Darkness Falling: Soldiers and Slaves (7 page)

“I don't know, actually. I've always been this way. I don't remember my mother very well, but I think she could do it, too.” Impyra sighed.

“Why haven't they killed you?” It was a harsh question, but Brosen's voice was confused rather than malicious.

Impyra shrugged, deciding it was better to share what she knew. “I know my mother was captured in one of the free countries, and she was a first generation slave in Re'Orna-Ak. I was born there. She was put through some type of scientific research, but it made her sick. When she died I was still very young. The research they did on her was what gave me special abilities, they were researching me as well.”

“You're the results of a science experiment?” Brosen asked, bewildered.

“Basically, yes. When Ha Lenger decided the experiments should end, Dreger Lei'Orthra asked to continue the research in Rau'Tesche-Awn. I was only a little girl,” she frowned. “I don't know why the Emperor allowed it.

“They also trained me to work as a slave. They used to talk about me like I wasn't really there, or like I was a chair or maybe an interesting painting. I understood, though, and I knew that if I grew too powerful they would kill me.”

“So you pretended to be weaker than you are to stay alive!” Sheyra clapped her hands together once with a loud bang. Impyra jumped. “Right?” She asked, her face growing red with embarrassment.

“Right,” Impyra nodded. “Dreger was losing interest in me, but I'd caught the eye of another.”

Brosen snorted. “Xander,” he said darkly.

The sound of his name was enough to make her skin crawl.

“Xander? The prince?” Sheyra gasped. At least she was enjoying the story.

“Yes, he likes to feel special. He enjoys knowing he has rare trinkets or clothes or food. Having the only girl in the Empire with my abilities was really important.” She shivered.

“You could have killed him.” Brosen pointed out.

Impyra stared at him blankly. “Yes, I could have.”

She had thought about it many times. If he died she would have died too, and many times she would have willingly fallen into the void. There was a spark of something deep within her that never allowed it, however; a hope for something better that she couldn't understand.

“When I jumped out of the window I tried to pull him out with me.”

Brosen's eyes widened in surprise.

“When he saw where we were heading he let me go. He pushed me, actually.” Impyra shrugged at her missed opportunity.

They were silent for a minute as they considered her words.

“You can change your appearance, become invisible, make things fly short distances, and survive Field Energy and long falls. What else can you do?” Brosen crossed his arms over his chest.

Impyra smiled slyly. “I can do this.”

Holding up her hand she formed a small glowing orb in the air. It didn't fully light the room but illuminated where she was sitting. She closed her hand over the light and it vanished.

“But,” she added, feeling mischievous, “I can now use it to do this.”

She waved her hand, palm out, and shot a blast across the room. It exploded and lit a small fire in the dust, which burned away almost instantly.

“I learned that from your gun,” she smirked.

“What?” Brosen shook his head.

“White Energy; I understand how to form it and use it for more than just light and heat. I'm just too tired to do much with it right now.” She yawned, not wanting to tire herself too much.

Sheyra hugged herself and took in a deep breath, “When you come in contact with energy you can learn from it?”

Impyra nodded.

“The Field Energy,” Brosen said thoughtfully.

“I can make a shield, but I'll need to practice. I don't want to kill anyone the way the Field Energy does.” She frowned at the thought. At least, she didn't want to kill her allies.

Brosen stood up to pace the floor.

“How did you know you could survive the Field Energy?” Sheyra asked quietly.

Impyra stared at her, wondering if it mattered what she told this stranger. “I didn't,” she admitted softly.

Brosen stopped, his back to them. He turned slowly, deliberately, his blue eyes flaring intensely with the internal light of the Enforcers. “You weren't trying to escape.”

Impyra lowered her head, her heart in her throat. “It's not easy,” she said, “living without hope.”

There was a long silence between them. She wished she could sink into the shadows and disappear.

“I know,” he acknowledged. “Why did you change your mind?”

Impyra bit her bottom lip, unsure what she could tell him. She didn't remember anything between crashing through the window and waking up in Winifred's hospital.

“I broke free, I guess,” she didn't know what else to say.

Brosen searched her eyes before finally nodding, satisfied with her answer. “We need to get out of the Empire, off the continent at least,” he said.

“Obviously,” Impyra snorted, glad the focus was shifted away from her own personal motives.

“Or,” Sheyra said, “you could join the Resistance.”

Impyra raised an eyebrow, curious.

“Not me. It's pointless,” Brosen's voice edged on anger. “That's exactly what they are expecting us to do, and that's why they want us dead. Don't do it.”

Impyra glared at him. “I can decide for myself.”

“I know, but you haven't been outside of a Tower your whole life, trust me, you don't want to go from being a prisoner to joining an army.” Brosen cut his hand through the air, shaking his head.

“How do you know what I want? Maybe joining the Resistance is exactly what I need to do.” Impyra stood up. He was taller than her but it made her feel more intimidating than sitting on the floor. “You don't know anything about me. And you're only here because Wini wanted you to come with me for some reason.”

Brosen's thinned his eyes, his expression dark. “If it wasn't for my bike and my gun you'd still be in the city. Maybe you'd even be captured and back in Xander's lap.”

Impyra felt her face grow hot with anger. “If it wasn't for my skills we'd have been blown to pieces by those helicopters!”

“Hey,” Sheyra said, also standing. “Both of you need to calm down.”

Brosen glared at them, running his hands through his hair. “I only helped you because you asked. I should have taken you to East Gate Hospital and been done with it.”

He turned and stomped out into the growing darkness. The wind picked up, blowing cold damp air through the windows of the barn. Impyra felt a deeper chill than the wind pierce her heart as they watched him go.

“It was only a suggestion.” Sheyra mumbled, sitting back down. “Do you want to join the Resistance with me?”

Impyra sat down slowly. “I don't know. I want to find out more about myself first,” it was the only answer she could give.

Sheyra didn't seem upset. Instead she handed Impyra the bag of dried meat and kept her comments to herself. Impyra didn't know where she was going or how she would get there. She did know that she wasn't a slave anymore and she wasn't going to allow anyone to speak for her or make her decisions.

* * *

Brosen walked away from the mill toward the road, his hands stuffed into his pockets and his head bowed against the wind. He clenched his teeth out of both anger and cold. The temperature had dropped considerably since morning, but it was mostly the wind. Inside they were partially protected from its bite.

At first he thought he would just keep going. What did they think they were talking about? Neither of them knew what it was like to be part of an army, trained to kill and destroy. It was one thing to take a stand and rescue a single person from a life of torture, but to join a rebel army was an entirely different thing. Wasn't it?

Stopping in the middle of the dead field, he kicked sullenly at the dirt. What was his plan? Everything had changed so fast he hadn't taken the time to think things through.

What made it worse was that Impyra didn't appreciate what he had done. He knew the Empire was a bad place. He hated the way the nobility lived in luxury while everyone else wasted away. The economy was crumbling, but nothing was done to resolve it. As long as the Emperor and the other noble lords had what they needed it didn't matter. Sa'Toret-Ekar, with their unbeatable Enforcer armies and advanced technology had conquered three quarters of the world, only to watch it turn to shit.

Brosen had wanted out. He knew it was true. Impyra was just a catalyst. Even so, it was hard to leave behind the only family he had ever known and be labeled a traitor. To hear her say she didn't need or want his help was a slap in the face.

If she didn’t want anything to do with him, then he would go his own way. It would be easier alone. He could vanish into the world, make his way to the free territories, change his name and remove the rest of his meager identity. He didn’t need her.

“What's wrong with me?” he asked himself out loud, staring down at his hands as if they were not his own. “Why should I care what she thinks or wants? I don’t even know her!”

The wind pushed hard against him. Cold droplets of rain splashed his face. Staring east into the wind the dark clouds drew his attention; whispering into his mind. Brosen couldn't understand why, but there was something ominous about the storm.

He felt something gently touch his arm. Startled, he turned to see Impyra standing behind him. He was surprised, it wasn't easy to sneak up on him. He could always sense when others were near; it didn’t matter if that person made a sound or not, he always knew.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly, lowering her eyes to the ground. “I did ask you to help me. It’s just, I've always been told what to do. I want to be part of the decisions about my life now.”

“Yeah, I know, but you have to remember I'm 
not
 Xander,” he said a little to harshly. “I'm not going to force you to do anything if you don't want to. I just don't want to see you escape being used by one person only to be used by others.”

She looked up at him, her green eyes were powerful. They didn't glow the way an Enforcer's would, but they weren't a natural green. Her expression softened a little.

“I'm sorry I said I should have taken you to the hospital,” he said.

“I know,” she smiled weakly. “Friends?”

Brosen felt as if a weight lifted from him. “Yeah,” he nodded. “Hey, what do you think of that,” he pointed toward the storm.

Impyra turned her face into the wind, squinting against it to stare into the sky. “I don’t like those clouds,” she said, clenching her fists.

“What do you think it is?” He asked. “It doesn't seem normal.”

She shook her head slowly, “It's not.” Her eyes swirled with power, but only for a moment. “I'm too tired,” she sighed. “Whatever it is, it's full of power.”

Brosen frowned. “We should get going. Come on.”

They hurried back to the mill. Sheyra was standing at the window, also watching the sky. She was shivering. “It's getting really cold,” she said.

“Yeah,” Brosen picked up his gun.

“Ro’Tesche-Ala is maybe an eight-hour drive from here,” Sheyra said. “If we leave now we could be there before dawn.”

“Do you think the truck will make it?” Impyra asked nervously.

“I hope so,” Brosen sighed. “If not, it's going to be a cold walk.”

They piled into the truck cab. Sheyra took the wheel once more and Impyra sat in the middle.  Taking a deep breath, Sheyra turned the key. Grudgingly, the engine started.

“Yes,” Sheyra cheered, bouncing in her seat.

Brosen and Impyra, somber as always, merely stared at her with blank expressions. Sheyra continued to smile as she pulled the truck slowly out onto the old dirt road that lead to the highway.  Heading south, Brosen was able to see the sky clearly. He kept his eyes on the clouds but no further clues were available. It would be better if they could leave Sa'Toret-Ekar behind as quickly as possible.

The barren landscape faded into the encroaching darkness. The three were silent, lost in their own thoughts. Brosen realized he was glad he stopped instead of setting out alone. Even in the quiet it was better to have company.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Dawn was fast approaching when Winifred woke those who would be leaving with her. There were five children, - Eymi, Gegen, Noorie, Mina, and Saley, - and two adults, Mikal and Alta making the journey. The rest would stay behind to tend the hospital.

Wini told herself that it would not be the end. Change was coming and with her influence she could turn the tides favorably and away from destruction. It had been thirty years since her arrival in Rau'Tesche-Awn. It was difficult to leave her work behind however necessary it may be.

Wini lead the small group out into the cold morning air. The city was asleep. They walked a few blocks to another building where Wini had hidden an old van, the only item of luxury she had owned over the years. Alta and Mikal helped the children climb into the middle seat. The young woman sat alone in the very back. 

“I didn't know you could drive,” Mikal said as he shut the passenger side door.

Wini grinned. “There are many things you don't know about me.”

Pulling out into the street, she kept her eyes open for EOVs. She doubted anyone would bother them, but she was prepared if they tried. The city was quiet. There was no need for a dramatic exit, and they arrived at the barricaded gate without incident.

“Everyone stay quiet; I will get us through.” Wini said over her shoulder.

It was an easy request to obey. As a rule, the children were afraid of the Enforcers. On the streets of Rau'Tesche-Awn it was better to avoid the Enforcers than draw their attention. Mikal sat straight in his seat, head against the headrest and eyes facing forward. Wini could feel the quiet anxiety fill the van as a pair of Enforcers stepped forward. Reaching into herself she surrounded her charges with a soft glow of innocence.

The Enforcer nearest to them held up his hand, motioning for her to roll down the window. His partner stood by, holding his White Energy gun across his body.

“Sorry, ma'am, but no one is allowed out of the city by order of the Emperor.”

“I understand,” Wini said, smiling sweetly. “We were just going to see my brother. He's very sick, you see. I guess we'll just have to go back home.”

Wini caught the Enforcer's gaze and held it firmly. Gently reaching into his mind she found what she was looking for; a quiet sorrow that he did not allow near the surface of his thoughts. Wini carefully opened a small rift in his defenses, allowing the sadness to bleed through into his conscious mind.

“That's too bad he's sick,” the Enforcer frowned, his eyes growing distant.

“It's been hard since we were separated,” she said quietly. “We're twins, you see, and I haven't seen him in such a long time,” she sighed heavily. “Well, he'll probably live another few days I hope.”

The Enforcer nodded. He reached up to brush at his eyes which were beginning to well with tears. “It would be hard to be separated like that.”

His partner glanced around, confused. Wini widened the radius of her innocent light, flooding the other soldiers who stood nearby.

Another Enforcer walked up, curious. “What's going on here. Are you crying?”

“No, sir,” the first soldier said, sniffling. 

Wini quickly shifted her gaze, drawing in the second man. “I'm just trying to take my grandchildren to see my brother before he dies. It's been so long since we were able to spend time together as a family. It's important for children to be with their family, don't you think?”

Exhaling slowly, she flooded the area with a sense of calm and peace. The observing Enforcer lowered his weapon, holding it absentmindedly in one hand.

“Yes,” the second Enforcer nodded slowly. “I don't see the harm in that.”

“Let them through,” the first Enforcer agreed.

The barricade was pulled aside. Wini pressed the gas and drove though, waving at the bewildered Enforcers.

“What just happened?” Mikal asked, glancing back over his shoulder.

“They'll be all right, and they won't remember we were there. I just reminded them of the things they must suppress.” Wini sighed. “It won't always be this way.”

Mikal stared at her with his mouth open. He closed it with a snap and kept his eyes on the road. She smiled to herself. There were many things they didn't know, but soon they would find out.

Watching Rau'Tesche-Awn growing smaller in her rear-view mirror she said a silent farewell. The sun was rising, and with it the sensation of Petor's ever nearing presence tickled at the edge of her mind. He would know she had gone, and he would guess where she was going. She knew that he would not pursue her, motivated by both guilt and arrogance. Either way, she was glad to be away from the city before he arrived.

* * *

A gray dawn followed the rainy night. They left the flat wasteland behind for a landscape of rolling hills. The farther south they traveled from Rau'Tesche-Awn, the healthier than land became. Dry black dirt became waves of tall golden grass. Climbing a steep hill, the truck began to make a loud whining noise.

“This isn't good,” Sheyra said as the cab began to vibrate.

“Slow down,” Brosen advised.

As they crested the rise, there was a loud thump. Sheyra let out a squeal of surprise. Impyra, who had been dozing in her seat, jumped. Steam began to billow out from beneath the hood and they rolled forward down the hill before coming to a stop at the bottom.

“Fantastic,” Brosen groaned.

He opened the door, allowing cold air to flood in, pulling Impyra fully awake. She glanced around with tired eyes, not fully aware of the situation. Brosen stood outside, looking lost.

“Do you want me to open the hood?” Sheyra asked.

“No, there's no point. I don't have any tools.” Brosen let out a long breath, scratching his head. “I guess we should start walking.”

Impyra stretched and jumped down, bringing the backpack with her. At least she felt rested after the long drive. 

“Wait,” Sheyra said. She peered out a them from inside the cab. “Shouldn't we push it off the road?”

Impyra glanced at Brosen, unsure, and he shrugged. There hadn't been any traffic and there wasn't anywhere to hide the vehicle. It would be a troublesome obstacle for anyone who did happen to travel that way.

“All right,” Brosen said. “We can't push from the back, there's too much damage. I'll push here, you go around to the other side.” Impyra nodded and followed instruction.

With some effort and a few tries they were able to get the truck rolling and Sheyra guided it into the field. She climbed down and locked the door. Brosen raised an eyebrow at her, confused by her behavior. He almost smiled. Almost.

“Feel better?” He asked.

“Yeah,” her face brightened.

“Let's go,” Impyra said.

The cold air was quickly biting through her thin clothes and she was beginning to shiver. Having grown up in the temperature controlled Tower, she wasn't used to spending time in the elements. 

Brosen led the way up the steep incline of the next hill. Their breath billowed around them as they panted from the exertion. Impyra focused on putting one foot in front of the other. She watched as the sky brighten from behind the heavy clouds. At least it wasn't raining.

From the top of the hill they could see a hazy line of buildings to the west. Ro’Tesche-Ala; a small city stretching for several kilometers in every direction.

“Look,” Impyra said, huffing to catch her breath.

Sheyra trotted forward, “We're almost there!” Excitement filled her voice. 

 Unlike Ro'Tesche-En the town was still inhabited. It was one of the three major port towns on the western shores of Sa'Toret-Ekar. It was easier walking downhill. Brosen led them at a quicker pace, wanting to get them out of the cold. They arrived at the edge of town before an hour had passed.

The first thing they came across a small cafe. The inside was warm and a young man greeted them cheerfully as they entered. The smell of coffee was inviting, and freshly baked goods beckoned from inside a glass case. Impyra swallowed as her mouth began to water.

“I don't think I should use my card,” Brosen said quietly. “They could use it to pinpoint my location.”

“Don't worry, I can get it,” Sheyra offered.

She bought coffee and breakfast rolls and they sat together at a small table by the window. Even with the hot coffee in her stomach Impyra could not keep from shivering.

“I've been thinking it over,” Sheyra informed them after a few bites. “I'm going to stay here and decide my next move, but the two of you can't stay in one place. I'll draw out enough credits from my account and you can use them to get transportation.”

“No,” Impyra said, shocked at her generosity, “you’re going to need your credits. Don't you need to find a place to live?”

Brosen nodded in agreement, “Wouldn't it be suspicious for a resident of Ro'Tesche-En to suddenly be drawing out credits from another town one day after an Enforcer investigation?”

“Not necessarily,” Sheyra shrugged. “I just happened to not be there. Maybe I had already abandoned my inn and come here to visit a friend. I might need my credits for something.”

Brosen stared at her darkly, then sighed. “Yeah, but do you have a friend here to fall back on?”

“No, but I can make one. I made friends with you pretty fast, didn't I?” she grinned.

“Sure, but not on purpose,” Brosen shrugged. “I don't want to book passage from here. I was hoping to head farther south. You should stay with us until then.”

“Don’t worry about me, I’ll be all right,” she seemed oddly confident, “and I won’t be needing these credits much longer anyway, you know?” She lowered her voice, leaning across the table. “Not after I find the you know what.”

Brosen grunted and rolled his eyes. “You're really serious about that, aren't you?”

“They blew up my home. I'm not about to let them forget that.” She crossed her arms, leaning back in her chair.

“Then you want to come with us. All of the reports of activity are much farther south than this.”

Impyra was glad Brosen had solid arguments. She liked having Sheyra around; her positive attitude was valuable.

Sheyra frowned. Impyra knew she couldn't argue or she would have already.

“If you're not wanting to catch a ship from here, I think the best use of my credits is to purchase a vehicle and some supplies for the road.”

Impyra and Brosen were both surprised. Impyra sat up straight in her seat. “You have enough for that?”

Sheyra shrugged, “It was just me at the inn for a long time. When the people left I had no reason to restock things fully and my dad taught me how to spend wisely. Besides, I didn't say I'd buy a luxury car, just one that runs and is priced reasonably.”

Impyra couldn't help but feel a bubble of excitement. Her initial desire to strike out alone was slowly fading. Having companions who treated her kindly was unexpected and oddly comforting.

“It's settled then? You'll come with us to the next town at least?” She asked, a faint smile on her lips. 

“Yeah,” Sheyra looked thoughtful, then grinned. “We should also buy some hair dye for that blond head,” she nodded at Brosen, who blushed unexpectedly.

“You do stand out,” Impyra agreed.

They finished eating and left the cafe. Walking up the main street of the town Impyra breathed in the sea air and was amazed by the existence of a functional community. After Rau'Tesche-Awn and Ro'Tesche-En she was starting to believe the whole world was full of gloom and abandoned buildings.

“There, look,” Sheyra pointed across the street to a used vehicle dealership. “Hopefully they have something I can afford and we can get moving again.” 

Inside the shop a thin, nervous looking man in a well-worn suit was sitting in an old wooden chair.  Beside him, a coffee machine buzzed loudly. He stood up as if startled by their entrance. The man eyed Brosen and licked his lips, his gaze falling on the gun.

Impyra glanced around curiously. The cars were old, rusted, and not impressive. She wondered if half of them would even run. There were no other customers.  After they browsed for a moment the salesman offered a weary smile, clearing his throat. Sheyra cut him off.

“Is this your entire selection?” she said, waving a hand at the cars.

He glanced around as if he had no idea what she was talking about, then nodded slowly. “Yes, miss. We never see too many here; not with the way things have been lately.” His voice was raspy and strained. Impyra wonder if Ro’Tesche-Ala was really as rich as she had first assumed. “But I assure you that every one of these vehicles is in working order.”

“No way!” Brosen breathed.

In a few quick strides he was across the room. A faded red car with a green driver's side door stood beside the window. Impyra also noted a large dent in the roof and a taillight was tapped on. She had to admit it looked a bit newer than some of the others. It might actually travel farther than the end of the street.

Brosen opened the hood and leaned over to look at the engine. Eyes twinkling with a predatory light, the salesman made his way across the room. Sheyra sighed, annoyed.

“Ah, yes, the 2186,” the salesman said. “That is a good model. It was based off of one of the Enforcer models from about seven years ago.”