The Purification: Book 3 of the Evaran Chronicles (16 page)

“So they’re attacking nonhumans,” said Lord Noskov. “Why does this concern me? They’ve been easy to handle so far.”

“Atlantis has been attacked and is about to fall,” said Lord Vygon. “We need help in defending it. Delia Everoak of the Ollikrin Nation is considering lending her aid to the effort. It’s a chance for nonhumans that aren’t Helians to become part of the global community.”

“The Ollikrin? Last time I encountered them, they tried to kill me …”

Lord Vygon bobbed his head. “Well … you do have a bounty on your head for … what you did.”

“It was justifiable,” said Lord Noskov with narrowed eyes. “Besides, even if I agreed, it would take time to get there.”

Lord Vygon bobbed his head. “It wouldn’t. This is where it gets complicated. We are from three years in the future.”

“What?”

“Right now, there are two of me,” said Lord Vygon. “One is sleeping at my base, the other is me, here, right now, except I’m from the future.”

“Time travel is not possible,” said Lord Noskov.

“You’ll have to take my word for it,” said Lord Vygon. “I know you’d rather kill Helians than help them, but if you agree to help … I’ll stand with you in having the bounty from the Helians retracted.”

Evaran tilted his head. “If it helps, I will as well.”

Lord Noskov snapped his head toward Evaran. “I don’t know what weight you carry. It’s none with me.”

“For now. That will change.”

Lord Noskov narrowed his eyes. “I’ll consider it.” He looked at Lord Vygon. “For now, brother, join me for an early dinner. It’s been too long since I’ve seen another ancient.”

Lord Vygon glanced at Evaran and Dr. Snowden, who nodded. “Lead on.”

They followed Lord Noskov into the forest. Dr. Snowden rubbed the goose bumps on his arm as the clouded sky caused the forest to take on a more sinister look. The smells of the damp woodlands washed over him. He could see a fire in the distance, with various blurs moving around it. Dr. Snowden had imagined Lord Noskov’s base would be a cave similar to Lord Vygon’s, but maybe with a bounty out on Lord Noskov, it was best to be mobile.

After ten more minutes of trudging through the forest, they arrived at Lord Noskov’s base. A pit fire raged with various wooden tables and chairs around it. Dr. Snowden noticed that most of the vampires had on similar outfits to the three they had met on the beach. One in particular stood out to him. It was a bald-headed man with just his lower half covered. He towered over the others and sat in silence scrutinizing Dr. Snowden, Evaran, and Lord Vygon. The hair on the back of Dr. Snowden’s neck stood up. He was surrounded by killers.

Lord Noskov gestured for them to take seats next to him at a large table. After sitting, Lord Noskov clapped his hands. The big vampire Dr. Snowden had seen before disappeared for a moment, then came back out leading a naked man with his hands tied. The vampire pushed the man down in front of the fire. Lord Noskov nodded, and the vampire pulled out a sharpened blade.

Evaran stood up. “I invoke the house challenge.”

A silence spread across the camp.

“For what?” asked Lord Noskov.

“I cannot let you kill that man in my presence,” said Evaran, pointing to the man in front of the fire.

Lord Noskov and the other vampires burst into laughter. “And you want to … invoke the house challenge … for that? Tell me … what do
you
know about the challenge?”

“I can issue a challenge to a house. The house allows for the request to be granted if the house lord, or his champion, can be defeated in hand-to-hand combat,” said Evaran.

Lord Noskov glanced at Lord Vygon. “Did you tell him of this?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Where’d you hear this?” asked Lord Noskov, staring at Evaran.

“From someone far in the future,” said Evaran.

Lord Noskov jerked his head back. He studied Evaran for a moment, then leaned forward with his gaze focused on Evaran’s eyes. With a tilt of his head, and in a deep voice, he said, “You don’t want to fight me …”

Evaran half grinned. “Your hypnotic gaze, while effective on most, will not work on me.”

Lord Noskov rubbed his chin as he studied Evaran. “That’s … interesting … Well then. Since you seem to know of the rule, then you know only an ancient can issue it to another ancient.”

Lord Vygon half smiled. “Consider it from me, on Evaran’s behalf.”

Lord Noskov paused as he scrutinized Lord Vygon. “Very well. You shall have your house challenge. I will assume you know of the no-weapons rule.”

Evaran nodded and then handed his utility handle to Dr. Snowden.

Lord Noskov gestured to the right, and the vampires on the right moved back. With a motion to the left, the left side stood back. He extended his hand toward the fire. “I will deal with this personally. I’ve never lost a fight. Your death will be quick.”

Evaran narrowed his eyes as he went to the open area in front of the fire.

Lord Vygon shook his head.

“Worried?” asked Lord Noskov with a smile, revealing two sharp fangs.

“Not about Evaran …”

Lord Noskov laughed.

The man who had been brought out to be sliced up was moved to the side.

Dr. Snowden swallowed hard. He knew Evaran was tough, but Lord Noskov looked menacing. Some of the fights Evaran had been in were with tough individuals, but Evaran had the advantage of his gadgets and preparation to even the odds, or a group around him. He was not as sure as Lord Vygon was.

Lord Noskov circled Evaran, who turned to face him. Lord Noskov reached out with his right arm to grab Evaran. Evaran grabbed Lord Noskov’s wrist and yanked down hard. Lord Noskov flew to the ground. He shook his head as he stood. With a growl, he slashed out with his now-clawed hands. Evaran caught Lord Noskov’s arm. He pulled him forward while jumping over him. When Evaran was halfway down, he kicked Lord Noskov in the back. Lord Noskov sprawled to the earth.

Lord Noskov got back up and grunted. He charged, but then stopped when Evaran jumped over him. Lord Noskov reached up. He grabbed Evaran’s ankles and slammed him to the ground. Evaran winced. Lord Noskov jumped on Evaran and in a flurry of blows shredded Evaran’s chest. Evaran reacted by grabbing Lord Noskov’s right wrist, then his left wrist. With a concentrated effort, Evaran moved Lord Noskov’s hands up, then rolled over.

Evaran, now on top, spread Lord Noskov’s arms to the side and held him down. “Submit.”

“Never!” said Lord Noskov.

Evaran released his grip on Lord Noskov’s wrists and rolled forward. Lord Noskov scrambled to get up, and Evaran took up an opposite position. Evaran flattened his hands as Lord Noskov approached in a blur of motion, moving erratically from side to side. When Lord Noskov reached him, Evaran struck the inside of Lord Noskov’s right forearm.
Snap!
With a motion to the left, Evaran hit Lord Noskov’s inside left forearm.
Snap!
In a flash, Evaran kicked Lord Noskov’s right knee.
Snap!
With another kick, Evaran struck Lord Noskov’s left knee.
Snap!

Lord Noskov fell to the ground and cried out in pain.

Evaran knelt beside Lord Noskov’s head. “Submit.”

“Never!” said Lord Noskov in a strained voice.

Evaran shook his head. “I cannot accept that. I have need of your service later. You will heal.” He stood up and panned the hushed group. “By right of the victor, I claim this fight over and allow the house lord to live.” While pointing to the naked man who was to be dinner, he said, “That man will come with us.”

Lord Noskov rolled to his side and, with the help of some of his group, sat up. He spit blood while squinting. “Fine … you’ve ruined dinner anyways.”

Evaran waved his hand off to the side for the naked man to come over to him. “If you agree to help us, then in three years from this day, gather your men where we first met and prepare for a fight.”

Lord Noskov paused as he studied Evaran. He glanced at Lord Vygon and Dr. Snowden, then turned his head toward Evaran. “I’ll think about it.”

“It’s all we ask,” said Evaran. He gestured at Dr. Snowden. “My utility handle, please.”

Dr. Snowden tossed it over to Evaran.

Evaran caught it midair and extended his utility handle into a baton. The naked man crumpled to the ground as Evaran’s baton, with a glowing blue end, touched him. Evaran slung the man over his shoulder and gestured back to the Torvatta. “We are done here.”

After dropping off the unconscious naked man at a nearby village, the Torvatta jumped three years into the future to five thirty in the morning on the day they initially left. Evaran sat in his command chair, Lord Vygon in the left seating area, Dr. Snowden in the right seating area, and V on the front console.

“V, stealth mode, then take us down to where we met Delia. We need to be careful to not be detected by ourselves,” said Evaran.

“Acknowledged.”

Dr. Snowden thought it was interesting that they came back two and a half hours before they had left to go into the past. Their previous selves would be at Lord Vygon’s base. His other self would be waking up in thirty minutes in a cave room. Since they were going to be in different areas, maybe it would not be too much of an issue. Based on what Evaran said, the Torvatta in stealth mode must have made it invisible even to itself.

The Torvatta stealthed and headed to the Pacific Northwest, where they initially met the Ollikrin. As the Torvatta descended, the sensors picked up a mass of people near the landing area. The Torvatta touched down, and they exited it.

Dr. Snowden jerked his head back as he scanned the assembled crowd behind Delia. He guessed there was about a hundred or so. There were various packs of werebears, werewolves, owl shifters, tree shifters, and other shifter types he did not recognize. They wore various types of bone and stone armor in a patchwork manner. This was a tough-looking group. Several Native Americans were in the group as well. He wondered if they were Wildborn. Several of the assembled were huge versions of animals instead of a shifted humanoid form. His heartbeat raced a bit upon seeing the large crows.

Delia walked up to them.

Evaran bowed. “It is good to see you. It appears you have made your decision.”

Delia nodded. “You have our support. After this is over, the balance of power will for once be an actual balance.” She glanced at the Torvatta. “How are we all going to fit in there?”

Evaran half smiled. “You will see. Everyone will need to be in humanoid form. V will show you where to go.” He glanced at Dr. Snowden. “Would you mind helping?”

Dr. Snowden nodded. “Sure.” He smiled for the first time in long while. Something about Delia made him at ease, as if her mere presence demanded calm. He hoped to spend more time getting to know her.

Delia circled her hand in the air, and the crowd around her transformed into humanoid forms. She followed V and Dr. Snowden into the Torvatta. Her group lined up behind her and followed her in. Evaran had transformed the holo room into a larger version of the conference room. There were multiple tables with replicators scattered about at the end of the tables. In the back of the room were various doors. Dr. Snowden assumed those were bathrooms. It did not take long for the Ollikrin to board.

Once they were ready to depart, Delia took a seat next to Lord Vygon in the command area. She glanced at Evaran. “Your ship is quite impressive. That room should not exist, yet it does. I have seen alien ships before, but this is new. I’m unfamiliar with this technology.”

Dr. Snowden half grinned. “Dimensional mechanics, and yeah … it takes a bit to get used to.”

Delia looked at Dr. Snowden. “It would be very useful for many situations.”

Dr. Snowden nodded.

Delia faced Evaran. “So, to Atlantis now?”

Evaran shook his head. “We have another group to pick up.”

“Who?”

Lord Vygon cast a sidelong glance at Delia. “House Noskov.”

Delia narrowed her eyes.

Lord Vygon extended a hand. “There are only four ancient vampires in the world, as you know. What you may not know is that the first two are asleep, and their houses are, for the most part, just their bodyguards. I am a solo house, and Lord Noskov’s house is the only one with a formidable group.”

Dr. Snowden studied Lord Vygon. He thought it was interesting that he had already met Lord Vygon’s house in the future, except they called themselves the Earth Guard. Maybe this was the event that would lead to their formation.

“You know what he did to that village … The bounty is one thing I agree with the Helians on,” said Delia.

“Yes, I’m aware of that. What you might not be aware of is that the village killed his four-hundred-year-old wife. Lord Noskov only killed those who did the actual deed,” said Lord Vygon. He gestured outward. “Nonetheless, I ask that you put that to the side for this. We are hoping that you might give him a reprieve after this event.”

“I was not aware of this information.”

Lord Vygon shook his head. “The Helians … left that part out when they issued the bounty. Of course, they only had footage of the resulting action by Lord Noskov. It makes you wonder how they happened to be in the area. To them, it was an opportunity to thin the power of the Daedrould.”