Death Cloud: The Senturians of Terraunum Series (Book 2)

by R. J. Batla

  “Oh.”

  “So what was he saying to you while we were fighting the Shifter and those other monsters, Jay?” Royn said.

  I told them everything that happened. I also said that Malstrak was wrong — I could feel the Morsenube, but it wasn’t at a level one. Maybe a level five or six, I couldn’t tell exactly, but definitely not at one. I looked down at my left wrist — both of the wings of the tattoo were gone. Meaning I’d lost my protection against the Morsenube. I was on my own.

  Ames said, “We don’t need to worry about that right now. For now, we’re safe, though we’re in a rush to evacuate the Break Pass. But you, my friend, are not fully healed. You need another night’s rest.”

  “But what about —”

  I never finished, as Ames put his hand on my shoulder and I was knocked out cold.

  Damn Senturians and their powers.

  Chapter 70 – Jayton Baird

  THE NEXT MORNING, I felt much more refreshed – as a matter of fact, I felt really good – apparently a squad of Elves working on you all night will do that. Leona was there, of course, giving me a big kiss as soon as I awoke, tears streaming down her face.

  “I thought I’d lost you, Jayton Baird.”

  I rubbed the back of her head as I pressed our foreheads together. “You’ll never lose me. I’ll never leave you. I’ll —”

  “All right, you two lovebirds, let’s go!” Troup said, bursting into our room. “We’ve got a meeting to go to, and for some reason, you two seem to be in the middle of it. Just like always.”

  Leona helped me dress while Troup waited outside the door. And by door, I mean the flap of the tent. Troup led us outside, showing me the cavern I’d seen earlier. Definitely underground — the air was moist and cool. This cavern was massive, roughly circular and about two hundred yards in diameter. Glowstones lined the walls and the ceiling, making it almost as bright as daylight. My tent was situated just off the center of the dome-like cave, and Troup headed towards the middle. A short walk later and we stood outside a perfectly square stone building that seemed to rise right from the stone floor. Walking between the guards, there was an electric shock as we went through the doorframe and my vision turned white for a second. When it came back, we found my whole crew, including Corbman, Ames Talco, and several generals and higher ups from other Races sitting around a large circular stone table. Queen Aurora was there, sitting next to a Tempus and a Dwarf I didn’t recognize. I squeezed Leona’s hand and she squeezed back. The room itself was white with several doorways around the perimeter like the one we’d just entered.

  Ames Talco smiled and gestured with his hands. “Welcome, Jayton and Leona. If you’ll please sit, we’ll get started.” We obliged, sitting in the only two chairs left. “Excellent. Now, the people in this room are a select few that I trust. Here’s our status as of right now. Most of the Senturian Corps, those who were not traitors, are still trapped in the Break Pass, defending both sides. Harlingon has been taken by a part of Malstrak’s army and is being held by two alphas and a human commander. Again, we were betrayed by some of our own, allowing them to overrun the defenses of the city. The Elves are still holding off the army in the Trinity Pass, but an organized retreat is being implemented. It will only be a matter of time before some of Malstrak’s army gets to Elmendorf, and they need to be ready. Now, as we’re here in this secure location, we can–”

  “Wait—what do you mean? Where the hell are we?” I asked.

  “We’re at a secret location in the Divide Mountains,” Ames said, giving me a smile. “You don’t think we’d have the use of two teleporters and not use them, do you?”

  I shut my mouth at that as Royn and Aurora rolled their eyes at me.

  “So how do we play this now, Ames?” Celeste asked. She’d used his first name—that struck me as odd. “I’m assuming you’ve planned for this?”

  He nodded. “It’s imperative that we don’t panic. We’re going to have to switch from open warfare to guerilla tactics.”

  “What do you mean?” one of the Elves said.

  “Basically, Malstrak is taking over, even though he hasn’t completed it yet. Our defeat at the Breaks has sealed his victory for the time. With that, without the full might of the entire East Side behind us, we’re going to have to figure out a way to take back our home, while not alienating the population in the process. There have been lots of reports of towns and people already sympathizing with him and what he’s promised people. Most of the army who betrayed us, and those who are now in his control, have been promised power or access to the Awakening Stones to activate their powers. Malstrak wants everyone to have equal rights to powers. We have failed, as the East Side and as Senturians, to not recognize that we were too set in our ways and too proud to remove the restrictions placed on power acquisition.

  “At the end of the day, if we’re able to defeat him, there’ll still be citizens in the nation. We have to bring everyone back together. Both on the East and the West Side.”

  I was suddenly reminded of words spoken to me—mend the wounds, bring the sides together. Make Terraunum whole again.

  One of the Dwarves placed his hammer on the table. “I’m assuming we’re going to fight, but not yet. So what do we do now? How do we do it?”

  Ames nodded and started to outline his plan. “It all starts with the Aeren.” Royn and Sonora looked at each other, then turn back to Ames. “Their flying machines will have to evacuate what’s left of the Senturian Corps trapped in the Breaks and place them at secure and hidden locations scattered all over the East and West Sides. We’ll do the same with the Elves.”

  “Flying machines?”

  “Hidden locations?”

  “So we’ll be scattered? How will that work?”

  “Yes, but you must remember that each and every man or woman has value, and though it may be hidden at times, their value is there, and it will come to the front when needed. Our first priority is getting our people out of the death trap that is now the Breaks and the Trinity River. Afterwards, groups of soldiers will be situated as far as we can scatter them, having their own cells of operation controlled by a central group, namely me and a select few others.”

  “So we’re going to be a rebel army?” Troup asked, drumming on the table with his hand.

  Ames continued, “Yes, pretty much. Our forces are holding the West Gate now, but it’s a stalling tactic at best, and will quickly turn into a retreating fight. We’re getting reports from the capital cities of the Races. The Manu king was killed and they have been forced to surrender, but the others are preparing for a siege, but if necessary, will surrender to prevent loss of life.”

  The two Manus at the table looked shocked at the news that their homeland was now under enemy control, but they didn’t say anything.

  Sonora asked, “How are they able to defend? I mean, didn’t all the Races already send their armies to the war front?”

  Ames and Royn looked at each other.

  “Despite what the council had decided, I wasn’t confident in placing all our hopes in winning the war,” Ames said. “Me, Royn, and Queen Aurora went in secret to talk to the rulers of every Race, telling them to hold more of their army in reserve, or even call some of their forces back, as I suspected we had been betrayed. And I was right.”

  “If you suspected, why didn’t you say so? Now look where we are!” a Phoenix said.

  Morgan put her hand on the visibly upset woman’s arm.

  “With what proof? Would you have believed me? Would anyone? It would have just made our defeat that much easier when they took over, and–”

  “Wait, wait. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that they took over Harlingon. How did they do it?” one of the big Helions asked.

  “They came up from the south. Everyone thought the reefs around Portland would protect it, that no ocean-worthy vessel would be able to breach the bay. But the enemy knew the risks and modified boats that somehow converted to shallow running vessels
as they approached. Apparently it was part of the force that attacked the Elves but split off at some point. We never saw it coming.”

  Portland. My heart hit the floor. “My... my parents?”

  Ames gave me a grave look that said it all. “Jayton, when I heard the news, I had the team go to your house specifically. Your parents didn’t make it. The team found their bodies in their room. They died quickly, by the looks of it. We haven’t found any survivors yet. Jayton, I’m deeply sorry for your loss.”

  No. No. My heart was tearing in two, and suddenly I was racked with pain in my chest. Tears filled my eyes, and I wept. My parents. They’d sacrificed everything for me, and though I hadn’t seen them in over a year, I could still hear my mother’s laugh, see my father’s big smile. Yeah, I lost it. They were my family, the only one I’d known for most of my life. They had given me everything, and now they were gone.

  Leona comforted me with a squeeze of my hand and an arm around my shoulder. This was not at all what I expected. I thought they were safe, that they were far south enough that the war wouldn’t affect them. It wasn’t fair; they didn’t deserve to die. There was nothing they could do to fight against monsters. They hadn’t been trained for it like I had. Sobs racked my frame as I pulled Leona into a hug and cried onto her shoulder.

  Slowly, I regained control of myself. It said a lot about everyone present that they did nothing but comfort me. Some sat in silence, others spoke kind words, others embraced me or patted me on the back.

  With a deep breath, I finally managed to control myself. Though my heart ached more than I thought possible, right now I needed to be in the moment, listening. Their death and their sacrifice would mean nothing if I didn’t survive long enough to avenge them. Me and my team – we had to go on, we had to move. I would grieve later more thoroughly, no doubt. But that was later – I needed to pay attention so I could right this wrong.

  Another deep breath, and I nodded at Councilman Talco. “Thank you for telling me and thank you for looking for them. They were good people and they believed in me. They’d be disappointed in me if I didn’t protect people and do what needed to be done. So what’s the plan now?” I asked. “How do we beat these bastards?”

  Ames said, “I’ve been putting together units for years, training and preparing people to take command for just such an emergency. Royn and Aurora will be key ingredients, especially with communication and transport. We will inform everyone of the logistics and procedures a little later.”

  “I’m guessing much of your Gar Solas has been involved in this? Maybe even why it was created in the first place?” Celeste asked.

  “Wait, what?” I said. “What’s the Gar Solas?”

  Ames and Royn looked at each other, Ames nodding at Royn.

  “All right, I guess it’s time we come clean,” Royn said. “For years, I’ve been secretly recruiting especially powerful Senturians, ones I could trust, who’ve shown bravery, commitment, and determination despite the odds. They’ve been sent on a few specific missions over the years, but now is what I’ve been planning for. Their actual use. In fact, Jayton, every single member of your protection detail was, or is, a member.”

  “Um. Okay.” I looked around at everyone. “Did each of you know you were all members?”

  Everyone looked back and forth, then back at Royn. Some seemed as surprised as I was, others were obviously more well informed.

  “Yes...and no...” Royn said. “We kept it close to the chest – the fewer who knew, the better. Now, we’ll be dividing people up and putting them in charge of various numbers of Senturians. We’ll be carrying out raids, assassinations, and straight up battles, all in an effort to defeat Malstrak. Corbman?”

  “Yes, sir?” The Halfte spoke for the first time – an enormous feat for him to have kept his mouth shut this whole time. I couldn’t remember him staying silent for so long.

  “Can we count on you to rally your people? As many others as you can on the West Side...”

  He stood up. “Yes, sir. I’ve already been contacted by a few people on what we can do to help.”

  Ames said, “Excellent. Celeste, you go with him. The door behind you will transport you back to the Bowl. That’s as close as we can get you.”

  “That will work. How do I contact you?” Corbman said.

  “Here,” Royn said, handing him a telestone earpiece. “This one has been recently created and is on a completely different system than all the others. It will allow you to contact me or Ames. Good luck, Corbman.”

  “Thank you,” he said, slipping the earpiece in. Celeste walked up beside him, then they both turned and stepped through the door behind them, and with a slight pop, they both disappeared.

  Ames and Royn handed out assignments, though they wouldn’t give locations, just doors. Gilmer and Morgan were paired together, Royn and Sonora, Katy and Anton. Troup went with another Dwarf.

  “And that just leaves us,” I said. “What will we be doing?”

  “It should be pretty obvious, Jay,” Leona said. “We’re near in the Divide Mountains. I think it’s time we go find Gabe. Pull out your compass.”

  I did, watching the dial. The needle spun aimlessly. Leona rolled her eyes. “Jay, send your power into it. Unlock it.”

  “Oh, right.”

  I did, and the needle spun like a propeller. When I thought it would fly off, it suddenly froze, pointing dead east. When I moved the compass around, it stayed pointed in the exact same direction.

  I looked at Ames and Royn. “Well... it looks like we’re going to find ourselves an Oracle.”

  THE ADVENTURE WILL continue in Book 3 – Title still to be determined. Don’t want to miss anything? Keep reading to see how...

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  About R.J. Batla

  R.J. BATLA IS A FANTASY author and fan of the genre. He’s working on series in both epic and urban fantasy, and likes to write fast paced books that take the reader on an adventure that they can see in their mind. His books reflect influences from novels, comic books, manga, and other cartoons/media, and he joys in blending in these elements in his books.

  Author, Christian, Husband, and Father, R.J. Batla enjoys everything outdoors and takes as much time as he can with his family. When he’s not writing, you’ll find him outside (thinking about writing), working out (and thinking about writing) or various other places (all while thinking about writing).

  DEATH CLOUD: The Senturians of Terraunum Series Book Two

  Copyright © 2018 by R.J. Batla

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