Banshee (32 page)

Run I will, buddy.
Colvin planted one shoe to go and the ground collapsed under his foot. Searing heat paralyzed him, and he screamed before falling to his knees, palms out. Both hands erupted into pain as he began a complicated dance of evasion, to no avail. Small holes appeared under him as acidic venom began to slow his motions. He rolled onto his back while looking into the fire, every nerve in his body ringing with electrified agony. A snout burst through the earth in front of him, its pallid gray skin shiny with mucous. A second and third animal began to push through, grunting with joy at the scent of his cooking flesh. Colvin did not recognize the demons, but he thought French had mentioned them during one of his interminable planning sessions. The first brood pig latched onto his face and began to dissolve his mouth and throat with a series of muscular licks from its thin tongue. Before he could scream, his vocal chords parted as Orontes began to snap his fingers peremptorily at the remaining demons.

At their master’s call, they turned their blind gray snouts toward the writhing man, and the last words Colvin Watley ever heard were, “Here, piggy. Here.”

Greenery peeped defiantly through the late snow, and the smell of wood smoke tickled Saavin’s throat.
Every smell bothers me nowadays.
She ran a hand over the curve of her stomach, watching French as he counted the foundations for the new defensive positions. New Madrid, like Saavin, was growing. Her husband waved to Banshee, who was flying overhead to measure the distance for water lines; never again would New Madrid depend on nature to provide. It was time for mankind to seize control of any small patch of earth that could be had. From there, French and Saavin, along with the dragons, intended to stabilize and pacify the entire area, then the continent, and finally, the world. It mattered nothing to them that their lives might end before the peace was achieved; their unborn child would carry on when they were gone.

French dropped his hand to the head of an enormous scalehound standing between them. The demons’ collar was embossed with the name
Longshot
, and her tongue lagged from a scaly muzzle filled with needle teeth. She looked up expectantly at French and wagged the stubby tail that jutted from her sloping hindquarters. This was the third generation of scalehounds that had hatched under the care of Cassie Waterman, whose instincts with the newborn demons had been nearly flawless. Raised by hand and kept apart from their brethren, the scalehounds were already developing a mask of dark color around their eyes. Longshot was now capable of hours in the sun; her children would be even more resistant to that which killed her ancestors. Litter by litter, they were domesticating, and French had plans for their former enemies.

“Have you been to LaSalle’s grave?” Saavin asked. The entire town dug the brave dragon’s resting place by hand, honoring him with a place near the river. A carillon of round stones were mortared in placed, rising ten feet high and topped with a small brass plate that read
Friend. Dragon. Hero.

French nodded. “The flowers are growing. Buttercups, I think.” It was fitting that something beautiful should grow there.

“Banshee misses him. They all do.” The surviving Explorers selected new riders, an event of such joy that the town had forgotten its grievous losses, if only for a day.

“We’ll keep reaching out. Others will come, and we’re ready.” He looked at the growing town. “We will be, at any rate.”

“I know, dear heart.” Saavin took his hand, looking over the expanse of snow and grass. Banshee roared at something in the distance, and she smiled. “But I don’t think that hell is going to be ready for us.”

Admiralty
The leadership and structure of Trinity in the former state of Texas, U.S.A. Under the guidance of Commodore Moss Eilert and his wife Bryna, Trinity grew to a population of four thousand, using a command structure based loosely on that of the American Navy.

Bloodshadow
A species of demon seen exclusively underground. They are vampiric, flat, and nearly colorless. They move via muscular contractions and two rows of vestigial hooks along their edges. They have no visible eyes, a small, round mouth filled with hollow fangs, and a bulbous reservoir on their back capable of holding several liters of humn blood. Sightless and weak they are incapable of hunting in all but the weakest sunlight. At two meters in length, their weight varies wildly based on how recently they have fed.

Bulwark
A time period spanning nearly one year, the Bulwark follows the first attacks from the creatures of hell, and ends approximately three years after the rise of the first dragons. During this period of intense, global warfare, mankind was reduced by nearly seven billion people due to the predation of demons, disease, and internecine fighting. The stabilization and advance of some communities follow the Bulwark, as mankind began to respond with offensives designed to reclaim lost lands.

Cat-Louse
A small, demonic hybrid with a hard carapace, six to ten legs, and a structure approximating that of a giant isopod. The largest examples near two kilos in weight, and have wildly variant eyes located on stalks. These creatures are seen prior to large scale demonic attacks; it is unknown if their relationship is symbiotic or parasitic.

Demon
Any creature or being that emerges on the night of the killing moon. Demons are presumed to be magical in origin, capable of limitless forms, and designed exclusively to feed on humans. All demons are susceptible to sunlight, and cannot survive in daylight for extended periods of time without considerable modifications. Certain demon species are capable of speech; the bulk of their forms are mindless killers. Demons have been seen massing less than one ounce (Wasp demons in Central Arizona) and as large as forty tons (The Behemoth of Charleston).

Dragon
A reptilian creature first known to modern man during The Rising, dragons are sentient beings of unknown origin. Their life span is unknown, as is their reproductive cycle and general physiology. They emerge from hidden locations fully aware of current conditions, with language skills and combat readiness far surpassing that of any other living creature on earth. Their size can range from thirty to eighty-five meters in length, with a top weight of nearly twelve tons. They are winged quadrupeds with long tails used for balance and flight adjustments. Warm blooded omnivores, their diet is opportunistic and capable of appreciating subtlety of the highest order. Their skin is thick, durable, and varicolored; their wings are tough membranes that provide adequate lift for superior flight skills. A top speeds, some dragons have been known to brush two hundred knots of velocity. They suffer no visible effects from altitude sickness, and their skeleton is presumed to be hollow or partially so. In terms of vision, their normal range of sight is two to four miles; certain dragons have been known to have an effective sight distance of up to six miles. Of all the known dragons, only one has any properties that would be deemed truly magical or supernatural.

Engineer
At New Madrid, Engineers are responsible for a variety of duties including, but not limited to the creation and maintenance of hydroelectric power, lighting systems, and salvage operations.

Eurypterid
Originally, a type of giant sea scorpion from the Ordovician period, these arthropods reappeared as demons after the rising. Some examples neared twenty-five feet in length, and had human features. Their presence at seaside communities led to distinct military doctrines designed to counteract their poison; it is not known if there is any anti-venin. The eurypterids have been found as far north of Baffin Bay, and as far south as Tierra Del Feugo. Their means of reproduction is unknown, but they are presumed to be a magical animal.

Firsters
The initial group of dragons to emerge during the rising, Firsters are smaller dragons up to thirty meters in length, tending towards great speed and agility. Of the designated class of nearly ninety Firsters, all survive to this day. Coloration tends towards blues, black, and mottled hues not unlike naturally camouflaged felines. Firsters are notoriously adept at aerial combat.

Militia
Any organized military force charged with defending a surviving community. Militia range as small as forty (The Police Brigade of Lower Onowa) to nearly 4000 (Greater New Madrid Militia).

Northern Bulwark
Geographical name given to the lands of the former nations situated on the continent of North America. The Northern Bulwark includes parts of the Canadian prairies, central and southern lands of the United States, and much of the upper Mexican states. The border is fluid and expanding as the war progresses.

Old Staters
Survivors old enough that they can recall the existence of the United States, its prior borders, and cultural information from prior to the fall of the world. Old Staters are regarded as charming anachronisms in many communities. Wiser populations use their information to salvage and build upon important features of the former United States.

Progeny
The first class of humans to establish a relationship with dragons. Progeny came from all walks of life; their reason for selection was known only to the dragons themselves, and has never been revealed. They invariably flew south or to coastal regions during the early years of the war. The last Progeny died in 2071 during the Third Battle of Tampa Bay.

Rising
The event when dragons began to emerge from the ground; this precipitated The Fall, or the calamitous end of mankind’s dominance over the planet. The Rising was not a single event; rather it continues to this day as new dragons emerge to join the fight. The first dragon to appear was Ilmater, in the former state of Minnesota, United States.

Scalehound
A doglike demonic species, Scalehounds are a rare consistency among the wild derivations of the supernatural world. Scalehounds range in size from that of a medium sized dog to a small pony; their coloration is virtually limitless although they tend toward highly effective black and green camouflage patterns. Scalehounds are known to be monotremes, laying numerous clutches in short, productive birthing cycles. They are intelligent, fast, and capable of pack hunting techniques. Research indicates that their physical appearance is similar to a reptilian Thylacine, but capable of greater height and weights than the extinct marsupial wolf of Australia.

Solo
A dragon and rider who operate alone. Solos are not common, and tend to work intermittently with survivors. There is little data about Solos as they live, fight, and die alone.

The Fall
A term for the end of the world. One year after the rising of Firsters, demonic incursions began in earnest. Total deaths numbered in the billions after the close of one year of warfare between mankind and dragons pitted against the forces of hell. It is estimated that of the seven billion people on the earth at the time of the Rising, less than ten million remain.

The Four Explorers
A quartet of medium dragons who rose in the open areas of Central Canada. Their names reflect the early influences of European history. Meriwether, LaSalle, Nicolet and Bartolome survived the end of Trinity, but did not endure the attacks of New Madrid without loss. All four dragons are blue variants with excellent combat skills; they share an affinity for complex aerial attacks and precision maneuvers. LaSalle’s grave is a national monument; to this day it remains sacred ground.

Trilobite
A successful group of arthropods, trilobites were present on earth from the Cambrian to Permian periods of the fossil record; their reign of more than 250 million years left an enormous presence in earth’s life history. Trilobites were modified and subjected to forces resulting in gigantism, presumably the same source that created all other demons. Trilobites with human faces sacked more than one city; it is thought that more than fifty varieties of this extinct arthropod have had some impact on the destruction of humanity. Examples nearing a ton in weight have been seen at multiple locations, the most recent being the Battle of Glacier National Park.

Underneath
A catchall term for the underworld which is the source of all things demonic. Underneath is a loose conglomeration of caves systems, mines, and tunnels all serving to protect and deliver the creatures of hell to wage war on humanity. Underneath has no known limits, and boasts an ecology totally distinct from that of the earth.