into the old man’s, causing the boy to convulse as if he were having a seizure. Reyche gasped in horror at what she was witnessing. She jumped between the two, breaking the chain of energy. Now the energy circled her and Vortai screamed and the boy went limp, eyes shut.
The light died down, the room returning to normal. Vortai lay huddled on the ground and Reyche focused on the boy. She gripped a leather belt restraining his wrist and tugged, tearing it from the gurney. Quickly, she did the same to the belt on his other wrist and around his ankles. Laying her hand against the boy’s cheek, she rubbed it carefully. She could hear the blood pumping through his body and the faint heartbeat gave her hope that he yet lived. The boy’s head stirred and his eyelids slowly opened. Once he caught sight of Reyche, he gasped.
Reyche turned away. She had forgotten about her eyes and fangs, and how the sight of them sometimes affected people. The boy scrambled off the gurney, backing up against the wall. He was terrified of her, and she couldn’t find cause to blame him. Rather, she decided to use it to her advantage. She bared her fangs and hissed. “ Go! Get out of here!”
The boy didn’t waste another second, running out the door and up the steps. Reyche was about to follow hard on his heels, but when she glanced back she saw that Vortai was gone, no longer lying upon the floor. She sniffed the air, but she couldn’t sense him at all.
Before she could do anything else, an invisible force slammed her against the gurney, pinning her to it. Vortai emerged from the shadows, his hand outstretched and his fingers tensed. His eyes were glowing bright red.
“You made a grave mistake, little vampire,” he hissed. “A monster such as you has no business on this hallowed ground.”
“What are you? What were you doing to that child?”
“Silence.” Vortai closed his fist and Reyche’s mouth clamped shut. She tried to speak, but her mouth would not open, as if it were sewn shut. He moved closer to her, his soulless eyes teeming with rage. “Now, let us see how we can resolve this situation?”
C HAPTER 6
The purple-spired city of Xanadar sat on the continent northwest of Rolyeh. In an extremely mountainous region, this city was left to its own devices by the forces of Ra’kad’s empire. Xanadar remained a neutral place, and the mountains provided a natural barrier that made it very difficult for invading forces to conquer. The lands surrounding Xanadar were frigid, but steady breezes from the South-East funneled up through the natural configuration of the mountains, so that the city itself was situated in a warm pocket, which was conducive to growing fruits, and the vines and trees of their terraced fields dripped with fruit.
The Excalibur rose over the craggy mountains and began its descent. A small field served as a port of entry for airships bringing supplies. Sometimes, the Excalibur served Xanadar in just such a purpose, but today, they carried cargo of a decidedly different nature. The solar sails folded back and down, and the rear hatch opened, allowing the crew to emerge.
A pair of monks were waiting at the airfield and they bowed with their hands clasped together. Zarim returned the bow, Ekala tipped her hat, and Swul offered a half-hearted salute, the Soulstone held in one of his hands.
“Welcome back to our shores, Brother Zarim,” said one of the monks.
“Good to be back, fellas,” said Zarim with a smile. He signaled to Swul, who tossed the Soulstone. The monks gasped, but Zarim simply caught it without the slightest effort or concern. He noticed the looks on the monks’ faces. “Guys, relax. This thing was on Rolyeh. In a pterosaur’s nest. You think it hasn’t been knocked around a bit?”
One of the monks swallowed. “Yes, well...come on. Master Quand is waiting to speak with you.”
Once leaving the airfield, they entered the city of Xanadar. The roads were mostly cobblestone, and
The light died down, the room returning to normal. Vortai lay huddled on the ground and Reyche focused on the boy. She gripped a leather belt restraining his wrist and tugged, tearing it from the gurney. Quickly, she did the same to the belt on his other wrist and around his ankles. Laying her hand against the boy’s cheek, she rubbed it carefully. She could hear the blood pumping through his body and the faint heartbeat gave her hope that he yet lived. The boy’s head stirred and his eyelids slowly opened. Once he caught sight of Reyche, he gasped.
Reyche turned away. She had forgotten about her eyes and fangs, and how the sight of them sometimes affected people. The boy scrambled off the gurney, backing up against the wall. He was terrified of her, and she couldn’t find cause to blame him. Rather, she decided to use it to her advantage. She bared her fangs and hissed. “ Go! Get out of here!”
The boy didn’t waste another second, running out the door and up the steps. Reyche was about to follow hard on his heels, but when she glanced back she saw that Vortai was gone, no longer lying upon the floor. She sniffed the air, but she couldn’t sense him at all.
Before she could do anything else, an invisible force slammed her against the gurney, pinning her to it. Vortai emerged from the shadows, his hand outstretched and his fingers tensed. His eyes were glowing bright red.
“You made a grave mistake, little vampire,” he hissed. “A monster such as you has no business on this hallowed ground.”
“What are you? What were you doing to that child?”
“Silence.” Vortai closed his fist and Reyche’s mouth clamped shut. She tried to speak, but her mouth would not open, as if it were sewn shut. He moved closer to her, his soulless eyes teeming with rage. “Now, let us see how we can resolve this situation?”
C HAPTER 6
The purple-spired city of Xanadar sat on the continent northwest of Rolyeh. In an extremely mountainous region, this city was left to its own devices by the forces of Ra’kad’s empire. Xanadar remained a neutral place, and the mountains provided a natural barrier that made it very difficult for invading forces to conquer. The lands surrounding Xanadar were frigid, but steady breezes from the South-East funneled up through the natural configuration of the mountains, so that the city itself was situated in a warm pocket, which was conducive to growing fruits, and the vines and trees of their terraced fields dripped with fruit.
The Excalibur rose over the craggy mountains and began its descent. A small field served as a port of entry for airships bringing supplies. Sometimes, the Excalibur served Xanadar in just such a purpose, but today, they carried cargo of a decidedly different nature. The solar sails folded back and down, and the rear hatch opened, allowing the crew to emerge.
A pair of monks were waiting at the airfield and they bowed with their hands clasped together. Zarim returned the bow, Ekala tipped her hat, and Swul offered a half-hearted salute, the Soulstone held in one of his hands.
“Welcome back to our shores, Brother Zarim,” said one of the monks.
“Good to be back, fellas,” said Zarim with a smile. He signaled to Swul, who tossed the Soulstone. The monks gasped, but Zarim simply caught it without the slightest effort or concern. He noticed the looks on the monks’ faces. “Guys, relax. This thing was on Rolyeh. In a pterosaur’s nest. You think it hasn’t been knocked around a bit?”
One of the monks swallowed. “Yes, well...come on. Master Quand is waiting to speak with you.”
Once leaving the airfield, they entered the city of Xanadar. The roads were mostly cobblestone, and
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