The Veil Page 32

  “Yes.”

  23

  Alex

  I sat on a metal box on the longest dock in Navaris, staring down at my Biomote. A steady slew of rain battered against my uniform and soaked my hair, which sent thick beads of water dripping from the strands down onto the screen of the unit. The clouds above were as grey as a London winter and an icy breeze had replaced the blazing heat, gnawing at my fingers and cheeks like a hungry animal. It was as if the weather had caught the mood of the broken city and had responded the only way it knew how.

  It had taken the technicians less than an hour to improve the Biomotes to the latest specifications. As promised we could all communicate with each other across Pandemonia – including reaching Gabriella’s Biomote, wherever she was, on a closed loop so that Lilith couldn’t listen in or track any of us – as well as use an interactive map to keep track of our locations and bearings. They had also been fitted with a self-destruct setting that was powerful enough to take out anyone standing within ten feet, to be used as a last ditch attack if any of us were captured. Gabriella’s Biomote vocal-link was currently displayed on the screen, obscured by the puddle of rain that was building up on its surface. I wiped a thumb across it, and without knowing why pressed the communication button. A rush of static came through and nothing more.

  I will find you. I promise.

  “Guardian Eden?”

  I looked up to see Lightwarden Garrat weaving his way towards me through a large number of other wardens, who were loading a ton of supplies onto the colossal metal warship that floated nearby. The ship that I will have to trust to carry us the first leg of our deadly journey.

  “Why are you not on board with the others Guardian? We will be departing shortly.”

  I stood up, slipping the Biomote into my jacket pocket. “I was just taking a moment to myself.”

  “I understand.” He shifted on the spot, staring down at the helmet clutched in his hands. “I also wanted to apologise for my attitude towards you earlier. Emotions were running high. I saw a lot of my lifelong friends killed yesterday.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that Lightwarden. And please don’t apologise. If anyone should be apologising, it’s me. I acted irrationally – taking a hostage wasn’t the best move, but I wasn’t thinking straight and it was all I could come up with given the time.”

  “Then thank you also. Anyway, I am glad I have caught you. The Highwarden wanted to speak with you before you left, but unfortunately he has been called away to oversee the recovery of the vast amounts of information stored within Reaper Archives, which is proving an almost insurmountable task. If there is something within those books that can help us prepare for the upcoming invasion, then we need to find it.” He gestured around at the smouldering city behind him. “I am sure you understand.”

  “Of course.”

  “As I will be captaining the ship, he decided to relay his message on through me. The Highwarden spoke with the Council of Elders earlier, and it was agreed that we would provide you with extra support for this journey.” He raised his communication bracelet to his mouth. “Permission to load extra cargo approved. Bring them in.”

  Lightwarden Garrat stepped to the side, and I watched in shock as a stream of Vengeful appeared from around the corner, marching in perfect unison and with absolute silence down the dock. There were at least thirty of them, all dressed in their sleek white armour and carrying their bladed shields and gunpikes. As they passed us by, I noticed that they ranged in height and gender, but their weight and muscle tone was almost identical, and their faces a blank sea of unity. The fact that they were young didn’t seem to translate to their bodies or attitudes – unlike the children Gabriella and I had seen in the Partition, these were soldiers, ready for war.

  “They are under my command for now and will be until we step foot onto Concavious. At that point they will transfer to your care, and you are free to do with them as you wish. You can use them to aid your journey or you can trade them for supplies and mercenary support. The choice is yours.”

  The second part of Garrat’s words made me feel a flash of anger. These are young girls and boys who once had families and dreams; I’m not about to just sell them off like slaves. Still, the Lightwarden was being sincere, and I was forced to remind myself that it was simply the adapted culture of Fenodara. To them, the Vengeful had transformed from individuals to a unit – a collective commodity to be used in the way that best served those leading them. I wasn’t sure how comfortable I was about being supported by what were little more than children, but as much as I hated to admit it, we needed all the help we could get for the journey ahead.

  “Thank you,” I said with as much sincerity as I could manage.

  He nodded. “However, this next unit of support are not to be sold or exchanged. Like the Vengeful they will remain under my control until we reach Concavious. Beyond that, they either fall in battle or they return to this city with us. The Elders will know, so please follow their wishes.”

  I frowned, unsure of what the Lightwarden was talking about. It was then that two sweeping shapes appeared in the sky – a mass of stone wings and limbs. They circled around one another and then slammed down onto the deck of the warship with dull thuds.

  “They are giving us their Gargoyles?”

  “Two of them. Two others will be travelling with your fellow Hunters. They will be invaluable assets I assure you. All you must do is press your forehead against theirs, which will allow the Elders to transfer their control to you. Then the Protectors will simply follow your verbal commands.”

  “Wow…I don’t know what to say.”

  “There is nothing to say. They are not so much gifts as they are…an investment.” The Lightwarden stared at me – his eyes were a duller purple than Aegis,’ but still shimmered against the greyness of the harbour. “We want you to succeed as much as you do.”

  His words were strong, but the meaning behind them was far more powerful. What he left unsaid was revealed by his body language and his intense expression. They are desperate; they know that the end is coming. They need us to succeed.

  A clanging bell rang out around Navaris, and the remaining Lightwardens started to gather up the last of the supplies and load them onto the ship. Soon only Lightwarden Garrat and I remained.

  “It is time to depart,” he said.

  Without another word he started to walk away from me and I followed, the clomping of my boots on the wooden dock loud in my ears. As the rain beat down around me, I felt like I was walking the world’s longest plank towards certain death.

  I crossed a vast metal ramp and stepped onto the warship. As soon as I had set foot on the deck, two Lightwardens winched the ramp in behind me. I turned around on the spot and saw countless seated guns, strapped down cargo containers, and an array of technology I didn’t even understand. The Vengeful stood in rows at one side of the ship, flanked by the two Gargoyles; silent and unmoving to the point of becoming inanimate they resembled life-sized chess pieces, waiting to be played.

  I turned and walked towards the rear of the hulking ship, passing by the captain’s bridge, which was shaped like an upturned tortoise shell. A narrow slit revealed a set of reinforced windows, so high up I had to crane my neck to see them. Lightwarden, or rather, Captain Garrat had already made it inside through some quick route I didn’t know about and I could see him staring silently out through the glass.

  I excused my way down the narrow space at the left side of the bridge, squeezing past dozens of Lightwardens. After walking down the almost impossible length of the warship I eventually reached the stern of the ship. As I expected, Delagio, Danny and Hollie were all there, standing together and staring down at the wharf below. A moment later the whole ship shuddered as some gigantic, hidden motors deep in its bowels sprung into life and there was a deep dragging sensation as we were motored away from the dock. I joined the other Guardians, and without a word Delagio wrapped a comforting arm around my shoulder. Danny and Hollie
gave me weak smiles that I struggled to return. The ship built speed surprisingly fast, and in a matter of seconds, Navaris and the city beyond were shrinking from view. My stomach tightened as I watched the place that held our way home draw further away…maybe for the last time.

  There was a crackle on the Biomote. I pulled it out and saw it was a vocal-link from Scarlett. I held the unit out so everyone could hear clearly and then held the button that allowed her voice to travel through.

  “We are leaving now,” she said, her voice tight with emotion.

  “We are too,” I replied.

  “Good luck, all of you.”

  “You too. And please…protect him.”

  “I promise.”

  The Biomote went silent and I slipped it back into my pocket. I wrapped my hands around the sleek metal edge of the ship’s barrier and watched as the rain pattered off my white knuckles. A moment later I felt the drag of gravity as the ship was gathered up by the crane and lifted away from the harbour. The screech and groan of metal drowned out the sound of the rain and salty breeze as the mechanisms activated.

  And then the crane lowered us down into the unknown.

  *

  We sailed for less than a day before trouble found us.

  The journey was harsh and uncomfortable. I spent some of it on the unsteady deck, watching as waves as black as night and as tall as houses smashed against the side of the warship – which I learned from a Lightwarden was called I’orin Istis, Qi’lern for ‘Beast of the Sea,’ but was referred to those on board simply as I’orin. We passed by an almost countless number of ships that had found their end dashed against giant rocks that poked out of the water like grey knuckles. Sirens swam around them like sharks, climbing onto their smoothed surfaces and trying to lure us with their melodies at us as we passed. But the corruption of Pandemonia had touched them, their shriveled bodies were little more than dried leather that hung loosely from their decaying bones, and their voices came out as hoarse cries that grated against my ears. They watched with sunken eyes as we passed by, reaching out with spindly fingers in desperation, the way a dying old woman would reach out for her loved ones as she gasped her last breath. I watched as creatures with large silhouettes swam along with us, bumping against the sides of the ship, and touching the sleek metal with slime covered feelers, to test whether it was something that they could claim. I had no idea what species they were, and I didn’t want to know.

  I spent the rest of my time below deck, where the bucking sea wasn’t quite as noticeable, in the quarters of I’orin that had been reserved for us. They were small but elegant, a dimly lit bedroom each with a comfortable bunk, a glass side table that resembled two hexagonal pyramids meeting at their points, a fitted wardrobe, gilded walls adorned with large pictures of Luminar ancestors and a cabinet stocked with drinks fit for human consumption. There was also a communal lounge with a small table that displayed an electronic map similar to the one in the Needle war room, a run of chaise lounge-style sofas, a few chairs, several cabinets housing old Luminar relics, and a handful of decorative columns that depicted scenes from Pandemonian history. I was in the lounge, sitting on one of the chairs and talking to the rest of the Guardians when the shit really hit the fan.

  “You okay?” I asked Hollie, taking a sip of the Quinberry juice I’d taken from the cabinet in my room. The sweet taste was accompanied with an overwhelming desire to burp that I had to keep stifling.

  Hollie was lying on the chaise longue next to Danny. Her face had taken on the pale hue of someone who would never find their sea legs. She groaned and covered her eyes with her forearm. “I’m a bloody Chosen and I still can’t hack a boat trip.”

  I’orin rose upwards and slammed down violently as it crested a large wave, making all the fixed ornaments furiously rattle inside their cabinets. Even I had to take a deep breath. “Oh god!” breathed Hollie as she writhed around in an effort not to vomit. Danny snickered and was gifted a hard punch to the arm. “If I puke, I’ll make sure it’s on you.”

  I stared at Hollie as I wracked my brains to remember. Was she always seasick? I don’t remember her having any problems when we were travelling on Black Dawn to the Atlantis Outpost. I closed my eyes. Stop it Alex, you’re becoming paranoid.

  “You okay,” said Danny.

  “Huh?” I said, coming back to the present.

  “You looked a bit lost for a moment.”

  “Sorry, I’m just thinking about things,” I replied, giving Danny a weak smile and he gave an understanding nod back.

  “You know Parsley’s real good for sea-sickness,” said Delagio absently. He was leaning over and staring at the oddities in one of the cabinets.

  “Okay cool, so shall we just pop back to Earth and grab some then?” barked Hollie.

  He held up his hands and walked over. “Just sayin’. How about this then?” He took a seat opposite us and pulled a large marble out of his pouch and let it levitate into the air. “Hollie, sit up and stare at this. A fixed point always helps.” With considerable effort she did what she was asked. “Now press your thumb down just below your right wrist.” Again, Hollie did what she was asked, and after a few minutes the colour started to return to her face.

  “Shit, I think it’s actually working. How did you know that? Have you spent a lot of times on boats?”

  Delagio gave a mysterious smile. “No, but I used to get a hell of a lot of dizziness. Not anymore.”

  Danny flicked his chin at him. “So are you ever actually going to tell us more about you? Like your surname for example?” He frowned. “Or your first name?”

  Delagio’s smile faded and he stared down at the metal floor. “Maybe one day, bud.”

  Something hit I’orin with the force of a thousand trucks.

  My seat was ripped from its fastenings and it flew backwards with me on it. My head collided with one of the cabinets and I felt it smash, followed by the pattering of glass on my cheeks. I brushed the shards off and looked around to see if the others were okay. Delagio was lying on the table, which was sparking and flashing from the fractured mosaic that its screen had become. Danny and Hollie were knotted together on the floor, and one of the pillars had collapsed down on top of them. I jumped to my feet and rushed over to help, but Delagio beat me to it. He heaved the pillar off them and sent it rolling to the other side of the lounge.

  “Y’all okay?” he asked.

  They both nodded up at us. Delagio held out his hand and hoisted Hollie to her feet and I helped pull Danny to his.

  “Have we run aground?” asked Danny, brushing the dusty remnants of the column off his jacket and trousers.

  A second later a series of loud chimes rang out through the ship and the lights flickered, replaced by the deep blue hue of emergency lights. “I have no idea, but something bad has definitely happened.”

  We all sprinted from the room and headed through the maze of corridors that made up the lower sections of the warship. Dozens of Lightwardens ran between us, gathering up weapons from munitions supply rooms and charging towards the upper levels.

  “What’s going on?” I shouted as we ran after them. Either they didn’t hear us over the incessant clanging of the warning bell, or they didn’t have time to reply. So we kept following them until we reached a wide set of adamantine steps and joined the fray of thundering feet that climbed them two at a time, rushing towards the doors at the top. They were flung open and we piled out onto a rain-slicked deck that was a flurry of chaos. Scaled creatures with multiple heads fixed onto long necks and wide leathery wings were darting around the ship, dive-bombing the Lightwardens, who were locked in deadly battle with them.

  On automatic pilot we drew our weapons and started to work our way towards the bow of the ship, getting tossed about by the harsh waves that spilled over the side of the ship, trying to snatch our legs from underneath us. Hollie drew her arrows, nocked them into her bow – Animus – and fired in rapid succession, skewering the heads of the flying things and bringi
ng them down to their feet, where I finished them off.

  We kept pushing forward, following the masses.

  “What metal are they weak against?” Danny yelled.

  “I don’t know!” I shouted back. “I have no idea what the hell they are!”

  “Screw it!” He activated all the apotrope blades at once and tore forwards with us, slashing and hacking a path through the creatures.

  “I know what they are!” shouted Delagio. “They’re–”

  He cut himself off when one of the creatures dived towards me. He pushed me to the side and sent out a cloud of marbles, puncturing its wings. The flying beast hit the deck and writhed around on its back, before flipping over and stalking towards us. It had five heads in total, each one long and serpentine, with flicking tongues and hoods that flared as they hissed at us, staring with shimmering yellow eyes. I sprinted forward and dove feet first onto the floor as the creature charged us, sliding along the slick deck, stabbing my blade into its chest and dragging it with me. We both tumbled around several times, and I forced myself on top of it, pulling backwards with a scream and unzipping its stomach, releasing a bundle of foul selling innards. It let out a series of harsh hisses and then dried up suddenly, turning into some kind of rock.

  “What the hell are these things?” cried Hollie as she threw one off her back.

  “Just keep going!” I yelled as I climbed to my feet. We all charged forward, hacking, slashing, firing and punching our way through the descending cloud of flying serpents. We pushed through the narrow gap at the side of the cabin, which was luckily serpent free and then burst out onto the bow of the ship. The Vengeful had formed a tight circle and were firing their gunpikes in a series of blasts, downing dozens of the creatures in one go. The Lightwardens weaved among the Vengeful, using wing-tipped swords that glinted in the light of I’orin’s powerful overhead beams to finish off any of the flying serpents that weren’t killed by the long ranged weapons. Several more Lightwardens had mounted the guns and the area was filled with the long whines of energy building followed by shuddering booms as they unleashed furious bursts of ion energy that tore through the circling mass like a samurai sword through tracing paper.