Soldiers of the Heavens

by Stephen L. Nowland

  “It’s in perfect condition,” Aiden breathed as he tried it on. He attempted to activate it by tracing the obscure sigils along the top, yet nothing happened.

  “It has been dormant for some time,” Terinus advised. “It may need to be recharged from a generator. We can investigate it further back at the tower.”

  “I’ll take it,” Aiden said to Janthiir, who seemed nonplussed at his enthusiasm.

  “Take both, for they are a matched set,” she advised. Aiden seemed confused until he rummaged around the pile of objects some more and produced a second gauntlet for the other hand. This one had a cylinder running lengthways along the outer edge, but was otherwise identical to the first.

  “I think it’s safe to assume it has a different function than the other one,” Aiden mused. “Do you have any ideas?”

  “It is most likely the weapon they used against us during our assault,” Terinus suggested. “They would unleash a blast of destructive energy from range before sending in their powerful constructs to engage us.”

  “I’ll need to study it before I can use it, but this is just what I was looking for, thank you,” Aiden said with barely concealed enthusiasm. “And I promised to return all of this equipment when we’re successful.”

  “You cannot make such a promise,” Janthiir intoned as the wall panels slowly sealed up once more, securing the treasures within. “It is more than likely you go to your deaths. If you are successful in your assault, however, then you have earned the minor relics you have received here today. Take them and never return, for next time you may be followed, and I cannot risk this reliquary falling into the wrong hands. We will not meet again, Terinus Arai, but know that you have my respect for what you are trying to achieve. May you find redemption on the field of battle.”

  “Farewell cousin,” Terinus rasped with a slight bow. “Maintain your vigil until the day when your services are needed once more. When that time comes, I will make sure those who need it will know how to find you.”

  The sound of grating stone rumbled through the edifice as the portal rose up from the stone behind them, the shifting curtain of light already active. Terinus led the others through the centre, back into the Aether while Sayana paused for a moment to regard the living construct.

  “Power comes at a price, Sayana Arai,” Janthiir intoned. “I have paid mine, but you have yet to pay yours. I only hope it is worth it.”

  Sayana pondered this ominous statement as she drifted through the portal and joined the others, where they began the return journey to the Black Tower. The sorceress glided through the extra-dimensional space, feeling more at home here than the others ever could. Her senses were alive, magnified far beyond the norm. She could see the subtle vibrations of simple life drifting by, all but invisible to the naked eye. When they finally emerged within the confines of the tower once more, Sayana was disappointed at the return to mundane reality. Through the windows, the sun was sinking below the horizon, shedding orange and pink light across the sky.

  “How long were we gone?” Nellise wondered, visibly fatigued from the journey, as were the others.

  “Roughly twelve hours,” Terinus answered. “Time moves differently in the Aether, and that little jaunt cost us more time than I would have liked. You may find yourselves feeling fatigued, so I suggest we rest the night and try another destination tomorrow.”

  “Don’t you think we have enough gear already?” Robert suggested.

  “Not even close,” the wizard rasped in reply as he headed towards the hall.

  “Thank heavens this stuff is lighter,” Nellise sighed as she began to strip off her new armour. “I wasn’t looking forward to lugging around another steel coffin again.”

  “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m feeling pretty invincible right now,” the mercenary remarked, posing for the others in his new armour.

  Sayana grinned at his flamboyant display, but her smile faded when it seemed Robert was ignoring her response. The others began to file out, except for Aiden who was fully engrossed with figuring out how to make his gauntlets function. She hovered closer to Robert for a quiet word. Although she could make her voice heard within his head, his response might be somewhat more vocal.

  Robert, can we talk for a moment? She asked, receiving a mild grunt in response. I can’t help but feel you’re angry at me for some reason.

  “Really? Why would you think that?” Robert answered sarcastically.

  If it’s my altered appearance that’s bothering you, I’m sure I can create an illusion to cover it.

  “Do you really think I care how you look?”

  At this point I’m not sure what to think, Sayana responded, unable to keep the confusion from her mind-voice. She could feel something was wrong between them, and didn’t fully understand why. I still love you, Robert. If anything, I am better able to articulate my feelings for you now, if you’d give me a chance to show you. Nothing has changed between us.

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” Robert confided in a low voice. “Everything has changed. But don’t worry about me, Red — I’ll be just fine. You focus on being what you chose to become — a weapon. After all, that’s all that really matters to you, right? Vengeance and retribution and all that?” The sudden bitterness in his voice took Sayana by surprise.

  You fear my power? I would have thought you’d appreciate having someone with my abilities on your side in a fight.

  “Don’t ever make assumptions about what I’m thinking,” Robert snapped. “You didn’t even consider me when you put yourself into that machine, or the effect your death would have on those around you. How is it you’re so messed up inside that I couldn’t see it coming? Don’t I matter to you? Have we ever had an honest conversation in our lives?”

  I…I’m sorry, Sayana stammered, taken aback by this sudden turn. I couldn’t let you get hurt again, and I had the opportunity to gain the power I needed to protect you all. I wasn’t anticipating this change, though, so I understand your fear. Just remember, I did this for you.

  “Somehow I doubt that,” Robert continued tiredly. “It’s more than just the change, Sy, it’s brought to light things that needed addressing long ago. I don’t even know where to start, so I’m just going to focus on the job, like I’ve always done. Right after I get some kip. I’d tell you to sleep somewhere else tonight but you’ve lost the need for that too.”

  As he stalked off to his room Sayana floated helplessly, struggling to find a way to fix this. With all of her new power, she still found the man unfathomable at times and strangely enough, all the more enticing for it. Aiden glanced over at her sympathetically, evidently having caught some of their conversation.

  “I’m the last person to be offering you relationship advice, so I won’t,” he wisely counselled as he secured the gauntlets onto one of the glowing blue cylinders. “You probably should have asked before going through the procedure without aid, however. You really could have been killed, you know.”

  I didn’t care about that, Sayana answered.

  “And that’s part of the problem,” Aiden pointed out with finality. “I’d say more but I’m bloody exhausted from all that flying around in the Aether. Robert’s an old bastard so he’s probably feeling it more. Let him sleep and tackle this again tomorrow. Goodnight. Oh, and stay out of my head, if you please.”

  We should really talk about that, Sayana suggested urgently. Aiden simply raised his hand to say “enough”.

  “Another time. Peaceful sleep has eluded me for years and now that I have it, I’m not going to waste it. Oh, before I forget, is Criosa doing okay?”

  Well enough, Sayana replied after pausing a moment to reach out to the princess’s aura with her mind. She is in a tense meeting with local leaders as they slowly bring order back to the city.

  “Some progress, then,” Aiden remarked with a slow nod. “I don’t envy her task. Thanks, Sy.” He headed off for his room, leaving Sayana feeling overlooked and more than a little exasperated.


  “He’s worried you’re too far above him now,” Nellise said from down the hall, prompting Sayana to lean through the door to look back at her.

  Excuse me?

  “Robert never felt your equal,” the cleric went on, coming closer and keeping her voice low. “You’ve always been younger than him and he’ll age faster than you, regardless. And now you’ve changed, ascended if you will, to a new level of reality, and he’s feeling left behind.”

  Does everyone have an opinion on us? Sayana asked indignantly.

  “Try having your private conversations in private,” Nellise hinted with a faint smile. “He’s a very down to earth sort of man, and frankly I was surprised he found you to be ‘his type’, particularly after you cut out his eye with an axe. Nevertheless, you’ll have to give him time to adjust and it wouldn’t hurt for you to be more open with him, too. You’re not known for sharing, Sy.”

  I’ll think about it, Sayana hedged, uncomfortable talking about her feelings, even with someone like Nellise. The cleric had always been somewhat intimidating. With her delicate beauty and wisdom beyond her years, she always seemed the most ‘together’ person Sayana had ever met, making her feel inferior without even trying.

  * * *

  Shortly after the sun began to rise the next morning, Sayana felt the minds of her friends awaken long before they emerged from their chambers. Terinus entered the lab first, heading directly for the portal device.

  “You evidently do not require sleep,” he remarked as he noticed Sayana hovering in the corner.

  I don’t miss it, if you’re wondering, she replied evenly.

  “I was not. I trust you made good use of the time?”

  I’m still figuring things out, Sayana answered cautiously. The others are reacting differently to my transformation, and I feel somewhat isolated.

  “To be expected,” Terinus counselled. “You are a singular being, unique in the cosmos and not subject to the laws which govern the lives of others, including myself. Just remember that you are truly free, able to go where you want, whenever you want. As for their reactions, give them time to become accustomed to your new appearance and capabilities and they will realise that underneath, you are still you.”

  That was… helpful, actually, Sayana conceded.

  “When you’ve been around as long as I have, you pick up a few things,” Terinus rasped, nodding to the fully equipped Pacian and Aiden as they entered the lab. “Good morning gentlemen, I trust you are nearly ready to depart?”

  “Just let me check on these things,” Aiden advised, heading directly to the cylinder to examine the gauntlets. They were connected to the generator by a pair of black cables, which Aiden removed. “Sa’quaarin must have weird hands,” he remarked as he slid the gauntlets on and flexed his metal fingers. “Weirder than mine, at any rate. These things never seemed to fit right.”

  “Did the charge take?” Terinus asked, prompting Aiden to trace the sigils on the back of one gauntlet. A low rumble of hot air erupted from vents along the back, and a wave of energy surged from Aiden as Sayana watched with her enhanced sight.

  That would be ‘yes’, she commented dryly, somewhat taken aback by the lustful expression on Aiden’s face. He had regained a good portion of the power he once knew, but his reaction was somewhat less than human.

  “Very good, but do not attempt to test the other one in here,” Terinus suggested. “You may inadvertently destroy some valuable equipment. And people.”

  “I’ll wait until we’re somewhere else,” he agreed as Robert and Nellise entered, glittering in their new armour. Saffron and Lucas, hefting a large satchel between them followed. The mercenary was carrying the heavy auldsteel shield he had used for years, to compliment the sword strapped to his back. “Speaking of such, do you have an idea for our next destination?”

  “Yes, I was waiting for you all to gather before going ahead,” Terinus answered, turning to face them. Sayana caught Robert’s eye for a moment, but the mercenary was all business as he puffed a cigar and paid full attention to Terinus.

  “Janthiir was far more cooperative than I had anticipated, yet her gifts are not enough to guarantee victory,” he began. “There is a place, another world where artifice has risen to a high art. There, we should have little trouble acquiring the weapons we need. Before you say it,” he rasped just as Pacian was about to open his mouth, “we did not go there first because unlike the other two vaults, this one is going to cost us. Lucas, the satchel.”

  The butler nodded and with Saffron’s help, placed the obviously heavy satchel on the ground, then opened the top flap. Inside, Sayana saw the distinctive gleam of gems and gold, a small fortune carried in one small pack.

  “That’s a lot of money,” Robert said as he stared at the gleaming contents.

  “Several thousand gold sovereigns,” Terinus nodded. “We will have to buy what we need.”

  “It’s only money,” Nellise pointed out. “We’re attempting to avert a terrible disaster, why would you even hesitate to spend this if it achieves out goals?”

  “Because I acquired this fortune from the Royal Vault of Aielund,” Terinus explained dourly. “The kingdom is going to have a difficult time rebuilding after the war as it is. I was reluctant to spend this unless absolutely necessary, but that is where we now stand. Hopefully, we will be able to recoup the money after we eliminate the threat.”

  “You stole this from Criosa?” Aiden asked incredulously.

  “Technically I—”

  “Don’t even finish that sentence,” Aiden growled ominously. “There’s nothing technical about it. Somehow, when this is all over, we’re going to get this money back into the vault to ensure Criosa has the best chance of putting her shattered kingdom together again.”

  “I agree completely,” Terinus acquiesced, bowing low to Aiden to placate him. “But if I may? The task at hand will not be dangerous, merely expensive. The artificers of Placidus are renowned for the quality of their work and command the highest prices.”

  “So, it’s a world sort of like this one,” Robert mused in a cloud of smoke. “No more floating around in purple soup?”

  “It is quite similar to this place, though you may feel somewhat heavier while we are there,” Terinus pointed out as his fingers began to trace sigils across the black control panel. “In most respects, you’ll feel right at home. My information indicates it is late winter there, so take a heavier cloak.”

  Saffron opened a closet door nearby and fetched cloaks for all of them. Nellise took one from her but barely seemed to notice. Her golden eyes were entranced by the wizard’s efforts on the portal’s controls, until Pacian brought her back to reality with a nudge to her breastplate.

  “Hm? Yes, I’m ready,” she blurted, unsure what had just happened.

  “I’m kind of hazy after yesterday too,” Pacian confided. “Don’t worry about it.” Terinus completed his preparations and a shifting white light shuddered into existence within the portal’s arch. He was the first to step through, leading the others. Sayana, struggling with feelings of exclusion was the last to venture into the dimensional breach.

  Chapter Nine

  Stepping through the curtain of light itself was an unremarkable experience. It was the sudden cold hitting Aiden in the face which caused him to gasp as he emerged on the other side. The sudden change of temperature was staggering. The cold was like nothing he’d ever felt before, which was saying something given he had grown up not far from the Highmarch mountains in a place called Coldstream.

  The portal itself stood in the middle of a dark room which reminded Aiden of a basement cold locker. Faint blue light emanating from the portal was the only source of illumination, allowing him to see a number of devices arranged along the walls, each of them encased in a sparkling layer of ice. The sound of the wind howling outside could be heard through an open door just ahead. Large black tubes, each twice the thickness of his arm snaked their way from the side of the portal’s arch to disa
ppear through a gap in the door.

  One by one the others came through the portal, expressing varying degrees of astonishment at the frigid conditions. Sayana came through last and the curtain of light vanished out of existence moments later, plunging them into absolute darkness. It lasted only a few heartbeats, as Nellise and the sorceress brought forth small magical lights to pierce the gloom.

  “You weren’t kidding when you said it’d be cold,” Robert remarked, pulling his heavy cloak tightly around his armoured body.

  “I wasn’t expecting it to be this severe,” Terinus answered cautiously. He moved over to the control panel for the portal and tapped it, expecting to see glowing runes appear on its surface. It remained dark, despite the wizard’s best efforts.

  “Something wrong?” Aiden inquired.

  “Very wrong,” Terinus answered with a measure of dread in his usually emotionless voice. He examined the rest of the mechanism with growing concern. Aiden was no expert on these things, but his limited experience with portals suggested there was supposed to be more activity from the device, such as lights and a humming sound.

  “I need a little more detail than that,” Aiden suggested, his words misting in the freezing air.

  “The portal is completely inert,” the wizard declared after a few more moments of examination. “I don’t yet know why, but I cannot return it to full function.”

  “Do you mean we’re stuck here?” Pacian blurted caustically.

  “Until I can determine the problem, yes,” Terinus rasped. “Give me a few minutes for further examination.”

  “You never mentioned this was a possibility,” Aiden exclaimed. “The portal we came across in acadia had been operating for centuries without fault.”