Bane of the Dead (Seraphim Revival Book 1) (18 page)

Jared stopped with his line of fire perpendicular to the next archangel swarm. He selected six targets and flushed his conformal ordnance pods, launching all ninety tactical seekers in a single volley. The cloud of munitions refined into six tightly packed arrows of death.

Fifteen tactical seekers slammed into each archangel. Flashes of heat and radiation erupted like short-lived suns. Of the six targets, a single archangel survived. Yonu blasted it to pieces with a fusion shot.

Three archangels broke from the swarm, heading for Jared and Yonu.

Jared drew down his rail-rifle on the leader and fired once, twice, three times before its barrier gave out. The final bolt punched through the abdomen with such force that its torso burst apart.

Two archangels left.

Jared stowed the rail-rifle on his back as the final two archangels came in. He ignited his deep red chaos dagger and awaited their attack. The first archangel raised its sword over its head and slashed down. Jared met the sword in a short flash of chaos energy, pushed the sword up, and slashed his dagger through its armpit.

The archangel’s sword arm tumbled away, thick fluid pulsing from the wound. Though stunned and defenseless, the archangel clearly had no concept of self-preservation. It rushed in and tackled him.

“No!”

The second archangel flew above them, sword held high, ready to cut him in half. Jared tried to jerk his arm free but couldn’t pull out in time.

The second archangel swung down. Yonu sped across, her dagger cutting through its chest. Pressurized fluid gushed from the wound. The second archangel’s sword struck Jared and rebounded harmlessly off his barrier.

The sword’s edge, along with the pilot, was dead.

Jared freed his arm and stabbed through the first archangel’s cockpit. He kicked the dead machine off.

“That… was close,” Jared said. “Thanks, Yonu.”

“No problem.”

“Renseki, we’re at the archangel factory. What’s your status?”

“Two negators left,” Zo said. “We’ll fold to you once their fields are down.”

“Confirmed.”

Jared and Yonu approached the factory from the side, avoiding the worst of the seraph-versus-archangel action. Epsilon squadron was holding out, but archangels kept activating in droves. They wouldn’t hold out much longer.

Jared retrieved his rail-rifle and hovered at the edge of the factory. Most of the factory plate was covered by dormant ranks of archangels, but he spotted long crates at the ends of each row, just the right size for storing archangel swords lengthwise.

“There.” Jared linked coordinate data. “Those crates at the end of each row.”

“I see them,” Yonu said.

“Crack one open,” Jared scanned the ranks of crouching archangels with his rail-rifle. “I’ll provide cover.”

“Moving in.”

Yonu landed on the edge of the cargo plate, ignited her dagger, and cut through the exterior of the closest crate. She jammed her fingers into the glowing rent and pried it open.

“Archangel swords,” she said. “About forty to each of these crates.”

“Grab the crate. I’m coming down to pick up one of the inactive archangels.”

“Understood.”

Jared descended towards the nearest row of archangels.

A group of fourteen archangels activated and took off. One took its sword and backstabbed another. Both shut down and drifted away. The other twelve came at him.

“Watch out!” Yonu said.

“Last negator down,” Zo Nezrii said. “Redeploying to assist.”

Six Renseki seraphs flashed into existence above the factory. Fold points expanded outwards.

The Renseki dove at the archangels. They moved in a precise and deadly ballet, as if each seraph was simply one cog in a larger machine. They fired their cannons, launched seeker volleys, and finally ignited their daggers. In seconds, not a single archangel remained.

Jared had never seen anything like it.

“Moving to assist epsilon,” Zo said. The Renseki streaked into the melee.

“I’ve got the crate,” Yonu said.

Jared selected an archangel and landed next to it. The archangel was locked into position with heavy clamps on its limbs and wings, but these stood no chance against a seraph’s strength. Jared grabbed the archangel’s torso with both hands and pulled. He ripped the torso free, but the limbs stayed in place.

“Ahh, crud. This is harder than it looks,” Jared said. He flung the torso aside and flew over to the next archangel. This time, he tore the clamps open one by one, grabbed the archangel underneath its arms, and hefted it up.

“We have what we came for!” he said.

“Fall into formation with us,” Zo said. “We’ll hold this position until all units are ready to fold.”

“Where’s the commander?”

“Pilot Elexen is currently engaged.”

Jared and Yonu pulled into formation with the Renseki. The fighting around the factory grew increasingly intense. Whole squadrons of archangels began folding in, but the Renseki demonstrated just how far the archangels had to go before they could match seraphs. Wave after wave fell to their tightly coordinated attacks.

Amidst the onslaught of archangels, Jared spotted a single fold point. At first, he thought it was a lone archangel folding in behind its squadron. But as the distortion passed, Jared discovered who this new foe was.

“Azeal’s here!” Jared shouted. “Gun-line, new target!”

EN seraphs brought rail-rifles to bear on the featureless black seraph. Jared slung the archangel limply under one arm and retrieved his own rifle. Every EN pilot poured fire into the enemy, but shots that would have torn an archangel to pieces only ricocheted off Azeal.

The black seraph sped past the latest wave of archangels. Renseki and Aktenai beams fired, but it didn’t bother dodging. Every hit splashed harmlessly off its barrier.

Azeal crashed shoulder-first into one of the Aktenai, slashed across the seraph’s belly, then grabbed hold and ripped it in two. The pilot’s vitals flatlined.

The Renseki flew out, Mezen’s command seraph in the lead. He thrust in with his bright yellow dagger and struck Azeal’s shadowy blade. The two exploded against each other in a nova of light and darkness. Chaos energy threw the Renseki back.

Two more Renseki dove in, their twin orange daggers ready, but Azeal moved impossibly fast and their strokes found nothing but empty space.

Jared received Seth’s squadron-wide fallback signal, authorizing him to leave the area of engagement.

The Renseki and epsilon survivors folded space back to the
Resolute
near the edge of the nebular expanse. Alongside the carrier hovered four dreadnoughts and a negator, along with full squadrons of exodrones and frigates.

Seth and Quennin folded in and headed towards the carrier.

“Everyone land!” Seth shouted. The Alliance seraphs dropped directly onto the carrier’s exterior, not bothering with the time-consuming processes of docking internally.

Hundreds of fold points disgorged Grendeni warships, drones, and archangels. The Aktenai dreadnoughts and frigates moved in to protect the carrier, exchanging beams and torpedoes with the Grendeni ships.

Two winged shapes folded in, one white and one black.

Jared landed on the carrier last, careful not to damage his captured archangel. Every Alliance seraph was now within the carrier’s fold envelope.

“Fold!” Seth shouted.

The
Resolute
engaged its fold engines and slipped away. Less than a nanosecond later, the Aktenai negator switched on its field. Unable to fold space and pursue, the Grendeni fleet continued to pound the Aktenai warships.

The Alliance seraphs had escaped.

Chapter 12

Before the Storm

They never expected the attack on
Valiant Artisan, Jack thought, hurrying through the
Righteous Anger
’s
northcity streets. The Grendeni Executives were finally ready to launch an attack on Aktenzek itself.

That tipped things in my favor. I finally have the leverage I need.

Even though Aktenzek and the Grendeni schisms were powerful industrial centers, their civilian populations shielded them from military aggression. Attacks against Aktenzek were often followed by retaliatory strikes against schisms and vice versa. Millions of Grendeni lives could hinge on the decision to assault Aktenzek.

Cars zipped by or took off for the northcity heights. The axial tube dimmed and reddened, simulating dusk.

Jack stepped off the street and entered the five-hundred-floor residential tower. He walked across the foyer and took a lift to his suite. Dominic had arranged the accommodations as one of many small gestures meant to placate him and buy time.

Jack preferred staying on the
Scion
, but living with the Grendeni was an important gesture of trust. Besides, the less time he spent near his seraph, the less nervous he made the Grendeni.

Though it doesn’t stop them from prying,
Jack thought. He knew what the Grendeni had tried to do to his seraph, and how his seraph had responded.

On the top floor, Jack walked by a group of four Grendeni civilians who ignored him completely. He now wore the attire of a Grendeni administrator: black trousers, white tunic, and dark green jacket adorned with the gold sigils of rank. The clothes and honorary title were yet another gift from Dominic.

Hell, Dom, I’d wear a clown suit if it made you attack sooner.

Jack stepped into a wide room subdivided by white curtains. Most were pulled back against narrow fluted columns that met a high ceiling. He joined Vierj and collapsed into a couch with a weary exhale.

“Did it not go well?” Vierj asked, leaning against a column, appraising him with her silver eyes. Dominic had provided her with a selection of popular Grendeni fashions, and she’d selected a light cream ensemble with dark-red trim that hugged her youthful curves.

“No, it went fine,” Jack said. “I’m just tired.”

“Does his death bother you that much?”

Observant of her
, he thought.
Dangerously observant of her. I need to be careful.

Jack sighed. “Yeah, it bothers me.”

Vierj sat next to him and placed her hand on his. “The boy was nothing more than a lesser form. Why does his death matter?”

“Vierj, he was Seth’s son. I should have expected someone like him would be out there. I screwed up.”

“If we are to find the Gate, such deaths are to be expected. You should not dwell on them.”

Jack shook his head. “It’s not that easy.”

“I used to think like you do.”

“Yeah?”

“A long time ago.” Vierj squeezed his hand. “You are not the only one who has faced allies in battle.”

“How did you deal with it?”

“I harden my heart. I refuse to feel sympathy for those who oppose us.”

“Yeah, that’s not working too well for me.”

“Fighting Zophiel was a million times more painful,” Vierj said. A specter of dark emotions passed over her face and then was gone.

“Zophiel?”

“A name best left forgotten.”

“Comrade?” Jack asked.

“My son.”

“Oh.”

“And one of my worst mistakes. He was a failure without equal.”

“That had to hurt.”

“It did…” Vierj smiled suddenly, but the gesture held no warmth. “Perhaps I should not judge. You may deal with your comrades as you see fit.”

“Thank you, Vierj.”

“Enough about the past. Please tell me how your meeting with the Executives went.”

“Sure,” Jack said. “It actually went surprisingly well, though it took us seven hours to get there. How anyone could be so in love with their own voice, I will never understand.”

“Did they consent to the attack?”

“Yes. Even with the losses at
Valiant Artisan
, they have enough for the assault. They’ll get us to the planet and cover our withdrawal.”

“And so we shall return to Aktenzek with a powerful fleet,” Vierj said. “Initially, I had my doubts, but the results of your cunning are undeniable.”

Jack shrugged. “I do what I can.”

Vierj turned around, suddenly distant.

“What is it?” he asked.

“These Grendeni peasants are trying to listen to us again.” Vierj closed her eyes and inhaled slowly. “There. The problem has been dealt with.”

“Did they hear anything?”

“Of course not. These primitives are not as clever as they think.”

Hypercast transceivers,
Jack thought.
Just how can Vierj sense them?
It was an incomprehensible talent, much like Vierj’s other abilities, and one Jack had learned about almost too late during their return.

“If you think they might break through, we could return to the
Scion
,” Jack said.

“You underestimate my abilities. That is not necessary.”

He laughed. “Underestimating you is the last thing I’d ever do!”

“I am glad to hear that. However, perhaps your caution has its merits.”

“What do you mean?”

“Have you considered that these Grendeni might be becoming suspicious? Perhaps this spying game they play has given them a clue.”

“I know it’s risky being here,” Jack said. “But they’ve agreed to the attack. It was a worthwhile risk. And besides, once we reach Aktenzek who cares if they find out?”

“And if they realize we have fooled them?”

“The Aktenai and the Grendeni will keep each other busy while we claim the prize. I’ll still give them the location.”

“Why not withhold it?”

Jack shrugged. “Well, if only the Aktenai know where the Gate is, they’ll try to stop us. If
both
the Aktenai and the Grendeni know, they’ll fight over it.”

“And we will slip in while they occupy each other.”

“Exactly,” Jack said. The best lies were a mix of truth and omissions, after all.

“The Gate is so close.”

“And the Homeland beyond it. I’m excited to finally see what all the fuss is about.”

“Oh, Jack Donolon, it is paradise compared to this stunted and accursed universe. When you experience it for yourself, you will understand. It is where humans originated and where we are destined to return.”

“Looking forward to that.”