Soulrazor (21 page)
Authors: Steven Montano
“
Better you than me,” Ash smiled at the swordsman. She was still shaken, but she did her best to maintain her composure.
Better you than me,” Ash smiled at the swordsman. She was still shaken, but she did her best to maintain her composure.
She just lost her brother. I’m amazed she can even stand.
“
It’s another few miles,” Creasy said. “Keep your eyes open. Marauders frequent these parts.”
It’s another few miles,” Creasy said. “Keep your eyes open. Marauders frequent these parts.”
“
Oh, good,” Kane said dryly. “Someone who’ll want to kill us. That’s new.”
Oh, good,” Kane said dryly. “Someone who’ll want to kill us. That’s new.”
They rode through fields of frozen grass that cracked and fell apart beneath the horse’s hooves. Pale pools of briny ice held petrified reeds and yellowed animal bones. Decayed husks of wild beasts and plains deer littered the ground, the gristle of their rotting innards exposed to the still air. The hills were largely silent save for the clatter of horse’s hooves and the occasional call of a distant wolf.
“
How many wolves are in Wolfland?” Ash asked Creasy.
How many wolves are in Wolfland?” Ash asked Creasy.
“
Unknown,” he said. “Lots.”
Unknown,” he said. “Lots.”
“
Is it good money?” Ronan asked. “Bringing their hides to market?”
Is it good money?” Ronan asked. “Bringing their hides to market?”
“
No,” Creasy said. “Mostly we use and eat what we kill, and we only trade with others when we must. We do what we have to do to survive.”
No,” Creasy said. “Mostly we use and eat what we kill, and we only trade with others when we must. We do what we have to do to survive.”
They rode on. Black remembered other plains like these, dry wastelands east of Mourne she’d swept in the aftermath of a Gorgoloth raid. The Revengers flew in on airships and rode in on Ebonbacks, great tusked reptiles like dinosaurs with serrated horns and bony tails, and gathered survivors to be taken to Black Scar as prisoners.
They thought we were there to help them. They’d been attacked and had lost their homes, and they thought since we’d driven the Gorgoloth away we were there to rescue them.
She remembered their faces, remembered the tears in their eyes. If there was any justice in the world, she hoped when she died she’d go straight to hell for the things she’d done.
What am I doing here?
she wondered.
Am I trying to do something right? Am I trying to help one of the only people who ever believed I could be human again?
she wondered.
Am I trying to do something right? Am I trying to help one of the only people who ever believed I could be human again?
Does that make me noble, or just pathetic?
They rode through fields of yellowed tusks that protruded from the earth like curved stakes. The bones of some mammoth beast lay half-buried in the pale sand. Frozen lichen and molded rodent remains lay piled in the shell of its mouth.
Pools of brackish blood had frozen like jelled paint. The horses climbed and descended, climbed and descended. The shattered ground was a sea of broken bones.
Danica fell into a pattern as they rode. She wound her spirit tightly around herself to fend off the cold for a few minutes, then sent him ahead to scout the area ahead for any hidden creatures.
The taint of old magic hung thick in the air. Just riding through those dead hills was like breathing in burning fumes, and the scent soured the stomach and clawed the throat.
Creasy held up his fist, which was wrapped in a tattered glove and connected to his cloak with strips of wolf-hide, and motioned for everyone to stop. The dark runes on his darker hand pulsed with ethereal light.
Black’s spirit was out tracking, and moments after Creasy raised his hand she felt what alarmed him: multiple living presences in the distance, as well as some
non
-living. She signaled Kane to come with her as she dismounted and moved ahead to take a look.
non
-living. She signaled Kane to come with her as she dismounted and moved ahead to take a look.
Their horses stopped just short of a ridge that overlooked a massive hole in the earth. The ridge circled around and vanished into a broken forest to the north, while to the south it descended to a lake of pale and polluted water. Directly ahead, the ridge curved upwards before it spilled into the crater.
Black and Kane crawled on hands and knees through white sand. They saw a stream of smoke that stained the sky like an oil smudge. Black heard the grind of machines and the guttural growl of inhuman tongues. The dirt beneath them was littered with shards of bone and metal. By the time they made it to the edge both she and Kane were covered in pale dust.
The bowl-shaped crater was largely barren. The ground was unnaturally dark soil that stood in stark contrast to the rest of the landscape. Thick holes in the sides of the crater led to unseen depths. The ground was wrecked and torn and bore the look of something that had been recently tilled. Mounds of loamy soil had been overturned and sat in thick piles that oozed some dark and earthy fluid.
Danica smelled oil and exhaust. The air was filled with the sound of grinding metal and the choke of engines. Something had rotted there, something unnatural, and very old.
This is getting worse by the minute
.
.
A low tower made of bone and metal moved across the floor of the crater. Its spindly metallic legs resembled those of a great crab, and the device dragged chains that tore the earth loose in its wake. Thick plumes of smoke billowed out of its exhaust ports. A thick ring of curved iron spikes, like the spines of a great crown, circled the apex of the tower. Bladed barbs covered the surface of the vehicle.
A squad of human soldiers trailed the tower. They were all armed with M4A rifles and wore mismatched body armor. Their skin was camouflaged and masked with dark soil and dirt, and they walked with care.
A mage walked with them, a sort of warlock captain. He was young and lean, with short blonde hair and pale skin covered in runes and tattoos. His black cloak stayed clean in spite of the mud, and he watched the ground carefully, as if suspicious of it.
There were still more sentries by one of the holes in the crater wall.
The bowl of earth was easily the size of a corn field. The mercenaries would spot the team coming from a mile away if they dropped into the crater from anywhere except where the ridge sloped down from the forest…and the only way to do that without being seen was to navigate through the forest itself. Considering the trees abutted the southern tip of Wolfland and were bound to be patrolled by more mercenaries, even that approach was going to be risky.
Danica had the sense she’d beheld the scene before: the dark soil, the red sky, the arcane machines and the smell of tainted thaumaturgy. Something was disturbingly familiar about it all, and no matter how she tried she couldn’t shake the feeling she’d been there before. It was like she’d glimpsed the entire scene in a dream or read about it in a book. Half-remembered details floated at the edge of her thoughts.
She sees the fold in the sky. The liquid mirror that isn’t there, a wavering reflection between worlds.
Kane motioned Black to move back. They retreated a few yards from the edge of the crater. Black signaled Ash that they were okay, and to stay put. She was glad Cross had taken the time to teach them all how to use the Southern Claw hand signals.
“
Ok, what the hell
is
that thing?” Kane asked her.
Ok, what the hell
is
that thing?” Kane asked her.
“
I have no idea. It reminds me of some of the technology we had in the prison…”
I have no idea. It reminds me of some of the technology we had in the prison…”
“
That Crujian shit?”
That Crujian shit?”
Black nodded.
“
But not
exactly
like it,” she added. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s some bastardized version of Sorn tech.” They heard the engine churn and the clawed legs grind and clang.
But not
exactly
like it,” she added. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s some bastardized version of Sorn tech.” They heard the engine churn and the clawed legs grind and clang.
“
What are they looking for?” Kane wondered out loud.
What are they looking for?” Kane wondered out loud.
Black checked her compass and pulled out the hand-drawn map they’d made of the area, which had the coordinates for the excavation site.
“
Well, that’s what we’re here to find out,” she said. She checked and double-checked her readings against the map. “This is definitely the spot.”
Well, that’s what we’re here to find out,” she said. She checked and double-checked her readings against the map. “This is definitely the spot.”
Kane cursed under his breath.
“
Where the hell is Cross?”
Where the hell is Cross?”
“
He’s alone. He may have found a way to sneak inside.” Black bit her lip as she mulled things over. “We’ll have to do the same. But not from this direction.”
He’s alone. He may have found a way to sneak inside.” Black bit her lip as she mulled things over. “We’ll have to do the same. But not from this direction.”
She looked around. They were out of sight of the men down in the crater, but any sentries in the forest or down at the waters would be able to spot them easily.
“
We need to get everyone out of sight,” she said. “I think our best bet is to approach through the trees.”
We need to get everyone out of sight,” she said. “I think our best bet is to approach through the trees.”
“
Danica…have I told you this sucks?”
Danica…have I told you this sucks?”
“
Yeah. You mentioned it.”
Yeah. You mentioned it.”
“
We lost our ship, we lost Grissom, we have no clue what the hell it is we’re going up against…and still no Cross.”
We lost our ship, we lost Grissom, we have no clue what the hell it is we’re going up against…and still no Cross.”
Kane pounded his fist in the dirt. He looked as exhausted as she felt. Her back and head ached from days of travel. Life had become decidedly more physically taxing ever since she’d met Cross, not to mention infinitely more difficult.
And yet here you are. Because you know you’re better off with them. Stop fighting it.
“
God damn it…” Kane said again.
God damn it…” Kane said again.
“
Are you
done
?” she barked quietly. “Because if you don’t mind, I’d like to get moving. Cross is here somewhere – maybe down in those tunnels, or maybe he’s not hiding, like we thought, but he’s a prisoner – and I’d like to find him before it’s too late. We’re not going to get any of that done with you moaning.” She was ready to bark at him to move, to command him, but she remembered doing that to him before, back when he’d had no choice but to obey her. She didn’t want to go there. She was trying her best to erase that dynamic from their relationship.
Are you
done
?” she barked quietly. “Because if you don’t mind, I’d like to get moving. Cross is here somewhere – maybe down in those tunnels, or maybe he’s not hiding, like we thought, but he’s a prisoner – and I’d like to find him before it’s too late. We’re not going to get any of that done with you moaning.” She was ready to bark at him to move, to command him, but she remembered doing that to him before, back when he’d had no choice but to obey her. She didn’t want to go there. She was trying her best to erase that dynamic from their relationship.
She took a breath.
“
Mike,” she said quietly. “Come on. Eric needs our help.”
Mike,” she said quietly. “Come on. Eric needs our help.”
Kane stared at the ground.
“
This sucks, Dani,” he said. He had never looked so haggard. Kane looked as if he hadn’t slept for days: his eyes were shallow and red, and he looked ten years older than he actually was. It was getting to him, all of it. She had no idea he’d taken Cross’ vanishing and Grissom’s death so hard.
This sucks, Dani,” he said. He had never looked so haggard. Kane looked as if he hadn’t slept for days: his eyes were shallow and red, and he looked ten years older than he actually was. It was getting to him, all of it. She had no idea he’d taken Cross’ vanishing and Grissom’s death so hard.
He’s taking it
at least as hard as I am. I’m just better at hiding it.
at least as hard as I am. I’m just better at hiding it.
“
I know,” she said. “I know. But we have to make it better now. We can’t just sit here and wait for things to fix themselves. We have to move.”
I know,” she said. “I know. But we have to make it better now. We can’t just sit here and wait for things to fix themselves. We have to move.”
Kane looked at her, and then back at the team. Ronan motioned and mouthed
what the fuck?
at them.
what the fuck?
at them.
“
I’m scared shitless, Dani,” Kane said. “I keep thinking about Ekko. I remember…what it felt like to lose her…” Tears welled up in his eyes, and he angrily clenched his teeth.
I’m scared shitless, Dani,” Kane said. “I keep thinking about Ekko. I remember…what it felt like to lose her…” Tears welled up in his eyes, and he angrily clenched his teeth.
She wanted so badly to tell him things would be all right. But she knew he’d never accept that. Not from her.
“
Focus,” she said. “Let’s do what we came here to do.”
Focus,” she said. “Let’s do what we came here to do.”
He nodded.
“
Hell yes,” he said. “Let’s do it.”
Hell yes,” he said. “Let’s do it.”
FOURTEEN
GATE
They moved through the forest as quickly and as quietly as they could.
Creasy took his leave. He had his own troubles to deal with back at Wolftown. Black offered to escort him back, but he refused, as they knew he would.
“
Good luck to you,” he told them. “Find your friend.”
Good luck to you,” he told them. “Find your friend.”
He left them after he helped them find a relatively safe route to the trees. That crater, he said, had been there long before Wolftown had ever been formed, and it was likely some sort of damage left over from The Black.
The team’s trek through the forest was anything but quiet. Mounds of dead leaves and cracked branches clogged the path, and spindly tree limbs and ancient logs made travel difficult. The forest floor beneath the canopy of dry leaves was grey and cold and littered with small holes and scorch marks. The trees extended as far as the eye could see to the east and north.
Black sent her spirit ahead to scout. Without a warlock, they were blind to nearby threats, but she hoped that her and Ash’s spirits could at least give them some sense of what lay in the distance, and the team would just have to stay on their toes.
Kane took the point, followed by Black, Ash and Maur, while Ronan brought up the rear. There was no question they’d miss Grissom’s artillery as soon as things turned heavy, but without him, the logical part of Black’s brain reasoned, they maybe had a better chance of staying stealthy, which in this situation could prove to be just what they needed.
You need him here. Don’t try to sugarcoat things, you bitch.
The frozen wind came at them hard and fast. Leaves flew across their path, and Black heard whispers through the dead forest, the long lost spirits of whatever life had been burned out of the region. The air was thick with the scent of wolf musk and animal droppings, and when the wind shifted and came from the west they smelled arcane industrial smoke from the crater, as well as an older scent, something like smelted iron and burning earth. They crouched low as they advanced and used the twisted undergrowth to mask their movement.
They came across hanged corpses that dangled from the trees. Their faces were bloated and purple, and their legs and hands had been chewed down to gristle that had dried in the winter chill. Their armor and clothing were of the city-state of Fane, and they looked recently dead.
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