“Oh no you two don’t.” Callie tugged me back to her. “You’re going to go work on Al’re’s training! Sanquility, you promised Vortix you’d teach him more about magic today. Go on, then! Getting drunk before the sun goes down doesn’t stop it from rising the next day.”
“Can we eat first?”
“If you can cook your late breakfast, you’re welcome to it. I have to patrol the planes before an Azhi burns down the town or a dragon swoops down to gobble up the priestess.”
With a heavy sigh, I headed for the larder.
“I hate hangovers.” I grumbled.
“You hate them? You’re almost impossible to get drunk!” San gave me a fleeting kiss. “I’ll help with breakfast.”
“Thanks.”
Vortix came in with a bottle of Dragon’s Blood whisky. “Hey mom, look what I got from Miss Sybel for you! All I had to do is promise to train hard!”
He offered it to me with a huge smile.
I opened my mouth to growl out get that away from me when I realized how much it’d hurt his feelings. “Oh, thanks sweetie. I’ll have some later.”
His smile dropped. “You don’t like it, mom?”
“Of course I do! It’s too early to drink.”
“But you always drink a glass with your breakfast. You say it helps start the day.”
Sanquility handed me a glass with a smile. “Here you are love.”
I gave her the darkest look I could. “You want some too, right San? You love Dragon’s Blood, and it’s been forever since we had such strong whisky.”
Vortix looked even happier. “Really? I’m glad you liked it!”
“I totally owe Sybel for this. She’s such a wonderful friend, after all.” I poured a half glass for both. “You first, love.”
She grimaced, grabbed a glass and took it in one gulp, coughing and choking in trying not to spit it out. “Ohhh, that’s…so good.” She breathed out.
I laughed my ass off. “That’s why you sip it love.” I took a sip, making a face as I withheld the vomit.
“I just like it so much…” She replied with a glinting look.
Vortix gave a huge smile. “I’ll meet you in the study room after you eat, San. Since you love it so much, I won’t even tell mom if you drink while I study!”
“That would be irresponsible.” Sanquility stated quickly. “I might have some with Xia tomorrow night.”
Then he ran upstairs. Sanquility gave a sigh of relief; I went to pour the rest of my drink down the sink. San took it from my hands. “I don’t think so! You’re going to drink it like I did!”
With a groan, I did as I was told while I cooked.
Chapter Five
Daughter of Shen
The blade burst into a bright, white fire without melting the steel. “It ends tonight.” My voice was cold and steady as the shadow-touched stone walls.
The woman rushed forward. I listened, trying to guide her with my magic. His essence was everywhere. His scales vibrated on the stone. It was as if he were the cave itself.
“You want to play, Kariken? I’ll play, then.”
Terror raced through me as spikes headed right toward me; it was too fast. Something shoved me out of the way. A scream of pain resonated through the cave – followed by a long, vile and gravelly laugh.
“No!”
Too late, I reached my lover, a spike through her heart.
“I…love…you.” She choked through the blood. It was filming down her nose. A stream of crimson made its way from her mouth and down her chin. “You will be avenged.” I told her, tears flowing down my cheeks. “Even if the Gods never speak to me again…even if they forsake me…I will avenge your death.”
The scales were retreating. The Fallen was escaping.
“Mark my words, Dark Lord! You will die by my hands!”
“You will never be strong enough, mortal. Not without the Gods you beg for power. I shall rule the world, and your lover will help me!”
I woke to the sound of my own scream, sweat dancing my brow. Callie and Anshumali were up and looking around with hair on end. I seized Anshumali to hold onto her for dear life, unable to fight the tears.
“Gods, it was a dream. It was a dream.” I whispered to myself, trying to reassure myself.
It’d felt so real.
“Xia, baby, what’s wrong?”
I shook my head. “It was only a nightmare. I’m sorry. I’m just so glad you’re okay…”
She began to stroke my hair to calm me down. “I’m alright, Xia. Don’t worry; I’m okay.”
“What was the dream about?” Callie asked with great concern.
“…Sanquility being killed by the Fallen. I hate these fucking dreams!” I said, plopping down on the bed.
“Maybe I can find something other than whisky to ease them. Drinking doesn’t seem to be helping much.” Sanquility replied almost sharply.
I shrugged, not wanting to talk about it.
Callie sat up and stretched. “The Temple’s opening today. Why don’t you go see your sister to take your mind off it? Maybe you’re restless and need something more to do than adjusting. I don’t know you’ve not trained yet.” She hinted at Sanquility, giving her a glance.
“Hmmm. Maybe.” Sanquility said thoughtfully. “You are handling riding Redemption and hunting better. Let’s visit Fay, and then we’ll talk about training.”
“…Sounds like a good idea. Maybe seeing her will wash away those nightmares.” I rose to my feet; Sanquility dressed the three of us via magic, and we got out of bed. With a breakfast of leftover bread and meat, we left to see the temple in all its glory.
I stood in the shade of the temple as Sanquility described it to me, feeling my heart flutter knowing I’d never see it for myself. She said it was a tall building of seamlessness, with round pillars and roof. There was an archway carved of Azure and Adzen. The courtyard had small statues of each god’s animal form in a circle.
“Xia! San! What a glorious day! Have you come to listen to the first sermon? I’ve already done Morning Prayer. Common in! I’ll show you where the Templars stay!” Fay’s excited voice made me crack a small but sad smile.
“I wouldn’t mind hearing your sermon. Let me know if you forget the words; I can show these villagers Azhi know their stories too.” Sanquility said replied with laughter in her voice.
Fay flung herself into my arms, hugging me tight. I gasped when I could have sworn I saw a woman pale as parchment draped in robes embroidered with all seven gods. Her waist-long auburn hair was stunning, and if it weren’t braided I was sure it’d hide her left blue eye, leaving the golden right eye to be seen by the world.
Sanquility gasped, twisting around to stare at me as Fay pulled away.
“Are you two okay?” She asked with great concern as the vision faded.
“Y-yes, I’m fine.” I muttered, shaking my head to dispel the feeling that it was the same woman. “I-I’ve just been…seeing things lately.”
“Um, that doesn’t sound like you’re okay.” Fay gave a nervous chuckle.
“Seeing things…” Sanquility shook her head. “No, I don’t think that’s quite right. It was more like…a memory. Xia, I think that shroud was blocking the memories of your past lives.”
Fay completely relaxed. “The gods were right to allow them to be freed. We need you more now than ever, and it’s good to have you back.”
“…Fay, I’m not returning to be a Templar.”
“I know. You don’t have to be a Templar to serve the Gods.” She said cheerfully. “Come; I’ll start the sermon soon. I’m sure you’ll want to pray to Shen.”
She skipped toward the building I couldn’t see.
“Okay…that settles it.” I said uneasily. “My sister is strange.”
Sanquility laughed as she took my hand and lead me inside. “That’s okay; she’s not as odd as your friends.”
I shook my head. “Nah, they’ve not told me I’m serving the gods by remembering my past lives.”
&nbs
p; “But Sybel came over yesterday to start asking you the best way to take down a dragon, and last week Ryeger insisted you were the best to ask about sieging.”
“…Okay, maybe they’re a little strange.” I admitted as we left the outside world. I froze, immediately captivated in the sound of traditional music being played and the smell of incense. The entire building was like being taken into an entirely different world. “This is so…”
“Enchanting?” Sanquility whispered. “She’s really outdone herself.”
“I have to agree.”
Sanquility described the inside; there was an open center, surrounded by large shrines of the gods in their human forms. There were offering bowls and incense burners. Candles adorned each shrine. To the right, there were pews for sermons. To the left, instead of stairs to the rooms, the doors were on the same floor – for better protection, since Whitestone had no walls. Sanquility mentioned that there seemed no distinction between apprentice and full Templar.
“Why don’t you light incense for Shen to appease your sister?” Sanquility whispered in my ear. “She’s staring intently at you with a loving and hopeful expression.”
Sighing, I nodded. “Take me over to him, and I’ll pray.”
//If you fake the prayer she’ll know the difference. //
“How do I pray to a god I don’t believe in?”
//…Pray not to the God with a name, but to the power of war itself; to the power to defend what is yours, at all costs, to claim or protect that which is rightfully yours. I know you believe in the power of war. You live it. //
“That…that was beautiful Sanquility.”
So when I knelt down and lit the familiar smelling incense, I truly contemplated all that I had fought for, all that I would fight for, and all that I fighting had given me. I contemplated war itself; the power of it, the good of it, the evil of it.
The image of a bear in glorious chainmail armor blazed through my mind, making my heart beat faster. He stood onto his hind legs to give a fierce roar, pawing at the air with a giant, clawed paw. The image of bear marks on a tree seared through me.
“Xia? Are you okay?” A voice made me jump out of my skin. I leapt up with a gasp; Sybel’s hands steadied me. “Xia?”
“S-sorry, Sybel. I didn’t hear you coming.”
“You…were praying?”
“Um, sort of.” I realized the room had become crowded with people, and Fay was preparing for the sermon. “Let’s go support Fay in her first sermon as an official priestess.”
Sanquility and Al’re followed us to the edge of the crowd to hear Fay tell the story of creation all over again. I let her voice drone into the background as I contemplated war and the power of the bear. When the sermon was over, I told Al’re to take me outside while Sanquility talked to Fay.
I ran my fingers along the bear statue, feeling the hard, smooth stone. I felt his teeth, his eyes, his ears, his claws.
“What are you doing?” Sanquility asked in confusion.
“…I want to train, San.” I said quietly. “I can’t wait anymore. A warrior without her sword is like a bear without her teeth.”
Her hand rest on my shoulder “Come; I will teach you.”
Nodding, I followed her to the house, where we armed ourselves. Then she led me outside of town, far away from the prying eyes of others. I felt the ground grow soft and sandy, and knew we were in a dry riverbed. This was where the militia trained their apprentices how to fight.
“We’ll start with basics to warm up and re-strengthen your arm. Don’t get frustrated if it’s not as easy as it once was.”
“I’ll try not to.”
“What you can’t do now, I’ll integrate Monobi fighting techniques.”
I nodded, pulling out my swords. “I remember a lot of what you were teaching me with these.”
They’re heavier than I recall. Damn it; it’s like when I was a child.
“What’s going on?” Sybel’s voice called suddenly. I whipped around to see her, Fay and Ryeger riding toward us.
“We’re training.” I called back happily. “Want to join us?”
Sybel and Ryeger face one another. “I don’t see why not. Fay, is it okay?”
“I want to watch!” Fay sounded excited to join in.
“Well they can’t leave you unguarded, so I assumed.” I teased her, too happy to care that she was about to see something violent.
Sanquility morphed into a shape of a twisting creature the color of fire and blood. I leapt back in terror with a squeal. From this shift sprang a memory of black scales and torrents of endless flame.
“Kariken? What’s wrong?”
Sybel and Ryeger rushed over to look around.
“What happened?” Sybel asked. “Is there a snake?”
“I’ll rip it in half.” Ryeger snarled.
Fay came running up. “Are you okay?” She asked with concern.
“…If there were a snake, guys, would I just scream and jump back?” I demanded dryly. “San, you triggered a memory. I’m sorry. Sybel, Ryeger. I know how to fucking fight. I just have to adjust to this second sight and build up some strength. I’m fine, Fay.”
“R-right. Sorry. We’re just…protective.”
“I, uh…I’m sorry, sis.”
The three of them returned to their positions.
I think I prefer the hero worship…
I kept the thought to myself, though, not wanting to admit it to Sanquility.
//Are you sure you’re alright? I can become human. //
“I can fight you just the same as a wolf. Come at me.”
//Mock. Fight. //
“Afraid I’m going to slice your damn head off or something? Come. At. Me.”
I unsheathed my blades. Growling playfully, the wolf rushed me. The swirling mass rushed so fast I became woozy. I swung the sword in my left hand, but to my frustration all I felt was air. I rolled clear of the charging missile of fur, fang and feather. San twisted faster than I’d thought she would, mouthing my arm so gently I swore Al’re was rougher.
“You can bite harder than that, puppy!” I gently shoved the great lug off. My lover hurdled toward me again. It was nothing but a blur of color on color. Red on green swirled with a darker green and blue. Again, when I swung the blade I felt air.
Damn it!
Weight threw me to the ground.
“Damn it all to the Abyss!” I shoved her off furiously.
“San,” Sybel called. “That’s enough.”
“We’re just getting started!” I protested furiously, kicking at the ground to hear rocks and dirt scatter.
“Why? She’s the best warrior in the New World!” Fay protested innocently.
//There’s something wrong. //
“You’re moving too fast.”
//What? //
“YOU’RE MOVING TOO FAST!!”
I was so angry I charged her full of the energy. Anshumali yelped, backing off me to scratch at her head as if somebody had thrown hot ash on her face.
“San! San, I’m so sorry!” I gently stroked her. By instinct I wrapped her mind in a gentler, more soothing wave of energy. Slowly Sanquility’s pain eased into oblivion.
Fay moved toward us; Ryeger pulled the boy back. “Don’t interrupt.”
The wolf became human. “That…that was amazing.”
I glared at her crossly, jerking my hand away. “You’re horrible.”
Sybel chimed in from her place. “San, don’t be nasty. For being practically blind she was brilliant. It won’t take long to work out her timing.”
“No!” San sounded frantic. “That’s not what I meant! Xia, that mind-shout was amazing! How did you do that? Can you do it again?”
“…San, I hurt you when we’re practicing. Besides…I didn’t mean to do it.” I stood up and stepped away from her.
“So? Can you replicate it?”
“By Shen, I don’t want to hurt you again! Why would I want to?” I pressed my hand to my forehead, moving
my bangs out of my eyes.
//Okay…I’ve never heard somebody swear by a war god to do no harm. Do you need me to slow down a little for you? //
“No. I need to fight at top speeds until I can do it.”
//You can’t work on everything at once, Kari. //
Ryeger shouted “Oh, common! What mind-shout?”
“Shove out, Ryeger!” I snarled venomously, thrusting my hand at him crossly.
I heard him grunt, and realized Sybel had shoved him. “Don’t be so rude, baby. They’re lovers with a telepathic link. Let them work some stuff out alone.” She then turned toward us. “When you two are ready, it would help to tell us what’s going on. I don’t think Sanquility has mentored as many people as we have.”
“Xia shouted into my mind with a burst of energy. It was a massive burst, and bloody painful.”
“Seriously?” Her voice went up a pitch.
“No, I’m just blowing shit up your ass, Sybel. Yes, seriously.” Sanquility growled in irritation.
Silence.
I knew it. It was wrong to-
//No. She’s thinking. //
“Then…maybe she should try to do it again. Do you think you can do that on purpose?”
“Why does everybody want me to hurt you in a training exercise?”
//We’re just trying to find solutions. //
I shoved my mate in frustrated shame. “Common, then. Let’s do this.”
San quickly searched my emotions. This time I let her, and felt a wave of relief. A pulse of energy conjured a blue-black aurora into the Azhi’s hands.
Wonderful. One more aurora to keep track of.
//Your stance is off. //
“No, it isn’t.”
I steadied myself, focusing. I tried to block out the sizzling, swirling yellow-blue of the air; to weed out the swaying green of the earth and grass. Only San and I existed. Only we existed. Those two auroras were my target. Nothing else mattered.
Then I charged.
My blades were met by hers. Strike-parry-strike. Spin, strike-strike-parry-spin. I felt a twinge of exasperation in myself as I realized she was letting me set the pace – and how slow I had to move to follow the movement.
//We have to pick up the pace. If I overwhelm you, stop me with another mind-shout. //
Crimson Warrior Page 10
