A King's Radiance (Bonds of Kin Book 1) Page 2

  His chest heaved as he reached the bottom, a sharp pain in his side making him feel as though he had been stabbed. Taking a couple of deep breaths, he began searching for an exit, freezing to a halt a mere breath away from a palace guard.

  Zur’s Light take me, he cursed inwardly.

  He leaned against the wall and slowly crept to safety. He thought it over for a minute, deciding on the best course of action. He had grown up here and knew the palace’s secrets better than anyone. He moved for a side door to the east. Another guard stood impossibly still at the foot of the door, his beady eyes ever vigilant.

  Raiz looked from the guard towards a richly decorated clay pot resting atop a table in the corner opposite him. He reached into his deep pockets, Spike biting him playfully on the hand, before he emerged with an oval-shaped rock he kept just for such occasions. Taking careful aim, he threw the rock at a sharp angle, shattering the pot into pieces.

  "Sorry Father," he mouthed under his breath.

  Just as planned, the guard shot to life, the white glint of his armour shifting towards the disturbance. Raiz wasted no time, bolting for the exit. He was out before his footsteps had the chance to whisper.

  A sly smile creased his lips as he made his way around the winding passage leading to the courtyard. A sudden creak from behind made him fear the guard had seen him and pursued.

  He huffed a sigh of relief when he saw Isha following his path like a cat stalking its prey.

  Before she could catch up, he ran into a wall of people. He bounced on the balls of his feet, trying to find an opening somewhere, anywhere. But it was no use. He was too small.

  He pushed and shoved to no avail, then forced himself back out of the crowd, pinpointing a spot that looked thinner than most.

  "Watch it boy," cried a distressed onlooker as Raiz rudely trod on his foot. Several similar cries erupted from the crowd as he squeezed past, but he paid them no mind.

  Eventually he reached the crowd’s edge. It seemed as though the day's events were drawing to an end. People were dispersing, and what he assumed to be the embassy from Lumindal was heading his way, away from his father.

  Raiz gawked in awe. The 'Eagle' was flanked by dozens of knights clad in black plate armour. Each bore the golden crest of an eagle's talon upon their breast: Four arching claws, sharp as a knife’s edge.

  He had heard of these knights before. The Knights of the Golden Talon, prized bodyguards of the Eagles and peacekeepers of the realm. Maybe Raiz could be one of them when he was older? They looked strong. Their matte black armour shimmered in the daylight. Each carried a long whitewood halberd with a short sword at their hip.

  They marched towards him in practiced unison. Raiz shifted a step, making sure they had enough room to get past. As they drew closer, he snuck a peek at what was within. What he saw was not what he had expected.

  The 'Eagle' was nothing more than a man. A rather plain and unattractive looking man at that. To Raiz's dismay he did not glow, did not have pointed ears, nor was he tall as a giant. He was adorned in hundreds of rich jewels and ornaments from head to toe. He carried a tall, decorated sceptre in his left hand, and over his fair skin he wore an elaborate bone-white robe that covered his feet.

  What was truly disturbing, however, was what was before him. In front of him walked two abnormal-looking people shackled around the neck with a thick metal collar. One was a man, the other a woman. At least he thought she was a woman. Two goat-like horns shot upwards like stalks from her temples. She walked in an awkward motion, as if her back had been bent and set at a different angle. Her long black hair bunched at her shoulders in a matted tangle. Raiz looked on, stomach knotting, breathing doubling.

  The other was just as abnormal, only more human looking. His distinguishing feature was his skin. Half was white and half black. It separated reasonably evenly down the centre of his near-naked body.

  In his right hand, the Eagle held a long, black whip, and Raiz's mouth hung agape as it rose and snapped through the air, placing a nasty gash upon the black and white man's back, red blood trickling down his side.

  He winced as if the pain were his own. Suddenly he realised why his father had not wanted him to see this.

  Having seen enough, he turned to leave and felt a thud as he crashed into something. It was Isha, she had found him. The impact sent her reeling sideways. He went to catch her just a moment too late. Her momentum propelled her forward. Forward, out into the open.

  She landed headfirst into the foot of a knight, disrupting their march.

  Before Raiz could bring her back the crowd grew still, a high-pitched voice cutting through the air.

  "Hold!"

  The entire band of knights stopped instantly.

  "Who would dare disturb me so!" came a cry from within. "Show yourself."

  Four knights parted to make way for the Eagle. His pale face turned a light shade of red as he peered down at Isha. "Argon, silence this filthy wretch."

  Argon, one of the Eagles' personal guards — likely a captain —unsheathed his silver short sword and made for Isha. Panic flared inside of Raiz. What was happening?

  Isha rose to her feet and looked the Eagle dead in the eye.

  "Oh my," cried the Eagle. "Oh my oh my oh my. Argon, stop."

  The black-clad guard stopped in his tracks as the Eagle himself moved for Isha, who was near frozen with fear.

  "Your eyes, show them to me," the Eagle demanded.

  Isha took a wary step backward but did not dare disobey looking up at the Eagle.

  "A Mystic! I must have her Argon. I must have her for my collection. She has violet eyes! Chain her at once. Chain her at once!"

  Two more guards ran towards Isha bearing a thick metal chain and collar. Isha screamed in protest. "Stop, don't touch me, please. Raiz, don't let them do this."

  His fear conquered, Raiz leaped into action. Feeding on the sun’s warm light, his blackened hand frothed with an intense light of its own. Though it burned his already injured hand, he paid the pain no mind, sprinting for Isha. He could not let them do this. This was barbaric.

  "Isha!' he cried. Before he could reach her, a sword slashed through the air, cutting a deep gash into his right eye and sending him plummeting to the cobblestone floor. He cried out in pain, one hand reaching for the wound and coming away wet.

  "Stay down, kid. Count yourself lucky the Eagle did not see what you just attempted."

  Raiz looked through his one good eye to see Argon standing before him, his sword stained deep crimson.

  Isha still wailed in the background, struggling against her captors.

  What’s going on? Raiz thought, looking into the crowd. Why is no one helping her? The dazed citizens stood motionless as statues, none daring to make a move against Lumindal’s emissary.

  Raiz looked for his father, blood mixing with tears as he howled for him. Surely his father would do something. He wouldn't let Isha be taken like this.

  Kron Glaive stood on the platform, holding a crazed Dazen back, but he was unmoving.

  "Father!" Raiz shouted again. But it was no use. Raiz didn't understand, could Kron not see? Was his vision hampered?

  Isha continued to scream, fighting with everything she could, but it was too late. Raiz tried to get up, tried to come to her aid, but his wound was deep. He was losing too much blood. His vision blackened. Slowly he faded into a state of nothingness, his sister's screams calling to him, but he could not answer.

  Nobody answered.

  Chapter 1

  Raiz

  To Raiz, only one thing was worse than the high-pitched sob of a crying mother: a dozen crying mothers. Some were widowed, their husbands lost to the brutal reality that was war. Others were married, though conscription to the armies of Lumindal had long ago quashed any notion of a happily ever after. Now, they were being forced to watch as their children were taken from them for no better reason than being born with the 'gift' of Shine.

  The 'Shine' — one's ability to harness t
he power of Zur, the bright star in the sky that rose and fell each passing day — usually manifested during adolescence. Today was the day the people of Lesken paid their sacrifice to the ones who called themselves gods, the Eagles.

  Raiz spat on the dry soil, watching as it sizzled in the face of Zur, who was making his descent, casting an orange hue across the city.

  Spike — now four feet tall and twice as long — sat by his side, licking his hand as Raiz dripped excess Light from his fingertips. His scaly companion had been through everything with him these past eight years. Ever since the two of them had run away from home, the pricket had grown to be larger even than the biggest breeds of dog. His powerful jaw was sharpened with a knife-like row of teeth capable of severing limbs with one crunch. Though, Spike was not like that by nature. He was more of a cuddly puppy than he was inclined to show unwarranted violence. His huge, spiked tail vibrated and curled as he fed on Raiz's Shine.

  "Preparations are complete. The Eagle will arrive before sunset," came a muffled voice to his right.

  Raiz turned to face his companion. "Good work Draz, he will pay for this," he said, gesturing towards the crying mothers.

  Draz nodded, his thick metal helmet glinting in the light. In the six years Raiz had known Draz, not once had he revealed his face. Even on the warmest days, the short and stocky ex-mercenary refused to remove his helm, reserving whatever lay beneath for himself alone.

  Draz filtered back in line behind Raiz as they combed the streets of Lesken. Spike's skin turned a murky brown colour, camouflaging himself and mixing in with the dry landscape; a trick that had come in handy more times than one. They rounded the area for one last scout, refusing to leave anything to chance this day.

  To his left clambered the hulking form of Aroha. Her monstrous, nearly seven-foot presence was hard to ignore in such a public setting. Though her size was indeed significant, it did nothing to diminish her beauty. Her bright hazel eyes, sharp cheekbones and long, braided brown locks were enough to draw the attention of even the most discerning of men. Combined with her bulging arm muscles and tendency to growl at any man who so much as ventured too close, she was hardly one to walk around unnoticed. She paid onlookers no mind, however. Today was not a day for fraternising. Today was a day for revenge. A day for death.

  Rounding out their little band was Veil. In stark contrast to Aroha, Veil was as frail as they come; small, skinny, and extremely nimble, though she was perhaps the most dangerous of them all. She covered herself in an arrangement of dark cloth, more from necessity than fashion sense. Zur was out in full strength today and Veil was a danger to herself when she took in too much sunlight.

  Raiz rubbed a finger across his scarred right eye, as he always did when a fight was near. It served as a reminder of his past, of what he was fighting for. Veil smiled brazenly at him, lips curling upward as she stared at him with those bright blue eyes. "Are you ever going to tell me who gave you that scar?" she teased.

  Raiz gave a rough chuckle, returning her warmth with a grin of his own.

  Aroha stepped in before he could speak. "Oh honey, if he hasn't told you by now, he never will. You can stop dreaming."

  Veil looked from Aroha back towards him.

  "I’ll tell you who did it if Draz removes his helm and dances a jingle," Raiz said.

  The three of them looked towards Draz with hopeful expressions, but the mysterious man remained impassive, his stare as cold as the steel upon his head.

  The sombre proceedings soon overshadowed their moment of banter. The entire city had flocked to the streets to offer condolences. All around him stood shadowed faces full of hard lines and dark expressions. They knew the burden of loss. They had all paid their price. The King-Radiant and his followers — the Eagles — called it a great honour to be taken, but those who had any sense of perception knew the truth.

  A well of anger surged through him like a bull let out of its cage, and not just anger towards the Eagles. The people of this town also angered him. How could they just let this happen? They were taking children, for Zur's sake!

  He clenched his fists into tight balls. This reminded him too much of his father on that fateful day eight years ago...

  He shook his head. Now was not the time to dwell on painful memories. He was here for a reason. If these people couldn't find the courage to fight, then he would do it for them.

  A light touch on his shoulder caused Raiz to jolt to the side, hand clasped on the hilt of the dagger hidden deep under his coat.

  "Calm yourself, Raiz," Veil said, showing no sign of fear. "You’ll get your chance, but for now you must remain clear of mind."

  Raiz tucked his dagger comfortably back into its hiding place. "Usually, it’s me who does the calming," he said.

  "My curse will not consume me today. I’ll play my part. If my will threatens to become overwhelmed by 'it', I’ll remove myself."

  Raiz moved for her hand and clasped it within his own. He could feel the untamed power rushing through her veins even now. "We’ll find a cure for this one day, I promise."

  She huffed a dismissive sigh and pulled her hand away as quickly as he had taken it. “Let’s focus on one problem at a time, shall we?"

  Raiz nodded, accepting her choice for distance.

  "Do you think it will be the one you're searching for? Do you think your sister will be here?" she continued.

  Now it was Raiz's time to shy away. It was rare for an Eagle to venture this far outside Lumindal. This was the opportunity he had been waiting for. What he had trained for. Even if it killed him, he would see his sister free. Would hunt every last one of them for what they did to her.

  Veil grabbed his arm and twisted him in a different direction. "Come, we must find a vantage point. They’ll be here soon."

  The four of them walked with their heads down over to a patch of ground overlooking the town square. They wanted no trouble with the city watch leading up to their plight. They were not here to spill innocent blood, but they would if they had to.

  The city watch would not put up much of a fight. Not against Raiz and his crew. The city watch in Lesken was more of a skeleton guard, put in place to make it seem safe. He risked a glance at a couple of them as he passed. They were pale faced and scared, just like the rest of them, obviously wanting no part in the proceedings. But like everyone else in this forsaken world, they lacked the strength and courage to stand up to the unfathomable might of the King-Radiant and his legions.

  "Isn't it enough they take our coin and crops to fill their already bursting treasury? Why must they take our children too?" he heard a skinnier looking watchman with a pockmarked face whisper to another.

  He received a slap to the back of his head for his trouble. "Quiet! You mustn't speak on such things openly boy," said an older looking watchman before returning to the straight-backed posture more befitting a man in power.

  Raiz continued on, pretending he hadn't overheard. But he had. This town wanted to push back. They wanted to fight, they just lacked the proper leadership and opportunity to discharge their latent anger. But Raiz had both, and he planned to make gifts of them.

  As time passed the streets grew silent. Gone were the tears and whispers, overtaken by an overshadowing sense of dread. The populace of the small city that was Lesken had gathered together around the city square, an open space in the middle of dozens of tightly packed buildings. A large bell tower loomed overhead, its shadow casting a gloomy darkness over the crowd of anxious citizens. Only one passage stretched large enough for a mass body of troops to enter, so everyone's attention drifted towards the north.

  An eerie aura crept across the landscape as the faint sound of footsteps echoed from beyond. The footsteps gradually grew louder, more synchronised. Raiz felt his anticipation growing, arching his head higher as if it might increase his visual prowess. It did not.

  He needed to know if she was there. It was a fool's hope, but it was hope nonetheless. His eyes flickered towards Draz. The man was a geniu
s, unopposed in the art of trap making. He was fingering the explosive resin in his satchel pocket, itching for the chance to use it, but he waited upon Raiz's signal.

  The footsteps grew ever louder as the synchronised march of the Golden Talon company came into view. Raiz had learned that only a select few were actually labelled a Knight of the Golden Talon. These were usually much taller and hardier, their black armour lined with golden paint. Most were able to wield Zur's Shine. The rest were Blackwings, common foot soldiers, but even then their presence was far from un-intimidating. A wall of armour blacked out the horizon. They would have sent even the bravest of men scurrying from their path, but the streets were empty. All were gathered in the square.

  Raiz found himself short on breath. The hairs on his arms stood on end, and his knee bobbed up and down as rapidly as Veil could shoot her bow.

  The wall of black came to a halt mere feet from the main body of onlookers. Fourteen children, none yet past their fourteenth year, stood before them, some clutching at their mothers’ dress, others openly weeping.

  The fact that this was done so publicly itched at him. As if they needed another spectacle to prove their strength, to assert their dominance over the population.

  They had grown overconfident. So comfortable were they in their position and reputation that they didn't take even the simplest of precautions, and this would be their downfall.

  The guard parted to make way for their leader. He stepped forth with open arms, clearly pleased with the distressed citizens’ open display of obedience and submission. But no slaves accompanied him. There was no whip in his hand, and no sign of his sister.

  Raiz twitched with anger, unleashing his fury with a hard punch into the stone parapet that left a nasty gash on his knuckles.

  Veil placed a supportive hand upon his shoulder and he resisted the urge to shrug it off.

  "To your positions, now!" he said. "Draz, take as many of them as you can."

  Draz leapt into action without hesitation, moving with light feet despite the heavy metal upon his head. Veil too vanished from sight, heading to a rooftop with more of an angle from which to loose her deadly arrows.