by Dan Neil
Still shaking amidst the endless shadow and barely able to breathe, Keia heard a familiar voice in her head. Her memory was lost in the depths of primordial night.
‘Keia? Keia? What’s wrong?’
Where am I? I know this voice.
‘What’s going on? Why—what happened? Where are you, Keia?’
Is that me? Where do I know this voice from?
‘Keia, please, if you can hear me, tell me where you are.’
‘I—I don’t know.’
‘Are you all right? What’s happening? What’s wrong?’
‘I—don’t…’
A flood of memories rushed into Keia’s head as the darkness receded. She glanced around, remembering where she was and who she was with.
No—
‘I’m so sorry, Aliya,’ Keia reached, tears streaking down her face.
Aliya replied, ‘No, no, no, no, no. Why are you—how could you be so foolish? No, it’s all right—it’s all right. Where are you? What’s going on?’
‘I—I—why, Aliya, why did you reach me?’
‘I—sensed your distress,’ her sister replied. ‘Wait—Keia, are you alone?’
The Dark Disciple towered over her with a devilish grin. He was casting shadow telepathy, intercepting their reach. He had Aliya’s location now.
Keia replied, ‘No. He knows.’
‘Fuck, all right—listen to me. We can stop him—you have to trust me. Tell him what he wants—by Gaea, how could you be so foolish? What are you doing out here?!’
Keia’s pulse was racing, matching her panic. ‘I—I didn’t mean for—I didn’t think—’
“Thank you, Keia,” the Dark Disciple said. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”
Aliya sighed and reached, ‘It’s going to be okay; everything’s going to be—’
The Dark Disciple ended their link. Keia trembled. Anger and hopelessness welled up inside her.
She shouted, “Why are you doing this?!”
“My god demands it. Once the ritual is complete, I will be granted endless life with which to do the work of his prophet.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?!”
His eyes glowed with venom. “You really don’t know? All these years, you never wondered what they were looking for? Or rather—who?”
Keia struggled against her bonds, but it was no use.
The Dark Disciple gave a half-smile and said, “Why not try casting a spell? See if you’re the first one who can in those bindings. I think you’ll find them quite unbreakable.”
“What do you want?!” she screamed. “Why can’t you leave us alone?”
“That’s simple enough. Our reunion.”
Breathing heavily, she remained silent despite the heat rising in her core.
“You’ve sought answers this whole time. Tell me, Keia, do you really want the truth?” he asked.
Keia’s rage boiled over, and the words spewed from her mouth. “Fuck you! You expect me to believe you?”
“I’ve been nothing but honest with you,” he replied. “I’m the only one who’s been honest with you—the only one without a reason to lie. Unlike Aleister, Aliya, or Carter. They lied about the night our parents were killed. They lied about how you lost your power, and they let you come all the way out here without telling you the truth about me.”
Keia’s heart sank as horror suffused her being. “Our parents?”
“I,” the Dark Disciple’s eyes burned. “Am Ezra Atlos, Son of Jihandi and Sylvan Atlos—stolen away by Remy Crusoe all those years ago. Your big brother.”
Too shocked to protest, she tried desperately to think of a reason—any reason—why it couldn’t be true. It had to be a lie.
He pointed his gauntlet at her head. “It’s about time you got some sleep,” he said with a sneer. “Tomorrow’s a big day—the day of our reunion. You’ll get to see everyone—everyone.”
“You—you’re lying!” Keia said. “You’re lying! You’re mad!”
“You can ask Aliya tomorrow,” Ezra said as he touched her forehead. Shadows enveloped her. Ezra’s howling laughter was the last thing she heard before slipping once more into darkness.
—
As soon as the reach ended, Aliya panicked. She’d lost track of time with Friedrich in the temple. Somewhere around day fifty, they gave up on counting; the entire time, she’d kept hope alive that she might not have to face him. That hope came crashing down all at once.
How could Keia be so—I thought she was smarter than that. Aliya looked at her hand. Leaving the kingdom, she’d thought herself ready to face her younger brother again. She was wrong; but now, there was no choice.
Aliya hadn’t shown him everything she could do when last they “met,” but she still dreaded her odds. This wouldn’t be an ordinary fight—this was no ordinary enemy.
Friedrich was standing behind her, shifting nervously.
“What’s going on?”
Aliya closed her eyes, giving a long, deep sigh. “He’s coming for us—and he has Keia.”
“The person who came after us?”
Aliya turned to face him. No point in hiding it now.
“Yes. He’s my brother.”
Friedrich’s brow furrowed in confusion. “I thought we came all this way to save your brother.”
She nodded. “We did. There was a fourth Atlos child. He was kidnapped almost twenty years ago by the Church of Ashuram. Now—I don’t know what he is.”
Friedrich’s mouth hung open. It certainly explained Aliya’s reluctance to face their enemy. And it complicated the situation.
“What are we going to do now?” he asked.
Aliya stood. “I can’t run. Not while he has Keia. I have to face him.”
“We could ambush him.”
“That won’t work.” She shook her head. “I can’t deceive him again—not this time. He knows where we are now.”
Friedrich threw his hands up. “So we stay here and wait for him to kill us?”
“We can use the temple,” Aliya said. “Set traps and find a way to get some sort of advantage.”
“Was it him doing that in the forest—the searching spell?” Friedrich asked.
Aliya nodded.
He shook his head, hands on his hips. “How did he get so strong?”
“It was the church,” she said in a soft whisper. “The one Remy Crusoe belonged to.”
“I’m assuming Remy Crusoe took him in addition to—the other thing.” Friedrich’s mouth twitched.
Aliya’s eyes fell to Greerwood in the distance. “Yes. But they took him a year before. Before…”
“Let’s just—let’s just look at all of our options,” Friedrich said, changing the subject. “So why can’t we run away? We could get help—”
Her fingers curled into fists. “I’m not leaving Keia alone with him.”
“So we stay here and fight. That’s your plan.”
“That’s all I can do, Friedrich. There are no reinforcements on this one. Even if I had the range to reach someone, there’s no way they’d get here in time,” Aliya said.
Friedrich sat beside her with a grave expression. “Why did Keia give us up?”
“She didn’t,” Aliya said. “It was Aleister’s spell.”
“Aleister did this?”
“No, that’s not—he didn’t intend for this to happen. It wasn’t supposed to be used this way. After Keia was kidnapped by Ulrich, Aleister made a sealing spell. He didn’t want her to lose control again. So he—he…” her eyes fell to the ground.
His frown deepened. “So he made a spell to alert you when she’s about to snap.”
“Yes, and it also limited her strength. It was the only way the king—the power she has couldn’t lay dormant forever. But it was never supposed to be like this.” Sh
e turned toward Greerwood. “He must have tortured her until she—” Aliya shuddered. “There must be nothing left of the Ezra I knew.”
Friedrich tightened his lips, trying to think of something to say. Their predicament was too bleak.
“Friedrich?”
He snapped to attention. “Yes?”
“You should go,” Aliya urged, not facing him. Her hands were curled into tight, shaking fists.
“What?”
“You really should go. He only wants me. I don’t want you to die, Friedrich, and I know you don’t want to die.” Her shoulders trembled. “I’ll bet he won’t even go for you now that he knows where I am.”
Friedrich grabbed her and turned her around. Tears streaked down her face.
“This is my family’s business,” Aliya said. “Go find a partner who won’t get you killed. You don’t deserve this shite.”
Friedrich said nothing.
“Why won’t you answer me? Just go! Don’t you want to live?”
“Not without you,” Friedrich replied quietly. He pulled Aliya in close for an embrace. She relished the warmth of his presence.
He said, “I’m not going anywhere.”
Chapter 47
The Pyramid
Day 15 of the Season of Life, 1020 YAR
The Jaaza Greatsword was pulsating when Jisaazu woke. The metal glowed with anticipation. As if divined by the blade, an image of the pyramid flashed through her mind.
She rolled her eyes. Maybe the spirit wants me to go.
The pyramid was a few hours away by foot. She decided to start immediately; Jisaazu rarely questioned her instincts. Whether destiny or her blade spurred her forward mattered not, so long as she kept moving.
She climbed over the defunct walls. Long ago, a powerful kingdom built this; now it was a hall for bandits and vermin.
Time makes a ruin of everything, I guess.
Jisaazu let the sunlight wash over her, relishing every second of warmth. A hint of sadness took hold—Ervane’s last moments were spent in the cold.
I will give you a proper burial. Even if it’s only symbolic, I will, Jisaazu vowed.
Years ago, warrior monks told her that vengeance was the best way to lay spirits to rest. It wasn’t enough to be grateful for his sacrifice—she had to ensure he died for something.
As she ran eastward, the pyramid loomed ever larger—a grim reminder of her unfinished business. Fate wanted her there; some sort of convergence was happening, and she was beckoned forth.
I swear to you, Ervane, she thought as she carved through the wind, I will complete our mission.
—
Keia was released from the shadow cocoon just after sunrise. Exposure to the shadows sickened her, though Ezra was too focused to notice her vomiting upon waking up. He was kneeling and staring upwards, with his eyes rolled back into his head.
He can’t possibly be my brother, Keia thought. He’s mad. Aliya, Carter, they—they wouldn’t lie to me about something like this. Right?
Suddenly the Dark Disciple snapped out of it, and his eyes fell on Keia. A confident grin spread over his face. As he approached, he said in a quiet but firm voice, “The day that was promised, finally arrived—destiny’s chosen day. Your friends can’t help you this time.”
Ezra grabbed Keia’s shirt collar and dragged her through the snow while she protested, though her magical bindings kept her from struggling too much. She watched helplessly as Valiance was left behind. The forest sped by at impossible speeds as he cast temporal haste.
“I can walk; let me go!” she said.
“You can also run, even in those bindings. I’ll have no further distractions. I’ve been waiting for too long.”
After a few hours of travel, light peeked through the gray treeline of Greerwood. The gray air became a bit lighter, and the forest’s harsh cold weakened. Keia was closer to the northern edge of Greerwood than she’d thought.
Aliya can beat him—right? Keia’s worst fears were coming true. Not only was she going to lose her own life and her sister’s, but at the hand of a brother she never knew about. It was all too much.
But I have to keep fighting. I can’t give up now. There’s always a way. Other people could choose to run away, but not Keia; she was a soldier.
Finally, they emerged from the forest. With every step, Ezra’s fervor grew until they came to a sudden stop. Only Greerwood, now south of them, was within sight.
She struggled against the bindings, refusing to give up hope. Then a blood-curdling roar erupted from her captor. The full-volume shout captured all his hatred in one word:
“ALIYA!”
Keia’s eyes jammed shut as she flinched. Ezra dragged her around to face the pyramid. Aliya and Friedrich emerged from the entrance, battered and worn but alive.
A dense, low vibration cackled and burned the air as a blade fusing shadows and fire materialized in Ezra’s hand. The blade filled its surroundings with a powerful hum while it cracked and spat energy. He flicked his wrist, and the blade was at Keia’s throat. It was not hot, she noticed, but exuded a dark aura. Panic shot through her chest like lightning, and she whimpered as sparks narrowly missed her face.
“Don’t worry.” Ezra leaned down. “I won’t hurt you. Not yet. The youngest has to be last.”
“Let her go!” Aliya’s voice rang out as she walked closer. “This is between you and me. I think we both know that.”
Ezra’s eyes blazed fiercer than ever. “No. This is between all of us. Isn’t it, sister?”
Keia struggled to hold back tears as Aliya’s concerned eyes fell upon her.
Ezra placed a hand on Keia’s shoulder—just like in her nightmares—and addressed their older sister. “You have some explaining to do. Keeping poor little Keia in the dark all these years.”
Keia choked out, “Please, Aliya, say it isn’t true.”
With a pained expression, Aliya apologized, “I’m so sorry, Keia. I should have told you. I—”
Keia broke down. Her entire body went numb. For her entire life, her loved ones had been lying to her. How many people had kept this secret? When were they going to tell her?
“Look how much you’ve hurt our poor little sister,” Ezra said. “Some good came of your deception, at least—if you’d trusted Keia’s judgment, this reunion wouldn’t have been possible.”
“I know all about your sick little reunion with Carter,” Aliya sternly reproached. “Let her go. It’s me you want—don’t you hate me the most?”
“We agree on one thing,” Ezra said. “Fine. You and me. No more lies—no more tricks.”
He pushed the blade closer to Keia’s throat, eliciting another whimper.
“Keia,” Aliya said, “this is all my fault—it’s going to be okay, all right? Everything is going to be okay.”
“Liar!” Ezra shouted. “You know that’s not true.”
Aliya took a step forward, and Friedrich followed suit. She placed a hand on his shoulder.
“No. You stay back.”
“Wh-what? We have to fight him togeth—”
“No, we don’t. This is my fight.”
Friedrich’s eyes expressed concern, but he steeled his face otherwise. He sighed and said, “All right. I’ll be here to back you up if you need me.”
Eyes steeled, Aliya gave a nod. She readied Guardian and drew Mirage, summoning the blade’s three copies.
Ezra cleared Keia from the battlefield with telekinesis. He turned back and said, “Big sister’s impatient. You wait your turn, now.”
Keia, heart and mind racing, whimpered. Her eyes met Aliya’s—the resolve burning in them was enough to give Keia hope.
She can do this. Kick his ass, Aliya.
Aliya charged down the steps of the temple entrance, her three blades hovering in a close formation. Ezra leveled
his gauntlet and sneered as gray bolts shot from his fist.
Killing spells! Keia thought. Aliya—
Mirage’s blades leaped forward, slicing through the sinister bolts. Ezra pelted her dancing swords with a few more killing spells before launching a wave of Darkfire from his gauntlet.
Keia cried out as the Darkfire honed in. Aliya came to a stop, centering Mirage. An orb of light formed at the tip of her sword, and a heaving slash sent waves of radiance crashing into the Darkfire. The foul magic was extinguished completely.
“Interesting.” Ezra lowered his gauntlet and advanced toward Aliya, who sent Mirage’s copies careening toward him.
A circle on Ezra’s gauntlet glowed, and rocky spikes exploded from the ground. The jagged stone blasted upward, knocking the flying swords off course. The copies circled back around as Aliya fired a bolt of light from Mirage’s tip. Raising the Darkfire Blade to his defense, the foul blade sizzled and whined upon the light’s impact. It stayed intact, but barely.
His eye twitched. “Very interesting.”
Weapons still raised, she said, “Light beats shadow magic every time.”
Ezra smiled and pointed his blade. Then he moved.
It wasn’t the way a human moved, even with temporal haste. He was too fast. One of Aliya’s copies crashed into the Darkfire Blade’s first strike, ripping a shrieking gasp from the blade as black sparks shot off in every direction.
Aliya charged in, swinging and slashing in tandem as Mirage’s blades swirled around him. Blending his gauntlet’s magic with quick bladework, Ezra held off Aliya’s ferocious attack. Bursts of shadowy sparks broke out with each clash of their swords, filling the air with the screeching howls of the Darkfire Blade.
The ground beneath Aliya formed into rock skewers and shot upward. Abandoning her assault and leaping backward, she raised Guardian. Vibrations jolted up her arm as the spikes impacted the shield, knocking her onto her back.
Ezra lurched forward, batting aside the Mirage blades as they harassed him from every angle. Aliya struggled to her feet, the muscles in her arm tense; before she’d regained a combat stance, he was on her.
Giving a battle-cry, Aliya raised Guardian. Three brutal strikes pummeled her defenses, and fresh waves of pain jolted into her shoulder with each collision. Ezra was only getting faster. Each exchange brought more hatred out, and every frenetic slash came quicker than the last.
