Desolace Omnibus Edition

by Lucian Barnes

  His thoughts turned toward the formless demon, who had been in charge of the army before making a—what he hoped would be—fatal mistake. Verin’s miscalculation earned him a reward that George wished could have been his doing; the repulsive creature encased in the mystical vines near the outpost, trapped until such time that the rope-like tendrils tired of toying with him. Little did George know, there would be no reprieve for the Black Knight’s minion. Unbeknown to George, Verin would never again roam Desolace. The magical vines were sucking the very essence of the demon out of him, and when they were finished there would be nothing left.

  Chapter 6

  Learning to adapt to traveling sideways, the result of Edward accidentally fusing the hinges of the breastplate of the mechanical horse open, had been a tricky endeavor at first. It took the better part of an hour before the wizard had mastered the altered method of controlling the beast. The sixty-minute time frame leading up to that had often been agonizing, crashing into trees as he attempted to navigate the dense foliage. More often than not, one of the three—Edward, Katie, and Julie—who rode upon the back of the metallic steed ended up with a leg pinched between the horse and a tree. There were other instances, however, that the erroneous maneuvering caused laughter instead of pain; one of these situations involved Brian, who had opted to ride within the chest cavity of the machine to spare Julie the humiliation and suffering of being ejected from the belly of the beast like a newborn. Sure, things like this slowed their pace a bit, but as dawn approached none of them cared. The jungle foliage had thinned considerably, and as the sun began to crest over the horizon there was relief in sight. Not far from their current position, it appeared that the humid forest was coming to an end! Despite Julie’s ecstatic encouragement to “kick the horse to warp speed”—another Earthly expression which he had no idea what it referred to—Edward jockeyed the machine through the trees to the edge of the jungle.

  “I thought we were never going to get out of there,” Julie remarked, although her enthusiasm was tempered by what lay ahead. “I swear that my clothes probably have enough moisture in them to wring out and drink.” She released her hold on Katie’s waist and patted her shirt rapidly with her hands. The display looked similar to what an agitated ape might use to warn others to back off, but didn’t have the same effect when Julie did it. Instead, the gesture drew Edward and Katie’s attention to the fact that her breasts could be seen through the soaked material. When Julie realized this she quickly used her hands to cover herself, her cheeks flushing a bright crimson in her embarrassment.

  Now that the mechanical horse was no longer moving, Brian scooted out of the chest cavity. Initially the promise of fresh air had driven him, but his curiosity was aroused when he heard Edward laughing. “What’s going on? Did I miss something?” He leaned back slightly and stretched his arms overhead, gazing from one face to another.

  “You had to be out here a couple of minutes ago to understand,” Katie replied, her voice cracking so badly that it sounded as if she had a mouthful of dust.

  As their mirth subsided, each of them gazed into the distance. None of them, however, appeared to be looking in the same direction as anyone else. It was as if something had beckoned to each person, drawing their attention toward different facets of their surroundings. To the east, Katie saw what appeared to be a small pond about a quarter of a mile away. Julie was scrutinizing the landscape to the southeast with dismay, feeling like she had traded one version of hell for another. For as far as she could see, a sandy desert lay before them like an endless beach. Edward’s attention was pulled toward an apparent dust cloud, which seemed to suggest either windy conditions or a life form of some sort was in the distant southwest. There also appeared to be a dark speck in the vicinity of the anomaly. What it could possibly be, however, eluded him. Brian shaded his eyes with a hand as he peered westward, squinting to see through the blinding light of the rising sun. It was difficult to tell if the glowing orb had scorched his retinas, or if his mind was playing tricks on him. If he wasn’t mistaken there was a reddish shape near the edge of the jungle, maybe a mile or less from where he stood. Like a team of synchronized swimmers, they all spoke at once.

  “Oh my God! That water looks so inviting,” Katie croaked.

  “What the hell? We’re trading one type of heat for another?” Julie’s shoulders sagged, dreading a journey across the desert.

  “I wonder if that disturbance is centered around the Throne of the Gods,” Edward mused aloud.

  “Hey, guys! Look!” The red-haired shaman pointed to the west.

  After sharing a laugh over the babble of blended words, Brian’s excitement seemed to draw their focus. As all four of them gazed in the direction he indicated with his finger, Katie emitted an audible gasp. She tapped Edward to get his attention. “Grab the pommel and steer us over there.”

  “Hey, now! Don’t leave without me,” Brian admonished. “Remember, I’m not up there on the horse’s back like the rest of you.” Quickly, he scrambled to crawl inside the chest cavity.

  Although Edward wasn’t entirely sure what the fuss was about, he complied with Katie’s request. A couple of minutes later, he eased up on the pressure he was exerting on the control lever. His awed intake of breath seemed to speak for everyone. “Skarr!” The single word passed through his lips in a reverent whisper. He maneuvered the metallic steed closer, unable to discern if the enormous dragon was alive. From where he sat, Edward couldn’t tell if she was breathing or not.

  Apparently, the giant beast had heard her softly spoken name. She raised her massive head and gazed toward the sound. Her teeth became visible, much like she was attempting to smile. “My friends, I wasn’t sure I would ever lay eyes upon you again. I’m glad you have not perished.” Her deep voice resonated, shaking the very air around her and causing the mechanical horse to vibrate slightly.

  “When you didn’t return, many of us thought you had died,” Edward admitted. “Well, Julie wasn’t convinced of your demise,” he added, nodding in her direction as he spoke.

  “I did sustain injuries to my wings in the battle, but they are healed now.” Skarr rose to her feet and unfurled her wings. The scars upon them were barely distinguishable; the darker coloration of them blended into the normal hue of her wings like the shading of a tattoo.

  “So quickly?” Edward’s jaw dropped open slightly in amazement.

  “Dragon magic is strong. It heals much faster than any conjuration performed by mortals.”

  “I mean no disrespect by asking this, but are your wings mended well enough for you to fly again?” The expression on Edward’s face was between concern and dread. He truly hoped his inquiry hadn’t offended the dragon, although he worried more about Skarr telling him she wouldn’t be able to carry riders on her back.

  A warm gust of wind blew from Skarr’s maw and her eyes narrowed. If one were not familiar with a dragon’s body language they might assume the mythical beast was angry, evidenced by Edward and his comrades taking a few steps back. “I’m sure they would support me, though I imagine you are asking me if I’m well enough to bear riders in flight. Am I correct?”

  “Indeed, you are,” he admitted.

  “Then speak plainly, wizard,” Skarr remarked, a touch of irritation in her voice.

  “My humblest apologies,” Edward stated, bowing his head in respect.

  The dragon’s stern gaze softened. “How many of you require a ride?”

  “If possible, all four of us. There have been complications with our current mode of transport and it would simplify matters were we able to stick together.”

  “Then climb aboard,” Skarr insisted. “I will take to the air for a short time to test how well my wings will bear the extra weight. I don’t imagine it will effect my ability to fly very much. After all, even with the four of you on my back it hardly seems like the slight difference of encumbrance should be a concern.”

  Wearing smiles as bright as the morning sun, the four travelers took
their places between the ridges of Skarr’s spine. Edward’s was the brightest of them all because he felt confident they would now be able to get to the Throne of the Gods in time to reverse the fairy magic that continued to age Katie and thereby save her life.

  Once everyone was nestled in place, Skarr stood and extended her wings. The force she exerted with the initial downward stroke created a dust cloud, but she rose above it in a matter of seconds. She continued to climb until the men and women upon her back could no longer discern one tree from the next, the jungle below looking like nothing more than an enormous green blanket. Skarr maintained this altitude for several minutes, during which time she flew in a large circular pattern. She did this in order to remain close to the cover of the forest should anything go wrong. It would be disastrous if she journeyed too far from the shelter of the greenery, especially if she had misjudged how well her wings had healed. It turned out to be a wise decision on her part, although it certainly didn’t ease anyone’s mind.

  During the first circular pattern, dragon and human alike made a disheartening discovery. To the north, there was a distinct swath in the foliage. The morning sun glinted off of the metal bodies of the approaching mechanical army, causing their path to look like a giant arrow that was aimed right at them. Edward cursed under his breath, unable to believe he had grown complacent about the encroaching threat. Riding atop the mechanical horse had made it more difficult to detect the trembling of the ground beneath them, but to him it just sounded like an excuse. He should have been paying closer attention to the army’s whereabouts. Instead, his concerns for Katie’s life had clouded his judgment. The metallic regiment was much closer than he’d expected, perhaps as few as twelve hours away. His heart sank when he realized the dragon was slowly descending to the ground. Edward shouted a question to Skarr, but it seemed like the stiffening breeze had caused his words to fall unheard.

  A few minutes later, Skarr landed in almost the identical spot she had previously occupied. When her forward momentum stopped, she gingerly pulled her wings close to her body, then turned her head to face her passengers. “It appears my wings are not in the shape I thought they were,” she confessed. The dragon saw Edward’s disappointed expression and added, “Do not worry, young wizard. I can still fly, but I’ll have to take frequent breaks. It might be more difficult to maintain your balance when I’m not in the air, but I can still carry all of you more comfortably than if you were to continue traveling on your old steed.”

  “Might I inquire as to why you brought us back to the mechanical horse if your intention is to continue the journey with us upon your back?”

  “I thought you would need to grab any supplies you’ve been carrying with you,” Skarr stated.

  “We no longer have much of use to bother with,” Edward remarked. “Besides, I’m sincerely hoping that our quest will end shortly. If so, then either the gods will provide us with sustenance or we will perish in the fight, thus rendering food the least of our worries.”

  “As you wish, wizard.” A thunderous crash resonated through the jungle to their north as the dragon turned and began walking in the opposite direction. Edward and his comrades glanced nervously over their shoulders and saw what appeared to be an enormous flock of birds fleeing toward the sky. The aerial congregation was much closer to their position than he would have liked.

  Chapter 7

  The German commander gazed at the bloody fields outside through a viewing portal in the Panzer. Everything had happened so quickly that he wasn’t entirely sure how his army had been dispatched with such efficiency. Precious few of his soldiers had managed to take cover inside of the available tanks during the onslaught of lightning bolts, apparently slung to the ground by an unseen menace with god-like powers. At least, it was the impression he got when he heard the booming voice from above.

  His lone ally, who wore the black cloak and reeked of death, had disappeared into a void similar to the one his army had entered this world through. He assumed that the Black Knight had returned to Earth to gather reinforcements, but so far there hadn’t been any indication of help being on its way. One thing was certain, however. If the foul-smelling entity didn’t return soon, it was likely that his remaining troops would be dead … including himself!

  He was unsure of how much time had passed since the Black Knight’s departure, although it no longer mattered at this point. A strange hum resonated in the air, causing the metal shells of the Panzers to vibrate. Until now, the corpse-littered fields had been eerily silent. No threats from above. No movement within the view of his tank. The sound rose in pitch for several minutes, then dropped away completely as if it was akin to the phenomenon of ringing in the ears. A short time after the noise receded, murmuring voices could be heard.

  At first glance, the throng of white-robed men and women appeared to be ghosts. Although, after further scrutiny the commander realized they were actual humans and probably religious zealots of some sort. They moved as if controlled by a single mind, similar to a herd of sheep. If they were indeed fanatics it seemed plausible that they were here to pay homage to the voice in the clouds, whomever that might be.

  The enormous assemblage moved across the bloody debris of the battlefield as if the men and women were oblivious to the gore around them. It was entirely possible that they had seen such things, or worse, wherever they’d come from, so they walked through the wasteland of body parts unfazed by the carnage. They wandered past the line of tanks, the crowd raising their hands toward the sky as if they were a single individual. The gesture appeared to be one of supplication, like the men and women were pleading for God to hear their prayers.

  High above, the ominous dark clouds began to lose their angry hue, drifting away until their billows could no longer be seen. As if some unseen force was clearing a path for them, the white-clad congregation approached the massive stone spire without resistance. Within minutes they walked in the shadow of the structure, and shortly thereafter they began to disappear from sight as they filed inside.

  ***

  From ancient Greece, the Black Knight gazed through the portal. Once he was certain his father was sufficiently distracted, he turned away to implement the next phase of his plan. With Zeus’ followers preoccupying the King of the Gods, Ares strode toward one of his temples to gather those who’d sworn allegiance to him. His hope was that the white-robed sheep would keep his father’s attention away from the black rifts he was using, giving him a chance to catch Zeus by surprise. The one thing he didn’t fully understand was why the god had casually dismissed the Germans. Perhaps he assumed them all to be dead. While it may seem true when gazing across the battlefield, the Black Knight was almost positive there were still soldiers alive. Most likely they were hidden in the armored machines, playing possum until they felt the odds were in their favor for an assault.

  Fortunately, he had opened the rift to the place he’d once called home near his most active temple. Gathering Zeus’ followers had taken more time than he would have liked because he was required to travel farther to get to them. His soldiers were an entirely different matter. After walking for less than a half an hour, the ranks of his faithful came into view. It was a sight Ares relished, seeing their armored bodies stretching from one horizon to the other. By his calculations, there had to be more than one hundred thousand men surrounding his temple! Hell, it was entirely possible that his estimation was low. Their numbers seemed greater than the German army he’d acquired. This fact alone should be enough to give him cause for hope, especially in light of the absence of Asclepius. The one-time God of Medicine was either in hiding or dead, and as such increased the odds of Ares’ success. Without the aid of Asclepius, even Zeus could be mortally wounded with the proper weaponry. It wouldn’t be an easy task by any standards, but without the ability to heal his wounds Zeus could be killed.

  The biggest drawback to an army of this size was how long it would take all of the men to get through the portal. In an effort to expedite the p
rocess, Ares gathered the warlords from each faction as he strode through the ranks of sweaty warriors toward his temple. As he ascended the steps, the Black Knight ushered his war generals inside. He closed the door behind them, then took his place on the raised dais his worshipers had constructed. He sat down on the throne and raised a hand in the air, waving it in a manner intended to quiet the men.

  The chamber quickly went silent, each warlord turning their eyes upon their god and crossing their muscular arms over their chests. “Our time has finally come,” Ares announced. “With your help, the seat of power will soon be mine.”

  “Tell us what to do, and it will be done.” The bold warlord stepped forward, as if he were Ares’ most trusted lieutenant. There wasn’t even an inkling of unease in the expression on his face, making it clear that he didn’t fear reprisal from the god. Instead his neutral look appeared confident, almost like he expected a hearty pat on the back.