“No! Leave the light off!”
The Fearlings fade from vision and Professor steps forward. “Right now your Fearlings need to go into resting. They will return as Molawners when Ekabar does and they will be strong enough to protect you.” He bends to one knee and stares into the eight-year-old’s eyes. “I promise you that we will find a way to your parents.”
CHAPTER 2
The larger cloaked Kynar walks at a steady pace with Rob closely behind him. They have been walking since they lost the Screamers. Rob asks his questions but Kynar has not yet chosen to answer.
“We have been walking for a while now,” Rob says. “How long are we going to walk before we are safe? We haven’t heard the Screamers.” Rob doesn’t know if they are out of danger. He is trusting Kynar. “Are we safe?
“No,” Kynar says. He doesn’t turn around as he walks. “We will be soon. Though time in this world is not the same as yours,” Kynar says.
“What do you mean?” Rob asks. He is getting tired of walking. He wants answers and he wants answers now. “Wait. I want to know everything Kynar. Everything! And you need to show me what you look like. I don’t like staring at your cloak without knowing what you look like. Ok?”
“No,” Kynar says. His tone is not angry but it shows no concern for Rob’s demands. “I will show you when I am ready. In this place Rob, I am your friend, I am still your protector but you do not command me. As far as time, it passes faster in your world than here. Here in Ciren many minutes have passed since you arrived but in your world days have gone by.”
“What?” Rob asks. His thoughts are on his son, “Days, how many?”
“Not important,” Kynar says. He walks to Rob and stops in front of the human. “Now, only our survival is important.” He looks up as the black surface of the red crystal ceiling fades to fog. “Follow me.”
Rob watches as Kynar rises straight up and disappears into the fog above him. He scans down the hall in front of him then behind him. He doesn’t know what Kynar wants him to do, “How?”
“Think up,” Kynar’s voice says from within the fog above him. “That is all.”
“What? “ Rob questions as he thinks about the word up. He instantly rises straight up into the fog. They are inside a small circular room with lower ceilings and closer walls than the previous one. Kynar steps back as Rob rises up through the misty floor. He watches the Human stare down as the fog fades into a smooth black surface.
“Wow,” Rob says. He is off balance and is still having a hard time accepting everything. Especially since there is so much he does not know. “I just think it and I do it?”
“Yes,” Kynar says. “We have little time for your questions.”
“Where is Ann?” Rob asks. “Is she here?”
“Yes, she is in Ciren,” Kynar says, “and she is here in Typol. She is at another location high above us. It will be our ending if we attempt to rescue her.”
“What?” Rob asks. He paces as he talks. “Why? No. I don’t care. We have to find her do you understand me?”
“The one that took Ann is named Nanlar,” Kynar says. “He sought her out because she was with child.”
“Why didn’t you help her like you helped me?”
“I am not attached to anyone but you Rob. I could not identify Ann’s location until she was here. By then there was no time to protect or to rescue her.”
“What do they want from her?”
“Again,” Kynar says, “It is not Ann that is desired. It is the unborn child.” His patience is limited to the time they have before the Screamers discover where Rob and Kynar hide. “The child will be a Vaun and here in Ciren, a female Vaun has great value.”
“Value for what?”
“There are many who would trade her for a variety of reasons.”
“We have to get to her!”
“If that is your choice then we will attempt your quest but do not expect to survive.”
“Start with Typol. You said that we are in Typol, what is Typol? Please Kynar tell me everything.”
“Typol is a Screamer city,” Kynar says. “Their city was built at this location because it is a travel point. They are here for one reason. To collect those who travel to Ciren whether through banishment or escape. The Screamers keep sections of Ciren under control. They hunt, trade and enslave all that they can. They gather experience for others. Their numbers are great and their strength is powerful. There are very few who can survive the Screamers.”
“Like you?”
“Yes.”
A loud screaming roar erupts from beneath the floor and Rob stares to Kynar, “Kynar?”
“We are safe in this room no more,” Kynar says. He draws his weapon and readies himself, “Back to the wall.”
“Are there too many of them?” Rob fearfully asks as he takes a step back.
“No,” Kynar says. At that second, the floor fades to the foggy mist and three Screamers rise up. Kynar moves quickly. He stabs the closest Screamer in the back before it is aware of him. He spins around and stabs the second in the chest then turns as the last Screamer grabs him.
Rob is wide eyed in horror as Kynar and the Screamer drop down through the fog floor. He hears another loud screaming roar from beneath him. He steps forward to the center of the small room. He thinks “down” as he remembers Kynar’s words. Instantly he drops through the fog and lands hard on the floor. He looks around and sees several Screamers lying motionless as Kynar stabs his weapon in and out of the last one.
Kynar turns to Rob as the Screamer drops lifelessly to the floor behind him. He steps to the Human and speaks with purpose in his tone. “If you wish to go after Ann we must move now! Time is not our friend. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Rob replies. He has one thought. Save Ann.
“I will answer your questions as we travel.”
CHAPTER 3
It has been five days since the attack at the school. They still do not know much. Julie does everything that she can to protect her son and James. It is easier since the Fearlings went into resting. As long as they stay away from other Vauns, there is no reason to fear.
Today is different. Today they have visitors, the Vauns Jeff and Rick as well as the Professor. Right now Jeff and Rick sit on the couch in the living room. The light from the day shines through the wide window brightening the entire room. Julie paces as she talks to the Vauns sitting on the couch in front of her. “He’s taking a long time up there,” Julie says. They are waiting on the Professor who insisted that he be the one to check the children upstairs. “What are they doing?”
“They are safe,” Jeff says. He knows that there is sunlight from the windows and that there is no way for the Fearlings to visit them. Then he thinks about the Professor and knows that he is the type that would shut out the light and darken the room. “I will go get them.”
“I am coming,” Professor says from upstairs. He walks down the stairs and turns the corner. He sees the impatient look on everyone’s face.
“What did they say?” Julie asks. “And you didn’t darken the room did you?”
“It was not me who darkened the room,” Professor says. He smiles at the memory. “The two young boys up there did. It was I who interrupted them. They are still trying to call Hydron and Drawk. They refuse to accept that it will be five years before they return. James is mad.”
“That means we have five years before Ekabar returns,” Julie says. “What are we going to do?”
Jeff knows that Julie is scared but he sees how strong she has been over the last few days. “We will figure it out.”
“Yes,” Professor says, “yes we will.”
“The remaining Vauns will not gather again,” Rick says.
“They are right,” Professor says. “The more Vauns present the harder it is for the protectors to defend them. So they are right to not gather.”
“Rachel is on her way to her dad,” Jeff says, “Why do you believe that he knows more than us?”
“It has been my experience,” Professor says, “that when someone makes themselves as scarce as he does that there is normally a reason.”
James and Stewart walk down the stairs and interrupt the conversation. The adults look to the children.
“We need to find a way to get my parents back,” James says.
The adults stare at the boy in silence. They listen as the eight year old speaks.
“They are still alive. I know it.”
“They are very tough,” Professor says. His tone is meant to keep James calm. “I have told you that if there is a way then we will find it. It will just take longer than you want James.”
CHAPTER 4
In the world of Ciren, Rob follows behind Kynar. They walk at an intense pace, talking without looking to each other.
“Grandma’s alive?” Rob asks. He was not expecting to hear that. “She’s alive?”
“Yes,” Kynar says, “She has Shanawl to protect her.”
“Do you know where she is?” Rob asks as he walks fast enough to be beside the larger Kynar. “What about Tom?”
Kynar stops. He turns to the human behind him. “No.”
“No?” Rob asks. He doesn’t like the sound of that answer. “What do you mean no?”
“They were attacked and Shanawl ended many Screamers but she was unable to protect Tom. He was enslaved and traded.”
“He’s a slave?” Rob asks. “Can we rescue him?”
“You believe that you can save everyone don’t you?” Kynar asks. “There is a truth that you must face, you cannot save everyone.”
“Is he here?” Rob asks, “In this city?”
“No,” Kynar says. “He is not within Typol’s borders.”
“Where is he?”
“In many worlds there are different reasons for slaves,” Kynar says, “For labor, for armies, for entertainment. I do not know which Tom has become. I do know someone who does. If we survive this experience then maybe we can go after him.”
“We will,” Rob says. “I also want to know why Ekabar takes us then just leaves us. It doesn’t make sense.”
“When he takes you he gains valuable experience,” Kynar answers, “Just as I do when I protect you. Our experiences make us stronger. There is reason but it is not needed for you to understand.”
Rob shakes his head. He looks both ways down the hall and sees nothing. “Why did we stop?”
Kynar turns his cloaked head to the right and Rob sees that an entrance has faded through the smooth black surface of the wall. Kynar steps forward and Rob follows. “We need to go higher.” They enter into a large pyramid shaped room that peaks hundreds of feet above them. It is several hundred yards across as they move toward the center.
“We are near the bottom of the city,” Kynar says. “We must get higher.”
“Wow,” Rob says. “How do we get higher?”
Behind them, the door fades open again and two Screamers rush in attacking them from behind. Kynar spins around drawing his weapon. He moves fast, stabbing the cylinder blade in and out of the Screamer attacking him. He turns to see the other Screamer toss Rob backwards slamming him into the wall by the entrance. Rob falls to the floor on his hands and knees. He looks up as Kynar grabs the Screamer from behind and stabs his weapon down piercing the Screamers chest. Kynar drops the Screamer to the side then stares at Rob on the floor a few feet away. Multiple screams erupt from all around. “We have to run.”
CHAPTER 5
Rachel meets with her dad outside at a local park in the middle of the day. They are having a conversation and she is not hiding her anger.
“You are my father,” Rachel pleads. There is disappointment in her eyes. “What do you mean you cannot help me?”
“You must trust me,” Rachel’s father replies.
“I was raised to understand that we did not have Fearlings or Molawners that hunted us,” Rachel says. Memories of the large being she saw in the cafeteria the night of the attack flash through her mind. “Who was that in the cafeteria? Who was that Molawner?”
“His name is Ocyrul,” her father says, “and he is not Molawner. He is what they call an Allumn.”
“Allumn…?” Rachel is getting madder with each new word her father speaks. “What is an Allumn?”
“A Fearling goes into resting and becomes a Molawner. A Molawner goes into resting and becomes an Allumn.”
Rachel stops. She looks at her dad and realizes another fact, “Mom? She has been lying to me too? All my life you two lied to me. Why? To protect me, how did that work out dad? Because I was there at the school, people were taken. That Ocyrul took out the lights of the school and allowed the attack to take place. If I would have known about him I would not have put those people in danger, they trusted me.”
Rachel’s dad looks away. He knows that she is right and he doesn’t know what to say to her.
“You are going to help me,” Rachel demands. “I have read the parts of our family history that you and mom have allowed me to read. Now you are going to tell me what I do not know.” She takes a breath and lowers her voice. “Do you understand?”
“What?” he asks. His tone is easy and understanding but he is not going to answer all of her questions.
“Everything, I want to know everything.”
CHAPTER 6
Rob and Kynar run as fast as Rob can across the pyramid shaped room. Along the outer walls of the room, multiple entrances appear and instantly Screamers come rushing in. Their numbers are uncountable. As they continuously pour in, their dirty gray white bodies blanket the smooth black surface of the floor. Loud screaming roars erupt throughout the massive room. They move fast and close the distance to Kynar and Rob quickly as the two near the middle of the room.
Rob runs without knowing where they are going. He sees the white wall of Screamers collapsing the distant all around them but he doesn’t slow. “Where are we going? There is nowhere to go!”
“The middle!” Kynar yells. “We have to reach the center of the room!”
“Then what,” Rob yells. He doesn’t see a way out, “What do we do when we get there?”
“Think up!” Kynar yells. He slows his stride to a quick walk and Rob follows. From underneath his cloak he scans the area as hundreds of Screamers roar towards them.
“Kynar?” Rob asks.
“Up.”
“Up…?” Rob asks in a panic. Instantly he and Kynar rise straight up in the air. A bright blue light shines down on them from the top of the pyramid, like a spotlight.
Rob stands beside Kynar. They both stare at the Screamers surrounding them, closing in fast.
“Up!” Rob yells with impatience. “Up! Why aren’t we going up?”
“Because of what is to come,” Kynar says. His tone reflects sincere pleasure. “I receive great enjoyment from what is about to happen.”
Screamers from all sides leap into the air to attack Kynar and Rob who are standing in the light. When the Screamers strike the light’s barrier, they are thrust back violently to the floor, lifeless.
“Aaaaagh!” Rob yells as Screamers, one right after another is stricken down by the light’s protection.
“Now,” Kynar says.
Rob and Kynar begin to rise up as the Screamers leap into the air attempting to attack through the light. Flying, they slam into the light dying instantly. It causes the effect of a waterfall as they fall back through the air to the floor. Rob and Kynar disappear through the top. They arrive in another pyramid shaped room; its black walls reflect tiny white crystals floating throughout the air.
Rob stares around in amazement. The crystals create light and never seem to touch the ground. He turns to Kynar. “If they could not get us though the light then why did they keep attacking all the way up?”
“Those Screamers are strong in numbers,” Kynar says, “They are hunters but they cannot control their aggressiveness. Not at that level of the city.”
“What?”
“Each level has Screamers
of different power. Their numbers are different as well. The higher we travel through the city the fewer Screamers we will encounter.”
“What are their numbers on this level?”
“On this level they number in the hundreds,” Kynar answers. He scans around then ends his stare on the smaller Rob. “On this level they have more control; they have more purpose and reason.”
“Is this where Ann is?”
“No,” Kynar says. “She is on the next level up and they are moving her fast.”
“Which way do we go?” Rob asks. He starts to step forward then turns to Kynar. “Let’s go.”
Fearlings Three (The Fearlings Series Book 3) Page 2