The Paladin Archives Book Two The Withering Falseblade

by Jason Psilopoulos

  “Report Mister Nichols.” Eddie started tapping away at his keypad, stopping only for a second to let another tremor pass. He’d learned to time them so they wouldn’t interrupt the operation of his duties.

  “All ship’s systems report normal Sir. With one obvious exception. The ship has been vibrating so severely, we've had to activate the ground-mag system to keep the ship from sliding out of its moorings.” Donavan frowned a little. Sage had been very diligent in fixing the ship’s problems over the past few days. But as more of the systems fell in line and things began to function normally, the engines began to become more and more troublesome.

  “Where’s Mister Cortez right now?” Eddie did a quick check and waited for the information to pop up on his console.

  “He’s on the upper pylon in the engine room, running a vibrational analysis on the core.” Donavan tapped into the intra ship and waited for Sage’s response.

  “I’m kinda busy Captain. Can it wait?” Donavan grunted at the response he got. Sage’s flippant attitude was getting worse. It was starting to get on his nerves.

  “You told me you’d have this fixed in a few hours Sage. What’s the problem?” Donavan could hear Sage groan as he set down his tools.

  “We’re nearly there. An hour ago, this was one continuous rumble.” Donavan wasn’t sure if he should take that as good news or not. He glanced over at Eddie, who gave a simple shrug-nod.

  “ETA Cortez,” Donavan snapped. “And no round figures.” Sage was quiet for a moment.

  “I should have this done by sundown. Three hours tops.” Donavan wasn’t terribly pleased with the assessment, but acquiesced. Sundown was in another two hours.

  “All right Sage. But if the sun sets and you don’t have this handled, I’m pulling the plug.” Sage grimaced on the other side of the line.

  “Understood. But remember I warned you about just shutting it off. Cortez out.” Donavan looked at the comm for a long moment, and then allowed himself to sag back into his chair.

  “Free Me!” a voice whispered. The deck shuddered for a moment. Donavan looked up, and saw it again. The great shadow hung ten feet from him, clearer now than before. It seemed larger, as though it covered the whole of the bridge's dome. Donavan was on his feet in an instant, pointing his pistol at the heart of the shadow. Eddie looked around at his captain, who seemed to be pointing his pistol at nothing.

  “Captain?” Donavan didn’t look at his helm officer, keeping his eyes locked on the shadow. "What're you doing Sir?"

  “You don’t see it?” Eddie shook his head. “Anything on the internal sensors?” Eddie started a check, but the readings showed up negative. The computer only saw air. Donavan knew they wouldn’t show anything. He just wanted to be sure.

  “What’s going on Sir?” The deck shuddered again.

  “Free Me! Do not ignore me any longer!” Donavan watched the shadow shifting and a pair of glowing white eyes appear in the shroud. They glanced about, not looking at Donavan. He looked around the bridge, seeing a dozen techs and officers, all glancing about in confusion. They didn’t see it.

  “I want a line to the Academy, and I want it yesterday!” Donavan did not allow his eyes to leave the shroud. It undulated in the air, not showing any signs of disappearing. He held his ground, keeping his pistol before him, as though the very action would hold the creature in place. Freya signaled that the line was open.

  “Littlefield switchboard,” a nasally voice droned.

  “This is Captain Donavan Dirk aboard the Meridian Airship Triumphant. Put me through to Marcus Kasidyne.”

  “Sir Kasidyne is teaching in the Holodrome at the moment.” Donavan growled inside.

  “Then interrupt him!”

  Ellis glanced out the small curved window in the Archival Office and watched as the rain began to pour down. The outdoor portion of the Peace Games was postponed for the day, and Ellis could see people running for cover. Even paladins didn’t like being wet. The clouds seemed to have rolled in from almost nowhere. But weather in Littlefield was like that sometimes. The sky could be sunny and clear, and then out of no place at all, a thunderhead could roll in and darken the sky for hours.

  “Ellis?” Marcus said from the front of the room. Ellis looked around slowly, his face passive. “It’s rain. And unless you’re looking to be a weather man, it’s still going to be rain when the class is over.” Ellis turned from the window and slumped a little in his chair. "I'd like you to pay attention please." Marcus didn’t sound upset. And Ellis wasn’t sulking about being asked to pay attention. Uther noted that it was a much subtler exchange.

  “As I was saying,” Marcus continued. “I was going to have some outdoor field training. But weather being what it is, that’s out of the question. Instead-” a tone sounded in the room. Marcus looked at his class and did his best not to groan.

  "Never do leave you alone, do they?" Jack asked. Marcus suppressed a smirk.

  “Sir Kasidyne?” the Littlefield operator said through Lacey’s hidden speaker. Marcus tapped a spot on his glove.

  “What is it Miss Baron?” Rosa Baron was the Littlefield communications head. She handled all the comm traffic going into and coming out of Littlefield. She was also the campus expert on the proper use of prayer. No one left the Academy without taking Rosa's class.

  “I have Captain Dirk on the line.” Marcus quickly accepted the call, not sure why Donavan didn’t just contact him in person.

  “You’re disturbing my class Captain,” Marcus said ruefully. Donavan didn’t return a witty remark, opting for his business tone.

  “There’s a shroud floating in the middle of my bridge disturbing my ship. I need you and my 'consultant' here now.” Donavan didn’t sound terribly patient at the moment. Marcus glanced over at Mary, who was quickly depositing her books in her bag. He could see her mind racing behind her glasses. Mary was quickly at work on the problem.

  “We’ll be there in just a few minutes.” Marcus motioned for Mary to follow as he headed for the door. Ian fell into step also as they headed for the door. Marcus glanced back and realized that Jack, Ellis and Uther were all following behind. “Uh, guys.” The three stopped, not entirely sure what Marcus would say.

  “We’re coming along,” Jack said simply, bulling his way past and out the door. Ellis and Uther both stood there, unsure of what to do.

  “What about you two?” Ian asked. Both looked hesitant, but they both started forward at the same moment. Marcus gave Ian a grave stare.

  “They shouldn’t come,” he said simply.

  “You’re the one who said they should know what they’re facing. Consider it an impromptu field trip.” Ian followed after them, and Marcus watched for a moment before pursuing. It felt wrong.

  Sage jumped down off the top of the catwalk that overlooked the core sphere to a secondary platform and made his way down toward the base level of the engine room. His calculations were nearly complete. In less than an hour, he would have the sequence. Then he would formulate a rotational pattern that would stop the rumbling in the ship.

  “Chief!" Sage grunted as he looked up from his work. He hated that moniker. "There’s some kind of commotion on the bridge,” someone said from off to the left. Sage glanced at a nearby monitor screen and watched as Donavan pointed his pistol at nothing. If it weren’t his captain and his friend, Sage would’ve laughed. He depressed the comm button and hailed the bridge.

  "Cortez to bridge. What exactly is going on up there?" Donavan shook his head slightly at Sage's tone.

  "I'm showing off my new pistol Sage!" Sage's face tweaked a little at that. Donavan didn't normally crack wise. Something was wrong. "If you've got any brilliant ideas about handling invisible intruders, now's the time to ante up." Sage gave it a moment's thought, and then shook his head.

  "Nothing concrete. But I do have a few theories. Give me a minute or two. Cortez out." Sage set the scanner in his hand down on the console beside the core and headed for the exit. He couldn't exercise his the
ory from here.

  Rebekah threw her blue-gray raincoat over her armor, pulling the hood over her dragoon helmet, and started out into the rain. Her steps were gingerly at first, showing the tentative nature she'd adopted over the last two days. But the painkillers and her own mental training began to assert themselves quickly. She started to walk more briskly, and stand taller. Before she reached the city limits, she was jogging.

  Marcus isn't going to like this, she thought for the billionth time. She’d left him word in her apartment. He was due to check in on her later. When he found the note, he’d come running. She only hoped she was in Norik before then. Marcus would certainly drag her back to Littlefield otherwise.

  The buildings had begun to taper off. Rebekah was approaching the city limits. She looked around at her surroundings cautiously. She hadn't really left the campus in nearly two years. Even standing in the industrial park was making her nervous. There were a lot of old abandoned factories and productions facilities. Rebekah glanced about keenly, her eyes taking quick looks at the shadows. There were a lot of places to hide around here.

  Too bad I can't drive, she thought, shaking her raincoat. It wasn't that she disliked the rain, or that she couldn't actually drive. But taking a car would've been a little too high profile. She was sneaking out after all. And catching the attention of the press would surely catch Marcus's. Besides, she didn't have a valid license, and she wasn't planning on obeying any traffic laws.

  The road out of town, past the old Grant Foundry, looked to stretch on for miles. She knew that Castle Norik was a few hours walk away. Rebekah had walked this path a thousand times, sneaking home to visit her mother. She didn't relish the trek in the rain, but she figured that Darius was already a few hours ahead of her, so she'd be making the journey alone.

  The bend of the smokestacks at Grant’s Foundry reminded Rebekah that she needed to be cautious. One of those stacks was permanently tilted. Her last excursion outside of the city limits had produced some unwanted consequences. Thus, the foundry was shut down until repairs to the superstructure could be completed. Rebekah wasn’t fond of that incident. It was her fault. It was the reason she couldn’t leave the campus.

  Rebekah could still see the images of Highmaster Troius in her mind, his body still and small on the floor of his meditation chambers. He didn’t look hurt. He didn’t look pained. But Rebekah could tell somehow that these were pictures of a man who was no longer among the living. She was leaving now to find out the truth.

  I've got to know, she told herself. The Highmaster had meant so much to her. She couldn’t stand by and leave the investigation to people who didn’t care. She stretched her back a little, making sure it wasn't going to tighten up on her, and she started ahead, a solitary robed figure in a gray, rain swept landscape. She felt like crying.

  Chapter 21

  Ghosts and Goblins

  Marcus barreled up the access ladder leading to the bridge of the Triumphant, skipping rungs as he went. Ian was right on his heels, sweating a little but keeping pace. The other four, however, were starting to fall behind. Marcus waited at the top of the ladder, knowing he needed Mary to be there when he walked into the room. To his surprise, Jack was holding up the rear of the charge.

  "What happened to you?" Ian asked. Jack frowned.

  "Some moron left a bunch of conduit lying on the cargo bay floor." Jack gave an embarrassed smile. "I tripped." Marcus didn't pay him any mind, heading down the corridor leading to the bridge. He was focused and set about his task. Jack's embarrassment could wait for another time. The door to the bridge shushed aside, and Marcus did a double take.

  "What the-" Ian said softly, taking in the writhing scrap of darkness that hovered just a few feet from Donavan's pistol grip. Donavan held his place, only glancing away long enough to acknowledge Marcus and his class.

  "Nice of you to drop by," he muttered, resetting his eyes on the shroud. The ship rumbled slightly, and the wraith spoke.

  "You aren't welcome here Paladin!" Uther started at the sound of the voice. It was so familiar. It almost seemed to him as though it spoke to his own mind. The eyes of the Wraith turned on him and he felt his blood run cold. “You are tainted,” it rumbled.

  "You're one to talk," Marcus said defiantly. The bridge crew looked at each other with confusion. They were a brilliant military unit, though they hardly could be accused of understanding what was before them. As far as they could tell, their captain and this paladin were talking to thin air.

  "I am seen by too many," the Wraith rumbled. He began for the exit. Marcus continued to bar the way.

  "Clear the bridge," Donavan ordered quietly. The technicians and officers quickly filed out, leaving their captain alone with his paladin companions. The room shuddered again, and the Wraith spoke.

  "Give me my freedom!" The shroud flashed for a moment, the dark folds pulsing out an angry red color. Ellis rubbed his eyes, hoping that what he saw was an illusion. The Wraith’s eyes widened as they fell across him. He gulped down the knob in his throat and tried his best not to look scared.

  "What is that thing?" he asked, louder than he'd intended.

  “If we’re right,” Mary began, not reaching for a book this time. “Then it’s a Falseblade Wraith. The texts we have call it Azaghal. One of thirteen Falseblade Wraiths. It's the only one we have a name for. It flaunts itself as the lord of all powers.” The red color of the shroud slowly faded into the blackness of the folds and the rumbling lessened dramatically. The ship shuddered again suddenly, and the Wraith spoke.

  "I AM Azaghal. The beginning. The orderer of chaos. All that is began with me." Marcus didn't like it when demons claimed to have created the world. "I am for one of you. When I am free, I will be a part of your soul." The shuddering was starting to make it difficult to stand. “We were two, and one. Now we are just two. But we will be one and two again. Then all will be drawn into one, with the Avatar as our host.” Mary watched in awe as the shroud shifted, turning its attention away from Donavan to face them.

  "They didn't cover this in the book," she said, almost dropping her bag. Azaghal seemed to peer right into her, almost as though it were able to see into her most private thoughts. The glowing eyes narrowed for a moment then turned, resting on Ellis. Ellis turned a new shade of white as the wraith's eyes glared at him.

  "You are acceptable," it droned. The shroud moved toward Ellis, its sudden advance fast and unexpected. Ellis froze, his face drained of blood. He wasn't sure what to do. He just stood there, not even able to raise his arms to shield himself. Marcus was in front of him in a second, his sword drawn and ready. Ian stepped up beside him, his fist daggers set in his hands. Jack joined him also, his fists cocked and ready. He didn’t have a blade, but he wasn’t going to let that stop him.

  "What are you?" Marcus demanded. The Wraith screeched at the sight of Marcus's blade, recoiling away in what Marcus read as fear.

  "The Trueblade?" it rumbled. "That is not possible!" With a swirl and a snap, the shroud rushed past them, blowing the door to the bridge apart with a thunderous crack. The door split along an uneven seam and landed in a twisted hulk some fifty feet down the causeway, sparking and screeching as it went. Marcus lowered his weapon and started after the Wraith.

  "Where is it going?" Uther asked. Marcus didn't bother to answer. He just charged ahead, feeling as though he knew exactly where it was headed.

  Rebekah had to stop. She wasn't feeling all that great. Her back wasn't sore and her knees were holding up pretty well, but the painkillers were giving her a sour stomach. She hadn't gotten that far yet. She could still see the stacks from Grant's Foundry, the one leaning just slightly south as the old building showed its damage. She wasn't even a mile from Littlefield. A few moments supporting herself against an old oak seemed to do her stomach a world of good. She took a slow, cleansing breath and started forward again.

  "You always did have a low tolerance for medication," a growling voice droned. Rebekah reached for her lancet, her tra
ining automatically dropping her into a ready stance. Her back twinged slightly, but she ignored it. "Tense?" the voice asked. Rebekah eased herself back up to standing and frowned.

  "Only when I don't know the score," she mused, adopting a more casual stance. "You waited for me, didn't you?" Darius stepped out of the shadow of a nearby oak and shrugged beneath his duster.

  "I had a feeling you'd come along," Darius glanced up at the sky from beneath his large, flat brimmed hat.

  "You called me a coward." Rebekah folded her arms and watched as Darius shrugged. "I have a low tolerance for that too."

  "I had to goad you somehow," he answered. Rebekah shook her head. "All right. I'm a jerk. But it got you here, didn't it?" Rebekah nodded. "Didn't really expect the sky to open up though." Rebekah started back down the road again, making her steps nice and easy.

  "Seems appropriate, doesn't it?" she mused as Darius fell into step. "I mean it's a little like a funeral march." Darius nodded slowly under his flat brimmed hat. He glanced over at Rebekah, noting the grimace on her face.

  “How is your back, by the way?” he asked without a change in tone. Rebekah waggled her hand a little as she stretched slightly.

  “I’ve been better,” she allowed. “I don’t really know if I’m battle ready, but I don’t see us doing much fighting.” She paused. “That is, until Marcus tracks me down.”

  “How long do you think it’ll take him to find us?” Darius asked. Rebekah shrugged.

  “Another hour I think. We move off the main road, we might buy ourselves another hour.” Rebekah gave a look at the darkening sky. “But I’d rather not get lost.”

  “Side of the road it is,” Darius said smartly.

  “There’s a clearing not far from here. We can cut some trail there.” Darius started to smile. Rebekah allowed herself a moment to smirk as well. The tree line started to thin as they walked. Rebekah started moving toward the clearing. She wasn’t entirely familiar with where she was going, only seeing the clearing through the swiftly moving headlights of the highway traffic.