Ch19: Homesick

This is the conclusion of part 1 to my short story. I will be continuing my work on part 2 as well as my other larger book series, but I will be taking a break from posting a chapter every week as things are getting busy at my end. Enjoy! 

Copyright © 2013 by P.A. Lackey

All rights reserved.

No part of this story may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. 

Chapter Nineteen: Homesick 

Thunderous clouds rolled in over the trees which sparsely canopied the ground. The weather seemed calm however as the storm’s winds had not yet started, and Arius watched the family preparing the ranch for the coming storm. He had followed the father and two children back to the ranch hours earlier after they were done playing at the shore. He was curious about them. They were aliens to him, or more he was an alien to them. This was their world, and he was merely a visitor stranded where he did not want to be. He wondered if this family posed a threat to him or not, and thus he stayed hidden until he could discern a conclusion.

Arius remained in the shadows along the edge of the ranch. He felt weary, and hopelessness began to set in. He felt alone in the world, and found himself longing for people he could call friends. Furthermore he longed to be home again with his once to be future wife, but the realization that this world could very well be his new home set in. There was no way to go back now.

Thunder crackled in the distance, and he watched as the father put away a set of lawn chairs where they would not be carried off by the wind. A woman called to the children demanding that they come in soon, and Arius guessed it to be their mother. The children were reluctant to do so as they climbed upon the wooden fence next to the barn, but a rising gust of wind encouraged them to listen to their mother. The trees began to swirl as the wind passed through them, and the family hurried inside as cold rain began to pelt the earth.

Arius looked to the mean sky where lightning licked it furiously. Already it was a downpour, and his eyes were soaked in the cold rain spilling down his face. Looking to the barn he decided to intrude upon the family’s estate and find shelter.

He hurried to the barn door which the wind slammed shut behind him, and he found a dark foyer full of hay and various kinds of tools. A small burden pulling machine sat in the center of it, and his eyes looked to the upper deck where a shuttered window beat violently.

Making his way to a stack of hay he bedded down where he could feel most comfortable. The sound of rain pelting the wooden roof and barn walls eased him into the comfort of his own mind. The hopelessness he felt before seemed to melt away, and now he felt a temporary relief. He felt neither happy nor anxious, but the kind of sadness that would carry one to slumber.

A harsh scream shattered through, and Arius shuddered as if waking from a nightmare. He glanced around the barn but found no intruder but himself, and wondered if the scream had come from the house. Another scream splintered through the storm however, and he felt it far off away from the property. It was something else in the forest at least a couple miles away.

He didn’t know what it was, but it didn’t sound human. Suddenly he felt vulnerable as if something horrific would break through the barn at any moment flashing its sharp teeth, but the screams ceased leaving nothing but the pattering rain and wind which creaked through the barn.

His nerves were tight, but soon he began to fall back into a slumber where his dreams took him back home. He was with his wife-to-be upon a lime balcony overlooking a blue forest canopy. Red and gold cliffs spired above the canopy, and a mountain range swelled up past the far lakes sparkling beneath the sun. It was his future father in law’s palace which overlooked the countryside below. He had come up in the late afternoon to spend time with his future wife, and had been discussing the conflict between the several clans vying for power at the time. Not the most romantic conversation, but it was the world they were enveloped in. Of course their entire courtship was in the midst of political conflict. His to be father in law had arranged for his daughter to marry into one of the more prestigious clans, but had absolved the contract to make her marriage to Arius possible. The man had been like a father to Arius, and he was thankful for all the kindness he had showed him, but absolving a marriage contract was not a well appreciated thing in those days. Especially when it involved some of the most powerful people at the time. His to be father in law had sacrificed much to make his marriage to his daughter possible, but the consequences were huge.

“Hey, wake up,” a voice broke through his dream.

Arius jumped as someone prodded his shoulder, and he found himself back in the barn with two men standing over him.

“What are you doing in my barn?” the man with a rifle asked.

Thanks for reading part 1 of my short story. Hopefully I will soon have part 2 running. In the meantime check out my book, "Ground of Oam" here. 

Ch13: A Way Out

Copyright © 2013 by P.A. Lackey

All rights reserved.

No part of this story may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. 

Chapter Thirteen: A Way Out

The town sat silently upon the shore of the island, where the ocean whispered the sound of its steady waves from the darkness that concealed it. There were no lights in that place as the place was dead. Only toward the center of town could light be seen, for the leather soldiers had decided to make camp there as long as they were upon the island. Arius was dismayed about the amount of hostiles that had moved to the island.

The raping of a hanging sign against a chain-link fence sounded to their right due to the wind. Arius imagined a dark creature to leap out from the darkness as soon as they passed by the ally, but all remained still. Brockumus was ahead of him, and surveyed the area for their destination. The beach was just around the corner, for he could see a sudden blackness in the distance. Docks were consumed into the abyss.

Around the building, they made way toward an old boat house sitting off of the water. Jayvolni was supposed to be inside as they had communicated through the wheel upon arrival to town. This would be tense, for he would have to work with those who thought him a traitor.

The door to the boat house creaked open, and Brockumus led the way in, glancing to the left and the right. A boat sat in the middle of the room where ocean water calmly swept back and forth bobbing the boat up and down. A large door sat in front of the boat closing it off to the vaster ocean beyond.  At first the place seemed empty, but then Arius felt someone lurking in the far shadows across the room.

“Were you followed here?” Jayvolni asked, uncloaking himself from the shadows.

“No,” replied Brockumus. “Where are Dueson and Ruekrow?”

“Gathering essential supplies. We can leave as soon as we have them.”

“So the boat is good to go?”

“I patched it up, but it needs fuel. Hopefully the brothers will be able to locate some.”

“What about everyone else,” Arius chimed in. “We won’t leave without them.”

“The others will be here,” replied Brockumus. “Thorim is shortly behind us. It’s Rie and Grem I’m unsure about.”

Brockumus had contacted Rie shortly before arriving to town in order to persuade them to meet at the docks. The two mercenaries were reluctant to cooperate however as they had decided to take matters into their own hands. Apparently their ship’s beacon had been washed ashore, but the leather clad soldiers had seized it before they could. Rie and Grem planned to steal it back, but that meant waiting upon the island even longer.

“I heard over the wheel,” said Jayvolni. “They think they can retrieve the beacon.”

“It’s dangerous, but without it I’m afraid we would be stranded here forever.”

“I must say, I doubted the reality of finding it,” said Jayvolni. “But even so, we can’t stay here for long. If they don’t make it back by morning, then I’m afraid we have no choice but to leave.”

“That’s a lot of ground for them to cover,” said Arius. “Is there any way we can pick them up.”

“I have a feeling that as soon as we get into the ocean, we’ll want to get as far away from here as possible. I don’t want to leave anyone behind, but the two decided to go on their own, and thus far don’t seem in want of aid.”

“To be fair,” began Brockumus. “It was you that first broke up the group.”

“We needed a way off of this island before things got too dangerous, and now look at where you are.”

“I suppose they will be saying the same if they get back with the beacon.”

“If,” emphasized Jayvolni.

Brockumus let out a deep sigh before asking, “what can we do to help?”

Jayvolni turned his eyes down as if perplexed by the question, but staring them back in the eyes he replied, “Find out where Dueson and Ruekrow are at, and help them bring back supplies. What we need more than anything is fuel, so that is the real chore.”

“Sounds good,” Brockumus glanced toward Arius.

The two left the boat house where Arius moved his gaze to the distant moon which now glistened over the ocean waters. Before the clouds had masked its glow, but now it was left bare. Arius gripped his rifle, and wondered how much they would sacrifice just to save their own lives. Would they leave some behind, or would they pull through as a team? These were mercenary men however, and they knew little about teams. 

Be sure to check out  my book, Ground of Oam, here.

Ch11: Stories Told of History's Day

Copyright © 2013 by P.A. Lackey

All rights reserved.

No part of this story may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. 

Chapter Eleven: Stories Told of History's Day

Night had encroached upon them, and the five found themselves a few meters from the Gray Tower. A starry sky seemed to move above the trees as the planet continued its rotation, and the moon had for a short time been up. No fire stirred before them, as they wished to avoid attention. Thus they ignored the cold which impinged their bodies.

Naturally the tower would have provided ideal shelter for the five, but it would have left them cornered if the enemy were to come upon them. Therefor Thorim thought it wise to keep a distance, though no one felt comfortable by it. There was a killer among them, and Arius knew that the others distrusted him. Even Thorim who was reluctant to accuse him, remained suspicious. Arius could tell by the way he behaved. Wary glances, and uncomfortable silence were a giveaway.

Gruegon and Brockumus kept watch for the night, though no one slumbered. Camus was the fifth mercenary among them, and even more than Arius, was probably the quieter of the bunch. He had over the trip developed a bond with Gruegon just as Rie with Grem, and Jayvolni with Dueson and Ruekrow. Arius supposed that Brockumus was his new friend during the trip which left Thorim as the loner. He didn’t seem to have any one friend among the mercenaries, but acted as their leader alone. Arius could only wonder what their commander was thinking.

A sharp clicking sounded in the camp, and they all reached for their wheel. A palm sized device that clicked off an encrypted message. The shape of it was a wheel, and engraved symbols ran around the rim. The top part of the wheel turned to press upon the bottom part, and a message was dialed from Jayvolni. It was their method of communications, as they had no radio or com. The wheel operated by a type of magnetism which only the corresponding devices were linked to, thus they were able to communicate no matter what their distance from each other.

“He has found a boat by the docks,” Thorim spoke aloud. “but it’s condition is in need of repair.”

“If he succeeds in repairing it,” said Camus. “Will we leave with him?”

“Our priority is the mission, but he is right to say that staying is dangerous,” replied Thorim. “We will go if we must.”

Another message clicked through the wheels, and Arius noted it as from Grem. The two had nearly made it back to the crash site, but there were many leathered savages there. It would be dangerous, but they dared to proceed in hopes of finding the ships transmitter.

Thorim replied with a warning, but they refused to take heed from their old commander. They were on their own now, and only communicated to remain informed. All became silent as soon as communication was over.

The insects upon the world had taken to their chirping for the night, and now Arius’ mind began to wonder. He thought of his future wife, and despaired for the great distance between them. Could he ever get back to her, or was his destiny there among men who did not trust him. Was all this really a ploy of his future father in law of riding him forever? Heat flashed through his body as he looked back upon his gullibility. Yawen Waid, the father of his future wife, had tricked him. Arius had trusted the man, and at one time considered him as a father he never had, but now he realized the usury.

Arius’ thoughts soon turned to the mission which Thorim thought so highly of. It was true, they were there to make history, but perhaps it was their demise they would find instead. They were hunting a man of legend, long thought dead. What would his business be there, and what was he planning?

Arius recalled the stories taught to him as a child. A plague that devoured worlds, turning brother against brother, son against father. The great Plaigeanic Wars led by the Lord of Plagues, as the adversary called himself.  Worlds were in peril against his corrupting hand, and plague like armies, but a deliverer came to free them from the Lord of Plagues. Archaies was his name, and by his hand the adversary was put to death, the plague done away, and peace restored. Now here they were several hundred years later, hunting the man they once adored. The man Archaies, the one they once called deliverer. 

Thanks for stopping by, and sorry for the late post. Be sure to check out my book, Ground of Oam which is available for both Kindle and Paperback on amazon. 

Ch9: Cursing in the Tongue

Chapter Nine: Cursing in the Tongue 

A caw broke out over the dark forest canopy as a black colored bird fluttered among the jagged trees. This side of the island was unlike the other. While the other side had been full of color bursting from every crevice and rock, this side was nothing more than bland grey bark and faded leaves which hung from the trees and layered the gently sloping ground.

It was dark within the forest which was good since it provided enough shade to stay cloaked, and even if they couldn’t cloak, the canopy would prevent any aircraft from spotting them. Arius kept this in mind, but still questioned the situation with skepticism. They were on a small island with hostiles soon to be combing the land for them, and yet they expected to find their contact there. Something just didn’t seem right about it.

A stone wall was ahead of them, and the mercenaries moved through the open gate which looked old and unused. The Gray Tower was just ahead of them, and seemed to be surrounded by maze like walls which kept them away from the entrance. Soon they made their way through however, and Arius wondered at the purpose of the tower. It didn’t appear to be a lighthouse of any kind, but it was tall enough to be.

Thorim led the way, taking pause at the entrance. He motioned for Jayvolni to take the door which he did. The door opened with a snarl as the bottom of it scrapped across the stone floor. The mercenaries rushed in to clear the first room which consisted of half of the bottom floor. The next room was the other half, and a rounded staircase circled up to the second floor. The place was old and clearly abandoned. Could their contact really be there, Arius wondered.

Dueson led the way up the wooden stairs which creaked under their weight. The higher they climbed the more skeptical Arius became. Their contact was like them and would surely be aware of their presence now, but no one showed.

The door at the top was open, and Dueson headed in first followed by the rest. A round table was at the center of the room and a single chair beside it. Its back was toward the door, and a figure sat upon it. They slowed when they saw it, and Dueson carefully moved around it to get a better look. Arius took to the other side and soon they were all before it.

“We have a problem, sir,” Dueson said, as Thorim entered the room.

Arius eyed the corpse which was slumped forward. A dagger was in its gut, and florescent blue veins could be seen traveling up the corpse’s neck and face where they accumulated around the eyes. A deep blue substance lingered within the figures eyes, and Arius recognized it for what it was.

“Someone got to our contact before we did,” Dueson said.

Thorim moved in for a better look, pulling the head back to see the eyes. He cursed in his own language when he saw it.

“It’s one of ours,” he said, grabbing the dagger.

Pulling it out, he examined the blue edge of the dagger. It was definitely theirs as the blue substance coating the knife was known as Suedoth. It was a poison they coated their knives with. Once the Suedoth reacted with the blade a simple cut would infect the blood stream where it would make its way toward the brain.

“How?” Grem asked, casting a glance across all of them.

“Who’s missing a dagger?” Thorim asked with regret.

Everyone began to search their bags and belts to show themselves innocent. Arius started for his bag where he had put his, but his mouth turned sour as soon as he remembered earlier that day. His dagger had been missing from his bag, except for the blue Suedoth stone which was used to line the knife. His stomach grew heavy as he watched everyone else present their daggers. Soon their eyes were upon him, empty handed.

“Arius, where is your dagger?” asked Thorim.

“I don’t know, sir,” he stuttered. “I don’t have it.”    

Thanks for reading chapter nine, and be sure to stop by next Saturday for chapter ten. I'm not sure how many chapters this story will have though I am sure it is near the halfway mark. 
Meanwhile, be sure to check out my book, Ground of Oam, here.
Also, check it out in paperback here.

Ch7: Ghosted

Copyright © 2013 by P.A. Lackey

All rights reserved.

No part of this story may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. 

Chapter Seven: Ghosted 

Arius took a step back. A shelf full of canned goods was to his right, and blocked his view of the staircase. A stone wall was to his left, and the room was no more than twelve square yards. The unknown being made its way down the stairs, and stepped into view. The small basement window cast light upon the being’s face revealing a trail of dust before it. A leather mask covered the face, two holes were cut into it where the eyes were, and leather layered body armor clad the being’s form.

A snarl came from within the mask which had four buckles running down its front side. It turned toward Arius’ position; a fully automated firearm was clutched within its hands, and wavered around his position.

The being clicked on a light mounted upon the rifle to pierce the darkness which loomed at the back of the room. Arius faltered, and the light caught upon his face exposing him to the being. His shadow was cast against the back wall which he used to teleport himself away from the weapon’s fire which left a deafening ring in the room.

Arius hit the back wall and stepped to the side where the shelf covered him. The hostile turned to cut him off on the other side, but he swept around the shelf to catch the being from the back side. The muzzle of Arius’ double barreled gun aimed low, and blew through the hostile’s back. The being slammed into the wall where it fell lifeless to the floor, and Arius dropped his now empty gun for the automated rifle.

He felt something else coming down the steps behind him, and spun around to find another leather clad warrior storming down. Squeezing the trigger, Arius loaded several rounds into the figures chest. The armor held strong, but the shock would do enough damage to keep it down. The figure slid down the steps with several thuds before rolling off the side and hitting the floor. Already, Arius was cloaked within the shadows, and he hurried up the stairs to enter the hall.

“Engage!” Thorim had ordered through stealth speak.

Another leather warrior was coming down the hall toward Arius, but was brought to a halt as an invisible force plunged a dagger into its gut under the armor. The light through the window revealed it to be Dueson as he removed the knife and quickly took a kill strike at the being’s neck.

Gunfire sounded elsewhere in the building though it was probably due to panic as the leather warriors were being taken out by ghosts. Arius followed Dueson down the hall before they made it back to the main lobby where a warrior already lay dead. Something moved at the top of the stairs as a hostile backed away from the upper hall. It waved its rifle back and forth as if to guard itself from the invisible assailants, but Jayvolni moved past its defense, plunging a dagger into its gut. Within seconds the figure was disarmed and Jayvolni continued to assail it with his dagger before tipping it over the rail where it fell to the bottom floor behind the counter.

The building fell silent as only the shadowed ghosts stirred. Arius glanced out the front window where he found a cruiser parked outside. It was the only one around the premise as far as he could tell so that was all they had to deal with for now. The others came into the lobby where they exchanged curious glances.

“What happened?” asked Thorim, looking across all his men.

“One of them caught me with its light, sir,” Arius said. “I had no choice but to take him out.”

“Very well,” Thorim replied with a nod. “But now they’re going to know we’re here. Let’s figure out what we’re dealing with.”

“Do you think they were looking for us?” Grem asked, as Thorim turned the leather clad body before him onto its back.

“Probably,” Thorim replied. “I’m not sure what else would bring them to this island unless they picked up our ship on sensors.”

The group stared down at the body. The mask continued to cover its face and they did not know what lay behind it.

“Let’s take a look shall we,” Thorim said, before undoing the mask.
Thanks for stopping by, and be sure to check out my book, Ground of Oam.
Buy on Kindle here. 

 

Ch6: Loyalty

Copyright © 2013 by P.A. Lackey

All rights reserved.

No part of this story may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. 

Chapter Six: Loyalty

The white structure loomed over them. Its glass windows looked undisturbed, but life seemed absent from that place. Two white columns supported the roof overhead, and the group made their way to the oak colored door. The building was white in frame, but a log cabin style defined the rest of it.

Dueson opened the door which gave no hindrance. Inside was dark, and dust layered the furniture in the lobby. It looked like a fancy hotel, as a service desk sat between two large staircases ascending to the next floor. A hall went to either side at the top and the bottom, and a glass chandelier hung over the lobby.

“Certainly hasn’t been anyone here for years,” Grem said.

“Over here,” Jayvolni said, gesturing them past the front desk.

A large map of the island was painted upon the wall perhaps showing tourist attractions to the residents. The hotel was located near the center of the island, though there was much ground between it and the southern shore. However, Jayvolni directed their eyes to the eastern shore where a label read, Gray Tower.

“So Gray Tower is a place, not a description,” Dueson said.

“At least we’re on the right island,” Thorim said. “Check this place out for anything else useful.”

The group spread out to explore the halls and rooms. Arius took to the left and entered the first room. The floors in the hall were wood, but the rooms had carpet. Arius spotted a bathroom to his left before he surveyed the room ahead of him. Two beds were made but neglected, and a desk with a screen upon it sat opposite them.

Arius spotted something on the other side of the bed, and made his way over to find a corpse lifeless against the wall. It caused him pause for but a moment as this was the first sight of an inhabitant, though dead. They shared many similarities to his own kind though they were indistinguishable now because of the surgery they had gone through before setting out upon the mission.

The corpse was that of a man, and the years had consumed the body so there was actually very little identifiable about it. Within the cold grasp of its hands was a double barreled gun. Arius pried it away carefully before checking the firearm. Finding the switch he broke the front stock forward where a single round was found inside. The stock clicked back together and Arius hoped that it worked.

“Already found yourself a gun,” Brockumus said, from the doorway. “What happened?”

“Looks like he was shot,” Arius replied, eyeing the wounds in the chest. “I’m not sure what happened here.”

“Hey,” Brockumus said, to pull his attention back toward him. “Keep on your guard. You can’t be too careful now.”

“I know,” replied Arius, eyeing the gun.

He understood what Brockumus was talking about. He didn’t know who to trust, and suspected foul play from the beginning. Rumors had been started about him ever since the beginning of the mission; rumors that he lacked loyalty to the nation they claimed to serve. The others didn’t just think he was inexperienced, but they questioned his allegiance. Brockumus had seen through the lies though, and understood Arius better than the others. Arius only wondered who was responsible for the rumors, and if his future father-in-law had anything to do with it.

Brockumus left down the hall and Arius exited the room. Soon he made his way down to an old cellar where he found a stash of canned food. Light poured in from the small window on the wall leaving the rest of the room in darkness. Arius moved to a nearby pantry where he surveyed the supplies. He found nothing of use there.

“We have company,” someone’s voice trembled through the air.

Arius could feel its vibrations from the upper floor. Stealth speak they called it. A technique they learned in the academy so that they could speak to each other while in close proximity while not alerting potential hostiles. Only their extra senses could pick up the words spoken.

“Take cover,” Thorim ordered, from somewhere else in the house.

Arius felt something storm through the front door; it felt like multiple men quickly making their way through the building. A ruckus broke out upon the upper floors and he could feel everything going on within the building. Whoever it was, he was clearly searching the premises for something.

“Don’t attack unless attacked,” Thorim ordered.

By now they were all cloaked within the shadows of the house. The unknown persons would be unable to see them, and would pass on once they thought the place was clear. Arius could only wait within the cellar for the commotion to end.

The door flew open from atop the stairs, and he waited to hear the long creak as someone stepped onto the first step. Arius’ hairs stood on end as he felt it move down the stair case. He had no place to run, and only the darkness to conceal him. 
Thanks for checking in this week, and be sure to leave a comment. Also check back next week for chapter seven, or check out my book, Ground of Oam.
Buy on Kindle here. 

Oam's Cry

Several weeks ago I mentioned some projects my brother and I were working on concerning the new Oam's Cry series. One of those projects was creating a logo for the series, and here we have it at last (or at least the basic version). I hope to have a few different versions as time goes on.

Now, what is Oam's Cry?
Oam's Cry is a series based upon the childhood adventures my brother and I had growing up in Montana and abroad. Encapsulating multiple story lines of multiple worlds, our imaginations developed a world that would soon become the center of our book series.
Oam's Cry centers much around a profound event known as the Great Scatter. This is an event that forced mankind to scatter into the far reaches of space where signs of ancient alien civilization remain as a testimony to something greater that once was. Furthermore, a phenomena known as Oam's Cry haunts the far regions of space driving some to madness who wish to discover its secrets. Reminding them of a past shrouded in mystery, Oam's Cry teases at mankind's search for answers and challenges his very humanity.
My first book, Ground of Oam, takes place ten years before man's great scatter into the stars, and explores the tragic histories that lead the way to the event. The Rebirtha have seized control of Tierikium, once the center of the world, and now suppress humanity under its tyranny. The book follows three characters: Levi, who must discover his true identity, and find something called the Orbule Eye. Matthew, who must decide whether he will pursue the likeness of his father and chase his dreams for adventure, or defend his only home from a new threat. Isaac, a super-soldier who has betrayed the humans and joined the ranks of the Rebirtha. He must prove his new found loyalty by stealing something from the humans, but he is brought to the brink of a new war. A war that will be fought between the Rebirtha, and something even more terrifying, yet Isaac is the one to decide its declaration.
My brother on the other hand, will be exploring the era nearly two hundred years after the Great Scatter. Mankind has long set up his new world among the planets he inhabits, but something new is coming.
I am excited to see his book coming to fruition, and cannot wait until it is out. Check out his book cover which our sister graciously made. (notice the Oam's Cry symbol on the floor).

 
All images are copyright© 2013 by Nicole Lackey, and may not be used or copied without permission of creator.