Soulguard

by Christopher Woods

  ***

  As it turned out the captives had been on a tour bus, coming down I-81, when the Demons attacked it.

  Rictor sent several Guards out and had a bus rented and sent out to pick the terrified tourists up and take them and a few of the Guards back to Knoxville. I sat in the rear seat and no one sat in the adjacent seats. There were several scared glances in my direction.

  Most of the people stayed closer to Prada. I guess she looked less dangerous than I did. They’d taken our SUV to go rent the bus and headed back to Knoxville already, so here we were riding a bus down I-81, back into Knoxville.

  “Scary son of a bitch...” I heard Prada’s voice whisper to the Guard next to her. She was unaware that I could hear her.

  “He paced the inside of that shield like a wild animal in a cage. He couldn’t wait to get at the Demons outside.”

  “I’ve never seen a Mage fight like that. Hell, I’ve never seen a Guard fight like that,” another voice said softly.

  I closed my eyes and lay my head back. I guess it’s just how things are for me. Everywhere I go, people fear me. Normal people, Guards, and Mages all.

  “Good thing he’s on our side,” Prada said.

  Chapter 37

  “Pull in up here,” I pointed to a store up ahead, “I need something to drink.”

  “You got it,” said Rex Louder.

  It had been a couple of weeks since my first patrol and I worried about how the Demons had affected me. I think I had gotten a little carried away and I knew I needed to work on it.

  I decided to go on another patrol, to get a better feel for things so I joined a regular patrol as a passenger.

  We pulled in at a store that looked as old as the hills and I jumped out, “Want anything?”

  Rex shook his head and I looked at Jenna Seymore, “You?”

  “Get me a Coke.”

  I nodded and entered the store. The sign over the cashier claimed the best chili dog in Tennessee. I went to a cooler and got a Coke and a Dr Pepper.

  “Let me get a couple of those chili dogs, too.”

  “You want slaw on em?”

  “Coleslaw?”

  “Yep.”

  I shrugged, “Sure, why not.”

  After I paid, he handed me two styrofoam containers. I slid the bag with the drinks under my arm and opened one of the containers as I walked to the door. The frigging thing was great! Who would have thought coleslaw would be good on a chili dog?

  “Jesus, is he eating again?” I heard Jenna ask from inside the SUV.

  “Looks like it,” Rex answered, “I’ve never seen someone eat as much as this kid.”

  I got in the car as I finished the first one and handed Jenna her Coke, “Man, these things are awesome. You ever put coleslaw on a chili dog?”

  “Eww,” Jenna said, but Rex looked thoughtful.

  “It might actually be good, but we just ate two hours ago. Where do you put all of it? Is one of your legs hollow?”

  “It’s like we’re patrolling with a baby, you gotta eat every two hours,” Jenna shook her head.

  I opened the other container and waved it under her nose, “Sure you don’t want one?”

  “And again, I say, eww.”

  I laughed, “I’ll take that as a no. Rex?”

  “Nah, you go ahead, boss,” He shook his head.

  He started the SUV and we headed toward Knoxville. It was only about an hour away and we were headed in from a week patrol in Kentucky and Virginia. I hadn’t felt anything out there like the Demons. I was still feeling something to the north of Knoxville, though. It wasn’t evil, and I had a feeling I should check it out sometime soon.

  After we pulled into the base, we unloaded our gear and headed inside. Rictor was walking out and stopped dead still as he saw me.

  “I’ve had Marines come in with blood on their uniforms,” Rictor was staring at my shirt, “I’ve had Marines come in with mud, dirt and even grease on their uniforms. But this is the first time someone has come in with chili on their uniform.”

  He shook his head sadly and walked away. Rex and Jenna burst into laughter.

  “What? What’d I do?”

  ***

  I drew the blades Kyra had given me. They were a matching set of beautiful short swords. They were three feet long with double edged blades two and a half feet long. They were made with some exceptional steel and had intricate etching along the blades.

  In the center of our miniature version of the Dome I started the Dance. It had been a few days since I had been able to do this. When I really get into the Dance I can let loose of the rage in me and use its focus to add to it.

  I started at a normal pace for a Guard. I hadn’t noticed as several Guards had entered the Mini-Dome. And more began arriving as I proceeded into the Dance. After each completed run through the Dance, I would add speed and do it again.

  I completed seven repetitions before I Pulled as I had done while at the exhibition with Len Yueh. My focus sharpened and I glowed with Soulfire. As I finished the last stance, sweat rolling from me, I noticed that there were Guards crowded into the Dome, watching.

  It started on the far left when someone clapped, then the whole Dome echoed with applause. My face was burning a bit. I had been so focused, I didn’t even know they were there.

  “That’s awesome every time I see it, Boss,” Rictor said as he walked toward me.

  “Thanks,” I returned, “My mom trained me since I was five in the Dance. I didn’t even notice anyone was here.”

  “I actually came to see if you’d take some time to make sure the Guards have gotten the new shield working right. But I saw you start the Dance of Blades and sent for the others to watch. It really is something to see and none of us have seen it except a very few. I’d like to get you to do it again sometime for the ones who haven’t seen it.”

  “They should really see Kyra do it,” I said, “She’s a master at it.”

  “She’s very good but she’s not as fast as you,” Rictor said, “I never thought I’d be saying that Kyra Nightwing is not as fast as someone but you move like fluid lightning.”

  I felt a mix of embarrassment and pride. I guess Paige was right, I have a hard time taking compliments. I just try to do the best I can and most times I come up short of what I should have done.

  “Yeh, tell the Guards to come to me whenever they’re ready for me to check the shields. And I’ll do the dance again later if you guys want. Hell, if anybody’s interested, I’ll teach them the Dance of Blades. It looks like we’ll be here for a good while, maybe some of em want to learn it.”

  Chapter 38

  I still felt something to the north, it wasn’t Demons and it felt more urgent than before. I opened my Inner eye and looked northward. Something tugged at my awareness and I turned my truck north on highway 33 heading out of Knoxville.

  I drove for thirty minutes before I saw a glimmer of light from a very bright soul off to the left. I turned left on a small road and pulled the truck over. A small farmhouse stood in the center of a large piece of land in the distance, and inside that house was a beautiful Soul that glowed brighter than most.

  I drove into the driveway and headed toward the house. As I got out of the truck, a little girl opened the door and looked at me, her aura flowing with awe. Her Soulstream was enormous and her eyes were wide as she walked closer to me.

  “Are you a Angel?” she asked in awe, “You look like a Angel. You’re light is so bright. I prayed for a Angel cause Nana is sick and the monsters are coming to get me.”

  “The monster got my mommy last year. But she got the monster too. Now there’s another monster and it wants to get me.”

  As she said this, I saw the little girl’s memory of a Wraith and a woman Mage explode in a fiery maelstrom of power. The rage began to build and I flashed back to the death of my mother.

  “Ooooh, the monster got your mommy, too.”

  Then it hit me, she’d just read my memory like I do. She can
see streams and memories, she’s a Soullord.

  “You’re like me,” I said in wonder.

  “Nuhuh, You’re a Angel. I’m just a little girl,” she shook her head in determination.

  “Where is your Nana now?”

  “She’s inside,” the little girl started, then her head turned to the left and I read fear in her aura, “Oh no, the monsters are coming.”

  I looked the same direction she was and saw a darkness on the horizon.

  “Let’s get inside with your Nana,” I said and pulled my cell phone out to dial headquarters.

  “Yeah, boss?” Rictor answered.

  “Ric we have a code Zulu north of Knoxville, possibly with a Wraith. Get mobile and get here as quickly as you can. You’ll feel it when you get near.”

  “Gotcha boss, we’ll be right there.” the phone clicked.

  I ran to my truck and pulled my twin swords from behind the seat. Then I followed the little girl inside. A woman lay on the sofa, her aura was dim. She was very sick I lay my hand on her shoulder and Pulled very softly into myself and Pushed some life force into her.

  “Ooooh...” the little girl said as she saw what I had done.

  “Can’t do that too much or it will hurt her,” I informed her.

  I anchored to the ground and wove a shield around us.

  “I can do that,” she chirped and a smaller shield began weaving from her stream. “See?” she asked proudly.

  I dropped mine and smiled at the girl, “If you keep that shield in place, the monster can’t get in. Now let me outside of it.”

  “The monsters will get you,” she almost wailed.

  I smiled, “No, if I’m out there I’ll get them.”

  “Scaary Angel,” she said with wide eyes, “Do I take it down?”

  “No, just open a door in the front and close it after I go out,” I knelt in front of her, “The monsters will never get you, don’t be afraid. Just hold that shield up so Nana will be safe. Can you do that for me?”

  She nodded and opened a door for me. I smiled and walked out to stand in front of the shield. I opened my portal to turn on my personal shield and my swords flared with Soulfire.

  “Ooooh...” the little girl said as if she had found a new toy.

  I chuckled, she’s gonna be a handful, without a doubt.

  I saw the darkness grow close and the rage erupted in me. The end of the house was ripped away and the world slowed to a crawl as I began the Dance. In moments there wasn’t much left of the house around us, nor was there much left of the pile of lesser Demons that had ripped through the walls. The little girl stood, wide-eyed inside her shield, unhurt.

  Soldiers loped across the fields toward us and with a savage exultation, I went to meet them.

  “Look, Nana, the Angel is killing the monsters!”

  My swords blurred as I danced the Dance of Blades amongst them and more demons fell. I felt the Wraith before it got there and turned to meet it. I felt the little girl Pull and I felt fear. Fear for the little girl.

  But she was fine. A fireball hit the Wraith in the back of the head and it screamed and turned from me.

  “My Angel! Not yours!”

  It started for her and I leapt in front of it and opened up my Soullance. I still hadn’t perfected it but for sheer power it was unmatched.

  “Not today,” I said and Pulled.

  The power shot straight out the end of the tube in a huge lance of Soulfire. The Wraith screamed and tried to come closer to me. I poured more power into the lance and the Wraith roared one last time before exploding.

  “Ooooh...” she said again.

  Yep, she’s gonna be a handful.

  “More Angels!” she clapped in excitement as Rictor and twenty Guards came bounding across the fields.

  I turned to the rest of the pack of Demons and charged into them. Rictor roared in pure glee as he slammed into the back of the pack of Demons and the Guards went through them like a hot knife through butter.

  In moments it was over, all the Demons were dead and Rictor walked over to me, “You’re a shit magnet, Colin, everywhere you go...” Rictor saw the girl behind me, “Stuff happens!”

  I laughed and turned to the little girl, “Rictor, this is,” I paused, “What’s your name little Angel?”

  “I’m Lyrica Jayne and this is Nana,” she introduced the woman who had managed to sit up on the sofa. “Nana, this is the Angel, He killed the monster and the monster didn’t get us.”

  I nodded to the woman and looked again at Lyrica, “You can take down the shield now, it’s safe.”

  “Did I do good?”

  “You did real good,” I answered and she ran up and gave me a hug. She pulled me toward Nana.

  “Thank you, Young Man,” The older woman said with gratitude rolling across her aura, “You saved our lives and we will be forever grateful. But what do we do now? There will be more of them, there’s always more.”

  “No there won’t. I’ll take you somewhere safe,” I couldn’t think of anywhere safer than the compound in Montana. The Elite Guards were there and Gregor and the Mages were there.

  As I thought of Kyra and Kharl, Lyrica gasped, “You got a new mommy! Do you think I can get one? I really miss my mommy.”

  I knelt in front of her again, “I think you may get a lot of new mommies Lyrica Jayne. And I will gladly share mine with you.”

  She wrapped her little arms around my neck and cried for the first time since I’d seen her.

  Chapter 39

  Lyrica and Georgia, aka Nana, were asleep in the private cabin, on the plane. I called Gregor.

  “Hello, Colin,” he answered.

  “Greg, I’m on my way back to Montana with someone you need to see.”

  “Really?”

  “Oh yeah, I’ve found someone like me, and we need to figure out how this is gonna work. They are not blocking this girl. You know I know how to prevent that, and I’ll show her how. Demons have hounded her since she was born, they killed her mother and I want her trained to defend herself.”

  “Calm down, Col,” He said soothingly, “I can’t guarantee that. But you’ll have to get here first to discuss this.”

  “Just mark my words, Greg, they’ll have to kill me before they block this little girl from the Source. You’ve seen what I can do. Imagine how many lives would have been saved if I had been able to train in Mage craft as well as Guard. I know how many, One hundred and twenty-two lives, Gregor. That’s how many people died at Morndel that didn't need to.

  “This girl will not have those lives on her conscience, Greg.”

  “I understand, Colin,” he paused for a moment, “And I’ll back you all the way, boy.”

  “Thank you, Sir.”

  I hung up the phone and dialed another number.

  “Hello, Son,” her voice answered.

  “Hi, Mom, I need a favor...”

  ***

  As the door opened on the side of the plane, Lyrica peeked out to see seventeen women standing in a line waiting for the plane. The first in line was Kyra.

  There were fifteen female Soulguards at the compound at the moment and all of them had come for this. There were also two Mages, Paige Turner and Nora Kestril.

  Lyrica's eyes went wide as she saw all of them.

  “They’re here to meet you Little Angel,” I whispered in her ear.

  “Me?”

  “Yep,” I nodded, “Go say hi.”

  Lyrica climbed down the stair and walked hesitantly over to Kyra, who reached down to lift the tiny girl into her arms.

  “My Angel said he would share his mommy with me cause the monsters took my mommy. Is it ok?”

  “It’s just fine you little sweetheart,” Kyra answered and hugged her tight. The other women closed in and crowded around Lyrica and her Soul glowed brightly.

  I smiled and felt a hand on my arm. Georgia stood beside me with tears running down her face.

  “Thank you,” was all she said.

  ***<
br />
  “A fireball?” Gregor asked incredulously, “She’s six, Colin.”

  “She’s like me, Greg, She can see all of it. She saw her mother shoot fireballs at demons and watched how she did it. I can see myself at her age doing the same if I’d seen Mages do it.”

  “I got the approval for training,” Gregor said, “Mainly because she scares the shit out of them all. She’s got more power in her Soulstream than me and Nora both. The only Mage with more power than her is the Archmage.”

  “And when I hinted that someone already knows how to prevent a block, and might have told her how, they jumped right on the bandwagon. No one as very enthusiastic about having a backlash like a certain group of Mages did.”

  “That’s a relief, Greg,” I exhaled slowly, “I really don’t want to start a war at home. I just can’t stand by and watch history repeat itself.”

  “Have you seen her in the last week?” he asked.

  “No, she’s running around with the Guard,” I laughed, “Mom says she’s been attached to her like a leech since she got here. Once she figures out that she’s really not leaving her she’ll probably be a handful to keep up with.”

  “She got her Soulstream knotted in less than a day and she’s been bouncing around Ky like another youngster she talked about,” he laughed.

  “You’re the one in trouble, though,” He smirked, “You’re her hero and now you have to live up to that status. Never shirk in your hero duties and never show up without a special gift.”

  “Oh crap, what do I give a six year old? Where’s a gift shop?” I was panicking a little and Gregor laughed aloud.

  He handed me a small box, “Chocolate works for girls of all ages.”

  ***

  “Angel!!”

  A high pitched Squeal assailed my ears followed by a high speed projectile. I caught her with my right arm and held my left behind my back. She squirmed and tried to look over my shoulder.