Reborn (22 page)

Another cat leapt through the golden doorway, looking around briefly before galloping toward the first victim he saw. One after another, the strange cats swarmed through the gateway, pausing only seconds to gauge which direction to strike. Chaos erupted as the beasts crashed through flimsy paper doors without ever slowing down, tearing apart anything alive inside.

The mad man strolled along as if nothing were happening around him. He never gazed down when one of the cats whipped past him, dragging a screaming man by his bloody stump of a leg. With a subtle wave of his hand, more stragglers who had so far avoided the cats fell into the ground with a golden flash.

He reached out with his mind, searching for any still alive, trying to feel their lingering life forces so they could be extinguished. There were very few left, and soon there would be none. He smiled once more, satisfied that his latest purging would draw out the false god, the being who dared to challenge his rightful place. “Come, save your tiny insects,” he muttered. “I’ll be waiting.”

* * *

Aruki and Sari watched in horror as bright flashes of yellow lit up all around the village. They were too far away to see everything, but it was clear some sort of raid was taking place. They could hear the distinct screams of dying men, as well as inhuman high-pitched screeches. “What do we do?” cried Sari, bouncing up and down on her toes nervously. “Should we go back? My family is still—”

“Are you blind? We can’t go back up there,” said Aruki, tugging at her shoulder, urging her to get moving. “Look, the Takeri Clan is only a few miles away.” He pointed off to the west. “If we hurry, we can get some help before it’s too late.”

“It’s him, isn’t it?” she muttered, lower lip quivering, hands trembling. “It’s the demon they speak of.”

“I don’t know,” he said, trying to keep the swelling terror from entering his voice. “Look, we have to move, now. We both know you’re faster than me. I’ll try and keep up, but you have to make it no matter what.” With tears in her eyes, she reluctantly nodded her head in agreement. “Good, now go.”

The two of them dashed through the forest, with Sari leading the way. Low-hanging branches slashed and cut, leaving deep scratches across their faces as they sped along. Thorny bushes bit their legs as they carelessly ran straight through them. Bleeding from multiple spots, they kept on running, spurred on by growing terror.

A piercing screech from behind made Aruki glance back. It echoed all around them, making it very hard to figure out which direction it came from. “Keep going,” he said, panting like a dog as his leg plowed through the thick vegetation. A second screech, much louder this time, left little doubt as to its source. The beast was right behind them, and gaining ground quickly.

Sari screamed with fright, now running even faster, but Aruki continued to lose ground, falling behind. His lungs burned for air that just didn’t seem to be there. His legs felt wobbly as his heavy steps got slower and slower. He called out to her, “Don’t look back, just run. You hear me? Don’t look back.” She heard a snapping growl from behind, followed by the muffled, choked-off scream from her friend.

She did as she was told, never looking back, even through the horrible crunching sounds filling her ears. Wailing hysterically, she sped on through the forest.

Chapter 14

Jade slowly lifted her forehead off the edge of the bed, wiping a bit of drool from her chin as her eyes fluttered open.
How long have I been asleep
? She looked down at Eric’s heavily bandaged body, and the horrible memories flooded back. Throwing herself onto his seemingly lifeless body, she placed an ear to his chest. Relief washed over her as she heard the faint heartbeat. Eric’s chest rose and fell with labored breaths, his exposed face pale as death.

With her body draped across his, she sobbed softly, the full reality of the situation sinking in for the first time. “It’s not fair,” she whispered softly. “You don’t deserve this fate, and neither do I. How can we come so far just to have it end this way?” She looked up toward the ceiling. “Do you hear me? Did you hear what I asked you?” she hissed, venom dripping from every word. “How dare the gods make me believe my life had a purpose? You pull me from the darkest corners of despair, place the man of my dreams just within reach, then take it all away in the blink of an eye. Do you find it funny to torment me? Does it entertain you, to take good people from this world, while leaving the vile and evil to do as they please?”

A tiny flame within her began to grow, a combination of rage and despair swirling into one dark emotion—a feeling she knew intimately, though never thought she would feel again. The growing flame fueled by rage began to consume the good within her. Feelings of love, joy and peace, slowly burned away like coal. She bared her teeth, snarling like an animal as her eyes blazed with fire. “Then from this day forward, I no longer serve the gods. If I am nothing but a toy to you, then so be it. Go ahead and have your fun, take everything from me, but understand one thing...” Her chest began to heave in and out, fists clenched so tight, her knuckles began to turn white. “I am no longer the Guardian, for soon I will have no one to protect. From this day forward, I exist only to seek revenge. Revenge for the one I couldn’t save,” she glanced down at Eric. “Revenge against those who stole my life once again. I will not stop; I will not tire. And if my targets are now the gods themselves...so be it.”

She left her bedridden friend’s bedside and stormed across the room, searing hatred driving her every step.
I’ll not sit here and watch him die
. She reached into her bag and pulled out the clear dychita, then strapped it across her forehead. She instinctively turned to look at his body one last time, but stopped herself, focusing on the door instead.
I’ll not let that be my last memory of him. I’ll remember him as the strong man he always was
.

* * *

Jacob held Athel in his arms, her head pressed against his chest. The two of them just wanted to enjoy each other’s company one last time before saying goodbye. The fire was now reduced to glowing embers, but still gave off a subtle warmth. Jacob kissed her forehead, wishing this moment could last forever.

Athel slowly leaned up, gazing out through the trees, a look of concern on her face. Jacob followed her gaze. “What is it?” he asked, straining to see what she might be looking at. “Is something out there?”

Athel gently pushed away and got to her feet. Her nose crinkled as she sniffed the air once, then twice. Before Jacob could say another word, she dropped down onto all fours, hissing like a snake, her tongue slipping across her silver teeth. “Get behind me,” she whispered. A low, gurgling growl rumbled from the back of her throat.

Instead, Jacob moved in front of her, staff whirling about. He dropped down low, his weapon pointed in the direction of this unseen threat. “I’ll handle this, Athel. Just tell me which direction it’s coming fr—”

The staff dropped from his hands as his eyes rolled up into his head, then fell backward into her waiting arms. A simple flick to the back of his head had easily rendered him unconscious. “I know you will always try to protect me, but not this day. Today, all you would do is die.” She dragged his limp body over to the fire, then straddled over him protectively. It pained her greatly to do such a thing, but there was no other way. The warrior knew he had no chance against this foe.

“I remember your stench,” she hissed toward the tree line. “Back for more, huh? Good, now I can finish what I started before you ran off like a little girl.”

Zhou’s massive outline emerged through the trees. Booming laughter shook the leaves, sending several fluttering down to the ground. “So we meet again, youngling,” he grumbled, now clearly in view. “I must admit I’ve missed the taste of your blood.”

“And I, yours,” she hissed back at him. “A thirst I plan to quench soon enough.”

His eyes fluttered down to Jacob’s unconscious body. “Why?” he said, shaking his head with disgust. “Why do you align yourself with these rodents, and continue to protect them? You are so much more than they are. You and I could have joined forces,” he grunted, clenching his fists. “The two of us would have been unstoppable, but instead of glory and unrivaled power, you choose death.”

A hiss filled the air as she reached back and drew her half-moon blades. “I pity you,” she whispered. “You’re too stupid to recognize your own curse for what it is. Glory and unrivaled power, you say? Power over what? All you do is leave a trail of bodies where ever you go. A kingdom of corpses, perhaps? Only the most demented, broken mind would think your black future somehow ends in you wearing a crown,” she lifted one of her blades toward him, “when it’s clear to me that all you will ever wear is a leash.”

He roared with anger, unleashing his long swords. “Your head will hang from my wall for all to see.”

“Even if you took it, it would be placed wherever you are told to put it...dog. The illusion of free will is the key to controlling a pet. And don’t fool yourself; a pet is what you are.”

Their collective roars shook the trees as the beasts charged one another.

* * *

Every man, woman, and child was dead. The madman was sure of it, as he could no longer feel the presence of life. He covered his face with both hands and began to sob. Even he wasn’t sure if it was because he was surrounded by so much death, or because there was no one left to kill. Desperate sobs quickly changed into euphoric laughter, then back again without warning.

He suddenly stopped, all emotion gone for a fleeting moment. His eyes sparkled with a faint, yellow light as he looked off to the west. “I can feel you,” he giggled like a child. “Flush him out,” he whispered softly, wiping tears from his eyes. “Send him to me.”

The swarm of cat-like beasts scampered into the trees like a moving black shadow, galloping along at full speed, yet completely silent. They had one single goal in mind, and would kill any who stood in their way.

* * *

Jade struck out alone, marching through the woods. Seething anger sped her along, although she really had no idea where she was going. Her unstable mind danced between thoughts of suicide and thoughts of murder. Although fully aware these dark thoughts were not normal, none of that mattered right now. “Crush my dreams of love and happiness,” she mumbled to herself, charging through thorny bushes. “None of it is real, it never was. I’ll never fall for these illusions again. I’ll show them...show them all.”

Show who
? The tiny thread of reason broke through the pain and sadness, a sliver of common sense, like a candle flickering through darkness.
What purpose will it serve if you’re dead
? “What harm will it do?” she called out to no one.
You don’t really want to kill anyone, do you
? “I want to kill everyone!” she screamed at the top of her lungs.

She stopped and lifted her head, temporarily broken free from her bout with insanity. The trees and bushes up ahead began to vibrate, fluttering with scattered movement, yet not a sound could be heard. She watched as yellow eyes appeared through the vegetation, one set after another. On pure instinct, she threw her wrists upward as daggers flashed with a click. “I’ve angered the gods, it seems, and now they look to test my faith,” she said as more and more sets of eyes began to appear around her. “Give me back what you stole from me, and I’ll gladly take your test. A hundred times if you wish.”

She dropped the daggers to the ground, smiling as madness danced in her eyes. Black cat-like creatures began to surround the area, with even more creeping in from behind. Her dychita began to glow a soft white light, then her eyes began to do the same. “You look to threaten me with death when I have nothing left to live for. The gods have taken everything from me, what more can they do?” Her black hair began to crackle with static energy, rising from her shoulders and waving about. The glow in her eyes grew even brighter as energy flooded through her body. “Threaten me with death? I am death, and soon the world shall know!”

Her dychita flared up with light, before shattering in a blinding flash of white. The novice crystal was never made to hold this much chi, nor one this strong. The tiny pieces lay scattered around her feet, but her eyes still glowed with white light as if she were still wearing it. She had no idea how to control this much energy, yet in her unstable state of mind, it seemed like a good idea to try. The power of nature flooded through her like a river. This much energy could hardly be controlled by a seasoned palin, yet alone a novice such as herself... It was perilous to do so. The energies were unpredictable. She’d be like a child playing with the sun.

With her eyes gleaming, her hair crackling in the air like snakes, she opened her mouth and unleashed an unworldly sound. The ground began to shake and tremble as the ear-splitting wail echoed for miles around. Several of the beasts right in front of her dropped to the ground, blood gushing from their ears and eyes. One by one, their heads exploded in a shower of gore, painting the immediate area red. The lucky ones who were farther back limped away as fast as they could, waves of pain and nausea assaulting their durable bodies. Many rolled around on the ground, twitching and convulsing as the searing pain exploded through them.

Her savage wail went on for several minutes, never fading in strength or intensity. Human lungs could have never held the death note for so long, but right now, she was no normal human.