The Purification: Book 3 of the Evaran Chronicles (20 page)

“Underground … I like it,” said Lord Noskov.

Evaran raised an eyebrow at Lord Noskov, then swiped his hand in the air. The layout moved to the left front screen, and an image of a new type of Purifier appeared on the front right screen. The Purifier had a black mask with eye, nose, and mouth holes. Unlike the sentinels, they were not robed and instead wore a suit of light metal armor over the chest, arms, and legs. They carried large shields with curved swords. A crossbow-like weapon was slung over their backs. “These are the guards. Based on V’s scan, they are physically stronger than the sentinels.”

Delia shook her head. “This will be a tough fight. How many are we expecting?”

“There were about eighty or so life signs detected. However, from what we have seen at Atlantis, we should not underestimate them.”

Captain Laban shook a fist in front of him. “They will taste Helian steel.”

Evaran nodded and faced Captain Laban. “The shields you carry are capable of blocking their ranged weaponry. Your guard will need to be the front line when approaching the bunkers. Delia and Lord Noskov’s group will follow and attack once the bunkers are reached. The bunkers must be secured first. Once that is done, there is a ramp at the base of the pyramid that leads underground. That will be our next target once the perimeter is secured.”

“We will do our part,” said Captain Laban, standing. He glanced at Lord Noskov and Delia. “You can trust in our ability. We will hit them like a hammer.”

Delia stood and nodded. “We are ready.”

“Finally,” said Lord Noskov as he rose from his seat.

Evaran gestured toward the Torvatta entrance. “Get your groups ready. You all have communicators, and Dr. Snowden will be watching from above with the view that V will provide, along with real-time information, like he did in the city. The ultimate goal is to pierce into the underground base. We can then shut off the shield and determine where the nonhumans who were sent there are or went.”

Dr. Snowden sighed. He wanted to get out there and unleash his aggression on the Purifiers, but helping coordinate seemed to be more important. Whatever was needed to get Emily back, he would do it.

Captain Laban, Lord Noskov, and Delia all nodded and then headed to their groups.

Evaran faced Lord Vygon. “We will handle any guards that come out of the pyramid.”

“Ready as always,” said Lord Vygon.

Evaran faced Dr. Snowden. “V will provide an aerial view like the Torvatta did in the city.”

With a nod, Dr. Snowden said, “I don’t think I will need to do much here, the plan you have sounds solid.”

“Perhaps. However, in combat, things can change quickly. Having you able to detect and inform will be a big help.”

“Sounds good.”

After a short while, the screen showed the entranceway shielding dissipate as a sentinel approached it.

“V, take us in,” said Evaran.

The Torvatta surged forward. It slammed into the sentinel, knocking him through the entranceway. A portion of the Torvatta was stuck inside the shielding, preventing it from closing. A horn blared out.

Evaran motioned toward the screen. “V, go.”

“Acknowledged,” said V as he strode toward the back of the ship.

After a moment, his stealthed orb appeared on the front left screen as a green outline. It did not take long for V to reach the top of the pyramid near the shield generator. When he got there, the front right screen changed to an overhead view with a grid. The colored dots popped up, showing the Purifiers.

The left screen showed arrows and bolts trying to breach the Torvatta’s shielding, but they had no impact.

With a nod at Lord Vygon, Evaran said, “It is time for us to go.”

Lord Vygon followed Evaran to the back of the ship.

Dr. Snowden watched as everyone disembarked and joined the battle. He did not have V’s physical presence to help, but he understood the front console interface enough now to work it. The guards were a lot tougher than they looked. The Helians went into two groups initially, one for each of the front two bunkers, followed by a supporting group from both Lord Noskov and Delia. Evaran and Lord Vygon took the area outside the ramp in front of the pyramid, fighting those that came from the base and those who strayed away from the bunkers. Everything seemed to be going well.

Once the first and second bunkers were secured, the mixed groups moved to the third and fourth bunkers.

Dr. Snowden noticed that there was Purifier movement underground between the bunkers. They were moving a group from the rear bunkers to the front bunkers in order to flank. He reorganized the groups so that Lord Noskov’s group rushed back to the front bunkers while the Helians and Delia’s group pressed on to the rear bunkers. He figured that Lord Noskov’s group would do better handling the smaller Purifier group headed to the front bunkers. He kept the Ollikrin with the Helian guard as the main assault group. The Ollikrin had raw power, and Dr. Snowden noted that if one of them got into an enclosed space, they would dominate.

It took an hour, but the plan worked. All the guards were either dead or dying or had fled underground. The bunkers had been secured.

Dr. Snowden sighed as he slumped down in Evaran’s chair. Coordinating these battles was grueling. He welcomed the focus needed as it distracted him from Emily, but the thought of now finding out where she went danced in his mind.

Evaran appeared on the front right screen. “Excellent job. There were heavy casualties, but you kept it to a minimum. We are going to proceed into the underground structure.”

Dr. Snowden stood up. “I’m coming.”

Evaran studied Dr. Snowden. “Very well. Meet us at the underground ramp door.”

Dr. Snowden nodded and hustled out of the Torvatta. As he ran toward the meeting spot, he scanned the surroundings. Dead or dying guards lay around. Surrounding them were wounded and dead Ollikrin, Helians, and vampires. The fight took its toll. His nose recoiled as the smell of death caressed it. Maybe it was a good thing he stayed in the Torvatta. On his way there, he noticed two posts with the Purifier banner in front of the ramp. On the pyramid itself was a larger banner. It reminded him of the Purifier Saturn space station. These Purifiers wanted to make sure their presence was felt. He reached the ramp and proceeded down it to the large rectangular door at the end.

Evaran stood by a massive stone door with Delia, Lord Noskov, Lord Vygon, Captain Laban, and V in orb mode around him.

Dr. Snowden noted the somber looks on everyone when he joined them.

“We took more casualties than expected,” said Captain Laban.

Evaran nodded. “Yes, and it will not be forgotten. You, Lord Noskov, and Delia can attend to your fallen. V will help you load them into the Torvatta and provide any medical assistance. Lord Vygon, Dr. Snowden, and I will breach the interior. There were only three life signs left.”

“There may be more if they are shielded,” said Delia.

“Perhaps, but we can handle whatever is inside.”

Lord Noskov looked at Delia. “I will direct my men to aid you. I think I should stay and help Evaran just in case.”

Delia paused as she studied Lord Noskov. She nodded and headed off with Captain Laban.

“I’ll be back. Just need to tell my remaining group to help. Don’t go in without me.”

Evaran nodded. “Go.”

Dr. Snowden watched Lord Noskov take off up the ramp. He could not fathom how they were taking the losses in their groups. While Emily was maybe alive, the nonhuman casualties were not. Captain Laban looked like he had struggled to keep it together. How many of his guard had he trained or known personally? Delia was calm as always. Even death did not faze her. Lord Noskov was somewhat cold about it, but maybe that is how vampires deal with death.

Lord Noskov returned ten minutes later. He pointed at the door. “Thought you would have had that open by now.”

“We were waiting on you,” said Evaran. “However, now that you are here, we may proceed with your help.”

Lord Noskov smirked as he shook his head.

Evaran, Lord Vygon, and Lord Noskov placed their hands on the stone door. After some effort, they were able to slide it to the side, exposing a large stone hallway. Dr. Snowden noted that the stone was polished and there were no doors or windows visible. Torches lined the walls at equal intervals. After walking the length of the hallway, they encountered a ramp at the end. Two closed doorways stood in front of and to the sides of the ramp. The doorways had a stone slab similar to the one at the entrance, but appropriately sized.

Lord Noskov tilted his head. “I smell humans.”

“Same,” said Lord Vygon, extending his arm blades.

Evaran approached the door on the right, and after help from Lord Vygon and Lord Noskov, slid the stone door to the right. He entered the room with his shield raised. The others followed him.

Dr. Snowden thought the room looked like an administrative office. There were various stone tables scattered around. The Purifier banners he had seen outside draped the room. Only two torches were lit, revealing wooden cabinets with scrolls and writing devices lined against the walls.

A bolt was fired at them. Evaran blocked it with his shield as Lord Noskov charged around Evaran. Lord Noskov grabbed a guard and threw him into the wall. The guard slumped to the ground. Lord Noskov snapped his head toward a trembling human woman and man standing in the back behind one of the stone desks. Both had bronze skin, but the man, at around six feet tall, stood about a half foot taller than the woman.

Evaran tossed two illumination orbs into the air, then scanned the Purifiers. The Purifier symbols stood out on their otherwise clean white robes.

“Please … don’t hurt us,” said the man.

Evaran extended a hand. “We will not harm you.”

Lord Noskov paused as he jerked his head back. “We won’t?”

Evaran shook his head. “No, we will not.” He approached the humans who fell back against the wall. “Who are you?”

“J-J-John,” said the man.

“Leah,” said the woman, looking down.

“Are there any other shielded areas with more people?” asked Evaran.

“Just us now,” said Leah. She pointed at the unconscious guard. “And our personal guard.”

“Where does the ramp outside this room lead to?”

“The rift room.”

Evaran rubbed his chin. “What type of rift is in the room?”

John and Leah looked at each other.

Evaran gestured at Lord Noskov. “Perhaps I was in error and Lord Noskov’s assessment was correct.”

John stepped forward. “We … just manage the arrivals and departures here. We’re administrators, not fighters.”

Evaran tilted his head. “Arrival and departure … from where?”

John gulped. “Several places. Depends on what the destination is set to.”

Evaran walked over to John and Leah and sifted through the scrolls on the desk. He extended his hand, and a projection of Emily shot up from his ring. “Did she come through here?”

John nodded. “Yeah … I remember her.”

Dr. Snowden’s blood boiled as his eyes lit up. Tingling sensations intensified across his body. He faced John and Leah. “So my niece went through one of these rifts?”

John gulped.

“What was the destination?”

John shrugged. “She went to Azoculus, then to a prison planet from there, I’m guessing. I don’t know where the prison planet is, but it’s where we send nonhumans.”

Dr. Snowden scowled as he pointed a finger at John. “She
is
human.
You
made a mistake.”

“She had … unusual characteristics. Definitely not human. Not pure anyways.”

Dr. Snowden surged forward. He grabbed John and slammed him up against the wall. “Don’t you
ever
talk about my niece like that, you hear me?”

“Dr. Snowden!” said Evaran, placing a hand on Dr. Snowden’s shoulder.

“He doesn’t even care that he sent Emily to wherever she is!”

“Breathe.”

Dr. Snowden paused as the fire in his eyes burned a hole in John’s startled face. He stepped away and then shoved John back into the wall. “I like Lord Noskov’s option.”

Evaran guided Dr. Snowden behind him. He wheeled around to face John and Leah. “You will take us to this rift room. I would suggest no deception.”

John and Leah nodded vigorously.

Evaran pointed at the unconscious guard. “Lord Noskov, can you take him to the Torvatta?”

Lord Noskov swayed his head as he stared at John and Leah. “Yeah … you sure you don’t want me to take these two as well?”

“We need them alive.”

“Bah! Fine,” said Lord Noskov.

Dr. Snowden watched as Lord Noskov exited the room. Lord Vygon was next, followed by John, Leah, and then Evaran. He followed suit. The tingling sensations were still there. He knew to breathe, lest he black out again. At least now there was a definite chance that Emily was still alive. The question was now where.

11

E
mily shuddered as she cracked her eyes open. A pain shot through her chest as she took a breath. The familiar smell of Kazaal’s cave filled her nostrils. She coughed as she lifted her head to look around. The metal poles of her cage greeted her, and the widened bars had a new pole between them. She sat up and checked her body in the dim light. The robe she had found was gone, and she was naked again.