Lycan Fallout 5 Page 11

  “You’ll get used to him,” I said as I petted Oggie’s head. He didn’t seem so sure of that.

  “The Lycan are northwest of here; I suggest we go west first, then north.” Azile was looking to me as she said this.

  “Talboton?” I did not like the idea of going back there after Bailey’s death. Her loss still saddened me and I felt guilty that she had died to save me. Compound that with the less than warm greeting I was sure to receive and, well, that’s all that needs to be said.

  “It is likely they already know what is going on, but it is imperative that we know how they stand on the matter.”

  “I would think they, of all people, would be even less willing to align with the Lycan.”

  “This is true, but we may be able to persuade them before it is too late.”

  “You’ve got a better chance of convincing me beer isn’t good food.”

  “Be that as it may…”

  “How do you think this guy is going to go over when we cross into Landian territory?” I thumbed at Kalandar.

  “It might be better if you assumed another of your forms,” Azile said.

  “Formsss?” I stressed.

  “You were not aware that I had the ability to shape-shift?”

  “Should I? Should I have been intrinsically aware?”

  “I thought it was widely known.”

  “Sorry, I’m a little behind in my mythology.”

  “That would be demonology,” Linnick corrected.

  “It is dense forest we will travel through. It would be much easier for you and the unexpected that we may encounter,” Azile said.

  I don’t know what I was expecting, maybe the stilted stop animation of old movie special-effects, but this was smooth, almost a graceful transition. He withered down in height from his lofty fifteen, to a gnarled and twisted six feet tall. He had a pronounced hump in his back that gave him a hunched, raptor-like posture. He waved his arm up and down; a rough, brown blanket appeared which he draped over himself and clasped under his neck. His face was very much Kalandar’s, as if no part of the spell could alter that, or maybe he didn’t want to, but that threw the whole thing off. He had a giant’s head and face on a relatively dwarfed body. Anyone that got within fifty feet was going to know he wasn’t human, but at least he’d toned down from a beacon announcing this, to a bright flashlight.

  “That’s going to take a minute to get used to,” I said to him. “Couldn’t change into something like a pony?”

  “Hmm, that’s a good idea.” Azile cocked her head to the side as she looked at Kalandar. “That brown wrap would make it easy. Do you mind?” she asked him.

  “Of course I do,” he answered.

  “Hold still–this needs to be perfect.”

  “She doesn’t listen to me either,” I lamented.

  “Perfect,” Azile said as she walked around. Alianna clapped her hands.

  “Huh?” I was trying to see what they saw.

  “He looks like a pony now.” Azile seemed proud of her work.

  “Amazing,” Kalandar said as he continually lifted his arms to his face to look. “I had no idea the wearer of the spell would see it as well.”

  I didn’t see anything except a light shimmer that appeared every once in a while, depending on where I looked. “I’m not seeing it,” I finally admitted.

  “What?” Azile asked at first, just looking over to me quickly then pausing. “Your eyes, Michael. There is a…” She got closer. “A golden glint.”

  “You didn’t tell her?” Linnick asked.

  “It never came up.”

  “Tell me what?” Azile asked. She didn’t seem angered that I had kept a secret from her, but rather concerned about whatever was wrong with me.

  “One of you had better start talking.”

  “He killed and drank from a luvier demon.”

  Hearing Kalandar gasp was something akin to hearing BT tee-heeing with his mouth hidden behind his hand.

  Azile hands flew to her face. “That is not possible.” She backed up a step then moved in closer, peering into my eyes as she did so.

  “We were fighting. He was attempting to either kill me or capture me, and was doing a much better job of the former. Once I got ahold of him, I did what I had to, to survive.” I didn’t add the part about drinking him dry; just because I was a vampire didn’t mean I relished in every aspect of it.

  “That is not possible,” Azile repeated. “Now I understand why you can’t see my concealment spell, or rather, why you can see right through it.”

  “He doesn’t know. You do not yet realize it, do you?” Kalandar asked.

  “If you think I don’t realize it, then yeah, it’s pretty safe to assume I have no clue what you’re talking about.”

  “It is very likely, Michael, that you are now the strongest power that walks this world.”

  “Linnick?” I asked.

  “I don’t know, Tallboat, but he believes what he says.”

  “Ah…it will be nice to grab the pants back in this relationship,” I said as a stab at humor.

  “This isn’t funny, not at all, Talbot,” Azile said. “We have no idea what has happened to you or what could still happen; we need to find out, yet those who might be able to tell us are across the ocean and we don’t have time to seek them out.”

  “Isn’t this a good thing? I mean, we need a little extra help.” I was fishing.

  “Potentially, but you could do irrevocable harm to yourself or those around you in the meantime.” Her gaze involuntarily went to the children.

  “I would never,” I told her.

  “It might not even be within your control.”

  “I feel absolutely the same as I ever have,” I told her.

  She looked at me skeptically. “That is not necessarily a good thing. You will promise me that you will tell me if you feel even the slightest bit odd. Wait, not odd–you’d forever be notifying me.”

  “Ha ha.”

  “I’m serious Michael. If anything feels off, you need to tell me. Linnick, gauge his answer for me.”

  “That’s not fair.”

  “Tell me what I want to hear.” She had her hands on her hips.

  I looked down at Linnick then up. “I promise.”

  Azile looked into my eyes for any signs of deception before looking to Linnick.

  “He speaks the truth,” she said.

  We were underway again. There was definitely a dynamic shift; Kalandar kept giving me sidelong glances. I think I had him freaked out. Had to imagine he’d always assumed he could take me if the need arose, but now, not so much.

  “Why did you lie?” I asked Linnick.

  “I’m not sure; I suppose I felt it is your condition to discuss or not.”

  “Thank you. I’m not sure she would have let me continue.”

  “Do not thank me; I don’t know if I have done great service to an individual or great harm to the majority.”

  We stopped around noon for a chance to feed the babies and ourselves.

  “So if Kalandar is a talking donkey, does that make you Fiona?” I asked Azile.

  “If I’m Fiona,” she smiled, “that means you’re Shrek and green does you no justice. Kidding aside, I wish you had told me.” She reached over to grab my hand.

  “Honestly, I’d never even thought about it until today. It was just another fight.”

  Kalandar was sitting off to my side. “I wish I could see the spell; it would be funny to watch a pony sitting on a log eating with its hooves.”

  Heard some startled birds take flight off in the distance. “It appears we have been discovered,” Azile said. “They will follow us for a while, until they have either seen what they wish to or have sufficient numbers to confront us.”

  “Well, I don’t like that. It’s not like you’re wearing a second skin; they should be coming closer in greeting,” I said.

  “Yes, that certainly is strange.” We grabbed our things and were back at it.

  �
�Feel like I’m doing an oral report,” I said aloud.

  “What?” Azile asked.

  “I’ve got the uncomfortable feeling that we have multiple eyes on us.”

  “Have you not figured out who we are yet!?” Azile shouted out.

  There was a pause; all was quiet in the woods, even the forest dwellers seemed to be holding their breath as we waited for a response.

  “We know who you are, Azile and Michael; we also recognize the children and the dog. It is the two others with you that are suspect.”

  “When the hell did they see Linnick?” I asked Azile quietly.

  “Your small horse is extremely peculiar, and we have never seen an animal quite like the one which inhabits Michael’s pocket. We are trying to understand if they are in some way controlling you, or are dangerous.”

  “They are not controlling us, but, yes, each is dangerous in his or her way, though not to friends of ours,” Azile said.

  “That remains to be seen,” the faceless voice replied.

  “Are you going to allow us to pass unhindered?” she asked.

  “That also remains to be seen.”

  “And who would have the answers to all that is hidden?”

  No answer came, although the crickets did resume their cheerful harmony.

  “Kalandar, you’ve practically ruined it for all of us. Couldn’t you pretend to be more horse-like?” I asked. I was kidding; I don’t think Kalandar was.

  “I have no idea how to act like a horse.”

  The evening was fast approaching and our watchful followers had still gotten no closer, nor announced their intentions. Their chances of a successful outing against us were slim, but I didn’t even want to go down that path. We were supposed to be friends.

  Azile did a protection spell over the wagon as the kids fell asleep; Oggie desperately wanted to go out on a hunt though I kept him close. Too many people out there with itchy spear hands.

  “I would like to gaze up at the stars, or are we supposed to stay on alert?” Kalandar asked.

  “I think we’ll be fine,” I told him. “Now that you bring it up, I am beat.”

  “Go to sleep. I will join you soon,” Azile said.

  I dreamt I was back in the underworld, only this time I somehow ended up inside the Bledgrum and it was an eternal wailing darkness, so when I awoke to what appeared to be a burning sun above my head, I was simultaneously thrilled and terrified.

  “Someone has tripped an alarm,” Azile said, she was already standing; tough to say whether she had ever lain down or had arisen so quickly I did not notice.

  “Couldn’t go with something less likely to burn out our retinas?” I asked, slowly standing. I figured the kids would be screaming bloody murder right about now, but it seemed that whatever protective cocoon she had placed over them blanketed out the mini supernova.

  “No need for alarm!” a voice rose out.

  “That Inuktuk?” I asked Azile.

  “Sounds very much like her. You say there is no need for alarm yet you creep closer in the dead of night,” Azile replied. “Inuktuk, if you wish to discuss matters, perhaps it would be better if you came out into the open.”

  Kalandar stood.

  “They are slowly advancing,” Azile said.

  Perhaps the arc-welding light over our head which was intensifying was drawing them nearer. Though the way Azile said it, sounded menacing.

  “Don’t we want them to?”

  “Yes, but wouldn’t you think they would have the foresight to warn us?” she answered.

  “Do you wish me to shed this form?” Kalanadar asked.

  “If that wouldn’t get them to back off, I don’t know what would,” I said.

  “Inuktuk, what are you doing?” Azile was concerned, as were we all; we didn’t want to harm these people.

  “Our shaman asserts there is a great force of malevolence within your group,” she replied.

  I looked around. I hated to think it, but besides Oggie and the kids, that could apply to any of us.

  “Did your shaman come back?” Azile asked.

  “We have one who has come into the power,” Inuktuk replied.

  “Strange,” Azile muttered.

  “That’s strange?” I was thinking about the many peculiarities just in our small group.

  “Why are you here?” Inuktuk asked.

  “Are we to have this conversation…like this?” Azile was looking around; something had her attention.

  “For now,” the Landian leader spoke.

  “Fine. We are headed to Talboton; a great war is about to be waged and we want to warn all that we can.”

  “Lies!” an unfamiliar voice rang back. “The Lycan are north of us and are still licking their wounds.”

  “Never said ‘Lycan,’” I shouted out.

  There was a hushed discussion. They were close enough I could hear their murmurings, but somehow not see them. Then a figure stepped out. She was a tall woman made taller by the headdress she wore, fashioned from deer antlers and eagle feathers. It was impressive. She had on a flowing buckskin dress adorned by branded images of stars. Centered on her chest was the large M for everyone’s favorite french fry dispensary.

  “I am Halifax.”

  Inuktuk stood beside her. “Our new Shaman.”

  “How long have you been able to wield the source?” Azile was sizing up the woman like a boxer may their opponent before the bell has sounded. She also looked over with concern at the kids; that, above all, made me nervous. What was it about Halifax that made her anxious?

  “You have brought demons into our midst.” Halifax’s gaze swept over me and landed on Kalandar.

  “Being a demon doesn’t necessarily make one evil,” I spoke up. It was no great secret I was a vampire and, as such, a demon. “I have met angels who are the epitome of wickedness. What you are does not define who you are.”

  “The asp is neither good nor bad,” Halifax started. “Yet, with the power of death it commands, it is better to avoid crossing its path. Is that not safe to say?”

  “If we are talking about the power of death, it would be safe to say you are a mighty powerful asp.” Azile was on guard.

  “And here our paths have crossed,” she replied.

  “Inuktuk,” I said. “This is us. Do not let this escalate. Maybe we aren’t friends, but we certainly aren’t enemies. Allies, for sure. There are far too many other things wrong with the world right now than to second guess old allegiances. A gate has been opened to the underworld. We are heading to Talboton to alert them, then to see if we can shut it before any others pass over. We will very soon be waging war, the likes of which none of us have ever seen.”

  “With demons,” Halifax intoned.

  This was going south quickly.

  “Yes, with demons.” I sighed. “Inuktuk, you know enough about history to realize that it is far less likely they are all evil.”

  “I do not remember any of the Lycan fighting for our side,” she replied. “Or any zombies, for that matter. They both did all they could to erase mankind from their rightful place in this world, and now it would appear that demons will attempt to do the same.”

  “Do you have a better example? Or are you just shooting from the hip?” Azile asked quietly.

  “Germany, World War Two,” I piped up. “There were people that resisted everything the regime did, helped others to escape the death camps. There were even some that tried to kill the leaders.”

  “Those were people helping people.” Inuktuk was astute. “Our enemies now, while they may have been human once, or even still appear human, they no longer are human. What they do now is not governed by a human understanding of right and wrong; they are not bound by what our morals may dictate.”

  “She wants to fight,” I hissed. “She’s painting us into a corner. Just how powerful is Halifax that she would openly challenge you?”

  “In terms of raw power, I do not believe I have ever seen one so completely open to the source
.”

  “Feel how you may about us, but we are fighting on the same side. The destruction of us will do nothing to aid you,” I said.

  “Perhaps yes, perhaps no.”

  Kalandar issued forth a loud roar and shed off his cloak. He immediately towered over the proceeding.

  “See? A demon cannot long hide who he is,” Halifax said.

  “I was attacked,” he answered as he rubbed his side.

  “What does that prove? That you can provoke us into a confrontation? Is that really what you want? Is this just a high stakes pissing match?”

  Inuktuk’s eyebrows furrowed as she wrestled with that visual; safe to say, in this age that quaint saying had gone the way of the middle finger.

  “I feel like you want to fight just for the sake of having a battle,” I clarified.

  There was nothing from their side. Inuktuk and Halifax had turned slightly away from us as they talked. Looked heated, with a lot of back and forth going on. When they turned back to us, Halifax’s serene face was clouded by anger.

  “You will leave Landian territory now,” Inuktuk said.

  “No,” Azile replied. “We will leave after we have visited Talboton.”

  I could see Landian warriors coming out of the shadows; we were surrounded.

  “Amy!” I yelled, using the Landian chieftess’s true name. She braced. “Regardless of what you may think is going on here, some part of you has to know that we are friends. We fought together side by side, repelling the Lycan. Nothing about me, about us, has changed. We fight for the people of this land, of all lands. No good can come from this. Perhaps you win.”

  “Perhaps?” Halifax scoffed.

  “Perhaps,” I emphasized. “If you do, all you’ve accomplished is to rid the world of champions that have been fighting for our common cause for centuries. Perhaps we win.”

  Not going to lie, I had hoped Azile was going to scoff at that; but she was quiet. That didn’t bode so well for our chances. However, Halifax’s eyes nearly rolled from her head at that ludicrous thought.

  I pressed on. “Then we have rid the world of one who should have been a powerful ally.”