Chosen: The Legend of Saqui

BOOK I CHAPTER IX

CHAPTER IX - THE CHOSEN ONE

Peyeche was running as fast as she could, but the sixxyk could only run that fast for a few miles. Then, it became winded and slowed down. Likewise, so did Peyeche.

When she caught herself slowing down, she would fly as fast as she could. It was only a third of the speed of the sixxyk, but it gave her the ability to catch her wind to run again.

Rimac asked for the fastest animal the Wuyi could provide: a tsangredon. It was like a thoroughbred horse, only a bit faster.

But they were too late. Amaru had already reached the central point of the villages. He placed the six Quesmi in a circle and stood in the middle of them.

"Now, you must say the sacred chant," Cunac said. "'Magnos spiritus virtutes invoco.'"

Amaru repeated the chant over and over. The Quesmi started to glow. The more he said the chant, the brighter the Quesmi glowed.

Suddenly, Amaru was bathed in the light from the stones. The Quesmi faded back to their normal state; Amaru still shone.

"I can feel the power of the Great Spirits." He began trying out the different abilities he had just gained.

"Stop!" Peyeche arrived minutes too late.

"It is done," Amaru said. "I have the powers of the Spirits. I cannot be stopped."

"Let us find out."

Now, Amaru was fifteen years her senior and had eight inches in height on her, but she had the edge as far as experience of the spirits.

She called on the mageeac and drew her sword and shield. He, too, called on the mageeac and drew his sabre.

They swung their swords at each other. They clanged together. Again, they swung and connected. Neither could gain an advantage.

Peyeche put away her sword and changed to the vidrüsse. She armored head to toe. Amaru matched her switch. They traded blows. Neither flinched.

It did not matter which spirit Peyeche chose, Amaru countered. They were at a virtual stalemate.

She decided to try the jevaja. She remembered it was the hardest to learn of the six. She took off. Amaru followed.

She was more maneuverable than he was. She flew toward the ground. Amaru pursued her. She pulled up just short of the ground. Amaru could not.

With Amaru stunned, Peyeche saw this as her opportunity to finish him off. She landed at his head. She called upon the mageeac again and drew her sword.

"Now, Amaru, time to end this."

She raised her sword over her head. Suddenly, she was frozen in that position. Try as she might, she could not move.

Cunac, who had been watching the battle, saw his king was to be defeated and cast a spell to assist him.

Amaru recovered from his fall and stood face to face with Peyeche.

"Well, well. It seems the tables have turned. Now, I will kill you as easily as I killed your friend."

With those words, Peyeche became incensed, wanting to kill him with her bare hands. But she could not move.

Amaru raised his sabre and was about to cleave the Chosen One. Suddenly, he stopped in mid-swing when he heard a noise.

He looked over at Cunac. He had been knocked unconscious. Rimac had arrived and saw fit to even the odds by taking out Amaru's help.