The Orphans' Promise (11 page)

For the first time since they had seen the other world, they were all gathered together under the right circumstances to share their impressions. No need to flee, no one trying to spy on them. The place was quiet, and their minds attentive.

Without any discussion, they gathered around Corenn. Grigán, the last to arrive, finished the circle.

Rey joked, “I guess no one was hoping to play a game of lucky stars? It’s a shame, really, the number of players is ideal.”

“I don’t really like dice games,” the warrior responded.

“You shouldn’t say so, even if it’s true,” Bowbaq interrupted. “It’s bad luck to insult destiny’s fingers.”

“What does it matter, really, given the situation we’re in…”

An uncomfortable silence followed Rey’s pessimistic reply. Léti took advantage of it and brought up a subject that was on her mind. “Bowbaq knows of a legend that could be about the other world.”

Everyone’s eyes turned toward the giant, which only made him sheepish. He tried to explain, mumbling, “I don’t remember it so well anymore; I had just reached my tenth year. A Maz had been living with our clan. He knew many stories, and this one was only one among many. But last night, it came back to me, and the resemblance to what we saw is striking.”

“Do you remember enough to tell us the story?” Corenn asked.

“Uh, well… it was about an old warrior lost in the mountains of the Curtain. He had been wandering there for several dékades until he stumbled onto a valley that was completely surrounded by massive mountains. But this country was rich in sugary fruits, and abundant in game and clean water. The first hospitable land he had come across in a long time. He decided to stay there.

“People were already living there, all of them very young. They welcomed him with open arms. The warrior lived with them for several dékades, happy to find rest in this peaceful place.

“But it was only a façade. These new friends of his were not humans. They were nothing more than demons!”

“I bet they were,” Rey cut him off. “Demons. I should have thought of it first. With big red horns and forked feet. Obvious, really.”

“Let him finish his story,” Corenn asked nicely. “We will talk about it after.”

“It’s almost over. The demons made the warrior talk, tell stories, tell more stories, and they eventually took all his memories. Every name that he recited gave them more influence over the world. The demons could not leave the valley, but everything they learned about the outside world, they could use to do evil.”

“How did the warrior manage to leave?” Yan asked.

“He never did. When he finally understood the situation, he bought his freedom by promising the demons that he would send
them other people who had many more memories for them to take. But he didn’t keep his promise, and the demons weighed him down with pain and suffering until he died. He didn’t know that they could torture him more easily than any human.”

“An odd story to tell kids,” Rey commented. “He was a Maz of what cult? Of the Valipondes?”

“A Maz of Yoos. A kind god. But this story was not part of the cult’s; he only told it because all children like to feel fear.”

“I hope that you aren’t using this idea as a parent, when it’s clearly incongruous with your other morals. Imagine our Bowbaq bursting into the bedroom of… Iulane and Prad, right? Disguised as a terrible bear, just to ‘please the children with fear.’ Guaranteed to work,” Rey finished.

This joke finally made everyone laugh, particularly Léti. Yet again, she could feel herself falling for the actor’s good humor and charm.

“It’s the first time I have ever heard this legend,” Corenn declared, when they had all finally calmed down. “It’s not a very inviting story, compared to the others the heirs have collected over the years. But there are some similarities.”

“Like?”

“The Curtain. Several of our stories mention a marvelous valley, situated somewhere in its highest summits.”

“Valleys are necessarily surrounded by mountains,” Rey objected. “And it’s easy for poets to situate these legendary places in the Curtain. The majority of its heights are inaccessible. Not to mention very few people have explored its eastern side. No one could fact-check these stories!”

Yan remembered a small detail during this exchange and then convinced himself of its certitude: the location of the valley—if it were indeed of this world.

“Behind the portal, it was dawn,” he announced.

Corenn gave him an encouraging smile. Grigán had a satisfied grin. The others stared at him with eager eyes.

“The morning sun was shining on the mountains,” he repeated. “While on Ji, it was still nighttime. The sun was rising on the mountains from the east! The valley must be somewhere in the Curtain!”

The remark had its desired effect. They all, except for Corenn and Grigán, who had known this fact for a long time, stared at each other, stunned.

“Somewhere in the Curtain,” Rey said. “That’s still a pretty large chunk of land to explore, about three times as big as the Matriarchy. And not so easy to get to.”

“Unfortunately, yes. It’s useless to hope to find the valley at random. No heir has even tried, for that matter. Especially because it could just be a false trail, if the valley exists in another world.”

“So we haven’t really gotten anywhere, have we?”

“But Aunt Corenn… what do you think of Bowbaq’s story? Is it possible that behind the portal is a land of demons?”

Corenn looked for a reassuring response that wouldn’t be a lie. In vain, she resigned herself. “Anything is possible, Léti. Anything.”

The Mother feared that in looking for the truth about Ji, they would run into a danger that was much worse than the threat of the Züu. But she kept this reflection to herself.

Yan went to bed with the image of a coin in his eyes and stories blending in his head. One and then the other kept him from dozing off. Corenn and Grigán had told them a few of the legends describing gateways similar to the one on Ji. They all spoke
of magnificent landscapes, or villages where only children lived. The majority of them smacked of pure invention, more poetic story than religious account or traveler’s tale. However, a few of them deserved attention. Yan mentally revisited them, trying to pierce through to their secret.

The Great Sohonne Arch—a structure in Arkary similar to the Ji gateway—would someday provide passage for an army of perfect warriors, who would save the children of the White Country from some obscure threat. Even Bowbaq, a native of Arkary, didn’t know this legend.

Another legend, undoubtedly of religious origin, confirmed the existence of a marvelous land where the wise ones’ spirits would reincarnate as children. It was the most optimistic one, but not the strangest.

Rey remembered a legend that said the most deserving followers of a cult would be reborn near their Goddess in order to help her with her Great Work. As he was asked for more details, Rey named the paradise and the Goddess: Lus’an and Zuïa. No one appreciated the joke. Especially since the mysterious valley might have truly been the red killers’ Lus’an.

Another legend mentioned gateways capable of conquering time. Anyone who went through them would gain immortality, but would call the gods’ wrath upon him and would suffer their curse for eternity.

Yet another spoke of a magnificent kingdom whose entryway was guarded by children. Only those who triumphed over these strange guardians could enter. The legend didn’t explain how they were dangerous…

There were others, and others still…

Their commonalities—children, gateways, a valley, gods, misfortune—were troubling. But of the multitudinous tales passed
along in each country, there were inevitably some that dealt with all of these subjects.

The first narrators of these stories might have known some part of the truth. They might have imagined the rest. How was it possible to tease one from the other? Which parts were true? Which fake? And what if the truth were altogether different?

What was on the other side of the gateway?
Yan wondered.

The morning came, and Yan felt like he hadn’t really rested at all. His thoughts followed him into his deepest dreams. Memories of the gateway mixed with stories of the land of demons, and visions of demonic children spinning coins in the air.

He was disappointed that Léti wasn’t near him. The night before, the young woman had fallen asleep at his side, and he was hoping she would still be there upon waking. Even the smallest signs of affection from Léti were precious to him. They had fought side by side. He had let the day of the Promise pass. Rey was unconsciously turning out to be a fierce rival, but Yan wasn’t going to let her go.

Everyone was already awake. The cellar was empty, except for him. He quickly dressed, wondering what deciday it was, and then hurried to join his companions outside.

A late morning sun shone on the heirs, who were gathered in front of the stable for Léti’s second lesson. They all had the bright look of people who had been awake for some time.

The atmosphere was much more relaxed than on the day before. Even though she didn’t approve, Corenn appeared to be enjoying the show. They waved to the newest arrival, and the lesson continued. Léti and Grigán were facing each other: the young woman armed with just a branch; Grigán only with his
bare hands. The warrior was trying to touch Léti while avoiding the improvised sword, as Bowbaq, Corenn, and Rey cheered or booed.

“Did I miss much?” Yan asked, rubbing his eyes.

“They just got started,” Corenn answered, smiling. “They argued for a long time to decide whether Léti would use a real blade. As you can see, Grigán had the last word, but the discussion was heated.”

“I really regret having missed it. I didn’t sleep very well. I saw spinning coins all night.”

“That’s normal,” the magician whispered to him in a lowered voice. “Imagine that you’re trying to wake up a sleeping muscle. For a while, you might have mind ‘cramps.’ But that’s a good sign.”

Yan agreed, trying to feel happy at the news. All of this was well and good, but for the time being, he had a terrible headache.

He tasted the dried biscuits that Rey had haggled out of Raji, and then laid out comfortably on a pile of straw to watch the show.

Léti concentrated intently. This exercise was the opposite of yesterday’s: Grigán attacked, and she defended. The big man coming at her reminded her of her fight with the three brigands. Those men would have killed her for sport. It would be different next time, she promised herself.

Grigán didn’t waste any movements. He was content to calmly circle the young woman, faking an attack from time to time.

He tried four separate times to catch Léti off balance, moving toward her left and jumping to attack her right side. She kept him at a distance with her branch. The warrior hinted at an identical attack, but came back to her left side, a double feint. He had
her completely turned around and gave her a small tap on her shoulder.

“One–all,” he announced with satisfaction.

“Boo! Grigán, you’re a cheater!” Rey chanted, with plenty of bias.

Bowbaq added, “Give her a longer branch!”

Grigán addressed Léti, “You didn’t do half-bad.”

Léti smiled in return for the compliment, stepped back, and spun her imaginary sword, her friends cheering her on.

“All right, master Grigán,” she said, imitating Corenn’s intonation. “What am I going to learn today?”

The warrior quickly improvised something. He still wasn’t used to giving an explanation for these demonstrations.

“A simple sidestep can mean victory,” he announced, somewhat proud of himself. “Acrobatic movements are tiring and dangerous, and can make you impulsive. Always try to stay calm. Be a master of yourself.”

“Acrobatics can surprise your opponent,” Rey objected.

“When she can keep her balance, she will be free to do some somersaults.”

Yan threw out a mischievous idea: “I’d love to see how you handle yourself, Rey.”

Rey winked at his friend and examined Grigán. The warrior invited Rey to join him, sporting a radiant smile, which his scar transformed into a sadistic grin. But maybe that wasn’t the only reason…