“I’m glad to see you awake,” Raphael began. “We’re still perfecting the traveling spell. The nausea goes away the more you travel, but you should not pass out again.” He had a guilty look on his face, which brought out his boyish features. “I didn’t consider that we would be traveling so far, and that you could not travel on your own. I have modified the spell to correct that.”
I attempted to stand again. The room started spinning, so I sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for it to stop. I would not empty my stomach in front of this woman. “Where am I?” I asked.
“You’re in Santuario,” Raphael replied, as if I should know exactly what he meant. “Come! There are several people you need to meet.”
Raphael led me out of the room, which opened into a small living space that appeared to be someone’s home. There were three people sitting at a table in what I assumed was the dining area. Each person was completely different from the next. Raphael began the introductions.
“This is Mikel,” he said, motioning towards an average-sized man with shoulder length blond hair that was tied neatly at the base of his neck. He wore dark pants, tall boots and a lose fitting white shirt that opened at the neck. He nodded, but his intense gray eyes never left my face. “He is the leader of our group.”
“This is Adalina, our master warrior.” Raphael motioned towards a very muscular woman with short spiked hair and square facial features. She was not unattractive, but her obvious strength took away any femininity. She was also wearing dark pants and tall boots, but her shirt and form fitting vest clung to her ample figure. She looked at me with hunger in her eyes, as if I would be her next meal. I almost shivered, and she laughed at my obvious discomfort.
“Adalina, don’t toy with him,” Mikel said with a distinct British accent. Adalina tried to look innocent, but it was clear that no one believed her.
“But look how lovely he is,” she said in a smooth voice. “I think I can actually look up to him.” She chuckled and gave me another ravenous look.
“Moving on,” Raphael continued. “This is Aneera.” He gestured towards a very thin woman, with shiny black hair and pale skin that reminded me of the women I had seen from China. Her soft, delicate features accentuated the smile that crossed her face with our introduction. A long silk tunic draped across shoulders and fell to floor, and a wide sash gathered the soft material around her narrow waist.
“You have already met Magdelin and myself,” Raphael concluded as he sat down in one of the chairs. I looked around the table at this group of strangers. It was obvious that they were from different parts of the world. How did they all end up here? And where was here?
“Please sit down,” Mikel requested. “I know you have a great many questions, and I hope to answer most of them, but let’s take care of the immediate answers first.” He motioned towards one of the chairs and I sat down. “Adalina and her team rescued the people in your hometown. It will take time for them to recover from the shock of their experience. Not all of them made it back home, and the ones that did will have a difficult time accepting what happened.”
“What happened to them?” I asked, more confused now than ever.
“I believe you saw your people being led away by a group of demons?” Mikel looked at Raphael for confirmation. “The men you saw are part of a group called the Csökkent. They are fanatics who believe that the demons they summon are fallen angels who are trying to find redemption.” Mikel’s stern face contorted with disgust. “They use human lives as sacrifices to summon the demons. Your people who did not go home were likely used as sacrifices.”
I could not believe what I was hearing. “Demons? Really? You expect me to believe that some fairy tale monsters meant to scare small children are running around in Austria?”
“Yes, I do!” Mikel said vehemently. “You saw them with your own eyes. How could you doubt it? And they are not just in Austria. They’re all over Europe, Egypt, and China. We have not yet determined if they’re also in Southern Africa, or Britain’s penal colony in the South Pacific Ocean.”
I was in shock. It was difficult to comprehend that a bunch of crazy fanatics were using the lives of the people I loved to summon these monsters. “How is this happening? And how does it involve me?” I asked.
Mikel looked around the table. Raphael and Magdelin nodded at him. Adalina had a strange smile on her face but said nothing. “We are the Council of Light. It is our responsibility to ensure that evil doesn’t overcome good, therefore destroying humanity.” He put his hand over Aneera’s. “Aneera is what we call a Seer. She has visions of possible futures, which helps us locate and destroy large, active groups of Csökkent and their demons. Of course, these visions can be changed with the smallest decision.” He paused, scratching his chin. “For instance, if you decided to stay at the battle of Hohenlinden rather than joining Raphael, you would be dead, and we would be trying to find someone else to replace you.” He let the thought settle before continuing. “Thankfully, you’re here with us.”
“That still doesn’t explain what’s happening or what you expect from me,” I said, trying to keep the irritation from my voice. I tried not to think about my death as the alternative to being here.
“We need you to be our scout,” Mikel said with conviction. “We need to know if they have moved into Africa and Australia. Aneera’s visions only give us small glimpses of what could be. We need more people who are able to get out into the world to locate the Csökkent so we can stop them.”
“And you think I’ll be able to do this? How will I be able to travel around the world looking for these monsters?” I was overwhelmed with the thought of hunting down these creatures. I still had a hard time accepting that they even existed. What type of twisted person would want to summon them in the first place?
“You will not be going alone,” Raphael replied. “Adalina will take you to each location that we suspect the Csökkent are active.” Adalina smiled, and it sent shivers down my spine.
Mikel continued, “It’s her responsibility to ensure you arrive safely and are able to scout the area untouched. Under no circumstance are the two of you to engage a group of demons on your own.” He looked directly at Adalina. She feigned innocence again.
“I would not try to defeat a large group of demons on my own,” she said, pretending to be offended by the accusation.
“Darian is not yet trained, Adalina. Engaging in a battle with Darian’s help is the same as doing it on your own.”
It was my turn to be offended. “I’m not a helpless boy who’s incapable of fighting. I’m a soldier, fighting a war. Battle is not unknown to me!”
Aneera smiled at me, and another wave of calm washed over me. I was not happy about it, despite the peaceful sensation. I didn’t appreciate someone toying with my emotions.
“These demons are not common soldiers, Darian. You need training and special skills to defeat them,” Mikel replied. “No one doubts your combat skills or your bravery, but you will need more than that in this battle. Adalina knows it and will not put the two of you in a position that will risk your life before your training.” Mikel scowled at Adalina.
She grinned back at him. “Of course, Mikel. Besides, I can’t lose my new pet before I get to play with him.”
“You really expect me to go with her?” I exclaimed, waving my hand in her direction.
Adalina laughed. “I’m toying with you, beautiful. I actually take my job very seriously,” she said, all of sudden sobering. “I’ll take you where you need to go and protect you while you do your scouting. We need to know if the demons have covered the earth, because if they have, our job becomes much more difficult.” I eyed her suspiciously, still not trusting her.
Chapter 3
I traveled with Adalina to some remote desert in Egypt. I had no idea where we were, but she assured me it was southern Egypt. When I finished emptying my stomach in the sand, I stood and scowled at my traveling companion.
“The nausea will go away, Dari
an,” Adalina said with a smirk.
We walked through a barren canyon, its sand-colored cliffs towered over us and the ground beneath my feet was covered in loose rocks. I was still wearing my heavy winter clothes, and it didn’t take long for me feel the heat. I removed my coat and started carrying it. I still had my pistol and rapier from the Austrian army, along with a small dagger. As we walked, Adalina explained that there were old tombs and caves scattered throughout the canyon, and they suspected that the Csökkent were using one of them. She’d heard rumors from one of the local villagers that the dead were walking into the villages and taking their children.
I watched the ground as we trudged along, looking for signs of footprints, but it would be difficult to see them in the hard-packed earth. As we hiked further into the canyon, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I knew we were being watched and looked around the canyon. There were cracks, crevices, and ledges everywhere. It would be very easy for someone to conceal themselves out here.
“You feel the Bedouin watching us,” Adalina said.
“Bedouin?” I asked.
“They are the local people,” she explained. “They watch everyone coming in and out of the canyons.”
“Would they not know if these Csökkent were here, and if so, where?”
“You would think so,” she replied, shrugging her shoulders. “But I’ve asked them to tell me, and they claim there is no one.”
I looked her over, taking in her tall boots, dark pants, white shirt, and dark vest. A huge dual-headed axe strapped to her back completed her wardrobe. She was nearly as tall as I and more muscular. Adalina looked nothing like the average woman, so I imagined the locals would not tell her anything. “Maybe I should try to talk to them?” I suggested.
She noticed me looking at her and chuckled. “You think they would not talk to a woman, huh?”
“Something like that,” I replied, not willing to voice my opinion on her femininity.
“Well, if you can convince one to show himself, then by all means, see if you can get him talking.”
The path ahead of us forked left and right. I started down the path to the right, and then at the very last moment ran back to the left. I sprinted for fifty meters before ducking behind a large boulder. I heard small rocks cascading down the side of the cliff behind me. Adalina had not followed me, so I assumed it was one of the locals. I peered around the boulder and noticed a tall, thin man covered in a sand-colored tunic running along a hidden path just above me. I stepped out from behind the boulder just as he looked over the edge. I nodded at him, clearly catching him off guard. He ducked back away from the edge then looked over again, and I motioned for him to join me. He disappeared again, but I could hear him coming down the path. He emerged a short distance away and walked towards me.
“Do you speak English?” I asked.
He shook his head and started speaking in very broken French, “The French come and teach some of us.” He spat on the ground at his feet.
“I assume you don’t care for them?” I asked, also speaking French.
“No, they come here and steal from our ancestors.” He spat again. “They invade our lands and destroy everything.”
I had heard Napoleon’s fleet had come to Egypt a few years ago, but I hadn’t realized they would be this far south. “The French have destroyed my home as well,” I replied. “I don’t have much love for them either.”
He smiled at me, displaying several missing teeth.
“I am actually looking for a group of thieves,” I lied. “We have been following them for a while. Have you seen strange men in black robes coming into the canyon?”
His smile faded, and he looked at me suspiciously. I could tell he didn’t trust me, but was debating if my story about the French was true. “There are strange men in dark robes. They go to the last tomb every night.” He hesitated, leaning towards me and speaking softly, as if he were afraid for anyone else to hear. “My cousin says that he saw sons of the devil, with horns, tails, and big, black wings. I think he is drinking too much of the French wine. There are no sons of the devil.” He scoffed, but his facial expression showed that he didn’t entirely dismiss his cousin’s tale. Had he seen the demons? Even if he exaggerated his description, it was similar to what I’d seen in Austria.
“I imagine the French wine is making him see ghosts where there are none,” I said reassuringly. “Do you mind if my friend and I look at the last tomb to see if these men are the thieves we’re searching for?”
“Go to the tomb and chase them away. We do not want them disturbing the dead!” He was clearly anxious after talking about his cousin. “Your friend is a woman?” he asked.
“Yes, but she is also a fierce warrior.” I chuckled softly. “We’ll see what we can find.” I turned to walk back towards Adalina. I heard him climbing the hidden path, but I could no longer see him. That trail would be very beneficial. When I reached Adalina, I relayed what he had told me, except for him questioning her gender.
“Sounds like our guys,” she said. “Do you think you can get to that tomb without being seen?”
“Yes, the Bedouin was using a well-hidden path. I intend to follow it to the end,” I explained. “It would be a good idea for you to use this trail as well and stay out of sight, rather than down here in the open.”
She growled. “Warriors do not hide, but I understand your theory. Lead the way.”
I retraced my steps to the hidden trail the Bedouin had taken. It was more like a goat path, and just as difficult to traverse. I looked back to see Adalina having no trouble at all. Her feet did not slide on the loose stones, and she never lost her balance on the narrow track. For such a huge woman, she almost moved gracefully, but her large frame and the two-headed axe strapped to her back removed any illusion of grace.
“Like what you see, beautiful?” she asked when she noticed me looking at her. I turned back around and kept moving, ignoring her comment. I could almost see her smiling in triumph. She was an infuriating woman. We followed the trail to the end of the canyon. I moved as silently as possible, occasionally looking into the path below to see if the Csökkent where moving through the canyon. We did not encounter anyone along the way. As we approached the opening to the tomb, an acrid stench assaulted us. I covered my face, but it didn’t help.
“Looks like we are in the right place,” Adalina said. Her face was very serious, all the playful banter set aside. “You should sneak inside. Mikel will be angry if I go with you and start a fight.” I nodded and laid my coat on the ground. She picked it up. “I’ll hold this for you, in case we have to exit in a hurry.”
The sun was already setting in the west, so I moved to the shadowed side of the entrance and slid along the wall until I was inside. The light from the sun did not make its way very far into the tomb, but there were sporadic torches on the wall lighting the way. The smell continued to get worse the farther into the tomb I traveled. The path into the tomb was fairly straight, but there were many passages that broke to each side of me. I decided to stay on the main path so I didn’t get lost. It ended at a large chamber lit with dozens of torches, the illumination preventing me from getting any closer without being seen.
I saw the Csökkent as soon as I peered into the chamber. There were four of them talking quietly in their strange language on the far side of the room. In the center of the chamber was a large ring of scorched stones with a huge pile of wood stacked in the middle. There were several people bound to the walls, their mouths gagged and their fear radiating from their bodies. I felt Adalina walk up behind me, and I turned towards her to see a troubled look on her face. I asked the question with my eyes. She replied by holding up two fingers, then made her fingers walk. There were two people headed our way, which would explain why she followed me in here. She nodded to the side for me to follow her. I shook my head and motioned towards the people in the chamber. She lowered her head with a sad look, then started moving towards the entrance. Were we really going to
leave these people here?
I quickly followed her, noticing how silently she moved. She could’ve done this without me. She was so quiet, I hardly heard her. We barely made it to the first intersecting path when I heard the echo of footsteps in front of us. Adalina and I quickly moved into the hallway. However, where I blended into the shadow, she seemed to glow. If they turned this way, we were caught.
I shook my head and turned back towards the entrance of the path. I could see the shadows of the men approaching, but it quickly became obvious that these were not men. The shadows were distorted, with horns protruding from their heads. Fear started racing through me, and I turned to look at Adalina. She had already pulled the axe from her back, again so quietly I didn’t hear it, even though she was standing right behind me. The nearest torch reflected off the metal of her dual-headed axe, and she gripped the long handle that was wrapped in red leather.
All I had was my pistol, a sword, and a throwing knife. I was certain a pistol shot would cause the tomb to collapse, so all I really had was an extremely insignificant dagger and a sword that would not likely pierce the hides of these creatures. I was angry with myself and my new friends. I vowed I would not be unprepared again.
As the demons approached the entrance, one of them turned our way. Adalina jumped on him before the other had a chance to turn. In one fluid motion, she swung her huge axe in an arc, removing both of their heads. The demons were a whole head taller than her and as wide as two men, but with the element of surprise, she made killing them look effortless.
She grinned at me and came back to where I was standing. “Now let’s go save those people.” She was enjoying herself.
Light's Rise Page 2
