Residual: The Gray-Matter Chronicles Book 3 (The Matter Chronicles 6)

by P. G. Thomas

  “It sounds pretty much like what they told me,” added Zack.

  “I understood a slightly different ending,” John advised. “Fury called the Morning King a foul gift from Mother, but he said it was Father who removed it from the dwarf history. According to Fury, Father wouldn’t have anything to do with it.”

  Zack held in his surprise. They’ve been to the First Forest. They met Fury. WTF?

  Logan interrupted any replies, “If Mother wanted peace that bad, wouldn’t turning off the suns cause more problems?”

  “It’s the ultimate threat, Kid. With Mother being quiet, this Father guy figured it was the right time for his great war. If she doesn’t wake up during the battle, maybe he thinks she’ll just go away when it’s all over, or maybe he knows…” that she’ll never wake up. Crap, what is going on. “Look, I think the point Panry is trying to make is that we need to finish helping Mother heal, so she can both find the triplets and stop the threat of this new bloodshed.”

  “Well, that explains how the dwarves in Alron found out so fast that something was happening,” stated John. “With the Granite Peace Bonds being smashed down the central spine, it only took a matter of days for the news to reach them, and then they all left.”

  “All of the dwarves left Alron?” asked Gayne.

  “The Only ones are the Ironhouse Trollmare Slayers and the Granite Guardians. Why?” replied Zack.

  Mirtza scanned the room for a bottle, “We have heard stories of dwarves leaving the Bright Coast, but today we saw a couple of caravans heading out.”

  “A clan on the eastern spine must have broken one also,” advised John. “Are there any more facts known about this war?”

  “No,” replied Panry.

  “I don’t care about dwarves right now,” Ryan interrupted. “Since everybody agrees that we need to heal Mother, what’re we doing next?”

  *******

  Lauren, the first to sit at the dining room table the next morning, waited until all arrived before asking her first question, “What’s our plan?”

  “It’s pretty simple to start,” began Eric. “We’ll deploy the mirrors today while you tend to your plant. As John examines those amulets, Panry goes back to watch Zymse. Zack will also be sniffing around town, looking for Sam and Hope’s guide, seeing if he can learn anything else. Basically, we still need to scout the opposition, but at least, we know where the playing field is now.”

  “NO!” Logan slammed his mug of bean juice down, causing the hot liquid to erupt onto the table, “We need to do something about the Bastards.”

  “No,” replied Panry.

  “I’ve been thinking about this all night,” sighed Steve. “Lauren, Ryan, you’re not going to like what I’ve to say, but they’re no longer your daughters: they’re hostages.”

  Lauren slowly lowered her mug of hot bean juice, “Maybe a better choice of words would lessen my anger?”

  “When you ended the war and the Blood Bond, you radically altered the life of Zymse Darpac. When they chased him out of Darkpaye, he lost his heritage, power, property, most likely wealth, and more. In short, he wants revenge for the injustices caused by this land.”

  “Lauren, what do you do to these people?” asked Logan. When he saw the cold glare, he quickly turned back to Steve. “You were saying?”

  “Look, if he had come this far but not abducted your children, and if Mother had brought you back to help save the lands, then he would most likely be swinging from a rope. Even knowing magic, one of you six would’ve stopped him. I’m uncertain of what his original plan was, but when he held your daughters, he realized that if Mother did bring you back, he had the perfect shield of innocents. Let’s face it, since he’s smart and knows magic, he’ll most likely be keeping them separated, so that you can’t take action against him. While it’s a smaller shield of innocents, it’s a much more valuable one.”

  “The good news is?” Lauren’s mug of bean juice was boiling.

  “There isn’t any right now. Zymse is fortifying, preparing for when he meets one or all of you. Since he has already turned four Bastards to his side, if he turns the remaining, we won’t stand a chance. You all know what the Kid can do. Four of them, five of you—”

  “What about me, Dude?”

  Steve nodded, “Even with six of you, the odds are in your favor, but if he has a hundred, Vegas won’t even take that bet.”

  “What is Vegas?” asked Jasmine.

  “Where all hope is lost,” replied Steve. “We either need to free them or negate the possibility that Zymse can use them.”

  “Negate, what’s that?” asked Logan.

  “You do not want to know,” replied Panry.

  Steve continued, “Look, while I don’t mean to be brutal here, you need to hear the truth. If—when Mother heals, she’ll tell us where your daughters are, but if we can’t get to them instantly, he could—he’s a sick bastard, and I’ve met his kind before. He would destroy his entire compound, his own men, and everything if he thought it was the only way for him to win an imperial victory.”

  Lauren’s cup shattered, and even though the contents were hot, her words were cold, “Then what do we do?”

  “We need to divide our focus, doing something about the Bastards, because if we don’t, he will.”

  “If you’re going to quarterback this, what’s the play?” asked Eric.

  “Just like yours with one change. Zack, we need you to find the Bastards.”

  “Nope, if you don’t want me to find the triplets, I’m out of here.”

  “Zack, find the Bastards.”

  “Yes, Nur, I mean, Lauren,” but before she could register her angry reply, he went out of focus, and a sizeable otter scurried out of the patio door.

  Lauren took a deep breath. “It would probably be best if everybody started early on their assignments today, as I need some time to think.”

  In quick succession, each headed to the nearest exit. Then only the Granite Guardians with the Earth Guards remained, watching Lauren stare at the broken shards of her mug.

  Oxron quietly walked up to Jasmine, whispered, “I shall go to the stable to complete my chores.”

  “You do not have to—”

  “I do not mind today.”

  *******

  Gayne, Mirtza, Logan, Ryan, Steve, and John rode inside the carriage while Eric drove it through the rainy streets.

  “That went better than I thought it would.”

  As everybody turned to Steve, John spoke first, “You could’ve warned us you were going to surprise us with that rotten Easter egg. Sons of a bitch, do not, I repeat, do not make her that angry when she’s holding that staff.”

  “Why’s it growing shorter?” asked Logan.

  “Because it has limited powers, so the more she uses it, the less it has.”

  “Powers, do not you mean magic?” asked Gayne. “And where did she get it from?”

  “It doesn’t matter,” began Ryan, “but John’s right. The next time you’re looking to light a fuse, tell us first, as we might be able to find a more subtle way to introduce her to the new facts. Also, I want to talk to you later, in private, about your recent observation.”

  “Sometimes the only way you can teach somebody that a stove burns,” Steve clenched his fist, “is to set their hand on the open flame. It gets their attention fast, trust me.”

  Gayne slowly turned, “Did you really have to stoke the fire that hot before teaching the lesson. She made her bean juice boil!”

  “The best way I’ve found to get a person’s attention is to hit them in the nose,” advised Steve. “She—all of you need really need to start understanding this situation. We’re going up against a fanatical tyrant who doesn’t care what happens, not to those girls, to his own people, to you, or even to himself. Because he wants his pound of flesh, he doesn’t care how many people he has to go through to get it.”

  After twenty minutes of silence, Gayne asked, “Where are you going to put the glass
that mates with the magic mirrors?”

  “I have a plan,” advised Steve, “but we need somebody who can cut the glass, mounting them into a window. Do you have anybody like that at your school, like a handyman?”

  *******

  Zack was soaring on the winds high above the Bright Coast. Where to start? Then he spotted the dump. When in Rome. Gliding down to a secluded spot, after transforming into a wolf, he started to prowl the piles of refuge, picking up his children scent and numerous other dogs. Even though it was still early in the day, most of the night scavengers had already fled the rising suns in search of less traveled grounds. Sitting down on his haunches, after howling several times, he waited, but what he heard next was unexpected.

  “See’s I tolds you other wolves woulds be here.”

  “They big tracks, real big. Whats now?”

  “We sets our baits and returns tomorrow.”

  Seeing two men enter the alley of trash he had selected, Zack bolted towards the far end, hearing them give chase.

  “Gets your darts gun ready.”

  With his speed, Zack quickly outpaced the two men, and when the valley of trash ended in walls piled too high to climb, he transformed into an eagle, taking to the air.

  The two men stopped when they approached the end of the garbage box-canyon.

  Scanning the scene, the smaller man asked, “Whered it go?”

  “Dont knows, and stops breathing on me like that.”

  When they turned around, they looked into the angry eyes of the largest frost bear they had ever seen and fainted.

  Twenty minutes later, a naked Zack was slapping the two men awake. “Come on, I don’t have all day.”

  The first man gave his head a shake, looked at the naked person in front of him, and realized his hands and feet were bound. “Youse got no rights to asail us like dis.”

  The second man blinked his eyes, raised his head, “Whats happen?”

  Zack was sitting on a stump, “A few nights ago, you captured a couple of wolves. What did you do with them?”

  “Not any of your business,” the smaller man answered.

  “Are these the men?” asked Zack.

  “What?” Then the larger man felt a dog sniff him, which then bit his ear.

  “Guilty.” When Zack walked up to the taller man, his hand transformed into a large bear claw, which he ripped through the shoulder of the bound man. “If you tell me what I want to know, I’ll let you go free. If you don’t, I’ll let my friends register their complaints about your nocturnal activities.” Both men felt numerous hot canine breaths on the back of their necks.

  The smaller man, wanting to turn around, was afraid of what he might see. “Look, Son, Mister, whatevers you calls yourself. Master Darpac pays us to keeps the streets clean. He takes them in, given them a home.”

  “You can’t be that stupid!” stated Zack.

  The large man protested, “Its a good job.”

  Zack walked over to a large mixed breed female, “Where did you take them?”

  The smaller man smirked, “They cants talk.”

  He continued his conversation, “The scent, where have you smelt it.”

  The bigger man began to laugh, “He done be crazy, living out here like that, talking to strays.”

  “Thank you.” Then Zack picked up two discarded dirty rags, stuffing one into the mouth of the first man. “As it’s been a while since my friends have had a fresh meal, I was hoping you could—stay for lunch.”

  “You saids you lets us go.”

  Zack stuffed the second rag into the smaller man’s mouth, “I lied.” Shimmering, he transformed into an eagle, taking to the skies. Please enjoy your feast, but fear the nights no more, my friends.

  Chapter 13

  Steve looked at Eric. “All you’ve to do is accidently break the lower glass pane by turning around too quick, smashing your sword through it. Ryan, you then apologize for your incompetent guard, mentioning he has done the same at your house. Then explain that we have a replacement in the carriage with a handyman who’ll repair the damage this minute. Then our friend here gets out, measuring the frame, cutting one of these pieces of glass, and installs it.”

  *******

  Jedimac sat in the deserted office that overlooked the Key River, staring at the New Age Academy of Insight. What are you up to Zymse? He then reached for the stack of messages that the night runners had delivered that day, lit a candle, and started to review them. The guilds that controlled the smuggling tunnels under the large river had granted safe passage to the Black Watch, who were reporting safe arrivals at their destinations, but it was too early for any substantial news. Except for one unusual fact, the events were lining up like he planned, yet every third note mentioned the high percentage of abandoned well-kept houses. Knowing all of the thieves would be watchful of potential targets, this was their simple way of informing him that the territory north of the Key was unlike they originally thought. In fact, as there were so many houses without residents, numerous squads had simply moved into the one that best suited their needs.

  *******

  John looked at the trollmare amulets he had spread out on the counter. If one of these activates, I’m so screwed. Pulling out the magnifying glass that Gayne had lent him, he examined each in detail. Unlike the other flying trollmares they had seen, these were all similar, like they were crafted by the same person. By comparison, the strange beasts they had seen in Alron would be small to the miniature replicas he stared at, if they ever gained their full size. By examining key features, scaling the measurements to other aspects, he figured they would be over three hundred feet long, and each had large bat-like wings folded along its length, which would have a wingspan of three hundred feet. All had scales with ten legs each, ending on feet with oversized claws, and the heads were out of proportion to the bodies due to the gaping jaws filled with pointed teeth. Thinking about how Gingaar had stepped on them, he decided against that, instead, pulling out his Leatherman tool, he started to clip away at the gold. When he had removed the wings, legs, and tail, he was surprised to see the inside was hollow. After folding away the plyers, extracting the blade, he carefully wedged the cavity open to separate the two halves, exposing a short piece of an opaque black prism shaped crystal. Looking at it, he recalled the books about minerals, flipping the images of the visualized pages until he found a similar one. Schorl Tourmaline, why? It was a sodium iron-rich mineral, and while having no value, it did have a distinctive pyro-electrical property that when warmed or rubbed it would produce an electrical charge. Maybe, after a sufficient amount of time on the host, it creates an adequate charge, which causes the host pain. Reacting, then adding in the infection, when they scratch the wound, the amulet falls out, but what would make it activate. Maybe Zymse found a way to make them time-sensitive or self- triggering. The only way I could test that hypothesis would be to attach it to a stray and observe what happens. Then capture a three hundred foot long flying creature from hell —or I can tell them I don’t know how they work.

  *******

  Pulling her chair to the patio door, Lauren looked at her plant in the rain and then to the staff, which barely measure twenty inches long. Do you have enough left in you, so that I can both feed Mother’s children and save my own? If you don’t, some of them will be going hungry. Reaching behind her to the table, she picked up a knife from the breakfast meal, making three cuts in the shortening staff, dividing it into four equal lengths. The bottom half is for Mother’s children, but the rest is for mine. Then she pushed the short staff into the dirt between the patio stones, tasking it to find her creation. The plant had continued to grow in the empty lots and open spaces where it found the necessary room, but it had made little progress without her guidance to seek out new locations to grow hope. Lauren sent the power from the staff into the root, making it spread out to the furthest extents of the town, being ever conscious of feeling the staff grow shorter in her hand.

  *******

&nb
sp; Catching a chill from the cold rains, Zack seeing the building that the mixed breed alpha female had described to him, landed on the roof. Transforming into a squirrel to gain access, once inside, he shook off the wet, but the scents of his children overpowered his emotions. In the dump, the foul smells had diluted their scents, but here in the prison attic, they were still fresh, like he was holding them in his hands. Even if I have to accept her offer, you’ll pay for what you did to my children Zymse. After regaining his focus, he scampered over to a hole in the wall, viewing the dirt courtyard below, including all of the metal doors. Just like when they captured Logan. Watching, six men dressed in black walked out, dragging young boys by the metal masks that bound them. When at the designated spot, where the earthen cells were open, the men tossed them into the dirt chambers, closing and locking the doors. He heard the words spoken by one echo off the walls. ‘They should break soon.’ Then they opened six more doors, lifting out the struggling boys, who were bound in a similar fashion, dragging them inside the bowels of the prison. He carefully climbed down the inside wall, and once on the ground, altered his shape to become a large black otter, blending in with the shadows. Keeping a watchful eye on the various metal barred doors that led into the unknown, he began to examine the doors and the scents they hid. Several hours later, when done, he figured that over one hundred of the dirt cells had occupants, and from some, he could still pick up the faint traces of Alron Bastards. Doing a quick run around the inner walls, listening at the doors, he was unable to hear anything except for pain. Changing into an eagle, he flew up to the attic access before leaving.

  *******

  “You called my daughters hostages!”