Bloodlord (Soulguard Book 3) (10 page)

Chapter 18

"So, how do they get these big armies through the great gates so quickly?" I asked, "The streets were packed as we came in."

"The Gate facilities are on the outer ring of Hub. The back side of this building is open to the plains. When the gates are used for large numbers the back wall sinks into the ground and the Gate is available to all who are out on the plains."

"I get it," I said, "It actually makes sense. But then, what are all of the buildings inside of Hub used for?"

"There is a central building that supplies power to all the rest. The rest of them are used to house the clans of the ten Farrara'Ti who are in possession of the fourteen colonies."

"Shouldn't there be fourteen?"

"Several Farrara'Ti have two colonies."

"Ok," I said, "I've spent years afraid of the technology you guys had to have to be able to use portals. You're just using the Makers' stuff, aren't you?"

"Sadly, yes," he said, "We are not the ones who created the technology. We use what is here and not much more. We do not know how to reset the Great Gates to different locations. They are set to the same settings they have been for thousands of years."

"Speakin of locations," I said, "can you tell me where the other locations are on Earth?"

"Sadly, I cannot." he said, "When I was the controller, I used small gates. I never used the Great Gates after the other facility was destroyed. I operated out of that one. I was lucky I was not there when the building was destroyed. Or perhaps, your ancestor was lucky I was not there."

"He was a tough bastard," I said.

"You have killed two Farrara'Ti by chance. It is much harder to kill Farrara'Ti than you may think."

We had been walking along the huge Avenue that circled around Hub and passed in front of every Gate facility. This route was less traveled that the other way we had come in.

"I can see where it might be a pretty tough task," I said.

"True," he said, "We have covered almost half of the distance, Rash'Tor'Ri. You will be home soon."

"I'm ready to be home," I said, "Lyrica is probably fuming because she didn't get to come."

"Frankly," I said, "If I'd known things were goin to go so well, I wouldn't have put up a fight about it."

I knew right after I said it, it was a mistake. You just don't say stuff like that in the middle of a city on another world populated by a race that has dreams of killing you every night.

And I was right.

We walked around a corner and came face to face with a Farrara'Ti. He looked at me with his eyes narrowed. I could feel the mental probe and let out a long sigh.

"You are of the Blood. You carry no Mark. I always wanted a pet Bloodborn."

It was sudden. He began to Lash out with his Mark.

I ripped his Soul out of his body with my mind. For a fraction of a second, I was touching that Source. But I was out as quickly. I still felt that darkness grow with each time though.

Kil'Sin'Deres looked down at me with the most Human expression I had ever seen on a Kresh. His arms were spread with the palms up and the expression on his face was plain. What the Hell?

"What?" I asked.

He sighed.

There was a massive roar somewhere in Hub ahead of us.

"That didn't sound good," I said.

"No," he said, "It did not. I stand corrected, Rash'Tor'Ri. Apparently killing Farrara'Ti is easier than I thought. Much better if you had let me Mark him."

"Ah, shit," I said, "I wasn't thinkin clearly. He was about to Mark me."

"Hmmm."

I could hear them coming and my monster wanted out of its cage.

"It hass been ages since I have been in a battle," Kil'Sin'Deres said as he turned to face a horde of Kresh, pouring down the street.

"Me too," I said and let my beast out.

As they closed, my eyes glowed with the red fires of rage and I formed a Soulblade in each hand.

With an inhuman roar of rage I was into their midst. Beside me was Kil'Sin'Deres and I learned why he would say that a Farrara'Ti would be considered hard to kill.

Once again, I found myself doing what I love. It's a sad thing that what I love is slaughtering my enemies. I'm certain that says something bad about me.

I charged forward, my blades cutting through flesh as if it were nothing. These were the lowest form of Kresh and we waded through them as if they weren't there. I saw soldiers and Wraiths at the rear so I opened portals on my weapons and opened fire. Disks ripped across the street and tore through two Wraiths.

My Soullance fired straight down the street to blast a hole in the chest of a third. I kept firing it and passed it back and forth along the street.

"We must get you back home, Rash'Tor'Ri," Kil'Sin'Deres said, "We do not have time for this."

I beat my rage back down and looked up.

"Can you jump that far? From building to building?"

"Yes, can you?"

"Oh yeah," I said, "Then it looks like I get to look at one of these buildings, after all. Let's get inside as soon as we get a break in these guys. They don't need to see us go in."

"Back around the corner, then," Kil'Sin'Deres said. "We can go in the back door."

While the Kresh were distracted by the fire burning amongst them, we slipped back around the corner. He shot toward the other corner faster than anything I'd ever seen. I guess a Soulstream that is almost the size of Paige's does lend speed to someone. I followed, much faster than the Kresh that were coming toward the corner we had slipped behind. We hit the corner and didn't slow down.                           

About a third of the way down this side, he entered a door. I followed to find myself in a hallway that was decent sized for me but Kil'Sin'Deres had to hunch over quite a bit.

He was chuckling.

"What?"

"I was just thinking of the words you were saying right before we met Lod'Mar'Kovelag."

"Yeah," I said, "I coulda gone all day without sayin something like that."

He chuckled again.

"The stairs are this way," he moved forward, stooped over.

"I see why you guys don't use these passages," I said.

"Very uncomfortable," he said, "The stairs are a little better, but not much."

We followed the hall for some time. I estimated it was about half way through the immense building. We exited into a central shaft with a stairway that wound around all four walls. I looked up.

"That's a long way up."

"The stairway will be cramped, but if I lean forward..."

"I got a better idea," I said.

I stepped out into the open area and jumped up a couple of floors and grabbed the railing. Then I threw myself up another floor or two.

"I like this idea," Kil'Sin'Deres said as he passed me, jumping up three or four floors at a time.

"So how do you know where everything's at up in here, when your people don't use it?"

"I was born Kresh'Sor'An," he said as I caught up with him, "I had nothing in common with those I was placed with. I spent much time exploring the places a Kresh child would fit. As I grew, I stopped my explorations."

The more I learned about Kil'Sin'Deres, the more I came to realize that he was far closer to Human than most of his race.

"I see," I said, "How many floors are in one of these?"

"Three hundred and twelve in most of them," he said.

"How many Humans do you think could fit in a floor?"

"Three hundred or so," he said, "If you mean packed in close quarters, perhaps five hundred."

A person might hide fifteen thousand people inside one of these buildings if they were so inclined. There were a lot of buildings in Hub.

We continued upwards until there was an end to the stairs. I followed Kil'Sin'Deres out a door at the very top.

The lighting was still off kilter for me on Kresh. But that was one of the most memorable things I would ever see. I was looking across an endless sea of rooftops.

"We can stay on the outer ring," I said, "or we can make a straight line run for it."

"We should stay on the outer rim," he said, "There will be less chance of an adventurous Kresh wandering the upper levels."

"Around the edge it is," I said.

Chapter 19

I jumped across the span between the third and fourth building from where we had begun.

"We shoulda done this from the start," I said.

"It had not occurred to me, Rash'Tor'Ri," Kil'Sin'Deres said with a shrug, "And if we had, you would not have had the pleasure of killing a Farrara'Ti that had declared your race to be destroyed."

"He was a bad guy, then?" I asked.

"He was one of the two Farrara'Ti that vied for control of the facility to Earth. They were in contest over who would be the next clan to come to your world."

"I guess I made that decision for em," I said, "Damnit."

"Unfortunate," he said

"They could've argued for months yet."

"The other one, Jas'Por'Kadin is sneaky," he said, "There will be tricks, sneak attacks, or assassination attempts. He won't just pour his forces through the Gate to kill any they can. Lod'Mar'Kovelag was smarter. But either of them would scout and find the military forces that he could and set up surprise attacks."

"I don't like the sound of that."

              "Of course, he was not smart enough
not
to try to Mark Rash'Tor'Ri," he said, "Perhaps you have earned the name."

              "I guess so," I said, "I have a dilemma. How is it that you were the calm one during that fight back there? Your DNA is all Kresh. Mine is just a fraction and I have to beat down that monster inside me every time."

              He laughed.

              "I am two thousand years old," He said, "When you have lived that long with the war inside you, you will have learned a little restraint as well. You are still young."

              "I can't even imagine what that's like," I said.

              "How is it, Rash'Tor'Ri, that you can rip the life out of one of the most powerful of our race with nothing but your mind? It is something I have never encountered before and it is truly astonishing."

              "That's part of my heritage from the other bloodline," I said, "Merlin could do it, too. The DNA you left me lets me cross the boundaries that would not have been possible before."

              "As I said, astonishing."

              "There is a downside," I said, "When I do that to one of your race, I come in contact with your Source. It adds changes to the DNA I carry quicker than just natural aging. It makes it harder to wrestle with my rage."

              "I see," he said, "Every advantage has its price."

              "True enough."

              We continued our trek across the rooftops. I really didn't like the sound of this Jas'Por'Kadin, he sounded like the one who had brought in the Shak'Tar. I really dislike that sort of thing. I'm pretty straight forward, when you think about it.

              "There is our destination," Kil'Sin'Deres said as we stopped. He was pointing at the next building that looked pretty much like all the others.

              "I'm glad you're here to show me," I said, "all these damn buildings look the same."

              I opened my Sight and looked down at the flows of power inside the building. There were a lot of Kresh. A lot more than there had been when we came in. I couldn’t see the Soul of another Farrara'Ti, though.

              "There are thousands of Kresh piled in that building," I said, "I think our secret got out. They must know where we are heading."

              "Not necessarily," he said, "They could be trying to overcome Lod'Mar'Kovelag's clan. They may be setting up to defend their right to hold it. It could be a number of things."

              "Either way, we have a problem," I said, "We need a distraction and I have an idea."

              "I spent some time talking to your Sam Keller," he said, "He warned me that things might get complicated if I ever heard those particular words from you."

              "We have a problem?"

              "No, 'I have an idea' was the phrase he told me to watch out for."

              "I can't believe he'd say something like that," I said, "It hurts my feeling."

              The expression I got from him I had seen many times on the faces of my friends and family. He just looked at me with one eyebrow, or sort of a scaly ridge in his case, raised.

              I couldn’t stop myself from letting out a short giggle. It's all I could call it, it couldn't be called anything else and I was really happy that Prada hadn't been there to see it. Or Jacobs. I'd never hear the end of it.

              "I have learned much about you over the last few days, Rash'Tor'Ri," he said with a grin, "Perhaps Humans are just too delicate for your antics. I look forward to hearing this wonderful idea you have devised."

              "Where might we find this Jas'Por'Kadin?" I asked.

              "He would be in the fourth building in toward the center of Hub, I would guess. That building has been the place where the Farrara'Ti has stayed for the facility for Earth. He should be inside that building or somewhere between here and there."

              "What say we go find his sneaky ass and give him a little of his own?"

              "I like this idea," he said, "Follow me."

              We headed across the building toward the center of Hub. We jumped over three avenues and stopped. We stood atop the building and I looked down inside with my Sight. Sure enough, I could see one of the Souls that rolled with power like Kil'Sin'Deres' Soul.

              "You can throw power like a Ma'Nar, can't you?" I asked.

              "A Ma'Nar wishes he could throw power,"

              "Alright, this is what I wanna do," I said, "I'm gonna do something loud and when he comes outside, we blast him with everything we both have. Then we haul ass back to the Gate and head down when they thin out."

              "Sounds fun," he said, "but they will head up the building after us, quickly."

              "Then we'll head in toward the center of the city so they think that’s our direction."

              "Do it."

              I looked across at the building opposite us. I began building an intricate shield. When it was done I pushed it out with my mind to settle inside the solid side of the building, about halfway up the side.

              "Ready?"

              "Yes."

              I Pulled hard from the Source and poured it into that shield. I wasn't sure how much it would take to do the job. Apparently, the more solid the object, the quicker the reaction.

              When a Soulguard imbues his weapon with Soulfire, it is a coating of the Soul over the weapon. When Soulfire is forced inside of a solid, well, it's a bit explosive. Lyrica and I had dropped a mountain on the Gate in Romania this way.

              The side of the building went white hot and the explosion knocked us both backwards and the building shook below us.

              "Rash'Tor'Ri," Kil'Sin'Deres said with his eyes wide.

              "That was a little bigger than I expected."

              We jumped up and returned to the edge. I saw the Soul of our target exit the building.

              "Now."

              I Pulled again from the Source and cut loose with every weapon I had. Disks and lance slammed downward and then there was a stream of purple and black fireballs right alongside them. The sheer amount of power he used was breathtaking and I could feel his Pull just as strongly as I could have felt a Pull from Paige.

              If Jas'Por'Kadin had not been distracted by the huge letters blown into the walls of the building across the street, he may have been able to move in time. But every eye in the street was on the huge letters. Both of our attacks hit him undefended and he was blown to ashes in seconds.

              We stopped and leaped across the avenue to the building I had used as the distraction. We made sure they saw us.

              There was a second mass roar that thundered across Hub.

              I may have let another giggle slip. Thank God Jacobs and Prada were on Earth.

              We began running toward the center of Hub. Each time we jumped an avenue, we slowed to make sure they knew what direction we were moving.

              "Left."

              I said and we switched directions. We sped up to nearly seventy miles per hour and jumped fast as we could to spend as little time as we could between buildings. Then we stopped about four buildings away from our destination and entered the building.

              The trip down was much quicker than the one we had made up to the first roof top. Then we exited by the back door of this one.

              We walked the distance remaining along the street with other Kresh as hordes poured out of the area toward the center of Hub. Their eyes toward the sky.

              "Hope the next guy is dumb as a rock," I said.

              Kil'Sin'Deres chuckled.

              As we approached the building we wanted, the hordes seemed to have finally run out of the doors.

              We walked in as if we were supposed to be there and headed toward a side passage that led toward one of the rooms with a small gate.

              Someone must have seen us because I could see the horde's Souls reverse course and head back toward the facility.

              "Oh shit," I said, "they're on their way back."

              "Does not matter," Kil'Sin'Deres said, "We are here."

              "Rash'Tor'Ri," a voice came from the darkness and I felt one of the Shak'Tar, "I have come with a report but it seems the passages are blocked out of the facility."

              "You come with me through the gate," I said, "Let's go Kil'Sin'Deres."

              "I think I will stay and take care of this mess. There are two clans of unmarked Kresh running around here."

              "You'll have to fight your way to one of the Ma'Nar before you Mark. Just come with us."

              I saw the smile on his face as he turned to the roaring mass coming down the halls. I stepped up beside him as the gate opened behind me.

              "I'm not leavin you to fight all those bastards alone."

              The beast was clawing at my mental walls and Soulfire began to roll across my body.

              "Go home, prepare yourselves."

              Kil'Sin'Deres literally picked me up and threw me through the gate with a roar of laughter.

              I hit the ground rolling with Soulfire rolling across my body and two Soulblades in my hands. I came to my feet with a snarl and started back toward the gate to find the Shak'Tar pushed through and the gate closed.

              I stood staring at the empty space for a minute, then beat the rage down and let the flames die around me.

              I turned around to find five people standing in front of a wrecked picnic lunch. Lyrica, Paige, Kyra, and Mattie all stood with their hands on their hips with that, oh so familiar, look. Prada was just shaking her head.

              "What?"

"Secret mission," Paige said, "What part of that didn't you understand?"

              "It's not my fault," I said.

              "Sure it's not,"

              "Seriously, it was just bad luck."

              "Sure."

              Paige shook her head, "Welcome home."

              Lyrica was in my arms as soon as she was sure Paige was through berating me.

              She was staring into my eyes as she watched all that had occurred in Hub. I extended my telepathy out so all of them could see what happened. It was similar to one of the Shak'Tar's memory dumps. I figured it would save time.

              "You wrote it on the walls of a building in the middle of the biggest city on their world?" Kyra asked.

              "It seemed appropriate," I said.

              "True enough," Mattie said.