Chapter Eight
Crystal Crier carried Soul across the water to the land. It was dark and the water was crashing around them when the wind picked up. Crystal Crier approached the wall of stone and stood looking up at it. There were ominous trees looming over the tall cliff before him in both directions. Crystal Crier didn’t want to climb it, but he knew if he didn’t get off the water soon he would start to sink. He rose and fell with the waves beneath him and looked over his shoulder.
“We won’t be safe for too long,” he said, his voice smooth and calm like a gentle breeze. Soul shivered in his arms. The one thing she liked about Crystal Crier was his voice, and she wasn’t ashamed to admit it. “Shadow Eater might not be impervious to water, but he can track me while I’m Crystal Crier. He’ll already know where we are.”
“How are we going to get away?” Soul asked. Her blond hair was sticky from the salty air. She was shivering.
“We don’t stop moving,” replied Crystal Crier, looking back at the cliff. “Put your arms around my neck and hold on tight. Whatever you do, don’t let go, even if I have to let go of you.”
Soul stared up the cliff in horror. It was a long way to the top, but it was the lowest spot there was. She nodded and brought her arms around him, careful of the jagged armor on his shoulders. Around his neck it was safe and Soul held on, tightly shutting her eyes when she felt Crystal Crier brace himself to jump. He leapt straight into the air and Soul felt his arm slide out from beneath her legs to grab the wall. They slammed into the wall, but Crystal Crier kept Soul close so she wouldn’t be harmed. She was holding onto him so tight she feared his armor would cut her.
“Are you okay?” Crystal Crier whispered, looking down at her.
Soul lifted her head and his steel visor slid back, showing his golden eyes and the deep concern within. “Yes,” said Soul, even though she was panicking and her heart was racing. She could feel an attack coming on, but she fought it off and buried her face in Crystal Crier’s neck. “Please, just hurry,” she whispered.
“Hold on tight,” said Crystal Crier, looking up the cliff. “I have to release you to climb.”
Soul nodded and felt the arm around her back move. She cringed and hung on him as he began to climb. Soul’s arms were fine at first, but then the armor started to dig into her skin and her shoulders felt stretched. She could confess that Crystal Crier climbed smoothly and there were no jerking or sudden movements, but it was slow. He couldn’t reach the top fast enough! Soul felt like she was going to pass out as she hung on for dear life. She peeked over Hiro’s shoulder, looking down at the raging waves. In that same moment the wind blew hard and Soul screamed.
The attack happened so sudden Soul had thought she died. Her heart started skipping beats and she broke into a cold swear. Her grip was slipping and she felt Crystal Crier stop moving. All Soul could hear was a throbbing in her head. She slipped and then fell from Crystal Crier with a shout of alarm.
Soul hit the grassy ground and her eyes flew open.
She looked around in confusion. They were on top of the cliff. She had dazed out and missed the rest of the climb.
“It’s impossible to carry you if you sleep, Soul,” said Hiro, kneeling beside her.
Soul stared up at him, finding he was no longer Crystal Crier. The wind slid through his soft black hair and his open jacket caught the wind and rippled. He set his hand on Soul’s cheek, gazing at her with worry. “Soul?” He asked, looking back and forth between her eyes. “Are you okay?”
Soul blinked, realizing she was staring at him with a mixture of confusion and exhaustion. “Fine,” she said, tearing her eyes off his and turning her head away from his hand. She looked out over the cliff and saw the ocean. “We’re safe?”
“I don’t think we’ll ever be safe,” replied Hiro, following her gaze. “Shadow Eater and the others won’t delay in chasing us down. As soon as they hit dry land Shadow Eater will catch us in a matter of days.”
“What are we going to do?” Soul asked. The hopelessness crashed over her, making her lower her head.
“We’re going to keep walking,” said Hiro. He took Soul’s arm and stood, bringing her up with him.
Soul had no reason to argue. She walked a step behind Hiro as he led the way under the cover of the leaning trees. They looked creepy in the dark, and the wind would whistle between their branches. Soul kept walking closer to Hiro, knowing he wouldn’t get tired or scared of something like mere wind and rustling leaves. She felt safe with him. She had always felt safe with him.
“Hiro,” she said quietly.
“Hm?”
“Why do you refuse to tell me everything that’s going on?”
Hiro sighed. “Soul, I’m going to tell you something important,” he said, looking back at her. “I don’t know how you feel in your position or why you think you need more information, but I won’t tell you what you don’t need to hear. There’s handling what you don’t know, and knowing what you can’t handle. Remember that.” Hiro looked ahead again, pushing a low branch aside. “Deal with your own problems before taking on too many of mine. You already know too much.”
Soul hunched her shoulders. “I want to know why Geicko died,” she whispered.
Hiro sighed. “Geicko was once a noble warrior,” he explained reluctantly. “A Light Ninja is a rare person. It takes years to become one officially. Geicko was one of the last when I was set against him. I had never fought anyone like him before, and I still haven’t. Enimito may be powerful, but Geicko used to fight in a way that broke the laws of physics.”
Soul looked at Hiro, hearing the envious tone in his voice.
“I blew up his whole village and killed his people, but somehow Geicko could avoid the explosion.” This brought a troubled look to Hiro’s face. “All other Light Ninjas were dead. Geicko was special. He is the only human being to ever survive my power. The scientists took him and he turned himself into a Killer because of what I had done. I’m guessing the reason why he gave his life for us is because he knew felt like it was his duty as a Light Ninja to protect you.”
Soul shook her head. “He was worried about you, Hiro,” she said. “Why was he acting like you and he were friends?”
Hiro didn’t respond. Soul waited, but Hiro stayed silent. She eventually looked away and gave up hoping he’d answer. After that they walked in silence, but only for a while.
“Ach!” Hiro fell to his knee. His face was pale and small glints of electricity shot from his mouth when he lurched forward and screamed. The scream was robotic and made a shiver race up Soul’s spine.
“Hiro?” She said in alarm. Hiro was trying to get up, but his body jerked and shuddered like it was rebelling against him. Soul grabbed his arm to help him, but suddenly the black armor shot out of his arm where she touched him. It sliced her palms and she staggered back, wincing with tears of pain springing to her eyes. She looked at Hiro whose arm was still out. The armor was climbing his arm to his shoulder and encased his hand. Hiro was staring at the ground with wide eyes. The jolts of electricity shot behind his golden eyes.
The Crystal Crier was taking over him.
“Hiro!” Soul cried, trying to snap him out of it.
Hiro cringed and lurched forward with a loud buzzing sound emitting from his throat. He was trying to scream, but Crystal Crier wouldn’t allow it. Blood and oil slid out his mouth and he suddenly shot to his feet, but at the same time collapsed. Soul stepped away, holding her hands to her mouth in terror. Hiro was convulsing on the ground as if having a seizure. He pulled his legs in, gripping the ground above his head with one hand and his fingers sinking into the earth.
All of a sudden Soul heard fast feet. She whipped around just in time to see someone in a black suit run forward and dropped down beside Hiro. The stranger grabbed Hiro’s arm.
A knife shot out of Hiro’s opposite hand and he slammed it into the stranger’s side. Soul was so alarmed that everything around her went black. The last thing she saw was the
stranger laughing and setting his hand over Hiro’s wide-open eyes as if trying to calm him down.