Chapter Twenty-Nine
The companions held their mounts at a strong canter and blazed a trail straight across the open landscape. There was a silent tension about the group as everyone mentally replayed their teacher’s last words before they’d left. Finally, they knew who and what the enemy was, but that only left them with more questions. The guardian had hinted that there was more, concerning their abilities, but he hadn’t spoken of it further. In their private thoughts, each wondered if the Ilanyan held the answer to why they were able to do the impossible.
“I can see a lake at the foot of that forest,” Kita said, pointing ahead. “We should stop there.” They stopped their lathered and winded horses near the lake and dismounted. While they approached the small body of water, Kenyatta hesitated. His stomach knotted and seemingly every nerve in his body tingled with anxiety.
“Wait!” He trotted up to stop the others. “Something’s not right about this lake. I don’t think we should get any closer.”
Kenjiro caught something out of the corner of his eye and froze. The water rippled gently and then a large black fin sliced through the surface and then sank once again.
Kita was horrorstricken. “Whatever is attached to that fin is bigger than I care to imagine.”
Everyone slowly backed away from the pond. Kenyatta realized how careful they all were stepping and laughed. “What are we tip-toeing for? It’s not like the thing can hear us and is going to jump out of the water.”
Kita shook his head. “Yeah, well all the same, let’s just find another place to rest.” The group moved around the lake at a distance. This time Akemi got a glimpse of the large fin, and then the larger yellow tail that followed. The tail had grotesque waving tentacles attached to it, and upon closer observation, she noticed that the tentacles seemed to wave consciously, as if they were searching for something.
“Why don’t we move a bit farther away,” she suggested. Upon receiving a questioning look from her brother, she pointed. “Look there, those small tentacles. Look at the way they sway in that pattern. I think they’re smelling the air.”
The group entered a copse a short distance away to take their rest. “According to the map Iel implanted in our minds,” Kenjiro said, “I don’t think we are far from intercepting the Drek’s forces.” He looked at Kita, who nodded.
“We should find a safe place to release our horses,” Akemi said. “Demons find no better pleasure than causing pain and suffering to any living thing, especially animals that are close to humans. They know how we care for our animal companions.”
Kenjiro noticed Kenyatta focusing on something outside the tree line and moved beside him. “What is it?” he asked.
“Over there,” the islander whispered. “I knew there was something trailing us for some time now but it was too far away to be of any real concern. Whatever that thing is, it’s getting a little close to that lake.”
Kenjiro looked in the direction Kenyatta pointed to see a gray, four-legged animal of some sort walking toward the edge of the water. Even from that distance, the thing looked to be larger than a lion. Shaggy gray fur covered its hulking body, and four fangs protruded from its smiling maw. Its glowing red eyes looked as if they were filled with lava. Its claws sliced into the ground as it walked toward the lake.
“Grey Krindra,” Akemi whispered as she silently crept up beside them.
“What’s a Krindra?” Kita asked.
“I am unsure of exactly what it is, but it’s often used by demons, higher or lesser, to track certain targets or just plain hunt them down and rip them apart.” She narrowed her eyes. “It isn’t very intelligent, but it can grate a tree into shreds with those claws.”
A splash of water brought everyone’s attention back to the lake. A long, thick tentacle shot out of the water and wrapped around the beast, and began dragging the Krindra closer to the pond. It roared and dug its claws into the ground, digging deep scars in the ground.
A second tentacle whipped out of the water and slapped at the beast before it too wrapped around the animal. After a bit more of a struggle, the tentacles lifted the kicking, shrieking monster into the air and plunged it into the water. There were a few splashes and then nothing. The pond was as still as they had found it, and it was as though the Krindra had never been.
Kenyatta looked at Kita with widened eyes. “That thing had to weigh at least twelve to fifteen hundred pounds and was yanked into the water like it was nothing!”
“The world is changing,” Kita responded, not taking his eyes from the scene in front of him. “Just as Sensei and Iel said.”
“I hope there are some more friendly changes taking place,” Kenyatta replied, unconsciously moving backward.
The companions rested and shared their rations before mounting and setting off again. They moved slowly through the copse and later came upon a forest. The trees opened and revealed a path wide enough for them to travel two abreast. They increased their pace, no one needing to explain their desire not to spend more time in a wooded area than need be.
For a while, all seemed well, but then, the companions began to feel an uneasiness about the woods. Kenyatta could feel the wrongness in the air. He sighed. They must know we’re coming, he thought. He sped his horse up to catch the leader and warn of the danger when the ground burst open and the horses screamed and dug their rear heels into the ground.
The four warriors leaped from their saddles and landed in a crouching defensive formation, two on the left and two on the right. Akemi and Kenjiro’s horses ran into the thicker parts of the brush with the other two in tow. Kenyatta and Kita said a silent prayer of thanks for having selected such intelligent animals.
Out of the ground came a large flaming red hand big enough to grab them all. A Ren even bigger than the one they last encountered broke through the ground and towered over the group. Its chest expanded as it drew in a deep breath, then it thrust its head forward and spat a gout of flame.
The warriors leaped backward into the air, landing behind the flames. Everyone crouched, their weapons ready to strike as the fiery demon moved closer. Just as Akemi leaned forward to initiate the attack, they heard a sharp sound like a thin sheet of metal slicing through air. The Ren lurched forward and then tumbled to the ground and began to dissipate.
Akemi and the others remained crouched and ready, watching in confusion as the Ren dissipated back to the abyss. After it had fully dematerialized, they saw a slender figure standing at ease. Everyone stood and took a more aggressive stance, not sure if their benefactor was friend or foe.
“This is how you welcome an ally?” asked a voice familiar to Kenjiro and Akemi. Kenyatta and Kita remained at the ready until the other two relaxed and sheathed their swords.
“I see a strider does keep his word after all,” Akemi said. “We thought you decided the better of accompanying us.”
“His word is all a man has,” Shinobu replied. He walked up to the group and inclined his head with a smile. “I presume you are the others from Toyotomi that eluded me,” he said, turning his attention to Kenyatta and Kita, who turned questioning looks on the two siblings.
Shinobu spread his hands. “I’d sensed the presence of two others but was unable to locate you. Looks like you’ve met up after all. I am Farstrider Shinobu.” He offered a smirk that brought an unimpressed look from Kenyatta. Kita returned the introductions and they went to recover their horses.
The strider led them to his mount, which was grazing in an open patch of grass. They rode at a walking pace for a time, comparing information and Akemi explaining their meeting at the Eagle’s Eye to the islanders.
“We almost missed the place entirely,” Kita said. “We were told to look for a town named Nijika. We nearly left until deciding to talk to some of the locals and found out that Nijika and Toyotomi were one in the same.”
“Some people have felt the need to hold on to some remnants of an age passed,” the strider said. “Nijika is the old name. You will find that many places have taken ne
w names, as every land has done for centuries. People are divided on the subject.” He shrugged as if it didn’t matter. Kita and Kenyatta didn’t see the point in such reasoning either, but in the end, what did it matter?
“There is a score of monsters the likes of which I have never seen before,” the strider continued. “All moving east of here and destroying everything in their path. They are savage, but there is definitely some direction to their flight.” The two siblings looked at each other and then at Kenyatta and Kita.
Akemi shared their recently acquired information, drawing a smile from the strider. “So you are on your way to intercept these things? I hope you have an idea of what you’re up against, because not only are there a lot of them, but they’re strong; very strong.”
“I have a question,” Kita asked. “How were you able to defeat that thing back there so easily?” Shinobu’s face took on a distant look.
“That is a question that must remain unanswered, I regret.” The matter-of-factness in Shinobu’s voice brought no further questions in that direction, but a little less trust between the strider and the four companions.
* * *
The miles fell away behind them as they crossed the grasslands, rolling hills and fields, and jumping across creeks and ravines. They rode without rest until the sun was directly overhead. “We are close to them now,” Akemi said, her voice going grim. “I can feel the stench of their presence even from here.” She looked at the rest of the group. “Whatever we plan to do, it's going to be now.”
“There is a patch of woods not far from here,” Kenjiro said. “I have no desire to involve my horse in this confrontation.”
“Agreed,” Akemi replied.
“You have quite a bit of confidence in their loyalty,” Shinobu commented.
“We should,” Akemi retorted, giving her panting mount a pat on the neck. The winded horse’s sides heaved in and out as it took in gulps of air. “They have served us well.”
“I see,” came the smiling response, which drew an annoyed look from Kenyatta.
Once they reached the woods, everyone dismounted and unfastened their gear. The horses were turned loose to graze and rest in safety. “How fast do you feel?” Shinobu asked the others. “If we set a quick pace, we can be on them in less than three hours.”
“Then let’s get moving,” Kenyatta said while fastening a water flask to his waist.
Akemi nodded. “We need to reach them before nightfall. I’d like not to fight demons in the night if it can be avoided.” That statement had everyone ready to leave in a matter of minutes.
The group sped across the open fields, stopping only to peer at their quarry from atop some of the higher hills. “There,” Kita pointed out three Bachatttas gliding in the sky far in the distance.
“Scouts,” Kenjiro said with disgust.
“And they can probably see us even from this distance,” Akemi added.
“I know this area,” Shinobu said. “There is a canyon between us and them that stretches for miles in both directions. The good news is that it’s narrow and we could cross it without those things seeing us from the sky. The bad news is that we would be quite vulnerable climbing out.”
“We have few options,” Kenjiro said. “We must cross.”
“Then we start now,” Akemi said.
* * *
Standing in front of his scrying mirror, Brit watched with amusement as the group headed for the canyon. “Courageous of them to try to cross that canyon so close to our forces, don’t you think, Kabriza?”
The Quentranzi general looked into the mirror with little interest. “Would you consider those five humans such a threat that you would have them eliminated?” it asked with that low, rumbling voice that made Zreal’s wings want to shrivel.
“You may yet learn, Kabriza, that I leave nothing to chance. Better to overestimate than to underestimate. No one has or ever will defeat me because I was unprepared.”
The demon narrowed its eyes and smiled at the double meaning in the Drek’s words. Brit could feel the fiend’s eyes burning into his side, but showed no concern. He had Kabriza’s respect, somewhat, and he must remain unmoved and strong in its presence. “I won’t waste valuable resources on humans, but I will take no unnecessary chances either. I will send three welcoming parties to them, each headed by a Krindra.”
Brit and his Quentranzi general stepped through a dark portal and were transported not far outside of his fortress. “I must say again that I admire your style in surroundings,” Kabriza said. “It almost reminds me of home.”
Brit ignored the comment and concentrated on summoning the creatures of the edge of the world, vile grotesque living monsters that were only found in these lands and were rarely mentioned save for old stories and campfire tales. Three Krindras appeared from the brush, and soon after, three groups of hairy brown beasts with glowing green eyes joined them.
Kabriza made a sound that could have been a chuckle. “Those are the same type of Chimsura as the score you lost track of not long ago. Are you feeling luckier in using such mentally dwarfed creatures?” Kabriza glanced at its summoner. “Perhaps you use them because stupid creatures are easy to outwit and easier to control?”
Brit spared a glance at the mocking demon. “That’s why you’re here, pet.”
The fire in Kabriza’s eyes danced wildly at the insult.
The three Krindras and the other monsters backed away from them, growling warily. Brit, most of his attention on his slow-witted but fierce beasts took note but once again showed no concern of his unpredictable ally’s irritation. A few moments later he produced a dark portal and the three groups departed.
* * *
The narrow canyon stretched as far as the eye could see in either direction, but for however long it was, the distance across its width was quite short. The four warriors positioned themselves behind a bolder, and Akemi took a quick peek around the side.
“What do you see?” Kenjiro asked.
“More than I can count,” the ninja answered. “At least several of every kind of demon you could think of, except the Kalistyi.” She shared a look with her brother, then took a longer look.
“Five Ren, the three Bachatttas we spotted earlier, three Pit Demons, and other demons the likes of which I have never seen. I hope you’re ready for a fight. What concerns me is not their numbers, but how powerful this Drek thing would have to be in order to summon this many of those kinds of demons to this world. They’re bad enough, and they aren’t even Quentranzi. Not a one!” She looked back around the boulder and then once more to the others. “Fighting him might be more difficult than that army.”
“No sense in prolonging this,” Kita said. “Let’s cross the canyon and get to business.” That brought a smile to the ninja’s face, a sigh from the samurai, and an amused look from Shinobu. After peeking around the boulder once more, she held her hand up to the group and after a moment longer, signaled for everyone to make for the canyon.
“This reeks of a setup,” Shinobu said in a bored tone. “I’m almost positive we will be attacked as soon as we reach the floor of the canyon.”
“Then why don’t you jump across it,” Kenjiro retorted.
Akemi glanced at them. “We have no choice but to cross from the bottom. Whatever happens, we will deal with it or this will be a short mission.”
Without hesitation, they dropped over the rim, hopping from one level to another, one boulder to another. Halfway down, they spread out and stopped, scanning the surroundings from the concealment of the scattered trees and boulders that littered the canyon wall.
Kenyatta crouched next to a slit in the wall, watching. A hiss drew his attention, and he froze, moving only his eyes to meet those of a colorful and deadly canyon snake, coiled and poised to strike. He remained perfectly still, but never took his eyes from the snake. “Maybe you not wantin’ me visiting your house, ya?” The snaked snapped and hissed again. “Me jyas passin’ by, my friend, no need coilin’ up like that, ya
know.”
Kenyatta could see the others continuing their descent, and knew he would need to move on. The angry snake, perhaps impatient with waiting, struck at his face. Kenyatta’s hand snapped up and caught the serpent. He held it by the head, and its tail twisted and wrapped itself around his arm. Carefully, he removed the snake from his arm and placed it on the ground, still holding its head. After moving to the edge of the cliff, he released the snake and dropped over the side, following as the companions zigzagged from rock to rock, ridge to ridge, all the way to the bottom.
After a short time, the five warriors reached the floor of the canyon and moved toward the other side. Almost halfway across, two red dots of light appeared on either side of them, then elongated while turning and widening. They faced back-to-back in a circle and drew their weapons. From each side, a Krindra stepped out of a portal with ten Chimsuras in tow. There was an unmistakable glow of hunger and malice in those eyes. These monsters weren’t demons, but it was clear who’d sent them.
“We need to get those things between us,” the strider said.
“What do you suggest?” Kenjiro asked, holding his sword before him.
Shinobu was thinking fast, taking in the area as the monsters closed in.
“Everyone move to fight the ones facing Kenyatta first. When the other group catches up to us, on my signal, circle around and reposition ourselves behind them on both sides …” he gave Kenjiro a dark, triumphant look, “… and slaughter them!”
“Go, now!” The five warriors charged the group of monsters closest to the wall of the canyon, the howling creatures pounding the earth to meet them. Akemi drew forth Sekimaru and swiped one monster across the chest, shearing through flesh and bone and nearly cutting it in two. She shuddered at how easily the sword had cleaved through the beast. An instant later she rolled to the side to avoid a downward slash at her head, and a Chimsura’s claw dug deep into the ground. It drew back with an agonized howl as part of its arm fell to the canyon floor. Akemi didn’t need to finish the monster, for Shinobu came upon it with zigzagging slashes across its back. It crashed to the ground, quite dead.
Echoes of a Shattered Age Page 21