I grin back at the Spymaster. "I've heard you lizards are tastier than pork. I'll have to try some one day."
As the the Spymaster laughs, his grin broadens. "You are like the mouse threatening the cat."
I look at Duncrik. "Raise anchors."
"Aye, Master."
While the longboat makes a circling ascent, the lump of metal that serve as the Night Raven's anchors begin to rise from the ground.
As soon as the longboat reaches the Night Raven, I jump down from the quarterdeck rail. "Captain, raise the set our course to the north. Engage the chameleon field as soon as the anchors are secured."
"Aye, Master."
Thorrin jumps out of the longboat. With unfocused boiling over, he races to the quarterdeck and plants himself in front of me. "What was that crazy bastard talking about when he said you were responsible?"
Without showing any expression, I meet Thorrin's eyes. "The Chinese under the control of the Celestial Court sent submarines with nuclear missiles to attack America. I took one over and programmed it to launch its remaining missiles at the other countries that are not under the Chinese umbrella."
"You, BASTARD!" Thorrin's wild roundhouse punch is slow to my eyes.
My kick to Thorrin's stomach sends him flying. He lands on his back on the main deck and slides a dozen feet before slamming into the mainmast. As he struggles to his feet, he gasps for air while trying to get his diaphragm under control again.
"If you want to come after me, you had better come to terms with who and what you are. This half-assed shit of sitting on the fence between human and Dvergar, Earth sheep and thinking being will only get you dead. If you get your shit together, I'll face you anytime and anywhere."
Without saying or doing anything else, Thorrin hustles a still groggy Pancho and the druggy girl belowdecks.
I look at Dacbold. "Do think this might have woken him up?"
Dacbold shakes his head. "I don't know. No question, it's a serious blow to him, but I don't know what it'll take to shake out of his self-pity."
*** Swamp of the Lost – Battleground of the Damned ***
Return: Day 354
(Brand)
As the silver and black tunnel closes behind us, the sun, as seen from the quarterdeck of the Night Raven, is a dark red half globe on the horizon. Floating above the escarpment, the red stone of Gor'achen looks like it is covered in blood.
It turns out in the end there were at least 2,500 nuclear missiles with multiple warheads each on the nominally denuclearized Earth. Many of the were shot down, but they the time the last of the satellite news feeds went dark most of the Earth had been devastated. It is possible that humans will still survive, but the current sick culture should have been destroyed.
The hypocrisy, cowardice, and lies perpetrated by the Earth humans no longer surprises me. It does not matter how they reached their current state they owned their culture.
I do not feel any particular satisfaction or regret over killing, and certainly, no guilt. This was nothing more than scratching an itch that had bothered me for a long time.
Standing next to me, Elan smiles. "We are home."
"Home." I repeat the word without inflection or emotion. Gor'achen is not home to me. I have no place that I consider to be home. I will not be staying here for long. Will Elan and Angelique remain here or trail after me?
End of Path of Transcendence
Book 4
Cults of the Dragon Gods
Table of Contents
Agents of the Gods
Separate Roads
Family Questions
Buried Secrets
Missing Corpses and Walking Corpses
Prisoners
Fishing Expedition
Too Many Questions
Sisters of Penitence
Night Raid
Life
The Strength of a Triune
Weapons of the Celestial Court
Dragon Blood
Collecting the Spoils
Closure
Cults of the Dragon Gods (Path of Transcendence Book 4) Page 33