Chapter 8: A pleasant companion
I woke up early the next day and headed out. I was given considerable freedom among the green martian community. Although I was a tharkian chieftain, a Jed, I was still a captive of the Tharks; and hence, I was not given as many privileges as the normal Jed might have.
But even if that was the case, my word still held considerable amount of power in the society. As Sola told me, I could really do anything and wander off to anywhere, as long as it was within the confines of the ruined city that was occupied by their group.
Along with that, she especially warned me against venturing off without a weapon. For in all the deserted metropolises of the god of war, 90 percent of them contained the great white apes of Barsoom.
But considering how my strength had rapidly improved even since I had my first experience with them, I was hardly concerned. I assured her and told her that it was okay. I was strong after all.
I think all the power that I've been accumulating for the past few days is starting to get to my head... Oh well, I'll deal with it when the time comes I guess.
In advising me against leaving the city, Sola also told me that Woola the hound would prevent such things from happening. And she repeatedly warned me to not arouse his fierce nature by ignoring his warning and venturing away into the forbidden territories.
Woola's nature, as was explained by Sola, was such that he would bring me back to the city under any circumstances. Either alive or dead. "Preferably dead." she added.
I wasn't one to let such rude remarks get to my head and mess with my thought process. I knew that Sola had come to see me as a companion in the days that we had spent together. Such remarks were only for a bad attempt at trying to blend into her environment better.
As I wandered off around the city, I found myself overlooking a cluster of low hills, surrounded by deep and inviting ravines. I realized that I was already at the limits of the city.
Suddenly, a daring thought came to my mind.
'Why don't I go and explore a bit?'
I didn't know why that thought made its way into my mind. Probably an effect of John Carter's desire for adventure and exploration. Along with that, I also had an idea to test out the qualities of Woola.
I felt like me and the hideous ten-legged hound had established a connection based off of mutual respect and friendship. I was sure that the martian creature loved me, more than it could ever love a green martian. A courtesy of the kindness I had shown it when the Tharks were about to execute it.
Be it man or best, I was sure that gratitude for the acts that had saved his life would more than outweigh his loyalty to the duty imposed upon him by his cruel and loveless masters.
As I continued to approach the boundary lines, Woola anxiously threw his body upon my legs and whined for me to go back. Never once did he bear his hundreds of fangs or utter his fearful warnings. His expression was more pleading that ferocious.
Seeing his expression I bent down towards the ground and put my hands around his giant neck. Next, I began stroking him. I had never petted him before, neither had I ever seen any of the green martians do this to their hounds. So I was not quite sure what type of reaction this would bring out of the hound.
But I was pleasantly surprised when the hound's reaction turned out to be remarkable. He stretched his great mouth to its full width, baring the entire expanse of his upper rows of tusks and wrinkling his snout until his great eyes were almost hidden by the folds of flesh.
He threw himself upon his back and fairly wallowed at my feet; jumped up and sprang upon me, rolling me upon the ground by his great weight; then wriggling and squirming around me like a playful puppy. Seeing such a childish and cute display from a creature so hideous to claim, I could not help but burst out in a small fit of laughter. A laughter that was my first in the time that I had been here.
My laughter frightened Woola, his antics ceased and he crawled pitifully toward me, poking his ugly head far into my lap; and then I remembered what laughter signified on Mars—torture, suffering, death. It was quite a weird thing for me, and certainly difficult to adapt to. Laughter. Something used upon Earth to signify joy and happiness had an entirely different meaning here upon mars.
I ceased my laughter and gently rubbed the poor hound's head.
"There there buddy. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you." I said in my newly learned martian tongue.
Woola whined under my touch and I felt bad for making him feel that way.
I petted him and talked to him for a few minutes. When I finally felt like Woola was back to his usual self, I got up from my sitting position and commanded him.
"Follow me Woola." My voice carried an authoritative tone. There was no further discussion on authority between us. From that moment, I was his undisputed master.
My walk to the hills occupied but a few minutes, and I found nothing of particular interest to reward me. Numerous brilliantly colored and strangely formed wild flowers dotted the ravines and from the summit of the first hill I saw still other hills stretching off toward the north, and rising, one range above another, until lost in mountains of quite respectable dimensions.
My morning's walk had been large with importance to me for it had resulted in a perfect understanding with Woola, upon whom Tars Tarkas relied for my safe keeping. I now knew that while theoretically a prisoner I was virtually free, and I hastened to regain the city limits before the other green martians found that both me and Woola were missing.
...
Upon reaching the plaza once again, I was able to have my third look at the red martian captive.
She stood with her guards, facing the door to the audience chamber. As I approached the group, she gave me one haughty glance and turned her back on me, as if displeased at the mere sight of me.
That simple gesture of turning away from me gave me the feeling of home. That simple movement was in fact so similar to earthly women, that it gave me a sense of familiarity and filled me with a sense of nostalgia. It was nice to know that someone else on Mars, other than me, had the civilized sense of order than the Earth men followed. Even though the manifestation of it was so hurtful.
Had a green martian woman wanted to show her displeasure at my sight, she would have no doubt done it with a sword or any other type of weaponry. Obviously for that to happen, it would require a serious grudge or a blood feud, but that was unlikely to happen.
I waited in front of the small group to see the proceedings. And I did not need to wait long as Lorquas Ptomel and his fellow Jeds approached the building and signaled the guards to follow them inside.
For a moment, I only stood there. Wondering whether I should go inside or not. On one side, I was a chieftain, a Jed, someone who was only second to the Jeddak. But on the other, I was a captive of the green martians, someone who was akin to a prisoner with benefits. It did not take a genius to realize that the Green Martians would not want a prisoner, a potential spy to overhear their conversation about a subject that could decide their future for many years to come.
'Should I go in?' I asked myself and continued to stand there.
But eventually, I finally decided to go in. That Green Martians were a race that valued strength and ferocity above anything else in the world. Politics? What's that? Can you eat it? Only the power behind one's fist and the force behind one's swing mattered between them.
And I was the strongest warrior between them currently. Or so I think... I don't really know if there's anyone more powerful than I am here. Considering my Earthly might and agility, along with my constantly improving body, I'd say that there wasn't. But even if there was someone stronger, the guards wouldn't just be able to stop me from entering.
I steeled myself and walked through the gates of the audience chamber.
The council squatted upon the steps of the rostrum, while below them stood the prisoner and her two guards.
I saw that one of the women was Sarkoja, and thus understood how she had been present at the hearing of the preceding day, the results of which she had reported to the occupants of our dormitory last night. Her attitude toward the captive was most harsh and brutal.
When she held her, she sunk her rudimentary nails into the poor girl's flesh, or twisted her arm in a most painful manner. When it was necessary to move from one spot to another she either jerked her roughly, or pushed her before her.
She seemed to be venting upon this poor defenseless creature all the hatred, cruelty, ferocity, and spite of her life. At this moment, she felt like the epitome of green martian qualities, all embroidered into a single female.
The other female that stood beside her was considerably less cruel. Not because she held any kindness in her heart towards the red martian woman. But because she was entirely indifferent to her existence. I could tell by her expression that she did not care at all what was happening to the female captive. I concluded that if the captive had been left to her alone, she would have suffered through less physical trauma that she was suffering currently.
As Lorquas Ptomel raised his eyes to address the prisoner they fell on me and he turned to Tars Tarkas with a word, and gesture of impatience. Tars Tarkas made some reply which I could not catch, but which caused Lorquas Ptomel to smile; after which they paid no further attention to me.
"What is your name? Introduce yourself prisoner." Lorquas Ptomel asked with a voice of steel.
"Dejah Thoris, daughter of Mors Kajak of Helium." The red martian woman replied. Her voice was pleasant to hear, not at all like the rugged and rough voices of the green martians that I had become used to hearing in the past couple of days.
"And the nature of your expedition?" He continued
"It was purely a scientific research party sent out by my grandfather, the Jeddak of Helium. It was to examine the air currents and take some atmospheric density tests." She replied. "We meant no harm and were completely unprepared for battle." She continued
"The work we were doing was as much in our interest as it was in yours. You know full well that it is through our and our efforts alone that Barsoom has yet to be turned into a dead planet. Through the ages, we have kept the atmospheric density and water to an acceptable level for all lifeforms on the surface of Barsoom, all while facing oppression from the green martians." She said "Why not let us continue our work in peace? Why does your kind bear so much hatred for not only the other races, but for yourself."
"It is a harsh and cruel world. If we do not look out for ourselves, we would not survive." One of the Jeds replied in a harsh tone.
"A world that has been sustained by the efforts of the red men. If we all adopted the same mindset as you, then no other race would be alive other than the red men of Barsoom." She replied, instantly shutting up the green warrior that had spoken to interrupt her.
"Why can you not learn to work together and strive for the betterment of the planet, rather than just fighting among yourself and making a futile struggle that might just spell out the doom of the entire planet?" She continued "Together we may do still more to regenerate our dying planet. The granddaughter of the greatest and mightiest of the red jeddaks has asked you. Let us put aside all these futile things such as races and violence behind us and work for a common goal? Will you take this opportunity and take the hand of the red men?"
When she finished, there was a pin drop silence in the entire hall. One could not even hear the sound of breathing. Except me of course, courtesy of my improved senses. For a moment, I had a sudden urge to clap and support the woman with everything I had. Perhaps I liked the cause behind her actions, or she was just that good at giving speeches. Or it might just be that I find her extremely beautiful... Anyway, I quicjly repressed the inviting thought of clapping.
That would only make things more awkward than it already was.
Lorquas Ptomel and the warriors sat looking silently and intently at the young woman for several moments after she had ceased speaking. What was passing in their minds I could not know nor could I tell, for they were too far away from me to read their thoughts, but I could tell one thing. It was that they were truly moved, and if one man high among them had been strong enough to rise above custom, that moment would have marked a new and mighty era for Mars, or Barsoom for that matter.
I saw Tars Tarkas rise to speak, and on his face was such an expression as I had never seen upon the countenance of a green Martian warrior. His expression told of a mighty battle within self. I could tell that he was torn between the old customs of the green martians and a possible better future for all the future generations of the Tharks and maybe the entirety of the Green Martian race.
But just as he was about to speak, a young green warrior, probably sensing the mood of the conversation shifting, leapt through the viewing platforms and struck a terrific blow on the face of Dejah Thoris.
With that, the hall erupted in a chorus of loud and heartless laughter.
For a moment, I thought that Tars Tarkas would strike him dead. But upon looking at the council of Jeds, I noticed the faces of all of them twisted in a small grin. Leaving only Tars Tarkas and Lorquas Ptomel as an exception, two people who held a serious expression on their faces.
At that moment, I did not what overtook me. My body automatically leapt up from the viewing stands and onto the green brute who had attacked the red martian princess.
'What the fuck am I doing?!' I cried out aloud in my head, noticing I had already readied my fist to strike the young green warrior.
The world seemed to slow down in my perception. My eyes darted around the entire hall, to see different expressions that varied from surprise to excitement. It seemed that the green martians had noticed me about to strike the young warrior. It was not that hard to notice but it was still surprising. I had covered a distance of about 13 meters in a single second and was just about to hit the man when I finally realized what I was doing.
'Wait, why is everything slowed down?' I then realized how everything had slowed down in my perception. This surprised me more than my shocking increase in agility and strength. This had never happened before. Then again, it was not like I had been in a fight ever since I had killed those white apes. 'Is this the famous bullet time?' I cheered in my head for a moment before the gravity of the situation once again brought me to the real world.
I knew now that I could not back down. I was too deep in this shit to back out. I had to fight and it was not going to be settled without it.
Steeling my resolve, I hit the green martian, who stood at a height of about 3 meters, square in the chest. Feeling such an enormous force upon his chest, he flew back as his breast bone caved in slightly. I had not used as much force as I could have. Mainly because that would result in the man exploding in a shower of gore.
The green warrior, upon realizing that he had been attacked tried to take out his weapons. I of course, did not allow him that luxury. Not only was it against martian customs to face an enemy with a weapon that was superior to his own in a personal duel, I had no weapon on me at the moment. And both John Carter and Damien Smith knew how fast the tide of a battle could be turned with the use of a weapon.
With a leap, I was again upon him and using my mighty arms, I slammed him down upon the ground and repeatedly punched his face 5 times before he laid limp upon the ground. Unmoving. Dead.
I looked behind myself to witness a shocked hall and a flabbergasted princess.
"Who... who are you?" The shocked Princess asked.
'...This will either take a lot effort to explain, or it will take none at all.'
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Check out my original novel, Changeling's Grave. It has 3 chapters currently and the setting is of an epic fantasy. Here's a small summary to hopefully arouse your interest...
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Changeling's Grave.
A mystical place depicted in legends of the Theor'es tower.
An indescribable place that hosts the wonders of the world. The storehouse of the world's souls, an eternal paradise for the dead and the living alike. Where one can directly cross the threshold of divinity upon venturing into.
The very number of mages who sacrificed themselves to the search of the Changeling's Grave in reckless abandon was unable to expressed in words.
From ancient times, whether it be the ancient Egyptians venturing out in search of the land of eternal bliss and fulfillment, or the Renaissance Europeans searching for answers, all were led to a place that could not be described.
Be it the rumored bizarre flora and fauna, or the indescribably beautiful scenery.
Be it the eerily calming atmosphere or the dangerous that lurk therein.
Be it the underground, or above the grassy plains.
Be it in the waters of the unconquerable seas or the very air itself.
All of it was described to be ineffable. The indescribable. Perhaps not because it could not be described. But because it changed the minds of the witnesses as such.
But the fact remained, no mage had ever successfully reached the heart of the P'nevma forest, Changeling's Grave.
But even so, the Theor'es tower spared no effort to find it. Sending in expedition after expedition, After all, it could not be helped. Mages were curious creatures. They could not accept the fact that there was something in the world that they did not know.
And now, in 2034, it was going to be no different. Yet another expedition was afoot, in search of the Changeling's Grave.
How would that turn out?
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Hope you check it out.~~
Also, throw some stones. I might just post a bonus chapter~~~~
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