Shadow Seed (2 page)

“Nella, please help us out here,” Leon
pleaded.

Sara lowered her head and leaned against the
bar. “I’m gonna die.”

“There’s only one thing I can think of,”
Nella said. “Have you seen the river a few blocks north of here?
You can catch fish, can’t you?”

“Yes!” Leon said. “Thanks, Nella. I owe
you.”

“You can repay me by telling Caycee she
better return my ring!” Nella demanded. “It was her. I know
it.”

“She stole your blood ring?”

“It took forever to make, and besides that I
just used up a good bit of blood making those drunks stop.”

Leon stepped away. “No problem,” he said.
“Thing is, she’s with the Khothu right now.”

“Just tell her when you see her,” Nella said.
“I need that ring.”

Outside, Sara was practically dragging Leon
by the arm. “It’s this way, right?”

They followed a trail between some buildings
that led down to the river.

Sara dropped the basket with the rat and
cradled her growling stomach. “Fishing rod…” she said, realizing
she didn’t have one.

“Give me one second,” Leon said. He waded
hip-deep into the water. For almost a minute he stood completely
motionless before rapidly snatching four fish right out of the
river.

Standing behind Sara, Chris and Delia
laughed.

“What are you doing, Leon?” asked Chris.

“I’m getting some food for our friend here,”
Leon answered.

Delia cringed. “Yuck! You’re actually going
to eat that?”

“Yeah,” Sara said defensively.

“I’ve got to see this,” Chris said.

Delia whined. “Chris, that’s gross!”

“I’m gonna cook it, of course,” said
Sara.

Leon walked by. “If you kids want a lesson in
culture, follow us.”

Back at the house, while Leon prepped the
fireplace, Chris and Delia watched Sara use a dagger to cut the
heads off the fish.

“Is it a ritual to behead them?” Delia
asked.

“You could call it that,” Sara said. “It’s
more of a common practice to not eat the head.”

Delia covered her eyes as Sara began
filleting the fish. Chris was transfixed by the whole thing.

Leon dumped some blood glaives off a metal
tray and grabbed tongs to give to Sara.

Sara wiped the tray and set it in the fire.
She used the tongs to handle the fish until it was done. Not
waiting for the other fish, she wasted no time tearing off a piece
and putting in her mouth.

The savory moment was awkwardly cut short as
Sara turned to see Chris and Delia staring at her with wide-eyed
shock.

CHAPTER THREE

Gillan stepped through some brush to emerge
from the forest. “What a beautiful morning!” he said, looking up at
the clear sky.

Caycee was right behind him. “Beautiful? I’ve
never been so hot,” she said, pulling her hood back.

The sound of the ocean could be heard.

“Hey, you’re like Leon,” Gillan said
realizing Caycee wasn't affected by the sun.

“Not really,” Caycee said, wiping sweat from
her neck, and then parting the top of her blouse to show Gillan the
necklace she wore. “Since you're my friend, I’ll tell you. I took
this from a Turin, but not just any Turin. It belongs to Marus, a
member of the Vesuvian Council. With this beauty, I can withstand
the sun for a short while.”

“Why did you steal it?”

“I didn’t steal it,” Caycee declared. “I
borrowed it, just in case. Gillan, please don’t say anything. If
anyone asks, tell them I’m a very powerful Vesuvian.”

Gillan shrugged. “I didn’t see a necklace,”
he said, then nodding towards the edge of a nearby drop-off.

Caycee walked over, unprepared for the
amazing view she saw: a city in and around an enormous bay. In the
middle was a large central island, surrounded by four smaller ones.
The elevated land on one side of the bay was lined with cliff
dwellings.

Strips of earth interconnected the islands
and the mainland with each other like a bridge. The heavily
populated mainland itself had a system of rivers and channels with
boats transporting people everywhere.

Buildings seemed as though they had sprouted
from the ground, as well as the thick, skyscraper pillars of rock
that flanked the bay’s narrow entrance.

“This is Tiamat, the grandest city in our
land,” Gillan said. “It may look natural, but believe me, it’s a
hundred percent Khothu-made.”

Near a mountain next to the bay, wyverns flew
about. Many of them carried Khothu with distinct yellow scales. One
swooped down, waving at Gillan and Caycee as he glided by.

Gillan waved back. “Perak!”

“Hi!” Caycee said, waving as well.

After pushing through some more brush, both
came to a wall of earth twenty-feet high that encompassed the
entire bay, making it impossible to go any further.

A guard peeked over and, with the wave of his
hand, a section of the wall rapidly melted into the earth.

Caycee gawked at the display of power. “Not
much need for technology, is there?”

“I'll show you around,” Gillan said. “But we
have to find Melkor.”

“Welcome back,” the guard said.

“Brown scales. Cool powers. You’re a Komodo,
right?” Caycee asked.

The guard held one hand out toward a torch
and made the flame jump to his palm. “I do have a hint of Typhon
from my mother’s side.”

“Do you know a lot about our castes?” Gillan
asked.

“Not really,” Caycee answered. “I can tell
you apart though. Your blue scales mean you’re a Leviathan. That
Perak guy is a Draco, and Khothu with red scales are Typhon.”

“Not bad, but keep your eyes open, `cause
it’s getting a little harder nowadays.”

Walking at a fast pace to keep up with
Gillan, Caycee’s head darted back and forth to see what was
happening. Some of the Khothu greeted her and others simply ignored
her.

At a kiosk surrounded by children of all
castes, a Komodo used his abilities to turn blocks of clay into
small figures.

Gillan approached him. “Excuse me. Have you
seen Melkor?” he asked.

“Sorry,” the toy man replied.

Continuing down the street, there were three
Typhon females putting on a display of fire, spraying it from small
openings in the wrist just under the hand.

One of the Typhon women made a series of
rings with a wyvern flying through them.

Another had seven balls of fire darting
around, changing colors.

The last female created what looked like a
large lump of fire in the sky. It then opened up like a hand, and
grew even larger, appearing to the people on the ground as though
it were coming down to grab someone. The adults laughed as their
children screamed in terror.

Caycee tugged on Gillan’s shirt. “Why is it
called ‘spit’ if it comes out the hand?”

“It’s nasty,” Gillan explained. “It sticks to
everything, even water, and they can make it so hot you can’t
breathe.”

Caycee cringed a little. “That does sound
nasty.”

Perak suddenly landed his wyvern in the
middle of the street and hopped off shouting. “Well, if it isn’t
Mr. Grand Champion!”

“Have you seen Melkor?” Gillan asked. “It’s
really important.”

“I saw him on East Island,” Perak said,
looking around. “Where’s Kamala?”

“She…didn’t make it,” Gillan answered.

“No way!” Perak said, stunned. “Not
Kamala.”

“Don’t say anything,” Gillan pleaded. “Melkor
has to know, and I have to be the one to tell him.”

Perak wiped his tear before it could run down
his face.

“She was like a sister to both of us,” Gillan
said. “I'll tell you everything, but right now I need a real big
favor.”

“Name it,” said Perak.

“It won't be easy, but I need to see the
Chiefs. Just tell them it involves the Pelasgians. I’ll be there
shortly.”

“I’m sure they’ll want to see you,” Perak
said. He turned back, taking a few steps towards his wyvern before
stopping. “I can't believe she didn't make it. Good luck with
Melkor.”

“Thanks,” Gillan said, hurrying with Caycee
down to a small boat anchored at the shoreline.

The owner was a Leviathan. “Where can I take
you?” he asked.

“East Island,” Gillan said, as he and Caycee
jumped in.

Using his ability to control water, the
Leviathan made the boat take off. Within minutes they reached the
island. It was teeming with people moving between kiosks.

Caycee couldn’t take five steps without
bumping into someone.

“Is Melkor around?” Gillan asked numerous
times. A tall, muscular Komodo male suddenly grabbed him by the
arm.

“Looking for me?” he asked.

Gillan turned. “Melkor!”

“Still jumpy as ever,” Melkor laughed. “How
did everything go?”

Gillan stood frozen with nervousness.

“Hello,” Caycee said. “You’re bigger than I
thought, but it makes sense Kamala would marry a strapping man like
yourself.”

Melkor laughed more. “Yes, but I must say I’m
the lucky one.”

Gillan’s voice trembled. “We…uh…ran into
serious trouble, in the Shadow Realm. There were so many of
them.”

It didn’t sink in at first, though Melkor’s
joyful face slowly turned to one of uncertainty. “Where’s my wife?”
he demanded.

“She...she didn’t make it!” Gillan answered,
covering his face with his hands. “I’m sorry. There was nothing we
could do for her.”

Melkor suddenly cried out in anguish, shoving
Gillan hard to the ground and encapsulating him from the neck down
with dirt.

The amount of earth on Gillan was so much he
could hardly breathe.

“Hey, it’s not his fault!” Caycee said.

In a fit of rage, Melkor upended the ground
at Caycee's feet, throwing her to the ground. Several Khothu
immediately tackled him.

“No!” Melkor cried. The ground trembled as he
struggled with all his might to break free, until he had nothing
left but tears. He fell to his knees.

Caycee quickly began digging to free Gillan
until another Komodo easily unearthed him.

“You okay?” Caycee asked.

Gillan gasped for air. “Yeah...I'll be
fine.”

It was difficult for Melkor to speak as he
sobbed. “Forgive me, Gillan. Kamala...”

After catching his breath, Gillan got up with
Caycee’s help. He knelt beside the powerful Komodo.

Gillan’s mouth slightly opened with an
overwhelming need to say something, anything, but it all seemed so
trivial.

It was Caycee who spoke. “Kamala wanted you
to know that she loves you very much.”

Tears fell down Melkor's face. “I'm sorry. I
lost control.”

“It's okay,” Caycee assured him. “I can sense
your pain. Kamala is an incredible woman. You should have seen the
way she fought. She was very brave. Before we left, she asked that
you finish reading The Tale of Fyodor to Kemik.”

Melkor smiled. “His favorite story,” he said.
“She read that to him every night.”

“Caycee's right,” Gillan said. “You would
have been so proud of Kamala.”

Melkor sank his fingers into the ground. “The
Pelasgians. I will avenge my wife. No matter what.”

CHAPTER FOUR

Thousands of dead Rheans and live Fenrir
tepidly moved through a Netherworld forest. Countless ravens
perched on the lifeless trees.

Stig was leading the way for Kamala, Darek,
Hurok, Rona and Doradus.

“Oy, know what I heard back in town?” Darek
asked. “Bunch a folks around here have taken to callin' themselves
Inferi.”

Kamala didn’t think much of it. “Sounds like
something an Anubian would come up with.”

Stig laughed. “No one actually knows who or
how that came about. It started ages ago. Lately, it seems more and
more hop on everyday. I may be dead, but I'm still a Fenrir.”

Darek swung his sword around. “And how did we
get stuck with scouting? Just because we're new to this being dead
thing doesn’t mean we can’t be in the thick of it.”

“Will you relax?” Kamala said. “There's no
front line. On top of that, we're not scouting. Arloff needs us to
skirmish with the Pelasgian rear guard.”

“Yeah, cause enough of a ruckus that we get
the lot of them chasing us back to him, hopefully.”

“It doesn’t get much thicker than that,”
Kamala said. “Unless the Pelasgians decide to smash the city, and
we have to run in after them.”

“Speaking of which,” Darek said, continuing
to swing his sword. “Does it have a name? The city everyone’s
running off to.”

“Hasn't been given a name yet,” Stig
answered. “Lilith conjured it several days ago. It's her biggest
one yet.”

Hurok ran up beside Kamala. “What are these
black birds doing here?”

“Someone said they were animals of Rhea,”
Kamala answered. “Or something like that.”

“Yes,” Stig said. “They were your food, your
pets, anything large and small. These birds are Lilith's eyes and
ears. They've been watching everything ever since the
invasion.”

A Fenrir in wolf form came running from a
group further ahead and stopped in front of Hurok.

“What is it?” Hurok asked.

“There’s a small ridge,” the Fenrir pointed
out. You can see the Pelasgians from there.”

Everyone approaching the ridge had to drop
down on their belly and crawl to get a peek.

Kamala was worried when she saw how close the
Pelasgians were. “It looks like they forgot to post sentries.”

“Careful, it may be a trap,” Doradus
whispered.

“Maybe,” said Rona. “But if it's not, that
means we have the element of surprise.”

“Then I say we hit them now and plow straight
through the middle. I bet we can take out half of them before they
realize what’s happening.”

Rona hit Doradus' arm. “Idiot, in case you
forgot, some of us are still alive.”

“It only hurts the first time,” Doradus
grinned.