The monsters inched toward him, raising clicking, threatening claws at him. One of them, an ancient-looking beast in tattered, colorful shreds, emerged from the shadows behind him to block the entrance. It raised a staff with a glowing crystal, and a crimson pool in the center of the room rose to form a glowing stalagmite. It looked like it was made of red ice, but pulsed like a living thing.
“What do you want from me?” the Architect screamed and raised his hands in front of his body. “Stay back!”
“You are the one they call the Architect,” a voice whispered in his head. The crystal on the staff pulsed in dark red hues. A black spot at its center resembled the iris of a malevolent eye, glowering at him.
Surprised, he spun around before facing the older monster, intuitively recognizing it as the source of the voice. “How do you know that?” he cried out. “Stop that!”
He took a step back, toward the glowing crystal, which had now risen almost all the way to the low ceiling.
“You could have stopped this,” the whisper in his head continued. Its hatred slithered inside his mind.
A feeling of icy cold swallowed him. He shivered until his teeth chattered.
“You chose to kill our planet,” the older creature continued. “You have much to atone for.”
“I didn’t know,” he shouted. “I swear!”
“Liar!” the voice thundered.
The cold in his chest exploded. Blinding pain burst in his head. He grabbed his temples and doubled over, screaming in agony.
The creatures moved closer, forcing him to raise himself back on his feet and inch farther toward the slowly pulsing crystal.
“Your punishment will be life,” the hateful whisper said.
“If you kill me, my people will hunt you down and slay you all like the animals you are,” he cried out. As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized the emptiness of his threat. These creatures were already dead. He had killed them all, along with their planet. His teeth chattered faster.
A hateful cackle echoed in his skull. “Kill you? You misunderstand. We don’t give you death. We give you life.”
The creatures pressed forward. His right heel touched the crystal. It was surprisingly soft, like flesh made of ruby. A blinding scarlet light burst inside the strange material as soon as it came in contact with him.
“What is this?” he asked, his gaze darting around the expressionless creatures, now frozen in silent observation. “Am I going to hell?”
“Hell is something you carry around with you,” the voice sneered with contempt, “not somewhere you go. It’s time you learned that.”
Stirring like a living thing, the crystal snapped around his foot. Fiery arrows of pain burst into his skin. He screeched and tried to flee as the crystal crept farther up. His limbs swayed wildly, his feet already encased in the glowing material. The moment it came in contact with his flesh, it hardened, holding him in place like a steel vise. Within seconds, the crystal reached his knees, then his hip, then his chest. Everywhere it touched, his skin exploded in blinding agony. It engulfed him body part by body part, swallowing him whole like a ravenous caiman. He shrieked as it finally moved up his throat to his face. His bulging eyes fixed on the older creature facing him.
It took one step forward. “Even as your life leaves your body, the soul crystal captures its essence,” the voice in his head hissed. The creature raised the staff, now pulsing frantically in feverish crimson. “We are dying, Architect,” the whisper said, immeasurable sadness mixed in with the hatred. “But you—you will live forever. You will remember forever.” The creature spread its arms and claws, raising the staff to the ceiling. “And your children shall destroy your kind,” it roared and rammed the staff into the ground. As it split the earth, an earthquake shook the cave.
The monsters faced him for an eternity, ignoring the tremors as the crystal thirstily drank up the life fleeing his body. Dust and rocks rained from the ceiling, bouncing against their stiff shells. They then spun slowly around and disappeared into the cave’s darkness.
April 308
April 2, Anthea
Sol
It didn’t take more than a gentle tap on the door to wake her up. When Sol opened the bedroom door, a soldier was standing behind her guards.
“Sorry to wake you up, but it’s happening,” the man said.
“Now?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Where?”
“Fennel Bay.”
“How many ships?”
The man shifted his weight, glancing at the floor. “All of them, it seems.”
So, the priest was telling the truth. “Wait here.”
She forced herself to take the usual time to prepare. The next days the city would need her like never before. When she emerged, she hoped to look like a leader destined to win the greatest battle of their time, not like some ruffled prey.
She opened the door again, to see the soldier sipping tea from a mug. He snapped to attention, sending drops of tea to fly everywhere. She hid a satisfied smile at his reaction. “Come.”
“Where, ma’am?”
“Fennel Bay.” She turned to one of her guards. “Make sure Satori is notified. Tell her my mother has her parcel.”
The guard’s eyebrows knitted in confusion, but he just nodded and disappeared down the corridor.
The sun was up when they arrived at Fennel Bay. A fine haze was coming from the sea. She brought to mind the spotless horizon last time she was there, sole-fishing. Now, ships covered the same waters as far as the eye could see. With each passing moment, the steady winds brought them closer to the shore.
Sol passed through a wooden gate, examining the hastily built fortifications. It reminded her of a photograph her father had once shown her, of a place back on Earth called Alamo. She marveled at the amount of work the engineers had been able to do in such a short time. Thick tree trunks walled off the narrow area that led from the gulf to the road to Anthea. The engineers had blocked the naturally formed bottleneck with three makeshift walls, the side ones forming a funnel that herded any invading army to the middle one. Before them, hidden moats and speared shafts, their tips barely visible through the sand, awaited to cut off the Capital’s cavalry.
“Sol!”
Satori’s voice made her turn. Sol nodded for the guards to give them some space.
“I came as quickly as I could,” Satori said, out of breath. “The rest of the troops are following. Two units will remain behind to guard the port in case this is a ruse.”
“This is no ruse,” Sol said, leading her to the top of the tall wall that faced the gulf. She jumped the rough wooden steps two at a time, sniffing the air as she did. It carried a whiff of decay.
“It’s a good thing it’s April,” Satori said, noticing her scrunched nose. “The stench from the swamps would be unbearable in the summer.”
On the ground below them, people shouted orders and carried weapons and supplies. Small groups of carpenters went around, looking for weak spots to reinforce. A long line of men with shovels trotted inside, their olive-green shirts moist with sweat.
“That’s a whole lot of ships,” Satori said as soon as they reached the top.
Sol handed her a pair of worn binoculars. Satori took them and studied the invaders. “I see mostly haulers, with warships guarding them. Should we have sent in our ships to intercept?”
“Against a fleet of that size? It would be suicide. No, I’d rather have them guard the port for now. The narrow straits there will even the odds, should Altman attack from sea.”
Satori lowered her voice. “Do you have any more information from my father or the priest?”
Sol smiled at her with sympathy and took her hand. “I’m sure your father is fine.”
Satori drew her hand as if Sol had placed it on burning coals. “That’s not what I asked,” she snapped. “I meant about Altman’s plans.”
Anger flared in Sol’s chest, but she dowsed it. Be patient. She took Sa
tori’s hand again. “It’s not what you asked, but it’s what’s on your mind. As for Teo’s strategy, there are many Jonians in the priest’s list.”
Satori’s hand remained limp for a moment, then she wrapped her fingers around Sol’s. “I know. I’ve been studying the officers’ names. Some of them I know personally. They hate the Capital, and Altman in particular. I’m sure they’ll find a way to let us know of his plans when the time comes.”
“Excellent.” Sol let her gaze scout the three forts and the moats before them. “So, what do you think of the fortifications?”
“We have nothing to fear from Altman’s archers. The only thing that worries me is that monstrosity he used in Ephia.”
“The cannon? There was no mention of it in the priest’s lists. I doubt it travels well.”
“Plus, it almost blew up last time. Well, let’s hope we won’t have to face it.”
“What about Richard’s toy?”
A mischievous glint flashed in Satori’s dark eyes. “I hid it away in the grove, along with the suit. Anyone approaching the grove will trigger the device. Let’s hope it works.”
“Richard knew his stuff. It will work.”
“So, now what?”
“Now we wait.”
Down at the beach, the first ships reached the shore and spat out endless lines of soldiers. They formed loose groups that started setting up tents.
April 3, Fennel Bay
Teo
“We will capture Anthea the same way Parad beat Crusoe.”
His officers, huddled around the small table, exchanged awkward glances.
The oldest one, a stout, graying man, cleared his throat. Four golden stars on his epaulets showed him to be a general. “My Lord, Parad baited Crusoe out of his stronghold. Is that what you are suggesting here?”
Teo smirked. “Something even better.” He flicked on his e-lib. He glowered at a young officer who had placed a pair of leather gloves on the table, and the man hastened to grab them away, clearing the surface. Teo turned his e-lib so that it projected a map of Fennel Bay onto the smooth wood. “The wall they’ve built is flanked by the swamps to the east and the woods to the west. Obviously, they are trying to lure us into their fortifications, but we won’t fall into their trap.” He pointed at the grove. “These trees over here. They are the key to our success.” His officers waited patiently for him to continue. He eyed them with a grin plastered on his face. “We’ll outflank them. Sneak up on them from behind. Our ground troops will infiltrate the woods at night. At dawn, they’ll be behind the enemy lines. That’s when our cavalry will attack from the front. The enemy will be crashed between the two groups.”
“My Lord,” the general said, “the Antheans will surely guard the grove. We should scout it before we enter, or we risk triggering an alarm.”
Teo’s grin faded. His fists balled. “Grow a pair, will you?” he said with the calmest voice he could muster. “It will be night. Even if the Antheans fight back, darkness will confuse them. Either way, the cavalry will crush them.”
“How can we be sure that our soldiers will have cleared the woods by dawn?” the young officer asked.
Teo glared at him. Why am I always surrounded by idiots? “Because I’ll have their hide if they don’t.”
The man took an involuntary step back, his face instantly turning white. “What about the cannon?” he asked. “Why don’t we use that to soften them up before the attack?”
“The Jonians will hate that,” the general said, glancing at Teo. “Even the most loyal soldiers detest its presence here.”
Teo scowled. “That’s not my concern. The problem is, it’s never been used since Ephia.” He ignored the glances the officers exchanged at the razed city’s name. If they can’t deal with it after all this time, it’s their fault. “My engineers aren’t even sure it still works. Last time, it almost blew up in our faces.” His lips parted in a smirk. “Rest assured, if it works, we’ll use it. In the meantime, our estimates are that we outnumber them five-to-one. So, it doesn’t matter how many of them guard the woods. Our ground troops will break their lines. They’ll strike at dawn from behind, while our cavalry makes a frontal assault.”
Some of the officers opened their mouths to speak.
I’ve had enough of their nonsense. “Good, we’re agreed then,” Teo said, ignoring their surprised looks. “Have the troops ready by tonight.”
The men stood still around the table, stunned statues made of flesh.
“Men, this is the moment we’ve been waiting for. Today, we teach those Antheans the price of messing with the Capital. For the Capital! For Cyrus!” His mouth twitched as he uttered that last bit. For some reason, the army worshipped Cyrus. In their eyes, Teo was no more than a Regent until Cyrus’s return. Of course, chances are he’s already dead. If not, Alexander will surely find him.
They bowed their heads and departed in a long row. When they had all left, Teo let out a tired sigh. Soldiers. How I hate them.
He clapped his hands for his aide to come. Seconds later, a young woman bolted into the spacious tent.
“My Lord?”
“Fetch me my armor.”
She disappeared for a few minutes, then returned with a fine, supple red leather vest. For a moment, he thought he heard Gella’s taunting voice. Is that what you’re wearing? He smirked. He’d shown her in Ephia who’s the boss, and he would show her again now. Pity she won’t be here to witness my triumph.
The woman handed him the armor. He caressed the soft leather with tender fingers, enjoying the creamy sensation. By tomorrow, both Anthea and the Capital will be mine. No one will even remember Cyrus in a few years. But my name shall live on forever.
Satori
Sol rushed to Satori’s side and grabbed her arm. She pulled her away from a small group of officers, ignoring their surprised whispers. “It’s as we thought,” she said as soon as they were out of earshot. “We’ve heard from Jonian sympathizers from their camp.”
Satori’s eyebrows pulled together in question. “How? Surely they haven’t passed a message in person?”
“It’s quite ingenious, really. They use a shield to reflect light, then Morse us the message.”
How do we know it’s not a trap? Satori opened her mouth to ask the question, when Sol smiled.
“I know what you’re thinking, but they’re using a Jonian code—one from the war against the Capital. It’s them.”
Satori gave her a half-smile. “You do know me well. So? What’s the message?”
“Altman is planning a surprise attack at dawn.”
A rush of adrenaline made Satori’s heart beat faster, surprising her. This is it! She had expected to feel fear. Now that the moment was finally upon them, all she could feel was excitement instead. “How?”
“Tonight, ground troops will move through the grove to attack from behind. At dawn, the cavalry will attack from the front.”
Satori’s jaw gaped. “It has to be a trap. That’s the worst plan they could come up with. They have no idea what our defenses are, and it will be too dark for them to move without alerting us to their presence. Didn’t any of his generals tell him as much?”
A laugh broke from Sol’s chest. “Apparently, they tried, but you know what he’s like.”
Satori’s eyes darkened. “Indeed, I do.” Images of Altman at Ephia filled her head. Her stomach tightened for a moment, then her face lit up again. “It’s great news for us, though. They can’t send too large a unit through the grove, for fear of triggering an alarm. With Richard’s suit, I could probably guard the passage myself. Won’t even have to kill any of them. Just blind them for a while. The panic box will take care of the rest.”
Sol’s lips tugged upward. “Panic box? Is that what we’re calling it now?”
Satori’s shoulders flinched a shrug. “As good a name as any.”
“Indeed it is.” Sol tapped a finger against her lips, the way she did when troubled by something. “Still, I’ll have a s
econd line of defense set up to the south just in case.”
Sudden sadness tugged at Satori’s heart. Sol’s tone was cool, almost matter-of-fact. Just in case I am killed? “Just in case of what?”
Sol blinked in surprise. “I’m sorry. You’ll be fine.” She placed a hand on Satori’s arm, but the young woman shrugged it off.
“I have to get ready. See you in the morning.”
“Satori,” Sol cried out after her.
She refused to look back, heading deep into the grove where she had hidden away the suit. Glancing back to make sure no one was following her, she passed ancient trees and made her way through thick bushes. The smell of pines coupled with the light breeze carrying the sea’s iodine smell invigorated her, clearing her head. Perhaps I was too harsh on her.
And yet, another voice in her head countered, she spoke of you like you were just another parameter to consider. How can she be so cold?
She has all of Anthea to think of. That’s how.
Debating thoughts were still arguing in her head as she reached the tree trunk where she had hidden the battle suit. She pulled it out and the voices fell silent. The same awe she had felt when she had first lain eyes on it filled her. She turned the suit around in her hands, marveling at the way the bronze color turned iridescent. She undressed, leaving on only her underwear. With revering fingers, she covered her legs with the leggings, then shrugged her upper body into the simple vest. The material bent easily enough, yet it made her feel safer than the thickest plate armor. When she put on her clothes again, there was little to reveal the armor hiding within, just the faint trace of a line where the armor ended.
She took the helmet in her hands and caressed it. Holding it in her hands, she lay down, her head propped up by the tree’s trunk. You must rest, she thought she heard her father whisper. Tonight’s the night. Tonight you get our revenge on Altman. It took her a while, but she finally managed to relax enough to fall into a light sleep. Avenge my crime, was the last thing her father’s voice whispered.
Pearseus Bundle: The Complete Pearseus Sci-fi/Fantasy Series Page 103