The Rules. Book 1; The End

by Jon Jacks

  ‘It’s bad,’ he mumbled worriedly. ‘Very, very bad.’

   

   

  *

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  Chapter 65

   

  Beth hadn’t been around to see the arrival of the new army.

  Feeling exhausted, and not a little dizzy, she had drifted away from those gathering around the hovering images.

  She was seeking somewhere quiet and out of the way to sit down for a moment.

  Finding a pile of old tractor tyres stored behind a decrepit barn, she sat down amongst them, resting her head against the barn’s corrugated steel sides. With a grateful sigh, she closed her eyes.

  She relaxed.

  She felt light-headed.

  Gloriously light-headed. Like all her cares had left her.

  She was flying, like a bird.

  A flap of her arms – no, her wings – sent her propelling quickly through the wonderfully cool air.

  Freedom!

   

   

  *

   

   

  Beth could almost have believed she was actually flying over the army assembling below.

  But it was obviously nothing more than a strange illusion, for she could also make out a more dream-like, ghostly gathering taking place on the army’s edges.

  A mass of naked, tattooed giants, over eight feet tall.

  They moved swiftly, through weaving, swirling mists.

  They would vanish in the clouds, only to abruptly reappear elsewhere, often having moved a ridiculously unbelievable distance in an instant.

  They seemed to momentarily transform into the mist itself, almost as if they were an actual part of the eddying haze.

   

  Who needs the fields of Troy

  When we can bring together man and boy

  Throw them together

  And anger them so

  Then loose the tether…

  They’ll choose the way, though

   

  There was a whoosh of air, a short blast of heat.

  A ball of flame passed incredibly close to the edge of one of Beth’s darkly feathered wings.

  Another followed, then another.

  They were like arrows tipped with fire, dropping towards the army of regular soldiers below her.

  But within less than a second there were too many of them to be arrows. They fell like a furious rain, causing panic and confusion amongst the soldiers vainly attempting to avoid them.

  Men called out in agony as they felt the pointed flame burning right through them.

  The soldiers fired back at the oncoming giants. They screamed in frustration, the bullets harmlessly passing through the naked men.

  The giants seemed as insubstantial as the thickening mist.

  Abruptly, the giants were beside them. Then the giants were behind them.

  Then their friends were crumpling to the ground, screaming and mortally wounded.

  Bodies were torn apart by bullets aimed at the giants. Other soldiers fell shrieking with terror beneath the churning tracks of their own chaotically moving tanks. The crews were inhuman in their indifference to the suffering they were causing.

  Beth swooped down amongst them, cawing, screaming. It only alarmed and panicked the men even more.

  Over there, there are more men attacking over there! she warned.

  There are too many for you! Run, run!

  But, of course, she was a bird. And so her warnings didn’t come from her, but from the corpses lying around her.

  Worse still, some of the corpses and the wounded began to rise again, the flesh shredding horrifically, ominously.

  Then the bodies seemed to explode, the flesh flying off like an abattoir truck carelessly spilling its load.

  Odrads. Holaks. And other demons Beth didn’t recognise.

  To the soldiers, of course, they were all just monsters. The like of which they had never seen even in their worst nightmares.

  The soldiers’ fiercely sprayed bullets were simply absorbed into thick, incredibly malleable flesh.

  Odrad flesh, of course, took on the attributes of the bullets, transforming into an explosive steel. The tips of their exploring tentacles shattered their victims with the slightest touch.

  In the chaos, demon attacked demon. Even a tank would swiftly fall silent once an odrad had slipped inside.

  Others were battered into nothing more than heaps of warped metal by groups of berserk holaks.

  Soon only a handful of scared, confused soldiers were left.

  Run! a corpse hissed, a large black crow landing upon its chest and picking at the ragged flesh.

  And they ran.

   

   

  *

   

   

  Beth shook her head when she woke, hoping to clear it of a lingering drowsiness and memories of the horrific dream.

  Her head was slightly sore where she had rested it against the barn’s hard metal. Rising to her feet, she set off to look for Galilee once more.

  Everywhere she went, people appeared to be shocked, perhaps even horrified.

  At first Beth couldn’t understand it. Then she recalled that, just before she had sidled off to have a well-earned rest, James had brought up a view of the army preparing to attack them.

  An army of tanks, heavy artillery and well-armed soldiers.

  Like the one she had seen in her dream, crazily firing upon each other as they tried to resist an onslaught of ghostly giants.

  Thankfully, the army gathering outside the farm obviously hadn’t attacked yet. If everyone had agreed with Cleiona that they would have to retreat, however, that would go some way to explaining the nervousness of the people passing her.

  Not that it seemed as if there were a great deal of preparation going on for deserting the farm.

  ‘Beth, Beth!’ Galilee trotted up alongside her. ‘Where have you been?’

  ‘Oh, sorry Galilee.’

  Beth was surprised that Galilee seemed to be every bit as apprehensive as the others.

  ‘I just needed a rest. Are we getting ready to move out?’

  She glanced about her once again, trying to pick out any signs that people were beginning to pack things away.

  ‘Retreating? Didn’t you see what happened?’

  Galilee seemed bemused, but it was nothing compared to Beth’s growing confusion.

  What could have happened in the short time – well, she had assumed it had been a short time – she had been asleep?

  ‘What? What happened? As I said, I’ve been asleep?’

  ‘The army turned on itself! It was…terrible. Really terrible. The worst thing I’ve ever seen!’

  Turned on itself? Like in her dream? Surely, no; not like that!

  ‘I…I don’t understand,’ Beth stammered uncertainly. ‘How…how could it turn on itself?’

  ‘There’s only one way that I could see it happening like that.’

   Galilee grimaced anxiously, biting his lip bitterly.

  ‘Morrigan. I suppose we knew she’d have to show up sometime soon!’

  ‘Morrigan!’

  ‘You’ve heard of her?’

  Galilee couldn’t fail to notice that something in Beth’s tone implied she recognised the name.

  ‘Yes, yes – as I told Tull, she was the one who attacked Lynese! But…that doesn’t make any sense! If she’s against us, why would she destroy an army sent to destroy us?’

  Galilee cynically chuckled.

  ‘Causing confusion in a battle like that is just a delicious game for Morrigan. The army isn’t lost to her; the soul of everyone killed in battle ends up being hers to use however she wants.’

  Isn’t that what Tull had also said?

  That she transforms the souls, makes them her own?

  B
eth hadn’t really thought much about it at the time. Yet now, for some reason, she connected it for the first time with what her mum had said; that she was living amongst badly injured spirits, spirits just waiting around for some sort of call up or something.

  ‘Beth?’

  Galilee was observing her anxiously. With a jolt, Beth realised she must have drifted off for a moment, her fears etched on her face.

  ‘What? Oh, my mum; I was just thinking of my mum! She said she was with all these spirits. These horribly mangled spirits.’

  She stared directly into Galilee’s eyes, demanding an honest answer from him.

  ‘You don’t think…you don’t think the way she died could be…well, you know... thought of as a battle?’

  Galilee stared back, both concerned and stern.

  ‘When you told me you’d talked to her, you didn’t say where you thought she’d come from.’

  ‘That’s important?’

  It dawned on her that Galilee hadn’t directly answered her question.

  ‘You…you think she might be in a place where she can be…called up? Called up by Morrigan to fight for her!

  Galilee reached out and tenderly held her by her arms.

  ‘The firemen who mistakenly killed your mum; as far as they were concerned, Beth, they were the advance guard. Taking part in the first of many battles to come.’

  ‘Then…then mum is still in danger? Even though she’s dead?’

   

   

  *

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  Chapter 66

   

  ‘I have to go,’ Galilee said. ‘We’ll talk about this later. This thing with Morrigan; it’s unnerving quite a few people. Even those who don’t know about her, but are picking up all the rumours that are flying around. Nobody but you, Beth, could have missed all those explosions and gun shots that were going on out there.’

  He ended with a smile, a fleeting, tender clutching of her hands. But as he walked off, his concerned frown had returned.

  So, your charm wasn’t required after all, Lynese. Sorry I fell asleep. It would have been better for those poor soldiers if I’d let you have your way.

  Well, I agree, it might have been awful what happened out there. But it did save our own poor little army from having to defend this poor little farm, didn’t it?

  I suppose so – but aren’t you scared? The Morrigan! The woman who attacked you! And would have probably killed you too, if Merlin hadn’t decided to suddenly scoop you all up and…and…well, sort of put you all out of harm’s way for a while.

  Out of harm’s way? I think the word you’re looking for, darling, is imprisonment!

  Okay, okay, we’ve already been through all this haven’t we? I wasn’t the one who caused it, remember? And I’m actually trying to help here by seeing it all from your side for once! I’m beginning to understand now what it must have been like for you, having to face this horrible Morrigan woman. How could she do that? All those poor soldiers! Tricking them into killing each other!

  Poor soldiers? They were going to kill us, dear! Let’s not forget that, shall we? Would you have preferred that, rather than them fortunately killing each other? You’re still looking at it with all those dreadful old human sensibilities that aren’t applicable any longer. Look at it from a perspective where death is no longer what you conceive it to be. Morrigan works magic with the blood of the slain. Crows don’t kill people; they eat and transform their bodies.

  A crow? Why did Lynese just mention a crow? Beth wondered.

  Had Lynese also witnessed her dreams?

  Rather than asking this, however, Beth said instead;

  Lynese, you’re talking as if you agree with what she did; almost like you admire her!

  Don’t just accept lover-boy’s jaundiced view of her darling. Why shouldn’t we respect – admire is probably too strong a word, darling – someone who wields magic so skilfully? Did you know – but of course you didn’t! – that she has knowledge of humanity’s fate? Wouldn’t you like to experience the power she wields?

  Of course not! Why would I want that sort of awful power?

  Beth, Beth! We both saw and felt how elated you were when you brought up the storms that saved Canola!

  That’s completely different! That was for something good! Not something evil! We were saving Canola, as you’ve just said!

  Beth, you can’t fool me! I’m here, deep inside you, a part of you. You weren’t elated because you were saving her! You were excited by the thrill of having all that incredible power cursing through you. The thrill of conjuring up storms and creating rivers, and making it rain and rain as if it were the end of the world! And did you feel any loss of control? This terrible thing that lover boy keeps on frightening you with? Of course not! It just doesn’t have to happen that way Beth, trust me. Come on, admit it girl; you never, ever felt more in control in your life, did you, than when you were using all that glorious power? And we’re capable of so much, much more Beth!

  Like…like what Lynese? What else can we do?

   

   

  *

   

   

  The thought of the powers Lynese could grant her made Beth feel a little dizzy, a little light-headed.

  She was interrupted from her inner revelry only by the crash of a nearby shed exploding into flames.

  Other blasts, crashes and yells immediately followed.

  ‘We’re under attack!’ The scream came from far off.

  ‘They’re already inside!’ A closer yell. Much closer.

  Just ahead of Beth, a short, delicate girl was abruptly engulfed by a paralysing energy field. It effortlessly sucked through and absorbed her own shield.

  But her own spell had already left her hands, as languid and deceptively harmless as a light mist. It curled tighter and tighter around its victim until his own shield was as suffocating as a tight wrapping of cellophane.

  There were blasts, whooshes, gurgles and sizzles.

  All manner of magic attack and defence was being utilised, whether it was fire, electrical fields, sound, air or rapidly moving or strangely behaving objects.

  Beth found it impossible to tell whom she should be aiming her own spells at, or whom she should be defending herself against.

  People she had seen earlier hanging around the farm were under attack from others she also recognised.

  It was fortunate, after all, that the energy available was still low.

  Fortunate too that few here had realised their full capabilities, as otherwise the damage and injuries would have been truly horrendous.

  It was every bit as chaotic as the confused yet deadly battle she had seen taking place amongst the soldiers in her dream.

  What was going on?

  Had some of the people who had responded to Galilee’s – Machal’s – call intended this to happen all along? Had they just been waiting until an opportune moment to reveal their true allegiance?

  Or had they changed their loyalties somewhere along the way, as they were increasingly made aware of the incredible, unbelievable power they now possessed?

  Having only recently realised the full extent of the magical energy they could potentially control, had they decided that they would fight to retain it after all, rather than fighting for the benefit of the humans they once were?

  ‘Satyrs! Demons! All around us!’

  Beth looked around nervously. She had witnessed at first hand what odrads and holaks could do. Even with her new-found abilities, she didn’t relish having to face them again.

  But she couldn’t see any nearby. They must be attacking another side of the farm.

  Gerry, we need to rescue Gerry!

  Gerry? Why Gerry?

  Trust me! She’s in danger! We must get her to safety!

  Why harm Gerry? It doesn’t make any sense!


  Despite her doubts, Beth had set of running.

  She urgently glanced about herself, hoping to catch a glimpse of Gerry.

  But what she saw was Epona, as Epona could hardly be missed.

  She was urging her horse Equas into a fierce gallop, deftly weaving in between the warring couples as if they were little more than minor obstacles.

  And she was chasing Gerry.

  A huffing, puffing, red-faced Gerry, close to collapsing from exhaustion.

   

   

  *

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

  Chapter 67

   

  The wave of water Beth drew up from the rain-soaked ground hit Epona and her horse hard.

  Equas reared. He vainly tried to keep his balance. He toppled back.

  Epona was flung from the saddle. They were both sent sprawling, washed along the ground like debris being cast ashore by a raging sea.

  Beth rushed over to a stumbling, gasping Gerry.

  Supporting Gerry as best she could, Beth led the way towards an alley leading between the farm’s many outbuildings.

  ‘What’s going on? Why’s Epona chasing you?’

  ‘Search me, dearie!’

  Gerry tried to sound like her more usually resilient self, but she spluttered and mumbled over her words. She aimlessly waved an arm in an effort to indicate the mayhem taking place around them.

  ‘Why’s all this going on, eh?’

  ‘She doesn’t have a shadow!’

  The cry came from behind them.

  As Beth turned round to see who had cried out, a drenched Epona was being helped up from the sodden ground by an equally soaked man.

  Epona was pointing, pointing towards Gerry.

  ‘Where’s her shadow?’

  The man shivered and shook. He moved oddly, impossibly; and in a further quick shake, he was a beautifully athletic horse.

  Epona was in the middle of springing onto his back as a vast plume of flame struck and curled around her defensive field.

  ‘Demons, demons!’ shrieked the man advancing on them

  Beth’s head whirled.

  For the briefest moment, she wondered if Epona had been right.

  The shadows being cast on the alley walls by the flames didn’t seem to include the heavy mass that might be Gerry.

  But then, even as Beth told herself the flames were throwing indistinguishable, vibrant shadows, Gerry’s great, dark bulk appeared as if it had been merely hidden amongst the others.

  ‘What is going on Beth?’

  Gerry fought to catch her breath as Beth, grabbing her hand and pulling her along, forced her into a stumbling run.

  In here! This old barn!

  It was a barn so ramshackle and full of holes that it hadn’t been deemed fit for habitation, even though it would have helped house some of those who had flocked to the farm.