Salt of The Earth: The Fall of Barcelona

by Vlada Asta

  “No.”

  “Then why are you nervous?”

  “I’m not.”

  He was lying to her, but Aeterni wasn’t offended by it, she was just angry at herself for not understanding him. She could feel he liked her more than other humans, it was only logical for the Cardinal to choose him. Why was he so gloomy now?

  She decided to give him more time while she went around the house. She pretended to be enjoying the interior, while the true reason of her walk was more practical. Aeterni was looking into each window she passed discretely, listening to her senses and trying to understand how the guards were positioned around the house. There were fewer people around here than she had expected. It wasn’t because they trusted her, they just didn’t want to try their luck. One warrior had already tried to kill her, so they sent only the most disciplined ones here. Humans seemed to be starting to realize they needed her!

  When she returned to the first floor, Sebastian was in the kitchen. He was drinking tea from a black cup thoughtfully, his sword on the table beside him.

  “Are you feeling better?” Aeterni asked courteously.

  “I’m fine. I’m sorry if I insulted you.”

  His voice sounded easier, which meant he had reached some inner balance after all. He managed to control whatever was torturing him – about time!

  “You didn’t insult me, I’m glad I have this chance to talk to you again. You’re the only one who doesn’t hate me! It’s much better than waiting for this final decision alone.”

  “Are you hungry?” Sebastian asked. “They’ve prepared a whole fridge of delicacies for you.”

  “I don’t know what you people call delicacies, but if there’s no life core there, I’m not interested. I’m a cannibal, remember?”

  “Life core?” he repeated. “What’s that?”

  “The thing I eat.”

  “I’ve already figured that! Can you be more specific about it?”

  Moments like this made Aeterni wonder how humans ever managed to live that long with knowing so little about Hente. She didn’t ask Sebastian about it, because she was afraid to offend him.

  “As you already know, Hente only look like humans,” she explained. “Inside, they are made of homogenous mass and jaws, they don’t have a skeleton or internal organs; it’s easier for Mother to make them this way. At the same, inside each Hente, no matter what Clan it comes from, there’s a sphere the size of a human heart. That’s the creature’s mind, it’s connection to the Mother, the cells that control its body.”

  “Wait a minute! I’ve fought Hente before and never found those life cores, and no-one did!”

  “And you never will. That core is the connection to the Mother, and no Mother wants that connection to be revealed, because it can be used to track her or even harm her. That’s why the core disappears first when a Hente’s body starts to die. Furthermore, when a Hente is still alive, the core moves around its body freely, avoiding the damaged parts. That’s why it’s nearly impossible for you humans to hit it. But me and other representatives of my Clan can sense the life core at large distance. We know the right way to rip it out in a matter of seconds. We feed on these cores, because Hente flesh isn’t too appetizing!”

  He listened to her attentively, his old distrust gone. He seemed to finally understand that she had no reason to lie to him! Aeterni didn’t think she could harm her Clan with that information.

  She didn’t specify that the members of her Clan didn’t have this core.

  “Does that mean you’re staying hungry until you find another Hente?” Sebastian asked.

  “I’m not hungry. I don’t need food as often as humans do, I can store my energy. The hunt connected to saving you was very fruitful for me. I knew I was to stay isolated for some time, and I prepared for this.”

  “Still… If you don’t catch yourself a Hente on time, then what? You’ll switch to humans?”

  “That would be tricky,” she admitted. “My body was designed for killing and digesting Hente. Human food doesn’t suit me, and the raw human flesh that other Hente eat is also a horrible alternative. Humans are made of different cells! Thus if I stay without food, the same thing would happen to me as to you – I would gradually lose my strength and die.”

  She didn’t mention that in a truly extreme situation human blood could help her, give her enough energy to last just a tiny bit longer. That could scare Sebastian, and she didn’t want to lose his trust.

  “You don’t eat and don’t sleep,” he said thoughtfully. “Then what are you going to do now, while you’re still waiting for that decision?”

  “Honestly, I’d love to go for a walk.”

  He stared at her in such shock as if she had just turned into a six-foot-tall Slayer. Her request seemed so wild to him he obviously doubted he heard it right.

  Aeterni suspected she started this talk too early – she should’ve given him more time. But since she had already begun, she couldn’t turn back.

  “No kiddin’, I didn’t even have a chance to observe the city, they locked me into some box when they brought me here!”

  “And for a good reason!” Sebastian finally recovered from astonishment. “I’m not even going to ask what you’ve been thinking. Your plan has already failed, because there have to be dozens of cameras set over the house!”

  “There were,” Aeterni nodded. “No cameras are hidden from me, I can sense the radiation coming from them easily. The surveillance system is off, and they won’t dare to come here to fix it. You’re the only one who’s watching me.”

  His uneasiness was back. Aeterni was positive that now he was looking for a catch, calculating all the ways she could harm humans. There were actually many of those ways, and none of them demanded her cooperation with the Church.

  Aeterni couldn’t tell him she wasn’t using him. That would be lying. She had to search for other arguments.

  “Listen, I may be sentenced to death tomorrow! I can tell that Cardinal Jeremiah doesn’t want it, but not everyone shares his opinion. If I am to die, can I at least see the world I’ve never known?”

  “These walks increase the chances of your death!”

  “There’s no telling,” she shrugged. “I can’t prove to some people I’m on their side. I want to see the thing I wanted to protect.”

  “But did you really want it?”

  “Your irony is unjust. Negotiating with humans may lead to losing everything I have. Do you think it’s easy to sit here and wait for someone else to decide my fate? It’s my first time in the city that has been free of Hente for years. I want to see the world my Clan can create.”

  Sebastian was wavering, and she saw that. That meant his own believes were a bit different from the church rules to begin with.

  “Even if I agree to help you… And I haven’t! But if I wanted to, I wouldn’t be able to do it. Father Abraham must’ve sent his men here, and you won’t leave this house – alone or with me.”

  “That’s the simplest of our problems!” Aeterni waved him off. “Four people are guarding the perimeter now, and they’re scared. They won’t be too attentive. I’ve already found a dark corner we can use to get away. You don’t have to be part of this! I can knock you out if you want, so later you can claim you couldn’t stop me! That’s in case you’re afraid of your bosses.”

  “I’m not afraid of anyone! And it’s a stupid plan, but if you want to follow it, do you even need my permission?” Sebastian inquired gloomily. “I saw what speed you’re capable of. You’ll knock me out before I can reach my sword.”

  “Sure, but I can’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because I promised never to hurt you,” Aeterni reminded him. “And hitting someone on the head like that equals hurting. But if you agree to it, it’s different!”

  “Keep your paws to yourself!”

  “I have hands…”

  “Hands – too. I’d rather watch you myself if you absolutely have to go, but it’s going to be a shor
t walk! You’ll get a brief glance at the city and return here, nothing more!”

  “Now you’re talking, clergyman!”

  She didn’t expect him to agree that easily. She liked the look in his eyes now; things could turn out better than she expected.

  They turned off all the lights in the house and stayed quiet. The guards had to believe they were asleep – they didn’t know she couldn’t sleep. No checks followed, and they went into the part of the house that was close to a spacy garden with old trees and blooming bushes. This area barely had any light, and even if some outer cameras caught it, the picture would be distorted.

  There were grates on the windows, which didn’t fit the general posh style of this building, but they weren’t an obstacle for Aeterni, she bent the metal easily.

  “I’ll put it back later,” she promised. “Nobody’s going to notice!”

  “It’s your funeral if they do.”

  “I know. You can bring white roses to me on that day. I’ve always wanted to be given white roses. I have no idea what they look like.”

  “You don’t know what white roses look like?” Sebastian was amused.

  “Nope. I’ve seen images of roses, but none of them were white. I’ve only heard about white ones. They don’t grow in the wild lands. Now be quiet, your comrades are cowardly, but not deaf.”

  He could give her away now – he could scream, warn the others, and that would probably earn him some praise. But he followed her in silence instead. This man, who wasn’t part of her Clan, acted like he was! And he wasn’t even doing it on Mother’s order, he simply chose to do it.

  That intrigued Aeterni more than their escape itself. The man whom she didn’t consider an important factor at first was slowly getting all of her attention.

  They crossed the garden and reached the fence leading to the territory of the neighboring mansion. There was nobody there; Aeterni had long since noticed that the whole street had been evacuated before her arrival. How naïve! That wouldn’t stop her if she actually aimed for killing.

  The freedom in this city smelled of salty air. It was a bit scary to inhale it; it had its own thrill – the very special, enjoyable kind of danger. After making sure that the percentage of salt in the air was too insufficient to harm her, Aeterni smiled and spin on the same spot, lifting her hands up to the sky. She wanted to feel as much of that wonderful foreign air as she could – on her lips, on her skin, in her lungs.

  Sebastian watched her. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking, and that probably annoyed his friends. But Aeterni didn’t need to see it on his face, she could sense his emotions through the changes in his body. Her companion was calm, and most importantly, he wasn’t displeased.

  “Are you happy?” he asked.

  “Yes. But that doesn’t mean I’m ready to return yet! Let’s just walk around a bit… I want to see the sea. Show me the sea!”

  “Aren’t you scared?”

  She paused, checking her emotions, and then the smile returned to her face.

  “No… Not anymore.”

  It wasn’t too comfortable to move in that silly long dress they made her wear. She could accept it now, but she wasn’t going to tolerate it in the future. How was she supposed to fight Hente if her movements were controlled by some rag?

  But right now there was no necessity to be fast or agile. They were simply walking along the streets, dark and tranquil, free of fear and the smell of blood. Birds were singing among the trees… Aeterni had never heard them sing at night. In the wild lands, any form of life tried to hide after dark, and this… it wasn’t a call for help or mercy, it was just the expression of enjoying life.

  All of this was worth the risk of coming here.

  “How do you know so much?” Sebastian asked her.

  “What do you mean?” Aeterni was lost in her thoughts, she had no idea what he was talking about. Maybe he had been speaking this entire time while she wasn’t listening?

  Her companion wasn’t upset, he repeated without anger:

  “Your knowledge about humans, starting with the language. Where did it come from?”

  “Those remains of knowledge belonged to the people whose bodies were used by Mother to create me. Not all of them, only those whose brain she had found. Human brain is very complicated, and it stores a lot of data even when it’s dead. I know it sounds creepy to you. But remember: she didn’t kill those humans. Every serious fight leaves a lot of bodies on the battleground.”

  From his point of view, that was probably disgusting: her essence built on someone’s death. But Aeterni didn’t want to make up a pretty story for him, she wanted him to accept her the way she was. Friendship with a human… it was such a weird, alluring prospect!

  “That means you’ve absorbed their memory?” he said barely above a whisper.

  “Their knowledge, not their memory! And by this you mean personal memories, right? Like their name, past, loved ones…”

  “Something like that.”

  “All of this died with them,” Aeterni shook her head. “But thanks to them I can talk to you now, and I know what cities are and what weapons you use… I know many things. It’s general knowledge I inherited from a group of people.”

  “Would you like to know who they were?”

  “I guess… But I don’t like dwelling upon things that can’t happen even hypothetically.”

  They passed the residential area and could’ve turned to the city center where Aeterni saw towers and those strange houses that seemed to be made of smooth lines. During that part of the route she was allowed to stay in a car, not in a box.

  But she remembered the night was short, and she opted for the sea. She felt it – like a prey feels a predator, like any creature feels an upcoming threat. She was afraid to go there, and her instincts were screaming at her to just turn around and leave. But she overcame it – even though the effort cost her a lot and her body was shaking.

  Sebastian noticed this. She could feel him taking her hand softly. The gesture was useless from the practical point of view, but somehow she felt better. That surprised Aeterni.

  “Don’t be afraid of the sea,” he smirked. “It won’t attack you first!”

  Maybe she wouldn’t dare to go there after all, but he helped her. A few more minutes – and they were facing the coast followed by the endless blackness of the sea. The darkness wiped away the horizon, and the great water looked like a hole in space… The sea had a fresh smell to it, and there was so much salt in the air Aeterni could feel it burning her skin slightly.

  “It’s the cradle of life for you, isn’t it?” she whispered.

  “Yes. But it’s death for you. I wonder why?”

  “Irony of nature, I presume. Or destiny… Does destiny sound more dramatic to you?”

  “I see nothing dramatic in it,” Sebastian sighed. “That’s just strange.”

  “Tell me, clergyman… You’re not from here, are you?”

  She wasn’t planning to ask him about it, but the questions kept returning to her mind while she stood on the empty coast by his side.

  “I grew up in Barcelona.”

  “That’s not what I asked. Your family… It’s not from here, right?”

  “How do you know?”

  “You don’t look like a man whose ancestors used to live under the burning sun,” Aeterni replied. “The sun makes skin dark. Where are you from?”

  “I don’t want to talk about it. Just like you don’t want to tell me where Hente came from!”

  “Okay. Then let’s remain silent together. I’m glad you’re here.”

  “I… I think, me too.”

  He wasn’t holding her hand anymore, but he didn’t walk away from her. Both of them were calm. Sebastian hadn’t noticed the danger yet, and Aeterni was expecting it.

  The serenity surrounding them couldn’t last forever. Soon the presence behind them became so obvious they had to turn around.

  Four men wearing police uniform stood in front of
them. They directed their flashlights at Aeterni unceremoniously, but jumped back when they saw her eyes. They were frightened and angry at the same time.

  “So it is true! They dragged a Hente into the city!”

  “Arrest her! The Church has some explaining to do!”

  “Maybe we should kill her?”

  “No, we won’t be able to prove she was here in that case! Let the whole city see this monster!”

  Sebastian was trying to explain something to them, but it was no use. They were too scared to think straight. Aeterni stretched her hands to them, allowing them to put the handcuffs on. She didn’t say anything and could barely contain her smile.

  The second part of her plan was successful too.

  Chapter 6

  Sebastian knew he should be angry with her, but he just couldn’t. Strangely enough, Aeterni was the last person to blame for this situation.

  It would be different if a police patrol bumped into them accidentally, discovered she wasn’t human and fulfilled their duty… That was predictable. But Sebastian was confident these men were sent for them! They knew who she was before they saw her eyes.

  They were just too collected during the arrest. They were afraid of her, because all men fear Hente, but that was it. It wasn’t the kind of panic expected from them after finding a Hente in the middle of Barcelona!

  Someone must’ve informed them. If Aeterni didn’t leave that mansion, they would’ve found her anyway, coming with an unexpected check. There had to be a traitor among the warriors of the Church! Well, not really a traitor, since he was working with their ally rather than their enemy, but still, revealing such secrets was a serious crime.

  The Cardinal seemed to share that attitude. At least, neither he nor any of the Fathers appointed a punishment for Sebastian. They saw it wasn’t necessary, he was already upset.

  He knew where things were going. The officers arrested Aeterni, took her somewhere, but they didn’t kill her. Instead, they informed the city that the Church brought a monster to Barcelona. All those intrigues and rivalry could cost Aeterni her life!

  He didn’t want this to happen. Sebastian wasn’t sure why he liked her so much; she hadn’t done anything to prove she wasn’t a threat to humans. Her desire to protect the city was nothing but words so far. Maybe the police were right and any Hente was nothing but trouble?