The Xenoworld Saga Box Set

by Kyle West

  I felt a chill at those words. My mother, probably without realizing, had come close to the truth. Not only had Annara given her a child...she had given herself.

  “You...you were left there. Yes, a dragon. I remember now. Sometimes, I wondered if I really saw it. You were such...such a beautiful baby. Such eyes, such whiteness...they faded in the coming days. Even then...we knew...we knew what you were, and we still loved you.”

  “You always knew I was Elekai?”

  My mother gave the barest nod.

  “But...you told me that they were evil. You couldn’t have believed that, could you? Not with me?”

  “I was only trying to protect you, dear. I was afraid...always afraid...someone might find out. I thought, if you believed as everyone else does...”

  “Found you...in the xen,” my father rasped. “No one there. I heard a crying...a baby, all alone...”

  I had finally found out the truth, just as I had suspected. I had been left in the xen by a dragon, most likely Quietus. And I realized that my mother had been asking forgiveness for a reason other than I had thought. Her state was so addled that she perhaps couldn’t express it clearly enough.

  She wanted my forgiveness for not telling me who I truly was — even for lying to me. But I knew what she said was true; she had only wanted to protect me, the child she had so dearly wanted.

  “It’s all right, Mother,” I said. “I understand why you did it.”

  Her features seemed to relax. Tears formed in her eyes

  “You’re both coming with us,” I said. “This is Isaru, and we’ve come to get you out of here. We’ll have to leave you for a bit to find that Hunter...”

  “What’s this, then?”

  My mother went still, frozen with terror, at the introduction of a cold, male voice. I stood to face it, only to see three robed figures whose features were obscured by shadow. The voice, however, was chillingly familiar.

  “So we meet again. I thought I felt your presence. And this time, you will not escape until I’ve had my say.”

  The man stepped forward, followed by his two men. And when he stepped into the pool of light cast by the torch, I saw the wicked face of the man who had detained me what seemed so long ago.

  “Hunter Valance,” I said, drawing Katan. “You might have found me, but this time, things are going to turn out differently.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  THE TWO MEN FLANKING VALANCE’S either side drew their swords while the Hunter merely stood.

  “So, the Elekai returns to the web,” he said. “I couldn’t have planned it better myself.”

  “Release them, Valance,” I said. “Or else.”

  I wanted nothing more than to cut him down where he stood. A Seeker, however, did not kill unless it was otherwise necessary.

  But I wasn’t a Seeker yet.

  “You have changed,” Valance said, hefting his own weapon...a slightly curved katana, not unlike my own. “You have grown into what I feared; a menace that must be brought to heel.”

  “Let them go,” I said.

  He gave a wan smile. “I have learned some interesting things about you. Far more than you would know. Would you care to hear?”

  “She doesn’t care,” Isaru said. “You Covenant dogs are filthy, lying mongrels...and this ends tonight! Too long have you oppressed the Elekai!”

  “Ah. Prince Isaru, I presume. You may have escaped us last time, but you won’t leave this place until I’ve had my say. And, you forget that it was your people who oppressed us first. Without that, there would be no Covenant. Unless, of course, you are being willingly ignorant of your own history. I wouldn’t put it past you.”

  Isaru bared his teeth, but did not oppose the point.

  “Old Colonia. Hyperborea. Both Elekai evils have passed from the face of the world, but the Hunters will never rest until the rest of your filthy blood is purged. The Elekai disease, the infection, will destroy us all if left unchecked.”

  His eyes went to Anna’s blade, seeming to light upon it. “Well. This has gotten interesting, indeed.”

  I didn’t have time to wonder whether he recognized the blade. I assumed Windform, my blade angled forward and both arms extended. My hands held the form steady, and a range of sword sequences came to my mind of how I might proceed. Eventually, I settled on one. If it came to blows, I knew exactly what to do. This sudden rush of knowledge had to be Anna, and for once, I was grateful for her help. Following my lead, Isaru assumed Treeform.

  “Enough,” I said. “I will only ask you one more time. Hand over the key or things will get violent.”

  “Come, then,” Valance said, firming his stance. “Dance with me...if you dare.”

  I scowled as I strode forward. Without any reservation, I slashed as quick as lightning. The man on the left rushed to parry, but the move had been so fast that his flesh gave way to my blade. The man screamed in agony as I stepped back. His hands went to the wound, but it was no use. Blood streamed through his fingers in a torrent. He lay on the ground and went still.

  Meanwhile, Valance and his other crony backed up.

  Isaru moved to strike the other man while I maneuvered to engage Valance. The Hunter raised his blade just in time to block my next strike. There was no superiority now on his face; he had decided to take me seriously as an opponent.

  After exchanging a few blows, I could see Valance had assumed Windform himself. I blinked in surprise; I thought the sword forms I had learned were unique to the Seekers.

  Valance gave a smile as he caught my surprise. “Yes, Shanti. You have learned a secret of the Hunters. We, too, know your forms. Do you want to know why?”

  He gave a few, quick slashes, all of which I deflected easily. He certainly moved like a Seeker. But there was something else I sensed from him...something I couldn’t have noticed the first time I met him. It was a similarity between him and myself that I couldn’t quite explain.

  No. It couldn’t be true...

  “You’re...Elekai.”

  Valance stepped back, blade at the ready should I decide to strike again. “Not quite. We are given ichor to drink when we are inducted. Those who survive the ritual become Hunters, and having survived the test, we are imbued with some of the same powers as our enemies. How do you think it was that I found you so easily? I could feel your power then...even as I can feel it now. No matter. We take on this evil that we may destroy an even greater evil. It is the Hunter’s burden.”

  That Valance could use the same forms as an Elekai wasn’t exactly proof that he was Elekai himself. He was something different...something dark and wrong.

  “You are the very definition of hypocrisy,” Isaru said.

  Valance grunted. “Perhaps. But if hypocrisy is the price we must pay to get rid of your kind, then it is well worth it.”

  Valance crept back into the shadows, which was followed by the sound of his steps dashing on stone.

  “He’s running!” Isaru said.

  “He has the key,” I said. “We can’t let him escape.”

  Isaru took off after him, but I felt torn between helping him and seeing to my parents. In the end, I turned to face them.

  “I’ll be back. I promise.”

  My mother was still staring at me with her wide eyes. It was hard to tell if she knew what was going on. But there was no time to wonder about that.

  I chased after Isaru.

  BY THE TIME I WAS RUNNING, Isaru’s footsteps were in the distance. He was much faster than me, and when I rounded the corner ahead, he had already taken to the stairs.

  I reached the next level to see that Isaru had already arrived at the other set of steps at the end of the cell-lined corridor. The prisoners were going wild like maddened animals, and I sprinted to a din of yells and calls. They shook at their bars while shouting profanities.

  By the time I reached the main level, I had lost Isaru and Valance completely.

  Sounds of shouting emanated from my left, so I dashed in that directio
n. A moment later, the clash of steel on steel reverberated throughout the halls.

  I rounded the corner to find Isaru facing off against two Peacemakers. He seemed to be an even match for the both of them; he used his blade to deflect every blow thrown at him while moving his body adroitly to escape just as many strikes. However, Isaru probably couldn’t keep it up for much longer, so I drew Katan and ran forward, wrapped in Silence. My instinct for finding it had become as natural as drawing breath. The world outside dimmed while my awareness of every movement sharpened, my focus as cutting as a blade. I could watch the movements of Isaru’s and the Peacemakers’ blades and I could predict their exact trajectory. I had only experienced the sensation of Battletrance during my duels in the tournament, only now it felt even more complete. What was more, I had all of Anna’s knowledge to draw from. I knew, deep down, that I still couldn’t fight exactly like her. But if my short duel downstairs had been any indication, I was now a lot closer to her level.

  Neither of the guards seemed to notice me, so I simply walked past Isaru. It was only then that one of the guards faced me, but it was too late. I assumed Flameform, and in one swift movement cut deeply into his neck. His scream was cut short by the blood gurgling in his throat. He fell to the floor.

  The other Peacemaker dropped his sword and lifted his hands in surrender, his eyes wide and frightened.

  Isaru looked at me, as if asking for permission. I kicked the blade he’d dropped down the corridor, watching its slide far away. I ignored the guard, continuing to chase Valance.

  Isaru followed and then ran beside me, and together, we went up a wide set of steps, which appeared to lead into a large chamber. Seven richly decorated seats, in the shape of a V in which the point was closest to us, extended from the far sandstone wall. Though I had never been in here before, I knew that they were the Seats of the Council of Seven and that this was the room in which they took petitions. The lead seat was larger than the rest, and was the seat of the Grand Pontifex himself, who was First among the Seven.

  Standing in front of the seats, facing us, was Hunter Valance with blade in hand. Next to Valance was the most surprising sight; a warrior armored head to toe in a shimmering set of tiny, interlocking plates. The plates were coppery and almost seemed to glow, and they fit so well together that it was hard to discern the gaps between them. They reminded me of dragon scales. The armored figure was smaller in stature, but carried a katana similar to what all of us wielded.

  I walked forward, and despite the appearance of that warrior, I wasn’t fazed in the least. Such was the effect of the Silence that took hold of me.

  Isaru and I both walked until we stood in front of both Valance and the mysterious warrior. It was a long moment before Isaru spoke.

  “Where is the Prophecy?”

  Valance smiled coolly. “The Prophecy of Annara. Ah, yes. Of course that is the reason you came.” He paused, frowning. “It isn’t here. It hasn’t been ever since the Foundation of the Covenant. Which is why I am glad you came.”

  I felt my blood chill at the words. I had no reason to believe them, but the possibility of it being true was unwelcome.

  “Where is it, then?” Isaru asked. “And why should we believe you?”

  “It far from here, Elekai. Your people stole it from us long ago and took it to a place we could not follow.”

  “Hyperborea,” Isaru said.

  Valance nodded. “You have guessed correctly. But don’t fear, because we Hunters have a mind to recover it as well. Perhaps this could be an opportunity for us to work together.”

  “What are you talking about?” I asked. “Why would we ever work with you after you’ve imprisoned and tortured my parents? I should kill you and be done with it.”

  At these words, the warrior next to Valance shifted in his armor.

  “We have ways of keeping them alive,” Valance said. “It was never our intent to kill them. We merely wished to learn more about you...though your parents would never utter a word. A true pity. They believed they were protecting you, and indeed, they believed you were still in our custody. Nothing I could say would convince them otherwise.”

  “Why not let them free, then? They are of no use to you.”

  “On the contrary,” Valance said, “I was hoping their being here would be enough to get you to return. And it would appear that it has worked. What I didn’t know was that you were interested in the Prophecy as well. This changes things greatly.”

  “How?” Isaru asked.

  “Find the Prophecy for me, and I guarantee Shanti’s parents’ freedom. They will be returned to you safe and sound. Go wherever you wish after; I only desire that the Prophecy be returned here...unread and unspoiled.”

  “I’m not falling for that,” I said. “Supposing we say yes, and we give it to you, you’ll kill them, anyway.”

  “We want the Prophecy, too,” Isaru said. “How does it benefit me if I can’t read its contents? The Prophecy belongs to the Elekai, not the Covenant. They are the words of our goddess, who was Elekai.”

  “That is debatable,” Valance said. “But really, do you have any other choice? You can fight me right now, but you will lose.” He nodded toward the warrior beside him. “This is my apprentice, who is suited in hypermail forged in the ichor of Hyperborea’s Seven Lakes. Any blade that is not infused will shatter upon striking it.” Valance smiled. “You will be soundly destroyed should you challenge us.”

  The armored figure stood silent, but in one swift moment, hefted his blade in front of his form, until he had assumed Windform. Another Hunter, then, who had taken ichor.

  “My apprentice is new, but she has potential. Great potential.”

  “She?”

  The figure started forward — though slightly shorter than Valance, she was tall for a woman. The armor was strange, shimmering, as if of one piece. Not a trace of her skin was exposed, and there was no telling how my blade could find a way to pierce it if it came to that. The armor’s movements were fluid, and while it looked solid and unyielding, it couldn’t have been any thicker than linen.

  “Give it up,” a female voice said, hard and muffled by her visor, through which I could see nothing but a pair of glowing eyes, half-obscured by shadow.

  “I don’t want to kill you,” I said. “But I will if you don’t lay down your arms.”

  Isaru readied his blade, mirroring my posture. The Council Chamber remained completely empty, and I didn’t know how long that was going to last. I had to win this fight quickly. Even if the Prophecy was here, there was no way I could get it. All I could hope for was to get out alive.

  But Isaru would not be able to aid me. Valance stepped forward, a smile spreading across his thin lips.

  “The Prince is mine,” Valance said. “My apprentice...bring Shanti to heel. Disarm her, and in time, she will be made to do as we’ve asked.”

  The apprentice gave a slow nod, advancing toward me without any apparent fear. Her stance was wide, her form open. She had no fear of being struck, apparently seeing no threat in my blade. I had no way of knowing whether Katan was ichor-infused...but the moment of truth would come very soon.

  The apprentice’s blade flashed, so fast that it took me aback. I half-turned, allowing it to pass within inches of me, though it struck the hem of my cloak. Meanwhile, I stabbed forward at the champion’s abdomen. The armor held strong, but the force of my strike forced the Champion back. She grunted.

  “It’s useless to attack hypermail,” she said. “You heard Hunter Valance; only an ichor-infused blade has a chance.”

  It was then that I remembered that the tips of my arrows had been infused with ichor. I had almost forgotten they were there.

  There was nothing to do but try.

  Even as I reached for my bow, my adversary gave a frenzied scream, charging forward and unleashing a fury of strikes. It was all I could do to hold my ground. The glowing eyes within that visor were maddened, and she fought with a desperation that went beyond her loyalty
to Valance. There was something else at stake. She fought as if she didn’t care for her life.

  Her blows fell much harder than they should have given her size. No girl could be this strong, and that armor had to be heavy. Was it an effect of the Aether she had taken?

  She pushed me around the room, and I could do little but keep her at bay. The sounds of fighting emanated from Isaru’s direction, along with grunts of exertion and the clash of steel on steel. If any one person fell on either side, then it would be over.

  The apprentice seemed to sense some danger in the arrows — anytime she gained an advantage, she maneuvered to disarm my quiver or rend my bow. This gave me a chance to dodge and reset the tables.

  Isaru was struggling with Valance. While the Hunter didn’t move with the speed or tenacity of his apprentice, he was a true blade master who had earned his skill through years of labor. Isaru, even with the advantage of his Elekai instruction and natural ability, would fall in time. Indeed, it didn’t even seem as if Valance was struggling, while Isaru’s moves were becoming increasingly frenzied and desperate.

  I shifted my feet so that I might bring our fight closer to him. My opponent seemed to realize what I was doing, and her attacks came at me even harder. There was no way I could match her strength; all I could do was dodge and hope to catch her off guard, possibly throwing her off balance to ground her. She wasn’t giving me that chance, though. Her every move was perfectly calculated, as if she could predict what I was going to do. She was, no doubt, fully immersed in Battletrance.

  Could Aether taken by a non-Elekai really grant such power? I couldn’t remember anyone telling me that it did.

  Things changed rather quickly, and in a way I could never have predicted. Isaru suddenly found an opening, catching Valance off guard. From the corner of my eye, Valance reacted by jumping backward, but to escape Isaru’s blade, he had to roll. This sent him on a collision path with the champion who, with widened eyes, jumped high off the ground...but not high enough. Both Valance and his apprentice became entangled. The clash of the apprentice’s hypermail on the floor stones sent her helmet flying off and rattling across the floor, revealing a woman with short, blonde hair.