Beyond the Dark Gate

by R. V. Johnson

  There was none. The axe remained suspended above as the man shadow inside the translucent apparition clutched at a severed wrist. The Spear grasped in the shadow’s other arm shimmered brightly. An arrow, then two, suddenly protruded from the stump.

  The shadow of the man screamed low and hoarse. Good, it can feel pain, Garn thought. A ball of purple flame landed between the arrows, exploding. Gobs of flesh and blood drained out of the shield to the elbow. The shadow man’s screams ended with coughs. A potion sent smoke up the tube of its arm, drawn upward as fast as a chimney.

  Slowly, from a great height, as if a gigantic pendulum, the great axe swung downward at the potion thrower.

  Garn had seen enough. Things were heating up too fast. Grabbing his daughter by the wrist, the one with her hand grasping a black artifact, Garn pulled her to the edge of the dais. Though she yelped with pain, Crystalyn clamped the man’s severed hand between her ankles as they passed by it.

  At the edge, Garn let go of her and hopped off the dais. Turning, he sheathed the great sword and got both hands under her shoulders, pulling her to the floor and the relative safety of the dais edge. As he straightened, a dark shape clamped upon his shoulders, carrying him away.

  *****

  Jade sensed the One Mind was not pleased. The protector, her dad, had abandoned his post. As the One Mind paced back and forth along the wall, it was difficult to determine where he’d gone from the stilted view of the barrier maintained by the twelve Users. She’d last seen her dad race down the grand stairway.

  A grizzled-faced red robe came into view. “You there,” she heard herself say in the formal way Asturans had of speaking, “why have the lot of you not attacked? Who has command?”

  “I have that honor,” a new voice said.

  The view changed. Swinging around, she looked along the wide walkway of the great wall.

  A woman wearing the silky black robes of a master User strode toward them, bowing when she came close. “Great Lady, there is reason for withholding,” the woman said, raising her firm chin slightly. “Whenever we strafe the target, it has no effect. In return, the apparition attacks with that monstrous axe. The weapon cuts through our personal barriers as if none exists. Two-thirds of our Users and archers have joined the Dark Regiment.”

  “Why have you not concentrated on the invading force then?” the One Mind demanded to know.

  The woman’s beautiful, though austere, features clouded. “The order came to hurl everything we had at the Dark King. As I mentioned, two-thirds of our long-range capability are decimated, two of those my siblings. Unless there are reserves, the risk for the enemy strafing us with return fire is too high,” the woman said, lowering her eyes. “I have now reported.”

  “Reserves are not your concern; following orders is topmost,” the One Mind said while slowing the cyclone spinning around the woman. Inside every image, darkness swirled, which saddened Jade. The woman’s death was imminent.

  The One Mind released the rotation. Jade watched as her hand reached out and touched the woman on the cheek. Jade listened in as the former free-willed commander’s thoughts and memories became part of the Over Mind’s Dark Regiment, not the one the Dark User believed.

  “Return to your regiment, commence an assault on the soldiers and Users in the courtyard,” the One Mind commanded as the woman’s last memory of her two sisters cut in half from the red beam of Darwin’s power drifted past. Jade hated the alien efficiency of the process. The whole thing was over in a few seconds. The woman’s actions would now no longer be her own, nor would she ever again think for herself. But then, she’d be dead soon.

  Jade’s view shifted once more, rising upward to the four great black iron doors carved into the side of the plateau above the courtyard. The right topmost doorway gaped with darkness, rolled open on unseen rails by an unviewed mechanism of some sort.

  A call went out from the One Mind then, a command for the beast to come forth. Two, great-clawed forelegs appeared at the edge, the dark shape of a long snout above them. Bending low, a head filled with sharp teeth scraped the top frame.

  Not for the first time, locked in the silence of the little bubble in the corner of her mind, Jade wished for the ability to scream a warning.

  The One Mind had released the reserve.

  CREATIONS

  With her free hand, Crystalyn hooked the red orb from the severed hand. Her left hand ached badly, but there was nothing to do about it now. Her fingers had clamped around the black candle with a death grip, refusing to let go, her flesh seared to it. There was not much she could do about the pain for now, except bear it, and thank the Great Father for the one who’d freed her from Darwin.

  A dark shape shadowed the light above.

  Trenton, the outlander, bent over her, his hand outstretched. “Give me the orb, I can help,” he said, his voice hoarse. His brown eyes glinted earnestly.

  Crystalyn put her hand in the one extended, her fist still closed around the red crystal orb. “Help me up,” she said.

  Trenton complied, raising her to her feet with ease, though he remained hunched down, taking no chances.

  Crystalyn glanced around. Holding his mangled arm up to slow blood loss, Darwin flailed around with the axe, swinging wildly at Sabella, the hooded man, the woman with the bow, and a warrior holding two long swords. Camoe was nowhere in sight. Several Dark Citadel soldiers swung wildly, almost lazily at Darwin’s back. The apparition above Darwin, the Dark King, twisted and cut them all down with one swing of the great axe. They fell without a sound.

  “Where’s my dad?” she asked the outlander.

  Ignoring the question, Trenton reached his hand toward her, but he did not straighten. “Give me the orb, I can help,” he repeated.

  Crystalyn was annoyed. “Here, take it,” she said, dropping it in his hand. “Just don’t let Darwin have it again.” Her left hand throbbed.

  Trenton stood. “Why would I?” he asked. “That creature took it from me. That thing is going to pay for what it did,” he declared, holding the orb chest-high gripped in his right fist. An orange-red fireball blazing bright and tailed like a comet shot forth from his fist, striking Darwin in the face.

  Dissipating, the attack had no effect, except for making the monstrosity look at them. Darwin strode around the dais toward them.

  Too weak to run, Crystalyn prepared her absorption symbol.

  A dark shape loomed behind Darwin. Gaining size as it flew closer, the shape extended a pair of reptilians claws attached to powerful legs. Then, two parts of a creature swept into view, an elongated body and fierce scaly snout. As an eagle would with prey, a black dragon reached down and clamped it claws on Darwin’s shoulders.

  Flapping its massive wings, the dragon rose, though not high. Sparks flew as the great claws lost their hold, scraping against Darwin’s barrier. Letting go of its load, the dragon flew on, dropping the apparition onto its back beside the dais.

  The absorption symbol faded away as she formed her diamond-shaped symbol. Inside, the pattern’s glowing lines formed intricate crystals that she sent soaring into the area unprotected by any barrier. The bottom of Darwin’s kicking feet.

  The symbol dissolved on impact, dispersing a sharp crystal shard from each of its four points. As long as a blade, the first two shredded Darwin’s legs; the final two sank into his groin and stomach.

  Darwin screamed.

  The apparition surrounding him shrank, dwindling into the man until only Darwin, the former love of her life, remained.

  The barriers winked out.

  “Malkor! Heal me!” Darwin shouted. Though his lifeblood pooled quickly, Darwin’s voice was loud still.

  Malkor was already running across the courtyard, dragging his shattered leg a half step behind. Hopping over small debris, he slid to a halt, going to his knees beside his fallen master. He put a hand on Darwin’s deformed one, the only limb left to the black robe. “This time, I cannot,” the red rob
e said softly.

  “I… called… colossal… No time… no—” Darwin said. Spitting up dark red blood, he stiffened and went still.

  Malkor drew back.

  “I’m sorry, Malkor, but it’s over—” Crystalyn said.

  “Do you hear that?” Sabella interrupted.

  The tall woman with the bow cocked an ear. “Yes, loud thumps,” she said.

  The man with the swords sheathed at his back reached for her hand, clasping it gently. “Something big is coming,” he said.

  Crystalyn had no time to wonder about it. She had to get to Broth. Camoe would help locate her link mate, but she’d lost track of where the druid had gone.

  Above the same doorway Darwin had burst through, the remaining upper wall collapsed, clattering to the floor. Huge blocks fell near where she’d last seen her Do’brieni.

  “Broth!”

  A massive body stepped through the wall. Pausing, enormous yellow-orange eyes regarded her from beneath burlap-textured skin. Moving to one side, the towering creature made room for a second to enter. Then, in unison, both lumbered toward her, kicking large chunks of shattered stone spinning away with each footfall.

  Crystalyn could only stare.

  Hastel appeared beside her, the patch over his eye slightly askew. “I don’t think those creations are coming to ask if they can help us, mistress,” he said mildly. Adjusting the patch as if conversing over a mug of ale, he continued. “You’d better do something to slow them, or run before those on the wall decide to target practice.”

  As if his words brought it about, an arrow shattered against the dais, narrowly missing him. Another whizzed past Crystalyn.

  “Move!” the Alchemist shouted. “Put the Dark Dais between us and the wall!”

  Crystalyn ran, following Sabella who stayed close to the hooded man. Sprinting around the dais, a hail of red splinter missiles struck near, narrowly missing.

  “That was close!” Trenton shouted from somewhere behind.

  Crystalyn slid next to Sabella at the eastern radius of the dais, squatting behind the circular stone. Hastel slipped beside her, keeping his head down.

  With their tree-sized legs, the colossal raggedy men had gained on them. The first symbol that came to mind was a circular one, entwined double lines surrounding a vague shape in the center. Both struck in rapid succession at the feet of the colossal creations, placed there by design. Darwin had been vulnerable where foot touched floor.

  The symbol’s radiance brightened with a golden light briefly—the shape in the centers now visible as a circle with a tree inside. As the radiance dimmed, the stone underneath the towering creations buckled and heaved. Tossed in differing directions, the raggedy men landed hard upon their backs on the left and right of each other.

  The black candle warmed, causing her hand to throb with a deep piecing pain.

  A violet ball of flame soared to the creation squirming for footing on the left. A second ball struck the creation on the right. With each, the flames burned quickly and then died out.

  “Blast it! They were created with something flame or Flow resistant!” Sabella cried.

  Hunched beside Hastel, a red beam shot from the crimson orb in Trenton’s hand striking the rightmost raggedy man in the side of the chest. A wisp of smoke plumed into the air leaving behind a hole that oozed a black tarry substance. The creation continued flailing its arms and legs, attempting to stand.

  Hastel glanced over the dais, ducking behind quickly as more arrows and explosions clattered and banged on top of it. Waves of heat raised the surrounding temperature noticeably. “This is not good. We have to make a run for the barracks. We are too exposed out here. Either those things will stomp us into the floor or the bloody Dark Users will destroy us.” Hastel looked at Sabella and the Alchemist. “No offense, you two.”

  “None taken,” the hooded man said. “You have the right of it.” Then, turning to Sabella, his voice grew softer. “Which is it going to be? What will you use, your physical or magical barrier? I hope your guess is a good one and the damage taken minimal.”

  Crystalyn interrupted a reply. “Sabella can cast a physical; I’ll hold back the User attacks.”

  “I can only shield one person. Either me or someone else,” Sabella protested.

  “Don’t ask me to assist,” Trenton said. “I don‘t know how to make a barrier, or even if I can. Besides, the orb weakens me too fast. At least, the crimson beam does.”

  Then Crystalyn noticed the woman with the bow and the man with two swords had left. Peering over the dais, she found them sprinting toward rows of Dark soldiers moving in unordered groups down the stairs. The woman fired arrows as she ran, covering the man as his whirling swords cut down the men and women alike, whether they wore plate armor or not.

  Crystalyn wanted to send an aggression symbol their way to help, but doing so would cost her the barrier she hadn’t yet put in place. They would all die. Oddly, most of the Dark Citadel soldiers clamored toward the dais ignoring the two assailants. Crystalyn wished the two of them the speed and the endurance of the Great Father.

  Setting the absorption symbol with its myriad of white crosses hovering in front of her, Crystalyn stretched it over the five who remained. “Decide who you protect, Sabella, we haven’t much time. They’re getting up!”

  The dark creations had managed to roll over. One after the other, they stood upright using blocks of stone and pieces of statues as handholds.

  Translucent with a faint hint of violet, a flicker of radiance surrounded Sabella.

  “Make your barrier as wide as you can,” Crystalyn said.

  Resuming their silent march, the creations made for the dais. Though arrows, dark cones, and flashes of white detonations struck them, the creatures strode onward, undeterred.

  “Keep Sabella and me between you and the Dark Gate as best you can!” Crystalyn shouted. “Go now!”

  They moved in an awkward line, Sabella, then Crystalyn, the hooded man, Hastel, and Trenton. Crystalyn was anxious for the Terran. Not only did Trenton have to time his movements for four others, but it put him closer to the colossal creations who moved faster than she liked. “They’re coming too fast, run!” she screamed.

  Sabella dashed ahead, leaving them exposed. Something whizzed past Crystalyn before she caught up to the woman and checked on the others. The hooded man had dropped back but pushed through into the protection of her symbol. Blood streamed onto his biceps from damage to his right shoulder. Hastel and Trenton had stayed within the symbol’s boundary. Crystalyn focused on the way forward. “Go to the east of that fallen statue,” she said, raising her voice so the blonde-haired woman would hear.

  Sabella complied. For a short time, they had the protection of the statue. The barracks came into view.

  Behind, the dark creations’ thumps vibrated the floor, growing louder.

  Nearing the barracks, archers appeared at the windows. Light Users, Valens, and soldiers hunkered down behind a crumbling fountain. Warriors took shelter behind wagons and debris piles, staying well back from the two piles of rubble that burned.

  Sliding to a halt behind a mound of stone and statue blocks jumbled beside the main fountain, Crystalyn spotted Valens and nomads as they ran past, her eyes automatically following them. The dark creations had nearly overtaken her.

  The warriors hacked at one of the towering raggedy men, to no avail. Massive hands swatted them and their tiny swords away. Even the larger Vale people were flipped broken and crushed from sight.

  The way to her was suddenly clear of defenders.

  His right shoulder drenched with blood, the hooded man ran up behind the first creation and tossed a flask that landed near mid-thigh. With a succinct clink, the glass broke apart on the creature leaving a dripping yellow liquid that detonated with a loud pop. A large chunk of thigh vanished, replaced by a hole oozing the oily black substance. Leaning to one side, the creation continued on, dragging the leg.
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  As the creation’s gigantic foot rose to crush the life from her, Crystalyn ran underneath it, bringing a symbol to bear in front of her. The overall shape octagonal, the pattern inside formed a myriad of pinwheels with thin stick lines, tipped with round spikes at the points. Crystalyn had but a moment to release it as the creation’s near wall-sized hand swept down toward her.

  Spinning, the symbol connected with the ruined thigh, flinging dozens of spikes in a tight line, cutting through the leg. The creation fell, thankfully, away from her, the hand wall missing her, but only just. The leg teetered and then fell over toward her. Crystalyn shuffled backward, stumbled over a chunk of stone, and fell.

  Oozing the thick black liquid, the severed thigh caught at her ankles, pinning her painfully to the stone and drenching her with the oily substance. Lifting onto its elbows, the dark creation commenced pulling itself around, crawling for her.

  Slowed by a mound of rubble it chose to plow over, the other colossal creation clattered over it, moving ever closer. Each of its canoe-sized feet rose high with every step. Crystalyn could only stare. She couldn’t tell which monstrosity would get to her first.

  THE LAST CREATION

  As RaCorren lifted the giant leg, Crystalyn pulled her legs out from under it. The big Valen let it go. The heavy limb thudded wetly on the ground. Before she could utter a word of thanks, Long Sand grabbed her hand and pulled her under a column lying on its side, the crown resting on the fountain wall. A double hand’s width from the column’s far edge, a wall of rubble blocked the way onward, though there appeared to be space for her to crawl past the timbered column and climb the mound if she had to, albeit barely.

  The second dark creation stomped toward her at the only speed it seemed capable of, a slow, steady march. Though still much faster than expected for a thing of its size, she was grateful for that. Reaching her makeshift barrier, the towering raggedy man halted. Raising a foot high, it stomped on the column leaning on the fountain above her, crunching half the base to chalk on the courtyard flooring. Slowly the foot ascended again.