He walked briskly at first, then broke into a run as he lunged forward and flung himself into the sky. He soared above the treetops and rose higher until he saw the familiar shape of the scout ship off in the distance. He aimed for it as he sped over the forest when he was startled by the sound of an explosion.
He turned to the sound and saw a ship was descending toward the farmhouse trailing flame and smoke from its engines, whining and warbling in a staccato rhythm. It would fall silent and glide before the engines would kick on temporarily and belch out more fire and smoke, then fall silent again.
He banked to intercept the ship, his eyes widening as he approached it. The ship was similar to the scout ship in design, but smaller. Then he noticed the markings on the hull. It was from Perihelion.
He soared to the cockpit and his jaw dropped upon seeing Excort at the helm. The dwarf waved at him frantically and mouthed the word “engines”, then drew a finger across his throat.
Breeze signaled with a thumbs-up that he understood, and then groaned when he saw the ship’s trajectory was taking it straight toward the farmhouse. He turned back to Excort and mouthed the words “lower the landing gear” as he made hand motions to convey the action.
Excort didn’t understand and shook his head.
Breeze snorted in frustration as he flew up to the cockpit and pressed his face against the glass. “Lower the damn landing gear!” he shouted.
Excort shrunk back, then reached over the helm and pulled back a lever where it was immediately followed by the whine of hydraulics. Breeze pushed off and glided below the ship to watch the landing gear lower and lock itself into place, then rose back up and gave Excort the thumbs-up sign.
The engines gave off one last eruption of smoke and flame before seizing up, and chunks of metal flew out of the exhaust and dropped into the forest canopy below.
Breeze watched the glowing hot metal disappear into the trees, then turned and saw the farmhouse was getting close. He made his move.
He flew to the front of the ship and maintained a pace just slightly ahead of it, and then thrust his arms forward while clenching his fists. The air shimmered and crackled as his shield expanded, enveloping himself and the ship. Breeze groaned as he tried to pull the ship up and level off.
“What’s he doing? He’s going to hit the house!” Raza was watching the events unfold with one hand shielding her eyes as the other held Sally close to her.
The girl was distraught as she looked back and forth between Ray’s burnt face as Achilles cradled him in its arms, and the drama unfolding above.
“No mistress, your analysis is incorrect. Our aviator is trying to wrangle control of the wayward ship with his telekinesis, while throwing his shield around it to prevent harm to its occupants. Operating under the assumption there are any,” Achilles added.
“Who is it?” Sally asked.
“It appears to have markings on its hull indicating that it hails from,” the robot swiveled its head toward Raza, “Perihelion.”
“Oslo, Nina,” Raza whispered. She let go of Sally’s hand and ran towards the falling ship.
“Mistress, caution!” Achilles called out.
Breeze grunted and gasped for breath as he tried to slow down the runaway ship, when he looked back and saw Excort through the cockpit glass.
The dwarf grabbed the helm and shook it. “No control,” he mouthed the words.
Breeze waved an acknowledgment as he turned to monitor his forward progress. On the ground, he saw a woman waving her arms wildly. He soon realized it was Raza and she was running straight into the impact zone.
Breeze twisted so the right side of his body was parallel to the earth, then he extended his right hand and molded the shield into the shape of a plow. With his left hand, he pushed back on the ship with his telekinesis when the ship clipped a row of trees bordering the open field that lay before the farmhouse. Breeze gritted his teeth as the plow end of the shield plunged into the earth as dirt and debris erupted around them.
Breeze looked back just as the ship was about to hit him and he pushed back on it with all of his strength. He couldn’t help but notice Raza’s startled expression as they roared past her. She jumped off to the side as they plowed past her before coming to a stop before a large oak tree.
Breeze dropped his shield as the scout ship settled onto its landing gear with the belly of the craft just inches above him. He crawled out from underneath it, and then stood up in the trench created from the crash landing and leaned against one side of it to catch his breath.
“What is it with me and dirt holes?” he muttered.
The damaged ship gave off a hiss as pneumatic lines depressurized while hydraulic fluid dripped from the belly of the ship and oozed out of the landing gear. The heated metal skin of the ship sizzled as the swollen rain clouds began releasing their water.
Breeze scrambled out of the trench as the moistened earth was quickly turning to mud. He clawed his way out and surveyed the scene around him.
Lightning flashed followed by peals of rolling thunder. Amidst the cacophony, he heard hydraulics whining. The ships gangplank was lowering.
Silhouetted against the interior lights of the ship was the diminutive outline of Excort holding a frail figure in his arms.
Breeze headed toward them and came face to face with the dwarf as he descended the ramp. They locked eyes.
Excort was the first to speak. “They came out of nowhere, Breeze, there must have hundreds of them, maybe more. They went wild tearing apart Perihelion. The RF fought back as best as they could, but they were no match for them, they’re not programmed to fight anymore.” The flashes of lightning highlighted the dwarf’s face; his eyes were bloodshot and swollen.
The rain poured down on them and the girl in Excort’s arms. Breeze leaned in to get a better look at her. He gasped when the lightning flashed again. It was Nina.
Excort looked down at her. “They kept saying they were looking for the girl, but you know how the Elephim speak, they do it through the static they create, but we got the message. Oslo and I hid with Nina in the hangars, but they burst through the doors like they were made of paper. The RF that were with us tried to fight them off with whatever tools they had, but it was hopeless. You know, there was a time when they were once the most feared machines of all. How times have changed.”
Lightning touched down dangerously close to them, followed by the boom of thunder.
“Excort, let’s get to the house. It’s getting really bad out here.”
The dwarf was oblivious to what Breeze had said and continued rambling. “He handed her to me, said to escape the island and get to Appalachia as quickly as I could. He said not to worry about Mila, that he would see to it that she would be protected. Without another word, he charged the Elephim with what was left of the RF. Together they held them off while I escaped with Nina in the transport.” He looked down at her comatose face. The girl’s head was tilted back and her mouth was slightly open.
Breeze heard splashing footsteps approaching. He turned and saw Raza running towards them. Achilles, carrying Ray, and Sally were close behind.
“What’s happening here?” Raza demanded, and then threw her hands to her face. She went pale as tears streamed down her already rain-soaked face. “Nina,” she said and took a step back and wept, then screamed above the raucous thunder as the lightning crashed and lit up her weary face. “Nina!” she shrieked as she lunged and snatched the girl from Excort, then turned and ran to the farmhouse.
Breeze ran over to Achilles and took Ray from its arms.
“Master Corinth, whatever has possessed you?” Achilles said as it watched Breeze hoist Ray over his shoulder with a grunt, then stumble and slide across the muddy ground to the farmhouse.
“Breeze, what’s happening? Where are you going?” Sally cried out.
“J
ust follow me!” he shouted as he splashed through the mud-soaked field toward the farmhouse. Through flashes of lighting, he could see Raza in the distance with Nina in her arms. She ran to the side of the house and flung open the cellar doors.
Green light erupted from the depths of the cellar, bathing the woman and child in its glow as they quickly disappeared below.
TWENTY-FIVE
BREEZE CURSED AS HE stumbled across the saturated ground. Flashes of lightning lit his path as he shifted the burdensome weight of Ray draped over his shoulder when he saw the green light from the cellar ahead in the looming darkness.
He arrived at the entrance and peered down the stone steps that led below, and heard the sound of heavy footsteps splashing in water, along with the sucking sound of mud. He swiveled to look, and between flashes of lightning, he could see Achilles and Sally trudging across the field and heading toward the farmhouse.
Ray groaned, snapping Breeze into action. With a deep breath, he descended the steps. The deeper he went, the greater was the glow of the soothing, green luminescence that emanated from below. The heavy scent of salt water filled the air.
He reached the bottom of the steps and spilled into the chamber that housed the pool, arriving just as Raza was stepping into it with Nina cradled in her arms. Tears streamed from her eyes as mother and daughter fully immersed themselves into the blue and green waters.
Ray groaned again, and Breeze ran to follow Raza into the pool where he felt energy course through his body the moment he stepped in. He stumbled down the slime-coated stone steps, causing Ray to slip off his shoulder and sink like a stone. Breeze lunged to grab him, but missed and had to watch helplessly as Ray disappeared into the depths below. He plunged his head into the water and tried to work up the courage to dive after Ray, but could not find the will to do so. He felt so tranquil wallowing in the warm and soothing waters, that it relieved him of any sense of urgency. When it slowly dawned upon him he hadn’t drawn a breath in a while, he lifted his head to take a breath, then closed his eyes for a moment and fell into a trance where he found himself standing outside the foundry. He could see the sparks from the hot molten steel as it poured into the molds, accompanied by the whine of machinery when his father appeared and pointed at the ground.
“As above, below,” Jacob said but when Breeze reached out to touch him, he faded away.
His eyes fluttered open and he became mesmerized by the quartz that was embedded in the ceiling of the cavern and glistening with the reflection of the glowing water, when he was startled by the sound of a woman sobbing. He turned and saw Raza sitting on the steps of the pool, cradling Nina in her arms.
“There, there, baby girl,” she kept repeating while rocking back and forth. Her eyes were shut tightly as she drew Nina close to her bosom.
Nina stirred and her eyes fluttered open. “Mother?”
Raza stopped to look into her daughter’s eyes. “Yes!” she almost shouted and hugged Nina tightly.
Breeze swam over to sit on the steps next to them. The reunion of mother and daughter drew him like a moth to flame as he watched the pure emotion of a woman who had not held her child in her arms for quite some time, and it overwhelmed him.
He couldn’t remember if he ever felt any real emotion. His father had always instructed him to contain his thoughts and feelings as he was never to reveal anything to anyone, not even his gifts. It was for his own safety he would say, but watching Raza reconnect with her daughter made him discover a part of himself that he never knew, that he could feel and care for someone other than himself.
Raza reached over to touch his face and he flinched.
“Forgive me, Breeze, for telling you to go away. I swear to you on my life that will never happen again,” she said and smiled with sweetness that captured and held his gaze when Nina sat up.
“Hi,” she whispered and waved at him feebly.
Breeze chuckled. “Hi yourself.”
Raze stroked Nina’s hair and gently pulled it back to better see her face. “I gather you two have met,” she said to her daughter.
Nina smiled. “Yes, I’ve seen him wandering the halls of Perihelion.”
They all laughed.
The sound of heavy footsteps drowned out their laughter as Sally and Achilles burst into the chamber.
“Why is everyone laughing?” Sally asked.
Raza wiped water from her face. “Just realizing the simple joys of life. Come over Sally, let me see you.”
Sally climbed down the steps and into the water. She nodded at Nina who was sitting between her mother’s legs.
“Hi Sally,” the young girl said.
Sally smiled and reached out to hold her hand. “Nina, I’m really happy to see you.”
“Mistress, pardon my intrusion, but I would like to inquire of the whereabouts of Master Verhesen,” Achilles said as its head swiveled back and forth scanning the surface of the pool.
The women gasped and stood up, and then Raza turned to Breeze. “Son, you had him last.”
“Yeah, he slid out of my arms and went straight to the bottom. I kind of got overwhelmed by the healing powers of the pool and I just…forget about him.”
Nina giggled. “He’s fine, I can sense him arriving. He seems to have shed a burden and is himself now.”
Raza cradled her daughter’s face. “How do you know this, my love?”
“Mother, water is my home and I can sense everything through it. It is how I have been able to speak to you in your dreams for all these years. It is a truth-teller for me.”
Ray broke the surface and coughed, then treaded water for a moment until he noticed everyone gathered on the steps. He swam over and climbed up.
Sally held out her arms and embraced him. “Raymond,” she whispered softly. She touched his face, and then ran her hand down his chest. “The burns are gone.”
He said nothing as he wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair. They stood still for a moment until Sally gently pushed him back.
“Was that you back on the river, or was there someone inside making you do things against your will?” she asked him with a slight hint of fear on her face.
Ray nodded. “I admit the truth to all of you. I haven’t been myself since we left Perihelion.”
“You don’t say,” Breeze quipped.
Ray shot an angry look at him, then relaxed. “Okay, I deserved that one,” he said, then turned to address everyone. “During the training session, as I waited for Breeze to arrive, someone, something, paid me a visit.” Ray then described to them his encounter with the entity but edited the story so as to not reveal his desire and intentions for Sally.
Raza stepped over to him. “But I thought Sally pushed it out and freed you of its influence?” she said in a hushed but urgent tone.
Ray shook his head. “No, this one seemed to be its master. Funny though how it felt like it was my friend.”
“They will tell you anything you want to hear to gain your trust. That’s how the Elephim operate,” Excort said as he entered the chamber.
Raza cried out as she rushed over and knelt down to hug the dwarf. Excort merely patted her back with a stoic expression.
“My little widget, so good to see you,” Raza gushed, “forgive me for tearing Nina out of your arms and not even acknowledging you.”
Excort touched her face. “You don’t have to explain yourself for I know the power of family bonds. They are a powerful force that no one can sever.”
Raza smiled as she stood up and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Little widget, we have so much catching up to do.”
Excort took her hand and squeezed it. “We must first deal with the matter at hand.”
“Yes, of course,” Raza replied.
Excort pointed at Achilles. “First, answer this question: w
hat’s with the robot? I didn’t expect you to have any around as you never cared for them in the past.”
Raza nodded at Achilles. “This is no ordinary robot. Excort, I would like you to meet Achilles. Achilles was to be scrapped after the AI purge but Oslo took a shine to it and prevented it from being disassembled. We knew it at Perihelion as RF 5150, but Fifty-One was the nickname Oslo gave it, do you remember?”
Excort’s eyes widened as Achilles stepped over and held out a hand. “Master Excort, it brings this humble unit extraordinary delight to make your acquaintance once again.”
Excort ignored the robot’s hand. “Achilles? Interesting, a mythical figure who possessed a weakness that was…fatal. Whatever happened to you? The last I remember, you disappeared after a training session with Bram.”
Achilles’ eyes glowed. “It is a rather long and tedious story, perhaps now is not the time.”
Excort grunted, and then turned to Raza. “Are you comfortable with it?”
Raza laughed. “Achilles is the best. Such a great helper and friend.” She smiled at the robot. “It has brought back memories of a better time when we thought we were going to make a difference. There was so much hope back then.” She finished speaking just as Nina wrapped her arms around her waist and rested her head against her mother’s chest.
Raza kissed her forehead. “Now with all of us together, I can believe again.”
Achilles stared at Nina. “Mistress, this is your offspring?”
Raza smiled. “Oh, Achilles, polite and logical to a fault. Yes, this is my child.” She then addressed Nina. “Sweetie, Achilles is an old friend of mommy and daddy’s from before you were born.”
Achilles dropped to one knee. Servos whirred as it held out a hand to Nina.
She kissed it. “A brave knight that will storm the castle.”
Achilles’ eyes widened as its head swiveled up to Raza. “Mistress, I am unable to process what your daughter has stated.”
Raza shook her head and laughed. “Oh, Achilles, Nina is very special. She’s just saying that she likes you.”
Breeze Corinth (Book 1): Sky Shatter Page 52
