The Infernal Aether

by Oxley, Peter

  One could be forgiven for thinking it was a man, for that was the creature’s general form. However, if one were brave—or foolhardy—enough to look closer, that impression was swiftly dispelled. It sneered at us with a simmering hatred, wearing a face which was dominated by searing red eyes and features which were slightly too large and angular. I could not help but consider that the creature looked like it had been created rather than born, by someone who had only a passing knowledge of human anatomy.

  “You,” said N’yotsu to the demon. “So you are the reason that this cretin came to possess the golems.”

  “A pleasure to see you again too,” said the demon. “The cretin here was just telling me about how our clay friends here nearly beat you into the ground. Very amusing.”

  Silas looked between the two, confused, while N’yotsu left my side to stand in front of the demon, leaving me feeling extremely exposed.

  “I have not seen you since we fought at that house which was possessed by spirits,” said N’yotsu. “I defeated you that time; I should be more than happy to repeat the treatment.”

  The creature laughed. “Did it not occur to you that I may have wanted you to win? I got what I wanted. I cared nothing for that little girl.”

  “The spirits?” said N’yotsu. “But why... ?”

  “What are you?” I blurted out before I could stop myself.

  Those red eyes turned toward me, burning into my head, into my very soul. I fought the urge to run away, screaming. “I am in every shadow behind every door,” said the demon. “I am every nightmare you never quite remember. I am that itching feeling at the back of your neck but when you look round there’s no one there. You are but mayflies to me, flickering and dying in the blink of an eye. I am Andras. I am forever, and this is my world!”

  N’yotsu grinned, a reaction completely at odds with how I felt in the face of that onslaught. “Very nice speech,” he said. “Do you recite it to everyone you meet, or did you learn it just for us?”

  Andras gestured and the nearest golem swung a huge fist, sending N’yotsu flying across the courtyard like a stone kicked by a child.

  “Do not taunt me,” Andras said, wiping its hand on a kerchief as though it had just crushed a rather messy fly. “You cannot comprehend what is coming to pass. These are all simply opening salvos in my plan. Soon you will all kneel to me and my kind.” It gestured again, this time to all of the golems which then rumbled into action.

  For want of anything better to do I ran over to N’yotsu. He groaned as I helped him to his feet. “So what now?” I asked.

  “Run?” he said. We took a step forward but it was too late; the advancing golems had cut off the entrance to the courtyard and any thoughts of escape through any other means were stifled by the leering form of Andras.

  The clay giants marched over, as impassive as the tide. With a sudden burst of clarity I resigned myself to my fate: I was going to die. I was surprised at how stoic I felt in the face of this realisation; in fact, there was a rush of relief at the thought. For once I knew that everything was going to be all right, that there was nothing I could do. A few moments of pain and then I need not worry about any of the petty things which filled my life, ever again.

  We watched as they approached and I felt the tension in N’yotsu’s body as he leant against me, lacking the strength to fight back but clearly willing himself to do so. I opened my mouth to reassure him, to try and coax him to accept his fate just as I had.

  The nearest golem raised a huge fist, its glowing eyes staring at us with pure impassiveness. I held my breath and gritted my teeth, readying myself for the blow which would follow.

  The creature flew sideways and buried itself into the wall. Half of the building fell on it and it lay still.

  We looked up to see another golem—our golem, the one which Kate had christened ‘Derek’—turning to face the others. On its back sat Kate, attached to its shoulders by some form of makeshift harness. “Afternoon, gents,” she grinned. “The cavalry’s ’ere!”

  One of the other attacking golems was thrust into the ground by Derek’s huge clay hand and then held there while Maxwell clambered onto the creature’s back and removed the shem. N’yotsu shouldered me to the side just as a huge fist smashed itself into the ground where I had been standing. He grunted and I realised that his leg had been caught by the blow. I looked up to see the creature bending over us, ready to strike again, and my sense of self-preservation returned to me in abundance. I scrabbled away, pulling N’yotsu with me. He found his footing and our combined momentum pushed us away from another impact which made my teeth rattle.

  We ran, stumbling from wall to wall, while the golem pursued us with a single-minded determination. My world became a blur of pain and dust and blood, a seemingly endless procession of running and ducking. We threw ourselves out of the way of one blow but, as I pulled myself up, I found myself face-to-face with the hideous grin of the creature which called itself Andras.

  I froze. Those searing eyes seemed to fill my world, sucking me in, analysing me, dissecting me, and finding me to be totally inconsequential.

  I had always considered myself to be a worldly-wise person, steeped in experience of the best and the worst that humanity had to offer. In my thirty-some years on Earth, I had rubbed shoulders with princes and saints, murderers and warlords. I had felt my share of pain and witnessed some truly despicable acts. But it was only in that brief moment of staring into the eyes of the creature before me that I understood true evil. And I was afraid; very afraid.

  There was a kind of dispassionate malice which seemed to permeate Andras’s whole being, as though it were the living embodiment of a fast-moving fire, consuming all before it without compunction or thought. We were nothing to this creature, I realised, nothing at all. It would willingly destroy us for no other reason than because we were there.

  I wanted desperately to run, but my body failed me and all I could do was watch as Andras loomed over me. “I wasn’t planning to get my hands dirty,” it said. “But maybe I’ll indulge myself. Let’s call you an aperitif.” It reached a clawed hand out to me and I fancied that I could feel the burning pain of its touch before any contact was made.

  I was thrust out of the way and to the floor, the breath forced from me as I landed awkwardly. Winded, I rolled onto my back and tried to make sense of what was happening.

  N’yotsu had shoved me out of the way and now stood facing Andras in my place. My friend appeared to have tapped into his remarkable reserves once more, and showed no sign of the wounds and fatigue which had slowed him down just minutes earlier. He was a solid wall as he clenched his fists, imposing himself between me and what had seemed certain death mere seconds previously.

  A hand appeared before me and I looked up to see Maxwell, concern etched on his face. I accepted his offer of assistance and allowed him to help me to my feet, giving him a brief smile to let him know that I was unharmed.

  “Ah, the scientist,” said Andras, peering over N’yotsu’s shoulders.

  “Leave them be,” said N’yotsu, but the demon ignored him.

  “The more successful of the siblings,” noted Andras, causing my cheeks to burn as I both recognised and resented the truth in its words. “It must be so frustrating,” continued the demon. “Being dragged down by your impetuous thug of a brother, always being pulled away from your life’s work to accompany him on yet another fool’s errand. Think of how much more you could achieve if you were not forced to nursemaid him through every self-created crisis.”

  I clenched my fists. “I resent your tone,” I said and brought my pistol out of my coat pocket, aiming it at the demon’s head.

  “But not the words?” grinned the demon. “Is that because I speak the truth? By-the-by, I should advise you not to discharge that weapon; it cannot harm me, but it will irritate me. And you do not want to see me when I am irritated.”

  I held the pistol uncertainly; I believed the demon in that it probably could not be harmed
by such a temporal weapon. Then again, it at least helped me feel that I was doing something to fend off the creature and fight back.

  “He is my brother,” said Maxwell. “No one speaks ill of him in front of me.”

  Andras sighed. “Well, we all have our cross to bear, so to speak.” He grinned at the expressions on our faces. “Yes, even demons use biblical phrases. Quite an entertaining story; the bit where they nailed him to a tree was the best part. Gave me so many ideas.” The demon turned back to my brother. “I could give you release from all that drudgery; the opportunity to achieve true greatness. Think about it. You could be the greatest scientist the world has ever seen. I could give you knowledge the like of which your kind has never known. Your name would be lauded through the ages.”

  “Why would you do that?” asked Maxwell.

  “That is what I do,” said Andras. “I help people, in return for little favours. Is that not right, Silas?”

  The battered scrawny man stepped hesitantly out of the safety of the shadows. “Yeah,” he said.

  “And what bargain did you strike, in return for your clay thugs?” I asked Silas.

  “That is a private matter, between him and me,” said Andras. “Now, Maxwell, I have a proposition for you; I have need of your scientific skills. In return, I shall provide you with knowledge beyond your wildest dreams.”

  Maxwell paused and for a moment I feared the worst but then he looked up, his jaw set firm. “Never. I shall never assist the like of you.”

  “Very well,” Andras sighed and then looked round as the last of the golems thudded to the ground, felled by Derek. “It looks as though my side of our little bargain is now complete,” Andras said to Silas. “Time for me to collect my due.”

  Silas took a step backwards. “No, please.”

  Andras clicked two clawed fingers together and Silas fell backward through a door made of molten, burning flesh which appeared out of thin air and disappeared just as abruptly, cutting off his scream.

  Andras grinned at us “This has been fun. We will meet again.” Before any of us could react, it launched into the air and out of sight.

  *

  We sat down together, exhausted and grateful to be alive but not entirely sure how we had achieved such a feat. Around us lay the dull, immobile forms of the golems, an elephant’s graveyard of bizarre proportions. I looked up at Derek, the one remaining golem. “What should we do with that?” I asked.

  “I’ve got a mate down the docks who’s always looking for help in lifting and stuff,” said Kate. “How about I take Derek there?”

  “Sounds as good a plan as any,” said Maxwell. “Although I should like to have access to the creature so that I can understand the relationship between the shem and the golem’s animation.”

  “That’s a deal then,” said Kate, jumping to her feet. “Come on, Derek.” The unlikely couple stomped out of the courtyard.

  “So what do you think happened to Silas?” I asked.

  “From what we witnessed, I suggest that he is now in another realm, no doubt connected in some aspect with the Aether,” said N’yotsu.

  “Mmm,” said Maxwell. “It is a shame that I did not have any apparatus to hand to record the phenomenon of his disappearance. I shall return later to see if I can detect any residual activity.”

  “But what about Silas?” I asked. “If he is in another realm, then what is Andras planning to do with him there?”

  “I suspect it is not pleasant,” said N’yotsu. “But now that we have a name for the demon, we can do some research into its nature, which in turn may give us some clue as to its intentions, not to mention how to counter them.” He turned to Maxwell. “I propose that we spend some time leafing through some of the seminal demonic texts this evening.”

  “But a man’s life…” I started.

  N’yotsu acknowledged my rising frustration with a half-shrug.

  “From what I experienced of Silas, I do not think his demise is much of a loss to humanity, do you? But nevertheless, our research may help us to establish where he is, should you feel the need to mount a daring rescue. More troubling, though, are the intentions of the demon. That is at least twice now that our paths have crossed, neither time appearing to be a coincidence.”

  I felt a chill down my spine. “You mean to say the creature is stalking us?”

  “It certainly seems to know a lot about us,” mused Maxwell. Then, in response to my wounded expression, added: “However misplaced its interpretations may be.”

  N’yotsu frowned. “I fear that I may have inadvertently endangered you both by drawing you into my investigations. Perhaps it is time that I moved on; maybe in that way I can draw the demon with me. It was, after all, my pursuit of the monster which started this mess.”

  “Nonsense,” said Maxwell. “You have provided me with some fascinating insights into areas which I had hitherto mistakenly dismissed as dead-ends. You said yourself the other day that we have only begun to scratch the surface of the various lessons and techniques you picked up on your travels.”

  “And in any case,” I said, “we would not dream of abandoning you to the mercies of that creature on your own. For good or ill, we are a team now, and as such we stand and fall together.”

  N’yotsu grinned. “I count my blessings that our paths crossed those weeks ago. Truly fortuitous.”

  I looked at the pistol in my hand. “I do think that we need some more effective methods of fighting off that demon, given the likelihood of us encountering it again.”

  “Agreed,” said Maxwell. “I have a few ideas in that regard.” He grimaced as he caught sight of the grin on my face. “But only if you promise to wield them judiciously and with maturity.”

  “I know of no other way,” I said solemnly, fighting the urge to cheer; for years I had tried to guide my brother toward using his talents for something interesting. “So what next?” I asked.

  “We do some research,” said N’yotsu. He laughed at the expression which flashed across my face. “There will be plenty to do for all of us and, whilst your interests do not extend to the scientific, there is much which you could be engaged in to help advance our cause. If I am correct in suspecting that the demon has been leading us along for the past few weeks, then I believe it is time that we took the initiative. But we will need as much manpower as we can muster to assist us in this effort.”

  “Indeed,” said Maxwell. “And I know just the man to assist us. I have an old friend who now resides in Yorkshire who is close to my equal in matters of this nature. We should enlist his assistance; I shall send word to him at once.”

  “Capital!” said N’yotsu. “But I wonder whether perhaps we should pay this friend of yours a visit? If the demon is stalking us, then it would be prudent to lead it away from such a densely populated area as London.”

  “And a break from The Smoke would do us good,” I said. “I was thinking earlier how much I missed travelling.”

  PART FIVE - WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE

  CHAPTER 19

  I ran through endless oak-panelled corridors, past row after row of ornately framed portraits, the subjects of which observed my panicked progress through long-dead eyes.

  My lungs ached but I dared not pause, lest my pursuers catch me. From behind came the sounds of their relentless progress, and that infernal tick-tock which seemed to fill my whole world...

  *

  Just a few days previously I had been seated in the latest of a long line of carriages seemingly designed with the express purpose of conveying passengers as uncomfortably as possible. Apart from transporting us from one part of the country to the other, the succession of horse-and steam-powered coaches had primarily served to increase my nostalgia for airships; in spite of what I might have said in the past, it seemed that I truly was a child of the skies. I allowed myself a brief grin. If Freddie knew how I felt at that moment, I would never have heard the end of it. But then again, such knowledge would be an impossibility; our last meeting wa
s as final a parting as was possible to manage.

  Kate intruded on my ruminations by laughing at one of N’yotsu’s comments, reminding me of the presence of my travelling companions and my plight. I had hoped that our break from London would allow my shredded nerves to recuperate, picturing an endless stream of elegant balls and late night parties. Instead, I had been forced to endure uncomfortable carriages and bracing walks.

  “Stop glaring at us,” said Kate. “You’ve been a miserable so-and-so ever since we left London. If you’re hating it so much you could’ve gone on your own tour without us.”

  “But then he would have spent the whole time walking and sleeping in hedgerows,” Maxwell observed from behind one of his books. “My brother conveniently forgets that without me he would be without funds for this entire endeavour.”

  “Correction,” I said, folding my arms. “I have not forgotten. How could I with your constant reminders?”

  Kate regarded me with raised eyebrows and a slight smile. I remained at a loss as to why Maxwell and N’yotsu had insisted on bringing her along, given that they seemed to have precious little need for a domestic at home, let alone on the road. Her role as far as I could tell consisted of being a combination of nursemaid and bodyguard, which was frankly ridiculous given that they were both thoroughly able grown men, albeit men with a mulish refusal to be involved in anything not revolving around either science or books.

  Maxwell’s reading had been the source of much of the early tension on our trip, as a careless porter in London had mislaid a number of cases containing his precious books and equipment. It was only that morning that the cases had caught up with us at our hotel in York. No sooner had they arrived than Maxwell had immersed himself in them, with a gusto similar to how I approached my blessed beverages each evening. At least it had put an end to his quite insulting reviews of my loaned copies of All the Year Round.