The Shadow Warrior (The Aeonians Book 2)

by J. E. Klimov

  Fixing his eyes southwest, he said, “Let’s hurry. It would be preferable to get there before sunset… Mountain lions, you know.”

  Isabel nudged her horse into a gallop and pushed past Raiden. “I have more things to be worried about,” she snapped. She picked up speed, leaving a trail of worries behind.

  After passing the first rolling hill, she escaped the bleak fields of Cehennem. Like a switch, crisp air replaced the mugginess, and the clicking of insects serenaded the area. Straw-like grass that went up to the horses’ knees bent beneath with the authority of the wind. She wove between trees as rolling plains transformed into the deep woods. The few remaining maple leaves that clung to their branches shivered, despite the reach of the sun’s sinking rays. Plump spruce trees peppered between them like well-dressed royalty. This could only mean they’ve reached the border to the North Chailara Hills.

  “Hold up!”

  Isabel tugged the reins as Raiden caught up.

  “I think it would be wise that I lead the way now.” His voice rumbled to life.

  Swinging her arm around, she said, “After you.”

  When he clicked his tongue, he proceeded around a thick spruce tree. Keeping one hand on the reins, Isabel drew one sai and kept it hidden beneath her cloak. Every time she heard a rustle, she whipped the sai out and pointed it at the source. Squirrels and groundhogs darted in all directions. The line of trees and other brush thinned as they ascended hill after hill, gaining altitude slowly as the sun made its final descent behind stark mountains─the mountains that protected Stopping Valley. The Valley that buffered the District of Buryan from central Deran.

  Rocks tumbled down the slope to her left.

  “Raiden?” He was no longer in her line of sight. A doe zigzagged past her, frightening her horse. It neighed and reared its head, but Isabel clung on. “It’s okay,” she cooed, patting the horses’ mane. It stomped its hooves in response. “We’re almost there─”

  A pair of glowing green eyes silenced her. The creature stepped into the moonlight, revealing massive paws and a tail that flicked back and forth. A guttural growl escaped the mountain lion’s throat. Isabel’s horse reared once more, throwing her crashing onto the ground.

  “Wait, wait!”

  The muscular feline pounced at her horse, but one of its hooves slammed into its jaw. The mountain lion flew back, and her horse zipped down the hill and disappeared into the darkness. The clacking of hooves faded as Isabel directed her attention to the lion. It shook its head, growling.

  Isabel pointed her sai at the creature. Heat flushed from her armlet and down her limbs, ready to spring in action. Scanning the area, she found a cluster of trees a few hundred feet higher up. Adrenaline rushed through her body. The talismans continued to flash in warning.

  “I don’t want to hurt you. But I will if I have to,” Isabel said. Her voice shook.

  The lion slinked to her right, eyes fixated on her glowing armlet. It snarled, revealing yellow fangs.

  “Steady, girl.”

  It changed directions and circled to Isabel’s left. As she backed up, Isabel murmured a prayer and summoned Foti’s Ruby. The red talisman glowed and a flame ignited at the tip of her sai. She cut through the air and shouted.

  “Stay right where you are!”

  The lion hissed. Isabel continued to tip toe backwards. Beads of sweat formed on her hairline as she took in jagged breaths. But the lion remained put and watched her until it became just a pair of glowing eyes in the darkness. Swallowing her fear, she turned and sprinted the remaining distance into the cluster of trees.

  She closed her eyes as branches whacked her in the face. Her lungs burned, but she pushed forward until her boot caught on a loose rock, sending her tumbling in circles. Pain radiated everywhere when she slammed on her back.

  Hands immediately pulled her up. She yelped and twisted herself from the person’s grip. It was Raiden.

  “Lion!” she screeched. “There’s a lion!”

  He peered past her shoulder and chuckled. “Told you. We’re fine though. They never come into this little cluster here.”

  “Oh, and why’s that? Last I checked, wild animals don’t understand the concept of boundaries!” Isabel fought with every ounce of strength not to raise her voice further.

  A crooked smile stretched across Raiden’s face. “They wouldn’t dare enter my home.”

  Isabel’s sai clanged onto the slab of rock she stood on. She immediately reached for it and held it in front of her. “Why did you leave me behind? I thought I lost you!” Despite the warmth her cloak provided, she shivered violently. She was sandwiched between a predator and dangerous uncertainty.

  Gripping her shoulders, Raiden shook them. “Calm down. Look around you.”

  An alcove appeared a few feet behind him. Red ribbons flickered on strings tied between trees. Miniature glass lamps hung between the ribbons, casting a warm glow over a wooden roof supported by multiple rods. Four figures sat on stumps at the center. All of them stared at her with blank expressions.

  “Is this supposed to calm me down?” Venom oozed between her words.

  There were two men and two women with white hair tied in neat buns. Their collarbones were extremely visible and their clothing hung off the rest of their wasted frames. They turned their gaunt faces toward each other, then back at her.

  “Meet my fellow Healers. Well, I don’t really know them, but they were the only other ones that woke up with me.”

  The hairs on the back of her neck stood, terrified to learn the details. “What do you mean ‘woke up?’”

  Raiden cleared his throat and said, “Show her.”

  The four men and women obeyed silently. Each scooped an object from their pockets, revealing various shaped bloodstones of smooth, green jasper with red inclusions.

  Isabel’s mouth hung. Growing up, he mother drilled into her mind that all the bloodstones had been destroyed. An alarm rang out of control–what would happen to Deran in the advent of Healers? “You have one as well, I assume?”

  “Two actually,” he remarked, voice woebegone. “One belongs to me and the other to my deceased mother. Although, I had hoped she would’ve woken up too.”

  Trap. This must be a trap!

  One female Healer beckoned her. “Child, you look petrified. Come closer. There’s no need to be afraid.”

  “Afraid?” Isabel choked. “I’m not af-afraid.”

  “Raiden, I think you should elaborate more. And quickly. She looks like she’s going to faint!”

  He rubbed his hands vigorously as he breathed into them. “That makes sense. Isabel, sit. Please.”

  “No.” She leaned back. Isabel wasn’t sure she could sit even if she wanted to.

  “Very well, then.” Raiden stepped down, swept aside some dirt, and sat on a smooth stone. “When I revealed to you that I was a Healer, I did refrain from further details, but now you must know everything because…” He turned to the four onlookers. “Maybe we can help figure out this mystery. And save Dante.

  “I woke up here a day before your final showdown with Damian and Echidna. It was like waking up from pure darkness. My memory was foggy and everything ached. My body had wasted away. Soon, these four also awoke and stumbled upon my dwelling place. We didn’t know what caused the talismans to come to life. Like you mentioned, Healers were stripped of their powers. My theory is all the energy from the Aeonian War jump-started something in our stones.”

  Gazing from one Healer to another, she asked, “Are there more of you?”

  “Not that I am aware of. So, there you have it. You know what happened next. I regained my strength and discovered Dante. I hope you can understand why I didn’t indulge you with all the details at once.”

  Jerking her head toward the other listeners. “What are their names?”

  “We don’t know,” they answered in unison.

  Isabel’s eyes bulged, and her hands flopped to her sides. When she tried to respond, nothing but sputtering
came out. The situation was too bizarre; she couldn’t wrap her mind around anything. Her gut told her to run and take her chances with the lion, but her legs remained glued to the ground. The crunch of dirt jarred her ears as Raiden joined them.

  “Even I don’t know,” he said. “I call myself Raiden because lightning was the only memory I have from my past life.”

  The female Healer who spoke earlier stood. “I call myself One, as I was the first awake of these four.” She wrapped a tattered maroon shawl around her shoulders and smiled.

  The second female Healer waved. Her high cheek bones and large eyes minimized the dark circles around them. A string of hoop piercings decorated her left brow, although they were rusted. “I call myself Two.”

  Isabel’s stomach soured with each passing second. “Let me guess,” she said, narrowing her eyes at the two men. “You are Three and Four?”

  “I’m Three!” exclaimed one man who shot up from his seat. He had tattoos similar to Raiden, but he was covered from the neck down. He jutted his cleft chin in pride.

  “And I’m Four,” murmured the last Healer. Wrapping his arms around his knees, he rocked back and forth.

  Clearing his throat, Raiden said, “He was the last to wake. As you can see, he’s still adjusting.”

  Isabel sucked her lips in, trying to mask her disgust. Four’s crepe-like skin peeled everywhere, and his irises were void of color. One, Two, and Three huddled around him, cooing words of encouragement. Two peered up at Raiden, who ran his hand through his hair. The group parted as Raiden knelt by Four and cradled his head. Incoherent chanting echoed as Isabel gawked.

  Raiden’s hair fluttered in the static air, and his gray strands glowed. An orange hue blazed on his arms, shining through the fabric of his tunic. It ended as soon as it started. Raiden backed away, focused like an eagle searching for its prey.

  Isabel gasped. Four studied his hands, a grin forming on his youthful face. His eyes shined with an amber hue, and his white hair was now a deep brown.

  “I feel so… so alive!” he stuttered.

  “I’m jealous,” One exclaimed. She traced her fingers along her crow’s feet. “You look nice and young now. I wish Raiden could make us all look younger again.”

  “You should be grateful you’re walking this earth,” Raiden snipped. He turned his back to them and tied his hair into a short ponytail. When he locked eyes with Isabel’s, she steeled her nerves, despite the fact she was so shocked that a sneeze could knock her over.

  “Let us help. While I stand by your side, these four can guard each tribe until we solve this mystery.”

  Isabel shook her head. The Healers disappeared ages ago, and now, five breathed before her. “No. This is insane. Healers were banished and stripped of their powers for a reason.” She pulled out her other sai and held them before her. “And I find it all too convenient that this mysterious attack occurred after your arrival, Raiden. Even though Andre was marked with the Aeonian sign, I haven’t seen a single Aeonian, but I have five Healers standing in front of me! I’m not about to just let Healers waltz back into the community!”

  A snicker broke the silence. Three elbowed Raiden. “You were right.”

  “Right about what?” Isabel gave them a dirty look.

  “Deranians always discriminated against Healers,” Three remarked.

  Isabel scoffed in offense. “This again? Listen, like I told Raiden before, I’m not discriminating against─”

  Raiden held up his finger. “You are. Like I said earlier, there’d been history of some bad eggs and some unfortunate events, but does that really define the five of us, right here and right now?”

  Self-doubt flooded Isabel. She couldn’t discern if the cause of her guilt was genuine or a product of their verbal manipulation. Maybe I am jumping to conclusions.

  “I… need to think about this.” She held a hand to her head. The dull headache she had all day now thundered as a migraine. Spots of light flashed before her eyes. Her ears rang. Isabel felt as if her body was starting to malfunction from all these revelations. There was too much to process, and everyone wanted answers.

  She ran. The glow of the lanterns faded behind her as she sped between trees. When she made it out of Chailara Hills, Isabel yelled into the night.

  “Why?” she exclaimed. Birds scattered from a nearby tree. “I defeated the Aeonians. Why is this happening?” Isabel broke into sobs. “This is too much. Why do things keep happing? Deran should be in a state of peace. I’m too tired to fight another battle.”

  With a sniffle, Isabel wandered in the direction of the castle. As much as she tried, she could not come up with an answer to Raiden’s proposal. There was so much risk letting Healers playing an active role in the country before vetting out their true intentions. Her thoughts tumbled like leaves caught up in a storm until she lost track of them. As the two moons passed over her, Isabel’s mind emptied. She couldn’t even feel her feet.

  Isabel reached the city gates as the sun peeked over the horizon. She took the back alleys, avoiding contact with the early risers. Ignoring the scent of fresh baked bread, she pushed forward until she made her way up the castle steps.

  “Your Majesty.” A guard acknowledged.

  Isabel waved half-heartedly. Maids, including Agnes, rushed out and fussed over her.

  “Where were you? We’re all worried. Your hands are frigid!”

  Agnes unclipped Isabel’s cloak and hung it by the entrance. Her blonde hair swept over her bloodshot eyes. “Where’s Raiden?”

  Shouts erupted outside. Horses whinnied and metal clashed.

  “I need to see the queen,” a tremulous voice roared.

  “You need to slow down!” exclaimed another.

  Summoning whatever strength she could, Isabel sped toward the main doors. They groaned as they opened. Isabel ignored the incessant chatter behind her.

  Hakan stood as the base of the steps, curling his mouth and wrinkling his muzzle. “How dare you speak to me like this! I am the Fotian chief!”

  “Hakan!” Isabel shouted.

  He snuffed at the guard and bounded up the stairs on all fours. Isabel jerked back. Hakan usually refused to use all four legs. When he reached her, Hakan bowed, his braided mane sweeping across the marble floor. Rubies sparkled like stars.

  “What brings you here at dawn?”

  Panting, he retracted his claws. “I can’t believe this. I can’t, just can’t─”

  Isabel’s throat ran dry, scratching in the most unpleasant way when she swallowed. “What?”

  “Someone has slaughtered a family of Foti in Ogonia. A father, mother, and three pups!” His paws grabbed her shoulders. “They left the mark of the Aeonians! Branded into their fur! Tell me you got rid of them all. Tell me!”

  Her heart ached for the lives of those pups, but Isabel steeled her nerves. “Damian and Echidna are dead. I saw their bodies this morning! Their army perished either at the battle at Ogonia or when Cehennem collapsed. When did this happen?” Her thoughts fixated on Raiden and his Healer friends.

  “In the middle of the night. It was a family near and dear to me. I was notified immediately, but the assailant disappeared like a shadow!”

  “Middle of the night…” Isabel trailed off. She was with the Healers then. It couldn’t have been them, then. Meeting his eye, she said, “Hakan, we’ll look into this and annihilate whatever threat is out there. It’s likely the same person who took the life of a little boy the other day. Go back and secure your city. I’ll send notice to the other tribes.”

  “That’s not enough!”

  Isabel closed her eyes as she balled her hands into fists. “I will also send someone over to each tribe to protect them until we sort this out.”

  It was time to give Healers one more chance, and Isabel prayed she made the right decision.

  CHAPTER

  18

  Bence nursed his bruised ribs, wishing he could fade into the night. He had taken off his shirt and found a sizeable purp
le bruise on his left torso. The skin broke in the center, so he pressed his tunic against it until the bleeding stopped. He focused on the clusters of dead grass and branches rolling by, but the pain signals flashed non-stop in his brain. He slammed his fist onto the ground. The Dunyan mother and her son had disappeared from view about an hour ago. An occasional passerby traveled down the dirt road, but each one would glance away.

  “Damn it. I can’t take this.”

  Crawling on all fours, he approached the nearest Kacterous and pulled out his dagger. After plucking a few needle-thin thorns, he sawed through the trunk of the plant. A thick goo seeped from the opening. Bence coated his finger and sucked on the juice. The herbal essence overwhelmed his taste buds and stung his nose. It was a far cry from the beverage he bought, but it still was a form of hydration. He also hoped it had some healing properties.

  He filled his pouch to the brim with the thick juice. Leaning against a tree, he poured some onto his injury. When the liquid reached his scab, a burning disseminated across the bruise. Bence bit his tongue. Once the stinging subsided, it left a cooling residue that coated his skin like jelly. He tested his range of motion by stretching, and his body responded with a dull throbbing. Certainly better than nothing.

  After he refilled his pouch, he exchanged his bloodied tunic for his cloak. He secured his belongings and stepped onto the dirt road. His shadow stretched in front of him as the first moon peeked over the horizon. Every time the wind blew, he gripped his cloak tighter and his teeth chattered. Bence trekked at a slow, steady pace.

  I hope word of the bounty didn’t reach Irelle yet.

  Massaging his chest, Bence couldn’t mollify the agony after reading the wanted notice. Its words had permanently strung in the back of his mind since he landed at the Dunyan Trading Post. Then, when he bumped into Avani, that was the salt that rubbed into the wound. If she spread word of his presence, his hopes of being accepted in the Irellian community would vanish. While he considered himself a loner lately, he detested isolation, and he knew deep down that it was mostly his doing.