‘Oh shut up, you sanctimonious asshole,’ Shella said.
Laodoc heard Bridget chuckle from where she stood by the pilot’s controls at the rear of the carriage.
‘The sooner we get there,’ Agang went on, ‘the sooner we can put an end to the misrule of the Emperor, and bring peace to the world.’
‘Are you out of your ape mind?’ Shella said. ‘In the far from certain event that we do manage to stop that mad bastard, do you really believe that wars will suddenly end? We were fighting each other before the Emperor went nuts, and we’ll do the same after.’
‘You’re wrong,’ Agang said. ‘You’re missing the point. The empire was a success, if only for a short while. It points the way, it shows us what we need to do. Unite the peoples of the world under a single banner, with one law for all, and one government to rule fairly.’
Shella laughed. She opened her flask and took a sip.
‘And I don’t suppose,’ she said, ‘that you have any suggestions about who should rule? Or were you thinking about constituting a democracy?’
‘I feel no shame in stating the simple truth,’ he said. ‘We should rule. After we have killed the Emperor, we will be in the heart of government, ready to take the reins.’
Shella started laughing again.
‘We each have experience of governing,’ he went on, ignoring her. ‘I was king of Sanang, while you, my friend, were chancellor of Rahain. Even Shella here,’ he smirked, ‘was a princess. We would make a formidable team.’
‘And Bridget too,’ said Laodoc.
‘Indeed,’ said Agang. ‘I include her in this also.’
‘What a fucking honour,’ Bridget said, rolling her eyes. ‘I get to be in Agang’s club.’
‘Think it through, Bridget,’ Agang said. ‘The four of us, we could rule the world.’
‘Being in charge sucks,’ said Shella. ‘I’d have thought being king would’ve taught you that.’
‘And how long were you king for?’ Bridget asked.
‘Eight thirds,’ he said, glowering. ‘Longer than you were chief.’
‘This conversation’s pointless,’ Shella said. ‘Let’s focus on beating the Emperor, not waste our time with this bullshit.’
‘Spoken like a true leader,’ Agang said.
Laodoc gazed out of the window. He could see land approaching.
‘We’re only a couple of hours from the city,’ he said. ‘Shella, you know it best. Where should we land?’
The Rakanese mage frowned. ‘Depends. We should take a quick flyover first, see what’s happening. The city might be armed to the teeth, ready to fight us off. I don’t know how many ballista it would take to knock out our flying snakes, in which case our flyover should be high.’ She shook her head. ‘Either way, we’ll be letting the world know we’re arriving or, well, they’ll know somebody’s arriving.’
‘We do have the option of landing further from the city,’ Laodoc said, ‘and travelling the final miles on foot. That way, we could enter the city unannounced.’
‘Speed and surprise,’ said Agang. ‘These are the most formidable weapons at our disposal. We land as close as possible to the Emperor, and unleash Shella upon them.’
‘Excuse me?’ she said. ‘Is that how you see me? As some sort of killing machine?’
‘I’ve witnessed your power with my own eyes,’ he said, ‘but you won’t be alone. When we land, I will be at your side, shielding you as I did at the camp, and ready to heal you if you are wounded.’
Shella frowned, and lit a cigarette. ‘And we’ll be doing this in a couple of hours? Shit.’
Lola switched places with Bridget, and the Brig woman came and sat next to Laodoc, who was gazing out at the green fields racing by beneath them. Bridget picked up a bottle of wine, liberated from a farmhouse they had passed a few days before, and took a swig.
‘I’ll watch your back,’ she said, ‘while they’re off doing their heroics.’
‘Thanks,’ he said. ‘It’s at times like this that I feel my age, while my younger companions are getting ready to fight. Are we being rash, Bridget?’
She laughed, then took another swig. ‘Laodoc,’ she said, ‘we’re about to fly right into the heart of the imperial capital, where the mad Emperor is either waiting for us or not, is weak… or not. Rash doesn’t even begin to cover it.’
‘Yet I feel,’ he said, ‘somehow confident.’
‘Aye,’ she said, ‘me too. Been feeling it all day. Like it’s what we’re meant to do.’
Laodoc smiled. ‘Maybe it is.’ He reached for his blanket. ‘I’m going to try to get some sleep now, or at least rest. I imagine we have a busy time ahead.’
‘No problem,’ Bridget said. ‘I’ll be sure to wake you when it all kicks off.’
Laodoc stretched out on the wooden bench and lay down. He closed his eyes, feeling the rocking of the carriage, and hearing the low chatter of the passengers. He tried to sleep, but his head was full of thoughts. Although Agang’s enthusiasm hadn’t spread to Shella, Laodoc felt it seep through him, and he day-dreamed about the benevolent rule they would bestow upon the empire. Power held no interest for him, and he agreed with Shella’s remarks regarding being in charge, though he might have expressed it in a less vulgar manner. He had no desire to be the sole ruler, but Agang’s idea of the four of them acting as a team was worth considering. He allowed himself to picture them basking in the roars and cheers of a liberated and free populace, waving at them from the steps of the palace, then remembered that Keira had destroyed it.
He frowned.
He had failed as chancellor of Rahain. He had tried to please everyone, and had ended up despised by all. The Old Free, the New Free, the Holdings church, they had all been happy to see him go in the end. And now Governor Ghorley ruled in the Emperor’s name, with an iron fist, crushing all dissent and heterodoxical thought, transforming Rahain into an obedient and subservient colony of the empire.
Things would be different once they had secured power in Plateau City, he was certain of it.
Laodoc felt a hand shake his arm.
‘We’re nearly there,’ said Bridget.
He opened his eyes and sat up, feeling groggy. Bridget was dressed in her patched-up and worn fighting leathers, a sword at her belt, and a crossbow over her shoulder. She was eating from a dish with her fingers, and his stomach rumbled.
She handed him a bowl.
‘Eat up,’ she said, ‘then get yer boots on.’
‘Yes, ma’am,’ he smiled. He glanced around the carriage. Agang was pacing back and forth, mouthing words to himself, lost in his thoughts. Shella was frowning at him while she smoked another cigarette and supped from her flask. She seemed confident, but there was a slight twist under her left eye. Lola was sitting next to Dean, checking her longbow as the boy stared at the book lying open in his hands. Dyam was at the rear of the carriage, handling the controls, and maintaining a long glide.
Laodoc took some food and gazed out of the window while he ate. In the distance he could see the imperial capital, bathed in the red glow of the sun as it lowered in the western sky.
‘This is the first time I’ve seen it,’ said Bridget as she sat on the bench beside him. ‘Not as big as I thought.’
‘The seven cities of Rahain are all much larger,’ he said, ‘but the Holdings are a young civilisation, new to building cities. It’s not bad for a first attempt.’
‘If the Holdings are barely civilised in the eyes of the Rahain,’ Bridget smirked, ‘no wonder you thought the Kellach were tree-climbing savages.’
Shella glanced over. ‘I knew you’d see sense in the end.’
Bridget laughed.
Laodoc’s smile fell as he stared out of the window.
‘The city,’ he said, ‘I think it’s burning.’
The others gathered round the windows and peered out. What Laodoc had thought was the reflected glow of the sunset was more than that. Flames were raging throughout the city, and what lay above was no
t a cloud, but smoke.
‘Fuck,’ said Shella.
‘Maybe Keira arrived before us,’ said Agang, his eyes wide. ‘Maybe she attacked first.’
‘The walls look damaged too,’ Bridget said. ‘Something’s fucked the place up.’
They gazed in silence at the flying carriage approached. Dyam pulled on the controls, and Laodoc lost sight of the city as they gained altitude, climbing upwards. He felt his stomach lurch, and he put down his bowl of half-eaten food.
‘I hate this bit,’ Bridget groaned, gripping the sides of her seat.
They levelled out, and the city came back into view. He could see the outline of the great walls, and began to understand the extent of the devastation wrought below. Entire streets appeared to be nothing more than piles of rubble, and half a dozen huge fires were consuming about a quarter of the area within the city boundaries. As he expected, the palace and cathedral were hollowed-out ruins occupying the northern section of the city, but south of that, only the Great Fortress seemed to be standing. Its high towers and walls were gleaming orange and red in the flickering light of the fires raging around it.
‘Pyre’s bawsack,’ muttered Bridget. ‘What a fucking mess.’
Agang nodded over to Dyam.
‘Take us down.’
‘Alright,’ she cried out. ‘Strap yerselves in!’
The passengers settled into their seats, and pulled the leather belts over their shoulders. Laodoc sat back and took a long breath as the carriage began its descent, lowering through the air in wide, lazy circles. Laodoc could see the city every time they banked and turned, getting closer with every second.
Shella yelled as she stared out of a window. ‘Stop!’
She unstrapped herself, and ran towards Dyam.
‘Turn back,’ she screamed. ‘Now!’
Dyam stared at her, then yanked on the controls, heaving them forward, and the carriage jolted and began to spin.
‘What the fuck are you doing?’ Agang yelled, ripping off his straps and racing up the carriage. He swayed as they banked and twisted, Dyam fighting with the controls.
‘Keira didn’t wreck the city, you fucking idiot,’ Shella cried as she hung on to the side of the carriage. ‘There’s been an earthquake. Do you remember the last time there was a fucking earthquake?’
Agang paused, his eyes widening.
‘We’re too late!’ she screamed at him. She turned to Dyam. ‘Get us the fuck out of here.’
‘I’m trying,’ she grunted. ‘Just give me a second to get the beasts under control.’
Laodoc’s hands began to shake as the carriage juddered and rolled through the sky. Dyam heaved on the controls, and they straightened, levelled, and began to rise.
‘Thank fuck,’ said Dyam.
Laodoc turned and stared back out of the window. The city was only a hundred feet below, and pillars of smoke rose above them on either side. Dyam steered the carriage between them, gaining altitude. They banked, and he saw the Great Fortress. There was movement on the roof, and he gasped as a burst of flame shot towards them.
‘Look out!’ he cried.
He felt the heat of the firebolt as it raced past the window. There was a great cry from above, and the carriage slowed and banked.
‘Someone’s bringing down the gaien,’ cried Bridget.
Laodoc stared out of the window as another bolt of fire roared past them. On the roof of the Great Fortress a figure was standing, raising his arms into the air. The carriage shook as a second gaien was hit. They started to descend.
‘We’re going down,’ yelled Dyam.
Laodoc closed his eyes as they dropped through the air. The remaining two gaien above were straining against the weight, but were achieving nothing more than slowing their fall. They passed the height of the roof of the fortress, a few hundred yards away, and crash-landed in a long skid, bumping and jolting at speed until they came to a grinding halt.
Bridget was the first to rise. She unbuckled her belt and turned to stare out of the nearest window.
Laodoc rubbed his head. Every bone in his body felt wrenched and sore. He tried to unfasten the belt buckle, but his hands were trembling.
‘Everyone alright?’ said Bridget.
‘Fine,’ yelled Dyam, unstrapping herself from the controls.
She rushed to where Shella was clinging onto a railing, and helped the Rakanese mage down. Agang staggered to his feet.
Bridget helped Laodoc out of his seat as Lola began to open a side hatch.
‘Wait,’ said Bridget. ‘We’ll do this properly, just as we planned. Shella, Agang and Lola will lead, the rest of us will follow with crossbows.’ She clapped her hands. ‘Come on, move.’
Agang picked up his shield, and made his way to stand next to Lola, as the others reached for their crossbows. Shella lit a cigarette and walked to the hatch. She peered out of the window as Lola grabbed the handle.
‘Do you know where we are?’ Laodoc said.
‘We’re in the Old Town,’ she said, ‘not too far from the docks.’
‘You mean we nearly landed in the water?’ said Bridget.
Shella frowned. ‘Right now I’d rather be taking my chances with the Inner Sea.’
She nodded at Lola, and the Lach woman threw open the hatch. She stepped forward, her shield raised, and Agang followed. Shella winked at Laodoc, and went out after them.
‘I’ll take the rear,’ said Dyam, a crossbow cradled in her arms. ‘Dean, you stay by me.’
Bridget nodded, then she and Laodoc left through the hatch and stepped down onto the cobbles of the street. The light in the west was starting to fade as he gazed around. The area was deserted, and in ruins. He could see at least two fires burning within the Old Town, and the earthquake had toppled many of the buildings. Their carriage had left a long gouge down the middle of the road, ploughing up cobbles and ripping aside paving slabs.
‘Nice landing,’ said Bridget.
‘Cheers,’ said Dyam, ushering Dean out of the carriage. She clambered round the side of the wooden structure and released the two remaining winged gaien.
‘Go on home, boys,’ she yelled as they flew away.
Laodoc glanced at Shella and Agang, who were arguing a few yards up the road while Lola scouted forward. He gazed around. Down a narrow street to his right he could see the arches leading to the port of the city, where the trading ships had once berthed, loading and unloading goods from every corner of the world. Laodoc knew that the Old Town was one of the poorer districts of the imperial capital, but the squalor that surrounded them was worse than anything he had seen on his previous visit. Heaps of refuse were piled high in the streets, and the tenement blocks that hadn’t collapsed or been burnt to the ground were dilapidated slums. The place stank, of smoke and human waste.
Lola returned.
‘There’s no one here,’ she said. ‘If we’re heading to that fortress, the way is clear.’
She pointed up at the high towers that rose above the roofs of the Old Town, and they turned and stared. As Laodoc gazed up he felt any confidence within him dissolve. What a stupid old man he was, to think he could stand up to the Emperor. He shuddered.
Shella frowned, and rubbed her head. She glanced round at the others.
‘Did anyone else feel that?’ she said.
‘Feel what?’ said Bridget.
‘I don’t know exactly,’ she said. ‘Like my mood just crashed, and all of a sudden I felt nothing but black despair.’
‘I felt it,’ said Laodoc.
Shella scowled. ‘Don’t you understand? That mad bastard up there’s messing with our heads. No wonder we were so cocky about coming here. He’s been playing us, filling our heads with crap, then pulling away the rug.’
Agang’s face fell. ‘He knew we were coming.’
‘He led us right here,’ Shella spat, ‘and like fucking idiots we fell for it.’
‘What the fuck are we going to do now?’ said Dyam. ‘We can’t exactly fly out of her
e.’
Bridget smirked. ‘Does anyone know how to sail a boat?’
‘Whatever we do,’ Laodoc said. ‘We can’t stand here arguing. The Emperor is no doubt aware of us now, even if he wasn’t before.’
Shella nodded. ‘Snake-eyes is right. Come on.’
She set off, skirting the damage caused by the carriage’s landing, and the others followed. They kept to the same order as before, with Agang and Lola flanking the flow mage, and the rest behind. Laodoc began to feel the heat from an immense fire devouring whole streets to their left, the tenements and shop fronts belching flames. Smoke was billowing out from the roads leading to the inferno, sending thick grey and black clouds in their direction.
Laodoc coughed, as the smoke began to envelop them.
‘Keep moving,’ yelled Agang. ‘It’s clearer up ahead.’
Bridget grabbed Laodoc’s sleeve as the visibility fell. His eyes were watering, and the stench of burning filled his mouth and nostrils.
‘This isn’t fucking natural,’ he heard Shella cry, though he couldn’t see her through the dense grey smoke. ‘This is the Emperor’s work.’
‘Don’t stop,’ Bridget said, pulling him along the street. His feet slipped on the greasy cobbles, and he staggered, choking.
‘I can’t breathe,’ he gasped, then realised that Bridget had gone. He gazed around, but could see nothing but smoke. He heard voices, but they seemed to be coming from far away, whispering. He fell to his knees, crying out in pain as he struck the hard cobbles, but the smoke was thinner nearer the ground, and he was able to breathe again. He sensed a dim glow in the distance, and began to crawl towards it, over the piles of steaming refuse. He gagged, every inch of him repelled by the smell and the smoke, and kept going, his hands deep in the rotting waste in the gutters of the road.
He continued crawling, but there seemed to be no end to the smoke, and so he followed the road on and on towards the light. Above him he could see a patch of sky, dark now that the sun had set below the horizon. He gazed around, but it was like being lost in a thick fog, and every direction looked the same.
Exhausted, he collapsed into the gutter, a trickle of oily water running under his legs and past his head. Ahead, the light seemed closer, and it gave him hope, although he knew he had failed and the Emperor had won.
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