World Of Worlds (Arula: One)

Chapter 22

Karma stared out the window from her bedroom. She clutched a note in her hands that she received just two days' ago, it read:

Dear Creator,

I do believe we had gotten off on the wrong foot the last time we met. But on this specific occasion, I must say that if you wish to see your brother and sister again, I suggest that you bring me the book and the key by the first snowfall. By then you can say good-bye to them forever.

Yours truly,

King Termis

A upon getting the letter sent to her by a falcon, she had talked to Omar, Dagner, and King Curlus about this. Curlus had agreed to sending out his best men to help take Termis out of the throne, he only needed a few days. I don't have a few days, Karma fumed to herself, squeezing the letter even tighter in her hand. "You can't give Termis the book, Karma." Omar said to her yesterday during the meeting.

"Aye, Lass, who knows what that man will do with such power." Dagner had added. Karma didn't listen, she stormed out of the room and into her own. Angel whined softly beside Karma as she kept her gaze steadily outside. The first snowfall will no doubt come in two months, with or without warning. I can't wait that long, she thought with much anger. But that wasn't what angered her. What angered her was how Termis got a hold of her brother and sister in the first place! He couldn't have a portal, could he? Karma dreaded. 

The letter in her hand had now turned into a crumble piece of paper and Karma could feel her nails digging into her hands. Angel whined again, this time louder. Karma turned her gaze away from the window and glanced down at her new companion. Bending down, she petted the long-tailed fox's head. As Karma gazed into the fox's ocean blue eyes, a sudden idea came to her. "Hey, girl?" Karma asked the fox. "You want to do a favor for me?"

----

Omar caught Karma at the sables packing up her horse Pepper. "And what do you think you're doing?" He asked, leaning against the door frame.

"What does it look like?" Karma snipped back. "I only have two months, maybe even less, to rescue my siblings. I cannot just sit here and wait a days, maybe weeks for Curlus to get an army together. I just can't." Karma went back to packing her horse, muttering as she did so.

"How do you know that Termis isn't just pulling your hair?" Omar asked, cocking his head slightly to the left. Karma didn't stop packing when she answered.

"Because one, I never told Termis I had siblings or their gender. And two, we both know that he doesn't kid around about these things." Then turning to Omar, she continued. "When Curlus has the army together, meet me at Orina Field. There at least, we can get ourselves together and form the right plan."

Sighing, Omar pushed himself off the frame and took out his horse Jack. "Well, if I can't stop you, I might as well join you. I started this with you, I might as well finish with my head held high." Karma smiled at Omar as he started to pack the rest of the load on Jack's back. "I'll have Wiltin take the army to Orina Field." Wiltin was one of most skillful elves in the army. He had led many of the elves into battles of victory. He also teaches those who wish to be in the front.

"And I shall tell Dagner to gather his army of dwarves to meet us the same place. At least then, we might get a fighting chance." Karma said and Omar agreed. By evening, they set off on the journey back to the place they had ran from.

----

Orina Field, the place where it all started. Here, was the beginning of all Arula. The place of birth is what Karma called it. But when Karma arrived weeks later, what she saw, she never excepted. Orina Field's symbolic tree, one that represents life, had been chopped down. The only thing that remained was a pathetic stump. Tears threatened to come out of Karma's eyes as she saw the devastation of her creation. "This can't-" Karma choked on her tears. They came streaming down like a creek down a small hill. "Why?" She whispered. "Oh why?"

Omar placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, giving it a small squeeze. "Because he wants everything in Arula to fall. Like all madmen do." Karma just shook her head in disbelief. This can't be happening. It just can't be! She thought with such anger that she began to shake. When Omar looked at his shaking friend, he knew, that she snapped. Her thin string had just snapped. And now, he knew, Termis was going to pay. Dearly.