Shades Of Justice

by Justin Sloan

  “What happened here?” General Tarstan asked, going to her and kneeling in front of her, his hands on her shoulders.

  She shook her head, mumbling something about an ambush.

  “And the rest of your party?” General Tarstan asked.

  Slowly her eyes rose to meet his. “Dead. All…dead.”

  The water mages bowed their heads, right fists to their hearts for a moment of silence.

  “What say we go kill the bastards who did this?” General Tarstan asked. “Not just these…I mean all of them. Everyone behind this attack and this fire.”

  “I’d say that’s a damn fine idea,” General Simone replied, finally pushing herself to her feet. She looked at Rhona and the others and frowned.

  “Come,” General Tarstan said. “I’ll introduce you and fill you in on the way.”

  As it turned out, General Simone wasn’t nearly as insane as she had first appeared. When she introduced herself to Kia she was especially understanding, and told her that she had been a bit of a warrior in her youth.

  “Makes you age quickly, though,” General Simone said, holding out a clump of her gray hair. “But hey—grow old faster than is natural, or watch your loved ones die while you do nothing… Easy choice, right?”

  Kia couldn’t help but glance at her dad and Lannis and nod at that. There had to be some insanity in this woman though, or she wouldn’t be so chipper after just losing her entire crew.

  A moment later she sort of understood, when the woman spotted another small group of soldiers working to spread the fire.

  “There those donkey-ball-licking pieces of rotten shite are,” General Simone shouted, not waiting for the others to follow as she charged, sword drawn.

  “She’s…eager,” Kia said, as much to herself as anyone else.

  “And she’ll get herself killed if we don’t help,” Alastar replied, joining the charge. Soon they were all running toward the enemy, and this time Kia had a chance to join the fight by sending some of the flames back upon their creators.

  Another group of men came out of the already smoking woods, apparently having been at work on the fires but seeing the charge.

  Lannis was the first to act, to Kia’s surprise, pushing the winds so that the smoke spiraled down to meet the attackers. That resulted in shouts as the smoke descended and coughs afterward, since the inhalations before their intended battle cries had become breaths of heavy smoke.

  “Nice!” Kia said.

  Rhona, crouched in front of them and ready to attack, glanced back and smiled. “I have to agree. It creates plenty of shadow.”

  As her eyes went black she turned and waved her hands, and then thrust them forward. Screams came from the dense smoke, several bodies actually becoming visible as they were tossed backward and slammed into trees.

  When the fog cleared, there were only a few staggering enemy soldiers left. They glanced around in shock, stared at Rhona and the others, and then took off running the way they had come—right into the flames.

  Rhona stood weakly and Donnon ran over to help her. She ruffled Lannis’ hair as they walked away from the flames and smoke.

  “What now?” Kia asked, looking around for more of a fight.

  “Let’s move,” her dad replied. “We need to regroup, then head north.”

  Kia actually found herself feeling let down at the idea that they wouldn’t have more action here, but nodded and followed. The group moved on, weaving through the woods to avoid the smoke and flames. The wind was blowing southeast so at least that helped, though once or twice it changed directions. At those times, Lannis would give it a gentle nudge to stay away.

  Grass gave way to dirt and old chunks of cement, and they stopped a little while later at a point where old metal formed the carcass of a giant beast, rotted away at the top. Two longer bits of metal extended to each side like wings, though Kia knew better than to think anything metal could have ever flown.

  “What is this thing?” she asked her father.

  “They called it an aircar once,” he replied. “I think… No, that’s not right. An airplate? Something weird like that.”

  She nodded, full of awe at the clear sign of a civilization that had once been so great but was now long gone. Ashes in the wind.

  During their break Alastar and Estair checked to see if anyone else was injured, stopping at a couple people to heal them, and at others to simply restore their stamina. Meanwhile, the generals conferred with their soldiers, and Rhona and Donnon sat with Kia and Lannis.

  “My calves are killing me,” Lannis whispered.

  “You want them healed?” Kia asked, glancing at Alastar.

  Lannis shook his head. “Isn’t the muscle supposed to hurt to grow? I want them to grow, and I’m not entirely sure healing them lets that happen.”

  Donnon frowned. “You know, that’s a good point. Huh! I never thought of that.”

  Lannis beamed.

  “Then again, why do you need big muscles?” Rhona winked and nodded toward Kia. “Who’re you trying to impress?”

  His pride vanished, replaced by a red flush. His eyes couldn’t meet Kia’s as he tried to come up with an answer.

  “Shut up,” Kia told the older woman. “He doesn’t have to impress me. I already think he’s quite the catch.”

  “Y-you do?” Lannis asked.

  She nodded. “Of course. Hell, if we were older and I didn’t frown on courting someone I’m fighting alongside, I’d be your girlfriend.”

  “Right,” he said, smiling at the compliment and ignoring any doubt he might have had surrounding the statement. At this point she imagined he just wanted to escape the conversation with his dignity intact, or preferably even recovering.

  “I don’t know about all of you, but I’m ready to be done with this,” Rhona stated, catching Kia off-guard.

  “But you’re the one who’s out to get this goddess!” she protested. “I mean, this is pretty much your fight.”

  “Does that mean I have to be enthusiastic about it?”

  “No,” Donnon interjected. “But you might act more eager to get on with it.”

  “What are you saying?” Rhona asked.

  Donnon looked around at the other soldiers, then turned to the flames that lit the sky and filled it with dark smoke.

  “This, they can handle. The Lady Mowain?” He shook his head. “That’s all on you.”

  “Meaning, you think we should get going?”

  “Meaning,” he smiled as if the point were too obvious to be worth discussing, “I think we should get going.”

  Rhona leaned against the old metal and let out a sigh. “I enjoy the idea of being the helper instead of having the whole world’s fate riding on my shoulders.”

  “Well, yours and Alastar’s,” Donnon pointed out.

  “And ours,” Kia corrected him. “Don’t forget, we’re all in this together.”

  “Thank you,” Rhona said, giving her an appreciative nod. “But your father’s right, isn’t he?”

  Kia glanced at each, then nodded. “If we want to catch her before she has a chance to set up a new defense or do something totally unexpected, then aye. It’s time.”

  “Everyone here’s against me, huh?” Rhona laughed. “You too, Lannis?”

  He shrugged, considered it, and nodded.

  “Fine.” She stood and walked over to have a word with her brother.

  Donnon turned to the two children, his expression stern. “Just so I don’t go crazy here or come back to this moment with regrets later in life, I will ask. Are you certain about this? Let’s pause here and make this the go/no-go point. The point of no return. Are you both totally committed?”

  Kia answered, “Yes,” immediately and turned to Lannis to see what he would say.

  “Completely committed,” Lannis replied, his gaze unyielding.

  For a moment Donnon stared back, assessing the boy, and then nodded. “Very well. It’s a question I won’t raise again. From now on, we are all soldiers
in this war against evil.”

  “Agreed,” Kia and Lannis said in unison, and then smiled at each other.

  “Soldiers!” General Tarstan called, and all heads turned to him. “It is time for us to bid our farewells. Rhona and Alastar here have just informed me that they are leaving to pursue the witch behind this whole fiasco, and so much more. It is imperative that they take her down as soon as possible. Wish them well, and prepare yourselves. We will do our part. We will continue east in hopes of meeting up with the king of Gulanri and his army, and that of Clan Lockmire. We have ourselves a war!”

  The soldiers roared like a massive wave crashing into a cliff and then commenced wishing Rhona and the others luck.

  As Kia followed her father and the team north, leaving the generals and their soldiers behind by that strange metal air-thingy, she couldn’t help admiring them and feeling a hint of jealousy. To be part of a larger unit like that! The structure appealed to her almost as much as the idea of having the opportunity to roam across the lands kicking arses. While she knew they were going north to deal with the goddess, she wasn’t sure how much fighting would actually be needed, or how much would involve her.

  She gave them one more nod before her party crested the hill and moved out of sight.

  With a heavy sigh, she committed to remembering the discipline she had witnessed from them, as well as their sense of loyalty and the warrior spirit. These were aspects of herself she would focus on so that one day she could be the ultimate warrior. Maybe even a general.

  Thoughts like this continued even after they reached the flat plains, working their way around swamps and then back up into the hills to the east, following Alastar’s light fairy. It was quite fun watching that little spirit, even if she knew it was only part of his magic, and in a sense the living aspects of it were a creation of his imagination. She liked to pretend there was a real fairy with them, guiding them along. Maybe even looking out for them.

  In that sense, she realized, she still was a little girl. Oh, well. In some ways, still being a little girl was perfectly fine by her, as long as she could continue to outperform all the bad guys in a fight.

  ***

  Rhona glanced back and saw that the smoke was fairly far to the southwest now, though some of it had moved to the east, almost to the cliffs. She tucked her hair behind her ear and then wiped a bead of sweat from her neck, turning to see Donnon smiling her way.

  “Don’t stare,” she told him. “It’s rude.”

  He continued to smile, nodding to himself.

  “Seriously, what is there to smile about right now?” she asked.

  “Seeing you like this. It’s how we met, you know.” His cheeks reddened slightly, but he went on. “I’ve always found that side of you the most attractive. When you’re down and dirty, in thick of it. Wiping away the sweat, you know?”

  Her eyebrows furrowed. “You mean you get turned on when I’m fighting for my life and am covered in sweat and grime? You’ve got something wrong with you.”

  “Maybe I do.” He shrugged, walking on in silence.

  While he wasn’t looking, her eyes roamed over him—his disheveled hair, the unshaven face, and the wild look in his penetrating eyes when he glanced back.

  “Ah, now you’re realizing the same about me?” he asked with a laugh.

  “Not at all. I was thinking how gross you are like this, but maybe…I could give you a bath next chance we get.”

  He bit his lip and was about to retort when Kia groaned. “Guys, yuck. I’m still here.”

  Rhona glanced back to see Kia and Lannis both looking grossed out.

  “It’s a natural part of life,” Rhona said. “When two people—”

  “Whoa, whoa!” Donnon reached back to put a finger to her mouth. “Not the time or place.”

  “Dad, I know all about that sort of stuff,” Kia replied with a roll of her eyes.

  “No, don’t you say that.” He looked furious. “And how? How do you know?”

  “You don’t live with a bunch of soldiers and not hear a thing or two. I still think it’s gross, even grosser when it involves my dad. So do whatever you need to with each other in private, but no talking about it when I can hear. Deal?”

  Rhona felt blood rushing to her cheeks, so she nodded briskly and walked ahead while Donnon continued the father-daughter talk.

  “How’s it going, taking on the mom roll?” Alastar asked with a chuckle. He was mostly serving as point, following his light fairy as she guided them.

  “I’m not anyone’s mom,” Rhona replied. “I can barely take care of myself half the time.”

  Alastar frowned. “That’s not fair. You’re one of the main reasons we’re winning this war.”

  “This is winning?” she asked, glancing at the fiery sky and smoke.

  “Ask me again when we’ve avenged our mother, but so far we’ve kicked them out of the south and have them on the run…mostly. Aye, it’s winning in my book.”

  She processed this, wondering if possibly it was just the way her head was pounding or the soreness in her feet that were affecting her emotions. Maybe she needed some water or food.

  The day was moving along, so it seemed like a good break point. She had just turned to the children to check if they needed a break or were hungry when she saw Kia dart off. Donnon was staring after her, perplexed, and the girl was running, hands out, sparks starting to form. When Rhona finally saw what was happening, it was nearly too late.

  “Don’t kill him!” she shouted and Kia hesitated, then took a strong stance and thrust her hands out.

  Not far ahead a wall of flame burst upward and caused a man to stumble back and fall onto his butt to avoid getting burned.

  “Good job,” Rhona told Kia as she ran past, wishing there were more shadows here to travel by. Instead Alastar was the first to reach the man, using his magically enhanced speed.

  He grabbed the stranger, a young lad who wore soldier’s leather. His hair had been hacked off, likely with a sword. His dark eyes flitted to each of them as he pulled out his sword, but that only lasted a moment before Alastar knocked it from his hand.

  “Who are you?” Alastar asked, picking him up off the ground with enhanced strength. He couldn’t keep it up for long, but it would be enough to intimidate the lad.

  “You’re all about to be dead anyway. You think I care what you do to me? I’ll be a martyr.”

  “He’s a scout,” Estair said, finally catching up. The rest of the group were right behind her.

  “A scout?” Rhona asked, turning to look for signs of a larger army. He had been running toward the next hill over, so that was the way she now went. She pushed herself to the top, exerting herself more than she had wanted to at this point, but then threw herself to the ground to avoid being seen.

  In the hills below her, behind rocks and in other spots that she could make out, hid large groups of soldiers. Farther south, past them, a fire clearly raged—the source of this smoke. Maybe it had been to divert the forces riding from the south? It was lucky that their small group had avoided it.

  They were staging an ambush. Judging by the direction they were looking, it was meant for one of the other groups, either the king’s or Laird Summers’ group.

  Not acceptable.

  When everyone was together and the man had been knocked unconscious—which seemed best with the kids there, even though they had seen worse—the group started strategizing their best move.

  “We can’t knock them all unconscious,” Estair said. She had argued for simply killing the scout to begin with. “This is the enemy. They’re here to kill our friends—or us, if given the chance.”

  “Well, shite.” Donnon glanced at Kia.

  “Dad, I know it sucks for a kid to kill, but I mean…it’s war. I’ll be a kid when it’s all over. For now, let me save lives by ending lives.”

  Donnon cringed, then shook his head. “When you’re backed into a corner with no choice, then sure. Defend yourself. Defend me. In a t
ime like this—”

  “Fire would be the best choice,” Estair interrupted.

  “And both you and I can make fire,” he countered, glaring.

  “Burn them out?” Rhona asked. When he nodded, she continued, “Do it.”

  “Dad, if you’d let me—”

  “No.”

  Kia turned to Rhona for help, but she held up her hands and said, “I agree with your father. We should avoid as much of this with you as possible. But he can’t very well leave you behind, so since you’re here you have to help us fight. That doesn’t mean you need to take lives when someone else can.”

  With a pout, Kia walked back to whisper with Lannis. That was fine, Rhona thought. Better the girl be upset than slowly scrape away her soul.

  Donnon nodded to the others, pulling out the flint fire-starter he always carried. “We will start the fire along the two edges of the hills. Me on this side, Estair on the other. Right?”

  Estair nodded. “On the count of three.”

  They counted, he struck, and the fire blasted the hillside, so hot that they had to pull back. Men were shouting and running and it became clear that many of them were sorcerers, as they pushed the flames back or sent ice shards through the air. But they didn’t know where to strike, so the attacks were random and ineffective.

  Rhona guided the others to a spot beneath a crooked tree that fanned out to provide nice shade and darkened the shadows, in case anyone looked this way.

  “Now trap them,” Estair said, already waving her hands and focusing, her eyes pure black.

  Donnon had the same look, and together they moved their hands and the flames followed, licking the ground and flowing across it, working to trap their enemy.

  Screams sounded. Men and women were burning.

  “This is cruel,” Kia stated, starting toward the edge of the shadows.

  “We warned you it would be,” her dad replied.

  “Not the fact that we’re killing them, but how. You’re making them suffer. I’m sorry, but…” She reached out, eyes going black, and moved her hands in quick, darting motions. The flames exploded in spots, surging bright white and blue over and over. She made more motions and it was like a crescendo, one explosion after another.