Title: Chosen of Fate - Part 2
Author: Caitriona
Characters: Chris Larabee, Ezra Standish, Vin Tanner, Buck Wilmington, JD Dunne, Nathan Jackson, Josiah Sanchez
Pairing(s): N/A
Word Count: 15,391
Rating: PG13/T
Warnings: Nothing really...few curse words
Disclaimer: I own the plot line twist and this new AU. Everything recognizable from the show (name, characters, dialogue, etc.) are NOT mine.
Author's Note: In creating this AU, I had the incomparable help of![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
alex_kade as Supreme Beta as well as some wonderful ego-boosting.
Summary: (OW AU) In a world of myth, where Great Powers walk among us, an ancient prophecy is about to come to fruition. Foretold have been the warriors; foretold has been the battle. The time has come.
Artist: dj_aida -- my sincerest thanks for your FABULOUS work...this is the first time anyone ever drew something for me by hand!
Art: See the FULL SIZE drawing - HERE
When the six men gathered at the church the next morning in order to ride out together, they found Josiah waiting for them.
“Why'd you change your mind?” the healer asked.
Josiah shrugged. “Crows.”
Nathan frowned. “What crows?”
“A sign,” replied the older man.
“What does that mean?”
Josiah gave him a serious look. “Death.”
Nathan huffed out a frustrated breath. “Whose? “
“Probably mine.” The sage gazed around at the other men.
Ezra rolled his eyes. “Well, well, a sense of humor. I look forward to many lively conversations.”
Nathan shot an annoyed look at the gambler. He turned back to Josiah and gestured at the church. “What about all this?”
The older man just gave a small smile. “Oh... these stones will still be here if I get back.”
When it looked like Nathan was growing aggravated, Vin broke in. “We can use another good man.”
Josiah sighed. “Not so good... but I can fight.”
“Enough.” Chris’s decree brought an end to the conversation and the men rode out.
When the seven men arrived, Chris immediately set them to securing the area. He wanted each of them to set their own form of shield or protection. When asked about it, he merely said, “The more variety that thing has to face, the less likely it will break through.”
His men shrugged and decided to go one at a time in order to avoid tripping over one another. Each of them would take an hour or so to traverse the entire area. Tastanagi and Eban helped them set the exact boundaries of the village and then they began. JD went first as his power tied directly to the earth. Since JD’s abilities had such an affinity for the natural world, it had been decided that Vin should follow him. Then it was Buck’s turn, and Nathan’s; their abilities centered mostly on people and the physical world. Josiah did not possess an active ability, so he used artifacts and talismans. It was decided he should go after Nathan since his work also focused mainly in the physical. Ezra went next as his power affected the mind, and Chris went last due to his affinity for the spirit world.
After the long day of preparation, the seven men gathered near each other in the center of the village. Breaking into twos and threes, they fell into quiet conversations as the people settled in for the evening.
“Well, gentlemen, we appear to be as prepared as…humanly possible.” Ezra’s mocking commentary drew a raised brow from Chris.
“Got an issue with humans?” asked the gunslinger, passing a small canteen to the chestnut-haired man.
“Certainly not, sir!” The gambler exclaimed with one hand clasped dramatically to his heart. Vin gave a small huff of amusement as Chris rolled his eyes. “I just find it interesting that three such…people as we are here.”
“People like us?” Vin asked.
An amused look stole across Ezra’s face. “Come now, sir, are we not here because we are not altogether human? The grandson of death?” Chris gave him a steady look, but the southerner just smirked. “Nature’s chosen?” Vin shrugged. “And my insignificant self?”
“Seer called you ‘trickster’s son’?” Vin commented curiously. Chris tilted his head, interested in the man’s answer himself.
“Yes, well,” shrugged Ezra. “As you saw in the saloon, Father will take more forms than just that of Coyote.”
Vin’s eyes widened as the stories and legends of his adopted family came to mind. Coyote, the trickster god was a favorite…the one who would use deception and shadows to fix wrongs and set the pattern right.
“How are you at your father’s tricks?” Chris asked, his eyes narrowing in contemplation.
Ezra sighed. “Not as good as would be most helpful right now: shadowing the mind, clouding the senses, and some minor physical changes. My greatest gifts revolve around long-term plans, not quick battles.”
“Still,” shrugged the blond leader, “a small shadow at the right time can hide a lot. We’ll have to think about it.” With that, he turned to Vin. “What of you?”
“Best thing I’ve got for a battle are my senses. They’re better then most.” The tracker frowned. “I’m not calling any of the animals up unless it’s absolutely necessary. They’ve got no part in this.”
“Depends on what ‘this’ actually turns out to be,” replied Chris. “If it’s what I think it is, you’ll change your mind.”
“Maybe.” Vin’s eyes narrowed in contemplation. “There's a little backwater town up in the Texas panhandle. Tascosa. Flatter'n a felt-covered poker table. You know it?”
Chris gave a single nod. “Heard of it.”
“If I wind up getting killed, take my body back there.” Vin hitched his shoulder as the two men frowned at him. “There’s a priestess that’ll pay in money or magic.”
“How did you manage to become quite so valuable?” asked Ezra.
“Well, when the buffalo done run out, I became a bounty hunter. I was going after Eli Joe…one of the dark path followers. He’d shot up a few banks to help pay for whatever he needed. The bounty was dead or alive. I found him dead; took the body in. 'Cept it wasn't him. Old Eli framed me up for murder. Since I didn't do it, I decided not to stick around for the hanging. Wound up with a hefty bounty on my own head. So, I figure if a friend collects I get the last laugh.”
Ezra and Chris exchanged a glance. Ezra rolled his shoulders back, “Really, Mr. Tanner, it would be much more amusing to garner the bounty while you are still able to use it. A few mirrors and a little smoke…it is easily done. I will merely ask for a portion of the reward in repayment.”
Vin gave a quiet laugh as Chris just rolled his eyes again.
From across the way, Buck smiled as he watched his old friend find common ground with the others. His heart had grown lighter throughout the day despite the upcoming fight. Chris had finally started to heal. Buck did not lie to himself, he knew his friend had a long way to go, but it was good to see it finally starting.
“Buck?” JD’s curious tone brought his attention around.
The smile spread further across his face as his gaze met the bright hazel of his charge. He would never forget that snap as all of his gifts and senses focused on the boy when they first met. His mother had told him the histories and the stories, but none of them had prepared him for the absolute rightness, the completeness of the bond.
“Buck?” JD asked again with a frown. “Are you alright?”
“Yeah,” smiled Buck. “I’m good. Say, kid, what are you doing out here anyway?”
“I’m helping guard the village.”
The dry answer given with a raised brow made him laugh. He shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. What are you doing out west on your own?”
“Who else would be here?” JD shrugged. “My mother’s dead.”
“What about the rest of your family?”
“Don’t have any.”
Buck frowned. The fae’s numbers had been dwindling in recent centuries. They would never allow a child of theirs, even a half-breed, to wander alone. The children born to any of the royals would have been doubly precious.
JD’s shoulders twitched. Taking a deep breath, he raised his eyes to Buck’s. “My mother was half-fae…one of the night breed.”
Buck closed his eyes, suddenly understanding. The night fae had been cast out long ago. They had their own enclaves, rulers, everything. The two worlds, light and dark, never mixed. For a royal of the light fae to mate with a night breed…beyond disapproval, it was grounds for exile, removal from the family line…worse yet to allow a child of such a mating to be born.
JD started to rise and move away. Buck’s hand shot out and caught his arm. He pulled the young man back to his place. As JD turned wide eyes to look at the older man, Buck could see the fear that lurked deep within that gaze. His heart twisted.
Buck took a deep breath. “JD, I don’t care who your parents were. I am your Guardian. So long as I walk this world, you will never be alone again. Your path is my path, little brother…we walk it together.”
The tension seeped out of JD’s slight frame, and Buck grinned. “Now come on, kid. While the rest of them are jawing, we can grab the best spots by the fire.”
Josiah smiled as he watched the unlikely match set up their bedrolls. He suppressed a laugh as Buck made sure that JD had the safest sleeping spot.
Nathan chuckled. “Nothing subtle about that man.”
“Nope,” answered the older man. “Nice to see him taking care of the boy though. JD’s a mite young to be in the middle of this trouble.”
“Most people are too young when they start getting into trouble.”
“How did you end up out here anyway, brother?” Josiah asked curiously.
Nathan shrugged. “All of my family were slaves in Georgia. We’re born with gifts of one sort or another…made us extra valuable to the masters. They kept a tight hold of us and bartered us out to others for some high prices. I finally ran away.”
“That how you ended up with the army?”
“Not many places safe for a runaway. I started watching the doctors in the camps, learning how to use my healing without being obvious about it. Learned how to hide it behind medicines and other kinds of treatments.”
“It takes a strong man to grow up in such a life without being filled with hate,” commented Josiah.
“Don’t know about that,” Nathan replied. “Just found hating everybody too tiring. It didn’t hurt them, and turned my gift sour.”
“Wish I could learn that lesson,” the older man mused.
“Why’d you really change your mind about coming?” the healer asked.
“I saw the birds of darkness in a dream,” Josiah replied. “When I woke up, a crow was sitting on my windowsill.”
“Why come here?”
“If death’s coming, I’d just as soon meet it head on.”
Nathan sighed. “And get your reward in the hereafter?”
“No,” the sage answered, shaking his head. “No, I was…uh…I was a priest once, but…uh…had a little trouble turning the other cheek.”
Before either man could speak again, Chris rose from his spot. “Time to get some sleep. Waiting for sunset’s going to make tomorrow a long, hard day.”
As everyone began settling in for the evening, Vin watched as their leader pulled Ezra to one side for a hushed conversation. The trickster frowned at whatever Chris asked him, but gave a reluctant nod. The two men joined their companions at the party. Vin threw a curious glance at the gunslinger, but Chris just shook his head. The tracker shrugged and stretched out on his bedroll to pursue some rest.
The next morning dawned too early for anyone after the previous day’s labor. However, the seven defenders had been up for an hour before the sun begun rising above the distant mountains. Each of them made a final circuit of the village and checked their personal shields and protections. None of them spoke as they made their final preparations. The men devoted the day to resting or meditating, whatever helped them prepare for the coming confrontation.
Just as the sun’s last light left the village lit only by firelight, a mist began rising from the nearby hills and strewn boulders. It gathered and coalesced, tendrils reaching out towards the village. As the first fingers met the new magical boundaries, it drew back to build and solidify into the ragged form of a mounted colonel once more. He smirked.
“So, you are still here. Hmm, brave or stupid, I wonder? Your new protections will do you no good.”
He eyes began to glow with a sickly yellow light and scanned the mass of people huddled behind the shields. People began to moan and cry out as their gazes met his. Here and there a person fainted while others froze in place. Still more shook and fell to their knees, clasping their heads as tears poured down their faces. Young and old, male and female, that harsh gaze affected everyone it touched.
Finally he turned his gaze to the seven defenders. Nightmarish visions played through their minds. Chris’s breath rushed out of his lungs in a harsh, croaking cry as smoke crept across his mind. Catapulted into his worst memory, he could see the burned out shell of his home and the two bodies that lay within. The hellish vision did not stop there. With sadistic glee, the enemy painted another picture in his mind.
Flames! This time he arrived before the flames died out; they licked with vicious intent across the roof of the home he had built. He heard his wife screaming as the fire spread; he could hear his son calling for him. He could see them, in the window! If he could just get past the barrier that stood between them! There seemed no escape from the heat, and the guilt rose up to choke him. He felt himself stumbling forward; he had to get beyond that barrier!
“No! Chris, no!”
Two voices rang in his mind, pushing the vision aside. He shook himself free. He glanced up and jumped back as he found himself eye-to-eye with the evil figure. His eyes narrowed. As he stepped back, he cast a look over his shoulder and met two concerned gazes, one blue, and one green.
“I’m alright.”
Both men blinked, startled as his voice echoed in their heads. Vin’s lips quirked in a small smile while Ezra raised a single brow. Chris felt the bond with the gambler flare deeper.
“Mr. Larabee, do try and focus on the issue at hand. The others are not faring well.”
Chris snarled as he noted the stressed faces of his men. Sweat poured down Josiah’s face while Nathan’s hands trembled. Buck glared at the misty figure, his natural color drained away. JD half-leaned on his Guardian, but still faced down the creature. Chris turned back to the ghostly figure. “Go back! You are not welcome here.”
“And do you think to stop me, child of death, bringer of death? How are you different from me?”
“Oh, do allow me count the ways.” Ezra’s mental voice mocked.
“Thing’s full of itself, ain’t it?” came Vin’s contribution.
Chris smothered a smile at the sarcastic commentary running through his mind.
“Surya!”
The scream rang out, drawing everyone’s attention. A child had slipped away from her guardians and reached the circle of protection. An evil laugh resounded as the mist broke apart and streamed towards her. The little girl reached for the circling lights. As her hand reached outside of the defenses, the mist captured it and pulled her forwards. She screamed. She could not pull free. She fell out of the circle.
The mist began taunting the villagers and their defenders. It preyed around the child, reaching out tendrils to touch and stroke along her skin. She would scream as it touched her, whimper as it reached towards her. Surrounded by the smoky substance, she could only fold herself into a ball and hide her face.
The seven defenders snarled and growled, but they could not step outside the boundaries or their protections would fall. The girl’s father restrained her screaming mother even as tears poured down his face.
The mist coalesced into the form of the Colonel once more. He gave them an evil smirk and reached down to pick up the child. Her screams began before he even touched her, only to increase as he actually lifted her. He petted her hair.
“Will you watch?” he asked, eyes glittering as they locked onto Chris’s stormy glare. His head lowered slowly towards the girl’s neck without breaking his connection to the gunslinger.
Fury roared through Chris’s mind.
“No!” Vin’s shout echoed in the hills and a call from the air answered him. Even the eyes of the Colonel looked up.
A large owl dove through the air towards the mist. Before it could react, the bird had locked her claws around the child’s shoulders and yanked her free of the Colonel’s evil grasp. Flying low due to the weight of her burden, the large bird carried the child back into the circle of protection. As her mother snatched up the girl, the bird soared back towards the sky.
The mist screamed in rage and lashed out. The magnificent creature fell to the ground, death already stiffening the inert figure. Vin stumbled, the death cry hitting him.
Chris stepped forward. “Nukpana!”
The mist jerked and the Colonel’s eyes went wide.
“Yes,” taunted the blond. “I recognize you. I name you. Nukpana! Be gone!”
The Colonel’s form dissolved and the mist swirled, it’s sickly lights flickering.
Chris’s eyes narrowed and he raised his right hand. Gathering all of his strength, he focused his power on the mist before him. “Nukpana! BE GONE!”
With a ferocious bellow, the mist blew apart.
Everyone held their breath, waiting, watching. When the mist showed no sign of returning, the villagers began talking and laughing, their relief evident. Their defenders did not relax, however. They recognized this had been a stop-gap measure to buy them a little more time.
Before any of them could speak, Josiah collapsed.
Nathan leapt forward, catching the older man and easing him to the ground. He ran a hand over his companion, the light bathing Josiah’s features in a cascade of brilliant white. The healer shook his head.
“The strain,” he said, glancing up at the others. “The strain has weakened his heart. He’s out of the fight for now.”
Chris nodded. “Get him and that little girl somewhere safer. See what you can do for them.”
Nathan nodded. He gestured to the nearby tribesmen and they began moving Josiah away. Chris looked around. Already the night was well advanced. The confrontation had taken longer than expected.
“Ezra, it’s time.”
The gambler’s eyes narrowed and he huffed out a breath. “Just so we are clear, Mr. Larabee, I still find this quite annoying. You will assuredly owe me restitution for this abominable duty.”
“Just go.”
Ezra rolled his eyes before turning away. Even as he walked off his image became blurry, wavered and faded.
“Humph,” snorted Buck. “Show off.”
“Have you seen what he’s wearing?” asked JD. Buck just grinned, relieved to see his charge recovering so quickly.
“Enough,” said Chris mildly. “You two check the wards; make sure they’re holding.”
“And me?” asked Vin.
The leader turned to him. “I know you don’t want to involve any more of your…”
“No,” Vin interrupted with finality.
“You want to let me finish?” Chris gave him a level stare. As Vin backed down, Chris continued. “They can stay inside the protected area. I just want extra eyes on our surroundings.”
Vin gave a nod, a flush rising in his cheeks. “Right. I can do that.”
A small smile quirked the edges of Chris’s mouth as he went to do his own brand of reconnaissance. A handful of restless spirits still loitered around the village, watching over loved ones. He had recruited them to stand sentinel. Now he moved through the shadows between the worlds to speak with them. For all of his abilities, this perhaps was his most powerful…the ability to walk between life and death unseen by any living creature save by his will alone.
“Watch carefully. Warn me when anything begins to rise.” His dark voice drifted through the village. Although no living being heard it, they felt the shiver as a sense of death passed close.
As the day passed, the men checked and tested the wards. Nathan kept a close eye on Josiah and the child Surya.
“Chris?” Nate’s voice drew the gunslinger to the injured. “Would you please take a look at the little girl? I’ve done everything I can physically. She’s completely unresponsive. Her body is working, but her spirit seems to be missing.”
A hard expression settled on Chris’s face. He had avoided interacting with any of the children thus far, but he could not turn down Nathan’s request. Of all of them, he had the best chance of determining if death drew close. He followed Nathan until they reached the girl’s pallet. Her mother held her hand while another woman wiped her forehead.
“Rain, Suna, this is Chris Larabee. Would you please let him take a look at Surya?”
Rain’s head tilted as she gazed at Chris. “The girl’s future is now hidden from me.”
“Happens,” he replied shortly. “Let me see.”
The two women moved back as Chris knelt down. Placing one hand on her forehead, he tilted his head. A sweet song drifted through his mind. Closing his eyes, he saw a brightly lit meadow filled with many-hued flowers. In the distance he could see a dark shadow moving closer. His grandfather drew near, moving as slowly as possible.
He wanted Chris to save the girl if it was at all feasible.
Chris reached his other hand to the girl’s mother. A trembling hand met his. He shook as her emotion flowed over him. Forcing himself to be still, he allowed the connection between the two to open, the love and fear passing through him, living mother to dying child…trying to call her home.
His face remained like granite even as his heart broke anew at the reminder of his own lost family.
In his mind’s eye, he watched the little girl turn slowly back towards him; her mother’s love a siren song she could not resist. His grandfather stopped, holding back as the girl began walking, then running. She leapt towards Chris and he could feel the electric shock as her spirit rushed back into her body. He released both mother and daughter as the girl sat up with a cry.
Despite their attempts to show their gratitude, Chris rose and strode away into the dark shadows of the night.
As dawn crept over the distant horizon, it found Chris sitting at the fire pit watching his men.
“Didn’t sleep?”Vin asked as he stretched out the kinks in his back.
“Nope,” came the quick reply.
Vin waited, but shrugged as no further words seemed to be forthcoming. Pulling himself up, he stretched and glanced around. “Wonder if there’s been any movement?”
“Nope.” Now the reply sounded half amused. As he looked around, startled, Chris shook his head. “You’re going to have to think a bit quieter.”
“Or not,” shrugged Vin. “Any sign of Ez?” The tracker joined him at the fire for some coffee.
Chris snorted. “He’s going to skin you for that one. I haven’t seen him yet, but…it might take him a bit to get what we need.”
“Where’d you send him, Cowboy?”
The blond choked on his coffee and leveled a glare at the unrepentant Vin. “Don’t call me Cowboy.”
Vin just hitched a shoulder up. “Where’d he go?”
“To get a box.”
Confusion spilled over the tracker’s face, but Chris rose with a quick grin. “Time to wake ‘em up. ‘Cept Josiah; we’ll let him sleep.”
Morning spilled over the village. Just as they finished rousing Buck, a yowling drew Vin’s head up sharply. At the same moment Chris tilted his head, listening to a whisper on the wind.
“It’s back,” he announced softly.
Five men moved to confront Nukpana. When they reached the edge of the village, they could only stare in disbelief. The entire valley floor had been covered by a boiling mess of gray mist. A low, ominous laughter began sounding in their minds.
Vin suddenly stumbled and fell to his knees. His hands clutched at his chest.
Chris knelt next to him. “Vin?” No answer came, so he focused on his link to the tracker. “Vin!”
Vin lifted his head to focus pain-filled blue eyes on the blond. He opened his mouth as though trying to speak, but no sound emerged. He grimaced as fresh agony struck him. Panting, he closed his eyes and tried to ride through it. It eased slightly and he dragged in a deep breath. He opened his eyes and focused on Chris once more. “It’s destroying everything. Plants, animals, the ground itself…it is devouring all life it touches.”
“Damn.”
Buck turned concerned eyes on their leader. “Chris?”
“Get a shield around JD. Vin’s getting it bad right now, but anything doing that kind of damage is going to spill over to any fae. You’re stronger than he is.”
“Don’t worry about the kid. I’ll take care of him.” Buck gave a firm nod before clapping a hand on JD’s shoulder. After a moment Chris saw a bright blue light begin shimmering over the young man.
Chris turned to the healer. “Nathan?”
The healer stepped up and knelt down. He reached out a hand and touched Vin. With a flinch, he lifted his hand. He shook his head. “We’ve got to stop it. Vin’s life is tied into the world around him. As it sickens, so does he. “
“How the hell do we stop something we can’t touch?”
A sharp indrawn breath drew both men’s attention. JD wavered and broke out in a fine sheen of sweat despite Buck’s shielding. He raised pain-glazed hazel eyes to Chris. “It’s draining the wards.”
The land itself began moving in an undulating motion as it rebelled against the creature feeding on its most vital forms of life. JD fell to one knee, and Buck followed him down, holding him up and pouring his own energy into the kid. Vin moaned and Nathan tried to assist him once more.
“Connected…everything’s connected.”
The hazy, halting voice came from Josiah. The older man had pulled himself out of the healer’s hut and stumbled over to his companions. He faltered, caught himself on a boulder and continued. Collapsing beside JD and Buck, he pulled himself to a sitting position. Buck leaned JD against the sage. The Guardian knelt before his charge and placed both hands on the kid’s shoulders.
“Buck!” Chris’s shout of warning came too late for Josiah to react. Ignoring all of the rules, Buck opened the link between he and JD to its fullest and poured his own life energy along it. He had committed himself completely; either both of them came out of this, or neither of them would.
“Damn!” Chris bit out the word before turning to Josiah. “What do you mean, everything’s connected?”
The older man’s eyes fell closed for a moment before opening once more to meet Chris’s gaze head on. “With only six of us, we are not at full strength. Nukpana is going after our weaker members.” As Chris gave a small growl, Josiah shook his head. “I don’t mean weaker that way. I mean our most vulnerable. As Nukpana drains the flora and fauna around us, it strikes down Vin. It also weakens the very earth beneath our feet. That is causing JD’s weakness, and leading to Buck’s. It only needs to drain one or both of them to the point of no return. When that happens, our defenses fall.”
Chris frowned. “Why didn’t it do this before?”
“Ezra was here,” Josiah said flatly. “Seven is a very powerful number; a number of light and of balance. Without him, our defenses are not solid and some of our weaknesses are open to be exploited. When we are all here, it is forced to face us because the strength of one shields against the weakness of another.”
Vin and JD gave strangely similar cries as the mist grew darker becoming dense like smoke. All six men heard the malevolent voice spill through their minds.
“Your seventh has run out on you…he is a master at protecting his own skin. Your trust was misplaced. Die knowing that the innocents are mine! I shall savor the life forces you have tried to keep from me!”
Even as the last word echoed, another voice reached them.
“Oh, I would not want to miss this. I leave you boys alone for five minutes and look what happens.”
Ezra shimmered into view at Chris’s side. A passionate shriek of fury arose from the mist at it began pulling back. Faster and faster it pulled away and condensed upon itself.
“Something I said?” Ezra asked sarcastically to the whirling form before kneeling beside Vin. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a wrapped bundle. “I repeat, Mr. Larabee, you owe me a significant amount for this.”
Vin and JD had begun recovering as soon as Nukpana pulled back. Despite a lingering weakness, they gathered around Chris with the others. As Chris focused on the object, the other five threw questioning looks towards Ezra. The gambler shook his head. “Honestly, the things I get driven to do for certain difficult individuals who cannot even be bothered to acknowledge my hard work.”
Chris gave him a half-hearted glare before he began carefully unwrapping the object. The men could only stare as he pulled a small box from the wrapping. Colors flashed as the light of the sun reached the various jewels held within delicate filigrees of gold. Chris smiled.
“What the hell is that?” Buck demanded. “You send away one of our fighters for a jewelry box?”
“My dear Mr. Wilmington!” exclaimed Ezra, rubbing his forehead with one hand. “That is not a jewelry box, and it is worth more than most of our lives combined!”
“For a box?” asked Vin in disbelief.
“Persephone’s box.”
Jaws dropped as Chris made his quiet announcement. Persephone…the beloved queen of Hades…Lady of the Realm of the Dead…their minds tripped over that one thought. Their leader held a gift from one of the most dangerous realms known to man.
“As I said, it is worth more than most of our lives combined,” Ezra noted. “Oh, yes, before I forget, Mr. Larabee….”
“I know,” interrupted Chris. “In return for the loan, my cousins expect me to stop by for dinner.”
Ezra rolled his eyes and heaved a sigh as the others gaped at their leader. Before he could speak, Chris rose to his feet and strode to the edge of the village. His men gathered themselves and followed him. As a single unit, with a single mind, they faced the reformed Nukpana.
“Shall we play once more?” came the mocking voice.
“Playtime is over,” Chris stated. Turning the box around to face the image of the Colonel, he lifted the jewel-encrusted lid.
Light enough to challenge the sun erupted from within. Nukpana screamed. Light and dark pushed and fought; giving and gaining ground. Chris could feel his strength draining as he focused on channeling the energy pouring forth. He sent a quick thought out.
“Help me.”
Vin reached out and placed his hand over Chris’s. The light flared even brighter, causing Nukpana to falter.
Ezra glanced around at the other men. “Touch him.” Following his own words, he reached out and touched Chris’s other hand. As each man touched their leader, the light grew and Nukpana shrank. As they watched, Nukpana began to lose cohesion, writhing and twisting. Only Chris could see what was really happening.
Newly freed souls pulled away from the shadowy figure. Nukpana did not kill the souls of its victims, but neither did it set them free. The souls remained trapped within the heart of its evil, feeding it with their fear, despair, and finally madness. Now, after all this time, they pulled free. Chris watched as his grandfather gathered them together, ready to release them through the door of judgment. When the flow of souls finally stopped, his grandfather nodded at him.
“Now!” he barked out. “Focus all your strength on the box!”
He felt each of them, the powers of each filtering through him. More importantly than any of their power however, he could feel their internal strengths: Josiah’s wisdom, Nathan’s compassion, JD’s innocence, Buck’s loyalty, Ezra’s cleverness, and Vin’s purity of vision. Combining all of these with his own determination, he sent a final blast of power into the translucent form of Nukpana. A despairing wail rose even as the mist dissipated and shrank into nothingness.
With a final flare of light, everything went white.
Chris blinked bleary eyes. They refused to focus for several long minutes. As the world around him finally became clear once more, he found himself down on one knee, chest heaving as though he had run a far distance. His men were no better. Josiah leaned against a boulder; eyes closed and so still Chris would have thought him lost save for the slight movement of his chest as he breathed. Nathan lay on his back, an arm across his eyes. Buck had fallen to both knees, but he managed to stay upright, supporting JD in front of him. The kid leaned against his Guardian, hazel eyes dazed and unfocused. Ezra and Vin mirrored Chris’s position on either side of him.
“Let’s not do that again any time soon,” whispered Vin, head lowered in exhaustion.
“Hear, hear,” came Ezra’s quietly fervent response.
The other men gave quick grins and quiet laughs as the people of the village began gathering around them. Chris just shook his head, grateful it was over. An amused chuckle brought his attention to the edge of the circle. His grandfather stood there watching him, pride, sorrow, and affection radiating from him.
“It has only just begun.”
His grandfather faded and a flicker of apprehension, or perhaps it was anticipation, entered Chris’s heart.
The Pool of Seeing
Lord Death stepped forward to join his brethren around the deep basin once more. The three figures watched as the seven Champions accepted the gratitude and friendship of the tribe they helped to save.
“They have done well for their first gathering,” Father Time announced.
“Indeed,” agreed Lord Death with a solemn nod. “I am encouraged by these happenings.”
Mother Nature smiled as she watched the seven men ride out of the village together. “It is a strong beginning. The bonds are taking hold.”
“Yes,” Time acknowledged. “Some of them quite unexpected.”
“Such as?” Death inquired.
“Your grandson and Trickster’s child.”
Laughter rolled across the clearing and the three looked up to see another personage joining them. Trickster gave a respectful bow to Mother Nature before nodding to the other two. “My son has always done the unexpected. It is his greatest gift.”
Death nodded before turning back to the pool of shimmering light. The scene shifted to center on his grandson’s face. “A light has entered his eyes once more, small but there.”
“Is it enough?” Mother Nature asked, her eyes settling into a concerned stormy gray. “Will it be enough to draw him to their shared destiny?”
“Mayhap,” replied Death, bowing his head until his face became completely enshrouded by his cloak. “It remains to be seen. I will not force his hand; that is the path of failure. The bonds must grow on their own lest they fade away prematurely.”
“Our Champions grow stronger.”
As their multi-layered voice rang out, the three Fates appeared and the four Great Figures turned to face them. The three females swayed to music only they could hear.
“Keep watch, help them stay strong. Interfere not in the bonding…brother to brother. We grant them graces three: Sage and Healer, the gift of harmony; Fae and Guardian, the gift of joy; Death, Nature, and Trickster, the gift of truth. When accepted be the bonds and destiny be chosen shall the graces flourish in their fullest.
“Be wary…thy kindred marked be. The rebel of the house of Chaos has already declared her place…she shall test thee in times to come. Within two cycles of the seasons shall all be chosen or all is lost. Let not fly this chance.
“The brotherhood must choose, must fight…together or not at all. United shall the war be fought…divided shall they be to darkness lost. Seven spirits, seven strong; thus are drawn the battle lines. The sparks of destiny have been ignited…the flames burn. For life or for death…the choice remains before them.
“Our blessings to our Champions.”
They faded away.
The Great Figures that remained turned as one back to the pool as seven faces passed across it rapidly before it settled on a scene of seven mounted men riding across the land. Their faces fell into serious lines. Lord Death bowed his head once more. His deep voice echoed throughout the clearing.
“And so it begins.”
Reviews are always welcome.
Author: Caitriona
Characters: Chris Larabee, Ezra Standish, Vin Tanner, Buck Wilmington, JD Dunne, Nathan Jackson, Josiah Sanchez
Pairing(s): N/A
Word Count: 15,391
Rating: PG13/T
Warnings: Nothing really...few curse words
Disclaimer: I own the plot line twist and this new AU. Everything recognizable from the show (name, characters, dialogue, etc.) are NOT mine.
Author's Note: In creating this AU, I had the incomparable help of
alex_kade as Supreme Beta as well as some wonderful ego-boosting.Summary: (OW AU) In a world of myth, where Great Powers walk among us, an ancient prophecy is about to come to fruition. Foretold have been the warriors; foretold has been the battle. The time has come.
Artist: dj_aida -- my sincerest thanks for your FABULOUS work...this is the first time anyone ever drew something for me by hand!
Art: See the FULL SIZE drawing - HERE
When the six men gathered at the church the next morning in order to ride out together, they found Josiah waiting for them.
“Why'd you change your mind?” the healer asked.
Josiah shrugged. “Crows.”
Nathan frowned. “What crows?”
“A sign,” replied the older man.
“What does that mean?”
Josiah gave him a serious look. “Death.”
Nathan huffed out a frustrated breath. “Whose? “
“Probably mine.” The sage gazed around at the other men.
Ezra rolled his eyes. “Well, well, a sense of humor. I look forward to many lively conversations.”
Nathan shot an annoyed look at the gambler. He turned back to Josiah and gestured at the church. “What about all this?”
The older man just gave a small smile. “Oh... these stones will still be here if I get back.”
When it looked like Nathan was growing aggravated, Vin broke in. “We can use another good man.”
Josiah sighed. “Not so good... but I can fight.”
“Enough.” Chris’s decree brought an end to the conversation and the men rode out.
When the seven men arrived, Chris immediately set them to securing the area. He wanted each of them to set their own form of shield or protection. When asked about it, he merely said, “The more variety that thing has to face, the less likely it will break through.”
His men shrugged and decided to go one at a time in order to avoid tripping over one another. Each of them would take an hour or so to traverse the entire area. Tastanagi and Eban helped them set the exact boundaries of the village and then they began. JD went first as his power tied directly to the earth. Since JD’s abilities had such an affinity for the natural world, it had been decided that Vin should follow him. Then it was Buck’s turn, and Nathan’s; their abilities centered mostly on people and the physical world. Josiah did not possess an active ability, so he used artifacts and talismans. It was decided he should go after Nathan since his work also focused mainly in the physical. Ezra went next as his power affected the mind, and Chris went last due to his affinity for the spirit world.
After the long day of preparation, the seven men gathered near each other in the center of the village. Breaking into twos and threes, they fell into quiet conversations as the people settled in for the evening.
“Well, gentlemen, we appear to be as prepared as…humanly possible.” Ezra’s mocking commentary drew a raised brow from Chris.
“Got an issue with humans?” asked the gunslinger, passing a small canteen to the chestnut-haired man.
“Certainly not, sir!” The gambler exclaimed with one hand clasped dramatically to his heart. Vin gave a small huff of amusement as Chris rolled his eyes. “I just find it interesting that three such…people as we are here.”
“People like us?” Vin asked.
An amused look stole across Ezra’s face. “Come now, sir, are we not here because we are not altogether human? The grandson of death?” Chris gave him a steady look, but the southerner just smirked. “Nature’s chosen?” Vin shrugged. “And my insignificant self?”
“Seer called you ‘trickster’s son’?” Vin commented curiously. Chris tilted his head, interested in the man’s answer himself.
“Yes, well,” shrugged Ezra. “As you saw in the saloon, Father will take more forms than just that of Coyote.”
Vin’s eyes widened as the stories and legends of his adopted family came to mind. Coyote, the trickster god was a favorite…the one who would use deception and shadows to fix wrongs and set the pattern right.
“How are you at your father’s tricks?” Chris asked, his eyes narrowing in contemplation.
Ezra sighed. “Not as good as would be most helpful right now: shadowing the mind, clouding the senses, and some minor physical changes. My greatest gifts revolve around long-term plans, not quick battles.”
“Still,” shrugged the blond leader, “a small shadow at the right time can hide a lot. We’ll have to think about it.” With that, he turned to Vin. “What of you?”
“Best thing I’ve got for a battle are my senses. They’re better then most.” The tracker frowned. “I’m not calling any of the animals up unless it’s absolutely necessary. They’ve got no part in this.”
“Depends on what ‘this’ actually turns out to be,” replied Chris. “If it’s what I think it is, you’ll change your mind.”
“Maybe.” Vin’s eyes narrowed in contemplation. “There's a little backwater town up in the Texas panhandle. Tascosa. Flatter'n a felt-covered poker table. You know it?”
Chris gave a single nod. “Heard of it.”
“If I wind up getting killed, take my body back there.” Vin hitched his shoulder as the two men frowned at him. “There’s a priestess that’ll pay in money or magic.”
“How did you manage to become quite so valuable?” asked Ezra.
“Well, when the buffalo done run out, I became a bounty hunter. I was going after Eli Joe…one of the dark path followers. He’d shot up a few banks to help pay for whatever he needed. The bounty was dead or alive. I found him dead; took the body in. 'Cept it wasn't him. Old Eli framed me up for murder. Since I didn't do it, I decided not to stick around for the hanging. Wound up with a hefty bounty on my own head. So, I figure if a friend collects I get the last laugh.”
Ezra and Chris exchanged a glance. Ezra rolled his shoulders back, “Really, Mr. Tanner, it would be much more amusing to garner the bounty while you are still able to use it. A few mirrors and a little smoke…it is easily done. I will merely ask for a portion of the reward in repayment.”
Vin gave a quiet laugh as Chris just rolled his eyes again.
From across the way, Buck smiled as he watched his old friend find common ground with the others. His heart had grown lighter throughout the day despite the upcoming fight. Chris had finally started to heal. Buck did not lie to himself, he knew his friend had a long way to go, but it was good to see it finally starting.
“Buck?” JD’s curious tone brought his attention around.
The smile spread further across his face as his gaze met the bright hazel of his charge. He would never forget that snap as all of his gifts and senses focused on the boy when they first met. His mother had told him the histories and the stories, but none of them had prepared him for the absolute rightness, the completeness of the bond.
“Buck?” JD asked again with a frown. “Are you alright?”
“Yeah,” smiled Buck. “I’m good. Say, kid, what are you doing out here anyway?”
“I’m helping guard the village.”
The dry answer given with a raised brow made him laugh. He shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. What are you doing out west on your own?”
“Who else would be here?” JD shrugged. “My mother’s dead.”
“What about the rest of your family?”
“Don’t have any.”
Buck frowned. The fae’s numbers had been dwindling in recent centuries. They would never allow a child of theirs, even a half-breed, to wander alone. The children born to any of the royals would have been doubly precious.
JD’s shoulders twitched. Taking a deep breath, he raised his eyes to Buck’s. “My mother was half-fae…one of the night breed.”
Buck closed his eyes, suddenly understanding. The night fae had been cast out long ago. They had their own enclaves, rulers, everything. The two worlds, light and dark, never mixed. For a royal of the light fae to mate with a night breed…beyond disapproval, it was grounds for exile, removal from the family line…worse yet to allow a child of such a mating to be born.
JD started to rise and move away. Buck’s hand shot out and caught his arm. He pulled the young man back to his place. As JD turned wide eyes to look at the older man, Buck could see the fear that lurked deep within that gaze. His heart twisted.
Buck took a deep breath. “JD, I don’t care who your parents were. I am your Guardian. So long as I walk this world, you will never be alone again. Your path is my path, little brother…we walk it together.”
The tension seeped out of JD’s slight frame, and Buck grinned. “Now come on, kid. While the rest of them are jawing, we can grab the best spots by the fire.”
Josiah smiled as he watched the unlikely match set up their bedrolls. He suppressed a laugh as Buck made sure that JD had the safest sleeping spot.
Nathan chuckled. “Nothing subtle about that man.”
“Nope,” answered the older man. “Nice to see him taking care of the boy though. JD’s a mite young to be in the middle of this trouble.”
“Most people are too young when they start getting into trouble.”
“How did you end up out here anyway, brother?” Josiah asked curiously.
Nathan shrugged. “All of my family were slaves in Georgia. We’re born with gifts of one sort or another…made us extra valuable to the masters. They kept a tight hold of us and bartered us out to others for some high prices. I finally ran away.”
“That how you ended up with the army?”
“Not many places safe for a runaway. I started watching the doctors in the camps, learning how to use my healing without being obvious about it. Learned how to hide it behind medicines and other kinds of treatments.”
“It takes a strong man to grow up in such a life without being filled with hate,” commented Josiah.
“Don’t know about that,” Nathan replied. “Just found hating everybody too tiring. It didn’t hurt them, and turned my gift sour.”
“Wish I could learn that lesson,” the older man mused.
“Why’d you really change your mind about coming?” the healer asked.
“I saw the birds of darkness in a dream,” Josiah replied. “When I woke up, a crow was sitting on my windowsill.”
“Why come here?”
“If death’s coming, I’d just as soon meet it head on.”
Nathan sighed. “And get your reward in the hereafter?”
“No,” the sage answered, shaking his head. “No, I was…uh…I was a priest once, but…uh…had a little trouble turning the other cheek.”
Before either man could speak again, Chris rose from his spot. “Time to get some sleep. Waiting for sunset’s going to make tomorrow a long, hard day.”
As everyone began settling in for the evening, Vin watched as their leader pulled Ezra to one side for a hushed conversation. The trickster frowned at whatever Chris asked him, but gave a reluctant nod. The two men joined their companions at the party. Vin threw a curious glance at the gunslinger, but Chris just shook his head. The tracker shrugged and stretched out on his bedroll to pursue some rest.
The next morning dawned too early for anyone after the previous day’s labor. However, the seven defenders had been up for an hour before the sun begun rising above the distant mountains. Each of them made a final circuit of the village and checked their personal shields and protections. None of them spoke as they made their final preparations. The men devoted the day to resting or meditating, whatever helped them prepare for the coming confrontation.
Just as the sun’s last light left the village lit only by firelight, a mist began rising from the nearby hills and strewn boulders. It gathered and coalesced, tendrils reaching out towards the village. As the first fingers met the new magical boundaries, it drew back to build and solidify into the ragged form of a mounted colonel once more. He smirked.
“So, you are still here. Hmm, brave or stupid, I wonder? Your new protections will do you no good.”
He eyes began to glow with a sickly yellow light and scanned the mass of people huddled behind the shields. People began to moan and cry out as their gazes met his. Here and there a person fainted while others froze in place. Still more shook and fell to their knees, clasping their heads as tears poured down their faces. Young and old, male and female, that harsh gaze affected everyone it touched.
Finally he turned his gaze to the seven defenders. Nightmarish visions played through their minds. Chris’s breath rushed out of his lungs in a harsh, croaking cry as smoke crept across his mind. Catapulted into his worst memory, he could see the burned out shell of his home and the two bodies that lay within. The hellish vision did not stop there. With sadistic glee, the enemy painted another picture in his mind.
Flames! This time he arrived before the flames died out; they licked with vicious intent across the roof of the home he had built. He heard his wife screaming as the fire spread; he could hear his son calling for him. He could see them, in the window! If he could just get past the barrier that stood between them! There seemed no escape from the heat, and the guilt rose up to choke him. He felt himself stumbling forward; he had to get beyond that barrier!
“No! Chris, no!”
Two voices rang in his mind, pushing the vision aside. He shook himself free. He glanced up and jumped back as he found himself eye-to-eye with the evil figure. His eyes narrowed. As he stepped back, he cast a look over his shoulder and met two concerned gazes, one blue, and one green.
“I’m alright.”
Both men blinked, startled as his voice echoed in their heads. Vin’s lips quirked in a small smile while Ezra raised a single brow. Chris felt the bond with the gambler flare deeper.
“Mr. Larabee, do try and focus on the issue at hand. The others are not faring well.”
Chris snarled as he noted the stressed faces of his men. Sweat poured down Josiah’s face while Nathan’s hands trembled. Buck glared at the misty figure, his natural color drained away. JD half-leaned on his Guardian, but still faced down the creature. Chris turned back to the ghostly figure. “Go back! You are not welcome here.”
“And do you think to stop me, child of death, bringer of death? How are you different from me?”
“Oh, do allow me count the ways.” Ezra’s mental voice mocked.
“Thing’s full of itself, ain’t it?” came Vin’s contribution.
Chris smothered a smile at the sarcastic commentary running through his mind.
“Surya!”
The scream rang out, drawing everyone’s attention. A child had slipped away from her guardians and reached the circle of protection. An evil laugh resounded as the mist broke apart and streamed towards her. The little girl reached for the circling lights. As her hand reached outside of the defenses, the mist captured it and pulled her forwards. She screamed. She could not pull free. She fell out of the circle.
The mist began taunting the villagers and their defenders. It preyed around the child, reaching out tendrils to touch and stroke along her skin. She would scream as it touched her, whimper as it reached towards her. Surrounded by the smoky substance, she could only fold herself into a ball and hide her face.
The seven defenders snarled and growled, but they could not step outside the boundaries or their protections would fall. The girl’s father restrained her screaming mother even as tears poured down his face.
The mist coalesced into the form of the Colonel once more. He gave them an evil smirk and reached down to pick up the child. Her screams began before he even touched her, only to increase as he actually lifted her. He petted her hair.
“Will you watch?” he asked, eyes glittering as they locked onto Chris’s stormy glare. His head lowered slowly towards the girl’s neck without breaking his connection to the gunslinger.
Fury roared through Chris’s mind.
“No!” Vin’s shout echoed in the hills and a call from the air answered him. Even the eyes of the Colonel looked up.
A large owl dove through the air towards the mist. Before it could react, the bird had locked her claws around the child’s shoulders and yanked her free of the Colonel’s evil grasp. Flying low due to the weight of her burden, the large bird carried the child back into the circle of protection. As her mother snatched up the girl, the bird soared back towards the sky.
The mist screamed in rage and lashed out. The magnificent creature fell to the ground, death already stiffening the inert figure. Vin stumbled, the death cry hitting him.
Chris stepped forward. “Nukpana!”
The mist jerked and the Colonel’s eyes went wide.
“Yes,” taunted the blond. “I recognize you. I name you. Nukpana! Be gone!”
The Colonel’s form dissolved and the mist swirled, it’s sickly lights flickering.
Chris’s eyes narrowed and he raised his right hand. Gathering all of his strength, he focused his power on the mist before him. “Nukpana! BE GONE!”
With a ferocious bellow, the mist blew apart.
Everyone held their breath, waiting, watching. When the mist showed no sign of returning, the villagers began talking and laughing, their relief evident. Their defenders did not relax, however. They recognized this had been a stop-gap measure to buy them a little more time.
Before any of them could speak, Josiah collapsed.
Nathan leapt forward, catching the older man and easing him to the ground. He ran a hand over his companion, the light bathing Josiah’s features in a cascade of brilliant white. The healer shook his head.
“The strain,” he said, glancing up at the others. “The strain has weakened his heart. He’s out of the fight for now.”
Chris nodded. “Get him and that little girl somewhere safer. See what you can do for them.”
Nathan nodded. He gestured to the nearby tribesmen and they began moving Josiah away. Chris looked around. Already the night was well advanced. The confrontation had taken longer than expected.
“Ezra, it’s time.”
The gambler’s eyes narrowed and he huffed out a breath. “Just so we are clear, Mr. Larabee, I still find this quite annoying. You will assuredly owe me restitution for this abominable duty.”
“Just go.”
Ezra rolled his eyes before turning away. Even as he walked off his image became blurry, wavered and faded.
“Humph,” snorted Buck. “Show off.”
“Have you seen what he’s wearing?” asked JD. Buck just grinned, relieved to see his charge recovering so quickly.
“Enough,” said Chris mildly. “You two check the wards; make sure they’re holding.”
“And me?” asked Vin.
The leader turned to him. “I know you don’t want to involve any more of your…”
“No,” Vin interrupted with finality.
“You want to let me finish?” Chris gave him a level stare. As Vin backed down, Chris continued. “They can stay inside the protected area. I just want extra eyes on our surroundings.”
Vin gave a nod, a flush rising in his cheeks. “Right. I can do that.”
A small smile quirked the edges of Chris’s mouth as he went to do his own brand of reconnaissance. A handful of restless spirits still loitered around the village, watching over loved ones. He had recruited them to stand sentinel. Now he moved through the shadows between the worlds to speak with them. For all of his abilities, this perhaps was his most powerful…the ability to walk between life and death unseen by any living creature save by his will alone.
“Watch carefully. Warn me when anything begins to rise.” His dark voice drifted through the village. Although no living being heard it, they felt the shiver as a sense of death passed close.
As the day passed, the men checked and tested the wards. Nathan kept a close eye on Josiah and the child Surya.
“Chris?” Nate’s voice drew the gunslinger to the injured. “Would you please take a look at the little girl? I’ve done everything I can physically. She’s completely unresponsive. Her body is working, but her spirit seems to be missing.”
A hard expression settled on Chris’s face. He had avoided interacting with any of the children thus far, but he could not turn down Nathan’s request. Of all of them, he had the best chance of determining if death drew close. He followed Nathan until they reached the girl’s pallet. Her mother held her hand while another woman wiped her forehead.
“Rain, Suna, this is Chris Larabee. Would you please let him take a look at Surya?”
Rain’s head tilted as she gazed at Chris. “The girl’s future is now hidden from me.”
“Happens,” he replied shortly. “Let me see.”
The two women moved back as Chris knelt down. Placing one hand on her forehead, he tilted his head. A sweet song drifted through his mind. Closing his eyes, he saw a brightly lit meadow filled with many-hued flowers. In the distance he could see a dark shadow moving closer. His grandfather drew near, moving as slowly as possible.
He wanted Chris to save the girl if it was at all feasible.
Chris reached his other hand to the girl’s mother. A trembling hand met his. He shook as her emotion flowed over him. Forcing himself to be still, he allowed the connection between the two to open, the love and fear passing through him, living mother to dying child…trying to call her home.
His face remained like granite even as his heart broke anew at the reminder of his own lost family.
In his mind’s eye, he watched the little girl turn slowly back towards him; her mother’s love a siren song she could not resist. His grandfather stopped, holding back as the girl began walking, then running. She leapt towards Chris and he could feel the electric shock as her spirit rushed back into her body. He released both mother and daughter as the girl sat up with a cry.
Despite their attempts to show their gratitude, Chris rose and strode away into the dark shadows of the night.
As dawn crept over the distant horizon, it found Chris sitting at the fire pit watching his men.
“Didn’t sleep?”Vin asked as he stretched out the kinks in his back.
“Nope,” came the quick reply.
Vin waited, but shrugged as no further words seemed to be forthcoming. Pulling himself up, he stretched and glanced around. “Wonder if there’s been any movement?”
“Nope.” Now the reply sounded half amused. As he looked around, startled, Chris shook his head. “You’re going to have to think a bit quieter.”
“Or not,” shrugged Vin. “Any sign of Ez?” The tracker joined him at the fire for some coffee.
Chris snorted. “He’s going to skin you for that one. I haven’t seen him yet, but…it might take him a bit to get what we need.”
“Where’d you send him, Cowboy?”
The blond choked on his coffee and leveled a glare at the unrepentant Vin. “Don’t call me Cowboy.”
Vin just hitched a shoulder up. “Where’d he go?”
“To get a box.”
Confusion spilled over the tracker’s face, but Chris rose with a quick grin. “Time to wake ‘em up. ‘Cept Josiah; we’ll let him sleep.”
Morning spilled over the village. Just as they finished rousing Buck, a yowling drew Vin’s head up sharply. At the same moment Chris tilted his head, listening to a whisper on the wind.
“It’s back,” he announced softly.
Five men moved to confront Nukpana. When they reached the edge of the village, they could only stare in disbelief. The entire valley floor had been covered by a boiling mess of gray mist. A low, ominous laughter began sounding in their minds.
Vin suddenly stumbled and fell to his knees. His hands clutched at his chest.
Chris knelt next to him. “Vin?” No answer came, so he focused on his link to the tracker. “Vin!”
Vin lifted his head to focus pain-filled blue eyes on the blond. He opened his mouth as though trying to speak, but no sound emerged. He grimaced as fresh agony struck him. Panting, he closed his eyes and tried to ride through it. It eased slightly and he dragged in a deep breath. He opened his eyes and focused on Chris once more. “It’s destroying everything. Plants, animals, the ground itself…it is devouring all life it touches.”
“Damn.”
Buck turned concerned eyes on their leader. “Chris?”
“Get a shield around JD. Vin’s getting it bad right now, but anything doing that kind of damage is going to spill over to any fae. You’re stronger than he is.”
“Don’t worry about the kid. I’ll take care of him.” Buck gave a firm nod before clapping a hand on JD’s shoulder. After a moment Chris saw a bright blue light begin shimmering over the young man.
Chris turned to the healer. “Nathan?”
The healer stepped up and knelt down. He reached out a hand and touched Vin. With a flinch, he lifted his hand. He shook his head. “We’ve got to stop it. Vin’s life is tied into the world around him. As it sickens, so does he. “
“How the hell do we stop something we can’t touch?”
A sharp indrawn breath drew both men’s attention. JD wavered and broke out in a fine sheen of sweat despite Buck’s shielding. He raised pain-glazed hazel eyes to Chris. “It’s draining the wards.”
The land itself began moving in an undulating motion as it rebelled against the creature feeding on its most vital forms of life. JD fell to one knee, and Buck followed him down, holding him up and pouring his own energy into the kid. Vin moaned and Nathan tried to assist him once more.
“Connected…everything’s connected.”
The hazy, halting voice came from Josiah. The older man had pulled himself out of the healer’s hut and stumbled over to his companions. He faltered, caught himself on a boulder and continued. Collapsing beside JD and Buck, he pulled himself to a sitting position. Buck leaned JD against the sage. The Guardian knelt before his charge and placed both hands on the kid’s shoulders.
“Buck!” Chris’s shout of warning came too late for Josiah to react. Ignoring all of the rules, Buck opened the link between he and JD to its fullest and poured his own life energy along it. He had committed himself completely; either both of them came out of this, or neither of them would.
“Damn!” Chris bit out the word before turning to Josiah. “What do you mean, everything’s connected?”
The older man’s eyes fell closed for a moment before opening once more to meet Chris’s gaze head on. “With only six of us, we are not at full strength. Nukpana is going after our weaker members.” As Chris gave a small growl, Josiah shook his head. “I don’t mean weaker that way. I mean our most vulnerable. As Nukpana drains the flora and fauna around us, it strikes down Vin. It also weakens the very earth beneath our feet. That is causing JD’s weakness, and leading to Buck’s. It only needs to drain one or both of them to the point of no return. When that happens, our defenses fall.”
Chris frowned. “Why didn’t it do this before?”
“Ezra was here,” Josiah said flatly. “Seven is a very powerful number; a number of light and of balance. Without him, our defenses are not solid and some of our weaknesses are open to be exploited. When we are all here, it is forced to face us because the strength of one shields against the weakness of another.”
Vin and JD gave strangely similar cries as the mist grew darker becoming dense like smoke. All six men heard the malevolent voice spill through their minds.
“Your seventh has run out on you…he is a master at protecting his own skin. Your trust was misplaced. Die knowing that the innocents are mine! I shall savor the life forces you have tried to keep from me!”
Even as the last word echoed, another voice reached them.
“Oh, I would not want to miss this. I leave you boys alone for five minutes and look what happens.”
Ezra shimmered into view at Chris’s side. A passionate shriek of fury arose from the mist at it began pulling back. Faster and faster it pulled away and condensed upon itself.
“Something I said?” Ezra asked sarcastically to the whirling form before kneeling beside Vin. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a wrapped bundle. “I repeat, Mr. Larabee, you owe me a significant amount for this.”
Vin and JD had begun recovering as soon as Nukpana pulled back. Despite a lingering weakness, they gathered around Chris with the others. As Chris focused on the object, the other five threw questioning looks towards Ezra. The gambler shook his head. “Honestly, the things I get driven to do for certain difficult individuals who cannot even be bothered to acknowledge my hard work.”
Chris gave him a half-hearted glare before he began carefully unwrapping the object. The men could only stare as he pulled a small box from the wrapping. Colors flashed as the light of the sun reached the various jewels held within delicate filigrees of gold. Chris smiled.
“What the hell is that?” Buck demanded. “You send away one of our fighters for a jewelry box?”
“My dear Mr. Wilmington!” exclaimed Ezra, rubbing his forehead with one hand. “That is not a jewelry box, and it is worth more than most of our lives combined!”
“For a box?” asked Vin in disbelief.
“Persephone’s box.”
Jaws dropped as Chris made his quiet announcement. Persephone…the beloved queen of Hades…Lady of the Realm of the Dead…their minds tripped over that one thought. Their leader held a gift from one of the most dangerous realms known to man.
“As I said, it is worth more than most of our lives combined,” Ezra noted. “Oh, yes, before I forget, Mr. Larabee….”
“I know,” interrupted Chris. “In return for the loan, my cousins expect me to stop by for dinner.”
Ezra rolled his eyes and heaved a sigh as the others gaped at their leader. Before he could speak, Chris rose to his feet and strode to the edge of the village. His men gathered themselves and followed him. As a single unit, with a single mind, they faced the reformed Nukpana.
“Shall we play once more?” came the mocking voice.
“Playtime is over,” Chris stated. Turning the box around to face the image of the Colonel, he lifted the jewel-encrusted lid.
Light enough to challenge the sun erupted from within. Nukpana screamed. Light and dark pushed and fought; giving and gaining ground. Chris could feel his strength draining as he focused on channeling the energy pouring forth. He sent a quick thought out.
“Help me.”
Vin reached out and placed his hand over Chris’s. The light flared even brighter, causing Nukpana to falter.
Ezra glanced around at the other men. “Touch him.” Following his own words, he reached out and touched Chris’s other hand. As each man touched their leader, the light grew and Nukpana shrank. As they watched, Nukpana began to lose cohesion, writhing and twisting. Only Chris could see what was really happening.
Newly freed souls pulled away from the shadowy figure. Nukpana did not kill the souls of its victims, but neither did it set them free. The souls remained trapped within the heart of its evil, feeding it with their fear, despair, and finally madness. Now, after all this time, they pulled free. Chris watched as his grandfather gathered them together, ready to release them through the door of judgment. When the flow of souls finally stopped, his grandfather nodded at him.
“Now!” he barked out. “Focus all your strength on the box!”
He felt each of them, the powers of each filtering through him. More importantly than any of their power however, he could feel their internal strengths: Josiah’s wisdom, Nathan’s compassion, JD’s innocence, Buck’s loyalty, Ezra’s cleverness, and Vin’s purity of vision. Combining all of these with his own determination, he sent a final blast of power into the translucent form of Nukpana. A despairing wail rose even as the mist dissipated and shrank into nothingness.
With a final flare of light, everything went white.
Chris blinked bleary eyes. They refused to focus for several long minutes. As the world around him finally became clear once more, he found himself down on one knee, chest heaving as though he had run a far distance. His men were no better. Josiah leaned against a boulder; eyes closed and so still Chris would have thought him lost save for the slight movement of his chest as he breathed. Nathan lay on his back, an arm across his eyes. Buck had fallen to both knees, but he managed to stay upright, supporting JD in front of him. The kid leaned against his Guardian, hazel eyes dazed and unfocused. Ezra and Vin mirrored Chris’s position on either side of him.
“Let’s not do that again any time soon,” whispered Vin, head lowered in exhaustion.
“Hear, hear,” came Ezra’s quietly fervent response.
The other men gave quick grins and quiet laughs as the people of the village began gathering around them. Chris just shook his head, grateful it was over. An amused chuckle brought his attention to the edge of the circle. His grandfather stood there watching him, pride, sorrow, and affection radiating from him.
“It has only just begun.”
His grandfather faded and a flicker of apprehension, or perhaps it was anticipation, entered Chris’s heart.
The Pool of Seeing
Lord Death stepped forward to join his brethren around the deep basin once more. The three figures watched as the seven Champions accepted the gratitude and friendship of the tribe they helped to save.
“They have done well for their first gathering,” Father Time announced.
“Indeed,” agreed Lord Death with a solemn nod. “I am encouraged by these happenings.”
Mother Nature smiled as she watched the seven men ride out of the village together. “It is a strong beginning. The bonds are taking hold.”
“Yes,” Time acknowledged. “Some of them quite unexpected.”
“Such as?” Death inquired.
“Your grandson and Trickster’s child.”
Laughter rolled across the clearing and the three looked up to see another personage joining them. Trickster gave a respectful bow to Mother Nature before nodding to the other two. “My son has always done the unexpected. It is his greatest gift.”
Death nodded before turning back to the pool of shimmering light. The scene shifted to center on his grandson’s face. “A light has entered his eyes once more, small but there.”
“Is it enough?” Mother Nature asked, her eyes settling into a concerned stormy gray. “Will it be enough to draw him to their shared destiny?”
“Mayhap,” replied Death, bowing his head until his face became completely enshrouded by his cloak. “It remains to be seen. I will not force his hand; that is the path of failure. The bonds must grow on their own lest they fade away prematurely.”
“Our Champions grow stronger.”
As their multi-layered voice rang out, the three Fates appeared and the four Great Figures turned to face them. The three females swayed to music only they could hear.
“Keep watch, help them stay strong. Interfere not in the bonding…brother to brother. We grant them graces three: Sage and Healer, the gift of harmony; Fae and Guardian, the gift of joy; Death, Nature, and Trickster, the gift of truth. When accepted be the bonds and destiny be chosen shall the graces flourish in their fullest.
“Be wary…thy kindred marked be. The rebel of the house of Chaos has already declared her place…she shall test thee in times to come. Within two cycles of the seasons shall all be chosen or all is lost. Let not fly this chance.
“The brotherhood must choose, must fight…together or not at all. United shall the war be fought…divided shall they be to darkness lost. Seven spirits, seven strong; thus are drawn the battle lines. The sparks of destiny have been ignited…the flames burn. For life or for death…the choice remains before them.
“Our blessings to our Champions.”
They faded away.
The Great Figures that remained turned as one back to the pool as seven faces passed across it rapidly before it settled on a scene of seven mounted men riding across the land. Their faces fell into serious lines. Lord Death bowed his head once more. His deep voice echoed throughout the clearing.
“And so it begins.”
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