Shadow Seed Read online

  Shadow Seed

  Published by Jose Rodriguez Jr at Smashwords

  Copyright 2011 Jose Rodriguez Jr

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  CHAPTER ONE

  A world being consumed by the shadow seed sounded like a hurricane, ravaged by winds just as powerful. Echoes of thunder and flashes of lightning filled the air, as daylight faded under a murky sky.

  Leon was exhausted, spending much of his blood fighting two Myrmidons that attacked relentlessly.

  One of the Myrmidons, Xran, swung a sword half his size from side to side as he rushed forward, driving Leon back with every clash of their blades.

  Even attempting a counter was pointless, as Leon had to deal with Xran or Vela at any given moment.

  The second Myrmidon, Vela, struck Leon’s mid-section with her staff, sending him yards across the field.

  Watching on a nearby hilltop, Nibiru and Marduk were enjoying the battle.

  Leon dodged Xran’s next attack, and used his sword to deflect Vela's staff at the last moment, inches from his head. When he tried to dart away, Xran backhanded him across the face.

  As Leon staggered, Vela jumped backwards through the air firing a ball of energy down at him. The whirring sound of the incoming energy ball got Leon to make a panicked scramble in any direction just to get out of the way before the impact blinded all three fighters.

  Although the explosion appeared to engulf Leon, Vela was shocked to see him somehow leap over it and hurtle straight at her.

  Leon swung his sword, hitting Vela's staff so hard that both weapons broke. Twisting his body in midair, he landed a punishing kick to the middle of her chest.

  Vela hit the ground with a good deal of force and appeared to be unconscious.

  When Leon landed on his feet, he found Xran waiting behind him. Thanks to his Vesuvian reflexes and speed, he dodged the oversized sword, causing it to become buried halfway into the ground. Leon leapt forward and punched the hulking Myrmidon in the face.

  Xran lost grip of his sword but recovered quickly and countered with a knee to Leon's ribs and a devastating punch of his own that sent the Vesuvian sprawling.

  Vela slowly got back up in a daze. It took a moment to regain her bearings.

  Xran approached, as Leon held his chest and rolled over on his side.

  Cracking his knuckles, Xran was two steps away when Leon, clumsily, scrambled back to his feet and delivered a bone crushing roundhouse kick to Xran’s face.

  The Myrmidon fell stiff as a board a few feet away

  Marduk chuckled.

  Leon’s breathing was strained. He stumbled a bit as he ran to get away before tripping over his own feet and falling to his hands and knees. On the ground before him was a spent blood glaive from earlier in the battle.

  Vela wasn’t too far behind. Still slightly dazed, she grabbed hold of Xran’s sword before realizing what it was. Like some kid who found a new toy, she pulled the sword out of the ground. It took both hands, but she managed the cumbersome weapon.

  Leon was still on his knees some distance away.

  Vela steadied herself and leapt through the air towards Leon. She raised the sword over her head, but before bringing it down like a guillotine, Leon suddenly spun and jumped towards her at the last second.

  In a flash, Vela found herself lying on the ground. All she knew was that she’d been hit hard in the face. Then there was a searing pain that went from her lower jaw on one side across to her eyebrow on the other. She screamed in pain, holding her face with one hand as she crawled away.

  Leon dropped the blood glaive. There was a small cut in his palm, one that wouldn’t heal unless he could find some blood to drink. He desperately tried to run, but lurched and fell.

  Xran stood and shook off his disorientation. With a loud battle cry, he sunk his fists into the ground. Using his ability to transmute just about anything into anything, he pulled out two large battle-axes.

  On his knees, Leon could only think of how much the world had changed, how dark and desolate it had become – and it was at that moment he noticed light, strangely, coming from his hand.

  Nibiru grinned.

  Looking closer at his hand, Leon saw his blood was glowing.

  Xran grimaced in pain at the light's growing intensity. With each step he took toward Leon, the light burned him more and more even though there was no heat. He howled in anger, raising his axes as he came up behind Leon, as the light grew so intense it became blinding.

  ****

  That was the point Leon always woke. It was a bad memory that had become a recurring nightmare. Sitting up, he found himself on the couch in his home.

  At the table in the next room over, Sara spat food out in disgust. “Eww!”

  Leon examined his hand as if he expected to find the wound he’d suffered in his dream.

  “Fighting old battles again?” Sara asked, before poking at her dish. “I thought this stuff was supposed to taste like chicken.”

  “I figured it would,” Leon said, joining Sara at the table.

  “Figured?”

  Leon shrugged. “They’re the same size, and they sound like them, so…”

  Sara pushed the plate aside. “The stuff that should be meat tasted like grass.”

  “You’ve eaten grass?”

  Sara rolled her eyes. “I like to live dangerously.”

  Leon scratched his head. “I’m sorry I don’t have much to offer,” he said, pulling out a deck of playing cards. “Would you like to play a game? Maybe you’ll forget about being hungry.”

  “Hungry is an understatement, Leon,” Sara said. “I’m gonna die. How can you eat this stuff?”

  “I never have.”

  “What about that pig thing I had last night?” Sara asked. “That was even worse.”

  “I don’t eat anything,” Leon answered. “Most Vesuvians don’t. If we do, it’s out of curiosity.”

  “What happens to the food then?”

  “Our blood burns it off, but it's not a pretty sight. We get real hot and weak, like we're sick.”

  Sara sighed. “Well, while the idea of never having diarrhea is interesting, a diet of blood still doesn’t sound so great.”

  “We drink alcohol sometimes, but even then it’s just for a good laugh.”

  “You must get sloppy drunk then.” Sara chuckled, placing her arms on the table and resting her head.

  “Not really,” Leon said, then thinking. “You know what? We can go to Nella’s Pub. She might have something you can eat.”

  Sara quickly stood. “Let’s go!”

  Wasting no time, they both headed outside and walked around to the back.

  Leon noticed some rustling in a nearby hedge. “Get out here, Chris.”

  Sara looked over to see a young boy and girl emerge from the bush.

  “And you brought Delia,” Leon said. “What are you two up to now?”

  “We just wanted to see the human,” Chris answered.

  Delia clung to Chris’ arm. “You’re…a human?” she asked.

  Sara thought the kids were cute. “Um…yeah, I’m human.”

  Leon tried shooing the kids off. “Don’t you have study, or something?”

  “We are studying!” Chris said.

  A dozen children then came out of hiding.

  Delia stepped toward Sara. “We
’re supposed to observe the human.”

  Sara laughed, flattered.

  “The Council wants her well-treated,” Leon said, stepping between Sara and the kids. “Stop bugging her.”

  “It’s okay,” Sara said, as the kids scattered.

  “That's what you think,” Leon said. “Give them half a chance and they'll want to spend all day with you. C'mon, the pub is just a few blocks down.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  A fog had settled throughout Vesuvia.

  Sara couldn’t even see the top of the taller buildings as she and Leon walked down the street. “Are the Turin worried about something?”

  “No, probably practicing,” Leon answered. “It’s usually foggy or raining because of them.”

  From among the crowd of Vesuvians in the streets, a female Orlok holding a small, covered basket ran up to Sara.

  Leon rolled his eyes. “Here we go.”

  Sara slightly tensed up, fighting the urge to gasp at the Orlok’s ugly appearance.

  “What are you selling this time?” Leon asked.

  “I have something for Sara,” the woman said. “Word on the street is she’s hungry.”

  “How do you know?” Sara asked.

  “Orloks, remember?” Leon said. “There isn’t much they don’t know. We’ve probably had one following us the entire time.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Sara said, crossing her fingers with high hopes. “What do you have?”

  The woman held the basket toward Sara and pulled the cover to reveal a dead rat.

  Almost fainting, Sara’s eyes went wide as she covered her mouth in disgust.

  Leon laughed at the sight of the rat. “Nice going!”

  “What?” the Orlok asked. “I’ve done the hard part and drained the blood. ”

  Sara tried to speak, but instead shook her head.

  “Humans are somewhat particular about what they eat,” Leon said.

  The Orlok covered the basket and held it close to her chest. “Beggars can’t be choosers!”

  Realizing that the woman meant well, Sara held her hand out. “I’m sorry…that was…rude of me. If I can’t find anything at the pub, I’m…not going to have much choice.”

  The woman joyfully gave the basket to Sara. “That’ll be one shilling.”

  “What?” Sara said in disbelief.

  “Here!” Leon said, handing over a triangular piece of silver.

  Kissing and waving the coin around, the Orlok cackled as she turned invisible and scampered away.

  Sara and Leon continued on until finally reaching Nella’s Pub.

  Inside it was just like any other pub, a very large one with Vesuvians.

  “Stay close,” Leon said, trying to make his way to the bar.

  Everyone was drinking, laughing, or in the middle of making fun of themselves.

  Sara spotted a half-mutated Vesuvian. Everything seemed fine, except that his nose and lower jaw was like that of a bat. Straining for several seconds, the bat parts became normal, and with a single hiccup he sprouted bat ears.

  In an open area were two brawny females, sweating and stumbling. Both were carrying a three hundred pound stone, and struggled to cross the finish line a few dozen feet away.

  “Those girls are from the House of Remia, right?” Sara asked.

  “Yup,” answered Leon. “What gave it away, the muscles or the deep voice?”

  Knowing the Remians had incredible strength, Sara was confused. “They’re having an awful lot of trouble with those rocks.”

  One suddenly dropped her stone and tripped over it.

  Sara tried not to laugh. “Looks like alcohol is real bad for you.”

  Leon caught a man about to fall and helped him into a nearby chair. “Yeah, and using up blood is one of the only ways of getting rid it.”

  The bartender was a provocatively dressed woman with spiky red hair.

  “Nella!” Leon called.

  Handing a drink to a patron, Nella came over. “My favorite customer, what can I do for you?”

  Leon was about to explain when two other men began to fight.

  “Okay, you’re done!” Nella said, her eyes turning blood red.

  The fighters immediately stopped, writhing in agony for a moment before they began vomiting their alcoholic blood, and then falling to the floor half unconscious.

  Leon turned to Sara. “That’s the other way of getting rid of it.”

  Nella’s eyes returned to normal. She grabbed two blood marbles from behind the counter and made them float over to the men.

  Both men ate the blood marbles and got back up as though they had just crawled out of bed.

  Nella gestured to the exit with her thumb. “You can come back when you learn to behave,” she said, then turning to Leon. “Who’s your friend?”

  “I’m Sara,” she answered, shaking hands with Nella.

  “What kind of food do you have here?” Leon asked.

  Nella had a puzzled look on her face as she stared at Leon for several seconds. “Leon, I don’t serve food. How many humans do you think I get?”

  “I was just asking. Besides, I couldn’t think of anywhere else.”

  Nella grabbed a drink for another customer. “No one is going to have anything.”

  “Nella, please help us out here,” Leon pleaded.

  Sara lowered her head and leaned against the bar. “I’m gonna die.”

  “There’s only one thing I can think of,” Nella said. “Have you seen the river a few blocks north of here? You can catch fish, can’t you?”

  “Yes!” Leon said. “Thanks, Nella. I owe you.”

  “You can repay me by telling Caycee she better return my ring!” Nella demanded. “It was her. I know it.”

  “She stole your blood ring?”

  “It took forever to make, and besides that I just used up a good bit of blood making those drunks stop.”

  Leon stepped away. “No problem,” he said. “Thing is, she’s with the Khothu right now.”

  “Just tell her when you see her,” Nella said. “I need that ring.”

  Outside, Sara was practically dragging Leon by the arm. “It’s this way, right?”

  They followed a trail between some buildings that led down to the river.

  Sara dropped the basket with the rat and cradled her growling stomach. “Fishing rod…” she said, realizing she didn’t have one.

  “Give me one second,” Leon said. He waded hip-deep into the water. For almost a minute he stood completely motionless before rapidly snatching four fish right out of the river.

  Standing behind Sara, Chris and Delia laughed.

  “What are you doing, Leon?” asked Chris.

  “I’m getting some food for our friend here,” Leon answered.

  Delia cringed. “Yuck! You’re actually going to eat that?”

  “Yeah,” Sara said defensively.

  “I’ve got to see this,” Chris said.

  Delia whined. “Chris, that’s gross!”

  “I’m gonna cook it, of course,” said Sara.

  Leon walked by. “If you kids want a lesson in culture, follow us.”

  Back at the house, while Leon prepped the fireplace, Chris and Delia watched Sara use a dagger to cut the heads off the fish.

  “Is it a ritual to behead them?” Delia asked.

  “You could call it that,” Sara said. “It’s more of a common practice to not eat the head.”

  Delia covered her eyes as Sara began filleting the fish. Chris was transfixed by the whole thing.

  Leon dumped some blood glaives off a metal tray and grabbed tongs to give to Sara.

  Sara wiped the tray and set it in the fire. She used the tongs to handle the fish until it was done. Not waiting for the other fish, she wasted no time tearing off a piece and putting in her mouth.

  The savory moment was awkwardly cut short as Sara turned to see Chris and Delia staring at her with wide-eyed shock.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Gillan stepped thr
ough some brush to emerge from the forest. “What a beautiful morning!” he said, looking up at the clear sky.

  Caycee was right behind him. “Beautiful? I’ve never been so hot,” she said, pulling her hood back.

  The sound of the ocean could be heard.

  “Hey, you’re like Leon,” Gillan said realizing Caycee wasn't affected by the sun.

  “Not really,” Caycee said, wiping sweat from her neck, and then parting the top of her blouse to show Gillan the necklace she wore. “Since you're my friend, I’ll tell you. I took this from a Turin, but not just any Turin. It belongs to Marus, a member of the Vesuvian Council. With this beauty, I can withstand the sun for a short while.”

  “Why did you steal it?”

  “I didn’t steal it,” Caycee declared. “I borrowed it, just in case. Gillan, please don’t say anything. If anyone asks, tell them I’m a very powerful Vesuvian.”

  Gillan shrugged. “I didn’t see a necklace,” he said, then nodding towards the edge of a nearby drop-off.

  Caycee walked over, unprepared for the amazing view she saw: a city in and around an enormous bay. In the middle was a large central island, surrounded by four smaller ones. The elevated land on one side of the bay was lined with cliff dwellings.

  Strips of earth interconnected the islands and the mainland with each other like a bridge. The heavily populated mainland itself had a system of rivers and channels with boats transporting people everywhere.

  Buildings seemed as though they had sprouted from the ground, as well as the thick, skyscraper pillars of rock that flanked the bay’s narrow entrance.

  “This is Tiamat, the grandest city in our land,” Gillan said. “It may look natural, but believe me, it’s a hundred percent Khothu-made.”

  Near a mountain next to the bay, wyverns flew about. Many of them carried Khothu with distinct yellow scales. One swooped down, waving at Gillan and Caycee as he glided by.

  Gillan waved back. “Perak!”

  “Hi!” Caycee said, waving as well.

  After pushing through some more brush, both came to a wall of earth twenty-feet high that encompassed the entire bay, making it impossible to go any further.