She couldn’t talk to it, but if she tried, she could possibly influence it. Focusing, she sent an idea to the canine. Over there, run over there.
The dog stopped moving, and shook its head. Its ears stood alert, twitching this way and that.
Rin tried again. Over there, run over there.
Instead, the dog growled and started to run her direction, much to the astonishment of the couple. This wasn’t going to work.
“Luke, Donvar, now—”
An extremely tall man suddenly materialized in front of the couple. The dog barked twice in warning and then stopped. It whined and shivered, tail tucked between its legs. An icy fist of fear grabbed Rin’s throat and she held her hands up in a silent command for all activity to cease. The couple rubbed at the dog and then nodded in distant formality to the tall figure as they went by. The animal whined more, its cry piercing and loud. Then it took off running, the leash slipping from the woman’s hand. They called to it, hurrying after it completely bypassing the group huddled around the corner without ever seeing them.
The tall, cloaked man then staggered forward, lurching as if in pain.
Rin knew who it was without having to see his face. Ludovicus. They were a mere ten feet from him with the Descendant mere inches from his grasp.
Would they die tonight?
However, the figure never stopped moving away from them and soon he disappeared into the whirl of the night light of the city.
Rin let out a breath and then turned back to her crew. They were all shaken up, even Alderic, who’d professed to be the most ready for an altercation with Ludovicus. Despite what the Elder said, she knew had Ludovicus found them, they’d already be dead.
“Do you suppose the Descendant has it?” Alderic asked, coming to stand next to her.
Rin knew what he was referring to without having to be told. “It’s possible. But we do not have time to search. Ludovicus can engage us at any moment. We need to get the Descendant out of here.”
“Uchida-san, we can’t leave without making certain.”
That much was true. Rin sighed. “I don’t know how long we have, but you have five minutes to do a search and then we will leave.”
He gave a curt nod and then rushed down the side of the building and out of sight into the darkness. Her heart thundered in her chest. Would they be making a mistake in trying to determine if the Descendant, if that poor soul on the ground could be called that, had the blood gem?
It seemed an age but was mere minutes before Alderic loped back to their group. He shook his head at the question in her eyes but he patted his chest, an apparent bulge there. “I didn’t find it. However, I found something as equally important.”
“What is it?”
“Iie, Uchida-san. I get credit for this.”
Rin blew out a breath at Alderic’s childish game. Things were too serious for this but she didn’t have time to linger.
The sound of footsteps approaching reached her ears. “We need to get out of here. “Whatever it is, we can discuss it later. Go and help with the Descendant and let’s get out of here.”
Bringing up the rear, she stared pensively at the unconscious form. Was this man really worth all the trouble?
The brilliant blue sky hurt his eyes as Ken woke up with his body on fire. Squinting, he hissed as massive waves of pain coursed along his jostled frame. It felt as if his brain rattled back and forth inside his skull. The screaming pain forced his eyes shut.
“Is he up?”
At the soft feminine voice, his eyes flew open again, but all he saw was the blare of the intense blue sky. The clouds resembled giant cotton candy puffs. If only he could reach out and grab piece of sky to cool the warmth boiling in his veins.
The next moment, a surge of panic made him cognizant that he was traveling somewhere against his will. He tried to rise up when knife-like agony pierced his head.
Then he saw the angel. Satin, wine-red tresses blew in the wind, and an elegant hand pushed the hair back from a pair of amber gold eyes lined with thick, dark red lashes. Smooth, creamy skin, the color of desert sand, beckoned to be caressed. He watched, transfixed, as her face came closer to his, even white teeth biting into full lips tinged like the inner flesh of grapefruit.
A hard jostle jolted him out of the vision. It was then he noticed he was being carried on the back of some animal, but he couldn’t ascertain what it was. He once again tried to lift his head to see, but the overwhelming pain flooded his mind and he found himself drifting back into the blessed darkness.
A beautiful dream followed him in the darkness. Okasan held out her hand to him, leading him into a field of sunflowers. Sunlight washed over them as they raced through the field. He was so happy to see her again. She led him to a lake with crystal clear water and they sat on the edge. Okasan reached to her left and handed him a bouquet of flowers, but they dripped with blood. Ken scrambled back away from her, until someone grabbed his shoulders. He turned to see John’s face, masked in death, but the eyes glowed.
Ken bolted upright from the dream, clutching at his heaving chest.
Would he spend the rest of his life seeing John’s face in that awful way? Would his brother haunt his dreams forever?
Once the vestiges of the nightmare left him, he took the opportunity to study his surroundings. Soft animal furs made his bed. He stood to gather more information. A large cave with various-sized stalagmites lined the ceiling. Fresh air flowed through, caressing bruised, heated skin.
Ken kicked the furs away. He was bare-chested, with bandages wrapping his wounds from the altercation with whatever that thing was. Pants made from some sort of hide clapped against his legs. Even his feet were patched with bandages. He moved about, wincing when he bent, but otherwise he was healed as much as he could be.
He saw toward the back of room a dark area. Frowning, he walked over to it and saw it was a pathway that led to a larger chamber.
Firelight met his eyes, a small circle in the cavernous space. More stalagmites hung from the ceiling. In a corner, a pile of furs lay haphazardly. Several shelves full of ancient books and scrolls were nailed to the wall. Perpendicular to that, shadows shaped like men danced along the surface. Then one of them moved.
Ken gasped and took a step back, startled. “Who’s that?”
“Youkoso, Kenzo—sama,” a guttural voice spoke.
“Who are you?” He hoped whoever it was couldn’t detect the fear in his voice.
“Be calm,” the voice admonished. The shadow moved a step forward.
A hard laugh escaped his lips. How could he be calm when he didn’t know what was happening? John was dead. He himself was almost killed by some sort of creature with telepathic abilities, and now he was in a cave, presumably somewhere on planet Earth. Where was the calm in all of that?
“Show me the way out of here and I will be gone.”
“Where would you go?”
“I’d go—”
He had nowhere to go. The likelihood of ever going back to his apartment had dropped dramatically. The thing that attacked him could still be out there, lurking about. His mother and brother were dead. There was no one left in the world to care about him.
“Nowhere,” he sighed. “I wouldn’t be able to go anywhere.”
The shadow took a step closer. “Then please stay as our guest.”
It sounded like a request, but he knew better.
“As if I have a choice.”
“I’m glad you see it that way, Kenzo—sama.”
The new voice came from behind him. He pivoted and his mouth dropped open. “It’s you. The angel.”
At his words, the guttural voice chuckled while the woman averted her eyes from him. “Uchida—chan has been called many things, but not that.”
The owner of the first voice came into view. Obviously the man had once been tall, but great age stooped his back. Two men came from out of seemingly nowhere and rushed to his side. His face, highlighted by the dancing firelight, was da
rk, like bronze mixed with red clay. High cheekbones, almost alien for their height, rested near his eyes. The eyes were obsidian black, a gleam in them otherworldly and full of mystery. Long hair, tinged mostly with gray, adorned his head. With assistance from the men, the old man sat in a chair Ken hadn’t noticed before, then his two helpers melted away as quickly they’d come. Strangely enough, the dark corner suddenly lit as if the firelight followed the man.
“Who are you?” Ken asked as he went to stand before the man. “What am I doing here?”
“Pay your respects to the Elder,” the woman named Uchida commanded from behind.
“Quiet, Uchida—chan. It is not necessary.” The old man leaned forward, the glitter in his dark eyes more pronounced. “You look like the image of Rhychard—sama, minus a few changes,” the old man said, his voice deep and at odds with his frail appearance. “Come and sit closer by the fire. It’s cold tonight, and you need to regain your strength.”
Ken made his way forward. As he neared the old man, the warmth enveloped him like a blanket. He had a million questions, not to mention the more pressing one of who was Rhychard—sama, but for right now, he decided to play it by ear. After all, his life had changed in a very short amount of time.
“How long have I been here?”
“You were unconscious for two days. We made sure to take care of your wounds and the concussion you suffered from the attack. The burn marks along your body will heal with time, although I suspect they will disappear sooner rather than later.”
“We?”
“My followers and I stole you from the hand of Ludovicus himself. Not an easy feat, let me assure you.”
“You mean the creature that attacked me in my home.” A sudden tear beaded in the corner of his eye.
The old man gave a single nod.
“Why did the thing take John?”
The old man lifted his hands to the fire. Ken saw the nails were unusually long and pointed. They resembled talons.
“He mistook your friend for you.”
Ken’s face wrinkled in a scowl. “I don’t understand.”
“Are you hungry, Kenzo—sama?”
He recognized a delaying tactic when he saw one “Answer the question first.”
“It will take some time to tell you, and you must listen.”
A movement from an entry into the cave caught his peripheral vision. Uchida-san, along with four men of varying heights with stern visages, had somehow made their way into the room. While the other three stared at him with mere curiosity, the fourth, a giant with a long braid down the side of his shoulder, bore a look of hostility.
“My son, Alderic.” The fierce man gave Ken a terse nod.
He didn’t know where the man’s animosity stemmed from but decided to ignore it. Too much had happened in the past several days to give much credence someone’s hidden agenda. Another movement caught his eyes, and he jumped up to see a giant gorilla standing next to Uchida-san. The creature was stoutly built, with long hairy arms and chest plates so hard they resembled steel.
“What on earth is that?”
Uchida-san smiled and rubbed the gorilla’s arm. “This is my best friend, Tambo.”
The animal grunted.
“Sit, Kenzo—sama,” the old man ordered.
He suddenly realized a table had appeared while he’d been focused on the ape, set for three.
Ken sat down, surprised to find pillows under his rear when they hadn’t been before. He had the distinct impression things would appear when they were needed, like afterthoughts. The old man sat down next, and Uchida followed. Servants, or so he assumed they were, came into the room bearing all kinds of food. A swollen roasted chicken, nestled among small, orb-shaped potatoes and sauce, and stuffed with wild rice and herbs had the honorable place at the center. Bowls of floured dusty bread sat before them, as well as various vegetables and fruits. It wasn’t a traditional Japanese meal, but food was food.
Ken’s stomach growled so loud everyone heard it.
“I have much to tell you, and would prefer you to eat while I do.”
Grief notwithstanding, practicality took precedence. He reached for the food, his hunger more important than his need for knowledge. His mother would agree -- there wasn’t any reason to starve.
“Do you think the fire is lit high enough?” the old man queried after Ken assuaged the first pangs of his appetite.
The closest he’d ever come to a fire was the Korean BBQ grill at a restaurant. He let loose a hollow laugh as he glanced behind him. “I really don’t know. I’ve never—“
There was something in the fire. A shadow, or a figure of someone standing there. The dark figure came forward, walking steadily until it came to stand in front of him.
The figure was made of ash.
Ken jumped up from his seat, fear clawing through his body. “What is that?”
“Be calm. Surely you know yourself so well.”
Ken stared at the ash figure again. There wasn’t anything to define the face, but as he studied it, he saw it was himself.
The old man got up from his chair, leaning heavily on the staff. His eyes as he glanced at Ken were full of light. He walked over to stand next to the ash figure and then scooped the ash in his hand, leaving a noticeable dent in the crown. The old man then threw the ash into the air. It brightened until it turned into smoke and whirled around like a tornado.
The ash figure then dissolved similarly, swirling around in the tornado until it too became smoke. The smoky haze filled the room, covering it from inch to inch, shrouding everything. It was opaque like fog, but Ken could still make out the blurry figures of Uchida-san and the old man.
“You asked who Rhychard—sama was?”
Ken nodded. “I did.”
The old man’s voice seemed to flow around him and the smoke grew thicker until Ken couldn’t see anything.
“Then, as they say, we shall begin at the wedding.”
Suddenly Ken saw a towering edifice. A temple or a church. He stared at the door that opened and beheld a small gathering of people. They were dressed in medieval garb from England. The women wore long dresses, and corded belts hung from their hips. One woman with long, black hair, plaited and edged with bright ribbons, gazed lovingly into a man’s face.
Ken couldn’t make out the man’s face, but he appeared to have a very large build. Massive like his own father, but much broader.
“He is your grandfather, Rhychard—sama.”
The man was staring at the woman but again, Ken couldn’t see his face.
The smoke rose, floating on invisible air currents. Another image appeared. The woman was scantily clad, in what appeared to be a bedroom of some kind. But the look on her face was full of fright. Ken turned to see what she was staring at. Two large figures were fighting. Their faces remained hidden in shadow but they fought, a fight of extreme ferocity and temerity.
Then, something happened, a flash of light or fire, he couldn’t be sure. Then the woman was beside the prone figure, wailing as tears streamed down her face. Another figure lay behind her. She beat against the body, her anguish marring her face. Then she searched his body, kissing the man but looking and looking. Whatever it was she found, she gripped it in her hand and then ran from the scene.
“That was your grandmother.”
Ken came out of the smoke and found himself back in the cave. The old man stood by the fire, leaning even more so now on his staff.
“You are a royal line, Kenzo—sama.”
One question came immediately to mind. “How could she be my grandmother? That look liked it was a long time ago back in medieval times.”
“Hai.” The man looked at him as if there wasn’t an issue with that.
“So how could she be my grandmother? Wouldn’t she simply be one of my ancestors, if you want me to believe all this?”
“Don’t be in a hurry,” The Elder said. “Everything will be answered in due time, I promise you.”
Another
aspect of the vision nudged him. “What did she take?”
“Do you have it? The blood gem?” Bright dark eyes honed in on him.
This was the second time he heard the word, and he stiffened, the image of the creature’s face in his mind. Ice cold fear pierced his heart.
“That’s what that thing asked me.”
The Elder’s face changed, replaced by an intent look. The gleam in his eyes was more pronounced. “What thing?”
“The thing. Ludovicus,” Ken threw his hand in the air. “The creature that nearly killed me.”
Uchida-san came over to the Elder and stood by his side. Ken saw how the firelight cast an ethereal glow about her. He had a hard time taking his eyes off her.
“We should have left the moment—“
The Elder held up his hand, silencing her. He saw her bite her lips but she backed away. The gorilla came to stand by her side.
“Go on.”
“The thing asked me about the—the—”
“Blood gem,” Uchida-san finished for him.
“Whatever.” Ken dragged his hand through his hair. “Anyway, he asked me for the same thing.”
“You might indeed have it. It is a rock that contains precious gems inside.”
He stopped pacing and stared at the Elder. “Gems? You mean that geode looking thing?”
“Perhaps you have this item on you.”
Ken pressed his hand in his pocket. By some strange quirk of fate the geode had remained in his pocket. He took out and held it to the Elder.
A silence drifted over the room. The men who had been standing silently against the wall stiffened in shock. Uchida-san wiped her hand on her thigh while the elder rose from his seat. The crackle of the fire dominated the room. The firelight danced frantically, as if reacting in shock to the geode’s presence.
“All this time,” the Elder whispered, the scuff of his footprints against the hardness of the ground. “At last we have it.”
“What is it?” It didn’t strike awe into Ken at all.
Uchida-san spoke up. “A blood gem.”
“It looks like a geode. They’re found all over the world. It’s nothing special.”
The Druid's Spear (Ascent of the Gem Bearers Book 1) Page 7