ALLIANCE (Descendants Saga)

by James Somers

  “I don’t mind at all. I could also attempt to locate the source of the problem like the healers do.”

  “I wasn’t aware that you had undergone the training,” he replied.

  “Technically no, but Sadie showed me a little.”

  He smiled. “We can see about it later. I just feel so worn out. I won’t deny Adolf may have dealt me a terrible blow with what little time he had hold of me. I had no idea he was Grayson’s son.”

  “None of us did,” I said. “How could we know?”

  “Lucifer has clearly been busy plotting all of this time. Whatever his plans, they are always multifaceted. We should get away from all of this for a while. Regroup. Try to figure out where we stand.”

  I nodded.

  Brody went on into his room. “A few hours rest should do me a world of good. Thank you, Cole. If you need me, don’t hesitate to wake me.”

  I watched him make his way to the bed. The door gradually closed behind him.

  Revenge

  Adolf paced incessantly. He didn’t immediately recognize the city where Lucifer had transported them. When he finally noticed the Clock Tower in the distance, her realized they were in London.

  “He’s nearby,” Adolf said. “I want to do it before he gets away. He’s weak now. I had hold of him long enough to do damage to his heart.”

  “Too bad you didn’t kill him when you had the chance,” Lucifer said. He was perched upon a beam like a vulture, overlooking the alley where they had come from the destruction of Trinity.

  Adolf remained on the ground below, fuming over his missed opportunity.

  “Still, I hope you realize now that I did tell you the truth before,” Lucifer said.

  Adolf stopped, gazing up at him irreverently. “Surprised, but I’ll admit you were right. He did not deny killing my father.”

  Night had come fully over an hour ago.

  “I could easily do him tonight while he’s sleeping,” Adolf mused.

  Lucifer laughed to himself. “You’ve now lost the element of surprise, my boy. Do you suppose he will simply reach out to shake your hand now?”

  “That’s why I’ll do it now when he’s resting,” Adolf said. “I’m not looking for a straight fight, just revenge.

  “If you get within fifty feet of Brody West, it will be a miracle. We should focus upon other things now and give them time to forget about you. Then you may strike.”

  “I can’t wait that long,” Adolf said. “He’s so close right now. If I leave him alone, he may go into hiding.”

  Lucifer sighed. “I suppose you’re going to do it no matter what I say. You might as well see for yourself. Then, maybe, you will come to your senses and realize all that I have in store for you. There’s a world waiting to be conquered.”

  Adolf grinned. “You won’t try to stop me?”

  “Why should I bother?” Lucifer replied. “But when you see that I am right, you will return to me atop the Tower Bridge. Then we will get down to the business of world domination.”

  Adolf nodded and then shot up into the night sky beneath a waning moon. If he was quick, this business with Brody West might be settled tonight. Then he could move on, having avenged his father. Lucifer vanished as soon as the young man lifted off from the ground.

  Sadie walked the streets of Rockunder. The situation here was much like the town at Highmore. With the great army that Liam had raised, most of the people who had lived here a day ago were dead. As she passed through communities searching, she noticed mothers with children peering out their windows at her.

  Others stood in the street staring. Sadie did not recognize any of them. Most likely they also did not realize who she was, which was best.

  She hadn’t come here to fight with these people. They had been misled. Still, they had evidently been quick to turn on her father, even after all that he had done for them over the years. It just proved to her that, though people may be friendly, it doesn’t make them your friend.

  Cole was the only true friend she had left. Laish and Redclaw had perished in this fight with the Fallen. People always died when they were involved, and they never seemed to stop being involved.

  For nine years, they had heard nothing of them. Her father had wondered when the day would come. She had hoped it never would. But her father had proven to be right, as usual. The Fallen had been plotting all along. It had only been a matter of time before something happened to undo the tranquility they had enjoyed for so long.

  Finding nothing of consequence in the places she visited, Sadie transported herself to the palace. Here again, the buildings were all but abandoned. Liam Shade had even taken his palace guards with him to kill her father. None of them would ever return. As far as she had been able to tell, nothing could have survived the overthrow that had taken place upon the spiritual plane.

  Sadie made her way directly to the king’s throne room. No one stopped her along the way. Torches burned upon sconces, but only servants were seen in any of the halls. Sadie covered herself with a glamour, rendering herself invisible. None of the servants even noticed her.

  A lone guard was asleep at his post before the throne room door. Sadie teleported from the hall outside directly into the throne room in order not to disturb the man. When she appeared, she found the chamber completely empty.

  She crossed the floor, looking for what she knew must be there. Sure enough, Sadie only made it half way toward the throne platform. She found a large black scorch upon the stone floor. This was where Brian Shade must have died. Most likely her mother had died not far away.

  But who had done this? Why would they? A Fire Elemental could have done what was carried out upon Brian Shade. But they tended to only have one particular ability. Weaving a glamour complex enough to fool other Descendants into believing you were another well known person was very difficult and rare.

  Her mind kept going back to what seemed to be the obvious answer. Southresh. He was the reason her father had the ability to manipulate fire so well. She had some ability, but not nearly at the same level. And, being an angel, Southresh could easily manipulate his appearance to make others believe he was her father.

  On the question of motivation was moot. Any of the Fallen were wicked enough to do such a thing. Southresh was just the obvious choice. The mad god would have enjoyed doing this more than the others.

  Malak-esh appeared in her right hand. She had called it to her without thinking. With this sword she might vanquish Southresh, returning him to Tartarus. However, Sadie still remembered how the sword had come to her in the first place. Oliver James, her uncle, had died by Southresh’s hand.

  He had bequeathed it to her in the event of his death. When Oliver had gone to find the angel with the hope of returning him to the Almighty’s prison, he had been killed. Despite the fact that he was an extremely powerful Superomancer, he had still not been able to defeat Southresh. What hope might she have?

  She did not have near the Superomantic ability. She did not possess Oliver’s vast experience fighting against the machinations of angels. Sadie only had the fire burning down inside her to avenge her mother and her friends. But that didn’t seem to be enough.

  Tears ran down her cheeks. She looked around the throne room. There was nothing here for them in this city. Rockunder might become nothing now. No king, no citizens. It was ripe for the picking, but there weren’t even any great Descendant groups left now to take it for themselves.

  Her thoughts went back to Cole and her father. He needed her. Whatever Adolf had done to him was worse than he was letting on. Her brief attempt to bring healing to him when the attack first came had only given her the briefest glimpse at his internal damage.

  Sadie released her grip on the sword and it vanished, going back to the dimensional store where it waited to be called. She gave one last cursory look at the place where her mother had died, renewing that fire in her breast for vengeance. She might not know how to defeat Southresh, but she intended to find a way.

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  Adolf landed. He had spent some time finding this place again. But he had known all along where he might find Brody West hiding out with Cole and his daughter. There was no way he would bother with the Leprechaun city. Who would have wanted him there when West had killed the Leprechaun King?

  Adolf had come to carry out his plan upon the man who had now admitted to killing his father, Grayson Stone. He knew that West was powerful, even if he had been dealt a terrible blow before escaping. Attempting to fight West might be the height of foolishness. After all, he did possess a weapon that even angels feared. And his daughter and Cole would certainly try to interfere.

  Adolf knew that they would defend West. And, truth be told, he could understand why they would do it. Brody was, after all, Sadie’s father. She would naturally give her life to save him. Cole had grown up with the man. He was willing to believe West was innocent, even after his confession at killing Grayson Stone.

  Cole had been a good friend to him these many years, but he wasn’t going to let him stop what he intended to do. This would be a mercy to him. While Cole was sleeping, the deed would be done. And there would be no fight with West, just the man dying in his sleep. He would get in and out without any real confrontation having taken place.

  West deserved to die. He was a murderer, and Adolf would see justice done, not only for his own father but also for the Shade King. Brian Shade had never been anything to him personally, but he still hadn’t deserved to die.

  And what of Queen Sophia? Surely, she deserved justice. Adolf found it disgusting that Sadie and Cole would prefer to believe Brody’s lies rather than seeing him for what he was: Queen Sophia’s murderous husband.

  He was doing the right thing tonight, whether any of them ever came around to believing it. Besides, he was going to become the ruler of the world, according to Lucifer’s plan. Was he beholden to Cole and Sadie’s ideals? No, he might as well start behaving like the monarch he would one day become. And tonight he would see that justice was served. The dead would be avenged.

  Adolf spied the window where West had his bedchamber. He levitated from the ground, rising higher and higher toward the upper floor. He came to rest upon the outer ledge, peering through the glass.

  Inside, he found the large poster bed. He could see by the glow of the fireplace within that a single occupant lay beneath the covers. He did not have the ability to teleport, but the latch was undone on the other side of the pane.

  He lifted the window carefully. It made the slightest creaking as he raised it. Still, West had not woken up. The figure in the bed remained asleep, only the slightest rise and fall of the bedspread with his breathing.

  Adolf floated through the window, hovering just above the floor. His shadow passed across the wall behind, joining him beside Brody’s bed. He had to keep this subtle: touch the man, find his heart and stop its function before he woke up.

  He placed his hand gently on the covers. As expected, the contact was not enough. There on the bed, near a pillow, one hand was exposed. Adolf placed his own upon it. Instantly, he picked up the physiologic functions of his victim. He had to be quick.

  Searching for his heart among the hundreds of actions and reactions taking place, Adolf found the beating organ. However, something was different. He had been in contact Brody briefly and had damaged him. He knew it had been the case. But this wasn’t the same.

  Adolf released the hand and pulled back the covers. A woman lay in the bed. Her blonde hair brushed back slightly from her face when he pulled away the blanket. He had never seen this person before, but she was beautiful.

  As he stood staring at her by the light of the fire burning in the nearby hearth, her eyes blinked once and then opened, gazing upon him. Strangely, she did not start at seeing him.

  “Are you a friend of Mr. West?” she asked.

  Her voice was delicate, like birdsong.

  “Who are you?” Adolf asked enchanted. “You’re beautiful.”

  She sat up, smiling, holding the blanket to cover herself. “My name is Anna. Anna Parks. Mr. West and his companions saved me from the city of Trinity. I was kidnapped by the vampires who dwell there.”

  “They’ve been destroyed,” Adolf said. “You need not fear them any longer.”

  “I’m glad to hear it, sir,” she said. “And you are?”

  “Adolf,” he said. “Adolf Hitler.”

  He had no idea why he was telling her, or why he had given the last name of Alois. He had no last name of his own. However, he would have to use some surname if he was to grow in power among humans. It was expected in their society. Hitler it would be.

  As for Anna Parks, Adolf found this young woman captivating. Had he not known from touching her that she was completely human, he might have thought her descended from sprites. The lyrical nature of her voice was hypnotizing to him.

  “I’m very glad to meet you, Adolf,” she said. “Do you know if Mr. West has returned with the others yet?”

  “Returned?”

  “Yes, they were going back to the city to rescue several people from the vampires,” Anna said. “He left me here in Highgate to wait with one of his servants, the caretaker I think.”

  Adolf realized then that Brody and the others had not taken sanctuary here in his London home. He had felt sure that West would have returned here. After reacquiring it from the couple whom Gladstone had given it to, Brody had often returned here over the years. The house had been given to him by Oliver James and was dear to him.

  But, if not here, then where would they go?

  “Are you sent to return me to my home?” she asked.

  “Where is your home?”

  “Baltimore, Maryland,” she replied. “It’s in the United States.”

  Adolf smiled. “Of course, Ms. Parks. I would be delighted to see that you make it home.”

  “Are you like the others?” she asked, sitting up in the bed. “Do you have special powers to transport us?”

  “I don’t have that ability,” he said. “But I do have the means to get you home.”

  “Very well, I’ll just need a few minutes to get dressed, and then we can go.”

  She waited a moment before getting out of bed. Adolf started, realizing she required privacy. “I’m sorry,” he said, crossing the room. “I’ll just wait outside.”

  He opened the door quietly and stepped into the hall beyond.

  “Thank you,” she said as he closed the door gently behind.

  Adolf stood outside the door. Anna Parks had almost caused him to forget why he had come to Highgate in the first place. Still, West and the others were not here. He would be forced to search them out later. But, for now, a young lady had caught his fancy, and she required an escort home. He smiled there in the dark, looking forward to making her acquaintance better.

  When Sadie returned to the town at Highmore, appearing before the gate to the castle as dawn was breaking, she found me sitting upon the steps leading to the doors. “Have you been there all night?” she asked.

  “Part of it,” I said, standing, walking toward her. The gate opened by thought before I arrived. I walked through to stand before her. “I wanted to be out here in case anyone came for us.”

  “You mean for my father.”

  I nodded.

  She sighed. “How is he?”

  “Worse than he’ll admit, but manageable,” I said.

  “When I made healing contact with him, I sensed that Adolf had damaged his heart.”

  “Can you reverse it?”

  “I’m not sure,” she admitted. Tears began to run down her face.

  “Are you all right, Sadie?”

  She stepped near, embracing me, her head lying upon my shoulder. “It seems like all the world is against us. Father has been branded a murderer and we have to hide from our enemies. There’s been so much death.”

  I held her, not knowing what else to do. I had no answers for this situation. “We’ll just have to trust the Lord to lead us.�
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  She sniffed, hugging me tighter. “I’m glad you’re here with us.”

  I held her tighter also. “So am I.”

  PART II

  VENDETTA

  Amazonia

  Lush rainforest spread out beneath Lucifer in every direction toward the horizon. He floated down beneath the upper canopy of flowering trees. The month was December. The year 1943.

  A glorious freedom to plan and work toward the fruition of those plans kept the fallen angel giddy these days. He did not miss the old rivalry with Black. Not even a little.

  Over two decades earlier their sibling rivalry had ended in the city of Trinity created upon the spiritual plane by the three cherubim. Black had been kept preoccupied while Brody West crept upon the angel with Malak-esh in hand. An angry, vengeful thrust of the blessed sword through Black’s mortal host had been quite enough to finish the job. Black had been cut off from the mortal plane, drawn backward into Tartarus never to be heard from again.

  The cherubim had likewise been cast into the angelic prison where they too awaited final judgment. All that they had remade upon the spiritual plane had been washed away by the Almighty and his heavenly host. Only a void remained now. It could be used for traveling, but there were no longer any destinations there.

  Lucifer remained free to do as he pleased. He had kept Southresh attached to the mortal plane since the mad god continued to prove useful to his plans, particularly in the matter of relations between Adolf and the Japanese. However, should he turn from his service, Lucifer would cut the ties that bound Southresh to the world and be rid of him.

  Dense foliage surrounded the angel as he drifted forward. Ungurahui and Rubber trees abounded in the rainforest. Lucifer noticed quite a few Walking Palms seeming to creep sluggishly upon their long stilted roots. Others, growing shallow in the soil, were supported by extensive buttress root systems.