by Nyssa Renay
“I guess so,” I shrugged, trying to focus on the work at hand.
“What does that mean?” he snapped. “Ein save me! You’re not turning into one of them, are you?”
“No, sir, of course not.”
“Thank the gods for that! I would have lost all respect for you.”
I didn’t appreciate how he constantly imposed his ideals upon me. There was something incredibly arrogant about the way he expected me to agree with him whenever we talked. It had been a particularly exhausting day, and I was so tired that I couldn’t stop myself from saying what was on my mind.
“I can’t say I blame them,” I blurted, wishing I hadn’t.
“What’s that?” he barked. I could feel his glaring eyes upon me as he quickly halted his cleaning efforts.
“Nothing, sir,” I replied dismissively, but it was too late. I’d let my guard down, and there was no way he was going to let a comment like that go. I had no choice but to continue.
“No, please. Go on,” he insisted.
“The defiants. I can’t say I blame them for being upset about everything. I mean…I kind of see where they’re coming from.”
“Oh, here we go. How so?”
“Not every sect has the same skill set. A shepherd from…say…Kindell or Palpit would stand a much better chance to survive than the less physical sects, like Settle or Idol; even Necra. They’re just scared, that’s all. I am, too.”
“So, you are one of them! I knew it! I just knew it!” Scullery threw his rag down on the table and stormed away.
“I’m not a defiant, sir!” I shouted, but he didn’t care. As soon as he learned my opinion differed from his, Scullery’s mind was made up about me, and there was nothing I could say to change that.
-62-
It always felt as if there weren’t enough hours in the day to get through everything the academy imposed on us. By the time I finished with all the added combat training and regular joint sect exercises for the day, I was completely exhausted when I finally reported to Shepherd Machoji in the coliseum.
“I don’t care whether you’re for this war or not! That’s not the purpose of your being here!” Shepherd Machoji snapped at a group of nine Tier III potentials sitting before him in the front row of the grandstands, glaring as I walked through the doorway.
“Take a seat.” Machoji sighed impatiently, waiting for me to sit down before he resumed his lecture.
“Yes, sir,” I replied sheepishly.
Even though I knew each of them from working in the chow halls, not one of the nine so much as smiled or nodded in my direction as I filed into the row behind them. I immediately felt out of place. I knew that all of them were in their final year at the academy, making me the odd man out. They all held ceremonial glass staves and wore lavish light blue tabards with something embroidered in pale gold thread. I couldn’t quite make out what it was until I sat down behind them. It was the royal seal of Telshakra.
Machoji slammed the butt of his staff onto the floor to demand the group’s attention. “This brings me to the last item for today’s meeting. With the unprecedented level of infighting plaguing the academy, you nine are currently the only ones in your year who aren’t on some sort of punishment detail. This bullshit needs to stop, right now! I can’t keep bringing in new potentials to replace you every other day. You’re making me look like an asshole in front of the royal family! Is that what you want?” he snarled.
“No, sir!” the group shouted in unison.
“I should hope not! From here on out, if I see even one of you step out of line while you’re under my charge, you’ll be on the first ship to the frontlines the second you graduate. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, sir!” everyone acknowledged.
“Good! Now then, since we need ten potentials to meet King Lexani’s minimum requirement for escorting the prince to and from the Divine Mountain, I have no other choice but to bring someone in from the year below you. Vigil will fill in as our tenth until the first available potential is released from mining duty. Is that understood?”
“Yes, sir,” the nine chimed together.
“Prince Raxis should be completing his Palpit strategy exercise for the day, and he’ll be here any moment. Head down to the arena floor and get ready. Dismissed!”
“Yes, sir,” the group replied and rushed down the stairs toward the arena. I started to follow them, but Machoji motioned for me to stay back for a moment.
“You’ll need to wear this,” he said, tossing me a tabard and a thin belt like the ones the others were wearing.
I put them on, quickly adjusting the belt around my waist. I wasn’t impressed with this uniform. It was bulky, flashy, and uncomfortable.
“When Prince Raxis gets here, you’ll be escorting him through the archway to the Divine Mountain with the rest of his ceremonial guard. There’s usually five on each side, so stay at the back of the shorter line. All you need to do is mimic the person in front of you. Just keep your eyes forward and your mouth shut. Got it?”
“Yes, sir,” I replied nervously.
“Shepherd Diabelle was reluctant to give you up for this assignment. She didn’t think you were suitable because of what happened the last time you were around the prince.”
“That was over six years ago,” I grumbled. “I’ve more than made up for it since then.”
“I know, Vigil. That’s why I convinced her to give you another chance.” He patted me on the back, offering me some encouragement. “Just remember, it’s my ass on the line if you screw up, not just yours.”
I nodded. “I know.”
“Good,” he replied, handing me my ceremonial glass staff.
I followed Shepherd Machoji down the stairs that led to the arena floor, but when we reached the bottom step, I blurted out the one nagging question I couldn’t get out of my mind. “Sir, why doesn’t Raxis stay here like the rest of us?”
Machoji stopped walking and turned around to face me. “Because the members of the royal family get to do whatever the hell they want,” he scoffed. “Personally, I think it would be tremendously beneficial for the prince to stay at the academy and train with the other members of his sect, but my opinion doesn’t mean shit when it comes to the king.” A sign of annoyance flashed across his face. Whenever I’d heard Shepherd Machoji mention the royal family, his attitude changed to one of complete disdain, especially when it came to the king’s blatant disregard for the customs and values held by those at the academy. “Lexani wants his son to come back to the Divine Mountain every day after his classes end. No exceptions. Makes my job of keeping him safe incredibly difficult.”
“Why don’t the royal guards escort him back and forth instead?”
“It takes a lot of work to allow them passage through the realm of Ein on a daily basis. Shepherds and potentials were chosen by Ein Himself, giving us a much smoother and safer experience as we travel between archways. I’ve made it clear that shepherds have better things to do with their time, so it’s easier just to have you all do it.” He forced a smile. “Don’t worry…Lexani always has a full regiment waiting for his son by the time you arrive at the Divine Mountain. You’re just there for show. Once you arrive, they’ll guide your group into the Rectory to drop the prince off.”
Suddenly, it hit me. It’d been over twelve years since I was back home on Telshakra. I felt a wave of excitement wash over me, but I didn’t regain my composure before Machoji took notice.
“Vigil, I need you to stay focused,” he insisted. “Your primary duty is to protect the prince. You’re never to speak about what you see or hear while you’re with him…to anyone...not even the other potentials on guard duty with you. You’re never to argue in any way with Raxis or any member of the royal family, the Church staff, or anybody of any importance at the Divine Mountain. Is that understood?” Shepherd Machoji asked sternly.
I nodded. Before I could say another word, the main doors to the ar
ena opened. Prince Raxis walked in with an approving expression on his face when he saw the members of his ceremonial guard standing before him.
“Go join them, quickly,” Machoji urged. “I’ll pray for your safe passage through the archway.”
I ran to the center of the arena and stood with the other nine potentials, making sure to look straight ahead—disciplined and focused—while Prince Raxis gave me a brief inspection.
“Another new one?” Raxis asked, his tone cynical.
“Yes, Sire. He’ll serve you nobly,” Machoji replied with a polite bow of respect before the prince.
“Thank you, Shepherd Machoji,” Raxis nodded dismissively, and I felt a small sense of relief that the prince didn’t immediately recognize me from the night of the royal dinner.
The platform that encircled the obelisk in the center of the arena began to rise slowly, revealing the four columns and that same blinding white light I’d seen only once before when Prince Raxis and King Lexani first arrived at the academy. I followed the other guards as they lined up alongside the prince, and together we moved into the light.
-63-
Over the next week when I wasn’t in class or combat training, I spent most of my time on guard duty. Even though this assignment was only temporary, the change of pace from helping Scullery run the chow halls was refreshing. Although the other guards wouldn’t acknowledge me as anything but an alternate, I still managed to pick up the responsibilities of the job rather quickly.
It was a simple routine. We just had to learn the prince’s schedule and be ready to chauffeur him back and forth from the academy, making sure to stand at attention and be in perfect formation as soon as he arrived, all the while acting like we were invisible as we monitored his every moment.
It was a great experience, but it was just about over for me. The next day, two of the regular guards would be released from mining duty, and my service to the prince would no longer be needed. But that night, as I sat with the rest of the regiment in the arena waiting for Raxis to arrive, I’d bid farewell to my short career as one of the prince’s ceremonial guards in a very special way. In a joint effort with the royal guard, the prince’s guard would also be escorting King Lexani back to the Divine Mountain.
Lexani had come to the Shepherd Academy to implement new preventative measures to keep the defiants in line. He declared that any further anti-war disobedience by a potential would result in the punishment of the potential’s family on Telshakra. Though the nature of this punishment wasn’t specifically clear, King Lexani and those in power hoped that the threat alone would instantly subdue the defiant movement and get the academy back under full control of the shepherds.
Suddenly, the arena doors parted, and in walked King Lexani and Prince Raxis with Machoji trailing close behind. As they made their way toward the obelisk, the royal guard quickly surrounded the king. The obelisk platform began to rise, and we rushed into position around the prince, ready to pass through the archway.
“Keep me informed of your progress, Shepherd Machoji,” Lexani said, shaking his hand. “Hopefully this will be end of it, and we can get back to the real task at hand.”
Machoji reluctantly bowed his head. “Yes, Sire.”
“Come along, Raxis,” Lexani said to his son.
“Safe journey, Your Majesties.” Machoji forced a smile, staring at me intently as we escorted the royals into the realm of light.
When we reached the archway on the other side, the Great Ring of Ein illuminated everything around me with a mystical glow from the whirlpool of stars. I had seen this place all week long, but it never ceased to astonish me. The smell of the flowers from the Garden of Ataraxia wafting in the summer breeze had such a calming effect. I truly enjoyed being here. It had always been a relaxing experience to pass through the realm of Ein and arrive in the Great Ring, but tonight my comfort would be short-lived.
We followed the king and the royal guards up the bridge and out of the Great Ring. The air was thick and humid; dense black clouds blocked out the stars in the nighttime sky and threatened to spill rain on us at any moment. Something didn’t feel right, but I didn’t know what, and I couldn’t help but feel uneasy as we marched along. There were at least thirty people standing before us in the courtyard atop the Divine Mountain: shepherds, priests, and unfamiliar members of the Rectory staff. They had come to ensure the smooth decorum of the king’s return. They continued to clap and cheer while Lexani moved away from the Great Ring of Ein and made his way toward the center of the courtyard. Our ceremonial guard stood close to Prince Raxis as he waited for his father to address the crowd.
King Lexani raised his hand, and the sycophantic crowd quickly grew silent. “Members of the Church,” Lexani smiled, “I thank you all for coming here this evening. I’ve just returned from the Shepherd Academy, and my son and I have—”
A crack of thunder tore through the sky, rattling everything around us, only it wasn’t thunder. I looked up and saw the clouds wisp back to reveal the belly of a large black craft. It was engulfed in flames as it fell from the sky, speeding directly toward us.
“Save the king!” one of the royal guards shouted, and the entire fleet of guards threw themselves upon Lexani, knocking him to the ground to protect him.
The fire consumed the craft as it spun out of control and collided with a peak of the Divine Mountain overlooking the area where we all stood. The exploding sound of metal crashing into stone was deafening, and the ground shook violently beneath my feet, almost making me lose my balance.
The shepherds wasted no time in summoning their powers to defend against the onslaught of flaming rocks and debris caused by the impact.
“Wexraria e’ sawarnio!” one shepherd shouted as a burst of wind shot forth from his staff with such force that it shattered some of the falling boulders into dust.
“Famistatcha deliaverello!” another shepherd screamed and thrust the end of his staff toward the landslide, deflecting it away from its intended victims.
“Get the king to safety, now!” the captain of the royal guard screamed as he pulled Lexani up to his feet. The other guards pulled Lexani along with such force and speed that by the time the king called out to Raxis, his group had already been swallowed up by the chaos of the crowd running in all directions.
“What do we do?” one of the potentials in front of me asked.
“Why are you asking me?” I shouted.
“Take me to my father!” Prince Raxis demanded. “Now!” But no one in our ceremonial group of potentials had any idea what the protocol for something like this was.
Everyone was so preoccupied with the chaos from the crash that no one saw the enemy descending upon us.
“What the hell is that?” one of the potentials screamed in horror as a large beast landed about ten yards in front of us.
This thing towered over every member of our group by at least two feet. Its skin was pale green and bluish-yellow with a deathly pallor, but it absolutely wasn’t dead. The creature had no hair; instead, a set of long black horns protruded from the top of its skull and twisted back toward the base of its long neck. I couldn’t tell if it had eyes because its sockets were hidden behind a solid plate of chrome that wrapped around the top of its head. Its lipless mouth snarled at us, revealing jagged brown teeth that drooled a bloody black sludge as it growled. There was a large black box embedded in the side of its neck like a tumor. Cables ran down from it and connected to a piece of churning motorized equipment built into a metallic vest fused with the creature’s flesh.
I heard a terrified scream behind us and looked to see another one of these abominations jump onto the back of one of the nearby shepherds. It tore the man’s head clean from his body and drank the fluid from the old man’s skull. A paralyzing wave of terror took hold of me in that horrifying moment, but as the creature ran off, chasing after another victim, I noticed a path that led to safety just beyond the murdered shepherd’s body.
&
nbsp; “We need to run!” I shouted as I dropped my ceremonial staff and grabbed the prince’s arm. “Come on, Your Highness, now!”
-64-
I ran across the courtyard, pulling the prince along the empty path. Suddenly, the sky erupted, spitting forth endless streams of armor-clad-figures. They rapidly parachuted down all around us, crashing to the ground in sickening heaps. At first, I thought the fall would have easily killed them all upon impact, but when they writhed and stretched their limbs, I knew we weren’t as lucky as I’d hoped.
As these things slowly stood up, I fully realized what my uncle had meant when he said the enemy would use my body to help them win the war. These ghastly people were the same shape, size, and stature as any average man or woman you’d meet on Telshakra, but their facial features were sunken in, like their muscles no longer held tension. Their eyes were pale and cloudy, and their bluish-gray lips gaped open. Embedded into the flesh of their necks were boxes with tubes leading to sharp metal vests grafted onto their skin. I got the sense that these things not only looked dead, but they actually were corpses reanimated by the enemy and sent here to kill us.
I backed away, keeping the prince behind me as I held my hands up and shouted, “Flui’vernuri carulcha!” Fire ignited from my fingers, and I pulled my arms back, clenching my fists to compress the flames and create my fireball. I snapped each finger, shooting fiery bullets at the undead enemies moving toward us. I hit the first two in the face, engulfing them in flames. They stumbled for a moment, but then quickly regained their posture and continued to advance toward us while their bodies were still ablaze.
“I need help!” I shouted and looked around, but the other ceremonial guards were nowhere to be seen. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a figure wearing a light blue tabard struggling with one of the grizzly beasts. The creature ripped off the potential’s head and savagely began to gnaw on the body.
Although my plea was intended for the rest of the ceremonial guard, Raxis must have thought I was asking him for help. “I don’t know what to do!” the prince shouted as he stepped up beside me, trying to conjure. He was still several years behind me at the academy and didn’t have the strength or the knowledge to have mastered any offensive abilities yet. There was no way we could fight them off alone.
