The Shaktra

by Christopher Pike

  Ali shook her head. “You’re not to abandon her.”

  “I was not suggesting that. But I must think of the others.”

  Ali studied her mother. “Even marked, she will not betray us to the Shaktra. Take her to the stronghold, that is an order.” She added, reluctantly, “Blindfold her, put wax in her ears.”

  Trae bowed low. “As you wish, Geea.”

  Ali turned toward the snow, the sky. “I have to go now.”

  Ra grabbed her arm. “Where are you going?”

  She tried to get past him. “My friends on Earth are in danger.”

  Ra would not let go of her. “You don’t know how to fly!”

  She reached out and hugged him, kissed his cheek. “I’ll learn,” she said.

  Ali strode from the cave, patted Drash goodbye, and then ran toward the rim of the kloudar, the icy edge, and as the snow and ice and rock vanished from beneath her feet, she began to fall. However, her magnetic field quickly formed a bubble around her, without any doing on her part, and it was filled with green steam and red streaks of light. It warmed her limbs, and allowed her to see far off, and it lifted her up. She saw that she had merely to will the direction she wished to take and the bubble would obey. Tutor called to her, the southern mountain, and the seven doors, and just the thought of it was enough to send her racing toward the rocky peak.

  Yet the bubble was not a hard shell. Air blew on her face, the wind was in her hair, and the sheer joy of flying through the Youli Mountains, over Uleestar, and along the long stretch of Lestre, was almost enough to make her forget her grief, at least for a time. Unfortunately, she knew that at the end of her first flight there was going to be violence. Either she was going to die, or they were going to die. There would be no mercy from her, not after what they had done to Amma. . . .

  __________

  As she reached the cave opening, high on Tutor, she was ambushed by a dozen dark fairies who had hidden behind the boulders surrounding the entrance. But the attack was ineffective because she knew it was coming and had adjusted her field to repel their bolts of fire. With a smile on her face, floating fifty feet above the cave, she watched as the laser blasts bounced harmlessly off an invisible area in front of her chest.

  She did not have her fire stones, she did not need them. Recalling an old Geea trick—that had been secret even when Geea had ruled the kingdom openly—Ali took a deep breath and blew forcibly on her palms. Then she smacked them together as hard as she could. The technique created a powerful sonic wave that her own field protected her from. It sent off a swell of highly compressed air, as an exploding bomb might, and when it hit the dark fairies, they were torn apart. In seconds their guts laid strewn over the side of Tutor.

  Still floating in her protective bubble, Ali entered the cave. Radrine had not died with her servants just now, but Ali could sense her up ahead, racing toward the red door, and what the evil queen thought was safety. But Ali had locked that door with the Yanti.

  It was not going to open for the dark fairy.

  The trip down the length of the cave took only minutes. Her bubble automatically spared her from bumping the sides, and she was able to push her speed close to the level she had enjoyed in the green sky. The yellow door was open, as she had left it, and the red door was closed.

  Ali could smell Radrine now as well as mentally follow her movements. The evil queen was now on the Earth plane—she had chosen to take the cave upward, toward the top of Pete’s Peak, the same route her friends had used a month ago. It was probable Radrine had heard the killing sonic wave and was running in fear. Ali went after her.

  Yet she slowed as she passed the six caves that led to other parts of the world, reaching out with her subtle senses, and her nose, to see if Radrine had sought refuge in such places. But it seemed Radrine was flying in one direction as fast as she could. Ali pushed on ahead.

  She discovered Radrine in the snow, in the shade, twenty feet outside the cave.

  An orange sun burned on the horizon, the air was crisp and cool and clear, and the view of the woods, and for that matter all the surrounding towns, was unobstructed. Why, she could even see Toule.

  Ali took a step toward Radrine, noticed how careful the dark fairy was not to step into the direct sunlight. It made her wonder if the evil queen could withstand it. The last time they had fought, beside the doors, Ali had assumed Radrine had flown back down to the cave entrance, and circled around to the top exit, and she still believed that. But just before she and her friends had entered the cave, heavy clouds had begun to blow in from over the ocean. They must have covered Pete’s Peak.

  But today there wasn’t a cloud in the sky.

  Radrine raised her fire stones and shot at her, a dozen times.

  The laser blasts bounced off. Dejected, Radrine lowered her weapons.

  No, she was much more than dejected. Her rotting wings shook and the nest of maggots-for-brains squirmed inside her translucent skull. She was so scared that she had no control over her long black tongue. It repeatedly licked her lips as her breath hissed between her yellow teeth. Ali enjoyed watching her cower.

  “We can talk about this, Geea,” Radrine said quickly.

  Ali smiled, came closer. “What could we have to talk about?”

  Radrine backed up a step. “I have information.”

  “What kind of information?”

  “I was just in the east, near the Morray Mountains.”

  “You were just above the Youli Mountains. You’re the one who shot my adviser, Trae. He’s alive by the way, doing fine. He sends his regards.”

  “I know how the war goes in the east.”

  “Tell me.”

  “You must promise my life in exchange.”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  “You must swear it, Geea!”

  Ali chuckled. “What is the point of swearing to one such as you? A spawn of hell? You die here, Radrine, and I suspect you will return to behind the red door. You will be sent back bodiless, as a thrall, and you will burn in those fires I saw beneath your hive. Is that not so?”

  Radrine retreated to within inches of where the sun shone on the white snow.

  “My information is valuable to you!” she cried. “Say we have a deal!”

  Ali shrugged. “Whatever. Speak.”

  “The elemental army is pinned against the Morray Mountains. Lord Vak is already seeking to negotiate a surrender with the Shaktra.”

  “What are the terms of the surrender?” Ali demanded.

  “To be spared, the elementals must agree to march west toward Tutor starting in three days, and pass through the yellow door, and invade the Earth.”

  Ali considered. “I already knew most of that.”

  “You lie! Lord Vak just agreed to surrender!”

  Ali walked casually toward her. “You do not ingratiate yourself to me, Radrine, by calling me a liar. Especially since your entire life has been a lie. It makes me think that you think we are alike.”

  Radrine glanced over her shoulder—no room left to maneuver. The dark fairy bowed her head. “We are not alike. You are a queen, I am your servant.”

  Ali suddenly leapt, grabbed her by her scaly throat. “You serve the Shaktra!”

  Radrine shook in her arms, her filthy red eyes swelling. “We have a deal!”

  “What deal? I would never deal with you! Tell me, where is the Shaktra now?”

  “I don’t know!”

  Ali lifted her up so that the top of her egg-shaped skull brushed the last light of the day. Immediately the dark fairy’s skin began to smoke, and Radrine let out a pitiful cry. Ali felt no pity.

  “Is it in this world or the elemental world?” Ali demanded.

  Radrine suddenly stopped trembling, looked at her in surprise.

  “Why, it’s in both worlds at the same time. Didn’t you know?”

  Ali took a moment to absorb the news. Then it made perfect sense.

  “Thank you, Radrine, I didn’t know that,” she
said.

  Then Ali hoisted Radrine’s head directly into the last of the sunlight, and the gentle orange rays, as they played over the dark fairy’s hideous face, were like a spray of acid. Radrine went to speak, but her mouth filled with smoke as her tongue caught fire, and Ali saw her brains spasm inside her glassy skull. Then they too began to smolder, as the heat built inside, and the pressure . . .

  The dark fairy’s head cracked in two. A geyser of fire erupted from the top of her twitching body, and Ali threw her down on the ground in the white snow, and cursed her and her master. But in the end, Ali had to turn away.

  She felt like she was going to be sick.

  No time to grieve, no time to celebrate. Lately, she thought, since she had first spoken to Nemi and learned of her great destiny, her whole life had been that way. The sad thing was, she would have traded it all just to be able to return to that peace she had found with the help of the stardust.

  Ali ran off the top of Pete’s Peak and flew toward Toule like a meteorite close to burning up in the atmosphere. She knew her destination—sleeping Nira had provided her with enough clues. It was obvious anyway. Cindy and Steve had returned to Toule to try to gather information on Ms. Smith and had run smack into the Shaktra—in human form. Ali chided herself for having opened the door on that accursed town, before remembering it had been Steve who had made the connection. She just hoped they were both alive.

  Flying through the air above the Earth was not the same as gliding over the forests and mountains of the fairies and the leprechauns. The Earth felt heavier—her bubble did not respond as well to her will. Swooping down on Toule, she was not out of control, but she had to concentrate to stay on course, mentally gripping the edges of her field to keep from plunging into the trees. She flew close to the latter, occasionally allowing a branch to brush against her bubble.

  Ali landed in the woods between Omega’s office buildings and Ms. Smith’s house.

  The sun had set, the trees were in shadows, and the air was cooling quickly. How much drier it was here than in the green world! How many more smells the elementals got to enjoy! Ali wondered how long it would be before she returned to Uleestar. After all her travels, she could not honestly say where she felt most at home.

  That worried her, that perhaps home no longer existed for her. Through the branches, she could see the people of Toule walking up and down their main street. She realized that many of them must be just getting off work and that more than a few probably worked for Omega. How sad it was, she thought, that an entire town could be built around such a lie and not know it. Yet she passed no judgment on the town’s inhabitants. On her last visit to Toule, she had suspected so little. . .

  Ali turned her attention to the task at hand.

  They were in the house. No, she sensed, they were under the house.

  She strode up to the mansion, did not bother to knock on the door, even though it was locked. A quick twist from her hand and the knob broke and the door swung open.

  Nira stood in the center of the living room, alone, staring at her.

  Ali stepped inside, held out her arms, but the little girl did not come to her. Ali did not mind. Moving farther into the house, she knelt in front of Nira and hugged her, and it seemed, briefly, the girl hugged her back. As they separated, Ali saw tears in Nira’s eyes, heard her sniffle, and then she spoke—perhaps her first clear words since her mother had marked her head and imprisoned her mind.

  “Steve . . . Steve,” she said, and her lips trembled.

  Ali stood quickly, pain in her chest, and patted her on the head. “Stay here, Nira, do not leave this room. I will be back in a few minutes,” she said.

  Yet Nira took her hand and led her to the secret stairway that Ali sensed plunged many levels beneath the house. Nira did not make the descent with her, and Ali did not want her to, for the girl appeared afraid. Alone, her heart heavy, Ali found her way far under the mansion and into the complex maze of caves that must have existed even before the destruction of the power plant. For a time Ali was led by instinct, but suddenly she heard Karl snickering and Cindy crying. Then, consumed with fury, she flew down the rusty ladders and through the crumbling caves. . .

  Until she came to them, and stopped cold.

  One glance told her everything. Told her too much.

  Cindy was pinned against a stone wall with handcuffs, her face streaked with tears and exhaustion. In front of her, Karl pranced and laughed, holding a switchblade that was as red as it was silver. He did not notice her arrival, and so Ali was subjected to several seconds of his torturous behavior. But then she spoke one word, and he froze.

  “Stop,” she said.

  Karl looked over, his grin transforming into a grimace, and did not move.

  Ali ignored Karl and Cindy, and strode to Steve, who lay facedown on the ground near a kerosene lamp. As Ali turned him over, she saw that his shirt was red with blood, and that his eyes were closed, and that he was not breathing. His heart had stopped—she could feel the lack of movement inside her own heart. But although her chest felt as silent as his, she felt it break anyway, in so many pieces, and they were like shards of glass inside her veins. They did not so much cut her physical body as they tore at her soul.

  It was then she realized that no matter how much power she gained or how many dark fairies she slew, she was still human. Her pain was a perfect example of how mortal she was—it was endless.

  Leaning over, Ali kissed his lips, then stood and spoke to Cindy.

  “Are you all right? Did he cut you?”

  Cindy shook her head. “I’m all right.”

  Ali faced Karl. “So old friend, we meet again,” she said.

  He dropped his knife, backed off, his face pale. “What are you going to do?”

  Ali walked slowly toward him. “Were you the one?” she asked.

  “The one?”

  “You know, two weeks ago. The one who killed my mother?”

  He shook his head. “No.”

  Ali nodded. “You’re lying. Fine, I expect you to lie. But this time, you have to tell me the truth. What did you do with her body?”

  Karl swallowed. “We cremated her, spread her ashes in the ocean.”

  Truth. Ali took a moment to absorb it. “We?” she asked.

  Karl backed up some more, hit a wall. “I did it. But Geea . . .”

  “Shh,” she said. He was going to say the Shaktra forced him to do it, and that would be the truth, to an extent. It was only then that Ali realized the reason she had been unable to psychically sense her mother’s location after returning from her first adventure on Pete’s Peak. The Shaktra must have been near her mother and emitting a powerful supersensory field that interfered with Ali’s mental telescope. It was good to know for the future that the evil creature was capable of such a thing . . . should they meet face to face.

  Of course they would meet, and probably very soon . . .

  Ail came closer to Karl. “Where has Ms. Smith gone?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Truth. Of course, she wouldn’t have told him. “Has she left the area?” she asked.

  “I think so.”

  “She left you behind to dispose of Steve and Cindy?”

  He hesitated. “Just Steve. She forced me to—”

  “Quiet. Why did she leave her daughter behind?”

  “I don’t know. She hates the girl.”

  Partial truth. Ms. Smith had left Nira behind because she wanted to spy on them through the little girl. After all, Nira was marked, and Ms. Smith already knew how fond they were of her. The woman would assume—correctly—that Ali would keep her near.

  Ali moved until she was only a foot from Karl. He recoiled at her nearness, but he did not try to lash out, nor did he run, and it occurred to her that he was hoping she would show him mercy, as she had before. Couldn’t he see that she had neither hope nor mercy left? Steve was dead, her mother was dead, and her fairy mother was worse than dead. . . . No, she thought, he was m
aking a mistake when it came to her. She was no longer one of the good guys.

  Ali slowly reached out and gripped his neck. “I want you to tell me something.”

  Karl sucked in a shaky breath. “You’re going to kill me!”

  “I have this question. I want you to answer it.”

  He shook. “Geea . . .”

  “Who Shaktra?”

  Karl did not respond right away. But then a trace of his old cockiness returned.

  He must have known he was doomed, for he suddenly laughed at her.

  “You fool, she’s your sister!” he said.

  Ali froze for a moment. It could have been forever.

  Doren.

  “I thought so,” she said, mostly to herself. Then she suddenly tightened her grip and, twisting his head far to the side, she heard every bone in his neck break. He died instantly. She let him fall to the ground.

  Ali freed Cindy from her chains, hugged her and stroked her head, and gave her healing energy. But Steve was on the floor, in a pool of blood, and Ali finally had to let go of her and pick him up. And it was then Cindy broke down and cried and begged her to bring him back to life. But Ali shook her head.

  “That I cannot do,” she said.

  Yet as she stared at Steve’s peaceful face, far off she heard the roar that had come to her atop the kloudar, and the peace at the center of the thunder seemed to speak to her once more, and tell her that there was no end to life, as there was no reality to death. She thought she understood. She was an elemental and she was a human being, as were all the people and creatures in both worlds, and perhaps they were all growing toward something greater and more wonderful than they could imagine. She believed that, she really did.

  Hugging Steve close to her heart, kissing him once more, she spoke to Cindy.

  “Let’s get out of here,” she said.

  Ali’s Story Will Continue

  in the Next Book in the Series,

  The Yanti

  Look for

  THE

  YANTI