The Corin Chronicles Volume I: The Light and the Dark (14 page)

She halted the horses but did not dismount, still unsure. The sound of the horses coming to a standstill seemed to stir the person, who shot upright and then fumbled to catch his hat before it fell into the river.

“Oh, I am sorry, my dear,” he said in a husky voice. “I did not see you there. You couldn’t help an old man ashore, could you?”

His look was quite dissimilar to Kuskus. He had a very round face, with curly gray hair, and his shoulders hunched quite noticeably. “Master Morgise?” she asked, while still remaining on the horse.

“Crikey,” he replied, “no one’s called me that for…. Oh, it doesn’t matter. I did once go by that name. I guess I still do, but mostly when people speak about me, rather than to me.”

Selena dismounted her horse and helped Siroco down before approaching Morgise, who had his hand outstretched. “So this is the boy. The One himself.” With Selena’s aid, he stumbled on to the shore, trying to keep still. Selena did not know whether he was drunk or simply odd.

“This is my son, Siroco. Master Kuskus said you could take us somewhere safe.”

Morgise immediately put his head down. “Judging by your words and the fact that he is not present, I take it…I take it Kuskus is no longer with us.” Morgise fought back tears.

“He was very brave. He has helped us for a very long time,” said Selena. “Back in Corin, into the Shallows…He has been with us from the beginning, and I have everlasting gratitude for him. For all of you who formed the Eight Realm to protect my son.”

Morgise started to walk in a small circle around Selena and Siroco. “How is it that you happen to be here, if Kuskus did not survive?” His voice took a more serious tone.

“I was helped by another,” replied Selena. “One who sacrificed the lives of his men to protect us. One who, as we speak, is trying to delay the Monoroi, Thane, from entering the forest in search of us.” She paused for a second, her eyes looking up into the skies. “Or he may already be lying on the ground, dead.” She returned her gaze to Morgise. “He is the one known as Kirinki Shamana.”

Morgise remained in the same spot, with his hands on his head. “I have heard that name before. A brave man Master Kirinki was, as was his father.” He shook his head, with a look of sorrow across his face. “Such good men we have lost. It saddens me to think about it.” He continued shaking his head, watching the ripples flowing under his boat. “Anyway, we will have plenty of time to mourn the dead, but that time has not yet come. If Thane is on to your scent, it will take but a moment for him to appear. Here, help me untie the boat. We must leave at once.”

Frantically, Selena released her son’s hand and rushed to the aid of Master Morgise. They untied the rope holding the boat to the shore, and Siroco was first to go on board, while Master Morgise and Selena pushed it deeper into the river.

“You must get on now, my lady,” Morgise said. “I will continue to push.”

“But are you not coming with us?” Selena felt a sudden panic.

“I shall be right behind you, my lady.”

Desperately, she started to pull herself onto the boat, with the currents getting stronger and stronger. Sensing his mother’s struggle, Siroco reached out and grabbed on to her left hand. She was almost on board when, in a flash, Siroco felt his grip on her hand loosen as it shuddered in his. Unsure of what happened, he looked in his mother’s face and saw blood falling from her mouth. Screaming, he noticed the arrow piercing her chest.

Quickly joining the distraught boy on board, Morgise pulled Selena’s motionless body completely on to the boat and rowed furiously, as he held the boy’s head down, shielding him from any danger. A second arrow flickered by them but went into the water, missing the boat narrowly. A few more arrows rained down on them, but they continued to get farther and farther away. Siroco, sobbing uncontrollably, lifted his head and glanced at the shore, where a number of riders took aim at the boat. He did not recognize them all, but seeing the familiar frames of Thane and General Aspac sent a shudder through his spine.

As they drifted downstream and out of sight, the calmness of the water slowly eased Siroco’s tension. He had held on to his mother’s hands the entire time, but unlike she had always done in the past, she was not waking up, not even when he sang playful songs in her ear like he used to do. He began to cry again, so sorrowful that Morgise did not know what to say to comfort him, opting instead to continue looking at the water. Siroco eventually glanced at the older man, who was still unmoving and focused on the water. After a moment, upon noticing the boy was looking at him, he eased himself down next to him.

“You have been through a lot, my boy,” said Morgise. He held on to Selena’s face and gently closed her eyes. “The arrow that killed her is one tainted by the one who calls himself the beacon of light, humanity’s only hope.” He looked at Siroco. “Let me tell you something about Auphora, boy. A savior he is not—but you are. You shall have vengeance. You shall bring an end to his rule, like your true father almost did.”

“I do not understand,” said Siroco. “Was my father not Krain Simpa?” He did not take his hands away from his mother.

“Krain was not your true father, my boy.”

“Then who is my true father?”

Morgise moved even closer to Siroco. “The true Father of us who hail from Corin. The Patriarch of our great planet. You must always say his name with pride and dignity: the Red God, Baran.”

Siroco did not say anything, looking instead at the arrow still within his mother.

“You must keep your faith strong, for our father is with us. He is always with us.” Morgise shifted his gaze toward the water once more. “I remember when you were born, boy,” he said softly. “The happiness in your mother’s eyes was something to behold, but even then, we knew. We knew how important you were. I have been with you every step of the way, and I will continue to guide you. Even if you do not see me, you shall always feel me with you.”

Siroco looked at Morgise before moving his hands from his mother and placing them on Morgise’s hands. “Is what they say of me true?” he asked.

“Yes, you will be the one to unite the galaxy again. You will make Corin great once more.”

“But how will I know what to do? My mother always told me what to do. I cannot do any of this without her. I want her back. Please bring her back to me.”

“I am afraid I can do nothing for her now,” Morgise said. “She, along with so many others who swore to protect you, has given her life in your name.”

“But I do not want any of this. I am just a boy. I know nothing.”

“In time, you shall know everything.” Morgise reached into his tunic and brought out three sheets of onion skin, each with distinctive writings on them. “Take these. Keep them safe, for they hold the key to everything.”

Siroco quickly retracted his hands and placed them behind his back, with a look of fear returning to his eyes.

“Do not be afraid,” said Morgise. “Take them.” He reached out and placed them in the boy’s hand, closing it gently. “You must guard these as you guard your life. They will not bear any significance now, but years from now, their true meaning shall be known.”

Siroco held on to them for a few minutes before he laid his head down. “So what do I do now?” he asked. “Where can I go without Mother?” Morgise did not respond.

“Where can I go?” Siroco asked again. But as before, Morgise did not answer. Worried, the boy quickly sat up but could not see anything, for a thick fog had rolled over the boat and shrouded his eyes.

As fear gripped him once more, he barely heard the voice of Morgise coming not from the boat but, it seemed, from the heavens. “Go, my boy, for he watches over you, always.”

Moments later, the fog cleared, and Siroco was alone on the boat. There was no sign of his mother’s body or of Master Morgise. Yet for the first time, Siroco did not panic or fear anything, for deep inside he started to believe.

And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

The Holy Bible, book of Joshua

Author: Unknown, The Second Coming

3.1

A
L
ONELY
R
OAD

5,000 years later…

F
ar across the Shallows, storm clouds filled the skies of one of the great cities of Feliath’s planet, Earth. It was a particularly cold evening for summer in New York. The strange weather and constant flashes of lightning put Charles Thomas on edge. Sitting next to the window at the small café table, he did not realize how many times he had startled at a sudden flash, or shuddered at the rumble of thunder outside.

“Are you alright, Charles?” Miranda Fredericks sat across the table from Charles. Her thinning, long, dark hair was damp from the rain and clung to her slim face. For the three months Charles had been living with Miranda and her family, she had continuously encouraged him to talk about the things that unsettled him.

Beside Miranda and directly opposite Charles sat her husband, Kevin. The affection Charles had developed for Miranda naturally spread to Kevin, but especially to their ten-year-old son, Josh. Kevin, hungry as always, was unconcerned with the storm and preoccupied by eating. He devoured his food, not even noticing as Miranda reached across the table and held Charles’ trembling hand.

“I’m okay.” Charles replied. “Thanks, Miranda. I just get jumpy sometimes.” He glanced out the window toward a number of passersby before focusing on the only other people in the café—a young couple sitting three tables away. He had seen them in this café a number of times in the past month and genuinely believed they did not present any kind of threat. The man always wore a baseball cap and a stubbly beard. The woman was quite attractive, he thought. She always had a warm, friendly smile.

“But it’s been three months,” Kevin added. He placed his fork down. “Don’t you think that if he hasn’t found you by now, he most likely won’t?”

“You don’t know my dad,” Charles said. “He will search until he finds me.” He paused, looking out the window again, maintaining his gaze for a few seconds before continuing. “After what he’s done to my mom, I can’t let him find me again.”

“I still think you should report him,” said Miranda. She chewed on the remaining meat on her plate. “No one should beat on a woman like he has. I don’t understand why she still stays with him.”

“I thought daddies never went away,” said Josh, unexpectedly. He playfully held on to Charles’ right hand.

Glancing beside him, where Josh sat, Charles ruffled his hair while he studied him. He was a very handsome boy. His light hazel eyes resembled those of his father. His dark hair remained striking as ever. “Not all daddies are good,” Charles said. “But your daddy is the best. He won’t go anywhere.” He smiled at the young boy, who giggled loudly, holding on to the hands of both his parents.

The smile on Charles’ face fled, and he stirred abruptly, causing both Miranda and Kevin to flinch. They both looked at him, startled, unsure of why he had almost jumped out of his seat. The sound of the café door closing made them look at the entrance, where they saw two large police officers walking in.

Glancing once again at Charles, Miranda noticed the genuine anxiety on his face and held on to his hands. “Hi, Tommy. Hi Justin,” she said to the officers, as they walked past their table. With Charles relaxed in his seat again, she gave him a sharp look. “It’s only Tommy and Justin,” she said. “Why did you just get like that?”

Charles did not respond but continued studying the police officers. One was middle-aged and bald with a thick beard. The other looked younger and significantly more athletic, with dark, short-cropped hair. Charles watched them stirring their coffees and glared at the guns on their belts. He had seen them twice before, but they had been dressed in plain clothes.