Chapter 4 ‘shadows’ Li still wasn’t sure how he felt about these lands. The dry and tough environment was so different from where he’d been brought up. But he had to admit; the sunrises here were pretty spectacular. He watched the sky lighten gradually from gray to pale pink to a fiery rose. The few wispy clouds turned orange, and the sun emerged. He watched it creep downward, until the entire perfect glowing circle was visible. He was watching it creep downward because he was thinking, and when he was thinking he liked to go somewhere private. That morning he was perched atop the mesa that hid the Honeycomb, and balancing carefully on his hands. The muscles in his arms were beginning to ache, but he ignored the pain. Pushing his body to its breaking point was the only way to train. I thought I was mistaken – actually, I don’t know what I thought. I only knew there was something suspicious about her, and so I watched. A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead and dripped on the ground below him. He’d hardly been able to believe what he was seeing, at first. Little things, odd coincidences, kept nagging at him, though. Like the way that she seemed to know when he was watching her. Or the heating plate explosion. And then there was the way she would look up when someone in the base was practicing a little magic. It was mere background noise to him and anyone else who understood the cause, but she would look around with a genuinely confused expression. And in the heartbeat before I dropped down from the walkway onto her glider, I saw her hesitate. I felt her hesitate. She knew to stay back. It was crazy; it made no sense. People didn’t suddenly start growing magical ability; it didn’t work like that. You could practice, you could develop your powers, but you never had more than what you were born with, and Sakura had no magic. Gradually Li kicked his feet backward until they were on the ground and he was stretching his back muscles in an arch. But it couldn’t be denied anymore. Not after what he’d seen the day before. The way she’d fought those soldiers, all ten of them, had been nothing less than miraculous. None of them had even come close to touching her, and they were obviously veteran fighters. He’d seen enough of them to know. They were fast, but she’d been faster. He’d never seen her move so quickly, in fact had seen very few people in his life move so quickly. It took someone with a very well-trained eye to notice, and Li had studied the fight very carefully. It wasn’t really that she was fast. It was that she could see what was coming a moment before it happened. And Li couldn’t deny his suspicions anymore. Sakura was tapping into powers that she didn’t know she had. Finally he pushed his hands off the ground and stood upright, breathing deeply until his head had cleared. He was sure of it, impossible as it seemed. Now the question was how it had happened. Not to mention, he thought, taking a swig of water, exactly how much she has. ***** Tory took in the bodies of his men, scattered across the clearing, then risked a glance toward his commander. Blade was seething, though one had to know the Reptil well to see it. Stoically he flicked his tongue out, taking in the smell of the battleground, then extended a clawed hand. "Ssscanner." The tech man of the squad gulped, then crept toward the Reptil with the required equipment. He almost jumped when Blade snatched it out of his hand impatiently and held it up. The rising sun was casting more light on the scene now, and Tory examined the men more closely. Most had been shot, but there was one who’d died from the impact of hitting his head against the cliff wall, and another whose neck had snapped from a well-placed strike. Tory had an uneasy feeling as he watched Blade raise the scanner and activate it. Two sensitive readers began to rotate, picking up the heat output of all living organisms in the area at the prescribed time. A projected image showed several blurs that resolved as the scanner not only differentiated heat output, but biorhythm and electron patterns as well. In a sense, it was like reading shadows of the past. The images became more clarified, and Tory sucked in his breath when he recognized Sakura. She was fighting; no, it was more than that. She was tearing through the squad of soldiers like an unstoppable angel, wheeling and striking faster than he would have ever imagined she could. She was power and beauty. "Wow…" he breathed, and Blade gave him a sharp glance. "Uh, I mean," he cleared his throat nervously, "she’s fast." "Indeed," Blade snarled. "Thisss isss the one who essscaped you?" Tory didn’t want to admit it, but there were too many of his men who had seen Sakura. It was impossible to lie about this. "Yes sir." Those yellow pupils contracted in annoyance as Blade returned his attention to the images. Together they watched Sakura shoot the last man, then give a sigh of relief and turn to speak to someone. Another rebel had been with her, and he stepped closer to her before saying something himself. "Who isss thisss?" Tory shook his head. "I haven’t seen him before, sir." He wasn’t overly concerned with the male, he only had eyes for Sakura. Whatever the other one had said to her, she looked stunned and not a little miffed. "It’s obvious that he can’t fight; perhaps he’s a healer or tech." "Perhapsss." The two leapt on their gliders and fled the area, and Blade hit the kill switch of the scanner. "I want thisss girl." The deathly cold tone of his voice caused Tory to look up in alarm. He doubted that he’d ever seen his master look so murderous in his life. "I want her found, and I want her brought to me. I will open her every vein with my bare clawsss." He held Tory’s gaze as he opened and closed his fist experimentally, displaying his razor sharp claws that he was so proud of. Tory felt a shiver of fear go down his back as he pictured Sakura’s fate if Blade ever found her. He couldn’t let that happen. Blade was waiting for a response, he finally noticed, and bowed his head. "As you command, sir. I will find her and her friends." "Good." The Reptil turned and stalked away after giving an impatient wave of dismissal, and the men scurried to take care of the bodies before beginning another day of searching. Tory backed away from the group and turned toward the river, suddenly craving privacy. He was sure his face must show the turmoil inside. Over and over in his mind he watched her again, replaying the battle scene lovingly and absorbing every detail. There was no part of her that wasn’t perfect. His master’s words echoed through his mind then, causing him to swallow and clench his fists. Blade had raised him, provided for him, given him a home and a place to belong. Tory owed him his loyalty. But to present Sakura to him was unthinkable. Watching her through the scanner’s projected image, Tory was overcome with a powerful urge, a desire to take her as his own and keep her safe from anyone that might harm her. She belongs to me; I can feel it, just as I am considered to belong to my master. No one else can love her and protect her like I can. I have to find her before any of my men do. His objective crystallized in his mind, calming some of his anxiety, and he knelt by the bank to wash his face. The water was flowing quietly in this part of the land, reflecting with purity and clarity the morning sun and the streaked and colorful cliffs. For just a moment before his hands broke the surface, Tory saw his reflection in the water – and the reflection of the woman behind him. Startled, he yelped and pulled away from the river, then whirled around. There was no one at all near, and no place to hide on the rocky, gritty bank. But he had seen her. Tentatively, he leaned forward again and examined his reflection in the water. His eyes were dilated slightly and he was breathing hard, but otherwise everything was normal. There was nobody but him. There was no trace of the long-haired woman that had been standing just behind him. Her features had been indistinct, with long wavy hair that flowed down her body and ruffled gently with the breeze. He was sure he hadn’t imagined it, yet there was no one. I’ve been missing too much sleep lately, he thought distractedly, and splashed his face with cold water to revive himself. I really am starting to see things. But I can’t start to fall apart now. I’ve got to find Sakura. ***** Tory wrapped Sakura in his arms and pushed her down onto the ground, covering her small body with his, then placed a hand over her mouth. "Quiet," he ordered, and she complied, shaking with fear. Together the two of them were floating in a void, darkness pressing in from all around. He was clutching at her tightly, anxious not to lose her to the emptiness, and she did not struggle. In this strange and frightening place, she would seek any comfort she could get, even if was from the arms of the enemy. Something was approaching, she saw, something that she knew was coming for her. Her heart fluttered with terror, but there was no way to escape and she quivered in Tory’s arms. The perfect glowing circle seemed to know there was no hurry and drifted towards the two of them inexorably. It was a symbol, she saw, of a lavishly drawn sun bordered with archaic characters. In one corner a small crescent moon overlaid the rays of the sun, disrupting the perfect symmetry. Sakura felt drawn to the image despite her fear, and she struggled only half-heartedly to escape Tory’s grasp. The symbol was going to swallow her, she knew, and she would cease to exist. Like the hypnotized victim of a poisonous dune snake, Sakura waited for the inevitable to happen… A noiseless sound woke her, and she jerked spastically in her sheets. "Shh!" A hand was still over her mouth, and there was another pinning her down by her shoulder, trying to keep her quiet. "Relax," Li hissed, waiting until her breathing slowed and the fear left her eyes before slowly removing her hand from her mouth. "It was just a dream. You’re all right." Tomoyo had not woken, and was sleeping peacefully by her side. Kero was curled up near her head, also asleep. Everyone in the little cave was deep in slumber. "It – it was going to take me…" "What was?" "The sun. And the moon. It was going to take me. I don’t know why it wanted me." Sakura trembled and felt a few tears well up and spill out. Now that it was over, her dream seemed even more frightening. Li took her shaking hands in his and leaned forward, eyes snapping with curiosity. "What happened? Tell me everything." "I don’t know, I was in his arms - " "Who? Whose arms?" She finally noticed the urgent tone in Li’s voice and woke up completely. Why was her dream so important to him, and what was he doing in the women’s cave anyway? "What are you doing here, Li? What time is it?" "The sun just rose. Tell me what happened, Sakura, don’t leave anything out." She sat up and tried to back away, wary of his insistent tone, but he was still holding onto her hands. Unsuccessfully she tried to extricate herself from his grip. "What do you care about my dreams? It’s not important, it doesn’t concern you. What are you doing in here? Let go!" Li ignored her whispered plea and held on tighter, pulling her forward toward him. He’d heard the magic screaming from her cave as he returned from up above, and he hurried to her side before she made any actual noise and woke people. Magical dreams were very important and he was anxious to know what she’d seen. "Whose arms, Sakura? Did you see anyone you know? What happened, did you see any symbols? Anything unusual?" "I didn’t see anything, all right? It was just a dream; it doesn’t mean anything. Why won’t you leave me alone, Li, can’t you even let my dreams be private?" Not a chance, thought Li, and glanced at the little snoring creature near Tomoyo’s head. He wondered what would happen now if Kero tapped Sakura on the nose, not that he was ready to admit Kero really could sense magical power. He also wondered what the outcome would be if he invited Sakura to spar him in the training area. But he wasn’t ready to go there, not yet. Nobody else had noticed Sakura’s inexplicable changes, and he preferred it remain that way, at least for now. Li was not one to make hasty leaps. He liked to know the reasons behind something before making decisions. "The night you were captured, Sakura. Tell me what happened." Quickly she looked away from his intense gaze. "I told you. I told everyone. They hadn’t even begun to question me before you arrived. I wasn’t hurt." "You weren’t hurt, maybe, but something happened to you. Something that rocked you to the core. Tell me." She still wouldn’t look him in the eye and he tried to make eye contact without success. What was she hiding? "Why are you always so sure that you know everything?" she snapped. "Nothing happened. Why won’t you believe me?" "Because you’re lying to me, I can feel it. Just tell me what happened. I promise I won’t get angry." Sakura flushed with guilt and annoyance. Who did he think he was, to judge her actions? Then again, he was perfectly right to suspect. The dream had brought back the memory of Tory’s arms around her, and she tingled still. But Li would never understand. "Get out. Get out and leave me alone, or I’ll scream and wake everybody up." Something in her eyes convinced Li she meant it, and reluctantly he released his hold. The way that he was staring at her made her feel suddenly conscious of herself, and she hugged her arms to her chest. Living in such close quarters, the rebels did not concern themselves much with modesty, and Sakura had always felt perfectly comfortable sleeping in nothing but an old shirt of Julian’s. It wasn’t as if Li could see anything, but she felt exposed anyway. He might have let go, but he was still kneeling by her bed, studying her. "Well? Shouldn’t you get going?" He raised a hand and she flinched, but all he did was place a finger over her lips. "Quiet," he warned. "And be careful." And then he rose and walked away, vanishing in the dim light. She didn’t even hear him open the door that secured the little cave. Unconsciously she traced her fingers over her lips, where she could still feel his touch. Be careful? What did that mean? Li’s behavior was as strange and disturbing as her dream, and Sakura wasn’t at all sure which was more frightening. ***** "Please my lord, I beg you." The pathetic human knelt before Blade, quivering. "Our families live only to work and serve our Lord Lothar, we know nothing of those dangerous rebels." A snarl was his only answer before Blade’s claws raked across his face, knocking the man to the ground where he lay still, trembling. A woman in the doorway of her shelter shrieked as she saw the blood well up and run down the side of his face, but when her little son tried to run to his father, she clutched him tightly by his shoulders and kept him still. Everybody in the village was absolutely still, Tory saw, and silent. They were expecting the worst, and who could blame them? "Thisss land isss the rebelsss domain," Blade hissed to the crowd. "I know they are clossse. Sssurely you have ssseen them. Ssspeak now, and I will show mercy." The silence hung heavy in the hot midday air, and Tory pressed his lips together in vexation. He was as anxious to find the rebels as his master was, and this uncooperative village wasn’t helping. But he still wasn’t looking forward to the next part. Blade waited one click before pointing a claw toward the nearest shelter. "Dessstroy it." The face of the woman went white and she bolted from the doorway, pushing her child before her. She was barely clear when the gunner on the artillery transport leveled his cannon at the hut and fired. The entire structure disappeared in flames, and Tory heard a small moan escape the lips of the man lying on the ground. It really is too bad, he thought sympathetically, but you should have helped. We have to find the rebels. I have to find Sakura. He gave the man another perfunctory glance, then froze. There she was again, or, her shadow rather. Her long hair streamed out behind her like the flames of the demolished building, and then she reached out with her hands. She was reaching for him, reaching out to touch – "Captain Avalon!" His head jerked up and he found Blade just a few paces away, his yellow eyes glittering with impatience. "Gather your men to move to the next sssettlement. We ssshall demonstrate asss many timesss isss nesssasssary how foolish it isss to shelter rebelsss in thessse landsss." "Sir. Yes sir." Tory bowed his head, his eyes flicking toward the ground once more. The shadow was gone. Had there really been someone? Who was she? He waved his hand at his soldiers. "You heard, men. Move out." In an orderly fashion they began to reboard their transport, paying no attention to the destruction they’d just caused. Tory himself had long since ceased to see it, but this day was different. Perhaps his awareness had been heightened by the appearance of the mysterious shadow, but for whatever reason, he found himself lingering to watch the family who’d lost their home. The father had wiped the blood from his face as best he could and crawled to embrace his wife as she sobbed. They might consider it a tragedy, he thought, before turning and boarding, but they’re really quite lucky. At least they’re all still alive. ***** It was another bad day. Sakura had been feeling antsy ever since she got out of bed that morning, and she blamed it on the disturbing dream. Once more her blood pumped hot and hard through her body, causing her hands to shake and her breath to come in rapid and shallow gasps. In an effort to drain off the energy, she concentrated on attacking the training dummy. This time, before she began, she colored a tiny spot on its sternum. Maybe Li could be an arrogant bastard, but he did have good training techniques. She didn’t know how else to explain her successful fight the day before. Unseen by her, Li leaned against the railing of the walkway above and watched, a tiny smile on his lips. So she can learn. She might not want to admit that my ways are better, but at least she recognizes a way to improve herself when she sees it. Sakura was beginning to feel a little better after kicking the dummy several times on each leg. A smattering of red marks on her boot heels, concentrated into a fairly small cluster each, assured her that she was striking on target. If only she could maintain her speed while working on accuracy. "Wow, Sakura," someone said approvingly. She stepped back and saw Tomoyo and Kero watching. "You’re really getting fast. I hardly saw your leg moving in those kicks." "Thanks, Tomoyo." Sakura brushed her hair back from her face and smiled. Tomoyo was such a good friend. She always tried so hard to say the right thing, even if she had to exaggerate a little bit. "Water?" "Yes, please." Sakura extended her hand for the canteen and took a large swallow. "So you’re thinking of leaving, Kero? I heard the rumor this morning." "Guess it’s time for me to move on," Kero admitted, his expression far from cheerful. "I’ve tested everybody here, except you-know-who, and I can’t be wasting any more time hiding out with the rebels. There’s a whole big world out there, and I have to find my partner and the One." It was obvious he didn’t want to go, and the girls rather felt the same way. They liked the quirky little flying creature. "Can’t you stay longer? You have no idea where to go next. How can you be sure that the One really is out there?" Kero crossed his arms and twitched his tail. "Hard to explain, it really is. I just know it. Can feel it in my bones. The host of my creator’s power is out there somewhere, and I have to find him." Tomoyo gave him a thoughtful look. "How can the power still exist if your old master is dead? Can magic survive for so long after the body is gone?" "Always does," he answered cheerfully. "You just don’t know it. Clow always said the universe was in continuous balance. Power is never created or destroyed. It just moves around from place to place. The world is always in equilibrium." "Then how do you know his magic is contained within just one person?" Sakura pointed out. "Couldn’t it have split between several individuals?" "If it was anyone but him, then I’d say yes. But the magic of Clow was too powerful to be separated. It’s hard to describe, but I know I’ll recognize it when I feel it. If only I could just - " Kero’s wish was cut short as one of their scouts landed with a clatter on the cavern floor and rushed toward the walkway. "Commander Star! Julian! News, news!" "I’m over here, Kirby," Julian called out, emerging from the quartermaster’s caves. "What’s up?" Absentmindedly he tore at the drumstick of bruallke bird that he held in his hand. No one in the compound ate more than Julian did. Kirby turned away from the stairs and scurried to Julian, not far from where the girls stood. Everyone nearby had fallen silent and was watching the scout. "It’s Blade’s men," he panted. "The Reptil’s gone mad. He’s blitzed through two villages today already, leaving them half-destroyed and crippled, and hinting that he may come back to finish the job. It’s obvious that he’s willing to send every settlement in the badlands up in smoke. Make no mistake, this time they’re serious." Sakura cringed as she saw Kero’s shoulders slump a little, and Julian’s eyes grow hard. "We can’t allow this," he said softly. "Someone has to stand up to him." Benedin had arrived sometime in the middle of the debriefing and saw the look in Julian’s eyes. "Julian, hold on, let’s not rush this. I know you want to help the people, but that’s exactly what Blade is counting on you to do. Doubtless he wants to smoke us out; he’s circumlocuting around the entire area to see which village we’ll arrive at first. It’s nothing less than a trap; we’re better off if we sit tight." "There are innocent people out there dying for us," Julian reminded him, and Sakura remembered the story of how he’d rescued her when she was a little girl. He was right, they had an obligation. "We have to confront him." "But where?" Benedin produced a small, hand-held map and pushed a button, projecting an undetailed image of the badlands. Tiny glowing dots marked the few villages, and Kirby pointed to a couple. "Those are the ones that have already been hit." Julian traced the now-bare bone of his drumstick along the winding river. Most settlements were near the waters’ edge, for obvious reasons. "Then that will be his next target," he indicated, stopping at a solid glow near the fork in the river. The split had created a large floodplain that yielded more moisture and food than most of the badlands. "It’s not the closest, but he knows he has our attention now and will go the biggest one, where he can do the most damage." It seemed logical, but Benedin shook his head. "You can’t be sure. Maybe he’ll suspect you’re there waiting for him and go to another, or maybe he’ll make good on his threat and backtrack to completely destroy the first two. He has more to gain by tormenting helpless villagers than by confronting a fighting enemy." "Too true, unfortunately," Julian sighed. "But Blade’s a fighter. And we haven’t given him enough action these past few days to satisfy his bloodlust. I think he’ll want to go where the enemy is. We’ll oblige him by meeting him here. If he wants to sink his claws into any more innocents, he’ll have to fight for it." There were cries of agreement and encouragement from the spectators, and Benedin knew he’d lost. "Who’s with me?" Nearly every fighter raised their fist and gave a shout. Sakura almost volunteered herself, before she remembered that Julian would never allow it. "What about the first two?" someone asked, and Julian raised his eyes to see Li leaning intently over the railing, staring at the first two dots. "What if he does send his men back?" "It’s a possibility," Julian acknowledged. "Though not very likely. Would you like to go and check it out?" "I would." "You shouldn’t go alone - " "I’ll take Sakura." Julian’s eyes widened, and Sakura heard Tomoyo’s quick intake of breath beside her. She herself felt as though the wind had been knocked right out of her. Where had that come from? "You want Sakura to go with you?" Julian repeated, as though he couldn’t quite believe what he’d just heard. Li refocused his stare on Sakura, who was looking up at him in astonishment. "I do." She seemed as surprised as anyone, and Julian wondered at Li’s sudden change of heart. It was no secret he despised Sakura and scoffed at her fighting skills. But if he wanted her to come along, there was hardly any point in refusing. They were unlikely to meet the enemy, and it meant one less real fighter would be taken from the approaching battle. "Sakura?" "Hmm?" She tore her gaze away from Li to see Julian’s questioning look. "You want to go, right?" "Uh," she stammered. Of course she wanted to help, but the last thing she wanted right then was any more time alone with Li. Not after what had happened that morning. But she’d been waiting for this opportunity for cycles, how could she say no now? To Julian, of all people? "Yes," she finally said. "Yes, I want to go." "All right, then. But be careful." ***** She had to hurry to grab her canteen and blaster, and even so Li almost left without her. He was through the tunnel and soaring down the canyon before she caught up with him. "Okay," she panted. "What was all that about?" "What?" "You know what. I know you think I’m a pathetic soldier. You said yourself you wouldn’t even waste your time sparring me. So why bring me along?" "Wanted to keep you close by." He wasn’t looking at her, but keeping his eyes forward and his tone neutral. From anyone else the words would have sounded sweet, affectionate, but not so on Li. His stony expression was starting to frighten her. She’d never thought he was the sort that might take advantage of a girl, but after what had happened in her bed that morning…she shivered. Maybe she shouldn’t have agreed to come after all. "You don’t have to be afraid," he said abruptly, as if he could read her thoughts. "I just wanted you with me. It’s safer." "For who?" He didn’t answer, and they flew on in silence for a few clicks. The sun had passed its zenith and the day was approaching its highest temperatures. Sakura took a swallow of water and tried to keep to the shade as they glided down the canyon runs. Nothing moved; all living creatures kept to their burrows at this time of day. "Didn’t you want to fight with Julian at the river fork?" "Of course I did." "Then why did you volunteer to do this instead?" Sakura knew that Li never shirked from a fight; it seemed odd that he would request this potentially boring assignment. "Did you…have a feeling?" She tried to keep the wistfulness out of her voice when she asked that. She’d always envied those with magic and their sensory abilities. "No," he said shortly. "Just a suspicion." For the first time he looked at her, a tiny bit of curiosity in his eyes. "How about you? Any feelings?" "What? No, of course not. You know I can’t." He only grunted at that, and together they flew on. Nearly a parsec passed before they reached their destination. Sakura was navigating, and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the smoke ahead. Wait…that’s too much smoke for any simple fire. She glanced at Li and saw him clench his jaw. Both drew their blasters and zoomed around the bend in the cliffs. Sakura felt stricken at the sight that greeted them. The entire settlement had been systematically destroyed. Most structures were gone; others were in half-ruins, smoke billowing from their windows and doorways. Scorch marks from the long-range ion cannon that had been used blistered the ground everywhere. "Oh no," she whimpered and leapt off her glider to conduct a fruitless search of the village. There was no one, not a single person, living or dead, to be seen. How could they? How could they do this? Did Tory command them to do this? She gripped her weapon a little tighter in her hands and swallowed a sob. She should have remembered that he was one of them; that he was no different. All of Lothar’s men were the same. She shuffled back to the village center, where Li stood rigidly, gazing at a burning hut. "You were right." "I didn’t want to be right." "How could they do this?" "To set an example," he said in a low voice. He continued to stare at the flames, speaking more to himself than to her. "Intimidate, harass, threaten, he did all that. But it didn’t get him what he wanted. So he destroyed their homes. Simple and effective. Maybe it didn’t lead him to us, but he can be sure they won’t be offering any aid to the rebels in the future." "I’m sure of it," Sakura muttered. "There’s no one even here. Where did they go?" "Fled after the first visit, no doubt. They’re probably hiding in some caves nearby. They might not even know about this yet." No one had even been there to stand up to the soldiers? No wonder it was so thoroughly decimated. They hadn’t raised a finger to defend their own village. "How could they let them do that? Be such cowards?" She’d only been asking rhetorically, and didn’t expect an answer. She certainly didn’t expect Li’s hand to flash out and snatch her by the low collar of her shirt. He almost yanked her right off her feet and pulled her close, so close that their noses were almost touching. "I better not ever, ever hear you say that again," he said in a cold, hard voice. Sakura wasn’t struggling, locked into his intense stare. She’d never seen such rage, but there was something else there too. Some agony buried deep, beyond his ability to express. "These people are not cowards. They have families and children to think of. They didn’t grow up with no worries or responsibilities in a hidden base, with no one to think about but themselves. Just because they can’t fight like you or me does not make them cowards." He released his grip on her shirt and allowed the silence to hang heavy in the air for a moment before turning and striding away. "We have to get to the next village," he said, emotionless again. "There may still be a chance." Sakura watched him hop onto his glider, then forced her leg muscles to start moving. It happened again. Every time he starts acting like a human being, I say something that makes him snap like an attacking dune lizard. I never know when it’s coming. I only know that it scares me. Who is he? ***** Tory hovered in the doorway of his master’s transport, watching Blade twirl and slash expertly at the air. This time there could be no mistake. He blinked and rubbed his eyes, but the sharp edge of the weapon was shimmering with red. What was wrong with him? Was he going mad? "Yesss?" snapped the Reptil. Tory suddenly remembered where he was and dropped to one knee. "I dispatched the men to take care of the first two villages as you ordered, master." "Good." Tory winced only a little, determined not to show any weakness. He knew the inhabitants would have most likely fled after Blade’s first visit that morning, but that still didn’t make it any easier to order the destruction of people’s homes. That wasn’t what was weighing most heavily on his mind, however. "Your sword," he said lightly, as if he were just making casual conversation. "It is quite beautiful." Blade gave a smug look at his treasured weapon and held it aloft. He was expecting to see action that day and was in a good mood. He felt expansive toward his attentive slave. "Isssn’t it?" he crooned. "There are none like it in the landsss. Our Lord Lothar created it with hisss own magic." Tory’s ears pricked up at that. Magic? Was that he was seeing? He’d never had any ability like that before. Why now? "Would you like to touch it?" The sharp point hovered in front of Tory’s face, and he almost flinched. Up close, the air was twisting and knotting into red ripples of energy, making a thoroughly uninviting picture. He gave a slight shake of his head, praying that it wouldn’t offend, and Blade laughed his Reptilian laughter. "Sssuit yourssself, boy. You would do well to ressst for the remainder of daylight. We attack our next target tonight." "But surely that will give the rebels time to mobilize and confront us." There was another rasp of laughter. "I’m counting on it. Disssmisssed." Tory bowed his head and stood before backing out of the doorway. A night battle. With everything confused and no one able to see. What if something happens to her? How will I ever find her in the mess? Tory fretted, but there was nothing he could do and nowhere to go. Everyone except the gunner detail was confined to the camp at the oasis, and it would look far too suspicious if he left. He had nowhere to go anyway, no way of finding her before nightfall. He retreated into his tent and threw himself on the collapsible bed in frustration. Sakura, Sakura. Wherever you are, please be careful. I’ll find you again, I’m sure of it. Just stay alive until that happens. I know you’re close…Sakura. ***** "They’re close," Sakura murmured, so softly that Li whipped around in midair and gave her a piercing look. "What?" "They’re close." Her eyes had an unfocused look in them, and she was looking right through him. Li suddenly grasped what she was saying and turned again in midair, drawing his blaster. It was none too soon. The two of them zoomed around the corner of the towering cliff and came out into the open. The desolate and emptied village lay before them near the river bank. Above them, on a low mesa, the soldiers were aiming the portable ion cannon right for the center of the settlement. Oh no, you don’t. Li skidded to a halt on an outcrop of rock and raised his blaster. They fired, and the blast of energy arced out before falling toward the huts. Carefully Li tracked it and fired. Their shot exploded before impact, and the surprised gunners looked up. Sakura felt slightly dreamy, and wondered if she’d zoned out for a moment. Coming to a stop just behind Li, she watched the gunners swivel their cannon to aim at them. Li was raising his blaster. "You can’t be serious," she said in disbelief. "That’s a cannon they have. You’ve got a blaster!" "It’s not the size that matters," he said calmly, and closed his eyes. He was trying to get a sense of the mind of the trigger-man. If he could time it just right… Now! He squeezed off another round without even looking, and the volatile energy blast hit the exact center of the huge barrel as the cannon prepared to fire. It blew up in a terrific explosion, throwing several soldiers back and one right over the edge of the mesa. "I think we have their attention," Li announced grimly, and hopped back on his glider. "Come on, we’re like sitting bruallke birds on the cliff like this. The village has better cover." "Right." Feeling a trifle dazed, Sakura coasted down to the ground level with him. The soldiers were shouting up above, reorganizing, jumping on their gliders. A battle was about to begin, and abruptly her blood began to tingle again. ***** Exhausted from the hard work of searching over the past few days, Tory had at last fallen into a light doze as the afternoon wore on. But it was so hot. He twitched and gave a slight moan in his sleep as sweat began to break out on his forehead. So hot…so hot. The sun beat down, adding its intense heat to the flames that now raged out of control, destroying everything in their path. Tory ran through the shimmering heat haze with a hand over his mouth, eyes watering from the smoke. Ash from the fires sifted over his shirt and hair, dusting him gray. Everything had been turned upside down in just a few clicks. His home was gone, everybody was gone. Something exploded behind him, and he screamed in terror, dropping to the ground to cover his head with his arms. ***** Before they could come directly overhead and rain fire down over them, Li began to shoot at their gliders, one at a time. Sakura followed his example, forcing the dozen or so soldiers lower down, to the ground. "They’re going to surround us and try to separate us," he shouted. "Don’t let that happen! Stand your ground, and keep your back to something, whether it’s the wall or me." She had no time to reply, already taking cover and picking off a couple soldiers. A frantic ringing in the back of her mind warned her and she ducked before a shot from the side could zap her head. Something blasted her cover into smithereens, and she scrambled away before anything could hit her. Li heard something explode, but he had no time to check on her. One of them had come too close, and he rolled forward, knocking the soldier off his feet and spraying those nearby with blaster fire. He heard a couple screams of agony, then jumped up to knock the blaster from another’s hand. It was only when he twisted to break the man’s neck did he realize how far Sakura had gotten away from him. She was halfway across the village common, fighting hand-to-hand as fast as she had been the day before. But this time she did not have surprise as her ally. "Sakura, get back here!" ***** He’d lost her. How could he lose her? Tory stumbled through the nightmare world of burning ruins and collapsing structures, calling out desperately. "I told you to be careful," he mumbled, over and over again. There was no one to hear. "I told you not to go far. You were supposed to hold my hand, not let go. Where are you?" He brushed a few tears away from his dirty cheeks and looked around, but there was no one familiar to comfort him, no one to calm his terror. Everything that had been his home was gone, and he had to find her. He wasn’t even sure why anymore, but he had to find her. "Sakura!" ***** For a heartbeat, Sakura lost her concentration. A familiar sense flickered through her mind, distracting her, and in that moment a hard fist struck her across the face. "Sakura!" Li kicked the closest soldier solidly in the ribs and cast an agonized glance toward his comrade. She’d flown through the air with the force of the hit and crashed to the earth with a vicious thump. Had she been injured badly? He watched her struggle to her hands and knees, gasping slightly, and the soldier that had struck her step closer in a slow and deliberate stride. "Sakura, get up!" He couldn’t help, he was busy dealing with his own opponents. One of them aimed his blaster for him and he hit the ground, rolling behind some cover. "Little bitch," the soldier sneered and kicked her hard in the ribs, causing her to groan. "You think you can kill our men and get away with it? My friends and I shall have great fun with you tonight." He kicked her again, and tears spurted from her eyes with the sudden pain. "You’ll be begging for mercy, rebel." He and the other man that had survived Sakura’s attacks both snickered as she collapsed on the ground and rolled over onto her back, panting. Rage and fright bubbled up inside her; the tingling in her blood was now an uncontrollable torrent of energy. The faces of the two soldiers dimmed under a curtain of scarlet, and she wondered if she were blacking out. Another moan escaped her lips, although she had not been kicked again. Li paused in his fight, his arm holding one man in a death grip around his neck and the other hand pointing a blaster at another, and glanced over. Sakura was gripping her hair in her hands and moaning and panting like hell. ***** Far away, in a gloomy castle, Nietzsche positioned a glass instrument more carefully and chuckled. Now that he was expecting it, his sensory ability was much more focused, and his array of crystals helped even more. It was growing, he was sure. "Come on, come on," he goaded. "Don’t fight it. Show yourself, reveal yourself to me." The power wavered uncertainly, and he rubbed his amber globe enticingly. "You know you want to. Show your true strength!" ***** Sakura screamed and rolled over onto her side, curling up into a fetal position. Suddenly, the village erupted into multiple violent explosions. Li watched his glider, then the glider of another soldier burst apart into metallic fragments. The two men near Sakura screamed in pain as their hands exploded in blood, then their bodies followed suit. It’s everything electronic, Li realized. All soldiers wore com-links sewn into their uniforms, along with standard field monitoring equipment. It’s out of control. She can’t stop it. He realized the blaster was still in his hand and he tossed it, pushing himself away from the soldier. Both exploded a moment later, and he dropped to the ground just in time to cover his head with his arms. All around him, hell was erupting in the village. ***** The pain exploded in Tory’s mind so harshly that he jerked awake, almost falling off the bed. "Sa – sakura – sakura," he panted. His breath was coming in ragged gasps and his shirt was damp and clammy with sweat. It was unbearably hot, and he tore off the soaked shirt, wincing as the movement brought another wave of pain to his head. Flame…explosions…pain…confusion…What was it? Where was I? I was looking for her – Sakura. She must have been there, wherever it was. Gods, what happened to us? Who are we? Taking care not to jar his throbbing head, he crawled across the ground to where his canteen lay. Like a desperate baby he gulped at its contents, then splashed the rest over his body. It felt as though he were on fire. ***** Li waited a few moments after the last of the explosions sounded, then tentatively raised his head. Flames crackled merrily, but other than that, it was absolutely still and silent. Sakura was still curled up on the ground a few paces away, trembling, and he crawled over to her. "Sakura? Are you all right?" She didn’t answer, but when he reached out to brush her hair back from her face she cringed. "No, shh, it’s all right. It’s only me. I’m not going to hurt you." How ironic, that she was so scared. Delicately he placed his hands over hers and pulled them away from her face, aware that he might be taking his life into his own hands by touching her. But the danger seemed to be over for now. Sakura had been reduced back to an ordinary girl, reeling from shock and confusion. "What happened?" she whispered, pushing herself up to a sitting position. The last thing she could remember was watching the soldier standing over her laugh as he fingered his blaster. Then there was nothing but blackness and – and that peculiar sensation. The one that felt almost like pleasure. Was that what blacking out was like? Looking around, she took in the exploded gliders and weapons, the mangled bodies of their enemies. "What was it? Some kind of detonator backfire? What did they use that blew up all of our gliders?" She flexed her fingers experimentally and found that the shaking that had been bothering her all day was gone at last. In fact, despite those blows and the blackout, she felt just fine. Li was looking at her rather strangely. "You don’t know?" "Know what?" Li opened his mouth, then closed it again. Unbelievable as it was, she didn’t remember a thing, and what’s more, didn’t even seem tired from the exertion. Who was this girl? How powerful was she? Sakura waited, then repeated her question. "Li, know what?" "Never mind." He stood and brushed the dirt off his clothes, and she jumped up with a scowl. "Hey, what? You can’t just say ‘never mind’. You’ve been acting bizarre ever since the day you rescued me from Lothar’s men, watching me, saying all these strange things, asking about my dreams…is there something you’re not telling me?" Li met her gaze directly. "I think there’s something you’re not telling me. Like what happened to you the night you were captured." They held each other’s stare for a couple heartbeats before Sakura dropped her eyes in defeat. "Nothing happened." "Yeah, right." Li stepped over someone’s leg to get his canteen, where he’d dropped it before the battle. "I hope you’re feeling all right after all that. Because not only are our gliders destroyed, the soldiers’ transport is gone too." She glanced up to the top of the mesa and saw another cloud of smoke. What in the name of the Resistance had happened while she was out? Why wouldn’t Li say anything? "We’re walking," he continued. "And you know the area best. Which way?" ***** Nietzsche laughed loud and long, stretching his hands out of the window to the intense blue sky. What a jest…such irony. What wicked fates the gods sometimes laid before their followers. A rebel…after all this time of searching amongst the wizards and sorcerers of the land, it was a lowly, scrappy rebel. And a female! Such a pitiful little creature; doesn’t even understand what she is. But I do. I may not know her name or where she sleeps, but I have felt her. I know her sense now, and it is only a matter of time. I will find her again, and then I will present her to my lord. She is close…very close… Chapter5