Dark Kingdom

by Phil Maxey

  “I got a plan,” said Kat.

  “Which is?” said Justin, as Darren leaned back on his bed still clutching his bag and Chip’s leash.

  “For now just get some rest. We won't be staying here. I'll wake you when it's time to leave.”

  “OK, but I don't think they're just going to let us walk out,” said Justin.

  “Leave all that to me.”

  Justin sighed and laid back. “OK.”

  Kat pulled her pack from her back, and let it drop to the floor. She then leaned back and looked up at the lights and beams seemingly miles above her head. Closing her eyes was easy and soon the world around her fell away.

  CHAPTER 10

  Gus looked back at the throng of armour and swords behind him in the main lobby of the London sanctuary. On the top floor the scene was the same, although there were more archers with Sparrow amongst them. And finally in the bowels of the earth, Jarwin stood in a packed tunnel full of human and creatures alike, ready to break the blockade there as well.

  The door to the roof burst open as the crackle and fizz of energy dissipating filled the air and archers poured out. The winged beasts high in the sky immediately started to dive down, while a multitude of arrows flew in the opposite direction. One of the descending creatures shrieked as one of its wings became unusable due to the spiked rods that were protruding from it. It spiralled down crashing onto a nearby roof. The other creature swooped, stretching out its talons and pulled two men over the wall to their deaths.

  Eve emerged from the roof door and immediately started chanting, while a coil of orange energy wrapped around her and then struck out enveloping the winged creature which struggled and flapped against its magical lasso. It then stopped struggling, looked at Eve then flew to the side slightly and dived down to the street below.

  Sparrow and the other archers ran to the walls, which overlooked the hordes below and were now being attacked by the winged beast.

  “Target their magi!” shouted Sparrow as she let forth a volley of arrows towards a group of shadowy figures standing apart from the enemy’s fighters.

  Gus looked back at Bartholomew and Miss Toper, who both nodded at him. He then lifted the bolts and latches holding the substantial entrance doors closed and pushed them both open in one charge.

  The air filled with roars, grunts and the flashing of sharp-edged silver and gold tipped weapons, as arrows rained down from above.

  In the tunnels below, Jarwin listened at the door to the Labyrinth for any sign of life on the other side. On only hearing silence, he slid the key into the lock and turned it. Gears turned and the armoured people and beings behind him stirred in preparation.

  He pushed the door open and looked out into the blackness beyond. He went to move forward, his sword in one hand and a twisted piece of branch in the other when a crunching noise wafted towards him. Just as he went to pull the door closed, a wall of flame surged towards him. Dropping the sword, he held his ancient wand with both hands which instantly glowed intensely white. The fire blasted against an invisible barrier pushing him back a few inches. Grimacing as the heat still managed to seep through the magical field, he held his ground, until the flames subsided. He then chanted some words close to his wand, and the glow intensified and pulsed forward illuminating the entire tunnel ahead. At the end of it, goblin hordes covered their eyes, disorientated by the blinding flash. Jarwin picked up his sword, then charged forward.

  At street level the battle continued with trolls, Draugr and larger beasts battling against the defenders of the sanctuary. Gus swayed back as an ogre at least double his height, missed him with a huge war hammer, the business end coming down in the centre of a buried car, crumpling it to only a few feet from the ground. Gus’s sword sliced the creature’s leg causing it to howl in pain, and then strike out once again, it’s weapon sheering through the air and felling a street light as if it was a dry piece of wood. Sparks flew through the air, as a troll let loose a spear aimed at Gus’s head.

  Eve, now outside in the street, seeing the danger, uttered some arcane words, and a mound of snow that was close to Gus rose up and crystallised into ice which the spear broke against. Gus looked across to Eve and nodded.

  The ogre staggered towards the entrance of the sanctuary, brushing aside two armoured warriors as they tried to stop it. The solid doors were already re-closed and secured, but shuddered as the large creature’s weapon slammed into them.

  Gus struck down three Draugr one after the other, turned and saw the door beginning to splinter. He then pulled his arm back over his head, and whipped it forward sending his sword slicing through the air and landing with a squelch directly in the back of the ogre which staggered backwards clutching behind itself. Two warriors descended upon the huge beast, chopping away at its arm, causing it to drop the hammer.

  Gus ducked under a sword swipe from a troll, plunging his dagger into its midriff then ran towards the tottering ogre. As it tried fending off its attackers, a soldier threw Gus the end of a rope, which he and the soldier then quickly wrapped around the flailing creature. More soldiers ran to each end of the rope and with one huge heave pulled it down to the ground causing Gus’s sword to dig in deeper and finish it off.

  Sparrow saw the large creature fall, and looked to the group of men and women that were still firing down at their enemy. “Dyer, Holden and you two, come with me!” They then ran quickly down the five flights, through the now open front doors and started firing off arrows at the dwindling number of creatures around them.

  The remaining creatures of the dark forces scattered into the snow-covered streets nearby as a final Draugr fell to the ground.

  Gus stood, swords in both hands and blood dripping from various lacerations on his arms and face. He looked around at the piles of the now dead undead, trolls, and his own comrades.

  Eve was already working her magic to try and keep alive those she could.

  Jarwin and some others appeared, swords at the ready at the front entrance. Miss Toper and Bartholomew were alongside them.

  “They have retreated into the tunnels,” said Jarwin.

  Miss Toper moved forward from the doors, walking down the few steps and onto the snow which was riddled with streaks of red and green blood. “This will show them, it’s not going to be as easy as they think!” She then looked at Gus. “Are you ready? You look—”

  “I’m ready.”

  She then looked at Eve who nodded, then back to Gus. “OK then, we need to do this quickly, before more of them return.”

  In an office building on the fifth floor some streets away, a soldier looked through the site of a rifle scope, while his partner looked through some binoculars. He then held up a radio to his lips and clicked the talk button. “It’s over.”

  CHAPTER 11

  “Are we sure we want to do this?” said Justin.

  “We need these weapons. I can’t zap people every time I want or teleport. We need to be able to defend ourselves,” said Kat holding Chip’s leash.

  “What if we get caught?” said Darren.

  “We won’t. I’ll teleport us into the container when we know nobody is in there. We grab what we can then we teleport into a street nearby. Easy.”

  “When is anything we do easy.” Darren mumbled under his breath.

  Kat and the others stood nonchalantly by some windows which looked down to a forecourt, full of snow covered shipping containers. They had been as secret as they could for most of the morning and had seen soldiers go inside the secure-looking metal boxes and come back out with arms full of rifles and ammo.

  Kat watched as the last of the soldiers locked and bolted the container, then walked back into the building. She went to turn and tell the others to get ready when a soldier walked up to them.

  He looked at Algorine, who immediately lowered her head slightly. “You! Come with me. The commander wants to talk to you.”

  Kat looked at Algorine, who visibly sighed.

  No . . .

  Al
gorine looked at her. “Do what you have to do. I got this.” The Fae woman then walked away with the soldier.

  Darren looked at Kat. “What we gonna do?”

  “I don’t know give me a moment to think.”

  Justin looked back out the window. There was still no sign of any activity around the crate. “It still looks clear out there.”

  “We’re not just leaving her here.” Kat then marched off in the direction Algorine and the soldier went. Justin and Darren looked at each other then followed.

  They caught up enough to see Algorine enter the Commanders office, and the soldier stationed himself outside.

  “They’re going to arrest her!” said Darren.

  Kat wasn’t sure what the protocol was for discovering non-humans, but she was sure it probably wasn’t good for the woman she had come to slowly respect. Kat looked at her two friends. “We’re going to get close to the office, stay close to me, in case I have to do something.”

  They walked as normally as they could around the first-floor balcony until they arrived back near the hive of activity of busy people at desks and computers. Spotting some empty chairs that still gave them a good view of the Commanders office they sat, looking like they were waiting to be seen.

  A young woman in military attire looked up from a desk. “Can I help any of you?”

  Kat smiled. “Just waiting for a friend.”

  “I don’t think animals are allowed up here.”

  “Oh . . .”

  The woman frowned then looked back down at the ream of papers she was holding.

  Inside the office Algorine looked around the bland space that the Commander called an office and finished by looking directly at the older man, who was looking at her just as intensely.

  “I know you’re not human,” he said.

  “Good for you. Can I go now?”

  “Is your kind responsible for what has happened to this city?”

  “My kind?”

  “Yes, your race.”

  Algorine smirked. “And what do you know of my race?”

  “I’m asking the questions. Why are you with the others? They appear to be human.”

  “They are as human as you are. I’m not ‘with’ them, we just happened to be going in the same direction.”

  “I see. And what is your plan for the city? Are we the beachhead for a colonisation for the rest of the planet?”

  “Uh . . . I think you . . .”

  “We have some others like you. Eventually we will find out your purpose for being on earth.”

  Algorine started laughing. “You really have no idea what you’re in the middle of do you? That must be tough for you.” She leaned forward, making Chapman lean back slightly, and the soldier standing right behind her, reach to pull her back. Chapman raised his hand to him. “Instead of looking into the future, try looking into the past. You’ll be surprised what you’ll learn about the present.”

  Chapman sighed. “Riddles, like the others. You will be staying with us until you become more forthright with why you are here.” He then looked up at the soldier, who put his hand on Algorine's shoulder. She immediately shrugged it off.

  “This soldier will escort you to your new quarters.”

  Algorine stood. “What about my friends.”

  Chapman looked down at the various sheets of paper on his desk. “They are free to leave whenever they want.” He then looked up and smiled. “Surviving in the subzero temperatures outside though might prove challenging.”

  Algorine frowned then turned and walked to the now open door.

  Kat, grasping her dog’s leash tight, Darren, and Justin watched Algorine come out of the office, with two soldiers on both sides walking just behind her.

  “Get ready and stay real close.” Kat whispered to her friends. She then walked quickly towards Algorine and the two soldiers that were coming the other way. Appearing to be heading past her Fae friend, just at the last moment she grabbed her wrist as Justin and Darren stepped closer and they were gone. The two soldiers looked all around them and at each other trying to understand what just happened.

  The ice-cold air was immediately felt by all of them as they stood in the empty forecourt near the shipping containers. Chip started burying his snout in the snow.

  Kat looked around and swore.

  “I thought we were going to be inside the container?” said Darren.

  “New plan, come on, quickly, we need to break the chains,” said Kat running to the large green metal container, pulling Chip behind her. The others followed.

  “How you going to break them?” said Justin looking around at the monolithic building behind them.

  “Err, I don’t know.” She placed her hands on the iced-up silver links, then quickly let go. “Take Chip,” she said to Darren, passing him the leash. She then held her hand out in front of her near the chains. “Everyone stand back.”

  Justin briefly looked at a white glow starting to emanate from Kat’s ring, then looked back at the building. Some motion caught his eye behind one of the windows. “I think they see us,” he said as more far-off faces became just visible behind the gloom of the third-floor windows.

  The light intensified, and flowed towards the chain, causing the ice to evaporate. The chains then fell loose and started to turn orange.

  “It’s working!” said Darren.

  Justin watched the window as faces came and went. “They’re coming for us!” Just as he finished his words, a door to the building some two hundred yards away opened and soldiers poured out of it.

  A part of the chain shone bright yellow, then a cracking noise was followed by the metal links breaking in two.

  Kat took a deep breath as Algorine pulled the doors open. “Inside!”

  A bullet pinged off the metal wall above their heads.

  Darren ducked and with Chip ran into the dark interior of the twelve foot by twelve foot metal box. “They’re bloody shooting at us!”

  Kat and Justin quickly followed and he pulled the door closed.

  Darren and Kat both produced torches, and looked at the modern treasure around them.

  “If I knew anything about guns, I’d be real excited right now,” said Darren.

  Kat walked to a crate that was already open. It was full of automatic rifles. “Everyone grab one of these.” She then looked at the nearby crate, also open. “And as many of these bullet cartridge things as well.”

  “I think they’re called magazines,” said Justin.

  “Yeah them.”

  “Come out of there slowly!” shouted a male voice they all recognised from outside.

  Algorine and Justin held the inside of the containers door firmly shut.

  “Ignore them outside, just grab as much stuff as you can,” said Kat.

  “If you don’t come out, we will be forced to come in. Lay down any arms you might be holding or you will be regarded as hostile and will be shot.”

  Justin walked back quickly and grabbed two rifles, handing one to Algorine then picked up some magazines.

  “Alright, let’s get the hell out of here,” said Algorine.

  Kat walked near to her and the others moved close as well. Kat then pictured the street outside of the huge complex.

  “When you going to do it?” said Darren sweating despite the near zero temperature in the container.

  “I’m trying!” said Kat. She tried again with a clear image inside her mind of the snow laden pavements and buildings in the streets nearby and waited for the air to change around her, but it didn’t.

  “This is your final warning. I won’t ask again!”

  Kat threw her arms up. “Argh it’s not working, I think it must have something to do with whatever these containers are made of!”

  “We’re screwed,” said Darren.

  “We can’t stay in here and we can’t fight our way out of the area. We have to surrender,” said Justin.

  “No. We just need to be outside, then I can teleport us. Just stay close to m
e.” Kat walked closer to the containers door. “OK! We’re coming out, don’t shoot!” She then looked at the others. “Put your rifles over your backs, with your backpacks.” They did as asked. “Remember, stay real close!” They all nodded. She then pushed up the latch and pushed the door open, a flurry of snow wafted through the gap. “We’re coming out! Don’t shoot!”

  She crept forward slowly, while the others pushed through the gap, one person almost touching the other.

  Kat looked at Vic who was pointing his rifle directly at her. Two other soldiers she also recognized from the night before were to the left and right of him. Chip started to growl.

  Her heart was beating faster than she could count as she edged forward. “Stay close,” she whispered to those behind her.

  Vic and the other two soldiers walked forward. Kat closed her eyes, and the air around her changed.

  CHAPTER 12

  “I don’t feel so good.” Kat’s words blurred together and her world begun to spin. Grabbing for something to hold onto, but not finding anything she collapsed to the ground. Justin ran forward to help her.

  “What the fuck just happened?” shouted Vic feeling dizzy himself but trying to keep his rifle raised.

  “Uh, uh,” said Algorine pointing her rifle at the three disoriented soldiers. “You boy’s and girl might want to place those weapons on the ground.” Her eyes glowed in the gloom.

  Vic, Hunt, and Mills did as they were asked.

  “Where are we?” said Darren sweeping his torch around.

  Glass cabinets containing expensive bags and perfumes glistened in the light, above their heads Christmas decorations hung ready for customers that never came.

  “I think we’re in a department store—” Darren panicked a little realising he was no longer holding Chips leash, then sighed when he saw a dog shape in the gloom sniffing at the ground nearby.

  “She’s out cold,” said Justin. He then looked at Vic. “You think you can help?” It wasn’t meant to sound sarcastic but came out that way, anyway.