The Bringer of War (The Sheynan Trilogy Book 2)

by Dylan Birtolo

  The thick brown clouds made his eyes water and he blinked in a vain attempt to try and clear them. He felt the ground rumble as large pieces of masonry fell and shattered around him. Stone shrapnel bit into his body from every direction. He opened his mouth to scream but couldn’t hear his own voice. He squinted as he peered into the cloud. He felt movement and sensed people running past him. He made out shadows as they ran past, the dust swirling behind them in little eddies. Men and women ran toward a small sliver of light off to his left.

  Staggering, he forced his way to his feet and stumbled along with the crowd. Someone next to him fell to all fours. It was a young child. The pervasive dust made it impossible to tell if it was a boy or a girl. He reached down to pick the child up, but a shadow fell over them both. Glancing over his shoulder he saw a piece of the ceiling falling on top of them. He opened his mouth and screamed.

  Darien woke up screaming and snapped to a sitting position in the bed. The room was dark and he felt Susan next to him. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He shivered when she touched him. She leaned close and shushed into his ear. His panting slowed, and he could take normal breaths.

  “Are you okay?”

  He nodded once. “It was just a dream.”

  “Darien, you don’t just have dreams.”

  “I’m okay.”

  He nudged her arms away, turning to give her a quick kiss. Then he rolled away, climbing out of bed. There was someone he needed to see. He glanced over at Richard’s bed, not surprised to find it empty. That was for the best. He knew Richard wouldn’t understand.

  “Where you going?”

  “I need to get in touch with Alyssa. I need to ask her about something.”

  “In the middle of the night? What’s going on?”

  Darien grabbed his coat and slid his arms into the sleeves. He looked around the room, searching for wherever he put his sneakers. “Later. It’s too hard to explain. I want to ask her while it’s fresh on my mind. Plus, it’s not always easy to get away…” He nodded towards the empty bed.

  Susan tossed the sheet the rest of the way off and stood up. She picked up her jeans from the floor and put them on. “I’m going with you.”

  “No, you’re not. You can’t follow me.”

  “That’s crap, Darien, and you know it.”

  “Not this time. I need to get out of the city to meet her and Richard took the truck. I can’t take you with me.”

  Susan sat down on the edge of the bed. She pressed her lips together for a moment and Darien knew he convinced her.

  “You’re a stubborn ass sometimes, you know that?”

  “Maybe. But if I am, what does that say about you?” Darien grinned and ducked into the corridor as he saw Susan reaching for a pillow. He heard it thump against the back of the door just before he closed it.

  Chapter 4

  The cold air made the sky seem clearer in the middle of the night. At the edges of the city, where the artificial glare no longer masked the stars, the sky became a canvas with hundreds of pin-sized holes. The distant lights and nearly full moon made it bright enough for a person to read. Here, houses and yards marked off by wooden fences gave way to a rolling dustbin with sparse vegetation.

  Darien circled over a large collection of rocks as a vulture. He dipped his wings to the side and took long loops, each one getting him closer to the boulders. Spotting his target, he leveled out and coasted to a large slab, claws scraping against the stone as he tried to maintain his balance. As soon as he settled, a smaller bird, a hawk, swooped down and perched nearby. The hawk disappeared and a woman sat on the stone, leaning back on her hands.

  Alyssa wore a light green dress that went from her shoulders to the middle of her calves. Her long blond hair shimmered in the evening light so that it looked like silver streamed off her head and stopped just beneath her shoulder blades. While she stood and looked at Darien, she flexed her toes in the dust and dirt.

  Darien ruffled his feathers once and then closed his eyes. It took a couple of seconds, then Darien shifted back into his human form. He hunched over and his knuckles touched the stone. With a grunt, Darien jumped off the rock to stand across from his companion.

  “You continue to improve. Your changes are faster every time we meet. It won’t be long before they become second nature.”

  He knew that Alyssa would say just about anything to get in his good graces, but he couldn’t help swelling a little at the compliment. She also wasn’t prone to flattery. He knew he had been getting better, but it felt good to have the validation.

  “It feels less forced the more I do it. It still takes a lot of energy though. Does it ever get easier?”

  “No. You build stamina as you get used to it, just like any other muscle. But it always takes effort. You already know this, have started to experience it. But why did you ask me to meet you at this hour? Surely it wasn’t to discuss your progress.”

  Darien picked up a rock and rolled it around in his fingers a couple of times before turning and hurling it as far as he could in the direction of the city. It cracked against another stone in the distance. Darien’s face tightened as he considered how best to approach his question.

  “I needed to talk to you about something that happened to me tonight. I was hoping you could help and might know what it means. I had a dream, but it wasn’t a normal dream. It wasn’t one where I could change or shape how things happened. It felt different than any other one I’ve had. The dream felt more like a memory. It wasn’t one of mine, but more like a few hundred years ago. Have you ever heard of anything like this?”

  Alyssa pressed her lips together and gathered her thoughts. She shifted her weight forward and folded her arms underneath her chest. When she spoke, she did so slowly, as if she considered each word.

  “Are you sure it wasn’t just a dream? What made you decide to ask me?”

  “Because I think it relates to being a shifter. It seems like the memories were from an ancestor or something.”

  “I’ve never heard of anything like this before, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t possible. No one is quite sure of what we’re capable of in our dreams, and that is especially true for a Sheynan. There are precious few records of people with your gift, and most of those are ascribed to legend more than fact. But I’ll check the archives to see if I can find any references to ancestral memory.”

  “I’d appreciate it.”

  “It would be much easier if you came back with me. You could have access to the Arm’s archives and we wouldn’t need to keep meeting at odd hours in obscure locations.”

  Darien dropped his head and shook it back and forth. “You know I can’t do that. I’m grateful for all your help and support. I wouldn’t know half what I do if it weren’t for your tutoring. But, I know that the Arm isn’t where I belong.”

  “We could protect Susan. We have safe houses for people like her.”

  Those words cut and Darien managed to suppress a wince. Alyssa knew how much Susan meant to him and could guess how concerned he was for her safety. He felt his fists clench. It was a low blow for Alyssa to play that card.

  “I’ll protect her however I need to.”

  Alyssa stood up and dusted the loose dirt off of the backside of her dress.

  “I’ll check on the dream memory. As long as you stand against the Shadows, I’ll help however I can. Just realize that if you ever stop hunting them, or it seems like you might be helping them, I won’t hesitate to expose your existence. My loyalty is, and always will be, to the Arm of Gaia.”

  The silence between them stretched for several seconds. Darien lifted his gaze to the sky and stared at the stars. When Alyssa spoke, her tone was softer.

  “What happened in your dream that makes you think it was a memory? What did you see? I don’t know if this is even possible, but I might be able to tell you if what you saw was accurate. The Arm has archives going back for hundreds of years.”

  Darien brought his gaze ba
ck down to look Alyssa in the eye. He used the pause to think about how much to share with her. The trust they had was tentative at best, even after three months.

  “I saw this cathedral, a really old building set in the middle of a field. It definitely seemed like something from the History channel. But the stained glass had all these pictures of humans connected to animals. The central motif had all these animals connected together in a circle. And then, when I was there, the building was attacked. I woke up as the building was caving in around me.”

  “What you described is entirely possible. There were safe houses in the past and that church could be one. At least it gives me something to look for. I’ll look it up, but keep in mind it may just be the result of an active imagination. Have you ever heard about anything like this before?”

  “Nothing even close. I didn’t even know that shifters were around that long. Richard never said anything about it.”

  “Richard is not a good student of history. He survives, and calls it living, thinking that he can make a difference with petty violence.”

  Even from the distance between them, Darien could see the tension along Alyssa’s jaw when she spoke.

  “That’s why I come to meet you, isn’t it—to be better informed?”

  “It isn’t the only reason.”

  Darien reached up and ran his fingers through his hair, shaking it with each pass.

  “Yeah, about that. I don’t suppose I could get another donation?”

  “Would five hundred be enough? I’ll leave it in the usual place tomorrow. Has Richard asked about your source of income?”

  “I let him cover the main expenses so he doesn’t get suspicious.”

  “I see. Do you ever get tired of sneaking around behind his back?”

  Her words triggered something inside of him, making his tension levels rise. Darien stood up and began to pace, clenching his hands into fists. He hated thinking about the double dealing and lies he was telling on an almost-daily basis to those close to him. It was what he needed to do to survive, but he disliked who he was becoming—someone like Alyssa who only shared what she thought was good for him to know. He knew he should let it go, but he was still tense from the dream and couldn’t help but snap at her.

  “You would know all about that, wouldn’t you? Keeping secrets? What do you really know about Sheynan?”

  “You know there are some things that I can’t tell you, regardless of whether or not you agree with it. I gave my word to hold my tongue and I must be true to that.”

  “Why won’t you answer me? You know what I’m capable of!”

  Darien whirled and faced Alyssa taking a step towards her. He leaned forward as he looked her square in the eye. She met his gaze without a flinch. His body began to shimmer as he started to shift.

  “Is this really what you want to do?”

  Alyssa’s voice was calm and she kept her relaxed posture. Darien felt the shift, powered by his emotions. He pulled back, easing his hands open and shaking out his fingers. He took a couple of steps back until his calves struck one of the boulders. When he dropped onto it he took some slow breaths before he spoke again.

  “I’m sorry about that. I don’t know how that happened. I thought I was over emotional changes now that I learned to control my abilities.”

  “You will always be at risk. We all are, but you more than most. As your abilities grow, so will the risk.”

  “What if I can’t control it?” There was a long pause until Darien shook his head. “No, I don’t want to know right now. It just seems like the Shadows and the Arm are both interested in me more than I would expect just because of my abilities. What’s so damn important about being able to change into any animal? There has to be more to it. You must know.”

  Darien could feel the tension mounting as the silence continued. When he looked up at Alyssa, she rubbed her arms and glanced away. It was the first time he could remember seeing her do that. How much would she be willing to share, and how much would be the truth? He was getting ready to speak again, to try and prod her, when she opened her mouth.

  “There are… stories about what Sheynan can do. For most people in our world, the ability to shift into multiple animals has been only a legend. For three generations, there was no one like you. And then within a couple of years, there’s you and the other woman.”

  “Can you tell me anything about her?”

  “Her name was Wendy, or at least that’s the name she gave us while she was in our organization. I never interacted with her much, but I knew that by the time she joined the Arm, she already had a handle on her most basic abilities. But, she was young and new and, like you, was filled with so much potential. The elders were excited about the possibilities and even more excited because she came to us seeking sanctuary and people to train her. She learned quickly and it wasn’t long before she was a favorite in the Arm.

  “One day, she betrayed the Arm and left. We hunted after her, but she was more advanced in her abilities than she led us to believe. We’re still hunting her, although most of the members have given up on finding her at this point.”

  “What did she do to betray you?”

  “I can’t tell you that.”

  “Alright, well how about my original question? Why am I so important? What have you heard that makes you and everyone else hunt me down? I’m guessing you don’t hunt down every shifter as aggressively. It has to be more than my shifting.”

  Alyssa took a deep breath and walked over to a large rock. She brushed away some of the dust before easing into a sitting position and laying her hands in her lap. Darien leaned back, propping himself up on his hands and ready to listen to her story.

  “As I said before, to most shifters, what I’m about to tell you is nothing more than legends handed down from generation to generation. The problem is that our archives are limited. They don’t go back to our origins. Despite that, there are references to people who could change like you. Apparently, these individuals had such power that a single one of them could be responsible for destroying entire villages. The Shadows tried to enslave this power.

  “The Arm decided that no individual person could be responsible enough to have that much power. So, for a long time, they hunted down and eliminated people with your unique gifts.”

  Darien squirmed as a shiver ran down his spine and spread to his fingertips. It felt like he had assassins lurking somewhere in the desert, staring at him and plotting his death. He couldn’t help but look around, searching for any intruders. There was nothing for at least a mile in each direction.

  “Recently, the elders have taken a different approach and a different view. There are… suggestions that a shifter like you could have the ability to eliminate one of the factions—either the Arm or the Shadows. This is a recent change of heart. The hunt of elimination became one of recruitment before the other side has the opportunity.”

  “How recently are we talking?”

  “Within the last hundred years. Until a few years ago, another multi-shifter was never found. Now, we’ve had two within a few years. This is raising many questions and makes some people nervous. Our people keep meticulous records and for as long as we have recorded history, there’s never been two alive at once. Some people say it’s a portent of the end of our kind. Others think it’s just probability and it was bound to happen sooner or later. And you have everything in between.”

  Alyssa and Darien stared at each other as the wind whispered across the plain and rustled their hair. He was absorbing her story. It sounded like a fairytale, but her expression was serious. People must really believe what she was saying.

  “If you believe this, why share it with me? How can I trust you knowing that you consider me a piece in your power struggle?”

  “You can trust me because I did share this with you. Personally, I believe in your innate nature for good and hope that you’ll join with us when you are ready. You know as well as I do that the Shadows need to be stopped. You would s
tand a better chance if you joined the Arm.”

  “I do trust you, at least that much. But, I need to be on my own and do things my way. Richard and I share a common path for now. And speaking of him, I should be getting back. I don’t know when he will come back to the hotel.”

  “Be safe, Darien. You know how to reach me. Think about your actions. You can’t overestimate your importance.”

  Darien watched her shift and take off into the air. She became a speck until that too disappeared into the clear sky. Darien stayed where he was. His eyes paid no attention to the world around him as his thoughts turned inward and he wondered about his life. It had changed beyond anything he would have thought possible in just a few months. Six months ago if someone had told him that shape shifters existed, he would’ve laughed at them. Now, he found himself as the pawn in a struggle that had lasted for centuries. The question was, how could he transition from a pawn to a king?

  Chapter 5

  Bridget’s ringing phone jerked her out of a sound sleep. It was an ear-piercing tone that guaranteed she would get up out of bed to respond. She slapped at it, slamming her hand down on the device before pulling it to her face and blinking her eyes multiple times to see who was calling. It was Twitch. She growled before answering the call.

  “This better be important.”

  “It is, my queen, it is! I did as you asked. I watched them. I saw Darien leave. He is gone and the big bear hasn’t come back yet, which means the pretty girl is all alone. You told me to call if any of them were alone. She stands by the window, staring out, looking for something, but seeing nothing.”

  The news cut through Bridget’s sleepiness. It looked like she was going to be able to put pieces of her plan into place sooner than she thought.