James Axler – Demons of Eden

Then, within the white blossom, she saw Ryan’s face and she called out to him.

“THE SENDER I HAD on me,” Ryan demanded, “where is it?”

Pizi scowled. “Only a Guardian may touch the Mazaska Wakan and the Inyan Wakan.”

Ryan snarled wordlessly. Blood-sniffer raised his head from the floor and blinked at him curiously. Forcing himself to keep calm, Ryan rose to his feet. Bravado, threats and reaching for his blaster would only shatter the tenuous bridge of trust he had built between Sisoka, Pizi and the wolf.

The sudden, insistent pressure in his mind was a new experience, yet the faint, almost intangible touch was familiar. He pulled Sisoka to her feet. She stared up at him in wonder.

“I need the sender,” he said in a measured, deliberate tone.

“How do we know you won’t contact Touch-the-Sky?” Pizi growled.

“You’ll have to trust me. I wouldn’t ask you for it if it wasn’t important.”

Sisoka gave him a searching stare, then knelt and felt around beneath the robe upon which they had been sitting. She brought out the golden wafer and handed it to him.

“Thank you.” Gingerly Ryan pressed the crystal disk to his forehead, trying to form thought-words.

The force of the mental energy flooding into his mind nearly bowled him over.

Ryan! Lover! Oh, Gaia, where are you?

I’m here, Krysty.

Her emotions crashed into his consciousness like a sunburst, all golden and glorious. Ryan tried to orient himself. Krysty’s riot of emotions became coherent thought-patterns. She told him of Joe’s betrayal, their imprisonment, how Sunlata had helped her reach the crystal chamber. Then she told him of Joe’s plan.

Fire?

Ryan was surprised by the depth of horror he experienced. His warrior’s mind appreciated the beautifully simple plan, but he recoiled at its unutterable cruelty. A fire in the valley was far worse than their blasters in the hands of Joe’s warriors.

What do you want us to do ? Krysty asked.

Stay there. Don’t start trouble unless you have to. Go back to your cell and send the girl away. I’ll come for you.

Where will we go?

Here, the encampment of the Wolf Soldiers.

He felt her wordless reaction of surprise, but he didn’t waste time explaining or repeating everything Sisoka and Pizi had told him.

Wait for me, lover , he said. Stay alive .

You, too, lover.

Ryan lowered the wafer and wiped at the sweat on his brow. He swept a fierce blue gaze over Sisoka, Pizi and Blood-sniffer.

“Touch-the-Sky has made prisoners of my friends,” he said grimly. “He has armed his warriors with our weapons to use against the Wolf Soldiers.”

Sisoka and Pizi said nothing, but they stood quite still and fixed, waiting.

“They’ll be coming with fire for the forest,” he continued roughly.

“Fire?” Sisoka’s voice was strained, trembly with shock.

“That is death for the valley!” Pizi bellowed, outraged.

“Unless we stop them,” Ryan replied. “I must free my friends and recover our weapons from your our enemies.”

“I will alert the soldiers and the packs,” Pizi said. “We will attack the city.”

“No,” Ryan said. “A frontal assault pitting bows and arrows against automatic blasters will only get yourselves chilled. Your ancestors learned that lesson the hard way.”

Pizi flung his arms wide. “The blade has been drawn!” he shouted. “There is no turning back. Blood calls for blood, and vengeance should fall swiftly on this coward!”

Ryan made a spitting sound of derision. “You sent assassins to kill Touch-the-Sky along the trail. That may be expedient, but it means you got no place to brand him a coward. That’s the one thing he ain’t.”

As Pizi sputtered in baffled anger, Ryan turned to Sisoka. “I’m going to the city. Who’ll go with me?”

Blood-sniffer rose and pressed his shoulder against Ryan’s leg. He reached down and stroked the wolfs broad head.

“While we’re gone, get your soldiers ready. No matter what else happens, Hell is on its way.”

THE WEAPONS DRILL wasn’t going well. In fact it was proceeding badly. Touch-the-Sky had chosen the best bowmen in the city to wield the blasters. Either their marksmanship could only be applied to arrows or they were too disconcerted by the flame and noise that accompanied each squeeze of the trigger.