The Veil: Corruption (HASEA CHRONICLES BOOK 2)

by Stuart Meczes

  The arena that spread out in front of us was simply huge. There was a ring of tiered bleachers running around the edge, the topmost standing over seventy feet above the central area. At the far end, there were sections dedicated to specific species, such as a darkened area for Bloodseekers with connected pens for their Hivemind siblings, resting perches for those who wanted to use their wings, and large flat pads for Skinshifters without human forms to lay on. The main arena itself was made up of different sections, with sand, water, and grass-covered areas. Large, metallic structures were dotted about as well as glass domes and ledges. As complicated as it all looked now, it would become a lot more complicated when the trials began.

  We nudged our way past other Guardians to our seats. As we moved, I saw us appear briefly on one of the twin projector screens positioned at either end of the arena. They would ensure that none of the action would be missed once things got moving. Del saw and winked at the camera. I rolled my eyes.

  Ahead, I saw a flash of red hair and smiled when I realised it was Scarlett, pleased that she had decided to come. But I had stifle a gasp when I saw Claudine standing next to her, and clutching onto her hand, watching everything unfold, was Sophia.

  “Mia Bambina!” I cried, trying to keep my voice from breaking. I knelt down and gathered her into my arms. She was clearly having one of her better days because she responded by giving me the gentlest of squeezes back – which for me was as good as a bear hug.

  “She wanted to come and see her first Trial of the Chosen, didn’t you, mon ange,” said Claudine. “I could not begrudge her such a thing, now could I?”

  As we spoke, I saw a small, black hamster clamber from around the back of Sophia’s neck and settle on her shoulder. It stared up at me with big yellow eyes.

  “And who is this little guy?” I asked, holding out a finger, which the tiny animal gently nibbled on.

  “That is Midnight,” said Claudine.

  I looked up at Claudine. “You mean…”

  “Yes. This is the Changeling formally known as Razor. When I told Sophia he had come from you and Alex, she accepted it as hers. We did the naming ceremony soon afterwards. I would have invited you both, but you seemed so very busy.”

  I felt a glowing sensation at the thought that Sophia had finally accepted a Changeling – because we had given it to her. It was a sign of recovery. A small step, but one in the right direction. “Don’t worry, Claudine, I’m just happy she has chosen one.” I cupped the side of Sophia’s face. “Especially one almost as cute as you.”

  For the briefest moment, Sophia’s face flashed into a smile.

  “Thank you for bringing her,” I said to Claudine, standing upright.

  “Of course.”

  The rest of the group exchanged greetings, and Sophia received a couple more hugs and words of affection. I took the opportunity to give one to Scarlett too, whose eyes were shimmering with the remnants of tears.

  “I needed to do something normal, you know?”

  “I am with you one hundred percent,” I said.

  There was a crackle of electricity, and then the arena speakers piped up. “The Trial of the Chosen will start in five minutes. All Guardians, if you have not already done so, please make your way to your seats. Any participating recruits not checked in within one minute will be automatically disqualified.”

  As I looked around, I noticed Aran standing in a corner of the arena high above the Guardian clusters. She was watching everything with great intensity, arms folded and head scanning from side to side like a machine. I gave a small wave, not really expecting her to see, but she responded with a slight nod of her head and then resumed her scanning.

  A female Bloodseeker I had seen around but never really spoken to slipped up to us. She swept a streak of black hair behind a pale ear and then pulled a pad of booking slips out of a trader belt attached to her waist. “Care to make a bet?” she said in a low voice.

  “Err, no thanks,” I said.

  “No,” said Scarlett, with a frown.

  “Just a bit of fun,” she shrugged and went to move on.

  “What’s the odds on Danny getting the highest score?” Grey said.

  “Let’s see,” the Bloodseeker said, flicking through a small book also in the pouch. “Five to one.”

  “I’ll take those odds.”

  “Grey, are you serious?” said Scarlett.

  “What?” he said, handing over a twenty-pound note. “I have faith in our boy.”

  We all broke into laughter, and I even saw Sophia break another smile, which made Grey my favourite person at that moment. The Bloodseeker tout moved on, slipping like a snake through the crowds.

  “I’ve been watching Hollie White. I personally think she’s got the edge,” said a voice behind me. I turned to see Iralia standing behind me with a smile on her face. She was wearing a summer dress and her normally choppy hair was pulled back with clips, exposing more of her slender face. The Succubus made a sign for me to turn back so it didn’t look like we were talking. “How are you, dear?”

  “I’m doing okay, all things considered. How are you?”

  “Oh you know, staying in the shadows, keeping my eyes open and ears peeled.”

  “And what have you seen and heard?”

  “Beyond that poor boy getting bitten, trouble with that fella of yours. I’m assuming that our trip across the Veil is going to involve more than finding his dear old dad now.”

  Worst-kept secret of all time.

  “I’ll understand if you don’t want to come through anymore.”

  “Are you kidding? Of course I do. I’m a Succubus with a whole storage of badass I haven’t been able to fully tap into for years, since I somehow found myself on the wrong side of a desk. I’m bubbling at the opportunity to get stuck in again.”

  “You do know that Faru only wants you to be a guide?”

  “Oh screw that. Sure, I have the distinct displeasure of knowing the Umbra areas of Pandemonia like the back of my very attractive hand, but there’s no way in hell I’m going to sit out on a fight. I’ll be right there kicking arse with the rest of you. So just say the word, and I’ll have my bags packed.”

  My face broke into a smile. “Iralia, you always know how to cheer me up. And thank you.”

  I felt her lay her hand on my shoulder, and I placed mine against it.

  “And don’t you worry about your boy. He has you and Sage Faru fighting on his side. How can he not get better?” She clasped my shoulder.

  Soon afterwards the speakers released two low-pitched hums, which meant the Trial was about to begin. An electric buzz of anticipation rolled around the Prolesium. One by one, the recruits walked out into the arena, led by Sage Etorre. My eyes widened when I saw the leader of my old base; I hadn’t even known he was here. Plus, it was normally Sage Faru who declared the games open. Something was definitely going on. I could see other Guardians looking at each other in confusion.

  The recruits lined up in a row – eight of them, all hoping to get one of the two top spots and avoid the bottom. Sage Etorre took centre stage and was handed a microphone by one of the agents; it was an unnecessary detail because of our powerful hearing, but it added to the spectacle.

  “Good afternoon, Guardians, and welcome to June’s Trial of the Chosen. Many of you are probably wondering why I am introducing the tournament rather than Sage Faru. Unfortunately, he has been called to business elsewhere, so he has kindly asked me to assume control of the Warren until his return.” He smiled. “So you’re all stuck with me for now.”

  A light patter of laughter came from the crowd.

  I wonder where he is? Could this have something to do with Alex?

  He turned to the recruits. “Good luck to each and every one of you. Try your best, and do yourselves proud.” As he was speaking, I saw Ivy walk out into the arena and towards the Sage.

  “I am now going to leave you in the capable hands of Huntmaster Ivy Affron, who will be your compere for this tou
rnament. But not before I say the most important part.” He clapped his hands together and shouted. “I now declare the Trials of the Chosen open!”

  There was a loud cheer and stamping of feet. The Sage handed the microphone to Ivy, who gave a wide smile and took over.

  “Good afternoon, recruits! Most of you are aware of how this works, but for those of you who don’t know, I’ll recap. The trials are broken down into five events taking place over the space of one hour. These events will test each recruit on their speed, strength, gifts, combat skills, and ability to work as a team. Depending on how well or poorly each recruit fares on each event, points will be added or subtracted from their total. The two participants with the highest score will be toasted in tonight’s Joining Ceremony and will have the pick of their squad.” All the Guardians stamped their feet once as a sign of mass approval. “But, the Guardian with the lowest score will fail the trial and have to try again next month.”

  These words were met with boos, and Ivy shrugged theatrically. It was all a bit Punch and Judy, but it carried good humour with it too.

  “So Guardians, please give an honourable welcome to the latest wave of Alliance hopefuls.” She listed off the recruit’s names one by one. Instead of applause, the crowd performed the HASEA salute – as a symbol of respect. It was emulated by the recruits. Soon afterwards, their names appeared on the side of each projector screen, along with a large zero.

  “The first round is the speed test. Recruits, please make your way to the Venenum enclosure.”

  The room erupted into a crescendo of clapped hands and stamped feet as the recruits nervously walked over towards an area that resembled an Olympic running track, although the track itself was a curved square rather than an oval. As soon as the recruits had taken their place at their designated markers, there was a loud cranking sound and a glass arch appeared over the entirety of the track, sealing them in. Danny was in the middle lane between Hollie and John. He was jumping up and down nervously, trying to mentally psych himself up.

  “Come on, Danny!” shouted Grey, and then the stadium burst into encouragement for their favourite contenders. I noticed that a lot of people were chanting Danny’s name.

  “As there are only eight recruits this month instead of the usual ten, the point distribution has been adjusted,” continued Ivy. “In this round, the person to reach the safety enclosure at the end will take the full eight points. The next will get seven and so on, right down to one. But if any of the participants gets stung during this event, they will lose a point – one for every sting. Also if at any point a recruit finds the challenge to be too difficult, they can shout ‘yield,’ and they will be removed from the event. But that removal will result in a score of zero. It is possible to achieve negative points in this round, so it is impetrative to keep focused. Recruits, are you prepared?”

  There were thumbs up and nods from the nervous recruits behind their domed prison walls. There were louds shouts and stamps from the crowd, a deafening sound that shook the Prolesium. It was lucky it was made from reinforced metal or it would have come crashing down.

  Ivy raised a Biomote and pressed a button. A shrill siren echoed out around the Apex.

  “Let the trials begin!”

  15

  Danny

  The Prolesium audience fell into a raptured silence as a vent behind our starting blocks snapped open. I heard an angry buzz and turned my head. A swarm of mutant hornets burst into the track enclosure.

  Holy crap!

  I reacted in a fearful heartbeat, sprinting down the blue asphalt as the creepy insects gave chase. Next to me, the other recruits were matching my speed, looking equally terrified. The high-pitched whine of membranous wings rang out through the arena. I pushed myself harder and broke away from the main cluster. The tank that was Troy led the way, motoring ahead like a truck stuck in top gear. On my heels was Hollie – she had serious speed considering her tiny frame.

  We rounded the first corner, and the whole arena seemed to draw a single breath.

  They know something we don’t.

  A series of panels shot up from the ground and met the domed roof. For a split-second, I thought it was a dead end, until I noticed the four holes punched through the thick glass. Troy dived through the one nearest me, somehow fitting his brick- shaped body through.

  Guess you can get a square peg in a round hole.

  He landed in an awkward heap on the ground but recovered quickly. Without thinking, I copied his dive, managing to tuck into a roll and using the momentum to throw myself back onto my feet. I stumbled a bit, but stayed upright. The roar of the crowd was deafening.

  I glanced behind me. Hollie did something utterly mental. She jumped into the hole feet first and managed to limbo her top half under the curve of the glass in a split second, landing perfectly on her feet.

  The crowd went wild.

  I glanced up at the screen. The rest of the pack had slowed down to pass the obstacle. Richard, Elliot, and Lucy slipped through the glass. The remaining two weren’t so lucky, and their screams of pain were matched by the empathetic gasp and responsive “oooohs” of the Guardian crowd. On the scoreboard, both Andrea and John’s scores dropped to -1.

  I winced. That’s got to hurt.

  The creatures were gaining speed. As we sprinted down the straight, they hovered right behind. I could almost feel them on me; it made my skin itch. More obstacles burst out of nowhere, forcing me to jump over, slide under, or run around them. We kept shuffling our positions, but Troy, Hollie, and I never lost the overall lead.

  We turned onto a long straight. My heart was screaming in my chest as I forced myself to sprint harder, trying to catch Troy, who had stolen the lead from me once again. Then something happened that threw me.

  It started with a sound like a giant yawn. Then the track jerked upwards and became a wall. The dome moved with it, creating a vertical tunnel that was higher than the levitation tower. Metal handholds broke through the asphalt. Troy skidded to a halt, but not before he hit the asphalt, creating a dent. He lurched upwards, grabbing a hold in each of his club-like hands. He systematically worked his way up the tunnel like a pro rock climber.

  Oh no you don’t, mate.

  I made a frantic leap of faith, managing to cling onto a handhold. I jumped and hopped from hold to hold, like I had on Tower Bridge, using my gift to close the gap.

  Come on, Danny! I repeated over and over to myself.

  Something bounded past me. I turned to see Hollie – she was once again being unconventional. Instead of using the handholds to pull herself up, she was vaulting between the glass side and the asphalt wall like a monkey, again and again, until she had launched herself ahead of both of us.

  Wow.

  I tried to focus on what I was doing, launching myself up the wall and trying not to think about how high up I was. But unable to resist, I took one more look at Hollie – and saw her fall.

  As she made the final leap, she mistimed it and slipped. The entire crowd drew breath as one. For some reason, she didn’t use her gift. She fell like a rock. Using pure instinct, I shot out a hand and caught her arm. My shoulder was yanked fiercely downwards; I had to grip on extra tight to stop her from pulling me off. As she grabbed onto a hold, she looked up, and I gave her a wink. Her face broke into a smile. Then she was all business again.

  I redoubled my focus and got into a good pattern of climbing and jumping, using my levitation to boost each leap. I quickly sealed the gap that pausing to help Hollie had created.

  Then I felt a harsh tug on my foot. I was just making a jump from one hold to another and the sudden force pulled me right of the wall. My eyes went wide as I fell. Everything ground into slow motion. The hand had belonged to a recruit called Richard.

  He was smirking.

  I plummeted past him. Hollie tried to return the favour but missed by inches. I heard a series of gasps from the crowd. Without looking, I knew I was falling right into the swarm of insects.

&nbs
p; Levitate! I screamed to myself. I threw my hands down just as my feet hit a load of hard objects, which squealed in anger. There was a g-force lurch in my stomach, and I yo-yoed upwards, screaming past the rest of the recruits.

  Troy scowled up at me as I passed him by. At the top, I saw the hole that led to a slope back to the ground. Without stopping, I threw my hands backwards and slipped down the tunnel like a guided missile, shooting out of the bottom and onto the third straight. I used my hands to lift my body upright and landed, still running.

  The crowd was going mental, and I couldn’t resist a smile. I disliked arrogant people, but even I had to admit that it probably looked quite cool.

  Behind me, Troy and Hollie came half running, half sliding down the asphalt, followed soon by the rest of the contenders. But I was still a good few seconds ahead of the group, and there was no chance of me of slowing. My breath was ragged in my chest, but I kept pushing myself to the limit, determined to keep the lead.

  As I made my way towards the last third of the straight, something like cobwebs brushed against my skin. I frowned, but as far as I could tell nothing had changed. There was a colossal rumble and the track opened like a seam. A glass ramp shot up like a waking creature. Beyond a huge gap, another reverse slope had done the same.

  Don’t think about it, just jump.

  My feet hit the ramp, the amplified sounds of my footsteps audible even over the roar of the crowd. I leaned forward and readied myself as the ramp ended.

  I jumped.

  As I hit the air, I was lifted so high that my head almost grazed the top of the dome above me. Waiting until I was halfway across, I threw my hands backwards to give myself an extra boost.

  Nothing.

  I didn’t propel forwards. Instead I hit the peak of my arc and started to fall, fast.

  No, no, no, no!

  I hit the edge of the second ramp with my head – hard. White spots flared behind my eyes and everything went fuzzy. Instinctively I thrust out my hand and managed to hold onto the lip of the ramp. Too dazed to pull myself up, I hung like a dangled rope. The crowd was yelling, but the sound blurred into a cluster of bass notes I couldn’t decipher. A series of thuds sent vibrations running through my fingers as the other recruits made the jump.