Every game of skill teaches a lesson that must be learned about war: use your forces wisely with every bit of intelligence at your disposal, otherwise you will lose. - Manskliga scholar
Gumus traveled back to Dohla a different route then how he'd left. If Mina hadn't been with him he would have taken this route to escape but thought it was too dangerous for Mina with Padda using the tunnels. Now he didn't care for anyone's safety. Not even his own. If he found Padda he would attack them and kill them.
The Elyun mining operations followed along the Great Nahara's underground tributaries that had carved out tunnels long ago and then been widened by Padda. In Slat, instead of heading southeast towards Zeroob sahaerat Gumus turned eastward to an abandoned mine shaft. Once there he was able to grab a southeast tributary ending up at the bottom of the Great Nahara. This way he bypassed the outpost between Zeroob sahaerat and Slat Galen and the other one at the Great Nahara.
Gumus sat down to rest and think about his next move. He could eventually find a tributary that would lead up to the surface. Dil Hill might be the safest place to get a feel for what was going on with the Kertenkele and how Kirmizi and Mavi had been received. The problem was he had no idea when the Kertenkele would gather at Dil. He couldn't recall any upcoming ceremonies. That would still leave him outside Rasima and he would have to return here to start over. Or he could make his way north into Shimel sahaerat and join in one of the mining camps returning to Rasima and with luck meet up with Buclu who might be sympathetic. The biggest hurdle in this plan would be Padda. The last option was to follow the main tributary into Rasima but Gumus liked this option the least. If the grates were closed and he had no reason to think otherwise he would drown or be dumped out into the Bred Hav before he could find a way to enter Rasima.
The shadows grew long as mist from the river drenched his skin. Gumus drew his great axe and stashed it between two rocks. He fingered the axe handle reluctantly leaving it behind. He should have felt an over-powering hatred for Onyx after seeing his name in the records left behind by the Asistan Ti. Gumus was determined Onyx and the Elyun would finally pay for the downfall of the Kertenkele. Above him, ages ago, he had laid out under the stairs with Mina. Gumus had feared turning into a monster then. Now he was comfortable in his role by Mina's side for however long she needed him. He even dared to hope that his brothers could build a life with the Mikachiari and Faglar.
His mind made up, Gumus set off to enter Shimel sahaerat and intercept a mining group.
***
Unknown to all the brothers in his care, Onyx Ay never walked alone. The ghosts of his mate and his daughter followed him day and night. He had drug their bodies across the Buyuk Col until there was nothing left. Their bones lay scattered across the sand. Sometimes, especially during the ceremonies on Dil Hill, the ghosts of all the mates and daughters would hover close. Onyx knew why they haunted him and accepted his fate. He still had many years yet to live with what he had done.
Kirmizi and Mavi had returned to Dohla. At first Onyx was over-joyed. Then they began to speak of a way to control the madness brought on by the Cinsel Iliski. They mentioned Gumus and how he had recovered. Only Onyx's most trusted followers helped him drug and lock Kirmizi and Mavi in the cages on Dil Hill. He told the rest they had moved on. Gumus had to stay dead. There was no cure for the Cinsel Iliski, even with Kirmizi's procedure the Kertenkele would become unstable and dangerous. Onyx had controlled many more through his teachings. Kirmizi and Mavi had also lost their mates and daughters. He had hoped given time they would see the error of their ways.
Things had not returned to normal. The news reached Dohla of the Mikachiari winning against the Asistan Ti and driving them out of their homeland. The Faglar were free once again. Not long after a full-blown riot erupted in the Ashiha Esarotarahis house. A small group of Mikachiari armed themselves and escaped to join the rest of their sisters. Onyx tried to approach Tado and offer some way to work together in the future. Tado had refused to even hear him out.
The Sudawa had payed him a visit and let it be known they would not accept him losing control over the Kertenkele as Tado had lost control over the Mikachiari under her care. Onyx was left with no choice, he had to get rid of Kirmizi and Mavi before anyone knew they were still alive or heard their heresy.
Onyx's mind was occupied with all of this as he plodded through the Kertenkele area of Rasima. The full-blown cries of Kertenkele from the mines brought him up short. A tremor of horror passed through him. It can't be.
Ahead, Gumus marched out of the mines, his brothers fanning out behind him. Their chests were glowing, their eyes bright swirls of yellow, orange, and red flame. Gumus was spreading the Cinsel Iliski to the Kertenkele who had not mated. What Onyx had been trying to prevent all these years had come to pass.
The madness of the Ofkelenmek had begun.