by Lori Hyrup
Aria peered down into Kharra’s eyes. The depth of emotion they held was beyond anything Aria had ever seen. With mere eye contact, the other woman seemed to sense Aria’s pain and anguish, dreading what she was destined to become. “Most kruustas can serve for at least three or four decades before needing to worry about conversion.”
Kharra disengaged her eyes from Aria’s and scanned the trail before them. “Does it always end that way?”
Aria nodded. “As far as I know.”
“Aria,” said Zephyron, “how long have you been a kruusta?”
Aria almost stumbled on a root at the question but corrected herself in time to avoid embarrassment. She walked along quietly for several minutes. At last she answered. “I was eighteen when I earned my title, and it has been sixty-seven years since.”
Kharra’s eyes widened, but Zephyron just nodded.
After a time Zephyron asked her, “Are there any kruustas who are longer-lived than you?”
Aria thought for a moment. “I don’t think so,” she answered. “There was one who was two years younger than me, but he was one of those who died last week. Other longer-lived kruustas I knew were consumed by the crystal a decade or more ago.”
“Can I examine your hand?” he asked as he exchanged places with Kharra.
Aria tilted her head and glanced at him dubiously.
Zephyron chuckled. “I’m not flirting with you. Kharra would probably smack me if I was. I just want to see something.”
Aria held her hand out for Zephyron to hold. As before, her skin tingled with a rush of energy from him when they touched. They walked on with her hand in his. He stared out at the trail ahead of them but did not look at anything in specific. “Impressive.”
Aria looked at him sideways. “What is?”
“Your body is harmonizing with the crystal within you. You have an immense reservoir of untapped power, but I suspect you don’t release it often. That’s how you have been able to go so long without being consumed as you say. With your injury yesterday, however, you released a huge amount of that reservoir.”
“I didn’t do anything,” Aria said hastily, pulling her hand away.
“Maybe not on purpose but your body made the decision for you. The crystal helps you heal faster. It mended the wounds but with its own substance rather than with your flesh. My guess, you’ve never been injured to this extent before, so you may not have been aware of the process before.”
Aria sighed. “I try not to draw any more power than I need. I have no idea how much time is left before the crystal consumes me.”
Aria eyed a gershawk as it circled above the trees, screeching in protest as dozens of smaller birds assaulted it. The bird dived and circled a number of times, trying to brush off its harassers. After a time the smaller birds gave up, allowing the bird of prey to alight on a nearby tree. Several tiny, high-pitched cries welcomed the bird back to its nest.
At last Zephyron said, “I am not certain the phenomenon is as black and white as you think it is.”
Aria continued to watch the bird. “I witnessed the transformation once,” she replied. “The kruusta’s name was Charold. The moment it began, he screamed about being on fire. He was in agony. He asked me to kill him, but I froze. Because of my inability to act, he went through the entire process. When the metamorphosis ended, he was no longer the same. He didn’t recognize me, and I saw nothing in his eyes that I recognized as human. It seemed very black and white to me.”
“Did you kill him afterward?” Zephyron inquired.
“No, I couldn’t. I tried, but he was too powerful. I was young at the time, so I did the only thing I could think to do. I fled and reported his whereabouts. A group of four much more experienced kruustas returned to destroy him, but he ended up killing two of them and wounding the other two. The krumetus he had become disappeared and was never located. To this day my inability to eliminate Charold when he asked still haunts me. Those kruustas would not have died, and who knows who else has been hurt by him?”
Zephyron started to say something, but Aria cut him off. “Don’t worry, I’m not feeling sorry for myself. It happened, and I learned from the experience. I know that I don’t want to become that monster. You would kill me if I asked, right? If I reached my limit?”
Zephyron glanced at her. “If I deemed it necessary.”
“Don’t hesitate like I did.” Aria held few convictions stronger than that. She had spent her entire life fighting shard beasts so that others in Tanoria could remain safe. The thought of transforming into the very thing she fought against and endangering those she had sworn to protect terrified her.
4
PRISM WRAITHS
All three moons—blue Kelmer, orange Wei, and white Aery—hung high in the sky on the evening of their third night together, providing almost as much light as Isor in the day. Aria found comfort in the celestial trio’s watchful vigilance. She and they were old companions.
Living the life of a kruusta for as long as she had, traveling from place to place, Aria thought she had been to every major village and city in Tanoria. Yet her companions continued to mystify her. They both used phrases such as “from far away” and “your land.” They came across as intelligent and capable, and Zephyron possessed a deep understanding of the crystals and shards—not of the kruustas and the order but of the shards themselves.
Was it possible there were lands of which she had no knowledge? Tanoria was a big place, taking several months to travel from one end to the other if one was swift and direct. Being a kruusta for many decades, however, she had circumnavigated its coastline and zigzagged across its interior many times. She also had detailed maps drafted by some of the most respected cartographers in Aloazai, the capital city. A thought struck her. Was there more beyond the gray mist perhaps? That possibility boggled her mind. She had never had any reason to consider that before, but what if? She found the idea both fascinating and daunting.
Aria caught sight of a familiar pillar of rocks. The supporting base of the pillar was made up of dark gray sediment called mudstone and shaped in the form of a pyramid. The actual pillar itself began at the top of the pyramid. From that point the pillar rose into the sky, towering over all of the surrounding trees. Years of wind and rain had worn bits of it away, making the top much wider than the foot. According to scholars, the formation had stood in that spot for thousands of years. How such a thing could remain standing at all baffled many. The locals called the pillar the Arm of the Guardian, though no one living knew who or what the Guardian was.
“We’ll be in White Bluff within the hour,” said Aria. “They have a few decent inns for us to choose from, and we can get you two some horses.”
“We need horses?” Kharra inquired.
Aria gave her a quizzical look. “If we want to reach Death’s Pillar sometime this year, then we need to move a bit faster. Xierex can’t carry all of us.”
Kharra glanced at Zephyron. He shook his head in return. Aria was unsure what to make of the exchange but said nothing.
Kharra paused and held up her hand, listening to something in the distance. A moment later Aria felt a faint rumbling of the ground. The sound grew more intense and evolved into the distinct sound of pounding hooves. From a dark cloud of dust, several horses emerged into view, heading straight for them. Aria, Kharra, and Zephyron stepped to the side of the road. Xierex snorted in protest at having to shuffle sideways. Moments later the riderless horses sped past the group without slowing.
“They were frantic,” said Kharra.
Aria’s crystal began to pulse, and a gaping pit of dread formed in her stomach. “Shard beasts,” she announced to the others.
Kharra looked at her white-haired companion, worry etched into her eyes. “Zephyron, the people, we need to get there fast.”
Zephyron spared a glance at Aria. With a resigned sigh, he nodded at Kharra. Zephyron fell forward onto all fours. Before her eyes, his limbs grew longer, and from his body grew pure white fur.
His face changed shape, widening and thickening. The most gigantic feline-looking creature Aria had ever seen stood where a man had been just moments before. When the transformation was complete, he looked her in the eyes, bearing the same intense blue as before. Those eyes definitely belonged to Zephyron. Kharra wasted no time and vaulted onto his back.
Xierex shrieked and reared, just about tearing away from Aria’s grasp. With gentle yet firm force, Aria quelled his rearing, but his eyes remained wide and his nostrils flared.
Seeing Aria had Xierex under control, and without giving the kruusta time for questions, Kharra said, “Let’s go!” The feline creature launched itself into a full sprint and disappeared up the road, leaving Aria and her zegu behind.
Both stunned and pumped with adrenaline, Aria leaped onto Xierex and urged him to follow. The zegu shook his head but complied with the request of his trusted rider.
Aria arrived just behind her companions and joined them at the edge of the town to survey the scene. Dozens of shimmering white creatures drifted in and out of the buildings, up and over rooftops. Beneath their drifting forms, on the streets, across the square, along the planters, bodies littered the area.
“Prism wraiths,” said Zephyron, not caring to hide his disdain. Aria cast a wary glance down at him from the corner of her eye, noting he had taken on a human form once again. What in Tanoria had she witnessed? Needing to focus on the problem at hand, she forced her kruusta discipline upon her mind.
Aria said, “I’ve never seen so many of them in one place before.”
“Do you sense anything?” Zephyron asked Kharra.
Kharra nodded. “There are still a few who live. The closest are there, in the second inn. I sense five.” She pointed to the Raven’s Roost.
“And the others?” he asked.
“One is in the stables of the same inn. There are three more in the home beside the general store.”
“Okay, inn first,” he said.
The energy blade Aria had seen before suddenly flared to life in Zephyron’s hand. In some ways the weapon reminded her of her krusword; she called forth her own blade. Resembling white quicksilver, liquid-like crystal poured out of the exposed facets of the shard on her hand, rolled down over her fingers, and quickly spun together, hardening, crystalizing. In less than a second, she held her weapon firmly. It was a large sword with an edge sharper than any steel. Back when she had first begun her training with her sword, it had often taken several hours to call it forth. More often than not, even with a successful attempt, the crystal would not harden, and she would be left with a goopy, shiny mess. Many years had passed since those days of training.
Kharra, armed with a crossbow, had been watching Aria as she summoned her krusword. She smiled, her lips tight, when Aria caught her eyes. Aria gave her a nod, and they followed after Zephyron.
The three of them skirted along the gravel-packed road leading into the village, avoiding attracting the attention of the prism wraiths by staying close to the buildings. They arrived at the Raven’s Roost undetected. Zephyron stood guard while Aria attempted to enter the establishment. The door was barricaded from the other side. Not wanting to make any more noise than necessary, Aria looked in through one of the front windows, but a table pressed against it blocked the view to the interior.
Aria went back to the door and tried to force it open with her shoulder. Even with her kruusta-enhanced strength, the door refused to budge. After Aria’s third failed attempt, Kharra grabbed her wrist and met her eyes. Aria heard, “Let me,” though she never saw Kharra’s lips move. Aria took a step back, and Kharra placed her hand on the door. With a gentle shove, it swung open, pushing aside the tables, chairs, and other debris that had barred the way.
Zephyron waited outside while the women stepped into the establishment and over the pile of obstacles. Terrified eyes peered at them from behind the bar. Aria approached and in hushed tones said, “Come, we’re here to get you out.” Each of the five faces recognized her as a kruusta. Under normal circumstances they would have regarded her with trepidation. In this situation there was none of that. They saw their salvation.
“Thank the shard!” said one of the two women in the group.
“Get us out of here,” begged one of the men, his hair hanging limp across his face.
“We are going to get everyone to safety,” said Aria in a calm, firm voice, “but I need for all of you to be absolutely quiet. Prism wraiths aren’t smart, but they’ll come if they hear us.”
Eyes wide, the five of them nodded.
Aria led the nervous bunch out the door and back the way they came. Kharra waited, helping each person climb over the remains of the barrier. When the dark-haired young woman exited the tavern, Aria caught a glimpse of her nodding to Zephyron. The man left his post and dashed off toward the stables. Aria considered calling out to him but stopped herself. Staring after him as he disappeared into the building, Aria ushered the villagers along quietly. At last they arrived on the outskirts of the village where Aria had left Xierex.
To Kharra, Aria said, “Stay here with these people, please. I’m going to get the three out of the house.”
Aria half expected a protest, but none came. Xierex, on the other hand, stomped his clawed hoof. Aria chuckled in spite of herself. She patted the zegu on the neck and said, “You stay here and protect them.”
Sword in hand, Aria sprinted along the opposite side of the street, scanning the area as she went. This is going to be tricky, she thought. The house was on the far end of the town square, and the wraiths milled about in all directions. There would be no skirting anything to get near undetected. She paused to wait for some of the vile creatures to meander out of the way. The fewer she had to fight, the better.
Seeing her opening, she took a deep breath and ran as fast as she dared straight through the center of the square, hurdling hedges and low decorative walls in the process. Before she was halfway across, three wraiths saw her and turned to intercept. They were quick and closed in on her from either side. Not wanting to stop and allow them to surround her, Aria slashed at the one closest to her, shattering its spindly arm as she went. The blow would not halt the creature, but with one claw removed, the wraith became much less dangerous.
Two other wraiths joined the first three before she reached the house. Positioning her back to the front of the home, Aria steadied herself. Within seconds the shimmering shard beasts were on her. A long time ago, their pupilless eyes disturbed her, but not anymore. She gave the eyes little thought in fact and instead focused on their arms and crystal-sharded claws.
With a hiss the wraith in front of her attacked, clawing at her face. Aria brought her sword up to parry the attack and then flung the creature to the side, into one of the others. The pair on her right launched at her together. Aria ran the first one through and kicked the second. The shard beast on her blade continued to claw at her. She twisted the weapon, shattering the thing. The one on her left tried to sneak up while she was dealing with the other two, but Aria knew it was there. She raised the sword back over her shoulder and swung outward, blocking its strike and beheading the wraith in the same move. Moving with quick efficiency, she dispatched the three she had knocked off balance before they had a chance to recover.
As soon as the final wraith fell, the front door to the house inched open and revealed the face of a young man. “Are you here to save us?” he asked in earnest.
“Yes,” Aria responded. “Come quick. We won’t have much time.”
Aria stood guard as the man opened the door farther. Despite his youth he appeared worn and haggard. Behind him came a woman no more than twenty years old, her eyes red and puffy. In her arms she carried a small toddler.
“Let’s go,” was all Aria said as she guided the family back across the square.
The young woman, running between Aria and the man, clutched the child to her chest. The man’s panicked eyes darted from side to side. A solitary wraith pursued them, and Aria turned to engage it. N
ot wanting to move too far away from her charges, she allowed the shard beast to draw closer. When it came within reach, Aria used a backhanded slice to cleave the creature in two. The wraith fell to the ground and shattered.
“Keep moving,” Aria whispered as she pushed the woman along.
Another single wraith moved into the square but did not see them right away. Aria crossed over to the other side of the couple and swung at the wraith, removing its head cleanly from its body. As she turned, yet another wraith came upon them, this time from the front. The young woman yelped in surprise just as Aria spun around and decapitated the shard beast.
The woman’s noise brought the attention of several more of the vile creatures. As a unit the wraiths turned toward the group and moved to intercept them. The woman panicked and started to run ahead, ignoring the dangers around them. Aria tried to grab her but missed. The woman stumbled and fell. With her hands full, she landed sharply on her elbows. The woman yelped, and the child began to scream. Every remaining wraith, several dozens of them, responded.
Aria scooped up the screaming child under her left arm. With the fingers of her sword hand, she plucked the woman’s sleeve and lifted her upward. Aria pushed the woman toward the man. “Get her out of here,” she ordered.
The man tried to do as he was told, but the woman twisted out of his grasp, shrieking frantically for her child. The first wraith came in from the right, and Aria backhanded it with her pommel. The man reclaimed the woman’s left hand, but she attempted to grab at her child with her right. Aria grunted in frustration when she realized the woman was not going to be pulled away while her child was in danger. With the child held protectively under her arm, Aria said, “I’ll keep him safe. You two stay close.”
Though it was clear the woman still desperately wanted to be the one holding the child, the compromise became enough for her as the man wrapped his arms around hers. But during the exchange, they lost precious moments, and the wraiths closed in on them. Aria danced her way around to either side of the couple, swinging, spinning, twisting, and dodging her way through an increasing number of wraiths. Before long a wall of the creatures drifted into place between her and the couple. “Keep moving,” she ordered. “I’m right behind you.” Despite her efforts, Aria lost ground, but that did not matter as long as she kept the child safe.
