Dark Skye

by A R Maloney

  DARK SKYE

  Edict of the Kauri – Book 2

  By A.R. Maloney

  DEDICATION

  For my father. Love you, Dad!

  ***

  Copyright © 2020. A.R. Maloney.

  All rights reserved. No part of the is publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods. without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Again, this is a book of fiction. There is no reason to believe you can sprout wings and fly, or fling balls of fire or ice from your hands. Although the use of herbs and first aid is mentioned in this book, this book is not intended as a substitute for the medical advice of physicians, because once again, it is fictional. The reader should regularly consult a physician in matters relating to his/her health and particularly with respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.

  First printing edition 2020.

  Places and People so far – you will meet more….

  Eluna – The name of this world

  The Great Break – The life altering event which split Eluna open, causing the immediate evolution of much of the population. Those who were affected became known as the Ustenians.

  Lucenia – One faction of the peoples of Eluna, created after the Great Break.

  The Great Espencheid Forest – Where Skye grew up.

  Arden – The largest commonwealth in Lucenia.

  Ridott Village – The closest village to Plano, from the Great Espencheid Forest.

  Plano – Located in the commonwealth of Arden, Plano is the capital city of Lucenia.

  Lasalle Fortress – A fortress of Lucenia.

  DuPage Fortress – A fortress of Lucenia.

  Savannah Gate Fortress – A fortress of Lucenia.

  Rockton Village- A small outpost at the western end of the commonwealth of Savannah.

  Western Gate – Located in Savannah, this area has a history of being highly contested.

  The Badlands

  Dusk Fortress – Lucenian base in the badlands.

  The Inner Core – Rarely traveled due to extreme heat and volatile air currents.

  Ustenia–Eluna’s other faction, created after the Great Break.

  Morland – The largest commonwealth in Ustenia.

  Morland Fortress – The capital city of Morland.

  The Peshtigo Forests – Lowlands of Morland.

  The Lucenians:

  Skye – A young magus who is forcibly enlisted into the Lucenian military, then ascends.

  Serafina (Sera) – Skye’s mother, retired sentinel, ranger.

  Roman – A ranger and a recruiter for the Lucenian forces.

  Cooper – A warrior of Hellfire Company, injured before meeting Skye.

  Niera – A chanter, long-time friend of Cooper, becomes a sister-in-arms to Skye.

  Torres – Retired magus. Lives in Ridott Village. Enjoys gardening now.

  Ian – Very old sentinel… ancient….

  Riven – Magus, Skye’s trainer in Arden.

  Anara – Warrior, friend of Torres and Riven.

  Reno – Magus, envoy for the high priest, Galena.

  Galena – Cleric, high priest of Plano.

  Charna – Magus, head trainer of Plano.

  Elden – Colonel of LaSalle Fortress.

  Ralach – Captain at the observatory on the edge of the territory of LaSalle.

  Droghel – Commander of Dusk Fortress, head of Hellfire Company.

  Eno – General of Lucenian forces, based in DuPage Fortress, Dragon Company.

  Sonarim – Magus, teleporter for Eno’s classified missions.

  Arnie – Sentinel, the head of Rockton Village, away on a mission.

  Erin – Warrior, Arnie’s second in command at Rockton Village.

  Company Damagus – Led by Masio and Patie, named members include Dimitri, Andre, and Ansker.

  The Ustenians:

  Soulkos – Skye’s father, magus, ascended after the Great Break, lived on Oconto Island.

  Lancer (Lance) – General of the Ustenian forces, based in Morland Fortress, Eclipse Company.

  Mera – Retired ranger, trusted ally to Eno, considered a witch by many, lives as an outcast.

  Kumar – Ranger of Eclipse Company.

  The Kauri: Tree-folk. Eluna’s history-keepers, mouthpieces of the gods.

  Espencheid – An elder Kauri of Arden.

  Nabaru – An elder Kauri of Morland.

  Pramta - An elder Kauri of DuPage.

  The Phoenix:

  Avi

  Contents

  Chapter 1 - Trouble in the Badlands

  Chapter 2 - A Reminder to the People

  Chapter 3– The Courier

  Chapter 4 – A Time for Sharing

  Chapter 5 - Demands and Disappointments

  Chapter 6 – Release

  Chapter 7 - Drinking with Wings

  Chapter 8 - Retribution

  Chapter 9 - The End of Nova

  Chapter 10 - Introspection of a Healer

  Chapter 11 - The Return

  Chapter 12 - A Summons

  Chapter 13 - Espencheid’s Arms

  Chapter 14 - The Home of a Witch

  Chapter 15 - Numb

  Chapter 16 - Rest

  Chapter 17 - Hellfire

  Chapter 18 - Who Are You?

  Chapter 19 - Return to the Kauri

  Chapter 20 - A Decision Awaits

  Chapter 21 - Morland Fortress

  Chapter 22 - Eclipse Hall

  Chapter 23 - Rage

  Chapter 24 - The Proposal

  Chapter 25 - The Meeting

  Chapter 26 - Envoy?

  Chapter 27 – Cabin Fever

  Chapter 28 - Attack on Espencheid

  Chapter 29 - Welcome to Morland, take two

  Chapter 30 - Return to DuPage

  Chapter 31 - A Chance for Salvation

  Chapter 32 - Keeping My Head Down

  Chapter 33 – Still Spellbound

  Chapter 34 - Freedom!

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  “We have met the enemy and they are ours.”

  Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, September 10, 1813.

  Chapter 1 - Trouble in the Badlands

  ~Niera~

  ‘THE ENEMY IS US.’ Realization slammed me as I tried to comprehend our new reality. What the hell was happening? I stood still, completely speechless; unable to wrap my head around what I had just witnessed.

  Just minutes ago, Skye and I had watched the Ustenian General Lancer approach us so brazenly. I had been filled with a mix of rage, disbelief, and fear for my friend. He’d seemingly come from out of nowhere, like an avenging angel, emerging from the thick, rusty haze of the always darkened badlands sky. Only he was no angel… but neither had he behaved like the demon our forces had always rumored him to be.

  Gods, what had Skye been thinking? She’d told me of how she had met Lancer when on her mission into Ustenia. How she had been convening with Nabaru when the elder Kauri had forced the two to work together during her time in Morland. She’d spoken of his whispered intentions to her as well…. How he had promised his sword would never find her on the battlefield, only roses.

  Agh! Stupid foolish Skye! She should have kept her distance. She should have ignored him and his damned rose. She should ha
ve just walked away.

  I couldn’t understand what had driven my friend and sister-in-arms to do what she did. She had approached the fallen enemy. She had knelt at his side. She had whispered to him and then she taken that cursed rose.

  I looked around beyond the gathering of our small company, across the area where several other Lucenian companies had been mustering in small groups as we prepared to join the battle. Everyone was calling for her blood! And soon, when they realized they would not get hers, they would be calling for ours as well.

  Masio had done what he could to diffuse the situation. I’d understood his need to send her away, but he should have sent me with Skye instead of Dimitri. My glare had settled heavily upon Masio’s back as Skye and Dimitri teleported away. Moments later, the shield which had been covering Damagus Company fell. We found ourselves surrounded by a battlefield of infuriated soldiers; their anger had shifted towards us.

  “Andre! We need to get out of here. This is going to get ugly fast!” I watched as the angry mob began drawing nearer. The hairs on my arms stood on end and almost instantly I became aware of the fact that we would soon be coming under attack.

  Andre nodded back to me. I watched as his fingers met his lips, letting loose an ear-piercing whistle in an attempt to get the attention of the rest of our group. My voice joined the din as I began chanting, trying to raise the shield once again while Andre worked to pull everyone together before the angry mob could reach us.

  Andre shouted, “Masio, we cannot stay here. They will tear us to shreds!” But his calls to our leader weren’t being heard.

  I watched in horror as an arrow entered our group, piercing Patie in the neck. She was pushed back from the force of the projectile and fell to the ground, helpless, as blood spurted from the wound.

  “Masio! Now!” Andre dropped to the ground beside the fallen warrior. He wrapped both hands firmly on her neck, trying to staunch the blood loss without choking her. I could hear Andre begging for our captain to step up, but Masio wasn’t responding. “SHIT!” Andre gasped loudly as he realized our leader had been silenced. With his hands on our second in command he called out to our other magus, “Ansker! Back to DuPage! All of us! Now! Just do it!”

  Ansker began casting his spell, his voice loud and clear as it mixed with my chants. The hot badlands winds blew over us, carrying the angry shouts which certainly were drawing nearer. More Lucenian companies were closing in.

  This was not supposed to happen. I continued my chant. The words fell from my lips furiously as I tried to raise a shield of protection over my brothers and sisters.

  In a matter of moments, which felt like an eternity, Company Damagus became a tangled web of interconnecting limbs in preparation for the massive group teleport. A shriek of agony tore through the group as Masio crumbled to the ground in front of me, half landing on Patie. He was writhing in agony and nearly engulfed in tarry magical flames just before my shields came popping up again. I stretched my right leg and placed my foot beneath the small of Masio’s back to ensure he remained connected with the group. Flames licked at my shin and I moaned through my chanting as I tried to hold back a scream of pain. My eyes watered and my voice begged for urgency as I prayed Ansker was skilled enough to pull off such a demanding spell. Suddenly the world shifted as our group was moved back to DuPage Fortress.

  We landed hard on the platform which stood in front of our old company hall. Beyond the panting and the cries of pain I could hear shouts of alarm sounding immediately, as the calls for healers to come to our aid rang out across the treetops. A cool breeze blew through the leafy canopy which covered much of DuPage Fortress, causing me to shudder. I was chilled from the shock of the difference of temperature… and the shock of our ordeal.

  My eyes found Andre, still holding Patie’s neck. She continued bleeding heavily. Her lips were turning blue. I dropped to the ground, ignoring the pain of the burns on my leg. I knelt at her side and placed both hands on her chest. The rhythmic words of a healing spell flew from my lips as I forced every bit of power I could summon through my hands and into her body. Sweat poured from my scalp. My hair was soaked. Salty wetness dripped from my bangs and ran into my eyes. It merged with my tears as they slid down my nose and fell, mixing with the pool of Patie’s blood, which was growing larger by the second. Her heartbeat weakened, I checked her pulse… thready, barely there under my fingertips, and my arms shook as my power began to wane.

  Ansker was teetering on unsteady legs. He took one step, then another… and finally fell to the ground in a heap. The exertion of the spell had drained him. His shoulders heaved violently as he tried to catch his breath and gather his bearings.

  Andre’s eyes met mine and he shook his head in defeat as we realized Patie was nearing death. I felt wild. I swung my gaze to the side and saw Masio laying there, skin charred black and red; barely moving, barely breathing. Within moments another cleric arrived at his side. Her hands glowed as they lay on his chest. I hoped he would be okay. He’s shown me so much kindness. They all have.

  I continued working over Patie, but it wasn’t helping. She had all together lost too much blood. Her body could no longer function, and her heart had simply stopped beating. She was gone, killed by our own people.

  I felt sick. My gut hitched and acid burned at my throat as I struggled to breathe. I tried to compartmentalize this, tuck it away so my mind could deal with it later. There was so much more we needed to do, and while out of immediate danger we were still far from safe. My head throbbed, swimming from my exertions, and the nausea finally caught up with me. I turned my body and vomited, just as General Eno approached.

  “What the hell is going on here?”

  In all my years I had never truly heard Eno yell. I had rarely seen anything ruffle his feathers enough to make him lose his composure. My head sagged under the weight of what had happened as I looked over the brothers and sisters of my company. The frustrated, the confused, the broken, the injured, and the lost.

  “Why are you not at Savannah Gate? Who attacked you? What brought you back here?” his voice pulled me back to the present.

  With Masio out of commission and Patie dead, gods… Patie was dead…. We looked around from one to the other, as we tried to figure out who should speak. Ansker and I were the newest to the company, but I was the one who probably held most of the information. I stood; my legs wobbled unsteadily from the exertion of the spells I’d cast. My hands and legs were soaked with the blood of my newly deceased company leader. I stepped forward, “General, perhaps we should discuss this where there are not so many ears… please.” My last word was a low-spoken appeal, barely a whisper, but stressed, nonetheless.

  His frown deepened and he rubbed at his chin with his thumb, then he nodded.

  I stopped him before he could turn away. I bent and whispered in his ear, “I need you to know this was done by our own forces. Others will soon be seeking us out. This is not over by far.”

  Eno nodded back to me. His lips became a hard line as he instructed his guards to assist us in moving the injured into his war room, the most secure place in the fortress.

  As we made our way to the war room, I could see him turning to the crowd which had gathered. His voice carried firm and he announced, “DuPage Fortress is now on lockdown. No one, not the gods themselves, enters or leaves without my consent.” He then spoke directly to his captains, “See that anyone who tries either, is detained, no exceptions. Double your guards.” He followed this by waving his hand, “Nothing more to see here, let’s all get back to work. Keep your eyes open!” Eno turned on his heel and proceeded to head back to his offices, jogging quickly to catch up with us.

  I helped move everyone inside, getting them settled as best I could. Eno sent runners to bring food and water. Once our people were situated, Eno motioned for me to approach. “Do we need to speak privately, or may we stay here?”

  My heart broke as my gaze moved over my shell-shocked company. I knew the answer immediately. We wer
e all involved in this now. “We should talk here.” I motioned to Damagus Company. “Everyone needs to be on the same page.”

  Chapter 2 - A Reminder to the People

  ~Droghel~

  “THAT FILTHY WHORE! SHE actually thought she could beat me?” As I wiped my brow, I noticed the dark wet smear of blood across my hand. It must have been the result of my head hitting the wall when that bitch attacked me. I didn’t know whether to be disgusted that she had managed to mark me… or laugh that she thought she actually had a chance of winning.

  I’d kill her again if I could, but no. She would not be coming back from this death. We had made damned sure of that. My ears still echoed with the symphony of her screams. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, reveling in the smell of the dirt, sweat, blood, and pain… it had all ended much too quickly.

  It would have been nice to have taken my time bringing the little bitch to her death. Like I did with her dirty whore mother and that turncoat man of hers. But I had plans in DuPage. Either way, her wings would do nicely on the racks with the others. One less bad seed to return to this world.

  “This was a little more public than usual, Droghel. Should we be worried?” I swung my gaze towards the magus who had interrupted my thoughts. He stayed to the far side of the small room, having stepped over Skye’s corpse. He was bent over as he moved her bloodied wings onto a tarp, laying one on top of the other, then wrapping and tying them up together with a thick rope.

  “What would make you think we should even care what those mouth breathing sheep out there think, Cyrus?” I stepped closer to the magus, feeling a heady rush of power as he cowered from me. The smaller sentinel tried to mask his terror while I towered over him. “You seemed to be just fine with it while you were shielding me… despite my instruction to stay out of the fight.”

  “I didn’t figure you were serious about that.” Cyrus stood slightly, albeit still crouched, taking a step backwards. He held his palms out in a placating fashion. He knew as well as the others in my group that it was best not to poke the beast when I got like this. I decided to let him be. Without his discreet assistance, that little bitch might have made me break a sweat… even after she’d been bound to the crossbeams in this tiny outbuilding. But I would never admit to that. Neither would any of my men… not if they liked their wings to stay where they were.