I change my baculum into two short-swords—gotta love how you can change a baculum fire-blade in the middle of a fight—and start taking down Rodentia two-handed. “We’ve got plenty to kill up here.”
“Don’t you want to know what Charybdis is hiding? Like, all of it?”
Used to be, maybe I did. Now? Not so much.
I flatten more Rodentia. “Be sure to keep the little buggers off you.”
Without looking up, Uther screws something into the bomb with his right hand while lancing a demonic rat with his left. “You got it, boss.”
A figure stalks out of the darkened tunnel. He’s humanoid and stocky with a rodent face, red-scaled body and long, rat-like tail. I’d know this guy anywhere. He’s a Class A job called the Scourge. This demon is what turns a small pack of Rodentia into a massive horde of trouble.
Oh, yeah. My day just got a whole lot better. More of the old kick of battle excitement moves through my veins. Not a ton, but I’ll take it.
I stride over to stand before him. “I’m Maxon Vidar Xavion Aquilus, High Prince of the Thrax. Surrender and live.”
The Scourge makes a chittering sound, which is then echoed throughout the horde. He speaks past a mouth of long pointed teeth. “Never.”
I grin. “Glad you feel that way.”
To kick things off right, I slice through the Scourge’s tail with my own. Mine’s covered in dragon scales. His is a major liability. Plus, losing your backend is a real game changer. You get attached to your tail, and not in the obvious ways. Chopping it off always makes my opponents do something dumb.
The Scourge glares at his bloody tail-stump, howls his lungs out, and then rushes at me with his short-sword. Not a great plan.
Blow after blow comes at me from the Scourge. I block them all with my right arm, which is also covered in dragon scales. It’s my own built-in shield and I love it. We trade punches and lunges for a while. It’s only a matter of time before this demon slips up again.
Sure enough, the Scourge makes a bad play for my jugular. I grab his short-sword with my bare right hand and fold it in half. Gotta love dragon scales.
The Scourge’s big yellow eyes flare red. Now, he’s really pissed. Things are about to get fun. I move into fighting stance and start whaling on his head. Then, I follow up with kidney punches to the gut and deep knee kicks to the belly. I’ve been trained in every kind of martial art out there, plus a bunch of stuff you only learn on the streets. This is one of the few times I get to use it.
At last, I’m really getting into the zone. Adrenaline pumps through me. You’d think I was a junkie scoring a hit, I’m so fucking happy. Sure, my knuckles are sore and the Scourge is down, but I don’t give a crap. I’m not stopping for anyone.
That’s when the Scourge’s rat face turns into someone else’s. It becomes long and black with a nose like a knife. Small red eyes lock with mine. I can never forget that face.
Armageddon, the King of Hell.
This freak abducted me when I was three years old. I still have nightmares about it.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I roar.
Wrapping the demon into a sleeper hold, I start speed-whaling his temple. The skull cracks, and there’s no question about it. This bad boy’s dead. I drop the carcass onto the ground.
Catching my breath, I scan the battlefield. All the Rodentia are toast. Their bodies cover the desert floor in a solid bloody mass. The guys stand around me, their mouths hanging open. Not good. The fight’s long over. I must’ve been beating up on a dead demon for a while. There’s a long pause before anybody speaks.
“What did you mean before?” asks Zee slowly.
“About what?”
“You were talking to the Scourge. You wanted to know what he was doing here?”
A wall goes up inside my mind. On one side, there’s the guys. On the other, there’s the truth. I’m guarding that wall with everything I’ve got. No way I’m admitting to seeing Armageddon.
“I don’t know, Zee. I was in the zone. Whatever.”
“You lost it for a while,” says Uther.
My defenses go on high alert. Uther’s getting way too close to the truth. What I say next isn’t a thought-out thing. More a knee-jerk response.
“Lost it?” I repeat. “You don’t get to say that to me. You spent the battle playing with bomb toys instead of fighting like a thrax.” The second the words are out of my mouth, I feel like a total ass for saying them. Uth’s face gets all red.
And the worst thing is, I was only getting on his case for telling the truth.
Uther was right. I totally lost it. Isn’t it bad enough that I don’t like fighting or fucking anymore? Now, I have to have flashbacks on the battlefield, too. Man, this crap mood of mine better let up soon. I start giving orders, and that makes everything feel a little more normal. “Ty, cast an incineration spell. We need these carcasses out of here. Then, lock down Charybdis. We’re calling it a day.”
“Sure thing, M.”
While the rest of the guys clean up, I pull Uther aside. “Look, man. I’m sorry about what happened back there. I had no business saying any of that. You’re different, and I know you get flak about it. But I want you to hear me right now. I respect the hell out of what you do. You’re an important part of the team.”
Uther stares at the ground. “If you say so, Maxon.”
“Promise me something.”
“What?”
“Keep calling me on my shit. You’re the only one with the balls to do it.”
Uther cracks a smile. “Does that mean my balls are bigger than yours?”
“In your dreams, pal.”
Ty jogs over to join us. He does not look happy.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“I can’t get the sealing spell to work.”
“What?” I’ve never heard of Ty being unable to cast a spell, ever. “You sure?”
“I’m telling you, M. Something’s immune to my magic.”
I jog over to Charybdis. Sure enough, bizarre lights dance under the grains of sand. Everything’s in different shades of blue, and none of it’s human-made. Doesn’t look demonic, either.
What can do something like that?
For the first time in I don’t know how long, my pulse skyrockets. Every cell in my body vibrates with life and energy. This is the kind of electric excitement I’ve been missing for months…the charge that only happens before a really badass battle.
A new opponent is coming.
I can’t wait.
Lianna
As I rush through the darkened forest, one thought stays stuck my mind.
Crap, I’m running late.
That worry, as much as anything, is why I head-butt the flying frog.
“Sorry, Franklin,” I say quickly. “Didn’t see you there.”
Franklin’s sapphire skin and gossamer wings shimmer with blue light. That’s typical stuff for a water elemental—brighter skin means emotions are running high. In this case, Franklin’s upset that he’s playing messenger to me, the lowliest of Namare’s apprentices.
He can kiss my thrax ass.
“What’s up, Franklin?”
The frog hovers by my shoulder. “It took me a fortnight to find you.”
“That’s why they call it hiding out. If the other apprentices don’t care about getting killed, that’s their business.” I sidestep another sinkhole. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’m late for battle training.”
“With Fisk?” Franklin’s basso voice croaks extra low. The tone says ‘I know Fisk is your lover.’ Irritation tightens up my neck. Everyone thinks that I became one of Namare’s apprentices by banging Fisk. I’d explain how I dumped him, but no one listens. Just like they don’t retain the fact that Fisk and I hooked up after I got the apprenticeship.
Franklin titters by my ear, and that’s when I’ve had enough.
“Did you come here for a reason, Franklin?”
“I bring dark tidings. Namare’s il
lness is worsening.”
Namare’s the official leader of water elementals—our monarkki. There are four monarkki in total, one for each element: Water, air, fire, and earth. An image pops into my mind; it’s my twentieth birthday party. The celebration consisted of me, Namare, and a slice of chocolate cake. That pretty much sums up my family life, right there. My heart clenches with worry. And Namare’s getting sicker.
I force my shoulders to straighten. Stay calm, Lianna. Namare’s been alive for twenty-thousand years and ill for as long as you’ve known her. She’ll pull through.
“Got it.” I work hard to keep my voice level. “What else is going on?”
“I’ve a new memory for you as well.”
“Define new.”
“Three weeks.”
“Didn’t bust your little blue ass to find me, now did you? I’m not that hard to locate.”
Franklin flitters around in a huff, his chin high in the air. “Do you want what I’ve gathered or not?”
Collecting memories is the water frog claim to fame. They store them on their tongues. Gross, but I’ve gotten used to it.
“Okay, do your thing.”
Franklin hovers by my shoulder. “Wrist or neck?”
“Wrist is fine.”
Franklin lands on my forearm. His eyes glow bright blue as his long sticky tongue flicks against my wrist.
After that, everything around me disappears.
Things start off hazy, like I’m standing in a heavy fog. That’s pretty standard stuff for a memory transfer from Franklin. At this point, all I know is that this memory’s from a Water Valta, an elite guard of the elemental world. Water Valta are all tall, lean guys with pale skin, cropped sea-green hair and blue stone armor that’s covered in a pattern of scales. Most have something fish-like about them, too. Some have buggy eyes; others sport gills on their neck. As a group, they’re not what you call attractive. Makes me ask the age-old question of my life.
Why couldn’t Fisk have been butt-ugly like the rest of the Valta? Then, maybe I wouldn’t have gotten myself in such a mess.
The memory comes into clearer focus, jarring me out of my thoughts of Fisk. In the memory, I’m one of about ten Water Valta who line the walls of a swanky penthouse apartment in Tokyo. The furniture is modern and sparse. Large windows overlook the city skyline. Before me, practice mats have been set out for a trio of girls. Everyone calls them the Suzuki three. They’re apprentices like me, only they’re top of the class. Triplets. Prodigies. Lethal.
A Water Valta steps forward, holding a long stone that glows with blue light. That’s the Kristalli of Water. Most of the time, the stone curls around Namare’s head as a crown. Every once in a while, she charges it with elemental power, turns it to a dagger-like shape, and lends it to the apprentices for practice.
Every eye in the room is fixed on the Kristalli. Power, energy, and life surround it in an invisible mist. Watching the scene, a sense of joy and purpose electrifies my nervous system. Namare heals the water elemental world with her powers. She builds tsunamis, cleanses rivers, and—drip by drop—slowly transforms deserts into jungles. One day, one of us apprentices will wield that ability, too. Won’t be me, but I’m happy I get to watch.
The captain of this Valta troop raises the Kristalli toward the apprentices. He’s an older fellow with leathery skin and cropped gray hair.
“I bring this to you from Namare,” he says. “Practice well.”
The apprentices bow in unison. Aiko, the eldest, steps forward.
“Thank you, captain,” she says with a sly smile.
“Anything for you, Aiko.” The captain’s neck-gills start flexing faster. Whoa, that guy has a serious crush. Must be a Water Valta thing to fall for your apprentice.
Aiko keeps up her eye-lock with the captain while her dainty fingers touch the other side of the Kristalli. The captain still holds onto his half of the stone, totally oblivious to anything outside of Aiko’s gaze. The Kristalli flares bright blue. Suddenly, the captain lights up as well. He reminds me of some kind of warrior-shaped Christmas tree.
All Valta are low-level magicians. They amplify or block elemental power. Becoming monarkki takes two steps. First, you take in elemental energy from the last monarkki. That’s where the Kristalli comes in. It stores and transfers power. Second, you need to link to your elemental people. The Valta are the ones who make that happen. It’s their energy that turns the Kristalli into a crown, literally.
For the captain, that Valta magic is doing something else right now. Namely, it’s making him light up like a love-struck dope.
Smiles break out across the room. The captain stays oblivious.
“You look mighty pretty today, Aiko.”
“Thank you, kind sir.”
The guy gleams even brighter. Around the penthouse, the grins turn into badly muffled chuckles. The captain looks down, noticing his glow for the first time.
“Aiko!” His fish-like mouth falls open in shock.
“Couldn’t help it,” Aiko says. “I like to see you glow.”
The other Valta break out into peals of laughter, as do the apprentices. Aiko finally takes the Kristalli from the captain and sets the stone into the waistband of her karate uniform.
A warm sense of unity and family infuses the space. They’re all so casual, so happy, and so totally doomed. I grit my teeth in frustration, wanting to scream through the memory.
Hurry! A charged-up Kristalli is Zephyr’s drug of choice. Take the power from the stone and send it back to Namare, now.
But I’m powerless to change anything. The apprentices bow low to each other and begin their warm-ups. They start off with traditional karate kicks, leaps, and lunges. Totally beautiful. Absolutely deadly. And no doubt, they’ll soon be dead as well. A weight settles on my soul.
The big mistake here is obvious. I know for a fact that the Suzuki three have been living in that penthouse for the past two months. For apprentices like us, that’s asking for trouble.
Smoke clouds the bay windows. The guards stiffen with alarm, grabbing their traditional scabbards from their belts.
The smoke quickly takes form. It’s Zephyr, the Monarkki of Air, along with a dozen of his Air Valta. Unlike the older team that protects the triplets, Zephyr’s Valta are all young and twitchy. He has a nasty habit of killing off his own people for the smallest infraction. And compared to how he treats the rest of us? His people get off easy.
With an ear-splitting crash, Zephyr breaks through the window. Broken glass showers across the penthouse.
An Air Valta heads straight for me. Or rather, it heads straight for the Water Valta whose memory I’m inside. The Air Valta creates a corkscrew whirlwind that cocoons around my Water Valta’s body, holding it in place while choking off any air supply. My Valta tries to twist under the bindings, but he can’t move. His breath comes in rough gasps. Dying and desperate, he scans the penthouse.
The remaining Water Valta try to fight off both Zephyr and his guards. Not happening. They’re outnumbered and don’t stand a chance against a full monarkki without Namare there to help.
The Air Valta quickly restrain everyone in bonds of wind. Zephyr stalks toward the three apprentices. His skin glows in different shades of gray. Like his Valta, Zephyr wears the traditional Roman armor he wore during his lifetime. His face is rugged and crisscrossed with battle scars. A crown of milky-white crystals sits on his head.
Zephyr stalks to the first apprentice in line. “Where is the Kristalli of Water?”
She lifts her chin, defiance clear in her dark eyes. “I don’t know.”
Zephyr raises his arm, his fist turning into a swirl of cyclone-speed air. He punches the apprentice in the stomach and churns her insides into mush. Her face blanks with a look of shock and pain. After that, she slumps over, dead. My heart tumbles to my toes.
He moves to the next apprentice in line—Aiko. “Do you know where the Kristalli is?”
All the blood drains from Aiko’s face. She q
uickly hands over the blue stone. “Here.”
“Wise choice,” Zephyr says. He grips the blue Kristalli and sets the end against his upper arm. Small prongs extend from the stone and delve into Zephyr’s flesh. Blue light flows out from the Kristalli and into Zephyr’s skin. His body quickly fills with sapphire-colored brightness. Letting out a low moan, Zephyr’s leans back, his eyes rolling into his head.
A prickly sense of disgust churns through me. Once you become a monarkki, drugs and booze have no effect on you. However, sucking in energy from another elemental class is pretty sweet. Ages ago, Zephyr started crashing practice sessions and killing off the odd apprentice to steal and drain charged Kristalli. Over the years, it’s gotten so bad that the guy probably needs a twelve-step program.
Zephyr lets out another moan. Okay, the guy definitely needs a twelve-step program.
The Kristalli of Water turns dark. All the practice power has been drained. Bit by bit, the blue light fades from Zephyr’s skin as well. With a long sigh, Zephyr pulls the stone away from his arm. Through the memory, my Water Valta gasps harder for breath. Sadness and rage burn through my rib cage. This didn’t have to happen.
Aiko steps forward. “You have what you want. Now, kill us or leave.”
A sense of awe chills my veins. You have to hand it to Aiko. Facing down Zephyr takes guts.
“I don’t have everything that I want,” growls Zephyr. “Where are the Kristalli of Fire and Earth?”
A long pause follows. Zephyr killed off the monarkki of Fire and Earth along with all their apprentices. At least Namare was able to hide their Kristalli before Zephyr could drain them. The stones are still charged with elemental power and ready for a new monarkki, but Namare’s been too sick to do anything about it. Everyone hopes that her successor will be healthy enough to train new apprentices for the Fire and Earth elementals. They seriously need new monarkki.
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