A sphere of brilliant fire streaked down the tunnel outside. It looked like the fireball of a mage. Could the Shadows generate them too? Another fireball shot past, and then a screeching, high-pitched cry echoed down the passage.
It was so strange to hear that sound in this place. The distortion from the spell of destruction made the cry muddier than it normally was, yet still he recognized it. It was the cry Alwyn had designed for his favorite illusion, the golden dragon.
Alwyn was here. Elric must have sent him.
Belching fireballs down at the Drakh, the wavering golden beast floated past the doorway like some kind of hallucination. Its wings were folded back to fit in the tight space.
Facing the dragon on one side and Galen on the other, the Drakh scattered down the tunnel.
Reluctantly, Galen stopped the flow of destruction. He was blazing with energy, racing with it. He held himself still. In the aftermath of the implosions, only the muffled cry of the dragon broke the silence. Time and space regained their regularity, solidity.
He went to the doorway. Though his leg remained stiff, the pain had again vanished. He conjured a platform beneath GLeel. Alwyn could take her awayand Blaylock, if he wished. Then Galen would find Elizar. Then this would end.
The dragon passed by the doorway again, returning the way it had come.
The tunnel outside was clear of Drakh. He searched for the static-shrouded bodies of the Shadows and found none. He glanced back at Anna. The black gelatinous substance had extruded from the wall to encase her, reducing her to a shadow within its darkness. He would have liked to free her, to have Alwyn take her away as well, but he didnt know how to go about it. And if he did succeed in separating her from the machine, the signal that had nullified their tech might resume.
There was no time. Elizar could be escaping. She was happiest this way, anyway. Just as he was happiest in destruction.
Blaylock was sliding along the wall toward her. Galen didnt know why he bothered to speak to the liar; it was something in Blaylocks face, in the gaunt lines that revealed horror at Annas body subsumed within the machine.
If you want to leave, youd better go now.
Blaylock turned toward him, the words taking a moment to register. Then Blaylock nodded, his face regaining its severity, and he pulled himself away from the wall. He walked with unsteady steps through the scoop-shaped depressions in the floor. I told you not to come after me.
You told me many things.
Galen stepped out into the dim stone tunnel. He scanned again for mage energy, but he could detect no clear signal.
Elizar fled when our power returned, Blaylock said.
Galen was irritated that Blaylock knew what he was thinking. With an equation of motion he brought GLeel out into the tunnel. To the left was the way back to the surface, the direction from which Alwyns dragon had come.
Alwyn ran into sight around the curve, his silver hair gleaming in the dim light. He stopped and waved. The cavalry is here! Hurry! He turned and disappeared around the bend.
Galen limped quickly down the tunnel, bringing GLeel behind him. Blaylock followed more slowly. Galen considered conjuring a platform for him, then grew angry at himself for thinking of helping. Let Blaylock conjure it if he needed it.
Galen received a message from Blaylock. It was a copy of a message he had sent to Alwyn. Alwyn , the message simply read.
Galen pushed himself ahead with his stiff leg, GLeel and Blaylock falling behind. He craned his neck, glimpsing a flash of multicolored robe as Alwyn disappeared farther around the curve.
A response came from Alwyn. Ive been trying to reach you for ages. What happened to you ?
Blaylocks response went to both Galen and Alwyn. How did you know where we were ?
I didnt , Alwyn wrote. I dont. Where are you ?
Your golden dragon passed us only a minute ago.
That wasnt my dragon.
That wasnt Alwyn ahead of them. An illusion then, he thought eagerly. Created by whom? Elizar?
He ceased GLeels forward movement. He knew he should stop as well, but he didnt want to. Instead he continued a few more steps, the steps necessary to bring him around the curve and carry him into confrontation with his enemy, to reveal the trap that had been laid.
Drakh lined both sides of the passage, their weapons trained on him. Straight ahead, just a few feet away, stood the illusion of Alwyn.
Galen could see the quality of the illusion was very good reproducing Alwyns thin hair, the bags beneath his eyes. Too good to be created from a distance. Someone was within the illusion, either Elizar or Tilar. He must know which.
Several things happened very quickly.
Alwyn smiled. Fire!
With the whisper of silk, a shield slipped down over Galen. Blaylock was protecting him. A platform pushed up against his feet. Blaylock was going to pull him back down the tunnel.
At this short distance, Galen could finally detect mage energy from the figure before him. He had sensed this energy before. It held the distinctive signature of a chrysalis.
Tilar.
Galen visualized the screen in his minds eye, imposed the spell of destruction upon it. The techs response was instantaneous. The energy struck out, seized Tilar. As hot plasma sprayed yellow across Galens field of vision, a spherical area around the false Alwyn began to redden and darken. Galen glanced at the roof of the tunnel, cast the spell of destruction within the rock there.
Blaylocks platform began to pull him back around the curve, while within the sphere the false Alwyn dissolved, revealing Tilar beneath. The silvery chrysalis on his head ballooned upward. His mouth rippled out in a silent scream. His armswhite from shoulder to elbow, dark red from elbow to handelongated downward, stretching like taffy to curl and pool beside his feet. In the last moment before the tunnel eclipsed Galens view, the sphere begin to fade and collapse, and within its great invisible fistthe fist of Galens will Tilars body was crushed.
He found it very satisfying.
As the platform raced back, a thunderous crack split the air. A rush of dirt and rocks shot down the tunnel at him, slamming into the shield.
Galen turned to face his direction of motion, found Blaylock and GLeel on a platform beside him, speeding down the tunnel away from the cave-in.
When they reached a safe distance, Blaylock stopped both platforms, dissolved them and the defensive shields hed conjured. He took a single, stumbling step, then recovered his balance and stood still, head bowed. Hed pulled off the tourniquets at some point; the bloodstained scarf hung around his neck. His face was shiny with sweat.
The energy still burned through Galen, racing, endless. He had to get GLeel and Blaylock out of here.
He realized he had a series of messages from Alwyn. Ignoring them all, he created his own, sending a copy to Blaylock. Where are you ?
Would you please stay in touch? You two are going to be the death of me. Im at this City Center building you mentioned in your message to Elric. Ive been flying around it searching for you. I got away with it for a while, but the locals would really like me to leave now.
With a brief steadying touch to Blaylocks elbow, Galen conjured a platform beneath the three of them, sent them down the tunnel the way he and GLeel had originally come.
He sent a quick response to Alwyn. Theres a hole in the ground in back. An excavation. Land inside it. Well meet you there .
Alwyn replied. Youll find some irony in your choice of landing place when you get here .
Galen traced his way back as quickly as he could. Each moment allowed Elizar to get farther and farther away. But he couldnt get far enough. Galen would find him.
They glided past the two greyish-skinned aliens, still asleep where hed left them. As they approached the tunnel that led to the excavation, Blaylock gave him a sharp look, and a shield slipped again over him. There was the sound of movement in the tunnel ahead.
His body burned eagerly with the chance to release its energy once again. As the Dr
akh came into view, he registered their positions one after the next, equations pouring down the screen in his minds eye, spheres of destruction boiling out of him, enfolding the Drakh in their dark embrace. He didnt know if there were twenty, or fifty, or a hundred. He simply continued until there were none.
They had not fired a single shot.
Blaylocks shield slipped away. The tunnel that led to the excavation was now empty, its surface covered with smooth scallop-shaped depressions. At the far end was the walkway leading to the blackness of the open Shadow ship.
Galen sent them down the tunnel. He realized he was shaking, his heart pounding, breath coming in short gasps. He felt overloaded, accelerated, as if the slightest thing could set him off.
Hed cast more spells in the past hour than he had in the rest of his life. He realized how exhausted he was, beneath the racing energy of the tech. He must marshal his energy; he must remain focused and in control if he was to find Elizar and kill him.
An odd, irregular thumping was coming from the excavation area. They reached the end of the tunnel and skimmed out over the walkway. Behind them, a sheer rockface rose up toward the surface. Before them, the Shadow ship formed a huge, curving black wall. Far above, between ship and stone, shone a sliver of smoke-filled sky. The hole seemed deeper than Galen remembered.
A thump came from the ship, and it shook a bit. A cascade of loose stone rained down. It was almost as if the great vessel were being fired upon from above. Alwyn must have landed on top of it, as Galen had directed, and he must be under attack. Galen hoped there werent other Shadow ships in the area. A mage ship couldnt survive one of those blasts.
He sent the platform shooting upward along the massive side of the Shadow ship. Its skin remained a dull black. It waited for a central processor to connect to it, to bring it to life.
They reached the point where Galen thought the top would be, but still the ship went on. As they continued up, its skin looked different. It was vibrant, shifting, reflecting the light in the same strange way as the walls of the City Center. Galen studied the surface and discovered this was not a Shadow ship at all, but the illusion of one. Alwyn had disguised his small ship as a much larger Shadow vessel, and hed landed it on top of the one in the excavation. A lighted opening appeared in the illusory Shadow ship, though the entry looked much like the ramp of a mage ship.
Alwyn came out onto the ramp and waved them in. Hurry! The jig is up. Most of their shots are hitting their own ship, but its only a matter of time He ran back inside, disappearing through the open air lock.
Galen brought them down on the ramp. He sent GLeel in to safety.
Blaylock waited beside him.
Go, Galen said. Im staying here.
In the ships bright light, Blaylocks thin face was startlingly white, glistening with sweat. His eyes narrowed. You claimed you came to help the mages, not to seek revenge for yourself.
I lied. Its something mages often do.
Your power could help save them.
I have no desire to save them.
The sleeve of Blaylocks jacket bloomed with blackness, and he stumbled to the side, collapsed onto the ramp. Galen bent toward him, and more plasma bolts shot past.
Galen turned. Alwyn had come back out of the air lock, and as Galen waved him inside, Alwyn was enveloped in an explosion. Plasma erupted through the ramp, burning into his legs. He screamed out, crumbled.
On the walkway far below, one of the grey-skinned aliens stood, firing up at them.
Galen crushed him, crushed him, crushed him.
Shaking, Galen knelt beside Blaylock. Energy raced through him. He was furious at this gaunt, severe man. But still he didnt want Blaylock to die.
Blaylock had protected him, just as she had. And he had failed Blaylock, just as he had failed her. He could not protect; he could not heal. He could only destroy.
More plasma fire erupted through the ramp. Blaylock was still breathing. Galen quickly conjured a platform beneath him and slid him into the ship, then rushed to Alwyn. Alwyns eyes were squeezed closed, his teeth clenched. The lower part of his robe was charred and fused to his burned skin in an indistinguishable mass. Galen slid him into the ship as well, following quickly into the dark, plain interior.
He hesitated a moment, standing over them, heart pounding. He would have to fly the ship. He would have to leave Elizar behind. His frustration sent a hard shiver through him. There would be no end to this. He would return to the way he had been on Selic, and he could not stand that, could not keep it all within. Yet he could not leave them to die.
He closed the air lock and raised the ramp. As the ship sealed, it lifted off.
But that was impossible. Who was flying it? Galen looked down to Alwyn at his feet, found the place where he had lain now bare. Alwyn was not there.
A few feet away, Blaylock slowly pushed himself up, using elbows rather than hands. The black burn of plasma had vanished from his jacket. He paused a moment to rest, breathing heavily, then climbed to his feet. His severe gaze met Galens. A small deception was necessary to get you on the ship. I feared that would be so. We need you, Galen.
Alwyn, Galen realized, was fine. He was flying the ship. The deception had been flawless, fitting perfectly into the situation, allowing him no time to think but only to react. Blaylock had used Galens own loyalty against him.
The ship was rising higher and higher, taking him farther and farther from Elizar. The energy raged through him. You need me. What about what I need?
I could not allow you to stay and waste your life in useless vengeance. You can do much more. You can be much more.
How can you say that? How can you spout those fairy tales about God and the will of the universe? I can be only what the Shadows made me to be.
Blaylock was silent for a moment, his pale face revealing no reaction. Yet something in that unyielding expression made Galen think his words had hurt, and he took satisfaction in that. That is not so, Blaylock said. I believe everything I profess. Those who created the tech are irrelevant. It is greater than they know. Only we can find its truth.
The floor shook, and Blaylock took a few stumbling steps. The ship had been hit.
A message came from Alwyn. I could use some help . The message included the key to access the ships sensors, and when Galen did, he saw in his minds eye the full image of the area surrounding them, as if the ships walls had suddenly become transparent. The dark screen of Alwyns Shadow ship illusion surrounded them. Beyond it, five ships were following them up into the sky, firing at them. They were not Shadow ships, not nearly as powerful. Yet they were powerful enough; several direct hits would destroy Alwyns ship. What had saved him thus far was that most of the shots missed their target, the small mage ship hidden within the much larger illusion.
Galen held tightly to the racing, burning energy, to the desire to reach out and destroy. Hed been tricked into coming with Alwyn and Blaylock; he had no desire to help them now. Perhaps they wouldnt make it. At least there would be an end.
Blaylock blotted the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. We are not like the woman in the machine. Some abhorrent variation of the Shadows technology enslaves her. But we are not slaves.
No, were monsters, bringing chaos and destruction. Were programmed by the Shadows. We carry out their will, not the will of the universe.
Blaylock fixed his gaze on Galen, his voice harsh and certain. We dont have to. Not if we retain control.
Im in control, Galen said. His entire body was shaking.
Another message. Galen didnt care what Alwyn had to say. He didnt care if the ship
It was from Elizar.
Warn the mages. Save them. I will do my part.
Elizar dared to think that Galen would work with him, would trust him. Galen closed his eyes, unable to hold it in any longer. He hated them all, hated Blaylock and the mages, hated Elizar and the Shadows, but above all, hated himself.
The enemy ships were up to a quarter mile away, far beyon
d where most mage powers would extend, but as he selected his targets and the destruction began to flow, he found he had no trouble reaching them. He couldnt make the spheres any larger than about fifteen feet in diameter, so he targeted areas of concentrated energy within each ship, the dark spheres of destruction forming there. As sections of each ship imploded, one by one they tumbled downward like broken birds.
What the hell is happening ? Alwyn wrote.
Then the ships were gone but Galens energy was not. Perhaps he could still kill Elizar. He looked downward, to the glittering black City Center a half mile away. He focused on the base of the tower, crushed one corner, then another. As those supports vanished, the lower floors slowly bowed outward over the weakened side, curving like the belly of a snake. The top of the tower undulated uncertainly. Then the lower floors bowed out beyond the point of no return, and they began to topple, crashing one by one over the excavation area in a rolling, fluid movement. The massive black structure smashed down across the open ground, reached the end of the excavation area and shattered itself against the buildings beyond.
Galen reached farther into the earth, to the tunnels where Elizar might still survive. But the tech would not echo his command. The tunnels had passed out of range. Furious at his slowness, Galen let loose a barrage of destruction on the broken remains of the City Center. Then they too fell out of range, and he searched for another target. Below he saw the warehouse from which weapons were being shipped to the Centauri. The spells boiled up out of him and he crushed it to nothingness, leaving only an empty lot. Then there was the spaceport, and after that whatever structures remained within his grasp. As the one-term equations burned in column after column, covering the screen in his minds eye, he cut a swath of destruction through the city. Far below, the structures vanished with a strange silence, leaving only emptiness behind. He must destroy them all, destroy the Shadows for what they had done, for all the hurt they had caused.
Then the ship was too high, and he could destroy no more. He forced the flow of energy to stop. It took him a few moments before he could speak. Take me to Zhadum, he said, trembling. Take me now. I will destroy it all.
Babylon 5 17 - Techno-Mages 02 - Summoning Light (Cavelos, Jeanne) Page 28