Kazuaki stood there in his confusion. He dissected her words in his head over and over until he unearthed her subtlety. A powerful, invisible force. He laid a hand on his chest to feel the heart beneath quicken.
Could she ...?
Much as he wanted to entertain the idea, Kazuaki pushed it aside. Last night was a mistake. There were no happy endings for men who could not die. Not when the rest of the world obeyed mortality’s law. Bermuda was a fantasy that he could never touch without shattering another of Pandora’s jars ... even if a chance existed that she felt the same way about him.
The captain walked outside to join the rest of the crew. They all stood around the flying machine, looks of puzzlement on their faces. “What’s the problem now?” Kazuaki asked, irritated.
Aggi rubbed the back of his neck as he stood before the invention. “We ... we don’t know how to fly it,” he admitted, embarrassed. “None of us have ever operated one before.”
“Just get in,” Kazuaki grumbled, ushering Aggi and the rest inside the flying machine. The captain climbed in last and stood before the controls as everyone seated themselves. “It can’t be much different from operating a ship.”
It was very different from operating a ship. The flight through Northeastern territory was terrifying but efficient. Kazuaki was not a man of the air; the flying machine dipped and jerked whenever an unexpected gust of wind surged through. Everyone gripped their seats’ edges in the jolts and prayed to whatever gods they believed in to get them to the battlefield without dying first. But for every obstacle Kazuaki encountered, a well-timed collection of curses and lever pulling corrected it. After enough time, he found his flow.
The flying machine climbed over the shredded cities below. It was much easier to see the reach of the disasters from their aerial view. Far off in the distance, smoke billowed from a series of wildfires. Shrapnel that once made up entire cities cluttered the streets, ghosts of what they once were. The visual became so disheartening, the group found relief when the hours passed and the sun dipped lower. It seemed cruel to spill more darkness onto the land, but it shielded their vision from Panagea’s chaotic state.
The sun lingered on the horizon line. Though nightfall approached, enough light remained to illuminate the movement in the mountains. It was difficult to see from their height, but the crew knew they were the footmen of Southern from the direction they marched. The bodies leaked over the shattered remnants of the mountain village, carrying their division’s flag with them. Together they looked like an ocean wave striking the high rock walls of the coast.
It didn’t take long until Southwestern’s military also came into view. The colors of their division uniforms brought pigment to the gray landscape. From high above, they pinpointed the last army. Northeastern’s men crawled through the broken cities below. Each militia marched closer to Panagea’s center with every footfall.
“Gods alive,” Elowyn breathed as she stared out the flying machine’s side. The sheer volume of Avital’s army met her eyes.
Battle chants from the sea of men below rose into the sky as they stomped the bottoms of their halberds on the rocky earth in unison. It was harder to pick the other armies out. The incredible amount of men Avital boasted consumed most of the land. But hiding amongst the bodies were the cutthroat men of Northern, the humble soldiers of Western, and the warmongers of Northwestern. They encircled the Time Fathers at Panagea’s center. Each Time Father held one foot in his division where the cardinal directions split. The soldiers did not remain there long. As soon as they caught the approaching armies’ movements, they advanced.
The crew felt helpless watching from above. The men ran toward each other. Metal on metal accosted their ears. They knew the sound well. It became a familiar noise. Soon, the swirling circle of protection around the Time Fathers dissipated. Men melted into one another, becoming one with their weapons. More blood to feed the rocks. More bodies to return to the earth.
The flying machine started its descent. Rennington itched to join those men, the soldier in him screaming as Southern brothers fell. The cries of the dead and the dying, the thunderous pounding of thousands of feet clawing over the jagged earth and broken buildings. It was unmistakable: the war had begun.
They saw the four men. The Time Fathers appeared confident they remained safe as they stood in the center. Armies sprawled out from them on all sides, a wall of protection from the monsters they feared. But their confidence was short lived.
Nordjan was the first to notice the flying machine approach. His eyes did not wish to believe it at first, but the sound was unmistakable. Flapping wings pushed through the darkness and farther into his vision. As soon as it crept within a safe distance, Bermuda jumped from the craft. She landed before the Time Fathers, a scowl on her face.
The others followed suit. As the machine touched the ground, Nicholai exited. He pushed his way to the front of the crew. After adjusting his armor, he looked across to the surprised faces of the men who hunted him. “Gentlemen,” he stood tall and held up his hands, the shield Kazuaki gifted him strapped to his back. “I am unarmed. I understand you’ve been looking for me.”
The four men stiffened. Diplomatic instincts gripped them, but they showcased caution as they eyed the crew. Nicholai’s approach and the obvious absence of weapons kept them from making any sudden movements, but they wore their disapproval on their faces.
Nordjan scowled at Aggi. “Using Northern’s own flying machine against me,” he muttered. “Very clever, Mr. Normandy.”
Aggi smirked but said nothing. Nicholai cast a glance at Edvard. The man appeared dumbstruck, yet relieved to see him. Nicholai narrowed his eyes and took another bold step forward. “We need to discuss the future of Panagea. I ask you to hear me out.”
Vadim hissed and withdrew. “You have destroyed Panagea. Look around at what you created, Nicholai. You preach of aiding this land but you have brought nothing to it but chaos.”
“I know.” Nicholai’s admission gathered attention from the other Time Fathers. He drew in an unsteady breath. Though it pained him to say it, he decided. “I don’t deny my part in this. I will restore Southeastern to its original state as soon as we settle on a better future here and now. You have my word.”
“You gave your word you would uphold the Time Fathers’ code,” Vadim oozed hostility, “but you sullied that as well. Your word means nothing, young Addihein.”
Nicholai frowned. He felt Kazuaki grow restless beside him. “I made a lot of mistakes, Vadim. But this, returning the Earth Mother to Panagea, restoring what was lost—this is not one of them,” he said with conviction.
Nordjan scowled. “You do not know of what you speak, Nicholai. We’re trying to prevent you from making an even bigger mistake. Your naivety knows no bounds.”
“I have detailed letters from Bartholomew Gray of Southern, from Emont of Southwestern,” Nicholai continued, undeterred. “Their cities continue to fall. The disasters are only increasing in frequency. Except for the cities where Umbriel and I reintroduced nature back into the environment. They’re not even close to full restoration, but they have experienced fewer disasters than the cities that remain untouched. Panagea is responding. Even the smallest efforts we made have already shown an impact. It’s minimal now, but in a few years—”
“Time is a luxury we’re running out of, Nicholai. We can’t allow you to do this.” Avital stole a cautious glimpse of Kazuaki as he slowly reached to his side.
“I implore you to listen,” Umbriel pushed her way passed the crew to stand beside Nicholai. “My island, the island your forefathers chained me to, it flourishes with life. Oxygen grows limitless with the trees. It has seen nothing as tragic as this. The ecosystems are Panagea’s immune system. Without them, she will fall. We can’t keep going on like this.”
“I quite agree,” Avital muttered. If Umbriel’s island continued to supply Panagea with oxygen without her present, they had no further need for her. It was time to finish what thei
r ancestors started before she invited chaos back into their lives. Avital brandished a pistol from a side pocket. He aimed Umbriel, believing his actions would be quicker than his old bones allowed. But the aging Time Father’s reaction speed was no match for a real killer. Kazuaki pulled his pistol, and though Nicholai held his arms out in protest, the captain fired before he uttered a word.
The bullet pierced Avital’s skull. A mercy kill. Right between the eyes.
“Kazuaki, no!” Nicholai watched as Avital’s body slumped to the ground. The other Time Fathers stood, stunned. “Damnit!” He spun to glare at Kazuaki. “What did you do?”
“I know the look he had in his eyes, Nico,” Kazuaki clutched the smoking gun. He knew it well because he patented it. It was the look of a man who craved victory. He would have shot Umbriel dead without fail. “It was her, or him.”
That was all it took. Alarm ensued. The atmosphere shifted. It became everything Nicholai feared it would. Another Time Father, dead. Nordjan and Edvard went to pieces, their minds raced. Vadim reached for his Chronometer. Kazuaki raised his arm to aim. Nicholai shoved the captain aside to cause a misfire. He wouldn’t allow this to deteriorate into more unnecessary deaths. The bullet whizzed passed Vadim’s head as his fumbling fingers pulled the top of his device’s crown.
All of Northwestern stilled. Nicholai recognized the aftermath. It matched the eerie stillness he unleashed on his own division. Kazuaki cursed as Rennington, Revi, Brack, and Elowyn froze with the rest of Northwestern, their feet across the borders of Vadim’s territory.
Nicholai’s fingers dug into Kazuaki’s sleeve. He pulled the legendary man to face him. “I know you’re out for blood, Kazuaki, but we can’t kill them! Unless you want to spend the rest of your life chained to a division as its leader, save your bullets!”
Kazuaki scowled. Nicholai’s eyes shined with an unrecognizable rage.
Aggi lunged toward Vadim after he brandished a katana from his side. “You’ve become the very man you hunted.” Aggi advanced toward his opponent. “There’s still a chance, Vadim. Change is never easy, but everything Panagea needs is on the other side of your fear. Let it go.”
Vadim Canmore dug his heels into the barren ground and glowered. He withdrew his sword, more a symbolic decoration to him than an actual piece of warfare equipment. But he knew better than to come unprepared. “Another betrayal,” he sneered. “You should know the dangers he invites into Panagea with his ideals, Aggi.”
Aggi huffed. “Anything has to be better than this, Vadim.”
The Northwestern Time Father scowled. “That’s not a gamble I’m willing to take.”
The two men charged one another. Kazuaki growled and looked to Bermuda, Granite, and Penn. Nicholai was right. They could not jeopardize killing all four without putting Panagea at an incredible risk. Or risking becoming prisoners to the divisions, themselves. All they could do was fight and try to get the Chronometers before they stilled their divisions. “Subdue them.”
Bermuda, Penn, and Granite approached Nordjan while Kazuaki flanked Edvard. Kazuaki withdrew his dagger, the only weapon he possessed with which he could restrain his bloodthirsty habits. A small blade would not kill the man if positioned well, but it would slow him down long enough to make a play for his Chronometer. “You sank my ship,” the captain accused as he eyed Nicholai’s father. His words were ice. They sent a chill up the Western Time Father’s spine.
Edvard clenched his jaw. His hands flexed near his sides. A pistol sat at his hip, and his Chronometer resided in his breast pocket, but he made no grab for either. Not yet. Unlike Vadim, he held fast to his honor, his vow to maintain his time. To Edvard Addihein, it was a last resort, not a parlor trick. “You corrupted my son.” He backed away, trying to buy himself time from the captain’s blade. “I should think that makes us even.”
“On the contrary,” Kazuaki gripped the handle tighter, “he corrupted me. Were it not for him, you’d be dead right now.”
Edvard squared his shoulders. Kazuaki advanced. Defensive movements tried to avoid the captain’s swings. Kazuaki’s confession left him to believe he would not hit to kill. This kept Edvard from drawing his weapon. Though with every fierce swing Kazuaki took, he contemplated withdrawing it more. Not that it would have mattered. Not against Kazuaki Hidataka.
It was a challenge for the captain to alter his fighting style. The wolf of war exchanged his kill shots for mercy. He tried to subdue Edvard, but the act remained far more difficult than he thought. With frustration mounting, Kazuaki tackled him to the ground and pinned him, but Edvard continued to put up a valiant struggle.
Nordjan scowled at Bermuda, Granite, and Penn. They looked menacing with their swords and guns, but he, too, knew they weren’t out for blood. He withdrew his gun and aimed. He did not want to use it. The man was a politician, not a soldier. But he couldn’t stand there and let them return disorder to Panagea.
The brandished weapon kept them at a distance. It was enough time for his eyes to slip away from his three aggressors. Long enough to see Kazuaki cornered Edvard across the Northern border. His eyes grew wide at the opportunity. Though it went against everything he believed, they needed to eliminate their biggest threat. He reached for his Chronometer.
Bermuda followed his eyes to Kazuaki. “Captain!” She ran to him, hoping the swiftness of her feet could pull him from Northern’s border in time, but to no avail. The quartermaster seized Kazuaki’s shoulders as Nordjan plucked his crown, suspending them in the now timeless realm.
Edvard crawled out from under Kazuaki’s grasp. He looked to Nordjan, his face coated in concern. Another division rendered immobile. It terrified him.
Granite gazed at his frozen superiors. A slow glare consumed him as he turned to face Nordjan. He grew tired of fighting defensively. Granite turned his neck to pop it and pointed his machete in Nordjan’s direction. “Restart your division.”
Nordjan bristled. Granite’s voice was horrifying. The Northern Time Father raised his weapon. “Surrender.”
At an impasse, the men were about to engage, but a thunderous roll from below their feet stopped them in their tracks. The incredible noise of the earth splitting beneath them drowned the screams from the armies who weren't frozen in time. As if pried apart by giant hands, a large gash slithered through the divisions that weren’t stilled. It crawled over from Western and sliced into Northeastern as far as the eye could see. Rocks and rubble plummeted into the chasm below, bouncing off the jagged edges and disappearing into the darkness of the bottomless pit.
Aggi threw himself from one of Vadim’s forceful attacks. He gasped as the canyon called his attention. Horror gripped him as his division divided, everything within eyesight torn limb from limb. Far off buildings fell into the hole in their entirety. He lost himself in that moment, his heart reached out to his people—how many lives were lost? How far did the chasm reach?
His concern was his undoing. Vadim capitalized on Aggi’s distraction. His blade tore through the Northeastern Time Father’s armor and sank into the skin on his chest. Aggi howled. His weapon fell to the unstable ground as he took to a knee. His hand clutched his injury as the redness spread through the fibers of his clothes.
“You did this to yourself, Aggi.” Vadim stepped back, panic and alarm on his face. He had never gutted a man before. Not unlike the other Time Fathers, he was no soldier. Having another man’s blood on his hands was a strange sensation. It sent his body into shock.
Umbriel spotted Aggi as he hunched over his wound. She ran to him, sliding down and slipping her hands onto his chest. Penn rushed over to lend her an assist, placing himself between her and Vadim. The Earth Mother tried to stop the bleeding. Vadim advanced, fueled by adrenaline and an embedded feeling of necessity that they had to die. If he already spilled blood, what was it to take it one step further?
Penn’s hands trembled as he gripped his sword. But his inexperience did not move him from his spot. Nicholai saw them. He removed the shield from his
back. Vadim and Penn clashed blades. The Southeastern Time Father ran over to Umbriel and Aggi, charging into Vadim with the full force of his shield.
Vadim stumbled but caught himself before he fell over. “Give it up, Nicholai! Your weapon’s been stilled!”
Nicholai matched Vadim’s angered look. He knew he referred to Kazuaki. They were down without the immortal, but they were not out. “You have the power to end this now, Vadim—unfreeze your division before this gets worse!”
An explosion erupted near the battling armies. Instinct urged Nicholai to turn, but he knew he couldn’t take his focus off Vadim. Shrieks sounded from dying men in the distance as they burned in the unforgiving fire that broke out. Chaos surrounded them. Vadim showed no intention of bending to Nicholai’s pleas. He lunged at the Southeastern Time Father, swinging his sword like a mad man.
Nicholai kept him at bay with the shield. Each slam of Vadim’s blade bounced off the oval armor. The man’s wild swings were relentless. It was all Nicholai had to continue blocking them. Granite turned away from Nordjan, watching as the two men sparred. Umbriel cradled Aggi in her arms on the ground. Even with Penn’s help, Nicholai could not keep him at arm’s length forever.
Granite abandoned his fight with Nordjan and crossed the distance with a swiftness others did not know he possessed. Granite knew he couldn’t kill him, but he could render him harmless. He approached from behind and drove his blade through the back of the Time Father’s knee. It entered the soft flesh and sank into the patella before he pulled it back out. Vadim crinkled under his weight. Before Granite pierced the other leg, Nordjan fired a round into his back.
“Nordjan!” Nicholai stepped back from the fallen Vadim. “What are you doing? Stop this nonsense!”
Granite turned, glowering at Nordjan. He took a step toward him. Nordjan, terrified, fired again. The bullet sank into Granite’s shoulder. He continued to advance.
“Granite, stop!” Nicholai ran to the man, but a panicking Nordjan fired again. The third bullet found Granite’s side, and he showed his first signs of pain. Penn charged the Northern Time Father. Nordjan was about to shoot again, but Granite’s dog beat Penn to the punch and bit hard onto his wrist. The gun fired into the rocks. The beast’s teeth sank deep into his opponent’s skin, tearing flesh and muscle as he jerked his head to the side. Nordjan cried out. He dropped his gun and tried to shove the animal off, but its attack was without mercy. Penn tackled him, his hands around the man’s Chronometer as he tried to rip it from its chain.
The Panagea Tales Box Set Page 46