Emperor's Shadow (Elite Book 1)

by Yi Zhu

  Without waiting to ask questions, Sawyn got on Vince’s left, while X covered his right. Together, they lifted him up, and the three of them made haste toward the Shadow’s study.

  “What’s happening?” Sawyn asked, while maintaining her pace.

  An explosion rang out far away, somewhere near the manor gate, by Sawyn’s estimation.

  “We are under attack,” X replied, while scanning around for danger. “By Vince’s command, we had to pretend everything was okay. Most of our ranks are out on patrol.” X grunted as she pushed the study door open.

  Gently, they set the unconscious Vince down on the chair.

  X removed her mask, and took a deep breath. “The runners have been sent out, and the Sentinels will all return within the hour.” She sheathed her blades, and tested the triggers on her grapple gear.

  Sawyn shuffled around, uncertain how to help.

  X walked over to the desk, and with the handle of her weapon, broke the lock on the drawers. She reached down, and pulled out two long slender blades with numerous tech enhancements where the handle should be. Carefully, X handed the contraptions to Sawyn. “Arm yourself with these.”

  Sawyn accepted the weapons, but something about them gave her pause. Though it was only an inkling, there was something very familiar about the design.

  X leaned in to the unconscious Shadow, and kissed him firmly on the cheek. For a moment, she looked at him, as if praying he would miraculously wake up. When he didn’t respond, she straightened herself up and began heading out the door. Though X looked so young, the expression on her face was one Sawyn recognized.

  Elder Barmut had the same look on his face, as he forfeited his life to help me escape, Sawyn realized.

  “Please protect him, nothing else matters,” X said as she shut the door behind her while strapping on her mask.

  The thick wooden door shielded the study from most of the noise outside, and Sawyn used the opportunity to collect her thoughts. As she took long, deep breaths, her eyes wandered over to the open drawer, and the odd assortment of items inside.

  A burnt and mangled piece of jewelry, a small metal seal, and a worn-out notebook. The most prized possessions of the powerful Shadow.

  Though a battle might break out all around her, Sawyn found herself drawn to the notebook. Perhaps it was the design, or maybe the sketch of a little girl on the cover. Whatever the reason, Sawyn picked up the thick cardboard-bound volume and held it up close. Some of the ink on the cover looked smudged at various spots, the stain blossomed outward in perfect circles.

  Teardrops. A whole lot of tears, she realized, and glanced over at Vince. What could make a man like him cry? When a grievous wound to the stomach didn’t?

  Sawyn flipped open the cover to scan through the contents, and suddenly fell against the desk. Slowly, she slid down to the ground, emotions overwhelming her.

  There, on the first page, she recognized her brother’s handwriting.

  “To my dearest friend, Vince,”

  Chapter 19: Sanctuary

  I remember this place, Vince thought. The room looked exactly the same as it had thirteen years ago. It was here that he bid Minzy farewell. Minzy and … Lucia. He reached down to touch his wound, and discovered with surprise that not only were his guts uninjured, his body had regressed back to a youthful state. Around one of his fingers was a ring made of grass and discarded wires.

  This … Lucia made this for me when I was five.

  “Hello?” Vince called out, and his words bounced off the walls on all sides. Without any windows or doors, he wasn’t even sure if his voice could escape this space.

  A finger tapped him on the shoulder, startling him. As he turned around, a sharp pain flashed against his forehead. The first instinct to surface was for Vince to barrel roll to the left, then strike out with alchemy. But instead, he found himself whimpering and rubbing his forehead. “Owww, Luciii, nooo,” he cried out. Though he understood his actions were childish and immature, they also felt oddly appropriate.

  “That ... is for forgetting what I looked like,” a small female figure lectured. Despite the room having no identifiable light source, an unnatural shadow covered her face.

  Lucia! Even without seeing her face, he knew. Vince leapt forward and embraced his sister. A gentle hand stroked the back of his head, and the pain went away.

  “It’s okay, V. I am here,” Lucia whispered, and sat down against the wall.

  Vince curled up in her arms and began sucking his thumb.

  “It’s okay, V. There is nothing to be afraid of, okay?” Her lips kissed him softly on the cheeks, and warmth flowed through his body.

  Relaxed, Vince let out a content yawn. “Mommy is coming back for us?”

  No answers came. But for some reason, his forehead felt damp.

  “Is it raining?” he asked.

  Lucia lifted a corner of her shirt and wiped the liquid away. “Of course, V, as long as you are a good boy,” she answered, with a crack in her voice.

  They were killed by an Elite for missing a delivery deadline, a thought flowed to his head, but little Vince chose to ignore it.

  Tell her how much you love her!

  “Lucii, I’m hungry,” he whined.

  “I can get us some food tomorrow, don’t you worry.”

  “But—”

  “Be a good boy,” Lucia reminded him.

  Reluctantly, he nodded.

  Tell her!

  “I love you, Lucii,” Vince said, and was rewarded with another tender kiss.

  Ask her … how to make the pain stop.

  “Lucii.” He poked Lucia’s chin. “How do I make hurt go away?”

  “Stay,” she replied. “You can stay here, and I’ll make it all better. You don’t have to go back if you don’t want to. You already sacrificed so much. No one will blame you for walking away.”

  Vince looked up at her, and he believed.

  “Unless you have a reason to go back?” she asked.

  Vince thought about it, but couldn’t answer. He shuffled around, and made himself more comfortable.

  For hours, he slumbered peacefully under Lucia’s protection, and hours quickly turned into days.

  A faint sound in the back of his mind jolted him awake. But it came and went too fast for him to identify it. The scream repeated itself, louder this time. Vince looked up sorrowfully toward his sister.

  “I have to go,” he said with regret.

  Chapter 20: Devotion

  The hallway rocked with an explosion as Sentinel IV triggered one of the many traps planted around the manor. With her sacrifice, the attackers ranks thinned considerably. But there were still too many alchemists among the intruders. Unable to fight their foes head-on, Vince’s guardians managed to funnel their enemies into yet another choke point.

  A storm of lightning surged forth, but the defenders remained safe behind the insulated barriers designed by the Shadow himself. Due to the narrow hallway, and the reinforced walls, whoever wished to come around the alchemy-resistant blockade would have to do so two at a time.

  So far, any enemies foolish enough to rush forward were quickly cut down by the Sentinels, or felled by throwing knives. And so the assault stopped, for the moment.

  “Surrender!” a voice demanded from across the barrier.

  Wasted words, X thought to herself. She looked around at her kill team, the three others still alive, and knew she didn’t have to speak. All of them were willing to give up their lives.

  Determined, she wiped her blade on the corpse of a soldier who had managed to get close. Somehow, this particular person had survived the volleys of throwing knives only to be cut down by X’s sword.

  We have to hold them here. We just have to.

  With the majority of the Sentinels out on patrol, only two kill teams remained to guard the manor. The enemies had come with overwhelming force, outnumbering the defenders at least thirty to one. By fighting in sync with the other team, and using the carefully concealed t
raps, they managed to whittle down the enemy numbers while sustaining minimal injuries.

  Things changed, however, when the Elites showed up. At the last choke point, six powerful Academy-trained alchemists engaged the other kill team, and managed to burn down a team of Sentinels within seconds. Without warning, Sentinel IV had charged into the fray and detonated the explosive solutions lodged within the support beams. Though they incinerated her during the suicidal charge, even the best Academy-trained fighters couldn’t outrun the explosion that followed.

  After losing their most powerful weapons, the attackers’ impetus waned. But the remaining alchemists urged the troops onward, dead set on completing their mission. Alchemical attacks rained down on the remaining Sentinels, albeit with lesser intensity.

  “Courage,” X said, to the three around her. “Others are on their way; we just need to buy some more time.” She poked her head up briefly, to assess the situation.

  There were dozens more, all with techno gear, and a few Highborn alchemists.

  Several cries of dissent could be heard during the temporary pause in fighting, and X listened intently. The same authoritative voice was now barking threats, promising the death of families should his soldiers refuse to charge.

  Taking advantage of this interruption, X looked around for something to clean her mask. During the last skirmish, blood had managed to cover the visor, limiting her vision. Unfortunately, there was very little of her that remained unstained, so she removed her headgear altogether.

  Other Sentinels followed her example, and all of them took a moment to adjust to the smell of iron. Even without the masks, her team showed little fear, and X couldn’t help but beam with pride at the determined young faces.

  The yelling across the barrier stopped, and X took another deep breath. “Ready yourselves.” She signaled the others.

  At once, dozens of soldiers charged forward brandishing swords, with the two in front projecting lightning from tech-gauntlets whenever a Sentinel poked his or her head out. The narrow pathway funneled the advancing force into pairs as they closed the distance.

  Another volley of gauntlet fire splashed against the metal and clay-infused barrier, and X struck back. With deadly accuracy, she tossed a knife toward the incoming crowd. The blade found its mark, and dug deep into the soldier in front. Those behind tripped on the body of the dying man, and the vanguards became obstacles. Yet, still they came, without a way to retreat, the attackers continued to move in, each pushed by the person behind them.

  As their enemies drew within range, the Sentinels engaged in combat. With ample bodies between them and the alchemists, the kill team fought to hold their ground. After each clash, X’s movements grew sluggish, and her opponents began to score hits. Mists of blood filled the air, but her men gave no ground. Time and pain no longer registered on X’s mind, as fighting became all that mattered.

  Whether through luck or sheer willpower, the line held, even as two more Sentinels fell to the onslaught.

  A thrill of exhilaration washed over X as the rank of enemies dwindled, until only three soldiers stood before her. I could have sworn there were more … she thought to herself.

  “Take cover,” the last of her men warned.

  Down the hallway, the remaining alchemists snapped into battle formation, ready to unleash a maelstrom. X tried to react, but it was too late. If she disengaged, the only outcome would be her being cut down immediately.

  Only one thing to do.

  Desperate, X tried to give herself the best chance for survival. She lunged with whatever little strength remained, and tackled her opponent into the pile of bodies. At that precise moment, the surge of lightning filled the hall. Excruciating pain coursed through X’s body, and she felt aflame.

  With the corpses absorbing most of the charge, the lightning failed to be lethal. But it was enough to destroy whatever will she had left. And so X screamed, at the top of her lungs, as all of her strength sapped away.

  I tried … I’m sorry, Vince, X thought as her body twitched on its own.

  The lightning finally ceased, and brisk footsteps followed. One of the swordsmen looked down at her with a smirk of triumph. X tried her best to move, but found herself paralyzed. As the man lifted a sword over her throat, she stared defiantly into the eyes of her killer.

  Everything happened at once.

  From nowhere, a swirling inferno spiraled past her, engulfing several soldiers. A second burst of flames obliterated the man above her as he scrambled to muster a defense. Even though she couldn’t turn her head, X knew the tide had turned.

  “Isha!” the familiar voice cried out.

  Chapter 21: Wrath

  The Fye answered his call effortlessly, and within seconds, the Shadow delivered a devastating blow. Those unfortunate enough to be in range never stood a chance, and met a quick, fiery death.

  Vince looked down toward the Sentinel, and spared her a quick smile. Though her wounds looked grievous, she fought on to stay conscious.

  Just hold on a little longer, Isha.

  “Never alone, never again,” he promised her, then turned to face the threat.

  The remaining attackers surged forward, their main target finally in sight. By Vince’s estimation, there were more than a dozen swordsmen, with half that many alchemists trailing behind. Under normal circumstances the proper tactic was to retreat and await reinforcements.

  Instructor Fulma would disapprove of what I’m about to do. He smiled to himself, and readied his mind. But Emelia might actually be impressed.

  Vince breathed in, and called upon his Focus training. To his surprise, the calm washed over him immediately, before he could search for an anchor. His hand no longer trembled, despite the oncoming onslaught, and time passed a little slower. He reached down to the grapple gear and, with the push of a tiny button, detached a brick-sized compartment.

  Ten yards.

  The Shadow sliced his hand through the air in a perfect arc, and threw the wooden box toward the charging crowd. As expected, Vince’s device met the blade of the swordsman in front.

  Hundreds of Rudium caltrops scattered outward from the point of impact, and those around howled in pain as the metal dug into flesh.

  Several attackers, who were foolish enough to continue their advance, stepped into a field of razor-sharp edges strong enough to pierce the rigid soles of combat boots.

  To give Vince’s opponents credit, a layer of ice formed over the ground at the alchemists’ call, and the soldiers continued their charge, albeit with four men down.

  Five yards.

  As the boots hit the frozen ground, Vince fired his barbed grapples, directly down the hall. Without stable footing, three more fell victim to the combat gear as dodging proved impossible. Vince detached the gear from his waist just in time, as a powerful current of electricity ran down the length of the chain, threatening to fry him along with the box.

  With a flourish, the Shadow unsheathed one of his swords. The slightly arched blade slid out with no resistance, and with the tip of the weapon, Vince pushed the retract button on his grapples. Cogs sped inside the box, and the entire rig flew toward the oncoming crowd, pulled along by the collapsing chains. His other hand rose up, and Vince stretched out his fingers. Chemicals coursed through his body in sync with his speeding heart, and a powerful blitz of lightning zipped forth.

  A liquid barrier blocked the path, diverting the lethal currents into the ground and walls all around. Though it took a lot of energy to maintain the charge, Vince continued to process Fye, accumulating a dangerous amount of poisonous by-product. The box slammed into the barrier at high speed, and temporarily fragmented the formation of water. Unimpeded, the electricity forked out, killing every sword-wielding soldier as their metallic weapons guided the deadly arc of power.

  That was the easy part, Vince noted grimly. Though he had killed the remaining soldiers, the enemy alchemists were poised to attack.

  In this narrow, confined space, alchemical battles
became wars of attrition, a series of strikes and counters. With their vanguards wiped out, the alchemists began a barrage of fire-based offenses from the distance.

  With a sweeping motion, Vince summoned a frozen wall. A volley of fire blasts wore away at the ice, and quickly, the shield was becoming dangerously thin. By reflex, the Shadow took a half-step back, and erected another barrier as the first evaporated into air.

  As the freezing counters continued, the Fye began to take a toll on Vince’s body.

  “You idiot! You did not think this through! Now choose,” Zed appeared suddenly, and reminded him.

  Vince followed his friend’s gaze, and saw Isha on the ground, still struggling to move.

  Another barrier collapsed. Four yards.

  “Leave her, and fulfill your dream. Our dream. Your sentinels will return soon; save yourself,” Zed said, his voice bereft of emotions.

  Three yards. Though Vince was powerful enough to overpower almost anyone in the mastery of Fye, the exertion against the swordsmen had taken a heavy toll. Now outnumbered six to one, the situation looked dire.

  “The greater good. Isn’t that the reason you killed me?” Zed demanded. “And soon you will turn on the very man you betrayed me to protect.”

  “No,” Vince replied, as he struggled to erect additional barriers.

  “Then why?” the apparition screamed out.

  The flames crashed against the thinning ice, and Vince could no longer see his opponents through the steam.

  “Answer me!” Zed howled. “Do you really think that logic can wash away the blood on your hands?

  “I…” Vince gritted his teeth, “I did it because you would have done the same thing, had you been yourself.”

  Two yards. No, it wasn’t the steam that blurred his vision. The over-consumption of Fye was stripping Vince of his sight. Muscles on his legs burned as keeping a steady pose proved increasingly difficult. Once again, he swiped through the air before him, and stopped the fresh blast of fire from reaching its mark.

  “What I really want to know is why you are refusing to let go now,” Zed said, his voice suddenly gentle. “What’s changed?”