by S C Gowland
Romina grunted her approval.
‘You are right, I suppose when we left Vanguard, I did wonder what all this was about. As usual Kubrean doesn't always tend to give much away. Everything we really need is with us. So...’
‘So…’ said Zahara with a raised eyebrow
‘It appears we have been freed under the watchful eye of our Grey Master and a newly found father.’ said Romina cocking her head.
‘Freedom? You really see it like that?’
Romina pursed her lips. In truth she wasn’t sure how she felt about it, but the word seemed right and that was good enough for her.
‘Do you suppose that they would have let this happen if we were not ready?’ she challenged back.
‘Maybe.’ said Zahara. ‘Kubrean has been known to take some risks letting his heart overrule his head.’
Romina shook her head and raised a hand.
‘No.’ she said sternly, a wave of sickness washing over her, ‘ I don’t want to discuss that and besides this is different, he wants us here.’
‘Why?’ asked Zahara face suddenly serious.
Romina hesitated.
It was a good point. Why were they here? They had no unique or special skills that the group did not already possess. And if anything, the group had gone to considerable time and effort to bring them to Prava. This was before she took into account the significant and very obvious rift between them and their father.
She shook her head dismissively.
‘That doesn’t really matter.’ she said trying to sound more confident than she actually felt.
Zahara snorted. ‘You can fool the others, but you can’t fool me. It is a big world out there, you know, Vanguard is not the entirety of it.’
‘I know.‘ replied Romina, flicking at crumbs on the table.
Zahara grinned, knowing she had made her point.
‘Whatever is out there and whatever is required of us we will be fine. No harm will come to us.’
Zahara sighed, ‘I’m sure you are right, just don’t be so blasé about it. You’re meant to be the older smarter sister; remember?’
‘Good job I am then.’ She said raising an eyebrow, reaching towards Dref with some honey cake. The dog trotted over intrigued by the offer. He jumped forwards and nipped at the hand containing the treat.
‘Owww…’ Romina shrieked, snapping her hand back as if burnt by fire.
‘Told you there was danger everywhere.’ said Zahara struggling to keep a straight face.
Romina glared back at her sister; her pride hurt more than anything.
‘Danger everywhere.’ said Zahara patting Dref’s back, the big dog happily chewing on his breakfast.
***
Considering the size of a Panthera. It had always amazed Romina that despite how much they could carry - bags, endless satchels of provisions and equipment, a large leather saddle and on top of that a Walker as well - they were effectively just big cats.
Essa turned her head towards Romina, the clank of heavy packs causing her no harm. She moved her ginger and black mottled feet, scraping up sand and soil, pulling up small clouds of dust.
Romina placed the heavy canvas bag down on the floor. She approached Essa slowly and ruffled the fluffy fur around the big cat’s head. Essa twisted and nuzzled her head towards the touch.
‘We've come a long way.’ she whispered, ruffling fur at the top of her head between the ears, the cat closed then opened its big blue eyes. ‘We have further to go. I'm not sure what we are going to find out there. Slightly scared if I’m honest.’ She flashed a smile at the cat who just coolly gazed at her.
‘But I can assure you of this, we will face it together as we always have.’ Essa heard and quietly closed her, purring to herself.
‘So...’ came a voice from behind her, jolting her back to reality.
She turned to see Zalen stood in front of her.
‘Do you think you're ready for the big wide world?’ he said, rocking on his heels. ‘It’s very different to being in Vanguard. Lots of dangerous things in the world.’
She cradled her nibbled fingers as he continued.
‘A lot of good things and a lot of bad things to see.’ he said moving his head from side to side thoughtfully. ‘You'll be fine.’ He said reassuringly, staring intently at her.
She nodded, lowering her head slightly embarrassed.
He cleared his throat awkwardly.
‘How are things with him?’ He gestured awkwardly pointing his head backwards behind him towards where Kaoldan was stood talking with Kubrean. He raised his eyebrows in the most unsubtle fashions.
‘You know...’ he said ‘Him… the stubborn one.’
A smile crept onto Romina's face. ‘Yes, yes’, I know him.’ she reassured.
Zalen grinned at his own cleverness.
‘Things are…’ she struggled for the right word.
‘Complex...‘ she said pursing her lips.
‘Complex...’ nodded Zalen.
‘It will be fine.’ she said with a shrug of her shoulders, although in her head she was not so certain of anything. ‘These things will take time. We are as much a stranger to him as he is to us, but we are in such fine company. How could anything go wrong? How could anything be other than fantastic?’ she said clamping a hand on Zalen shoulder, seemingly more for his reassurance than her own.
‘Right.’ the big man nodded back; his eyes filled with doubt.
His face went serious.
‘He did miss you; you know.’ Zalen said, looking down, then straight back into her eyes.
‘He did miss you a lot, but he also regrets it. He would never admit to doing so, being the stubborn old bugger he is. But he did miss you, as we all missed…’ he nodded uncomfortably.
‘He didn't really know how to handle it. If the truth be told…‘ he said, biting his lower lip. ‘I'm not really sure any of us did.’
Shut up thought Romina, digging fingers into her palms
Zalen continued oblivious.
‘If I'm perfectly honest, it was so unexpected, to lose both of them so soon, so quickly. It took us all by surprise.’ he shrugged, continued to alternate his glance between the ground and Romina.
She gritted her teeth, feeling sicker by the second.
‘We were all kind of stunned. I guess the realities of the world in which we live came crashing down. A lot of us changed on that day. It's not like they write a book for this sort of thing.’ he joked weakly.
‘I suppose not.’ Romina looked down, relaxing her fingers, red blood engrained under her fingernails. ‘I know.’ she said simply.
‘He did what he thought was the best thing.’ said Zalen, staring intently at Romina, his eyes pressed her almost as if he was trying to reinforce what he was saying. ‘We were all in a state of confusion.‘ he sighed. ‘Do me a favour?’
‘Name it.’ she said, forcing a smile, desperately wishing to be anywhere else.
‘If you do harbour any ill feelings towards him, share it out.’ he said. ‘He lost almost everything that day. We all lost something.’ He grimaced then turned and walked away without waiting for a response.
‘He wasn't the only one,’ she muttered, white hot fury sparking in her guts. She picked up the canvas bag continuing to attach her equipment to a statuesque Essa.
Romina fumbled with buckles and belts trying to attach the bag to her Panthera, her fingers felt slow, numb, it slipped out of the grasp and clattered to the floor.
She raised a hand to cover her mouth, tears half developed as her hands shook. She stood still unable to turn breathe ragged, heavy as she struggled to regain control. She closed her eyes and gripped her saddle tightly, fingers straining between the warmth of the saddle and the hot fur her panthera; the leather creaking as she let out a slow deliberate breath.
Opening her eyes again a moment later she gritted her teeth let out a heavy breath reached down and picked up the bag. She continued to attach it to Essa who returned, staring at it.
‘It'll be fine...’
Who exactly she was reassuring? She wasn't quite sure.
***
The countryside that surrounded them was vast, greenfield sprawling out in every direction, the grass a surging swirling green ocean. Scatterings of trees, hills broke up the landscape as Romina road easily in Essa's saddle.
She felt better, or at least she thought she felt better.
This was progress, she thought.
This was progress in a great many things, progress towards a new home, progress in their task and progress in her life. She turned slowly to look towards Kaoldan, Kubrean and Zahara.
She had imagined this in much of her life. She had thought and wondered what it would be like to leave the sanctuary that was Vanguard. To head out into the big wide world and to be a Walker.
Zahara appeared to be taking everything in her stride as she always did. Looking around, taking in the surroundings. She caught Romina looking at her and she smiled and winked, spreading her hands as if to say, look at all of this.
Romina smiled; her sister had brightened over the last couple of days. She wrinkled her nose; she had hated the sea journey; it did seem to take forever. The constant rocking and rolling, to-ing and fro-ing, dipping and rising waves. Just the thought of it made her stomach heave. It was safe to say that a change of career to be a sailor or a fisherman was not exactly an option for either of them.
Dref padded up alongside her trotting along quite happily, he looked up at Romina, his tongue lolling happily out of the side of his mouth. The dog had been something of a surprise to Romina. She had always been more of a cat person.
Essa had struggled to tolerate the dog’s regular attempts to seek a pat or a stroke from Romina. The panthera had glared at the dog, letting loose a low growl, whenever he approached. But when Romina was on her back the big cat stayed silent, although Romina felt the panthera tense and the swish of her tail.
Dref saw this as a challenge and seemed incredibly at ease with her and her sister, much to the annoyance it appeared of a father. The very fact that her father had a dog had also been something of a surprise.
She caught sight of him in the shadows of the firelight in the evening, giving the dog pats and praise. The dog appeared to love it and appear to love him. It caused a slight pang of jealousy that tweaked at her heart. She frowned then turned her attention, rather pointlessly she had to admit, back towards glaring at her father.
A growl echoed from Dref.
Her head darted towards him.
The fur heckled up on his back like arrow heads.
She looked in the direction of Dref’s head, eyes squinting as the growl grew.
Romina stopped Essa in her tracks.
Something black, something swirling.
A dark cloud, small but growing, grass whipping in a circle beneath it.
It grew steadily outwards, fingers of electricity crackled and felt outwards as if blindly groping to establish their surroundings.
Romina looked on; a wave of coldness growing in her stomach, her jaw slackened.
There was a bright flash of light.
She blinked, eyes fluttering the stinging sensation at the back of her head slowly fizzing away.
She felt Essa tense.
The dark vortex continued to grow, as wide as a house now. The air fizzed and something dark shot out of the centre. It zigzagged drunkenly across the sky, a low hum vibrating in the air. It was a small black ball, like a miniature comet complete with streaking tail.
Dref barked loudly, the noise echoing.
Another comet emerged and another. All fizzing and whining above their heads. She looked back towards the rest of the group who had now turned to face it, Kubrean’s face grim.
Zahara moved forward.
The dark vortex moved, passing straight over Romina’s head. Her neck cracked as she twisted to follow it. Three, four comets had now emerged and were circling above them erratically.
One of the comets buzzed passed her, causing Essa to duck.
The vortex stopped in front of Kaoldan and Kubrean.
Essa’s head darted everywhere. Her back legs went slack, semi-panic spreading through the large Panthera.
Another black comet approached fizzing overhead.
There was a low deep rumble, then a chittering, clicking sound.
Silence.
Then a shiny black ball dropped through the vortex crashing to the ground with a boom. The chittering grew, shiny plates began to slide, throb and shift. A clawed leg jerked outwards, then another.
Essa turned, lowered herself still further, tensed, then she bolted.
Romina struggled to stay in the saddle as the large Panthera hurtled forwards, wind whipping at her face.
She looked back helplessly as the black ball behind them began to emerge.
Essa made at great speed towards a large wooded area to the left down in the valley. Romina turned her head, hearing another shout from behind her despite the air vibrating in her ears.
Romina struggled, pulling on the reins attempting to slow the panicked Panthera.
Zahara shouted something, words lost in the wind.
Romina tried to stop the great Panthera, but there was no turning her away.
There was no stopping her.
Essa did not respond.
Chapter 15 - Alone
Kaoldan’s body froze, mouth gaping as the two Panthera carrying his daughters disappeared into the distance.
‘No.’ he whispered a coldness leaking from his heart spreading throughout his body.
He stood up in his stirrups, tightening his grip on the reins of Tren, leather creaking. He could see the two panthera bounding off towards a small forest. followed by the several dark comets and Dref.
‘No.’ he shouted.
The creature that had landed stampeded across the ground like a large beetle long, narrow, crooked legs scuttling across the ground. It moved itself directly in the way of Kaoldan's route after his daughters.
It chattered to itself in a series of audible clicks. It stopped, turned, faced the two Walkers directly in front of it. It swayed slightly as if limbering itself up, as tall as a house.
From its back seven black cloaked figures clambered down. Fanning out to extend the line, cutting off any access to the woods where the other two Walkers were heading.
Kaoldan stretched on to his toes but had lost sight of his two girls.
One of the figures moved forward, the leader Kaoldan assumed.
It stood a tall human, clad in black robes, with black leather armour attached at various points to arms, legs, knees, and elbows. Face hidden by a black hood. It moved forward slowly, confidently.
The vortex behind it shuddered, crackled and with a burst of light disappeared amidst a shower of sparks.
‘Surrender,’ came a muffled voice.
Kaoldan frowned.
‘Surrender.’ It repeated, raising its right gloved hand as if offering a great opportunity to the two men in front of it.
Kaoldan glanced at Kubrean, the old man shrugged his shoulders.
‘Since when have we ever taken notice of anything.’ he shouted.
A smile grew on Kaoldan's face.
This they could deal with. Warm confidence rose through his body, washing away the cold fear.
‘Terribly sorry,’ shouted Kaoldan at the top of his voice, ‘I'm afraid we can't do that today, we are in something of a hurry.’
Then he noticed something strange.
The air around the seven dark individuals shimmered as if suddenly hot, they removed short black rods from their sides, purple light flashed. The rods grew into axes, maces and swords.
Kaoldan looked on in horror, this wasn’t good.
The warm confidence in his body shrank away, like a lake gripped by the chill of winter.
He looked sideways at Kubrean.
Kubrean looked back. R
aising both of his eyebrows spoke volumes.
A nervous irritation grew in Kaoldan's stomach, he clenched his teeth.
‘Frack it’ he said.
He climbed down from Tren’s back removed his burgundy travellers’ cloak carefully placing it inside one of the side saddle pockets.
He reached for his Walkerblade pulling it clear of the scarab and felt the familiar reassuring warmth of Fajin energy rising within his body, he visualised what he wanted. The black rod within his hand, flashed lightning green and morphed into a double ended glaive.
He glanced to his left. Kubrean had done exactly the same but was stood with his favourite weapons - two fierce looking maces, his face grim, business like. The two panthera rocked backwards, low growls emitting from their throats.
Stillness.
The first to move was a short, powerful looking individual to Kaoldan's right, charging towards him with alarming speed. Kaoldan set himself adjusting his feet. The individual approached a roar echoing from behind the mask.
Extending their sword arm out to one side, it leapt in the air with almost superhuman strength, it would have landed straight behind Kaoldan had he not anticipated the landing.
Without taking his eyes of the other enemies he swung his Walkerblade in huge a looping arc, catching it in the centre, biting deep into its black armour with a metallic crack followed by a muffled gurgle.
Kaoldan gathered Fajin energy inside him, it felt good, gritting his teeth and without thinking swung the blade around again 180° around in a half circle elegantly lopping off the individual's head with the other blade, like the sound of a cleaver biting into a melon. A yellow image rose from the head and the body of the warrior, merging then it rose into the sky.
To his left Tren had already followed his master's lead and charged forward bouncing left then right. Attempting to gain the upper hand of a gangly opponent with two short swords, Tren feinted to the left then drove straight to the right, landing his paws squarely on the chest of his opponent. Knocking the shrouded figure back several feet with a yelp.