Pilgrimage of the Sacred and the Profane Read online

  A second later, the world went black.

  His long, gorgeous shadow stretched across the white sands.

  “Wow,” the voice said in a hushed tone. “Good work. But who in the world did that . . . ?”

  D turned to face the person he sensed coming up behind him.

  “You okay?” Granny asked, still breathing heavily as she held the blunderbuss ready. “You were acting kind of funny, and the sand sort of welled up out there and was making a beeline for you, so I put a round into it. What the hell was that thing anyway?”

  “A shark.”

  “Huh?” the old woman said, her eyes wide in disbelief.

  D turned back to the rocky mound as if nothing had happened at all.

  Lance was still standing where the Hunter had left him. “What in the world—” he muttered like a mental defective, wiping the sweat from his brow. “You were standing there stock-still the whole time, so I figured you were up to something, and then all of a sudden you pulled out your sword and Whap! Of course, I couldn’t exactly catch you drawing your blade, though. What on earth did you lay into?”

  “A shark.”

  “What?!” Lance exclaimed, mouth dropping open.

  “You mean to say you didn’t see it?”

  “Nope.”

  D turned his back to the man.

  “What’ll we do next?” Granny asked apprehensively.

  “We wait.” And with that alone as his reply, D returned to the cave.

  .

  Evening came. But something was missing: Clay. He’d gone out, but had never returned.

  “What do you suppose happened to him?” Granny said with seeming concern, but she was actually more worried about losing some of their muscle than about Clay’s safety as such. D didn’t seem to care much at all. “You think maybe the desert finished him off? Well? Do you?” the old woman asked. “I don’t believe this! If you’re not the coldest customer ever. We’re all in this together now. The least you could do is show a little concern, you know.”

  “You took it upon yourselves to follow me,” D said. He’d merged with the darkness in the depths of the cave. The lamp Granny had in her hand was the only source of light, and it threw an orange veil over her surroundings.

  “True enough,” the crone replied, “but you could come up with a little nicer way of putting it, I’m sure. If push comes to shove, you plan on taking off and leaving us behind?”

  “It’s up to you whether you come or not. I’ll let you know when I’m leaving. That’s it.”

  “Curse you,” Granny shouted, stomping her feet in anger. “I’m not out here alone, you know. You mean to tell me you’re not worried about Tae?”

  “How is she?”

  “See! I just knew you were!” Granny exclaimed, breaking into a grin at her own cleverness. “I don’t care how cold you might look; you’ve got redder human blood running in your veins than any of us. And it’s warm, too. My guess is it’s a lot warmer than most folks’. Relax. The girl’s been fixed on mastering that sewing machine since noontime. She learned how to use one before, and she’s sure got a knack for it. I warrant she’ll have an outfit finished pretty soon.”

  “What’s she making?” D inquired.

  “Actually—” Granny said, hemming and hawing a bit, “—she’s not about to show anyone.”

  “If our foe is coming for us, it’ll be tonight. If nothing’s happened by dawn, we’ll move out. You’re all set, aren’t you?”

  “Good to go anytime!”

  As Granny replied, someone moved around outside the cave.

  “Hey there!” a voice called out.

  Jumping nearly three feet in the air, Granny brought her hand to the jar on her hip. As for D, he must’ve sensed the new arrival, because he didn’t move an inch. It was Clay.

  “Sure took your sweet time coming back, didn’t you?” Granny said sharply, with a trenchant look that matched her voice. She may have already noticed that something wasn’t right.

  “There’s something I want to show you all. Come with me,” Clay said in a tone that was as stiff as a board. It was clear at a glance he was under some sort of spell.

  “It’s come, sure enough. It’s come to get us,” the old woman groaned. “What’ll we do, D?”

  The darkness to the rear took on human form, and Clay turned around and slowly headed back the way he’d come. D followed after him. He didn’t even glance at Granny.

  Outside was a land of darkness.

  “Just a second. What about the other two?” the old woman asked Clay.

  “They’ve already been taken away.”

  Granny’s eyes bulged in their sockets. The fact that their foe could abduct the two of them without her noticing, let alone D, was simply mind-boggling. Teeth grinding together fiercely, she reached for her jar with her right hand.

  “Later,” D told her.

  “Why wait?! If we grab him now, it’ll be easy enough to get him to spill where the other two are. It goes against my grain to just waltz into whatever the enemy’s got set up for me.”

  “He’s not what we’re up against; whoever’s controlling him is. Break the spell over him now, and we’ll be left with a man who doesn’t know anything.”

  Granny let the strength drain from her form. The Hunter’s assessment of the situation was sound. Her hand came away from the jar.

  The three set off into the desert; there was nothing but sand. The moon was out. With every step they took, the ground made a strangely plaintive sound. Clay continued on without hesitation—surely whoever controlled him was also taking care of his sense of direction.

  The rocky mound had long since been swallowed by darkness. They’d walked for perhaps thirty minutes and then Clay halted.

  They were out in the middle of the desert—nothing but the shadows of the three of them stretched across the silvery sands. Suddenly, there was a voice in D and Granny’s heads. Neither the sex nor age of the speaker was clear. They couldn’t even tell whether or not it was an organic being.

  I have never encountered beings—humans—like you before. It would appear there are all manner of things beyond my world.

  “What have you done with the others?” Granny shouted as she looked all around. “One of ’em I could care less about, but the girl’s valuable property of mine. If you’ve done anything to her, it won’t end well for you.”

  I’m currently inspecting the one to which you refer. Quite an interesting human specimen.

  “Hmph! If you’re so interested in humans, you had all the time in the world to study Lance. Oh, I get it. First time you’ve ever seen a girl, right?”

  No.

  “Well, it doesn’t matter either way. Where’s the girl now? You’re gonna give her right back to me. And then you’re gonna let us go on our way without any more trouble. After you tell us how to get where we’re headed, of course.”

  The voice fell silent. Back out of the darkness came a feeling that someone was mocking them. But that ended in a heartbeat. A voice deeper than the darkness made sure of that.

  “Are you the desert itself?” D asked, still gazing straight ahead. Unlike Granny, he wasn’t wound tight. However, the one he addressed knew that if the need arose, every inch of the Hunter would be transformed into a spring of coiled steel.

  Yes, the voice replied a bit tardily.

  “How long have you been sentient?”

  I don’t know. But if someone could tell me, I would very much like to know.

  “What do you plan on doing with us? Get information from us, or keep us like pets for the rest of our lives like you did with the man?”

  I wouldn’t do that to you. Or rather, I couldn’t. Even if I tried to, you wouldn’t let me. You’re so dangerous, the other humans can’t begin to compare to you.

  “Then what will you do?”

  I put the very same question to you.

  “Leave.”

  Once again, both sides were enveloped by silence. The sandy plain had no
thing to say, but listened intently.

  Very well, the voice said without emotion. I’m aware it would be extremely dangerous to fight you. I will do nothing, and neither will you.

  “I’m going to leave now.”

  Do as you like. I’ll seek the information I desire from the rest of them.

  “Hold on there just a minute,” Granny said, throwing a stern gaze at the young man in black. “Don’t tell me you plan on pulling out and leaving all of us here.”

  “I don’t have any plans one way or the other. The rest of you just followed after me.”

  “Okay. Then we’ll follow along after you now, too. You wouldn’t have a problem with that, would you? And if we run into trouble, help us out.”

  Suddenly Granny’s body grew rigid.

  I still have business with the rest of you.

  The crone’s head rung with same voice D heard.

  I’ll dispose of the man for his treachery, but I should like to invest-igate you and the other two at greater length. Come to me.

  “Help me, D!” the old woman shrieked. The sand was up around her ankles. She was sinking. “D!” Granny cried.

  Go in peace, the voice told D. I would do nothing that might snuff their lives. These are the precious samples that will allow me to learn about human beings.

  Let me ask you something, D said without using his voice. What will you do once you’ve learned about humans?

  Say no more, and be gone. You should consider yourself fortunate to be allowed to leave in one piece.

  One more thing—what were those globes and butterflies for?

  They were tools to ascertain your whereabouts. When the globes proved ineffective, I sent the butterflies. On seeing those patterns, the brain gives off special radio waves.

  “Help, D!” Granny shrieked from down by his feet. “Forget about me, but save the girl—save Tae!”

  A gag spilled from her throat, and the old woman’s head sank into the sand. Clay disappeared right after her. A funnel-shaped depression remained for a moment, but sand soon tumbled in from all sides to fill it again.

  Not even reaching out for them with his hand, D simply stared at the sandy surface, but then quickly started to walk back to the rocky mound. After a few steps, he halted. Slowly turning, he headed back the way he’d just come.

  You are a fool, the voice scoffed, the hostility naked in its tone. Reconsider what you’re doing. A battle between us is in neither of our best interests.

  Naturally, there was no reply.

  Standing in the spot where Granny had disappeared, D raised his left hand.

  An intense turbulence spread from somewhere unseen.

  Stop it, the voice said.

  At the very same time, both heaven and earth howled. The snarling winds turned hard as steel and slammed against D, carrying him away. Caught in a massive gust, he flew far across the desert. The wind was blowing at speeds of well over a hundred miles an hour.

  D’s left hand hadn’t come down. Fingers spread wide, his palm was suddenly filled by someone’s face: a face with sarcastic eyes, an aquiline nose, and a tiny mouth. As soon as that mouth opened, it instantly swallowed the howling winds.

  His foe had lost the strength to speak, while D stood there without making a sound.

  “Good stuff,” a hoarse voice said. “This wind is pretty damn tasty!”

  Sailing back down to earth as swiftly as the gale had carried him off, D turned his left hand to the ground, toward the spot that had swallowed the old woman. If Granny Viper had been there to see the tiny lips pucker, even she would’ve been shocked—even more so when a powerful new gale rushed from those same lips.

  The sand shot away. In no time at all, a hole six feet in diameter had been dug in the ground.

  Stop it! the voice exclaimed, the words exploding in D’s head. Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!

  A heartbeat later, the figure in black was swallowed by the earth.

  .

  II

  .

  For several seconds, he was aware of traveling down through the sand. Just as the sand’s resistance ended, D’s speed increased, and the Hunter landed on his feet on a firm base. It was a stone floor. Incredible mass surrounded him on all sides. He was in a large subterranean cavern—a natural one.

  So, you’ve come, have you? Fool.

  Oblivious to the condescending remark, D surveyed his sur-roundings dispassionately, and then soon angled off into the darkness to his right. Was it that absurdly easy for the young man to tell where his abducted compatriots were? He was surrounded by true darkness, yet he walked impassively through it. The blackness was so thick that it seemed not even light itself could ever penetrate it. It took about fifty seconds for his eyes to find human forms there: four figures lay on the stone floor. As he walked toward them, the air before him stirred.

  Something buzzed through the air. Giving a scream, it fell at D’s feet in its death throes. At first glance, the winged creature was built like an evil sprite. Though it no doubt made flight easier, its body was disturbingly thin. The fangs jutting from its mouth—and the claws stretching from its fingertips—hadn’t escaped D’s notice, either.

  One thing after another ripped through the air. If there’d been the slightest bit of light, the deadly little oddities zipping at D from all directions would’ve been apparent, as would D’s consummate fighting skill. There was no telling when he’d drawn his longsword, but the elegant blade danced in his hand, sending each and every one of his attackers crashing to the ground.

  Not bothering to sheathe his sword, D walked forward. Suddenly, there was nothing there for his foot to rest on. The ground had opened wide. In a fraction of a second, D kicked off the ground with his other leg. As he was leaping, he lost his balance, and the earth continued to crack open. D began to descend instead. Unable to correct his form, he couldn’t get much distance from his leap. Into the abyss his body dropped.

  The Hunter’s left hand reached out, only narrowly catching hold of the lip of the ever-widening gap. D sprang up at once. Just as his two feet touched back down on the floor, the crevice stopped growing. D turned around. His darkness-piercing eyes found the ground still lay there, innocent in every regard. It’d all been a psychological attack. If he’d fallen into that nonexistent pit, his own belief in it might’ve kept him falling for all eternity.

  D went over to the other four and knelt by Tae’s side. His left hand hovered over her lips—her breathing was normal. The same hand moved to her brow. He must’ve employed a trick of some sort, because Tae’s eyes then opened.

  “You okay?” D asked succinctly.

  Tae latched onto his arm with both hands. “D—is that you?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  “I can’t see anything at all. Where are we?”

  “Underground,” the Hunter replied. “Can you walk?”

  “Yeah.”

  Still clinging to D’s arm, Tae got to her feet as fast as the Hunter rose again.

  “Wait here,” D told her. “I’ll go wake the others.”

  “No. I don’t want you to leave me alone in the pitch black,” Tae said, refusing to relinquish her hold on him.

  “Okay, grab onto my coat then,” the Hunter told her. Still, the girl wouldn’t move. Reaching up with his right hand to where Tae clung to him near the shoulder, D caught hold of her wrists. Speechless, the girl trembled slightly. Once both her hands had been pushed down by D’s waist, Tae took a tight grip of his coat. Whether or not D noticed how flushed her face was in the darkness was anyone’s guess.

  The Hunter’s left hand pressed against the foreheads of the other three, waking each of them in turn. Unlike Tae, all three of them immediately grasped their situation.

  It was Granny who asked, “Is there a way out of here?”

  “I don’t know,” D replied with his habitual bluntness. “We’re underground, but it could be we’re not really.”

  “What?!” Clay said, eyes bulging, although no one but
D could actually tell that. “What’s that supposed to mean? Oh, I see—this is some kind of mind game, eh? Very fucking impressive.”

  “Real or not, how are we supposed to get back to the surface?” Granny asked.

  “That’s obvious,” said Clay. “We settle the hash of whoever’s running all this. Hey, Lance . . . you there?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You sure you don’t have some idea where we can find him?”

  “Not a clue.”

  “Sheesh, you’re worthless,” Clay spat. “Well, never mind. He’s gotta be hiding around here somewhere, and I’ll ferret him out soon enough. Hey, Hunter—move everyone back behind me. I’m gonna pluck me a tune.”

  Harp in hand, Clay stood up.

  “I’ll be using my focused sonic waves of destruction. Might make you a little nauseous, gang, but just suck it up.”

  His coarse fingers touched the fearsome musical instrument.

  It was at that moment that light sprang up in the darkness. All around the other four, countless globes of light had winked on. At long last the four of them could see each other’s faces.

  “Not those . . .” Lance groaned.

  “Recognize these things, do you?” Granny asked.

  “Yeah. Those are the same things that showed up the night they first brought me back. They’re guards. One touch and you’re paralyzed.”

  “Really? Then they gotta be like the hands and feet of whoever controls them,” Clay said, licking his chops.

  Seeming to sense something in the warrior’s tone, Tae clung tightly to the Hunter’s black coat.

  “This’ll be fun. I’m gonna give this thing a good long lesson in what you get for trying to use good ol’ humans as guinea pigs. Have some of this!”

  A note of unearthly beauty shot off, with death as its passenger. The globes of light directly in front of Clay shattered without a sound.

  “Serves you right,” the warrior sneered when he sensed obvious pain from nowhere in particular.