The Defiance of Vim (Catalyst Book 4) Read online

  THE DEFIANCE OF VIM

  ©2020 CJ AARON

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  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead is coincidental.

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  Contents

  ALSO IN SERIES

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  FROM THE PUBLISHER

  ALSO IN SERIES

  About the Author

  ALSO IN SERIES

  A TRIBUTE AT THE GATES

  FULCRUM OF LIGHT

  GHOSTS OF THE ERYLN

  THE DEFIANCE OF VIM

  Prologue

  The burning golden-yellow orb was the only blemish to mar the pristine blue sky overhead. In every direction, the unending wash of azure blanketed the heavens as it stretched out to the horizons. The sun maintained its permanent vigil as it watched over the embattled landscape under its domain. The sea to the south and the mountains to the north were unwitting spectators, watching the spectacle unfold at a pace that suited their evolutions.

  The ground here was locked in an age-old battle, one which to this point had remained in a perpetual stalemate. A jagged line of vegetation delineated the boundaries of the two opposing sides. Each forever pushing against the other, matching strength for strength. Where meters were gained by one, the other reclaimed the lost territory shortly down the border.

  To the east, the land was green and lively. The thick, nutrient-rich earth produced diverse flora and fauna. Vibrantly colored, straight blades of wild grasses stood proudly, swaying as a gentle breeze rippled through their midst. Scattered copses of trees dotted the rolling terrain. Melodic trills and varied songs of the birds melded into a symphony of harmonic beauty. Wildlife scampered through the underbrush, pausing to enjoy the fruits of the healthy land.

  The terrain to the west was as different as night is to day. A monochromatic palette of burnt reds colored the barren waste that stretched to the horizon. Here, the dry earth was hard and infertile, sustaining little life. The vegetation that survived was as harsh as the terrain from which it sprouted. The trees were stunted, riddled with thorns and tiny brittle leaves. The grasses were short, bent into a pitiful posture, yet their serrated edges were eager to draw blood.

  Clusters of boulders, sharp rocky outcroppings, and scattered groves of short, gnarled trees highlighted the muted terrain. There were no songs in the air, as no birds flitted through the sky above. Few creatures survived in the bleak conditions here. Those that did were wary, exposing their motion for an instant at a time before seeking shelter once more.

  Even the air here seemed affected. It was stale, hinted with a tinge of ash. A hint of rot lingered when a breeze stirred the stagnant atmosphere.

  A small songbird alighted on a slender branch of a thin sapling at the edge of a grove of trees only meters into the fertile land to the east. Its attention was drawn to a sudden motion from the lifeless wastes to the west. A shadow stirred among a pile of rocks along the boundary.

  From behind the outcropping the movement coalesced into a form. It was tall and skinny with hairless skin so deep red it appeared black in the sun. Its long, lanky legs and arms seemed grossly disproportionate to its body. The creature flexed its hands. The long wicked claws clicked together as it made a fist.

  The beast hunched slightly as it stalked forward. The long claws on its toes left pointed indents and gouges in the hard, reddish ground as it passed. High in the branches above, the small bird watched anxiously. Though the air was still its feathers ruffled as if jostled by an unnatural breeze. A potent wave of emotions washed over it.

  There was fear.

  There was hatred. Raw and unfiltered.

  The beast paused at the edge of the boundary between green grass and burnt earth. Its head angled to the side, its teeth gnashed together. The black eyes darted from point to point. The calculating gaze examining the terrain before it.

  All life had paused along the border. The birds rested motionless on their branches. Their songs had faded into an abrupt silence. No creatures stirred among the grasses. Even the wind paused in anticipation.

  After a moment of survey, the beast took a hesitant step forward. The black claws of its feet tore into the grass underfoot. The healthy green blades were severed as they were crushed into the soft soil below. The emotion, the blackness that followed the creature seemed to spread in its wake, leaving a barely perceptible stain on the ground.

  With a turn of its head toward the wasteland at its rear, the beast opened its mouth. The wail that echoed from its lips was jarring. With the cry, birds leapt from their perches, taking flight, scattering into the sky above. The creatures seeking shelter in the grasses scurried away, hastening to put distance between themselves and the beast.

  As the flutter of wings and commotion in the underbrush ceased, only silence remained.

  The calm only last
ed a moment.

  From the depths of the wastes behind the solitary blackened creature, cries from a host of unseen mouths answered the call.

  Chapter 1

  The muffled cry of alarm woke Andr from the light slumber he’d adopted as a habit over the cycles. The ring of his sword freeing its sheath sang over the roar of the waterfall that crashed into the pool along the edge of the square. The pervasive mists that clung to Tabenville blurred the few sources of light in the area. Illumination from the torches and lanterns was confined to diffused halos suspended in the particulate. They dotted the road leading into the Erlyn, burning alongside the scattering of buildings that lined the path.

  His body responded instinctively. Andr rushed from under the cover of the crudely constructed tent along the edge of Tabenville’s lone square.

  The distant circle of light at the edge of the Erlyn’s entrance snuffed out.

  The scant light from the moon and stars above did little to illuminate the village through the mist. His eyes struggled to make sense of the murky darkness. Andr squinted into the night as he raced toward the woods. The area along the mouth of the forest’s entrance appeared blacker than its surroundings.

  A thick, endless darkness swelled.

  The phrenic archer Kaep blew past him, her innate speed carrying her at a rate that defied logic. Strands of his hair blew across his face as the wind in her wake jostled it. The massive figure of Ramm, followed by the slender form of Vox, streamed by. They passed as if he were standing still, not running at a sprint. Small blue flames crackled around the elementalist’s left arm.

  Though his eyes struggled to make out the details, his senses were fully aware of what approached through the shadows. His gut feelings had saved his life on more occasions than he cared to recall, yet the sensations that swelled over him now defied his experiences.

  He’d witnessed firsthand the horrors of the Horde. The wicked, unnatural fighting ability. He’d sensed the pure hatred and malevolence that pulsed from the very core of their beings. Andr tasted the flavor of those emotions now. The black stain of hatred, fear and hopelessness that washed over him was startlingly similar.

  He knew the truth, the disastrous fate that awaited the tributes once they left the walls of The Stocks. Their withered shells would be imbued with the essence of the evil Horde. If they survived, they would become the Lei Guard.

  It was they who streamed from the mouth of the woods.

  Between the phrenics who had rushed past and the Lei Guard, a solitary figure stood. His body was wrapped in a pale glow, almost as if the light was pulsing from his left arm.

  Ryl.

  The phrenics cried out in warning as they raced forward. They still had too much ground to cover.

  The line of the approaching Lei Guard stalked silently. Ryl walked calmly forward. Without warning, he thrust his arm into the sky. The golden glow swelled around his arm, growing brighter by the instant. A pinpoint of light burst to life above his outstretched hand. It remained stagnant for an instant before blossoming into a massive ball easily a meter wide. The orb burned with the brilliant light of the sun, pushing back against the approaching darkness, illuminating the wall of approaching soldiers.

  Andr was forced to shield his eyes with his free hand as he ran forward. Overhead, the clouds in the sky churned with the fury of a storm. High above, the winds spun in a vicious circle, wrenching any nearby clouds into their vortex. The ring of turbulence seethed, yet the sky in the center was peaceful. The undisturbed stars above watched with ever-growing curiosity.

  He could see Ryl’s body strain under the weight.

  Andr felt a shudder roll through him as the woods cried out in warning, echoing the calls of the phrenics. The trees along the arboreal border shook as if disturbed by a sudden gust of wind. The moonlight flashed off the leaves that rained down like tears shed from their agitated branches.

  Much like he had in the chamber with Da’agryn, Andr felt drawn toward the woods. He felt the unseen force wrap around him like a giant hand, pulling him onward, pleading with him to hasten his approach. He recognized the voice of the Erlyn. There was urgency in her call and an undeniable sense of panic in her voice.

  It chilled him to the core.

  Ahead, Ryl’s knees buckled.

  A chorus of raw hatred, bloodlust and murder erupted from the Lei Guard as they charged forward as one. The song of their swords clearing their sheaths cut through their cries.

  The blinding ball of light flickered, sputtering as Ryl sank further to the ground under its unimaginable weight. His head rolled backward. The scream that issued was devastating.

  Andr had heard the scream. The wail that the phrenics referred to as the Cries of the Fallen. It was a cacophony of voices, each with their own agenda, own personality, own emotion. When he’d heard it last, it had screamed defiance.

  The voice that cried out now was alone.

  It was ragged. It was pitiful. It was devastated.

  It was all that remained of his friend’s energy. He watched in horror as Ryl was crushed beneath the weight of the light. Death streamed toward him.

  The Lei Guard were nearly upon him when Kaep reached his side. Her bow was still slung over her shoulder. She’d yet to fire a single deadly projectile in his defense. She slid to her knees at his side, her fingers frantically grasping onto his glowing left arm.

  The change in the atmosphere was instantaneous. Electricity crackled in the air, making the hairs on his arm stand tall as a wave of energy slammed into him. He braced himself for the fall that was sure to come, yet he remained momentarily aloft. His mind ran rampant, struggling to comprehend the sudden change as he found himself frozen in place. Around him, the phrenics, the Lei Guard, all watched in a state of rigor. Andr had experienced the unsettling speed of the phrenics and of their counterparts, the Outland Horde. This was something entirely unique.

  The only motion that persisted within the radius of the blast occurred at the epicenter. Ryl’s head rotated, meeting eyes with Kaep’s for a moment. What context passed through that look? Their bond had been curious. He’d observed the pair since they’d met. There was a profound understanding between the two, who had been strangers a little more than one cycle in the past.

  The serene calm of the moment wasn’t to last. Ryl severed the repose as he surged to his feet. The ball of energy that moments earlier drove him into the ground now hovered effortlessly above his outstretched hand. Its glow took on a life of its own, swelling as it rotated, illuminating Tabenville with the light of day.

  With a speed that was shockingly human, Ryl slammed his left arm to the ground, bringing the orb down with it.

  The earth shook as it detonated.

  Chapter 2

  Time resumed its natural course with a sudden change far more jarring than the last. The force of the explosion tossed Andr backward like he was a feather on the wind. Particles of dirt and small stones pelted his body, stinging his skin where they struck. For meters, he rolled across the hard-packed ground of the road before sliding to a stop along the edge of the field.

  Without pause, he lurched to his feet, struggling to regain his footing in the loose soil. He stumbled forward on wavering legs as he surveyed the scene around him. Unsurprisingly, the phrenics were on their feet. Their motions, though somewhat clumsier than he’d grown accustomed to seeing, bordered on normal. Ramm clutched his massive war hammer with one hand, though the butt rested on the ground to his side. Flashes of flames rippled across Vox’s arm.

  Littered on the ground before the edge of the woods, the bodies of the Lei Guards remained where they’d fallen. None showed any signs of motion.

  Several meters from where the deadly guard lay still, Ryl and Kaep remained. Their bodies were located in a small indent in the ground, the epicenter of the blast. Any loose dirt and debris surrounding their prostrate forms had been pushed away by the force. The short wild grasses and vegetation lay flat against the ground as if they’d been crushed und
er the press of a massive weight.

  Andr glanced back at the commotion that rose from the village behind him. Le’Dral and his faithful lieutenants were at the head of a gathering of their loyal guards. The group staggered onward, gaining speed with every step as they recovered from the disorientation of the blast. The captain shouted orders to the troops, who stumbled to regain their footing. A board from the hastily constructed corral fractured under the weight of the spooked horses. The sharp, snapping noises of wood ripped through the night.

  In the square, the tributes hastened for the relative safety of the overfilled common house. A few courageous souls stood outside, armed with clubs and blades, a last line of defense should an attack reach their ranks. Andr grinned; his heart swelled with pride as he clearly recognized the figure of his son, Cray, standing at the center of the line.

  The emotion that rolled through his body energized him. He used the sudden rush of excited energy to power through the unsteady steps. It was only a matter of moments before he reached Ryl and Kaep. Vox was in the process of rolling the phrenic archer to her back. He leaned his head down close over her face, his cheek only a finger’s width from her mouth. He felt for the warm puff of air as she exhaled, watching for the rise of her chest. His left arm, still engulfed in flame, was held out at an angle, keeping the fire from licking her skin.