Starlight (The Dark Elf War Book 1)

by William Stacey

  Elizabeth gripped her arm tightly, turning her to look into her face. “You feel it, too?”

  Cassie nodded. “I’ve never felt this much mana before.”

  “I have,” said Elizabeth. “On the hilltop, where the breach was.”

  Alex stared at them, his face puzzled. “There’s mana down here?”

  “Like you wouldn’t believe,” Cassie answered him. “What the hell have you people been doing down here?”

  “Come on,” he said. “I’ll show you.”

  Alex led them down the tunnel. The air became even warmer, at least ten to fifteen degrees hotter than it should have been. Sweat rolled down her face. “What’s up with the heat?”

  “It’s the depth we’re at,” Alex answered. “It’s only cold when you’re a little ways underground. Go deeper, and it starts getting uncomfortably warm. It has something to do with the pressure. Trust me, it’d get worse if we went any farther.”

  “The fires of hell?” Cassie said.

  “Don’t even,” Elizabeth said from behind.

  The passageway led into a large open cavern filled with rows of tall machines that emitted a constant and somewhat disturbing hum. Bright overhead lamps lit up the room. “What is that?” Cassie stopped in place, shaking her head.

  “You’re feeling the electricity, the current,” Alex answered. “It makes everyone uncomfortable. Stay here too long, and you’ll get toothaches, maybe go sterile. This room is one of several power nodes. The Gateway Machine is a pig. It eats way more power than you could possibly imagine.”

  “My father worked in a dam,” Cassie said. “I wonder what he’d say about all this.”

  “I don’t know, but if you think this is impressive, wait until you see what’s next.” Alex stopped in front of another hermetically sealed sliding doorway and stepped aside as the door slid open with a hiss.

  Cassie walked past him, through the doorway, and then staggered to a stop. A giant cavern stood before her, far too large to have been cut out of the rock. As far as she could see, the cave was filled with banks upon banks of tall machines, rows of monitors, and seemingly endless electrical tubing that ran everywhere. Clouds of vapor spilled from pipes on the floor, creating mist that further obscured her vision. She could literally feel the current in the air thrumming in her very bones—and the mana, so much mana. She felt as though she could do anything with power like that. The hairs on the back of her neck stood straight up, and her skin tingled as if constantly caressed by the flows of unseen energy.

  “Wow,” she whispered.

  In the very center of the cavern, on a raised platform, was a massive glass-and-wire tube at least thirty feet long and large enough for a person to comfortably walk through. The tube was matte black with glowing silver rings along its length that warped and distorted the air around them. Metal stairs led up to its opening. That could only be the Jump Tube Alex described. A control center had been built around the Jump Tube. Even now, a small army of technicians, commanded by Dr. Simmons, manned each of the positions, their faces reflecting their excitement. Everything they had told her was true, she realized, only now accepting it for the first time: there really was a Gateway Machine, a portal to an alien world.

  And she was going to go through it. “Holy Goddamn,” she muttered.

  For once, Elizabeth didn’t correct her.

  “Don’t stare at the glowing rings too long. They’ll give you a headache. Come on, they’re waiting for us.” Alex gripped her elbow and pulled her along with him.

  At the foot of the metal stairs stood two ranks of soldiers, each fully armed and clearly ready for battle, their faces painted green. Buck was among them, looking even more frightening than normal in war paint. This was, Cassie realized, the very first time she had ever seen all of Task Force Devil gathered together in one location. There were at least a dozen soldiers, each carrying enough armament to take on an army.

  Which was fitting because, this time, Task Force Devil was going to war.

  Chapter 44

  Maelhrandia cast Spider-Mother’s-Blessing, sending healing energy coursing into her wounded mount. Gazekiller cried in pain, his blood still coating his flank. At her best, she had always been a poor healer, and this time was no exception. Still, the worst of his wounds scabbed over and ceased bleeding. That was all the healing she was going to manage that day. She’d try again later, after she was rested. Basilisk scales were notoriously tough but were no defense, it seemed, against the larger manling fire-weapons. She’d need to remember that during the war that would follow. As primitive as they were, manlings could still prove dangerous.

  She climbed back on Gazekiller and led him through the thick brush of her own lands. Above, the double moons of faerum—one red, one blue—smiled down upon their daughter. She could tell by the stars that it was still early evening. Her prisoner, the manling warlord, sat just behind her, controlled by the grimworm. Insects the size of her hand darted about, but she was too angry to pay attention.

  She had lost the Ancient One’s talisman. She’d had it, had used it in battle—and it had been just as glorious as she had imagined it would be, with such power—but it was lost in a single unbelievable moment, stolen from her by that execrable golden-haired manling mage who so vexed her. Going back for it had not been possible, not after having already used the Shatkur Orb to open a portal back to faerum. A Shatkur Orb could be used many times to open local portals, but only once for travel between worlds. To stay would have meant her own death.

  At least, Maelhrandia now knew who had the talisman. And she would return for it—with her mother’s armies. She was the only member of the seelie court who knew of its existence, and she would make sure it remained that way. Not a word of it would she say to her mother. It would be hers again. And she’d finally kill that damnable golden-haired mage.

  Gazekiller traveled quickly, oblivious to the dangers in the jungle around him. Nothing that lived in this jungle would challenge his passage anyhow. Here, he was master. Soon, they were approaching the Red Moon Rynde. She saw the river through the trees then the bridge leading across it. She smelled the mud of the riverbanks. A torch burned beside the dockside quay. And there, rising up on the opposite bank, was her home.

  Finally home after such a long mission.

  As Gazekiller trotted across the wooden bridge, her boggart guardsmen rushed to open the gate doors for her. Then they prostrated themselves on the ground before her, grateful for her return. She smiled with satisfaction, relishing the homecoming. It had been so long since she had been among creatures that knew their place.

  Her prisoner, unable to move, sat stiffly behind her. The manling was aware of all that was happening—she could see the terror in his eyes. Just for a moment, knowing what her mother had planned for him, she felt pity. But his fate was his own fault: he had dared to send his scouts here to spy upon the fae seelie. Such hubris could only end one way. Her mother would strip all the manling’s secrets from him and all of his defenses. And when she was done with him, he’d be a shattered husk.

  That was how the fae seelie went to war and how they defeated theirs foes.

  * * *

  Breathless with anticipation, her pulse racing, Cassie stood with the others in two tightly packed lines facing the entrance to the Jump Tube. Clyde stood next to her, rubbing himself against her leg, shivering and whining in fear. Paco never used a leash, so only Cassie’s reassuring presence kept the dog in place. If he bolted, this mission was going to be over before it began. Reaching down, she stroked his head, telling him everything was going to be all right—telling herself the same.

  All of the remaining members of Task Force Devil were with her, a total of twelve soldiers led by Buck and Alex. Cassie stood just behind Elizabeth, so close she was breathing down her neck, as was Clara behind Cassie. She felt like a sardine—or, dressed in battle armor, like a turtle-sardine. Every time she moved, the bottom of the armor caught the skin of her abdomen and pinched it against he
r belt. Wearing all this kit sucked; being hot and uncomfortable sucked; having to pee sucked. But it was almost time to move. Their GPNVGs lenses were flipped up, but Dr. Simmons had warned them it would be dark when they arrived. No one knew what to expect on the other side, but the Jump Tube always opened in the exact same spot, and no one, including Dr. Simmons, could say why.

  Am I really about to travel to another world? Cassie exhaled heavily and rolled her shoulders. It couldn’t possibly be worse than flying.

  From her position, she strained to see what was going on. She could just see over Elizabeth’s shoulder, but she was too short to see past the soldier standing in front of Elizabeth. Something was going on. She could hear it, feel it. Energy arced and crackled in front of them as the technicians activated the Gateway Machine. Ahead of her, the Jump Tube now crackled with bolts of electricity, literally snapping in the air. She could smell the ozone burning. God, it’s hot here.

  “Get ready,” Buck yelled from up front. “The field is almost strong enough.”

  Clyde whined louder, agitated, rubbing so hard against Cassie she thought he might knock her out of line. Clara put her hands on the back of Cassie’s shoulders and told her to do the same to Elizabeth. All down the line, each soldier reached up and grabbed the shoulders of the person in front of them. When Elizabeth touched the shoulders of the soldier in front of her, Cassie saw she held her rosary beads in one hand. She had been praying.

  At that moment, the tube flared up, illuminating the cavern in a rapturous blue glow. Just for a second, Cassie saw past the soldiers in front of her. The end of the tube showed the briefest glimmer of a dark jungle with stars shining down from a night sky—and two moons!

  This is real. This is happening.

  “Move, move, move!” yelled Buck as he ran forward into the Jump Tube. At the same time, all of the soldiers, like a single entity, surged forward. Alex, in the rear, made sure everyone was moving. Elizabeth, not hesitating at all, rushed forward with the others. Surprising herself, Cassie followed right along, glued to Elizabeth’s back. Clyde ran right beside her.

  Oh shit, oh shit! This is way worse than flying.

  Moments later, she was within the Jump Tube, feeling both exhilarated and terrified. The air throbbed with electrical current and mana—so much mana. Then she realized Elizabeth and the other soldiers in front of her were gone, and she was at the edge of the tube, an alien world opening up before her. Clyde leaped forward, jumping into the darkness, but Cassie hesitated, suddenly frozen with terror, unable to go through with it. Clara, her hands on Cassie’s shoulders, shoved her. Cassie tumbled forward.

  Into another world.

  Chapter 45

  In the top level of her tower in a chamber that was forbidden to all, Maelhrandia stood in front of a Seeing Stone, awaiting her mother. The stone, a slab of darkest obsidian, was taller than Maelhrandia and twice as wide. Each of Maelhrandia’s sisters possessed an identical stone, crafted by the master dwarven stonemasons of Deep Terlholm—before they were put to the sword so no one would learn their secrets.

  Maelhrandia steeled herself before placing a palm against the cold stone and casting the spell that activated its magic. A moment later, a deep sensation of vertigo flushed through her, and she fell to her knees, instantly finding herself in her mother’s throne room—or rather, finding her astral projection in her mother’s throne room; her flesh-and-bone body still remained in her own tower. The throne room was devoid of all light except the dim glow that surrounded her mother atop the Bane Throne.

  Her mother’s ageless face looked down upon her without the slightest hint of emotion. Report, my daughter. Her mother’s lips didn’t move, but her voice resonated throughout Maelhrandia’s skull.

  Maelhrandia took a deep breath and then began. “Mother, I have succeeded.”

  You have a prisoner?

  “I do—a manling warlord. One who knows all their secrets.”

  The barest hint of a smile touched her mother’s cruel lips. You have succeeded, daughter. Your sisters all promised you would fail, but I always had faith in you. And what of the manlings, what of their strength?

  “They have wondrous machines, Mother, but little power. And almost no magic.”

  And nothing changes. The ancient texts speak of their weakness, their lack of magical affinity. They are little more than animals—further evidence that the Ancient Ones were secretly herding them for their own use, not protecting them as they claimed. Such foul liars.

  “In truth, Mother, I don’t think the manlings had any magic at all, not until you opened the ley lines connecting us to the Old World. Now, our magic has flowed through the portal. It is localized still, but growing, I think, and spreading. Something is happening. Perhaps magic is reawakening in the Old World.”

  Interesting. Why, I wonder, would the ancient foe orchestrate this stagnation? What benefit to them if magic dies out? It limits their powers, as well.

  “You think it was their doing, Mother? Why would they do such a thing? They are masters of magic.”

  The demons are behind everything, child. Everything. Nothing happens that is not a part of their foul plan.

  The thought of a world without magic was terrifying to Maelhrandia. Magic was the true blood of the fae seelie. Without it, they were helpless. Without it, their long lives would be cut short and they would become little more than animals. This could never be.

  “There’s more, Mother. In the centuries since the Banishment, the manlings have multiplied and spread. I saw an entire city of them, thousands and thousands. So many. The life energy for the Culling. Perhaps… perhaps others… could also… benefit?”

  A silence settled between the two women, as heavy as death. Her mother’s expression never changed, but Maelhrandia knew she had just made a horrible mistake. Is this what you wish, daughter? Is this the secret desire that festers in your heart? To become as me? TO SUPPLANT ME?

  “No, loving Mother, of course not. I misspoke. I—”

  Pain lanced Maelhrandia. She cried out in agony and dropped to the cold stone floor, curling up into a fetal position and screaming. The pain seemed to go on and on for an eternity, but finally, it lifted like a heavy curtain, and she could breathe again. She lay on her side, gasping for air, spit running down her chin.

  Because you are my daughter and I love you, I will forgive you this one time. But we shall never speak of this again. Such hateful things you force on me.

  “Yes… yes, Mother. I am… sorry. I—”

  What of the Ancient Foe? What of the engineers behind the Banishment—the manlings’ supposed protectors?

  “I… I fought one and defeated it.”

  You defeated one of the Enemy? You?

  “Yes, Mother. My mount crushed it.”

  Perhaps there is more to you than just skulking about in the shadows. Who knew about this? Were there others?

  “I saw no others, Mother. Just the one. Perhaps they are all dead now.”

  Perhaps. But if not, they will not stop us this time. We are returning. The fae seelie are returning to take back what was stolen from us. You have done well. I will send one of your sisters to take delivery of the prisoner. Once we have pried all of their secrets from him, we shall be ready.

  Instantly, the magical connection was gone, and Maelhrandia found herself back in her tower. Now, the tall Seeing Stone stood dark and cold before her. She pulled her hand back.

  To give voice to her desires, openly speaking of her own wish for longer life… that had almost been a fatal mistake. The fae seelie lived at the top of a pyramid of life, consuming the life essence of lesser species in order to prolong their existence and maintain their dominance. But only the Queen, only her mother, was permitted to consume enough lives to live countless cycles. She would not share that gift any more than she would share the Bane Throne. No matter how many manlings existed, there would never be enough for all.

  But if Maelhrandia once again possessed the Ancient One’s talisma
n? She smiled, thinking of how things could be.

  Chapter 46

  Cassie landed hard, off balance and stumbling forward, almost falling on her face. Someone caught her, and she staggered to a stop, trying to sort out her surroundings.

  It was night, pitch black. Only the stars and moons above provided any light at all. And the mana! So much mana all around her, everywhere.

  She flipped her GPNVGs down, adjusted them over her face, then turned on the power. Instantly, she saw the world around her clearly, like green-tinted daylight. Clyde stood not three feet away, watching her, clearly able to see just fine—that, or his other senses compensated for the lack of sight. Thick jungle foliage surrounded them. She thought it was how the thickest, darkest part of the Amazon must look. She turned in place, her mouth open. There were trees everywhere, massive and misshapen, their limbs reaching out, twisting, and falling to the ground. A thick, almost furry, blanket of moss covered the branches. The air throbbed with a sweet, sickly stench, hot and humid. Almost instantly, Cassie was drenched in sweat.

  She jumped back as a giant insect buzzed madly past her face, its wings a translucent blur of motion. Clyde barked and snapped his jaws at it. The back of Cassie’s knees hit something hard, and she almost fell down. Spinning, she saw she had backed into stone ruins crumbling with age. She was standing in a clearing with broken pieces of strange statues of elf-like beings interspersed among broken marble columns. The resemblance to the dark-elf woman was unmistakable. Dark elves had built this clearing; they really were in their world—an alien world. Rubicon.