Heirs of Eternity (Euphoria Duology Book 1)

by Franc Ingram

  “You’re thinking about it too hard, boy. Relax. Enjoy the ride. That’s what I do. Focus on the now. We have beasts to conquer.” Daycia did her best to encourage Leith.

  A snarl at the opposite end of the pit cut off any further discussion. All Leith saw were big yellow teeth, and glowing red eyes. Even the larger-than-life presence of Daycia offered him no comfort.

  “What does it want?” Daycia asked Leith.

  “Huh? To eat us.”

  “No,” she said patiently. “Think. Feel,” she instructed him. “What does it want? Is it angry? Scared? Hungry?”

  “How am I…” Daycia clamped her hand over his mouth. She smelled of cinnamon and old leather.

  “What did I just say?” Daycia whispered against his ear. The moment should have been intimate, but the fear burning through his veins, with its anger chaser, cut any thoughts beyond the ranta.

  Focus on the now, Daycia had told him. He pushed past the fear, and his instinct to flee. Don’t fight it, he told himself. What did the beast want? Leith let go of his own thoughts and tried to let the creature speak to him.

  Leith let his eyes flutter closed, and behind his eyelids instead of finding darkness he found a string of numbers. Startled, he opened his eyes, but the information flow didn’t stop. The input was too fast for Leith to read, the code too complex to even discern a pattern. But some ancient part of him clicked on, as automatic as breathing. The desire to run back into the shadows was overwhelming, but Leith knew he wasn’t his thoughts. He wanted to run, but there was something more important to do.

  “Wants to protect its family,” he said barely whispering, his voice echoing strangely in his ears as if he were under water. “He wants to protect his family. I say we let him.”

  “Well convince it we mean no harm.”

  The question of how to do that was on Leith’s lips when Daycia clamped her hand over his mouth once again. It was a bad habit Leith was tiring of quickly.

  He thought of all the things that crawled around in the dark. All the things that were prey for the ranta. The smell. The way they moved. Leith pushed enough soothing energy at the beast to calm it down, but hopefully not enough to entice it to attack. With a great snort from its giant nostrils the beast turned and disappeared back into the dark tunnel it called home.

  “Well done boy,” Daycia said, her tone still hushed but brimming over with enthusiasm. “Now find us a nest that is unprotected so we can fetch our prize and be on our way.” Daycia jumped over the three remaining steps and hit the ground with a grace fit for a dancer.

  Leith shook his head, wishing the nightmare would end soon. He should have stayed in his hole instead of venturing out for a good beer and a little company. Solitude was safety. Instead he followed Daycia to the pit floor, and toward the opposite end of where they’d encountered the protective ranta.

  The others must have scattered at the sound of them. The floor was empty, but he could feel them crawling around inside the earth. Sweat trickled down Leith’s forehead, and his skin felt like he’d been in the sun way too long.

  “Why so hot down here? We step onto the sun?”

  “Energy my boy. Using that special gift requires a lot of energy burning up what fuel your body has, and generating heat. Like any other muscle, the more you use it, the less wear it has on you.”

  “You had me waste it on one ranta when we are going in whole hive of ‘em!”

  “Practice makes perfect,” Daycia replied placatingly. “Now focus please, and lead the way.” Daycia stepped aside to let Leith pass.

  Knowing the response any questions would get him, Leith walked forward with more confidence, beginning to trust his instincts to lead him true. He acted like a river letting himself bounce around, taking the path of least resistance.

  The tunnels were so small Leith had to take to his knees to get through. If they were cornered, he didn’t know how he could possibly defend himself. Daycia handed him the glow stick, making it almost impossible to maneuver with any speed or stealth.

  Leith stuck the light in as far as his arm would take it, making sure his new-found ability worked as well as Daycia seemed to think it would. He saw the roughly cut walls that led off into the darkness. The smell of wet earth and animal sweat clung to the walls along with bits of fur, and the bones of prey long devoured. It wouldn’t be comfortable but at least it looked clear.

  Glow stick in between his teeth, and dagger clutched awkwardly in his hand, Leith lead the ultra deeper into the tunnel system. His initial hope, that a nest could be found near the entrance, proved false early on. Of course, a predator wouldn’t expose his young to the open. They crawled for what had to be a good ten minutes before coming across anything promising.

  Leith came across an inset part that was rather spherical in shape. A metallic glint cut through the gloom, bouncing the greenish light off into different directions in a starburst pattern. The metal was formed into little hexagonal compartments. Leith assumed those were the nesting sectors. Two of the six compartments were lined with bits of leaves and bark.

  Upon closer inspection, Leith saw the baby ranta laying inside. They weren’t newbies. They already had a nice coating of fur, and the sides of their nest showed miniature claw marks, as the babies must have been testing their boundaries. For the moment, they were sleep. Leith moved slowly as not to wake them up. He didn’t need an angry mother descending on them from behind, if one of the little ones started crying out.

  “Take two of the pallets and hand them back. then we can move to the next,” Daycia said after squeezing in to peer around Leith. They were so close Leith could feel her breath on his neck. It was rather distracting, her breasts grazing the top of his shoulder and her hair cascading down his neck setting his skin on fire and sending his mind to places it never should have been, but Leith was too embarrassed to mention it. The ultra smiled at him as if all of it were normal. If being the Master of Animals meant this kind of thing would become a part of everyday life, Leith would have to take a pass.

  Leith used his dagger to pry the pallets furthest from the babies off. It took some effort, but he managed to get them loose without so much as a peep from the little ones. He handed them back to Daycia as asked. When he felt the familiar tingle at the back of his neck he scrambled back without thinking, crashing into Daycia, and sending the metal ore flying.

  “What is it,” Daycia asked quickly recovering herself.

  “Down the tunnel. Three coming.” Leith’s whole body felt tense. He needed to run, needed to find the light. His breathing came in quick spurts as he struggled to fold himself into the right position so he could face the outside.

  Before he knew it, Leith was scrambling to get outside, having left Daycia to take care of herself. He was pulling himself free of the hole before it occurred to him that this behavior was a bit uncharacteristic. He’d been on the run for many reasons, but never from such a teeth-rattling undistinguished fear before.

  His sharp mind was his greatest asset. Never had anything ever made it go blank. Facing the yetis, he’d had a taste of that kind of fear. Now with the ranta, it was kicked up to a new level. Forcing his breathing to slow, Leith wondered if his new-found cowardice had something to do with Oleana and her ultra friend.

  When Daycia hit fresh air with a gasp, Leith jumped back. He braced himself for the scolding that was sure to come. He’d left her with a pack of angry beast moving in, who wouldn’t be mad?

  “Well that was exhilarating,” Daycia said smiling from ear to ear, smoothing her hair back. She twirled along the pit floor like a giddy school girl. “I haven’t had to scramble like that in a while.”

  It must have been a delayed reaction to their near-death encounter, Leith figured. If it saved him from being yelled at, he wouldn’t complain. Then Daycia froze. She got real close to Leith, even grabbing his face, and looking intently in his eyes. It was unnerving, but Leith didn’t know what to say to get her to stop.

  “I think we are done wi
th this particular exercise.”

  Leith snorted. As if there were any doubt of that. Nothing could have made him go back into those tunnels. Oleana would just have to run him through.

  Daycia took the lead this time, climbing the steps with a practiced ease. Leith could picture her coming down to the pits every six months or so, just for fun, playing with her pets.

  Up top, Lorn was sitting along the edge of the pit wall, feet dangling over, head resting on his bow. Oleana paced back and forth like a cornered ranta. Her eyes looked wild. She chewed at the tips of her fingers. Could he hope that she actually worried for him? What did she know about Leith, and why would she care? As she had said, it was her job. She had no choice, so her worry probably wasn’t for him, it was for completing the task before her.

  Lorn was up and bouncing around as soon as her spotted Leith's head emerging from the pit. “How did it go? How do you feel? Are you convinced now? Lorn asked in rapid-fire succession. “I still can’t believe we found you so fast. Mom has spent the last month reminding me that the process is a long one that could take months, and we found you right away. It’s amazing,” Lorn marveled at their luck.

  “When you breathe?” Leith asked Lorn, half out of curiosity, and half to give his brain enough time to process all the words that had just come flying at him.

  “He doesn’t,” Oleana replied, very deadpan. She looked over Leith like she was searching for hidden injuries. When she seemed satisfied, she moved on to Daycia with a bit less scrutiny.

  Leith noticed the sun was much closer to the horizon than it was when he went in. The trip down the pit had taken much longer than he’d thought. It had been the longest day of his life, and he was glad to see it go.

  “As for your question, I’m convinced of two things.” He nodded at Daycia. “She’s crazy” Leith shrugged his shoulders. He thought about all the things he'd discovered about himself during the short trip into the pit. The lingering imprint of the ranta still buzzing in the back of his mind. He thought of the new world that was now opened to him, a world both more exciting and more frightening than he would have ever imagined. “And, I’m more than ever thought possible.”

  Lorn beamed in satisfaction, nodding his head in agreement. “I’m so happy to hear it. I remember first using my abilities. It was scary and exciting. There were years of hearing mom’s stories, but now you’re here and all has been confirmed,” he said excitedly. “This is just too much! Goodness.”

  “Breathe before you pass out,” Oleana warned Lorn. “Can we have this conversation somewhere more private?” She pulled her coat tighter around her shoulders. “Some place warmer. With food.”

  “Yes, yes let's eat,” Lorn said eagerly.

  Leith couldn’t disagree. Sweat poured off his skin, and his stomach felt like he hadn’t eaten in days, a feeling he knew well enough from experience. “The meal is on you?”

  Daycia clasped him on the back. “Tonight, you find out what being the hero of a city can get you,” she said smiling. He was really starting to dislike that smirk she always gave him.

  “Sounds like it hurts,” Leith said suspicious.

  “He’s learning,” Oleana said, daring to crack half of a smile.

  CHAPTER SEVEN: TANNIN

  Tannin squeezed his large mass into the form of a baymar taking a late-night feeding and melded into one of the herds out on the pasture land. Transforming wasn’t a skill he used often, it left him too vulnerable during the transitions. However, special occasions called for special skills. Every time he broke down and reassembled his DNA, remaking his entire being into that of some wild animal, Tannin felt like he lost a part of himself.

  The shepherd was soon rounding them all up to escort them back inside the gate where things were safe. Tannin allowed the shepherd to nudge and cajole him inside one of the pins without argument. He made an outstanding baymar. Then it was just a matter of waiting for things to settle down. He listened intently for the sounds of workers to taper off before he felt comfortable changing back into his normal form.

  Transforming was a painful process. His bones and joints grew a hundred times faster than normal and slid over each other to regain their true shape. He’d learned long ago to compartmentalize the pain, ignoring all that came with the process and flagging anything that could mean something was wrong. It took the multi-form a moment to catch his breath and feel steady on his new feet.

  The shepherds would be back out at dawn to let their herds out and Tannin intended to follow them pass the wall. That left him all night to track his prey and make his father’s revenge clear. It was more time than he needed.

  Tannin was happy to be spending the night away from the cave. When his father got into his moods, Cornelius tended to make everyone around him suffer. Tannin wanted no part of what the yetis were in store for. Rooting around Solon would be a vacation in comparison.

  When his body felt more like its old self, he flipped the latch of the pen and stepped out. A few of his herd buddies move toward the opening happy to follow along.

  “This journey is not for you my friends,” he said, putting his hand out to keep them at bay. The door closed back without so much as a squeak, and the baymar went back to their huddles, ready to settle in for the night.

  Tannin’s first stop was the spot where the yetis were last seen. From the report of his brothers, they split up taking both sides of the market and moving in. The ones that hadn’t made it back were closest to the garment district, where Tannin was holed up.

  It was a short walk to the scene. The destruction his brothers dished out was still evident. One of the shops was bordered up. There were claw marks gouged into the brick on either side of the street. It was the only section that had the shine of being freshly washed. Tannin could still catch a whiff of the blood they’d tried to clean up.

  Judging by the marks left behind, Tannin was quick to rule out the rangers. The melee wasn’t their style, and the weapons used were not standard issue. There were markings from two different types of weapons, both shorter blades, and one opponent fought with double blades. It must have been someone from the college that decided to help. Daycia, hero of the city, was known to stick her nose into other people’s business.

  That didn’t deter Tannin. His mission was clear. No possible connection to the hybrid Daycia would keep him from exacting the revenge his father demanded. Tannin ran his long fingers against the brick wall, the sensitive pads on the tips picking up every bump and groove.

  One particular spot drew his attention. There was no great blood loss there, but there was something about it that set his teeth on edge. The air seemed singed like a fire had erupted in midair. That still didn’t fit. There was no trace of ash. Whatever had cut through the air was pure and, leaving behind a minimal disturbance. The energy signature was unique and had to be connected to the yetis’ slaughter.

  Tannin got a good whiff. His brand of synesthesia converted the aroma into an intermittent trail of light green waves he could track. At the back of Tannin’s mind, he couldn’t shake the feeling that the energy was familiar. It felt primal. He couldn’t place from where, but he had the rest of the night to figure it out.

  After a trek through the city, Tannin found another spot with the same strange energy discharge and followed it to a third. He’d wandered the night for several hours, and the nagging feeling turned into a headache, pounding away at the base of his skull. It would have been enough to drive a lesser man mad.

  The third locale was at the edge of a field near the ranger’s station which made Tannin rethink his previous assessment. He didn’t like being so close to the humans who were specifically trained to kill ones like him. The rangers had done their damage to the yetis ranks over the years. Tannin even had a few scars of his own due to the well-placed shots of one ranger or another.

  He slipped into a less conspicuous form, that of a wild dog. It would be less effective than his true form if the need should arise for him to defend himself but ther
e was no reason for him to draw attention.

  The hill location had the highest concentration of the energy. He didn’t know how he’d missed it before. There was a clear scorch mark shining like a lighthouse burning in the light of a full moon. It was a lightning strike.

  His father had a habit of calling down the pure white fire from the sky. He was a petty man that did it just to make his point. That was why the energy felt so familiar. This was not a natural occurrence. Someone in Solon could manipulate the elements.

  Tannin racked his brain but he couldn’t recall any mention of the half-breed Daycia being able to wield such power. He needed to let his father know right away. Then Tannin remembered the punishment Cornelius dealt out to those who wasted his time.

  Tannin needed proof. He needed to set his eyes on the newcomers. Going back to his father with anything less would not be a pleasant experience. He continued off into the night.

  100101

  Oleana found her way to the roof of the library. The lights of the city led the way. The stars above were shining clear as day in the cloudless sky. Outside alone, she could clear her mind, let the worries of the day fade into the background. She didn't even mind the biting cold. It was like a refresher, sharpening her mind and clearing the senses.

  The others were enjoying a nice dinner in the faculty lounge, but Oleana needed to sort a few things out before she could retire for the night. The only way to achieve clarity was to talk to those who knew more than anyone else.

  The crisp winter night was buzzing with restless energy. The waxing moon blazed across the midnight blue sky, and cold winds swirled down off the mountain. The rings around Euphoria hung larger than life above Oleana’s head. Rich purples and greens could be seen in their shimmering glow.

  Before the Twelve first reached Euphoria, the planet had a thin layer of particulate in the upper atmosphere. It wasn’t enough to even call a ring. The Twelve adopted its orbit creating a smart particle cloud that rivaled that of the ancient Saturn, long wiped away by its suns explosion. Many looked up at Euphoria’s rings and saw nothing but a beautiful act of nature. Others looked up and saw the gods they prayed to day after day. Oleana looked up and knew the truth. The Twelve weren’t gods. They were man made things that were tasked with the impossible, but couldn’t give up on their purpose to save mankind, even if they wanted to.