Crimson Knight (Crimson Series Book 0)

by K. L. O Johnson

  She held out her hand and I wrapped my arm around her before she took off again. We entered towards the second mast point as they were called and descended. Kal flittered towards hers and I slowly sauntered towards mine asking, “In what direction’s the finish line?”

  “North.” I heard Kal from the other side of the clearing speak clearly as if she were beside me. I never realised how good my hearing had become as well as my eye sight, nor my reflexes—until now. I mean I’ve always had very good reflexes for a human but now as a Vampieruz I believed they would match perhaps Kal’s one day—I hoped.

  She was the one, I now, aimed to surpass.

  “Too bad you won’t make it.” I overheard a thick gargle voice comment. I was pleased to know I wasn’t hearing voices this time—Kal froze and slowly turned to face the large hairy half-human half bull beast. I realised it was a Minotaur. I gulped not because of his size the monster because the dragon before was so much larger but the energy that surrounded him reminded me closely of someone else but I couldn’t place it at the moment and sensed Kal tense. She could also tell he was dangerous as did I.

  “Cecelia.” I heard her say now perceiving her presence before me and the monster. “Run.”

  “I’m not leaving you with—that!” I growled gesturing at the beast who grunted.

  I heard the monster grunt mockingly at my response. He appeared to smile but I wasn’t too sure. Kal didn’t argue against my decision and I watched the beast closely as he stomped heavily towards us—his feet pounded loudly against the earth with each step. “You have any ideas?” I asked.

  “No,” Kal said. “You?”

  “I’m working on it.” I believed knowing this, was probably the most, I could do at the moment—it was my first training session in my new Vampieruz form. I knew I had to learn to harness my new found skills which was something I was aware would take time and vigorous training.

  He continued towards us. He lifted a single thick dirty finger of his and pointed it straight towards me. “You are the one I seek.” he commented.

  Kal hissed. “What do you want with her?”

  “Why does it matter to you—Nefaliem?”

  “Because I asked a question so, I expect an answer,” Kal retorted with a tone that anyone would notice as derisive. I was certain my mouth hung open at her words. I heard Kal peer over her shoulder to declare, “What? He started it.”

  “Please . . . try not to get yourself killed!” I hoarsely whispered. “He looks like he could do some serious damage. So don’t agitate him!”

  “Huh,” Kal responded with a shrug of her shoulders and faced her opponent once again. “Of course he looks like he could do some damage,”—at those words the Minotaur continued towards us—”but that’s the fun part. Wouldn’t want things to be too easy now.” Her words were haunting and that smile on her face, was ever evocative and unforgettable, in that moment, I understood that she wanted to fight him and risk her life.

  Than her words sunk in and I glared, “You’re not serious?”

  Kal shrugged, once again and I sighed. She really is stubborn. I thought defeated. I knew there was no reasoning with her—I just hoped Volvomich would see there was a big footed hairy half a man with a grudge to kill in here and do something about it. After all, I was looking forward to my eighteenth birthday.

  “Hand over the Vampieruz Princess and I won’t consider killing you. I don’t want to contribute to an already declining population,” he seethed glaring down at Kal who stood her ground.

  “Now that’s a shame.” Kal teased. “I’m considering killing you. Better yet, I’m considering ten thousand different ways of doing it.” I huffed and believed Kal had heard my astounded gasp. How could she not—she was only a few feet from me—literally? So why didn’t she grab me and run away or better yet hand me over? I remembered when she used to glare at me or was rather hostile towards me—I began wonder when that had changed.

  “What do you want with me?” I asked, wondering why, I was talking to someone who would most likely kill me in an instant. People didn’t normally strike up a conversation with a twelve-foot Minotaur. Especially, ones that were armed and ready to kill.

  “I don’t want anything to do with you,” he sneered. “I’m merely following orders.” The golden glow of his slanted eyes beneath his bristled brow were sincere in a way—as if he didn’t know what his boss wanted with me.

  “You don’t know what happens after?” I asked.

  “No, but I’ll assure you. I don’t need to.” he grunted and hauled out a large hammer from over his back and held it firmly in hand. “Move out of the way kin of dragons. This is your last warning.”

  “And this is your last warning to back off!” Kal threatened and that voice she used was the complete opposite of the newly friendly one—it was imposing and surprisingly dominant. It held the authority of a Commander and Chief. “She isn’t going anywhere with you. Not now—not ever. Tell that to your boss. She stays with us.” This time the Minotaur roared like a bull and charged.

  In that same spec of time, I spotted Kal before me. Her movements were fast but in my mind, slow. Her blue and black scaled and armoured hand was now stretched out to push me away. I witnessed several more sections of new armour being formed all over her body almost like it was preparing for battle. She looked powerful but at the same time, as her head was slowly concealed by a silver helmet with a black faceplate, I felt my form fly as she pushed me away from her. I sensed the pressure of her strength and saw the Minotaur gaining.

  When I was far enough, still airborne and still taking everything in, slowly. Including the sudden rise in grass and dirt—something I now recognised was the result of Kalverya’s power—something I understood was her angelic and demonic pressure and heritage unfolding in green electricity.

  The moment I blinked was the moment reality sped back up. I flung into the air and landed on something firm—it wasn’t hard but it wasn’t soft either was enough sturdy to break my fall. My eyes were still trailed on Kal as I watched her whip out her sword to block the hammer’s attack, the power that was unconstrained from that impact caused a wave of energy to be released.

  I pulled myself upright and glanced around, I was sitting on a moss smeared boulder beneath two thick trees at the edge of the clearing. I eyed the old hollow of a tree to my left and watched a green purple spider walk along it. Its legs moved quickly and away from the clearing as if sensing the danger.

  I turned my gaze back to Kal and the Minotaur. The Minotaur was robust and hefty; it was slower but stronger. Kal on the other hand was quick and strong too but not as sturdy. There were times when the Minotaur lifted her and she land with her arms flared out, kicking him off of her she rolled back and attacked. The battle raged on and I wasn’t sure if the others noticed or not and or whether they did. Were they on their way too aid us and what of our instructor did he know what was happening? Each second that passed I found myself more and more on edge. As I knew all I could do was hope that everything would be okay and that this twelve-foot Minotaur was about to fail, even if he did, I felt the worst was yet to come.

  As long as he was out there I knew, without a doubt, he’d continue to hunt the very existence that is me—my energy.

  I didn’t recall my parents telling me who he was but I remember seeing him and sensing him. His presence was something I knew I would never forget for as long as I lived. After all, our energy was like a fingerprint—its waves swirled masking the individual’s potential power. The substance and power of every living being of the outlandish world, a world told around campfires and as folklore or myth. They were us and the PASA Agents were what kept us hidden from the humans for centuries, until recently. The PASA Agents were, Humans and Outlandish creatures that trained, protected by angelic power, worked to balance and clean up after the Outlanders—us—all beings that were on Earth but not of human descent. In order to ensure the laws of the intergalactic United Council were up held, they were our earth e
nforcers that was the case until the civil war reigned.

  NINE

  Ballroom Dancing

  Metal clashed, ecstatically in my ears. As the hum of their power swirled like an infinite vortex. Seeing a Minotaur here went against ancient laws. For someone to break those laws must mean that something serious was brewing. At this moment, I realised how important the lies and deception were.

  I lived a life without fear.

  My mother and father spent years protecting me from such fear of those mysterious forces that vowed to harm me. Regardless, my logical side battled against my empathetic side—my trust in what was “true” fleeted and fast. My instincts called for me to run but my body remained frozen in place with both my eyes and mind locked onto the powerfully skilful fight before me.

  Within that frightening moment, it all ended. The large gleaming sword that Kal held, protruded through the chest of the Minotaur and out through its back. His outlandish power that did not descend closely from angels or demons, instead it evolved over time on its own, within that spec of time it diminished—instantly.

  I, suddenly felt nothing.

  Kal pressed her wedged boot against the shoulder of the Minotaur and easily yanked out her sword, pushing the outlander to the ground. Kal shot her head towards me as she placed her sword on her back and zipped towards me with her super speed. I felt her hesitate to touch me and to my surprise didn’t, even though my chest ached, my eyes were locked onto the corpse—something I realised I was grieving for. My vision blurred as my throat burned and my cheeks cooled against the heavy breeze.

  I felt the presence of the others around me and absently took in the unfolding of the artificial world and eyed the pale floor and walls through my indistinct vision. Soon, my shrieks of pain ended and not before long, my throat felt numb as did the rest of my body. I watched Volvomich kneel before me, seeing his lips move but I heard no words. I heard nothing—not even the sound of the panicking doctors or my angry parents.

  After that exercise, my parents begged me to return but no matter how much I wanted to caress their cheeks and tell them everything was okay, my limbs wouldn’t respond and that was how I knew everything wasn’t okay. It was like I was there but I wasn’t, I just stared and felt everything shift around me. I watched blankly as Volvomich fetched Zarlach who I was sure comforted my parents as I regarded his concerned expression within my tunnelled vision, he was the same person who elected to carry me to my room red-eyed and sore-throat.

  I felt cold, alone when Zarlach left, I ached for my parents to stay with me and they did until I dozed off. They didn’t leave my side the whole journey from the dome and to my allocated room within the sanctuary of this fortress.

  Once I dozed off, I revisited the fight. I saw the swirling blue-green surge of power and saw Kal standing in the centre unscathed by this spiralling tornado—in control and dominant. Her fangs and claws were extended. I knew this was a dream but I remained stubborn and it refused to change at my pleading will. So I watched as she plugged her sword through the Minotaur whose spiralling tornado energy ceased to fisher against Kal’s.

  I screamed.

  I felt someone shake me. I woke with a start and quick pants. “Shh, Cecelia honey,” I heard the voice of my mother purr. I clearly regarded her soft but sharp features as she cradled me against her chest. She stroked my hair as I silently cried. My eyes were fixed onto the ceiling above, almost ashamed, that I was revealing a vulnerability of some kind.

  I noticed another familiar presence, my father sat on the opposite side of my king sized bed. My parents were positioned almost as rails like protecting a babe within from rolling. But, I knew that wasn’t the case. “It’s okay . . . you’re safe now.”

  “I knew it was too early.” I heard my father mutter with a sigh.

  “That may be true but Cecelia had to awaken or risk her fangs driving her insane. Her lesson that followed would have occurred regardless of her age.” hissed my mother. I felt the weight of the silence that shifted between my parents that didn’t last long as I calmed down something which may have helped.

  “Still we have Zarlach to thank for that even though he got away—again.” Mother mumbled before I felt her lips press against my cold forehead.

  “Who’s he?” I heard myself ask before my brain had a chance to catch up, realising I never did. My parents were silent but this was a different stillness, it wasn’t intense but rather uncertain—almost as if they were being careful about their next choice of words. I snatched a look at my mother from between the strands of hair that partly concealed my features and gazed upon her.

  My parents glanced at each other and I knew they were communicating telepathically a skill I had yet to learn. I felt my mother nod and heard my father clear his throat. “He as you referred to is a man called Ivan Von Dohnasova and he descends from a purebreed linage like your mother and I. Hence he too, is of royal descent.”

  “He’s . . . a purebred, like me—like us?” I mumbled and my father nodded and continued, “But he’s the progenitor of his linage. A man awakened by his descendants, those of whom follow the Dark Cartel”—I was going to ask more about the Dark Cartel but thought better of it and listened—“During his first Faction or rather cycle of rising he sent charge against the United Council—the many Syndicate royal bloodlines—and had successfully slain them. Over time, those races who lost their monarch’s, lost their Outlandish power and strength. Easily, they were wiped out by the enemy and now extinct.”

  The moment my father stopped speaking my mother started, “the Dark Cartel is a body of outlandish beings throughout the universe that don’t wish to co-exist peacefully with the mortals of their distinct galaxy—like the Humans of this one. They believe the United Council is a waste of time and its Commandments, the laws we abide by are falsified. They believed it did nothing but conceal the Resoncretalians from the galactic mortals.”

  “The Dark Cartel, Cecelia . . .” began my father. “Is our enemy as they work to be the only, outlanders, within this universe. With their twisted minds and dark thoughts—they aim to make this universe we all share their own.”

  My parents were quiet—perhaps waiting for the information to sink in. By the time it did, my parents had kissed me goodnight telling me, we would discuss more later; in the evening and exited my room. I was briefly aware of several people opposite my door, all familiar and one unfamiliar. Brushing aside my centred thoughts of that strange one I forced myself to sleep and woke to the morning light of a full new moon that was accompanied by the howls of the Licanthrope.

  Their howls were brief. Before they finally fell silent; I regarded the condensation on my window, eyeing the droplet of water that gleamed under the sun, producing a small but almost faint rainbow that small warm rainbow ended the moment the sun set.

  I sat up. Glancing around my room, I noticed I was alone and immediately walked over to my wardrobe and searched for my battle uniform only to find that it wasn’t there. Frustrated, I searched through the draws, the hanging clothes and in the basket just in case my mother thought it would need a wash.

  Now a little agitated, I huffed and exited the closet closing the door behind me. I sped across the room towards the bathroom, with my towel on the back of the door. I turned on the tap realising my grip cracked the steel handle. I let up and tried more gently this time. Yesterday was a bit of a blur but I knew it was difficult but I couldn’t exactly remember why. Finding the temperature perfect, I stripped and stepped in.

  Scrubbing my skin clean initially before I began to wash my hair and not before long I was done. I stood in front of the mirror with a towel wrapped around my body. I glared at the cut I was sure I should have had on my forehead better yet was sure I did have. I mean I thought I had? I was certain I hit my head but at the same time wasn’t all too sure. I tried to remember but it was difficult so in the end, I gave up. Not drying my hair, I took clarity in combing it through. I let it lay against my back with some product through it.
Wandering over to my walk-in-closet I secured a creamy pink t-shirt and black skinny jeans. Seeing matching sandals, I fitted them on and headed outside. I had one thing on my mind at the moment, one goal and I knew that it wouldn’t take too long to implement but it will be painful. Though like my father often told me, enduring the pain was a person’s greatest strength. I felt more confident as I journeyed through the halls of the Castle Haven, avoiding everyone I could.

  It was surprisingly easy—the avoiding part. As I noted everyone, wasn’t around. It was bare. I was concerned but not scared. I figured no one probably wouldn’t want to be around a scared cry baby. I stopped as I heard raspy voices whispering around the corner I intended down, “The Vampieruz Princess is back again!” one beamed—a female voice. “I knew it was only a matter of time.”

  “It’s all thanks to Lord Sivortsova. He was the one that awakened her.” The other commented, also female. “It’s a shame their majesties couldn’t though.”

  “Yes but that because of the attacks. That man was ruthless, so many died.” The first one from before spoke, her voice was rougher than expected and deeper too perhaps older than the one she spoke to. “Not just that, he was the only royal around that could. After all, it only makes sense they’re bound . . . by imprint.”

  “I thought that was only Licanthrope?”

  “No it’s not!” growled the older woman. She sounded rather flabbergasted, “Now hurry up with that china. Loren will most likely kill us if we’re even one second late.” The voices of the ladies slowly increased as I heard the sound of plates clattering against each other. Sensing their presences closely this time. I spied another suit of armour positioned standing behind a large hammer. I slipped behind it knowing this was a rather inappropriate way for a purebred such as myself to act but I couldn’t help it—it seemed they didn’t want to know I overheard them.

  I popped my head out and watched as the maids headed down the hall with plates piled to their chin. I sensed their outlandish descent and their power but it wasn’t as strong but perhaps strong enough for them to do menial tasks without any problem. I climbed out of my hiding place once they were no longer around and headed to my destination, my mind bounced back and forth between questions. Especially one in particular, “What did they mean by imprint?”