‘We set out on an expedition to find a particular Celestial. We followed the advice my Clerics had gleaned from Medologers and watchers, those that track the movements of the Celestial across the sky and draw meaning from it like pedants. But they do know one thing. They know where the Celestials are. We headed Northeast, right to the border where King Stauros’ Terracon lands end, though I suppose that is no longer how the territory should be divided. All lands and kingdoms shall fall to the Medousa now that she is revealed.
‘After months of travel we sighted the tentacles that fall from the clouds brushing the plain before us. The Sky Islands were not far off at the time.
‘Natural thralling, in the wild I mean, is all to do with size or age. A Medusi may have power, it may not, but only the Celestials have the power akin to that which the Overlords enjoyed, or a Medusi of incredible age like the one the Goddess claimed. The intent was to harness a second source of such power for the Order.
‘Abrax strode out and took hold of one of the great tentacles. He could take the great stings it discharged without trouble after ten years of accustoming himself through my tests. He climbed the tentacle, looking for the smaller thralling tentacle that rests further up, knowing he was possibly seeking his own destruction. I was impressed at such a display of bravery. It is no lie that most humans would be destroyed by the power of the Celestial. I watched as he reached the point of the highest buildings, then higher to the highest trees, and still higher to where only the mountains can claim. Eventually he found it, or rather it found him. When he climbed within its reach, the Celestial speared him at the base of his neck with such force that he lost all footing and would have fallen to his death. Except that now the creature held him instead.
‘Abrax told me later that searing pain pulsed through him, worse than anything my experiments had put him through. His mind, the inside of his skull was on fire, every nerve of his body firing at once, pulsing with power.
‘And then they were one.
‘The power of the Overlords was his to command. Immediately he found he could use the tentacle itself to hover, or fly. But neither of us knew the extent of his powers then.
‘Imagine our surprise, Totelun, to spot another Celestial in the distance, only for it to fall from the sky. Abrax was incensed, furious that one of the Celestials could be killed, could fall to the earth like that. What an incredible waste of power, when we could have trained other acolytes to control it. We agreed that he would investigate. We both knew the prophecies. They are learnt by every acolyte, every Cleric. But we didn’t know about you at that point. I told him it would be a perfect opportunity to test the extent of his powers.
Harling adjusted some small knob on the needle apparatus. ‘The rest you know,’ he said. ‘He tracked you from the borders all the way here, his prey.’
‘But I killed him at the gates.’ That was all Totelun wanted to know.
‘Killed him? If you still think you killed him, you have not understood the point of my story,’ said Harling. ‘A creature, a demigod like Abrax is not killed by a simple explosion. No, Abrax is recuperating. He is alive. If you could see outside you would know the Celestial wraps its protective tentacles around this palace even now, honouring the Order with its presence. We command the power of the storm itself, Totelun. With Noctiluca, we command the Medusi hordes. How could you possibly fight us?’
‘I fought Abrax.’ And I won, even if he isn’t dead.
‘Yes, but your very best made no more than a scratch.’
‘I took him down.’
‘But he is still alive, and unhurt.’
Totelun didn’t believe that. Recuperating meant he was hurt.
‘Your best efforts are as nothing to us. Velella was very wrong indeed.’
Totelun had had enough. ‘Let me out of this thing, or ask your questions. Just get on with it.’
Harling ignored his outburst. ‘Now it is time for you to experience first-hand the tests our acolytes must pass. This implement,’ he gestured to the strange mechanism, ‘delivers Medusi venom, harvested from the sting glands of Common and Wild Medusi. Each tiny barb of poison is harvested and distilled into this solution. The injection may hurt, but it’s really when the venom flows out into your nervous system that you will wish for death. Acolytes build up a tolerance slowly over time, but for you its only pain and lucidity we are concerned with.’
‘I've built up quite the tolerance in the past year.’ Totelun thought of the times he had been stung almost to death; the Medusi in Velella’s sanctum that had stung him into unconsciousness and then laid eggs in his stomach; the fight in the mansion with Naus, he had the scar to show for it.
‘Then I’ll make sure to increase the dosage.’
Harling lowered the arm into place, just a hair away from Totelun’s bare chest. As he pulled on a lever, the cluster of needles struck with a small jerk. The pain was sharp, but as the High Cleric had said, it was just the pain of the needle itself. Then he saw them discharge the venom, a glowing blue liquid flushed out of each needle into him.
Sudden intense cold in his chest, then cramp, then fire. It felt like his chest was alight, burning, only it was inside his skin. It was both hot and cold at once, numb and painful.
Totelun howled, pulling at his restraints.
Harling’s gaunt face appeared right by his own. The shadows danced, his face contorting. ‘Now tell me, how do you intend to defeat the Medusi? Talk to me, Totelun, and I can take the pain away.’
‘I don’t know anything,’ Totelun growled. His hands were cramping as he clenched them so hard.
‘Come on, I’m a scientist and I can’t work it out. Tell me what a nobody boy like you knows about destroying the Medusi. The hordes of them, all the Celestials, all the thralls. How do you plan to kill Noctiluca?’
‘I don’t know. I don’t know how.’
‘Well that’s a little disappointing. Nothing at all?’
‘Velella was mad, like you said. You’ve got the wrong person.’ It hurt to talk, hurt to breathe. It hurt to claim he wasn’t the one. He’d seen the prophecy writ large on the walls of Velella’s prayer chamber. But how? It was a question he had asked Naus himself. He genuinely did not know.
‘What do you know about the prophecy?’
‘The same as you, if you’ve read it.’ He was breathing hard, panting, as the pain travelled all the way through him. It flowed into his hands and feet, his crotch, stabbing at him like a burning knife all the while. ‘Boy falls from the sky, boy travels the world gaining allies, boy defeats the Medusi. It doesn’t say how! I want to know too.’
‘Are you really from the sky? Why should I believe you are the one?’
‘I told you, I’m not!’ Totelun shouted. ‘I come from the Floating Islands.’
‘The Floating Islands? No one lives up there. How could they?’
‘Well I do. Did. There, is that something you didn’t know? Is that enough?’
‘What’s up there?’
‘Just a few tribes, livestock. Warriors.’
Totelun could feel the venom reaching into his head now, entering his brain. He gasped in pain, the most exquisite headache he’d ever experienced, worse even than waking after the fall itself. His mind began to swim about, Harling’s voice peeping in and out of the rock pools.
‘Tell me about the crystal you had, Totelun. Where did you get that crystal?’
Why does he want to know about that? Does he not know they come from Celestials? No, no one had seen a dead Celestial until now. But they knew about the small ones. Could he lie? Before he could stop himself he blurted, ‘It came from the heart of the Celestial.’
‘How did you come to have it?’
‘I killed it, I took it.’ The pain was veering away, leaving him with just a euphoric numbness in his mind.
‘What is it for?’
What is it for? ‘I have no idea.’
‘But you cut it from the creature for some reason?’
‘
It is the point of the hunt. To get the crystal.’ His thoughts were sliding about over each other. He had to focus hard to keep hold of them.
‘For what?’
‘For the elders, the Shamans.’
‘The Shamans? What shamans?’
‘The spiritual leaders of the tribes.’
‘And why do they want it?’
‘I don’t know!’
‘So you do know how to kill a Celestial! We are getting somewhere. You remove the crystal, just like with a common one?’
‘Yes!’ Totelun hadn’t even realised it himself, but it was true, he knew part of the how of the prophecy. He needed to kill all the Celestials, remove their power from the field of play. And he knew how to do it.
Only now, so did Harling.
The High Cleric changed direction. ‘Who are you working with, Totelun? Here on Arceth.’
‘No one. Just my friends. I have four friends. Four allies.’ His voice sounded silly, even to him.
‘Who?’
‘Naus, he’s an old man. A nomad really.’ Don’t tell him too much about Naus, he thought. That was important somehow, but it was hard to think. Don’t tell him that he’s ancient. ‘He’s very old. Like super old.’ Nice one.
‘Anyone else?’
‘Chrysaora. She likes to be called Chrys. Or Saora. But not both. I don’t know why that is. Is that important?’
‘You are babbling, Totelun. Focus. Anyone who means something? Any nobles? Anyone who isn’t a nobody?’
‘The Empress? She’s my friend now. She has nice hair, but not as nice as Cassandra’s.’ He didn’t want to speak but he found he had no control over his mouth. Words just tumbled out.
‘Oh, you know Cassandra, do you?’
‘Yes, I gave her my goggles.’ Totelun’s words were slurring together.
‘And the Empress, where is she now? I have her brother here.’
‘I never met him, but I don’t think they like each other.’
‘Where is she?’
‘I don’t know. I helped them escape. Far from here I hope.’
‘Not coming to help you then, these friends?’
‘I…hope…not.’
‘Fine, I’ve heard enough. Tragic really. Totelun, the boy who would destroy the Medusi. Couldn’t even take the dose I give to a green acolyte without babbling about old men and girl’s hair. You don’t know what you’re doing.’ He shook his head. ‘And I’m supposed to fear this?’ He levered the mechanism away, and the pain immediately began to subside. ‘The only thing of any worth is that Celestials are killed in just the same way as Wild Medusi. You know nothing about thralls or Noctiluca, or how to deal with either. I’m not even sure there is a way to attack the Goddess. We will let her decide what to do with you. Personally, I’d be surprised if she lets you live. But you are clearly of no danger to us.’
Totelun had fallen deep in unconsciousness before the guardsmen unstrapped him and returned him to his cell.
Chapter Six
Nausithorn
The woman Marlena peered through a tiny chink in the threadbare curtains. Outside it rained without mercy, a deluge fit to bathe streets and wash the filth of the city into an undeserving harbour. Naus watched her in turn, listening to the water dripping, thinking that it rained inside this abandoned building almost as much as it did outside. Marlena flitted back sharply from the window as what looked like a patrol went by. She seemed about to go back, but then changed her mind, instead sitting in the other sorry excuse for a chair next to Naus. It was so broken and low slung that her knees came up to her shoulders.
‘I’m sorry, okay?’ he tried again.
Marlena met his eye for a moment before looking back at her feet, slumped and dejected.
He'd royally mucked this rescue up. He knew it, she knew it. It didn’t matter if he thought of Marlena or Totelun, he’d messed them both up to the point he couldn’t think of a way back. In all the years of rescues he’d performed for Eleutheria, he could not remember one he’d fucked as much as this. Well, actually there was that time…
‘Why did you have to kill them?’ she said finally, both a genuine question and an exasperated complaint. She had every right to be upset.
‘It seemed like a good idea at the time.’
Her stare was like a gut punch.
‘Alright, maybe not. I didn’t mean to. It just happened. I’m an assassin by trade, you know?’
‘If you had just knocked them out maybe, they’d have hunted for a while, but they would have given up by now. This,’ she gestured to the window, ‘this is just ridiculous. They’ve been at it for more than a day, and they don’t seem to be relenting. This is on you, Naus.’
And it was. She was right. If he’d just roughed them up, or even just made off with Marlena, without hurting them, the search would have been called off within an hour, maybe two. As it was with two dead Cephean Guard and one dead Cleric, they had a point to prove, and he’d be lucky to move in the city again.
He’d tried the argument before, but he gave it one last shot. ‘I could have left you to be thralled. Would you have preferred that? Joined to a Medusi for the rest of your life? One of the new master race? I did you a favour.’
‘A favour?’
‘And this is the thanks I get?’ Maybe that was too much?
‘You made me a fugitive, you old bastard,’ she shouted, then caught herself. The building they had holed up in was open to the elements on two sides, and didn’t have much of a roof either. The windows had no glass; presumably it had been pinched years ago. Naus had needed to clear a few squatting Medusi out before they’d been able to call it home. She lowered her voice to a harsh whisper. ‘You made me a fugitive in my own city.’
‘You may not have noticed but your city has been taken over by a cult of bio-slavers. And you were about to become their slave. So cut me some slack, huh?’
That’ll teach her, he thought. Not his best comebacks ever, but they’d do.
‘You are a thoroughly disagreeable old man, you know that?’ said Marlena. She pushed herself up hands on knees and went to spy from the window again.
Naus looked across the wet wooden floor. It was strewn with debris – from the battle, he guessed – litter and rubble from the upper storeys that had been partially destroyed. Three Medusi corpses lay in puddles of blue slime, their glow long faded. He’d opened each for the tiny crystals inside, no bigger than his smallest fingernail, numbing his hands as he did. He’d never be able to barter them in a city run by the Medusi-worshipping Order, but they were worth a great deal in trade, maybe a week’s salary between the three, and he figured he had little left to lose.
He had failed Totelun, and now he’d alerted an entire city to his presence, in order to save one very ungrateful maid. He glanced at her, squinting out into the murky night and rain. They were both wet, but thankfully it wasn’t that cold.
‘Hey, Naus. There’s something going on.’ They’d been waiting for an opportunity to change their hideout. They had no food to speak of, and Naus knew it was only a matter of time before the patrols of thralled guards began searching the abandoned buildings in this part of the district. ‘Two squads jogging in the same direction and the patrol has just given up and followed them.’ They’d been hounded by one particular patrol for some time, probably using some kind of bio-engineered tracking creature with a good sense of smell. They’d lost them for a while after Naus had fallen in a gutter and washed off any residual blood. But it hadn’t been for long and the same group had been casing the buildings nearby.
‘Can you hear that?’ she asked.
He could. It was a distant, but growing closer; somewhere between a drumbeat and a haunting lullaby at once.
‘Let’s get a better look.’ Naus stood and led Marlena up the half broken staircase to the second floor and then up a second one into the attic. The attic was torn open and they were able to climb out through the hole. Naus showed Marlena where to put her feet for the safest route,
slowly drawing her across a number of roofs via planks and small jumps. It was dangerous and slippery in the rain, and Marlena was a proud woman; she clammed up and concentrated, not muttering more than a few grunts of effort as they made their way closer to the strange noise.
A few streets away they found the source of the noise. Naus took Marlena’s hand and helped her down to a ledge where they could watch. Below them, the streets were lined with hundreds of thralled guardsmen, their blue glow delineating an eerie passage into the city, and hundreds more Clerics. The citizens of Theris, its occupying horsemen and mercenaries, all were gathering around this main street. Naus thought absently that this would be the perfect time to run, while they were all distracted. But he wanted to see what was causing all the fuss, and so stayed put. I hope I don’t regret it later.
The sound came from a large procession that was entering the city through the Eastern gate. The rubble had been cleared in the last few days and with the gate lining up with this thoroughfare, it would take the procession most of the way to the palace.
The rain kept coming, but it gentled to a soft shower, almost unnoticed when compared to what they watched.
Marlena sat up close to Naus. For warmth, he supposed. Overlords knew it couldn’t have been anything else. The woman was a firebrand, so different to the meek child she’d seemed at first. She was more capable than she knew.
‘Why were you at the bar?’ he asked. He wasn’t even sure where it came from. Maybe just a distraction from what they both knew was coming into the city.
She didn’t look up. ‘No reason, I needed a port in a storm.’
Naus had some idea why she’d been there, but maybe he needed to be a little more subtle. Not his strongest skill, but sometimes, when the need was great he could manage it.
‘You know who that is, don’t you?’ he asked, pointing toward the bright night parade. The creepy lullaby was the drone of a couple of hundred Clerics and acolytes, raising their voices in a dark and foreboding hymn.
Embrace of the Medusi (The Overlords Trilogy Book 2) Page 9