by Lloyd Baron
The gloom comes into view and he shudders. The constructs will maintain themselves for a few moments without him, but not until they are sealed—if he breaks them now then they could be almost as devastating as the gloom. He rushes to finish, draining more Mana and energy from Canace than is necessary and flings the constructs outwards. He watches them drop into the crashing waters below and, forgetting about them for an instant, flings his hand out towards the beast. The gloom opens its powerful jaw and a jet of flame passes the space between them too quickly for him to sever. His power flails and only just manages to turn the burning Mana aside forcing it to crash into the platform only inches from where they stand.
The structure shudders and then tilts dangerously to one side, one of the branches supporting it snapping under the weight and heat. Canace screams as she loses her footing and tumbles to the floor, snatching to grab hold of anything she can. Tak’arshi is helpless to save her. He is holding on to keep himself from falling. Mind-blowing fear pumps through his veins. He watches as she slips to the very edge of the platform and slowly… screaming for help… her eyes pleading for him to do something… she vanishes from sight.
Derry’n leaps into the air, her name tearing from his lips as he dives over the side of the unstable structure and into the abyss of black smoke. Tak’arshi stares at the burning wood and begins to sob. He is a pathetic man. All his power and knowledge! And he just sat watching as this young woman, someone whom he calls a friend plunges to her death. Now Derry’n has sacrificed himself for what, saving her? How could he save her? His mind slaps him in that moment and he smiles, a thing of hope cracking his face. He leans out over the edge just in time to see Derry’n spring unnaturally at an angle, pulling Canace with him. He laughs with joy and allows himself a moment to just lay there and cry. The gloom roars and Tak’arshi pushes himself to his feet, bracing himself for the end.
He shatters the spirit boxes and the wind rips from them, trying to escape in any direction it can. He wildly snatches for it and breathes a sigh of relief when his mind gets a firm grip, he tugs. It is like trying to pull a carriage with just his little finger but slowly the power begins to be drawn out towards him. At the base of the great spire from which Gossa-mesa grows the waves begin to rise vertically, forming a wide tube of spray around the base of the city. He pulls harder, and water begins to divert its flow skywards, the natural current now leading into the sky. Blood pumps within his ears and he feels his heart ramming against the insides of his ribs. But he keeps pulling.
The gloom flies overhead and spirals on a wing tip, its thick black wings causing a downdraft that almost knocks Tak’arshi from his feet. He gasps as the beast begins its final dive towards the city. It bellows rage and hatred as it sweeps towards him. Its mouth opens and fire licks about its teeth. Tak’arshi heaves with the last of his energy, as a wall of churning water shoots up before him. The gloom hits the wall and is swept skywards in the fast moving river. Tak’arshi falls onto his back and stares at the sky. Slowly the column of water begins to close above him and he begins to laugh. His death will save the others. But as he lays there the waters begin to retreat and the gloom waits.
Fia beheads another of the vile Skaven as they make their way to the lowest level of the tree. At first the two Angels, O’win and Wev had shied away from the killing, looking almost sick with each death; though they had soon learned that to survive they had to fight, although they refused to take a life with their own hands. Wev uses flashing balls of light, which she claims are meant for feast days to light the night sky to blind the enemy, while O’win shields them all with a barrier which protects them not from magic attack but physical harm. Fia would have been killed many times if it weren’t for the strength of the magic wielded by the two Angels.
Riochald watches as Fia leaps over the fallen headless body and swings his blade into a group Skaven. The brilliant blue, red and green light erupts moments before his sword crashes down amongst them. They scatter, unable to see, and Fia plunges his blade through one of them, swinging it without even pulling it free into another, tearing the two of them in half. Another Skaven drops from the level above and pulls a hammer from its belt. Riochald lashes out with power, and the thing’s neck snaps as its head twists to face her. She sweeps it away with a gesture. Lightning crackles across her skin and flashes across the space into another Skaven, which bursts into flame as it drops to the floor.
Fia glances at her and his penetrating eyes knock the power from her. She curses aloud. Both of the Angels look at her. She ignores them both. That fool man and his eyes! The last Skaven cracks a whip, which misses Fia’s face by an inch. The man goes to heft his sword, but the angle is wrong and the whip snacks around his wrist. He pulls it hard. Alas! The Skaven is larger than the rest and with a twisted smile on that rat face, tugs Fia from his feet. An arrow splits the thing’s skull and it drops to the floor in a pool of blood.
Danlynn waves with a pained expression as Tye and Chaz clamber over some fallen branches to reach them. A few Angels follow close behind.
“It’s good to see you,” he calls as he pulls another arrow from his quiver. “We have been clearing rat faced bastards from the mouth of the cave by ourselves for ages. Where have you been?” His grin drops from his face when Fia glares at him. Riochald chuckles. It is indeed good to see friends.
The Tree heaves suddenly and the light from the darkening sky vanishes completely. For a moment they are plunged into thick blackness, but soon tiny balls of light appear in the palms of the Angels. One of them lights up the face of a Skaven, and Wev screams as a blade sprays blood across her face. It takes her a moment to realize that it is not her blood, and as the body drops Tarfleam shimmers into sight. He looks drawn and ill, though unhurt. Molly scrambles past him and launches herself into Wev’s arms. She is followed closely by a young Angel, who copies her actions completely. Wev holds both of them tightly, letting her wings fold around them both.
“We need to get moving,” Chaz says, frowning into the darkness. “Does that sound like a river?” They all glance upwards as it starts to rain upon them.
“Perhaps one of the water tanks has ruptured,” O’win suggests as the drizzle becomes a downpour. “But I do not believe so. There is too much.”
“Then we move to the caves to wait. The others should be following soon,” Fia stares directly at her then and she nods her head. The rain falling through the tree sounds eerie in the white glow of the Angels’ light. The branches become slick, and as they slowly make their way towards the cave the downpour becomes a flood.
***
Derry’n scrambles to his feet. Canace holds her arm painfully, but it is her broken leg which bothers him more. He has to carry her down through the levels of the burning Angel city, which is not taking long with his wind walking ability, but each time they come close to a Skaven he has to put her down. In those moments she is defenseless and open to a sword in the ribs.
To make things worse the wall of water which now covers the city has taken with it almost all of the light. His eyes had struggled to see anything, until Kloek suggests that he look through his eyes. The cat’s are better for night vision, but still the world is dark. Now the rain has started. But he knows it is not rain, the water is salty.
“I am getting bored with always being the one who is injured,” Canace says as he lifts her back into his arms. She winces but does not make a sound. “Just for once I would like not to fall and need a healer.” Her face twists with her words and she rests her head against his chest. Derry’n had almost forgotten about the man who joined them in Atlant. He grinds his teeth and promises himself that he will never again forget a friend who has died to save him and his friends.
Blinding pain splits across the back of his head and he tumbles forwards. Canace rolls across the wet ground, and before he can reach for his axe a large booted foot crashes down on his hand, smashing the bones to dust. He yells out and grabs the foot with his other hand but it just presses down hard
er. If he cannot get the Skaven off him, then he will have to get out from under the Skaven. He kicks his legs and the air hardens, pushing him a few feet along. The large rat man staggers but keeps his feet, and with two large strides, looms over Derry’n again, a large hammer raised and now crashing down towards his face.
Derry’n! Kloek roars like a mountain cat through the bond and leaps onto the beast’s face, clawing and biting. The Skaven flinches and grabs the cat with its thick fingers, flinging him away. Kloek lands on his feet and leaps again.
Derry’n cries out as the hammer swing down over the kitten, crushing his tiny body to the platform. Pain tears through him, physical and mental as the bond between them severs and he is left alone, hollow. As his vision begins to dim, with the loss of the cat’s eyes he bounds to his feet and kicks the Skaven in the ribs, pushing the wind as he does so. The body of the rat man snaps in two with the force and vanishes into the darkness.
Tears spill from his eyes as he bends to scoop the tiny animal into his arms. Canace, murmurs softly to the side and with one last gentle kiss to his friend’s furry head he lowers Kloek to the ground and runs to get Canace. He will make them all suffer for what they have done.
Tak’arshi stares at the opening in the top of the huge dome and heaves a shuddering breath. This will be the end, then. He can no longer hold the power of the water as a shield. The gloom’s victorious roar echoes through the hole, and he closes his eyes. He has failed. The gloom has yet to unravel. All of his hard work in creating the barrier of water is for nothing. There will be no stopping the gloom from destroying the city now.
As he stares watching, the gloom flies high over the city, then stops. It looks right into Tak’arshi and waits for the opening to become large enough for it to dive through. As he watches the black of the beast’s hide begins to glow a deep red, and a power like crimson lightning crackles over its skin. It is about to explode in a devastating burst of Mana, which will rip the city into shreds. But it is still mainly covered by the shield; if he can only hold onto it for a moment longer.
The desperate emotions crash within him and he cannot control the overwhelming feeling scorching though him. The construct wobbles. He grasps for it, but it is too late. It bursts like a too-full water-skin and the dome collapses in on the city. He would have been swept away with the force had he not been directly under the only opening, which now is just open sky and the gloom.
It roars and dives, belching fire out in front of it as it folds its wings back for its death flight. Hands grasp hold of Tak’arshi and he screams with the shock. O’us hauls him into the sky and away from the city. The gloom turns its head as they pass, a roar of frustration filling the air.
O’us spins and stops, beating his wings to keep him airborne but he watches. Tak’arshi clutches onto the man, and turns his head to see what is about to happen. Though he wishes he had not. The gloom hits the top of Gossa-mesa and flares a brilliant red as the Mana is expelled from it. The shock of it sends a powerful wind racing in all directions, many of the large branches snapping under its force. That wind hits them but O’us fights to keep his place in the sky and watch the end of his beloved home. Following closely behind the wind is fire. In mere seconds the Tree is engulfed in a blinding flash of flames that cascades from level to level, destroying everything in its path. The fires of Gelast spreading wider the further down the tree it reaches until it hits the spire and splits it in two. The cave network within it collapses inwards and the whole thing shifts. The great Tree City of the Angels, Gossa-Mesa falls like a burning corpse into the crashing waves. O’us screams into the night and folds his wings, dropping from the sky.
***
Darwin’t grabs an Angel boy and pushes him into the cave. He can see most of his friends running ahead of him, water and mud flooding all about them. He strains to see though he cannot make out the form he is seeking and he slows his run. The Angel drops back with him and pleads with him to move faster. Darwin’t glances over his shoulder and into the mouth of the cave he sees them. Derry’n has Canace over his shoulder as he sprints into the tunnel. Darwin’t breathes with relief and begins to run faster again. The cave opens up before him and he see that the others have slowed slightly. Riochald and Fia pull an Angel girl between them, the light from her magic filling the cave with its white glow. Tarfleam has Molly’s hand and Danlynn keeps close to Chaz and the Goblin Woman. He does not see Tak’arshi there. He stops and turns to watch Derry’n closing in on them—when the whole world shakes. Everything goes still for a moment. Derry’n is on his knees, Canace pulls herself into his arms. She looks injured.
Darwin’t is about to run back into the tunnel when a powerful gale hits them. Before he knows what he is doing, he erects a shield and pushes his way forwards. The wind dies, and he glances back. The wind has split the group into two but they begin to clamber through the mud towards each other. The Angel boy stays beside him, he guesses he does not want to risk the dark, even if it is only for a brief second. The cave shakes again and the opening behind Canace flashes red. He opens his mouth to scream, but no sound comes. He flings a shield out towards the pair, feeling it wrap around them as fire as hot as the sun hits them. He hears Canace scream and then he feels the shield shatter around the pair and fire pours in around her. Her screams end abruptly as the sight of her vanishes within the mass of red heat.
Raw emotion bursts from him and he summons something. A powerful barrier fills the chamber, stopping the fire from moving any further into the caves. Tears flood from him and he drops to his knees, racking sobs shuddering though him. He can hear Riochald screaming, but it sounds distant to his ears and he does not care. She is gone. As the burning death pushes against his barrier he pushes it outwards and the walls collapse around him.
EPILOGUE
FROM a STAR
Sabastian sits watching as two brothers argue over a stale loaf of bread and sighs to himself. He hates the market place in Bohend Fie’s. It is a rundown little chamber pot of a town in a backward country. The wind tugs at his thin evening cloak, and he covers his eyes as he is speckled with grit. Putting his back to the wind he wishes he still had his good hat, but that had been stolen. He tries to remember where he had had it last, but nothing comes to mind. He chuckles to himself. His talent for knowing sometimes pays off, but for the most part it has made him more forgetful.
An elderly beggar woman shambles over to the fighting children and swiftly removes the loaf from them and hurries away, tucking it into a pouch. Sabastian follows her with his eyes until she vanishes into an alley on the far side of the square. He is seeing spies everywhere. “Oh how I hate this little hole of Gelast,” he says tugging his cloak around him; but he is sure it is one place he will not be looked for. He has been on the run ever since that meeting in the Queen’s Palace in Atlant. An odd feeling had filled him that night, and it still nudges into his mind every now and then. It is only a matter of time before he is found and he will return to the Dark Master, but he wants just a few days more.
He flicks a gold coin at the pair of kids and walks away from them, frowning at the act of kindness. This feeling is very odd indeed. He steps into the common room of the Sons Glory Inn and groans when he sees a messenger sitting at a table in the corner. She smiles at him with cold blue eyes and he lets the happy feeling go. She is one of Katilena’s women. He entertains the idea of leading her into the back and killing her, but now that he has been found once he might as well give in. She will only send more out to track him down. As he crosses the dusty floor pain lances through his mind and he crashes to the ground. The beautiful man that he has been keeping in his mind, a tiny piece of humanity, and the knowledge that they would meet again burns away. He grasps at his head as people start to gather around him. Ervand Clain is dead.
Saeed Malekshahi, High Lord Mayeen Commander of the Flambourn Empires army stands and stares in horror as the great and wonderful Tree of Gossa-Mesa, city of light, home to the Angels, crashes into the waves. Thous
ands of thoughts flood through his mind but not one of them clear enough to grasp. He turns numbly to those gathered around him; they all just stare, some have tears on their cheeks; a few are on their knees. He hears muttered prayers from many of the men and curses from others. His gaze drifts across the grieving army and settles on the pair who had lead them here. A tall well-muscled Marinish with sad eyes and a scar on his cheek:, a man who has seen many battles; a man who in the last sun he has only heard speak once and who now narrows his eyes at the sight before him without showing any emotion towards it.
Standing beside him, mouth compressed to stop her lips trembling is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. She tears her eyes away from the scene before her and they bore deeply into his. “We failed,” she says defeated. “Perhaps next time I will make it in time.”
Saeed frowns to himself. This woman knew this would happen. She had been urging them to move at a quicker pace, but he had doubted her. Had she not been so beautiful he would not have even humored her as he did. She turns and strolls away towards where they had left the rest of the soldiers. The big man turns away to follow her, glancing once at the sky as an eagle swoops overhead. Sometimes he thinks the man can talk to the thing. The Angels are gone. Not all of them, perhaps, but they are a fragile people. He hopes they can recover from this.