Void Wielder 2 Legacy of Chaos (16 page)

“Thanks.” They remained quiet as they continued walking over the moon-drenched path. “So how about that other thing we spoke about?”

“Er…you mean that love thing?” Falcon stared into Faith’s emerald eyes and gulped. “I…I’m not sure what I should think about that. I love a lot of things. My mom, Albert, Master K’ran, and—”

“Where is it?” came a strange voice. They both turned toward the voice. In front of them stood a skinny young man. He moved around a bush of flowers, poking his head between the leaves. “How am I supposed to ask her now?”

“Is everything fine?” asked Falcon, glad that he didn’t have to continue with the conversation.

The man stared at them. “
No
. Nothing is fine. Tonight, on our anniversary, I was to ask my love to marry me.” He waved at a girl who sat on a blanket atop a hill. The distance made her features barely visible.

“Are you well, my honey-dipped dumpling?” said the girl between giggles. “Come and share some of this strawberry wine with me.”

The thin-mustached man cleared his throat. “Yes, my love. As soon as I find the perfect flower.”

“
Honey-dipped dumpling
?” asked Falcon, trying his best to stifle his urge to laugh.

“Yes. What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing,” interrupted Faith. “Now, what ails you, sir? Perhaps we can help.”

“The ring,” he whispered. “I had the perfect ring to ask her to spend her life with me. And I dropped it while I searched for a flower. Now I can’t find it anywhere. It wasn’t much, but it was all I could afford.”

Faith took a red rose in her hand. The white emblem glowed as the stem shifted into a pristine gold ring. Small golden colored leaves decorated the body of it. The red rose turned into a gleaming ruby gem. “Take it.”

Falcon stood dumbfounded. He’d assumed holy wielding was only for healing and defensive spells. He never imagined it was capable of such things.

“Goodness sake,” said the man. “I can’t take
this
.”

“Please. It would be my honor.”

The man took the shimmering jewel in his hand. “My gratitude to you. I hope the love between you two is blessed with a marriage and many chubby babies.”

“We’re not together,” corrected Falcon, his insides twisting, but the man was already halfway up the hill.

“Yes, my honey-dipped dumpling!” cried the girl, as the man got down on one knee and presented the ring. “Of course I’ll spend every day of my life with you.”

Faith stood beside Falcon. The scent of peaches lingered. “Isn’t love beautiful?”

“Yes,” he answered, his gaze glued to Faith as his body warmed. “Love is really something.”

A loud echo interrupted his thoughts. He turned just in time to see a dark dome with red cracks cover the entire village.

“It’s a chaos dome,” squeaked Faith.

“Yes,” said Falcon. His body tensed. “Shal-Volcseck is here.”

CHAPTER 24

“Lori. Lori. Get up. You hear me? Get up, girl.” The blind princesses’ high-pitched screams were nearing hysteria.

Aya suppressed a tear as she embraced Keira tighter. From the across the bridge there was no response from the large silhouette that was Lori.

“I can’t see,” said Keira.

That’s when it hit Aya. Without her bear, Keira was now truly blind.

“I…is she moving? Tell me, A-A-Aya? Is she moving?”

Aya gulped down the rock stuck in her throat. “No.”

This only caused Keira to go into an even louder fit of cries and sobs.

Aya remained quiet as she held the princess close. It was about an hour later when a tired Keira finally fell asleep in Aya’s arms.

When her eyes finally opened, the sun was barely peeking from over the western mountains.

“We have to go,” said Aya.

Keira’s cloudy eyes met Aya’s. “No. I can’t leave her behind. She should at least get a proper burial.”

“We can’t reach her. We’ll come back for her as soon as were done. We’re almost at the rendezvous point. We must keep moving so we don’t miss it.”

“No. She sacrificed herself for me. I won’t abandon her.”

Aya shook Keira to attention. “She sacrificed herself because she loved you! Do you think this is what she wanted you to do? Sit around feeling sorry for yourself?”

Keira remained quiet as she pursed her lips.

“Don’t mock her sacrifice by throwing your life away.”

“You’re right,” said Keira after a minute of silence. “Lori would want me to keep going. She never gave up.” She stood. “And neither will I. I will make my uncle pay for killing her.”

“
Uncle?
But it was the natives who killed her,” said Aya.

“Those were
no
natives. Those cannibals were loyal citizens of Sugiko. That was until my uncle had them captured and experimented on.”

“
Experimented
?” asked Aya, clutching her neck.

“Yes. My uncle wishes nothing more than to rule forever. He’s been having his scientists test the limits of the human body on many citizens of Sugiko, even children. Many have died, but many others have been turned, their minds twisted beyond repair. Those
savages
you saw are my uncle’s legacy.

“Then we must make haste and put a stop to him.”

“But I can’t see,” said Keira. “Without my sight I won’t be able to move as quickly.”

“Then I’ll be your eyes.” Aya threw Keira’s arm over her neck, supporting her. “Let’s go.”

~~~

“Lady Hiromy!” called the hair maid. “There you are. We’ve ransacked the entire castle searching for you.”

Hiromy turned toward the elderly lady. By her side stood two other, younger maids. No doubt they were still in training.

“Well,” said Hiromy, not bothering to stand from the large stone she lay on. “I’ve been here all morning.” She looked up at the sky, glad she had convinced her father to build her an indoor garden. Directly behind her, the fresh mist floating from the waterfall caressed her skin. Countless native and foreign green plants from across Va’siel provided shade.

“You mustn’t sneak about like this, princess,” said the elder lady, signaling for her two pupils to follow. “You know your father wants you to look your best for tonight’s ball. And I’m charged with your hair. I will not fail his highness.”

Hiromy caressed her silky hair. “My hair is fine, nana. You’ve brushed it twice a day, every day, for the past seventeen years.”

“And I would be able to brush it four times a day like I’m supposed to if you didn’t insist on spending so much time galloping around with
those
Rohads.” She began brushing her hair as the young maids stood aside, holding pillows filled with dozens of hair pins, combs, and bows. “What would your mother say if she saw you like this?”

“Oh, nana. You worry too much.”

“Of course I do.” The old lady stopped brushing. “I’ve known you since you were but a baby. You are like the daughter I’ve never had.”

Hiromy smiled. “You know I love you too, nana. But I’m not a child. I should be out there on missions, like Falcon and Sheridan.”

“Oh, don’t speak of
that
boy here. You know what people say about him.”

“You shouldn’t believe gossip,” said Hiromy. “It’s usually not true.”

The lady sighed. “I’ve never understood your obsession with that boy. Even I can see that smitten look in your eyes.”

Hiromy plucked a flower from the garden and took a whiff. “I’ll have you know that I wasn’t thinking of Falcon just now. Someone else has been on my mind.”

The elder lady grinned widely. “Oh, yes. Finally. It’s that lovely prince from Belwebbb, isn’t it? That’s so much better than a Rohad. I knew you’d come to your senses soon enough, child.”

The princess smiled as she tossed the flower into the pond. Images of Sheridan and the dance flashed in her head, causing her skin to goose bump. She still couldn’t believe how quickly she had fallen for him.

“Intruder!”

“What was that?” asked one of the hair assistants.

“Intruder. Kill the intr…arrghhh—”

The long, brown doors opened, revealing a creature unlike any Hiromy had ever seen. It had dark-green skin, a vicious face, and it walked on all fours. On her shoulder she carried her wailing father.

“Get the creature,” yelled the royal guard captain as he rushed into the room. Half a dozen sword-wielding guards followed.

The muscular kidnapper brought one hand up and swung it, killing the guards and slamming them to the floor.

Two royal wielders joined the fray. The first one shot a burst of water. The second made a mind-wielding symbol Hiromy didn’t recognize. The heavy burst of water hit the creature, and fell uselessly over the plants.

The kidnapper tossed the emperor aside and rushed her foes. She grabbed them each by the neck. There were two sharp cracks as it snapped their necks like straw. She then turned her attention to the emperor, who cowered in the corner of the room.

“Please,” pleaded the emperor. “Whatever you’re being paid, I’ll triple it.”

“This be not about gold,” hissed the kidnapper. She moved toward her victim.

Hiromy gritted her teeth.
I’ll teach you to mess with my dad.
She’d lost one parent this way. She wasn’t planning on losing another
.
She stood and dashed toward the creature. She hopped from rock to rock until she landed in front of the creature.

“No. Not my precious daughter,” cried the emperor. “Take me. But leave her out of this. Get out of here, Hiromy!”

“No! Stay behind me, daddy.”

The creature laughed a loud, long cackle. “Yer should listen to that coward, princess. I be Dukua, leader of the green clansmen, and the most powerful poison wielder yer will ever meet.” She gazed behind her. “The entire royal guard be not enough to stop me. A brat who was raised with golden toys will pose no challenge.”

Hiromy waved her hand and in an instant a clear dome of ice covered her father. Another ice block encased her Nana and the two assistants.

Dukua growled under her breath. “Foolish, princess. Once I deliver yer father to the Blood Empress, she be revealing the location of that holy wielder. Nothing is going to stand in my way.”

“
Wrong
. I’m in your way,” said Hiromy. She took out both of her bladed fans. “And you’re not taking my father.”

Dukua banged her chest and rushed forward.

Hiromy stood in place and took aim. Both fans took to the air and slammed into Dukua’s forehead. But instead of digging into the bone, the way Hiromy had expected, the weapons bounced off.

Dukua reached Hiromy and took hold of her. She pulled her in, squeezing her into a bear hug. She applied pressure, forcing the life out of Hiromy.

Hiromy closed her eyes. A layer of water forced itself in between the princess and her attacker. The water grew and grew, forcing the poison wielder to widen her grip.

“I will not allow yer to break free,” declared Dukua between hisses.

“I wasn’t asking for your permission.”

The layer of water pushed Dukua back. She let go of her grip as she stumbled back.

Hiromy took a deep breath. The poison wielder’s strength was inhuman. She’d been forced to use much more energy than expected.

“Yer be dead!” Dukua crouched and drove at her.

Hiromy water wielded her weapons back into her hand. She threw them directly into her foe’s eyes.

“Too predictable,” said Dukua, stopping to slap the weapons away.

“Good,” answered Hiromy. “I was hoping it was predictable so you wouldn’t see what’s coming from your right.”

“There is nothing on my rightttttt…” The creature yelped as a spike of ice drove into her left eye. Misty green liquid burst into the air.

“Unlike your skin, there is no armor in those eyes of yours, huh?”

“Hyromiiiii!” Dukua ground her teeth. “No one has ever bled me. Yer will pay for this.” The poison wielder opened her mouth and chanted. An unnaturally long tongue rolled out.

Hiromy brought up her arms to block the unexpected attack, but it proved futile. Dukua’s blistered tongue wrapped around Hiromy’s neck. Her nose cringed as she took in the aroma of carcasses.

Her vision blurred as the tongue squeezed.

Through shaky hands she willed a layer of water above the poison wielder. The liquid took the form of a long, thin spike as it moved down.

The poison wielder’s pupils darted upward in panic. “I’ll kill yer before yer can finish yer weak attack.” A thick dark gas poured out of Dukua’s skin pores.

It flowed into Hiromy’s mouth. She felt the tongue’s grip loosen ever so slightly. Her chest ached as she forced the spike down with all her might.

There was a loud pained scream. The tongue crashed to the ground, as did Dukua. The ice attack had traveled through the top of her head and out through her torso.

Hiromy stumbled to the floor. The intermingled shouts of her father and nana echoed in her head.

“My little girl!”

“This can’t be happening!”

“Someone find the medic!”

The wobbly image of her father came into view. “Don’t you worry, baby. Help is on the way.”

Then her nana appeared, worry etched in her face. She said some words, but Hiromy understood none. Her heart slowed as her mind grew hazy.

A scream burst in her ears. The image of Sheridan flashed in her mind. A second later, her mind went blank.