“This way,” Kynar leads. He sets an intense pace across the room. Rob follows. An entrance fades through the wall. They exit and Kynar turns them down a large triangle shaped hallway. A distant screaming roar erupts from behind them and Rob looks back as they walk. He sees nothing and notices that Kynar doesn’t seem worried.
“Are we safe?”
“Yes,” Kynar says.
“Are we getting closer to finding Ann?”
“Yes.”
Rob thinks about his wife. He has no idea what to expect next and he doesn’t care. He gets a thought that he has to share. He walks fast past Kynar, stopping he turns around to face the larger cloaked being.
“Do you have a weapon I can use?”
“No,” Kynar says. He steps around the human and continues walking. “Stay close to me. I am your weapon.”
CHAPTER 7
It has been three days since Rachel spoke to her father. She has not seen or heard from him since. She is back with the Professor, Rick and Jeff. They sit outside, in the middle of a sunny day, on the patio of Julie’s house talking about everything Rachel learned.
“I went to bed that night and when I came downstairs there was a note on the table.” Rachel says. She is still mad, still hurt and still lost. “They just left.”
“He just left?” Jeff asks. He can’t believe that a father would do what she is saying. “He said that he was going to go into hiding? And they just left while you were sleeping?”
“Foolish,” Professor shakes his head, “Your father is a foolish man.”
“And your mother is with him?” Julie asks
“Yes,” Rachel says.
“Do you think you can find them?” Rick asks.
“Yes,” Rachel says. She hesitates as she thinks about how hard it will be. “But with my family’s money they can go anywhere on the planet. I will find them; I just don’t know how long it will take.” She looks away from everybody as she spits out her next thought. “I am so mad at him right now. How could he leave me? I need his help. We need his help. How can he do this to us?”
“Yes, your father is the answer,” Professor says. “He left because he knows that if he stays you are in grave danger…than you already are my dear. He tries only to protect you. Do not be mad at him for that.”
“I am,” Rachel says. “We need his help and he is gone.”
“Yes,” Professor says. “There is that.”
At that second, James and Stewart walk around the side of the house. The adults are quiet and watch as the two walk up the stairs to join them on the patio. They see the look in James’ eyes. They know what he is going to say. He has been saying the same thing since his parents were taken.
“Can we find my parents?” James asks.
Julie stares at the eight year old. She has no idea what to say to him. She is trying to keep him calm and help him but she doesn’t know how. She is thankful for the help from the Professor and the others.
“No,” Professor says. “Not yet.” He stops and speaks with understanding. “Your life has now changed young James. For this I am filled with regret.” He stares into the eyes of the child in front of him and speaks with calm and purpose. “We will find a way to rescue your parents. This I have promised you but you cannot be like this every day. You must be like your father. You must always be prepared and you must not ever be afraid to live your life.”
James listens to the Professor. He has seen his parents trust these people for years and it naturally resonates with him to do the same. He slowly nods yes.
Rachel turns to James and speaks with confidence. “We will find your parents James.”
CHAPTER 8
Kynar and Rob turn and walk through an entrance that appears on the side of the wall. The tiny white crystals bounce off of them as they walk. They enter a small pyramid shaped room and walk across to the other side. As they near the wall, an exit fades into vision and they continue without slowing as they turn and leave the room.
“Are we closer?” Rob asks. He follows Kynar as the larger being turns and continues down another Pyramid shaped hall.
“Yes,” Kynar says. He stops. He turns and looks down the hall behind them. “Very close.”
A loud screaming roar erupts from behind them and instantly two large Screamers standing seven feet in height rush out of the room that Rob and Kynar just exited. The two beings stop in the middle of the hall and turn to Kynar and Rob several yards away.
“Can you take them?” Rob asks as he takes a step back.
“Yes,” Kynar says. He reaches back and draws his weapon.
The two Screamers step forward then charge as they scream their roars. Kynar engages the two beings in battle. Knocking one to the side into the wall then spinning around just as the other slams into him. Rob backs up further as Kynar and the Screamer fall to the floor in front of him. Kynar rolls the Screamer over and stabs his weapon down in and out of the chest, instantly killing the Screamer. He stands as the other Screamer attacks from the side. They stumble, at the last second Kynar turns, and slams the Screamer into the wall. He steps forward stabbing his weapon in and out of the Screamer. Rob watches the Screamer fall to the floor then he hears another roar in the distance down the long hall.
“They will find us,” Kynar says. He turns and starts walking with Rob following. “We have to keep moving.”
“Ann?” Rob asks. He is scared from what just happened but he cannot stop thinking of his wife. “What about Ann?”
“They are going to travel her out of the city,” Kynar says.
“What?” Rob asks, “Where?”
“Another world which I will not be able to travel you to,” Kynar says.
“Can we get to her?”
“I do not know,” Kynar says. He stops and stares up at the ceiling as it fades to the mist. “We have little time and there will be great resistance.”
Three large Screamers fall through the mist and land in front of them. Kynar draws his weapon then charges as Rob helplessly watches.
CHAPTER 9
Julie sits at the kitchen table with her head down. It has been several days since the Professor and the other Vauns have been at her house. They are still searching for Rachel’s father and they are still searching for answers. Stewart and James enter the room and see the sadness on Julie’s face when she raises her head and turns to them.
“Mom…?” Stewart asks, “You ok mom?”
Julie takes a breath and regroups mentally. She stands and walks to the counter as she replies to her son’s question. “Yes I’m fine. I’m just tired baby.”
James knows why Stewart’s mom is sad but he says nothing. He is also struggling with everything.
“What about you James?” Julie asks. “You ok?”
“No,” James coldly says.
“When is the Professor getting here?” Stewart asks.
“Rachel, the Professor and Rick should be here any minute,” Julie says. She turns to the refrigerator beside her and opens it. She reaches in and grabs a bottle of water. She looks back to the boys. “You guys want a drink?”
Both shake their heads no.
“You two understand that as soon as there is a knock on the door,” Julie instructs, “that you are to go outside?” She shuts the refrigerator then turns to the boys. She sees that they dislike her words, especially James. She speaks simply so they understand. “It is daylight and there is no way for them to attack you if you are outside. Do you understand?”
“We know mom,” Stewart says. He turns to his friend, “Let’s go now before they get here.”
James nods. He follows his friend to the sliding glass door without looking at Julie.
“James,” Julie says, “as long as you are standing outside we can have the door open. You can listen and ask questions as long as you stay outside in the sunlight.”
James doesn’t answer. He turns and follows his friend outside. He knows why Stewart’s mom says what she says but he still doesn’t like it.<
br />
Stewart shuts the door then walks to the edge of the patio to stand next to his friend. “Are you mad?”
James doesn’t answer.
Inside Julie stares out the glass door and watches as the boys pace around on the patio. There is a knock on the front door and she turns and exits the room. She walks down the hall to the front door. She opens it and sees the Professor, Rachel and Rick standing on the front porch. They smile at her as she lets them inside.
James turns and walks down the stairs then starts across the yard. His friend follows without question.
“She is just trying to protect us,” Stewart says.
“I know,” James says. He doesn’t care. He wants to know everything. He wants to know how to find his parents.
“Then don’t be mad at her.”
“I’m not mad at your mom,” James says. He looks back to the patio and sees the Professor standing inside the kitchen staring out the glass door at them. “They are here.”
“Maybe they know something.”
“They don’t.”
Inside the house, Rachel sits at the table across from Rick while the Professor stares out the glass door as he talks. “They are two brave young men.”
“Yes they are,” Julie agrees. She stands at the counter staring at the professor. “James is having a hard time but he is dealing with it. Stewart just wants to be there for his friend. They are like their fathers.”
“Speaking of dads,” Rachel says, “mine is gone. I have no idea where he and my mother are.”
“Oh Rachel,” Professor says, “It has not been that long. We will find them.” He turns from the window and looks at the others. “Your father cannot hide forever.”
“My whole life he has hidden things from me,” Rachel says. She shakes her head as she speaks. “We stayed in the light, even living in Alaska for periods of time when there was little night.”
“Your father was smart,” Rick says. “He did a good job of protecting his family.”
“Yes,” Professor says. “Yes he did but I believe that this Allumn named Ocyrul is the key to traveling to their world. That the Allumn is the key to finding those who have been taken.”
CHAPTER 10
Kynar and Rob run down the pyramid shaped hall as several dozen Screamers, ninety yards behind them, chase after. Kynar runs with his weapon drawn. He knows that there are too many for him to defend against. They have to make it the next level or they will not escape.
Several loud screaming roars explode down the hall as Rob looks back at the gaining Screamers. He yells as he runs trying to increase his speed through adrenaline and fear. Thirty feet in front of them, the sidewall fades to reveal a doorway. At the same time, the ceiling fades to mist and Rob knows what that means.
Five larger Screamers fall through the mist to land in front of them. Kynar doesn’t slow. He charges, with weapon ready, to strike as the Screamers charge toward them. “Get to the door!”
Rob stops as Kynar stabs a Screamer then spins around stabbing his weapon into another. He is faster than they are. He stabs the third Screamer just as the fourth Screamer grabs him.
The Screamer tosses Kynar sideways into the wall but Kynar keeps his balance. He sees the fifth Screamer run past charging at Rob. He leaps down through the air to land on the Screamers back. They fall to the floor and Kynar rolls to stand beside Rob. This is what he wanted.
He steps forward and stabs one of the Screamers, and with his other hand, he reaches out and grabs the Screamer by the throat. He steps forward, pushing the Screamer back as it wildly reaches for him with both hands. He stabs the weapon in and out then drops the Screamers body to the floor. He turns to Rob, nods and points with his head toward the doorway. “Ann is on the next level. We have to reach the middle.”
Rob doesn’t wait. He turns and runs through the doorway then stops a few feet inside. The room is a massive circle, three hundred yards across. Rob stares to the other side and sees more Screamers than he can count standing along the far wall. “Can we make it?” Rob asks. He steps forward but hesitates to take another.
“We have to,” Kynar says as the Screamers behind them roar closer. “Run!”
Rob follows behind Kynar without hesitating. He runs as fast as he can. He uses images of his wife, his son, his Grandma, and his friend Tom to motivate him. He has to get to the middle. They have to get to the next level to save his wife.
At the entrance behind them, multiple Screamers rush into the room. They do not slow as they enter. They roar as they charge after Kynar and Rob thirty yards ahead of them. Three of the Screamers leap into the air expanding their wings and propelling forward after Rob and Kynar.
Rob stares across the room as he runs. He sees several of the Screamers across the room flying through the air towards them. He knows that they are faster and that there is no way that he and Kynar can reach the middle first. He yells his question without slowing his stride. “Kynar what do we do?”
“Do not stop!” Kynar says. He knows that there is no way that they can battle through them and that their only chance is to make it to the middle. There they will be protected. He knows that they are not going to reach the middle in time at this pace. He lets Rob run ahead of him then leaps into the air. “Hang on!”
Rob doesn’t have time to turn around. He feels Kynar’s massive hands grab him from above. He is lifted off his feet and he kicks wildly in panic.
“Calm!” Kynar commands.
Rob stares down as they fly upward toward the middle of the room. He sees the Screamers flying up after them. “Don’t drop me!”
Kynar is faster through the air than the Screamers so he takes the lead as they fly upward. The Screamers roar as they chase up and after them but the distance between is growing quickly. Kynar and Rob reach the middle of the room high in the air as the protective light shines down on them.
There is blackness for a second then they fade into vision standing in the middle of a large rectangular room. The walls reflect the light from the gray crystal ceiling giving the air a look of mist.
Kynar’s wings are gone. They fade up and become his cloak, again shielding his true appearance. Kynar is not ready to allow the human to see his true identity.
“Really…?” Rob complains, “You’re not going to show me what you look like? I have known you since I was eight and we can almost die together but I can’t see what you look like?”
“On this level of the city the Screamers are different,” Kynar says. He does not care to reply to Rob’s complaint. He needs the Human to be prepared for what is next. “Their numbers are less on this level but their power is great. I cannot protect you like before.”
“What?” Rob asks. “How many are there on this level?”
“Not many,” Kynar says. He scans around and draws his weapon. He knows what is coming next. “You need to move fast.”
Rob scans around and sees the wall behind them fade as two large Screamers enter the room at a slow walk. They stop as the entrance behind them fades back to wall.
“Why aren’t they attacking?” Rob asks. He steps back as Kynar stands in place. He doesn’t wait for Kynar to answer before he asks his next question. “Can you take them?”
The two Screamers reach back and draw long thin spear weapons that end in a cylinder blade. They take a step forward then stop. The ceiling above them fades to a blue mist and a second later, a smaller Screamer lowers down to stand in front of the other two.
“Layvon,” Kynar says. He knows this Screamer and his tone shows no respect.
“Kynar,” Layvon says. His tone is a high pitch whisper. He steps forward as he speaks. “Give the Vaun, and you shall go free.”
“No,” Kynar says. He steps back to stand next to Rob.
“Different this time for you…?” Layvon says. He stops and stares at Rob then back to Kynar. “No trade.” He looks to the sidewalls as entrances fade open and two Screamers enter from both then he looks back to Rob. “He likes you Vaun. I am
curious. Your character must be good.”
Kynar reaches his arm over to Rob. He speaks quietly knowing that the Screamers can hear him, “Straight back without stop. Be ready.”
“You shall be a good prize,” Layvon says. “Your value is high in trade. So yes, run. Create entertainment for me.”
“Now…!” Kynar yells. He and Rob turn and start running as fast as they can towards the wall behind them. Instantly an exit fades into vision and they run through it without stop. They turn down a twenty-foot hall. They hear the Screamers roar from behind them.
Fearlings Three (The Fearlings Series Book 3) Page 3