Soulrazor (33 page)
Authors: Steven Montano
He sees Thornn, and the keep. He sees the crater and the dark edge of reality.
Another beat. His body trembles. The sky buckles and folds. For a moment, he fears it will tear, but it holds firm.
It is time.
He steps away and uses the blade to cut a swath in the ground, a cold rip through which his body falls.
He plummets into a dark void of formlessness. He no longer stands at the border of worlds where his home can be harmed.
I did it. I will die alone.
He finds himself over a vast sea.
He falls towards the Keep.
It looks different now. Perhaps it is years since he has last seen it. It is still unmanned and abandoned, a place forgotten in the pages of time. The sea is turgid and thick. He sees the horizon, impossibly far away. The shadow mist recedes. He sees the ground, not as distant as he’d thought, cold grey earth covered with green grass. Stones mark the beach. A small cottage waits in the distance.
He falls through the sky. Cold wind ripples through his hands and freezes his skin. His breaths come in short bursts as he plummets toward the ocean. There is no sound.
He is just above the waters when the darkness inside him finds its purpose. He feels a moment of peace – a memory of Snow as they stand at the edge of Thornn and look at the white apple on the tree – before the energies soundlessly consume him. He feels a burst of pain, like he is cut from within by a cold blade, but then it is over.
The blast tears him apart. He sees it at a distance, a spectator to his own doom.
Black dust strikes the surface of the waters and scatters on the waves. Rolling clouds of smoke silently race to the horizon and turn the sea black with heat.
The sound comes then, a virulent explosive wave, a thundering detonation. The water boils and erupts. The air turns brittle, cracks, and falls like dark rain.
Blazing pillars of ghost flame blast open the sky.
In moments, everything is gone. Somehow he still sees it, this distended destruction, this remote view of an end.
He is content with the knowledge that it didn’t happen the way Jennar had wanted it to…that nothing more than this remote and forgotten place is destroyed.
Thornn is safe.
The thought keeps his soul warm as it is swept away.
SEVENTEEN
WAKING
Falling. Out of a blood sky, and into a black sea. Traces of lightning cut through the air like varicose veins. Drifts of salt and kelp float on the surface of the water, derelict drifts on the greasy film.
She doesn’t remember landing, but suddenly she is there on the shore. She sinks to her knees in the blood red sand. The black keep looms over her.
It is not the same bastion on which she so recently did battle: this keep is in ruins, an ancient and hollow shell of what had stood here before. The mists have mostly cleared, but a few grey tendrils still cling to the crumbling walls like lost children.
The sea is sluggish and thick. The waves melt against the sharp bones that stand like jagged monuments at the edge of the beach, a perimeter of ancient teeth. Despite the proximity to the sea the air is strangely dry.
A dark ship drifts in the distance. The world sinks into the darkening sky. The water rises around her feet.
Bodies emerge from the water, bloated and dead, fixed to the sea by chains.
She is not afraid of them anymore. She already knows what she has to do.
Danica Black woke from a horrible dream. She was disoriented and weak, and for several minutes all she could do was hold her legs close to her chest and sit in bed while she shivered beneath the thin blankets. The air was still dark, as it was not yet dawn.
She woke with the sensation that something terrible was about to happen. She shook from head to toe. Her skin felt like it had been rubbed raw with ice.
The longer she sat there, the more she remembered, and realized what had happened.
A short time later, Black stood in the hospital headquarters of the Southern Claw. She’d always hated that place with a passion. Not only did it conjure memories of her time spent in the military prior to joining the ranks of The Revengers – a time of her life she’d have preferred to forget entirely – but the arcane wards set in and around the structure always set her spirit on edge, and she knew he’d be impossible to deal with for the rest of the day. Each spirit bore its own specific thaumaturgic frequency, and certain arcane defense measures disturbed a spirit’s equilibrium. It just so happened that the hospital’s defense grid resonated a thaumaturgic resonance that didn’t mesh well with
her
spirit: it disrupted him and made it difficult for him to retain any sort of stable form for more than a few minutes at a time. If she didn’t think it would have been dangerous to do so she’d have just cut him loose and let him roam the area, but she was afraid an unattached arcane spirit found so close to the Southern Claw headquarters would be mistaken for an undead threat, and be treated accordingly.
her
spirit: it disrupted him and made it difficult for him to retain any sort of stable form for more than a few minutes at a time. If she didn’t think it would have been dangerous to do so she’d have just cut him loose and let him roam the area, but she was afraid an unattached arcane spirit found so close to the Southern Claw headquarters would be mistaken for an undead threat, and be treated accordingly.
None of this would be a problem if Pike would get off his ass and just talk to me,
she thought bitterly.
I mean, I love to be kept waiting as much as the next girl, but come on…
she thought bitterly.
I mean, I love to be kept waiting as much as the next girl, but come on…
In all fairness, she’d come to his office without an appointment, and she hadn’t bothered to inform his aides as to the nature of her business. Going there at all with the source of her information was relatively insane, she’d decided, and she’d already almost left the hospital more than once. It was going to be difficult to convince Pike that he should raise the city defenses on account of a
feeling
she’d had, a fear based on a half-remembered dream.
feeling
she’d had, a fear based on a half-remembered dream.
If she’d been in his shoes, she’d have dismissed the idea without a second thought, especially considering how Pike felt about her. He rarely took any pains to mask his contempt for both her and Kane.
And if Laros shows up, they might just throw me in the brig out of pure spite. Yay.
The wide hallway was supported by thick sandstone columns wreathed in shadow. Tall Christian crosses had been bolted into the walls, and the windows were so darkly tinted it looked like dusk inside rather than dawn.
The entrance to the medical wing stood just across the hall. Black heard occasional moans or conversations between the doctors and nurses, and every now and again a distant cry of pain rang out.
A series of offices and meeting chambers sat at the other end of the chilly corridors. Each office was sealed off by a thick wooden door reinforced with iron.
Danica stood against the wall and marveled at how much dust there was. A pair of staff officers walked by and gave her a look, one of them unquestionably lustful. She smiled and looked away. She thought of Cole, and of Cross.
This is a waste of time. Pike will throw me out the second he hears what I have to say.
She closed her eyes. She couldn’t shake the feeling she’d woken with, that dread sensation.
If you don’t think they’ll believe you, then what are you doing here?
Because she knew she was right. She knew something was coming, and it was in her power to stop it.
If only she could convince Pike of that.
“
Sorry, Danica, but you’re going to have to repeat that.” Pike’s bemused expression and sarcastic tone were almost exactly the reaction she’d expected.
Sorry, Danica, but you’re going to have to repeat that.” Pike’s bemused expression and sarcastic tone were almost exactly the reaction she’d expected.
The grizzled officer lit a cigarillo, and offered one to Black. She’d technically quit smoking a few years ago, but whenever she went drinking she usually indulged herself, and since she knew Pike preferred smokers to non-smokers she accepted. The smoke burned her throat and scraped her lungs. Her gums ached from the acrid fumes.
“
Cross is gone,” she repeated. “He departed last night, but he left a warning: the Ebon Cities are going to attack.”
Cross is gone,” she repeated. “He departed last night, but he left a warning: the Ebon Cities are going to attack.”
“
And you decided to present this to me…casually?” Pike asked. “Obviously it wasn’t so urgent you had to come and see me before breakfast, eh?” Pike thought for a moment. “And just where is Cross getting this information?”
And you decided to present this to me…casually?” Pike asked. “Obviously it wasn’t so urgent you had to come and see me before breakfast, eh?” Pike thought for a moment. “And just where is Cross getting this information?”
“
It’s…complicated,” Black said. She hadn’t intended to lie to Pike like this, but using Cross as an excuse made a lot more sense that trying to convince the commander he should listen to her because she had a bad dream. “It has to do with the substance he fell into. It’s made him…temporally unstable.”
It’s…complicated,” Black said. She hadn’t intended to lie to Pike like this, but using Cross as an excuse made a lot more sense that trying to convince the commander he should listen to her because she had a bad dream. “It has to do with the substance he fell into. It’s made him…temporally unstable.”
“
Don’t you mean ‘temporarily unavailable’?”
Don’t you mean ‘temporarily unavailable’?”
“
I said what I meant.”
I said what I meant.”
Pike hesitated. She hoped Pike and Laros knew as much about the black blood as she thought they did, and that the recollection she had of an event that hadn’t even happened yet meant something…aside from the fact she was probably going insane. Either way, she’d find out soon.
Danica Black had become something of an expert at gauging the truthfulness in others. You had to be able to read people’s abilities to lie, to determine when someone let something slip, even if they themselves weren’t entirely sure of what that was.
Pike did that, just then. That moment’s hesitation, the half-second of recognition and surprise that crossed his face, told Danica she was right.
He isn’t surprised to hear about the temporal displacement properties. He’s surprised that
I
know about them.
I
know about them.
“
Enough beating around the bush,” Pike said. “What are you saying…exactly?”
Enough beating around the bush,” Pike said. “What are you saying…exactly?”
Danica took a drag off of the cigarillo, exhaled, and took a deep breath.
“
This afternoon, at approximately 1600 hours, the Ebon Cities will launch a major offensive against Thornn. The attack will come unbidden, and before any defenses are raised the vampires will penetrate the city walls.”
This afternoon, at approximately 1600 hours, the Ebon Cities will launch a major offensive against Thornn. The attack will come unbidden, and before any defenses are raised the vampires will penetrate the city walls.”
“
Now how in the hell…?”
Now how in the hell…?”
Danica ignored him, and continued.
“
I…
we
…are not sure how they’ll manage to get into Thornn undetected, especially with as many soldiers and Razorwings as they plan to bring, so the first thing we need to do – besides shore up our defenses and prepare for inner-city combat – is to see if we can’t determine if any cloaked vehicles are approaching.”
I…
we
…are not sure how they’ll manage to get into Thornn undetected, especially with as many soldiers and Razorwings as they plan to bring, so the first thing we need to do – besides shore up our defenses and prepare for inner-city combat – is to see if we can’t determine if any cloaked vehicles are approaching.”
Pike stared at her. She couldn’t tell if he was angry or just confused.
“
How do you know this?” he asked.
How do you know this?” he asked.
“
Cross,” she lied, but only partially. Because he
was
the reason she knew: if not for his leaving she wouldn’t have figured things out.
Cross,” she lied, but only partially. Because he
was
the reason she knew: if not for his leaving she wouldn’t have figured things out.
I don’t understand how this is possible, either
, she wanted to tell him.
I’m having memories of something that hasn’t happened yet, that
couldn’t
have happened yet.
, she wanted to tell him.
I’m having memories of something that hasn’t happened yet, that
couldn’t
have happened yet.
“
What do you mean?” he asked. “
How
can Cross know this?”
What do you mean?” he asked. “
How
can Cross know this?”
“
There’s also a bomb,” she explained. “But…that shouldn’t be a problem anymore. I think Cross will take care of that. Or…” she hesitated. “He already has. That’s how I’m here to tell you about this.”
There’s also a bomb,” she explained. “But…that shouldn’t be a problem anymore. I think Cross will take care of that. Or…” she hesitated. “He already has. That’s how I’m here to tell you about this.”
Pike laughed. Though he’d been taken aback, there was nothing in his eyes that told Black he didn’t believe her.
You know the black blood has temporal distortion qualities
, she thought.
So you can’t dismiss this. You can’t, because the only way that
I
could know about this is if I had some firsthand evidence. Like information about the future.
, she thought.
So you can’t dismiss this. You can’t, because the only way that
I
could know about this is if I had some firsthand evidence. Like information about the future.
“
Suppose I believe you,” Pike said quietly. “What’s your proof?”
Suppose I believe you,” Pike said quietly. “What’s your proof?”
Danica shook her head.
“
You’ve got me there,” she said. “All I can tell you is that if we’re not ready by 1600 hours, Thornn is going to be in a shitload of pain.” She stood up. “But that’s on you. This isn’t my city.” She turned to leave.
You’ve got me there,” she said. “All I can tell you is that if we’re not ready by 1600 hours, Thornn is going to be in a shitload of pain.” She stood up. “But that’s on you. This isn’t my city.” She turned to leave.
“
Where the hell are you going?” he barked.
Where the hell are you going?” he barked.
“
I have to go and save Cross,” she said. “I may only have a vague sense of what sort of trouble he’s in, but I do know he needs my help…maybe now more than ever.”
I have to go and save Cross,” she said. “I may only have a vague sense of what sort of trouble he’s in, but I do know he needs my help…maybe now more than ever.”
“
Wait,” Pike said. He pushed past her and closed the door. “Listen…I have no idea how you know what you know, but if you’re implying what I think you are…then I have something you need to see.”
Wait,” Pike said. He pushed past her and closed the door. “Listen…I have no idea how you know what you know, but if you’re implying what I think you are…then I have something you need to see.”
Pike went back behind his desk, an extraordinarily large metal table that looked like it had been dropped from the top of a tall building at least twice.
“
Lock the door,” he said.
Lock the door,” he said.
“
I’m not that kind of girl,” she said, half laughing. To her relief, Pike laughed too.
I’m not that kind of girl,” she said, half laughing. To her relief, Pike laughed too.
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