The Legendary Warrior (Book 5) (12 page)

Mason began screaming hysterically but Bastion slapped him across the face once, silencing him instantly. The bodyguards suddenly came behind Bastion and began slashing at his back so
that he would release the young Master, but Bastion just grabbed Mason by the collar again and used his body like a whip. Mason’s body slammed into the bodyguards and they all fell to the ground. Bastion went to each bodyguard one by one and punched them each in the face with half his strength, knocking them out on impact.

Bastion examined what
cuts he could see for a moment, but seeing that they were all shallow, he didn’t bother trying to heal them. He faced Mason and clenched his fists, watching as the young Master scurried backwards on the palm of his hands.

“What are you going to do?” Mason asked nervously, his lips quivering with each syllable.

“What do you think I’m going to do?” Bastion asked. “What is it going to take to ensure you don’t keep coming after us?”

“Nothing,” Mason said confidently, sticking his chin out in defiance. “But you can’t kill me either. Allay will have your head.”

“That’s okay,” Bastion said, cocking back his fist and hitting Mason hard on the cheek, knocking him out.

“Is it safe to come out now?” Daisy asked from the shadows, and Bastion couldn’t help but smile.

“How long have you two been standing there?’ Bastion asked, and he could hear Kent chuckle.

“Aw, you sensed me,” Kent said softly as they came into view. Daisy and Kent were both walking slowly, and there was a noticeable wince from Kent’s lips whenever he took a step. Their shirts were bloodied and Bastion figured that even if they wanted to don their Sage robes, they couldn’t. They were beyond their limits, and doing their best not to show it.

“We were standing by in case you needed help,” Daisy replied. “But that was only if you were on the brink of death. We wouldn’t have been much help otherwise.”

“How many people did you two face before they came for me?” Bastion asked.

“Oh, I don’t know. Thirty or so,” Daisy sighed. “Took me by surprise too. That didn’t help.”

“Same,” Kent grimaced, nearly nodding off. “Ugh, I need to sleep for a week.”

“What are you going to do with Mason?” Daisy asked, biting her lip. Bastion couldn’t help but notice the concern in her eyes.
Isn’t that something,
Bastion thought to himself.
After all he’s done, deep down…she still cares for him.
He didn’t like how that realization felt.

“I’m g
oing to hide him somewhere and tie him up. It will give us a couple days to figure things out.”

“Bastion,” Daisy said suddenly, and he knew what she was going to ask immediately. “You don’t think Mason was telling the truth, did you? That my parents…I mean, they don’t do anything to anyone. They’re so simple. No one would hurt them. It’s like killing a butterfly. They’re okay, right?”

“Um,” he replied. “I…can find out.”

“I’ll do it,” Kent said, trying to stand up straight. He sighed deeply and stretched his arms out. “I know where they live already, and Bastion needs to take care of Mason. There might be more Order members watching him, and I’m in no condition to fight them off.”

“I want to come too,” she said, but Kent shook his head.

“No, let me do this. H
elp Bastion.”

“But I want to see for myself if—”

“Let her go with you,” Bastion said, nodding toward Kent. “She needs to know. Protect each other.”

“And what about you?” Kent asked.

“I’ll be fine. I need some time to think alone anyways.”

“If you say so, but…what are we going to do after this? Regardless of what we find. Mason’s vengeance is going to be fierce.”

“I’m leaving Allay,” he said, and his friends stared back at him, understanding the ramifications of what that meant. “But you two have to decide for yourselves what you want to do.”

“I’ll think about it,” Daisy said, and Kent nodded. Bastion looked back at Mason as they left
.
I’ll have to take care of the bodyguards too
, he thought, stooping down to examine the work before him. He was sure to be seen, no matter what dig site he chose, but at least it would take some time for the investigation to start. By that time, he would be long gone.

“Are you sure you want to do this?”
Tyuin asked as Catherine nodded. She said no words, for she wasn’t really sure, but she knew that if she showed hesitation, Tyuin might change his mind and keep the stone from her. That couldn’t happen.

“I want to get started,” Catherine said, extending out her hand. “It’s already night
, and I don’t know how exhausting this will be or how long it will take.”

“You promise to tell me everything you learn?”
Tyuin asked. “You know, for research purposes.”

“Of course.”

“Then here,” he said, reaching behind him, producing the stone of power and then placing it into her hand. It glowed an eerie blue between the cracks of its grey granite surface. She stared at it and sighed, floods of memories coming back to her. Most of them weren’t pleasant.

“Let’s give her some room,” Talia said, waving for everyone to take a few steps back. Zhou jumped from the platform in which they had been standing to the one behind them. The rest of the audience followed suit, leaving Catherine on her platform all alone. From the King of Prattle to the average citizens, they had all come in droves, though the performance was to be
a private affair.

No one said a word as they waited patiently, some taking each other’s h
and in hand, holding on to one another for support. Catherine glanced around her with weary eyes, and then she closed them. She clenched her fists with her right hand as she brought the stone to her heart with her left. She could feel its hunger immediately as wisps of energy lapped at her chest, going past her clothes and through her skin, whispering sweet nothings to her heart as it beat faster and faster. Catherine grit her teeth and wasted no more time.

She plunged the heart into her body.

And it melted into her on impact.

There was no turning back, and she tried not to cry
out as she felt it make its way past her skin and bones to what it craved, searching like a parasite looking for a host. When it reached her heart, it engulfed it, slowing down her heartbeat momentarily as it adjusted into position. As soon as it settled, she felt its warmth from inside her chest, like she had just drank a searing hot liquid. She clutched her chest and bowed her head, trying to summon it like she had done many times before—asking it for its power.

She could feel the tug of the wind on her hair as her curly locks unraveled and
began sticking upwards to the sky. She could feel raw energy swirl around her body like bracelets and hula-hoops. Her clothes began billowing and her muscles swelled. But then she stopped the call.

This wasn’t right. It wasn’t what she wanted. She didn’t need its power.

She needed its trust. Companionship. She needed it
talking.

“Hello?” she said aloud, and she waited for an answer, but nothing came. She bit her lip and tried to call out to it internally. “Hello?” she said again, but this time inaudibly, only in her head. No answer.

She thought about what Kyran had told her about Thorn. He had said that he had to commit horrible acts to gain the trust of the stone, and that was something she wasn’t going to do. But she needed the answers. How was she going to get it talking? If it truly was alive, then there had to be a way. Maybe it was lonely and she just had to prove her worth, but that might take too long. Flatter it? No. No one wanted to hear empty compliments, and besides, the stone probably sensed her fear and hesitation when it wrapped around her heart. That wouldn’t work. So how? How?

She thought about the problem at hand carefully, and she considered consulting Marie when an idea dawned on her. She snickered at the thought. It was a James tactic, through and through.

She decided
to not stop talking.

“Hey there,” Catherine said aloud, a sly grin emerging on her lips. “I know that we haven’t been acquainted, but I
was once the bearer of one of your relatives. Or friends. I’m not sure because I don’t know much about you, but I do know that you’re there, and you’re as alive as I am. I didn’t realize that fact as soon as I should have, and because of my ignorance, some of your comrades were killed. I’m sorry for that. I know that people just use you like a weapon, but I want to change that from this day on. You can live inside of me if you like, and we can talk whenever you want. I want to journey with you.”

Catherine opened her eyes and faced t
he crowd as she continued. The winds around her softened to a light breeze, and it began playing with her hair, picking up one strand at a time and letting it drop before pinching another.

“If you don’t believe me, then test me. Only give me a little information. And as we continue on our walk together, then you can reveal more as you see fit. You’re latched onto my heart, so you can probably sense what I’m feeling. You know that I’m speaking the truth.”

“No one said you could take it,” Tyuin said from in front of her. “How are you going to take it with you when it belongs to Prattle?”

“Is there any way I can borrow it for a little while?”

“No!” Tyuin said sharply, clenching his fists. “That’s not going to happen.”

“How can I prove I’m on the stone’s side if you won’t allow me to take it?”

“You’ll have to stay here in Prattle if you want to pursue a…
relationship
. Honestly, Catherine, I was thinking that this was a mistake from the beginning, but now it’s been confirmed. You haven’t changed. You act all sweet and innocent but the moment you don’t get what you want, you try to take it by force.”

“I’m shocked you would say that,” Catherine said with a gaping mouth. “After all we’ve gone through together, you really believe that? Who’s been in your ears? When have I ever gone against your wishes? EVER?”

“You never have directly, but you influence things, Catherine. Please don’t pretend like you don’t. Even this whole fiasco with Lakrymos…why can’t you let it all go?”

“Would you let it go? If he had come to take over Prattle?”

“It doesn’t matter. He didn’t. I don’t have to answer that question.”

“By default, you just did
. Tyuin, you know that this is as important to me as the rest of us. How long will it take before Lakyrmos comes knocking at your door for favors?”

“At least he would ask me directly and I would know where he stands. No mind games required.”

“Then I will stay in Prattle,” she huffed. “Does that make you happy?”

“I’m not going to let you hold onto that stone for too long.”

“What?” Talia exclaimed. “Why? You said she could for informational purposes!”

“Let’s just say that I’m beginning to recall some old memories,”
Tyuin replied, facing her. In the distance, Catherine could see several Prattlian guards approaching, donned in steel breastplates and gauntlets and holding large shields that were too big for them. All of them were carrying longswords.

“Who’s been in your ear,
Tyuin?” Catherine asked again, but he ignored her. He sniffed and faced the former Queen.

“I was reminded by members of the
Prattlian Order that while the Sages did save us from Thorn, it was an
accident.
Their original intentions weren’t so noble. In the beginning, they set out on a journey for the five stones of power because of a notion in which there was no evidence. It doesn’t matter if you were right then, it doesn’t make you correct at all times. If the Yama are so powerful, then why hasn’t Lakrymos come to us for assistance? It’s obvious the Sages and Allay are all that is required to defeat them.”

“Or perha
ps he wants to see your Kingdom burn in the process.”

“Either way, I’m not going to let you hold onto the stone. I made a mistake. My nature has deceived me.
I was far too curious.”

“Let me talk to it a little longer,” she said, nodding toward Zhou and Talia. Several
Prattlian citizens looked to the bodyguards, trying to decipher the meaning of the nod, but the two Sages showed no signs of acknowledgement.

“A few minutes,”
Tyuin said, crossing his arms. “Hurry up.” Catherine sighed and stared at him. The moment he said ‘a few minutes,’ she knew it wouldn’t be enough time, and he knew it too. Sure, he was just thinking in the best interests of his people, but so was she, and she knew that they came first. No matter what it did to her previous relations.

“I’m so
so sorry,” Catherine replied, as Zhou sprang into action. He unsheathed his eidolon and let the light blind the crowd. Using the momentary advantage, he plowed through a few citizens and then grabbed Tyuin, placing his blade at the King’s throat. Talia took out her eidolon and began swinging it around like a whip, forcing the crowd to back away. Tyuin sighed heavily and was about to shake his head when Zhou pressed the blade further into his skin, producing a thin line of blood across the throat.

“You know our relationship will never, ever be the same after this,”
Tyuin declared. He raised his voice higher so that everyone could hear. “From this day forward, we are cutting off ties from Allay. I’m not saying that we are at war, but we are to have nothing to do with them!”

“I’m acting on my own accord!” Catherine shouted, stomping a foot into the platform. “Allay has nothing to do with this!”

“It doesn’t matter!” Tyuin shouted. “Lakrymos wants nothing to do with us and he is their King. Meanwhile, their former Queen is here throwing away her relationships with Prattle in order to gain that of a stone. I’m not standing for this.”

“You’re just afraid that I’m taking away your power.”

“Isn’t that what you’re doing?” he said, clenching his jaw. “Taking our power away? Our future?”

“I’m
borrowing
it.”

“You mean stealing.”

“What do we do now?” Talia asked. “We’re not getting out of here without a fight.”

“No, don’t harm anyone,” Catherine said, scanning the crowd. Her eyes suddenly fell on Marie. “Sorry that we can’t get more acquainted. I’m sure you’re not going to want to travel with us after this.”

“On the contrary,” Marie said with a smile. “When it comes to acquiring knowledge, there is only allegiance to the pursuit of it. All other distractions and people are distant allies. I will accompany you wherever you go.”

“WHAT?!”
Tyuin shouted, but Zhou kept him from breaking free.

“I understand this will fracture my rela
tionships with my people, but to be honest, I have learned all I can from them. It’s time for me to see what else is out in the world, and what better way to go on my pilgrimage but in the company of warriors? So there is no suspicion on my part, Catherine, I said that so you would know that my intentions
are
selfish. It may take years, but if I believe I have exhausted my study of our traveling troop, I will leave for greener pastures.”

“I accept that,” Catherine said with a nod. “Talia, stay close to Marie. We’re going to make our escape.”

“And where are we headed from there?” Talia asked, but Marie put a hand on the Sage’s shoulder.

“We’ll discuss that
after
we are out of the company of our foes.”

“We need—” Catherine began to speak when she felt a pulse resonate from within her, as if her entire body had suddenly become a vein and it had just been pumped with blood beyond its capacity. She fell to her knees and clutched her sides gasping
for air, feeling like she was about to burst. But the ache vanished suddenly when the voice came, speaking to her from within her own thoughts.

“
I am surprised you would ruin your friendship with Tyuin
,” the voice commented, so casually, it was as if they had already been in conversation with one another. Catherine’s eyes went wide as her hands rose to the sides of her head, rubbing the temples as her lips quivered.

“Is this the stone?” she asked audibly.

“
I’m not a stone
,” it said, and Catherine gasped again. This time, Tyuin gave out a war cry, so loud that it caught Zhou off guard. In an instant, the King of Prattle transformed, the energy being so great that it knocked the Sage bodyguard off his feet. Tyuin, now free, stood over him with newfound confidence. There were no Sage robes. There was just the armor. A polished steel costume that covered him from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet, covering his face like a mask and encasing him in a shell that reflected the moonlight brilliantly. His hands were covered in jagged gauntlets. The armor’s chest was massive and jutted out into a point at the center. His legs were like beams of steel and his arms were bigger than Zhou’s head.

Tyuin
reached down and picked up the shocked Zhou by the throat, taking the Sage’s swings at his armor with amusement.

“What did you do?” Catherine whispered toward
Tyuin, keeping her hands at her temples, as if she would lose the stone’s voice if she let go.

“Give me the stone or he will be harmed,”
Tyuin said from behind the armor. His voice sounded scratchy and as if it was grating against rusted metal. There were no slits for his eyes, nose or mouth, but he was still able to breathe and talk somehow. The armor truly was an extension of himself.