The Divide

by E. J. Mellow

  A nearby ship’s thrusters come on with a whirl, and a cool wind whips against us as the large pointed machine lifts up and out of the open hangar ceiling. It momentarily blots out the shooting stars above before careening forward with a burst of blue-white light from its rear engines.

  I glance back at the awaiting group. “Dev said you wanted to see me?”

  “Yes.” Elena folds her hands together. “I assume you’ve been somewhat briefed on the state of things?”

  I nod. “A significant number of packs are attacking two main areas that expose an underground Navitas line.”

  “Correct.” Alex swirls his hand over the hovering map, zooming in on the southwest portion of Terra’s fortification. “The greater worry at the moment is the threat here.” The image shows a large mass of red pressed up against the wall. “There’s an energy dock that should have been removed by now,” he says and glances to Raymond, whose lips thin, “and the Metus have a chance of breaking it open and getting to the Navitas flowing through.”

  “How many packs do we have there now? Still two?” Dev studies the image.

  “The numbers along the wall have doubled.”

  Dev’s jaw flexes, and his eyes grow steely. “The tunnels?”

  Alex frowns. “Yes, we’ve located an opening close by. Though a few of our airships have just been sent to deal with it.”

  Dev slams his hand down on the tabletop. The map flickers. “How did we not see this? We don’t even have an estimate of how many are living in those hovels, how many they’ve been able to create.” He glances to Alex. “That’s why the number in Terra Diablo never increased. They’ve been hiding underneath us this whole time.”

  “Yes, we’re all in agreement that this turn of events is most inconvenient, but let’s try to stick with eradicating our current threat before overwhelming ourselves with having to deal with the rest of this.” Alex rubs at the bridge of his nose.

  “Fine, but get a team on locating where those tunnels connect within the city. Even if they’re still blocked, we need guards at every possible entrance. The last thing we need right now is to send all our forces out only to be attacked from within.”

  “Agreed.” Alex turns to a waiting guard and tells her to start gathering peers to be deployed for this mission.

  “Thank Terra!” Aveline runs up with Tim, her blonde ponytail whipping back and forth, her cheeks flushed red from exertion. “I never thought I’d ever be so happy to see you, Molly.”

  “Uh, thanks?”

  “We just got back from the Vigil port,” Tim says, his appearance askew and eyes bright from the action, a small part of him seeming to enjoy this. “The lake surrounding the city has kept the civilians unharmed, and we’ve been able to reduce the pack’s number significantly. The threat on the line there should be removed soon.”

  “Well, that’s the first good news all day.” Alex turns to Elena. “Why don’t you tell our Dreamer here what you have planned for her assignment.”

  I resist biting my already-sore bottom lip as all eyes flicker from me to our Vigil elder. “Usually we station the Dreamer to fight a distance away for these bigger battles, not only for your protection but largely to keep you out of sight of the Nocturna,” Elena explains while Tim shifts uncomfortably beside me. “But since a handful have already been briefed on your existence, I think now is the moment to introduce you to all of them. It’s time for your debut, Molly. We’ll show your capabilities tonight and win the respect of the Nocturna guards, then helping win the favor of the people.”

  I blink. Not sure I heard her right. “So…so your big battle plan for me is a political move?”

  “We must seize opportunity in every circumstance.”

  I barely contain an incredulous snort. “Well then, how lucky that this attack should coincide with your Dreamer rollout plan.”

  Tim clears his throat with a cough, and Alex narrows his eyes. Elena remains unfazed by my sarcasm—per usual. “Lucky indeed,” she says and turns to the engineer. “Now Raymond, why don’t you help our Dreamer into her vest?”

  — 42 —

  “WE SHOULD’VE TAKEN one of the ships.” Aveline pouts behind me as Dev maneuvers our hover car through a narrow tunnel that leads from the Armory to the outside wall.

  “Where’s the point in that?” Rae asks, attaching canisters of Navitas to his four-cylinder shotgun. Seeing the weapon brings up memories of Alec, and I lean back in my seat, pushing away the flash of sadness. That was one of his favorites.

  “The point would be that we could have attacked from the sky.”

  “But we have units on the ground, Aveline,” Tim says next to her, the three of them sharing the backseat. “Closely engaging with the Metus. It would be too risky.”

  She grunts, displeased, and I don’t have to see her to imagine the scowl overtaking her features.

  I absently run my hands over the material of my vest, feeling the flexible ridges of the material, and gently push around the renewable energy inside. Knowing it’s there lessens the fluttering of nerves that dance in my abdomen. Dev places his hand on my thigh, and I glance over to him. “We’ve got this.” The corner of his mouth tips up, his blue eyes unnaturally bright in the dim light.

  I wet my lips. “I know.”

  “Just remember the plan.” He twines our fingers together and then brings my hand to his mouth.

  “Ugh, can you guys not?” Aveline says from the back.

  I try pulling away, embarrassed, but Dev holds tight. With a quick wicked gleam, he presses his lips to my skin again, and in an exaggerated gesture starts slobbering kisses all over it.

  There’s a high-pitched squeal of disgust accompanied by deep laughs from Rae and Tim. Finally, I pry my fingers free, but am unable to keep the smile from my face. “Thanks for that.” I wipe my hand on my pants. “I knew I forgot to wash that one today.”

  “What I’m here for.” Dev throws me a wink.

  Aveline makes another barf sound. “In all of Terra, I’ve never wished to be in the company of Metus more in my life.”

  “Well, you won’t have to wish for too long, because we’re coming up on the exit now.” A wash of light fills the tunnel as a hole opens up at the far end. Our car passes through soundlessly, and Dev immediately angles us to the right, hugging the wall. We suddenly face what can only be described as a field of parasitic orange globs surrounding a large titanium tube that juts five stories high from the ground and connects with Terra’s fortification. Other hover cars have encircled themselves around the pipe at a distance, shooting where they can without causing casualties to any of the grounded Nocturna and Vigil who take on the monsters head to head.

  “Good demons everywhere, there’s hundreds of them!” Tim grabs the back of Dev’s chair and leans forward. We’re all momentarily stunned by the sight.

  “Maybe we should call everyone off and bomb them,” Aveline says.

  Dev shakes his head. “We’d destroy the energy dock and only help the Metus by letting loose the Navitas.”

  Aveline mutters a curse and twirls her Arcus baton between our seats.

  “I think the original plan stands,” Rae says while powering on his gun, the thrum of energy reaching out to me.

  “Agreed. Let me get closer.” Dev glides forward. “Remember, don’t leave the hover until I either run out of ammo or we’re forced to.”

  I flex my fingers as the anticipation builds.

  “Opening the top,” Dev announces and presses a button on the console. Our glass encasing falls away.

  “Dear Metus dung.” Aveline scrunches up her face as the overwhelming stench of our enemies coat our every pore.

  “Still wishing for their company?” Rae stands and immediately aims down two unaware targets. With a high-pitched whirl, Dev engages the weaponry of our vehicle and starts shooting at the mass of nightmares, their sickening wet pops a sweet lullaby to my ears. The rest of us stand with Rae and take any clear shot we can get. I yell for a nearby Nocturn
a to duck just as I push out a stream of Navitas from my palm straight at a Metus sneaking up behind her. With the threat removed, the woman blinks up at me in shock. Her face quickly transforms from questioning to gracious, and she jumps to her feet, joining our positioned attack. As we free up more guards, we grow the number of soldiers encircling us, allowing us, inch by inch, to fight our way through the thick field of monsters and gain closer ground to the energy dock.

  “We need to get at the ones at the seam,” Dev yells. “We can’t let them crack so much as a hairline, or they can start sucking at the energy.”

  Shots begin to fire up at where the Metus climb. Grunts and shouts roar from both sides as I maintain the force field I’ve willed around us—keeping us safe from the spews of fire and lobbed lava chunks. The vest pumps my veins full of energy whenever I call for more, and so far my mind is clear from even the slightest prick of exhaustion. I only hope it remains that way.

  “They’re still crawling up!” Rae presses a button on his gun, and the front and back extend out like a bazooka. “But don’t you worry. I’ll take care of it.” He positions it over one shoulder and tilts his head to aim down the barrel. With a loud thunk thunk, his body jerks back as two massive balls of altered Navitas fly high, colliding into a mangle of Metus suctioning their way along the energy dock. A spew of glowing disembodied parts rain down. Tim shifts his Arcus into a long-range bow and pulls back the string, now fitted with four flaming arrows. They find their marks with terrifying precision.

  “They’re all moving to the other side!” A Nocturna guard points to where the monsters are repositioning themselves out of our range.

  “Run, little mucus droppings, run.” Rae grins as he adds more energy canisters to his gun and then drapes a pulsing ammo belt over his chest. “I think it might be time to spread out our dance here, Dev.”

  Looking displeased by the idea, but taking in the new arrangement of the Metus, he nods. “I think you’re right.”

  I study the orange glow emanating from the other side of the tube, where Metus hide from our concentrated aim. “You know how Elena mentioned this being my chance to introduce myself to everyone?” I glance to Dev. “I think I know just how to make my debut.”

  He opens his mouth to say something, but I’m already sucking in a deep breath of air, bunching up my energy. In one large exhale, I expel a ring of Navitas to burst from the epicenter that is our hover. The wave of power barrels through any nearby threats, winking out six or seven from existence, and I shake away a headache that’s begun to form from using such a large dose of energy at once. The closest Nocturna all look up at me in surprise, searching for whatever weapon I must be holding to cause such efficient destruction. But I don’t hang around to explain. Instead, I push up off of the car and go flying into the air. Rae’s voice reaches me from below. “Since when did our birdie get wings?”

  I zoom above the battle, taking in the situation. Most of us are gathered to the right of the tube, where the fewest Metus remain. Dev and the rest of the team jump from the car, fighting their way to the other side. Following their projected path, my eyes narrow at what will greet them. At least two packs wait at the ready, already a dozen climbing up the pipe, close to reaching the weakest part—where the wall and seam meet.

  I glide down to be in front of the three still-manned vehicles. “Two of you stay on the right side and make sure no other Metus come that way. We need to push them back and hold them in one area. You.” I point to the last hover. “Come with me. We’ll help engage on the left.” None of the guards move. They merely stare wide eyed up at me and then exchange confused glances. I let out a frustrated sigh. “Listen, I don’t have time to explain what’s going on with”—I gesture to my floating form—“this, but trust that I’m on your side and I can really, seriously, help you.” As if to aid in my demonstration, an errant Metus separates from its pack and on a howl charges the unengaged vehicles. With a quick whip of my hand, the ground under its feet lifts up and throws it back. Punching out with my other hand, a ball of energy flies out of my palm and collides into the creature’s chest, engulfing its body with blue-white light before it gushes apart.

  “See.” I look back at my rapt companions with a smile that’s most definitely at odds with the destruction just accomplished. Their mouths hang open. “Now let’s move.” I slap my hands together, and that seems to momentarily waken them from their daze. I turn and fly forward, relieved when I see one of the hovers following.

  This side of the wall is a mess. Nocturna and Vigil spar tightly together against an onslaught of monsters. There’s three or four Metus to every two guards, and I almost falter in flight when I glance, too late, to see a group of Nocturna being overtaken with orange sludge. Their piercing cries of pain cut off with a gurgle as they get devoured, red lava coating them. I wonder for a moment if I can try and help them, try and reverse the process like I tried to do with Alec, but when the newly formed nightmares rise on their own, nothing human left in their appearance, I know my powers are useless to them. With a shout of rage, I spit pulse after pulse of altered Navitas into any threat that gets in my path, and make my way up the tube. I can hardly see the titanium surface under the angry red globs that now coat it. They’ve managed to suction themselves along the seam like leeches, and even though one spot opens when I try to spray them off, it merely grows back over with a new body. The dozens of individual creatures have morphed into one large one, blanketing everything.

  “Molly, what’s happening up there?” Dev’s voice reaches me through my earpiece, and I quickly glance down to find him fighting back to back with Aveline.

  “They’ve made it to the seam,” I yell. “I can’t seem to get them off. It’s…it’s as if they are coating it like a second skin.” There’s a sudden hiss, and my cells scream as a burst of Navitas shoots out of a dislodged tap along the pipe. “Oh fuck.”

  The Metus go crazy, all of them, even the ones on the ground, howl and rush the tube.

  “They broke open a valve or something!” I pump wave after wave of repellent, creating a bright wall around the break, but that only manages to hold them off for now. The raw energy from the tube still gushes out of the hole. This isn’t good. This isn’t good. My vest tingles along my chest, the first signs of it reaching its limit. No no no. It needs to be charged somehow. I glance around desperately, at a loss. How do I do that while holding the field around the break?

  A brave monster, frantic to get at the power on the other side, tries to jump through the walled shield but instantly explodes upon impact. My hands shake to hold it in place while the rest now stay cautiously back, wailing their inhuman curdles of displeasure. Good, stay sad, you creepos. My power wanes again, and so does the brightness of the field, the warning flicker of a dying bulb. Shit. Shit. Shit.

  I look to Dev, who’s shooting continuous lines of arrows at oncoming beasts. An idea swims forward. “Dev!” I call down. “Shoot me!”

  He falters, the only shot he misses. “What?” He gazes up at me like I’ve sprouted six heads.

  “My vest, it needs to be recharged! You can do that with one of your arrows. It’ll transfer the energy to ten times the strength…or something.” I forget the exact numbers Raymond told me.

  “I’m not shooting you.”

  “You have to! I can’t keep the field up much longer and stay flying.”

  “No.” His brows knit with his final decision.

  “For the love of Terra.” Aveline’s voices filters through, and she pushes him aside. “I’ll do it.” Before he can knock off her aim, she lets loose an arrow, and I brace myself for the impact. But just like before, it never comes. Instead, the vest swallows it whole, and my body instantly gets a bump of adrenaline, a wave of power, and my manifested wall shoots higher. Sweet caffeine highs. Smiling, now with the renewed strength, I slowly extend the force field out, edging the creatures back and away from the broken valve. They hiss and roar with each retreating step.

  “Ta
ke them as they come down!” Tim yells from somewhere below, but I don’t remove my gaze from the cracked opening where bright blue-white light endlessly dances out of it. Little by little, I send out bits of strength, imagining the fissure closing, the titanium knitting itself back together. My head is dizzy from the multitasking. Push Metus away. Fix hole. Stay flying. My body is covered in sweat, strands of loose hair are plastered to my neck, and my mind sends out prickles of warning as I silently chant over and over my desires, till finally, the ever-flowing energy suddenly shuts off, the area quickly growing dark—the crack fixed. My shoulders sag, and I drop my arms. The shield falls away.

  I hear a whoop from the ground. “That’s our Dreamer!” Rae pumps a fist up at me as he pulls the trigger of his shotgun with the other, blowing apart a nearby monster. “You hear that, everyone? She’s the Dreamer sent to save all our behinds.”

  I land next to him, my legs threatening to give way upon impact.

  A few guards stand around astonished at what they just witnessed—a close one even takes a step back, but most are still too busy eradicating the enemy to gawk.

  “All right.” Tim fights nearby. “Let’s celebrate after we clear out the rest of these—” He falls back, tripping over a mound of what’s left of a Metus’s carcass.

  “Careful there, old man.” Rae reaches down to help him up and then pauses, eyes flying wide. I follow his gaze to see a large portion of the orange-red goo beginning to inch its way up Tim’s arm. As if it’s still alive, it clings to him, growing brighter with the climb. He screams in pain and tries brushing the stuff off, but that only makes it worse by spreading it to his other hand.

  “Tim!” Aveline rushes over, putting down a Metus that tries to make its way forward. “Get it off him!” She glances to me in a panic. “Molly, get it off him!”