by Leyton, Bisi
“That Dog looked me in the eye,” Maniko remarked.
“And now he is cowering in his hovel, wishing he hadn’t.” Karvas stopped moving.
“How dare a Dog look me in the eye like—like he is more than he is?” Maniko seethed.
“So, what are you going to do about it?” Karvas jeered.
“Move on Maniko, we’ll be late for our meeting with Beraz.” Bach chuckled.
Maniko remained transfixed as she eyed the window of the apartment. “If I let this go, they will suspect I am milk-hearted.”
“Because you are,” Karvas teased.
She smirked at him and ran toward the building, leaping up into the darkened window.
Moments later, a man’s screams sounded from the apartment.
“If there’s one thing about Maniko, she is an artist.” Karvas patted Bach’s shoulder. “You’ll be amazed with her work. Come.” Following in Maniko’s direction, Karvas sprinted toward the apartment and jumped, entering the window.
Bach followed.
Inside, Maniko pummeled the man who now squatted in a corner trying to protect himself. “You’re a Dog. A worthless maggot, you never look at a Dy’obeth.” She struck him with increasing intensity.
“Please, stop,” the man wept.
“I believe he learned his lesson.” Bach restrained Maniko who’d been beating on him for at least fifteen minutes. “We must see Beraz before—”
“Stay out of this.” Maniko hit Bach in the face.
Bach staggered back but didn’t fall. “You shouldn’t have done that.” He wanted to let it go, but the darkness took over and he lunged toward her.
“Let her get it out. Trust me, if you still want her to, she’ll have more than enough energy to service you.” Karvas held him back. “This is how she gets into the mood.”
She returned to assault on the powerless man.
“I thought this was her art?” Bach responded.
“You want to see my art?” Snapping her fingers, a black faycard appeared in her fingers. On the card was the image of a flaming star.
“We have those?” Bach wondered.
“Who do you think gave it to the Dogs?” Maniko quipped.
The faycard looked like a human playing card, but was a powerful focal point of the energy used by Family to turn fee-minded Terrans into devoted Thayns.
“Dog, you’ll serve me.” Maniko held the card in front of the whimpering, bloody man. Her card glowed black. “Do you hear me?” She slapped him.
Bach wanted to stop her, but he found he couldn’t move. The dark in him wanted to see the art.
“Yes, Eminent. I am here to serve you, do with me as you please.” Eagerly, he recited the words Bach had heard Thayns say hundreds of times.
“Set a fire in here,” Maniko commanded him.
“Yes Eminent—it is my pleasure.”
“And stay here to make sure it burns down.” She smacked him again.
“Thank you for selecting me for this honor Eminent.” The man crawled as if his legs were broken from Maniko’s beating.
“That’s it?” Karvas seemed disappointed. “I was expecting—more.”
“Trust my process.” Maniko sashayed to the window and leapt out. “This is what I do.”
Landing back in front of the building, Bach found Maniko heading up the inclining street towards Beraz’s castle.
Bach landed a few feet after her.
“That is it?” Karvas gasped. “You have asked the Drone to set a fire?”
“You need to go some distance to see it.” Maniko broke into a run. Getting to higher ground, the stopped and watched as the fire spread to the surrounding buildings. The residents poured into the streets.
“Will not the authorities put this out?” Bach asked
The Family was expedient in these kinds of matters. They’d introduced the concept of a fire department to the humans.
“Not in Sable Mountain. Beraz is the authority here, so no such help will be given to the Dogs. Their houses are going to burn.”
“Now I see it,” Karvas grinned as he looked toward the block next to the one they’d left as it started to emit smoke. “A chain.”
“A chain of fire,” she corrected. “By the time we return, this whole street will be covered with soot and ash.”
Death, the truest art, the darkness whispered in Bach’s brain.
“And the residents? Are you going to let them run off?” Karvas frowned. “Seems a waste to do that.”
“Why? I like to see the fear in their eyes,” she replied. “They’ll tell the others to fear me more.”
“Still, you’d get three hundred Dogs if you—” Karvas continued.
“Oh, I’ll get them, but there’s something beautiful about seeing the eyes of a person who has no hope.”
Two Famila men marched down the incline toward Bach and the two other Dy’obeths. One of the men was Didan, the silver-haired empiric who’d tried to kill Bach. Didan had he tried to kill someone Bach loved—a girl—who…? He couldn’t remember.
The two men knelt in front of Bach and his brethren.
While a small number of the empirics deserted their duties when the Dy’obeths emerged, most quickly swore loyalty to High Father.
Didan was one of the first to do so.
“What do you want?” Maniko snapped.
“Eminents.” Didan didn’t look up.
“That one can never speak to me.” Bach pointed at Didan. Clutching Didan’s head, Bach tossed him to the ground.
“Wait, he is one of Beraz’s servants,” Maniko warned Bach. “He’s been branded.”
“Branded?” Bach inquired.
Ripping off Didan’s sleeve, she showed Bach a symbol burnt into Didan’s shoulder.
“And this protects him?” Bach asked.
“Well, from everyone except Beraz and High Father,” Karvas replied. “Unless you challenge Beraz for his seat as Sen.”
“You should take Beraz’s seat,” Maniko agreed. “You’re stronger and smarter than him.”
“Is he not your mate?” asked Bach.
“Dy’obeth women want strength,” Maniko simpered. “Once you have overthrown Beraz, I’ll give myself to you and our offspring will be powerful.
“Right.” Bach wasn’t enthused by her proposition. Maniko was very pretty and he’d seen the way the Dy’obeths watched her, but he wasn’t interested. He’d no interest in any Dy’obeth female. Breeding wasn’t why he’d joined his mother and released the Dy’obeths. “What do you want?” He asked Didan’s companion.
“Spit it out and then get your putrid stench away from me.” Karvas kicked him.
“Lady Coia has sent for Eminent Bach to go to her at once.” The nameless empiric spoke.
“Is that it?” Maniko asked impatiently.
“Yes, Eminent,” the empiric said.
“Then get lost now,” she shrieked, bringing out a knife she stabbed the nameless empiric in the chest. “That one was not branded.”
The man groaned as he fell to the ground.
Bach noticed Didan flinch as if he wanted to stop her, but he instead let his companion die as Maniko plunged her knife into him again.
*****
An hour later, Bach stood in Mirrin Castle. He sped up countless stairs until he reached the roof where he met his mother.
She was feeding rodents to a caged skrell almost twice her size.
A threshold stood a few feet away from her.
Lluc and Malcolm stood around, as did Felip who seemed to have regenerated from the abuse he faced at the hands of Maniko.
“Beloved.” Dropping the last of the rodents into the cage, she moved toward Bach.
“They were cleansing the humans and you did not tell me?” Bach asked in a tone harsher than he intended.
“Cleansing of Terrans?” Felip exclaimed. “I believed High Father would simply go after the Family. The Terrans are useless to him.”
“You should learn to keep silent in the p
resence of Dy’obeths Felip. It will save your life,” she warned.
“Bach, why are you worried about the cleansing?” Lluc wondered.
“I don’t care what happens to the Rats or to the Dogs. I didn’t want to find out about this from Karvas or Maniko.”
“The cleansing was decided very recently, so do not think I am keeping information from you. Rest assured Bach, the cleansing of the Thayns changes nothing.” She stroked his cheek. “How are you adjusting to your new self?”
“I feel this fog clouding my thoughts. It is confusing at times,” Bach admitted.
“Like a second voice?” she asked. “It is not your voice, but it speaks a deep truth.”
“It is obsessed with blood and death,” he told her.
“That is your inner shadow and your true Dy’obeth self. It is emerging and is fighting who you have pretended to be for so long. Do not fight against the shadow. It’s the source of your strength.”
“Lady Coia, the plan didn’t include murdering the humans,” Felip interjected. “This changes everything.”
Sternly, she glanced at him. “What did I tell you about learning to be quiet? You are not a Dy’obeth and this forwardness is what has almost gotten you killed.”
“If anything, the cleansing helps us,” Lluc piped in. “Finding, gathering and slaughtering the Thayns will keep High Father and the others busy.”
“But Malcolm and I are part human. The sentinels and empirics will come looking for us,” Felip suggested.
“The last of the Dy’obeths have left Mirrin and because of the piron I set up before they arrived, they will not come back here,” she divulged. “Both you and Malcolm are to remain here and the Dy’obeths won’t sense that part of you.”
“When will the perfection kick in for me?” Malcolm inquired. “Why have I not changed already?”
“Beloved, it takes longer because you are half human, but you will be perfected. Please do not worry about that now. This is want I wanted you all to see.” Her hands glowed yellow as she picked up a black bottle, which immediately turned silver. “I needed to make sure you were here when I sent this to the home realm. Felip open the threshold.”
Obediently, Felip activated the threshold a few feet from Bach’s mother.
The group journeyed through and arrived in a cemetery covered in snow.
“What is this place?” Malcolm asked.
“Tombs of the dead Sens of the Third Pillar,” Bach explained. “Aleix’s ancestors are buried here.”
“We are on Sable Mountain. Why have you brought us here? There is nothing here I want or need.” Lluc fumed.
“This is the perfect place to give the Family the gift.” She poured out the contents of the bottle over a stone tomb.
The silver liquid ate into the snow like hot water. Moments later, the ground rumbled and the tomb shook. The head stone cracked and a rotting limb emerged.
“D’cara, what is this?” Lluc gasped.
“Our gift to the Family to thank them for the way they have treated us.” His mother laughed.
A decaying body crawled out of the grave. It was impossible to determine if it was male, female or even Family at all.
“You’re bringing the dead back,” Bach stated the obvious.
“Amazing, but—” Felip backed away from the tomb.
“What are you afraid of?” Lluc roared into laughter.
“I was inspired by Nero. What better way to say thank you than to reunite the Family with the dearly departed.” She watched as the newly raised undead moved toward her.
Another tomb shattered and an elderly woman skulked out, dressed in the long black burial robe. The deformed and mindless monster made its way toward his mother.
“Mother, get away from it.” Bach pulled out his dagger moving to protect her from the drooling creature.
“Do not worry my son. Like the draug, the reaper will not harm me. They feed on humans and the Family. We are Dy’obeths, so it shall obey.” She commanded the creature, “Remain.”
The decaying woman stopped, its once green eyes were completely white, devoid of any pupils or iris.
“These are a type of draug?” Bach asked.
“No, the draug infect the living, but reapers can turn the dead. The serum that woke this one, will soon work its way into Sable Mountain’s water ways and this beautiful creature will spread the gift as it journeys looking for more food,” she explained.
Another tomb cracked and a teenage looking reaper rose. Also dressed in a black robe, this one had bright red hair. Its blank eyes scanned the group and fixed on Malcolm. Opening its mouth, it groaned, but no noise came out.
“What about me?” Malcolm asked. “Am I at risk?”
“You and Felip both are, however once you are perfected you will be able to control them too.” She waved the approaching reaper away. “But they should not harm you since you are part Dy’obeth.”
“Hmm.” Felip moved away from the reaper then bumped up against Bach.
“Get away from me.” Bach warned his cousin as a fourth reaper neared.
It sniffed Bach, but peered behind him at Felip. Springing over Bach, the reaper leapt toward his cousin and roared soundlessly at him before bounding down the mountain.
More reapers broke free from their resting places.
“Why did it not go after Felip?” Bach asked his mother.
“She said these things will not hurt us,” Felip replied.
“No, she said Malcolm is safe because he’s half Dy’obeth. You are part Dog and part human. The reaper should have finished you.”
“I am more worried about what will happen if these things cross into Jarthan or Earth,” Felip said.
“I still control them,” his mother defended. “They will not attack Felip.”
“Because you still need him alive,” Bach grumbled.
“Because she needs a member of the Family to activate all the thresholds to Ajana. The First Pillar made it impossible for the Dy’obeths to do that, so either we get all your brethren out or you can kill me,” Felip explained firmly.
“You make it sound like you are going to have a quick death. You have had an easy life and you are going to die gloriously slow.” Bach simpered.
“You think my work is easy? I’m surrounded by people who hate me,” Felip retorted.
“Do not be concerned cousin. I intend to be the one who puts an end to your existence.” Bach shoved Felip back, sending him careening to the ground.
“Do you plan to do that before or after you murder your father?” Felip sneered.
“What did you say?” Bach’s mother hissed. Within seconds, she threw Felip to the ground breaking his arm in the process. “You never call that Dog Bach’s father. Do you hear me?”
“Lady Coia, why did you—” Felip looked at her in bewilderment.
“Do you hear me?” she shouted.
“Yes—yes—” Unsettled, he got up as he clutched his wounded arm.
Stepping back, she produced a piece of dark glass. “Once you have cleaned yourself up, I will meet you back at Mirrin Castle.”
“Wait, you’re leaving me here?” Felip pleaded. “If the empirics find me, I will be dead.”
“Do not be so dramatic. You are an expert at taking care of yourself.” His mother activated another threshold. “Felip, you and Bach will settle up at the right time, so I suggest for now you try to earn his forgiveness.”
“He’ll never get my forgiveness, but I look forward to the day when we settle up.” Walking past Felip, Bach headed away from the cohort after the reapers, certain Felip would be too scared to follow.
*****
Bach’s mood improved by the time he got to Beraz’s castle. Instead of seeking out the new Sen of the Third Pillar, he went to his old chamber to be alone.
Staring into the now pitch black night sky, he wondered why the perfection hadn’t made him happy. He felt angry all the time. We need our first blood. Go out tonight and drain the life of a Dog
with our bare hands. The dark tempted him. We’ll feel pure happiness then. Bach wanted his first kill to mean something, so Didan, Felip or his father would be ideal. Or Wisteria? It’d be a rush to see the light fade from her eyes.” Stop,” Bach shouted, hitting his head. “I will never—” But we want to. Bach, you want to.
Ripping off his shirt, he decided to shower and drown out the dark fog trying to take him over.
“Where have you been?” Maniko burst in. She wore a loose black dress that hung over one shoulder. “You went off to see Lady Coia, but did not come back. I decided to check on you and stay with you tonight.”
“I want to be alone—”
“Why? Do you not like me?” she teased and sauntered in. “Because I saw the way you looked at me before you attacked Beraz.”
“I didn’t attack him because of you.”
“Sure you didn’t.” She unclipped her grown and it dropped to the floor, revealing her extremely slender and long body, hidden behind a black slip. “Now, tell me what you think?
“You recently got out of Ajana and the first new Dy’obeths you have seen in years. You’re confused.”
“Well, let us see where the night takes us. We’ll talk in the morning.”
“Get out now, Maniko.” He quietly turned and headed to the washroom. “If you’re here when I am done, I will throw you out.”
“I like my men feisty.”
“I am not joking.”
“Only if you promise to toss me from the window. A fall from Sable Mountain is high enough to injure even a Dy’obeth.” She rushed over to him and put her arms around his waist. “And if you break my ribs, it is considered lucky. Good relationships are formed with blood.”
“What happens if you die?”
“I’d be honored if you attempted it. I might try to kill you too. There is nothing more passionate than Love-Death, killing your mate out of pure love.” Walking up to him, she ran her fingers up his chest. “But the best pairings are after a rabja when the male kills a rival.”
“What rival?” Gripping her hands, he pulled her from his skin.
“Beraz, then you would become Sen of the Third Pillar and then you can mate with me.”
