by S. M. Welles
“I’m sorry to hear,” Aerigo said.
“It hurt a lot to lose my best friend. And it still does. But my grandmother told me something worth keeping in mind. She said: no matter how hard you try you can’t save everyone. And at the very least you should save yourself. You’re no use to anyone if you’re dead.” She looked at Aerigo’s visor. “It makes sense to me.”
“It does. I’ll keep what your grandmother said in mind. Now, please put on your helmet and get on.”
Roxie attempted to squeeze her helmet on, but it wouldn’t fit past her nose and ears. She pressed it down with her fingertips but stopped when the helmet got wedged against the bridge of her nose. “Can I have a little help, here? I’m afraid to break it.”
“Keep your eyes closed,” Aerigo said.
Roxie pulled away her hands and squeezed her eyes shut. There was a thunk atop her head and the helmet slipped all the way on. Something pressed lightly against her eyelids, preventing her from opening them. She flung her arms out. “Aerigo! I can’t—” Her vision returned. “See?” She stopped talking and went blind again. “What the—?”
“These are specially designed helmets,” Aerigo explained, his voice sounding mechanical through the helmet. “These motorcycles move really fast and stop instantaneously. You don’t want your eyes falling out of their sockets when you stop like that.”
“So how am I able to see?”
“There are sensors in the visor picking up sound waves. It creates a three-dimensional picture which is translated by another instrument that projects the image through your eyelids. The images look like what we see when using our minds to search for people, but on a blue scale.”
Blah blah blah, physics, blah blah blah. “Forget I asked.” The hum of the motorcycle was now loud enough to create a small bubble of vision. Roxie reached for the bike seat and Aerigo took Roxie’s hand and helped her onto the bike, and she wrapped her arms around his waist. The motorcycle lurched a few inches into the air. Roxie squeezed Aerigo’s waist. “Whoa! It floats!”
Aerigo let out a tension-releasing laugh. “I keep forgetting you’re so new to everything.”
“You’ve come across a lot of cool stuff in your lifetime.” Roxie eased her grip and peered over one of Aerigo’s strong arms. He pushed a button on the control panel, twisted a handle and backed out. At the touch of another switch, they were moving forward. He turned onto the street and floored it. Roxie clutched tighter as they flew down the wide streets lined with nervous and confused people. Their only clue that the fog still existed was the haziness to their helmet vision.
From high over the mountains next to Phailon, Nexus watched his prey move deeper into the city. His chest swelled with pride. ‘The time is now, my warriors! Attack the city!’ And only to the Elves, ‘Cast it into the ocean!’
Two distant silhouettes rose over the edge of the cliff, flapping their great wings. They arced over the city wall. In his mind’s eye he watched three trolls leave their hiding places within the city. They hit the crowded streets swinging their weapons.
Brago and Greigo, the two black dragons, descended into the streets opposite the failing sun and opened their dagger-toothed jaws, unleashing a great inferno from deep in their bellies. They dived at the closest buildings, which were a hundred feet tall, and razed them with their fire, claws and tails. The stone buildings crumbled as if made out of brittle clay. People, chunks of rock and flaming debris splattered everywhere. Screams and the crash of crumbling buildings cut through the fog.
Moving from one building to the next at a steady pace, they spit fire and lashed out with their armored tails, killing people and leveling buildings. Slowly, they advanced toward the city center, leaving a wide scar of flaming rubble, dismembered and steaming bodies, and smears of blood in their wake.
* * *
The three trolls killed humans with every swing of the club or axe. They left a bloody, flesh-strewn trail behind them. Their giant bodies, layered with muscle and covered with a tough, olive-green hide, were getting redder with every kill. Durgil, the lead troll, let out peals of laughter that sounded more like grunting, and licked his lips every time blood splattered onto his face. Grauss and Harat wore big, fanged grins as they killed.
The humans ran but the trolls were faster, their ape-like arms giving extra distance to their stride. The only people who could get away were those riding strange metal things that sped faster than any troll could run, but they scarcely cared. There were plenty more to kill.
A mass of humans were scrambling onto what looked like a giant metal log, with many square holes half-covered in glass. The smooth log was floating inches above the ground, but listed to one side as the driver yelled at the citizens hanging from the outside of the bus windows to get off. Durgil, Grauss and Harat stomped over at a leisurely pace. Screams and desperate yells filled the air, and the trolls grinned as several humans ditched the log and ran for their lives.
The bus lurched forward, throwing off a few humans. Another human scrambled onto the hood, then onto the roof, only to turn and gawk at the trolls. The roof reached no higher than the trolls’ shoulders, and the man sat looking eye-level with them.
All three trolls lashed out at the side of the bus, sending it out from underneath the man sitting on it. The bus sailed across the street and crashing into a building. The trolls looked by their feet. Durgil arced his club downward and splattered the man cowering there. Then they heard an explosion. The entire bus was engulfed in flame. Arms and heads poked out of the windows. Screams of agony reached their pointy ears as the humans began to cook alive. The trolls let out roars of delight and moved on.
* * *
Roxie and Aerigo were still speeding toward South Street when the motor stalled out, falling silent. The motorcycle dived to the ground, jolting both Aigis. Roxie clung to Aerigo and braced in case they got thrown. Aerigo gripped the handlebars as the bike skidded and screeched along the cobblestone, tearing it up and sending sparks flying. The bike caught on a bump in the road, fishtailed and began to tip over. Aerigo stuck out a foot and dug his heel into the ground. He tore up a good twenty yards of cobblestone before they came to a complete stop. The motorcycle’s elevated side tipped to the ground with a metallic thud, and everything around them fell silent.
“Are we out of gas or something?” Roxie asked nervously, still holding tight.
“Get off so I can check the motor.”
She unhooked her fingers one-by-one, and sat up, then swung one leg over, hopped off, and pried off her helmet. The fog was thick as ever, and the air felt freezing on her face as she fixed her ponytail.
Aerigo had just taken off his helmet when they felt the ground shake.
“Whoa! Earthquake!” Roxie said, throwing her arms out.
“Phailon doesn’t get earthquakes,” Aerigo said flatly, holding onto the motorcycle.
“Then what was it?” The fog ghosted around them.
“I don’t know. Stand in front of me. We need to get rid of this fog.” Aerigo placed his helmet on the bike seat. The ground vibrated again. “Hold onto my wrists while I hold onto yours.”
“Like this?” Roxie stood with her arms inside his, thumbs pointing down, palms turned outward and fingers wrapped around his forearms.
“Yes. Relax and don’t resist when you feel a tug on your body. I’m borrowing some of your energy.”
Roxie smiled. “I’m coming in handy after all. Ah!” She flinched as the ground shook again, followed by what sounded like a distant rumble of thunder. “Whatever it is, it sounds like it’s getting closer.”
“Shh. It is. Don’t move.”
Although relaxing was out of the question, she fell silent as Aerigo close his eye and concentrated. Several long seconds ticked by, then she felt her body temperature begin to rise. A bead of sweat trickled down her forehead. She wanted to scratch her forehead but instead rubbed her temple against a shoulder. All her heat suddenly gathered in her arms and left her body through her palms.
The sensation left her feeling as if she’d just run a mile at an all-out sprint. The air felt ten times colder and she started shivering.
The ground shook again, followed by another rumble.
Aerigo began a chant, whispering slowly in his deep voice. “Ard moranon, ard moranon. Arunas ferulae menanon.”
The ground shook harder, almost making their knees buckle, and it grumbled an earthy moan.
“Ard moranon, ard moranon. Arunas ferulae menanon,” he chanted a little faster.
Roxie did her best not to let the quaking get the best of her as she looked around, seeing that the fog was receding.
“Ard moranon, ard moranon. Arunas ferulae menanon.”
The fog evaporated faster as Aerigo got louder. Soon Roxie could hardly see the vapor anywhere. Aerigo shouted his chant once more time, the added, “Ghedus si!” He opened his eyes and looked skyward.
The ground shook again, this time sending the two toppling onto the motorcycle. The surrounding buildings cracked and groaned, the last light of the sun caressing the topmost floors. The streetlights flickered into life and window light poured into the streets. The fog was gone.
Roxie and Aerigo flung their minds towards the source of the rumbling and collided with a giant flying creature outlined in white. Roxie breathed in sharply. “A dragon!” The dragon spit fire and destroyed everything in its path. “It’s destroying the city!”
“Go back to Rooke’s,” Aerigo said, taking off his pack and canteen.
“What?”
“You are to go back and protect Rooke.” he handed his things to her, then strapped his dagger to his arm. “And you’re going to keep yourself safe, along with him. Got that?”
“What about you?” Roxie was torn between desires to help and to flee to safety. Considering Aerigo’s scars, Roxie wasn’t brave enough to face such dangers. She also couldn’t bear to sit there and let such a beautiful place be destroyed. But Maharaja had instructed her to stay at Aerigo’s side.
“I’ll be fine. Just go!” He shooed her with one arm.
Three trolls burst through a building across the street, swinging their weapons.
Roxie stared open-mouthed, unable to move or scream. The lead troll swung his club in a downward arc at both. Aerigo pushed Roxie hard one way and jumped the other.
The club smashed into the motorcycle and cracked the cobblestone.
As the troll lifted his club, bits and pieces of metal dripped off, clanging to the ground. He seized Aerigo with his other huge hand, hoisting him into the air.
Aerigo swung his legs and tried to pull his arms free. He glared fiercely at the troll, eyes aglow, but the troll just revealed two rows of fangs as big as fingers, and squeezed.
Aerigo stopped struggling and closed his eyes, then his body swelled in the troll’s grip, breaking all its fingers with loud snaps and cracks. The troll shriveled and shrank into a leathery corpse, leaving behind bones covered in stretched skin underneath a leather tunic and steel helmet. The arm holding the axe broke off at the shoulder and dropped to the ground with a loud clang. The rest of the corpse crumbled into itself next to the arm.
Aerigo flexed his biceps, snapping off the sheath strapped to his arm, and caught it in one hand. He massaged the strip of reddened flesh, then noticed Roxie. “What are you doing here? Go!” He pointed in the direction of Rooke’s home.
Aerigo’s method of self-defense had amazed and sickened Roxie. Not only had she stood by while he was in danger, she had actually watched him kill someone. Yes, the troll had tried to kill them, but her brain didn’t know how to register watching violent death for the first time.
Aerigo’s forceful voice broke through her stupor. “Run, Rox!”
She scrambled to her feet and fled.
One troll gave her chase.
Aerigo ignored the troll who ran after Roxie; he would take care of it soon enough. He squared off with the troll charging him, flailing its axe with both hand. The troll swung at Aerigo’s head. He ducked and punched the troll in the gut. It caved to its hands and knees. The troll raised his axe but Aerigo crushed its wrists with one giant boot. The troll let out a piercing roar. Aerigo punched the troll’s head, cutting off the roar and smashing half the skull into its brain. The troll fell limp to one side.
Not wanting this unworthy creature to stain Phailon for another minute, even in death, he picked the corpse up by the ankles and started swinging it around like a hammer thrower. After a few revolutions, he launched the troll into the air and out of the city.
He searched in the direction Roxie and the third troll had run, and saw her just standing there, staring at the buildings. The troll was almost upon her. Aerigo cursed, then picked up the dead troll’s axe and ran.
Roxie heard a thunk, followed by a ground vibrating thud but she paid them no heed. She’d never seen stone change colors before.
“Rox, why aren’t you running?” Aerigo shouted.
Roxie flinched so hard her shoulders practically reached her ears. “The... the buildings...”
Aerigo scowled. “The troll,” he said flatly, pointing at the thing’s corpse mere feet away from her. His other hand was clutched over a horizontal gash in his bare chest.
An axe was protruding from the troll’s crushed skull mere feet away from her. She looked away. “I”m sorry. I got distracted by something really odd.”
“Distracted?” he said impatiently.
“Yeah. Is it just me, or does Phailon look like it’s getting older before our very eyes?”
Still scowling, Aerigo shot a sidelong glance at the nearest mangrove-shaped building before staring pointedly at the troll. He took a sharp intake of breath and did a double-take. The granite was no longer a bleached white. It was off-white and gradually darkening. The corners of the building were duller and the building’s faces were starting to develop hairline cracks. “Elves!” Aerigo dropped to his knees and placed both hands on the cobblestone street. He closed his eyes and brought his face closer to the ground. Precious seconds ticked by. He surged upright, shrank to his normal height, then seized Roxie’s hand. “This way!”
Chapter 24
Blood of Earth
The two Aigis backtracked at superhuman speed, arriving near the giant pillar. The grassy courtyard and its crisscrossing paths remained untouched and deserted. Aerigo pulled them to such a sharp stop that—both still holding hands—Roxie’s feet ran out from under her. She found herself suspended parallel to the ground before Aerigo guided her fall into a standing position.
“Sorry,” Aerigo said. “Your wrist okay?”
Roxie flexed it and felt no pain. “Yeah. Why are we stopping?”
Aerigo grabbed their packs and discarded them against the corner of a nearby building. “Dragons.” He gestured to some far off columns of smoke beyond the giant pillar as he tied his sheath and dagger to his arm with a couple of socks. He started toward them, stopped, changed directions and ran, then stopped himself again. Turning back toward the pillar, he started running.
Feeling her eyes warm with a yellow glow, Roxie ran after him. “Wait!” Aerigo waved her over without looking back. “Wait! I don’t know how to fight a dragon.” I don’t even have a dagger! What the heck am I supposed to do? The only thing Roxie could think of would be to kick a dragon in the eyes or something, but then she’d probably get sent flying like a baseball from a swing of the creature’s tail. She lacked any offensive spells. And the courage to face such an opponent.
Aerigo stopped and faced Roxie, his face etched with worry, emotional pain and doubt. He glanced in the direction of the rising smoke, then said, “Go back to Rooke and keep him and yourself safe.” Once again, he headed toward the smoke.
Roxie’s jaw dropped, unable to believe how easily she’d been dismissed. She stared at Aerigo’s scarred back as he ran further and further away. The distance growing between them created a surge of panic in her chest. She raced after Aerigo and seized his arm, bringing them both to a stand. “Aerigo—” He
voice failed her at the sight of her companion’s red-burning eyes glaring at her. He gently, yet firmly pried her hand from his forearm, then waited for her to finish her sentence. Roxie couldn’t remember what she wanted to say.
He turned to leave, however she grabbed his arm again.
“Maharaja told me to make sure I stay by your side.”
The red glow in Aerigo’s eyes disappeared, only to be filled with concern.
“I don’t know why,” she added quickly, gaining some courage and letting go of his arm. “But I belie—” Roxie heard what sounded like the distant roll of crackling thunder trying to gain momentum and volume. But this thunder came from under her booted feet. The deep crackling sound passed directly under them and kept groaning in the direction they’d come. That noise filled the pit of Roxie’s stomach with foreboding.
The ground itself developed a crack in one long line twenty feet behind them, starting in the direction of the ocean, and heading toward the opposite side the city, deeper inland. Roxie could do nothing but watch the fracture lengthen beyond her line of vision.
The stone fell silent once more.
Aerigo surged past Roxie toward the crack in the stone. He straddled the inch-thick crack, shook out his arms, then held them wide and still. He started forcing his arms closer together, as if he were trying to hug some invisible person. The ground let out another peal of crackling, along with a sizzle. The fracture grew hot and red, and then steamed as the granite began to fuse back together. Aerigo’s hands slowly clasped together, and the sizzling lulled to a whisper of a hiss. The big man traced the repaired crack with his eyes and licked his lips in anticipation.