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The Seventh Realm: Volume One

By Mantrid Brizon

Chapter 13: Sacrifices

Cy wakes up to find that he has overslept. The day-moon is not visible from where he lies in his hammock; it must be at least noon, if not later. He quickly rises to his feet, dresses and puts on his usual gear belt before dashing down the stairs to the first floor. Entering the dining hall, he looks around but does not see Zakera. Richard, Rico, Isabella, Samantha and George sit inside, but no one else.

“Hey. Has anyone see Zakera this morning?" Cy asks.

“It's not really morning anymore." Isabella remarks.

“We are you asking us?" Richard comments with a smirk.

“Because my psychic powers haven't kicked in yet. They take an hour or two to warm up." Cy says facetiously.

“He just means that she's usually brushing herself against your legs." George drunkenly laughs.

“Well hello to you too. I didn't realize the bar opened this early." Cy quips.

“It never closes." George retorts.

“I saw see her outside with Gabby and Amanda earlier." Rico finally answers him.

“I'm sure your cat will return home when she's hungry." George taunts.

“She's a person, and I'm getting really tired of your shit!" Cy barks.

George merely smirks, holding up his hands as he mocks surrender.

“Do you really see her as a person?" Samantha suddenly asks.

“Don't you?" Cy glares.

He does not receive an answer, as the women merely glance between each other. They look quite amused; Cy knows that they find his relationship with Zakera strange, but he doesn't care. Forgoing breakfast he heads outside, soon finding Zakera as she sits with Amanda and Gabby in the purple grass. The three appear to be gossiping over the events of the past two days. Zakera's back is to Cy, though he knows that she can hear him. Amanda leans back, looking past the Ketlan and waving to him. Zakera and Gabby follow suit, greeting him as he approaches.

“Hey there." Cy begins.

“Hi. Glad to see you are finally awake." Gabby says.

“Still healing I guess, though I feel a lot better already."

“That's good." Amanda nods.

“So, Zakera…"

“Yes?"

“Did you want to take a walk with me, outside of the courtyard?" He asks, holding out a hand to her.

“That would be nice." She smiles, taking his hand.

She waves at the two girls as she walks with Cy toward the gate. Glancing over to her every so often, he can't help but notice that Zakera seems different. She doesn't look over to him as she often does, and she doesn't initiate any conversation.

“So, I checked my wounds and everything but my left arm is already healed." He begins, hoping to start a dialog.

“That is good. Wounds heal quickly on Monala. You should be fine by tomorrow." She replies.

As she speaks, her eyes never look over to him. It claws at Cy's mind; he is desperate to know what is bothering her. She thinks back on all that Cy has done for her, on all of their close and romantic moments, of every time they could have mated but didn't. He is so kindhearted and affectionate, and yet he shows great physical restraint. His respect for is like no other; by allowing her to participate in a warrior's ritual, he saw her as his equal. Zakera loves Cy more than she can express in words. Her heart aches for him; she has never loved to the point of pain and has no idea how to even begin telling him. She spends their walk wrestling with different things to say to him, hoping to share her feelings.

“What's wrong?" Cy suddenly begins. “Is it something I did?"

“W-what?" She chokes out.

They stop walking, standing on the path that stretches between the Kelanethaka and their fortress.

“You have been so quiet today, and yesterday too. When we came back from the village, you spent most of the day in your room. I just need to know that you're alright."

“I… I just…" She hesitates.

“I liked how things were before…" Cy steps up to Zakera. “I love spending time with you; I'm cold without you." He places a hand on her arm. “I…"

He wrestles with the words himself, but he doesn't get the chance to finish. Suddenly, the bushes rustle and two male Ketlan appear, rising as though waiting to ambush them. Cy then realizes that they are in almost the exact same spot where the scrawny Ketlan had attacked them two days earlier. Cy grabs his chain whip, swinging it as the Ketlan slowly approach them. A strong looking adult female appears from the brush. At five-feet and nine-inches tall, she stands only a few inches shorter than himself. She is quite large for a female, with a strong and muscular build, solid black fur with no discernable patterns, piercing orange eyes, and large, perky D-cup breasts that remain uncovered. Her short snout, triangular ears and long, slender tail give her a distinctly feline appearance. Her only clothes are a loin cloth covering her lower section, while the males around her are dressed similarly.

“Human and Ketlan." She says in a rather deep but feminine voice. “Human go. Ketlan stay." She casually waves a hand, her English broken.

“No…" Cy replies sternly, still swinging the chain whip.

“No?" She looks to Cy.

“I've seen those ears. You heard me." Cy quips.

“Fine… By force, we take." She growls. “Loda ogo!"

At her command the males pounce. Cy flicks his wrist, striking one of them in the forehead with the bolt of the chain whip. Dropping him in a heap on the ground, blood gushes from his head. Cy swings at the second Ketlan, wrapping the chain around his throat and pulling him to the ground. He draws his knife, about to execute his victim with a stab to the heart, but he is quickly grabbed by several more males who appear from the bushes. They wrestle with Cy, but his adrenaline is flowing; he twists, throwing one male from his back and slamming him against a tree. He slashes his knife at the other, who jumps back.

As soon as he moves away, Cy turns the knife in his palm and jabs it into the Ketlan lying on the ground, executing him, whip tangled around his throat. Grunting in frustration, the female walks up to Cy. He rips the knife from his victim's chest and throws it, jamming it into the neck of another male before reaching for his holstered pistol. The dominant female steps on the corpse beside him and hisses at him, bearing her teeth. Drawing his gun, he tries to take aim but she pounces upon him. They roll on the ground, but she is even stronger than she looks. She pins him down and sits over him, straddling his pelvis.

She grins as though she were enjoying him sexually, cooing as she grinds her loins against the flaccid bulge in his pants. Two males quickly grab Cy's arms as she stands, placing her foot on his chest. She looks at her dead comrades and then down at the human. Cy looks over to Zakera, to see that another male warrior is already holding her. Her arm is pulled tightly behind her back, his other hand holding a short stone knife against the white fur of her throat. Cy looks back at the female leader, who grins at him.

“I'm really going to enjoy killing you…" He murmurs.

She smiles, kneeling down while keeping her foot atop his chest. She taps the sharp black claws of her toes against his chest, an arm resting over her bent knee as she leans in.

“Yes…" She begins. “Strong human fight well."

“Fora vaba rabu." Cy smirks.

Her eyes grow wide in surprise. Chuckling, she grins at him and bears her sharp canines. Her teeth glisten in the sunlight as she looks him over, her gaze landing on his groin.

“Big human…" She says softly. “Fora zoja iko rabu…" She places a hand on his chest, stroking down.

“How sweet of you to say..." Cy says sarcastically. “Let me go and I'll give you all you can handle." His tone devious.

Zakera struggles to break free but the warrior holds his knife tightly to her throat. The female stands, keeping a foot on Cy's chest. She extends a hand and one of the males presents her with a simple wooden club. Grabbing it by the handle, she extends her arm, resting the wooden knot against the side of his head.

“Hope you live." She says as she taps the end of the club against his head.

“You shouldn't…" He warns.

She laughs and slowly draws the club back. Cy stares at her, until she swings. With a strong swing, he is knocked unconscious. He opens his eyes to see that he is alone with the three corpses.

“That bitch didn't believe me…" He mutters.

Sitting up, he taps the side of his head. Drawing his hand back, he sees blood covering his fingertips. He stumbles to his feet, blinking hard several times as he nearly succumbs to vertigo. Looking around, he does not see Zakera or the hostile Ketlan anywhere. He looks up at the sun, using the blade of his hand to guestimate the time passed.

“Under an hour. I need to hurry." He thinks aloud.

His head is pounds painfully as he stumbles, reclaiming his gear. He takes the knife from the neck of the corpse, struggling to remove it. He takes the whip from around the Ketlan's throat and picks up his handgun. Checking his gear, he notes that nothing is missing. He is certain they didn't know what his pistol was, but why didn't they take his chain whip or metal knife? Cy starts hobbling down the path and toward the Kelanethaka. He doubts that his friends would be so concerned over Zakera's capture, but perhaps her father, Zikata, or Katero will help him. Gaining his strength, he soon jogs along the path. Soon he is running at full speed, somehow managing to maintain his sprint until he arrives.

His legs feel like wet noodles as he runs up to the crowded village center. Ketlan turn and stare at the bloody human who appears from nowhere. Katero, standing in the center, sees Cy approaching as the Ketlan spread apart like the Red Sea. Cy falls to his knees on the ground, dripping with sweat, the blood running down his face. Katero quickly approaches him, looking over his wounds. Zikata sees the commotion and quickly rushes toward them.

“What is the matter? What happened to you?" Katero asks, helping Cy stand up.

“They took her. We were walking the trail and the fuckers took her." Cy stammers.

“Who?!" Zikata asks in shock.

“Some big Ketlan female and a large group of males. They only wore loin cloths and didn't have any jewelry or body paint. They attacked us right where that little guy did, and they obeyed the female." Cy explains, gasping for breath.

“Oh no… Please! Bring her back!" Zikata grabs Katero's arms.

“I'll bring her back or die trying." Cy growls, visibly insulted.

“You very well may. You are injured." Katero comments.

“I'll be fine. I told that bitch what would happen if I lived. I'd hate to be a liar." He says as he presses his hand against his head.

Katero waves his hand, bringing a few of his men with them. He and Cy immediately turn and dart off, Cy struggling to keep up with his companions. Katero and his men notice, soon slowing their pace. They alternate between jogging and power walking as they return to where Zakera was taken. They make it to the site of her abduction less than two hours after the attack. Katero examines the site as Cy sits down, gasping for breath and drenched in sweat. He takes a drink of water as Katero walks up to him.

“Did you kill these Ketlan?" He asks.

“Yeah…" Cy nods.

“Impressive."

“I have my moments." He mutters.

“Their trail is quite fresh; I can follow it easily. We will go as soon as you are able." Katero says, kneeling before Cy.

“Good. Let's go." Cy says as he quickly rises to his feet.

Katero shrugs and stands. They push through the brush, along a rather well traveled path. The guilt weighs heavy on the human as they travel.

“This is all my fault…" Cy mumbles to himself.

“Pardon?" Katero turns to him.

“This was my idea. I wanted to walk with her, to be alone with her. Had we not left the fortress, this never would have happened." Cy explains.

“I doubt that. The boy was a scout; they would have waited for days until you eventually passed by again." Katero assures him.

“Thanks, Katero. I appreciate you coming." Cy says.

“It is nothing." Katero replies.

“No, it isn't. I consider you a friend; it isn't nothing." He retorts.

“I am honored you consider me a friend. You are as a brother, born out of battle."

“Wow, I'm honored. Humans call those 'Brothers in arms', by the way." Cy remarks.

“What do arms have to do with it?" Katero asks, puzzled.

“Never mind." Cy chuckles.

Zakera is dragged into a camp of temporary shelters, with the exception of two buildings; a rectangular temple made of compressed earth, and a bizarre pointed structure made of wood, with sloping paths along its sides. The males cart her into the temple, where female guards take over. The males don't appear to have permission to enter. The female leader is treated like a queen. Dragged into the temple and laid down atop a wooden table, six female guards hold Zakera down. One holds each arm, while one holds each ankle, and one on each side of her hips. An older female shaman enters as the queen watches in the background. The queen presents Zakera as a potential offering to the shaman. She turns to the queen, speaking in Ketlanic.

“A Ketlan? Humans are better." She grumbles.

“I believe she may be the one." The queen comments.

“There are very few Ketlan virgins…" The shaman scoffs. “You should have taken a human."

“Check anyway!" The queen demands.

“Fine…" She sighs in frustration

The shaman motions with her hands and the female guards tighten their grip. They pull at Zakera's ankles, spreading her legs apart. The shaman lifts her skirt and looks closely at her loins, carefully examining Zakera's genitals. Peering into her, the shaman suddenly steps back, stumbling and nearly falling over from shock.

“She is intact! I have never seen a virginal adult Ketlan female before! Our goddess will be very pleased!"

“I knew it!" The queen smiles. “She reeked of innocence the moment I saw her."

“Take her to the cage! And do not damage her!" The shaman shouts to the female guards.

The guards nod and lift Zakera up. Carrying her by her arms, they drag her out of the temple and turn towards the strange pointed building. Zakera looks up as the sun begins to set. She can see an altar before the pointed building. She drops her head and stops fighting her captors, realizing that there is nothing she can do. Inside, there are steps leading down to a dug-out pit containing a large wooden cage in the corner. The guards open the door, shoving Zakera inside. They quickly close the door and lock it with an intricate series of knotted ropes. Two of the female guards stay behind to watch her, while the others leave, most likely to return to the temple.

Zakera walks to the farthest corner of her prison and sits down, bringing her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. She lowers her head and feels her eyes welling with tears. She sits there for a moment, worrying about Cy, who may very well be lying dead on the trail.

“Hello, sacrifice." The queen calls out, stepping down the stairs. “How are you enjoying your final hours? Is the room acceptable?" She mocks her.

Zakera turns to her and hisses, bearing her teeth.

“Do you want to hear a joke? You are a virgin, being sacrificed to a goddess of sex and childbirth." She laughs. “I do not make the rules, but personally, I think you would appreciate your gift to us more if you knew what it was like… How it feels… How wonderful it is to be with a male." She walks around the two exposed sides of the cage. “I've had many experiences myself. Have you never wondered while you were a juvenile, while it was still permitted to mate freely and at random?"

“I was far less interested in males than they were in me." Zakera finally replies. “I felt as though I had more to offer than the pledge of a male."

“How right you are..." The queen smiles at her. “Still, if I had the ability too, I would let you have one experience with a male. There are plenty of strong warriors who would love to teach you, and a skilled lover is worth more than all of the wealth of Monala." She taunts Zakera, tapping her claws on the wooden bars. “Or do you only want the human?"

Zakera quickly turns away, an arm moving across her chest as she grabs hold of the other.

“I knew it!" She exclaims; her orange eyes wild with glee. “That is why he was so feisty. You two are a bizarre couple."

The queen laughs to herself for a moment. She looks Zakera over and sees her sullen demeanor. Suddenly feeling somewhat guilty for capturing her, she takes a deep breath.

“Why does it matter that he is human?" She begins, speaking softly. “I did not strike him very hard. If he comes all this way to claim you, then that should be all of the proof you need that he is worthy of you… Not like it matters. There are too many of us for him to rescue you."

Zakera doesn't respond, frustrating the queen.

“He is an intriguing male, for a human… I would certainly mate with him. Perhaps if he arrives, I will capture him as a slave for my personal needs." She taunts her.

Zakera glares at her, her clawed fingers curling as she bears her teeth and hisses. The queen looks down at her hands and smiles. She is suddenly startled when her prisoner lunges at the wooden bars, reaching out to grab her. Quickly stepping back, Zakera's claw manages to nick the queen's arm, giving her a small cut.

“That's better!" The queen exclaims. “Thank you for entertaining me tonight. I will be back in several hours to kill you. Good day!"

The queen leaves with a tauntingly polite hand wave. Zakera glares, enraged by the perverse Ketlan. She sits back down and rests her head on her knees. She wonders what would have happened if she wasn't a virgin, recalling the days that she and Cy slept next to each other. All of those times that they have almost mated, but never did. For all the times that she has desired him, she is thankful that she is still intact; if she wasn't, she'd already be dead and Cy would be rescuing her corpse. Her eyes well up and a tear rolls down the side of her face, gliding around her snout. She takes a deep breath as she tilts her head back, looking toward the steps. Though she doesn't want Cy to be in danger, or to die rescuing her, she desperately wants him to save her.

“Please come soon, Cy; I swear I will tell you right away if you can find me." She speaks to herself in English.