Ashkii Dighin- The Hunt for the Hypnotist

by Adam Lynch

  “Love, Ashkii,” said Kel as if reading his mind, waiting for his attention to be on her. “Have you ever felt it?”

  Staring at her, he hesitated, unsure of his answer. “I don’t remember,” he said.

  “Ah, there you two are!” said Yce in a lively tone, approaching. “I’m afraid we started a bit early today. We’re very excited about tomorrow.”

  “Who’s your lover?” Kel asked Yce, facing Ashkii for his reaction.

  “Oh yes...” said Yce, facing her, grinning. “My love, these are the Spirit Hunters I told you about: Kelanassa and Ashkii Dighin. Ashkii Dighin and Kelanssa, this is my beautiful wife, December.” In saying this, he wrapped his arms around her, both beaming warmly.

  “So this is the Spirit Gatherer,” she said, her accent slightly different from her husband’s. “How exciting—and a Spirit Hunter none the less. I’ve always found them to be a fascinating people—how each of them carry a Spirit Animal according to his and her clan. So which is yours?”

  “I don’t have a Spirit Animal.”

  Though confused, both Yce and December seemed surprised to hear this.

  “You don’t have a Spirit Animal?” asked Yce, clarifying he heard this right.

  “But how can this be?” asked December. “All pure-blood descendants carry Spirit Animals, do they not? And you certainly appear as a descendant of the Autumnan tribe.”

  “He does carry one,” said Kel, seemingly confident. “He’s just lost contact with it—as he’s lost contact with all his memories concerning his origin.”

  “So then you do not remember what clan you are from?” Yce asked Ashkii who was facing the ground.

  “I don’t,” he said.

  After hearing Kel’s input on the issue, December’s attention had been drawn to her like a magnet. “And what of you, Kelanassa?” she asked aloud. “I heard you were immune to illusions. That’s miraculous. I’ve never heard of such a power.”

  “Yes, I hear that frequently,” Kel said, December moving to touch her scarlet hair, captivated.

  “And your hair… I’ve never seen it of your color. It’s beautiful. What region are you from?”

  Kel looked at Ashkii before answering her. “I came from a land outside of Seasons.”

  December gawked. “Outside of Seasons?”

  “Really?” asked Yce, astounded. “Do you know anything of the Sky Pirates then? Have they attacked your land? Is that why you came here?”

  Kel was speechless as if overwhelmed by his questions. Yce immediately pulled off. “Forgive me,” he said. “I didn’t mean to bombard you with personal questions. I jump right in your face once I’ve lost my inhibitions. Did you guys want a drink?”

  “I don’t drink,” said Ashkii. “Is there a reason you wanted us to meet you here?”

  “No reason, friend. I just wanted you to have a drink with me before our big day. How goes the investigation by the way? Of the Hypnotist. I’ve been meaning to ask you.”

  “We’ve learned a lot, but I find no reason to explain it all to you.”

  “Perhaps I can help.”

  “Yes, I have a question for you. Something I’ve been wondering a while now.”

  “Ask and you shall receive, friend.”

  “Back in the dungeon, after the blackout, what did you hear? Tell me everything. I want to hear your take on it.”

  “We heard rowdy partying, sex, bodies dropping to the ground one by one. Then we heard stabs. You think it was the Hypnotist who did this?”

  “I know it was. It left its mark on all the Red-Bloods.”

  “Odd. Why would it free the prisoners? Why kill only the Red-Bloods? Why was it even down there in the first place?”

  “That’s what I want to know. There’s only one thing that makes sense to me.”

  “What’s that?”

  “That the Hypnotist was one the prisoners. I’m betting it freed the rest of us to initiate chaos to maximize its chance of escape. Did you ever hear the sound of picking keys and a cell door opening before all the bodies started dropping?”

  “As a matter of fact, yes.”

  “How close to your cell?”

  “I think it was directly across.”

  “Kel, can you confirm this story?”

  “I—I think so,” she said hesitantly. “The Red-Bloods were very loud.”

  Incredible. Now Ashkii was almost certain that the Hypnotist was held prisoner there with them. And also… that it was close… very close. It could have been in one of the cells adjacent to his.

  “Yce, did you ever get a clear look at the prisoners adjacent to our cell?”

  Yce shook his head regrettably. “I’m afraid it was too dark, friend. But when I was first brought in, I remembered seeing Sun-Shields, Spirit Hunters, and White-Bloods.”

  “Likewise, but I didn’t see any of their faces clearly coming in and many of them were burned by the Sisters of the Red Blood when I saw them again out in the field. Furthermore, there were prisoners I hadn’t seen past my cell. This makes it difficult in effectively narrowing down the list of potentialities.”

  “But we caught a good glimpse of what it can do. Keep searching, friend. Kelanassa will keep you from falling in its traps.”

  “I’m not convinced it wants to trap us.”

  “If it’s not trying to kill you then it wants something,” said December, jumping in. “The Spirit Bow is a highly valued treasure. Many who’ve studied its legend know it can’t be removed from its wielder. It’s likely the Hypnotist wants to use you for something.”

  “The thought has crossed my mind,” said Ashkii.

  “Glad we could help, friend,” said Yce. “Come, let us enjoy this fine night. We’ll discuss more about this Hypnotist once Ieronne has been defeated.”

  Ieronne Watcher of the Summerian Council

  Yce offered Ashkii and Kel to lodge with them at their camp near the cliff. It surprised Ashkii in finding that the leader of the rebellion hadn’t owned one of the few houses that were available. Why would he refuse such entitlement? Though Ashkii had wondered this, he didn’t ask.

  At night, the outside was very cold. Yce and his wife cuddled close together, wrapped in thick animal hides. At Ashkii’s assertion, he and Kel slept in separate beds as before. It gave him great anxiety to have someone close to him while unconscious.

  Though it was freezing, Ashkii had greatly admired the misty view over the region of Summeria. Such captivation had reminded him a lot of home, drawing him fast asleep.

  At dawn, Yce arose, awaking Ashkii and Kel, all watching as an army of White-Bloods gathered their tools and hiked off the cliff. But it wasn’t until the afternoon when Yce had summoned Ashkii and Kel to the edge of the cliff with him.

  “The time has come, friends,” he said to them when they arrived, smiling. “By now, our army should be in position, ready to ambush the Sun-Shields and Red-Bloods the moment Ieronne is defeated.” He paused, examining both him and Kel. “Remember, Ieronne is to be your target. Do not involve yourselves with unnecessary battles. Draw out the dragon by attacking the Summerian council, but don’t kill any of them. We recommend a stealth approach. Once the dragon has appeared, no one will have time to ambush you. If such a circumstance arises, we will step in to rescue you, but then we will have no choice but to retreat. Such compromises must be avoided at all cost. Focus solely on Ieronne, and the plan should run accordingly.”

  “You don’t need to tell me this.”

  “Briefing is all a part of our procedure, friend. Now if the two of you are ready, I will call upon Fiere, the phoenix. He will glide us down to Sunrise Castle, dropping us at the scene in minutes. I will ride with you, though when we arrive at the scene I will have to remain hidden until you’ve defeated Ieronne. It is important that all White-Bloods remain hidden until the trap is ready to spring. This will ensure our success in surprising our enemies.”

  “Good. I don’t work well with others anyway. In fact, Kelanssa, you stay with them. Your
talents will not aid me in this encounter.”

  “That’s nonsensical,” she refuted, suddenly flustered. “You can’t beat him alone. You will need me.”

  “What can you do? You will only set yourself at risk.”

  “You will need a decoy. Ieronne is very swift. If his attention remains on you, how will you ever hit him?”

  “I will find a way. I can’t afford to lose you for this mission.” Kel became speechless after hearing him say this. He hadn’t originally intended it, but he had made himself vulnerable in this moment, his face revealing compassion for her for the first time. His subconscious thoughts, without him being aware of them, were exposed, displayed in the open. They faced each other silently, an awkward pause. Seeing that she wasn’t going to say anything, he looked away, processing over what he’d just felt. Then finally she spoke, attracting his attention back on her, her complexion lighter than before.

  “You don’t want to lose me?” she asked.

  His heart hardened, embarrassed. “Of course I don’t. What hope have I to track down the Hypnotist without you?” Again he phrased words in a way that he hadn’t intended, but subconsciously, his complexion was slowly reflecting hers.

  Pausing again, she studied him, then smiled. She placed her hand on his cheek. “You really want me to remain safe?”

  Originally, he would have answered her in his usual, more business-like phrasing, but instead he could only think of one word to say: Yes.

  She nodded, whispering, Okay.

  Yce waited until they were finished, then he shrugged and nodded. “Okay,” he concurred.

  At this, he faced the cliff, whistling as audibly as he could—the sound echoed far throughout the air. In minutes, the phoenix whistled back past the overhang, its wings spread majestically as it swooped in like a whirlwind before perching on the cliff. It was there that Fiere the phoenix had presented himself—a magnificent bird. His feathers were brilliantly colored like that of the sun. He appeared as a peacock—from neck to tail—resembling this species in all ways aside from its large eagle-length wingspan.

  Ashkii marveled at the sight of him. “You’re sure he’s safe to ride?” he asked, the bird staring at him with sapphire eyes.

  “Oh yes. We’ve raised Fiere since his birth. He’s a wonderful young bird—the oldest of his nest. His baby sisters are with our caretakers as we speak.”

  “There are more of them?” Kel asked.

  “Oh yes. We stumbled upon a nest of seven when we arrived. No others were present. It’s likely that these seven have all burst into flames and were reborn from their ashes.”

  At this, Yce angled Fiere for safe mounting, the first to climb aboard the towering bird. After him, Kel followed, leaving Ashkii to be the last. Kel looked back at him, a glance of encouragement to take her hand. He hesitated. Once he was on the bird he knew that he’d have little control over what could happen. “It’s okay,” she assured. Her eyes were penetrative, piercing. One look at them and he was soothed, like everything was suddenly under control. Feeling light-headed suddenly, it was difficult to recall whatever he was stressed about. He took her hand and followed her up, not giving any thought that he was on the creature until after the fact.

  “Everyone on board?” asked Yce, checking back on whether Kel and Ashkii had mounted. A joyous grin, he faced forward, pointing and hollering at the creature: Now onward, Fiere! To Sunrise Castle!

  Sounding a thundering whistle, Fiere flapped his massive wings, his talons pushing off the edge of the cliff. Ashkii felt a sudden and unpleasant thud on his back from the liftoff, the cool wind pushing against his face and chest. Rocking back and forth, his body was unstable at first, frightening to adjust. His balance was only achieved when the bird had leveled.

  “Hang on,” hollered Yce, everyone latching onto something immediately.

  The second after he said this, Fiere nose-dived, his descension so gravitating that Ashkii couldn’t breathe. The wind shoved against him so forcefully he felt it could carry him up at any second. He leaned forward, latching onto the bird’s feathers for dear life, gasping for the very little air he could inhale. His heart racing like hail fall, he felt like he was having a panic attack. He could pull through this. He had to.

  Then suddenly, Fiere slowed his descension, sounding another thundering whistle. Flapping his wings again, the bird aimed for the rear of the castle, perching on the top of an empty tower. At last, they’d made it.

  “Land ho!” declared Yce, laughing gleefully, slowly glancing up. “And look!” he said, pointing upwards, awaiting the full party’s attention. “Do you see Ieronne up in the clouds?”

  Ashkii looked up and saw him. He was an extensive and mountainous serpentine-based dragon. Even from where they stood, Ashkii could hear his colossal roars. He flew in a circle with the current of dark clouds, lighting flashing in the center.

  He had no wings—yet he was airborne. What sort of phenomenon was this? Could dragons really fly without wings?

  “He’s waiting, watching,” said Yce, everyone marveling at the sight. “The Summerian Council hasn’t been attacked yet. Spirit Gatherer, you will be required to track them down and spring the trap. Only by attacking a council member will their guardian appear.”

  At this, everyone dismounted the phoenix bird. Then Yce dismissed the bird, shooing him off the tower before he had attracted suspicion from the parties below. “Now, we all have our assignments,” he said. “Let’s begin.” He faced Ashkii. “Spirit Gatherer, we’re counting on you. We’ll follow you down a time later, hiding with our brothers until the cue is set.”

  Ashkii nodded, his eyes turning to Kel who smiled. “Stay focused,” she said, her eyes penetrating again, the look of them suddenly empowering him. “Fight well.”

  “I will,” he assured, a brief pause. In saying this, he dashed for the stairs and began his mission. It was time.

  He’d slain many beasts—mighty beasts.

  But never had he ever confronted something as mighty as a dragon.

  No man has ever slain one.

  He wasn’t here for history. For glory. He wasn’t here to win a war. There was one thing that drove him: The success of his contract. Tracking down the monster he had been assigned and collecting his payment. To live in peace and solitude. To be forever pardoned from war, chaos, and the affairs of man.

  Slaying the dragon and taking his blood, he will drink from the Chalice of Prophecy and see the truth. It will show him the future, reveal answers. It will show him the way he was predestined to travel.

  Determined and fully focused, he raced down the steps of the empty tower, not ceasing until he arrived at the bottom door. It would not open. It was locked, a key needed to budge it. Stringing his bow, he released an arrow through the lock of the door, shattering it in half as the bow cleaved through it like butter. Opening it, he peered out carefully, war between the Sun-Shields and Rolf’s werewolf army was waging outside. With no one facing his direction, he exited, dashing to the sidelines and lingering in the shadows. From there, he witnessed the brutality of Season’s civil war. The Red-Bloods launched fiercely at the Sun-Shields, pinning and overpowering them—their deaths swift, a bite on the neck. Sun-Shields huddled together, shields raised. Where they lacked in strength, they relied on strategy. They used spears to keep the wolves at bay—until reinforcements had sprang from behind them.

  Navigating the area, Ashkii saw floods of blood. Limbs were separated. Organs were scattered. Heads were decapitated. Holes in bodies were made. Faces were battered by shields. Torsos were ripped in half. Bodies piled on others, the count rapidly increasing. All the horror. All the war. Why was it all evening happening?

  Yet, Ashkii had a job to do—that was to be his focus. He lurked in the shadows, searching high and low for any one of the council members. Fortunately, it didn’t take much time in locating one. Ashkii recognized him immediately: Socrates the Wise. He was the oldest and earliest elected leader of the seven council members. He had b
londe graying hair, a long beard, and blue eyes. He was broad, tall and very muscular for his age. Ashkii spotted him on the balcony of a small tower. He was gathered there with a few other soldiers, devising plans with them. At this angle, Ashkii could get a good shot at him—just enough to scrape him and get the attention of the idol dragon in the sky.

  Planning just that, he strung his bow, aiming at the council member’s arm. All was ready for execution when suddenly, a thunderous roar came from the right of the balcony. All attention grasped, Rolf Valentine had leaped for Socrates, tackling him off the balcony with him to the battleground. Ashkii could not believe his eyes.

  “Enough of your cowardice!” shouted Rolf, pinning Socrates to the ground. “Now you fight and die with your brothers.”

  All witnesses in shock of the incident, Ashkii knew he’d be the only one who’d stop Rolf from finishing him. His bow already strung, he aimed and released for the werewolf’s rib. Shing. With a good hit, the werewolf backed off the council member, analyzing a wound he was never expecting to get.

  All witnesses of the shot marveled, but no one as much as Rolf. “The Spirit Bow?” he asked. “Impossible!”

  Just then, the sky darkened, masking the sun. Clouds formed, thunder sounded. Curious, all soldiers ceased fighting, directing their attention at the sky. Then at that moment, an ear-splitting roar sounded. Despite all of this, Rolf wasn’t distracted. “I know you’re out there, Spirit Gatherer,” he said, sniffing the air. “I can smell ye.”