by Will Wight
Loreli stared out the window. “And we know Kelarac will have a backup plan. Most likely a series of them. As for Tharlos…”
Bliss straightened. “If Tharlos has a better host than me, I would be very surprised. And I do not like surprises.” She surreptitiously pushed her pocket down, where the Spear of Tharlos was straining to escape.
“With a coordinated, unified assault, I believe we could defeat any Great Elder alone in their current state,” Loreli continued. “We know where they’re headed, and we have to assume they’re all moving with urgency as Kelarac is.”
Another blow was struck in the void above them, leading to a flash of light and a crackling sound filling the air.
Shera’s Vessels both communicated anxiety, which suited Shera just fine. She was anxious herself. It was hard to stand around talking as reality crumbled.
“If they take their time,” Loreli went on, “they could easily move together and defeat us, but their history and our circumstances suggest they won’t. So we prepare for Kelarac.”
As Shera remembered her showdown with Ach’magut, she and her Vessels all trembled.
Kelarac.
Urg’naut had suggested that she could strike a blow against a Great Elder in human form, but was that true?
As Estyr had said, there was only one way to find out.
As though responding to Shera’s thoughts, Estyr spoke. “We’ll fight him on the sea. Our battle with Kelarac last time destroyed a chain of islands. If we fight him in the Capital, there won’t be a city left afterwards. Fortunately, he should be weaker this time. We face him with our combined might, get rid of him quickly, and then regroup in case we have to face another fight.”
Teach stepped forward. It was strange to see her hesitant at all, but especially now, in her savage new purple-and-blue form. “Pardon the interruption, Regents, but what happens to us afterwards? The sky is still open.”
And that’s the winning question, Shera thought.
Not only did the Great Elders have a chance to escape while the sky remained open, but judging by the strange things she’d seen in the void, they might face attacks from others of their kind. The sky had to be restored.
Estyr spoke with confidence that Shera suspected may have been mostly pretense. “When the air is as clear of Elder Intent as we can make it, I will sit in the Optasia and try to talk to him myself. Defeating the Elders will make it safer for me and will show him we can take care of ourselves.”
“Kiss a penny and make a wish, but we think it might be an advantage to beat them first.” Jorin didn’t bother even to fake confidence. “Someone up there is fighting Urg’naut, and we’re hoping they might decide to reach in and help us out.”
“Don’t count on it,” Calder Marten said.
He sat heavily, staring into the distance as though in the depths of despair, and Shera remembered her impression of the man in the sky. He had gripped his dark scythe and looked down at them as though surveying a field of ripe wheat.
And what would Shera do if her prison full of dangerous Elders was about to break open?
She would burn it all to the ground.
“He’s here to put us down, isn’t he?” she asked.
Calder looked up at her, and she thought he registered surprise. “He says that if it looks like the Great Elders are going to escape, he’ll destroy everything. The entire world.”
That made sense to Shera. If they assumed everything about the Outsider and the nature of their world was accurate. She still wasn’t sure.
Either way, it didn’t change what they had to do.
Bliss tilted her head like a bird. “Urg’naut already made it out. Do you think it’s too late?”
That was Shera’s question as well.
“We can do nothing but hope it isn’t,” Estyr said. “We beat Kelarac, then if the air is clear enough, we use the Optasia. If not, we keep beating down Elders until it works.”
Bareius tapped a stack of papers into line, drawing Shera’s attention to him.
It was a shame. She’d almost forgotten he was there.
“So we sail off into the sea to fight…all four remaining Great Elders?”
“Only Kelarac for certain,” Loreli said.
He gave her a skeptical look. “Do you think that’s a winning strategy?”
The Regent would have been well within her rights to scorch him down to the bone for that tone. Shera hoped to see it.
Instead, she responded more gently than he deserved. In the tone of one quoting, she said, “We will fight until we can no longer lift our arms, and then we will pick up swords in our teeth and continue fighting. To our last breath and beyond, we will give no ground to the Elders.”
“To our last breath,” muttered Jorin, Estyr…and Calder.
All together.
He had joined in with the Regents as though it was only natural for him to do so, but he didn’t look as pretentious as he had before. He looked haunted. Throughout this entire exchange, since his resurrection or whatever had happened to him, there had been a darker edge to him.
Even with the reassurance of the Regents, Shera started to suspect that he really had seen death.
“Even if we beat him now,” Calder said heavily, “he’ll come back.”
Shera saw where he was going immediately. She was surprised. And somewhat impressed.
Of course, it could still be a trick.
Estyr gave a quick nod. “That’s the fight.”
“But there is a way out.” He looked up and met Shera’s eyes. “When the battle begins, stay next to me.”
So he really did intend to sacrifice himself to kill Kelarac. Good for him.
Of course, if this was a trap, Shera now had her own contingent of Soulbound to back her up. Soulbound that Calder knew nothing about.
She nodded. Either his plan worked and killing him would kill Kelarac, or he betrayed her and she killed him anyway.
Win-win.
Cheska Bennett looked into his eyes and Bliss grabbed his arm.
“What stupid plan is this?” the Navigator asked.
“I don’t like what you’re saying. Say something else,” the Watchman commanded.
Shera wondered what he’d done to make the other Guild Heads care at all whether he lived or died.
He did belong to both of their Guilds, she thought. Maybe he was a hard worker.
But he clearly wasn’t persuaded. “The next time Kelarac offers me a deal, I’m going to accept.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
present day
The first challenge in their war against Kelarac was fitting everyone aboard Navigator ships.
The entire fleet had been recalled to the Capital over the course of the last week or two, which Cheska Bennett pretended had been in anticipation of this exact crisis.
Consultant intelligence determined that to be a lie. She had gathered her Guild’s strength to oppose the Independents.
But there were still only a few dozen ships in all the Empire capable of traveling the deep Aion. Navigator ships were almost always small, requiring only a Soulbound captain and a skeleton crew.
As a result, the army they brought to Kelarac could number only in the hundreds.
The Guilds sent their best combatants, but it was still a tough competition to decide who would go and who would be left behind.
While Shera and the rest of the mortals crammed as many allies on their ships as possible, the Regents made their own preparations.
Loreli spent her time with the Luminians, and Shera couldn’t be sure if she was motivating them, directing their strategy, or standing around in a circle and praying. Whatever kept her power in the best shape was fine with Shera.
Jorin stayed underfoot on the Consultant ship, Bastion’s Shadow. He had taken over the captain’s cabin for himself, and instead of directing the Guild efforts, he was chugging potions to try and get himself back to one hundred percent.
Or, as he put it, “To hone his fangs t
o points.”
Unlike the other two Regents, Estyr made her preparations in full sight of everyone. She had unearthed a set of armor that resembled the Emperor’s.
But instead of white, hers was jet-black.
She hovered over the Capital, the only hallmark of her identity the three reptilian skulls floating around her helmet. When she spread her hands wide, the entire city shook.
And from the ground, beneath Imperial parks and nature preserves and other restricted areas, spikes of iron the size of towers began to drift into the sky.
An armored Estyr Six flew over to Candle Bay followed by a procession of seven enormous iron nails. Shera didn’t need to be an expert in Imperial history to suppose these might be the original inspiration for the seven spikes of the Blackwatch.
Estyr drifted over Bastion’s Shadow, the spikes blotting out the light that spilled from the void overhead. She tilted her visor up to regard Shera. “Tell Jorin his time’s up. We’re leaving.”
Shera pointedly looked her up and down and then moved her gaze to the giant spikes. “Are you sure you need the rest of us?”
“Tell you what, we can trade jobs. You fight Kelarac and I’ll kill Calder Marten when the time comes. Or if he gets out of line.”
“No way. I’ve got the fun part.”
As the Regent drifted off, Meia stepped up behind Shera. “I’ve taken a look at their ship,” she muttered. “They’re definitely prepared, but we shouldn’t have to worry about them until our way back.”
It took Shera a moment to remember what Meia was talking about. That was life with the Consultants: secret plans on top of secret plans.
“Oh good. We’ll just take care of Kelarac first.”
Only once Estyr left did the alchemists approach.
Their ship was by far the biggest in the fleet—a metal monstrosity that dwarfed Bastion’s Shadow. The name painted on the side declared the ship The Final Solution.
Bareius himself walked up to the edge of the deck and raised a captain’s horn. “Ahoy, Shera! I hope you don’t mind, but we thought we’d shadow you on this mission. Don’t mind the pun. Is that a pun? Furman, is that a pun?”
His assistant stepped up and adjusted his glasses, muttering something to his boss.
“Wordplay then. The point is, we’re here to help in your most vital mission. Now, Shera, before we depart, I thought I’d make you an offer.”
A Shepherd handed Shera a captain’s horn of her own, and Shera sighed as she lifted it to her lips. “Is this really the time?”
“Why not? We’re all waiting around for clearance, aren’t we?”
Shera supposed that was true. The drifting alien sky and the crackling sounds of reality crumbling around them were keeping everyone’s edges sharp, but the fact remained that the fleet couldn’t leave until everyone was ready.
“Very well. I decline your offer.”
Shera handed her horn back to the Shepherd.
Yala snatched it up, wearing her iron glare. “Listen to him, Shera. This is your job.”
Shera resisted the urge to hurl the horn, and maybe Yala, overboard. “There is no point to this. You know that.”
“Situations are always evolving. He could make this beneficial for the Guild.”
Reluctantly, Shera took back the horn.
“Ah, I see that High Councilor Yala has convinced you to listen to reason! Very good.” The Head Alchemist’s smile beamed. “I would like to hire your entire Guild, open contract, for the duration of one year. Every single Consultant.”
As everyone else on the deck of Bastion’s Shadow stumbled to a halt, Shera stared at Bareius, trying to divine his intentions.
What was he doing?
Why now?
“Of course, any tasks the Regents require of you take priority. I would never dream of interrupting you, Regent Jorin.”
Jorin emerged from the cabin behind Shera. His jaw was clenched tight, but there was far more color in his skin than before, and his stride was strong.
He raised a hand to greet Bareius. To Shera, he spoke almost without moving his lips. “You have his reins?”
Shera made sure her captain’s horn was too far away to pick up her words. “Tightly in hand.”
He gave one sharp nod. Wood-and-paper wings spread from his back and he took off after Estyr.
“Busy man,” Bareius called. “Anyway, Shera, I can’t think this is a bad deal for you. I would certainly like it to improve our working relationship.”
Yala spoke low and urgent into Shera’s ear. “We should consider this. A year of employment is nothing to toss aside. And who knows what can happen after a year?”
On her other side, Kerian’s words were more careful. “That’s not untrue, but it is difficult to enter into a contract with someone we know we can’t trust.”
“I will need time to consider,” Shera called halfheartedly.
Bareius’ smile took on a sharp edge as though he knew something she didn’t. “Of course,” he said. “Take your time.”
Shera now had one more reason to look forward to the end of this battle: so that she could deal with Bareius.
When the fleet finally departed, Calder Marten’s ship stayed in the middle. It was the job of the Consultants to stick close enough to him to get their Gardeners in position, so Meia used her Soulbound powers to keep an eye on The Testament.
Meanwhile, Bastion’s Shadow sailed along at the back of the formation. The captain wanted enough room to maneuver to unexpected variables.
The Final Solution shadowed them the entire trip.
The sky flashed. Ahead of them, the ocean boiled. She had just caught a glimpse of an army of Elderspawn in the distance when Bastion’s Shadow shuddered.
And began to slow.
Shera turned, not to the captain, but to Meia. “What is this?”
Meia looked even more alarmed. She shut her eyes and drew her shears; the orange eyeballs on the blades shone brightly. “I promise you, he’s not…oh no.” Suddenly she raised her voice. “Alchemical fire in the hold!”
Anger reared up in Shera, violent and ugly, catching her off-guard. She hadn’t expected to be this furious.
But she also hadn’t expected Bareius to be this stupid.
Shera rounded on Kerian. “How did we not catch this?”
“We caught the trap he placed on the rudder, the saboteur he embedded in the crew, and the charges he left on the ocean floor.” The High Gardener looked baffled. “He must have had a fourth redundant plan. A launcher aboard his own ship, maybe?”
The culprit walked up to the edge of the railing again. “I apologize, but I’m afraid I’m not as patient as I seem.”
Meanwhile, the rest of the Navigator fleet grew more distant by the second.
The Regents were flying at the front, their attentions focused on the enemy. Bastion’s Shadow and The Final Solution had been the last two ships to leave. Even if someone noticed them missing, no one would return to help.
Shera extended a hand and her captain’s horn was placed in it. She raised it again. “This is a strange time to commit suicide, Bareius.”
His glasses caught the light from the heavenly strikes overhead. “You know, the Consultants always talk like they have monopoly on information. As though you know everything, and everyone else knows nothing. Well, I’ve done some research of my own, and do you know what I’ve found?
“No one wants you in charge, Shera. No one trusts you. Not even those closest to you.”
There came a sharp prick at the side of Shera’s neck as a needle entered.
Instantly, she slumped down.
From the deck, she looked up at the black-clad people looking down on her. Even Kerian and Meia glanced at her and back up.
Yala returned her packet of needles to her pocket and took over the captain’s horn. “I take it you have no problem endorsing me as Guild Head?” she demanded.
Bareius let out a laugh. “You have no idea how to savor a moment, do you? T
o the end, her face never changed.”
When Yala didn’t respond, he finally waved a hand. “Yes yes, you know I’ll support you. Now we’re extending a ramp. We have space for you all and we should be able to catch up soon.”
Yala lowered her captain’s horn and spoke into the shadow of the deck. “Is that good enough?”
The twin Witnesses, Azea and Calazan Farstrider, took their hands away from their candles and nodded in unison.
Now, what they were about to do to Bareius would have full justification. He had made legal preparations implicating the Consultants in the event of his assassination.
Otherwise Shera would have killed him a long time ago.
Shera rose, placing fingers to her tender neck and wincing.
There had been no poison on the needle, but Yala didn’t have to stab her. She could have faked it.
“What is this?” Bareius asked. He still hadn’t seen the Witnesses, and he seemed more disappointed than anything. “You know, that was…pathetic. You deceived me for what, two seconds? I’ll have to take more direct action. Furman, launch the—”
“Furman,” Shera interrupted. “Time to come home.”
This had taken too much time already. There were other steps to the plan, but she was skipping straight to the point.
So Furman the Mason, who had been in position for ten years, slit his employer’s throat.
It was somewhat odd, seeing someone kill their twin. And Masons were usually not employed for assassinations; they often became attached to their subjects.
That had never been a problem for Furman. He shoved Bareius down to the deck with a smile on his face.
On cue, a series of smaller explosions rocked The Final Solution as the ship was disabled from within by the alchemical munitions they had planned to launch on Bastion’s Shadow.
They wouldn’t sink the ship; most alchemists were blameless in this.
The explosions would only cripple the ship, leaving it helpless for their return.
Neither Shera nor the other Consultants had ever expected Bareius to launch these preparations on the way to a battle with Kelarac. They had also never expected him to have a fourth, secret plan to disable their ship.
