Authors: Cara Lake
Retribution
The palace was in uproar. The news that Belial’s army was on
their doorstep with Belial’s men poised to attack had caused widespread panic
that Tani understood only too well. But for her it was a relief. There would be
no battle in the arena. Jaro was safe for now. He was alive and she could still
save him.
Ignoring the surrounding chaos, Tani’s gaze was drawn
inexorably to Jaro’s dark scowl. It was clear he thought she had betrayed him
but she had to try to break through his resistance to try to retie the tangled,
broken threads that still lay between them. Intensity and anger rolled off him,
so strong that the impulse to go to him and soothe his rage had her feet moving
in his direction. Then she stopped as she realized she couldn’t. Her priority
was Phenex and her best chance of success was to attack him now, while he was
under pressure. She was a warrior of the Eunomi and would vanquish him in a
fair fight but she knew Phenex was strong and likely to fight dirty. So the
chaotic circumstances would be to her advantage.
Tani made her way to Phenex’s side and waited while he
instructed his commanders to deploy his men as well as every able-bodied man,
woman and child in the city. Phenex would use all his slaves as cannon fodder,
even those untrained in fighting. Before she could decide how to go about
challenging Phenex, a loud roar thundered across the arena, earsplitting and
earthshattering, it was a sound Tani had heard before. In the center of the
arena a transformation was taking place. The suppression spells must have
lifted and Jaro was shifting! Her heart pounded as a fresh wave of panic surged
from those who had remained in the arena when they saw Jaro’s barghesti form
take shape. Seconds later and the shift was complete.
The arena seemed to shrink as Jaro, fully shifted into a
huge black barghesti, howled to the heavens, swirling silver eyes locking on to
his prey. He charged forward and all Tani could do was watch mesmerized by the
sheer power and fluid elegance of the beast Jaro had become. Beside her, Phenex
stood frozen, his expression one of extreme fear. It seemed Phenex was all
swagger and bluster. He hadn’t expected to be at a disadvantage before Jaro and
his true colors were now on display. And it appeared they were bright yellow.
The barghesti that was bearing down on him suddenly reared
back, roaring in pain, tugging at his back leg, halted in his tracks by the
restriction of the ankle chain. His bark of anger thundered around the now
nearly empty space, his jaws snapping in frustration. He lunged forward again,
pulling at his bonds. Standing next to Tani, Phenex breathed an audible sigh of
relief and was just about to make good his escape when the grating sound of
metal against metal caused them both to turn back. The metal stake holding Jaro
back was bending as the chain rubbed against its length. A loud snapping sound
and it was broken, the strength of Jaro’s barghesti form too much for a spike
of rusty metal. He lunged forward again with a howl of triumph.
Tani could only do what instinct dictated. She knew that if
Jaro killed Phenex the slavery oath he had sworn would mean his death two
minutes later. She had to stop him. Every cell in her body attuned to ensuring
Jaro’s survival, she put herself in between the barghesti and Phenex, closed
her eyes and braced for impact.
Heat warmed her face and she breathed in his scent. Tani’s
lids fluttered open, her heart beating so hard she thought it might explode.
She was confronted by two mercury pools of silver flaring in anger and
slavering jaws that snarled at her in fury. She had stopped him in his tracks,
keeping Phenex alive, but in making that choice she had stirred Jaro’s rage.
Hate crashed through her, biting chunks of her flesh and shredding her soul to
pieces. She had never seen Jaro so enraged, so full of hatred. All his emotions
were poised on the sharp point of a spear and it was aimed straight at her
heart.
Jaro couldn’t believe it. Phenex had been in his sights, he
was all set to grind the bastard into dust and then Red barged in front him.
She had protected Phenex from justice and thwarted his chance for retribution.
Chaos damn her to the abyss! He growled at her, baring his teeth, enraged by
yet another betrayal. Did she not understand that he was trying to save her?
His jaws snapped and she flinched but she didn’t move aside, only her hand rose
as if to touch the dark shaggy hair of his snout and even angry as he was, it
was all he could do not to nuzzle into the warmth of her palm and lick the
sweet salt of her skin.
“Don’t,” she whispered. “I’ve got this.” Before he knew it,
she turned and ran to his master who was calling for her to follow and they
both disappeared up the spiral staircase that he knew exited into the sprawling
alleyways of the ghetto. Phenex’s escape route was too tight a fit for a
barghesti Jaro’s size. He howled with disgust, realizing he could follow only
if he shifted. That was fine. He would rather fight Phenex face-to-face,
man-to-man than fight as a dog.
It took Jaro a few moments to shift back and when he’d done
so, he cursed, realizing his nakedness. He needed clothes and he needed
weapons. The arena was all but deserted, the few stragglers cowering in the
shadows mainly female slaves and old men. He could feel their fear. Belial the
Bloody was known to be ruthless to those he conquered. If he managed to take
Serpens, it would be a massacre. Jaro’s gut clenched as he thought of Sami,
Liana and his other friends in the ghetto. Alone and defenseless, they would be
sitting ducks, wide open to rape and pillage. He cursed and headed for the
weapons room that served the gladiators of the arena.
Kitted out in black combat pants and leather breastplate,
knives sheathed and sword in hand, Jaro took the staircase up to ground level.
The street was empty but sounds of battle assaulted his ears. Belial was laying
siege to the city. Jaro turned toward the main gate, assuming Phenex had gone
that way when his sensitive nose caught his master’s scent. Surprised, he
realized Phenex had gone toward the palace, away from the arena, the gate and
the siege. What game was he playing? It looked as though Phenex sought to oversee
the battle from the relative safety of a more fortified structure. The coward!
Jaro was torn. He sniffed again, his barghesti senses
catching the redhead’s succulent scent. Tani had also followed Phenex and that
was all he needed to know. Why had she gone with him? The urge to kill Phenex
was too great to ignore. Jaro was all set to stride in the direction they had
gone when a loud voice shouting his name stopped him in his tracks.
“Rodach, you bastard! Get back here!”
Jaro turned slowly, ready to give Tyr Bellor hell.
Unfortunately the warrior was not alone. He had a squadron of at least fifty
Eunomi at his back and a determined expression on his face. “Where are you
going, Rodach?” Bellor drew close until they were practically nose to nose.
“What’s it to you, Bellor? I’m not one of your men.” He
turned to walk away.
Tyr Bellor circled around, blocking his path. “You’re going
the wrong way. The fight is in the other direction.”
“I need to find Phenex.” Jaro growled at the warrior and
tried to push past him. Bellor was a rock and wouldn’t back down. He shoved him
back. “You need to help us protect the city.” Jaro ground his teeth in
frustration. “Why? Why in Chaos would I willingly help you, Phenex or this
city?”
“Because if what I know about you is true—you care—and
because you know it’s the right thing to do.” Bellor’s black eyes challenged
him to deny it. Jaro clenched his sword and drew in a deep frustrated breath.
* * * * *
Worried faces stared long and hard into the eyes of the
warrior who stood before the Concordia, the council who oversaw Eunomi affairs.
Here on Auriga, they had been shielded for many years from the chaos that
eternally consumed other planets and when news of conflict arrived, as it often
did, the council always appeared shocked. This time it was no different and the
Concordia members fixated on the messenger as if by that action they could
change the news he had given. Cygnus, the Concordia leader, coughed, releasing
them from the inertia that had settled over their heads as they absorbed the
implications of the current events unfolding on a not so distant planet. He
shuffled the papers he held in his hands.
“These reports.” He frowned at the warrior. “Are they true?”
“Yes sir. It’s confirmed by the Eunomi commander
spearheading that mission. Serpens is under siege. Belial has a force of five
thousand outside the city gates and more on the way. The overlord Phenex is
distracted and from what Borealis has reported the local population is ripe for
rebellion.”
“So it’s good news then?” interjected the dark-haired man to
Cygnus’s right. Cygnus touched his shoulder in reassurance. “Yes. It’s good
news. Better than the news from Earth. Merak Espenson has reported that Lucius
Whitaker, recently identified as Esseni of Light, is involved in a complicated
situation.” Muttered curses swept around the table as Etanin held up his hand
for quiet. “I have an update on that,” he said. “He’s on the planet Eridanus
and we have protectors in place who are monitoring the developments.”
Cygnus looked grave. “The situation is in flux. The Balance
must be maintained. The Eunomi can do most good on Ophiuchus so we should
target our resources there for now.”
“It could be the chance we’ve been waiting for,” said
another, “a chance to claw back some territory in a Discordant stronghold.”
“What news of the Esseni pairing on that planet?” asked the
blonde woman to Cygnus’s left. As usual leave it to Terra to cut to the chase.
She had been Esseni of Earth for over three thousand years and her focus was
always on ensuring new Esseni pairings were able to bond. The messenger seemed
unsure. “Last reports are confusing. Cassiopeia confirmed contact has been made
but spoke of two potentials for Hate. Twin brothers. There is no news yet as to
which one has manifested.”
“Well, that’s a complication we haven’t encountered for a
long while,” said Terra with a wry smile. “Usually it’s hard enough to find one
Esseni and now my daughter has uncovered two.”
“Leave it to Cassi to be different!” laughed the smiling man
next to her. Terra returned his smile because he was Esseni of Sky, her Esseni
partner and Cassiopeia’s father. “She takes after you, my love, so I am sure
she will solve the puzzle.”
Cygnus spoke then, making a decision of which they all
approved. “We will send in reinforcements and shore up the rebellion in
Serpens. Those who wish to fight for the Eunomi on Ophiuchus will have our
protection against both Belial and Phenex.” The Concordia ended the session
with hope in their hearts, the promise of change on Ophiuchus the most
encouraging news they had received in a long time.
Justice
Tani was shaking as she ran, following Phenex through the
city alleyways. The confrontation with Jaro had left her drained but
determined. She knew he was angry that she had thwarted his attempt to kill
Phenex. His fury still clawed at her chest, slicing her to the bone. He
couldn’t be allowed to sacrifice himself. Phenex had to die and she would be
the one to do it. She needed Jaro to live.
What she couldn’t understand was why Phenex was heading for
the palace. He was overlord of this city. Shouldn’t he be directing the city’s
defense from the frontline? As he ran, Phenex shoved whoever he came across out
of his way. Not that the frightened citizens needed much encouragement to leave
his path open when confronted by their massive brute of an overlord bearing
down on them at high speed.
It wasn’t until he was forced to come to a standstill by a
group of five shedu warriors hurrying in the other direction, toward the gates,
that Tani caught up with him. When she drew near, it was clear to her that the
shedu were looking confused with regard to Phenex’s actions. In fact the leader
of the group appeared to be questioning his direction. Shedu saevici were
mercenary by nature and had little true respect for those who commanded them,
obeying orders purely for coin. They had sworn no bloodoath to Phenex and
therefore were free to change allegiance if they lost respect for the one they
served. This group of shedu was staring at Phenex with expressions that ranged
from disgust to loathing. They didn’t like him and it seemed to Tani that their
allegiance was wavering.
“We need you at the gate, my lord.” The leader was saying.
“Belial’s men know of your reputation. They will be in fear of us more readily
if you are seen at the forefront of battle.”
“I pay you to serve me,” said Phenex, gripping Tani by the
arm and pulling her close to his side. “Not to tell me what to do.”
“But my lord, how will it appear—”
Phenex grabbed the warrior’s throat with his free hand and
stared down at him angrily. “I don’t care how it appears. I am taking this
female to Choronzon. I am paying you to defend my city.” His grip on Tani’s arm
tightened as she struggled to break free on hearing his words. So that was his
game. Escape to Chthonia with her and leave his people to suffer! The shedu he
held by the throat was obviously unimpressed with this response and went to
unsheathe his sword but Phenex was too quick. Letting go of Tani, he shoved her
aside and went in for the kill, disarming and then slashing the warrior across
the chest. He fell to the ground and chaos ensued. The remaining shedu, enraged
by the death of their comrade, drew their swords quickly, surrounding Phenex,
their intentions clear.
Tani was surprised to see that Phenex did not seem fazed by
the situation. She thought his current action—leaving the city to fend for
itself—was cowardly, but she knew Phenex had a reputation as a fearsome warlord
and that there must be some reason this was so. She soon found out. The four
shedu suddenly flew backward as if lifted by a sudden gust of wind, each one
flying a different direction until their bodies crashed against the side of the
buildings on either side of the alley. It seemed Phenex had warloki powers.
This power, the power of displacement, was always a difficult one to counter
because opponents would constantly find themselves being thrown around, never
able to get close enough to attack. Dazed and confused, the shedu stumbled to
their feet while Phenex roared at them.
“Get out of my way, scum! I am overlord here and you will
obey me!”
The stunned warriors were not cowed and Tani could only
applaud them for their bravery. They began to shift into their beast form—huge gray, scaly beasts with leathery wings and bull-shaped horns.
Within seconds their eyes were completely yellow with no
pupils, and lethal razor-sharp fangs had erupted from their mouths. Tani
took a step backward, joining the anxious onlookers who had been forced to stop
their search for a safe haven because of the confrontation. Most of them were
heading for the palace in the hope of finding shelter within its fortified
gates. They were already panicked by Belial’s attack, and this standoff between
their overlord and his guards was a fresh assault on their nerves and for many
was the last straw. Shedu saevici in their beast form were truly terrifying and
Tani could sense the crowd’s spiraling fear.
She was surprised when, even though outnumbered, Phenex
stood his ground and laughed. The four shedu were poised for attack, their
wings flexed and claws out, but Tani knew that any warloki powers Phenex
possessed would probably still give him the advantage. The shedu charged. Women
wailed and pulled their young closer. Among them, on the edge of the group,
Tani noticed a frightened Liana hugging Sami tightly to her chest.
Suddenly the crowd surged forward, knocked off their feet by
the force of Phenex’s displacement power. Seconds later they were forming a
floating barrier of bodies between Phenex and the shedu who were bearing down
on him.
Tani and the few remaining onlookers who hadn’t been
displaced could only watch in horror as the shedu slid to a halt, narrowly
missing a collision with the cloud of helpless people. It seemed that even
so-called storm demons had some compassion. Phenex, however, did not. The
moment he saw the shedu stop, he whipped his displacement power through the
air, sending the dangling figures toward the beasts. Bodies crashed into them
and fell at their feet. Those who could scrambled out of the way, and Phenex
went in for the kill, taking advantage of the confusion his play had caused,
drawing his sword and charging at the shedu. He hacked off two heads before
they had realized what was happening. The two left standing howled in
disbelief, their furious cries spluttering to a halt as Phenex used another
power that held them frozen in place. The power of force. She now understood
why Phenex had successfully ruled Serpens for so long. Too long, she decided.
It was time.
Tani made a dash toward one of the decapitated corpses. She
tugged at his clawed hand and prized the sword from his grasp. Phenex was still
holding the remaining shedu at bay. Injured citizens were crawling around in
the dirt screaming for help, while those who hadn’t fled were dragging them to
relative safety. Realizing her flowing dress was going to be a hindrance, Tani
quickly ripped the thin fabric at the hem, giving her legs the freedom of
movement they needed in a fight.
Standing behind Phenex, sword in hand, she called for his
attention. “Phenex! Turn and face me!” she cried, heart beating wildly. She had
fought many battles but none as important as this one.
Phenex must have realized who it was that challenged him and
merely gazed over his shoulder in contempt, still holding the shedu immobile.
“Cease your shrieking, female, and put down that sword. I know that you are
Esseni. It is a pity but I will have to forgo the pleasure of enjoying your
delicious body and take you to Choronzon sooner than I wished. You will come
with me and will obey my commands.” He turned back to the shedu and flung the
displacement at them again, sending the two beasts crashing into each other.
They lay in a heap on the ground, unmoving. Phenex slowly turned to face Tani,
his expression of mirth clearly indicating what he thought of her aggressive
stance. “What do we have here? A little girl who thinks to best me, the slayer
of Serpens, Phenex the invincible! Stand down, woman, and do us all a favor.
Choronzon would prefer you in one piece no doubt but if you persist with this
action he will receive you with a few limbs missing.” He was laughing at her,
his arrogance knowing no bounds.
Tanith glowered at the bastard in front of her and fought to
tamp down her anger at his taunts. She knew the worst thing she could do was
lose her temper. A wave of emotion from the crowd washed over her. Love.
Respect. Admiration. It gave her the strength to stand tall. She swirled the
sword in the air to let Phenex know she wasn’t playing a game and that she was
deadly serious. He drew back a little, startled by her obvious skill with the
blade. “I am Tanith Laska!” she cried, “warrior of the Eunomi and I am here to
see justice done. Phenex, so-called slayer of Serpens, you shall pay for your
crimes.”
Tani charged at Phenex. So shocked was he at her attack, he
was almost too late with his own sword to block the slash of her blade, which
managed to rip a small tear in the fabric across his chest. He appeared stunned
for a second as Tani continued her assault and kept him on the defensive, too
busy parrying her thrusts to use his powers, which needed his full
concentration.
As she pressed forward, in her peripheral vision Tani caught
sight of Liana dousing the comatose shedu with water. They shook off the cold
liquid, regaining consciousness and shifted to their feet, ready to help Tani
in her struggle. It appeared that Phenex was aware of them too. He gave a
sudden roar, using his own sword to block Tani’s arcing swing and, engaging the
full weight of his body, he shoved her forcefully backward. Tani lost her
balance momentarily and stumbled into the wall, grazing her sword arm against
the rough stone.
Phenex took the opportunity to use his powers again. The two
shedu once again flew through the air, crashing into bystanders while Tani
remained pinned immobile against the wall. Phenex roared with laughter. “I am
Phenex the Slayer!” he thundered, puffing out his chest. “How dare you defy
me?” So busy was he, puffing and preening, that he failed to see a small boy
run toward him, dagger in hand. Tani heard Liana’s panicked shout and watched
helpless, her heart leaping into her mouth as Sami plunged the dagger into
Phenex’s side. The warlord howled, staggering slightly, wide eyed with surprise
at the sight of the small blade stuck fast in his flesh. He slashed at Sami
with his sword. Sami was too quick and Phenex was too off balance to make it
count.
So enraged was he that he had missed the small boy who dared
to oppose him, Phenex turned his powers full force on Sami, unwittingly
releasing both Tani and the shedu from his hold. Sami’s small body flew up into
the air where Phenex continued to torment him by keeping him suspended and
twirling him around in all directions. His small body was a limp ragdoll that
Phenex toyed with relentlessly, twisting and spinning him in the air. Liana was
screaming for Phenex to stop, the crowd hurling abuse and Tani, now free from
the force, did what she was trained to do. Sword in hand, she charged forward,
slicing her blade across Phenex’s chest, enlarging the small tear in the fabric
and cutting through flesh and bone.
Phenex’s roar this time was one of pain and utter shock.
Blood poured from the open wound as he stood staring down at it, momentarily
held immobile as confused emotions flitted across his brow. But he was still
standing. Then he moved again, reaching for his sword, his expression morphing
from shock to dark anger. In the seconds it took for Phenex to divert his
attention from Sami toward her and raise his own blade, Tani had twisted to a
better position. Her decision made, she took a deep breath and plunged her
sword into his chest, straight through his blackened heart. Phenex’s eyes
flared wide as he fell to his knees. Tani lifted her foot to his chest to gain
purchase as she withdrew the blade slowly, her eyes never leaving his. Taking
the sword in both hands she spoke in a whisper that only he could hear.
“Justice is served,” she said and swung again, slicing his head from his neck.
Tani stood still, chest heaving wildly, her mind blank as
she stared at the limp corpse at her feet. Then it hit her. She had killed a
man. It was not the first time she had killed an enemy and was not something
she enjoyed. But this victory meant so much more. It meant that Jaro was free.
A sudden barrage of noise assaulted her ears and she blinked to awareness. The
crowd was cheering enthusiastically and the two shedu warriors, one carrying a
small boy in his arms, were bowing to her on bended knees.