“Sshhh… don’t disturb the dead,” Tig announced. He looked pale, shaken.
“Follow me, remember, don’t touch anything,” Jack warned the others.
He descended some steel stairs to his left and reached the first rows of desks and screens. The power supply was activated by their presence, screens came alive throughout the room. Jack looked at the nearest screen and saw images of the earth. Major cities were marked with lights. Most of the screens displayed red crosses on the cities.
A few green lights glowed dimly in one or two places in the southern hemisphere; a cluster in New South Wales, Australia and two in New Zealand. Jack noticed another solitary green light in southern Chile. Patagonia, he thought.
This had been a regional command centre. It was clear that a major exchange of weapons had occurred, probably nuclear. How long ago, anyone’s guess. Anger boiled in his blood. How dare they do this? What right did they have to destroy the world and the generations that followed?
His anger was replaced by a coldness, this was to be expected, this was normal for men. They always destroy, never happy with the abundance the earth provides.
It means nothing, Jack told himself. It’s evolution. Progress has unfolded, just in a different direction. Science has been replaced by magic, magic will unfold and grow in its own way, he reflected
His thoughts stumbled. Magic was taking a turn to the dark side, the same turn science had taken, which had led to destruction on an unprecedented scale.
Perhaps there was one more thing science could give this world, one final gift to prevent necromancy from corrupting this new start.
Chapter 38: Kracken
Thomas carried out Skovar’s orders to the letter.
Thomas and Fin worked hard on the cutter, she responded beautifully. The sea was a living thing, Thomas felt alive and at one with the cutter, the physicality between man, boat and ocean was magical. His heart and spirit soared.
Thomas sang a song his father had taught him; the Rhyme of Seasons. He drew breath and released his father’s words to the wind.
Lady Spring bring sap and leaves to dress the trees,
Fill the air with birdsong and sun scented breezes,
Bring deer to the forest to dance ahead of my seeking arrow.
Lady Spring be my light and hope, beyond frozen Winter’s reign.
“You have the music in you. That’s good, it’s a sign of spirit.” Fin smiled at Thomas. “You’ve a woman in your life. I have a girl, I’m happy to be going to the Crosswind Isles, she went there on the exile ship. I’m glad you persuaded my father to sail there. It means you’ll find your wife and I’ll find my girl.”
Fin launched into a bawdy sea shanty that made Thomas smile. It was good to be among the living again, it was good to be alive once more, Fin was right, it would be good to be with his family once more.
Without warning a shudder went through the cutter. Skovar shouted from the helm. “Kracken! Kracken! Hold on we’ll try an’ outrun ‘em.”
Thomas looked on, horrified as a huge shape surfaced alongside the cutter, rows of teeth and a lidless eye flashed in the waves. The Kracken’s tentacles thrashed wildly in the air.
Fin grabbed a billhook and attacked the tentacles. Thomas ran to retrieve the Blood Eagle, stashed near the prow. Time slowed, it took forever for Thomas to reach his blade. The cutter responded to Skovar’s skill at the helm, sea spray splashed Thomas, temporarily blinding him. He reached his blade, drawing it from its scabbard.
He turned to see Fin pinned to the mast by the Kracken; one of its many tentacles crushing the boy. Fin’s eyes were bulging, his face pale, lips blue. Thomas had seen that look before and knew he had seconds to act. He ran and threw himself at the Kracken.
The Blood Eagle’s blade swung through the air and met flesh. The blade severed the Kracken’s tentacle which dropped to the cutter’s deck. Fin collapsed in a fit of coughing, blood on his lips.
Thomas had no time to attend to the boy as another tentacle flailed towards him with a bony point. Thomas dodged the attack and countered with his blade. The Blood Eagle missed the beast’s flesh and caught the cutter’s gunwale. The impact travelled up Thomas’s arm with searing pain.
He dropped to his knees, stunned. The Kracken’s tentacle hovered above his head. Thomas felt the threat and dropped his blade, he rolled left as the beast’s arm crashed down, puncturing the deck.
Skovar let out a loud cry, the cutter shuddered violently. The beast’s tentacles disappeared over the side. A grinding sound followed by a loud squeal came from the water alongside. Thomas grabbed the Blood Eagle and looked into the water, eyes wide, heart thumping.
Blood and flesh lay in the water. He saw the light dying in the Kracken’s eye as it sank beneath the waves. Jagged rocks were visible just below the surface, fear crept into his belly. He looked back at the helm, Skovar was wrestling the wheel, his hands a blur.
More scraping came from beneath the cutter, she shook violently, then sprang into clear water. The wind pulled at her mainsail and the little boat shot forward again.
Skovar raised his face to the sky and shouted with joy, “Crushed the bastard, got him!”
Thomas turned to look for Fin and was relieved to see the boy, pulling himself to his feet, colour returning to his cheeks. He was holding his side, wincing.
“Here, let me have a look at that,” Thomas said.
Fin leant back against the cabin, allowing Thomas to pull up his shirt. Thomas grimaced at the sight, but was inwardly relieved, he explored the area with his hand and found no penetrating injuries but a good deal of bruising.
“Nasty, but you’ll live,” he patted Fin’s head reassuringly. “What the hell was that thing?”
“Kracken,” Fin answered, his eyes full of pain. “Never seen one myself, not supposed to be in these waters. My father saw one before, he tells a story about it, but it was a long time ago, far beyond the Isles, in deeper water.”
“Are you all right?” Thomas asked Fin.
“Aye, I’ll go below. Saw some salve there. Reckon this could do with some attention. Back up soon. Can you check on my father?” Fin disappeared down the steps into the cabin.
Thomas went to Skovar. The old man still had the fire of battle in his eyes. Thomas was familiar with the feeling and how it affected men. He felt the familiar shake return to his sword arm and remembered the feeling as his blade had tasted Kracken flesh.
“That was a small one!” Skovar shouted, his hands glued to the wheel. “I saw one thirty years ago, out in the deeps, easily five times the size of that one, if not more. Evil beasts, ancient. Left over from when the Erthe was young. Shouldn’t still be around, if you ask me, their time has long gone. Bad omen, bad omen.”
“Fin said Kracken shouldn’t be in these waters. Why do you think it’s here?” Thomas asked.
Skovar scowled. “Could be the weather, storm’s brewing on the horizon, that’s where the islands are. That’s where we’re headed.” Skovar paused.
Thomas looked at the horizon seeing the clouds there. The whole skyline was a dark festering bruise. He thought of Liliana and his girls, hoping they were safe.
“’Course…” Skovar added. “They do say Kracken are drawn to magic. There’s a lot of that on the mainland right now, what with the war. They say magic stirs things. Ancient things, things that should be left alone.”
An uncomfortable silence stretched out between the two men.
Thomas looked back at the mainland. The old man was right, there was a lot of magic abroad, being wielded indiscriminately. He shuddered, wondering if the necromancers’ magic could reach the Crosswind Isles after all.
Time would tell.
~
Shiel stepped into the room, his face drawn, troubled. Blood trickled from a cut on his forehead into his eyes. Halvdan felt detached, the way he used to feel back in the Veterans’ Hospital.
Numb.
He sat on the floor, letting Shiel make the first move.
He felt empty, useless.
“Come on Halvdan, we can fix this, we can mend the rift between our worlds. Their army has been sucked into the ether. If we can keep them there they’ll wither and vanish with no magic to feed off. Then our world will be free of the necromancers.”
Halvdan looked dully at Shiel. “Did you see what happened out there? Your enemy joined with the infected from this city. You’ve thrown them together; the two most destructive forces mankind has ever seen.”
Shiel regarded Halvdan. “I know, I know. We have to seal the way back to New Haven for them. Deny them access.”
His words sunk into Halvdan’s skull. He looked up. “That means destroying the bridge between our worlds. We might not be able to get back, we might fail…” Halvdan felt overwhelmed, so many things could go wrong. “What do you suggest we do?”
“There’s not much time but if we combine our strength we might be able to close the tear, weave it back in place, enough to prevent the undead reaching New Haven again. Will you join me? What do you say?”
“We’ve not practiced this melding of power. Can it even be done?” Halvdan asked.
“You speak the truth. It’s not been done for generations, but it is recorded, the mages of old were capable of conjoining power and wielding it as one force. It carries risk, but a risk worth taking if it means freedom and peace for New Haven.”
Halvdan let the older man’s words wash over him. He had already made up his mind. Yes, he wanted peace from pain, this life was spinning him a never ending trail of destruction and sorrow. He wanted release, the peace of death. He wanted the joy of the grave.
“Let’s do it then, Shiel. Let’s do this crazy scheme of yours, see where it takes us. We’ve nothing to lose, either way we’re damned.” Halvdan pulled himself off the floor and walked over to Shiel.
“We need a high place, in the open,” Shiel looked at Halvdan.
“Let’s go to the roof.” Halvdan made for the door.
“Lead on,” Shiel nodded.
Halvdan made for the service stairs and started climbing. Twenty minutes later they stood on the hotel roof, looking over Central Park. They saw the huge sinkhole occupying the Mall. Its surface, still, ominous.
Halvdan looked at the familiar city and felt loss for what had once been his home, he buried his feelings.
“Are you ready?” Shiel asked, urgency in his voice.
“Aye. Tell me what to do and I’ll try,” Halvdan replied.
“We will succeed Halvdan, have faith, it is only through belief that the magic within rises to its true potential.”
Halvdan looked Shiel in the eye. “I will try my best,” he replied, his voice strained.
“So be it.” Halvdan replied. “Stand with me, back to back, we’ll raise our hands to the four winds. Look within as you know how, search for my echo. I’ll be close by. Once you have my echo, I’ll do the rest, I need you to recognise my presence before I can meld our power.”
Halvdan nodded and turned to face south. He closed his eyes and trod the familiar road downwards and inwards to the magic wellspring. He felt comforted by its presence. He let its energy and light wash over him, it was good, powerful.
But not powerful enough, he had not been able to defeat the northern army. His faith in Shiel’s words faltered, self-doubt and shame returned; shame at not being able to protect the city. Feelings of recrimination diminished his wellspring, its power withered.
He panicked and the more he panicked the less control he had. He shook, his legs weakened and he fell. He opened his eyes and saw Shiel standing over him, blade in his hand.
“I knew you’d fail! I need your power, I need to slay you. With your death it’ll pass to me, I’ll be able to close the slipway. Forgive me Halvdan.”
Shiel thrust the dagger at Halvdan’s chest.
With action born of instinct, Halvdan rolled out of the blade’s way and rose to his knees. He grabbed Shiel by the waist, toppling him. Shiel fell heavily, his blade skittering across the roof. Halvdan rose and staggered over to the blade.
As he bent to pick up the dagger, a sharp blow landed between his shoulders. He lurched forward nearly falling over the edge. Shiel had struck from behind with magic. Halvdan was winded and struggled to breathe, he looked over the steep section of roof to the street far below.
He heard Shiel approach for the coup de gras. Halvdan had enough, he forced himself forward, over the lip of the roof, he was going to end it. He threw himself over the edge, sliding down the steep incline to the guttering below.
“Nooooooooo!” Shiel’s desperate voice came from behind.
Halvdan heard the crackle of energy and prepared himself for another body blow. Instead, his fall was broken, an invisible force pulled him back, up the roof. Shiel was winning, Shiel would get his way.
Then he saw Shiel’s echo.
The barest shimmer within.
Like footsteps walking over my grave, Halvdan thought.
A slight vibration, just out of sight, but there. He recognised Shiel’s echo, he saw the Mage of Sorrow within. He latched on to the echo and felt a surge of power as Shiel responded. Halvdan shuddered as Shiel took his power, his wellspring.
The melding was a form of madness.
The taste of fear, the stink of sweat permeated Halvdan’s senses as his body and soul were invaded, violated for his power. He felt it leave his body, his life quivered and failed.
The last things he saw before losing consciousness were Shiel’s feet on the roof of the Plaza Hotel.
Chapter 39: EPW
Jack approached the desk at the head of the room.
It was clearly a weapons command centre. He had seen similar set ups in his military training. He sat down at the desk noticing two missile launch keys still sitting in their slots. The screen came to life when he touched the desk. A world map appeared on the screen before him.
Raven leaned over his shoulder, her long hair brushing his cheek. He could smell the earth of Saxavord on her. She had changed.
“This place is full of dark magic,” Raven whispered, “we should leave.”
Jack turned to her. “Yes, this place has power, a power that destroyed my people, my world, but I think it may be able to save yours. I’m just trying to figure out how.”
He saw a satellite link switch. He pressed it expecting nothing, but the screen in front of them responded. An icon in high earth orbit flashed. Jack let out a low whistle. “Well I’ll be damned… just look at that, this system’s still fully operational.”
Tig let out a low moan and cowered behind Jack’s chair.
Sabine stared transfixed at the screen. “It’s beautiful. What is it?” she asked, wonder in her voice.
Jack scratched his chin. “That’s our world, Earth we used to call it, Erthe as you call her. We lost our chance and destroyed her, thousands of years ago, you’ve inherited a new and vibrant world. The phoenix that rose from the ashes.”
He placed his hand on the screen control. “Let’s see where we are.” He moved the mouse, the image on the screen magnified, land forms on the planet becoming more distinct. Jack clicked the home icon, the view changed and honed in on what once was the eastern continental United States.
They were in the Delaware Water Gap National Park area, or the land that used to go by that name. He had hiked and camped here with his parents as a boy. Memories flooded back to him. His eyes flicked to the coast, he flinched as he saw the outline of what used to be New York City and Manhattan. This part of the coast had changed, the sea was gone.
A land mass now extended at least two hundred miles east of where New York had been; the land the eastern necromancers now controlled.
“What is that black area?” Sabine pointed at the screen. “It looks as if the Erthe is bleeding.”
Jack followed her finger. His hand clicked the mouse, the view intensified. The land that once was Manhattan came into view. Again, the geography had changed but he still recognised it as the area where New Y
ork City and New Jersey had been.
Except now they saw the City of New Haven, the black area Sabine had identified was like nothing Jack had ever seen. It did look as if the Erthe was bleeding. An inky area occupied New Haven’s eastern flank.
“Look! Whatever it is, it’s breached the city walls. It extends into the eastern district, it’s growing,” Raven observed.
Tig looked around the side of Jack’s chair. “I don’t like the look of that… it looks like a leech.”
Raven stiffened. “It’s a threat to the city, to the Erthe. It’ll suck her life into its heart if not stopped. We need to do something. Jack can you use this magic to stop that thing?” she waved at the desk.
“Raven, you said this place was full of dark magic,” Sabine said carefully.
“Aye, and that we should all leave,” Tig added.
Raven looked at Sabine. “That was before I saw that thing.” She pointed at the screen. “I don’t know how I know, ever since I got my vision back at the clearing, I see things clearly. I feel the Erthe, I am closer to her, I just know that black thing, if left unchecked will destroy us and the Erthe.”
Jack looked at the desk using the mouse to navigate the screen. He reached a menu displaying weapon systems. The screen was filled with red lights.
One green light remained, a number flashed beside it; EPW S4592X/2.
“It seems we’ve one live round left,” Jack said, a mixture of wonder and dread in his voice.
“We must extinguish that black spot from New Haven, from the Erthe. It will bring death and eternal night if we leave it to gather strength,” Raven declared. “Jack do what you must.”
Jack turned to face Raven. Sabine and Tig watched his face and saw the fear there. He leaned forwards, his eyes wide. “You don’t understand, the weapons my people used were brutal, they caused mass destruction. If I was to target that thing, it would be catastrophic.”
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