Dreams of Fury: Descendants of the Fall Book IV

by Hodges, Aaron

  Where then? he whispered.

  Sophia stirred alongside him, and he sensed her joining in the search for the Old One. The creature had disappeared from their view the day before, after their message, but surely if she were working her influence here, they could find her.

  Perhaps if they worked together…

  Reaching for Sophia’s aid, Lukys shivered as their consciousnesses overlapped, the lifetimes of knowledge they possessed uniting within their twin minds.

  And looking to the sky, they saw finally the darkness of the Old One, the tendrils of aura criss-crossing the battlefield, feeding the base emotions of the warring men and women. They rose from the gathered ranks, trailing towards the distant horizon.

  Their hearts beat quicker, and as one, the Sovereigns set out after those threads. They could see the truth now, that Maya was far from this place, still somehow able to influence the battle, but…that influence was wanning. With their united power, they just might…

  There!

  The Sovereigns touched the Old One’s consciousness, but recoiled from what they sensed there. Not anger or fear, not even desire. Within Maya’s mind they found only darkness, only a hatred that consumed all it touched. This creature’s sanity had fled long ago, leaving only the husk of a person, a remnant with but one goal, one desire.

  To destroy.

  What is this?

  The Sovereigns shuddered as a Voice grated upon their consciousness. They drew back, seeking to escape, but it was already too late. The Old One had sensed their presence. Their hearts twisted as her attention fell upon them.

  Is that a human I sense? There was curiosity in her voice, confusion too. No…something else? Not one of the Tangata…nor even the Anahera…something…older? There was a pause, as though the Old One were contemplating something. What are you?

  The Sovereigns shuddered as the pressure upon their minds grew, the Old One seeking to pierce the veil of their thoughts, to infect their minds with her madness. But they were not what they had once been, not a naïve boy who dreamed of war, nor the innocent Tangata in search of love. Those parts still existed, but they were something else now. Something more.

  We are the Sovereigns of Perfugia, they replied in unison, hurling the words at the Old One. And we stand united against you.

  The Sovereigns felt a moment of satisfaction as this time it was the Old One who recoiled, the barriers of her mind rising to guard against their power. For a fleeting moment, they glimpsed something more amidst the madness, a flicker of gold. Fear?

  Sovereigns? No…no, that is a lie. You are something else, yes, but… she trailed off, then a brilliant light flared, and Lukys sensed shock from the ancient creature. Yes…I sense you now, Tangata, Chiara. What magic did you discover, that you persevere still?

  Something responded within the Sovereigns at those names, a roiling deep within their souls, as consciousnesses long dormant struggled to wake. They were the names of those who had stood in the circle all those centuries ago and opposed Maya, the first to have passed their memories on to their descendants, to form the tradition of the Sovereigns.

  Shivering, Lukys his tore himself from those memories, from the drowning ocean. As he did so, he felt his consciousness separate from Sophia, emerging from the depths of the Sovereigns. Suddenly alone, he found himself drifting before the Old One, before their enemy.

  And for the first time, Lukys realised where she was. Darkness loomed about the Old One, an impenetrable black, an emptiness no eye could pierce.

  Yet Lukys recognised that darkness all the same.

  She had already reached the tunnels beneath the earth, the ancient site in which they sought to trap her.

  But it was his friends who were walking into a trap.

  Cara! he screamed desperately, reaching for the young Anahera. Beware!

  32

  The Queen

  Erika cried out as a face appeared in the darkness. A voice behind echoed her—then Cara was there, hurling her back, spreading her wings to fill the narrow corridor.

  For just a moment, Erika longed to stand back, to turn and flee back the way they’d come, to escape the tunnels, the darkness, the history of this terrible place.

  But then she saw Darien standing alongside her, face hard, eyes on the creature that lurked in the darkness. His blade was already in hand, ready to face the enemy, and Erika knew she could not flee. Her duty was here in this darkness, to her people, to humanity.

  Drawing in a breath, Erika turned and stepped up alongside Cara. Movement came from their other side as Amina joined them, barely able to fit in the narrow space. Erika cursed inwardly. This was the last place they wanted to face a creature such as Maya.

  Laughter whispered in the darkness, low and haunting, empty of mirth or joy or…anything. Hairs rose on the back of Erika’s neck as she watched Maya emerge from the gloom. Her long hair hung around her shoulders, bleached of all colour in the light of the gauntlet, and her eyes…her eyes had bled to black in this place, so that it seemed two empty voids watched them from the face of the Old One.

  “Magic wielder,” the creature whispered, and the darkness fixed on Erika. “I know you, do I not?” She nodded, taking a step closer. “Yes, the human who escaped with the young Anahera, the same one I see here, I suppose.”

  A growl came from Cara and Erika quickly grasped her friend’s arm, steadying her. This creature was far more deadly than those Cara had once fought, the pair she had defeated alone. Those had been weakened by their long sleep, while Maya…Maya had been awake for months now.

  No, if they were to attack, it must be together.

  Though…Erika’s stomach twisted in horror as her suspicions were confirmed. The Old One was with child. And while only a month had passed since the City of the Gods, Maya looked to be ready to give birth any day now.

  “It was a clever ruse,” the Old One continued, leaning her head to the side. “Luring me away from my followers, bringing me here.” She cackled suddenly, advancing a step. “Or was it I who lured you here? My greatest enemies all gathered in one place, ripe for the slaughter?”

  A chill spread through Erika at the creature’s words. That couldn’t be true, could it?

  The laughter continued. “Your scheming matters not, human. The Tangata are mine now. They will destroy your precious city, whether I am with them or not.” Her voice hardened and she took another step. “As for you…well, I will ensure your deaths are long, for taunting me so with the promise of my mate.”

  Erika shuddered as she felt something dark touch her mind. Her fear responded to that touch, swelling to terror. Even as she recognised the touch of the Old One, had known to expect it from Lukys and Cara’s warnings, still she found herself trembling, her knees shaking, the strength fleeing her limbs…

  … abruptly, the sensation lessened, dwindling, as though someone or something had turned off the tap of her terror.

  The Old One didn’t seem to notice though, as turning to the walls of the tunnel, she ran her hand across the stone.

  “What memories these places hold,” she said softly. “You have no idea the atrocities humanity committed here, the ghastly experiments they committed against our kind, against to her kind.” She paused, leaning her head to the side.

  Cara began to scream. Erika spun to the Goddess, expecting an attack, some surprise assault from the darkness. Instead, she found Cara staggering backwards, wings thrashing, fingers clawing at her face, mouth stretched wide as her amber eyes lit the darkness. A moan rattled from the back of her throat, building into another scream.

  The Old One was doing something to the Anahera, showing her something. Before Erika could react though, Cara’s screams died away, leaving only the echoes calling back to them through the endless tunnels. The Goddess stilled, her wings still stretched wide, poised as though about to flee. The rasping of her desperate breaths filled the silence.

  “Cara,” Erika took a step towards her friend, hand outstretched.

&n
bsp; A shriek came from the Anahera as she leapt back, eyes wild, their colour swirling from yellow to grey. Erika froze, as behind her, the Old One’s voice whispered in the darkness.

  “Now she knows,” Maya murmured. “Now your pet has seen the truth, human. Do you think she will forgive the terrors your kind committed upon her ancestors, the betrayals?” She turned her attention to Cara. “Well, child? Will you serve your tormentors still? Or will you finally throw off your chains?”

  A tremor shook Cara as some of the light returned to her eyes, the yellow glow, though as she looked at Erika, a new emotion appeared in her friend’s eyes.

  Fear.

  “Cara,” Erika said urgently, seeking to drown out the Old One, though the creature might even now be whispering into the Goddess’s mind. “Cara, it’s me. You know me. I am not my ancestors. I will not allow my people to repeat the mistakes of our forefathers.”

  “Won’t you?” Cara whispered, the words seemingly torn from the depths of her throat. Her eyes fell to the gauntlet on Cara’s hand. “Truly? You wield their magic, have dug into their hidden places, sought their secrets.”

  “Yes, child, see the truth,” Maya’s voice came again. “See them for what they are—wild, reckless. This creature would do anything for the power of her forefathers, would commit any crime for their secrets.”

  Erika opened her mouth to deny the charge, but found the words would not come. She swallowed, wondering…how much truth there was in Maya’s claim. She looked again to Cara, knowing a part of her could not deny the Old One’s words, only…

  …that was the old Erika, was it not? The Archivist who had dug so recklessly into the past, who would have done anything to fill the void left by her father’s death, by her exile.

  Erika was no longer that woman, but…she had responsibilities of her own now, to her kingdom, to her people. If the powers of the ancients could save them…

  “I…” Erika trailed off, struggling to find the words. “I…we are not them, Cara,” she said finally, the words lame, even to her.

  “Aren’t you?” her friend replied, and Erika saw her eyes flicker, shifting to where Amina stood nearby. The Flumeeren queen stared back, face betraying none of the emotion hidden within. “Aren’t you exactly like them? Didn’t your people torture my mother, twist her, break her, murder her. And all for what? For her knowledge, for the secrets she possessed.”

  Erika let her hand fall to her side. Cara stood staring at her with those soft yellow eyes, and she could see the pain there, the hurt the Goddess had carried since the day they’d realised the truth, had discovered the fate of her missing mother.

  “You’re right,” Erika said at last. Her eyes caught the queen’s, and she saw the slightest of smirks there, the satisfaction. This woman held no regret for Cara’s pain. “Some of us are terrible,” Erika continued in a whisper. “All of us have that capacity, whether we be human, Tangata, or Anahera. But I swear to you, Cara, there are others amongst us who want to do better, who would create a world for all of us.” She drew in a breath. “But I can’t do it without you, Cara, without your light to guide the way. Please, I need your help.”

  She trailed off, watching the silent Goddess, staring into those golden eyes. Hesitantly, Erika offered her hand again. The moment stretched out, a silence hanging in the air as the others watched on, waiting.

  Until finally, Cara reached out and clasped her hand around Erika’s.

  “Okay,” she whispered.

  Laughter answered the pronouncement. “So disappointing,” Maya rumbled. “I thought for sure the child would throw off your shackles, human.” She grimaced. “Alas, it was not to be so. Her kind were always weak, their will easily corrupted.” She paused, then turned, the dark pits of her eyes fixing on another. “And what of you, half-blood queen? Are you ready to embrace your true power?”

  Footsteps sounded in the gloom as Amina advanced into the light of Erika’s gauntlet. Her smile did not falter as she looked from Erika and Cara to the Old One. She shook her head as she appraised the creature.

  “All my life,” she murmured. “I have been waiting for your arrival, Chead. You think I would join you now?”

  33

  The Fallen

  Standing in the darkness, Adonis listened to the thrum of Maya’s Voice, the swirling strength of her hatred…

  …and felt it weaken.

  An inner gasp escaped Adonis as he emerged from the pain, from the crushing agony of his own regret, as Maya’s influence over his mind retreated.

  A shudder shook him as he returned to himself, looking across the tunnel to where the humans stood. What did the creatures think they were doing, coming here, thinking they could face the Old One alone? The Anahera might fight for a while, resisting the power of Maya’s Voice, but even he could sense the divisions amongst those the others. The Old One would turn them against one another before any managed to strike a blow.

  She played the calm Matriarch now, but when they had arrived in his place earlier, her rage had been terrible to behold. To discover her mate’s absence, that the humans had tricked her, manipulated her…

  …no, none would leave this place alive. Maya could have crushed them already, could have broken their minds as she had his. Why she had not already, Adonis could not comprehend. Nor why her influence on him had lessoned. Her Voice still touched him, fixing him in place where he stood hidden in the shadows. But the unrelenting agony she had used to torture him had at least vanished.

  Somehow, he was not surprised to see the human and young Anahera from the mountains, the ones that had escaped. Even less so the half-blood queen. After witnessing her fight on the river, Adonis had known she would come.

  But why had Maisie followed them here?

  Beyond the three with power, she stood with another human, armed only by a simple blade. No magic or strength to protect her, just a regular sword, barely enough to fend off a feeble human, let alone the strength of the Old One.

  When he’d first seen her, he’d wanted to scream for her to run, to flee. But even with his mind restored, his Voice remained mute, unable to reach out in warning to the Anahera, let alone the Voiceless Maisie. He couldn’t save her this time. He couldn’t even save himself.

  Instead Adonis remained hidden, locked in his master’s metal grip, waiting for what was to come, to witness the doom of humanity and his own kind both.

  “Give up, Maya.” To his surprise, it was Maisie who finally spoke. “You’re all alone, outnumbered. Your time has come.”

  Laughter answered the human’s words. Adonis might have laughed with the Old One. Little did the poor human know the darkness she faced.

  “Human, it seems I underestimated you. I should have realised one of your kind, even injured and alone, would find a way to survive. Had I known Adonis could be so easily influenced by your words, I would have killed you both that day.” Maya’s words turned to a cackle. “But you are wrong, my dear child. I am not alone.”

  At her words, Adonis felt a compulsion, the pressure returning to his mind as the Old One refocused her attention on him. Though her Voice was weaker than it had been earlier, it was still enough to propel him forward. Head lowered, Adonis stepped into the light of the human’s magic. A hiss of inhaled breath followed his appearance.

  “Adonis.”

  Despite Maya’s compulsion, Adonis’s head jerked up at that, surprised at the emotion in Maisie’s voice. But his ears did not deceive him, as looking upon the swirls of her aura, he read the impossible rainbow of the human’s soul.

  He wanted to speak to her, to ask what had become of the Anaheran children—but instead the full force of Maya’s Voice returned, crashing upon him like a landslide. And instead of reaching out with his Voice, a soft rumble came from his throat and he drew back his lips, the hatred in his heart responding to Maya’s own. In that moment, Adonis saw again the truth, that this was the creature who had tricked him, that had caused him to betray his own people.

  Fis
ts clenched, teeth bared, he took a step towards the human.

  “Adonis,” the human gasped, retreating from him. “No…”

  Anger raged within Adonis, at his naivety, his foolishness, that he had allowed this pathetic creature to manipulate him, to trick him. He wanted to reach out and tear her apart, to finally earn redemption.

  Only Maya’s Voice held him back.

  “I suppose it was for the best,” the Old One mused, her words mocking as she addressed the human. “Tell me, how are your new allies, the Anahera? I do not see them here, apart from their rebellious daughter.” Her smile grew as the humans said nothing. “Oh my poor dears, did they abandon you?” Laughter echoed through the tunnel. “It is good to know they shall never change. The Tangata might be weak and foolish, but at least they are not craven.”

  Her words pierced the fog of Adonis’s thoughts, and for a moment he was as a man drowning, struggling to keep his consciousness above the miasma of Maya’s power. He clenched his fists, yearning to turn and strike at his captor, but…

  …instead all he managed was a growl. Maya laughed again, though this time it seemed her mirth was directed at him…

  “For what it’s worth, human, know that the Anahera will not escape me,” Maya whispered. “When your civilisation burns and the world belongs to me, I will have my servants hunt them down, bring them my retribution. Just as extinction beckons for humanity, so it will come for them.”

  A growl answered Maya’s words as the winged one straightened, eyes flashing in the darkness. “The only extinction that beckons is yours, Maya.”

  Silence fell as the Old One regarded her foes, a smile touching her lips. “An unusual alliance,” she mused. “I have read your hearts, know your minds. If this is the best your kind can send against me, I am not impressed. Three women, rejected, spurned by their own blood, by their people. How far the world has fallen.” She spread her hands and grinned. “But very well, children. Come to me, and I will gladly grant the death you seek.”