City of Steam (Blackburn Chronicles)

by Dominic K Alexander

  "Walter, why do you do this?" She asked "Why work for the duke?"

  "Darlin, the ones you love are worth more than your life." Walter continued to ride without looking down at her.

  "He is holding your daughter prisoner, isn't he?"

  "The duke is very good at getting what he wants, even if it's an old outlaw like me." His eyebrows furrowed at the thought. Mac watched his expressions, a knot in her stomach, knowing his daughter could be killed...or worse, and it was all because of her. She put the thought out of her head and looked away.

  "Don't worry, Walter, things will get better." Walter looked down at her with wide eyes then again furrowed his eyebrows and looked ahead. Mac didn't know how much faith he had in her, but there was at least a little. If there wasn't, she was sure he would have killed her and the two assassins before he snuck back to rescue his daughter and run by now. Since they all continued to breathe it was a safe bet that there was at least some hope.

  As they rode deeper into the woods, the air seemed to get slightly colder and it became darker than anything Mac had ever experienced. Their lights seemed to be swallowed by blackness and gave off a faint hew of illumination as they moved forward. She looked back to the assassins and smiled slightly as one of the men was visibly green and dripping with sweat.

  Then it hit her. At first it was a chill up her spine and small goose bumps running up and down her body, then the sensation became much stronger. The goose bumps turned into a permanent fixture on her body and the feeling of static ran through her. There was even a slight spark off her arms every now and then as the cloth of her shirt rubbed up against her skin. She felt full of energy, and yet, at the same time everything spun slightly around her.

  "We're close." Walter said looking at Mac with a quick glance before taking careful watch of their surroundings. "If you boys want to get out of this one alive, you may want to pay close attention to what's around you." He smiled again when the sound of one of the assassins throwing up filled the forest which was followed by the muttering of disapproval from the other.

  "Why are they so scared of this place?" Mac said taking a deep breath as things continued to spin in front of her.

  "You need to remember, Mac, these men hunt your kind and kill them without hesitation. Now we are dragging them into a place where millions died. There are rumors that the energy of those murdered here fills the ruins and takes anyone who the city deems responsible."

  "Like these two tough guys." Mac said a bit louder while hooking a finger back at them. The sound of throwing up again echoed off the trees. She let out a chuckle.

  "What makes you think we are going to find your father here anyway?" Walter said with a raised eyebrow.

  "My father is the most wanted man in your world. I can't think of a better place for him to hide than ruins where everyone else is scared to go. Think about it, has anyone come here to look for him?" Mac asked.

  "There was a small group of men," Walter said then rose his voice "but they never returned." More echoing of vomit. Mac and Walter just laughed. She had hoped the poor guy would flee, but he just hung in there with them. It screamed volumes of how cruel the duke was.

  After several more minutes of riding they broke free of the trees and into an overgrown clearing with moss covered ruins at the center. Even with the earth coming together and coating the great stone walls, Mac could see the city was massive. It went on as far as she could see to the left and right. The walls were at least as big as the ones protecting steam city except these were badly worn and damaged, stones had broken free and crumbled to the ground, likely from the vegetation creeping in and taking them down from the insides. The spinning worsened and Mac had to stop her roller tank before she fell off it. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. The sound of small sparks of electricity came off her at regular intervals. Walter startled her when she felt his hand on her back.

  "Drink some water, it will help." He said. "Once you get your bearings we will head in, but I don't anticipate you feeling any better anytime soon."

  "What do you mean?" Mac asked after taking a drink.

  "I'm assuming this place is affecting you more than it is us because of your powers. Even I have a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach and a fuzzy feeling up and down my arms and I have no magic to speak of. You are getting hit full on with an energy steam train."

  "This puts a damper on my ability to find my father." Mac said.

  "Why's that?"

  Mac took another deep breath and swig from the canteen. "Every time a therma is around the hair stands up on my arms. Now the hair won't go down so my spidey senses are broken."

  "Your what?" Walter asked.

  "Nothing, forget it." Mac sighed forgetting she was dealing with such a timeless bunch.

  "Well, if you can't sense him, we'll have to do things the old fashion way and track him." Walter mounted up again.

  "It will take more than 3 days to search a city this big." Mac said in protest.

  "Millions of your people violently died here and their energy fills this place. Because of that you are unable to sense anything but their energy, so unless you have a better idea we will need to do things the old fashion way."

  Mac let out a long breath before sitting up, bringing her roller tank back to life, and starting forward. Walter and the other assassins looked around them for signs of life that had moved through. Everything on the outside of the city was overgrown and untouched.

  The massive doors to the city were burned away and broken allowing the group to easily enter the city and continue their search. Even within the city walls there was no sign of life anywhere.

  Mac could see how beautiful the city once was through the overgrowth of greenery and damage from the fire. With many of the buildings reduced to rubble, many others stood tall and defiant against the wreckage. The moon broke free from the clouds and illuminated the buildings with a light blue glow. The care and love which had been put into this city was visible all around them, but as they moved further into the maze of ruined buildings the damage worsened and piles of blackened stone blocked many of the roads forcing them to detour into the dark alleyways.

  The alley opened into what could have once been a play yard surrounded by old broken shops. A rock fell from one of the buildings close by and before Mac could see where it had come from, Walter had already trained his gun in the rocks direction. Then something scurried through the shadows of the alley from where they had just come. Again, Walter had his gun pointed in the direction of the noise. The guards stumbled to turn their vehicles and pull their overly bulky rifles from their holsters. They were fast, but the thing in the shadows was much faster. A loud scream of defiance came from the darkness and a massive black claw sprung out grabbing our green assassin and ripping him back into the black. His screams were quickly silenced by the sounds of crunching bones.

  Mac leapt off her tank and ran to pull the other assassin back as he fired blindly into the direction the claw had come from. The action was useless. There was another scream from the shadows and a second claw grabbed the man. Without even pulling him back it snapped its claw closed severing the assassin in two. Mac tried to stop, but the years of debris sent her into a skid and she dropped back onto the ground staring into the darkness.

  A massive pseudoscorpion emerged from the shadows, claws painted red with the assassin’s blood. It was easily ten feet tall and now stared at Mac who was frozen only a couple feet from the face of the monster who examined his next victim, but didn't move. Neither did Mac.

  "Mac, move slowly to your bike, pull the throttle as hard as it will go, and don't look back." Walter said quietly while slowly moving his horse away from them; guns still on their mark. Mac listened to Walter, moving steadily towards her bike. She finally reached it, stood, and mounted it while showing no threat to the monster in any way.

  Walter turned his horse around and looked at Mac. "You ready?" She gave him and unsure nod through moist eyes and took a deep breath. Wal
ter snapped the reins hard and lurched forward in a sprint. Mac pushed the throttle as far as it would go; the tank jetted forward. With a loud screech the pseudoscorpion pursued.

  As fast as Walter's horse and her tank moved, the pseudoscorpion was faster, climbing up a half-wrecked building and past before leaping in front of them ready to attack. Walter quickly turned down a street to the left and Mac cut hard trying to follow. The tracks skid sideways smashing into the monster and sending it to the ground before the tank sped off again rolling over debris without an issue.

  Mac couldn't get the size of the pseudoscorpion out of her head. She had seen one in her biology class and it wasn't larger than a pin head. The claw alone on this one was the size of her and it wanted to squeeze the life from her without any care. She had no idea how she was going to stop it, but there had to be a way, and she was not about to give up.

  The pseudoscorpion again ran past Mac and headed straight for Walter. She pushed the throttle as far as it would go; her knuckles white from the pressure. The little tank gained ground on the monster and Mac cut to the side riding next to it. They ran toe to toe towards the tail of Walter's horse.

  Fear and adrenaline filled Mac and she reached out her hand to use her powers trying to get the earth to trip the beast up, but nothing happened. She began to shake and tried again. Still nothing. Finally, pissed, Mac just pulled hard on the handlebars of the tank and ran it into the side of the pseudoscorpion. The monster lost control and smashed into the buildings next to it burying itself under several tons of rubble. Dust and dirt filled the area blinding her for a second until she broke free.

  Mac straightened the tank, which rolled on unfazed, and looked back at the silent motionless cloud of dust behind her. She threw her arms into the air victorious. The tank hit a small pile of debris and she almost fell off before deciding to stop celebrating and catch up to Walter. She hit the throttle again and within seconds pulled next to him.

  "Going somewhere?" Mac said with a smile. Walter rounded, pointing his gun at her head. "Whoa cowboy. Good guy." Mac said and slowed her tank. Walter looked behind him and slowed to a stop with Mac.

  "Where'd he go?" Walter said breathing heavy.

  "I got tired of the chase, so I squished him with a rock." Mac glowed from her win. Walter looked at her, head cocked slightly to the side. He was pale taking heavy breaths and sweat ran down his face. "You all right, old man."

  "I've never felt anything like that before." Walter said closing his eyes and finally holstering his gun.

  "What did you feel?" Mac asked having felt nothing.

  "Every fear I have ever had welled up in me. I couldn't concentrate or act. All I could do was run and try to get away." He looked at her shaking slightly. "My head is full of everything bad I have ever done. I just can't escape it." He put his sweat covered head in his hands. Mac watched him shake and hopped off her tank to console him. No matter what his past looked like or how cold he could be, he still saved her and she owed him for that.

  As she reached up for him the wall next to them exploded, shrapnel slicing into their bodies and sending them to the ground; unable to move. The pseudoscorpion stood before them ready for its next meal. Without warning it charged for Walter. There was nothing more that Mac could do. There were no more weapons or tricks. Every bit of fight left her. She simply held up her hand and screamed for it to stop.

  A burst of bright white light filled the area and the pseudoscorpion fell to the earth limply; spraying Walter and Mac with debris. Then the light faded out and the monster twitched slightly before standing and looking at her through the dust. She wasn't sure if it was about to attack or flee, but it stood staring. She didn't know what she did, but there was no way she could do it a second time. Her ears rang loudly and the buildings spun. Rolling forward she began puking violently, then lay back watching and waiting for it to kill them.

  "Please, just leave us." She pleaded, crying and defeated. The pseudoscorpion stared for a long second, then turned and walked away. It couldn't be that easy. She thought.

  She was right.

  21.

  A figure emerged from the shadows, it's robes, torn and covered with dirt, flowed from side to side moving gracefully with the cloaked figure. There were no weapons to be seen or quick attacks, it just came for them.

  "This city lay waste to all that venture in." The figures voice echoed loudly off the ruins in a deep rasp disguising whether it was a man or woman talking to them. "Ye shall be judged on the weight of thy soul."

  Mac couldn't think of a good answer and spit out the first thing that came to her. "We come in peace." She tried to take the words back the moment they left her mouth, but it was too late. The cloaked figure stood above her and started laughing loudly. Its laugh shook the buildings sending more rubble to the ground around them. Mac cringed cupping her ears from the loudness and Walter moaned, unconscious and knowing nothing of what was going on around them. Finally, it stopped and stared at her again.

  "Why have you come here, child?" The figure echoed.

  "I think my father is hiding somewhere among the ruins of this city." Mac replied quickly.

  "This city has been vacant of outside life for many years. What would make you think I would allow someone to come hide within these walls?" It asked.

  "This city and the area around it is filled with darkness and fear. Those who dare come close can feel the power within it and flee. My father is a wanted man and is hiding here, or the person who took my father is hiding him for that same reason. It would be to his advantage to risk everything and take refuge in this place. Though, I could be wrong, and if so we will leave this place and never return." She looked at the figure and it looked back surveying her for several long moments.

  "Things are not as simple as you make them out to be." The figure said moving from Mac to Walter and crouching down beside him looking up and down his battered body. "This one must be judged. All who enter must be judged." Mac knew this was a death sentence for Walter. She watched as the figure reached out a long frail hand and placed it on Walter's forehead. A slight green glow illuminated him.

  "Please, don't take him from me, he is my protector." Mac said quickly now breathing hard again.

  "His life has been dark. Why should I spare one who brings harm?" The figure asked.

  "Just because someone has a checkered past does not mean they have an evil heart." Mac said. The figure turned to her, head cocked, then looked back to Walter.

  "His past is not as checkered as you may think, child, but you are correct, his soul is as pure as yours. If either of you ever lose your purity I will come for you. Do you understand?"

  "I do." Mac replied. The figure pressed its finger into the ground and a large stone came forth lifting Walter's horse and standing it back up next to my tank. It then laid its hand back on Walter's forehead and his body began to glow a deep green. After several seconds, he stared to stir and finally opened his eyes. He froze looking upon the figure who looked over him. As the glow fades away the figure leaned in close to Walter and whispered something in his ear, but they were too far for Mac to hear what was said.

  "As for your father,” The figure began. "There is a man who comes and goes as he pleases in these ruins. His soul is very dark and yet his power is stronger than any I have seen in many centuries. Bring his death and I shall reveal what you seek."

  "But I am unable to use my power." Mac protested. "If this person is so strong, he will kill me before I am even able to come close to him."

  "I am the protector of this place and I will see no more harm come to it. These lands have seen more death than any other. It must end." The figure glided to Mac. She couldn't make out its face under the robe, but as it reached out and grabbed her hand she felt its soft warm touch was that of comfort like a mothers would be. "You have a greater light than any I have seen...ever. I will give you this ring of power and it will make you focus your energy and harness a power so great your adversaries will cower in your
presence. Now go and rid my city of the evil." As it pulled away from Mac a silver ring lay in her palm. The ring was simple and wrapped in a small leafy vine. She slid it on her finger and could feel the energy flow strong within her. Mac watched wide eyed as the figure glided back into the ruins. Walter sat on the ground never taking his eyes away from it.

  "What did it say to you?" Mac asked while walking over to help him up. He still stared in the direction that the figure had disappeared into. "Walter!" Mac said loudly. After another second he looked at her, white, pale, and beaded with sweat.

  "Uh...nothing." He replied shaking his head slightly and wiping his arm across his forehead. "It... uh...it doesn't matter. We need to get moving." He again considered the shadows before mounting his horse which was banged up and full of new dents. He didn't seem to notice. Mac stood next to the horse, lay her hand on its side, and asked the metal to take its proper shape again. The dents popped out and within seconds the horse looked like new again. Mac just looked at the ring with a smile.

  "Walter, are you all right?" Mac asked. Walter shook his head slightly, wiped his brow a second time, and pulled the reins on his horse which roared back to life.

  "Yea, Mac, I'm fine." Walter seemed to regain his composure rather quickly before continuing. "I think I know where we can find your father." Mac just stared waiting for more of an answer, but it didn't come.

  "Walter, that thing told me I needed to kill someone that is wandering the city." Mac said. "She even gave me this ring to help." Walter looked down at Mac's outstretched hand and saw the ring.

  "Ring or no ring. If there is someone or something out there that she is unable to kill, then we have one heck of a problem on our hands."

  "She?" Mac asked.

  "We need to find this thing before it finds us." Walter pulled his six shooter, spun the cylinder, and in one smooth motion gave it a slow twirl on his finger and holstered it. "Follow me."

  Mac barely mounted her tank before Walter started off back into the ruins. Surprisingly enough, even with the beating it had just taken, the tank ran smooth over the debris and rubble as they went. Every time she asked where they were going, Walter just ignored her with a dead man’s stare into the distance.