A Thousand Eyes

by Christian Leese

  The door to the heart of Blackrose opened, the thick slab of metal letting out a stale gust of air. The patchwork army scurried in like rats, jumping over each other to get inside. Canis stayed, still on top of the Warden’s scraps, watching to make sure everyone was safe. Agrim the spider climbed down, its greying fur tickling Canis’ face. Ahhh, the mention of rats, thought Canis as he realized the beastie must’ve been hungry. It crawled straight back up again, and he sensed its disappointment.

  Another group of people burst into the opening. At their head was Thorne, her red hair swept back as she ran to get inside, head down, sweat dripping from her face.

  “Thorne!” he called, running toward the center.

  Vann’s gaze was fixated on her too and he edged ahead of Canis as they sped to her aid. The bulk of the fleeing humans fled to the building, and Vann, with Canis right behind him, had to spin around as Thorne and Belloch ran past them. They dove inside, leaving a remaining few to the mercy of the Scourge.

  Teller fumbled with the controls, and the doors slammed shut. Some of the people were trapped outside. Their cries of pain were replaced by the chittering of the Scourge. They soon turned their attention to what was inside, though, and the fleshy thud of bodies pounded into the door in an attempt to force it open.

  Everyone squeezed against each other, even the great halls of the Wardens too small to contain them all at once. Canis looked to the vent he’d entered through days before. The sounds of the enemy drifted in through it.

  Thorne clawed her way through the crowd to get at Canis. “I had to run!” she said. “They forced people to join them, infected them. They almost got my mother!”

  “They can infect the infected?” Canis asked.

  She hesitated. Her face went white. “Canis, there are no Fallen. You know it. The Scourge, the Fallen, they’re one and the same! Bane has been lying to you!”

  Chapter 27

  Thorne shook Canis. “Did you hear what I said?” she shouted.

  The inner recesses of his brain had known it for some time, but the rest of his thoughts and actions refused to believe. Now that he’d heard it from someone else’s lips, the illusion of wishful thinking was dead. He grappled for words.

  “Canis, talk to me,” Thorne said.

  “I know…”

  “What’re we supposed to do? If those things are all on the same side, we’re outnumbered five, maybe six or seven, to one.”

  He didn’t answer; he was busy with someone else.

  Talk, you parasite. Why did you do this to me? To us?

  “You said it yourself,” Bane hissed. “You already know the truth. You called us bottom feeders, but we won’t be for long. Our union has helped me develop far beyond any of my kind before. I’m the leader we never had. We weren’t ‘human’ enough, but you’ve educated me.”

  You’ve been pulling mine and the horde’s strings all along! I thought we could live together, but when this is all over, I’m going to kill you, even if it means killing myself.

  “When we overrun you, when I’ve got you all to myself, you won’t be able to hold out. Your body will be mine. You will be mine.”

  So what, you’re going to kill everyone? Destroy the city?

  “No, no, we will do it the right way. You humans can destroy yourselves, but we won’t sit and watch you destroy this city when I can get use out of it.”

  Why did you want me near the corrupted Warden? If you wanted them to capture me, why didn’t you do so with the Scourge outside the city? I don’t understand.

  “I’ve made the mistake of letting you know, so it’s of no news to you that this metal stops me from talking with them. I needed to get near the Wardens so I could command them. The machines are as dumb as that spider in your hair.”

  And outside?

  “I’m not going to let the key to the city know what he was doing. You would’ve killed yourself, us, rather than lead an army into Blackrose. You thought you were saving everyone, but you were sealing their fate.”

  I should’ve stopped you…

  “And you could have, I have no doubt. You’re physically strong, Canis Rayne, but mentally weak. Mortalo showed me that.”

  Speak again and I will kill myself. I’m not a boy anymore. Vann Xan’s observation of the Wardens taking care not to harm the buildings echoed within him. He turned back to Thorne. “How long will the doors hold?”

  “We’d be lucky to get a day.”

  The bodies outside drummed against the walls as Canis tried to formulate some kind of plan. Every thought ended with them dead or enslaved. He looked into their gaunt faces. Aurora helped one of the few children onto a low platform to avoid the crush. Belloch still clung to the old woman as if on duty. Every few heads, one of Mortalo’s Iron Hands would tower over the others, their cold stares in direct contrast to the fear emanating from those around them.

  I’m so sorry.

  Vann swept back through the crowd to Canis and Thorne. “What’s going on?” he asked.

  Canis spoke with a flat, dull voice. “We’ve been lied to. The whole time. The Scourge and Fallen have been working together. Bane was leading them through me, and I led them in…” He wanted to cry but couldn’t. There was nothing left. “I’m sorry. To the both of you. To everyone. I’m so sorry.”

  “Don’t talk like that,” Vann said. “We have to think of something to get everyone out of here.”

  Thorne shut her eyes and trembled. “He’s lost all hope.”

  “Because there’s no way out of this,” Canis said, still flat. “Mortalo tried and failed to save these people because his arrogance got in the way, like it did me. Instead, I’ve been following lie after lie. I even believed my own lies. I don’t deserve to lead these people.”

  “You can always surrender,” Bane said. “I told you before. It’s quite comfortable under our control. They’ll feel no pain. Or they can stay in here. It makes no difference. We’ve been waiting for centuries. Another day is nothing.”

  Outside, the slow, lumbering whines of the infected Wardens whirred. If they want to get into the complex, can I stop them? Are they waiting for us to give up so they don’t destroy the building? They Herded us into this hole to rot.

  “If we had the Wardens on our side, we might be able to fight back,” Vann said, shivering. “But they’re all lost or smashed apart.”

  Canis snapped his head toward Vann, a new surge of energy riding through him. “There’s still one. If we can just get to the Herald.”

  “The Herald is nothing but a junk pile!” Thorne snapped. “And, if it could work, we don’t know how to control those things.”

  “Those cylinders in the central room. The bottled energy.” He talked faster again, manic. “We can bring them to him. It’ll heal him like it did the others. You saw it too, didn’t you? They’re not entirely machine.”

  “Is that going to work?”

  “I don’t know, but we’re out of options.”

  Thorne looked at Vann. “What do you think?”

  “What else can we do?”

  “Wait a minute.” She stared at Canis. “If that thing is still in your brain, couldn’t it talk to the others like it did in the woods? We’ve got to get it out of you!”

  She grabbed his arm, but he slipped from her grasp. “You can’t.”

  Her mouth opened. “Oh god, they’ve got you.”

  “No, they don’t,” he said.

  “They’ve got you!” she yelled, ignoring him.

  The drumming continued. Uneasy murmurs filled the halls.

  Vann grabbed Thorne and pulled her back. “If Canis says he’s okay, he’s okay.”

  “I am,” Canis said. “Bane is trying to taunt me, but I’m the one in control. I need the strength he gave me if we want to win.” He choked on the last few words.

  Vann and Thorne looked him up and down. Their gazes scanned over the waxy, inhuman ridges of his musculature, and the revulsion oo
zed out of them. The pulsating lights returned, bathing everyone in green.

  “Are you still willing to help me?” Canis asked.

  “As long as there’s people left alive,” Vann said.

  They looked at Thorne.

  She shook her head. “Ever since the day I met you, my whole world has turned to scat. You took everything. I blamed you because I thought they had taken my mother. I’ve never trusted you and I never will.”

  “At least you had a mother, a life, and now you have her back. All we’ve ever known is a cell,” said Canis.

  “A life? You have no idea!” she said, drawing her dagger.

  “Calm down. People are looking. They need us,” interrupted Vann, placing his hand over the weapon.

  “You’re right, Vann, as always,” said Canis, turning to face Thorne. “If you can’t trust me—I know I wouldn’t if our roles were reversed—maybe you can try to believe in me.”

  Thorne looked around at the people in the room. “I don’t know.”

  “They need you. I need you,” said Canis.

  “What difference can I make?”

  “I need you to free the Herald. Show Aurora that you’re ready to lead the Dusk Raiders in her place. She’s too old for this. She must’ve been relying on you for a long time.”

  “Free the Herald?” Thorne said, pointing her dagger at Canis’ belly. “I’m not stupid. Nobody is that stupid.”

  Canis took a step forward. “You can navigate the rooftop-gardens better than us.”

  “And I could die just as easily too. We don’t know how many of them are out there.”

  Canis looked to the vent in the ceiling. “If you could lead the Herald here, then we might be able to fight back. Without it, we’re dead.”

  Canis didn’t blink, his eyes focused on Thorne. She twitched and shook.

  She held her arms against her sides. “What if the thing inside you is relaying everything to them outside? We’re screwed.”

  “I hope it is. If they know you’re on your way to the ravine, they will send men after you. The more Scourge they send, the less we have to fight here. If they don’t follow, then you can flank them with the Herald on your return. But I doubt it anyway. Bane let slip that we’re insulated in here. They can’t hear us, nor can he control the Wardens from afar.”

  “I just can’t! What if I can’t revive the Herald?” Thorne turned to run, but Vann grabbed her.

  Vann Xan’s arms enclosed Thorne but she pushed against him. She tried to struggle free, but his rough hands slid to her wrists. She growled at him, using her legs to push against him.

  The crowd shifted nervously, but nobody moved, and nobody helped. Not even her mother. Teller Redmaw was at their head, his pale face emotionless. They nodded to each other as Thorne screamed. The redhead pulled, still in Vann’s grip, and then pushed upward, her skull smashing against his chin, and he staggered backward.

  Thorne crouched, dagger in hand. “Touch me again and I’ll gut you!”

  Vann rubbed his chin. “You’ve got us wrong. I was trying to help calm you down.”

  “Calm me down so I can do your dirty work. Not happening.”

  Canis stepped in, but Vann put his hand out to stop him and he backed off.

  “I was trying to calm you down,” said Vann. “Because you’ve no need to worry. I’ll go instead. I’ll get the Herald.”

  Thorne looked at Canis. He nodded to Vann and turned his back on them to face his followers. You’ve always been there for me, Vann, even now when I don’t deserve you. Bane laughed, but Canis didn’t entertain the betrayer.

  He ordered them to scout for supplies and weapons, everything to be brought to him. He climbed the machine controlling the door, careful not to flick any switches, and made his way to the vent. Canis held his axe as he neared the top, but as the stale, tainted air drifted in, something inside him felt wrong.

  Canis kept his axe ready. He nearly removed the cover, nearly poked his head out, to have a look around, but he felt Bane’s delight. It wants me to go outside…

  He stopped himself and jumped. His body tried to turn, Bane fueling thoughts of the vent above. But Bane was nothing now, nothing more than a passenger. Canis broke through the mental haze.

  “Thorne,” said Canis. “Please can you get the cylinders from the inner chamber for Vann?”

  She scowled and ran down one of the tunnels. He had expected her to say something, but her obedience brought the slightest of smiles to his lips. Canis turned to Vann who struggled to fit his spiked gauntlets back on; his bruised and swollen hands too big.

  “I’ll have to seal it once you’re gone,” said Canis. “I’ll give you twelve dongs of the clock to get to the ravine and lead the Herald here. If you can’t do it by nightfall, then I want you to leave Blackrose.”

  “Leave Blackrose?” Vann dragged Canis to one side. “Have you been at the mooncap?”

  “If we don’t get any help from the Herald, then we’re dead. If we wait in here, we’re dead. If we let them take over and use us, we’re dead. What do you think they’ll do once they have power and have discovered what leadership can do? If there’s anyone else left in this world, they need to know. There are other cities like Blackrose, Vann.”

  “I’ll bring him back! We’ll screw these Scourge-freaks back into the dirt where they belong. Together, brother, we can do anything.”

  “Make sure you do. I’ll be charging out of here the moment darkness falls. I’d rather fight than starve, and if you can bring back the Herald to deal with the remaining Scourge Wardens, well, we’ll see.”

  Vann nodded before hugging Canis. Canis didn’t move, he just let his brother find comfort in the action. He fingered through his pocket and produced three pieces of mooncap and a stim-pack left over from a med kit. Vann Xan half-smiled as Canis handed them over.

  Chapter 28

  Canis Rayne watched Beatrix Thorne scuttle back into the hall, two full cylinders of dull liquid sloshing in her hands. She avoided eye contact with Vann Xan as she handed them over. Vann turned to leave but she stopped him.

  “You’ll need these,” she said, still avoiding eye contact and pulling tubes from behind her belt. “I think you feed it in through these.”

  “Thank you,” Vann said.

  There was a brief moment of hesitation as Vann leaned in close to kiss Thorne, but she turned her head. With a nod to Canis, he slithered out of the vent. Canis tried listening for any signs of pain or surprise, but his brother was gone.

  He turned to face his men. “Block it.”

  The men looked to Teller Redmaw before doing as commanded. Teller watched, instructing individuals, Mortalo’s slaves submissive to their new leader. Will they follow me when the time comes? He would lead the charge, fueled by their trained rage, free of mooncap, and he would drain Bane dry.

  “Thorne,” said Canis.

  “Yes?” she replied.

  “Who are those people?” He pointed to a man with a glowing green sword to the far left of the room, and then to a man with glowing green gauntlets to the far right. “Are they carrying the Imperium’s weapons?”

  “Yes. The one on the left is Telsa Reinhart with his Sword of the Mountain. The guy on the right is Vek Tarosh, wielding his Paws of the Dead.”

  “They’re exactly the same distance away from your mother. A bit odd, don’t you think?”

  Thorne laughed. “For Company leaders, I’m surprised they’re in the same room, but you’ll need them if we’re to survive this.”

  “I’m going to have a look around. I want you to organize everyone. Separate Mortalo’s men from the rest, then separate any able fighters. Get Teller to help you,” Canis pointed to him. “Make sure everyone has a weapon, even if it means tearing this building apart.”

  “What about the rest who won’t be able to fight? The old?”

  “Mortalo’s men, any fighters, and then the weak. Three groups. We’ll be sending the
weak first. They have to act as a distraction…”

  “You,” her mouth swung open, “you believe what you’re saying, don’t you?”

  “Mortalo was a monster, and he was the only one who saw this coming. If he were here, we wouldn’t be in this position. We must do what we have to. If it means acting like him, then so be it! I’m sorry, but I can’t see another way. Can you?”

  “Why are you being like this? In front of Vann and the others you’re so brave, but all I see is a broken man. We need you, Canis, not Mortalo. You asked me to believe in you, but I don’t. I believe you’re the only weapon Blackrose has, but you need the support of all of us. Your plan is flawed, if not injected by the parasite inside you. Think about it, Canis.”

  Canis breathed in. He tried to see hope, to see a future at the hands of this mishmash of diseased and desperate people but couldn’t.

  He turned to face everyone, the room swollen with people as they huddled together for safety. Rats, he thought, tangled and thrown together in a last-ditch attempt to save themselves. Do they deserve to be saved? With the things they’ve done…Blackrose has been a cesspit of hate and violence for centuries. Maybe the Imperium was right to lock us up. Will anything change, or will they slit each other’s throats the moment the city is safe?

  He wanted to spit at Aurora Heart who limped toward him, her eyes dead and her skin scabbed. She held his hand. Canis recoiled after seeing her truly for the first time.

  “I wanted to say thank you,” she said, her eyes wide and moist.

  Bane moved within him for the first time in a while. He looked at his stomach and then back at the woman. The scabs no longer festered, her face wise and caring. She walked away, repeating the words, “thank you.” He couldn’t tell whether Aurora thanked him for temporarily saving hers or Thorne’s life. Maybe life was better in the cells. At least I knew where I stood.