by LJ Andrews
“We have to end this and find Miller!” he shouted.
“The upper floor is being held hostage,” she cried. “I don’t know what is happening up there Killian, but it isn’t safe.”
“Soph, we have to help Miller. We can’t just leave him.”
Sophia nodded and lunged in the middle of two battling recruits. Killian looked and saw Mercedes as she sliced her dagger across the arm of another female beastie. Her fury was evident and the girl fell to the floor clutching her wounds before scrambling out of reach from Mercedes’ angry daggers.
Dalia swung her club furiously, but took a painful arrow to the shoulder. She winced but quickly pulled the arrow from her skin before hitting a large cloaked Trinity agent across the face. Killian spotted Axel. He stood in a corner with Speron unconscious on the floor next to him. Axel met his eye and smiled, giving Killian a soft nod before reaching toward the floor.
Immediately the steel floor rumbled and rolled against Axel’s touch. Everyone began stumbling and tripping onto the floor. But no matter how much the ground quaked the Trinity still progressed toward the failing Ponderi.
Taking a deep breath, Killian focused on the pursuing enemies. His blood boiled in bitterness that his own recruits, his fellow Ponderi could attack their friends and families without a glimpse of remorse. He focused on those with murder in their hearts, with greed and lust. He wanted them to stop, to lose the fight.
Closing his eyes he felt a warm, tingling energy leave his pores, his legs trembled from exertion, but he kept his focus. Behind him he heard a surprised gasp finally urging him to open his eyes. Remarkably he saw the Trinity agents slow their pursuit, as if they were slowing marching through a thick gelatinous substance. Their arms moved at a snail’s pace, even their facial expressions slowed. The Ponderi stared in amazement as their attackers could no longer attack, they were slowly freezing in place—helpless and useless.
Against the wall Axel let out a loud cry of enjoyment before taking a fallen blade and jutting it hard into a cloaked, frozen Trinity agent. He pulled the sword out and the woman fell to the ground dead, no longer under Killian’s spell.
“Axel, no!” Killian shouted. “We can’t kill them like this.”
Axel glared at Killian for a short moment before shrugging his shoulders and dropping the sword.
“Did you do this?” Mercedes asked walking toward him in amazement.
“I think so,” he replied. “Axel moved the floor, I…I just tried to help and this is what happened. I didn’t plan this. I don’t think I can control it that well.”
“Brilliant work,” Dalia said hurriedly. “We must keep moving though.”
They peered around the once beautiful entryway. Windows were broken and bits were taken out of the steel walls. He could hear commotion coming from every direction, though this area was clear.
“We have to help the wounded,” Lucan said suddenly checking any fallen Ponderi for life. He reached down and helped and ash haired boy off the ground, who whimpered and held his bleeding arm. He was dressed in a blue jumpsuit. An engineer. Killian seethed.
“The Trinity attacked everyone, they didn’t care what department,” he spit out at Mercedes. “That boy has no training to defend himself and they would’ve killed him without a second thought.” The back of his neck burned painfully as his emotions heightened.
“Killian, calm down,” Dalia demanded from across the room. “We need your mind focused.”
“Where is the Architect Dalia?” He shouted.
“My guess…on the upper level. The floor will be heavily guarded Killian, and dangerous. I assume Miller will be a hostage in order to draw you out,” she answered matter-of-factly.
“We have to go there, now,” he hissed.
“We have to take care of these people Thomas,” Lucan replied briskly.
“I will assist you,” Dalia said walking toward Speron and Axel. “Axel friend you must go with Killian. You two are the real hope in this fight.” Axel nodded as Dalia turned and lifted Speron off the ground.
“Everyone,” Killian shouted to the room. “The Trinity needs to be stopped. Whoever is able to continue the fight we need to go to the upper floors. Some will also need to form a perimeter outside the Praetorium to stop more Trinity from entering, but also leaving.”
Several recruits stood swiftly and gripped their weapons before walking out the glass doors. Others turned toward the smooth walls and summoned elevators.
“Mercedes,” a squinty-eyed beastie called out. “We are going to the beastie kennels. We could use some of our creature friends. Are you coming?”
“I am going with Killian to the upper floors.”
“Everyone be careful. The Trinity is everywhere,” Killian said sincerely.
Mumbled words of encouragement passed through the group. Several injured Ponderi joined Dalia and Lucan in their open elevator car with the hope the clinic was still available to offer relief.
“They could get trapped in there,” Mercedes said more to herself.
“Please be careful,” Killian said before the car whirled downward toward the clinic. “We have to get to Miller. Let’s go.”
Killian placed his sweaty palm on the steel wall and waited anxiously for the elevator to arrive. The swift car never came. An enormous explosion behind the wall shook the entire building and the lights flashed out. Alarms and loud buzzing filled the Praetorium. Mercedes clapped her hands over her ears and stared at the empty wall in terror.
"Was that the elevator!" She screamed. "Lucan, Dalia...they were on it!"
Back up lighting glowed eerily along the upper walls illuminating the dark corridors. People above them scuffled and ran, screaming with occasional bangs and clashing weapons.
"Go up," Axel said pointing at the ceiling. His voice was strained and Killian was overwhelmed with his internal concern for Dalia.
"The elevator isn’t working," Killian cried over the blaring noise of the alarms.
"Climb," he shouted back. Killian looked out the great entryway as Axel jogged back outside.
"Did he say climb?" Mercedes shrieked.
"It's the only way," Killian shouted back. He rushed after Axel, who had begun his ascension up the side of the sleek, steel building. The Praetorium was made of unbelievable architecture. Jutting beams making up different floors stacked on top of one another like a giant toppling block game.
“Wait Killian,” Sophia’s voice called from behind as she rushed into the gardens. “I’m coming too.”
"Sophia," Mercedes cried and rushed to her friend. The two women embraced tightly.
"Soph, can you tell us anything else that happened?" Killian demanded.
"I...I don't know. Dax and I were...working out in the training center, when suddenly, there was a blast from one of the upper floors. Everything went dark and people ran around like crazy. The athletic center filled with dark smoke...I lost Dax somewhere down there," she sniffled, while trying to maintain her composure. "I see better in the dark, but even this smoke was too much. I found a window and climbed outside. And then I saw the fighting and I went to help."
“Have you seen Blake?” Mercedes asked.
“He…he was in the training center…but I lost him too.” Sophia hung her head.
Killian nodded his understanding then ushered them forward. "Come on, we need to climb up."
Sophia nodded and followed Killian. "Wait, who is this guy?" She asked reaching for her bow.
"His name is Axel, he's an Infinium too, but we can't go into everything now."
Sophia's silver eyes widened, but she didn't press the issue.
Axel started to scale the large building, leaping from beam to beam like an expert mountaineer. Killian strained to follow constantly looking to see if Mercedes and Sophia were following. All his training on the rock walls seemed to lead him to this moment as he carefully climbed each jutting floor then pulling himself upon the top. The steel was not as smooth as he'd thought, the surface conven
iently had electrical outlets and window panes throughout giving them enough footing to have a fighting chance of making it to the top.
"You're slowing down," Sophia said reaching him and pulling herself up onto one of the upper floors. She chuckled and pulled him up.
Killian smiled giving Sophia's attempt to lighten the mood the thanks it deserved. She smiled in return, but he saw the dread in her eyes.
Once he was next to her on the beam, he pulled her toward him. "Soph, don't worry. We'll find Dax."
Sophia's tears glistened in her silver eyes making them like diamonds. "Killian," she gasped. "People are dying inside. What if...I heard him cry out to me...what if..." she trailed off as she gulped the thought away.
"Sophia, Dax is a warrior. We'll find him and he won't go down until he knows you're safe," Mercedes said clamoring on top with them. "After this you two need to stop being so secretive."
Sophia gave her a watery smile. "I’m going to marry him,” she declared. “I don’t care what anyone else says about it. If we live through this I'm going to scream it to everyone. I don't care anymore. I just want him safe."
"Come!" Axel shouted down from two floors up.
"We need to keep going," Killian said. "Axel's at Miller's floor."
Killian reached out toward a hanging pipe on the bottom of the floor above them. The pipe was hot, but it was the only leverage they could get to begin scaling the next beam. Suddenly a violent, fiery explosion burst through the window above the pipe. He saw his skin burn and smolder against the flames until he couldn't hold on any longer and fell. The fall to the garden below was painful as his skin burned and blistered. He was calm as he plummeted downward. He didn't scream, he didn't cry out, that wouldn't help anything. The fall was over a hundred feet, it was over. When his body stopped everything went black and silent as it ended.
The vision flashed through his mind so quickly, but the lingering adrenaline of falling twisted his stomach and brought burning bile to his throat. He pulled his hand off the pipe and turned away from the floor beam.
"Get away!" He shouted at Mercedes who stood behind him. "MOVE!"
"Killian what's wrong?" His stomach sunk. Sophia's voice came from behind. When he met her frightened gaze she was standing on top of the great steel beam, next to the window from his vision.
"SOPHIA! GET DOWN!" He screamed as he wrapped his arms around Mercedes and pushed her to the ground. Her breathing was rapid and her eyes whirled around confused. Sophia's face grew paler than it had ever been as she tried to leap from the building.
A powerful, hot blast swept across their faces as the entire outer part of the beam erupted into a furious fireball. Debris fell in smoldering clumps to the small wilderness below them.
"SOPHIA!" Mercedes cried, sobbing as she watched her body fall to the ground in the fiery chaos. Mercedes reached for her as Sophia became lost in the cloud of billowing smoke. Killian grabbed her shoulders and pulled her into him. Mercedes gripped his shirt as the pain of what they'd seen overwhelmed her. "No, no," she sobbed hysterically.
Killian bit his bottom lip as hot tears spilled over his eyelids. A wave of anger flushed through his veins and the great brand on the back of his neck burned like fire. He pulled Mercedes closer to him, squeezing her almost too much, as he breathed heavily trying to push the fierce painful emotion inside.
"Mercedes," he said fiercely. "We have to keep moving."
"No," she wailed. "Sophia...she's gone!"
"Mercedes we have to move," his voice cracked as he held her shoulders. "We have to stop them...for Sophia."
Mercedes tear stained face grew fierce and angry as he spoke. Briskly she pulled away from him and withdrew her daggers. "I'm going to kill them," she said darkly.
Killian didn't speak, but felt the same. He turned and scanned their options, now that one of the beams had been blown off.
Reach up, I'll help you. Axel's smooth mental voice filled his mind. Looking up he saw Axel reaching down from the upper beam. He had his legs wrapped around another exposed pipe like an acrobat as he reached for their hands.
Killian pushed Mercedes in front of him and boosted her up toward Axel. With surprising strength Axel lifted her to the beam and to the top floor. Mercedes crumbled on the beam and released deep breaths as she tried to calm her emotions.
Axel reached down again and Killian jumped catching both his wrist. Axel pulled him upward as Killian gave one final glance at the burning ruble littering the beautiful gardens. His eyes brimmed with hot furious tears as he ached for Sophia. Axel pulled him over the side and immediately Killian placed his hands on the steel covering the top floor. Exerting all his pain and anger he pulled the thick metal back inch by inch. Axel joined in and soon they’d formed a large opening directly over the upper hallway.
“Mercedes,” Killian said softly. “I need to go in there and stop this but…but I… can’t lose you like Sophia.” He hung his head and gulped down his emotion. Mercedes sauntered toward him and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“I know you’re asking me to stay here and not fight,” she said somberly. “But Killian you know there isn’t a safe place anymore. I give us that much more of a chance to defeat the Trinity. I’m coming.”
Killian brushed a lose strand of chestnut hair out of her eyes and softly pressed his lips against hers.
We must hurry, Axel’s soft voice filled his thoughts breaking Killian away from Mercedes.
Swiftly they moved down the opening they’d formed in the steel ceiling. Axel landed softly on the magnificent carpet that coated the upper floor. Killian and Mercedes followed close behind, both gripping their weapons tightly. The floor was dark, filled with swirling tendrils of black smoke.
Killian gauged the floor, trying to sense any malice or enemies nearby, and was surprised to feel nothing.
“I think the floor is empty,” he whispered.
“We should check the office before we leave,” Mercedes said. Killian nodded and he and Axel shuffled behind her, rigidly glancing side to side waiting for a surprise attack.
Slowly Mercedes turned the solid gold knob and entered the room. The lights were off and the white sofas were overturned. Killian straightened as he scanned the room searching for his grandfather.
“Here,” Axel’s choppy voice boomed. Rushing toward him Killian saw a single padded chair in the center of the room. Drops of burgundy blood splattered along the wooden arms.
"Miller?" Mercedes' voice shook behind him. Killian didn't answer, but frantically searched the closets and cupboards lining the office walls. His blood burned savagely as the powerful need to protect his remaining family member pulsed through him. Clasping his cool palm on the back of his neck across the red Infinium brand he absentmindedly rubbed the blistering skin trying to soothe the pain.
"Something doesn't feel right in here," Killian finally breathed. Axel nodded, his lips pursed tight as he too scanned the room. "Come on let's go."
"Killian!" Mercedes shrieked as she bent to the soft carpeted floor. A glittering gold earring flashed against the fading sun and glowing fire from the explosion. The earring was gold with a deep black jewel glinting against the light. Mercedes pinched the small piece of jewelry and small droplets of blood dripped back to the carpet. "Killian, I...think this belongs to—”
"Blake," he interrupted. "We have to go now."
The three rushed out of the office. Killian's heart pounded against his chest as he desperately deduced where his best friend and grandfather could be.
"Killian, we need to think...we can't just rush into danger..." Mercedes' voice begged from behind him.
We should go down, Axel's smooth voice filled his mind.
"Yes, but how can we go down if we don't have an elevator."
There are people here who will help us, I sense it. We have the power to make our own way down.
Axel placed a gentle hand on Killian's shoulder. Instantly Killian's mind filled with images of Dalia, Lucan, and Gwyniera.
"Who are you talking to?" Mercedes asked once Killian had stopped at the solid wall ending the long hallway. She glanced at Axel. "Okay, you guys can't talk to each other unless you speak out loud I'm just as important here and I deserve to know what's going on!" Her pitch raised as hysterics threatened to overtake her.
"Axel, says Gwyniera would help us if we can find her."
Mercedes slowed her breathing, her eyes sparkled as the idea simmered in her thoughts. "It's a good direction. Despite her personal feelings about us, Gwyniera would never want Glaciem to come to harm. She is powerful, and may be the best choice."
Killian sighed and banged his fist against the solid steel wall. "That still doesn't solve the problem that we have no way down!" Killian reeled his fist off the wall. The steel had grown scorching hot under his touch and a small, welded hole had appeared in the shape of his fist.
"We make own way," Axel said out loud pointing at the wall. Axel placed one of his palms against the smooth steel and grimaced as slowly the metal bubbled and sizzled beneath his skin. Killian mimicked him and focused his energy into the smoldering wall. His hand felt as if it would burst into flame, but he didn't falter. Finally just when his hand felt it would crumble in a black ash pile the metal gave way in a glowing, molten mess opening a raw doorway large enough for them to fit.
Behind the wall they saw the many shafts the furiously fast elevator traveled.
"Go down," Axel said pointing to the beams and cords that pulled the advanced cars behind the Praetorium walls. Killian peered into the dark chambers, bright flashes of firing electrical circuits flashed every few moments, and the strong scent of burning metal filled his nostrils. No whizzing cars flashed passed his face, no screams of his trapped friend filled his ears. Nothing but dark endless shafts.
"Axel, it's suicide trying to climb down the shaft," Mercedes said, touching his arm.
Killian shook his head as Axel smiled wildly. "He wants us to summon the elevator again." Mercedes scrunched her forehead, but stepped back away from the peeled steel.
