Soulrazor (37 page)
Authors: Steven Montano
“
What happened to the sword?” she asked.
What happened to the sword?” she asked.
Time had passed. To her it felt like only seconds, but in actuality it was hours later. The sky was dark and thick with blood clouds. The wind rattled Wolftown’s metal walls and pelted them with stones and branches. The song of the gale played like predatory howls. Bonfires curved and rippled in the wind. Licks of fire vanished into the black night like runaway fireflies.
A tin plate covered in wolf meat sat on Danica’s lap, and she held a mug of beer in her hand.
When did I get here? What the hell is happening?
“
Sword?” Creasy asked.
Sword?” Creasy asked.
He and Roth each had a pair of women with them, and they sat with Danica, Kane, Ronan and Maur in a circle around a wide fire. Other fires illuminated circles of hunters who drank and caroused, celebrating life.
“
Cross broke it,” Ronan said. His eyes shone with concern. So did Kane’s, and that worried her. “Then he fit it together…”
Cross broke it,” Ronan said. His eyes shone with concern. So did Kane’s, and that worried her. “Then he fit it together…”
“…
with Avenger,” Black nodded.
with Avenger,” Black nodded.
She put her face in her hands. A terrible buzzing sound echoed through her skull. She felt like she’d been drugged.
“
Dani, what the hell is wrong with you?” Kane asked. He set down his plate and drink, moved in front of her and took her shoulders in his hands. “Are you all right?”
Dani, what the hell is wrong with you?” Kane asked. He set down his plate and drink, moved in front of her and took her shoulders in his hands. “Are you all right?”
“
NO!” she shouted, and pushed him away. Wolftown fell nearly silent. “No, Mike, God dammit, I’m NOT all right!!! Ash and Grissom are dead, and Cross is trapped back there!”
NO!” she shouted, and pushed him away. Wolftown fell nearly silent. “No, Mike, God dammit, I’m NOT all right!!! Ash and Grissom are dead, and Cross is trapped back there!”
“
Dani,” Kane said quietly. “Cross is dead. He vanished through the ground, and then that explosion…”
Dani,” Kane said quietly. “Cross is dead. He vanished through the ground, and then that explosion…”
“
He’s NOT dead,” Black said firmly. “And I can prove it.”
He’s NOT dead,” Black said firmly. “And I can prove it.”
She stood up and found her belongings, stacked close to the fire with the rest of the team’s equipment. She stumbled for a moment, as she was dizzy and weak, but she shook her head and righted herself and rummaged through her pack.
Temporal displacement. That was what it was called. Humans weren’t meant to travel or exist in different times. They knew that it was possible – The Black had ripped creatures and locations through time as well as space when it violently re-wrote the world – but humans had never learned how to do it, and to good cause, since by all accounts it was incredibly dangerous.
Theories on whether manipulating the time fields was possible or not were irrelevant in light of the undeniable fact that the human mind was simply not meant to undergo severe temporal pressure. That was especially true of mages: the bond with their spirits left them susceptible to the arcane anomalies present in any sort of time shift or dimensional fold.
Black’s spirit clung to her drunkenly. His normal burning rage and desire had been quelled, and he’d retreated into hiding like a scared animal. Her mind was so disheveled she only just then noticed his absence.
That explains why I’m so out of it. I wish I could remember things more clearly.
She kept digging through her pack. She knew there was something there she needed, even if she wasn’t entirely sure what it was. She felt Kane’s eyes on her.
“
Dani…you gone cuckoo on us, Hon?”
Dani…you gone cuckoo on us, Hon?”
She found it. The moment she touched the object as it fell out of the cloth Elias Pike had wrapped it in, she understood.
“
Here,” she said, and she tossed Cross’ pistol to Kane. He looked at it in surprise, and she knew he was about to say something flippant and give it back to her when he noticed something. He held the pistol up closer to the bonfire to get a clearer look.
Here,” she said, and she tossed Cross’ pistol to Kane. He looked at it in surprise, and she knew he was about to say something flippant and give it back to her when he noticed something. He held the pistol up closer to the bonfire to get a clearer look.
“
Where the hell did you get this?” he asked.
Where the hell did you get this?” he asked.
“
Pike gave it to me,” she said, “when I told him about the attack on Thornn. It was recently dug up in a survey, and it only come into his hands that very morning.”
Pike gave it to me,” she said, “when I told him about the attack on Thornn. It was recently dug up in a survey, and it only come into his hands that very morning.”
“
It…looks old,” he said.
It…looks old,” he said.
“
It
is
old. Almost twenty years old, and it’s covered in carbon scoring and arcane residue of the variety used by the Ebon Cities. Pike said Laros used magic to have it dated as soon as it was brought in. He also tested the arcane residue. Just guess who that pistol belongs to.”
It
is
old. Almost twenty years old, and it’s covered in carbon scoring and arcane residue of the variety used by the Ebon Cities. Pike said Laros used magic to have it dated as soon as it was brought in. He also tested the arcane residue. Just guess who that pistol belongs to.”
Kane stepped closer to her. Fear burned in his eyes.
“
And this?” he asked, pointing at the inscription. “What do you make of this?”
And this?” he asked, pointing at the inscription. “What do you make of this?”
Danica looked at the scrawled message: HELP ME.
The fact that it was Cross’ handwriting was not in question. Both she and Kane gave him endless grief about his horrible penmanship. They’d know his hand anywhere.
“
Your guess is as good as mine,” she said.
Your guess is as good as mine,” she said.
A wolf called in the distance. A few men rose and meandered towards their weapons, but the wolf was too distant to pose any immediate threat.
“
No,” Kane said with a nervous laugh. “My guess sucks ass compared to yours. So let’s have it, lady.”
No,” Kane said with a nervous laugh. “My guess sucks ass compared to yours. So let’s have it, lady.”
“
He’s alive,” she said.
He’s alive,” she said.
“
What?”
What?”
“
Think about how things happened…more importantly, think about the
order
they happened in. Cross fell into that goop and became temporally unstable. He goes on the mission alone, and we chase him. In the original timeline, everyone failed. The Ebon Cities attacked before we even left the city, and Cross blew up and took half of reality with him. But we
changed
that.”
Think about how things happened…more importantly, think about the
order
they happened in. Cross fell into that goop and became temporally unstable. He goes on the mission alone, and we chase him. In the original timeline, everyone failed. The Ebon Cities attacked before we even left the city, and Cross blew up and took half of reality with him. But we
changed
that.”
She paused to let that sink in. Kane looked a bit lost, but he nodded for her to continue.
“
Cross changed it, too,” she continued. “I’m not sure how, but he figured out a way to localize what happened to him. Like you and Ronan said, he exploded…but
we’re still here
. We stopped it. We somehow emerged from the time stream, in the past, with the knowledge that saved Thornn.”
Cross changed it, too,” she continued. “I’m not sure how, but he figured out a way to localize what happened to him. Like you and Ronan said, he exploded…but
we’re still here
. We stopped it. We somehow emerged from the time stream, in the past, with the knowledge that saved Thornn.”
Kane looked at her, dumbfounded.
“
Ok…you’re confusing the shit out of me and pissing me off at the same time,” he laughed. He laughed a lot when he was nervous, and he always had. That was why, she guessed, he was always such a smartass. “This
Dr. Who
shit is great, but it still doesn’t explain
the gun
.”
Ok…you’re confusing the shit out of me and pissing me off at the same time,” he laughed. He laughed a lot when he was nervous, and he always had. That was why, she guessed, he was always such a smartass. “This
Dr. Who
shit is great, but it still doesn’t explain
the gun
.”
“
Think!” Black said. “We saw Shadowmere Keep, which had been an Ebon Cities stronghold. Cross’ gun was found bearing residue used by the Ebon Cities. Time isn’t a constant for him now, and it hasn’t been ever since he fell into that crap.”
Think!” Black said. “We saw Shadowmere Keep, which had been an Ebon Cities stronghold. Cross’ gun was found bearing residue used by the Ebon Cities. Time isn’t a constant for him now, and it hasn’t been ever since he fell into that crap.”
Black stopped and took a breath. The realization of what she’d just figured out hit her like a hammer in the mind.
“
Wait…” Kane said. “Are you saying that Cross is being held at Shadowmere Keep?”
Wait…” Kane said. “Are you saying that Cross is being held at Shadowmere Keep?”
“
Yes,” she said. “And I think he’s been there for a very long time. Like maybe twenty years.”
Yes,” she said. “And I think he’s been there for a very long time. Like maybe twenty years.”
They left later that night. Shadowmere Keep was over 400 miles away, south of Rimefang Loch and near Blackmarsh, but they didn’t plan to head there directly.
Creasy and Roth thought they were crazy for wanting to leave after sunset. Bloodwolves were nocturnal by nature, and though they were perfectly capable of hunting during the daylight hours they were even more dangerous at night. Still, without the Darkhawk, and with no other mode of speedy transport available, they had little choice.
The people of Wolftown sent them on their way with a stock of dried meat and flares, as well as extra winter clothing made from wolf hide. Kane joked that they were trying to avoid the wolves, not attract more of them.
Black’s spirit moved out ahead of them. It was strange to be the only mage in the group. She hadn’t even had time to reflect on the loss of Ash.
Both she and her brother had been good people, quiet but friendly members of the team, and Danica had gotten very used to them both. She tried to remind herself that this was not the first time they’d lost teammates – she’d witnessed the deaths of Frye, Zane, Tayanna, Kendrick, Hewer and Lorne – but it felt like it had been a long time since those others had been killed, and she hadn’t known most of them nearly as well as she’d come to know the brash but unassuming half-Doj and his knowledgeable and warm-hearted sister.
There’s no time for that now,
she told herself
. You’ll have time to grieve if you live through this.
she told herself
. You’ll have time to grieve if you live through this.
They passed through fields of oily darkness. Bitter howls carried in the wind. The grim moon painted the plains white. Trees and jagged hills loomed in the distance like threatening predators. Black mist crept off the surface of dark ice streams and frozen pools.
They moved with their eyes alert and their weapons ready. Black’s spirit had done a decent job of knitting her wounded leg back together, and though she was still in some pain she was able to move at about three-quarters of her regular speed, or faster if she pulled him back from reconnaissance and allowed him to assist her movement.
She felt the anxiousness in her spirit’s motions, the fear. She wasn’t used to it. Her spirit was impetuous, masculine, and he always tried to pull away from her so he could be the first to act. Now he was cowed, not by any particular threat or danger, but, like the rest of them, by the gravity of what they’d lost. He was filled with regret and remorse.
Strange
, she thought,
how he picks up the slack for my emotions like that. I’ve spent most of my life suppressing my feelings. I could never allow them to get in the way.
, she thought,
how he picks up the slack for my emotions like that. I’ve spent most of my life suppressing my feelings. I could never allow them to get in the way.
Kane and Ronan moved ahead of Black and Maur. The Gol kept up with everyone as best he could – sometimes one of the other men carried him, but since Black wasn’t exactly moving at full speed he made a suitable traveling companion when the other two got too far ahead.
She would liked to have requisitioned one of Wolftown’s pack lizards, but Roth and Creasy made it all too clear they weren’t going anywhere near the crater again, and they wouldn’t spare manpower to a group of mercenaries apparently bent on getting themselves killed…which was why Black was so pleasantly surprised when Creasy suddenly caught up with them.
When she and Maur heard a steady thumping sound that turned out to be the pale lizard’s oversized claws pounding on the ground, they readied their weapons, sure they’d been ambushed. The fact that they’d not heard the lizard’s approach until Creasy was practically on top of them was testament to the natural stealth of the creatures, especially considering the moon-colored beasts were nearly nine feet long from tip to tail.
Creasy was accompanied by a trio of warriors, two men and a woman, all dressed in heavy white furs. Their faces were painted with pale blue and blood red war paint, and their hair was braided or pulled away from their weather-beaten skin.
“
Son of a bitch,” Kane laughed.
Son of a bitch,” Kane laughed.
Creasy just nodded. His dark face had also been rune-painted, and his thick fingers and wrists were bound in onyx jewelry that pulsated with arcane resonance.
“
We thought you were busy,” Black smiled.
We thought you were busy,” Black smiled.
“
Roth doesn’t take debts lightly,” Creasy said solemnly. “You helped protect Wolftown. Merely showing you where to go isn’t sufficient recompense for that.” Creasy smiled. His teeth were stark white, a sharp contrast to his dark skin. “Besides, Roth may look like a barbarian, but it’s easy to make him feel guilty. He wasn’t going to get a decent night’s sleep until we set things right.”
Roth doesn’t take debts lightly,” Creasy said solemnly. “You helped protect Wolftown. Merely showing you where to go isn’t sufficient recompense for that.” Creasy smiled. His teeth were stark white, a sharp contrast to his dark skin. “Besides, Roth may look like a barbarian, but it’s easy to make him feel guilty. He wasn’t going to get a decent night’s sleep until we set things right.”
With the aid of the lizards (each of the team rode behind one of the riders, Black with Creasy, and Kane with one of the men, which he quietly griped about the entire time since Ronan got to ride with the warrior dame), their rate of progress tripled.
They leapt over dust dunes and traversed the craggy hills with ease. The beasts never seemed to tire, and they were nearly silent as they pranced across the plains. Their footfalls grew even quieter the faster they ran, and the slash of their lengthy tails against the dusty ground was the only sound they made.
Cold wind blasted the party. For a good stretch of time they easily moved as fast as motor vehicles.
The morning sun broke over the horizon, and they rode straight towards the molten dawn. Unnaturally grey mist rose from the ground. Ashes and soot carried in the chill breeze. Red-gold sunbeams sliced through charcoal clouds as the lizards crushed frozen moss and brittle stones underfoot.
The riders huddled in close and wrapped their cloaks tight to protect against the ice hard wind. No one spoke.
The white-skinned mounts and their cargo strode into black lands just minutes after dawn. Dead forests loomed to the east, and thin columns of smoke rose into the air from the south, seemingly straight out of the ground.
The crater was dark and quiet. Danica swore she heard a low moan in the air, as if some ghastly choir was at work.
They dismounted as they drew close, and kept their eyes and ears alert and focused on the crater perimeter, searching for sentries.
Everything was still.
Black sent her spirit ahead. Immediately she sensed something wrong with the area. The air was thick with death and magic, but it wasn’t the same signature as they’d encountered there before – this was something else, something more like traditional magic, a warlock’s magic, but it was warped and twisted.
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