The Vernal Memory: A Dystopian Sci-fi Novel (The Variant Saga Book 4)

by JN Chaney

  “Stay right there!” yelled a muffled voice.

  “Speak of the devil,” said Terry.

  Jinel appeared from between the trees, her rifle aimed directly at John. “Terry, what happened?”

  “He’s okay, Jinel. Put the gun down,” he said.

  “He tried to kill me. I’m not—”

  “John thought you kidnapped our friend. He’s willing to hear you out now.”

  John raised his hands. “Sorry about what I said.”

  “What friend are you talking about?” she asked.

  “Mei Curie,” he answered. “Gel said Garden kidnapped her. That’s why I’m here, to find you and bring you back. He said you know where—”

  “Garden wouldn’t do that. We don’t take hostages. That’s what a coward does. Even if we did, we wouldn’t involve an outsider like your friend.”

  “Maybe not, but you did blow up buildings and kill people,” said John.

  “I didn’t say there weren’t casualties. It’s a war.”

  “If you didn’t take Mei, then where is she?” asked John. “I’m tired of this nonsense.”

  “They rescued me from the Leadership,” Terry explained.

  “Rescued you?” asked John.

  “The Leadership was going to experiment on me. They wanted to know what made me immune to Variant.”

  John’s eyes grew distant, and for a second he looked lost in thought. “They told me they couldn’t find you.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Gel said he looked everywhere, but their satellite couldn’t track you. They said they were still looking. What the hell is going on?”

  “Isn’t it obvious?” asked Jinel. “The Leadership has been using you.”

  “No, I would’ve seen that,” muttered John. “I would have—”

  “Terry!” called a voice. Lena Sol came running from the field.

  “Over here!” he returned.

  “Who is that?” asked John.

  “The soldiers are preparing to leave!” she yelled.

  “Is that…” John stared into the woods at the woman running toward him. “Lena?”

  “Yeah, you know her, don’t you?” asked Terry.

  “John, is that you?” asked Lena, once she was close enough to see him.

  “What are you doing here, Lena? I heard you took a job on some island or something.”

  She shook her head. “No, I was—”

  “Save your reunion!” snapped Jinel. “Did you not hear her? The troops are preparing to leave. We need to stop them before they reform!”

  Terry grabbed John by the shoulder. “You with us?”

  John looked at Jinel. “Are you telling me the truth about Gel? You think he has Mei?”

  “Of course, I am! Only the Leadership is capable of such an act.”

  “Okay, but if you’re lying to me—”

  “Enough of your doubts,” said the soldier. “We’ll kill each other later if I’m wrong. Now, come!”

  “Wait!” yelled Lena, running over to Terry. She handed him his sword. “You dropped this.”

  They ran through the forest and into the open field. John spotted the soldiers as they gathered near the aircraft.

  He lifted his rifle, taking aim, but then lowered it. “We need to get to the ship before it takes off. The pilot will leave if we make a scene!”

  “Then we’d better be quick,” said Terry.

  ******

  They engaged the soldiers in a hurry, but it was easy work. Most were either injured or disoriented, trying to climb aboard the ship.

  In moments, the Red Door was in the air, lifting from the field in an attempt to escape.

  John dove through the open hatch and made his way to the pilot. “Set it down!” he ordered, pressing the barrel to the man’s neck.

  “Sergeant Finn!” yelled Emile Res from the back of the aircraft.

  “Stay where you are, Emile!” answered John. He dug the weapon into the pilot’s skin. “This’ll only take a second.”

  The Red Door returned to the ground right as Jinel began giving orders to her new prisoners. “Everyone on the ground!” she demanded of the soldiers.

  Terry had several of their weapons in his arms, dropping them in a small pile near the edge of the woods.

  “If I see anyone move, I’ll shoot your head clear off!” barked the Garden commander.

  John emerged from the ship with the pilot still at the end of his gun. “Join your friends over there,” he told him, then waved for Emile Res to come out.

  “What is going on?” asked the scientist.

  “Who’s that?” asked Terry.

  “She’s a noncombatant,” said John.

  “Another tool for the Leadership,” said Jinel.

  Emile stepped out of the aircraft and looked around. “Will someone please tell me what is—”

  “Turns out Garden didn’t take Mei,” said John. “Your boss did.”

  Emile cocked her head. “What are you talking about?”

  “Where’s Lena?” asked John. “You two know each other, don’t you? She’ll explain it.”

  “Lena Sol?” asked Emile.

  “Is there a way to wake up someone after they’ve been hit by the toxin?” Terry asked.

  “Emile, do you know?” asked John.

  “The toxin? It doesn’t take long to wear off. Do you remember when we used it on your team?”

  John thought back to the day he first met Emile and Lena. They knocked out most of his squad with the stuff, but it wore off after an hour or so. “Is there anything you can do to speed it up?”

  “We have some medicine on the ship, but…”

  “What?” asked John.

  “What you’re asking is treason, you must realize,” said Emile. “You’re requesting I help the enemy.”

  “Not the enemy,” yelled Lena, finally arriving.

  “Who is that?” asked Emile, trying to see.

  Lena approached the scientist. “Hello, Emile Res,” she told her. “It’s good to see you again. I think it might do you well to listen now.”

  “Listen?” asked Emile.

  “Oh, yes,” said the analyst. “There is much you do not know.”

  ******

  Hux, Ludo, and Ysa came out of their temporary stasis after a short while. Thanks to Emile and Lena, their punishment was severely reduced. With everyone recovered and back on their feet, it was time to decide what to do with the Everlastian soldiers.

  “What about Emile Res?” asked Jinel.

  “She’s good,” said John. “Aren’t you, Emile?”

  “If what you’re saying is true, then it would certainly explain a great deal of things,” said the scientist. “But I must admit, I remain skeptical.”

  “Of what?” asked Terry.

  “Everything,” said Emile.

  “A reasonable position,” remarked Lena.

  “The loss of the Leadership has left a power vacuum, requiring Master Gel to temporary take control. Garden’s actions and left Everlasting in a state of panic, so you will forgive me if I am not inclined to believe your words.”

  “The truth is the truth, regardless of what you believe,” said Jinel.

  “Perhaps so, but until I have seen more, then I must keep my objectivity intact. Until then, I can only agree to cause you no trouble. I’m no soldier, nor do I wish to get involved any further than I already am.”

  “A coward’s sentiment,” said Jinel.

  “A pragmatist,” returned Emile.

  “Nonetheless, if you cause us any problems—”

  “Will you two drop it?” asked Terry. “We need to figure out what to do with these soldiers.”

  Jinel raised her rifle, taking aim at one of the soldiers’ heads. “A thought occurs to me, now that you mention it.”

  “Hey, come on,” said John. “I thought you said you weren’t about that.”

  “We don’t slaughter innocents. There are exceptions with dogs of the Leadership,”
said Jinel.

  “No, John’s right,” said Terry, motioning for her to lower the gun. He’d had enough violence for one day. “There’s no reason to—”

  A hard rumble coursed through the ground beneath them, vibrating his feet.

  He and John both looked at each other. “What was that?” asked Terry.

  “Maybe an earthquake,” answered John. Another tremor, this time stronger, followed shortly by another. “The hell is this? Emile, do you know?”

  “Why are you asking me?” she asked, almost insulted.

  “You’re supposed to know about this continent,” he said.

  “There hasn’t been an earthquake here for a century, so I’m—”

  “Everyone be quiet,” said Jinel.

  The rumblings grew with each occurrence, repeating every few seconds.

  Baroom.

  Baroom.

  Baroom.

  “No!” screamed Lena, stumbling as the tremor hit. She fell to the ground on her hands and knees. “No! I know that sound! I know what comes!”

  “What is she rambling about?” yelled John.

  “Sentries!” shouted Lena, pointing to the harbor.

  Terry looked with his hybrid eyes to see a massive wave rise up, pushing boats into the docks, grounding some of them. The people screamed, dispersing through the streets, heading for the gates.

  A thing emerged, tall as a building, with a body like a serpent deity. It looked like the Leviathan monster from the stories made real.

  “The hell is that!” snapped John.

  “A Guardian,” answered Terry. “Or sentry. Whatever you want to call it. They protect Everlasting.”

  “Then what’s it doing here?” asked John.

  “The Leadership must have sent it,” said Jinel.

  Another sound caught Terry’s ear. A hovering, whirling noise, coming from the other direction. He turned and stared to the horizon, but saw nothing yet.

  “What’s wrong?” asked Jinel.

  “There’s more,” said Terry.

  “I hear it, too,” said John. “It’s coming from—”

  “There!” yelled Terry, pointing to the horizon’s edge, high above the trees.

  An object appeared, far into the distance beyond the mountains and clouds. Was it a ship like the one in the field? Perhaps, although it was a different design, and many times larger.

  It boomed through the heavens, heading towards them. “It’s coming this way!” yelled Terry. He turned toward the harbor. “We’re surrounded!”

  The Guardian emerged from the water and moved around the village, avoiding the crowds. Its tail slid along the earth, splitting the field like a plow.

  The aircraft, if that’s what it was, came to a stop above the mountain city, hovering there for several seconds.

  “What is it?” asked John. “More soldiers? Another ship?”

  “Both are sentries!” explained Jinel.

  “Those?” asked John.

  “This could be a problem,” remarked Terry.

  Ludo raised his hands above his head. “What reason have the Guardians to come here?”

  “If those two have arrived, Master Gel must have sent them earlier this morning,” said Emile. “He must really want you people dead.”

  John looked at Terry. “Any ideas?”

  “We fight or run,” he answered.

  “How do you fight that?”

  “I’ve done it before,” he said, glancing down at his sword.

  “How hard was it?” asked John.

  “Toughest thing I’ve ever had to do.” He swallowed hard.

  The flying Guardian left the top of the mountain and flew down to the valley’s edge. It grew several tentacles from its central body, extending them in various directions. In only a few seconds, it went from resembling a floating boulder to something closer to an octopus.

  At the same time, the snake-like Guardian arrived from the ocean, taking up position next to the other.

  “If we must die, then let it be with honor,” said Ludo, glancing at his wife.

  “You speak truly, dear Ludo,” said Hux, and he smacked his chest. “But let us try to live through the day. Shall we?”

  Ludo nodded. “Right you are.”

  “Let them come!” shouted Ysa, taking her stance.

  “I’m ready,” muttered Terry.

  John nodded, lifting his rifle. “Time to go to work. Let’s show these things what a couple of kids from Central can do.”

  ******

  “Plan?” asked Terry.

  “Take them on separately. Divide up into teams,” said John.

  “Right. Jinel and Hux, you two are with me,” said Terry.

  “What about us?” asked Ludo.

  “You and Ysa back John up.”

  “Did you forget I’m occupied?” asked Jinel, referring to the fact that she had her weapon aimed at the dozen prisoners on the ground.

  “Lena can take over,” said John. “Right?”

  She nodded. “I can handle it.”

  “Remember, if they move, you have to shoot them,” said Jinel.

  “Don’t worry. I’m not afraid to pull the trigger,” said the analyst.

  Jinel placed her hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Right.”

  “If everyone’s ready, I think those two things are headed our way,” said John.

  Terry watched as the Guardians began their approach. They moved along the field toward the crowd with fierce intent. “I’ll take the water one.”

  “Then I’ve got the flying octopus!” barked John, and he exploded into a sprint.

  Terry followed suit, with the group dividing as they’d been assigned.

  John unloaded his rifle, spraying ammunition on the monster as it neared. Ysa and Ludo followed after him.

  The priestess dashed forward, spear-in-hand. She dove beneath the tentacles, slicing a piece of its metallic skin clean off.

  Ludo followed soon, his knives flying, hitting the monster in its chest. The orinchalium daggers pierced the creature’s metal, but didn’t slow it.

  The Guardian’s body morphed and twisted, its skin shuddering as the micromachines inside it transformed and reimagined its shape. John fired wildly into it, but the bullets bounced off the surface.

  With its tentacles extended, it dropped itself and rolled along the ground toward him. He dodged out of the way, barely avoiding the attack.

  Meanwhile, Terry was already on the other Guardian, his sword extended and ready to strike. He leapt high into the air, digging his blade into the serpent’s side and slicing, cutting a large chunk of its flesh in the process.

  A lifeless piece of metal fell from its body and hit the ground with a massive thud, but it was already reforming itself, much the same as the spider had in the mines.

  Hux raised his spear and lobbed it at the goliath’s centermost region, piercing it straight through. The micromachines reformed, pushing the weapon through itself.

  Jinel fired her weapon at its face, trying to draw attention so that Terry and Hux could continue their assault. “Wear it down!” she told them. “Piece-by-piece, wear it down!”

  The Guardian snapped its tail around, hitting several trees in the process, shattering them into thousands of pieces. The explosion sent a thunderous echo through the valley. Terry could only imagine what fear the villagers of Ashby must think, to see beasts like these battling so close by. It must have felt like the end of the world, and perhaps it would be, should he and his friends fail. Who knew what these Guardians would do to the people here, once the job was done.

  Ysa ran to Ludo’s side, avoiding another blow. “Send me into the sky,” she told him, and he nodded his understanding.

  With all his strength, Ludo threw his wife toward the Guardian.

  She hit it dead-on, cutting into it with her spear, ripping a hole and going through to the other side.

  Another chunk of dead machine fell away as Ysa twisted around and landed in the snow, unharmed.

&n
bsp; In response, the Guardian lashed out at once, its tentacle beating against the earth like a drum. “Out of the way!” cried Lena, who stood near the Everlastian soldiers.

  The enemy combatants scattered, attempting to flee the chaos, but the monster’s attack was quick and deadly, landing on several of the men at once, crushing them into the ground. Screams erupted from the panicked crowd as they died.

  Terry ran to help the remaining soldiers, arriving in a moment, cutting the beast with several quick, but deep swipes.

  The Guardian’s tendril hit him on the back, lifting him off the ground, sending him into the forest. Before hitting one of the trees, he braced himself, shielding his face with his arms, and focusing.

  He hit the trunk, breaking it in half, and went spiraling to the ground, mostly unharmed.

  “Terry!” yelled Ludo.

  “Focus!” ordered John. “Terry’s not dying that easily! Don’t let your guard down!”

  The Leviathan Guardian unleashed another strike, sweeping dirt and snow as it dragged its massive tail towards Jinel. She screamed, firing a barrage of bullets into the oncoming metal, chipping bits of its body off with each shot.

  Terry came running out of the woods, covered in dirt. He was shaken, but present.

  The tail slammed into Jinel, throwing her from her feet and sending the woman to the ground, burying her in a pile of mud and snow.

  Hux beat his chest with his sword, then charged. He threw his spear into the side of the monster, ripping into it with the entirety of his blade, pulling pieces of its body clean off.

  The serpent withdrew nearly a hundred meters, slithering its way towards its sister Guardian. “We have it on the run!” yelled Hux.

  “No, wait!” ordered John.

  Terry arrived at his side. He watched as the two monolithic entities began to morph, their bodies shaking as the micromachines inside of them reorganized and reformed. “What’s going on?” he asked his friend.

  “Something’s happening,” said John.

  The Guardians came together, their metallic bodies merging. Pieces rolled over pieces, fusing one mass with the other, transforming into—

  Into a single monstrous thing.

  “They’re merging together!” yelled John. “Everyone attack! Quick, before it has a chance to finish!”

  Terry watched as the two goliaths became one. Layers of metal intertwined as the Guardians grew double in size. The new creature stood taller and wider, with multiple tendrils, ready to fight. Ready to kill.