The unforgiving desert sun beat down on the pair of riders, relentlessly pounding them with a constant wave of intense heat. Their dark, thick attire didn’t help matters and both riders prayed for nightfall, lest they collapse to the dusty ground tramped on by their horses.
Finally, their horses slowed as they reached the looming mountains that signalled the edge of the territory.
“What’s the village called again?” one of the riders, a tall, scarred woman with red hair, thickly built, dressed in black asked the one with her.
“Dryforest. Bit on the nose, you ask me,” the man with her said, his tired, grey eyes tracing the outline of the mountains above them.
“Didn’t ask,” the woman said, climbing down from her horse bringing it to a stop. She knelt low and looked at the short, narrow stump of a long dead tree. She traced her hands along a carving hewn into it.
“What’s that there?” the man, Jonas, asked, climbing down from his own horse and joining her by the shattered, rotting tree.
The woman, Starling, kept her eyes on the symbol.
“A warding rune,” she said. “An old one, too.”
“So it’s been there a while?” Jonas asked
“Freshly carved. Old as in old style. Ancient magic,” Starling replied.
“You recognize it?”
“Back in Esterlin. When the witch gave me the power of that book... this rune was on my sword. And in the book. I studied it before leaving and getting after that pirate.”
“It’s for warding? But warding off what?”
“Those who would do harm. Someone is... protecting this village.”
“Or fencing it off. Might be why no one can hunt these two down,” Jonas suggested.
“Could be. Mala and Alaani right?” Starling asked.
“That’s them.”
Starling nodded and stood up. “Heard of them. Considered going after a bounty that high a few times. I could retire on that kind of money.”
“What stopped you?”
Starling eyed the rune again. “I’ve been too close to their kind of power before. I could feel it, even just hearing their names. It pushed me to the brink of madness, of losing myself...”
“You’re... afraid of them?” Jonas stared long at his longtime friend, who now faced the road heading into the village.
“It’s not them I fear,” Starling said. “It’s my mind. Already corrupted by that same power... I cannot allow it to happen again.”
“We won’t,” Jonas said.
“As you say... and I will help you. It is what I must do. It is right.”
“Thanks, Starling.”
She checked her gun, putting a hand to it once, before stepping further into the village. The two black-clad figures followed the narrow road between the mountains for some distance before stopping at a small, eerily quiet settlement.
The rows of houses were scattered, built hastily into the mountain base, unevenly spaced and few in number. They were all small, wooden dwellings, run down and old, partially falling away. Surrounding it all, and in between, were several more rotting, dead trees, all shattered and broken from the dust storms that ravaged the area.
With nary a soul moving about the small, mostly ruined settlement, Starling and Jonas moved unimpeded through the dusty roads leading to the base of the mountain. The pair of them reached the mountain and stopped, Starling bending low to inspect the cracked, dry ground beneath her. She pinched some of the dirt between her fingers, rubbing them together.
“Water...” she said.
“What?”
“This was a pond not too long ago. Looks like it dried up... look.” She pointed out some half buried fish bones she had spotted just off to her left.
“So I guess Dryforest was more of a name than an actual descriptor,” Jonas said.
“No, it’s accurate. This area used to be verdant. I can see that. It used to be this oasis of lush green and fresh water, tucked right into the dry desert. The Dry Forest, they used to call it.”
“How do you know all that?” Jonas asked.
“The power gifted to me, left me imbued with knowledge. Knowledge that is not my own,” Starling explained. “Mageian knowledge... they are nearby.”
Jonas sighed. “So are they the ones that did... this to the town?”
“It must be,” Starling said. “And they’re warding off those who would do them harm. They’re not protecting the village. They’re protecting themselves.”
She stood up again, her eyes darting back and forth, keeping her eyes on the place, watching for every possible movement. Jonas tensed up and moved for his gun when he noticed this.
“What is it?”
“Someone’s watching us...”
Jonas backed up and drew his gun, inching closer to Starling. She remained still, save for the subtle movement brushing aside her long coat and keeping her hand by her holstered revolver. They backed up closer to each other as endless shrouded figures, all made from the shadows themselves, emerged from the houses and quickly started to surround them.
Starling finally drew her gun and turned her head to one side. “Stick to my back,” she said.
Jonas just nodded as the ambling shadows crept ever closer...
...
In the far south of the territory, a wide, green plain with scattered trees was the home to a single house of logs, a murmuring river circling around the back of the structure. One lone, ancient tree stood at attention in front of the house, a silent guardian. And inside, a woman with golden eyes struggled.
She had a full view of the wide window, staring through the pane of glass, out at the stalwart tree outside. Twisting against the ropes binding her body, she grunted as they pulled tighter, her voice silenced by cloth in her mouth and tied over it.
The rope held her ankles together, pulled back and tied to a bottom rung of her chair. Her wrists were bound behind the back of the chair, anchored down to that same rung, and tied to the back of the chair with a rope around her waist. A tight, long coil wrapped up her arms from elbows to shoulders, pressing in tight on her chest and stomach. The white cloths gagging her silenced any possible protests.
The unwavering determination in her gilded gaze would not let her give in to the ropes, but they refused to yield. Her bobbed, red hair swayed gently as she writhed, carefully and methodically, trying to pick at the nigh unreachable knots.
Her long sleeved, high collared dress was bright yellow, covered partially by the sharp black vest on top of it, the skirt reaching her knees. Her legs were covered with black tights and contrasted the tall, yellow leather boots on her feet. Her hands, protected by black fingerless gloves, grasped for any knot that may hold the key to her freedom.
Sweat was now dampening her brow as she thrashed about, trying in vain to loosen the ropes binding her. But there was nothing she could do. Meryn refused to believe she was stuck but, at this point, she was starting to have doubts.
A tall, dark haired woman stepped in the front door then, her flat, wide-brimmed hat resting upon her head, almost blending with her raven locks. She smirked and her pale eyes shone. She was dressed rather smartly in a black blouse, matching black vest, black tie, trousers, and even black boots. A star badge was pinned to her chest.
“Still here are you?” she asked.
Meryn grunted into her gag and shot her a sharp look.
“Guess I’m beginning to know my way around knots. With you around, I need to brush up on those skills eh?”
Meryn rolled her eyes.
“Don’t act like it’s not true. So... give up yet?”
Meryn sighed and slumped into her bonds, slowly nodding. The woman laughed.
“Imagine that. What happened to all your little lessons? Or am I just getting that good?”
“Mmmpph...” Meryn said. “Jmmph mmtmm mmm...”
“All right, enough teasing then,” she walked to the chair and pulled Meryn’s gag down, helping remove the cloth stuffing her mouth.
“Not so easy without those tools of yours is it? I told you...”
“Don’t even start, Mac,” Meryn said. “I need to practice without them.”
Mac chuckled as she started untying the knot holding Meryn’s wrists. “You and your training... I will admit, I’m impressed you want to keep up with it. So far, you’ve got a great track record of only being captured by me since we got here.”
“Don’t rub it in...”
Mac kept the smile on her face as she finished untying Meryn’s wrists and moved to her arms.
“Why wouldn’t I? Soon as I got here, taking over the Sheriff’s job in Harrisville, then this vigilante shows up, taking her gun to people, not killing or anything, but still roughing people up. In my town.”
“You don’t need to tell this story agai-”
“Didn’t know she was beating up crooks but, hey, I don’t always have all the facts. Then I get the drop on her, tie her up and throw in a cell... only to see those damn eyes again.”
“Mac...”
“What?”
“I already know this damn story...” Meryn said.
“Just like to remind you,” Mac said. “Make sure you know the danger you put yourself in. Lucky it was me and not one of the corrupt types from the city. You’d be shipped off to that Devil in Harrison.”
“Stop worrying over me, okay?” Meryn said, finally shrugging off the last of the ropes. She stood up and walked to the window, and a table, where her revolver and shotgun both lay. She reattached the two gun belts, holstering the revolver at her hip and the shotgun at her back.
“I have to. You’ve gone all ‘lone wolf’ and it worries me. Your dad, too.”
“Don’t bring him into this. I get enough of an earful from him as it is.”
“I’m just saying, Meryn, you’ve got friends. Why not go join them?”
Meryn sighed and stared out the window for a long time, eyeing the ancient tree. “I’m afraid they aren’t who they were anymore. Neither am I...”
“That’s crazy talk,” Mac said, stepping closer and staring out the window beside Meryn. “You’re the same as you always were.”
“And what about them?”
Mac sighed. “There’s no telling fact from fiction... or what happened to them. Artema and Jonas, I mean. They’ve got reputations. That bastard in Jericho called Jonas the Demon in Black... and I’m afraid he might not be wrong...”
“So we stick together, the three of us,” Meryn said. “For now. Until we know the truth. Maybe then we can...” Meryn let out a short breath. “I do miss them. I wonder if they found Saira...”
“It’s possible. And it’s a long ride out their way. Maybe we could head on out and have a look?”
Meryn nodded. “I have to some time...”
“I’ll get you on board the first train out of Harrisville. I can’t go with you, got my duties here. Don’t know about your father... he’s a fine deputy to have. I’d miss having him around to help out. But that’s up to the two of you.”
“He’ll be back,” Meryn said. “But I’ll let him decide.”
Mac clapped Meryn on the shoulder. “Hey, buck up. You’ll learn what you need to. And you’ll find Saira. All right?”
Meryn nodded again. “Right... I will...”
...
In the shadows surrounding the house, he watched the handsome, aged man with long red hair and a thick beard enter the front door, passing the ancient tree as he went. The man in the shadows took a moment to think.
“The troubled heart of the golden eyed one...” he said to himself. “There must be a way to use this to my advantage...”
Morphing from the shadows, he took on his usual form, identical to Jonas, square glasses, grey suit, bowler hat. He reached into his vest pocket and grasped something. Ethereal whispers echoed around him and he removed his hand, holding a darkened snow globe, staring deep into the thick glass, watching the sparkling flecks dance across his vision.
“I hear your whispers, Mother...” he said, speaking to himself again. “Destruction... it is not what I must seek. You have given me my own mind. It is too strong...”
He tightened his grip around the small, glass globe, closing his fist around it. “But the hatred... it is forever imbued into me. I will use your gifts, Mother. I will rid every world of the monsters within it...”
The globe went back into his pocket and his very form changed, twisting into shadows, and then back to a human form... the form of the man he had just watched enter the house. His hard glare fixed upon the house once more.
“A job for the Marshal perhaps... keep them out of the way. While the golden eyed one’s heart is turned in our favour...”
...
A screaming bullet ricocheted off the rickety building shielding them and he ducked to one side, forced back into cover.
“Bastards just keep coming!” Jonas said.
Starling leaned around the corner but another bullet grazed the wood of the house and she ducked back behind cover as well.
“Endless, most likely,” Starling said, checking all six empty chambers of her gun. She reached to her belt and felt around... finding just one bullet. She sighed and loaded it up, spinning the cylinder and clicking it back into place.
“Almost out...” she said.
“Me too,” Jonas said.
“Then we have to find them,” Starling said. She closed her eyes, gun in hand, and listened. The whispering grew louder in her ears and she sensed the direction. Keeping her eyes closed, her hand moved independent of her and took square aim right in front of her, drawing back the hammer.
“Starling what are you-”
She fired before he finished his sentence. The bullet soared through the air to, hitting against... something, and the very air shattered like glass. A woman stumbled out from behind the shattered patch of air, falling to the ground. Jonas stood tall and aimed his own gun at her head.
She looked... almost familiar. Her skin, a deep caramel colour. Her eyes, orange irises, just like Lanala... and the same hair. That strawberry pink, as Lanala always called it. She wore a short, black dress and tall sandals. The woman reached to her head, her vision swam, but she stopped moving when she eyed Jonas’ pistol.
“Stay there...” he said. “Call off your shadows.”
Her eyes flitted back and forth between the two black-clad figures. Her eyes settled on Starling. She audibly gasped.
“You... you’re the presence I felt...” she said.
Though it was empty, Starling held up her own pistol. “Alaani...” Starling said. “That’s the one you are?”
“I am. You are... I feel the power of the Cursed One...”
“That’s not important,” Starling said. “Do as he says. Call off the shadows. And tell your partner to show herself.”
“Or else?”
Jonas drew back the hammer on his pistol. Starling did the same. “They say you Mageians are immortal...” Starling said. “But I know you can bleed... you got the energy to stop a bullet?”
“You would kill me?”
“If you don’t call off your shadows...” Jonas said.
“Fine...” Alaani shut her eyes and whispered an ancient word. The shadows firing upon them disappeared in dark puffs of smoke. Jonas and Starling stood together.
“On your feet,” Starling said. “Now.”
Alaani did as demanded. Jonas kept his gun on her while Starling approached her, taking a coil of rope from her belt, quickly crossing and binding the wrists of the woman.
“Now tell your partner to show herself... Mala,” Starling said.
Jonas kept his gun trained on Alaani, as did Starling, though she heard the whispers again behind her.
“Mala...” Starling said. “I hear you.”
“The Cursed One’s power...” a voice from behind her said. Another woman, shorter than Alaani, materialized in front of them. Jonas looked to her and, again, she looked familiar.
Her skin looked healthy but was the same pale grey as... Jhana. Her long black hair and frightening pale eyes matched those of the evil sorceress. She dressed in the same hues of purple and gold, wearing a similar short dress only with high heeled boots reaching her knees.
“You....” Mala said quietly. “I see the recognition in your eyes.”
“Don’t presume to know things,” Jonas said.
Starling quickly had Mala’s hands crossed and tied behind her back as well, dropping both her and Alaani to their knees.
“None have passed our wards,” Alaani said. “Only the power of the Cursed One could guide you...” she said, glaring up at Starling.
Starling said nothing more, holding her gun level with Alaani’s eyes.
Mala kept her eyes locked with Jonas. “So what will you do, now that you have laid eyes upon Mageians once more?”
Jonas used his free hand to pull a golden watch from his vest. He knelt down and held it close. “I need to know how to make this work,” he said. “I know it’s Mageian.”
She smirked. “So it is. And what do you expect me to do? Help you?”
He held his gun against her head. “I need the touch. Of a Mageian. You’re going to help me or we can easily just bury you out here in the town you ruined. Your choice.”
Mala chuckled. “Not much choice then...”
“No. There isn’t. “What’s it to be?”
She continued staring into his eyes. He could feel her stare searching, probing, straight through to the back of his mind... and her own eyes went wide.
“Impossible!”
“What?”
“You... you know... she couldn’t have.” She searched his eyes again. “By the Goddess... she did.”
“Who? What are you talking about?”
“You... you know the Daughter of the Immortal. Both of them.”
“Both... what?”
“The Immortal. The Banished One. Our former ruler. Alhanna....”
The name triggered... something in the back of Jonas’ mind. Lanala had used that name before... Mala continued.
“She... she has daughters. Two. And you know them. I have seen it.”
Jonas said nothing more. He was beginning to understand what she was saying...
Her voice, her eyes, they were tinged with fear. Her bound hands trembled as she leaned forward. “Place your hand in mine. Hold the relic in your closed fist.”
“What?”
“I will grant you what you seek... Anything to avoid the reckoning...”
“Reckoning?”
“You know nothing of what the Daughters of the Immortal are capable? You are either very brave or very foolish...”
Jonas said nothing more as he stepped around behind her, knelt down, and placed his fist into Mala’s bound hands, holding the watch. He felt... something. It surged within him. But it passed quickly. Everything reverted to normal.
When the feeling passed, Jonas pulled his hand back, opened the watch.... and the hands moved.
“You... it worked...” Jonas said. “This must be able to open a portal,” he said, stepping around and kneeling down to meet Mala’s face again.
“A portal? You do not have the power. Nor does the relic. Only further relics can accomplish what you seek.”
Jonas shut the watch and replaced it in his pocket. He stood up straight and holstered his gun. He and Starling met eyes. “Our work here is done,” he said. “I’ll get the horses. You set to securing them.”
“What?” Alaani asked. “Your wish was granted... why?”
“You’re both wanted women. Even got a Sheriff back in Gold Valley that’s dying to meet you. And my friend here aims to collect the reward of you two captured alive.”
Both Mageians struggled, but Starling pushed them to the dirt. “Stay down. Go on and get the horses. I’ve got them.”
Starling further secured them with more rope, pinning their arms, trapping them against their sides with a thick coil, then quickly tying their ankles and pulling them up to their wrists, leaving both women hogtied. She balled up a couple cloths, stuffing one in each woman’s mouth before tying off another over both of their mouths.
With her captives hogtied, the horses arrived as she finished tying her knots. Jonas scooped up Mala in his arms and slung her over the saddle, tying her in place over the back. Starling repeated the process with Alaani on her horse.
“Long ride back to Gold Valley,” Jonas said. “Best get comfortable.”
Both of them climbed into the saddle and Jonas managed a smile for his old friend. “Nice job. The Griffin’s Gun... you live up to that.”
“And you, the Demon in Black... I pray you do not live up to that.”
Jonas let out a long breath. “Prefer not to say...”
The two spurred their horses on then, taking the long road back to Gold Valley.
...
Elsewhere...
The verdant plains, the vibrant trees, the chirping birds, none of them could make her forget that this place was a prison. A prison of her own design. To contain her, and her power, never to harm another soul.
And, for most of that time, she was to remain bound, gagged, and under the watchful eye of the undying spirit of the man she loved.
She was bundled tightly in silken, white rope, wrapping her ankles, strong calves, elegant thighs, around her waist, even between her legs, attaching to her wrists, tied over each other. A harness of rope kept her breasts framed and accentuated, while the glowing, rubber ball in her mouth, strapped inside, silenced any protests. Though she didn’t protest while she felt the warm touch of her husband’s hand, gently caressing her cheek.
Though this was a prison, she delighted in knowing it would be an eternal paradise for the one she loved in his passed on form.
Laying in a lush, soft bed of vibrant, beautiful sheets, softer than soft, like floating on a cloud, her orange eyes shot open. Long, black hair swayed as she sat up from her bed. The ropes contrasted her colourful, caramel skin.
She dressed in purples and golds, her tight, very short dress reaching mid thigh, gold buttons adorning her torso, a plunging neckline, tight skirt with gilded fabric interweaved in the purple. Long, fingerless, silken gloves covered her arms all the way up past her elbows, matching purple, knee high sandals adorned her feet, covered in golden studs. Her wine red cloak gently wrapped her body, covering her arms to the middle of her forearms, draped all the way down to her feet, interlaced with gold threaded accents.
The man moved with her and spoke his gentle, ghostly voice.
“What is it, love?”
“Lghhnghllghh...” she mumbled, stifled by the ball gag.
“Here...” he said, reaching forward and unstrapping the gag.
“Khal...” she said. “It’s her!”
“Who?”
“Our baby girl... Lanala! But... what is she doing here and...” her eyes darkened. “She is not alone...”
“Dear, what do you mean? How is Lanala here?” Khal asked.
“I... I don’t know. Quickly, you must unbind me. I have to see to our baby girl, Khal. And this intruder with her...”
“Are you certain, love?”
“You must. Our girl... she must be in trouble.”
Khal just nodded and untied his wife, helping her stand tall once again. All at once, and otherworldly glow occupied her entire body. Her orange eyes shifted black and she flicked her wrists, creating glowing orbs in her hands as bright as the sun.
“What are you going to do? Alhanna?”
She turned back to her husband, all softness gone from her gaze. “Retrieve our daughter. The Daughter of the Immortal. As I must.”
Without touching the ground, Alhanna slowly hovered out of their peaceful little abode. The sunny skies above turned dark, with swirling clouds, a dark storm of wind and lightning following her every move. Finally, as she floated her way outside, she spotted them. Far in the distance. Her daughter. And the intruder.
“Let them see... the Power. The Power of The Immortal...”
Story Theme Song: Blues Saraceno- Heroes Dress in Black