The Black

by D. J. MacHale

  With horror I realized that I had made the wrong call. The Guardians weren't able to defend the Rift.

  Ree looked to me, pained. I knew what she was thinking and was grateful she didn't say it. This was my fault.

  "It's all right," she said softly. "Whether the battle happened now or a hundred years from now, the result would be the same."

  "It's not over," I said. "We can still win this."

  She looked down at the carnage below and said, "I don't see how."

  Many Guardians broke away from the tight circle and started battling the riders out in the open, where they had more room to maneuver. It helped. Rather than standing up like rows of corn, ready to be mowed, some were able to run and dodge the black swords. I saw Adeipho's daughter fighting near her father. She was the only Guardian I knew and it killed me to think she might not exist much longer.

  It wasn't looking good and Ree knew it.

  She said, "There will be more of a fight once our swords are brought into play, but Damon's soldiers will outnumber us by then. When one falls, another will take their place."

  "Then we have to go with my plan," I said.

  "Your plan was to initiate this battle," Ree said with a raised eyebrow.

  "No, I mean my other plan. Let me go through the Rift. Better still, we'll both go. If the Guardians lose, then Damon won't think twice about going through and he'll track down the poleax for sure. We've got to get it before he does."

  Ree looked down, sadly, at the battle below. Her Guardians were disappearing quickly, with few casualties on the other side.

  "I can't go through the Rift," she said.

  "Can't or won't?"

  "Won't. It's not right.

  "Tell that to Damon."

  Ree was torn. She knew the battle was as good as lost. She glanced up at the far landing to see that the tank's cannon was still trained on us. If we stood or showed our faces, I had no doubt that it would unload again. Behind it, several more of Damon's soldiers were gathering. They didn't run down the stairs and attack. They watched the scene below. Waiting. Like vultures.

  "That's their bench," I said. "As soon as their guys start going down, their replacements will jump in and pick up the fight. Adeipho can fight, but he miscalculated. The Guardians are going to lose the Rift."

  Ree stared out at the horror for a good long while. I wished I could have read her mind. On the floor near our feet was her own black sword. She picked it up and examined it, as if hoping to find inspiration. Or hope.

  She then looked to me and with tears in her eyes she declared, "I'll get you to the Rift, but I won't go through with you."

  I stole a peek down at the information booth. There was absolutely nothing Rift-like about it.

  "Where is it?" I asked.

  "You have to enter the booth," she explained. "Once inside, my vision will disappear and you will see the dark hole. It's nothing more dramatic than that. A dark hole."

  "And I just walk inside?" I asked.

  Ree shrugged. "That's how I got here."

  I reached my hand out and said, "Give me the sword. If you're not going through, then I don't want you anywhere near the fight."

  She shook her head. "You forget, Coop. My Guardians think you are as much of an enemy as Damon's soldiers. They haven't been won over by your charm."

  "Yeah. Hard to believe," I said.

  "I'll bring you to the Rift, Cooper," Ree said. "After that you're on your own."

  "What should I do when I find the poleax?" I asked. "How do I destroy it?"

  "I don't know," she replied. "You may not want to. That weapon may be the only way to destroy Damon."

  I understood. So many thoughts shot through my head, mostly about what would happen once I went through the Rift. Would I actually be a physical being again? Would I get my old body back? That wouldn't be so great. Last time I saw it I was lying at the bottom of Thistledown Lake under a layer of silt. I didn't even want to think about how much damage was done to me by that speedboat. I had to believe that if I got that body back, I'd end up dying again and land right back here in the Black. Or the Blood. There was a good possibility that going through the Rift was an automatic ticket to hell.

  Suddenly my smart idea wasn't feeling all that smart. But it was the only thing I could think of.

  "Do one thing for me?" Ree asked.

  "What is it?"

  "Tell Marsh that I love him and that I'm sorry."

  That gave me hope. Maybe there really was a chance that I'd get my life back.

  "Done," I said.

  Ree clutched her sword, took my hand, and said, "Let's get you out of here."

  28

  As soon as we made a move to run down the stairs, the tank unloaded.

  Whoever was in that thing was acting like a sniper, keeping us in his sights, waiting for us to breathe. The shell hit the wall overhead and blasted out a section of ceiling. The concussion nearly knocked me off my feet but I managed to keep going and pull Ree through to the staircase before the bulk of the debris crashed down.

  "It'll take a while for him to reload . . . I think," I said. Ree didn't hesitate. She held on to my hand and led me down the stairs and onto the floor of the main concourse.

  It was chaos. Small battles were happening everywhere. Many Guardians were desperately trying to unseat the riders on horseback and most paid the price with their lives. A quick glance to the information booth showed me that the Guardians with the spirit-killing swords had finally entered the war. While many stayed back, maintaining a defensive ring around the Rift, far more jumped into the battle.

  Ree led me to the wall with the ticket windows and we made our way along quickly. Keeping our backs covered by the wall was a smart idea, though eventually we would have to fight our way through the war zone if we wanted to get to the Rift.

  The Guardians were claiming some victims of their own, but just as one of Damon's soldiers fell, another picked up the sword and took his place. It seemed like they had a limitless number of replacements, where many of the Guardians had been destroyed.

  I heard the roar of a motorcycle engine powering up behind us and turned to see one of Damon's soldiers headed our way with his black sword held high.

  "Look out!" I screamed at Ree and pulled her close to me.

  Ree stood straight, braced herself, and held her own sword up, ready to take the guy on. The rider had gotten to within ten feet of us when a Guardian came running up from the side and selflessly made an open-field tackle and knocked the guy off his bike. The biker never saw him coming. The bike toppled out of control and flew across the floor, barely missing us.

  Another Guardian ran up to the fallen rider and nailed him with his black sword. In an instant, the rider was dust. The Guardian who finished him off turned to us with a big smile.

  "I told you, Chicken Coop, I see everything."

  "Bernie?" I shouted in surprise.

  Bernie the mailman winked at me and jumped back into the battle. I looked to Ree with confusion.

  She shrugged and said, "I told you, we've collected a lot of spirits. And Damon wasn't the only one sending out scouts."

  Between us and the Rift were dozens of spirits in battle. Even if we didn't fight any of them, with so many black swords flying around we could easily be hit by a random swing.

  "Father!" came a familiar cry.

  Adeipho's daughter was battling two of Damon's soldiers not far from us. One was a United States Civil War rebel and the other looked like a homeless guy from the year one. Both had black swords. They were in an archway that led out of the concourse and directly beneath a heavy, massive clock that had to be twenty feet in diameter.

  I made a move to help her but Ree held me back.

  "Don't," she warned. "It would be suicide."

  As tough as it was to see so many spirits being destroyed, they were all strangers. But I knew Adeipho's daughter, even if it was only to fight her. I couldn't let her die without trying to help. I pulled away from Re
e and started for her but I was cut off by Adeipho himself. The girl's father launched himself into the fight before I could get close, taking on both soldiers. She backed off, which was smart. There were too many black blades flying around.

  Ree wasn't as interested in the fight as I was. Her attention was on the opposite side of the concourse. The side where the large metal and glass doors that led to the train platforms were shut tight.

  "Look," she said.

  Damon's soldiers had methodically battled many of the Guardians into a single group in front of the train doors. Most of the Guardians didn't have black swords and those who did were struggling to protect the rest. Damon's soldiers, some on horseback, some on motorcycles, had backed them all up against one of the closed gates.

  "What are they doing?" I asked.

  I didn't have to wait long for the answer. It came charging through the wall behind the trapped Guardians. A hurtling locomotive engine smashed through the door, crushing the surprised Guardians under its metal wheels. The train must have been traveling at full speed to have continued off the end of the track with that kind of force. The metal doors were blown out and the entire wall crumbled and cracked around it, crashing down onto the floor, sending bodies flying everywhere. The engine didn't get far into the terminal but the damage was devastating.

  Damon's soldiers knew it was coming and had backed off at the last moment. Once the train stopped moving, they quickly leaped forward and attacked the dazed victims, finishing them off one by one.

  It was the single most horrifying sight I'd seen yet. It wasn't a battle, it was a slaughter.

  Many of Damon's soldiers let out a cheer. Though there was still a tight ring of Guardians around the Rift, they sensed that victory for Damon was near.

  So did Damon.

  Ree looked up toward the tank that was standing sentry, and gasped.

  Damon had arrived. He was on horseback, standing on top of the platform next to the tank, surveying the carnage like a conquering hero.

  "Sure," I said, scoffing. "He doesn't show up until the battle is almost over."

  Damon carefully made his way down the stairs, on horseback, surrounded by several soldiers with black swords.

  Adeipho was still battling the two soldiers beneath the clock. He took one out with a back slash to the head. As the second was about to deliver his own killing blow, Adeipho's daughter rushed in and skewered the would-be killer. Adeipho's only acknowledgment to his daughter that she had saved his life was a quick nod.

  "Adeipho of Ehalon!" Damon called.

  Adeipho whirled to see Damon approach. He stood up straight. There was hatred in his eyes. Damon pulled his horse to a stop, dismounted, and pulled out his own black sword.

  "I have waited centuries for this," Damon hissed.

  "Yes, for centuries and until I was battle weary," Adeipho replied, breathing hard. "It is still your way."

  "You have lost, Adeipho," Damon announced. "Drop your weapon and I will consider sparing your soul."

  Adeipho wheezed a laugh. "And that is why you never earned Alexander's trust, Damon. You are a liar. And a coward. You have no honor and never will."

  Damon's eyes flared. "I am and have always been a soldier!"

  "A soldier so desperate to prove his worth to Alexander that he scarred his own face to create the illusion that he had actually led his men into battle."

  Damon's hand went back to his scarred cheek.

  "Yes, we knew of your pathetic treachery, Damon. We laughed at you. The pompous warrior who only raised his sword when the battle was complete."

  Damon stood tall and said, "And now I will raise it against you."

  Damon charged at Adeipho. It seemed like suicide. He wasn't the battler that Adeipho was. His only chance would be if Adeipho was too tired to fight back.

  Adeipho's daughter jumped forward to try and protect her father, but she was instantly smothered by Damon's soldiers and dragged away, her black sword useless.

  Damon attacked, hammering at Adeipho with his own black sword. Adeipho easily knocked away every thrust with little or no effort. It didn't matter that Adeipho was exhausted. Damon was no match for him.

  Seeing that their leader was in trouble, a few of Damon's soldiers moved in to protect him.

  "No!" Damon screamed, motioning for them to move back. "This victory will be mine alone."

  Adeipho laughed, which sent Damon into a rage. He charged again, flashing his black sword from every angle. Adeipho parried each attack without bothering to strike back. It looked as though it would only be a matter of time before Damon burned himself out.

  "It's coming down to this," I whispered to Ree. "Adeipho's going to destroy him."

  Damon continued to attack, but he had a strange style. He would swing, then move to his left. Attack and then take a step forward. Adeipho had no trouble defending himself as the odd dance moved them across the floor . . . with Damon leading.

  Most of the fighting across the rest of the concourse had stopped. The ring of Guardians remained around the information booth, but the rest of the Guardians and soldiers had stopped battling one another and drifted closer to witness the fight between Adeipho and Damon. I had to believe they were all thinking the same thing I was . . . what had happened before was prelude. The outcome of this war was going to be determined by this fight, the battle between leaders. One would win, the other would be destroyed. It was as simple as that.

  Damon faked an attack to Adeipho's right, which sent Adeipho moving quickly to his left, and between two of Damon's soldiers. Damon had craftily maneuvered him into that spot and the soldiers were ready. They each grabbed one of Adeipho's arms and stripped him of his spirit-killing sword.

  "No!" Adeipho's daughter called as she fought to get away. "You fight like a coward!"

  Damon ignored her. His confidence was back.

  The two soldiers shoved Adeipho back toward Damon, unarmed. Damon took a few swings, trying to end it quickly, but Adeipho dodged out of the way. As strong a warrior as he was, he wouldn't last long with Damon swinging that spirit-killer. Adeipho jumped at one of Damon's soldiers and grabbed the shield from his hands. Damon swung at him, missed Adeipho, and slashed his own soldier, destroying him. Adeipho bought himself a little more time but unless things changed, his death was inevitable.

  I knew how to change things.

  "This is our chance," Ree said, and made a move for the Rift.

  "No," I said, grabbing her arm. "It can't end like this for him."

  "There's nothing we can do," she argued.

  I reached out and grasped the handle of her black sword. Ree's first instinct was to pull it away from me, but I held firm.

  "Without this I may not get you to the Rift," she cautioned.

  "Yeah, but my money's on Adeipho," I said with confidence.

  With a resigned nod, she released her grip and I took the sword. Pushing past soldiers from both sides, I ran close enough to the fight so that Adeipho would hear me. I had to act fast, before Damon's soldiers could stop me.

  "Adeipho!" I yelled as I slid the black sword across the floor toward him.

  Adeipho gave me only a glance, but it was enough. Damon hammered down at him, but Adeipho blocked the attack with the shield and dove to the floor. With outstretched arms he scooped up the sword and jumped back to his feet.

  Damon tripped back a few steps in surprise, but he wasn't through. As Adeipho raised the sword, Damon attacked with force, moving Adeipho backward. Adeipho went back into defensive mode, warding off the blows, waiting for his chance to strike. All he needed was one good shot and Damon would be done.

  Damon swung wildly toward Adeipho's right side, missing him badly. All it did was move Adeipho to his left a few steps. A critical few steps. He tensed up, waiting for Damon's next attack.

  But Damon stood still. He lowered his sword and held out his hands as if to say, "I'm finished."

  "Is that the end?" Adeipho asked.

  "Not quite," Damon answer
ed, and lifted his hand high into the air. It was a signal. BOOM! The tank's cannon erupted. I had nearly forgotten about it. I looked up to see that the smoking cannon was trained on a spot above Adeipho's head. The shell hit the giant clock that hung between two columns. The heavy clock exploded and, with a scream of wrenching metal, fell from its perch. Adeipho didn't have time to react. The clock fell directly on top of him.

  "Father!" his daughter screamed.

  The massive clock fell on its side and crashed to the floor, pinning Adeipho underneath. It didn't kill him. After all, he was a spirit. But it crushed his legs and ripped the sword from his hands. Adeipho was trapped, and helpless.

  As the echo of the explosion drifted away, it was replaced by an eerie silence. The fighting had stopped. Each and every warrior stood still, staring at the scene in wonder.

  Damon strolled to Adeipho and stood over his fallen enemy.

  "My patience has at last been rewarded," he said with satisfaction.

  Several Guardians made a move to get to Adeipho but they were outnumbered and stopped by Damon's soldiers. The ring of Guardians protecting the booth didn't move. Their mission was more important than saving Adeipho.

  "I knew this day would eventually come," Damon said. "It is proving to be more satisfying than I imagined."

  Adeipho didn't struggle. There was nothing he could do. Instead of acknowledging Damon, he looked to his daughter. The poor girl was held, as helpless as her father. The bold soldier girl had become a terrified child who didn't try to hide her tears.

  "I love you, Zoe," Adeipho called to her.

  Zoe. Her name was Zoe.

  "And I love you," his daughter said.

  Damon gave Zoe a sideways look and stood tall, as if her words made him uncomfortable.

  Adeipho looked up at him and said, "You still have no honor."

  Damon replied, "And you are dirt under my boot."

  He lifted his dark sword, its tip pointing straight down, and drove it into Adeipho's chest.

  Ree ran up behind me and gasped in anguish.