Betrayer's Bane

by Michael G. Manning

  Tyrion disagreed. “Not until I’m ready. I’ll close it when you go in to stay, or if they manage to fight their way past you.”

  Her visage was calm, “You will be waiting a long time then.”

  “Brigid, I’m serious. I don’t intend to leave you to die here. Don’t you want to see the new world? You could have a new life. Take a husband, have children of your own…”

  She began to laugh, “I will never have a man to bed, not unless he has the strength to command my respect, or failing that, the power to bend me to his desire. Do you know of such a man?”

  Reconsidering his words, he had to admit the thought seemed rather ridiculous, but he remembered the change that had occurred when she had been forced to care for Inara and Eldin. Yet he still found it sad. After all that he had wrought, all the evils he had done and still had to do, to think that Brigid would never have a chance at something better.

  Glancing up he saw she was still staring at him, a challenge in her eyes as she waited for his reply. With a sigh, he answered, “No, I don’t.”

  She stepped up to him, “There is only one who I respect, and I won’t have him. There is only one strong enough to force me, and he would never do such a thing.” Standing on her toes she kissed his cheek before turning away.

  ***

  Emma leaned over Brangor’s stasis box as he opened his eyes, “We have another task for you.”

  The Mordan mage sat up, counting the people around him. They seemed even more tense than usual, which was saying something. “Where do you want to go?”

  “Several places,” she answered promptly. “First, I want you to take Violet to chamber one, then return and take Abby and Ian to chamber two. After that Tad needs to go to chamber three, and then you’ll take Ryan and me to the next target.”

  He knew better than to ask questions. He did as he was told, taking Violet first and leaving as she started talking to her sister Ashley, who was already at chamber one. He did the same with the others, until only Emma and Ryan were left.

  As he put his hands out for them, Emma spoke again, “Actually, take us to chamber four before we go to the target. I need to talk to Piper.” Just in case we don’t make it back, she needs to know it’s time to find her rest.

  ***

  Abby stood on the opposite side of Brangor as he teleported her and Ian, and after they arrived she was glad to see David. The thought of being alone with her demented brother was unpleasant.

  “No more citizens to put away?” asked David.

  She shook her head, “The Centyr have attacked. Those left, are lost. Father wants us to find our boxes and get in them.”

  “Hard to believe we’re really doing this,” said David. “What will it be like when we open our eyes again, I wonder?”

  “For me, not much different,” said Abby. The enchantment on her stasis box was set with a timer included. She would waken after a year to make certain everything was as it should be. She would continue to rise periodically after that, checking on the state of the world.

  Someone had to decide when it was safe for what was left of humanity to emerge.

  “If you prefer, I could take your place, Abby,” suggested Ian, with a wicked gleam in his eye.

  She could only imagine what he might do, alone in a cavern full of helpless women. “That won’t be necessary.”

  Ian laughed, “Still don’t trust me? I am your brother, after all.”

  “Let’s find our places,” said David, tired of the conversation already.

  “How about a hug before we part?” said Ian, mockingly. He didn’t really expect either of them to accept his offer.

  Abby glanced at David, meeting his eyes, and he nodded faintly back at her. Then she answered, “One hug, but make it brief.”

  Ian looked at her, confused, and then he smiled. Opening his arms, he embraced her, though she kept her own hands at her side. “There won’t be many of us in this new world, right Abbs? We have to stick together.” He slid one hand down to caress her hip.

  And then he stiffened, his body jerking as though it had been struck by lightning as David’s knife slid between the vertebrae in the middle of his back. His arms lost their strength and Abby pulled them away before helping him down to the floor. Ian’s eyes stared up at her while his mouth gaped. He was still conscious, but he couldn’t draw breath to speak.

  “You won’t be there,” said David, looking down. “And the world will be better for it.”

  Abby’s expression was hard, “Before you die, you should know, this wasn’t just our decision. We all agreed to it. Even Emma couldn’t forget what your part in all this was, and no one wanted to see you trying to act as a father to all those children. They’ll be better off this way.”

  Ian died, and when Abby stood back up her hands were trembling.

  David looked at her with concern, Abby was the least suited for this sort of thing. She still had more compassion than any of them. “I’m sorry, Abby, but you know it was for the best.” He started to embrace her but she stepped back.

  “No more hugs, David. Not now, not after—that,” she told him. She wasn’t sure she would ever be able to hug another person again, not without remembering.

  “I’m sorry,” he replied, looking down. “It isn’t fair that this has fallen on you. You’re the last person that should have to do this.” Stretching out his hand, he offered her the dagger.

  It was a short, ugly thing. A dark iron blade with no magic or enchantment on it at all. They had chosen it because it was the least likely weapon to be noticed by a mage. It would be useless against a shield of any type, strong or weak, enchanted or otherwise. It would only serve against a defenseless target, one that trusted the holder.

  Whatever his sins had been, Ian had trusted David and Abby.

  Abby accepted it, tucking it into the belt around her waist. “It has to be me. I couldn’t forgive myself otherwise.” Nor can I forgive myself for the horrors I’ve already committed, she added mentally.

  David nodded, and then the two of them found their respective boxes and got inside. Activating the enchantment from within, they were frozen in time, and then they knew no more.

  Chapter 45

  The place where Emma and Ryan appeared was bitterly cold. Located near the southern pole she wondered if it was even worth the effort, but Tyrion had been adamant. According to him the locations were irrelevant, it was the effect they would have on the weather afterward that was important.

  A darker, colder world would be difficult for any She’Har that survived the plague, if any survived.

  Emma settled in, making herself comfortable before beginning her task and Ryan held her hand, raising a shield around the three of them and beginning his vigil.

  Brangor simply waited. Each time he had taken them to one of their targets, the result had been frightening. Twice he had feared they wouldn’t survive. He doubted today would be any different, especially without the wild girl here to reinforce the shield.

  Soon the earth began to shake, not in a steady fashion, but with great hiccupping jerks followed by still pauses. A deep cracking sound issued from the distant horizon and the sky in that direction grew dark.

  A hot wind blew from that direction and Ryan raised a large shield to surround them, keeping whatever toxic fumes were in the air from reaching them. Bowing his head he seemed to be meditating and then, after a moment, Emma’s eyes began to flutter.

  It’s time to go, he told Brangor.

  Their next destination should have been a quiet one. It had been when they had scouted it months before. It lay dozens of miles from the border of the Gaelyn Grove. Today, though, the area was swarming with She’Har. They roamed the region, no more than a few hundred yards between one and the next.

  Ryan’s magesight identified them by their odd shapes, krytek.

  They didn’t have a Prathion with them to hide their presence this time, and apparently the She’Har had enough knowledge of geology to figure out where th
ey would likely show up.

  The krytek noticed their appearance just as quickly as Ryan identified them. All those within range began to circle in toward them, signaling those farther away to join them.

  Take us back, ordered Ryan.

  “No,” said Emma. “We will finish this.”

  They’ll kill us, Em. There’s too many, he argued.

  “Give me just a few minutes, then they’ll be too busy dying to worry about us.” The determination in her face wouldn’t be denied.

  He was still holding her, since she had hardly had time to recover her senses after her last effort. Emma reached up with one hand and pulled his mask away. “Let me see you, one more time.”

  We don’t have time for this, he protested, flinching as his face became visible. He knew how hideous he was.

  Craning her neck, Emma kissed his scarred cheek. He no longer had lips to serve the purpose. “I know you think you’re ugly, but you’ve always been beautiful to me,” she said.

  You’re a fool, Em. With a thought he activated the runes on his arm, creating a powerful rune shield around them. Then he noticed that Brangor was gone. The Mordan mage had decided to take his chances with the kill tattoo rather than face a horde of krytek. We’re going to die. You know that.

  “Them first,” she whispered, and then she relaxed, closing her eyes.

  The first attacks hardly registered. The shield created by the enchantment on his arm was reinforced by the power he had stored in it. But the krytek around them grew in number with each passing minute, and the spellweaves that they used to tear at his defense grew more powerful as the krytek realized their enemy wasn’t fighting back. They took their time, creating efficient weaves to cut into his magic.

  Minutes passed as they strove to destroy the shield, and with each second the attacks grew stronger, and the aythar stored in his arm dwindled.

  Ryan ignored them, focused wholeheartedly on his task and keeping his attention on Emma’s peaceful face.

  She could almost be asleep, he thought.

  He felt it when the energy in his arm faded. The shield flickered, but he threw his own power into it, straining with all his might to keep it intact. The effort required was enormous, but he would not relent. Watching Emma, tears began to run from his one good eye, I love you, Em. I’ve always loved you.

  She couldn’t hear him, of course. Her mind was far away.

  And then the strain overcame him. The shield collapsed and he sank into unconsciousness. It was a small mercy that he never felt the pain of the blast that severed his head from his shoulders.

  ***

  Emma struggled in the darkness of the earth. Above she could see the tiny speck of flesh that had been her body, still cradled in the arms of the man she loved. It was hard to let go, to expand enough to accomplish her task. The rock was more stable here, it needed more convincing to release its bonds. Yet her attention kept returning to the two humans forms crouched on the surface.

  Time was her enemy, and the distraction made it worse.

  Whatever time was…

  She was nearly there when she felt the man’s death. The pain of it made her contract, losing her grip on what she had been doing. Ryan!

  The name meant something to her, and with it came a torrent of emotion—and pain. Anger filled her, and at last she was able to release her hold on the flesh that tormented her. She expanded, leaving her pain behind and carrying the rage as her humanity faded.

  The ground where Emma and Ryan’s bodies lay exploded upward as thousands of tons of rock and soil erupted. It swirled for a moment and then coalesced, forming a massive giant of stone with eyes of red fire.

  The krytek attacked immediately. They were not created to know fear, but their attacks did little to the monster in their midst.

  The giant swept those nearest away, using her colossal stone fists, and then she gestured at the earth. Red hot magma shot forth in geysers around her. The earth shook as she sundered the foundations of the world with her will, with her anger.

  The land shook for hundreds of miles in every direction and the thing that had been Emma strode across it, killing every living thing that she found. Humanoids, animals, and trees she destroyed, but the she hated the trees most of all.

  Her wrath lasted for days, but none survived to tell of it. When it finally ended she lay down and found her rest, surrendering her body of stone and rejoining the earth.

  ***

  “I wonder why they haven’t attacked,” said Tyrion.

  Brigid was pacing, frustrated. “You did too much when you came in. They probably think you’ll call the lightning down again.”

  Tyrion grunted. “Maybe. The krytek aren’t made to be fearful, but perhaps they don’t want to lose the rest of their force.”

  The ground bucked beneath their feet and then a distant roar rolled over them.

  “Was that Emma’s doing?” asked Brigid.

  He shook his head, “She’s too far away. None of the targets were close enough for us to feel anything. It was one of the decoy chambers.” Poking his head out the doorway he looked in the direction of the city. A dark brown cloud rose above it. “They must have been using their time to search for the rest of the people we hid.”

  There were several such chambers in the city, hidden, but not hidden, they were meant to be found. Each had several hundred of the slave mages entombed in the stasis boxes they had created for themselves. The enchantments were trapped, though. They held more aythar than necessary, and when tampered with they were made to deconstruct themselves with violent consequences.

  Tyrion gave an evil chuckle. Once the enemy had tangled with a few of those they would be more hesitant to look for the rest of the people he had sequestered. The chambers that held the citizens of Colne and Lincoln were located much farther away, and much deeper in the earth. They were hidden using his and Emma’s special talent.

  While he was almost certain the She’Har couldn’t find them, he had decided that the best way to stop the enemy from looking was to give them something to find. Making the decoy chambers into traps was just an added benefit.

  Brigid went to the door, “It’s been more than an hour, closer to two. I’m tired of waiting.”

  He sighed, “I can’t release the krytek until you go downstairs and get in that box.”

  “I’m going to take my reward.”

  Tyrion frowned.

  “What you promised me, years ago, Father. Blood.”

  “They’ll just overwhelm you. You can’t win, Brigid.”

  “I don’t want to win,” she replied. “That’s your job. But, I cannot lose.” She gave him a feral grin, the light of madness shining clearly in her eyes.

  “You lose when they kill you.”

  Brigid pulled the dirty dress she wore over her head. It was the one she had taken to wearing while she cared for Inara and Eldin. “They can’t kill me, Father. Only I can do that. Come, watch me. Watch me bleed and burn.”

  Tyrion’s heart twisted suddenly. He had thought he was done with such emotions, but now that he knew what she meant to do he found himself reluctant. I don’t want to lose her. I’ve lost too many already. “Don’t do this, please.”

  She ignored him, walking out the door.

  “Damnitt,” he swore. Running down the stairs he removed the two tokens he needed from the chamber below, I didn’t want to survive this anyway.

  He noticed something odd before he left the chamber. A spellweave had been laid over Lyralliantha’s stasis box.

  “What?” he said, talking to himself in the dark. Examining the alien magic he read the pattern. Since taking the loshti had had gotten much better at identifying their magics, just as he could now speak and read their language perfectly.

  The spellweave was a lock, and a trap. It would have to be removed before the enchantment on her sarcophagus could be released, and if it was forced the results would be lethal.

  And he didn’t know the key.

  He stared a
t it, thinking hard. Only one person could be responsible. Thillmarius hadn’t left when he had said he would. He had waited, and listened. He discovered our betrayal, thought Tyrion, and then committed one of his own.

  Now he had an excellent reason to leave.

  Listening to the stone for a moment he closed the chamber and ran back up the stairs. Brigid was already outside, walking away from the house. He caught up to her. “Let’s head for the Prathion Grove.”

  “As long as there’s fighting,” she answered. “What do you want to do there?”

  “I need to find Thillmarius.”

  Chapter 46

  Brigid got her wish almost immediately. Once they had left the area closest to Albamarl and begun walking toward the grove the krytek took notice of them.

  It started with several massive spellbeasts running at them. Tyrion used the tattoos on his right arm as a channel, directing a precise lance of power that tore through the heart of each beast. Spellbeasts were largely immune to most attacks, their bodies would simply reform after any injury, but he had faced enough of them during his years in the arena that he had learned to spot the central nexus of the magic that sustained them.

  Brigid gave him a harsh look.

  “Don’t worry, there will be more,” he said reassuringly.

  And there were. He and his daughter broke into a fast trot, covering ground and trying to keep their momentum going as a nightmarish assembly of bizarre krytek began appearing from different directions.

  Tyrion’s rune channeled blasts were sufficient to pierce their defenses and slay them at great distances, until there were just too many to continue. His focused attacks took too long, and required precision to aim.

  Emma wouldn’t have had that problem, he thought with a smile, thinking of her with pride, before they fell on him.

  He kept his armblades short and intense, ensuring that even glancing strikes would still have the power required to break the defenses of his foes, and he never, ever, stopped moving. They were everywhere and the close range meant that any attack that landed might have the necessary force to bring his journey to the Prathion Grove to an abrupt and fatal end.