Echoes of a Shattered Age

by R. J. Terrell

  “It is Takashaniel,” Akemi corrected, “and Iel is the guardian of the sacred tower. For your other question, I received mental images of their destination. The stupid thing inadvertently told me what they were about, and gave me the fastest route. It will not be happy to meet its master, once we send it back to the abyss.”

  “We should move now,” Kita said. “We’re a good distance away from our horses, so we should move.”

  At her request, Kenjiro reached into his pack and produced a bland-looking whistle and handed it to Akemi. “We are at least two days’ ride from the tower,” she said. “But we do have a bit of luck. Takashaniel lies in a path that will take us close enough to our horses to use this whistle. We will not go to get them, but when the winds carry the sound of this whistle, our two horses will come and yours will hopefully follow. We will run and they will catch us, no time wasted.”

  “You expect me to believe that you can blow that whistle,” Shinobu, on the edge of laughter, “and our horses will not only hear from miles and miles away, but come to us?”

  Akemi shrugged. “Believe or do not, it matters little. Come, we leave now.”

  “And what of our saddles and supplies?” Shinobu asked.

  “We leave them, there is no time.”

  With a disbelieving sigh, the strider joined the other four warriors in cleaning up the campsite. Once finished, they set out for the Tower of Balance. Despite the labor of their pace, Kenyatta found that he enjoyed the run through the lush landscape of green and yellow hills sprinkled with trees and shrubs and flowers of every kind. They were in the countryside, many leagues outside the city of Kyokoza and headed toward the lands surrounding Tokyo and beyond. He found it revitalizing to see the earth reverting back to its natural state. It was almost as if the End of Technology marked the beginning of the earth’s rehabilitation. Once or twice, he thought he saw figures watching them in the distance. Whomever or whatever they were, they made no move to intercept, but seemed content to track their progress, for whatever reason.

  Kita mentally removed himself from the road and thought of home and all that lay ahead. If they did not succeed, there would be no home. And even if they did succeed, what then would become of the Earth? He was also aware of the rapidly changing world and wondered where humanity would fit in.

  They passed through a city of decaying buildings and other human structures. It was once thought that concrete and metal could forever withstand any element of nature, but the earth had been given a chance and was recovering with vengeance. The buildings were wind-and-rain beaten, crumbled and disintegrating back to the earth from whence it came. The sight was almost magical when considering the relatively short amount of years following the End of Technology.

  The land began a gradual incline, and soon they came upon a cliff. The five warriors seemed to think as one. No one spoke, and all trusted in each other and moved in sync, leaning left or right on their course like a flock of small birds flying in one direction and then turning abruptly in another.

  As they approached the cliff they saw that it ended in a decline. Once they reached the edge they began their descent, half running half sliding while swinging around trees, hopping over rocks and sidestepping bushes. At one point the ground was so soft that it became difficult to maintain control and more than once Akemi found herself stumbling and barely avoiding a tumble to the bottom.

  Difficult as the terrain was, Kenjiro watched Akemi with a worried look. She should have been able to handle this cliff with much less difficulty than she was having. The pit demon’s taint must be slowly draining her strength again. He made his way to within a few feet of his sister so as to catch her in case she lost her footing.

  Once they reached the bottom of the cliff, they hit the ground running. Akemi glanced over her shoulder at the others and pointed to a patch of woods just to the right of their path. At the pace they held, they would reach it within half an hour. Past the base of the cliff, the land continued to descend and the group maintained a fast pace with greater ease. Finally reaching the woods, they slowed to a jog, allowing their bodies to cool down.

  After a few moments, they came upon a creek with a running stream rushing along a path that snaked through the trees. Akemi was the first to reach the stream, and dipped her hands in. She took a sip, then splashed her face. The water was cool and fresh, and leaned her head back and enjoyed the gentle breeze that blew across her wet face.

  Kenjiro knelt beside his sister and dipped his hands in the water, washing his own face. After a sip, he dipped his hands in again and drank deeply. The water was sweet and cool, and he felt refreshed.

  After everyone had washed their faces and had their fill, Shinobu broke the silence. “I’m modestly familiar with this region. The terrain will be easier for our horses to navigate.…”

  “If they weren’t so far away,” Kita added, and the strider choked back a snicker.

  “Yes,” Akemi replied, ignoring the jab. “I’m actually quite familiar with this area. We left them that way.” She pointed northeast of their location.

  Now Shinobu did laugh. “Might I ask again how they are going to hear this magical whistle of yours?”

  “There is nothing magical about my whistle,” Akemi replied patiently. “We are about to pass through a narrow mountainous area where the winds carry sound much farther than normal.”

  “It's going to have to carry sound really far,” Shinobu said, shaking his head.

  “It is in this pass,” Akemi said, ignoring him, “that the wind will carry our call a distance that would normally be impossible. After we rest here, we will enter the pass. There are multiple paths that snake through the mountain range. One of them is in the general direction our horses should be.”

  “If they’re still there,” Kenyatta muttered.

  “Our horses know to wait for us,” the ninja replied. “And since horses are herd animals, there is a good chance yours will remain with them.”

  The five companions ran off and on for the better part of the day, and the evening was a few hours away. They had traveled more than a score of miles and were on the brink of exhaustion when they decided to rest again. Shinobu reached into a travel pouch and produced a hunk of bread that he divided amongst the companions. Kita drew the remaining pouch of water that they had taken from Takashaniel. They’d hidden the other three in the woods with the horses, but Kita had felt the need to bring one, even at the cost of its inconvenience. Glad he was, that he had decided to bring it along. He still wondered how they had acquired the drink from the tower when they had not physically gone there. The only explanation he could think of was that Taliah must have traveled by portal and brought the pouches with her before the others awoke.

  After sharing the bread and a chunk of cheese and some dried seaweed, they sat and talked. After some time, the group had taken a nap after a long protest in vain against Kenyatta remaining awake while the others slept. “Everyone here is capable of waking at the slightest sound,” the ninja had said. “Why keep watch?”

  “Exhaustion might slow your reaction,” he’d argued. “Just sleep. I’m fine.”

  Akemi saw in his eyes that the islander would not budge on the topic, so she’d relented. After a few hours, Akemi was the first to awaken. She lay on her side, staring at Kenyatta’s back. Although he insisted that he was past it, she could feel the grief and guilt in him.

  “How was your nap?” He asked over his shoulder.

  “Refreshing,” she replied, rising. She moved beside him and stretched. “You will be able to continue? We have a great distance to run still.”

  Kenyatta smiled. “I will be fine. Iel spoke true. The water has a sustaining effect. I feel that I can continue without a problem.” He looked closer into her eyes. They were dark black orbs that seemed to be a gateway to a void of nothingness. “It’s creeping back into you. It won’t be long before it overtakes you again.” He saw the strain on her face and regretted bringing it up.

  “I’l
l be fine.” She smirked at him. “If I can get the rest of you to quit slobbering all over me with your worry.”

  The islander laughed for the first since time since their fight with the horde. “So you think you can keep this pace until the horses catch us?”

  “Whether I think I can or not is no matter. I must, and that is all there is to it.”

  Kenyatta looked at the woman with admiration. She could be touched by a dark power and face a tortured death, yet still remain in good spirits.

  The others awoke moments later and began gathering the few supplies they had brought. There was not much to clean, for their stay had only lasted a few hours and there was no need for a campfire. Shinobu looked up at the sky and frowned. “Visibility will not be in our favor.”

  “Maybe not,” Kita responded, “but we have to press on. For all we know, Takashaniel may already be under attack.”

  Kenjiro moved beside Kenyatta. “No sign of anything?”

  “Nothing,” Kenyatta answered. He looked at the siblings standing on either side of him, remembering a question that he’d meant to ask some time ago. “I admit my ignorance in affairs that concern the dark realm, but I found it strange that those demons move so freely in daylight.”

  “Human folklore stems from truth and fiction intertwined,” the ninja said. “Daylight means nothing to them, although they do prefer darkness. Quentranzi in particular are resistant to everything in this world. The hottest magma from the core of the earth would not burn them, and the coldest bite of the arctic would not freeze them. The cut of an earthly sword might remove a limb and cause pain, but nothing more. Only by the means available to us, can they be sent back to the abyss. This is why the Drek that Iel speaks of is the first to make such an attempt in so long a time.”

  Kenyatta looked at her and frowned. “So, someone has tried this before? What person could be capable of summoning such evil as what we’ve encountered?”

  “I will tell you this and then we must go.” Akemi looked out at the open fields, but her gaze went farther still. “Once, I was told of a powerful mage that lived before the Age of Technology. It was during this time that many different forms of life inhabited the world, and magic was more commonplace than now. This mage was the most powerful of all mages of the world, or so it has been said. In time, however, he succumbed to temptation, and the power corrupted him.

  “His peers realized that he was becoming too powerful too quickly and they warned him to be careful. Growing ever more powerful, however, the mage took their warnings as a sign of weakness and jealousy, and ignored them. The more powerful he became the darker his mind grew. Soon he began to study more of the dark arts, believing them to be the source of true power.

  “Every mage must study some of the dark arts,” the ninja continued. “But they usually study only enough to understand them so as to be able to effectively defend against it. When one studies the arts out of personal interest and desire, that is when things go ill and the mind becomes vulnerable. This mage had walked the line between light and dark for so long for so long that his developing interest in the dark arts crossed the line. By the time the others of his order realized how far he’d fallen and decided to move against him, the mage had a fully developed knowledge of necromancy and demon summoning.

  “It started with summoning an imp or two, something all mages are capable of. Then he summoned a tryte demon, a great deal stronger than an imp, but not so powerful that he could not control it. He would send these fiends on small tasks while maintaining a strong ‘leash,’ or ‘tether’ to them. After much success in using these creatures, he became more and more confident and his summonings became more and more ambitious until he was able to summon a Tasarien. Although the force of such a fiend was vastly overwhelming, he was able to hold it in the seal he had created, and that gave him even greater confidence.

  “He had one day discovered through one of his imps—a familiar, as they are called—that the other members of his Order were conspiring against him. The man was amused by the discovery, and sensing his growing arrogance, the imp suggested that he summon a demon from the most powerful race of demons in the dark realm.

  “By that time, he had grown to trust his familiar, since it was incapable of harming him. But in his arrogance, he forgot that an imp’s power lay not in its physical or magical prowess, but in its power of suggestion. It subtly manipulated his thoughts and finally, after some coaxing, convinced him that he was more than capable of summoning a Quentranzi demon.”

  Akemi looked at the ground and then back to the path where she and the others now walked. “That was his undoing. Powerful he was, but no human is powerful enough to summon such a terrible monster. The imp knew this, and waited patiently as the foolish human grew in confidence and arrogance.

  Finally, the mage summoned a Quentranzi, and although it was among the weakest of its brethren, the beast was still far more powerful than the dark mage could have imagined. Its presence was overwhelming but it appeared to be held by the seal.”

  She smirked. “He was a fool. He didn’t know that Quentranzi are adept at manipulation. This fiend was no different, and in its infinite patience it let the human plan and prepare for the destruction of his Order, all the while feeding his ego and awaiting the opportunity it needed. After some time, the mage ‘unleashed’ the demon on his peers, and despite the combined efforts of the mages, it destroyed them all.

  “The fiend had been taxed in the fight, but was far from weak, and when it returned, it laughed at the mage’s attempt to send it back to the abyss.”

  Akemi seemed on the brink of utter disgust. “The demon let him believe he was in control until it was ready to strike. The mage’s prowess held him in the fight for a short time before the demon prevailed, torturing him in unspeakable ways. In the end, it took another faction, some ten monks from the Order of Dasha to send it back. Since then, it has been taboo to even speak of summoning a denizen of the abyss. Not even a simple imp.”

  Her features darkened. “The power of this Drek has all my respect. If we come to fight him, it will be our greatest challenge, and we still have not felt the power of the Quentranzi general. Compared to the one known as Kabriza, the demon the dark mage summoned was nothing.”

  Shinobu frowned. “How many of that horde of demons we fought were Quentranzi?”

  Akemi turned a look on the strider that spoke of laughter. “The four pit demons could almost be considered equal to the lowest level Quentranzi demon … almost.”

  “Oh, is that all?” the strider responded in mock cheerfulness.

  “Sounds like we have our work cut out for us,” Kita said. “That last fight was tough enough, and we still have yet to face a real Quentranzi?” He looked at Kenyatta. “Gods help us.”

  Akemi smiled and cupped Kita’s chin in her hand. “If it makes you feel any better, the Tasarien and the pit demon are not much different than lower Quentranzi, only more simple-minded. Tasarien are much smarter than pit demons, but less powerful overall. If we had fought a lower level Quentranzi, I believe the battle would have ended much the same.…”

  “That would be comforting if our enemy was summoning a horde of weak Quentranzi,” Kita said.

  Akemi shrugged. “We will be ready.”

  Kenyatta thought about the growing taint he could see through the ninja’s eyes, and his tone was uncharacteristically sober. “If you think so.”

  ***

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Brit walked to the balcony at the highest point of his fortress and looked out at the blight that encompassed the area. His thoughts were directed at that irritating tower and its unexpectedly resilient allies.

  “Any more flawless plans, oh mighty Drek, destroyer of Takashaniel and conqueror of the world?” Kabriza’s mocking tone seemed commonplace at the fortress for some time now, and Brit’s patience was beginning to wear.

  “Had I known I had employed forces that could not destroy five small humans wielding earthly weapons, I m
ight have planned differently.” Brit eyed the demon towering over him. “The only thing impressive about your brethren is how efficiently they managed to die.”

  Kabriza rumbled deep in his throat. “And yet the mighty one enlists such help, for he cannot achieve his goal alone.”

  Brit refrained from grinding his teeth at the insufferable creature. Since he had summoned the Quentranzi general, it had been a constant battle of sardonic comments and outright insults. The fiend was obviously waiting for him to lose his temper, and thus his control. But why not openly challenge me if he thinks he can destroy me? That was what puzzled him the most about the demon. “Is there another reason for your visit with me or did you merely come to pollute my ear with foolishness, Kabriza?”

  The floor began to shake, and doors and windows rattled. Red flames danced in the Quentranzi’s murderous eyes. “Perhaps I came to inform you that I have come to alleviate you of the burden of your life.”

  Brit turned a flat, unconcerned look on the fiend, then turned his back. “Perhaps,” he replied. “But perhaps I could travel to your realm and destroy you all.” He smirked. “Perhaps, but not likely, my demon friend.”

  “The humans move toward the tower,” Kabriza growled. “If they succeed any further I shall find amusement in your improvising of this situation, tether.” The demon spat the last word.

  Brit kept his back turned. “That is not your concern. I summoned you for reasons that you are already aware of. Save your counsel, animal. I have made arrangements for every situation, should it arise.”

  “Of course you have,” the demon chuckled, much to Brit’s irritation. “I doubt not that you have thought of everything and left nothing to chance. I am sure you are prepared for anything to happen, mighty Drek. I feel lucky to have such an ally as you by my side. Us lowly ones should kneel before such a power. Perhaps if I am lucky, you may feel kind enough to show me what true power is. I would be most grateful.”

  Now Brit did turn, having reached the limits of his patience. The beast was gone. He stood for a moment, pondering this last conversation. Kabriza was not subtle with its challenge, and he was certain the fiend would attempt to undermine him at a very inconvenient time. Perhaps he could send it back to the abyss?