by P M Cole
His one working wing flapped, while he hopped a little on one foot. His head spun, one way then the next, until finally he stopped all motion and looked up at me.
“C…o…g…B…a…c…k…?”
CHAPTER TWO
I snapped Auto’s tiny rear door closed, then looked up from the makeshift work desk I had created in the room I slept in earlier.
“Done,” I said.
Auto chirped and hopped forward, flapping both wings, then promptly took to the air, narrowly missing the bookcase nearby.
“I know. Not much space to fly. But you can go outside if you want, just don’t go too far…”
He landed back on the desk.
’S…a…d…?’
“Sad,” I repeated.
“H…o…w…F…i…x…?”
I sighed. “Oh… undo a Titan’s spell, to send a god back to the underworld, while avoiding being thrown into cell on the Defiance in Woolwich, or worse still shipped off to Australia.”
Auto looked back at me in silence.
I laughed and patted him on his head. “I missed you little friend.”
‘I…W…a…s…D…e…a…d…!’
I laughed harder, then promptly stopped when a knock came at the door.
“Ahem, yes?”
“I was told to tell you they’re back, miss,” said a young voice.
“Thank you.”
Soon I was back in the meeting room.
“How is the shop?” I said to Colin.
“It’s all good. No damage I could see.”
We turned and joined the others looking down at the blank piece of old paper.
‘M…a…p,’ chirped Auto.
“Shh,” I replied.
Charlotte waved her hands around over the parchment, murmuring words and phrases which sounded familiar, but which I couldn’t quite understand. Her eyes grew wide, and she slapped her palm down in the centre of the scroll. We all waited for something to happen, to appear, but nothing did.
Charlotte frowned. “Hmm… that should have—” She looked at me. “Of course. This map was meant for your eyes only. Give me your hand.”
I moved closer and gave it to her. She stretched my arm so my finger was over the map, then pricked it with something I couldn’t see.
I frowned at her, but then realised everyone else was already looking at the parchment and the drop of blood which was already tracing lines and channels across it.
“Whoa, it is a map,” said Colin, looking at Auto then back to the scroll.
We all leaned in closer. The lines strengthened in colour; the process seemingly complete.
“It’s the United Kingdom,” said Bernard.
A large ‘X’ with some other letters sat in the northern part of the map.
Lucas put his finger on the shape. “And that is very close to… Edinburgh.”
“Then that must be where the council is located…” said Charlotte.
Lucas looked at Dax. “Did you have any idea the council was located there?”
“There have been rumours amongst the covens for years that there is a nexus of power located somewhere in Scotland, but none were ever able to locate it.”
“If the map says that’s where it is, then that is where we need to go,” said Lucas.
Charlotte stood then sat back in her glass chair. “Far be it for me to disagree with a goddess, but this may well be a distraction. We have Hades' blood. We need to concentrate on the other items we need to complete to break Chronus’s spell. I don’t see how going to Edinburgh, with a chance of the council being there, is going to help.”
“Maybe she knew that. Maybe that’s why we need to go to the council, to ask for their help in breaking Chronus’s magic?” said Lucas.
Charlotte frowned, her eyes betraying her mind, thinking of what should be done.
“What are the other items?” I asked.
“Well, in theory they can be any thing and any number,” said Lucas. “It’s just a question of magical energy. We need lots of it. More than all of us combined. So, we supplement what we need with magical objects.”
“We have some idea of what could do it,” said Dax. “But with the amount of control Hades now has over the capital, it will not be an easy task to obtain them.”
I perked up. A mission. Just what I needed. “What are they, I will get them.” Colin then Lucas both went to talk, but I raised my hand. “I am not staying trapped in this palace! There is so much I can do to help! Let me!”
They all looked at each other, with most eyes falling upon Charlotte.
“Very well.”
*****
The large dirigible swayed against its ropes. A blast of steam shot out of the back of the compartment, and I could hear gears and turbines spinning. Auto circled high above, moving in and out of the clouds then swooped down, landing on my shoulder. I placed him inside my winter coat.
“Remember, the prehistoric exhibition is currently being renovated, so many of the cabinets will be covered, and may be not where they should be,” said Bernard holding his coat tight around his neck. “The early civilisations are mainly in the west wing. That is clearly marked on the second floor!”
Myself, Lucas, and Colin nodded. Lucas patted Bernard on the shoulder. “If I don’t get lost, we should be back by morning.”
Bernard smiled but I could tell it was an effort.
As the others made their way to the craft's entrance ramp, I stayed back. “Do you know if Daniel has returned?”
He frowned. “Not to my knowledge.”
I suddenly remembered Bernard had not made his way to the Crystal Palace alone. “How is Mrs Hayward?”
He looked down. “Our current situation is difficult for her; she had no idea of the magical world, and to be away from our home is taxing on her. But we must do what we must.”
I nodded.
“Be careful.”
“I will.” I turned and caught up with the other two who were already seated inside, Lucas being in the pilot's seat.
“Charlotte gave me a quick lesson on how to operate this craft earlier. I should be OK,” he said, then tapped his finger on the wooden steering wheel.
“Would have been nice to have had this when we went to the shop! Took us hours walking the tracks to get there!” said Colin.
“In this weather it’s not easy getting the steam engine in the back running.” He looked over his shoulder to Colin. “It was fun being on the frozen river though.”
Colin smiled.
Lucas nodded to the men outside, and the ropes were unhooked. The dirigible lunged to the right, moving several feet across the roof and causing those there to duck. We grabbed hold of our seats to balance ourselves as Lucas steered left then right to steady us, then pulled on one of the many levers. The steam-driven pistons in the back increased in volume and we moved off into the night.
I looked down at the large building which was the railway station, and the tracks which moved off towards the south.
“None of the trains are running,” said Lucas, “but there still might be some staff around. Hopefully, none of them are looking skywards.”
As the light from homes, hundreds of feet below us slid past, I looked at Colin. He appeared to have forgiven me for my behaviour in pushing him away, but I felt a newfound reluctance from him to get close to me. Due to the current circumstances at least, that was one thing I did not need to concern myself with anymore. He knew how important our tasks were, anything else between us would have to wait.
“I haven’t had a chance to ask you. What happened when Lucas and Arges arrived at your village?”
The light from the oil lamps in the cabin allowed me to see sadness in his eyes.
“It was my fault what happened. Lucas and Arges got to us before Hades found us. We had time to leave, and Olivia got some of the young ’uns out. She wasn’t listening to me anymore. Said I was being selfish. Good thing she did, or more would be dead. The rest of us stayed behind, thinking
we could defend what we had,” he sighed. “The big one-eyed fella fought to keep them out. I fought with him, and Lucas, all together. We all did our best, but it wasn’t good enough. Reckon about twenty are still down there, buried under the bricks and stuff. Gonna give them all a proper burial once all this is over.”
I wanted to hug him, tell him we will get through this, but I wasn’t sure of that myself.
Just need to get through tonight, then worry about everything else tomorrow.
“What was it like with the crazy family?” said Lucas.
I chortled, then set about telling them about the past week or so.
“She looked like trouble when I saw her,” said Colin, referring to Heather.
“For most of us, our powers, gifts, whatever you wish to call them have not damaged us… in our minds. They have done the opposite they have allowed us to experience wondrous things. But for Heather, and maybe this is Hades' influence as well, she just sees the world as pain and death.”
“She don’t look it, but she’s a monster,” said Colin.
“I’m afraid so.”
“What about the tall fella, the one you came back with, Daniel?”
“I think we can trust him.”
“Hmm… I’ll see about that.”
“Be useful for us if we can,” said Lucas.
I looked out the window at south London, and the glows from the street lamps tracing out the roads. There appeared to be no carriages or people walking along the frozen paths. A city held hostage by the elements. Soon we passed over the four-storey-high cylinders of a gas works, and higher still, huge chimneys of numerous factories which packed the streets. It made me think of the Shadow Factory.
“Is the Factory still functioning? Are the stalls still open?” I said to Lucas.
“Some are. Those that were happy to see new management. Most though upped and made their way to the Palace. Don’t worry we’ll get that place back. Another six minutes and we should be above the museum. Get ready.”
The lights of Bloomsbury came into our view as we passed amongst some low-level cloud, and then the impressive building itself appeared, its Greek revival columns and arches lit by a number of nearby street lamps.
“Can’t see much going on down there,” said Colin.
The dirigible descended towards the west wing roof, which was lacking in any detail due to the snow covering it. Most of the museum was in darkness, apart from the large round building in the forecourt at its centre, whose walls were lit with lamps.
“I think there’s an entrance to the lower levels near that vent, just below us, can you see it?” said Lucas.
I pushed open the door. It was snowing once again. “Yes.” A door was just visible with ice packed up against it.
“I’ll get us lower…”
The pistons and wheels spun behind us, and steam was ejected as we moved to within just a few feet of the pristine surface.
I let my feet dangle over the edge, then dropped out. I hit the surface and kept going another foot until I felt my boots hit the floor.
Colin landed behind me, a rope in his hand. I helped him tie it to an iron pipe. The crafted floated lower, until the steam engine ran down. Lucas blew out the lights, then climbed down with a leather bag, bringing his own rope, securing it to the roof as well.
“Hopefully, there won’t be any storms, or we’ll be walking home,” he said, looking up at the large balloon keeping the craft in the sky.
We moved towards the door.
“It’s frozen shut,” said Lucas.
I held my hand towards the iron handle, which glowed briefly orange, any ice quickly dissipating. Lucas scooped up some snow, dropping it onto the handle, which steamed then cooled, then he tried again. This time it opened.
Stairs, almost lost to darkness due to the lack of wall lanterns, looked back at us.
“Bernard said some of the earliest items are down these stairs. He said it’s not far, and there’s only one guard per wing. We just have to avoid him.”
We moved inside and made our way to the door at the bottom. Lucas opened the door a little, listened, then pulled it open all the way. We were in another dark corridor although this one had a series of doors, one of which contained a man with an impressive beard hunched at a desk over pieces of what looked like dried clay. Luckily, he was deep in concentration as we crept past, and Lucas pointed to the end of the corridor. We moved as quietly as we could, stretching our senses to warn us of any movement ahead. Finally, we arrived at an exit into one of the museum's galleries.
We crept out onto the smooth, polished floor, trying to dampen the clack of our boots. A light on a wall in the distance lit the glass cases containing mummies, vases, and statues in cabinets along the walls.
“Isn’t any of this magical?” I said, trying to see if there was anyone coming. I then saw the wall next to me lit by a new source of light.
Lucas held his hand out in front of him, a ring with a large gemstone glowed with a dull green light. “Nothing here is powerful enough.”
“You got a magical ring?” said Colin. “What’s it do?”
I wondered myself.
He waved it around at the artefacts in the cases, and the ring dimmed and glowed. “It locates magical power.” He shook his head. “Nothing here of any use. Let’s try the next floor down.”
We moved off towards the stairs and descended. At the bottom, a large glass sign proudly announced, ‘Recent excavations in Iraq.’ We all noticed Lucas’s ring noticeably brighter.
“Ah, should be something here!” said Lucas.
We turned the corner and looked into the face of a woman, illuminated by the green light from Lucas’s ring. She wasn’t alone, for standing either side of her were men with crossbows. Under her arm was a small wooden box. A glass case nearby was open.
We went to back up when noises came from the stairs above us. And then from behind us. We were surrounded. I immediately tried to sense what metal around us was available to me.
“Ambush,” whispered Lucas.
Before I could reply, he took a step forward, each step lighting the room further. “You need to put that down.”
The woman smirked then held the box, which was covered in symbols and hieroglyphs, out towards us. “Why don’t you come and get it?”
Her eyes then met mine, and her face turned to one of hate. That’s when I realised what she was. “She’s a—”
“Fury,” she said, finishing my sentence. “We haven’t met before, but of course you have met my sisters.”
“I…”
“She’s slowly getting back on her feet, with a little magical help of course. She’s going to look forward to making your acquaintance again.” She and I noticed Lucas’s other hand was covered in blue flame. She raised her free hand. “I’m not the avenging type, nor do I anger easy, warlock. But I am going to have to ask the young lady there to come with us. And I’ll be taking this box as well of course.”
The men all around us raised their weapons. Twenty or so, aimed directly at us.
“And if you are trying to control their crossbows Corine, they are made completely from wood, bone, twine, and a sprinkling of magic.”
This sister seemed calmer than the other two, and that bothered me.
Lucas leaned in closer to me. “I’ll make an opening for you, then you run to the roof. I’ll try and follow,” he whispered.
I shook my head and walked between him and Colin who had a dagger in his hand.
“Cog!” said Lucas, but I ignored his protest.
I smiled at the woman. “Here I am.”
“You should know I’m not my sisters.”
I took another step. Now I was a mere few yards from her and the men who started to look at each other confused. “I think that’s what one of your sisters said right before I stabbed her with a spear.”
The woman’s face tightened, and she took a step back. “Take her.”
Four bolts flew at me. One scraped the si
de of my face while I ducked behind a nearby glass case, avoiding the others. A streak of blue fire scattered the men in front of me as they tried to reload, while Colin tussled with those behind us.
Two men lunged at me, but I scrambled back towards the wall, locating what metal I could in the room.
Ah…
The large cases were mostly wooden, but their latches weren’t. I pulled a series of them into the air, warping them into tiny metal daggers, and sending them towards my nearby attackers. They slammed into their necks and the back of their heads, making them groan in pain and distracting them enough for me to turn the metal grating behind me into a spear, which plunged into them, bringing them to the ground. The levitating sharp pole then flew back into my hand.
More bolts of bone slammed into the wall and then through the glass window next me, sending shards of glass out into the night. I looked at Colin, who was doing his best to avoid the blows but was staggering backwards while Lucas was throwing fireballs in all directions, the blue fire beating back most of his attackers.
I looked the other way to see the Fury at the back of the room. There was something different about her; a necklace of some sort was around her neck. Was she smiling?
Suddenly her form changed, gaining in height. I had seen a Fury transform before, but this was different, more violent in nature. Her bat-like wings sprung from her back, almost to the width of the room and, as her face gained demonic features and her hands became claws, she rose higher still until she stood taller than even the door behind her. The lower part of the necklace was glowing with an intense red light.
She roared, making even her own men turn around, then stormed towards me. As a razor-sharp claw from the end of her wing sliced through the air and wooden case alike, I only just managed to fling myself to the ground. A blue fireball flew past where I was just standing, smashing into the creature’s side, but it hardly seemed to notice.
I crawled forward behind the cases, spear in my hand, trying to keep low, when another clawed wing came down almost upon me. I just about managed to roll against the wall as it dug into the marble floor, gouging a slice through it.
“The door!” shouted Lucas across the room. More blue fireballs slammed into its hide, this time making the creature roar and turn around.