Redemption (Book 6)

by Ben Cassidy

  The arrow found its mark in the barbarian’s neck. He choked, sputtered, then dropped to the ground.

  Beckett turned, out of breath. He glanced at the fallen Jombard. “Thanks, lass.”

  Kara nodded. She was already notching another arrow.

  The streets had become a confusing battleground. Hundreds of Jombards were pouring into the town, destroying everything in their path. The reeling defenders of the town were falling back towards the fortified causeway that led down to the docks. The fighting was becoming disorganized and chaotic. Street to street, building to building. Even room to room.

  One thing was certain, however. Redemption was lost. Nothing would save it at this point. The defenders of the town were simply making a fighting retreat. Kara prayed to Eru that there was at least one ship left in the harbor. If not, then all the fleeing dragoons and militiamen would find themselves with their backs to the harbor and nowhere to go.

  And then there was Harnathu....

  A resounding roar shook the burning buildings of Redemption.

  Kara lifted her head, her eyes wide.

  Beckett wiped sweat from his forehead. “We need to move, lass. To the harbor.”

  As if to punctuate his words, a building two streets away collapsed, sending up an explosion of dust, smoke, and embers.

  “No argument here.” Kara turned, glancing down the narrow street behind her. She had a sudden thought of Joseph and Kendril. Were they safe? Had they made it on to one of the ships?

  She had come all this way to save Kendril’s life. That’s what she had thought she was supposed to do, what she was driven to do. Now that she was here, things seemed anything but simple. Kendril had been shot because of her. How was she making anything better?

  A score of Jombards came running around the corner of a ruined trading post just up the street, screaming and waving weapons. And behind them—

  And behind them, something bigger approached, casting a dark shadow across the ground. The air seemed to vibrate and shimmer with heat.

  “Lass!” Beckett said. He grabbed her arm.

  Kara didn’t wait for a second urging. She turned and ran for all she was worth down one of the side streets.

  Bronwyn leaped back and drew her dagger.

  Joseph stepped forward and raised his rapier.

  Bronwyn smashed her knee down on Kendril’s chest and put her dagger against his throat.

  Kendril gave a choking gasp. His eyes rolled shut.

  “Don’t move, or I’ll cut his throat,” Bronwyn snarled.

  Joseph stopped. He looked at Bronwyn, then Kendril. “Don’t be stupid,” he said in a calm voice. “There’s no way out of this.”

  “For you, maybe.” Bronwyn gave a cruel smile. “Can’t you hear? The town has already fallen. The Jombards are coming this way. They’ll be here in minutes.” She pressed the edge of her dagger tighter against Kendril’s neck. “Now drop the sword.”

  Joseph kept his rapier pointed at Bronwyn. “Not going to happen.”

  “Then I’ll kill him,” Bronwyn said.

  “I drop my sword and you’ll just kill us both,” Joseph responded.

  Bronwyn gave a tinkling, mocking laugh. “My, my,” she said, “wherever did Kendril find you, I wonder? You’re the same one who was back in Vorten, aren’t you? At the Dutraad estate?” She glanced at his dirty, mud-stained greatcoat and wide-brimmed hat. “Not a Ghostwalker, I see. Well then, I hope Kendril’s paying you very well.”

  Another ear-splitting roar sounded to the east. It was much closer this time.

  Joseph glanced up the street, his face uncertain.

  “That?” Bronwyn lowered her hood with her free hand. “Oh, that’s Harnathu. He’s going to tear this town apart, piece by piece, and you along with it.” She leaned forward, her voice dropping to a stealthy whisper. “I’d really start running, if I were you. You don’t want to be here when he arrives.”

  “I have a better idea,” Joseph said in his even, quiet voice. “Why don’t you put down that dagger and clear out of here while you have the chance?”

  Bronwyn gave a chilly laugh. “Now, now. That wouldn’t be very smart of me, would it?.” She twisted the dagger harder against Kendril’s throat. “So why don’t I—?”

  An arrow smacked into the wooden railing a foot from Bronwyn’s head.

  Startled, Bronwyn jumped up and glanced behind her.

  Kara came running down the middle of the street. She was already pulling another arrow from her quiver. Behind her came Beckett and a half-dozen dragoons.

  Bronwyn cursed. She turned back around to face Joseph.

  The grizzled pathfinder had already covered the short distance between them. He rammed his fist hard into Bronwyn’s face.

  Without a sound the witch collapsed back against the planks of the boardwalk and lay still.

  Kara ran up, breathing hard.

  “Good shot,” Joseph said.

  “I was aiming for her head,” Kara said. She leaned against the railing of the boardwalk, rubbing her chest with one hand. “The pain’s getting worse each time I shoot. It’s hard to aim—” She looked down at Kendril and her face paled.

  “He never made it down to the ships,” Joseph explained quickly. “I came back up to look for him.”

  Kara looked up at the dragoons and militiamen who were running past them. “We have to get him on one of those ships, Joseph. There’s a Seteru in the town.” She ran around behind Kendril and started to reach for the handles of the stretcher.

  Beckett was beside her just as quickly. He pulled her back. “I’ll handle that, lass. You’re in no shape to be lifting it.” He nodded to Joseph. “Take the other side. We need to move.”

  Joseph nodded, and sheathed his rapier. “All right. The causeway is—”

  The building across the street exploded into matchsticks and fragmented wood.

  All three turned their heads to look.

  A massive, resonant howl echoed from the ruins of the building, shaking the ground and boardwalk.

  Harnathu emerged from the ruins of the building. Heat danced in waves off his metallic body. Each step he took pulverized wooden boards under his incredible weight. He turned glowing, fiery eyes towards Joseph, Kara, and Beckett.

  “Eru save us,” Joseph gasped.

  Kara looked back in front of her.

  Kendril was still sprawled unconscious on the stretcher. He looked exactly the same as he had in her vision.

  Kara felt something snap inside her.

  Harnathu stepped forward again, a low growl emanating from his steel-fanged mouth. “At last,” he said in a voice that sent shards of ice into the hearts of everyone who heard it. “The Demonbane.”

  Kara stood up and jumped down into the street. She lifted her bow. “Take him!” she yelled back over her shoulder. “I’ll cover you. Go!”

  Joseph started forward immediately, reaching a hand out. “Kara, no, don’t—”

  Beckett blocked him and pushed him back. “Focus, man! I need your help to lift him. Grab the—”

  Harnathu threw back his head and roared again.

  Windows along the street shattered, sending shards of glass flying onto the wet planks of the boardwalk. Some of the closer dragoons and militiamen bent in double, covering their ears and screaming in pain at the sound.

  Kara winced, deafened by the noise. She bent back the string on her bow, hearing nothing but ringing in her ears.

  Harnathu lowered his head and charged forward.

  It was a picture out of a nightmare. The metal monster before her looked like nothing that could or should exist in the mortal world. The heat scorched the air around it, rippling in waves as it moved.

  Kara brought the string back to her ear.

  Pain burned across her chest, filling her vision with tears.

  Kara ground her teeth together until she thought they would break. She breathed in shallow gasps and tried to steady her aim. Pain and fear blended together into one feeling that ec
lipsed everything else.

  Harnathu swept a burning arm out at two fleeing militiamen that were in his path.

  They both vanished into a smear of blazing flesh and bone.

  Kara fired.

  The arrow flitted across the distance, smacking into Harnathu’s shoulder. It shattered into pieces against the pulsing-hot metal.

  Harnathu didn’t even seem to notice the impact. He swung his head around, looking down the street past Kara. “Demonbane!” he bellowed.

  Kara risked a glance behind her.

  Joseph and Beckett were moving as quickly as they could with Kendril between them on the stretcher. Joseph was looking back over his shoulder at Kara as he ran.

  Harnathu started forward with another shaking roar.

  Kara retreated back a step. She reached for another arrow.

  This was ridiculous. What had she been thinking? She couldn’t cover her friends. She couldn’t even harm the—

  The water.

  She had forgotten all about it.

  Kara dodged off to the side, splashing through a wide puddle as she ducked down by the boardwalk’s railing.

  Harnathu didn’t seem to notice or care. He moved down the center of the street, the heat that rolled off his metal form sending a fog of steam up off the ground. His glowing metal eyes weren’t even on Kara.

  Kara snatched the canteen from her belt with trembling hands. She wasn’t sure what to do with it. Throw it at Harnathu? Sprinkle it on herself?

  Harnathu moved right past Kara, paying her no more notice than if she had been a flea on the back of a donkey.

  Kara covered her face with both hands, feeling the intense heat of his form scorch her skin and hands as the monstrosity passed.

  Further down the street, Beckett and Joseph tried to hurry their pace.

  Kara could already see that there was no way they could outrun the Seteru.

  Then she remembered. The drops of water in her dream. They had been shaped—

  Like arrows.

  Kara yanked the cap off the canteen. She pulled the quiver of arrows off her shoulder and began to dump the water on the slender shafts.

  A scream caused her to raise her head.

  Harnathu had a militiaman in one massive hand. The man was screaming, his body burning like a piece of dry kindling.

  Kara shook the canteen harder, trying to shake out as much of the water as she could.

  With a dismissive flick of his hand, Harnathu tossed the unfortunate man into the side of the nearest building. He moved forward again, heading straight for Kendril, Joseph, and Beckett.

  Joseph and Beckett both put Kendril and the stretcher down in the middle of the street. They drew their swords and stepped forward.

  Kara tossed the canteen away and shouldered her quiver as she rose to her feet. She snatched one of the wet arrows and put it on her string.

  Down the street, Joseph saw her. He lifted a hand and started to say something.

  His words were lost in another ground-shaking roar.

  Harnathu charged right at them. He raised a red-hot metal paw in the air, ready to strike.

  They didn’t stand a chance.

  Kara ran out into the street behind Harnathu, almost tripping in the ankle-deep mud. She took a breath and bent back her bow. Water dripped from the wooden shaft of the arrow.

  It was useless. Stupid. Kara knew it, deep in her gut. Joseph had been right. It was just water, after all. She had run enough cons in her time to know that nothing in any of the water anywhere in a temple made it miraculous, or holy, or blessed or anything other than just ordinary water.

  But against her better judgment and all reason, she found herself believing. Even praying. To her surprise she found herself mouthing a simple, rote prayer. Something she had learned as a child so long ago that she couldn’t even remember when or where.

  It was completely ridiculous, and she felt ashamed. Prayers and faith were for men like Joseph, not a thief and a rogue like herself. She had too much dirt on her hands, too many stains she couldn’t wipe clean.

  Even if Eru did exist, which Kara doubted, He wouldn’t listen to her. Why should He?

  Kara fired.

  The arrow flitted through the air, sending a spray of water behind it. It slammed right into the middle of Harnathu’s back.

  And punched right through the metal skin of the abomination.

  Harnathu lunged to a stop and screamed. Not in anger, or rage or to terrify.

  It was a cry of sheer, total pain.

  Kara stared at the monstrosity in complete shock and disbelief. The prayer died on her lips. She felt immobilized, unable to move. Everything seemed to suddenly slow.

  Harnathu clawed futilely at its back with its metal claws, howling and wailing.

  Liquid metal spurted from the wound in the creature’s back, dribbling down to the ground like blood from a wound. It hissed and smoked as it touched the mud and water of the street.

  That was when Kara realized that there was no pain. She had bent and shot her bow and there was no burning, no stabs of flame in her chest. She could breathe free and clear.

  Harnathu swung around. There was filthy, burning murder in its gleaming eyes.

  Kara felt the resolve and courage drain out of her at the sight of the metallic beast’s horrific visage. She fumbled desperately for another arrow.

  Joseph screamed something at her, but Kara didn’t hear what it was.

  Harnathu looked directly at her, pinning her with his eyes. His growl filled the whole street and thrummed through the air.

  “You wanted a Demonbane?” Kara called out. Her voice sounded small and insignificant in her own ears, but she tried her best to keep it from shaking. She fitted another arrow to her bow. “Come try me on for size.”

  Harnathu stared at her for a moment longer.

  Then he charged.

  Chapter 23

  Kara drew, aimed and fired in one swift motion. She breathed out as she released the string.

  It felt amazing. There was no pain, no blurring tears in her eyes, no gasping for breath. She was finally the same as she had been before Vorten, before Indigoru, before the Soulbinder—

  The arrow whistled down the street. It struck Harnathu in his hind leg.

  The second arrow was just like the first. It cut through the hot metal skin as easily as if it had been made of wet paper.

  Harnathu stumbled, gnashing his teeth in rage and pain. He crashed down into the street itself, sending muddy water and steam flying in all directions.

  He was close. Too close.

  Kara ran to her left. She reached for another arrow as she moved.

  Harnathu gave another blasting roar that blew some of the shingles off nearby roofs. He whipped his arms wildly around. His curved metal claws ripped apart the nearby boardwalk, sending wooden planks flying into the air like a flock of birds. The heat from his molten skin seared and charred the sides of the buildings and sent gouts of steam up from the wide puddles that covered the street.

  Kara paused, pulling back her bow for another shot.

  The steam hung heavily in the air, blocking her aim.

  She took two steps towards the next cross street, trying to find a better angle.

  Harnathu appeared, his yellow eyes burning through the haze like miniature suns.

  Kara bent back her bow and aimed for the creature’s head.

  With a howl Harnathu leapt through the air. He hit the side of the nearest building and swung both his red-hot arms at it.

  The structure exploded outwards in a spray of wood chunks, shingles, glass, and nails.

  Kara gave a cry and jumped for the nearest boardwalk. She hit the planks and rolled just as massive pieces of wood slammed into the mud of the street, tearing up the place where she had been moments before.

  Harnathu didn’t stop.

  He came right through the wreck of the building, causing the wood to smolder and burst into flames as he charged through it.

  Kara t
ried to aim the bow again, but the flurry of wood particles through the air blocked any attempt at aiming. The arrow would never make it through the flying debris.

  She fired anyway, then turned and ran.

  There was no chance the arrow would hit. It was a wasted shot, and Kara already cursed herself for taking it.

  Harnathu howled.

  Kara was so close that she almost dropped her bow to clamp both hands over her ears. She could feel the heat of the monstrosity behind her, burning through her green cloak.

  The boardwalk ahead of her was covered with broken glass and pieces of wood. The store to the left had no more windows.

  The ground shook behind her. Harnathu was coming right at her.

  Kara threw herself through the open space where the windows had been.

  She hit the floor of the store hard and rolled twice before she slammed into a display stand. A clump of raccoon and beaver furs fell down on top of her. She batted them off wildly as she got to her feet.

  Outside there was a great smashing and tearing sound. The air in the store seemed to grow suddenly dry and hot. The smell of burning metal assaulted Kara’s nose.

  She ran.

  The trading store was rather large, two levels. It had once been filled with all manner of useful items for trappers, loggers, and hunters. Now it was a mess, looted and pillaged in the violence and chaos of the evening before.

  It was about to get even worse.

  Harnathu came right through the front wall of the store.

  Kara ran, blindly and panicked, feeling the screaming howl of the Seteru as well as his scorching heat against her flesh. Boards thudded and cracked off the floor of the store in a wooden barrage. A metal chest spiraled through the counter and the wall behind it as well.

  Kara glanced back, her hands and neck stinging from a dozen small cuts and flying shards.

  Harnathu was there.

  The wolf’s head leered down at her, the face of evil and death. It could have bitten her in two with one lunge.

  In fact, Kara was fairly certain that’s what he intended to do.

  Harnathu opened his mouth. Heat danced off his glistening steel fangs. His claws slashed through the walls and displays to either side.