The Malice (32 page)

Vesper straightens and walks between the red uniformed walls. On either side, people hold themselves rigid, trying to strike the middle ground between looking away and making eye contact.

Ahead lies the watchtower squatting heavy on the cliff, its flat head butting the sky. Standing before its door is a figure all in black, loose clothes flowing in the wind around armour.

The sword hums, growing steadily in volume as she advances towards it. By the time she and Samael are within speaking distance, the sound has deepened into something approaching a growl.

Unlike the others, the figure shows no concern at their approach.

From behind the cliffs, two sky-ships rise on streams of light, hovering either side of the watchtower. Broken swords hang from their wings, chiming together, off key and despairing.

The figure takes a step forward, spreading its hands. ‘Do you remember me? I remember you. You have shot me, incited others to attack me and now you come again in anger. Guns and lances and swords, that is your way. It is not mine. I am the First and it is my custom when dealing with your … kind, to attempt to reach an accord before resorting to violence. However, it seems that despite the … futility of your situation, you have no wish to talk.’

Vesper continues walking until she stands barely three metres away. She plants her feet and stares straight into the mirrored black of the First’s helmet. ‘I do want to talk. My name is Vesper. I bear the sword and speak for it. I’ve not come to fight.’

‘Strange then, that you come with the Malice bared.’

‘Well, you do have two sky-ships and half an army here.’ The First does not react and she continues, hasty. ‘I’m here to make you an offer.’

‘This is unexpected but welcome.’

‘I haven’t come here to attack Sonorous or to attack you. I just want the knights that you took prisoner. Let me take them with me and we’ll all leave you in peace.’

‘That is not an offer. It is a demand. And if I do not return your … people to you, what then?’

Vesper swallows, tries to keep her voice calm. ‘It is an offer. I’m offering to hold back the Malice. I’m offering to stand between you and it.’

‘You think that you are in a position to threaten me?’

Vesper glances at the sky-ships and the weapons trained on her. She looks back at the rows of armed soldiers and lastly she looks at the First, remembering what it is a capable of. ‘I think …’ she begins, ‘that you’re scared. If you weren’t, you wouldn’t have bothered with all this. I think that the men in those cells have suffered long enough. You’ve broken their swords, they can’t hurt you anymore. I think their freedom is a small price to pay for peace. The Malice has sealed the Breach. It has destroyed the Usurper and the Yearning.’ She closes her eyes, letting the sword see for her. ‘You are nothing in comparison.’

‘The Malice is broken.’

‘No, you are broken and Gamma is dead. The Malice is sharper than ever.’ Eyes still closed she takes another step forward. ‘Do we have an accord?’

The First steps back, bumping into the watchtower’s door.

Vesper steps forward again, closing the space between them. The sword shakes angrily in her hand and the air around it shimmers with heat, sparking blue. ‘Do we have an accord?’

‘You will take them and leave? You swear it?’

‘Yes.’

‘Then stop, stop! We have an accord. Your … people will be set free.’

Vesper’s eyes open, triumphant. She pulls back the sword a fraction, nodding to it. ‘Good.’

A line of knights kneel by the docks while Samael prepares the boat. Jem and Scout stay below deck, tucked away in storage, hidden.

By contrast, the kid stands on the prow of the ship glaring at the newcomers.

Vesper walks along the line, talking to the knights as she passes. Solemn faces drain her enthusiasm, her smile sagging by the time she gets to the end.

Samael gives the signal and one by one, the knights climb on board. Not all of their armour could be found and many suits are incomplete, some dressed completely in scavenged clothes, another slight to be borne.

Last to arrive is a tired looking man, every part of him seeming to slump, aside from the dirty red hair that sprouts defiant, irrepressible.

Vesper hugs him, eliciting a surprised gasp. ‘Genner! You’re alive! But I saw you fall. I’m so glad you’re alive, I thought you were dead for sure.’

‘So did I.’ He chokes something back, looking up to stop tears from spilling. ‘But the First wanted me alive. It wanted to talk.’

She hugs him again. ‘It’s over now. You’re safe. You’re all safe.’

‘Yes, thanks to you.’

‘Why do you all look so sad?’

‘We might not look it but we’re grateful you came for us. Sonorous prison is no place for a knight to die.’ He nods to her deeply, the gesture halfway to starting a bow, and moves on.

She watches him, a frown developing. ‘Wait!’ she calls as he steps onto the boarding plank. ‘What do you mean die?’

Reluctant, he turns to face her. ‘We failed in our duty to protect you. We disgraced ourselves. The knights broke their swords, swords passed down from the Maker to The Seven and through generations of Seraph. They cannot be replaced. If we are lucky the Knight Commander will grant us honour in death.’

As he speaks, Vesper’s head shakes, disapproving. ‘What? But I saved you! You can’t just go and die!’

‘What use is a knight without a sword? What use is a leader that let that happen?’

She stands there, rendered speechless by the naked shame on his face. He inclines his head and joins the others on the ship.

The
Commander’s Rest
departs in silence, slipping out from the calm bay into open sea. Vesper sits up top next to the kid. He butts her shoulder gently and she strokes his head.

Behind her the knights sit pressed together, bodies packing the deck. They watch Samael with open suspicion, exchanging looks with their neighbour, muttering.

About an hour after leaving, Vesper stands, too abrupt. The rocking of the boat sends her sidestepping to the right, rapid, before feet find purchase. Next to her, the kid is mockingly stable.

Taking more care, Vesper makes her way towards the middle of the deck. Emotion burns twin smudges on her cheeks. ‘Listen to me!’

Surprised, the knights and Samael look up.

‘When we first came to Sonorous, you did everything you could to save me. A lot of people died so I could live. I know that everyone here would have given their lives to protect the sword. But, when the First came, I didn’t ask you to die. I asked you to live, even though you had to break your swords to do it.’ She pauses, the flow of words suddenly dry. ‘I – I hear you whispering about Samael. I bet you’re wondering where his armour came from. I’ll tell you. It came from the bodies of knights that died in the Battle of the Red Wave.’

Horror radiates from the knights. Angry lips press together, fingers curl into trembling fists.

‘Don’t look at him like that! Don’t you dare judge him! He went where nobody else dared to go and he found it and he’s putting it to good use. Samael hasn’t given up.’ She looks at them, hoping for something, finds only confusion. ‘Don’t you see? We have to keep going.’

In a low voice, one of the knights replies. ‘But he hasn’t lost anything.’

Vesper’s hands prod the air as she speaks. ‘Of course he has. We all have. Gamma’s body was taken by the Usurper and destroyed, but part of her lives on. Who better to serve her than those who understand? Who better than you? She doesn’t give up. Samael doesn’t give up and so I swear to you that I won’t give up.’ She sweeps them all with a look. ‘When we get back to the Shining City, I’m going to tell the Knight Commander that thanks to you and our unit, to Genner …’ she pauses for the briefest moment, ‘to Duet, and thanks to Samael, I was able to take the sword to the Breach, to seal it and stop the greatest infernal ever from coming into our world. But it isn’t over. Gamma still needs you. And so do I. So the Knight Commander isn’t going to give you honour in death because there’s too much to do.’

The old knight shuffles from his seat, onto his knees. He begins to intone the litany of the Winged Eye. Another follows, then two, then more, like a wave, prostrating themselves before her.

‘Wait!’ she says, silencing them. ‘There’s more.’ She goes below deck, anger and pride strangling caution and opens the storage container.

Jem blinks up at her, Scout wags his tail. She grabs a wrist in one hand, the scruff of a neck in the other and drags them both up into the light.

‘This is Jem,’ she announces. ‘He survived in New Horizon and helped us. He is a friend and deserves your respect.’

But none of the knights are looking at Jem, their attention held entirely by another.

‘That’s a Dogspawn!’ cries one.

‘Yes,’ replies Vesper, eyes flashing. ‘His name is Scout and he protects me, too.’

At an unseen command, Scout lays down, head resting on crossed paws.

‘But …’ stammers another knight. ‘It’s tainted. We should kill it.’

Vesper shakes her head. ‘No. The taint may be bad but it can be beaten by the power of The Seven. When I was in Verdigris, the sword turned back the power of the taint, healing people that would have been killed by it.’

Genner finally speaks up: ‘You’re saying the power of The Seven has touched this animal?’

She pauses, lips moving as she thinks about what to say, what it might mean. How the truth is one thing in her mind, another in theirs. ‘Yes. The sword has saved him. He serves The Seven now and has protected me more than once. And he’s friendly, too, see?’

She pets him and Scout’s tail bangs on the deck, innocent.

The knights relax into a state of shock. Fists open and jaws slacken. Vesper returns to her place up top, Scout goes with her.

Later, Samael finds her there. ‘What you said on deck. About me. Thank you.’

She smiles at him. ‘It was true, every word. And I couldn’t stand the way they were talking about you.’

‘Yes. All the same, when we arrive at the Shining City, I would ask that you let me stay with my boat.’

‘Why?’

‘Because I don’t belong.’

She takes breath to argue but looks into his mismatched eyes and changes her mind. ‘Where will you be?’

‘Here, on the sea.’

Her smile loses some of its sparkle. ‘Of course. Will you ever come back?’

‘Yes. And when I do, I’ll come to the place where I’ve dropped you off. If you ever need me, leave a message there.’

Vesper and Jem walk hand in hand between neatly arranged trees, an army of spears, perfectly straight, smooth, that explode with life at the top, branches and leaves lacing together like tangled hair. Sunslight dapples through the gaps as they walk, winking and warm.

The kid trots in front, content, and a unit of knights led by Genner march behind, incomplete armour polished, chests out, chins high.

They break from the trees to see hills stretching ahead, uniform humps carpeted in lush green grass. Each one is a dwelling, an upper chamber in a dense network of interconnected rooms tucked under the earth. Between the hills, pillars of silver rise, epic, dwarfing trees and people alike.

From their underground dwellings, the citizens of the Shining City emerge, forming lines. They are here to celebrate the return of their heroes. Dignified smiles are prepared and children automatically assemble in clusters, tidy, ready to sing.

As they get closer, Jem seems to shrink in on himself. He sees the myriad faces turned towards him, beatific, cheeks radiant with health, eyes shining and hopeful. The spotless clothes with their simple, crisp lines. The overwhelming sense of order, of every person knowing their place and slotting into it like a well made piece of machinery. His eyes meet theirs and, in synchrony, they smile.

Mindful of his teeth, he does not smile back. Suddenly, his tan seems patchy, more burned than beautiful, the bones painfully prominent under the skin.

He slows down and lets go of Vesper’s hand.

Fingers slip, half free until hers tense, catching them. Vesper’s head whips round, concerned. ‘Are we going too fast?’

‘I’m fine. You go ahead.’

‘We’ll go together.’

He gives her a half-smile, lips together. ‘This is your moment, enjoy it.’ With another tug, his hand comes free. ‘It’s okay. I’m right behind you.’

A little shadow clouds her face. ‘Okay.’

As they get closer the people begin to sing quietly. Their harmony sends a pleasant tingle through the air. Vesper raises the sword and it spreads silvered wings, basking in the sound.

The citizens part, forming a living, singing corridor. At the end of it stands another group of Seraph Knights, and at their head stands the Knight Commander. At his signal, they all salute.

Vesper returns it, and behind her knights do the same with empty hands.

Just as the two groups meet, a woman joins them. She is called Obeisance, Caretaker of The Seven. Her body is hairless, nailess, wrapped tight in a cloak of feathers. Only face and toes peek out, bare and unblemished.

With a creaking of armour, the knights and their commander kneel.

Obeisance only bows. ‘Bearer, on behalf of the Shining City and the Empire,’ she says quietly, voice carried via chips direct into the minds of the listening people, ‘I welcome you home.’

‘Thank you.’

‘It will bring great relief to your family to know you are safe.’

‘Oh my suns! Father! Uncle! It must have been so hard for them.’

‘It was, and by extension,’ she adds wryly, ‘for the rest of us.’

‘I don’t understand.’

‘From the moment they realised you were gone, we have received constant … visits, from the previous bearer and your uncle.’

‘What happened?’

‘Best you not know the details. Suffice to say, your father was all for taking a sky-ship himself and going after you. If he had been able to fly one without our help, I daresay he would have tried. He’s been coming daily with requests.’ She pauses. ‘And demands.’

‘Oh.’

‘No matter. This is the second time you have come to us in glory, though I doubt you remember the first.’

It takes Vesper a moment to understand, then she smiles. ‘I was very small.’

‘You were,’ agrees Obeisance, something approaching warmth in her eyes. ‘But no longer. Now you are our champion, chosen of The Seven.’ Unsure what to say, Vesper inclines her head.

The older woman looks at her for a moment. ‘And, I imagine, you are hungry.’ She gestures, the cloak making it look like a bird extending a wing. ‘Come.’

They walk together into the heart of the Shining City, Knight Commander on one side, Obeisance on the other. Jem follows alone, stranded between them and the knights behind.

At first, Vesper feels awkward but after a few questions she is soon lost in the retelling of her journey. They listen gravely to her description of encounters with the First and the situation in Sonorous and are incredulous when she tells them about New Horizon. Some details she keeps to herself, or alters slightly. Neer, Wonderland and its secret inhabitants are not mentioned, neither is Scout. She speaks highly of the knights that travelled with her but her highest praise is saved for Genner, Samael and Duet.

As Vesper talks about the state of the south and the need for cooperation with Tough Call and the Man-shape, troubled lines form on the Knight Commander’s face and Obeisance becomes increasingly distant.

The sword tugs at Vesper’s arm, indicating a desire to change direction. She lets it point as it wishes. ‘Is the Sanctum of The Seven that way?’

‘Yes.’

‘I thought that was where we were going.’

‘Surely, but first, let us take you to a place where you can rest.’

‘But I need to see Them.’

‘And you will, but first, you must rest and be cleansed, ready for Their pleasure.’

‘No,’ replies Vesper, wincing as Obeisance locks eyes with her. ‘I’d rather it be now. They need to see me as I am.’

Two men stand on a hill next to a farm. One watches, the other listens, a hand on his companion’s back. About them, goats graze, leisurely. Though the second man is blind, he knows the first has seen something, feels it through the play of muscles under his palm.

‘Is it her?’

There is a long pause. Amber eyes scan the horizon, aided by a powerful scope. The man lowers the scope and nods slowly.

‘Good, let’s go to meet her.’

The first man doesn’t reply. He is already marching down the hill.

Ahead of schedule, Vesper approaches the sanctum of The Seven, a giant cube of silver suspended in the sky, rotating, slow; windowless sides reflecting suns above and the city below.

Giant metal stairs lead from the ground towards the sanctum but only travel part of the distance, the last step leading to empty air.

At the bottom of the stairs, Vesper stops, forcing the Knight Commander and Obeisance to do the same. She turns to Jem. ‘You should wait here.’

He looks up and then back to Vesper, painfully aware of the others’ eyes on him, judging. ‘No problem.’

‘Can you look after him?’ She nudges the kid forward with her boot.

‘Sure.’ He reaches down for the kid but the kid has other ideas, skipping clear. Blushing, Jem tries again and manages to scoop up the struggling animal.

‘Thanks. I shouldn’t be long.’

‘Are you,’ he begins, pausing to get a better hold on the kid’s waving legs. ‘Going to be alright?’

She looks at the sword.

The sword looks back.

‘I think so.’ Her smile is weak. ‘Take care.’

‘You too.’

Obeisance starts up the stairs first, taking them at a stately pace. For all her grace she moves deceptively quickly and both the Knight Commander and Vesper struggle to keep up.

‘She’s been climbing these stairs every day since she was able to walk,’ he explains, panting. ‘I try not to make a habit of it.’

For a time they both concentrate on the task ahead, the Knight Commander’s robotic knees squeaking into the silence. Legs labour and muscles begin to burn while Obeisance moves further and further ahead. When she reaches the top, she does not hesitate, stepping out into open air.

Vesper grimaces, then gasps as the other woman’s feet find purchase in the ether. Obeisance continues to rise, her cloak making it appear as if she flies rather than walks the remaining distance to the sanctum.

‘How did she …?’

The Knight Commander pauses, and Vesper joins him, both catching their breath. ‘They say The Seven carry you the rest of the way. You have to put your trust in Them.’ She raises the sword, closing her eyes as he continues. ‘It isn’t easy. I’ve gone up there several times but it doesn’t make any difference. Obeisance says that every day our faith is tested anew. I think for her that’s literally true. I find that the best thing to do is get myself to the top step and take a deep breath, then I think about all—’

Eyes still shut, she touches him on the arm. ‘It’s alright. I can see them.’

‘Excuse me?’

‘The steps. I can see them.’

‘Ah, well, in that case …’ Paling, the Knight Commander trails off.

Vesper steps out, and up, and up, coat flapping crazily in the wind. As she ascends she sees a detail in the flawless walls. A small square of darkness, opening, and within it, Obeisance.

They make their way through the sanctum together. Corridors of silver reflect infinitely, dizzying, the images split by designs etched onto every surface. From the right angle, these designs become faces, or wings, or swords, multiplied and fractured and multiplied again, picking at sanity.

Obeisance is careful to stare straight ahead.

Vesper keeps her eyes closed, letting an eye see for her. It twitches left to right, suspicious.

At last, they reach the inner doors. Obeisance presses her lips to them, whispers, then steps back, pulling the doors open.

Vesper steps past the other woman. ‘The sword wants you to wait for me here.’

Obeisance complies wordlessly, closing the doors as soon as Vesper is inside.

The inner chamber is tall, the roof lost in darkness. Flames flicker on the walls, illuminating seven alcoves. Six contain images of perfection, male and female, wings enfolding them, protective. One is left dark. The Six appear frozen, no breath stirs their chests and beneath their lids, eyes remain motionless.

Vesper takes a deep breath. ‘Hello?’

Her voice bounces about the chamber, echoing and rising until it fades into the upper reaches of the roof.

She bites her lip. ‘I was hoping to talk to you. I mean, I am talking to you, but I was hoping you’d be more awake than this.’

‘This … this … this …’ says the room.

The Six say nothing.

Vesper lowers her voice and steps closer. ‘The Yearning is gone and the Breach is sealed. Things are quiet, at least for now. But it won’t always be that way. I don’t understand why you don’t come out. The Empire needs you. There are so many people suffering and they’re all waiting for you to act.’

The Six say nothing and Vesper’s cheeks begin to warm. An eye narrows angrily.

‘Gamma died and you abandoned her. And, and you left what’s left of her to deal with what’s out there, alone. It’s too much. People have died, are dying right now. Your people! You’re supposed to be protecting us. You’re supposed to be leading us.’

The Six say nothing.

‘Out there,’ she points towards the door, ‘the Empire is collapsing. We’ve lost the south and most of the colonies. The sea belongs to an infernal! The world is changing. I’ve been out there and seen it. And it scares me. It scares all of us. We’re waiting for you to give us a sign.’ She holds the sword high, letting its eye sweep the silent figures. ‘The sword is waiting, too. Please. We need you, now more than ever. Wake up. Wake up and help us make sense of all this. Please.’

The Six say nothing.

She grits her teeth. ‘Well?’

Nothing.

She lowers the sword, opens her eyes. ‘Fine. Stay here in your hole.’

Her head droops, and she looks down at the eye looking up. ‘Fine,’ she says again, turning her back and walking away.

Outside, Obeisance waits, the very picture of patience. She bows deep as Vesper pushes open the doors, eyes never leaving Vesper’s. ‘May I ask what transpired?’

Vesper takes a deep breath, prepares her lies. ‘The Seven are pleased. They want me to carry on serving them.’

‘In what capacity?’

‘For too long we have pulled back from the troubles in the south but now, with the news I have brought, They feel it is time to reach out to our troubled neighbours again.’

‘They are rising?’

‘No. At least, not yet. But I know that they want me to make things better. And they want you to help me.’

Obeisance looks at Vesper for a long time, until sweat begins to bead on the girl’s neck, running down her back. ‘Of course,’ she says. ‘I was bred to serve The Seven. My wishes are but an extension of theirs. In my time serving them, I have found that interpreting those wishes can be difficult but I’m sure that together, we will do what is right.’

Vesper swallows. ‘Good. There’s just one more thing I need to do, then we can get started.’

Alpha of The Seven sleeps. He dreams of times long past, happier times that seemed to last forever and yet make up a tiny fraction of his lifespan. Each memory is held, perfect, as he walks through them, polishing and treasuring.

And yet someone speaks out of turn. Not the honeyed words of his creator or the cherished singing of his siblings.

He strips the words away, restoring memory to its previous state, but the other words come back. Halting and simple, the words of a mortal.

Behind them he hears his sister Gamma and at once remembers her death.

The protective walls of reminiscence crumble and pain grasps him, dragging him towards the present where bitterness is a taste, ever-present, in the mouth. He has hidden a long way down, wrapped in layers of memory and denial and the return to consciousness is slow. But still he comes, inching out of his self-imposed oblivion, stung into action by the words of a mortal.

Anger sparks, building within, towards the words, their meaning, the mortal who uttered them and the world that spawned it all.

Away from the Shining City, the hills are just hills, unmanufactured, random. Vesper and Jem walk towards one of the larger ones, on the other side of a huge field. Further up, two figures approach, both using sticks, each casting twin shadows that stretch out towards them.

The kid runs ahead, ignoring the other goats that litter the hillsides. A few glance at him as he passes, most keep to themselves. Eventually, he recognises a familiar hill and climbs it. At the top, he reaches two buildings, stopping at the second, the smaller one.