by Damon Alan
Merik pulled back slightly from Kahai, limiting the sharing of her rage, although it burned in her heart.
You did amazingly well for one so early in training. Stay in Kampana, I will send more soldiers and additional adepts. Find out anything else you can.
I will get more information if it exists, Master.
You were wise for killing the watchman. Alarin's betrayal stays between us.
Merik pulled away from Kahai. She sat motionless in the chair for a moment. Alarin had betrayed her for commoners. She tried to control her rage, but it overcame her in a crashing wave. She erupted from the seat to her feet. A guttural sound erupted from her mouth, a scream so primal one of her guardian adepts edged toward the archway, on the edge of fleeing.
“I will kill you Alarin!” Merik shrieked. She hurled the chair and a table in opposite directions, they both smashed to splinters against the stone backed wood of the wall. “I will kill you! I will kill everyone you know, everything you ever cared about! Then I will kill everyone they care about!” She shrieked again, a spine shivering howl of madness.
Little remained intact in the room when she was done. Spent, she fell onto a surviving bench weeping. Her adepts stared at her silently, afraid to speak. She raised her head to look at them. The desire to inflict her despair on them overwhelmed her. She forced the vision of what she'd seen into their minds, and they collapsed to the floor under her brutal mental assault.
She rose, stood over them, then spoke to them in a harsh whisper. “Alarin tells the demons he wishes to serve the people. I will serve the people what he has brought them.” Her voice diminished in volume to a whisper. “Burning villages.”
Maratha was the only one brave or foolish enough to speak. “I serve you Master Merik, you know this to be true. Tell me what to do.”
Merik stared at the woman, then reached down and helped Maratha to her feet. “Maratha, I revel in your loyalty, it makes me stronger. Gather a few more adepts and a hundred soldiers. Adepts you can trust to do my will without reservation. I want Kampana destroyed, and all the surrounding villages as well. Kill every last man, woman, and child, and leave their bodies in the streets. Don't stop destroying villages until I say.”
“As you wish, Master Merik. I will see to it immediately.” Maratha bowed and waited for dismissal.
“With haste. Horses, not carriages. Your comfort can wait,” Merik hissed. “Go.”
Maratha opened the door to leave, revealing a man waiting outside. “What do you want?” Merik asked.
It was a priest, he stared wide eyed at the two adepts on the floor. “The guards have informed me your estate outside the city is under attack, Master Adept.”
Merik laughed, her sanity rocked past the edge. “Of course it is.”
The priest stood, shifting his weight uncomfortably.
Merik turned toward him and splayed her arms wide.
“Get out,” she screamed.
Chapter 27 - Fire Ridge
27 ORS 15327
Gilbert's tank sat on a ridge, overlooking a palatial estate set in a valley. Despite the dim light of the Refuge night, everything below was displayed in Gilbert’s cupola. Corporal Hamden's targeting computer tagged and numbered several dozen figures walking the grounds. Six buildings were clustered together, but the thermal imager indicated only the main building was occupied by people.
Lieutenant Satier's tank sat three klicks away on the other side of the valley.
“Satier, what do you think?” Gilbert transmitted.
“Farrell believes this is the building where the crewmen are. He's four hundred meters south and west of my position, in a clump of trees. I can relay radio if you can't reach him.”
“Does he see anything?”
“The wagon the prisoners were in. It's parked in front of the estate, unhitched. No sign of our men.”
“Any dogs?” Gilbert asked.
“None. Maybe the locals aren’t fond of them,” Satier replied.
“Another reason not to trust them then,” Hamden whispered from below.
Gilbert took a moment to think. “Here is the plan, Lieutenant. We eliminate all external targets simultaneously. Those aren't going to be our crewmen. Then we'll send in the foot soldiers to rescue the crewmen from the building. Sergeant Farrell will cover them at the front door, and we'll provide cover from our positions in case of any reinforcements arrive.”
“What about the five outbuildings?”
“Keep an eye on them. Thermal says horses in the northern barn, but no people.”
“Sounds good, Commander. I'll let my grunts know the plan.”
“Hamden, load a full magazine of antipersonnel fléchettes. Satier, you do the same.”
“Roger,” they replied in unison.
Gilbert knelt down to see the marines sitting in the front of the tank. “Marines, time to get our boys back. Farrell's out there, he'll support you up to the front door of the main structure. The outside will be secure. Go in and get our crewmen.” Gilbert pointed toward the soldiers. “Eliminate everyone you see that isn't one of ours. After you secure our people, get out fast. We'll raze the buildings and be on our way. Understand?”
“Yes, sir,” they chanted in unison.
“Good. We'll take care of the riff raff, and set you loose.” Gilbert said. “Satier, lock your targeting computer to mine. Hamden will designate targets, we'll fire in unison.”
“Locked to you, Commander. Hamden gets all the fun.”
“Yeah, but he has a hard time sleeping at night.” Gilbert replied. He turned to Hamden. “Light 'em up. No survivors.”
“Yes sir.” Hamden designated the attack sequence to the targeting computer.
“Farrell, if we miss anyone, pick 'em off,” Gilbert said as Hamden activated the railgun.
Several bursts of static answered. “Satier here, Farrell acknowledges.”
“Shots away, sir,” Hamden said.
Twenty-seven fléchettes erupted from each tank, racing like supersonic fireflies to their targets. In unison, everyone on the building, in the fields, or on the nearby road dropped. Gilbert watched it in infrared. The fléchettes left trails of hot air, which glowed brightly. As the small darts hit their target, they obliterated into shrapnel, shredding their victim. Warm headless bodies collapsed. A heated mist of blood and liquefied soft tissue spread downwind before settling to the ground.
“Reloading,” Hamden said.
“Farrell popped two walking out the front door,” Satier reported.
“Excellent. Deploy your marines.”
Hamden touched Gilbert's leg to get his attention. “Reloaded, Commander. The targeting computer won't be able to track the marines once they enter. Radio interference and the unknown interior.”
Gilbert nodded and turned back to his grunts. “Okay, you heard that. The tanks can't shoot anything inside the walls, we won't know if it's you or not. In the door, you're on your own. Sergeant Ebele, use your discretion. Get the crewmen, and don't lose marines.”
“On it, sir.”
The marines climbed out of the forward hatch and deployed their night vision. Hamden tagged them, and the computer marked them green. Gilbert watched the marines advance down the hill and join with marines from Satier's tank. They advanced toward the buildings, hunched down, running for any cover they found. They reached the main building without incident. They touched base with Farrell, and then turned toward the front door. The marines opened it, and cleared the first room.
Moments later alarms went off inside the tank, and heated air blasted from the environmental control system. Across the valley a massive explosion swept across the fields, halfway to the buildings. A raging orange mushroom cloud, a few hundred meters in diameter, rose into the sky. Debris rained down on the valley floor, including the turret from Satier's tank. The shock wave knocked two figures on the far end of the main building from cover. They ran toward the front of the building.
“Kill those two,” Gilbert barked.
Hamden locked them into the targeting computer, but the gun failed to fire. The outside of the tank was rapidly accumulating ice, blocking the muzzle.
“Hamden, fire!” Gilbert yelled. The view in the cupola blurred as ice collected over external sensors.
Hamden turned and threw a plaintive yell back at Gilbert. “Damn, sir! I'm trying. The computer won't fire! Air is frozen to the tank!”
We’re going to fucking die.
Gilbert threw his hands into the air. “How does that happen?”
Shaken, Hamden ignored Gilbert's question and turned on the heating system for the tank’s hull. Gilbert heard a whoosh as ice outside boiled away.
Gilbert tried to shore Hamden, and probably himself, up. “We're good Hamden, we're living. Just do your duty.”
“I'm okay sir. Sorry,” the corporal said.
The two targets ran around the front of the building, likely intending to flee inside. Farrell gunned them down as they rounded the corner.
Thank you Farrell.
Gilbert spoke calmly to Hamden. “We're going to blow up some buildings now, corporal. Eliminate cover for the enemy, flush any others out.”
And hopefully kill them. Dangerous sons of bitches.
Hamden sucked in a deep breath, and slowly blew it out. “Yes, sir.”
Gilbert's attention returned to the men on the ground. “Marines, you will hear guns firing. We are not firing on your building. Farrell, get inside the main building and cover that main hall in front.”
“Farr... ... ... er, main hall.”
I think he got that.
“Hamden, as soon as the main gun is clear, level this compound except the main building.”
“Just a minute, sir, the barrel is still obstructed.”
“When you can, son. When you can.”
“Yes sir.”
Gilbert waited for what seemed like eons until the targeting package finally appeared on his display. Hamden marked the buildings and designated them for high explosive rounds.
“Fire in rapid order, Mr. Hamden.”
“Firing.”
The main gun of the heavy tank fired repeatedly, the projectiles streaked across the valley. The buildings exploded, scattering debris for dozens of meters. By the time the first round hit the target, the turret had adjusted and the second round fired, then the third, the fourth, and the fifth. Burning debris lay scattered everywhere, and only the main building was left intact. A thick column of smoke reached for the clouds above.
Is that enough to kill these devils? I don’t know.
Gilbert considered his situation.
I can’t take any chances. I promised Sarah, but I have a greater commitment to the lives of these men. This place gets washed clean as soon as I recover my boys or none of us may make it out of here.
Gilbert grasped Hamden’s shoulder. “Load a two kay fusion package, Corporal, and stand by.”
“Sir?” Hamden asked.
“You heard me. Load a fusion round, two kilotons,” Gilbert said, his voice stern.
“Uh, yes sir.”
Hamden loaded the fusion round into the gun, waiting for the order to fire. The round carried a pellet of deuterium-tritium, surrounded by a lithium ring that would magnetically collapse around the pellet a microsecond before impact, initiating the fusion detonation.
The men remaining in the tank sighed in relief as marines emerged from the building, carrying one survivor. They made their way across the fields, and up the ridge to the tank.
“Open the hatch,” Gilbert said. “Farrell, secure the scout package to the tank. No delay, stick it to the tank and get inside.” He hoped he didn’t sound as out of control as the situation felt.
The marines streamed into the tank, helping the injured crewman from the Amalli into the interior. They packed in tight, there were more marines than seats.
“Where’s the second crewman?” Gilbert asked.
“They tortured him to death.” Sergeant Ebele spoke the words so violently he spat in anger. “His parts were scattered all over.”
That settles that. No fucking mercy.
“Everyone hang on.” Gilbert knelt down and looked at the driver. “Up the hill, private, to the top of the ridge, don't go over yet. Move to the crest, and hold. As soon as Hamden fires, drive like hell over the top.”
Seconds later the tank was at the top of the ridge, idling.
“Hamden, are you still on target?”
“Locked and loaded.” Hamden’s voice sounded angry. Gilbert understood completely.
“Fire.”
The main gun barked, and the driver pushed the tank forward. It quickly crested the ridge and started downhill. Ahead the sky lit up a brilliant white as light reflected from the thin clouds above. Behind them the valley estate vanished in nuclear fire.
Gilbert exhaled a sigh of relief. “Private, top speed to the pick up point. Hamden, keep the guns fully loaded, antipersonnel fléchettes in the repeater and a one tenth kay fusion round in the main gun.”
Sarah is going to kill me. Better the brig than these men dead.
“Setting it up, sir.”
“I'll call the shuttles. Let's get our asses out of here.”
Gilbert started a continuous loop transmission to the shuttles, advising one to provide cover for the pickup and the other to pick up the remaining tank and survivors.
I hope like hell they hear me.
He listened in vain for a response. “Drive on, private. We’ll have to assume they’ll be there.”
Gilbert looked down at at the single remaining Amalli crewman, who stared blankly at the ceiling of the crew compartment.
We cannot engage these bastards on the ground. There will be no more rescues.
Chapter 28 - Birth of a Deity
Middle of Longnight, cycle 77, year 8748
Merik took a few moments to gather her senses after the priest fled from the room.
My estate… under attack like my palace?
She was surrounded by incompetence, and under siege by demons who were but one step behind her.
I can see my estate from the roof.
A different priest escorted Merik to the roof of the stone monastery. She stepped out into the chill of the night. Jalai hung overhead as always, partially masked by an overcast sky. To the east a baleful orange cloud slowly grew darker as it climbed into the night. It was lit by several smaller flashes from below.
Maybe Alarin was right. Maybe I have turned away from the Gods, and they sent these messengers to correct my path.
Merik was in a calmer state. Caution was an unusual course for her to take, but her regular decisiveness didn't seem to be yielding results.
I will make amends.
The ruler of Zeffult splayed her arms wide, palms up, in supplication to the Goddess floating in the sky above her. Eyes closed, the warmth of Jalai on her face, Merik intoned a prayer to the Great Mother. “Blessed I am, to bask in your warmth, Great Mother. Sad I am, a child who has walked astray, Mother, and wishes to return to your embrace. Sad I am that you and your husband have sent these demons to punish me. Sad are the people that suffer in this conflict which is not theirs. I offer my faith, Great Mother. Call your demons home, away from Nula Armana and Zeffult. I will build you a temple like no other that has existed before in penance. I will rebui—”
A brilliant white flash lit up the night, even through closed eyes. Merik felt heat from the east on her skin, and she stopped her prayer.
The priest beside her on the roof cried out in pain. “My eyes,” he screamed, and fell to the ground clutching his face.
The priest's shout drew Merik's attention to him instead of the blazing light in the east. She knelt down beside him, and in a rare moment of concern for another, she pulled his hands away to look at his face. He didn't look any different, although his eyes were red and tearing. She used her gift and looked into him.
Faroo has burned the inside of his eyes.
Merik looked to the e
ast. A brilliant but dimming ball of fire rose into the sky from her estate. Her mind raced forward, but only chaos lay there now. Materials she had not seen before laced the ground, and she sensed the deadly energy they spit into their surroundings.
The gods not only attack me, but they defile my land, leaving it unusable. I stand alone against them.
Merik stood up, looked into the mind of the priest, and froze his brain as she cooked his heart. He died, the body dropped limply to the roof. She looked down at the corpse. Steam escaped from his now open mouth. “It was a mercy, you were blind. Besides, the gods have declared war on me, and I have no further need for priests.”
Merik stepped over his body, walked back down into the monastery, back to her rooms. She killed every priest she saw along the way. Back in her area, she gathered the three adepts in her personal guard and the few things she valued most.
“Master, what do we do?” her adepts asked as she explained the betrayal of the gods. “None can defeat the gods.”
For a moment she was unusually understanding. “We will try. We have been forsaken, and now is the time for adepts to take their place at the top, in place of the gods.”
The adepts stood motionless, looking at her in disbelief.
She exploded at them. “Have you ever seen a god burn a man to a cinder? Have you? Have you ever seen a god burn through a forest so the common man can have a road for his wagons? Have you?”
She wiped her mouth on the sleeve of her silk blouse. “I've done all of those things, and dozens more,” she raged. “The day of the gods and priests are in the past. The day when adepts rule by birthright is at hand.” Her voice calmed as she spent her fury.
“Erase Jalai from this place, and kill everyone in it who serves her. You haven't seen a god do anything, but you've seen what I can do. Defy me at your own peril,” she said ominously.
Her three adept guards jumped into action, heading into the halls to look for victims.
