by Matt King
“She may not give you time to do that.”
“Well that’s where you come in, right?”
August hadn’t had much time to consider exactly what he was going to do. He didn’t know what he was up against yet. All he knew was that someone that had killed the most powerful gods in the universe was headed their way to finish what she’d started.
An unfamiliar sensation rumbled across his senses. It was almost like the feeling of a sudden temperature change in a room, only it wasn’t a shift in temperature, but the density around him. Something about their surroundings had changed. He ran the sensation past his new bank of memories and came back with nothing. Nothing known, anyway. “Get ready,” he said.
“Is she coming?” Michael swelled his light.
August’s own energy pounded inside him. “I think she’s here.”
A figure in black rushed toward them, indistinguishable from the blackness of space until the last second. August sent out a blast to knock Michael away to safety. An arm rushed between them, coming away empty. Little by little, red lines appeared on its skin until they ignited a pair of silver eyes. Pyra towered over him, melting impossibly out of the empty space like a mountain stepping out of a tree’s shadow.
She stood in silence, seemingly content to watch him waver with indecision. He wasn’t sure if she could read his thoughts or not, so he walled his mind in as he tried to figure out what to do next. Behind her, Michael grew in size until he was at his full brightness. His red light lit the void at the universe’s edge.
“You are the last,” Pyra said. She let her eyes linger on August before turning her body to face them both. She had no mouth. Her words came booming through their thoughts like a loudspeaker. “And you…you must be Michael.”
Instead of answering, Michael tried to veer his way toward August. Pyra moved forward to cut him off. She canted again toward August like she wanted to pen him in. He felt like a cornered mouse facing a snake poised to strike.
“There is nowhere for you to hide. No place I can’t find you. Your time is at an end. Submit, and end this.”
He smoothly scanned through his available layers of vision, trying to find a weakness in her. No matter what lens he chose to look through, Pyra didn’t change. Her body was rigid in its darkness, ribboned with harsh red light. The light in her veins was the only thing he recognized. It was made from the energy of the gods she’d absorbed. She’s not from this universe, he thought. The things she’s made of don’t live by our laws.
The way she eyed him—hungry and plotting—told him everything he needed to know. She was not there to negotiate. She had no speech prepared offering them eternal life. Whatever show she’d put on for Amara was over. She was a storm reborn, and she meant to rage.
He could feel Michael tensing, ready to fight.
Ready? August sent him through his thoughts.
She’s too powerful. We can’t kill her.
She was born. She can be killed.
Almost as if she’d heard them, Pyra sent a pair of tentacles sprung from her hands toward Michael, knocking him into space. She quickly turned toward August. Her spear-shaped hand flashed toward him. Without thinking, he formed a synapse in front of him and aimed the exit directly at the side of her head. Her hand penetrated the membrane, coming through the other side and narrowly missing her eyes. Shit. He closed the doorway quickly, hoping to at least cut off her hand. Just as he hoped, the door severed it midway up her arm as it shut. The lifeless limb floated end over end next to her. Then, like a drop of water, it reabsorbed into her skin. She watched it melt into her body once more.
Shit. Shit shit shit.
A red glow appeared over Pyra’s shoulder as she advanced. Her eyes narrowed as the streak of light struck her in the small of the back. Two more focused blasts sped toward her head as Michael came rushing back into the fight. August reached out and grabbed her to hold her in place. As soon as he did, his hands burned like he’d stuck them in a fire. Small tendrils of her skin reached after him as he jerked his hands away. He could feel a small part of himself gone, like she’d siphoned his life away in an instant.
Another wide beam of red light crashed into her. She tumbled away, recoiling from the blow.
“Don’t get too close to her,” Michael said as he floated next to August.
“Yeah, I know that now.”
Pyra recovered to stand tall amidst the gathering elements excited by August and Michael’s proximity. They sparked around her, creating flashes of light in the empty space. Michael edged closer to him, but her eyes seemed focused on August. As he moved, so did she.
August? a small voice spoke in his head.
He froze and looked around. He could have sworn the voice belonged to Tiale. “Did you hear that?”
“Hear what?”
“That voice.”
“Get a hold of yourself,” Michael said.
He can’t hear me. I’m only speaking to you. I don’t like him.
Pyra took advantage of his distraction and sent an arm racing toward his chest. He barely made it out of the way in time. While she was overextended, he wrapped her in a cocoon of energy. “Get ready!” he yelled to Michael. Before she could escape, he tossed her up into space. Michael hit her with a red bolt that sent her reeling toward the expanding wall of the universe.
Not just a wall, August recognized. It has a doorway. Inspired by the flash of implanted memories, he shook off the ghostly echo of Tiale and the near-death experience and dialed in his vision until he could see the celestial structures. The edge of the universe was largely solid red in color as it gave off heat from its expansion. Near where Pyra now recovered was a darker section of the wall, almost like a bruise. That’s the rift to Ascension. He could see the tear down the middle of the scar where Amara had brought Pyra through. The bonds holding it together were incredibly strong, maybe stronger than he was.
“August!” Michael yelled. “Wake up!”
He looked around and saw Pyra racing toward them, but not in enough time to move. She took hold of his torso. Where her fingertips touched, his skin lost feeling. He could feel his life getting sucked away. Her silver eyes were dead like a shark’s.
She shrieked in anger as Michael pulled her away. He threw her aside and hit her with rapid-fire pulses of energy, keeping her pinned down. “This isn’t working,” he said over his blasts. “Think of something.”
August scrambled for an idea. Meryn and Soraste’s old memories were no help; They hadn’t encountered anything like Pyra before. The only thing that came to mind was the only other person in the mix who was as foreign as Pyra was. What the hell. It’s worth a shot.
Tiale, he projected.
“When I said think of something, I didn’t mean talk to dead people!” Michael shouted. He countered Pyra’s advance with a wide beam of energy.
August ignored him. Tiale, if you’re there, I need your help.
I’m here, she answered.
A wash of relief rode through him. Where are you?
Pyra.
What?
Michael’s attack had stopped, pulling August’s attention away. He could tell the kid was spent. He tried to give him time to recover by imprisoning Pyra in a cell of energy. It could only contain her for a few seconds, but it was enough time for Michael to re-absorb some of the energy he’d spent. Michael continued his barrage as soon as she escaped.
Tiale spoke through August’s thoughts again. She thinks she killed me. She thinks I’m dead. It wasn’t time for that yet.
He decided to suspend his twenty questions for later. They were treading in dangerous waters. I need to know how to kill her.
Impossible.
Not an answer! he said as he jumped through a synapse to avoid Pyra’s arm. When he came out the other side, Michael took over the fight, looking like raging sun as he battled her.
She is a constant, just as you are.
Explain in short, quick sentences.
Pyra is part of
a cycle. Birth, death, rebirth. Time—this universe—exists in a loop, beginning as an explosion of life and ending in a collapse from the lack of it. The gods of the Circle were life-giving beings. Pyra takes the lives they create. It is an endless cycle that cannot be broken.
That they were fighting a force of nature, he wasn’t surprised about. He couldn’t accept the news that it was a useless fight though. There has to be some way to beat her.
Tiale went quiet.
Almost as though she knew what he was doing, Pyra came for him. He had time to take one action, and it wasn’t one he was sure could work, but he did it anyway. He created a gigantic synapse, bigger than he was, then warped its doorway around him until he was fully encased by the membrane. He could sense Pyra’s arm coming through the doorway and exiting from the portal he’d created at the universe’s edge, right in front of the rift to Ascension. He halfway hoped she would break the bonds for him. Judging by the lack of reaction on her part, he guessed that part of his plan didn’t work. Still, he stayed in his shell as she tried in vain to break through with Michael peppering her from afar.
Tiale, there has to be some way, he said again.
Perhaps, she answered. Unless he was hearing things, she sounded almost sad. She has no knowledge of the Orsix.
Can you kill her?
No. I’m not powerful enough.
So what do we do?
Again, she was silent. He was about to press her to hurry up again when a more confident voice returned in his head. Open the rift.
It’s too strong. I can’t open that thing.
If you can’t, then we have already lost.
His synapse was ready to collapse, nearly beaten into submission by Pyra’s attacks. Okay. I’ll try. What then?
She can’t be allowed to die here. She’ll regain her life too quickly. If you can open the doorway, I will do what I can to weaken her. You and the other one can attack with all you have left. If it is enough, she may die.
And so will you, he thought, and then immediately wished he hadn’t. Somehow, he knew she’d heard him thinking. After a pause, she confirmed it.
I have lived many lives, seen many things. If this is the end, I am ready.
Are you sure?
With no question. Will you do something for me once I am gone?
Name it, he said.
Tell Ion he needn’t worry. He is as much human as you or I, only better.
Like a radio being switched off, he felt her recede. He drew in his synapse, which was nearly on the brink of collapse anyway. Pyra floated in front of the rift to Ascension, her mirrored eyes as hungry as ever. Opposite him was Michael. His light was erratic. After so many blasts—releasing and reabsorbing his energy—it was a wonder he was still able to control it.
August turned his attention to the rift.
Michael, he sent out through his thoughts.
Michael’s voice came back weary and quiet. Now you show up?
I was talking to Tiale.
Ti— Christ, are you serious with this shit?
She’s here, he said. Trust me.
Please tell me your plan involves something other than talking to imaginary friends.
I’m gonna open this rift—
What rift?
You’ll see in a minute. He hoped so, anyway. When I get the door open far enough, I want you to hit her with everything you’ve got. Don’t leave anything in the tank. Understand?
Michael seemed to gather control of his energy again. I got it.
Pyra tensed. The red veins in her skin pulsed. She looked ready to drown the universe in fire.
August shot Michael a look. Remember before, back at the bay on Garoult when you asked me why I fight?
Yeah.
He bloomed with energy. It was for exactly this moment. Keep her busy for me.
Pyra charged. August threw a synapse open in front of her that exited beside Michael. Michael had a blast ready for her. As soon as she flew through, he hit her with a quick pulse that knocked her back. It wasn’t enough to hurt her, but he was able to keep it up repeatedly, tying her up for August to do his work.
He sped over to the rift and tried not to let the enormity of the structure stop him. The bonds holding it together were put there by Amara; He could see the imprints of her energy left behind. Immediately, he took hold of the two sides of the tear and began to mentally pull them apart. The bonds wouldn’t give. Come on. He pulled harder, struggling to keep himself whole while he expended the energy. Amara was so far beyond Meryn’s power, she never needed to risk her life to open the doorway. He would have to. Even with everything Meryn and Soraste gave him, it might not be enough.
Hurry up, Michael said, his voice strained. I can’t keep this up much longer.
August beared down. He poured every ounce of energy under his control to his mental grip on the doorway. Slowly, the bonds started to stretch. He pulled harder, aware that he was nearly as bright as a supernova now. With a sound like a metal being ripped apart, the rift to Ascension gave way. His mental fingers took hold of the opening and wedged themselves inside. Little by little, he opened the door until the tear was fully revealed. He trembled under the strain of keeping it open.
Pyra screeched as the door gave way. She came rushing toward him.
He sensed her getting close. When she was within reach, he quickly created a synapse at his back with the little power he had left. The exit door led straight to Ascension.
Now! he called out to Michael. Hit her as hard as you can!
Michael screamed as he released his blast. The force of it hit like a bomb exploding. Pyra roared in anger and pain as she barreled through August’s synapse and into the rift. August quickly closed his synapses.
Michael’s blast kept her on the other side of the doorway. August tried to reach out to Tiale to tell her to do whatever it was she planned to do. Before he could, Pyra’s arm rocketed through the opening and buried itself in his shoulder. She pulled him forward.
“August!” Michael shouted.
August couldn’t fight her and keep the doorway open. The skin around his shoulder burned like fire. As he crossed over into Ascension, his grip on the rift fell apart. The doorway melted shut behind him.
Thrust into a sea of cell-like orbs outside the walls of his universe, he suddenly had no reference anymore, no knowledge of his surroundings. Pain dominated his thoughts. Pyra released the tentacles in her arm, covering him in black, spreading vines until they entombed him. His last vision was of her mirrored lenses. They were alive with victory.
“Inevitable,” she said as she took his life. “Inevitable.”
She leeched his energy hungrily. In seconds he was a dwindling light on the verge of collapse. His thoughts flickered.
Hold on, Tiale whispered.
Like falling onto on a rushing train, he had the sensation of being pulled violently toward something. What it was, he couldn’t be sure. As he raced along, his vision cut out, but his thoughts strengthened. The sensation lasted long enough for him to realize he wasn’t dead. Not yet. Then, the inertia of moving forward transformed into a feeling like he was a stream of water rushing down a drain.
When it was over, he caught the scent of grass, felt the warmth of sunlight on his skin. He opened his eyes—eyes he thought were gone forever once more. Sitting on the ground next to him with her legs crossed and her long black hair still matted with moss was Tiale.
“What is this?” he asked.
She smiled up at him.
Pyra stood alone in front of them on an endless prairie. Her eyes were no longer silver mirrors, but had irises of deep red. She looked like the shadow of a human.
“What have you done to me?” she asked.
“This is Amara’s Ascension,” Tiale answered. “What she wanted it to be, anyway.”
August took stock of his own appearance for the first time. He was back in his armor, liquid blue steel set against the green grass. On instinct, he reached behind his head and f
elt the handles of his swords. He pressed a finger to the button triggering his mask and drew one of the blades. It rang a single-note song as it emerged from the sheath.
“This is impossible,” Pyra spat.
“So was I, once,” Tiale said. She turned her head and looked up at August beneath strands of matted hair.
He gripped the handle of his sword.
“This doesn’t end here,” she said, taking a step back. She spoke to Tiale but she kept her gaze on August, eyes fleeting between him and his blade. “You know that.”
Tiale didn’t answer. Instead, she let out a quiet laugh.
He’d never felt so confident holding a blade. He stared at Pyra, daring her to act.
This time, she addressed him. “I won’t forget this. I will find you.”
“I won’t be there.”
Her eyes widened. In a desperate surge, she lunged for Tiale. He swung his blade in an arcing swing, slicing through her neck and dropping her head to the ground with a dull thud. Pyra’s body tipped to the side. It collapsed into the grass, a headless mannequin of oily black among the perfect green.
As soon as her body fell, his vision blurred before flickering out. Once again he was swirling down the drain. When he came to, he was back in Ascension. Ahead of him, Pyra floated, lifeless. Her silver eyes receded into black. Little by little, she lost her human shape, shrinking and morphing until she was once again the textured obelisk he’d first seen on the Void. The energy of the gods was gone. She had returned to how Amara found her—not dead, but mercifully dormant.
The adrenaline rushing through him kept him from realizing the change in himself. He wasn’t just whole again, he was larger and more powerful. As he floated in the silent expanse, his light shone with a brilliance. He formed into his human shape again, all the while wondering if he could even attempt to contain it. His power felt endless.
“I wanted you to have what was once theirs,” Tiale said. He looked over and saw her hovering next to him, surrounded by a red glow.
“The Circle,” he said.
“Yes. All of them. I trust you’ll know what to do.”
He studied her, and in his mind, he immediately thought back to Pyra’s words. She would come back. It seemed like a dream now, but not one he was soon to forget. At least this time, humanity could be ready. “I have a good idea.”
