Chronicles of Ror (Book Eight) Reign of the King

By Karen Langolf

The final chapter in the Chronicles of Ror series. Sarah Gold has returned to Whisehitel in time to help free Captain Ror from Sidi. Now that she is back, Ror has a decision to make. Should she become the new queen? Slipstorm has replaced Ryeloc as King of the Black Hair tribe and he believes it is now his decision to choose a queen, regardless of Ror’s prophecy. To make matters worse, King Yimiry of the Rested Tribe has proposed to Sarah to make her his wife. Ror doesn’t want to lose her, not again. He thought he had lost her forever when she fell back through the portals to Earth. Now that she is back, it may be harder than ever to let her go.

Whatever he decides, life will not be easy, as Sidi is now dead and Shadow Man, her beloved servant, is out for blood. Shadow Man, the last of the Solo Loss tribe of assassins, may be the greatest foe the Black Hair tribe has ever seen. It will take more than their strength to bring him down; it will take the combined efforts of both the Rested Tribe and the Black Hair tribe. Too bad King Yimiry lost so many of his people during the attack on White Rock. He does not have any Pulse Riders to spare to fight against Shadow Man. King Slipstorm does not see Shadow Man as a true threat to his people and will not pursue him without just cause.

Until Shadow Man is dealt with, no one in the Black Hair tribe is safe. If Shadow Man is as powerful as Captain Ror thinks he is, no one in any tribe may be safe, be it servant or king. The reign of the kings of Whisehitel could be at an end.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Karen Langolf
• Release date: Apr 10, 2016
• ISBN: 9781310529085

Karen Langolf

First time author publishing the Chronicles of Ror series.

Book preview

Reign of the King

Book Eight of the Chronicles of Ror Series

Published By Karen Langolf

Book I: Chronicles of Ror and the Whisehitel Portals, copyright 2010

Book II: Chronicles of Ror the Prince’s Decision, copyright 2011

Book III: Chronicles of Ror Necessary Lies, copyright 2012

Book IV: Chronicles of Ror Departure, copyright 2012

Book V: Chronicles of Ror Reconnecting, copyright 2013

Book VI: Chronicles of Ror Sidi’s Melding, copyright 2014

Book VII: Chronicles of Ror Truth in Proposals, copyright 2014

Book VIII: Chronicles of Ror Reign of the King, copyright 2015

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Dedications and Memorials

In memory of my grandfather Harry.

Thank you to my editors Harold Langolf and Trisha Tinsley. It has been a fun journey.

Inspiration for the character Captain Ror is derived from Jackie and Ray.

Core Characters

Captain Ror: half-blood Rested tribe and Black Hair tribe. His physical features include a thin build at 5 foot 6 inch frame, spiky white hair, silver eyes and darkly tanned skin. Approximate age is thirty-five. Raised by the Black Hair tribe his strengths are the same as a regular Black Hair male. He can use Pulse to varying degrees but too much exertion can kill him.

Sarah Gold: secretary from Oakland, Maryland. Physical features include an overweight build from poor diet choices, a five foot eight height frame, medium brown hair and green eyes. Approximate age is twenty-eight. She is quick witted with an analytical mind.

King Yimiry: leader of the Rested Tribe, pure blood Rested Tribe man. Physical features include six foot height with slim build and blonde hair with silver streaks like age marks. Approximate age is early seventies. Father to Prince Gallant, brother of Mabu.

Ron Smith: detective from Oakland, Maryland. Physical features include over weight build from poor diet choices, a six foot height, graying white hair, trench coats and fedoras. Approximate age is early-sixties. He was the first to discover the body of the murdered Black Hair tribesman. Stuck in the other world, he is trying to solve the mystery of how the body was murdered.

Tim Burns: lead singer and guitar player for Distraught Maniacs. Physical features include five foot eleven inch height, sandy red hair and fair complexion. Approximate age is mid-twenties. Desperately in love with waitress Tiffany Collins and is willing to do almost anything to impress her so she’ll marry him.

Tiffany Collins: former waitress and super model from Oakland, Maryland. Physical features include trim and athletic figure from years of martial arts training, a five foot ten inch frame, golden blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Approximate age is unknown, she tells the world she is in her early twenties. Quick witted with an aggressive personality that is keen towards becoming the queen of the Black Hair tribe.

King Ryeloc: leader of the Black Hair tribe, pure blood Rested Tribe man. Physical features include six foot height with bulky athletic build, blonde hair with silver highlights, and vanilla red flecked eyes. Approximate age in the mid-sixties. Husband to Teela, pure blood Black Hair. Adopted father of Captain Ror. Ryeloc and Teela have four children; three boys Chear, Alex, and Simon and one girl Zhiff.

Sidi: apprentice to the Rested Tribe’s powerful Seer, half-blood Cave Dweller and Rested tribe. Physical features include four-foot tall height with slim build, and gray hair bundled on top of her head into a thick bun. Approximate age is early thirties, true age is unknown. No family is known but she has very powerful Pulse technique. She was given to the Seer at an early age to train as her apprentice.

Aeriy: ruler of the Colleen Jade, not to be confused with the Colleen Green. Physical features include striking slim build with five-foot eight inch height, brown hair that turns red in the sunlight, and pale green eyes. Approximate age is mid-fifties, true age unknown. No family is known but she has established herself as a very powerful Pulse Rider, potentially once living among the Rested tribe. Her choice for communication is to invade people’s dreams.

Tiffany Featherlight: former high school senior and Goth wannabe from Oakland, Maryland. Physical features include a slim figure with five foot four inch frame, ash blonde hair dyed different colors at any given point, and brown eyes. She is trapped at White Rock trying to fix the portal tracking device in order to keep from getting killed by the vengeful Rested Tribesmen.

Prince Mabu: younger brother of King Yimiry and a pure blood Rested Tribe man. Physical features include six foot height with a muscled build and blonde hair with silver streaks like age marks. Approximate age is late fifties. His daughter DeeDee was killed around the same time as Prince Gallant, King Yimiry’s son.

Locations

White Rock: main settlement of the Rested Tribe in the Northern Domain. Located on the eastern side of Briarwoods Wilderness, the foundation stands over six hundred feet in the air. It resembles a white fortress and is protected by Pulse Shields created by its inhabitants.

Shadow Falls: main settlement of the Black Hair tribe in the Northern Domain. Located south of Briarwoods Wilderness several miles from the Valley of Echoes between Mt. Heil and Mt. Ventanas. It resembles a Native American tribe living in wigwams.

Melding: living quarters of the Seer, the prophecy stricken Rested Tribeswoman. Located somewhere inside of Mt. Heil. Its exact whereabouts are unknown to visitors. Said to resemble a wooden cabin inside of the mountain.

Colleen Jade Wilderness: living quarters of the Colleen Jade tribe in the Northern Domain. Located west of Frozen Crossing, the river west of Mt. Ventanas. Wilderness is expansive, covering hundreds of miles up the coast of Frozen Crossing.

Chapter: Prologue

My name is Ror, Captain of the Black Hair tribe on my home world of Whisehitel. Whisehitel is a planet divided into two parts. The Northern Domain, where it is eternally cold dipping in range from 20 degrees to negative 40 degrees, and the Southern Domain, a constant temperature in the 60s. The Southern Domain is grossly inhabited by humans, whereas the cold temperatures of the Northern Domain leave most of the territory unsearched. A variety of human inhabitants walk about the world in tribes. They are distinguished from each other by their physical characteristics and their personalities. Six tribes dominate the world. First are the Black Hair tribe; hunters and fighters of the highest caliber. They are identified by their black hair, dark burnt-red skin and built physiques. Second are the Rested Tribe; scholars, food growers and skilled sorcerers. They are identified by blonde hair with silver highlights coloring it. Third are the Cave Dwellers; smaller folk, once of the Rested Tribe, who live in the mountains mining for gems, ores, and stones. Fourth are the Colleen Jade, the oldest of the tribes, dominated by women, marked with contrasting shades of green hair and protruding green veins all over their bodies. Fifth are the cousin tribe to the Colleen Jade known as the Colleen Green. They are women who split from their prominent family, to run as cannibals across the lands. Finally, the sixth tribe, are the Solo Loss, powerfully strong men with a bloodlust for the Black Hair tribe. They were thought to have been killed off in the last twenty years. This rumor has recently been proven false, with dangerous consequences.

I was born a half-breed, a mix of a Black Hair tribesman and a Rested Tribe woman over thirty-five years ago. The Black Hair are strong while the Rested Tribe have a special ability called Pulse, which can be almost anything such as using wind and fire, walking through walls, growing plants in a frozen ground, and even jumping tall mountains in the single bound. I can do all but the walking through walls. Physically, this has been a challenge for me but my subconscious has been able to do it. For all of eight minutes I have been able to walk around like a ghost whenever necessity arose. Doing so puts my physical body into a coma, so I have only used this Pulse during times of great importance.

Technically, I was abandoned as a child. Two men in the Black Hair tribe found and raised me; the late King Bold Light and former King Ryeloc, both of whom are full-blooded Rested Tribesmen. Ryeloc is the cousin of the King of the Rested Tribe, Yimiry. Ryeloc, himself, is potentially in line for the throne of the Rested Tribe, especially now that Yimiry’s own heirs have been killed off. How do two full-blooded Rested Tribesmen come to rule a tribe such as the Black Hair? There are two ways usually, through demonstrations of strength of arms and mind, or by performing unseen feats of bravery. Bold Light led a group of Black Hair men into the caves of Mt. Heil to rescue one of their children. In return, he was seen as a great leader and became their next king. Ryeloc, his son, followed along in the quest and was later raised in the Black Hair tribe alongside the missing girl, a child princess named Blake.

Due to their parentage, I was taught the livelihoods of both tribes and have sought to become the best of them both. This has caused me much frustration and personal loss, as well as having been a great source of joy.

The Rested Tribe believed in living their lives with prophecies given to them by a Seer; one of the Rested Tribe who is stronger in Pulse than any other. She is an old woman. Little else about her is known, not even her real name. All my life she has been called the Seer and she has lived in a secluded and protected hole in the mountains called Melding. My current prophecy was to kiss a woman and make her the next queen of the Black Hair tribe. It has taken me fifteen years to accomplish my prophecy, much to the disappointment of the Seer. It is not expected for her to live much longer. For years, she trained a woman named Sidi to be her replacement, only to determine that Sidi was not truly the rightful heir to the title. That position belongs to Chita, a half-breed Black Hair and Rested Tribesman. He had been lost to us more than five years ago when he was forcibly sent to Earth through a portal inside of the mountains. Once Sidi had learned of the new apprentice, she imprisoned the old Seer inside of Melding in order to force the succession. Sidi was killed during a struggle to free the Seer by Alex, the second son of former King Ryeloc and his wife Teela.

Earth is only reached by the use of mysterious portals that seem to have ever-changing rules for opening and closing. For centuries, we believed these portals only opened every twenty-five years and that people who came through would be trapped on Whisehitel until the next series of portals opened. These humans from Earth are called Visitors. It has been six years since the portals first opened and most believed that their time is coming to an end. Many humans walked into Whisehitel. Some have greatly influenced our culture in the last two years. One of them is a woman named Sarah Gold. She is the woman I chose to become the queen of the Black Hair tribe.

The problem is I am not entirely sure she was the first woman I kissed. This makes putting her onto the throne difficult. It is also difficult because the new King of the Black Hair Tribe, Slipstorm, does not approve of anyone outside of a pure Black Hair ruling the throne. Despite losing her to portals going back to Earth, Sarah defied all odds and returned once again to Whisehitel. She has told me that I was a big part of her returning, but I am uncertain of her motives. The former King Ryeloc had tried to coerce her into a marriage with another Black Hair man in order to keep her in our tribe. She figured out the trickery and defied him. Now she may question my resolve for her under the belief that I may be trying to keep her in the Black Hair tribe as well.

King Yimiry, of the Rested Tribe, has commanded her to return to his home so that he can wed her to himself and have her rule over the Rested Tribe. She is a valuable asset to the king, as she was the only person to be able to calculate when the portals would open. Tracking the portals has been the king’s life-long ambition and in order to do this, he would need to control Sarah. She has mixed feelings about his proposal as she does not trust the royal family of the Rested Tribe any more than the Black Hair Tribe. The king’s brother, Prince Mabu, is a threat to her well-being and would take any opportunity presented to him to take her for himself. Despite this, she knows that if she does come to rule, she could save the lives of the Rested Tribesman and her fellow visitors.

What I do know is that I cannot lose her again. If she chooses to go to the Rested Tribe, I will have to decide whether or not to follow her.

Chapter One

Briarwoods Wilderness outside of White Rock, camp of the surviving Rested Tribe

It had been only a short few weeks in the wilderness which surrounded the Rested Tribe settlement home in the Northern Domain, but to the King of the Rested Tribe it felt like an eternity. The loss of the settlement to the Colleen Jade was a great wound to his people and to his pride. It hurt more to know that his younger brother, Prince Mabu, had infiltrated the settlement and massacred all of the occupants there. Mabu had sworn he’d done it in order to give the settlement back to Yimiry, but Yimiry had refused to step foot into the settlement since.

He spent many hours in a massive tent setup by the youth of his tribe. It was large enough that he could section off one part for professional duties and the other for a bed chamber.

King Yimiry had felt the wave of sorrow come upon him, purely out of the blue, without any precursor or introduction. His heart began to race uncontrollably as though he were running miles, instead of standing absolutely still inside of his bed chamber. It staggered him, taking him to his knees next to the spot he picked for his bed.

A horrifying thought filled him as he worried over a failing heart; he had not performed any feats requiring strength that would give him such pain in his chest nor had he felt anything quite like this ever before. Could he be dying? Was this merely the first course of pain before he was truly gone?

His breathing labored as he struggled to slow his racing heart. It was not an unfamiliar sensation. He had run quite often in his youth and his heart had raced as such back then, though quite a few decades prior. King Yimiry was now well into his seventies. He took in a shallow breath and let it out slowly. Then he took in another breath and let that one out, too. He continued this quietly for several minutes, closing his eyes as he forced his will upon the heart inside of his chest threatening to bring an end to him.

They were still in the wilderness surrounding White Rock even weeks after the settlement had been cleared. Fear of seeing the corpses of his enemies was his only reason for not returning to his home. White Rock, the Rested Tribe’s home in the Northern Domain, had been attacked by the combined forces of the Winged Beasts and the Colleen Jade many weeks prior. Their numbers had been too great and Yimiry had been forced to abandon his home. In the process of abandoning their home, many of the Elders of his tribe had been killed by Winged Beasts. Most of his tribe was now Pulse Riders under the age of forty years.

Prince Mabu, Yimiry’s younger brother by more than a decade, had performed a horrific Pulse and killed everyone inside of it. They were Colleen Jade warriors and some visitors from the planet Earth who had not been able to flee during the battle. Mabu swore he did it in order to save the garden from the hands of the Colleen Jade, but Yimiry did not trust his brother, even when Mabu swore that Yimiry could have it back.

Ache filled him. He yearned to return to his home once again, to sit in his study and read through the parchments of his father’s time and his grandfather’s time. The portal tracking device had been his life’s work. It had taken nearly fifty years and the help of an Earth visitor named Sarah Gold to complete. Yimiry had no intention of dying outside of White Rock, not with so much still to do back at his home.

The ache for his home turned sour and he suddenly felt a choking horror of loss deep inside of him. It cut deeply, giving him convulsions of grief. He suddenly knew what he was feeling and it was not the prongs of death. It was the prongs of loss, a terrible loss; love lost, a child lost.

Looking up at a Water Window hanging against the wall of his hut, Yimiry saw his own reflection in it. The Water Window was framed in bronze to keep it from spilling out onto the floor. When he looked at his face, he saw tears streaming down his cheeks, although he had not felt them. Wiping a hand on his face, his cheeks were dry. He looked at the mirror where tears drained down his face. Not a single water droplet was upon his face, however. There was only one explanation. They were not his tears.

Realization clicked in his mind. He shared a very special connection to his younger brother, a connection forced on him by his own brother’s stronger will. It was not Yimiry who suffered, it was his brother Mabu. They were Mabu’s tears running down Mabu’s face but in the Water Window, reality was blurred. The connection of Mabu’s will showed on Yimiry’s face, even if other human eyes could not see it.

Mabu, my brother, what is this suffering you are feeling? Yimiry reached out to the Water Window but could not move beyond his spot next to his bed. His legs did not want to cooperate.

He felt his arms become taunt, as some invisible weight was placed on them. Yimiry knew it was a body he was holding, or more correctly that Mabu was holding. Mabu’s connection had opened wide when sorrow had overtaken him and now Yimiry could feel everything his brother felt; Pain of the loss, sorrow that it had happened, grief and finally rage. Someone had dared to kill a loved one of Prince Mabu’s.

What has happened, Mabu? Yimiry whispered. Someone is dead? Who is it?

In the Water Window, Yimiry saw a short gray haired human body lying limp in his arms. There was no body in reality there, but the Water Window was the open connection to his brother. It showed what Mabu was experiencing, except that instead of Mabu in the window, it was Yimiry.

The king recognized the bun style hair of the Cave Dwellers on the dead body in his arms, but he could not see the face. Her back was pointed out at the window as she lay curled on her side. It was a woman he was holding, someone larger than a typical Cave Dweller. He knew that this woman had been a half-breed with another Tribe.

Yimiry no longer needed to see the face of the person to know who she was. He was stunned. There was only one Cave Dweller half-breed that had been so tall and still lived in the Caves. Sidi, the apprentice of the Seer, was the woman lying dead in Mabu’s arms. Had Yimiry not already lost his balance and fallen to his knees, this knowledge would surely have threatened to overcome him. Mabu’s sorrow was now understandable. The Seer was one of the most important figures in the Rested Tribe culture; her apprentice would be close to, if not just as important.

Still, Yimiry couldn’t help but feel a deeper connection than recognition. There was more to the relationship between the Seer’s apprentice and his brother. For only the second time in over twenty years, Mabu had lost control of his power holding King Yimiry captive. Women have left him and his control was never lost. The only time he had lost his control over Yimiry was after his daughter Dee Dee had died. He’d snapped and gone hunting for Visitors, intent on killing them as a measure of revenge for Dee Dee. Caught in the middle had been Zora, Yimiry’s son Gallant’s wife. The woman had been trying to protect her two children, only to be struck down by Mabu, when she refused to give him her daughter Cystal. His rampage ended only after he’d tortured Sarah Gold and then been evacuated from White Rock during a siege by the Colleen Jade.

Sidi had been someone important to Mabu. Yimiry had never seen the connection before, and now wondered just who Sidi was to him.

Pain ached in his arms and legs, though Yimiry wondered if it was his pain or if it was Mabu’s pain he felt. The weight of the Cave Dweller was beginning to take its toll on Mabu.

In the Water Window, Yimiry’s reflection held Sidi’s corpse, stroking the gray hair away from the woman’s head. The mouth moved but Yimiry could not hear what was being said. A measure of control remained in Mabu since Yimiry could not hear the words his brother spoke. Yimiry read his own lips but they were muted. He could only make out a few words.

I will avenge you. The other Yimiry in the mirror said.

A chill ran down Yimiry’s spine. This had been the first word he had heard of Sidi’s death, and judging by his brother’s reaction, she had been murdered.

Story had spread that the Seer had died and Sidi had rightfully taken her spot as the Seer. Rumor had also spread that Sidi had overthrown the Seer and forced her old mentor out of the position. Another had been that Sidi had imprisoned the Seer in order to take her spot. Yimiry had not been to the see the old woman since his son, Prince Gallant, had been given his death’s prophecy. That was some years ago. Gallant had been dead over a year now, in part due to Sarah Gold. She had not intended his death, but her arrival had heralded the end of Gallant’s life and had been completely out of her control. King Yimiry had forgiven her once he learned that she grieved over the loss of the prince.

The pain in his limbs and chest was suddenly gone. Yimiry could breathe once again. A quick look to the Water Window and he no longer saw a body in his reflection’s arms. The connection to Mabu had been lessened but the feeling of dread did not leave him. Sorrow remained, to a lesser degree than before. Mabu was still there but he now had control over his emotions and now he knew Yimiry had been watching him.

Signs of an upcoming doom loomed in Yimiry’s mind. His brother had stated he would avenge Sidi’s death, but did he know who had killed her?

Another question plagued him. Was the Seer still alive? If not, what would become of his tribe now that their prophecy maker was gone? There had always been someone who had granted prophecies to his people. Living without a Seer was unthinkable.

There were too many questions and Yimiry had no answers. His favorite general, Hiro, had gone into the mountains to assist Tim Burns with tracking down a fellow comrade. That was the only information he had received prior to the swift departure. Hiro was the closest and might be able to give the king vital information. Contacting him was the only option.

Rising was much easier than he thought it would be, and Yimiry felt some relief that the weight upon his body had lifted. His fingertips touched the top right corner of the Water Window and it swirled before him.

General Hiro. King Yimiry called out and waited. Depending on where the General was inside of the mountains, he might not have the Water Window open.

Several minutes went by before Yimiry tried again. General Hiro. King Yimiry said once again.

Time passed and Yimiry felt a resurgence of horror wash over him. It might have been General Hiro who had killed Sidi. The young Hiro was barely old enough to be a man, but he was one of the strongest Pulse Riders in the entire Tribe. The thought crossed his mind as he called once again to Hiro, frantic to hear the truth.

General Hiro.

The swirling of the Water Window stopped and the face and neck of the young general appeared before him. One of the downfalls of the Water Window was the limitation of what could be seen of the other person if the Water Window on the opposite side was not very large.

My King. Hiro replied and the young man’s head bowed, showing Yimiry only the top of Hiro’s blonde head. Silver highlights glittered above Hiro’s ears and a mixture of grime and dried blood covered part of the man’s forehead. Hiro had been in a fight some time prior to his call.

General, your report! Yimiry stated anxiously. This anxiety was not his own doing, but that of Mabu. His younger brother was now controlling him again, attempting to elicit any information about Sidi’s death that he could. There was no way for Yimiry to warn Hiro of this and he could only pray that Hiro had not had anything to do with Sidi’s death.

Lieutenant Tim and I are in Mt. Heil a few miles from the rainbow staircase, your majesty. Hiro replied immediately.

The rainbow staircase was a series of metal and jewel steps built by the Cave Dwellers leading from their home deep in the mountain and up into high levels of the mountain. Over a hundred of them existed in the caves, with two being close enough to the Seer’s home Melding that Yimiry felt a chill run down his spine. He knew Mabu would feel that fear but he could not stop himself.

What of the Seer? Have you seen her? Yimiry posed quickly.

Hiro did not pause but he spoke low, carefully choosing his words. Seer is alive and well, your majesty.

The words were not confirmation of murder, but the way Hiro said them, was confirmation of the murder of Sidi. Yimiry staggered backward until his knees touched the bed and he sat down upon it.

Your Majesty? Are you alright? Hiro asked from the Water Window, seeing that Yimiry had nearly collapsed.

Did you do it? Yimiry asked.

Can you clarify for us, King Yimiry? Another male voice spoke from behind Hiro and suddenly a head of sandy-red hair appeared next to Hiro’s. It was Lieutenant Tim Burns, a visitor from Earth, though his face was obscured in the Water Window. What are you asking us?

Did you kill the apprentice of the Seer? Yimiry rephrased for clarification.

The question caught Tim Burns off guard for all he stated was, Oh. The red head turned to look at Hiro but Yimiry could only see the barest tip of Tim’s nose in the window.

Did you kill her? Yimiry hissed. Tim’s head snapped back forward but all Yimiry could see was his ear.

We did not kill Sidi. Tim stated firmly and there was no trace of a lie in his words. This only gave Yimiry a sliver of relief. It was clear by Tim’s tone of voice that they had known about the woman’s death.

Your Majesty, why would you suggest that we killed her? Hiro asked in a polite tone. Between the two younger men, Hiro was the polite but formidable one. Tim Burns was a wild card with many unusual talents for a visitor. In all the years Yimiry had been alive, there was never a visitor before Tim that had become a member of the Rested Tribe’s officer rankings. That in itself spoke volumes to the visitor’s strength and character, but he was still a wild card. The visitor did not hold allegiance to King Yimiry. Mabu, acting through Yimiry’s body, had been forced to give him rank because of his valor during the battles with the Winged Beast. King Yimiry did not allow his brother to kill the young visitor. He had been strong enough to ensure that much. Giving the Visitor a title had been a measure of torture for Mabu. Yimiry reveled in that small victory.

Sidi is dead. Yimiry spoke as if that was answer enough.

How do you know she is dead? Tim pursued and the look of shock on Hiro’s face was priceless. The young general had not expected Tim to be so forthcoming. Yimiry had. Hiro still had much to learn about visitors.

The death of a seer is felt by many, Tim Burns. It causes a ripple of pain through those of us connected strongly to her. Yimiry stated.

Well, ain’t that a pity. She wasn’t the real seer, you know. The connection you felt for her was a fake. That’s got to sting. Tim smirked and Hiro shook his head at him, closing his eyes as if the words he was hearing was utterly stupid to him.

Her death does sting, Lieutenant, and it is not just I who has felt it. Yimiry rebutted him.

Hiro looked into the Window at Yimiry’s eyes. Who else has a connection as such to the Seer?

All of the Elders will have a connection. Yimiry lied. Technically, Mabu had lied to him using Yimiry to do it.

Including Prince Mabu? Hiro asked suddenly and Tim turned his head again to look at Hiro. This information had apparently not occurred to the red-headed visitor.

Yimiry nodded.

The young general paled and looked down briefly as if he had not thought of this. King Yimiry’s words had been a warning, of such, and that had not escaped Hiro’s attention. I heed your warning, my King. We did not kill Sidi.

Who did? Yimiry pressed.

Hiro was about to speak but Tim gripped his arm stopping him. Yimiry’s patience grew thin, but it was not his patience. It was Mabu’s patience and the prince was still in control of his older brother. He desperately wanted to know who had killed Sidi. If Hiro knew, then Mabu wanted that information. He would kill to get that information, Yimiry realized.

Hiro. Yimiry stated and it was all he needed to say.

Alex, son of Ryeloc, killed Sidi. Hiro stated without any further hesitation. He apparently did not see the danger that Yimiry was placing him in. Yimiry knew Hiro could not see that Mabu was controlling him. To Hiro, he was just King Yimiry, the ruler of the Rested Tribe.

Rage filled Yimiry’s heart because it filled Mabu’s heart. The prince was angry that his own kin had killed the Seer’s apprentice.

How did this happen? Did you try to prevent it? Yimiry asked coldly and even to him the voice was off. It didn’t sound like Yimiry.

Tim Burns picked up on the tone and in turn his voice was cold. Did we try to prevent it? Well, I wasn’t around. Hiro here was trying to save the Seer from being killed…oh, and thanks for asking if Hiro was alright. This connection you have must be pretty deep for you not to care at all about the real Seer or about your general Hiro. Tell me, King Yimiry, did you have a connection to the new Seer’s apprentice?

Hiro glowered at Tim but he wasn’t allowed to speak. Tim continued on. Tell me King? Did you feel the Seer being oppressed all this time? You obviously didn’t feel her being harmed, right? Otherwise you’d have done something about it? They were not questions but threats. Yimiry knew this. Mabu knew this.

Yimiry gained a measure of control back from Tim’s off the wall threats. Mabu was stunned by the question and felt peeved that a mere visitor would question the King’s resolve. That was enough break to interrupt Mabu’s insistent questioning.

It is easier to see someone suffering when they are at your side, but death will always be an immediate impact. Yimiry replied without actually answering the question. Mabu was still enraged but he was distant now inside of Yimiry’s mind. Who is the new apprentice?

Glad you asked. Tim stated. I’m fine by the way. No thanks to a bunch of Winged Beasts that tried to kill me. If not for Captain Ror I think it would have gotten me.

Mabu was retreating in Yimiry’s mind, pleased to have found out the name of Sidi’s killer but at the mention of Ror, Yimiry felt Mabu’s push come back into his head.

What was Ror doing in the caves?

Saving my hide, for one. Tim chided him.

Hiro stepped forward to speak but Tim gripped his arm again and there was an exchange between the two that Yimiry could not see. The general’s eyes were in full view but Tim’s head was still off to the side of the Water Window.

Come into view of the Water Window, Tim. I cannot see you.

I can see you just fine. Tim responded. Look, we’re busy right now. I’ve got some work to do so now that you know what happened, we’re hanging up.

Yimiry’s jaw hung low as Tim touched the Water Window in an attempt to shut it off. It didn’t change and Yimiry could still see him. Hiro rolled his eyes and said something but the audio was gone. Reading his lips, Yimiry figured out that Hiro had chided Tim for not knowing how to use a Water Window.

Hiro put a finger to the left side of the window and everything went black on Yimiry’s side.

There was an intense roar of anger inside of Yimiry’s mind, nearly deafening him as he stood in front of the Water Window. Yimiry’s reflection was there again but it wasn’t him. It was Mabu’s version of King Yimiry on the other side and that version of Yimiry was screaming bloody murder.

Would you shut up? I can’t hear myself think. Yimiry scolded his brother through the window. The other Yimiry in the mirror snarled back at him, his fingers curled into talons as it expressed the rage it felt.

The lips moved but Yimiry could not hear his reflection’s words. He was forced to read the lips once again.

There is a new apprentice.

Yimiry nodded gently. There will always be an apprentice to the Seer.

The reflection snarled again. Ryeloc’s son will die for this.

Sidi’s death does not deserve such revenge. Rumor spread that she was not the true Seer. Alex is a smart and good man.

He is no good man to me! The reflection’s lips curled as it spoke making the words difficult to read.

He is family, Mabu. Do not do anything foolish.

I should have killed Ryeloc before he had a chance to have a family. He is a traitor.

Ryeloc is your cousin, Mabu. He is your family. Yimiry reiterated to him, trying to talk sense into the reflection.

His family killed our family! I will kill this Alex and all of his family so he will feel my pain.

Alex does not have family other than Ryeloc and his siblings. Are you going to kill innocent children? Simon and Zhiff are barely adults.

This comment got the reflection’s interest and he turned his head. Steam flowed out of the reflection’s ears as it thought about this. Mabu was a killer, proud and steadfast in his own version of morality. Killing children was against Mabu’s morals as it had been against his father’s morals. Their father had hated the Black Hair tribe with every fiber of his being and that hatred had passed into Mabu. Killing Black Hair children was not against Mabu’s code of morals.

Yimiry thought it had been justice to allow Bold Light to become king of the Black Hair tribe and then Ryeloc followed him to the throne. He had spent time convincing Mabu that it had been a form of revenge on the Black Hair tribe to be ruled by a pure blooded Rested Tribesman. Their old customs were not utilized as much under a new king’s rule. It would weaken them over time. Mabu had believed it because he had seen the future. It had come true.

That was no reason to murder innocent children. King Ryeloc had four children and two were still young.

There was a slight hesitation to Mabu as he considered Yimiry’s words. Zhiff and Simon are children. Alex is not. Ryeloc is not. He is no longer king, either. The reflection of Yimiry gave a wicked smile that could have peeled bark off of a tree.

What are you going to do? Yimiry asked in a low voice, suddenly fearful for his cousin, Ryeloc.

What I should have done years ago.

You promised me that you would not kill our cousin unless he had broken the customs of our people.

He did break them and I should have killed him back then for it! The reflection quibbled.

King Yimiry only knew of one rule that his cousin Ryeloc had broken and that had been to raise the abandoned half-breed Ror instead of killing him. Ror’s tribal heritage had been uncertain at his birth, and it had been the only thing to save him from certain death. Both the Black Hair and the Rested Tribe killed half-breeds, and the parents of those half-breeds back then. It was more than thirty-five years ago. During Bold Light’s reign, that rule had been lifted. Ryeloc had married a Black Hair woman after the lift. His children were safe.

It is too late to kill Ryeloc over that infraction. You forgave him for raising Ror.

The reflection gave him a disapproving look and Yimiry realized he was missing something. Mabu wasn’t thinking of that particular infraction at all. It was clear on the reflection’s face.

You do not know the true story of Ror. The reflection’s lips moved. I do.

What truth are you referring to? Yimiry questioned.

Ryeloc should have died when Blake died. That would have sealed Ror’s fate.

There was only one conclusion that Yimiry could draw from that statement. Are you saying that Blake and Ryeloc are Ror’s parents?

The reflection gave him an approving smile. You finally figured it out. It took you long enough. I’ve waited thirty-five years to see the look on your face when you realized that Ryeloc had betrayed you.

Yimiry paled at the news. He had questioned whether Ror was Ryeloc’s kin but he had taken Ryeloc’s word that he had been found abandoned far away from Shadow Falls. Ryeloc had not truly lied; Ror had been abandoned by Ryeloc only to be rediscovered for the sake of appearances. The Rested Tribe were good at deception and lies and Ryeloc was one of the very best at it. The former King had fooled everyone for over thirty-five years. Nearly everyone.

What are you planning to do? Yimiry asked his reflection.

The old visitor saying is appropriate. Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. Life for a life.

There is another one that is equally appropriate. An eye for an eye and the whole world is blind. Yimiry retorted sharply. He did not want to see Ryeloc’s kin killed, but he knew he was powerless to stop Mabu from doing it.

I will have my revenge on this Alex. If I cannot find him, I will kill his kin.

Why, Mabu? Yimiry finally stated his name to the Water Window. Why kill his kin? What was Sidi to you?

The reflection did not respond with words. It turned away from Yimiry and walked away from the Water Window until it was out of sight. He didn’t wish to discuss the matter any further.

There is something disconcerting about your own reflection walking away from you. It is as though a part of my very being has turned against me.

Yimiry could still feel the anguish from Mabu’s heart breaking. Mabu didn’t need to tell him the truth. Yimiry could guess pretty easily just from the level of pain he was feeling in his brother’s heart.

That heart-break came from a child’s loss. Gallant’s death felt very much like this pain. That could only mean that Sidi had been Mabu’s daughter.

Yimiry shook visibly from the thought of what he’d just discovered. All these years he’d realized that Mabu was hiding two secrets from him. There had been an heir to the throne of the Rested Tribe after all. Sidi was Mabu’s blood and she could have taken the throne, although, she was a half-breed and that meant she was not entirely suited to rule the throne. It would have caused much distress among the Elders if a half-breed would have taken the throne. Sidi was at least the same age as Ror, meaning she was born during the ban, though; the ban did not necessarily apply to Cave Dweller and Rested Tribesmen. They were sister tribes, after all. Pulse Rider and Pulse Rider blood.

Then again, Yimiry had also found out that Ryeloc had another son and it was Ror. He, too, was a half-breed, with a Black Hair. Ryeloc’s family was logically the next in line to rule if Yimiry could not produce an heir old enough before he died. Ror would be the first in line, then Chear, Alex, Zhiff and finally Simon. Ror was not recognized as Ryeloc’s son officially so he might not become king. That meant Chear was the logical choice and if he was not suitable, Alex was heir. Mabu hated Alex passionately. Alex would not see the throne before Mabu would kill him.

Sidi was now gone. Ror was a better choice for the Rested Tribe throne than Chear, but that would require Yimiry’s endorsement to put him onto the throne. Ror had no children, which meant that once Cystal was old enough she would take the throne back from him. Alex was too young to rule the Black Hair tribe, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t rule the Rested Tribe. He would need to pass tests to ensure he had enough Pulse ability. Yimiry knew Chear and Ror’s abilities but he was not as familiar with Alex. The boy had chosen a Black Hair path many years ago and endured the life of that path. Three potential heirs, only one of which Yimiry liked. Three male heirs.

If Mabu didn’t kill them all first.

There was nothing Yimiry could do to stop him and warning Ryeloc was out of the question. The man was guilty of breaking the rules over thirty-five years ago. In truth, Yimiry could not warn Ryeloc that Mabu was coming for Alex or for him. That would be helping the guilty and Yimiry himself would be killed for it.

Once again his reflection was back in the Water Window and it followed all of his movements. Mabu had departed, at least temporarily. Yimiry did not know for how much longer he would have peace in his mind but he knew it would not last. Mabu would control him until the day one of them died. Odds were it would be Yimiry long before Mabu.

He felt like weeping. The pending sorrow for his cousin’s loss hurt him deeply. More so, Yimiry felt that Ryeloc would soon perish. Ryeloc had been his closest friend for thirty years. He was going to lose him, his cousin, and confidant.

The home he had abandoned weeks ago suddenly beckoned to him. Should he lose all the people he once held dear, he should at least do it in the comfort of his home. Yimiry no longer felt it necessary to deny his people their right to return to the desolate and corpse-ridden White Rock. It was more than time to return.

Chapter Two

Shadow Falls

The doors of Shadow Falls burst open with a force unseen before by the Black Hair tribe. Two men standing guard behind the gates instantly rushed to the sides trying to keep the doors from banging into the walls of the settlement but their strength was not enough to subdue the winds bearing down on them. It was clear that this was a Pulse attack being laid against them. One look through the open doors clearly identified the culprit.

Standing just outside the settlement, Ryeloc stared at the door, eyes pupil less and blonde hair standing straight up over a foot above his head. One hand held in front of his chest with the palm facing the door as though he were going to place that very palm against the structure and push against it. His mouth moved forming words but no audible sounds came out.

A thunderous crack echoed throughout the settlement. Dozens of other Black Hair members left their huts, quizzical expressions quickly turning to fury. The left side of the front gate door splintered, shooting wooden chips as sharp as daggers out into the inner courtyard. Two young boys practicing with each other about thirty yards into the settlement quickly changed their fighting stances from each other to the chips flying in their direction. They managed to block some but were forced to change the trajectory of the rest to a nearby post.

At the gate door, a single guard looked through the newly formed crack to see the former king continuing his stance as though oblivious to the damage he was causing.

Guards eyed their former king suspiciously, contemplating attacking him while he stood in Pulse-mode outside their doors. All the guards knew he was welcome to come in and no one stopped him from entering. One common question ran through everyone’s mind…why was he using Pulse technique to open the doors of the settlement?

Papa! A young girl’s voice called from inside the settlement wavering through the air like a soft bell chiming against a hurricane. He didn’t move. The former king just stood there with his hand out, facing the gates of the settlement. His lips moved again and another gust of wind came barreling down on the settlement walls so strong the guards holding the door closed could no longer hold them and were forced backward, falling and then rolling across the dirt ground.

Papa!

The pupils in Ryeloc’s eyes returned with their vanilla hue but there was no recognition, no life, inside of his eyes. It was as though he had turned into a passionless ghost with living flesh. Though he was a powerful Pulse Rider, his strength to manage the Pulse techniques was fading from him as he aged. It was taking him a long time to retract the Pulse and return to normal.

Slowly little red flecks appeared inside them signaling the end of the Pulse he was working on. He took a deep breath, his heart racing with the effort he’d used to work his new Pulse and surveyed the damage it had caused.

The front gate door was completely open and had massive vertical cracks large enough to see a few of the guard staring confused at him. On the interior he watched several Black Hair pick themselves up from the ground and brush dirt from their clothes, cursing with annoyance at being thrown to the ground so easily. Each one looked up and eyed him briefly before rolling their eyes and heading back to their huts, crisis now over.

Ryeloc frowned. He had intended to attack more of the settlement wall but only the door was damaged. The amount of damage was fantastic. Had he targeted a living being, it most certainly would have been deathly blows.

Papa! Little Listia ran up to her grandpa passing by the bewildered guard and threw her arms around his waist. Papa! The little girl wailed. Anyone around her would have thought she was crying but to the contrary, she was smiling brightly, her little eyes closed as she hugged her grandfather tightly.

At the gate a dozen Black Hair tribesmen stood glaring at him, some with arms crossed over their chests while others held massive weapons in their hands. The intent was to be threatening, but they did not move forward. Listia rushing up to her grandpa held them fast in their tracks. While she was just a little girl, they viewed her as a strong member of their tribe. If she was not intimidated by the man she called papa, then the rest of the tribe should not be hostile. Their logic was flawed, as Listia would never see her grandfather as a threat, even if he was going to choke her.

The blonde haired former king knew all of this for fact. He took their stillness as a good sign and ignored their presence, choosing to turn his attentions on his young granddaughter.

I’ve missed my little girl. You’ve been well? Ryeloc picked up his granddaughter and hugged her to his chest.

Yes. Mama taught me how to throw a dagger at moving targets. I’m really good!

I’ll bet you are. He laughed deep from his belly. No matter how long he’d been gone at least one of his grandchildren still came running up to give him a big hug.

Ryeloc, you’ve been gone too long and look at the door! Listia scolded him, pointing at the front gate. It broke! You must fix it before nightfall. I’ll be mad at you if you don’t!

The blonde man roared with laughter, his body shaking from the heavy belly rumbling. Oh, alright little one, I’ll fix the door!

Ryeloc! A thunderous male voice called from inside the gate and the guard parted to make way. Carrying a double bladed axe in his hands, the man was the same height as Ryeloc but with black hair trailing just past his ears. The top of his head was almost completely bald. It was a new look for the new king. Ryeloc, the former king, had twenty years on the newcomer but the ferocious look in the man’s eyes couldn’t have been mistaken for anyone else. It had been over fifteen years since he’d met Slipstorm, and the only thing that changed was the head now devoid of hair.

Greetings and welcome to Shadow Falls, King Slipstorm. Ryeloc bowed his head politely from the neck still holding his granddaughter in his arms. I’m happy to see you’ve come for a visit.

Slipstorm’s eyes were wild with anger and his voice matched the anger. You’ve decided to grace us with your presence, Ryeloc. I’ve been here for three months cleaning up the mess you left behind in your rampage.

My rampage? Oh, you mean when… Ryeloc stared off in the distance, laughing again. I had forgotten about that incident. It’s been pretty hectic hunting Winged Beasts in Mt. Heil these last few weeks. In truth, I came back to see how my children and grandchildren were.

The new king stood fierce with his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword. Anger continued to sweep over him, the king’s light-hearted mood pissing him off. You attacked us just to check on your children? That’s absurd!

As a former king of the Black Hair, I can appreciate your disapproval for my actions. I can even understand why you would be so angry. Ryeloc’s even temper was only continued by the sweet little breaths he felt his granddaughter take in his arms. The girl was just like her grandmother, Teela. She could listen to serious arguments without feeling the slightest bit afraid or angered. One day she would make a fine queen, provided she learned to act on the arguments instead of ignoring them. In this time of chaos she was his rock of strength and he felt blessed. However, the fact that they stood paralyzed against an overpowering Pulse attack simply because I was the former king, makes me greatly distressed.

The guard surrounding the gate stepped from their posts eyes wide with surprise. A rumble of discussions began inside the settlement. Slipstorm raised a hand to settle them. It took several moments but the group did settle to a dull roar, enough for Slipstorm to holler over at least. You attack us to test us, then? The almighty and powerful Pulse Rider to test the resolve of our Black Hair blood? Why am I not surprised by this? Rested tribe blood runs through your veins through and through.

Absolute in his beliefs, Slipstorm would not be settled by the simple explanation of the blonde man standing before him. Ryeloc’s eyes looked down upon his granddaughter wondering just what she thought of the man she called papa. Her little fingers clung to his shoulders using only the tips to balance herself against him. Though she was merely eight, the strength of her Black Hair heritage was strong in her. The little red lips pouted, her nose scrunched up with an anger Ryeloc was surprised by. Normally, Listia did not speak during arguments with the king. Today, she chose differently.

Her little gaze fixed directly on King Slipstorm. She flexed out her index finger at him. Mean, stupid and scared. She said loud enough for everyone to hear.

Ryeloc balled his hand over his mouth trying to change the shocked laugh he let out into a cough. There was a reason Listia was his favorite and days like this reminded him of that reason.

Listia, that’s not polite. He reasoned with her.

But papa, she countered, Black Hair are not polite.

He couldn’t argue with her.

You’ve raised a grandchild to be just like a Rested tribesman. Slipstorm said and it came out sounding like a threat, not a statement.

That’s untrue, King Slipstorm. She cannot Pulse. A raven haired woman stood with her arms crossed over her chest eyes glaring with a heated intensity at her new king. My daughter takes after me, rather than her father.

Marla, I’ve missed you. A smile formed on Ryeloc’s face bright and cheerful. I’m fascinated to see her throw a dagger now. She claims you have taught her to throw at moving targets.

The woman’s eyes rolled around in her head as a bright red blush toughing her cheeks. She learned that years ago. Her voice was nearly a whisper indicating her lie. To Ryeloc it meant she was embarrassed that Lista hadn’t learned to throw at moving targets until now. Most Black Hair children learn that at four years.

Carrying the little girl into the settlement, Ryeloc walked up to Marla. He handed his granddaughter to her, giving them both a kiss on the forehead before proceeding to stand before Slipstorm.

Your anger is well placed, Slipstorm. I, too, would be furious with anyone who tried to infiltrate the base. That is part of the reason I did this to Shadow Falls. Our warriors are used to seeing the Rested tribe come and go because I became king and welcomed the tribes to meld together. There are still those with considerable Pulse Rider ability who should not be allowed to enter into the settlement. This is the perfect time to train our people to defend against their attacks.

Slipstorm was silent thinking over the former king’s words. Ryeloc presented a good argument, trying to prove that he was not an immediate threat, and if anything, that he came with great purpose and intent to keep the Black Hair from annihilation.

You’re methods are cruel, Ryeloc. His eyes stared into the blonde man’s never flinching. Let us talk inside.

Cruel was a ridiculous statement. He’d merely destroyed part of a wooden door that would take two guards less than ten minutes to replace. The tactic had been simple and necessary. Despite this, Ryeloc did not speak and moved alongside Slipstorm into the hut.

Both sat at a small wooden table covered in a bright green cloth. Two wooden cups were placed in the center of the table on top a wooden serving tray. Neither touched the cups, waiting to see which would give in first for whoever did take a cup first would have to pour for both men. The battle of submission had begun.

Ryeloc may not have grabbed a cup for refreshment but he did end up speaking first. The silence of the new king was a game, one that annoyed him because he was short on time and was forced to give in. Once upon a time, Ryeloc would have relished the opportunity to play the games. Now, time was his game and he was already losing to it. It seemed to matter not that also would lose the game of king vs. king.

You wished to talk inside, let’s talk then. There is much going on inside of Mt. Heil. Sidi has been killed. She was the apprentice of the Seer and had turned wicked. The Seer has regained her position which means many Rested tribesmen are traveling through the mountain to see her. The stay was lifted.

Slipstorm frowned at him. This means nothing for me, Ryeloc. Our tribe does not see the Seer as we do not expect her to tell us our fate. Your own children have chosen not to follow the path of the Rested tribe by not seeking prophecy from her.

Ryeloc stared at him with a dumb expression on his face. Slipstorm couldn’t be that naïve. Your majesty, my son Alex has received two prophecies.

He waived off the blonde man’s remarks. You hinder us during our time of frustration. Our weapons have become greater, our shields stronger and yet you say we are ill-equipped to handle your Pulse weapons. The Black Hair have never been stronger!

Physical weapons. That was Slipstorm’s way.

It would be very easy to sway the new king with Pulse ability. Ryeloc knew this to be true. Slipstorm was a proud Black Hair and a man with no Pulse ability or any interest in continuing to allow his