by Gareth Otton
She never got to finish that argument as the boom of an explosion in the distance made them all flinch and look off toward the east, where a plume of fire was rising into the night sky.
“That was one of the perimeter check points,” Stella said, alarmed. “I didn’t expect them to see much action tonight because I thought everyone would be dreamwakling in.”
As if in answer, there was another explosion, followed by the sound of gunfire that came from another direction. They turned toward the sound to see what happened, but then there was another explosion, and another.
“They’re surrounding us,” Tad pointed out, and Tony couldn’t suppress his shiver at the thought.
“But they’re coming by road,” Stella said, still confused. “Why aren’t they dreamwalking here? Mitena’s only warded up the Dream Gate site itself, she hasn’t gone any further out.”
“You want me to find out?” Tad asked, but Stella never got chance to answer.
Gunfire erupted much closer to them and they spun yet again, this time looking towards the rear of the Dream Gate site, to where soldiers were firing out into the shadow beyond the perimeter of the fence.
Tony was about to ask what was going on, but he never got chance as again more gunfire erupted, this time from the other side of the site, then more yet again. Then, as if that wasn’t bad enough, Tony heard another sound that he had been dreading all night, the explosive pops of rushing air as people stepped out of Dream into this reality.
Tony.
The mental shout echoed around his head and it was filled with meaning that Tony instantly understood. Tad wanted him to merge, and Tony knew it was the right play. Whatever happened next, his job was to help Tad in any way he could. Heal him where that was necessary, advise where he could, and lend him strength at all other times. As always, merging was as simple as letting go of his fight against the pull of the next life, and the power of a Proxy did the rest, snatching his soul from the endless grip of Dream and merging it with his own.
For a moment, Tony’s sense of what was happening around him vanished and all became darkness. Then memories and knowledge rushed at him as he merged with Tad’s soul. Senses returned as he started seeing through Tad’s eyes, hearing with his ears, and experiencing what he felt.
He felt a pull on his own strength as Tad reached for Dream, picturing a giant bubble that covered the entire compound. He even pulled on the connection to other ghosts to help and Tony felt that now familiar rush of energy as Dream answered.
A bubble of condensed air settled over the entire Dream Gate site, rippling the air where it formed and protecting them all. Instantly it came under assault from bullets, but with Tad’s three ghosts inside him and three more ghosts lending their strength, it wasn’t much of a strain just yet.
Tony was about to tell Tad this was the perfect use of his power, but Tad’s attention abruptly turned when Mitena gasped out a name that sparked fires of hatred within Tad and Tony.
“Kuruk!”
Tad moved his head to the right and Tony saw that beyond the fence stood the grim faced giant, his body alive with tattoos that were intermittently glowing as he cycled through dreamcatchers. As a result, the bullets that were fired in his direction were failing to harm him, allowing him time to study the defences.
You should take him out now, Rodney thought at Tad.
However, before Tad had chance to act, there was yet another interrupting explosion which seemed to be the theme of the night. This one was from much closer than the ones at the perimeter check points and even Kuruk turned in surprise. They were just in time to see a small convoy of armoured vehicles rush down the road, each sporting the signs of damage that could only have come from battle as these vehicles fought their way past the check points.
For a moment Tony wondered if they were going to stop or if they were going to drive straight at the gates. Would Tad’s shield even be up to stopping them? He would never find out as the lead vehicle skidded to a stop and the front door opened wide as a tall man stepped out of the passenger side.
He wasn’t armed, which Tony felt was ridiculous considering the continuous gunfire going on around them, but a second later he understood why. This man didn’t need to be armed because he was shrugging off bullets like they were nothing, and when one of Kuruk’s men fired a fireball at the man, he barely even looked annoyed as he raised a hand in his direction and a bolt of lightning lit up the night as it passed through one of Kuruk’s dreamcatcher armed soldiers and ten more behind him, killing them instantly. The accompanying thunder rolled over the King Dream gate, and the sound of gunfire slowed in response.
They’re not fighting together, Tony realised, stunned.
Tad was also excited at the prospect, wondering how he could take advantage of this, but things were moving too fast for them to plan right now. Before any ideas formed, Elias Masalis cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted a single word.
“STOP!”
It was one of the loudest sounds Tony had ever heard and somehow it drowned out even the gunfire and explosions in the distance. The volume alone wasn’t the problem though, it was the feeling that went with it. Tony had felt this compulsion before when Stella used her Authority, but this was on a whole other level.
The remaining gunfire ceased, men stopped moving, and the bubble of protection over the King Dream Gate fell as Tad was helpless to do anything other than obey. The god of the eidolon council had just issued an order, and when gods spoke, mortals listened.
Uh oh, Tony thought, as he realised they had just encountered the one thing they couldn’t have prepared for. Suddenly his fear returned a thousand fold, and he felt the same emotions coming from Tad. But neither of them could act right now because the god had told them not to.
All they could do was wait silently for their end to approach.
40
Saturday, 31st December 2016
22:58
Tad had never felt anything like this.
That one word from Elias spoke directly to his subconscious, telling him this was a man that needed to be listened to. As a result, Tad froze, letting his grip on Dream fade and losing his shield that was protecting everyone. It never crossed his mind that maybe he should fight this.
Elias stepped away from his armoured truck and approached the entrance of the compound. His pace was unhurried, and he looked like he was out for a nighttime stroll, not a walk through what had a moment ago been a battlefield. He had good reason to be so calm, as no one made a move against him. Even Kuruk was still, staring at this strange being with a vacant expression.
So this is what happens when you piss off a god, Tony said from within Tad’s mind, but Tad was too stunned to respond.
“Ignore him!”
Tad was astounded that anyone dare speak when this god demanded silence, let alone shout. However, there was a quality to this new voice that broke through to that part of Tad that was locked up, forcing him to pay to attention.
“This man has no authority over any of you,” Stella shouted, and the Authority in her voice was every bit as clear as that which was holding Tad immobile.
However, this was an order from a person Tad trusted, someone he knew he was supposed to listen to, and someone he respected above all others. Suddenly it was like a great weight was lifted and Tad was free to reach for Dream again.
He cast out his fishing lines, connecting with the ghosts easily as they were still in a state of shock. Energy rushed through him in a way he would never get used to, and he pushed that energy into a new image, reforming the bubble over the compound and once more protecting his people.
Elias staggered to a stop, eyes widening in amazement. It was only for a moment before that emotion left his face and red filled his aura. His anger was deep, dark and more intense than Tad had seen in a long time. This was the colour of hatred and he directed that hatred at Stella.
“You,” he snarled. “Stand down.”
His order was once again
filled with Authority, but this time Tad could ignore it. The Authority remained, but his words were in direct opposition to Stella’s orders and Tad’s brain had already decided who needed to be listened to most.
All around him, soldiers, dreamwalkers and ghosts shuffled nervously, none of them affected as strongly by this new order. Whatever spell remained in Elias’ words vanished when one person acted like those words meant nothing to her.
Stella strode forward confidently, walking to the other side of the gate that was protected by both dreamcatchers and Tad’s bubble of condensed air. She stared at the god and said, “Is that all you’ve got? After everything people have been telling me, I expected more.”
The blazing red aura on the man flickered white for an instant with shock, but then his anger reasserted itself and his aura blazed all the brighter.
“You can’t deny me,” he screamed, losing his temper and taking an angry step forward. Once again Tad felt the Authority in his voice, but this time it washed over him like it was nothing. Evidently, his allies felt the same as they raised their guns and dreamcatchers flared to life.
“It looks like I can,” Stella answered.
Elias screamed and ran forward, moving faster than even Kuruk when he activated his dreamcatchers. One moment he was fifty feet from Stella, the next he was bouncing off the shield that Tad erected around the compound, one strong enough to stop the explosion that destroyed the Senedd. It popped like a bubble from the colossal impact of this one man and the backlash crashed into Tad like a jack-hammer to the head, driving him to his knees and blanking out his vision.
He lost maybe five seconds before he felt strong enough to look up again, and the first thing he saw were the stunned expressions of the other eidolon who had climbed from the armoured vehicles. They looked at their leader, who was just now climbing to his feet like they were seeing something astounding.
Now’s your chance, Tad. Take him out, Rodney screamed in Tad’s mind, but Tad had already lost his window.
Elias noticed the looks from his people, and it drove him to an even greater rage. He turned his attention back to the fence standing in his way, locking eyes with Stella. Then the god charged once again. There was no shield standing in his way this time and he tore through the thick metal of the gate as though it was made of paper. He wasn’t a dreamwalker, so the dreamcatchers did nothing to stop him, and suddenly he was standing in front of Stella and throwing a punch that would knock her head clean from her shoulders.
But somehow Stella wasn’t there. Even as he blurred forward, she had already stepped aside, almost like she knew where he was going and what he was doing before he did it. Then the fight began for real.
They moved quicker than the eye could follow, and the very fact that Stella could keep up with this man who could move like lightning was astounding to Tad. He had seen so much change in Stella since he first met her, but this was like seeing a whole new person. For the first time, he realised the full extent of her changes over the last year and saw her not as the woman he knew, but the goddess she could have been in another life.
This fight wouldn’t play out well in a movie. They moved far too fast, the action was too jerky, and it was hard to keep track of what was happening. Often they blurred to Tad’s eyes and he could only hold his breath and hope Stella would be alright. However, that hope was already fading. Even without being able to follow the action he could see Stella couldn’t keep this up forever. Both were fast, but Elias moved easily like he was built for this speed, whereas Stella was jumpy, her movements sharp and often on the retreat. Elias was too fast, too strong, and had centuries of practice with his talent. Sooner or later, one of his punches would land and Tad would lose Stella forever.
Then do something about it, Rodney ordered, but Tad was already ten steps ahead of him. He was running through options in his mind, trying to think of how he could help. Unfortunately, with the two moving so fast, there was nothing Tad could do without putting Stella in danger.
Speed up your perception of time to match theirs, Tony suggested, and Tad latched onto the idea.
Mitena had once described the feeling of time slowing when she used her tattoo and he imagined the same thing happening to him. The moment he touched Dream, the world slowed and suddenly Stella and Elias looked like normal people fighting in a world filled with statues.
In this new state, Tad knew how to help Stella. On the few times he had lost his temper and blasted a beam of pure Dream energy at something, it had never failed to destroy what it hit. He was sure that if he aimed at Elias’ head, even this god would not be able to shrug that off.
He was about to act on that impulse before he realised his mistake. While he was focusing on Elias and Stella, he had forgotten that he was not the only one who could speed himself up like this.
Look out, Rodney warned an instant before Kuruk reached them, a knife in his hand and a feral glint in his eye. It was all Tad could do to jump away and avoid being cut. Even then he felt the sting of scored flesh on his left forearm and were he not moving so quick he might feel the trickle of warm blood as well.
However, as much as Kuruk had taken him by surprise, Tad recognised the opportunity that he couldn’t pass this up. While he still wanted to help Stella, this was why he was here. He had to trust Stella to handle Elias so Tad could end this monster while he had the chance.
Before Kuruk recovered from missing his strike, Tad raised his hand toward the man and a beam of light burst from his palm with the intensity of the sun. The beam travelled directly for Kuruk’s chest and it was as thick as Tad’s arm. No man could survive that… no man but Kuruk who had been planning for months to deal with people like Tad. He had seen this trick of Tad’s before and had prepared for it.
The moment it struck, a tattoo from under Kuruk’s t-shirt flared to life, and suddenly Tad didn’t feel like he could trust his eyes. Kuruk looked as though Tad was seeing him through a kaleidoscope, all broken up and refracted. It took him a moment before he realised that this was the effect of Kuruk using dream to bend the light, much like a crystal might.
The light beam struck that surreal image and split into a thousand different beams, each travelling in a new direction, lighting up the kaleidoscopic image and creating an explosion of light that was so shocking it caused Tad to let go of Dream. Time rushed back to normal as he blinked to clear his eyes from the assault of that bright light. It was almost like someone had dialled up the volume on the world and Tad was suddenly assaulted by the sounds of gunfire, explosions and yelling as the enemies on this particular battlefield truly went to war.
Tad blinked to clear his vision and saw Kuruk’s men flooding through the entrance that Elias had opened. There were flashes of light as dreamcatchers ignited, fireballs flew, and lasers cut through the night and bodies with equal ease. The resulting destruction horrified Tad and for a moment his terrified mind froze as he wanted to help people, but didn’t know where to start.
His eyes fell on a group of soldiers nearby who were firing at an oncoming trio of men armed with dreamcatchers, their bullets having no effect. Tad knew the soldiers had dreamcatchers of their own, but they hadn’t had them long enough to automatically use them in a time like this. It made them sitting ducks, and terrified for them, Tad started gathering Dream.
However, someone beat him to it. A spike of Dream made Tad flinch, turning him towards the source where he found Brad using a laser pointer to cut through the three attackers who had armed themselves to deflect bullets, not lasers.
Another spike of Dream pulled Tad’s attention away again, seeing other dreamwalkers that Brad had said could be trusted, fighting back against Kuruk’s army and making enough of a difference that the fight wasn’t one sided. With them handling the Dream side of the battle, the soldiers could suddenly be much more effective.
It was still chaos though, and it didn’t stop at the fence surrounding the compound either. Beyond that barrier, soldiers clashed as Elias’ people were figh
ting Kuruk’s. Tad didn’t have time to question why they were clashing before he caught sight of Stella and Elias. Another figure was with Stella, attacking Elias, moving with equal speed and keeping the man from getting the upper hand. Leon had joined his cousin, and together they were keeping the angry god occupied. With all the chaos happening around them though, Tad knew it would only be a matter of time before someone helped Elias, erasing any advantage Stella and Leon might have.
Once again, he didn’t have time to help. The explosion of light temporarily blinded Kuruk, but while he was staggering back and rubbing his eyes, the men he was surrounded by were also armed with dreamcatchers and wanted Tad dead as much as their boss. While they were being kept occupied by soldiers with dreamcatchers and Brad’s with his dreamwalkers, there were so many of them that Tad couldn’t avoid them all.
By the time he recovered his senses, he saw another flash of light as multiple fireballs flew his way. Desperately he thought back to what he had done when battling the fire nightmare in Swansea and he redirected that flame. He channelled the fire into the air to keep from hurting anyone around him, and again the bright light scorched his vision, blinding him to further attacks. Even with his ghosts healing him as quick as they could, he still would have been too slow to avoid the next attack from the dreamcatchers rushing him and would have died had Growler not been there.
He jumped between Tad and his attackers, planting his feet in a familiar fashion before he let out one of his signature barks. Sound rippled out of his open mouth in the form of a sonic boom, knocking the advancing dreamcatchers from their feet and blowing them backward into others that were charging forward. Tad was pleased to see that Kuruk was knocked back with them, opening up space between Tad and them as they fell like pins in a bowling alley.
Now’s your chance, Rodney said again, urging Tad to take advantage of this moment. Kill him.
Tad reached for Dream again, ready to do just that, but hesitated when a sound fought the gunfire and explosions to catch his attention. Someone screamed in unspeakable agony, and that sound cut right through Tad to the part of him that was so fed up with killing. He knew that Kuruk needed to die, but right now the giant was buried under the bodies of ten men, each of whom had been knocked over by Growler’s bark. Not all of them were enemies. Some of Tad’s allies had been caught up in the concussive force and to kill Kuruk, he would have to kill them as well.