Kael frowned. Or perhaps they didn’t care. The world was in turmoil, and given Center’s far greater size, the number of fireborn that landed there had to be massive. Kael glanced to his right, saw Aven watching the trio of knights. It seemed he had the same thought, and he shook his head in disgust.
So much for keeping Weshern safe, Kael thought, bitterly reminded of the Speaker’s promise.
Directly ahead shone the glow of another fire. Aven tilted his wings, guiding the group upward. Before they had climbed far, a spear of flame shot out from the wreckage, soaring into the air. Kael was too shocked to react, and could only watch in horror as one of the fireborn slammed against Aven’s body. Claws swiped, fire bursting across the Archon’s clothes. Aven twisted ninety degrees, angling him into a downward spiral toward ground.
Powering up his gauntlet, Kael dove after the two. If he could catch them in time, he might...
Their angle became steeper, and with a horrific screech of metal Aven and Isaac crashed into the hard stone street of an alley. The first wing to hit snapped in half, the other bent as their bodies rolled. Telling himself not to panic, Kael closed the distance, gauntlet leading. A burning ember had tumbled free of Aven and Isaac upon landing, an evil thing of fire that lay dazed in the street. It didn’t take long to recover, and seeing the bodies, it hopped to its feet and sprinted. Patience kept Kael’s shots in check for a second, giving him a chance to judge the creature’s speed and path. Heart in his throat, he launched a lance of ice straight down.
The fireborn never even hesitated. The lance pierced the shrieking fireborn mere feet away from where Isaac lay. The momentum of the lance slammed the creature to the street, the ice shattering from impact against the stone while ripping the creature in half. Kael breathed a sigh of relief, then landed to survey the damage.
Aven’s body rested against a wall, his neck at an odd angle, his face locked in a terrible death scream. The Archon lay on his back beside him, hands clawing into the dirt as he choked down cries of pain. While Aven had taken the brunt of the damage from the creature’s claws, swaths of burns still marked Isaac’s left arm and chest. That he was breathing at all seemed a miracle.
The others landed around him, Avila tearing at the buckles of Sig’s harness to free herself.
“Isaac?” Avila said, kneeling beside her husband’s body. The Archon hissed as his back arched in pain. Flesh curled and peeled off his burns.
“Get...get her to safety,” he said.
“I’m not leaving you, so worry about yourself.” She examined his wounds further. “Where does it hurt?”
Despite his horrid condition, Isaac coughed out a pained laugh.
“Everywhere,” he answered.
Sig stepped over to Aven’s body, and he wiped his eyes before shutting off the dead man’s wings. That done, he gathered the other Seraphs to him.
“We can’t move Isaac like this,” he said. “The burns are bad enough, and God knows how many bones he’s broken. Carrying him may outright kill him, so that means we’re staying put.”
“It’s not safe here,” Clara said.
“It’s not safe anywhere,” Saul countered. “At least we’ve got walls on either side of us. I say we set up guard and wait for rescue. The rest of our Seraphim are bound to come looking for us.”
They all looked to Sig, the only experienced Seraph left among them. He ran a hand through his sandy brown hair, turned away for the slightest moment. When he looked back, his posture straightened, his words hardening as he assumed leadership.
“Clara and I will guard the entrances,” he said. “Saul, Kael, you two search the nearby buildings for fireborn. The safer the surrounding areas, the safer the royal family.”
Kael thudded a fist against his breast in salute, wishing he could feel as confident as Sig sounded. The older man walked to Isaac’s side and knelt down to speak with him and his wife and quietly explain their current plan. Before assuming her post, Clara wrapped her arms around Kael’s neck and pulled him close.
“Stay safe,” she said. “I’ve lost enough today. Don’t you dare let me lose you, too.”
Kael forced a smile to his face.
“Wasn’t planning on it,” he said.
She smiled back, but it was fleeting. Too much worry. Too much danger. When Clara stepped away, Saul nodded toward him, arms crossed over his chest.
“Let’s go,” he said.
Kael walked alongside as they exited the alley.
“How do we find them?” he asked.
“Seems simple enough,” Saul said, and he gestured to the many distant blazes. “Look for the fires.”
“I guess that’ll work,” Kael said, toggling life into his wings. “So circle above and slowly spread outward as we clear?”
“That’s the plan.”
Together they lifted off. Kael shifted his shield back and forth to stretch the muscles of his left arm. Though the light element within greatly reduced its weight, it was still a burden that steadily wore on him as the night continued. Keeping his sword sheathed, he flexed his open palm, the firing prism faintly glowing blue as the ice element within readied for battle.
The nearest homes appeared quiet and dark from above. The two Seraphs hovered a moment over the alleyway, Kael sending a worried glance Clara’s way. He doubted she could see his face, but his silver wings were easily visible, and she offered him a small wave. Breathing in deep, Kael took lead as they circled above the alleyway, gradually spreading outward to the surrounding homes. Kael spotted plenty of distant fires, including a particularly fierce one to the north, but he kept their path consistent. Chasing after every blaze they saw would only have them flying lost throughout the town, likely missing the fireborn as they raced about.
Kael caught movement from the side, turned to see Saul signaling with his hand.
Possible enemy.
He pointed to a home with flickering yellow light leaking through the closed shutters of its front window. Kael flew closer, choosing to remain in the air while Saul landed in the center of the street. With the height advantage he could guard Saul against an ambush from the rooftops. Saul drew a sword in his left hand, his right pulled back, ready to unleash his ice at a moment’s notice. Carefully he crept to the window, angling himself to the side to make room for his wings. Kael readied his own gauntlet, eyes dancing back and forth from the rooftop and the window. Saul tucked the fingers of his right hand into the blinds, braced, and then yanked them open.
Three fireborn burst from the home, cackling wildly. Saul screamed as he retreated, his wings flaring with light. Not attempting to fight, Kael realized, only fleeing into the air so they couldn’t overwhelm him. Kael dove downward, gauntlet open for a shot. One fireborn latched on to Saul’s right leg as he climbed, obsidian claws sinking into flesh. The other two leapt but missed, tumbling back down to the street. Four thin, sharp shards flashed from Kael’s palm as he closed the distance. The fireborn split in opposite directions, the ice shards shattering upon the stone. Kael pulled up and spun back to Saul.
“I’m fine,” Saul said, his sword jamming into the open mouth of the fireborn. It hissed, its blood dripping down on Saul’s leg, charring his clothes. A hard shove, and the body gave way, plummeting to the ground.
“Your leg,” Kael said, hovering still. Saul’s pant leg was torn where the creature had ripped into him, much of the exposed flesh a frightening red from burns.
“I said I’m fine,” Saul said. “I’m flying, not walking; now don’t let them escape!”
Kael chased the one north, Saul soaring south into the air. The fireborn weaved back and forth in front of Kael, occasionally glancing over its shoulder and laughing at him. He shot two more thin shards. It wouldn’t take much to kill the small creature, and he wanted to conserve his element as much as possible. He had a feeling he’d need it over the course of the long night. The shots missed, but they forced the fireborn to dodge, slowing it down long enough for Kael to close the distance.
>
“No you don’t,” Kael said as it suddenly veered left and dashed for the door of a home. In a maneuver that would make Bree proud, he cranked the throttle of his wings while twisting his body in a diving twirl. Killing his wings as quickly as he’d powered them, he came to a hard landing on one knee between the door and the fireborn. The creature lunged, but Kael’s shield was ready. Light flared across the metal as the fireborn made contact with its claws. It immediately recoiled, pale smoke rising from its hands as it let loose an unnerving shriek. Its claws, Kael realized. The shield had melted the demon’s claws, leaving nothing but smoking red nubs. The pain left it stunned, and Kael gave it no chance to recover. A shard of ice punched through its forehead, snapping it to the street, where it lay still, its shriek finally ending.
Kael walked closer to it, a shiver traveling up his spine despite his best attempts to remain calm.
“How did you break through?” he asked the corpse. “Why now, after all these years?”
A scream from farther up the street stole Kael’s attention. A couple sprinted down the center, the man wielding a sickle, the woman carrying a baby so young it was swaddled and hidden against her breast. Two fireborn imps chased after them, laughing as if playing a joyful game. Kael sprinted toward the family while powering up his wings.
“Get inside!” he shouted.
The father stumbled in the road and then collapsed, a fireborn leaping atop his back and sinking glowing fangs into his spine. The man howled with pain, thrashing on the ground in a futile attempt to shake the creature off. The mother stopped, screaming in horror at the sight. Kael barely heard it over the roar of distant fires and the cries of the dying father. The second fireborn neared, eyes on the mother. Kael aimed with his gauntlet, desperately begging that his aim would be true.
His lance of ice caught the demon in mid-leap, ripping through its chest and sending it flying into the nearby home. It lay there, still cackling, as its blood fell and hardened at its feet. Kael pushed the throttle higher as the other fireborn tore into the father with renewed ferocity. Clothing and flesh burned away, the claws digging deeper. Kael flew overhead, shield swinging low. He clipped the thing across the collar, throwing it off the man’s corpse. Twisting as hard as his waist and shoulders allowed, Kael tracked it with his gauntlet, then shot. His ice lance ripped through its throat as it reared up to howl in anger at being interrupted.
Killing his wings, Kael landed beside the mother, who rushed toward him.
“You have to help us!” she shouted. “You have to—”
“There’s nothing we can do for him,” he said, putting his hands on her shoulders and meeting her gaze. Tears filled her eyes, but she seemed to be hearing him through her shock. “Go inside and stay until morning, do you understand? It’s not safe here.”
“We tried,” the woman said. Her brown hair was matted on the left side of her head. Blood, Kael realized. He wondered how long she’d had the wound. “We tried to hide but they burned us out. They burned us out, and then they followed us, laughing. They killed my husband, they killed my...my...”
Her legs gave out and she collapsed to her knees. Kael felt horror rising in his chest, and he looked down to the wrapped bundle in the woman’s arms. The very quiet, very still bundle.
“I’m sorry,” he said. His words were empty, meaningless. She saw his sorrow, glanced at her child, her eyes bloodshot pools of denial as she realized what he’d seen.
“He’s fine,” she said. “He’s sleeping because of the pain, you hear me? He’s only sleeping.”
The woman dashed to the nearest home, beating and kicking on its door.
“Let me in!” she shouted. “Let me and my boy in!”
The door cracked open, someone inside said something, and then it swung wide just enough for her to enter. When it slammed shut, Kael felt his body trembling. Whether it was shock, rage, or sorrow he couldn’t even begin to guess. His nerves were fried. He wanted nothing more than for the night to end, yet it felt like daylight was still a lifetime away. With numb fingers he powered up his wings. He had to check on Saul, make sure he’d caught the other fireborn. Almost lazily he flew into the air, looking for the telltale silver glow. Sure enough, he found it, but not where he’d expected. Kael landed beside Saul, who leaned with his wings pressed against the front wall of a home, all his weight supported by his good left leg.
“I got it,” Saul said. His eyes were closed, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. Sure enough, a fireborn lay in two pieces at his feet, crimson blood hardened in a puddle between.
“Saul...,” Kael said, eyeing his wounded leg. Blood had begun seeping through the fabric, the exposed skin starting to peel.
“I’m fine.”
“That’s a lie and you know it.”
Saul opened his eyes and glared.
“I...am...fine,” he said, limping away from the wall. His wings lifted him up off the ground. “Right now there’s a hell of a lot of people in worse shape than I am, so let’s keep going.”
Kael grabbed the arm of his jacket to prevent him from leaving.
“You’re going to get yourself killed,” he said, locking gazes with Saul. “At least go back to protect the Archon. Clara or Sig can come with me instead.”
Saul pulled his arm back, but Kael refused to let go. The two stood there a moment, Saul’s feet hovering inches above ground, neither relenting to the other.
“All right,” Saul said. “Let’s go back. We should check on them anyway.”
If that was the excuse Saul needed, Kael was fine with that. They rose into the air, then returned to the alley where the royal family was hidden. Despite having no reason to fear otherwise, Kael was relieved to see Clara and Sig standing guard unharmed, one at each entrance. They landed beside Clara, who winced upon seeing Saul.
“What happened?” she asked.
“What do you think happened?” Saul said, his left leg gingerly accepting weight. His balance wavered, and Clara reached out to grab his shoulder to steady him.
“I need someone else with me,” Kael said.
“I’ll go,” Clara said. She cast Saul a look. “Rest here. Sig’s more than capable of keeping my parents safe.”
Saul pulled back from her grasp and braced against the wall.
“I’m not resting,” he said. “I’m taking your post. No one here has the right to rest while our people are dying.” Despite his obvious pain, Saul stood up as straight as he could and saluted to Clara. “I will protect the royal family,” he said. “Go help Kael patrol.”
Kael couldn’t decide if Saul’s stubbornness was impressive or annoying. Turning back to the street, his thumb dropped to the toggle to power his wings, then stopped. Kael tensed, torn between shock and disbelief. A single fireborn crouched on the opposite side of the street, its tail curled around its legs. No attack. No setting homes ablaze. Just calmly watching them. Kael lifted his gauntlet as he locked eyes with the creature. A grin spread across its face, sick and dripping with flame. That look of pleasure, of intelligence, was far more frightening than its sharpened claws.
“Don’t let it escape!” Kael shouted, flinging a single lance of ice. It had barely left his palm when the fireborn dashed into the street and beyond their sight. Two quick strides and then a leap took Kael into the air, his wings flaring silver as he gained speed. Clara followed, her own wings humming. Kael curled north in chase, racing high above the street.
“There!” Clara shouted. A trio of shards flew from her gauntlet, guiding Kael’s vision. The creature fled at a blistering pace, not even bothering to weave as it ran. Clara’s attacks landed just short, alerting the fireborn to their presence. It glanced over its shoulder once, hissed, and then slammed itself against the door of a nearby home. The wood charred and crumpled, offering little resistance to the fiery demon. Kael signaled to Clara, the two splitting to guard opposite ends of the two-story building. Kael kept his gauntlet ready, debating whether to enter the house in search. The fireb
orn knew the Archon’s location. If it somehow understood who he was, or his importance, it could find and bring others. No matter what, they couldn’t let it escape.
“Damn it,” Kael muttered as smoke began wafting out from a window on the second floor, followed by a frightened scream. Trusting Clara to catch the fireborn if it fled, Kael dropped down to the smoking window and smashed it open with his shield. Two children huddled atop a bed. Fire burned in little patches across the floor. Lying facedown before the stairs was the body of a man, his clothes aflame. The fireborn stood atop the dead man’s back, ripping into his flesh with its claws. Upon hearing the shutter break, it looked up from its work. Again that grin, that understanding. Kael let loose another lance of ice, this time anticipating the creature’s dodge. The fireborn fled down the stairs, exactly as Kael hoped. His lance ripped through its arm, severing it from its body. The thing howled bloody murder as it vanished.
“Bottom floor!” Kael shouted to Clara, who hovered directly over the rooftop in an attempt to cover all avenues of retreat. She spun, searching, and then he saw her jerk to one side and zoom away.
The children were crying, but Kael couldn’t do anything for them, couldn’t even spare the briefest moment to comfort them. The fireborn was off, Clara in pursuit, her silver wings a beacon amid the smoky black sky. Kael kicked off the building, rotated, and then pushed his wings to their maximum. Rooftops vanished in a blur beneath him, the great fire to the north rapidly approaching. Except buildings weren’t burning as he’d expected. None appeared aflame. Instead a great yellow glow washed over them.
Clara slowed, and Kael flew up to her side.
“I lost it,” Clara said, her eyes still sweeping back and forth below.
Kael pointed to the ominous glow.
“Seems like the obvious place to check,” he said.
Clara agreed. Together they dropped closer to the ground, flying just over the rooftops and into the cul-de-sac.
Kael and Clara both froze at the horrific sight. After the host of nightmares they’d already witnessed, this was too much to even understand. Kael lessened the power to his harness, his feet gently touching down on the rooftop. At first he thought a hole from Hell had somehow opened in the ground of Weshern. Fire bubbled in a grand circle, filling the street from side to side. More than a dozen fireborn flitted around it, rushing down streets or lunging unaffected into the pool. Those that fled from the hole went empty-handed, while those returning moved slower, burdened...
Fireborn Page 30
