Sentinels of Creation

by Robert W. Ross

  “I don’t—” she began.

  He waved it way. “Sorry, don’t worry about it. Timey Wimey, Wibbly Wobbly. You were nineteen then, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “And I didn’t show you how to channel my power?”

  She shook her head, “No, Kellan, nothing like that. You just helped us repair the cottage and gave me some magic clothes that stopped knives and things.”

  The Sentinel looked her up and down. “And what happened to that, looks like you are wearing regular leathers.”

  Shannon stomped her foot and became indignant, “Well, they got worn out, Kellan Thorne. It’s been over five years. Five, you negligent bastard!”

  Donal and Oren looked at each other and turned to watch for immediate threats.

  “Yeah, um, well,” said Kellan as Shannon put her hands on her hips and glared at him. He looked down at her side. “Let me get that arrow out, then I’ll try to explain the channeling.”

  She slapped his hand away. “No, you stupid man. You don’t pull an arrow out in the middle of a fight. I could bleed to death. It’s stopping things up fine right where it is. Leave it be.”

  He reached again and said, “No, you could catch it on something and—”

  “And I said, no!” Shannon slapped him hard across the face and Kellan felt power rush from him. Her eyes burst to light and she stumbled back a step. “What?” she cried, “what’s happening to me?”

  Donal looked back at her outburst and poked Oren. “She’s a Sentinel too, Oren. Look at her. She’s a Sentinel too.”

  “No, I’m not,” yelled Shannon. “Make it stop Kellan Thorne. You take this back. It’s burning me on the inside.”

  “They are coming,” yelled Oren. “And they aren’t using fire. I’m not going to be able to do much against them.”

  Kellan tried to remain calm as he looked into Shannon’s brightly glowing eyes. He remembered how Micah had taught him, what felt like so long ago. He could hear his old master’s voice.

  Fire, Kellan. Fire is the easiest. Direct it there just as you saw me do. Convert the raw energy to fire and have it well up beneath the outcropping.

  He pointed to the advancing Kobold and two, as yet, unidentified creatures to either side of it. “Fire, Shannon, the power seeks to be released and that’s what you are feeling. Release it.” He pointed. “Release it at them.”

  Shannon shook her head in negation. “I don’t know how. It’s burning me Kellan, I feel as if I’m on fire. Make it stop!”

  The young Sentinel grabbed her hand and embraced his power. He saw two reserves now. One within him coursing like a mighty river and a smaller more hesitant version within her. Nurisha he thought Nurisha help her. In his mind’s eye, he saw her glowing form rise up from the river. She smiled at him and begin running toward the bank. Faster and faster she ran until she was but a glowing blur of green energy, then she leaped and Kellan felt a tearing sensation as the form broke free from within him to land moments later beside the smaller stream within Shannon.

  He watched as the Soulborn’s eyes widened in amazement and then understanding. He saw her countenance darken with resolve as she turned toward the oncoming assailants. Shannon thrust out a closed fist twisted her hand and opened it. As she did so, a gout of green tinted fire burst forth and lanced toward the three. They scattered in different directions and Kellan was about to channel himself, when he saw her fire split into three separate tongues and each bury themselves into one of the creatures.

  A moment later he felt a jolt as Nurisha reentered his consciousness and he heard her voice in his head. She’s an impressive one. She wields me with an instinctual grace you may never have. Perhaps Micah should have chosen a woman.

  Shannon turned to him as her eyes dimmed. She grinned dangerously as she reached for his hand. “I want some more.”

  Chapter 5

  A Soulborn's Love

  Kellan laughed despite the situation as he felt her hand slide up his and grasp his wrist. Power raced out of him and her eyes came alight. Her lips parted and she sucked in a breath.

  “Stay with me,” yelled Kellan and pulled his hand free. “Watch what I do. The power responds to understanding and intent. Stick to things you understand and firmly fix in your mind what you want to happen.” He whipped both hands into the air and yelled “Thunderclouds! Picture them in your mind, Shannon. Picture dark clouds, shaped like anvils with flat bottoms and filled with lightning ready to streak down. Will them into existence and channel the power.”

  She watched for the barest of moments while half a dozen dark clouds burst into the formerly bright blue sky, then lifted her own arms up. “Tàirneanach!” she shouted and four new clouds sprang into being to join Kellan’s six.

  Kellan called over to her. “Good job! Now watch this.” He motioned again and the air warped around all four of them as shields snapped in place.

  “What did you do?” she asked.

  “They are shields. Picture making the air thick and strong like a metal or wood shield and then angle it against whatever comes near you so that it glances off rather than takes the full brunt of the force. They will last longer that way.”

  “Ok, I’ll try.”

  “No, not now. Later if you need to. I’ve got them right now. Keep your focus on the clouds. If you forget about them, they will vanish. Be ready to call down the lightning.”

  “What? How?”

  “Just wait. I’ll show you. Now, what are those things. The talking dog is a Kobold. I get that. Haven’t seen one before but I’ve heard of them. What are the others?”

  Oren had slipped back next to Kellan and turned to him. “The crippled looking thing with the grey skin and long nails is a Ghoul. Very tough to kill. Even decapitation doesn’t work completely. You have to burn them to ash.”

  Donal chimed in. “The other ones are Wraiths. They have a stinger that will try to pierce your skull. If they do, you’re dead. Decapitation works on them just fine.”

  There seemed to be about twenty of the creatures mixed with half of them being Kobolds and half again of those being the Shamanic types each carrying one of the bone staves.

  Donal raised a bow at one of the shaman and loosed. His arrow glance off at an acute angle and caused the air to ripple with a blood-red aura. “The dog-shamen are making shields. I see them,” yelled Kellan. “Listen. I’ll take them out. You guys concentrate on the other ones. Shannon, don’t run out of power without getting back to me. Picture the river in your mind, when it runs low, come to me.”

  She nodded and Kellan started to run towards the group. “What about the lightning, I don’t know how to—”

  “Watch,” he screamed over his shoulder as he drew deep from his river of power. Green ribbons wrapped all around his body and the runes running down his arms gleamed so brightly that she could not stare at them directly.

  Kellan placed a tight gravity bubble around himself and leaped into the air while forming a small portal slightly above and to the left. He placed his foot on the very edge of the portal and propelled himself higher then skimmed the portal to where his right foot was about to land. Again he pushed and the three below him gaped in amazement as Kellan stair stepped his way into the sky. Shannon kept a keen eye on him as he motioned expansively from the clouds toward the advancing horde. She gasped as words filled her mind almost as if he were whispering softly in her ear.

  The lightning is in the clouds. It is waiting for you, my love. Just picture where it should go. Fix its destination firmly in your mind and tell it to travel there. It is what it wants to do so it will need little encouragement. Watch it fly!

  The sky burst with blue white light followed a scant second later by six thunderous booms as lighting streaked down from Kellan’s thunderheads to strike kobolds, ghouls, and wraiths alike. The Sentinel was falling now at an angle directly toward the creatures. Shannon could see the shaman all raise their staves in his direction and her stomach lurched.

  Kellan! She scr
eamed in her mind, but she immediately felt his calm resolve.

  I have this, Highlander. Half these moves I learned from you, now cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war.

  She tried to convey confusion through their mental link and was infuriated to sense his laugher in response. Blast them my love, let loose the lightning and teach them never to raise a hand against the Soulborn of Order. Shannon took a deep breath and stared at her four clouds as they billowed about menacingly. She pointed at them with both hand and then looked at the scattering creatures. She screamed in fury and threw her hands at those closest to them. Again the sky split with bright streaks and thunder. Two Kobolds, a ghoul, and a wraith were enveloped by the lightning. They fell with great gaping wounds that emitted wisps of fetid steam. Only the ghoul continued to move. It dragged itself toward them when one of Donal’s arrows caught it in the eye, pinning its head to the ground.

  For his part Kellan continued hurtling toward the pack, but the Shamanic Kobolds had just released their own attack in a concerted effort to stop the Sentinel. Shannon reached out with both hands and Kellan saw the air warp in front of him as a shield snapped in place. He smiled. Nurisha was right, she was quite the quick study, but he had different plans. Just before their magical energies reached him, a narrow portal rotated into being and Kellan fell through it.

  As sometimes happens in battles, everything seemed to slow, then pause for a fragment of time as all eyes stared at the spot where Kellan had vanished. The moment passed and there was a hissing sound as the first Kobold shaman’s head was cleaved cleanly from its body. Behind them, a portal winked out and before it stood Kellan as he completed the arc with his gleaming Sentinel’s sword. The remaining four Shaman turned and tried to bring their staves to bear but two were immediately brought down by streaks of lightning. The third Kobold managed to get off a bolt which Kellan deflected while the fourth found himself impaled on the Sentinel’s sword.

  The battle continued in a macabre dance of daggers, swords, and arrows, each singing its own dark song. More than once, Kellan saw a bright flash of red as Shannon twisted or turned toward him long enough to touch and draw forth fresh power. She moved like a force of nature. Twisting and turning even as she became ever more adept with shield, lightning, and fire.

  Kellan wasn’t sure how long it had been since the last of the creatures fell or fled but he knew it was more than just a few minutes. He took deep, measured breaths as the battle fury faded and looked around. Everyone was there and alive, but Oren lay slumped in the grass being cradled by Donal. Shannon ran toward him and Kellan moved to join them.

  He was pale and covered with a sickly sheen of sweat. His left arm bore a wickedly deep gash that was black around the edges with a dark blue line creeping up toward his chest.

  Donal looked at Shannon and, after making sure Oren couldn’t see him, shook his head in answer to her unspoken question. She sank down beside the young man and held his good hand in hers. He smiled. “You were amazing Shannon. Like a shining goddess of vengeance. I am lucky to have lived to see that.”

  Kellan knelt beside the three and gently lifted Oren’s wounded arm as Shannon spoke softly. “You are quite the flatterer, Oren. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were sweet on me.” Kellan glanced up and Donal caught his eye. The younger man had tears in his eyes as the two shared a silent thought.

  Oren coughed and stared up at Shannon. “I’ve always been sweet on you. You know that, but now I can say it for true. I don’t want to die without you knowing it, so now you do.”

  Kellan could see her try to hide the surprise behind a gentle smile. “No one is dying today boyoh. You’ll be flirting again with all the girls before the sun rises, I’ll tell you that for nothing.”

  Oren closed his eyes, “I don’t think so and that’s all right. I never much liked flirting with anyone but—you.” Kellan pressed his hand hard against the wound and Oren screamed in pain.

  “Kellan,” yelled Shannon and Donal together, but were silenced by his firm stare. His eyes were alight and tendrils of power coursed down his right arm and into Oren’s.

  The Sentinel turned to his Soulborn and smiled. “I don’t think this is too bad. I should be able to fix it, but it may seem a bit shocking. I can heal him, but only by taking the wound on myself. It’s gonna hurt like a son-of-a-bitch but I should be ok.”

  Shannon shook her head and the last light of the day seemed to glint off her hair as she did so. “You’ll die, Kellan. There is no remedy for a ghoul’s death bile.”

  “Poison and disease can’t touch me, my love. I’ll be fine. It may not look like I’ll be fine, but I will be. Just keep me warm and still if I’m unable to do that for myself.” Shannon started to nod but then stumbled sideways, causing Kellan to reach out and steady her. The Sentinel looked down at the arrow which still protruded from her side and said, “Are you going to let me remove that now, or shall we wait for it to fester?”

  The Soulborn tried to glare at him but she could summon no heat for the effort. “Aye,” she said weakly, “best you tend to it now.” She looked worriedly to Oren and added, “But what about him?”

  Kellan’s eyes flashed to life and his Sentinel’s sword manifested, then shrank to form a small, razor sharp, dagger. “This will only take a moment, Shan. Just stay still, while I notch the head-end of this arrow. I was given very specific instructions not to just pull it out. I need to break off one end and pull through from the other.”

  Shannon spoke through clenched teeth as Kellan worked. “Obviously. What idiot would have tried to simply pull a barbed arrow free of flesh?” Kellan didn’t answer, but handed her a strip of leather he’d cut from one of the packs. Shannon was about to bite down on it when she sighed and said, “Well, I can see that you are that idiot, Kellan Thorne so then who do I thank for not having my entire side ripped open?”

  The Sentinel glanced up as he gripped both sides of the arrow, “You, have you to thank, Highlander.”

  “Me?” she said in surprise, “How could I—”

  “Future you,” Kellan said, then quickly snapped off the arrowhead while simultaneously pulling the shaft free of her body, and channeling fine tongues of ordered power to cauterize the wounds. Shannon bit down hard on the leather and locked her eyes with Kellan’s. “I’m sorry,” he said, “It’s going to feel better soon, concentrate on healing, and the power you’ve borrowed from me will do the work. It’s not instant, but it is fast.”

  Shannon shook her head, wiped the sheen of sweat from her face, and said , “I’ll be fine, you take care of Oren.”

  Kellan nodded, then closed closed his eyes and looked inward.

  Ready Nurisha? He thought and heard the immediate response.

  Always and for forever, my Sentinel. Agape is the essence of love. Heal your friend.

  Kellan felt an intensely painful burning in his arm and heard someone scream. He hoped the person screaming hadn’t been him, but was pretty sure it was. He let the darkness take him, but heard snippets of conversation from the misty side of consciousness.

  Shannon commanding: Get a blanket from my horse.

  Donal worried: His arm looks just as bad as Oren’s did.

  Oren softly: Why would he do that? That’s twice he’s saved me.

  Shannon hopeful: Look, the wound is closing and the black is almost gone.

  Oren in a whisper: Why did he keep calling her ‘his love.’

  Donal in response: I don’t know, but look at her watching him. You have to let her go, Oren, she was never yours.

  Then there was silence and Kellan drifted deeper into the void.

  Kellan felt his head being gently lifted. He opened his eyes and met those of Shannon as she held a cup to his lips. They felt dry and cracked.

  She smiled softly. “Drink. It’s been the better part of a day and a half.”

  Kellan took a tentative sip then groaned, “I don’t feel so good.”

  “I imagine not, but then you are the first person I
’ve ever known to survive ghoul death bile.” Kellan struggled a bit and felt her free arm behind his back. “Do you want to sit up? Is that it?” He nodded. “All right then, let me help you.”

  The Sentinel took a deep breath and looked up into the crystal clear night sky. Stars were laid out in a quilt of bright pinpricks like nothing he ever saw in his own time. He felt the nausea fade and lowered his gaze to Shannon. He smiled at her and she slid a lock of hair behind her left ear in an unconsciously nervous gesture that Kellan knew well. “What?” she asked.

  Her face was streaked with dirt in a number of places and with small cuts and scratches in others. Kellan gently stroked her cheek with the back of a finger and laughed softly. “What?” she asked again and Kellan could feel her nervousness take on an edge of frustration.

  “Nothing really, you are just a bit younger than when I last saw you.”

  Her brow furrowed. “What are you saying, you daft man? I am younger than when you saw me yesterday?”

  Kellan sighed. “No, younger than when I last saw you in Atlanta.”

  Recognition filled her eyes. “Oh, I was in Atlanta was I.” She paused. “I mean I will be. When will I be?”

  “Couple years from now. I don’t want to say too much, could create problems.”

  She nodded solemnly. “The pair of dogs problem, you spoke about that last time.”

  “Last time? What pair of dogs?”

  “When you were here five years ago. You helped repair the cottage, remember. You nearly got yourself burned as a witch. Father forbid me to every speak with you again. It was a lovely visit, Kellan, I don’t know how you could forget it.”

  He sighed. “Hasn’t happened for me yet. I must come back again and go there.”

  She wrinkled her nose in confusion and Kellan reached out tapping it lightly. “I love when you do that.”

  She slapped his hand away. “Do what?”

  “You wrinkle your nose when you’re confused.”