Valkeryn 2: The Dark Lands (31 page)

Grimson bared his teeth, growling, determined to go down in some sort of impossible fight to ensure his path across the rainbow bridge to Valhalla.

Arn felt his legs shaking, and he knew the giant worm would soon topple over to envelop them in its tooth-lined maw. He braced himself to push Grimson.

‘Shut your eyes, Grim.’

Grimson stared hard at the column of muscle. ‘Never. I will tear a hole right through it.’ He bared his teeth and made a futile effort to work his arms free.

Grim’s defiance made Arn feel his own courage surge. He grinned down at the youth. ‘You’re the bravest friend I’ve ever known.’

The beast began to bend and the tribe cheered. The star light faded in its shadow as the huge thing descended upon them in agonizing slow motion, as though it knew there was no rush since its prey was bound.

Grimson backed into him and he felt the youth reach out with his bound hands to grab Arn’s hands and hold on tight. Arn sucked in a deep breath and stared straight ahead.
I’m coming grandfather
, he thought as his shoulders hunched waiting for the end.

‘See you in Valhalla.’ Grim whispered.

He couldn’t help it – he closed his eyes. But instead of being enveloped in darkness, there was a blinding white explosion above their heads, and gobbets of flesh rained down on them. 

Sorenson burst into the clearing, his arms wide. The adult Wolfen stood nearly seven feet tall and was a giant to the little brown warriors. He turned to the chattering Panina, his eyes wide and furious and roared again. Spears were dropped and they screamed like their tree-dwelling forefathers, and disappeared into the jungle. The Wolfen turned and began ripping the ropes away from Arn and Grimson’s hands.

Arn’s mouth dropped open; a group of soldiers, human soldiers, entered the clearing, guns pointed at the headless Wyrmragon who was gradually being dragged down into the pit its own dead weight. One of the men pushed his rifle up over his shoulder, pulled off a fingerless glove and held out his hand.

‘Arnold Singer, I presume?’ The man tilted his head, looking up at Arn. ‘You’re a hell of a lot bigger than I was led to believe.’

Arn grabbed the hand and shook it. ‘Yes, yes. I’m Singer, Arnold Singer.’ Arn grinned and felt like exploding into laughter.

Sorenson embraced them both, but then released Arn so he could talk to Grimson. The huge Wolfen knelt before the Valkeryn prince, and lowered his head. ‘My sword for you, sire.’

Grimson reached out, laying a hand on his shoulder. ‘Mighty Sorenson, son of Stromgard, defender of Valkeryn, rise up.’

Sorenson got to his feet, and looked to the heavens. He raised both fists. ‘Yes!’ His voice echoed in the quiet clearing. ‘Thank you, Odin, father of us all.’ He turned around and gra
bbed Arn in a huge hug. ‘And thank you, Arnoddr for looking after the heir of Valkeryn. I am in your debt.’ He sniffed at Arn. ‘Strange, you smell less like a Man-Kind and more like a Valkeryn born every day.’

The Delta soldiers then crowded in around Arn, slapping his back or shaking his hand, as they introduced themselves. The one called Teacher did most of the talking.

‘Okay son, your part of the puzzle is now solved. Now for the other part – where’s the laser acceleration diamond?’

Arn was a little taken aback by the change in the man. He thought for a second or two. ‘I… had it, but now it’s gone.’

‘Say again – you lost it?’ Brown shook his head. ‘We need the diamond not the kid.’

‘Shut it, soldier.’ Teacher turned back to Arn. ‘Did you lose it… where?’

‘No, I didn’t lose it. But it might as well be lost. Mogahrr has it – the queen of the Panterran. I think you better forget it.’

Teacher exhaled slowly through his nose. ‘Can’t do that. To be blunt, we retrieve it, or our world is destroyed. End of story.’

Arn looked to Sorenson. ‘She has an army, and she has the Lygon with her.’

The Wolfen nodded slowly. ‘It’s true. It would be an enjoyable but useless attack.’

‘Got to try it.’ Teacher shook his head and paced away. He stopped and looked up at the sky, his lips drawn back and his teeth clenched for a moment before yelling, ‘Goddammit, can nothing be easy here?’

He rubbed one hand up through his hair. ‘We don’t have time for reinforcements. We need something, right here, right now.’

The Deltas threw in options – all centered on d
ifferent forms of attack on the castle. Teacher rejected each – their ammunition would run out long before their enemy’s would.

Silence hung in the clearing for a few moments before Arn suddenly had a thought. ‘This is a long shot, but… it is one of the reasons I came here.’ He pulled out the scrap of map that showed the military insignia. ‘It must still exist because the king recognized it… and so do I – isn’t it some sort of military bunker?’

Teacher took it from Arn, and turned it around. He began to smile. ‘Oh yeah, this’ll do just fine – weapon’s research and storage. If it can be opened, and if everything hasn’t turned to dust, and if we can find it… then I want in.’

He handed the map back to Arn. ‘Lot of ifs, but it’s the best – only – option we got.’ He spun a finger in the air. ‘Okay people; let’s go have a chat to the King.’

*

Several of the Panina warriors lay on the ground, bullet wounds to their bodies. The flow of spears, rocks, branches, fruit, and anything else that could be flung down at them had quickly ceased after the first round of the soldier’s bullets.

Simiana came out to them first, walking calmly towards Arn and the Deltas. ‘King Troglan wishes to cease hostilities. Your leader may enter… but just your leader.’ She motioned up towards the treetops and the structures nestling in amongst the boughs of the massive banyan trees.

Teacher loaded a grenade and fired it off into the jungle. The explosion made Simiana shriek, and a new round of chatting poured forth from the canopy above them. He turned to her.

‘Listen miss; I can see your warriors all crammed in there as plain as day. We’re running out of time and patience. Tell the king to get down here now, or the next one will be into his window.’ He loaded another grenade into the under-chamber.

Simiana stood with her shoulders hunched, lips pulled back and teeth clamped together. Her eyes darted and she reminded Arn of those pictures of frightened chimpanzees – all teeth and rolling eyes.

Simiana looked to the king’s residence, to Teacher and then back again. She nodded jerkily.

‘I will speak to my father.’

‘Two minutes… Troglan comes down, or I blow him down.’ Teacher folded his arms, cradling the gun. He turned to his team. ‘Spread out; let’s make sure no one tries to make a dash along the upper limbs.’

The Deltas formed a large circle under the largest trees, their eyes moving between the branches, the houses nestled in amongst them, and Simiana ascending.

It only took a few minutes before the King was lowered down to the ground on his wooden elevator. More platforms filled with warriors descended, but Teacher casually lifted the muzzle of his gun, and waved them away.

While Sorenson talked quietly with Grimson, Arn and Teacher stood with the king and Simiana at a table made from the fallen stump of a giant tree. Arn had the ancient map spread flat, his finger jabbing at the fist holding the lightning bolt.

‘This… I know you’ve seen it before. Where is it?’

Troglan shrugged with a casualness that was betrayed by his furtive glances. ‘Maybe I have seen it. But I need help remembering the details. Is there something you could give me to assist?’ His eyes slid to Teacher’s rifle.

Teacher’s teeth ground for a second. ‘How about we give you the gift of your own life… and perhaps a beating to remind you of how tenuous your hold on it is at the moment?’ Teacher leaned in close to the king, and spoke slowly. ‘Tell us what you know, or things are about to get real messy for you.’

‘I am King Troglan, and…’

Teacher half turned. ‘Brown.’ The large Delta pushed his rifle up over his shoulder and tugged at his ceramic plated gloves, smacking one fist into the other. Teacher seemed to think about it, and held up his hand to the big Delta. ‘Got a better idea… Sorenson.’

The huge Wolfen turned from Grimson and Teacher nodded towards the king. Sorenson summed up the situation immediately, and leapt the dozen feet between them, lifting Troglan and baring his teeth inches from the little man’s face. The king’s feet dangled in the air and Simiana grabbed at the huge beast’s arms.

‘Evil, disrespectful beings. He is our king.’ Teacher simply shrugged, so she turned to Arn.

‘Please, you were our guest. We meant you no harm.’

Arn scoffed. ‘We were worm food, and you were cheering it on.’ Arn tapped the symbol on the paper. ‘Where?’

Teacher cursed, stepping forward. ‘Where… the hell… is… it?’ His eyes were furious as he banged his fist down on the table. Sorenson roared again into the King’s face and shook his body.

Troglan held up a hand. ‘I… I think I remember now.’

Teacher grunted and waved Sorenson off. Troglan was lowered to the ground, but Sorenson kept one large, clawed hand on his shoulder.

‘The steel caves can be found at the place where the ground sinks. About half days march from here.’ The King looked up at the trees.

Teacher nodded. ‘Not so hard now, was it?’ He circled his finger in the air, and the Delta’s started to form up. Troglan looked back up into the trees and whispered to Simiana as she took his arm.

Teacher grabbed the ape king from her and shoved him forward. ‘You’re coming too – insurance. Let’s go.’

*

Sorenson sniffed the air. ‘Metal.’

‘Yes.’ Arn sniffed, also noticing the slight tang of corrosion. The same odor you detect when approaching a shipyard or anywhere a large amount of iron is left exposed to the air.

They pushed through the last few feet of jungle, and the King stopped. ‘I will go no further.’

Teacher held up his hand, and the team spread out a few extra yards. There was a rocky hill and facing them was a small cave mouth, about a hundred feet away, across an empty piece of land. Huge branches grew over the top creating an enclosed clearing. Strange, circular depressions covered its surface.

Alison Sharp lifted her rifle. ‘More worms?’

‘Maybe not. The King said something about, where the land sinks. Might be sinkholes.’ Teacher reached into a pocket and pulled out a small plastic cylinder. He bent it at the middle, shook it, and then tossed it forward. The small rod glowed brightly, travelled through the air like a tiny comet and fell at the edge of one of the depressions. It rolled down to the bottom, and then quickly disappeared below the sliding earth.

‘Yep, sink holes, and if they’re still sucking dirt then it means the storage facilities haven’t totally filled yet. These storage chambers go down six stories. I think some sort of ground movement has torn a hole into one of the levels and the earth is pouring in. Also exposing some of the technology to the air – that’s what we can smell.

Teacher turned to the king. ‘The insignia is not visible for here, so you must have been inside the cave. That means you get to show us the safe path across the field.’

Troglan looked up at Teacher, his face unreadable, but a hint of a smile touched his lips. ‘My daughter stays here. I will go first, but it has been many long seasons since I have crossed to the steel caves, so you must give me room.’ He turned back to the field, the smile still showing. ‘If I fall, I do not wish to drag you in.’

Behind them, Simiana backed up and then melted away into the jungle. Teacher gave the king a small shove.

‘After you, your highness.’

The king frowned at the push, but then after looking around at the Delta’s heavy kit, he grinned.  ‘Yes, you after me.’ He reached down and removed his moccasins, displaying splayed toes that were more like fingers.

He stepped out, carefully walking along the raised edges of the sinkholes, placing his hand-like feet on small flat green plants on the ridges. He moved slowly, with Teacher next, and most of the Deltas, followed by Grimson, Sorenson, and then Sharp at the rear.

The going was slow, with the King pausing from time to time. He would rub his chin, look to the left and right, and then upward as if trying to regain his bearings. He moved forward again along paths that were so narrow the Deltas had to walk arms-out, like on a tightrope.

Teacher half turned. ‘This whole area will subside soon. Be careful people, or you’ll end up six stories down, chewing several tons of dirt.’

When Teacher turned back, the King had put about ten feet between himself and the Deltas. They were at the very centre of the scarred landscape, when the king stopped. He kept his back turned.

‘Your weapons are truly mighty, but it is the jungle who is mightier… always mightier.’ He half turned his expression carrying both disdain and triumph.

Sorenson roared and Arn crouched, his eyes wide. ‘The Panina are here!’

There came an enormous thud from behind them as a huge stone dropped from the trees. They all spun, the Deltas with their weapons aimed. At that moment a vine dangled down from overhead, and the king grabbed it and climbed with an astonishing speed, using both his hands and feet.

‘Dammit.’ Teacher tried to aim, but Troglan had vanished into the canopy so quickly, it was if he never existed.

‘So much for our guide.’ Simms scanned the foliage with his scope.

‘Stay alert, people. Go to all quadrant defensive.’ Teacher watched the overhead foliage, while the Deltas faced the cardinal points of the compass.

There was stillness in the clearing, and Arn knew he was holding his breath.

‘Watch out.’ Sharp’s voice cut the silence and turning they saw another vine swinging out of the dark – this one ending in a large rock. Sharp fired a short burst, shattering the stone, and then together the Deltas let controlled bursts of rounds into the canopy from where the rock originated.

‘Cease fire. We can’t see a goddamn thing. Go to thermal.’ Teacher had to yell to be heard over the automatic fire, but immediately the guns cooled and each of the elite soldiers pulled single eye scopes down over their faces.