Harmonizer's Evolution (Balancer's Soul cycle) (45 page)

Before them
stood
fifteen piles of human corpses
about twice as tall as
Connor is
, but the worst part was
in
how they looked.
The corpses were all cooked and dried. Many of them we
re half eaten upon a closer inspection
.

Mark was able to speak be
cause no words came
in
to
Connor’s
mind that could describe this scene
. “I’ve seen many grotesque things in my life, but this has superseded them all by a landslide. It is unheard of
about
Keepers doing something
so barbaric and cruel
. Yes
,
if a human ever threatened them they were
usually
eaten, but this is all together different. This group with Ranvan is actually eating
humans
for fun, it looks like. It’s like they are saying they are the superior race or something. Connor, it looks like there is more to this and now I agree
with you
completely.” Mark turned and his
silver
eyes were hardened. “We need to find the
Head Elder and get his help.”  He
nodded and
they
went back to work
.

Four hours later
Connor
found a fresh track
in soft dirt
,
on a well worn trail
that
had been
made from dark volcanic soil
.
The rock had been worn down into very fertile sand.

They
followed it until Mark said that the s
cents
were getting stronger. Then he grinned as he took in another deep breath through his nose. “From the smells of things, there
are
only four Keepers remaining on the island. I know because they are moving in a pattern by the looks of their prints and their repetitive trails.” Then he took another whiff. “All four of their smells are mainly focused up ahead. We’re getting very close.”

“Then we
’d
better steer clear of the trail and find a safe way to find out where they keep heading.”

They
then entered even deeper into the trees while maintaining stealth.

A few minutes later Connor
spotted something
different
and grabbed Mark’s wing. He didn’t say anything, but went rigid
and came to an abrupt halt
. He slowly
turned his head and
looked to his best friend
.
Connor
crossed
his
finger over
his
lips and he followed where
his
other hand pointed. He und
erstood and went even quieter. Connor
took the lead
this time
and
Mark
had his
back. No leaves or sticks were ruffled or snapped
as they approached
.
They
were extra careful to not be seen nor heard.

They finally hunkered down when they saw what they
were looking for.

In the distance
lay
the slopes of the volcano and a black trail leading up to it
. Towards the base of the slopes
and vegetation covered volcano
,
were
two burning torch
es. Below the torches
s
tood a steel door that looked
to be well worn. Then below the torches
stood two Keepers, but they weren’t like any
Keeper
they’ve
ever
previously
seen before.

These Keepers looked strange
, unnatural
. The male on the left had what looked like a tumor or growth that had completely made his
right
eye
be permanently
shut. Also his legs were showing similar tumors, but smaller. The female on the right had smaller arms
than usual
and a tail that looked withered
and diseased
.

Knowing that speaking aloud could give away
their
location,
Connor
used telepathy with Mark because it doesn’t use enough energy to be traced.
“Mark, are you seeing what I’m seeing?”

He quickly came to the conclusion that telepathy couldn’t be sensed as he replied.
“Sure do. Why do they look so…deformed?”

“This is
exactly
why Keepers have a bloodline chart. Those two over there are a genetic mutation that has been caused by inbreeding. They have mutated to the point where
they are physically deformed. We can also expect that they aren’t very smart. There are studies and proof of what
occur
s when inbreeding happens. But there is still a problem.”
Mark looked back at him
with a blank expression.
“These powers that we have are used by instinct. They might be physical abominations because of their parent’s deeds, but they might
still
be formidable opponents. They might even be able to fight without feeling pain like you or I do. We do need to get in there,”
He
pointed to the gate.
“but to do so, we will have to cut our way in. That means we will need to take them out simultaneously before they can raise an alarm or fight back.”

He returned his silver eyes back to
the
next objective.
“That works for me, but we should stay here and scope things out until tomorrow night.”

“Good thinking. Sorono must be starving and we will need to collect some
fresh food. If he was well fed, he would have gotten himself free by now. And no, I’m not even planning on using those slaughtered people as food. After this is over I’ll give them a proper burial
or at least give them some kind of respect
. I’d do it
immediately
, but we need to
worry about the living right
now.”
Mark understood with a simple nod.

A while later
,
when
the sun c
ame up and Mark
and Connor
watched as
the
two
Keepers changed shifts. This time there was only one guard
who took their place
, but he looked relatively normal except that his claws were short and jagged.
Mark said “It seems like the fourth Keeper is watching over our dear friend.”

Where they
stayed last night
remained
safe because of the distance and for the cover it offered.
They later
moved throughout the island a
nd gathered all of the fruits they
could and ate only what
they
would need for what would happen
tonight
. Soon their
hidden location
was filled with food. They
didn’t dare open any incase the smell would drift to the still station
ed
Keeper
, so they ate elsewhere
.
Unfortunately th
e lone gate
is
the only entrance they
could find into the volcano
after an extensive search
.

Once it became night again they changed shifts. This time the male with the growth over his eye was accompanied by someone new. This Keeper had a pristine figure.
Why are you here?
Then
Connor
looked into the male keeper’s black e
yes and a choke caught in his
throat.

Mark tapped his
shoulder and then his temple.
“Connor, you look like something’s wrong.”

His
focus
re
turned to the black eye
d
Keeper.
“There is. See that normal looking Keeper?”
Mark
looked
appraisingly
and then turned
back
to
Connor
.
“He
is even older than Sorono. Just looking into his eyes
,
he is sixty six to sixty seven
million
years old!”

Mark’s brow drew together.
“Isn’t Sorono supposed to be the eldest of the immortals? If so, where did that ancient Keeper come from?”

“I’m afraid it’s
even
worse than that. He is an Original.
That means he is the direct child
of either Ragke or Afleen.”
Mark’s eyes widened.
“I’m glad you suggested we wait or else this guy would have been a detrimental surprise. If we are to do this
,
then tonight is the night. I’ll take out the Original because he will be an opponent only I should deal with. You will need to remove his
backup.”

Mark swallowed thickly.
“Alright, I’m with you all the way. I’m glad you showed me how to stain my bone sword black with the volcanic soil or else the white
blade
would be a brilliant beacon. I’ll leave the old one to you. We’ll split up and come at them from the sides. This rock will serve as a distraction
,
when I throw it
,
wait five second to strike.”
Mark picked up a softball sized
jagged
rock.

“Good hunting, Bud.”

He grinned and they
pushed
their
fists together.

They
separated from the covering and
luckily the sky was cloudy so Connor
blended in the shadows more easily.
His gaze didn’t stray from the
opponents and they were both completely unaware of
his
movement.
Connor
crossed to the right and
then circled around them. Not
a
single
sound
came from him, even after arriving at an
appropriate
position
.
He
dropped into the high grass
for more cover
and waited.

Not thirty
yards away stood the two giant reptiles.

Mark also
reached an ideal
position because his silver eyes were locked on
Connor’s
. He too
hid
at the same distance away from his target. He lift
ed up his black bone sword and Connor
lifted Tool
.
They
were showing each other that
it was time
.

His
mind
began
racing which made everything seem slower. What seemed like hours to
him
was in fact just a handful of seconds.

Mark lifted himself from the grass without making a single sound
. His black
wolf
form was perfect for this mission and his fur
had
already fused into armor. With the jagged volcanic rock in his right hand, he threw it easily. It sailed and arched through the air and it landed fifty yards in front of the two guarding Keepers. The sound of the distraction
sounded
almost like an explosion because of the silence. The crashing echoed off the trees and the wall to their back.

One.

Both Keepers heard it and were instantly on alert. The deformed keeper looked to his elder and they began grunting and hissing while they both looked forward.

Two.

The younger
, deformed
keeper dropped on all fours while the older one moved
in
behind
to protect his backside.

Three.

Mark watched all this and
Connor witnessed
his shoulder muscles bunching.

Four.

Connor
stood
silently and took
a running position
,
flipp
ing
Tool to its sledge
hammer side.

FIVE!

Connor
released the tension in
his
legs and was instantly propelled forward.
He
ran without sound and jumped. In less than a second
,
the t
hirty
yards were crossed and he
made
a perfect jumping trajectory.
His
grip tighte
ned on
Tool while
his
right arm swung back and
his
strength was
finally
unrestrained.