Dark Rain: Book 1 of The Aetherium Saga

by Jilly MacKenzie

  ‘Just the one civilian?’

  ‘Negative. Four. And another is AWOL, last seen at Blois. Can you send a search?’

  ‘Negative, the Loire area is currently a red-zone. We would be at too much risk with the amount of IGS about. I'm sorry.’ Lenore slumped back resignedly in her seat. Shit. I'm so sorry Axel. Please be okay. I'll come back as soon as I can. I promise.

  ‘I urge you to leave the area as soon as you can’ Deacon demanded.

  ‘Suggestion of a location? Can I come to HQ?’

  ‘Negative, IGS are red hot for you right now. We are currently underground, do not attempt to come to us until the situation has cooled.’

  ‘Got it.’

  ‘Go somewhere rural, in a craft-free zone. Far from IGS control,’ Deacon suggested.

  ‘Will do, Administrator,’ Lenore agreed.

  ‘Lenore, good luck, and stay safe. I will keep you updated.’

  ‘Thank you, you too,’ and the comms transmission ended.

  ‘Well, we're fucked…’ Finn jibed, with an exaggerated shrug and smirk.

  Lenore snorted, ‘We're on our own,’ and she grasped the steering wheel with intent, ‘Just the way I like it.’

  ‘We're definitely fucked,’ he chuckled, feigning fear as he pressed back into his seat.

  ‘Set a course for Lundy island,’ Anubis stated calmly, ‘off the North Devon coast.’ Lenore turned to look at her, meeting her eyes in mutual agreement.

  ‘Yes! Perfect,’ Lenore praised, ‘well out of flightpaths.’

  She punched the location into a transit pathfinder, and set a course. The Cirrus smoothly turned and began jetting towards its destination.

  With the craft now on a level cruise across France and the English Channel, Lenore unbuckled herself and began assessing the contents of the Cirrus. The others followed suit, and Lenore pulled some bunks down for them to sleep in. Cat and Emile crawled into them with appreciation.

  Finn stopped beside another bunk, and gently pulled Lenore aside, ‘Don't worry yourself, you did what you had to do. He might be fine-’

  ‘I'm going back for him once I've dropped you guys off,’ Lenore interjected.

  Finn frowned, but nodded slowly, ‘Don't go without me then,’ he stated with a yawn, and he too made himself comfortable on a freshly laundered bunk.

  Lenore reclined sullenly in the pilot’s seat, watching the nose of the Cirrus cut through the night, towards an island she'd never been to. Anubis settled beside her, silently, watching the streams of winter air glide over the windscreen.

  Lenore glanced at the journey tracker, ‘We will be there in 20 minutes.’

  Anubis nodded, ‘It's been almost five years since I've been to my family home.’

  Lenore smiled sympathetically, ‘Do you think anybody will find us there? Cat needs more time to heal. We all do I think.’

  ‘Very unlikely,’ Anubis assured, ‘The nearest megacity is Plymouth, located more than seventy miles away. I doubt many remember Lundy's existence, or even travel over the abandoned East and North areas of Devon and Cornwall.’

  Lenore relaxed, pursing her lips as she watched the journey timer. 15 minutes.

  ‘Do you think I did the right thing? Leaving him there?’ Lenore moaned up to the ceiling.

  ‘Even it is wasn't the right thing, it was the only option,’ Anubis shrugged. ‘Landing again and bringing him aboard would have used up time we did not have.’

  One thing Lenore had learned to appreciate in Anubis, was her justification for wrongdoing and unethical behaviour. Highly attuned reasoning, or psychopathy? Lenore wondered. In her point of view, she can do no wrong. Everything is as it should be. And in a way, I admire that. Her surety in herself and her actions is commendable. She does have full knowledge of right and wrong, but chooses to tell herself even wrong, can be right. And sometimes, wrong is necessary. It was a grey line of morality which Lenore dared not tread herself, but Anubis, however, ran on it, danced on it. She cuts it up, only to reassemble it again in her own way.

  10 minutes.

  Anubis sat forward for a better view, glancing frequently at the journey tracker, we are currently flying over the English Channel, Anubis noted as she waited intently. Bright lights could be seen below, becoming a larger mass of various colours as they sped over it. Hundreds of luminous towers, platforms, and bridges reached up to the sky. Vertical gardens adorned most building sides, and millions of ground and sky crafts were seen as darting orbs, following set patterns between the buildings.

  Lenore and Anubis drank in the sight of the modern megacity. An ingenious blend of sustainability and optimum quality of life. The evidence of the Neo-Earth movement which started more than 50 years ago. The new world order. Bettering Earth and its people in every way possible. Homelessness and unemployment were things of the past. The new world looked good on the outside, but look deeper and the same dark struggles of modern life could be found, and the IGS were the monsters under everyone's beds.

  And all too quickly, they passed over the sprawling expanse of life and light, and continued on into the darkness of abandoned Devon. Its moors and uplands shone a brilliant snowy white amongst the lightless expanse.

  Anubis waited in anticipation as the dark isle loomed in the distance, like a black ship anchored within the foggy Atlantic, bracing the assaults of the churning stygian sea.

  They approached Lundy, and the Cirrus stabilised itself from the buffeting of the ocean gusts. The island soon engulfed their vision as the Cirrus began its descent, over the sheer cliffs. Anubis' blue eyes were melancholy with nostalgia, as she looked upon her old home.

  Lenore took over from the autopilot and switched to freefly, turning to Anubis, ‘Where to?’

  Anubis swallowed, regaining her composure and nodded to the left.

  ‘That way, my... home.’

  The motion of the Cirrus dipping and turning to the left made the others stir from their rest, and Finn stumbled tiredly to the seat behind Lenore.

  The Overlook Manor of the Morwenstow family was a proud Victorian-style building. It looked much older than its meagre 50 years. The dark bricks were weather-beaten, with moss and climbing ivy taking root between them.

  Lenore landed the Cirrus in front of the mansion, its dark windows reflecting the skycrafts blue lights.

  ‘Umm, Lenore? We have company,’ Cat moaned from the back of the craft, as she peered out of a window, noticing dark figures approaching out of the windy gloom.

  Disengaging the energy drive, Lenore strapped her on-body device onto her arm, then rose from her seat, ready to face the strangers outside.

  Chapter 24

  No Rest For The Wicked

  After shouldering her pack, Lenore warily jumped down from the Cirrus, landing on soft, damp grass. She strained her eyes through the cold, blustery fog, as three figures emerged into the halo of the Cirrus’ light. The strangers shielded their eyes, and looked at Lenore questioningly. One of them was aiming an energy pistol at her.

  ‘Wha's yer bus'ness 'ere?’ a female voice demanded, her south-western accent was strong.

  Lenore was about to speak, when a hand firmly grasped her shoulder, and Anubis passed by, approaching the strangers.

  ‘It's me, Beatrice,’ Anubis softly announced, standing in her usual straight and confident stance before them. The young man lowered his weapon at her words, and he allowed Beatrice to edge forward cautiously.

  ‘Miss Vicky? Is tha' you?’ and then she rushed and embraced Anubis vigorously. ‘Oh! Your finally 'ome!’ she cried happily.

  Both groups smiled at the emotional reunion, and Beatrice turned her attention to Anubis’ companions.

  ‘These lovely lot t’ thank for your return?’

  Anubis let out a small laugh, ‘You could say that,’ she concurred, smiling softly at Lenore.

  ‘Oh wha’ am I like?’ Beatrice suddenly exclaimed,

  ‘Johnny! Jenny! ‘elp me get these poor shivering souls inside the main ‘ouse!’ and th
e two young strangers rushed into motion, ushering Lenore and her group towards the imposing dark manor.

  Beatrice fumbled for a few moments with her wad of keys, before her old hands finally found the correct one. With a jarring turn of a rusted, unused lock, the large double doors of the mansion swung inwards, and they entered from one gusty darkness, into one as still as the grave, and smelled of old wood and violets.

  Johnny had holstered his weapon, and flipped open a nearby wall box. With a stiff crank of a small switch, the mansion seemed to burst into life. With the power engaged, the large fireplace in the main entry hall ignited, and the crystal chandeliers above, lit the entire place in a soft golden glow. The beauty and decadence of the house was instantly illuminated. Dark wood and dust. Paintings and cobwebs.

  Anubis walked towards the flaming hearth, hiding her face from view. She stopped before it, and gazed up at the large family portrait above. Sensing the melancholia, Beatrice patted Johnny and Jenny, muttering commands, and they both hurried up the grand sweeping staircase, to the upper levels.

  ‘Your rooms will be ready soon, please do make yerselves comfortable and warm while ye wait,’ she suggested, motioning to the scattering of settees and divans around the fireplace at which Anubis stood, unmoving.

  Beatrice had noticed Cat’s bandaged neck wound and ushered her to the kitchens, while the group slumped into the seats, exhausted. Emile began to fall quickly asleep over the high arm of her settee.

  ‘Are we back in Drakestoke?’ Finn joked, laying back, staring at the vaulted stone ceiling. Lenore nudged him in warning.

  ‘Thank you for offering your home to us, Anubis,’ Lenore appreciated.

  Anubis nodded slowly with a sigh, and then turned and settled into a deep armchair. Finn stretched out, exaggeratedly placing his arm over Lenore’s face, and she swatted him away, irritated.

  Hurried footsteps on wood were heard, and Beatrice returned with Cat who wore a new neck dressing and was curiously smelling the antiseptic spray on her hands.

  Beatrice placed a large copper tray of hot drinks on the central low table. Finn and Lenore leaned forward in a shared sigh of appreciation, and with a gentle nudge from Cat, Emile awoke and displayed sleepy relief when she saw the steaming mugs.

  Jenny’s young voice called from upstairs, announcing that the rooms were ready, and everyone drank their drinks with glee, the first mouthfuls of decent nourishment they had received in a week. Sustaining themselves on winter woodland foods in Blois had been an unsatisfactory struggle.

  Anubis left hers untouched as the others ascended up to Jenny who directed them to their newly prepared rooms. The manor had more than enough rooms for each of them, but Cat insisted that she and Lenore stay together.

  Emile reached for the door of her allocated room when it suddenly burst open. Johnny strode out at speed, and his broad chest knocked her back. The book she had stuffed up her jacket slid out and fell to the floor, and his hands flew out and stabilised her.

  ‘So sorry miss! Didn't see yer there,’ he apologized, lowering to pick up her book, but she beat him to it and quickly hugged it.

  He swallowed with a fleeting look of uneasy confusion, then gestured to the room behind him.

  ‘I was er… Just finishing up in here. Should hopefully be to yer liking,’ he explained as she slowly moved around him and entered the room.

  She looked about in awe, but when she sensed he had not left her alone yet, she began to shift uncomfortably, eyeing him warily, hugging her hidden book close to her chest for comfort.

  He took his cue to leave, and nodded, becoming embarrassed by the situation.

  ‘Sleep well, miss,’ he muttered, barely audible, and quickly left, mentally berating himself for being awkward.

  Downstairs, Beatrice regarded Anubis’ somber form, and almost jumped at her unexpected words.

  ‘My father...’ Anubis enquired in a low voice, glaring at the flames.

  ‘He went peacefully,’ Beatrice assured. ‘He loved you so much.’

  Anubis’ head lowered forlornly, and Beatrice moved to get a better view of her. Slowly circling to a place where the fire illuminated Anubis' face fully. Beatrice gasped in shock, and Anubis closed her eyes in resignation.

  Beatrice rushed forward, grasping Anubis’ hands, and assessed the angry slashes upon her face.

  ‘Oh my dear, you poor soul, wha' 'ave they done to yer?’ she cried, shaking in sympathetic fury.

  Anubis turned away slowly, beginning to quiver with silent weeping, and Beatrice pulled her into a tight embrace. Anubis' marred face was tight with pain and sorrow, and she allowed her tears and soft sobs to leave her. It was a release she had needed for some time now, and there was no time like the present. Embraced by a familiar face, in her old house.

  ***

  Axel was licking his physical and mental wounds in the hollow of a large gnarled tree. He didn't want to accept that Lenore had left him behind, but he admitted to himself, I am a danger.

  He had barely been able to escape Blois, as the departure of the group's skycraft had attracted every AI in the city to his location. Using his heightened speed, he had used the winding alleys to lose the machines hunting him, but it was a living human that managed to land a shot on him, clipping his shoulder with a searing ray. He eventually made it out into the cover of the dark forest, and dug out the snow drift from between two large roots, making himself a quick den.

  His skin was steaming in the cold night air from exertion, and he removed his jacket to cool down. Growling softly, he pressed snow onto his cauterised flesh, soothing the persistent burning.

  The many grazes and cuts on his face and hands told of the self-punishment he had done to himself, after his attack on Cat. The memory of that moment had haunted him since, and he had come to terms with the worst of his demons, and eventually overcome his difficult withdrawals from his medication. Ten years on daily depressants and sedatives was not easy to break in one week, and Axel had tried to distance himself from the group as much as possible. However, Cat had caught him at his worst. I am sure she's alive. He punched the tree and began weeping in anger at himself as the memory returned again.

  He had seen the tracks in the snow, and smelled Anubis. And he had also seen the blood. So much blood. My kitten's blood. He had tasted it. And for a fleeting second, he had liked it.

  His keen vision noticed a distant light sweeping through the darkness. His head lowered and his body tensed as he prowled out of his den. I am in no mood for any more shit tonight. And he stood up, poised and ready to fight whatever was coming his way. His acute senses smelled the sweat and exhaustion of a human male. The sound of panting breath, and the quick unfaltering pace of sprinting feet reached his ears. The beam from the stranger's helmet light was bouncing around, as he ran over the snowy terrain and avoided trees. He was closing in and Axel felt the intensity of the light as it hit his tapetum lucidum at the back of his eyes.

  The man stopped dead in his tracks, startled by something, and he panned his light over to Axel's location once more, revealing glowing amber eyes and a bedraggled man, poised and tensed. The stranger immediately whipped out a pistol and aimed it at Axel, ‘What are you!’ he demanded.

  Axel let out a long huff, and his frosty breath cloaked him in an ethereal aura, adding to the otherworldly and fearsome image the stranger saw before him.

  ‘Get lost,’ Axel replied bitingly, narrowing his eyes at the man, noticing the unmistakable grey body armour of an IGS sentry. The IGS rogue stepped forward, aiming his pistol with added intent as Axel's face.

  ‘I won't ask again!’ he threatened, and Axel bared his teeth in response, followed by a rumbling growl. They narrowed their eyes at each other for a moment, and Axel felt the sentry's gaze, assessing and judging him. As an IGS sentry, he must know what I am. And as if answering his thoughts, the sentry lowered his aim slightly.

  ‘You're the one I saw fleeing from Blois earlier,’ he stated.

  ‘What are you d
oing here? Watching me?’ Axel accused with a sneer.

  ‘Like you, I’m fleeing too,’ the sentry shrugged, nonchalantly, ‘And what about you? What are you doing here, splice?’ he probed with a knowing smirk.

  ‘Having a bad night,’ Axel huffed into the cold air. The sentry involuntarily let out a quick chuckle.

  ‘As am I.’

  ***

  The tranquility of the Nibiran night was seemingly scolding Marduk. Owls judged him from the trees as he paced along the fragrant pathways of the grand gardens of Eden. He had taken his father’s old apartments in the Temple of An as his own, and he watched the activity of the gardens, in solitude. The Eden celebrations were finally coming to an end, and the moons glowed brightly above, like two accusing eyes.

  His stagnation was becoming too much and he sought serenity in the expanse of perfect jungle to escape his thoughts. However, it only amplified them.

  Everything reminding him of Anubis. From the blue of her eyes in the aether pools, to her pale white skin in the projection of the large moon, Gal.

  He had aetherated once more to her location of torment, and collected her bloodied mask. The facility was vacant, which was probably for the best because he had planned on killing every soul within its walls for what they did for Anubis.

  He had pondered for days about how to see her again. Perhaps presenting her with the mask as a token of my devotion to her… he thought sullenly.

  Though, for now, he was masochistically content in his painful day to day struggle of insomnia and lovesickness. Playing mournfully stirring tunes on his duduk, and envisioning her beautiful face in the glistening water.

  Chapter 25

  Mea Culpa

  Beatrice eventually rejoined Johnny and Jenny back at their own houses in the village, once she was sure Anubis’ wounds had begun to heal well. The house has been a welcome retreat for the group who had slept, washed, and eaten until their heart’s desire.

  Anubis was unable to sleep throughout the first night, staying on the ground level, refusing to ascend the grand staircase. And it looked to be the same for a second night.