Soldiers of the Heavens

by Stephen L. Nowland

  Nellise found herself facing off against the Strator, and with her blade of light leading the way she clashed with the armoured leader. There was no sound of metal-on-metal, for the weapons they wielded were beyond such mundane material. Sparks and little jets of golden flame spat from their blades as each sought to break through the other's defences.

  It was entirely possible the Strator had not engaged in personal combat for decades, if ever. Their announced preference for manipulating others to do their dirty work precluded any need for such risk. What made the sa'quaarin leader so dangerous was the combination of deadly weapons with his mental might.

  Nellise winced as the Strator assaulted her mind as well as her body, and it was astonishing to witness the divine light bathing her in its radiance flicker with each assault. The wounds she suffered healed over almost immedietly, yet for all her power she simply could not go on the offensive.

  To her left, Robert faltered as the intensity of the fight further increased, his wounds mounting. The sa'quaarin energy swords were able to slice right through his armour, so every missed parry tore up his priceless suit of vythir. More than that, his sickly lungs were leaving him short of breath. His speed was dropping and eventually when he was struck with one of the vicious glowing blades, he fell to one knee and did not recover.

  Sayana knew the others were preoccupied with the remaining sa'quaarin officers, so it was up to her to tip the balance in their favour. Unwilling to hold back, she summoned the last of her power for a single, mighty invocation. The searing sensation of the markings burning away added to the surge of power arcing along her body.

  With a gesture from one hand, she telekinetically dragged Robert away from the front line and sent forth a surge of power so great, it rippled the fabric of reality around it. The metal floor warped and cracked as the cascade of energy washed over three sa'quaarin who didn't even have time to scream as they were turned into ash.

  With her body smoking and her energies gone, a very mortal Sayana Arai collapsed to the floor next to her wounded love. Her skin, pink and stinging from the light burns, was completely free of markings for the first time in her life. With this came the understanding she was not only out of the fight, but would never wield sorcery again.

  Feeling weak and vulnerable, she could only hold on tightly to Robert as the chamber shook from the forces being loosed within and hope her friends could finish the job.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  In spite of minor victories, Aiden could tell they were losing. Of the dozen sa'quaarin officers who stood against them when the fight began, nine had fallen. With his suit of impregnable armour, the Strator appeared to be barely scratched and his remaining trio of followers consisted of their best and most dangerous. Nellise fought on with righteous fury, her love for Pacian fuelling her resolve even after Robert and Sayana had withdrawn.

  The fires of heaven swept around her as she fought alone against the Strator, tears visible in her eyes as she continued the struggle. When she was struck by the Strator's lightning-etched sword, her wounds continued to heal over almost immediately.

  Aiden could do nothing for her as he faced off alone against three sa'quaarin. Gone were any inhibitions against wielding sorcery — his life, the lives of his friends and thousands of people on the world above them were depending upon him at that moment. He threw bolts of lightning and storms of energy with abandon, anything he could think of to gain an edge in the fight.

  They shrugged off or countered most of Aiden's invocations without issue. He was in the presence of masters of the arcane arts and was simply outmatched. While he fought, Aiden could feel a strange duality developing within his mind. The lurking presence of Salinder grew as Aiden tapped into the dragon spirit for more power, observing the battle yet unable to assist. If not for the army of vengeful spirits wreathing his weapon, the sa'quaarin would have overwhelmed Aiden long ago.

  The spirits swirled around him like a cloud of rage but every now and then, one would wink out of existence as it intercepted a devastating attack from the enemy. Aiden was doing everything in his power to simply stay alive. He ducked behind a ruined console as a blast of crackling energy shot past, demolishing the auldsteel wall behind him with a thunderous report. He reciprocated with his own gauntlet, raising it over the console to shoot without aiming in the hope of hitting something.

  Nearby, Terinus fought a colossal elemental of flame born from the inferno they had unleashed at the start of the fight. It filled a quarter of the chamber and forced the wizard to use all of his cunning to keep from being incinerated. He attempted to douse the living conflagration by conjuring water out of thin air, but the fires were so hot the water evaporated with little effect.

  It would have engulfed Terinus several times over already if not for the deceptive illusions he used to misdirect it. It slammed its fiery fist into the floor where he was standing, only to find it a hollow figure of light, with the real wizard standing invisibly yards away. Again and again the elemental attempted to connect as Terinus confused and stymied its efforts. Each manoeuvre pushed the wizard further against the far wall, with the raging firestorm cutting off all routes of escape.

  Aiden's gauntlet fired another blast as lightning and fire shot back towards him, the sa'quaarin content to whittle down his cover until his weapon became useless. The gauntlets had proven to be unreliable in the past due to extreme age, and this one was no exception. After the third blast it ceased to function, leaving Aiden no choice but to rip it off and with his exposed claw, invoked a bolt of lightning to keep his foes off guard. If he could hold out long enough for one of the others to assist, he might yet survive.

  Terinus appeared within an antechamber on the far wall, a large alcove from which there was no doorway. Sensing his confinement, the elemental rushed forward. Fires blanketed the entrance and there was no way the wizard was going to be able to pass without braving the fires. Attempting to crush him with force as well as flame, it compressed its mass as it filled the chamber, its colour changing to white as the heat intensified.

  Certain its adversary was trapped, it did not witness his reappearance on the outside of the antechamber until it was too late. The wizard touched a small black console on the wall and a glass door slammed shut, sealing the elemental within. It raged at its imprisonment, glowing so brightly it seemed it would melt its way out. Before that could happen, however, Terinus touched the console again.

  The fires became elongated, as if being pulled like toffee. Through the vast window above, the flames could be seen emerging from the top of the sky fortress where they began to evaporate. With a futile blast of rage, the elemental shook the canopy with one pounding fist and then it was gone, devoured by the endless sky.

  Aiden was pummelled with psychic attacks which tore at his mind, and the bulky console he’d used for cover suddenly lifted into the air, revealing his position to the sa'quaarin officers, one of whom had an arm raised. When the console was thrown down onto him it was deflected at the last moment, smashing into the floor only a few feet away.

  Terinus had intervened in time to save Aiden's life and with a flick of his finger, the wizard covered him a little time to recover from the assault. As Aiden got back on his feet, one of his opponents charged in with its energy sword poised to strike, and it took a feat of willpower for Aiden to force his blade up to parry in time.

  The sabre was sundered by the blow, releasing an explosion of psychic energy and throwing everyone out from the blast. Freed from the confines of the sword, the vengeful spirits howled and vanished into the Aether, toward whatever awaited them in the afterlife. Before Aiden could recover, a sa'quaarin officer was upon him, its four glowing eyes boring into his mind as it brought its blade to bear. Aiden raised his arm in time to grasp its hand, attempting to hold it back with all the strength he could muster.

  Their gauntlets whined in protest as they struggled, each attempting to force the blade into the face of the other. Sweat dripped down Aiden's brow an
d his heart pounded within his chest as the weapon inched towards him. A stabbing pain filled his mind as the sa'quaarin attempted to crush him from within and without. He could feel the thing moving around inside his head, searching for vulnerable points to strike.

  Memories of his past flashed through his consciousness, wracking him with guilt over the tiniest failures over the years. Aiden cringed as emotions welled up within, both from the memories and the knowledge he wasn't going to survive the fight. There was only one chance to win, though it would probably ensure his demise, one way or another.

  Within his mind he sought the familiar form of the small dragon, perched at the edge of his thoughts observing the unfolding events with detached calm. The image of the sa'quaarin enveloping Aiden's psyche was that of a monstrous spider, creeping through his thoughts and devouring his mind.

  His time rapidly running out, Aiden thought of Criosa and of what Nellise had told him recently, that it was better to fight for something positive than to try and out-hate their enemies. Knowing it would probably mean his end, Aiden sent a channel of energy to the mental avatar of the dragon, granting it all of his remaining strength, not to destroy their enemies, but to save those he loved.

  The spider came to an abrupt halt as a guttural growl rippled across Aiden’s mental landscape. Images flooded through his mind — memories of another life in which he dominated the skies, brought destruction to entire realms and knew no equal. Salinder's mental avatar stepped in front of Aiden, as majestic and terrifying as he had been when the young man first saw the dragon within his dreams, years ago.

  The spider reared up in preparation for a fight and Salinder did not disappoint. With talons extended, the dragon leaped forward and charged into the giant monstrosity, tearing off a leg and sinking its teeth into the spider's hide. It flailed at the dragon, attempting to bite through its scales using fangs dripping with poison.

  Salinder ignored its futile attacks and with an almighty roar, breathed fire over the spider, which shrieked and shrivelled into a dried husk before turning to ash. Salinder let out a victorious bellow as the mental landscape was replaced by reality once more. Aiden's armour and clothing had been removed, the gauntlets tossed aside as his physical transformation into Salinder was finally complete.

  He took a moment to glance at his new body. He had doubled in size, sprouted a broad set of fine golden wings and a tail two yards in length swayed behind him. More than the physical changes, his memories had fused with Salinder's, blending together in a bizarre amalgam of shared experiences.

  Everyone else in the battle, friend and foe alike paused for a moment to stare at the appearance of a small dragon in their midst. At Aiden's feet lay the sa'quaarin Salinder had just vanquished in their brief mental duel, its limbs twitching as the mind in control of that body no longer existed. Its brethren hesitated for a moment, unsure what had just happened, and their hesitation cost them their lives.

  Feeling stronger than at any point in his life, Aiden inhaled deeply and breathed a blast of searing fire from his gaping maw. The dying shrieks of the sa’quaarin were music to his ears, giving him a warm sense of satisfaction. He had become the embodiment of power and exercising it was an experience unlike anything he had ever known.

  Surveying the chamber, Aiden saw Terinus take advantage of the distraction to fling his sa'quaarin foe directly at the nearby wall with a gesture of his staff. The crack of breaking bones could be heard across the chamber. It survived the impact, but before it could do anything else Terinus sent a pile of debris sliding towards it, crushing it once and for all.

  Aiden purred a low growl and narrowed his eyes as he turned his gaze on the Strator. He had faced one of his ilk before, centuries ago, or at least he had a memory of Salinder doing so. It was becoming difficult to tell where his memories stopped and the dragon's began. Nellise was still battling the sa'quaarin leader, fighting with panache and tenacity. Yet through it all she had been unable to breach the Strator's shields and found herself fully on the defensive, aiming only to keep her opponent occupied.

  Weakened from the prolonged fight and the constant need to mend her mounting injuries, Nellise failed to stop its hand reaching for her chest. A blast of psychic power enveloped her, causing her suffusing light to waver and dim. With a scream of protest, she suddenly went stiff and the light died out completely. Aiden's enhanced sight saw the energy of her celestial spirit evicted from her body which fell to the floor, broken and unmoving. She had been exorcized just as Sayana had done to the archangel Benedictum on Abraxas.

  Seething with outrage, Aiden let out a challenging roar that shook the chamber. The Strator turned to regard him, taking his measure of this new opponent and slowly began moving backwards while keeping Aiden in sight.

  He is afraid, Salinder's voice spoke in his mind, indicating a schism had taken place. Aiden was essentially two entities in one, fused together with sorcery. While not untrue, Aiden suspected his wily opponent was up to something else.

  He seeks to unseal the door and allow reinforcements to arrive, Aiden warned, speaking with telepathy for the first time without finding it the least bit unusual. He charged forward and used his wings to give him an extra burst of speed, bolting for the Strator before he could reach the door. He would not have caught up in time if not for an act of selfless bravery from Robert. The mercenary rushed out of hiding and slammed shoulder-first into the Strator, knocking them both to the floor and sending both of their weapons skittering away as they tumbled.

  Aiden leaped, landing on the prone Strator's back and bowling them both over. With a flurry of claws and fists, the two battled for supremacy in a fight with little finesse and plenty of primal rage. Aiden tore at the Strator's armour, but found even his talons had little effect against a suit of auldsteel. There was only one weapon capable of penetrating that sort of protection.

  With the cold beginning to become too painful to bear, Aiden raised his reptilian head and spied Aeon Invictus lying on the floor nearby. Seizing his opportunity, he leaped towards it, grasping the hilt in one extended claw and rolling with it. When he came about, Aiden stood on his hind legs and held the mighty sword in one claw.

  The Strator had also regained his footing, incanting a wall of metal behind him to shut Terinus out of the fight. Aiden towered over the sa'quaarin, leering down at him — smoke wafting from his nostrils. Their minds telepathically aware of each other, Aiden could feel the fear of this creature as it cried out for assistance from the others down below.

  They cannot help you anymore, Aiden spoke to the Strator. You are finally being brought to account for your atrocities. Does this unsettle you?

  Do not toy with him, Salinder advised. Finish this! The Strator did not answer, so consumed was he with survival. With a shriek of defiance, he charged in while unleashing a psychic scream, yet it wasn't enough to slow Aiden's blade. Aeon Invictus sliced through the armour protecting the creature's body, gouging deep and drawing blood. He then reached over with his other claw and shoved his talons into the wound, ripping away the damaged armour plate with a mighty heave.

  Blood flowed from the terrible wound yet the Strator wasn't finished. He slammed his armoured fist into Aiden's side with enough force to crack one of his ribs and send him stumbling backwards. His side in agony from the blow, Aiden found the blade swept from his grasp by a telekinetic swipe. It hardly mattered, for his opponent's shell had already been cracked.

  Out of the corner of Aiden’s eye, Terinus appeared, moving straight through the metal wall as if it were nothing. In his hand he held a small vial and while the Strator was focused on Aiden’s demise, the wizard stepped up to him and with one gloved hand, smacked the vial into the enemy’s wound. The Strator fell to his knees and Terinus grasped his throat, pulling them close together as the terrible invocation pulling Aiden to his doom subsided.

  “Poetic, is it not?” Terinus taunted his foe who was struggling to stay upright. “To be killed by the same poison you used to kill so many
innocent raelani.” The Strator looked feebly at the wizard and then fell to the floor, trying futilely to claw its way to the door. Gasping and choking, black blood began to ooze from the cracks in its armour and smear across the floor, and with a last gasp, it finally stopped moving with one hand reaching for the door.

  A stillness descended over the scene as the fight came to an end. Terinus paused to catch his breath, still on his knees as he looked about with undisguised loathing on his ancient features.

  Behind him, Sayana emerged from hiding. She glanced at the bodies of their fallen enemies for a moment, then locked eyes with Aiden, each of them astonished by the other's appearance. The former sorceress was barely clothed at all, revealing healthy pink skin from head to toe. Not a single trace of the augment remained, leaving her appearing as any regular young woman would. She held a flickering sa’quaarin sword in one hand and regarded Aiden with caution.

  “It appears you have been reborn, Salinder,” she remarked coldly. “Do you even care that you devoured Aiden in the process?”

  He lives, Aiden replied, feeling a curious detachment from the words.

  “Well which one are you? Aiden or Salinder?”

  Yes, Aiden replied cryptically, unable to discern between his two selves. Terinus wearily regained his footing and slowly strode forward, appearing more aged and worn than before. He did not seem taken aback at Aiden's appearance, instead focusing his gaze upon the creature laying at his feet.

  “Our work is not yet complete,” he rasped. “Enough of his people remain within the fortress to retake this room with ease. Once the door is unsealed, we will be overwhelmed.”

  “So all of this was for nothing?” Robert asked as Sayana offered a hand to help him back on his feet. His breathing was heavy and he was bruised and bloodied from the fight, but the tenacious mercenary had survived yet again.