Keys of Candor: Trilogy

by Casey Eanes

  Kull blinked and found himself on his knees again, back on the altar. His arms were unbound, and the collar around his neck was still locked. It was as if he never stood up. He looked over and listened as he freed the lock from his neck.

  “For these crimes, Willyn Kara, and for so many innocents whose blood is on your hands, you are hereby sentenced to death.”

  It was uncanny, the feeling like he had seen the future or traveled back to the past. Was it a dream? Kull glanced up at the mirror where she had been. Ice cold fear hit him in an instant. There she was, standing over him, but instead of starlight within her eyes, black blood poured out of her eyes, and her mouth opened wide to reveal a cavern of daggers.

  Kull held his face like flint against the horror before him. The Serub was trying to get him to stop, but it was too late. Kull knew this was the opening he had been waiting for. He stood, unlocked his binding, and turned to Seam.

  “STOP!” he screamed.

  Seam turned around from Willyn and saw Kull unbound. “Guards, seal the door!”

  The datalink connection crackled in with static. The face that filled the screen was clearly flustered with worry, “Seam, what is going on?!”

  The two guards drew their pistols and aimed them directly at Kull’s skull as he dove behind the nearest mirror. Adrenaline hammered through his heart as Seam screamed out to his men. “DO NOT FIRE YOUR WEAPONS! THE MIRRORS MUST NOT BE HARMED.”

  Seam ran to the platform with his sword in hand. “Kull Shepherd, I’d advise that you come out. You are outmanned and outgunned. Don’t play games with me.”

  Kull crouched behind one of the mirrors and waited. Seam paused, the two only separated by the single pane of glass.

  Seam had barely glanced around the portal’s edge when Kull slammed his fist underneath the King’s chin. Kull followed with another shot to his eye before tackling Seam to the ground. In the fray Seam’s grip loosed from his weapon. Rage, adrenaline, and purpose flooded into Kull as he struck Seam again, smashing his fist against the King’s mouth. The blow split Seam’s lip and a trail of blood pushed its way down his face. He landed an elbow to Seam’s cheek before hammering his fists down on his face again. Kull pushed every ounce of rage that was pent up in his chest out through his fists as he continued to land blow after blow on the King’s face.

  The guards did not risk firing, but ran at him armed with clubs. Willyn, pressing her advantage with the distraction, slipped her hands free and kicked the legs out from under the guard closest to her. As his momentum carried him down, she hammered her knee into his face. There was no hesitation as she snapped up his pistol and fired three rounds into the other guard. He was dead before he had time to realize she was free.

  Seam managed to gain an advantage by pinning Kull to the ground, but the shots broke his concentration enough for Kull to push free and land a kick to his head. Kull had no idea whose side the redhead was really on, but he took his chances. He threw the lock pick in her direction.

  He nodded toward his father and Wael. “Free them both. There is a transport waiting at the Spire’s base. Get them out of here!”

  Willyn scrambled for the pick and moved to Grift. “I am not leaving until I kill Seam myself. My brother’s blood is on his hands. You can take them, and I will finish this.”

  Seam regained his footing and flicked at the datalink on his wrist. The room immediately went black. Sirens cranked open with a deafening howl. Kull squeezed his eyes together to try and focus in the dark. The only light was the dull glow offered by the rolling static screen that was once the datalink projection, but it was a terrible help.

  A small red blip of light flickered to Kull’s right. Seam’s datalink. Kull ran full speed and collided with him, tumbling through the shadows. The two fell to the floor again and Kull swung wildly. His fists struck flesh and the metal floor. He could feel his knuckles swelling and splitting under the force of his blows, but he did not relent. The King swung an arm around and grasped Kull’s neck. Despite Kull’s assault, Seam’s powerful grip pressed down on the air in his throat like a vise. As his breathing became more and more labored, each punch was losing power. Seam began to laugh.

  Another light flickered on, and Kull could see Willyn fighting to finish with Wael’s locks. Grift was standing next to her helping lift Wael from the floor. She noticed Kull and screamed to him.

  “Keep fighting him. I almost have them out!”

  Seam’s grip continued to tighten on Kull’s throat in the darkness. His eyes were filled with anticipation and hatred as he waited to watch Kull’s life slip away beneath his grasp. Kull sent his fist into Seam's datalink, and suddenly the room was engulfed in hot white light. He threw a jab into Seam’s face once, then twice, and then a third time. He focused every ounce of energy he had left on trying to connect every heavy throw. By the fourth jab, Seam’s grasp broke free and Kull pushed himself away, gasping for air.

  How is he still fighting? No one can take this kind of beating.

  Kull’s adrenaline was wearing thin, but the sound of the last of Wael’s bindings popping free offered him hope. Seam slowly stood to his feet and pulled a dagger from his belt. He wiped at the river of blood flowing from his nose and lip.

  “I have had enough of you, boy. This ends now.”

  Seam lunged for Kull and grabbed his arm. He used his momentum to throw Kull into the empty pane of glass. As he thudded against the portal, he could feel the low chanting of a voice from behind the mirror’s edge. There was another one in that glass, too. Kull’s mind filled with horror when he recognized the voice. It was the one from the King’s Pit. Kull tried to push away from the mirror but Seam had already leapt on top of him like a panther, doing his best to thrust the knife into Kull’s gut. Kull held it at bay with what little strength he had left.

  Seam’s voice changed into a sadistic growl as he pressed down on the knife, “It’s time to wake the King. Arakiel is thirsty.”

  Kull’s arm screamed with protest as he held back the dagger, preventing it from falling in on him. Seam leaned down, putting his whole weight behind the blade when a deafening thunderclap rang out. Seam snapped back and crumpled to the ground, grasping at his chest. Blood splattered against Kull and the mirror. An intense heat grew out from the glass as the beads of red liquid sizzled into its surface. Grift stood a few feet away, smoke still swirling from the barrel of the gun in his hand.

  Kull glanced into the mirror and saw a new face begin to appear, morphing from the sagging, drawn face of an elderly man to the strong chiseled face of a warrior. He scrambled for the knife that Seam dropped and yelled out to Willyn and his father.

  “You have to get out. NOW!”

  “Not without you!” Grift screamed.

  As Grift called out, the door split open and a wave of guards flooded into the chamber. Their rifles were drawn and leveled down on each one of them.

  Kull heard Seam stir and he looked down. The King was starting to stand and he was laughing.

  This is impossible, thought Kull. How is he not dead?

  Kull surveyed the room, quickly counting twelve new soldiers. His mind whirled with possibilities, but he chose the only one that would work. In a flash, Kull sprung behind Seam and pressed the knife’s blade against his throat. All the guns in the room were focused on him.

  Kull screamed out, “This ends now! I will kill your King unless you let these prisoners walk!”

  The guards stood, their long, black riot masks concealing their thoughts. They shuffled, but did not lower their weapons.

  Kull screamed out again, positioning himself behind Seam. “I said they go free!”

  He cut into Seam, freeing a flow of blood from his neck. Seam shouted out in pain, and the guards pushed in closer. A soft voice full of fear escaped from Seam, “You heard him. Let them free.”

  Without hesitation, Kull dipped the blade back into Seam who howled.

  “Say it louder so they can hear you!” Kull bellowed, his mind alive with ra
ge.

  “Let them go free, NOW!” screamed Seam who shook under Kull’s grasp.

  The guards slid to the side, allowing Willyn, Grift, and Wael to pass, but Grift pushed past them all and ran for his son. Before he could reach them one of the guards smashed the butt of his rifle into Grift’s head, causing him to collapse on the floor.

  In a panic Kull yelled, his eyes wild, “I SAID THEY GO FREE! Did you not hear me? Or do you think I’m joking?” He slammed the dagger down deep into Seam’s shoulder. Seam buckled under the blow, howling. “They all leave safely or the King dies!”

  The guards retreated a few feet and opened a path to the door, but the opening provided no guarantee that they wouldn’t all be shot upon exiting. Kull examined the scene as his father lay motionless on the floor. Willyn’s eyes kept darting back and forth from one guard to another as she assisted Wael. His face was bruised and swollen. The three were surrounded by an army of guards, hungry for the command to open fire.

  Kull stammered, “I want to see them go free or he dies. Bring up their feed on the datalink screen. I will watch them leave freely or this blade cuts your King’s throat the rest of the way.”

  He pressed in further with the knife, bringing a desperate cry from Seam who flailed his arms in agony, trying to swat away at the knife.

  “Do as he says! Now!”

  The guards spread as Willyn pulled Wael through the door. One of the soldiers lifted Grift’s limp body and dragged it close behind. The datalink screen ignited, showing a black and white feed of Willyn, Grift, and Wael making their way down and out the Spire. Guards stood by, their weapons lowered. Soon they were outside, and Kull could see them far below from his vantage point on the Spire. A transport rolled up, and Kull could see the outline of a figure running out to assist them. Adley. Adley was helping them up into the transport. Soon the vehicle sped out into the desert without anyone trailing them.

  Grift rubbed at his head as he regained consciousness. He blinked the shadows from his eyes and searched the truck bed for Kull.

  “Where is he? WHERE IS KULL?”

  Adley laid a hand on his shoulder and tried to pull him back into his seat. She said nothing, but her face was painted in grief.

  Willyn broke the silence, “We had to leave him. There was no other way.”

  Grift eye’s flared open. “You left him!? How could you leave him?” He cried out before stumbling back, fighting for balance until Wael reached out with a heavy hand and grasped his wrist.

  Wael’s voice cut through the dark desert night. “Grift. Kull saved us all. He made his choice. It was his choice to make. Not yours.” His face was stern as he continued, “Kull gave us a gift. A chance to fight back. It is now up to us to decide what to do with this gift.”

  A thunderstorm of grief erupted over Grift’s face. Wael’s strong hand stayed on his arm as painful sobs ripped through his body. “But he is just a kid. He doesn’t understand…”

  Wael lifted himself to level his tattered face with Grift’s, “He is no child. Only a man would have done what he did. He made a promise with Rose that he would guarantee your return. He made his choice.”

  Grift fell back into his seat and wiped the tears from his eyes. “He’s all we have, Wael. He’s ALL WE HAVE. I am supposed to protect him and I failed. I failed to protect the key! I have failed!” He screamed, allowing all of his pain to roar through him. “I’ve FAILED!”

  Wael turned to face the back of the truck, toward the Spire shrinking in the distance. “We have all failed, Grift. I am afraid that I have failed us most of all.”

  Grift shook his head as he answered, “What are you talking about, Wael? How can you say that?”

  Wael’s face dropped and his gaze drifted back to the horizon as he spoke. “I am afraid I provided information about our Order to Seam’s informant. My own flesh and blood has betrayed us into Seam’s hands, and now the Keepers are no more. Vashti has betrayed me.” Hot tears began to roll out of the stoic monk’s face as deep, untold pain quaked over him. Grift held his friend as the dark desert rolled by. The rest remained silent. Wael wiped his face and locked eyes with Grift and spoke.

  “But your son has succeeded in freeing the few people that know what has to be done to fight this evil. Kull is in Aleph’s hands now. Strong and mighty is his grip.”

  Grift grasped Wael’s wrist. “Then it’s time we fight.”

  Willyn sat up and glanced between the members of the company, “Sorry to interrupt, but how do we fight them? Look at us!”

  Grift’s face turned to stone. Whatever terrible grief that had overtaken him looked as if it had been thrown into the bottom of the sea. He took a deep breath and paused before turning to her, “We find and destroy the rest of the mirrors before Seam gets to them. Then we make him pay for what he has done to us.”

  Kull lifted his eyes to the dozens of guns trained on him. He lifted the knife from Seam’s throat and dropped it to the ground. He had done all he could. He trusted that his father would fight to finish what he started. Even though they lost their keys, at least he and Wael were alive. That was enough for him. They were more equipped to continue the fight than he could ever hope to be, and he knew Grift could protect his mother better than anyone else.

  The guards pressed in around Kull and soon he felt the razor sharp pains of electricity traveling up and down his spine and a barrage of clubs beating down on him. He collapsed to the ground and looked out one last time over the horizon. The last sight he had before everything went dark was that of the transport's dust trail cresting the horizon, leaving him behind to die in their place. It was the only way.

  As an avalanche of pain fell over him, his hand reached up and held his mother’s pendant, still hanging on his neck. Somehow, he had not lost it. He rubbed his finger on the small etching of Aleph’s rune.

  There was no regret.

  He took his only opening.

  BOOK II

  SEA OF SOULS

  CHAPTER ONE

  “Stop!”

  Seam’s voice cut through the chaos of the chamber as he stepped toward Kull’s shattered body. The avalanche of blows cascading over Kull ceased and the mob of soldiers pulled back. Kull fell in a heap, the black stone floor shining red with his blood. He opened his eyes terrified that there was only a swirling darkness.

  I’m going to die. The realization was not fear-filled, but welcome. Kull forced himself to breathe, his lungs slowly taking in ragged, thin breaths on the cold stone floor. His mind grasped in vain for clarity as he lifted his head off the floor to open his eyes, but they had long-since swollen shut.

  “I said stop!” The king’s command quieted the room. In an instant, Kull remembered. Sacrifice.

  Seam locked his bloodshot eyes on his enemy and slowly staggered to his feet, lumbering toward Kull like a hunter surveying his snares. He wiped blood from his lip and spat against the ground. Dark thoughts of revenge swirled through the king’s mind as he tallied up his injuries; the stabbing, the gunshot wound, and the humiliation of being held at ransom. Seam promised himself that everything he had endured would fall back on Shepherd’s son, one-hundred fold.

  Blood seeped from his wounds, but he would not relent. It was not enough to keep him down. Sheer power rushed from the iron bracer locked on his right wrist bearing the Keys of Candor. He strode toward Kull, filled with the ancient, forbidden strength radiating from the relics he wore on his arm.

  “Step back and let me look at him.” The king’s smile went crooked. Seam’s bruised face looked little better than Kull’s. The whites of his eyes were badly damaged, a streak of demonic crimson orbited around his brown irises. His long brown hair was tousled and caked with drying blood. Newfound mania swept over Seam as his boots slowly thumped across the floor toward his prize. His sacrifice. He paused, towering over Kull before leaning down next to his face.

  “Look at me,” he whispered, almost tenderly. Kull refused, turning his head away. Seam growled, wringing his hand throug
h Kull’s hair. “Look at me!” he screamed, pulling Kull’s face forward.

  Kull fought to open his eyes, but even that was impossible. Seam slammed Kull’s face back down on the ground, the cracking sound unleashing a torrent of pain. He could feel Seam’s black boot hovering directly over his face. Kull pushed a trembling hand to Seam’s foot, and he grasped at his ankle with what little strength he had left. So this is how I die.

  Seam’s heavy boot slammed down on Kull’s hand. Kull’s mouth opened in a silent scream, his vision evaporating in an instant.

  Seam ground his boot down without mercy as the bones in Kull’s hand began to pop.

  “You have been very brave today, Shepherd. Very brave, indeed. You will soon learn the price for such defiance!”

  Seam relented, lifting his foot and turning his gaze to the guards surrounding them.

  “Pick him up and bind him. I don’t want him making another move without me ordering it.”

  The soldiers obeyed, scraping Kull from the ground and dragging his limp frame back to the room’s central pedestal where only moments before his father had been chained. As they locked him into place, Kull’s mind raced to think of some way to escape, that there might be some hope, but his body was an unwilling partner. Seam’s men had rendered his body useless, and every movement brought a deep, paralyzing anguish.

  Seam stood up and gazed into the vacant mirrors. “Leave us.” The command was quick, and instantly the host of soldiers vanished. Kull swallowed hard as he accepted the fact that he could not escape. No one was coming to rescue him. Wael, his father, and the girl with crimson hair had long since left the Spire, their escape bartered with his own life. Dark thoughts stormed in his mind.

  He thought of his mother, his father, Ewing, and Adley. He hung there bound, his mind gazing deeply into the abyss of all he would soon lose. It would soon be over. There would be no more fighting. Kull struggled to take a calming breath and felt the cold metal amulet still hanging from his neck brush against his bloody chest, his mother’s last gift to him. You kept your promise. You fulfilled your oath. So be it.