Voidhawk

by Halstead, Jason

  The door to the tower lay in rubble at their feet, leaving an open doorway. Dexter led the way while Jenna followed close behind. Rosh brought up the rear. At first glance the inside looked much like the outside, strewn with rubble and debris. Stepping over the threshold caused each of them to stumble and gasp as the tower’s contents shifted before their eyes.

  An unseen light source provided illumination without shadows, and the small circular room suddenly seemed at least twice the size it had been. It remained damaged and debris filled, with furniture broken and tipped over.

  “Somebody had a powerful rage,” Rosh said, appraising the damage.

  A spiral staircase stretched upwards to a second level and descended into the ground below them. “Rosh, guard that stairway,” Dexter ordered, moving towards it and motioning for Jenna to follow him.

  Rosh did as he was asked, but his eyes drifted upwards as Jenna scaled the staircase above him, rather than watching into the depths as he had been bade.

  Above Dexter and Jenna found it to be much the same. The room had once been a library and a dining room, but the furniture and bookcases had been broken and turned over. The ceiling and upper portions of the wall were missing as well, giving them a clear view of the hull of the Voidhawk as it floated in the void above them. Dexter waved at his ship before turning and heading back towards the staircase.

  “Dex, look at this!” Jenna hissed, stopping him in his tracks.

  Dexter turned and looked where her pistol was pointing. There was a stain on the floor. A red stain. He stepped closer to it and bent over, studying it. He scuffed it with his boot and saw that, while mostly dried and congealed, it was still tacky enough to have been liquid not so very long ago.

  “Think anyone’s left?” Jenna asked him, reappraising the room and wondering if there were any additional blood stains to be found.

  Dexter pursed his lips and straightened. “We need to leave, this could be a trap!”

  Jenna’s hand caught his arm as he started to head back to the stairway. “Dex, we need to see if there are any survivors.”

  Dexter frowned, then nodded after a moment. “But we move quickly,” he said, moving down the stairs rapidly and not stopping until he reached Rosh.

  “What’s going on?” Rosh asked as they hurried past him.

  “We found blood, only a few hours old,” Jenna explained.

  Rosh looked up and then down again, a smile making its way on his face. “About time,” he said, anxious to fall in behind them.

  “Jenna, get back to the ‘Hawk and make sure it’s safe and ready to move. Rosh, you come with me,” Dexter said, starting down the stairs again.

  Jenna looked at him, lips parted in silent protest. Rosh brushed past her, anxious to be on the move. She clamped her mouth shut and, jaw clenched, hurried back out of the ruined tower to the ropes that would return her to the Voidhawk.

  Descending what felt like another 12 feet, Dexter and Rosh exited the staircase and stepped onto a floor that had the texture of fine sand. They looked around and saw that the room extended far away and was carved from the very asteroid they were on. The wall the staircase was next to had several wooden walls that looked to be holding cells. The walls showed signs of battle, with portions of wood being scratched, missing, broken, or blackened by fire.

  “Don’t touch anything,” Dexter mumbled, moving forward cautiously and peering into each of the rooms as they passed them. Rosh shrugged and followed after, drawing his large sword and holding it in front of him.

  Across a short stretch of sand from the wooden rooms a dais rose out of the sand, carved from pure marble. Atop it lay two tables with their corners touching to form a wide ‘V’. Upon each table was scattered various implements that looked to be arcane and mystical in nature.

  “What in the-“

  “I don’t know,” Dexter said, cutting Rosh off without meaning to. “Let it be, there be something unnatural about it all.”

  Rosh nodded, the hair already standing up on the back of his neck. He turned and looked behind him, wondering just what it was that the small wooden rooms had contained.

  “Captain,” Rosh said, “I’m itching for an honest fight, but there don’t seem to be none of that here, what say we head back?”

  Dexter glanced at him then away without saying anything. He felt much the same. Still, the place deserved investigating…

  Dexter stepped up on the marble platform and studied the arcane items on the tables. They seemed scattered rather haphazardly, a brazier here, incense there. An unrolled parchment with some gibberish scribbled on it within a dark fluid that Dexter suspected was blood. He reached down for an amulet and stopped, remembering what he had told Rosh about not touching anything.

  They both felt more than heard a hum pulse through the room. Dexter turned to look at Rosh, who was likewise looking at him. They studied the room surrounding them and wondered what could have caused it.

  “What’s going on?” Rosh asked.

  “I’m for wondering the same,” Dexter admitted. “Time to be heading for the ‘Hawk.”

  Rosh nodded and turned back to the staircase. Dexter glanced at the table again, his eyes falling upon a silver flute this time. He cocked his head curiously and found himself wondering what a flute would be doing there, especially one so small and shiny and, well, cute.

  “Cap!”

  Dexter shook his head and looked up, feeling as though he was waking from a dream. He turned to look at Rosh, who had not even taken a single step towards the staircase.

  “You said don’t touch nothing!” Rosh said, pointing at him.

  “I didn’t!” Dexter said defensively. His eyes fell to where Rosh was glaring and he saw the flute in his hand. “How’d this… I mean, I didn’t mean to!”

  Rosh staggered backwards towards the marble dais as the sand under his feet shifted and rumbled. Something burst up from it, sending a spray of sand upwards that concealed the origin of the attack. It sank back into the sand just as quickly, moving away from them and leaving behind a disturbance in its wake.

  Rosh jumped up onto the dais besides Dexter in time to avoid another of the strange assaults, though this time he caught a glimpse of a tooth filled maw snapping shut on the empty space his leg had occupied a heartbeat before.

  They looked around at the room and saw several places where the sand shifted and roiled, disturbed under the surface by whatever the strange things were that could move through it as though they were fish in water. Or, more accurately, sharks.

  “Now what?” Rosh asked.

  Dexter looked at the flute in his hand and wondered the same thing. He shoved it in a pocket and drew his pistol. “Think we can make a run for it?”

  Rosh chewed on his lip for a moment then looked back at the table and grabbed up a small silver goblet. He studied it for a brief moment, then shrugged and tossed it over a dozen feet towards the staircase. In less time than it took either of the two men to hold their breath awaiting a response the sand erupted around the cup, with ambiguous forms snatching at it. By the time the sand and dust settled the cup was nowhere to be seen.

  “You first, Captain,” Rosh said, grinning.

  Dexter scowled and turned to look at the table again, wondering if there was anything they could use there to help them.

  “I’m thinking we’re in for a bit of a wait,” Rosh offered, clearing off a spot on the table and sitting on it casually. He leaned his sword against the table as well and watched the sand with a critical eye.

  Dexter opened and closed his mouth. Rosh was right; they were trapped for the time being. He wondered how long it would take for Jenna or Kragor to get anxious and start looking for them. His eyes widened at his earlier premonition that the tower was a trap. He still felt it was, but wondered now if the trap was for the poor bastards like him and Rosh, or for the Voidhawk.

  * * * *

  Jenna climbed up the ropes to the deck of the Voidhawk with ease. Once there she looked around and
saw Bailynn working alongside Kragor, who seemed to have taken a liking to the girl recently as well. Keshira was securing the ropes controlling the mainsail and Bekka was on the helm, she presumed. Even Jodyne was helping out on the deck with the station keeping. Jenna sighed and went towards the aft crossbow, intent upon loading it in case Dexter’s suspicions were correct.

  She felt the pulse of energy sweep through her as she ascended the steps to the stern castle. She looked about, knowing something was amiss instantly. She saw the others look up as well, their eyes searching the sky and then going to the small asteroid beneath them. The ship twisted a little, coming away from the broken tower on the rock and swiveling along its axis just slightly. Jenna hurried to the railing and looked over it, an icy feeling already rushing through her stomach.

  “Damn him,” she muttered, speaking of Dexter and just knowing that he had gotten himself into something. She nearly turned away, ready to return to the ruins of the tower, when she caught sight of something emerging from the far side of the asteroid.

  “To arms!” Jenna yelled, casting a quick final glance at it before hurrying to the heavy ballista and struggling to load the bolt into it. “Keshira, help me!”

  In moments the pleasure golem was beside her, helping her seat the heavy ballista bolt into the industrial sized crossbow. They cranked it back in time to see the other ship come into view off their stern. It was not an easily recognized hull, but rather one was an amalgamation of a few different ships. A claw-like structure at the front served as a grappling ram, while an elongated aft structure resembled that of the Maiden’s Bane. The elevated fore and stern castles were reminiscent of those found aboard the Voidhawk. Below the deck, it possessed a bloated belly that looked like a swollen planet-bound galleon.

  “Kragor!” Jenna yelled, aiming down the ballista at the large vessel looming above them.

  “I see it!” He shouted back. “Full ahead and into the rocks, we’ll come back for the others after we be losing them.”

  “Go,” Jenna said to Keshira, taking final aim and pulling the lever that sent that heavy bolt flying.

  Jenna followed after Keshira, though she kept glancing back to watch the flight of her bolt. It sailed through the void between the ships and missed the forward mast she had been aiming for. It still tore a ragged hole in the sail, however, which made her feel as though it was not a total loss.

  By the time she made it to the deck Keshira had already unfurled the main sail and was working rapidly at securing it. Jodyne manned one of the ‘Hawks wings and Bailynn worked the other, swiveling them out to collect the solar wind and get them moving as rapidly as possible.

  Jenna realized she could do no good on the main deck, and with Kragor yelling at her in the background, she turned back to the stern where she could man the stern sails that also functioned in part as a rudder.

  “Blast, girl!” Kragor bellowed. “Bailynn, head aft with Jenna, you’re not catching the wind right!”

  The dwarf, surly in the moment of peril, hurried over to the wing she hastily abandoned and caught it in his callused hands. He twisted it and tied it off, securing it at a better angle to take advantage of the rays coming from the distant sun. The effect was negligible, but it did help to keep the Voidhawk from being twisted laterally as they tried to sail forward.

  The girl came up hesitantly beside Jenna. The arms mistress glanced at her briefly, her gaze cold. “Hold this like so,” Jenna instructed her, gesturing with her head towards the guide pole she held in her hands.

  Bailynn put her hands on it and set her feet, making sure she had it securely. Her eyes remained on it as well, and her posture was submissive to the older woman. Jenna let go and stared at her for a brief moment, then hurried over to the ballista again and began to reload it. Without the help of Keshira it took her far longer to seat the bolt and crank it back.

  By the time Jenna was ready the Voidhawk had nearly reached its top speed. The other ship had gained on them while they struggled to get underway, however, and trailed them by only a few hundred yards. She aimed and fired again, the bolt glancing against one of the arms of the ram and slamming into the railing of the ship. Broken wood floated away from it, but no serious damage was done.

  Kragor yelled for them to come about, intent upon swinging into some rubble from the asteroid field that might allow a smaller ship like the Voidhawk more room to maneuver than the bloated vessel that chased them. It moved faster than they did, thanks to it having larger sails and more of them, but the dwarf was sure it could not turn as quickly.

  The Voidhawk rounded a group of floating boulders, and sought to put on some speed so it could hopefully make another turn into the rock-filled void before its pursuer could negotiate the first turn. Kragor cursed when he saw four smaller ships laying in wait ahead of them.

  They were spiders, small tactical craft used for boarding larger craft. Each could carry ten men, not including the pilot, and each possessed a special ballista that fired a weighted net. Their final namesake came from the 8 legged landing gear each craft possessed.

  Kragor looked around, desperate for an option. Ahead of him, spread out along the only clear path through the asteroids, lay the spiders. Behind him, just now rounding the collection of loose rocks that had gathered together, lay their original assailant. The dwarf cursed and loosened the pistol at his side.

  “Make ready to repel boarders,” He called out, his tone clearly one of anger. To himself he snarled, “I’ll not lose his ship without a fight!”

  Jenna cursed her position at the stern. She looked to Bailynn and called out to her, “Tend that sail, slayer, and do what you do best when they board us!”

  She turned and was gone then, running across the deck and leaping up the stairs to the forecastle to the ballista mounted there. She loaded the lighter weapon more rapidly by herself than the heavy one to the aft, though it was still a time consuming process. Once loaded she had time only to aim and fire it at a single approaching spider, and succeeded in spearing one of the invaders aboard it with the bolt.

  She abandoned the siege weapon and drew her pistol next, as the spider she had fired upon closed the distance. It landed upon the bow, the legs latching onto the railing and digging into the decking to secure a grip. Orcs, goblins, and lizardmen issued forth from it, leaping over the sides and dropping to the deck in anticipation of blood and battle.

  Jenna was happy to give them their wish. Her pistol cracked, sending a lead ball deep into the belly of an orc, and leading the way for her own charge into their ranks, twin blades singing. Another spider landed on the forecastle, behind her and closer to the main deck. The third landed upon the main deck and the fourth on the stern castle, where Bailynn alone awaited them.

  Jenna heard Kragor’s curses, bellows, and roars as he fought the invaders amidships. Keshira fought as well, easily smashing aside the humans and humanoids that came at her. From the stern there was no sign of resistance that the embattled elf could discern. She cursed under her breath at leaving the girl back there, then felt the impact of a club against her back, driving her forward and sending the air from her lungs. She recoiled and spun, sword cutting a bloody furrow in the cheek of the man that had stung her.

  Jenna was hit again after skewering a goblin through the lung. She turned to deal with the latest threat that had her reeling and slipped on the body of the dying goblin. She caught herself but was off balance and unguarded, allowing another club to strike at her and clip her chin.

  The elf crashed to the ground, grunting as she hit. She struggled to get up but hands were grabbing at her and restraining her. She heard Jodyne call out angrily in the distance, and heard an answering roar of rage from Kragor. She bit out at an arm that crossed in front of her face and tasted the blood of her assailant. She heard no more after that, for her head was smashed against the deck and darkness claimed her.

  * * * *

  “So, Cap-“

  “I’m thinking,” Dexter snapped.

&n
bsp; Rosh was silent a moment longer then decided enough time had passed. “We been here for more than an hour. Thinking ain’t gonna get us out.”

  Dexter turned on the man, his eyes narrowed angrily. He opened his mouth then shut it and shook his head. “Rosh,” he said after a moment of forcing himself not to lash out, “I’m happy to hear any thoughts you might have on this.”

  He paused again, gazing out over the sand that still swim with the movements of the creatures beneath the surface of it. “But if you’re not having any, then be silent so I can!”

  “I say we run for it,” Rosh offered, happy to have a chance to make a suggestion.

  “Run for it?” Dexter repeated, nearly stupefied. “You saw what them…things… did to that metal cup? They tore it to bits!”

  “Aye, but they didn’t get me,” Rosh said. “I managed to get up here without spilling my blood.”

  “That was only one,” Dexter reminded him. “You got lucky. There’s what, at least six of them now, probably more.”

  “So we run faster,” Rosh said, not wanting to abandon his idea out of pure stubbornness.

  “Wait,” Dexter said, staring at the tables. “They can’t get us, we’re on this rock, not the sand.”

  “Yeah, but there’s plenty of sand between here and there,” Rosh said impatiently.

  Dexter turned to him, grinning. “How far is it, you reckon?”

  Rosh turned and studied the distance to the staircase from the marble dais they stood upon. “About 18 feet, maybe a few more.”