The mirror: Kevali

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The Kevali inhabit vast cavern systems beneath the surface of their hostile planet. The twin suns constantly boring down on the surface have created a harsh desert environment. The days are long, the nights longer (the normal day lasts 36 hours). The intense heat of daytime and the bitter freezing cold of evening drove the Kevali underground centuries ago.

Phosphorescent algae provides an ambient glow, while oil lamps set into carved niches in the walls provide most of the dim light.

The capital city of Andhakara'a is built around an inky black subterranean river, the water is mostly drinkable...

The air is stale, it's crowded and the air is filled with the sound of tools and working.
It never seems to stop.

Map

Wow, where were they? Brandon looked at the outside then changed to a larger bird that could handle the winds, taking off and circling to find their ship or any landmark they could use to find where they were while Bryan stood at the opening and watched him.

~~
Christine stumbled back then quickly shifted and followed "Jerral, what is it?" She called, not worrying about being quiet since he was up.

Sand sand... more sand. Some rocks. The landscape was barren and black. Along the cliff face there looked to be some cave openings though, there were something that looked like hand holds carved into the rock around a couple of the caves, it had to be man made.

--

Jarral ignored her completely and headed down the stairs, where he'd run into Kaliyani who was sitting on them.
She stood, bowing her head. "Forgive me my lord..." She began, then frowned and backed down the stairs in a hurry.

Jarral said nothing, he continued to walk as if in a daze.

"I do not believe he is entirely awake." Kaliyani tried to step in front of him. He stopped, looked at her with those furious greyish eyes of his and attempted to shove her aside.

Brandon returned to Bryan and shook his head before flying higher to try to see if they were on the wrong side of the canyon.

Bryan huffed and took the orb, tying it in a cloth before taking bird shape and grabbing the cloth to fly with his brother. He really hated staying still.

~~~
"Jerral?" Christine moved so she could see his face, reaching out a hand to touch his arm "What is wrong?"

Jarral blinked. "They have it..." He tried to move past her, he sounded blank and not like he could entirely hear or understand what was happening around him. "I must get it back."

---

This valley continued for quite a distance, and beyond it was more sand, more rocks. Some weird goat-like creatures roamed about the rocks, various lizards and those bat-like creatures hunted. A few flew by, scattering when they saw the birds, screeching.

"They have it..?" Christine frowned then shook her head a little. Of course those boys did more than scout, they found it somehow and were trying to be the 'hero' and get it away. She looked to the door where Andre and Jessica and Max were standing now.

~~~
They could tell this was the wrong way, since the ship wasn't there, so they turned, heading back to the caves again. They were uncertain of which way to go now, so would try to figure out where to go from there.

The caves didn't seem to have been used for a long time either, though they might remember Kaliyani saying they had had little need to venture to the surface in a long time. Unlike the mines however, one of the entrances did look like it got occassional use. there was a rock near the cave mouth on a jutting out platform of natural rock. It looked like when the sun rose, it would get full sunlight here. There was no shade. The rock itself had thick, heavy chains embedded into it.
There wasn't so much dust at this entrance, there was a sort of windbreak hanging, made of skins that kept the majority of the dust and wind out.

Ok, that was scary, but a possible way in. Brandon landed so he could go and check on if there was a door they could get back in through.

Bryan waited, landing on the windbreak with the orb

~~~
Christine looked over to Kaliyani then back to Jerral "We cannot let you go anywhere alone." She hoped the worry in her tone would wake him up a little.

"I have to retrieve it." Jarral repeated and continued to try to get past her.

Kaliyani grasped his hand and he violently shoved her away. She stumbled a few steps and bowed her head immediately, clasping and unclasping her hands and looking meek.

---

There was no doorway, just a cavern that headed downward into the dark. there were notches in the walls for torches, but none burned here currently.

"Jarral" Christine moved with him, she wasn't going to let him go alone, no matter if he went or stayed.

~~~
Brandon called to Bryan and the two shifted to their humanoid forms, going down the tunnel to try to find a place they knew so they could orient themselves and get to their ship.

They'd eventually find themselves back in the underground city, the kitchens in fact, where people were preparing carcasses for the single daily meal.

---

Jarral continued to walk, heading for the bridge.

Kitchens...the twins hurried through to get out of the way of the cooks and hopefully without being stopped. They didn't want to admit that they had gotten lost, but at least they had an idea of where they were and could reach the portal opening eventually.

~~~
Christine walked by his side, still trying to get him to wake fully to the moment.
The others followed them, uncertainly.

Kaliyani frowned, and left the Carpathians. Instead she headed down to the Elder's chamber to get help. Maybe they would know what to do.

It didn't take long for two of them to rush out with her trailing them.

"Keep him away from it! you must not allow him to touch it!" The Elder at the front yelled as he tried to catch up with Jarral and the carpathians.

Jarral stopped walking, his expression shifted to one of scornful contempt and he raised one hand, looking annoyed as nothing happened. "Damn child." the voice of Fate muttered and turned to glare at the elder instead. "Your meddling may have stuck me with this useless vessel, but it doens't matter, I will have the orb soon." Jarral turned and started to walk again.

The other Elder tackled the child to the ground. Jarral cried out in pain as he hit the hard rocky ground and struggled against the Elder.

"No." He cried, in his own voice this time. "I must retrieve it! We can help the people, we can use the power of the orb for good!"

---

The portal wasn't far, half way across the sprawling city but on this side of the river.

Christine knelt down and looked at Jarral "Jarral, she is trying to take you over again, please, calm down." She said quickly, hoping to reach him.

~~
Water was not much of a deterrent, the twins simply returned to bird forms that were large enough to carry the orb's weight over the river. That was faster than running also.

"You do not understand, the power of the orb.. we... we could bring water to Kalvair we... we could bring the rains... " Jarral was borderline hysterical at this point.

The Elder pinned him. "She's lying to you, trying to get you to do her bidding."

The other nodded. "As soon as you open that orb, it's power would consume you."

Jarral shook his head. "I have to try!"

"Jerral, please calm down." She did not want him to be harmed. Christine looked to the elders then back to Jarral "She just tried to use you to harm them."

~~~
The twins passed through the portal without stopping, now heading for their ship and hoping daylight didn't stop them.

Dawn wasn't far off on this part of Kalvair, but they should have enough pre dawn darkness to make it to the ship.

---

Jarral stared up at the Elder pinning him and whimpered as the searing pain in his head returned and Fate took over his body again. She tried to kick the Elder and bit him hard on the arm.
The Elder yowled in pain and let go of the child who scrambled to his feet and raced for the portal.

Kaliyani looked alarmed. "You must not harm him!" She screamed as the other Elder took chase.

Brandon and Bryan would fly for the ship, having to land and shift to get the ramp open so they could get onboard. They had to shut the ramp and go wake the crew for them to be able to start takeoff procedures. They took turns explaining the situation as the crew readied the ship, also explaining why they were leaving the others there.

~~~
Max had been watching and moved to catch and hold Jarral. He did not want the child harmed for what this god wanted from him

Jarral fought and struggled and tried to bite Max too. The child was weak, he was light as a feather and rake thin as well as being extremely small and slight of frame anyway. He stood no real chance against an adult, especially as he had no powers and no magic. his only weapons were his elbow and knee spines, his short horns and his vicious teeth. He struggled and kicked and bit and fought like a wild thing.

Kaliyani couldn't watch, she tended to the injured Elder.

Max drew in a hissing breath of pain though he held to Jarral as long as he could, eventually he had to let go though he knew the ship had to be gone by then. He stepped back and knelt gown, just breathing and healing himself. Jessica, Andre and Christine would stay with Jarral if he went anywhere from there.

Panting and exhausted, the child slackened against Max's grip and sobbed as he finally let go.

Kaliyani rushed to his side.
"My Lord, it is alright."

He shook his head. "no." He spoke flatly and continued to shake his head.

The two Elders bowed their heads and frowned. The injured one continued to clutch his arm, bleeding onto the floor.

Andre sighed and went over to the hurt one, holding a hand out "May I?" He asked for permission to heal the bite.

Christine frowned and knelt beside Jerrel, rubbing his back gently.

The Elder tentatively reached out their injured hand. It was pretty badly injured, Kevali had excessively strong bites and a lot of very sharp teeth.

Jarral, weak and exhausted leant into Christine and closed his eyes.

Kaliyani frowned. "Did they get it away?" She asked.

Andre took his hand and closed his eyes, focusing on healing the bite wounds

Christine held him for a moment more before picking him up to take him back to bed.

Max shrugged and finished sealing his own wounds "I assume so."

Kaliyani nodded grimly. "Then all we can do is wait." She looked worried though and followed Christine.

Jarral didn't protest, he curled up a little in Christine's arms.

The Elder nodded. "Thank you." He ran a hand over the healed wound.

Christine took Jerral back to bed to tuck him in. She was worried about him and what Fate might do to him in retaliation.

~~
Andre nodded and went over to Max to check on the teacher.

Jarral rolled over and curled up, falling asleep very quickly.

Kaliyani stood near christine, head bowed as she watched the Ishvara sleep.
She looked troubled. Thinking exactly what Christine was thinking, what would Fate do now?
she also was trying to understand why Fate would bring the Carpathians here if she didn't want their interference, why had things worked out the way they had?
Either Fate didn't have the power they believed she had, or she had some other scheme here.
the thought made the woman extremely uneasy.

---

Meanwhile, on the Carpathian's ship, the orb seemed to whisper, urging any near it to touch it, open it, look closer at it.

Christine looked to Kaliyani then went to take her spot in the chair once more. She didn't know what to do.

~~
The twins were the closest, Bryan still holding it in the cloth he had carried it in. Brandon was putting a box together nearby but the twins shared a look at the whispers coming from the orb. Both were scared, knowing what the orb was for. Bryan quickly set the cloth covered orb down on a table and moved to his twin's side to help him finish the box quickly.

One of the crew heard the whispers and looked to the orb with curiosity. He was a young male, but he didn't have any magic to help fight against those whispers.