Earthbreaker's Promise
Chapter 9 - Zanna

Zanna was taking great care to keep her eyes closed and her breathing even while she sat cross legged in front of the Vault, but it wasn’t easy. She had already abandoned the majority of her armor because the oppressive heat within the large room along with the blood loss was making her light headed at a time when she needed to concentrate most. Not to mention that being this close to the Vault had its own effects on her.

In her mind’s eye she could see the obsidian monolith, taller and wider than most buildings, that acted as the Vault. And each time she reached out to it she could feel an awful sensation as a little more of her power dried up. Which was making things difficult as the barrier she needed to repair was concentrated around the monolith. Cursing, she remembered the first time she had ever accessed the Vault.

“How far down does this go?” She had asked Lorina for the fourth or fifth time as they traveled down the dark, winding tunnels that led to their destination.

“Not much further, Zanna.” Lorina said. “You will need to memorize the way we came, as the Queen before you did.”

It had only been a few days since Zanna had shown up at the castle with the powers of the Earthbreaker, allowing her to claim the title of Queen. Yet she still had to earn the right to use the title it and it would be several decades before she got that far with Lorina. And the woman’s pledge to become a member of the Trinity would come soon after.

“So.... I haven’t met many werewolves.” Zanna started, quickly growing bored of the quiet dark. “How did you end up guarding this place? And where is your pack? Speaking of which, I’ve always wanted to ask if it hurts you to Change? Oh, and what happens-”

“One question at a time, please.” Lorina said.

“But you’ll answer them?”

“I will. We’ll be working together for a long, long time. Best we get to know each other, and no place to do that like a tunnel.” Zanna thought she caught the hint of laughter in the words.

“Alright then, let’s see. I’ll start with what I’m most curious about. What does it feel like when you Shift?”

“Have you ever seen something that made your skin crawl?”

Zanna nodded before remembering her companion couldn’t see the motion.

“I have. And I’ll deny it if you ever tell anyone but seeing just about any spider gives me that feeling.”

“Then imagine that sensation multiplied by about a hundred. That’s what the beginning of the change is like. Our flesh moves and ripples across our skin like its own being. Then an uncomfortable heat starts in our chest and expands from there. By the time that sensation stops building it feels like someone is massaging your insides with an open flame.”

“That sounds awful!” Zanna exclaimed, rubbing her arms. She had never been more glad to be a vampire than she was in that moment.

That was the first time she heard Lorina’s laugh and it rang out clear and strong, echoing back to them in the tunnel.

“It isn’t pleasant, I’ll tell you that. Thankfully, it doesn’t get much worse. You’ll be so lost in the Shift that by the time your skin splits and the beast emerges it’ll be like background noise against the other pain.”

“And is it true that the more powerful you are the faster you can Shift?”

“That wasn’t one of your questions at first.” Lorina chided and Zanna felt herself blush.

Suddenly, Zanna felt a scalding heat beside her. It was soon followed by a tearing sound like a scroll had just been ripped in half. Then Lorina’s voice came again, and it had the telltale growl and resonance of a werewolf.

“To answer your question. Yes, it is true.” She said.

“Wow.” Zanna whispered, appreciation in her voice. “That was fast.”

“Thank you.” Lorina responded and her voice was once again that of the slim, blonde haired and gray eyed woman.

“Does that mean…” Zanna felt her blush returning. She cursed herself inwardly. It wasn’t like she could even see anything.

“That I’m naked now? It does. There’s a reason we tend not to wear many clothes. And why some choose to forego them completely. We don’t always have the luxury of stripping before we need to change.”

“That makes sense. Okay next question. Where is-”

“We’ll have plenty of time for more later Zanna, but we’re here.”

She heard a grunt and then light was spilling into the tunnel. In front of her, Lorina was pushing open a large set of double doors that scraped loudly over stone. Zanna took great care in looking away from Lorina’s tanned, naked form as the woman stepped into what was obviously a spacious cavern. Instead she looked to the ceiling and out to the sides and followed her inside.

“By the gods.” Zanna breathed.

“Hah.” A corner of Lorina’s mouth was turned up in amusement. “That about says it.”

“So I’m guessing the Vault is in there?” Zanna asked, indicating the landmass that seemed to float in the middle.

“Right again. So let’s get over there. Glad I was able to show you how to carry yourself with your own power before now.”

Without a word, Zanna flung herself and Lorina across the gap. It only took them a few minutes to reach the large doors that would lead directly into the Vault room. Lorina paused with her hand on the door and turned to her.

“What is it?” Zanna asked, frowning.

Lorina chewed the corner of her lip while she thought, then seemed to come to a decision.

“Nevermind. Better that you see and experience it for yourself.” She said and opened the door.

Zanna only took a few steps into the room before she fell to the ground, barely catching herself enough to remain on her knees. All at once she was assaulted by sensations: overwhelming heat, a roiling stomach, a constant banging that felt like it would shatter her mind.

Another sound, this one distant, registered and she felt a hand on her shoulder. Panicking, she reached out with her power and slammed the person into a nearby wall. It wasn’t until her hand was wrapped around Lorina’s throat that she realized what she had done and dropped her.

Lorina coughed once and rubbed her neck. “Ouch. Maybe I should have warned you.”

“Yes, you should have.” Zanna said, then noticed that the sensations had lessened. “What just happened?” She asked.

Lorina stood and walked towards the black monolith at the center of the room, completely unashamed at her own nudity.

“In all the land. This is your one weakness, Earthbreaker.” Lorina said, indicating the structure.

Zanna shivered at the use of her new title. It would take some getting used to. All her life most people had never called her anything but by her name. Other than her mother, who used to call her Zane because she had wanted a boy.

“A rock can make me feel this way?” She asked.

“Not just any rock, this is Vault. A regular piece of obsidian would do nothing special to you. This rock is enchanted, blessed, cursed. Whatever way you choose to think of it, its special.”

“Looks like a rock to me.” Zanna said, folding her arms.

Lorina shook her head then pushed the resulting loose strands of hair back behind her ear. “Close your eyes Zanna and reach out to it.”

Zanna closed her eyes and started walking towards the monolith until laughter stopped her.

“Not with your hands. Reach out with your power. Tell me what you feel. Tell me what you see.”

Reluctant to replace herself overwhelmed by the earlier sensations, Zanna did what she was told. Imagining her own hand touching the Vault she stretched her powers outward. When she got within several feet of the stone, Zanna felt another force push back against her. She continued on, although it was a struggle, and the outer edge of her power seemed to falter and vanish.

Her eyes flashed open and she looked towards Lorina who only watched her, expression calm. “What was that?” Zanna asked. “It was like my power faded.”

“That’s because it did. Maybe it was a cruel joke by whoever trapped the Void and put this thing here to begin with, but continued exposure to the Vault will sap at your powers. Rest assured, they will recover while you aren’t in close proximity to it.”

“Inconvenient.” Zanna said. “Then how do I stop a breach from happening, if I get weaker every time I’m near it?”

“This part is a bit harder for me to explain. Only the powers of the Earthbreaker can mend the barrier that degrades as the Void try to escape. For the rest of us, we only feel a chaotic energy coming off of it that gets worse as time goes on. Or in the times of an imminent breach we’ll hear the Void beating against their prison. Queen Elissa compared it to trying to plug a ship with several holes. Did you notice anything like that?”

Zanna closed her eyes again. Instead of a single limb of power she unleashed a wave of it and imagined it hovering at the edges of the Vault. She frowned as she pressed closer and realized she could feel small gaps here and there, although there was nothing to see still.

“Ah.” She muttered. “I think I feel it.”

“Good. Concentrate on pulling the fabric of the barrier closed around those holes. It’s important that you not leave a single one open. The Void will force themselves through any gap that they can.”

“How will I know that the hole is big enough for them to begin escaping?” She asked.

“Trust me, Zanna. When that day comes, you will know.”

Forcing the memory to end, Zanna opened her eyes and found herself back in front of the Vault. Exhaling, she reached out and pressed her powers against the monolith again. She grimaced as she realized how many large.

How did it get this bad so quickly?

Being as careful as possible, she started closing the first one and she was sweating by the time she finished. Only several dozen more to go. Shaking her head she reached out to the next, knowing she couldn’t afford to take any breaks.

Outside of the pounding, the room was quiet while she worked. Even the rushing water outside could barely be heard. It was only her and the Vault. So she nearly jumped out of her skin when a voice sounded right next to her ear.

“How is it coming, my Queen?” A familiar voice whispered.

In an instant Zanna was up and across the chamber, although she landed unsteadily from the weakness that was only getting worse. I thought Ambrose said they were all overseeing our people. But standing across from her was Theron, his expression blank.

“What are you doing here?” She asked, face creasing in confusion.

Theron bowed, his cold green eyes revealing nothing. “Ambrose reached out to me, my Queen. He thought you may be hiding something to keep him from worrying. Knowing I do not worry, he sent me to check on you instead. And I am glad that he did.” He said, sending a pointed look towards her wound.

That does sound like Ambrose, but why doesn’t this feel right? I’ve never been uncomfortable around one of my Trinity before, yet now I want to be far away from the man before me.

“I appreciate your concern Theron. But I’m fine.” Zanna said, standing. “This is nothing to worry about. Please, return to our people. They need you more than I do at the moment.”

Theron’s head tilted to the side. “The humans march towards us even now. Should I not stay to defend you?”

“It will take them ages to replace this place. I need no defense. What I need, is to be able to concentrate.”

“Then I will be quiet. Is that satisfactory?”

No. I want you to get the hell out of here.

“Sure.” Zanna said instead. “Have a seat near the exit and I’ll let you know when I’m done.”

Theron didn’t move. He only stood there watching her. Then he blinked and Zanna saw darkness flash across his eyes.

“No!” She exclaimed, even as she reached out and smashed Theron into the wall behind him with her power. “How?”

When he stood, his eyes were completely black, with the twinkle of stars inside them. Zanna crushed him into the wall again with a loud bang. Chips of stone flaked away and fell to the ground while she kept him pinned there.

“Did you not ask how, my Queen?” He asked, forcing the words out. “Surely you wish to know how we got to one of your royal guards?”

“Name yourself beast.” She called. “I know you’re not Theron.”

“Our true names do not exist in your language, so the Void will do.”

Zanna clenched her fist and the force holding Theron visibly tightened. She frowned as she realized how much power she was using to keep him there as he struggled. It shouldn’t be this difficult.

“Fine.” He said. “I’ll keep this short. You left him down here the most, because he was the least affected by isolation. Except there was a gap you missed, several weeks ago. It took time for me to escape, but it was worth it.”

Zanna’s frowned deepened. She had assigned Theron to watch over the Vault the most. But she had never expected anything like this to happen.

I failed. One of them got out and I never even realized it. Except...why are there not more?

“Why haven’t you released the others?” She asked.

“Only you can do that, Earthbreaker. Which is why I’m here.”

Zannah scoffed. “You think you can just ask and I’ll open the Vault?”

“No.” The thing wearing Theron’s face said. “You will open the Vault because I will kill you otherwise. At least by complying you can have some time left with your people.”

“And you’re in a position to make demands?”

A smile appeared on his face, the expression foreign. Then he tensed and Zanna felt her grip weaken. With a roar, Theron broke free and Zanna stumbled backwards with the sensation of her arm going numb. When she looked up, the smile had stretched wider, and Theron was holding a large obsidian shard that he stashed back into his armor.