Book 1 Prologue
Jakol and Kutal ran like their lives depended on it. Their hearts were pounding with each step. They were wasteland scavengers. Every bit of them looked like hardened survivors of a rough, unforgiving environment, but now, their wide eyes only showed fear as they ran and a desperate hope that they might somehow live.
As they ran through the forest, they heard whispers that seemed to be coming from all directions, "this way, sisters," and "I see them, sisters", "sisters, they are running towards us".
Jakol thought of his son, who had prayed to The Providers the night before that his father would find in the vault, a bounty of food and supplies, instead him and Kutal found sure death.
They were now prey to the hunters, the women known to his people as the Ponu.
Jakol almost tripped and fell over a branch. Kutal grabbed his friend's arm to steady him as he stumbled. Jakol looked back and saw the glowing eyes getting closer in the darkness of the forest.
Jakol and Kutal had heard of this but never seen it up close. Now, in the dark cover of the forest, all they could see of their pursuers were occasional glowing eyes and that constant call of the "sisters" to each other.
There would be no relenting, no mercy. The women, armed with mostly spears, chased them and played with them. A Ponu woman would call out from behind them, then moments later, they would hear the same voice coming from the side of them or in front, causing them to change direction.
Jakol and Kutal ran, faster, faster, hearing the whispers, faster. Jakol turned to tell his friend Kutal they should try the dangerous route of running through the clearing, but his friend was not beside him. Jakol looked back to see his friend on his knees with a spear through his back, emerging through his chest. Unmercifully, Kutal was still alive, suffering, if only momentarily.
Jakol knew he could not wait or return to help his friend; he must run. He made it to the clearing where he stopped, his heart in his throat. Up ahead, he saw her, a Ponu woman, standing, facing him. Like all the Ponu, her soft look and strange attire did not seem to fit the wasteland.
Her angry expression showed her intention. He could not go back as they were closing in, but in front of him was a Ponu woman. Physically smaller than him, the Ponu woman would, at first glance, seem like a challenge he should be able to overcome, but the Ponu were unnaturally quick and fueled by an overwhelming desire to serve their masters, Geeryo.
Before he could think of a plan, she moved. It was almost beautiful to watch, almost like a dance, a dance with a tragic conclusion. She was on him in an instant, feigning one way, swirling another, all the while keeping her eyes on him. Closing the gap while making sure he could not tell what angle her final attack would come from, and although he tried to block her strike, the result was never in question. Her spear was plunged straight through him. As he fell, she withdrew her spear to hasten his departure.
As he lay on the ground, gasping for breath, he saw around 8 or 9 other Ponu women, the ones who had been following, now watching him die with smiles on their faces.
Their eyes stopped glowing and returned to normal. The Ponu woman who had speared him, looked at the Ponu woman who had been leading the chase. They both looked satisfied, even without direct control by Geeryo, they wanted this hunt, this kill, to help eliminate the last post-war remnants of humanity. Thus, the will of Geeryo was fulfilled. This brought them joy.
Jakol tried to think of his son and his newborn daughter, comfort in his dying moments, but then he saw something that he didn't understand, but which still made him fear even more for his people as his eyes closed to the world. Above the women was what looked like a small, hovering metallic ball. The women looked up at it, their smiles widening, satisfied they had done Geeryo's will.
Years later...
