by Mike Morris
"Shit." Simon moved to join her but Lin waved him back.
"Stay by the window," she said. "There'll be more. There always are."
Jack had his trousers and shirt on so she threw him Brendan's sword and then drew her Nostros sword. The footsteps on the stairs grew louder as the enemy got nearer. She hoped they were only human or Children, not a Master. They were in no state to fight a Master. She glanced at Brendan, crying and sniveling in the corner — at least he was no threat for now.
She adjusted her feet, raised her sword. Let them come at her. She'd kill them all.
The footsteps slowed once they reached the third floor landing. She strained to hear — how many of them were there? She almost felt like praying. They needed all the help they could get.
She took a step back. "Get ready." She watched the door, waiting for them to come against it. She held her breath, adjusted her grip on the sword.
The window exploded.
27
Jack
Brendan's sword felt heavy in Jack's hand. The chill had gone from his bones but the exhaustion remained. He needed sleep. He needed food. Maybe then he'd be able to think straight, work out what Brendan was saying, understand what was going on. But none of that was going to happen. The Turned were coming for them and it was time to fight again.
He stood next to Lin. Her form was perfect — as good as his, if not better. He'd no idea how she'd learned so fast. He'd trained under Master Snow for ten years, spending every day under his intense scrutiny. Lin had worked with him for a few months. It shouldn't have been possible, but he was glad it was. Robert was still out cold, Brendan was a wreck and he felt half-dead. They needed Lin's sword and her expertise if they were to survive.
He listened to the feet stomp up the stairs. Coming fast. There were at least four of them, if not more. Not good odds. They'd be lucky if they all walked away after this — if any of them walked away. He could taste death in the air.
The feet slowed as they reached the third floor. The creatures approached slowly, taking their time. Jack tightened his grip on his sword, noticed Lin do the same.
Something crashed through the window behind them, making them all jump.
Simon was knocked flying, but the creature got caught in the blanket they'd put over the window. It rose, ripping at the blanket in an attempt to get free. Red eyes appeared through the gashes and the Turned howled.
Jack's sword was already moving. He swung it overhead and hacked down with all his might. The blade chopped into the center of the Turned's head, stopping him cold. Jack yanked his sword free and let the creature drop to the ground — just as the front door was kicked in. It flew off its hinges, dragging half the door frame down with it. Lin danced out the way and charged at the first demon who entered. She was quick, but the creature was quicker. It slapped her sword to one side and lunged at her throat. Lin twisted and managed to fall back out of its way. The creature's momentum carried it past her and straight toward Jack. And more came through the door.
There was no time to worry about Lin or Brendan. No time to think about anything except killing the creature in front of him. He'd once been a man, but now he snarled at Jack like some sort of animal, all fangs and claws and those bloody red eyes.
Jack swung as the Turned closed on him, felt the sword bite. Deep, but not deep enough. A claw raked his chest but Jack ignored the pain. He punched out instead, striking the creature's temple. The Turned barely slowed, lunging for his throat. Jack threw himself backward as a hand swiped past where his face had been. He brought the sword up and slashed the Turned across the gut. Black blood sprayed across the floor. The creature staggered back, clutching the wound, shrieking in pain and fury. He swiped at Jack again, catching his shoulder as he tried to get out of the way. He was tired and slow compared to the creature he fought. He retreated until he could feel the fire at his back and there was nowhere else to go.
A Turned spotted Robert's unconscious body and rushed for him. Jack tried to stop her, but the Turned he was fighting nearly took his head off as a result. He thrust his sword up to block another blow. Sparks flew off his blade as the demon's claws raked the metal. As the creature drew closer, he kicked out, catching a knee with his heel. He smashed the pommel of his sword into the Turned's mouth, snapping a fang.
The Turned staggered back, spitting blood. With a brief respite, Jack sought the creature on Robert. She straddled the big man, fangs bared, ready to strike. There was no way Jack would reach her in time. Then a gun boomed and the back of the creature's head disappeared. Simon, his left ear missing, lay on top of the corpse of another Turned, a smoking pistol in his hand. His other hand clutched a bloody wound across his throat.
There was no time to help as the injured demon came for Jack once more. The Turned bled from the mouth and the cut in his side, but his injuries only seemed to madden him further.
Jack swung his sword this way and that, creating a blur of steel to keep the Turned at bay, but he was exhausted. He couldn't keep his defense up for long. The creature knew all he had to do was wait for the opening to attack. Demon and man stared at each other, hate in both their eyes. The creature had been human once, a man most likely Turned against his will, but now all he wanted was Jack's blood.
Jack let his sword drop, hanging onto it as if it took all his remaining strength to hold onto the grip. He stumbled as he dragged it to the side and the Turned roared in delight at the sight of his weakness. The Turned leapt, arms outstretched, bloody fangs eager to sink into Jack's flesh.
Jack dropped to one knee and swung his sword around, driving the blade up into the Turned's exposed gut, the creature's own momentum forcing the blade deeper. The Turned screamed as he twisted the sword and Jack dragged the blade free, taking guts with it. The creature fell to his knees. Jack reversed the strike and took the Turned's head from his shoulders.
Jack collapsed with the effort, landing on his injured shoulder as the demon's blood soaked into his clothes. He looked around the room, looking for another threat, knowing he was too exhausted to deal with it. Simon was down, his head a bloody mess. Brendan cowered in his corner, but Lin still battled with a Turned. It was twice her size, a man made of nothing but muscle. She flowed around the creature like water, keeping out of the creature's reach. Jack watched, amazed. He should've been scared for her, a woman fighting a Turned of that size, but he wasn't. He knew she was going to win. Lin knew it, too.
The Turned howled in frustration and swiped a hand at her. Lin met it with steel, taking the arm just below the elbow. The wound fizzled and sparked and Lin seized the opportunity, ramming her sword into the creature's heart with both hands. The Turned didn't even have time to scream. He exploded in a shower of ash and sparks.
Lin stood over the remains, barely out of breath. Her eyes met Jack's. "Are you all right?"
"How did you do that?" he said. He'd never seen anything like it.
Lin smiled, but then she saw Simon and cried out. She rushed to the Black Dog's side and Jack staggered to his feet to join her. Simon's left ear had been ripped off and he'd been gashed across the throat and gut. "Is he ...?"
Lin looked up and shook her head, tears in her eyes. Another name for the cauldron.
Brendan hadn't moved from his spot in the corner. He was all curled up in a ball, weeping and wailing. Jack limped over to him and crouched so he was at eye level. "What's going on, brother?"
"I don't ... I don't ... leave me alone. Please," he whimpered.
"How did they know we were here? Why do they want Lin?" Jack tried to keep his voice soft, non-threatening, but it was hard. He could feel his anger striving to erupt. Whatever his brother had done, it had placed all their lives at risk.
"They know you're friends with Lin" said Brendan. "They know you care about ... her." He glared at Lin over Jack's shoulder.
"Why me?" she asked in return. "Why do they care about me?"
"You killed the king's son!" spat Brendan. "Do you think he'd forget tha
t? That he would forgive you?"
"But I ... He was going to kill me ..."
"You're their property! It was his right to kill you. That was what you were born for!" Brendan screamed the words, eyes full of hate. "You're meat. Their meat."
Jack reeled back under the force of Brendan's rage. He glanced up at Lin and could see she too was shaken. "I still don't understand. How did they know we're here?"
Brendan ripped his tunic open, revealing his neck and the fresh fang marks there. "He ... sees ... through ... my ... eyes." His head twitched as he spoke. "He ... knows."
Jack sat down, staring at the wounds — the bite in his brother's neck. So fresh it still leaked blood. "The Nostros ... it's been here?"
Lin stepped forward, her sword raised. "Your brother's lost. We need to kill him, put him out of his misery."
Jack thrust out his hand. "No ... "
"Look at you," said Brendan, his voice suddenly deeper, darker, all fragility gone. "You stand there with your stolen sword, your stolen life. It is you who's lost. You and your whole race." Brendan's head shook and he clawed at his throat as if he fought something inside himself. The Nostros.
"Who are you?" said Jack.
"I am Kullen ang Rung. Chosen by His Glorious Majesty to prepare for his coming to your miserable land." The words were slow, deliberate, forced out through Brendan's lips. "I am your death."
"Big fucking words," said Lin, raising her sword. "Your kind has spent my entire life trying to kill me, and yet here I am."
"Your life is but sand on the wind." Brendan rose to his feet, his body twisted and contorted like a puppet.
Jack stood as well, his mouth open in horror at what was happening to his brother. No one had told him a Nostros could control another through a bite. He had no idea what to do — how to stop it — how to free Brendan. "Brother, I know you can hear me. Fight this bastard thing inside you."
Brendan's arm shot out, back-handing Jack across the face and sending him flying. His brother — or whatever possessed him — bent down and picked up his sword. "Pathetic humans."
He raced at Lin, sword swinging, so fast Jack could barely believe it. Lin countered. Steel smashed against steel. Jack had never heard a sound so full of rage. Brendan went at her again and again. Any weakness was long gone. Lin parried and blocked but it was taking all her skill with the sword to stay Brendan's attacks.
Jack had to help. Simon's sword lay next to his body and Jack dived for it. His fingers closed on the grip and he brought the blade around as he rolled back to his feet.
Brendan just laughed at him.
Lin took the opportunity to launch an attack of her own. She went low, aiming for Brendan's leg, but his sword was there to stop it. He kicked out, caught her under the jaw and knocked her onto her back. He hacked down but Lin rolled out the way.
Jack went to her aid, but his blows were aimed at Brendan's sword rather than him. He couldn't kill his brother — all he could do was try and stop him from killing Lin.
Brendan had no such mercy. He nearly took Jack's head from his shoulders with a casual swing of his sword; Jack only just got his own blade up in time to block another that would have cut him from shoulder to groin.
Lin returned to the fray and, for a few brief moments, Jack thought they might have a chance to stop Brendan, but he flitted from one to the other, hammering at each of them, offering no respite, no opening. They'd all been taught to fight with finesse by Master Snow, but there was no sign of that training in Brendan. He was all fury and brutality. He might as well have been wielding an axe as much as a sword. Each blow Jack blocked shook him to his bones and threatened to shatter his sword.
He was weakening more and more by the second, too. He could barely lift his sword to help the fight or find the breath to counter. Lin was taking on more of the battle, but even she was starting to slow. Brendan, however, was driven by whatever inhuman creature had taken over his mind. He was relentless.
His sword broke through Lin's defense and she cried out as the blade cut her arm. She moved to her left, trying to find some room, some space to gather her strength. Jack threw himself into the fray, using his body more than his sword, but Brendan punched him to the ground. The room spun as Jack tried pushing himself upright. Brendan stood with his back to the fire, looking like a demon straight from hell, his humanity disappearing more each second.
Lin slashed at him while trying to keep her distance but Brendan swatted the strike away. "No more playing," he said.
He came at her again, each blow as powerful as his first. He went for her head, her gut, her neck. Her sword flashed up, across and back. Sparks flew from the clash of steel.
The room grew dark for a moment. Jack blinked. He couldn't pass out — not now. He shook the black from his mind and saw something move. A giant. It came up behind Brendan as if it had climbed out from the fire.
It roared and charged, crashing into Brendan from behind. The momentum drove him across the room to the window. Blow after blow rained down on his brother's head. Brendan was lifted off his feet. He tried to turn, to fight what held him, but the shadow gave him no opportunity. It gripped Brendan's sword arm as it dragged him up over the windowsill. Only then did it let go with a bellow, throwing Brendan out into the night.
"What the fuck is going on?" shouted Robert. "And why the fuck am I naked?"
"Brendan," said Jack. "He ..." The words couldn't come. He was in shock. His brother was dead. A mercy, but still ... Another name, another shroud, another grave. This war would take them all.
Robert looked out the window and down to the street. "That was Brendan? Shit. Sorry. What's going on? Why was he trying to kill the girl?"
"A Nostros had possessed him. It wants Lin dead," said Jack.
"You always know how to make enemies," said Robert to Lin.
She threw him his clothes. "We can talk later." She got her arm around Jack and helped him to his feet. "We need to get out of here. The Master will send more Turned against us."
"Where are we going?" asked Jack, picking up his boots. Grief threatened to overwhelm him. How could he have let Brendan be taken like that? How could he not have noticed something was wrong? The signs were there — obvious now. Brendan lived in darkness, didn't eat. Jack had put it down to the stress and strain after what had happened in Grosnar. He hadn't even known a Nostros could possess someone. By God, it was all too much to deal with.
"We need to get back to the river," said Lin. "That's where the Black Dogs are. At the bridge."
"As good a plan as any," said Robert. "Are you going to be okay, Jack?"
Truth was, Jack didn't have a clue how he felt. Half-dead? Broken-hearted? Angry? Better to say nothing. "Let's get out of here."
The two men dressed quickly and armed themselves with Brendan and Simon's swords. Jack took the dead Dog's pistols as well, loading both for what they all knew was coming. He attached the priest's ammunition pouch to his belt.
They were about to leave when a sound from outside got their attention. Jack went to the window and looked down. He saw his brother's broken body on the cobbles and felt his heart shatter once more. He had to force his eyes away, look for what had made the noise. He saw nothing at first, but the feeling in his gut told him something was out there ... somewhere.
There was movement at the end of the street, coming from the north, from the river. "Turned. At least six or seven of them."
"Shit," said Robert. "It might've been better if you'd let me drown."
"They've got the end of the street blocked. We'll have to—" Jack stopped.
"What is it?" asked Lin.
"There's more coming from the other direction," said Jack. "We're trapped."
28
Lin
Lin joined Jack at the window. Sure enough, the damned Children filled the street at both ends and there was no doubt where they were heading. She counted a dozen of them, but there would be more coming. There'd be no getting past them without a fight. Trouble
was, Robert and Jack were in no state to take on that many of the creatures, and she wasn't feeling a whole lot better than they were. She'd only had a few hours' sleep in two days and the fight with Brendan had sapped her strength. Still, they were all doing better than Simon. For now, at least. "We're dead if we go down there," she said.
"We're dead if we stay here," said Jack.
She nodded. "So we go up."
"What?" said Robert. "Up?"
"On to the roofs," replied Lin. "They'll follow, but maybe we can get a good enough lead on them."
Robert nodded. "I'll probably break my bloody neck, but let's go."
They headed to the stairs, but Lin stopped in the corridor. "Better it all burns to the ground first," she muttered to herself.
"What's wrong?" said Jack.
"We need to slow them down more. Stop them following," said Lin. "Kill off what we can."
"You're not suggesting you go down and fight them, are you?" asked Jack.
"No." She looked back into Brendan's room at the fire. "I say we burn this place to the ground."
"What?" Jack looked at her as if she were mad. Maybe she was.
"We set fire to the entrance. We'll be long gone before the flames reach the roof. Maybe they'll think we're trapped inside. Maybe not. But it'll delay them long enough for us to get away."
Jack shook his head. "The fire will spread. The whole neighborhood will go up, maybe the whole district."
"Nial has evacuated all the buildings around here. Apart from us, there's only Turned in the streets, and they all need killing," she said.
"She's right," said Robert. "Things can always be rebuilt. But if those demons spread their evil, it's all over for everyone."
"Shit," said Jack. "This place is my home."
"It won't be if we're dead," said Lin.
Jack didn't say anything, but he headed back into Brendan's room. The others followed. Robert smashed the chair and they wrapped strips of blanket around the legs before placing them in the fire. Once the makeshift torches were alight, they headed back into the corridor.