SoulQuest (18 page)

“I hope your friends will be okay,” she said.

“Don’t worry about ‘em, something tells me they’re having a good time,” said Ekala.

Reyche raised an eyebrow. “Why would they enjoy that?”

“Boys will be boys. So what’s your story? Templar said you were a prisoner of Vortai?”

Reyche nodded. “I came to Serenity on pilgrimage. But along the journey...” Her voice trailed off.

“Along the journey...what?” asked Ekala.

Reyche stopped and lowered her hood, revealing her dark red curls. “I can show you.” She turned to face Ekala, and for the first time, the young thief saw her new companion’s haunting yellow eyes and pointed ivory fangs.
 

Ekala stifled a gasp and, to her credit, was able to hide much of her surprise. “An’ here I thought you were just really pale.”

Reyche’s surprise, however, was far more evident on her features. “You aren’t frightened?”

“The other day, I took down a dragon,” said Ekala. “Trust me, I’ve seen worse. Long as you don’t bite me, we’ll get along just fine.”

“Of course I wouldn’t.” Reyche continued her descent down the steps and Ekala followed.

“So what happened after that?”

“When I arrived in Serenity, I came to this cathedral. And it was here that I witnessed Vortai—I saw him...draining a child.”

“What do you mean
draining
?”

“There was some sort of energy coming from his hands. The boy grew weak and Vortai grew stronger,” said Reyche. “I broke the chain and allowed the child to escape. But then, Vortai used his power on me. He said I couldn’t be drained, but that he could have other uses for me. He...used me as a weapon against Templar.

“Templar, however, didn’t kill me. Although he was tempted to. He helped me break free of the conditioning. And together, we escaped this building.”

“Some story,” said Ekala.

“What about you? Why are you and your friends after these stones?” asked Reyche.

“Somethin’ about the end of the world if we don’t get ‘em to a friend of ours,” said Ekala. “It looks like Vortai is planning to use them for something and, judging by the company he keeps—plus what you just told me about that kid—it’s probably not gonna be good.”

“Then I’m happy to help you,” said Reyche. “Especially if it means bringing an end to his terror.”

“Well, don’t start the party just yet.” Ekala held her boomerang in one hand. “We gotta find the others and get the stones, first. And even then, there are still three left. Unless we get all five, there’s always gonna be trouble.”

“So you and your friends, you’re heroes?” asked Reyche.

Ekala chortled. “Wouldn’t go that far. You’ve never heard of us before?”

Reyche thought on their names from the introductions in the restaurant. After a moment, she simply shook her head.

“You’ve never heard of the Excalibur?”

“What’s the Excalibur?”

“It’s an airship, probably—ugh , never mind,” she said. “I gotta say, I’m a little disappointed our rep hasn’t reached...where
are
you from, any way?”

“Tarzu.”

“Never heard of it.”

“I suppose that puts us on equal footing, then,” said Reyche.

“Well whatever. Point is, we’re kinda like your buddy Templar.”

Reyche sighed. “So you’re thieves.”

“I prefer the term ‘pirates’, personally.”

Reyche stopped suddenly, holding out her arm to stop Ekala as well. Ekala looked at her in confusion. “What?”

“Shh!” Reyche concentrated on the faint sounds from below. Her hearing was a good deal more advanced than the average person due to her vampiric condition. She strained her ears, struggling to make sense of what she heard. It sounded like the sounds of a fight. She immediately broke into a run down the steps.

“Hey, wait up!” said Ekala, chasing after her.
 

The two women rushed to the foot of the stairs, and as they got closer, they could see flashes of crimson light illuminating the corridor. Reyche stopped as they moved down the end of the spiral staircase, approaching the corridor. Glancing at Ekala, she said, “this leads to the chamber where Vortai keeps the stones. But there’s something wrong.”

Ekala raised the boomerang and with her free hand, drew a few of her throwing knives. She nodded, indicating her readiness to proceed. The two continued descending, with Reyche out in front. They both stuck close to the wall and as they turned the corner, they watched in horror while Ono kept both Zarim and Templar incapacitated with the strange lightning that came from his fingertips.

The young thief wasted no time, she simply hurled the boomerang at Ono. He spun and held out his hand; a ball of lightning flew from it and incinerated Ekala’s weapon. She charged forward, hurling dagger after dagger. But Ono appeared to possess a supernatural sense of premonition, as he was able to deflect each one of Ekala’s blades. He threw out his arm and flung Ekala through one of the wooden doors.
 

Ono now brought his attention to bear on Reyche. He grinned as he stepped towards her. “Why have you sided with these heretics? They will only put you on a path away from illumination—on a path towards desolation and darkness.”

“You and Vortai are manipulating what you stand for,” said Reyche. “I can’t let you continue.”

“Lord Vortai is simply acquiring the means to make this world a better place.” Ono’s arms fell to his sides, but the electricity still arced between his bent fingers. “You can join us in this new world. There is room even for one such as you who has fallen.”

Reyche stepped away. “Stay back!”

Ono paused, but then simply advanced again, albeit slowly. “Be one with us, Reyche. Help us create a better world.”

Reyche watched Zarim pulling himself up to his feet, using his sword to brace his body. She needed to keep Ono distracted. “How?”

“These artifacts contain the essence of the Presence. With them in his possession, Lord Vortai will be able to bring our savior forth. It will be a new, shining age for all mankind.”

Zarim managed to stand, leaning against the wall. He drew his gun and aimed carefully, then squeezed the trigger. The bullet struck Ono in his back and he slumped forward. Reyche backed away, staring at the bald man’s body. She reached down to examine him...

An unintended gasp escaped her lips when Ono’s head snapped up, his eyes now burning with the power inside him. “One moment, child. I must deal with this pagan trash first.” In a flash, Ono was on his feet, his lighting once more pinning Zarim to the ground. The voltage coursed through Zarim’s body, pushing him into convulsions. “A little more and then another blight upon this world shall be removed.”

Reyche pounced on the monk, one arm wrapping around his shoulder, the other pulling his head to the side. The flesh of his neck was now exposed and Reyche did not hesitate before sinking her teeth into the soft tissue. She felt his warm blood filling her mouth and lapped it up greedily.
 

Ono’s body went weak and his knees finally gave, collapsing beneath the weight of Reyche’s body. As he lay sprawled on the ground, Reyche lapped up what was left of his blood and looked up. Zarim and Templar stumbled towards her, still weak themselves from Ono’s attack.
 

Reyche appeared as if she had been woken up from a bout of sleepwalking. She stared at Ono’s now-lifeless body with genuine horror in her eyes. She backed away from the body, pushing up against the corridor’s wall, still staring at the slain priest.
 

“By the Presence...I-I...”

Her voice trailed off. Zarim slid the gun into its holster and sheathed his sword. He walked towards her, holding out his hands in a sign of peace. “Reyche, are you okay?”

“What
am
I?” she asked. “What am I? What am I?” She kept repeating it like a mantra.
 

Zarim still moved closer. “Reyche, listen to me. He was the enemy, okay? He would have killed us—and you—if you didn’t do something about it.”

“But I-I killed him...”

“Given the choice, so would we,” said Templar.

Zarim knelt down in front of her. “You saved us. It’s not something I’m going to forget any time soon.”

Templar glanced around. “Aren’t we short a body?”

“Ekala!” Zarim nearly jumped. He rushed for the now-broken door she’d been thrown through by Ono. Stepping over the splintered boards, he found her standing in a trance-like state. Zarim ran up to her, putting his hands on her shoulders and letting out a breath of relief. “ I was afraid something might have happened to you.”

Ekala continued to stare up as she spoke. “Zee...I think we hit the jackpot.”

Zarim finally saw what she was focused on–a four-pointed star like the one Master Quand had in Xanadar. And two of the points were occupied by brightly-glowing Soulstones.

The local police arrived and managed to pull Swul and Tanus away from each other. The two men feigned a struggle against the officers, with Swul especially playing it up. “Let me at ‘im! Said he thinks I’m weak just ‘cause my height!”
 

“Go ahead, let the pipsqueak try his best!” shouted Tanus. “I’ll have him out cold within two seconds!”

“They both reek of booze!” said an officer with his arms pushed up against Tanus’ chest, trying his best to hold him back. Two of his partners held onto Tanus’ arms as well. Another two officers held Swul up by his legs, and he kept reaching out as if to strike Tanus.

“Looks like nothing more than a bar fight that got out of hand, Lord Vortai,” said a sixth officer who stood beside the elderly man. “We’ll get rid of these drunkards, let them sleep it off in a cell.”

Vortai narrowed his eyes, staring intently at the two men. “No.”

“I-I beg your pardon, sir?”

“Not yet.” Vortai stepped towards Swul, holding his hand out towards the faerie. His long, bony fingers wrapped around Swul’s hooded head and Swul was a little surprised at the strength of the frail man’s grip. Vortai stared directly into Swul’s eyes and the faerie could feel a chill slowly creeping through his body. After a moment, however, the crawling chill diminished then stopped.

“You won’t tell me anything...” Vortai turned his attentions to Tanus and slowly approached. He reached out with a long finger and placed it under Tanus’ chin, gently yet firmly turning the former soldier’s eyes towards his. Tanus, too, felt his body start to go cold while looking into the priest’s eyes. He sensed a presence creeping through his body, like a parasite sliming its way through his guts and into his mind. Tanus felt Vortai worming around in his brain, then all of a sudden Vortai backed away.
 

“You’ve come for them!”

“Guess the jig is up, huh big guy?” asked Swul.

“Seems that way.” Tanus’ artificial hand broke apart, revealing the gun barrel as it rose right before the face of the officer who held that arm.
 

“What’s going on?” asked the officer.

Tanus jerked his metal arm back, shaking off that officer. The shock caused the one who held his human arm to loosen his hold and Tanus pulled it away, and drove a fist into his nose. He raised the gun-arm and aimed it directly at the face of the third officer. The young man’s face was paralyzed by fear. Tanus sighed and bopped him on the head with the gun barrel. “Relax, kid, you get to live another day.”

Swul twisted in the grip of his two captors, driving his fists into the forehead of one of them. The other he pounced on, knocking to the ground. Swul stood, but not before kicking the man in the ribs for good measure. He dusted off his hands and noticed Tanus’ judgmental stare. “What?”

“Kicking a man when he’s down?” asked Tanus.

Swul brushed him off, then saw Vortai retreating towards the cathedral. “C’mon, he’s gotta be goin’ after the others!” He tossed off his cloak, revealing his wings to the shocked gasps of the bystanders. “Shaddup, ya racists!” Swul’s wings took him over the crowd and carried him towards the entrance to the staircase.

The crowd proved difficult for Tanus to get through. He raised the gun-arm up and fired at the ceiling. The sound of the shot was enough to send them into a stampede for the doors, and enabled Tanus to push through them and follow his teammate.
 

Zarim found himself paralyzed by the eerie glow of the Soulstones, standing before them just as Ekala—as if both were in a trance. Once he finally broke free of their hypnotic influence, he reached for the top stone. Zarim could feel its power reaching out to him, almost embracing him, as his hands grew closer to it. When he plucked the stone from its mount, the energy surged through his body, charging through each and every pore of his body. It was such an incredible burst that he was almost afraid to release his hold upon the green, gem-like object.
 

Finally, it took Ekala to pluck it from his hands and even in that instant, Zarim felt a surge of protective instincts overtake him. It took all his strength to stop him from drawing his blade on her. But he relented and allowed her to take it from him and store it in the courier bag she carried beneath her robe. Zarim then moved to extract the second stone. Still he could feel the same pull, albeit not as strong as the first. He managed to release this stone far quicker than the first, although still with some difficulty.

But in the instant he released the final stone, he felt his entire body stiffen as if overtaken by some supernatural rigor mortis. Ekala was likewise paralyzed, the stone still caught in her hand, and Reyche and Templar found they were incapable of moving. All four of their bodies simultaneously seized up. If they could turn their heads, they might have seen the source of their paralysis. But they needed no visual confirmation, for all four knew there was only one man capable of such a feat.

“It seems I have an infestation problem,” came Vortai’s voice. “Insects crawling around my cathedral. But the real question, it seems, is who among you will prove the true threat.”

He approached Reyche first, as she was the closest, but dismissed her with barely a glance. “No, I know it is not you.” With a beckon of his finger, Templar slowly hovered towards him. Vortai gave him a once-over and then shook his head. “There has been a change in you, but not enough to pose much of a threat.”