The Awakening (52 page)

Chaos ensued.

One of the identified SOS - an incubus named Zasri - was quick on the uptake. He pivoted on the spot, cracking the face of XI with a vicious backhand. The golem reeled backwards, sending a number of people flying. The Rogue barged through the crowd and sprinted for the window. At the same time, VII launched itself through the air. It sailed over the heads of the crowd and came crashing down- knee first into the escapee’s back. The force drove Zasri’s head into the window ledge. Part of the stone crumbled as his jaw smashed against it. He sagged to the floor like a spilled sack of rice. The Golem placed the blazing end of the staff against the incubus’s neck, electrocuting him until his eyes rolled up into his head. From around the room came frenzy of confused yells. Yesenia, a skeletal Bloodseeker raised her bony hands in the air as the crosier was thrust into her neck. “LONG LIVE HADES!” she screeched before sinking to her knees. The third – a muscular pixie, named Sahel managed to get to a blade in time. He brought it down between the eyes of III. The golem collapsed into a pile of rubble. As the others closed in on him, a set of wings burst through the slits in his uniform. He vaulted into the air and tried to swoop over our heads and escape through the open doors.

I heard a whooshing sound and the pixie’s wings separated from his body. With a scream of agony, Sahel kamikazied out of the air and smashed into the front of the cage. I spun back to the stage, where Sage Etorre stood, one arm extended straight out in front of him. Inside his robe were a selection of curved blades. One was missing.

The remaining two Rogues were brought down by the Golems. They jerked about like broken dolls as the electricity coursed through them. One by one they sank into the cold arms of the clay giants. They were dragged past confused members and deposited in the cage. I noticed that Dakin was not among them.
He must not have come back.

Agent Noble twisted the key in the lock and along with the others - using considerable effort – heaved the cage away. The doors closed with a resounding slam. The remaining Golems returned to their positions behind Faru. There was a cacophony of noise as people shouted, demanding explanations.

BANG!

The Golems smashed the base of their staffs against the stage floor in unison. The sound hit my stomach like an invisible fist. Instantly, everyone fell silent and looked at Faru. The Sage had his hands up, palms out. The same apologetic demeanour he’d used on me before.

“I am sorry you all had to witness that. Unfortunately, it transpires that these people were working against us. They were in fact, members of the SOS.”

There were gasps of surprise and horror at the news. I heard a few people shout
‘no’
. One Luminar Guardian hid her face as she began to cry.

“I know this comes as a shock and no one is as saddened as I am to have learned this truth. These were people we believed to be our allies... our friends. These are dark times and some have chosen to follow the wrong path. We
must
however, put this behind us and continue.”

The crowd began to settle and once again everyone was waiting for what Faru would say next.

“There will be a break in usual units. We will play to our strengths. All Luminar are required on the rooftops. Your accuracy with ranged weapons will give us an advantage if they approach from the front - which is most likely as they are unaware that we are anticipating their impending attack. The Fae will be given aerial support by all those able to fly. I need Skinshifters in the woods around the base as well as Bloodseekers and your hives. Bloodlings will be stationed at the rear of the base and inside the Nexus. The elevators have been deactivated, but I have little doubt that the SOS will utilise the decommissioned routes to gain access. Regardless, your superior night vision will make you invaluable. The Golems, Sage Etorre and I will create a wall protecting the entrance to the Veil. Chosen, you will break yourselves into these aforementioned sections, fighting in your relevant squad groups. Guardians positioned in the Nexus will be under the overall command of Larik Godren. Those at the rear, Ivy Affron. Those at the front and roof, Gabriella De Luca.”

I felt her straighten up beside me. She looked proud, with a hint of nervous.

“I trust that you will do everything in your power to make this base safe. The HASEA owes you its gratitude for your courage. I owe you gratitude.” He nodded that he was done and moved away from the lectern with the aid of Sage Etorre. The other leader took his place at the podium.

“Please remain here. The Coven will arrive shortly to perform a spell and explain the rest of our strategy.”

Without another word, the two Sages left the stage and exited through rear doors. The Golems followed like a pack of faithful dogs.

A solemn silence filled the room. The reality of the situation had dawned on everyone else, the way it had for me earlier. People knew that they may never make it through to the next day.

I felt Gabriella’s hand take mine.

31

T
hey came for us.

It was late evening and we’d been in position for several hours. As Faru had requested, everyone was strategically placed. Gabriella had co-ordinated the remaining Chosen teams. Orion was outside the front door – minus Rachel - using the low wall by the steps as partial cover. Metal blockades had been set up a few yards in front. Dozens of Chosen kneeled behind them, guns out, locked into the distance. A dozen large speakers - screwed to tall poles - were dotted around us. Trails of wires snaked the length of the mansion and disappeared into the grounds. Everyone and everything had taken on a red hue, tainted by the apocalyptic sky above.

I watched the black shapes of the shifters slinking around the trees that lined the base. Their red eyes shone like coals in the darkness. In the hallway behind us was yet another blockade, with a mixture of Pandemonians and Chosen crouched behind them. Up the stairs stood Faru and Etorre. The wall of Golems stood just behind them, blocking the entrance to the painting.

I was crouched next to Gabriella and Tyler. Midnight and Delagio were huddled a few feet away. Rachel stood on the roof high above our heads - one in a large row of Luminar - staring through the lens of her metal sniper bow.

It started with a piercing howl. The unmistakable sound of a Skinshifter. Not one of ours, because we’d all been told not to make a sound until the battle began, so we didn’t give away our positions.

More followed and then a tremendous roar that rattled the windows. A sea of red appeared on the horizon, as if the sky had bled down to the earth. They evolved into countless Rogues, dressed in their hooded crimson cloaks, which whipped around them in the wind.

So much for being discrete.

“Hold!” shouted Gabriella. No one moved a muscle. The cries of the SOS grew louder as they broke into a run.

“Hold!”

They were getting closer. I felt a stray bullet smack into the wall next to me. I breathed out hard. My hands were slick with sweat as I kept my gun held steady, aimed at the advancing mass.

“Now!”

There was a crackle of static as the speakers switched on. The Siren’s melodic song flowed through. As if they had hit an invisible wall, the advancing SOS jerked to a halt. Their eyes glazed over. Some dropped their weapons on the ground and began to stagger towards the speakers like zombies. Skinshifters - muzzles coated with red paint - staggered sideways and fell over.

“Luminar, now!” shouted Gabriella.

Thuck thuck thuck.

A cloud of miniature arrows arched over our heads. I followed them as they darted down, piercing into their targets. The dazed Pandemonians made no sound as their bodies flew backwards from the force. Gravel splashed about as fallen SOS collapsed to the ground in heaps, tiny arrows sticking out of their chests like acupuncture needles.

The Siren's mournful melody became a tribute to each person who sank to the ground and became still.

Something shoved its way through the collapsing masses. The shadowy face hidden inside the deep cowl reminded me of the Grim Reaper coming to collect. The Devil ran forward, lifting an arched blade above his head. He barely flinched as torrents of arrows bored into his skin.

“He’s going for the wires!” someone yelled.

“I’ve got it!” shouted Tyler and ran out from behind cover. He tried to engage the creature directly, but the Devil broke through him as if his bones were made from eggshells. As quick as the snap of fingers, Tyler was dead.

Before anyone else could react, the Devil severed the speaker wires, cutting the Siren’s song short. He slipped around the corner of the mansion and disappeared from sight. I watched in horror as the surviving SOS instantly came back to their senses. My plan had barely had time to work, before it had failed.

The stake hit home first, slugging into the Bloodling’s chest and causing it to disappear in a screaming burst of ash and flames. The silver bullet connected next. It grazed against the side of the shifter’s hulking frame. It howled in fury but kept coming. Then without warning, its legs buckled and it collapsed to the floor. Next to me, Delagio flicked his wrists and a dozen silver marbles plucked themselves from its body and gravitated back towards his hand.

Midnight was standing, his body completely exposed from cover. He laughed maniacally as he pumped the triggers of his guns. In front of us, bodies flew backwards and sideways as the shots connected. I gasped as I watched a bullet hit him right in the arm, but he laughed even harder.

“IS THAT ALL YOU GOT?” he bellowed and carried on emptying the rounds into the advancing attackers.

More and more SOS took the place of the fallen. There were infinitely more than had been at the meeting. Gabriella had been right about them knowing where to come. A constant stream appeared on the horizon. I couldn’t fire fast enough. For every bullet, another two SOS would appear in the gloom. I stopped to slide a clip of iron rounds into my gun. I discarded the crucifix weapon - its ammo spent.

“Ella,” I yelled above the torrent of gunfire, “I’m running out!”

After dispatching a Pixie with a headshot, she nodded. “Secondary attack now!”

There was a flurry of unfurling wings and then I watched as a flock of Guardians appeared in the sky and began dive-bombing the SOS. From the sides, a mass of Skinshifters raced into the action. Close behind came a stream of howling Hiveminds, followed by their Bloodseeker leaders.

Those of the SOS who could fly unleashed their own wings and pounced into the air, intercepting the flying Alliance. There where loud whacks as they collided. The burning sky was filled with the silhouettes of spiralling bodies. All I could hear were the sickening sounds of screaming, blades slicing and bones snapping. A Succubus collided with Rachel mid-air. They tumbled around in a ball, slashing and hacking at each other with teeth and nails. I winced as my Science teacher got a vicious uppercut to the face. She whirled backwards, but used the movement to her advantage, unleashing an overhead kick, which caught the Succubus on the jaw. The dazed woman fell to the ground, landing hard on her back. Instantly she was set upon by a pack of Hiveminds. I had to look away as the sounds of her tortured screams filled my ears.

“Third attack!” commanded Gabriella.

A dark shadow materialised overhead. I glanced up to see the Manticore from the Sanctuary soar over the mansion roof. It circled around the fighting Pandemonians, letting out a ferocious roar. In unison, the Guardians pushed up and away from their enemies, leaving them hovering on their own, confused. The beast drew near, snapping out its stinger in a rapid drumbeat. The SOS screamed as their bodies ballooned from the infection. One by one they fell out of the sky into the sea of chomping jaws below.

At the same time, a tremor of hooves drowned out every other sound. A herd of Unicorn appeared from the side of the building, led by Isiodore. He lowered his head and charged into the crowd, skewering a Skinshifter on the end of his horn. The others copied the action, turning the attacking SOS into grim kebabs.

It was then that I felt something hit me hard - twice. I coughed and looked down. At first I couldn’t see anything, but then two little blooms of red appeared on my chest, followed by thin trails of purple smoke.

Midnight tuned to look at me, and his eyes went wide.

“Alex is hit!” he bellowed and caught me as I fell backwards. He pulled me down behind the wall. Bits of brick dust flew up and over us as bullets connected with the wall.

Gabriella and Delagio stopped shooting and crowded around me. At the angle I was at, I could see through a small gap in the wall. I saw other Chosen, lying still around the blockades, their bodies surrounded by pools of blood. The Unicorn were being attacked by droves of Hiveminds. They let out agonised screams as the creatures tore at their flesh.

This isn’t good,
was all I could think as the edges of my consciousness began to waver. My mind was growing sticky.

“Why isn’t he healing?” shouted Midnight.

Gabriella pointed to my chest. “Look at the smoke. Damn it, the bullets are coated in Banshee poison! We need to get them out now!”

She pulled open my jacket and jerked up my t-shirt. Around the wounds, the veins had turned an ugly purple colour. She looked over at Delagio, who nodded. He knelt over me and placed his hands a few inches above the wounds. Confused, I frowned up at his goateed face. He gave an awkward smile. “Sorry buddy. I hope this doesn’t affect our friendship.”

Agony. Absolute, unparalleled agony.

I screamed until I thought my lungs would burst. Midnight used all of his superior strength to pin me down. Delagio’s hands twitched as he coaxed out the bullets. Inside my body, I could feel them start to wiggle about like burning insects trying to eat themselves free from my flesh. The pain was white hot. I could taste it. For what seemed like an eternity, they worked their way closer to the surface.