The Dark Expanse - Astral Clash Series - Book 1

by Jack Hammond

  “You don’t get it. He’s going to hurt you Wes. Alwin’s only echelon five, and he’d have gone easy on you. He’s seven, and he will go all out to hurt you.”

  Sadie made her way back into the fighter’s pit, making a beeline to the two of them. “Alwin’s not going to make it. He found a dead guy outside his house.” She explained, “He said he would challenge you again, he couldn’t help it. He’s waiting for the police.”

  “That’s awful. Does he know them?” Wesley enquired.

  “He never said,” she replied.

  “That’s not the only awful thing to happen tonight,” Darren said. “Wes took a challenge off Han.”

  “You’re kidding, why?” Sadie looked shocked.

  “He didn’t know, he told him he was a nub too.”

  “Little shit!” Sadie snapped, sending a glare his way.

  The little boy walked over. “What you looking at you nab?”

  “At least I fight people with a chance, you troll.”

  “Shut up, don’t cry. I’ll make your friend squeal in there.” He laughed and sneered at Wes, “You’re dead bro.”

  “I’m not bothered,” Wesley lied as the kid walked away.

  “Don’t fight him Wes,” Sadie told him. “Just cancel the clash and fight Alwin.”

  Wesley didn’t answer at first. He stared intently at the young boy who was mouthing obscenities at him. “No,” Wes declared defiantly. “If I take a hit off him, like you said about Alwin, I can take a hit off anyone right?”

  Sadie and Darren looked at each other.

  “Is that right?” he asked again.

  "Yeah I suppose so." Darren replied. "But it won't be nice."

  Wesley couldn't back down in front of Sadie. He wanted to go out there; even losing, he’d still have his pride. No one would laugh at him then.

  “If I was you I’d step down, Wes.” Sadie said. “I’d think twice about taking him on, at least until I was echelon six.”

  “No, I’m doing this.”

  Wesley regretted his decision as he stood at the threshold. The colosseum looked daunting, massive and overbearing. Wesley rolled his shoulders, praying no one could notice him shaking. Sadie and Darren joined him at the arch.

  “You okay?” Sadie asked.

  Wesley just nodded, it was obvious he wasn’t.

  “Just take it on the chin man.” Darren said. “You got some balls, I’ll give you that.”

  “Thanks,” Wes said. If Darren was impressed surely everyone else would be. Sadie included.

  “So I just imagine my gladiator, walk through and I’m it?”

  “Exactly, just think about the strongest gladiator you can, Wes.” Sadie said, “You’ll be it.”

  Darren knew nothing he said could change the fact; Wes was in for a world of hurt. He patted him on the back. “Good luck, Wes.”

  “I’ll need it.” Wesley admitted.

  At the far side of the colosseum Wesley saw the young ‘troll’ as Sadie had referred to him, standing by the entrance to the arena. He stepped out; Wesley’s shakes had cranked up a thousand percent. The troll was transformed into a fifty foot, towering polar bear, Wesley gulped down hard at the sight. He couldn’t seem to move his legs, fear rooting him to the spot. Wesley could actually feel the noise, the sensation from the crowd blowing faintly against his face.

  “Here goes,” he said under his breath as he pushed himself forward. He stepped out, his foot pressing into the soft golden sand. With his eyes closed he just waited, for the process to take its course. His mind focused on the image of the gladiator in his sketch pad.

  Laughter trickled at first across the crowd. Wesley could hear it clearly, moving around colosseum. The trickle soon became a flood and Wesley’s heart sank. Why had he done this? He knew deep down this would happen. He opened his eyes and looked down. His right hand clenched the leather grip of a solid steel headed war hammer. Exactly like in the sketch pad, a dragon was engraved with amazing detail into the side. Wes tried to ignore the mocking laughter that swirled around him; he turned his attention to the steel buckler in his left hand. He tilted it over, the shield face was slightly damaged, but the embossed sabre tooth tiger was there, all its features precisely as it was in the book.

  Why were they laughing? He asked himself. Turning back to the door Wesley looked at Sadie and Darren. The pair looked at him peculiarly. Not laughing, they seemed more puzzled.

  “What’s wrong?” Wesley asked confusion in his voice.

  “You haven’t changed,” Sadie said.

  “I have!” Wes insisted. The penny dropped as he looked down. “Oh…” he said out loud. He still wore his blue tracksuit bottoms, black T-shirt and white trainers. The transformation had not altered his body and the towering muscular gladiator he had envisioned was still the small scrawny teenage boy Wesley saw each morning in the mirror. He looked back at them and pleaded, “What do I do now?”

  “Nothing you can do,” Darren said the hopelessness of Wesley’s situation summed up on his face.

  “Sorry Wes, you’ve chosen now.” Sadie said a grimace of discomfort in her words.

  “I didn’t, did I?” Wesley turned away, “Bloody hell!” he snapped at himself.

  Wesley had resigned himself to losing and getting hurt. The one thing he hadn’t counted on was looking ridiculous. Just get this over with, leave and never come back, Wesley’s internal voice speaking sense. The Overseer rose from its stone seat.

  “Echelon one… prepare!” the voice announced, to a chorus of laughter. That’s me they’re laughing at, he thought shaking his head.

  The polar bear roared at Wesley, fierce cold air was exhaled, pieces of ice spewed out onto the floor.

  “I know you…” Wesley said under his breath. He’d seen this in his sketch book, the giant bear breathing ice onto the gladiator. Was it a sign? Or was it a coincidence? So far nothing appeared to be a coincidence to Wesley.

  “Echelon seven… prepare!” the voice was drawing closer to the one word Wesley didn’t want to hear, “Clash!”

  The crowd cheered on the echelon seven as it pounded its huge paws forward onto the arena sand. The manifestation drew in air, a swirling funnel formed as the polar bear filled its chest, as Hanson prepared to annihilate his opponent. Wesley had raised his shield the moment the clash had begun, praying it would end fast. He winced as he glanced over the edge of the shield. The bear’s chest was almost full and then it froze. Hanson leaned its head forward, the bear’s mouth opened wide and the sound of crunching ice emerged from deep within. As quickly as he had drawn in the air, solid chunks of ice were expelled with the ferocious freezing wind. Wesley ducked behind the shield as the forced smashed brutally against him. The power of the blast moving him along the colosseum floor as Wesley pushed into the icy storm.

  “I can’t watch!” Sadie said turning her head away.

  “Give him credit, he’s not gone down yet.” Darren replied. “Well until he’s crushed by the wall anyway.”

  “It’s horrible.” Sadie added.

  The chunks of solid ice pounded relentlessly into the buckler, each one making Wesley shudder. The ferocious wind that spilled over the edges of shield froze his arms, upper-body and torso. He forced his shoulder into the oncoming ice storm, but it was futile. Wesley squeezed his eyes shut and sensed the stone colosseum wall drawing closer to him. He considered dropping his shield and ending it quick.

  Suddenly it was warm. No, hot, it was really hot. Wesley could feel a burning heat from beneath him. Barely opening his eyes, he glimpsed the hammer in his hand. A shimmering red aura surrounded the steel head and Wesley remembered the image in the sketch pad. The edge of his back foot pressed against the arena wall. Wes had to think fast; in the sketch book the gladiator summoned a dragon. Suddenly something he couldn’t explain happened, a realisation or awakening. He knew what to do! His grip tightened on the hammer and he pushed forward, using the wall as leverage. He swung the hammer around the side of his sturdy stee
l buckler. With his eyes tightly shut, he focused on the picture he’d drawn.

  The crowd unexpectedly fell silent. Wesley peered over the edge of his shield as his arm swung out. He saw in amazement as an enormous flaming dragon materialized. The awesome blazing wings and tail moved in harmony, soaring through the colosseum heavens. The magnificent form stunned everybody, including Wesley. Its talons sank into the polar bear manifestation and the dragon burned brighter and brighter. Flames spewed from its core, forcing the creature back, the tail of the burning dragon wrapping itself around Hanson’s bear, like a serpent. Wesley lowered the shield and watched his manifestation tear and gouge his opponent into submission.

  The hammer trembled in Wesley’s hand, willing him to do more. Wes gave himself up to the moment. He strode across the golden sand with conviction, the fear giving way to belief, the humiliation now power. He leapt into the air, ten, twenty, thirty feet high before he lifted the weapon above his head. As he descended a trail of burning intensity was left in its wake that defied comprehension. The dragon vanished as Wesley brought down the weapon with a mighty slam. The polar bear manifestation shattered with a deafening explosion. Wesley stood over the boy, who lay still, his eyes were glazed and he was mumbling incoherently.

  Silence, not a single, sound could be heard. Wesley couldn’t believe what he had done. The power he had felt, the emotional roller coaster. His entire body tingled with excitement; the rush of adrenaline was overwhelming. Now he couldn’t move for a completely different reason, he didn’t want to leave the sand. Sadie was right, it was incomparable.

  “Echelon one... wins,” even the voice of the shadowy announcer sounded surprised at the outcome of the battle.

  The young child’s lip quivered, Hanson’s glazed expression swiftly replaced by a streams of tears, his mouth bubbling as he started to cry. The sight made Wes reel back slightly. It was hard to believe this sobbing child was an abusive little brat before they stepped out onto the colosseum sand.

  “You cheated!” he blubbered at Wesley, crying loudly.

  “How did I cheat?” Wesley asked, “How?”

  “You did, you can’t beat me. It’s not fair!” his cries of protest filling the arena.

  “Echelon one…” the voice paused.

  Wesley could see everyone in the audience and fighters pit hanging on the vaporous creatures words, him included.

  Finally the shadow declared, “Rises to the second!”

  Oh my God! Wesley shouted in his head, he had won his first battle and it was astonishing. The power that had surged through his body was amazing, everything overwhelmed his senses.

  Still silent the crowd appeared to be in awe of the clash spectacle they had witnessed. A few claps of congratulations echoed from the wilderness.

  “You cheat!” the young boy rasped, wiping away his tears.

  “No kid, I didn’t.” Wesley replied, turning away.

  “You bloody cheat! You cheating piece of scum!” he spat venomously at Wesley as he walked away.

  “You know what kid,” Wesley said turning around. He continued to call him kid, knowing it would anger him. “When you get beaten by a noob like me, you know what you should do?”

  Hanson shook his head. “What?”

  Wesley grinned. “Get over it.” Wesley replied, doing his utmost to contain his laughter and act cool.

  The pit was no different to the colosseum, stunned silence. His steel buckler and grand hammer vanished the instant he stepped over the threshold. Wesley was met with stares of disbelief. No one congratulated him like they had Darren when he returned from the clash victorious. Wesley didn’t mind, the energy he had inside the arena had gone, but the buzz was still going strong. The sound of crying in the distance faded away, Wesley assuming Hanson had woken up. Wes looked at Sadie and Darren’s dumbfounded expression and was lost for words.

  Alwin appeared, pushing his way through the contenders. “Guys! I’m so sorry.” He said sincerely. “I only just got away,” he continued reaching the three of them. “The police only left a minute ago. I’m really sorry Wes, I’ll challenge you again.”

  Wesley was shocked at how genuinely sorry Alwin seemed, over something he couldn’t control. “No worries Alwin.” Wesley replied.

  “I still can’t believe I saw a dead guy.” Alwin said noticing the utter quiet of the arena. Nobody was looking at him, not even Wesley. He seemed to look everywhere else, but Sadie and Darren stared at Wes intently. Alwin looked left and then right. Everyone had the same expression, and they were all staring at Wesley. “What did I miss?”

  “Wesley clashed.” Darren said his stare unwavering as he spoke.

  Alwin asked, “Who?”

  “Hanson,” Sadie replied.

  Alwin looked at Wesley, “You look okay, I’d have expected a bloody nose at least…” he joked.

  “He won.” Darren interrupted.

  “Of course he did, he’s an echelon seven.” Alwin retorted. “I thought Wes to be in worse shape.”

  “No. He won!” Darren exclaimed pointing at Wesley.

  “What?” Alwin questioned, “How?”

  “That’s what everyone would like to know.” Sadie interjected.

  Wesley held his hands up, taking a deep breath. “Honestly,” he began. “I have no idea.” He saw his simple reply wasn’t going to cut it. “I just felt something.”

  “So did Hanson!” someone shouted from behind Wesley. A titter of laughter rumbled through the room.

  “Like you said Sadie, I imagined it.”

  “How did you take his attack?” Darren asked. “I mean you took the ice storm full on, for ages and you never broke.”

  “I just believed.” Wesley replied, hoping his false answer wouldn’t be noticed. He had considered giving in. If it hadn’t been for the hammer taking control he would have lost for sure.

  A young girl made her way through the fighters; she was about eleven years old, pretty face, with blonde hair.

  She smiled at Wesley. “Thanks for beating that guy. He was a bully and if he’s got to start again, he won’t comeback.” She said gratefully.

  “No problem,” Wesley smiled.

  Then as if the little girl had turned on a tap, a flood of applause echoed through the fighter’s pit. Wesley felt hands slapping against his back. Then a cheering roar erupted from within the stands. Wesley laughed, shaking people’s hands as he walked toward the table the three of them had occupied since his arrival.

  Darren sat opposite him, his eyes still focused on Wes. He hoped to see some kind of answer in his face, a way to explain how he had achieved the seemingly impossible.

  “I’m glad I didn’t fight you now.” Alwin said jokingly.

  Wesley just smiled.

  “How, I mean, how?” Darren’s question was full of confusion.

  Wes shrugged.

  “That’s just…” Darren couldn’t find the words.

  Sadie asked, “Have you fought before?”

  “No.” Wesley replied honestly.

  “I don’t get how you did that,” she said. “You conjured a dragon, which was…” she paused looking for the right words, “was way more powerful than an echelon one could muster.”

  “But I did.” Wesley smiled, “I don’t know how.”

  “Why didn’t you change either?” Darren asked.

  Alwin had missed everything, his head just moved from one person speaking to the next, like he was watching an incredible tennis rally.

  “I was more surprised than anyone about that,” Wesley readily admitted. “I just wanted to vanish when everyone started laughing.”

  Alwin finally inserted himself into the conversation. “You didn’t change?”

  “No, I just had my weapons. The Gladiator I imagined never happened.” Wes said a hint of disappointment in his reply.

  “Maybe that was it then?” he said.

  Now Wesley, Darren and Sadie all looked at Alwin in hopes of some kind of explanation. “Well it’s like this,�
�� he began. He wasn't convinced he could explain it. “Well, I thought. If he’s…” he pointed at Wesley. “Expended less energy on his Mani, surely that would leave him more power in reserve?” he finished as a question, Alwin was speaking hypothetically.

  The three of them all exchanged glances and with the lack of any other solution they seemed to accept Alwin’s assumption as fact. Darren finally lightened up. “Man, that was epic,” he said, at last congratulating Wes on his successful clash.

  “That dragon was pretty sweet.” Sadie added.

  Wesley was happy the mood had changed. He had started to get worried he’d alienated himself from the rest of the group. Weirdly enough he felt he needed to win Darren over more than the others. Perhaps it was an alpha male thing? It didn’t matter, the three of them chatted about how he had defeated the polar bear manifestation. But Wesley did not mention his sketch pad, he did not tell his new friends he had foreseen the battle, seen the beast and somehow was driven to do what he had. That, he would keep to himself.

  The snow covered Cedar road, top to bottom. Nothing had been left untouched. The houses and cars were all cloaked in white. From Luke’s bedroom window on the third floor of the tall terraced house, he could see nothing but white. Luke stood at the window in his dressing gown and wondered why Wesley hadn’t been online the night before. Was he ill? He hadn’t answered his call either. He decided to go and see if he was alright. Only being around the corner, he wouldn’t have to trudge through too much snow.

  Luke selected a pair of boots from the assortment of family shoes under the stairs. He zipped up his blue coat and stepped outside to face the harshest of winds. The stream of blasting air whipped up from the bottom of the road and pushed against Luke’s back as he made his way toward his friend’s house. His light brown boots sunk into the deep snow, with each step. Luke was amazed at the amount that had fallen, more than he'd ever seen. He had never recalled his mum sorting out candles and torches before, but after the weather warning she had dug them out of some old boxes in the back room.

  Alberta Terrace was no different to Luke’s road, a mass of fluffy white snow and a severe wind, which now blew directly into his face. Pressing on, he used his arm for cover. Finally reaching Wesley’s front door, he rapped his knuckles against the wood. It was so cold, each rap stung. Quickly shoving his hand into his pocket, Luke waited for someone to answer the door. Sure enough the door opened and Wesley asked him inside.