The Darkness of Dawn

by Braden Michael

  “Let’s save it for the bedroom, big guy,” she said, playfully wiggling his cock through the fabric of his pants.

  Several celebratory shouts and calls emerged from a crowd outside the carriage. “Emberlands!” “Rocklands!” “Congratulations to their Majesties!”

  “The people seem to be celebrating,” said Asher.

  “This truly has been a spectacle for all of the city. They’ll be talking about it for years to come,” said Vai.

  “Word will definitely reach Howell. I wish I could be there to see his face when he realizes that the Emberlands and Rocklands have truly united.”

  “We’ll have to settle for seeing his face when he’s lost the war,” said Vai.

  “We won’t have to worry about the war tonight,” Asher said with a smile.

  Vai reached over and took Asher’s hand in her own, looking into his eyes endearingly. She leaned in and rested her head on his shoulder, and they continued to hold each other for the remainder of the carriage ride, occasionally sipping on wine and listening to the cheers of the crowds outside.

  The carriage eventually decelerated, coming to a gentle stop. Through the walls of the carriage, they could hear one of the drivers hopping down from his seat, pattering around the carriage to the side steps, and knocking on the door.

  “We’ve arrived at the Center Inn!”

  “Open the door,” said Vai.

  The door was promptly opened. Still holding Vai’s hand, Asher stood up and led her towards the door and outside. The escorting soldiers formed a wall with their bodies that prevented any one of the onlooking civilians from getting too close. The driver continued towards the front door to the inn, opening it for them.

  “The Inn has been cleared of any and all people, just as you ordered, your Majesty,” the driver said.

  “Thank you. Please, feel free to go partake in the festivities,” Vai offered.

  “Many thanks, your Majesty.” The man bowed stiffly as they passed through the open door.

  Confirming what the man had said, Asher saw no one inside the lobby except for him and Vai. The luxurious bar and velvet-cushioned stools were unoccupied, as were the lounge chairs, desks, and tables.

  “You must see the uppermost room,” Vai said, a flirtatious grin on her face.

  “Is that all I’ll be seeing?” Asher asked playfully.

  Vai grinned mischievously. “No.”

  Vai led Asher past the lobby and into the lavishly decorated hallway, where they ascended a smoothly sanded wooden and marble staircase. Asher could not take his eyes off her body. His crotch had tightened to its greatest extent by that point, and he strained to contain his desire for her. Her hand transferred intoxicating warmth into his, and his entire body was becoming flushed with red.

  At the top of the staircase, Vai opened the door and led Asher into the hallway, which was far more lavishly decorated than the lobby. Blue velvet carpeting lined the floor, marble statues of various fish, horses, and ships lined the hall, and candles offered a sensual smell and sight. Only one door could be found in the hallway at the far end: a white door with handles of pure gold. The excessive look of the hallway did little to take Asher’s eyes off Vai.

  Asher opened the door, gesturing his arm inside. “After you.”

  Vai looked into Asher’s eyes with a sweet smile as she entered the doorway. Asher shut the door behind him to reveal a room as impressive as the prior hallway. A massive bed with silk covers, prestigious chairs, and a grand vanity all caught Asher’s attention.

  “Well, here we are,” said Vai, slipping off one of the straps of her dress.

  Asher’s member tensed in his pants as he admired Vai’s beauty, hunger in his eyes. She looked down at his crotch then back up to his eyes with a sexy smile. She slipped off the other shoulder strap, revealing a glimpse of her cleavage. Her walk was slow and sultry, her eyes even hungrier.

  Asher was could not speak as Vai pulled her dress down, revealing her torso and the red lingerie that flawlessly held her breasts. She walked right up to him, placing one hand on his shoulder and the other by the fleece strings of his pants.

  “You’re wearing too many clothes,” she said, gently grabbing the back of his neck, kissing him deeply, and undoing his pant strings all at once.

  As his cock desperately wiggled for freedom from his clothes, Asher undid her bra, which promptly fell to the floor to reveal her perky breasts. Their lips never separated as their clothing was removed, piece by piece, until they only wore undergarments.

  Vai led Asher towards the chairs before playfully pushing him to sit in one. Asher plopped into the chair, gawking as she stood above him. Both lovers were drunk on wine, lust, or both, giving each other looks of extreme longing.

  I haven’t felt this happy in all my life, Asher reflected. He wanted to weep tears of joy, but he was too over-encumbered by love and lust to do anything but look at her with desire. She is perfect, and I will be with her for the rest of my life.

  They took off the last of their clothes at once. She looked down at his rigid cock with a lustful look in her eyes while he stared at the soft and welcoming entrance between her legs. They looked back to each other’s eyes, and no words were necessary. She sauntered up to him and gracefully climbed on top, attacking his mouth with her own as he entered her.

  Asher screamed, seeing only the feral villager straddling him, preparing to bite his throat open. Everything assaulted his mind in the flash of lightning: the prisoner Black Eyes mutilated, the unforgettable faces, how he stabbed his attackers, when death painted the village square, seeing Kano’s detached head, and the mangled corpses of Danny and Garret. Then came the destruction of the Furakuhold, and the mass of dead bodies. All the images flashed through his head, eventually fading to white, until he saw nothing and heard only the Artifact’s hum.

  Asher came to, seeing Vai sprawled over the floor, looking terrified. He curled into a ball, his breath quickening, and the walls closed in on him. He buried his face in his hands, every breath becoming more and more of an irritated sob. Vai stood up, wrought with concern.

  “I—I—I—I—I’m so s—sorry… I…” Asher stammered, tears streaming down his face and spit spraying from his teeth.

  Vai rushed to him, kneeling and grasping his hands. “Asher!? What are—”

  “The village!” Asher blurted.

  Vai looked confused. “Village? Asher, honey, please tell me what’s going on…”

  “The massacre… th—they all d—” His voice trailed off.

  “Slow down… Catch your breath. Tell me what happened, dear,” said Vai.

  “They found an A—Artifact. It—it activated… They turned rabid, killed everyone… I… I…” His breaths drew slowly, and he felt contempt. “Black Eyes…”

  “The village massacre? I heard about that… Not much, though…” Vai looked sympathetic.

  “It was the worst thing I’d ever seen. Death everywhere I looked,” Asher confided, an inkling of a tear dripping from his eye.

  Vai lifted one of her fingers to gently wipe the tear off his cheek.

  Asher looked down at Vai with deep sympathy, forgetting his own sorrow. “I—I’m sorry. This war, it’s…”

  “It’s war. That’s just how it is…” said Vai.

  Asher gently lifted her off her knees and pulled her onto his lap. She sat on his thigh, their heads held against one other.

  “There doesn’t have to be any war, you know…” Asher said, almost optimistically.

  “There doesn’t?” Vai doubted.

  “Once Howell is gone, our people can know something other than death and misery…”

  “Like what?” Vai asked.

  “Unity.”

  Asher kissed Vai tenderly. He stood up while carrying her, her legs wrapped around his waist. He took her to the bed, and as desire began returning to his member, he eased into her. They looked into each other’s eyes with the sincerest love either had ever known.

  CH 51 – B
lack Eyes XIII

  Black Eyes stretched his neck then stood up. He looked up at Viktor, who offered a sympathetic smile. The man and woman both looked at him hesitantly and with caution.

  “You seem okay, I guess?” Viktor asked.

  “Okay…”

  “Okay… Considering…” Viktor said, glancing down at Black Eyes’ bloody crotch.

  “Just… don’t bring that—"

  “Who are you? Why’d the Archon castrate you?” the male stranger asked.

  Black Eyes sighed, visibly irritated. “What?”

  “You heard me…” the man persisted.

  “What’s it to you?” Black Eyes asked, appearing mild-mannered.

  “What’s it to me? Unless I know why you got one of the worst possible punishments, I will not trust you,” the man seethed.

  “What’re your names?” Black Eyes asked, his head listed down.

  “H—Helena,” the woman said.

  The man looked at Black Eyes hesitantly. When Helena gave him a look, he cleared his throat. “Griffin.”

  “I’m Black Eyes.” He gulped, looking around. “Where… Where are we?”

  Griffin seemed hesitant, but Helena stepped forward without hesitation. “Hivemind.”

  “I know that… Where… Where are we, in Hivemind?” Black Eyes asked.

  “We’re below ground. Before you woke up, I was going to explain to your Winterland friend about the Network,” Helena explained.

  “Wait, Helena,” Griffin interrupted.

  “What!?” Helena upbraided.

  “Before you explain everything to him, I’m gonna ask him some questions,” said Griffin.

  Helena rolled her eyes. “Ugh… fine.”

  With a defensive posture, Griffin walked past Helena and approached Black Eyes. “Why did the Archon have you castrated?” Griffin questioned.

  “Is this a joke!?” Black Eyes said.

  “Answer the question.”

  Black Eyes glowered, bleeding with intense frustration. You need to give him some fucking answer, pathetic weasel, he thought. “Because I’m the one that castrated him, many years ago.”

  “You… what?” Griffin said, no longer defensive, but shocked.

  “It’s a long and uneventful story not worth telling. So, what did you pump into my arm?” Black Eyes questioned.

  Griffin appeared shock, then quickly regathered his wits. “A combat stimulant. Numbs pain, heightens adrenaline, increases healing rate through faster-acting platelets, and increases perception across all senses,” he stated matter-of-factly.

  “I don’t know most of what you said, but I’m gonna assume it’s good?” Black Eyes asked uncertainly.

  Helena rolled her eyes. “Any more questions? Or can I explain the Network to them now?”

  “Of course,” said Griffin, offering Black Eyes a final stiff look before yielding the floor to Helena.

  “Finally, thanks. The Network is what we call the complex beneath the ground, it’s where our people are based, out of the Archon’s reach,” Helena explained.

  “Complex?” Black Eyes questioned.

  “Your people? How many of ya are there?” Viktor prodded.

  “I could spend days explaining it, but the only way to truly comprehend it is to see it for yourselves,” Helena informed.

  “Helena,” Griffin said, irritated.

  Helena glared at Griffin, but it was Viktor who spoke. “Listen up, buddy. I didn’t ask a lot of questions when you showed up out of nowhere and killed the Bargemen that were after me, then invited me into your little dungeon thing. I just chose to trust you, a choice I sincerely do not want to regret. Now why don’t you offer us the same level of trust, and fucking let Helena do her thing?”

  Griffin sighed. “You’re right. Helena, go ahead.”

  Helena looked between Griffin and Viktor, then nodded approvingly. “Follow me, Viktor, Black Eyes.”

  Helena and Griffin each grabbed a bag from a nearby table then walked towards the room’s far door. Black Eyes and Viktor followed them shortly behind, walking shoulder to shoulder.

  Helena reached the door and pushed it open. Griffin, Viktor, and Black Eyes filed inside, then she closed the door and got back in front of the men. They were inside a thin hallway encased by the same rocky material as the previous room’s ceiling. At the end of the hallway, the rock formation faded into a smooth, metallic one where a formidable vault door sat. Everyone’s footsteps echoed and reverberated throughout the hallway as Helena led them towards the vault door. She slid her hand down a side panel and a strange click emanated from it just afterwards. A portion of the panel slipped open, and Helena placed her face just in front of it. A bright-green light shone and focused on her face.

  “What the fuck—” said Black Eyes.

  “What is that?” Viktor asked.

  Griffin promptly turned around and held his palm up at Viktor and Black Eyes, motioning to them to calm down.

  “Scanning,” a mysteriously inhuman-yet-human voice echoed from the panel. “Helena. Frangos. Access Granted.”

  The panel closed and the clanking of parts echoed through the vault door as it opened. Black Eyes immediately felt the air density change and Helena led everyone through.

  The next room was of the same metallic design as the landing before the vault door. There was nothing in the room that Black Eyes or Viktor could recognize, just more strange metal objects that could be anything based on what they knew.

  “Computer. Activate Protocol ex niner dash two four zero one,” Helena said stiffly.

  Black Eyes and Viktor furrowed their brows. The room was instantly cast in a soft blue light, and a glass panel emerged from the ceiling, and an incomprehensible light array beamed from it, occupying the whole room. Black Eyes looked around with utter disbelief as shapes and figures made of pure light appeared tangible before his eyes.

  “What am I looking at...” Viktor muttered.

  “A conduit into the Network,” said Helena.

  “That doesn’t help me understand what this is…” Viktor said, hypnotized by the blue glow of the tangible light-figures.

  “Even we don’t know exactly what the Network is, but from what we can tell, there are many, what we call conduits, like this one all over both the Deadlands and Dawnlands. We can transfer information to and receive communications from some of them,” Helena explained.

  “What are these things floating in the air?” Black Eyes asked.

  “They’re markers on the map. Other conduits. Now, if you’re done asking questions, I’ll be getting to the point,” said Helena.

  “By all means,” said Black Eyes.

  Helena turned towards the glass panel and placed her palm flat on the surface. “Computer. Display pertinent surface info.”

  “Scanning.” Silence followed the voice briefly. “Bringing up surface display.”

  The room’s light realigned itself and formed a more impressive display: the light transformed into a complex scene of buildings that looked exactly like the city of Hivemind. Tiny dots moved throughout the streets of the projection. Helena loomed over the projected city and held her hands over it.

  “Computer. Highlight combat engagements,” said Helena.

  The projection instantly segmented into several pieces that zoomed in on specific parts of the city. Within each new segment, the light showcased various fights between Bargemen and Exiles. Great numbers of combatants from either faction died, but the Exiles seemed to be coming out on top.

  “Oh, great. You started a civil war…” Helena said, looking between Griffin and Viktor.

  “Didn’t you claim to be fighting the Archon? Aren’t you already in a civil war?” Black Eyes questioned.

  “It’s too soon!” said Helena.

  Griffin no longer seemed high-strung, his eyes filled with confidence. “So, our time table’s been moved up. We can work with that! The Archon will be distracted, sending his soldiers to quell the rebellion, he won’t be so heavily guard
ed if it becomes a serious problem.”

  “You can’t be serious,” Helena doubted.

  “I know this isn’t exactly what Michael planned, but it’s an opportunity! Probably one of the last we’ll get!” Griffin argued.

  Helena appeared hesitant, but when more segments of fights appeared before her, she had a look of reluctant acceptance on her face. “Fuck. I’ll inform Michael, you go ahead and prep these two,” she said, pointing to Black Eyes and Viktor.

  Excited, Griffin motioned Black Eyes and Viktor over to one of the room’s walls, placing his hand on a panel.

  “What’s happening?” Black Eyes asked meekly.

  “You want to take down the Archon, right?” Griffin asked in response.

  “Wait… What!?” said Black Eyes.

  “We’ll never get another chance… It’s time to fight,” said Griffin.

  Before Black Eyes could protest, Viktor smacked him and gave an impatient look. “Let’s just do it. The Archon hates us, and as long as he lives, we’ll be miserable.”

  Black Eyes was opposed but sighed in resignation. “Fine.”

  Griffin lifted his hand off a panel and the wall opened, revealing a strange inlet that contained several mysterious objects. Many appeared to be weapons and others appeared as strange armor unlike any either Black Eyes or Viktor had ever seen.

  “I know you must have more questions, but there isn’t any time,” Griffin said, opening another panel that contained several black bodysuits made of a strange synthetic fabric. He handed one to Viktor and one to Black Eyes. “Put these on. They’ll provide better comfort and protection than what you’re wearing now,” he informed.

  Black Eyes and Viktor were confused, but they did not hesitate to comply. While they were changing, Griffin was sorting through his own equipment.

  “Michael! Are you looking at the surface right now? We have a chance to strike!” she exclaimed. A moment passed. “I know it’s too soon, but it’s the only shot we got! We wait for the Archon to send his Guard into the city, and I’ll send in some of my people to take him out! I know it’s a longshot, but it might be the only shot we have!” Another moment passed. “That’s right! Send your people to aid in the street and arm the Exiles! Griffin will take two of mine into the Archon’s palace and we can end it tonight!”