Kin of Exile

by Tyler Bunyard

  “He didn’t die.” Alice’s words were soft spoken, and as fragile as the smile she had previously given Karrel. She didn’t look up from her book, and continued to read, seemingly paying no attention to the conversation she was eavesdropping on.

  “Exactly,” Johnny said, “Angel, didn’t die. It was something that had never happened to the girls before. They didn’t know what to do, and after we almost killed each other in the fight that followed, we came to our current little agreement. That’s when the girls told us about the red tape that surrounds their kind.”

  Angel piped in once more, “Red tape, that we were able to confirm, once again, through some old story books. It’s like this: once a human survives a kiss from a succubus, the two become linked together, and the succubus is unable to feed upon anyone else, until that person dies. You see it across all of the books. The ‘demon-girl’ always seduces the most powerful character in the story. Turns out, it’s because those stories are based upon the guys who were actually able to survive.”

  Johnny was staring at Karrel now. “When we found you, we thought you were dead. You realize now, why we want you to join our group, right? Among other reasons, you, like the rest of us, survived.”

  “Also, you can shoot explosive death beams out of your hand.” An advancing smell of spiced meat and thick sauce filled the air, as Puck approached the group. He handed the three of them dishes filled with an artistic arrangement of assorted breakfast foods, and they all thanked him. Each one looked more delicious than the next.

  Karrel was holding back tears. Curiosity overcame him however, and he pointed to his meal, asking Angel, “From last night?”

  Angel smiled. “Freshly harvested!”

  He had only recently learned of his capability to consume the food, so it still felt strange. Still, the smell was wonderful, and he began to dig in. The tears he was holding back began to flow.

  Puck, ignoring the expected waterworks of Karrel, continued, “Just remember, before we found them, the girls didn’t even give a second thought to taking a life. I wasn’t kidding about not trusting them, Karrel. It’s not a good idea.” Having added his two cents, he returned to the kitchen to serve himself some of the breakfast that he had cooked.

  Angel teased Puck as he walked away, “Don’t you think you’re being a little hypocritical?” Puck pretended to pay no attention to the comment.

  Johnny explained the situation. “Puck may be the largest of our little family,” he told Karrel, “but he’s a gigantic softy when it comes to taking human lives. Even with those bloodthirsty bandits, he hesitates.” Johnny let out a long sigh. “Puck does have a point, though.”

  “What do you mean?” Karrel asked.

  “We initially only had three of us, for the four girls. The ladies had agreed not to kill anymore, seeing as they now had easy access to sating their hunger. However, due to the links made at the time, Krystalyn did not have a source of sustenance, and succubi are unable to share between their linked partners. She agreed not to feed until we found someone capable of surviving her.”

  “You mean me?”

  “Not exactly…” Johnny said. “We initially couldn’t find anyone suitable for the job. It was about two years, from the day that I got my powers, that Angel, Puck, and I met each other. What were the chances we were going to find someone else in the next week? Krystalyn was patient though. Ridiculously patient. The girls had stayed with us for months, but we still couldn’t find anyone for her.”

  “She went months without eating?” Karrel knew all too well the pain of hunger. When he was unlucky, he sometimes wouldn’t get to eat for weeks. But months? It just seemed unthinkable.

  “It wasn’t very fun to watch,” Johnny exclaimed, “Succubi lose themselves if they don’t eat regularly, and the girls didn’t want to see that happen to one of them. The months passed and exactly what her sisters were terrified of, happened to Krystalyn. She lost control and broke out of the complex.”

  “That’s when she came to attack me.” Things were becoming clearer to Karrel.

  “Precisely,” Johnny confirmed. “I don’t know how she found you, or if it was just sheer dumb luck, but we were fortunate that it was you that was attacked, and not someone else.”

  “Gee, thanks,” Karrel scoffed. This was a lot to take in. Intelligent monsters and organized attacks were one thing. Now, before he even knew of their existence, he was apparently linked to a demon succubus. Only one thing was for sure. This week was not going his way.

  “Now then,” Johnny began, “I’ve told you things that no one outside our little family knows. I’ve made it abundantly clear that we could use your help. And, I’ve been as truthful with you as one could possibly be. It’s time for you to return the favor. I want a straight answer.” He extended his hand out to Karrel. “Will you join us?”

  The question was simple, but for Karrel, the answer was near impossible. He had always traveled alone. It was easier to survive that way. This group was an obvious exception to that rule, though. They had an established outpost, and, based on the full refrigerator they had, were miles ahead of Karrel when it came to staying alive. However, they weren’t just asking Karrel to live in peace with them. They were asking him to put his life on the line for others. It was a foreign subject to Karrel.

  However, just living for the sole reason of staying alive had begun to be hollow. Ever since the jailing, where he had met Angel, there was something burning inside of him, something that wanted more out of life than trudging from ghost town to ghost town.

  Karrel looked over to Krystalyn, who was currently laughing at the blonde girl’s attempt to balance a book on her head. If he didn’t stay, what would happen to her? From what Johnny had said, she would no longer be able to feed. Hunger was something he would never wish upon anyone. He didn’t know if it was because of how human she looked, or the terrible memories of those unlucky weeks he had spent starving across the lands, but he didn’t want to be the cause of any anguish toward her.

  His mind made up, Karrel extended his hand and clasped Johnny’s. A large grin stretched across his face, and he declared his decision, “Alright! As long as Puck keeps making me breakfast, I think I can stick around for a bit.” The second the words escaped from his mouth, Karrel felt a huge weight lift from him. This was the right decision; he could feel it.

  Angel jumped into the air, and Johnny gave a satisfied smile. Johnny cleared his throat and clapped his hands together so that the entire room could hear. Everyone’s attention gathered to him. “If I can make an announcement real fast,” Johnny projected his voice across the room, “Let us all welcome Karrel to our group. He has decided to stick with us and will be helping with future missions.”

  Puck gave a mighty hoorah, and the blonde and redheaded girls stood up from their seats, shrieking in apparent joy. They hurried over to Karrel, almost knocking the table over in their rush.

  The blonde girl was the first to arrive. She slammed into Karrel wrapping her arms around him with a tight hug. “Oh! This is so exciting!” she said, her high-pitched voice making no attempt at disguising her pleasure. Despite her looks, she had a lot of strength behind her arms. The clasp she had on Karrel was incredibly powerful, and he found himself wheezing while in her grip.

  The redheaded girl then introduced herself, “The name is Prisca, by the way.” Her voice was as strong as the hug Karrel was currently enduring. She pointed to her friend. “The blonde ditz crushing you right now is Jessica.”

  Jessica continued squeezing Karrel while letting out an incredibly long, “Hi!” Letting go of him, she exclaimed, “This is so fun! We rarely get to meet new friends. Well, at least ones that don’t die, that is.”

  “We’ve only known him for two days now,” Prisca stated, “The living milestone has yet to be crossed.” This wasn’t the first time she had seen Karrel, but she still seemed to be sizing him up.

  Krystalyn had joined the group at this point. She addressed Prisca’s comment in an
assuring manner, “You saw him fight, didn’t you?” She looked towards Karrel, a smirk wrapped across her face. “I give him at least a month.”

  “You should take care not to let him die, sister,” Prisca teased, Krystalyn. “There probably aren’t that many meals out there that are as cute as he is.”

  “I’m just happy I can eat again,” Krystalyn’s coy gaze stayed focused on Karrel.

  “Oh, stop it you two!” Jessica shouted, “We finally don’t have to worry about any of us losing ourselves, and Krystalyn seems happy with the link she’s received.” Krystalyn’s playful gaze dropped, and she gave an annoyed nudge to Jessica, who pretended to pay no attention to it as she beamed. “We should all have smiles on our faces!” She looked at Alice, who was still passively reading her book. “Well, at least most of us should…”

  Prisca gave Karrel a pat on the back. “Don’t worry,” she reassured Karrel, “you’ll get used to Ms. Sunshine after a while.” The joke had made Karrel feel slightly more comfortable. If he was being honest, he had not gotten used to the horns and tails that the girls had. “Besides, she’s just trying to express how much we appreciate you helping us out.”

  Puck let out a booming, singular laugh. “Hah!” he said, “Don’t let her fool you Karrel! All you are is a quick meal for their sister, so don’t take your eyes off of them.” Krystalyn and Jessica shot a dirty look toward Puck.

  Prisca, however, just chuckled softly. “Oh, really?” she smiled. She snuck around behind Puck, and leaned in, as if to whisper into the back of his ear. She made her voice just loud enough so that everybody in the room could hear. “Is that why you came to my room, last night? Couldn’t take your eyes off of me?”

  Puck’s face went red. He opened his mouth to give a response, but it quickly closed. He turned around and stormed out of the room. Prisca placed a hand to her mouth and giggled, not taking her eyes off him.

  For the first time since meeting him, Karrel had witnessed a completely speechless Puck. He also now understood Angel’s previous quip about hypocrisy. The dark-clothed individual, who was shaking furiously, desperately attempting to hold in his laughter, decided it was best not to antagonize Puck anymore at this point.

  The girls continued to get to know Karrel, asking all sorts of questions that he was not used to answering. Where did he get his bag? What was his favorite drink? Why was he wearing pants with holes in them? Why would he keep the pants if they had a hole in them? Why did he decide to dye red highlights into his hair? How does he not know how his hair got dyed? Every time Johnny or Angel tried to get a word in, either Prisca or Jessica would jump Karrel with another question. Krystalyn pretended to be disinterested in the investigation, but Karrel could see that she was listening intently to the answers.

  They all seemed to be enjoying themselves with the interrogation, and Karrel was surprised to admit it, but the casual conversation was refreshing. Finally, Angel stood up and announced to Johnny, “Seeing as he’s going to be helping us out now, we should probably get Karrel up to date with our plans.”

  Prisca and Jessica gave Angel a disappointed look, but then rolled their eyes in understanding. “Fine!” Jessica stated, “But, there’s no way I’m gunna sit here and listen to something I’ve already heard a hundred times. If you need us, we’ll be in the warehouse.” Krystalyn fetched Alice, and the four girls left through the kitchen door.

  Johnny brought his attention to Karrel. “We have seen what you can do. But, to make the best use of your abilities, it would be advantageous if you explained them to us in a little more detail,” he remarked.

  Karrel pulled out his green, oilskin notebook. “Not too much to explain, really,” he started. “I have this book filled with weird symbols. Sometimes the text turns red, and depending on what it says, I can use it to attack, or protect myself.”

  Angel was surprised, telling Johnny, “That’s weird. When I looked inside, nothing was red to me. It was all black text. Maybe you could take a look Johnny? You know, considering what your friggin’ gift is!”

  “Gift?” Karrel asked. He then remembered, that he had yet to see what Johnny’s supposed powers were. “This I gotta see!”

  Johnny had his thumb and finger resting on his chin, and was lost in thought, staring at Karrel’s book. Angel looked at Karrel and answered for Johnny, “You are a perfect example of what a pissed off librarian wishes they could be. Johnny, on the other hand, is a perfect example of what an actual librarian wishes they could be.” Seeing Karrel’s confused face, he decided to be blunt. “Johnny can absorb knowledge.”

  “Wow!” Karrel’s remark stemmed from legitimate interest, “How does it work?” The ability to obtain knowledge with ease was a dream that most human’s shared, and Karrel was no different.

  Johnny still deep in thought, Angel once again spoke for his friend, “If Johnny touches certain objects, he can learn their inner workings. I still don’t fully understand how, but I do know that, when it comes to books, all he needs to do is hold it for a few seconds, and it’s as if he has read the entire thing.”

  “Memorized, is more like it.” Johnny had finished thinking. “Toss me the book.”

  This was a chance to learn more about his little green book, so Karrel obliged. He tossed the book to Johnny.

  The yellow-eyed man caught the book and held it for a few seconds. Suddenly, blue and green sparks started to shoot out of the book, and Johnny began to scream. He waved the book around frantically, but it appeared he was unable to let go of the now glowing book. Karrel wondered for a moment if this was just how Johnny’s powers worked, but as Angel jumped into action, batting the book out of Johnny’s hands and to the ground, he got his answer. His green book instantly stopped sparking, and its fluorescent glow subsided.

  Johnny slumped to the floor, crawling a short pace away from the book. He didn’t look distraught, and the face of pain he had made just mere seconds ago had returned to that of thoughtfulness. “It’s never that simple,” he coughed. The chagrin in his voice was obvious.

  Karrel went to help Johnny back to his feet, shouting, “I didn’t know that was going to happen, I swear!”

  Johnny glanced at Angel for a long moment. He then directed a question at Karrel, “On the day you got the green book… do you remember a colored gemstone?”

  Karrel was not expecting the question. He didn’t like to think about the day he got his book, but the abrupt inquiry had caught him off guard. His thoughts were overcome by memories of his home.

  He remembered his hands and knees were on the ground, covered in blood, dirt, and glass. His ears were deafened by the explosions and screams around him. The air was filled with death and it was impossible to breathe. A smooth, red gemstone lay in front of him, as the two adjacent buildings collapsed downward upon his position. He could vividly picture the sight of his own reflection in the tiny red stone, as the world he had known was ripped apart around him…

  Karrel pushed the memories behind him and took a deep breath as he nodded his head. Angel was nodding as well, as though he already knew what Karrel’s answer was going to be.

  Johnny repeated, “It’s never that simple… Every time I think something has appeared that will help us understand how we got these powers, it turns out to be a dud. Make no mistake Karrel. The four of us are linked somehow. I just can’t figure out how.”

  The room was silent, as Karrel took in what Johnny had said. If anything, Karrel was even more solidified on his choice to stay with this group.

  Johnny stood up and reoriented himself back into his proper posture. “Getting back on topic, it’s time to fill you in on what we will be doing in the upcoming week. Follow me.”

  Johnny proceeded to lead Karrel and Angel out of the kitchen. They began walking down a few corridors that Karrel had yet to explore.

  “As you now know,” Johnny began, “not all demons are feral creatures. All of them seem to think that humans are a part of a healthy and balanced diet, but some of them seem to be p
laying the long game, rather than just looking for their next meal. The girls have told us that, while most of the hotspots seem to be independent, some of them have leaders.”

  “In short, the demon appearances aren’t random. This is a full-scale invasion.” Angel summarized.

  “Exactly,” Johnny continued, “The girls tell us that the dimension they come from is incredibly small compared to ours. Whereas we have an entire universe, they only have half a planet. It is being overrun by the sheer number of lower-level demons. Whoever is at the top of their hierarchy wants to take Earth as a place for the higher-level, or more intelligent members of their kind.”

  This revelation was sickening to Karrel. He felt his heart beating at twice the norm. “So, what are we going to do?”

  “I am sure you’re familiar with the deadly winds, and the acid and meteors that now rain down from our skies?” Johnny asked.

  Karrel pointed to his hole-ridden cargo pants.

  “Of course you are.” Johnny said. “As you can probably imagine, it isn’t natural and only started when demons started to appear in bulk on Earth. It has been making life outside of a superdome incredibly difficult. Rebuilding cities and towns is nigh impossible while it continues.”

  “It turns out,” Angel said, “the crappy weather is artificial. It wasn’t something that came along for the ride with the demons; it’s a method of attack being used against us…” A smile stretched across his face. “And we’ve figured out who’s in charge of this offensive.”

  “Several powerful entities are leading the attack on Earth,” Johnny continued, “and they are the ones who are capable of calling meteors down from the sky or drowning the lands in acid. If we take them out, we can begin setting Earth on the path of reconstruction.”