by Thomas Green
A centipede on her leg sunk its pincers into her calf, tearing open the skin. Luna tried to struggle or scream. She couldn’t. The centipede entered the wound, crawling beneath her skin, burying into her muscles in blinding shots of pain. The other centipedes did the same, tearing her skin, skittering into Luna’s body through the gashes and through her every orifice. Luna could do nothing but lie in maddening pain, feeling the centipedes crawling through her, within her.
A sharp light hit blinded eyes. She blinked, and the centipedes were gone. She lay in the same room, wrapped in a cloth, covered by ice-cold sweat, exhausted, and in pain. Yet she dared not to close her eyes, terrified of the nightmare returning. She looked up, seeing a silver-haired man carrying a pile of blue cloth in his arms as he entered through the open door. Lucas. Luna’s heart froze, and she turned her gaze to the ground, hoping she would pass out to not have to face him.
He closed the door and sat onto the floor next to her, throwing her a peaceful smile. “Morning.”
Tears flooded Luna’s eyes. “I’m… sorry.”
“It’s all right.”
“It’s not.” She started sobbing. “I betrayed… everyone. You should execute me.”
He shook his head. “No. Plus, that would have been quite a waste since I have already traded the black orb for you.”
Her eyes widened. “Why would you do that?”
“Because I thought I was getting a good deal.” He smiled. “Get up and dress. I hid us away so you could sleep, but we need to go.”
She closed her eyes. “You should leave me here. I’m not worthy of mercy.”
He laughed. “That’s not how mercy works. It’s not something you can earn, something you can deserve. Mercy can only be given. Yes, you will have to live with the consequences of what happened, but I forgive you, so this part is covered.”
Luna exhaled, calming down despite knowing she shouldn’t. She jerked upward. “You have to warn the others. He’s taken my shape!”
“I expected as much.” Lucas started putting on a blue-black uniform of Kayleanne’s army. “So I scrapped the dam plan and sent the companies running to Frozen Heights. With luck, they will reach them and cross the mountains, getting away from the demon princess’ army.”
Luna stared at him, eyes wide. “Why would she chase them?”
“Because she now knows hostages work, so she is marching out her entire armada to join Ebilezerhar’s and to hunt the two companies for hostages.” He finished donning the uniform, made a dagger appear in his hand and shaved.
Because of me. Luna crumbled back onto the ground, feeling nothing but emptiness.
“Plus, she can use the distraction to quell the unrest that’s rising through her lands.” He stepped above her. “Now, get up.”
Luna sighed, closing her eyes. “Just… leave me here.”
Lucas grabbed her by the shoulder, raising her as if she weighed nothing. Terror flooded her veins, making her grit her teeth and recoil upon the touch. He carried her to the clothes and dressed her into the dark-blue uniform. “We will need to pose as Kayleanne’s soldiers to get out of the city,” he explained as if nothing special was happening. “We will march with their army until an opportunity to disappear toward the Frozen Heights presents itself.”
“Why?” She screamed. “Why do you try so hard to save me? I’m not… I’m not worth it.” She collapsed onto him, exploding into tears.
He wrapped his arms around her, calming her down with the firm touch. “I promised my daughter I would bring you back to her, and so I will.” The steady heartbeat in his chest calmed Luna down, making her relax into his embrace.
They left the warehouse and Lucas led her to slip among the militia trailing Kayleanne’s army. The surrounding people consisted of mostly boys and young men, all dressed in whatever armor they could have mustered. The ones who weren’t in the militia for the first time wore uniforms similar to what Lucas and Luna had.
As she walked among the people, feeling their excitement of going to fight for their home, for their families, she wished she would pass out. She didn’t. Something in what Lucas told her, in how he trusted her, made her keep walking. Not smiling, not looking around, but making one step at a time, hoping the all-encompassing guilt and emptiness that swallowed her insides could one day be redeemed.
26
Zerae
The southern camp lay peaceful when they arrived, yet the tightened fortifications and alert sentries did not tell a story of peace. As they leapt down from their mounts, Astril stretched, saying “I will go handle something. See you later,” and soulstepped away.
“Me too,” Leena added and vanished.
Zerae blinked a few times to ensure herself she didn’t imagine it, but they were gone. She shrugged and headed to the tent of Chloe Voidwalker.
In the fire of an oil lamp, Chloe sat inside by a table covered by maps, her head in her palms, her light-brown hair hanging loosely by her gentle face.
“May I enter?” Zerae asked from the opening.
Chloe nodded.
Zerae took a spot across the table. “What have I missed?”
“Errr…” Chloe rubbed her chin as she searched for the correct words.
“Give it straight.”
“It’s a nightmare. The pirates conjured an aether-based storm that has immobilized the Order’s fleet.”
Zerae smiled. “So far so good.”
“I thought that too, but it turned out the Palai fleet is made of actual soldiers, ones who can fight on land. They have pillaged two towns, few dozen villages, caught every scout we sent and fortified their position, so it’s unapproachable without siege machines, which we don’t have.”
Good. This works to my advantage. Zerae pulled a cigar and lit it with the oil lamp. “And?”
“And, since the pirate fleet also can’t sail in the storm, the cities along the coast and inland rebelled, declaring themselves independent.”
Zerae arched an eyebrow. “There must be someone inciting this.”
“Yes, Lord Belarm of Kaeby, which is the largest city in the region.”
“Where is the matron?”
Chloe smiled. “Mathilde and the pirates have been holed up in Stormshriek for over a week now, with no news of how to deal with this.”
Zerae did her best to force herself to speak in a calm tone, not to show her speeding heartbeat. “If I make a plan for how to turn this around and re-establish myself as the War Leader, can I count on the support of you and your warriors?”
Chloe nodded. “Of course. We don’t want to hide from the war or anything of that sort. We only refuse to die because Mathilde’s too obsessed with finding our Goddess.” She hesitated for a moment. “I mean, it’s not like I wouldn’t want to find her, but there’s not much point if all of us die in the process.”
“Good.” Zerae rose and headed to the tent of Hilmeria Darkscream, where she had a conversation identical to the one with Chloe, confirming the information she received was precise and that the Darkscream clan would support her.
She wished her own clan was like this, focused on survival rather than internal politics. Once done, Zerae returned to her tent, where Patricia already prepared her a pot of fresh tea. She sat down, poured herself a cup, lit another cigar and took out the book from James. The pirates could boil in their own uselessness for a few more days. It’s not like they were about to find the Goddess, anyway.
***
Three days later, Zerae met with Chloe, Hilmeria, Astril, and flew to Stormshriek. The pirates did not dare to stop them, so they advanced through the stone-steel tunnels until they reached the war room. The wetness brought by the shrieking storm did not avoid this place, so even here, despite the blazing fireplace, the air was humid and unpleasant. Inside, by a large round table, sat Ur’Thul’Gar, Mathilde, Alicia, and five pirate captains.
Mathilde Hellwind sneered as she saw Zerae enter. “What the hell is she doing here?”
Chloe smiled. “She is
my special advisor and will attend all official meetings from now on.”
“Special advisors require the approval of a matron, and I do not remember granting anything of that sort.”
Chloe handed Mathilde a scroll. “Here are the papers, all signed by Elaine Darkscream herself.”
Mathilde rolled out the parchment. “This doesn’t look even like her seal or signature.”
Chloe’s face remained calm. “By our law, such an accusation can only be brought up before high council. Unless the other two matrons are present, with all due respect, your opinion on the validity of these documents is irrelevant.”
Zerae bit her inner cheek not to laugh.
Mathilde clicked her tongue, tossed aside the parchment, and turned her back to them.
Zerae, Chloe, and Hilmeria approached the maps while Zerae threw Ur’Thul’Gar an inquisitive stare. “Your ranks seem to have thinned, pirate lord.”
Shih, one of his captains, slammed her fist onto the table. “Say fucking what?”
Zerae smirked, ignoring her.
Ur’Thul’Gar nodded. “Yes, we have lost Captain Sachwell. Are you familiar with our situation?”
“Roughly.” Zerae kept her face impassive. “If I understand things correctly, we are running low on supplies since our allied cities have turned rebellious. The center of this uprising is Kaeby.”
Mathilde snarled, speaking in the most mocking voice Zerae had ever heard from her. “And you have surely come to present us your brilliant plan to solve this predicament.”
Zerae smiled, pretending to be undisturbed. “I wouldn’t have been here otherwise. Give me five thousand soldiers and I will break their army, kill Lord Bellarm to end the rebellion, steal their rations, and direct the surviving civilians toward the Order’s main camp, so they eat their supplies.”
Ur’Thul’Gar raised an eyebrow. “A bold plan, but we do not have five thousand soldiers to spare. We don’t even have two thousand since we are using half of our forces to contain the Order’s army by the shore and the other half must stay by the ships for the case they uplift the storm.”
Zerae’s heart nearly stopped, but she did her best not to show it by shrugging lazily. “Then I will manage with my own force. I will take the Voidwalker and Darkscream warriors and be done with this in a week.”
“Do leaders of the named clans agree?” Ur’Thul’Gar asked.
“Yes,” Chloe and Hilmeria said in unison. “Provided Zerae is to be reinstated as the War Leader of the Sil Haen upon her victory.”
Mathilde glowered at them. “How dare you make demands of me?”
Chloe smiled pleasantly. “You pushed Zerae’s older sister into a position she cannot handle, so I don’t see why you are surprised. Yes, Alicia is your favorite daughter while you hate Zerae, we get it, but we will not die over you being the worst mother in Voidspire.”
Mathilde appeared as if she were to explode at any moment.
Alicia gazed at the ground, trying to appear as if she wasn’t there. “Chloe is right. I am not fit to lead in this war, so their demands are reasonable.”
Zerae stared at her sister, the tightness of guilt grabbing her insides. She looked like she never wanted to be in this position. Zerae may have been wrong about her and underestimated Mathilde.
Ur’Thul’Gar cleared his throat. “I believe this settles the issue. I wish you the best of luck, Zerae Hellwind.”
Hilmeria, Chloe, Astril, and Zerae spun on their heels, heading for the doors.
“I will see you in my chambers once the meeting ends, Zerae,” Mathilde shouted before she had the chance to leave.
The words hit Zerae like a spear. “Yes, Matron.”
***
Zerae separated from Astril, Chloe, and Hilmeria, and walked to wait in front of the door of Mathilde’s chambers. She tried to brace herself, to prepare for what was to come, but she knew she wouldn’t manage.
Mathilde stomped up the stairs, piercing Zerae with a hateful glare. “What the hell do you think you are doing? You disappear for a month and then openly defy me the second you return?”
Zerae clenched her fists, digging her nails into her palms. “As an unranked warrior, I have no duty to inform you of my whereabouts unless I’m under written orders. I have received nothing of that sort.”
“How dare you? I am your mother! I brought you into this world, and this is what you give me for it? You murdered my daughter, you failed to give life, you failed as the War Leader, and now you throw formalities in my face?”
The words shattered Zerae’s heart. Her voice broke into a stutter, “I know I have failed you, mother. I know… but we are in the middle of a war, which is no place for personal matters.”
Mathilde slapped her so sharply that she almost fell to the ground. “You are unworthy of your name, unworthy of being called my daughter. Now leave! Go have your battle for Kaeby. This is the last attempt at redemption I will ever give you. Should you fail this mission you had put upon yourself, I expect you to resign from all positions, renounce your name and leave into exile, forever. Are we clear?”
“Yes, Matron.” Zerae bowed and left. Her eyes were stinging and watery. She avoided the others as she headed straight to Belenus, mounted him and flew away.
Once Stormshriek disappeared from sight, Zerae roared, trying to release the burning rage and freezing despair that warred over her insides. It didn’t help. Nothing helped. The anger was brighter than the sun, the despair colder than the Void.
She turned Belenus and flew over the countryside. Soon, she glimpsed lights by the edge of a small forest. She descended to see a small hunting cottage with people huddled inside by the fireplace.
She made her mount land onto the roof. “Ignite!”
Belenus burst into flames, bathing Zerae in the searing heat, setting the cottage ablaze. The people shouted and ran out. The closest one was a woman. Zerae leapt off Belenus and severed her in half with one fluid swing of her executioner sword. Over twenty people once huddled in the cottage. Over twenty people soon lay dead on the ground surrounding the house with Zerae towering over their corpses, panting, her muscles screaming from exhaustion.
Zerae wailed, the rage and despair not loosening their grip. Strong arms caught her from behind, hugging her tightly as Astril’s lips touched her ear.
“It will be alright,” Astril whispered.
Zerae exploded into tears, her voice breaking as she spoke. “It won’t. I talked big at the meeting, but this is one of the worst possible outcomes it could have had.”
Astril held Zerae in her embrace and stroked her hair until Zerae stopped drenching her chest with her tears as she calmed down.
***
They flew to the camp where Chloe and Hilmeria already organized their warriors. Astril left for Helen’s provisory smithy while Zerae followed her, terrified of being alone.
Astril entered without asking for permissions. “Is it ready?”
“Still hot, but should be fine,” Helen, the stout, blonde Sil Haen answered. She stood by a makeshift forge while on a table in front of her lay a monster of a spear.
Zerae stared at the two-inch thick, steel shaft and a two feet long blade at its tip, larger than the blade of most swords.
Astril grabbed it with her hand to weigh it. “How heavy is the blade?”
Helen smiled. “Twenty-one pounds with weight distributed toward the middle. It should work for both stabbing and slashing as you asked.”
Astril nodded, put the spear down and wrapped it with the leathers before she fixed it over her back. “Thank you.” She turned to leave with wide-eyed Zerae at her heels.
How does she plan to use that? If the blade is over twenty pounds, the entire weapon must weight over sixty, which is about fifteen times the weight of a standard spear. Zerae sped up to walk in front of Astril as she always did.
Patricia rushed to her side. “War Leader! There is an emergency at the stockpile. I convinced everyone to wait for you, but now that you are here,
it requires your attention.”
“Well done.” Zerae spun on her heel, leaving the blushing Patricia behind. When she arrived at the stockpile, Zerae had to pinch herself to see if she wasn’t dreaming.
Leena sat by the side, surrounded by gnawed bones and carcasses. Fat glistened on her full cheeks as she was stuffing them with bread, using her chubby fingers.
Leena looks like she tripled her weight in the past few days. Zerae scanned the bones. And apparently ate more food than a hundred people do in a week.
Astril stepped to her. “We need to go.”
Leena nodded and rose, wiping her hands into her brown robes.
Zerae shook her head and walked to Chloe to organize their departure.
***
They took four and a half days to reach the outskirts of Kaeby. Zerae sent scouts ahead before they broke camp in the hills. She had the food supplies unsealed so everyone could get a good meal and whatever wine they had, knowing tomorrow’s battle might well be their last. The move helped their mood, but not their prospects. As the scouts returned later that day, Zerae called a meeting in the main tent.
“So, what are we looking at?” Zerae asked. The leadership of the operation was all gathered there - she, Chloe, Hilmeria, Astril, and Leena.
Hilmeria cleared her throat. “We have six hundred Voidwalkers, four hundred Darkscreams, and three Hellwinds.”
Astril clicked her tongue. “We should send three people back, so we have exactly a thousand.”
Zerae was the only one who didn’t laugh at the joke.
Hilmeria kicked the table to return the attention to herself. “The city of Kaeby is a well-fortified city with three fortresses surrounding it. Their forces count about six thousands men, a third of whom are a militia. We haven’t been noticed, for as far as we know, so we should be fine for the night, but we will be seen tomorrow by the morning patrols.”