Shadow Seed (11 page)

The Pelasgians quickly passed by, kicking in
the door of any building they came across.

“Stay low,” Janah said. She hurried along,
almost crawling to the next building.

Inside, they frantically searched for a way
out.

Janah opened a door to a stairwell leading to
the fourth tier. “Anyone feel like going up?”

In the next room, Nedim found another
stairwell. “We can go down.”

Talik opened a door to find a Corinthian
about to kick it in. “Pelasgians!” he yelled, slamming the door
shut.

The Pelasgians barged in like madmen.

Talik quickly killed one Corinthian and was
tackled by another into a table, where they wrestled.

Nedim came around the corner, shooting an
energy blast into the back of a Satyr about to take a stab at
Talik.

Janah ran in at the same time a Minotaur did.
Both locked weapons, but Janah was easily overpowered, losing her
sword as the Minotaur threw her back like a rag doll into the next
room.

Nedim shattered a Corinthian's shield with an
energy blast as they closed in on him, but it barely slowed them
down. He deflected their attacks with his long knife as he backed
away.

In the heat of battle, almost no one seemed
to hear a loud crashing noise from above as if someone had broken
through a door.

Nedim heard it, and thought for sure he and
his friends were finished. His back was against the wall when Kadir
popped up behind the Corinthians and killed them with his bare
hands.

In the next room Talik was still wrestling
with a Corinthian, using every ounce of strength to keep the
enemy's blade from his heart.

Kadir picked the Pelasgian up by the back of
the neck and impaled him with his own knife.

One room over, Janah held onto the Minotaur's
axe for dear life as she was slammed into the furniture. Weak and
tired, she couldn't help losing her grip as she was tossed to the
floor.

Before the Minotaur could raise his axe,
Kadir grabbed him from behind and rammed his head into the
wall.

Nedim rushed over to help Janah. “I thought
you were dead,” he said.

Janah could barely stand. She fell into the
only chair in the room that wasn’t broken.

Talik walked in and fell against the wall.
“Thanks for the assist, Kadir. I owe you one.”

“You're welcome,” Kadir said. “I got here as
fast as I could when I saw the Pelasgians come in after you.”

Janah picked her weapons up. “And here I am
thinking it's more dangerous outside.”

“The barracks isn't far, right?” Talik
asked.

Kadir nodded. “I just came from there.”

“Please, don't tell me the barracks fell,”
said Janah.

“Relax,” Kadir said. “When I left, it was
doing quite well. We heard your group had fallen back to the
riverbed. After that, we feared the worst. Vizier Sadi sent me to
find you.”

Nedim’s concern was clear. “Sadi is here, in
Siriso?”

“Great,” Janah said smacking Kadir's arm.
“You can take us to her. I don't like it much here anyways.”

Kadir went over to check on Talik. “I'll lead
the way. Stay low and move fast. We’re going up one level, there
are fewer Pelasgians.”

The moment Nedim stepped outside he could see
Pelasgians in all directions. It was a wonder the group wasn't
seen.

After crossing the street, Kadir led them up
and down through a series of interconnecting buildings. They
narrowly avoided several Pelasgians who entered the room as they
descended a flight of stairs.

The group came to a small shop on the fourth
tier.

“Barracks is right outside,” Kadir said.

Janah saw some Pelasgians blocking the way as
others were trying to break into the barracks. “No choice but to
fight our way through.”

Nedim opened the door a hair. “Let me try
softening them up,” he said, before stepping out and firing what
few energy blasts he could.

Two Pelasgians fell dead. One was only
injured, and the rest charged the Hegirans.

Kadir easily killed two, and then found a
Corinthian that put up a better fight.

If Janah and Talik weren’t weak from
exhaustion they would have evened things out quickly. All they
could do was fight with everything they could muster.

With his back to the wall, Nedim waited for a
Satyr to make a move. He dove out of the way just in time and threw
his long knife into the creature's chest.

“Look up!” Janah yelled, but it was too
late.

An Eriny crashed into Nedim.

Even if he were at full strength, the Anubian
was no match for a monster twice his size.

The Eriny grabbed Nedim by the neck with one
hand and lifted him off the ground.

Nedim's legs flailed as he tried to resist
the crushing grip. When it felt like his neck might give, he saw a
blinding flash of energy that sheared off the arm holding him,
followed by two more that struck the Eriny in the chest and
head.

Lying on the ground and gasping for air, it
was a miracle Nedim managed to roll over and push himself to his
knees.

A female Anubian kneeled next to him.

Nedim instantly recognized her. “Sadi...”

“Save your strength,” Sadi said, holding
Nedim’s hand.

Janah fell lazily next to them. “Good thing
you came out when you did. I've got nothing left.”

Dozens of Hegirans swept through the area as
Kadir helped Talik into the barracks.

Sadi gently rubbed her hand across Nedim’s
upper back. “At least you're still in one piece. The enemy appears
to be in retreat.”

“Are you sure?” Nedim asked. “They may be
regrouping.”

“If they are, they're falling back pretty
far,” Sadi answered. “Scouts spotted them entering portals on all
sides of the city.”

“Yes,” Janah smiled. “We beat them.”

Nedim stood and limped his way towards the
barracks with Sadi. “When did you get back? I thought you were in
Iza.”

“Word travels fast and so do I,” Sadi said,
holding Nedim’s arm. “Good thing I came too. It's not every day I
save my fiancé.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Sara's eyes slowly opened as she came to. The
first thing that came to mind was the Koiga who'd kidnapped her in
Vesuvia. Her grogginess wore off rapidly, and the headache was mild
at best.

She sat up on the hard floor. In front of her
was a large opening to a balcony that gave a fantastic nighttime
view of two moons and an enormous, beautiful planet with blue
oceans and vast continents.

The roof had a few openings, but there were
spots where black drapes hung halfway down to the floor. The walls
appeared to be made of a combination of metals, and along them were
numerous statues of creatures Sara had never seen before.

Looking back, Sara found Nibiru in his chair,
watching her. She scrambled to her feet and grabbed her equinox.
“Who are you?”

“My name is Nibiru,” he answered, making an
effort to at least look friendly. “I tried to decorate a little
bit, but I'm not too familiar with human taste.”

If Nibiru’s pale skin and glowing red eyes
didn’t give it away, the view to the outside told Sara where she
was. “This is the Shadow Realm, isn't it?”

“Some call it that,” Nibiru answered. “The
name of this particular world escapes me at the moment. There are
so many. I am very sorry, Sara, for having to bring you-”

“How do you know my name?” Sara asked.

Nibiru began to sense that Sara was going to
be tough to crack. “What I have to show you is much more important
than the answers you seek. But if you must know, I watched you and
the Rheans during your visit to the Corinthian homeworld. And I
must admit I was very impressed with you.”

Sara stepped back as she looked for anyway
out. “I don't care what you have to say. You're obviously a
Pelasgian, or some creepy Myrmidon.”

Nibiru spoke as he thought. “That is
interesting, but not surprising. Leon didn't tell you about
me?”

When Sara peeked over the balcony she
couldn’t believe how high she was.

“Not surprising at all,” Nibiru continued. “I
wonder. Did he tell anyone?”

“It doesn't matter,” Sara said, cautiously
moving back into the room. “I know what happened to the Corinthian
homeworld, and I'm not going to let that happen to mine.”

“How are you going to stop it?” Nibiru asked.
“You can't even save yourself right now.”

As fast as any human could have, Sara grabbed
a dagger and threw it with pinpoint accuracy at Nibiru's
forehead.

Using two fingers, Nibiru caught the dagger
and tossed it aside. “I mean you no harm, Sara. I simply wish is to
show you what awaits your world, and make an offer you can't
refuse.”

Sara raised her weapon as Nibiru stood and
walked towards her.

“I'll tell you what,” Nibiru said, holding
his hand out. “I promise when all is said and done, if you want, I
will return you to Rhea. All you have to do is take my hand.”

There was a long pause as Sara thought about
what to do next. Witnessing what Nibiru did with the dagger told
her she was likely no match for him. If Nibiru had wanted her dead,
he would have already done it and he could easily do so if he
decided to.

Reluctant, Sara put her weapon away and took
Nibiru's hand. Instantly, the entire world around her seemed to
explode in a burst of swirling, black streaks. In the next instant,
she was standing with Nibiru just inside the entrance of a
cave.

Outside, it felt like summer. Aside from the
two moons that could barely be seen in the blue sky, it reminded
her of home.

Sara began to think she was now on the planet
she had seen in Nibiru's throne room. Ahead in the valley below,
she could see a city whose size was reminiscent of Vesuvia, but
this one radiated a certain type of beauty that spoke of its
opulence.

It made Sara wonder if humans could ever
build such a thing. “Where are we?”

Nibiru raised his hand to the sky. “As I said
before, the name escapes me.”

Day suddenly turned to night as a massive
black orb blotted out the sun.

Sara didn't know what was happening, but then
remembered what Caycee had seen in her vision. Pure terror filled
her as she bore witness to a world being stripped away into
darkness. What she had imagined was nothing compared to actually
seeing it firsthand.

Nibiru stepped out of the cave, next to Sara
as she fell to her knees with tears in her eyes.

The once immaculate city was now completely
black and looked desolate.

As the darkness rapidly approached, Nibiru
placed his hand on Sara's shoulder and both were instantly
teleported back to the balcony of his throne room.

In full view was the planet, and it vaguely
resembled its former self. Everything from the oceans to the
continents had fallen into darkness.

“Why?” Sara asked.

Nibiru almost seemed confused. “If you are
attacked, you defend yourself, do you not?”

“Attacked?” Sara said, facing Nibiru. “Those
people didn't have a chance! What did they do to deserve that?”

“You must understand that I am on a quest. A
journey to right a wrong.”

“You're a monster.”

“No,” Nibiru said, leaning on the rail. “I
am...the beginning. It was only me. Self-aware, yet without form.
Ages went by with no reason, no purpose. Nothing. And then, in one
moment, a spark that turned into the most beautiful thing I had
ever seen. But no matter how much I tried, no matter how much I
wanted to, I couldn't touch it. It pushed me away into the shadows.
This...existence, this cruel existence was forced on me by this
thing you call light.”

Sara realized what Nibiru had said. “Light?
It will kill you, won't it? Like a Vesuvian.”

Gazing at the dark planet, Nibiru felt a
tinge of disappointment. “For now. At any time I choose, I can send
your world into darkness just like this one.”

“Then why the invasions?” Sara asked.

Nibiru turned to Sara. “Leon. Unlike you or
anyone else I have encountered, his natural ability to withstand
the light is of an unnatural source. I could replicate it for
myself. If only I could convince him to join me.”

Sara couldn’t control her shaking, and
couldn't remember being so scared. “Leon knows, doesn't he?”

Nibiru held his hand out and conjured a small
shadow seed. “Which brings me to my offer. Take this and become one
of my Myrmidons.”

Floating to Sara, the black ball dripped with
crimson energy as red bolts of lightning danced across its
surface.

“You're crazy,” Sara said. “I would never
join you just to save my own skin.”

“Words I’ve heard many times before,” Nibiru
said, moving behind Sara. “But consider this. Joining me would
grant you not only strength and speed you can only dream of, but
also everlasting youth. Imagine being as beautiful as you are for
eternity.”

Feeling helpless and desperate, Sara stood
there refusing to speak anymore as she stared at the shadow seed in
front of her. For a few moments the urge to touch it was almost
irresistible.

“You can’t stop me, Sara,” Nibiru said. “No
one can. I am giving you the chance to spare yourself the fate that
awaits everyone else on your world, or you can join them and become
a mindless drone with no will of your own when I decide to take
it.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Nibiru spotted
movement from an opening in the ceiling. Playing it cool and
shrewd, he began walking towards his throne. pretending he'd seen
nothing.

As Sara considered her options, an orange
portal suddenly opened next to her. Leon leapt from the ceiling and
practically tackled her through it.

It happened so fast the portal closed before
Nibiru could see it. He sat with a sinister smile and absorbed the
shadow seed back into himself.