Kadance: Another Tale

4

"What the hell is a death fast and what happens with one?" Kellan asks once more alert to possible danger. 

"When a death fast is started it pulls in all the power of Dayla. That continues until the Elder is unable to hold any more power. Each death fast brings different results, but each and every one of them has been spectacular. It can only be performed by the leader of the Elders, for she is the most attuned to Dayla. Almost always she or he is the strongest of us. They are rare. An Elder may go centuries in office without needing to perform one. It is a last resort used only in the greatest of need. The fast is always sealed with the death of the Elder." Jenk explains softly.

"I can see why an Elder would want to use it only as a last resort, but still I don't understand. You said that an Elder may hold leadership for centuries before being called upon to do a death fast." Kellan is confused. None of the natives look older than the human civilians on the core planets and they don't live as long as warriors.

Jenk laughs weakly, "Ah, that's right you don't know. Sareen is just starting her sixth century. Not even middle age for us. I, myself, am in my third century, young for the office I have been given. Perhaps it would have been better had I not been placed with such authority." 

He waves that away and resumes, "Any, way, my people, barring accidental death and illness may expect to live over ten centuries, twelve and thirteen aren't unknown. Although, fifteen wasn't often reached. Sixteen and more is very rare. Your coming will change all that. These toxins will kill us at a far younger age," Jenk shrugs, "Perhaps in time longevity will return.

"The death fast can never be used as a weapon. Only as a way to heal the land or protect the people. In this case, both. Sareen knew it would be required of her once she was captured. So you see, Kellan, her curse on me and my people is a true curse indeed. We'll live for centuries in shame so deep it fills us. It cuts so deep, it goes all the way to our very soul. Death is a release, yet only if we are released to Dayla will we find peace. We have been denied that as well. Dayla must be in agony at the loss of so many of her children."

"How do I stop the death fast?" Kellan asks intently.

Jenk laughs ruefully, "You can't. You can't stop the Elder from starting one and once it's started you can't stop it. Power calls to power. The power of your engines that fly your ships is nothing compared to what Sareen now holds. Six of the strongest Elders gave their power to her. That alone started the fast. She will not eat or drink until she can hold no more." He says quietly under his breath, "There should have been seven to give of their powers."

Jenk looks down in shame fighting the tears that want to fall. Kellan's words makes him jerk his head up. "I'll force her to eat." Kellan's words are grimly spoken.

Jenk shrugs his shoulders, "You can try. Might work," but the words are spoken with a great deal of doubt.

They find Sareen had returned to her room. Jenk feels the power flowing to her. The loss an aching agony within. They watch silently as Sareen is fed. As soon as she finishes she vomits it all up.

Kellan is furious, "What did she do to make herself vomit?" Kellan demands angrily.

Jenk watches sadly, not even noticing the tears that have started to fall down his face. "Nothing. The power she holds is rejecting the food and liquids. Putting an IV in her will just cause her undue agony. Her body will reject it and will burn her veins as fire."

Kellan bites off a vicious oath. He and his kind were bred to protect civilians, not torture and kill them.

A message comes for the Commander. Jenk looks at him. "It's okay Kellan, Sareen is strong. Perhaps the strongest Elder we've ever had. It will take days for her to become filled with power. I'll stay and watch her." 

Kellan looks at the young man that is actually more than a century older than himself searchingly. He doesn't think that Jenk realizes that he is crying or the look of longing on his face.

Kellan nods in respect and silently leaves the young man to his mourning. There is no doubt that Jenk is mourning his mother. What Kellan doubts is the reason. He doesn't think it's because Sareen is dying, no, he thinks it's because he isn't.

Kellan returns to his office to deal with the shit storm that has hit with Sareen's passing through the compound earlier. Many of the natives hadn't just passed out, but had actually died. There is no indication of what caused their death and it has his people jumpy. That and add to it how unwelcome they already feel here. Kellan is more than willing to pull out of here, but he has his orders and he can't in good conscience leave just yet.

Kellan looks out of his window and watches the sky that had been pollution free when they had touched down here, but now holds more than a little smog. He wonders why in all the centuries they've lived since leaving Earth that they still haven't found a way to not destroy the atmosphere of the planets that they colonize.

Just how the hell did Sareen know about Earth? That is a long lost secret that only the Warriors still remember. It's become something of a myth among even the warriors. The coordinates lost amidst the wars that were frequent before the warriors stepped in and stopped them all. So much history Sareen alluded to that would be impossible for her to know about them. Civilians don't even know their history or how the warrior society separated from the civilians so long ago.