Chronos and the Rogue Hunters

by Edward Eck

  Alex too stayed near the edge of the firelight and made little attempt at getting to know anyone.

  When he caught her stare, she didn’t turn away. Their eyes locked for a moment before he made a motion to approach her. Taryn’s hopes spiked until Qaletaqa intervened, and taking Alex by the arm, guided him toward the fire and the other hunters. Alex glanced back at Taryn as if to say sorry for abandoning her.

  Taryn stood there in the frigid cold, until Sheelin walked up beside her, offering a warm hooded coat and gloves. “Sorry you weren’t better prepared for this climate. My father hadn’t planned on additional sorcerers joining us when he made the plans to come here.”

  “Thanks,” replied Taryn. Looking around she now realized that someone was missing. “Have ye seen Radimir?”

  “Oh, he was one of the first through. I don’t think the cold is bothering him too much. He’s still wearing the same clothes we gave him yesterday.” Pointing over toward the fire, they could see Radimir enjoying himself. “It seems your friend has already found the food. Why don’t we join him?”

  Taryn and Sheelin made their way over and sat down beside Radimir who offered them a spit of beef. Sheelin took out a knife and cut a piece for each of them.

  Taryn looked from the meat to her new Russian friend. “So, Radimir, ye never did get a chance to tell us how ye ended up stuck as a cat wanderin’ around Baltimore.”

  Radimir finished chewing down a chuck of beef and swallowed before responding. “In Baltimore I hunt man who took sister.” His English had not improved.

  “Who took your sister?” Sheelin chimed in.

  “Man with no hair, beard and…” then he made an up and down motion with open hands along his side as he was trying to think of the word, “…suit.”

  “Do ye know his name?” asked Taryn hopefully.

  “Malcolm.”

  Taryn and Sheelin exchanged a glance. Taryn regarded the Russian. “It seems our African adversary strikes again.”

  “So what happened?” questioned Sheelin.

  “Find man near Falls Tip.”

  “I think you mean Fells Point,” corrected Taryn.

  “Yes, there. He find old things. I attack. He men stop me. He laugh. I change cat get away. He cast spell. I run fast. Try change back, not work. I stuck. I wander many days. Find Gollnick near hospital. I follow.”

  Though his story was choppy and difficult to understand, they were at least grateful it was short.

  Taryn placed a hand on his shoulder. “He still has yer sister?”

  Radimir just nodded.

  “Don’t worry, we’ll find a way to get her back.”

  After some thought, Taryn pondered Malcolm’s actions. “I know there are some antique stores near Fells Point, but what was Malcolm lookin’ for?” Taryn knew the area. There were many stores, but none that dealt with magic—at least none she knew. She could not understand why he would have been in that part of town.

  The topic had hit a pause. She decided to change the subject. “So, Sheelin. What’s yer story? These are yer relatives, aren’t they? Or do ye just enjoy our company that much?” Taryn couldn’t help but wonder if Qaletaqa had sent her to spy and gather information.

  “These people are friends of my father, not relatives. Besides my brother, father, Alex and you two, I don’t know anyone else either. This was Qaletaqa’s idea to hunt the Wendigo. He lost a friend up here about a week ago and we just lost two more members to that Malcolm you spoke of. He’s looking for vengeance and I’m afraid we won’t be able to stop him until he finds it.”

  Taryn looked around then sighed. “I need to ask each of ye a question, but it might be better if Qaletaqa didn’t know.”

  “I don’t keep secrets from my father,” replied Sheelin.

  Taryn pursed her lips then continued, “You might want to keep this one.”

  Sheelin and Radimir both nodded.

  “Ye’re familiar with the Zodiac Crystal in the chamber of the New Circle?” Taryn wanted to see if she could trust these two.

  They each nodded in acknowledgment. As sorcerers, the stories and legends of the Circle, though its location changed every few centuries, should be familiar.

  “Two new symbols appeared in the crystal yesterday. I need to ask each of ye what yer zodiac sign is.”

  “Sagittarius,” replied Radimir without hesitation then bit off another piece of meat.

  Sheelin was not so quick to respond. “I know the crystal uses a form of clairvoyance to predict the future, but my father would be furious if he found out I had been offered a place in the New Circle.” She hesitated a moment longer before responding. “Beaver.”

  “Beaver? Is that some Native American zodiac symbol?”

  After another moment’s hesitation Sheelin said, “Virgo.” She looked sideways at Taryn like she was afraid to hear the response.

  Taryn could see her reluctance, but nodded confirmation to both of them.

  Sheelin smiled, but then looked over her shoulder to see her father on the other side of camp. “He won’t be happy to hear this news, but I’m tired of sitting on the sidelines while the battle between good and evil rages on. I want to help people. I know of the dangers in this world. I’ve wanted to join the fight, but my father keeps holding us back. I need some time to think about this. Please don’t say anything to him yet.”

  Taryn could see Sheelin’s inner struggle. However, now was not the time to force a decision.

  “We know Alex is a Scorpio… and you are?” Sheelin asked.

  “Ares,” Taryn replied.

  “God of war. You seem good warrior,” commented Radimir.

  “Are there other members of the Circle?” Sheelin asked.

  “We also have our Taurus, Leo and Aquarius.”

  “Where are the other—” Sheelin wanted to continue her questions when Qaletaqa approached.

  “You two should grab a bite before Radimir eats everything. We have a long day ahead of us.” Qaletaqa looked at each of them. “The monster normally hunts after dark. We plan to split into groups of three to track this creature. Perhaps you three would care to work together.”

  Taryn could tell this was Qaletaqa’s way of keeping her away from Alex, at least for now. She still had her suspicions Sheelin was instructed to keep an eye on her. Perhaps if she could make the Native American sorceress see that Max was needed in the Circle, then maybe Sheelin could help get Max to remember the past week and the battles fought.

  While the others were eating, Taryn decided to make one last attempt at contacting Alex before departing for the hunt. She walked through camp, keeping an eye out for both him and Qaletaqa. She spotted Qaletaqa talking with some other members of the group discussing directions. Alex was standing by a tent staring off into the cold wilderness that surrounded them. Evening approached and the sun was beginning to set.

  “Penny for yer thoughts?” Taryn was curious if the revelation of her powers earlier had sparked a memory.

  “I was just thinking about what this creature looks like,” replied Alex as he looked over his shoulder at her. “Qaletaqa has tried describing it, but I want to see it for myself.”

  Realizing she had little idea of the creature’s appearance either, she felt it was at least a safe topic of conversation. “So what is it supposed to look like?”

  “From what I’ve been told, it’s around eight feet tall, skinny, almost emaciated, but with incredible strength. It has long white hair and is covered in a thin white fur, long sharp teeth and sharp claws. And it’s very fast. It also prefers the cold which is why it’s in Canada.”

  There was a long silence between the two of them. Alex appeared deep in thought as he stared off into the distance.

  “Who all is in the Circle?”

  Taryn’s eyes popped open at the change in subject. “Well, there’s me, Cyrus, Meagan, and Amber.” She intentionally ended with Amber, hoping that hearing her name might ring a bell. They’d had a strong interest in one another—even t
o the point that Amber insisted on casting the telepathic link spell. It hadn’t worked, but the fact that they wanted to try meant they at least had some kind of interest in one another. “As I understood from Meagan, ye were plannin’ on askin’ Amber for a date.”

  “A what?”

  “Never mind.” Taryn shook her head. “Do ye remember Amber?”

  Before he could answer, she spotted Qaletaqa advancing in their direction. “Looks like our time is up.” Taryn turned and slowly meandered away. She knew Qaletaqa’s approach was her cue to leave, but she didn’t want him to think she was afraid of him, just respectful of his presence. There would be other opportunities to talk with Alex. If she could convince Sheelin to help then maybe she would have a chance with both of them.

  * * *

  Qaletaqa placed a hand on Alex’s shoulder as the young man stared at the stars once more. “Alex, I need you to be careful in dealing with Taryn. Her intensions appear honorable, but she is holding something back. We need to be cautious.”

  Alex looked over his shoulder at the old shaman. “Who am I, really?”

  Qaletaqa straightened his posture and looked to the sky. “You are Alex Desert Walker. And you are exactly where you belong. I know you’ve lost your memory and that is scary, but Taryn is trying to fill it with information she wants you to believe. Trust me, Alex, you are one of us.”

  Alex looked into Qaletaqa’s eyes. He saw a proud man with a strong resolve, but couldn’t help wonder who was telling the truth. His memories started two days ago wandering the desert. It was Qaletaqa who took him in and gave him clothes and a place to stay. He claimed to be his adopted father. But the words of the fiery Irish girl felt right.

  Alex knew he belonged somewhere, but he couldn’t remember where. While the name ‘Alex’ didn’t feel right, the name ‘Max’ didn’t have a familiar ring either. Something was missing, but he didn’t know what.

  With a gentle slap on the back, Qaletaqa steered Alex back toward the camp. “Come. You’ll be joining my group in the hunt. It’s going to be a cold night.”

  12 Dark Plans

  The cavern where his master resided gave Malcolm the creeps whenever he had to go down there to speak with the dark creature. As he entered the sweltering hot chamber once again, his sense of dread drained his strength. He didn’t know where this monster had originated, but he knew what power it possessed. And he knew he wouldn’t stand a chance in a battle against it. For now at least, he was content to do as his master commanded even if it meant not understanding the reason for the commands.

  He knelt before the dais of the fiery throne. “It is done. As you have commanded, I contacted Gollnick and requested his help in fighting off the subversive sorcerers.” Malcolm spoke through gritted teeth and a bad taste in his mouth. “I don’t understand why I need Gollnick’s help. I can dispose of this minor inconvenience myself. I’ve been doing it for years.”

  “Fortunately, my plans do not require your understanding, just that you follow instructions,” said the deep booming voice from within the fire surrounding the ancient throne.

  Malcolm’s eyes drifted to the floor. “He is to contact me shortly with his answer.” There was a quiver to his voice. “What happens if he decides not to help?”

  “If he doesn’t, then you are no longer of any use to me,” the voice growled louder. “And I would think you know what that means.”

  “Y-y-yes, my lord,” stammered Malcolm. He knew all too well what uselessness meant to his master. It meant his expected life span would suddenly become drastically shorter.

  “Send one of your best sorcerers with a team of automatons to Norway,” commanded the voice as the anger leveled off. “It seems a group from the New Circle have gone there to recapture Fenrir. I have need of the wolf. Whomever you send must be the best. If they fail, they had better die in the process. For if they don’t, I will destroy that sorcerer myself.”

  “Why not send the one who released Fenrir in the first place?” Malcolm asked, puzzled. “I would think the wolf would owe that sorcerer a debt of gratitude.”

  “Gratitude toward a human?” The dark creature’s voice grew louder with each word. “For what, freeing him from a mortal prison? Denying him the right to attack and destroy as he chose? Fenrir owes no one gratitude, least of all the corpse who freed him.” The fiery creature paused a moment then spoke in a softer voice. “Oh, did I forget to mention? The sorcerer who freed Fenrir was the wolf’s first meal in centuries.”

  “I have the perfect person in mind,” Malcolm sneered. “Her name is Alexis Malkin and she is an enchantress. She will have them begging to die at her hand.” He had dealt with her once before and had almost been seduced himself, if not for an unexpected explosion in the dungeons of his fortress.

  “Since you no longer control Vincent, what automatons do you plan on sending with her to Scandinavia?” questioned the dark voice.

  Malcolm had left the amulet with Frederick Von Woonst who died at the hands of Tiamat. Now with it lost, they no longer had control over the water automatons.

  “My people have spent the last twenty-four hours destroying Vincent’s water automatons. They could no longer be trusted.” Malcolm was a little disgusted by the situation and shifted his lower jaw from side to side as if trying to get rid of a bad taste in his mouth. “I will be sending my two new earth automatons with her. They take more time to make than Vincent’s water automatons, but they’re also harder to destroy.”

  “For your sake, I hope you are correct,” said the mysterious creature within the flames. “One among the group from the New Circle is an earth elemental. If your powers are not stronger than hers, she may be able to take control of your automatons and use them against this Alexis of yours.”

  “I guarantee, she will not be able to control them.” Malcolm spoke with a great degree of certainty. “I will provide Alexis with a control bracelet—only the wearer may control them. She will have no excuse for failure. I promise.”

  “Take care what you promise. For now her failure will become yours.”

  The dark figure went silent and the flames around his throne rose with a roar, driving Malcolm back from the dais. He crashed to the floor on his backside with a surprised expression, but quickly got to his feet and hurried out of the chamber.

  An hour later, Malcolm arrived at his private office in his fortress. The room was spacious and had a high vaulted ceiling. It looked more like an art studio with dark walls and lights shining down in certain areas to define the spaces. Three of the walls displayed expensive paintings with a single light shining on each. Opposite the impressive double doors, the entire wall was covered in video monitors. Some listed stock exchange rates, others displayed business and government news, still others showed sports programs. The largest was the center screen which currently showed a map of the city of New York indicating the areas of his control and those controlled by the subversive sorcerers attempting to challenge his authority.

  Alexis Malkin was already there waiting for him. She was relaxing in a large overstuffed leather recliner near the center of the room watching the video monitors. She didn’t bother to stand as Malcolm entered the room. Her low cut, tight fitting black pants suit with loosely knotted tie made her look like a runway model with perfectly styled short black hair and a copper tan giving her a radiant glow.

  “I take it I’m here for a reason?” she inquired, almost as if she couldn’t care less. Then her eyes thinned and she gave a crooked smile. “Or did you just miss me?”

  Now she was just teasing him. Malcolm knew she would try again to seduce him if she had the opportunity. She desired power just like he did, but the power she wanted came from controlling individuals… not cities or nations or even the world. Her desire was to control the people who controlled the world.

  “How are you with Norse mythology?” Malcolm knew she preferred the high fashion of New York and history wasn’t her best subject, but she was smart enough to keep up to date on curren
t events. At least magical current events.

  “Asgardians, Yggdrasil, Thor, Odin, Loki, what exactly do I need to know?” Alexis rattled off the common names, but seemed more preoccupied with her fingernails.

  “Have you ever heard of Fenrir?” Malcolm continued to walk past the sitting area where she reclined and moved to a control desk in front of the wall of monitors.

  “Is he an underwear model?”

  Malcolm knew she would never admit her ignorance. She detested signs of weakness.

  “Fenrir is a giant wolf,” corrected Malcolm. “I took the liberty of writing up some useful notes about the creature, its location and its former prison.” He almost seemed pleased with himself for knowing something Alexis did not. “You will depart immediately for Norway. Three members of the New Circle are there now trying to track down and re-imprison Fenrir. You will stop them or die trying, there are no other options.”

  “And if I choose to turn down this little trip of yours?” Alexis continued to buff and re-examine her nails with little interest in Malcolm’s command. “New York is where I need to be at the moment. Had you suggested a place like Paris, I might have considered it, but not Norway.”

  “As I said, you will stop them or die trying, there are no… other… options.” Malcolm emphasized his last three words to make it perfectly clear she was going whether she wanted to or not.

  Alexis stood and slowly walked over to Malcolm. Running a hand over his bald head and down his back, she whispered into his ear, “Wouldn’t you rather have me here with you? We could— ”

  “Save your breath.” Malcolm sprung up and grabbed her arm. On his other hand he flashed her the ring he had on his index finger. “This ring is meant to protect its wearer from your spells of enchantment. You are going on this mission and you will succeed or you will die. Do I make myself perfectly clear?” He then picked up the notes he had prepared for her and shoved them in her direction.

  “Crystal,” said Alexis with a snarl on her otherwise straight face. She snatched the notes from his hand and turned to leave.