Gentleman’s Guide to Fantastic Beasts 23: Interlude: Djet’Is

Gentleman’s Guide to Fantastic Beasts 23: Interlude: Djet’Is

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Wordcount: 2500

Commissioned by Sivantic.

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Barely two seasons have passed since Will left us to help the outsiders, and it was plain to see that his aid was the sole reason for their survival.

He taught them all that he taught the As’Kari.

How to feed themselves the flesh of monsters, how to hunt the monsters with greater ease, how to defend themselves, and more.

He took in the differences between our land and theirs, created ideas, and implemented them alongside what he already learned. The central keep of the town that he created reminded me of my father’s house: defensible but capable of hosting banquets and meetings alike. The stout walls of those who lived in the forests were improved by the perimeter defenses of the As’Kari. The stakes, the lines of wire attached to bells, and the traps hidden in the ground combined with great effectiveness with the solid watchtowers and walls of the weaker people.

And, those weaker people were gaining strength quickly.

The people of the forests were great in number, but their safety from the greater dangers posed by the beasts of the Great Desert made it so that only a few of them could be suitably empowered. Their vaunted knights were little better than our common warriors, and they were lesser in number. Some of their more elite knights, and perhaps the lords of their nation, were capable… but would fall in battle against the head of a Clan, let alone a tribe’s Chieftain.

No, the people of the forests drew their strength from their metalwork, their ability to enchant magic into their blades, and their great numbers led to more individuals capable of harnessing magic amongst them. More workers, more food, more weapons, and more goods. Unless the As’Kari speared through the nation with a single, fast thrust and killed it in a single blow, we could be buried beneath the sheer weight of the people of the forest… if we did not retreat into the Great Desert, where they could not pursue us.

However, Will’s changes and knowledge changed that fear.

We gained more warriors, increased our numbers, learned how to harness the secrets of magic and medicine. More of our warriors survived, grew stronger, and soon enough we loomed over the whole desert and threatened all others by simply existing. My father was taught by his father to never consider attacking the people of the forest, even if their lands were so perfect. However, both my father and I now looked to these lands and saw nothing but opportunity, until Will decided to help them.

Now their hunters and soldiers were growing stronger, the children of these men and women will rise up and become strong as well, and a strong bloodline that will serve as a shield against the As’Kari has been formed.

It felt like betrayal by Will.

No.

By all means, after seeing our decision to conquer all the other tribes, he exiled himself and left us.

My anger was rising, so I forced myself to rise from my bedding, and begin to attend to myself.

The As’Kari needed help and access to better arms and armor because of the terror that was unleashed.

Will’s settlement can provide that.

I could not allow my personal feelings to affect my actions.

This was for the As’Kari.

…

“Greetings, Djet’Is, daughter of the Shu’Ann.”

“Well met.”

I nodded at my guard, one of the first we sent this way and one of our chief traders with the people of the forest before the eternal night. His head was bare of hair and his face tanned into leather. He carried a heavy spear as easily as a twig. I knew that I was in good company. This man was skilled in many things.

“Lead the way.”

“As you will it, Djet’Is.” We were not amongst As’Kari, so he did not bow to me. Here we treated each other like equals, as we were surrounded by so many strangers. Even if they were potential allies, we could not afford to grow lax. “Follow me to fetch our morning meal.”

“I see.” Will advocated that the people of the As’Kari eat together. Before his suggestion, many smaller clans and families ate what their warriors brought. A communal tent with larger pots, pans, and tables was established by him and he encouraged they be used by everyone. The As’Kari saw the wisdom, as everyone was more capable of sharing their food with those who did not have enough. It made it easier for the larger clans to contribute food, too. He did the same here. “What food do they have here? Forest fare?”

“A few things that are unknown to us, yes, but a fair few things that we know well. The beasts taken from the lake are the most interesting.” I nodded at my guide’s words. Fish was known to us, but it was rarely partaken in. A handful of large oases in the Great Desert had fish and tortoises, but they were few in number, and greater beasts hunted them. “There’s enough fish in there to feed us all fresh fish every day, and enough to even smoke and dry to store.”

“Strange. How do they not take all the fish?”

“The fishermen, those who hunt and gather the fish, know of how they spawn and lay their eggs. They tend to the fish like we tend to our steeds and meal-worms.” Once more, I nodded in understanding. The body of water was an environment that was controlled and enhanced for the sake of producing more fish. Like our raising of large meal worms for meat on scraps and such. “It’s a difficult texture to explain. Too soft. Try a fair amount, but eat your fill of the meat of beasts here. They’re far more palatable.”

“Because they are weaker.”

“Exactly so.”

I moved with my guide into the building composed entirely of wood. It felt strange to enter a building made of such expensive material, until I reminded myself that they were trees from horizon to horizon. Not only that, but the wood wasn’t the hardy, sturdy, and lacquered kind that was beloved by craftsmen and weaponsmiths. This wood was suited for construction, just like the silks that we produced in such large amounts.

My guide led me to our fellows, who were eating after their latest patrol, and I gave them a nod.

I was tempted to ask them what they encountered, but stalled my tongue.

They needed to rest, and I will know what they learned when they returned to their duties, so I simply waited for my meal.

A mere few moments passed, before the meal arrived in a large wooden tray carried by slender, almost fragile arms.

The people here were almost disturbingly small to the point that I felt wandering into one would kill them.

Then again, there was the matter of some of these people of the forest being strange and powerful in their own right.

“What have you gathered on Will’s prisoner?” According to what we could gather in this land, Will was acting as a counselor and advisor to these people, while their own leaders worked together. He was a chieftain in all but name, and his territory was securing the surrounding lands for food and materials. I wondered why he would need so much, until more and more people began to arrive at the gates and building after building filled up. “How strong is it? And what monstrosity from which does it stem?”

We were familiar with bloodlines within the dessert, but our clans preferred to be sure. Bloodlines could wane and weaken over time. The lives of those born with the aspects of monsters could be shorter, or their minds could be corrupted. The chance of a great champion arising in one generation at little cost was tempting, but funneling resources into a champion that has proven themselves was more rational. I have brothers and sisters that could not reach me in terms of talent and skill, so they were not granted as much resources, and cultivated for other works.

Here, in this land, where more people could be born and resources were plenty… I suppose that they were willing to do both.

Those who rose through the ranks were the Knights, granted status and honor through merit, and raised up after proving themselves.

Bloodlines were cultivated for the chance of someone with talent and skill to rise within them, and those individuals would be cultivated in turn too, which would grant greater power at lesser cost to the tribe.

Or, in this case, kingdom.

Knowing that, I was curious about the Knight that Will was studying.

“The honored physician is wise. We believe that the woman’s bloodline stems from the fearsome Wyverns that dwell in the northern mountains of this land.” I nodded at the news. Wyverns were powerful beasts, and legendary knights of the forest were said to tame them and use them as powerful mounts. They were not as speedy as our own Desert Hornets, and neither did they have a deadly sting or the endurance to fly for hours and hours, but they were strong, maneuverable, and capable of breathing flame upon their foes. A powerful beast to cultivate into a bloodline indeed. “Many of the townsfolk say that their steel would be turned away by her skin alone, that she could call upon great amounts of power, and fight with immense strength and speed. She is equal to a Head Warrior, despite her young age, and that is without her arms and armor.”

“So, she would equal one of the Clan Heads. No wonder Will is capable of overwhelming her.”

“Indeed. Barring the usage of their strangest sorceries, I doubt any here could possibly hope to harm him.”

I nodded and so did my guide.

We accepted our food and ate in silence. The texture of the fish was strange, but the spices we traded were in heavy use, so the flavor was familiar. The portions seemed small, until a second and third tray arrived. Our heavy servings were not given a second look. We were warriors in their eyes, and larger than them, so they accepted that we needed more food. Not only that, but we brought much to their land, and Will made it clear to treat us with respect. Another example of his leadership and control over these people.

We finished our meal and left.

My eyes drifted to the “smithery.”

Most of the workers there were young, but one was an older man who was missing an arm and a leg, one of the few smiths left behind as the people of the forest pulled all talent towards their capital.

“What are they producing?”

“Nails, heads for arrows, and long spears.”

“Pikes.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

I nodded and looked at the facility. It was something that I only read about. The people of the forest, dug into the ground or into the mountains, then dug farther when they found “veins” of metals studded into the earth. My knowledge on the matter was limited, most likely because the people of the forest didn’t wish for their knowledge to be shared, because metal implements and tools were the few things that the tribes wanted from them.

And, the rest of the people of the forest abandoned their outermost lands, including their outposts where we once traded.

I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Heiress?”

“It’s nothing.”

The tools we needed from the forest people were under Will’s control now.

How long before he began to leverage his influence against us? He had more than we could offer him. There was enough food here to feed thousands, even without the constant stream of weak monsters providing their bodies. Even the strength of arms we offered him would soon be unnecessary, he was creating warriors for this land by feeding the people and training them against the monsters. All that we could offer him was the flesh of stronger monsters, or perhaps the luxuries that the kings of this land once desired, but even then such things were unnecessary.

Meanwhile, if we wished for fine needles to sew clothes, metal working for tools such as telescopes, or tools such as hammers and chisels to shape the broken bodies of the monsters… we would have to go through him now.

Will left us to help another nation survive some unknown plague besetting their king, yet now he controlled the only trade route between the forest and the Great Desert.

My teeth grit and my head ached, but I forced myself to breath deep in and exhale outward to empty my lungs.

I cleared my anger soon enough, even though the smoldering flame remained like coals in the depths of my innards.

Then, there came a singular sound.

A shrill roar that pierced through the land, which brought many normal people to their knees in an instant.

I struggled against the sound, staying upright, while some clenched their ears and screamed in pain.

A moment later, as swift as a northern breeze, the sound was muffled as threads from Will’s tent carried cloth into everyone’s ears at the same moment.

The lessened noise muffled everything, but many of the Desert knew how to speak with hand-signs alone.

Will approached me, and with his hands, asked me from where the sound came.

I focused… and found myself pointing towards the great tree of light constructed by the people of the forest.

My heart stalled and even Will froze at the sight.

The tree of light that was the sole pillar against the eternal night… had been cut.

A great and terrible wound was across its side, not enough to fell it, but it bled sap to cover its wound. The great sap was like a wave of blood that ran down its shining trunk and as the sap flowed the light of the tree waned.

The darkness that suffused the world entire threatened to deepen.

Deepen to the point of being pitch-black, and drown us in an eternal darkness, which would leave us all blind… incapable of even seeing our hands before our own faces.

For the first time in my life, even as the light returned and the wound on the tree healed, I felt fear.

Because, as I looked at Will, I found him lost and helpless as well.

If he knew nothing here, then what could any of us do?