Lair of the Deadly Twelve (Storm Phase Book 2)

by David Alastair Hayden

  Turesobei’s eagerness to escape and get moving turned to frustration, but as tired and emotionally drained as he was, his frustration quickly turned to despair. He picked at the meal they brought him. The food was excellent, but his appetite was gone. He tried to tell himself he’d felt like this before, when his dad had died on the expedition. But he’d had a mission then and the blood mark on his cheek compelling him to seek vengeance. Iniru had left a blood mark on his heart, whether she’d meant to or not. He had to save her. But now he couldn’t get there. She would die before he even left Batsakun.

  How did things get so complicated? When he had battled the Storm Cult, he’d had Iniru and Onudaka’s help. Now he had his betrothed, his little sister, and her maybe boyfriend along to worry about. Back then he had trusted Lu Bei completely. Now the fetch kept revealing new wrinkles in his identity and was purposefully hiding big secrets from him. And on top of his mysterious destiny that had something to do with Chonda Lu, his clan saw him as some kind of super weapon.

  The whole world weighed down on him now. Was this how Chonda Lu had felt all the time? If so, how did he keep going when other Kaiaru gave up and faded?

  He stroked his fingers along his kavaru and its chain. Whatever I am, whatever my destiny, I’m not perfect. And I can only follow my heart in this. I have to save Iniru. I have to protect my clan by defeating the Deadly Twelve, as many of them as I can, and I have to stop them from opening the Winter Gate. I defeated Naruwakiru, I can find a way to get this done.

  But I’ll have to do something even Chonda Lu only barely managed. He sighed. I don’t stand a chance.

  When he woke in the morning, he nibbled at breakfast, his mind racing with plans and worries. Then he fell into a deep depression that left him staring absent-mindedly at the walls and ceiling. His attempts to summon Lu Bei into his fetch form didn’t work. He didn’t think the fetch could have done it even if he had wanted to.

  Another day of nothing passed, and he barely ate, and he fell asleep late in the night.

  A muffled cry woke him. He wasn’t sure what time it was, only that it was still dark. Outside his door sounded thumps, grunts, and one aborted shout. He tucked Lu Bei under his arm and drew Sumada.

  A key turned in the lock. The door flew open.

  Aikonshi stepped through. She was dripping wet and wearing only britches and a simple white shirt … that was probably more see-through than she realized. He averted his eyes.

  “Are you okay?” she asked.

  “I’m fine.”

  “Why are you looking away from me and acting so … awkward?”

  “You’re shirt is … wet … and … thin … and you’re … red …”

  “I’m over four hundred years old and I’m a vampire. Get over it. You’re not my type and I’m not yours. Where’s the book?”

  He held out the diary. “He collapsed from exhaustion after casting some sort of spell.”

  “Weakling. I could’ve done that spell three times over. Unless …”

  “He called you?!”

  She bit her lip and creased her eyes. “Well, who else?” she said distantly. She shrugged her shoulders. “Come on, let’s go. Hakamoro’s got the others out by now.”

  “You’re going to help us?”

  “Apparently I’ve lost my senses.”

  Eight guards lay unconscious in the hallway. Some still wrapped in shadow tendrils. Turesobei slowed. He didn’t see any wounds on them. Hakamoro stepped out from a room and clapped him on the shoulder.

  “We were careful not to hurt anyone.”

  “It was a pain,” said Aikonshi, “but it made Moro happy.”

  Enashoma threw herself against Turesobei and hugged him tight. “You’re safe.”

  “Of course. They weren’t going to hurt us. They’re just trying to do what they think is right.”

  Awasa stepped toward him as Enashoma backed away. She acted like she was going to hug him, too, but she backed away. He took her hands.

  “You should stay here. They can take you home. You’ll be safe.”

  “Like you said, this is my chance to become somebody. I can help you. Somehow. I know I can. I can’t go back and be what I was before.”

  Turesobei shook his head. They didn’t have time for this argument. He turned to Shoma.

  She put her hands on her hips. He’d always thought she’d been born with wide hips just so she could strike that pose at him as often and dramatically as possible.

  “Don’t even start on me. We’re going.”

  “By the name of every god I’ve ever heard of,” said Aikonshi, “can we please get moving. More guards are going to be coming this way soon. And we neutralized a small Chonda tracking party on the way here, too. Wherever we’re going, we have to move and we have to move fast.”

  Zaiporo got Turesobei’s attention and nodded his head in Aikonshi’s direction.

  “I know,” he mouthed in response.

  Enashoma noticed and followed their gaze. Her mouth dropped open. She started to point, but Turesobei slapped her hand down. Aikonshi noticed and rolled her eyes.

  “Moro, next time we rescue a bunch of kids, remind me to wear a thicker shirt.”

  The muscles in Hakamoro’s face trembled. “You got it, boss.”

  Turesobei recovered his gear and his spell strips from a storage room. Hakamoro had broken the lock. That must have taken a ridiculous amount of strength. They went to the doorway but Turesobei stopped them. He quick-cast the spell of personal obscuration on everyone. It would only shield them as long as they stayed close together. And it wasn’t as effective as it was on one person, but it would have to do. Anything helped.

  Another dozen guards lay unconscious outside.

  Aikonshi darted ahead to make sure the coast was clear. They ducked between buildings and into an alleyway. After a guard walked by, they left the shadows and ran across a street and into a garden dense with trees and shrubbery.

  “How are we going to get out of Inner Tumokon?” Turesobei whispered. “We’re going deeper in.”

  Aikonshi pointed at a lake at the end of the garden and in front of the palace. “The way we came in. The lake is connected to the Tumo. You just have to dive down into the duct and swim underwater for about a hundred paces. That’s why we’re wet.”

  Everyone but Hakamoro stopped cold in their tracks.

  Aikonshi turned back. “What’s wrong?”

  “That — That’s a long way to swim,” said Zaiporo.

  “You got a better way to get out of here? You can swim can’t you?”

  “Yes,” said Zaiporo, “but I’ve never tried anything like that before.”

  “I can swim … a little,” Enashoma said. “Maybe Sobei can put a water breathing spell on us.”

  “I have it on a strip, but it’s surprisingly difficult. I’ve only got the one instance of it, and I can’t extend the effect. So I can only give it to one person.”

  Awasa tugged his sleeve and whispered, “I can’t swim.”

  “Not at all?” he responded.

  She shook her head. He started to tell her to stay again, but what was the point?

  “You can hold onto my shoulders,” Hakamoro said. “I’m a strong swimmer. Turesobei can put the water breathing spell on you.”

  Turesobei drew the strip. “Shoma, you stay ahead of the rest of us so we can help you out if you struggle.”

  “Just hold onto my feet and kick,” Aikonshi told her. “I’ll pull you. I ate two days ago. Turesobei, I take it you can swim well?”

  “Of course,” he lied. He did okay, but not one hundred paces under the water at once okay. Not without a spell. He remembered one of the first lessons Grandfather Kahenan had taught him: Beware the convenience of magic; it can make you weak.

  He placed one hand on Awasa’s head and held the strip up in the other. “This is going to feel weird. You’ll have gills, like a fish.”

  “It’s not permanent is it?”

  “They’ll fade when
the spell is over. Just breathe naturally.”

  “What if I can’t?”

  “When you run out of air, you’ll take a breath and the spell will do the rest. It won’t be pleasant, so I suggest breathing naturally from the start.”

  “Hurry up!” Aikonshi whispered.

  Turesobei cast the spell. Gills appeared on Awasa’s neck. She threw her hands up and touched them. She looked horrified. He took her by the shoulders and moved her forward.

  “It’s going to be okay.”

  Zaiporo abandoned his sword and light armor so he wouldn’t be weighted down. He and the girls ditched their shoes, but not their outer shirts like Aikonshi had. Turesobei left everything on. His spell pouch and the satchel with the grimoire and Lu Bei were waterproof when cinched up, though Lu Bei was safe in the water anyway.

  “I know you’ve got to take the sword and your pack with the spell books,” said Hakamoro, “but you need to leave the armor.”

  “Water-binding runes,” said Turesobei. “Makes it lighter in the water.”

  “Light enough?”

  “I hope so.”

  “Hand me your pack then. And at least get rid of the shoes.”

  Turesobei removed his shoes and slipped into the water with the others.

  “Oh gods, it’s cold,” Enashoma said.

  “Oh, that I can handle,” Awasa said, though she was shivering. “My mother thinks cold baths are good for you.”

  They swam to the far side of the lake.

  “Stay close, it’s dark under there,” Aikonshi said.

  Turesobei summoned a fire globe underwater and bound it to Aikonshi’s course. Magic fire could burn in water.

  Aikonshi grinned at him. “I’d forgotten how useful it is to have a wizard around.”

  Everyone took deep breaths and plunged underneath.

  Chapter 45

  The cold water ripped the air from Turesobei’s lungs, or at least the feeling of having air. He dove down into the tunnel and fought back a moment of panic.

  After about twenty paces, Awasa took her first big gulps through her gills, panicked, and flailed. Hakamoro grabbed one of her hands in his and kept swimming until she calmed. Aikonshi swam, but slowly since she was pulling Enashoma who kept fidgeting. Probably she was out of air already. Zaiporo swam well but began to tire halfway. He swam faster and faster. He was probably out of air too. Turesobei had air but was exhausted from swimming in the armor. He didn’t have time to take it off, and wouldn’t have even if he’d had the time. This armor, with its wards and protections, had saved his life in Wakaro. He wouldn’t lose it before fighting the Deadly Twelve.

  He fell behind and lost sight of the others. The fire globe became smaller and smaller until is disappeared. He was stranded in the dark. Or was he fading out? He wasn’t sure. He thought he was still swimming, but maybe he only imagined he was.

  Something grabbed him by the back collar of his armor. The water stirred above him. A soft glow lit the tunnel ahead. With a surge of energy and thinking of Iniru, he swam harder.

  A pair of hands took his and pulled him upward. He bobbed up to the surface of the river in the outer city. They were hidden under a bridge, but the current pulled them along. Small wings beat above him, spraying water everywhere.

  “M — Master,” Lu Bei panted. “Thought you were done for. Had to go back for you.”

  “I … nearly … was.”

  “Knew you couldn’t swim well enough for that armor,” Aikonshi snapped.

  “Made it … Didn’t … I?”

  She rolled her devilish eyes. “Stay down. Keep only your face above the water. We have to float out of the city. We made a hole in the grating under the outer wall. It’s a bit tricky but not as bad as that tunnel.” She turned to Lu Bei. “So, fetch? Did you call anyone else besides me?”

  “I called …” He sighed. “I called everyone.”

  “We’re the only ones left.”

  “Well, I thought you were dead …”

  “I see your point. Couldn’t hurt.” She frowned. “I’d rather it was just us.”

  “Lu Bei, who are you talking about?” Turesobei asked.

  “No one, master. I must sleep now.” He climbed back into the satchel and turned into a book.

  “Aikonshi?”

  “It doesn’t matter. I was the only one who could answer that call.”

  Who else could there be out there? More surprises like her and Lu Bei? What other creations might Chonda Lu have had? They had mentioned others before, but he didn’t remember the names. He didn’t push her on it. What was the point? They had their secrets, both of them, and they preferred to keep them.

  They floated out of the city, no one noticing them in the night. The grate was a tight fit, but if Hakamoro could make it through, they all could. And they did. They floated and swam downriver for an hour, shivering in the cold. He feared they would start getting hypothermia soon. They came to a bank and Aikonshi and Hakamoro led them into the woods and uphill to a cave. Walking restored some warmth to his limbs. Some, but not enough.

  Four denekon were tied up in the back of the cave. Hakamoro started a fire, which roared to life quickly. He had prepared it before leaving.

  Aikonshi emptied two large sacks. “Dry clothes, shoes, and light armor for everyone. We went shopping this afternoon after we scouted the city for a way in. I’m pretty sure the sizes are close, but it’s not the best stuff. We don’t carry much money with us, and good clothes in these sizes needs to be custom-made. Lucky for you, the last monster I ate had a fetish for jade coins or you’d have gotten one tattered shirt each and nothing else. Maybe a pair of sandals to share.”

  The boys turned their backs and the girls changed into dry clothes. Turesobei watched Zaiporo out of the corner of his eye to make sure he didn’t turn around to have a look at his sister. That wasn’t acceptable. Zaiporo flicked his gaze and met Turesobei’s. They narrowed their eyes at one another but not a word was spoken.

  With the girls finished and in a patchwork of outsized armor and clothes, the boys turned around … and laughed.

  “Where did you find clothes in all those colors?” Zaiporo asked.

  “None of it matches,” Turesobei said.

  “Shut up!” Enashoma said.

  Awasa whispered, “They are dry at least.” But she was clearly uncomfortable in them. She was so used to looking pretty all the time.

  Aikonshi threw her hands out. “Well forgive me for shopping for you, Master Chonda.”

  “No, I appreciate it. I really do. And I’m sure it was cheap because it’s so … garish.”

  “Are the colors really that bad?” Hakamoro asked. Everyone nodded, and he laughed. “We’re both color blind. And they were cheap. The armor and shoes you’ll have to live with, but the clothes are just spare until your proper ones dry.”

  The boys changed. Turesobei finished and turned around. Awasa fidgeted. Had she been looking? His eyes tracked up to Aikonshi who leaned against the wall.

  She had been looking. She grinned, baring her fangs slightly.

  “That’s creepy,” he told her.

  “What? You two ogled me. I returned the favor.” She shrugged. “Such that it was. Now tell me, what are we dealing with? The original Deadly Twelve?”

  “How did you know?”

  “What else could be bad enough that Lu Bei would call me? He wouldn’t call me unless he was desperate.”

  “The Twelve are back for two more vengeance kills. The one that brought them back, but only temporarily. The other one is for themselves. Twelve heads for each of the Twelve.”

  “Who are they going after?”

  “Chonda Lu, his closest friends, and his relatives. They don’t know he’s dead, but they’ll certainly come after me and Shoma, Lu Bei and Grandfather, and the nobles in the clan. You, if they can find you.”

  She clenched her eyes shut. “They can find me. They always find their marks.” Hakamoro put an arm around her and she sank into him. �
��I guess I was destined to fight them after all.”

  “Well, it’s actually worse than that. They want to plunge all of Okoro into an eternal winter.”

  Turesobei told them what was going on.

  Hakamoro cursed. “It doesn’t get any worse than that. Well, releasing Nazyraga would be worse, of course.”

  “Even the Twelve aren’t that vengeful,” said Aikonshi. “Better eternal winter than eternal savagery. Although the One Hundred and the Eight sound about as bad. I guess this is as good a death as one could have, trying to save everyone, and yourself. I can see why the Tumokoni didn’t believe you.”

  Lu Bei woke up and fluttered over to sit next to the fire. “You got here fast, Aikonshi.”

  “I was already on my way, idiot. We were tracking you down.”

  “I figured.”

  “Well, your desperate call nearly made me turn and leave. I knew it had to be bad. You’ve only called me once before.”

  “When he was passing. You didn’t come.”

  “Well … I should have.”

  “Why were you following us?” Turesobei asked her.

  She shot a nasty look at Hakamoro. “My conscience convinced me I should be helping you. So where to? Are we scaling a mountain?”

  “Not if I can help it. We’re going back to Sooku. I need to make a call.”

  Chapter 46

  Lu Bei kept watch from atop the Monolith of Sooku. Aikonshi prowled around the edges of the plateau scanning for enemies. Hakamoro guarded the road that led up the plateau. The pair seemed capable of going days without sleep if necessary.

  With help from Zaiporo and Enashoma, Turesobei cleared the ground around the monolith in a six-pace radius, removing turf and rocks and smoothing out the exposed dirt. While freezing in the river, he’d realized he could boost the ritual using the monolith. He still doubted he could pull it off. But at least he had a chance now.

  Awasa made a soup with some wild squash they had picked along the way and fresh venison Hakamoro had brought in. She gave Turesobei some while he was reading over the ritual for the hundredth time, memorizing all the sigils he’d need to visualize.