City of Steam (Blackburn Chronicles)

by Dominic K Alexander

"The prince then took the title of duke and gave lesser titles to the aristocrats he allowed to stay within the inner walls. It was genius, he got rid of names and the people loved him. He gave new names which gave him the exact same status as the old names and the people continued to cheer. He knew how to play for a crowd. He stood in front of the citizens and promised prosperity would come to them now that evil had been vanquished. He was right. The first couple of years after he took control the people did prosper and begin fixing the city up to its former glory. The duke became more wealthy then he ever had. His powers rose 10-fold within that time."

  "Then, one day, everything just changed. The duke cut off the aristocrats from going into the outer city and then he started putting a lot of laws in place. The workers were no longer allowed payment for their services. They were provided with homes in the ghettos and given very little provisions. He then kept them overworked which in turn killed many of them. The starvation and endless work hours was just too much. Without cash, they were forced onto a barter system and without many possessions many were unable to survive."

  "Doctors, professors, and scientists were considered property of the duke and he rounded them all up taking them to the intercity where he had large factories ready. They were all forced to create massive amounts of war weapons and other gadgetry. The duke’s army was forged from metal and unbeatable. They have no heart or soul and are not free thinkers. They know killing and nothing more. His unstoppable army is the only thing that is keeping the city walls up. There are many other players out there who would love to take the city over, but the dukes army is just too strong. He pays the airship pirates handsomely for their services and the guards and army cost nothing. He pays a group of assassins to do what the army can't and continues to survive."

  "Well, it's a good story," Mac said. "but no one would stand for that much abuse. The people would have rebelled and dragged him through the city streets. One of his aristocratic enemies would have paid to have his head removed. Someone would have taken him out."

  Devin smiled at her. "The people did rebel. Three years ago, more than half the citizens in the city charged the intercity walls in hopes of killing the duke. He unleashed his army on them. They didn't stand a chance. The pirates hit them from above with artillery and the wall guards took them apart below. It was a bloodbath which ended fast and furious. Before the smoke even cleared or the bodies were removed, the duke sent the soldiers into the ghettos and took the youngest child of every family. He executed every one of them. Since that moment, not one soul has uttered the word rebellion."

  The thought that someone could murder that many people was disgusting. He was nothing more than Hitler in another world. The fact that this world cut him off instead of completely wiping him out showed Mac the spinelessness of the people here.

  "Or maybe they are just not willing to risk millions of lives for the lives of thousands." Devin said. "Maybe the rest of the world is just waiting for the duke to grow old and die before they simply walk in and take control. Isn't no life lost better than soldiers dying for a cause not of their own?"

  "People have the right to live. They need to be helped."

  "The people need to first help themselves. They need to walk away. These people can absolutely get the help they need if they just leave. Instead of rebelling in, they rebel out. Once free of the city they can chose where they want to live and the rest of the world will take them in and give them the sanctuary they need. Soldiers don't need to die for their cause."

  "You make it sound so simple. It isn't simple for someone to leave their home and walk away. It isn't simple to lose everything and everyone you know; your family and friends. These are the roots that made the city. They are not so easily removed." Mac shook her head. Her face was warm and she could tell her cheeks were probably reddened with anger.

  "If someone comes to kill a person, that person has two choices. They can fight or they can flee. The people fought and they lost. They continue to lose. Now it is time for them to save themselves."

  "You're a simple-minded idiot." Mac stared at him.

  "I'm a realist and obviously care more for the lives of soldiers than you do." Devin stared back. "I have seen what war does to people. I have watched friends and family die for causes not of their own. The world is a hard place, but it would be much easier if people learned to walk on their own two feet instead of expecting everyone else to carry them. Prove you want to live instead of asking for someone else to put their life on the line for you." Devin stood and started forcefully poking at coals in the fireplace with a poker. Mac could tell she had hit a nerve and decided politics was a topic best avoided. Her father always said, the best way to keep the peace is to avoid talking about politics, sports, and religion. The moment those are mentioned is the moment tempers rise.

  "How do you know about all this history anyway?" Mac asked quietly. "You make it sound as though you were there." Devin was silent for a couple more minutes before finally answering.

  "My mother was there. She was there for all of it and used to tell me the stories. She wanted me to be informed and aware of what was going on around me. She didn't want to raise a sheep for the wolves. When I was older I witnessed the massacres for myself. I walked away and moved here. I built this place and learned to survive on my own. I shoot and harvest my own food, and when danger comes too close, I protect myself. That is the life I chose and one I will give up for no one." His anger still sat on the surface and Mac watched him trying not to say the wrong thing.

  "So, if all the magic users were killed in Crystal Well, where did these other people come from?"

  Devin put the poker back on the rack and started rummaging through some papers on one of the shelves. "Not all the magic users were in the city. Some lived in the forest and other cities around the world." He finally found what he was looking for and pulled it from the pile. He unrolled a large map on the floor in front of Mac. "Many magic users took air ships overseas many years ago. They wanted to survive and knew that could not happen here."

  "So how many do you think actually survived?" Mac asked.

  "A few thousand at best would be my estimate. No more than a few hundred in these parts."

  The map showed what looked to be Europe and Asia and some random islands scattered about, but it was not like the maps from home, and this had to be incomplete since it showed only one continent. Devin pointed at a place that looked about where Poland would have been.

  "This is where we are and most of the magic users went west to find new lands to build a home."

  "You mean they went to America?"

  "Where?" He looked at her with an upturned eyebrow.

  "Oh, right, you don't have the same names for everything that I am used to." Mac pointed off the map. "America would be somewhere over here. It is where I am from, well was from, in my own world."

  "There have been many explorers sent out that way, but none of them have returned. It is now against the law to travel that far to the West." Mac sat back and thought about that for a minute. No one had discovered America in this world. No United States, no Canada, and no South America. The idea of it was shocking.

  "This world is not anything like my own. I must find a way back." Mac started fidgeting with her shirt sleeve.

  "Is it really that bad here?" Devin said.

  "Yes, Devin, yes, it is." Mac stood and started pacing around the room. "Since I have been here people have tortured and tried to kill me. I found out my family is responsible for the downfall of a nation, and I am consistently being knocked out. This place is every bit as bad as I make it out to be. I just want to go back to my cozy book store and hang out with my crazy skeleton. Life was much more simple there." Mac's breathing was racing and she paced faster. "I would have never been attacked by a compost heap back home. Seriously, what the hell is up with them?"

  "Some magic users tried to take the powers from the bog and use the beasts to lay waste to Steam City. The mages were not strong enough to co
ntrol the beasts and the beasts were obviously not happy the magic users tried to enslave them, so the beasts killed them all and they also kill any magic user they come across in the bog."

  "Except me." Mac said finally stopping and looking at him.

  "It would seem so."

  "Why?"

  "Maybe you are just too powerful for them." Devin said with a smile.

  "That's not likely." Mac said choking out a little laugh.

  "Mac, you are the great granddaughter of two of the most powerful magic users to ever live. You are the daughter of legendary parents who brought greatness to your people. The energy that flows through you is the greatest threat that has come before the duke in years, maybe ever."

  "But I'm broken." Mac said cutting him off.

  "You're not broken, you're simply inexperienced, but starting tomorrow we will change all of that. I will do my best to bring every bit of energy you have to light, but for now, it is time for bed" He paused winking. "I would be more than happy to share mine with you." Mac slowly walked up to him and ran her hand up his arm, leaned forward on her tip toes and whispered into his ear.

  "Not likely." She then giggled and walked to the bedroom.

  "Fine." Devin said with a sigh. "You can use the spare room, but you owe me one." Mac ignored him and went to her room before she snuggled up in the soft bed. She had never felt a mattress like the one she was using, but after what she had been sleeping on, this felt like heaven. She rolled onto her back and started staring at the ceiling deep in thought. My blood is the only threat to the duke. What if I fail?

  "You won't." Devin’s voice said from the next room. Mac threw a pillow at the wall, rolled over, and went to sleep.

  16.

  The dull light of morning came more quickly than Mac had hoped, and with it the smell of cooked meats and eggs. The rumbling in her stomach was enough to take away from the pull the pillow had on her. She wasn't sure how many hours of sleep she had, but it didn't seem like it was nearly enough. As she rolled over hoping for just a few more minutes of rest her stomach once again protested. Fine. She thought and lifted her head, the room came into a groggy half-awake view.

  The door was open and Devin stood at the wood stove flipping meat in one pan and sliding another off the heat.

  "I was wondering if you were going to wake up today." He said with a smile.

  "What do you mean 'if I was going to wake up today'?" Mac slid out of bed and made her way to the door. Her new dress was wrinkled and she was sure her hair looked like a hurricane hit it.

  "It has been two days." Devin replied still cooking.

  "Come again?" Mac said in more of a harsh tone than she had meant. Devin shifted anticipating the fight that was about to come.

  "Mac, your body needed time to heal. You have been hit hard repeatedly and not given yourself any time to recuperate from the damage. I know we can dull pain and sometimes not feel it at all, but the damage is still there and needs time to repair. 2 days is nothing for the damage that was done to your body. It would have taken most magic users months to repair it." He piled over a plate with the steaming food before cutting a loaf of bread. Mac's stomach again yelled angrily.

  "I needed to get back to my sister two days ago. She has to be worried about what happened to me." Mac wasn't sure. Kris hadn't seemed happy to see Mac at all since she arrived. She had all but said it was Macs fault for their father's death. Maybe she was glad to be rid of her.

  "First off, your sister loves you and cares about you a great deal, so you can just put that thinking out of your head." Devin cut off Mac's negative thoughts. "Secondly, I already sent a letter to the village letting them know you are here and safe. I also informed them that you would start training and learning to use your powers here with me." Mac calmed knowing her sister was at least informed Mac was safe.

  "Do you know how long it will take her to get here?"

  "You really don't realize the chaos you have caused, do you?" Devin continued without waiting for her response. "Assassins are combing the forest looking for you. The duke is pissed that you escaped and the duchess wants her own revenge for you killing the doctor. There is a large bounty for your capture. Every assassin in this part of the world is looking for you. The villages are all on lockdown and no one is going anywhere. This is why we need to train you up and take care of this mess before it becomes any bloodier than it already has."

  "I'm sorry, how am I supposed to end this conflict? Even if I have these powers that you think I have, I am just one person. How could I take on an army like the dukes?" Devin let out a snort of a laugh and pulled out a chair for Mac.

  "For now just worry about eating before it gets cold. Later we will figure out a plan to eliminate our opposition." Mac sat down in the chair and Devin pushed her in close to the table where the smell of the meat took her attention away from everything else. Without even using a fork, she grabbed a chunk of venison and shoved it in her mouth then bit off a hunk of bread and did the same. Mouth packed full, she reached out and took a cup of honey tea and poured some in to soften the load. Devin simply watched with a smile on his face, then sat down and started eating also.

  Within minutes Mac had cleaned her plate and looked to the stove for more. Devin had expected she would be hungry and cooked plenty of extras for her. She filled up the plate a second time and continued to shovel it in without speaking. The fresh food was delightful. She had been used to eating from cans and boxes and forgot what a good home made meal tasted like.

  "Where did you get all this fresh food?" Mac asked mouth still half full. "From what I have experienced all the people eat, at least in the city, mush for breakfast."

  "Nope, no gruel in this house. Well, maybe to hold the walls together, but not to eat." Devin sat back and smiled at Mac who rolled her eyes at the joke. "I get many of my supplies by robbing the duke's personal store houses. I don't take so much that they would notice, but enough to keep me comfortable and fed for the winter. They have more than they could ever use anyway and I think no matter how much I take I'm not sure they would notice. They have enough supplies built up to feed the city for a year. As for the meats, I poach them from the duke's lands where, again, they have so much they would never notice."

  "Won't you get into a lot of trouble if you get caught?" Mac said finally sitting back satisfied.

  "It is death for anyone caught stealing from the duke, but it also death for anyone who can use magic, so I am comfortable taking the chance. I mean, what do I have to lose, right? And I feel that no person or small group of people should be able to claim ownership of everything, especially when the subjects of that group are themselves starving. The Duke would rather let his foods spoil instead of giving it to the people who helped him produce it in the first place. These people die of starvation and the disgusting act of treason on his people must end."

  "And I thought people need to stand up for themselves and just leave?" Mac said grinning.

  "I said no soldiers should die for a cause that is not theirs if those people are not willing to stand on their own two feet." Devin's face darkened slightly. "I have no problem sending in soldiers to help if it will directly benefit those soldiers."

  "I'm not following."

  "You are my soldier, Mac, and you are more than capable of saving all the people in the city."

  "You have got to be kidding me."

  "I'm not." Devin leaned forward and stared at Mac. "This man has killed your people and continues to do so. He has enslaved your mother and is searching for your father. He will kill you and your sister when he finds you. He will set fire to everything and everyone you know. The people of the city are not your cause, but the duke certainly is. It just so happens by killing one, you are saving the others. So, you see, I am not willing to send in soldiers for the people, but I am willing to help someone kill the person who wants nothing more than to harm them, and in turn help the people."

  "I'm broken." Mac said through clenched teeth and leaning in clo
se to Devin.

  "The blood of Gods will prevail." Devin stared into Mac. "Your grandmother single handedly destroyed the biggest threat our people has ever seen. I am sure you are perfectly capable of killing the duke."

  "I already told you, I have no idea how to use my powers." Mac held out her hand towards him and started wiggling her fingers like a little kid. "Wooooo. See, nothing happens.” Devin watched her making a fool of herself then reached across the table and smacked her across the face. Her anger welled up and a massive blast of wind threw Devin across the room and into the wall. Books and dishes fell from their shelves and dust rained down from the ceiling.

  "Oh my God, are you all right?" Mac threw her chair back and ran to him leaning over and putting her arm around him helping him stand back up. He coughed several times and held his ribs which Mac was sure were at least bruised if not broken.

  "I'm fine." He said still coughing, cringing, and laughing. "We just need to find a way to tap into that power and I think we will be all right."

  "Well, if you plan on hitting me every time you want me to use my powers, I'm pretty sure it will mean death for you." Devin tried to laugh again, but fell forward in pain. "Seriously, I will end up hurting you."

  "I can see that." Devin stood up straight and leaned back hard. His back and sides cracked and popped in protest. He froze for a minute before a green hue came from under his shirt and he started breathing normally again. The glow ceased and he picked up his chair and sat back down. Mac stared at him for a minute then sat herself. "That was a reactionary use of magic. It was something small, but fierce. I am very curious to see what it would have looked like if you had put some oompf to it."

  "Well, if I had to guess, you would be a splatter on the wall." She hesitated for a second then asked. "What is that green light that shined. Are you an alien?" Devin laughed.

  "I am a fairly capable healer and when I use my healing energy it lights up green." Devin said. "But it really takes it out of me. The honey tea helps, but it takes me some time to regain what I used. For now, I need to just rest and think about how to tap into your energy." Mac poured him another cup of tea and figured if he needed time to rest, then she had some free time to explore his book shelves.