Chaos (The Realmwalker Chronicles Book 1)

by C. M. Fenn

  You were wrong about us, you stupid, worthless pawn!

  His steps falter slightly.

  You thought we couldn’t do it, but look at us!

  I use false bravado to try and provoke his pride.

  It works. He turns toward me.

  YOUR PATHETIC ATTEMPT WILL NOT SUCCEED. YOU ARE NOT THE ONE AND THE ONE HAS FAILED YOU.

  The one? Does he mean Mikhail? As a last ditch effort I close my eyes and feel for Mikhail’s frequency. He isn’t here. He hasn’t come to help us. I can’t feel any trace of him within Chaos at all. Feeling my despair, the Elder coughs out a wet laugh.

  HIS FAILURE IS YOUR DOOM.

  I move backwards, circling around him, maneuvering him away from the others. I need only keep him talking a little while longer. But the Elder Shade has something more than talking in mind.

  His laughter grows louder and louder until it fills me. It bounces off the walls inside my head, blocking out everything else. I can no longer move of my own accord. My back and neck stiffen, forcing my head back, and my feet leave the ground. A sharp burning begins to spread across my abdomen.

  What is that? What’s happening? I sink within myself, traveling through my body until I reach the area that’s aching. I go even deeper, all the way to the cellular level, and am horrified at what I find. My cells, my flesh and muscles and sinews and bones are unbinding. They are coming apart! I am coming apart. The Elder Shade is unraveling me the same way he did the fabric of reality.

  Chapter 62

  I act swiftly, furiously mending my insides, countering the undoing he works inside me. I’m vaguely aware of the other Walkers battling around me. I think I hear Sam shout my name but I’m unsure. Healing myself has become my main priority, commanding all my attention. Anything else is a distraction.

  Though my body is healing, it isn’t fast enough. The burning begins to spread up and across my chest, down into my thighs. The affected area is becoming too large. I can’t keep up with it. The worst part is the pain. If I quit healing for even a second to tell my brain to stop the pain, I’ll be torn to pieces.

  Blasts, one after another, rain down around us, sending sand and pieces of Lesser Shades flying through the air. And the Elder’s assault never wavers.

  My shoulders begin to burn, followed quickly by my legs. Everything’s on fire. I heal and heal but I can’t keep up. I’m in over my head and losing what little ground I have. I can’t stop shrieks of agony from escaping my throat. It feels as though my whole body is screaming with me.

  Visions come unbidden to my mind. My mother. My sister. Sam, Ember, everyone I love. Everyone I’m failing. I see Angel. The little girl radiates a joy that is almost palpable. I see Faye. She’s young and beautiful. Her skin is flawless, free of scars. She’s under the arm of a handsome man who smiles down at her lovingly.

  I see my father clearest of all. He looks just as I remember him. His kind smile and warm eyes send peace throughout me.

  My body is beyond pain now. I’m numb from head to toe, but still I try. Still I work feverishly, concentrating on keeping my vital organs intact. I hold out as long as I can because every second the Elder spends on me is a second given to the others.

  My father is reaching for me. He’s so clear, so close. His love wraps around me like a safe blanket. Everything I remembered about him floods through me, filling my senses. His sparkling green eyes, the way he smells, how it feels to fall into his arms. Suddenly I’m afraid I’ll disappoint him.

  I’ve failed, Dad. I’ve failed everyone.

  But all I feel from him is love and acceptance. He’s here. He wants to comfort me. All I have to do is let go and I’ll be with him. It seems such an easy thing and I wonder why I’ve been fighting it so hard.

  I forget why I’m resisting. I forget all my worries. I’m ready to let go.

  The image of my father, hand extended toward me, dissolves as my eyes are forced open.

  The Elder Shade, mere feet away, stares into my eyes. He knows I’m seconds away from dying.

  LOOK AT ME AS YOU DIE.

  So he will rob me not only of my life, but of the last bit of peace I so desperately cling to.

  No. I won’t let go. I refuse to give up. If I die, I die fighting.

  He begins to fade from sight as my vision blackens. I’m losing consciousness.

  Before he disappears completely, he snaps backward, his tall frame bent in an unnatural angle. His hold on me is broken and I fall to the sand, landing on my side. My body is so unhinged I’m unable to move. The Elder stumbles backwards, writhing and twisting in a macabre dance.

  With renewed hope I continue to repair the damage he’s done to me. The Shade seems to be in pain. For the first time, I sense fear in him—fear for his life. Something is attacking him. Somehow, someone has gotten past his defenses. As soon as my neck is healed enough, I turn my head around, looking for the source of the attack. The only action left on the beach is at the tear site. Every remaining Walker stands defending Crank, Mel, and Kira.

  Twisting back I watch as the Elder’s flesh stretches and expands. He looks as though he’ll burst. His head rolls around in agony. He claws at his chest and falls hard to his knees.

  Where is this coming from? What’s happening?

  Right now, it doesn’t matter. I must take advantage of his condition. I’ve healed the life-sustaining organs within me enough now to shift my full attention his way. Reaching a weakened arm out from where I lay in the sand, I put all of my strength behind a shockwave of pure energy directed at his chest.

  Sand blasts up and out all around him but he’s unaffected. How is he still untouchable? I try sending fire. A ribbon of flames swirls up around him, but his flesh refuses to burn.

  An awful bellow comes from the Shade as his ribcage swells outward and sucks back in. His stomach bulges grotesquely out to one side. The Shade arches violently back as an arm, a black sludge-covered arm, erupts from his chest. And then another. They push and pull on the ribcage from the inside, ripping the wound open, spilling the Shade’s insides out onto the sand.

  The Elder Shade wraps his arms around himself, trying to keep everything in, but he’s growing weak and can no longer hold onto his defenses. As his shield—the only thing holding him together—drops, what’s left of him explodes, sending black mist and greasy clumps of ichor showering down upon the beach.

  Kneeling in the sand amid the blood rain is the Shade that burst from the Elder’s chest. This one is smaller than the Elder and oddly humanoid. But now I can feel him. It isn’t another Shade—it’s Mikhail! He’s drenched in the blood of the Elder Shade and is badly shaken. I feel his body slip into shock as he falls forward onto his chest.

  Chapter 63

  I try to get up, try to run to him, but I fall back down, too weak to stand.

  The coldness emanating from the breach ceases. My eyes travel to the tear site and find it sealed. Kira is putting the final strengthening wards on it now.

  The ocean is back to its own natural pull and swell. The few remaining Lesser Shades turn and flee. Simone spears a gorilla-like Lesser Shade straight through its neck before it can escape.

  I scan who’s left standing among the Walkers. They stare about them with identical expressions of stunned disbelief as they look around the carnage-strewn beach and find no Elder Shade.

  Help Mikhail! I project to all of them, then retreat back into myself to finish healing. I can’t help Mikhail or anyone else in this condition. Lying in the sand, covered in blood both red and black, I’ve never been more exhausted. As badly as I want to quit—to close my eyes and fade into a peaceful rest, I know I don’t have that luxury. There are others that will need to be healed, damages that will need to be tallied, losses that will need to be counted.

  Dizziness overwhelms me as the scene around Mikhail swirls unfocused in my vision. Mikhail is a black blob, covered head to toe in the Elder Shade’s thick blood. He’s distressed—panicked even—trying desperately to wipe the blood
from his skin. He manages only to spread it around.

  Though the Shade is dead and gone, a heavy sense of malevolence hangs in the air, and it seems to be emanating from the Elder’s remains that are now clinging stubbornly, unnaturally, to Mikhail’s flesh. The others, unable to feel the evil that lingers, stare in worried confusion at Mikhail as he becomes more and more hysterical, trying to rid himself of the cloying filth.

  He tears his shirt from his body and picks up handfuls of sand to rub into his skin but to no avail. The greasy blood seems to be seeping into his very pores. Mikhail lets out an agonized groan that becomes a frustrated shout before he collapses, retching into the sand.

  I try to speed up my self-healing, but I don’t have the strength to go any faster. I can’t even project my thoughts any more. I want to scream at the others, “Help him!” but I can’t do anything but sew myself back together. Can’t they see his despair? Can’t they feel him suffocating?

  Sam reaches me and kneels by my side. “Addy, tell me you’re all right.”

  I stretch an arm out and point to Mikhail.

  “Help him,” I croak. I look up into Sam’s face, pleading with my eyes. He looks back and forth between the two of us, clearly reluctant to leave me. After what seems like forever, he gives me a determined nod and stands quickly.

  Reaching Mikhail, Sam bends and threads his arms around his chest and tries to lift him. His skin is so slick with the greasy Shade blood it’s difficult to keep a grip on him. Sam’s efforts to help Mikhail rally the others. They rush forward as one, each grabbing limbs, offering support. Together they carry the despondent Walker to the ocean’s edge where they lower him gently into the waters.

  They encircle him so completely it’s difficult for me to see what’s happening. Comforted with the thought that he’s no longer alone, I close my eyes and shut out all outward distractions.

  I travel the length of my body, starting at my head and ending with my toes. Along the way I pull joints together, mend sinews and ligaments, patch together broken veins, strengthen layers of muscle and flesh. Once finished, I make a second trip, this time healing my outermost layers of skins that have been broken down and left raw and bleeding. The damage is so extensive that I marvel I survived at all.

  Feeling worn out but more or less in one piece, I manage to get to my feet. I walk toward the huddle of Walkers gathered in the shallows of the ocean. What I see when I arrive both shocks me and warms my heart at the same time.

  The Realmwalkers have gathered around Mikhail and have used the ocean’s waters to wash the Elder Shade’s blood from his body with their own hands. Every last one of them is scooping up handfuls of the sea and rinsing every inch of Mikhail.

  Kira and Ember are working on his arms. Ben and Mel are cleaning his back and chest. Simone works in earnest to remove the sludge from his short hair. The feeling of darkness that had lingered with the Elder’s viscous remains has faded completely, and the atmosphere is now one of weary excitement and joy. Everyone’s helping—Sam and Mel and Crank and Timothy.

  TIMOTHY? He’s alive? Happiness surges through me, but before I can allow myself real relief, I need to be sure that Mikhail’s okay. Gently jostling the others out of my way, I squeeze between the ranks and kneel in the water in front of Mikhail.

  Looking at his blood-smeared face, I see his expression has changed from one of agony to wonder. He looks around at the others in complete bewilderment. I clasp his face in my hands and make him look at me. His eyes are wide and when he looks at me, I’m not sure he even sees me.

  Using the water at my knees, I begin washing the grime off his face, the whole while muttering assurances to him.

  “You did it, Mikhail. You did it. It’s over now. Everything’s okay. You’re okay. It’s all over.”

  “It really is over, isn’t it?” Mel asks beside me. Everyone glances around, looking into each other’s faces. They fight back nervous, tentative smiles, as if they are too afraid to hope.

  “Yes,” I say firmly. “Mikhail’s killed the Elder Shade. The tear’s been sealed shut. It’s really over,” I confirm to my friends, putting to rest their fears and doubts. I can feel the relief wash over everyone, but I know it will be short-lived. As if reading my mind, Sam speaks to the group.

  “We’ve had a victory here today, but it hasn’t come without a price.” I can feel his internal struggle to keep his grief from his words. Immediately everyone looks around. Even Mikhail seems to be taking a mental tally of the Walkers standing around him.

  Small gasps can be heard from a few of them, but it’s Ben who whispers, “Faye.”

  Sam nods grimly. “Addy helped her pass peacefully. She wasn’t in any pain.” This does little to comfort the group. No one speaks; the sadness is too thick. The only sounds are the ocean’s waves behind us and the quiet sobs of my friends.

  It’s Mikhail’s bold voice that finally breaks the silence, surprising everyone.

  “We must honor her brave sacrifice.” I look into his eyes and see clarity. Whatever shock he has been through, the stupor has finally lifted. His face is tear-streaked, but his voice is thick with fervor.

  “We will not leave her here to lie with the carcasses of these evil beasts.”

  Chapter 64

  It wasn’t the kind of farewell we would have envisioned for one as beloved as Faye Devon, but given the state of the bone-weary, battle-worn Walkers, it was the best we could do. We stood and formed a circle, arms across each other’s shoulders, around Faye’s burial site. We had carried her far away from the war zone and found a place close to the entrance to Major Calm.

  With a gentle breeze coming in off the surf, we each took turns sharing our fondest memories of Faye. It was difficult to face such a deep loss in the wake of a victory, but the time we spent there saying our good-byes was cathartic and something we couldn’t have done without.

  After the last of us speaks, we walk quietly together back to the shelter of the grotto. I scan the group, noting how some walk hand in hand, others arm in arm, each supporting and comforting one another. I’m filled with pride and gratitude to be counted among these great men and women. Once safe inside the garage of Major Calm, I wait until the last of us passes through the doorway.

  “All right, everyone, I know you’re all tired, but no one leaves until they’ve been given the ‘okay’ from Doc Shepherd. So form up a line, the worst of you first, please.”

  “Are you sure you can manage?” Sam asks quietly in my ear. I nod and smile reassuringly at him. The Walkers are all in fairly decent shape considering the fight we just had. The injuries are relatively minor, the worst being a dislocated collarbone and some broken ribs.

  When Tim shuffles up to take his place in front of me, I stretch up and hug him tightly around the neck.

  “You were dead. I felt it. I felt you die!”

  He pats my back gently until I release him.

  “I was,” he says. Smirking comically, he jerks his head at Simone who’s clinging to his arm. “But this one wouldn’t have it.”

  I’m not the only one staring in astonishment at Simone.

  “She gave me CPR. Wouldn’t give up on me.” His voice is teasing, but his face is filled with tenderness as he looks at her. “She didn’t stop until my heart was beating again.”

  Simone’s cheeks flush pink as she feels everyone’s eyes on her. “It’s not that big of a deal,” she says dismissively. When everyone continues to stare at her, she gets defensive. “Sheesh, people, I’m not completely useless. I know things, okay? I played a doctor once in a movie.”

  This earns a laugh from everyone, lightening the mood considerably. Embarrassed and seemingly eager to get the attention off of her, Simone says, “Besides, I’m not the hero here. Mikhail is.”

  “Yeah Mikhail!” Crank pipes up. “What happened, man? How did you DO it?!”

  “Wait,” Kira interrupts, “how did you even get there? I mean, from Inner Silence and all?”

  Others start to ta
lk simultaneously, each asking what happened and how. Mikhail seems overwhelmed with the attention and unsure how to respond. It takes Sam intervening to quiet everyone down.

  “All right, all right, everyone. Give him some space. Let him explain.”

  Mikhail looks shyly around at the others, looking uncertain of himself. When our eyes meet, I give him my best smile and the tension melts off him.

  “It was Adelaide,” he says, still looking at me.

  I shake my head adamantly but he continues.

  “I couldn’t have done it without her. She believed in me.”

  “What?” Someone voices their confusion.

  Sam interjects, “Addy’s believed for some time now that it was never HER who was meant to stop the Elder Shade, but Mikhail.”

  Everyone looks at me with confusion, disbelief, even hurt. Ember seems most injured. Stepping closer to me, she asks, “Why didn’t you say anything?”

  “I tried!” I say exasperated. “No one would listen! You were all so …” I look to Mikhail, not wanting to hurt his feelings, but the look on his face tells me he understands.

  “No one wanted to hear about Mikhail. I knew none of you would believe me.” Their confusion and disbelief turn to shame as many of the Walkers avoid eye contact with both me and Mikhail.

  “She tried to tell me,” Sam says, shouldering the bulk of the shame upon himself. “I shot her down and left her with no other option but to act without me or my help.”

  “I see now,” says Mel. “That’s why the Elder Shade was so intent on destroying you, Addy. He must have known somehow that even though it was Mikhail that could destroy him, he’d never have been able to do it without YOU.”

  Realization dawns clearly on the others’ faces.

  “Okay, that makes sense now, but that still doesn’t explain how Mikhail was able to get out of Inner Silence,” Kira insists gently.

  “I snuck into Inner Silence. On my own.” This alarms the others, so I take a second for the surprise to sink in. “I thought I’d be able to open the doors on my own and I was right.”