The Bringer of War (The Sheynan Trilogy Book 2)

by Dylan Birtolo

  “I’m in a room, on a bed. There’s a couple of beds in the room, and a table, I think, between them. It looks just like any other hotel room.”

  “Now let’s descend a step or two further, and attempt to remember where you were a year or two ago on this date. Can you remember where you were living, every minute detail?”

  “More or less. Some details are missing, but the image is pretty clear.”

  “What about ten years ago, or twenty? What about the first time you went camping with your family? Or the first field trip that you took when you were in elementary school? How many details can you remember of those times?”

  “I see your point. The memories get fuzzier the further back you go.”

  “Now, imagine if you can, stepping back several hundred years to a memory. How many of the details, the small imperfections and qualities that make life real, would you be able to remember?”

  “Not many at all, but there’s a problem with your theory. If the memory should be faded, why are some details crystal clear? For example, these woods. They seem real and detailed—so much so that if I didn’t know better, I’d think we were in the real world.”

  “Again, I could give you multiple answers. The first is the possibility that your mind, since it is constructing this memory, is filling in the gaps. You know what a forest should look like, so while the individual details may be missing from the memory itself, your brain provides them. You, in effect, are becoming the artist coloring in the lines that your memory has etched.

  “The other theory is because what you are viewing is a momentous event. Whenever we, as creatures of rational thought, have something monumental and life-changing occur to us, we have a tendency to remember it with near perfect clarity. It is a byproduct of human nature to have a photographic memory at such times.”

  Darien turned around and walked back towards Gregory, stopping when he was once again beside the older man. They resumed their journey through the woods.

  “For someone who claims not to be a guide, you’re certainly willing to answer a lot of my questions this time. I know. You’re doing it for your own benefit, not for mine. Tell me, have you ever tried to go somewhere that the memory wasn’t leading you?”

  “Yes, I have. The results are not something I would recommend. There’s no danger in it. However, every time such a boundary is crossed, the memory ends. From my perspective, an opportunity for a hidden treasure trove of knowledge is lost. Particularly in your situation, due to the age and strength of your memories, I’d advise against it.”

  The companions made their way through the tree line, crossing underneath the protective boughs into a world that was much darker than the one they left. A small amount of light filtered through the branches, but it felt as though the trees drank it up. The atmosphere was gloomy, but without a sense of oppression. Darien could still hear the birds. The leafy canopy acted as an auditorium, amplifying their music.

  The smallest tree Darien could find was too large for him to encircle with his arms. It easily dwarfed any other tree he had seen in his lifetime. They made their way through the pillars of wood, being careful where they stepped and attempting to make as little noise as possible. At least they didn’t have to worry about forging a path through the branches. The lowest ones were at least ten feet off the ground. The woods felt almost mystical in nature, with a little extra something that tickled the back of Darien’s mind.

  The sound of voices came from up ahead. At this distance, it was impossible to tell what was being said, but it was obvious that the discussion was emotional. Darien heard two distinct voices; they seemed to get louder and more intense with each exchange. Darien glanced over at Gregory, but his attention was focused forward.

  Inch by precious inch, they crept toward the voices. Darien scanned the ground before each footfall, making sure not to step on any twigs or leaves. Even with that precaution, he eased his weight onto each foot, toes first. Even though he tried to be silent, he felt like a charging bull next to Gregory. The other man moved like a ghost. Even his breathing was silent.

  The two other people in the forest were too involved in their conversation to notice the trespassers. When Darien and Gregory saw a clearing with a couple of people standing in it, they dropped down on their stomachs and crawled forward. They hid behind the large roots of a giant tree. In the clearing, the sun shone bright and unfiltered. Two men stood in the center, facing each other. They gestured as they spoke and the tension between them could be felt yards away. At this distance, the words could be understood.

  “Why haven’t you dealt with the Sheynan yet? She’s an unknown variable and that is a risk we cannot afford.”

  The first man to speak was thin and wiry. He wore dark clothes and seemed almost intangible at the edges. His skin was ashen and his eyes burned an intense blue. His companion—or adversary, Darien wasn’t sure—was wide at the shoulder, and exuded a sense of strength. He was bald, and the light reflected off of his pale dome. His eyebrows were pure white and very thin. He looked at the man across from him with a blatant stare of contempt.

  “She still has her uses. One of her power could prove quite an asset to us. We shouldn’t be so quick to toss her to the side because she is different. With that difference comes power.”

  “But it’s a power that could run wild, causing destruction on a scale neither of us could anticipate or control. You don’t realize what you’re tampering with!”

  “She can be controlled. She has human emotions just the same as you and me.”

  “How can you be so vain? She’ll give into the disease, and when she does, madness will overtake her. In her rage, she could destroy everything!”

  “I can keep her sane. Do you doubt my abilities? She won’t go mad like the others. I can cure her, and when I do, she will be my weapon!”

  “You’re going to lose everything. You of all people should know better.”

  The two men looked as if they were about to strike each other. The older, balding gentleman reached forward with his hand and grabbed the other’s shoulder.

  “Enough!”

  A voice stormed through the air loud enough to make the trees sway. The two men in the clearing dropped their hands to their sides and turned in the direction of the call. A woman stepped out from underneath the trees, walking into the clearing with complete confidence. Her stance was proud as she advanced, and her chin was raised. Red hair fell down around her shoulders and was tied into braids with many different colored flowers. Her eyes flashed as she looked from one of the men to the other. When she spoke, her voice was unyielding but lacked the harshness of her previous command.

  “We have troubles enough without the two of you instigating your followers to war. We are hunted to near extinction, more of our kind go missing every day, and in this time of turmoil, we cannot even trust our strongest members. And yet, you still manage to find the time to argue and inspire violence. This is not the time for war.”

  “But we cannot let ourselves be cowed.” The older man in white continued his argument. His tone changed from a command to an appeal, but it lost none of the emotion or intensity.“If we follow our traditions, it could lead to our downfall. We cannot be afraid to strike back at the humans, to take what is ours and live in peace. The Sheynan—they can give us the power to do just that.”

  “At what price? No, we cannot allow the Sheynan to reign unchecked. That way spells our destruction. They must be allowed to leave this world. Their lives are short because their mind cannot maintain the strain of their abilities. And it’s better to take their lives through ritual, than to let them go mad and pose a danger to us all.” The woman responded to the plea with a soft voice.

  Even from this distance, Darien could see her shoulders slump and her body language change. She looked tired.

  “Listen to her wisdom, friend. Let’s put aside our disputes, and agree on this course of action. You know it’s the only thing we can do. Anything else would be inviting destruct
ion. It would be safer to walk to an inquisitor and declare yourself guilty of heresy. At least then you wouldn’t place the rest of us in danger.”

  “You’re both fools. You’re afraid to act because of consequences and fears that are half hidden in the dark, and half imagined. I will not let you forsake our people! The Sheynan will be our salvation, and the humans will fear to trespass on our lands once again.”

  “Are you so obsessed with what you are, that you no longer consider yourself human? We’re all humans. We are just blessed with being touched by the animal spirits and carrying their favor.”

  The man in white snarled and turned away, storming out of the clearing. As the sounds of his departure faded away, the remaining two turned to face each other. The woman held out her hands and took both of his.“You know what you must do.”

  “Yes, I do. I understand the decision the elders made, and I’ll make sure he doesn’t keep the power to cure the Sheynan. Without the rituals, they’ll be condemned to madness.”

  “Make no mistake, there will be many who do not understand why you do this. Many of our kind will call you traitor.”

  “But it must be done if we’re to survive. And, there’s no one else you trust to do it.”

  She offered a sad smile and a slow nod. She let go of his hands and caressed his face with her right hand. Then she backed up a step and watched as he began to chant under his breath. Darien couldn’t make out the words, and that which he did hear did not sound like any language he recognized. As the man continued to chant, his form became blurry and indistinct, fading at the edges. Soon, he looked like a three dimensional shadow standing in the clearing. Darien’s breath caught as he thought back to Inky. That was how she always appeared to him.

  “I will not fail you.” The shadow creature walked to the nearest tree and stood in its shade. In less time than it took to take a breath, he faded into the darkness at his feet. The woman watched him go, and then returned down the path she had come. Her shoulders sagged, and her head swayed from side to side as she walked.

  Gregory and Darien refused to move until the only sound that reached their ears was the chirping of the birds. Darien sat up, trying to remain quiet, and brushed off his clothes while still keeping his eyes focused on the clearing. He shook out his legs, trying to unstiffen them from the extended freeze. Darien couldn’t keep his silence any longer.

  “I thought the Arm were the ones hunting me down, and the Shadows wanted to recruit me. That man, the one who turned into a shadow creature, he couldn’t be the Arm.”

  “You’re correct. No member of the Arm would possess such an ability.”

  “But Alyssa said…”

  “Perhaps she lied.”

  Chapter 11

  A single flare rested on the floor and gave forth a gentle orange light that illuminated the room. Bridget stared at Twitch, watching him rock forward and back on the balls of his feet. He huddled against the wall and wrapped his arms around his knees. She placed her hands on her hips and tapped her foot against the stones. She wanted him to be nervous and eager to please—he had hidden this information from her for too long. She just needed to be careful and not push him too hard, or else he would be impossible to talk to.

  “Okay, Twitch. I want you to tell me what you’re hiding, and I want to know now. Do you already have the book I need? It would upset me if you’ve had it all along and kept it from me.”

  Silence. He didn’t so much as murmur or even look away from his focus point on the ground. She clenched her jaw. It was agonizing to think that she could be so close and yet unable to claim her prize. As she took a breath to yell at him, he spoke up. The words came out in a rapid jumble.

  “Of course not, my queen! I’d never do that to you. I don’t know how you can think that about me! I’ve done everything you asked and given you everything you needed since you rescued me. Please don’t doubt my loyalty! When you’re reigning up on high I will be the highest of the low for I’ll help you get there. That’s my only desire. You have desires too, don’t you? I know what they are and I can help you reach them.”

  “You assume too much.”

  Twitch cowered and buried his head under his arms. When she continued, she softened her tone, taking a more gentle tack.

  “You’re getting sidetracked. Focus on my question and tell me what I want to know. What are you hiding? What was that Shadow talking about when he said you stole something?”

  Twitch looked up at his companion and scratched behind his right ear. His wispy hair flew about wildly as he moved his hand back and forth.

  “Oh, that. Well, you see, that’s just a little something I found on my way out the door, so to speak. A little trinket I took that I thought might be able to keep me safe. Just in case. I heard once ‘the best defense is a good offense’. Once, so long ago before I knew what I was. I think my mother told me that. I think of her sometimes. Do you remember your mother?”

  “Sometimes you’re impossible! Tell me, what’s so valuable that the Shadows are chasing you down? I always thought this was just a matter of pride—a ‘you don’t leave us’ thing. But all this time you’ve had something that brought them out in a mad hunt? Seems to me the price of keeping you safe just went through the roof.”

  “Perhaps I did take a little something they might want. Perhaps I took it, and then hid it away. Perhaps I didn’t think they would notice, until they forgot about me.”

  “What. Is. It?”

  She stepped forward and leaned down until her face was only inches from his. Her lips curled back. Twitch looked away and studied the stones under his feet.

  “A book. Just a simple book. Not one of the Arm’s history books. There’s no storybook for the Shadows to read to their little ones at night. They don’t like to read much. That’s why they don’t like history—too many stories. They want power, not art. No art, they don’t paint pretty pictures. I like pictures. I like to paint pictures on the walls.”

  “What’s in the book?”

  “Many, many words. Words I don’t understand. Words that tell you how to do things. Lots of different words.”

  Bridget’s emotions warred between rage and elation. The rituals book was what she needed. If Twitch had stolen that, it would be a wonderful surprise. On the other hand, it was maddening to think he had kept this from her for so long when he knew it was what she needed.

  “You stole their rituals book, didn’t you?”

  He stopped shifting and looked up at her. The smile that spread across his face went from ear to ear and was a unique blend of guilt, pride, innocence and trepidation. His shaking stopped and he presented his hands out with palms up, spreading them out to each side. Bridget closed her eyes and clenched her jaw.

  “Are you not pleased? Do I disappoint you?”

  “Only that you kept this from me for so long! You know it’s half of the puzzle. Why haven’t you told me?”

  “Because I never knew if that was what you needed. There are many books; I only have one. I can’t read it, so I don’t know if it has the words you’re looking for. I didn’t want to disappoint you. I know what you need, I’ve seen it, but I don’t remember where. I don’t have them all, I couldn’t carry that many. I carry what I can, I carry it with me where I go, and I carry less than most. But I can get it for you. I know how to get in. You still need me, I can still help you.”

  “The only thing I need right now is the book. You said you knew where the first clue was, so tell me where it is. I’ll go get it. I don’t want you tying me down. There’s nowhere you can go that I can’t.”

  “Of course, of course. I have the clue. It’s here, in my pocket.”

  He reached into the pocket of his tattered pants, pulling out a crumpled piece of paper. Small crumbs of food tumbled out as he retrieved the message. The paper itself was a napkin with some writing scrawled in the corner. He extended his arm and presented it to his mistress. The napkin was stained with food. The only clean section was the corner where Tw
itch’s shaky hand had written out an address.

  “For someone who can have moments of brilliance, your stupidity at other times astounds me.”

  “I’m happy I make you proud. You’re nicer to be around when you’re proud. Much nicer than when you’re mad. I don’t want to make you mad. I’ve seen what you do to the dark ones. They wind up floating on the water until their bodies are carried away.”

  His jaw clamped shut as Bridget fell to the ground on her hands and knees. A burning sensation filled every cell of her body and she was so overwhelmed with the pain, she couldn’t even gasp. Her body began to fade from view, as if she was shifting. Her long blond hair disappeared to be replaced with shoulder length red strands. Her eyes flickered from a brilliant green to a steel gray. Her stomach heaved and her eyes squinted shut as she tried to retain control of her body. She vomited, splashing some onto Twitch who had crept close and was reaching out a hand to her shoulder.

  After a few moments her body solidified as the blond woman Twitch recognized. She stood up, shrugging off his aid. Her body was weary, but she refused to show that weakness to him. She wiped the back of her hand against her mouth and straightened her clothes. Twitch looked up at her and his brow furrowed together. His mouth moved, but no sound came out. When she was done fixing herself, she glared at him.

  “I’m fine. Stop staring at me like that. I don’t need your help or your sympathy. You know how strong I am. While I’m getting my book, keep Darien busy. Bring him down here if you can, but don’t mention my name. I have plans for him.”

  She turned around and walked down the tunnel away from the light. She kept her gaze focused ahead of her without seeing anything as she focused on separating herself from Twitch. She wasn’t even aware of where she was going, taking corners at random and trying to gain as much distance as possible. She had no idea how far she had traveled before she allowed herself to stop and catch her breath. Her skin still crawled at the loss of control, even more so when she thought that Twitch was able to see her lapse.