Looming Shadow: Journey to Chaos book 2

by Brian Wilkerson

  “Nolien, Illumination Orbs now. I want to see this entire courtyard. Tiza, keep an eye on the surroundings. If anything approaches, tell me. Sias, I need you to help her monitor and take care of any hostiles that remain in or around the castle.”

  Nolien quickly cast Illumination Orbs and threw them into the sky. Like floodlights, they illuminated the entire area. Tiza closed her eyes and looked over the entire area with her Third Eye. It was all she could do to keep from squeeing in glee. This was her father’s legacy!

  Sias signed rapidly while staring at him with narrowed eyes. Basilard smiled awkwardly and signed in response. The others didn’t know what he said but, whatever it was, it didn’t pacify her. Instead, she puffed up in anger and marched to the other end of the camp where she occupied herself by brushing her hair.

  “Let me guess,” Nolien said. “She’s mad because you weren’t worried about her during the attack and neither did you look for her when you noticed her absence because you didn’t notice her absence. You didn’t even ask ‘are you okay’ before giving orders.”

  “I said I have faith in her ability to take care of herself.”

  “That translates into ‘I don’t care about you’ and, in your case, ‘I was leading you on for my amusement’ because of your early flirting.”

  “It does!?”

  Nolien sighed. “This is why you don’t have an heir yet.”

  Tiza sighed. “Even I would be mad if a guy I liked treated me like that.”

  Basilard pretended he didn’t hear them and turned his attention to Haburt. Standing over him, he placed his hand on the man’s head.

  “There are two ways we can do this: You can tell me the truth or you can lie and your blood will turn into poison. Bladicraft will tell me the difference. Which do you prefer?”

  “The first, please.”

  “Where is Eric?”

  “Straight to the point, I see. In exchange for Eric –”

  “You are in no position to bargain.”

  “You are in a hurry! Do you have time to negotiate?”

  Basilard snarled. “What is it?”

  “I want you to guarantee my daughter’s safety. My own as well if possible, but my daughter’s –”

  “Your daughter is dead. That’s why you kidnapped Tiza; to brainwash her into thinking she was your daughter.”

  “That was my back-up plan! I tried to bring her back! I called in a favor from Nulso to get her soul back and he pointed me in the direction of someone who could make her a new body.”

  “My uncle,” Basilard hissed. “The Exile. The Crimson Killer.”

  “He calls himself ‘Mr.15’ these days. He almost succeeded eight years ago, and if you hadn’t destroyed his laboratory, I would have my daughter back and we wouldn’t be here!”

  “It’s Daylra’s fault you kidnapped me because he stopped Bad Blood from doing unrelated evil stuff? What kind of warped logic is that?”

  “Tiza, hush. I need you focused on dangers outside of this circle. As for you, Professor, I don’t think The Exile would give up so easily.”

  “Yes. Even without the original soul, he said it was possible.”

  “Implant memories, steal a girl’s soul, and implant it in the body so the body won’t rot.”

  For the first time that evening, Haburt grinned. “We’re not so different.”

  “Daylra, what’s he talking about?”

  “He’s familiar with the process. Carbon Copying is one of the Bladi’s clans Forbidden Arts and he’s too familiar for casual interest.”

  The novices looked to him and he grasped BloodDrinker’s hilt in an effort to remain calm.

  “I can empathize with you, Professor, but the difference between us is that I never snatched a girl from her mother’s lap!”

  His grip tightened so much that Haburt screamed in pain.

  “Daylra stop!” Nolien shouted. “You’re going to kill him!”

  Basilard didn’t stop and blood appeared in five points on Haburt’s head.

  “Dragon’s Lair Charter Article Number Three: Never Kill the Client!”

  Basilard paused.

  “The Mother Dragon says, ‘We are professionals, not mongrels.’”

  Basilard let go and stepped back. Nolien rushed forward and worked his healing magic. There was bruising, bleeding, and even cracks. He was fortunate his patient was a greater mage, because otherwise, his spirit might have fled its damaged vessel. His magic was inadequate to the task, but he kept Haburt stable enough for Basilard to calm down and finish the job himself.

  “Please accept my apologies, Professor Haburt. I shouldn’t have lost my temper.”

  Haburt remained dazed momentarily as the magic moved on from mending external damage to internal damage to relieving the concussion and restoring full consciousness. He blinked, made a face, and then cleared his throat.

  “Apology accepted, Chief Bladi. Do we have a deal?”

  “Sure. Even though your ‘daughter’ was created through a number of crimes, she is not responsible for any of them. If she’s already alive and sapient, then I will make sure she leaves the country safely. You have my word. Now where is Eric?”

  “He’s either around here fighting clones, nearby because he escaped, or being taken to Mount Heios as we speak.”

  “Is that where The Exile is hiding?”

  “Yes.”

  “Team, we’re moving.”

  “Wait, shouldn’t we find out more about the situation?”

  “I know where The Exile is and I am fairly certain he has my student. That’s enough.”

  “The Mother Dragon says, ‘Going into a mission without knowing the whole situation is like starting a duel with a blindfold and earplugs.’”

  “Fine. Professor, explain.”

  “This mission was a trap designed by myself, Nulso, and Mr.15. I wanted my daughter back, Nulso wanted Eric out of the way, and Mr.15 wanted a number of things like revenge, your sword, and an elfin battery. To get them, we were going to kidnap your students. My role was to draw you here and keep you here until you were sufficiently weakened from the local atmosphere. When the time was right, I was to send him a message to send in his clones and aid in kidnapping Tiza.”

  “Why me?”

  “Tiza, focus!”

  “You’re not a mage. We deemed you the weak link.”

  Basilard chuckled. “Obviously, you don’t know how our guild works. She’s the team’s shield. Her job is to protect the mages. You should have gone after Nolien.”

  Tiza burst out laughing. Nolien was less amused.

  “Really, Daylra?”

  “Why did you judge tonight to be the time?”

  “Eric was the highest priority target and he was tired from practicing mana compression. When you told him to leave the campfire and return the skull, I judged he would be at his most vulnerable because the skull would distract him, so I sent the message. Zettai’s preparations for departure, Nolien’s inclination to stop her, and your habit of going off into the darkness with Sias meant you would be divided and more vulnerable still.”

  “What about the plan of attack?”

  “A trio was to attack each of you, but Sias deserved two trios because of her power in addition to the same honey-pot trap we set for you.”

  “What about the Exile himself? Did he sit at home for all this?”

  Tiza jumped behind Basilard and crossed her arms. Blood-red light exploded against them and pushed her backwards. She recovered and returned fire towards empty air at the edge of the Illumination Orbs’ radiance. Following her cue, Nolien generated two dozen mana bolts and fired them in a fishing-net formation with Tiza’s bolt as the center. Several in the bottom left struck something and so Nolien aimed a Dispel at that area. It tore away the interloper’s Dark Veil, revealing his identity.

  “You trained the second batch well, dear nephew.”

  His face was covered by a mask of a legendary creature that fed on blood. Only his red hair and red
eyes were visible. A crimson cloth embroidered in gold wrapped his neck and covered his jugular vein. At his waist, he wore a belt that held two scabbards, one of them empty. Over his shoulder, unconscious, was Eric.

  “EXILE!”

  Basilard drew BloodDrinker and the blade hummed with pleasure at its wielder’s bloodlust. Mr.15 waggled his finger disapprovingly.

  “Don’t you recognize Bladi Cannibalism, dear nephew? I used his power to create that Dark Veil. I could shut off his brain in a heartbeat.”

  “What do you want, Diseased Blood?”

  “Name calling? I thought I raised you better than that, dear nephew. In any case, what I want should be obvious. Why don’t we discuss it at my new home? I’ll make snacks.”

  The ground underneath his feet melted and he began to sink. Sias stood, holding up her skirts with one hand and pointing at Mr.15 with the other.

  “You can bring your earth lady with you. I’d love to meet your first girlfriend in fifteen years.”

  He remained calm despite sinking. By now, he was buried up to his knees. It was disturbing to the novices.

  “By the way, Eric put up a jolly good fight. He was blasting, dodging, striking, and sneaking around invisibly. You did a good job training him. Not quite as good a job as Haru, but then again, you had more time with him. Once I make a clone of this one, we can have a match!”

  Only his waist and above were still visible.

  “Until then, goodbye.”

  He disappeared and teleported out of Sias’ quicksand as if it didn’t exist.

  Chapter 13 Transformation in the Mountain of Fog

  Basilard sheathed BloodDrinker and regulated his breathing until his eyes stopped glowing. Then, with great gentleness, he took Sias' hand into his own and brought it to his lips.

  “Thank you for your hospitality, milady, but I must attend to pressing business.”

  She looked away from him disdainfully and pulled her hand loose.

  “Tiza, Nolien, stay here and –”

  “With all due respect, Daylra, we can’t obey such an order.”

  “We’re coming with you, got it?”

  “It’s too dangerous,” Basilard said.

  “For you to go alone; yes, it is. You’ll need my Third Eye.”

  “The Mother Dragon says, ‘When two healers travel together, they are immortal.’”

  Basilard shoved them into a tent and began a containment spell. As he chanted, Nolien made an eloquent speech about the guild values of family and unity and other things that made Tiza roll her eyes. She knew that would only solidify their mentor's resolve and indeed Basilard chanted faster. So the fighter did what she knew would work.

  “Is this exile more powerful than you?”

  As she suspected, he stopped.

  “Even with BloodDrinker, you failed to kill him last time. With a sufficient degree of power, he could shatter anything you make. Leaving us here is likely part of his plan. You would naturally do the opposite of what you did last time, thus leaving us here unprotected.”

  There was a pause and, at last, Basilard dismissed the unfinished spell.

  “Tiza, Sathel taught you too well.”

  Tiza beamed.

  “Nolien, Tsilear didn't teach you well enough.”

  Nolien frowned.

  To Tiza, Basilard said, “Would you like to change before we leave?”

  “Are you kidding? We don't have time for that; Dimwit needs us now.” She marched out of the castle with her skirts swaying in time with her steps. “On the plus side, I won't have to clean it after all the zombies I'm gonna kill.”

  Zettai joined Tiza's free side. “I owe Eric for rescuing me and teaching me. This is the least I can do in return. If nothing else, I can be your lizard’s tail.”

  “Nolien, make sure it doesn’t come to that.”

  “Yes, Daylra.”

  “Sias, may I count on you to watch the prisoner?”

  The lady delayed her response until a second before Basilard gave up hope that she would give one. A quick sign affirmed her agreement. Nolien whispered into Basilard’s ear and he signed several more words to the effect of how much he would miss her, apologized for putting her in danger, and mixed in shameless flattery. In response, she gave him a small smile before quickly turning cold again.

  Smiling himself, Basilard stuck Zettai and Tiza under his arms and jumped off the cliff. Nolien bowed to Sias and followed him. Zettai shrieked as wind whipped around her in freefall, but no one else did. Air Disks formed under the feet of the mages and slowed their descent. The Illumination Orbs from earlier followed them and lit their path.

  “Daylra, I appreciate the view from here, but is there not a way for you to teleport us directly to the mountain? Going there on foot will take hours.”

  “Teleportation is not in my skillset. A mage of your education should understand how difficult it is and how much more difficult it will be in this area.”

  “Then how did Mr.15 accomplish it?”

  “My guess is necrocraft. Death is everywhere and so his servants learn to travel great distances quickly. He probably drains people dry of their kon and saves it for times like this.”

  “Like in the stories people tell about him,” Nolien said coldly.

  In the light of the Illumination Orbs, they saw a massacre. Dead bodies littered the base of the mountain. There was a full score of them and many were children. All of them were pale and withered but still warm to the touch. Nolien inspected them further and frowned.

  “There’s definitely no more kon, but there’s plenty of paku, which means the soul is still there. That can’t be right.”

  Basilard drew BloodDrinker. “What about necrocraft?”

  “I haven’t read that –”

  A corpse snatched his ankle just as Basilard pulled him back. His finger brushed Nolien’s skin for only a second and it sent a chill up his spin. The corpse stood up, followed by the others. Twenty hostiles faced them on three sides.

  “This is why Regulars need to read that far!”

  Glassy-eyed stares, open mouths, and loose limbs; caricature of the living people they used to be. Sparks of black lights arched from one to the other. In a listless tone, they chanted,

  “Kon…Kon …Kon…Kon …”

  They advanced on the group, and Basilard barrier-blocked them. The force of it knocked many of them on their butts and they had difficulty getting up again. Sparks of black light jumped back and forth between them and they coordinated their effort.

  “Necrocraft zombies linked into a hive. Then there must be a hive queen around here.”

  “Looking for me?”

  A human-sized monkey swaggered forward. A bone horn grew out of his forehead, but he was no longer wearing an outdated suit. This one was brand new. Its red jacket was bright and its black undershirt was unblemished. The suit pants, which shared both colors, were crisp and pressed. Each piece was decorated in symbols of blood or swords. Yet, despite the sharpness of the new suit, it was the man’s face that captured Basilard’s attention.

  There was no fur at all and the skin underneath was pale as chalk. His eyes were sunken and black. On his forehead, a name was chiseled that made Basilard snarl.

  “Where’s that professor? I want to rub my new power in his face before I crush it.”

  “Governor Caffour, my apologies for your misfortune. I can reverse the transform –”

  Caffour screeched like the monkey he appeared to be, and the sound reverbed in the darkness. He leaned over on his knees, it was so intense.

  “Are you stupid? The outside may produce strong spirits, but the minds are pathetic! I have power! Real power! My soul is channeling ten lifetimes worth of bon or sown, or whatever you call ‘life energy.’ I took it from them and made them into my servants! After decades of groveling to the Powers That Be, that power is now ME! Why would I want you to reverse this?!”

  “It will kill you,” Basilard said. “It’s killing you right now.”
>
  “We’re all dying right now. Only the elves, avatars, and other immortals are not dying at this very moment.” He held up his hand and it shined with the black light of necrocraft. “I was misguided by hypocrites like you. The Crimson Killer did not come to destroy our town, but to save it!”

  Black light poured out of him and his skin shrank further back. Black spots grew in random places and he hunched forward slightly.

  “It is only through dying that we gain eternal life.”

  “He’s too far gone,” Basilard said to his novices.

  “You’re too far gone!”

  Caffour punched Basilard’s barrier with five lifetimes in his fist and shattered it like a sugar pane. Then it continued unhindered to Basilard himself. He ducked and sprang into his own punch, catching Caffour in the stomach and knocking him back. The zombie slaves pounced.

  Tiza cut off the arm of one and the head of another, but they pressed in by sheer numbers. They grabbed her and pulled her away from the others. By their sheer weight, they held her arms behind her back and pushed her to her knees. Nolien suffered a similar fate, and Zettai as well. While Basilard was too strong even for the bigger zombified beastfolk, he stopped fighting when he saw the claws at his students’ jugulars. He dropped his hands, slipped out of a fighting stance, and unfurled his spirit.

  The blast hit the zombies directly but did not subdue them. Another spirit was bracing them against his power. Caffour sneered again.

  “Yes, I can do that trick now too. So useful for proving one’s superiority, isn’t it?” He screeched a second time.

  “How can you possibly do this?”

  “A boost from my partner’s patron. My soul is no longer the puny mortal soul it was when you arrived. It is divine. I am a god!”

  Even as he said this, his skin shrank further and the smell of rotting meat hovered over him.

  “You sold your soul to a renegade reaper. When you die, you will be his slave forever.”

  “Shut up! Shut up, or I’ll kill your precious students!”

  One zombie twisted Tiza’s arm. Another pulled Nolien’s hair. A third pushed Zettai’s face into the dirt. Basilard glared at the undead monkey. Caffour showed his teeth in response; yellow and on the verge of falling out.