World Of Light (Arula: Two)

Chapter 12

Karma laid, belly up, on her bed. She twirled the silver coin, or the Gods' coin is what the shop keeper called it, in her fingers mindlessly. She wondered its true quality or was it just superstitious. More like a good luck charm, Karma thought dryly.  She remembered the dreamcatcher she bought at antique shop when she was only eight. And having, what her parents call it, night terrors as a child, Karma thought having one would help her with her nightmares. It had turn out that it was just more myth than anything. Disappointed, she had tossed the dreamcatcher away.

A knock at her door drew Karma out of her dream-like state. "It's open," she called and the door open to reveal Omar. He came in with a sense of pride, like he usually does. He strolled around Karma's room before he stopped beside her, staring at her curiously.

"And what that you got there?" Omar asked.

"I got it from the markets, the shop keeper said it came from the Gods and that is was supposed to give you luck and help you in great danger." Karma said flipping the coin. With his elf-like reflexes, Omar got in midair. He examined the coin front and back, humming as he did so.

"If I didn't know better," he said handing Karma back her coin. "I say it was the coin that once belong to Asteria and Freyr, the goddess of night and stars and the god of day and the sun. Interesting find... I didn't think you believe in good luck charms."

"I don't," Karma confirmed. "But it caught my eye, so I decided, why not? Right?" Omar smiled, but didn't say anything else about it, instead he took the chair by the desk and pulled it over to the edge of Karma's bed.

"I've been thinking," he said once he sat down, his hands folded neatly on his lap. "About confronting King Bosca." Karma sat up on her bed at this.

"And?" She pushed.

"And, even though I still say it's a bad idea, that you are right. The ogres must be stopped, but not at a cost of another war. I had just overheard the captain of the sprites, Alastar I believe was his name, and the queen talk about preparing for war." Karma sat up straighter on the bed.

"War? But she said she didn't want to go to war." Omar nodded.

"She has run out of options, I fear, Karma. Unless you can convince the queen to give you some time to confront the ogre king, then Arula will soon see its next war."

----

After a much deep conversation with Omar and an agreement from Dagner, Karma went to the Queen Luska's throne room. The queen sat upon her thrown, tired and weary. Karma bowed before the queen, Luska inclined her head back. "Creator," the queen said. "What is it you want?"

"I had heard rumors that you wish to go to war with the ogres, is that true?" Karma said, trying her hardest to her voice steady and unwavering. The queen nodded once.

"Yes, I do believe it is," Luska said. "You see, Creator, I am old, and I know it doesn't seem like it, but I am. And I am tired of seeing my people one by one disappearing from my villages and being enslaved once more. I will not have it. But unless you have a different opinion on this, I will gladly hear it."

"I do," karma said and Queen Luska leaned forward on her thrown to listen. "With much discussion with my companions, we had decided to confront King Bosca and hopefully have him end this." Queen Luska leaned back in her throne.

"And what if he doesn't listen? What will you do then?" Karma swallowed she had no clue.

"It's better than war, your grace," the queen was silent for some time, pondering her words, then,

"It pains me to see my people suffer, and to see I have no other option than war, I will agree with you on this, but, if it does go wrong, and I have no doubt that it will, I will prepare my men for war. So, you and your companions will leave at first light tomorrow. You will also be accompanied by three of my strongest men, including my captain. Is that clear?"

"Yes, your grace, it is, thank you." Karma bowed and left the throne room.

----

That night, Karma packed of what little clothes she had into her sack. She had also decided to take one last warm bath before she went to sleep, knowing that this would be the last bath she took for a long while. Sleep didn't come as easy as Karma would have wanted. Her dreams took her back to the nightmare she had days ago, the burnt plain, the fire, the man... and her ultimate death. She gasped awake after reliving her death, the sun had not yet risen, but Karma could tell that it will soon. Karma took that time to grab her satchel and take out her book.

Unlocking it and flipping it to the page where she drawn the cat. Karma sketched in it until a knock came at her door and a servant had come in saying that it was almost time for her and her companions to depart. With Sampson packed lightly, Karma slid in between the wolf's shoulder blades. "You ready to go?" Omar asked as he got on his wolf, Grandal. Karma nodded.

"Ready as I'll ever be," she answered. The captain, Alastar, came up beside her on his bay horse. He looked ready for battle Karma had thought as she stared up at the captain. Two more horsemen came trotting behind them, one was male the other was female. The female sprite wore lose clothing and had two spears on her back. The male sprite, which startled Karma, was Nector. He looked ready for battle as well. His chest was puffed out with pride. He smiled at Karma and came next to her.

"I came this far," he said. "Didn't I? I might as well finish what I started." Karma wanted to say something to sprite, but she knew that this battle was as personal to him as it was with her and Termis. So, she'll let him have this one. By evening that day, they had reached the Ogre Clan. They knew they had crossed into ogre territory because of all the dead trees and the smell of rotten meat. As they rode through the Clan, Karma had a weird feeling that they weren't alone. To confirm her suspicion, Sampson, along with the other ryder wolves, growled.

"Easy there, girl," Dagner said, but was cut short as a group of ogres suddenly burst out among the bushes and trees. They were surrounded.