Crystal Casters: Awakening (The Crystal Casters Series Book 1)

by Jenn Nixon

  “The humans won’t see me.”

  We see you, Rune projected.

  “A welcome surprise. Regardless, if only casters can see me, I am not worried.”

  “Why?”

  “The numbers are few.”

  Rune sighed, equally irritated at Zorin’s short, uninformed answers. How few?

  “Perhaps a dozen, if they all survived the flare.”

  “What?” Cyndra shivered and stared open-mouthed at Zorin, watching his dark face fall and the slight twinge of guilt flash across his eyes.

  “We should refrain from more questions for now.” Zorin rubbed his hand over his face and turned toward Ricksberg. “I will scout ahead and…stay near. Try not to evoke your elements and my presence should mask you from the enemy.”

  Before Cyndra’s thought reached her mouth, Zorin was climbing a pile of rubble, gazing in both directions the higher he went. Near the top, he extended his enormous dark gray wings, expanding his already wide chest and leaped off the top of the pile, catching a gust of wind, which pushed him back but lifted him higher. Then he straightened and soared overhead as if he jumped out of one of her fantasy books.

  “Wow,” she whispered.

  An amazing sight, Rune said, smirking and shrugging when she glanced over.

  I always wanted a dragon. She chuckled softly.

  I wonder what happened to him.

  “I’m not sure I want to know,” Cyndra answered, slinging her backpack over her shoulder and doing her damnedest not to glance up to catch another glimpse of Zorin flying over the EZ as she walked the road. “I’ve got enough shit on my plate.”

  You use some very interesting phrases.

  “I’ve been told. My grandfather made me read a lot when I was young. Sadly, none of those books prepared me for any of this.”

  The journal may contain everything you need, Cyndra.

  “Let’s hope you’re right and my cousin can help us read it.”

  What happens when we reach town?

  “We find transport to the North EZ.”

  Does Eastzone have a working train?

  Cyndra nodded, picking up her pace when they reached the final fifty yards between the paved road and the dirt path leading to the main entrance to Ricksberg. “I’ve never been on one, probably can’t afford it, we’ll be lucky if we can find a seat on a boat.”

  What’s the main currency here?

  “Did you grow up in a cave? You look about the same age as me, but gape at everything you see in the EZ like the Westzone is paradise. I know it’s not as bad over there because of the mountains—”

  I’m twenty-eight. And I grew up…differently, away from others, perhaps for this very reason.

  “Different how?” she asked, eyeing the few people filling the road behind and beside them.

  That tale is long, Rune said, grinning. I don’t think my guardians knew I was a caster, but some of their teachings lead me to rethink my memories.

  “Yeah, maybe, you seem very comfortable with all of this and…” Cyndra shook her head and chuckled softly. Zorin was right, she had to give the questions a rest. It was all too much to sort through. “Anyway, trade is the main currency here in the EZ, dollars second, ration points third, and Zonecoins are the rarest if you find the right person to give them up. Apparently, they contain enough cobalt to get some of the old cells phones working.”

  Rune nodded and absently slid the knives on his belt around to the back and lifted his hood as they approached the large floodlights on either side of the town arch. Although the town wasn’t gated in the traditional sense, a circular shape of rubble, formerly buildings and homes, created an enormous ring of protection for the main, livable section of Ricksberg.

  Cyndra always loved coming here. They had the best food and nicest sleep rooms for rent. Most of the people were kind and honest, too, more so than in her village.

  A large shadow moved overhead. Only she and Rune gazed up to see Zorin gliding over the main housing section on the left side of town. Not one other person noticed him. Even without his shadow, Cyndra felt his presence constantly in the back of her mind, similar to the mental bond she now shared with Rune.

  She shuddered and glanced over. “Guess he was right, they can’t see him.”

  Rune shrugged and took the first path to the left, toward the market and docks, marveling at the solarcars on the road or the newer trade, garment, and goods shops, pub houses, and eateries, lining the busiest part of the town. A mixture of people from every corner of the EZ called this town home. For Cyndra it was too loud and chaotic at times. Growing up roaming the sparsely populated Carolina farmlands and hating every lonely minute of it, she’d found a compromise in Turner’s Village.

  Taking in some of the sights and willing her empty stomach to settle, Cyndra watched the eyes of the people they passed, drawing little attention despite her and Rune’s mismatched appearances. They entered the main section of shops leading to the town docks, filled with merchants and buyers, busy making deals.

  The large fishing vessels in the distance already had crowds surrounding them. Some of the people looking for work or food, the others transport. Unsure which boat they needed, Cyndra kept her eyes peeled for a sign or booth as they drew closer.

  Rune tugged on her pack and motioned to a large, broken billboard leaning against a chain linked fence. She knew they’d be in line for at least an hour by the numbers surrounding the sign-up board.

  Needing to get closer to see the current rate for a seat and the list of items wanted to put you at the top of said list, Cyndra reluctantly approached the pack of people, mentally crossing her fingers that they caught a break.

  Thirty minutes later and only seven deep, Rune glanced over with a bit of hope in his eyes. Before she asked why, a deep roar echoed from behind.

  Cyndra and Rune spun to the sound. The rest of the crowd remained oblivious.

  Zorin’s painful howl ripped through the air and up her spine.

  Rune, unencumbered by thirty pounds of backpack, broke from the crowd and darted toward the patch of trees beyond the last dockings station.

  She followed as fast as her legs allowed.

  Blinding greenish-white light erupted through the ghostwood trees casting an eerie shadow on the water and ground surrounding the area. The odd vibrations filling the air seeped through Cyndra’s skin and tightened her muscles. A new, stronger tingling sensation rippled inside—this power felt cool yet electrifying.

  Cyndra! Rune’s worried tone rammed into her thoughts.

  She dashed into the trees and came to an abrupt stop. The two soulless they encountered earlier and two new women stood around Zorin with their hands lifted toward him. The greenish-white light spilled off his body and into their palms.

  They were draining him.

  Soulless! Rune gasped.

  The heat returned and filled Cyndra’s hand.

  We need to help him.

  Fiery tingles spread to every inch of her arm.

  The gargoyle screamed and collapsed to his knees. One of the soulless moved closer to him and the green light darkened.

  Cyndra didn’t know what, but she had to do something or Zorin was going to die.

  During his glide around the town’s perimeter and a subsequent security sweep of the people and buildings below, Zorin debated making contact with Mergan. Although she knew more than he did, Zorin needed honest answers and didn’t know where to turn. She had said these casters would know what to do. They didn’t. Was she lying, again?

  At the apex of the war, she had retreated to the island, claiming she had a way to survive the destruction to come. Only when Evelyn Raine arrived, just before it was too late, did Zorin learn the truth. Mergan was as much to blame for the condition of the planet as the humans who called casters unnatural and tried to destroy them all.

  He sided against contacting her for now. The casters had enough power to maintain his strength without needing the pittance that seeped through Mergan’
s prison. Zorin would utilize the rest of his waking hours to make as much progress with the casters as possible. Perhaps if he did guide them, teach them, they’d become strong enough to free Mergan. Cutting his tether to her and the island no longer seemed impossible.

  Having overheard some of the conversation between Rune and Cyndra, Zorin altered his direction toward the new shoreline of old Fredericksburg. The land beyond the river had disappeared during the early days of the war when the water and aircasters destroyed the continental coastlines in retaliation for the multiple caster-school massacres a year earlier.

  How could they have forgotten the war? Why didn’t the humans know what ruined their world? It seemed the casters were not the only ones with questions anymore. If he indeed decided to guide them, perhaps he could find answers as well.

  Needing to rest his wings and relieve his bladder, Zorin circled around the marketplace once more, catching a glimpse of the woman’s oversized hat and backpack among the other pedestrians. When Cyndra glanced up, the unique Raine caster energy mingled with the air, allowing him to absorb it without siphoning it from her directly.

  Yes, her energy alone was potent enough to help the scarred planet begin to heal. Rune, like most earthcasters, could grow crops and new trees in the woods, but not an entire farm or forest. However, by living in one place for quite some time, Cyndra re-energized a large part of the Eastzone without even realizing it. With guidance, she could become as powerful as her grandmother, perhaps even surpass the elder.

  He’d made his decision. Zorin had to help them master the crystals, it was the only way to free him of his monstrous reality. A slight weight lifted from his shoulders as he landed in the middle of a large stretch of trees on the edge of town, north of the docks.

  He tucked his wings back, walked to the sandy shoreline to use as his privy, and sighed as the warmth of the sun penetrated his cool, thick skin. With the extra crystal power he absorbed, Zorin kept his body warmer for longer, which helped control his appetite as well.

  After he was through, he moved deeper into the patch of trees to look for prey while he had the time.

  When the casters arrived at the docks to find transport, he sensed their presence the instant the residual power crossed the air. He tied the dead squirrel’s tail through the loop of his pants and hopped off the nearby stump. Zorin kept his wings tight, yet wide enough to glide through a few trees before landing amid the thickest section he couldn’t fly. As he caught sight of Rune standing near the sign-up board for the boats, an odd, unfamiliar power surrounded him.

  Four humans materialized from the air. Confused by their abilities, Zorin narrowed his stare and lifted his hand to absorb their elemental force, only to feel the dark, twisted power churn inside him like a virus. Unable to block the siphon, he grunted and spread his wings, ready to leap into the air. Two women stepped closer and spread their arms.

  Zorin’s legs weakened.

  His body grew dangerously tired.

  The remaining two humans lifted their palms toward him and a bright light encased him then exploded in every direction. Zorin screamed, dropping to his knees as they approached. Greenish-white light seeped from his skin into their hands. The first two women followed, accelerating the siphoning of his energy.

  Dark green light filled his eyesight. Next, he heard Rune’s voice in his head.

  Soulless! We need to help him.

  The temperature increased tenfold. Zorin turned to see Cyndra’s shaking hand catch fire again. One of Rune’s knives zipped through the air, striking a soulless in the shoulder.

  “Run! I…” Cyndra shouted, shaking violently as the flames grew larger, riding up her arm to her shoulder.

  I’m not leaving. Rune dashed between two more soulless, ramming a knife into one’s shoulder blade and missing the other as he spun to avoid the grasp of the third.

  “Caster,” Zorin grunted, trying to meet her gaze.

  Cyndra’s eyes locked on his and fire encased her entire right arm. He focused on the heat and drew it to him. The force and strength of his siphon ripped the flames from her skin igniting the air.

  Rune covered his face and dropped to the ground.

  The soulless exploded into dust.

  Cyndra’s eyes rolled into the back of her head.

  The remaining power from the siphon slammed into Zorin. He dashed forward and caught Cyndra before she fell to the ground. He cradled the caster in his arm, using the incredible heat pouring off her skin to warm his entire body and replenish what the soulless had taken. Rune had named them well, Zorin wasn’t sure they were human anymore.

  With most of his strength returned, he approached the other fallen caster, looking for signs of life. Rune’s soft breathing barely lifted his chest, but it was enough. Grateful Cyndra’s flare didn’t kill the caster, Zorin picked Rune up by the belt and gazed back to the docks to see the humans nearing the patch of woods, curious about the commotion they actually heard. Unsure he could mask the unconscious casters from human eyes, he moved deeper into the woods, hoping one of them woke soon, or it’d be an awkward and exhausting flight back to his island.

  Tired of carrying the extra weight, Zorin paused at the shoreline beyond the docks and woods, a mile outside Fredericksburg proper and far from humans. He gently positioned Rune against a tree, and then went to the nearest boulder to sit. After shifting Cyndra to his knee, he extracted the backpack from her shoulders with care, leaving everything else untouched.

  A glint of light flickered against the pendant around her neck. Similar to when he touched Rune, Zorin noticed the strength of his bond to Cyndra and swallowed, shutting his eyes. Feeling the crystal bond, seeing an actual pendant after twenty-five years, created a cyclone of emotions he hadn’t prepared for and refused to acknowledge. When he set Cyndra down, Rune’s voice filled his head.

  Where are we?

  “Somewhere safe for the time being.”

  The soulless?

  “Dust, her flare saw to it.” Zorin turned back to see the caster rushing to Cyndra’s side. “She will recover after resting.”

  What happened?

  “You and your crystal have tremendous power. That power needs an outlet. You, the caster, must learn to control your elements. But neither of you are trained. You have no understanding of your lineage, your…purpose. It seems the whole world has—”

  Forgotten?

  Zorin nodded.

  My father wrote of it. The note, I had it with me when my guardians found me after the flare. His message appeared two weeks ago.

  “Note?” Zorin attempted to hide the shock on his face. “May I see it?”

  It’s in her pack. Rune replied, motioning to it with his chin as he took the dirty hat from the top of Cyndra’s head and placed the back of his hand on her forehead. She’s burning up.

  “Burning out, more likely. Firecasting is one of the more difficult elements to control and Cyndra…” Zorin pressed his lips together and tore his gaze away from her face. If he divulged all he knew, these humans may not look at him the same let alone help him. If he lied, they never would. “It’s unsafe to linger here for long. These…soulless can sense you now that the Shield is gone and it seems they can siphon me as well.”

  Can you take us to Baltimoretown?

  “I can, but I won’t.”

  Rune furrowed his brow and stood up. Why not?

  “You and Cyndra need to know the truth about the flare, your powers, and when I tell you, you won’t believe me and the only proof I have is on the island.”

  I’m not moving from this spot until she’s awake, Rune replied casually as he surveyed the area. It’ll be dark soon, is it safe to start a fire here?

  “As long as you do it manually,” Zorin said.

  Nodding, the cheerful caster hunted the immediate area for kindling and fallen branches, every so often glancing back toward Cyndra. Zorin shared the concern in Rune’s eyes. However, she came from a strong caster family. While that knowledge should ea
se his mind, explaining why her grandfather left out very big, extremely important pieces of history and guidance from Cyndra, filled him with dread. He had to bring them to the island. The little he learned from the encounter so far, he feared she would not be easy to convince.

  A few minutes after Rune started a small but healthy fire, Zorin stopped pacing and took a seat on a nearby ghostwood tree trunk, mostly to keep the warmth in his body, but also to check on the woman. Although she was still on the ground unconscious, the power overwhelming her had subsided. She appeared physically unharmed, however, the state of her mind when she woke remained unclear.

  Zorin heard the slight changes in her breathing and glanced over. Rune, pausing mid-bite, shot up from the ground, clenching the jerky stick in his hand.

  Cyndra?

  The woman moaned.

  Rune skirted around the fire and knelt beside her. She moaned again and uncurled from her sleep position.

  She shot upright, gasping. “Can’t control—Rune?”

  He nodded then smiled.

  “Yes, I…think I’m okay,” she replied, glancing around. When her gaze crossed the fire and caught his, her eyes widened slightly. “Zorin…you’re—”

  “Unharmed,” he said, watching her face tighten. “Thanks to your and Rune’s assistance.”

  Cyndra pursed her lips and turned to her companion, sharing a conversation he couldn’t pick up unless Rune allowed, which he did not. When she began shaking her head, Rune stood up and motioned back toward the town docks.

  “I don’t care what proof he has. I have to find my cousin.” She got up slowly and brushed off her clothes.

  Zorin, prepared for this, rose from the boulder and glanced at the pair. “One day is all I ask, then I will take you there myself.”

  “No.”

  “Cyndra—”

  “Now I’m Cyndra?” She hitched a hand onto her hip and glared at him with her big hazel eyes. “What do you want?”

  Unable to hide his amusement or stop the half-smile, Zorin chuckled softly and rubbed his hand down his chin. The Raine family courage and instinct undoubtedly passed down to Cyndra. Biting back the comparison, he gazed over to Rune, who nodded, encouraging him to speak.