Atlas Cloud And The Amulet of Thieves (16 page)

“Anything.” She said

“I need you to find the rest of the Apostles. Round them up and anyone else willing to fight for their home. Because if we fail in this task, there needs to be warriors ready to defend this world and the next.” He said. It was a last ditch plan, our worst nightmare becoming a god would be the end of everything. A band of soldiers wouldn’t change that.

“I want to burn him.” Alistair said, staring at his lifeless brother. “Let him burn like I burn.” He said. No one said anything for a while after that.

              We gathered branches and wood from around us and stacked it into a bed, slowly resting his body on top. We all stood around the resting place, waiting. Alistair placed Jacob’s totem in his hand. It was a leather bracelet, the initials ‘J.U’ crudely carved into the material. It looked old and worn; he must have had it since he was a boy. I glanced over at Alistair; he also had a leather bracelet strapped to his wrist. Squinting my eyes I could make out a half drawn ‘A’ scribbled on it. The rest was scorched off it from battle. The flames licked his body, the smoke dancing in the wind, carrying his soul to another world, one not filled with creatures and monsters, but a better place.

Ingram left before the fire burnt itself out. She had a hard journey ahead of her. I don’t blame her for getting a head start. Even though she was blind in one eye, she still stood firm and continued on. We set off from camp leaving behind Jacob’s memory. We inscribed his name into a tree, with the words ‘He was an Apostle, a Watcher and a Brother.’ It was nightfall when we left, the darkness hopefully shadowing us from the enemy. Before setting off I manage to take another glance from the princess’ journal.

‘December 12th – Friandaeg’

‘I discovered the power behind my gift. It is something I control, something I can harness. I cannot sit behind the mirror anymore. I am going to find a way across, even if it kills me. I am going to unburden my body with this power of sight, transferring it to my mother’s amulet. Its home is above my heart and I know she will guide me. My loved one doesn’t have control over his sight as I do over mine. The amulet will bring us together; he won’t be able to cross on his own so we will use it as one…’

The journal ends there, the last diary entries ripped from its spine. No help at all. I was hoping that the end would reveal where it was, or at least hint to it. I put it away; I am going to have to find it myself.

“Why did we have to go at night?” Eli said looking around anxiously.

“We don’t know what we are walking into, Eli. We have a better chance if they don’t know when we’re coming.” Farro said. He was using his staff as a torchlight, the end glowing with a blue luminosity, guiding us through the blackness. The nights on this world are filled with darkness, a darkness so black that the hand in front of your face is invisible. The trees let no moonlight into the forest. The arching branches and their leaves covering the sky, blocking out the light. There was no plant life on the forest bed, the gluttonous trees hogging the light, stealing it away from others that need it. Eli and I slowed down behind the others, our bodies weren’t used to this much punishment.

“Thank you by the way.” Eli said tapping me on the back.

“For what?” I said

“For saving me back there, you could have carried on running but you didn’t.”

“Of course I didn’t, I mean you had the jelly babies in your rucksack.” I said trying to pass it all off as a joke. His face granted me a small smile but it reeled back quickly. It was too close a call; we were both almost ripped to shreds.

“How did you do that as well, you blasted them to smithereens?” Eli said waving his hand in the air mimicking the action I made when it happened.

“I don’t know, I was frustrated and angry, I just let go.” We both looked at each other, Gillian was consumed by anger, and the idea of me using it to help Eli left a sour taste in the mouth. “You’re not giving yourself enough credit buddy, who dragged me out of there to safety?” I said nudging him with my shoulder.

“Ingram helped as well.” Eli said being modest, I may have a blasted those creatures back but without him I would have been a human kebab. I shot him a look suggesting that he shouldn’t be so humble. “Well she didn’t do all the work; I dragged you all the way mostly by myself.” He said chuckling to himself. I left Eli with the thoughts of being a hero, he deserved it. I shuffled over to Farro and tapped him on the shoulder.

“What’s Forbidden magic?” I said, it took him a while to realise I was talking to him. His eyes were fixed into the distance.

“It’s pretty much what it sounds like.” He said, grinning at me. “Forbidden magic is not only frowned upon by most people, it is illegal to use.”

“Why is it illegal, magic is magic right?”

“In most cases the spells require a blood sacrifice…” Farro said.

“The cut on Gillian’s hand.”

“Yes, the more powerful the spell the more you have to sacrifice, it could be blood or it could be a human life.” He said. I could tell by the way the words came out of his mouth that he had witnessed such a sacrifice.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see orange and red, ahead of us past the trees. It flickered and swirled black mist. Fire. Screams echoed past us, this wasn’t Jacob’s eternal bed, this inferno was something more. Farro jumped into action and started sprinting. We all followed, knowing full well that there wasn’t anything nice on the other side. Bursting through the treeline, we were welcomed with burning madness. Houses, huts and stables all melting under the heat. The whole town was a blaze. Dead bodies littered the ground, bloody and dismembered. He beat us here, and he slaughtered the town folk, knowing that we would discover them, taunting us, trying to break our spirit. It wasn’t going to work. As horrific the sight was, the idea of wrenching him by the neck was far more than we needed to carry on. The stench was blinding, the combination of smoke and scorched flesh created a uniquely terrifying smell. I could hear coughing coming from one of the huts. A survivor! I dashed towards it forgetting about the evil that caused it focusing only on saving one soul from this wreck. Farro shouted

“Wait,” as I left the group. We have to save somebody I thought. Farro stopped trying to hinder me and ran beside me, the others following. The house was covered in crimson flame. I reared backwards from the heat, almost crashing through the front door into the oven hut. I stood back and held my palm up to the door, my breathing was slow and calm, and I was focused this time. Slashing forward with my hand I sent a pulse blasting the door into splinters, creating a gap between the flames. I scrambled in, holding my shirt up to my mouth, trying not to inhale the poisonous gas. My vision was blurred; I couldn’t see a thing, and then another cough. This time it was louder, he was upstairs. Without a second thought, I dashed to the stair case. It was blanketed by the fire. Burns will heal I said to myself over and over, trying to reassure myself that this was a good idea. Before leaping up the steps I sprayed cold air onto my shoes using my totem, creating a protective barrier. I gambled up the stairs, there were three doors all closed. I had to guess and hope he was in the right one, by the sounds of the ceiling and walls this place was going to topple on top of us. I shoulder charged into the middle room, landing on the floor.  I looked up to see a man, unconscious, his lungs absorbing the smoke, and it becoming hard and strong like cement. The roof started to collapse, a beam swung behind me, smacking through the wall into the next room. The floor started to rumble; it was on its final legs and was being crippled under the pressure. I had to act fast. I threw him over my shoulder and looked for an exit. The only way out was the staircase, but I didn’t have time.

I stood there option less until a glint of light appeared on the wall. It was a reflection; there was a window behind me! I didn’t notice it before because of the smoke and soot. I bolted for it, holding onto the stranger in my arms as tight as I could. I smashed through the window, head first, falling to the earth. Everything slowed down for a moment; the shards of glass following us down to the ground. I could see faces below. Eli, Roko, Alistair and Farro. We landed on our side I tried to spin and land favouring my side, so that he wouldn’t take all the fall.

Eli and Roko dragged us away from the falling inferno. The roof finally collapsed and destroyed the inside of the building. The walls followed suit and crumbled under the peer pressure, like a kid in a candy shop being bullied into stealing sweets for his friends.

I rolled over and stood over the survivor. He regained consciousness, blinking his eyes, confused because of the new surroundings.

“What happened?” I said leaning in, cradling his head.

“There were so many...” He said swaying his head, his face was bloody. The life force of his family and friends sprayed on his face, haunting his memories for the rest of his life.

“So many of what? What happened?” I said urging him to explain. His eyes fixed on me; he reached up his hand and grabbed me by the neck. Reeling me in closer to his mouth, he was dying and didn’t have much time left.

“His eyes were so red.” He said smiling at me. His smile faded into his face as he died, the grin permanently fixed to him, laughing at us. The horror he witnessed changed him, creating someone different, someone afraid. I don’t even know his name.

“He is here? He is here in Highwell.” Alistair said. “He usually sends his minions to fight for him. Why is he here?” Before anyone could respond, screeches were howled all around us, coming from every direction. Hunters. I will never forget their sound. It is embedded in my memory since after I heard it I was plunged into a living death. The group fanned out creating a circle, making sure that they couldn’t flank us.

“Keep together okay. We can hold them back.” Farro said.

“Then what?” I said

“Then we make for the Manor, the Amulet must be there. We have to find it and destroy it, okay?” Farro said. Shadows darted between the houses and trees, the hunters were toying with us, making sure we were scared half to death before they pounced. The screeches stopped, the noise that you could hear was the fire licking the wooden houses. For a moment everyone stopped tensing up, but that was a mistake. From out of nowhere one jumped high into the air, barrelling down to the ground, its teeth focused on Eli. Roko stepped forwards and blasted the beast away; it let out a weak yelp as it flew through the air. All the other monsters followed suit and pounced on us. Lightning bolts and fireballs collided with the darkness. My body was full of adrenaline, boosting my muscles, making them react in super quick time. The first hunter I saw ran towards me, its arms swinging wildly at me. I side stepped it, tripping it as I dodged it. I raised my foot up high ready to squash its head against the dust and sand. But the sound of footsteps behind me broke my concentration, as I swivelled to confront the danger; one of the beasts tackled me to the ground, slashing wildly at my face and throat. I keep a thin magical barrier between me and the hunter, protecting me. But it won’t hold. I wriggled, loosening up some space between me and the hunter. I cracked it in the ribs with a right hook. It stumbled backwards reeling in pain. Jumping up to my feet I ready myself. I fire a bolt of magic at it, thrusting my arm forwards. It deflects off its shoulder, ripping away flesh. I fired another and another, slowly destroying it bit by bit. It fell to its knees; I clap my hands together, creating a wave of fire, burning away the hunter’s skin and muscle leaving behind a bone filled carcass. One down.

The hunter I tripped before came after me, but before it attacked it stopped and stepped backwards. At first I thought it was afraid, after it watched me kill his buddy. But it wasn’t that. They were all moving away. Everyone ceased fighting, watching them in confusion as they made a barrier between us and the manor. There were so many of them, there must be twenty of them standing there, blocking our path. What were they waiting for?

They all turned away, bowing their heads, submitting to something. There were too many, preventing me from seeing what they were looking at. And then I saw him. The one we’re here to stop. Black mist surrounded him, it clothed him and it became him. It was almost like a cape around his neck, but it was something much more. The black mist was him but he was flesh and bone as well. No colour except for his eyes. His eyes were a dark crimson red, filled with rage and anger, fuelling his body, his essence. They were staring at me, fixed on my eyes. I couldn’t look away, they were holding me there. He was looking into my mind, feeling what I feel, trying to tear open my soul and feed on it.

“Why, why, why must we fight?” He said, his voice made everyone uncomfortable. “You and I know you can’t win, I will cross and I will become your god.”

“No you won’t, you won’t cross as long as there is breath in my body.” Alistair said, without doubt in his voice. His eyes fixed on him, Cain’s gaze shifted towards Alistair disgusted by what he said.

“And soon enough you won’t have breath at all. None of you will.”

“We’re not afraid of you. I will kill you for what you have done here.” I said stepping forwards. I trembled as I said it, I was not as confident in my words as Alistair was.

“Atlas, how long I have waited to finally meet you. You don’t have to fight and die like your friends; if you stop now I will cure you of your affliction.” He can sense it, his blood running through my veins, coursing through my body, destroying me from the inside. “I can feel it in you, I can stop it from hurting you Atlas. I know you are in pain; it burns inside of you as it burns inside of me. I can help you.” He said