I deeply mourned the loss of my mother. It was heartbreaking, yet, a part of it did not seem real. My soul ached and there was nothing I could do until daylight.
In the moments after the attack, after the Savages were destroyed, the surviving Akanians returned. The cried out in the night through their sorrow and cursed my name.
A part of me wondered if something had occurred when I reached my eighteenth year. Since turning eighteen, I had fled my home, watched my horse die, and witnessed friends slaughtered.
Now, my family was gone.
Was it me?
I thought much about that as I gathered belongings and trinkets of memories while waiting for morning. I fell asleep only briefly. The stench of the Savages flowing into the house was overwhelming, and I knew what morning would bring.
The stench of rotten was soon replaced with burning as the sun’s rays hit upon the remains, causing them to disintegrate.
My mother was infected with Sybaris blood, she was a Day Stalker, even though I relinquished her from it.
Stepping from my home, I saw the smoke rise from her body as she began to burn.
Akanians attempting to retrieve their loved ones found themselves facing flames, screaming out once again.
“Get out! Leave!” they shouted. “Haven’t you done enough!”
“Gods help you. Nito surely will know what to do.”
Yes, Nito. The mention of her name drew anger from inside me like I had never felt.
I had planned to leave, wait outside the walls of our village, then a line of vehicles drove in. The Ancient Sybaris had arrived… too late.
Eight Ancients, plus two Elders emerged. Nito was not present. While it may have surprised others, I expected her absence.
Iry rushed from one of the vehicles and ran to me. “Vala, are you alright?”
I only stared at him.
“We received word that your village was attacked.” His eyes shifted down to my mother’s body. “Oh, oh, Vala, I am so sorry.”
“I am too.”
“Sophie?”
“A Savage flew off with her.”
Iry closed his eyes. “Vala, I am sorry.”
One of the Sybaris announced that those who survived should gather their belongings and they would be moved to the next village.
“I don’t understand how they made it beyond the Elder gatekeepers,” Iry said.
“They didn’t come from the west,” I replied. “Iry, they were… different.”
“What do you mean?”
“They were flesh colored, not blackened. They looked…”
“New?”
“Yes.”
“There is only one way that can happen.”
“How?”
Iry shook his head. “I’ll tell you later.”
An Ancient approached, telling me, “Hurry along. You have your things, I see. We must move.”
I exhaled and looked at Iry. “Choose me.”
“Yes, without a doubt.”
“No, choose me now. Claim me, whatever they call it. Take me quickly. I need to get to the city of the Ancients now.”
“Vala, you know I will.”
“I need to find Sophie.”
Iry stepped back with a saddened look. “Vala, the Savages took her. You know what they do. They… you know what happens.”
“No. Sophie’s not dead.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I have the ability to project and follow, to go to a place I have been or to a person I know. I locked onto Sophie and followed. I wanted to find the nest. To see where it was. They didn’t take her to feed, nor did they drop her there.”
“Where did they take her?”
I hesitated before answering, making sure no one else was listening. “To Nito. Nito has my sister.”