The Grail Curse: The Lion of Arria, #2

By Courtney Bowen

From the desert to the forest they come,

Seven heroes will ride and fly, yet will they return?

Some are old friends and some are new,

Yet all are set on the quest, the final quest of the Đąǽora'l…"

 

Lord Kotak seeks to usurp the throne of Arria and destroy King Womba with magic he inherited from Doomba. He's hired an assassin griffin to attack Lord Fobata, and sowed dissent among the royal guards with Sergeant Aman and Sergeant Gnat trying to keep the peace.

 

Secluded in the dungeon, the wizard Yaggee aids Kotak and teaches him how to use his powers in secret. Kotak has also hired the bandit Shama and his gang to steal Tau's Cup, the grail of the gods, from Basha, the lion of light who destroyed Doomba.

 

Years ago, Basha and his wife Monika survived a dangerous quest along with their allies to recover Tau's Cup. Everyone separated and they've settled down since then, but it's still just them. After a devastating attack, Basha and Monika must recover what has been lost and seek revenge.

 

They need help to track it down. They head to the village of Coe Ryn to meet the mysterious Ringla, finder of lost things. They're accompanied by Eldo, a young man hiding secrets of his own as he's forced to join them.

 

For Basha and Monika can't continue alone with the challenges that lie ahead. More friends come, old and new, and they face difficult choices as they approach the capital of Coe Kiki.

 

They might have to make the ultimate sacrifice as the palace is attacked. Barricades rise up on the city streets, and soldiers fight soldiers over who will claim the throne of Arria and Tau's Cup. The Grail Curse is real, and it will strike them down.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Courtney Bowen
• Release date: Aug 17, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201997762

Courtney Bowen

Courtney Bowen fell in love with fantasy fiction at a young age and started writing it as a preteen. She wrote her first version of the Arria series in junior high and high school, and worked on a couple more versions. She’s also written several novels and short stories in Arria’s multiverse. She writes in other genres like romance, adventure, sci-fi and poetry. She first wrote Tarn & Beck: The Cursed Coin under the pseudonym Roger Nickleby. She continues to write the Tarn & Beck series, featuring other characters. So far, she has been a quarter-finalist in the 2019 Scriptapalooza Screenplay Competition, the 2020 Screencraft Animation Screenplay Competition, and the Winter 2021 Los Angeles International Screenplay awards.

Book preview

First version originally written from

(4/19/2003)-(6/6/2003)

Edited in 2015/2016

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, events, and places either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

THE GRAIL CURSE

Formerly THE LION AND THE KIRNA 2002

Copyright © 2015 by Courtney Bowen

Cover image: Griffin on moutain near castle © Vuk Kostic/ Shutterstock.com

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced without written permission from the author, except in cases of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Second edition: 2016

Dedicated to the ones who came before and the ones who come after. Many thanks.

Author’s Note

The Lion of Arria series is set in an alternate reality, continuity, and universe to the Legends of Arria series. The Grail Curse is not a direct sequel to The Smiling Stallion Inn or other books of that series, but is a sequel to The Knights of Arria.

Prologue

It was said that when Tichia, god of

Knowledge, first attempted to write a

History of the humans, he broke his

Pen and never attempted it again.

The Legends of Arria

There have been many changes to the land of Arria on the continent of Salarria throughout the ages, changes both good and bad for those who lived through them and would live after them.

In the beginning, before Arria was realized, it was simply the land of rocky shores, dark forests, and lush valleys populated by legendary creatures and the small communities of people who struggled to survive against each other.

Then newcomers arrived from the late, great civilization of Corrica, washed up on the shore and taken in by a small village before they rose to prominence protecting these same people and others like them.

They gained the title of ‘Knights of Arria’ and unifiers of the land against those that would prey upon the weak.

However, not everyone was fond of this change that brought in the Golden Age, those displaced as rogues and fearful of the power of this new kingdom.

But soon they received a champion they called their own to oppose King Corr and all that he stood for- a shadow known as Doomba, whose strength and ability to wield magic was unlike any they had ever seen.

So this too led to change as Coe Pidaria, with all of its treasure, was lost to the world and Doomba built his kingdom in the Wastelands.

This ushered in a Dark Age where Arria was plagued with all manner of loss and woe in kings who could not protect their people, in the great creatures wiped out by the evil Servants of Doomba, and in ignorance of all that was past for what was now a present of despair.

Yet even that chaos lasted only a little while as rulers of light and kings of war managed to collect the kingdom, bit by bit, and unify Arria once more.

Doomba retreated to his Wastelands, still present yet absent from daily affairs. With the kingdom together again, though locked in a Dark Age, the rulers tried to advance through conquest of all of Salarria, but that empire lasted only a short while before it collapsed as well.

That change brought them closer to understanding that Arria was what mattered most.

Kings of chivalry came into power, following the rules of justice and mercy as the Knights once had done. Then rulers of peace reigned in the ambition of bringing back wisdom and harmony to all of the nations, before honorable kings ruled in the privilege that the royal court gave them.

However, even that fell apart with languid hearts, and so power returned to the people for awhile, and appealed to their natures and desires in governance.

Yet in due course, the people lost their power to the reign of the lords that backed their heirs, the mighty and the grateful becoming the aristocrat and the underling to these courtly whims.

In all of this time, centuries had passed by, a thousand years and then another. The cycles of monarchy and power went round while Arria changed, yet did not.

It was still stuck in the past and unable to advance with the influence of Doomba still seeping in, underneath the surface of all that was right with the world.

Yet that would change and the repercussions of a New Age to come were felt as far back as almost 200 years before it finally occurred.

It began when Queen Nina, the only child of His Majesty Japamwa, ascended to the throne upon his death in 2517 DA.

A young woman who soon married to assure that the future would be safe, she was one of the first in this line that would look to the future, nicknamed ‘the New Kings’ in a time when Doomba was only just learning of ‘the Prophecy’ that would be fulfilled to destroy him.

But she would bear two sons who would do more to promote the past or overlook it altogether.

The oldest was King Tilo, who would be known as Terrible, and he would stray from his mother’s steps. His younger brother Lord Lamartan would be granted the title of Duke of Coe Kiki and the position of Lord High Chancellor.

Yet Lamartan still envied his brother’s place.

Tilo would have a son, King Jarkl the 2nd, the Justified, who would be kept away from his uncle. Jarkl’s son King Solan, the Slayer, would wreck such havoc in the royal court that not even Solan would know of his relations, much less the other officials.

However, Lord Lamartan and his son Augla, and the grandsons after, would not forget their relationship to the throne, not as long as they could hope to gain the throne with the end of the prominent line.

Yet their goals could not work without the support of the only one who might have the power to ensure that change—Doomba.

They swore to be Followers of Doomba, a family tradition that would continue with almost all of Augla’s sons, the oldest Lord Ovla and the youngest Lord Joq, although the middle son Lord Rhia would shun his family and their evils.

Lord Rhia even went so far as to intentionally leave his offspring in the dark about their family’s history and their link to the throne.

Still, Ovla would father Kotak and Pavga, before Joq would beget Fobata and Goga.

From afar, Rhia sired Lagotaq and Zokla, and they were all raised in this atmosphere of secrecy and betrayal.

Of these, while King Sonnagh, son of King Solan the Slayer, grew into a young prince, it was Lord Kotak, the future Duke of Coe Kiki, who would be the one most likely to take over from Sonnagh’s demise.

Lord Kotak knew great loss from childhood when his mother Lauri died.

His father soon remarried Lady Reni, who already had a son named Ikla that joined the family like one of them.

Yet Kotak could not forget his mother; he swore his oath to Doomba under the nickname Crow at the soonest opportunity, still mourning her, although he usually went by the nickname Lord K.

Then, as a young man, he met his bride Lady Hunet and they married before departing on a honeymoon trip down the River Tau.

Yet on this fateful trip, they met none other than the Oracle of Endings, the Oracle of the Tau Valley.

She disclosed to Kotak that if this union should bear daughters, then the daughters’ children would sever his heritage and bring all to ruin.

Despite such ill tidings, he hoped that Hunet would prove fruitful in sons, but three daughters were born in quick succession, the third being sweet Kala.

When poor Peri was born 5 years later, his mother died, so the father braced himself to defy the Oracle and steer his girls away from all chance of marriages.

The two eldest girls, Zanita and Cicu, proved susceptible to such control and never married in what few years they had.

But when Kala was 10, she learned of her father’s involvement as a Follower of Doomba, which disturbed her.

Knowing that he would never be able to influence her now, Kotak sent her to the abbey at Coe Wan, thinking that she would never marry.

Yet years later, Kala met Sir Minnow at the abbey and when this young couple came upon the lair of the Oracle of the Tau Valley, she heard that any child she should bear would destroy her father’s legacy, thus sealing her desire to wed the young knight.

Lord Kotak, angered when he heard that Kala, his once dear girl, had so betrayed him, stewed while she befriended Queen Dita and Lady Niobe.

But when he was informed that her husband had been killed in a duel by a fellow knight, he was satisfied.

For even though he knew that she was already pregnant, she had left Coe Kiki and he did not think the babe would last long when she was on her own.

Kala left Kiki, for it held too many memories of her friendship with the late Queen Dita and her life with her lost Sir Minnow.

She set off on the arduous trip to Coe Baba, which she hoped would prove to be a safe home for her babe, her unborn son, knowing that he must have a great destiny.

For in the abbey at Coe Wan, she had read the old books and had opened the tome of The Book of the Knights, which contained the Prophecy written by Wintha the Wanderer.

Now she thought that she might make such words come true, that her son might be the Đąǽora’l or lion of light that would destroy Doomba and so destroy her father’s legacy in this way.

Thus, Basha was born and he swore to bring back Tau’s Cup for Jawen. He thwarted Fobata, Goga, Shama and Wilama.

He and Oaka made friends with Fato the falcon, Monika of the Windbow tribe, Jobe the bard and Sir Pacaben. These Knights of Arria freed the enslaved creatures of the Pits before Basha toppled Doomba with the Black Sword.

In Coe Kiki, power passed on as King Sonnagh fell at Goga’s hands. Goga was killed by Prince Womba, who was only then twenty-eight.

Womba was soon crowned king of Arria and met his future queen, Lady Mina of Mirandor.

Yet Shama fled in the chaos. Lord Kotak evaded any suspicion, and even gained the role of advisor to the young king.

Then Kotak was rejuvenated by Doomba. He had the hermit known as Yaggee sent to him, all in preparation for his ultimate attempt to gain the throne in the name of Doomba.

The first eight years of this New Age, as it is now known to be throughout all of the nations of Salarria, have passed. In the year 9 NA, Basha and Monika still live in bliss together in the Za Desert, despite their private woe.

But how will the lion of light contend with the knowledge of his kinship to the successor of Doomba?

Part 1:

To Own Tau’s Cup and Kiki

Chapter 1:

Attack on the Windbow Tribe

As the torches in Coe Kiki were lit one by one in a nightly ritual that had lasted through the centuries, even when General Goga attacked, Lord Kotak descended down into the depths of the castle.

He carried a torch of his own even though it did little good to light his way.

His cold eyes stared into the darkness, the blankness that he knew very well from his connection to the creatures that lived there beyond his small circle of light.

Despite being 75 years old, Kotak did not hobble down the stairs with old, tired legs.

Not many years ago, he had dreaded such long stairs, straining his bones in the descent and even breaking them if he should fall.

But with the strength given to him by Doomba’s fall, he felt that he had energy enough to last for many more years.

Such energy was necessary for Kotak’s future plans, but he wasn’t ready yet to make his move.

He still had much to learn about his magical powers and there was only one person in this castle who could teach him.

The old man, perhaps over a hundred years old in truth, had come to him soon after he had gained his new strength and powers.

Ever since then, Yaggee had been his wise teacher. At last, Kotak reached the bottom of the steps that led into a long, dark, damp hallway beneath the castle’s main floor.

After a few turns, he walked up to a large, wooden door and opened it to a corridor lined with dungeon cells on either side of him.

The prisoners in these cells stood up and stuck their hands between the bars, crying for mercy and freedom, but he ignored these murderers, thieves, mercenaries and all sorts of other criminals for now.

One man reached out and yelled, I’ll pledge myself to you if you save me!

Kotak turned to shout back, Not yet, friend. I may get you out yet if you wait! Just remember that pledge. You’re in my debt!

The voices grew louder, crying out their own pledges in exchange for freedom, but Kotak just nodded to them all and said nothing more. He knew that it was best to just leave one tiny tidbit and keep the others savoring for more.

At the end of this corridor, there was another huge, wooden door much larger than the one at its entrance, but this time, the door opened into an enormous room that had been abandoned years ago.

Strange wooden and iron implements, covered in cobwebs and dust, were scattered about. However, the dust on the floor had been blazed through, all the way to a wooden trapdoor, by the room’s new occupant, Yaggee.

Yaggee glanced up from his meditations, glaring at Kotak. You’re late. You should have finished your dinner sooner so that I wouldn’t have to wait.

Kotak shrugged and placed his torch into a holder. It’s not my fault. Peri wanted to talk to me, you know. He wanted to know when he should start planning my departure party from my duties as lord. He wants me to spend the rest of my years in silence at the manor or whatever the useless old men do when they’re forced to resign. Kotak rolled his eyes as he grabbed the bag slung across his shoulder and tossed it to Yaggee.

Really? What did you say? Yaggee muttered as he caught and unclasped the bag, glancing inside at the contents before he nodded to himself. Plenty of supplies for the next few days. He especially liked some of the books in there.

I laughed in his face and lectured him for being such an idiot, of course! You know, I’ve thought about disinheriting Peri in favor of my stepbrother’s grandson Bolo. He might be a good candidate. Kotak said.

Yaggee placed the bag to one side as he gathered up the trash on the floor and walked to the trapdoor, lifting up the hatch to toss down the trash.

He was glad that he had this hole for trash and bodily filth. He closed the hatch and sat down in his former position as Kotak also did.

Yaggee shrugged and replied, That is not important to me right now. I would have thought that you knew well enough that your family problems don’t matter, not when it comes to your plans. It has been roughly ten years since Doomba has fallen and in all of that time, you have done nothing.

Kotak grumbled, I have done plenty, old man, but you have been too absorbed in your own world to see it.

Oh, sure, you have taken your lessons, but don’t you think that now could be the time to act? Yaggee asked. Everyone is idle and happy, not wary of any threats. Womba doesn’t pay any mind to matters of state when he has his wife and child to entertain. What have you done to strike at this weak king?

Do you remember a month ago when I snuck you out of the palace for a vacation at my manor, you went out to my gardens pick herbs for one of your potions? Kotak said. "Well, while you were gone, I entertained a friend in the manor’s dining hall that had snuck his way into Arria just to see me after I called for him.

That friend is Shama and although I don’t know him as well as I should, I know that he was an old friend of Goga and was once the leader of all of the bandits in the Popo Hills. He still keeps ties with them, despite his forced banishment with a price on his head. He told me that he could gather all of the men I needed for my plan.

Yaggee smiled and cackled. Oh, Shama is the most glorious name I have ever heard! Tell me, when will he attack Kiki?

Kotak shook his head. My friend, he will not come to Kiki yet. He still has to take care of my business in the north and by the time he arrives here, he will have no need to attack Kiki! In fact, if my guess is correct, he should be there in the north already, just waiting for his chance! Besides, I have already placed loyal men within the palace walls and everyone else is so stupid that they can’t see them, even when they’re hiding in the most obvious place!

Yaggee frowned at Kotak, questions filling his mind as he wondered what this lord was planning in the north and what he meant by his loyal men, but he did not ask yet.

His pupil would have to reveal all of his plans to him eventually, of course, and this old teacher still had to hold lessons.

ℜℜℜ

The next morning, miles away from Kiki, Basha yawned and sat up in bed, stretching his muscles before he turned and smiled down at Monika, who had pulled the blanket up to her neck sometime during the night, probably because she had been cold. He chuckled a little, thinking of last night, as he stood up and grabbed some clothes to put on.

Monika soon opened her eyes and yawned. Morning. Can you throw me those clothes?

Basha nodded and threw some clothes at her, before turning to wash his face in a dish of warm water for a few minutes. He wiped off his hands and turned around as Monika stood up, fully dressed.

Basha grinned and stepped forward, planting a light kiss on Monika’s cheek, but then the tent flap was ripped aside as J’hia stepped inside. J’hia had been an advisor to Monika’s father and uncles, all of whom had been the Kai, leader of all the tribes of the Za Desert, before Monika had been given that honor.

J’hia quickly bowed as he realized that he had interrupted a private moment, but he straightened again. Kai Monika, a messenger just arrived with urgent news. A group of bandits are ravaging the land all the way from here to the Red Hammer. They burn any lone tent they find and steal any animal, no matter what condition it is in. We think they are outlanders, maybe from the east, but most likely from the west.

Is there any way to know their numbers, their positions? Monika asked. Do they have any hostages, any member of our tribe taken?

J’hia sighed. There have been several men missing from our tribe, but they probably weren’t captured. It is believed that there are 100 thieves and that they’re about several miles from here, perhaps waiting to attack us at nightfall.

Call out all of the men that are around, split them into two groups. Monika said. I will take one group to attack the bandits. You and the others must stay here to keep watch for an attack on the camp. Now, go!

J’hia bowed and quickly raced off to sound the ram’s horn, the camp’s signal for a gathering. When the men arrived, they were counted out by Basha, Monika, and J’hia and separated into two groups, each around 150, perhaps enough to overcome the bandits, and then they rushed off to gather their weapons and their horses.

The women would stay at camp, although most of them were trained to fight and would use their skills to defend their families if the bandits should attack. A boy brought forth a gray horse for Basha, since Talan was still too tired to go on a trek after only a night’s rest.

Basha was still also tired from his last trip, but in the past, he had gone without sleep for days at a time. As he mounted onto his horse loaded with a pack, a water skin, the Black Sword and bow and arrows, Monika approached him on top of her horse Deja.

Monika glared at him before he could protest. I am going, Basha. I am the leader of my people and it would be wrong to send them out without fighting alongside them.

Basha groaned and turned to J’hia. Please tell her that it’s too dangerous. She obviously won’t listen to me! Monika playfully punched Basha.

J’hia chortled. She is my Kai. I can try to reason with her and give advice, but I can’t stop her. Besides, she is capable of taking care of herself and if you’re really so worried, you can still keep an eye on her!

Basha gave up and glumly watched as a boy helped load Deja with Monika’s supplies and weapons. Monika grinned at the sulky Basha and then signaled her group of to ride off while J’hia and his warriors surrounded the camp to keep guard.

ℜℜℜ

At that moment, a group of training privates marched in front of the guard barracks at Coe Kiki, watched over by a sergeant scrutinizing their feet.

Finally, the sergeant shook his head and halted them as he bellowed, You should all be ashamed of yourselves. I have never seen such bad marching in all of my years!

Deep in the ranks, a fellow snorted. That’s because you don’t have so many years!

The sergeant frowned. Who said that? I demand that slug of a private who insulted me must step forward now or every single private here will be punished!

The sergeant patiently waited as in the back of the ranks, a deep rumbling resulted in one of these privates stumbling forward, probably pushed by his fellow privates.

But the private composed himself and stomped to the front. The private turned and saluted the sergeant, though glaring at him. The sergeant matched him equally.

You are a disgrace to this whole unit. You might risk the lives of your men and yourself in battle if you don’t obey orders! Do you understand me? The sergeant asked.

The private smirked. I understand you loud and clear, sir, but I don’t think my friends here think that I am a disgrace.

The sergeant guffawed. Friends! You all arrived here only a day ago. I find it hard to believe that you could have made friends with some of the privates already!

The private shook his head. That’s where you are wrong, sir. We may have just arrived here yesterday, but we all know each other! We have marched and trained together before at the barracks of Wana!

As one person, the privates nodded and started pitching in their own stories, boasting of how they had been the best privates in Coe Wana, that Lord Pavga had praised them quite highly, and had specially chosen them to be moved here.

As the sergeant stared at them all, a sore feeling broiled inside his stomach. The impertinent private sneered at his superior.

The sergeant quickly dismissed the unit and they all walked off together to the mess hall, joking and chatting with each other about the good old times at Wana.

They were soon joined by more soldiers who knew each other.

The sergeant shuddered and walked away, entering the barracks that was now only half full of men.

He staggered towards his cot and collapsed onto it as another sergeant looked up from his seat on the opposite cot where he had been polishing his sword.

The other sergeant laid aside his sword and muttered, I bet you’re also having trouble with your privates, Gnat.

Sergeant Gnat bolted upright. Oh no, Aman, please don’t tell me that your unit is full of them as well!

Sergeant Aman shrugged. Fine, then I won’t tell you that just about every private in my training unit is from Coe Wana.

Gnat shook his head. I just don’t understand. Why are all of these men here? Who brought them all down here? I just have a bad feeling about all of this, even when there’s no reason.

Aman sighed. Maybe there is no reason. Maybe we shouldn’t worry ourselves so much. Besides, we’ll soon whip them into obeying us properly.

Gnat nodded. You’re right, Aman. We can’t let them intimidate or get the wrong idea about us! Tomorrow, we’ll really give them a good dose of a soldier’s life!

ℜℜℜ

From a distance, the warriors spotted a group of tents too lopsided and shabbily built to be Zarien. They slowly approached, watching and waiting for any response.

When it appeared that no warning had been given, perhaps because the bandits were asleep in their tents to reserve their energy to attack at night, they sped up. Yet they tried to remain as furtive as possible, clutching their weapons close to them.

Thus they half-charged and half crept into the camp and attacked the tents. However, not a sound emerged from the tents, and suspicious, the warriors ripped aside the shreds of the tents to find no one in them.

Monika raised her head and glanced around before she bellowed and pointed off into the distance. Basha and everyone else turned to see the horde of bandits mounted and galloping towards them, obviously having set up their tents as a trap.

They grabbed their bows and quivers, choosing some arrows to unleash in quick succession to unhorse a few bandits, but most were still mounted. The sun glinted off of the bandits’ swords, daggers, and axes, although luckily the bandits didn’t have any bows and arrows to pick off the Zariens as they charged at them.

Monika organized the archers for more effective shots at the bandits and better chances as more men started falling off of their horses. Yet after what seemed an eternity but was nothing more than a minute or so, the bandits engaged the Zariens.

Basha grabbed the hilt of the Black Sword, which had killed Doomba almost 10 years ago. The familiar surge of power inched up his arm, making him feel like he could do anything.

He grimly smiled as he unsheathed the Sword and swung it round, ready to face any that came his way. He turned to check that Monika also had the Blue Sword unsheathed just before the wave of bandits overwhelmed them.

Basha swept the Black Sword about, twirling the weapon and ducking in a complex dance that seemed to have no end as faces and targets blurred. He almost accidentally attacked a Zarien once, but he realized his mistake and quickly moved away from the man.

He was ashamed for a moment until he forgot about it with the battle. Finally, the wave subsided and Basha relaxed, feeling exhausted as the rest of the Zariens took care of the remaining bandits.

Monika glanced around at the remains of the bandits. Basha, are you sure that was 100 men? It seemed too easy. It didn’t last long enough. Something is wrong.

They started to count the remains and someone announced, We count 40 men, as far as we can tell, but it’s hard to really know for sure. Still, I can tell you this wasn’t 100 men!

Basha smelled something on the wind and glanced up, noticing a strange cloud forming as he yelled, Everyone, back to the camp!

They ran and rode back to camp, horses and feet urged to their utmost limits. It almost seemed like the trip back didn’t last as long as it had before, but it was impossible to truly tell with all of their fears.

Soon, the crew under the command of Basha and Monika arrived at the edge of camp and halted, dismayed by the horrifying scene. The tents had ignited and members of the group scattered about to help put them out, but cries were rising from the center of the campground and most of the warriors, including Monika and Basha, rushed over to aid their people.

Some of the warriors under J’hia’s command and also a few women were still fighting in scattered groups, but they were losing to the bandits until the other warriors, Monika, and Basha joined the fight in a fury, despite their weariness from the last battle. Arrows soared above their heads as they fought for their lives moment by moment.

There were many close calls for Basha and Monika, but they survived and watched as the remaining thieves fled, certain never to come back again after such a defeat.

Basha took a look around at the charred remains of the camp and the dead as he quietly cursed the cowardly, yet crafty brigands that had planned all of this.

Monika softly sighed. Well, we can’t stay here any longer. Nobody could stand such a place of death. Perhaps, once all of our affairs are finished here, we will seek shelter with the Flying Lizard Tribe if they will take us. I must find J’hia.

Basha nodded and the couple walked amongst the people. They mumbled amongst each other as they reunited with their loved ones and spoke of their battles in fatigued voices.

The couple spotted the old and slightly bloody advisor and rushed over to see if he needed any help. But he lightly pushed Monika aside when she wanted to use the Blue Sword to heal him.

J’hia bowed and reported, "It was a bit of a shock for many when those bandits came out of nowhere. I’m afraid to say that some hid, but we can’t blame them since they had never seen such terrible things before.

As you can see, some of the women bravely fought amongst us, but most had to save the children and escape. They will come back from their hiding places in the desert when they see that the smoke is gone. Quite a number of tents have been burned, but the families living in those ruined tents will be accepted into the other tents. The wounded will heal well enough and the dead—it could have been worse, much worse than this.

Basha absently nodded and Monika said, I suppose so. What about plundering, how much did the bandits take?

J’hia scratched his head. Well, that is part of the mystery. They didn’t take as much as they should have stolen. Yes, they took some stuff here and there, but I just can’t understand why the majority of the loot—I’ve asked many of the people around here and they say that any goblet, bowl, and cup that they had was stolen. Copper, wood, silver or gold, any and all of those mugs and bowls were taken, absolutely no sense!

However, when they heard this, Monika and Basha glanced at each other as the thought rumbled through their minds. Basha raced toward their tent, untouched by flames, and tore open the tent flap.

Inside, he dug around in the bags, sacks, and blankets that had been tossed aside during the raid. But as he searched deeper, he knew that it was gone.

Basha still kept searching, his heart pounding, his ears ringing, and his gorge rising at the horror and rage of what could have happened, what had happened, why so many men and women had been killed.

At last, lying on the floor, he found the old rag that had been used to wrap up Tau’s Cup, supposedly the greatest treasure in all of Arria. But it was still a little hard to believe after so many had lost their lives for it.

The Cup was gone and so much had been lost. The howl of cold nights drummed through his head while the blood of old hunters raced through his body, old hunters from the time before time that always sought out and kept to their trails.

Basha heard a footstep and turned around to face Monika as he muttered, They took it. They must have known. How did they know? Who were they?

Monika shrugged and they stepped outside to find J’hia glancing at them. They tried to look casual and hide their guilt, rage, and fears. J’hia was one of Monika’s oldest friends, but they had never told him anything about Tau’s Cup or that they were Knights of Arria.

Basha went up to J’hia and said, They had to have left tracks. Where are they so that we can hunt them down before they get away?

J’hia helplessly shrugged and replied, Basha, they have already gotten away. The tracks are at the edge of camp there, yes, but look at those clouds up there. A sandstorm is forming. It will come in about an hour or so, by the looks of it, and then nobody could ever find their tracks!

It’s too late. Monika murmured.

However, Basha, if you really want to go through the trouble of finding them, there is a small chance if you are willing to believe in an old superstition come to life. J’hia said.

Monika and Basha glanced at each other, wondering what he meant, but Monika whispered, Any chance is worth it, J’hia, you know it. We’ve seen plenty on our travels that might be impossible to believe. Come on, what is it?

J’hia nodded and explained, "To the west, where the River Mila meets the sea, is a small fishing village called Coe Ryn, which has been in the possession of Arria for the last hundred years, despite Pakka’s desire for expansion. In any case of war or peace, the people go about their lives, mainly as fishermen, but sometimes there are travelers from that town who pass through here on their way to Pakka. The most recent traveler from Coe Ryn came through our camp a year ago with a strange tale about a man named Ringla.

The traveler didn’t say much about what he looks like, but from his vague descriptions, I believe Ringla is an old man. The traveler said that Ringla came from a distant place and settled in Coe Ryn awhile ago and supposedly if people have lost things, they can just go to him and he tells them the location of the lost object, which is always found. That is all I really know, but it sounds like he may be the only person on this earth who can help you. Do you think there is a chance of finding and punishing those bandits?

Basha thought for a moment before he nodded. Perhaps there is a chance, if the traveler spoke truthfully. Monika, I think I’ll head out in a day or two. Is it possible that you could leave here and come with me?

Monika glanced around and replied, First, we both have to stay until the funeral ceremony is done. J’hia, if Ringla can give us the answer, it could still be many days before we find and punish the thieves for what they have done to us and take back what is rightfully ours. Are you willing to once more take up the duties of surrogate Kai while I am gone?

J’hia patted Monika on the back. I’ll accept the duty for now until your return, little one. Keep safe, both of you. Be wary and trust your instincts, they never lie to you. I’ll make sure your packs are full whenever you’re ready to leave.

Chapter 2:

Aftermath and Coe Ryn

Night came and the last wind of the terrible sandstorm from earlier that afternoon rushed by. A small fire burned, but due to the fear of pursuit, the men tending it used special methods to lessen its smoke. With such a small flame, the men gathered around it were still shivering as they scrunched closer to the flickering heat, not saying much as they ate their gruel.

However, a gruff man finally laid down his bowl, growling as he muttered, Where’s our share of the loot? We did all the work today and yet he’s still looking at the stuff.

Another man named Om harshly chuckled and exclaimed, "What share could we get out of any of that stuff? It’s all trash, nothing in there worth even a piece of copper!

Something must be wrong with our boss’s mind to make us take nothing more than that. We could have taken more food and water since our supplies are running low and some of the girls I saw were quite pretty for barbarians. Yet we couldn’t have anything, couldn’t touch anyone unless they meant to harm us. He said that he would beat us to an inch of our lives if we disobeyed him!

A third man barely glanced up as he murmured, What are you trying to tell us all, Om? Are you talking about mutiny? You know that he’s still a hard man, even if he is crazy. I wouldn’t find it so hard to believe that our boss could beat us to an inch of our lives if he tried hard enough.

Om glared at the third man. Are you a coward, my friend? If you are, then you might get the wrong idea about talking and then I would have to resort to a nasty way of shutting your mouth!

Quick as lightning, Om slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out his knife as he lunged forward at the third man. The fellow hadn’t even had time to grab his own knife, he just dodged Om’s first stab and attempted to escape while the first man tried to calm down Om a little.

From the shadows, a