by Pelaam
“Well done, Miss Dru.” George patted her shoulder.
“Right then. Let’s muster our troops, take command of those clockwork trains, and get those poor devils out of the catacombs.” Voltaire shouted out, punching the air. “Let’s get our weapons and commandeer those trains.”
Chapter 30
While George hurried back to the secret passages leading to the catacombs, the others headed to the main palace doors and Midnight made sure to keep close beside Tresilian. He kept his sword ready as they ran through the palace.
As he ran, Midnight constantly looked around, the way the lights dimmed, then flared briefly distorted his vision and created ominous shadows, but no one tried to stop them. In fact, he saw no guards at all. The hallways remained eerily empty. Perhaps it’s because the Atlanteans are too concerned about their loss of power than their prisoners.
Arriving at the main doors, Tresilian cautiously opened them, but it was as equally deserted outside the palace as had been inside.
“There’s one.” Tresilian pointed to a clockwork train close to the palace. “The other must be down by the harbour. Right. Hop on board. Dru, come up front and watch what Aurora does, then you’ll be ready to drive the other one back here.”
“You take care, Midnight.” Aurora hugged him hard enough to make Midnight wince, but he didn’t care.
“You, too. We’ll have the ship ready to go as soon as you join us.” Midnight hoped he looked at confident as he tried to sound.
“I know you will.” Aurora took a deep breath and nodded firmly. “I’d best set about getting this train going.”
“She’ll be fine.” Tresilian leaned in close to whisper in Midnight’s ear. “You have to focus on our job and let them do theirs.”
“I know. It’s just so…so difficult.” Midnight sighed, then glanced down at his sword. “But you’re right. If I worry too much about something I can’t control, then I may fail with what I can be doing. They’re relying on us to have that ship ready.” Midnight looked up at Tresilian. “And Freedom shall be.”
“Good man.” Tresilian squeezed Midnight’s shoulder. “Now everyone, be ready for anything.” Tresilian raised his voice to address the group. “Midnight and I know from personal experience; these creatures have long tongues which inflect a sting like a jellyfish. We didn’t encounter any making use of weapons. That’s not to say they don’t use them, but their teeth, claws, and tongue are dangerous enough.”
“The train’s fully wound.” Aurora shouted out. “I don’t remember seeing them needing to rewind it, and it’s on tracks which makes it straightforward to steer. There are several gears, I’m guessing these help the machine to cope with slopes as well as increase or decrease speed. Come on, all aboard.”
The moment the group was ready, the train clicked slowly away from the palace, the gates slid open and closed behind them as the vehicle triggered the hidden switch. Ahead of them, patches of the city were in darkness, but Aurora powered the train down toward the harbour at such a fast pace that Midnight found that he needed to cling to the transport with one hand as it rattled and rocked its way along the track.
All around them screeches and cries rang out, but nothing came close to the train as it pulled into the harbour. Almost before the train had come to a full stop, Aurora and Voltaire leaped from it and raced to the other vehicle.
Tresilian jumped off next, and Midnight followed him. However, he ran in the opposite direction to his sister. My destination is where the boats waited, and we need the concealed lifeboat to row out to the ship. Good luck, Aurora, and God speed back safely. All of you.
* * * *
Uncaring of the way the train rocked under her control, Aurora barely slowed the vehicle down as they clicked rapidly back up toward the palace. Glancing back, she was pleased to see that Dru was managing to keep close behind her.
A creature leaped for the train and Aurora barely got a glimpse of claws and teeth as Voltaire ran his sword through it.
“Keep going. You’re doing very well, Captain Pendragon.”
“Thank you, Mr Crevin.” Aurora didn’t look around, keeping her attention on the track ahead.
By the time they reached the palace, it was already starting to crumble. The building shook and there was a scattering of rubble leading up the stairs where the more delicate parts of the building had collapsed.
“Voltaire, stay with Dru.” Adam jumped from his vehicle and strode toward the palace. “I can carry more of the prisoners than you can. Then we can change places.”
“Very well. Take care, Aurora.” Voltaire squeezed her shoulder and Aurora patted his hand.
“You, too.” With an agile jump, Aurora leaped to the ground and ran after Adam. They reached the tunnel entrance just as George appeared with another rescued merman.
His face was covered in sweat and dust and he set the man in his arms onto the ground along with several others and nodded at Aurora and Adam.
“Tsillah will be out soon. There are more yet to come, but it’s not the draining that’s the problem now. It’s the explosions. I can’t stay.”
“George!” Aurora cried out his name, but the man was already dashing back. Adam patted Aurora’s shoulder.
“Help the ones that can walk, I’ll carry the others.”
With the first of the rescued prisoners on the train and headed to the harbour, Voltaire returned into the palace with Aurora. Jagged cracks marred the mosaics, both down the walls and along the floor.
“The palace isn’t going to last much longer.” Voltaire staggered as the building gave a violent shake and the cracks widened. “Let’s pray George and Tsillah can get the last of those poor devils out.”
That there was little they could do to help, frustrated Aurora and she paced back and forth.
“Here they come.” Aurora looked at the prisoners that Tsillah brough through next. They were the merfolk least able to move on land and she’d even found a trolley to drag them the last of the way through the tunnels.
“Not many now.” Tsillah struggled to catch her breath but refused to stay. “They’re so very scared. Some have never been out of the catacombs. Freedom frightens them as much as staying. At least I can communicate and calm them.”
Waiting for the last to be brought through, the building gave a violent lurch in response to a stronger explosion, and Aurora stifled a scream as she stumbled into Voltaire. The cracks in the walls widened ominously, and she wondered just how much more the palace could take.
Tsillah appeared again, barely able to walk, and Aurora pushed aside her fears to help the other woman with the last of her people from the catacombs. On seeing Tsillah’s tears, Aurora looked around and her blood ran cold when she couldn’t see George behind the trolley as he’d previously been.
“Tsillah, what’s happened?” Aurora asked as Tsillah moved slowly forward, still towing the trolly with what was meant to have been the last of her people.
“Tsaschua was too big to fit in. He wanted to crawl, but George insisted on carrying him. The walls collapsed, now I’ve lost both my mates.”
“Both…?” Aurora wasn’t sure what to say. “I knew, well I mean…you and George seemed to be a couple.”
“Tsaschua has been my mate for a long time, but my heart called out to George, too. George said he would stand aside if Tsaschua asked it of me, since we’d been mates for so long. But I think there was something about him that also called to Tsaschua. He was willing to accept George if it made me happy, but they seemed happy together, and George wouldn’t leave him behind and risked making one more journey.”
“I’m so sorry.” The words were so inadequate, but they were all Aurora had to offer.
“Come on.” Voltaire edged Tsillah aside to help pull the trolley. “I can’t see anyone else coming, it’s completely black in there. You have my deepest sympathies, Tsillah, but your people need you now.”
Wordlessly, Aurora helped Voltaire and Tsillah with the last of the merfolk, ensurin
g they were secure in the train. Deciding it would be as well to make sure the vehicle was fully wound before departing, she went to deal with the mechanism.
With a last glance back toward the palace, Aurora hesitated. She only turned away at the warm pressure of Voltaire’s hand on her shoulder.
“I looked down the tunnel. It was blocked.” His shoulders were slumped and defeat, an expression Aurora had never seen before was etched deeply into Voltaire’s face. “I don’t see how they could possibly make it out.”
“I just…didn’t want to…you know?” Aurora couldn’t put it into words, but Voltaire nodded slowly.
“By driving away, you’re either acknowledging they’re gone, or abandoning them. I know. George was a good man.”
“Yes.” Aurora sighed. “He was. I’d best get the train going.” Part of Aurora still didn’t feel ready to say goodbye and she moved away slowly. She had no choice but to steer the train inevitably toward the switch when she would irrevocably leave the palace.
Aboard the clockwork vehicle, Aurora tried to focus on what was ahead as she drove away. Then Tsillah screamed and jumped from it, running as best she could.
Her heart in her mouth, Aurora looked back. There, step by staggering step, covered in dust and blood, but still moving and with a large merman in his arms that she could only guess was Tsaschua in his arms. George began to slowly descend the palace steps.
“Dear gods, it’s a miracle.” Voltaire breathed the words close enough to Aurora to hear them, but she needed to focus on reversing the train.
The wheels screeched and the vehicle juddered before backing gradually along the track. Aurora kept looking behind, willing the train to move faster as George’s movements seemed to be slowing, but in reverse its speed was limited.
Horror washed over Aurora, her blood running cold as she spotted one of the mutated creatures advancing on George and she screamed and pointed. A knot formed in the pit of her stomach as George stared at it, unable to defend himself or the merman he held.
Then Tsaschua raised his head from George’s shoulder and stared directly at the creature charging toward them.
Although he opened his mouth in what appeared to be a scream, Aurora heard nothing. But the same could not be said of the mutant. Dropping its club, it covered its ears. He must be making a sound too high pitched for me to hear. But he can’t keep up that sound indefinitely and I don’t know that we’ll get there in time.
But even as Tsaschua slumped in George’s arms, and the creature lowered its arms, Tsillah was there. She snatched up the fallen club and, as the mutant turned toward her, swung it with an expression of pure hatred.
The weapon connected with the mutant’s bulbous head with an ear-splitting shriek and an explosion of blood, bone, and gore as half of its skull caved in. As it slowly collapsed, Tsillah swung the club a second time, hitting the top of the beast’s head, even more bone splintering apart under the assault, before she tossed the weapon aside to run to George and Tsaschua.
Aurora applied the train’s brakes and then clambered down from the engine chasing after Voltaire who’d already vaulted from the vehicle and was racing to join the trio.
“Let me take him, George, there’s a good chap.” Voltaire pried Tsaschua from George’s fingers, working around Tsillah who wanted to hold onto them both. “Aurora do help Tsillah with George. I don’t want to hang around here. Where there’s one of those things, there may be more.”
“Yes, of course. Come along, Tsillah, let’s get George to the train. How on earth did you get out?” Aurora asked as she hefted one of George’s arms across her shoulders.
“There was a small niche.” George groaned softly as he settled his arm. “We just about fitted inside. I wasn’t hit by the falling stone, but Tsaschua was. He shielded me so that I’d be able to carry him again. Clearing a way through took longer than I thought and Tsaschua was still unconscious, or he’d have called out to Tsillah. I can’t hear him, but if he learns English, I’ll learn to read his lips. We’ll make it work. We want it to work.”
“With such a bond between the three of you already, and your determination, George I’m sure you will succeed.” Aurora smiled reassuringly as she eased him into the train. Tsillah settled between him and Tsaschua who reached out to George who clasped his hand.
“I’ll get us away from here.” Aurora swallowed around a lump in her throat and clambered back up into the engine at the front of the train. “Powering up.” She nodded at Voltaire. “Ready?”
“Full throttle, my dear Aurora, if you will, and if any other of those creatures try to board us, they’ll be despatched without mercy.” Voltaire raised his axe in one hand, and elegantly twirled a sword with the other. “Forward.” He pointed with the sword. “To freedom.”
“To the Freedom.” Aurora flashed Voltaire a smile, then released the brake. The train shot forward, and she laughed out loud as Voltaire continued to wave his sword over his head, reminding Aurora of a knight on a charger.
Chapter 31
When they reached the harbour, Midnight and Tresilian helped get the last of the merfolk into the water.
“There’s no time to lose.” Midnight indicated the boarding ramp. “We need to get going.”
“We aren’t going with you.” Dru held tight to Adam’s hand. “We’re going to take one of the subaquatic vessels Adam described to me. George is coming with us. For now. We’re going to follow Tsillah and her people. George will stay with them and Adam and I will find a home of our own. Somewhere he can live in peace.”
“Dru—” Aurora stopped dead and then hugged the other woman. “Be safe. Be happy. Maybe you’ll find a way to let us know. “Goodbye, Adam, I’m sorry I didn’t get to know you better. Goodbye and good luck, George. I hope you, Tsillah, and Tsaschua are happy together.”
“We will be.” Dru nodded firmly. “I’m sure of it. It’s been a pleasure. But don’t hang around here. Get yourselves out while you still can. Goodbye, Mr Voltaire, Midnight, Tresilian. Good luck and remember, love never dies.”
Midnight waved as Aurora dashed past him followed by Voltaire at a slower pace. George, Dru, and lastly Adam gave their final waves, then clambered down toward the water and out of sight.
“They made their choice.” Tresilian squeezed Midnight’s shoulder, his voice soft. “They’ll be fine. Adam and Tsillah will make certain of it.”
“I-I guess you’re right.” Midnight shook his head as they walked side by side back up the ramp. “I just thought they’d all be coming with us.”
“Adam would never be left in peace, my love. And Tsillah and her people belong in the oceans.”
“That’s true.” Midnight activated the machinery to withdraw the ramp. “They will be fine.”
“Let’s get out of here, Midnight.” Aurora called out from her place at the wheel. “Raise the anchor and cast off.”
“Aye, Captain.” Midnight saluted.
“Something’s wrong with Voltaire. Can you manage on your own?” Tresilian asked and Midnight nodded.
“Of course. This is my job.” Midnight hurried to deal with the anchor, glancing briefly to where Tresilian bent over an ashen-faced Voltaire.
“Power, Midnight.” Aurora yelled and Midnight waved his acknowledgement.
Going below deck, Midnight ran to the engine room, increasing the speed at which his automatons worked. Still at a run, he returned on deck to the deflated balloons. He held the inertium back as he reflated them slowly. He stopped as they cleared the deck but remained at the ready so that the moment the ship cleared the cavern, he could fully inflate them, add the inertium, and then the ship would rise.
“Are you ready, Midnight?” Aurora cried as she steered away from the harbour.
“All ready, Captain. Give the word,” Midnight shouted back.
The water churned around the ship as explosions continued to sound in the distance, Stalactites fell, crashing around them as Aurora skilfully avoided them. Then she pointed and Midnight
looked up.
“There! We’re there, Midnight. Take us up. Get us out of here before the whole place collapses.”
“Aye, Captain.” Midnight resumed pumping up the air balloons. Adding just enough of the inertium, Midnight yelled in triumph as the balloons fully inflated and the ship began to ascend the extinct volcano.
Then Midnight’s legs gave way and he dropped to his knees as relief washed over him. We’re almost free.
A spot of light came into view and Midnight stood, his gaze riveted to it, willing it to come nearer but as he began to make his way across the deck to Aurora, there was a loud thud. The ship lurching sickeningly to the side and Midnight was thrown to the floor.
Another bone-jarring thud, and the ship tilted slightly back toward upright, but remained at an angle
“Midnight! We’ve stopped moving.” Aurora shouted out to him.
“Something’s holding us back.” Midnight looked up, getting slowly to his feet. “No. Wait. We’re being pulled down. You stay at the wheel. I’ll go below deck, see what’s happening.” Midnight ran for the steps, and Tresilian came right behind him.
“I’m coming with you.” Tresilian laid a restraining hand on Midnight’s shoulder. “You may need help.
“Fine. I’m going to the orlop deck. It’s the lowest deck on the ship. There’s a hatch down there. I’ll be able to see what’s happening.”
The deck was only a few feet in depth and its floor was ankle deep in murky water. Wading back and forth, it took Midnight several attempts to locate the hatch to be able to open it up and look under the ship.
“Are you sure I can’t help?” Tresilian asked and Midnight shook his head.
“There’s not a lot of room to move down here, and it’s pointless both of us getting wet. Ah, I have it!” Turning the wheel, Midnight let the water drain away, then, flattening himself on the sodden floor, he leaned through the hatch and peered out.
“Oh, dear gods.” Midnight’s blood ran cold.
