Runic Revelation (The Runic Series Book 2)

by Clayton Wood

  Orja.

  He places a hand on the surface of the crystal, then leans in, pressing his forehead against the cool surface and pulling.

  Sheer power gushes into his mind's eye, filling it instantly. He gasps, struggling to maintain his focus, redirecting the energy to his armor. Its systems come back online within seconds. Ventilation, gravity nullification, shielding, temperature controls, weapon systems, strength modulation...all awaken almost instantly in the wake of the ocean of magic coursing into him.

  He stands there, his forehead slumped against the crystal's cool surface, draining its power until his armor and his mind are sated. Pushing himself away, he cocks his right fist back and slams it into the crystal. The giant diamond shatters in a burst of blue light, fragments of crystal scattering across the floor and falling between the holes in the metal grates. The lights in the room wink out almost instantly, plunging the ship into darkness.

  A few seconds later, Ampir feels the floor start to tip to one side as the ship's gravity fields vanish, entering it into free-fall.

  He flies upward into the air, ignoring the metal beams on the ceiling in his path. His fully-powered armor plows through the thick metal as if it were paper; he continues upward, bursting through one floor after another, until he suddenly he finds himself outside of it, seeing thick, angry clouds above. Looking down, he sees the massive airship rotating slowly as it plummets toward the earth.

  A minute later, it slams into the ground at terminal velocity, obliterating an entire city block below.

  Ampir stares at the wreckage, then gazes across the Great River, at the other half of the city. Far in the distance, the Behemoth's giant head turns to face the fallen airship. Then its head tilts upward, its glowing eye focusing on him.

  That's right, he mutters silently. Come get me.

  He descends toward the city far below, accelerating forward at the same time, aiming for the Behemoth. Ahead, the Great River flows into the ocean, its black waters filled with debris. Down he soars, leveling out a few dozen feet above the ruins of the once-great city. The shore of the Great River passes rapidly beneath him, water spraying upward behind him with the violence of his passage. Miles ahead, the Behemoth's eye continues to track him.

  Then it flashes.

  With a thought, Ampir triggers his armor, feeling the fabric of spacetime bend around him, teleporting him thirty feet to the right. The Behemoth's deadly green beam shoots outward, passing through where he'd been only seconds ago. He ignores the beam, accelerating forward, now over halfway across the river. Activating his visor, he magnifies the image of the Behemoth, studying it quickly. Its domed head is covered in black metallic plates, not a shred of blue light leaking from it. Only one material could insulate against magic so completely...the same material that coated Ampir's armor...and Torum's uniform. A perfect insulator for magic...perfect for hiding the Behemoth's runes. There is no way for Ampir to know its capabilities...not without fighting it.

  Very clever Sabin, Ampir muses.

  Ampir activates runes on his visor, the colors shifting as it goes through the electromagnetic spectrum. No electromagnetic signals are coming to or from the giant machine...and no magic signals either. Which means the Behemoth isn't being controlled remotely. And artificial intelligence is too sophisticated even for Sabin. It has to be controlled by someone inside of it.

  The Behemoth reorients on Ampir, its eye flashing a second time. Ampir bursts upward, the beam shooting outward toward him, missing him by only a few feet. The air around him ripples, superheated by the deadly ray, but with his armor fully charged, Ampir feels nothing.

  He reaches the opposite shore of the river, flying over more ruins, only a quarter-mile from the monstrous war machine now. Though he cannot know its capabilities, Ampir feels no fear. His armor, even with the runes on his left arm crushed, is far more advanced than any other modern runic technology. With the ability to see magic since birth, Ampir has advanced beyond any other Weaver or Runic. His armor's exterior runes are merely a facade, randomly activating dozens of weak patterns when triggered, patterns that serve to confuse nearby enemies. The interior runes are effectively invisible...and incredibly complicated.

  He slows as he reaches the Behemoth, stopping to hover in mid-air less than a hundred feet from its enormous green eye. Though the runes on its head are shielded, those within its eye are not. He studies them quickly.

  The eye flashes.

  Ampir doesn't move this time; the Behemoth's deadly beam shoots outward, engulfing him instantly. He feels his armor react, complex gravity fields appearing around him. The beam reflects off of Ampir, slamming into the Behemoth's head just above its eye...and deflects harmlessly off of its own gravity shields...just as he predicted. Ampir smirks; he'd expected more from Sabin.

  Then Ampir's gravity shields vanish, nullified by a gravity field of the exact shape and opposite polarity created by the Behemoth. His armor reacts instantly, creating another, slightly different set of shields. These too vanish abruptly, the Behemoth automatically counterattacking...but more slowly than Ampir's armor. Another set of shields appears around Ampir, protecting him from the deadly beam. As huge as the Behemoth is, its runes are farther away from each other, making its response times more sluggish.

  Again, as predicted.

  At the same time, Ampir's armor senses the Behemoth's nearby gravity shields, nullifying them as well. The Behemoth's beam slams into its own head, the black metal glowing red-hot.

  The ray of light stops abruptly, the eye going dark. The red-hot metal on its domed head fades to black, completely unharmed.

  Ampir smirks, mildly impressed. Sabin had anticipated such a counterattack, and constructed his creation to be immune to its own weapon. Not that it matters; the exercise had simply been a test. If his armor alone can successfully overwhelm the Behemoth's defenses, then he has little to fear. All he has to do is strike; his armor will take care of the rest.

  He circles around the Behemoth then, flying faster than its head can rotate. He moves in closer, facing the back of its head, seeing the blue gravity shield glowing around it...just like the airship earlier. He descends, his boots striking the metallic plate below, going right through the gravity shields. Bolts of electricity shoot outward from the plate, striking Ampir's shields. He ignores the assault, kneeling down. He raises his right fist into the air, then brings it down at the domed head.

  The Behemoth's giant fingers come at Ampir from behind, closing around him and pulling him from its head before his fist can strike.

  With a thought, Ampir bursts upward out of the Behemoth's grasp, flying clear of it. He looks down at the giant hand, spotting the huge white hemisphere embedded in its palm. Rays of brilliant blue light are flowing into it.

  Ampir frowns, staring down at his left arm, realizing that the light is coming from him...from cracks in the black insulation where his arm had been crushed. He feels his armor's power draining rapidly, entire systems shutting down.

  Shit!

  A powerful force grabs Ampir, pulling him back toward the Behemoth's head. A shrill shrieking sound pierces his ears, a powerful gust of wind shooting past him as he slams into one of the metallic plates, sucked flat against its surface.

  Then all sound stops.

  Ampir feels a horrendous pain lance through his ears, and he cries out, tears streaming down his face. He tries to take a breath in, but can't...the air has been taken away. The Behemoth has created a complete vacuum around him, and managed to nullify all of his shields. If Ampir's armor had been fully powered, such an attack would never have succeeded.

  He gasps for air that doesn't exist, pain shooting through the left side of his chest, his left shoulder in agony.

  Ampir closes his eyes, pushing past the pain. The Behemoth had to be controlled by someone...someone inside of it. The head was the most likely location, but the body was another possibility; if he gets it wrong, he will teleport into solid matter, and that will prove to be a fatal mista
ke.

  He makes the decision instantly, draining magic from his armor and taking several strands at once, weaving them into a complex knot in the center of his mind's eye. He throws it at the Behemoth's head.

  A blast of air heralds the arrival of the rift, the fabric of the universe ripping as a hole appears between Ampir and the Behemoth. He falls through the spacetime rift, landing on his left side on an unforgiving metal floor below.

  He screams.

  Footsteps approach, five cloaked men surrounding him, each protected by multilayered gravity shields. Their eyes are wide open, their mouths agape.

  Ampir grits his teeth against the pain, his vision blurred with tears. He rolls onto his back, the movement sending another wave of pain through his left side. He finds himself in a large, spherical room, its translucent walls giving a panoramic view of the city ruins below. He is inside of the Behemoth's head, he realizes...he'd chosen correctly.

  One of the Weavers points his hand at Ampir, a ball of pure white light growing at his palm. Ampir streams magic to his armor frantically, activating a few of its emptied runes.

  The room around him explodes.

  Ampir shields his eyes with his right arm, his armor protecting him from the sudden blast. The light fades, and he rolls onto his good side, pushing himself up from the floor slowly. He rises to his feet, looking around.

  Remains of the Weavers litter the floor, blood staining the translucent walls.

  He grimaces, clutching his left side, his breath coming in shallow gasps. Each breath feels like someone is stabbing him. Glancing around the large circular room, he sees the remains of numerous control panels scattered across the floor. Blue light leaks from holes in the floor, where wires conducting magic from the Behemoth's central power supply had been severed. He kneels down before one of these, lowering his forehead to it. His armor recharges rapidly, the Behemoth's power more than enough to fill its runes.

  Then Ampir stands, staring through the magically translucent inner walls of the Behemoth's domed head, at the city beyond. Small airships fly over the city, the larger airships hovering far above. The city is in ruins...beyond hope. But there are many other major cities in the Empire that might not be...innocent people that don't deserve to die for the sins of their leaders. That don't deserve to die because of what he's done.

  Ampir takes a deep breath in, ignoring the pain it causes his ribs. With a thought, he rises to his feet, staring at the translucent wall in front of him. The base of the Behemoth's diamond-shaped eye is visible on the inner wall of the chamber, glowing green against the black metal plates of its skull. It is as much a symbol as anything else, he knows. A message to the Empire from one of its greatest inventors.

  Ampir walks up to the giant eye, staring at it.

  It is time, he knows, for his penance. But when he is done, he will have his revenge.

  Ampir stares at the diamond-shaped eye for a moment longer, then cocks his right fist back, its runes glowing bright blue.

  * * *

  “Wake up!”

  Kyle's eyes snapped open, and he bolted upright, glancing about the dark room. It took him a moment to remember where he was; then he saw Ariana standing over him, shaking his shoulder. He groaned, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He must not have been asleep for very long, given how exhausted he felt.

  “Come on,” Ariana urged, shaking him harder. Kyle groaned again, then slowly rose to his feet. Ariana glanced at the door, then back at Kyle, her expression worried.

  “What's wrong?” Kyle asked with a yawn.

  “I'm...I don't know for sure,” she answered. “I'm...hearing things.” Kyle frowned, straining his ears, but he heard nothing.

  “Right now?” he pressed. “I don't hear anything.”

  “No, not with my ears,” Ariana clarified. She reached a hand up to her forehead, rubbing it gently. “I...think I heard it in my mind.”

  “What are you hearing?”

  “Just fragments of things,” she replied. “Thoughts, I think. I felt the same thing when Ibicus was near me. When he was being controlled by Sabin.”

  “Wait, who?” Kyle pressed.

  “Sabin,” Ariana repeated. Then her eyes widened. “That was his name!” she gasped.

  “Who?” Kyle repeated.

  “The old guy that attacked me,” Ariana explained. “He said his name was Sabin. He spoke to me through Ibicus earlier.”

  “Wait, don't you mean Xanos?” Kyle asked. “Xanos controls the Chosen,” he added. But Ariana shook her head.

  “I don't think so,” she replied. “Not this time, anyway. It was definitely Sabin.”

  “Okay...” Kyle mumbled, rubbing his eyes again and stifling a yawn.

  “The point is,” Ariana explained, “...I think there's a Chosen nearby...that's why I'm hearing these thoughts again.”

  “Wait, where?” Kyle asked, glancing about the room. Fear gripped him. “Is it close?”

  “I don't know,” she admitted. “But we need to warn Kalibar. Come on,” she urged, pulling him up to the door. She grabbed the handle, twisting it and pulling the door open. Bright light seared Kyle's eyes, making them ache for a moment. He covered his eyes with his hands, squinting against the glare, his eyes adjusting quickly. Ariana didn't so much as blink, pulling Kyle into the hallway. The two guards standing on either side of the door turned toward Ariana, glancing at her questioningly. She smiled sweetly at one of them.

  “I need to speak with my father.”

  “Grand Weaver Kalibar is in the lobby with Councilman Goran,” the guard informed, pointing down the hallway. Ariana nodded, pulling Kyle down the hallway with her. They passed a wall of Battle-Weavers guarding the lobby, who parted to let them through. Kyle saw Kalibar standing in the center of the lobby, talking with Goran. The Councilman did not look happy.

  “...is forbidden by one of our most sacred laws,” Goran was arguing, pointing one finger at Kalibar. “You don't have the authority to do this!”

  “The law was intended to prevent traitorous generals from overthrowing the government,” Kalibar shot back coldly. “There won't be an Empire if we don't hold Stridon.”

  “There are other cities in the Empire,” Goran countered, lowering his finger. “Spero is only three days' ride from here. Instead of allowing the military into Stridon, we should have them escort us to Spero and fortify our position there.”

  “To what advantage?” Kalibar asked. “Stridon is the most heavily fortified city in the Empire. Spero offers us nothing.”

  “It offers us time,” Goran retorted. “In case you didn't notice,” he added acidly, gesturing at the lobby around them, “...the Council is fragmented, our Grand Runic is critically wounded, and the streets are filled with escaped prisoners. We barely have communication with your Grand Weavers, much less the military!”

  “True,” Kalibar acknowledged. Goran frowned, taken aback. Kalibar nodded, rubbing his chin. “It would give us time to organize, but it would also be risky. Xanos will expect that if we evacuated, it would be to the nearest major city. With their advanced weaponry, they could rip through any military escort we managed to coordinate, effectively removing the entire upper government of the Empire. Then, as with Ibicus, they could make puppets of any successors, and no one would be the wiser. Xanos would own the Empire.”

  “We could set a diversion, or go to an alternative city,” Goran countered.

  “It's an option,” Kalibar agreed. “But if Stridon falls, it will be a blow against morale for the entire Empire.” He gestured at the lobby around them. “This Tower is a symbol...when the first one fell two thousand years ago, the rest of the Empire crumbled, though many cities remained unscathed.” He shook his head then. “We know that the Empire is an idea, Goran. To us, the buildings are just buildings. But to the people, this Tower is the Empire.”

  “And if we stay, and Stridon falls anyway?” Goran pressed. “Then we die, the Tower falls, and the Empire is lost anyway. At least if we evacuate, we have a chanc
e.”

  “It's my decision,” Kalibar countered. “The Right of Dictatorship gives me the authority. I've already ordered a legion to enter the city.”

  Kalibar spotted Ariana and Kyle walking toward them then, and held up one hand.

  “Not now, Ariana.”

  Ariana hesitated, glancing back at Kyle.

  “We really need to talk to you,” Kyle told Kalibar, glancing at Goran apologetically. That did little to mollify the sour Councilman.

  “We're having a meeting,” he snapped at them, turning back to Kalibar. “We don't have time for your children, Kalibar.”

  “Kalibar...” Ariana stated earnestly, glancing at her adoptive father. Kalibar frowned, then gestured for Ariana to come closer. Goran rolled his eyes, throwing up his hands and turning away from them both.

  “What is it, honey?” Kalibar asked. Ariana leaned in and whispered into Kalibar's ear. Kalibar stooped over to listen; she spoke for a long time, Kalibar saying nothing, his expression carefully controlled. Then she finished, and he stood up straight, turning back to Goran and putting a hand on the man's shoulder.

  “We have a problem,” he warned.

  Then the lights went out.

  Kyle gasped, crouching low instinctively, pulling Ariana down with him. A few dozen light orbs appeared high in the air around them, bathing the lobby in pale white glow.

  Then there was a boom.

  Kyle spun around to face the lobby doors, saw Battle-Weavers backing away from them. Another boom echoed powerfully through the massive lobby, the huge double-doors rattling on their hinges. One of the Battle-Weavers – High Weaver Urson – turned to the Weavers around Kalibar and Goran.

  “Evacuate the Grand Weaver and Councilman Goran!” he shouted, waving them away from the lobby doors. The Weavers complied, pulling Kalibar and Goran backward. Kalibar resisted, turning to Urson.