Consensus Breaking (The Auran Chronicles Book 2)

by M. S. Dobing

  A mage appeared behind Cade, his weapon ready to finish the warrior off. Seb could sense the other magi, the unhooded one, nearby, but he hadn’t shown himself. Seb had his shield up, sense focused, ready to receive an attack. If he stayed still he’d be ready, but Cade was vulnerable.

  Screw it.

  Something disturbed the air behind him, but he ignored it. He blurred again, not quite reaching Cade but getting within reach. He slid to one knee and threw a bolt of force that staggered the mage behind the warrior. Before the mage could readjust, Cade recovered, and he twisted and lunged up with one of his blades, impaling the mage, who slid downward onto the weapon with a sickening squelch.

  ‘Seb behind you!’

  The shout was from Sylph, but where she was he had no idea. Not that it mattered. He teleported backwards, reappearing just as the unhooded mage had sent a bolt of black fire that scorched the ground where he’d had been standing a second earlier. Sylph appeared from the shadows too, blood pouring from a wound on her head, but the other mage now lying dead by her feet.

  They surrounded the unhooded mage, who spun about, his bladed staff constantly changing angle and direction. He was strong in the Weave, but angry, full of rage. Seb doubted if he had the ability to control it for long periods.

  ‘You think you’ve won?’ the mage said in accented English. ‘You think you’ve defeated us?’

  ‘It’s looking pretty promising from here,’ Cade said.

  ‘You have no idea what you’re facing!’

  They attacked as one, converging on the mage before he could react. Instead of defending though he smashed a dull, amber stone on the floor. He vanished with a flash of light.

  ‘A home stone,’ Seb said.

  ‘Guess he didn’t fancy his chances.’

  ‘Guess there goes our element of surprise,’ Barach said.

  ‘How are we?’ Cade said, looking around the room.

  ‘Ah, no,’ Seb said, ‘Cade, over here.’

  Lee, Marie and another warrior, Veerman, all lay dead, the Ninth magi able to secure killing blows during the skirmish. Only one of Cade’s force remained alive. The young warrior was slumped against a pillar, nursing a nasty gash on his face.

  ‘Are you okay, soldier?’ Cade said.

  ‘Yessir, just a surface wound. It’ll heal.’

  ‘Good lad.’

  They all turned as one towards the open arch. That strange, corrupted Weave energy still pulsed from it in waves.

  ‘I guess we go in?’ Sylph said.

  ‘You ready for this?’ Seb moved to Sylph. He wiped her head with a rag ripped from a fallen mage. She flinched but let him remove the blood, exposing a deep gash on her scalp. He placed a hand there and called a simple heal, the wound healing instantly.

  ‘Yeah, I am, and thanks.’

  ‘How about you? Your head holding up?’ Cade said.

  ‘I think so.’ Seb said. He’d been channelling near-constantly for the past couple of hours. The familiar ache was there, but none of the throbbing pain that he’d normally associated with prolonged Weave use. He had capacity left, that was for sure.

  ‘Then let’s get this thing over with.’

  They had all stepped through the arch, the massive halves of the door chained to the walls on either side, when Seb noticed that Barach was still standing, not following.

  ‘What’s the matter?’ Seb said.

  ‘Sedaris will know we’re here now. He’ll follow us.’

  ‘Let him come. It beats skulking around in the dark.’

  ‘No. This is not your battle. If he intercepts us now, then we have no chance. I must confront him. Alone.’

  ‘I’ll come with you. I’m a mage. He’s wronged me as much as you.’

  Barach’s mouth lifted in a wry smile. ‘Thanks, but no. They need you. I’ll meet you after I’ve dealt with Sedaris.’

  It was pointless arguing. Barach didn’t invite negotiation.

  It would also be the last time they’d see each other.

  ‘What’s going on?’ Cade said, re-joining the pair.

  ‘You’re not going to change your mind, are you?’ Seb said.

  ‘No chance. I must do my duty, as you must do yours. Understand?’

  Seb nodded.

  ‘Good lad,’ Barach said, ‘make Danu proud.’

  ‘What?’ Cade looked between the two of them. ‘What’s going on?’

  ‘Barach isn’t coming.’

  Cade’s face creased into a frown. He drew breath, some expletive no doubt about to follow. Then something clicked in his mind.

  ‘Sedaris. He is coming.’

  Barach nodded. ‘Go. I will hold him up as long as I can.’ He took something out of his coat. A small pouch, tied at the top with string. He passed it to Cade.

  ‘The Home Stone I created earlier. You know how it works?’

  ‘I do,’ Cade replied. He slid it inside his armour.

  Everyone knew what Barach remaining behind meant for the mage, but none spoke it aloud. A silence fell upon them, only breaking when Cade stepped forward and held out his hand. Barach accepted the gesture, and the two men clasped arms.

  ‘Good luck, Barach,’ Cade said.

  ‘You too, Cade. I wish we could’ve known each other under different circumstances.’

  ‘Likewise.’

  Barach turned and stepped back into the chamber. He raised his hands wide. The Weave groaned, and then the chains on either side of the door snapped. Seb eye’s never left the mage as the massive doors slowly rumbled together, eventually closing with a loud bang.

  ***

  Sedaris held the drink, half raised to his mouth. A frown furrowed his brow.

  ‘Problem, Archmage Tarmyr?’ he said, draining the last of the wine from his goblet.

  The uneasy expression on Tarmyr’s face vanished, replaced by his normal, unconvincing smile. ‘No, should there be?’

  ‘Your men are anxious. A security detail has not reported in,’ Sedaris added, letting Tarmyr know that he couldn’t be deceived.

  ‘It is not uncommon, especially in weather like this. You could be stood a foot from another man in these blizzards and not know it.’

  The door burst open. Alexei rushed in. Blood poured from a wound on his head.

  ‘Alexei, what are you doing barging in here?’ Tarmyr was on his feet, his eyes like thunder. Alexei slowed, but did not stop. He dropped to his knees by his father, muttering something in Tarmyr’s ears.

  ‘Speak up, Alexei, for all our benefit,’ Sedaris said, amplifying his own voice with Avatari.

  Alexei looked to his father for guidance, who gave a curt nod in response. The Ninth’s Battlemaster rose.

  ‘Forgive me, Archmage Sedaris.’

  ‘We are all friends here, Alexei. Please, speak freely.’

  Alexei shuffled on his feet and coughed to clear his throat. ‘The First, my lord. They have come. Here.’

  Sedaris tucked his chin and frowned. ‘What do you mean, here?’

  ‘In the catacombs. My coterie just encountered them. I am the only survivor.’

  Sedaris was already on his feet. ‘Who was amongst them?’

  ‘I don’t know. At least two magi. Some Brotherhood, too.’

  Sedaris’ face tightened. When he spoke again, his attention focused on Tarmyr, his voice had taken on an icy tone. ‘I thought you had taken care of anyone of consequence at Domus?’

  Tarmyr turned white. ‘We did,’ he stammered, ‘all the magi were slain. Some acolytes survived, as you know, but that was it.’

  ‘That’s not exactly true, Father,’ Alexei said.

  Tarmyr’s eyes nearly exploded out of his head. ‘What are you saying?’

  ‘The First Battlemaster.’

  ‘Barach,’ Sedaris growled.

  Alexei nodded. ‘He was the mage I encountered down below. I’m sure of it.’

  ‘How many others escaped? How many acolytes?’ Sedaris directed his attention to Tarmyr now.

  ‘I don
’t know, twenty? Thirty? Not many, and all were raw. You don’t think they’d attack here?’ Tarmyr was almost laughing now, his black eyes filling with tears. ‘Even if they did, how could they even know? How could they know of our involvement?’

  ‘Come now, Tarmyr, it wouldn’t take a genius. All it would’ve taken was for Barach to rip the minds of one of your soldiers.’

  Tarmyr waved a greasy hand. ‘So? Perhaps some of them figured it out. They still wouldn’t know our true intentions.’

  Sedaris was pacing towards the door. Victory was so close, the sheol’s day of release from their eternal prison at hand. There couldn’t be any interruptions, not now.

  ‘If Barach wasn’t found, then he lives. He was the most powerful of the magi bar me. We have to assume that he surmised our intentions and has come here to interfere in some way.’

  ‘He is but one mage. We have many, and soldiers.’

  ‘Not enough, obviously.’

  Tarmyr shot out of his seat. It clattered to the floor.

  ‘It is my men who are out there now, Lord Sedaris. They are bringing back the Spoke Stones that you demanded. If we are weakened here, then it is no fault of mine.’ Tarmyr took his flagon and sank the rest of his ale in one go. He slammed the empty vessel onto the table and wiped his sleeves across his beard. ‘And besides,’ he continued, ‘Kranor will destroy anyone lucky enough to get that far. Summon him back. He is bound to that room, is he not?’

  Tarmyr was right, but the notion didn’t sit comfortably. Kranor was a powerful opponent, even for Sedaris. In his native realm he was near-immortal, but here, on this shard? He was still formidable, but not indestructible. If others had come? A larger force?

  He couldn’t take the chance.

  ‘I will go to Kranor.’

  ‘Do you not want me to do that, Archmage Sedaris?’ Tarmyr said, clearly reluctant to join the balsheol.

  For a second, Sedaris thought of agreeing, just to see the cowardly mage’s expression. Ultimately this wasn’t the time to test loyalty.

  ‘No. You have done enough. I will deal with these intruders.’

  Sedaris left Tarmyr sitting in silence. As he marched out of the chamber, he pulsed a command thousands of miles.

  Into the mind of his greatest warrior.

  ***

  They emerged into a large cavern, this one slightly smaller than the one they’d left. The Manyway stood in the centre. The six bone fingers produced a pulsing black energy that fed into the shimmering portal on top of the platform. Around the sides, large spotlights illuminated the area, and beyond them a perimeter of strange humming metal posts was attached to the cables that fed into the chamber.

  ‘That’s it?’ Cade said. ‘That’s the Manyway?’

  ‘I guess so.’ Seb squatted and touched one of the cables. It was warm to the touch. ‘So what are those metal posts? They must be doing something.’

  ‘The technician said the portal had to be kept stable. I guess they’re to do with that.’

  ‘So basically just more stuff to blow the hell up?’

  ‘Exactly.’

  Cade dropped down into his satchel and produced six explosive charges. ‘Take these. Put one on each of the fingers.’

  Seb took three, Sylph the others as they proceeded to move around the platform. Seb kept his eyes away from the portal, but his ears couldn’t deny the sounds coming from it.

  Thunder. A growling cacophony of billions of sheol. Coming from worlds millions of miles away.

  ‘Where does it actually lead?’ Sylph said.

  ‘Anywhere, according to Barach. This end is fixed, but the other end can be moved to anywhere in the shards.’

  ‘How?’

  Seb shrugged. ‘No idea, and I don’t intend to find out.’

  ‘Seems wise.’

  The last of the C4 had been planted. They stepped away as one, Cade holding the detonator.

  ‘Now what?’ Seb said. He wiped sweat from his brow. His stomach was crunching, and an uneasy trickle had made its way down his back.

  ‘We get to a safe distance, and boom.’

  ‘Then let’s get going,’ Sylph said, ‘this place is giving me the creeps.’

  They turned as one. Then stopped.

  Seb felt it first. A twisting of the Weave as reality bent to accommodate an arrival that wasn’t intended for this realm. His head pounded and he slumped, trying to grab hold of a piece of machinery for support.

  ‘What is it?’ Cade’s voice seemed slurred, far away, the warrior turning to face him.

  ‘That thing…comes…’ The words came, but the effort was agonising, as if his jaw had been nailed to the ground.

  The air before them rippled and shimmered. Silver lines danced, forming into a dreadful, familiar shape.

  Kranor.

  Terror removed the paralysis. ‘Cade!’

  Cade was wise enough not to bother turning to know the threat was real. Instead he dove forwards, the swing of Kranor’s katana slicing a thin red line on the warrior’s back as he dove away. The last of Cade’s warriors wasn’t so lucky, the blade’s swing continuing, decapitating him in one clean action.

  ‘You are brave, boy, coming back so soon. How is it that you still live, I wonder?’

  Kranor took a step forward. Cade opened fire with silver-tipped bullets, but they just melted against the daemon’s armour, splattering like paint.

  ‘I am not afraid of you,’ Seb said, forcing himself to his feet, the staff heavy in his hands.

  ‘Oh, but you are, and rightly so.’ Kranor took the katana in both hands and raised it into a combat stance. ‘It will be a shame to end your life; you would’ve made a curious plaything.’

  Kranor shimmered, about to blur. Seb braced, but stopped when he realised the daemon hadn’t moved and instead simply limped forwards, turning back with a growl.

  Sylph crouched by his feet. One of her runed blades embedded up to the hilt into the exposed flesh between his armoured plates.

  ‘Don’t let him touch you!’ Seb shouted.

  Sylph let go of the dagger and vaulted backwards as Kranor swung the back of his fist at lightning speed. It caught Sylph by the ankle as she tumbled, flinging her sideways towards the wall. The rock cracked as she hit. She tumbled to the floor in a cloud of dust.

  ***

  Sedaris turned to shadow, startling Tarmyr and his men, who had no knowledge of such a power. He flew through the passages that led down to the Manyway, the interference from the rocks preventing him from teleporting there directly. He would be there in seconds, arriving to support Kranor in his time of need.

  The humans wouldn’t have a chance.

  He dropped down the lift shaft, emerging into the chamber that led directly to the portal room. Dead sheol lay around him. Further ahead a group of Ninth magi had met a similar fate. He didn’t linger. The portal door lay just ahead. He would be there in seconds.

  He raced towards the door. Such was his zeal to protect his most prized asset that only at the last moment did he realise that the door to the Manyway was shut. His shadow-form plumed against the door, its magical protections preventing him from travelling further. He dropped back into his human form.

  ‘What the hell?’ he cried. He banged his fist on the door in fury.

  ‘Problem, Archmage?’

  Sedaris pivoted. His eyes blazed a fiery red. Blue electricity rippled up his arms.

  Barach stepped out of the shadows. He circled around Sedaris, his own aura flaring as he fully channelled the Weave.

  ‘Barach?’ Sedaris shook his head and laughed. ‘I should’ve known you would’ve been stupid enough to survive what happened.’

  ‘Who are you?’

  ‘Me? I’m hurt, Barach. Is it not obvious?’

  Barach raised his staff, holding it in both hands. ‘Enlighten me. I’m not the sharpest tool in the box.’

  They circled each other. Barach moved towards the door. Sedaris moved away. The archmage summoned his own staff as he edged si
deways. On the other side of the door, Kranor roared as someone scored a hit. Barach allowed himself a smile.

  ‘Look about you, Barach. What do you see?’

  ‘A stinking, foetid cave. Next question.’

  ‘The Ninth, my dear fellow. The long forgotten black sheep of the Families.’

  ‘So you’re a sheol. Big deal. How the hell did you possess Sedaris?’

  They stopped rotating. Barach had his back to the sealed door. He knew the fight was coming. When it eventually came he knew it would not last long. All he wanted to do for now was to keep Sedaris out of that room for as long as he could.

  Sedaris tipped his head to one side. Barach gritted his teeth as powerful sense slid past his defences. Sedaris smiled.

  ‘Oh, Barach. I thought this would be a challenge. But it turns out that you’re the only real mage amongst your little group.’

  ‘Answer me. Who are you?’

  Sedaris sighed. ‘I suppose I can allow you this. It will be good to know that the last image that you see before you cross to the River will be the undeniable truth.’

  ‘What truth?’ Barach sneered. He changed his grip and bent his knees slightly. The inevitable conflict was coming.

  ‘Why, that you failed, dear Barach. You and your kin succumbed to the weakness that plagues all your kind. My brothers were right. And it is only proper that you see what your failure has resulted in.’

  The Weave groaned. The air around Sedaris began to shimmer. Barach shoved down the brief flicker of fear that flared up as the human before him vanished in a swirl of darkness. As the moments passed, the shadow reformed, and the truth about Sedaris was revealed.

  ‘You!’ Barach growled.

  The armoured fiend towered above him. Its plate mail was the colour of night, and it clutched in its hand a staff, but this one had morphed into a massive, bladed shaft that pulsed with the darkest of Weave magic. A serpentine visage gazed down at him, the creature’s mouth opening into a wicked smile that revealed rows of razor sharp teeth.

  ‘Remember this, Barach. Remember that it was I, Nazgath, slayer of Danu, that bested you. And when I’ve stepped over your bloodied corpse, I will do the same to your friends.’