Reaping Wind

by Orlando A. Sanchez

  The threat had to be closer—and then I saw it.

  “The blades,” I said. “The bond to the blades is the immediate problem.”

  “Why?” Jun asked. “Why should the blades be your immediate concern?”

  “Esti and the Blood Hunters are coming for those first,” I said. “It will reestablish their power base and make every other faction take notice.”

  “They can’t just take the blades, though,” Monty said. “Both you and Grey are bonded to the weapons. To break the bond means to kill you first.”

  “Out of the two, I’m the harder target,” I said. “Why come after me?”

  “You have a vulnerability the Warden does not,” Jun answered. “Do you know what it is?”

  “Chi,” I said. “My connection to her makes me vulnerable.”

  “Does it?” Jun asked. “Is that your real vulnerability?”

  Jun looked to the side and focused on the politely chomping Peaches.

  “Yes,” I said. “My bond to Ebonsoul also happens to be a bond to Chi.”

  Jun nodded. “If they target her and she flees—” he began.

  “They knew I would come after her,” I finished.

  “Why?” Jun asked. “She is a vampire, and you are not.”

  “She’s the leader of the Dark Council.”

  “Which has vowed to eliminate you and your hellhound, and hurt your friend.”

  “I need to know,” I said after a pause. “She’s not evil. I know her. There has to be another reason for her behavior.”

  “Do you believe this to be the case, Tatsu?” Jun turned to face Monty. “You think this vampire has good in her?”

  “I believe she cares for Simon and has demonstrated that more than once.”

  “But you are not certain.”

  “I’m certain that if she poses a threat to those under my protection, I will eliminate her.”

  Jun nodded. “Elements within the fractured Dark Council have maneuvered you all here. Do you know why?”

  “They make her leave the city—we follow, and they isolate us from any kind of external protection or assistance.”

  “In Go, it is called a cut,” Jun said. “They have succeeded in removing you from any support in order to eliminate you.”

  “What could they say to make her leave the Dark Council?”

  “You will have to ask her when you find her.”

  “If Hades hadn’t been so generous, we could have bargained with at least one of the blades,” Monty said. “As it stands, we will need to stop them on three fronts now, instead of two.”

  “Hades is playing a much longer game than we can see,” Jun replied. “By giving the Night Warden the blade, he has created flux in what was once a static situation.”

  “Ugh, gods and their games,” I said. “All he had to do is keep the sword safe and give it back—to Monty. Why was that so hard?”

  “He wanted to create a state of chaos,” Monty said. “What I don’t know is why.”

  “What he created is a nightmare,” I said. “For that matter, why would Chi give me a blade that was designed to kill and siphon supernaturals?”

  “Because she knew the day would come when it would be needed,” Jun said. “She wanted to make sure that whoever held that blade would not be swayed by power or status.”

  “All she did was make my life harder,” I said. “Now I have to deal with Esti and her psychogroup of hunters.”

  “You could always let them kill you,” Jun answered. “That would sever the bond, at least in theory.”

  “I did the whole dying thing in London. Thanks, but no thanks. I came back and the bond was still there. I think, in order to sever this particular bond, it needs to be a final death—which isn’t an option when one of my bonds is to a hellhound.”

  “Indeed. Severing that bond would result in catastrophe.”

  “That’s a nice way of saying an unstoppable XL Hellhound would destroy the city,” I said. “True death is the only way I can see my bond with Ebonsoul breaking.”

  “Hmm,” Jun said, tapping his chin. “That would make sense. Your bonds, especially the ones associated with the blade, are inextricably linked to the vampire. It’s very possible you both must die to sever that bond.”

  “Wonderful, I’ll make sure to let Esti know she has to kill me and Chi.”

  “I think that’s the plan in either case,” Monty answered. “You recall the situation your vampire was in when you killed Anastasia?”

  “I do. They were planning to give Chi the ultimate suntan. She should’ve never given me this blade.”

  “I’d say she chose well,” Jun said. “She gave the blade to an immortal with a conscience who, at least until now, has not gone on a rampage in the quest for more power.”

  “If the blades are the immediate concern, that makes the Dark Council a close second,” Monty said. “They want to eliminate Simon and his creature as well as erase my abilities.”

  “Do they?” Jun asked with a slight smile. “Then why haven’t they done so?”

  “What do you mean?” I asked. “They are after us.”

  Jun stood slowly, but gracefully, unfolding his legs. I got to my feet with about as much grace as a newborn foal. Pins and needles shot down both my legs as my lower body woke up from sitting in seiza: an upright kneeling position, one which compressed the nerves in my legs.

  “The Dark Council is a global organization,” Jun said as he led us out of the dining room and down a long hallway. “Do you really think there is anywhere on this planet you could go where they wouldn’t be able to eventually find you?”

  “No,” Monty said, pensively. “The DCE has counterparts everywhere. If they wanted, they could hunt us down. Not easily, but given their resources, it would only be a matter of time.”

  “Then it stands to reason that someone in the Dark Council is aiding your progress and wants you to do what they cannot.”

  “Get killed so that Esti and her group can get Ebonsoul?” I asked. “Because that is not on my to-do list…ever.”

  “They want you to remove the threat of the Blood Hunters,” Jun said. “It also seems that someone would prefer you die in the process. Do not pretend everyone in the Council wants you to succeed. You have many adversaries.”

  “Well, that makes me feel all kinds of cozy and loved,” I said. “Do you know who else we can contact in the Dark Kuro-thing here?”

  “The Kuro Hyogikai is led by Fumiko in this area. She is the regional director and an accomplished mage.”

  “She is much stronger than she appears,” Monty said. “She was masking her energy signature effectively.”

  Jun nodded. “Do not underestimate her. If you outwitted her this time, she will learn from your interaction and prepare a better snare for you next time.”

  “She is quite the tactician—she almost trapped us,” Monty answered. “She revealed her hand with the disruption wave.”

  “Great,” I said. “We can’t use deadly force on the Dark Kuro guys, and we have to avoid them while dealing with Blood Hunters, who want us dead.”

  Jun looked up suddenly and then closed his eyes. “Your pursuers are close. We are near our next phasing. Tatsu, would you like me to assist? It has been decades since my last mage battle.”

  “No,” Monty said. “We will use the courtyard exit. Thank you for the meal, Junichi. As always, you have lent me your clarity of thought.”

  “And as always, it has been my honor,” Jun said, and then looked at me. “You have much to discover. The first is to embrace your purpose—once you do that, you will alleviate much of your pain and suffering.”

  “And the second?”

  “You still don’t understand why you are more vulnerable than the Warden,” Jun said. “When you do, you will discover your greatest strength. I only hope you do so in time.”

  I nodded. “Thank you,” I said, not understanding a word he’s said. “I’ll make sure to do that.”

  “No, you wo
n’t, not for some time,” Jun answered with a chuckle. “But, eventually you will. And when you do, your power will flow unblocked.”

  THIRTEEN

  Jun escorted us outside to the serene courtyard and hugged Monty.

  “Please be careful, Tatsu,” he said. “This Blood Hunter, Esti… There are rumors. You cannot reason or negotiate with her. She is blinded by revenge and by a quest for power.”

  “We don’t intend to negotiate,” Monty said. “We intend to neutralize the threat—permanently.”

  Jun nodded and reached into his robe. He handed each of us a small golden ring, around three inches wide. The rings were covered in delicate runework that shimmered in the light. It was surprisingly heavy for such a small item. I felt the energy pulse through it as it rested in my palm.

  “If you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to get to safety and can’t cast, these will bring you here if we are in phase. Make sure they are not activated in proximity to each other. Overlapping portals can cause…rifts.”

  “Rifts?” I asked, looking at the ring he gave me. “What kind of rifts?”

  “Temporal rifts—nasty things that disrupt spacetime. Just be careful activating them. You need at least five feet between the portals.”

  I looked at the ring with a newfound sense of apprehension.

  Monty tried to return his ring to Jun. “We can’t accept these. How many portal rings are left?”

  “We still have a few left, here and elsewhere,” Jun answered, pushing Monty’s hand back. “I can’t take them back. They have been keyed to your signatures”—he looked at me—“and even to your Peaches. Which reminds me…”

  Jun knelt down next to Peaches and placed his hands on the hellhound’s sides. He muttered something under his breath, and a red-violet glow surrounded Peaches.

  “You encased him in a multi-phasic shell?” Monty said with a hint of awe. “Your temporal skills have increased. I recall you positing this theory. Has my uncle seen this?”

  “Not yet,” Jun said with a smile. “He will, when we swing by the Golden Circle later this month.”

  “How long will it remain stable?” Monty asked, stepping close to Peaches. “This is beyond anything I’ve ever seen.”

  “It will be stable for a few days, and then it will degrade slowly. That should prevent any effects of the disruption wave.”

  “Thank you, Jun,” I said with a bow. “I don’t know how to repay you.”

  “Stay safe, keep Tatsu safe, and protect your Peaches,” Jun said, rubbing Peaches behind the ears, before standing and walking back to the door. “That will be payment enough.”

 

 

 

  Peaches padded over and bumped his head into Jun’s leg, nearly knocking him down. He finished off with a low bark that almost shattered my eardrums.

  Jun laughed. “You’re welcome,” he said, rubbing Peaches behind the ears again. “Please visit if you can.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  “I’m sorry about that,” I apologized. “He doesn’t know his own strength sometimes. Thank you again for the portal ring, and…everything.”

  Jun waved my words away and turned his head as if hearing something behind him.

  “The phase is starting, and the hunters are on their way,” Jun said. “I’m sorry we can’t be of more assistance.”

  “You’ve given us more assistance than you can imagine,” Monty answered. “Please get the Repository safe now. We will deal with this threat.”

  Jun hugged Monty again and closed the door behind us. Seconds later, we were alone as the building disappeared, making the courtyard an open U-shaped space.

  “We could have just stayed with him and phased away,” I said, looking at the empty space that had been occupied seconds earlier. “That would’ve provided us more assistance.”

  “No,” Monty answered, gesturing. “Our signatures reduce their ability to remain hidden. Aside from the fact that he isn’t a battle mage, he must keep his location hidden—that is his primary responsibility. Some of the books in the Repository are priceless and the only remaining copies in existence.”

  “Well, then,” I said, drawing Grim Whisper and shaking out my wrist to give myself access to my mala bracelet. “Let’s get ready to have a conversation with some psychohunters.”

  FOURTEEN

  The energy around the courtyard shifted. Peaches let out a deep rumble and shifted into ‘tear and shred’ mode. The runes in the walls around us were dormant.

  “What happened to the runes?” I asked as Monty kept gesturing. “I don’t sense them anymore.”

  “We have hunters incoming,” Monty said, glancing down at Peaches. “If Esti is leading them, you will need to destabilize her.”

  “She’s already destabilized,” I said. “You want her off the deep end. She’s still deadly.”

  “Irrational and deadly is easier to face than rational and deadly.”

  “Does that really exist—rational and deadly? We have yet to meet someone who wants to blast us to little bits while presenting a rational reason why.”

  “No one comes to mind at the moment,” Monty said, gesturing one last time. “We really need to expand our circle of adversaries.”

  “How about we shrink it instead? To zero?” I asked with a shake of my head. “Back to the runes in the wall—did you break them?”

  The white runes he traced in the air floated away from us in every direction, landing in different parts of the courtyard and fading from sight. I noticed the pond and zen garden had disappeared as well. Only the large black pine trees remained, encircling the perimeter of the courtyard like silent sentinels.

  “The runes and decorative features of the courtyard are only active and present when the Repository is in place,” Monty said. “They are currently giving off a subtle but powerful ‘nothing to see here and stay away’ suggestion to normals. Otherwise, it would attract too much attention.”

  I nodded. It made sense. The runes would keep the property clear of curious onlookers. The Blood Hunters would arrive and barely raise an eyebrow from people in the surrounding area—the runes in the courtyard acted like blinders to whatever happened on the property.

  “How do you want to do this? Diplomacy?”

  “This isn’t the Kuro Hyogikai,” Monty said, reaching behind him and drawing one of the Sorrows. “The Blood Hunters, and Esti especially, want you dead. Today, diplomacy will be at the edge of a sword.”

  “You don’t absorb your swords, do you?” I asked. “I mean, you reach back, and poof—there they are, but I don’t see them turning into mist or anything.”

  “I keep them in a trans-dimensional sheath,” Monty said. “They are not like your blade or the sword Grey now wields. Think of them as being in a large pocket only I can access.”

  “Can you create a pocket like that for Ebonsoul?”

  “I’m afraid not,” Monty said, shaking his head. “The composition of your blade would prevent it. In addition, I’m not bound to the Sorrows. These are mere weapons—not siphons.”

  “Don’t know about the ‘mere weapon’ part,” I said. “I’ve seen those things in action.”

  “They are formidable, but they are only as effective as the wielder,” he said, holding up one of the blades as it released a small cry. “In the end, they are still only weapons, dependent on my skill. Your blade is—more.”

  “Are y
ou sure you can still use those things?” I asked, looking at him warily. “I know you had them recently upgraded to seraphs, but you haven’t been fighting with them, and Blood Hunters aren’t demons.”

  Monty rolled his shoulders and swung the sword in front of him. Each practice cut he executed sounded like the weeping of a young girl. Not creepy at all.

  “It hasn’t been that long since London,” he said with a few more practice cuts. “I’m sure it’ll come back to me.”

  Monty reached back and removed the second blade, holding it out, checking the balance. Black runes covered the silver blades on both sides. The hilt was the figure of a young woman with her arms outstretched to the sides.

  When Monty extended the sword, the figure’s arms wrapped loosely around his wrist, forming a guard and protecting him. He rested his arms at his side as the twin blades gave off a soft wail.

  “Have I told you how creepy those things are?”

  “Yes, you have,” Monty answered. “Are they any less creepy than a blade that can potentially kill a god?”

  “Point taken,” I said, adjusting Ebonsoul in its sheath. “I’m guessing we’re not unleashing orbs of destruction today?”

  Monty shook his head. “The courtyard is covered with runic triggers,” he said. “Any active magic used will be met with a swift response. The runes won’t distinguish who is doing the casting. Think of them as runic proximity mines.”

  “Runic triggers? Blood Hunters don’t use active magic.”

  “They won’t use LIT rounds on us; that would be a waste of ammunition.”

  “Since we aren’t vampires. Makes sense—Light Irradiated Tungsten would hurt, but it would be a waste. LIT rounds aren’t cheap.”

  “They can, however, use erasure rounds, and your favorite—”

  “Blood arrows,” I said. The last time I dealt with one up close, it was buried in my leg. “Not a fan of blood arrows or erasure rounds.”

  “Nor am I,” Monty agreed. “Both of those will trigger the runes I released around us. I’d suggest no magic missiles, Or overt rune use.” He looked down at my bracelet. “Your shield should be fine, though.”