Echoes of a Shattered Age

by R. J. Terrell

  “Well, what about the two in Japan? How are they supposed to fight demons without this charge?” Kita asked.

  “And what is Daunyanic power and what are Daunyans?” Kenyatta added.

  “Worry about yourselves,” Taliah answered, avoiding Kenyatta’s question. “Trust me when I say that they also have resources.”

  Kita shrugged. “As you say. So should we get our weapons then?”

  “No, but when it’s time, I will find you.” Kita and Kenyatta looked at each other in confusion. Now seemed as good a time as any, but they didn’t argue the point.

  “Well, I guess that’s it then,” Kenyatta said as he clapped his hands together. “So, why don’t you jyas whip up a quick shortcut to Japan for us and we’ll be on our way.”

  Taliah shook her head. “Oh, ya don’t think it’s going to be that easy now? I’m sure you two plan on doing some training right?” The two friends nodded hesitantly. “Then,” she continued, “the perfect time to do it is on the way to Japan, so why don’t ya both just hike it.”

  Kenyatta’s mouth fell open. “You suppose we strokin’ across the ocean to get there, or are we gonna be rowin’ a boat the whole way?”

  Taliah shrugged helplessly. “I told you. You’re going to need to be strong, which means no easy rides for you. You need to survive the elements and hardships of the world without assistance.”

  “And why is that?” Kita asked, arms crossed.

  “Because the elements themselves are part of what you will face when you do begin the fight,” Taliah answered. “Some demons can manipulate the things around them, and you should be prepared for anything. Also, there are many dangers that will come your way between here and Japan. That will be your training. If there is one last thing I can say to prepare you, it’s this. When demons are brought from the abyss, they inadvertently awaken a lot of evil that already exists in this world. You will encounter these things along the way and it will prepare you …” she hesitated, “… somewhat, for what’s to come. You will get a taste of what these things are capable of. You must trust me on this. If you were to fight a demon right now, you would be not prepared for it. They are like nothing you’ve seen before.”

  Kita looked at Kenyatta. “I hate to admit that she’s right, but she is.” That brought a groan from his friend, but no rebuttal.

  After some light conversation, Taliah decided to stay in Jamaica for a while and visit. She spent some time alone, probing her thoughts and feelings. Although she felt that the fighting that her brother and Kita did was not her way, she still could not deny an inner desire to take part in the fight. She did not want to stay in the background and play a subtle part. The young woman wanted to be at the front of the fight with her brother, to stand beside him and his closest friend in what would be the greatest battle the world had ever seen, and ironically, few on this world would even know about. They had missed too much in each other’s lives, she and Kenyatta. Their grandfather had sent her to the Caribbean to study with her aunt over the summer. When she returned, she was told of what happened to their grandfather, and where Kenyatta had been taken. Fortunately, Kita’s father had left information with a trustworthy neighbor so that Taliah could find him.

  Now they were together only to be separated again, with those two off on another adventure, and she only helping from behind. With a sigh of acceptance, Taliah went into her brother’s house to have a cup of his famous fruit tea. She sat sipping her tea and gazing out the dining room window at the ocean. Humanity has been given another chance that so many are unaware of. Now this. She closed her eyes, feeling the ocean breeze sighing through the window to caress her face. Could they protect this world they had nearly destroyed, or would it be destroyed by the abyss itself?

  ***

  Chapter Seven

  Brit stood unmoved in front of the fourteen-foot-tall monstrosity. He wouldn’t give the thing the satisfaction of seeing any type of emotion.

  “Who summons me?” the demon Kabriza rumbled.

  “My name is Brit, and I have summoned you. I wish to enlist your assistance in a goal that might prove of mutual benefit.”

  The hideous creature cocked its head in amusement. “There is nothing a vermin of this dimension could offer that would be of interest to me.”

  “Is that so?” Brit countered. “I know of your kind.…” he paused, deciding whether or not to mention the thing’s name again, for Quentranzi demons had been known to break the strongest barriers in a fit of rage at the mere mention of their names. “Human souls are of no interest to a Quentranzi,” he continued. “You have different interests.”

  “Do we?” Kabriza asked slyly.

  “You desire to wreak havoc on this world, and tie it to your own, giving you a larger world to plunder and increase your power. The goal of a Quentranzi is unlimited power and destruction.”

  “Is it?” Kabriza asked once again, its voice dripping with sarcasm. Brit, however, knew the game of dealing with a dark world creature and maintained his patience. “Perhaps we merely want to rip apart those who have the audacity to summon us for their own small and pathetic conquests.”

  At that moment Brit felt a mental attack more powerful than any living thing from this world could be capable of. He had anticipated the assault and held his ground, but eventually fell under the overwhelming force of his foe. Kabriza would have destroyed his mind, but his servant had been hiding in the shadows, waiting for the right time to help his master. Zreal’s species, the Zetsuan, possessed the ability to shield their minds from attack. If another was close enough, they could be shielded as well. Zreal, sensing the battle, entered the fray.

  He slowly, carefully, slipped a mental barrier between Brit’s mind and the Quentranzi. For what seemed like hours to Brit, but were no more than seconds, his power combined with Zreal’s, held the demon at bay.

  “Impressive,” the fiend congratulated. “Your mind seems to be a strong one.” Brit noted the fiend’s choice of the word seems. Dark world creatures of this nature were difficult to outsmart, and this one was no different. Brit knew that a time would come when Kabriza might try to test him again. “Perhaps something different,” the monster suggested, and with a thought, the small flames in the corners of the octagonal seal flared.

  Brit could see that the demon was energizing the seal in an attempt to overload it and break free of the barrier. The seal was flawless, however, and held the demon in place. “If you have had enough of the games Kabriza, can we move on to business?”

  Flames of barely contained rage danced in the demon’s eyes at the mention of its name. It narrowed its dark red eyes at the Drek. “You walk dangerous ground, little one,” Kabriza said.

  “As do you, demon,” Brit replied. Although his seal was strong enough to hold the creature, he still had to be careful. It still might be possible for it to shatter his barrier in a fit of rage.

  “Speak your reason for disturbing me and be done with it, mortal Drek,” Kabriza growled.

  Brit crossed his arms. “I wish to enlist your assistance in the destruction of Takashaniel.”

  “Takashaniel,” the fiend repeated. It stared at Brit and repeated the name as though tasting it. “Hmm, Takashaniel.”

  “Don’t play with me, demon,” Brit growled. You know of the place, and I have all the time I need to keep you right here.” Kabriza adjusted its gaping maw in what could have been a mocking smile or a hungry sneer and repeated, yet a third time, “Hmm, Takashaniel.”

  Brit understood full well how Quentranzi liked to toy with the patience of their summoners as his was beginning to erode.

  “You talk of such a place as if it were the most powerful in this world. Surely it would take more than my help to bring down such a place. Do you wish me to help you in some negotiation? Perhaps a bargain? They let you rule the world, and you let them have all the free food they want. A fair deal, so what do you need…?”

  “You stretch my patience too far, demon,” Brit interrupted, and Kabriza
again managed something that looked like a smile. Brit began to chant a spell that the fiend apparently knew, and did not like.

  “If you finish that spell I will destroy you over the course of three centuries,” Kabriza threatened.

  Brit smiled. “You underestimate me, Quentranzi.” He lifted his hand and projected an icy blue mist at the demon. Kabriza looked at the mist and then at Brit. As the mist enveloped him, the fiend roared in agony, staring daggers at the Drek.

  After a few moments, Brit relinquished. “I warn you, my friend, I will not be toyed with or betrayed.” Kabriza continued to glare at the earthly creature, eyes narrow red slits.

  “You say betrayed as if we’ve already struck a deal,” Kabriza remarked. At that same moment the entire fortress began to shake, bottles burst and pillars cracked. Parts of the roof began to crack and fall, and the floor split into giant spider-web cracks beneath their feet. Zreal looked around in alarm. Despite Brit’s confidence, he was starting to doubt the sanity of this plan.

  “Destroy my fortress,” Brit said in a threatening tone, “and wonder how long it will be before you look upon this world again. Humans would not think of summoning one of your race, and after I release you to your abyss, it may be thousands of centuries before you see this light again! I can always find another way to achieve my goal. You, on the other hand, have no way to visit this dimension without the assistance of another.” His words had the desired effect, for the quakes ceased.

  “And if I were to agree to your terms, you can rest assured that I would not eviscerate you at a whim,” Kabriza offered.

  “I will try to contain my relief,” Brit responded dryly. “I think you may find me a bit more durable than a human.”

  “Oh? Then I had better be careful what I say to the mighty Brit.”

  Brit maintained his calm. “If you are unable to help in the destruction of Takashaniel, I will call on another.”

  Kabriza smirked. “Takashaniel is a big job, surely even the mighty Brit would prefer assistance since the tower is made of the stuff channeled by the cursed Gods.”

  Zreal shook his head. The fiend seemed content to spar with Brit indefinitely. Because both minds were touching his shield, Zreal could feel them. Brit’s was calculating and calm, straining to maintain patience. Kabriza’s mind was pure hatred and disdain mingled with amusement. It was also playing for time while it scanned the octagonal seal for a flaw.

  “Takashaniel, it is said, was created by the Gods to control the negative and positive energies so that neither one would dominate over the other,” Brit explained. “The tower is not invulnerable. With our power combined, we could destroy it, and you and your kind would be able to travel to this dimension with more ease than you can now.”

  “And what are your plans, oh great one?” Kabriza mocked. Brit ignored the sarcasm. “My plans are my own. But what I’m offering here is for us to work together in a mutual interest.”

  “I am elated to know that you are so kind as to help me and my brethren come to this world and achieve our modest goals to bask in the sunshine and flora and fauna of this goodly wholesome world you have here. And I am sure the thought of us swarming this world warms you inside.” The Quentranzi general looked the octagonal seal over and chuckled. “So do we shake hands, or is there some other way you want to seal our deal?”

  Brit looked at the creature with resentment. “Although your encouragement and overwhelmingly loyal demeanor make me so comfortable, I will need a bit more from you to ensure that we will be working with the same goal in mind and that this will not become more than I desire.”

  Kabriza tilted its head and eyed Brit. “You seek to probe my mind, Drek?” It made a sound that could have been laughter. “Surely you know that such an effort could only amuse me.” Brit turned and walked away, stopping halfway across the room to glance over his shoulder.

  “I don’t think there should be any problems between us, for now.” He turned again and left the room. At that moment, the powerful demon realized that it had been outsmarted, and that Brit had simply distracted it while a subtler method was employed. After a moment, the demon bared its jagged teeth. The Drek could not have used his mind to probe from two different directions; it was impossible. There had to have been someone else nearby that was helping him. That would explain why his summoner was so confident. Brit may know Kabriza’s intent now, but that could change in an instant. Kabriza grunted in respect of the Drek’s cunning. In time I will show him what power truly is. The barrier to the demon realm suddenly released, and Kabriza stepped back into the abyss.

  Zreal, still hiding in the shadows, was able feel some of the demon’s thoughts after Brit had left and the barrier melted away. He would have to warn Brit immediately, but surely his master would not be so foolish as to trust a creature from the abysmal realm, especially not a Quentranzi! The Zetsuan decided to tell his master of his findings anyway. Zreal had no idea how this could end in anything other than disaster, but it was not his place to question. Zreal may not be as powerful as the Drek who had brought him to this world, but Zreal was a survivor. If Brit was successful, all the better, but if he failed, Zreal would ensure that he was not similarly pulled into a foolish death.

  * * *

  On their way to the port, Kenyatta and Kita reflected on their time living in the Philippines. Having grown up together as brothers, they’d lived in the same house, shared chores and worked and played together.

  “Hey Ken. You remember that time when we got stuck in the tree trying to spy on Aunya?”

  Kenyatta chuckled at the mention of that name. Aunya was a girl a few years older than the two of them, and beautiful. He and Kita had always tried to get away from the house to be around her, or at least watch her from afar. “You mean that tall one up the hill from your house? Ya, man, how could I forget that? We got stuck up there for an hour after she left. I remember how hard your dad laughed when he saw us up there. He jyas laugh at us and say if we figured out how to get up there, we should be figurin’ how ta get down.”

  “Yup,” Kita laughed. “And then you fell down six feet before you were able to grab onto another limb and swing up.”

  “Ya forget that you were laughin’ so hard at me that ya fell and got hung upside down by your leg. All that screamin’ and hollerin. ‘My foot’s hung, my foot’s hung!’ I’m tinking me was goin’ def from all that screamin’!”

  “I still managed to pull myself up and untied my leg from that vine,” Kita argued.

  “Ya, den fell past me and landed in an ant-infested patch of poison ivy.” Now Ken was laughing. “I tink ya found a new dancing rhythm. The way you were hopping and yelping, I thought ya was comin’ up with some kinda new dance I never seen.” Kita shoved his friend, but couldn’t help sharing Kenyatta’s mirth at the long ago memory.

  “So ya tink we’re facing some pretty powerful enemies, ya?”

  “I hope so,” Kita answered. “I could use the practice, and if your sister is right, we’ll need all the practice we can get before the real deal hits. I wonder what these things look like anyway.”

  “Who knows? Dem probably six feet tall with a pointed tail and a pitchfork with horns on der head.” Again they chuckled

  “Yeah,” Kita smirked, “or maybe half a foot tall and land on your shoulder and nip at your ear telling you to do bad things.”

  “You ready to get under way, or you wantin’ to hug the land beneath your feet a while longer?”

  The two friends turned to regard a short, pot-bellied man with a thick mustache and a shaved head. He had his thick hairy forearms crossed over his large barrel chest.

  “We’re ready when you are, Captain Barum,” Kita replied. “You know this isn’t our first voyage.”

  The captain snorted. “How long you ever been aboard a ship, boy? Couple days? A week or two? Ain’t no voyage. When you’ve seen the sun rise and fall at sea so many times you lose count, then you got a voyage under your belt.” He spat in the sand and covered it
. “Siren’s Song breaks port in two hours. I suggest you get all your landlubber business done.” The burly captain turned back toward his ship.

  “Why do ship captains all seem the same?” Kita asked, staring after the departing Barum.

  “Same reason everyone else seems the same to them and their crew, I’d imagine.”

  True to his word, Captain Barum had Siren’s Song stocked and ready to break port inside of two hours. Kenyatta and Kita climbed aboard and looked back at the island, each wondering when they would see the island again. Neither had fought a demon before, and being honest with themselves, they felt a bit detached. How could one appreciate the gravity of such an unbelievable situation?

  “Tink der’s really demons crawling around out der somewhere?” Kenyatta’s voice was quiet, thoughtful as the boat drew farther away.

  “Who can know?” Kita replied. “They may always have been there, causing trouble since the first time man came into being. Maybe they are the reason there has been so much evil and chaos in the world for so many thousands of years.”

  Kenyatta just stared at the slowly diminishing island. “I never met a demon, but I’ve seen evil in men, and I’ve seen good, too. Both do what they do because of who they are, not what someting else make ’em into.”

  For a time they watched as the island of Jamaica grew smaller and smaller until finally, it was no longer visible. The two friends turned their attention to the endless ocean before them, and the equally endless possibilities beyond.

  ***

  Chapter Eight

  Sekimaru awakened once again, Akemi made her descent down the mountain, allowing herself to enjoy the lush greenery, plants and trees, the insects, birds and the numerous animals and other forms of life that co-inhabited the mountainous forest. She came to a cliff overlooking a vast crevice partially hidden in a gray mist. On the other side of the crevice the mountain continued in its rolling, hilled pattern. She admired the plant life that had the strength and resilience to live on the edge of the mountain their entire lives as opposed to the ease of living on flat land. She thought about the hidden blessing of such a location. Although the plants and trees were living a harder life on the side of the mountain, they weren’t shadowed by taller trees and denied sunlight. They were never trampled, and were less likely to be eaten by a vegetarian animal in search of a meal. Akemi always contemplated the subtle lessons hidden in plain sight.