Two Psadan quickly darted through the Deadwoods. Although large and rotund, the creatures hobbled with surprising speed. The one in tow had a helm that fit neatly on his head with three holes. From these holes emerged three wide horns. On each side of the helm was an artistic design of a weapon. On the left side was a spear, on the right a hammer, and on the forehead was a dagger. He had pants on, which were lightly reinforced by various leather pieces and plates of wood.
The Psadan leading the two was larger and more skinny than his counterpart. He was not lean, skinny was a relative term in the Psadan species, however, there was something that indicated the Psadan was unique and different from most others of his species.
His individuality was also noticeable in the clothing he wore. Upon his head was an ornamental crown. It was made of a number of long branches bent and woven together in a circular ship. The wooden crown was then adorned in various rubies and obsidian stones. On his legs were a set of leather pants. Around his waist was a belt. The belt matched the crown in its decorative jewels of black and red. He also carried a leather pouch at his side.
The Psadan in the helm yelled up ahead to the crowned Psadan leading the voyage. "I'm telling you, Daija. The soldiers grow weary."
"Weary?" Daija stopped and sneered back at Rathu. "Your soldiers unsatisfied with their new weaponry?"
"They are grateful, but it is not weaponry we need right now. They are hungry! The food stores we've stolen will last another month at most! We need to raid the villages again."
"We cannot attack the settlements right now. It would interrupt his plan." Daija began marching again.
"Damn the plan!" Daija now noticed that Rathu was no longer following him. "You can worship your God all you want, but amongst my fighters I smell mutiny. I can only contain them for so long."
Daija turned and slowly walked back towards Rathu until he was nearly on top of the smaller Psadan. Daija leaned forward until his eyes were mere inches from Rathu's. "Is that a threat?" At first Rathu's hair on his back stood on end. Then, before he knew what was happening, his body had jumped back about 5 feet away from Daija.
Daija stood upright again. Rathu couldn't understand the actions of his own body. Jumping away from Daija was completely instinctive. It was as though he was launching away from some sort of threat or danger. He couldn't tell why, but he knew he was in the presence of something deeply wicked.
He nervously took some steps towards Daija again. "We are low on food, medicine." He looked down. "Many of the children will not make it if we continue like this."
Daija licked his lips. He waited and then spoke. "You must trust his vision. All the pieces are falling into place. In less than a month this planet will be ours."
"How do you know?"
"I have been to the Glade. I have seen it in the leaves. The water has spoken to me. Our time is coming. All we need, my child, is faith.
Rathu glowered. He hated when the priest spoke this way. It was not right for him, a great warrior, to be treated this way. However, the Psadan had spoken. They had made Daija their leader and therefore his will must be followed.
Daija continued, "now, what do we know about Aslan?"
"Aslan was killed by the witch."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Those were the reports from my soldiers at the battle."
Daija opened his pouch and pulled out a glowing black stone. It had a similar look as to the obsidian stones that adorned his outfit, but this piece was different. For one, it was significantly larger. And the glow that it emitted, it felt as though the light from the rock itself.
Daija held up the stone above his head and examined it as it refracted the sunlight coming through the canopy. He then suddenly tossed the rock to Rathu.
Rathu caught it, but held it away from himself. He trusted nothing from this sorcerer. As Rathu examined it, Daija began to speak. "This is a Vele stone. It does not come from around here. It was brought to us, perhaps even made, by our Master."
Rathu continued to stare at Daija and then at the stone with deep suspicion. "It is connected to the lightforce inside of Aslan."
Rathu dropped the stone to the forest floor. "What type of witchcraft is this?"
Daija let out a long cackling laugh and picked up the stone from the ground. "The type of witchcraft that will get us our planet back." He brushed off the stone and put it back in his pouch.
"Aslan is alive. He may not be for long now, but he is. And he will be the one who sets the next stage of our plan in motion."
Rathu stared at Daija with complete disgust. He hated being under the thumb of someone with such empty scruples.
Daija spoke again. "It is getting late. We must make further preparations." He began venturing back into the woods.
Rathu whispered to himself, in his native language himself, "daa tiz la'at ni ta si fe'ten," what is once lost is never forgotten, "Aslan, my dear friend. I promise your pain will not be in vain."
"Come now." Daija commanded from a ways off.
Rathu gritted his teeth and followed Daija's path back into the woods.
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