Jahagas

They were on an open road now, and Pacificia felt naked being defenseless. Save for the occasional trees by the road, there was nothing left. One time, she saw an old abandoned windmill and a hut by its side, but there was nothing beside it but overgrown grass. "People used to graze their cattle and grow wheat in these parts," Cartern said as small talk.

The day was growing brighter by the minute, with the sun slowly crawling to the top of their heads. The cover of the cart provided little protection against the heat. Natalia wished that reached there sooner, wherever they were going.

But her wish was short-lived, as Birnbaurn slowed his horse and signaled the others to do the same. "An abandoned caravan straight ahead," he shouted.

There was enough space for them to squeeze through, and pass on. But their noses didn't allow it. The swarm of flies, spilled guts that came out from the dead horse, and broken skull of the man that drove the caravan– Natalia's stomach was empty, but still, she felt that she was going to puke. She had seen rotted blight men that crawled up to her feet, but it didn't give her the feeling that she was feeling now. Perhaps, it was because she didn't expect to see a dead person in the middle of the road, or perhaps it could be because her heart wasn't laced with fear now.

Deinn climbed down his horse to check the scene. "It wasn't blight," he said. "If it was, this guy would've turned."

From where he sat, Cartern could see the horse and the man. He could see the gaping wound on the horse's throat, but the one in its gut caught his attention. "It looks as if something bit through it," he felt a shiver through his body.

Deinn squatted near the horse. "It's them," he said with a grin on his face. "It's the Soulless."

"The Soulless?" Pacificia frowned. "That's a queer name."

"A bunch of man-eaters, they are," Deinn stood up. "Been causing us some problem, because bastards eat our scouts and the merchants that carry our provisions." He looked to the inside of the caravan, covering his nose. "From the looks of it, this guy was the latter."

"Man-eaters?" Natalia couldn't quite understand. "That means –?"

"– They eat people," Cartern answered.

That thought sickened her. Back in the village, even when everyone's bellies became stuck to their backs, stealing was as far as they'd gone. If humans decided to eat their kin, what difference do they have from the blight?

"Just leave them be," Birnbaurn said. "And hope that we don't meet them. There's not much way to the fortress."

As the cart rode on, Natalia saw the dead horse. She felt its blank eyes were staring right at her. "Why do people have to eat other people," she said softly. "It doesn't make sense."

Pacificia rolled her staff in her hand. "Tell me, girl," she asked. "How many times have you seen the blight?"

Her heartbeat hastened. "It was then," she mumbled. "It was on that night. That was the first time."

Paciificia looked into the distance. "Well, these people have seen them till their minds numbed. And when they see enough people get eaten by things that look like people – they start to think – why can't we do the same?"

"That's crazy," Natalia was baffled. "We are not monsters like the blight."

Pacificia leaned forward. "For some people, disaster is just an excuse for brutality."

Natalia still didn't want to believe people would go to cannibalism just for the fun of it. Pacificia saw the disbelief in her eyes. She took her staff and strummed its head.

"Picture this – you are grabbing for dear life over the edge of a cliff. The creator or god or whatever, waits for you at the top. He doesn't motivate you, or promise you rewards because he believes in your potential. He knows that that you will be able to climb over and reach him. On the other hand, whatever is below the cliff, he shouts out sweet words to tempt you. For most people, letting go is a lot easier than trying to climb up."

Cartern laughed from the front. "Don't try to sound so smart, Pacificia. It doesn't suit you."

"Shut it," she rebuked him. "I am old, and that comes with some perks."

The caravan and the dead were behind them now, but what Pacificia said was stuck in the girl's mind. Her mother was dead, and the place where she lived was now gone. And yet, she hasn't sorted on eating humans. She didn't know anything about god, but she was hanging on, and it made her angry that others wouldn't do the same.

Far to the left, in the open grounds, Pacificia spotted something. "Is that what I think it is?" she pointed and asked. "My eyes are not what they used ro be."

Birnbaurn was right by the side. "A Vein of the Shard," he nodded. "But it's not one of yours, I am afraid."

"I don't care if it's green or blue," she said. "With the path ahead of us, it's high time we had a prayer."

The detour was not the far and so they went the way to the Vein. It was like a small town, with the black temple standing in the center and broken walls of other buildings standing on both sides; as if they were open arms of the temple. The outer wall of the temple was broken in many places, but the entrance was still intact.

"I ain't need no gods," Deinn announced. "My blade is all I need."

"There is no harm in going inside," Birnbaurn unmounted his horse.

Cartern placed his cart near the entrance, with the other horses. He still didn't like the idea of being chaperoned around for his companions. But like Pacificia, he had hope – hope that Black could turn the world back to normal.

Natalia walked in behind, as going to the temple was something new for her. The top of the gate was supported by two large pillars, and when they entered inside, there was the outer yard outside the inner wall. In front of the entrance to the inner temple, there was the flag-staff. It hurt Natalia's neck to look at the top of it.

"It's weird to have a flag post and not fly a flag over it," Deinn said. "It's only common sense."

"That's not what they are for," Pacificia said. "They represent the pillars that hold the sky over the lands."

They went round the outer courtyard once, and Natalia saw a tree covered in vines. "Even the Red oaks are in this state," Pacificia noted somberly.

Inside the inner wall, was the inner temple. Its conical roof had crumbled of age, and its door was broken and hanging. But inside, Natalia saw a heavily ornated lantern. "The Neverending Flame was supposed to burn there," Pacificia said with her eyes closed.

The dark mood was getting on everyone's minds. "Since we are all here," Vandervaar clapped his hands, "why don't we all look around."

But there was nothing special to look around. Pacificia and Cartern stayed inside, while the soldiers went to check on the horses. Vandervaar wanted to check on the metallic finish of the ornaments there, so he walked around looking at them.

Natalia walked out of the inner temple, and walked on the outer yard, aimlessly. And when she was alone, thoughts that were kept inside, thoughts that she didn't want to remember bubbled back up.

She came upon the Red oak, and its floor looked comfortable enough. She sat down and its shade, and leaned back.

"Anyone would take your place in a heartbeat," she remembered Pacificia saying. "You have the blood of a Flamebearer," next came Deinn's words. "She's just an orphan," she had Cartern say to Vandervaar. And Black – well, he couldn't speak.

She didn't know how to control her flames and that made her powers useless. From what Pacificia said, something made from the rocks of Redstone would help her, but Plague has Smordon and Natalia doubted he would be willing to share.

She could learn how to use a sword for the meantime, but she didn't know anyone who would lend her one, let alone, teach her to use it. It seemed that Pacificia wanted to arm her, but Natalia didn't even know how to handle a knife properly.

She looked at the sky and saw that the sun was hidden behind the clouds. She was bored and she hoped that the others would come soon and the journey would continue.

"Where are you all off to?" that call scared her. She was too tired and didn't notice anyone beside her there. She jumped up and turned around.

"Don't be scared," he said removing his grey hood. "Just a traveler, passing along."

He was a bald man, and he was bald everywhere in his face. That meant that he had no brows, lashes, or facial hair. Even his lips were as thin as lines. His teeth were as pale as his skin, and his round face made him look like the moon.

"I didn't see you there," Natalia took a step back. "Is he a leper?" she thought. But lepers had skin that had almost fallen off. This man's skin looked soft and smooth – almost childlike.

"Well, when you have a lot to think of, you lose track of the surroundings," the man smiled, and Natalia couldn't differentiate his teeth from his skin. "The name is Jahagas, by the way."

"Jahagas?"

"I know it's a bit hard to roll off the tongue," he smiled again. "Is there something bothering you girl?"

Jahagas' voice, his manner of speech, and the way his body swayed when he talked made her feel comfortable. "I should go back," she thought. "But why do I want to keep talking?"

"It's just . . ." she said. "I feel so useless with the others."

Jahagas' smiled. "We all feel that sometimes."

"Oye, girl," it was Deinn. "Come back, we can't spend the entire day here."

Natalia turned when she heard his call. "I should get back," she told Jahagas and ran. She wanted to be there no longer.