by K. R. Bowman
Goosebumps rose along my arms. I was fixated. I hadn’t realized I had started walking toward the creature until Callum grabbed me and pushed me against the side of the building.
“What do you think you’re doing?” he ground the words out as quietly as he could.
I blinked and shook my head. Sweat appeared on my forehead and slid down my temple. My breath was shaky as I blew the air out.
“I, I, don’t know… I don’t know what came over me,” My hand shook as I wiped the sweat from my eyes.
Callum peered around the building again. The creature pierced the night with a guttural scream. Its wings beat the air as it soared into the sky. My breathing leveled out, and my heart began to beat normally. Callum’s hand was still pressed against my shoulder. He had placed one foot between mine so that the right side of his body was pressed against me. I pushed him. He jerked around to look at me.
“I’m fine.”
“Settle down,” but he moved away from me, “as long as you don’t go out walking toward death again, we should be fine.”
I glared at him. He had a point, though. Why had I moved toward that creature? What was the pull that it had on me? Just thinking about it made my heart hammer in my chest again.
Ashlen stood right behind us, her eyes were big and round, “What was that?”
Callum had his focus on the sky, “I have no idea.” Callum looked back at us, “Come on, we need to get to the tombs as fast as we can, so stay close to one another and keep your eyes open to the sky.”
He ran to the neighboring building, keeping to the shadows. We stayed right on top of him. At one point, we had to run up a slight hill, and we no longer had cover from the buildings. We ran along the wall, trying to stay in the shadows. Nightlins continually flew and circled over the buildings. The main building was ravaged with fire, but the structure was still holding up.
Callum didn’t wait to see if we were behind him when he reached the cliff, he dropped straight from sight. We followed him. He was crouched on the floor when I landed beside him. He registered my arrival, with a quick glance, and started running down the steps. My weapons slapped against my legs and back as I bounded down the steps after him. We were silent as we ran down. Only the noise of our feet hitting the stones, our heavy breathing, and the movement of our weapons resounded. We made it to the iron gate. Callum threw the gate open, and we continued running into the tunnel. I was already pulling my necklace out when we came to the large walnut door. I knelt swiftly and inserted the key into the door, turning it quickly and pushing the door inward once I heard the click.
We ran inside until we came to the chamber where Jonathon Smith stood memorialized. This time when we barged in, it was like we had breached an invisible layer. It slowed me down like I was suddenly wading through a gel. Something brushed against my skin and pulled on my body then, I broke through the layer and stumbled. I leaned against the dais. The others were panting beside me.
“Okay, now where do we go from here?” The room had several tunnels that led to only God knows where. I glanced over my shoulder. Raleigh was wide-eyed and staring at one of the tunnels. “Raleigh?”
She flicked her gaze at me, then back to the tunnel. She pointed, “I think we need to go that way.”
We turned in the direction she had pointed. The tunnel had spider webs covering the entrance. Callum walked up to it and lit the torch inside. The light spread across the wall and ground in a warm glow. He pushed the webs out of the way and looked inside the tunnel. Webs covered the tunnel as far as we could see.
Raleigh was standing very still, breathing shallow, and her eyes had changed completely black. I slowly touched her arm. She jumped but settled when she realized it was me.
“Why do you say we need to go that way?”
Her voice shook as she spoke, “There’s a woman standing there beckoning with her hands to follow her. She keeps coming back to the entrance. She looks… anxious.” As her voice trailed off, it held a thoughtful and calm undertone. She took several steps toward the tunnel and stopped at the entrance. “Come on. I think it will be okay.”
“You think?” Harris asked uncertainly. He looked kind of spooked.
Raleigh walked into the tunnel, grabbing a torch as she passed by it. We filed in after her. She hesitated when we came to three more tunnels, but then quickly walked down the left tunnel.
“Hurry.”
Our steps quickened as we followed her through the tunnel. We slowly moved upward. We took another turn and reached… a dead end.
28
He trudged along the base of the mountain, trying to find a secure place to climb, a spot where the slope was slight, and trees dotted the area, making it easier to hold on to as he ascended the Nightlin mountain. He tied his hair back with a string and climbed. The mountainside was steep, and his thighs burned halfway up. Grabbing hold of the tree trunks, helped propel himself forward.
He scrutinized the landscape, trying to find something that didn’t quite fit.
He came to the ridge and stopped. He gazed into a valley. A large onyx lake nestled between the mountain ranges. A river fed the lake; it wound its way between the mountains and disappeared. Scores of trees dotted the land like a thick blanket. The moon hung high, and the stars showed in full force.
He spotted several creatures flying over the mountain like they were flying toward the city. Maybe more will fly out of their hiding place so that he could find them.
He stayed in that same spot for an hour, maybe more, his eyes locked onto the mountain ranges. He scanned every inch of the rocky terrain. A black creature sprung into the air, but he couldn’t tell where it had come from. He was getting annoyed and desperate.
Then he heard a splash, and his eyes instantly fixed onto the lake. Ripples moved across the still surface of the black water. He leaned forward, trying to pick out a shape. His fingers dug into the soil, rigid with anticipation.
Again, a black creature leapt into the air. Flecks of water flew as its wings beat the air. He needed to get closer to the lake. He hurdled from the ridge and landed at a run. He dodged and bounded over fallen trees and roots.
His heart hit his rib cage with excitement. This would be the day he found her. He would rescue her. They would leave, go far from these creatures that had brought him so much grief, where the two of them could be together without interruption, and forget about these past years.
His feet hit the ground assuredly. He barely touched the ground.
He glided to a stop a few feet from the water. He didn’t want to chance being seen now, so he knelt behind a tree and waited.
The ripples announced something was coming first, as it broke the surface. The inky black water made it hard to see, but he spotted a pair of eyes turn in his direction. The creature’s nostrils flared. His breath stopped. The eyes moved to the other side of the lake. It swam to the opposite bank. He let out the breath he had been holding. The creature slid out. Its body shook, slinging the water off. Its wings spread as it soared into the air. It flew around the lake once and then headed in the direction of the city, the same as the others.
He hated to admit that anytime he saw a Nightlin, his muscles quivered with fear.
His heart faltered at the black water. He had never been a great swimmer, but that’s because he had been made for the sky. The black depths frightened him, but he would do anything for her, anything to see her again, to hold her.
No matter what, he would dive into the water.
Funny, how he had told her he would travel to the center of the earth and back because that’s precisely what he was going to do.
The feel of the cool air that ran along his body felt like heaven, like fingers caressing his face.
His wings were outstretched and moved up and down, propelling his body forward. The feathers laid flat against his body from the air pushing against him. It felt so good to beat the air, to breathe in the cold. The moon was exceptionally bright tonight. It was a good omen. The m
oon gave them the light they needed so they could vanquish their enemies.
The land below him flew by fast. The forest stretched out beneath him. He focused on the city that he was about to destroy. The portals were opened right where they needed to be. The lights from the city flickered with the gusts of the wind created by his beating wings. People walked along the deserted roads. The tallest building on the hill stood out like a beacon, calling to him.
He was going to enjoy this moment very much.
The servants beside and behind him stayed quiet. They knew what would happen if they disturbed the moment. Their eyes were locked onto the city, and he could feel their anticipation. The ones who could not fly were being carried on the servant’s backs or in their claws. They would be released once they reached the city walls.
He had been waiting for this for a long, long time. He could barely contain his joy. His brother had said their day would come, and they would finally be able to get what they had always wanted.
29
“Umm… Raleigh?”
“Hold on. She’s saying something…” Raleigh lifted her torch upwards toward the dirt ceiling. “I think she’s saying to go up.”
Callum moved toward her and started hitting the ceiling with the hilt of his sword. Ashlen and I moved away from the falling dirt. Harris moved forward to help. Dirt rained down on top of them, their damp hair catching the soil easily. The guys struck something. We looked up to see cracks of light shining through slats of wood.
“Harris, give me a boost up,” Callum said.
Harris locked his hands and Callum set one foot in Harris’s hands. Harris lifted while Callum pushed on the boards. The boards creaked and whined as he pushed, but finally, a little trap door opened. Harris pushed Callum through the opening. Callum pulled himself up, sitting on the edge of the gap, and turned around to help us up through the hole. Harris stayed in the tunnel with us, giving us a leg up.
Before we closed the door back, Raleigh ran to the edge and leaned over, yelling, “Thank you,” into the dark tunnel. She stood, brushing her hands off on her pants, beaming.
We were in the kitchen of the main building. Shelves lined the walls with food piled on them. Callum opened the door and peeked around the corner. The halls deserted. We walked out to the dining hall, but no one was there either. I moved over to the staircase that led to our rooms, but it had crumbled and caved in.
“This way!” Callum directed us through a hallway and down a set of stairs.
We entered a room that was missing part of the exterior wall and ceiling. The Realmers had pushed tables, chairs, and whatever else they could find in the middle of the room, providing a barrier from the flying Nightlins. Watchers and Protectors gathered under the barrier, each holding several weapons. Several of the Hunters and their Czars perched along the wall, their massive bodies were having a hard time fitting into the cramped quarters. The colors of the Czars’ scales and feathers ranged from black, purple, gold, white, and any variance in-between. They easily dwarfed us.
Chuck came through the far door. The only way to describe the way he looked was to say that he glowed. His skin appeared to have a hint of brownness to it, but some sort of light pushed through, making him seem almost like one of the Greek gods from one of my school books. His eyes caught my attention because they also glowed, except that they looked like dragon’s eyes like he was about to shift into his Hunter form. His eyes were yellow and gold. The pupil was large and black, looking more and more like the eyes of a bird. Yellow electrical currents lazily whipped around his hands and feet. He headed in our direction, those yellow eyes staring right at me.
I couldn’t control my heart from speeding up.
“I’m glad you decided to show. We are organizing a counter-attack.” Chuck’s voice had become gravelly and deeper; the effects of him about to change. “We have our air support waiting in the room through that door. I am sending the rest of you to the ground to attack the ground anchored Nightlins. The children have been relocated to a part of the tombs. If everyone will get to their positions, we will then give a signal for our counter-attack to begin.” Chuck walked over to the next room. The muscles in his body were tense and rigid. His eyes darted back and forth, watching every movement. He was immensely scary.
I caught myself staring, and Callum was watching me.
Movement began in haste all around me, while everyone rushed to get to their posts. Watchers and Protectors were getting in position as we traveled down to the ground level with some of the Protectors. We congregated in the entry of the main building, and people were passing out weapons and armor. The fires that were usually lit in the dining hall had been left unattended, so the embers glowed faintly, making the room feel less inviting.
Callum came to stand in front of me. His eyes roamed over every inch of me. I squirmed. He moved to stand behind me and started tightening the straps of my armor. Some he tightened so much that my limbs tingled.
I cleared my throat, “You know you’re kind of scaring me?”
He kept his focus on tightening each strap, but I saw the corners of his mouth tug slightly, “Remember what I said?”
I let out a sigh and mumbled, “Yes.” I flicked my eyes behind me to see his reaction.
This time the smile spread across his whole face, “I’m making sure you will be safe, so no more arguing or whining.”
I rolled my eyes as an answer.
Raleigh and Ashlen were standing next to me. Each ran their fingers across each piece of armor. Ashlen’s fingers trembled slightly. She jerked her head up to look at me. Her eyes were wide, but there was determination shining through; her hands stilled. Harris was standing off to the side; he looked lost in thought, but he didn’t seem scared. I scanned the crowd of beings. Everyone was pacing either because they were nervous or anxious, maybe both. You could see the fear on their faces or in the way they huddled together.
I spotted Molly and Rory standing in a far corner. They had numerous amounts of weapons strapped across their bodies. Stephen was closest to the door; his black hair hid his eyes, and his head was bowed like in prayer. A long wooden staff was held between his hands. The staff was a foot taller than him and looked smooth except for the carvings that decorated the top.
A large white Czar nearly knocked me over; it looked over its shoulder at me. Its eyes were boring into me, the sharp teeth gleaming from its mouth, its talons clicking on the stone floor as it pushed through the crowd of people. I laid my hand out along its long tail, the feathers and scales sliding through my hand effortlessly, and it whacked me in the face with it. Miranda followed after it. She lumbered on through the crowd, pushing people out of her way.
You know how in books or in movies when they describe the calm before the storm or right before the big battle there’s a heavy silence? Well, they don’t describe it well enough. The silence wasn’t calm but ratcheted with nervousness. The air smelled of fear, failure, and death. To me, silence didn’t exist at that moment. The air buzzed with noise.
Something roared. Everyone stood straighter, and the group tightened. The people closest to the door pulled the massive double doors back. The moon shone brightly over the whole city. The shadows of the building were like gaping holes, waiting to swallow us whole. Sounds like birds could be heard flapping and screeching through the night. We filed out the doors in two long lines. The Hunters marched along the lines acting as a barrier. Electricity moved in currents up and down their arms. Their Czars were about to be called forth. We stood with our backs to the building, facing our death.
30
At first, I couldn’t see anything moving, but then my eyes seemed to adjust to the darkness. The shadows moved restlessly. Now and then, a dark figure ran from one shadow to the next. They were coming for us. I looked down the lines to see everyone pulling out their weapons, preparing for the onslaught.
The long claws of the Nightlins clung to the edges and roofs of the buildings. Sometimes, pinpricks of light reflecte
d from the shadows; their eyes watched us.
One figure stepped out from the shadows. It almost looked like the creature that we had run upon earlier when we entered the city, but this one didn’t have wings. Instead, it had what looked like razors growing out of its back and along the backs of its arms. Dark strips of cloth hung from its body. Again, I couldn’t see its eyes just the spaces where they should have been. It didn’t have lips. Its long sharp teeth pierced through the holes in its mouth.
Something inside of me perked up.
This thing in front of me was calling to me, or I was calling it. I felt a connection. The creature studied me. It raised its arm and made an inarticulate noise. The shadows unfolded to reveal more Nightlins waiting. They crept from behind the buildings. Some looked like a bunch of bones held together with ligaments. They had the same dark, stretched skin with gaping holes for eyes and noses.
The hairs on my arms stood to attention, and goosebumps ran up my arms and down my legs. I turned to Callum standing beside me. His lips were in a thin line, and his teeth clenched.
He spoke to me without taking his eyes from the creatures, “Remember what you’ve trained to do, and I’ll be right beside you the whole time.”
The Nightlins stood in a line maybe a hundred yards away. When they breathed, steam issued out of the holes in their bodies. The breeze blew the strips of black cloth that hung from their limbs. A few of them had drool hanging from their mouths.
I heard Jess yell, “Fit your bows!”
At once, everyone lifted an arrow to the bows and sighted on the Nightlins. Some of the Hunters took off into the sky, their Czars swiftly soaring straight for the Nightlins circling above our heads. The massive creature raised his arm again, and the Nightlins shifted their weight and kneeled, preparing to run or jump at us. I had my arrow pointed directly at the supposed leader of the Nightlins. I aimed right at his chest.
