I looked at the crater and scanned my memory.
“No,” I said. “I didn’t know about the North Watch until after this happened.” I pointed at the crater. “Why do you ask?”
“Raja said you had to do the ritual on your own,” he said. “That is not what I had learned from the records about the foci.”
“He told me the same thing when I wanted to bring the others along,” I said. “Something about it being more dangerous and that I had to do it on my own.”
“I didn’t think it was possible…” He went silent, lost in thought.
“What?” I asked. “You didn’t think what was possible?”
“Either Raja doesn’t know…” he replied, snapping out of his reverie. “That is highly unlikely, being a repository of knowledge. The alternative is that—”
“He’s lying,” I said as the implications dawned on me.
ELEVEN
WHERE ARE WE? Meja looked around and noticed the tre they were standing in. Inside the tre was a stylized claw. The nighttime air was cool. Meja recognized the Rah Ven plane.
“This isn’t the Records,” said Mara.
“This is my home,” said Noga. “I have not seen it in some time.” She took a deep breath and immediately grew alert.
“What is it?” asked Meja.
“The others are here,” said Noga pointing. “Headed in that direction, to the city. To the Rah Ven.”
“You mean…?” began Mara.
“The Reapers. They are going to kill the Rah Ven,” said Meja.
Mara looked in the direction Noga was pointing. A cold shiver ran through her. She turned to Noga. “We have to warn them before it’s too late,” she said.
“Can you contact more of the guard?” asked Meja.
Noga shook her head.
“The guard stays with the Alpha, most of them are at the South Watch. Or were, when I left,” Noga answered. “Some came here when the new Alpha was chosen. They would be with the Alpha.”
Why would the Keeper send them here? He knew we had to go to Dante, to the Records. This makes no sense.
“Let’s head to the city and see what we can find out,” said Meja.
Behind them, she heard a sound and avoided the curved weapons at the last second as they flew by her. Why didn’t I sense that?
“What do we have here?” said a voice.
A figure emerged from behind them, concealed in the dark. Dressed in black, it looked a like a shadow among shadows.
“Reaper,” whispered Meja.
The figure bowed with a flourish. In his hands, he held two semicircular blades.
“I thought this was going to be a waste of time, guarding this circle,” he said. “Now it looks like I will have some entertainment.”
Meja manifested Truth. A bright blue light filled the area.
Kenji drew close to Meja. “This is no ordinary enemy,” he said. “You will need assistance.”
“What’s the matter?” said the Reaper. “Are you scared of the dark?”
“No,” said Meja. Her voice took on a deeper timbre. “It is the dark that fears me.”
The Reaper opened his eyes in surprise as Meja moved forward and thrust. The Reaper blocked with his blades.
“You move fast,” he said, breaking her attack. “Let’s see just how fast you are.”
He leaped back and slid into the darkness, disappearing from view.
“Fan out and keep your guard up, he’s here,” said Meja. “And watch for those blades, they move” —a blade grazed her face as it whistled by, cutting her, and she put her hand to her cheek, feeling the blood— “fast.” And silent. This is a game. It’s toying with us. She centered her breath and expanded her awareness. The energy signature astounded her. These creatures are ancient and powerful.
“I know why they made you guard the circle. Surely you must be one of the weakest creatures I have faced,” she taunted. “Come face me, Reaper, if you dare.”
She absorbed Truth and cast the area into darkness. She could sense the Reaper and the rest of the group. She moved to the center and felt the Reaper get closer, stalking her. She felt it pause. It’s going to jump. She manifested Truth and sent her chi into the blade, creating a blazing light. The Reaper screamed as it leaped at her, shielding its eyes. For a brief moment, she saw its pupil-less eyes and understood. The light. They don’t like the light.
She rolled to the side as the Reaper threw its blades. The group loosely surrounded them now. The blades flew by her as she dropped to the ground. She felt their arcing trajectory as they returned to the Reaper.
They act like boomerangs. Deadly boomerangs.
She stood, holding Truth out in front of her. Advancing on the Reaper, she thrust forward. The Reaper slid left and cut her arm. “Not fast enough, no, you’re not,” he said. Meja slashed in front of her, forcing the Reaper back. The Reaper disappeared from sight, his laughter echoing in the night.
“Time to die, yes it is,” he said. “The four-legged one first, then the rest.”
I can’t sense him. Four-legged one?
Meja sensed the Reaper and turned in time to see him appear behind Noga.
“Noga!” yelled Meja. It was too late.
The Reaper moved fast and cut across Noga’s neck. She dropped to the ground. Her hands clenched her throat as blood escaped her fingers.
“She was too slow, too slow,” he whispered. “Time to die. All the four-legged ones will die tonight.”
I am not dying here tonight. I hope this works. She centered herself and controlled her breathing. Channeling her chi internally, she opened herself to Truth and let the energy cascade over her. It threatened to overwhelm her. Her eyes blazed with blue light and she could feel the energy within consuming her. Can’t keep this up for long.
“Reveal him,” she said aloud.
The night blossomed in light. She could see everything clearly now. She saw the Reaper crouching behind Mara, ready to attack. She dove forward, shoved Mara out of the way, and stabbed the Reaper in the midsection, driving it down to the ground. It slashed at her with its blades, but she was out of its reach. Its body was an explosion of light and chi.
“Kenji, it’s too much!” she yelled. “I don’t think I can contain it!” It’s too old. So much power.
The energy of the Reaper washed over her. Her sword absorbed much of it and still it threatened to drown her. Her vision began to narrow as the Reaper started laughing.
“Not strong enough,” he cackled. “Not enough. You die with me tonight!”
Kenji brought down his sword and removed the Reaper’s head. He began to trace glyphs and absorbed much of the energy that escaped the Reaper’s body, redirecting it away from Meja. The light flared for a few seconds and then died down. Meja staggered back and sat on the ground, barely conscious. Her body glowed faintly. Mara crouched beside her.
“What happened?” said Mara, checking Meja.
“The chi of that—thing—is wrong somehow,” said Meja, shaking her head. “It’s not entirely alive, yet it’s connected to something. I can’t explain it.”
“It seems you absorbed some of the Reaper’s chi,” said Kenji looking her over. “That sword of yours is dangerous.”
“Your sword is different from before,” said Mara. “It felt stronger, you felt stronger. How is this possible?”
Meja stood unsteadily as the glow subsided. Kenji put a hand on her shoulder. “Be still for a moment.”
“The Reaper?” asked Meja, shrugging off his hand as she regained her balance.
“Dead,” said Kenji. “You nearly joined it. You must not use your sword this way.”
“Didn’t have a choice,” she answered. “It was either that or let it kill us.”
“It would seem your weapon requires more study; you need to train in its—” began Kenji. Meja raised her hand and stopped him short. They turned at the scraping sound behind them.
Behind them, the body of the Reaper began to move. In seconds,
the body and head were one. The Reaper began to crawl closer to them.
Stepping back, the trio gathered their energy.
“Kenji form a portal and get out of here,” said Meja manifesting Truth. “Warn the others.”
“No, monitor,” said Kenji, drawing his sword. “You will not face this enemy alone.”
“It’s their connection,” said Meja. “These things don’t stay down.”
The Reaper was becoming more animated as it fixed its gaze on them. Then it smiled—a hideous expression of malice gripped its features.
“I am open to suggestions, if you have any,” said Kenji as they stepped back.
Mara shook her head. “I’ve never dealt with something like this,” she said. “Usually when you remove something’s head, it stays down.”
“A chi erasure,” said Meja, her voice grim. “It should remove whatever energy is animating it.”
“No!” said Kenji. “That would be suicide with this creature. The energy would kill you. I can’t let you do this.”
“I don’t see that we have much of a choice,” said Meja as she began tracing glyphs. “You two will have to—” Meja fell back, unconscious, as Kenji caught her. With his free hand, he formed a portal and handed Meja to Mara.
“I can’t let you do this,” he said quietly. “Once I begin,” he said, looking at Mara and then at the Reaper. “you must leave the plane or your chi will be destroyed, and with it your life.”
“But that means that you…” said Mara
“It’s the only way we are going to stop them,” said Kenji. “I have no intention of joining it in death. Now go. That portal will take you to the warrior, and hopefully your master.”
He traced glyphs as he approached the Reaper.
“You have come to die, have you?” said the Reaper as it brandished its blades.
Kenji’s hands left black trails in the air as he moved closer. The Reaper advanced, slashing with his blade. Kenji sidestepped and placed a hand on the Reaper’s chest. The black trails became tendrils that attached themselves to the Reaper. The Reaper screamed in rage and pain, renewing its attack. Kenji skip-stepped to the side and into a forward roll, touching the Reaper again as he passed it. More tendrils formed around the Reaper followed by another howl of pain. The tendrils now connected Kenji to the Reaper. He closed on the Reaper again; behind it, he could see the awestruck Mara cringe as he embraced the Reaper. With one last gesture, the black tendrils grew taut. Mara flinched at the heightened screams of the Reaper.
The Reaper’s body became desiccated and started to fold in on itself disappearing after a few moments. Kenji remained, his body growing thinner by the second. She took a step toward him.
“No, stay back, it’s too dangerous,” he said. “Take her and leave now!”
“Let me help,” pleaded Mara. “It’s killing you!”
“The erasure has to run its course and I can’t stop it,” said Kenji, his voice strained as the tendrils wrapped around his body. “You have to warn them about the Reapers. Tell your master what occurred here.”
“And you?” asked Mara. “What about you?”
Kenji gave her a tight smile. “I’m not done yet,” he said. “I will join you when I can—now go.”
He made another gesture and Mara felt herself being pushed back into the portal. She grabbed Meja and turned, letting the energy envelop her. She looked back and saw Kenji disappear into the tendrils. The tendrils hung still for a moment and then began advancing on her. She ran into the portal carrying Meja and disappeared from view.
**********
Several miles away, Erio crouched down and looked upon the Rah Ven city. He turned sharply and looked behind him.
“What is it?” asked Iza.
“Yago has fallen,” he said. “His connection is gone.”
“The monitor?”
Erio nodded as he stood.
“It is her chi I sense the strongest.”
“How could this be?”
“It would seem that Meja of the house of Aumera is more resourceful than anticipated,” said Erio. “She has proven herself formidable. I do look forward to meeting her soon.”
“She defeated him?” said Iza looking out into the distance.
Erio nodded again. “I can no longer feel his scythe,” he answered as he paused a moment. “It has returned.”
“How is that possible?” asked Iza. “She is not powerful enough to overcome one of us.”
“Of course not,” said Erio. “She had help. This does not make her any less dangerous. She has powerful allies. Powerful enough to perform an erasure.”
Iza clenched her jaw as she narrowed her eyes. Her hair lashed around furiously around her head.
“Iza…compose yourself,” said Erio. “We have other matters to attend to tonight.”
He turned back and motioned for the remaining seven Reapers to join him. Together, the nine Reapers headed down to the Rah Ven city.
**********
At the circle, a lone figure materialized from a rift in the plane. She scanned the circle with her hands outstretched, before her sensing the area. She lingered in the area where Kenji and the Reaper had disappeared. Crouching down, she touched the floor of the circle and brought her fingers to her tongue. She spat on the floor in disgust.
She turned her head and paced slowly to where Mara and Meja had gone through the portal. Moving her hands slowly through the air, she found the remnants of the portal they had used. Whispering some words under her breath, she opened another portal and stepped through.
TWELVE
RAQUEL HAD GROWN tired of the games. She made her way to Monique’s office after she received a message that Rory had gone missing. She opened the door and knew something was off. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end as she looked around. Seeing nothing, she turned to Monique.
“Where have you been?” said Monique. “You were sent to bring the rogue in. She infiltrates the Hub and here you stand without her. Explain this to me.”
“She’s changed somehow,” said Raquel. “This isn’t the same woman we had before. She’s stronger now, dangerous.”
“This is your excuse?” said Monique. “She’s stronger? Why didn’t you bring in her brother? I’m certain he is just as guilty as she is.”
“But he is your—” started Raquel.
“I don’t care what he is to me,” hissed Monique. “If he violated our laws then he deserves to be punished. Have I made myself clear?”
“Crystal,” said Raquel. “I will apprehend him now.”
Raquel turned to leave the office.
“Wait,” said Monique, motioning for Raquel to sit. Raquel remained standing.
“You don’t want him apprehended?” said Raquel.
“No,” said Monique. “He is up to something. Let him plan and plot. We will take him when the time is right. I need you to look into Rory. He hasn’t reported in and that’s not like him.”
“Doesn’t he report directly to you?”
“Yes, but he was doing your job, hunting down the rogue,” said Monique. “I don’t think she is strong enough to stop him, but I need to make certain. Do you think you can handle this?”
Raquel turned to leave once again. “What do you want me to do when I find his body?”
Monique raised an eyebrow. “If you find a body, bring it back here, find the one responsible and end them,” she said.
Raquel nodded and left the office. Monique waved a hand and the room became unnaturally silent. Moments later, a figure materialized. He wore a blue robe with the emblem of a wheel on it.
“Her senses are sharp,” said the robed figure. “For a moment I thought she would discover me.”
“She’s good, but not that good,” said Monique.
“You underestimate her,” he said. “That would be a mistake. She is dangerous. Why haven’t you killed her yet?”
“She still serves a purpose,” said Monique. “Once that purpose is fulfilled, she will b
e terminated.”
“What is this purpose?” asked the robed figure.
“She is a gunslinger,” she said.
“A gunslinger?” asked the robed figure. “I thought they were all eliminated and the teaching banned as too dangerous?”
“She was given a special dispensation,” said Monique.
“Does that mean she is his daughter?” he asked.
“Yes, and this will further serve to implicate her.”
“You plan to use her to—” began the robed figure.
“She and her guns are going to spark the destruction of the Order,” said Monique. “It is only fitting, given her heritage.”
“It will be interesting to see how you arrange that,” he said.
“Leave that to me,” said Monique. “What of the Samadhi? We can’t move until we know where their loyalties lie.”
“The master will convene the Samadhi soon,” he said. “Is the Lotus ready?”
“The Lotus is ready to strike once the command is given,” she said. “We will start with the seniors and move down the ranks. Anyone not loyal to the Wheel will die. Who will deal with the Samadhi?”
“Master Wheel will give them a choice,” said the robed figure. “They will join him or cease to exist. You said the seniors. Does that include Devin?”
“All of the seniors,” answered Monique.
“I will inform the master that everything is in place,” said the robed figure. “Make sure you do not fail.”
“I have no intention of doing so,” said Monique.
The robed figure opened a portal and left Monique to her thoughts.
THIRTEEN
THEY ARRIVED AT the Watch wall. The blazing sun baked the sand under their feet. A hot wind blew small dust devils around them. Tetra felt none of it; his concentration lay elsewhere.
He had felt the shift in the plane and realized something was amiss.
“What’s wrong?” asked Ravia.
“We must find the Keeper,” he said. “The energy of the plane has shifted. Can you feel it?”
Warriors of the Way-Pentalogy Page 59
