by Pelaam
“Let’s hurry.” Adam laid his hand on Midnight’s shoulder. “If we don’t see you in the library in a couple of hours, Tresilian, I promise we’ll be at the ship. Don’t wait too long. If we succeed, the palace won’t be a safe place to be.”
“Take care, Tresilian. I love you.” Midnight didn’t wait for whatever reply Tresilian might have made. He was already running after Adam. After all, it’s not like he loves me the way I love him.
When Adam had claimed to know the palace, it hadn’t been an exaggeration. With Midnight trotting to keep pace, Adam led him to a part of the palace he’d never seen. There were few decorations here. Just hewn rock, as if the Atlanteans couldn’t be bothered to make this area attractive and a cold feeling lodged in Midnight’s stomach.
“We must be quiet.” Adam stopped and bent down to whisper directly into Midnight’s ear. “I would expect there to be guards posted here.”
Midnight didn’t bother to speak, settling for nodding instead as he kept close to the bigger man. A few minutes later Adam held up a hand as he edged tightly to a turn in the passageway.
Holding his breath as Adam leaned out just enough to see around the solid rock, Midnight was certain that his heart was beating so loudly that even guards would hear it. The Adam leaned down.
“I was right. Two guards. I don’t see any others, but they defend the entrance to the lair of the Leviathan. I’ll attack them. While they fight me, you can slip past.”
“No!” Midnight shook his head emphatically. “I have a better idea. Be ready.” Taking a deep breath, Midnight strode out and around the corner. “Oh, thank goodness. You have to help me. I got lost and my friend is hurt. Back here. Quickly please.”
The guards raised their weapons, but Midnight had already ducked back and stood behind Adam. A moment later the soldiers arrived, but Adam was ready. Midnight kept out of the way as Adam fought the Atlanteans soldiers.
With the element of surprise, as well as his superior strength, it took Adam only a couple of moments to deal with both. He hefted one of the axes and looked at Midnight.
“Are you ready, Midnight? Once we’re in there, it’s down to you.”
“I’m ready.” Midnight patted where he’d stashed those tools he’d considered the most essential. “Let’s find the Leviathan.”
Once they were in the cavern, there was no issue about finding the Leviathan. The wall on the far side of the chamber was entirely transparent. It extended both up and down. As Midnight approached it there was a swirl of movement, a wall of bubbles, and then he couldn’t stop a cry of horror.
A single elliptical eye stared back at him. It was easily Midnight’s height and the weight of the task he’d opted to undertake almost crushed him.
“Yes. The creature is big.” Adam laid a hand on his shoulder. “But surely the mechanics the Atlanteans have used on it are the same?”
“I…yes. Well, maybe.” Midnight shook his head. “I-I don’t know.”
“You didn’t doubt before. Don’t doubt now. Up this way.” Adam led Midnight up a winding bronze staircase until they reached a thick hatch at least ten feet tall. “This will enable you to reach the Leviathan. Good luck. I’ll be nearby.” His muscles straining, Adam slowly turned the brass wheels that kept the huge doorway closed.
With a last nod, Midnight squeezed through as Adam heaved at the door. His friend had been right. Here Midnight could see the expanse of water below which was the deadliest creature on earth. I can see now how its ancestor could have destroyed an island.
A tentacle rose from the water, thicker and longer than that of the polymus, water deluged Midnight. It changed direction, aiming directly for him. With a scream of pure terror broke free of Midnight, but fear paralysed him. Closing his eyes, he sent a silent prayer for the safety of his loved ones and awaited obliteration.
But the anticipated crushing blow never came. Opening his eyes, Midnight watched as the tentacle retreated until just a tip remained and it reached toward him. Despite the violent shaking of his hand, Midnight still extended it, and the tentacle bumped its very tip against his palm.
There was no way to know if the great beast understood his purpose. Midnight tried to send images of himself helping the polymus and laid out his tools. Hesitantly the tentacle touched each in turn before withdrawing into the depths.
Unsure what to do next, Midnight waited. Then the waters churned, and the single eye appeared. This time Midnight held his ground, trying not to shake despite a mix of cold, wet, and fear.
Images flashed into his mind, a jumble that he could only recognise a fragment of. But it seemed, in some way, he and the Leviathan had connected. It moved, enough to display the mechanical attachment that was a vastly larger version of the one he’d removed from the polymus.
“Well, this isn’t going to be a quick job.” Midnight studied it until satisfied it looked the same, if just much bigger and selected a screwdriver. Sending soothing thoughts as best he could. Midnight began to work.
Sweat trickled down Midnight’s brow, and he dashed it away with his arm, not wanting to stop the intricate work. He had no idea how much time had elapsed and could only hope and pray the others were okay.
With a final few snips at wires, Midnight leaned back. He wasn’t certain if he’d finished, but the great beast moved and the metal casing on the Leviathan’s head shifted. She floated away, twisting gracefully, and the casing fell.
As with the polymus, there was blood and gore on the wiring, but the organic material that came away with the metal didn’t appear to have created any adverse effect for the Leviathan. A burst of joy almost drove Midnight to his knees, and then he laughed out loud.
As the Leviathan swam away, Midnight gathered his tools, and hurried downstairs to look for Adam. But instead, he came face to face with Lalia. Her face was contorted with rage, and she held a khopesh in her hand.
“When the polymus didn’t kill you, I knew you’d be trouble.” Lalia spat the words at Midnight. “There were legends about the beast speaking, but no one believed them. But they were true. Weren’t they?” Lalia aimed the weapon at Midnight who shook his head.
“No. The Leviathan doesn’t speak.” It wasn’t a lie but even if it had been, Midnight had no intention of revealing her true intelligence.
“Not that it matters. When you die, there’ll be no one it can turn to.” Lalia raised the khopesh, then screamed as a loud crash was immediately followed by the cavern shaking.
Midnight struggled to keep upright. But Lalia seemed frozen in place. He took the opportunity to dive aside, looking back toward where the Leviathan had been imprisoned. He was just in time to see her slam into the thick glass for a second time.
There was an ominous cracking sound that made the hairs on the nape of Midnight’s neck rise. Water began to trickle down the only thing that kept the ocean at bay from Atlantis. Before Midnight could move, there was the snapping sound of bone breaking and a blood-freezing gurgling cry.
Turning slowly, Midnight was greeted by the sickening sight of Adam, swaying slightly, with blood covering half his face that came from a hideous wound. Lalia lay at his feet, her neck twisted at an unnatural angle.
“She caught me by surprise.” Adam stared down at the corpse. “I’m sorry.”
“No, no.” Midnight clasped the other man’s hand, squeezing until Adam looked up to look into his eyes. “The important thing is we’re both all right.” Midnight dug in his pockets for a handkerchief and cleaned most of the blood from Adam’s face.
“I’m healing already.” Adam laid a hand on Midnight’s shoulder. “By the time we reach your friends, it will look much better. I don’t want to scare them.”
“They’re our friends, Adam.” Midnight grabbed Adam’s upper arms, gripping as tightly as he could at the solid muscle. “They would be scared for you, because you’re hurt, not because of you.”
For a moment, Adam said nothing, just gazed into Midnight’s eyes, until the glint of tears shone in
his own.
“I believe you, Midnight.” He glanced behind Midnight toward the Leviathan. “She was trying to protect you. She wasn’t thinking about the consequences of cracking the screen. We must hurry. Follow me.”
With a final glance back at the great beast, Midnight ran.
Chapter 29
While her brother and Adam were gone creating their distraction, Aurora ran after Voltaire as he headed toward the tunnels. We aim to at least bend the bars of the cruel prison enough to enable the captive merfolk to return to the ocean.
With Tsillah leading the way, Aurora kept close behind Voltaire with George bringing up the rear. The lights in the palace dimmed, and the deep sound of conch horns sounded. Aurora hoped that it meant Midnight had succeeded in his mission and he’d soon be reunited with her. To think I thought him so…so boyish and immature. When we’re out of this infernal place, I owe him an apology.
As they rounded a corner, Aurora stopped just in time to prevent herself slamming into Voltaire’s broad back. She peered around him to see why and her heart sank. Their way forward was barred by Ferdinand.
The man had a sword in his hand, holding it casually at his side, but it was his expression which made Aurora’s blood turn to ice. While Ferdinand’s lips were curved into a half smile, his eyes were cold, devoid of emotion, like a man who was already dead.
“Hello, Voltaire.” Ferdinand didn’t even acknowledge any of the others. “I always knew it would come to this one day. I could never seem to beat you in any other way, and I have no intention of falling on my own sword, so to speak.” Ferdinand stood tall and raised his sword up into a classical duelling position.
“Voltaire…” Aurora started to speak but her voice trailed away as Voltaire gently pushed her aside. He’s right. This is between him and Ferdinand. There’s nothing I can say that will stop this.
“It doesn’t have to end this way, Ferdinand.” Voltaire’s voice was soft, persuasive, but the other man’s eyes never flickered.
“Yes, I’m afraid it does. Albion is with the Atlanteans. I said I’d join them, but I’ll fare better alone. Good luck to him. He’ll learn the error of his ways soon enough. They need a slave; he has good muscles but very little brain. Dryden’s thrown in his lot with them, too. Afraid that he won’t get away from here by any other means. Assuming they even survive, that is.”
“But you’re not alone. You and I could be a team. Help us. Work with us and we’ll all get out.” Voltaire kept moving, forcing Ferdinand to move with him, and Aurora realised he was clearing a way to the tunnels.
“No. All my life I’ve played second fiddle to you. It’s time to put that to an end. One way or another. Fight or die, Voltaire.” Ferdinand swung with the cutlass, but Voltaire deflected the stroke.
“Aurora, you and the others get to the tunnels. I’ll meet you there.”
Even though she couldn’t help him, Aurora had no intention of leaving Voltaire. She ushered Tsillah and George past the combatants.
“You go. Hurry. We’ll join you soon.” While her friends hurried on, Aurora turned her attention back to the fight. The sword Voltaire employed was much thinner that Ferdinand’s.
Her heart in her throat, Aurora held her breath as he feinted a lunge slicing across Ferdinand’s sword arm. A thin line of blood appeared in its wake, but Ferdinand didn’t stop.
A flurry of blows followed, each man slicing, thrusting, or parrying, and Aurora winced at the sound of each and every clash of steel. There seemed no letting up. The two men moved back and forth, clockwise or counter clockwise, each focused solely on the other.
Even with the flickering lights of the palace and her distance from the fighters, Aurora saw blood on both men and breathed in the increasing stench of sweat as the men continued with their unrelenting blows and counterblows.
The metallic taste of blood was in her mouth as she bit hard at her lip to stop from crying out and her nails dug painfully into her palms from the way she’d clenched them into tight fists.
It now seemed to Aurora that since the initial fast and furious clash had produced no instant victor, the men had slowed their pace slightly. Now it’s like a vicious chess game. I’m sure they’re assessing one another’s strengths and weaknesses, to come up with a strategy to make the killing blow.
The notion made her stomach roil, but she couldn’t look away. The fight was as mesmerising as it was brutal. Then both men thrust forward, the lights went out, and when they came back both men were frozen in place. Aurora gasped, covering her mouth with her hands as the men staggered apart.
With his sword hand pressed tight against his side, Voltaire took another couple of paces back. But his weapon remained where it was.
Embedded in Ferdinand’s chest.
A sob of relief escaped Aurora and she dashed to Voltaire’s side, wrapping an arm around him. She urged him even farther back as Ferdinand swayed, afraid the other man might still lunge forward. Instead his sword fell to the ground as his face went slack, his knees buckled, and he crumpled slowly to the floor.
“He’s gone.” Voltaire’s voice was a whisper and Aurora nodded.
“Yes. Are you hurt?” Aurora didn’t care one jot about Ferdinand, her focus was on Voltaire. Examining the wound, she found a deep scratch, bleeding freely, but one that wasn’t likely to prove fatal. Assuming I can patch him up well enough for us to get away from Atlantis. “Come on. Let’s get you back to the library and I’ll put a makeshift dressing on this.”
With Voltaire leaning against her, Aurora guided him back and sat him down to tend to the scratch. The bleeding had slowed, thanks to the pressure exerted, but moving around wouldn’t be helping.
A few minutes later, Aurora had created a makeshift bandage from the drapery in the room and Voltaire smiled up at her.
“An excellent job. Well done and…thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Aurora leaned in closer and pressed a kiss to Voltaire’s cheek. “Now you must try not to over-exert yourself, or the bleeding will start again.”
“I shall try.”
Peering outside, Aurora indicated for Voltaire to follow just as Tresilian followed by Dru appeared from the far end of the hallway.
“Look who we found on the way.” Tresilian stood aside and an exhausted Midnight with Adam hovering protectively beside him, shuffled past.
“We did it. Well, sort of.” Midnight sounded as tired and he looked and Aurora ran to him, half-laughing, half-sobbing.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about and I don’t care. I’m just incredibly happy to see you.” Aurora held him at arm’s length, peering at him.
“What did you do? Sort of?” Voltaire asked.
“I thought I could remove the Atlanteans’ controlling device from the Leviathan.” Midnight sighed. “The creature herself isn’t evil or a monster. It was the Atlanteans and their damned device. Without that, the Leviathan wouldn’t be their weapon anymore. But it was more complex than the one on the polymus. It took far longer that I imagined and, well, I felt some of her pain. But now the Atlanteans’ impulses that drove her mad with pain are gone. It was long, slow going.”
“But you did it.” Aurora asked, looking directly into Midnight’s eyes, and smiling when he nodded.
“Yes. And thanks to Adam we’ve given her freedom. But we must get out. She has no wish to harm us but won’t leave this place standing and the walls of her prison are already breaking. She will be the last of her kind.”
“I’m not even going to ask how you know that.” Voltaire shook his head. “It’s enough that you did. We have to move. Now!”
Before anyone could take a step, George came from the opposite direction, his face ashen, and labouring for breath.
“The Atlanteans sealed off the catacombs and the water down there is draining away.” George drew a deep breath. “Them what’s down there can’t escape and without water, they’ll die.”
“Oh no.” Aurora clutched at Midnight’s arm.
“There’s the way out Tsillah showed us. But most of those poor beggars can’t walk. They’ll never make it out. Dammit all to bloody hell! The sadistic bastards.” Voltaire took a few unsteady steps and Aurora hurried over to help him.
“I’ll go back, sir.” George took another great gulp of air. “I’ll bring them out if you can provide transport once they’re up here. Some won’t last too long without water. We need to get them to the harbour without delay.”
“We can use those clockwork trains.” Aurora squeezed Voltaire’s arm. “There were two. We can drive them both in concert. One heading to the harbour as the other waits for the next group to be brought out.
“The power here is failing.” Voltaire looked up as the lights extinguished once more, this time for longer. “Those creatures Tresilian and Midnight encountered may be at the gates. We’ll need someone riding shotgun to help fend them off. We’ll have to delay our own escape.”
“Tsillah’s people helped us. We can’t abandon them when they need us to help them.” Aurora shook her head. “We have to at least try.”
“You’re right, of course.” Voltaire nodded. “Tresilian and I will provide protection if you and Miss Dru will drive the transports.
“I can’t possibly drive one.” Dru shook her head.
“If someone else drives, I will protect.” Adam stood tall and Aurora stared at him as if seeing him in a new light. His true powerful build was becoming increasingly apparent as the effects of being imprisoned for so long slowly receded. She hadn’t appreciated how big or powerful he was.
“And I can take advantage to get aboard the Freedom, light the furnaces, and be ready to sail us out of here.” Midnight ducked around the bigger men to stand in front of Voltaire.
“That’s too dangerous.” Tresilian shook his head. “We can’t be sure if any more of those beasts are on board.”
“Then I will show Drusilla how to pilot the train and you will stay with Midnight. We have no time to waste.” Adam gripped Dru’s arms and she nodded.
“Yes. Yes, I can do it. I will do it.” Dru looked directly into Adam’s eyes and the big man smiled.
