Fear of Mystics (Saga of Mystics Book 2) (3 page)

EARLY SUMMER

“You know the original paleontologists didn’t even know the term dinosaur.  They thought they were studying the origins of dragons.”  -
Anthropologist, Dr. Kenneth Sloan

CHAPTER SEVEN

                            The clip-clop of galloping hooves was accentuated by a joyful laugh. Peri walked toward the sound. She had been told the tale of the woman, Annie Grace, whose power was said to be overwhelming and amazing.  Toward this clearing on the south side of Black Forest, she walked to her destiny. 

All her life, Peri had dreamed of being a different type of entity, something fantastic.  She used to cosplay as a faerie or a witch, and when the new powers had arrived to the world, she had hoped to be one of those.  In the end, she had shown a rather mundane ability with light. She could make herself and the area around her glow, which was okay, but not that special.  Rumor had it that her old boss from the yoga studio, Jenny Martinez, was super powerful and was a member of the Council up at Red Rocks Bluff. But Peri had never been to see her, too ashamed of the way she had left her in the yoga studio back when the Event had happened. How could she face her now?

As Peri stepped into the clearing, the fire suddenly died and all noise stopped. No longer could she hear joyful conversation, or laughter, or the twittering of interesting creatures.  Now she was in the pitch black of night, all alone.  Out of the darkness, a woman’s voice sounded.

“Are you of the Faith?” the woman asked.  Peri was filled with dread.  She was sure that the tales were untrue about the church community at the edge of town that burned people, or hung them, or drowned them, for exhibiting powers.

“I am not a member of a church, if that is what you mean.  I was out for a walk.” Peri peered into the darkness, her eyes struggling to adjust.

“This is an odd place for a walk,” the voice said.  The tone of voice was colored with humor, Peri could make that much out.  She had to take a chance, she was sure the stories about oppression of powers were not true anyway.

“Okay, I was looking for the lady.” Peri offered quietly.

A rough voice from her right, low and earthen, rang out, “What lady is that?” There was a giggle to her left and a high pitched sigh from a tree nearby.

The woman’s voice, calm as ever, asked, “Prove you are not of the Faith.  Show your power.”

“It isn’t much,” Peri answered, “Just this.” Her immediate area lit up an almost daytime level of light. Unfortunately, it did not light up the surroundings, which remained shrouded in darkness.

The fire in the pit roared back to life, and Peri was finally able to see with whom she was talking. All around the clearing danced a gaggle of mythic creatures.  There were three centaurs, talking to two satyrs.  In the tree nearby sat four harpies, their heads turning on their necks like a swivel.  Close to the fire stood five were-beasts, two of them like wolves, two of them like cats and one of them like a golden retriever. But at the center of the clearing, standing next to the fire pit, was a young woman in her thirties.  She was short and stocky, with hair that reached down to her waist, straight and the color of earth. She had dark lashes, but bright, blue eyes that held her gaze intensely. This had to be the lady.

“Are you…?” Peri began.

“I am Annie Grace,” the woman answered, “Do you have a fantasy?”

Peri dropped her gaze in a little embarrassment, but reached into jacket pocket and pulled out a small envelope.  “I do.” She said and handed across the envelope.

Annie pulled something small, but beautiful, out of the envelope.  “Oh, what a wonderful choice.” The butterfly in her hand flapped its wings twice, but remained in her palm.  “Follow me into the hut.”

They walked into the dark shack and Peri knew her life was about to change.

CHAPTER EIGHT

              “Open the gate              .” Andy said, though not particularly loudly.

              The men on duty swung the gate wide, allowing him to cross back into the safe confines of their little town.  He led his horse by its bridle, walking next to her.  The snow shined bright in the morning sun, reminding him to put on sunglasses to protect against the glare.  The glare was brutal in the spring and early summer. He doubted there would be much more snow in the coming months, but Colorado always had a few snowstorms in June.

              “General.” One of the guards said in a sort of greeting as Andy passed by.  Andy just nodded his head in response. For a year and a half, the men had called him General Andy Summers, just as Lord Marshall Eric Fine had ordered. Andy was the titular head of the fighting forces of the walled town of Manitou Springs, but he was really just a bandit lord and he knew that. He had once been an enlisted man in the United States Army.  After the Event and the Battle of Carson, he had been made the head of policing at the Compound, before it had burned to the ground through insurrection.  Rather than destroying him, Fine had made him the leader.  Andy did not enjoy this role.

              Stopping to tie his horse to a hitching post in front of an old restaurant in the center of town, Andy considered the cost.  He had assumed following Fine was the answer in this new world, but instead, he had seen that it was lonely and demoralizing.  They had started with just over two hundred men.  Through sickness, battles, and desertion, they were down to seventy-eight.

              The Lord Marshall was jogging at this time of the day. Andy knew his routine better than most.  He would be roaming the hills to the west.  The man never stopped his physical training, and continued to be in good shape in his late fifties.  He was in better shape than Andy, and Andy was only thirty. To his surprise, he heard the stomp-stomp of Eric’s feet on the pavement as the older man finished his run early.

              “I miss my music,” the Lord Marshall said as he came close. “There was nothing better than tunes to accompany a good jog.”

              Andy nodded his agreement.

              “How was your scouting trip, General?” Eric asked.

              “The usual,” Andy offered. “Scarce population, patrols north of the highway by the Council’s people, survivors’ camps and survivors’ markets are popping up.  It seems our bandits are not enough.”

              Andy Summers did not say all that was on his mind. The Lord Marshall was noted for appreciating other points of view. Their existence, was barely that. They needed to do something new.

              Eric nodded as he stretched. Almost as a side note, but also almost as if reading Andy’s mind, he added, “We may have to come up with new tactics.”

              “Yes sir, just what I was thinking.” He couldn’t believe the slip. It had just burst out of his mouth, like he didn’t know to whom he was speaking.

              Halting in his stretch, Eric looked for a long moment at his subordinate. After a quick assessment, he went back to the stretch, “Have any ideas?”

              Andy cleared his throat, he wasn’t quite sure how this was going to go over. “Well, I think we need to form alliances.” Since Eric wasn’t interrupting, he continued. “I think if we send out bandits as protectors, we might gain more leverage.”

              The Lord Marshall stared off into the sky, while pulling his foot toward his back in a quadriceps stretch.  Andy was not sure what was going through the man’s mind. It was always a dangerous thing to challenge how the man wanted things done.  He could not have been more surprised by the response.

              “Yes.  Send them out with new orders. Protect the weak, make alliances, and get us information.” Eric finished his stretch. “That was a good idea, Andy.”

              As Andy Summers watched his leader walk into the headquarters, he was shocked by what he had just heard.  That may have been the first time Eric had ever called him by his first name. He hurried off to give the orders, before reason returned to Lord Marshall Eric Fine.

CHAPTER NINE

              Looking back over her shoulder, Kate could see the clouds forming over the front range. The afternoon storms of summer were beginning.  The rain wasn’t so bad.  After all, it was nothing like the rain after the Event, but summer storms often brought hail.  Also, they were out in the eastern part of the Old City, heading even farther east.  That meant an increased likelihood of tornadoes forming. It wasn’t common, but it happened, so you had to look out for it. Kate thought back to when the kids had been small and that tornado had ripped through the housing area on base in Texas.  Cal had been on one of his many deployments, and she had never really talked to him about it, but it had scared her so much.

              Cal had been gone now for a year and a half, but every thought of him made her sad still.  He was the world to her, and now he was gone. Of all the people who would have turned this world of lemons into lemonade, Calvin Ward would have been chief among them. But he had made a mistake, and wandered on to loose ground during the Great Storm. The ground had given way and a river had swallowed her husband whole. She had put on a good face for the kids, but she was still deeply grieving the loss of her mate and best friend. She didn’t know if it would ever stop hurting.

              “Ma’am?” Antwon asked, checking on her.

              “Sorry, Antwon, just thinking about something.” She replied.

              Antwon Shabazz was the healer for her itineracy.  She had chosen to lead one since Kyle had suggested that at least half the council go out on these journeys to connect with others.  She was so proud of the man her son was becoming, and proud of the way he interacted with his boyfriend, Britt. But, she was also happy to be out from under their watchful eye.  Their worry about her was a little oppressive, and she just needed the space to breathe.

              “There is a farm up ahead, it looks like there are people there.” Called out their kinetic, Jonah.  Jonah was an Aquakinetic, or just Aqua for short. His ability was with water, and she had chosen to bring him because she would be near farmers.  Farmers on the high plains east of the city were always in need of water, and Jonah’s ability could help. The warrior who made up their fourth and final member was a young man named Alex.  Kate didn’t know him before they left, and hadn’t learned much about him since.  But, Britt and Kyle both said he was an able fighter. 

              Alex had been a second year student at the Air Force Academy.  He was naturally quiet, but had a strength about him that was undeniable.  He seemed to have almost no sense of humor, and never laughed at any jokes. But neither was he stern.  He was just a calm young man who did his job. His job right now was protection, so he ran to the front of the group with Jonah and led them onto the farm.  An older couple was working in the fields; they could see that.  The couple were that indiscriminate middle-age that always gave Kate a hard time.  She just couldn’t place their age, maybe it was forties, maybe fifties. Kate and Antwon caught up quickly as the four of them walked through the open gate on to the people’s property.

              “Well, hello!” Called out the woman, as the group came close.

              Kate waved to her. “Hi! It is nice to see people going about their normal lives.” She smiled broadly.  They had come across many people on this journey and Kate’s welcoming smile had always been a great introduction.

              “Yeah, life doesn’t stop just because the tractor doesn’t work anymore.” Said the man as he walked toward them. “What brings you out our way?”

              Pleasantry and caution was how everyone they met on the eastern side of town had engaged with them. This couple was no different.  In fact, they were even more pleasant than others they had met.

              “Oh, we figured it was time we got out and met the people who have made it through.” Kate said holding her hand out and shaking the man’s hand before moving on to his wife and shaking hers. “I am Kate Ward.  This is Antwon, Jonah and Alex.”

              The woman spoke first, “We are the Richards’, Bill and Steph. Did the church send you out?”

              Kate looked at her companions to see if they knew what Steph was talking about, but none seemed to. “No. What church is that?”

              Bill laughed, “If you have to ask, then they didn’t send you. Where do you all come from?”

              “We are from the west.” It was all Kate wanted to offer right now, she was still assessing the situation.

              “Welcome to the east side!” Steph smiled as broadly as Kate had and Kate began to wonder if it was as much a tool as the smile Kate herself used. “We have some pie, and I think the sun tea will be done now.  What do you say we have a break, Bill?”

              Bill nodded and all six went to the porch, where Steph gave them all some kind of delicious fruit pie and sun tea. Kate began to wonder if she could trade for tea. It was a nice, cheap flavoring. They all sat quietly eating and drinking in the shade of the Richards’ porch, when Steph looked off to the growing clouds in the west.

              “Storm is coming in.  It doesn’t look too heavy, but we will probably have to sit out the short rainfall.  I was hoping for a little more.  The crops need it.” Steph stood and stared west.

              Kate stood up and walked next to her.  “Maybe we can help with that.  You were so generous with your pie and tea.”

              Jonah stood, “Let me take a look at your irrigation.” He said.

              “You some kind of irrigation expert, Jonah?” Bill queried. There was an odd look of fear on the man’s face.

              “Something like that.” Jonah replied and began walking toward the corn fields.  Based on the way the trees grew in a line at the far side, one could tell there was a stream there.  All six of them ended up walking out that way, the other five following Jonah.

              “You can see it is just a small stream, it really isn’t enough to add much to our crops.  We do what we can, but I am open to any suggestions you have.” Bill said softly.  These folks were clearly more worried about water than they were letting on.

              “There is a well nearby?” Jonah asked.

              “Yes, there is.  How did you know that?” Steph asked.

              Jonah sort of ignored the question and walked to the edge of the stream.  Flattening his palm out and closing his eyes, he stood for a moment.  In a few seconds, a pump nearby began to bubble out water into the surrounding field.  Jonah opened his eyes.

              “We will need to capture that water.” Jonah said, “It will keep going for about three-hundred gallons or so.  That is all I have the strength for right now.”

              Kate and the others turned to look at the Richards’, expecting to see wonder or gratitude.  What they saw was fear.

              “You should go.” Steph said, as Bill walked back to the house without looking back.

              Kate walked up close. “Did we offend you, Steph? We are just trying to help.”

              Steph leaned in close.  “I know.  I really do, we both do. But, it isn’t safe to show your powers here.”

              Kate was flustered. “Why not?”

              Steph started to back away, “The Lord’s Hammer will come.  You have to go, or they will cleanse you.  I am sorry.” Steph hurried back to her husband.  They walked inside their house and closed the door.  Kate heard an audible click as they locked the door behind them.

              “Guess they don’t really want our help.” Antwon realized.

              “What is the Lord’s Hammer?” Jonah asked.

              Kate just shook her head and shrugged, “Okay, let’s move on.”

              They moved down the road, closing the gate behind them.  The light rain and low wind began about ten minutes later.  The storm passed in less than fifteen minutes with no hail and no sign of serious wind.  Kate resolved to be more careful about showing any of their powers in this area. The Richards’ response wasn’t expected, and certainly wasn’t normal, but she knew there had to be a reason for it. They would assume the position of a small group of ability-less travelers. At least until she could figure out what the hell the Lord’s Hammer was.