“The road down must be around here somewhere,” he said.
The snow made everything look the same. She could see no sign of the path they were supposed to be taking. Turning to look into the forest for clues she noticed a large mound in the snow. She stared at it for a few moments before realizing the shape of it was of a car.
“Is that a vehicle?” She asked, patting Brosen on the shoulder.
Brosen turned, but didn't answer. Instead, he stood up, taking the White Energy gun with him. Impyra followed, reaching out with her energy. The power of the shield dominated the area, but there was something else in the air as well, something disturbing and angry. It ran through her, colder than the very air she breathed.
“Be careful,” he said as they approached the buried vehicle.
Reaching out a hand, he ran it across where the driver side window should be. A cascade of snow fell to the ground with a thump. They both jumped back as the black metal door was revealed. It was an EOV. Brosen lifted the gun to his shoulder. Impyra leaned in close to peer inside.
Two men sat in their seats, skin ashen and eyes frozen shut.
“Oh,” she gasped, pulling away.
“What?”
“I think they're dead.”
He moved in closer to look. Lowering the gun to his side he sighed, hanging his head. “They must have predicted we’d come this way.”
“Why did they only send one vehicle?”
Impyra scanned the forest; realizing that there were more mounds among the trees. All of them sat facing the road, waiting for the moment that would come too late. She felt an odd mixture of relief and sorrow. It was not her desire to see anyone hurt or killed, even at the cost of her freedom.
“I'm glad we didn't try to sleep outside,” Brosen acknowledged quietly.
Another wave of angry energy washed over her, nearly knocking her from her feet. Impyra felt the hair on her neck stand as she struggled against the dizziness. She reached out a hand to steady herself against the EOV.
“What's wrong?” Brosen asked.
“I don't know,” Impyra shook her head. “It feels like something is coming.”
Brosen glanced around. “We should get out of here.”
Impyra didn't need to be told twice. She began the slow trudge back to the motorcycle. It was difficult to keep her balance. She felt as if something were attempting to suck all of her energy away. Brosen took her arm, helping her to navigate, concern filling his eyes. They reached the motorcycle. Impyra leaned against it, panting as if she'd run a great distance up hill. Brosen lifted his head staring into the forest to the northeast. He frowned.
“Do you hear that?” he whispered.
Impyra felt her heart skip a beat. There was a low, persistent roar of an engine and it was growing closer. Raising her eyes, she saw a massive EOV barreling through the trees, throwing snow snow out in front of it like a ship cutting through waves in the ocean.
“Run,” Brosen said. “Go now, run.”
Impyra pushed herself away from the motorcycle, scrambling back toward the bridge. It felt as if every step drained her of her strength. The EOV thundered toward them. Brosen jumped out of the way as it plowed over the motorcycle.
The passenger door swung open before the vehicle could stop. A dark figure dropped out, crouching low in the snow. Impyra glanced back as he stood, drawing a long silver sword from his belt. Angry energy radiated from him, an aura so strong she could nearly see the darkness of his rage.
“Impyra, stop!”
Her skin crawled at the sound of the voice.
Xander.
More people began to exit the EOV; Enforcers and soldiers she did not recognize. She couldn't see Brosen anywhere. The soldiers began to fan out, White Energy guns ready.
Impyra reached the pillar at the edge of the bridge and used it to leverage herself up onto the snow. Xander was walking toward her as if he was lighter than air.
“Brosen, come of your own free will and you'll be given a fair trial!” One of the soldiers shouted.
Brosen appeared around the side of the EOV, somehow running in the deep drifts. Was she the only one having difficulty? One of the soldiers broke away from the group; a woman. She sprinted across the top of the snow as if it were solid ground.
“Look out!” Impyra shouted.
The woman chasing Brosen leapt through the air, higher than any regular person could hope to achieve. Brosen turned to block her, raising his arms as she crashed into him, forcing him to the ground. The snow flew around them as he tried to push her off. The other soldiers began to converge on their location.
“Brosen!” Impyra yelled.
“Worried about your little boyfriend, are you?” Xander asked. “Don't worry; soon he'll be dead, too. Just like you.”
“Get away from me, Xander,” she said firmly. “Let us go and you'll never hear from us again.”
Xander stopped, stunned by her words, cocking his head to the side. Something was wrong with his eyes. They were too dark, too menacing.
“Let you go?” he began to laugh. “Let you go? But I've only just found you.”
“I'm warning you,” Impyra wouldn't be easily intimidated. “Stay back.”
“Ungrateful wretch,” Xander spit, raising his sword and increasing his speed.
Impyra drew energy in from the air around her, raising her hands before her she called forth a ball of energy in each palm. Although she'd never tested her new skill as a weapon, she had confidence in her abilities. Memories of the ferocity of the White Energy gun filled her mind.
Xander grinned, shaking his head slowly from side to side. “No tricks this time, my love.”
He began to run toward her. Impyra swiped the air first with her left hand, then her right, releasing the energy. The orbs flew forward, building power as they went.
Xander lifted his blade defensively across his body. Her orbs were absorbed into the sword, leaving the prince without a scratch.
Impyra frowned. Lifting her hands again she realized a thin silver thread extended from each of her palms toward the blade. Xander skidded to a halt, shivering as if in ecstasy.
“Yes,” he hissed, licking his lips.
He raised the sword.
Fatigued but unwilling to give up, she raised her hands again, forming a single orb between them. Pushing both hands palm outward she let it fly. Xander didn't attempt to block the blast. It hit him square in the chest, but dissipated harmlessly.
He grinned.
Impyra looked down to see a silver thread from her own heart now connected to the sword. She could feel her life force draining away through it.
“Again!” Xander shouted. “More!”
“Impyra!”
She looked to the side to see Brosen struggling to free himself from the woman, but he was surrounded. The Enforcers had their White Energy guns trained on him, and the other soldiers stood ready to pounce.
“Stop looking at him!” Xander snarled.
He swung the blade. Impyra felt her energy ripping from her body. She screamed.
“You belong to me! I saved you! I protected you! This is how you repay me?” He swung the sword the other way.
“Stop!” she screamed, falling to her knees.
He cut upward with the blade, lifting back onto her feet.
“You sit when I tell you to sit!”
Impyra knew she had to fight against it. The world was growing dim. There must be a way to be released from the sword's cursed grasp. Behind her, the massive shield pulsated. There was one way out. She forced herself to move backward.
“Xander! Stop! Don't kill her now!” A strange old man was hurrying forward.
“Of course I'm going to kill her! That was the plan!”
“Lay flat on the ground or we'll be forced to fire!” an Enforcer was yelling at Brosen.
“Get away from me!” Brosen shouted back. “Impyra!”
She could hear the waterfall behind her. The dome of energy was warm and invitin
g, lending her strength.
“Not this time,” Xander said.
“Stop, Xander! You’re a fool!” the old man shouted.
Lowering the blade point first he rushed at her. It was now or never. Darkness was filling the edges of her vision. Only Xander and the oncoming death he carried were in full focus. She waited, her thoughts fogging over.
I did this once; I can do it again.
Before the blade could pierce her coat she used the last of her strength to create a small shield around her abdomen. The impact of metal, energy, and the mimicry of Field Energy was enough send her flying backward. She released her hold on the shield as the sword sucked hungrily at her energy, drawing her strength as she tumbled backward over the cliff.
Swallowed by the warm embrace of the strange shield she smiled weakly before Xander’s face disappeared in a haze of rushing water.
* * *
“Impyra!”
Feeling the energy rise up through the earth, Brosen forced himself upward. A spray of snow exploded around him as the strange woman was thrown from his back. The two Enforcers were knocked from their feet while the other strange soldiers jumped back in surprise. Brosen felt the rage carry him across the snow.
Slowly, the prince turned to face his new adversary. Brosen was unarmed, having lost his own gun in his struggle with the strange woman. It didn't matter, he would rip Xander's throat out with his teeth if necessary.
“Would you like to play too, little boy?” Xander howled as he whirled, swinging the blade wildly around his body, his eyes clouded by dark mist.
Brosen charged at him unthinking. Xander raised his sword, a mad smirk splitting his face. Brosen was vaguely aware of White Energy blasts landing against his body, but somehow he was deflecting them harmlessly into flashes of light.
“Brosen, stop!” A familiar voice called to him, but it was too late.
Xander cut at the air. Brosen rolled to side, feeling the tip of blade slice through the sleeve of his coat.
“Xander, you must stop! He must be returned alive to Sa'Toret-Ekar to stand trial!” an old man pleaded.
It was enough of a distraction to turn the prince's attention away from his enraged opponent. Brosen leapt at him, jumping higher than he knew he was capable of, when at the same moment the woman came flying through the air to out flank him. She slammed into him, knocking him off course.
They rolled through the snow, dazed by the force of the impact.
“You!” Brosen snarled, staggering his feet.
She punched him square in the jaw, using far less energy and greater precision than he could muster. Moving with speed she was able to dodge his returning blows. A tiny dagger appeared between the fingers of her fist as she swung. He jumped back, the small blade barely missing his face. Brosen was surprised to bump into the white haired man who caught him by his arms, holding him in place. The woman rushed in, holding her dagger for a clean strike.
“No,” the man hissed. “Garinsith wants him alive.”
Brosen felt his limbs being encircled by energy, holding him in place.
“If he wants me alive doesn't he want Impyra alive?” Brosen glared unflinching into the woman's glowing silver eyes.
“Too late for that,” she smirked, glancing toward the falls.
No.
He refused to believe it, and struggled against his captors. The Enforcers reappeared, White Energy trained on him, although he could see in their eyes they doubted the effectiveness of their weapons.
“You know, old man,” Xander was saying. “I don't need you anymore. This little toy you've given me is still hungry. Maybe you'll make a nice little snack.”
Xander swung the sword up, pointing the tip at the old man's chest.
“First you, then the woman thief, and then all of your little friends” he twisted the blade, admiring how it didn’t shine in the light. “After that, I could easily take on the world. The day is won.”
“Listen to me,” the old man's voice was tense. “He must stand trial. It's the only way to prove the Empire is strong enough to subdue threats from within.”
“I don't care about that,” Xander shrugged. “No one will defy me when I am Emperor.”
From out of nowhere, another Enforcer came running across the snow. He barreled full force into the prince's left flank, catching him off guard. Xander shouted, surprised, as he stumbled and fell. The sword flew out of his hands, flipping beneath the gray sky, before it vanished into a snowdrift.
Brosen twisted against the invisible bonds that held him, but the woman held the dagger to his throat. She grinned menacingly.
“Why help Xander when he threatens to kill you?” he asked her.
“This has nothing to do with that little prick.” She said sweetly. “Soon you’ll belong to us.”
Xander was scrambling to find the sword, but the old man had his own tricks. Hand raised, he lifted the thing with his energy, hovering it high in the air and out of reach. Pointing his free hand at Xander the prince froze in place.
“Energy user!” the prince shouted, spitting blood onto the snow.
“Of course, you fool,” the old man snapped. “And don't think you've learned a great secret. Your father knows, and your grandfather knew.”
Brosen watched a strange transformation overcome the prince. Hunched in sudden exhaustion, his eyes began to clear. He turned his attention to the Enforcer who had tackled him.
“I knew you'd turn out to be a traitor,” he hissed. “Take him into custody.”
The Enforcers exchanged glances. For a moment Brosen thought they weren’t going to comply, but after their momentary hesitation they silently followed orders. Brosen watched as the man was strapped into handcuffs. The figure was oddly familiar. As the snow was brushed away he realized it was Treve.
“You will both be executed.” Xander spat. “Mark my words; this is only a brief reprieve.”
The intensity of the power that surrounded him was waning. He stumbled toward the EOV, panting and swaying until he finally leaned heavily on the door frame. Brosen was reminded of when Impyra had used too much energy.
Impyra.
“Move,” the white haired man snarled, pushing him forward.
There was a change in the energy holding him, allowing him to move his legs enough for a slow gait. Brosen looked back at the falls. She couldn't be dead. Everything had happened so quickly, but deep down he believed she was alive.
The soldiers hoisted him into the back of the EOV and soon after Treve followed. It was disorienting to see his partner again so unexpectedly. Treve smiled at him weakly.
“Sorry I didn't understand before,” Treve said as the EOV began to roll through the snow.
Brosen stared at him, not knowing what to think.
“Who are all these people? What happened?”
Treve sighed, “Mutilators. Some sort of Enforcers from somewhere else. But, I'm more interested in what happened to you.”
Looking out at the falling snow, Brosen didn't know where to begin.
“She fell from Empire Tower and lived,” was all he could think to say.
“Yeah.”
“She fell over Doonrok's Fall, she's alive.”
Treve didn't respond. Brosen didn't expect him to believe. How could he? He hadn't known her.
“This isn't over,” he said.
* * *
Garinsith held the sword in his lap, wrapping it in a heavy protective ward. Until he could safely conceal it from Xander they would not be safe. He knew putting the Seeker into a weapon would be a risk. Even had it been any other object it could easily destroy a life. Entrusting it to Xander had been the real mistake. He’d never thought the prince was capable of such darkness.
The magic of the Seeker itself, however; had worked even better than he anticipated. Surly this was what the prophecy spoke of; a power great enough to defy the strength of Syerset.
With the Balance lost the future was uncertain, if Impyra had been the Balance at
all. He was beginning to doubt his own conclusions. Deller-Brenth would not allow a champion to be so easily destroyed.
Only time would tell, and if Garinsith had anything, it was time.
AFTERWARD
Thank you for reading my debut novel, Darkness Falling: Soldiers and Slaves. Part two of the series, Darkness Falling: Shadow of the Seeker, will be available beginning Spring 2016. Hopefully you’ll join me! You can also follow me on Twitter @RRWillica and on Facebook at R. R.Willica Books.
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