The Cypher (15 page)

“I’ll be close by,” Henri offered as he walked out to explore the city.

Tasha led Thomas to the other side of the room where a table was set up with two plastic chairs and a laptop. Bolswaithe kept a respectful distance.

Photographs of wall inscriptions sat on top of the table. Thomas had grown used to seeing every written word in English, but these words seemed to dance in front of his eyes.

“Can you read this?” Tasha sat down beside him.

Words slowly formed in his head. He wasn’t reading them as much as perceiving their meaning. “I think so.”

She gently pushed the laptop toward him. “Can you translate it here?” she asked.

“Tasha,” he said gathering courage. “There’s something I want to talk with you about.”

Tasha placed a finger on his lips. “I know,” she cooed. “They don’t get it, Thomas. They don’t understand me. They think an Elven heart is like that of a human, but we’re different. Our hearts don’t grow cold with age.” She leaned in and kissed him.

It wasn’t the first time Thomas had been kissed, but her lips were so soft it was electric. So different from the girls he’d been with in Ohio.

It felt so much more meaningful than even the first time he’d been kissed – the memory of sitting by the park after class in middle school with Roxanne Sawyer while they waited for their parents to pick them up. Her telling him how she was moving away to another town. His hesitation, and then, the hasty moment when she took the initiative and kissed him, not more than a peck on the lips, before running to her mother, who gave him a sour look. The next day, Roxanne evaded him and he was unsure of how to approach her. That continued until she left a week after that first kiss.

He never saw Roxanne again.

He vowed that with Tasha it would be different and he would have given anything for that kiss to go on forever, but Tasha pulled back slowly.

“We’ll make them understand, I promise,” Tasha whispered. “Together.” She picked up the photographs and placed them in front of him.

The words flowed into his mind. He tried to grasp the meaning of sentences at first, but it was easier if he just typed in word-by-word on the laptop. He had to backspace, and insert words, but the whole text seemed to be in disorder. Tasha remained by his side intently looking at the screen while Bolswaithe paced around the room.

About two hours later, Thomas leaned back on his chair. He wiped his brow with the back of his hand. Translating the Wraith symbols had taxed him in a different way than other texts he’d read. They were a chant or hymn about an ancient God, and the names mentioned in the chants were difficult and almost unnatural to pronounce.

He read it one last time from beginning to end, making sure that it seemed correct before looking at Tasha. “Done” he said. Her eyes were red from reading the computer screen.

“Print it, please,” she said wiping her eyes and standing next to the little printer. She pulled greedily on the paper once the computer printout finished.

“It’s just an old chant,” he told her while she read the paper twice. She turned her back to him, then crumpled the papers in her hand. “What do you want this for?” Thomas asked. He was more interested in continuing their chat about their future than in old inscriptions, but she coughed twice and remained silent for a moment.

“It’s about power…” she finally said.

She turned around; her eyes were red and two streaks of black tears ran down her cheeks. Her beautiful face had contorted into a grimace, and Thomas felt a tingling sensation as she held up a hand. A ball of crackling black lightning formed on her palm. “Absolute power,” she said in a deep, distorted voice.

Bolswaithe lunged at her, but the ball in her hand exploded and she vanished.

The room went dark.

“Thomas! Thomas!” Tony’s light-rifle lit up the room. The only other sources of light were the burning photographs Thomas had been working on.

“I’m here!” Thomas stood up from behind the chair. The techs and Bolswaithe turned on their own light-rifles. Bolswaithe’s hair and face were singed by Tasha’s magic. Had he been human instead of machine, he’d probably be in a lot of pain.

The female tech used a fire extinguisher on the burning papers. The laptop and the printer that had been the target of Tasha’s attack were half melted over the table.

“You okay, Bolsy?” Tony checked on Bolswaithe after seeing Thomas safe and sound. He tried to comb the butler’s singed hair. He held up his hand in front of the butler’s face. “How many fingers, buddy?”

The situation might have been comical if Tony’s concern hadn’t been so real. Thomas remembered that he didn’t know that Bolswaithe was a robot.

Bolswaithe gently pushed Tony’s hand down; his own hand trembled a little. “I’m quite all right, sir,” he said laconically. “And please call me by my full name.”

“Sure, Bolswaithe,” Tony said. “You’re a tough cookie, you know?” Tony gave Thomas a worried stare. “Stay with him, Thomas.”

“The magic interfered with the electrical feed,” a male technician said. “The effect should dissipate in a short time.”

“What happened?” Henri entered the room scanning the corners.

“Tasha went mad,” Thomas said as he picked up a half-burnt photograph. “I translated these photos and she went mad by reading them.”

“And how do you feel?” Bolswaithe picked up another photograph. His movements seemed erratic.

“I’m fine,” Thomas told them. “They aren’t as easy to read as other things, but I wasn’t affected at all.”

“Where’d you take these pictures?” Tony showed the techs the half-burnt photos.

“On the altar by the largest central spire,” a girl answered. “On the other side of the chasm.”

“We should get out of here,” Tony said.

Suddenly, a scream was heard. “Wraith sign!” the male tech yelled pointing his light-rifle at a corner. A dark spot that wouldn’t fade with the light began to grow out from the middle of the angle.

The tech fumbled with the dial on his light-rifle, but before he could get the right frequency, half a dozen creatures emerged from the rift.

The creatures were dented spheres covered with suckled tentacles. Dark, greedy eye-slits opened along the slimy tentacles, and a mouth with row-upon-row of serrated teeth burst open from the middle of their bodies. They latched themselves over the doomed technician and there was just a muffled cry as they consumed him, grinding his bones in their jaws.

“I got these ones!” Tony yelled pointing his gun at the creatures. The gun cycled and then locked on a yellow light stream and ashes filled the room as the creatures vaporized.

Henri had a more direct approach – he closed in on another corner of the room were a rift was forming and waited for the creatures to emerge. They exploded under his claws as soon as they came out from the rift.

“The lights are coming back!” the female technician screamed. The reflectors and bulbs flickered to life. She moved a dial and the whole room was bathed in yellow light. Hisses of pain came from the creatures as the rifts began to close. The ones already inside the room turned to ash upon exposure to the light.

The computer turned on, and Thomas saw a figure standing inside the room of insects. He couldn’t see the face of the person, but only a Cypher could understand the sign, and the only other Cypher was his grandfather.

“More incoming!” Henri yelled from the door. He peeked outside and saw more creatures running through the streets. The creatures stopped short of the lights outside, testing them with their tentacles, and letting out grunts of pain when the light vaporized their skin. Soon, the entire trail was surrounded with creatures.

“Take the right side!” Tony screamed to the female tech as he stepped outside with the Gatling gun and began firing on the approaching creatures. Shrieks of pain echoed throughout the city.

Bolswaithe reclined against a chair. As Thomas held him, he could feel the butler’s arms trembling and heard the soft whirring of mechanisms when he helped him to sit down.

“I’m mostly shielded from Magic,” Bolswaithe whispered, “but some systems need rebooting, and I need to contact the Doctor.” His eyes glazed over as he became rigid.

With Bolswaithe out of commission and Tony and Henri covering the entrances, there was only one thing Thomas could do.

“Let’s go, Thomas,” Tony called but there was no answer. “Thomas!” he looked back into the room but he only saw Bolswaithe. The Butler was still frozen in place.

The Other Cypher

The tunnel walls were cold to the touch and completely smooth, and Thomas remembered that Tasha had drilled it out with a laser beam. The wall vibrated softly under his fingers as he walked through the tunnel.

The tunnel opened into a larger chamber; Tasha’s reflectors illuminated the room completely. Three of the walls were covered in strange depictions of creatures with short, stubby wings and tentacles where their eyes should be. The far side wall was completely covered by moving white insects.

The man Thomas had seen on the screen was standing right in front of the moving, insect wall.

As soon as Thomas entered the room, the insects abruptly stopped their movements and fell down from the wall. They scurried from the floor or over the walls, disappearing into tiny cracks and seams.

Thomas hesitated. “Gramps?” he called out. He was about to hug him when he realized that the man was too young to be his Grandfather.

The man finally turned around, and instantly, Thomas attacked with a high kick directly at his head. The man ducked and Thomas followed with a kick to the torso, which he connected with all his strength.

The moment his leg made contact, a flood of feelings and memories seemed to explode in his head.

Tranquility, then movement, muffled voices, like those heard when swimming underwater. Then hunger and fear, followed by peace and happiness, all in utter darkness. They were sharp and clear, and felt like memories, but they weren’t his own.

They lasted just a fraction of a second but were seared on his brain.

The man fell backward holding his stomach. He was dressed in brown leather from head to toe in medieval style clothing. Thomas recognized the symbol of the Azure Legion in the blue and black medallion hanging from a chain around his neck.

“What the hell was that?” the man yelled rubbing his head. He was in his early thirties and didn’t look that much older than Tony.

Thomas stood over the man, ready to kick him again if he made a sudden move. “Where’s my Grandpa?” he yelled.

The man groaned. “Your teacher wasn’t kidding when he said that you kick like a mule.”

Thomas leaned over the man ready to punch him. His voice and face were eerily familiar.

“Where’s Morgan Byrne?” Thomas demanded. “What have you done with him?”

The man held both of his hands up. “It’s me,” he said. “Don’t you recognize me?”

Thomas stepped away, confused. He sounded like grandpa, but he couldn’t be. “Where is he?” he yelled again ready to punch. He tried to remember the pictures his grandpa had shown from his wedding and days in the army.

“It’s me, I tell you!” The man stared at him and Thomas recognized the eyes of his grandfather. The soft look in his gray eyes. It had to be his grandfather.

“It’s really me, Tom.” The way he said his name left no doubt that this man was really his grandpa, only forty years younger.

Morgan stood up supporting himself with a hand. “I could tell you a thousand stories from when you were a baby to convince you.”

Thomas walked backwards; he couldn’t overcome the shock of seeing his grandfather like this. He wanted to hug his grandfather, but this just felt wrong. From the far side of the room, three figures clad in blue and black armor stepped into the light. Two of them looked like elves – their faces were covered with intricate green and blue tattoos and their eyes were rimmed with kohl. The third one was a mountain lion faun; he held a long lance and his eyes were bright yellow.

“What have they done to you?”

Morgan smiled and opened his arms. “Isn’t it wonderful?” he said. “I’ve been given a wonderful gift by my new friends.”

“Your friend’s the Warmaster?”

“That’s what Franco and his minions call him, but he’s not interested in war. Guardians Inc. and The Council of Twilight is the real enemy, Tom. They are the ones we should be opposing. They’re the ones killing nature. The world is dying because of them. Humanity has gone mad and they’re the ringleaders.”

“You can’t really believe that.” Thomas stepped back.

“Why not? Look at me!” Morgan opened his arms. “He’s given me purpose. A whole new life!”

The warriors closed in on Morgan, keeping their hands close to their weapons.

“And what are you giving in return, Grandpa?”

“I have this power, Tom,” Morgan said stepping closer. “I know you have it too, and we can change the world with it.”

“He’ll destroy us,” Thomas said. “Humans are not creatures of Magic. Has he told you what will happen to the world if we give him the Book?”

“That’s another lie!” Morgan yelled. “Look at me! There’ll be no more sickness! No more death once we set things right. The world will be a magical place again.” Morgan extended a hand. “Help us, Tom. Come with us. Just talk with him. That’s all I ask.”

“With the Warmaster?”

“Yes,” Morgan offered his hand again. “He’s not what you’ve been led to believe.”

“No,” Thomas said stepping closer to the tunnel. He’d seen what Wraith Magic had done to Tasha’s Kingdom; he’d been attacked by its creatures. Magic itself couldn’t stop the Wraiths. Even the elves had accepted that only technology and humans could save the world as they knew it. “They’re lying to you, gramps,” he said. “He tried to kill me, has he told you that? He sent monsters to kill me at home.”

“It wasn’t him, Tom, they…” Morgan pointed back at the Azure Guards, “they saved me from those creatures! We were coming back for you.”

Thomas stepped away. It was too much to take in. Who was lying and what was real? How could gramps have fallen to the Warmaster? All the things he’d learned at the mansion told him that the Guardians watched over humanity.

“You do what you feel is right,”
Gramps and his father always told him.

He thought about Tony, Henri, Bolswaithe, Doctor Franco, and the Guardians – what they did and what they stood for, and it felt right.

He was one of them and he couldn’t betray them.

“I’m sorry Gramps,” he said turning around toward the tunnel.

The room shook violently and ancient dust fell from the roof. A crack formed on one of the walls and Thomas lost his footing.

One of the azure guards pulled out a hand crossbow and pointed it at Thomas. “We have to go now, Cypher,” he said to Morgan.

Morgan stepped in front of the crossbow.

Thomas paused. He saw the guard take a hard breath, measuring Morgan’s resolve. The mountain lion faun jumped forward with a roar. As he passed close to Morgan, he grabbed the faun’s arm. “I’ll put you down myself,” Morgan told the mountain lion. The faun bared his fangs, but stepped back.

“He’s my grandson.” Morgan told the warrior with the crossbow.

“He’s the enemy,” the warrior said, but Morgan didn’t flinch. The warrior lowered his crossbow throwing a last glance of disdain toward Thomas. The third Azure guard approached the wall behind them and a blue rift opened on the obsidian.

Thomas stood up and ran toward the tunnel’s entrance.

“Come on, Tom! Give us a chance!” Morgan pleaded. “Give me a chance!” but Thomas was already scrambling at the tunnel’s opening. The obsidian walls were cracking up and shards of rock cut his knees and hands. Thomas turned around with tears in his eyes and shook his head.

“It doesn’t feel right, Gramps!” he yelled.

Morgan lowered his eyes. For a moment, Thomas saw pride swelling in his grandfathers’ eyes.

Morgan nodded at him with a knowing smile. “I love you, Tom! Don’t forget!” he said as the mountain lion faun pulled him away from the falling debris and toward the rift.

Thomas looked away and ran through the tunnel as Ormagra violently shook. He had to scramble over sharp obsidian rocks that had broken from the walls. He heard Morgan calling out his love for him again before the tunnel behind him collapsed.

“We have to leave quickly,” Bolswaithe said as he pulled Thomas from the tunnel. He had recovered completely and was now in full guardian mode. The lights in the room were flickering and the computers were short-circuiting on the floor. “The Doctor is waiting for us.”

“Run!” Tony was shouting from the entrance of the room. He waited until Thomas and Bolswaithe passed in front of him.

“The whole city is crumbling down!” Tony yelled. The structures and floors were cracking up. Whole sections of the city were falling into the chasm.

“It’s coming to life,” Bolswaithe yelled back. “Tasha’s doing.” He pointed at the other side of the chasm. Tasha was chanting in front of the statue of a huge tentacle-laden beast. A sickly-green glow emanated from the statue and the structures surrounding it began to glow. They ran as fast as they could through the crumbling city. At least the little creatures had disappeared, but the glow spread over the streets and buildings.

The tech running in front of Thomas yelled as one of the statues came to life and grabbed her with a tentacle. Tony fumbled with his gun as the statue pulled the tech toward its mouth.

Henri flew in from the side and broke the tentacle with his hands, saving the tech from being crushed. He lifted the reanimating statue and threw it into the chasm.

The flickering lights finally gave out, but the glow had become so intense that they could still see as they ran through the scaffolds and ledges. Henri flew in front, destroying any statue that was in their way before they could come back to life. They reached the entrance of the city and found Doctor Franco and Elise behind the statue of Perseus. The army they had prepared at the mansion was already setting up in the cave. At least a hundred men and fauns in full combat armor were forming a fire line against the city’s entrance.

Doctor Franco waved at them from behind the fire line. A commander was relaying orders by their side.

“What’s the situation?” he asked Thomas once they crossed behind the fire line.

“It’s Tasha,” Thomas told him. “She’s waking up the city.”

“King Seryaan was right.” Elise said. “She’s been corrupted.”

“I thought you were going to Guatemala” Tony locked in a fresh battery pack for
The Painless
with a slap.

“A ruse.” The Doctor answered. “We’ve suspected Tasha of being unstable for some time now, the crisis in Guatemala was too convenient. The King went to Ixkun and we followed you here,” the Doctor told him. “Now we know what she was planning. She’s calling on an ancient evil.” The Doctor stepped by the side of the statue. The entrance of Ormagra was alight with the green glow. “She doesn’t know what she’s doing.”

“Hold positions!” the commander yelled and moved forward toward the line. “Ready weapons!”

Strange creatures silhouetted against the glow. Their movements weaved a sickening dance as they approached them, and the entrance filled with unnatural groans and the sound of shoveling appendages.

A wave of monsters stood before them, mouths filled with translucent teeth, horns ringed with barbs and black malevolent eyes sprouted from stalks and along the glistening bodies of the Wraith.

For a second the creatures stopped, and then turned their eyes toward Ormagra. With deliberate steps Tasha walked among them, her eyes had turned as black and featureless as those of the Wraith and dark streaks of oily tears ran down over her cheeks. The creatures opened a path for her to walk through and extended their appendages towards her. With a wicked smile she extended her hands in turn towards them, as if they were her pets, her children.

“Tasha!” Thomas called out for her, maybe there was still hope.

Tasha twitched, as if startled by a distant thunder. She looked towards Thomas and the creatures followed her movements.

“Tasha” Thomas repeated and Tasha gave him a glare full of hatred, she lifted her hand and a sphere of dark energy formed on her palm.

Tony had seen enough.

“Sorry Thomas.” He said and opened fire directly at Tasha. The beam of light struck her hand peeling off dark ash as the sphere exploded right by her side charring off her clothing and hair.

She let out a cry of pain and anger and the creatures began to race towards them.

“Open fire!” the Doctor yelled pulling Thomas towards the statue.

A hundred streams of light pierced the glow, turning the creatures’ grunts into shrieks of pain. A stream of ashes from the vaporizing creatures obscured the tunnel.

A creature with leathery wings flew through the barrage, Henri intercepted it mid-air and brought it down in front of the fire line, he grabbed a maw that formed right on the torso of the creature and pulled it apart until it broke and the creature’s tentacles stopped moving.

Tony changed the mode on his weapon and let out a wide stream of light above the line, hitting three more of the flying creatures. The soldiers finished them once they hit the ground and they exploded in a half-ash, half-dark oil cloud.

The ash cloud reached them and still the creatures kept coming, their field of vision diminished.

“Keep firing!” the Doctor yelled as the sound of the approaching Wraith grew stronger. “Hold the line!”

A crackling ray of black electricity came through the cloud of debris striking down soldiers and opening a gap in the light defense.

Thomas saw the silhouette of the elf coming through the cloud. Tasha was now taking command of her new army and leading the charge.

Thomas knew it was her, although she had transformed into a ghoulish apparition. Her eyes had sunken into her skull and her arms and hands had thinned and grown so much that her claws touched the ground as she walked. Her face had elongated and her mouth was open in a grimace of anger. She wouldn’t be able to speak again — her teeth had become translucent tusks and her throat had bulged over her chest. Only yellow strands of hair and pieces of her clothing remained of her former self.

With a guttural grunt, Tasha pointed at Thomas. A stream of black energy shot out from her claws, but it was stopped by a brilliant blue shield of energy.

Elise stepped in front of Thomas speaking in Elven. In front of her, the shield she had conjured grew brighter as the dark energy intensified.

Henri lunged at Tasha, he flew over the creatures directly at her, but she switched her attack from Elise towards him and the dark energy seemed to grab him, then throw him to the side. Henri crashed among the creatures and they piled on top of him. They saw his arms moving relentlessly flinging and punching at them but there were just too many of them and he was smothered under the monsters.