Keys of Candor: Trilogy

by Casey Eanes

  Seam shuddered as Abtren rushed over to Bastion, whose face was wilted and pale. She held out her wrist to her brother, and Bastion plunged his fangs into her, drinking deep. She cooed at him, rubbing her hand over his head. Seam turned away in disgust, unwilling to watch the grisly scene.

  “Very well, Abtren. I will do as you say.”

  Commander Reed’s voice flared on Seam’s datalink. “Sir, we’ve got contact. Five monks straight ahead, and you won’t believe this, but the probe is telling me they are blocking a wide open path headed in the direction of Taluum.”

  Seam’s eyes lit up with a sick joy. “Good. I want to see what the fools will do.”

  Seam leaned out of the titan’s hold and looked ahead. Not twenty feet in front of him stood a small gathering of Preost monks huddled in a tight circle, under the canopy of swaying firs.

  The five held their circle and stood firm just feet from the massive, black titan hovering before them. The tank made them look like five ants attempting to defy an elephant from passing. The elder monk held his staff over his head and stared into the black titan’s tinted cockpit.

  “Is he challenging us?” quipped Seam. “This is comical. Lower the bay door. Now!”

  The bay door on the side of the titan slid to the ground and Seam descended the staircase that dropped from the door. He strode to the collection of monks, his chest puffed out as his black cape whipped in the wind behind him.

  “Hail to you, kind monks. I trust you are not impeding your High King’s progress? Surely you have heard my decree? I go to war with those who seek to divide this proud world.”

  The monks stood like statues, their eyes locked onto Seam, each gaze filled with a mixture of anger and pity. The eldest held his staff resolute over his head as he spoke. “Your words were heard. Each lie that dripped from your lips acted to condemn you in Aleph’s sight. You hope to trample on this sacred ground, but we will not allow your passage.”

  Seam chuckled and glanced back at his titan. “Are you blind, old man?” He pointed to the black, mountain-like tank hovering overhead. “How do you hope to stop my progress? With your little stick there?”

  The elder monk did not sway. His voice was solemn. “We do not fight by our strength alone. May we die trying, Aleph be praised.”

  Seam threw his hands up in disgust and waved off the monks. “I will enjoy the show then. Pray all you want, you fools.” As Seam walked toward the titan he called out, “Bastion! Abtren! Enjoy the feast.”

  As the words left his lips, the half-man half-beast forms leapt from the open bay door and sped across the forest floor toward the five. Abtren’s form was mostly that of a woman but her face had morphed into the terrible maw of a rabid wolf. Her fangs dripped with black saliva as she screamed toward her targets. Bastion took on the form of a massive boar, running on its hind legs with little human resemblance aside from his massive arms. The two swept across the open space and leapt in the air for the monks.

  The five acolytes cried out and spread out, each brandishing their staff as they formed a wider circle around the two deities. Seam stepped into the cockpit of the titan and peered from the window. Captain Reed stammered behind him.

  “Um, sir. What were those?” He was unable to pry his eyes from the terrors that had poured out of the titan.

  “Unless you want to go and see for yourself, Captain Reed, I’d advise you to be silent,” said Seam.

  Outside, Abtren lunged atop the youngest monk and ripped at his flesh, her fingers shifting into sharp razors. The monk barred her advance with his staff, but her power was too much as she bit down on his throat, unleashing a river of red. The monk to the right slammed his staff against Abtren’s jaw. The blow connected with a resounding thud, but Abtren threw a wide slash at the younger monk, unfazed. The monk continued his assault and landed a massive hit of his staff against Abtren’s neck, followed by a third spear-like thrust.

  Upon the third blow, Abtren roared out in pain and reached a ragged claw to grasp her attacker. She stood, hurling him against one of the massive fir trees. His back made a terrible snapping sound as he collided with the ancient tree and slid limply to the ground.

  Bastion stampeded one monk and trampled him underfoot as he made way for the leader of the five hermits. The first yelped as he was crushed beneath Bastion’s immense, hooved feet. The elder monk rushed toward Bastion and gouged his staff directly into his right eye socket. A black spray of liquid erupted from Bastion’s face, and the massive boar stumbled forward, squealing with pain. The monk yelled out as his comrade joined in battling Bastion. “Aleph, pour out your strength as we fight!”

  The elder swung again, slamming his staff against Bastion’s knee, causing a loud crack to erupt. He turned, only to nail his ironwood stick against Abtren’s neck as she lunged for him. Abtren stumbled back, wheezing. Soon she and Bastion stalked forward, pressing in closer on the final two monks. Abtren’s face shifted back to that of her human countenance and she sneered. “We will enjoy picking the flesh from your putrid bones.”

  In one accord, the Serubs rushed over them, tearing into the bodies of the monks with unbridled fury. The two monks screamed out a final plea, each reaching out for the other’s hand, accepting the death that came for them. “Aleph, come please!”

  The forest fell silent aside from the ragged sound of the two Serubs as they feasted. Seam watched with disgust as the two gorged themselves on the monks’ flesh. They are like rabid animals. He numbly sulked back to his small chamber. The conflict had been dealt with swiftly and did not bring the satisfaction Seam had hoped for. The resistance in Preost would be no match for his Serubs, much less the morels he had with him. The thoughts rolled in his mind, assuring him of his progress when a flash bolted across his vision.

  An explosion of white light crashed over the two Serubs as they feasted, hiding them from view. The sound of thunder exploded within the clearing and a terrible heat pressed in on the titan. Seam had barely turned to see what was happening when hot white flames roared through the open bay door. “Close the doors!” Seam screamed as he recoiled.

  The bay door slammed shut, but the claps of thunder continued outside, as the cockpit windows filled with a consuming bright light.

  “What the hell is that!?” Seam screamed.

  A harsh shriek rose from the white-hot tempest and Seam could make out the silhouette of Abtren, slashing with a manic fury at the vapor surrounding her. Another cry shook the titan. Bastion’s beast form lunged from the cloud of white, fighting a translucent, glowing humanoid figure. Bastion’s skin boiled on its surface and he screamed in agony as he dug his boar tusks into the figure that held him down.

  Abtren’s body erupted with a wall of black flames, and she propelled the unholy fire in a sphere around her. Her kaleidoscope eyes had been replaced by dark red pupils and she screamed, forcing her shield of dark fire to spread further and further. Bastion crumpled to the ground, thudding against a singed bed of pine needles and dirt as Abtren channeled the maelstrom around her into a single stream of onyx flame, unleashing it in the direction of the white flame’s nexus.

  The two fires collided with a blinding explosion, sending a shockwave through the forest that rattled the hull of the titan, threatening to lift and upend the massive machine. The rooks in the front of the formation rolled through the forest like scattered leaves, smashing against the outcropping of strong trees.

  Following the collision of fire, the forest went dark. Seam wiped at his eyes, trying to regain his sight. A landscape of black was speckled with flashes of white. Vision finally returned and he peered out into the clearing. Abtren and Bastion were strewn across the ground, their breathing barely evident. Panic coursed through Seam as he screamed for the release of the bay door.

  The forest floor was still searing with an immense heat, burning Seam’s feet through the soles of his boots as he ran to Abtren and Bastion. The two wheezed as they fought to breathe, their chests rattling as they struggled to survive.
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  “What was that?” Seam exclaimed. “What happened?”

  The two Serubs lay silent on the ground. Seam snapped his dagger from its holster and sliced his palms open, pressing his bleeding hands against the faces of his fallen allies. As his skin simmered with the sapping of his own blood, the two Serubs breathing steadied and they coughed and gagged for deeper breaths.

  Seam pulled his hand back and leaned down next to Abtren’s face. “What was that?”

  Abtren’s voice was hushed as she strained to speak. “Desolate.”

  Seam screamed into his datalink. “Medic! I need transport for these two into their quarters. Bring a dozen guards to set watch for them.”

  A strong wind pushed through the forest and a chill ran over Seam’s entire body. He stared up into the sky, fearful of another flash of white fire tearing through the sky to consume them. He scurried back to the titan as a crew of medics assisted Abtren and Bastion to their quarters, along with the unfortunate guards chosen to assist them in recovering.

  Seam commanded forward progress at top speed as the convoy tore down the open path to Taluum. He stared out the cockpit and the half-melted windshield at the dark forest on both sides of the titan and whispered to himself, “What are these Desolate? What in Candor could nearly kill two Serubs? If I can’t kill them, what is it that almost did?”

  He leaned into the titan’s cockpit and spoke to Captain Reed, doing his best to keep his voice calm. “Have the probes analyze the anomaly that just occurred. Have them focus their scans on the forest for similar signals or triggers that brought on that firefight. We can’t be ambushed like that again.”

  Captain Reed silently obeyed, his face drained of its color.

  Seam retreated to the Serubs’ private quarters and tried to quiet his mind as he marveled at what he had witnessed. Never had he witnessed such a display of raw, primal power. Desolate. The name of the beings of white light orbited in his mind at an unforgiving speed. I have to know more.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  “Aleph!” The name was all Kull could manage to mumble as he knelt and crumpled at the stranger’s feet, shaking with fear. “I am sorry. I did not know.”

  The man’s strong hand took hold of Kull’s shoulder and gently lifted him from the floor. Kull refused to look at him in the face until the man’s voice spoke his name.

  “Do not be afraid of me, Kull." Kull dared to open his eyes and gaze upon his mysterious host. Was it this new secret knowledge that made the man before him shine with a new radiance, new energy, new purpose? Or had it been there all along? Kull couldn’t be sure, but regardless, the stranger he had worked with for days in Mir seemed unchanged, except his eyes. His eyes displayed a golden aura like the coming of a new day. Aleph’s smile was gentle and he ushered Kull to stand.

  “You have nothing to apologize for. I always intended for you to discover my identity in time.” Aleph stepped to one of the mountain ledges and peered out over the landscape below. He sighed as he scanned the tops of the fir trees lining the mountains under his feet and the low-hanging clouds that floated just out of arm’s reach. “Mir has served us well, Kull. But now it is time we change our scenery.”

  Kull sat helplessly as he tried to comprehend the fact that he was sitting with Aleph, the Gracious One, the Mighty, the Invisible Hand. The chief deity of Candor stood just feet away from him. He came in a guise Kull had not expected and his mind struggled to understand why all of this was happening to him. Kull took his time rising to his feet. He shuffled toward Aleph at the edge of the mountain, his mind brimming with questions.

  “What do you mean change of scenery?” asked Kull. “Mir is always changing.”

  Aleph let out a loud laugh and nodded. “Well, that is true, Kull, but we cannot stay here. Not any longer. I have more in store for you.”

  “For me? What do you mean?” Why was Aleph so concerned with him? Who was he to Him?

  Aleph turned to face Kull and kept his arms folded behind his back. The mountain quaked underfoot as large boulders broke free from the mountain and tumbled down its steep face. The green tops of the fir trees below swayed as if they were only blades of grass tossed by the wind. The blue sky deepened until it was a void of midnight that rocketed closer and closer to Kull and Aleph. Aleph spoke as he approached Kull’s side. “You have discovered who I truly am, Kull. However, you still have not discovered who you are meant to be.”

  The mountain’s metamorphosis continued as the granite and quartz outcrops rumbled and melted into a golden liquid. Even the rock beneath Kull’s feet changed into a flowing golden substance that, despite its fluid motion, was as sturdy as the rock it replaced. The blackened sky rolled back like a curtain and Kull gasped as he peered through the void.

  “Candor.” The blue orb of Candor became visible to Kull, the main super-continent spread out before him in full display. Kull’s mind filled with sweeping memories from his past. He trembled as a torrent of faces, sounds, and visions bombarded his consciousness. His life, his family, his friends; they all swept through him with relentless fury, yet he was able to pick out and remember each memory as it flashed by his mind’s eye. The last sight of his life rose like a tidal wave in the distance. The strong, terrible Serub stepped out of the mirror at the beck and call of Seam Panderean. His blood red eyes locked on him, and he felt the pain of his essence being ripped from his body, joining with the void.

  Aleph let out a deep sigh and lowered his head before turning back to Kull. “Candor is in pain, Kull. Much has happened since you came to me.”

  Grift peered out over the exterior wall of Taluum, perched on one of the massive stone turrets. He strained his eyes as he scanned the thick pine canopy below. A few birds rustled and called out as they lifted themselves into the sky, but the forest remained still and silent. He turned to face Adley. Her face was like chiseled stone. The nurse turned warrior did not break her gaze from the horizon, balancing the automatic rifle in her hands with certainty.

  “Any word?” Grift knew the answer, but still the question came.

  Adley said nothing but shook her head, her eyes locked on the limits of her perspective, sighing in the light breeze. The lush scenery around them was glorious, oblivious to the fact that Seam would soon invade and set its natural beauty ablaze. The sun shone over them, its bright light cascading from the crisp blue sky as a cool breeze rustled through the forest.

  Grift shifted his position, shaking his head, his mind full of dreadful thoughts. Everything had shifted so quickly since Henshaw. Rose was dead, but Luken had returned. He knew there was no time to process the significance of all of these events, but his entire being was set on edge, ready for a fight. Fight the person that matters. Seam was coming and he could feel it. The black shadows of his fears would soon come into focus once more, and this time he would be ready. Ready to send his enemy to the hell he deserved if it even existed. If he failed, he would at least die trying.

  As his mind played out the scene of killing the High King of the New Dominion, his eyes focused on a small black figure soaring through the sky. His hands brought up his rifle and he peered through the scope. His mouth fell open.

  “Get Wael,” he commanded Adley. “The monks are sending word.”

  Adley sprinted down the ancient staircase that descended into the living tree Sanctuary of Taluum. Her eyes hesitated to adjust to the dim candlelight of the place, but soon she saw Wael lying prostrate on the cobblestone floor. At first glance, she thought him to be dead, but she buried that fear and called for him.

  “Wael!” Her heart slammed in her chest, startled as her voice ricocheted within the strange chamber. The Mastermonk rose from the mosaic of river rocks, his face tired and burdened. “What is it child?”

  “Grift needs you. He says the monks are sending word. Hurry.”

  Wael nodded and ran behind her with uncanny speed.

  As the two emerged on the tower’s pinnacle, Grift pointed silently at the object flying toward them. Adley�
��s eyes shot up as she saw the beating wings of the falcon soaring toward them. In a matter of seconds, the bird cleared meters of ground, rocketing with steadfast purpose. A high pitch screech announced its arrival and the falcon landed, extending its talons to Wael, whose eyes were wide with anticipation. There, wrapped tightly around the bird's claw, was a small parchment of paper.

  Grift swallowed, his voice full of questions. “Why aren’t they sending word through the datalinks?”

  Wael spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. “Because that form of communication can no longer be trusted.”

  “How do you know?” Adley questioned, her eyes staring as Wael untied the paper from the falcon’s talon. The Mastermonk unrolled the small scroll. Wael read the message and let it fall to the ground, his face becoming stony in the shining sun. He faced the falcon and spoke in the unknown language of the monks. The bird shot off like a rocket to the east.

  “The scouts have sent word. All datalink communication is to cease to protect and conceal the sanctuary. Seam has crossed into the border of Preost.” The Mastermonk turned to face Grift. “Willyn’s report was right. He is not alone. The Serubs were spotted and confirmed, as well as a long convoy of transports that undoubtedly hold his army of morels.”

  “So it is as bad as we feared.” Adley’s face dropped as the words left her mouth. Grift scanned Wael’s face for any signal of hope.

  The monk nodded, but there was a gleam in his eye. “There is something more, my friends. Remember we do not fight alone.”

  Grift cocked his head. “What do you mean?”

  “The Desolate are active. Seam and his Serubs murdered the first group of monks that were patrolling the borders. They fought bravely but fell.” Wael paused and his face grew solemn. “Upon the monks’ deaths, the Desolate appeared and gravely injured Seam’s convoy just as we witnessed as we entered Taluum. Aleph has not abandoned us.”