Fallen Empire

  “Who's there?” someone shouted in a high-pitched voice that cracked with his words.

  “Demons!” another wailed.

  “Shut up, Gred. There ain’t no stupid demons in this forest!” Lilae heard someone reply, yet she could hear the fear in his voice as if he were uncertain about his own reassurances.

  “I told you we shouldn’t tempt the Ancients! We’re too close to The Barrier!”

  Lilae worked quickly, hoping to get some action before Jaiza killed them all with her skilled archery. She took a deep breath, and her vision changed. She could see their moves before they even did them. Everything stilled for her; all sounds muted, and Lilae activated her Focus.

  Silence welcome Lilae as she raced into the battle, calculating their every action.

  She darted into the mob with her dagger in her fist. She sliced Gred down before he even saw her coming. Lilae didn’t waste time making sure he was dead. Her dagger had cut his throat with such precision that there were no doubts.

  She slammed into a tall, burly man who seemed more like a solid tree. His body was made of pure muscle, hard as stone. Lilae climbed his body and stabbed him in the neck. Blood spurted into the air.

  As he fell backward, his hands racing to cover his wound, she hopped from his body and went on to the next. She didn’t need to look back; Lilae always struck true. She could hear him gasping for breath.

  Someone grabbed Lilae by her hair from behind. She used her Evasion. Her image flickered before his eyes, and, in an instant, she yanked herself free from his grasp. She kicked him in the back with such force that she heard his spine crack.

  His scream resonated throughout the woods, and Lilae put him out of his misery, pouncing onto his back. Her hands were secure against his thick, coarse beard as she snapped his neck.

  She stood and turned around. The remaining men were lying on the ground, covered in blood and dirt. Jaiza’s arrows protruded from their bodies. Lilae calmed her breathing.

  She stood at the center of the massacre. Her eyes closed as she listened to the last groans of pain and gurgles of blood coming from the bandits’ mouths. Her Focus subsided, and her vision of the world returned to normal.

  Lilae waited until their sounds of dying ceased before making her way back to the camp. She emerged from the forest, her hands and clothes covered in blood splatters. She wiped her face free of a few speckles with a rag that Risa handed her.

  Everyone stared at Lilae across the dancing flames as she warmed her bloodstained hands over the burning logs. Her pale face was streaked with blood, and her eyes watched the fire without a trace of emotion.

  CHAPTER TWO

  WEEKS HAD PASSED SINCE Lilae and the others had seen another village. They kept off the worn paths and stayed as close to The Barrier as possible. The massive stone structure stood as a constant reminder that they were far from civilization. No one ventured near The Barrier; it was feared.

  As they climbed over foothills and through mountain passes, Lilae glanced at the top of The Barrier, where a green haze rippled from the top of the stone to the clouds. She hoped that she’d catch a glimpse of a Silver Elf. Silver Elves shared a wall with the humans, and, in her mind, they were the friendliest of the six remaining races.

  The terrain changed from treacherous mountains and valleys, where the snow and wind whipped past their nearly frozen faces, to smooth plains and dense forests. It was like a dream to see the different landforms of Eura.

  They crossed over a bridge that connected two massive mountains. When they reached the top, it felt as if they were in the clouds. Whenever Lilae had the nerve to look down, all she saw was a white mist that resembled smoke. Though she couldn’t see it, she knew that a river rushed through the valley below. Its waters crashed along the rocks, causing a deafening roar to fill the valley.

  Too high, Lilae thought. The wind whipped around her, making her red hair fly into her eyes.

  Lilae gulped and tried to catch her breath. Her hands started to shake as she imagined herself plummeting to her death. She hoped the bridge was sturdy enough to support them. Her hands gripped the rough ropes that served as railings so tightly that they cut into the palms of her hands.

  Lilae was usually at the head of the pack, but now, she was the last to gather the nerve to cross. She willed herself to move her feet, forcing her mind to stop feeding her images of falling and hitting her head on every rock that lay below.

  Her breath sped up. The slats of the bridge were cracking; some were already missing. She looked to Pirin with terrified eyes.

  He seemed too far away. Lilae saw him motion for her to cross.

  “You can do it, Lilae,” Pirin yelled above the roar of the river below.

  Lilae looked down again, the mist curling up around her ankles.

  “Just take your time.”

  His patience with her gave her courage. She nodded, more to convince herself that she was ready than anything else.

  Lilae took a deep breath and headed toward Pirin. She would hate for him to think of her as a coward. She walked carefully across, praying the entire time. She drew a breath of relief when she safely reached the other side and joined the others.

  They began down a steep trail that led back into the wilderness. They were all tired. Everyone was moody. Risa and Jaiza stayed close to each other, as always, and looked simply miserable.

  Lilae walked ahead of them all, trapped in her thoughts, clinging to her more pleasant dreams to keep her going. Hunger nagged at her stomach. Her feet were calloused and sore from hundreds of miles of walking. Still, she refused to complain.

  Pirin once told her that complaints and excuses were signs of weakness. From as early as she could remember, his words were like law, and she lived by his and Delia’s teachings.

  “Please, Pirin.” Lhana stopped abruptly. She breathed heavily, coughing from the cold in the air. She dropped her bags onto the ground with a thud and folded her arms across her chest. “We have been walking since dawn and without a decent break. I am exhausted.” Her shoulders slumped. “Please, darling, can we rest now?”

  Pirin gave her one look. She was pale, her cheeks red from the wind. There was a small clearing at the mouth of a cavern. He looked to Delia.

  The Elder placed her staff on the ground, looked around, and nodded her approval.

  That’s how it always was: Pirin checking to make sure Delia was in agreement. He shrugged his heavy pack off of his back and held it with one hand.

  He nodded toward the cave. Lilae looked at it. It was a small opening in the side of the gray mountain, and all she could see was black inside. She was glad that she wasn’t as afraid of the dark as she was of heights.

  “This way,” Pirin said, leading them to the clearing. They climbed the rocks and heaved their sacks inside the shelter. “This will suffice for the night.”

  There was a collective sigh of relief and everyone busied themselves with setting up camp inside the hollow mouth of the cave. They would make it as comfortable as possible.

  “Looks like rain anyway,” Pirin said and peered into the night sky. He sniffed the air. “I’m sure of it. Build a fire inside the cave and we’ll sleep there.”

  “How long can we stay?” Lhana wrapped her arms around his waist.

  Pirin looked at Risa. “Until morning.”

  Jaiza’s gaze went to the dark woods on the other side of the cave. “But what about wolves? I saw at least three carcasses on the way up here.”

  “We’ll make a fire. Don’t worry,” Pirin assured her. “Lilae, go out and place the rabbit traps.”

  Lilae nodded, uncaring about the cold; it never affected her as it did the others. She wanted to talk further with Delia. Their nights beside the fire, learning and hearing stories, were what Lilae looked forward to each day.

  “Who will keep watch?” Jaiza eyed the dark cave and then the forest again. If there was one thing that Jaiza was afraid of, it was wolves.

  Pirin had already started to gather wo
od from fallen branches around the camp. “I’ll watch for half of the night, and then you girls can take turns. We’ll get horses from the next village and I promise we can stay at an inn.”

  The twins smiled. Lilae watched their faces light up, and it brought a small smile to her lips. The thought of sleeping in an inn excited them all. There, they could drink ale and meet new people. The food was always hearty, even if the beds were sometimes infested with bed bugs.

  Lilae lingered near the slope into the woods while the others set up. She heard something. Her head tilted as she listened to The Winds.

  Delia looked back at her, concern spreading across her face. “What is it, Lilae?”

  Lilae held a gloved hand up and continued to listen. The Winds spoke to her. They were always there like an old friend. The voices that floated along the breeze or rushing winds always warned her when something was amiss. She had relied on them since she was a child, and they never lied.

  Now, they issued a warning.

  “Bandits,” Lilae said, standing tall. Her eyes searched for movement in the bushes.

  “Oh, great. She’s talking to herself again,” Risa whispered.

  “Shush, Risa.” Jaiza nudged her sister’s arm. “She may talk to herself, but has she ever been wrong?”

  Risa didn’t reply. They both watched as Lilae stood near the edge of the woods.

  “Murderers.” The Winds were sure to tell Lilae that, and she gave the twins a look that they understood.

  “They followed our tracks, and they wish to rob and kill us,” Lilae said it as if she was discussing the weather.

  “Humph. I wish they’d try,” Jaiza said with a glower in the same direction as Lilae’s gaze.

  Delia drew in a deep breath. “Holy Elahe. We can never travel in peace?” She stabbed her staff into the ground. “Those bandits are damned fools to be this close to The Barrier.”

  “I don’t like this.” Lhana’s eyes darted toward the forest as she withdrew to hide near the cave. “Why does this always happen? One day they’ll sneak up on us, I just know it!”

  “I won’t let that happen,” Lilae said, glancing back at her.

  “You will be the death of me,” Lhana said as she turned her back on Lilae.

  Pirin gave her a sidelong glance. “Perhaps you’d let me train you some time, Lhana. You are not as defenseless as you pretend to be. Your trait is quite rare—it could be of use to us.”

  Lhana glared at him. “I don’t want to hear it. You seem to forget that I am a proper lady. Only warriors use their traits.”

  Pirin shrugged. “Suit yourself. I don’t understand why you’d rather waste something you’ve inherited.”

  Lhana shook her head. “Never. So stop asking me.” She raised a finger. “The first queen of the black throne gave my family my dowry. Who else can make such a claim?”

  Risa sighed and gave Jaiza a look. They both set their things down without a word. They’d trained with Lilae for times such as this since they were all children, and this wouldn’t be the first group of bandits to threaten them.

  Jaiza grabbed her bow, securing her quiver of arrows onto her back.

  Risa drew her sword quietly and put the scabbard down. She rolled her shoulders as if loosening her muscles.

  Lilae grinned, her teeth shining in the moonlight. She loved when the twins were like this.

  Jaiza stepped beside Lilae, who was younger yet taller. Her keen eyes looked into the growing darkness. “I’ll go ahead and see how many there are.” She twisted her blonde hair into a knot at the top of her head to keep it from getting in the way.

  “There are eight.”

  “You know everything, don’t you?” Jaiza rolled her eyes. “Fine. I can take them out.”

  Lilae’s grin widened. The thrill of a fight excited her. “I’ll be right behind you.”

  Pirin continued to unpack their supplies, shaking out their wool blankets. “This will be good practice for you girls. It’s been awhile since you’ve had a real fight. Maybe you can practice working as a team this time…”

  Risa lowered her sword. “Eight? What a waste of energy.”

  Pirin gave her a stern look.

  “What? I was hoping for at least ten,” she said as though it was a sport. “That would have been good practice. I can handle eight on my own.” She put her sword away and started to help Lhana prepare the salted pork and beans.

  “Risa…”

  “Father…” Risa said as she squatted down and pulled out an iron pot. “Lilae and Jaiza can take this one.”

  “Don’t be so cocky. You’re not the best fighter in the realm by any stretch of the imagination, so stop acting like you know everything. Even your Evasion can be countered if someone has the right skill. Trust me, killing people isn’t a game and should not be taken lightly.”

  Risa raised a brow. “I know it isn’t. But Lilae and Jaiza can handle it. We’ve done this how many times now? At least seven.”

  “Never underestimate your enemy, Risa. You never know if those men are as trained as you or better.”

  “You can’t be serious.” Risa huffed. “I doubt it. We both know that most bandits are nothing more than boys who can barely hold the weight of their own cheap sword.”

  “You’re not listening, are you?”

  “Yes, Father. I get what you’re saying. I will try not to be so cocky about it. That better?”

  Pirin sighed. “You girls are impossible,” he said, though a small smile played across his lips.

  “You didn’t train us to be warriors for nothing,” Risa said, as Jaiza slunk into the forest.

  Without a sound, Jaiza climbed into a tall tree and disappeared into the branches and leaves.

  Lilae stepped out of her cloak with her dagger sharpened and ready in one hand. It was warm on her palm and pulsed for action. She listened to The Winds as they led her to the men who approached her family’s camp, careful not to crunch any of the fallen branches beneath her feet.

  As the sun’s last light faded, she peered silently at the bandits from her place behind a tall oak tree. Energy flowed within her body, and there was an anxiousness filling her throat and a fire within her veins.

  The Winds warned her that the men were merciless. They preyed on innocent travelers, robbing and killing even defenseless women. In return, Lilae and Jaiza would show no mercy.

  There was a sudden whistling sound as Jaiza’s arrow cut through the dark forest and slammed into the chest of the leader. He gasped loudly, clutching his chest as he was thrown back onto the ground with a solid thud. The arrow was made of the strongest wood and impaled him to the dirt so that he couldn’t lift himself.

  Lilae noted the look of shock and pain on his face as he strained against the arrow. That look always interested her. It was the look of one surprised by death’s touch.

  Shouts and frantic orders ensued from the other bandits as they drew their weapons and searched for the source of the arrow. They held their weapons but ducked and cowered toward the safety of the dense, dark forest.

  Lilae watched them in silence. She could feel their fear, knowing their hearts were thumping with the terror of the unknown. She wanted them to feel that fear. It was the same fear countless others had felt when those men harmed them. Risa was right about one thing: their weapons were cheap. But these were not boys; they were men who had done this countless times, with success. This would be their last.

  “Who's there?” someone shouted in a high-pitched voice that cracked with his words.

  “Demons!” another wailed.

  “Shut up, Gred. There ain’t no stupid demons in this forest!” Lilae heard someone reply, yet she could hear the fear in his voice as if he were uncertain about his own reassurances.

  “I told you we shouldn’t tempt the Ancients! We’re too close to The Barrier!”

  Lilae worked quickly, hoping to get some action before Jaiza killed them all with her skilled archery. She took a deep breath, and her vision changed. She could
see their moves before they even did them. Everything stilled for her; all sounds muted, and Lilae activated her Focus.

  Silence welcome Lilae as she raced into the battle, calculating their every action.

  She darted into the mob with her dagger in her fist. She sliced Gred down before he even saw her coming. Lilae didn’t waste time making sure he was dead. Her dagger had cut his throat with such precision that there were no doubts.

  She slammed into a tall, burly man who seemed more like a solid tree. His body was made of pure muscle, hard as stone. Lilae climbed his body and stabbed him in the neck. Blood spurted into the air.

  As he fell backward, his hands racing to cover his wound, she hopped from his body and went on to the next. She didn’t need to look back; Lilae always struck true. She could hear him gasping for breath.

  Someone grabbed Lilae by her hair from behind. She used her Evasion. Her image flickered before his eyes, and, in an instant, she yanked herself free from his grasp. She kicked him in the back with such force that she heard his spine crack.

  His scream resonated throughout the woods, and Lilae put him out of his misery, pouncing onto his back. Her hands were secure against his thick, coarse beard as she snapped his neck.

  She stood and turned around. The remaining men were lying on the ground, covered in blood and dirt. Jaiza’s arrows protruded from their bodies. Lilae calmed her breathing.

  She stood at the center of the massacre. Her eyes closed as she listened to the last groans of pain and gurgles of blood coming from the bandits’ mouths. Her Focus subsided, and her vision of the world returned to normal.

  Lilae waited until their sounds of dying ceased before making her way back to the camp. She emerged from the forest, her hands and clothes covered in blood splatters. She wiped her face free of a few speckles with a rag that Risa handed her.

  Everyone stared at Lilae across the dancing flames as she warmed her bloodstained hands over the burning logs. Her pale face was streaked with blood, and her eyes watched the fire without a trace of emotion.