Chapter 4
It took half the time to travel back down the tunnel and hear the roaring sound of falling water grow increasingly deafening with each step. As he reached the mouth he realized night had fallen. The half-lit moon gave plenty of light to see the area enough to navigate safely.
Cage waded into the crisp water to feel every sensation with the boots and gauntlets as if nothing could feel any more natural than it always had. He killed the light and dove into the water to feel not even the tiniest weight difference the gauntlets and boots had before. As he made it to shore he said “I’ll find out tomorrow if there is any significant differences…” and went to go collect littered sticks. “Fire.” He said and brought the bundle to flame without much of a drop in energy. The fire quickly grew and kept him warm and safe for the clear night.
But before even thinking about falling asleep Cage further and more closely examined his new appearance with a full mirror’s reflection. He remained as naked as he had been born, but the arms and feet looked very aesthetically pleasing. After making sure, he canceled the spell and began to feel where the black ended and tan began. He felt, but couldn’t find a ridge, bump or seam with even the softest touch. It felt just like actual warm skin and even all the muscle definition and veins are as they once were. He felt his pulse through the material, pinched the skin and lifted as much as it originally allowed and scratched as if he had an itch. Every test said the gauntlets and boots were skin. Cage then began to look more closely at the black diamond’s which he knew back home were truly the rarest diamond on the whole planet and none were nearly as large as the identical four now part of him. But unlike with the skin, the diamonds didn’t move. He felt around and came to the conclusion that each facsimile of an eye had been practically bolted to two bones in the hand.
Afterwards he tested another idea and dragged the edge of the trusty stone knife across. He felt the pressure and all the jagged edges, but no matter how much he forced it to cut his flesh, it couldn’t do a thing. He then tested the edge of his left shoulder and found the protection ended at the round material’s conclusion that encircled under the armpit.
Other people would have been worried that something they didn’t understand latched itself onto their body like some kind of parasite, but if that was the price to being able to walk again he’d gladly do it again. Anything is better than being forced to live in a chair for the rest of one’s life when fools ran the world and wouldn’t find a cure to paralysis. If only they knew what it is like to be in it for a day they would have a change of heart. Doesn’t matter anymore. Cage thought. I’m here now and can move and do things others have only dreamed of. It has been a long day and I need to rest.
He leaned back and closed his eyes to play on his ocarina till he fell asleep.
Running through the trees, he found the boots were allowing him to run as hard as he could without worry or breaking like the vines in the sandals often did. He ran as he did on the beach, without any serious worry of injury. He acquired a few cuts from the thick forest, but they didn’t hurt as he pushed harder and enjoyed the thrill of letting loose since his feet had the best protection they had ever had.
The forest nearly blurred as he cut straight to the east and in about an hour he blasted beyond the forest’s barrier and bent over to catch his breath. “That was awesome!” He shouted to himself as the thrill ebbed. He looked along the water’s edge for the two skull rocks Ceembura mentioned. It wasn’t in sight.
Cage went for another run in a northerly direction.
Nearly two hours later he slowed to a stop. Nearly a mile from the water’s edge were many jagged rocks jutting out of the sea, but two of the largest ones, he had never seen before, stood over thirty feet from the surface. Between them was a narrow place of nearly still water with small waves washing in and out. Instead of two skulls carved into the rocks as Cage imagined, one etched into either rock, the entire stone surface’s were carved into hundreds of lifelike black skulls on each. It looked as the most foreboding thing on the island.
“Cool!” Cage grinned.
He studied the newly open pass and wondered why he hadn’t sensed the working of magic. Sometimes he didn’t feel it till he was close or further away if it were powerful, but after feeling and understanding what it is, he began asking what the differences were. “I need a teacher or some kind of book…”
A plan began to form as he watched the pass carefully. He judged there to be a twenty foot space between. Getting through wouldn’t be a problem, but how to safely reach the opposite shore…
“A raft will be the only solution.” He decided since he knew it wouldn’t be smart to swim into the unknown. He will need supplies of food and water. Both were plentiful on the island. “Right, get to work.”
Two days passed as he found several dead trees, brought them back and lashed them securely together with vine. He would also grab fruits and vegetables, enough for two additional days and found a bamboo grove to carry the water in five prepped cylinders, also enough for two days. Lastly he sat and carved a makeshift paddle out of a long piece of driftwood and spiked the other end to use as a pole and deterrent if any sharks or other malevolent sea creatures get to close.
On the morning of the third day, Cage hydrated, relieved himself and warmed up as the sun began to rise. He made sure everything remained secure and pushed the raft into the water. Because of its lightweight design it wasn’t waterproof, but it did float well as he pulled himself in. He sat down and began rowing straight down the center of the pass. Just feeling like it, Cage made a fist and pointed either at opposite monoliths saying “Goodbye and thanks for taking such good care of me.” The gentle current pulled him away past the grinning skulls and out to sea.
The first hour wasn’t easy as he fought a current that wanted to bring him into the island again, but perseverance won and he rowed due east, always keeping his bearings because of the island’s lone mountain. It was harder to see the eastern shore, but it didn’t mean it wasn’t there.
Breaking at noon, Cage took out some fruit and a canister of water inside a plugged cell of bamboo. Both were great and took the salt out of his mouth from falling out once and sea spray from waves lifting and sinking the raft. Two hours later he had to act fast as the front of the raft started splitting. Extra vine and a spell to swim the vine’s end up and around made it come back together without incident.
As the sun began a swift descent on Cage’s cooked back he came upon a welcome sight. The shore was much closer as the waves finally lifted him high enough to see the line of green from trees stretching for many, many miles. What lay there he didn’t know, but wanted to find out.
An hour before nightfall the steady rise and fall of the sea changed and became more unpredictable till Cage realized what is happening.
The waves were growing dangerously as he came closer to shore.
Realizing how close he came to the destination he began paddling with new strength and urgency. He paddled hard as he was lifted and slowed as the wave kept going without him catching a ride. Cage used to surf when he got the rare chance and knew when to use strength and when not to. He knew he needed to use the waves to carry him in.
But it didn’t turn out as he wished. As one large wave of seawater lifted the raft, it didn’t ride as a slick-bottomed board would. Lifting everything, Cage took a deep breath as the raft went vertical before being torn apart in the impact of the crashing waves. Cage jumped as best he could in the situation, to get away from the wrecked raft. He didn’t completely succeed as something smacked into his back and legs. For a moment the tumbling of the wave made it impossible to tell up from down. As the pain of impact passed, he righted himself and rushed to exchange the burning in his lungs. His head came out and breathed while looking around for a few seconds as the wave that destroyed his raft needed to build up for a finishing pass. But Cage saw the remnants of his raft still nearby and swam away with all haste. It worked as he didn’t get tangled in the mess or hit again, bu
t his back still hurt badly. After a few more tidal surges he began to read the sets and timed himself with the ocean to bodysurf or swim below any truly dangerous situations. A half hour of fighting the force of nature deposited him on a white sandy beach.
He moved up, passed the wave lines and collapsed in the sand to rest. “Thank goodness there wasn’t a riptide or it would have been near impossible.” He knew to swim parallel to the shore if it did happen, but for how tired he felt made him glad it is over.
After relaxing and catching his breath he stood to check himself over. All the cuts from before were still healing, but there weren’t any new openings that needed attention. His back hurt much more than his legs, but the pain diminished and would leave a mild bruise very soon. While surveying the area he cursed as he lost the stone knife that had been so useful since coming, but the ocarina stayed near as the vine hadn’t let it go from his waist. He untied it and turned it over to pour out the saltwater.
From the beach he stood on, he looked upon his island. It had grown so small he couldn’t believe it if not for living there for some time. It looked absolutely majestic as the sun set on its backside and the reddish rays bowled over it. A small smile touched him deeply and he let it out.
Something caught his eye rolling in the surf and found only one of the bamboo water containers, with its plug intact. Needing it, he pulled out the stopper and drained half its contents. Water hadn’t tasted that good since he first learned to walk again.
Everything else that made its way to shore couldn’t be salvaged.
That night he stayed on the beach and used a fire to steam out the water from the instrument and the remaining pine resin melted just enough to seal any breaches the tumbling made in the seam.
By the time it dried, it played properly again.
In the morning he jogged until spotting a stream bleeding into the ocean. “Here’s a good as place as any.” He determined, turned and made way upstream.
The forest he traveled through wasn’t as thickly packed, but it did have more animal variety by tracks around the water. There were many more birds and it seemed as beautiful as his earlier home.
Soon after, he smelled the familiar hint of smoke. Being more cautious, he kept going and followed the welcoming scent. Using experience in stealth, he made his way ever closer and jumped behind a bush when he saw movement.
A man in woodsy colorings knelt close to the stream to fill a small metal bowl that looked to be regularly used over a fire. In a soft leather boot was a large knife. A thick bushy beard gave the middle-aged man a haggard look. His clothes weren’t in the best condition, as if he spent a great deal of time out in the woods.
Like I’m in a different situation? He wondered internally. But he kept watching the other man and went unnoticed. Cage only moved when the man walked back to camp, not even realizing someone shadowed him.
Cage stepped carefully into the brush, as he had been trained to avoid the subject’s attention, and watched closely as he walked into a small clearing. Beside a fire, with what looked like a spitted raccoon roasting, sat a single pack and sleeping bag, but a second look made it out to be a thick blanket to be thrown over. All signs pointed that he was all alone, but a strange void in the grass beside the man felt unsettling. Still, I have to chance it if I’m to learn anything. He voted internally.
“Hello out there!” Cage called out.
The wild man jumped without hesitation and pulled a crossbow from the hollow void in the grass. “Who’s There!” He demanded harshly while pointing the crossbow in Cage’s general direction, but not directly at where he stood behind a thick tree. Something about this man spoke of danger so Cage chanced “A wary traveler who is lost and needs help.”
The crossbow aimed closer from what Cage’s one eye looking around the tree saw. “Then come out where I can see you!”
“Please put the weapon down, I’m unarmed and will not harm you if you’re willing to do the same.” He put forth, acting timid in how he spoke with pauses and a small frightened stutter. But he watched as a dark grin revealed yellow, rotting teeth and the wind shift spoke of how he hadn’t bathed in weeks or longer.
The man’s demeanor warned of mistrust, but like Cage he sounded pleasant and welcoming yet his weapon didn’t even attempt to dip. “Very well, I will enjoy someone to talk with. I’ve put my weapon down. Come on out now.” Cage knew just what kind of person he dealt with and it wasn’t going to be a pleasant experience. He smiled.
“Alriiiight.” He said timidly and looked to the large bush not two feet to his right. Cage knelt and whispered “Full body mirror that will catch my every aspect without looking flat or distorted. Mimic my every move.” And felt the tingle and watched as an exact copy appeared so lifelike it was momentarily frightening, looking back at himself. He watched as the wind simply passed a falling leaf through the side of his illusion’s face, but it worked. Cage stood slowly and his head passed the safety of the bush.
Without any kind of warning or brief hesitation a twang sounded and Cage fell back with a surprised yell and went silent. He made the illusion disappear after seeing the bolt fly straight through his fake head.
Knew it. He thought with a growing grin.
Heavy feet charged the several yards while the man drew his knife from the boot. Cage watched from a low position and moved around to the left as the man hurried around the opposite way with a wild look in beady brown eyes.
The would-be murderer rushed through the brush to find nothing where he shot the person he saw. “Huh?” He questioned and turned around to find an extremely tall, naked, grinning man of lean build standing over him, but before he could move and finish the job Cage gave one last moment of opportunity to think about killing, but as the knife twitched he kicked the simply built crossbow of wood and twine and punched the other man right in the throat so fast he didn’t see it coming.
Cage jumped back as the knife came around and threatened to gut him. It cut only air. The man clutched his throat and realized the severity of the situation when he couldn’t take another breath. Cage had crushed the opponents windpipe with precision and a swiftness using only his arms for so long had blessed him with amazingly deceptive strength. As the man’s face began to turn from red to blue he thought to take the opponent with him and charged with the knife. Feeling slightly curious, Cage grasped the knife by the blade with his left hand and threw the man forward while tripping him with a foot sweep. The man fell face first and lost control of his only weapon. Cage’s grin and love of a good fight ended with him holding the knife and watching the man writhe. As the beady brown eyes last looked upon Cage he said calmly “You should have been more prepared to die if your first intention is to kill. I will remember, but never mourn someone as cowardly as you. If there is something for you beyond this I hope you suffer.” And Cage watched as the man went limp and died.
Without another look to know it wasn’t a false death, Cage began gaining knowledge on the man who already smelled of death. In the pack he found a few more bolts for the crossbow, a few metal containers and a rolled up piece of paper.
Cage opened the yellow piece of rather thick paper to laugh. “So you were already a wanted man in connection for three confirmed deaths of young women, robbery, rape and kidnapping for ransom. You aren’t even wanted alive, just need your head to claim the reward. And you thought to remind yourself of these deeds by keeping a poster of yourself as a trophy? What an idiot! You were some piece of work and worth… ten silver and nine copper pieces? Wait is that some kind of currency?” He asked to no one and went back to the man to begin patting the warm corpse down. A small bulge in his shirt resulted in a small leather bag with a drawstring around its mouth. Cage found dozens of thin copper disks about three quarters of an inch in diameter. He pulled one out to find it had not any kind of insignia and a quick taste made him realize it is indeed copper. “To hide it so well means it has to be money. Well it’ll go to a better use. As will other things.”
Cage still had many hours of light left and he began the grizzly task of cutting the man’s head off with the newly acquired knife and using his shirt to carry it in. He also took off the murderer’s pants and gagged at the smell of an unwashed body. A thorough washing in the stream with gritty sand and vigorous scrubbing knocked much of the smell out. He also washed the simple knife out and sterilized it in the fire before doing something that would be required. Cage made a mirror image appear again and after sharpening the blade on a stone to give it a proper edge he shaved very carefully, not nicking the flesh at all. For the first time in months he felt a smooth jaw again. Afterwards he cut the tattered ends of the pants and put them on. They were much too short and tight, but they worked enough to wear as knee high shorts. The belt made it easier to carry the ocarina and money bag. Cage collected the pack, stuffed the trophy inside with the metal ware and kicked out the fire before tossing the dead animal into the woods.
Cage then continued running upstream.
Instead of the water getting smaller upstream as before, it grew. Several hours later he round the stream as it became a slow moving river. But another hour later the water grew even calmer, almost stopping. Not one other sign of habitation presented itself as he followed an easterly direction at a sustainable jog.
He found a large lake as he reached the mouth. It was nearly as beautiful as the paradise on his island. Trees grew intricately around and more late spring flowers blossomed at its calm edge to give it a pleasant smell. But after taking in the wonder he found what looked like old stone ruins of some ancient castle outpost. The debris stood three stories above the water. He decided to investigate the site and climbed safely to its highest point that stood right above the water. He took in everything before him.
But he wasn’t alone.
Meeka swam alone in her favorite location since so few outside her small town know of the lake’s location. She left her dress on the bank so it didn’t get wet and did as she had always done as a little girl. The locals of her town usually comes to fish or swim if time permitted and the main rule of the town was to stop fishing as night started to settle in. Some come to do as she to relax or bathe, but she went to her spot for its privacy even though she knew the others might not come since most of the farmers were working all day in the fields or doing some such job.
But as she began to prune in the darkness a strange music she had never heard before began spreading out across the lake. Meeka stopped swimming to listen and became drawn by such a melody. She floated there for some time just enjoying how it flowed and relaxed her. She knew it came from a single instrument, but such a unique quality made her want to see where exactly it came from.
She swam back and slipped on her dress, fixed it and wrung out her hair. She let it fall back in a single strand which soaked the fabric further, sticking it to her back. Meeka moved around the cattails and reeds to quietly approach where the sound emanated.
Before long she crouched down behind some trees and looked at who stood upon the old ruins. A campfire sat beside him on the large stone slabs and the light gave him a powerful and commanding look. Short pants covered narrow hips and long legs upheld a large and lean torso that didn’t hide the flat of his chest and stomach. Long corded arms were tucked in and his hands were firmly yet delicately surrounding something that gave off the sound she had been drawn to. She couldn’t tell any eye color for they were shut calmly. Even from behind the trees she saw the most handsome man she’d ever come across. He had a strong jaw with sharp cheekbones and short hair that blew back from the breeze. She sat down to watch and listen to him for she couldn’t bring herself to even think of leaving till he finished.
As the melody floated off into silence she saw him sit with his legs falling down on the edge of the old wall. He began to play, but the calm song he played before turned into something sad and the more he played the more she felt he had some inner pain that couldn’t be reached. But then she heard it change into a merry tune that made her foot tap to the beat from the excitement and her earlier assessment changed as the music altered the mood in every way she had ever experienced. Her body reacted to his music and to him as many handsome men do, but never had her nipples hardened so fast or her flower swelled for a longing she couldn’t indulge. Meeka continued to watch and study to come to a realization.
She had to meet this man and get to know him, even if it turned bad. She needed to find out about the mysterious stranger.
The last song came to an end, but she wasn’t ready for what came next.
“Did you like it!?” The man shouted while looking at her.
Being found out, she stood and came out from behind the trees. It had gotten so dark she knew he couldn’t see he clearly as his eyes squinted. “It was the most beautiful music I had ever heard actually.”
“Much appreciated.” He said as he continued to sit on the ledge.
“How long have you known I was listening?” She asked curiously.
He answered without lying. “When you got out of the water over there. And you’re not too adept at traveling through the brush. Lastly that dress of yours is pretty easy to spot. Since I had an audience I played more than usual. So what is your name, my one person audience?”
“My name is Meeka. Might I ask yours?”
“I’m Cage. Now Meeka might I ask a question or two as payment for enjoying my music so much.”
Meeka instantly loved the deep, masculine tone in his voice and felt her heart race as she heard him speak her name. Feeling a strange sensation just by talking she felt she wanted to answer anything he wanted to know. “Of course, anything!”
Her heart stopped as she saw his smile, then doubled the previous speed. “Alright, I’m quite lost and don’t quite know where I am exactly. I’m new to town and need directions. Can you point me in the nearest direction to a town or city? I don’t have much and there’s this issue I need to resolve before it deteriorates. Am I even close to some kind of civilization?”
“You are in luck then! You sit not an hour’s walk from the town of Kote, my home.”
“Kote? Odd name for a town, but I’m not one to knock off a simple thing as a name. Meeka, which direction is this place?” Cage asked as he stood and placed an object on his hip.
“If you would prefer a guide, I could personally show you?” She offered in excitement. Usually she felt wary of men, but he didn’t make her feel threatened.
“That will be very kind of you, but shouldn’t you be wary of strangers?”
“To me, you don’t seem to be of the bad sort.”
Meeka was then surprised as he laughed as astonishingly as the music he played. It was a laugh that made her feel warmer inside and so contagious she too giggled, but not loud enough for him to hear. “I’ll be right down then.” He said as he slung a pack over his shoulder, picked up a stick to use as a torch and kicked the rest of the fire into the lake below. The light and embers died instantly, making the area that much darker. She watched as the orange glow descended the ruins and reflected light off trees to show where he approached from.
In minutes the glow of fire became bright and her jaw dropped as she got an up close look of the man. He towered over her by a good six inches and she was rather tall for a woman, being six foot herself and though his build was lean he appeared to be frighteningly quick and deadly. His bare chest radiated heat off the golden brown tan. His arms looked to have been painted black, as were his feet. He looked more handsome than any man, she knew for certain. The most striking of all were his eyes. They were coal black and impossible to distinguish the irises from the retina. Every possible angle made her want to see more. She saw his teeth to be perfectly straight, without any defects and were pure white like pearls. Naturally her eyes dropped to his waistline and she flushed before realizing, but he apparently hadn’t seen as he still walked closer.
Cage came up to the woman from before and before thinking he whispered “Whoa!” and she must have heard it for her cheek
s reddened, but she didn’t look away.
Memories surfaced as he remembered the effects he had on women, but after ending up in a chair he learned just what women are truly like when they realize their lover won’t be able to walk again. It hurt terribly to know how shallow women are and how easily they’ll leave when confronted with even the minor inconvenience of something that couldn’t be fixed. Lesson learned, he thought as he tried dating again after the injury had healed, but one look at a guy in a chair told them on a basic instinctual level, Not mate worthy, defective genetic material. In reaction to all the thoughts of heartache and loss his expression blanked and put up a wall that would protect him from the scorn and petty personality of another gorgeous woman.
Although he did look and as any red blooded male, he couldn’t help admiring the allure of her feminine body and the desires that rise from one such as she. Meeka was the embodiment of a blonde bombshell with the perfect ratio. She wore a light blue dress that reached several inches above her shoes, but the design accentuated a narrow waist, flared hips and full bust that nearly made him fall faint and would die happy from viewing such a beauty. Her breasts were perfect, full and swelled with each breath. Long blonde hair with a slight wetness from the earlier swim trailed down her back to make her a beauty beyond compare. She didn’t wear any makeup for anything applied would be injustice. Large blue eyes made her look so inquisitive and innocent that she was easy to read. Full kissable lips were hard to resist and only one small beauty mark at the corner of her mouth made her a more beautiful woman than he had ever seen. She had a classy way to dress that beckoned him to partake in what she had to offer without ever being considered a slattern. Meeka was a woman he’d like to see naked, but past experience ruined any chance at something.
She saw the stoic expression and confusion furrowed her delicate brow.
Cage lightened his tone out of habit to ask “Lead on, Meeka.”
She beamed and turned around. As she walked away he had to forcibly keep from staring at the seductive walk her backside made and hurried to travel by her side.