Shieldwolf Dawning (7 page)

"Wake up!" Samarra shook her head wildly. Her breathing was laboured. This couldn't really be happening, could it?
"Wake up!"

The wolf eyed her up and down as if it were sizing up its prey. It crouched and bared its razor-sharp teeth with a menacing growl. Samarra struggled all the more to move, to run, to kick, to do anything other than wait for the beast to get her.

"I don't want to die!" she screamed desperately when the wolf took form as a shadow. With all her strength Samarra pushed and pulled with her rooted hands until they broke loose. Sweat and tears streamed down her cheeks. Her muscles burned from exertion.

The wolf lunged.

Samarra couldn't breathe.
Cass
… was her last thought before everything dissolved to nothing.

Kairuhan

The rumble of waves crashing on rock woke Samarra from deep sleep. She sat up, but banged her head against the headboard. Wincing in pain, she cursed and sat up more carefully. Her neck ached from whiplash and her irises burned when she focused on her surroundings. Her freshly bandaged cheeks stung as if they had been scrubbed with a scouring pad. Hazy splices of recent events rose in her mind, but Samarra's memories were drowsy and uncertain. She was lucky she could remember her name.

"Where am I?" Samarra touched the cotton pyjamas she was wearing — they were unfamiliar. She rubbed her badly bruised knee and groaned, blinking hard to stop the tears that blurred her vision. When she could see more clearly, she surveyed the area. A thin ray of light illuminated the bedroom with a muted glow, but not enough to make out much detail. Samarra swung her legs awkwardly off the side of the bed, tested her left foot on the floor, and moaned when her muscles reacted in pain. "What happened to me?"

Muffled voices came to life from somewhere downstairs. Samarra cocked her head toward the open door and listened, but she could not make out the conversation. She would have to move closer. Without thinking, she got out of bed, but her legs immediately gave out underneath her and she collapsed in a heap on the floor. With a frustrated sigh, she rolled onto her back and lay there staring at the starry night through the glass skylight. Far beyond it hung a full, blood-orange moon surrounded by three rings of silver and purple. The moon was much bigger than what she was used to on Gaia. This one was enormous. It was beautiful.

Samarra lay there transfixed, admiring the view, but when the voices downstairs grew louder she shifted her focus to finding out what was going on. She grabbed a fistful of the shaggy rug and squeezed with all her might to block out the pain in her body. It took her a few attempts before she was able to drag herself to her knees. Samarra hobbled from the room and paused at the top of the staircase to listen to the conversation unfolding below. It was still too hard to make out what was being said. If only she could move closer without anyone noticing. She inched downstairs as quietly as a mouse.

By the time she reached the bottom step, her eyesight had adjusted fully to the lighting. The living room was warm and inviting in the glow of brass sconces adorning the walls. Cork flooring was topped with woolen rugs and cushions of various sizes. Elegantly crafted wooden furniture lent the room a rustic feel. By the hallway to the right was a large sphere of water suspended in the air. A school of fish darted around inside. In one corner of the room was a large cactus. Its spikes pricked up and it tilted toward her when she approached. Straight ahead was a heavy wooden door. Samarra tiptoed closer and pressed her ear against the polished wood and listened.

"He is not ready for this great burden."

Samarra remembered that voice.
Merganse
r
Ravenhair…
Memories of a salt-and-pepper haired woman floated to the surface of her thoughts.

"You forget he is only a child," Merganser said.

"No, Merganser Ravenhair," came a croaking male voice. "He is more than a child. He is the Son. We shall act according to the authentic interpretation of Aletheia's Vision. This must be so."

A wooden chair scraped across the floor, followed by footsteps and the gush of running water.

"Nereus Croak," Merganser implored. "Kairuhan brims with children born into our tradition and of the right age to enlist. What more is there to say? Seek them out in the interim."

Samarra could hear a soft but persistent croaking in the background.

Merganser went on. "My brothers, it is a shock to one's basic states when phasing through the Reflection for the first time. Give him a chance to dephase before he takes his first steps in this theatre of war."

Samarra could barely breathe.
Who are they talking about?

"Merganser," Croak said. "If I were to wait for the day you deemed the boy ready to enlist, Kairuhan would have succumbed to flux and ripped itself inside out. Flux unleashed will destabilize the natural order of our world. I do not doubt that you fully understand the reality of our predicament. It is now more important than ever to accomplish our duties in haste."

Merganser sucked in a quick sharp breath. "You cannot expect him to rush through adaptation. He is not prepared to serve with the Shieldwolves. Not yet!" Her frustrated fist marked its territory with a thud.

"The Son is the key to our success," a light musical voice interrupted. "Merganser, you know this better than anyone. Now that we have found him, we must make up for lost time. He has much to learn before he can realize his fate." A long pause. "We cannot afford to delay, regardless of what our hearts tell us. You were with us before. Why resist now?"

"What if our interpretation of Aletheia's Vision is incorrect?" Merganser asked.

"The Vision is no mad trick of the mind." Croak said. "The authentic interpretation was reached in consensus — it is widely accepted as the most correct."

Samarra wished fervently for her memories to return, but her recollections were muddy. She shifted her weight off her sore leg and leaned against the door for more support.

"Sister, you will escort the Son to Shieldwolf Proper before the Blood Moon fades to grey," Croak ordered.

"And what about the girl?" Merganser asked.

Samarra felt her heart skip a beat.

"The girl will enlist," responded the singsong voice. "She will follow her brother because she loves him. Her emotions will leave her with no other choice."

Samarra dared not exhale, but couldn't stop wincing when a flash of colour went off in her mind. Memories of her brother exploded in her head. "Cass… Where are you?" she whispered into the night.

"This is unconscionable!" Merganser yelled. "Irik, please, I beg you. Not now. Not so soon. Give him time."

"Time? There is no time to spare," Irik shrilled. "The Son was born to lead us to victory in the final battle. I saw it on his birth map with my own eyes. I saw it in the fire, in the clouds, in the flow of water. The laws of the Book of Living will continue to light our path. The Fates cannot be challenged."

"The Fates cannot be challenged?" Merganser roared. "When will you open your eyes to the errors in the law? These two children do not know our traditions. They do not understand our way of life. They must have more time to adjust in peace to their new environment—"

"Enough!" Croak ordered.

Samarra stood unmoving. What had she gotten her brother into?

"There is no better choice in the matter," Irik said more calmly. "We are fortunate that the Son was found in time. I had almost lost hope. Merganser, we have no choice other than that which is good for Kairuhan."

"But Irik of the Moors, we have another choice," Merganser pleaded. "We do not have to accept the Book of Living as infallible."

"How dare you question authentic interpretation?" Irik screeched before lowering his voice again. "You were in agreement before you phased to Gaia-1. What has made you change your mind?"

Silence. Another flash of memories went off in Samarra's head.
Gaia-1?
She rubbed her temples to ease the pain of it all.

"And the Sairfangs?" Croak asked.

"I restrained them when they attempted to disrupt our phasing," Merganser replied stiffly.

"Did they suffer?" he pressed.

"Their thirst for power led them to careless mistakes and inevitable doom, but they did not suffer through their last moments at my hands."

Samarra doubled over at an onslaught of memories. She remembered the Sairfangs and cringed.

"Is there a chance that they still breathe?"

"Negative," Merganser replied. "They are released from their material bonds."

"Merganser Ravenhair." Samarra detected a smile in Irik's voice. "You have once again demonstrated your worth as a Shieldwolf."

Croak spoke again. "What is the status of Gaia-1?"

"The planetary ecosystem has collapsed." Merganser sighed bleakly. "Gaia-1 is on course for an ice age."

Samarra heard the shuffle of footsteps. A door opened and closed. Time passed. Still no sound. They must have gone outside. Samarra crept back to the living room, hobbling awkwardly down the hallway until she came to an open door. She snuck outside and past the verandah. Keeping low, she followed the trail of pines that shielded the cottage from fierce ocean winds. The crashing waves were of monstrous proportions and raced for the shore like a mad bullrush.

In the distance three figures stood in a huddle, talking. Merganser's face was luminous in the moonlight. Her two companions were also well lit, but their hooded cloaks covered them from head to toe. One of the figures was powerfully built and towered above Merganser. The other was much shorter and puffier around the middle. Samarra wanted desperately to see their faces and moved as close as she could without losing cover. She strained to hear what they were saying, but the waves drowned out all conversation.

The taller hooded figure cast a green flare into the sky, and two winged horses appeared above them. The creatures circled the area and glided to a stop nearby. Merganser threw up her hands, spun on her heel, and stormed back the way she had come — toward Samarra. The cloaked figures watched Merganser for a moment before they jumped on their mounts. They spurred on their beasts and flew into the dark night, growing smaller and smaller until Samarra could no longer see them.

When she finally realized how fast Merganser was approaching, Samara panicked and raced back the way she came. She went up the stairs and told herself that if she made it to her room she would be fine — nobody would know she had been investigating the area. Samarra bolted through the hallway, slipping and sliding on the rugs that decorated the floors. As quick as a flash she dove into her bed, pulled the blanket over her head, and closed her eyes. She would wait until Merganser had fallen asleep before she went looking for Cassian.

"I see you have been exploring my cottage," a voice said.

Samarra's first impulse was to run, but there was nowhere to go. When she peeked out from under the blanket, a robed woman was standing by the bed. Merganser clicked her fingers. A flame appeared in her hand and she lit the candle on the nightstand. Samarra blushed with embarrassment at being caught out.

"I knew this would be a difficult journey for you." Merganser sat down in the armchair by the bed. She rested her hands in her lap. The candlelight cast an eerie glow on her blind eye.

Samarra averted her gaze. "I guess it must have been rough. I don't remember much."

"That might be a good thing. Do not trouble yourself with the experience. The first phase through the Reflection can be a challenge." Merganser's gaze was penetrating. "For some, it is quick and memory free; for others it can be the most horrific nightmare. One can never be sure about what to expect. Your ability to phase through the Reflection will improve with practise. You will not have to phase again for some time." She reached into her pocket and pulled out the green tablet.

Samarra reached for the tiny machine. "That's mine."

Merganser swatted away Samarra's hand. "This machine belongs to the Shieldwolves. I have purified the central processing gem and updated all relevant programs. The time and date are reset. All information in the database is current." Merganser handed Samarra the tablet. "You may use it to learn about Kairuhan."

Samarra turned on the machine. She grimaced when she saw the date flash in the bottom corner. Day: 3/Lunar Cycle: Kanya /Retrograde 1. "Retrograde 1?" she asked, puzzled.

"To mark the beginning of a new age..." Merganser took a deep breath before she continued. "You have seven days to learn of our ways. On the last day of the Blood Moon, you and Cassian will join the Shieldwolves, where you will be trained in the arts of the shaman. There, you will also learn about your duty to Kairuhan. Do you have any questions?"

"I do." All kinds of thoughts raced through Samarra's head. She wondered about what her life with the Shieldwolves would be like. Mainly, she was thinking about her brother. "Where's Cass?"

"Ah, Cassian," Merganser smiled in understanding. "Your brother sleeps. He has yet to recover from the shock of phasing. It is important that he remains undisturbed until his mind, body, and spirit are reunited."

"But I want to see him."

Merganser shook her head. "Physical contact will impede the healing process. Leave him be."

Samarra bit her lip nervously and wondered if she should push for more. "I have another question."

Merganser raised her brow. "Go ahead."