In a mossy cave with a single beam of daily light, Ezekiel had a happy childhood.
He grew up with fireflies and glowing mushrooms; bioluminescent plankton in the saltwater lake; the sounds of frogs, crickets, and running water; the clean smell of wet moss; and a network of caves that seemed to branch out forever.
Not that his parents ever let him explore beyond their territory.
Too dangerous, they said.
But he never wanted to leave, anyway. Their home cave was grand, with bright mossy lichen, towering crystal columns, and manifold biodiversity.
Mama and Papa taught Zeke how to hunt and forage. He grew up on a diet of cave goats, fish, shrimp, mushrooms, tubers, legumes, blind birds, eggs, crickets, berries, honey, salad, sea salt, and local herbs. Sometimes a great pale bear would wander into their territory, and then Zeke’s parents would show off with a feat of power and skill, and everyone would eat bear meat for days.
In almost all things, Mama and Papa were total opposites.
Mama was passionate and knowledgeable and summoned fire.
Papa was quiet and absurd and summoned shadows.
Mama was a kitsune with jade green eyes, copper red hair, claws, and a bushy red tail. Mama was lovely.
Papa had burn scars on half his body and head. His face was mostly spared, but one ear and most of his jet-black hair had melted off. His left arm was entirely burned, as was his backside.
Papa’s legs were severed at the knees. He conjured shadows to move around. Simple legs, usually, but on occasion wheels, or a column to reach high places.
Papa wouldn’t talk about his injuries, but sometimes would Papa look off in the distance wearing an angry, vengeful expression. When Papa noticed Zeke watching, he’d put on a smile and say, “I love you. Let’s play a game.”
They had many board games and an entire library of books. Their home was grand, splendid, and carved into solid stone.
Aunt Gwen was their only visitor. She came twice a year to bring supplies, and usually something special for Zeke.
But they were never alone. They had each other.
For as long as Zeke could remember, at first light beam, Papa would make breakfast, and then Mama would take Zeke for a day of training.
Mama knew everything. Encouraging yet demanding, Mama taught Zeke how to read, write, dance, fish, and properly swing a sword.
Zeke adored his parents and wanted nothing more than to make them proud. All his life, he studied diligently to make Mama happy, practicing swordplay every day, until he finally, finally won in a practice duel against Mama. Zeke felt his victory wasn’t legitimate, since he tricked Mama with a joke and struck while she was distracted and laughing. But Mama said the win counted because it showed ingenuity and resourcefulness. When Papa heard about Zeke’s victory, he killed a goat, cooked a feast, and threw a celebration, proclaiming Ezekiel a man at last.
That’s when things changed.
As Zeke finished dessert (honeycake with berries), Papa stood and reached into his shadow pocket to draw a sword. The sword was unique, made entirely of translucent white ivory, with an etching of a winged serpent coiling around the hilt. Zeke had never seen the sword before, yet the sight of it evoked an indescribable sense of dread like nothing he’d felt in his life. Something about that sword terrified him.
Papa passed the sword ceremoniously to Zeke, accepting it reluctantly and with trembling hands.
Mama said, “You’re old enough now. It’s time you learn why we’ve been training you. This Ivory Blade is yours. It belongs to you, alone. And it’s time you learn to wield it.”
Zeke tore his eyes away from the dreadful sword and asked with panic in his voice, “You’re going to teach me to use this?”
“No,” Mama answered.
Papa spoke. “Starting tomorrow, Mama and I will swap roles. Mama will make breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I will be your new instructor. And in our lessons, you will use this sword.“
“No!” Zeke shouted impulsively.
Mama and Papa both looked surprised and concerned.
“What’s wrong, Zeke?” Mama soothed.
Tears filled Zeke’s eyes. He shook his head in confusion. “I don’t know why I’m... I… I can’t breathe.”
Zeke dropped the dreadful sword on the floor and then stumbled outside for fresh air, but outside their home, the air tasted stale.
The light beam had gone out. Mushrooms glowed in the darkness with an eerie green-blue aura, while the plankton in the water shimmered white-blue. Fireflies blinked in the air. Crystals along the cave walls reflected light like the twinkling stars Zeke had only read about in books. Everything was bright and beautiful.
Ezekiel loved his home, but for the first time in his life, he felt trapped. He had to get out.
“Describe what you’re feeling, Zeke.” Papa appeared next to him.
Zeke struggled to put his anxiety to words. “I feel buried alive. I can barely breathe. What is that sword?”
Papa’s kind, scarred face grimaced in sympathy. “It was your prison.”
Zeke stopped breathing entirely.
Mama arrived on Zeke’s other side and said, “Many years ago, Papa and I, with some help, we stole that sword from the man who imprisoned you in it. And then we set you free. That man’s name is Adam.
“And one day, Adam will come for that sword. He will come for you. That’s why we raised you here, hiding you, preparing you. But no matter how long we delay it, one day, he will find us, and you will have to face him.”
Zeke took a slow breath in and some time to consider his new reality.
“Why did Adam imprison me?”
Mama answered, “Because you are one of the 8 Ikons of Eden. That makes you powerful, and Adam wants that power for himself.”
Zeke considered in relative silence. Frogs and crickets sang in chorus with the chirping bats and birds. He finally looked at Mama and asked, “You said you freed me. I’m not your real son, am I?”
Mama winced. “You are my son. In every way that matters. But your body was a stillborn. We needed an empty vessel for your soul.”
“So I was some random afterbirth you found and used.”
“You are not your vessel,” Mama said passionately. “It is only a tool. You are my son.”
“Your mama is right, son,” Papa said. “And we love you.”
Together they embraced Zeke.
Zeke pulled away, demanding, “What is an Ikon of Eden?”
Mama answered calmly, “Long ago, 8 Ikons were created to tend Eden in God’s absence. Adam deceived 5 of the 8 and murdered them, trapping their souls into artifacts he called Blessings from God. Wielding the combined powers of 5 Ikons, Adam conquered the world and slaughtered anyone who opposed him, including… all of my people.”
“What?” Zeke said dumbly.
“I am the last kitsune. My people can stave off aging. Adam can lie to humans until the truth dies, but my people would remember. Our longevity made us a threat to his lies. So he destroyed my home island of Inari and massacred everyone on it.” Mama said sadly.
They were silent again for a moment.
Then Zeke turned to Papa and asked, “If I’m an Ikon, and Mama is the last kitsune, what does that make you?”
Papa winced. It was the most emotional Zeke had ever seen him.
Papa said, “My mother was Adam’s first wife, Lilith. He wronged her, yet she was banished. Lilith raised me to be her weapon of vengeance, to lead her army. She wants to invade this world, to kill Adam and eradicate all his cursed children. Nevermind that all her children by Cain are cursed, too. It’s different when she does it. In her mind, eradicating every trace of Adam and taking his seat is what ‘justice’ looks like.
“On Lilith’s orders, your mama and I stole 2 Blessings. Adam took countless lives in retaliation, and I lost my legs in the process, but we succeeded. I brought the Bone Gauntlet and Ivory Blade home to Lilith.
“But I returned home changed. I’d found love. I’d seen beauty in humanity. I couldn’t let Lilith kill everyone. So I stole the Ivory Blade again… but as I was escaping, Lilith… punished me. She still has the Bone Gauntlet, you see. It gives its wielder power over fire and lightning…”
“Your own mother set you on fire?” Zeke was aghast.
Papa answered with silence.
Mama spoke again, “Like Adam, Lilith wants the Ivory Blade. More accurately, she wants your power. It’s a race to capture you, Zeke. If Adam wins, he’ll imprison you again and use your power to rule Eden forever.”
Papa finished, “If Lilith wins, she’ll use your power to open a doorway between Eden and Nod. She’ll unleash an army of monsters, and those monsters will slaughter every human on the planet, unless Adam kills Lilith first. He still has 3 Ikons. Against Lilith’s 2, odds are in his favor. The only certainty is the death count, which would be catastrophic.”
Zeke felt dizzy and had to sit down on a nearby stone bench. The light was shining down on a bubbling stream. “Just the fate of the world, then. No pressure.”
Papa chuckled and said, “Yeah, none at all. That is why we waited to tell you. But you’re ready. It’s time for your real training to begin.” He put his hand on Zeke’s shoulder.
Zeke was uncharacteristically speechless. It was all so much.
Mama sat next to Zeke. “It’s not right, what was done to you. I’m sorry. And we had no right to hide the truth from you all these years. But we wanted to give you a childhood. Hate us if you must, but please trust us. We love you, and we believe in you.”
-8-
That night, Zeke dreamed he was drowning. The dreadful sword was tied to his feet and dragging him down. He couldn’t escape. He couldn’t breathe. There was no escape. He would drown for eternity.
Zeke woke up drenched in sweat and tears. The walls in his room suddenly felt cramped and suffocating. He had to get out.
He jumped out of bed and went for a walk, only to find Mama in the kitchen preparing breakfast, lanterns already lit through the house.
“You’re up early!” Mama proclaimed while kneading biscuit dough. “Breakfast isn’t ready yet, but you can help me set the table. Your papa was teasing me all night, saying it’s finally his turn to do the fun job. Do me a favor and don’t go easy on him today.”
Zeke set the table as requested, appreciating the distraction, but nothing could keep his mind off that damn sword.
“What does the sword do? What is its power?” he asked.
Mama frowned. “Your papa should be here for this conversation, but that lazy ass is sleeping in.” She sighed. “The sword is only a conduit. It has no power on its own. You’re the one with the power.”
“So then, what is my power?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. I wasn’t near Adam long enough to learn the specifics. But I saw the sword used like a key to make doorways across distances. So I assume your powers include creating doorways. Beyond that, I can only speculate. No more questions. Wait for your training with Papa.”
Papa arrived downstairs as Mama was finishing making breakfast of biscuits with goat meat and mushroom gravy, and a fried egg on top. It was the most delicious breakfast Zeke had ever eaten. Mama was undoubtedly the superior cook.
After breakfast, Papa helped Mama with the dishes and gave her a loving hug, “I think I’m gonna enjoy the next few years.”
Mama kissed Papa affectionately and then pushed him away, “Get outta here. Go train our son. He’s been pestering me with questions all morning, and it’s now your job to answer them. Go, both of you. I have a house to clean that’s been neglected for years.”
Zeke followed Papa to a large open cavern not far from their home cave. There was no glowing life in this cavern, so Zeke lit the oil lanterns with a torch he brought from home.
Stalagmites, stalactites, and columns covered the walls and ceiling, but the ground had been smoothed flat like the floor at home. This enormous cave was prepared long ago for open training.
Papa drew the Ivory Blade from his shadow pocket.
Zeke panicked. The cave was too small. He had to get out. His heart started racing.
Papa passed him the blade, but Zeke was paralyzed.
“Must I use that sword? If the power is mine, I don’t need a sword, right?” he begged.
Papa said sadly, “Yes, you should be able to access your powers without the sword, but you’ve forgotten how. I believe your time trapped in this ivory left an indelible mark on both of you. For thousands of years, whenever your powers were used, it was through this instrument. The first step to mastering your power is to master the instrument. And to do that, you have to master your fear. Now, take the sword.”
Zeke hesitated but took the sword, as ordered. It was heavy. Heavier than anything he had practiced with before. He needed both hands to hold it. The anxiety was overwhelming. Zeke could barely stand.
Papa corrected Zeke’s position and said, “Feel that extra weight in the pommel? That’s for balance. You’ll get stronger through daily practice. One day, you should be able to wield it one-handed.”
Zeke was trying to focus but all he could think about was throwing the sword and running in the opposite direction.
Instead, he asked, “So what’s next?”
“Next, you swing that sword around. We’ll start small. One of Lilith’s soldiers.”
Papa raised his hand and gathered shadows from the surrounding darkness into a grotesque winged monster the size of a small person. It looked famished, skeletal, and seemingly more claws and fangs than muscle. Its movements were rapid and twitchy. Its wings were bat-like and sharp.
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“What is that thing?” Zeke asked.
“One of Cain’s kin. Lilith has thousands on Nod. They’re vicious beasts, and they will rip your throat out and drink your blood in an instant, given the chance.”
As if Zeke wasn’t already terrified enough, he had to fight bloodthirsty monsters.
“Hey,” said Papa. “I know you’re afraid. That’s alright. But this here beastie, he’s my puppet, and I won’t hurt you. Take a slow, deep breath. Hold it in. Release. We’ll start slow. Ready yourself. Begin.”
The cainkin launched itself at Zeke, who dropped the sword and ran away.
“Ezekiel!” Papa’s barking voice brought him back to his senses. He froze and turned around.
Papa frowned but said nothing. The shadow cainkin carried the dreadful sword back to Zeke, who sheepishly accepted it.
Papa summoned a hard shadow sword for himself. Lifting it into the ready position, Papa said, “Okay, let’s slow it down further. Attack me.”
The shadow cainkin flew away to spectate, but Zeke was more afraid than ever. He had never sparred with Papa before. Zeke would have been intimidated even if he wasn’t wielding his own prison.
“Attack me now!”
Zeke lunged. Papa deflected easily and Zeke stumbled.
“Again!”
Zeke steadied himself and swung. Again Papa deflected.
“Attack!”
Papa continued until Zeke couldn’t lift the dreadful sword anymore.
“You did good, son,” said Papa, taking the Ivory Blade and returning it to his shadow pocket.
With the dread sword gone, Zeke felt such relief as he’d never experienced before. It was like color had returned to his sight. He cried tears of joy, but once that dam had broken, the tears wouldn’t stop. He couldn’t understand why, but waves of misery erupted from within.
“That wasn’t good. I’m a coward. I ran. I couldn’t even touch you. I’m weak.”
“Hey, hey, hey,” Papa embraced Zeke tightly. “That’s alright. Let it out. No one is brave and strong all the time. You were brave when you swallowed your fear and swung the Ivory Blade. That was what mattered. And you will get stronger. Beating me today was never an option. When you’re ready, we’ll go see what your mama made for lunch. That sounds good, yeah? Yeah.”
Mama made honey shrimp stir fry. It was incredible.
“You know, I taught your papa everything he knows in the kitchen.” Mama bragged for the third time. “But I’ll tell you a secret. I have been cooking for a long, long, long, long, long time.”
“Can you teach me how to cook like you do, Mama?” Zeke asked.
“Of course,” she brushed his bangs behind his ear. “But later. You are not using me to get out of training. You done with your plate? Good. Get your ass back out there.”
Papa led Zeke to the same cavern.
Like before, Papa summoned a shadow cainkin and drew the Ivory Blade, handing it to Zeke, who took it without hesitating, burying his fear and dread so he could focus on the enemy in front of him.
“Attack the shade,” Papa ordered.
Zeke gritted his teeth and lunged. It flew out of reach, then dived for Zeke’s head.
Zeke swung on defensive instinct alone, cleaving the shade in half.
Papa smiled. “Good.” He summoned another shade, exactly like the one before.
“Again.”
-8-
And so Zeke passed his days, every day.
And every night, he dreamed the sword was drowning him.
He hated training. Papa was kind, but holding the dreadful sword was torturous.
Over time, Zeke became increasingly irritable. He slayed the shade, over and over again, but even as the fights became increasingly difficult, he never felt progress.
“What am I supposed to be doing?!” he shouted at Papa one day after several rounds of combat practice. “I swing the sword. I kill the shade. Nothing changes. What’s the point? What am I doing wrong?”
Papa calmly blinked at Zeke’s outburst. “Several points. One is to familiarize you with Lilith's horde. You will likely face several before your story ends. It’s important you know how they move and attack.
“Second, you’re rejecting yourself. You’re rejecting the sword. It’s a part of you, and you hate it. You’ll never master it that way. You need to surrender. Embrace it.”
Zeke scoffed. It was easy to say. Embrace prison. Embrace isolation. Embrace loneliness and insanity. He looked down at the Ivory Blade. That used to be him. In a haunting way, it was almost beautiful. He tried to do as Papa ordered.
Zeke took a slow breath and tried to surrender. His left hand caressed the ivory grain and detailed engraving. It felt smooth and strong. Closing his eyes, Zeke ran his fingers along the blade, accidentally nicking a finger. A drop of blood ran down the blade.
Papa interrupted pensively, “But maybe we have been going too slow. Alright. Let’s speed things up.”
Papa waved his hand and the cainkin shade evaporated into swirling darkness. With his other hand, Papa gathered more shadows and molded the darkness into a human shape.
As the shade took form and definition, Zeke had an increasing foreboding. The shade’s brow, cheekbones, and jaw, its shoulders and shape, were all so familiar. Zeke felt an emotion he’d only read about in the books at home: hate.
Zeke hated the man this shade resembled. Adam. Without knowing, he knew. This was the monster that trapped him for thousands of years. Murderer. Betrayer.
Zeke launched himself at the shade. Casually, it blocked. Zeke attacked again and again, but nothing went through. Shade Adam was too fast. It went on the attack, and Zeke could barely deflect its blows, the dreadful sword was so heavy.
Zeke took a kick to the chest and fell to the ground and then rolled away.
Papa said, “You’re fighting two opponents. Stop fighting the blade and focus.”
Shade Adam slowly stepped toward Zeke.
Zeke pulled himself up. He embraced his rage and let it flow into the Ivory Blade, and then he swung it.
Then the strangest thing happened. Zeke felt something, and then the edge of the blade disappeared and reappeared in the air next to Shade Adam, and as Zeke swung the Ivory Blade, the edge fell in the same arc, cleaving Shade Adam’s head.
“What just happened?” Zeke asked.
“You did it! You used your power! You doorwaed the edge of the blade! Again!”
Shade Adam reassembled and attacked again. Zeke barely deflected in time. He jumped back and tried to cut from afar, as he did before, holding the thought and intention in his mind. Nothing.
Shade Adam dashed forward and threw Zeke to the ground.
“Use your power!” Papa ordered.
“I’m trying!” he shouted back. What am I doing wrong? Zeke wondered. He imagined reaching into the sword, where he sent his rage and hate. He concentrated on how it felt as the blade doorwaed itself. Zeke swung the sword. Nothing.
Shade Adam attacked again, knocking Zeke to the ground.
He tried again and again. Nothing.
And again and again, Shade Adam knocked Zeke on his ass.
Finally, Papa said enough.
“Hey, you made a breakthrough today. Not only did you access your power for the first time, you’ve grown closer to the blade. You’re a much stronger fighter. I know today was hard, and I know being around the Ivory Blade takes a lot out of you, but I want you to appreciate this moment. Be proud of yourself. I’m proud of you, of the hard work you put in, and the progress you’ve made.”
That lifted Zeke’s spirits immensely, even while holding the dreadful sword. He was surprised to feel both joy and grief at the same time, and in that moment he realized the misery he’d been feeling was grief. Zeke had never grieved anything before, so he hadn’t recognized it earlier.
“Why am I like this? That shade was Adam, wasn’t it? How do I know that?”
Papa gently took the dreadful sword and returned it to his shadow pocket, saying, “Your memories are stored in your brain, in your vessel. But your vessel has to experience a thing for you to remember it. Your soul has been around for many thousands of years, and it doesn’t remember the same way your vessel does. You have no memories of Adam, or being trapped in the Ivory Blade, but your soul remembers, and your vessel is reflecting that fear and anger. Sometimes ‘intuition’ is when the soul knows something your mind hasn’t figured out yet.”
Papa conjured a shadow carpet to carry them home, where a surprise awaited them.
Bright, colorful explosions surrounded their stone cottage.
Aunt Gwen was back.
Aunt Gwen was very small and young-looking. In fact, she looked like an 8-year-old child, but she was wise and a powerful illusionist. She had pixie shock-white hair and wore dark clothes and a jacket with lots of pockets.
Zeke waved excitedly and ran the rest of the way home through vibrant, playful illusions. Aunt Gwen was waiting on front porch with a playful grin. Zeke knelt to hug his aunt.
‘What’s new?’ he signed. ‘Did you bring me anything cool?’
Aunt Gwen laughed and signed, ‘Of course! Your mama told me you’re a man now. It’s time I give you a man’s gift. No more candies. Anyway, your mama and I ate them all while we were waiting for you.’ Gwen laughed again. “Now where did I put that darn thing? Oh, ha. Right here! That’s embarrassing.” Aunt Gwen uncinched one of her belts and handed Zeke a sheathed longknife.
It was a quarter the size and weight of the Ivory Blade. He drew the knife from its scabbard. The edge was one-sided and gently curved. The handle was unadorned yet elegant, with a small knuckle bow guard. Made of good steel and razor-sharp, this was a discreet weapon of a master assassin.
‘My big sister Morgan gave me this longknife. One day, you’ll meet her. Now I give it to you, my darling nephew. Carry this and know that you’re loved and supported.’
Zeke hugged Aunt Gwen again and thanked her profusely.
Then they all sat down to eat dinner. Mama had prepared a mushroom risotto with fish and carrots. Aunt Gwen lit the room with dancing, sparkling pixies.
‘Tell us about the war,’ Zeke asked.
Aunt Gwen sighed sadly, ‘The war is over. We lost. Now we hide and survive. We wait for hope. We move refugees into safe homes, like this one here. There aren’t many left. With 3 Ikons, Adam is still godly powerful. The Shell Gauntlet gives him control over water and air. Adam’s Crown gives him unlimited energy and connects him to every familiar on Eden. The Steelfeather Band makes him intangible at will, so he can’t be touched. On top of that, he has an army of zealots and familiars all over the world, all looking for the lost Ikons. Looking for you. But we’re still here, and that means he hasn’t won yet. And maybe one day, if we’re lucky, we can liberate another Ikon or two or three. Even one more Ikon could change the scales. But that’s a bridge to cross another day. In the meantime, how are your new studies?’
‘Grueling. But I used my power for the first time today!’
Mama and Aunt Gwen both reacted excitedly. The pixie illusions burst in surprise like tiny fireworks. Papa smiled and ate his carrots.
‘But it only happened one time. I swung the Ivory Blade and it cut something far away. I don’t know how to replicate it yet, but Papa and I are gonna train until I master it.’
Mama and Aunt Gwen were beaming with pride and joy.
‘Of course, you will,’ signed Aunt Gwen. ‘And when the day comes those skills are needed, we’ll be there alongside you.’
That night, Zeke dreamed he was running. Or was he jumping?
He was fleeing something- no, someone. Adam.
Someone was with him. Someone helped him.
Betrayal. A stab to the heart.
Adam’s smug, perfect face leering down at him.
Then emptiness. Stretching out forever.
No escape.
Ezekiel woke screaming and drenched in sweat.
-8-
And so Zeke passed his nights, every night. For years.
His usual care-free nature buried itself under depression and resentment. He considered hating his parents. He hated his own cowardice and fear. He hated these awful feelings. More than anything, he hated that damn sword.
One night, Zeke woke from another night terror. His bed was soaked, again. A crazy thought came to him. What if he ran away? The caves were massive. He could forage mushrooms and bugs forever. His parents might never find him.
Zeke knew it was ridiculous, but he wasn’t thinking. He was still panicking after the night terror. He grabbed a bag of supplies and tiptoed out of the house, his heart pounding in his chest as he ran away from home and into darkness.
He ran for a long time through caverns he’d been forbidden to venture. He foraged a light breakfast using a lantern crafted from glow bugs.
Zeke felt a wave, like a light breeze, and he knew he’d been caught.
Here in the dark, there was nowhere to hide from Papa. He walked out of the shadows as if through a door, instantly at Zeke’s side.
Papa looked concerned but remained silent.
“Leave me alone!” Zeke yelled, finally. “I don’t care about the world or your war! I’ll stay here forever and they’ll never find me. I won’t touch that damn sword, and you can’t make me!”
Papa looked devastated and conflicted. He didn’t say anything for a moment. Finally, he said, “Okay,” and stepped back into the shadows.
Zeke was stunned and alone. Did Papa mean it? Was he angry? Was he disappointed? Would he leave Zeke?
Zeke started sobbing. He was so scared and ashamed.
What was gonna happen now? Did Zeke ruin everything?
Zeke couldn’t go home that night. Instead, he stayed up exploring the vast cave system. There was still so much he hadn’t seen, even after spending his entire childhood here. But eventually, Zeke realized why this particular cave route had been forbidden: it was nearly barren. He found a couple bugs, but after a day, Zeke got hungry and cold enough to go back home.
Mama was waiting at the table with a warm hug and a bowl of oats with berries. She poured hot water over the oats when he sat at the table.
Mama didn’t mention his absence last night except to embrace him and say, “I love you so much, and I’m glad you’re back. Please don’t scare me like that again.”
“I won’t, Mama,” Zeke promised.
That’s when Papa walked into the kitchen. He was carrying something small in his arms.
“Hi, son,” he said with a smile. He didn’t look angry or disappointed as he sat down at the table across from Zeke.
Papa continued, “I couldn’t sleep last night, so I went for a walk, and while I was out, I heard screaming. I ran to inspect and found a nest of minks being raided by an ocelot. I was too late to save his mom or siblings, but I managed to rescue this little guy.”
He pulled back a blanket to reveal an adorable baby mink. His eyes were open and curious, and he had black fur with little white booties.
“Would you like to hold him?” Papa asked.
Zeke nodded enthusiastically and accepted the tiny bundle. As the little mink stared up at him, an incredible peace came to Zeke. He felt himself relax and take joy in the moment like he used to do.
Animals had that effect on Zeke. Growing up in a cave, the pet goats were his best friends. But he’d been so wrapped up in training and his misery, Zeke had forgotten how much he loved his home and his family.
“I’m sorry for what I said yesterday,” Zeke said quietly. “I didn’t mean it.”
Papa smiled sadly. “I know, son. But what you said got me thinking. I need to tell you a story, about what happened after I stole the sword… after Lilith did this to me,” Papa touched his scarred face, “I spent years wandering Eden, looking for your mama. Her island was destroyed. I didn’t know if she was alive or dead. So I searched for years. And in that time, I saw people grow up. I saw them have kids and raise them, and as I watched them, something broke in me a little bit. I realized what my life had always lacked: parents. Lilith wasn’t so much my mother as she was my queen and master. And my father… well, the less said about him...
“So when I finally found your mama again and we made the plan to make you, I was so excited, but also terrified that I might hurt you like Lilith hurt me. So I begged your mama to take the lead for a few years, because I didn’t trust myself. To tell you the truth, I’ve been terrified this entire time. But seeing you hurt yesterday, I realized something: I would do anything, give anything, if I could take this pain away from you. I’m your father, and I love you more than anything in the world.
“If you want to hide, I’ll help you hide. If you want to burn the world, I’ll help you burn it. I’ve been training you because I believe it’s the only way you’ll live a long life, but if you won’t train, I won’t make you. Take a few days with your new friend and think on it. No matter what you decide, I’ll support you.”
Zeke didn’t need days to decide.
He loved his parents. He trusted them. And if they said he needed to master the Ivory Blade, then he would. Embarrassed by his outburst, Zeke returned to training the next day, determined to improve. His parents never mentioned it again, but they loved him even more fiercely than before.
Zeke’s skills didn’t improve very much, but his strength developed rapidly. It took him months to master the doorwaed blade technique.
The secret was so obvious in hindsight.
After a particularly rough session with a training shade, Zeke bumped his head against a rock, and a drop of blood fell from his brow onto the Ivory Blade. When he swung the sword next, Zeke felt a familiar sensation, and the blade carved the shade in twain at a distance.
His blood activated the sword’s power.
Specifically his blood, as nothing seemed to happen when Mama or Papa bled on the sword. Whenever Zeke’s blood touched the blade, all he had to do was focus, and he could cut anything, anywhere he could see.
-8-
By Zeke’s twentieth birthday, he hardly recognized himself. His arms and shoulders had filled out. Little scars marked his body like a tapestry. Fresh bruises were a constant, and harsh worry lines cracked his face and forehead. He had no frame of reference to compare, but Zeke had grown up fast and lethal.
Were it not for Dook, Zeke would surely have given in to misery. Dook was what he named the baby mink. Dook was free to roam and hunt, but he always came home to sleep in Zeke’s warm, soft bed.
Mama said it was important Dook could survive on his own, so Zeke spent most of his free time acclimating Dook to the outdoors and helping him learn to hunt. Dook was a vicious little killer to be sure, but so cute. He loved bathtime and playing chase. Zeke played with Dook every night after training, and those little games helped Zeke remember joy and himself.
Early one morning, while Zeke was snuggling Dook in bed, an explosion shook the ground and woke him up. Dook fell out of bed and scurried to his favorite hiding spot.
Zeke grabbed his longknife and put on clothes. Then he ran outside to find the sky was falling. Literally. The cave ceiling had been blasted wide open, and sunlight was cascading into their home like a revelation from on high.
Blinded by the light, Zeke had never seen so much direct sunlight before.
He could barely see, but he heard Papa’s voice next to him shout, “We’re under attack! Take the blade and run with Mama. I’ll be right behind you. Go!”
Papa threw the Ivory Blade into Zeke’s arms and pushed him away. “Go!”
Zeke shuffled back, squinting and closing his eyes, reaching out for something to hold onto. A hand grabbed his tightly.
“Hurry, this way,” Mama said and pulled him into a run. Zeke stumbled but Mama kept him upright.
Zeke’s vision was returning but he had to look down to shield his eyes.
Zeke briefly glanced back and saw Papa fighting a swarm of bizarre, flying leaf monsters. He was all on his own, and wielding a shadow sword and shield. Papa launched himself off the ground and summoned shadowy black wings to fight the plant-like, insectoid aliens in the air.
Papa was careful to stay out of direct sunlight, where his shadow constructs would break down.
“Hey!” Mama hissed. “Don’t look back.”
Zeke did as he was told.
Mama led him to a corner wall Zeke had never explored closely. It looked like a nondescript dead-end until Mama pushed a stone aside to reveal a slide.
As Mama moved the rock, Zeke couldn’t resist looking back to see how Papa was faring. Papa was still midair but bloody. The leaf/bug monsters had torn large chunks of flesh from his already mangled body.
Suddenly, a beam of light blasted from above and struck Papa in the chest. He crashed into the ground. The leaves swarmed on him.
“No!” Zeke shouted. Some of the leaf creatures heard and flew toward them.
“Time to go,” Mama said, pulling him and pushing him down the hole. “I’ll be right behind you.”
That’s what Papa said.
“No, no, no, no, no!” Zeke shouted, but he was already sliding into the narrow, dark escape, still holding the dreadful Ivory Blade.