Natalie suddenly felt another wave of nausea and leaned against a column.
“Are you alright?” Aubrey took a step towards her.
“I’m fine,” Natalie said as the wave passed. “I’m fine. Just a lot to deal with,” she smiled. Aubrey nodded encouragingly, the doubt evident in her eyes. “Now we need to find out what’s going on,” Natalie added.
Aubrey motioned with a hand, “Follow me, I know where to go.”
Norm pressed himself against one of the few columns in the room. He had crawled there as soon as the first shots had rung out. Now he felt only intense helplessness.
Move! A strong voice in his mind echoed.
Where? A small voice answered.
Anywhere! Do something! You are supposed to be protecting the Executors!
How? The small voice asked, What can I do against this?
Unable to act, Norm watched the scene unfold in horror.
The Overlords were well-armed, and with the few traitor S.T.s, it quickly became clear that they would win the day. Executor Brosar was slumped over the council bench, his eyes blank. Executor Lucreta was screaming in terror. She had tried to flee to the doors, only to find them barred by one of the heavy poles from the Titan banners. In a rush, she slid the bar away, but no matter how much she pulled and slammed the doors with her fists, they would not open. Only a moment later did she see the heavy chunks of crystal wedged under the doors, but as she struggled to pull them out, a mob of Overlords surrounded her. Norm turned away – it was over quickly. Others lay around the room, caught in their futile attempts to escape.
And now, there was only one. Despite his arrogant demeanor, Agathon was no coward and no fool when it came to a battle. He had grabbed a rifle from a fallen Overlord, and organized the few loyal S.T.s left behind the council bench. It was soon clear the two parties had reached an impasse. The Executor’s bench was at least a meter-thick of solid granite, and even the Zeus rifle rounds were having trouble doing more than embedding themselves. Agathon and his troops could barely raise their heads, but the few Overlords and S.T.s who had tried to make it around the bench lay dead at the edges. It was a bloodbath.
Rassan hovered in the back, urging the Overlords and S.T.s slowly forward, exhorting them to rush the bench as one and overwhelm it from all sides. Agathon with his few S.T.s supporting, popped up, firing wildly into the Overlords, trying to drive them back.
“Find Rassan!” Agathon screamed, “Kill him! Cut off the head of the snake and—” Agathon fell back, clutching his shoulder in silent agony. One of the S.T.s stopped firing to tend to him, but Agathon screamed, "No you fool! Keep firing, if they overwhelm us, we are all dead!" But Agathon realized he was just speaking to a shell, and the large gaping hole in the S.T.’s helmet made him turn away in disgust.
Norm held his breath, waiting for the hammer to fall.
Natalie ran easily back along the halls. It felt good to run, adrenaline pumping – like old times. She had not truly felt this way in years. It was a wonderful feeling, like she was back in the Fields.
Even after so many years, the deep conditioning that was the hallmark of an Adept kept her running strong. Not even Aubrey could match Natalie’s endurance and she struggled to keep up. Natalie slowed so the pair could still talk while running.
“We need to find out what is happening in the Council chamber. Do you have any idea on the status of our troops?" she asked.
Aubrey labored an explanation between breaths, “I never reached them or Norm.”
Natalie nodded, “Well, we can’t just rush into the council chamber with guns blazing. We’ll need support. We’ll stick to the original plan and signal our troops outside.” They turned a corner and skidded to a stop, jumping behind a column with only a fraction of a second to spare.
“Inferni!” Aubrey hissed. Two squads of Burke’s Inferni blocked the entrance to the Council chambers, including two wearing the dark green jade of the elite Titan guard.
Natalie bit her lip, going toe to toe with two squads of Inferni in such close quarters was suicide. She shook her head, “We’ll have to improvise. The other entrances are too far. At least Burke isn’t with them,” she breathed.
“But the smoke grenades are useless against Inferni.” Aubrey whispered.
Natalie grimaced, “Grab frag grenades and the smoke grenades. Frags first.” She pulled out the flare she would signal the troops with and stuck it into her mouth.
Aubrey nodded, trusting Natalie’s judgment despite her misgivings. Natalie did a silent count with her fingers, and the pair pulled the pins and rolled the grenades. Natalie immediately held up her smoke grenade.
The frags rolled right into the middle of the Inferni and exploded. The light anti-personnel weapons could not do any damage to the heavily armored Inferni, but at that range and with their power, they worked just fine as flash-bangs, stunning the Inferni for a second with their concussive blasts. Natalie immediately tossed her smoke grenade. Large billowing clouds sprung from the grenades as they landed amongst the disoriented Inferni. One accidentally stepped on a grenade, crushing it and releasing the entirety of its contents in a moment. The haze instantly became like soup.
But now the Inferni knew the general area their attackers hid, and Natalie knew the timing had to be perfect. They would be switching to their thermal visors now, their training teaching them to return fire as their vision adjusted. With the first Zeus shot from the Inferni into the columns, she ducked low, lit the flare and tossed it right into faces of the heavily armored troopers.
The Inferni screamed in pain as their visors overloaded. Natalie immediately grabbed Aubrey’s hand and ran.
The blinded Inferni resorted to the one weapon they had which required little skill to aim – their massive flamethrowers. Immune to the searing heat, the red devils spread the fire indiscriminately, torching the whole area, and melting the pearl enamel right off the columns. The two women sprinted between the armored nightmares, the flames licking at them and all around.
Emerging from the smoke and haze, the pair kept running until they cleared the corner, outside the line of sight of the Inferni. “I think that will qualify as the signal,” Natalie breathed, “our forces should be here any moment.” But no sound of Zeus fire came. No cries of loyal Troopers eager for battle and to save their Executors. Only silence. The area surrounding the council chambers was a ghost town.
After a few moments, Aubrey glanced at Natalie, clearing her throat nervously, “I don’t hear anything.”
“No one is coming,” Natalie turned away in disgust. “Come on, we’ve got to slip back in while the Inferni still think we’re behind them.”
Aubrey looked at her with doubt in her eyes, “What now?”
“Now?” Natalie grimaced, “We press on. We’ll stop this yet!”
The Inferni at the entrance were still recovering and had moved outside the council chamber. It was clear their thermal visors were still recalibrating, as they moved further and further from the thick haze of smoke from the grenades and flamethrowers that obscured their normal vision. Natalie and Aubrey hurled their last two grenades far across the plaza, the booms drawing the attention of the Inferni, who crouched and crept forward. The pair moved silently through the dust and ash, relying on their instincts and the walls to skirt the massive figures. Only once they had cleared the haze and left the Inferni behind did Natalie realize she had been holding her breath.
The corridors of the council chamber halls had gone eerily quiet while they had been outside, and as they rushed towards the center of the complex, a dull, regular thumping could be heard echoing down the corridors. They approached slowly, as the sound intensified.
Peering around a corner, Natalie could see Burke directing a squad of S.T.s to slam into the barricaded door with him. Burke gave a sigh of disgust as the uncoordinated and less powerful S.T.s slammed into the door slightly after the massive Infernus. Gunfire erupted sporadically from within.
Aubrey gave her a
questioning glance, and Natalie shook her head, whispering as they watched the scene, “We don’t have the firepower for another engagement. And why is Burke directing S.T.s instead of his own troops?”
“This way!” Aubrey mouthed as she dodged around the columns behind the occupied troops. "There’s an elevated room that extends into the council chamber. It was another way for the Executors to enter the room secretly, or for servants to easily reach their masters without interrupting the meeting."
The hall tapered, narrowing as they circled to the back of the round council chamber.
“It’s heavily guarded, and sits at the back of the chamber behind the council seat. I understand many Executors don’t even bother with it now."
The pair hurtled up a flight of stairs at the rear of the council chambers. Dim, torch shaped lights illuminated the stone stairway, a green carpet running up the center. She stopped at the top of stairs. A small, simple foyer with warm fireplaces in two corners of the room split in several directions. An identical stone stairway sat across from them, which Natalie presumed ran around the other side of the council chambers, completing the circular hall. A dim hallway ran North from the room. Directly South, a set of stairs led upward, back towards the Council chamber. It was deathly quiet, only the crackling of the fire produced any sound.
Aubrey pointed down the Northern hall, “That runs towards the Executor’s offices and something called the ‘honored guest’s suite’.
“Ah, yes,” Natalie spat, “That place.”
“You know of it?” Aubrey asked, surprised, “What is it?”
“I heard of it. It’s a prison, for those that the Executors never want anyone else to find.”
Aubrey nodded. She pointed to the Southern stairs. “The room is this way,” she whispered.
They crept up the stairs, sticking close to the stone walls and the shadows under the dim torch-lights. Peering over the top, they could see a small, bright room ahead, and a simple metal door with the engraved symbol of Titan.
The pair ducked back into the shadows – a pair of Inferni in familiar dark green jade, with broad wings upon their helmets, waited at the door.
“Council Guard. They must not have their thermal scanning on,” Natalie whispered, drawing her pistol.
One of the Inferni leaned back against the stone wall. “They’re—they’re just bored,” Aubrey noted, “This side must be heavily soundproofed. I can’t hear anything from inside the chamber.”
Natalie studied them for a moment, “You’re right. They don’t have a clue what is happening. Burke must have put them here to keep them out of the way.”
Aubrey drew her own weapon, “We’ll only get one shot at this.”
Natalie put her hand on Aubrey’s weapon, lowering it, “Wait, let me try something first.”
“What are you doing?” Aubrey hissed, reaching after her, but Natalie had already stepped boldly into the light. It was another moment or two before the Inferni stood up straight, finally noticing her as she walked towards them.
“Lady Delacroix?” one of the Inferni asked, “May I help you?”
“Yes, there sounds like there is some major commotion going on in the Council Chamber, I would like to know what is going on. Please let me through – I am concerned for my husband.”
The Infernus bowed, “that is very noble of you, Lady Delacroix, but I’m afraid I cannot.”
Natalie bristled, “And why not?”
“I’m sorry, my lady, but I have been given strict orders. I cannot let you pass. No one is to pass through these doors today, due to the special nature of the meeting inside.”
“Do you understand what I am telling you?” Natalie yelled, “I believe that the Executors are in danger. You have a duty to protect them. We need to know what is going inside the council chamber!”
The two Inferni glanced at each other. The first returned his gaze to Natalie, “He told us you would say that.”
“Who?”
The Inferni shifted uncomfortably. “Who told you this?” Natalie demanded, “Doesn’t it seem the least bit suspicious?”
“I’m sorry, my lady. But we were instructed that you were under a lot of stress recently. The repeated attacks on you and your husband have… well, they have been…”
“…stressful,” the second Infernus finished. The first nodded in appreciation.
“We understand your situation, my lady,” the first added, “but please just calm yourself.”
Natalie took a moment, nodding, “Calm myself. I’m sure everything is fine. There’s nothing to worry about…”
The first nodded, “That’s right, no probl…”
Natalie darted forward, rushing the door to open it. It didn’t budge. “Sorry, Lady Delacroix – we’re not that thick.” He held up a key to the door. “Now, why don’t you just come with me,” he reached out to grab her, “and we’ll just call in some support to take care of you.” He nodded to the second Infernus, who raised a hand to his helmet.
Natalie dropped to the ground and snaked by the Infernus. “Hey, wait!” the man exclaimed, turning to try to catch her. But he was unprepared for what happened next, as his companion’s visor splintered from a forceful shot. The man stumbled backward, but did not go down. His visor a web of lines, he stood up, readying his flamethrowers, but only for a moment. A razor sharp knife embedded itself in the weakened visor, and the Infernus collapsed backward.
“What the he—?” The Infernus whirled, bringing his flamethrowers to bear down the dark hallway, but suddenly, his arms dropped. It took only another moment for him to fall over. Two bullets from Natalie’s pistol had ended the fight.
She stood up slowly, shaking her head. Aubrey emerged from the shadows, “I’m sorry, my Lady. I—“
“I know, Aubrey,” Natalie took her hand, “I just hate to think how many will have died by the time this is through,” she grabbed the key from the dead Infernus’s body. “But for now,” her voice was stronger, “let’s see how many we can save.”
Chapter 27: A Crumbling Caste
The heavy door to the servant’s room slid open, and the pair immediately dropped to the floor. A gaping hole was centered in the window, exposing the council chamber below. Creeping forward as the door slid silently shut behind them, they peered out from the shattered gap.
Rassan was standing in the center of the room and Commandant Burke stood in the entrance, looking like he had just broken through the doors. The heavy doors looked relatively unharmed, and it became clear that the barricaded door had simply been blocked by those unable to escape the slaughter. “Ahh, Burke, so good to see you. Sorry about your man. You never can be too careful.” An S.T. who looked like he had been struggling to get in lay slumped in front of the open doors.
“I’m impressed, Rassan,” Burke said, opening his helmet, “You didn’t need more of my troops after all.” Burke motioned for the rest of his troops and shoved the doors closed with his massive strength.
Rassan smiled, "I have a present for you."
Executor Agathon was brought forward struggling and thrown to his knees. "Rassan!" he screamed. "I will have your head for this!"
“That seems unlikely,” Rassan chuckled, his great belly shaking.
Agathon screamed at Burke instead, “Burke! You are my Commandant! Mine! How dare you work with this treacherous scum?"
Burke leaned down, grabbing Agathon's injured shoulder and squeezing. Agathon gritted his teeth in pain. "Rassan is a traitor, but he is right about one thing. You Executors have run Titan into the ground, and I am tired of being your dog. From now on, we’ll be giving orders around here!” He squeezed harder and Agathon screamed in pain.
Burke released him, and yelled to his troops, “Treat the Overlords. Bring me the Executors!” Agathon writhed, but made no more sound.
Rassan laughed, “I don’t think you will find any. Only Overlords remain now! We can finally reshape Titan!” The surviving Overlords gathered around Rassan.
“We
will be the new Executors!” one shouted.
“Rassan for Executor Ascendant!” another yelled.
Natalie watched the scene with a pit in her stomach – something was wrong. It wasn’t over yet. Her eyes moved rapidly about the room. Burke's troops were filtering to the edges of the council chamber, while he celebrated with the Overlords, clapping some on the back.
One of the Overlords yelled over the jubilant crowd, “And what about Executor Delacroix?”
“We must see if he will join us!" a woman called out.
“No! What if he rises against us?” another asked.
“But Magnus gave us this opportunity.”
“So? He is an Executor! He cannot be trusted! He is just as guilty as the others!”
The voices rose to a furor as the Overlords argued.
Rassan scrambled up onto the Executor’s bench, “My fellow Overlords! Calm yourselves! With the assistance of our mutual ally, Commander Burke, all of our Executor trouble should be history!”
“You already killed him?” one Overlord directed at Burke.
“We wanted to give him a chance!” another shouted.
“Silence!” Rassan commanded. “All of you knew what you were getting into! Don't play fools with me. Every one of us knew what would happen! We gave the Executors a choice, and they spat it back in our faces!” There were cries of agreement. “But despite their treacheries, we remain loyal to our own!” He made a motion to four S.T.s at the back of the crowd, “Now we will give a choice to the Overlords who did not stand with us today to remain loyal to Titan!" Three figures were forcibly dragged into the center by the troopers: Overlord Bates, Overlord Knight…and Norm were pushed forward before Rassan.
“It’s time to choose! Will you swear to follow the other Overlords in establishing a new Executor council?” Rassan stood in front of Bates. “Care to join the winning side?” Bates looked reluctantly at Agathon, and then nodded. Rassan smiled and motioned to the S.T. holding him. The S.T. released Bates, who stood hesitantly and joined the other Overlords.
The Phoenix Fallacy_Book III_Magnus Page 15