Crimson Knight (Crimson Series Book 0)

by K. L. O Johnson

  I felt strong arms string around me and I recognised them as David’s. “Where’s your pod?” he asked against my ear. I glanced down at the ID card and said, “A5, level 91.” Looking up I eyed the many, many rows that spiralled around high into the air. “Yours?” My eyes were still glued to the many pods that was filled in silver suited men and women.

  “Mine’s A7, level 90.” he whispered and I giggled, feeling my cheeks heat at the sensation of his breath on my neck. Bella, Kristan and Daphne were all quick to give me a brief hug before disappearing to their designated pods. Marcus said his goodbye along with Jorden while Odette gave me a long embrace telling me that Kal will be with her parents on level 92 in her coma state. I wasn’t too sure if that was healthy for her but didn’t say otherwise. It was sad but I knew Kal was strong. I knew she’d find a way out of this.

  I turned my attention back to David, he threaded his fingers through mine and led me to one of the windows that spanned outer space. I heard the whoosh of the elevator modules being shot to the upper levels. “Do you know how long we’ll be out for?” he asked.

  I shook my head, “No.”

  “Five Earth years.” I gasped. So much time will go by and my friends on earth will age without me. Well to be accurate, will age without my idol form—a genetic code of human physiology. When we return I’ll appear sixteen even though I’ll be twenty-one. My Vampieruz form, as I’ve been told will age much more slowly than humans and vampieres all together.

  “That’s a long time,” I said.

  “Yeah it is. Apparently we’ll shift through space where predicted portals will be. Thank you Nerelda. Explaining why it’s a lot shorter journey then what it would normally take.” he said and I sensed he wanted something but couldn’t quite place so instead I asked.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Positive.” I motioned to leave by his lips lingered over mine and I returned the tenderness there. I heard my mother call in my Vampieruz form, I understood the sensitivity of my environment. I glanced up and spotted she moved to away and out of sight.

  “I have to go.”

  “Wait . . . there’s something I have to tell you.”

  “What?” I asked feeling his breath against my lips.

  He stepped away and said, “Ivan escaped and the demon still hasn’t been found.” With this new information I moved to the module and alighted at my chamber for the next five years, a small cocoon big enough to fit one but two if you really tried. I greeted my parents and told them I loved them.

  It would be a quick dream I knew but when I woke I knew five years would have passed. A gentle beeping sound ran then a woman’s voice broke through instructing us that it was time to enter our frozen sleep. I glanced at my parents one last time and stepped inside my pod. I feared after this, I’d become claustrophobic. The lid expelled gas and slowly pulled over me before fastening in place. Something prickled my scales and the pod began to hum to life. Before I knew it, my eyes closed and I entered a deep sleep. One that will last five years for haunting nightmares.

  4 years later,

  By the time, I woke. I was conscious of my open pod. Red lights, silently flashed, like a warning to run. It wasn’t my pod that was empty, it was everyone else’s. I stepped out of my chamber big enough to fit two fully hatched Vampieruz. I wanted to know more, so I trailed beside the handrail, aware I was alone.

  The thing that haunted me most was blood pooling out of the ends of a pod beside me, I gulped in fear that threaded throughout my body and waited achingly to note an empty pod. My fear didn’t extinguish instead, it fizzled and fuzzed, as my eyes regarded the pool of blood. It was someone’s blood—and there was a lot of it. I knew it was spilt a while ago. I stepped over the coagulated blood and over to the stairs that led up to the upper and highest level.

  Climbing the railing, I spied what I feared, more blood. It was tarnished over three pods as if someone came trotting along and finger painted it. It was gross and dry. The scent of blood hung in the air as did something else, I couldn’t quite place. Two of the pods were smashed, the third one was clawed at—almost as if something was trying to get in. There were thick jagged markings as I stepped closer, they were almost animalistic.

  As I peered at the pod, condensation was glued over the surface. I wiped at it and gasped. Kal was inside and untouched—thankfully. She was asleep. Fearing for her safety, I started punching in random numbers into the key pad to get it open but with no luck.

  Frustrated, I bashed my hand against the lid. Annoyed, I couldn’t help her. “What do I do?” I voiced and faintly heard clicking not like a visceral but more like an insect. It was loud, close but in short frequencies. A different kind of fear washed over me as I was now mindful . . . I was no longer alone. I glanced up, flat teeth and black only skin glossed my sight, as the monster seemed to almost purr then click once again.

  I backed away slowly, aware it had no eyes. The monster inched closer to me, drawing itself nearer. He continued to follow me its thick clawed paws sticking to the walls before climbing over Kal’s pod. He seemed to rest himself there—positioned ready to pounce. And pounce it did. I evaded the sharp claws in time and spun around, peering over my shoulder, I watched as I monster climbed onto the railing and walked along it before bounding after me. Down the stairs I ran, preparing to fight.

  I leaped feeling the stairs loosen and forward rolled away from the monster as it teared the staircase off. It was pulled and hauled onto the ground like a domino toppling off a table. I regarded the monster as big as a lion it was but even more dangerous.

  He leaped at me and I transitioned. My braces were locked onto its saliva filled teeth. My armour remained smooth and untainted, instantly, I ripped out my forearm blades. They sliced at the sides of its mouth—tearing it open as I flipped away. I crouched, a hand steady before me, keeping me on the balls of my feet and I regarded the prospect of the screeching monster. Blood the colour of his skin oozed and bubbled falling to the ground. He seemed madder now and leaped toward me, I rolled in time, on my side and away.

  I watched as it screeched and gargled sizzling foam within a very few surprising seconds as it seemed to glare at me, the clicking continued and its head moved briefly, from side to side, as if sorting out its surroundings. He lunged once again this time, its teeth extended and I evaded each crunching jaw that considered snapping me in half. I jabbed at it a few times and dodged some more, it was pushing me back I eventually noticed but didn’t have time to react before I stumbled off the edge of the landing. I grasped a bar that protruded from the edge as the only safeguard I had, the monster seemed to almost smile at me but I knew that was impossible. Animals didn’t know how to smile—or so I liked to think. Especially at this moment, with no power to fly the fall would hurt, especially from a height of two thousand metres.

  The monster seemed to leap for me and without thinking my body flew and my feet locked onto something. I stared at the grounding I found, underneath the landing I had almost fallen from. The monster snarled at me and I smiled, “Cool.” The monster jumped and the bolts that kept this quay together I could tell was going to give way, so I trusted in the energy I harness and began to run. Coming to the end I jumped, my body flipped and I landed on my feet on the landing below and heard the grinding of metal as it began to give way. “Kal!” I called as I watched her pod slide over the hand rail before tumbling into the empty space.

  Without thinking, I leaped after her. I noticed the monster wasn’t behind me and considered my lucky stars I had a chance to focus on one thing at a time. I caught up and felt my hair whip around me as I landed on her pod, I began to punch, the glass cracked as we inched closer to the ground. My punches became quicker and stronger, until I broke through with enough restraint, to not strike her. I peeled back the glass and leaped.

  The pod shattered. Against the ground below as Kal, laid slumped over my back. I sighed as I settled a lit
tle unsteadily upon another landing stage. I kneeled, attempting to pluck Kal from me, before positioning her comfortably onto the ground. I regarded the monster high up, my Vampieruz vision kicking in. It ran along the sterling metal wall and towards me, I stood ready and attempted to focus. “Come on.” I groaned, wanting for my sword to appear. It happened twice now but I still didn’t have the control over that power Kal did. It pumped towards me like a raging bull.

  It soared into the air as did I. Our bodies collided and down we fell, twisting and turning, snarling and punching—breaking to be free of each other. The ground came quickly but not quick enough as I twisted around and watched as I forced the monster into a shattering crater. It was small as I knew, I had to hold back, I had no idea where everyone was and wondered where they were but knew they had to be here somewhere on this ship.

  I pulled myself painfully from the monster once I was certain it wouldn’t move. I heaved myself to my feet and watched as it remained still. Gathering my energy, I began to leap, grasping the palings as I climbed my way up to Kal. When I arrived, I noticed she was unharmed. Pulling her over my shoulder, I descended across the room, leaping carefully and grasping the bars firmly as I descended. Once I was secure, I turned my heel and waddled towards the exit.

  I trudged with Kal down an abandoned corridor. Given recent circumstances, I really didn’t like the look of this. There was no blood as I expected instead it was clean, as if nothing had ever happened and that worried me most. I wondered what happened and where everyone was though, I knew I wouldn’t receive the answer to those questions any time soon. We wound down several more corridors and eventually came across a classroom, it was still and silent, tables were screwed into the ground along with strangely moulded stools. It was clean but empty.

  I gently placed Kal down and whispered, “Hang on Kal.” She didn’t respond as expected, instead remained asleep and I marvelled once again, if this was good for her but then again I knew if she was ever threatened her body would switch quickly into a torpor condition. Untouchable and unattainable. So I knew I had nothing to worry about the problem was, I didn’t know, if I could pull her back from her semi-torpor condition, Kal was considered stronger than me, so her moulding into a torpor condition was something I couldn’t afford but then again I was afraid she’d turn on me like she did before. The arena. It was considered to be a universal combat sport. So to see a Nefaliem in it, was no surprise but Kal—that was a surprise. Even though she insisted on putting up a front. I knew she wasn’t as hostile as she seemed.

  Clattering once again caught my attention at the back of the room and I spied nothing. I glanced at Kal and stood, walking towards the noise, I eyed the table at the back of the room cautiously. It occurred again and this time as I regarded, the four-by-four room, with a single wall of glass. I wanted to know what was going on, however nothing moved but I spied an outline of a shoulder and a head. Without warning, it moved quickly across the room and I knew where his head was, so swinging wouldn’t be too hard but catching it may be harder. I followed it across the room until I was near the windows to my right. I continued to face the back of the class, carefully surveying where the figure disappeared to.

  I really didn’t want to do this but I knew I had to. It was expected of me to after all, I was the only one here with a duty of care to protect Kal. So I moved towards the other end of the room, where I believe was the last time I saw the figure. This time, I walked up and down at the back of the room just to make sure. And as to my surprise, there was nothing to be found.

  Turning around I froze, “Hey! What are you doing!” I demanded and sprinted across the room to Kal, while the girl in white hopped out of the way giggling, I stopped before Kal and kneeled.

  “Helping.” The stranger replied.

  I glared, “Helping with what?”

  “Her torpor condition.”

  “How did you—” I asked wondering how she knew. I didn’t recall her face, if she was a friend of Kal’s I would have found out one way or another—that was only if I were to pay attention.

  “Oh please everyone on this ship knows, well everyone who isn’t . . .”

  “Everyone who isn’t what?” I froze and began to back track, “Wait . . . who are you?” I asked eyeing her pale chalky features. Her eyes weren’t ordinary human like eyes instead they were wide and angled. The sclera was black instead of white as bright blue eyes stood out as sharp slits similar to Kal’s eyes. With a small nose and lips she appeared like an alien doll. White straight hair fell down to her rear. I noted she didn’t wear just a white fleecy scaly dress but with added armour flattened around her wrists, waists, cleavage and shins all of which were similar in design to the Nefaliem armour. “Better yet what are you?”

  “How rude. My name is Astaria and what I am is a hybrid.” She crossed her arms when I didn’t answer she continued, “A Nefalum, you know children from the union between a Nefaliem and a general Outlander.”

  “Oh right. I remember sorry,” I spoke. “What did you do to her?” I asked feeling Kal for the first time, in a long time, move. I regarded her and watched as her brows scrunched. She moaned and mumbled:

  “My head.”

  “Kal?” I asked, ecstatic.

  “I gave her a potion.” I glared.

  “What type of potion?”

  Astaria glanced down at her armoured covered waist and I spied packs and bottles nestled around her hips. She unplucked a small pouch and pulled out a bottle with purple liquid. “An elixir of some kind to pull out people from torpor conditions.”

  “So you didn’t make it?” I pressed.

  “No. I’m not that good.” I heard Astaria gasp and I spied she glanced at the entrance, her sharp ears twitched a little, “They’re coming. We have to hide her, quickly.”

  “What but wouldn’t they have found her before in the Cryogenesis Chamber. Where we all were supposed to be.”

  “They didn’t know where the chamber was, instead they were dealing with the Hunters.”

  “There are Hunters on board?” I asked wondering if I’d see Ryan.

  “Yes, they were the only ones to not enter the Cryogenesis Chamber. Instead, they lived as normal, well before the pirates came on board.”

  “How do you know all this?” I asked.

  “My father was in the same chamber with the rest of the other Resoncretalians. I waited with my mother because my mother and I are Cretalians we had to man the ship. I was there when the pirates attacked. My mother told me about the Nefaliem Princess was on board and about the potion. My grandfather made it so, I guess I trust its sources.”

  “Why Kal and not her parents?”

  “I don’t know.” I heard footfalls in the distance and Astaria began to panic. “Quickly, we have to leave.” I threaded Kal’s arm around my shoulders and heaved her to her feet. She groaned and mumbled something but I was too concerned about the pirates on approach, to decipher her words.

  “Lead the way.” Astaria nodded and moved to the entrance.

  “This way.” I followed after her. We entered the hall and ran away from the sound of the wandering feet on approach.

  “How did pirates enter the ship?” I demanded.

  “I don’t know but I recalled they harboured a weapon of some kind and threatened to blow up the ship if we didn’t let them on.” We turned down a corner and Astaria pulled out her transparent ID card and swiped at the keypad on the side. The doors slid open and we entered what looked like a storage room. “Hopefully they won’t look in here.”

  “They’ll look everywhere.” I replied as I set Kal down on the ground. She clutched her stomach and a I asked if she was okay, she as usual, said yes and I heard Astaria speak:

  “Maybe but we can at least try and put some distance between us and them.”

  “You do realise we have limited distance right, so even if we go to the end of the ship we’ll never get away from them.”

  “But it’s better than being caught.” The sound
of a child’s giggling caught both of our attention. We glanced over at Kal. “Oh no.”

  “Kal?” I asked, only to find something move beneath the silver cloak. A child’s head popped out. A seven-point star was planted upon her forehead along with two smooth stripes on either side. A big smile graced her features as long silver hair pooled over her shoulders.

  “Yeah?” she asked giggling.

  “What happened?” I asked turning to Astaria.

  “I think that was one of the side-effects.”

  I nodded and forced a smile for Kal’s sake, noticing she was eyeing us with confusion. And I was no doubt shocked at the power of this spell. “Can I go play?”

  EIGHTEEN

  Anchored

  “No.” we both declared. I could tell Kal was a little too clever, her bright blue eyes regarded me carefully before falling to Astaria and back again. The next words that left her mouth didn’t surprise me. “What’s going on?” Kal asked and I couldn’t help but scoop her up into my arms.

  She was so small and so delicate. I couldn’t help but declare: “You’re so adorable!”

  And Kal laughed, “No I’m not.” I bounced her, around in my arms, making faces at the recently turned one-year-old.

  “Of course,” Astaria stated with a wide grin and Kal smiled soon after pointing to Astaria.

  “Pretty.”

  “Well thank you. I do try to look my best.” Astaria stated and eyed the door with a worried gaze.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked.

  “They’re here.” I froze and felt Kal squirm in my arms.

  “Kal, stay still,” I desperately whispered. She continued to struggle against me and all I wanted was some silence. “They’ll find us.” The door slid open and there stood two pirates. Haunting smiles graced their lips.

  “So true.” One said.

  Half an hour later, I growled. “Let us go!” Bronze bracers wrapped around my armoured forearms, transitioning me back into my human idol form. The man gruffly shoved me forwards and I stumbled with Astaria into the cell. The door closed and my heart leaped. “Kal! Give us back our friend!” I glared at the largely built pirates; especially the with one bionic eye he looked intimidating as he was the one that held Kal. He merely snarled and took off, with a crying Kal. Her screams stabbed at my heart before they fell silent. I regarded the sight before me in surprise as it happened all too quickly for my human eyes. Dante stood cradling Kal as the pirates were unconscious, lying sprawled along the floor. “Dante?”