They read: Warning. Biohazard containment. Level five clearance required.
Kara gasped, What’s in there?
The instruments of my revenge.
Imogen began to speak, her voice sounding like Kara’s but deeper, more commanding and tinged with a strange accent. “Omega, zeta, kappa, nu, sigma, alpha. Imogen Vrana: Clearance epsilon.”
“Containment protocol active,” a computerized voice said. “Exposure to containment measures: lethal.”
Kara knew Imogen had been expecting this. “Override system safeguards.”
“Confirmation code?”
“Beta, zeta, delta, niner.”
“Confirmation code confirmed: Overriding system safeguards.”
A panel slid open, revealing a computerized slot. Imogen inserted the passkey into it and a moment later, there was a hiss of pressurized air as the ground shuddered. She stepped back and waited. The motors driving the doors emitted heat as they struggled to turn gears corroded by eons of disuse.
Imogen stamped her foot. “The barrier better open, or I will—”
A hand fell on her shoulder and Imogen was spun around to face Minard.
Sweat ran down his face, and his teeth were bared. He wrapped a hand around the hem of Kara’s robe, lifted her off the ground and slammed her against the door, his nose an inch from hers. “Scion, what are you doing?” he shouted over the grinding gears. “I ordered you to stop!”
Imogen seethed with hatred but her voice was as sweet as expensive ale. “I—I am sorry... I must get inside before he comes to kill me. Please put me down; you are hurting me.”
No... don’t fall for it, Kara wailed, hoping Minard could somehow hear her. Please kill me before she can open the ward! I’m the threat your patriarch thought I was. I am the Scion of the Prophecy!
Erinie and Aemon came to stand beside Minard, their chests heaving as they fought to catch their breaths. “What’s on the other side of the door?” Erinie asked between breaths.
Imogen placed her hands over Minard’s. “Please put me down. I am sorry I ran off. I was afraid.”
Please, Lydan, Roryur, Ibilirith, let them know Imogen is lying, Kara cried. They have to know. The Mother of Steel Children wanted to kill all three of them, when they had exceeded their use. Please...
Kara fought to regain control of her body, but the earlier battle with Imogen had sapped her of what little strength she had left. Her attempt at seizing it back was over before it began.
She felt powerless.
Minard slammed her against the door again. “What’s on the other side? Tell me or I’ll choke the life out of you.”
Do it, Kara screamed. Kill me! She means to kill you all.
“It is the library,” Imogen gasped, looking from Minard to Erinie with fake desperation. “I need to get in there and find out how I can stop the enemy.”
Aemon put his hand on Minard’s arm and made him lower Kara to the ground. The monk’s grip slowly eased and he backed away to let Aemon speak to her.
“Kara. Tell us what is happening to you, so we can find a way to help you.”
Oh, Aemon, please kill me! You promised you would if I became a threat.
“I am alright, but I need to get inside before he gets to me,” Imogen said.
The gears stopped grinding together, but the door didn’t rise. Aemon banged on it with his mace. “It does not look like it is going to open. What are you going to do?”
Imogen dropped the submissive façade and snapped, “Oh, thank you for your astute observation, genius. Now shut your mouth so I can think.”
“There she is,” a voice hollered from the other side of the chamber. Six black-clad figures ran toward them, each crying out for the blessing of Lord Dwaycar.
Kahan had come.
Chapter 28
AEMON
Aemon stood stunned as Kahan raced along the passage. Somehow, he had survived his attack on the temple and pursued them all the way through the Great Dark to the Dead City. The dark brother charged into the room. Five female knives came up behind him, two wielding javelins, the rest short swords and torches.
“Protect me,” Kara cried.
“Get behind me and stay there,” Aemon ordered her. He moved to the top of the ramp to cover her. Minard and Erinie remained at the bottom, preparing themselves for combat.
Kara pounded her fists on the door. “Hurry up and open, you stupid thing. I gave you my authorization code.”
The sound of rending metal made the hairs on Aemon’s neck stand on end. “Finally, it is opening,” Kara exclaimed. “But, by god, it is taking its time.”
Kahan skirted the shaft at the center of the room and pointed at Minard. “Monk, you must stop her before she opens the ward.”
He motioned for the other knives to fan out, though one stayed several feet behind him to guard his back. When the rest had formed a loose line, he took a few cautious steps toward the ramp, his eyes on the monk. “You have one last chance to make amends for your order. You had the scion in your grasp and you let her go. You know what she is, and what she will do.”
Minard gestured at him with his staff. “You attacked Lady Ibilirith’s temple, killed my brethren, extinguished our sacred lights and desecrated our holy shrines. Who are you to speak to me of anything?”
“I am Kahan, first son of Gwyndelon, the Shadow Trainer of Dwaycar. My ancestors were among those who sought to purify the caverns of the technologies of Ibilirith.”
“Which makes you my bitter enemy.”
Kahan shook his head. “We may be enemies, but that does not mean we cannot come together in this time of need. The scion you defend is a threat to us all. She must be killed and the item around her neck destroyed—before she can unleash great horror.”
Kara spat on the ground beside Aemon. “Go away, maggot. No one will stop me this time. I will save humanity from the enemy.”
The level of anger in Kara’s voice surprised Aemon. It almost did not sound like her.
“You see how she rages,” Kahan said. “She is our enemy, and we must stop her. The metal beasts that ravage Stelemia are here because of her.”
“Keep him talking as long as you can,” Erinie whispered to Minard out of the corner of her mouth. “The door is about an inch off the ground.”
Minard looked upon the dark brother as if he were ox dung stuck to a boot. “I know the prophecy. I know all the teachings of Holy Ibilirith. Why do you believe in her words? Your traitorous master was her enemy.”
“They were also brother and sister,” Kahan reminded him.
Aemon glanced at the door and found it had only risen two inches. “Kara, climb under it as soon as you can, and I will follow you in.”
The cold look she gave him made him uneasy. Was it still Kara standing there? He was no longer sure.
Kahan took another step forward. “Our orders may be different, but here and now, we share a common goal. Like you, we who follow Dwaycar want to save humanity, and the only way we can do that is by killing the scion.”
He bowed but kept his eyes on Minard. “We believe in Divine Ibilirith and her words of prophetic wisdom, but we care not for her machines, nor her sacred lights. Our legends tell us that her technologies once brought doom upon the world and that my order was created to curb technology’s spread, to prevent it happening again.”
Aemon noticed Erinie’s hand behind her back mixing reagents into a pouch, out of view of the Knives of Dwaycar. What was she planning?
Kara shouted over Aemon’s shoulder, “I do not know who Dwaycar is, but he sounds as dumb as my brother was.”
Aemon rounded on her in confusion. “You know who he is.”
Kara glared at him as if he were a fool. “Go kill that man, would you? I am sick of hearing his voice.”
What in Lydan’s name had come over Kara?
Kahan made an agile flourish with his sword. “Monk, this is your last chance. The ward will soon open enough for the scion to climb under it. If you
let her enter, you will doom us all. The extinction of the human race will be on your shoulders.” He held out his right hand, palm upward. “Stand with me, brother... and save us all.”
Minard studied Kara over his shoulder. She looked back at him with bared teeth. Aemon’s heart kicked. The indecision on the monk’s face was plain to see.
Sure, Kara was acting odd, but that did not mean she wanted to kill everyone. Aemon started to sweat. The prophecy never claimed the scion wanted to destroy the world. It said the scion would unleash something which would bring about the end of all life.
What if Kahan was right? Regardless of Kara’s intent, she could unknowingly unleash something that would fulfill the Prophecy and doom them all.
We are so close. I cannot allow doubt to find a place in my heart.
It had to be the passkey changing Kara, or maybe it was her wounds, or even fatigue. Possibly all three!
“Kill her, monk,” Kahan pleaded. “Before it is too late!”
Minard sighed deeply, then spun to face Kara. “As much as I don’t want to listen to the dark brother—his words ring true. Scion, I don’t trust you any longer. Not after seeing the changes come over you since we arrived in this city.”
Erinie pleaded with him, “Please, no, she’s here to save us. Arden—”
“Was a heretic,” the monk finished for her.
“You made a pledge to protect the scion, remember?”
“I remember, but I also promised the scion that I would kill her if she became a threat. I don’t think we should let her through the door. Her hostility to us is clear.”
“The prophecy is mere words on a computer. It means nothing,” Erinie sobbed. “Arden’s vision is real—Kara will save us. Please, don’t do this.”
Minard started up the ramp toward Kara. Erinie cursed him and shoved a small handful of black powder into the pouch behind her back. “I won’t let the dark brother turn us against one another,” she said, then hurled it at Kahan.
He dove out of the way, but the knife behind him was not as quick. The bag struck her and exploded. Kahan and the other knives were thrown aside as the blast tore through the chamber.
Aemon ducked behind Minard, who had almost been blown on top of him from the force of the shockwave. Kara launched herself to the ground in front of the door, while Erinie lay on her stomach with her hands over her ears.
When the dust settled and the echo had run its course, Aemon sat up and found Kahan already getting to his feet, his black armor ragged, torn and oozing blood. A small crater was all that remained of where the dead knife had stood. The other four knives looked uninjured and were already moving to attack.
Kahan held his sword high. “Bless us, Lord Dwaycar.” He limped toward the ramp.
Erinie sprang to her feet and ripped out her dagger while Minard retrieved his staff and got into a defensive crouch. Aemon grabbed his mace and crawled over to scoop up the fallen torch.
One of the knives threw a javelin that flew past him and struck the floor beside Kara. She batted it away dismissively, then climbed back to her feet. “Get up and protect me, fool,” she snapped at Aemon.
He staggered to his feet and swung to face the knife bearing down on him. There was no time for fear or hesitation. She was almost upon him.
The knife let out a feminine battle-cry and lunged forward with her sword leveled at Aemon’s guts. He sidestepped the knife’s blade, and it missed him by an inch. The momentum of her attack sent her past him and smashing into the door beside Kara. Before the knife could recover, Kara kicked her viciously in the side of the knee, breaking her leg.
Clutching at her leg, the woman screamed. Her pain was short lived, as Kara took the knife’s head in her arms and snapped her neck. Shoving the body aside, Kara looked up at Aemon. The reflected glow of the passkey in her eyes made them look like they were on fire.
Kahan lunged for Kara, but Minard struck him on the arm, interrupting the dark brother’s momentum. Aemon backed away as Minard engaged the wounded Kahan and another knife in a frantic battle to stop them reaching Kara. Erinie fought another enemy in a fierce clash of sword-versus-dagger—and even with the smaller weapon, seemed to be holding her own.
“You must kill her,” Kahan cried, as he blocked the monk’s relentless attacks with his torch. “I have seen the end times in my dreams. Stop this!”
Minard did not relent but drove Kahan back toward the shaft at the center of the room.
With a brief respite, Aemon searched for the final knife. He found her creeping around the edge of the room, beyond the edge of the fighting. She had evidently planned to launch a surprise attack. Aemon moved to put an end to her plans.
Suddenly, Kahan ducked Minard’s staff and barged past him. Recklessly running up the ramp, he launched himself at Kara. Aemon swung his mace and shattered the dark brother’s arm. Kahan screamed as his sword clattered uselessly to the floor. Aemon went to finish him with a second blow, but the dark brother somersaulted backward down the ramp and deftly landed on his feet.
Minard charged Kahan, swinging his staff in a wide arc, while the other knife engaging the monk trailed after him. The dark brother backed away from Minard, using his torch to keep the monk at bay. Aemon hurled his torch at the knife running to skewer Minard from behind and struck her in the legs, sending her face-first into the ground.
When he strode over to finish her, she looked up at him. He saw himself reflected in her eyes as he drove his mace down into her skull. Warm blood and brains splashed over him. Part of him recoiled from what he had done. Another part—deeper and hidden in shadow—relished in it.
The knife had been his enemy and he had vanquished her.
A foul stench wafted from under the door as it neared three-quarters of a foot off the ground. Another half-minute and Kara would be able to climb under it.
Minard and Erinie drove Kahan and the other knife back. With no threat near, Aemon took a moment to catch his breath.
It was then he saw the final knife racing along the wall toward Kara.
Chapter 29
KARA
Imogen spun and Kara saw one of the black-garbed knives creeping toward her. Kara couldn’t help but cry out in fear.
Shut up, I need to concentrate, Imogen snapped.
The knife, seeing she was discovered, charged forward and vaulted up the ramp. Aemon dove in front of Kara and swung his mace at the woman but she deftly ducked under his blow and slashed at his stomach. Her blade cut a jagged gash across his leather armor, though Kara couldn’t see if it drew blood.
Grasping his stomach with one hand, Aemon swung again. The knife was inside his arc of attack and his arm uselessly slammed into her side. She head-butted him and sent him reeling backwards in a spray of blood.
Do something, Kara screamed. She’s going to kill him!
Imogen glanced at the door. It was almost high enough for her to slide under it. Foul air spilled through the gap, air no living thing had breathed for millennia.
Kara could no longer see Aemon. Please, look at him, he needs help.
I told you to shut up, Imogen snarled, though she swiveled her head so Kara could see him again.
Kara witnessed everything Imogen saw, but it was like being in the audience at the theater. You could watch, but not control the direction of the story.
Except this was real.
She caught the sounds of Minard and Erinie fighting, but unless Imogen turned their way, Kara would never know what was happening to them. Her companions could die, and Kara wouldn’t even know it.
Sprawled flat on his back, Aemon parried a downward thrust of the knife’s sword. The sharp tip struck the concrete an inch from his head. Imogen let out a low growl and shouldered into the knife, sending her tumbling down the ramp onto her stomach. When she came to a stop, Imogen leapt onto her back.
The knife shrieked, and tried to reach around to strike at Imogen with her gloved hands. Burning hatred filled Kara, like none she’d ever known before. It
wasn’t her hate, but belonged to the Mother of Steel Children.
Imogen tore the mask from the knife’s face with such force, a chunk of her bangs came with it. The maskless knife turned her head sideways to scream. She was a dark-skinned woman, near Kara’s age, nothing like the monster she’d seemed a moment before.
Gripping the knife by the hair, Imogen started to pound the woman's face into the concrete. “Die, you putrid piece of human filth,” she shrieked as blood began spraying everywhere.
The knife wailed, her legs kicking frantically.
Again and again, Imogen drove the woman’s face into the concrete and Kara had to watch it all. She felt the blood spurting over her, could feel the knife’s body jerk with each blow, and felt the ecstasy building in Imogen as she dealt death.
By the time someone lifted her off the body, there was nothing recognizable left of the knife’s head except a bloodied mane of dark hair. Imogen fought her way out of her assailant's arms, then spun around to strike them in the face.
Aemon flew sideways into the door and slumped to the floor. Groaning, he peered up at her, blood pouring from his nose. Terror filled his eyes as Imogen bore down on him.
Kara felt the bloodlust in Imogen still. No, don’t kill him. Please don’t kill him.
Erinie called out a warning to Kara. Imogen spun sideways as another knife charged her. The librarian ran after her, but the knife would be at the top of the ramp before Erinie could stop her.
Imogen grabbed Aemon and with a strength Kara never possessed, hurled him at the oncoming knife. He slammed into her legs, knocking them out from under her. Aemon rolled to the bottom of the ramp and didn’t move.
Kara moaned, Aemon... I’m sorry.
Suddenly, the ground shuddered as the ancient gears driving the door shattered. The door, now three feet above the floor, slowly began to descend. With a cry of rage, Imogen quickly rolled under it. She kept rolling until she was clear, then nimbly jumped to her feet. They were in a dark chamber, the only light coming from the passkey and the torches outside.
A figure dragged itself under the door. A surge of hope filled Kara. Was it Aemon?
Heir to a Lost Sun: A Caverns of Stelemia Novel Page 40
