Shield of the Gods (Aigis Trilogy, Book 1)

by S. M. Welles

  Once both buses were full and their doors closed, Aerigo dropped back to sleep for the rest of the ride, encouraging his fellow passengers to look at something more engaging.

  The second snag took place hours later: traffic. Rush hour, New York City traffic on a Monday evening. Miles of stop-and-go congestion, bored commuters, and angry people honking horns at other cars trying to squeeze into adjacent lanes. The majesty of the most famous city in America gradually engulfed them as the sun sank lower behind them.

  They made it to the Bronx by 6:30 PM. Roxie gently woke Aerigo and together they took their packs and hurried off the bus without giving anyone a chance to ask for a photo op. Several people called after them but Aerigo kept walking as if he hadn’t heard. Roxie followed him south and west along the streets, toward the Hudson River. The sunset twilight was muddied by the myriad street and window lights.

  Roxie had been walking a couple of steps behind Aerigo, off to one side, with her backpack slung over one shoulder when someone bumped roughly into her and yanked off her pack.

  He ran.

  “Hey!” She stared in disbelief. No one had ever stolen from her before, much less right before her eyes. Aerigo caught the man, grabbed a swatch of his shirt and lifted him off the ground with one hand. Aerigo brought the thief’s face close to his own, sent his eyes into a brilliant shade of red, then thumped the guy in the stomach. The thief’s wild eyes reflected the glow in Aerigo’s. The thief passed out and his head dropped forward.

  Aerigo caught Roxie’s pack as it slipped free, then roughly deposited the thief against a cement building. “C’mon,” he said, handing over the pack.

  Roxie stared at the unconscious man. She still couldn’t believe that someone had tried to steal from her, but Aerigo’s will to move on compelled her to follow. She strapped her backpack firmly over both shoulders, then jogged up to his side and made sure she stayed next to him, almost wanting to hold his hand. But was she supposed to feel grateful or embarrassed? She moved her feet a little quicker so she could see whether his expression conveyed disappointment or indifference.

  Aerigo glanced at her for one awkward second. “What?”

  “I just… that thief…”

  “Don’t worry about it.”

  “Okay,” Roxie said, and resumed plodding forward alongside him. If he wasn’t going to make a big deal about it, then neither would she. She just needed some time to stop feeling embarrassed about not handling the situation herself.

  “Now what?”

  “Huh?” Did she just accidentally speak her thoughts aloud?

  “You just said my name, didn’t you?”

  Roxie filed through her memory of the last five seconds. “No.” It came out more as a question than an answer. Was she suddenly not remembering what she did again, like with the food?

  Aerigo looked away and froze. Roxie tensed after seeing him freeze like a cornered animal. He cast a searching gaze at her. “You sure you didn’t hear that?”

  “Hear what?”

  “Never mind.” He resumed walking.

  What was that about? Roxie mentally goaded her feet to move and caught up to Aerigo once again. That surely wasn’t nothing, but she decided it would be better to let it lie for now.

  They traveled the rest of the way in silence, listening to the noise of cars, milling people and shoes slapping on pavement. Around eight at night they reached 12th Ave and West 55th Street: the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. Aerigo took a moment to memorize what he could of the port, then they crossed 12th Ave and headed down West 57th Street, a road abundant with towering hotels.

  Roxie and Aerigo entered a hotel with glass doors. It was big and elegant, both inside and out. The floors were polished marble with a red carpet leading straight to the reception desk, also marble. The high walls were covered with paintings, and plants accented the area. The hotel had a rich, homey feel, and Roxie suddenly realized how tired she felt as they reached the reception desk. With the aid of Grandma’s credit card, she booked a two-bedroom.

  The receptionist slid the keycard across the counter and Aerigo pocketed it and headed for the elevators. Roxie trailed behind him, her legs feeling heavier with every stride.

  Her eyes fought to close, and she felt like she might fall asleep while walking to the elevator. Aerigo pressed the ‘up’ button and a bell dinged as two brass doors slid open. She pushed the round button with the number eleven on it when they got on, and the doors closed. Vertigo seized her when the elevator jerked into motion. She teetered on one foot, her arms spread. Aerigo press one hand on a shoulder, and she found herself standing on two feet again.

  Roxie swayed. She wasn’t ready to fall asleep, although her head was drooping. There was their room to see, things to think about, and a chance to watch some television.

  When the elevator doors opened, Roxie mechanically followed Aerigo down the quiet hall. He swiped the keycard, turned the handle, then led them inside. Roxie deposited her backpack next to the bed closest to the door and sat on the stiff mattress. The last thing she remembered was reaching for the television remote before passing out.

  Aerigo maneuvered between the beds and laid Roxie on her back, then placed her hands so they were folded on her stomach. He straightened up. She looked so young, so innocent and helpless. And so much like her… A little taller though, but she’s not Druconican.

  Aerigo dropped both packs on the floor, sat on the empty bed and unhinged five buckles on each boot. It was a relief to be taking them off for longer than to just change socks after so many days of wear. He went into the bathroom to wash his face, then returned to the bed and lay on his back, hands folded behind his head. He studied Roxie once more, wishing she didn’t look just like Sandra. But no amount of wishing would change things. A mix of pleasant and painful memories resurfaced, but Aerigo’s sleep debt buried them back down. He was asleep in minutes.

  A ray of sun poked insistently at his eyelids through the window, starting his brain into wake-up mode. He opened his eyes, sat up and stretched the sleep out of his limbs. He glanced at Roxie, who appeared to not have so much as twitched during the night. Aerigo showered and dressed, slung a backpack over each shoulder, plucked the sleeper off her bed and was out of the hotel before ten. The same receptionist was at the front desk when he returned the key and paid the bill. She looked askance at the sleeping girl in Aerigo’s arms as he checked out, but didn’t say anything.

  The morning was warm and humid. Rays of sunlight lanced between the tall buildings, and the air smelled of salt, oil and car exhaust. Vehicles congested the street like a bustling colony of mostly yellow ants, honking and revving engines with self-importance. Aerigo was amazed he’d barely heard all this just inside the hotel. Not far down to his right lay the Manhattan Cruise terminal, their ticket off Earth.

  “Whoops!” exclaimed a familiar voice.

  And to his left stood Daio, smirking at the sleeping Roxie.

  Chapter 8

  Boarding

  “I knew I was close, but not this close,” Daio said with a little laugh. “This city is so packed with people, it’s impossible to mentally pinpoint your location. It’s a little annoying.”

  The port was only two blocks away. Enough distance to bolt for it, but not enough to find a proper hiding spot with Roxie in his arms. Confronting Daio right there on the sidewalk didn’t appeal to him either.

  “But it looks like luck is on my side today.” He gestured with his chin to the sleeping girl and grinned. “What did you do to tire her out?” Daio teased. “You dog, Aerigo.”

  Eyes warming in response to his mounting anger, Aerigo shifted his feet, widening his stance, and glanced in the direction of a row of giant bows looming over a short glassy building.

  “We going on a ship again? What is with you and seafaring on this planet? Oh! Maybe it’s a honeymoon cruise you’re planning this time! You two seem to be starting off pretty well together.”

  “Just shut up.”

  Daio hunched
his shoulders and looked at a parking meter, frowning. And then he snapped upright and held up a finger. “I know! I’ll pick out a ship for you!” He started running for the port.

  Aerigo kicked at Daio’s chest, connecting with nothing but air, then horizontally swung his other leg, which swished harmlessly over Daio. Aerigo swung an upward kick meant to shatter jaws, or at least wipe that mocking grin off Daio’s face. Daio lost his balance as he dodged backwards just in time. He fell just inside the curb, then rolled along the sidewalk and sprung to a fighting stance well out of Aerigo’s kicking range.

  “Ha ha! I’ve got the upper hand this time! Feel free to put the girl down to make things more even.”

  “And give you a chance to steal her?”

  “Aw, you read my mind.” Daio kept smiling. “So whatcha gonna do? I know where you want to go next.”

  Aerigo narrowed his eyes. Daio dropped into a lax fighting stance with one fist in front of his chest and the other hanging low by his forward thigh, then began bobbing on the balls of his feet. He threw a few swings but never put his weight into them. Aerigo dodged backwards and countered with fierce kicks to Daio’s chest and head, all of them slicing only the humid air. He was trying too hard to keep a firm yet painless grip on his living cargo.

  “Just tell me which ship you’re boarding and I promise I won’t try to pull anything for the rest of the day.”

  “When’s the last time I actually trusted you?”

  Daio was still smiling, but his eyes glowed red and he dropped his fighting stance. He sidestepped to the parallel-parked car nearest to him and kicked the rear bumper, sending the car into the air with as much effort as if he’d flicked a soccer ball over another player’s head. The car flipped upside-down and Aerigo caught the rear bumper with an outstretched hand as he draped Roxie over his shoulder. Daio rounded the car and reached for Roxie. Aerigo kicked him in the gut. Daio grabbed his stomach as he fell onto the sidewalk like a sack of potatoes. Aerigo pushed the car and it teetered back and dropped onto all four wheels with a suspension-ruining thud.

  Daio pushed himself to his feet, picked out an SUV three cars down, grabbed it by its front bumper with both hands, and sent it flying into the busy streets.

  Aerigo weaved through the moving traffic at superhuman speed, then hopped onto the back of a pickup truck, shrugged off both packs so they hung from his elbows, pulled Roxie into both arms and presented his back to the SUV. It felt like someone had just smacked him with a giant bat, but at least he’d saved anyone from getting crushed. The SUV dropped onto the rear of the pickup, rolled onto the hood of the car behind it, smashing it, then came to a rest, cradled between both vehicles.

  Hefting his packs over both shoulders, Aerigo blocked out the stinging pain in his back and rushed for another airborne car headed for an intersection. Cars ran parallel to the river. Roxie draped over a shoulder, Aerigo jumped and caught the car midair with his free limbs. Gravity pulled them into the busy intersection and traffic came upon them like bowling balls. Aerigo landed on his feet and dodged out of the swerving traffic as metal crunched, tires screeched, horns honked, and swearing and screaming filled the air. But no one got killed.

  Aerigo ran at Daio, who was reaching for another car. Aerigo thrust out the arm cradling Roxie’s knees and spread his fingers. “Sedal!” A sonic burst of air hit Daio head-on. He went wide-eyed and didn’t move.

  “Yyyouuu... ssssuh—ck...” Daio said, forcing the words to come out.

  Aerigo checked Roxie for injuries as he watched Daio painstakingly force his limbs from a reaching to a running posture. As much as Aerigo wanted to beat up Daio, it wouldn’t make a difference. “That hex should keep you out of trouble long enough.”

  “Dooesnnnnn’t... Mmmah... terrrr....” he said, drifting his arms and one foot only inches closer. “Thiiisss... spelllll... iszzz... weeeak... hhheeerrre...”

  It was true. Aerigo had learned the hex of slowing on another planet. Magic was at its most potent when used on its respective planet. On top of that, the hex had been used on a planet almost devoid of extended reality. Instead of an hour, he’d bought himself maybe five minutes, although all he really needed was a good handful of seconds to reach the port, and then a few more to pick out one destined for where they were headed and get on. So one minute. Plenty of time, and plenty of people to blend in with. Aerigo began jogging for the Manhattan Cruise terminal.

  “Waaait... ffforrr... meeeeeee!”

  Aerigo turned and jogged backwards as he raised his right arm and waved good-bye. Then he turned back around and resumed jogging.

  “Iii... haaate... yyyouuu!”

  He tilted into a run faster than the human eye could follow, leaving very many pedestrians staring in confusion at Daio’s Oscar-worthy slow motion act, along with all the collateral.

  Aerigo bolted among the labyrinth of cars in the street and the throng of humans going in and out of the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, and slipped in unnoticed as a lady held a door wide open for an exiting elderly couple. He slowed to a halt at the back of a wave of partitioned lines, then placed a hand on Roxie’s forehead. She was still passed out and unharmed, despite the recent excitement. He whispered a spell that would deter any from noticing a girl in his arms, then read from an overhead list of cruise ships departing for Bermuda that morning. All of them listed what must have been ship names, followed by a five-digit number. Dismayed, he took a blind step backwards and bumped into someone.

  “Careful!” the man he bumped into said.

  “Sorry.” Aerigo turned around. The man looked to be in his late thirties. He gave the man no more notice until he turned around and looked right at Roxie.

  The man shrugged, hauled his suitcases a few steps, then stopped and shook his head as if trying to clear his thoughts. He turned around again and squinted at Roxie. His hazel eyes widened. “There is a girl in your arms!”

  Aerigo turned, trying to shield Roxie from view. “I couldn’t wake her.”

  “Is she okay?”

  “Just very tired,” Aerigo said, scrutinizing the man’s facial features to see if his words were weighed as truth.

  The man looked at Roxie, then Aerigo, and then at the ship schedule. “Here. Follow me. I can tell you’re eager to find her a proper place to rest.” Baggage in tow, he lunged towards the glass doors leading to the docks.

  “Are you headed to Bermuda as well?” Even though he didn’t understand what he’d done to deserve such kindness, he followed the stranger, albeit with his guard up. This man didn’t feel like one of Nexus’ minions, but there was always the possibility. Yet maybe this man was Baku’s doing, the god’s own subtle way of helping him along.

  “That’s one of the stops, yes.” Aerigo began to believe more in the latter. His acquaintance headed off a man collecting boarding passes. The man pulled out a wallet and flashed an ID that made the pass collector go pale and exclaim, “Why, welcome aboard, sir! So sorry for the confusion.”

  “Not a problem,” he said, stuffing his wallet back in the breast pocket of his button down palm tree shirt. “Those two are with me.” The man turned with his back to the pass collector and winked at Aerigo. “Up we go.”

  They ascended the gangway and headed for the stern. A minute later a deep, baritone horn sounded and the ship disembarked.

  Hmm, that’d be decent timing if that were Aerigo’s ship’s horn. Better hurry! The slowing hex had worn off right before he’d heard the powerful note over the sound of streetcars. His body lost the feeling of trying to move while still under the effects of sleep paralysis. He almost tumbled headfirst into the pavement from the sudden surge in inertia, but managed to keep his feet under him. Daio slipped through the glass doors he’d seen Aerigo disappear through, and around the many lines of people to the other side with aid of his own superhuman speed and hooked a left along the quay, in the direction the note had originated. Several piers down a huge white ship started backing out into the river. He could barely sense both Aigis�
� presence on the ship, two little sticks in a heap of sticks that constantly shifted about.

  Daio spotted the gangway, which led three stories up towards the river. He thanked his luck as he ran unnoticed up the gangway. At the summit he pivoted, aiming for the ship, and made a jump for the vessel that would have smashed all of Earth’s world records in long jump, and landed somersaulting on the lowest deck. The deck wasn’t that wide. Daio was abruptly cut off mid-somersault when he collided like a battering ram into a white metal wall. He sat clutching the top of his head, eyes squinted shut and teeth clenched. He let out low moans of discomfort until the pain eventually dulled. “This ship is a damned fortress!” His neck and spine felt stiff and sore from the impact, and they throbbed a little when he saw a dent the size of half a grapefruit. He massaged the back of his neck as he stood.

  “Hey, use the stairs next time if you want to get to one of the lower decks,” said a man from nearby.

  “Huh?” Daio looked to his right and saw a deck hand uniformed in a white naval outfit frowning at him.

  “I just saw you land in front of me. Use the stairs next time if you know what’s good for you.” The deck hand stood erect with his hands clasped behind him, heels of his shiny shoes together and cap tilted to one side. He looked to be pushing forty.

  “Aye aye, captain,” Daio said halfheartedly. He now had a headache and needed to find a good spot to lie down for a few minutes.

  “I’m not the captain. Now get moving.”

  Daio headed for the bow, hoping that Aerigo had chosen to hide near the stern. He couldn’t sense the other Aigis in the multitude of people any more. This meant that they were far enough apart to stay hidden from each other. The more distance the better.