Awakening Storm

by Larissa Emerald

  The people nearest to him in the crowd turned their heads to watch him.

  “Aidan,” she whispered, extending her arm. He landed on it.

  Looks of awe swept across the faces in the crowd. They took a step back almost as a whole. Perhaps there were no birds in the place—or at least none with the ability to triple in size. He peered at Rhianna. Her jaw was set and she stood up straight, giving her a regal appearance.

  A rumble passed through the ranks. These were the poor souls Theodora had collected over the centuries, the travelers who had ended up in a different destination from what they’d intended just because they’d entered the Dragon Vortex.

  “We must hurry,” one burly man said. The people gathered their injured and disappeared into the buildings like ants into a hill.

  Rhianna turned, and three other men moved with their group around to the back of the Falcon station. The man who had been urging Rhianna to fight hustled away.

  Aidan relaxed a fraction as he watched the guy’s back as he ran.

  As soon as their group rounded the corner. Aidan reverted to his human form.

  She threw her arms around him. “I knew it was you.”

  He dragged her up against him and kissed her, hard and long, with all the pent-up frustration he’d been holding in check. Jesus, she felt so right in his arms.

  “Whoa,” the lanky man next to her said.

  “It’s okay,” she said. “Sean, this is Aidan Hearst. Sole resident of Tsuriairando Island.”

  Sean bowed slightly at the waist. “Aete ureshī yo,” he said in Japanese.

  “Pleased to meet you, too.” Aidan matched his bow.

  “Sean is our helicopter pilot.”

  Aidan nodded. It was nice to meet people from Rhianna’s life. But he still had to get them out of there.

  •

  Theodora floated into town on Game Day as she usually did, but this time she was thoroughly ticked off. Actually, she had been since leaving that Guardian on the road. And now the game had ended short. She expelled a huff of air. It didn’t matter; she hadn’t been watching anyway.

  The leaders of the two factions she’s created—Mamushi and Habu—presented their dead for the tally. She scanned the crowd, glaring. “Really, people. This is a pitiful showing. It’s as if your hearts aren’t in the game.”

  She counted the bodies. Mamushi team won with seventeen kills. She slid the prize bucket of extra food and blankets to their side of street. The men and women hurriedly scooped items up, hugging them tight to their chests, and scampered into the building.

  “Habu team, I’ve got nothing for you.” She laughed. She loved saying that line, loved seeing their faces fall.

  With a swirl of her scepter, the dead were healed and put back together. The group moaned in pain as they became whole again, an added delight to seeing them die over and over again.

  “You need to do better next time or there will be a penalty. Got it?” She didn’t wait for anyone to answer. They knew better than that. So she just vanished in a puff of red smoke.

  * * *

  Each side gathered their men and women and disappeared back into the buildings.

  Aidan ducked through the unhinged doorway of the Falcon gas station, keeping Rhianna close to him, almost blocking her from view in case Theodora were to return. He wondered if she could find them anyway. Probably. But that wasn’t something he’d dwell on now.

  Now that they were concealed within the station, Rhianna leaned against him. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and hugged her. Thank god she was safe.

  Three men entered, two of them supporting Dillon Savage by his arms as he stumbled through the doorway. They were all breathing hard, all seeming to still be in shock. Which was understandable. They had just witnessed—hell, been a part of—an ancient war game. The only difference was that the fallen were brought back to life, the epitaph of the phrase “live to fight another day.”

  Aidan combed Rhianna’s hair back with his fingers, searching her face. “Are you all right? Any injuries?”

  “I’m fine. Just a few bruises,” she answered. She rested against him for a minute and then stepped back, looking at the other men. “Aidan, this is Steve and Dillon from the TV show. You already met Sean.” She paused a beat, her expression shifting from relieved to one of concern. “Are you guys okay?”

  They nodded and grumbled.

  “So it plays out like a video game for her entertainment,” Aidan muttered.

  “I guess. This was our first time,” Steve said, agitated.

  “She took us from our ship and dropped us here,” Sean explained. “We had no idea what was going on. But the people here are quick to tell you. And if you look at their necks, there are marks that indicate how many times they’ve died and been brought back. Evidently, ‘Game Day’ takes place once a week.”

  Dillon’s gaze darted around frantically. “That sucks.” He finally released his death grip on his sword and let it drop to the ground. He rubbed his wrist. Blood stained his clothes. “I’ve . . . I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  “At least you have another chance live and find a way out of here,” Aidan said.

  Dillon nodded as he pressed his lips together, clearly trying not to lose it. He hung his head and folded his arms in against his body.

  Steve looked off in the distance. “Is there a way out of this hellhole?” he asked.

  With a heavy sigh, Dillon pulled himself straighter. “The poor son of a bitches have to go through this over and over. You can’t believe how painful it is to die and wake up. No wonder they become expert fighters. The best don’t get killed.”

  Rhianna pulled away from him suddenly and looked up at him, confused. “Wait. What are you doing here?” she asked.

  “I came to get you out,” Aidan said. “Any ideas?” He was trying to lighten the mood, but it wasn’t something he was very skilled at.

  Rhianna didn’t smile, but tears glazed her eyes. “Thank you,” she said. “No. Just know we gotta get out of here,” Rhianna said.

  Dillon rubbed his temple. “I’m tired.”

  “Look,” she said to Aidan, pointing at Dillon’s neck. “A black mark. Like Steve said.”

  Aidan squinted at the tiny slash. “Some of the people had them all the way around their throats in rows.”

  Dillon closed his eyes, his face full of anguish.

  “Poor devils,” Steve said.

  Indeed. He wouldn’t want to endure that over and over again. He turned his gaze to Rhianna. Her hair was disheveled and her cheeks smudged with dirt. None of these people should have to stay here, but his number one concern was getting Rhianna out.

  He glanced around still trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together that made up this absurd game of Theodora’s.

  “How do you know what team you’re on?” Aidan asked.

  “This side of the road is Mamushi; the other is Habu,” Steve said.

  “Huh, she named them after snakes.” Anxious to come up with a plan, Aidan paced around the group.

  “Yeah, I remember the mamushi from our safety literature,” Steve added. “It’s bite causes the tissue to liquefy. The victim literally loses a chunk of his body.” He scrunched his face and shook his head. “Ugh.”

  Rhianna shuddered. “I hate snakes.”

  Aidan paused, allowing his thoughts to solidify into a plan. “Steve, Sean, and Dillon, see what information you can learn about these games? Is there anything else we need to know? Rhianna, you stay put and get some rest. I’m going on a reconnaissance flight to see how big this universe is and come up with a plan to escape.”

  “What is he talking about,” Dillion asked, Rhianna. Still dazed from what he’d been through.

  Rhianna rested a hand on Dillion’s shoulder. “He has some special abilities. Just trust him.”

  “Whatever you do, promise to take us with you,” Dillon begged.

  “We’re all going to get out of here,” Aidan promised.

&
nbsp; “I’m with you,” Steve assured him. “Thanks.”

  “I’m sure all the people here feel the same,” Sean added.

  Rhianna sucked in a breath, placing her hand on his arm. “Oh my god. What if my great-grandfather is here?” She shook her head, as if scolding herself. “Why wasn’t that the first thing I thought of?”

  “Don’t count on it,” Aidan muttered without thinking.

  Her lips turned down and her eyes misted. A pained look crossed her face.

  He wished he could take the words back. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be harsh. I just don’t want you to get your hopes up. Your great-grandfather has been gone a long time, and he must be quite old now.”

  And I’m a boor who isn’t used to dealing with people.

  He stepped closer to her and drew her into his arms, stroking her silky hair. She rested her cheek against his chest. “But I’ll still do my best to find him.”

  Her response was to squeeze him tighter around his middle and snuggle into him.

  His heart skipped several beats. He’d give anything to make her happy. Anything.

  •

  Anxiety gnawed at Aidan as he took flight. He needed to find a way out, yet he hated leaving Rhianna behind. The skies were the same as when he’d arrived—gray and overcast. He began at his entrance point and glided around the perimeter. The universe seemed to have definite boundaries but no fixed compass. It was comprised of the city, a valley, and a mountain range where there was a partially hidden fortress. Where Theodora lived, he figured.

  He landed near a tree and shifted to his human form. Hoping to discover some clue about the structure of this universe and its boundaries, he examined the area near where he’d entered. Unlike on his side, there was a distinct line where he couldn’t progress farther. At that point, his hand disappeared into a fog and he felt resistance. It was not like a solid wall; it was similar to the elasticity of a balloon. He wondered if it could be penetrated.

  He transformed into his tiger, unfurled his sharp claws and thrust his weight onto the boundary. As he forcefully dug in, the boundary shot him backwards. Still, he didn’t give up. He charged forward time and again, hoping to create a weak area that he could pierce.

  The boundary remained.

  Frustrated and disheartened, after he’d checked everything he could think of, he tore across the gray ground expelling some of his anger, in his effort to return to Rhianna.

  * * *

  The men had all left, and Rhianna pushed herself away from the wall. While she should probably stay here so Aidan could find her, she had to find out if her great-grandfather was here.

  Aidan would no doubt be awhile. She would just hurry.

  Even though the people had said the wars were weekly, Rhianna had to forcefully tamp down her fear that another war session would start unexpectedly. It had been too traumatic, and she didn’t trust Theodora. What if the sorceress changed the rules?

  Rhianna hustled through the streets, asking all the passersby if they knew Katsu Mori. Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined this could be where her great-grandfather had gone, that he could be alive. Yes, he would be elderly, but who was to say Theodora didn’t bring back those who died of old age or natural causes back to life? She did it with all those killed in battle, after all.

  Rhianna thought of her grandfather at home. He might be going through his Tai Chi exercises right now. She recalled her last visit, when she’d promised him she’d do her best to discover what happened to his father.

  With a sigh, she set her jaw resolutely. She could fulfill one dream, even if it was her last one. She could try to find her great-grandfather. If he was taken to this alternate world all that time ago, she felt certain he would be here now.

  She snagged the wrist of the next person she passed. “Sir, do you know someone named Katsu Mori?” she asked.

  The man eyed her warily. “Yes, I have heard of him. But I’m not sure where he lives.”

  Her eyes widened, and her heart began to race. He might really be there!

  “You may want to try the library,” he added. “Some people hang out there. Someone there might know something.”

  She looked to where he was pointing. “Thank you!” she called as she ran toward the library building. She shoved the door open and rushed inside. The shelves around her were less than half full, but she was pleased to find that the stranger had been right: there were more than twenty people sitting in a huddle of sorts.

  Rhianna knelt down to join the group and noticed the marks on their necks. She swallowed. “How long have you been here?” she asked the blond man nearest her.

  “Since 1952,” he replied.

  A woman with red hair leaned forward. “1820. I was sailing from Alaska, traveling to Russia to see my mother,” she explained, her voice bitter. “I never made it. This is where I ended up.

  “I’ve been here since 2002,” a twentysomething man chimed in.

  Rhianna’s brow furrowed. She couldn’t help but notice that they had not only come to this place at different times but they were all different ages; however, none of them were really looked very old. It was as if they had not aged. And if that one woman had been here since the nineteen hundreds . . . Rhianna shook her head. It wasn’t possible. But then a lot of things she’d thought were impossible were apparently real.

  “What is happening in the world now?” the young man asked.

  Rhianna licked her lips. She didn’t have much time, but she offered the guy two quick pieces of information he might relate to. “Donald Trump is president of the United States, and the Mars One is planning to establish a settlement on Mars in 2024.”

  The young man smiled and nodded, his eyes looking glassy and sad.

  “Have you heard of someone by the name of Katsu Mori?” she inquired then, taking a few steps away, preparing to move on if no one knew.

  Several people nodded, but it was the young man who replied. “When you live in a community of around four hundred people, you know almost everyone. That’s what makes fighting so hard.”

  “And Katsu?” She paused, tilting her head and smiling. “What of him?”

  “He is one of the leaders. I will take you to him,” an older man said as he stood up.

  She inhaled sharply, her chest pounding as if fireworks were going off in her heart. She thanked the others and then hurried after the man.

  She exited the building to find Aidan marching toward her. He pulled her aside. “What are you doing here?”

  His tone irritated her at first, but then the knot in her stomach eased. She hadn’t realized how tense she had been. Just having him near gave her comfort. If only he weren’t being so overbearing.

  She rested her palm on his chest. “I’m collecting information,” she said matter-of-factly. “What about you? Did you discover anything?”

  He glanced at the man beside her. “Yes. I’ll tell you when we get back to the station.”

  “Well, I may have struck pay dirt.” She smiled up at him. She look to the man who was helping her and smiled at him, too.

  Her escort didn’t seem too pleased that Aidan had joined them, though. He backed away from them, saying, “Maybe we should do this later.”

  “No.” Aidan flashed a grin, obviously trying to charm the man. “I only want to help.”

  Slowly, the man stepped forward. “Katsu is usually at his home. This way.”

  She didn’t know if any of these buildings could truly be considered a home, but she didn’t care. She just wanted to find her great-grandfather.

  Aidan slipped his hand behind her back as they walked. She leaned into him, savoring his touch. At least that was something real that she could hold on to, unlike the rest of this . . . this . . . make-believe world. She was at a loss of how else to think about this place.

  When they made their way halfway across town the man stopped in front of a small building that had no door in the frame and no windows to be seen. “This is it,” he said.
“If he’s not here, then I don’t know where he is.”

  “Thank you,” she said. “I appreciate your help.

  Her guide left, and she reached across to take Aidan’s hand in hers. “I’m nervous.”

  “After all that’s happened, this is what makes you uneasy?” He gave her a half smile, obviously trying to calm her.

  She shrugged. Everything else that had happened hadn’t had expectations attached to it. It had all been a flat-out shock and surprise. But her great-grandfather . . . She’d wanted to know about him for as long as she could remember. Her palms grew moist, and her breathing turned shallow.

  Aidan squeezed her hand. “Have courage.”

  She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and nodded.

  Once she opened them again, Aidan slapped his hand against the entry wall. “Hello?”

  They walked slowly inside, stopping at the inner doorway. A man sat cross-legged in the center of the room, his head dipped down. He appeared to be meditating.

  “Katsu Mori?” she whispered.

  “How may I help you?” he said without lifting his head, his eyes closed.

  Rhianna shuffled forward. “I don’t mean to interrupt your mediation.”

  “Yet you have.” He looked up, raised an eyebrow but then smiled.

  Aidan came up beside her.

  “You are Katsu Mori, yes?” she asked quietly, squatting.

  He lifted his head a little more, seaming curious at her question. She glimpsed a single row of black marks now visible on his neck. He hadn’t died very many times considering how long he’d been there.

  “I am,” he said.

  “I am the daughter of Akira Mori, who is the son of Shirō Mori . . . your son.” She sat back on her heels and waited for his response.

  A double blink of his eyelids was the only sign of his surprise.

  “I believe I am your great-granddaughter,” she said.

  If she had expected a show of fanfare at her announcement, what she got was far from it. The lines on his face tugged downward. “It saddens me that you are here.”