Echoes of a Shattered Age (37 page)

Shinobu snarled with dissatisfaction. Despite their savage appearance, they were intelligent and far more lethal than any demon he’d fought so far. It took all of his skill just to keep from being shredded by those sharp claws, or being swatted by one of those thick tails!

“Shinobu!” he heard Kita yell. “We make for the tower. Akemi is down and Kenyatta is injured.”

“That sounds like a great idea,” the strider yelled back. “But you’ll have to pardon me if I’m not fast to join you!”

That left Kita in a bind. The samurai had already made off toward the tower, Kenyatta could probably still fight, but not very well, and Shinobu fought two grinning, hissing piles of muscle that seemed not to be effected by any injury the strider dealt.

* * *

Grit and Derk fought a green demon Iel had called a corono. They used a simple tactic of spacing themselves in order to position the fiend between them. With brunts, the strategy was always simple brute force. Per Grit’s orders, the clan split, each pairing with another to take a target. They had never fought Quentranzi before and Grit wanted to be sure they were close as a group and could depend on one another to help fight the unpredictable creatures.

The strategy seemed to be working, as they complemented each other’s movements. As effective as they were, however, the battle had cost them a number of their clan until their weapons had suddenly become effective against the wretched things.

Mira scanned the once-beautiful fields of Takashaniel, now shrouded in horror. The presence of evil darkened the surroundings, but the worst was the tainted blood of the creatures. One drop of demon blood tainted the land that it fell upon. Everywhere, demons and their adversaries bled, fought and destroyed each other. The apprentice could only look on in despair. Even if they did win this battle, the cost would be heavy. Would the land, torn and darkened, ever recover?

She was pulled from her thoughts by the gurgling sound of a prauna, a human-sized Quentranzi with five tiny spikes protruding from its back. It had a small mouth with no visible teeth, but two horns about half a foot in length extending from each side of its jaw and arcing forward. Its green scaly hide was stretched taught over its hunched body, and it looked to Mira that it could turn easily turn aside the thrust of a sword. Its top set of arms were as long as its legs, while its lower arms were about half that length.

Not taking her eyes off the vile, gurgling creature, she backed away and picked up another rock. The prauna leapt at her and spread its arms. Mira stood her ground as the creature descended upon her, just long enough to charge the rock with explosive energy and hurl it at the demon. She rolled aside just as the rock hit the prauna and exploded. She grabbed a handful of dirt as she rolled back to her feet, and basked in the power of Takashaniel filling her.

The prauna rubbed at its chest with its smaller arms, more out of irritation than pain, its thick scales having effectively protected it from the projectile.

“Let’s see how you handle this,” she said as the dirt began to glow in her palm. She squeezed her hand tight until the dirt was somewhat solid, then threw it above the creature’s head. She held her hand out in front of her with her fingers closed, and when it reached the demon, she spread her fingers, and what was left of the glowing dirt burst into a shower of Daunyanic light. The effect was like acid on the demon’s thick hide, and the prauna fell to the ground, twitching and coughing.

Mira thought the beast finished, but it slowly rose back to its feet, its scaly lips drawing back from yellow teeth. “How?” was all the apprentice was able to say before the abysmal creature charged.

***

Chapter Forty

Brit watched from of his scrying mirror as the battle ensued. Upon hearing Kabriza’s guttural voice, he half-turned to regard the demon.

“You chose powerful enemies, Drek,” it mocked. “Not long ago you claimed the ability to defeat them and destroy the tower without the assistance of my brethren. It looks as if we may indeed require your mighty intervention if the battle continues as it does.”

Brit eyed the creature. One would not think of a demon as well-spoken, even if it is to imply sarcasm. Every other of the sickening creatures he had encountered used more … crude, forms of communication. “You may be correct,” he agreed. “It seems that the prowess of your kind is overrated, rest only a few.” He then pointed to the one human fighting a pair of large, bulky specimens. “That one, I must say, must be very skilled to handle two of those … Zzrt, they are called? But what of the other four?”

He turned to face the Quentranzi general. “I do not care how powerful these humans are, they are only five, and still
only
humans. I had expected more from your minions than just tougher versions of the first wave of fodder. They still have yet to reach the tower, and the battle lingers. I am disappointed, Kabriza.”

The Quentranzi’s face twisted into what looked like a sneer, then straightened to its full height. Brit looked up at the beast, a soft red aura lining his body.

Kabriza tilted its head to regard the Drek, then let out a shrill, grinding sound that might have been a laugh. “Do I frighten you, Drek?” it taunted.

Brit knew better. By the demon’s change in posture, he knew that his point was well-received. Although he was sure he could send the creature back to the abyss if it came to that, it would be no easy task. Still, he needed to be sure that the Quentranzi understood that he was up for the challenge.

“Mighty Brit,” the fiend chuckled. “The weak come in larger numbers. Surely you know that.”

“Your point?”

“Why not have fun diminishing their forces,” Kabriza continued, “while waiting to strike the fatal blow? What you have seen is not more than a sample of what I command.”

Brit could feel his temperature rising. Why did the hellish beast not just send his more powerful minions to the battle and wipe out the defenders after the first wave of lesser demons was defeated? Why the games?

The demon general stood for a moment as if allowing Brit more time to ponder the matter. “I do admit that I had not expected those half-breeds and runt warriors to show themselves, especially with humans fighting.” Another horrible laughing sound. “As always we have found your world to hold many surprises.”

Kabriza stepped back a few paces, and the floor trembled. Brit followed the demon general’s gaze to the far end of the room. It was empty save the scrying mirror and themselves. Brit waited to see what it was the unpredictable creature could be looking at. After speaking in the guttural tongue of the abyss, the fiend smugly eyed Brit, who now could see the outlines of two creatures not much taller than himself. The winged demons stepped forward, and with each step, the invisibility that surrounded them seemed to trail off in wisps.

Kabriza snickered at Brit’s incredulity, but the Drek hardly cared. How could those things have been in his fortress without his knowledge, and how long had they been there?

* * *

Hovering next to Zreal, high above the battlefield, Szhegaza looked on in amusement. “The guardian chooses his allies well,” she said. “Five humans, a clan of half-breeds led by the biggest centaur I have ever seen, and a group of short, smelly-looking things that are much stronger than they look.” She smiled.

“Let’s not forget the magical creatures he’s summoned,” Zreal added.

Szhegaza didn’t respond, her focus trained on the samurai carrying a woman toward the tower. “It looks like things are turning more in our favor. I’m sure Master Brit will be pleased if we were to destroy them and lead the destruction of the tower ourselves.” If a serpent could smile, it would look like the devious expression on the Zitarian’s face. “Let’s help them die.”

Zreal eyed her carefully. “I will handle the samurai and the woman. You can deal with those two.” He pointed at the human holding the large silver spear and supporting another over his shoulder.

Szhegaza looked the scene over and favored him with a grin, then dropped from their altitude, descending to the earth below. Zreal never felt anything other than mistrust for the Zitarian, but he could not dismiss the possibilities of aligning himself with one as capable as Szhegaza. And the potential rewards she spoke of were not untrue. Perhaps he could use her to accomplish his goals, and if she were foolish enough to betray him, he would deal with her then. For the first time since his master’s plan came into reality, Zreal felt he had some control over his part in it. He smiled to himself as he descended toward the samurai.

* * *

Shinobu found himself gradually giving ground against the Zzrt, who seemed to have no limit to their endurance and felt no pain.
One of these things would have been more than enough,
he thought,
but two are outside my comfort zone.
The strider smiled despite his desperate situation. Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead, and the muscles in his arms burned from constant use and his movements were beginning to slow.

The larger and larger of the two leaped at him, and he threw himself into a roll under the monster. Instinct nudging the back of his mind, and the strider planted his feet and darted into another roll to the right of the second Zzrt that ripped up four large strips of ground where the strider had been only an instant before. Shinobu jumped out of the roll into a spin and slashed the creature’s arm with three swift cuts while in midair. The beast seemed not to be affected by the injury, regardless of the black blood streaming from its wound.

Shinobu would have sighed if he didn’t need every ounce of energy. He’d driven the blade down with enough force to sever the thing’s arm. Instead, he’d only dealt it a deep cut, which it ignored and charged him again! He could feel the triple thud in the ground as the hulking beasts loped toward him.

One leaped at him and he stood his ground, crouching low and striking at the underbelly. The other Zzrt lunged at him as if to tackle, but the strider, ever agile, came out of the crouch and back-stepped. In that same instant, as the beast flew by, he ducked and rolled forward, avoiding a swipe from the creature he’d just cut across the midsection. He spun out of the roll to face the two monsters who stalked toward him, slower this time.
Maybe I did hurt them a little,
he thought as he stared into those permanently grinning maws filled with rows of sharp teeth.

He noticed Kita holding Kenyatta up by the shoulder, undecided whether to help him or get his friend to the tower. He sprinted toward his waiting companions, but was cut off by the smaller of the two Zzrt. He tried to dodge to the left, then right, then left again, but the demon matched his movements so precisely that the strider had to wonder if the thing was reading his mind.

* * *

Not far away, the clan of centaurs had been slowly but steadily gaining ground since their weapons had suddenly become effective. Grimhammer suspected it was the tower guardian’s work, which meant it was most likely temporary. They drove as hard as they dared, trying to destroy as many of their enemies as they could before the effects wore off.

He noticed one human fighting two of those ferocious Zzrt. Unshakable though he was, Grimhammer didn’t want to think of what would become of the human if those things got a hold of him, which from his perspective, seemed like only a matter of time. He also saw two other humans not far off, one of them injured. Clearly the human holding the other wanted to help, but was hesitant to leave his injured friend unguarded.

The third thing Grimhammer saw was what prompted him to order two of his fastest warriors to follow him toward the humans. A strange-looking creature was gradually descending upon the two humans, as if it were savoring the moment before the kill. As he and the two centaurs at his side raced toward them, Grimhammer remembered Iel mentioning that five humans would be pivotal in the outcome of the battle. The shape that these three were in didn’t offer much hope. And where were the other two?

* * *

He saw no immediate danger, but Kita’s instincts screamed at him. Without thinking, he jumped and turned, positioning his feet under his friend’s arm and at the side of his body, saying, “You’re gonna hate me for this.” As gently but with as much power as he could, Kita pushed off his friend. Kenyatta was thrown in one direction, rolling and cursing on the ground, and Kita in the opposite direction. If he’d acted a hairsbreadth later, both of them would have been skewered by the winged creature that came crashing to the ground.

“I’ll admit that I am impressed by your instincts,” it purred, straightening. “I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this.”

Kita had already recovered and was on the winged reptilian-looking thing. He struck swiftly and with deadly precision, but to his surprise, the thing dodged every attack without much effort. He backed off and held his staff in front of him at a defensive angle.

“Come now,” the thing said. “Do human males not treat females with better manners?”

Kita frowned at her.
Females?

“Should we not at least be introduced?” she continued.

“What are you and why did you attack us?”

“Attack?” The thing leaned backward and placed her clawed hand over her chest as though shocked. “I simply wanted to introduce myself and see if I might assist you in your plight.” Her smiled could have dripped venom.

“No, thank you,” he replied.

“Perhaps your friend would be of a different mind,” she said. Kita glanced at Kenyatta, who looked in worse shape. He circled around until he was between his friend and this apparently female creature.

“We’ll manage.”

She smiled even wider and took a step forward with her arms spread open. “I hold no weapon to harm you with. I make no move to attack, even though you stand ready to strike me down with your very nice silver stick.”

Kita almost laughed. Who did she think she was fooling? She held no weapon aside from the ones naturally attached to her fingertips. Those claws could slice him to pieces.

Suddenly his thoughts began to haze. He shook his head, keeping his eyes on the approaching creature. With each step that she took, Kita found her less threatening. He could not strike her down, but in fact he yearned to welcome her help. She closed the distance between them, her movements graceful and seductive. She seemed to glide rather than walk, and with each step, she no longer looked like a winged reptilian creature, but a woman of flawless beauty.

“It hurts me that you have forgotten me already,” she cooed. “Has it been so long, traveling warrior?”

And then he remembered. She was the beautiful woman from Toyotomi Village.

“
I can make all of your problems disappear
,” she said. Her voice echoed in his mind, pushing aside the sounds of battle. He was oblivious to all but this alluring woman moving ever closer. The warnings screaming at his mind were pushed further and further back until they were no more than muffled cries in the back of his consciousness.

He closed his eyes as she reached out to touch him, then a sudden burst of pain snapped his eyes open and he back-stepped, following with a horizontal spinning cut at the woman’s waist. She reacted much quicker than expected, and Kita once again saw her for what she was. He glanced at his bruised shoulder, then at Kenyatta, who was on his knees with a devious, “that’s two you owe me,” expression on his face. Kita knew that he and everyone else would hear about his apparent demise before Kenyatta had saved him.

The once again reptilian-looking thing cast a venomous glance at Kenyatta that made his blood freeze. “Hate to be her bwayfriend,” he said.

“Your friend cost you an easier death,” she said.

“What happened to all the sweet talk?” Kita replied.

With a tip of her head, and then that poisonous smile again, her wings rose above her head and divided.

What is she supposed to be now, a dragonfly?

He’d barely finished the thought when the winged creature flew at him.

* * *

The samurai was beginning to tire. He had fought an endless battle and now carried his sister on his shoulders to Takashaniel. They desperately needed her in the fight and there was no time to waste. He felt her body tense over his shoulder.

“Kenjiro, stop.” Akemi raised her head and looked over her shoulder at him as he slowed and let her down. She stood, a bit shaky at first, but then strength seemed to flow into her.

Kenjiro looked her over. “Can you fight? Danger is everywhere and I don’t think I could defend you from more than one or two of those things at a time. They are much stronger and more cunning than those other demons we fought.”

The ninja cast him an insulted look. “When have I ever needed you to protect me?”

“When you were lying on the ground unconscious not long ago.”

“As the guardian aided you when you were tangled in the hair of a towering demon,” came the retort.

The samurai was disarmed. How did she know about that?

The sight of a winged creature speeding toward them from above cut short the argument. Having recovered most of her strength, she stood as casually as if they were having a cup of tea when she pointed to the sky.

The samurai looked up. “What do you suppose that is?”

“Looks like a giant reptilian dragonfly or something.”

“It doesn’t look like a demon to my eyes,” Kenjiro said.

“It isn’t,” Akemi replied. “It exudes no demonic presence that I can tell.”

Kenjiro was unsure whether or not that was good news. He moved to stand side-by-side with his sister.

Zreal found it amusing that the two humans stood as if his appearance was no concern.
I will have to change their perception of me,
he thought as he pulled up at the last minute, his wings beating rapidly to hold him aloft.