Souls & Spectres: The Spectral Chronicles: Book 1

by Heather Wendlowsky

  “EVERYONE QUIET DOWN!” General Fazenda shouts into the microphone. The silence that follows is deafening. The tension in the air is palpable as every person contemplates their imminent death or desertion.

  “You do not need to panic,” Wren assures us, “Mont Tien and Geochroma have established a 24 hour alliance in order to combat the Thalassi military.” There is an instant feeling of relief over the camp. General Fazenda steps back up to the microphone.

  “I know this is unexpected,” the General says, “but we have formulated a plan to beat back the Thalassians. Shortly, the Mont Tien army based out of their village of Chrioch will join us here at the plateau. They will remain in the woods surrounding us, and we will remain armed in our tents. When Thalassi arrives, they will have no indication that we are aware of their plan. Once they cross the threshold into the camp, we will engage. Mont Tien will join the fight at the first gunshot. We will beat back the army and hold our position.” He pauses for a moment, then looks at us with sympathy. “We will succeed in this, my brothers and sisters,” he says quietly.

  A somber mood falls as we contemplate the information that has just been thrown at us. Wren excuses himself to brief his troops, and General Fazenda spends the next hour describing our battle plans. We are to remain quietly in our tents, as if asleep. Scouts will watch for the oncoming army from the trees, and send word via comm when they are in sight. Once the signal is given by the scouts that the army has entered our camp, we will come out of our bunks with our company in formation for defense. Mont Tien will scale the plateau to attack from the sides and back. There should be minimal casualties reported for our side. Relief settles in knowing that we have a plan to save our hides.

  With the briefing complete, everyone heads out of the hall to gather their munitions and change into uniform. The light mood from earlier in the day has completely gone, and is replaced with a grave determination. We will not die tonight. I will not die tonight.

  Juniper is gone by the time I make my way out, but I don’t worry too much. I will see her at our bunk later. I help a group of cadets to make sure the tents are secured to the ground, and when that work is complete, I make my way to the tent. As I approach, I’m stopped by my company sergeant, Sergeant Purazi, a tall man in his late twenties.

  “Private Soleil Fiore?” he barks. I nod in alarm and he gives me a once over. “You can climb trees pretty well, right?”

  “Yes, sir,” I reply. Oh no. I know where this is going.

  “Good. I’m sending you up as a scout. Given your skills and your appearance, you’ll blend well,” he states. Purazi proceeds to hand me a handheld comm, which I take with hesitancy. “You!” he calls over my shoulder. I turn to see Juniper looking slightly terrified at the attention the two of us are suddenly receiving. “Go and grab five long range rifles for the scouts and report back,” Purazi orders.

  “Yes, sir, Sergeant!” Juniper salutes, then runs to the ammunitions tent.

  “When she returns, I want you to take the northern border-side end of the camp,” he says to me, “Climb the highest tree and get comfortable. During the attack, I want you to stay high and call out over comm where reinforcements are needed. The message will reach both Geochroman and Mont Tienent sergeants. Snipe where you can, but stay hidden.”

  “Yes, sir, Sergeant!” I reply. He turns and rushes off to continue preparations. It feels like forever before Juniper comes back to our bunk with an armful of rifles. She looks positively befuddled as she hands me a rifle. “You doing ok?” I ask her.

  “Well, other than a battle with the fiercest army in the nation, which I was handling oh-so-well, I just ran face first into the motherloving PRINCE of Mont Tien! He was with that dreamy Wren guy, and I wasn’t looking, and I kept dropping the rifles, and…” she pauses to breathe. I’m just standing there flabbergasted, and just start laughing. Oh my god. I can’t breathe. Tears are rolling down my face. I look up at Juniper and she’s stuck between a glare and a concerned look.

  “We’re… about… to die…” I sputter, “and you… nearly kill… the prince!” I fall over absolutely dying. Granted, this may be a mini panic attack, but I’m just rolling with it. Recovering from my bout of laughter, I stand and smile at my friend. Before I can think about it, I envelope her in a hug. She stiffens, then tentatively wraps her arms around me and squeezes as hard as she can.

  “Just in case we get dead,” I tease lightly. She chuckles against my shoulder. With a final squeeze, I release her. “Please, stay safe.” I appeal to her. She nods, and with that I head to my corner of the camp.

  Away from the tents, I survey the trees atop the plateau, and decide on a big one at the tree line that allows me to see the camp and the roads leading to the camp. I shoulder my rifle and secure the extra ammunition in my pocket with the comm. I pull myself to the top branches, and survey the scene. Everyone is stocking their bunks with weapons and ammo in the camp. Down the other side of the plateau, I can see the Mont Tienents rushing around to create camouflages in the tree line below us.

  Content with my position, I settle in. It will be hours before the Thalassian army is due to arrive, so I might as well get comfortable. It’s hard not to look down to see if I can find Reese, but I can’t be distracted. Instead, I watch as the sun sets and the world goes dark. The camp goes to their bunks and the world holds its breath in anticipation of what’s to come.

  Chapter 10

  Soleil

  I’ve been sitting in the tree for hours. The landscape is completely dark, save for the light from the full moon. The full moon is actually the only reason I see them: in the distance, maybe a mile out, moving through a field off the side of the road, is a black wave of bobbing heads. My breath hitches in my throat. This is it.

  I pull out my comm. “This is Private Soleil Fiore. Thalassian army spotted approximately a mile to the north of the plateau. Two companies. ETA: 15 minutes,” I whisper into the device. There’s a moment of quiet, then it crackles.

  “General Fazenda acknowledging for Geochroma,” Fazenda barks.

  “Prince Icarus acknowledging for Mont Tien,” says a soft tenor. I’m taken aback for a moment at the familiar voice. I shake my head to clear the thoughts. You sure as hell don’t know any princes, Sol. Focus up.

  I watch the Thalassian army closely, giving periodic updates. Each time, I hear Prince Icarus and get lost for a second. I swear I’ve heard that voice before…

  Finally, the army reaches the base of the plateau. All the scouts have chimed in to confirm visuals as the Thalassians spread out to move up the sides. One of the Thalassian companies hold formation at the bottom for reinforcements, and the other company scales the plateau.

  “Company up. I repeat, company up,” I whisper into the comm.

  “Geochromans: at arms,” General Fazenda murmurs.

  “Mont Tienents: at arms,” Prince Icarus concurs.

  I watch the Thalassi company creep up and separate into smaller groups to approach the individual bunk tents. My heart is pounding for my people below. A Thalassian soldier pushes aside the canvas of the bunk next to mine, and is instantly blown back by a shot to the chest. What ensues is utter chaos.

  Lights flood the camp.

  Thalassian soldiers are screaming, “IT’S A TRAP! IT’S A TRAP!”

  Geochromans are rushing out of the tents in a blaze of gunfire.

  Mont Tienents unleash a battle cry and surround the company at the base of the plateau.

  Thalassi is screaming for a retreat, but they’re met only with bullets.

  I can’t believe the scene unfolding before me. War has been a part of my life for a while now, but to see bodies laid out in the same place we were just resting and laughing earlier that day closes my throat for a moment. I take a breath. My people need me.

  I level my rifle on a branch and look through the scope mounted on top. My first instinct is to look for Juniper. I spot her with Fox and a few other soldiers. They seem to have gotten a smaller group of Thal
assians, and have already taken out the majority. I sigh in relief. Knowing that my friend is safe and in good hands, I search the battlefield for where they need me. I see a couple of Thalassians have cornered a Geochroman near the mess hall. I exhale and pull the trigger, hitting the first Thalassian’s leg, and again to hit the other’s right shoulder. They both fall to the ground. I hope that they will be left alone since they are down, but that hope is in vain. The Geochroman they had cornered just a moment ago puts a bullet through each head.

  I cringe at the violence. I’ve killed on the battlefield, but I’ve never liked it. Sniping seems like cheating, though. They have no chance to even see me coming, so I try to just wound them. I shoot a few more from my perch. Some soldiers leave the Thalassians where they fall, clutching the wound I gave them. Others take after the first Geochroman and put them out of their misery.

  Through it all, I can’t help but admire how well the Geochromans are working with the Mont Tienents. They all fell into line with each other flawlessly. I even witnessed a few high fives between the soldiers. It’s just yet another reason this war seems stupid. This camaraderie could be a common occurrence, but these selfish royals need their power.

  The battle is quick. Thalassi is so surprised that we quickly overpower them. Between the soldiers we take out and the ones that retreat, the battle lasts all of thirty minutes. After what feels like forever, I climb down my tree. I run into the camp to find Juniper. I lost track of her after those first few moments. I stand on the edge of the plateau, and finally see her standing outside our bunk. She’s talking with some other soldiers from Geochroma and Mont Tien and looks relatively unscathed. Juniper turns and spots me, and a smile spreads across her face.

  Suddenly, her smile drops and her eyes widen. I feel a presence over my shoulder, and turn slightly and look back to see one of the Thalassian soldiers I maimed holding a knife over my torso.

  The world slows around me. The Thalassian throws her knife down into my shoulder. There's a searing pain, and a red blossom forms on my uniform. I’m staring in shock into her cerulean eyes, and all I can see from her is malice. Two shots fire from down the camp. One hits my attacker in her chest, just below her throat, and she falls. I turn as the second is fired. I shouldn’t have. Turning places me directly in the line of fire. I watch the bullet barrel towards me in slow motion. I feel the force as it powers into my chest. I expect pain and blood. Instead, the bullet shatters against my skin, the shards flying and glittering under the light of the camp. What…? I look up at the shooter at the other edge of the plateau to see the horrified eyes of a blood spattered Reese, holding a smoking rifle.

  When our eyes meet, there is a moment of relief when he realizes the bullet didn’t harm me, but then, the earth shakes so violently that it brings everyone around us to their knees. The tents fall around us, and people are holding on to each other for dear life. When the land ceases its movement, the only people left standing are me and Reese. Staring at each other. Hundreds of eyes are on us, but all I can see is him.

  Reese’s face hardens, and the shock fades from his features. The look he gives me spurs feelings of hurt in tandem with my confusion. I’m still reeling, trying to comprehend what just happened. General Fazenda walks toward me, but I can’t rip my eyes from the glare Reese is leveling at me. Fazenda clears his throat next to me. “My brothers and sisters,” he announces to the camp, “Tonight, not only will we celebrate our victory over Thalassi, but it is my honor to introduce to you the Gifteds found on this battleground: please raise your voices in honor of Geochroma’s Private Soleil Fiore and Mont Tien’s Crown Prince Icarus!”

  Everyone erupts into cheers and applause. My entire body has gone numb. I can't feel the knife wound in my shoulder anymore. The blood drains from my face as two words swirl in my mind: Gifted. Prince. Gifted. Prince. Reese’s hard look gives way to a brief flash of concern, and that is the last thing I see before the world goes dark.

  Chapter 11

  Icarus

  After meeting with the Geochroman general, I descend into the battle preparations. Mont Tien soldiers are arriving and rushing around to create hiding spots and camouflages in the bushes and tree line around the plateau. I busy myself with assisting in camo paints and establishing company hideouts around the plateau. By the time we are done, night has fallen and Mont Tien partially encircles the camp, ready to charge up the back and sides for reinforcements at the first shot fired.

  Wren and I are sitting with General Dumont and a couple of sergeants at the back of the plateau, waiting for news from the scouts. After a couple of hours of waiting, the comm in my hand crackles to life. “This is Private Soleil Fiore. Thalassian army spotted approximately a mile to the north of the plateau. Two company. ETA: 15 minutes,” the sweet voice whispers. I nearly drop the device at the sound of her name.

  “General Fazenda acknowledging for Geochroma,” Fazenda states over the comm.

  Wren nudges my side, pulling me from my stupor. Oh right. “Prince Icarus acknowledging for Mont Tien,” I exhale. Wren looks at me like I’m crazy, and honestly, I might be. I send the sergeants with us to go update the soldiers and ready them for battle.

  Soleil continues to come over the comm, updating us of the Thalassi army’s movements. Everytime I confirm, I wish more and more that I had told her who I was, just so she could know I’m here with her. My angel.

  I’m saddened whenever I hear her establish herself as a Fiore over the comm. It doesn’t take a prince with a royal education to know that Fiore is the typical surname given to Geochroman Unknowns, the same way Mont Tien gives our Unknowns the surname Hele. I can’t help but think about the scars covering her tan skin. That paired with her Unknown surname, a picture starts to form in my head of her past. I’ve assisted in Mont Tien ring busts as a part of my training, and the people I’ve pulled out of those places…

  I push down the feelings of anger and nausea at what she must have experienced so I can bring my head to my troops, where it belongs.

  “Company up. I repeat, company up,” a Soleil whispers.

  “Geochromans: at arms,” General Fazenda ushers.

  “Mont Tienents: at arms,” I state.

  We move into a low position, ready to jump up or fire if needed. A moment of anxious silence ensues while we wait. Then we hear a shot, the plateau is glowing with light, and there’s screaming. That’s our cue.

  “Go, go, go!” I yell along with the sergeants stationed along our hiding spots. My people stationed on the sides of the plateau run around to surprise the Thalassi company at the bottom of the plateau. The Mont Tien soldiers near the back of the plateau launch themselves up the ridge and into the fray. I charge up into the camp with the soldiers in the back and make an instant assessment to move in and drive out the Thalassians. I spend the next thirty minutes working with my soldiers to systematically press the enemy back out of the camp, keeping them from gaining any further ground.

  From the north near our border, shots rain down from a sniper in the tree. Based on the location, I easily identify the shooter as Soleil. Damn, she’s a good shot. I wasn’t sure at first because she has no direct fatal shots, but then I realize she’s doing it on purpose. The angel didn’t want to kill when she didn’t have to, so she aims to maim. My respect for her couldn’t be any greater.

  I, on the other hand, took no such care in my shots. Years of royal military training takes over, and each shot finds its place. Wren is at my side, and as my friend and hand, he has to be a good shot, too. Just not as good as me.

  The battle is swift, and the victory is obvious. Any Thalassi soldiers who aren’t on the ground are running from the camp as quickly as they can. Wren comes over and claps me on the shoulder.

  “Man, you better watch your back!” he exclaims excitedly, “I had almost as many shots as you! Hell, I better just take your crown now!” He laughs at his stupid joke, and I can’t help but laugh with him. We’re running on an adrenaline high, and from the victorious chee
rs and affection I’m seeing between our troops, it’s clear we aren’t the only ones. I smile a little bigger. I’m not looking forward to much about being King of Mont Tien, but if I’m able to help end this war and make this feeling of joy a norm, it’s all worth it.

  While I look over these happy people, I spot that girl, Juniper, standing over by a dorm tent. She looks over at Wren and I from the group of people surrounding her, turns red, and quickly looks away. I chuckle thinking about her blunders earlier. Juniper seems to spot someone else, and looks down the camp grinning like a maniac. I follow her line of sight and see her: Soleil, dark hair in a loose ponytail. My heart melts for a moment. It makes me happy to see that she found a friend in the little redhead. Juniper is a kind soul, and Soleil seems like she needs a friend.

  She walks past a couple of fallen Thalassian soldiers toward Juniper, and when one pulls herself to her feet behind her, my blood turns to ice. Soleil stiffens, and turns to the presence behind her. The Thalassian is a few inches taller than Soleil, and the sight of my angel in danger makes me shake in fear. I pull my rifle up and aim, but when the soldier plunges a knife into Soleil’s shoulder, I lose it. My first shot hits its target, ending the life of the Thalassian. My fear and anger pushes me to take another shot to ensure the threat is neutralized. Soleil turns towards me, and seeing her pain combined with the fear coursing through my veins, my shot goes wild for the first time since I was a child.

  I watch in terror as my bullet blasts her in the chest. The power behind the shot pushes her back, and I wait for the blood to explode from her heart. Instead, the bullet seems to shatter against her skin. A million thoughts run through my mind: Was that bullet cracked? Is she wearing some sort of bulletproof vest? Her eyes are searching mine for an answer I don’t have.