228: Orientation Camp, Part One (Maiya)

NOTE: I'll be without internet connectivity the next several days, so here are Monday's and Tuesday's chapters. Next chapter will be Wednesday.

Maiya was once again surprised by the vastness of the Childrens’ resources. For an organization that relied primarily on donations from its members to survive, they certainly had deep pockets.

Which just means there are more crazies in this world than people think, Maiya thought with a shudder.

Maiya stood with her cabal at the central plaza of an abandoned town that lay at the southwest of Kin’jals territory, near its border with Rani.

Once a thriving trade stop for merchants crossing the vast plains between Avi and Sonam, traffic had shifted when Jalasa rose to prominence. Since then, the backwater town of Bahurai had fallen by the wayside. Now, all that remained were crumbling buildings and overgrown grass. Hardly a place fit for habitation.

Which meant it was just about perfect for the Childrens’ purposes. The downtrodden grass formed trails between the buildings, and they’d done the bare minimum to make the buildings fit for human habitation.

Guided by Children ushers, Maiya, Yamal, and the Silent One entered what used to be an old barn, along with fifty other initiates—about forty more than the barn was ever designed to fit.

Thankfully, the Sisters of Gray had prevented the fanatics from painting the walls and ceilings with blood. It was something of a signature of the Children. Should anyone stumble upon the town after they’d left, it’d only cause problems. And, unlike the Pagan Order, the Children of Ash had no redeeming qualities whatsoever. No agreements with the heads of state to tolerate their presence.

Children fanatics had been slaughtered whenever they crossed the line. Which happened too often, in Maiya’s opinion. The organization truly trod on thin ice.

Maiya spotted some familiar faces in the crowd. The group that had bullied her last time kept stealing glances her way, as did several others.

So. Word of that incident’s gotten around, has it? Great… Maiya thought, envisioning the heckling she was likely about to receive. The Initiation Camp was the perfect opportunity for people to mess with her. Not that it mattered. She had both the elements of surprise and superior means. They had no idea who they were up against. In fact, Maiya even looked forward to it—it’d been too long since her last fast.

Up in the loft, a bald Rector wearing a black robe and a hood spread his arms.

“Welcome. Welcome, all!” He spoke in a soft voice that nonetheless shushed the whispering crowd. “You have done well to pass Initiation. All of you standing before me today have gained the favor of our god. You have potential!”

“This guy sounds more coherent than the other priests, don’t you think?” Yamal whispered into Maiya’s ear.

She nodded. It was odd to see a Rector make this much sense. Then again, the priests had a habit of shedding their sanity at the first opportunity, so she reserved her judgement.

“Yet that is all it is!” the Rector said. “Potential. To unlock it, you must all work diligently to rise through our ranks. And what better opportunity than this very camp? Those who do well shall soar to great heights! Here, you will form the bonds that will carry you. Grow, together, and become close to the Ash.”

The Rector paused to revel in his own words.

“Through a series of competitions, you will be evaluated along three categories. Knowledge of our Hallowed Doctrine, Closeness to the Ash, and Devotion. Come, Initiates! Your time to be bathed in the blood of our god is nigh!”

With that, the Rector ended the speech, stepping down.

“What do you think?” Yamal asked.

“Well, at least it’s not all a surprise,” Maiya replied. By now, the priests’ fervor hardly even fazed her anymore.

By overhearing conversations between the Sisters of Gray, Maiya had gleaned some nuggets about the camp. Like how the first Trial would be the knowledge of doctrine. As such, all three of them had practically lived in the Children base’s library, poring over the insane ramblings of the cult.

Despite the tedium, Maiya had hoped to glean some morsel explaining why the Children hated the Primordial to such a degree. It wasn’t just lore to her anymore; the being they hated was none other than Vir, and any knowledge she came across might help him.

So many mysteries remained. Who was the Primordial? What was their purpose?

She’d learned a lot about blood rituals—how to slice open Ash Beasts to consecrate objects with their blood, how to execute a proper chant—but the only mention of the Primordial had been in relation to their god. The Prana Swarm said to lurk deep within the Ash.

The scriptures said that it was by their god’s hand that the Primordial would die, and that his very existence posed a threat to the world.

Sadly, knowledge of the Primordial wasn’t what they’d be tested on. It was much more likely to be about the minutia of their rituals and the countless other mindless tasks. Knowledge that they’d all tediously memorized.

As for the other two topics…

“What do you think they’ll have us do?” Yamal asked.

The Silent One shook his head, his expression grave. Maiya felt similarly. She had this sinking feeling that their Devotion test would follow the Ash Beast encounter they’d had earlier.

“We can’t know, and there’s no point speculating. Looks like we’ll find out soon enough…” Maiya said, pointing to a lesser priest who cleared his throat.

“The Trial of Knowledge shall commence immediately!” the priest announced. “All Initiates, follow me!”

“Good luck,” Yamal said, his expression grim.

“And to you,” Maiya murmured.

— —

“How many goblets of blood must be poured upon the corpse before the Ritual of Purification can begin?”

“Five,” Maiya replied immediately. “Unless the ritual is being performed on the seventh, fourteenth, or twenty-first day of the month. In which case… eight. One for each prong in the hallowed symbol of our god.”

The priest nodded slowly. “How many times must we circle the holy sacrifice and in what—”

Maiya sat across from the priest on the ground, cross-legged. The room was bare and empty, apart from the two of them.

The priest, like the others, smelled as though he hadn’t bathed in months. His robes were tattered, and Maiya swore she saw caked blood on his skin, though she spotted no obvious injuries. His teeth—the ones that hadn’t fallen out—were black.

“Also seven. Counterclockwise.”

“C-correct.” The priest’s brows knitted, but then he suddenly smiled smugly. “On which day of which month did the first Blessed Chosen—”

“Fourth day, fifth month. He never returned from the Ash.”

The man’s smirk vanished.

“What does our god guarantee to those of rank Rector and above?”

“Trick question,” Maiya fired back. “Our god guarantees nothing. Only by proving our devotion to the cause may we one day earn his divine blessing.”

“Say, can I ask you something?” Maiya said. The priest didn’t reply.

“All these Trials. All this rigamarole. It’s for finding candidates to send to the Ashen Realm, isn’t it?”

“L-Lies!” the priest spat immediately, his eyes wide with panic.

Maiya cocked a knowing brow. “Please… Even if I’d been bluffing, your expression just gave it away. I wasn’t, by the way. Bluffing.”

The priest went silent. “How do you know of this? Only our priests are trusted with this knowledge. How are you so well versed in our doctrine?”

Maiya gave the filthy man the prettiest smile she could muster. “Why, I’ve always been such a believer!”

— —

Maiya heaved a deep sigh of relief the moment she was outside. She’d passed the Trial with flying colors. Or at least, that’s how she interpreted the crazed look the priest had given her when he’d finished with his questions.

Being alone in a room with the fanatic gave her the creeps. Even with the orbs she hid within her robes.

She’d taken a calculated risk in bringing them. She couldn’t say how the Children would behave to have a mejai in their ranks. Would they extol her power? Or would they accuse her of being a traitor?

Maiya couldn’t afford to find out. And yet, she didn’t dare go without them, either. While she might be able to take on a handful of thugs on her own, without her magic, it’d be lucky if she escaped unscathed.

Especially when she had a fan club waiting for her.

“An audience? To what do I owe the honor?” Maiya asked sweetly, scanning the crowd of fifteen men who’d waited in the ramshackle alley, waiting for to leave her Trial.

“W-what is the meaning of this?” the priest said, shambling out behind Maiya.

The priest stepped forward with authority. “Disperse, immediately, the lot of you—aaah!?”

Three of the thugs scooped the sickly man up and threw him outside.

“Don’t stick your nose where it don’t concern you,” they said. The priest scurried away, tripping over himself several times.

Not smart… Maiya thought. The bullies might be able to cow a priest or two into submission, but when word got around of their antics, they’d be shut down. If not by a mob of zealots, by the Sisters of Gray for sure.

Guess that means I don’t need to hold back, huh? But still…

Maiya couldn’t understand why they’d picked her, of all people. This felt too organized to be simple jealousy. And they were far too overt about it if all they wanted was to have their way with her. Had they uncovered her true identity? Was there a hidden mastermind behind this?

“I don’t recall doing anything to anger all of you to this degree. Someone mind telling me what this is all about?” she asked.

“Ah, well. One of our new recruits here has gone to great trouble to rile up the gang against you, y’see. He’s a cute kid, so we just couldn’t say no. C’mon, Camas. Why don’t you say hi to your pretty girlfriend?”

Camas? Do I know anyone by that… Maiya froze as the black-haired boy emerged from the crowd of thugs.

It’s him. It’s really him!

“C-Camas!?” Maiya said in disbelief. Standing before him was none other than Akros’ son. Brij’s  resident bully. The one most directly responsible for ruining Vir’s life in the village.

“What are you doing here?” Maiya asked, instantly regaining her composure.

“Hi, Maiya,” Camas said with a malice-filled smile. “Doing quite well for yourself, aren’t you? You’ve become quite pretty.”

Maiya scoffed. “Gotta say, I never expect you, of all people. What wrecked your life so much that you ended up here?”

“Well, after you and Vir left, the village became a different place, y’know? Stifling. Some kid calling himself the Guardian of the Ash started making life a little miserable for the rest of us. Just so happened the Children came calling, and I said yes.”

Oh Yuma… He’s as hopeless as ever, Maiya thought, shaking her head.

“Don’t you dare look at me like that!” Camas yelled. “Look at you! You’ve had it all, ever since you were born! Seric spoon, this one.” Camas gestured with his head to the crowd, addressing them as much as he was speaking to her. “Never once known hardship in her life! Well, look at her now. Here, like the rest of us. No better.”

Oh, Camas. If only you knew how horribly wrong you are. If he’d been subjected to the torturous training Riyan and Kin’jal had put her through, Maiya didn’t doubt he’d have cracked long ago.

“Tell you what,” Camas said, sticking his hands in his pockets as he paced in front of his posse. “I’ll make you a deal.”

A few more years, and Maiya could see him taking over this posse of his; he always had a knack for leadership.

Too bad it’s so utterly wasted.

“Oh? What are you proposing?” Maiya asked, knowing fully well the ‘deal’ he was about to ‘offer’.

“Come with us. With me. I’ll take you under my wing. I’ll even protect you. Lots of bad people in this group. I can keep you safe.”

“Oh, wow. Is that right?” Maiya asked, mustering every ounce of concentration she had not to break out into a fit of giggles. “And, pray tell, what would you like in return?”

Camas licked his lips, eyeing her. “Oh, not much. Even under that shabby robe, I can tell you’ve gotten trim, eh? None of that fat you used to lug around.”

“Fat?” Maiya blurted. “Excuse me? I was never fat.”

Camas raised his hands placatingly. “Just meant to say, you’re quite the beauty now, aren’t you? You can be my girlfriend. So, what do you say? It’s a good deal, isn’t it?”

Maiya kept quiet for a moment, then smiled angelically. “That sounds amenable,” Maiya said, mankind Camas’ face light up with glee. “I just… have one small request to make first. If that’s okay, I mean.”

“Oh, uh. Sure? Don’t usually let people talk back to me, but, well. It’s you. We go way back, yeah? What do you want?”

“Way back,” Maiya echoed. “It’s nothing, really. Just, you remember Neel, don’t you? The bandy? He was a good boy.”

“Er, yes? Do you want to bring him with you? That’s—”

“Oh, Yuma, no! Just that, you’ll be so lucky! You’ll get to be a good boy, just like him! All of you will, actually! You’ll be my little minions! And, being good little boys, you’ll do everything I say. Because I’ll be the leader of this pathetic little gang. You’ll not speak unless spoken to. You’ll jump when I say jump and you’ll bark when I order you to. And in return? I promise not to slaughter all of you right now.”

A droplet of water fell from the sky, and everyone heard it. The alleyway went deathly silent, and Camas had turned as red as Maiya’s hair.

— —

Oh, gods. Oh, gods! Yamal panicked. I have to get help!

He’d only just finished his Trial of Knowledge. He thought he’d done pretty well. All thanks to Maiya’s coaching, of course. He couldn’t wait to tell her the good news. He walked the ancient alley with a skip in his step, not even minding the stench of sewage that pervaded most of the abandoned town.

His spirits were simply too high for such a triviality to bring him down.

Will she think well of me?

And then, just as he thought nothing could ruin his mood, it’d come crumbling down as he’d spied a hostile gang surrounding Maiya.

Somebody! Anybody! She’s all alone!

His first instinct was to burst onto the scene like some hero, but Yamal wiped the delusion from his mind. He was useless in a fight, and he knew it. No, he had to get the Silent One. Only that giant could handle this.

Yamal backed away, then sprinted. He searched every alley. He knocked on every door. His desperation grew with each failure.

I really am worthless. I can’t fight. I can’t even find one man, even when he’s the easiest person to spot in the whole town!

And then he saw him. The man who stood a head and a half taller than everyone else.

“Quick!” Yamal shouted, pushing past the other Initiates and grabbing his hand. “Maiya! She’s in danger!”

Yamal turned and ran, and the Silent One followed.

It was only when they arrived at the scene that Yamal breathed easily.

The fight hasn’t started yet. We made it in time!

His relief lasted right up until Maiya spoke.

“You’ll not speak unless spoken to.”

Huh?

“You’ll jump when I say jump and you’ll bark when I order you to.”

What is she saying!? Is she mad? At this rate, they’ll…

Yamal exchanged a look with the Silent One. The big man stared at Maiya, a look of intrigue on his face.

“We need to go!” Yamal hissed. “We have to help!”

“And in return?” Maiya said, “I promise not to murder all of you right now.”

Yamal’s heart threatened to jump out of his throat as he saw the goons brandish their talwars, maces, daggers, and spikes.

“On second thought,” a dark-haired boy at the front snarled. “I think I’m just going to kill you instead.”

The gang rushed forth… and then Maiya disappeared.

One moment she was there, and the next? Gone.

Yamal had never seen anyone move so quickly in his life. It wasn’t human. It was as if Vera herself had possessed the girl, blessing her with divine agility.

He only found her by the scream of a man who was sent stumbling. His head hit a brick wall, and he slumped over. Whether dead or merely unconscious, Yamal couldn’t say.

Another soon followed. Then another. Through it all, Maiya was nowhere to be seen.

When Yamal finally found her, he found twin daggers in her hands, which she wielded like a master seamstress did her sewing needles.

Maiya poked, slashed, and cut with such finesse and speed that Yamal almost mistook her movements for a well-practised dance.

He couldn’t even tell when and where her strikes landed—her motions so fluid that it all just looked like a whirlwind to him.

Yamal stood frozen as the goons were cut down. Bones crunched. Figures slumped, and through it all, Maiya moved with deadly grace.

Before long, there was only one left. The boy from before. The fool who’d announced so daringly that he’d kill Maiya.

Kill Maiya? Her? Yamal thought wryly. What an absurdity.

Maiya approached the boy slowly, twirling a dagger in her palm.

“So, Camas? What were you going to do to me, again? I’m just a dumb, weak little girl, you see. My memory is just so fleeting. Can you help refresh this girl’s memory?”

A dark splotch appeared on the boy’s pants, and an acrid smell filled the air, punctuating the existing smells of urine and dung.

“H-How? M-Maiya? Is it really…”

“Is it really me?” Maiya laughed derisively. “Not the helpless little girl you thought I was, huh? Is it so hard to believe? Well, I can’t blame you. Even I wouldn’t believe me if you told me I’d end up like this a year ago.”

“Please don’t kill me!”

“Kill you? Why, I’d never! No, death would be too easy for someone like you. Your punishment must be more severe! Much more severe.”

Yamal gulped. Was this really the same Maiya he knew? She had every right to be as callous as she was, but he’d thought her gentler. Incapable of such brutality.

“W-wha-what w-w-will y-you d-d-do—”

“What will I do to you? Well, for starters, how about this?”

Maiya slammed her leg down on Camas’ shin, breaking it with a crisp snap.

The boy howled in pain.

“That was for me. For saying all those nasty things, and for looking at me like I was beneath you.”

For looking at… By Adinat! Yamal gulped. Is this my fate if I anger her?

Maiya stomped up to Camas, placing her boot between his legs.

“And this? This is for Vir.”

The boy’s eyes shot wide in terror.

“No! N-no! PLEASE!”

His scream tore through the alley, and Yamal was sure it reached the farthest reaches of town. For it was the most terrible wail of pain that Yamal had ever heard.

Yamal’s whole body shivered as a cold sweat broke out. Oh, Yuma! Oh, Adinat! She isn’t a woman. She’s a beast wearing human skin!

Maiya was simply far too dangerous to grow close to. Yamal understood that now. To do so would spell his doom.

At the same time, he pitied her. People like Maiya were forever destined to be alone. For what freak of nature would ever be comfortable being friendly with such a monster? With… The Crusher.

He couldn’t think of a single sane individual who would.

Maiya left the boy there, clutching his crotch, and walked over.

“Oh, hi,” Maiya said casually with a wave. “Didn’t notice you guys there. How about we grab a bite to eat? I’m famished.”

Yamal fell to his knees, laughing like a broken doll.

Maiya didn’t need help. She hadn’t ever needed their help. For what use were normal people like him and the Silent One, next to a highly accomplished mejai like her?