Shepherds of Wraith: Book One

by Nyssa Renay

  Just when I thought my situation couldn’t get any worse, it did.

  I knocked on the door of the dilapidated shack at the end of my workday.

  “Come in!” Graldo barked from behind the dirty door.

  “Excuse me, sir,” I said, walking inside. “I might not be here tomorrow.” I held out the paper that Shepherd Diabelle had instructed me to pass along to him.

  “What do ya mean, ya might not be here tomorrow?” he asked, raising his eyebrows and staring at me like I was crazy.

  “Tomorrow, I have to go on a field training exercise for the Necra sect. I’ll be with Shepherd Diabelle for most, if not all of the afternoon, sir. She asked me to give you this letter.” I shook the little folded up paper at him, trying to get him to focus on it, but Shepherd Graldo was dumbfounded by what I was saying to him.

  “Ya can’t just not be here, Vigil. That ain’t right!”

  “I’m sorry, sir, but these are Shepherd Diabelle’s orders. There’s nothing I can do about it.”

  “Nope, nah, that ain’t right. Ya gotta be here, Vigil. That’s it,” Graldo grunted.

  He was being unreasonable; seeing the world only through his eyes, as usual, and I was losing my patience. It aggravated me that he was being so stubborn. I felt as if both Diabelle and Graldo were putting me in this no-win situation on purpose to see how I’d react.

  “She wants me to go with her, and you want me to be here. How am I supposed to be in two places at once?” I snapped, angered by his unwillingness to compromise at this impasse.

  “You’re not,” he replied, staring at me through squinted eyes. “I expect you to be here to fulfill your duty for your punishment…no exceptions.”

  “That’s bullshit!” I moaned.

  “It is what it is, Vigil.” He stared sternly at me. “I expect you to be here tomorrow, and that’s that.”

  “Fine.” I exhaled a long, defeated sigh, knowing there was no easy way out. “So, what happens if I don’t show up tomorrow?”

  “I’ve been taking it easy on ya up ‘til now,” Graldo began, crossing his arms and staring intently at me. “If I don’t see yer bony little ass here tomorrow, you’ll be helping your buddy Biklish haul the alexandrite boulders outta the deepest parts of the western mine for the next week!” he replied, craning his neck forward and waiting for my horrified reaction to this new punishment.

  “Okay, sir.” It was all I could say. I dropped the letter from Diabelle onto his disk and quickly walked out the door.

  There was no point in arguing with Shepherd Graldo. He saw every situation as he wanted to see it, and there was no way in hell I could change that. Either I’d disobey him, or I’d disobey Shepherd Diabelle, and based on the severity of Diabelle’s punishments in the past, I chose to obey her instead.

  -40-

  The next day came quickly. Although I was excited about finally receiving actual field training, I was still anxious about dealing with the repercussions I’d face in the Sanctified Mines later on.

  Just after lunch, Laureate Cerisen escorted me and most of the other Tier II Necra sect potentials to the meeting place where Shepherd Diabelle had specified. We were taken to a long marble balcony at the top of one of the academy’s observation towers where she was waiting for us.

  “Good afternoon,” she said.

  “Good afternoon, ma’am!” we replied in unison.

  “Today’s exercise is a general demonstration of the process to help a soul transition to the afterlife. When we arrive, I expect you all to remain perfectly silent and respectful. Vigil, because this is your first time with us, I want you to pay close attention to everything I do today, so you begin to understand the massive responsibility we’re all charged with in serving our patroness, Necra.” There was a different tone in her voice. It was more lenient and calm; a far cry from the harsh screaming and torturous insults I was used to.

  “Yes, ma’am,” I said calmly, holding back my excitement. I was finally allowed to move forward in my training, and I was determined never to let my emotions get the better of me again. Perhaps my punishment had served its purpose after all, and I was finally beginning to understand what the academy had been trying to instill in me all along.

  “Now, then,” Shepherd Diabelle began. “The first stage is the Call to Death, which is a divine experience that lets you know when and where you’re needed to assist a soul that is about to pass. Only after you’ve become a shepherd will you start to hear the Call, but not until then. At that point, you’ll have the power to summon your provisional archway and travel to the location of your subject on your own. For today’s exercise, I will summon the archway and guide you to our subject,” she said, turning away and speaking softly in Wraith, the strange language I’d only heard spoken by the sisters at the Home for Blessed Children and Machoji when he activated the archway to lead us to the academy.

  Wraith was not only the language of the shepherds, it was also how the shepherds summoned and controlled their divine powers. It would be a few more years before I’d be permitted to study and learn how to use Wraith myself, but I would always remember Shepherd Diabelle’s advice when she first taught me about the language.

  “Wraith,” she’d said, “is alive. It is and will always be an impossible language to fully comprehend. It’s a living, breathing entity of its own. Wraith changes over time and adapts to suit its speaker’s tongue. Don’t be intimidated, though…Wraith lives in you already. You just need to find it! And in time, you will find it! I promise you. Listen first and learn second.”

  At the end of her chant, Diabelle slammed the bottom of her staff onto the ground, setting off a beautiful bright purple flash. The ground at the base of her staff glowed as a jagged crack quickly shot across the ground, snaking ten feet in front of her and erupted into a dark purple haze. The thick cloud wafted up and solidified into a ruddy purple archway as a pale greenish-white light expanded and churned, quickly filling the space within its frame.

  Diabelle turned back around to face us. “One of the greatest gifts bestowed upon us by Necra is the ability to cloak ourselves from being seen by the living during this process. However, keep in mind you will always be seen by the dying subject you are called to help. Once we arrive, I’ll place my staff in the ground. I want you all to gather and stay as close to it as possible,” Diabelle instructed us. “That way, you will remain unseen during this demonstration. Now then, let’s begin.”

  She led us through the archway of silent, warm light. I hadn’t traveled through an archway since my first day at the Shepherd Academy, and I’d forgotten how peaceful it was. When we arrived at our destination, we were standing near a little yellow house with white curtains. It sat on a hillside overlooking a vast golden field of wheat that swayed in the gentle afternoon breeze. Diabelle whispered in Wraith as she forced her staff into the ground. The staff emitted a soft purple glow and we all gathered close, obeying her instructions.

  Keeping absolutely quiet, I watched as she approached a very old black and gray dog that lay curled up in the shade beside the house. The animal was breathing heavily.

  “Her name is Miffee,” Diabelle whispered. “She’s approximately fourteen years of age, and today is her last day of physical life. Again, remember no death is too small or insignificant. The Call to Death is your responsibility to aid our patron goddess by helping each soul cross safely to the next plane of existence. Do you all understand me?”

  We nodded in unison.

  “Good,” she said. “The first thing upon locating the soul’s vessel is to position ourselves to look directly into the eyes.”

  Shepherd Diabelle crouched down so Miffee’s nose was touching the edge of her ankle. The dog’s ribs rose and fell faster and faster with each labored breath.

  “At this point, you’ll want to comfort the vessel to bring peace and to let it know it’s not alone.” Shepherd Diabelle placed her hand on Miffee’s head and slowly stroked the old dog ve
ry gently. Miffee’s long, fluffy tail thumped twice with the little energy her body had left.

  Just then, a voice called from inside the yellow house. “Miffee? Miffee, come here, girl!” There was a shrill whistle, but Miffee was unable to move.

  The dog’s breathing became much more labored. Shepherd Diabelle put her hands against Miffee’s neck, and the dog grew calmer, settling quietly until she lay perfectly still. Miffee inhaled a final deep gasp and slowly exhaled as her physical body expired.

  “Miffee, where are you? Here, girl!” the voice called out again.

  “Miffee has passed,” Shepherd Diabelle stated compassionately. “It’s at this point when the vessel releases the soul and it becomes our responsibility. Keep your eyes on the vessel and be ready to guard the soul as it rises.

  “Ne’lare de corisanto. E’bontarexta ian’as fultanio stacha…Ne’lun de sun’tanio. Farlorasta ian’as E’domistrano.”

  We all stood mesmerized, eyes fixed on Miffee’s lifeless body while Diabelle chanted in Wraith. There was something serene about the experience. There was a sense of balance in that moment. The warm rays of sunshine fighting back the cool, early springtime air; the breeze wafting silently across the blades of wheat in the field around us, providing us with air to breathe; even the appreciation of knowing Miffee for only a brief moment. It was then I began to comprehend the true balance between life and death.

  -41-

  What happened next reminded me of when I accidentally crushed the little yellow bird years earlier. As the familiar maroon-purple haze surrounded Miffee, a bright emerald-green mist rose from her body and slowly shaped itself into a ghostly replica of her vessel’s form.

  “Those shepherds who serve Malian or Brio occasionally claim the soul of an animal from us, and we do allow it, but those instances are very, very rare. You have to evaluate each situation individually,” Diabelle stated quietly. She didn’t move her eyes from Miffee as the spirit sat patiently by her feet, its tail darting back and forth happily.

  “Miffee?” The woman from the house appeared at the back door. Shepherd Diabelle was right. The woman had no idea we were all standing right there. “Oh, there you are, silly girl!” The woman laughed as she came down the garden steps toward Miffee’s lifeless body.

  The soul of the dog was immediately distracted and ran to the woman’s ankles, wagging its tail and jumping up at the woman’s legs to get her attention, but she had no idea Miffee’s spirit was there.

  “You were a loyal companion to her, Miffee,” Diabelle said to the confused soul, “but she can’t see you anymore. I’m sorry.” The soul sat down.

  The woman suddenly realized what had happened and shrieked with grief. “Oh, no! Oh, no! Miffee, no, no, please!” she cried, kneeling by the dog’s side.

  A somber expression fell over Diabelle’s face. “Potentials, this is the point where we must coax the spirit to move on. Some souls will still feel the attachment to the physical life they once knew and not wish to leave, but we must fulfill Necra’s charge and ensure they pass on to the next realm. By this point, the window to the afterlife will have opened.” Diabelle pointed above our heads to a slowly swirling bright green light that had opened out of nothing. “It’s our job to escort the soul through as quickly as possible.”

  “Oh, Miffee…no.” The woman cradled Miffee’s body in her arms, rocking and sobbing uncontrollably. The soul looked back and forth between the woman and Shepherd Diabelle, cocking its head, confused.

  “It’s time to go, Miffee. She’ll be all right,” Diabelle said soothingly, holding out her arms toward the soul. The soul rose and gave the woman one last glance before slowly trotting over to Diabelle’s feet, and allowing her to pick it up.

  “Now, when the soul is safely under your control, you’ll escort it through the window to the next realm,” she said, holding the soul of Miffee up to the churning window above us. Diabelle opened her hands, and the spirit hovered for a moment before jumping into the air and through the window, dissolving into the light.

  “The final stage of the process is closing the window to the afterlife. This ensures there are no intrusions from this realm into the next, and vice versa. We, as Necra’s shepherds, have two options to complete this final stage. The first is simply to wait for the window to close on its own. The second is to close it yourself. Not every Call to Death goes as smoothly as what we’ve seen today. Sometimes, it can take a bit longer if there are any unforeseen complications or dangers…” My eyes grew wide hearing this, wondering what kind of dangers she was talking about. “…but nevertheless, you must remain mindful of how long you linger with the vessel. Take too long, and your provisional archway might close, leaving you stranded there. Don’t worry; you’ll be able to feel it when your archway starts to wane. Just don’t get distracted. Is that understood?”

  “Yes, ma’am!” we stated in unison.

  “Good,” Diabelle replied and turned toward the churning ball of light above us. “We’nistatio e’ cotiasa rominichi contraxet.” Her words flowed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, the window to the afterlife snapped shut and was gone. “This Call to Death is complete and our presence is no longer required here. It’s time to return to the academy,” she instructed. She led us back to the archway and motioned for us to follow her through.

  When we returned to the long marble balcony, Laureate Cerisen was waiting to escort us back to our regularly scheduled classes. Diabelle thanked us for our cooperation and motioned for everyone to go with the laureate, but she walked over to me and briefly placed her hand on my shoulder, instructing me to remain with her

  I quickly snapped to attention at her request, anxiously wondering why she’d singled me out.

  “What you just witnessed was the most entrusted duty given to us by Necra,” she began, walking around to stand before me. “It’s not to be taken lightly, and I know it can be difficult for some potentials to grasp the entirety of the process the first time they’re exposed to it. So, I thought I might take a moment and answer any questions you might have.”

  I was taken aback by her candid behavior toward me. I felt somewhat valued; almost respected to be treated like a true potential again, even after all the mistakes I’d made under her supervision.

  “Thank you, ma’am.” My mind was racing with questions and excitement, but I forced myself to remain focused. I’d finally been given an opportunity to show her I was worthy of her tutelage after all, and I didn’t want to disappoint her now or ever again. “You said there could be complications or…dangers. What did you mean? What kind of dangers?”

  Diabelle stared at me for several awkward moments before leaning down and meeting me face to face. “Are you asking because you’re afraid of getting hurt?”

  “No, ma’am. I’m afraid of not being able to do what Necra is asking of me…to fulfill my duties. I just want to be prepared; that’s all.”

  A scowl slid across her face. “Do you consider me a poor shepherd?” she snapped.

  “No, ma’am!” A sense of dread washed over me, and I felt as if I had just blown my chance at redemption.

  “Do you wish to be trained by another shepherd? Perhaps one better qualified than myself? Is that it?”

  “No, ma’am. I was just—”

  “Do you think I’d ever let you leave this place without making sure you’re fully prepared to do what Necra asks of you?”

  “No, ma’am,” I replied as humbly as possible.

  “All right, then! I guess I’ve answered your question, didn’t I?”

  I stiffened and kept my gaze forward, avoiding her piercing eyes. “Yes, ma’am!” I’d learned my lesson.

  “Excellent,” she said, smiling. “Keep that in mind, and I’ll make sure you are the most successful shepherd you can possibly be!”

  “Thank you, ma’am!”

  “Good! Now, hurry up and get your ass back to the Sanctified Mines. There’s still a few more hours left in the
afternoon. Dismissed!” she growled.

  I walked off the balcony as quickly as I could without breaking into a run.

  -42-

  When I arrived at the Sanctified Mines, Graldo was waiting for me, his expression furled and angry.

  “You’re late!” the shepherd barked.

  “Yes, sir,” I grumbled, snapping to attention.

  “What do you have to say for yourself?”

  “Nothing, sir.”

  “What ya mean…nothin’? I told you to be here to fulfill yer punishment duty, and that was that!”

  “And I’m here, sir,” I argued. “Just as you instructed.”

  “That’s not what I told you, and you know it!” he snarled, point his crooked finger directly in my face.

  “When we talked yesterday, all you told me was that I had to be here today…and I’m here. You never said anything about me not being allowed to come late.” I knew it was a far-fetched technicality, but it was the only argument I could think of against his ridiculous and impossible demands.

  “Nope…that’s not right.” Graldo shook his head dismissively. “You’re just tryin’ to be all clever and shit…thinkin’ you can just talk your way out of having to work with your buddy Biklish like I said you would if you didn’t show up like I asked ya! Is that it?”

  “Not at all, sir,” I said vehemently. “I’m more than willing to head over there right now, if that’s what you’d like me to do.”

  “It is.” He beady eyes glittered through his usual squinted and concentrated expression. “Dismissed.”

  “Thank you, sir!” I bellowed and walked away, acting as though the added punishment didn’t bother me in the slightest. It was the only way I could show my discontent, yet still obey his orders.

  I took a shuttle cart over to the entrance to the western mine, and from there, descended the long stairway to the main work area of the cave. When I arrived at the staging area, one of the older potentials pointed to the third tunnel entrance to my left and told me to join the rest of the crew down below.