“I can’t really miss it, that thing is longer than me,” she said as she backed up.
Hep chuckled. “As excellent a blade as this is, it’s just a blade to me. It’s just a piece of metal. I can use it and I’m actually very good with a blade this size, but I don’t feel connected to it. It’s not a part of me. A named blade becomes an extension of you, of your body, but it goes beyond that.”
She thought she understood what he meant, that familiar feeling she got when she strapped it on. When she held it before it turned dark, it was a connection that ran deep into her core.
“I think I know what you mean,” she said.
“When a hunter uses a named blade they are pretty much unstoppable. It’s why there are no more than ten named blades active at any given time. Plus those who have named blades don’t know which hunter has one,” said Hep.
“Why? What’s the big deal?”
“Think about it: If those ten decided it was time to take over the Order, who could stop them? I mean besides the Grey.”
“So that’s what the Grey is for? It’s like an internal police force that no one knows exists?” said Sepia as she thought out loud.
“Yes, it’s that kind of thing, of who watches the watchers,” said Hep. “Or in this case, who hunts the hunters.”
“What about the other hunters and rogues? Couldn’t they stop the named blades?” she said.
“They could slow them down. Maybe take one or two, but not all ten,” said Hep.
“Do you know why we aren’t supposed to let anyone know their names? Doesn’t make sense to me,” said Sepia.
“Aside from creating an unstoppable force of hunters you mean? Names have power. There was a rumor of a nameless blade that could control all the named blades as long as the wielder knew the names,” said Hep.
“Has that been done?”
“No one has ever found that blade. I think it’s just another one of those rumors in the Order.”
“Do you know the names of the blades?” said Sepia.
“I’ll tell you what. If you beat me, I’ll tell you all twenty names,” said Hep
“Twenty? I thought you said there were only ten?”
“I said there were only ten active at any time. The other ten are stored in a vault at Home. Each blade is twinned to its opposite. Whichever blade is active, its twin is in storage, as a failsafe.”
He faced her and assumed a fighting stance.
“Let’s get you aligned,” said Hep as he began to circle her.
Sepia took a defensive stance.
“I don’t think this is going to work. It’s not like you’re going to--”
Hep slashed toward her. If her blade were not drawn he would have cut her in two. Only her reflexes saved her. She pushed off the broadsword and jumped back.
“What the hell, Hep?”
Her sword was still ringing from the clash of blades. He buried the tip of his sword in the sand on the floor.
“I told you, in order for the alignment to take place you need to feel that your life is in danger.”
She sensed his attitude shift and felt the menace in the air. “You wouldn’t be the first to die on this floor,” he admitted.
He flicked up the tip of the sword, sending sand flying at her face. She raised her arm to protect her eyes while rotating her body clockwise. Hep lunged, aiming for her abdomen. The broadsword cut into her side, drawing blood.
“Shit, Hep,” she said looking down to see the wound closing as the ink flared around the wound.
“Are we serious yet? Or do you think you can just dance around all my attacks?” Hep said, menace in his voice.
“I don’t want to hurt you-- you don’t understand what happens.”
“That is the reason why you are at best a mediocre hunter,” said Hep as he lashed out with a side kick.
Sepia dodged the kick, stepping in as she delivered a punishing elbow strike into his ribs. Her strike bounced off his side as she winced. He delivered an uppercut that lifted her off her feet and landed her several feet away on her back.
“That was a good shot, I almost felt that,” he said as he rubbed his side.
With her sword pointed at Hep, she stood slowly.
“You have no idea what you are facing,” said Sepia.
Hep spat to one side and flexed his massive arms as he raised the broadsword to one side of his body.
“Stop telling me and show me.”
“Just remember, I warned you.”
Sepia let the power envelope her. As she did, the blade of the sword grew darker. The inscriptions flared red and vanished beneath the inky black covering. Sepia began to smile as the dark aura crept over the blade and enveloped her arms.
Hep crouched “Well, hell yes, now we have a fight. Let’s see what you got, little hunter.”
Sepia ran at Hep. He began to bring his sword down in a crushing arc. Before she entered the death arc of the broadsword she leapt and flipped over Hep, landing behind him. Her blade bit into his back as he brought his fist behind, slamming her in the face and sending her sliding across the floor.
She wiped her face, leaving a trail of blood across her chin. Her ink would heal it eventually but it was slower on the parts not covered by the designs. Hep came in with a horizontal slash and changed trajectory mid slash aiming for her calves. Sepia avoided the slash and turned into his attack, slicing Hep’s inner thigh while gracefully jumping over his leg. He fell to one knee as she circled him.
“Damn, that stings. You have to control the blade, Sepia, not the other way around,” said Hep.
“I only see your blood on the floor.”
His words barely registered. She noticed that he was healing fast and that she would need to cut him again and again if she were to kill him and be safe. Hep reached behind him and pulled out a dagger and smiled.
“I want you to know that I’m really enjoying myself. I haven’t had this much fun well, since ever,” said Hep.
Hep slid into her and body-checked her with his sword edge-first, cutting her arms with the dagger as she put up a defensive cross guard. The bracelet she wore on her wrist shattered from the dagger slashes. Using his sword like a staff, he smacked her in the face with the hilt, grabbing the blade as he swung his sword down. The pommel, which had sharpened hooks on either end, jammed into her thigh, tearing flesh. She was trapped against him and couldn’t use her sword.
“You have to concentrate, Sepia, past the pain. Bring the sword to you. You control it-- not the other way around,” he said as she struggled to get free.
He brought down the dagger and shattered her collarbone. She cried out then. Her arm hung at her side, useless. She was taking damage faster than her body could repair. Raising a leg she managed to kick the inside of his knee. It would have been shattered, but he saw it coming and moved. Turning his body he took the kick to the back of the leg, and it forced him to let her go to keep his balance. She backed up slowly, her eyes still focused on her enemy.
“I don’t think you have what it takes, hunter. This has been a good exercise, but it will be better for everyone if I end you here,” said Hep.
His tone left no doubt, he was going to kill her.
They circled for several seconds, each filled with cuts and bruises that were slowly healing. He drew back his sword and came running at her.
I will not die here, she thought. With her will, she reached in and grabbed the power that was coursing through and around her. The change was instant. Time slowed to a crawl. The black energy enveloping her blade and arms dissipated, revealing her blade and the inscriptions that were now a subtle green. The clarity of her senses bombarded her. She could feel the sand beneath her feet, and the sweat on her brow. She sensed the weight differential of Hep running as the vibrations reached her. Each vibration was a world of possibility, shifting points of attack, vectors and angles to be exploited. The information was reaching her through her blade. She had bonded with her sword.
He stepp
ed in to deliver the killing blow. As she watched him move, it looked so slow. It would be so easy to avoid now. She saw his moves and the potential moves he could make, anticipating each outcome with a response. Each one was clear to her. She shifted her weight to avoid the deadly attack and was about to disarm Hep when he went flying back across the floor as if he had reached the end of a tether and was yanked back. The next moment Gan was in her face.
“What the hell is going on?” Gan said, furious.
Sepia had never seen him this angry. She looked down and noticed his hands were smoldering.
“I, we--” she stammered.
Hep was laughing in the corner. Gan turned to face him.
“Ow, ow that hurts!” Hep said between chuckles as he moved his arms and felt his chest tenderly. A palm print was faintly visible.
“That’s got to be at least one, no, two broken ribs, ow. Let’s see if it was worth it.”
He stepped slowly over to Sepia who was still standing in the same place.
“Well? I saw the blade change and on my last run you looked totally different. I was a little concerned for my well-being,” said Hep, smiling.
“I was able to pull it all back. All the power and the energy, I brought it back and it made everything so, clear,” said Sepia. Hep was nodding as he stretched his arms, feeling for any more tender areas.
“I told you she was having problems aligning and I come here to find you attacking her. Explain, and make it convincing,” said Gan.
“She bonded with her blade,” said Hep.
Gan turned suddenly and looked at Sepia. “Is that true?”
Sepia nodded as she looked at her blade with new eyes, it seemed. She looked at the inscription and for the first time the symbols were clear to her and then she understood what she truly held in her hands.
“What does it say?” Hep said as he walked over to where she stood.
“The wielder of this blade commands the power of Perdition, twin to Salvation. Death and destruction, life and creation, as you reap so shall you sow,” whispered Sepia.
Hep whistled low. “Now that is some serious mojo, right there. Do you feel different?”
“I don’t know. Faster and stronger maybe, my senses seem to be on overdrive,” said Sepia.
“You’ll get used to it now that you’re aligned. That does mean that your mom…” said Hep.
“Isn’t alive out there somewhere, I know,” said Sepia.
Hep nodded as he picked up his broadsword and walked over to the work area followed by Gan and Sepia. He placed both the dagger and the sword on the bench and sat down. He tossed one last item on the table and looked at Gan.
“Is this how you knew?”
Gan looked down at the last item. It was the bracelet he had given Sepia long ago, now broken.
“Yes, once it was destroyed I knew right away she was in danger,” said Gan. “I didn’t think that danger would be in the form of my weapons master.”
“You do realize that those gems could have contributed to her being out of alignment?”
“No, I didn’t think they would inhibit her ability to align,” said Gan as he turned to Sepia. “I could have gotten you killed, I’m sorry.”
“They seem to be more trouble than they’re worth, Gan, I’ll work on something similar that shouldn’t interfere with her abilities,” said Hep. “I’m guessing you have an intact bracelet?”
Gan gave it to him.
Sepia sheathed her sword and hugged Gan who had been the only father she ever knew.
“I know why you did it, but I’m a big girl now. Besides, I’m not out there alone you know,” said Sepia.
“Speaking of which, Cade should be here any minute. I have to admit I may have given him reason to believe you were in danger,” said Gan.
Cade came running into the armory with his gun drawn, looking around for Sepia.
“Sepia, you’re okay? That old man can run,” Cade said as he pointed at Gan.
She was glad to see Cade up and moving.
“I’m fine, what about you? Are you done lazing about?”
“I’m one-hundred percent. I’m ready to take names and kick ass.”
Cade holstered his gun and began to look around, whistling low and long.
“Now this is what I call a candy store,” said Cade.
Hep walked over to him and began to show him the weapons. Cade began asking about the rifles on the wall, grabbed several and headed to the range with Hep.
“I need you to stay here with Cade while he finishes recovering,” said Gan. “You could do with some rest too.”
“Where are you going? Does this have to do with the breaches?” Sepia said looking at Gan with concern.
“I have intel that the Overseer is going to do an assessment on the off-site location you were at last night,” said Gan.
“The Overseer? Why would he go to an off-site?”
“Something about assessing the damage, but I think it’s a setup, since it makes no sense for him to be there,” said Gan.
“The guy I met, Jonathan Marks, is his second. He was the one asking the questions. Will he be there?”
“On something this delicate the Overseer doesn’t travel without his second,” said Gan.
The implication was clear and Sepia wanted to pay that son of a bitch back.
“Under no circumstances are you to go to that site. It will be crawling with the Overseer’s men and I still don’t know if he was behind your abduction or if was just Marks, acting alone.”
“Fine, I’ll need to figure out this alignment thing with Hep, anyway,” said Sepia.
“I should be back by nightfall. I will know more by then and I can bring you up to speed,” said Gan.
She nodded and Cade came up to them as Gan was turning to leave. “Where are we going?” said Cade.
“Nowhere. You stay here and recover. I need to get some information,” said Gan over his shoulder.
They both looked at Gan who was walking toward the door. Gan stopped and turned around.
“Hep, make sure they do not leave this facility. I will hold you personally responsible if they do,” said Gan.
Several assistants were waiting for Gan as he left the armory. Sepia turned to face Hep.
“You’re going, aren’t you?’ said Hep.
“I can’t let him go alone. Anyone he takes with him won’t be a match for Marks. I have to make sure he returns in one piece,” said Sepia.
“I won’t even pretend I can stop you. Him, on the other hand I can stop.” Hep pointed at Cade. “But I’m guessing you want him to go with you.”
Sepia nodded.
“You’re going to need this,” said Hep as he walked over to the rifle rack and pulled off a long matte black rifle. Cade’s eyes widened.
“That is a modified Barrett M50. Try not to break it,” said Hep.
Cade took the rifle and smiled at Hep.
“Happy birthday and Merry Christmas to me,” said Cade as he examined the weapon.
“You may need these,” said Hep.
Hep handed her four daggers like the dagger he had used earlier. “It’s good steel, not as good as your blade, but in a pinch, it’s better than nothing.”
She strapped the daggers to her thighs, replacing the ones Marks had taken.
“Thank you,” said Sepia and she gave him a hug, which took him by surprise.
“Anytime, little hunter, you hurry back and we‘ll discuss named blades and maybe dance again.” said Hep.
“That’s a date, grandpa,” she said as she walked out. Cade stood watching the interchange between them and scratched his chin.
“I’m out for a little a while and you go flirting with the first guy you meet?” said Cade as he ran to catch up to Sepia. She ignored him and kept walking, her pace fast.
“Cade?” Hep called out to him as he turned to catch up with Sepia. Cade turned back.
“Keep her alive, gunman.”
Cade nodded, held up the rifle an
d broke into a jog to catch Sepia. Hep closed the door to the armory and hoped he would see her again soon. It had been several decades since he had encountered anyone as skilled or fearsome. She was very much her mother’s daughter. He could only hope she would not share her mother’s fate.
“Watch over them, Emiko,” he whispered as he returned to his workbench.
FOURTEEN
Half of the building was a burnt out husk. Marks could see from a distance that the structural integrity of the site was in danger. Perfect for an accident, he thought.
He drove up to the lot that faced the building and turned off the SUV.
“Is it possible we can just assess from here, sir? It looks like it’s going to come down any moment,” said Marks.
“What are you afraid of, Marks? We need to go in and look at the damage,” said Magnus.
Several more SUVs approached the lot and set up a perimeter. Marks walked over to the drivers and began giving them instructions. Teams of men from the Order began fanning out among the debris.
“The men will begin the forensic investigation and find out the cause of this, sir,” said Marks.
“Good. Let’s go see what kind of damage was done to the building,” said Magnus.
“Is that really necessary? I think it would be safer if you waited in the vehicle, sir.”
“When Regional asks if I saw the site, I want to be able to describe it, Marks. Let’s go in.”
They walked into the ruined side of the building. Most of the actual structure appeared undamaged. The interrogation area was unrecognizable.
As they walked into the building Magnus began looking around.
“I thought you said this was a storage problem?”
“Yes, sir, that’s what the report said,” said Marks.
“Then why is the damage localized to this area, the holding cells. Why were we keeping volatile chemicals in this area?” said Magnus.
“I can answer that,” said Gan.
He stepped out from the shadows with his gun drawn. Magnus looked confused. Marks turned to face Gan and put his hands up.
“Hello, Gan. I have to say I’m surprised to see you here,” said Marks.
Rise of the Night (Sepia Blue Book 1) Page 7
