by D N Meinster
"An empty kingdom," Aros sighed.
"No," Loraya replied. "Terrastream is still filled with beautiful life. The horses roam free. The mideer and miwolves frolic together. The foxes chase the lypopids. The hyertoads sink into the swamps. There's so much more I hope you can see before you leave, or before Kahar decides to kill it."
"There are no rattipedes here, right?" Aros had no desire to see them again. Or oversized metal snakes. Or even the stone spiders.
"Rattipedes?" Loraya asked, her eyes focusing back on him.
As Aros glanced at her, he saw her eyes turn back into that pure luminous white. He shuddered and swiftly twisted his head away.
"I need to sleep," Aros begged. He didn't want to keep being reminded of that vision. It would fade once he slept. It had to.
"It's not safe to around here," Loraya said. "The Hunters could still be close."
"Then let's go somewhere else."
"Kyer!" Loraya bellowed. "Yayne!"
"Right here," Yayne replied from feet away.
"Oh, right," Loraya said. "Where can we make camp?"
"If Fusion Forest wasn't safe, no place is safe," Yayne stated.
Kyer reluctantly returned to his sister's presence. "What is it?"
"Aros needs rest," she replied. "And so do I."
Kyer pulled at some of the hairs growing from his chin. "There's a clump of rock in the middle of Heartless Lake that might work. You'll have to swim out to it, but you'll have fair warning if anyone follows."
"You're not coming?" Loraya asked.
"I need to know who's left," Kyer said. "I'm staying until it burns itself out."
Aros didn't feel right splitting up the family when they might not have anyone else left. He'd rather cope with what he was seeing than potentially cost another Lette brother their life. "Then we all stay."
Yayne gave an approving nod. "Not the time to split up."
"Kwee!" Mr. Kwee squeaked from Aros' waist.
There were a few giggles from the group. "Then it's settled," Kyer said.
Aros and Loraya squatted onto the floor, while her brothers remained standing. They all scrutinized the fire as it consumed Fusion Forest, waiting for a sign that the flames might abate. But it continued to rage as the night dragged on.
Aros viewed it for as long as he could before his eyelids became heavy and he drifted to sleep.
He was back in Absentia Desert. Leidess was gone, but there was someone else amongst the sands. Hatswick was standing in front of the Door, his trilby hat crooked and his black cloak caught in the gust.
Aros was paralyzed and unable to react as the Door was illuminated again. It was so dazzling that to look at it hurt his eyes, but he was unable to look anywhere else.
He was relieved when a dark smoke began to cover up the intense light, but then horrified when he realized what that meant.
"No," Aros tried to say, but his lips wouldn't move.
He couldn't even see the Door anymore. The darkness had covered it.
"No!" Aros screamed, the words finally escaping his throat. But he was no longer on the fringes of Kytheras. He was back in Terrastream.
Loraya grabbed onto his hand. "You're okay, Aros. It was only a dream."
Aros' hand shook, his whole body sweating and his stomach on the verge of rejecting the little food he'd had before sleeping.
Loraya was leaning on him, her face turned toward his. The morning sun made the residue of her trip into the fire even more evident than it had been the night before.
Both Lette brothers were out of breath as they returned to their sister. "What happened?" Kyer asked.
"Nightmare," Loraya answered.
Aros hoped that was all it was. It was so vivid, and he'd been so helpless. He didn't want it to be anything more than a construct of the night.
"Don't need that when we've got one right here," Kyer replied. He pointed toward the fire, which had become little more than dense smoke. "Another hour and we should be able to go in."
"Four confirmed dead," Yayne said, choking back tears.
"Morning meeting?" M'dalla asked, shifting into their presence. She studied Aros' terrified expression. "Something happen?"
"Only a bad dream," Loraya answered for him.
"About?" M'dalla asked.
"Neanthal," Aros whispered. And, unable to hold it back any longer, he leaned forward and puked at M'dalla's feet.
M'dalla skipped back, trying to avoid the vomit. "Do I want to know more?"
Aros had no intention of saying anything else about what he'd seen. He wanted to forget it as quickly as possible. And to think he'd figured sleep might rectify his vision. Instead, he was dragged further into one. At least there was no sign it was affecting his sight while he was awake.
"Is there a berry vine nearby?" Loraya asked, rising onto her feet.
"I'll fetch some," Yayne replied, and he lumbered away.
"This one is helpless without his Kytheran friends," M'dalla noted, and she leaned down to get a better look at him.
"Have you heard from Slythe?" Aros mumbled, thinking of Doren and Rikki. Knowing they were unhurt might release some of the terror that was tearing at his insides.
"No word," M'dalla said. "But I wouldn't worry."
Aros felt all that was left for him to do was worry. Doren was out there, a potential victim of the Hunters that destroyed the Revolutionaries' home and killed at least four of them. Rikki had gone to confront a king that had been able to enslave mages. They had no idea where the fourth Key was. He was having nightmares that Neanthal was released from his prison. It was all too much.
"We shouldn't have let Rikki go," he said. Her departure had caused the group to break apart. Doren went after her, and then Slythe. And Aros wanted to chase after them.
"I don't think we could've stopped her," Loraya said. "But I thought we'd have reinforcements to go back for her."
"I can go," M'dalla volunteered. "I'll find Slythe and Doren, and we'll check on your friend."
Aros was grateful, but he was afraid he'd be sending M'dalla to her doom. "You don't have to."
"I don't want to," M'dalla said with a wink. "But I should probably check on my boyfriend."
Yayne returned carrying a bounty of yellow stalks and green tubes in his arms. He urged each of them to pick out their crops before he crunched down on the remains of his harvest.
"We'll have to meet somewhere," Aros said.
Kyer crossed his arms. "We should be around here for a while."
"Malaise Tracks."
"Malaise Tracks?" Aros repeated. "Where's that?"
"The border to the unseen lands," Kyer answered. "What made you say that?"
"I wasn't the one to suggest it," Aros replied.
"You were," Yayne said, still chewing on berries.
Aros' mouth fell open as he reconsidered who'd spoken. He should've recognized it right away. That tone; like a whisper, like a scream. It'd been decks since he heard it but he knew. The voice had returned.
Chapter Seventeen
Before They Roamed
10 D.R.
Slythe held M'dalla as she rested her head on his chest, her black hairs ticking his bare skin with every breeze the waves brought in. They escaped to the Isle of Set so they wouldn't have to hear the screaming during the latest High Council meeting. Both of them had gotten tired of the incessant egos and nonstop infighting. As he was a mere prince and not the King, and as she was only a mid-rank soldier there at his invitation, there was no pressing need for them to attend. They could be clued in afterward on the absence of any progress.
The only one bothered by the excursion was Yuurei, who was required to stay at the Prince's side at all times. Though a man of little words, he let his facial expressions communicate for him. And he was staring them down from the thin shade of a nearby palm.
Slythe tried not to let his personal guardian's derision get to him. If King Shine didn't mind them going off, then he shouldn't have either.
&nb
sp; Maybe Yuurei got some sort of thrill watching the arguments unfold, and he was being deprived of his only form of entertainment. But Slythe had grown weary of the General Commander and Rantiford shouting at each other all the time. It was predictable and disheartening. How were they ever going to wage war when they couldn't even get along with their allies?
Slythe glanced at Yuurei before leaning his head down and planting a kiss on M'dalla's lips. Once they were there, she would not let his lips leave her's. As the passionate gesture got more intense, Slythe stole a look toward his guardian. Yuurei was still watching. Perhaps getting to see this made up for his missing the meeting.
Azzer tapped his foot impatiently as the room filled up. He'd just returned from a trip to Belliore, where he'd been able to coordinate planning with the Bellish. The only issue was that this put a time limit on their invasion. They'd need to act fast before the Bellish were discovered. Otherwise, the whole kingdom could be wiped out. Neanthal apparently had gotten what he needed from them. They'd be expendable now.
The General Commander and Rantiford entered and took seats as far away from each other as possible, though they kept shooting nasty looks at one another whenever they got the chance.
When the room was nearly stuffed again, it became rather obvious who was missing. Prince Slythe and his cohorts were absent, as was the Grand Mage herself.
Azzer gazed at Grace, who gave him a shrug. She was as helpful as ever.
This was the meeting where Amelia was going to reveal the entire plot she'd concocted to achieve victory over Neanthal and his Thalians. Her tardiness was either intended to prove a point, or something had happened.
"We'll begin as soon as Amelia arrives," King Shine announced to the room.
Azzer shifted from the room shortly after Shine spoke. As the squawks of gulls filled his ears on the nearly empty beach, he began to consider where Amelia might be. The truth was, he had no idea. He knew little of Amelia's personal life; what she did and who she spent time with. He didn't even know where she lived. She lodged in the royal manor, occasionally, but that was not her home. How had someone so well-known been able to keep so many details of their life private? Azzer was hardly recognized by non-mages and yet his antics were the gossip of the Twilight Islands.
"You spend time with a couple of guys in public," Azzer complained aloud to no one. He swiped his staff through the air and disturbed some of the sand.
It wasn't his duty to find Amelia. Why had he decided to shift away? She could've started the meeting by now for all he knew.
But, somehow, he was certain that she hadn't.
"Pssst." The sharp noise pierced the crashing waves.
Azzer spun about and spotted a man with yellow eyes and baggy orange pants heading his way. His black hair had been intentionally spun into spikes, and his bare chest was badly sunburned.
"Who are you?" Azzer asked, pointing his staff at the new arrival.
"Don't tell," the man said. "Won't tell."
"Right," Azzer replied, and he examined the man and determined he was unarmed. "Unless you can tell me where Amelia is, please go away."
"You guessed it!" the man screamed jubilantly. "I knew you could do it!"
Azzer walked toward him and placed his channeling crystal at the center of the man's chest. "You know where Amelia is?"
"The wind came to me," the man replied as he fervently gesticulated.
"The wind?" Azzer repeated, rolling his eyes. He was not in the mood for lunacy today.
"If you listen." And he held a hand to his ear.
Azzer readied to shift back to the meeting, but the man grabbed onto his staff.
"Can't you hear it?" the man asked. "Three. Three."
Azzer's face went pale as he realized just what that meant.
Yuurei didn't even blink as he kept his eyes on the Prince. He and his concubine were busy getting their clothes back on after a rather lascivious afternoon. It seemed the Prince got some amusement out of forcing the guardian to watch. Had Slythe caught on that he had interest in neither men nor women? Was this some sort of juvenile form of bullying?
He'd considered it an honor to guard the Prince when he was selected for the position. And the younger Slythe was a kind and gentle soul who was trying to get over the loss of his father while attempting to cheer up his brother. But Slythe had become harder and more scurrilous over time. His obligations meant less to him, which is why he'd forgone attending the most important High Council meeting that had ever been called. Shine let him get away with it, so there was little Yuurei could do. All that was required of him was to keep watch.
Though he sweated beneath the silver armor, as the shade was insufficient protection from the heat, he kept it on and stayed in place. That was his job. It wasn't to give advice and offer his opinion. It wasn't to imitate his liege and mouth off. It was to protect him and sacrifice his life for his, if necessary.
For instance, even though the Prince had just put his ensemble back on, he and his mistress were running into the waters as if they were still naked. Yuurei would have remarked upon the ridiculousness of such a choice, but that was not the type of relationship he'd ever had with him, and it never would be.
While his eyes were on the Prince, his ears perked up when he heard a slight disturbance coming from behind him.
Yuurei spun and charged into the patch of trees, his slender sword raised and ready for battle.
But his shoulder's fell a minute later as he ran into the originators of the noise. Azzer had shifted onto the island, along with someone he couldn't place hanging onto his staff.
"Who's this?" Yuurei asked, gesturing his sword toward the man.
"Zeniri," the man replied.
Azzer's mouth dropped open. "So you tell him." He yanked his staff back and held it up vertically.
"Did the meeting end already?" Yuurei asked, disappointed that he'd missed it. He'd have to get the information second-hand now, which could affect its accuracy.
"It never began," Azzer replied. "Amelia didn't show up."
Yuurei crunched his teeth together. He was relieved and concerned all at once. "So why are you out here?"
"Zeniri implied the Sinful Three have her," Azzer said. "On this island."
"That'd make sense," Yuurei stated. "They'd want to grab her while she slept."
Azzer immediately understood the implications. "She lives here?"
Yuurei didn't know if the blue mage was being serious. Had he not been informed of the location of Amelia's living quarters? He debated how he should treat the statement before answering.
"Only in recent seasons," Yuurei answered. "She moved her entire house from Noon to become neighbors with Grace."
"How did I miss that?" Azzer asked, scratching the side of his head.
"That's where they are," Zeniri said. "Hurry."
"How do you know?" Yuurei asked.
"The wind told him," Azzer stated with exasperation.
Zeniri only held up three fingers in response.
Amelia's safety was a priority for the kingdom, but he couldn't abandon his post to check up on her. Then again, he didn't want to drag the Prince into a potentially dangerous situation.
"Do you have combat training?" Yuurei asked Zeniri, hopeful that Azzer's companion might be of assistance to him.
"Army of Kytheras," Zeniri replied, smashing a fist into his chest.
"Then go on ahead," Yuurei urged. "I'll inform the Prince of what's happening."
"Which way is it?" Azzer asked.
Yuurei didn't allow the distress he felt to alter his countenance. He pointed in the direction of Amelia's home and then turned back to speak with the Prince.
Zeniri had heard voices for much of his life. Kids used to joke that if he'd been born in Kytheras, they'd have sent him straight to the dungeons. He was lucky to be among the more laid back Twileans, where all they would do was keep an extra eye on him.
It was almost like his mother had known the kind of child she was goin
g to give birth to. She'd moved from Faunli while she was pregnant and had given birth to him there. His mother refused to take credit for the decision. Instead, she thanked the Goddess every day that her hatred of cold weather had caused her to move.
Zeniri didn't thank the Goddess. He hated who he was. His mind was never at peace. When one voice went silent, another would take its place.
Where did they come from, these voices? And why didn't anyone else hear them? He'd bicker with them and beg them to go, but not once did they obey him.
Instead, they told him things. They suggested he avoid the beaches the day Aergo's army showed up. They warned him not to travel far if it was going to rain. And they translated what the wind was saying when it whispered into his ears.
The voices always knew, and he was jealous of them. Why couldn't he have known these things without them? Mages weren't hampered by their gifts. Why was he made to look so insane by his?
The way Azzer looked at him was the exact way most people had looked at him his entire life. There was alarm. There was fear. But, most of all, there was skepticism.
Zeniri knew they'd find the Sinful Three at the precise location that Yuurei had directed them to. He should've asked to borrow a sword, for his fists alone would not be enough to take on the sin mages. But the voices didn't make that suggestion, and he hadn't thought of it himself. At least Azzer had taken the lead. He'd get the brunt of whatever was coming.
They passed huts of straw and a couple of wooden cabins as they traversed the landscape. The sounds of waves faded for a time, before they picked back up. Rise was the smallest island, and they didn't even need to navigate half of it to get to their destination.
Azzer held a hand up as they wind carried malicious voices to their ears.
"I think we'll put you on display," one of them taunted her.
"Or we'll present you to Neanthal just like this."
Azzer's staff trembled as he tiptoed forward. Zeniri stayed right behind him, and they both poked their heads out from behind a row of trees and inspected the situation.