by Jeff Gunzel
With the hydrogriphs at a safe distance, movement from the desert floor caught his eye. Ignoring the protests from his panicked men, the general slid his looking glass from his side. Cooler heads must prevail, and it was his duty to figure out what they were up against. Ignoring the fluffy powder still drifting about, he scanned the frosted area where he thought he had seen something. Quickly, he found what he was looking for.
White men, paler than anything he had ever seen, stood side by side gazing up at the soldiers on the cliff. Hairless, white as ghosts, their bodies were excessively thick. The creatures were eight feet tall and built like giants, yet the only thing Hyndrid could focus on was their eyes. Large and bright pink, their clouded irises seemed to have no pupils.
One looked up, those pink eyes meeting his own directly through the looking glass. The general’s blood froze as a dark line formed across its featureless, noseless face. That line opened unnaturally wide, splitting its head with a gruesomely large, toothless grin. One by one, the albino creatures seeped down into the dust, melting as if they were candles, leaving behind liquefied ash bubbling like hot oil.
A veteran of countless battles, Hyndrid couldn’t deny the intense terror rattling him to his bones. The lens of his looking glass cracked against a stone when it slipped from his hand. “Draw your swords!” he shrieked, voice shaky at best. “Prepare for melee combat!”
Confused men glanced about, dropping bows and unsheathing blades. None were exactly sure what threat their general was speaking of, but they didn’t doubt him, either. Swords drawn, they waited for instruction, eyes glancing this way and that. Which direction was it coming from? What battle formation was required to defend? Instead of his usual precise commands, Hyndrid just stumbled away from the cliff, fumbling around with his own sword. Seeing their resilient general so badly shaken was more than a little unsettling.
Like waves breaking up on shore, white swells sped through the soot and up the cliff. The enormous pasty men exploded up from the ash, thick arms extended outward. Steel flashed, skilled soldiers lashing out with tenacious brutality, blades slashing several times per second. Their weapons passed straight through them as if their bodies were made of smoke. The pink-eyed men laughed, a deep, hollow laughter that seemed to echo from all directions at once.
Smoky arms solidified into edged weapons, frosted blades that were mere extensions of their bodies. And then the true carnage began...
Hyndrid watched helplessly as his men were torn to pieces right before his eyes. Shrieks of pain were followed by choking gurgles, the sounds of men dying filling the air. Time slowed. He spun in slow motion, still gripping a weapon that would do him no good against these foes. Everywhere he looked, eyes bulged, and mouths hung wide open in silent screams. He could see their faces twisted in anguish but was powerless to help.
A pasty bulge exploded up from the ground near his feet. Those pink eyes glared with hate as a toothless mouth stretched wide open, grinning down at him. Dropping his blade, his trembling hands went up defensively as he screamed. Pure white washed over him like a wave, muffling his final bloodcurdling wail.
Chapter 1
Common folk scurried through the crowded streets, heads down, bumping into one another as they carried their bundles from the market. Shop owners called out, ringing bells while waving fabrics or beating wooden handles against newly woven rugs. Merchants crept their wagons down the cobbled roads, grumbling under their breath at the tightly packed traffic. The streets of Redwater were always busy this time of day. But recently, the market had taken on a solemn, gloomy feel.
Anxious fear blanketed the city like a dark storm cloud. News of the ambushed soldiers spread like wildfire, triggering a near panic among the commoners. An entire unit wiped out with virtually no explanation! There were rumors floating about that a single man had returned, yet no one but Lord Alaric Bournfred himself could ever confirm or deny such a report. And since the surfacing of these rumors, he had not made a single public appearance. Even before the rumors started, the man was rarely ever seen.
But time wouldn’t stop due to uncertainty. Distracted or not, the people of Redwater had to eat, so it was business as usual.
Lost in his own thoughts like so many others, Fredrick weaved his way through the crowded street. All he needed from the market today was a single fish and a sack of potatoes. The sooner he made his purchase, the sooner he could return to the safety of his home. With all this dark talk of monsters and dead soldiers, just being out and about made him nervous.
A hard shoulder took him in the chest, causing him to stumble back. “Watch where you’re going!” he barked, spinning to confront the rude stranger.
The cloaked stranger glanced back, just enough for him to get a peek beneath her hooded cloak. The pretty girl winked, flashing a warm smile at Fredrick. Her full lips were dark in color, standing out boldly against her pale skin. Taken by her beauty, he grinned awkwardly before she hurried on her way.
Placing a hand on his chest, he sighed, already regretting that he failed to ask her name. Suddenly his smile melted away as his hands frisked up and down the side of his coat. “M-My coin purse,” he muttered. His eyes narrowed, zoning in on the girl who was just now turning the corner. “Thief!” he called, singling her out before giving chase.
She flinched at the call, cursing her luck before breaking into a dead sprint. “Thief! She stole my coin!” came a second shout from behind, spurring her on faster. It was too late to try and blend into the crowd. Those around her stared and pointed as she bumped past, many reaching out to grab her. She had to get past them quickly before—
Whistles started to blow. Street soldiers with the red lion head branded on their breastplates—Redwater city’s flag—began giving chase. Moving like the wind, the girl proved to be faster than any of them. But the problem was the whistles were summoning more soldiers from all directions. No matter which way she looked, armed men poured from alleys, clanking around corners with their weapons already drawn.
Knowing she’d be hung for sure if caught, urgency drove her on as she weaved between the street goers with freakish grace and speed. Pushing back another man who tried to grab her, she whipped around another corner only to come skidding to a halt. Turning down this alley had proved to be a big mistake. Three soldiers blocked her path.
With a grinding rasp, they drew their blades, advancing steadily. “Halt, thief!” ordered one, pointing the tip of his blade towards her. “It’s over. There is nowhere to run.” Whistles continued to blow from behind, alerting others of her exact location.
Panic gripped her, her heart thumping so hard it felt like it might burst. With little choice left, she made a desperate decision. I can’t let them catch me!
From her standing position, she leapt straight up in the air. Gasps of awe filled the alleyway when she landed on the roof above. Pausing only a moment to glance down at them, she sprinted across the tiles. Nearing the edge of the roof, she leapt again with only the slightest push of her foot. She sailed over the street, clothes flapping in the wind as she appeared to float through the air. Gently, she set down on the next roof as if she weighed nothing at all.
On she ran, bounding from rooftop to rooftop, trailing soldiers who only now had begun to scale the walls. How had it come to this? For years she had managed to hide in Redwater’s shadow, undetected until now. But after one careless act, it seemed that most of the city was on alert. She couldn’t let the chase lead back to her home. No, she had to lose them somehow.
“You there! Halt!” came a call from her left. Two more soldiers were climbing up, each just starting to get their footing, pulling up with one knee. She blazed past, leaping another twenty feet onto the next roof. Outrunning them individually was easy, but escaping all these curious gazes wasn’t. Folk pointed to the rooftops wherever she went, calling out her location, while some even threw stones to slow her down. Too many eyes... She needed to bring the chase back down to the streets.
Toes edging
up to the side of the roof, she eyed the jeering crowd below. Their calls were harsh and taunting, shaking fists daring her to jump to her death. Peeking down from beneath her hood, she grinned, white teeth flashing brightly through her blackish lips.
She stepped off, floating down as her cloak rippled against the air. She landed like a cat, graceful and soft with hardly any bend to her knees. People gasped, backing away in horror as if she were covered in snakes. Hearing more angry calls just a short distance away, she was off and running in a blink.
More soldiers giving chase, she whipped around a corner, hooking a wooden barrel with her hand. It wobbled over, a gush of water and floating leaves spilling into the soldier who was hot on her trail. He stumbled briefly, but regained his balance before falling over. Back at full speed again, he grumbled under his breath as he realized how much ground was lost with that one misstep. He could barely keep her in sight as she sped away. How could that girl be so fast?
Zipping around a second corner she slid to a halt, nearly running directly into the arms of a waiting mob. With an angry roar, they charged forward swinging handles, shovels, and anything else they could use to inflict damage on the thief. She turned back to retreat, but took only a single step. More common folk and armed men were coming from the opposite direction as well.
A mere pickpocket should never have drawn this much attention, but the mysterious woman’s antics had seemingly attracted the whole city. She could hear their accusations, whispers of black magic.
Completely surrounded and with little choice left, she would be forced to confirm their suspicions. Hood low over her face, she hugged her body and spun in place. Her dark image seemed to blur with fluttering movement, a dizzying swirl of fuzzy black. Those who were near leapt back, many falling and scrambling away on their backsides.
The screeching calls of black birds rang out as the flapping swirl spun like a tornado. The living funnel of birds lifted off the street, floating up to a far-off rooftop. There the swirling funnel settled, the fluttering birds solidifying back into the form of a cloaked girl. With a final spin, she stopped and stared down at the people below. Openmouthed, with eyes bulging, the townsfolk gaped as if they’d just seen a ghost. She flashed a final grin, teeth sparkling behind those black lips, then streaked away across the rooftops.
*
Creeping silently through the alleyway, the rat sniffed the air with suspicion. Whiskers twitching, it sniffed a second time, unable to decide whether or not it was safe. A pair of eyes snapped open in the dark, sending the startled rat scurrying away.
Patiently she waited, hidden in the shadows like a creature of the night. Eyes darting this way and that, a trickle of sweat dripped from her nose. She ignored the irritating tickle, refusing to move, refusing to breathe. I need to be sure. I must know I wasn’t followed. The chilly night air licked her face, cooling the beaded sweat collecting on her forehead. Still she refused to move, senses in tune with her surroundings. I must be sure...
*
It was the middle of the night and the streets were barren, save for the occasional night guardsmen patrolling in groups of three. Still on high alert after the mysterious incident, they glanced down every alleyway, peeking in every barrel as they passed. There had been no reported injuries, other than the soldiers’ wounded pride. How had a single woman managed to escape so easily? What sort of demon could do the things she did? Someone in the city must have some information about her. The search would continue until the mysterious woman was identified.
Cautious eyes watched from the shadows as another patrol marched by. Lanterns flickered their dancing light as they went, sweeping every inch of street. Once they turned the next corner, the cloaked figure raced across the street. Her feet skittered in complete silence, making less sound than any rodent. After a last glance over each shoulder, she turned the doorknob as carefully as possible, flinching at the unavoidable click, wincing as if the sound physically hurt. She opened it just enough to slide through sideways, silently latching it behind her.
Crickets chirped in a nearby bush, moonlight illuminating the area intermittently between drifting cloud cover. After a few minutes passed, a lurking shadow drifted back across the doorway. Someone had proved to be even more patient than her...
Feet creaking on the wood floor with each step, she tiptoed through the dark. She froze when light from a lantern flared in the room ahead. “Who’s there?” came an angry call. The flickering light drifted closer, causing shadows to move along the wall. The dull thud of heavy footsteps inched closer and closer. She tried to speak but the words wouldn’t come. Lantern held high, a large, grizzled man entered the room.
She shielded her eyes, squinting against the light. Hair dark and greasy, the middle-aged man wore blue slippers with matching sleepwear. His bulging nose hooked downward, appearing to push down against his lip. “Where have you been?” he growled, voice raspy, thick with unfinished sleep. Lowering her hands, her eyes drifted towards the floor. “Viola!” he barked when she didn’t answer.
She shuddered, eyes flashing up to meet his angry stare. Without a word, she reached under her cloak, tossing the coin purse across the room. Eyes still locked with hers, he caught it with one hand, letting it slip through his fingers so he could hold it by the cord. He bounced it a few times, considering its weight, then walked it over to a dusty table.
Setting down the lantern, he wiped his hand across the seldom-used dining table, sending dust sifting down to the floor. Resisting the urge to cough, Viola covered her mouth and made her way over to him. He opened the purse with a tug of the cord and shook it over the table. Two dozen coins rolled across the table, nearly all copper with a few silver sprinkled in. Deflated, Viola’s shoulders slumped and she hung her head.
“And what am I supposed to do with this?” he asked, slamming a fist down on the table. More dust rose, the lantern wobbling near the edge of the table.
“I-I didn’t know he had so little,” she said softly, ashamed and unable to meet his eyes. “No-Nobody...” Her breathing intensified, fear rising up in her chest. “Nobody saw me,” she finished, her soft voice barely a squeak.
She saw a flash of white as fire shot across her face. With no memory of falling, she realized she was flat on the floor. “Everyone saw you!” the man roared, shaking the tingling sting from his hand. “The black magic pickpocket has been the talk of the city all day! For all I know you’ve led them back here. And for what? Those few coins won’t feed me for a day!”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” she pleaded, inching herself away on her backside. “I’ll fetch you more coin in the morning. I promise! But it’s all right. Nobody saw me. Not...really. They don’t know who I am or what I look like.” The urgent words came out in a rush, desperate and pleading.
He approached, still shaking his hand. He loomed over her like a giant bird of prey. “Oh, really? They don’t know what you look like?” he said, reaching down, gripping the side of her face with thick, sausage-like fingers. He pushed a thumb under her eye, popping free a glass contact. She blinked up at him, one eye still dark in color, the other a deep blood red. “Or perhaps you meant this,” he hissed, snatching back her hood.
With a handful of her dark hair, he pulled hard, ignoring her shrieks of pain. Weaves popped free as the wig tore away. Long white hair spilled down around her shoulders, falling over her face. Viola whimpered like a frightened dog, sniffling as she tried to hold back the tears. “How long do you think we can fool them, you stupid bitch?” he growled in her ear, voice low and dangerous. “A month? Another year, perhaps? Bah!” He shoved her head away, rising back to his feet. “I should have left you where I found you! All you’ve done is bring me trouble. I should just take you back into the forest and—”
“No,” she shrieked, crawling towards him. She wrapped herself around his shin, clinging even as he tried to pull away. “Ethan, no! You don’t mean that.”
“The hell I don’t,” he said, his foot slipping from her gri
p. He marched away, back into the room from which he came. Motionless, head bent low, she kneeled on the floor until he returned. He stalked back up to her, one hand hidden behind his back. “How long do you think you can go without this?” he asked, displaying a syringe.
Her eyes watched the needle as he waved it back and forth in front of her face, a glistening drop of clear liquid hanging off the tip. She swallowed hard, her chest rising and falling as she stared at it. As if he were holding food in front of a starving dog, her dark lips smacked together, mouth watering uncontrollably. “It costs coin for me to keep brewing these for you,” he said, taunting her by pushing the plunger up a bit, the clear squirt dotting the floor.
She gasped, resisting the urge to lick the wet spot. “I’ll bring you more money,” she promised again, her tone urgent and pleading. “I’ll do anything you want!”
“Of course you will,” he replied, a chilling smile splitting his round face. The sudden mood swing was unnerving, to say the least. But she knew that look all too well. “You’ll always do what I want because you need me.” Waving the syringe back and forth, he backed away around the corner. “Well, come on, then,” he said, the sound of his footsteps fading with distance.
As always, she hesitated, wondering if just this once she might find the strength to resist him. Her hands balled into fists, trembling. She wanted to run for the door, to leave and never come back. “I’m waiting,” came a second call.
Just like that, her trembling fists stopped. She fell forward, catching her weight before her face hit the floor. Slowly, she pushed herself up and began walking to him.
The long walk down the hall felt like a dream. It was as if it wasn’t real. She wished it wasn’t real. I’ll never escape him. This is the only life I’ll ever know. She entered the bedroom. Ethan stood in the corner, his back to her as he removed his clothes. Hands moving on their own, her fingers pinched the drawstring around her neck. Her cloak fell down around her feet. As she lifted her shirt around her head, a heavy push from behind sent her sprawling onto the bed.