by SGD Singh
Tears poured down her face as Asha looked down at him, shaking her head.
“I'm… so sorry, Himat…”
Himat spread his arms with a sad smile, and Asha collapsed against him, her head to his chest, shaking with sobs as he wrapped her in his arms with a content sigh.
And they stayed like that, with the blue water glowing against the smoke-filled night and the deafening sounds of battle raging in the smoldering forest until Himat's arms loosened around her, falling to the gore-covered dirt, and Asha strained to hear his last fading heartbeat, her tears drying as rage took the place of sorrow.
And just like that, Asha knew where Ranya was.
Chapter 52
Clear your mind, Asha. If you value Aquila's life. Clear. Your. Mind!
She took slow, deep breaths. Time and space drifted to the infinite past, stretching to an unending future, blurring the present.
Locking her mind inside a neutral, detached calm, Asha opened her glowing eyes and crouched next to Himat's lifeless body. Lifting his long jacket aside, she removed his bichawa knife from his weapons belt and tucked it into her own. Bringing her lips to his forehead, she whispered, “Extrañaremos tu bellaza y tu coraje.” Your beauty and courage will be missed.
Rising, Asha looked at the dying flames of the forest. Smoke-shrouded figures danced in vicious combat to the music of the dying. She turned from them and sprinted along the water's edge, swallowed into the darkness.
She shifted, circling the roof of the fort within seconds. The silhouettes of Hua Tseng and Freya stood on the far side of the stone ramparts, the Illusionists' arms outstretched.
Scanning the roof, Asha didn't see Shaan or Li Tsia.
She glided down the stairway and over the indoor garden, the sounds of the fight outside muffled in the still darkness. Asha landed silently on her human feet at the stone door leading down to the hospital and the weapons forgery.
The portal.
Asha reached to open the stone door, and nearly fell down the spiraling stairs. The door was already open, only gaping darkness beyond it. A few steps down, she saw Yael. His throat had been cut from ear to ear, a knife handle protruded from his round chest, and blood pooled around his head.
Jumping silently over the corpse, Asha kept her tranquil, indifferent calm with hardly any effort now. She moved down the stairs, revolver raised.
She ignored the training rooms and found the next staircase in the near-pitch darkness from memory.
The Moroccan lamps down here were also extinguished, and Asha moved along the silent hospital floor, wondering for a split second, through numb serenity, where Jiao Wan was. Dismissing the thought just as quickly, she descended the familiar stairs until they evened out and she knew she faced the metal Weapons door.
Even with super human sight, she could see nothing. Moving forward, her foot hit something soft and Asha stopped, firing a flare to the right, lighting the landing with ultra-violet light she knew her enemy could not see.
Signs of violent struggle covered the walls and floor. The dark, clawed remains of Asura scattered across the stone, still evaporating.
The huge figure of Li Tsia, so similar in size and build to Nidhan, lay still, so still, near the smaller figure of Jiao Wan, their limbs twisted, their throats torn open. Jiao Wan's red hair looked purple in the light, her Healer ring shining, and Asha inhaled deeply, struggling to maintain her indifference. Fury flared against her mind like lightning.
You can't help them now, damn it. Just breathe. Save the rage for when you can use it.
And then Asha was through the open door, moving on silent feet through the dark room by the fading light of the flare behind her. A soft glow guided her past the fires of the weapons foundry, her Seer's instincts leading her down another set of narrow stairs toward the sound of rushing water. Asha felt, rather than saw, the room open up as cold air billowed around her and, moving with weapons raised, Asha followed it.
The now-familiar green glow grew in the distance, and the sounds grew louder beyond what looked like hundreds of stone pillars. Breaking into a jog, Asha moved toward the light.
Asura blocked her way.
Flashes of her fears flickered at her like dark flames licking at her mind. Aquila dying. Lexi being tortured. Her father, her mother, her grandfather…
“C'mon!” Asha challenged. “Is that all you got? C'mon!”
The Asura seemed to shrug before moving in on her, reverting to their True Forms, pitch smoke and, violet eyes shining against their shadowy figures, claws outstretched. A clicking noise that reminded Asha of insects filled the darkness as they swirled at her with blinding speed.
Spinning out of their reach, Asha fired holy water bullets at the first three, who recoiled with shrieks like nails on a chalk board.
Asha shifted and jumped above their heads, the way she had seen Aquila do, just as the crowd of Asura closed in around her. She landed again with katars out, slicing into the Underworlders, even as she pulled the life force from them, moving with increased speed as Asura fell around her.
Silence.
Black smoke swirled as the remaining Asura reinforcements fell back.
“Cobardes sucias…” Asha muttered, breaking into a jog. Dirty cowards.
As she neared the light, she saw that the carved pillars circled a natural underground clearing, where water rushed beneath narrow walkways, bubbling cheerfully as it splashed onto the edges of the circular stones. Asha slowed her pace. Warm fires burned in torches along the surrounding pillars, illuminating an arched ceiling above the carved stone floor.
And at its center, three figures stood silhouetted against the green flames.
One of the figures moved, delicate white silk flowing around her petite figure, green light glinting against the metal claws at the end of her delicately feminine arms.
Ranya.
Asha stood in the shadow of a pillar, controlling her breathing, and looked at the other two figures. A chill skittered across her spine. The two men, their backs to her, didn't seem to breathe. Asha focused her eyes on one of them, counting. Sixty. Eighty. The figure remained completely still, as unmoving as a statue.
“I know you're there, Asha,” Ranya called, making her jump. “I can almost taste your delectable power… those Asura are appetizing, am I right?” A high laugh.
Asha stepped out of the darkness into the firelight, still behind the statue-like figures.
Reaching for her long spear, Ranya spun to face her. “There you are! And not a single scratch on you…” She pouted, glaring into the darkness beyond the pillars. Six Asura stepped into the light, fanning out on either side of the Witch, black writhing smoke avoiding the splashing water.
Tucking her weapons back into her belt, the realization hit Asha. “You were here. After that bracelet, you've been down here, all this time.” She looked beyond the circle at the stone floor. “Not very cozy.”
Moving around the fire, Ranya twirled her spear and smiled at Asha. “One of the perks of being raised by Asura is learning how to, shall we say, forego a few luxuries. It really wasn't that hard. Once you have an inside man, anything's doable.” She studied Asha. “How have you been? I'll be honest, you look… distressed, Asha. I wish you'd realize that opening a portal really isn't something to get your cheap thong in a twist over.”
“Right. If you don't mind killing everyone.”
“Oh, please!” Ranya rolled her eyes. “Of course I don't plan on killing everyone!” She tilted her head back and laughed. Asha could have sworn the Asura closest to her were smiling.
“And where is darling Slaughter tonight?” Asha asked, looking around the circle.
Ranya smirked. “Wouldn't you like to know?”
“No, actually I don't give a shit.” Asha yawned. “I was just trying to make polite conversation.”
“Spicy!” Ranya giggled. “He's not here, so relax.”
“Relax and what?” Asha said. “Watch you take over the world?”
Ra
nya approached Asha, studying her spear in the firelight, and Asha made herself stand still as the Witch came closer. Bringing her eyes to Asha's, Ranya stood still as death and abruptly stopped smiling. “Is that what you thought I wanted? To rule your pathetic little realm?”
Asha met her eyes, unflinching, and shrugged, feigning boredom.
Ranya brought her spear across Asha's chest with inhuman speed and shoved. Asha stumbled against a pillar, throwing a knife that Ranya barely dodged. A slash across her cheek began to pour blood, and the Witch hissed, wiping a clawed hand across her face. When she brought her hand away, Ranya's cheek was smooth.
“You've misunderstood me all this time.” She smiled, her face the image of sweet innocence. “I don't want to rule your world. I want to destroy it.”
Asha forced back the sick feeling and focused her mind on indifferent calm. She contemplated the ceiling. “Turn the realm upside down, something like that? Well, why stop here? Why not destroy all seven?”
Ranya clapped her hands in delight. “See? This is what I love about you, Asha. I'm glad we were so unsuccessful in killing you. We think alike, you and me.”
Asha watched her, trying to figure out how to cut her head off. If she wasn't so goddamned fast…
“I wonder if you ever realized in that tiny pea-brain of yours,” Ranya was back to conversational pacing, “that humans are actually Underworlders. Oh, yes! What have you parasites not destroyed? Killing everything, consuming and polluting every natural resource you can get your greedy hands on. Over all devastation and ruin throughout known history. Think about it! What else does that in this pathetic realm of yours? And the diseases you spread! Some of them make an Asura scratch look like a kitten bite.”
“Hell of a kitten,” Asha mumbled. She really was getting bored now. “So you're doing everyone a favor by cleansing the world through death and destruction. How delightfully original.”
Ranya narrowed her eyes at Asha, stopping in mid-stride. “I should've expected a selfish Infernal Guard bitch such as yourself to sneer.”
Asha snorted. “I agree that humans are capable of rationalizing pretty much anything. Apparently Witches are, too. Even Infernal Guard-born Witches.”
Screaming, Ranya lunged at Asha, her smug composure vanishing as she lashed out with her metal nails. Asha barely jumped aside, kicking out. She felt her foot connect with flesh, and Ranya stumbled, holding her side, her eyes full of wild hate. “Don't you ever… I will rip your freakish eyes out and make you eat them, you lying whore!”
Asha stared in disbelief. “Wait… why do you think you can do what you do? Of course you're Guard! Asura took you w—”
“I said shut up!” Ranya was livid. “My parents left me! They left me to a fate you can't even begin to imagine! I would rather freeze and die a million agonizing deaths in the deepest darkest hell than be one of you.”
As Ranya's fury intensified, the Witch's mental block slipped, and a flash hit Asha, the answer so obvious she gasped. The Witch flames. Of course. The fire is opening the portal.
Ranya turned her back on Asha and approached the Asura in swift, furious strides, and Asha looked at the fire. As she watched, green flames spread along the gouged design, running across the floor like radioactive lava.
Asha raised her hand, pulling the energy from the fire. Immediately, the flames began to die back, sucked to the center as if drawn with a straw, and Asha felt the power fill her. The circle dimmed as the fire faded to glowing stone, the orange glow from the torches the only other light.
Ranya spun, staring at the floor in disbelief, a flash of violent madness crossing her features. Then she smiled. “You really shouldn't have done that, Asha.” She crossed the circle, shaking her head. “I wonder at your lack of curiosity. Maybe it comes of being so colossally stupid.” She held her chin and cocked her head. Then, brightening as if an idea had just struck her, Ranya slapped her forehead. “Where are my manners? I want to introduce you to my special guests! Unfortunately, they can't move, so you'll have to come over here to meet them.”
The figures stood between them again, their dark backs as immobile as mannequins.
Ranya moved away from them with an elegant twist of her hips, her gown fluttering, smiling as she motioned Asha forward with a hospitable sweep of her bracelet-adorned arm.
The silence stretched as Asha stood defiantly where she was.
Looking at Asha, Ranya grinned, wiggling her eyebrows. She pointed to her head with a wave of her hand, and opened up her memories.
Pain! Asha's indifferent calm skittered out of reach, and she had a fraction of a second to hope Aquila wouldn't feel her this far underground before the world transformed to agony. Ranya's memories sliced at her, tearing at reality, and Asha felt like the torture would never end. Misery engulfed her, dragging her down, clawing at her mind—a second, an eternity, or until she begged for death. Asha could hear Ranya laughing as she stumbled, clutching at her head, gagging as hopeless anguish choked her.
And… No! BapuJi!
Just like that, Ranya released her, waving Asha forward with her spear.
Heart pounding, this time Asha rushed around to the front of the still figures and gaped in horror, forgetting to breathe.
A safajung spear-ax held in mid-swing, BapuJi stood frozen, his sparkling iridescent face the picture of the calm determination she knew so well. Some part of her brain registered a Healer's ring glinting on his hand that she'd never seen before.
Next to him stood Afzal, his revolver out, mouth open in a silent scream.
“I wouldn't try the holy water if I were you,” Ranya said, her voice light, as Asha pulled her revolver from its holster. “Unless you want to kill them, that is.”
With a scream of rage, Asha fired at Ranya, who danced aside with a laugh. The holy water hit one of the Asura, and it went down with a shriek that made Ranya laugh harder.
Asha threw three stakes in quick succession and Ranya hissed, pulling them from her shoulders and side. Bright red blood splashed down her white silk like raspberries on cream. “Now you've ruined my dress,” she pouted. But Asha was already rushing at her, katar gripped in each hand, slicing at Ranya's throat. The Witch bent backward to avoid it, kicking out at Asha.
Asha jumped aside, bringing her blades down at Ranya's chest, but the Witch twirled to the side effortlessly, giggling. Spinning her spear high above her, Ranya brought it down at Asha's head where instead it met her crossed katar. Wrenching the staff out of Ranya's grip with a twist, Asha flung one katar at the Witch's throat and grabbed at the spear, yanking it free.
“Enough!” Ranya bellowed, holding the side of her neck with one hand. With the other, she pointed a clawed finger at BapuJi.
Asha froze.
“I can kill him in one blink of your freakish glowing eyes,” Ranya said. “Now, since you seem to enjoy the memory of my upbringing so much…” She tapped her head and smiled, and Asha gasped, stumbling against a carved pillar as excruciating pain filled her once more.
Laughing, Ranya said, “That will do nicely.”
The stone moldings that covered the pillar came alive with a grating crack, writhing and twisting until it held Asha's arms at her back, her shoulders wrenched at a painful angle, her hands encased in the cool stone as the pillar settled again, inanimate and unyielding. Asha's heart sank.
Shit.
“Lovely!” Ranya clapped. “Just a little Witch trick we learn. Pretty impressive, don't you think?
“Now, where was I?” She looked around the circle thoughtfully, then bent to retrieve her spear. Straightening, she kicked Asha's katar aside. The Witch's neck still gushed blood. She stumbled sideways, holding her wound in dazed confusion. Asha stared, her pulse quickening.
With an irritated click of her tongue, Ranya said, “Okay, first things first.”
Her smile held wicked satisfaction as she bowed low to the Asura that gathered on either side of her. Then, turning to Asha, Ranya winked, and Asha flinched in surprise,
her head hitting the pillar.
Ranya raised her arms wide, tilting her head to the domed ceiling. And every Asura collapsed, dead against the stone floor, evaporating without so much as a peep, as if someone had simply turned their switches off.
Ranya opened her own powerful, glowing eyes.
Chapter 53
Aquila, Kelakha, and Ursala couldn't stop laughing as a reptilian-looking elephant pounded through the smoke on what looked like enormous ostrich feet. The Wraiths had abandoned forms of arousal under the circumstances, and were trying to deceive them into thinking they were various, mostly nonexistent Underworlders.
“What is that even supposed to be?” said Kelakha.
Ursala jumped out of the monster's way, laughing. “It's almost cute.”
Shifting twice, Aquila landed on the thing's back, dropping a chili pepper grenade against the back of its head and flying away as it collapsed with a guttural snort into a gelatinous heap.
Ursala and Kelakha shot it again, and it evaporated with a malodorous hiss.
Landing lightly next to them, Aquila grinned at Ursala. “So that was your heart's innermost desire.”
“No, that is!” Looking into the burning forest with his hand on his heart, Ursala tried to look lovestruck and the three of them burst into loud laughter again.
Spreading out, they surrounded the furry monster-hippo as the mutation snarled and growled, opening its fetid mouth to reveal giant fangs, shaking a mold-encrusted mane.
“We'll avert our eyes and cover you,” shouted Kelakha, “if you want some quality time with it.”
Ursala shot it in the muddy eye with a pepper grenade. “Oops,” he said. “Sorry, sweet cakes.”
Giving each other high fives, the three Jodha straightened, looking around. The burning forest had become suddenly still. And then they saw the Underworlder reinforcements. Wraiths, Revenants, and Goblins pouring down the smoky slope at inhuman speed.
Aquila grinned. “Oh, good! I was starting to feel insulted.”
