“Easy, that’s not going to make it work.” Kristian stated.
I couldn’t help it; I was so agitated. It was like I was never going to be rid of him, he was always there—always chasing after me like some valued trophy, it sickened me but I had to swallow the sensation that bounded in my stomach and the tears that I was certain would come. We had to get out but how? I never knew. The teleportor pad was how my parents boarded this ship and it was our way out of all of this craziness, with it not working we were trapped.
I heard weapons fire and braces clash as I glanced over my shoulder I saw what I never thought possible—the empress took on Ivan and the enemy Outlanders as she went. In her secondary form, her Nefaliem form, she was formidable. “Unbelievable.” Kristian avowed.
I felt something grasp my wrist and I feared it was the enemy. Peering over my shoulder, I felt my nerves relax and I locked gazes with a smiling Bella. “I know how to get out of here,” she proudly voiced. I felt my lips split into a rich smile.
“Now were talking!” Kristian boomed before adding, “Wait . . . where’s my sister?”
“Here!” Beatrice called, with her sword in hand; she pushed off a man who stumbled towards her. She deflected an attack with her sword and blocked the next one with her forearm guard and looped a kick to her enemy’s head sending him spinning into another attacker.
“Well done!” I cheered. She smiled up at me, with blood droplets smearing her features. She clambered over to us and I speculated how we were going to get out of here but was happy to know we’d be free of this calamity. There never seemed to be freedom of this man. I knew I had to find a way from this crazy man but could I leave the empress?
‘Yes, you can Cecelia. And you will.’ The empress’s voice was loud in my mind.
‘But?’ I asked, telepathy was something I quickly picked up on.
‘No. Your safety has always been our number one priority. Go with the others. I’ll meet up with you when I’m done here.’
‘Where?’ The empress’s mind link was severed and I groaned out loud.
“What is it?” Kristian asked, Beatrice and Bella all regarded me expectantly.
“The empress told us to run.” I felt the teleportor pad power up and I glanced up at the control panel high up on the top level. There stood Zarlach behind the controls. I watched as he concentrated. He was making this work—fixing it for me.
“Good. About time we leave.” Kristian retorted.
“Thank you, Zarlach.” Bella mumbled with a smile.
The tube overhead lit up. I heard Ivan’s desperate pleas to stop me but I didn’t care because as I gazed at the light I knew I’d be free. Then the unspeakable happened. That ogre from before leaped high into the air and tore out the vent overhead that fuelled the pad. It shattered under his fingers and I stared in surprise. We were almost home free and before I could run the ogre crashed in front of me tearing into the level below. Explosions rang and I felt something wrap around me. It was a red energy bubble I felt as I fell between the torn metal and severed cords. I felt the cool brush of the wind against my skin and felt the loud wind in my ears.
As I fell, I gazed upon the orange, yellow and blue colours of fire. Flames bulged around me but none touched me—the bubble, yes, but not me. This I barely noticed, as my eyes locked onto the darkness. I watched as it all unfolded before me—everything was falling apart. Not before long did I feel the heat of something behind me—my skin burned that same comforting burn and I watched as my fleshy human idol skin transformed into blood red scales, they glossed under the earth sun and the stars overhead that glittered in the distance. I saw the horizon of earth beginning to fade into an endless sky.
Flames flickered upon the ends of my hair, turning it from stainless steel to a tarnished black. My hair re-healed and grew back each time as it withered away it was like steady heartbeat. The ship was falling apart right before my eyes—several escape pods shot out from either side of the ship as it broke in two. The nose plummeted to the Earth below. Out of the fire leaped a monster, his face was burnt and bloody.
As this monster fell towards me, I learned it wasn’t a monster but a companion, it was Zarlach—his face re-healed and his features became distinguishable once again. Why was it that he was always there to save me? He flew towards me with the utter grace of an angel of death. His facial features healed and I recognised those bright red eyes that dreaded my descent. I reached out to him and watched as he pulled his limbs back catapulting at higher speeds.
“Zarlach!” I screeched aware I had been falling for a while now. The mountains were in my peripheral as were buildings. When he was close enough his hand extended and I reached for him. I knew I was falling but for Zarlach to come to my rescue yet again, made me wonder, if he would always be there to protect me. And if so, for how long? My thoughts were cut short by his hand latching onto mine. He strung me into his arms and we twisted.
I noticed, we descended along the Krasnopresnenskaya embankment, where the Russian white house sat. I gasped wondering how we were going to get out of this, I clutched onto Zarlach and to my surprise the water from the embankment, rose to greet us. We clashed into it and the river dropped down to its normal level—I held onto Zarlach the whole time. We broke the water’s surface and I glanced up at the sky. It was showering in pieces of the ship that continued to catch fire and fall towards the earth and in the distance they looked like falling stars. I gasped at the sight and prayed that it’d fall where there weren’t any citizens. “Zarlach!”
“I know!” he growled beside me. The ship moved slowly across the sky but reined like a comet. I noticed everyone around the embankment stopped to stare at the ship falling through the sky. “Let’s get out of here before we catch a cold.”
“We can catch a cold in our Vampieruz forms?” I questioned, surprised to hear this.
“No. Our idol forms will suffer. And when they’re sick we can’t get out of it until the effect is over.” We managed to climbed out of the river ridge and onto the clearing in front of the white house.
“What a coincidence we landed here.” I mumbled before turning my attention to the explosion in the distance. A tremor wave flew over us, tossing citizens off their feet. Several almost flew into the river or the concrete bank below and Zarlach was quick to catch them with his super speed. The glassy windows of the white house was cracked and the buildings that were destroyed, tumbled over—I could hear the screams of those trapped and others that were unable to run. I knew for as long as I live, I’d never get those screams out of my head.
“Come on,” he said hovering in the air as he placed several humans on the ground.
“I can’t fly.” I replied. “I don’t know how. And you obviously don’t have time to teach me.” I glanced up at him and watched as he held out a hand.
“You’re right. But we have to move quickly. Hopefully, Ivan died in that crash.” The moment those words left his lips was the same moment I understood the dangers that I faced here on earth. I grasped his hands and worried about the others, did they make it out? Were they okay? And what of my parents, were they alive? So many questions flooded my mind as we flew towards the crash.
As we flew, passed many tall buildings, I saw they were destroyed several were a pile of rubble and the humans looked like ants, I wondered how high the death toll was. “Don’t.” Zarlach declared—his eyes hard. “Don’t you don’t need to know, not yet.”
I forced my gaze ahead at the base of the ship. The body would have been beautiful to gaze upon before the demolition it caused. We eventually landed and I stumbled towards the ship. Before I could make it out of the ship. I heard crying—it was the crying of a child. I followed the sound only to find that Kal sat beside someone. She nudged a form of a person, “Mum, ma.” She nudged the empress once again. “Mum, ma.” Kal’s features were streaked in tears and I ran over to her, feeling Zarlach not too far from me.
“Kal!” I called, kneeling down beside her small form.
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“Cece?” she asked as she looked up to face me—her eyes were glassy and I couldn’t help but want to comfort her. “Mama.”
I gasped in understanding. Zarlach skidded to her side and kneeled. His hand hovered over her chest closely but not enough to touch her. “She’s alive but barely.”
“Oh no.” I breathed fearing we’d lose her forever. Kal froze and stared at her mother. Her blue eyes rounded in surprise.
“Mother?” she asked.
Zarlach stretched his hand over her once more and froze. “Her energy is oscillating.” That was good news. That meant her heart rate was picking up.
“It’s because of the accelerant in her system.” A familiar voice bounded around us. I glanced behind me and spied who I thought I’d never see ever again. Ryan.
The empress’s eyes opened and I was certain everyone sighed in relief. The worst was over, the empress gazed upon her only child and smiled—it was a gentle smile. A smile that hindered the hearts of those who were loved and loved unconditionally. “My child,” she whispered.
The cuts on her features began to disappear bit by bit and the next thing I knew was Ryan standing beside me. “Are you alright?” he asked.
The empress gazed upon him with an indifferent expression. “I’ve been worse.”
I stepped in, “What are you doing here?” I demanded, Ryan sluggishly dragged his attention to me and I glared.
“I’m here to clean up the mess you caused.” he retorted, glaring at me.
“It wasn’t only me, Ivan and his—” I had almost forgotten the problem that faced me. That was the thing with Ryan he was able to make me forget my woes and focus on the wins. He was my knight in shining armour but it was only a cover, I was told he was under strict orders to keep me safe even if it meant dating me.
I knew only with time will I get over that wound that he inflicted. “Ryan.” Zarlach announced, he glanced at Zarlach, then at me, then at the ship that was now surrounded by the surviving humans. Dirt and ash caked their features and tore at their clothes. I almost felt sorry for them.
“Zarlach.” Ryan spoke, I glanced at the ship and moved towards it. No one stopped me so I snuck inside. I didn’t know how long it’d last but I had to find Ivan and bring him to justice.
The walls were distorted and the metal was bent and twisted into deformed panels. The lights were out and I knew I’d have to transition to figure out what was going on. I heard coughing, stepping closer to the sound, I heard a familiar voice. “Are you alright?” the darkness asked.
“I’m fine, just hit my head a bit too hard,” the female voice replied and I headed straight to the source. They were the people I didn’t expect to see but considering we were all on the one ship it wasn’t that much of a coincidence.
“Astaria?” I asked.
There was a brief pause.
“Princess Cecelia.” she replied and I felt myself smile.
“Yes it’s me.” I announced and headed towards the shuffling sound bent in the corridor. The floor was mauled so badly that it resembled a hill. “Can you get through?” I asked in reference to that small gap between the mounted floor and the ceiling.
“I think so.” she said. “Ran?” I smiled, those two were so cute in a way I couldn’t help but smile and also feel sad at the same time. I couldn’t have anyone I wanted.
Astaria’s head popped out of the gap and I regarded her big blue cautious eyes and watched as her pale skin looked sickly and unhealthy. The sight of her made my stomach flip. There was something wrong with her I could tell but I knew deep down she wouldn’t want me to say it. She slipped over the mound and rolled down a steep hill. “Astaria are you okay?” I asked as I ran over to her.
“Yes . . . I think.” She managed as she cradled her head. I moved to help her also happy to know she didn’t fight me. She allowed me to guide her out of the ship’s gaping hole and into the light of the now tarnished city of Moscow.
“What do you mean you think?” I asked.
“We’ll I still have my head, now don’t I?” she questioned.
“I guess but not for long if you don’t rest.” I meant it metaphorically of course; unless someone decided to decapitate her other than that I knew she would be fine. As we exited the ship I heard paces from behind us and realised Randolph met up with us. He took Astaria in hand and guided her to where Zarlach and Ryan were far away form the ship but far from the humans that stood on the other side of the holographic tape.
“Are there more inside?” I asked, Randolph.
“No, it’s empty.” My blood froze. My emotions shifted between fear, anguish and guilt. It was my fault everyone died. I wasn’t too sure to blame to be honest. I felt the cold air and smelt the sea water, a storm was brewing and I had yet of find Ivan.
“Cecelia how are you feeling?” Astaria asked after I had hauled her out of the ship.
“Fine I guess,” I announced she nodded good and handed something to me. It was a vile.
“Here this is the last amount of Taritha.” She declared.
“Taritha?” I asked confused.
She merely smiled, “Remember it was the antidote that I used to stop the poison from killing you.” I drank the concoction and capped the lid, hoping it wouldn’t make me sick, before placing it back in my utility belt. I thanked her and she wandered with Randolph to where several other Outlander survivors sat on city debris left behind by the impact of the ship. I watched them with a sullen face and heard Zarlach beside me announce.
“There may be more survivors.” We moved over to the ship—in his Vampieruz form he lifted tons of steel and budged them out of the way, moving them with ease, I felt the urge to help him, so I transitioned and wandered over to him. He pointed behind me, “You can start with those ones there.”
“What about Ivan?” Ryan queried as he moseyed towards us. He stood behind us not too far away. “He’s still loose and dangerous.”
“I know.” I said. “But I suggest we wait for him to come to us.”
“Agreed.” Zarlach proclaimed.
As we searched, I assumed many had been killed in the ship’s crash but I also learnt there were survivors. It didn’t matter who or what race they were as long as they were alive. What scared me the most was how some of their eyes were blank—empty even. Devoid of any emotion, it was as I watched I learned that they were not themselves. “Something’s wrong.”
“How do you know that?” Kristian asked.
“They’re not themselves.”
Beatrice, Kristian and I stood far from the ship as we watched firemen; hunters, police officers and other humans salvaged what was left of the ship. The Nefaliem cautiously eyed everyone and I could understand why though, not everyone had the intention to save lives but rather plunder what technology or weapons they could easily ascertain. “And again, how?” he asked once again and I glared at him, before turning my heel and stomping over to the empress.
“You’re majesty. How are you fairing?” I asked taking in her features she seemed to pale.
“Much better child,” she replied. Kal stood nearby where the empress sat, she held a cup of water up to her mother and I couldn’t help but sadly smile—Kal was concerned for her mother and even though the empress hid her distress well, just by looking at Kal I knew she was troubled. The empress’s gaze rested on the ship. “Tell me are there survivors?”
“Yes.” I managed. “A little.”
There was a brief pause before she added, “Better than nothing.” I kneeled before the empress where she hunched over with a plastic cup in hand. It was a human item; they must have given it to her when Zarlach and I began to labour. That was hours ago—it was pushing dusk now and I wanted to know what was going to happen next. The sunset stroked the distant horizon in rays of orange, red and purple. I smiled at the alluring sight aware that I’d be able, if possible, to get some sleep. My parents still have yet to be found and I knew until they were found I may not ascertain the slumber that I desired.
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br /> I couldn’t help but watch the sun slowly set over the distant horizon. I was aware that there would be others soon—searching the wreckage. I even managed to glimpse an important man sauntering through the crowd of bystanders that stood on the opposite side of the holographic tape. Some were screaming and hollering while others watched in awe at the sight of the massive silver sterling ship.
The man in the suit sauntered towards us with two armed men following closely behind him. His combed back silver grey hair was a reminder of his familiar presence. I knew I knew him from where I was unsure but as I watched him watch us but I was without a doubt certain I knew him.
“Does anyone want to tell me what in blazes is going on?” he yelled thrashing his arm about, gesturing to the destroyed spaceship. When no one answered he pointed straight to Kalverya’s mother. “You! Woman! Answer!” My jaw dropped, as did no doubt, everyone else’s around me. Who was he to speak to the empress of the Nefaliem like that, the leader of the Syndicate—the president of the United Council?
“Why should I?” the empress retorted and I smiled at the stunned expression of the flashy human. The empress continued to sip her water as she ignored the man her eyes focused solely on her cup. “You act as though I should answer your question when isn’t it obvious? A ship crash landed in the middle of your fragile city and you expect an answer? Doesn’t that in itself, answer your barbarous question?” The empress sipped her cup until it was finished and handed her cup to Kal. “Dear would you mind filling this up?” Kal smiled a bright smile, taking the cup she darted towards Dante with her mother’s cup raised high in the air.
“Are you ignoring me?” the man demanded and I glared. How dare he! I thought bitterly.
“To be honest . . . yes,” I fought back a snicker and heard my friends approaching.
“Do you know who I am? I’m—” he demanded pointing a stubby finger at her.
“Do you know who I am?” the empress retorted she delivered a look so cold I feared the man would freeze over. “You haven’t even stated your name, let alone your reason for your intrusion other than demanding what happened when the answers are right in front of you.”
Crimson Knight (Crimson Series Book 0) Page 34