Sunkissed Feathers & Severed Ties

by Kellie Doherty

And now Char wanted Misti to help their parents. The mayla fever could just kill them off, and Char and Danill could simply leave! Misti knew Char hated everything their parents did, but she always swept it under the rug. Why? Misti asked Char each time they met yet Char never answered with a straight reply. Misti shoved the crushed letter and its envelope back into her side bag, closing it and glaring at the flap. I can’t send them the herb. They were her parents, but maybe this sickness was nature’s way of getting back at them, of cutting them down like they had done to animals. To the little vulnix.

  “Misti?” Dylori’s voice pulled her from her dark thoughts. She looked up to see Dylori kneeling before her, concern deepening the wrinkles by her mouth. “I came back to get some food for Arias. Are you okay? What’s wrong?”

  Misti didn’t reply at first. She had never told a single soul other than her siblings about her parents’ worship. Even though she hated them, even though she became ill thinking about them, and even though she knew they were probably torturing and killing animals in the name of their goddess, she couldn’t take that step of telling the guards in Northtown or the Vagari lawmakers or even the Moon Knights. She couldn’t sentence her parents to death by the executioners of the Aluriahian Law, since that would be their fate if she told anyone.

  Murdering animals was the highest offense in the Vagari culture. After finding evidence of their deeds, the executioners would break down the doors of their parents’ home, drag them under the moonlight, and kill them. But for some twisted sense of familial loyalty, Misti couldn’t be the voice that silenced theirs. Which also meant she couldn’t protect the animals that died by their hands. She had been a failure even then, even now. And she certainly couldn’t tell Dylori. In Dylori’s world there wasn’t a gray area between right and wrong. She’d never understand.

  “I’m…” Misti’s lip started to quiver, but she bit into it, forcing herself to think on the other letter she had received. “I can’t believe I’m not a Moon Knight anymore.”

  Dylori sighed. “I know. But remember what I said before?”

  “Deal with the orb,” Misti replied, not meeting Dylori’s gaze. She hated lying to her. Well, not exactly lying—she was devastated by her sudden lack of status—but she hated not telling her the truth. She hated this wall she had built between them, a wall only she could feel. Even with their seasons of friendship, Dylori was a Moon Knight. She would have to turn Misti’s parents in to the nearest guard.

  “Good. We’ll figure out the rest when the time comes, okay?” At Misti’s nod, Dylori grabbed some food from Arias’ bag and stood. “Now, get some rest. You’ll only have an hour or so.”

  Misti turned away from her, curling into a ball on the grass and dirt and tucking her head into her arms. Zora’s feather gift tickled her neck, and she wished more than anything that she had Zora by her side. Her vulnix’s soft yip always calmed her racing heart, her warmth always loosened the tightness in her chest, and her presence always reminded her that at least her own vulnix had been saved from her parents’ twisted form of worship. That even after all she felt guilty for, Misti had done something right that night in running away. Her eyes drifted onto the jagged wyvern wing piece dangling from her wrist, as they always did before she fell asleep. She kissed it, hoping that maybe after some sleep, she would figure out what to do about all of this.

  Something landed hard against Misti’s back and shook her awake. She turned toward it, expecting Dis, but finding herself gazing into the blurry red eyes of a massive suncreature. Blood dripped from its pointed nose. Misti recognized it instantly. A skiiter—a tiny scurrying beast of matted fur and claws that gnawed through grain storages—but this suncreature version was many times its size. Her scream caught in her throat and panic splashed her awake faster than any cold water could. The suncreature rose, snarling and spitting, but Dylori’s curved sword sliced the back of its neck, and the creature’s head burst into ash. The large red-skinned body followed close behind, from its muscular haunches to the tip of its skinny hairless tail.

  “Sorry! That one got away,” Dylori shouted, swinging her sword at another skiiter suncreature scampering at them out of the grasses. Her blade hissed through empty air as it dove for Misti.

  Misti kicked, her boot hitting the suncreature’s nose and snapping its head to the side. The skiiter sprawled to the dirt, giving her just enough time to stand and grab the dagger from her belt. With impossible speed, the skiiter clawed to its feet, its skinny legs eating up the distance between them much faster than a normal skiiter could have, but Dylori’s sword swung down again. This time it connected squarely with the suncreatures’ neck and severed it from its body, and creature turned into ash.

  Panting, Dylori grabbed Misti by the arm and pulled her up the hill. Hissing came from all around them now, and the grasses rustled with scurrying bodies. Fear tore a yelp out of Mist’s throat, but Dylori ignored her, yanking her toward Dis and Arias. Dis was huffing and snorting, turning around and around and stomping on something that Misti couldn’t see. Arias was already on his back, calling for them to run faster. She drew her bow again and again, arrows thudding into something—somethings—behind them. They were close enough to see the terror in her eyes, but not close enough to climb onto Dis.

  Arias put down her bow and lifted empty hands. Bright blue light burst from Arias’ outstretched fingertips, cuts trailing up the fronts of her fingers. The shield passed harmlessly through Dylori and Misti but stopped the suncreatures short, giving Dylori enough time to scramble up onto Dis’ shoulders and haul Misti up behind her. Arias sat in the back, eyes only for the suncreatures coming at them, keeping the shield active. Dis spun toward the oncoming hoard, letting out a mighty roar. The bellow parted the grasses, split the dirt, and sent the mass of suncreatures falling to their deaths into the ravine he created, like only a neades could. Before they could see if any had survived, he turned and dashed away, Misti, Dylori, and Arias clinging to his fur.

  He ran hard, and they clung on in silence. At one point, three griffin suncreatures swooped down upon them, sunlight glinting off the suncreatures’ wings and making their white feathers shimmer almost red. Dis tried to shoulder past them, but they dove with terrifying speed, biting with bright-orange beaks and slashing with hooked front claws. Dis ran on, trying to keep them out of harm’s way. A beak nearly got Arias by the arm and claws hooked a pack off Dylori, but Dis let out another bellow and two of the three griffin suncreatures flew away, cawing in fright.

  The final griffin kept diving, kept pursuing, kept clawing and screeching. Arias shot arrows into the creature’s furry hind legs, and Dylori slashed out with her sword whenever it came close. Dread stabbed through Misti with each high-pitched shrill the suncreature made. Her daggers were tiny compared to this huge beast, one that was nearly Dis’ size. Try anyway. Go for the eyes, she told herself. And when she threw the dagger, it did sink deep into the creature’s glowing red eye. The suncreature slowed. Dis was able to pull ahead and eventually leave the suncreature in the dust, the creature apparently deciding the four of them were too much trouble than their worth.

  After, Misti wrapped her arms tight around Dylori and clenched her eyes shut against her fear, wishing the sun would go down, wishing the suncreatures would go away, wishing they could travel by night.

  Dis slowed to catch his breath and Misti became aware of a slow pulsing around her neck and a growing heat on her skin. She looked down, dread filling her, to see that the protective blue sphere encapsulating the white orb had vanished. With the cage gone, it was only a matter of time before the orb tried to suck away the life-energy of anyone around her.

  She let go of Dylori, tangling her hands in Dis’ fur. “We need to go faster.”

  “Why?” Arias looked over Misti’s shoulder and gasped. “My cage is gone!”

  “Ponuriah’s ass. We’ll get to Amiin by tomorrow.” Dylori leaned forward, closer to Dis’ ear, speaking soft and slow to him, seemingly unaware that Misti had let g
o of her.

  “He can go faster, still?” Arias muttered, her arms tightening around Misti’s waist.

  The close proximity worried Misti. The orb sucked life-energy from people around her, and Arias, Dis, and Dylori were all well within the orb’s reach.

  As if she knew Misti’s thoughts, Arias said, “I can craft the cage again.”

  “You needed two to make it strong enough,” Misti replied, worry pitching her voice higher.

  Arias didn’t have time to reply. Dis started to run even faster now, faster than Misti had even seen him. The orb didn’t seem to be affecting him yet, and Misti hoped it wouldn’t. Dylori leaned close to Dis’ head, holding onto his horns, muttering. Misti leaned forward, trying to stay out of the wind that whipped her face and tore at her hair. Her surroundings blurred.

  Misti closed her eyes once more. Please, Dis, please be swift. I can’t let this pendant hurt anyone else. Arias’ arms tightened painfully around her waist, but Misti could hardly fault her. She had to clench her legs hard and dig her hands deep into Dis’ fur just to stay on. The pendant pulsed against her skin, as if to remind her that it was still there. Still powerful. Still dangerous.

  Misti gritted her teeth against the pain, hoping against hope that they would reach Amiin before it could unleash its power and doom them all.

  Chapter Six

  DIS’ ENORMOUS STAMINA ENABLED him to power through the entire rest of the day and the following night. He slowed to a gentle walk a few times to catch his breath, but he never stopped. His raw power made Misti more than a little jealous of both him and Dylori, but his kindness in carrying three people and their gear on his back for such a great distance diminished the feeling.

  Misti was busy surveying a glowing neades suncreature about five hundred paces away, both awed and terrified by its massive form. A gaping wound on its white side dripped with yellow-orange blood that hurt Misti’s eyes to look at, almost as if the rays of the sun itself were trying to get out. What could have inflicted such a wound on a suncreature? A Vagari’s wyvern maybe? Misti knew the beasts who inhabited this area usually shied away from the suncreatures, unless they fought over territory or prey. Generally, they left each other alone.

  Sometimes Misti felt bad for making her animals—Zora and any others she managed to tame—fight the suncreatures on her behalf, but then the suncreature would turn to ash and Misti knew she had rid the world of one more evil entity. What must it be like for my tamed creatures to fight beasts so similar, yet so different from them? She dreaded the time when a vulnix suncreature might cross their path. What would Zora do? What would I do?

  Arias nudged her, drawing her from her thoughts, and pointed ahead. Misti followed the gesture, a smile tugging at her lips. She had been so mesmerized by the neades suncreature looming beside them that she had almost missed the view of Amiin in the rising sunlight. Amiin was a constantly busy merchant stronghold, where anyone could get anything to be had east of the Nemora Groves.

  Gray stone walls seven paces deep encircled the city, punctuated by three massive gates—darkwood, reinforced by metal. Amiin’s status as the official homebase of the Whels Moon Knights kept it safe, even at high noon. The knights protected their homebase fiercely, and Amiin flourished because of it. The merchant towers in the city’s center pointed skyward, as if trying to pierce the fluffy clouds there, surrounded by commercial buildings of different kinds. Smaller buildings, mostly homes and inns, had claimed the outskirts near the wall.

  Dis stopped as Dylori figured out which gate they should go to. A couple of suncreatures uselessly clawed at the south gate closest to them, and a few more loomed near the east gate. Guards posted on the wall drew their longbows and shot the eastern gate ones to ash. They pointed their arrows at the ones on the southern gate next.

  “We should go to the north gate.” Dylori pointed northward. “It’s the farthest from us, but maybe there won’t be suncreatures like on the east and south.”

  Arias nodded. “Let’s use that gate.”

  Misti frowned. The pendant had steadily increased its pulsing ever since they ran from the horde of skiiters—a pulsing she tried to ignore, but the pain wouldn’t let her. It felt as if a warm iron pressed against her skin, too warm to be comfortable but not hot enough to burn. It hadn’t unleashed its power yet, but Misti worried it would. They were so close to others who might be able to help.

  Dylori twisted around so she could face Misti and narrowed her eyes. “You’ve been too quiet. Why don’t we go the quickest route, and yell for the others to take care of the suncreatures before we get there.”

  “Yes. Please?” Misti replied, wishing her voice could be stronger in this moment. The pain had worn it down to almost a whisper.

  Arias squeezed Misti’s shoulder. “Has it been pulsing?”

  “Yes.” Misti thumbed the metal chain around her neck. Too much for my liking.

  “Do you want me to make another cage?” Arias asked.

  “No, you shouldn’t use your crafting. We’re nearly there, and I…” I don’t want you to hurt yourself more because of me. “I’m worried if we go to the north gate…”

  “We’d have to travel all the way through the city to get to our base,” Dylori finished for her. “Okay then, the south gate.”

  She patted Dis’ neck and he moved forward again at a swift pace. Misti watched her fellow Moon Knights as they drew their bows again and again, pummeling the massive suncreatures clawing at the southern gate. It took ten arrows each to destroy them. Their death-burn littered the front gate walkway with ashes, but before the crimson glow had even faded, the gate opened. Chains rattled, and the ground crunched as the darkwood slid over it. Guards in red leathers swarmed the path. They swept the ash into the grass, cleaning the way into the city, and doused any remaining cinders with water before surging back inside. Efficiency at its best.

  Dis breathed heavily as he reached the gates, his head low, white foam dripping from between his teeth. Grateful for his effort, Misti rubbed Dis, scratching hard on his side and back the way he liked. But her mind was already flying ahead, her whole body tingling with excitement. I’ll get to see Zora soon. But not until I get this pendant fixed.

  As they walked into the city, the bustle of merchants selling their wares and the travelers meandering around bombarded them. The city had many inhabitants, mostly Vagari as this was the Whels region, but some Elu and Divus as well. Even Nemora roamed the streets.

  Misti noticed a Hallr Nemora with splotched gray skin chatting with an Elu, gesturing to the large hunk of cured meat in between them. Of course they’d be talking about meat. Animals weren’t a resource the Nemora controlled, so meats were always a high-demand trade. Only when the Nemora turned did Misti see that he was an older Nemora, the spiked markings by his eyes a clear sign that he had gone through his race’s Choosing ritual and decided on male. He didn’t seem affected by the pendant, so she waved as they passed by. He nodded in return.

  Dis took a hard left and arrived at the Moon Knight homebase. One large two-story building that sat in the center was used for barracks and home of the healer medico, and a handful of smaller buildings arced around it. The smaller dwellings were used mostly for trainings and meetings and the like. A large stable sat in the back for companion animals. Each stone building displayed the moon symbol carved into its arched doorways and shining silver on the black banners that hung from its walls.

  Home. The thought came to Misti as soon as she saw the main building, its gray walls and its open doors a welcoming, then saddening, sight. She would never call this place home again. She slipped off Dis and was proud that her legs didn’t give way this time. The others landed beside her, Dylori silent as an eneeraa and Arias stumbling with a grumble.

  Dylori turned to Misti, eyeing the pendant. She hesitated for a moment, glancing at the doors leading into the main building. “You and Arias should go inside right now. Tell them what happened and ask them to fix it. I have to take Dis to the stables
, but I’ll be with you soon.”

  Misti dragged her attention away from the direction of the stables, and reached up to pat Dis on the nose. “Thanks, Dis, you were amazing out there.” She turned to Dylori. “Could you…could you see how Zora is doing? I would go see her, but I don’t want the pendant to harm her. Though it didn’t seem to do anything to Dis.” She patted Dis again, and he huffed into her hand.

  “I wouldn’t be so sure.” A crease appeared in Dylori’s forehead, and she kept a protective hand on Dis’ shoulder. “He shouldn’t have been winded today.”

  Shock hit Misti like a punch. She backed away from them, lowering her hand. “He…he shouldn’t have been winded? Even after all that running?”

  Dylori frowned. “He’s a neades, Misti. Even with a full load on their backs, they can run for three full nights and days before they get tired. Dis only ran for a night and a half.”

  “Oh no.” Misti put a hand over the pendant nestled between the folds of her tunic. “I’m sorry, Dylori, if I had known…”

  Dylori shook her head and thumped her on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll make sure he’s okay. You get that thing off you. And of course I’ll check on Zora. Didn’t even need to ask.”

  Dylori led Dis behind the main building and out of sight as Misti turned to Arias, whose wide eyes lingered on where Dylori had disappeared. “Come on. Let’s just get this done,” Misti muttered, tugging her gently into the building. They passed by a few guards, but the guards knew Misti and allowed her passage, even with a dazed Arias in tow.

  “He wasn’t supposed to be tired?” Arias whispered, leaning close. “Does that mean the pendant was absorbing his energy the entire time?”

  Unease clenched Misti’s stomach tight. “Maybe.” Her thoughts had already reached that same horrible conclusion. Having this thing suck energy out was a dizzying, nauseating experience, but somehow Dis had pushed through and gotten them here in record time. She owed him an even bigger favor now.