All Light Will Fall

by Almney King

  I sat next to Neil, pushing the clutter aside with my boot. “Excuse the mess,” he said. “This was all Vin. He’s gone mad.”

  “No, he’s just stupid,” Tessa hissed. “How does he expect to carry all this?”

  “I don’t,” Vin answered, rising from the cushions. “I plan to stay right here with all my riches,” he slurred. Then he waved his hand, picking a scarlet chalice up from the rounded treasure. One of the Meridians came and filled his cup. She was beautiful, the lavender garb she wore flowing around her like a wave of mist. Her skin was bright as amber. And her hair was dark as indigo, a masterwork of long twists and curls.

  She kept her eyes down as she served the arsenal. I watched her; how she eased forward with poise, keeping her hands strong as she titled the vase. The other natives were startled as they watched from behind her. There weren’t many of them. I counted ten. They were fairly young. Perhaps no older than I was when ARTIKA had taken me. I noticed the binds around their hands and feet.

  “They must be it. Your minor complication,” I said suddenly.

  They all looked at me. And it was quiet, a nervous sort of quiet. Neil picked up one of the goblets and held it out for the Meridian to serve him. “Like I said... they were hostiles,” he shrugged. His tone had a certain bite to it, like he was aggravated. I ignored it then went about serving myself.

  Vin threw his hand in front of me. “That’s not the way to do it,” he insisted. He looked to the hostages. “Come!” he ordered. His Hedai was sloppy, and when the Meridians hesitated, he screamed it again. They came quickly, circling around him. “Sit,” he demanded. And they sat. Vin looked at me, his face drowsy with pleasure. “It’s just too easy,” he laughed.

  “I told you he was stupid,” Tessa uttered.

  “Tend kindly to my friend here. And be sure to make her comfortable,” Vin ordered. The Meridians went to work, adjusting the cushions around me. One served me a dish of food, another draped me with silk, another wrapped me in a coil of beautifully crafted chains. “A tribute to your greatness,” Vin teased.

  I took the chains from around my shoulders and tossed them aside. Vin scowled. His offense was almost comical.

  “You killed those MW’S up there,” I said. They all looked my way again, and the Meridian girl serving Neil paused in the silence.

  “I just got tired of it,” the blonde said suddenly. She propped her feet up, looking pleased with herself. “Do this, arsenal. Do that, arsenal. We make the orders, not you, arsenal.” Her voice was like acid, boiling over her words the more she spoke. “And there was that one snarky little redhead I hated the most. She thought she was so damn clever.”

  “We weren’t supposed be this far north. I tried telling her that we had left the designated zone, but she was so persistent. ‘Don’t forget, arsenal,’ she said, ‘I can have you deleted in a second. It’s that easy.’ And then it happened. I drew my weapon and shot her right between those pretty little eyes.” She mimicked the sound then shrugged her shoulders with a laugh. “And the look on her face, it was so pathetic.” She laughed again, her eyes glazed over as she remembered. There was pleasure in those eyes, a sort of malignant smile. “It was humiliating, nauseating to be ordered around like some bitch by those weak and haughty little bastards.”

  “It was because of you, actually,” Tessa said. “When we heard you went rogue, it kind of got us thinking.”

  “We don’t take orders,” the stalky arsenal said. “Not anymore.”

  “It was bound to happen,” Neil commented. “Ryan was just the one who triggered it all. The rest of us just followed her lead.”

  I looked at them. They made treason sound so simple, so unpunishable. I wondered if they would survive it. They had the resolve, it seemed. But did they have the endurance? I didn’t think so. To them, freedom was nothing more than an idea. It wasn’t alive in their eyes. And it had to be. For them to survive, it needed to breathe, and sing, and dance. Only then would they protect it. Only then would it truly become real.

  “One of them was still alive. I had to put him down,” I told them.

  Neil raised a brow. “Really?” he said smoothly. “Did he alert New Eden?” His fingers twitched a little on the chalice he held. As much as he tried to disguise it, I knew he was anxious.

  “He tried,” was all I said.

  Neil relaxed. He smirked then took a sip from the cup. “Sorry about that. I feel a bit embarrassed that the admirable Celeste had to clean up our mess.”

  I wasn’t sure if he was teasing or honest with his praise, but I ignored it

  “I see you had a mess of your own,” the stalky arsenal noticed. “You lost your weapon.”

  “It was taken.”

  “Oh? By who?” Neil asked.

  “A Meridian.”

  “Really?” Tessa gasped. She slid forward, her eyes shining in curiosity. “I can’t believe someone was able to match you like that. What happened?”

  I stared into the fire, remembering. Uway Levíí had happened. He was an impossible being. Just the thought of him disturbed me. His beauty, that startling light of his—it was haunting.

  “It happened fast. They attacked me and took me captive. Not for very long. The Meridian and I... we spoke. He asked about halos. I answered. And he was furious. Then they were attacked by arsenals. That’s how I escaped.”

  Tessa crossed her arms and sighed. “That’s it?”

  “I know. I expected too much,” Vin laughed. “What a boring ass story. Couldn’t you have told it with a little more, I don’t know, soul?”

  “I suppose the admirable Celeste is not so admirable, not if she lets some mere savage steal her precious lifeline like that,” Ryan sneered.

  I glared at her, and Vin tossed his head back, laughing uproariously. “He did take my lifeline,” I hissed. “And I took his.” I slid the relic from my pocket, holding it high for them to see. The Meridians jumped in horror, staring wide eyed at the object in my hand. They whispered amongst each other, panicked that I beheld such a thing.

  Vin reached out to touch it. “Let me have a look at it,” he said.

  I drew it away from him. “It’s mine,” I snapped. The eyes of the Meridians flashed as I staked my claim on the Levíí’s relic. It seemed they knew exactly who it belonged to. For some reason, I felt empowered, because in that moment, with his relic high in my hand, Uway Levíí was at my mercy.

  “That’s some prize,” the stalky arsenal said.

  I slipped the relic back into my pocket. The Meridians watched it, their eyes moving with the sway of the chain until I tucked it away. “It’s not a prize,” I said. “It’s a reminder.”

  “A reminder of what?” Ryan asked.

  I glanced at her then turned my attention to Neil. “I was wondering something,” I said to him.

  “Hey Tate, hand me that thing, thing over there,” Vin slurred. “I want to play with it.” The arsenal looked around then picked up the gleaming vase and tossed it. Vin set it between his legs and used his hands to strike it like a drum. Then he started to sing, the lyrics nothing but a bunch of nonsensical jargon. It was a mockery of the Meridian language.

  Tessa rolled her eyes. “What a moron,” she sighed.

  “What do you want to know?” Neil asked.

  “Seriously, would you shut up, Vin,” Ryan hissed.

  “I was wondering if you ran into any other arsenals,” I asked.

  “Hand it over you drunken bastard,” Ryan snapped. She was on her feet now, trying to pry the vase from Vin.

  “Can’t you get it from him?” Tate said.

  “I’m trying!”

  “We did actually,” Neil answered. His right eye narrowed, observing me curiously.

  “Finally,” Tessa huffed.

  Ryan fiddled with the vase, holding an arm out as Vin tried to tackle her. “I ought to beat you over the head with this,” she scolded. Then she threw it and it went flying, splashing deep into the marsh. “The next one to serve him gets shot,”
she said in Hedai. The Meridians watched her warily as she returned to her seat.

  “I’m looking for Elric,” I said.

  “Ah, the smiley blonde!” Vin shouted.

  I looked to him. “Yes, did you come across his team at all?”

  “Yea, sure we did,” Vin said. He looked to the hostages sitting still at his feet. “One of you, play a song,” he ordered. He leaned over, his drunken limbs hanging wildly. He picked up an odd looking instrument and gave it to one of the younger males. “Play,” he ordered. And the boy did, timidly at first, until Vin ordered the others to clap. The arsenal laughed. “It’s just too easy,” he said again.

  “Did you really see Elric?” I asked Neil.

  He said nothing at first, like he was reluctant to tell me. “Maybe. Why do you ask?” His fingers went tight around the chalice. There was a certain tautness in his voice.

  “I need to find him, obviously,” I told him.

  “What do you want with him?” Tate wondered.

  “That’s none of your concern,” I answered. My tone was almost threatening. Tate received the message, leaning back in his seat. He slid his weapon into his lap, stroking the trigger lightly. Neil noticed it too, and gently shook his head. They held gazes for a while before Tate hesitantly loosened his grip on the Sharp-shooter.

  “They were headed north; Zone-12 I believe. It was some red forest, Elric said. E’elga, I think it was. But last I heard, New Eden lost contact with the Regal team. They’re all dead most likely.”

  Dead? I didn’t believe it. Ellis was not dead. He was alive. I could feel him. Everywhere I went, I could feel him. Even in the dark where there was neither sight nor sound. Ellis was alive, and I would find him. And until I did, there was no going home. I swore it and I would stand by it. “That’s where you’re going,” Neil guessed. “E’elga?”

  I nodded.

  “What for?” Tessa said. “Neil said it already. They’re long gone. It’s...”

  Neil held up a hand, silencing her. “You’d do better staying with us. It’s only logical,” he said.

  “I won’t find Elric with that kind of logic,” I told him.

  Neil’s eyes were piercing. They were searching for something, wondering why I was so determined. And the longer I looked at him, I saw exactly why he was so adamant to persuade me. It was want, and strategy, and perhaps even a bit of desperation. Because there weren’t many like us. And there being so few of us troubled him. That thought, the possibility of total solitude, of being the only one of his kind, was frightening. I understood him well. Loneliness was a powerful thing—suffocating almost. And that’s why he had chosen me. Because I knew this. But it was more than that. His challenging me in the arena was more than an attempt to strengthen himself. It was an attempt to gain my favor, to catch my eye. He chose me because he wanted me, because I was strong and resilient, and dangerously unafraid. “I won’t assume anything. I have to see it for myself,” I said.

  Neil looked away and gritted his teeth. He emptied his cup then held it out for more. The Meridian girl was quick to serve him, but as she moved, Vin grabbed her, and jerked her forward. The content of the vase went flying, spilling over Ryan’s boots where she had her feet comfortably propped. She screeched, jumping up from the cushions. The music stopped.

  “You savage!” Ryan snapped.

  Vin laughed, wrapping the girl in his arms. She struggled against him, trying desperately to claw her way out of his grasp. “It was an accident,” he chuckled.

  “I don’t give a damn,” Ryan scowled. She picked up her glass and threw the drink in the Meridian’s face.

  “Now this is exciting,” Tessa cheered.

  “Don’t encourage them,” Tate grumbled.

  The Meridian girl wiped her face and threw an icy glare at the arsenal. She lifted the vase in her hand, and before she could follow through with the action, Ryan raised her weapon. The Meridian froze, her eyes wide with terror.

  “Whoa! Easy there,” Vin laughed. “We’re just having fun. Put the gun down, Ryan.”

  Her finger trembled on the trigger, just itching to shoot. Her beauty was suddenly hideous. That hot-blooded look of hers was just too wicked. “You sick bastard,” she hissed. “You just love playing with animals, don’t you?”

  Vin narrowed his eyes. “Put the gun down, Ryan,” he said seriously.

  I watched her closely. I didn’t know when it happened, but I found my hand moving towards Neil. There was a hand gun strapped to his hip, and I was more than tempted to draw it. “Let it go, Ryan,” Neil said. “There’s been enough killing for one day.”

  She looked at him then hesitantly lowered the weapon. “I wouldn’t be so sure, Neil. We were made to kill. It’s in our design,” she said. “Don’t forget that.”

  “I haven’t forgotten a thing. Now sit down. All this is just one big headache.”

  Ryan scowled, but followed his order anyway. She looked at one of the Meridians. “You, clean this up,” she ordered. The boy hurried to his feet. He pulled on a spool of silk and used it to carefully dab the arsenal’s boots. He worked slowly, timidly, with his eyes cast to the floor.

  “Where’s the music?” Vin said suddenly. “Play! I didn’t tell you to stop,” he ordered. The young Meridian fumbled with the instrument then began to play again. It was a rich and lively song, the deep hums of the instrument vibrating through the swamp. But still, it seemed haunted, the notes angry and forced. And as I watched him play, pained by that heartbreaking sound, I saw one of the Meridians trying to break the binds on his hands. He was huddled behind two other Meridians, using them as cover until he could free himself.

  “We need dancers!” Vin shouted. He held tight to the Meridian girl. She flinched as he touched her, running his hands up her bare thighs, beneath her breasts, his arms gripping ruthlessly at her waist. She saw me watching her. And I couldn’t look away. She looked tormented, like she was suffocating in those vicious arms. Her eyes were wild, her chest heaving, arching forward with a painful sort of grace.

  “Careful, Vin. You’ll strangle her to death,” Tate said.

  “Please do. I’d actually love to see it,” Ryan sneered.

  “I’m not going to hurt her,” Vin said. “She’s mine now. I think I’ll keep her.”

  “Keep her?” I asked.

  Vin reached up and stroked the Meridian’s cheek. She drew away from him, cursing him in Hedai. “They’ve got fire, but they’re nice looking aren’t they? Even the males are pretty,” he smirked. He looked at me. “Give me a look at that pretty necklace you’ve got, and you can have one. I’ll even give you best pick,” he bartered.

  I didn’t know what happened. It was instinct. I snatched the hand gun from Neil’s holster and fired at Vin. Then there was a scream. Neil moved. I grabbed him, pinning him to the ground then rose up and turned the weapon to the blonde. The aim of her LZ stared me in the face. “You’re outnumbered,” she hissed.

  I looked to the left. Tate had stood, aiming his weapon at me as well. “Let him go,” he ordered. I squeezed Neil by the neck as a warning. He groaned under the strain, trying to shift beneath me.

  “Damn it! Guys, he’s losing too much blood!” Tessa panicked. She had a wad of silk pressed against Vin’s wound. It was soaked in blood, a never ending flow of it oozing from his neck. His body jerked, thrashing against the pillows. He had thirty seconds at best.

  “I can save him,” I said, “if you put down your weapons.”

  Tate gripped his gun. “Bullshit!” he spat. “Let go of Neil and maybe we won’t kill you.”

  “Guys! He can’t breathe. What do we do?” Tessa cried. She was holding him down, franticly ripping the silk from the spool. The spasms were violent now. His body bucked forward, twisting and turning. His lips were a pale blue, his eyes rolling back like a man possessed. The Meridians watched in horror, the oldest of them finally breaking loose of the binds.

  “Do what she says!” Neil barked. “Put your weapons down.”
r />   “Neil!” Tate snapped.

  “Do it!” he ordered again. And they did. Tate slowly eased his gun to the ground. Ryan tossed hers aside.

  “We won’t forget this,” Tate growled.

  “Don’t,” I said, pressing the gun to Neil’s temple. “Get up,” I ordered.

  He rose slowly. “You said you’d save him. Get to it,” he told me. Even though I was the one with the gun, he still felt in control. I didn’t know if he was a fool or just that confident that I wouldn’t pull the trigger.

  “Get the halos from his pack,” I said.

  “What will that do?” Tessa snapped. “Those are for . . . ”

  “Do it, Tessa,” Neil said calmly. She turned to him, her eyes frantic, then reached for Vin’s life pack.

  I looked at the Meridians. “Get up,” I said in Hedai. “Take their weapons,” I ordered.

  “What the hell are you doing?” Neil hissed.

  The Meridians hesitated, the oldest male rising to his feet. There was a particular fierceness about him, the way he lifted his head and squared his chest. The glow of the fire caught his face, and his markings lit like jasper.

  “We need no direction from you, ursuki,” he said. His voice was strong and innocent. And it was that innocence that broke me. His face was too tender. And I hated it. I couldn’t bare it. God’s truest image was too true.

  I gave him a knowing look. “Do as you please then,” I said.

  He looked away from me to his people. “Stand,” he said. They stood, rising with grace, like the hand of God had reached down and brought them to their feet. “Surround the hai’ek! Take their arms!”

  The Meridian broke free of their binds, and it shocked the arsenals how simply that had done so. They had been patient, it seemed, and now was the time to act. I watched them. They picked up the foreign weapons, holding them upright but hardly aiming them at the arsenals. It appeared they had too much grace to fully threaten their enemy.