Under a Starless Sky novel Chapter 20

They found no evidence of Shen for that night, all that next day, and all of that next night. He arrived by the end of the second of day, before sun set. He walked out to find the boys in loose groups, nothing organized. No one had expected him to come. No one truly expected anything except he would likely be beat to death. He came out wielding a self-made bow and arrow. He had fined tuned it. He had killed fire snakes with it. He had killed one Irk with it. The Irk roared, the arrow flew through opened mouth, and penetrated the back of its neck. He had hope to severe the spinal cord and fell it in one swoop. That didn’t happen. The creature suffered for days before dying, unable to eat, unable dislodge the arrow. It finally died because it was too tired to run and its peers ate it. Shen hated that. He hated this.

But he was capable. He stepped forwards into the light. An older boy whistled. Everyone turned to see him. Kole was suddenly jovial. The first arrow dropped his favored, the strongest man in Midelay. The arrow penetrated eye, into the brain, and he fell. Kole was speechless, his mouth agape. The man’s blood had splattered him. The second man to die was his friend. Third arrow penetrated Kole’s right shoulder. He screamed an order. Boys, not men, were incited to rush him. Shen retreated to the forest. Boys followed. They chased, losing him in the woods. He had doubled back, came behind them and shot an arrow hitting the nearest Sleeper Tree. Most of the group of boys fell. Only two did not. He put an arrow by their feet.

“Run back, report what happened,” Shen said.

The boys ran back. He followed as if chasing them. He came out of the shadow of the forest, the boys still running, and launched another arrow. Another man fell.

Nine female rushed him. He retreated, notching another arrow.

“Hold!” this was Gindy.

“You’re interfering in the affairs of men,” Shen said.

“Come to the circle. We promise no harm will come to you,” Gindy said.

“Only to be trapped in your circle?” Shen asked.

“You’re are invited into the circle in peace, you may leave the circle in peace,” Gindy said. “You have my word.”

Tian came forwards, carrying a bamboo torch. The upper cell held pitch. “Shen, N’Ma requests an audience. You will not be harmed. You must, however, surrender your weapon.”

Shen’s hands were shaking. There were tears in his eyes.

“Have I, or N’Ma, ever lied to you?” Tian said.

Shen released the arrow he was holding. It feel to the ground. Gindy came forward, hand out to accept the bow. He surrendered it. He also surrender the quiver. He walked towards the Circle, surrounded by apprentice and one Master. Tian walked next to him, with the torch. The boys and adolescent males were no longer snickering. The men who stared were seriously angry. He arrived at the circle unmolested. He did not bow.

“You need to…” N’Ma began.

“No,” Shen said. “You called for truce, I get to speak first.”

N’Ma was angry. There were other Masters present, some equally angry, some ready to kill, but a few were neutral, studying him. Eirwen was present. He had never met her before. She was nowhere near as ugly as the rumors that followed her. She was approaching thirty, and had still not been raised to Master, and remained as guard on East Midelay side. She was thinner than she should have been. Her appearance reminded her of the actress Essy Persson, an actress in the B movie, ‘Mission Stardust.’ Interestingly enough, that ‘alien’ look reminded him of Vril women, and the main character of ‘Galaxina.’ The look reminded him of Loxy, only she was brunette- and he heard an inner argument, no, not her, you have been too far removed her and wanting, but a distant echo of Loxy was kind to him, ‘I like the way you see me I’m every woman.’ His brain wanted to chase connections but someone spoke, breaking his daydream. The weight of the situation brought him back and he wanted to die.

“That’s the rule,” Gitta said.

“I know the damn rules,” N’Ma snapped.

“I respectfully request people are sent to recover the boys, sleeping by the Sister Lo tree,” Shen said.

“You know the tree’s name?” N’Ma asked.

“Please, don’t let them sleep the night unprotected,” Shen said. “I have seen evidence for a rogue Irk roaming.”

Some of the anger in the group dissipated. He wouldn’t know till much later that technically, the sleeping men belonged to him, to kill or slave, per rules of engagement and he had just returned them; an act of mercy. N’Ma nodded, and the task was delegated. Shen bowed, respectfully. Kole came forwards. His arm and shoulder was crudely bandage. He complained that they had not done a proper healing.

“As long the war is on, we cannot intervene with healing,” N’Ma said.

“I give you permission to heal him,” Shen said. “It will prolong is suffering.”

“You cheated!”