Sepia Blue- Nightmare: A Sepia Blue Novel- Book 3 Page 12

  “She outwitted you,” Onyx said with contempt. “You let a human beat you?”

  “They beat your kind every night,” Velos answered. “She was an object lesson, but you watched the entire thing and saw nothing.”

  “What lesson?”

  “When your kind faces Hunters, they are fighting for dominance,” Velos said. “When those Hunters go out every night with fear in their hearts and face monsters, they’re fighting for their lives. That makes all the difference. That makes them a force to reckon with.”

  “Fear?” Onyx said, pondering. “Fear drives them?”

  “Fear of death, of loss of face,” Velos corrected. “It makes them fight when they should run. It makes them hope when despair should rule.”

  “This is what I must create, this fear,” Onyx said. “Then no one can stand against me.”

  “Exactly. Now, until you have something that can generate that kind of fear, you’re wasting my time. I have Hunters to kill and an Order to destroy.”

  “Actually I do have something,” Onyx said. “I can give you a weapon that will make your dark blade pale in comparison. You can have the power and fear you desire.”

  “And the cost?” Velos asked. “There is always a cost.”

  “I think you’ll like this cost,” Onyx said. “Once this weapon is yours—you must remove the named blades and the Hunters that wield them.”

  Velos smiled and rubbed his chin. “Which weapon?” Velos asked. “Only a named weapon is powerful enough to stand against a named blade.”

  Onyx traced a ward. It hung in the air and shimmered with power. “That can take us to the weapon, or you can use your time chasing down Hunters and grabbing swords one at a time until they overwhelm and kill you,” he said. “Your choice.”

  “No named weapon exists that is powerful enough to stop the Order,” Velos said, looking at the ward.

  “You’re right,” Onyx said. “The greatest power lies in no name.”

  He stepped through the ward and disappeared. Velos stared after him a moment and then followed.

  THIRTY-ONE

  “Did I tell you what Regional did to my people after the war?” Belu asked. “They were still reeling from that damage the Ward Masters caused and the purge, so they decided to be safe.”

  “Your people got out,” Gan whispered, his voice hoarse. “I saw it myself.”

  “In Regional planes, Gan,” she said. “They were carried away in Regional aircraft. You saw them taken away. You never saw where they landed.”

  “They took you home,” Gan answered. “I read the reports.”

  “Doctored reports,” she said. “They took us to a holding facility for ‘observation,’ which was a fancy way of saying experimentation and murder.”

  “I—I didn’t know,” Gan said.

  Belu caressed Gan’s face. She smiled when he didn’t flinch away from her touch.

  “Such a warrior. Your ignorance is the only reason you still breathe, Ganriel,” she said. “I will kill you later. But the Unholy wants the key to the Nameless.”

  “I don’t have it, I told you,” he said and started laughing. “All this for nothing.”

  “For nothing?” she said. “Oh no, my love, your death will have meaning.”

  Gan laughed harder.

  She remained impassive as she looked at him.

  “What you are experiencing is the onset of dementia,” she said. “The destruction of the psyche is inevitable once I start the process.”

  Gan kept laughing, then grew serious.

  “I won’t say I’m innocent,” he said hurriedly. “But the Dragonflies—the Akitsu—were in collusion with Regional. How do you think they caught Ward Masters?”

  “Lie to me again and I will rip your lungs out,” she said calmly. “The Dragonflies were removed before the purge gained full momentum. It wasn’t until after the Ward Masters were captured and killed that Regional saw us as a threat.”

  “No,” he said. “You have your order wrong—the Dragonflies helped capture the Ward Masters, then—”

  His screams filled the cell.

  He was gasping for breath when she stopped. He started chuckling and crying simultaneously.

  “Just kill me,” he said. “Finish it.”

  “Once she gets here, I think I will,” Belu said. “Your precious Sepia will see her surrogate father reduced to a gibbering idiot before his death.”

  Sepia’s name struck him like a fist. He stopped laughing first. Tears continued to stream down his face as he looked at Belu, and something switched off.

  “I don’t know who twisted you, Belu, but if you hurt Sepia, I will kill you.”

  “Your threats are meaningless to me,” she said. “I am intimate with death. The only reason I take breath is to see your lifeless body. Once you’re gone, I will end this miserable existence.”

  “What happened to you?” Gan asked. “Who did this to you?”

  “Oh, now you want to know what happened?” she mocked. “You want to know who betrayed me? Who poured acid on my face while I lay strapped down and immobile?”

  Gan answered in silence. His eyes bore into her.

  “I did,” he said. “Because I left you behind, they did this to you—you suffered because of my actions.”

  She nodded as tears streamed down her face. “Yes, Ganriel it was you.”

  “I’m ready,” he said and hung his head. “I’ll tell you who has the key.”

  He whispered something unintelligible and she stepped closer.

  “Who has it?” she asked.

  He needed her closer.

  He whispered again and let the power in him flow.

  “I have the key,” he lied.

  The restraints around his wrists and ankles flared to life as he embraced her.

  “What? No!” she screamed. “Let go of me!”

  He released all his power as she crashed her palms into his chest, trying to break free. She unleashed all her power as he screamed in agony, but he held tight and crushed her in his arms. A moment later he released his embrace and her lifeless body crumpled to the floor. He looked down as tears filled his eyes and his world tilted. He screamed again.

  The power rushed away from him. It expanded and filled the cell with violet light. He pulled forward, ripping the restraints from the wall. Blood trickled from his eyes, ears, and mouth. He fell forward onto his hands and removed the restraints. He picked up her body and held her close to him, rocking slowly.

  “I promise you, Belu,” he sobbed, “I’ll find who did this to you and they will feel your pain.”

  THIRTY-TWO

  “It has been too long, old man,” Rafael said as he took in the room. Bookcases lined the walls. Some of the books Rafael knew to be centuries old. A small desk sat in one corner, covered in papers. A ward circle twenty feet in diameter dominated the center of the room. The outside of the circle was pure gold. Living wards etched into the floor around the circle shifted and changed every few seconds, each consisting of liquid mercury.

  Seated at the edge of the circle was an old man. He was dressed in black flowing pants and a matching black top. His gray hair was cropped short and stood up in spikes. A pair of reading glasses sat perched on his nose. He squinted over them at Rafael and cursed.

  On the opposite sides of the room, large sliding doors filled the wall space. Both sets were closed at the moment.

  “Ever since the war,” the old man said. “I see you finally used the ward I taught you. Why are you here? Actually, let me rephrase that—why am I not rendering you to dust in the next three seconds?”

  “I need a favor, Fuma,” Rafael said and held up his hands in mock surrender. “Not for me.”

  “You’d better damn believe it’s not for you,” Fuma said as he snapped a metal ruler in half. “That was my good ruler, boy. Explain yourself and understand I’m not as patient as I used to be.”

  “You were never patient,” Rafael said. “Not that I can recall.”

>   “Being chased and hunted down like a mongrel after you sacrificed everything will erode one’s patience quickly,” Fuma answered. “Unwanted visitors do the same thing and I don’t remember inviting you.”

  “I need to find Ganriel.”

  “He’s still alive? This day just keeps getting better.”

  “I hope to find him that way, yes, with your help.”

  “If he’s lost, use a map,” Fuma answered. “Why are you here, disturbing me and risking your life?”

  Rafael took a deep breath and continued.

  “He’s in the Lost Hall,” Rafael said. “I don’t know that path, no one does.”

  “I know it and it appears someone else does as well or he wouldn’t be there, would he?”

  “Can you teach it to me?” Rafael asked.

  “That Hall is meant to be lost,” Fuma said. “Ever since you didn’t want to destroy that thing.”

  “The Nameless can’t be destroyed—you know that,” Rafael said. “Besides, it’s the only response against the named blades.”

  “Anything can be destroyed given enough time and determination,” Fuma said. “I had both, but you and your ‘Regional’ didn’t allow it. You said it was too important. Now someone wants it, yes? Someone who isn’t supposed to have it.”

  “I don’t know,” Rafael said. “But it’s possible. They may have taken Gan, thinking he had the key. That sword is the only true deterrent to the named blades. You know that, Fuma.”

  “Unless it falls into the wrong hands,” he replied. “Do you have a deterrent for the deterrent?”

  Rafael remained silent.

  “No, I didn’t think so,” Fuma said and sighed. “I’ll open the ward path— I can’t teach it to you, it’s too complicated and you look like you’re in a hurry—on one condition.”

  “Anything,” Rafael said, knowing the cost would be steep.

  Fuma held out his hand. “The Jade Demon,” he said. “You leave that here with me.”

  “How did you…?” Rafael started. “How could you possibly know I have the Jade Demon?”

  Fuma took off his glasses, pulled a small chamois cloth from his shirt pocket, and began cleaning the lenses. He breathed on one and then the other and wiped the moisture from them both. He replaced the glasses and stared over them again at Rafael in silence for a few seconds.

  “The answer to your question would leave you brain-damaged,” Fuma said. “Let’s go with I made it and I know how it feels when its close. Right now you have it on you.”

  Rafael pulled out the gold-covered demon head. It was roughly the size of his palm and glistened in the light.

  “I need to give this to someone,” Rafael said. “It’s very important.”

  “I know,” Fuma said. “Is that someone Gan?”

  “No, someone else,” Rafael said. “Someone who needs it.”

  “Right now that someone else is me,” said Fuma with his hand still out. “Or not, and see yourself out before I get irritable. Make a choice and make it fast. I have invited company coming and you won’t be here when they arrive.”

  Rafael placed the large pendant in Fuma’s palm.

  “That, unlike many of your previous choices, was wise,” Fuma said. He walked to the center of the circle and traced an intricate ward. It pulsed black and looked like a large inkblot hanging in the middle of the floor.

  Rafael looked at the ward warily. “Are you sure?” he asked.

  Fuma raised an eyebrow and made a gesture. A large inky mass appeared, floating above his hand.

  “Are you deliberately trying my patience?” Fuma asked. “I could just send you if it will rid me of you faster.”

  “What if I had refused?” Rafael said.

  “Refused what?” Fuma asked, exasperated.

  “Refused to give you the Jade Demon.”

  “That Regional life has made you soft, Rafael,” Fuma answered almost gently, and smiled. “The moment you entered this room, it was going to stay.”

  “I could have taken it and left,” Rafael said. “Found another way to Gan.”

  Fuma’s face grew hard. “That ward is one-way,” he said. It will place you in the sword room—the highest concentration of power in the entire Hall.”

  “Almost like you want to get rid of me,” Rafael said.

  “Once you get there you need to find another way back—good luck and goodbye,” Fuma replied. “Don’t bother visiting again. The path I taught you will be blocked once you’re gone.”

  He released the inky mass from his hand. It threw out tethers and attached itself to Rafael. The main mass of the blot plunged into the larger ward, dragging Rafael with it.

  “You didn’t answer my question about the Jade Demon,” Rafael said as he was dragged to the ward.

  Fuma walked up to the now fully tethered Rafael and stood behind him.

  “If you had refused,” Fuma whispered as he put his hands on Rafael’s back and pulled up close to his ear, “I would’ve killed you and taken it anyway.”

  He shoved Rafael forward into the ward path where he disappeared without a sound.

  *******

  Fuma looked down at the Jade Demon in his hand. With a gesture, the gold flaked off and disappeared, leaving the deep green demon head visible.

  “Time to make sure you’re where you belong,” he said and opened one set of the large doors and stepped into another, much larger, library. “Time for the Jade Demon to rise again.”

  THIRTY-THREE

  Calisto whirled around, executed a spinning back kick, and was met with a deep grunt and the sound of a body hitting the floor several feet away. Izumi materialized, holding her midsection and gasping for breath. The wards in the tunnel flared and changed hue around them.

  “Never could sneak up you,” she said as she stood, leaning on the tunnel wall for support.

  “Where did you send her?” Calisto asked. “Who ordered you?”

  “Always with the questions,” Izumi said. “You just can’t stop yourself, can you?”

  “Tell me before—” Calisto started.

  “Before you what—kill me? That’s a little dark even for you. You can’t beat me, Cal, and you know it,” Izumi said and laughed. “In all our years, not once have you beaten me in straight combat. My wards are faster than your sword. Always have been, always will be.”

  “You’re right, Izumi,” Calisto said. “Tell me where you sent Sepia so I don’t have to resort to something drastic.”

  “I’ll tell you, just to see the expression on your face,” Izumi said. “I sent her the scenic way—to Fuma.”

  “They’ll kill her,” Calisto whispered. “You gave her a death sentence.”

  “I know, right?” Izumi said and laughed. “Wait, I have better news. You’re going to really enjoy this.”

  “You bitch,” Calisto said and let the power flow around her and began walking toward Izumi.

  Izumi held a hand up as she pushed off the wall.

  “Wait, before you get all stabby,” she said. “Let me tell you what I did to the leader of the Gray. They really wanted him gone.”

  “Gan, no,” Calisto said and stopped closing.

  “I have your attention—good, because I really enjoyed this,” Izumi said. “I can’t stand you, but him I hate. I did this just for the pleasure of it.”

  “What did you do?”

  “I gave your love to the Unholy,” Izumi said. “He’s probably dead by now or wishing for it.”

  “You did what?” Calisto asked. “How could you?”

  “A few years ago, I found one of the last Dragonflies,” Izumi said and chuckled. “Poor thing was a mess. It seems Regional damaged her mind with some of their so-called ‘experiments.’ She didn’t remember much but she remembered Ganriel. I planted a few memories, a ward here, a ward there, and let her loose.”

  Calisto looked at her as she placed her palms together and separated them, forming her sword.

  “I always knew you were twisted,” Cali
sto said.

  “I see it’s time to get stabby. Fine,” Izumi said. “Time to beat you into the ground again.”

  “I didn’t know the depth of your madness,” Calisto whispered. “Daiki was sane compared to you.”

  “Oh, it’s pretty deep, trust me,” Izumi answered. “Father thought he was the only one who knows the path to the Lost Hall. He doesn’t even know I stole it.”

  She shook her head slowly and laughed.

  “The Lost Hall?” Calisto asked. “What are you talking about?”

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” Izumi said, snapping back as if lost in thought. “Let me bring you up to speed.”

  Izumi gestured and released a wave of power. Calisto raised a section of earth and stopped the wave but not before it slammed her against the tunnel wall.

  “You think a little bit of dirt is going to stop a ward attack?” Izumi taunted. “Down here? Around living wards?” And you call me the crazy one?”

  Izumi gestured again and golden wards sped at Calisto. Stepping back, she drove her sword into the ground and created a wall of energy as the wards crashed into it and flung her back down the tunnel. Calisto rolled several feet before regaining her bearings.

  “Where was I?” Izumi said. “Oh yes, Lost Hall, the fourth hall no one knows about…oops.”

  Calisto gestured and ten small orbs appeared around her. Each was the size of a baseball and they floated lazily in the air next to her. Another gesture sent them careening at Izumi.

  Izumi narrowed her eyes and stepped back. With a gesture, she erected a barrier. An earth wall slammed into her from behind, pushing her off balance and disrupting her concentration. Calisto then traced a ward and Izumi smiled and stopped moving. The ten orbs merged into one larger sphere the size of a basketball and sped up.

  It broke through her barrier, split back into ten orbs and slammed into Izumi, hitting her from every angle. She fell back and lay on the ground. Calisto gestured again and the earth wall solidified into the consistency of concrete. It rushed forward and crushed Izumi.

  Calisto walked over to where Izumi lay. Every extremity contained a break. Some of her ribs where crushed. Her breathing was labored and she wheezed with every exhalation.