Bridgeworlds: Deep Flux by Randy Blackwell Read Free Book Online Page A

and, if the Elder was their Patriarch,
she hoped he would find it more amusing to keep the little secret between the
two of them. Does he even know who I am? she wondered. She wasn’t sure but
she would just have to hope for the best.
    At least now she had some direction. She knew how she could help
Soterion heal from the loss of all its armies. She had to best the Gauntlet. Kasey
had set up in Philos long after Myles had disappeared, buying some farm land in
the plains just north of Lake City. There, she had a small home built where she
ran The Phoenix Collective -a group of seven Kalat who had accepted the
Shepherd and made the transformation to Miyka. The only purpose of the order
was to do the will of the Shepherd. Much to Kasey's dismay, the Shepherd's will
was for The Collective, Protos, and Ischus to stay out of the battle.
She flew south for some time until she reached the small home where
they would be waiting for her.
    As she landed she saw the six she had come to call her sister and
brothers sparring in the horse training ring. They were all adept fighters, having
been Kalat at one time. They dropped their weapons and ran to greet her,
hoping for news of the battle, she was sure.
    “What word?" Allaso asked excitedly, "We were hoping for tidings of
victory!” He towered over her at about six and a half feet tall with blonde hair
and blue eyes. The one thing that Kasey loved about her brothers and sisters of
the Phoenix was that though they were Miyka, they were not stuffy and
pompous like many Miyka were. Even Ischus and Protos showed some of the
signs of the haughtiness of nobility, but these were not raised in the upper class.
They were simple soldiers in the Kalat army working for their King and General
Sothsenies. The reports she had heard of Sothsenies scared her. He was said to
be inhabited by the Kalat god Mors. She knew that she would one day face this
demon possessed King of the Cursed. She had experienced a similar run-in
before and, while she had escaped unharmed, Myles had almost died.
    “Well, what news?” asked Aletheia impatiently. She was the only female
of the group and quite strikingly beautiful. At times Kasey could tell that more
than one of the Order had an eye for her. She had crimson red hair and light
blue eyes. Her ears were longer than most Miyka which was said to be desirable
amongst all Malakadam, even the Kalat.
    Kasey smiled at Allaso and bowed her head to Aletheia. “I bring bitter
sweet news. The battle and war have been won… but at the cost of hundreds of
thousands. The dead could not be counted, but it was the entirety of the armies
of Soterion.”
Aletheia gasped, “Everyone?!”
Kasey nodded, “Save the Kings and Queens who defeated the foul Great
Red Dragon when our Shepherd gave them the Sword.”
     
Allaso blinked, “You mean the sword that you used to break my curse.”
     
Kasey sighed, “Yes, that very sword.”
    Dinami, a scholar and a swordsman with dark blue hair and green eyes,
spoke with hope. “So the Monarchs of Soterion now know. They know of the
Dragon and the Shepherd. They know the Shepherd’s power.”
Kasey smiled, “Leave it to you to see a bright side to the matter, Dinami.
Yes, they know.”
    Laberos, a tall but skinny bowman with extraordinary aim had silver
hair, long silver beard, and blue eyes hugged Kasey. “It is good that you are
back.” He surveyed her for the signs of battle. “You did not fight. I'm sure,
sister,that it was hard to watch and to obey the Shepherd’s words to you, but it
is for the best.”
    Kasey slapped Laberos firmly on the back. “Yes, my friend. It was very
hard. But…,” she paused, considering her words. "I have found purpose in this
tragedy.”
Kasey then told them all about the conversation the Monarchs had and
her plan to be the head General.
    Aletheia was very supportive. “If anyone can do it, Kasey, it’s you.” The
woman cleared her throat. “We… we caught a new