Rise of Shadows (20 page)

“So it's a fight you want? Then a fight you will get!” I called out, and I swung the staff down in an arc, slicing power through the air at the creatures in front of me. A brilliant arc of power launched from the staff and slammed into their front line. They were completely unprepared for my attack, and it hit three of them square in the chest, sending them flying back into the shielding that protected the engine core.

That was the opening I needed. I continued to pull power from around me to strengthen my shields as I resumed my mad charge for the engine core. The creatures quickly recovered from my attack and flew at me, pounding and clawing at my shields. While pushing on to the engine core I tried to use my staff to beat them back. They were extremely fast and nimble, so it was rare that I actually contacted them, but when I did it felt like I was hitting an extra soft pillow instead of a living creature. Their attacks came hard and fast, turning my mad charge into a slow and laborious walk. Still, I was making progress, and that was key. If I could get this engine to blow like the last battleship, it should destroy all of these creatures.

“
We have begun our attack run, Shadow. I assume you have a plan to get off there?”
asked Spectra.

“
Not really, but we need to destroy this ship before these creatures find a way over to that ore freighter,”
I sent.

“
Of course!!! The laser drilling they are doing. Once a hole is cut in that freighter they can ride the beam in,”
sent Spectra.

“
Flame, take out that laser! Use whatever you need to, but take it out now,”
I sent.

“
With pleasure! Just get back here, Shadow!”
sent Flame.

“
Fool!”
I thought to myself. There was no reason for me to try to push through them; I could fly just as well as they! I sprang into the air while angling my shields into a cone shape, which allowed me to push through them more strongly. Again, I caught them completely by surprise, and they fell back, giving me enough room to fly the short distance left to the shields around the engine core. Using a trick Master Mathorn taught me, I merged my shields with the mundane energy field and routed the shield around me so that I was able to pass through it without taking it down.

Once inside the field I was safe from my attackers, but I had a new problem. The energy fields around the engine core were there because the radiation was deadly to humans. It slowly dawned on me that radiation was simply energy, and I was a spellweaver. Energy was my game; I had nothing to fear in here. I let the power of the engines flow around me as I began to weave my spell. It was then that I realized that the way I had defeated the last battleship would not work here because these engines were a higher caliber with better safety features than the battleship I had easily destroyed not that long ago. Spectra’s plan, however, should work splendidly.

“
Spectra, I am in the engine core and have opened a dead area. Can you put several of our antimatter torpedoes in here like we discussed?
” I asked. The energy that would be released by them would be enough to cause a cascade failure and briefly turn this ship into a brilliant ball of fire.

“
Sure, I just need a minute,”
she sent.

“
I am out of their reach here, so you have your minute,”
I sent.

With all the energy flying around me in here, I could not see beyond my immediate vicinity. It was kind of like standing on a stage with all the bright lights focused on you. The rest of the room becomes completely invisible, lost in the glare. I assumed the creatures were still out there somewhere and likely in a panic if Flame’s attack was going well.

“Shadow! Please don’t kill us!” came a voice from somewhere, and then I heard, “Shadow, you are our only hope, save us!”

A cold chill ran down my spine as I heard those cries. Nightmares of old came rushing back and threatened my concentration on my shields. I felt myself starting to lose my self-control when Spectra sent, “
Okay, Shadow, I am ready when you are.”

“
Great! Now, quickly!”
I said.

Suddenly a blue gate opened, and four torpedoes came through and fell unceremoniously onto the floor. The gate closed quickly, and I sent, “
Flame, run for cover,”
as I stepped out of the engine room and into the weave, which allowed the energy of the engines to flow back into the dead space I had opened, detonating the torpedoes.

Once I was in the weave and free from their fear attacks, I was able to calm myself down and gather my focus. I could clearly see the battleship just beginning to explode and the Dust Dragon’s engine signature fleeing at high speed. It was a little disturbing still to sit here perched outside of time and look at a frozen universe. What was even odder was that telepathic communication was still possible, even though they were still in time, and I was not. I did not really understand it at all. Since Phoenix’s shields were still up, I could not step directly into the ship. I needed Spectra to gate me in. “
Spectra, I need an exit,”
I sent.

“
Just a moment,”
she sent back.

“Just a moment?”
I wondered to myself. That would mean time is passing from her perspective, and if she does not open the gate until she is ready, at what point in time do I re-enter? I sent back, “
No rush, I am safe. Send it after you are clear.”
It would be an interesting test to see how this worked. Since she was still in time, perhaps I would exit into the future instead of the present.

When her gate opened for me to use, a thought occurred to me. The gate was entering the weave at a certain point in time, so by using the gate I was exiting the gate at a moment after it entered. That means that my exit from the weave was at the correct timeframe for the gate even though it was the wrong timeframe for me. I decided to step through the gate before my head exploded trying to figure out the intricacies of space-time.

It was as I expected: when I exited the gate, I re-entered time a moment after the gate left time, instead of a moment after I entered time. I was not sure what that could mean, but I was beginning to think that the weave was not really outside of time, at least not completely. It then occurred to me that perhaps entering the weave was different for wizards than it was for spacecraft. When mundane craft entered jump space there was no stopping and looking around like spellweavers could do. Perhaps that meant that trying to reconcile the two under the same rules was not possible.

I filed that thought away as a useful piece of information for a later date. “Thank you, Spectra, what is our status?” I asked once I was back on the bridge.

“Looks like your plan worked perfectly. The battleship was completely consumed and we were able to use the ore freighter to shield us from the blast,” said Phoenix.

“Excellent! Spectra, was that sufficient to destroy the soul eaters?” I asked.

“I can’t know for sure, but it should have been more than sufficient. If not, they will starve quickly in deep space without access to a steady flow of people,” she said.

“How is our guest?” I asked.

“Sleeping soundly in sickbay in a hyberpod,” said Phoenix.

A hyberpod was a medical device that kept its occupants in a state of hibernation with the idea of prolonging the amount of time a badly-injured crew member could live without expert medical attention. I did not like the idea of using it like a prison, but before I could say anything Flame said, “He was just lying there on the floor trembling, and he looked very pale. I think we need to get him to a doctor.”

“Flame, pull us around so we can see the debris field. Spectra, make sure they are dead while I hail the ore freighter,” I said.

As I hailed the ore freighter I watched the tactical displays to see what was left of the battleship, but before I could see much a plump old man answered our call and said, “Hey, thanks for the help!” with a huge grin.

“Our pleasure, sir. I hope we did not cause any further damage to your freighter with that explosion,” I said.

“That little firecracker? Nah!” he said.

“Do you have any idea why they attacked you?” I asked.

“Nope,” he said.

“I see. I would assume it is fairly rare for a ship of your mass to have any problems out here,” I said.

“Yep,” he said.

“
He sure is a talkative fella,”
I sent on our telepathic network.

“
Yes, but they might have a doctor on board. We should ask for help,”
sent Flame.

“
Good point,”
I sent, and then said, “Sir, do you happen to have a doctor aboard your ship? We rescued someone from the battleship, and he needs medical attention. We have him in a hyberpod, so he is safe for now, but we do not currently have a medical officer.”

“Sure do. Come over for dinner, and I’ll introduce you to her,” he said.

“Okay, what time would suit you?” I asked.

“Whenever,” he said with a smile.

I really was not sure what to do with that response, so I thanked him and closed the channel. “Flame, land us over by any airlock that looks like it is functional.” The ore freighter was massive enough to have around half a standard G worth of gravity on its exterior, which meant we could safely land directly on the ship. I had heard rumors of a new class of hauler that was actually massive enough to hold a breathable atmosphere on its surface, and I wondered if they lived on the outside of it. It sure would be one awesome view.

“Shadow, I cannot sense any sign of the soul eaters. I think they are gone for good,” said Spectra.

“Excellent. Now, while Flame finds us a good landing-place, mind filling me in on what they are?” I said.

“They are a kind of specter, more commonly known as ghosts, that feed on living beings. Their touch ages living creatures extremely quickly, sucking them dry of all life force. The more they eat the more powerful they become,” she said.

“They might have beaten me if I had not ducked into the engine core. In case we come across them again, how do we fight them?” I asked.

“Only you and I can, and from what I saw you were doing fine,” she said.

Before I could ask for more details Flame asked, “Shadow, how’s this?”

On the main view screen I saw a large flat area with what looked like an airlock in the center. “Looks good. Land near the airlock, and fire the mooring hooks,” I said.

“Sure thing,” said Flame.

“Everyone, we are still behind enemy lines out here, so we cannot leave the ship empty. Spectra, I will need you to come with me to help with the customs and expectations. So either Flame or Phoenix needs to stay behind,” I said.

“I’ve got it covered, Shadow,” said Phoenix.

“Are you sure?” asked Flame. “I know how much you love dinner.”

“Yeah,” he said as he walked over to tactical. “I want to be here when Dusty gets back.”

Silence filled the bridge as he sat down in Dusty’s seat and just looked at the screens. Soon there was the slight lurch as the Dust Dragon completed its landing and the mooring anchors were connected to secure the ship. Once the ship was secured I walked over, put my hand on Phoenix’s shoulder and said, “Keep in touch via our telepathic network just in case we need to bail out fast.”

“Sure,” he said.

“Flame, Spectra, let’s go,” I said.

We all pulled on our helmets and disembarked from the Dust Dragon. Once outside the ship the lightness of the gravity was a bit disconcerting, but we managed to make it to the airlock. As we entered the airlock I could feel Spectra steeling herself for something, but I was not sure what. Flame, in sharp contrast, was excited and eager to meet new people. Personally, I could not wait for it to be over. This was just another formality in my way of accomplishing my mission out here.

The airlock led to an elevator, and while we were riding it down, I sent to Spectra, “
What can we expect
?”

“
Shadow, there are two kinds of people that generally make up the working crew on a ship like this: criminals and the destitute. The officers will tend to be a mix of pirates and merchants
,” sent Spectra.

“
What else?”
I asked.

“
There is a strict caste system on these ships, and it would be best not to break that. Stick with the officers
,” she sent.

“
That hardly seems nice,
” sent Flame.

“
Nice or not, it is the way it is
,” sent Spectra. “
A crew on a ship this size will be out at space for many years, so any connection to family outside this ship would be lost.”

“I assume that means the bond here will be tight?
” I asked.

“
Yeah, but the caste system is unbreakable,
” she sent.

I wanted to ask more, but just then the doors slid open and the plump man that I assumed to be the captain stood there with a dozen large and heavily-armed men.

“Hey! Welcome aboard! Say, what is your name, anyway?” he asked.

“I am Battle Wizard First Rank Shadow Weaver of Alpha Academy, this is my science officer Battle Wizard Second Rank Spectra, and our pilot Battle Wizard Second Rank Flame,” I said.

“Great! Welcome aboard! I am Captain Smith, and I own this fine rock. Come, and I will take you to my dining hall,” he said. He then turned and walked past his men without even acknowledging their existence.

“
Shadow, remember the caste system. These men don't exist to us,
” sent Spectra.

“
Right then,
” I sent, grateful to have her with us and then followed the captain down the hall. He led us to a large room that had a few well-dressed men sitting around a table. The captain introduced us all around, and we sat down to eat. Conversation was mainly around local news and politics, but nothing of any real substance. It was hard on Flame to ignore the servers, but I was used to it, having grown up with constant wait staff around. Spectra seemed very reserved and uncomfortable. She did not say anything for the entire meal.