The Black Saint, page 1
The Black Saint
By
Timo Burnham
© 2021 Timo Burnham. All rights reserved. All persons, places and events portrayed in this book are fictional. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.
Edited by Dannica Hertz
Cover art by neutronboar
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
Epilogue
To my mother, for being the first to believe.
Chapter 1
Theo stopped and leaned against the side of the shed wall. With his gift he could feel them now. Four, no, five bodies just around the corner.
Raj and his minions. He crept forward in a crouch, quiet and listening.
“I told you before, pretty boy, Layla is my girl, you should have stayed away from her.” It was Raj’s voice. Theo could tell from the slight whistle sound at the end of some words.
“Your girl? I didn’t know you owned her. How much did she cost?” The second voice was Jayson, sounding as confident as ever.
Theo peered around the corner of the shed, just in time to see Raj drive a fist into Jayson’s stomach. Theo’s best friend doubled over and let out a low moan. Two of Raj’s minions were holding Jayson’s arms and a third was standing to the side, a smug look on his face as he watched the beating.
“The girls might like you now, but when I’m done with you, you’ll be lucky if they can even look at you without throwing up their lunch,” Raj taunted, motioning to the two holding Jayson and raising his fist again.
Theo felt uncontained anger pour through his body. Without stopping to think about any kind of tactic, he charged around the corner, sprinting straight at the leader of the bullies.
Jayson’s eyes went wide, “Theo, no! Stay out of this!”
Theo wasn’t listening, his eyes fastened on Raj. He hit the other boy, leading with his shoulder expecting to knock Raj to the ground. Unfortunately he’d underestimated just how much bigger and heavier than him Raj was and the force of his body only sent the bully stumbling back a few steps.
“Ah, pretty boy’s scrawny little sidekick. I was wondering when you were going to show up,” Raj looked between Theo and Jayson, grinning his bucktoothed grin.
“Leave him alone Raj, this is about Layla. Theo had nothing to do with that,” Jayson said.
“Scrawny boy here decided to butt his head into this. Literally. I’d say he is a part of it now,” Raj turned to face Theo, bunching both hands into fists.
Theo, looked up and met the other boy’s eyes, his own face twisting into a snarl. In that moment he hated Raj. Hated that he was bigger, hated that he was stronger. Theo hated that he could walk around the estate, bullying the other kids and taking whatever he wanted, hated that no one ever stood up to him.
Well, I will. Theo let out a rage-fill scream and swung a fist at Raj, hitting him in the stomach. Raj flinched and staggered, then caught his balance and began to laugh.
“That’s it? Even girls hit harder than that.”
Theo snarled and swung again. This time Raj was ready.
The bigger boy dodged and an instant later Theo felt the bully’s fist collide with his cheek. His vision went black and he felt a pain like someone had hurled a brick at him. Theo blinked several times, realizing he was lying on his back in the dirt with Raj sitting on top of him. He awkwardly swung a fist up, but the other boy batted it away, laughing.
“Get off him!” he heard Jayson yell.
“Shut it pretty boy, you’ll get yours next,” Raj raised a hand and slammed it down on the other side of Theo’s face.
He felt an explosion of pain that reverberated through his skull. He raised his arms to try and protect himself, but Raj’s fist smashed right through Theo’s sad defense. At first each blow was a jolt of pain, but as the punches kept coming Theo started to feel numb—just a dull throbbing in his face. Somewhere in the background he could vaguely hear Jayson shouting something, but it was coming from far away. Finally the darkness began to close in on him, pulling Theo into its quiet peaceful void.
Theo sat bolt upright, sending droplets of sweat across the bed. His hand went to his face, feeling the scar that ran from his lower lip to the bottom of his pointed chin. It was itching, the way it did whenever something was stressing him out. He rubbed at the jagged line of tissue, trying to focus his still half-asleep mind.
Dreaming. Theo wondered if it was normal to relive memories in your dreams. Usually, his dreams seemed to be a random mess of unrealistic situations. He grabbed a fistful of bedding and used it to wipe the moisture from his face, noticing the light coming through the window. Morning already? It felt like he’d fallen asleep just minutes before. The trip from his father’s estate to Alanthos had apparently worn him out more than he’d thought.
Theo threw his legs over the side of the bed, looking around the unfamiliar room. It was the spare bedroom of Jayson’s apartment. It was a very nice room, furnished with expensive-looking bamboo and wood furniture. The artist guild clearly paid their star actor well.
Theo could feel a body in the hallway moving towards his room. A second later Jayson appeared in his doorway. Theo was still getting used to how grown Jayson looked since the last time he’d seen his friend. Jayson had left the country estate when he was sixteen, almost six years ago. The person looking at him now was no longer a teenager. Jayson’s jaw had thickened even more, becoming square and angular. His black hair was cut in the style Theo had seen many men around the city wearing—short around the sides and longer on top. Despite the very non-taxing work of acting, Jayson had developed a broad-shouldered, muscular frame, visible even under the black and gold tunic he was wearing. Theo felt jealousy twist in his gut. He’d hoped that with time his body would mature and catch up to his friend’s. Instead, it seemed like the opposite had happened.
“Good. You’re already awake. I won’t have to start banging pans together,” Jayson said, His brown eyes sparking with that same youthful energy Theo had seen so many times back at the estate.
“Uh oh…” Theo said, “That’s the look you used to have when you were thinking of some scheme. The kind of scheme that would end with us in serious trouble or pain. Most likely both.”
Jayson laughed, a deep booming sound, “Scheme? Come on, Theo, we aren’t kids anymore. I’ve matured past all of that.”
“Sure you have,” Theo grunted, but he found himself smiling. Jayson had an uncanny ability to put everyone around him in a good mood. Theo sometimes wondered if his friend was secretly gifted. Unlike Theo’s extra sense, charisma was nebulous and almost impossible to quantify, making it hard to tell natural charm from supernatural persuasion. Jayson always denied there was anything special about his prowess and Theo had seen enough people annoyed or upset with the man to believe he was telling the truth. Still, he sometimes wondered.
“Hurry and get dressed, I want to get to the market before all the spine fruit is sold out,” Jayson said. He disappeared back into the hall, but then his head popped back into view, “There’s a suit in the dresser. I didn’t know your exact measurements so I had to guess. Give it a try if you want.” He disappeared again and this time Theo felt his body move back down the hall towards his own room.
Theo opened the dresser and found the suit Jayson was talking about. It was green with some silver. Theo frowned at it. Not my style.
He threw on a tunic, trousers and boots that he had brought with him, grabbing a towel the maid had laid out the night before and using it to dry the sweaty red mess that was his hair. He ran his hand through it a few times, hoping it looked vaguely groomed, then headed for the front door of the apartment, finding Jayson waiting outside.
“Another day in Alanthos, the world’s greatest city,” Jayson said, taking a deep breath in through his nose.
Theo grunted, squinting and holding a hand up to block the sudden brightness. He still didn’t quite feel fully awake. Slowly, his eyes adjusted to the sunlight and he let them open completely. His gaze was immediately drawn to a tower, standing far above any other structure around it. It had been dark the night before when he’d arrived in the city and he hadn’t gotten a look at any of the famed Alanthos architecture.
“The Tower Academe,” Jayson said. “I imagine the view from the top is breathtaking.”
“You’ve never been to the top?”
“Haven’t even been inside. The academy is strict on who they let in. With my connections, I might be able to pull some strings, but never had much of a reason to go over there. I’m busy enough with the guild and acting.”
Theo studied the tower’s impressive architecture. It was built of white stone, getting smaller and smaller the higher he looked. At the very top he could see what seemed to be an observation area, with large rounded windows.
“Plenty of time to stare at it later, spine fruit awaits,” Jayson said, giving him a pat on the back that turned into a gentle shove down the street.
Theo returned his gaze to street level, suddenly noticing the many bodies moving around him. His heartbeat went from a lazy thump to a staccato as his sense started to become overwhelmed. His throat tig
“Theo?” Jayson was looking at him, concerned. “You look a little pale.”
“I’m…” his breath was starting to come in gasps. He didn’t know if he’d ever felt so many bodies pressed together so closely before.
Jayson’s eyes widened, “Your sense?” He looked around the street, “There.” He started guiding Theo through the crowd, parting bodies with his big frame. Jayson dodged a merchant carrying a large keg and pulled Theo after him, stepping through the door of a shop.
A bit of the claustrophobic pressure lessened as some space was put between him and the crowd. Theo moved away from the wall adjacent to the street, trying to take slow deep breaths.
“Sorry. I didn’t think about…that,” Jayson said, putting a hand on his shoulder.
Theo waited a few more breaths before responding, “It’s okay. I wasn’t ready for so many people so close together either. It’s…strong.”
“You don’t have to come with me, Theo. You can wait at the apartment.”
Theo took another breath, “No, no, I’ll be alright. Let’s just make it quick, and try not to spend too much time on the street.”
Jayson’s eyes narrowed, “You’re sure?”
Theo clenched his jaw and stood up straight, shoulders back, “I’m sure.”
He didn’t feel sure, but he wasn’t going to become a burden for Jayson on his first day in the city. He would handle it.
Jayson gave him a lopsided smile, “Alright then.”
They continued on with Jayson's errands, first stopping in the fresh market, then southeast to the banking district where he made a deposit. Jayson did his best to lead them through side streets and alleys, avoiding large clumps of people when possible and moving quickly when not. Theo felt some guilt at his friend’s accommodations but had to admit that it helped with the feeling of drowning in bodies. Theo was starting to handle the overstimulation better now that he was prepared, but extra thick crowds still caused a flutter of panic in his chest.
Despite their hurry, or maybe because of their out-of-the-way routes, the sun was starting to drop by the time they made it back to the apartment.
A light breeze blew through the trees, rustling branches and causing the few beams of sunlight to waver. Theo breathed in the forest air, letting it fill his lungs before sighing it out along with the stress of the day. He had envied Jayson, who seemed to gain momentum and energy the longer they’d been out in the city. That life fit him like a tailored Chaskian glove. Theo had survived the city crowds, but it had drained him and worn his nerves raw.
You’re supposed to be relaxing, Theo. He sighed then took in another breath of fresh woodland air. On top of the stress from the day, Jayson had somehow convinced him to attend a party.
He’d agreed, only on the condition that he had time alone to rest and relax his mind. So, at Jayson’s suggestion, he’d come here, out the northwest gate to the mix of bamboo clumps and ironwood trees that the Alanthians called Stillwood.
He began walking down the worn dirt path, bamboo forming natural walls on either side as he moved in deeper. The sounds of bird chatter and crickets played together, creating a soothing semi-musical blend. Theo’s mind began to slip backwards in time, to climbing trees with Jayson behind his father’s country estate, or hiding among the lily pads in the pond, failing again and again to catch the slippery yellowbacks. There was the time he had played lookout while Jayson snuck into the serving girls’ room.
Theo let out a snort at the last memory—Jayson and him being chased out of the building by a stool-wielding senior maid. She had been terrifyingly fast for someone so old. Of course, that particular failure had done nothing to deter Jayson from forming a dozen more infiltration plans. Theo passed an ironwood tree whose branches drooped like a canopy over the narrow path. He reached up and plucked a low-hanging leaf, studying the oddly circular shape. He struggled to remember the reason for the shape, but failed. It had been years since his last botany lesson—not that he’d ever paid much attention. Trees were for climbing or supplying branches for mock sword fights.
Theo had just shrugged and tossed the branch away, when a high-pitched sound caught his attention, a sound quite distinct from the birds and crickets. He turned, focusing his gift, feeling for something living. His sense didn't feel animals as strongly as people, but he could still tell something was there, the faint sensation of some animal hiding amongst the bamboo. Theo pushed his way through the stalks, bending them aside to make space. A voice in the back of his mind wondered if stepping off the path after some unknown animal was wise, but he ignored that voice, curiosity winning out over caution. The sound came again, much louder now, and Theo stopped abruptly, his extra sense telling him that the animal was on the ground, right in front him. He bent down, pushing aside stalks of tall grass, careful not to stick his hand too close to whatever was hiding inside. His eyes went wide as he saw the furry body. It was unmistakable with its grey and blue coloration and the flexible, muscular tail that stretched out longer than the rest of its body. A cyvoth. A cub, only a few weeks old by the looks of it.
“What happened to you, little guy?” Theo said, slowly extending his hand to brush the soft fur of the animal’s side. It watched him with one eye as it lay on its side, letting out a weak mew but making no effort to get away from his touch. A pang of empathy pulled on Theo’s heart. “You’re half-starved. More than half it looks like.” He could see its small ribs now, pressing out against the thin fur that covered even thinner skin. Abandoned? He began scratching the cyvoth behind its oversized ears, looking over the anjimal’s body. A male. He reached out with his sense to see if there was anything else nearby. He felt nothing bigger than mice and squirrels. The animal mewed louder in response to his scratching. Theo’s mind began arguing with him even as he made the decision. What the hell are you doing? You have no idea how to take care of a cyvoth. Besides it’s a wild animal, a predator. And what will Jayson think? His friend probably wasn't going to like him bringing some dirty, feral thing into his clean expensive apartment. Then again, Jayson was always looking for what was new and interesting. A cyvoth cub was certainly both. Theo reached out and gently lifted the cub, holding it close to his chest and stroking the blue fur of its head to keep it calm. “Shhh,” he said, as it gave a frightened mew and struggled weakly. He could feel its tiny heart pounding in terror. “Shhh.” After several moments he felt the cyvoth relax, vibrating as it began to purr against his body, “There, much better. Now, let’s find you something to eat.”
“Jayson?” Theo called as he closed the door of his friend’s apartment behind him. No answer. He felt for a body but the apartment was empty of living things. He moved for his bedroom but stopped, seeing a note resting on the small table. He grabbed it and scanned quickly. It was from Jayson, saying that he was at the party and that Theo should join him as soon as he got back. There was also an invitation. A small bit of reed paper with a stamp on one side. He stuffed the invitation into a pocket and moved to the pantry, looking for something the cyvoth cub might be interested in, settling on the container of fresh hornjaw milk Jayson had bought at the market earlier that day. He grabbed a bowl and poured a bit of milk into it before setting the small animal down. Instantly the cub seemed to perk up, lifting his head and sniffing the air, mewing several times. Theo slid the bowl closer and the cyvoth poked his head over to investigate the contents. As soon as the animal took its first tentative lick of milk, it went wild, pushing itself up from its side and lapping frantically at the thick white liquid. Theo watched in amazement as it finished off what he’d put in the bowl in mere moments, looking up at him and mewing for more, with milk coating the fur of its tiny jaw. Theo obliged, pouring more in this time, the cub impatiently butting its head in and getting a stream of milk in its face. The cyvoth finished off the second serving of milk—a bit slower this time—then began to clean itself, first licking its paws and then rubbing them on its face, trying unsuccessfully to get to the milk sticking to its head. Theo snorted, watching it try to reach its tongue up over its snout.
