Fire and Fantasy: A Limited Edition Collection of Urban and Epic Fantasy Read online

  Adorning the stone walls on either side of Temple’s desk were two colossal museum quality oil paintings, holding the room’s only ‘views’ of the outside world. In one painting a sea storm raged and waves swelled against a brilliant orange sky illuminating a very young Porthleven. The other painting was an artist’s interpretation of twelve knights on horseback overlooking Loe Pool and the future site of Castle Clogyn. Books lay in small stacks, some still open, around a well-worn brown leather sofa in the corner of the room. A blanket was haphazardly draped over one of the curved arms and the seat cushions were dented and faded from many night’s sleep. The space was comfortably messy and had an air of welcoming disarray. An empty lunch plate was still on the coffee table, along with what appeared to be a small glass bowl of cat food. An elegant threadbare oriental rug grounded the casual seating area as a table lamp washed it in a soft glow. A very old small wooden table with two chairs was tucked into a dark corner, clinging to the stone walls. The decorative chess set atop the table appeared to be in mid game, but from centuries ago. A layer of dust hid the shine of the silver and gold pieces. Lourdie had to admit that the office was quite warm and inviting for being underground and for being Temple’s, no less.

  Lourdie approached the man’s desk, but decided to remain standing as the knight’s last appointment was still seated in one of the two chairs facing his desk. Lourdie smirked. A small black cat with bright green eyes blinked up at her from the wingback chair then snuggled back to sleep. Dual computer monitors, a tablet, countless mail, and even more open books, cluttered Temple’s desk.

  Behind the Resolute style desk was a wall of glass looking into the castle’s Rhan’Delvin vault, housing his family’s antiquities. The Sword of Twelve stood front and center, tip facing the earth, like a cross. It was flanked by several suits of war torn armor. Sir Lancelot’s original King’s Court shield hung high on the wall above it all. Its coat of arms barely visible after a thousand years and countless battles.

  Temple hung up his phone.

  “You summoned me... sire?” Lourdie said, wiping the sweat from her brow.

  His phone rang and he muted it. “Ah, a simpler time, but I don’t think a knight of old would suffer such a wicked tongue.” A sly smile threatened to cross his face.

  “Their loss.” She shrugged. “Such a knight would endure a wicked fight should he choose not to suffer such sincere sarcasm.”

  He guffawed loudly and gave her his full devilish grin, “Of that, I have no doubt.” He had to silence his phone again. “All kidding aside, I’d hope that you would accompany me and some of the other hunters during the full moon tonight.” He lowered his chin slightly and gave her an all knowing and deadly serious stare. “I believe you’ve been holding out on me, Ms. Reese.”

  Lourdie opened her mouth to protest, but Temple put a hand up and quickly started again.

  “Perhaps we are all missing something in your sole ability to create thr--” he cleared his throat, “two orbs at once.” A look of agitation crossed his face as he silenced his phone for the third time, but he collected his thoughts and continued, “Trista informs me that the hunters that chose to leave Castle Clogyn early have been kind in their frustration, yet, they were frustrated, nonetheless.” Temple sighed, “Maybe in live combat, using your flair of course, one of us may see something that is purely instinctual and irrelevant to you, but is the missing key to our... problem.”

  “That’s--” she was ready to pounce, just on the verge of being apoplectic from her own frustration with the training ‘results.’ She paused, however, and thought about it. “...actually a pretty good idea.”

  “High praise,” again his phone chirped, “Perhaps here’s another. I’ll have Bishop set up some hunting shifts throughout your stay here, as well. Of course, that is, if you’d like?”

  She was dumbfounded, “Yes, I’d like.” The man was actually being decent today. She was eager for some real netherwalker action. Lourdie bit her bottom lip.

  Temple seemed to be at a loss for words. “Brilliant… Well… This conversation went better than expected. I even appear to have come out unscathed, Ms. Reese,” he mockingly checked his skin for bruising.

  And he’s back, Lourdie rolled her eyes. “Ease up on the crotchety old Brit, would ya Temple?” she sighed and willed herself to ease up as well, “The full moon? Good. It’s a date.”

  She froze in horror. Lourdie’s eyes widened as she realized what she had just said. “Deal! I mean deal. Not a--” she scrambled to recover. “It’s a deal,” she was unaccustomed to putting her foot in her mouth.

  The knight gave her that damn devilish grin again. “Then it’s settled. Tis a,” he lowered his head for emphasis, “deal, my lady.”

  Lourdie stepped out onto the castle’s curtain wall along with Temple and a few of his best hunters. The frigid night air was like a kick in the face, but the views were spectacular. Most of the guardians took shelter behind the turrets rounded wall, waiting for something.

  “I thought we were going on hunting patrol, why are we all the way up here?” Lourdie followed Temple out into the open air and the unobstructed top of the world view.

  The colors of the setting sun were smeared across the sky like the finest handmade watercolor paper. “You declared this a… deal, as I recall. I wanted to share the best view the castle had to offer,” Temple said as waves crashed behind him.

  Lourdie rolled her eyes and hoped the blush on her cheeks was hidden by the cover of night.

  He pointed closer to the castle on the ground below where a square patch of grass was now illuminated by aviation lights. “Your chariot, Ms. Reese.”

  The patch of grass dropped about a foot underground and slipped to the side, disappearing from sight. Slowly a platform holding a sleek black Eurocopter Dauphin AS365 surfaced. The helicopter’s rotor started and hummed to life. It was virtually silent and invisible as the sun finally set. The Dauphin took off and circled around the castle, landing whisper quiet on the turret’s roof above the waiting hunters.

  Lourdie joined the guardians and climbed the turrets exterior steps to the helicopter. In its open door was a stationary fully auto laser stun rifle, reminiscent of a Mag 58. It was the most powerful stun weapon the guardians had, capable of taking down even the toughest targets. “I believe you’ve been holding out on me, Temple,” Lourdie’s mouth began to water. The laser rifle was equipped with an endless bank of batteries and. No, that’s impossible. A nether scope, developed specifically for targeting netherwalkers in both their forms. And it was perfect for taking out multiple krims on the run.

  Temple gave her his full devilish grin, “I believe that makes us even, Ms. Reese.”

  Bishop smiled at Lourdie from the pilot’s seat, “Good evening, my dear.” He waited for everyone to strap in and don their headsets, “Black Bishop to White Rook. White Knight acquired.”

  “Acknowledged, Black Bishop, the skies of the Union Jack are yours. Happy hunting, guardians. White Rook out,” a voice said over their headsets.

  “You have guardians in air traffic control?” Lourdie asked, already impressed with the operation.

  Luke chimed in from the co-pilot’s seat, “On a full moon? It’s the only way to fly.”

  “Brilliant!” Lourdie chuckled, channeling her inner Brit.

  Passengers and crew laughed and Bishop flew off.

  The helicopter followed a grid pattern on the acres surrounding Loe Pool as hunter teams patrolled from the ground as well. Lourdie put her hand over her microphone and leaned closer to Temple. She still couldn’t believe her eyes, she had to know, “The laser rifle has a nether scope, like seriously? I thought they were still in the development phase?”

  Temple covered his microphone as well, “This is the Cloak, Ms. Reese. I have all the best toys.”

  The Black Bishop did another turn as a ground team asked for air support. They had spotted several fleeing krims far in the distance and were in pursuit.

  The ground troop
s fell back as the helicopter rushed to their location and zoned in.

  Lourdie was jumping out of her skin for some action. “So do you share your toys, or are you the schoolyard bully?”

  Temple leaned in close, his breath was warm on her skin. “I believe my playground is big enough for the both of us,” he looked at the stun rifle then back to Lourdie. “Care to give it a go?”

  “Oh, hell yes!” she replied taking the seat behind the weapon.

  All ground teams relayed their positions as Lourdie flicked the switch on the nether scope. It was amazing. Five running, subzero temperature krims instantly lit up like Christmas trees. Just like a regular thermal imaging scope spotted heat signatures, this device specifically discerned colder temperatures, especially areas that gauged thirty degrees below their surroundings. “Five targets acquired.” She flipped through the thermal image, the night vision, then back to the nether scope setting. “Area clear. Going hot. Firing!” Lourdie squeezed the trigger. The machine yielded under her command. White light rapidly pulsed from the rifle in a continuous stream and one by one the krims fell. It took less than four seconds to bulldoze the creatures down. She suspected it would take her four hours to come down from the fantastic adrenaline high. “Weapon secure,” Lourdie said breathlessly as the Black Bishop hovered over the creatures.

  Luke opened a trap door located behind his seat as Temple and two other hunters tied off and threw out their rope lines.

  “Care to come out and play?” Temple teased as he zipped down the rope.

  Two hunters followed down on their own zip lines after their knight.

  Luke and Bishop shared all-knowing little smirks as Luke secured Lourdie’s line. “Give him hell, Reese,” Luke chortled.

  “With pleasure,” Lourdie snickered and she rushed down the rope.

  The hairs on her arms and neck instantly stood straight up. Her reaction was not from the sudden rush of cold wind as she descended through the air, but from her heightened hunter senses. It was a warning. Lourdie quickly assessed the situation. Five downed netherwalkers being banished. Temple fighting another krim with... A stun baton? Really! Lourdie scoffed, but quickly focused. A fracture opening behind him. Two krims rushing out. Without any thought or hesitation, Lourdie wrapped her left ankle in her rope and flipped upside down. She needed both hands to quickly conjure two orbs. Throwing them at the emerging shadowskins, she actually willed the orbs to find their targets and envelope the creatures. Well, that’s new. The delvirs flew directionally through the air focusing in on their targets like missiles. They grew larger the closer they got to their intended destinations.

  One orb, then another flew past Temple’s head from both sides. He turned his gaze, from up at Lourdie, to behind him just as the two iridescent purple orbs imploded, with two barely formed krims trapped inside.

  Lourdie flipped back around and landed softly on the ground releasing her rope. “Miss me?” she smiled and tilted her head playfully.

  “Apparently,” Temple looked back at the disappearing fracture with his stun baton still at the ready, “you missed me.” He lowered his chin and raised his eyebrow. “Directional orbs? That’s new.”

  Lourdie shrugged uncomfortably. “Apparently.” She was dismissive, not willing to talk about the new abilities that kept flowing out of her. It was one thing for her to occasionally throw an orb at a relatively close shadowskin, but she had been at least seventy five feet away with no clear shot. The two orbs had swerved and spun through the air like they were on a set flight path. They had physically curved around Temple to hit their targets.

  As the other hunters created their own orbs to banish the remaining krims, a tiny globe of iridescent purple light peeked out behind a barren tree. The dot of light hovered mid-air then darted quickly away, leaving a faint purple trail in the darkness. Lourdie gasped quietly, then looked at the other hunters wondering if anyone had noticed the quizzical darter. As always when the tiny Vaelosh a’Rue appeared no one saw, except Lourdie. She furrowed her brow and was unaware that she was biting her lip.

  Noticing her expression, Temple followed her gaze towards the tree then looked at her quizzically. “Right then,” he nodded once, choosing to respect her privacy. “Area secure. Black Bishop, resume your sweep. Pick us up on your next fly by,” he said talking into his headset and securing his weapon.

  “Acknowledged,” Bishop said. The helicopter buzzed over their heads still carrying four more hunters ready for battle.

  Temple, Lourdie, and the two other hunters spread out and patrolled the area on foot.

  Lourdie scoffed looking down at Temple’s weapon in its holster. She rolled her eyes, “Nice decoration.”

  Temple stopped and motioned for the other two hunters to go ahead, “Alright, out with it.”

  “A stun baton, really? God! It must have been agony, keeping that little gem from me for this long. Do you really use it, or are you just mocking me?”

  “Mocking you?”

  “Is it just another way for you to torment me about my flashy fighting style not being welcome here?” her voice dripped with venom.

  “Yes. I use it and quite well, thank you!” he looked around as if he were making sure only she had heard his words. “Is it really so terrible that we share something in common?”

  “Yes!”

  “Bloody hell, woman!” he tugged down his coat’s waistline in agitation and began again. “I invited you here to train us in all aspects of your abilities, Ms. Reese. Everything. From dual orb creation to free running. And although we engaged in what, I thought, was friendly banter about our differences I never stated what you could or could not do with your class!” They resumed walking. Temple closed his eyes and inhaled the cold night air. “I may be a stubborn crotchety old Brit as you like to say, but I’m also a forward thinker, always looking to the future to strengthen the Court in any way I can. I hope you’re still a part of that vision. I’ve even requested that your colleague, Ryan Kapoi, oversee novice hunter training here in the spring.” he stopped and looked at her. “I don’t know where this notion came from about your fighting style not being welcome here, but no one speaks for me, Ms. Reese. Ever,” Temple arched his brow. “And, if you ever question what I desire from you all you need do is ask,” he cleared his throat. “So. Shall we at least lay this one point of contention to rest?”

  She couldn’t help but admire the man for not backing down from a fight, especially with her. Lourdie gave him a wicked and playful smirk, “Okay, Temple, but just this one.”

  “Ha! I’d have it no other way, Ms. Reese.”

  They slowly made their way back to the other two hunters. Lourdie remembered Temple’s plan to learn from her in action. He had been looking right at her when she created the two orbs while still in midair. “I know it’s still early but, did you maybe see anything we’re missing in the practice sessions? Tell me you saw something,” she asked hopefully. Maybe he saw the darter.

  “Afraid not,” he sounded disappointed, but a soft smile crossed his face. “Well, nothing that would help any of us mere mortals.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Lourdie said defensively.

  Temple held his hands up in mock surrender. “I’m trying to pay you a compliment and failing miserably, yet again.” He tried a different approach, “Your unique abilities seem to be second nature to you, purely instinctual and deadly accurate. I’ve never seen anything like it, nor do I think I ever will again.” He stole a glance at her while they patrolled. “You’re one of a kind. To see your skills first hand, rather than merely hear about them in debriefs, is quite amazing.”

  “Oh,” Lourdie was taken aback. “Thank you.”

  “My pleasure.”

  She bit her lower lip and looked up at him.

  “What?” he raised his eyebrow and looked at her suspiciously.

  “You’re not what I expected.” A small wicked smile started to appear on her lips.

  He too mimicked their encounter on the
dirt bikes, “Is that a compliment?”

  “The highest,” she couldn’t help the genuine smile that swept across her pink lips.

  Temple was about to respond when he stopped and put his hand up to his headset. They both listened as Bishop relayed information about the location of a possible nest in a subway line of London’s underground, “Copy, Black Bishop, scoop us up.” Reluctantly, he was back to being all business, “Well, Ms. Reese, care to show us how it’s really done?”

  “Uh, yeah,” she chimed back sarcastically.

  The sights and smells of the tunnel were the same, but the faces and accents were different. Still, as soon as the group had found the nest near an unused subway platform, Lourdie had reveled in the combat and breathed in the thick moist scents that surrounded her.

  Lourdie banished her fourth netherwalker and looked up barely in time to hear Luke’s stun rifle power down just as a netherwalker was charging towards him. He was trapped in a corner and too far away for Lourdie to get to.

  “Cousin!” Temple threw his stun baton to Luke and simultaneously released something from his ammunition belt. A high pitched whine Lourdie didn’t recognize resonated and hummed with immense power. Temple’s leg swept the krim he had been fighting as he punched it in the ribs. Both Temple and Luke’s creatures went down within seconds of each other. It was becoming glaringly apparent that both Temple and Luke were as proficient in Kendo as she was. They simply preferred a more hands on approach to banishing netherwalkers.

  Lourdie walked over to Temple as two of the hunters banished the last two beasts from the nest. She raised Temple’s right hand and admired the weapon. His hand was strong and calloused yet soft in all the right places. Powerful, but gentle. She could feel his pulse pounding under his warm touch. Mentally shaking her head she focused on the gadget, admiring its details, “Tungsten carbide?”