by Smith, T. L.
I stepped over the body between me and the next cavern. Before I got another step, I heard a sound, a growl and something metal against stone. Then I was struck from above and knocked to the ground.
It wasn’t one of the enemy, no one infested. I rolled and then saw Casey’s face. He rolled as well, carrying us both to the back wall of this nook in the rocks. The ricocheting of bullets pinged above and around us.
“You don’t walk into a hole like that!” Casey snapped at me, trying to look over his shoulder, but we were barely covered by the boulder we’d landed behind. “Stop acting like you’re iron-clad. Part of you is still human and I don’t want to lose you.”
“Sorry!” I could see what was going on. My team were still behind the barricade, firing into the cavern I was so willing to walk into. “Cover!” I reached for my ears as I saw a grenade fly through the air towards the black cavern. A light cube went with it.
“Damn.” Casey got his hands to his head, but winced.
The explosion and the deep vibrating thump was deafening. This close it sucked the breath out of us. I gasped to get it back as I pushed Casey off me. Only then I saw blood spreading down his sleeve and his shoulder looked wrong. “Damn it!”
My Beth side struggled to help him, but I couldn’t. Over the rock came the rest of my team. Ci’in going for the downed enemy to finish off their larvae. Chuck appeared and saw Casey was shot. He grabbed two Kwia. “Take him back to the tunnel, now!”
My hand was slow letting go. Chucky jerked me to my feet. “Get yourself under control. We got seconds before they start shooting again.”
Casey let out a teeth-grit groan as one Kwia grabbed his feet, the other the straps of his vest and lifted him up. They took off, back around the rocks and towards the tunnel.
Chucky shook me again. It was all I needed. I focused on the two larger prey waiting inside. Waiting for me.
CHAPTER
35
I took a deep breath. Two strong Ci’in on either side of me, a row of Kwia in front, we entered the dark chamber. The zombie soldier who’d fired on us lay at the entrance, body riddled by bullets. Light cubes flashed to life ahead of us, opening us to a scene straight out of some dark fantasy.
Coiled at the back of the cave was the Maxa’xak, hissing and spitting in rage. The truncated arms were curled up close to its body, but the claws clacked loud. The slimy flesh glowed, just as we Ci’in, but a sickly color under the light of the cubes. His eyes blazed like fire, glaring at me.
“This will end, here!” I spread out my arms, releasing my full Ci’in, shouting in the language we’d preserved from our birth.
“A chosen Ci’in.” It raised its head and hissed, but the sound was pleasure. “It has been long since I have feasted on the blood of one so high.”
“Do not salivate for her flesh yet. She isn’t alone.” From behind us came Daniel’s voice. He stepped up behind me, Frankie with him, Chucky among the Kwia in front me.
The pleasure disappeared in the Maxa’xak’s hissing. In a flash that huge head lunged for me, but I was prepared. My Ci’in were prepared, their hands each grasping my shoulders as I thrust a hand outward.
Fed by their energy, a bright burning light flashed in the face of the beast and it let out a scream. The Kwia with us opened fire as it thrashed to clear the mass of energy clinging around its head. With the Maxa’xak’s power disrupted, our bullets penetrated the protective shield wrapped around its hide like a second skin.
It screamed and I thrust another bolt into his face, my power boosted as two more Ci’in joined us. My brothers kept pace as I moved forward, their weapons ready to strike at the Maxa’xak.
Bullets bombarded our foe, wounding it, making it writhe and try to draw away. We would wear it down until my brothers could strike with their knives.
Focused on him, I barely saw the figure lunge at me from the shadows. I cast out my other hand, but felt a blade strike down into my forearm. The pain was enough to make me waver in the force I used against the Maxa’xak. It struck out at the nearest Kwia. Our man screamed as the huge mouth closed around him, fangs sinking deep.
Frankie pushed the assailant off me and I was able to throw another ball of fire at the beast, blinding it for an instant. It recoiled and everyone started shooting again. There was no regard for our brother. He no longer screamed and we had to assume he was dead.
I turned to the man who’d attacked me. He crouched on the ground like an animal, ready to pounce. It was the Smirker, his eyes wild, his upper body twisting strangely. The mature Maxa’xak was trying to break free. “Hold our ancient friend. I have to finish this task first.”
The Maxa’xak had probably tried to hide his offspring, distract us for as long as it needed for the mature monster to tear itself free of the host. But madness was impossible to control, even for a few more minutes.
I ran towards the man, knife drawn. He stumbled at my attack, falling backwards as I landed on him. My hand closed around his throat. “It is time to set your host free. Let me help you.”
My own blood drained down onto his flesh. He screamed as the energy in my body burned him. He screamed with the voice of the monster inside him. I could feel it alive beneath the flesh. Down inside his open mouth the tissues bulged, already starting to bleed as the monster clawed to escape.
So close to escape. So close to the pool of water casting strange shimmers around the cavern. An underground well fed by the water table. If it broke free and got into that well… With a thrust, I shoved my white-bladed knife straight down into his throat, slicing him open.
The new Maxa’xak coiled free, lashing fangs at me. His parent let out an eerie shriek and instead of attacking me further, the infant lunged for the water. I was just as fast chasing it, not thinking of the parent starting to regain control again.
Before I could reach it another white-bladed knife buried itself in the middle of the new Maxa’xak. Frankie pinned it to the ground and with a smooth swipe, sliced it in half the long way.
Its scream was nothing compared to the one our giant enemy let loose. “Noooooo!” A half-blinded beast turned itself on him. “You will die.”
I lunged too, pushing Frankie out of the way. I rolled with him, but one of those fangs grazed the back of my thigh. One more roll let me see it rising to strike again, at me. I thrust out both hands.
Pure light radiated from me, slowing time, but not my actions. My hands closed around the long fangs just inches before they skewered me. I clung to them, sending all my energy beyond, into the eyes of the beast still bearing down on me.
The weight of the beast pressed down upon my arms as my power held it. The body shook, but his head was frozen above me. His eyes, black as the tunnel had been when we entered. Deadly, soulless eyes. Eyes of a madness no creature should carry.
This creature lacked the duality to counter insanity. It wanted to be alive, to be whole, to be free from the burning hunger, but there was no balance. There could never be balance.
I stared into those hateful eyes and some distant part of me felt a sliver of sympathy. Deep inside I could sense our siblings, trapped in the nightmare of their mistake. How they suffered. “You are the last. Your pain is done. We will give you a final rest.”
In my grip his defensive shield couldn’t sustain itself. My brothers attacked, their knives able to penetrate deeper than the bullets they’d used to distract the beast. Their slashes threw black blood as they cut down through thick flesh. Frankie jumped onto the spine of the Maxa’xak, taking aim with his dagger, using both hands as he plunged it in, drawing it down to expose the vertebrae.
“Hurry!” My grip on the fangs started to slip from its saliva and my blood, barbs along the back of each fang cut into my fingers.
Frankie’s eyes met mine. “Hold on another minute, Princess.” His tone wasn’t harsh, but pleading with me. He thrust his blade down between the vertebrae. Twisting, leaning his entire weight onto his knife. “Someone help her!”
I’d tried to ignore the numbness spreading up my leg and down my arms. Poison in those fangs was entering my bloodstream, but I couldn’t release my control. I had to keep hold of this monster until my brothers could kill it. I had to hold on.
A burst of energy flowed through me as the four Ci’in crowded around me, touching me with one hand, the Maxa’xak with their other hands. Pushing against the massive dying weight. I pulled on what they offered me, sending it up into this beast, burning at its brain as my brothers tried to kill it.
I had to keep it paralyzed, unable to fight back, even if it killed me. It had to die before I did. I let all the power of my Ci’in flow outward, but we were in a death grip. I could feel its fangs sinking into me. I felt my pain, and its anguish as Daniel and Chucky ripped the wounds open wider to help Frankie sever the central nervous system.
I wanted to scream. One more minute... More hands pressed upwards on its head. They pushed, their hands burning into the skin of the Maxa’xak as the fangs punctured my abdomen. I felt them rip upwards as the massive head was pushed away from me.
He was screaming in my head and all I could do was keep promising it a freedom he didn’t want. “It’s almost done. You’ll be returned to the elements you rose from. Your Spirit released from the agony. Let it happen. Let go.”
It screamed louder as Frankie’s knife struck home. “That’s it!” I thought I yelled it out loud, but I couldn’t hear my own voice. The beast trembled and the crazy in those eyes started to fade. “You will be at peace now.” I spoke into those eyes, my mind linked to his.
“You… will go… with me.” It thrashed one last time, tossing Frankie from its back.
Despite the strength and energy of the Ci’in helping me, one fang cut across my abdomen again as the Maxa’xak went into death throes. The massive head swung away, knocking the Ci’in down. Someone grabbed me, pulling me back. I felt the spines on the back of the fangs tearing at my hands. It should have hurt, but strangely it didn’t.
“Din’ah!”
I heard my name screamed and the pressure of hands on my body, turning me over. Frankie knelt over me. “Din’ah, how bad are you hurt?”
I couldn’t answer. Two Ci’in started ripping open my vest, then my shirt. Another was twisting my hip. “Got two laceration across her stomach, another down her leg. She must have toxins in her blood.”
“And her hands. Real deep. Damn! We need a full medical team and every free Ci’in.” Frankie gripped my face, even though his hands were covered with the blood of the Maxa’xak. “Look at me, Princess. You have to hang on. Hear me? HANG ON!”
I couldn’t move, only stare up at him. He sounded so scared. None of the anger I was used to hearing from him.
“Din’ah!” Daniel leaned down close to me too, partly blocking out my vision of Frankie. “We’re not going to let you die.”
I settled my eyes on his. I couldn’t speak, but there was one image in my head now. I only wanted one thing, one person now. I couldn’t say it, but Daniel nodded.
CHAPTER
36
The pain was gone and in its place was nothing but light. Breathing in sent tingles through my entire body. Life, my real life. I was a creature of light, of energy, of infinity. I lived among the stars. They gave me life and I shared it with them. It flowed into me now. Pure light, wiping away the pain, the agony.
Ten thousand years was nothing, except for living it in mortal bodies. So many lives. So many people, so many deaths. These humans had no idea how little they knew of the universe. Their lives were short, even though lived over and over again. But as a people, they could only do this singularly. Such a lonely existence. It made my heart ache…
Wait. I have no mortal body, no heart. Death has brought me back to my own. So why was there an ache so deep within this consciousness? I felt the light pouring into me, eternal life, but… there was something else. Something heavier. Something clinging to me.
“Have you forgotten already?” Opening my eyes I saw Lutz’ Spirit, looking disappointed. “You made a promise.” His hand led my eyes to the scene laid out before me.
I looked upon horror and remembered everything. “The battle is over.” Bodies were scattered around the cavern, as well as the dead Maxa’xak. “We destroyed all of them. Our duty is done. The universe was in balance again. We can go home. Why do I feel this pain?”
“Because you’re forgetting two others you made a promise to.” Lutz shook his head, drifting towards the cluster of people below.
The light was unmistakable. Ci’in circled together, combining their Spirits. I moved closer and saw their combined light flowing into my wounded mortal body. The Maxa’xak had torn long poisoned gashes across her body. She was dying. I started to call out to them to let her go, but I couldn’t.
Crumpled next to her was Casey. He was wounded too, but alive. He clung to her arm, refusing to look away from her. His pain for her was greater than his own.
“You promised him. You Bound yourself to him. You can do what I couldn’t. You can keep your vow.”
“I did promise, but she is weak.”
“If you let go she will die.” He pointed to Casey. “It might very well kill him too. If not, his pure soul will be damaged.”
I stared down at Casey. He was the entity I felt, the sorrow preventing me from leaving. I let myself be Bound to him. His hand tightened on her arm and I felt it. Other Ci’in arrived with medical supplies and started cutting away her clothes, revealing how badly her body was battered.
One leg was flayed open, there was a puncture wound on her right hip and a long gash across her abdomen. The skin blackening where the venom was already killing the flesh. Skin was peeled off her hands where they’d been torn loose from the monster’s fangs.
A respirator pushed oxygen into her lungs. The Ci’in sent all their energy into her too, trying to drive off the alien toxins. She fought to live. I could feel how much she wanted to live. She wanted to live for Casey. She loved him with her entire soul. My soul, my Spirit.
“She can’t survive without you. You owe her whatever life lays ahead. A few more decades are only a blink of an eye for you. A few more decades are nothing to repay her sacrifice for you. For all the mortal sacrifices given to you.”
“I know. I gave my word.” I looked at Lutz. “I also promised to release you. Others can do that, but I owe you that respect. I keep my word.”
“She is as much you as you are her, but I was just afraid this side might be too tempting.” Lutz touched my arm. “Go to them.”
“I am Bound.” I let myself drift closer to Beth. With one more breath of the pure energy that comprised this universe, I melted down into her. I felt the touch of Casey’s hand, the pull of his soul, his heart, the Bounding of my Spirit to his.
Light burned through my eyelids. I tried to turn my face away from it, but my head didn’t move.
“She’s definitely waking up!”
I didn’t recognize the voice and forced my eyes open. A woman in uniform. A Marine uniform with medical emblems on the lapels. A doctor? We didn’t bring the Marines.
“Capt. Castle, can you hear me?” I tried to answer, but my throat hurt with the slightest thought of it. “Blink twice. You’ve got a breathing tube in.”
I blinked twice, rolling my eyes from side to side. There were other military here, mixed in among the Ci’inkwia. Yazzie popped up next to me. “Thank the Spirits!” She looked genuinely relieved. “We called in the Marines as soon as we realized we were under attack.”
“Though it seems you managed without us. We have troops combing the mountains for anyone that might have slipped past your…” She looked around the plateau. “…warriors. Don’t know exactly what you people were up to here, but these Coyotes made a mistake interrupting your little pow-wow, Captain.”
“It was an honored ceremony!” Yazzie stiffened, looking quite indignant. “The ‘Captain’ is more than…”
Yazzie stopped as I let out a groan, pain, as
well as wariness.
She bowed her head to me, but didn’t relent. “There are many tribes and many things YOUR people will never understand. Capt. Castle is a Spirit Woman, but highest among ALL our tribes. She is the Ci’in!” She stood firm against the doctor. “She and those wounded or killed were important to us, including our friend, Sgt. Lutz.”
“I’m sorry if I came off as rude. She is important to us too.” The doctor sounded sincere. “We will take care of the captain and the wounded.” She looked over her shoulder. “We have more helicopters coming any second to start transporting everyone back to the base.”
“Then I will find someone to go with the captain.” Yazzie leaned over me. “Your husband will be with you, as well as two medicine women.”
“It’s a military hospital and there’s no need for assistance …” The doctor pulled out a pocket tablet. “… and I don’t see a husband on record for the captain.”
“Officer Casey Delgado. One of our ceremonies, before we were attacked. And denying the Ci’in access to her own medicine women is a violation of the captain’s religious rights. Do I need to contact the base commander?”
“No…no, no.” The doctor shook her head, her eyebrows scrunching together. “We’ll figure it out.” She tapped at her shoulder, activating the mike on her com. “Alpha flight, the first load is ready to go. Civilian list as follows. One head blunt trauma, one GSW chest. Military injured. One multiple lacerations and burns, one GSW shoulder Two unwounded civilians… medical personnel.”
Getting a nod of satisfaction from Yazzie, the doctor focused on me again. “Is this all right with you, captain?” I gave her two blinks, then looked around me again.
This time I could focus better. I saw Casey and jerked my head his way. She looked too. “He’s been sedated. Bullet shattered his shoulder. He’ll need reconstruction, but we’ll know more as soon as we get a proper scan.”
