Charth wheeled around once in the air, and then he sped towards Alsie and her forces. Find a way inland, Charth said. Through Cadigan. I’ll hold them off as long as I could.
But really, Alsie wasn’t going to send Cini’s airships through this ash cloud. That would be the stupidest thing in the world.
I checked behind me to ensure that Taka and Faso had their masks on them, and then I entered Velos into a stall. My plan was to pass so quickly through the ash cloud that it wouldn’t be able to affect us.
And so the wind screamed against my face, tugged my hair back, almost out of its roots, and I screamed out in ecstasy. Yes, this was the joy of flying. Meanwhile, bits and pieces in the cloud scratched at my face, yet it couldn’t tear the now hardened skin. I turned around to see Faso’s eyes closed and his face scrunched up behind his gasmask as if expecting the worst. Taka, though, seemed to be rather enjoying himself. He’d make a fine dragonseer yet.
We soon reached the bottom of the cloud and I levelled Velos out and pulled back on his steering fin to slow him a little. He spread out his wings and angled them backwards to help break the stall. Beneath us, streams of lava flowed down the mountain, and into the jungle below. The leaves had already browned and were curling up in the heat. I imagined the tribesmen on the ground would be huddling into corners away from the molten rock that would soon wash over them. Whole tribes destroyed by one madman and the will of a goddess.
And what had even happened to the elders?
A tinge of sorrow washed over me as I thought about their fate. They were meant to tell me more about my heritage, as well as Faso’s and Taka’s. But the chance to learn more this would most likely be extinguished.
But I didn’t have time to think about this now. Taka’s future and the future of the dragons remained at stake. I decided not to take Velos down into the jungle, but along the side of the volcano. Down there, it was probably a raging inferno, the heat of the lava trapped between the trees. So, I kept Velos as high as we could possibly get without entering the growing ceiling of black cloud and flashing red lightning above us. The whole land had now plummeted into such intense shadow that if it wasn’t for the glow of the lava, it would be difficult to see anything at all. Meanwhile, the volcano roared behind, and it took some skilful flying to keep Velos on course.
Suddenly, a landslide stopped us in our tracks — a layer of pyroclastic flow tumbling down the mountain.
“Pontopa not that way,” Faso shouted out. “We’ll be eaten alive.”
Of course, I didn’t need to be told that this raging eddy of grey dust was dangerous. I pushed hard on Velos’ steering fin and veered him down the slope away from the rim of the volcano. We missed the expanding pyroclastic flow by inches, and we had no choice but to enter the jungle below.
“Hold on to your seatbelts,” I called. It was going to be a rough ride.
Velos folded in his wings as much as possible, and we ducked and pushed beneath the canopy. I’d hoped that we could get away from the pyroclastic flow, but it raced alongside us, covering the jungle in a grey soot that might later preserve its remains for centuries.
Velos twisted and turned his body as we spun through the trees and I put my entire concentration in stopping us crashing into a huge bole. I sang a song to keep Velos steady and at the same time the armour pulsed green beneath my feet. Velos scratched his wings against the trees a few times, and I felt his pain lancing through my own arms. But the feeling wasn’t as intense as it had been in the past. Was I losing my connection to him? Would the transformation lead me further and further away?
As we sped through the jungle, the earth opened up beneath us. A great chasm tore the ground asunder and columns of lava shot up into the air through new vents in the ground. I had to steer Velos away from one, and I felt the heat from it pluck at my skin. It had been a close call.
I don’t know how many smouldering trees we passed as their leaves wilted under the rising heat. I wanted to follow Charth’s instructions and lead us inland. But the pyroclastic flow ran right the way to the coast then buried itself under the sea. There was no way through.
So, our only option was to head back to the ocean where the airships lay in wait. As we left the land behind, we could see the balloons spanning the horizon, as far as the eye could see. Alsie flew close to them, Charth hovering nearby. I felt a sudden dread rise up in my chest as soon as I saw them. Why weren’t they in combat? Something didn’t make sense.
What do you want? I said to Alsie in the collective unconscious. You promised that you’d leave us alone.
That, I did, Alsie said. While you went in and successfully rescued the boy and, with Colas’ aid, helped us execute Finesia’s plan.
I kept the channel closed to Taka so he couldn’t hear any of this, but who knows what Alsie was also saying to Taka in his own mind. Whatever it was, Taka didn’t seem to want to listen and he sat backed up in his seat as if wanting to get as far away from her as possible.
Oh, Alsie continued. And I can see you finally completed your transformation. Which means that we’re edging closer to our final battle, Dragonseer, or should I call you Acolyte?
No, I said. I shall not bend to Finesia’s will.
We’ll see about that, Alsie said and there came an ear-splitting scream in the collective unconscious. Velos bucked underneath the pain and I clutched my hands to my ears, as did Taka.
Now, I had access to the innate ability, I was tempted to return the scream in kind, but that would be using Finesia’s gifts and opening up a place for her.
It was then that it dawned on me. Charth had used the same scream to protect us in the secicao jungle from the pirate leader and his troop of automatons. That would have pushed him even further towards Finesia. How long would he last before he lost his mind completely? He already thought he was on the edge. Somehow, I doubted I could trust him anymore.
All your tricks in the world cannot hurt me, Alsie Fioreletta, I said.
Ah, but you have no choice but to surrender. You have no dragons around you to protect you, you’re surrounded by a fleet of the king’s best forces.
Then you’ll have to kill me too.
Oh you shan’t die yet, Dragonseer. Finesia has many plans for you and you don’t even appreciate the abilities you’ve gained. Why don’t you show us all what you’re capable of and use Finesia’s abilities to take down this fleet?
I’ll do it without her, I said. I could at least try and escape without having to battle Alsie head on. Charth, are you on my side or Alsie’s?
Yours of course, Charth said. But there seemed a lack of commitment in those words. As if Charth hadn’t quite connected to the question.
Whatever, I didn’t have time to worry about that now. I pulled back on Velos’ steering fin and sang a dragonsong. In response, Velos let out a huge roar. He also didn’t want to go down without a fight. And we flew towards the airships, as the Hummingbirds pushed forward to meet us head on.
“Pontopa, this is madness,” Faso complained from behind me. I looked around him to see his arms folded. “But no matter what I say, I’ll never stop you. Why I always choose to travel with such an insane woman, I don’t know.”
I shook my head. “It’s your choice Faso.”
Alsie Fioreletta, I then said in the collective unconscious. We will not go down without a fight.
Then you have consigned yourself to your own fate, Alsie said. She let out a huge roar.
Acolyte, its time to claim your power, Finesia’s voice once again came in my head. Change to your true form and claim the prize you deserve.
I tightened my grip around Velos’ steering fin as I tracked the swarm of Hummingbirds approaching. A cloud of green enveloped them, meaning they were secicao-powered. But this time, Faso didn’t complain that they’d stolen his technology. Probably because he now knew that what Colas had built was much more superior.
Auntie, I can use my scream again to take them down, Taka said. He’d done that two years ago
when we’d encountered them at the Southern Barrier, just after escaping Cini’s palace.
No, I said. Don’t listen to what Finesia wants you to do, Taka, we’ll find a way through without her.
And so the Hummingbirds got so close to us and they almost engulfed us. The Gatling guns activated on Velos’ armour and shot a few out of the sky, but the rest of them were fast enough to dodge the bullets.
Very well, I can see you’re not ready yet, Alsie said. Such a waste of resources. Well, Charth it’s time to finally become a servant of Finesia.
Yes, he replied in an incredibly flat and distant tone.
He turned around towards the Hummingbirds, and out pitched that horrible screeching sound again in the collective unconscious, this time sending my head spinning. One time had been bad enough, but twice in one row was enough to turn the brain to mush.
The Hummingbirds had only travelled several hundred metres before they sputtered to inaction and dropped one by one into the water like a flock of seagulls that had just inhaled a noxious gas.
Charth, I said in the collective unconscious, but I just spoke to emptiness. This time, the scream had disrupted my ability to communicate there and it would be a while until it returned.
Even when you can’t reach the collective unconscious, you can still talk to me, Finesia said. Transform, and I’ll give you the power you want.
And, as I looked at the wall of airships edging even closer to us, I felt for a moment that we wouldn’t have a choice. Then, I remembered how we’d escaped Cini’s forces last time we’d encountered them in the ocean. A wall of shrapnel-flak in the air that would tear us apart if we flew through had blocked our escape. So instead, we dived beneath a battleship’s hull and only barely made it out the other side.
So once again, I looked down at the churning sea and the huge waves that it sent up beneath us.
“Faso,” I called back. “How much secicao do we have left in the armour.”
“We’ve almost used it all up for dragonheats sake. We left the tap open when he was sitting there in the jungle by itself. But Pontopa, if you’re thinking of going under, think again. The currents down there will swallow us whole.”
Okay, so maybe going under was a bad idea.
There came another roar from the distance as we hovered over the ocean. Alsie Fioreletta sped towards Charth and I was half expecting him to raise his claws and try to take her down. But, instead of attacking the dragonman, Alsie Fioreletta flew in a wide circle around him. Acolyte Charth, she said. Embrace your destiny.
Charth lifted his head to the sky and roared. He then flew downwards towards the ocean and tumbled around in the sky as if trying to resist something. As if exerting his very last ounce of will. But it was futile. All of a sudden, his body went stiff, and he curled up in a ball and began to fall towards the ocean.
Goodbye, noble Charth, Alsie said.
I watched in horror, half expecting Charth to hit the sea and be swallowed up by the waves. But before he was even close, he spread out his wings and hovered there, as if pinned in place at the shoulders. Out of his chest emanated a ball of green light, streaks of white lightning flashing out to the circumference, much like the glowing sphere that Colas’ panther had used to knock Velos out of the sky.
And hello, servant of Finesia, Alsie continued. You see, Dragonseer Wells, Charth was right. There’s only so long that you’ll be able to resist Finesia’s will. And Charth, my darling, did you really think that you could remain a traitor to Finesia’s cause forever?
Charth tossed and turned in the invisible harness that had pinned him into place in the air. He gnashed and roared at the space around him, but as he did the glowing ball grew, spreading a faint green oily light through the veins of his body.
I’d never seen anything like it. I mean, there were dragonsongs, which kind of made sense in a way and had their own rules to them. And the collective unconscious also had its own innate rules, and everything about it seemed to intuitively fit together, even if it hadn’t yet been explained by science. But I had absolutely no idea where this ball was sucking its energy from. Indeed, I could only describe it as magic.
And as the ball of energy grew, Charth seemed to toss and turn less and less, until eventually he just floated in the air, stock still.
What are you doing to him, Alsie? I said. Let him go…
This isn’t my doing, Alsie replied, but Finesia’s. Now, if you please, I’m quite enjoying the show. You can either comply or try to fly away and have your dragon shocked to pieces by Hummingbirds. The man you once knew as Charth is dead to you now.
He died long ago when he lost Sukina, I thought. But I didn’t share that sentiment with Alsie.
Nothing to say? Alsie asked. Well, I never. Why don’t you turn dragon yourself and fight Charth Lamford? He’d be a worthy adversary for you, I’m sure.
Dragonheats, Alsie had only sent that line of Hummingbirds forwards so Charth would use his ability. She knew that he was about to turn, and he’d pushed his limits far too far.
“No,” I screamed out loud. “I won’t sacrifice myself.”
We’ll see about that, Alsie replied in the collective unconscious.
She tossed her head to the sky and roared. In response, Charth whom the green glow had now left behind, hovered in the air for a moment. He then turned his head towards us and shot forwards.
Charth, I said. What are you doing? Remember yourself…
But while his voice had sounded flat and dour before, now it was virtually monotone, a perfect representation of obsequiousness. This is Finesia’s will, he said. And I knew right then that he’d also been lost to the void.
You have no choice. My darling acolyte, Finesia said in my head. You must fight him. You and Charth were meant to be rivals.
“No”, I screamed out loud. And as Charth approached, Velos’s Gatling cannons bucked into life. I pushed down hard on Velos’ steering fin and we plummeted again towards the water. But no matter how much the cannons shot at Charth, they couldn’t affect him. He was immortal after all. Unless, that was, they just happened to hit in the weak spot at the throat.
“What’s he doing?” Faso shouted out, craning his neck up at Charth.
“He’s attacking us,” I said.
“I thought he was on our side?”
I clenched my teeth. “Not now,” I said, and I looked down once again at the ocean.
“You’re not going under, are you?”
“Dragonheats, no. We’ll hold off as long as we can.” I decided not to tell him that I could probably get out of this by turning into a dragon myself.
I watched Charth come in for another pass and the voice of Finesia nagged in my head and told me that I had to fight him. But regardless, I wasn’t going to draw on her powers. She wouldn’t have dominion over me.
And just before Charth could reach us, Alsie decided once again to turn the tides.
I see you’re not going to listen. Alsie said in the collective unconscious, sounding very slightly irritated. Charth, return.
And the dragonman obediently returned to Alsie’s side.
You see, Acolyte, Alsie continued. Finesia has decided to punish him for his long period of disobedience and relinquish control of his soul to me for a while. This is what will happen to you as well if you resist your destiny for too long.
No! I gritted my teeth. I will not succumb to the voice of Finesia. And I won’t let Taka do so either.
I heard a chuckle from Alsie in the collective conscious then, almost as if it came from the bottom of her being. Oh, we’ll see about that soon enough.
Good shall prevail. Secicao shall not be allowed to rule this earth.
That’s what you think. But Colas has already prepared the soil for the secicao that the tribesmen have been planting to grow. Alsie gestured towards East Cadigan island and the ever-blooming clouds that enshrouded it. The sulphur of the earth will acidify the soil, creating the perfect conditions for secicao to grow. Colas has b
een working this island for Finesia for years and his efforts shall soon pay off in spades. Well, there’s absolutely no point risking a dragonman when I have an entire air fleet at my disposal. Let’s see how you survive the next wave.
Alsie and Charth darted towards the line of airships and then she levelled so that she was flying perpendicularly to them. Hatches opened up on the side of the airships, and another huge swarm of green secicao-powered Hummingbirds formed out of them. Alsie Fioreletta let out a huge roar and, as one, the Hummingbirds shot forwards towards us.
Those things were so fast and light that Velos wouldn’t be able to shake them off using aerial acrobatics. And as they approached closer, I noticed something else about them. They had a faint red glow underneath the greenness. Just like Colas’ panther automatons.
Flaming wellies. Colas hadn’t just been working for Alsie, but he’d developed new technology for Cini. This had all been a ruse.
“Faso, fire up the guns,” and I looked over my shoulder to see him turning the tap on the armour, while Ratter hung off the other side of Velos fiddling with a control panel on the other flank. Another modification, no doubt he’d failed to tell me about.
“There’s very little secicao left,” Faso complained. “So I hope you have decent plan this time.”
The armour was now hot under my feet, and I felt the Gatling cannons buck into overdrive. But, no matter how much they shot at the approaching automatons, the bullets never seemed able to hit their target.
“Dragonheats,” Faso said. “What is this technology?”
“I don’t know. But it’s the same stuff that Colas used in the panthers.”
“Impossible. How could they possibly have stolen their old man’s inventions?”
But I didn’t have time to explain my conspiracy theory as the Hummingbirds had now closed in. It was as if they wanted to toy with us. They'd spiral around us in a swarm, hovering nearby no matter where Velos flew. The Gatling cannons kept shooting out bullets, but none of them ever seemed to connect. Every so often, one Hummingbird would come close to us and send a jolt into Velos’ unarmoured belly, causing him to enter a short stall.
Dragonseers and Bloodlines: The Steampunk Fantasy Adventure Continues (Secicao Blight Book 2) Page 25