*
“Going somewhere. Traitor.”
Vavius slowed as out of the shadow of the nearest alleyway stepped Kasdar. The tall man twirled his cane sword and tipped his top hat. Standing at his side was Garen and Rea.
“Well isn’t this a pleasant little reunion,” Vavius said through gritted teeth. He glanced behind him, the Imperium troops wouldn’t be delayed for long. Suddenly, a loud explosion sounded from somewhere deep within the city. Others joined it and soon the distant bangs of gunfire carried on the air. The Liberator cell within the city had used the chaos to launch an uprising.
“I wouldn’t call it pleasant traitor. Surrender to us now and we won’t have to kill you,” Kasdar said threateningly.
“Afraid I can’t do that old friend. Step aside. I don’t want to hurt any of you.”
“It’s too late for that,” snapped Rea.
“Now Garen!” Kasdar shouted.
The older Gifted narrowed his eyes and thrust his hands toward Vavius. A wave of nausea struck Vavius, the Master of Disgust was using his powers to slow him down. He staggered under the assault, but as quickly as it had begun, he used his own power to deflect it. That split second was all Kasdar needed. Using the greater power of his Gift of Surprise he vanished only to suddenly appear behind Vavius. In one fluid motion he drew the cane sword and stabbed forward, only, Vavius was not where he expected him to be. In the blink of an eye, the Empowered One had used Fear to move at startling speed to step behind him. His gauntleted fist snapped out grabbing the stunned Kasdar by the back of the neck.
“Really Kasdar, that’s the oldest trick in the book. I should know, I taught it to you,” Vavius mocked. With a shout, he switched to Anger and hurled Kasdar across the square where he crashed to the ground in a tangle of limbs.
Another wave of nausea hit him as Garen doubled his efforts. He coughed, and his eyes began to stream as the power of Disgust attacked his immune system. Rea too used her powers to confuse him, he could feel her scratching in his mind as she sought a way to take him out of the fight.
Vavius sank to one knee under the combined assault. Through tear-streaked eyes and hacking coughs, he fixed his gaze on Garen. He channelled Positivity and with a roar unleashed a telekinetic blast that sent both Gifted flying backwards. Instantly, the nausea and the claws in his brain vanished. He stood, shook his head and advanced on the two dazed Gifted. Garen tried to rise but Vavius lifted him high in the air, his hands gripped tightly about the old man’s throat. He squeezed until Garen’s face went blue.
“You should have let me leave,” he snarled.
“Put him down Vavius,” came a familiar voice. He closed his eyes. He should have known that Elian was close by. He turned. The lad stood in the street his red cloak flapping gently in the breeze behind him. A look of determination was etched on his face. Even now, after all he had learnt, he could barely believe that Elian was his son. The eyes. It was the eyes that were so like his own.
“You don’t want to fight me Elian. Remember last time?” Vavius chided. With a casual arrogance, he tossed the now unconscious Garen aside. Elian tensed. The two men watched each other. Vavius could sense the emotions roiling inside Elian. It was Elian who struck first.
*
The two Empowered Ones clashed; their blows powerful enough to shake the very earth. Both used all the powers at their disposal, fighting at a speed that was barely visible to the naked eye. Punches, kicks and parries all delivered in a blur of striking limbs. Vavius launched himself high into the air, but Elian matched the move and the two exchanged blows meters above the ground. Elian swung a punch aimed at Vavius’ head, but the more experienced Empowered One dodged the blow and countered with a kick that sent Elian slamming into the street below. The stone shattered under the impact. Elian scrambled back onto his feet and shook the stars from his vision. Vavius landed in front of him, raising a hand and goading him to attack. With a roar, Elian charged. The two crashed together, their bodies heaving from the exertion of the dual.
“You’ve improved that’s for sure,” Vavius snarled. Elian roared and channelled his Anger. Using all his strength he pushed Vavius back.
“You left me to die. Let me return the favour, you bastard,” Elian growled back, before striking a knee into Vavius’s chest. The blow sent Vavius staggering backwards, knocking the air out of his lungs. Next, Elian tapped into Fear and launched himself at his former mentor before combining it with Anger to deliver a devastating flying kick. The force of the impact was like a meteor striking rock. Vavius flew through the air to crash into the ruined Archive building. With a deafening screech of failing metal and snapping timbers the already damaged building collapsed, sending up a thick cloud of dust that spread in all directions.
Elian shielded his eyes from the dust. He lowered his arms as it flew past him and stared at the pile of rubble. The front of the Archive building had completely collapsed to reveal the interior of the structure. Huge shelves packed with documents and thick leather-bound books were now exposed to the elements and countless papers were blowing about in the wind. Flames flickered from within and now thanks to the exposure to the outside world they flared hotter with renewed vigour. Cowering and stunned scribes covered in layers of dust scrambled down the rubble their eyes dazed. Had he done it? Had he defeated Vavius? He quickly received his answer when several tonnes of stone and debris was launched skyward to reveal Vavius. His green cloak was torn, and blood covered his face but aside from that, he was fine.
‘He must have used Anger to fortify his body,’ Elian thought.
Vavius jumped down from the rubble and strode toward Elian. As he walked, he brushed dust from his now torn clothing and tussled hair.
“I reckon dropping a building on my head makes us even, wouldn’t you say Elian?’ Vavius said brushing dust off his cloak.
“So that’s what makes you different. Combining two powers at once. A nice trick.”
Elian dropped into a fighting stance once more. If kicking the man into a building and then having it collapse on top of him wouldn’t stop him, then what would? He looked at the unconscious forms of Rea and the others. Where was Cassia? He now knew that he couldn’t defeat Vavius alone.
A slow clapping sounded from behind him caused a shiver to crawl up his spine. He glanced at Vavius who was looking beyond him in confusion. Elian turned. At the far end of the plaza stood Cassia. The iron door Vavius had used to block the street had been moved and now the street was filled with black-clad soldiers. Worse still, two Hollowed stood with them, their gazes fixed on Elian. He forced his eyes from the monsters to Cassia. It took him a moment to register what he was seeing. She was with the Hollowed!
“Oh, don’t look like that you two,” she said clapping her hands together in malicious glee. Her eyes were cruel and the smile on her face was one twisted with a hint of madness.
“Surrender peacefully. There’s no escape. Mother’s plan has worked perfectly just as I knew it would.”
Vavius walked to Elian’s side. All thoughts of finishing their grudge match now forgotten.
“Mother?” he said in disbelief.
“The Supreme has had many children. I am her favourite daughter. Don’t you realise Vavius, you’ve always been her slave. Every action you have done has been because she has allowed it. This little quest for a cypher was her idea.”
Vavius narrowed his eyes.
“What are you talking about?” he growled.
Cassia giggled and clapped her hands together.
“She captured your friend Skit years ago. She knows that you are obsessed with finding the Temple of Arrival, and so in her wisdom used that desire against you. Everything has led you here, to now.”
Vavius paled at her words. He should have known something was amiss, but his eagerness to find the Temple had overridden his caution.
“You were the one who told me that Skit was in the Asylum,” he laughed in disbelief at his own stupidity. “I trusted you like a fool. You
implanted those memories into his head. You gave me everything I wanted to lure me here.”
He reached into his tunic and pulled out the ‘Cypher’.
“A useless piece of metal I’m afraid,” Cassia chuckled.
“It’s not a nice feeling, is it? Being betrayed by someone you trust,” Elian muttered beside him.
“The difference between me and you Elian is that I don’t trust anyone,” Vavius replied.
*
Elian frowned, there was something in Vavius’ voice.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over the plaza and a thumping sound emanated from the sky. Elian looked up. There in the sky was an airship and it was moving fast. Gun platforms built into the base of the vehicle were aimed downward. His eyes widened.
“Wendal, you never disappoint me. It was good to see you again Elian. Our paths will cross again,” Vavius said turning away with a smirk.
Cassia screamed a warning as the airship opened fire. Deafening bangs filled the air as the guns fired and cannonballs fell like rain onto the Imperium forces. Explosions rocked the plaza and devastated buildings. Using the surprise attack for cover, Vavius turned and launched himself into the air so that he landed on the roof of a nearby building. Elian watched in stunned awe as the man ran across the rooftops and made an impossible leap to land on the airship’s gun platform. With his torn green cloak billowing behind him he tossed Elian a sarcastic salute before climbing up a ladder and inside the airship.
“Don’t let the boy escape!” bellowed Cassia over the carnage. Elian spun around in a panic. She was struggling through the rubble and debris to reach him. With a frustrated scream, Cassia hurled what was left of a stone arch out of her way. Elian ran towards his fallen companions. He had to get them out of the plaza lest the airship blast them to atoms. He reached the injured Rea and helped her up. Focusing on his Anger his muscles strengthened allowing him to pick up and place the unconscious Garen over shoulders. Limping through the rubble came Kasdar.
“We have to flee. The Supreme isn’t going to take this lightly,” he said grimly.
“What about Cleo? If she returns to the Happy Chancer, then she’ll be captured!” said Rea.
“If she does return to the inn, she’ll know what to do. This isn’t the first time we’ve been forced to scatter,” Kasdar replied, sounding more confident than he felt.
In the sky, Vavius’s airship continued to rain death upon the city below and smoke from distant explosions loomed into the sky.
“The whole city is in chaos. Your Liberator friends are making a menace of themselves it seems.”
“Good, we’re going to need all the help we can get if we’re to escape the city,” Elian replied glancing nervously behind them. Cassia was the daughter of the Supreme, the revelation was too surreal for him to take in. Betrayed again by another Empowered One. Were there any good ones? He’d yet to meet any.
Kasdar led the way out of the plaza, the sound of heavy fighting growing louder as they did so. The Imperium airships Elian had seen the night he and Cassia had entered the city were now visible and moving towards the plaza, no doubt in hot pursuit of Vavius.
Quickly, Elian and Kasdar moved through the city’s streets. As they went, they encountered savage fighting between Imperium troops and a surprising number of Olandis’s population. The slaves, so long oppressed and inspired by Liberators had seen the carnage as an opportunity and were now rising up against their overlords. They skirted the city’s main thoroughfare where Imperium cannons were quickly being moved into position. Behind them a huge crowd of people was gathering, their hatred for the Imperium and Venerable Chamber almost a physical force. Amongst the slaves were men and women handing out weapons; swords, knives and even the odd firearm. Elian winced as memories of the slaughter at Asta flashed before his eyes. The brave citizens of that city had dared to defy the Supreme and they had paid a heavy price for it. As they kept moving chanting carried on the air.
“Asta, Asta, remember the heroes of Asta,” emanated from the throats of ten thousand enraged men and women.
Kasdar grabbed Elian’s arm and pulled him down a side street.
“The southern gate is our best bet at getting out of here. Follow me,” he shouted over the din.
They moved as quickly as they could until they reached the wide street that divided the city’s southern wall from the city proper. Kasdar signalled for them to stop. There in the street was amassed several hundred soldiers, their muskets all aimed at their location. Stood at the front of the formation was the unmistakable visage of two Hollowed. The thin creatures stood unmoving their eyeless gazes fixated on the street. Kasdar swore under his breath.
“Oh Elian,” came Cassia’s voice.
The woman was moving through the ranks of soldiers to stand in between the Hollowed. She held her arms wide gesturing at the force behind her.
“Surrender yourself into the Supreme’s custody and I will spare your friends,” she said.
Elian looked wide eyed at Kasdar. There was no way they could get past the force mustered in the street. He narrowed his eyes; they couldn’t retreat either. He could sense dozens of Seekers converging on their position from behind them. He looked at Kasdar.
“There’s no other way. I won’t allow all of you to die for me,” he said. Gently he lowered Garen and Rea to the ground. At the movement, she stirred her green eyes flickering open. He crouched before her and took one of her hands in his own.
“Rea are you ok?” he asked his tone full of concern. She nodded and reached up to touch his face. A tingling sensation filled him as she probed his mind with her Gift. Her eyes widened.
“No, you can’t,” she gasped. “We need you.”
“Rea, I have no choice. There’s no way we can get past them. Cassia is too strong and there are Hollowed. If surrendering myself means you living I will gladly do it.”
They stared into each other’s eyes, a whirlwind of emotions passing between them. He felt something for her, and she for him. The realisation was like a thunderbolt and despite their dire situation, a smile passed between them.
“The Supreme wants me alive. It’s time I found out why,” said Elian his mind set. He squeezed Rea’s hand and kissed her forehead before rising to his feet.
“We will find you Elian. We will,” said Rea softly.
Taking a deep breath, Elian stepped out onto the street. At seeing him the soldiers tensed. He raised his hands into the air.
“You’ve got me Cassia. Promise me that my friends will be given safe passage out of the city and I will not offer any resistance,” he shouted so that all could hear him.
The Hollowed stirred at his words but Cassia held up a hand to keep them at bay.
“The boy is all that matters. If we try to take his friends, then he is of the sort who would rather die defending them. And we need him alive,” she muttered. “Very well Elian, have it your way. If you surrender without a fight, we will let your friends leave the city. You have my word that they will be given- at least a head start to flee.”
Elian looked at Rea and the others.
“Go, run. Get as far away from here as you can. Find Marcian and Lizella,” he said. Rea wiped tears from her eyes and helped Kasdar move the wounded Garen. With one last look, they exited the alley and fled. Elian was now alone. Alone, and at the mercy of the Supreme.
***
Part Two
Allies & Enemies
Chapter 16.
The Dividing Sea
Visp looked out over the bow of the boat at the distant shore. How long had it been since she’d set foot in Arikar? Twenty years? She leant heavily on the rail and wondered if it would be the same as she remembered. She’d been a little girl when the Imperium slavers had raided her village, she knew her family was dead, she’d seen them die right in front of her. Her father had been a fearsome man, a big man and one who had chosen to fight rather than meekly surrender himself to a life in chains. That fighting spirit may not have served him well
when the raiders had plunged a sword into his heart, but it had served Visp. Her mother had perished from disease en route to the borderlands, her little brother too. But she had fought on. She’d fought even as she was sold at Asta’s slave markets, she’d fought as all those around her were broken by the back-breaking labour in that now dead cities vast factories. She’d fought so hard in fact that she’d escaped her master’s whip and turned it on him. She’d fought and killed to gain her freedom. She’d fought her way up the ranks of Asta’s criminal underworld to create her own little Imperium. One that she had ruled well for a decade, one that had made her rich. That was until Elian entered her life. The boy that had led to that life ending and the beginning of a new one. If someone had told her back then that she’d end up fighting side by side with the Liberators, she would have laughed and probably had them whipped for making such an outlandish claim.
The wind whipped through her long black hair and she closed her eyes to smell the sweet clear air. A lifetime spent in a city had made her appreciate the clearness of open country and in this case the open sea. They’d managed to get passage across the Dividing Sea with one of her old smuggler contacts and spent what little coin she had left on the trip. If she was anything, she was a pragmatist and knew that without some serious help the cause that she had joined wouldn’t last the year. She admired the bravery of Marcian and Erin. They had created a resistance movement that was now operating right across the Imperium with increasing confidence. If they faced any foe other than the Supreme she’d be confident that they could bring about genuine change, but as it was, it was just a matter of time before the Supreme focused her fury upon the Liberators and when she did- well, she didn’t want to be around when she did. She turned at the sound of heavy footfalls coming from behind her. It was Tiberio. The big man looked green; sea travel obviously didn’t agree with him.
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