“Yes,” he whispered.
FROM BAD TO WORSE
Power washed over him like a waterfall. He felt the touch of life everywhere on New Eden. His ears heard every sound vibrating on the planet, his eyes saw beyond any human eye’s range, and he smelled the burned creatures as the bombs found their targets.
Ray opened his mouth to scream, but instead of words, a blinding beam of red light came out of him, targeted directly at the Devourer. She was ready for Ray’s attack, and the moment Ray made his move, so did She and her minions. A barrage of creatures formed a defensive wall before her. Thousands and thousands of insects rising from the ground, shielding their mother from harm. They fell. Oh, they did. Each second, Ray felt the beam of Serhmana touching the creatures by the thousands. More came, and Ray killed more. He heard their screams, he could feel their pain, and he didn’t care.
“You will not touch my daughter,” Ray’s words echoed.
“But you are killing mine,” the Devourer responded through his thoughts.
“I didn’t start it.”
“You called me here. Your actions did.”
“I’m fed up with you and your creators and their stupid prophecies. Leave my people and me alone!”
There was no response for a while through the bond. “I do not understand, Lohil,” the Devourer said finally. “Is it not your purpose to oppose me?”
“Lady, I didn’t even know you existed up until a year ago. Hell, I didn’t even know what I was a year ago.”
Silence followed their exchange. Meanwhile, thousands upon thousands of Her minions perished. When the Devourer spoke again, her voice was even colder. “You are killing my children. I cannot allow this.”
“You’re one thick log!”
A whoosh pulled Ray back to his senses.
“Ray,” Sarah’s voice echoed through Fox’s speakers. “We need to leave!”
Ray stopped Serhmana’s beam and felt relief and fatigue from the bond. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold this much power. And the moment he stopped his attack, the shield before the Devourer dissolved, and she stood there, unharmed before him. Her look was serene, expressionless.
“Ray,” Sarah yelled again, and he turned to look at Fox. “Boss, can you take this thing off us?” Sarah pointed at the stern of the ship from the cockpit window. “It’s eating us!” The flier cruising on Fox was now attached to an engine, clawing its way into the interior. The ceytelium armor held against the frenzied insect's extreme piercing, but it wouldn’t last forever.
“Yrrha,” Ray touched the stones again and got a confirmation.
Within moments, the gunship and Ray were covered in a pale green bubble. Ray took a few steps toward the gunship, raising his hand dismissively at the unwanted flier attached. Serhmana’s crimson energy flushed through him and hit the monster, dissolving it into nothingness with its touch.
He stepped up on the docking ramp as the gunship touched down where Elaine waited for him. “Are you all right?” he asked, reaching for his daughter’s cheeks, but Elaine took a hesitant step back, looking at Ray’s hand and then his face, her eyes wide. Ray’s hand hung in the air for a second, then dropped slowly. He put his head down and went inside, Serhmana’s light dying in his eyes.
“Ray,” Sarah launched the ship into the air. “I don’t think we can pass through that meat cloud.” She fiddled with the radar and shook her head. “Whatever that is, it covers the whole planet, and it’s closing. We’ll be crushed. Or eaten alive! Also,” Sarah leaned forward to look outside the cockpit window, “those insects are covering whatever balloon you put us into. Soon, I won’t be able to see a thing.”
“Is Sim’Ra on board?”
“He’s at the back. Rec room.”
Ray nodded, “Reach Admiral Conway. Tell her we’re on our way,” he said and left the cockpit for the recreation room. The corridors, the boxes, they all looked the same. Even the cat, Darty, looked like she felt at home as he passed her on his way to the rec room. Like all cats he knew—not that he knew many—Darty had her own agenda, going someplace inside the ship with purpose despite the madness outside. She looked somewhat aware of what was going on, yes, but also indifferent. Cats… they probably secretly rule universes. For a brief second, Ray entertained the idea of these Creators, Architects, or whatever they were called, turning out to be cats. But the funny notion died as fast as it came.
Ray didn’t feel at home. Elaine was afraid of his touch. Of me. The last time she had seen her father, he was a pathetic loser who had left her and her mother alone after her little brother’s death. Now, after years of separation, she had finally reconnected with him only to find out that Ray was casting lightning bolts from his eyes and talking to stone statues like a madman. He couldn’t blame her. I’m a freak.
Captain Samir was with Brother Cavil in the rec room, sitting at the dining table. Their faces looked grim. Sim’Ra was seated, tied to the table and his chair by cargo straps. He looked calm. Good.
“How is it out there, son?” Brother Cavil asked, his face brightening when he saw Ray. “We do not have windows here, and we did not want to disturb Sarah with our curiosity.”
“Unexpectedly thoughtful of you, Brother.”
Brother Cavil’s brows knit in anger. “Well, next time, instead of your sarcasm, bring us a ship with decent windows!”
Captain Samir put a hand on Brother Cavil’s arm. “How bad?” he asked Ray.
“Bad.”
“Will we be safe?”
“For the time being. We’re shielded.”
“I remember telling you it would be hopeless without all the five stones present at your disposal, Lohil,” Sim’Ra spoke with his layered, deep voice. He stared at Ray with his endless, dark eyes
“Then you shouldn’t have destroyed the goddamned fifth Arinar back in that temple.”
“It was necessary for my plans.”
“Well, your plans created this mess. The least you can do now is to shut up and be useful.”
“You cannot hope to fight the Devourer with your petty powers. She is an eternal creature, enduring the test of timeless battles against countless Lohil. She has the experience of infinity. She will crush you.”
Ray clicked his tongue. “Well, she hasn’t so far. She actually offered me a deal. Turn myself in, and She would leave the rest of you alone.”
“What did you say?” Brother Cavil asked, but Ray didn’t move his stare away from Sim’Ra. He saw the Baeal’s face tighten.
“I accepted it.” Ray sighed, “But before we could finalize our deal, bombers attacked, killing the minions. She got a bit upset.”
“You cannot trust the words of the Devourer.” There, his face again. Now he looks relaxed.
“What’s your deal, baldy?”
Sim’Ra inclined his head, trying to understand Ray’s notion.
“You destroyed Mara’tthane, putting us in this mess. And you look too calm for someone who’s about to be eaten alive. What’s the catch?”
Sim’Ra smiled. “I can get this ship through her blockade.”
“How?”
The Baeal angled his head. “Take off the second earring from the top.”
“I don’t think I want to touch you.”
“I will not bite you, Lohil. You are our only hope,” his smile grew wider, making Ray want to punch him. “It is not a piece of ordinary jewelry. It is a Sshi—a connection stone.”
“I think I get Ga’an’s feeling about you better now,” Ray walked toward him and reached for the ornament. “What’s a connection stone?”
Sim’Ra searched for words. “I am not sure if it can be explained in your language, but you can think of it as a short-distance travel device. It can take us through the blockade, then your ship’s own jump drive will guide the rest of the journey.”
“Do you even know where we are going?”
“Oh, yes, we will go to the Temple of Amasshan. But first, we must make a pit stop to learn the way.”
/>
“You said you know where the temple is,” Brother Cavil said. He looked stressed. Very.
“The temple is not located on this plane. There are certain places to pass through planes without a gate where the planes intersect. Our first stop has what we need to find one of these junctions.”
“I thought you were a planar creature. Why need this junction?”
“I am a planar creature, Lohil. The rest of you are not.”
Ray gave up. “All right, where and how?”
“You will have to make twelve consecutive jumps.” He turned his face to Brother Cavil. “Note them, old man,” the dark alien said and began dictating each coordinate without hesitation.
Ray waited for Cavil to finish taking notes, cursing under his breath more than a few times about coordinates, ships, pens, and kumat.
“How do we use this earring?”
“Untie me, and I will show.”
“No way.”
Sim’Ra mockingly pursed his lips. “You can fry me with your powers any time, Lohil. What is there to fear?”
Ray puffed and untied Sim’Ra’s hands slowly.
“See? It is not that hard to trust.”
“I really get Ga’an.”
TAKE US OUT, NUMBER ONE
“Ma’am, we lost the ground support units!”
Rebecca grimaced. “How many walkers are left?”
Lieutenant Commander Jong looked at the control screen before him, narrowing his seeing eye. He itched his now blinded other one under the patch without noticing. “We can still deploy twenty-one mechs, ma’am.”
“Deploy ten.”
The lieutenant commander looked away from the computer, his brows raising. “Why ten?”
“We may need the rest here. Those things are coming from under the ground, and we are half-buried in it.” Rebecca waved at her tactical officer to carry out her orders and walked to the central display screen. “This looks bad.”
“That is an understatement, Admiral Conway,” Ga’an switched the display to camera mode. Marines and walkers were lined as a two-stage defense grid, firing at anything non-human. Most of the creatures were focused on razing the city and covering their mother, still standing at the town center, watching Ray’s gunship.
The walkers were deployed as stationary artillery units to kill the larger creatures like furless gorillas, while the soldiers were mostly acting as flak defense, targeting the flying creatures. The ex-personnel, now citizens of New Eden, were still running toward the superdreadnought's safety. Yet, more than a few fell victim to the insects, worms, centipedes, and other creatures as food every ten meters. Deviator’s turrets assisted the drones, Avatar fighters, and Marauder bombers, taking out the bigger flying things.
Rebecca sighed, “This is a massacre.” Some of the creatures were big enough to match the size of the transport, Bacchus. “Any ideas, Mr. Ga’an?”
The Nucteel didn’t answer at first, inspecting the display. “Maybe,” he said after a while. “But first, we have to give time to Raymond Harris to do his part.”
“What do you have in mind exactly?”
“As I told you, it is possible to make a jump or two with the current level of repairs, Admiral Conway. If the engineering can divert all power to shields, life support, and the jump drive, we can make a jump.”
Rebecca’s eyes grew wide. “Jump? Mr. Ga’an, we are half-buried in the ground! The consequences of such an action—”
“Would be catastrophic for the surrounding area, leveling New Eden.” Ga’an turned his look at Rebecca. “A planet already fell to the enemy.”
“I…” Rebecca wanted to reject the idea and counter Ga’an’s argument, but her first officer was right. She closed her mouth and turned to the holographic display before her. The planet was completely covered by a cloud of insects and creatures. She had no idea how she would describe such a thing to anyone who hadn’t witnessed the same terror. It was like a veil, a cloak thrown over New Eden. Outside, the sky was utterly brown, and if one looked closely, it wriggled. Natural light had been replaced by a sick, yellowish tone—the insects themselves glowing?
Twisters of all sizes descended from the formation. Rebecca saw a mantis—it looked like a mantis—jump from the whirling cloud. It had strange shell plating, and its celled eyes looked more intelligent and deadly than an insect’s. When the thing stood up, it was bigger than the mechs. She and Ga’an witnessed it tear a mech apart before two other walkers, and a Marauder bomber finally ripped its limbs off. Thousands and thousands of creatures were out there, banging at their door.
She sighed. “You are right. We have no chance to hold that kind of an enemy at bay. I think the reason we are still alive has to do with Mr. Harris.”
Ga’an nodded in silence.
“Start your preparations, Mr. Ga’an. We will hold as long as we can for the survivors to reach Deviator, but the moment Mr. Harris is off this planet, so shall we be.”
“I do not believe we will be able to recover all the residents, Admiral Conway.”
Rebecca gave a curt nod. I know.
***
“What’s he doing here?” Sarah burst out when Ray and Brother Cavil entered the bridge with Sim’Ra. “He’s supposed to be under lock and key!”
“He will save us from the man-eating cloud monster, child.” Brother Cavil leaned forward to look through the cockpit window, his shoulders tensing. “It is one hungry cloud, I tell you,” he mumbled. Outside of the shield Yrrha created, insects and creatures covered the ship. “We must look like a flying meatball.”
Everyone looked at him.
“What? It looks like a meatball.”
Sarah shook her head, “He’s more likely to save himself.”
“If that involves saving us as well, that still counts as a rescue,” Ray said, nodding at Sim’Ra. “Do your thing.” He looked around the cockpit. “Where’s Elaine?”
“She’s in the engine room. That thing tried to chew the main thruster.”
“She doesn’t know a thing about engines, Sarah. She’s just a kid.” Ray intended to look for Elaine, but Sarah reached for his arm.
“She knows enough, Ray. She’s still your kid, I get it. But she’s no child anymore. Let her do her part,” Sarah pointed at Sim’Ra, “and let us do ours.”
Ray sighed unwillingly. “Very well.” He licked his lips, locking his stare with Sim’Ra. “Now, I want you to get us out of here like you promised. If you try anything stupid, I won’t hold back my anger. And believe me,” Ray took a step forward, trying to look intimidating, although Sim’Ra was almost twice his size. “You don’t want to see me angry.”
“Your survival is as important to me as it is to you, Lohil. You can trust me.”
There, that sly grin again. “Sure.”
“Priest, give the woman the coordinates I provided.”
Brother Cavil gave the piece of paper he took notes to Sarah. “Those are the coordinates.”
Sarah sighed. “Brother, you really need to get used to the computer interface. I can’t learn to read hieroglyphs at this age. What’s this? ‘Five’ or ‘S?’”
“It is a ‘G.’” Brother Cavil looked offended. “It looks like a ‘G,’ not an ‘S’ or a ‘five,’” the old priest pursed his lips and shrugged.
Ray shook his head in disbelief, yet again. “After all this time, my opinion hasn’t changed.”
“Huh?”
“You really are crazy.”
“Bah!” Brother Cavil waved his hand in anger, “I will not stay here and listen to your mockery while some beast plans on eating me for its evening meal. I will be in the mess room, awaiting my demise in peace and silence,” he said, rushing from the bridge. “And it does look like a meatball!”
“He’s stressed,” Ray apologized.
“And you are not?” Sarah asked. “I’m too terrified to show it. After we’re clear of this rock, I plan on going down to the cargo hold and scream until I can’t anymore.”
�
�Reasonable therapy.”
“Quite. Anyway,” Sarah looked at the hulking Baeal who had to duck to keep his head from hitting the ceiling, “the coordinates are set. Do your thing.”
Sim’Ra gave his irritating smile. “Lohil, touch Ijjok and tell it to focus on the first coordinate. I will connect the Sshi to Ijjok.
“You heard that?” Ray immediately touched Ijjok over his bond. He no longer needed to touch the Arinar to connect. His bond was strengthening.
“Yes. Sshi is a lesser form of Arinar. It is not of our bloodline, so it is not a sacred stone like the Guardian stones. But it is family.”
“Someday, you guys really have to tell me all about your stuff. I would really like to know more, preferably before something tries to kill me.”
“You only need to ask, Lohil. I am connected to Sshi now.”
“Is there a threat?”
“No. Sshi is a weak sibling. No matter how tainted its touch, it is nothing.”
“I am guessing it is done?” Sim’Ra’s voice woke him up. “You did not blow me to the sky, or your stones tore Sshi into pieces.”
“Do it.”
Sim’Ra’s smile grew. He mumbled in his own guttural tongue, and even though everything looked exactly the same, Ray felt as if he were transcending into someplace else, reality shifting before his eyes.
“What’s happening?” Sarah’s voice tightened. “This feels weird.”
“We are bending time and space.”
Sarah winced. “I feel like a fish on a hook.”
“Is this normal?” Ray asked the Arinar over the bond.
“Yes,” K’ta sent an assuring confirmation. “This is how it feels when you bend the linearity of your surroundings.”
“Weird.”
“You will learn to use it and know it in time, Lohil.”
“Done,” Sim’Ra said a second later. “If you can now please clean the pest outside the ship, we can be on our way.”
“I thought we would leave them behind,” Sarah protested. “I still can’t see a thing but bugs.”
“We traveled inside a bubble, and so did they. They cannot act as they do when their mother does not back them up. She is not here. They are vulnerable.”
Balance of Power: The Blackened Prophecy Book 2 Page 9