Pieter closed his eyes for a moment. He felt the rage of the thing before him. It was strong. Like the rage that Tellish had embraced before he cut down his friend. I will let my anger pass through me.
“There is no anger here. I am made of the Rift. That is my purpose,” the creature said. “You cannot defeat me, Pieter. No mortal can.”
Pieter smiled and took a stance. It was not something he had taught Kyp, and it had only been taught to him once. He took a deep breath and held his blade out parallel to the ground. Then he summoned the Rift to him, allowing it to collect along the blade of his sword. He felt Sabe tremble with the power of the Rift, yet it was her purpose. He then lunged forward, striking at the creature. The creature blocked, countering with its own thrust. Pieter blocked and countered. Back and forth, the two fought. Pieter realized that this creature was much like Tellish in fighting style. And he knew Tellish’s weakness. He leapt away form he creature’s slash and smiled.
“Why do you smile, mortal? You will die here.”
“Doubtful,” Pieter said. “I have already won.”
“How?”
Pieter held his blade straight, displaying it to the creature. “That blade that you wield is of the Cerebra. Made to block and protect. My blade was spawned for a different purpose.”
“And what purpose is that?”
“To attack.”
Pieter felt his every nerve fray as he stepped forward, each push of his foot moving him faster and faster. The Void’s power feeding every muscle to the point that it felt he was breaking. Pieter smiled as he moved, bringing the blade in line to stab into the creature. The creature brought his sword up and ready, in a guard position that would have blocked Pieter’s sword.
Pieter thrust out with his sword, and the creature moved his sword to block it. The tip of Pieter’s blade connected with Tellish’s sword, for half a moment, it was stopped. Then, it slammed through the black iron, ripping through the witchwood of the Cerebra’s sword and into the creature’s chest. The blade of Tellish’s snapped, and the creature stabbed in reflex, catching Pieter in the left arm. Pieter’s movement slammed both of them into the bulkhead of the room, that broke from the impact and the two were into the main corridor of the bent and twisted Ilvan slave ship. Pieter stood for a moment, holding onto his sword, breathing heavy and feeling like every muscle in his body was pulled at once.
“We can’t take another hit like that, pilot. We have to do something.”
Sarena watched as the prow of Harkness’ ship limp closer, ten more of the boring ships fired off, streaking towards Benny. It’s bow gun swiveled towards Benny and even from this far away, she could see the aeronaut aiming it.
“We can’t fire at the Ilvan ships, Pieter and Toth are there. If we use the prow gun, we won’t be able to control it. What would you have me do? Fire on Pieter and Toth anyway?”
She sensed that Benny was about to say something when there was a flicker of light to her left. She reached out to touch it. “Pilot Sarena, good to see you again,” a young woman dressed in a green tunic and reddish hair and pale skin appeared in a ghostly image. “We are here to help.”
From behind Benny, three more shapes much like him appeared, each with a smaller, human standing next to them. Except one of the Ilvan avatars had a Lasha that it held in one arm. The Lasha was familiar to her. It was the one Lasha that Toth had said tried to help them at the Moot.
“Pilot Sarena, good to see you,” Goldie said. “All pilots, converge fire on the lead slave Ilvan. Then, pick your targets.”
“Yes Admiral.”
Sarena looked at the Lasha. “Admiral?”
“Toth didn’t tell you?” Goldie sighed. “Males…”
“What do we do?”
“According to Eckles, Inara and her ship have your friends. The other ships, they must be destroyed,” Goldie said. “Care to help?”
“With pleasure,” Sarena said. “How?”
“Waiting on your orders,” Benny said.
“Pick your targets, except for Inara’s ship,” Goldie said. “Fire at will. Sarena, use our cover fire to ram Inara.”
“Ram her?”
“Board her, get your friends out and leave her to the exposed æther,” Goldie said. “Or leave your friends stranded.
Sarena pointed at the ship that she hoped held Kyp, Toth and Pieter. “Make for that ship.”
“Yes pilot,” Benny said.
Sarena felt the æther start to slide around her. As she moved, the æther lit up with the boiling of energy as beams lanced across from the support of the the Ilvan fleet. Each of the slave Ilvan ships were stuck hard by one bright beam of white. Except for the one that Sarena made for. The other slaveships started to break formation. One exploded into a black ball. Screams and shrieks cut through the room and for a moment, Sarena trembled. Then, she felt a strong hand on her shoulder.
“They are past the point of no return, pilot. Do not mourn for them now.”
Kyp stopped trying to get through the wood case. There was nothing he could do. He let out a breath. “What in the Hells,” he turned when he felt a surge of the Rift from nearby. He went to the doorway and thought he saw a dim flash of red down the corridor.
He took a step forward and then felt a pressure around his throat. He looked up to see an armless man, strange nebulous arms of green moving out and surrounding Kyp’s throat. “Sleep, little one. You will be fine.”
Kyp tried to grab at his sword, yet the man squeezed tighter. His vision tunneled and he went unconscious.
Pieter staggered down the hallway. He felt completely drained. Even with the Void propping him up, he could hardly stand. He leaned against the bulkhead, sliding his hand along the uneven black bark of the interior. He felt as though he needed a shower from touching it. He continued to push down the hallway, feeling at a loss. He had killed Tellish, and whatever that thing was that burst out of him.
I need to get back to Sarena, and the rest…damn it, don’t do that. He tried to push her away. All he could think about was her. The way she had taken his hand. Her pressed against him when Harkness attacked. Focus Pieter. You can’t see her unless—
He lost his grip on the wall when it suddenly wasn’t there anymore. He fell into a room and saw Toth unconscious on the deck. He looked up and saw there was a hole in the ceiling and the jumper from Benny waiting, attached to this decaying Ilvan.
“Toth, Toth, are you—“
“He’s unconscious, Pieter.”
Pieter turned to see Samuel and Kyp. The youth was unconscious. “What happened?”
“He went up against the crazy bitch who pilots this ship. We need to get out of here.”
“How did you get here?” Pieter looked at Samuel. “I thought—“
“I’ve been a prisoner here by Tellish,” Samuel said.
“You tried to kill me, twice.”
“I was influenced by Tellish, lad. I am sorry.”
Pieter shook his head. He wanted to ask more. But, he felt something. “Alright, let’s go.”
With a little help, the two managed to get Kyp and Toth inside the jumper. Samuel was harder. Yet, Pieter was able to lift him with a bit help from a cable that was in the jumper and Samuel’s own Void which he said was dampened somehow. Pieter couldn’t argue.
“How are we going to seal the hole? This pup cut the hole to get in. But how are we going to get out without being exposed to the æther,” Samuel asked.
Pieter was to dazed to answer. He had no idea. He sought for something when he heard Toth move around. “Toth, are you—“
Yes human, I am. We need to leave. This Ilvan is going to kill us.
How are we—
“Damn it, what is going on?” Samuel shouted. “We need to plug this hole.”
Toth opened his eyes and moved closer to the hole. “There might be a way to. I just need to concentrate.” He moved to the edge and stretched out his forepaws and touched the very edge. “Go.”
“But—“
/>
“Trust me.”
Pieter grabbed the controls, took a deep breath and pushed the stick forward. The jumper shuddered for a moment before the claws disengaged. The jumper started to move and Pieter looked behind him to see that the æther wasn’t flooding the jumper. He saw a thin barrier holding it back.
“Samuel, help Toth.”
“How?”
“This is how human,” Toth croaked out. Pieter felt something in the Void shudder. And then felt two things happen. One was the barrier grew stronger thanks to Toth and Samuel. The other was the slaveship was powering up and moving after them.
“How is that—“
Pieter pushed the little jumper as fast as it could go. He could feel the ship following after them. He then looked forward to see Benny, and behind him the flashing of bright and dark beams of energy crisscrossing the æther.
“Pieter?” came Sarena’s voice through the ship’s ansible.
“Sarena? Is that you?”
“Yes. Who is there?”
“The kid and your pet cat.”
“Human, I will let the æther inside if you refer to me as a cat one more time.”
“Pieter, get out of there,” Sarena said.
“Trying to, have a bit of an issue with—“
Sarena let out a laugh. “No you don’t.” The prow of Benny started to glow. “Move the jumper.” She rattled off coordinates and Pieter pushed the throttle forward, moving thr jumper hard.
Careful human. This Emissary is, strange.
Really not the time, Toth.
Pieter looked in the viewport as Benny shot by them, and a bright beam of silver shot out and struck the mad ship directly in the port section. Pieter then felt a blast of pain come from the mad ship and a squeal of something that sounded like laughter. He tightened his grip on the controls and made for Benny’s hangar.
***
Back aboard Benny, Pieter felt safe for the first time in a long time. He helped Samuel get out of the jumper, went back to carry Toth out. He reached out for Kyp when the youth woke with a start.
“Where? Pieter, you have to…where are we?”
“On Benny, its over.”
“Did you see the Emissary that choked me?” Kyp stood up on unsteady feet.
Pieter looked at Kyp. “What?”
“An old man with—“
Kyp was silenced and yanked from the jumper by a pair of Void made arms. “I had hoped he would stay asleep a little longer,” Samuel said.
Pieter embraced the Void. “Why?”
“The Masters, Pieter. The Masters need us.”
“The Khal Masters are reavers,” Pieter said, pulling his sword free. “You aren’t in your right mind.”
“Yes I am. The Masters will bring forth a new peace. Think of it. No need to worry about feelings? Or hunger? Or strife? Everything will be at peace.”
“And what of thought?”
Samuel scowled. “What human or near human has prospered from thought? Give it up Pieter. You can’t hurt me without hurting the child.”
“Really?”
“You were trained as a Hunter, an assassin. Any force you direct at me will hit the youth first.”
“I could try and take the boy?” Pieter asked.
“He’d be ripped apart. You have lost.”
Pieter reached out wit the Void.. He didn’t grab Kyp. Instead, he grabbed Samuel by the face. “This will not be pleasant, I am sorry.” He then slammed tendrils of the Void into his former teacher’s mouth, nostrils and ears. He dug into the man’s head, seeking something that he thought that should be at the base of his brain.
Dimly he was aware that Kyp was let go and was shaking. He didn’t try to reassure Kyp, he didn’t have time. He kept pushing into Samuel’s head, feeling for the dark slug-like creature. Something snapped two of his tendrils. Pieter continued with the ones he controlled. He felt something trying to wrap around his throat. He pressed the pain aside, the reduced air in his lungs ignored. He had to find it.
He felt something slither past one of the tendrils. He curled it the other way and it snapped off. Two to go, he muttered in his head. The thing he was chasing was dark and without a form. Yet, Pieter could feel the darkness of it. Like the ones from the village. Like the one that was in Tellish. He felt the second to last lance snap as Samuel was gaining more and more control. Pieter’s vision started to tunnel. He looked at the grimacing face of Samuel. I will kill it, even if I have to kill you as well, Samuel. I am sorry.
He felt the last of his tendrils ready to snap. The thing was cornered. He lunged with the tendril, spearing the thing. He heard a keening that caused his ears to throb in pain. Yet, he drew and pulled at the thing. It struggled. Yet, as he dragged it out, it struggled less and less. Finally, it stopped. Pieter pulled the slug from his mentor’s right ear, with a small trickle of blood.
Pieter tried to speak, yet he collapsed. The air gone from his lungs. He gasped for Kyp. And then darkness.
***
Kyp watched his Sempai and the Emissary who had almost killed him struggle against each other. Each binding the other in the Void somehow. His Sempai used five tendrils that shot into the old man’s face. The old man generator arms of energy and started to choke out Pieter. Kyp tried to pull at them, yet the old man blocked the youth with ease.
He tried to pull at Pieter and was knocked away by the power wrapped around him. He watched powerless as the two Emissaries fought, locked in their mental combat. He gripped his sword. Is there anything you can do Gar?
Nothing Kyp. Wait, be ready. I sense something coming.
As if on cue, a black slug-like creature popped from the old man’s right ear. Kyp had Gar out and cut outward. The thing was sliced in half before it hit the ground. It turned to powder before it hit the deck of Benny.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
The group returned to Ilvan, the council not happy that they left, yet when Goldie spoke up for them even Elder Bythel was cowed and they were allowed to rest in peace. The group was set up in the non-Lasha area, each with their own tent.
Kyp opened his eyes to find Toth and Sarena waiting for him to wake up. “Morning,” he said.
“More like afternoon,” Sarena said.
“Sempai should have woken me. I’ll be—“
“Not today. You need to rest,” Pieter said, walking into the tent set up for the youth.
“Sempai?”
“Take a day or two off. I think we have earned a short rest,” Pieter said.
“Thank you Sempai.”
Pieter nodded and then looked at Sarena. “Can I speak to you outside?”
Sarena ducked her head and walked outside. Toth watched her go and rolled his eyes. “Wonderful, I’m going to lose a pilot.”
“What?”
Toth turned to look at Kyp. “You said you saw a woman emerge from some coffin-like place on the slaveship, right?”
“Yes.”
“There is one on Benny. Sarena went into it during the battle. It was how she was able to make Benny use his cannon.”
“And here I thought the Ilvan were peaceful.”
Toth jumped up onto Kyp’s chest. “No human, there is much you don’t know about the Ilvan, or the Lasha.”
“Like how you were able to make a shield in the jumper.”
“Go to sleep human. You are warm and I wish to sleep as well.”
Kyp looked at the Lasha. He reached down to pet him. He started to purr and that caused Kyp to smile. Do not even think it, human.
Never.
Kyp fell asleep petting the Lasha.
Sarena took a deep breath as she left the tent. I have to tell him. I have to. She steadied herself. Then, turned around. “Pieter I—“
He pulled her into a kiss and held her for a long moment. After a handful of heartbeats, he pulled away. “I wanted to do that before I left for the slaveship.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Didn’t want it to be a kiss goodbye.”
Sarena grabbed onto his shirt. “You know, I’m Benny pilot now. I have to be a bit careful with who I associate with.” She gave him a smile. “Not really sure if I can be seen with an Emissary apostate.”
“Then, don’t be seen,” he said and pulled her to his tent.
Sarena pulled away. “No. I can’t. Not yet.”
“Lightman?” He asked.
She looked down. “Yes. I can’t—“
Pieter picked up her chin and smiled, looking into her eyes. “Don’t talk.”
She didn’t.
Pieter checked up on Samuel. The Healer was awake when Pieter stuck his head in the tent.
“How are you feeling?”
“As though there was something in my head that was violently pulled out.”
“Sorry about that. But you weren’t you.”
Samuel smiled and shook his head. “I am thankful Pieter, I truly am. I couldn’t control myself even though I was conscious the entire time.”
“Better than the way Tellish sacrificed himself.”
“Tellish sacrificed himself?” Samuel asked, looking at his one-time student. He had a raised eyebrow like when he didn’t believe his students, yet waited for their facts.
“I believe so,” Pieter said.
“How so?”
“First, he embraced the Rift while I was fighting him. I was able to use some of its energy against him. And, then, when the creature…” Pieter shuddered at the mention and the image of the silver skinned creature emerging from Tellish, “The creature was using the knowledge it had gained from being inside of Tellish. It took his swordsmanship, but also his pride.”
“Tellish wasn’t one for being humble,” Samuel said.
“It was a simple thing of goading it. It wasn’t hard since it kept calling me mortal. As if it was something more than that.”
“How did you defeat it?” Samuel asked.
“I used the Rift.”
“But how?”
“That is a secret of my order, Samuel. You know I can’t reveal it.”
Void Emissary: The Book of the Void Part 1 Page 22
