by John Corwin
Alysea burst into laughter. "Honey, I'm sorry, but you were never introverted."
"That's for sure," David added. "You were an extroverted nerd if anything."
"But—but I used to be really shy!" I protested.
Alysea tutted. "You used to jump in front of girls with your toy sword raised and declare that you'd save them from evildoers."
"He used to terrify little Sally Kinklesberg," David said with a grin. "Always jumping around and fighting invisible monsters."
Elyssa giggled. "Sounds just like you, babe. Putting damsels in emotional distress and then saving them."
"Yeah, yeah." I held up my hands to ward off more stories. "But I was still shy at heart."
"Those monsters ain't so invisible anymore either," Shelton said from the table where he and Bella were slicing fruit and dunking it in the rich red wine the Atlanteans have given us.
Adam put an arm around Meghan and she seemed to melt with relief. "Some people don't do well at big gatherings."
"It's emotionally draining," Meghan added. "Then again, as a Templar, I have no choice but to do my duty."
"I hope you don't look at this as a duty," Shelton said. "It's supposed to be fun."
Meghan nodded warily. "It can be fun, just go easy on the hugs."
As the conversation continued, I thought back to my first encounter with Meghan. Stacey had been bitten by a hellhound and was dying. Meghan had used my blood to heal Stacey despite her hatred of demon spawn at the time. Meghan had certainly come a long way since then.
And that was when it hit me. Vadaemos had consumed the soul of her father. Vadaemos—the father of Aerianas. It had been a long time, but some wounds never healed. The joy drained right out of me as I thought about telling her the news. Then again, why did I have to tell her when I could delegate?
"Hey, Adam, I need to show you something." I motioned for him to follow me outside of the galley and into the hallway.
Adam looked at me curiously. "What is it?"
I lowered my voice. "Have you told her about Aerianas yet?"
"Ah." He leaned forward. "Yes. I told her all about it."
"Oh." I floundered for what to say next. "Was she upset?"
"Let's just say she wants Aerianas dead once and for all if she's the one behind this." Adam looked through the doorway where Elyssa had drafted Meghan into her army of food preparation minions. "She also asked me if we knew for sure that Vadaemos was still locked up back in Eden."
The question caught me off guard. "Underborn told me he'd killed Vadaemos, but who knows if that's the truth?"
"Yeah, nobody does." Adam shook his head slowly. "God only knows what criminals got loose during the war or what they're doing in our absence."
It certainly wasn't a pleasant thought. "I just wanted to make sure she knew so it didn't become a nasty surprise later."
Adam patted me on the shoulder. "It's all good, but thanks for the head's up. Meghan would have been pissed if she found out from someone other than me first."
David opened one of the ovens and sniffed. "Man, this pizza smells so good!"
"I'm starving," Shelton said. "Tell me those pies are good to go."
"I think they are." David slid a large wooden peel under one of the huge pizzas and pulled it out. Within a few minutes, he and Shelton had all the pizzas lined up on the central table in the galley.
Illaena poked her head inside the doorway. "I must admit this Eden food has a tantalizing scent."
Shelton pointed to a pizza on the end. "That's a vegetarian so you can eat it without lowering yourself to our carnivorous standards."
Illaena looked at him with narrowed eyes but stepped inside, Tahlee close on her heels. "I will try it."
Our simple dinner turned into a pizza party that went on for much of the afternoon. Illaena couldn't get enough of the veggie pizza or Bella's sangria, and when all was said and done, we polished off ten pizzas.
As we sat there recovering from our gluttony, Elyssa nudged Shelton in the ribs. "You were wrong. Michael ate two pizzas himself."
"Holy key-rist!" Shelton whistled. "Remind me not to invite him next time or I'm gonna run out of ingredients."
Adam leaned forward, elbows on the table. "I've been thinking a lot about that."
"About pizzas?" Shelton said.
"About Eden food." Adam traced his finger along the table. "We should make some gardens with leftover seeds. It'd be a real pain in the ass to make a run to Atlantis every time we needed tomatoes."
Shelton slapped a hand on the table. "That's a damned good idea."
I imagined fields of wheat, orchards bearing apples, and all the other agricultural needs of our army. "The thought of setting up farms makes Seraphina feel more and more like a permanent thing."
Elyssa took my hand. "Even if it's only temporary, we need a solution. I think everyone in the army is probably sick of the vegetarian diet."
"There are many in your army who have not abided by our traditions," Illaena said in a voice slightly slurred from all the sangria she'd downed. "I have heard that your wolf and feline shifters have hunted the native animals." She shuddered violently. "And eaten them."
Tahlee's lips curled with disgust. "There are many who want all of you gone even if you leave this world to Kohval and Kaelissa."
I raised an eyebrow. "Do you mean Mzodi or Darklings?"
"I can only say what others have overheard," Tahlee replied. "Many Seraphim do not like your customs or barbaric treatment of animals."
"But killing each other is okay?" Michael said.
Tahlee heard him, but didn't look his way. "Killing is not good, but sometimes necessary."
"Same with food," Michael replied calmly. "We need meat to survive, so we have to kill."
Tahlee finally looked at him. "Only because you are so huge! How many animals does it take to sate such a man?"
Michael didn't even blink under her harsh gaze. "A lot."
I clapped my hands together. "Alrighty, then! It was fun, but I think it's time to go."
Thomas stood first. "The meeting with the other faction leaders is in two hours. I need to—"
A klaxon sounded in the distance followed by another even closer. Without another word, everyone rushed above decks and gathered at the ship railing.
The tall crystal pylons that powered the north-south skyway glowed and a path of clouds ran into the distance.
"What in the hell is going on?" Shelton said. "I thought the skyway was offline."
"It was," Thomas said. "We disabled every pylon between here and Tarissa. Kohval would have had to send people in advance to repair each one."
A high-pitched whine rose to the north and an explosion rumbled through the air. Tons of crystallized aether tinkled down inside the Northern Pass and a horrible realization hit me.
"Aerianas's golems infiltrated the refugees and the army." I covered my ears as another explosion shook the ground. "They must have stayed behind and repaired each pylon after you left."
Thomas tapped the pendant on his uniform. "Sound general alert. All units board your respective Mzodi ships. This is a priority alpha evacuation order."
More explosions sounded in the Northern Pass, and tons more crystal packed the bottom of the pass. "They've got people setting off the malaether gems," I said. "If we don't leave soon, we'll be trapped!"
"Why the hell did we leave those in place?" Shelton said.
"We didn't know how to safely defuse them," Elyssa said. "I should have had them removed the minute the army arrived."
Hundreds of people flooded from the civilian sector, all of them running for the Mzodi sky ships parked in the fields.
Illaena raced to her cabin and the rest of us followed.
Xalara's holographic image floated above the table in her quarters in the middle of a sentence. "…an emergency evacuation order. All ships are to proceed through the Northern Pass and rendezvous at Mount Ulladon." She glanced to the side and worry spread on her face. "Kohval'
s forces are only minutes away."
Thomas clenched his fists. "I need to supervise the evacuation. I need to get to the command platform."
Leia grabbed his arm. "You've issued the order. There's nothing more you can do from the ground."
"Agreed," Michael said.
I turned to Illaena. "Are all the crew onboard?"
She nodded. "Yes, we can leave whenever necessary."
Another explosion shook the Northern Pass. I ran back up to the main deck and looked. The canyon was halfway full. I looked back down the rise toward the mass exodus taking place and realized with horror that they'd never board their ships in time.
Because, in minutes, the pass would be blocked and we'd be trapped between an army and a hard place.
Chapter 17
We are so screwed.
I wanted to fall to my knees and cry, but I'd been in tough situations before.
Thomas was already on top of things. "Illaena, we need to disable the skyway pylons permanently. Can your weapons take them down?"
The Mzodi captain looked at Tahlee. "What do you think?"
"Unlikely," Tahlee said. "They are designed to withstand attacks by the Brightlings. I do not think one ship can damage them."
"We removed the gems powering them," Thomas said. "But that takes time. If spies replaced the missing gems, then we'll never get them back out in time."
"We've got to try anyway," I said. "At the very least, we need to buy time for the refugees."
Illaena nodded. "We will try." She walked over to the bridge and gave her commands.
"Levitation foils full up," Tahlee roared. "Cannons at the ready."
The Falcheen lurched upward. Alysea and David stumbled around, clearly not used to emergency maneuvers while the four of us who'd been to Atlantis and back kept to our feet like the saltiest sea captains. I also did my best not to show how queasy it still made me feel.
The ship shot toward the pylons. The skyway, a literal road of clouds, trailed into the distance, bearing a dark mass of enemy soldiers. I couldn't tell how many were Daskar and how many were normal legionnaires. Even if we destroyed the pylons and shut off the skyway, most of the soldiers would be able to channel wings and glide or fly to safety.
The Falcheen strafed sideways, all port cannons facing the target.
Tahlee flung her arm forward. "Fire!"
Beams of magical destruction crashed against the crystalline Murk. Death rays that could melt stone to lava barely made a scratch in the dense material. It appeared the builders had used the same layering techniques here that they'd used on the buildings in Tarissa.
Unsurprisingly, the Templars were the first to finish boarding their ship, the Uorion, and the massive vessel lifted off and lumbered toward us. It presented its broad side to the skyway pylons and blasted it with a dozen azure beams.
Both ships continued to fire, chipping away slowly at the massive structure, but it was clear that it would take us an hour or more to topple even one. We had only minutes.
A voice boomed from the Uorion. "Protect the Krstuk and the Volante until they lift off, then make for the Northern Pass.
Illaena clenched her teeth. "Why are those civilians so slow?"
The Rekt, the ship with the felycans and lycans, lifted off next and guarded the final two ships as Tarissan civilians rushed onboard.
I turned my gaze toward the skyway even as we continued firing at it. A dark cloud of Daskar lifted off and zipped toward us. The Mzodi ships stopped firing on the pylons and focused their efforts on the incoming swarm of destruction.
Destructive beams lanced out from the ships. Smoking bodies spiraled to the ground. Six here, a dozen there, but the swarm adjusted course like a massive flock of birds, as if they were all of one mind, ducking and weaving all the weapons we brought to bear on them.
"How in the hell are they doing that?" Shelton said. "They should be crashing into each other."
I didn't know, and didn't have time to figure it out. The Daskar would be here in seconds.
The final two ships lifted into the air just as the first wave of enemies reached us.
A voice boomed out from the Uorion. "Full speed to the pass!"
The Falcheen rotated on a dime using a maneuver I'd taught them and dashed for safety. Daskar landed on the Uorion, firing aether beams from the weapon gems on their armor. Templars rushed forward to meet them, and a massive brawl consumed half the deck.
Another group of Daskar focused fire on the Krstuk's levitation foils. The port aft foil exploded and the ship spun out of control. Illaena shouted commands and the Falcheen rushed to their aid. We butted up against the prow and managed to stabilize the ship, but it was badly damaged.
Howls and roars pierced the air as the Daskar engaged the shifters on the Rekt. Massive wolves and all manner of felines tore into the Daskar even as enemy aether beams sizzled through flesh and bone.
Another command blasted from the Uorion. "Falcheen, guide the civilian ships to the pass. We will cover your retreat."
"Cover our retreat?" Shelton yelled. "They're swamped with enemy soldiers!"
Illaena paused, seemingly unwilling to give the command. She stared helplessly at the crippled Krstuk. Fists clenched, she gave the command.
The Daskar focused everything they had on the Uorion and the Rekt, apparently realizing the bulk of our army was on the two ships. Blue Cloaks on flying carpets formed up around their ship, the Ogan, and launched a counterattack on the Daskar swarming the Uorion.
The Kestra, the ship with the vampire forces, hadn't even gotten off the ground. Ragged holes smoking where once there had been levitation gems meant it wasn't going anywhere. Vampires in red uniforms poured like army ants from a mound, retreating through the military sector in orderly fashion. The Daskar ignored them and turned on the remaining ships.
Crew from our ship tossed shimmering net ropes to the Mzodi on the damaged Krstuk, and tethered it to thick moors on the aft section. Illaena gave the order to retreat. The other civilian ship, Volante, glided by our side, smoke trailing from a damaged levitation foil. Healers attended the wounded Tarissans on the blood-stained deck.
Elyssa and I ran aft and watched the battle. The Uorion turned slowly north, but its decks crawled with enemy soldiers. I didn't see how our people would escape.
"Justin, that's our entire army back there," Elyssa said. "We can't just abandon them."
Spells flashed through the air. Daskar fired beams of ultraviolet at the attacking Blue Cloaks. Templars fought magic with silver and steel. But there were too many enemies to fight. If the ships broke free, they could outrun the Daskar, but how could that happen?
I realized the answer was straight ahead of us. "Get me a flying carpet."
Elyssa narrowed her eyes, but ran below and returned a moment later.
The Falcheen stopped outside the pass, leaving the refugee ships outside as explosions rocked the air. There was no way they could take care of the saboteurs while keeping the other ships aloft.
Crystallized aether rose more than halfway up the sides of the canyon. More explosions rocked the gorge and another ton of crystals rained down below. The ship faltered and slowed.
"What's wrong?" Elyssa said. "Why are we slowing?"
"The malaether gems suck the magical energy right out of the air," I said. "If the levitation foils don't have aether, they can't operate."
"Then why didn't we drop like a rock?"
"The levitation foils have a large reserve of emergency magic," I explained. "It's enough to hold up the ship for a few seconds before it drops."
"In other words, if our flying carpet is caught in an aether-free zone—"
"We drop like a lead brick," I answered. "Thankfully, Seraphina is so full of aether that it would replenish quickly."
"I hope you're right." Elyssa tossed the sleek black carpet on the deck. It was a military model that could keep up with even the high-performance brooms.
I stepped onto it and felt my feet s
tick to the material. I held out hand to Elyssa and said, "Come with me if you want to live."
She rolled her eyes and stepped onboard. "I think you meant to say die."
"Probably," I admitted, and lifted off.
"What the hell are you two doing?" Shelton shouted.
"Saving the day," Elyssa said. "Wish us luck!"
"You're idiots!" Shelton hollered back.
I scanned the area below and spotted the shadowy humanoid form of a saboteur far below. The moment I cleared the railing I took the carpet into a steep dive toward the target. The seraph wore civilian clothing and could have passed for a Tarissan citizen. He'd probably been planted with our forces when Kohval occupied the city.
He didn't look at all like Nightliss and rode a flying carpet, which meant he was probably a normal legionnaire and not a demon golem.
He didn't hear us coming until the last second, face filled with shock when he saw my fist inches from his face. I clocked him right in the jaw. He tumbled off the ledge and landed in the crystallized aether about twenty feet below. I heard a low hum emanating from somewhere on the other side of the canyon and realized someone else had primed a gem for explosion. Farther down the wall from us, another gem hummed.
Cold air mixed with the heat of the explosions, filling the pass with fog that made it difficult to see how many other enemy agents were activating the malaether gems. I didn't have time to deal with them, but maybe the Falcheen could.
More than anything, I wanted to get back on the ship and get the hell out of Dodge. My family and friends were on that ship, but I couldn't leave good people behind. I had to do what I could to help the rest of our army escape. I jerked the gem, but it wouldn't come loose from the rock face. Channeling a thin beam of Brilliance, I sliced into the rock. Molten stone dribbled down the cliff and the gem came free in my hands.
I spun the carpet south and headed for destiny.
"You're not going to throw that at the ships are you?" Elyssa said.
I shook my head. "No. We're going to take out the skyway." I tapped the pendant on my shirt. "Justin to Falcheen. There are at least three other enemy agents setting off the gems. You need to stop them or the other ships won't be able to get through."