“A warden?” Kaan asked, surprised.
“Yes. It’s a long story. But a deal was made and Master Rand thought I deserved a parting gift based on my performance.”
“You defeated a warden!?”
“No, but he felt I had earned the gold. I have had no use for it here, so I spent some on this,” Brant said, indicating the bottle. The beverage he had purchased was a spirit called Sil and it was made from a cactus found only in the Sil desert. It was rare, and very expensive. But luckily, Anders, the barkeep in town, had a bottle available. It had cost him two gold dracks, an unbelievable sum for a bottle of liquor.
Kaan’s smile was contagious, and everyone was soon beaming ear to ear. “Jana, quick, fetch some fresh cups.”
She jumped up and ran to a shelf where they kept their mugs. She brought four to the table, setting them before each person.
“You two will just get a taste as you probably won’t like it,” Kaan said as he got up and poured a small amount into their mugs. Then he poured a healthier portion into his own cup as well as Brant’s. He lifted his glass. “To friends and family.” Everyone lifted their mugs as he toasted. Then they all drank.
Jana and Tobias immediately cringed, their faces wrinkled in distaste. But they knew it would be rude to spit out the small amount they were given, so they swallowed the burning liquid.
Brant held the liquid in his mouth for a moment, trying to analyze the flavor. The alcohol burned at first, but then the sensation disappeared and was replaced by a mild sweetness, followed by a flavor that he could not place. He swallowed and immediately his belly felt warm. The exotic flavors of the liqueur coated his tongue. They were flavors he had never before experienced. It was honey-like, with some sort of spice and a hint of smoke. The velvety liquid lingered in his mouth and he savored the experience as long as he could before swallowing.
Kaan sat back in his seat, his eyes closed, he too enjoying the flavors before swallowing. “That is incredible,” he whispered, opening his eyes. “Thank you, Brant.”
Before Brant could respond, they heard a strange sound from outside. It was barely audible, but the uniqueness of it caught all their attention. It was a sound similar to one makes when they quickly move their tongues forward in their mouths, the wetness of the clicking giving the sound an eerie quality. They all sat up straight, listening intently.
The sound became softer, then louder, its pitch changing as it circled around the little cabin. It sounded as if whatever was making the noise was moving around the outside of the house at an astonishing speed.
“Brant, grab the sword! Kids, get against the far wall!” Kaan ordered as they all moved into action. Everyone sensed the alarm in the urgency of his voice, and followed his instructions immediately. The far wall he was referring to was the only windowless wall in the one room cabin.
Brant jumped up and grabbed the sword from its resting place near the door. Kaan did the same while double checking that the beam securing the door was still in place. Both of them backed up in front of the children, their swords held before them.
The sound continued, rising in volume. It was hard to describe, like a clicking sound underwater, wet but piercing.
“Father, what is it?!” Jana screamed, covering her ears against the eerie sound.
“I don’t know!” he said tensely, then turned to Brant and whispered, “It’s the kulg.”
“Are you sure?” he asked softly.
“No, but I’ve never heard anything like that. And I’ve heard stories about them, how they make these horrible sounds before they attack.”
Just then something crashed into the door, shaking it on its iron hinges. Jana and Tobias screamed.
“Promise me that you will not let them suffer as their mother did,” Kaan whispered, lifting his sword higher.
Brant looked back at the children, Kaan’s meaning clear. He didn’t know if he could do it, but he knew he had to ease Kaan’s fears. He nodded his head.
The door shook violently again as another loud crash cracked the wooden beam that locked it, the sound of the splintering wood raking on Brant’s nerves. And without even thinking, he brought forth his aura energy, the first time he had done so since he had left the camp. He could feel his strength and courage increase as the power flowed through his limbs.
The third hit was all it took. The wood beam snapped in half as the door was flung open. They were immediately assaulted by an overwhelming stench, the smell of death and decay, sour and putrid. And there, through their watering eyes, they saw, standing in the doorway, and silhouetted by the moon’s glow, a tall figure shrouded in a ripped and torn black cloak, the worn garment fluttering listlessly around it. A hissing sound came from the creature as it floated through the doorway, its covered face, draped with the hood of the cloak. The children screamed louder and the kulg’s hissing matched it, intensifying as their terror increased.
“Jana, Tobias, be quiet!” Brant ordered.
There was something in his voice that penetrated their fear. Instantly they were silent, and the kulg didn’t like it. The beast made an eerie clicking sound as it crouched, spreading its arms out wide, impossibly wide. The creature was at least a head taller than Brant, with arms inhumanly long, its pale flesh and long clawed hands visible as it reached out beyond the dark cloak. Its hands, hideous and terrifying, were like gnarly driftwood branches sharpened to deadly points, covered with pale skin stretched tight over its bones. Yet despite the creature’s repulsive appearance, Brant only saw a creature, a thing that had brutally killed his friend’s wife. Any fear he had initially felt was now replaced by anger. The hatred he felt for the thing standing before him was palpable.
Before Kaan and Brant could act, the kulg raised its right hand, releasing an eruption of energy like crackling lightening, arcs of it flickering from one clawed finger to another.
Kaan glanced at Brant, their mutual understanding instant, born of the desire to protect the kids at all cost. In a blink Kaan shot forward to the kulg’s right, while Brant, drawing upon his aura energy, ran to the beast’s left.
A bolt of blue energy shot forth from the kulg’s hand slamming into Kaan’s chest, and launching him to the side where he struck the cooking counter with brutal force. Brant’s unnatural speed carried him to the kulg almost instantaneously, his sword slicing sideways across the thing’s outstretched arm. The blade struck true, but did little damage, slicing through the kulg’s cloak and scoring a shallow cut across its arm. Before Brant could blink, he found himself flying through the air, his chest exploding in pain. He slammed into the far wall and crumpled to the floor. The creature was unbelievably quick, and incredibly strong.
Kaan struggled to get up as the kulg moved toward the children. Tobias, tears streaming down his face and trembling with terror, bravely stepped in front of his sister. But there was nowhere to go, the wall behind them blocking any escape.
“Stay away from them,” Kaan growled, now standing awkwardly on an injured leg, his sword before him. His chest was scorched and his clothes hung from him, singed and smoking.
The kulg turned towards him, its movements jerky and unnatural. “Be patient,” it hissed, its words barely recognizable. “You will all die in due time.”
Kaan roared in fury and desperation as he attacked, his sword dancing before him. The kulg blocked the first strike with its long arm, the blade barely grazing it, but Kaan’s second strike found its thigh, though the blade bounced harmlessly off it.
The creature made a sound that must have been laughter, then followed it up with a flash of its splayed claws, the dark talons digging deep across Kaan’s chest and tossing him to the side as if he were a small a child.
Brant struggled to move as he lay at the base of the wall. He was hurt, and stunned, but something in him had begun to awaken. As he looked at the scene before him he saw flashes of color dancing around the room, making him dizzy. He shook his head, trying to clear it as he slowly stood. As he continued gazing, the colo
rs were still there, but they were clearer, more acute. He realized that he was seeing everyone’s auras, even the kulg’s, whose dark colors of amber and gray danced around it uncontrollably. He squinted through the color and saw that Kaan had been knocked to the floor as the kulg approached the children, whose auras were now flashing bright blue with fear.
Brant concentrated on the kulg, trying to lessen the intensity of the lights. He looked for his sword and found it on the ground next to him. Reaching down, he picked it up. The weapon felt different, more like an extension of his arm. He stumbled forward, his body in pain, his mind dizzy, lifting his sword as he tried to focus through the dancing colors.
Then Tobias screamed. In a flash he could see again, although the colors of their auras did not go away, they just lessened, enabling him to see the kulg lift Tobias by the throat with one hand. Tobias’s scream of fright had broken through Brant’s dizziness.
Something surged within him, and Brant made no attempt to stop it, pushing incredible energy to his extremities. The power of his aura roared in his head, sounding like a thundering waterfall, and almost immediately his sword burst with an intense blue energy, and he launched his body forward, fueled by the aura energy firing through him.
But the kulg sensed the attack, dropping the boy and spinning to meet it, only to feel the force of a Merger’s blade slam through its body, emerging out its back. The power of Brant’s attack sent them both slamming against the wall behind them. Luckily, Tobias was lying on the floor, and Jana had just enough time to scoot out of the way. As they hit the wall, Brant felt his sword literally disappear, turned to dust by the intensity of the aura energy.
But the damage had been done. Brant scrambled away from the kulg, who was now convulsing against the wall as it struggled to stand.
“Brant!” Kaan yelled behind him. Brant turned around to see the farmer’s sword fly through the air towards him. In his enhanced state it looked as if Kaan’s blade was flying in slow motion. Brant’s body, still burning with aura energy, more than he had ever before experienced, spun around easily, catching the blade with one hand. Anyone watching would only have seen the blur of his body as it moved with incredible speed. Without slowing, Brant continued his spin toward the kulg, who, incredibly was now standing, despite the terrible wound it had suffered. Everything happened in a flash. Kaan’s sword, now in Brant’s hand, also burst with blue energy, just as it struck the kulg’s neck, and as the sword flashed into dust, the kulg’s head parted from its neck, dropping to the ground and rolling several paces way.
This time the kulg’s body slumped permanently to the floor, and it didn’t move again.
Brant glared fiercely at the creature, his eyes wide as the intensity of his energy slowly faded. Then he slumped over, feeling completely drained. He was suddenly exhausted beyond belief. The floor welcomed him, beckoned him to lie down, to sleep, despite his desire to stay awake.
He thought he heard Jana and Tobias yell their father’s name, but the sound began to fade as the darkness overwhelmed him. The last thing he remembered before blacking out was the smell of the oak floor, and the vision of the kulg’s sharp decaying teeth, pale, hairless face, and yellow eyes staring blankly back at him.
4
Chapter
Not much research has been done on the effects of the Way on the human body. I have heard of many physical abnormalities, some beneficial to the person and some not so much. I have personally seen only a few. We know for sure that harnessing negative energies, for a mage, can impact the user in a very negative way, creating not just severe headaches and sickness, but also mental illness or death. There are even worse fates as the negative energy can twist them into a blackness most physical and vile. But we know less about the effects of the Way on Sappers and Channelers. I have personally witnessed Channelers with minor deformities like larger eyes, pupils, or even entire eyes of unusual color, or complete hair loss. But I have heard tales told of Channelers and Sappers who had more severe abnormalities; issues like longer limbs, strange color hair, clawed hands, unusual voices, and many other rumors. I believe that these occurrences are quite rare, and typically concern individuals outside the noble families, outlaws who use the Way in secret and who have never been formally trained. It is something that I plan to research further.
Journal entry 31
Kivalla Der’une, Historian, Keeper of the records in Cythera, capital of Dy’ain
* * *
5088, the 14th cyn after the Great Change
Brant opened his eyes and was assaulted by a pounding headache. He heard strained voices, saw flashing colors, and it took him a moment to sort through the stimulus around him, finally noticing Jana’s face above him, yelling his name.
He was on his back and his entire body was sore. Brant sat up slowly as Jana scooted aside; the aura around her was flashing bright red. Brant had to close his eyes and that was when he remembered what Kulvar Rand had said, that in order to control your aura sight, you had to learn to concentrate on something. Eventually you would be able to turn your towd on and off at will. So Brant concentrated on his heartbeat, the rhythmic thumping pounding in his head as he tuned out everything else around him, including the voices of Jana and Tobias, who were clearly agitated.
When he finally opened his eyes he could see much better, his headache had lessened and Jana’s aura, although not gone, had dampened. Finally he heard what she was saying.
“Brant, are you okay!? It’s father, he is badly hurt.” She reached down and helped Brant to his feet.
“I’m fine…I think.” Brant glanced around and saw the kulg’s body and head near the wall. It seemed he had only passed out for a few moments. He looked to his right and saw Kaan lying on the ground, vicious slashes across his chest bleeding profusely. Tobias was kneeling beside him, several rags held tight against the wounds. Brant went to Kaan’s side.
“Brant, can you help him?” Tobias asked frantically, his hands covered in blood. “He is losing so much blood.” Tobias was crying and Brant felt helpless, unsure of what to do.
Kaan’s eyes fluttered open. “Good, you are alive,” he whispered.
“Besides the cuts on your chest, what else is hurt?” Brant asked.
Kaan grunted as he shifted his body. “I think I have some broken ribs and definitely some burns. But those injuries won’t matter if we can’t stop the bleeding.”
Brant looked around and saw a kitchen knife that had been scattered on the ground. “Hand me the knife,” he said to Jana. She grabbed it and handed it to him. Brant cut up the side of Kaan’s shirt, ripping the garment off to get a better look at the wounds on his chest. There were three deep lacerations, starting on top of his chest and moving down and across it. Each one was deep and as long as his forearm, exposing the ribs underneath in a few spots. Brant had no idea what to do, and his facial expression showed it.
“Brant, you need to clean the wounds and stitch them up,” Kaan stammered. “Use the liquor you bought me. Let me drink some and use the rest to kill any infection in the wounds after you’ve cleaned them. Jana, get the needle and thread. You are the most skilled so you will have to do it. Don’t think of it as my flesh, think of it like you are sewing together two pieces of leather.” Kaan closed his eyes, clearly tiring from the loss of blood.
Brant found the bottle of liquor on the floor, and luckily it had not broken. “Tobias, get some clean water and fresh rags,” Brant said. “Jana, get the needle and thread.”
In a few moments everyone had what they needed and stood around Kaan. As if he sensed them, his eyes fluttered open at their arrival. “Here,” Brant said, “bringing the bottle to his lips.” Kaan took a long gulp, followed by another. “Tobias, wipe the wounds as best as you can.” Tobias plunged some cloth into the water and wiped at the wounds, Kaan flinching every time he brushed the cloth over the cuts.
“I’m sorry, Father,” Tobias said through the tears.
“It’s okay, son, you’re doing fine.”
Every time he wiped blood away, more seeped from the cuts. Brant knew that that was the best they could do, and if they waited any longer he would just loose more blood. “Okay, that is enough. Kaan, I’m going to pour the liquor on the cuts. You ready?”
“Do it,” Kaan said.
Brant slowly poured the amber liquid into the gashes, creating a mixture of blood and alcohol. Kaan clenched his teeth, letting out a muffled scream, but he held his body rigid to keep the alcohol where it belonged. He knew that his survival depended on killing whatever type of rot might be under the kulg’s claws. The bottle had been nearly completely full, so Brant was able to fully douse the cuts, but by this time Kaan had passed out.
“Is he okay?” Jana cried, her hand on her father’s forehead.
“I think so,” Brant said, his voice strained. “I think he passed out from the pain. That is good, perhaps he won’t feel what you are about to do.” Brant looked at her. “You need to stitch up his wounds so he won’t lose more blood.”
“I can’t do this,” she said through her tears, holding the needle and thread with trembling hands.
“Yes you can. Your father needs you. He will die if we can’t seal these wounds. You are tough, Jana, you can do this. Take some deep breaths and begin.”
Jana followed his instructions and took several deep breaths, trying to stop her hands from shaking. Then she went to work. She started off hesitantly, her unsteady hands, slippery from the blood, fumbling the needle. But Kaan never woke up, nor flinched, even when the needle pierced his flesh, and that helped Jana visualize sewing through leather or cloth instead of human skin. As she progressed in closing the wounds the bleeding gradually slowed, making it easier for her to finish the task. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, especially to Jana, she tied a knot in the last stitch.
While she had been working, Brant had ordered Tobias to get a pot of boiling water going and to find some clean cloth. Brant had removed the kulg’s body, dragging it outside where he planned to bury it later. Then they cleaned up the mess from the fight. Tobias allowed the rags he had boiled to cool sufficiently, then gently wiped away the blood from his father until, despite the three long gashes across his chest, he looked presentable. Brant considered moving Kaan to his bed, but was worried that the process of lifting him would reopen the wounds. So instead, they made his spot on the floor more comfortable, carefully sliding a blanket under him. They then draped another blanket over him and placed a soft pillow under his head.
The Steel Lord: Book 01 - BannerFall Page 13
