“It might have information we could use,” said Chelsea.
“Yes, it might but look how it’s acting. It wants to kill and that makes it dangerous with it gaining strength,” Sebastian said.
The vampire started singing.
“Sitting on a table atop the magic tower
Drawing on their life force and taking all their power
Shattering the world and tearing down the Seal
He is the one who will force the world to yield.”
It sang that verse over and over.
“How do you know about the tower?” asked Chelsea.
“All fey heard the call. The Master called his subjects. Many went. Many fled. They all fed the Master,” it said then went back to singing the verse.
“Shut up,” said William.
“Anna, this is your facility, it’s your call,” said Sebastian.
“How do you want to play this?” Chelsea asked her.
“I want it out of here,” Anna said.
“If you want to question it, we’ll prep a transport cell and you can take it to Camelot but whether it’s dead or transferred its stay at Facility 14 is over,” Anna told him.
“We’re not equipped for prisoners at Camelot and I really wouldn’t trust anything it has to say so we kill it,” Sebastian said.
*Whoom* went the door as the creature smashed into it again. *WHOOM* *WHOOM* The thick clear panel was incredibly strong but finally cracked. The vampire stopped bashing it.
“Free,” it said and turned to mist and shot out through the crack.
The mist swirled a moment then trailed off quickly down the corridor with the four of them chasing behind it and the group of guards following. They heard a scream from the area of the main guard station and as they got there, they saw the guard manning the station crumpled on the floor and the vampire pressing controls before it dissipated again and headed back into the cell blocks. Alarms started going off and Anna tapped her comm.
“We have a situation. All capable field agents in Facility 14 proceed immediately to the detention area. The cells have all been opened,” she said.
“Well, shit. This is not going to be fun,” said Chelsea.
Anna was at the control panel and working diligently.
“I’ve gotten the cells locked back down but can’t be sure if anything got out. We were less than half capacity so it’s not a lot if any got free but what is left is the nastier things. I’m cycling cameras now,” Anna told them.
“Guards, form up, cover this station,” Sebastian said.
Chelsea looked at Sebastian then at Anna.
“This isn’t the time for rank and protocol. Anna has her hands full,” Sebastian said.
“He’s right,” said Anna. “It’s time for action,” she said.
“It looks like we got lucky,” Anna told them. “I see an ogre and a reptilian and a few werewolves. I’ve also seen that vampire’s cloud on a few cameras but it’s fast and on the move. I think it’s looking for an exit but I have this place locked down on an airtight seal so even that mist isn’t getting out. Reinforcements are going to take some time, most people are drunk on the roof. The only exit is this elevator and that’s through guards that are prepared now,” Anna told them.
“Okay, let’s do this,” Sebastian said. “My thoughts are to split the guards into three groups. One group will watch this exit and control station. Chelsea and Anna with one group of the guards go east wing, William with me and the other group of guards will go west wing and we’ll meet at north wing and come back this way. That way if they aren’t vulnerable to the new Warden enchanted blades, one of us will be there for each group with the Excaliburs,” Sebastian said.
“Agreed,” said Anna.
She went over to the control station and entered in some commands.
“This place is sealed. Only a Coordinator or higher can activate that elevator and the cells,” Anna said. “Chelsea, how do you feel about going after a doggy or two?” asked Anna.
“I’m always down for doggy. Right, Sebastian?” Chelsea asked winking at Sebastian and Sebastian rolled his eyes and several of the guards along with Anna and William could be heard suppressing a snicker.
#
The two groups split up with Anna’s group heading towards the lycanthrope containment while Sebastian’s group went after the brutes. Anna led her group with weapons ready and Chelsea at her side.
“I want everyone prepared. These lycanthropes can be slowed and hurt by our standard weaponry but they regenerate it fast and it won’t kill them. They’ve shown less resistance to the enchanted blades so Chelsea and I will be handling the brunt of the fight. I want the guards on suppression detail. Energy weapons are the best effect here so if you get a shot take it. Every shot hurts them and weakens them,” the Coordinator told her guards.
They proceeded cautiously to the wing with the werewolves. They weren’t in the corridor.
“They’re hunters. Expect surprises, ambushes, pack tactics,” said Anna.
The group moved slowly through the corridor. As they turned, two came at them from the front two from the back. Chelsea jumped over the group of guards and met the two in the rear head on. The first one swiped at her and she lopped off its arm. It howled in pain and lunged again and she cut through the other arm and through its head decapitating it and dropping it to the floor. Anna met the front group and was a little more pressed but held her own, parrying the attacks of the two wolves as the guards flashed energy fire by her. One of the wolves took a laser to the eyes and was temporarily blinded and she used that to her advantage, stabbing her blade through its heart and then beheading it. The second one in the back lunged at Chelsea and got its claws in her shirt and ripped it off but her body armor protected her from its slash. She impaled her blade into its gut and slashed upward cutting it in half from the navel up. The last wolf was staring at Anna and slowly advancing. It feinted then leaped and caught Anna off guard but she recovered and impaled it through the face and out through the back of its skull. It slumped over on the ground and didn’t move. Chelsea took a moment to set each on fire with a blue flame she summoned.
“Burnt fur is disgusting but there won’t be any regeneration,” Chelsea said.
“And with the environmental system sealed, it’s gonna smell like that everywhere,” said Anna.
“Seemed like a good idea at the time,” Chelsea replied.
#
Sebastian’s group approached the brute wing. “Pistols on slug settings. Use impact shells. If you exhaust those, switch to high velocity,” Sebastian ordered.
They came to the row where the ogre’s cell was located and found the ogre meandering through the hallway. It was approximately 8 and a half feet tall with a massive frame and huge dense musculature. It had torn one of the security gates off the hinges and was using a piece of the reinforced metal frame as a weapon. It was jagged and heavy and it had it leaning on its shoulder like a club.
“Okay, let’s do this,” Sebastian told them.
“Fire at will,” he ordered and they opened fire.
It grunted and charged at them. William was on Sebastian’s left and as it swung he rolled out of the way and Sebastian pulled his shield at the last second and caught the impact on it. The blow launched him across the hall and into the wall. He shook off the impact and turned back to the fight. It was focused on William and trying its best to hit him with the makeshift club but William was faster than the ogre. Sebastian advanced back to the ogre and he and William stayed on opposite sides. As it swung and moved, they would slash and dodge slowly covering it with cuts. Even Excalibur couldn’t cut completely through it but eventually, they managed to weaken it though it took significant damage to do so. It dropped to its knees and the club fell from its hand. William took his sword and rammed it into the back of the creature’s neck and it fell over dead.
#
“Status update. We've finished with the lycanthropes no sign of the vampire. How about
that side?” asked Anna over their comms.
“Ogre is down, no sign of the reptile. We’ve been through this block twice,” said Sebastian.
“Okay meet at the north wing,” Anna replied. They headed to the north wing and as Sebastian’s group rounded a corner, he saw a distortion drop down from the ceiling into the guards. It moved fast and two guards were dead in seconds and the distortion leaped back to the ceiling.
Sebastian and William ran towards it but it was already gone. The guards rained fire in the direction it disappeared to but hit nothing. Something shimmered in the group of guards and was gone again but not before another was dead and another unconscious.
“The reptile can stealth or camouflage. We have multiple casualties, most dead. Use extreme caution. It’s effectively invisible and very fast,” Sebastian said over the comm.
“Acknowledged,” came the reply.
The reptile creature struck again, this time against Anna’s group. It killed several guards and was gone before they could get a shot off. Eventually, everyone rendezvoused at the north hall and headed to the guard station.
“I want the guards to stay here and nothing gets to that elevator,” said Anna.
“The four of us will stay together and search. Lock this gate behind us and close the airtight barrier to this station. Seal us in with the reptile and vampire,” Anna ordered.
The four of them started going carefully through the corridors. They occasionally heard something but by the time they turned, it was gone. They came into cross-section between several wings and it dropped in the middle of the group. As they turned to face it, it attacked but William managed to parry its claws with his blade and it sprayed something in William’s face as it jumped back to the ceiling.
The world slowed for Sebastian and he was as quick as it was and managed to catch it with his sword and drops of a green liquid trailed off in the direction it fled.
The world sped up again and he turned his attention to William and realized he was hurt badly. His face was smoking and you could see parts of his facial bone and skull where his skin was burned off. His eye sockets were empty and he was screaming. Anna was trying her best to help him but there was little she could do. There was no bleeding, just acid burns.
“You two take him to get medical help, don’t delay. I’ll handle this thing,” said Sebastian.
“You need help,” said Chelsea.
“William needs help. I’ve got this. Help Anna. She’s going to need you to help her get him to the guard station. Go I’ll watch your back. Anna, he’ll be okay. Look how bad I was hurt and I’m fine. Get him to medical now,” said Sebastian.
The four worked their way back to the guard station and they opened it and got him through. Sebastian went back into the blocks.
“Anna, I’m going with him. The guards can help you from here. He’s in there alone with that thing and the vampire is still unaccounted for. He might be able to beat one but if they both attack him...he needs me. Everyone’s safety might depend on it,” Chelsea told her.
“Go. I’ll take care of William. You two stop those things,” said Anna while fighting back tears and trying to hide the panic in her voice.
Chelsea went back in and they sealed the barrier behind her.
“Where are you? I’ll meet up with you,” she said over their comm.
“You should be with Anna. I’m fine,” he replied.
“Yea, sure you are. The vampire is still in here somewhere. Did you forget about it?” she asked.
“I’m nearing the junction where William was attacked. It’s hurt and it's bleeding but we need to hurry before the bleeding stops and the trail goes cold,” he told her.
Chelsea headed in that direction and stopped. She heard a voice, like a whisper on the wind.
“Royal blood. Warm. I will drink you slowly and savor it as your fading heartbeats echo in my ears, softer and softer as your life becomes mine. Come, queen. Come to your death,” said the voice.
“I’ve got company, Sebastian. I’m going to be delayed,” she said.
“I’ll come to you,” he replied back.
“No, pursue the reptile, I’ll handle the vamp,” she said.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“I’ve got this,” she said.
He turned down a corridor to his left side and as he turned the corner it leaped out at him and spit but Sebastian blocked it with his shield. The wall sizzled from splatter that ricocheted but the shield was unharmed.
It disappeared again and leaped away but Sebastian caught it in the back with the same blue fire Chelsea used on the werewolves and it screamed and dropped to the floor. It got up and ran again but stayed visible and stopped on the ceiling. It stared at him while it stayed perfectly still.
“It thinks it’s still hidden. It doesn’t realize its camouflage is failing,” thought Sebastian.
He turned as if he didn’t see it and started walking down the hall under it. The reptile dropped behind him and as it did he turned and swung. It jumped back but he caught it with his blade anyway and cut halfway through one of its arms and sliced across its chest. It screamed and hissed and sprayed the acid again but Sebastian jumped out of the way.
The creature turned and ran down the corridor and he went after it. It stumbled and he leaped at it to take advantage of its weakness and realized too late it was a feint. It turned and slashed with its good arm. Sebastian jumped back and managed to avoid the brunt of it and its claws barely grazed him across his hand. He started to stumble within seconds and his vision blurred. The reptile was no longer alone as his vision faded and saw more than one as his vision lost focus. He staggered as he felt the poison rush through his veins.
#
She stood still, using more than her eyes to find the vampire. It was able to turn to mist, she knew that much but thought back to her training and the other powers they were rumored to have. Animal forms, hypnosis even magical skills and that was the one that concerned her. If it knew magic, and it was obviously older and more powerful than most other vampires, then this thing could be dangerous indeed. She extended her senses beyond her body and gained a view of the room she was in. She could feel its dimensions, the objects in the room, and every current of the mostly still air.
“Queen Malka how I have missed you. It’s been so long,” she heard from the whispers on the wind.
“Who is Malka?” she asked.
“You are. You are the last queen and with your blood, I shall be made whole again,” it whispered.
“I don’t understand. What do you mean the last queen? I have never heard the name Malka,” she said.
“You have. You can feel it. I see your body temperature rise when you hear it. Your body flushes and you respond even if you don’t know it,” the thing said.
It made a mistake. It said it saw her body temperature rise that meant it could see her. It was in the room. She clapped her hands and sunlight filled the room. She heard a scream behind her. She turned and it was back in human form and laying on the floor.
“Your magic is strong, Queen Malka. Not strong enough,” it said. It was on her in a flash and moved like lightning.
“Celerity. Nice trick but I can do that too,” she told it as she parried and blocked its every move.
It grabbed her sword hand. It was very strong and they struggled for her blade. It was slowly overpowering her and the blade was pushing against her neck as it managed to get behind her. She felt pain and the warmth as her blood flowed over her shoulder dripping onto the floor.
#
Sebastian stumbled and went down to one knee. The reptile was badly hurt as well but still advanced towards him. He slashed at the air in front of him and it stayed just out of his range. He felt the venom flowing in his veins. It was making it hard to think but he was not willing to give up.
He took what remaining willpower he had left and reached out his mind and found his love and as he found Chelsea their minds linked.
“I nee
d your focus. I’m poisoned and fading,” she heard in her mind.
“I need your strength. It’s stronger than me and I’m being overpowered,” he heard in his mind.
They linked, telepathically, even though they were apart they felt like one.
She felt the venom's effects on him as he drew on her superior focus and the various visions of the reptile coalesced into one. He stood and faced it. It came at him and he was prepared. As it reached him, he easily sidestepped it, showing agility more akin to Chelsea than himself, and slashed downward with his sword and cut from its shoulder to the opposite hip, severing it at a bias and the creature fell into two pieces on the floor.
He felt her struggle against the vampire and weaken further from the blood loss as she drew on his greater physical strength as she continued to struggle with the vampire for control of the sword and forced it away from her neck with a strength she didn't normally possess. She moved her free hand to her neck and fire flared from it. She seared the wound closed and they both screamed from the pain as she did so. She grabbed the hilt with both hands after the bleeding stopped and faced the vampire and smiled. Its eye widened and showed fear as she turned the sword back towards the vampire and pushed it into its neck.
“How can you know my past if you’re Tepes. That would make you only a few hundred years old,” she said. “Tell me the truth,” she said, her voice echoing with the vibrato that Sebastian used to control people as his own mouth mimicked the words.
As she pushed the sword back towards the vampire, its expression changed to panic.
“It’s only a name I took but wasn’t mine. I used his legend to breed fear. I know your past, my queen. I can tell you who you are Queen Malka. Spare me and I will swear fealty to you,” it said.
“I don’t know anyone named Malka. I am Chelsea,” she said and relieved the vampire’s body of the burden of its head. It turned to mist and even the mist dissipated.
#
Sebastian stumbled into the room and Chelsea caught him but nearly fell herself. She had lost a lot of blood and was as weak as Sebastian was. They helped each other make it back to the guard station and when they came into sight, the guards lowered the barrier and ran out to help them.
The Seal of Solomon Page 38