Storm Phase Series: Books 1-3

by Hayden, David Alastair

  “Respected elders, I come bearing strange and terrible news. The yomon are on the march, heading in this direction. When I met Narbenu and told him the news, he bade me come here at once.”

  “You did the right thing,” War Chief Sudorga said.

  “I have seen the yomon myself,” said Hufu, “as have several other rangers. We have been traveling, as swiftly as we can, to warn everyone in their path. The yomon are looking for a dragon made of storm clouds, a beast which many saw pass through the late afternoon skies five weeks ago. They are also looking for a wizard boy and his companions. Somehow, they are connected with this dragon.” Hufu turned to Turesobei and his companions. “The yomon’s descriptions are incredibly accurate.”

  “I am the Storm Dragon,” Turesobei said. “Or I was, anyway. We battled the yomon and kept them from entering our world, but the Winter Gate closed again and trapped us here. I was hoping they would never search for me — that they’d be too afraid to do so and have nothing to gain by a confrontation.”

  “Afraid of you?” Hufu asked, confused.

  “I killed at least a dozen of them.”

  “You — you killed a — a dozen?” Hufu stammered.

  “When I was the Storm Dragon, yes.”

  “That explains why there are fewer of them,” Hufu replied. “But there’s more to it.” He examined Turesobei, and then Enashoma. “They are led by a witch smeared with blood. She’s ill-dressed for the cold, but it doesn’t bother her — as if she were a reitsu. But she looks like the two of you, the same height, but with a powerful build for a woman and an almost … well, I only saw her from far away, but I’d say she had a demonic cast about her.”

  “That — that can’t be Awasa,” Turesobei said. “She’s only as tall as Enashoma, and she’s dainty.”

  “Well,” continued Hufu, “that’s what she calls herself. I met with people from the village that they had just ravaged, having interrogated the populace for knowledge about you. The survivors said she called herself Ninefold Awasa, leader of the Eighty-Eight Yomon.”

  Turesobei staggered back and collapsed onto the floor, grabbing his head. “No, no, no,” he muttered. “This is even worse.”

  “So you do know her?” Hufu said.

  “Awasa is his betrothed,” Iniru said. “Well, his other betrothed — the first one. It’s a long story.”

  Turesobei groaned. Awasa was still alive but somehow bigger and demonic? And she was coming after him. He was doomed.

  “You’re betrothed to a witch?” Hufu asked, incredulously.

  “She — she wasn’t like that before,” Enashoma said, distantly, almost in shock. “She was a normal aristocratic girl, about my size, not a monster … well she wasn’t actually demonic.”

  Turesobei gathered his composure and stood. “The short of it is, she became corrupted by a warlock named Barakaros. He was one of the Deadly Twelve. We prevented them from releasing the yomon and eternal winter onto our world, but when the gate closed, we ended up on the wrong side. Were her eyes purple? Was there an amulet around her neck?”

  “Yes,” Hufu replied. “She also had an eight-pointed star on her forehead.”

  “It’s possible that Barakaros the Warlock yet lives … inside of her,” said Turesobei. “Or that an echo of his power has taken root and corrupted her soul. It makes sense that she would want to capture me, and probably kill my companions.”

  “She carries a strange sword, as well. The blade is almost white.”

  “Sumada,” Turesobei replied. “My father’s white-steel sword. Incredibly powerful, incredibly rare.” Turesobei turned to the Council. “If Awasa is leading them in this direction, they will find us. My companions and I must leave. As soon as possible. We will leave with what we have and make the best of it we can. I won’t risk any harm to your people.”

  Tsuroko glanced at his fellow councilors. “We could hide you here and lie when they come. We could tell them we saw you heading off. Then we could lock ourselves in. To fight their way in would be extraordinarily difficult, even for the yomon. They would soon give up and look elsewhere.”

  The other council members nodded.

  “I am truly grateful for that offer,” Turesobei said. “Honestly, you have no idea how warm it makes me feel for you to offer to defend us. But there’s a strong chance that Awasa will be able to sense me once she arrives. Besides, my presence here is already known.”

  “Only by me,” said Hufu. “I could stay here until they were gone, to keep your secret.”

  “No,” said Iniru. “He means the reitsu. If the yomon reach the reitsu, they will surely tell them. They have reason to hate Turesobei.”

  “I must go,” Turesobei repeated. “How much time do we have, Hufu?”

  “They’re moving fast, but they’re having to meander from village to village to stop and interrogate people.”

  “How do they know he lies in this direction?” Herd Chief Boronaru asked.

  “The flight trail of the dragon was seen by many people,” said Hufu. “You have probably two weeks until they get here. Possibly less — especially if they get word from the reitsu.”

  Earth Priestess Faika stood. “The Council will recess for a few minutes to discuss this matter.”

  Turesobei leaned his back against a wall, and tried to shut out images of a blood-stained Awasa, taller and infused with more power from the warlock than before. Ninefold Awasa … she must have learned how to use the amulet.

  Enashoma fell into his arms. He hugged her tight.

  “I’m so sorry,” Shoma said. “This is terrible.”

  “It’s my fault,” he said.

  “Let it go,” Iniru said. “Even I don’t blame you for this. Yes, you shouldn’t have brought her along because of the danger — but no one could’ve imagined this happening.”

  Zaiporo started to say something, but then shook his head. He looked as shaken as Turesobei had ever seen him. Zaiporo may not have liked Awasa, but he had spent a lot of time around her, more than the rest of them had.

  The Council returned to the chamber. Sun Priestess Oroki said, “We have discussed it amongst ourselves and agreed. The danger is too great for our people if you stay here. We hope that you understand.”

  “I do,” he replied.

  “However,” said Tsuroko. “We shall give you the supplies and mounts you will need to escape here and take on the expedition you have planned on.”

  “I can’t ask that of you,” Turesobei said. “We haven’t paid you.”

  “But you must take the supplies, or you won’t make it,” Tsuroko replied. “It’s the only way.”

  “And you have done good work here,” said Shaman Eira. “The machine man stacked stones night after night. You brought warmth to rooms with magic symbols. You healed injured people. You helped as much as you could. You made good on your promise.”

  “But we’d only just begun,” Turesobei said.

  “We know you would’ve followed through to pay us in full, faster than we could’ve imagined,” said Earth Priestess Faika.

  “I will personally share the largest part of the financial burden,” said Tsuroko. If Turesobei wasn’t mistaken, tears welled in the big grizzly goronku’s eyes. “If you settle the matter and return safely, you can pay us back then. And live with us as long as you wish, my … my son.” Tsuroko restrained a sob.

  Narbenu stepped forward. “They will have no chance without a guide. No chance at all. I would like the Council’s approval to serve in this capacity.”

  “You are needed here, Narbenu,” said War Chief Sudorga.

  “There’s nothing left here for me. I have friends, yes. And I may be of value to the community. But my heart is lost. My brother murdered … a wife and two children lost to the plague … too old to start a new family …”

  “You are not too old,” Shaman Eira said. “You are just too depressed to try.”

  Narbenu shook his head and set his jaw. “With me guiding them, Turesobei has a chance a
t surviving, maybe even returning home to his clan. And the farther away he gets, the safer our people will be. Besides, it might be nice for me to see the wider world and have a bit of adventure.”

  “We can’t ask this of you,” Turesobei said. “It would be a death sentence.”

  “I insist,” Narbenu told him.

  “Perhaps Hufu can lead us away from here, taking us just far enough that it will be safe for your people,” Enashoma said.

  “Hufu has a sacred duty as a ranger,” Narbenu replied.

  “He’s right,” said Hufu. “I must go to warn other people. I can, however, see to it that word reaches the reitsu and the yomon that you have left here already. I can put them on a false trail.”

  “No,” said Turesobei. “Put them on the correct trail. We’ll be heading north, toward the Glass Sea. If they find out they’ve been misled, they might return here seeking retribution. I want them to stay far away from here, even if that puts us in greater danger.”

  “As you wish,” said Hufu.

  “Narbenu,” said Turesobei, “you could lead us away from here for several days then double back.”

  “I want to help you find your way home. I insist. End of discussion.” He turned to the Council. “Kemsu will come with me, of course, and we will return if we can.”

  “I’d rather you didn’t doom Kemsu as well,” Turesobei said.

  “I go where my master wishes,” said Kemsu. He glanced at Iniru. “And I wouldn’t mind seeing more of the world. I might even earn my freedom through this.”

  Narbenu said in a doubtful voice, “You might.”

  Sun Priestess Oroki stood. “It is decided, then. Go and rest, all of you. We shall see to it that all the supplies you need will be ready by sunrise.”

  * * *

  Turesobei gathered his companions in Motekeru’s room.

  “I could face the yomon and get this over with,” he said. “As the Storm Dragon, I could save all of you and rid this land of the yomon. And maybe you could save Awasa. Afterward, I could roam the skies, and you could live here safely with the goronku. I doubt we can find a way back anyway, and we’ll just get Narbenu and Kemsu killed.”

  “I don’t like that plan, master,” said Lu Bei. “You can’t.”

  Motekeru nodded. “Only as a last resort. Stupid plan otherwise.”

  Zaiporo chimed in. “What they said.”

  “But this is the only way our safety is guaranteed,” Turesobei argued.

  Iniru slapped him. “Just stop. I’m sick of the I can turn into a dragon and sacrifice myself crap. If it’s the last resort, the absolute last resort, like they’re really about to kill us all, then you can do it. Otherwise, no.”

  “But, Niru, I —”

  Iniru grabbed him and jerked him in close, face-to-face. “Look, I kind of hate you right now, but I don’t want to lose you to the dragon.” She kissed him on the lips, then shoved him back against the wall. “Got it?”

  “Yes, Niru.”

  Shoma pointed at him. “That goes for me, too.”

  “And me,” added Lu Bei. “But without that kiss. Gross.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  At dawn, Turesobei and his companions gathered in the common room. Decorative ribbons still hung from the ceiling, and no one had shoved the tables back into their places. Turesobei smiled briefly and tried to burn the memory of the party into his brain. He’d barely slept, having stayed up worrying about the goronku and feeling guilty about what had happened to Awasa.

  They sat down to eat a final hot meal before setting off. The goronku cooks had clearly been told, because they served a small feast made of leftovers from the night before. Narbenu, Kemsu, and War Chief Sudorga joined them and made small talk. As soon as they all finished, they put on their parkas and overboots.

  Tsuroko, Ukiri, and Kurine entered the commons. Kurine was wearing full cold weather gear, as well. Turesobei expected her to run up to him and give him a deep embrace. But she didn’t. Instead, she turned, with tears in her eyes, and gave her mother a tight hug. Tsuroko wrapped his arms around both of them, tears streaming down his cheeks.

  “This doesn’t look good,” Zaiporo said.

  “Turesobei,” Iniru whispered, “tell me she’s not coming with us. Tell me you didn’t invite her.”

  “Of course I didn’t.”

  “Kurine has to come along,” Kemsu said. “She’s your betrothed.”

  “But it’s not safe,” Turesobei replied.

  “Doesn’t matter,” Kemsu said. “Betrothal is a sacred bond only one step short of marriage. You can’t leave her behind.”

  “That’s ridiculous,” Turesobei said. “If I were on a trade expedition, would she follow along?”

  “No, but that’s different,” Kemsu said. “If that were the case, you’d be expected to return. Doing this, you might never come back, whether from failure or success, so she must go with you.”

  “There’s no way she can refuse?” Enashoma asked.

  Kemsu shrugged. “Only if she could prove Turesobei was dishonorable and unfit. Then the marriage would be called off.”

  “So maybe if I suddenly … I don’t know … made out with Iniru … right here?” he suggested.

  Kemsu scowled. “That’d just make her mad, very very mad. Look, no one here’s going to believe you’re unfit. They’d see right through it. And I don’t think you’d want to use Iniru that way.”

  Judging from the dagger-stare Iniru was giving Kurine, Turesobei wasn’t so certain she’d be opposed to doing whatever it would take to make Kurine stay behind.

  Turesobei approached Kurine and her family. “I understand the betrothal is sacred, almost like marriage, and that we shouldn’t risk being permanently separated … but this is incredibly dangerous, Kurine. I care so much for you. I don’t want to see you injured or killed.”

  Tsuroko rounded on him. “You’d dishonor my daughter by leaving her behind?!”

  “I would never dishonor her. I just want to keep her safe.”

  “I know you’ll do your best to keep her safe,” Tsuroko said. “But all of us must face death someday. Dishonor, however, we do not have to face. And dishonor is worse than death.”

  “I won’t be a drag on you,” Kurine said. Her eyes were red from crying. “I have all the skills needed. I’ve been listening to Daddy tell me about how it’s done all my life. I even went on one very short trade expedition two years ago. I have training in fighting. I’ll be a ton of help.”

  Turesobei took her hands. What could he do? What could he say? “I know you will be helpful. I know. You’ll be better out there than me. I just … I don’t want you getting hurt, is all.”

  “My daughter chose you,” said Ukiri. “She must live with her choice. I think it was a fine choice made on good faith. I’m not happy that she must leave, knowing I might never see her again, but it is what it is. The decree of the gods does not change to suit our whims. To retain her honor, Kurine must go with you, or become a priestess, and that is not a suitable vocation for her.”

  Turesobei sighed. “I don’t understand your culture. It’s so different from mine. But if this is how it must be. If this is what you want, Kurine …”

  “It is.” She hugged her parents one more time and kissed each on the cheek.

  Tsuroko put his hands on their heads. “You have our blessing to marry at any point along the way. We understand you may never see us again, and that if you do, much time may have passed. Do not wait to marry just so we may be there to see it. Have the ceremony performed when it pleases you. Be with one another, and be happy, wherever you may end up.”

  “In my heart,” said Ukiri, “I know that the two of you will always be happy together, and I will never believe otherwise. I shall never mourn this day.”

  Turesobei let Kurine spend a few minutes more with her family and returned to his friends. “I did all I could. Who knew one kiss could screw up so much …”

  “A single kiss can screw up a lot more than
your tiny brain can comprehend,” Iniru snapped.

  Hufu entered from outside. “Thought you should know, there are two reitsu scouting the village. I didn’t let them know I’d spotted them.”

  “I suspect one will return to report back to their village while the other follows us,” said Narbenu.

  “That’s perfect,” Turesobei said.

  Hufu eyed Turesobei curiously. “I think most people, if I told them they were being stalked by a reitsu, would be terrified.”

  Turesobei shrugged. “Motekeru killed seven of them, and I defeated their champion in single combat, despite a broken arm.” He felt a little guilty about bragging, but Narbenu nodded in appreciation. Hufu simply stared dumfounded at him.

  The Council came and said their goodbyes. The priestesses both said prayers, beseeched the gods to protect them, and asked for their endeavor to be blessed. Goodbyes were said to all, including a last, tear-filled one between Kurine and her parents. Then they set off.

  Outside, sturdy sonoke laden with supplies waited for them. Narbenu and Kemsu each rode a mount that carried extra supplies. Turesobei shared a mount with Zaiporo. Iniru and Enashoma rode together, as before. Kurine rode with the amber hounds, Rig and Ohma, who sat in a special saddle Herd Chief Boronaru had rigged up for them. Motekeru rode alone on the last mount, a particularly strong one that could easily take his weight.

  When asked by a groom if he could guide the mount, Motekeru replied, “Just because I live simply and speak little does not mean I’m a simpleton.”

  Narbenu gazed at Aikora and sighed. “Let’s ride slowly and make sure it’s obvious we’re leaving. Don’t want those reitsu to miss it.”

  Once they were outside the village area, Turesobei cast the spell of personal obscuration on Lu Bei. The fetch flew up and circled several times.

  “Good call,” he said upon returning. “One wraith is following us, while the other has set off, back toward their village.”

  The group rode all day, stopping only for a midday break to stretch and eat. The travel was smooth and presented no problems. Kurine rode near Turesobei and asked him endless questions about his world. He figured her curiosity was mostly an attempt not to think about leaving everything she knew behind, something she hadn’t even imagined twelve hours earlier. It was the most they’d ever talked. It concerned him that she’d wanted to marry him before ever having had such an opportunity. What had she expected out of him? Was he really the only decent choice around? Would she get bored with him and regret her choice? He had to get back to his world, where things mostly made sense.