Zergiel smiled at the addition to his army of nacropi. Nacropi were by far the most formidable ally he had. Zergiel poked his finger between the bars of the black metal cage, and was nearly pinched. He hoped to create an entire army of nacropi. He knew the draeyk and daerions would only be so much help, but with the nacropi, he could easily destroy mankind.
“And they will be able to be controlled?” Zergiel asked.
“So far, only for a limited time; however, we are working on a spell to make them permanently under our control,” Dumarst said.
“Very good, now you must find more. I want an army of them. I want our final march on Sudegam to be its destruction!”
Zergiel stood in the darkest shadows of the night, in the one place he actually felt scared. The area surrounding him was unpredictable. The wind blew harshly, and the freezing temperature gave Zergiel chills. The sky was dark, the stars hidden in the night sky.
He was impatient, yet he waited. He knew his impatience would only make matters more difficult. A shadow appeared in front of him. It happened so quick he almost missed it. He closed his eyes, clasped his right hand over his left in front of him, and waited.
“I’ve been expecting you,” a cruel female voice whispered as she pressed a dagger against his throat.
He opened his eyes and found Arria standing in front of him. Her beauty outmatched any other’s. The stars revealed themselves, showing her flawless charcoal skin and long pearl-colored curls. Her red eyes stared into his, intoxicating. Her skin appeared as silk, and he only wished he could touch her.
“Arria … I come to ask for your help,” Zergiel said.
She watched him carefully, studying him. Her face broke out in a small half smile. “What is in it for me?”
“Sudegam’s destruction,” he said.
“And what of my sister?” she asked.
“Her life spared and turned over to you. Everyone else … there won’t be prisoners.” Zergiel grinned.
Arria’s half smile transformed into a smirk, showing her perfect white teeth. She moved the dagger from his throat and put it back into her long spiked boots. Chain mail clung to her body, with black plate armor covering her bosom and hips.
“Will you help me?” Zergiel asked.
“What do you need me to do?” she asked.
“I need a general.”
“You did not choose me so you can have a general. What do you need with my … abilities?”
“Come to camp and I’ll explain what I need you to do.” He grinned.
Chapter 3
The morning’s thick mist unsettled Starlyn as she held onto her white tiger. She made relentless progress, but she didn’t feel it would be fast enough. Often, she thought back to Searon and the others, hoping everything was all right. Starlyn hadn’t intended to leave without explanation, but she’d never expected such a thing to happen to her.
The memory of Searon’s face before she left haunted her. He didn’t love her, or at least not in a romantic way, but he cared for her as a brother would. She knew he’d help her with anything she ever needed. She smiled at the thought, which brought warmth through her veins. Only then did she realize how cold she was. It wasn’t often a kheshlar felt cold, and she knew she didn’t have a lot of time.
Days had passed since she had seen another person, let alone a draeyk or worse. She hoped it would remain that way. The fewer distractions she crossed, the easier her journey would be. She felt unsure whether her decision of where to go had been the right one, but she knew she had to get somewhere.
At least she wasn’t alone in the wilderness. She clung tightly to her friend, Snowflake, the tiger. Starlyn had known Snowflake for a long time. She remembered the first time she met the precious tiger. She had been alone and hurt, and the tiger saved her when nobody else could find her.
Starlyn blinked, trying to see through the blinding light shining through the trees. She became momentarily blinded and decided to have faith in her tiger companion to lead the way. She felt exhausted anyway, and let herself relax. While she was too scared to sleep during the day, a quick shut-eye would be harmless. She trusted the tiger with her life.
After what seemed like only a moment of rest, she opened her eyes to see a deserted town. Snowflake was frozen in place, searching the lonely streets. She quietly slid off the tiger and studied her surroundings. There were deserted merchant stands and burned stone homes that appeared pillaged. The plain beige-and-black town brought Starlyn sorrow. She staggered forward, noticing a crow picking at a charcoaled pile. Her eyes bulged and she backed away with a gasp.
She recognized where she stood. Her hopes of never returning to the town were dashed. She stood in Augealia, the town where she’d met the nacropis. A shiver ran along her spine at the memory. It was the most formidable foe she had ever faced, and the memory of it caused her to want to leave. She watched the setting sun as it crept behind the trees, and sighed. Starlyn gulped. She would have to spend the night. She was glad Snowflake stayed with her.
She searched the town, looking for the most comfortable place to stay. The silence inside the town unnerved her. Finally, she settled on a broken stone home that appeared the most intact. She sighed with relief when she found blankets to wrap around herself. Starlyn found a bed, lay down, and prayed to the mother for a swift sleep.
Nightmares tormented her as she fell into a restless sleep. She felt the warmth of Searon as he held her close. They stared at the nacropis charging them, and she screamed. Starlyn shivered as she tried to run as fast as she could, but it became useless as another nacropis rushed at her and locked her with its pincers.
She could hear Andron’s voice. “Starlyn, my lady, please save me.”
She glanced down to find his carcass lying at the nacropis’ feet. Another scream filled the air as the nacropis holding her brought her to its wide mouth. Tears cascaded along Starlyn’s face when she realized she’d failed. She’d failed Andron. He had come because he was worried about them, and she couldn’t save him. Instead, all she had awaiting her was the large scorpion’s mouth.
She awoke with a scream, cold sweat dripping from her face. She blinked several times before believing it was a dream. It felt so real. She realized she had a hard time facing reality. Andron was gone. There was nothing she could do to bring him back, and it broke her heart. Starlyn remembered their travels and how they became such good friends. His poor family had begged him to stay, but he’d wanted to help protect them, and decided to continue with Starlyn and Searon. She shook her head, wishing she could go back and force him to stay with his kids.
Starlyn noticed Snowflake had vanished. Snowflake might have needed food, and Starlyn knew the tiger respected her too much to eat meat around her. She shivered when she realized she stood alone in the town.
A crash outside startled Starlyn to her feet. She trembled as she quietly tiptoed to the door and peeked outside. The town appeared as deserted as she had last seen it. She glanced to the full moon in the ominous sky. The stars were beautiful, but added an extra layer of gloom to the deserted town.
She stepped out the door, feeling the cool night air. Chill bumps appeared on her bare arms. Another crash echoed in the distance, making Starlyn grip the hilt of her sword. She took a deep breath and tiptoed through the dark. She silently prayed to the stars for their guidance.
When Starlyn stepped into an alleyway, she noticed a shadow. She froze. The shape looked like a woman sneaking through the town at night. Starlyn trembled as she thought of her sister—not yet, there were too many other things on her mind. She shook her head, trying to keep Arria out of it.
She crept through the dark alley, cautiously following the shadow. Whoever it was ran fast, and Starlyn struggled to keep up. She didn’t know if she wanted to meet the mysterious person, but she didn’t like not knowing who was out there. She came to a skidding stop when she turned a corner and saw a little girl in a torn white-and-blue dress.
Dirt caked her face. Starlyn remov
ed her hand from the hilt of her sword and looked at the motionless little girl. The young girl’s body trembled, and her eyes watered as she looked up at Starlyn. Starlyn slowly backed away, but she kept her eyes locked on the girl’s.
“It’s all right,” Starlyn said. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
“How do I know you’re not with them?” the girl asked, holding a large dagger outstretched in her shaking hand.
Starlyn gulped and suddenly remembered what Searon had told her so long ago. He had met a young girl in the town, and he had searched everywhere, hoping to find her. The possibility that the girl might not have survived devastated Searon. Starlyn focused, trying to remember what Searon had called her. She watched the young girl, who prepared to defend herself. It was disheartening that one so young had to already protect herself. The faded memory rushed back to Starlyn. She heard Searon whisper her name.
“Charlotte,” Starlyn repeated from her memory of Searon’s words. “Your name is Charlotte, isn’t it?”
“How do you know my name?” the girl asked, lowering her dagger only slightly.
“A warrior in red-and-silver armor, he told me about you. I helped him search for you when we found this town destroyed, but we could not find you.”
A single tear glided along the little girl’s dirty face, and a smile pursed her lips. “Is he here? Where is he? I want to see him.”
“I am sorry, my dear, he is not here. He is busy fighting against the evil of this land. I had to leave him to take care of something else,” Starlyn admitted.
“Can we go see him?” she asked, hope in her eyes.
“No, I’m sorry. I cannot go back that way. I have a mission I must accomplish in the opposite direction. Would you like to come?” Starlyn asked.
“Where are you going?” Charlotte asked.
“I am heading to a city that hasn’t been destroyed. I can take you there. You won’t have to live like this anymore. I’m going to a place of hope. Will you come with me?” Starlyn asked, holding out an ungloved hand.
Charlotte studied Starlyn carefully. She took a step back, looking Starlyn up and down. Charlotte took a step forward, squinted her eyes as she gazed at Starlyn’s face, and gasped.
“Are you a kheshlar?” Charlotte asked.
“Yes, I am,” Starlyn answered, smiling.
Charlotte’s eyes moved to the left and her lips pursed. She exhaled and sheathed her dagger into a small scabbard. She walked to Starlyn and took her pale blue hand with a smile on her face. Starlyn brought her in close and gave her a small hug, and together they walked into the night.
Chapter 4
Searon woke in the morning to a hard knock on his door. He jumped from the bed, already wearing his armor. He put his helm on, strode to the door, held the hilt of his claymore, and opened the door.
Anaela stood on the other side, a worried expression on her face. She was clad in her green-and-silver chest plate and hip plate over chain mail. “Can I come in?” She pleaded softly, nearly melting his heart.
“Is everything all right?” Searon asked. He knew she’d been avoiding him; therefore, it had to be something important, or something wrong.
She brushed past him, stepping inside. He glanced out the door and found everything else normal. He gently closed the door before turning around to see Anaela sitting on the couch. His brow furrowed as he walked over to sit next to her.
He gazed into her fierce green eyes, getting lost momentarily. He daydreamed of a moment where the two of them stood hand in hand, gazing deep into each other’s souls. He heard a murmur, which caused him to shake his head, regarding her expression.
“Did you hear what I said?” she asked. She glared at him, tapping her foot.
He shook his head. His eyes migrated to her luscious lips. He could almost taste her kiss once more. Her lips sparkled light purple as he stared at them. Again, he had to shake his head as she spoke.
“The king has asked for us to scout the location of their army,” Anaela said.
Searon raised an eyebrow. “He said that he wanted us specifically to search?”
Inside, he smiled. It meant more time with the beautiful kheshlar. He knew he couldn’t convince her to look at him in a different way, but to spend more time with her would be intoxicating. Even if she didn’t return his feelings for her, being by her side made his heart almost feel complete again. He didn’t understand what made Anaela so special. Something about her reminded him of Victoria.
“Yes.” Anaela frowned.
“You don’t sound thrilled,” Searon said, getting lost in her emerald eyes.
“Let’s just get this over with,” Anaela retorted.
“You could at least pretend to be excited,” Searon said.
The door was already closed with Anaela outside. If she heard what Searon said, she chose not to comment. Searon sighed before stepping out the door.
Karceoles stood silent as he inspected the surroundings. It was one of the few times he remained quiet. His cousin Sh’on was content with silence. Sh’on took action with few words. Karceoles, however, always had to open his mouth. If there were something to say, he had no problem saying it.
The wind brushed against the wizard’s face as he closed his eyes. The birds chirped in the distance, creating a soothing melody in his ears. As his eyes opened, flower petals brushed across his body from the wind. The scent was sweet nectar and soothing.
Karceoles studied the kheshlarn city for the best place to place the human archers. He knew the kheshlar archers were more accurate; therefore, it would be better if the human archers were placed to scatter arrows into the oncoming attack. He wanted arrows loosed well past the forefront to make weaker creatures fight the front lines.
Only a few main paths went through Sudegam. He studied the buildings. Most were trees, hollowed out for businesses or homes. Others were stone, overtaken with moss and ivy. In a human town the choice would be obvious: he would place archers on rooftops, allowing them to target oncoming villains. Sudegam was not so simple. Archers had a disadvantage on level ground. The only high ground was in the trees, but that was impractical for humans, and Aliqua had already claimed them for kheshlarn spell casters.
“What do you think, Shronan?” Karceoles asked.
“About what?” Sh’on asked, raising a bushy blond eyebrow.
“Where we should position the human archers so they have the most advantage.”
“Why don’t we just split them up into packs as second lines for each melee rank? They each loose into the crowd and back away as melee goes in. If they become overrun, they can fall to the stronghold, continuing the attack from a distance.” Sh’on nodded with grim determination.
“Well, that could work … but remember, I still am better looking than you,” Karceoles snapped before sauntering away from the mage.
Sh’on smiled. “Keep telling yourself that, old man.”
Aliqua stood in the forest, the wind brushing her black hair across her chocolate face. She studied the hundred kheshlarn spell casters, a small force compared to everyone else. Magic had its place though. Most were good at healing or slowing the opponent with spells. Others could use haste, and a few knew shield magic. As for offensive spells, there wasn’t much they knew. That had been why Aliqua chose to hide them in the trees. She would leave the powerful spells to the wizard and mage.
She had given each of them herbs from her store and taught them simple spells to manipulate the air to carry them where they wanted. Magic, even simple magic, was a relatively new concept for kheshlars. Elsargast limited how much they could learn, especially after what happened to Arria.
The spell casters wore nothing heavier than light leather armor and robes. They didn’t need the extra weight to slow them down. Aliqua decided against armor and wore only maroon silk robes.
Aliqua’s chocolate body stood out from the pale blue of the rest of the kheshlars. She did not know why she was born different; she didn’t know her parents. She was the o
nly kheshlar with chocolate skin, but she was a true kheshlar. She wore a gold circlet on her head, complementing her skin. Aliqua glanced at her zylek—she was the only kheshlar who had one. It wasn’t wood like Karceoles’s, but blackened steel. On the top, a blue globe glowed when she channeled magic. Her power did not match Karceoles’s, or even Sh’on’s, but she did harness more power than most knew. For many years, she’d kept her knowledge of magic secret, acting only as the kheshlarn herbalist, but times had changed. She was needed. And Elsargast had reluctantly agreed to allow light magic to be studied once more.
“Aliqua, we have finished placing traps on the trees,” a redheaded kheshlar said from over Aliqua’s shoulder. Her red hair and freckles made her a unique kheshlar herself.
“Thank you, Linyah. Now we must prepare invisible steps to be able to climb the trees fast,” Aliqua said.
“Yes, ma’am.” Linyah nodded before she strode away, her cobalt robes fluttering in the wind.
Karceoles stood in the forest alone. He let Sh’on separate all the archers into groups and explain the plan to them. Karceoles wasn’t interested in all of that. He was ready to fight, so until then, he was preparing. He wandered around the forest, placing magical traps to be run into.
He created fire pits, hidden quicksand, and swinging branches. He inspected every area that he could use as a weapon. He made holes with his zylek and covered them in leaves for enemies to fall into. He bagged up the dirt and attached the bags to ropes strung between trees. When people tripped on the ropes, the dirt would catapult into their eyes.
He sat to smoke from his long-stem pipe. The aroma of heavy tobacco filled the air as he made smoke rings. It was relaxing in the forest, almost peaceful. War was coming, and he wanted to enjoy the last few moments of peace.
Searon traveled with Anaela for hours, trying to find the location of the enemy. The forest seemed quiet, almost too quiet. The wind brushed across the pine needles, but that was the only sound. They didn’t see any deer, birds, or even squirrels, almost as if they knew what approached.
The Obsidian Arrow Page 2