Kalon

Chapter One-Hundred-Thirty-Nine: Cami Akur Neda - Part One

Galactic Quadrant: Darna Quadrant

Ruling Government: Talum Merchant Federation

Solar System: D-447

Planet: Ora

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

My legs are throbbing as he explodes the pace again after we have been running for three hours. People begin to fall to the side, and we lap them, my eyes are wide as I realize I will soon be lapped as well. When did I fall behind? How did I shame myself like this? Why is the gap between me and the others so far?

I feel a swipe on my back as Dargo passes me, I turn and look, seeing that I have been marked in red like the others who have been lapped. My jaw tenses, I have never been in the first group to be lapped for physical training. There is a sick feeling rising in me, fueled by the self-hatred of my own weakness, it is the feeling of pride breaking under reality's boot.

"I cannot stop here," I say aloud between breaths. I do not stop like the others do when marked, I must not, I still have strength left to move, bidding me to continue as anger holds the pieces of my pride together.

***

Another hour passes, and I have been marked seven times now, seven times they have lapped me. The Keeper does not tell me to stop. The marks upon my back are a testament to my commitment to continue. I will not give up, there is life in me still. Nekam and Nevari begin to fall behind now, and there is sweat flowing from their brows as they are finally marked in purple. The standard has risen I realize.

"Cami Akur Neda." Nekam tells me as I pass by him, the words burn into me, the anger rising higher, clutching pride tightly to its chest. In the old tongue, it means – Know the limits of your body.

***

At the end of the fifth hour, there is only Neeba and Ira keeping the pace, all others have returned to the assembly hall. Nekam tried to tell me to return, but I told him I would not stop until my body does. Pushing past the pain, embracing the burning of muscles breaking past their limits.

Within another thirty minutes, Neeba begins to lag behind, and soon after Ira follows. To my building shame, I have been marked ten times in red. But I do not stop, my muscles still have more to give, my will is not broken, only my pride is wounded. If I wish to break the Etheric boundaries, my body needs to be stronger, lest it will die before I can reach it.

"There is no shame in your performance," Ira says as I approach where they have stopped, she begins to speak again, but Neeba stops her with a light pull of the arm shaking his head.

I am glad for the silence he asked for, every word of encouragement etches the shame deeper into my soul. He gives me a nod as I pass by. My breath is uneven, and my legs barely keep my slowed pace.

Dargo waits near the entrance, arms folded behind his back, a grin upon his face. The grin drives the anger to greater heights, I thought we were past him shaming me, I thought he was finally acknowledging my efforts.

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"Fifty more laps, if you can manage," he says as I pass.

"I will do a hundred," I seethe at him, my pride lashing out against the provocation.

"We shall see," he chuckles, leaving towards the assembly hall, without turning back, "If you do fifty, I will increase your rations, and if you somehow do a hundred, I will teach you something."

***

Time feels slower as the brutality I have subjected my body to compounds with each step. My pace is barely a walk, my feet bleed in my shoes, and my eyes are drooping. I can't stop though, if he increases my rations, I will recover faster. Perhaps then I can carve a path to Arrum and the others.

My eyes lower, I will need to find a way to deal with Dargo, I do not think he will let me leave here without a fight. Yet in the same breath, past the shaming, I feel he is trying to teach me, trying to break me down like Nekam did all those years ago. Why though? Why is he here? What do they want from me?

When I finish my final lap, I don't even know how long it took me. I remove my vest and fall to the ground. Looking towards the high ceiling, trying to catch my breath. Vek. I know I have improved a lot since the first time we did this, but why have I fallen so far behind in so little time? I will have to ask Neeba how to get these medicines and how to receive my gifts.

"Sekat…" I grumble as I stand up again.

Walking over to the pile of weighted vests I place mine on the end, near Dargo's. Curiosity fills me as I stare at his vest, leaning down, I try to pick it up, my feet shift in the sand… it is too heavy. Peering at the other vests, I move to pick them up, to see how deep the shame is.

As I pick one up, I blink… it is light, very light. Not even a fifth of what I carried. My eyes lower looking at my hands as I drop it. Why is he doing this? He said if I did one hundred, he would teach something, what will it be?

Moving towards the assembly hall, I see a lone Bipki follows me from a distance, my mind wonders if Warden Adona still watches me. I wonder if she has found the Cursed Edict yet, if she has, did she discover its secrets? I do not think that Tavjac of the Mordow would give it willingly to her, nor do I imagine she can take it. As I move through the halls a door opens from a recess in the wall to my side, drawing my attention to what's behind it.

There is a single table in the center of the room, a small pool of liquid upon it in the black ink the Keeper uses to mark us. As I enter, the door closes before the Bipki can follow. A message begins to form in the ink, becoming clearer as I stand before it.

Drink it all. Do not speak of it. They have begun to take notice.

Who is they? Warden Adona? Senator Adonius? Why is there always so much secrecy? Speaking plainly seems to escape these people. Before I can think of it further, a hole opens in the table, a glass kettle and a black cup rise from the hole. My body recoils as I see the purple liquid swirl in the kettle, remembering what happened the last time I drank it. Deciding against it, as I can't afford to lose another week, I move towards the door again. The lights in the room turn red, and I turn and see a new message appearing in the ink in larger letters.

Drink.

Vek. He won't let me leave until I do, will he? The ink pulses.

I fill the first cup and down it. The warmth is spreading inside of me. From my blood, to my bones, then my tendons and my muscles, until it rises from my skin outwards. When I finally finish, the table takes the cup and kettle into it, and something new rises in its stead… food. Lots of food.

Meats, fruits, and even fresh vegetables. I don't even blink as I gorge on it. When I finish, more plates come, and they do not stop until I cannot eat anymore. My belly protrudes from my withered frame. The door opens.

In the hall I see the lone Bipki has left, I follow the corridor towards the assembly hall where I find everyone meditating. My body feels weary still from the training, a bubbling inside of me, a fear that I will be in a coma for another week on my mind. Quickly I find a place next to Neeba, my eyes closing quickly as I try to find my inner peace. It is easier to find with a full belly. It's the first time I've been truly full since I ate with Luna all those months ago, at the Terrarium. Memories of her flow across my mind. How is it possible to miss someone this much? I press it from me, missing her will only dull me, I need focus, I need to get stronger.

I feel the vibrations within me that I felt the first time I drank of the strange tea. This time, it does not overwhelm me, it echoes inside of me like music playing against the walls of my soul, expanding its essence. In my mind, I feel like I am between Reality and the Realm of Dreams, in a trance of sorts. The water is beginning to rise in waves again, the purple lights streaking through it. Flowing into the roots of a tree rising upwards, sustaining its growth to greater heights.

The waters become still again after a time and I begin to open my eyes, I am still in the assembly hall. It is strange, my body feels rested, full of life once more, ready to train further. Looking around I see Neeba and the others have left, checking the time on my holopad, I see it is late in the night. How did I meditate so deeply that I missed combat training? Dargo never did teach me something, perhaps he will show me tomorrow.

"Is now a good time?" a voice says from behind me.

Turning I see Henek and his cousin Averak close behind him.

"It is," I say remembering he wanted to talk.

When he approaches me, his head is lowered. There is tension in him, I realize now, they have been waiting for me this entire time. What is so important that they would deny the call of sleep?

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