PROLOGUE
AS THE SUN ROSE OVER THE FRIGID DESERT, Tazoc ripped the head off a thrashing chicken and used its blood to paint symbols around the door.
This path wasn’t always here. This was a sometimes place. The location and schedule of such erratic things were known to only a select few, and that wisdom was handed down through the ages from priest to priest. It took powerful magic to connect the paths, even for only a minute at a time. The faithful had set this door up for him to do his work. They had picked it up from Home Depot, already in a wooden frame. Tazoc despised humans, but they made some things so very convenient.
Magic comes from blood, fear, or life. A chicken had just enough of each to complete this work. If it hadn’t, he would’ve had to hurry and find some other animal to sacrifice. Or he could have bled one of the nearby faithful servants. They’d have been honored to die for a greater purpose, but he needed them alive. They lived here and knew how to do things like drive and blend in with Americans.
The ritual was complete. The door stood alone, surrounded by desert, but when he swung it open, there was an entirely different world on the other side. A better world. A purer world. Tazoc yearned for his homeland, but his duty was here, to protect that better world from the filth and corruption of this lesser one.
The hunting party had arrived.
They walked across naked and unarmed. They brought nothing with them that could be connected to their homeland, not so much as a piece of fabric. Recruited from the Empire’s finest warriors, each of these hunters had been extensively trained and prepared to operate on this side. The lesser watchers who lived here would supply whatever resources these hunters required to complete their assignment.
Twelve of them filed through the door before the spell ended. They stood there, ready to receive their orders, jaw muscles reflexively clenching around their new and unfamiliar human shaped teeth. These warriors came in different shapes and colors, just like the Americans did—they even brought one female—the better to move unseen amongst their prey. The Empire made wise use of their captured slave-breeding stock.
At their head was their leader. Tazoc knew this warrior, as would all the guardians on this side, for the gods themselves had blessed this one with especially lethal skill. It was good they had sent someone so capable.
Tazoc addressed him respectfully in the true tongue. “I see the leaders heeded my warning and have dispatched the fearsome Kinam Iuan Kimik to solve this problem.”
“Shaman Tazoc.” The war leader bowed his head respectfully in greeting. “From here on we will speak English only. My warriors need the practice. For most of them, this is their first time on this side.”
“In English the name bestowed on you translates to Finds-Them-And-Kills-Them.”
It was a title well earned.
Finds-Them-And-Kills-Them looked around the barren desert, heedless of the freezing wind, and scowled at being subjected once again to this hated land. “Among the true people we may speak freely. Among the Americans we will use whatever names are written on the fake documents supplied to us. The watchers should have our images already.”
Tazoc gestured toward the faithful watchers, who were waiting meekly near the vehicles that would carry the warriors to their destination. “Go with them. They will have clothing, money, weapons, whatever you need.”
“Why have we been summoned, shaman? What troubles you so?”
“Recently, an American woman learned far too much about us. She was clever and troublesome, investigating the paths between, so I killed that one. Then I learned that she may have told what she learned about us to others. The three watchers stationed in that city were sent to capture and question that person. They were all killed a few hours ago.”
“By who? Or what?”
“I do not know. Before their priest died, he marked a woman to be sacrificed.”
Finds-Them-And-Kills-Them extended one hand. On his palm was inked in god blood the image of a compass. The needle came to life and turned until it pointed to the northeast.
“That’s her?”
Tazoc watched the marvelous compass waver. “Most likely. There are very few marked on this side. The marked do not last long in this world. That spell will attract cursed scavengers and tainted beasts, all manner of horrors, to it like a moth to flame. Creatures of the dark hunger to feast on those who have been touched by our magic. Something will likely kill her before you get the opportunity, but we must be sure.”
“I did not come here for nothing. I will not be robbed of the honor.” The war leader turned back to his men and roared, “The hunt begins!”
They responded in unison with a fearsome battle cry, promising blood and glory to the gods. Then the eager warriors went to the vehicles. The watchers pulled down the temporary door and took it with them so they could use it again at the next sometimes place, most likely to send these brave warriors home.
They left Tazoc alone in the desert. As they drove away, he absently devoured the headless, twitching chicken.