Legacy of the Blood (The Threshold Trilogy)

by Callie Kanno

  His family has died since the last Dream.

  Adesina remembered the history that L’iam had taught her. L’avan had a wife and a son, but both were killed while he fought in the Great Wars. He received word on the battlefield, but was unable to take the time to mourn.

  His sorrow was still deeply etched on his weathered face.

  The ground erupted a few yards in front of the human soldiers, and L’avan swore fiercely.

  “Kirin! Send a message back to those light-cursed Gaianas and tell them to stop attacking so near our ranks. We have injured enough as it is.”

  Lightning seared the sky, and Adesina could see the silhouettes of Qetza flying through the air. Dark figures with jagged wings rose to meet them from afar, shrieking in challenge.

  L’avan cursed again.

  “The demons sent their pets to deal with us, eh?” He turned to shout to his soldiers. “Be’ezal! Look to the sky.”

  L’avan turned to his aide. “Kirin, we will need air support as soon as possible. Those Qetza are outnumbered. Send word to the Solaran and also to the Immortal Council.”

  Kirin dispatched another messenger and returned to his leader’s side.

  “What of the human ranks, sir?”

  L’avan peered through the uneven light at the masses that waited just beyond the hills where they stood.

  “They seem to be waiting. I suppose they are waiting for the demons to thin our numbers a bit before attacking.”

  The young aide shook his head. “It never ceased to amaze me that any human would choose to side with the demons. They do not value the lives of mortals, and they force them to participate in unspeakable things.”

  “Some participate willingly,” corrected L’avan in a grim tone.

  Kirin shuddered. “All the worse for them. Their souls truly are lost.”

  “Perhaps,” said the older man quietly, “but only the Creator can make that judgment.”

  The sound of hundreds of voices chanting rolled in from the distance, and it became more frenzied until it was a mindless roar. The figures of the Gaiana could be seen rushing down the hills and into the valley of enemies.

  “What are they doing?” gasped Kirin.

  “Disobeying orders,” snapped L’avan in reply. “Now it will be up to us to save their light-cursed hides.”

  He was about to rally his soldiers when a Vattir landed in front of him.

  “Wait, L’avan. You are not to follow the charge of the Gaiana.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The Aurym have ordered that you hold your current position.”

  L’avan’s expression was stormy. “They will be slaughtered.”

  The Vattir seemed unsympathetic. “That was their choice. They were also ordered to stay where they were, but they have decided follow their own path of fate.”

  The tiny man was about to fly away, but L’avan caught hold of his arm.

  “They will all die,” he said through clenched teeth. “All of them. They are the last of their race.”

  “Everyone involved is aware of that, L’avan. The Gaiana have made their choice.”

  ***

  Sitara opened her eyes with an expression that was both pleased and exhausted. “There! We have found it!”

  She sat in a circle with eleven other Serraf and their Rashad companions. Adesina stood in the peripheral, watching the subjects of her Dream closely.

  “At last,” sighed a Serraf with dark skin and short, curly hair. “It has taken much time to find a realm suited to our needs.”

  Another Serraf with pale skin and fiery red locks nodded in agreement. “Much more time than we anticipated.”

  “Worlds do not touch very often,” expounded Sitara, “and the Thresholds between them open for such a short time. The realm we have chosen is moving towards our own. We must be prepared to open the gateway when the two worlds touch.”

  A Serraf with almond-shaped eyes and jet black hair leaned forward. “I sensed the realm would touch the Threshold of Zonne mostly strongly.”

  “Yes,” confirmed another.

  “I agree.”

  “As do I.”

  Another dark skinned Serraf with snow white hair spoke up. “I sensed that the worlds would touch in sixteen mortal years, when the first rains of spring bless the ground.”

  “Yes,” confirmed another.

  “I agree.”

  “As do I.”

  “Very well,” said Sitara. “I will go and inform the council.”

  She gracefully got to her feet and walked out of the garden where they were seated. The moss-covered path led to an enormous pavilion, and in the center stood the council chamber. There were various magical creatures that sat or stood in the open area of the pavilion, chatting in low voices. Sitara nodded to them graciously as she walked by.

  Some of them followed the Serraf into the council chamber and took their places in the circle. Toraun took his place in the center and beckoned for her to join him.

  “What news, sister?”

  “We have found what we need for our plan to succeed.”

  The room broke out in murmurs.

  The council leader took a step toward the Serraf. “You have found an appropriate realm?”

  She inclined her head. “Yes. It is empty of creatures, but filled with plants and other life. It is large, and can sustain a great many people. We will not be condemning the demons to death by sending them there, but they can cause no harm once the Threshold is closed.”

  “And what of your efforts to force open a Threshold?” inquired Toraun.

  “We have been experimenting on the Far North Threshold. We have learned what is needed to open a gateway, but it is only for a short period of time. Once we have it open, the Qetza will need to act quickly in compelling the demons through.”

  There were several pleased expressions among the listeners, but one face was troubled.

  “Is the seal intact once it closes?” asked a male with blue skin and tentacles—the same one Adesina had seen in the Council before.

  Each Threshold had a binding seal that protected it from the space that existed between realms. When it opened naturally, the seal was temporarily moved. However, the Serraf had learned that they did not have the ability to replicate the process.

  Sitara hesitated before slowly shaking her head. “The seal must be broken in order to force a Threshold open. We do not have the power to form a new seal over it.”

  “Then how will the demons remain in their prison?”

  She made a soothing gesture with her hands. “A handful of Serraf will have to remain near the Threshold at all times to keep it closed.”

  Toraun frowned. “That does not seem like an ideal situation. It leaves our world vulnerable to the return of the demons.”

  “The seal will not always be broken. One will come who will heal it,” Sitara replied cautiously.

  “How do you know that?” inquired a horse-like creature with flames for a mane and a tail.

  “A prophecy has been given,” Sitara said with reluctance.

  A stunned silence followed.

  “Why have you not shared this prophecy with the rest of us?”

  Her normally calm expression became slightly uncomfortable. “It is a prophecy specific to the Serraf.”

  There were several mutters throughout the room.

  Toraun’s face was grave. “That does not matter. All divine knowledge is shared among us. You know that as well as anyone.”

  “Yes, I know,” admitted Sitara, “and we have always honored the tradition. However, we were given strict instructions regarding this prophecy, and it is to be shared only once. We have to be certain that it falls on the necessary ears.”

  There was an outburst in the council chamber.

  “Impossible!”

  “No prophecy has ever had such restrictions.”

  “Who gave this prophecy?” demanded the Vattiri leader.

  “I was commanded not to reveal th
at information,” Sitara said calmly, with the expression of one who was expecting a storm.

  She was not disappointed.

  There was a torrent of overlapping voices that lasted for several minutes. The Serraf leader stood quietly, allowing all to have their say, but responding to none.

  Toraun eventually raised all four arms and gestured for silence.

  “We shall not question the prophets. We must trust that these restrictions are for the good of all.”

  With the council subdued, the more immediate issues were once again brought forward.

  “How are we to lure all of demonkind to one location at the same time?”

  Sitara turned to the speaker—a childlike creature sitting on the back of a fiercesome horned beast.

  The childlike council member continued before she could reply. “I know that I am new to the council, and I do not wish to seem impertinent, but I feel it is a valid concern. Whatever we use to lure the demons must be something enticing if they are to overlook their innate suspicion and caution. We must appeal to their greed. After all, the demon races are not natural allies. If it is something they all want, and they do not wish to share, they shall all rush to obtain it first.”

  Sitara held up a hand. “A moment, if you please. This was discussed soon after we implemented this plan, brother, and we have since devised a course of action.”

  “Oh,” said the creature, with a trace of disappointment that he would not take part in the planning, “I see.”

  “When the time is right, we will allow certain misinformation to be spread to some of the known human spies. We will plant rumors that we are opening the Threshold to obtain divine intervention from the Creator’s realm. The demons will swarm to prevent this from happening.”

  The childlike creature planted his fists on his hips. “We do not have the ability to enter the Creator’s realm without invitation.”

  “Yes, but the demons do not know that.”

  There was no further argument, and it seemed as though the meeting had reached its conclusion.

  Toraun surveyed with other members of the council to sense their approval. He appeared satisfied by what he saw.

  “Very well, we shall begin the final stages of this terrible war.”

  Chapter Thirty: Without Guidance

  Adesina awoke on their sixth day of travel with a terrible headache. She felt sluggish and irritable, and she could barely bring herself to eat or drink.

  “What is wrong, Ma’eve?” asked Ravi.

  “Nothing,” she snapped peevishly.

  He gave her a reproving stare. “You are not a child, Ma’eve. There is no need to lash out at me. Besides, I know very well that there is something wrong.”

  His words did nothing to improve her mood. “Then why ask at all?”

  The Rashad decided it would be best to leave her alone, and she was glad for the solitude. The others cast quick glances at her before following Ravi’s example.

  They had entered a stretch of the desert where the ground was slightly more firm and a type of low shrubs covered the terrain. The air seemed slightly cooler as well, so they had kept traveling along that path. All of the weary travelers were grateful for the small amount of respite.

  Adesina rode at the rear, attempting to fight off the pounding pain in her head and feeling immensely sorry for herself. She ate and drank very little when they stopped at midday, and she could not fall asleep when the time came to rest.

  She would have continued to suffer in isolation, but Mar’sal developed the same symptoms when the time came to move on.

  “What is it, Mar’sal?” asked Than’os.

  The L’avan soldier shook his head. “Do not bother yourself with me,” he replied in a sullen tone.

  “Is your head hurting?” inquired Ravi.

  He looked up in amazement. “Yes. It is horrible.”

  “And have you lost your appetite?”

  “Yes! How did you know?”

  Adesina and her guardian exchanged glances.

  “I have been feeling the same,” admitted the young queen.

  Faryl looked at both of them with concern. “When did this begin?”

  “This morning.”

  The former apothecary made an exasperated sound. “Why did you not say something sooner?”

  She sat both of her patients down and gave them thorough examinations, muttering absently as she did.

  “No fever, but the faces are flushed. Irregular breathing, loss of appetite, lethargy…”

  Faryl set up a blanket as a curtain and ushered Adesina behind it.

  “Strip down, girl. Let us see if you have any rashes or marks.”

  The L’avan obeyed somewhat reluctantly. She was not embarrassed about being unclad, but she was tired of being ordered around by the headstrong older woman.

  “There,” exclaimed Faryl. “That must be the cause.”

  She was standing behind Adesina, and so she couldn’t see what had inspired this conclusion.

  “What is it?”

  The former apothecary didn’t answer immediately. “Go ahead and get dressed again. Let us see if Mar’sal has the same mark.”

  Adesina grumbled to herself as she dressed, and hurried out from behind the curtain.

  Faryl was standing behind Mar’sal, who had removed his shirt. The woman was examining something between his shoulder blades.

  It was a lump the size of an acorn, with smaller bumps all around it. The entire area was red and inflamed, looking extremely painful.

  “I have one of those, too?” Adesina asked incredulously.

  Faryl nodded. “Yes, only slightly bigger.”

  She tried to reach back and touch it, but her arms ached when she strained them. “How do I not feel a sore of that size? The only pain I feel is in my head.”

  “Perhaps some sort of localized anesthetic,” mused the other woman. “Well! Shirts off, everyone. Let us see how far this has spread. Maizah, you may step behind that curtain.”

  Kendan and Than’os both had a handful of small red dots, but not the lump in the center. Maizah and Ravi both seemed to be untouched by the ailment. Adesina agreed to inspect Faryl’s back and found that she had the red spots and the beginning of a lump. Kendan suggested checking the horses, and all of them had lumps on their legs.

  “Well,” she said in a businesslike tone, “now we must determine the cause and the cure.”

  “Faryl,” said Than’os, “this may be a good time to put our training to use.”

  Her green eyes lit with excitement, but she kept her voice calm. “If you think that is best.”

  He smiled at her reaction. “Yes, I do.”

  Adesina could see him connecting to his vyala by the swirling glow of his eyes. There was no tangible change in Faryl, but she took the time to take several deep breaths and prepare herself mentally for what was ahead.

  Faryl made a series of small gestures with her hands, as if she were physically directing the streams of vyala. She chose to focus on Mar’sal, since he was standing nearest to her.

  Adesina felt Ravi’s mind closer to her own than ever before. It was as if the Joining had intensified for some reason. In a moment of rare clarity, the young queen could actually see what was being done with the vyala.

  Faryl imagined the thin stream of power to be shaped like a surgical tool. She figuratively pierced the inflamed lump with the vyala and opened it to her mind’s eye. The view expanded until Faryl could see the intricate details of the wound.

  “It is not an infection. It is a parasite of some sort—microscopic insects that live in this scrub brush. They are a type of blood-drinkers, and they attack any living creature with which they come into contact.”

  Mar’sal shuddered. “Disgusting!”

  “How do we get rid of them?” asked Than’os.

  Faryl let go of the borrowed vyala and gave a decisive nod. “First, we need to get out of this part of the desert. We need to get far away from this brush so we do not att
ract any more of the little beasts.”

  Adesina and Mar’sal were given some herbs to chew to help cope with the throbbing headaches, but that was all for the present time. They rode at a quick pace for the rest of their evening and night travels to get back to the arid sands that they had followed for days before.

  Neither Adesina nor Mar’sal could sleep, so they stayed up with Faryl and Than’os as they began exploring ways to cure themselves and their companions.

  “I am surprised that the salve we bought did not repel these parasites,” commented Than’os.

  Faryl was rummaging through her apothecary pack and gave a distracted answer. “Perhaps it does not work on them. I would think that most travelers would know to avoid that area of the desert, or they would hire guides with the knowledge.”

  “Something we should have done,” muttered Mar’sal, still irritable from his illness.

  “Well,” responded Than’os, “there is nothing to be done now. We shall simply have to take more caution.”

  “Hmmmm,” pondered Faryl. “I wonder if blood nectar leaves would appeal to the parasites.”

  “They do attract mosquitoes,” concurred her partner.

  “If we can make some sort of compound to draw them out of the sores, then we should heal up quite easily.”

  Than’os looked doubtful. “Do you have any blood nectar leaves? I did not think they have any medicinal value.”

  “No,” confessed Faryl, “but I wonder if perhaps we can make some.”

  “Make some?” questioned Adesina.

  “Do you recall that the Shimat called me the alchemist?”

  Those listening nodded.

  “Well, alchemy is the science of transforming matter. I was called this because of my ability to combine elements and to obtain unexpected results. Perhaps, with the help of Than’os’s vyala, I can use my skills to transform the herbs that I do have into blood nectar leaves. Or, at the very least, simulate the effects of the leaves.”

  Than’os appeared to be intrigued by the idea. “What herbs will you use?”

  “I have pongia root, which can leech out impurities from an open wound, and I have hummingblossom leaves, which act as an herbal expander.”

  “What is an herbal expander?” asked Mar’sal.