The Guardians

A Search for Allies

Alexander disconnected his mental link with Draco. He stood motionless, staring out at the vast tree-laden landscape with its rolling hills.

“My friend wants me to find people I can trust, but he gave me no suggestions on where to look. When your world has been decimated by egocentric maniacs who control an army of zombies, locating survivors is no easy task.”

He no sooner finished that thought than the fading sunlight glinted off what looked like an abandoned village perched on a hilltop within walking distance. Alexander figured his chances of finding anyone alive were remote, but at least he would be able to find shelter from an approaching rainstorm. Finding food would be a plus. Not running into creatures that would look on him as food would be a definite bonus. He began the trek toward the village.

Alexander had almost reached the outskirts of town when the storm overtook him. Rain started as a light drizzle, feeling almost refreshing after a long uphill walk, but it wasn’t long before the gentle sprinkle morphed into an intense thunderstorm. Desperate to find shelter from the deluge, Alexander raced to a barn that was close by. He almost opted for the house that sat across the yard from the old structure, but he remembered his mother taking him to hide in a barn so many years ago. It was a lesson that still resonated.

Hoping the rusty hinges didn’t make too much noise as he opened the personnel door, Alexander quickly slipped inside the dingy barn and closed the door behind him. Fortunately, he had made it inside just before the wind and rain increased to a full-blown gale, powerful enough to cause the old barn to creak and groan as it struggled to remain in one piece. Alexander would be lying to himself if he said the storm’s increasing intensity, along with the barn’s condition, didn’t worry him.

He heard it during a brief lull in wind gusts, a faint sobbing sound coming from one of the empty stalls toward the rear of the barn. Alexander thought the property was abandoned, but now he wasn’t so sure. It wasn’t long before the wind began howling again, and the barn once again started to creak and groan. Taking great care not to step on anything that might snap or bump into something that would fall over or clang, he deftly made his way to where the sobbing was coming from.

The closer he got, the louder the sound became. Alexander crouched down behind the partial wall that formed the last stall and listened. This was definitely the right place. The roughhewn planks that made up the wall did not fit together well. Alexander adjusted his position so he could peek through the gaps and see who or what was making the noise.

Much to his surprise, the source of the sound was the most beautiful young woman he had ever seen. Even though she was huddled in the back of a horse stall, dressed in filthy, ragged, ill-fitting clothes, her natural beauty radiated out from within. Long dark red hair flowed to her waist, and stunning green eyes, moist with tears, glistened in the low barn light. Alexander had met many young women in the Citadel, but none captivated him the way this stranger did.

A sudden impulse took control of him, and he blurted out, “Hello, are you hurt?”

Startled, the girl immediately sprang to her feet and took a defensive position. She placed her back against the wall and scanned the area searching for the source of the voice.

“Who’s there? I have a knife, don’t come any closer.”

Alexander was still looking at her and had to smile at that last statement. What she was brandishing was a hairpin. He did admire her courage, though.

“I’m not going to harm you. My name is Alexander, and I ducked in here to shelter from the storm. I’m going to move out where you can see me if that’s all right.”

“Yes, that will be fine. I prefer to know where you are.”

Alexander stood up, and the girl was startled to see how close this stranger actually was, plus he was armed with a broadsword. She knew she was being foolish, but she extended her hand with the hairpin and warned, “Don’t come any closer.”

“I’ll stay right here if that is what you wish. What’s your name if you don’t mind me asking?”

He could see the stiffness in her stance begin to relax as she scanned him from top to bottom, her gaze settling directly on his eyes.

“My name is Circe, and this barn and house belonged to my parents, or at least they did.”

“Why did they sell the property?”

Tears began streaming down her cheeks, and speaking became difficult.

“No, they didn’t sell anything. The Jikininki killed them and are in the house right now devouring them, and there is not a damn thing I can do about it.”

“Oh, Circe, I can’t bring them back to life, but I can stop their bodies from this vile desecration. Will you trust me enough to show me where they are in the house?”

She looked at Alexander with a newfound resolve, took a deep breath, and growled, “We can’t kill the bastards because they’re already mostly dead, so let's finish the job.”