and what must I do when I wake up but write a story based on it and now I have a new shiny WIP. Here’s the prologue

“Murderer!”

The woman’s scream was loud, and shrill, her face twisted, eyes wide with fear and panic. The long red dress with its puff sleeves looked ridiculous on her. She was young, and blonde, with wide brown eyes and a trim figure, accentuated by the dress.

Joe swore under his breath. It was such a mistake coming here, and it was just the unluckiest coincidence that he should have reached the street precisely at the moment she was there. But there was no use worrying about it now. A quick stride brought him to her side and before she could open her mouth again, his hand was across her mouth silencing her, and his other arm was around her waist.

“Stay still or I’ll kill you!” he growled menacingly.

She was still, and he could feel the thumping of her heart under his arm. Her eyes were still wide. Night had fallen and there weren’t too many people about, not tonight. It made him wonder about her, but he had more important things to worry about. A muttered spell under his breath was enough to knock her out. She would not wake for another hour at least. But he could hardly leave her out here, not tonight.

He cursed again, loudly this time. He did not like this. He ventured out precisely because there wouldn’t be many people out there tonight, but he needed to be back soon. IT wouldn’t do to be caught out of doors tonight. He looked behind him, at the darkened doorway out of which he had run out just moments ago. Sven would ensure that no one in there would come after him or call the cops, but if he went back in there, he was going to be in trouble.

He cast a spell of seeking. If he could find a patrol cop, he could hand over the woman to them and be on their way. He cast a glamour on himself when his spell found one in the next junction. He hoisted the woman on to his back and used his magic to run lightly across the street, following his spell. The cop was standing under a street lamp, his black uniform blending into the night, except for the gold buttons and the gold stripes on his cap. The cap did nothing to hide the gold of his hair or the blue of his eyes, and Joe cursed under his breath again as he came to a stop in front of him.

“I found her, two streets over,” he told the man, trying not to look him in the eyes. Blue like the sky from the fleeting glance he had had.

The cop caught her almost automatically and Joe was across the street and speeding away the next instant. The cop would see in a minute that the woman was under a spell and wake her and she would tell him who Joe was. He was not going to stick around for that. For all his head start, within ten minutes, he could feel pursuit. He cursed even as his lips widened in a grin.

This should be fun. He hadn’t had someone pursue him with strong magic before. He put on a burst of speed and was near the abandoned temple in a minute, the stone walls rising high, and the metal spikes on top preventing trespassers. Joe used his magic to vault over the spikes and landed on all fours, his knee jarring and ankle twisting. The stone building loomed in front of him, dark and forbidding, but it was shelter. He limped inside, pulling every bit of his magic to keep him warm and hidden.

The darkness inside was absolute and he could not see where the shrine might have been at one time. He sat down, his back to the wall, next to the door. The shrine was likely opposite the door. There was no longer a door of course, the wood having rotted away, but no matter. It would still provide refuge this night of all nights. He closed his eyes, but not to sleep. He was settling in to wait.

It was going to be a long night.

Book Review Dreamer’s Melody

Fair Copy

I shall round off the year with another fantasy book that I absolutely loved. I have been following the author and her works ever since I chanced upon Fire’s Song and I must say that with each book, she is capturing my imagination more and more. Dreamer’s Melody, the final book of the Shaudrey Universe is a satisfying conclusion to the series, weaving the threads together in a masterful manner. J.E Mueller is a master storyteller and this book underlines the fact even more.

The story revolves around Remi whose ability to Dreamwalk, lands her somewhere unexpected after she was caught in a storm and ends up in a coma in the real world. But the world is more than it seems and Remi has to find a way to survive this place of monsters if she’s to stand a chance of returning to her own world and to her…

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Someday I’ll be Redeemed

Fair Copy

Someday I’ll be Redeemed is the first book of Kelly Blanchard’s Chronicles of Lorrek series, and it is a book that lives up to every bit of its hype. The book was recommended to me by a friend and she was so insistent about how good it was that I bought both the Kindle edition and the paperback.

The book is masterfully crafted and creates in the reader the desire to know more about what happens next. The world is vast and the characters many and each are interesting in their own way. Some are likeable, some are detestable, but each will leave an imprint in your mind. The titular character Lorrek caught my imagination as no one else except perhaps Vixen, the former assassin. Though all the other characters are interesting, I found these two the most memorable. The world that Kelly creates is vast and complex where technology…

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New projects

As unbelievable as it may sound to anyone who knows me, I’ve been writing about vampires. For nanowrimo this year, and guess what? I already got in my 50k words and finished one of the books. The other is also going on well, and I’m aiming for maybe 75k words this month. Keeping my fingers crossed that I get there, but I’m not going to push myself beyond my limits.

I’ve also been trying to translate some of my favourite Malayalam and Hindi songs into English this month, and let me tell you, that shit’s really tough. Mainly because my command over Hindi is nothing to write home about and so, I’ve had to rely on google to know what some of the words meant. So,all this shit could be utterly and completely wrong, but what the hell, I enjoyed doing it.

Some of my projects have been stalled because of Nano and also because I’ve had some personal tragedies this month, with losing some people, and writing has been my way of dealing with my losses. It has kept me distracted. Death is so final, and sometimes it’s hard to believe that you will never see this person again. nor talk to them.

However, I’m planning on continuing to write all through December and finish off as many of my WIPs as I can, and also start querying for Elitist Supremacy, a sneak peek of which will be posted here soon. Now that I’ve finished the fourth book and have no idea if the series will finish even with a fifth, it seems important to have the first book out there, so if no agents bite, I shall be self publishing it sometime in 2020.

That’s it for tonight’s ramble.

Sneak peeks

The man stood frozen in fear. Even his innards seemed to be frozen. He wet his lips and wondered what else fate had in store for him. Was he destined to die like this, naked and alone in this dense forest, swallowed by a snake? He, who was the scion of a most noble line, who had been the envy of even the Gods? And he had been reduced to this! This man who lost his kingdom, his possessions and even his clothes. He had to steal his wife’s Uttariya to cover his nudity and to leave her in the midst of the forest, so whatever ill luck plagued him would not follow her any further.

But it was all for naught, thought he, as he stared into the eyes of the huge serpent, as if mesmerized. There was something strangely hypnotic about its eyes. He could not look away. The swaying movement of the snake’s head was almost seductive. For one wild moment, Nala, the rightful King of the Nishadha Kingdom, wondered if being killed by this snake would be better than the life he had now. At least, without him, Damayanti, his wife, would have a better chance at happiness.

But then, reason returned. Damayanti might be better off without him, but he also knew she would never see it that way. He had left her for her own good. But to get himself killed so ignominiously might be the worst service he could do her.

He tried to move sideways surreptitiously, the snake’s eyes following him. Yet, it made no move to strike. Nala gained confidence and took one step back. The snake did not move. Nala took one more step back.

Then he saw the orange glow of the fire. The forest was on fire! He knew he had to escape now. He took one more look at the snake and realized that it was caught in a net, a net whose strands were so thin as to be invisible in the gloom. But in the orange glow of the fire, he could see that the snake was trapped.

He looked at the fast approaching fire. The snake was certain to burn to death if he left it there, but the fire was spreading fast. His face grim, he strode forward, grasping the edge of the net and freeing the snake in one smooth motion.

The snake reared and struck.

Far away, in another part of the forest, Damayanti screamed as the coils of a great snake tightened around her.

“Oh Nala!” She whispered, even as she struggled, tears pouring down her face. “Will I ever see you again?”

The Lost Race

Chapter Six

Rowen wasn’t certain why he felt uncomfortable, but he was. Sleep refused to come, no matter what he did. It could have been the excitement of the day, but he didn’t think so. Did they make a mistake, allowing the humans to stay? Rowen knew their history, their tendency for needless violence especially against their own kind and against whatever they perceived as a threat. But they were also capable of immense good, and change, and he could only hope that the fate of their planet would have changed them sufficiently. If they didn’t stick together, the Wyrses were going to find it laughably easy to take them down.

He got out of the bed, flinging the bedclothes aside and was out of the house with a thought. The forest was dark, but he could see everything as clearly as if it was still day. It felt peaceful, and he directed his steps to the path which led to the depths of the forest. The forest was quiet at this time and he could think clearly than in the house. It was too loud in there with all the humans and their thoughts which he could not help hearing. They were too loud and too fast, a literal cacophony all jumbled and tangled and he could no longer even tell who was thinking what.

He sensed the man before he saw him. Mark Halley, the leader of the humans. Was he this foolish, to venture so deep into the woods at this time when he knew there were Wyrses and other dangers lurking in here? True, these humans knew nothing of the dangers that could harm them in a forest, but at least he was warned about Wyrses. It was so foolhardy of him, especially after one of his friends had been taken right in front of him.

Mark was standing near a puddle, staring at the water in fascination. Rowen studied the man. He was tall, his dark skin seemed to shine in the moonlight, just like his bald head. For once, his thoughts were full of fascination and wonder rather than fear and mistrust.

“You do know it is dangerous here,” he spoke, but quietly so as not to startle his guest.

Mark whirled around, his gun pointed at Rowen’s chest. It was set to kill. A wise decision. Rowen remained unmoving as Mark relaxed and lowered his gun.

“Your father said Wyrses don’t come out frequently during night.”

“They prefer not to,” Rowen said, moving forward. “But that doesn’t mean they won’t, and it definitely doesn’t mean it’s safe here. Wyrses aren’t the only predators in these woods.”

“That’s why I’m armed,” Mark said, sounding a bit defensive.

Rowen sighed. “I’m not trying to patronise you,” he said. “But I’m used to this place and you’re not. I just want you to be safe.”

A blush rose to Mark’s cheek. “I didn’t say you were being patronising,” he said.

Rowen debated for a moment if he should tell Mark that he could hear his thoughts. It was possible Mark would be offended, but it seemed dishonest to keep it from the humans.

“You don’t have to say it,” he said, looking Mark in the eye. They were the same height which helped. “I can hear your thoughts.”

Mark looked flabbergasted. “You’re reading my mind?” his voice sounded shaky.

“I can hear your thoughts, the coherent ones anyway,” Rowen explained.

“That’s…” Mark drew a couple of deep breaths.

“You don’t have to panic,” Rowen said.

“Can you stop?” Mark asked.

“Stop hearing your thoughts?” Rowen asked. “It’ll be like stopping my ears, and why should I do that? It’s not something we do consciously. A great deal of our communication happens through thoughts, you see.”

“It is… “ Mark pressed his lips together for a moment. “We… for humans, it is considered a breach of privacy and a mark of mistrust,” he said finally.

“But your race doesn’t know how to,” Rowen said. “You can’t hear each other’s thoughts, only words, and they are often dishonest.”

“We believe that people have a right to be dishonest if they want to be,” Mark said, not sounding very comfortable. “It’s true we can’t read minds, but it’s.. it’s not okay for us to have someone else do it.”

Rowen considered the words. Everything he had learned about humanity did point out to an obsession with privacy. He wasn’t foolish enough to think that it was a wrong thing just because it was incomprehensible to him. Not to hear the thoughts of his kind would be strange to him, but to Mark and to the other humans, it was a breach of trust. He focussed on his kind, passing on the message and decided he didn’t want to listen to the humans’ thoughts anymore. The silence was almost deafening and Rowen breathed in relief.

Mark was looking at him intently, his dark eyes holding an expression of enquiry.

“I’m not listening to you any more,” Rowen explained. “It is a relief to be free of the thoughts of your kind.”

“I’m sorry,” Mark said after a moment. “This can’t be easy for you either.”

“Easier than it is for you,” Rowen said, adding. “I don’t blame you for your thoughts.”

“And why is that?” Mark asked.

“You’re human,” Rowen said. “Your experience of power and corruption are similar, so you mistrust it. It is natural after all. You have no other yardsticks to measure us by but your own.”

“That’s…” Mark huffed out a laugh. “That’s actually pretty insulting, but okay, it’s fair.” he paused. “I’m sorry I’ve been a jerk, even if it was only in my head.”

“I didn’t say it to make you apologise,” Rowen said. “And as you said, I shouldn’t have listened to your thoughts. I’m sorry for that.”

“No, it’s…” Mark looked distressed. “You’ve been kind to us… you helped us, your father saved our lives and you healed us, and fed us, and your people has allowed us refuge, saving us all, and I…” he sighed, but it was an unhappy sound. “You’re right that I judged you based on what I know… but… I forgot all the good that has been in humanity… that still is… and I judged you from a place of fear and mistrust instead of gratitude, and it was wrong of me. I’m sorry.”

Rowen nodded. “I accept your apology,” he said. “And at the risk of being rebuffed, I would suggest that you return to the safety of the house.”

“Wh-” Mark started as a growling sound reached their ears. “Perhaps you’re right,” he said, taking a step closer to Rowen and taking his gun out again.

“It’s not near enough to attack us,” Rowen said, judging that the Revetar would take another five minutes to reach them. “But be prepared to run.”

Mark laughed softly as he fell into step beside Rowen. “What is that anyway?”

“A Revetar. A predatory animal. It can move very fast, so,” he turned his head and was reassured that the Revetar still hadn’t reached the path. “It feeds on flesh.”

“Is that how?” Mark gestured vaguely towards him, and Rowen’s hand crept up to the scar on his neck.

“Oh no, this is Bodell. It happened when I was a child.”

“Bodell?”

“The leader of the Wyrses. He’s been trying to get rid of us for ages. Targets the young. I was lucky to escape with only this.”

“I thought Wyrses couldn’t kill you,” Mark said, sounding confused.

“They can’t use us, but they can kill us, and they have.”

“But you have all these powers!” Mark said.

“They don’t work on Wyrses. But weapons do, and we’ve become quite adept at using them over the centuries.” Rowen smiled at Mark. “You’re right that your arrival may shift the balance of power, but there’s no telling which way the scales will tip.”

The Revetar’s growl was closer now, and Rowen placed a hand on Mark’s back.

“Remember I told you to be ready to run?”

Mark nodded.

“Run,” Rowen said, and took off, Mark following close behind. He was fast, keeping up with Rowen easily, and they reached the house before the Revetar could reach them. Rowen could hear it slink away, growling disappointedly.

“Doesn’t your magic mojo work on that thing?” Mark asked, panting slightly.

“It does, but we don’t use it against them,” Rowen said. “That wouldn’t be right, would it?”

“I guess not,” Mark said, a small smile on his face.

The Lost Race

Chapter Five

The room was the same as before. What had he expected? That it would have changed by itself? Mark felt foolish. They all sat themselves in the couch and the chairs. It was Rowen who broke the silence.

“I don’t know your names,” he said.

“Oh, we’re so sorry!” Mark said, feeling his cheeks grow warm. “I’m Mark Halley, This is Andrea Lin, Ron Clark, Sam Terence, Jake Murphy,”

Rowen inclined his head to each of them. “Now what is it that you wish to know?”

“What was the creature that attacked us?” Mark asked. That seemed like a good place to start. After all their kindness, how would it sound if they were to ask, “What the hell are you?” Nope. The creature was the better option.

“We call it a Wyrse,” Rowen replied.

“A what?” Mark had never heard of such a creature.

“A Wyrse,” Rowen paused. “It is a predatory creature, but also a parasite.” he frowned slightly. “Somewhat similar to what your race call a vampire, which is the closest approximation in your planet that I can find.”

“But- but that’s just stories,” Jake said. “They don’t really exist.”

“You seem to have a lot of literature about it,” Rowen said, again that expression of mild curiosity on his face. “So many legends and stories about something that doesn’t exist?”

“Yes, well,” Ron said. “We’re like that, but you’re saying that this thing is like a vampire?”

“It’s slightly more complicated than that,” Rowen said. “but ultimately they’re both parasites, so I guess so.”

“How do we kill them?” Jake asked. “Just like they say in our stories?”

Mark was surprised at how enthusiastic Jake sounded.

“Anything that can kill a man can kill them.” Rowen said. “They fear strong sunlight though, and stelor, a metal found in these planets.”

“What about the stake through the heart?” Jake persisted. “That’s the standard way in all the books.”

“That ought to kill anything, I should guess,” Rowen said, a glimmer of a smile on his face.

“And do they- “Mark paused, trying to think of anything he had heard or read about vampires. “Do they turn others into… like them?”

Rowen nodded.”Not exactly, but in a way, yes. Like I said, they’re parasites.”

There was something cold in Rowen’s voice as he spoke the last words.

“The one who attacked us,” Ron said, “He seemed to fear your father, he certainly made no attempt to attack him”

“Probably because of the stelor spear he carried. Ansell is a big coward anyway.”

“Ansell? Is that his name?” Andrea asked, sounding surprised. Mark was equally surprised. How could a parasitic creature have a name? Who named it? It also led to the possibility that the creature might also be intelligent.

“Yes,” Rowen replied.

“He got a friend of ours.” Sam said.

“I’m sorry,” Rowen said.

“Your father,” Mark asked, “Why did he say that he had to go because of what we told him? What did he mean?”

“Before I answer that, I think you should know something about this planet system and about us,” Rowen said. “I’m sure you’re curious. We are the natives of this planet system and we are born with certain special abilities.” he paused. “We are all born with a heart shaped stone over our hearts. We call it the pendant because of its shape-”

“I don’t-” Mark started.

“The pendant is part of our body and gives us certain abilities.” Rowen interrupted. “You may have wondered how my father vanished. And how we healed you.”

“You mean this pendant does it?” Sam asked, sounding awed. Mark was equally astonished. A magic stone in their bodies? That sounded unbelievable.

“Yes,” Rowen asserted. “We can do almost anything we want. The pendant has also given us certain protections. One of them is that wyrses cannot use our bodies to perpetuate themselves.”

“I see,” Mark said, beginning to understand how the wyrses survived and also what Rowen was saying. “They cannot use you, so they were probably dying out,”

Rowen nodded. “Yes. They were trying to survive, but their population was dwindling. They cannot reproduce, you see; they need others, who have approximately the same physiology.”

“And now we turn up, with two hundred people, two hundred potential Wyrses,”

Mark didn’t know what he felt anymore. A parasitic creature that killed and used the bodies to keep itself alive, and a mystical race which was immune to them. There was an uneven balance of power, and now they were caught in it, and he wasn’t foolish enough to think their arrival would have no impact. Yet, could they choose to leave? When they didn’t even know where the nearest habitable planet was? Or even if there was one?

“Two hundred people who will die if we turn you away,” Rowen said quietly.

“So if we stay, we will be killed by wyrses; if we go, we will die of starvation; doesn’t seem like much of a choice,” Sam said, his voice equally quiet.

That was an accurate summary of their situation. Everyone was looking worried, even Jake, who no longer looked ebullient.

Damned if we stay and damned if we don’t.

Mark could feel despair fill him again. What was the right choice to make? Was there even one?

“Is there any way to defend ourselves against the Wyrses?” he heard himself ask.

They weren’t soldiers, except a few. Most of them didn’t know weapons except perhaps the basics of using one. He doubted if even the ones with military training knew anything more. But they at least had to learn to defend themselves.

“There is.” Rowen stated softly, but with conviction. “And if you decide to stay, we shall try our utmost to teach you how and to protect you.”

“To protect us?” Mark asked, hope burgeoning within him. “Will you be able to do that?”

“Like I said, we do have some abilities. My father has gone to talk with the others of our kind. We will be able to offer you a limited amount of protection, but ultimately, you will need to learn to defend yourselves against them.”

“And you’ll teach us how?” Andrea asked.

“Yes,” Rowen replied.

“Is it really our decision, though?” Andrea asked again. “This is your world, your planet. Without your permission, we cannot settle here.”

“That is what my father has gone to decide,” Rowen said. “It has to be a unanimous decision,” he sounded regretful, causing Mark’s heart to plummet. “That is how it has been with us for centuries. But I’m hopeful that we’ll be deciding in favour of you.”

“Aren’t you part of that decision?” Ron asked.

“My father knows my wishes,” Rowen said. “Even this place isn’t safe from Wyrses, and they aren’t the only predators in these woods. One of us needed to stay, and he is more eloquent than I. He’ll plead your cause better than I could.”

Mark tried to tamp down the hope that had started to unfurl its wings within his chest. He cast about for a topic for discussion that wouldn’t involve Wyrses or their fate.

“This pendant of yours,” he asked, “What else can it do?”

“Even we do not know all of its powers,” Rowen replied, “but at least one of you must have wondered how it is that we speak your language.”

Mark stared at him. startled, It hadn’t occurred to him. And yet, hadn’t it been one of the major concerns he had when they were about to leave the ship?

“It never occurred to me,” he admitted. “So it helps you understand and speak other languages?”

“Yes.”

“Any thing else?” Jake asked. “I mean, does it make you immortal or something?”

“In a way.” Rowen said.

“In a w- Immortal? You mean you don’t die?” Mark asked, stunned in a way he hadn’t believed possible, though really nothing should surprise him any more.

“Not naturally,” Rowen said. “but if the pendant is separated from our body, yes, we do die. Also, we can be killed, the same way that Wyrses can be, or you can be. We’re not immune to weapons.”

“Separating the pendant from your body is possible?” Jake asked before Mark could process this information. In a way, it was good to know that these people weren’t invulnerable. “I thought it was part of your body.”

“It is,” Rowen clarified. “Just like an arm or a leg.”

“Oh,” Jake said, looking like he understood.

“So you don’t die naturally,” Andrea said. “Do you grow old?”

“If we choose.” Rowen said.

“If you- you mean you don’t grow old if you don’t want to?” Ron’s voice was high.

“That’s right.” Rowen seemed to have no inkling of the shock he had caused them. “Once we are past adolescence, we can choose whether to age further or not. If at a certain age, we decide we don’t want to age further, we won’t.”

“Eternal life and eternal youth,” Mark said, “and a lot of other powers to boot,” he paused, “do you need food to survive?” He was curious.

“Of course we do,” Rowen smiled.

“So you can die of starvation?” Sam asked.

“It is possible I suppose, though it has never happened to any of us,”

“Well, at least it’s possible,” Mark muttered. “One more question, if you don’t mind- how old are you?”

“I stopped my age at twenty eight. Had I not, I would have been over two hundred now.”

“That’s – old” Mark said.

He didn’t know what else to say. Two hundred? How old did that make Swar? Was this all real? He surreptitiously dug his nails into his own palms. The pain was real enough. Was Rowen pulling their legs? There was nothing they did so far that wouldn’t be possible with advanced technology. And yet, there was a part of whom who knew that this was real, and true, that Rowen meant every word he said.

What did it mean for them was something he dared not even contemplate. Even if they were allowed to stay, what would be their position in this world?

Of course, it was good that they would not be in charge. They didn’t have a stellar record of being in charge of a planet, did they? But that didn’t mean Mark was happy with the idea of being treated as slaves. True, nothing in Rowen’s or Swar’s demeanour had indicated they had anything like that in mind, but the thing was these people had no reason to let them stay, only to ask them to leave. So, if they were allowed to stay, there had to be a catch involved. Perhaps the group of all powerful beings got tired of having no one to boss over.

Rowen stood up suddenly.

“Father’s back!” he exclaimed. “And he has brought all of them here!”

“Who has he brought?” Mark asked, standing again.

“The other leaders. Those of my kind. They’ve decided what to do.”

“What to do with us, you mean,” Mark said drily, wary though perhaps he had no reason to be.

“You could say that,” Rowen said.

“How do you know they are here?” Andrea asked, “I don’t hear anything.”

“I can feel them,” Rowen replied.

Of course. Mark was feeling on edge now, his heart hammering in his chest. They were all on their feet and standing as close to each other as possible. Andrea’s hand found its way into his and he gripped it hard. She returned the pressure of her fingers, and he felt inexplicably comforted.

The Lost Race

Chapter Four

The man who had rescued them smiled, and came forward with his hand outstretched. The smile was warm and made Mark feel relaxed.

“I am Swar,” the man said “I know you have been through an ordeal and I am sorry that I have to disturb you right now. I would not have done it if it is not important. Please, be seated. I know you are having lots of questions and I shall try to answer them all, but first I must know something.” he paused. “Who is your leader? How many of you are there? And what is your destination?”

“I’m their leader,” Mark replied, “and we’ve about two hundred people up there in our ship.”

“And your destination?” Swar’s voice was calm, and his expression benign.

“We’ve none,” Mark said. It hurt to say it. How foolish it was of them to think they could escape just be leaving! “Our planet was on the verge of annihilation and we… we tried to escape.”

It sounded laughably pathetic, even to his own ears. Leaving a planet on the verge of destruction with no specific destination in mind, How idiotic was that?

“We… we were hoping you’d let us settle here…”

Please say yes!

“Our provisions have almost run out. We wouldn’t survive for long if we’re to leave.”

What was there to be achieved by not being honest?

Swar bowed his head. “I see.”

Mark wished he could see the other man’s face. Perhaps that would give him a clue to what he was thinking.

Ron cleared his throat.

“Look here,” he said. “We’re very grateful to you for saving our lives. But first we want to know a little bit more about this place, if you don’t mind, and about you too”

Ron was much braver than him. Mark knew he should have asked all that.

“Who are you?” Ron was continuing. “Are you human? What is that creature that attacked us? And-”

Swar held up a hand and got up. “I understand your reservations,” he said. “Just be patient for a while. We shall answer all your questions. I need to leave now. Sorry, but it is important. Rowen will take care of you.”

Mark was also on his feet, “But-”

“In view of what you told me,” Swar said, “it becomes extremely urgent that I go immediately.”

He vanished, and Mark felt his heart stop. How could he vanish? They were all on their feet, looking around, astonishment on their faces. Rowen alone remained seated, looking at them with an expression of mild curiosity.

“Wh-where did he go?” Ron asked.

“He has to take care of some things,” Rowen replied. “Your presence here has complicated things.”

“I don’t understand any of this,” Sam said.

Rowen rose too. “I will try to answer your questions as best as I can, but first you must have food. You must be hungry.”

Mark realised he was quite hungry. When was the last time he had eaten? The provisions they had brought were being rationed strictly. Besides, it was more aimed at nutrition than at assuaging hunger.

“We are,” Andrea said, “but-”

“Afterwards,” Rowen’ s voice held a tone of finality. Mark bristled at it, but reminded himself that they were guests here. Their fate was literally in the hands of these men. He couldn’t afford to antagonise them. It was evident they were used to getting their own way. He tried not to think of how that would impact them, if they were allowed to stay. It wasn’t as if they had a choice, anyway. Dying out in space was not an option.

He fell into step beside Rowen as they made their way to another room. The dining table was made of wood and so were the chairs around it. The food on the table was the kind Mark had only seen in books. For one, it was real food, not the bars and pills they were used to. Mark didn’t even know the names of all the dishes. He recognised bread, and touched it in wonder only to draw his hand back immediately.

“It is hot!” he said, surprised.

“Is that bad?” Rowen asked, looking slightly anxious.

Mark shook his head, a bit overwhelmed. How could he tell his stranger that he had no idea what bread was supposed to be? Was it supposed to be hot? And what were all these other dishes? The aroma was mouth watering, but he hesitated. What was he supposed to eat first? Would his body even be able to digest all this after a lifetime of nutrition pills and bars?

Jake ladled some liquid on to a bowl and cut a bit of bread, that he dunked into it and ate. Mark followed suit and so did the others. It was delicious, and Mark felt all his fears ease. How did Jake know how to do it? It occurred to him that he knew so little of the people with him. It was only as he started eating that Mark realised how hungry he had been. His friends seemed to have been ravenous too, They finished off everything on the table.

“You didn’t have anything,” Mark said to Rowen, feeling vaguely guilty for not having noticed before.

“I am not hungry,” Rowen smiled. “And it looked like you were.”

“I’ve never had food like that in my life!” Sam said. “Feels like pinching myself.”

Rowen looked confused, but Mark could understand Sam’s feelings. If not for the memory of the creature that had attacked them and had killed Dr. Harvey, he would have thought this was some dream brought on by their impending death.

“Now, I shall try and answer your questions,” Rowen said. “Shall we go back to the other room?”

Mark nodded, “Of course.”

He hoped they would finally get some answers. It seemed as if the longer they stayed here, the more questions they had. Mark was sure of only one thing by now. Rowen and Swar were certainly not human. There was no way they could be. No human explorers could have made it this far before the last fifty years. And Swar was almost as old as that. Besides, there was the way he had vanished. It was possible that he had used some form of advanced teleportation, but Mark doubted that. He had heard of magic, though on earth it was referred to sleight of hand tricks. There was no such thing as real magic. But he could not find any other explanation. He wasn’t sure what frightened him more. The thought that their rescuers could be other than human or the thought that they could use magic. It was in a cautious mood that he followed Rowen back to the other room.