by J E Reed
Kiuno burned through the hollows, the most difficult of their enemies. Even with half a body, they would put a blade through your leg with a smile on their face.
One creature fled, followed by another, but Kiuno pressed forward, urging her group to do the same. She killed the hollows who refused to retreat, then let herself melt into the passing crowd.
Maltack paused as men gave chase to the fleeing creatures. “You all right?”
She nodded, struggling to catch her breath. “Go on ahead.”
He looked her over once then took off. Kiuno turned her attention to the rear. The damage frightened her. She prayed Elite hadn’t been caught in the frenzy.
Kiuno raced through the crowd, pushing past her comrades. Upon reaching the fight she twisted her blade in any who carried Atilla’s colors. Men lay scattered on the ground, several crying out for aid, but she didn’t pause. Couldn’t afford to.
Atilla’s forces blocked their way into the castle. Those on the curtain wall rained down rocks and arrows while those at the bottom hit the wall with their magic. Green crawled through the rocks, but she wouldn’t let it fall again.
Lightning crackled around her body as Kiuno surged forward. Her comrades scattered and Kiuno let her magic incinerate all in her path.
Their forces dispersed, fought for a moment, then called for retreat. She chased them down and her allies followed.
Fatigue chipped away at her body, but Kiuno let a final bolt fly through their retreating forces before she paused to catch her breath. She wished Atilla had the nerve to show his face. She spat on the ground. He’d pay for what he’d done.
The monsters had circled around their army. Almost as though they planned to join with Atilla’s forces. Palindrome was there. As was K.J. and the battle still raged.
She took a shaky step forward, but Maltack grabbed her arm.
“I need your help.”
She looked from him to the magic still flying across the field. “It’s not over.”
“Let them handle it. I need you here.” He pointed to the injured. “Line the worst by the gate, separate the dead, and tell anyone uninjured to do the same.”
Kiuno spotted Elite and Silver carrying a man with no leg, his blood painting the ground, and she scanned the mass of bodies sprawled across the earth.
She relented and knelt to wrap an arm beneath the nearest man pleading for help. Next to him, another struggled for breath. The two at either side didn’t move.
Medics ran between the chaos, but too many were dying.
Kiuno shifted the man’s weight for a better grip, but his body fell limp and they both collided with the ground.
She glanced up. Arms reached toward the heavens and healers. The smell of burning flesh permeated the air. Death cries echoed in her ears and the disgusting taste of copper filled her mouth.
Kiuno shifted her shaking body to a kneeling position and checked the pulse of the man she’d been carrying.
He was gone.
Kiuno sat back on her knees and glanced over the carnage again.
What have I done?
~~~
DRIED BLOOD caked her arms as Kiuno continued to move bodies, both dead and alive. They piled the enemy’s dead and lined up their own.
Maltack flitted from one person to the next. He directed those arriving and aided the critical. Despite his age, he commanded the medical unit better than she ever could. He knew the stakes and he knew his job.
She sighed and laid another body next to his comrade before folding his arms over his chest. Many wouldn’t live to see tomorrow no matter what they did.
Kiuno leaned against the castle wall to catch her breath. Sweat poured from her brow and her body trembled from the exertion of the day. She prayed the healers had more energy because their work was far from over.
A small crowd pulled her attention as they lifted someone from the ground and carried them into the castle. She watched for a few moments and then saw K.J. trotting after them. Her heart spiked and she made to move, but another grabbed her arm.
“Can you help me move someone?”
Kiuno met the eyes of a young woman and nodded, following her through the crowd, but Kiuno glanced back at her friend and where he’d disappeared through the castle gates.
Kiuno lifted a man and shifted his position, then did the same with another. She followed the healer from body to body, shifting, wrapping, and doing anything asked of her.
They declared another dead then assigned Kiuno to move the body. She took the opportunity to escape.
She placed the man with so many others, then darted toward the gate, ignoring any who tried to stop her. Her body cried for rest, but she ignored it.
Kiuno trotted toward the medical house, sure there wasn’t anywhere else they could have taken someone injured. Unless they were dead.
Kiuno reached for the handle, but a man leaning in the shadows of the wall drew her attention.
K.J. stood with his arms outstretched and hands pressed flat against the stone. His head hung low. The stillness disturbed her, but he shifted slightly at her approach.
“K.J.?” He didn’t move, his body as still as the wall he leaned upon.
“Betrayal is in man’s nature.” His voice was hoarse. “Because of this, I’ve kept my eye on most in the event they waver. I expect it.”
He shifted and clenched his fists. “But I didn’t expect this. Out of everyone, I never imagined betrayal to come from you.”
Kiuno’s entire being shifted as his words echoed through her chest. Her heart fluttered. She’d been the one to go to Atilla, but—
“I didn’t betray you.”
Cold silence floated between them but he remained pressed against the stone. How could she explain?
“If you want it done, then get on with it.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Wipe out the generals and cut the lead. That was the plan wasn’t it?” He snickered. “It’s brilliant. There’d be no one left to oppose you.”
“K.J. listen, it’s not what you think.”
His voice hardened. “I know you went to Atilla.”
“I went there for help. I thought we needed it.”
“And you conveniently told him where my generals were stationed?”
“No…” She hadn’t. How could Atilla have known? She’d mentioned some of the layout, but she hadn’t gone into detail.
“That’s what I thought. Are you going to finish the job, or do you lack the ability to do it yourself?”
Kiuno’s heart pulled and a wave of emotions crashed through her core. “Do you really believe I’d betray you?” He couldn’t possibly. Not after how long they’d known one another. Not after all they’ve been through.
Silence stretched between them.
“I don’t know what to believe.” K.J. threaded his hands through his hair and tugged on the ends. “You should have listened to me.”
“I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”
“Regardless of what you meant Iggy and Blade are dead and Palindrome…” His shoulders shook, and he slammed his fist against the wall. “They aren’t sure she’ll make it.”
Iggy and Blade? Palindrome? She glanced to the building. That’s who they carried in? Kiuno opened her mouth, but K.J. spoke first.
“Leave.”
Tears formed and fell as her heart rent in two. It was her fault. Because she hadn’t trusted him. Because she’d questioned someone ranked above her.
“K.J. please.”
“I said leave!” His harsh tone froze her body, but the coldness in his eyes had her backpedaling. The hatred, the confusion, the grief. People he loved had died because of her naivety.
Kiuno dropped her gaze and turned, each step like a stake driving through her heart.
She took off running and found Maltack among the healers. “You need to find Palindrome.”
“I’m sure she’s outside, why—”
Kiuno gripped his shoulders. “Sh
e’s dying.” His eyes widened and Maltack took off without another word. She looked over the chaos. Took in the damage she’d caused, then walked through the gate, knowing it would be for the last time.
49: Reece
Realm: 5
Day: 331
Reece stared at the black feather-like roots. Three tendrils had pulled away from the thick band circling his wrist and crawled up his forearm day by day. They wriggled beneath the skin and pulsed with his heartbeat.
He sighed and rested his head in the palm of his hands. He’d been the one to lead the attack on K.J.’s castle. Reece remembered Nsane questioning his actions. He remembered marching and how the monsters had answered his call. Yet he couldn’t remember what drove him to do it.
He’d watched as his body rode on horseback with hordes of monsters in his wake. The horse had bucked, frightened of the creatures and they’d eventually devoured it, leaving him to march on foot.
As a result, Reece was behind when the first wave of creatures attacked, and it seemed like a good thing too. K.J. had set traps to kill the first of his line, clustering them within a deep ditch as arrows rained from above. The beasts didn’t see fit to help their allies. Instead, they’d walked over them, charging headfirst into battle.
It wasn’t until he’d seen her face that Reece regained control over his body. With the attack on the rear underway he’d called for retreat and the monsters obeyed.
The scaled creatures that bent shadows reeled in their darkness. The chirping humanoids shrieked and fled in a cluster toward his keep. And the worms, who he knew tunneled beneath the ground, buried themselves deeper.
Those events were strange enough, but when the hollows twisted around, his skin crawled. They reminded him of a doll. A being with no emotion that smiled at the pain they inflicted. Their name suited them.
The mysterious man, whom he’d named the creator, wanted the alliance’s progress slowed. He wanted the games to continue, not end. He wanted entertainment. If Reece provided that, he wouldn’t be violating their agreement, even with the retreat.
His mind blanking out would be a problem. He’d have to find a way to communicate the incident with Nsane without their watchdog knowing.
The roots writhed and tugged beneath his skin causing Reece to gag and clutch the area. His mind tottered as he fought for control, a welcoming darkness pulling him from reality. He fought, gripping the table, but the tendrils wrapped him in their sweet embrace and he collapsed into shadow.
50: Palindrome
Realm: 5
Day: 330
Palindrome woke in her room alone. She blinked away the dizziness and shifted, placing her feet on the cool floor. Maltack had healed her broken leg and ribs though the puncturing of a lung had certainly given him trouble.
“What are you doing?” K.J. carried a steaming bowl of broth and the aroma caused her mouth to water. K.J. pushed her back into the furs with a gentle hand.
“I don’t need bedsores to accompany my already aching body.”
The enemy had thrown and stabbed her more times than she could count. Her blood had been everywhere and the struggle to breathe left a pain in her chest she couldn’t block from memory.
Palindrome closed her eyes. It’d been days of recovery even with Maltack’s help.
“You’re such a stubborn woman.”
“And you’re an insufferable man.”
He sat on the bed and she sighed, pressing her forehead against his. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that. Walk with me?”
K.J. helped her stand, but Palindrome’s legs trembled, and she leaned on him more than she would have liked. K.J. held her arm around his neck and helped her ascend a flight of stairs that led to a tower.
She leaned on the railing and glanced out over the field. The grass had blackened from fire and magic, leaving an acrid stench in the air.
Palindrome glanced toward Atilla’s castle. “Have you figured out what made them retreat?” K.J. shook his head. “Could it have been because of Kiuno?”
“I’m not sure.” He didn’t meet her gaze, but his jaw locked at the sound of Kiuno’s name.
Their castle hadn’t taken damage this time, but their army certainly had. At least a quarter of their forces were down. Some injured and others dead. Iggy’s and Blade’s loss weighed on their hearts, but K.J. also suffered due to Kiuno’s betrayal.
Palindrome folded her hands. It didn’t make sense. The lightning had spread at both the front and the rear. Kiuno ran to aid them. If she’d wanted the castle, she wouldn’t have attacked Atilla’s group.
“Do you really think she did it?” Palindrome asked.
He kept silent, scanning the area, no doubt running the scenario through his head again. “I don’t know.”
“You know what you see. We’re alive, the castle’s still in our care. She didn’t kill you, yet you say she had the chance. Isn’t that enough to convince you?”
“Why would she go to him?”
“Maybe because of Scorpios. Maybe she was afraid.”
K.J. sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “She asked if I’d go to him. I declined.”
“Kiuno had no desire to turn you over to a man she hardly knows. She’s smarter than that. I’d expect her to take matters into her own hands if she wanted to do something so drastic.”
“That’s my point. She is smart. Smart enough to pit two opposing castles against one another. Smart enough to know Atilla’s group couldn’t possibly take us on. She saw an opportunity and took it. It would have given her two castles instead of one.”
“Except she doesn’t have two castles. What if she hoped to bring two unfriendly alliances together? Make the bond stronger in the face of their enemies?”
His jaw worked, but K.J. remained silent.
“Ask yourself this. If she planned to betray you, why didn’t she kill you when she had the chance?”
“I don’t know.”
51: Conqueror
Realm: 5
Day: 332
The late morning breeze caressed Kiuno’s loose strands of hair as she stood upon the hill. Contempt and malice filled her gaze and lightning buzzed beneath her skin as she stared at Atilla’s distant castle.
He’d offered aid. He’d pretended to care. And now because of him she’d been exiled like a traitor.
K.J.’s cold eyes flashed in her memory. She focused on the black and white flags billowing in the distance and prayed Maltack could save Palindrome. If he couldn’t, then she’d never be able to face K.J. again.
“What’s the plan?” Blue asked.
Kiuno glanced at her friends. Years of forming bonds led them to follow her even now. None believed her a traitor and none believed she couldn’t lead them to victory.
Elite and Silver stood with their sword hilts gleaming in the morning sun. Blue and Liam gazed out over the castle grounds and the army that stood waiting outside the gates. Vixin, to whom Kiuno owed a debt she’d never be able to repay, crossed her arms and seemed to welcome their challenge.
“I’m going in alone.”
Silence.
They didn’t protest. They knew her sins and knew Atilla as a liar. He was more likely to kill her friends than keep any promise of safety. And without Maltack to reel in her lightning they’d only be a liability.
Lines of soldiers stood outside the castle gate, all armed to the teeth. Perhaps Atilla expected a counterattack. Maybe he thought the other leaders would rise to claim his seat on the throne. It didn’t matter. They wouldn’t get the chance.
Blue shifted his feet, then knelt to pick at a blade of grass. “Are you sure?”
“I can’t concentrate if I have to worry about all of you. He wants me to join him. I can get close enough.”
Elite kept silent. He had tried to convince her it wasn’t her fault, but the truth was a harder pill to swallow. She should have known. Atilla had tried to kill Reece. He’d offered K.J.’s men as a sacrifice to the forest. And K.J. had warned her.
> Kiuno took a step, but Elite grabbed her wrist and pulled her back against his chest. They stood still for several moments then he kissed the back of her head. “Be careful.”
She nodded and stalked toward the castle.
For once, no one tried to stop her. For once, they knew she could handle the fight. Rage boiled beneath the surface of her skin as she pictured Atilla’s face. She wondered about his plans. About what he expected to gain. Her fear?
Several men shifted their weapons at her approach. Bows drew back, and wind tore at her clothes in warning. Kiuno let the flames wrap around her body. The lightning clawed for release, raging like a current blocked by rock. It chipped away at her self-restraint, but Kiuno ground her teeth and held back.
The arrows pulled back further and other magic cracked through the air. She faltered. Perhaps she’d made a mistake. Maybe Atilla had betrayed both her and K.J.
Kiuno let rage drown her fear and continued her march forward. The arrows didn’t fire and the front line parted.
Men stepped aside as she strode past, but Kiuno kept the blaze swirling around her body. She needed to let some steam out, otherwise she’d implode the minute she saw Atilla’s wicked grin.
A guide waited by the gate and positioned himself to her front. Six others fanned out on either side. None bothered to speak, but their sidelong glances spoke of their fear. Good.
The fire encircling her body simmered and faded as they led Kiuno through the castle and to a familiar room. Atilla waited with a smile on his face. She clenched her teeth.
“You took longer to get here than I expected.”
Her stomach twisted and Kiuno fought to keep her breathing even. “Why?” Her voice shook, and he smiled again. Knowing the kind of man Atilla was, Kiuno imagined he thought her fearful.
Atilla flicked his hand as if stating the obvious. “K.J. was becoming a threat. I had to level the playing field. You had concerns about leaving his side, so I made things easier for you.”
