The Last of the Ageless

by Traci Loudin

  Forced to choose between a moving target and a stationary one, Zen charged Korreth. He took aim as Gryid followed behind the cyborg. Gryid got in one good slice at the back of Zen’s knee before dancing away. Zen yelled and swiveled the opposite direction Korreth had expected, causing him to waste another shot.

  Korreth clambered back over the wall, keeping his barrel pointed in Zen’s direction. He needed to lead the cyborg away from any other weapons he might find in Searchtown.

  Jorrim fired twice, low. Zen’s leg spasmed, and he fell to the side, catching himself on an elbow against the wall.

  Gryid rushed in. With his other hand, Zen punched him in the face. Korreth heard the crunch of bone as Gryid crumpled. He shifted ages and reeled backward, still aging. He was back on his feet in an instant, but so was Zen.

  They rushed toward each other. Zen batted Gryid aside with the lamppost, sending him back over the wall into Searchtown. One crash followed another as Gryid’s body hit the ground somewhere beyond the perimeter buildings.

  “Now, then,” Zen said.

  His eyes lit up when he spotted Jorrim. The cyborg moved faster than Korreth could have imagined. Jorrim got off one useless shot to the cyborg’s well-protected chest before Zen backhanded him.

  Time seemed to slow. Zen bore down on his victim before Jorrim even hit the ground. Soledad’s words came back to Korreth as he watched, “But if one of you were to die from some other means...”

  Jorrim’s legs hit the ground first, but his top half didn’t shed enough momentum, and he tumbled head over heels into the grasses.

  “I’d lose you both,” she had said.

  Korreth hesitated. He thought of his son’s dimples and his daughter’s curly hair. Jorrim’s death could buy him freedom.

  Zen’s fist descended.

  Korreth gasped and pulled the trigger. A red ball of energy splashed against Zen’s metallic legs. The giant yelped in pain and fell forward as his legs locked. Korreth’s eyes widened, wondering if Zen would crush Jorrim when he fell. Selfish hope arose in him again, appalling him.

  The cyborg caught himself on one fist and one knee over top of Jorrim. He regained his feet.

  Korreth let out a yell, purging himself of his selfish desires. Jorrim was his friend; what had he been thinking? He aimed and fired again, but this shot hit nothing but metal.

  He held his breath, hoping to see Jorrim rise as well.

  “Soledad,” Gryid yelled. “What are you waiting for?”

  Zen’s eyes darted back and forth between Gryid, standing on the wall, and Soledad, who remained beside Kaia’s body.

  “Drop the lamppost,” Soledad shouted.

  “That’s right,” Zen’s smooth voice blanketed Korreth. “The Prophet gave Soledad nanotechnology.”

  The blood drained from his mistress’s face. Korreth couldn’t remember her looking frightened before.

  “There’s no way some stupid micromachines are going to stop me.” Zen grinned.

  The lamppost fell from his fingers.

  “They already have,” she said, her voice steady despite the fear in her eyes. “Or hadn’t you noticed?”

  Zen remained near Jorrim’s fallen form. The grin dropped from his expression. “So you intend to punish me, I suppose?”

  Korreth didn’t think the giant understood the gravity of his situation. It had taken him and Jorrim time to understand, too. He wasn’t sure how or when she’d injected Zen with her nanotech, but Korreth was glad it was nearly over.

  “You killed Kaia for no good reason. And Rollick.” Gryid jumped off the wall. “And the rest. Thank you,” he said to Soledad. “He’ll pay for Kaia’s death. And all the others.”

  Soledad moved to intercept him. “Don’t do this, Gryid.”

  He knocked her away and charged toward the frozen cyborg.

  “Gryid—you should know—” Zen started.

  “No!” Soledad raised her gun and shot at Gryid, but he was already losing years as the bullet tore through his skull. She ran after, reaching for him. He swung his right arm toward her, his knife slicing her mouth as she tried to say something.

  Soledad aged and yelled, “Don’t do this.”

  She grabbed at him, but Gryid punched her in the face, his hand wrapped around a dagger’s hilt. They both shifted ages slightly as Soledad fell.

  To Zen, Gryid said, “If I could make you pay for each Ageless life you ended, I would. But since you can only pay once—”

  The cyborg groaned, trying to move. As Gryid reached his side, Zen brought his arms up in an awkward block that turned into a strike, knocking Gryid back a few feet. Korreth’s stomach dropped.

  “Like I said.” Zen took a step forward, despite Soledad’s technology. “Rock beats scissors. Cybernetics beat nanotech.”

  “Yes, but unlike you,” Gryid taunted, “I can simply heal my wounds.”

  “And that worked so well for Kaia, didn’t it?” Zen clenched his teeth together in a mockery of a smile. “Join me now, or follow her in death.”

  Soledad’s plan had failed. Korreth stood back and watched the Ageless battle it out, his mind going numb. If Soledad couldn’t stop Zen, nothing could. He’d already proven himself against Dalan, the strongest Changeling Korreth knew.

  Gryid threw himself at Zen, his forearms slashing. Zen knocked him aside, the knives scraping down his metal forearm. With the lamppost back in one hand, he swatted Soledad, sending her tumbling through the grasses.

  Korreth circumvented the Ageless in a crouch, making his way toward Jorrim. Blood coursed down his friend’s face from a wound on his head, but he could see no other wounds.

  “Jorrim, you’re going to be okay,” Korreth kneeled beside him.

  His friend’s mouth gaped open. “She took the…” The words seemed to cost him so much energy. “What did you call them? Nano?”

  He lightly slapped Jorrim on the cheek. “Nanotech. Stay with me.”

  His friend held his broken arm against his chest as he struggled to sit up. Korreth helped him, but then realized, “You’re not healing anymore...”

  “They’re gone.” The white of Jorrim’s smile seemed bright against his dirt-covered face, the emotion in contrast to Soledad’s solemnity further afield. He whispered, “We’re free, Korreth.”

  Korreth shook his head, wishing it were true. It was only a matter of time before Zen came looking for technology in their homelands. They couldn’t be truly free until that threat was removed.

  When he heard a sickening crunch followed by a scream, Korreth’s eyes darted back to the fight.

  Zen’s hands squeezed Gryid’s lower body. Blood and gore leaked from Zen’s massive fingers, which were too close together… Korreth’s jaw fell open in horror.

  Then he realized Gryid could survive this, if Zen didn’t crush the rest of him.

  Korreth scrambled to raise his rifle. He pulled the trigger, and a red ball of energy soared toward the Ageless. Zen saw it coming and turned his head. The energy splashed against the cybernetic side of his face, and he howled.

  Gryid crumpled to the ground in front of Zen. The crippled man aged and rose shakily to his feet, as though unsure his legs would work. Then he backed away and fled, his Ancient clothing drenched in his own blood.

  Zen barreled down on Korreth and Jorrim, and before he could stop himself, Korreth found himself dodging from his path. He fired at the cyborg as he flanked him, who yanked Jorrim’s SCL away like it was a toy. Zen crumpled it in one hand, causing a small explosion as it twisted on itself.

  “Korreth,” Soledad yelled. “Touch him! Grab Zen!”

  Before he could think, Korreth was running again, but this time toward the cyborg. His arms outstretched, he wrapped them around Zen’s knee, the wind swirling around him.

  A change in pressure around him took Korreth’s breath away. He gasped, but the air ripped out of his lungs, or even deeper than that, from his very flesh. His whole body burned with fever, and he lost his grip. He suddenly understood whe
re Jorrim’s nanotech had gone.

  The cyborg shook him free, holding him by the upper arm. Korreth couldn’t bring the rifle up between them, so he shot down at their feet. Zen roared in his face, and he found himself in the air.

  Korreth crashed against the wall, as though the intervening moments hadn’t happened. Sweat popped from every pore as the colors leeched out of everything. He fell to his side, his gaze returning to Zen and Soledad.

  Their mistress’s clear voice rang out as she faced the giant. “You will obey my commands.”

  Though his silver hands and chest were covered in gore, Zen kept a gentle tone, “Soledad, listen to me. Together we can convince the other Ageless that the Prophet’s days are through.”

  Korreth’s eyes drifted closed. He felt weak, as though he hadn’t eaten in days. Someone lifted him up, but he couldn’t bring himself to care if it was Zen.

  Korreth found himself in a seated position. Any movement caused a stream of pain to flow from his neck to his fingertips. He tried lifting his arm but couldn’t seem to raise it above waist-height.

  “You must have broken your collarbone.” Jorrim’s blue eyes filled his view. “You’re not allowed to die,” his friend said, but his voice sounded farther away than it should have.

  He felt Jorrim’s hand on his head. Blood stained Jorrim’s pale skin when he withdrew it.

  A slap to the face took Korreth by surprise.

  “Don’t fall asleep.” Jorrim’s voice grew fainter. “You know what happens when people hit their heads and fall asleep, remember?”

  He tried to nod. When the world wobbled, he wished he hadn’t. “If I die, you’ll be free. She told me so.” Every breath, every word was agony.

  “We’re already free, Korreth. That’s why we’re not healing.”

  In the background, Zen’s and Soledad’s angry voices pierced the cotton in his head, though what Soledad spoke was nonsense. “You thought nanotech was scissors, but it’s the paper. And paper beats rock.”

  “You shouldn’t have tried to sacrifice yourself.” Jorrim said, barely louder than the ringing in his ears. “She’s a liar, Korreth. She told me the same thing. But if either of us should’ve sacrificed themselves, it should’ve been me. You’re the one with a family to go back to. I’m sorry.”

  “No, I’m sorry,” Korreth forced the words out. He owed it to Jorrim. “I... I almost let Zen kill you, so I could get away.”

  Jorrim’s hand felt heavy on his shoulder, pushing him into the ground. “Shush. We’re free now.”

  Overhearing them, Soledad faced them. “I’m sorry I can’t share their healing with you right now.”

  Zen followed her gaze, the lamppost lying beside him. “And speaking of sharing, that’s what Kaia failed to understand. I’m happy to share. This isn’t about the technology. It’s about survival.”

  Korreth’s eyelids fell. The world shook, his ribs aching with the earthquake. “Stay with me,” came Jorrim’s voice.

  His friend was shaking him awake.

  “Stop,” Korreth said, his chest heaving. A shooting pain down his side reminded him that at least one rib was broken.

  Something was different, as though a fundamental law of nature had been broken. Korreth scanned the horizon, expecting the sky to be green or the wall behind him to come crumbling down.

  “You can’t be serious,” Zen’s voice boomed, bringing Korreth’s attention back.

  “It’s time to stop hoarding our knowledge and technology,” Soledad said. “The Prophet knew this day would come.”

  “Exactly! I’ll share my cybernetics if you share your nanotech. Stop hoarding and join with me. We complement each other.”

  Korreth’s mind felt sluggish, and his eyelids drooped. “Not healing?”

  “The nanotech must take away pain first, then heal second,” Jorrim said. “They didn’t have enough time to heal us, so the wounds reopened.”

  Zen’s booming voice continued, “Do you have any idea what I found in the lab? Kaia was able to preserve the K’inTesh bodies we experimented with. If we all join together and begin our research anew... If you care so much about these Purebreeds, then we could make them Changelings.”

  Jorrim turned toward the Ageless when he heard that statement. Korreth remembered all the times he’d wished for the powers of a Changeling. To toss lightning back at the Changelings who’d tortured him in the Badlands Army. To fly away like Dalan. Or to heal like the Ageless.

  “We should never tamper with genetics in that way again.” Soledad threw back her hood, revealing a youthful face surrounded by a mat of braided and beaded hair. “Not so recklessly, in any case.”

  “How…” Korreth coughed, and then wished he hadn’t. He was sure he’d felt a rib move. “How will we know for certain?”

  He leaned over into the inviting grasses while Jorrim’s attention was on the Ageless. Crushed grasses scratched Korreth’s face as he struggled to breathe on his side. Every time he inhaled, things moved in his chest that shouldn’t. His breathing rattled, and each exhalation hurt only slightly less than inhaling. Blood trickled down his cheek toward his mouth.

  “Sit down now, Zen.” Soledad ordered. “I’m tired of craning my neck.”

  The cyborg’s whole body went rigid. He swayed, his metal parts moaning. Then he crashed to the ground. “How—?” Zen’s giant fingers twitched as he struggled to regain control of his body.

  Korreth couldn’t remember if he’d asked his question out loud. He started to repeat it, but forgot what he’d meant to say. So instead he said, “I’m glad you’re free at last, Jorrim.”

  “We’re both free, Korreth.” Jorrim grabbed his shoulders and said, “I won’t let you die.”

  Soledad unbuttoned her shawl and shrugged it off, saying something about weaponized nanotechnology. With him sitting, their heights matched, and she met him eye to eye.

  Zen’s chuckle made the earth beneath Korreth tremble, startling him fully back to consciousness. “You don’t really think you can make me one of your puppets, like those two Purebreeds. I’m sure there’s a reason you didn’t choose Changelings for slaves. We’re not pushovers.”

  “Pushovers…” That amused Korreth for some reason. He drifted.

  Jorrim’s hands touched his face, his neck. “Can you hear me? Korreth? Korreth. What’d I tell you about falling asleep?”

  “But you can’t really call yourself a Changeling now, can you?” Soledad’s voice in the background. “You’re static. Trapped.”

  “Trapped,” Korreth echoed.

  That was exactly how he felt. Heavy. He longed to shrug the cloak from his shoulders, to free himself from the weight crushing his chest.

  So he floated toward freedom.

  Chapter 30

  The small act of sitting up and telling Dalan to go after the Wizard made Nyr’s whole body ache. She hoped Dalan could keep the Wizard busy while she tried to knock some sense back into Caetl.

  With her good arm, Nyr wiped at the side of her face, where Jaul had wounded her. Caetl’s words had chilled her—words she would’ve never voiced herself, but that spoke truly of her regret. Jaul and Neula had deserved better.

  Her neck and shoulder felt sticky, and when she touched her throat, she realized her blood was everywhere. She wanted nothing more than to lie back in the grass next to Caetl and sleep this nightmare away.

  Cradling her bad arm, she tried to decide what to do. Caetl’s eyes stared eerily at the sky. She gave him a light slap to the cheek. When his lips moved, she jerked back.

  They’re still up there. I know they are. His words echoed in her mind as he whispered. A little light crept into his eyes as he turned his head toward her. “Please. Get rid of the pain.”

  “Are you back in control now?” Nyr searched his expression. “All you needed was a tap on the head to wake you up—who would’ve guessed.”

  The mystic didn’t smile, and his eyes held no hint of recognition. “If you kill me, it’ll get rid of the pain for y
ou too. He’s used me to do terrible things to all of you. Help me. Help the others.”

  She struggled to her feet and scanned the horizon, wondering if Caetl knew what he was saying. Azaiah’s body lay in the grass not far away. She wished she’d been the one to kill him—she would’ve bathed the grasses in his blood.

  The world tilted, and Nyr widened her stance to keep from falling. She considered shifting into the cat, for its strength and agility would be helpful right about now.

  In the distance, Korreth, Jorrim, and Soledad ran at breakneck speed back toward Searchtown. Something to do with Zen, she guessed, but that wasn’t her fight. Ti’rros bounded in the direction she’d last seen Dalan chasing the Wizard.

  “Why is Ti’rros—” Nyr wondered.

  “The master needs help.” Caetl didn’t blink or look at her. “Ti’rros is the only one who can catch them now.”

  “Tell her to come back. The Wizard will just torture her to force Dalan to give up.”

  “Lucky for you, I can’t control both of you at once.”

  Nyr’s eyes narrowed. He was sounding more and more like the Wizard. “Fight him, Caetl. Don’t let the bastard in again.”

  “I can’t keep him out. You don’t know… Please—” Caetl’s voice seemed all wrong, nothing like himself. “I’m begging you, help me end this suffering.” His hands flew up to his hair.

  “Is he torturing you right now?” Nyr couldn’t believe he could endure it and still carry on a conversation. “Dalan went after him. He’ll stop him.”

  “No.” With a groan, Caetl pushed himself up to a seated position and then climbed to his feet. “When the Wizard uses me like this, it does things… Listen, the only way to help Dalan is to help me.”

  Both his hands came up, cupped as though to touch a lover’s face. He slapped his hands to both sides of her head, and her world blanked out from the pain in her ears.

  Nyr hadn’t recognized the attack—most people tried stay outside of claw range when fighting her kind. She reeled, putting her good hand forward to ward him off.

  Caetl stared through her. His lips moved as though whispering, but no words came out. She balled her good fist and struck his jaw. The force of the blow knocked both of them back, and her entire body suffered for it.