The Magic Pact [The Talisman War]

IntroductionKenna “Let’s park here for the night,” she called back to Yuuki. “Sounds good.” The two mares pivoted almost in unison and darted down an embankment. Ken and Yuuki climbed off and walked their horses into a wooded area, where they wouldn’t be seen from the road. The first day came and went without incident. Their horses trotted alongside a dusty byway for most of the trip, keeping a steady pace. They rode east, in the general direction of Richmond. At worst, they could refuel and resupply there if needed, assuming that the city was still around. At best? They might meet someone who could tell them where their enemy was hiding. So far, though, the only people they met were from Oceti Šakowiŋ territory, returning from scavenging or hunting trips. The strangers immediately recognized the women’s saddles as being made by their own. They waved, and the couple returned the gesture. It was nice to see friendly faces, but they wouldn’t be very helpful. Ken had already sent a formal inquiry to the leaders of the country to see if they had any ideas. They didn’t, but wished her luck. Their only word of advice: maybe the Navajo might know something. She also checked around with the various travelers and temporary citizens to see if they’d encountered anything suspicious. But Ken struck out there, too. No one had any idea where Moíra could be, and most people didn’t even know she existed. The general consensus seemed to be that the creatures were a side-effect of talisman use. Natural and unnatural at the same time. But it couldn’t be further from the truth. Every one of those God-forsaken things was made by one woman with one magic necklace. Sure, some of the creatures were the product of natural breeding, but their ancestors were made. They were constructed to elicit terror and kill a lot of people. Ever resilient, the human population found uses for the more common species. Spiny elk and dirt dogs were food sources, and the latter could be domesticated, especially after a generation or two in captivity. Hell, back home, her best friend Rada had one as a pet. Ken took the reins from Yuuki’s sore hands and tied their horses to a tree. After removing their saddles, she set about feeding and brushing the animals. Yuuki took on the responsibility of setting up their shared tent and starting a fire. When all the chores were done, the two sat down together and began preparing a late dinner. Home fries, canned corn, and dried elk meat made for a filling meal. The two ate in relative silence but exchanged looks of satisfaction. And something else. Not lust, per se, since both were in pain from the lengthy ride, but maybe it was longing. They spent the whole day on separate horses, pausing only a few times for lunch and breaks. Traveling was nothing like their sleepy days, wrapped up together in Kenna’s bed. It was long, arduous work. And they constantly had to look over their shoulders. But at least they could share close quarters that night. After cleaning their dishware in a nearby stream, the two settled in for some much-needed TLC. They both smelled of horses and dirt, but Ken could still detect a hint of Yuuki’s shampoo in her hair. She buried her nose there, next to her ear. “This is nice,” she whispered. Yuuki grinned and pulled her closer. “It’s gonna get more difficult. We’ve just been lucky.” “Shh.” She reached into Ken’s shirt and felt her. But her hand eventually came to rest on her side. “I just like being close to you. I hope we get to do this every night.” “Me too.” Ken knew they probably wouldn’t. Other locations may not be as secure. For their own safety, they might have to sleep in shifts, with one person staying awake to keep watch for danger. But she wanted to maintain a light mood. It was their first evening on the road together, and she planned to enjoy it. “Wanna make out for a while?” Yuuki turned and kissed her. That was all the answer she needed. * * * * The next few days were more of the same. Eventually, the Oceti Šakowiŋ travelers became less and less frequent until they didn’t see anyone for miles. It was eerily quiet. At times, the only sounds came from their horses—the rhythmic clomping of hooves on gravel and dirt. Occasionally, the metal pieces on the straps of her saddlebags would clang together. And a cold wind sometimes whistled through trees. Conversation was the only reprieve. For that, they took to riding side-by-side whenever possible, where they could at least look at each other and talk without shouting. On the fifth day, a dark storm brewed overhead. The two of them called it in well before sunset, preferring to hunker down inside an old farm house for the night. They climbed in through a broken front window and put the horses inside the garage. Since it could be seen from the road, the place had already been picked clean of anything valuable or useful. But all they needed was a sturdier roof than their tent. They camped out on the base floor and ate their dinner cold as thunder boomed outside. Before going to sleep, Ken checked on the horses, who for once were completely safe from any roaming animal. The following morning, she and Yuuki took time to wash up and change their clothes. They brushed their teeth, and took makeshift showers. Ken tied back her hair, vowing to braid it later. She wished she could wear a little bit of makeup, just to seem more presentable. But they hadn’t packed any. Yuuki didn’t seem to mind. Refreshed and thankful for the good night sleep, she insisted they take their time leaving. She wanted to touch Ken, to satisfy her. And getting off, too, would be a welcome bonus. Ken found room in her busy schedule. When they were done—and dressed again—the two continued their journey. If her reading of an old map could be trusted, they were on their way to Kansas City. Or whatever was left of the place. It rained on and off the whole day, creating mud in place of dust. Wherever possible, they moved their horses into grassy areas or, as a last resort, onto the cracked asphalt of the roads. The mares were miserable throughout, and Ken wasn’t far behind. Having s*x that morning helped, but she didn’t want to be cold and drenched. She daydreamed about the night’s fire, and silently hoped they’d be able to find some dry wood. Yuuki kept a brave face. She tried to be optimistic and to cheer Ken up with jokes or compliments. She must’ve been uncomfortable, too, Kenna thought. But she hid it well. Riding with a partner this resilient was vital to their success. And to her morale. She couldn’t help but feel grateful to have her. Truthfully, Ken could do this work by herself. But she would hate it, and loneliness might hinder her progress. With Yuuki by her side, she didn’t have to worry about that. Halfway through the afternoon, they encountered their first non-Oceti Šakowiŋ travelers. It was a group of Romani caravans, with six beautiful horse-drawn carriages and a couple of RVs. They appeared to be merchants, but each wooden car was packed with children and elderly people. Families. Though they were likely headed to Oceti Šakowiŋ territory to trade, Kenna guessed that they’d never been there before, and they didn’t expect to see anyone for days. The visible guns on Ken’s person put them on high alert, but she dismounted and showed the palms of both of her hands in a sign of friendliness. She approached slowly as the group came to a stop. Yuuki hung back for this one. By request. “We’re not gonna hurt you,” she called to the teenage boy piloting the nearest caravan. “We’re just looking for information.” An older man exited one of the carriages and approached her on foot. “What kind of information?” “There is a woman who created the mutated animals. The elk and the dogs. She goes by ‘Moíra’ and has an army of men who have been changed into creatures. We’re looking for her. For any sign of her. Have you seen anything like that? Anything suspicious or out of place?” “Just the animals,” he replied right away. “We see them all the time.” “Nothing else? No weird compounds or buildings? No human-like monsters?” “No, sorry.” He looked back at his group before turning to her again. “Why do you want to know, anyhow? A person like that would be dangerous. Even with all the stones not working.” She smiled and patted one of the guns at her side. “She’s killed a lot of people. We’re hoping to make her pay for that.” “Well, damn.” He took a step back. “Have you eaten? We were going to stop soon, but here is as good as anywhere. Maybe you can tell us more about this.” Ken looked at Yuuki and motioned for her to come over. When she and her horse did, “We’ve been invited to lunch.” She stared down at the men. Smiling, “Excellent!” They set up a temporary camp right in the middle of the road, with the carriages and vehicles arranged in a loose circle. The families had brought their own firewood, but Ken gathered some so that they could have more than one fire. When the two women began pulling out supplies for their meal, the man waved them away. “If you don’t mind, we’re happy to share.” “That’s very generous of you.” Knowing their supplies would run out soon, Ken graciously accepted the offer. And it was delicious. Roasted meat—which she suspected to be dirt dog—paired with carrots, potatoes, and a beautiful sauce. The meat had been cooked sometime in the last twenty-four hours, so they just needed to heat it up. A type of flatbread became their primary utensil. They ate as much as they could. During the meal, they chatted with the group, telling them how Oceti Šakowiŋ people operated and what they could expect when they got to the country. The pair also explained Moíra and her less-common creations. They left out Kenna’s Crossing and the fact that its namesake could still use talismans. These travelers were friendly, but Ken wasn’t stupid. Even nice people could become a problem in dire circumstances. Luckily, the lunch came and went without incident. The horses were fed and watered, and the two groups parted in higher spirits. That night, they were still so full that they only had half-portions for dinner.