Valkeryn 2: The Dark Lands (37 page)

Vidarr urged them on to greater haste in the crawlspace – already their increased speed in the shrinking space made silence impossible. They froze as the pounding began. It was Balthazaar who first yelled at them for action, and they sprinted now, all pretence of maintaining silence gone.

Behind them, there was a huge explosion followed by the appearance of a shaft of light, and then a small head appeared, and was quickly withdrawn. Vidarr was becoming frantic in his urging, and Teacher grabbed Eilif, pushing her forward. He reached for Arn, but his hand never connected as the wall exploded inwards next to him, and an arm as thick as tree trunk smashed through to grab him around the neck. His entire body was dragged away, the CL suit protecting him as more of the ancient stones shattered as he was pulled through.

It was all a blur. Teacher suddenly found himself smashed to the ground, a giant foot planted on his chest. Looking up all he saw was a mountain of orange and black fur, and seemingly miles above it, a hammer that looked as big as a dining table.

Somewhere close by, a high-pitched voice screamed ‘Crush it, crush it,’ over and over. Teacher knew that even in the CL suit, there was no way his head could survive the blow.

He grabbed at the foot, but he might as well as been trying to twist a tree stump. He groaned as more weight was forced down upon him, making it impossible to draw a breath. He felt his
ribs start to buckle and small flashes of light went off in his head.

Above him the huge head leaned forward, the face the most ferocious thing he had ever seen. The eyes carried triumph within their green luminescence, but only for a moment. They were now widening in surprise – behind them both, the wall exploded outwards.

Arn landed onto the floor beside them, his CL suit enclosing his entire body and head. Then, landing lightly came Eilif and Grimson, teeth bared. At the sight of Arn and the Wolfen, the Panterran rushed from the chamber carrying Mogahrr like a hairless, stinking sack. Her yellow eyes were round with fear. .

The Lygon on Teacher’s chest shifted his weight, preparing for the killing blow – it was the break he was waiting for. Teacher made a fist, and a two-foot spike shot from the knuckles, which he immediately punched hard into the meat of the beast’s calf. With a mighty roar of pain, the Lygon threw itself backwards.

Arn came at another, long and curved dagger-like claws extending from the ends of his hands.

Teacher sat up, feeling his ribs grind. He watched Arn for a moment, marveling at the way he moved; light, and agile – not seeming human anymore.

Eilif and Grimson had picked up swords dropped by the departing Panterran, and attacked the  Lygon, inflicting a thousand stab wounds before it could even swing to meet them. The chaotic sounds, the pain and confusion, were too much for the few remaining beasts in the room, and they fell over each other as they stumbled out. Grimson slammed the heavy oak door and slid the huge crossbar down to brace it.

More explosions sounded from outside the castle, and from inside the destroyed throne room wall,
Vidarr called them back.

‘The final fight begins – we must be away… now!’

Chapter 35

Know Who You Face This Day

Alison Sharp touched her comm. button. ‘Running low on grenades. When they’re out, it’s gonna get real ugly real quick.’

Brown and Simms listened in, confirming they were in the same state. Brown laughed, his voice still calm amid the hurricane of explosions, and roars of anger and pain. ‘What? You expected to live forever?’

She grinned as she responded. ‘Only till you bought me that drink, you big ox.’ She fired another grenade into a knot of charging Lygon, satisfied to see the big bodies scatter like ten pins.

The attacks were slowing; the killing zone they had set up was effective in that it kept the smarter creatures at bay. The Lygon knew now that to move any closer meant being cut down or blown to pieces. They had stopped their advance, as one larger than the rest walked along their ranks to their rear, assembling them, organizing them into a military order. Panterran archers took up positions behind them.

‘This doesn’t look good.’ Sharp moved her finger along the line of bumps beside her eye lens, increasing magnification. ‘Seems brains is taking over from brawn.’

The giant beasts parted to allow a single enormous Lygon to move to the front: beside him was a smaller figure… a human figure.

‘Oh crap, that’s Briggs.’ Simms voice was more frustrated than annoyed.

‘Yep, and she’ll pinpoint us – direct their attacks, probably using some Special Forces formations. My bet is we’ll get a flying wedge under a cloud of arrows.’ Sharp fired a few armor-piercing rounds, but the group stayed just out of range.

‘Nothing we can do but wait.’

As she spoke, more and more Lygon and Panterran poured from the huge gates, before they were pulled closed once more.

Simms blew out air in exasperation. ‘For what – their entire army to arrive?’

‘Just until the Boss gets back. So, we dig in and hold the line.’ Sharp sighted on Briggs’ forehead, wishing she’d come just a little closer.

Brown grunted. ‘A thousand to one, or ten thousand to one, I don’t think it’s going to make any difference to us. Hope Teach had better luck.’

Sharp loaded her last grenade into the launcher. ‘Well, at least when they get in our faces we’ll get chance to try out this morph steel stuff.’ She made a fist, and small spikes appeared over it, like a mini mace.

‘Can’t wait.’ Brown laughed darkly.

Drums started a low throbbing beat. They gradually rose in tempo. Sharp looked along the ranks forming up in front of the castle. They started to reassemble: the massive bodies were now kitted out in heavy armor, with spikes and sharp edges – the Lygon battle armor. She swallowed and arranged her last few magazines on the soil close by.

Sharp looked from the ammunition to the Lygon, and then to where her comrades were dug in. She hailed them both and then stood. ‘You know what – why wait? They’re going to expect to run us down like a Mack truck over three squirrels. Let’s take the goddam party to them – give ‘em a Delta welcome they’ll remember for the rest of their lives.’

‘Simms laughed out loud and stood. ‘Why not – we get to choose how we finish this.’

Brown rose. ‘I like it. You call it beautiful.’

Alison Sharp screwed her eyes shut for a moment, and then looked skyward. The moon had finally risen, she looked into its face – so much closer, half filling the sky and lighting the churned and bloody field before her. A surge ran through her as she sucked in a huge breath.

‘On my mark. Five… four… three… two… one…
mark
.‘

*

Vidarr peered through another crack in the wall, spending several minutes moving his eye over several different angles, and then placed his ear to the hole. Satisfied, he turned and nodded, and then pushed open another secret door. They were in a dusty storeroom, packed with the ancient artworks, sculptures, and treasure of the Wolfen race.

‘I saved what I could.’ While Teacher watched, the old Wolfen started to take off robes, and he and Balthazaar donned armor, the snarling face of Fenrir on the steel chest plates.

Teacher took his arm, meaning to stop him, but the old Wolfen just shook his head. ‘All must fight – it is the Wolfen way.’

Eilif selected a bow and a long sword, pulling it from its scabbard and feeling its edge. She turned to Grimson and smiled. ‘Today is a good day to die.’

Grimson selected a sword of his own and held it up before his face. ‘And none shall weep for the battle fallen.’ Vidarr approached the pair with a large wrapped bundle and laid it before them.

‘I managed to save these as well.’

Together Eilif and Grim unwrapped the cloth – immediately the gleam of sliver caught the moon’s small reflection coming in through the key-hole windows.

“Yes.’ Grimson ran a hand over the royal Valkeryn armor. He placed his hand on the chest plate, covering the crest of Grimvaldr, his father.

‘Soon…’

Outside the drums were reaching a crescendo and Balthazaar went to peer through the slim window. ‘The charge is about to begin. I hope your forces can withstand them.’

Teacher shook his head. ‘There are no forces, only three like me… and I need to be with them.’

Vidarr’s face sagged. ‘Then it will be over soon.’

Eilif tightened a strap on her armor. ‘There are more than three, Teacher.’ She stood beside Arn, and put her hand on his shoulder. She turned to Becky and Edward, her eyes fierce.

‘All must fight.’

Becky wiped her eyes. ‘I don’t want to die. I can’t fight.’ She sobbed, but picked up a small sword and looked at Arn. ‘I’m doing this for you.’

Edward grabbed up a bow and arrow. ‘I think I could hit something.’

‘Good. Then let us hurry to our fate.’ Vidarr came back from the window, and opened the secret door. He paused, smiling. ‘… and perhaps to Valhalla.’

*

The drums stopped and in their place there was a moment of silence, before they heard a sound like wind swirling from high in the dark sky. It got louder, and then hundreds of steel-tipped arrows fell around the three Delta force soldiers.

The three quickly covered their heads but they didn’t need to. The arrows bounced harmlessly off the CL suits. Simms held his arms out as if he was enjoying a summer rain.

The drums started again, immediately rising to a crescendo. Alison Sharp’s voice was drowned out. Whether it was words or a roar of defiance, it didn’t matter as she charged towards the lines of hulking figures. Brown and Simms were at her shoulders, each of them firing as they came.

The Lygon were momentarily stunned by the three small bein
gs charging them, each shimmering as the moonlight fell on their lattice matrix suits. The great beasts were quickly whipped into action by their giant general and Colonel Briggs. They charged to meet them.

Both parties crossed the killing grounds in minutes, and by the time the Deltas had reached the line of Lygon, their ammunition was spent. Swords and axe heads appeared from their hands, and spikes rose from their shoulders, heads and backs as they made their bodies into weapons.

The glow of the giant moon gave the human soldiers an extra burst of strength and speed, and for a time they were a match for the huge beasts. They cut a swathe through them, knocking down the towering creatures as they cut and hacked their way forward.

Simms whooped as he danced and jinked, slashing left and right. He burrowed a path away from Brown and Sharp, turning lightly to the side to dispatch a large brute, splashing blood back over his lens. He raised an arm to wipe clean his vision just as the fleeting image of a Wolfen in armor appeared to strike the side of his head with the flat of a blade.

Simms staggered from the blow, and turned just as the monstrous beings parted. When Simms turned back to the front, a single giant stood before him – the Lygon general, swinging a hammer the size of a small car down upon him with so much force that he was crushed flat. The CL suit held, and his squashed frame lay within the crater like a bag of broken twigs.

Alison Sharp also took a swinging blow that sent her flying twenty feet in the air, and when she landed she laid stunned, her chest now full of broken bones. Brown was immediately beside her, a huge sword extended from each arm. The Lygon were hacked back, but thei
r numbers grew – five deep, then ten, and then a hundred. They stopped their push forward, knowing they were victorious.

The ring of giants parted, and the dark Wolfen and Briggs ente
red, the colonel stopping to stare down with her milky vacant eyes.

‘Surrender and live… a sort of life.’ Briggs’ voice and eyes were as dead as those of a fish washed ashore on the beach.

Sharp tried to rise. ‘Go to hell… ma’am.’

Briggs never flinched. ‘Oh, you will know hell. Mogahrr will have you peeled from your suits and devoured alive.’ She turned, and looked to the parapets, where a throne had been carried so the Queen could watch. Mogahrr made a throat slitting gesture, and Briggs turned back to the two fallen Deltas.

‘Good bye. The Lygon need their fun, so this will not be quick.’

*

Both Teacher and Arn had retracted their head covering: no matter how breathable the carbon lattice armor, it still trapped heat, and their faces streamed with perspiration. The two of them were first to the castle forecourt, quickly followed by Eilif and Grimson. Vidarr and Balthazaar were supervising Becky and Edward, ensuring they kept up and didn’t get lost.

Together they hid in the shadows, peering through the gate bars at the killing fields out front. The moon was at its apex, an enormous silver disc so large the lunar landscape features looked close enough to map.

Vidarr shook his head sadly. ‘It is almost over. We will need to go into the deep tunnels and make our way out beyond the forest.’

Teacher’s eyes were locked on the ring of Lygon. ‘No. I’m going out there.’ He turned and strode to Edward, pressing the red diamond into his hand. ‘Get this back home. Go with Vidarr… make it happen
, son.’ He pressed the hand hard with both his own, holding the youth’s eyes until he nodded in return.

Arn stepped forward to stand beside Teacher. ‘I’m going with
you.’

Vidarr tried to object, but his face fell when Eilif and Grimson joined Arn and Teacher. Eilif put her hand on Arn’s forearm. ‘There will be no more hiding in the Dark Lands, or years of running from these foul creatures. It ends here, this eve.’

Vidarr rubbed both hands up over his face and long ears. ‘Were there ever two races so hell-bent on their own destruction?’ He smiled sadly. ‘We Wolfen and Man-Kind are both headstrong and self-destructive breeds.’ He looked at Balthazaar. ‘And you old friend?’

Balthazaar drew his sword. ‘I did not don this armor for nothing. I go with the heirs of Valkeryn, as I have for their entire lives.’

‘Arn?’ Becky’s mouth had dropped open. ‘But, but, we have to get home… all of us.’

Edward raised his crossbow. ‘I’ll fight.’

Arn smiled and put his arm around both of them. ‘Not this night Edward. You will fight, but it will be a fight to get Becky and the diamond back home to Dr. Harper. We will buy you some time.’

Edward looked up at him, perhaps noticing that he was a good head and a half shorter than his friend now. Arn’s face grew serious. ‘Edward, your task is far more dangerous and important.’ He looked to Becky and quickly kissed her cheek. ‘When we are done here will come. But do not wait for us.’

Grimson looked at both of them briefly, and then to Vidarr. ‘Take them through the deep caves, and lead them out old friend. And then you must leave – now – I fear the walls of Valkeryn will be no safe haven for even things like Man-Kind’s mice.’

Vidarr knelt before Grimson and Eilif. ‘Odin’s luck be with you both.’ He stood and turned to Arn a
nd Teacher. ‘You would have made fine Wolfen… especially you Arnoddr, you seem more like us every day.’