by Khalid Uddin
Savaiyon blinked several times. His vision was becoming hazy. He was about to say something when he and Kadoog’han heard a man sprinting loudly down the hall. The man was as tall, if not taller, than he was. His face bore a thick brownish beard.
“Baltaszar! Where is Baltaszar Kontez? I have searched this whole damn island for the boy! Where is he? And Zin Marlowe? I have no time to explain! I need to find them before it’s too late!”
Savaiyon did not recognize the man’s accent, but it surely was not from anywhere in Ashur he’d ever been. Regardless, the man would have already killed them if he was an enemy. “Who are you?”
“We do not have time for this!” The man glowered at him but Savaiyon stared at him blankly. “Fine. My name is Slade. Rhadames Slade. I was a friend of Baltaszar’s father. And Asarei. I need Baltaszar now! If the wrong people get to him, he will be controlled by Jahmash! Do you not understand the urgency?”
In truth, Savaiyon sympathized with Slade’s predicament, but he had no energy for urgency. Every movement was labor. He dropped to a knee and rested his jaw in his palm. “Baltaszar is no longer here.”
“What? Then where is he?”
“Marlowe banished him yesterday. The boy is mad. He attempted to burn down his own village. He likely would have if we had not arrived when we did.”
Slade sighed, “Light of Orijin. No. Where is he now? Where did Marlowe send him?”
Savaiyon glanced at Kadoog’han and then back at Slade. “Into the Never. He instructed me to drop the boy into the Never. From high enough that the fall would hurt him, but not kill him.”
To Savaiyon’s surprise, Slade flashed a brief smile. “Good. That’s good.”
Savaiyon had no idea what the man was talking about. He was about to ask Slade to clarify when he heard someone talking from Garrison’s cell. It was a familiar voice, but not Garrison’s. He turned and was startled by a second man in the cell. “You.”
***
Maqdhuum grinned more widely and genuinely than he had in a long time. The look of shock on Savaiyon’s face was worth being struck by lightning. Before any of them could move, he flung daggers through the cell bars at the two men beside Savaiyon, knocking them down. “I’m going to take this one.” He nodded at Garrison “I like his past. Appreciate his work. I think I can use him better than you can.”
Savaiyon labored to respond. “I know who you are, Abram. I am not afraid of you. I am disappointed to see what you have become.”
“Boy, you cannot begin to fathom who I am, who I was, or who I’ve become. Abram is no more. All that is left is Maqdhuum.” The other two men were starting to recover. “While we’re on the subject, do your Descendant friends know who you are? Only a soldier of the Ancient Clan would be able to maintain such focus after being struck by a dozen daggers.” Maqdhuum laughed at the shocked look on Savaiyon’s face. “You didn’t think I’d know? Idiot.” The other two were standing once more. Maqdhuum fired another dagger at Savaiyon, striking him in the shin. No sense killing him. He’ll be needed soon. He looked down at the prisoner, who’d crept to the corner. The scrawny boy cowered and hid his face from Maqdhuum. “See what you’ve done to him? He’s broken. This is how you treat your own? Good. I need him. I’ll take him off your hands. Doubt he’ll trust you anyway.” Maqdhuum knelt down and grabbed Garrison’s arm. He smiled once again at the men outside the cell and disappeared.
***
Savaiyon forced himself to sit up and pulled the blade from his leg. “How many daggers does he have?” He shook his head, amazed and disappointed. Garrison would have been an incredible asset. Maqdhuum had been right, though. They had ruined him.
Kadoog’han bent down and helped him up. “What was he talking about? Did you say ‘Abram?’ And what Ancient Clan?”
“Never mind that now. We need to leave before anyone else finds us down here. We’ll go to Gansishoor for now. Our wounds can be healed by regular doctors. I’ve forgotten where I sent Lincan and Delilah.”
Slade nodded. “Very well. Then what? We need to recover quickly. Jahmash will strike fast now that the House of Darian has been destroyed. And we will eventually need to find Baltaszar again.”
“Asarei. We find Asarei, if that’s possible.” Savaiyon was draped on the arms of Kadoog’han and Slade as they walked through the gateway. “He is the only one who can help us now.” The yellow-fringed doorway disappeared behind them.
Chapter 24
Rise of the Red Harbinger
From The Book of Orijin, Verse Four Hundred Ninety-Four
Have faith in Us, even when you are alone and in the darkness. For We are the Darkness, surrounding you as a guardian. Protecting you from what you do not comprehend. Hiding you from evil.
Baltaszar had wandered for the better part of a day. The forest seemed endless and he couldn’t even be sure that he was still in Ashur. He’d landed on his arm after falling through several webs of branches, and he’d turned his ankle as well. In retrospect, the fall would likely have been much worse if not for the branches. A soft snow covered the ground. His left arm dangled as he limped on and the pain only grew more intense with time. The shackles on his wrists and ankles would be the death of him.
All he wanted was to find a safe and comfortable place to spend the night. Baltaszar was wary of creating a fire. The land was unfamiliar. Who knew what lurked here. Who knew what might be watching him.
The sun had begun its descent. As it got lower, he could hear more and more sounds around him. Along with some familiar buzzing, likely from insects, Baltaszar definitely heard low growls, though they didn’t sound close. He also heard swishes, as if something else was brushing against the shrubs and leaves. And then there were the strange raspy sounds, as if something was scraping against the trees. Baltaszar continued on, walking gingerly and cautiously, and staying close to the trees. Strangely though, the falling snow melted before hitting the ground.
Even though he was tired, Baltaszar had no idea how he would sleep with the intense pain. His arm throbbed and burned. At times he was sure he saw stars if his arm swung too quickly.
He gritted his teeth and walked on for nearly an hour. The sunlight had almost completely disappeared. Is there no safe place around? He looked ahead. In the distance, in the darkness, Baltaszar saw tiny, bright red dots piercing the blackness. They hovered in front of him, several yards away. He leaned in and squinted his eyes. One pair grew nearer, though never leaving the darkness. As he got closer, the air around him grew warmer and warmer. Intrigued, Baltaszar walked into the darkness toward the two bright red dots. They fascinated him and terrified him at the same time. After several moments, they hovered just before his face.
Suddenly, Baltaszar reluctantly smiled and a sense of shame came over him.
I don’t know why I doubted you for so long. I’m sorry.
He felt dangerous, in a different way than ever before.
Because your faith wavered. In Orijin. In yourself. But once you saw me, you did not turn away. For that, your faith shall be rewarded. Your father instructed us to only appear to you once we were sure you were ready. You have much to learn. Your manifestation is one and the same with our very essence. And now, we are your army.
***
“What is your mission?”
Bo’az knew the answer before the question was even asked. “I am to visit every nation beyond Ashur, my Lord.” He knelt before the man and, though the stone dug into his knee, enjoyed the pain of it.
“And?”
Over twenty soldiers surrounded Jahmash as he sat in his plain wooden chair, each man armed with a sword on his back, daggers at his belt, and a spear in his hand. Bo’az felt a certain admiration for them. “I am to tell them that you demand an army. A bigger army than before. More soldiers. More generals. More weapons. And even beasts that can be controlled.”
“And how will you convince them?” Jahmash smiled at him. Bo’az felt happy once more. That smile made him know he was worthwhile.
> “I will have Linas recount the story of how he became blind. I will ensure that they understand your warning not to defy them. Linas will then display your power and control on himself.”
“Good. You are becoming a fine pet. And what if Linas cannot convince them?”
“Then Farrah shall display her manifestation. I will also present Aric to them as a token of your appreciation. They will then understand that you are merciful and reasonable.”
“If that is not enough? What will happen if you expend your resources before meeting with every nation?”
“You will use my eyes to find a specimen of theirs. To show them how easily you could destroy them.”
“And if you fail?”
“Then I shall die. Either by their hand or by my own.”
“Very good, Bo’az.” It lifted Bo’az’s spirits when Jahmash spoke his name. “And lastly, what is your message? What will you say to them?”
Bo’az was most excited about this part. “If you obey, you will be spared. You will be allowed vengeance on those devoted to Darian. You will also be allowed to claim a piece of The Drowned Realm for your own. A new era begins. The House of Darian has been destroyed. The Red Harbinger has risen.”
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my parents and brother for their patience with me. It took a while for me to “find” myself, and they suffered through the process without disowning me. The one constant was that I was always creative, and that can be attributed to the first time I saw the comic book rack in Pathmark, when I was in sixth grade. Without my mother agreeing to buy that issue of The Amazing Spider-Man, this book wouldn’t exist.
While so much of myself has been put into writing this book, so much time has been put into it because of my wife, Jen. Through too many late nights and countless hours spent writing and hanging out in my fictional world instead of with her, I was able to complete this book without a single complaint from her. It is a writer’s dream to be married to her.
I would also like to thank my close friends, from whom a number of the main characters are inspired. They have been there for me every step of the way and have always recognized the potential in me. Most importantly, they have always been honest with me, which has helped me to grow as a writer throughout the years.
If not for Dr. Susanna Rich, who knows how much longer it would have taken me to put that first scene into writing. After being her creative writing student, I asked to audit her class so I could model my own class after hers. She insisted that I actively take part instead. Because of her request, my story was first put to paper. I am forever grateful.
When I began writing, I thought this was a process I’d go through alone. I had the pleasure of knowing and working with fellow author, K.W. Penndorf, who gave me the confidence to see this endeavor through, who introduced me to an editor, and who still makes it a point to check on me and my progress.
I need to especially thank Karen Miller and Open Door Publications, for having so much patience with me, for honing my storytelling skills, and for giving me a chance. You rock!
And lastly, this book and my sanity are not possible without Hannah, who showed me how strong a person I really am. Because of you, Hannah, I know that I can overcome any hardship or obstacle, and I know that I have it in me to achieve anything. I love you so much.
About the Author
Khalid Uddin credits his creative beginnings to comic books, specifically The Amazing Spider-Man and X-Men. Throughout middle school and high school, his predominant hobby was drawing his favorite characters, original characters, and just about everything that was put in front of him. Once his college roommate introduced Khalid to Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time book series, his imagination evolved and he saw the beginnings of his own fantasy world coming to life.
When his head is not stuck in his fantasy world, Khalid spends his free time with his wife, Jen, and adorable toddler, Emme, who have both been incredibly generous with giving him time to write and finish his novel. He makes a living with literature, as a high school English teacher in New Jersey. Khalid regularly posts updates and news about his novel and the writing process on his website, www.khaliduddin.com.
