by M. S. Dobing
‘Sylph,’ he said, ‘scout ahead, to the left. See what we’re facing.’
Sylph shook her head as if to remove the clutter from her mind before vanishing down the corridor.
The rest of the group remained in collective awe, still stunned by the memories they’d received. For a moment they let their guards slip, looking inward, at their newly acquired memories. None of them heard the door that led back to the T-junction creak open, or the near-silent footsteps as a new arrival crept up towards them.
It was Barach that sensed it first. He’d experienced the acquisition of others’ memories countless times, and the initial pleasure of seeing the reaction of the group had quickly vanished. He brought up his probe, almost casually.
A mage. Right behind them.
‘Down!’ he hissed.
The group scattered as Barach called up an ultra-dense bolt of force. A figure, half-obscured by shadow, moved towards them, the shadow’s sense similarly probing towards them. Barach unleashed the bolt just as the figure came into the light.
‘Wait!’ Seb said.
Barach tried to snuff out the Script but it was too late. The force slammed into Seb, who just managed to throw up a shield at the last minute. He flew backwards as the air rippled before him, smashing into the double doors where he’d just come from.
***
Cade’s blood-spattered face appeared above him. A rare smile appeared. He held out his hand, which Seb took gratefully, rubbing his hip as he got to his feet.
‘It’s good to see you, we weren’t sure if you were even alive,’ Cade said.
‘I nearly wasn’t, several times.’
‘Where the hell have you been?’
‘Skelwith.’
Cade did a double take. ‘What?’
‘Long story.’ He looked at the warriors gathered around and exchanged a nod with Barach. ‘Good effect,’ he said, rubbing his aching hip.
‘Good defence,’ Barach replied. ‘Sorry if I did any damage there.’
‘I’ll live.’
‘What got you here?’ Cade said.
‘I had a feeling of sorts. I can’t explain it. I just felt you were in trouble. Then Gough found me.’
Cade frowned. ‘Gough? How?’
‘Not physically. You know, mentally,’ he said, tapping his head.
‘So you know of Sedaris’ plans?’
‘The Manyway. He’s going to break the seal between our world and the sheol using the Spoke Stones as some kind of hammer?’
‘Just about sums it up. We need to get there and destroy it to prevent the sheol coming through.’
‘Although Sedaris will still have the Spoke Stones?’ Seb said.
‘It buys us time. This is the only known Manyway on Earth. We can either take this down or try and stop each of the attacks on the Families. I know which has more chance of success.’
‘Agreed. Although, what about Sedaris?’
‘Let me worry about him,’ Barach said. ‘Cade, we need to get moving.’
‘Understood.’ Cade took the clip out of his weapon, checking that it was full of silver bullets. ‘You ready for this?’
‘Yeah,’ Seb said. ‘Let’s do this.’
The door at the end of the corridor burst open. A small man, brow bloodied, landed in a heap on the floor. Sylph appeared behind him, wiping her hands on her pants.
‘Cade, you need to speak to this guy, he knows -’ her eyes found Seb. The words died in her throat.
‘Hey, Sylph,’ Seb said, a strange flush suddenly making the room feel very hot.
Sylph stormed over, her mouth pencil thin, her eyes hard. Cade stepped aside.
‘You’re alive, then?’ she said, her voice tight, matching her expression.
‘Just about.’
‘Were you planning to let me - us - know at any point?’
‘Sorry, I sort of had my hands tied. If I coul -’
The slap cracked against his face. His cheek stung as he raised a hand to where his flesh felt like it was on fire.
‘Next time, you tell me you’re alive, you understand?’
He nodded, not daring to speak again.
‘Good,’ Sylph shook her head and blew out. She turned to Cade. ‘This guy. He’s some kind of maintenance guy; I found him near the ramp that leads into the catacombs. He claims he has information that will help us.’
‘And he just told you this willingly?’
Sylph rolled her eyes. ‘It’s amazing what people will do when death is staring them in the face.’
‘I’ll speak to him.’
Cade picked the man up by the collar and threw him into a seat. Through tear-filled eyes the man looked up at Cade, then Sylph, then back again.
‘You work here?’ Cade said.
The man nodded.
‘You have information.’
The man nodded, more vigorously this time.
‘Why should I believe you? Why are you not possessed?’
‘They needed someone to be able to keep the portal running. It’s too volatile as it stands. There’s a bunch of us that Archmage Tarmyr pulled in. Physicists, engineers, that have been employed to keep it stable. They couldn’t afford to let us get possessed or they’d lose control of the portal.’
‘Why does this help us?’ Cade said.
‘They built a separate route, an access hatch that bypasses the tunnels that the sheol run through.’
Seb studied the man as Sylph and Cade exchanged excited looks.
‘And this hatch? It leads directly to the portal chamber? Where the Manyway is?’
‘Yeah,’ the man stammered. ‘Too many were getting caught early on. So they built a secure area instead. It leads right to the bottom level. There are still sheol there but nowhere near as many as there are in the tunnels leading down. We always had a mage with us to keep us safe.’’
Cade glanced back. ‘Is he telling the truth?’
‘He’s scared. He’ll tell you anything, but I don’t sense any deceit.’
‘Good.’ Cade turned back to the man. ‘You will lead us there?’
The man’s eyes opened in panic. ‘Lead, no, I can show -’
The tip of Cade’s sword touched the man’s Adam’s apple. The man froze, the point drawing a bead of blood.
‘You will take us there. Personally. Or I kill you here. Now. What is it?’
The man blinked. A tear spilt down his cheek.
‘Perhaps you need to let him move his head, just a little,’ Seb suggested.
Cade scowled but moved the blade an inch.
‘Well?’ Seb said.
The man’s shoulders slumped. ‘We’ll all die down there,’ he muttered.
‘Good, glad to have you on board!’ Cade said, before leaving the man to stew in his own fear. Seb followed, aware that Sylph stood, leaning against the wall, firing daggers into his back.
‘What’s her problem?’ Seb said.
Cade smiled. ‘Problem? It is true what they say, isn’t it? Youth is wasted on the young.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘Let’s talk about it when this is over. If we don’t make it out, it’s not worth it.’
‘Reassuring.’
‘I’m a realist.’
With everyone ready, Cade yanked the technician out of the chair and shoved him to the front. He turned left into the corridor, the man nearly paralysed with fear, Cade having to drag him onward. The technician stumbled and bounced off the walls as they descended, Cade’s iron grip forcing him along like he weighed no more than a feather. Every time he fell the warrior yanked him to his feet, the man’s cries for mercy falling on deaf ears.
Eventually they came across an access elevator that only led in one direction from their floor. The man stopped.
‘Is this it?’ Cade said.
The man nodded. ‘It won’t work though. The lift only works for the magi. You’ll need to take the service shaft. It opens up in the same area. I can give you the access codes to open its doo
rs.’
‘Understood,’ Cade grabbed the man and shoved him into the elevator.
‘What’re you doing?’
‘If you’ve got a vested interest in your life you wouldn’t walk yourself into a trap, would you?’
The man fell on Cade, his hands clasped, pleading. ‘I can’t climb down there. It’s too far. Please, I’ve got a family, kids. I don’t want to die here.’
Cade’s glare could’ve melted steel. ‘Perhaps you should’ve thought of that before you sold your soul to the devil?’
Cade flung the man to one side and stepped inside the elevator. A pale red light shone down on him as he looked down at the panel below. Two quick jabs later and the panel had popped off. He looked at the others. ‘Let’s go.’
The climb down was going to be a challenge, even for Seb, who without Avatari doubted he could’ve handled the descent. The technician had no chance, forced at gunpoint to the ladder that followed the shaft downwards, but clearly unfit for such a task. As he lowered himself down onto the first rungs his face was already crimson and sweat poured down his face as he clung on for dear life, no doubt the family he had at home making him fight on to the end.
This wasn’t right.
‘Cade,’ Seb said.
‘What?’ Cade grunted.
‘Let him go. He doesn’t need to do this.’
‘Why, he’s working for them isn’t he?’ Cade looked at the man with disdain. ‘If he falls it will be a small mercy compared to what the sheol would do.’
Seb read the man’s aura. There was no deception there, just fear, almost overwhelming him. He shook his head.
‘We’re better than this, Cade. Let him go.’
Cade glanced at Sylph, who merely gave a non-committal shrug. Cade paused, just for a moment, before nodding at one of his soldiers. ‘Get him out of here.’
The technician was bundled out of the elevator, but not before firing a grateful glance Seb’s way as he stumbled past. He made it ten feet before he suddenly jerked and fell to the floor.
Seb turned to Barach, noting the source of the Weave disturbance. ‘What did you do?’
‘Relax. Nothing serious. He’ll be out for a few minutes. When he wakes he won’t remember meeting us, and will have a sudden desire to get the hell out of here.’
Barach was right. Seb didn’t argue the point. He joined Cade at the elevator and lowered himself through the service hatch.
The descent took twenty minutes. The air noticeably cooled, and Seb felt the pressure on his ears as they plunged deeper underground. There were sheol here too. He felt Cian’s staff on his back, its presence reassuring.
The shaft opened up into a small receiving area with a plain sofa, a table and a plastic plant. The technicians were obviously not people for decor. The group spilt out in silence, Cade moving to the sealed door that led into the Manyway chamber and pressed his ear against the cold metal.
‘Seb, you pick anything up?’
Seb sensed.
Not good.
Cade registered the expression. ‘How many?’
‘I reckon about thirty ferals. The portal is distorting Sentio though so I can’t get it nailed down.’
‘Okay. We go in loud and fast. Phosphorous first. Mop up what’s left. Understood?’
The group nodded in ascent. Seb gripped his staff, the Weave flowing now.
Cade keyed in the security code that the technician had provided. The panel turned green. The door slid open.
And all hell broke loose.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
The sheol were crouched, hidden behind ruined pillars and crumbling masonry. The nearest howled as the door slid open, their cries echoed by those further back inside the massive cavern. They were already charging before Cade had even stepped out, eating the distance between the two groups at a terrifying pace.
Cade tossed the phosphorous launcher to one side. Firing at that distance would be lethal to both parties. His hands blurred and a trio of silver throwing stars tore into sheol flesh. One dropped, its throat melting, the other two stumbling but their charge continuing.
Seb bundled out with the others. He ducked and moved to the side as at least five of the sheol narrowed on him, his Weave-aura drawing them in. He flung up a shield of force as they leapt towards him, the first two smashing into the barrier at pace. Bone crunched and the fiends fell.
The others learned quickly and came round the side. Seb’s staff materialised in his hands, purple energy rippling up the shaft. The three sheol circled him, aware of the damage the weapon could do.
Alongside him the rest of the team battled for their lives. Sylph vanished into the shadows, the sheol nearest her scraping nothing but air with its razor-talons. She popped into existence for a brief second, her dagger plunging deep into her opponent’s exposed flank, before vanishing back into the safety of darkness.
Cade was a devil. A whirling force of steel that sliced through sheol like they weren’t even there. The creatures backed away from him, learning quickly that this wasn’t an opponent that could be quickly overrun. Behind him the four brothers fanned out, picking off those sheol they could with their firearms.
Barach surged ahead, barrelling into the swarm of sheol. His skin seemed to ripple with Weave-fire, burning any sheol that came within reach. He spun his staff around at speed, cleaving through the daemons, leaving a pulping mass in his wake.
One of the sheol nearest Seb became impatient. It lunged forwards, a rusted short sword clutched in one hand. Seb dodged as the blade struck rock, snapping halfway down its length. He sent a bolt of purple fire straight into the creature’s face, melting its head into a liquid stump as the creature fell to the ground.
A cry from behind made him turn. One of the other brothers, Lee, was collapsed against the wall, his arm limp by his side, blood pumping from an open wound between his shoulder and neck. Two sheol converged on him, sensing victory.
Seb threw himself amongst the pair. He swung the staff around his head like a ball on a chain, the weapon catching the nearest of the sheol on the head, cracking its skull. The other scrambled away, joining the rest of a group that had turned their attention to the other brothers.
‘You okay?’ Seb shouted.
‘I can’t fight. I can’t feel my arm.’
Lee’s face was the colour of ash. He was going to bleed out if something wasn’t done. On instinct, Seb placed his free hand on the open wound.
‘I think this will hurt.’
‘Think?’
Seb called the two Scripts almost at once. Force pushed the torn wound together, and then he called burn. Lee screamed as smoke puffed from the wound, the stench of burning flesh nearly overpowering. Seb stepped back when he felt Lee couldn’t take anymore.
The wound no longer bled.
‘You okay?’
Lee clutched his wounded arm and managed a quick nod.
‘Stay at the back. Don’t do anything stupid.’
Then Seb was off, back into the fray.
The last of the sheol were falling back. They’d scattered under the combined onslaught, scurrying for cover. It had allowed the Brotherhood warriors to draw their firearms. The sheol fell under a hail of silver bullets, their bodies bubbling and melting away into nothing.
‘Come on,’ Cade shouted. ‘We can’t be far now!’
They hurried through the vast chamber, following the thick power lines that followed the walls, vanishing through a wide archway up ahead. Through the archway Seb could just about make out the bone arches that surrounded the Manyway. The Weave pulsed from the room in waves, but it was a strange variance of it, almost alien.
Such was the group’s enthusiasm to get to their target that they didn’t notice the shadows nearest the arch as they began to shift and morph. Seb’s sense screamed at him and he skidded to a stop.
No.
‘Magi!’ he screamed.
There were six of them, clad in the black and blue smocks of the Ninth, their faces ob
scured by hoods. One stood out amongst them, his hood drawn back. The mage’s lips curled into a wicked sneer as Cade and the rest skidded to a halt.
‘This is where your ad --’
Cade fired. The mage shimmered. Most of the bullets hit nothing but air, but at least one made the tell-tale thunk as it struck flesh.
‘I don’t have time for talking,’ Cade hissed.
They charged into the magi, who blinked and vanished into the shadows. Seb spun, flicking his vision through the different spectrums as he tried to find them.
A mage appeared behind Marie, one of Cade’s warriors. Her own sense kicked in and she pivoted, her gun arching round to fire.
Too slow.
The mage’s staff punctured her back and thrust out of her chest. Her eyes widened as she saw the blade, her hands rising up to grab it before the mage yanked the weapon out, Marie sagging to the floor. The mage twisted the staff into both hands, readying to strike her again.
Seb blurred, striking the mage at speed. Ribs cracked as the mage flew backwards into the wall, his spear-staff clattering to the floor beside Seb. Before the mage could rise again Seb flicked up the weapon with the tip of his foot, caught it, and then hurled it with the full force of his Avatari behind it. The spear pierced the mage’s chest and pinned him to the wall, unmoving.
Five magi left.
Three had converged on Barach, sensing where the greatest threat lay. They leapt and vaulted around him, their bladed staffs trying but failing to find their target. Barach was a blur amongst them. He caught one in mid-air by the throat and smashed her into the ground. One leapt towards his back but Barach shimmered and the Ninth mage thrust his spear into his own companion on the floor. The Ninth mage only had the briefest of seconds to comprehend what had happened before Barach appeared behind him. A neck snapped, and the Ninth mage dropped to the ground.
Cade had emptied his weapon of rounds, firing into a moving mass of shadow that flew around him like a Chinese dragon. When his weapon clicked empty he drew his twin swords, dropping to a crouch as he pivoted, his yellow eyes scanning the gloom. Something lanced out and the warrior grunted in pain as he fell forwards, a deep wound showing through his armour.