“What are you talking about?”
“We all seem to think that we’re going to die. I don’t agree.”
“Why? What are you…James, you can’t.”
“What does it matter? We’re to die anyways.”
“You’ll lose yourself,” she said, grasping his shirt sleeve. “You can’t absorb them all, and even if you did, I couldn’t live by your side, knowing what you did.”
“You don’t know that,” he said, looking up at Kyran. The entire group was listening to their conversation, but no one said a word. They didn’t want James to give in to the instincts that whispered darkly to his heart, but it would also mean self-preservation. If they had a chance to live another day, especially believing that there was no afterlife…shouldn’t they take it?
“I know enough,” she pleaded with him. “James, you can’t.”
“That’s up to me to decide,” he said, pulling his sleeve out of her grip. “And you won’t stop me.”
“What are you saying?” she shouted. “That you’re going to throw us away?”
“No,” he said, staring into her eyes. “Just me.” Before she could say another word, he pivoted and ran toward the distant chaos. Catherine screamed his name with all her might, but the sandstorm was already beginning to pick up in intensity. She ran after him and the rest of the group followed.
James didn’t look back. He kept his focus clear and sure. The time machine was surely nearby, and wherever the bulk of the Ancient Knights were, that’s where it would be located. He had long recognized the difference between Paragon and Cimmerian, so that would be easy. The Delilah often wore blue goggles so that acted as identification. It shouldn’t be too hard to locate them. He was sure the Sorcerers would also be close by, and they were the main target—lone warriors that would be massacring groups by the second.
James squint his eyes through the gusts of wind and sand. Though the storm had picked up for a second, it was now beginning to die down, and as the winds slowly died down, he began to see the bloodshed taking place.
Donovan was there.
Standing on the roof of the one of the clay buildings, he was firing energy beams from his hands that were as clear and blue as water. Anyone that came in contact with them were disintegrated instantly as if it was acid. There was another Sorcerer with red hair punching through people with diamond gauntlets, and there was one that was elderly. He was simply standing next to Donovan with his hands clasped, as if he was praying. He was wearing a vest that was too small for him, and he wore no shirt underneath, revealing his finely tuned body. He wore grey, baggy pants, and his feet were bare. James didn’t know which of the three to target first.
The Cimmerian and Paragon armies waited nearby for the most part. All had surrounded the building together, joined in arms against a greater foe, but only a couple dozen attacked at a time.
“They’re assessing,” Kyran said, appearing by James’ side.
“Is that so?” James asked, surprised to see him there.
“They know that they will be killed if they don’t take a more stealthy or strategic approach. You can tell that their strongest warriors are being kept in reserve for the right moment. Either the Sorcerers will grow weary of the game and attack all, or they will wait until a plan has formulated.”
“I don’t see any Knights around here.”
“Red and Violet said that they are hiding. Catherine, Chloe and Scarlet have gone with them to where a half of the machine is located.”
“It’s not even put together yet?”
“Unlikely. With three Sorcerers here, that would be dangerous for the worlds if they gained the upper hand. I would rather have them take half than all.”
“And why are you here?” James said low. “Why not Catherine?”
“She doesn’t want to talk to you right now,” he said casually. “She’s mad.”
“And you?”
“I’m here to strategize.”
“Not to stop me?”
“I tried to assassinate you because it was my job, not because I’m judging your actions. Coming from someone with a tainted heart, I am hardly one to speak on the matter.”
“Thank you,” James said.
“Just don’t do anything stupid. If you’re going to absorb one of them, wait for your chance. Heroes die quickly in war.”
“Yet they provide for the greater good.”
“Not always,” Kyran said, patting his shoulder. “Wait for your moment.”
“Fine,” James said, slowly transforming his body. He wouldn’t strike right away, but he wanted to be ready when the moment came.
A roar sounded off from the distant left and the two major armies suddenly rushed the building all at once. James’ eyes widened as he watched Paragon and Cimmerian clamor over one another, caring little for each other’s well-being. They only sought to overwhelm and crush the Sorcerers. But why? Why were they moving now?
James looked to Kyran and the assassin pointed skyward. The sky had opened up and what looked like a portal had appeared. Out of it dropped lightly armored men with thin gaunt bodies. They fell like rain, and whenever they reached ground or person, they revealed their intent. Without remorse, hesitation or fear, they slaughtered all that got in their way. Whenever a Cimmerian or Paragon soldier fought against one, they usually lost, and when they succeeded with a stab or a decapitation, the armored men kept on fighting as if they were powered by something beyond themselves.
“It’s the old man,” Kyran said. “It has to be. He’s controlling the makeshift army. The other two Sorcerers haven’t done anything special before or after the armored men appeared. That’s who we should target first, though I’m sure the other two are keeping a good eye on him.”
“I can’t beat any of them one on one, let alone if they team up on me. I want to try something…”
“I’ll look for a way to get to the old man. If you can distract the other two, that will work.”
“I’ll try not to die in the process,” James said, running toward one of the armored men. As he ran, he transformed his body completely into his Quietus form. He bounded forward on all fours and then leapt into the air on the first armored man he came across. He wasted no time trying to kill it with his scythes. Instead, he allowed a small amount of the tar substance on his body to drip onto the man. It expanded rapidly as James fought to keep the armored man stable, and then the act was complete.
James jumped through one of the nearby windows and landed in someone’s house. He scurried low to the floor and ran behind one of the dining tables. He pushed it in front of him and hid as he waited for the armored man’s absorption to take effect. As he waited patiently, he kept his breathing steady and tried not to think of the screams he heard coming from outside.
Then he felt it.
It was small. Almost nothing, really.
But it was there.
Energy. Raw energy. The armored man wasn’t alive at all. There weren’t any memories to filter through or feelings to throw away. Just raw energy. It probably came from the old man himself.
James smiled and dashed out from under the table. He could absorb the armored men without remorse.
Chapter 18 – Any Plan is Better Than None
James jumped out the window and threw a handful of the tar-like substance on the first armored man he came across. He spun around and threw more on another. He leapt up a building and then launched off of it half-way up. He somersaulted in mid-air and landed on top of another. He started the absorption process on him as well.
The armored men didn’t seem to notice. They were more like mindless slaves, blindly carrying out the wishes of their master. The Cimmerian and Paragon soldiers gave him strange glances and some of them trembled when he ran past, but they didn’t engage him. They knew that he was on their side…for now.
As all sides fought, some against the Sorcerers, and others against the armored men, James continued his work for hours, taking as many as he could while st
aying on the outskirts of the crowds so as not to be noticed by the Sorcerers.
Slowly, one soldier at a time, James’ power began to grow. He was certain that he couldn’t absorb his way to Sorcerer status, but it would level the playing field a little. James took a deep breath as he looked over at Kyran in the distance. It had taken hours to get into position, but he had managed to get right below the elderly Sorcerer. Crouched low, he used the angle of the descending sun and the rooftop edge to hide himself. He stilled his breathing and waited.
But then James saw Donovan scowl and turn toward the elderly man. He sensed something strange, but with all the noise around him, it was hard to zone in on it. Still, it wouldn’t take much longer for him to figure it out.
James ran toward the Sorcerers’ roof while he watched Kyran raise his hand slightly, using his invisible dagger to act as a hook. He carefully wrapped the invisible dagger behind the elderly man’s right foot and prepared for the pull when Donovan felt the clear and present danger.
He fired a blue beam of energy right at where Kyran was located, but thankfully, the roof took most of the damage. Kyran leapt down to the ground and began mingling with the crowd to disappear but Donovan kept on blasting in his direction. The elderly man’s eyes were open now, and he began stepping back toward the red haired Sorcerer for protection. Donovan sucked his teeth and jumped down into the crowd, searching for Kyran. When he couldn’t identify the Sage on sight, he began killing people rapidly, unsheathing the two swords at his side and running around taking off heads.
James ignored Donovan and took a left down a side street. He crawled up the side of the building until he hit the roof and then he started leaping across rooftops until he reached the Sorcerers. Donovan was gone and the elderly man was busy keeping the army intact. Facing one Sorcerer was a lot easier than three.
Taking a chance, he leapt high into the air and threw as much of the Quietus absorption tar at the elderly man as possible. The man was so wrapped up in maintaining the army that he didn’t even see it coming. It hit him in the face and immediately started trying to wrap itself around his arms and hands. The old man clawed at his face, but it was now covered in the black substance.
James hit the rooftop of the Sorcerers and rolled to his feet. The red-haired Sorcerer stared at the old man in horror and then back at James.
“That was a little quick, huh?” James said. “No one you’ve met has my speed yet, do they?”
“Who are you?”
“A Sage with no fear,” he said, pretending like he was more powerful than he actually was. “Why else would I come fight you face to face?”
“Another Sage?” she groaned.
“We’ve met.”
“I’m Ember,” she replied. “Heard of me?”
“Can’t say that I have,” James replied, allowing himself to only take a small peek at the old man. The substance had covered the back of his head, but otherwise, it was still fighting to consume him. It would be a long time before James would be able to get the Sorcerer’s energy, and he didn’t know when Donovan would be back. At least Ember was chatty. What was her story?.
“Where is the time machine?” Ember asked boldly.
James was taken aback. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he managed to say.
“Does it look a little like this?” she asked, holding up a giant amulet on a chain, shaped like an hexagon. It was a shiny red and gold with lines that ran through it like veins. Within the veins, a blue energy substance similar to Donovan’s beam was seen. It was as if it was alive, and it reminded James of the five stones of power.
“Where did you get that?” he asked.
“From someone you might know,” she smiled. “But that doesn’t matter. Is this what I’m looking for?”
“I have no clue what you’re talking about?”
“It’s missing part of it,” she said, as she flipped it around. It looked like someone had cut the back half off. “But I wonder…could something so small be so powerful?”
“If it’s what you’re looking for,” James paused to look at the old man again. No progress. “why not leave?”
“Because I’m not sure if it’s the time machine. Maybe it’s just the key. I don’t know.”
James scowled at her and clenched his fists. He wasn’t sure, but he felt like he was being manipulated somehow. He glanced behind him. He couldn’t see Donovan, but it sounded like the battle was continuing far away.
“Where’s the second half?” she asked, glaring at him. “Tell me.”
“I don’t know what you’re…”
“You’re lying,” she said. “We already took this from the Knights underground. They were protecting it as if their lives depended on it. But there’s only half of it.”
“Maybe it’s a decoy they were protecting.”
“Maybe,” she said, putting the necklace around her neck. “I wonder how hard you’ll fight me to get it. This could be a decoy too, you know.”
James was sure he was being tricked, but he didn’t want to walk away either. He took a step back and then someone swept his feet out from under him and pushed him onto his belly. The attacker kept a grip on the back of his neck while digging a knee into his spine. He was so strong that James couldn’t even budge.
“Got him,” Donovan said. “He’ll give us what we need. Is the amulet secure?”
“Yes,” Ember said, tapping it.
“Be careful with that.” He bent down and leaned into James’ ear. “Did you hear that? We’ve got the key? Why else do you think the Paragon and Cimmerian generals are blindly sending their armies here? It’s because they know about the machine, and they know that we have a piece of it. Unless you can get it off of us, your entire species is doomed. The only way to win is if you have the whole thing and actually get it to work.”
“What do you want with me?” James groaned as he lifted his head slightly. The old man had successfully fought off the substance on his face and had disintegrated it somehow. The tar was now a smoldering pile at his feet. James sighed heavily as he watched the old man close his eyes and begin to summon even more of the armored men.
“You’re going to get us the second half, and take a few Knights out of the picture as well. You can use that delicious ability of yours.”
“I won’t.”
“Oh, but you will. You don’t have a say in the matter.”
“Unless you know how to control people’s minds, I don’t think so.”
“I won’t have to control others. Just yours,” he said, lifting James up onto his feet and pushing him back. Donovan nodded toward Ember who leapt into the sky and jumped as far away as possible. She landed on a rooftop in the distance a quarter mile away. She kept on leaping while a few of the soldiers noticed and followed.”
“Come on,” Donovan said with a big grin on his face. “How about we have an exhibition? Just the two of us.”
James rushed him and punched Donovan across the face with his scythe as hard as he could, but no wound or cut emerged. Donovan chuckled and kneed James in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him completely.
“I don’t care how much of the old man’s energy you’ve taken,” he laughed. “It’s nothing. That old man right there? He’s more powerful than I am. So what hope do you have? You’re only going to win if we allow you to.”
“Shut up,” James muttered as he unsheathed his white eidolon and swiped at Donovan’s neck. The Sorcerer leaned his head back, and narrowly missed the blow, then he punched James across the face, sending him into a spiral to the ground. James clutched his face as Donovan paced around him.
“After I’m done with you, I’ll make sure to target Catherine. She’ll be here soon, I’m sure. Where is she, by the way? Checking in on the time machine with those two Knights you’ve joined up with? They’ll be disappointed.”
James tried to slice Donovan’s legs, but the Sorcerer leapt over the attack and landed on the scythe. Donovan stomped it and the bone scythe
cracked in half. James winced as he fought against the surge of pain that shot up his arm.
“Let’s talk while we wait for her execution,” he said casually. “Hmmm. You don’t happen to know where the rest of Ancient Knights are, do you?”
James mumbled something under his breath and Donovan leaned down.
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear you.”
James tried to bite Donovan’s ear, but instead, he received a boot to the face.
“You’re pathetic,” Donovan laughed. “Oh wait! Is that Catherine I see?”
James felt a wave of nausea wash over him at the mention of her being nearby.
“Oh, that is her!” Donovan shouted. “Let me head over there and greet her properly.”
“NO!” James shouted, stretching out his arm. With all his might and energy, he sent a flood of the tar substance upon Donovan, shooting out from his shoulder and hands. The Sorcerer didn’t even fight it. He welcomed it with open arms as he laughed manically.
Chapter 19 – Schism
“He was insane,” James said as Catherine, Kyran and the rest leapt onto the rooftop. He clutched his head as the last of the absorption substance went back into his body. Donovan hadn’t fought a thing. “Wait, where’s the old man?”
“He ran,” Kyran said. “He was so fast, it was as if he had never been here.”
“Are you okay?” Catherine asked, placing a hand on James’ back. He looked up at her, and then around at the Paragon and Cimmerian soldiers. They had also climbed onto the roof, and they were all waiting for a report from the Sage.
“The armored men?” James asked.
“Vanished with the old man.” Kyran said.
“James,” Catherine whispered. “They have half of the key to the time machine.”
“I saw it,” James said. “The Sorcerer named Ember, the one with the red hair took it.”
“You said that someone was insane,” Red said. “Who are you talking about?”
“Donovan,” James said. “The one we saw in the forest before. He…he let me absorb him. My body is still processing the energy, but I could already feel myself getting insanely powerful.”
The Last War (Book #9 of the Sage Saga) Page 14
