Chased by Fire (The Cloud Warrior Saga Book 1)

by D. K. Holmberg

  Lacertin only laughed again. It was a dark sound and haunted. “You cannot begin to know what I am capable of doing, Theondar,” he answered. “Now. Give me the device.”

  “You know I will not.”

  Lacertin took another step closer. His hands twisted in a complex pattern and Roine fell backward, pinned to the ground. His face twisted in pain as unseen lashes struck him over and over, too fast for him to avoid and too powerful for him to hide the painful effect.

  Lacertin stepped closer, nearly upon Roine. “Know, then, that I will simply take it.”

  Something changed on Roine’s face. “Come and try,” he whispered.

  The cavern erupted in thunder. A huge bolt of lightning streaked down from the sky, striking the ground where Roine lay. When it passed, Roine was gone.

  Lacertin looked up through the crack in the cavern exposing the daylight and a dark smile twisted his shadowed mouth. “Theondar,” he whispered. He turned, eyeing Tan and Amia, and then another bolt of lightning shot down from the sky, striking Lacertin, and he disappeared.

  Overhead, the sky thundered. Lightning ripped through the bright sky, tearing it apart with repeated blasts. Tan was forced to look away.

  “What now?” Amia asked.

  As much as he hated it, Roine was right. They needed to get the artifact to the king. Whatever else, Incendin couldn’t have it. He slipped the artifact into one of the pockets of his pants. It was heavy and felt awkward, but he thought it safe. “We need to leave. Make for Ethea.”

  They both heard something then. It was a low and quiet, barely more than rustling leaves.

  Tan sent out his awareness, questing toward the trees and grasses around them. He could almost see them in his mind and sensed the disturbance, knowing what they’d heard.

  “The lisincend,” he said.

  Amia’s face showed no sign of fear, just firm resolution. “Then we must go.”

  They stepped quickly away from the clearing, sliding away from the pillars and the barrier and into the trees. Tan was vaguely aware that something about the barrier was different, weaker. When they reached the protection of the trees, he turned to look.

  The huge stone pillar, the most physically solid of the pillars, sank into the stone, slowly disappearing. Where the pillar of wind had blown, whipping the leaves and branches of the nearby trees, now was very little movement. The pillar of fire had stopped sputtering and was completely silent, blowing itself out at some point during all the commotion.

  Only the pillar of water remained. The nymid still held their end of the bargain.

  Water flowed from an unseen opening in the ceiling of the cavern, cascading down and through the floor of the cave. The water held just a hint of a pale green light, only noticeable because Tan knew what to look for.

  In the center of the clearing, the pool of the thick, silvery liquid also receded, slowly draining away from the edge of the pool. Tan didn’t know where it went.

  “What was in that pool?”

  “The power of the Mother.”

  “How could the ancient warriors trap the power of the Great Mother?” he wondered, not expecting an answer.

  “They couldn’t. That power was given freely.” Amia watched the disappearing liquid. “I think it’s but a tiny drop of her power. Maybe no more than a drop of a drop.”

  Three lisincend burst into the clearing. Fur was among them, sliding confidently from the trees, radiating heat that made the shaped forest wilt from its presence. In spite of the haze surrounding them, Tan saw them clearly. He wondered if the power of the cavern allowed them to be seen.

  They reached what was left of the barrier and paused. Fur sniffed, sensing something amiss, before shoving one of the other lisincend through. The creature slid through the barrier with a hiss, then turned and stared at Fur with fiery eyes.

  “Nothing,” it said.

  Fur nodded and he and the other lisincend slid across the barrier. Once inside, they looked around, smelling the air. “She was here.”

  Then the power of the barrier surged.

  Tan was not sure how he knew, but it strengthened. Nothing like it had been before, but enough that the lisincend would be trapped within it.

  Could the nymid be helping them again?

  With the thought, he heard a soft command whispered in the back of his mind, like a gentle touch, a gentle rain, different than the nymid.

  Go, the voice commanded.

  Tan pulled Amia and they hurried around the edge of the trees, keeping the clearing in sight as they moved. When they were partway around the clearing, the lisincend saw them.

  “There!” one of the creatures hissed.

  Tan looked back as Fur threw one of the lisincend forward, into the barrier. The creature hit the unseen wall, pressing forward for a few steps with a triumphant look upon its face. Then, suddenly, it dropped to the ground, screaming and hissing. Steam rose from its thick hide. It crawled forward, trying to get through the barrier. By the time it reached the other side, much of its hide had peeled back, leaving it bloodied.

  Fur screamed. The horrible sound echoed off the walls of the cavern.

  Fur turned toward the pillar of water. With a furious shaping, he threw energy toward it. The water was no longer a match for the fury of the lisincend. Twisted Fire turned the flowing pillar of water into a trail of steam.

  Tan felt the barrier fall.

  The injured lisincend staggered back toward Fur, flailing its arms, and tripped, sliding into the remnants of the silvery pool, only to disappear with a loud hiss.

  Fur roared in anger, splitting the cavern with his furious cry. “I smell you, girl,” he hollered. “I know your scent and can find you wherever you go. I will enjoy the hunt.”

  Amia turned to Tan in fear. He grabbed her hand, not sure where to go. Tan quested out with his mind, searching the cave for the way out. He tracked the cave entrance as he once would have tracked deer or a wolf, letting the subtle changes to the air and wind flow serve as his guide.

  They ran. Tan followed what he sensed. Trees thinned and became more stunted the farther they moved, soon growing no taller than shrubs. When he saw the strange vines upon the walls, he knew they went in the right direction.

  “They’re behind us.”

  Tan let his senses search behind him. The two remaining lisincend were near the edge of the trees and they headed toward them.

  “They’re frustrated,” Amia said.

  “Can you do anything to make it worse?” he asked.

  “I can try. I don’t know if it will work.”

  “We only need a delay.”

  She nodded and Tan felt the building pressure as she worked her shaping. He felt it slip slowly, subtly, into the trees. He sensed the lisincend struggle, wandering off course a bit.

  “They may not even know you did anything.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him, biting back a question. “That was my intent,” she said. “How can you tell?”

  He led her down the cave at a quick jog. “Since you shaped me,” he started, “I’ve been able to feel it when you perform a shaping. I feel the energy. I don’t understand, not really.” He glanced at her. “With that shaping, I felt you slowly release the energy and knew it was a gentle touch.”

  “Can you feel others shaping?”

  “It is different. Each shaper has a different energy, almost like a signature. I think it started when you shaped me. Does that mean anything?”

  She shook her head softly. “I don’t know. It’s unusual, I think.”

  The cave grew darker the farther they got from the cavern. Tan sensed behind him again. The lisincend had found their way once more. Fur tore the strange vines from the wall in his rage and some of his muted shouts echoed through the cave.

  “I can’t see anything,” Amia said, reaching toward one of the lamps.

  Tan grabbed her wrist. “I don’t think we should let the lisincend see us.”

  “They see fine in the dark,” she a
nswered. “They sense our heat. We’ve never known how good their eyesight is during the day, but we’ve always known they have an advantage at night.”

  They ran down the cavern with Tan leading, sensing his way through the darkness. He was able to feel the pressure off the walls and the ground and used it to keep them roughly in the middle of the cave. Occasionally he would sense behind them.

  The lisincend were gaining.

  He said nothing to Amia, only urging her faster.

  Then in the distance he saw the hint of light. They were close. They couldn’t follow the same path they’d followed up from the lake. The climb down the sheer rock face would be too slow and the lisincend would be upon them in moments. Which way would they go?

  As they emerged into the bright light of day, the sky thundered ceaselessly, like a heavy drum. Frequent bolts of lightning attempted to tear apart the sky. The air sizzled with the energy of the lightning, almost crackling with it.

  Roine and Lacertin battled.

  Tan could not pause to watch, but wished that he could. Overhead, an epic battle between two powerful Cloud Warriors raged, and he was witness to it.

  They reached the split in the trail. Tan hesitated before pulling Amia off the main path, veering to the left and down. If they could reach the lake and the nymid, they might find safety.

  Behind him, Fur roared as he left the cave.

  They wouldn’t reach the lake in time.

  “We need to hide,” he told Amia.

  “Fur will find us.”

  “You have his sword,” she said, motioning to Roine’s sword hanging from Tan’s waist.

  “I’ve never used a sword. And my bow…” Had he not lost it in the lake when Fur nearly killed him, he might be able to try something, anything. Instead, Fur would catch them. They would die.

  Amia squeezed his hand. “Neither have I. We make quite a pair.”

  Tan laughed in spite of himself.

  They half stumbled down the path, practically sliding. The trail was steep and more than once, Tan reached for a handhold to catch himself or Amia as they slipped, sensing danger at the last instant.

  At the bottom of the trail they reached a grassy base. A wide river ran through here. Tan hoped it ran around the mountain and into the lake. Maybe even the one the nymid had widened to slow the lisincend. If that was the case, could he reach the nymid?

  He glanced back. The lisincend were close. “We have to jump.”

  He squeezed her hand and jumped into the river with her. When the cold water hit him, the air left his lungs. Amia flailed in the water, struggling against the current. He pulled her forward with powerful kicks then he dipped underwater, letting the current pull them along.

  He sensed the opposite shore close by. Another kick and they reached it.

  Tan pressed his head above the surface of the water, turning to look for the lisincend as he did. Amia came up from the water at the same time, gasping for air. They kept low in the water, not daring to show themselves.

  The lisincend stood nearly a hundred paces across the river and down the shore. They hadn’t seen them yet. A particularly bright bolt of lightning split the sky. Tan used the distraction to pull Amia from the water and they stumbled toward the trees, moving quickly and keeping as low as possible.

  Once hiding in the cover of the trees, he peered out at the lisincend. “The water won’t stop them,” he said, remembering what Fur had said to Roine.

  “No,” Amia agreed, “but it may slow them.”

  The first lisincend stepped into the water, sniffing the air. Suddenly it motioned in their direction. Fur smiled. It was hideous and unnatural and full of venom.

  “You will be mine, girl,” he hissed.

  “Tan—” Amia started.

  Tan didn’t answer. He closed his eyes, focusing his mind as he reached for the nymid.

  We need help!

  He sent the thought as a shout, praying the nymid would hear.

  No answer came.

  Both the lisincend were in the water now, moving toward them, unfazed by the water.

  They needed to move—to do something—or else the lisincend would reach them. But even if they ran, it would not matter. Not now. The lisincend were too fast. Too powerful.

  Without the nymid for help, they would be caught. Tan would be burned, like Amia’s Mother. And then the lisincend would be free to do whatever they wanted to Amia. The artifact would be theirs.

  Please! We need your help.

  He sent the plea with the last of his fading energy. His vision blurred from the energy required sending the thought and he sagged toward Amia.

  “Just run,” he began weakly, staggering into the trees and falling. “I’ll hold them as long as I can. Take the artifact. Get to safety.”

  She shook her head. “I’ll not leave you, Tan.” She squeezed his hand.

  He met her eyes, sensing the lisincend nearly upon them.

  Protect her, he sent with the last of his energy.

  The lisincend were close enough to feel the heat rising from them. Steam rose around them as they walked, the river evaporating in their advance. Fur led the charge and a powerful shaping built as he neared. Tan wouldn’t survive the attack this time; he’d been lucky to have the nymid save him the last time.

  And now? He’d failed. He’d failed his mother asking him to help Roine and the king. Now he’d never be able to travel to Ethea as she’d wanted. He’d failed Roine; the lisincend would take the artifact back to Incendin and all that power would be theirs. With it, they would attack the kingdoms and there weren’t shapers enough to stop them.

  And he’d failed Amia. The lingering plea to protect her still tickled his mind, only now he couldn’t do anything more to help her. He’d failed.

  Amia squeezed his hand again, as if knowing his thoughts. He couldn’t look at her.

  And then there was a presence in his mind. Huge and rough, nothing like the nymid. Had it ever really left his mind? Had the connection ever been broken?

  Who calls?

  The draasin. Tan shook from pain or fear, he did not know.

  Tan, he said. Tan, who freed you.

  He sensed irritation from the draasin.

  We need your help. I need your help.

  Why should I help you? I hunt now.

  For the freedom you were given.

  You took freedom away. You limit what I may hunt.

  I released you from the ice and pain. I ended the suffering.

  Tan barely had the energy to send the last thought and sagged into Amia.

  The draasin was silent. They would not help. Nothing would.

  The lisincend stood barely ten paces away. Fur pointed toward them.

  Amia pulled at his arm, trying to get him to come with her, but Tan resisted. There was another thing he could try, if only he was strong enough.

  Hunt near the river, Tan suggested, sending an image of where they hid, using what was left of his energy.

  The draasin finally answered him. You forbid us to hunt man, little warrior.

  There is more to hunt than man near the river, Tan said. Come. Help me. Hunt.

  I will help. This time, little warrior.

  “Tan!” Amia yelled.

  Fur was nearly upon them. “I hear you now, girl. I will enjoy tearing you apart. And the other with you, as well.”

  “Tan?”

  He pulled her back into the trees. They couldn’t move, not fast enough.

  The building shaping was earsplitting. Tan could barely tolerate it, shaking with its power.

  Then there was a cry like nothing he could imagine. The sound pierced the sky, overpowering the thunder rolling through the air. The sound of a predator the world had not seen in nearly one thousand years. And it hunted.

  Instinctively Tan cringed, and he felt a satisfied laugh from the presence in his mind. Tan steeled himself, sending the image of the lisincend.

  A huge shape erupted above the trees, blotting out the light, an
d flying hard and fast toward them. The lisincend stopped to turn and see what was coming.

  The draasin attacked the smaller lisincend first, swooping out of the sky. It grabbed the lisincend from where it stood in the river, chewing it quickly and swallowing before twisting and turning skyward again.

  Fur moved toward the center of the river, less certain than before. He watched the draasin, his eyes widening. The energy Fur had been building erupted as a huge bolt of fire toward the draasin.

  The fire struck the creature in its abdomen and disappeared.

  The draasin roared.

  Not in pain, Tan realized. Fire would not hurt the draasin. Not a fire elemental.

  No, the draasin roared in anger.

  Tan shivered at the sound. Amia squeezed his hand. She smiled at the enormous creature hovering above the river, a pleased looked to her face.

  You dare use fire against the draasin!

  Tan heard the words as a shout within his mind and realized from Fur’s expression that he did as well.

  Then the draasin struck. Its head darted toward the water quickly, striking at Fur. Fur grabbed the huge jaw and twisted, thrusting it back and away from him, ducking from underneath a barbed tail darting toward him.

  Then Fur ran.

  He jumped out of the river in a single leap. Once on the shore, he ran quickly into the trees and disappeared. The draasin flapped its huge wings once and was above the trees, flying low over the treetops. Hunting.

  Hunt well, Tan said.

  Always, the draasin answered.

  Tan felt its mind grow distant as it flew away, following Fur. There was a sense of satisfaction from the creature. Faintly, Tan knew they’d done the right thing in freeing the creature.

  Though the draasin’s mind grew distant, Tan was still aware of it.

  “Are we safe?”

  He looked around the forest. Could they be safe?

  But the lisincend were gone. One dead in the cave. Another eaten by the draasin. And Fur, running, hunted by the great elemental. Could the hounds still be out there?

  He sent his sensing out and around the forest. Pressure built within his ears and let out slowly as his sensing washed over the forest. Birds and squirrels and even a fox roamed the forest. Cool wind gusted from the north. But nothing else. No sign of the hounds.