by Darren Lewis
“Report!” A woman's sharp voice from the other side of the wall startled Fern causing him to knock the back of his head against the wall.
“This is going to take hours.” The man complained in a heavy voice. “The locks are too secure.”
“Get out!” The harsh voice instructed.
“But my equipment…” The man's voice trailed away and Fern heard the quick clatter of feet moving away until silence descended.
Fern's head ached as he strained to hear anything in the room beyond.
“Little rabbit.” A voice whispered. “Little rabbit. Let me come in.”
Fern's blood turned ice cold and his heart seemed to slam against his ribs in an effort to escape.
“Come now,” The insidious voice continued. “There's no need to prolong this. I have your friends already nicely packaged and tucked away underground. I have Eleanor too. I'd really like to complete the set and have her family.” The woman's voice ended with a soft chuckle. Fern's grip on Seren became tighter until he thought his paws would bleed as he thought about Rox and the others being captured. If so then what hope was there? A clang of metal from the dark room followed by a blast of air and Fern realised the door was being opened. “Good, good. Neatly done, little rabbit.” Fern frowned. Whoever this was apparently was unaware of his presence and not speaking to him at all. He inched his way towards the doorframe and with a trembling breath poked his head around the corner.
Fern saw the woman silhouetted against the light from the opening to the basement. Standing at the threshold was Flare, but Flare with his eyes still closed, a Flare that swayed on his paws as if hypnotised. The woman held out a hand and twisted it, Flare responded by turning and descending the stairs. Fern looked down at Seren and thought about Rox. She may be captured along with Eleanor but Fern had promised to find out what was happening in the village and had found Flare and Ellie's family to protect. He thought about Cast, his teacher, his friend, Rox's father. The one who'd shown confidence in Fern before leaving this world and Seren in his care. Fern's grip tightened on Seren and he slammed the magical staff into the nearest wall causing sparks to cascade from the light sockets in the room. The woman turned, her expression lit cruelly from above by the flashing sparks. She didn't hesitate. Her hands rose and she gestured sharply at Fern, sending a streamer of fire towards the small rabbit. Fern calmly pointed the staff straight into the fire and muttered a few words. A black opening formed at the end of the staff into which the fire collected, illuminating Seren its entire length. The woman cocked an eyebrow at the rabbit.
“How many of you are there?” Her tone one of long suffering.
“Enough.” Fern answered, his legs beginning to tremble at holding the fire within the staff.
“Hmm.” The woman said while pursing her lips. “Just so you know, I'm taking the rabbit and Ellie's family. I wanted you to know that before I kill you.”
Fern swallowed and felt his stomach roll in fear.
“Who are you?” He whispered.
“Isabelle. Well, one of me.” She laughed. “It's a long story, little one.”
Fern shrugged and grunted as Seren vibrated in his paws.
“Okay.” And he spun Seren in his grip and unleashed the pent up fire at the woman.
End Game
As long as she had lived upon this world Eleanor had never felt it to be as surreal as it was right now. The man under Isabelle's control, or more accurately, was Isabelle, or a copy of her mind at least was marching her under the protection of the green barrier to the Institute, stark naked. Even though the city was in uproar beyond the green haze, people still took a moment to stop running, shouting or screaming to stare, however briefly at this naked man, made even more bizarre by Anthony following at a short distance, his face full of concern.
Eleanor stared back at these people and wondered how far Isabelle would go. If indeed she had brainwashed the people held by Baiulus it would give her an army comparable to any in the world and all magically talented. Closer to the building and she saw police cars, vans and even mounted police just beyond the effect of the green barrier. There seemed to be much gesticulating going on but Eleanor doubted that Isabelle would let a few armoured assaults spoil the day. To prove the fact she watched as a small group of police officers dressed in tactical gear approached the barrier and traverse its threshold, only to disappear instantly. Eleanor shook her head and felt her arm tugged in a different direction as she realised they'd reached their destination. She prised the grip of the man from her arm and said.
“One minute.” Before walking the short distance to Anthony. She smiled with great affection at the large man and then enfolded him in her arms. Anthony brought his head down to rest on Eleanor's shoulder and she felt hot tears splash against her shirt and soak through to her skin.
“Find Ellie and the family. Protect them. Promise me.” Anthony nodded his head gently and Eleanor stroked his hair before releasing him. With Eleanor partially blocking Anthony from the man's view, Anthony tucked a hand into his suit pocket and removed the sword hilt given to Eleanor by Anqi Sheng so long ago.
“No.” She whispered fiercely. “I refuse to believe it.” Eleanor continued referring to Anqi Sheng's promise that the blade of the sword would only reveal itself when facing an opponent beyond hope or redemption. As Eleanor tried to give it back to Anthony, the big man stepped backwards shaking his head, his tearful eyes and expression unyielding.
“Very well.” She conceded and placed the sword hilt into her waistband. She smiled once more and turned away.
“Goodbye, Nana.” Anthony whispered tearfully.
*
The building was empty. Sloan's evacuation plan had at least succeeded in clearing out all personnel. Eleanor ascended the skyscraper for the second time in twelve hours alone. The man had escorted her to the elevator and turned his back towards reception as the doors closed. The elevator moved smoothly upwards and she wondered if any of the lethal devices installed within were to be activated. The elevator dinged and the doors rolled open. Eleanor's gaze fell upon the black eyes and white skin of her once trusted friend, now dark enemy, Isabelle.
*
Ellie opened her eyes to the dark infinity of a dragon thread
Cole. Can you please stop making that noise?
What? What noise? The dragon frowned in the darkness of a thread.
That rumbling! Can you stop it?
I'm not making any noise!
Alright, alright. The orb's voice interrupted. Ellie, all your senses are heightened, even in here.
Ellie groaned and resisted the temptation to cover her ears as she knew it would do no good. Whatever she was hearing it wasn't through her ears but directly into her mind.
Hey. Cole exclaimed. I think you can hear me making fire!
Great. Ellie responded, gripping her thighs with both hands. I swear I can hear my hair growing.
What does it sound like? The orb asked innocently.
It sounds like my hair growing. What kind of stupid question is that? Ellie took a deep breath and allowed her vision to be overlaid with magic. The black tunnel became a colourful, twisting dance and despite the seeming chaos it helped to relax her. Sorry. She whispered and felt Cole's and the orb's acceptance.
As Ellie waited for Cole to guide them out of the thread she thought about leaving Rox, Plume and the others behind. She had been tearful and scared to continue without her friend but she knew Rox wanted to get back to Flare. To help, Ellie used her new magical abilities and instructed the Terracotta Army to obey Rox's or Plume's commands. After a brief hug with the black rabbit Ellie had jumped onto Cole's back and without a backwards glance they'd left. In spite of her fear over the next part of her plan Ellie wanted to be alone with Cole and the orb within the dragon thread. It was by far the craziest idea she'd ever had but the one thought that plagued her mind was the orb saying it could never confront Isabelle directly as it was so powerful the destruction would be too great. So Ellie t
hought about how to confront Isabelle and limit the orb's power. It had come to her as they hovered within the green barrier above the city. She could confront Isabelle using the orb, but only if the orb became part of her, limiting its abilities. Just as Subject 1138 had merged herself into Ellie, she now asked the same of the orb.
Ellie raised the now dark, lifeless shell that once glowed orange.
I hope this works. She said.
So do I, Ellie. The orb said from the recesses of her mind. So do I.
*
Whether an effect of the energy coursing around her or a calm day, the air around Eleanor was still. Sounds from below were muffled by the magical construct and as she looked down she fancied she saw Anthony staring back at her.
“You make me destroy part of London looking for you and then you just show up at Baiulus! I couldn't believe it!” Isabelle ranted from the top of the skyscraper. Every time she gesticulated Eleanor bobbed up and down in mid-air, suspended over the street far below. From the elevator to here, Eleanor had not said one word and simply listened to Isabelle rant on and on about Baiulus, her mother, keeping watch over Eleanor at the Institute. Eleanor merely tuned her out and looked upon her old friend with great sadness. Isabelle's skin was almost white, whether from hiding away from the sun's reach or allowing her twisted mind to magically affect her appearance, Eleanor didn't know but the black eyes that stared into her made her shiver. Isabelle was also missing her former long, lustrous brown hair from one side of her head and not even the great height she was suspended from dimmed Eleanor's shock at her old friend, now enemy's, appearance. When Isabelle had injured Cole and for those years she was apart from her dragon, Eleanor thought she would've gladly taken Isabelle down if given the chance. But now, even though suspended hundreds of feet in the air, she felt no malice or anger towards her former friend, only pity mixed with waves of terror as she bobbed and swayed over the edge of the skyscraper.
“You could never see the big picture, Ellie, ha! I mean, Eleanor.” Isabelle cried as she beat her fist upon her chest. “But I could! The hunts would never stop. It would always be something! Witchcraft, demons, possession, colour, creed, gender! Anything!” Spittle flew from Isabelle's mouth as her anger grew. “The human race disgusts me. It offends me! It possesses one gift and one alone. The capacity for hatred!” Isabelle stopped, her chest heaving as she finished her tirade. She looked down and with one large breath stared back up at Eleanor and smiled, her mood altering in an instant. “But that's all over now. I've activated every talented person in every holding facility across the world. The defence systems Baiulus developed for governments are now mine. My agents are in place at every level of power.” Isabelle tilted her head. “The world is mine.” She finished simply, as if a great weight had disappeared from her shoulders. Eleanor nodded.
“What about my family? What about Ellie?” Eleanor asked.
“Yes, your younger version from this time and her family. That depends on you.” Isabelle replied, chewing on a fingernail.
“How?”
“Once Baiulus is in control you shall stand a very public trial. You will show the human race how degenerate it is. Your example of submission and guilt will be a lesson they will never forget.”
A rumble of distant thunder caused both women to look to the horizon before Eleanor sighed.
“If that's what it takes.”
A sharp crack and massive detonation in the air threw Eleanor clear of the building and she felt her stomach flip over as gravity claimed her and pulled her down to street level.
*
There! There! Cole shouted. Can you punch through?
Hope so. Ellie and the orb said together.
Cole had emerged close to the Institute's main building in the city but he didn't alter his speed or trajectory and aimed straight at the green barrier. Ellie focused her mind on one single point. A single point comprising thousands of individual green threads emanating from talented held at Baiulus. Her vision changed and as with the metal doors she saw the infinitesimally small gaps between each thread. Ellie sent a surge of power into these gaps, forcing them apart, using her new found magic with that of the orb to lever the space wider and wider. A glint of light from the opposite side of the barrier appeared.
Hurry! Cole yelled.
Ellie tensed her entire body and felt the build-up of power within every muscle, bone and sinew. Her limbs shook uncontrollably as she kept the small gap open. Every muscle began to cramp and she screamed.
“BREAK!”
Orange light lanced forward from Ellie's body, overtaking Cole and smashing against the barrier. The concussion almost pushed Ellie off Cole's back and she clung to the red dragon's shoulders to prevent falling to the street far below. The effect on the green barrier was immediate. A split appeared wide enough for Cole to pass through before the green threads crashed together to form the barrier once again and cut off Ellie and Cole from the outside world.
No! The red dragon cried. Ellie's eyes snapped open and she saw a figure falling to the ground from the top of the skyscraper. As Cole banked sharply towards the ground in pursuit Ellie concentrated on the rooftop and infused her legs with more power. She leapt as Cole continued his descent and landed safely on the concrete floor. Orange sparks arced from her body and grounded themselves around Ellie's feet. Standing tall she placed her eyes on Isabelle and was overcome by an incredible calmness. The woman before Ellie seethed with magical power but all Ellie saw was an old, wretched, pitiable creature. Ellie raised her hands and once again orange sparks rained to the ground.
“Very clever.” Isabelle complimented her. “Using the orb's ability. I could never get it to submit to me.”
“It's over.” Ellie stated quietly. Isabelle laughed and rolled her eyes.
“Oh. Not by a long way, my dear girl. You see I could never get the orb to submit to me, but now it's inside you I quite like my chances.”
Isabelle thrust a hand forward, palm outwards. With her new abilities and the heightened power supplied by the orb Ellie saw a pressure wave leave Isabelle's palm and come racing towards her, growing as it moved like a ripple in a pond. Ellie instinctively raised her forearm and turned away. She clenched every muscle she could as the wave hit her. It was very much like standing at the edge of the sea and being knocked by a large wave but Ellie felt it move through her entire body and dissipate behind her. Lowering her arm she saw Isabelle snarl, Ellie surmised the spell would've severely injured any other person.
Ready when you are. The orb's faint voice spoke into Ellie's mind. Ellie nodded and straightened her back. She thrust her hands down towards the roof of the building and orange electricity jumped and coiled from her fingers, crackling and snapping all the while.
*
Got you!
Cole! Eleanor screamed with joy and relief as Cole scooped her out of the air and onto his back. How the hell did you get in here?
It's a long story. Cole said laughing. Come on, we need to get to Ellie.
What? What is…oh, never mind? Eleanor finished lamely, her fears over her younger self trying something crazy as she would have done, coming to the fore. Cole beat upwards swiftly and grabbed the edge of the skyscraper, swinging his large body to land close to Ellie and the orange electric display she was generating. He righted himself and swiftly extended his neck and head towards Isabelle letting out a mighty roar at her.
Eleanor looked down from her perch on Cole's back at Ellie, glowing with power.
“What have you done?” She yelled.
Ellie looked up and the orb answered using its multiple voice from Ellie's lips.
“We're here now. We decided it was the only way.”
Isabelle forgotten momentarily, Eleanor quickly slid from Cole's back and rushed to the young girl.
“No! Not this way, please?” Eleanor begged.
“The decision has been made.” Ellie and the orb answered in their strange merged voice. “She,” and Ellie lifted a finger to the
dead stare of Isabelle, “has brought this about and will now face us.” Isabelle laughed in a low and mocking tone.
“Don't worry, Eleanor. While I deal with your younger version I have something that I promised for you.” Isabelle snapped her fingers and a great blast of air knocked all on the rooftop off balance as Isabelle summoned a magical portal into existence just inside the barrier. A malformed head emerged swiftly followed by a long, reptilian neck. A gigantic white body came into view onto which two massive wings were attached and beating strongly and quickly. Blue veins branched and protruded the length of the body and pulsed with the heartbeat of the gross creature. Cole retched and Eleanor recoiled as they realised what Isabelle had created with Cole's DNA.
Isabelle's eyes burned with sickening adulation as she turned to watch the engineered dragon leaving the magic doorway behind and circling the sky, its dead green eyes focusing on Cole.
“My creation.” Isabelle whispered fiercely, clenching and unclenching her hands into fists rapidly. “The first of its kind will bring about the end of yours.” She finished with a smile directed at Cole. The grotesque dragon banked on a wing-tip and began its descent towards the rooftop. Cole shivered as he watched the malformed white dragon descend on them all.
There's nothing there. No mind. No thought. Just hatred. Cole whined in sorrow for the white dragon.
Go. The Ellie/orb voice instructed. We'll take care of Isabelle. As if released from a spell of her own making Eleanor gave Ellie a quick squeeze on the shoulder and vaulted onto Cole's back. Cole reacted instantly and raced for the rooftop ledge and flight, causing the white dragon to roar as the chase began.