Hail Thy Gods (Books 1 & 2 Complete)

Kalon

Chapter One-Hundred-Thirty-Eight: Vitar Ul Ilem - Part Three

Galactic Quadrant: Darna Quadrant

Ruling Government: Talum Merchant Federation

Solar System: D-447

Planet: Ora

Location: Orarak City, above the planet's surface.

There is a quiet in the group as they read my message, until Nevari speaks.

"You are not afraid your tone will drive them away?" she asks me, there is a hidden anger in her voice, "I have heard those who do not show respect lose their sponsor's favor, becoming abandoned."

I hold back the bile.

"That is all my pride will allow."

"Vek your pride! My father suffers, you should beg them for his sake…"

Beg them for the man who… no, do not succumb to the anger. I am the calm that can be found within.

"Sister, he has asked. We can only await their reply now," Neeba says, but I feel there is a worry in his voice as well.

"Perhaps they will respect the strength of his will," Ira says, but I can tell she says this for my benefit.

"Sekat…" I say gritting my teeth pulling up the sponsor menu about to swallow my pride deeper.

My holopad chimes with a system notification, reading it aloud.

"Attention Hunter – System Announcement – This is an official notice of an injunction filed against an injunction that was pertaining to an injunction relating to yourself – Originating within the High Counsel of the Talum Merchant Federation – In accordance with subsection 893.756-B9 – Your sponsorship account has been frozen – End of message."

I blink. This is the third injunction. What does it even mean, what is happening?

"What does that mean, who is this High Counsel?" Ira asks me, pulling my holopad closer trying to read the notification again.

"You have done this, because of your pride. Now you are abandoned, and my father is doomed," Nevari says pushing me and storming off. Her brother looks at me with concern, but he does not say anything about it.

I do not chase after Nevari, as I am relieved she has left, the anger she inspires in me is heavy upon my mind. Is this my fault? It's like the other messages, so I don't think my words to the sponsor have caused it. Did they even receive my message? I will have to find another way. My stomach churns from the development, a curse lingering on my tongue for the gods, itching to be spoken.

Then it happens, slow at first… then suddenly my body begins to feel hot, there is something inside me stirring. My eyes are becoming blurry, and my legs feel weak at the knees. My breathing increases, I put my hand to my chest, my heart is throbbing like I have been running. This feeling, is it the tea the Keeper made for me? Did he poison me? Why would he do that, there must be an explanation. My eyes become very heavy, waves of vibrations rattling around deep within me.

"Kalon?" Neeba asks.

Falling to the floor now, the room is spinning, the light around the edges of my vision becoming darker, until everything fades.

***

My eyes open slowly, above me I see a bunk. My body is sore all over, like all my muscles have been used vigorously, even my bones and tendons have soreness to them. I turn my head and I see Nevari asleep, kneeling on the ground, her head upon the bed. A wet towel in her hand, I feel my forehead and there is a cool one on it. She must have tended to me, I move my hand towards her and gently push the hair from her eyes, but my hand stops, remembering that we are not as we once were. I hear a voice on my other side.

"You still have a demon's luck I see," Nekam says, there is life in his voice once more, life I have not heard in some time.

Turning to face him "Nekam…" I stop abruptly as I see he is standing now without assistance. A smile rips across his face as he claps me on the shoulder.

"You like it?" Nekam asks with a raised eyebrow, lifting his pant leg. I see a metal leg attached to the stump. It looks mechanical, as he shifts his weight I hear the servos inside whir.

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"I do. When… how?"

"Four days ago." There is a fierce smile on his mouth still.

"Four days ago?" I ask, not understanding.

"You have been asleep for seven days now," Nekam says, kneeling down to my level "Keeper Dargo told us to keep faith you would live, but there were times that I thought the fever would take you."

Looking at my holopad, the counter has changed to reflect what he says. I also see there are hundreds of notifications to read still.

"We tried to get the medibots to help you, but the Keeper forbade it."

"Seven days."

"Kalon, you're awake," Nevari says, having stirred from her sleep.

"Kalon," Neeba says jumping down from the bunk above, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Yes, but seven days. I don't understand."

Since the last challenge, I have lost ten days to sleep. Vek, I will need to push harder in training to compensate for it. Ten days which I did not eat proper rations. Ten days behind what I could have been.

"Brother, I must tell Ira and the others. I will be back," Neeba says rushing from the room quickly.

"Your leg, how has this happened?" I ask Nekam.

"Your sponsor answered the call," Nevari says before he can answer, she grasps my shoulder firmly. There is thanks in her eyes, a thanks I have not seen in some time, not that I want it from her.

"They sponsored everyone in our grouping," Nekam says, his grin somehow wider now "They give gifts to all of us for the next challenge, I do not know how you earned their favor, but the gods surely bless us."

My mind is filled with questions about the sponsor now, how can they afford to buy everyone? My jaw flexes as I realize I will need to thank them for this. Are they related to the Inquisitor somehow? No, I don't think so. Who seeks to help me if not Luna? I don't know anyone with the financial strength to do such a thing.

"All those who were injured are now whole. They even sent us medicines to make us stronger. There is hope for everyone. Hope that you have helped to create," Nevari says to me, her eyes genuine.

"I will have to thank them properly," I say, there is happiness wishing to grow in my heart, but I can't help but feel a sickness that it is there because one of the masters allows it. For the others' sake, I swallow the demon of my pride and allow the happiness to rise, forming a smile on my face.

Ira and two others come running into the room now with Neeba. The ones that follow her surprise me. It is Henek and his cousin Averak. There is relief on their faces, which surprises me more.

"I knew you would not die," Ira says with a smirk as she clasps my arm, "I bet with others you would survive this too."

"You are well?" Henek asks me, barely meeting my eye.

"I am, how do you fare?"

He nods, "No complaints."

His face looks free from bruises, so too does Averak's face. There is hope in this, hope that my people will rise.

Henek meets my gaze, there is something on his mind, it is written in his eyes.

"Kalon," he says finally, the others wait quietly as he pauses, "There is something I wish to speak to you later about. When time allows, I know you will be very busy."

"When time allows."

"Thank you," Henek says, moving towards the back of the group.

There is a crowd beginning to gather around the bunk I lie upon. Whispers become hushed as I hear the gait of two feet I could recognize in the darkness.

"You have awakened," Keeper Dargo says to me, the others part to make room for him, a grin beginning to form as he says, "Just in time for training."

***

Keeper Dargo allowed me to eat and drink water before we began. My thirst was not what it should have been for seven days without water. Nevari must have dripped water in my mouth as I slumbered, another thing I must thank her for… begrudgingly. My hunger however was ravenous, the nutritional bars did not fill me as they always have, and I was allowed to eat three times the normal amount, still my belly feels empty. Perhaps if I can consume more food, I can heal faster.

We move towards the training field now, our pace is swifter than I remember it being. I am surprised to see that the others follow it, weeks ago only a few of us could. The soreness in my body begins to fade slowly as the blood pumps through it, and there is a lightness in my step now, like the weight of my body barely keeps me on the floor. My breath has never been so even either, my heart slower than it would have been before I drank the silver speckled purple tea. I cannot help but wonder if it has something to do with the changes I feel.

Looking to my side I see that everyone else is barely sweating at this speed. I remember Nevari said the sponsor gave everyone medicines to make them stronger, but I have never heard of such a thing before. Perhaps they gave it to me while I slept, perhaps the tea has nothing to do with the lightness I feel.

When we arrive at the training grounds, I see there are rows of vests laid out upon the sand, upon closer inspection I see there are metal weights attached to them. Sekat, what has he been doing to them while I slept? Seeing the others pick up vests, I move to grab one.

"This one is for you," Dargo says tossing one towards me.

I grab it from the air, the weight of it heavy in my hands, almost knocking me over. Putting it on, I feel my body is much heavier now. My vest looks lighter than the others, the weights smaller, and a different hue of metal. My jaw tenses. Have I fallen this far behind in the last week? I will need to push harder to catch them. I will not become a burden to those around me.

When everyone has been fitted with their vests, the run begins anew. The pace faster again, the starting pace those marked in black struggled to achieve the first time.

***

We have been running up and down the stairs of the stadium that surrounds the field of sand for more than an hour now, and I feel sweat beading down my brow. Looking at the others, I see they begin to feel it as well. Not as much as me, though. Have I really become weaker than everyone else? The pride in me bids anger to rise and give me strength as I lengthen my stride to catch up to the front of the group.

Near the front, I find my old chief and his daughter in equal strides, their breath more even than mine. Nevari and Nekam even outdo me now too? They were in the purple grouping before. Looking forward, I see Ira and Neeba directly behind the Keeper in stride together.

"Do not push yourself too much," Nekam says as I drive past him. His words were meant to soothe, but they fuel the fire inside me.

I push myself harder until I am upon Ira and Neeba's heels, how have they become so fast? Their muscles ripple between strides, seeming to be more toned than before. As I approach their side they nod to me, grins on their faces.

"I told you he would catch up," Neeba says, there is pride in his voice.

"That you did," Ira admits.

Dargo turns, running backwards, he too wears a vest, the metal bulky upon it, a different hue than the others, a different hue than mine. The fabric that holds it, appears to be different as well, there is a sheen to it, and it is woven with black metal fibers. There is a grin on his face as he nods to me before he turns back around, increasing the pace again, this time faster than when I fell out the last time.

What did my sponsor give them? They have all become monsters in such a short time.