Rise of the Wolves

by J E Reed

  Samar was wary and he’d agreed far too easily to bring her any comfort. She doubted he’d turn against her as Atilla had done, but Kiuno wondered if word about Atilla’s demise had reached his ears.

  Samar tightened the reins on his horse and Kiuno rode up behind him. “Since we’re working together, I thought you should know I’m the lightning user.” He didn’t look surprised, so she continued. “It’s been my tactic to head in first, disorient the enemy, and then allow the rest of the forces to take over. I need space to ensure no one is caught in the crossfire.”

  Samar’s eyes shifted down her arm, tracing the scars she let sit visible for all to see. “I knew K.J. was hiding you.”

  “It wasn’t his secret to tell. I’ll expect the same discretion from you.”

  Samar clicked his tongue. “You want me to keep something like this from the other leaders?”

  She nodded. “I’ll tell them, but in my time, no one else’s.”

  “It’s not right to withhold information like this.”

  “Whether it’s right is irrelevant. If you want, we can discuss it later.” Kiuno glanced at the men awaiting their orders. “We have more pressing concerns.”

  Samar followed her gaze. “Later then. Shall we?”

  Both armies moved north, marching side by side, two leaders making a pact that wouldn’t end in betrayal or bloodshed. At least that’s what she hoped. Samar didn’t have a reason to betray her and he wasn’t the type to act for personal gain. Not at the risk of losing a powerful ally.

  Kiuno imagined K.J.’s castle in the distance. He might not want her help, but she’d be there anyway. She’d never abandon her friends and she would prove herself no matter how long it took.

  57: Taken

  Realm: 5

  Day: 355

  Chaos, blood, and burning flesh permeated the air and clashed against her senses. Copper filtered through her nose, and raging magic pulsed beneath her fingertips. Kiuno ducked and slid her sword through another’s ribs, though whether they were human or hollow she could no longer be sure.

  Elite’s words returned to her.

  Don’t let this world change you.

  But it had changed her. The question remained if it were for the better or worse.

  Kiuno’s magic surged and blasted another hole through their enemy’s forces. Their flesh burned and the creatures fell, but once again another swarm took their place. They moved without fear or hesitation.

  Hollows twisted their magic toward Maltack’s ever reacting barriers. Shadows raced across the ground and tripped her comrades. Those without magic plunged their swords into beast after beast. A mace shattered a skull to her left, then fire engulfed the body.

  Kiuno swung her sword and collided with bone. She let the magic overwhelm her enemy and dislodged the blade before turning to face another.

  A familiar chirping set her teeth on edge.

  Kiuno’s gaze lifted toward the humanoid creatures crawling across the ground in a swarming herd. The first lunged and Kiuno cut straight through the individual’s spilt skull and let her flames catch its companions in the crossfire. She took a few steps back as they converged and repeated the same never-ending dance of death.

  Thrust, shift, fire, block, pivot. She knew the steps. Her friends had taught her well. They’d prepared her for moments like this. Back then, she remembered holding a blade and how ill fitted it had seemed in her hand. She remembered how the thought of killing someone had made her feel. How she’d sworn she wouldn’t let this game change her. Yet here she was, part of the madness anyway.

  Screaming drew her attention and greenery shot from a crowd, felling several of their comrades. Kiuno darted toward the shift. Daren, Vixin, and Maltack followed as best they could.

  Kiuno fought her way through the monsters, her legs spurring her forward. She recognized those movements.

  Green eyes shifted from enemy to enemy and his vines responded.

  Her heart jolted. Kiuno ducked beneath another blade and dispatched the creature, then returned her gaze to the way he danced through his enemies.

  The man who’d claimed to love her. The man who’d made an impossible promise.

  Reece met her gaze, but his movements didn’t cease as he felled enemy after enemy.

  Not her enemies, she realized.

  His.

  In her momentary distraction, monsters assaulted her again and Daren cut the arm from one closing the distance.

  Kiuno ran toward Reece.

  His vines pulled from her comrade’s corpse and plunged through another. Kiuno’s heart surged as he held one down, trapping her limbs and a scaled lizard-like creature tore a chunk from her shoulder.

  Reece ripped his vines from the woman and sprinted in Kiuno’s direction. His plants shot through those who tried to block his path and Kiuno paused.

  Was this Reece or another carbon copy like the one from the cave? Was he a hollow? Had Reece been—

  Their blades clashed and Kiuno’s hands stung from the impact. His magic shot toward her surrounding allies and Reece smirked. A sickening expression that punched straight through her gut. “Seems we’re on opposing sides this time Ki.”

  “What are you doing?”

  He replied by twisting his blade and kicking her to the ground. Vines wrapped around her wrist and torso, but she summoned the flames and burnt through his restraints. A nameless comrade charged from behind, but Reece parried their blade and cut their throat.

  “Stop it!”

  He turned back and the monsters separated, leaving the two in a small circle amidst the fight. She staggered to her feet.

  “Did you think everything would be okay after what you did?” He slammed his blade into hers again. The monsters kept their distance, ignoring the pair’s quarrel, almost as if—as if they’d been commanded to.

  Kiuno shoved back. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  The ground beneath their feet shook. Kiuno pivoted to run, but the earth split, and an upward force sent her airborne. Maltack’s vines wrapped her body and Daren launched spears of ice toward Reece.

  A familiar worm-like creature rose from the depths, but the large plate on its head differed it from the ones she’d faced before. Longer fangs flexed from its mouth as it let out an ear-splitting shriek.

  Kiuno hit the ground and launched her flames toward the beast. It dived and the earth split again.

  “Move!”

  Green shot through her shoulder and Kiuno cried out as pain lanced down her arm. Her gaze followed another vine racing toward Maltack, but he rendered it useless.

  Daren’s gasp turned Kiuno’s blood to ice.

  Kiuno glanced to her left, knowing exactly what she’d see, yet praying it impossible.

  Daren stood in wide-eyed shock with five vines puncturing his torso. Reece smiled at the other end. His vines slackened, then his gaze shifted to Maltack.

  Kiuno pushed to her feet, but the earth opened once again, and a large mouth closed in around her. Maltack’s magic grabbed her wrist and pulled her away before the beast could snap its massive jaws shut.

  Maltack’s vines slackened and gravity took over. Kiuno tumbled down the creature’s body. She reached for anything to stop the fall, but her hands couldn’t grip the hard skin.

  A familiar voice called, and a sense of déjà vu engulfed her as Reece’s vines wrapped around her middle and pulled her to his chest.

  Kiuno slammed her fist on his collar bone, then the beast shifted. Reece’s vines snapped and gravity took her again.

  Kiuno twisted to watch her descent and a large spine at the base of the beast’s tail caught her leg. The cracking of bone echoed from the wall followed by her scream.

  She fell through never ending black, but vines wrapped around her body again. Kiuno pushed against them, but the pain in her shoulder ignited.

  “Stop struggling,” Reece yelled from somewhere in the darkness.

  Kiuno hit the ground hard and burning pain lanced through her
leg in violent waves. Flickering light drew her attention to a tunnel at her front. A tunnel with torches. Stone crumbled from the walls and she peered into the gaping black hole to her rear where the creature had made a turn underground.

  Reece ran toward her and Kiuno tried to use her one good arm to crawl away. His hands went to her leg and every confused emotion surged to the surface.

  “Get away from me.”

  He ignored her protest. “It looks broken.” His gaze shifted upward. “I can get us back to the surface and find—”

  “I said get away,” she screamed. Flames surrounded her body in a protective embrace and Reece backpedaled.

  He grimaced and gripped his wrist. “I have to get you back to the surface. Now.”

  Tears flooded her vision. “You killed him.”

  His sad expression seemed to beg for her understanding. “I didn’t have a choice.”

  Her anger flared. “Bullshit.”

  Reece clicked his tongue and… groaned? She wasn’t sure. “I can’t explain right now. Let me help you.”

  Her leg twitched and she gripped the area above it, rocking as she fought through the sharp pain radiating through her limb.

  Green life sprouted from the rocky ground and Kiuno’s heart raced. It paused and in a split second anyone else might have missed, Kiuno watched his face shift from concern to a wicked grin.

  Reece turned from her and the sprouting plants wrapped around his body and carried him from the dark hole, leaving her alone in the darkness.

  Kiuno’s eyes followed him until he disappeared at the surface. She couldn’t hear what happened after that.

  Kiuno tried moving her body, but pain raced through her limb again. She needed Maltack, but Maltack wouldn’t hear her cries for help. She clenched her teeth.

  Kiuno glanced at the large hole and then to the smaller tunnel with flickering light. If another of those creatures came through, it’d crush her. She didn’t have time to waste.

  Kiuno grimaced as she tried to scoot her body toward the smaller tunnel, but garbled noises echoed from the very place she was trying to reach. Kiuno sat motionless as shadows passed through the dancing light.

  A throaty language met her ears and Kiuno’s skin crawled when the lizard beasts with scaly skin and sharp fangs entered her view.

  They walked upright and carried weapons on pelted belts. She pulled at her magic only to have cold fear blossom through her core.

  She couldn’t reach it.

  The warmth that promised protection and had saved her from so many encounters had vanished. As if she’d never had it to begin with.

  Kiuno tried to scamper back, but a thick hand with long claws wrapped around her wrist and began dragging her down the tunnel. Her leg shifted, excruciating pain shot through the limb, and Kiuno’s world faded.

  ~~~

  IT COULD have been seconds, minutes, or even hours, but Kiuno woke to a continued dragging down the passage. Her side had been rubbed raw from the rocky floor grating against her skin. She twisted, resting her bad leg on the good one. The creature dragging her didn’t seem to mind as he continued his long strides through the tunnel.

  It was still gone, her magic, and she couldn’t wrap her mind around why. Kiuno looked at her captor and its companion. She could handle two without it.

  In an act of desperation, Kiuno yanked herself up and sank her teeth into the creature’s scaly skin. It gurgled what might have been a curse and released its hold. Kiuno pulled a dagger from her boot and stabbed it through the other’s foot. The creatures screamed but the first recovered and slammed its clawed foot down on her broken leg.

  Something else snapped and Kiuno cried out in pain again. Tears rolled down her cheek, but clawed footsteps returned her attention to the hall. Several more scaled creatures marched toward her.

  She watched through teary vision, but wherever they were taking her, gentleness didn’t seem to be on their list of priorities.

  58: Torture

  Realm: 5

  Day: 355

  Chains rattled in the darkness as Kiuno tried to piece together the remnants of her journey, but all she could recall were the violent cold fingers grasping her wrists and the even colder shackles they’d clasped around them.

  Chills ran down her arms as Kiuno tried to wiggle stiff, numb fingers. Her vision blurred, or was that the lighting in the room? She clenched her eyes and fought against dizziness and confusion.

  Kiuno flexed her foot half expecting a shock of pain to rattle her body, but oddly enough, nothing happened. She placed an unharmed leg to the floor and lifted herself to a standing position. Blood rushed back to her cold digits and the fog in her mind cleared as she peered around the dim room.

  A single candle flickered in the far corner. It’d almost burnt to the quick and barely cast enough light for her to see the table it sat upon.

  Kiuno glanced at the chains binding her wrists to the ceiling above. She tugged, but the rock didn’t budge.

  A flicker of light drew Kiuno’s attention. It came from her left, bouncing from a small hall she’d not been able to see before. The opening was squared off with wooden support. Dismay filled her core as Kiuno realized she was still underground.

  Her gaze fell to the dwindling candle again.

  How long had she been here?

  Kiuno’s heart thundered as she waited for the mystery person to walk down the hall, but a young woman emerged instead of the lizard-like creatures that had dragged her here.

  Kiuno let out a small breath of relief and watched the teenage girl place the candle on the table.

  Their eyes met. Pity filling one. Confusion in the other. The girl averted her gaze and moved to a small fireplace. More like a hole.

  Fire meant a chute. A chute meant escape. They couldn’t be that far underground.

  As more light filled the space, Kiuno observed the small circular room. There weren’t any defining marks, but a second hallway rested to her right. Perhaps it led outside.

  Once she was finished the woman stood and started back down the hall she’d come from.

  “Water.” Kiuno’s throat burned, but whether it came from dehydration or her earlier screaming she couldn’t be sure.

  The young woman paused, but she remained still for several moments before bending to a ceramic jug beneath the table. She wouldn’t meet Kiuno’s gaze as she raised the jug to her parched lips.

  It tasted of bitter stagnation, but it relieved the dry patches all the same.

  “Who are you?” Kiuno asked.

  She didn’t respond and instead took off down the tunnel.

  Time ticked by and Kiuno hung there in silence. Her body trembled, both cold and exhausted. Kiuno glanced at her shackles again and took a breath before tugging on her magic.

  It didn’t respond.

  She furrowed her brow. Had she exhausted herself? She didn’t think so.

  Kiuno tugged on the flames again, harder this time. She pulled and pulled before finally giving up.

  Nothing.

  What could possibly—

  Kiuno glanced back to the candle and then to the fireplace.

  It’d already died down since the girl left, but something beside it caught her attention.

  An orb.

  It sat on a wooden pedestal about a foot from the floor. The fire flickered across its smooth surface and cast a variety of colors against the wall.

  She thought back to the library with Maltack. The relics. He’d mentioned an orb with the ability to suppress magic. Could that be it?

  Her mind raced with relics, Reece, the creator, and magic. Whoever had ordered her capture wanted her alive yet controlled. Could the creator be responsible? Were they finally going to show themselves? She couldn’t think of anyone else able to control the monsters of this wicked world.

  Kiuno glanced up at the domed ceiling. Was the battle over? Were Maltack and the others safe? How many people had Reece injured?

  She had so many questions, yet she woul
dn’t get any answers trapped in this dirt prison.

  Kiuno planted her feet and tugged at the chains again, using all her remaining strength to pull against them. Metal bit into the flesh on her wrist and she winced before giving up.

  Another glow flickered from the same hall. Perhaps the girl was returning.

  She waited, her heart racing as the figure emerged from the shadows. But it wasn’t the girl.

  Green eyes met hers and fire flashed through them from the surrounding light.

  Kiuno’s mouth went dry. “Reece.”

  He’d attacked her. He’d killed Daren.

  I didn’t have a choice.

  What had he meant by that?

  Something had shifted when he’d abandoned her in the tunnel. Something in his eyes. As if he no longer recognized her. Or didn’t care.

  “Being tied up looks good on you.”

  Anger and sadness surged as she tugged against the restraints. “What’s going on?”

  He smirked and leaned against the wall. Reece folded his arms and ran his gaze up and down her frame. At one time she might have blushed. Now his actions only served to infuriate her further.

  “Now you want to listen?”

  “It’s not as if I’m going anywhere.”

  “I brought you here.”

  “I figured out that much. Are the chains necessary?”

  “For what I have planned, yes.” He lifted from the wall to circle her. “You see, the creator wanted me to bring you to him.” He leaned forward, whispering into her ear from behind. “But I’d rather keep you all to myself.”

  Kiuno pulled away as much as the chains would allow and he continued circling until he was back in her line of sight.

  “What did he do to you?” she asked.

  Reece sauntered toward the fire and lifted the metal fire poker from against the wall. “Freed me. Honestly, I should be thanking him, but delivering you is too steep a price. He’ll have to do better than my freedom for that.”

  “So why am I here?”

  He hit the rod on the ground and the metal sang against the walls. Reece swiveled to face her. “I was willing to give you everything. You took one look at him. One look, and everything we shared was gone. Not forgotten, not stored away in some remote region of your heart. Gone.”