Authors: Sebastien Blue
“
So what can I do for the two of you today?” asked the shopkeeper.
“
Well,” said Catalyst sorting through his fitsall.
“
Sorry about my friend here, but he is just a boy after all,” said Natalia as they waited for Catalyst.
“
We would like to trade for food,” said Catalyst, still digging.
“
Okay, what do you have to trade then?” asked the shopkeeper.
Rummaging through his fitsall and not being able to find anything, Catalyst emptied it onto the counter –
first his blanket, then his candy, his rope dart and his boots, leaving only what belonged to Natalia and the food his Mother brought them in the bag.
“
I do believe we can work with this,” said the woman, gazing at the rope dart.
Seeing the look in her eyes Catalyst quickly removed the rope dart from the counter.
“
Not this,” said Catalyst wrapping it around his shoulder and making sure he still had the jar with the Atropos Styx for Natalia.
With the woman looking down at the blanket Catalyst knew he would not have that, come the night. She smiled at Catalyst and much to his surprise the woman took the blanket, candy and boots in one swoop as she brushed it all behind the counter.
Turning around and grabbing huge handfuls of this and that, the woman handed Catalyst enough meat jerky of some kind, dried fish and fruits for a week.
“
There you go, a fair trade as far as I can tell,” said the woman, clearly on the better end of the deal.
“
Tea?” asked Natalia hopefully.
“
Right you are, tea it is,” replied the woman, handing Catalyst a fair-sized pouch as she smiled kindly at Natalia.
#
“
I don't really need a blanket tonight. I can build a fire to keep warm,” said Catalyst.
“
You certainly can, because you’re not getting mine,” said Natalia taking a few pieces of jerky from the counter to ease her hunger.
With their stuff in hand and heading up the stairs to the ladder, Natalia stopped and looked out over the roof of the Gallows.
“
Now, Catalyst, tell me something will you. Why did we not just climb the roof and walk across it right to here and save all the trouble?” asked Natalia as she looked at the curve of the roof.
“
Here's why,” replied Catalyst. He picked up a handful of loose dirt and rocks, threw it on to the rooftop and watched it slide down. Razor-sharp blades popped two inches out straight across in a line three rows wide from one end to the other, turning every piece of everything that Catalyst threw into dust.
“
That's why. Remember this is a prison before anything else,” continued Catalyst.
“
I see,” said Natalia. “If I were alone in this world I would die,” she thought, grateful for Catalyst.
“
Let's go, Natalia. Up the ladder,” said Catalyst climbing ahead of her.
They found the bridge at the top of the ladder. Natalia was now weary from the better part of the day spent under extreme mental stress, so Catalyst knew the climb across the bridge was not going to be easy on her. The bridge may have looked a mile long but with its ascent of two miles high, it was much more than that. Knowing she could rest on the other side, Catalyst pushed her on.
Standing at the base of the sheer cliff right under the bridge, having gathered his strength, the Elf knew he would have to climb as fast as he could if he were to catch Natalia and Catalyst at the top.
Jumping made him wince and he realized the pain from his wounds would now force a much slower ascent to the top.
CHAPTER SIX
THE HYBRIDS
They crossed the bridge that Natalia thought should have been condemned long ago. They saw nothing but jagged rocks and bushes everywhere. Frustrated by Catalyst’s pushing her so hard, Natalia picked the nearest rock and sat down with her jaw clenched.
“
Where are we going to rest for the night?” demanded Natalia in a blank tone of voice leaving no doubt as to how she felt.
“
We could stay right here if you like, but there are waterfalls not far from here, if you think you could walk another fifty feet around these bushes,” replied Catalyst with a smile.
With her shoes already off and being pushed so hard to cross the bridge which seemed as though it could have collapsed at any minute, Natalia was in no mood for jokes. She had just had enough for the day! From the look on her face Catalyst knew it.
“
Tell you what, Natalia, climb on my back and I'll carry you the rest of the way. How’s that?” asked Catalyst.
Without a word, Natalia handed Catalyst her sweat-soaked shoes and pushed the fitsall out of her way. She climbed up and nudged him to start walking.
Happy to be off her feet and even happier still with Catalyst struggling to carry her, her shoes and the fitsall through the bushes, Natalia felt better about the whole thing.
They passed through the bushes and took five hundred steps rather than fifty. But there in front of Natalia was the most breathtaking sight she had ever seen. The waterfalls sparkled with blues, greens, yellows with hints of red, purple and gold and touches of clear water so clean that crystal failed in comparison. It made for the most spectacular rainbows anyone had ever seen as one rainbow stood above another at least five high with the mist pushing out from the bottom of the falls as the Achiyalabopa birds dived through the air into the mist and falls, catching fish. Their rainbow coloured feathers meant there was no telling them apart from the rainbows as they flew through them. With their feathers as sharp as knives, the ones diving into the water did so without so much as a ripple.
Natalia smelled the fragrance of flowers she had never smelt before blooming all over the place. Her tensions melted away almost instantly as she got off Catalyst’s back. Walking to the edge of the water she sat down and soaked her feet while Catalyst joined her.
“
Better, Natalia?” asked Catalyst.
“
I could stay here forever,” replied Natalia gently.
“
See this moment right now. This is why I pushed you so hard to cross that bridge. I knew you would love this place and I'm sure you would have been angry with me if I hadn't pushed you,” said Catalyst, knowing he and Natalia had peace between them.
“
Again, why not just tell me this place was here?” asked Natalia with a smile.
“
Because the first time I saw this place I felt just like you do now. I thought if I told you what to expect it would rob you of the feeling you have right now. After telling me about your daydreams, I just wanted something nice for you, and look, it cost nothing. All you had to do was get here,” replied Catalyst.
“
Mmm, I guess my Mom was right. Some of the best things in life are free,” said Natalia.
#
The Elf had made his way halfway up the cliff by jumping and swinging from one handhold to the next, leaving a bloody trail from his hand behind him. He would be at the top by morning. With the pain from his butt wound caused by Natalia hitting him with the axe, his hatred and anger fed his thirst for vengeance, driving him on without fear.
#
Natalia smiled as she reached into the fitsall pulling out the supplies Catalyst had traded all his stuff for.
“
Natalia, what are you doing?” asked Catalyst.
“
I'm hungry. I want to eat,” replied Natalia, surprised she had to explain the obvious.
“
Leave that stuff for later –
we've got fresh everything all around us,” said Catalyst, pointing to the trees, water, fish and fruits as he returned her look of surprise.
Walking to the water’s edge Catalyst knelt down and waited for a fish to get close. Shooting his hand into the water faster than Natalia could see, Catalyst held up a fish, then grabbed some greens from the shoreline.
“
Fish and salad okay with you?” asked Catalyst holding out his hands filled with dinner.
“
Yeah! That'll be just fine,” replied Natalia, deeply impressed by Catalyst.
Not wanting to watch him clean their dinner, Natalia pulled a huge leaf from a nearby tree, folded it into a cup of sorts and went to pick some berries for their salad.
After eating her meal, Natalia took her blanket and using her coat for a pillow. She curled up under a tree and drifted off to sleep without so much as a goodnight to Catalyst. Understanding that Natalia was Human and must be exhausted, he took no offence.
Building his fire and then climbing the tallest tree he could find, Catalyst studied the road ahead.
With Natalia lying there sleeping and with the quiet and time to think, Catalyst decided it was best not to tell her just how dangerous this place could be. The less she knew the less she would worry and, besides, who was to say that they would meet with any trouble anyway.
After a quiet night and a sleep so sound that not even an earthquake could have woken her, Natalia rose from her blanket all fresh and brand new.
“
This place is so peaceful. I've never slept so well in my whole life,” said Natalia.
“
Good,” said Catalyst, proudly handing her a cup of tea. At the first sip Natalia could tell straightaway this was not like any tea she had ever had before. It was so much better she could feel the energy starting to surge through her body. With each sip of tea more and more energy flowed.
“
So tell me –
what's this place called?” she asked as she sipped her tea.
“
I've only ever called it the plateau. I'm not sure it has a real name. Why? Do you want to name it?” asked Catalyst jokingly.
“
No that's okay. Plateau will do just fine,” replied Natalia.
“
Want fish for breakfast?” asked Catalyst hoping to show off his speed again.
“
No thanks. I'll have fruit instead,” laughed Natalia.
Still wanting to show off for her, Catalyst picked up a rock and aimed for the fruit in the tree right above them. He held out his hand, waited for a fresh piece of fruit to drop right into his palm and then offered it to her.
“
I'll show you!” thought Natalia as she picked up her own rock, looked up at the tree and threw. Then looking at Catalyst with her hand held out to catch the fruit, it fell right at his feet, exploding and covering their legs in nectar and fruit flesh. Natalia turned and ran right for the water diving in with Catalyst chasing after.
Having spent a good half hour diving, chasing and splashing one another, Natalia and Catalyst headed back to shore squeaky clean.
“
We both needed a good bath,” said Natalia, sniffing the air around herself.
With a good breakfast in her and the tea having taken full effect, Natalia was on her feet and ready to go.
“
Okay which way now?” asked Natalia, brimming with energy.
“
Same way as before, towards Ghost Mountain,” replied Catalyst as he turned to lead the way.
#
The old Elf had reached the top of the sheer cliff right behind the bridge. Following Natalia’s and Catalyst’s footprints as best he could, he eventually he came to the very spot they had spent the night.
With the lightest scent from Natalia’s perfume left on the tree she had slept under, the Elf sat down to rest after his climb and unwittingly fell asleep, allowing more distance between him and his prey.
#
“
Natalia, I've got to tell you, in this place, right now we're surrounded by Hybrids and although they’re decent enough, I don't want you getting upset should we meet any,” said Catalyst.
“
What do you mean Hybrids?” asked Natalia.
“
Well, you know your people used to come here, so there are some Basajaunak/Humans, Elf/Humans, Mugwad/Humans and who knows what else. Oh yeah and one Krusnik/Human,” explained Catalyst, smiling as he tried to ease any tension that Natalia might feel.
“
Basajaunak/Human, how does that happen? I've met the Basajaunak and although we're similar in shape we're still two very different species,” blurted out Natalia before Catalyst could answer her question.
“
You'll see. Just up ahead there lives a fellow named Kaylec. He's a Basajaunak/Human, maybe he'll explain,” replied Catalyst. He had heard the story before and did not want to ruin it for Natalia.
Having slept for about two hours, the rotting body odour of the Elf and the stench of the pus-filled blood from his wounds had carried through the air, catching the attention of some Achiyalabopa birds. The Elf woke to a bird picking away at his wounded finger, pulling the flesh from the bone. The Elf covered his mouth to muffle his scream and with his left hand, he grabbed the bird and squeezed hard enough to choke the life from it.
Grabbing the sunlight with its feathers and blinding the Elf with a quick flash, the Elf let go of the other bird to cover his eyes, but not before the Achiyalabopa struck the Elf’s face and flew off with his left eye in its beak.
Rolling on the ground in pain the Elf made his way to the water’s edge and washed out his eye socket to try and relieve the exploding, burning, stinging pain that gripped his head.