Chapter 65

Kongamato tasted a lot like chicken. After three days of dried meat, Aurelia's stomach welcomed the flying terror. The campfire crackled and popped. Showers of sparks dropped to the stone circle around the tiny blaze. The silence of the night air bothered Aurelia. In the wilderness back home, one could depend on the crickets and owls to make their night music.

Sahiri's ears flicked back and forth, "I do not trust the silence," She said after several minutes. She tossed a bone to the blackened sand and examined A femur, "This will do nicely for Juma's partisan."

"It is part of the madness of the Broken Plains. The silence plays with the mind and keeps a person on edge," Ayasu undid her bedroll and laid it close to the fire.

"What will we find in Matumaini?" Aurelia found it hard to believe the Lions were once part of an advanced Civilization.

Ayasu and Sahiri shrugged in unison, "We both have enough sense to stay out of the badlands, good daughter," Ayasu propped her head on her open palm. "There is one story passed from head lioness to head lioness. Would you both like to hear it?"

Sahiri and Aurelia were like little girls. They both moved closer so as not to miss a word from the elder lioness. "Remember this day, dark princess, for we are about to hear something few know. It is a gift beyond imagining."

"No arguments here," Aurelia nibbled on another succulent chunk of Kongamato.

"It is said the people of Kianzangi were once part of the Lemurian empire. The Lemurians grew powerful in the ways of magic and wrought many wonders with it. The greatest of these spellcasters was a man named Kivuli."

The dots connected immediately in Aurelia's mind, "Isn't he the one who tried to protect your people from being destroyed by the sickness?"

"Hmmm," Ayasu nodded, "Yes, but that is only half the story," she took a moment to nibble on some meat, "Kivuli did save our people from extinction, but his methods cost him dearly."

Sahiri knit her brows in thought and unconsciously scraped at the ground with her claws. Little furrows in the blackened sand appeared, "What was the price?"

"As Aurelia told us, the shadowborn are created by the dead souls of evil spell casters. The hyena serum he brewed did not work fast enough to shield us from the virus. In a last-ditch effort to save us, he wrought the werelion curse on the remaining people. His good intentions did not change the fact his spell was evil."

"Did the spell kill him?" Sahiri drank in every word before she dared to ask her question.

Ayasu nodded sadly, "It did kill him, but he returned as a creature born of the dark. Some say he returns to the ruins to undo the curse. Others say he rules over Matumaini like a twisted ruler."

"Pride Mother, why would you tell a story meant for the lead lioness. Does that not break the vows you took when you joined the council?" Sahiri watched the elder with an eye filled with discernment.

"Aurelia is already a Pride Mother of her kingdom, and when we return, I will name you my successor Sahiri. I know you are the true power behind Juma's leadership. You steer him away from rash decisions and thoughtless actions. He is like his father that way."

"You honor me, Pride Mother," Sahiri bowed her head in respect.

"What do you think of Zinjo?" Aurelia couldn't help but ask the mother what she thought of her son.

"Zinjo doesn't always think with his head all the time. He tends to listen to his heart more often. It's not a bad thing if one listens to the head in concert with the heart. He is proud of our culture, and that does not always translate well to the world at large."

The memory of their argument outside Unearthly treasures made Aurelia laugh, "I know all about that," She told the story of the brothel.

Ayasu shook her head and chuckled, "I agree with Zinjpo. The concept sounds reprehensible. How you dealt with it was inspired. I have never seen Zinjo so happy."

Aurelia tried to her reddened face by yawning, "Perhaps we should get some sleep, Matumaini awaits."

***

The old city of Matumaini loomed in the distance. The white walls invoke a worse feeling than the black sand beneath her feet. Their search for Nyo and Kuende came up empty as well. Every viable shelter showed no signs of life.

"They must be in the city," Ayasu said after a prolonged silence. "I pray to the creators above they are safe and whole when we find them." Her tone leaned more to the unsunny side of things.

They proceeded through the great iron gates attached to ruined walls. Like Tambwe, structures made from stone ruled the landscape. Unlike Tambwe, the stones were polished and shaped and gave the buildings a more finished look.

A multitude of footsteps caught Aurelia's ear, as it did Sahiri and Ayasu. Her hand zipped to the Lion's Fang and clutched the hilt tight. "We are not the only ones here."

Sahiri pointed ahead while she pressed a finger to her lips. Aurelia and Ayasu nodded, she waved her hands, and a group of stones swirled around her.

As they journeyed on, soft chitters and hisses added to the unseen footsteps. Aurelia couldn't tell how many of them there were, but she knew she and her companions would be overwhelmed in a prolonged conflict.

Many of the buildings remained intact and serviceable, not that it mattered if one could not find food or water. They carefully checked the dwellings for signs of life and came up empty. Their findings came into direct conflict with what their keen senses told them.

"This is taking too long, " Aurelia stated in a firm tone. "Where did Kivuli conduct his research?" She smacked herself in the head, "Right, you two haven't been here before."

"What about that large building at the other end of town?" Sahiri asked. "If I were looking for shelter, I would choose that structure."

Ayasu nodded in agreement, "Hmmm," She grunted like Zinjo, "I agree."

The destroyed city played on Aurelia's worry for Shadowfen. If Kivuli could cause such destruction, what was Dunkelheit capable of doing? "Let's hurry."

***

Inside the massive structure, the disembodied snarls and growls grew louder. Hundreds of feet shuffled beyond the trio's vision. Aurelia drew the lion's fang, and a soft blue glow blanketed the sharpened onyx.

Rows and rows of leatherbound books filled rooms. Others contained schematics and gadgets in various states incomplete. One room, in particular, held a forge and two armor stands with two completed suits of armor. Aurelia could see Zinjo at the head of the army, inspiring them with his wonderous apparel.

"It is best not to take anything from here, as it might provoke Kivuli into action," Ayasu's sage tone brought Aurelia back to reality.

"How right you are," A void-filled voice said from behind them.

Aurelia spun and gasped at the horror she saw. Her hand brandished the glowing Lion's Fang. "Kivuli, I presume?"