Special Black Chapter 03
Thread Eight:
Bright sunlight flooded the purple and gray slate-tiled corridor, cascading through a wall constructed entirely of glass. Outside, carefully manicured trees spread heavy, broad limbs adorned with large, white flowers, and housed the birds whose songs could be heard through the open panes near the ceiling. The stone benches lining the corridor were deserted and the only footsteps echoing against the walls came from a shaggy-haired child, happily tossing a ball into the air and catching it while he walked.
Smiling, the blue-eyed boy turned from the hallway and into a wider intersection of connecting corridors. The vaulted ceilings, stretching tall with the delicate, carved columns of the archways, seemed even higher when compared with the two people passing through. The elder of the pair, a short female with fiery orange hair and a beautifully patterned skirt, strode impatiently across the tiles, seemingly uninterested in the very small boy who was attempting to keep up with her long strides. His messy black hair hung around his shoulders and he carried a blue and green striped blanket that dragged on the floor as he hurried along.
The child with the ball crouched in the shadow of a tall statue, just inside the intersecting pathways. Silently, he watched as the little boy stepped on the edge of his blanket, pulling it from his hands. He walked a few steps before realizing what happened, and then quickly hustled back to retrieve it. Reaching for the blanket, he overbalanced and fell hard, sprawled across the patterned slate.
Stunned, the dark-haired child shook his head and rubbed at a skinned knee as the watcher rushed from his hiding place. Carefully, he helped the boy to his feet, the huge gray eyes meeting cerulean for a long moment.
“Get over here!” The annoyed voice reverberated down the western hall from the direction the lady had gone. “Stop wasting time!”
Holding his blanket close, the small child scurried through the corridor, head hung low and shoulders slumped. He quickly disappeared from sight, and with a sharp jerk, the Vision broke up.
Colors and shapes melted like overheated crayons and with a second jolt, the Vision reformed, a beautifully manicured, sunlit garden spread all around. The brown-haired child with the ball had aged to the awkwardness of mid-adolescence. He sat on a low, brick wall, a leather-bound book spread across his knees, its gilded edges glinting in the sun. Three adults also sat in the garden, teacups and game pieces scattered across the glass top of a small table. The pieces lay still, however, as the attention of everyone gathered was focused on the two people standing before a row of lilac bushes.
The woman with the fiery hair from the corridor intersection faced the others, eyes ringed with fatigue and a scowl drawing the lines in her face tight. At her side, much taller and ganglier than before, was the gray-eyed boy, older now, his shoulders slumped, hands stuffed deep in the pockets of a blue over-tunic. His gaze was locked on the flagstone path.
“We’ve tried everything you’ve suggested,” the woman addressed the adults, a combination of frustration and exhaustion creeping into her words. “We even went so far as to place someone in his room at night in an attempt to keep him from harming himself or destroying the tower. Two nights ago he attacked Charick from within the nightmare’s grasp, and broke both his legs.” Feeling the eyes of all those within the garden upon her, she continued, growing more aggressive and accusatory by the minute. “He fights with the other children, takes off alone if no one watches him, avoids his chores, and slacks off on his lessons.” Her green eyes were hard and she pointed angrily at her charge as she concluded. “He’s spiraling out of control and nothing we do seems to be having any effect!”
The woman seated in the middle of the table took a sip from her cup before replying, her long, white hair shining in the sun. “First, it is unfortunate that Charick was injured, and I wish for you to convey to him my hopes for a swift recovery.” She carefully replaced the delicate china on the patterned saucer. “Second, all the unfavorable actions you have described are typical for any child, Rossihaiya.”
The redhead frowned, hands fisted in the voluminous skirt. “Please, we can’t take any more at the Lakes, and feel it’s beyond our abilities to help him,” Rossihaiya implored. “In all honesty, he’d have to come here eventually. His last psionic testing confirmed that he’s a Jumper.”
The white-haired woman nodded thoughtfully and turned to the boy. “Do you have any opinion on leaving the Lakes?”
Shuffling his feet a bit, the dark-haired kid continued to stare at the ground. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Than it shall be so.” The woman gestured and a nearby attendant hurried over. “Please show our new arrival to the children’s quarters.”
Rossihaiya bowed to the adults, relieved and smiling. “Thank you. We’ll send his things in a few days.” Turning, she hastily disappeared down the garden path without a word to her former charge.
Excited, the child with the book turned toward the adults, stopping short at the scowl on the face of the woman with the rose-colored hair. Her sea green eyes were dark as she watched the boy from the Lakes walk away.
Twisting, the Vision shifted again, transitioning from the garden to a much more open space, tall trees blanketing half the field in shadow. Young children and adolescents played together in games of tag, hide and seek, and kickball, laughter and excited shouts ringing through the summer air.
The brown-haired boy leaned against a row of trees as his team lined up to kick, his eyes across the field on the solitary kid reading in a patch of sun that cut through the overhead branches. Concern shone in the blue depths as he studied the other boy, and after a minute, he hailed one of his teammates.
Smiling as the blonde approached, he gestured toward the lone youth. “You’re from the Lakes, right?” The kickball player nodded. “Why doesn’t anyone ever play with him?”
The boy glanced to the trees and frowned. “He’s dangerous, that’s why. He keeps everyone up with his screaming nightmares and sometimes he hurts people while he’s sleeping. One of the elders had both his legs broken! He’s also mean, and he’ll fight you if you look at him wrong. The adults told us to stay away from him, but we already knew.”
“So, no one goes near him?”
Shrugging, the blonde turned to get back in line. “Pretty much.” His eyes darted across the field one last time. “Besides, what does it matter if we don’t play with him? He doesn’t seem to care.”
Settling back against the tree once again, the boy waved off his turn to kick, blue eyes trained on the new kid.
Cracks riddled the field scene, blurring out the children and trees, and the Vision became fuzzy. Darkness momentarily inked out all surroundings, gradually lightening to reveal a large room full of bunk beds. Tall windows leaked moonlight throughout the chamber, gilding the contents in silver. Hoarse, terrified, screaming rose from the far corner of the room where a bunk was pushed against the wall, slightly apart from the others. The sound cut through the air, and the other occupants simply pulled pillows over their heads and grumbled.
The chestnut-haired boy sat up on his bed, eyes sliding from the beds of his friends to the main door. It remained closed, however, no adults coming to the aid of the frightened kid in the corner. For three nights in a row the newcomer from the Lakes had been ignored as the nightmares tortured him endlessly.
Pushing the blankets aside, he jumped from the top bunk, landing lightly, and crossed the room. The others called out to him, curious as to what was going on, but he continued toward the far corner without giving a reply.
Twisted in the sheets, hands clawing at the mattress, and tears streaked over his face, the boy writhed in the grip of the dream. Sweat dampened his raven-dark locks, and his face was flushed as though he had a fever. A ragged, bloody cut on his forearm stained his shirt, but he seemed not to notice as the screaming reached a new level.
“Hey.” Touching the boy’s shoulder yielded no results, so he sat on the bed and leaned close. “You’ve got to wake up.”
Burning, golden eyes opened at the sound of his voice, and a crimson-laced hand clasped his wrist. “Please,” he rasped, throat raw and straining. “I…don’t…evil…”
Fresh tears trickled down his face, and the older boy gently pulled the drained kid into his lap, rocking him gently. “It’s all right, you’re safe now,” he whispered, holding tightly to the crying and shuddering youth.
“I won’t leave you alone, I promise.”
The Vision broke in a disorienting haze, spider web fractures shooting through the old memories. Aki was suddenly aware of arms wrapped around his back, comforting warmth, and soft skin against his cheek. A pleasant mix of shampoo and fabric softener hit his nose, fresh and clean, as a bell chimed and with a lurch, the subway car rolled forward, the movement gradually smoothing into a gentle sway.
He stood quietly as the car reached the station and commuters pushed aboard, the familiar body wrapped around his, gently squeezing, protected from the press of people and shudder of the train as it moved forward. This was a rare moment, to be held so carefully by another, and Aki relished it. Such a simple act that meant so much, but it was difficult for the one who held him, a gesture that was unaccustomed and exposing. The next station approached and as the passengers shifted restlessly, Aki tilted his head, soft, dark hair ghosting over his face and whispered, “How long?”
Sashi remained still. “Ten minutes or so. People were staring, so I told them you were sick and we were going to the doctor.”
“Should I cough, then?” He joked, chuckling against the heated skin of his partner’s throat.
The door opened and the stampede began, morning rush hour conducted with little more than an “excuse me” or “sit here” audible over the click of high heels and the rustle of an unfolding newspaper. The bells sounded and the subway surged into the dark tunnel.
Released from Sashi’s hold, Aki slid into an open seat between a lady that smelled like too many cats and a plastic section divider. Reaching up, he grasped the end of the green-striped scarf that encircled the tall, gray-eyed boy’s neck and tugged him down into the narrow space. Overbalanced and caught by an unexpected jerk from the subway, his partner pitched forward in a tangle of arms and legs. Sashi ended up sitting half in his lap, cheeks stained a faint scarlet as the other commuters watched, but Aki just laughed as the train sped above the city streets and the car was filled with sunlight.
“Was it the same as usual?”
Aki shook his head. “No, the Vision showed me the first time we met as little kids, and then when you came from the Lakes and we were older.”
“What’s the point of that?”
Brushing unruly chestnut bangs from his face, blue eyes met gray, and for an instant he saw the small child Sashi had been, the deep loneliness reflected in the stormy pools. The Visions never gave an indication as to why he saw certain past or future events, sometimes a reminder, sometimes a warning, and on occasion, the inescapable truth.
Aki shrugged. “Sometimes, what I see is just a recollection of the past, either as a simple memory or a warning of some sort.” He smiled at the dark-haired boy. “When I relive the important, happy memories, though, those are the best times.”
Thread Nine:
Midmorning sunlight shone through the windows of WCU’s student union, forming bright rectangular patches on the beige tiled floor. Classes had just been released, and the building was flooded with students eating, talking, and passing through on the way to other appointments. On the first floor, two TVs broadcast the national news, while on the third, music blared from a table set up by the university’s radio station.
Squinting against the light, Aki yawned as he twisted around the crowds. Ahead of him, Sashi made his way through a knot of students, effortlessly moving between the other students and down the hallway.
It had been another long night. Even after Sashi had drifted off, Aki remained awake, lying on the shaggy carpet of his partner’s room. It wasn’t uncommon for the nightmares to come twice in one night.
“Hey, Aki!” A voice from across the student union cut through his thoughts. Sitting at a booth in the food court was Kimi. Her long, green hair was loose and hanging down over a wheat-colored turtleneck sweater. Reisu sat across from her, eyes riveted to a Gameboy Advance. Despite the warmth streaming in from the skylights, she wore a long black wool coat and orange scarf.
Aki caught up to Sashi and tapped his partner on the shoulder. Pointing in the direction of the girls, he ignored the scowl that immediately darkened the caramel-skinned features.
/Is this a good idea? /
Aki nodded. /They’re nice, and besides, it’s not like we’re going to outright tell them who we are. /
/Whatever. /
/I’m just asking for you to be civil, all right? A lot of people out there are worth getting to know, and besides, how many people do we meet who are reincarnated? / Aki lectured, stepping around a large, decorative planter. Given his childhood, people skills had never been Sashi’s strong point.
Reaching the table where Kimi and Reisu sat, Aki dropped his bag and sat on Kimi’s left. Sashi leaned against the side of the booth, his attention directed to the nearest television.
“So what’s going on?” He asked Kimi. “Do you have classes today?”
The green-haired girl sighed, pushing her leftover fries through a puddle of ketchup. “Yeah, I’ve actually got to head for my Modern Middle East class now. Wouldn’t want to miss a moment of endless insurgencies and the rapid succession of assassinations, now would I?” She reached across the table and waved her hand over the Gameboy screen. “And Reisu will be late for Micro Chem if she doesn’t shut that thing off and get moving.”
“Hey!” Reisu protested, jerking away as her fingers continued to fly over the controls.
Aki laughed. “Then we won’t keep you. Sashi and I were heading for the library. Your buildings are on our way, so why don’t we walk you there?”
/Why don’t you ask them out for ice cream next, Aki? / Sashi asked, eyes still on the CNN feed. /You’re so nice it’s almost painful. /
/Well, you’ll just have to suffer. I promise your teeth won’t rot in the process. / Sliding out of the booth, he shouldered the heavy backpack and smiled at Reisu. “Ready?”
Grinning, she shut off the game and dropped it into a side pocket of the bag. Walking next to Aki, they left Sashi and Kimi trailing behind. Heading down a side corridor, Aki and Reisu threaded their way through the narrow, congested space. Twisting around a tall student carrying several two-by-fours, Aki bumped into Reisu, laughing as she playfully pushed back. Even as they joked, Aki heard a sharp intake of breath and a grunt of pain from behind.
Turning, he saw the guy with the two-by-fours apologizing to Sashi. His partner pressed one hand against the wound on his arm, under which a spreading crimson stain darkened the wool jacket. Aki waved the other guy away even as Kimi, frowning in concern, leaned in for a better look. Closely inspecting the injury, her brown eyes suddenly widened and she looked up at Sashi. The dark-haired boy smiled coldly and nodded.
“Oh my God,” she gasped, backing away. “Oh my God!”
Ignoring the other students in the hall, she spun around and pointed at one of the walled-off study lounges. “Get. In. There,” she growled. “Now.”
“What’s wrong?” Reisu asked, following directions despite the confusion.
Still standing in the stream of passing students, Aki looked at his partner. What was going on?
/She knows who we are, / Sashi sent. /It happened when she got close to my arm. Déjà vu, I guess. /
/So much for anonymity, then. Messenger will just love this. / He sighed, glancing toward the study lounge. /What do you want to tell them? /
Sashi shrugged. /Whatever you decide is best. You can do it since they seem to like you better. /
“And whose fault is that?” Aki asked aloud as he crossed the hallway. Their cover was blown, now all he could do to salvage things was decide just how much Kimi and Reisu needed to know.
Two couches, a coffee table, and three easy chairs filled the small space, which was lined with windows on one side and bulletin boards on the other. Discarding the bag and sitting on the nearest couch, he took a moment to study the girls. Reisu was sitting on a small side table anxiously watching Kimi, who paced the tiny space between the door and the room’s window. The shorter girl was infuriated, anger clearly written across her face. Sashi settled into one of the armchairs in the corner.
“Why am I the only one who doesn’t seem to know what’s going on?” Reisu asked as Sashi eased out of the wool jacket.
“These two are the same two guys who we fought last night at the park!” Kimi exploded, pointing wildly in their general directions.
“What?” The green eyes were wide with disbelief. “Are you sure?”
Kimi whirled around and glared at Aki. “Explain. Now. Or we fight right here and to hell with who sees us!”
Aki laughed, partly because of the expression on Reisu’s face and partly because of Kimi’s dramatic threats. “Do you truly think you’re the only ones who have ever discovered who we are?” He looked at each girl for a long moment, forcing her to meet his gaze. Kimi still looked angry, but had stopped pacing. Her friend’s jaw was clenched, eyes set with surprising determination.
“Do you really want to know?” For a moment he almost ruined the tense, mysterious air that suddenly cloaked the lounge by smiling. It felt like one of those supernatural television dramas that Americans were addicted to, and he was the character about to reveal the top-secret alien conspiracy. Sadly, they were about to be vastly disappointed.
“Tell us now, or we’ll bring this place down,” Reisu promised.
“Oh calm down,” Sashi muttered, easing out of the bloodstained jacket. “It would be such a shame if you gave yourselves an aneurysm.”
Stretching his back and shoulders, Aki propped his feet on the coffee table and leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. “All right,” he said, slowly shifting his gaze from one girl to the next. “When I told you—Reisu—that Sashi and I had recently come from London, I was telling the truth.” Reisu nodded. “We’ve been in England for the past several years, except we haven’t only been attending school. Sashi and I have been fighting against any dark magic that arises in Europe. As you know, Kribensis was resurrected in Germany, so we were immediately aware of his presence. Once we were able, we followed him to West Central.” Finished, he slumped against the couch, arms folded over his chest.
/Not bad, / Sashi commented, his attention focused on rewrapping the gauze around his upper arm. /Not even a full out lie. /
/No, for spur of the moment, it’s not horrible. /
“You’re leaving out a few things,” Kimi complained.
“Such as?”
“Like where you got your weapons from, for one,” Reisu spoke up. “They seem a bit…familiar.”
“Or how you and Sashi met,” Kimi added, sliding into the chair beside her friend.
Aki frowned. He’d hoped they wouldn’t be so nosy. The less they knew, the better it would be for everyone. “Do you want our whole life story in three seconds?” He hoped the annoyance he suddenly felt was evident in the tone of his voice. Messenger had specifically warned them against this very thing, and the enigmatic Bright loved to hand out lectures every time she saw them. “Fine, we received our weapons from the same place that you did—“
“You mean the winged people?” Reisu interrupted. “The Selestiels?”
Aki shot her a withering glare, noticing that Sashi did the same from his place across the room. How much did these two already know? Did they remember anything or just that they’d once defeated Kribensis? Messenger made it seem like they already understood what had happened at Aureus Eyrie a thousand years ago.
“Yes, the Selestarri,” he replied. “Or more specifically, the Bright Selestarri.”
“They helped us in the past,” Kimi said. “But who are they really?”
Aki took a deep breath before continuing. He had definitely not counted on handing out this kind of information. “The Selestarri are the appointed guardians of Earth. Their duty is to watch over the land and all of its inhabitants, including humankind. They are gifted with many magical powers and their skill with weapons is exceptional. Once they come into existence, they live for about three human generations. The Bright Selestarri are sworn to care for the Earth, nurturing and protecting all its species.” Aki paused to glance at Sashi, but the raven-haired boy was staring out the window, distractedly rubbing at his injured arm. “But not all the Selestarri work towards the good of the Earth. There is a faction of the Selestarri called the Dark, and they seek the destruction of all humans.”
“What I don’t understand,” Kimi said, absently twirling long green strands around her fingers. “Is if the Bright Selestarri are so powerful, why did they bother sending us to defeat Kribensis? It sounds like they could have taken care of it themselves.”
“I don’t know,” Aki shrugged. “They have their own reasons.”
The room stilled into silence as Kimi and Reisu digested the new information. He imagined that finding out about such a powerful people was somewhat disturbing for humans with no magical power of their own. Perhaps even more so to find out that half the race wanted to protect the Earth, and half wanted to destroy it. Many humans simply denied that any of it was true, others chalked the Selestarri, Bright or Dark, up as the angels and demons portrayed in their religious beliefs.
“You still didn’t tell us how you and Sashi met,” Kimi pressed, breaking the quiet.
Sashi’s attention was still beyond the windows, so Aki continued. “The Selestarri brought us together because of our natural powers.” That wasn’t a total lie. “My telekinetics and Sashi’s telepathy is an asset for what we do.” It was the simplest answer to something much more complicated, and it was easiest to just leave it like that.
“Telepathy?” Kimi asked, whirling around to face Sashi. “As in you listen to people’s thoughts? As in you heard MY thoughts!” Her voice raised several octaves.
Sashi leveled a cold, gray stare at the fuming college student. “You left them open.”
“Stay out of my mind!” She said hotly. “You have no right to know what I’m thinking!” Sashi’s stare was straight apathy, further irritating the girl.
“So, am I correct in assuming that you two are not going to stay away from Kribensis?” Aki asked, trying to divert Kimi’s attention.
“We owe him a very painful death.” Reisu said, voice frigid. “Even if it was a thousand years ago, he ruined our lives and killed our friends and loved ones. Now he’ll die for it.”
“So we’ve heard.” Identical, questioning looks came from both girls. “We’ve done our research on you,” he added. “I propose that we form a temporary alliance until Kribensis is defeated.”
“And if we say no?” Kimi asked.
Aki glanced at Sashi, meeting his partner’s gray eyes. “Then you’ll have to fight him as well as us.”
The best friends sat a moment, considering his words. Finally, first Kimi, then Reisu, nodded in agreement.
“Until we defeat Kribensis,” Kimi said. “You both agree?”
“Yes, we agree.” It wasn’t the original plan, but it would work.
Kimi looked at Sashi. Clearly he was not thrilled, but nodded anyway.
“Then it’s official,” Reisu announced, glancing at her watch. “Shit, Kimi, we’re late!” Grabbing their bags and coats, the girls sprinted from the study lounge and into the vacant hallway.
Aki closed his eyes and settled into the worn cushions of the couch. He was tired, and the thought of sitting in the library wasn’t too appealing at the moment. However, the idea of a nap was very enticing…
“I’m surprised you told them about the Selestarri.”
Through strands of chestnut he caught the younger boy’s gaze. “They already knew most of it.”
“Perhaps,” there was a rustling of cloth as Sashi stood and collected his things. “Just be careful, Aki. There are some secrets that shouldn’t be shared.” With barely a sound, Sashi left the room, drawing the door closed as he exited.
Aki sighed into the empty room. His partner was right. Some secrets could kill, and when the time came, only he and Sashi would be responsible for facing them.
Interlude Two:
Pale blue moonlight illuminated the spacious bedroom, creeping in through the large open windows. A slight breeze saturated with the scents of the city below and tinged with the chill of winter, seeped in through an open window. Studying the textured ceiling above, Kribensis inhaled the commingled smell of urban civilization and the twins’ expensive shampoo. Stoer and Lochs remained motionless in sleep, their heads resting on each of his shoulders.
He reached out and carefully ran his fingers over the white bandage on Stoer’s collarbone. The gauze masked the lacerated skin from the wound the model had taken during the battle. Most of the summoning ceremony was a blur, but he recalled Stoer’s attempts to hide the pain and the way his twin meticulously treated the injury once they’d returned to the penthouse.
Lochs moved in his sleep, long, blue hair sliding over his face. Pulled from his thoughts of Stoer by the sudden movement, Kribensis smoothed the strands back and gently kissed the older twin’s forehead. The man sighed contentedly and snuggled closer.
In all the years that he could remember, Kribensis had never found anyone who cared for him as Stoer and Lochs did. Sexual acts aside; the twins genuinely loved him, a confusing feeling that made him slightly uncomfortable. To be worshipped because you were the Emperor was one thing, to be loved was quite another. Had anyone ever loved him in his past? The shattered memories gave no indication one way or another.
But he had remembered the layout of the buildings in the foggy ruins. Without a doubt he knew that he had been there in the past, walked the streets before the buildings lay crumpled and weed choked. The shadowed figure was familiar as well, achingly familiar. It was something, but it wasn’t enough. If only he could remember—
Pain flared intense and bright along his spine and down to his palms. An agonizing wave of fire burned over his shoulders, splitting the skin and soaking the sheets with blood. Hissing sharply, he tried not to disturb the twins as the second wave of misery stuck. It blazed more strongly than the first and Kribensis broke, crying out as his body involuntarily arched off the wet linens.
Awoken by the movement beneath them, the models needed only one look before rushing to his aid. Speaking in rapid, half-sentences of their native German, Lochs sprinted toward the bathroom as Kribensis watched helplessly. Stoer, heedless of the crimson blood that stained his hands, hugged him close and whispered soothing words, but his eyes were filled with fear and concern. Carrying towels, bandages, and several small bottles, the older man returned, anxiety and worry etched across his handsome features. Head buried in Stoer’s shoulder, Kribensis choked back a cry as the blue-haired twin gingerly touched the skin of his back.
“Meister?”
Turning in the direction of Lochs’ voice, Kribensis only stared at the bloody handful of feathers. Bent and broken, the matted, pitch-black quills were longer and fuller than those that had previously appeared. What was happening to his body?
Like the breaking of an ice flow, a shrouded piece of his memory shifted and Kribensis gasped. Desperate to learn anything about the past, he frantically clawed through the veiled fog of his mind in pursuit. Then, as suddenly as the feeling appeared it was gone, leaving him confused and hallow once again. Kribensis screamed in frustration and pain as hellish agony wracked his body again, and the memory slid completely beyond recall…
Streaming light lit the fog in shades of red and orange, like a shroud of fire hugging the tumbled walls and clumps of rock. Stretched over the still pond, it truly looked as though the water were aflame. It was both beautiful and eerie, a cloudy inferno that had descended from the skies.
“This land was once called Cinis because of this natural phenomenon,” the voice of the hyena echoed through the ruins, and Kribensis turned to find her lounging on a high ledge of rock. “Long ago, the sun would burn away the fog in flashes of fire, leaving wisps like smoldering embers.”
The black and white wolf stepped around the wall nearest Kribensis, feet so silent that he’d never known the animal was there. “That was when the land was alive, now there is only this bloody veil, a ghostly memory of what was.”
“Why is this place so familiar to me?”
The wolf shook his head. “This is not the right time for you to know. We’ve only brought you here to escape the pain of the physical world.”
“When will be the right time, then? And what’s happening to my body?”
The hyena laughed. “So full of questions, aren’t we? Let’s just say your body is trying to restore the natural order within. If you’d stop fighting so hard, it wouldn’t hurt so much.”
Kribensis grit his teeth and glared at her. “Why won’t you just tell me?” This game was growing very old and his patience wearing thin.
“All must be revealed according to the prophecy. Events unfold at a pace known only to the flow of those words, and we will not interfere. A great destiny has marked you, but that does not preclude a struggle to the end result.” The wolf sat beside the pond, his tail dipping below the unmoving surface.
“You sound like the caracal,” Kribensis complained, and the hyena burst into laughter.
The wolf gazed at him with emotionless maroon eyes. “It’s time for you to return. The twins have treated your wounds.” He lifted a paw to point into the swirling fire-hued mists. “Show yourself out.”
Grumbling under his breath, Kribensis stalked into the thick fog. Another visit to this place, and still no answers. Moving deeper into the ruins, he could distantly hear the last snatch of the animals’ conversation.
“He was right, Kallixstus,” the hyena said, amusement plain in her voice. “You sounded just like Ikkairius. Is he rubbing off on you after all these years? Will you take up gardening and pass the time with a book and roaring fire?” More laughter rang through the moisture-laden air.
The wolf growled, low and threateningly. “Shut up, Ancelin…”
The mist pressed tight, and the world around Kribensis turned to black.
The night was late, a fireplace clock chiming midnight as Kribensis sat on the couch in the penthouse’s study. His back wrapped in heavy bandages, he tried to ignore the concerned looks the twins exchanged every five minutes. Picking through the carton of Chinese take-out, he listened half-heartedly as Stoer talked about their next modeling shoot.
Glancing down at a pile of discarded newspaper, Kribensis skimmed through the ads featuring specials for Valentine’s Day, which was one week away. The Germans had explained the concept behind the holiday, and he was surprised at the sentimentality humans harbored for one invented day. A thousand years ago, the human race was intent on only one thing: survival. The world was different now, very different.
“I know that Valentine’s Day is a widely celebrated event,” he said, breaking into the twins’ conversation. “And gifts are exchanged, but what traditional rituals are enacted?”
“If they celebrate at all, they usually go to dinner or some other romantic outing,” Lochs replied.
“Yeah, but this year Valentine’s Day is a Saturday, so a lot of people will be hitting the clubs,” Stoer added.
Kribensis stared thoughtfully at the newspaper. Clubs meant people, and usually it meant people who were open to suggestion due to raised levels of drugs or alcohol. “What’s the biggest club in this area?”
They each thought on it a moment. “Probably Thermo,” Lochs said, looking at his twin, who nodded in agreement. “It was an old warehouse and has several floors. I’d guess that a thousand people or so could easily fit inside.”
“Perfect,” Kribensis said, smiling as the plan formed. It wouldn’t be long now until he had his empire back…
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