As they burst into the courtyard, the music stopped abruptly, and the crowd of Unfaih fell silent as every eye turned to look at Rhyn and the body he held in his arms. He immediately started calling for his mother, and Sloane scanned the faces that stared at them for any sign of her.
It didn’t take long before the crowds parted and Orelle appeared, rushing past the shocked Unfaih towards her son. ‘I’m here,’ she called, as she approached. ‘What’s happening?’
Orelle’s question was quickly answered when her eyes fell upon Allirie’s unconscious body, and she immediately quickened her pace to reach them.
‘She’s badly injured,’ Rhyn said to his mother.
Orelle lightly touched Allirie’s face before she turned towards the castellum, already starting to move towards the entrance. ‘We need to get her inside,’ she said.
Rhyn and Sloane didn’t hesitate as they hurried after Orelle. The whole courtyard was still silent, and every Unfaih watched them as they rushed towards the castle entrance, their footsteps echoing loudly against the ground.
Nobody spoke as Orelle led them to the nearest bedroom. Rhyn was so gentle as he eased Allirie onto the large bed, and there was so much worry in his gaze as he looked down at her. He stood there staring at her for several moments before he stepped back to allow Orelle to get close to the side of the bed.
Sloane felt helpless as she watched Orelle begin to check Allirie’s injuries. A tattered and bloody strip of material was wrapped around her shoulder and neck. It looked like the Unfaih scout had already bandaged some of her wounds. But after a quick inspection, Orelle ignored the ominous looking injury. Instead, she lifted a vial to Allirie’s nose and hovered it under her nostrils as if she was trying to get the warrior to breathe the scent in.
Allirie shuddered slightly before a weak cough spluttered from her lips. Sloane’s eyes widened, and she took several steps towards the edge of the bed to look at her friend. Allirie’s eyes slowly blinked open, but she shook her head in confusion and quickly squinted them shut, a grimace of pain creasing her features.
‘Allirie?’ Orelle spoke softly. ‘Can you hear me?’
‘Yes,’ Allirie replied, her voice rough and barely more than a whisper as her eyes cautiously flickered back open.
‘How do you feel?’ Orelle asked.
‘Like a hrul’s chew toy,’ Allirie responded, glancing around the room to get her bearings.
‘What happened out there?’ Rhyn asked. His question was blunt, but Allirie’s answer was potentially too important to wait.
Alertness suddenly returned to Allirie’s eyes, and she groaned as she tried to push herself up. ‘We have to go,’ she moaned.
Orelle raised her hand and pushed it against Allirie’s shoulder to keep her down. ‘You’re in no state to go anywhere.’
‘The Brakys attacked the rift,’ Allirie protested. ‘They have entered the World of the Woods. We have to stop them from reaching the human camp.’
A cold chill sliced through Sloane’s entire body as Allirie spoke, and she shivered as she processed what the woman had said. If the Brakys got to the human camp, they could turn every one of the people there into monsters for their army.
‘We have to help them,’ Sloane said. ‘The humans will never be able to stop the Brakys on their own. We’re their only chance of survival.’
Rhyn glanced at her, his mind clearly whirring as he analysed the gravity of the situation. Sloane knew he didn’t care about the humans, but the Unfaih could not allow the Brakys to expand their numbers.
‘How many of the creatures were there?’ he asked, turning back to look at Allirie.
‘I’m not sure,’ she replied. She focused on the ceiling and narrowed her eyes as she strained to recall the details. ‘It seemed like hundreds attacked us. I don’t know how many went through the rift. Dozens, maybe more.’
‘When did this happen?’
Allirie’s eyes squinted further, and her lips pulled back in a grimace of pain as Orelle started to unwrap one of the ragged bandages around her shoulder.
‘Allirie?’ Rhyn prompted.
‘I don’t know,’ she said, through gritted teeth. ‘It was the middle of the night though. There was a ferocious storm.’
Sloane glanced at Rhyn. ‘There was a storm last night,’ she murmured. ‘And Govyn said he found her about half a day’s journey from here.’
‘The rift is a full day’s walk from the castellum if you follow the ravine,’ Rhyn added. ‘The Brakys must be at least a day ahead of us, if not more.’
‘Could they have reached the settlement in that time?’ Sloane asked.
‘Maybe,’ Rhyn nodded. ‘But the creatures would have to know exactly where they were going and they normally avoid travelling during the day. Their sight is much better at night.’
Allirie winced in pain as Orelle completely removed her bandage, and Sloane gasped when she saw what was underneath. Allirie’s shoulder was a bloody mess, and two huge gashes had ripped through her skin leaving ugly open wounds.
‘A Braky did this,’ Orelle muttered. ‘It’s a very fresh wound.’
‘It was an original,’ Allirie mumbled. ‘I killed it, but there were two others.’
‘What?’ Rhyn moved closer to the bed and looked down at Allirie from above. ‘How did you know they were originals?’
‘I’d seen one of them before,’ she whispered. ‘It was in the Brakys’ lair. The one with the green stone around its neck.’
A shiver rippled down Sloane’s spine as she remembered the moment she had faced the Original Braky in the darkness of the creatures’ cave; how it had looked at her with an eerie satisfaction, and spoken to her like it knew who she was.
Rhyn gripped her arm and she turned to look up at him. ‘Change into something you can fight in,’ he said. ‘We’re going to the World of the Woods.’
Chapter Nine
Sloane practically shredded her beautiful dress as she changed into her fighting leathers. Now that she knew the Brakys were in the same world as the humans and may have already made it to their camp, she felt a sense of urgency to move as fast as she could. Her sword lay on a table by the doorway, and she grabbed it as she ran back into the corridor.
Rhyn was waiting just outside the door, already changed from his smart suit into his own fighting leathers. He was still securing the scabbard at his side as she emerged from her room. He gave her a brief nod before the two of them started to make their way through the empty corridors of the castellum.
The music and festivities had turned quiet as they approached the large doors that marked the entrance to the castle. As they walked out into the courtyard, Sloane could see that the celebration had died down and most of the Unfaih had started to leave. She felt a twinge of sadness that the party was so short-lived, but there had already been a sombre mood hanging over the celebration. Allirie’s return had added fear and confusion to the already uncertain atmosphere.
When Elyx caught sight of Rhyn and Sloane, he immediately made his way towards them. He fell into step beside Rhyn as they headed across the courtyard towards the castle gates.
‘I saw you with Allirie,’ Elyx started.
‘Yes. The Brakys have breached the other rift and are in the World of the Woods,’ Rhyn explained to his second. ‘There are dozens of the creatures, maybe more. Sloane and I will leave immediately, but I want you to gather enough warriors to face the creatures and follow us as quickly as you can.’
Elyx nodded and took off without any questions, while Sloane and Rhyn moved their way past the few remaining Unfaih who still lingered in the courtyard.
Once they were beyond the wall of the castellum, Sloane pushed down any feelings of concern that rushed through her and tried to concentrate on the danger they faced. If they were lucky, the Brakys would still be making their way to the settlement. But Sloane wasn’t feeling particularly hopeful, and she strongly suspected that they might already be too late.
There was no way to tell
what they would find when they arrived at the settlement, but she didn’t want to waste a second wondering. That moment’s delay could be the difference between saving the humans or allowing them to be turned into mindless beasts for the Original Braky’s army.
Rhyn hesitated when they reached the long steps that were carved into the side of the mountain and led to the rift to Aeris. ‘Are you sure you’re okay to fight?’ he asked.
‘Yes,’ Sloane said, without pausing to consider the question. ‘Of course I am.’
‘You only recovered a few days ago,’ Rhyn protested. ‘I’ve seen how well you’re doing, but it’s not easy for your body to adjust to the effects of the Liftsal. If you’re not confident in your new abilities, it could be dangerous for you.’
‘I’m well enough to fight,’ she growled, hating that he would even question her about it. She knew he was just concerned for her safety, but her wellbeing was the furthest thing from her mind right now. The Brakys needed to be stopped before they reached the camp, or everyone in it would either die a horrible death or face an even worse fate—a lifetime as one of the creatures.
Rhyn raised up his hands in surrender. ‘If you say so,’ he said. ‘I just wanted to check.’
Before she could start an argument with him, Rhyn began to climb the stairs, flying up them with a level of speed and grace that would have once made Sloane jealous. Not anymore. She almost smiled to herself as she bounded up the treacherous route behind him. She loved the feeling of strength that coursed through her body. She relished in the clarity of her eyesight and how she could see the world around her with incredible precision, even in the darkness.
Rhyn paused for half a moment when he reached the top of the steps, but when he saw Sloane closing in behind him, he took off again, leaping through the shimmering rift and into Aeris without hesitation.
Stepping through the rift still caused Sloane’s skin to tingle and her stomach to lurch, but she was moving through it so quickly that the sensation only lasted a brief second. There were just over a dozen guards hovering by the rift on Aeris, and Rhyn stopped to alert them to the danger they were about to confront.
The Unfaih warriors were stone-faced as they listened, but even they seemed concerned by the news that the Brakys could be heading for the human camp. They had been fighting for a thousand years to keep the Brakys at bay, and for the first time since the rift was closed all that time ago, the creatures were about to collide with humans again. The fighters listening to Rhyn all knew the terrible consequences of allowing the Brakys to turn more humans.
Rhyn must have spent less than twenty seconds explaining the situation, but to Sloane, each moment dragged on like an eternity. When they finally took off through the trees again, ten of Rhyn’s warriors were running with them. The night was dark on Aeris, and thick cloud cover blocked any light from the two moons that usually hovered in the sky.
As Sloane tore through the trees, keeping pace with all the Unfaih warriors who ran with her, she considered the new strength and speed the Liftsal had given her. She had always been good at making her way through the forest at night, but even she would have struggled to navigate the woods in the dark before drinking the Liftsal.
As much as Sloane enjoyed her powerful new abilities, they had also brought fear and uncertainty into her life. She was desperate to make the most of what the Liftsal had given her, in case it eventually took away her life entirely. Now that she had the opportunity to use her superior strength and heightened senses to help the humans, she finally felt grateful for the changes she was going through.
The Unfaih warriors moved silently behind her and Rhyn. They were like wraiths gliding amongst the trees as they raced towards the human settlement. It felt liberating to Sloane to be able to run at such speed. She had always thought that Rhyn could move like lightning, but now that she had similar talents, the movements felt natural and normal.
Sounds of screaming ripped through the air long before Sloane and the Unfaih warriors reached the human settlement. The sky blazed brightly in the distance as flames and smoke rose up from the camp, both a beacon and a warning of what they were about to face.
‘Draw your weapons,’ Rhyn called, as they approached the edge of the woods.
As they emerged from the trees, the acrid stench of smoke hit Sloane’s nostrils, and the sounds of battle rang in her ears. The camp was ablaze, but no one focused on the burning tents and buildings. The place had descended into chaos as gunfire racketed through the air and humans tried to stop the dark creatures that were swarming towards their home.
The Brakys may have beaten Sloane and Rhyn to the settlement, but the humans were not alone. As Sloane stepped out into the open, she realised that the Unfaih who had been watching the camp were already fighting the Brakys alongside the humans.
Allirie was right. There were dozens of Brakys in the open space that separated the camp and the trees. The clearing was filled with human soldiers firing their guns in all directions, while Unfaih warriors sliced through Brakys with their swords as they attacked.
Sloane could see more of the creatures rushing past an unfinished portion of the makeshift wall that surrounded the settlement. There was no way to tell how many of the monsters were already inside the camp. The one thing Sloane knew for sure was that they were definitely outnumbered.
She didn’t pause to consider her options for long, and immediately followed Rhyn and his warriors to join the battle. Each Unfaih who was already fighting seemed to be cutting down Brakys with ease, but the humans who fought were struggling badly as their bullets barely slowed the creatures’ attacks.
As Sloane charged towards the battle, she saw a soldier firing a barrage of bullets at an oncoming Braky. But the creature hardly even stumbled. When it got close to the man, it flung itself through the air, smashing into the soldier before sinking its fangs into his neck.
The humans simply weren’t prepared to defend themselves against the monsters, and without the Unfaih’s help, Sloane knew the battle would have been over before she and Rhyn had arrived.
The Brakys screeched as they attacked and the sound sent shivers down Sloane’s spine. She hated the vile creatures with a passion, and her grip on the hilt of her sword tightened as she closed in on the nearest one.
Another soldier stood in front of the Braky spraying bullets uselessly at the creature as it bore down on him. Sloane wanted to commend the man for his bravery, as he didn’t back away despite the relentless approach of the beast. But she also wanted to thump him over the back of the head for his stupidity. The creature clearly wasn’t going to stop, and if the soldier didn’t run soon, he would be dead.
Sloane pushed her legs to move faster, and as the Braky went to strike the man, she launched herself forwards, grabbing hold of the creature’s body and barrelling the two of them to the ground.
Sloane had never realised how much the Brakys stank, but it was difficult not to wretch as she landed on its small and withered frame and breathed in its stench. The Braky smelt of death and decay, like a dead fish that had been left to rot for weeks in the sun.
She didn’t have time to consider the smell for long, as the beast bucked her off its back. She quickly rolled to her feet, but the Braky was almost as fast. Almost, but not quite. It turned, its claws out ready to attack, but before it could swipe at Sloane, she drove her sword deep into its chest.
The Braky screamed, and its tormented cry ripped from its throat in a high-pitched wail. Sloane kicked its chest to free her sword from its body, and as the Braky started to fall to its knees, she finished the creature off by slicing her sword through its neck.
As its head dropped to the ground, Sloane glanced away with a look of disgust in her eyes. She was never going to get used to battling the foul creatures, but it was far better than fighting her own people.
She looked up at the man she had saved from the Braky. He was frozen to the spot in shock, his gun hanging loosely at his side.
‘Bullets don’
t work on them,’ she said. She pulled a knife from the sheath strapped to her thigh and passed it to the soldier. ‘This metal can harm them, but you’ll want to remove their heads to make sure they’re really dead. Oh, and don’t let them scratch you unless you want to turn into one of them.’
The man’s eyes widened even further at Sloane’s words, but he slowly looked down at the knife and took it from her. There was a slight frown on his face as he turned it over in his hand before he looked back up at her. ‘Thanks,’ he said.
Sloane shook her head. ‘If you want to thank me, tell everyone in the camp what I just told you.’
He nodded, a look of confusion and shock still etched on his face. Sloane wasn’t sure if he understood, but at least the knife would give him a chance of survival if another Braky attacked him. She only wished that she had thought to bring more weapons with her. The humans needed to be able to protect themselves.
She turned from the soldier and scanned the battle before her. Rhyn was already in the thick of it, fending off three Brakys at the same time. The other Unfaih warriors had split up, but most seemed to be gathering by the large opening in the wall of the camp as they tried to help the humans form some sort of defence.
Sloane surveyed the battle, taking in every detail and assessing where her skills were needed most, but a feeling of unease rippled through her stomach as she sensed another danger. She turned on the spot and saw several Brakys dragging humans towards the woods. One of the monsters was huge, and the sight of it made Sloane’s pulse race and her heart stutter. The creature reminded her of the Original Braky she had faced in their lair. Its muscles were thick and rippling, and its white hair was sleek and shiny.
Her stomach turned at the sight of the fearsome Braky dragging its victim into the woods, and she took off towards the creature before it could disappear. There were three other Brakys separating her from the original, which was just reaching the tree line. The other creatures also pulled human victims through the dirt behind them, and Sloane quickened her pace as she closed in on the nearest one.
The Rift War Page 10