He was leaning on the dais with his hands, his forehead resting on the Soul Tank itself. The stone was warm and the temperature was increasing steadily. Beside him stood Kestys and Denser, both lost in the mana spectrum. Kestys was sweating profusely, his concentration held under duress and difficult to maintain. Denser was monitoring the construct Kestys was making, or rather, the unravelling of the spells maintaining the link between the Soul Tank and the demon dimension.
Information was sketchy and The Unknown hadn't had much time for explanations. But what he understood was that while each Protector's soul was linked to his body by a DemonChain, a fundamental linkage formed the basis of the deal with the demons, allowing them to draw life energy from the souls in return for keeping the elite fighting force thralled and effecting the soul communication that made them so devastatingly effective.
Parts of the knowledge had been lost in the intervening centuries concerning the inter-dimensional construction of the linkage. The Al-Drechar had filled in those gaps.
'How long, Denser?' asked The Unknown.
The dark mage held up a hand. 'Please, Unknown. The demons are resisting. Not long, I hope.'
'Please hear me,' whispered The Unknown, mouth all but kissing the Soul Tank, the clamour of voices in his head increasing as the souls within became more and more aware of the discord created by the warming of the tank. 'Fyr, Ahn, Kol, any of you my brothers, please.' He gripped the sides of the tank now, desperate to get through, hoping against all reason that his physical proximity would have an effect.
There is trouble.
We are one.
Sol is near.
Two across, catacomb right. Holding.
I am altered.
Change.
None are at rest.
The order is given. Ark, the Al-Drechar must die.
'No!' hissed The Unknown. 'No, Myx. Ark, for Gods' sake no. I am freeing you, don't do this.'
It is understood. My mage will be apprised.
We are one.
'No, damn you,' breathed The Unknown. 'No.'
He straightened and ran from the Soul Tank, running down towards the hub room where Hirad and Darrick stood.
'Myx!' he shouted. 'Tell him to stop! Tell Ark to stop. Xetesk doesn't understand.'
He saw Myx's head move. He took an unsteady pace. Next to him, Dystran raised an eyebrow.
‘I… can't. Please, Sol.'
'Just tell him, for Gods' sake, tell Ark now. No one will hurt you. You can feel the heat in the Tank, can't you? Stop him!' The Unknown slid to a halt by Hirad. 'Call your man off, Dystran.'
'Fascinating,' said the Lord of the Mount. 'That you can still hear them. Why don't you rejoin them?'
'Because there won't be a them any more, you bastard. Now, instruct Ark off before it's too late for us all.'
'Drop dead,' said Dystran, smiling at Hirad.
Brace yourself, Erienne. Myriell's voice came to her clear and, for the first time, genuinely frightened.
What is happening?
They are coming for me.
No, Myriell. Run. RUN!
There is nowhere to run, child. Pray for me as I now pray for you.
Myriell. Protect yourself. A spell, use a spell. Leave me.
Too late. The Al-Drechar's voice sounded tired, beaten. Be strong.
Erienne ran. She had no idea what she was going to do. She tore out of the map room, saw The Unknown and Hirad and made for them.
'Hirad!' she screamed. 'Help me!' And then she caught sight of Dystran. 'Stop it now. You don't understand. You'll kill me. Please.'
‘Irather think we can help,' said Dystran calmly.
Erienne backed away into Hirad's arms, shaking her head. 'You can't. You don't understand.' She was shaking violently. Her heart pounded so loud she could barely hear her own breathing rasping into her lungs in painful gasps. 'Please don't kill her.'
There was a heavy impact on the roof of the house. Sha-Kaan roared unfettered fury, his claws and mouth tearing at the slate and timber. Plaster dust fell in torrents, the noise was deafening. In moments he would be inside.
Ark strode towards the Al-Drechar, his axe raised, his orders clear but his mind a muddled fog. The Soul Tank was in uproar. He could hear his brothers but something alien was building. He felt uncomfortable, as if his body were generating heat it couldn't dispel and though Myx had been quite clear in his instruction from the Lord of the Mount, there was no doubting he was unhappy.
Sol had implored him not to but they had no choice. A demon's fingers were so close to squeezing his soul, his and all his brothers'. They were angry too. Everything he had known was unsettled.
What must I do?
Ark, you have the option you have always had. Sol wants us to be free but the demons are alerted. How can we refuse?
I have no choice.
We are one. We will grieve.
He was standing above the Al-Drechar now. She made no move to escape, merely looked up at him, resigned, accepting of her fate. It was not right. Surely they should be protected. But if the Lord of the Mount wanted her dead, who was he to question? A part of him felt ashamed such thoughts had arisen but ever since Sol had left them, there had been the germination of doubt.
Help me, my brothers.
We cannot refuse the Master.
Sol shouts that you should not.
The demons are close to us all.
May the Gods forgive me.
Ark raised his axe. 'I am sorry.'
The Al-Drechar nodded her head.
Ark tensed his muscles and powered in the swing and all but fell. His mind was silent, loss deluged him and in the same instant, unrefined joy battled it, his soul crying out on return to its rightful place.
Panicked, he tried to drag the axe aside from its target, a cry ripping from his lips.
Erienne saw the Protectors in front of her sway. One buckled, others staggered, struggling for balance, clutching at anything around them. Shouts filled the air, shocked, disoriented, scared.
She turned to The Unknown Warrior. He clenched both fists.
'Yes! Yes, you bastard, yes!'
'We've done it!' she said, relief flooding her. 'Myriell, we've-' _
Myriell's scream tore through Erienne's head like exploding glass, her death a cascade of pain, and a welling of power she couldn't hope to contain.
'No,' she whimpered. 'Denser.'
But the last thing she saw was the dismay in The Unknown's eyes as the One erupted into her mind and blew her consciousness to shreds.
Chapter 23
Denser had turned from the exhausted Kestys and reached the door of the Soul Tank chamber just in time to see Erienne scream his name and collapse to the floor. His triumphant words died on his lips and he had been about to move when a mana gale struck the catacombs.
Uncontrolled power surged from Erienne's mind, grabbing what it could from the elements and augmenting it with the' keenly focused Xeteskian mana. Denser gripped the frame of the door but no one else he could see was so lucky.
While Erienne lay motionless, the Al-Arynaar mages operating the ForceCone were pitched into the hub room. Auum's Tai cell, reacting with typical speed, spread themselves linked across the passageway, sliding down it only gradually. But Hirad, Rebraal, Darrick and The Unknown tumbled in a heap, trying to grab each other to arrest their progress while Sian'erei was plucked from the ground and flung straight into Dystran.
And the Xeteskians fared no better. The gale hit them full force, scattering the Circle Seven and their confused Protectors like chaff in a breeze. He heard the clatter of metal striking stone and knew soldiers as well as other mages were suffering beyond his vision.
Dragging his head round, he could see Porrack and Jaruul clutching to corners much as he was while at the far end, Marack and Harroc were pressed hard against the wall, barely able to move.