by CM Raymond
Gregory’s voice, this time a scream that she heard in her ears and not her mind, echoed from within the ship. She knew the young noble would be at the dead center of the beast.
Turning for the stairs, she sprinted off to save her friend.
****
Parker sprinted toward the Queen’s Boulevard. His heart hammered in his ears in rhythm with the sound of his footfalls on the cobblestone streets as he dashed toward his home.
“What exactly is our plan?” Hadley shouted as he ran beside him.
“Truthfully, I’m kind of winging this one. But Jed’s Disciples are attacking my neighborhood, and I can’t stand by and let it happen. I’m thinking we run in, guns blazing and see what happens. With my spear and your magic, I bet we could raise some hell.”
“That’s a shitty plan,” Hadley yelled. “You know mystics are pacifists, right?”
Parker smiled. “I’m sure you’ll have a conversion.” He looked at all the people fleeing, “At least, I hope you do.”
As they got closer to the Boulevard, the sound of screams and shouts of ecstatic killing filled both men’s ears, confirming their worst fears.
Parker cut right down a side street and slipped into an alley. It brought them out, directly in front of Hannah’s house.
It was bedlam. People were fleeing down the street, and Parker could see a dozen of Jed’s prophets marching together with clubs and torches—heading straight for them. They were beating anyone they could lay their hands on and setting houses aflame along their way.
A righteous anger filled Parker’s bones, and he felt like he could take on the world.
He spoke to Hadley. “Alright, here’s a better plan. I’m gonna go skewer those dickwads.”
Parker raised his spear above his head and ran through the crowd of fleeing people. Women and children stared at him as he ran past, his spear beginning to glow blue.
A large bearded man in a white robe held his torch high, about to bring it down on top of a cowering kid. Parker aimed his spear and squeezed a trigger near the back. The spear hummed to life and a blast of blue energy surged through it and out the bladed end, splitting the night air.
It plowed into a Disciple next to the bearded man, knocking him off his feet. Parker missed his target, but the effect was the same. All twelve Disciples looked in his direction.
“Hey asshats,” Parker yelled. “I warned you what would happen if you came back here. Take one more step, and I’ll blast you all into eternity.”
The bearded Disciple yelled. “Kill that damned heretic!”
The men and women rushed forward, and Parker waved his spear back and forth, screaming as they came. “Who wants it? Huh? Who wants to die first?”
The mob stopped, fear filling their eyes. They turned, a few running quickly, a few waited a moment before dropping their torches and following the others. A wave of confidence swept through Parker. “Yeah, that’s right! You’d better run, you steaming pile of shits.”
The large bearded man remained, backed by a few steadfast Disciples. “Hold your ground!” he screamed. “It isn’t real but just an unholy deception cast by that mystic son of a bitch.”
Confused, Parker turned to see what the man was talking about. He couldn’t believe his eyes when a monster, twice his size appeared before him. It was in the image of a man, but it was flaming blue and red and orange, with horns like a bull. The mighty beast tilted its head and let out a mighty roar, rattling windows all around him.
The thing grabbed a handful of its own shirt and pulled. Fabric gave way, exposing the chiseled body of a god-like creature. Fiery tongues danced around him in every direction. Screaming again, the beast flexed its muscles and advanced on the growing crowd of Disciples.
Parker looked past the creature and saw Hadley walking forward with his arms raised. His eyes were milky white and he was mumbling something under his breath.
It was a terrifying image, but the bearded disciple wouldn’t give up. He grabbed an empty bucket and threw it toward the beast. It sailed through the monster harmlessly. “See! It’s just a trick of the devil! Attack the Unlawfuls.”
The few remaining Disciples, emboldened now that they only had to fight a man, and not some beast from hell, rushed toward Parker. Parker fired his spear again, managing to take one out, but the other two were too close.
A fat man, sprinting surprisingly fast, attacked Parker with a raised club. Parker dropped to a knee and pushed his spear forward. It snagged the man’s feet, and the momentum sent him sprawling. Parker stood just in time as a woman with a torch swung it at him.
He managed to jump backward, the tongues of fire grazing his skin. Another man advanced on him with a club of his own. Parker raised his spear sideways and blocked the club. Then he cracked the man across the jaw with the butt of his weapon and sent him toppling into the woman.
The smile on his face faded as he looked up. Another dozen Disciples appeared. The bearded giant stood in front of them. Parker knew he was lost, but he pointed his spear forward anyway. It kept them back, but he knew it wouldn’t last.
Hadley stepped up beside him.
“That was a nice trick you pulled,” Parker said as they stared at the odds facing them.
Hadley smiled. “It was your idea. You told me to raise hell, so I did.”
Parker looked around before turning to the mystic. “Too bad it won’t work a second time. You should get out of here. Wouldn’t want to get your pacifist hands dirty.”
“Are you shitting me?” Hadley said with a sneer. “Hannah would never forgive me if I left you here to die alone.”
The bearded Disciple pointed a hand toward them. “Give it up Unlawfuls,” he shouted. “We’re going to tear you to pieces. We’re going to mount your heads on spikes in front of the city as a warning to—” but his threat was cut short as a rock sailed through the air and cracked into the side of his head.
“What the bloody hell?” He shouted, turning to see two dozen women of all ages standing behind Parker and Hadley. They held knives and table legs and farm tools—there was murder in their eyes.
Parker looked from the women back to Hadley. “Is this some kind of a trick?”
Hadley grinned. “It’s not one of mine. I’m pretty sure those are flesh and blood citizens of the Boulevard. Hannah told me I would like it here. She wasn’t wrong.”
The bearded disciple was quaking in fury. “If you stand before us, the gods will smite you all!”
“Shut up, you stupid prick!” An older woman yelled. She held a brick in her hand like she knew how to use it. “And get the hell off our street!”
The Disciples began to murmur to one another, and Parker could read the doubt on their faces. He turned to face his army.
“For the Boulevard!” he yelled, raising his spear in the air.
“For Hannah!” they screamed in reply as they rushed forward.
The Disciples tripped over each other as they tried to escape a fury like none they had ever seen.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Hannah expected that the airship would be deadly, but the sheer size of the thing was hard to comprehend. It looked to be the size of a city block, and the wings only enhanced its presence. The gangplank leading into its belly wobbled as she walked it into the ship’s body. The narrow hallway had a bright blue light at the end, and she ran toward it without hesitation.
She nearly lost it when she spotted Gregory strapped to a large class column that was filled with blue crystals. His arms were spread out in either direction, and his head bobbed like it was on a string.
“Gregory!” she screamed as she watched her friend's body twitch and jerk. She knew he didn’t have much left in him.
A flustered looking young man in a lab coat yelled at her. “You’re not supposed to be in—”
She rammed a spear of ice into his chest before he could finish speaking. Flinging the dead man to the side, she ran toward her friend.
Leather straps held him in plac
e. She grabbed onto them, the heat in her hands burning right through them. He slid toward the airship’s metal floor.
Running her hand through his dark, kinky hair, she whispered to him, “It’s going to be OK.”
Hannah lifted her friend from the cold, metal grate and drug him toward a broad, wooden bench attached to the wall. Placing him down, she focused her energy. Gregory would need to be healed, even if only a little, to get him out of his father’s factory. Power left her body as it flowed into him.
Through dry cracking lips, he croaked, “Hannah? Are you real or some kind of angel?”
“Quit your flirting, Sir Gregory,” she said with a grin. “What the hell were you thinking? You could have been killed.”
“Please. I know how to take a punch.”
She rolled her eyes. “Why is it that every man from the Boulevard to the Heights has to run off and be a hero?”
Gregory smiled as she lifted him to his feet. “I learned it from you. How much time do we have?”
“Absolutely zero. I’m sure this place is crawling with guards, and I imagine here’s the first place they’ll come looking. I got to get you out of here.”
He winced as he shook his head. “Not yet. Help me get to the control room, it’s at the top of the ship. I can’t disable this thing for good, not without more time. But I can throw a wrench in their plans.”
“Gregory…”
“If we don’t do this today, we’ll be fighting the ship tomorrow.” He tried to smile. “Now stop bitching and help me already.”
She scowled at him, her eyes still fire red. “You’re lucky I just saved your ass, otherwise I’d kick the shit out of you. Now, where to?”
With Gregory leaning on her, they limped out of the engine room and down the hallway. He directed her toward a thin ladder that led to the top of the ship. Hannah climbed first and pushed open a thick metal door above. She climbed through, onto the top of the ship, then turned to help Gregory pull himself through.
“Come on, fatass,” she said through gritted teeth as she strained to lift him up.
“Hey, it’s not my fault,” he said as his head popped up through the hatch. “I—behind you!”
Hannah looked over her shoulder just in time to see a six-inch blackjack take her on the side of the head. She dropped, her ears buzzing, and the side of her face felt like it was about to explode from the impact of the hard leather club.
A tall, muscular woman in tight black leather stood over her.
“Ah… You must be the one I’ve heard so much about,” she said with a sneer. “I’ve been looking forward to this.”
Hannah pushed Gregory’s head down and slammed the metal door shut. No use putting him in danger again.
Hannah rolled to her feet and stepped back, assessing the situation. She had no doubt that the person in front of her was Alexandra. The woman had legs as long as the Boulevard, and she filled out her leather suit with curves and muscle. A confident grin sat on her lips—one eyebrow raised as she did her own assessment of Hannah.
Hannah wiped her thumb across the corner of her mouth and look down at the streak of blood. “Funny, haven’t heard a thing about a factory whore who needs to take cheap shots.”
The woman laughed. “Ask your boyfriend about me. We spent… some time together, one-on-one.” She licked her lips. “You’re lucky. Parker’s a good-looking guy but hard to break. You already know that I’m sure.”
Alexandra stepped forward, swinging the blackjack again. Hannah dodged to her left, taking the brunt of the strike on her shoulder. Off-balanced, she threw a sloppy punch, which the woman easily blocked. But the strike worked to give Hannah a moment to step out of close-quarter combat.
“You hit like a girl,” Alexandra hissed. “I was hoping this was going to be at least a little bit of challenge.”
“Well, here’s how a girl casts magic,” Hannah shouted.
Her hands move quickly, arcing over in front of her body. A fireball, small due to haste and the distraction of pain and battle, formed in her hand. She launched it at Alexandra, who dodged. The fiery attack grazed off her long torso and went careening into the open factory. The blast exploded in the distance, setting fire to a corner of the room.
Alexandra glanced down at her exposed skin, red from the attack. “You bitch. You burnt a hole in my favorite outfit.”
“You’re not going to need it when I’m done with you,” Hannah said, as she ran forward with a right hook. She had already used a tremendous amount of magical energy and needed to save her power. This attack was more measured—just like Karl had taught her, but Alexandra was experienced. She blocked the blow with ease and grabbed a fistful of Hannah’s hair. She drew her knee up, striking Hannah’s chest, again and again, slamming the air from her lungs.
Hannah stepped forward and wrapped her left arm around Alexandra, pulling in close to stop the assault. She drove her legs with what strength remained and rammed Alexandra’s back into an iron railing. The metal was the only thing keeping them from careening off the ship’s bow and to the factory floor.
Alexandra let out an oomph on impact, but it didn’t break her. She clasped her hands together and then spread them wide, electricity dancing between her fingers. She brought them down on Hannah, and the magic spread through her body, dropping Hannah to her knees.
Alexandra leaned down and whispered in her ear. “You’ve got balls kid. I’ll give you that. I’ll enjoy cutting them off and stuffing them down your throat. And then I’ll do the same to your friend Gregory.”
“Here, I’ll lend you my knife.”
In one swift move, Hannah pulled the rearick’s knife from her belt and slammed it into the woman’s thigh.
Alexandra screamed and headbutted Hannah, her forehead crushing the bridge of the girl’s nose. Hannah dropped, seeing stars. She scrambled away on all fours and leaned against another railing that surrounded a large hole in the middle of the ship—the place where the amphoralds were poured into the ship’s core. Hannah’s breathing was heavy. Strength—physical and magical—waned. But Alexandra looked as though she was just getting started.
She pulled the knife from her side and stared at it like she had never seen one before. Hannah watched in shock as Alexandra threw the knife Karl had given her over the side of the railing.
Alexandra twisted her fingers together, drawing electricity into her hands again. She placed her palm against the wound on her thigh and screamed as her magic cauterized the wound.
Holy shit, Hannah thought. This bitch is batshit.
As if she could hear what Hannah was thinking, Alexandra looked up from her wound. Her coal-black eyes were terrifying.
She contorted her hands in a complex manner before launching a bolt of blue lightning. Hannah raised a shield and sent the energy stream careening off behind her. She heard an explosion somewhere in the background.
Before Hannah could counterattack, Alexandra was on top of her, straddling Hannah’s chest and unleashing her rage with blow after blow to the young magician’s face.
All Hannah could do was raise her arms in a futile attempt at self-defense.
Pinning Hannah’s beaten body to the metal grate below them, Alexandra straddled her, panting like a wild animal. She reached behind her and grabbed a set of magitech cuffs from her belt. Waving them in front of Hannah’s face, she said, “A girl like me never leaves home without them.” She leaned in and kissed Hannah’s bloody, swollen lips. “Mm. Tastes like victory.”
