The Rise of the New Bloods, From Dark Beginnings

The Rise of the New Bloods:

From Dark Beginnings

K A HAMBLY

Copyright Notice

The Rise of the New Bloods

Is copyrighted 2012 © by K A Hambly

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by electronic or mechanical means (including photocopying, recording, or information storage retrieval) without permission in writing from the author and publisher.

Disclaimer

This is a work of fiction.  Any similarity to persons living or dead (unless explicitly noted) is merely coincidental.

ISBN 978-1-291-15695-9

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Craig, Paige and Danny.

Without friends like these and th
eir support, this book would not have been possible.

Ceri, Kellie, Mick, Julie, Fi, Barbara, Dena, Leanne, Sonia.

CHAPTER ONE

I took a deep breath and sighed. It was not as if I needed to breathe, but it just seemed natural to do it anyway. After all, I was descended from the humans; maybe, just maybe there was still a trace of humanity left in me somewhere.

I laughed to myself, as I knew it was just wishful- thinking on my part. I looked out of the small win
dow of my wooden cabin. The days were long, but the nights were tedious and lonely.

I had somehow become used to my mundane existence, but lately there was a longing in me for change. After the morning, I had, out hunting for food with father it looked li
ke change was swiftly on the horizon.

Father had been unusually quiet all day.

I sensed something was preying on his mind. Briefly,  I wondered, could this have been what we had been preparing for all these years. 

 
‘Jyrki...Jyrki, where the hell are you?’                  

I heard my friend, William, hollering at me from below. I snapped out of my self-pity and looked down from the window.                     

  ‘Didn't you hear the horn? Amroath has ordered everyone to tear down their quarters,’ he yelled      

I had not.

I was deep in thought, almost in an hypnotic state.

  For a few moments, his words did not seem to sink in. Until I gazed up and saw the rest of the clan leaving their homes. I shot up from the floor and grabbed my jacket that w
as hanging by a nail on the door, almost tearing it in the process, and climbed down the ladder.

It was becoming dark, so I reached for the lantern on the branch and skipped the last few steps.

The snow was thick on the ground.

Which was not  unusual fo
r Finland this time of year. I waited nervously in the falling snow as the events unfolded before me, looking on in horror, at the destruction of what was once my home.

The Cabins were being abandoned at such speed, and torn down with bare hands to destro
y all evidence of our existence. The protection of the grand Fir trees, that encircled us, held us together no more.

I knew there was much worse to come.

  ‘Jyrki! Wait there a moment; I need to speak with you.’ I heard a familiar voice from behind me.

I
swerved around and held the lantern up. It was Draven, my brother, running towards me from the lake.

 
‘Looks like our old man has come to his senses, and we're getting the hell out of here,’ I said quite sternly.

I was half hoping the latter were true.

Two hundred years on these Aaland Islands, and people were now getting too close for comfort.  

Draven placed a firm hand on my shoulder and at once, I sensed something was very wrong.

  ‘What's wrong with you?’ I said, feeling quite defensive. ‘I haven’t seen you for days, where have you been?’

He looked at me with a worried expression on his face.

‘There’s something I’ve been meaning to give you for safekeeping.’

  For a moment I hesitated
to say anything, as I could sense there was a lot more going on with him than he would let on to me.

His long black hair blew in a gust of wind; revealing a gash to his forehead which he tried to conceal from me. 

  ‘How did that happen to your head? Just tell me what is going on with you, please?’

He shook his head, refusing to answer my question. I noticed a few specks of snow nestled onto his black cloak and a coldness in the air I hadn
’t felt for ages.

 
‘There’s something darker coming for us.’

His w
ords sent a chill through me.

Subconsciously I knew there was great danger ahead of us; I just did not want to admit it to myself.

Dusk settled behind him, and the silvery light of the full moon changed the hue of the snow to a subtler blue.

He reached
inside his cloak and pulled out Father’s khopesh sword.

 
‘This serpent’s sword is yours now; you must take care of it.’

I smiled half-heartedly, waiting for him to say it was a joke. His expression didn't falter under the orange glow. Now I knew I had re
al cause for concern, as the sword had never left Draven's side since Father had given it to him.

 
‘Take it, it’s yours.’

He held the bronzed handle of a coiled serpent toward me, and waited for me to take it.

  ‘I've a bad feeling that things are going to get crazy around here soon, and as you know I've won a few wars in my time with this, but now it needs to be with the Chosen One.’

 
‘Stop talking like that, we don't know if it's the prophecy yet.’

Hastily, I took the sword from his hands and placed i
t in my backpack. They were the only means of weapons we ever fought with, despite our little knowledge, that the outside world had long since changed. It was now the tail end of the twentieth century, and I was feeling anxious about the sudden turn of events that could propel us into a whole new world.

 
‘Over here, now!’

It was Amroath, our Father, shouting to us from across the compound. We both sharply turned our heads at the sense of immediacy in his voice. I drew another breath in anticipation of what
news he had to share.

  Words didn't have to manifest from anyone's lips. It was obvious from the dark mood what was about to take place.

I brushed my long black hair away from my face and stood in front of father, Draven joined the rest of the clan who were already prepping their weapons. They all turned to look at me. I somehow felt a sense of responsibility for their lives. 

 
‘It's time son.’ I felt a heavy hand on my shoulder.

I turned to look at Father whose ashen face must've aged a few years in t
hose split seconds. He didn't have to say anything else, I knew what he meant.

 
‘It's the prophecy isn't it?’

Father took my hand and placed an Ankh into my palm. I clenched it tightly. Part of me couldn't bear to look at it because I knew by father han
ding me the one thing that kept us all shielded from the sun, he was placing their lives in mortal danger.

Mardok, a prophet in Ancient Egypt had given him the Ankh. He had warned him that when the day came to hand over the Ankh to the chosen one, all his
protection would be lost. It was written in the prophecy, he said.

 
‘There was word less than an hour ago, the Others have detected us. You must leave now! You know what you are meant to do; we have been over this for many years.’

  His voice was strangely calm for someone who was about to face the unknown.

  ‘So I leave you all here to perish at the hands of these... things?’ I raged. ‘Not likely, I'm staying here to fight with you.’

Amroath was becoming rather annoyed with me.

‘Look at me,’ he said as he grabbed the sleeve of my jacket.

I stood before him and looked into his eyes.

There was no bitterness or remorse for all the things he had done. Not even a touch of regret for what he was. I was in awe of him, and proud to have him as my Father. He bent his head slightly, allowing some silvery strands of hair to fall into his face. He clenched me tightly and gave me the last piece of advice I would ever receive.

 
‘Even immortals meet their match one day. Nothing is forever. We were sworn to protect the Ankh and now the time has come to do just that...I trust in you Jyrki, just as the ancients did all those years ago.’

Knowing better than to argue with my Father, I held my peace.

  ‘I guess you didn't become the New Blood elder for your people skills?’ I managed a wry laugh.

‘
I hardly think we could be classed as people, do you?’ he smiled.

 
‘Amroath!’ William yelled. ‘They’re getting closer. My guess is they’ll be here at dawn.’

It was arctic cold, and the sky was grey and hea
vy with blizzards. I placed the Ankh around my neck and mentally prepared myself for the task ahead.

 
‘Jyrki, we'll see each other again, I'm sure.’

Draven was acting as a brother would, but I could tell he was putting on a brave face just for me. It ha
d always been the same way since we were children. I stood watching the clan as they handed out swords and spears to each other. Their silence was ripping me apart inside. Draven stooped down and gave me a farewell hug.

I knew then that this was it.

I gripped him tightly.

‘I will make you proud, I promise.’

 
‘I know you will, just stay safe until this battle is all over, okay.’

 
‘I will. I'm going to miss you,’ I wept.

I wiped the tears from my eyes and glanced up at Father who stood beside us gazing
affectionately at his two sons for what would be the last time.

 
‘There's not a lot of time, William can hear them approaching. Now Jyrki, you must do as I have asked you, and keep the Ankh safe from the humans, and hopefully one day it will save us wherever we may be.’

 
‘I give you my word,’ I whispered.

I gave father a farewell hug, and then shouldered my holdall.

Just moments ago, I was secretly hoping for change now it was here I wasn't sure if it was what I really wanted. For a moment, I stood and peered around at the vastness of the forest, a place I had called home for so long. Now, instead of the exquisite beauty of the lakes and trees, all I saw were the dark shadows of our past coming back to haunt us.

As I turned to look at Father one last ti
me, I saw he had tears in his eyes. He wiped them away with his thick leathery hand and whispered for me to go.

Draven met my gaze and nodded encouragingly.

  ‘You'll realise in time what that thing can do,’ I heard Father shout, but I was halfway through the forest by now. I paused amongst the giant firs for a brief moment and inhaled, snow falling from the high branches as my previous life now fell behind me.

My senses became heightened, as I left the safe zone.

  ‘No time for snacks,’ I thought to myself, as I saw a hare scurry into its burrow.

I picked up speed once I reached the mountain.

The little light reflecting from the snow helped steer my way to the highest peak. I found a place to sit on the rocky edge where I tried to gather my thoughts for a while; still I had no idea where I was going all I knew was that I had to get away from Finland without anyone asking too many questions. Yet I was torn between running back down there to help my family, but Father would not have been pleased.

Our fates were worlds apart right now.

  It felt like another lifetime just waiting for the final battle to burn out. I knew we did not stand a chance against The Others. From what father had told me, they were far too superior to our old-fashioned ways.

  My mood was sombre and I was craving blood. I could not find the strength within me to move, so I chose to endure my hunger for a while longer.

The night time passed by as slowly as it ever did, but just as the last glimmer of hope diminished there was a break in the clouds and the sun began to peek through. It was a new dawn and something within me told me it was all over.

It had to be.

The Others would only fight at daybreak as they knew the clan would be at their most vulnerable. I checked under my shirt, to make sure the Ankh was still there.

‘
All for this?’ I whispered as I held the silver Amulet in my ice-cold hands.

I felt so much hatred towards it. It was the reason why we ended up in this mess in the first place.

As I got up to leave, I sensed a small squirrel behind the rock I was sitting on. If I was quick enough I should be able to catch him.

With a quick sudden movement, I leapt behind the rock, catching the creature by its tail; I sank my fangs into its neck. The food was enoug
h to satisfy me until I could find something with a little more blood.

Feeling a little more energised than earlier, I made the decision of walking back to the compound. I knew I should not go back to the forest but I felt I needed to say my goodbyes befo
re the sun was at its peak.

I had minutes to spare.

Dreading what I would see.

  I made my way down from the mountain along the uneven path, relying on my natural navigational skills to find my way back. Most of the compound was over shadowed by the mas
s of trees, that was heavily laden with snow.

With any luck, if someone were alive they would be safe for a while, I hoped. The gentle twittering of a song thrush brought a welcome relief to my ears.