The Druid's Spear (Ascent of the Gem Bearers Book 1) (4 page)

But it was no use. The razor sharp teeth didn’t make a dent on Ludo’s body. Before long the top row of teeth were stripped away. In a murky swirl of blood and dislocated teeth, the shark tried to get away, but Ludo reached back into the mouth of the animal and did the same to the bottom row. The taste of blood, sweet and coppery, sent Ludo into frenzy. A bloody cloud drifted around them in the water.

The shark swam away from the site. Ludo caught up with him. With a vicious tug, he pulled off the shark's fin as easily as tearing cloth. The animal jerked in the water, helpless as an eel, but still trying to get away.

The instinct to survive is strong,
Ludo thought, chewing on a fin as he watched the predator flailing. He did not go after it. It would not be long before the animal was destroyed by those that liked carrion, dead or alive.

Moments later, another shark, bigger than the nine foot, made its way in the murky, blood-soaked waters. Ludo watched as it swallowed the shark whole, its orifices as impressive as its twenty five foot length. Yet, it wasn't any different from the shark Ludo had destroyed.

The instinct of opportunity was bred in all life. The colossal shark saw the dying animal as a meal. Regardless how it happened, it had taken advantage of it. Ludo finished his meal and made his way up and up to the coming light. After two centuries, his senses and his instincts were sharp as ever. It was time to return to the surface and to the world of men.

Ludo surfaced from the water, rivulets streaming down his body and cascading over the leather-like skin. His claw-tipped toes dug into the earth. He reveled in the sensation of the dirt between them, alive once more after two centuries of sleep.

The shark meat digested in his belly, and he rubbed his stomach in a gratified way.

Ludo took in the scenery around him. The moon glowed in the sky, a luminous pale sphere of infinite beauty. Blessedly, the night was clear. The stars studded the sky like gems. However appreciative of their beauty, he focused on what he wanted to see. The celestial phenomena that had awakened him.

There in the sky, the formation of the Druid’s Spear. Mars shone angry in the vivid blackness of the sky. The marker of his life. The sight of the planetary bodies sent a surge of hope through his veins.

At last. At last.

The wind blew across his face, and he inhaled deeply.

Then gagged.

The stench of humans permeated the air like a rotting carcass. The scent of their flesh, stank, dank, and putrid, entered his nostrils with invading force. Ludo bent over, gasping. He took in deep breaths to adjust his nose to the rancid aroma.

Minions or not, he would always hate that first whiff of human flesh.

It took long moments to adjust as he stood there. When he straightened, the smell became bearable. Purposely, he put one foot in front of the other.

An hour after moonrise, Ludo entered the cave. The unique, less offensive scent of Gilon’s descendants led him to this place. His
juusha
met him at each awakening, their eyes filled with the reverent fear he expected.

Large and medium-sized rocks littered the entrance. Ludo stepped on them and they disintegrated on impact, resulting in a billowing dust cloud at his feet. Further into the cave he came upon a sinkhole filled with crystal clear water. The ever deepening darkness within the interior carried with it an atmosphere of stagnation. It had been over two centuries since he last visited this place.

As he made his way, he heard the flutter of small winged rodents flying overhead. A rodent flew close to Ludo’s position. He reached out and jerked it from its flight. In one fluid movement, he shoved the animal down his gullet. A squeal of pain rose from the rodent but Ludo used his tongue to shift it around his mouth. The still-struggling rodent irritated him. Once the head was placed under his back teeth, he crushed it with the downward force of his jaw. Blood, hair, thin membrane, and bone moved back and forth in his mouth.

He gulped the entire mass down his throat. Darkness soon brightened to light further down the passage way. Flame light entered his field of vision as a second cavernous room came into view.

The moment he showed his form, raucous rejoicing began. Gowan’s descendants and allies were dressed in the customary crimson floor length shrouds. A cord of golden twine rested along the lapels. All their heads and faces were exposed. He wanted to be sure only the faithful stood in his presence.

“Master Ludovicus has returned!”

More celebratory commotion erupted from the cavern. Faces of every ethnicity knelt before him.

“Your garments, master,” the one who uttered the proclamation stepped forward.

Centuries had passed, but he still recognized Gowan’s descendants by the peculiar scent of their line’s blood and the signature tuft of white hair at the center of their heads.

Ludo took the garments and studied them. Long fitted pantaloons made of stiff but flexible violet blue material. A soft shirt with openings for the arms was among them.

He walked over to the proclaimer. The man seemed to shrink inside the cloak. Ludo turned the full force of his gaze upon him. “These are the garments of this time?” With a keen sense of pleasure he watched the color blanch from the human’s face.
Juusha
these humans may be, but none of them had ever seen him before. They simply sustained the legacies of their forefathers. Their voices lifted in joy but their hearts trembled at the sight of his visage. The tone of his voice had frightened them.

“Yes, Master,” the proclaimer squeaked. “We also brought hooded outerwear to hide your face among men.”

Ludo stuffed himself into the unwieldy garments. “Where is his location?”

The proclaimer’s face took on a deathly pale hue.

“Many apologies, master. We have searched for the past fifty years and have not found Rhychard’s descendant.”

Ludo’s eyes narrowed into slits. This was not what he wanted to hear.

“What do you mean, you haven’t found him?”

“Master, we’ve sent scouts and hunters over the globe and have not found them. It’s unfortunate—”

The proclaimer lost his voice as Ludo’s hands wrapped around his throat. The glint of his charcoal tipped talons overlapped the man’s head. The tip of one talon rested underneath the man’s twitching eye, nearly a centimeter away from the pupil. Through the thin barrier of his skin, the man’s heart beat like some kind of wild drum.

All he’d have to do is squeeze…

“Master!” another voice, this time female, called to him.

Very slowly, Ludo turned his head to face this interloper.

“What do you want?”

Underneath her dark skin, he also saw the rush of color fade from her.
Fear me, you weak, pathetic excuses for living flesh. Fear me.

“I beg your indulgence to not destroy your servant. He holds a position of high regard in the world of men. His death would be conspicuous.”

“Ineptitude must be punished.”

“Yes Master,” she said as she fell to her knees, “but spare his life.”

Ludo stared down at her while his fingers felt the blood thrum the proclaimer’s veins. The pulse of his breathing was shallow, the gusts of stale breath blew against the side of his face. Without warning he threw the man against the far wall. He heard an audible bone break and the idiot’s scream of pain.

“He’ll live.” Ludo dismissed the man with a flick of his head.

Others rushed to him while the woman lifted her head. Ludo came to her. “Fortunately for you, I know the place where Rhychard’s descendant lives. That is why the man is not dead, nor you. Take me to the transport.”

“You are generous, Master.”

These people were meant to be controlled
, Ludo thought as he made his way through the throng.
Left to themselves they descend into madness.

He opened his hand, which had been clasped around the object he’d searched for so diligently when he awakened in the ocean. It was an amulet decorated by ornate figures of gargoyles. Embedded in the center was a dull red gem. Tenderly, Ludo caressed it, pushing away the caked mud that had accumulated over the years.

The woman who begged for the proclaimer’s life made a movement. Despite the voluminous material of the robe, a glint of silver still sparkled at her neck. Reaching forward, Ludo tore the robe, ignoring the woman’s gasp of fright. The ripped fabric exposed a wide expanse of skin along with a long silver chain disappearing between the globes of her breasts.

“Remove it,” he ordered.

Shaking the woman unclasped the chain and pressed it into Ludo’s hands. He spent the next few moments attaching the amulet to it and putting it around his neck.

The weight of it brought back memories. Rhychard’s face from the past flashed through his mind – the golden eyes filled with authority and tempered with compassion. Ludo’s hand tightened around the amulet.

Damn you Rhychard, for this. Damn you
.

Rin followed the raucous sound of the
juusha
of Rhychard as they gathered into the large anteroom. At its highest point, the galley rose about fifteen feet in the air. Whether by design or not, a cluster of stalagmites ranging in various sizes rested in the center. It formed into something that resembled a chandelier made of earth.

Rin strode forward until she stood under it. As a child, she’d feared the day the rock chandelier would come crashing onto her skull. The dire thoughts of that event had faded over time however, and she saw the edifice as a sign of community. Soon the Elder and his son Alderic would come and stand with her. A sizable fire blazed and crackled nearby and she stepped closer to it to feel its warmth, although she doubted it would have the ability to melt the icy dread inside her chest.

“Uchida-san
, is it true? Has Ludovicus awakened?”

Rin turned toward the voice and saw one of the older women before her, eyes wide. “
Hai
,
Obaasan
.”

The woman’s fingers clutched at her throat. “What will the Elder do?”

Rin reached out and clasped the woman on the shoulder. “Do not worry,
Obaasan.
Ludovicus will not defeat us.”

I hope.
She hugged the woman, feeling the slight tremors rake through the diminutive frame. After some more words of comfort, the woman left and Rin sighed. The story had been passed down for so long that the reality of it seemed a distant thing. On the one hand, she wanted to ensure she would never forget why she and the others lived in caves, waiting for this day. On the other hand, that day had arrived. Stories had transformed into reality. That reality struck the
juusha
of Rhychard in the hearts.

“Uchida-san
, where is Tambo?” a young child called out to her in the throng.

Rin smiled, thinking of her companion, and glad for the diversion of her morose thoughts. “He’s probably on the hunt. He’ll return when he’s ready.”

At that moment, the Elder, fenced in by both Callen and Michel, with Alderic bringing up the rear, entered the room. Rhychard’s
juusha
dropped to their knees and bowed as they passed. Rin followed suit and stood once more. The Elder, old and bent over by age, still had the mental agility of his youth. Swathed in a silvery robe embroidered with dark thread, he made an impressive sight among the
juusha
. His dark eyes had a rich, otherworldly gleam in them, bright like the stars in the heavens. The reflection of firelight danced in their depths.

She focused on his son, Alderic, the pompous but likable giant and the self-proclaimed future leader of the people as he strutted about. A massive man with coal-black hair that hung about his head in a shaggy style, he exuded an aura of vitality felt by all. When he folded his arms, they bulged in an almost grotesque way, with veins interrupting their smoothness. Skin baked by the sun gave him a swarthy appearance. Alderic winked at a couple of young ones who giggled.

Alderic caught her eyes roving over him and waggled his eyebrows in a comical way. Rin laughed and shook her head. The Elder’s son desired her for his wife, but their friendship made that impossible. Rin would never see any of the men she’d grown up with as more than childhood companions. As she developed into a woman, she’d seen their interest in her but thwarted it. For a reason unfathomable to her, she distanced herself from relationships. Perhaps it was because of her destiny. The Elder stated she would be the one to bring Ludovicus’ end. The thought tied knots of tension in her stomach again. Did she truly have the strength to bring about the end of such a great evil?

The Elder came and stood under the rock chandelier while Callen and Michel faded into the background. He raised his hand to quiet the murmurings of the people, and a hush fell.

“It is true. Ludovicus has awakened.” The Elder’s voice boomed, a striking contrast to the look of frailty he had on him. “We have prepared for this day. We will not allow Ludovicus to touch the Descendant. We will withhold his gain on what is precious to us. Do not be afraid.”

Rin swallowed a sudden lump in her throat as the Elder turned. The black orbs locked onto her, the force of the gaze strong enough to render her immobile. For a long while, the silence lingered in the anteroom as the people waited to hear what was next. Rin wanted to know, too. Why did the Elder stare at her so? Was there some hidden secret he needed to relate to her? A command?

As if he heard her, he nodded and lifted his hand in a gesture for her to come to him.

“Our next move is to find the Descendant before Ludovicus can. This will require an individual agile in mind and body to undertake this task.”

Alderic cleared his throat meaningfully and puffed out his chest. Rin barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes.

“Will Alderic—
san
be enough to stop Ludovicus?” a voice called out. Others murmured alongside the query.

“It is not my son who will go to fetch the Descendant, but Uchida—
chan
.”

Alderic whirled to the Elder. “
Otousan
!”

“Be still, Alderic.”

“
Otousan
! I am more than capable of retrieving the Descendant. I have trained for this moment for as long as I can remember.”

“Yet this mission is not for you. Uchida-san
is best suited. It is not through my preference, but the will of the Creator.” The old man then turned to Rin. “Will you accept this task, Uchida-san
?”

The words hung in the air like a mist and settled over her with a chill. A part of her screamed that she could not do this. Retrieval of the Descendant would put her life at risk. Ludovicus’ power would only grow the longer time passed. She was but a child.

“Let us just say I am more confident in your child-like weakness than my son’s adult strength.”

Rin released a pent-up sigh. If
Senpai
believed in her, then she had to believe in herself.

Rin knelt to the ground before her leader, head bowed. “As the Creator wills, so I will do.”

A harsh gush of air erupted from Alderic. Rin’s lips twisted at the irony of their situation. She, the reluctant chosen to fetch the Descendant, and Alderic, the rejected eager one. She stood once more as the Elder said, “Uchida-san
will choose of you those to accompany her. That is all.”

The crowd disbursed with a flick of his hand and the
juusha
walked out of the anteroom with a few who remained behind. Of those left, Rin knew they anticipated the opportunity of traveling with her.

How do you choose your companions on a pathway to hell?

Lord Ludovicus, I will come to you soon,
the spy vowed as he shifted along with the
juusha
of Rhychard. The rumors had circulated for the past two days, but he had maintained a cautious joy in case they proved to be untrue. But the Elder’s confirmation of his lord’s awakening warmed his flesh like a hot cup of tea. All this time waiting, and it finally happened. He could complete his mission.

His eyes fastened on Uchida-san
, not surprised she’d been chosen to retrieve the Descendant. She was third to the Elder, and highly regarded among the
juusha
. Years of training as a warrior and her objective fairness lent her admiration. No one could name her ‘friend’ in the classic sense of the word except Tambo, and he couldn’t talk. Though warm-hearted, she maintained a distance between herself and others. Yet, they would all call her mistress if she so desired it.

“
Otousan
!”Alderic—
kun’s
exclamation exploded in the room. The affront on the man’s face made the spy sneer. Only Alderic—
kun
would have been shocked by the Elder’s choice. It felt good to see him shaken up. The spy covered his mouth, swallowing back a laugh.

Sounds of mass movement interrupted his musings and he quickly followed suit as the
juusha
bowed before leaving the anteroom. The spy lingered, his eye drawn to the people under the rock chandelier. From this distance the Elder’s son’s animosity sizzled in the air. It bristled from the man’s body.

“
Otousan
, why will you not allow me to lead this mission?” The Elder’s son towered over the bent figure of his father.

“There are many ears and eyes.”

“That doesn’t matter to me! You of all the
juusha
should know how important this is to me.”

“Are you saying that I am not capable?” Rin’s clear voice, soft but firm, echoed in the chamber.

“Of course not, Uchida-san
!” Alderic—
kun
slashed in the air. “It’s a matter of principle.”

“What principle is that?”

“I am the future leader and the Elder’s son.
Otousan’s
decree you retrieve the Descendant is little more than his saying he does not trust me.”

“It is not a matter of trust, Alderic.” The Elder turned away. “It is a decision based off what the Creator would have us to do. Did I not teach you to follow the commands of the Creator, whatever they may be?”

An older woman came then, and the Elder went to her, ignoring the inept fury hardening Alderic—
kun’s
face. A tic developed along his jawline and a vein throbbed at the temple.

How does it feel to have a desire and be able to do nothing about it?

As if he’d spoken aloud, Alderic—
kun’s
eyes landed on him. They narrowed into slits.

“What are you looking at, pebble?”

The spy’s body stiffened. He should have left before now.

“You think this is amusing?” The big man stalked toward him, each step causing his insides to knot. Yet, he held his ground.

“Leave him alone!” Uchida-san
grabbed at Alderic—
kun’s
arm but he shook it off.

Any moment his teeth would shatter from the pressure, but the spy refused to let her defend him.

“Stay out of this, Uchida-san
!” he clipped out. Though his fists balled, he knew they wouldn’t be much help.

“Oh, you’re not going to hide behind Uchida-san’s
apron?”

“Since when have I ever worn an apron?” Uchida-san
screeched.

The shadow of the giant soon loomed over him and he met the dark gaze of the Elder’s son. He clamped down on his teeth.

“Get out of here, pebble, while I still let you go.”

A harsh travesty of a laugh erupted from his lips. “If I leave or stay, nothing will change the fact you will not be the one to retrieve the Descendant.”

When Lord Ludovicus comes, he shall rip you apart.

The next instant a fist smashed into his stomach. Bile and acid rose in his throat as he double over and gripped his middle. He gagged and fought back the instinctive urge to vomit.

“I told you to leave!”

“Alderic, stop!” Uchida
-san
interjected. Eyes closed, he waited for the wave of nausea to pass. Sweltering heat coursed through him. There was no way he could retaliate. He wasn’t a warrior with skill. No strength to call his own. A tear threatened to escape, and he squeezed his eyes shut.

“I’ll leave.” Humiliation siphoned the vitality out his limbs. The spy straightened and put one foot in front of the other. A vow resounded in his head. A grim determination hardened his mouth.

Lord Ludovicus, I will give you Rhychard’s juusha to devour as you see fit.