by C E Johnson
“Heading to see the commander,” Akhil informed a guard with dark skin and a small pointed beard when he arrived at the first manned checkpoint. Tebah had once told him there were always at least eight guards on the private compound, men who lived and worked in buildings away from the main headquarters.
“Don’t cause any trouble,” the guard said as he stroked the pointed hair on his chin.
“I wouldn’t think of it.” Akhil gave an easy laugh, skillfully hiding his true intentions. He proceeded to the main building and parked next to the cars of Zaki and Tebah. Akhil put the windows halfway down and left the empty trailer open so the pilots of the drones wouldn’t be suspicious. Sand-storm clouds appeared on the horizon, coming down from the north. Sand will counteract the drones, Akhil thought happily.
Everything is working in your favor, the black voice in his mind encouraged him.
Everything is perfect, Akhil whispered. Making sure everything was secure under his clothing, he entered the building.
“God is the greatest, my brother.” Zaki rushed forward to give Akhil a hug. Zaki was wearing a light tunic with a black dragon on his chest and he flashed Akhil an impish smile of joy. His black stone necklace caught the sun, reflecting strange shadows in his eyes and around his head.
“I’m not your brother, Zaki.” Akhil felt calm, but a wave a sadness wove its way through his stone heart as he looked at the man.
You know what you must do, the somber voice whispered in his mind.
“You need a brother,” Zaki teased “Without one, you’re like a person rushing to battle without a weapon.” Zaki was quoting an ancient Arabic proverb. “Did they like my gemstones?”
Akhil nodded wearily, preparing his mind for that which he must do. “They were nice gems. You did a good job. You will have to tell me someday where you find your stones.”
“That’s my secret.” Zaki answered with a sly grin on his face. He put a finger to his closed lips and tapped them several times. “I would never tell another soul some of my secrets. But you’re my brother. Perhaps I’ll tell you one day. Did you get the missiles?”
“I have that which we need.” Akhil set his mouth in a hard line and swallowed hard, regretting so much of what was about to happen.
“Did you bring me the information on the missiles?” Tebah’s hand was curled around a drink with a dark liquid mixed with ice. There was a faint shake to his hand and the ice moved with a fine tremble. His skin appeared pale and clammy.
He’s nervous today, thought Akhil. I’ll have to deal with him first. “I have your information, Tebah.” He threw Tebah a series of documents about the Scud missiles. He poured himself a drink of water and raised the glass to Tebah in a salute.
“Do we own the missiles?” Tebah asked. He put his drink up to his forehead, pushing the cool glass against his skin.
He’s rushed today, thought Akhil, on edge.
Kill him, the shadowy voice whispered in his mind.
“We own them. Transport will begin tomorrow.” Akhil glanced at the sweat beading on Tebah’s greasy brow and at the nervous tic developing in his left eye. This man is no leader, he thought with disdain. Despite his stoic exterior, fear was plain on his face.
Tebah seemed to notice Akhil’s close inspection. Turning away, he poured himself more of the dark liquid from a crystal bottle. “Do you want some Jallab, my warriors?” Tebah’s voice had become hard and confident again, but Akhil had seen through the mask. Akhil and Zaki shook their heads, no. Tebah gave each man a measured look before studying the data on the missiles. “Such a glorious day,” he murmured coldly as if he was trying to convince himself.
“But every sun has to set.” Akhil spoke in a curt tone while he strode to a window. The afternoon was darkening as the sand-storm approached, and the golden day was turning black.
Kill him, the obsidian voice whispered again in his mind.
Tebah gave Akhil a long look and an uncomfortable silence fell upon them. At last he spoke, “Where exactly are the missiles? Are they being sent here?” A new round of sweat was beading and flowing on Tebah’s forehead. Akhil didn’t immediately answer. Tebah bit his lip and Akhil could see a faint blossom of blood arise in a thin line.
“Tell me what you want me to do with them,” Akhil said in a low voice. He wrinkled his brow and exchanged a look of sorrow with his commander. “If you want them here, I can arrange it.” Let me give him a few moments of joy and hope before I take his life, he thought.
You’re too soft, the voice spoke in his head.
Tebah sighed happily while pulling a handkerchief out to wipe his brow. “Others may try and stop us, but they cannot change the final outcome.
“The dogs may bark but the caravan moves on,” Zaki chuckled. Something about the phrase seemed to give him amusement.
The sun tried to shine through the windows, but its rays fell fitful in flashing flickers. Akhil opened his arms to give Tebah a hug. “We’re going to change the world, my liege.” Tebah hesitated, then set down his drink and approached Akhil. Once Tebah was firmly in his grasp, Akhil moved like a venomous serpent, unsheathing a dagger from under his clothing and stabbing Tebah in his back, angling the tip through the lungs toward his heart.
“No!” Tebah attempted to pull away from Akhil, but Akhil kept a firm grip on his leader. “What have you done? We were so close,” Tebah choked out just before his eyes closed for the last time. Akhil slowly lowered the body to the ground.
“Have you gone crazy?” Zaki screamed in confusion and anger while watching the scene unfold, “victory is at hand.” Zaki’s eyes were bulging from his skull and his mouth was agape. An artery in his neck was beating in an increasingly rapid rhythm, and he began to finger the black stone on his necklace while whispering nonsensical words.
“Don’t worry. I will finish that which we started … just without you,” Akhil tried to put iron in his words as he spoke, but he felt sadness wash through him, and his voice trembled. “I have to remove all potential spies.”
Zaki is no magician, the dark voice spoke in Akhil’s mind. He has no aura and that trinket on his neck is no magestone, but he still must die. The risk is too great.
Without warning, Zaki fled toward the front door, just ahead of Akhil. However, Akhil murmured an incantation and a chair shot across the floor, careening into Zaki’s knees. Tripping on the chair and falling to the ground, Zaki landed hard on an outstretched wrist with his arm instantly deforming as a bone protruded from an open fracture. Wide-eyed, Zaki rolled over to face Akhil, “What kind of a man are you?”
“I’m a magician, my brother, and my name isn’t really Akhil, it’s Iscar.” Iscar smiled to himself. It was nice to shed the alias Akhil. His bondsmate, Tengu, had never liked it. He was Samil’s son, and he wouldn’t hide anymore. Iscar attacked Zaki with his dagger, rapidly taking Zaki’s life. No death-light was emitted, no cloud formed, the body simply remained. Iscar knelt by the still form for a minute, studying the lifeless slumped shape. So sad to see a dead body, he thought.
I wish there was smoke and mist on Earth when a warrior dies, but this isn’t Acacia, Tengu added in a dark and grim voice. You need to get moving. Time is short.
Iscar knew his link was right. He would have to move the warheads to his car trailer quickly before the guards on the compound realized what had happened. He could easily kill several guards, but he wasn’t sure how many reinforcements they could call in. He used transport devices and magic to move the bombs and electronic equipment to his trailer.
We must depart, Tengu urged. The last red shafts of the sun burned outside the building. The rays were dissolving in the sand. Tension was thickening in the air.
One minute. Iscar began to explore the secret room in Tebah’s headquarters. I’m curious as to which of these men was truly the spy. Years ago, he had located the builder of Tebah’s safe-house. Although the price was steep, he had paid handsomely to review all the building plans. Iscar pulled Tebah’s cumbersome body over
to the table. Dead bodies are heavy, he groaned. He pried open one of Tebah’s lifeless lids to reveal his eye, exposing it to a retinal scanner that was in operation.
I guess there are a few advantages to having a body remain intact on Earth, Tengu laughed darkly in Iscar’s mind. A door to the secret room opened just as the plans had suggested. Iscar dropped the inert body to the ground and darted swiftly into the chamber. Five computer monitors were around the room along with bundles of folders. He began rapidly sorting through files and documents stacked in various alcoves. The documents he glanced at conclusively linked Tebah with the CIA.
So, Tebah was the double-agent the Russians were warning me about. He continued to go through the information, but there was nothing associating Zaki with the CIA or the United States. Iscar put down the papers and found a computer that would accept the passwords his agents had discovered. He read all easily accessible emails and instant messages on the screen.
What have you found? Tengu asked.
The CIA knows I’m dangerous, but they don’t know about our control center and they don’t know I’m a magician. Iscar felt hopeful.
What about Zaki? Tengu asked curiously.
It doesn’t look like he was a traitor, Iscar mumbled. I’m sorry my brother, Zaki, perhaps I should have spared your life.
Will the CIA attempt to follow us? Tengu asked.
It looks like the CIA planned to flood Tebah’s facility as soon as the missiles arrived. They will assuredly hunt us. Iscar read through the communications that Tebah had with his government agent handler, known by the name Hadrian. He was certain this name, Hadrian, was a code-name. The computer suggested the link with Hadrian was still active. Iscar tried to hold back, but he couldn’t resist writing a note to this government agent who was probably a fat American, sitting on his computer all day, orchestrating complex plans without ever seeing real men die. He wrote:
Hadrian,
Ignorance is the death of the living.
Iscar darted out of the compound. The world had become a land of gusty wind currents and sand. He stood still as a black flying shape came into view. Stabilizing himself, he caught the dark creature like he was catching a large ball. The process appeared somewhat awkward, but the two had perfected the motions over thousands of practices. No drones can fly in this, Tengu informed Iscar.
Then we will ride without being followed. Iscar stroked his Acacean mega-bat before placing him in the back of his vehicle. The creature was similar to a fruit bat on Earth, but larger with fine black and brown scales on his body. Tengu had long arms and fingers covered with skin-like wings that were attached along his body and legs with a wingspan of over six feet. Iscar used his mind-link to search through the images from Tengu’s reconnaissance flight. The other guards did not appear to be aware of anything amiss.
Time for us to leave this nest before the hornets become active, Tengu whispered. We have much to do.
C H A P T E R 1 1
The Return
The end of the day in Austin was cool and there wasn’t a cloud in the royal blue sky. With colors so rich and pure, Emily was certain a component of Acacia was seeping through the portals. She had never seen a day on Earth so vivid and clean. The colors of nature were evenly matched with the hues on the walls of Graffiti Park. The more official name of the location was the Hope Outdoor Gallery on Baylor Street, and the area was once a construction site, which was now abandoned. The three-story mass of concrete was a favorite location for graffiti artists, and every inch was filled with artwork which was constantly changing.
Emily’s friends were waiting for her when she drove up with Xena. Pleasure before business, Xena thought while greeting each individual in their group.
“Let’s do a picture first. Then we’ll talk about magic,” Emily suggested, even though she knew her friends were dying to discuss spells. Grabbing cans of spray paint out of her trunk, they walked around looking for the best location to begin their artwork. They finally decided to paint a mural on top of a picture of a golden bull someone had drawn.
Isabelle painted the word Acacia at the top of their wall and they began to paint a scene while they talked. Emily drew a magician in a hooded cloak with an orange aura around him, while her friends drew squads of half-deads attacking the magician. Luke drew a were-wolf leaping with snapping jaws. “Are our auras going away?” Luke was at her side with a concerned look in his eyes. The color of his irises always reminded her of autumn, brown with splashes of orange and green, but today a new leaf color had arisen. There were faint flecks of a rich red.
Emily gently took his hand into hers, intertwining fingers while she used magus to pull his aura into view. “Still there. A little more prominent than yesterday.” She glanced at each of her friends, “everyone still has an aura.” Her words stimulated nervous laughter and excited talking. The group put the finishing touches on their picture before stepping back to admire their work, pleased with themselves. With the art completed, they gathered around Emily in a circle with the mural as their backdrop. They were eager to hear about her plans for Acacia and for their budding magic. Dusk was approaching, and the sun was descending rapidly.
“Tell me what you think is going to happen to us,” Anna pleaded. She deftly tied her long lustrous hair in a braid, and Emily noted an excited tremor in her dancing fingers. “And tell us more about auras.”
“I went through this same process of discovery not too long ago. I’m guessing you’ll soon be able to view auras with more ease; it’s an ability that comes with strength and practice. Auras flare into your field of view when you first see a magician. They’re somewhat like a fingerprint, each one is unique, and while they can change, components of the aural signature will remain constant throughout a magician’s life.” Emily’s ki began warning her about danger in the area, but Emily shrugged away the concern, it felt distant to her.
“Can you use your experience to read into our auras?” Isabelle’s ringlets tumbled and jumped over her tan shoulders in her elation, cavorting like a living creature.
Emily rubbed Xena while studying Elizabeth thoughtfully. “Elizabeth has an aura which is glistening with potential, love, compassion, and wisdom, a deep gold as rich as a great lion, but soft as wheat. Gold is a field of magic with strengths in working with the elements. Luke has a fiery red aura, as bright as a cardinal but with splashes of crimson and garnet, suggesting many facets to his budding strength including passion, danger, action, and courage. Red is a field specializing in the offensive use of attack skills. Anna has a rich and luxurious shade of coral with tints of reds and pinks, suggesting strong skills, creativity and a sense of purpose. Coral signifies a branch of magic with strengths in flying, but with other powers pulled from the hues of component colors. Isabelle has a stunning indigo aura, with vibrant tones of blue and violet, suggesting spiritualism, capability, trust and intensity. Indigo is a section of magic with strengths in dealing with bondsmates and controlling animals.”
Each of her friends squinted at Emily and at each other. “It’s still hard for me to see your aura,” Anna appeared disappointed. “All I see is a vague blue glow that’s so subtle, I can’t tell if it’s real.”
“Don’t worry about the strength of your powers. Everything will be easier on Acacia,” Emily assured her friends. She glanced to the buildings around her. Usually she was at ease amongst her friends, but something in the area wasn’t right.
What do you sense? Xena followed Emily’s concern. She traced the delicate, gossamer filaments of unease emanating from Emily’s ki. Xena went back to the concrete ridge, watching for trouble, guarding them as usual. Emily sent Xena thoughts of love, intense feelings of appreciation that no words could give justice to. Night was approaching, and the spring evening was cool; however, there was a pleasant warmth arising from her friends. Each had a happy and contented countenance countering the effect of the sun’s radiance dying away.
A colony of bats suddenly sprang from nowhere, climbing in a g
reat cluster above their heads. Xena sent Emily a smell of darkness along with a glimpse of a black aura, all but hidden within the cloud of flying creatures. Someone was watching us, through a flying bondsmate, Xena sounded angry. They’re gone, she assured Emily, watching the shadows depart.
“Can we try a spell?” Isabelle asked.
You aren’t going to be able to talk about your trip plans until you teach them a spell, Xena whispered. I think it’s safe now. Maybe a light spell?
“Spells are taught as concepts are mastered.” Emily’s ki was now at ease. She drew a pyramid on the ground in the dirt. “You need to have a foundation to build upon. I’m first going to teach you each a light spell through a dream-link so you can understand a portion of your new magic.” Emily created a dream-link and placed the technique of the spell into each of her friends’ minds, attempting to teach them how to calm their mind before pulling magus from their inner selves and letting it flow.
“Can we try it?” Luke asked. He appeared radiant in his aura, dark, tall, and handsome.
Emily nodded and each of her friends said the words. Each was able to produce a trace of light from their index fingers. Excitement began to bubble over in the group and they all began talking rapidly. Their joy warmed Emily’s heart. She listened to their happiness for several minutes before she interrupted them, “I already explained my plans to Elizabeth. I’m going to return to Acacia tomorrow.” She told her friends about Iscar and his message, about the Dothan Forest and Shadoe. Silence reigned in their small circle as her friends contemplated her words, glancing at the mural they had created, realizing a portion of what it represented.
