excited at the time, knowing it was information that desperately needed to be told. A way to stop the Lamina, maybe.
She remembered.
Her eyes trailed upwards above her shoulder. They had been caught by something, a small flicker of movement. At first she considered the possibility that it was in her imagination. Oh God.
She felt a great deal of pain shoot through her, then a cold sensation that enveloped her. She looked down at the thick blade that was sticking through her chest, and then to the mirror where she saw that blatta standing behind her.
The sword was painted red with her own blood, and then it escaped back the way it had come.
She collapsed on the ground. Mercy could feel her life drain away, soon she would escape into darkness. It was a fate she accepted, but not one she particularly enjoyed the notion of. She had to tell Patience the secret. The key to stopping the Lamina, before it was too late.
27
BLOOD OF THE OLD ONES
Mortus fell to the ground with a cry of pain, or was it shock, probably both. His body went rigid as it fell, and he landed sprawled out across the floor. Patience tried to rush forwards but Grim contained her. She called out but Mortus didn’t reply. Her eyes scanned him for any signs of life but his chest wasn’t moving up and down, he wasn’t breathing. He was dead – but of course he was, he was a zombie.
Mortus sat up, putting his hand on his head as he tried to cure his disorientation. Then he looked angry.
“What the hell did you do that for?”
Magnum laughed to himself, stepping down from the podium so that he was almost level with them, just a few steps up. “Brilliant,” he said, “target practice. I get to kill you, and then again. Over and over like a toy doll.” He raised the flashing blade towards Mortus, and another streak of purple shadows erupted from it. It hit him in the shoulder, sending him spiralling off into the back wall. Collapsing in a heap once again.
“Stop that,” cried Patience, wanting to step forward but felt the trajectory of the Lamina fall on her. Her heart beat faster, expecting purple shadows to shoot towards her as well. But it was lowered to the floor, and she sighed in relief.
Magnum took a step onto the ground level. “What were you expecting to do here? You walk in here with no plan, nothing, and expect to beat me while the most deadly weapon ever created is in my possession.”
“Sounds kind of silly when you put it like that,” said Grim, “but yes, a moment of desperation led us to do desperate things. We are only human.... admittedly, we are all mortal.”
“We’re not mortal,” snapped Magnum.
Grim looked up in surprise. “Are you sure you aren’t wanting to side with the Old Ones rather than fight against them? Both of you share the same view of mortals.”
“My priority is my own life, if that means killing the Old Ones, then that’s what I’m willing to do. True, they have the right idea in their attitudes to mortals.... but they haven’t been known to show compassion, even to their supporters.”
“What makes you think they’re even returning?”
“I can feel it. The Old Ones are like Gods. You may think they’re defeated, but they will return. I can guarantee that.”
Patience kept her eyes on the Lamina. There had to be some way to get it out of his hand, because otherwise they wouldn’t stand a chance. But he was holding it so tightly, and not within range.
She saw movement out of the corner of her eye, black shadows reaching past her and crawling towards Magnum. Purple shadows shot out once again, and both colours met in the middle. There was a moment when Patience wasn’t sure which way it was going, but then Mortus was picked up off his feet and flung against the ground.
Anger flared up in Grim unlike anything she’d seen before. His face turned bright red, hatred pulsing through every tiny detail of his complexion. He gritted his teeth, clenched his fist and then threw himself towards Magnum. It took a matter of moments before the short dagger was aimed straight at Grim’s heart.
The purple veins began to glow, as a light grew at the sharp tip.
“Stop!” said Patience, and everyone did, then turned to look at her. “Please, just stop.” Grim breathed heavily. He’d obviously anticipated his death, and accepted it.
Mangum strolled forwards, his arms dangling loosely at his side with a minimalistic grip on the hilt of the deadly weapon.
“Well now, Miss Gillespie.” Patience remained silent, fear cutting through her like a sharp knife. “You showed courage, and I respect that. However, unfortunately you have the blood of the Old Ones running through your veins, so I can’t allow you to live.” He stepped closer, raising the Lamina to point directly towards her chest.
For a brief moment she felt the power of that blade, like it was calling out to her. She could feel that they were meant to be together, it was meant to be resting in her palm, the energy flaring up inside her and tearing out of the end of it. It was hers to use, as her ancestors had used it, as it had been used against them.
“Well what are you waiting for?” she said, her voice becoming angry at how similar this confrontation was to an actual movie. The villain would talk and talk and talk, eventually allowing the protagonist to formulate a less than coherent plan that somehow ends up working in their favour. But this wasn't a movie.
There was no quick fix to get them out of this situation, so why the hell should he treat it as such. “Just get on with it.”
Light flashed at the tip of the dagger. She began to close her eyes, just able to see Grim rushing forward and knocking Magnum off balance. Purple shadows skidded off at an angle, missing her by a tiny amount.
The Lamina rolled across the floor, it was no longer in his hands.
Grim jumped towards him once more, sending him to the floor and aiming a rapid succession of punches into his face. Blood spilled out across the floor, dripping down his chin and between his teeth as he smiled.
He kicked upwards knocking Grim off, rolled backwards onto his feet and directed a kick into his chest.
As Grim followed up on his attack, something happened to Magnum’s skin. It seemed to reflect, he was glowing like a light shining against him and the ring on his finger flashed red. It took her a moment to realise that he had transformed his skin into metal. At least now she knew what his magic allowed him to do. Grim’s knuckle cracked against Magnum’s exterior, and then got pummelled across the face.
Patience looked at the Lamina. Still just sat there. She settled her mind and focused on the manipulation of the wind. She closed her eyes and splayed out her fingers.
Magnum grabbed Grim by the collar and held him up against a wall, laying three consecutive punches into his chest with inhuman speed before slamming his knee forwards and dropping him to the floor.
She felt her fingers go cold as a breeze spread between the crevices. In her mind, she clearly saw the image of the wind slipping beneath the dagger, twirling around it like a tornado as it picked it up and delivered it closer.
Grim groaned in pain, his head must have been pounding.
Her body became weak and the wind failed to work. She would have to get it by hand, which would be difficult without being seen. Patience crawled across the floor, her knees wobbling beneath her with the tension of the stress that had built up. Magnum saw what she was trying to do. Leaving Grim lying on the floor, he stood over the Lamina before Patience could even get close.
It was pointed at her.
“I can see why you keep her around,” said Magnum, looking straight at Grim, “even if she is an annoying little girl, she has spirit and a hell of a lot of courage. Which is why I am going to stamp her out like a candle.”
Time seemed to slow down as everyone stopped. She looked up at the Lamina that was pointed directly at her. Magnum held a look of contempt as a flash shot from the end of the blade, filling her sightline. The only thing she heard before being hit was a cry from Mercy somewhere behind her – maybe alive, or maybe it w
as just in her imagination, torturing her in her last moments on the Earth.
It was more painful than she expected. The purple shadows tore into her chest, making it feel like her insides were being ripped open and spewing out across the floor. Her stomach churned as she was lifted from her feet, though the impact never seemed to come, even when she found herself glancing up at the roof from where she lay.
There was movement around her. She wondered if this was what death felt like, but then she felt her neck as it craned upwards. It was painful, but not impossible to move. Her eyes became clearer.
She saw the Lamina glowing bright red in Magnum’s hand, it was obvious he hadn’t been expecting it because his face was twisted into a look of confusion, and then horror. There was a blinding flash that filled the entire room before the Lamina dropped to the floor and Magnum was tossed across the room like a ragdoll. Somehow the Lamina must have backfired. He wasn’t a cloud of smoke, but he certainly wasn’t looking too good either.
But she was alive. Somehow, she was able to move. Was this some sustained life? Just allowing her a few moments of consciousness before she slipped away. But that’s not what it felt like. She ached. She actually felt pain striking into her body, surely that wouldn’t be happening if she was dead.
Her eyes looked to the side as she saw Mercy walking in, she was alive. Oh God. She had a great, big, massive hole in her chest, and a trail of blood