Alchemist (The Four Corners of Santerria)

  “I’m glad. I thought you were annoyed with me again.”

  His smile vanished as quickly as an extinguished flame. “I am still a little annoyed.” He slowly turned away, surveying the strewn clothes Terry had left lying about everywhere.

  The room felt awkwardly silent until Fallo asked, rather abruptly, “You have been home three days and your quarters are already in a mess.” He turned back round to her, puzzled. “How did that happen in such a short space of time?”

  She shrugged, suddenly embarrassed. “I was going to tidy up, I was trying to find the right thing to wear... I’ve never seen any of these dresses before tonight, the servants kept bringing them in. There must be more than fifty here.” She shook her head at a loss. “I didn’t know where they kept coming from.”

  “Me.”

  Terry’s jaw hung open. “Oh...” she turned away, mouthing a swear word to herself, convince she had offended him.

  Fallo smirked. “They were a gift you can do with them as you please.”

  She turned back to him, stunned. “You got all these just for me?”

  “You make it sound like you don’t deserve them.”

  “No, I’m just overwhelmed by the gesture.”

  Fallo positively beamed at this. “If I had asked I know you would have refused.” He looked at the white and gold dress she wore. “Did someone tell you what I was wearing?”

  “No, I just ended up picking this one.” She said, looking at the elegant sleeves that chased her arms. “Isn’t it weird though? We both picked more or less the exact same thing?”

  He plucked at his collar. “You must get it from me.” He winked.

  “I must do.” Terry paused, getting a strange metallic taste in her mouth.

  “What’s the matter?”

  Terry looked at him. “Have you got a funny taste in your mouth right now?”

  “Slightly, why?”

  Terry’s eyes widened. “Oh no.” Picking up her skirts she hurried to the doors. “Lyle!” she shouted as she hurried through them. Fallo followed after her, frowning curiously.

  “Lyle!” Terry turned to the two guards who stood on either side of the doors. “Where did he go?”

  “That way Your Highness.” One of them pointed.

  “What is it?” asked her father, catching up with her as she began struggling her way down the eastern wing with her long skirts tangling about her feet.“It might be nothing.” She said, stopping. Giving up, she reached for the back of her neck and found the zip to her dress. She started pulling.

  Her father averted his eyes. The guards, who were equally as shocked by their sovereign’s sudden orthodox action, also quickly turned away.

  “Daughter! Change in your rooms!” Fallo commanded, pointing in the general direction of her rooms whilst still looking away.

  “For goodness sake...” Terry sighed as the armour plates ripped through her naked flesh, forming into a perfect suit. “I just didn’t want to ruin the dress.” She said, gently kicking it to one side. “Come on!” she shouted and she was off on fast feet.

  “Daughter!” Her father called. He gave chase, leaving the guards exchanging baffled looks.

  Terry and Lyle almost collided into one another as she rounded a blind corner in the tunnel. “Where are you going?” He asked, grabbing her.

  “I was looking for you!”

  Connor and the others appeared, having been left behind in Lyle’s haste.

  He nodded. “I was just on my way to fin you myself. I get it you tasted it?”

  “Yes. But where is it?”

  Lyle led the way. “I think the surface.” He spied his brother catching up but he did not have time for the courtesies. Pretending he had not seen him, he turned away, hurrying on fast feet. Terry and the others swiftly followed.

  Their vision was dazzled by blue and silver flashes as they entered the cave mouth. The twelve guards at the entrance had retreated inside, fearing to be struck by the freakish lightning that danced in the air to the east. But Terry and her friends knew that it was not a mere storm.

  The air was hot as they emerged into the open and Terry could feel the static in her bones and nerves, setting them to tingle. The copper taste in her mouth grew bitterer and bitterer with every step closer she took closer to the electrical disturbance.

  As they reach the top of a small rise, less than two hundred yards from where the sky shimmered, there was a brilliant white flash. Spots of light danced across Terry’s vision as she was momentarily blinded. But once the kaleidoscope of colours had subsided she found herself instantly regretting it.

  Fissures in the sky began opening all across the plains, each one depositing a Monoglyph. Fallo appeared by his daughter’s side as the shower began. His face turned to horror when he realised that they were not his troops returning home.

  Turning toward the thirty-foot wide cave mouth, he roared; a thunderclap that caused Connor, Faye and Darius to cover their ears; the sound both piercing and terrifying. It rocked the three friends to the core.

  The first Monoglyphs rose, its broken armour glinting in the dazzling silver lights that danced all about it.

  “They’re not yours are they?” Connor asked Lyle not taking his eyes off the warped creatures that began lining the valley before them.

  “The three closest to us have been dead for years.” He replied, making no attempt to hide his fear.

  A thousand cries thundered up through the throat in the earth behind them. “Necromancy!” Fallo spat. His delicate robes shredded as he began to transform. The others looked at each other, unsure of what to do.

  Then the sound of thunder came from beneath their feet, distant at first and then right behind them. From the cave mouth the primeval Alchemists poured, racing over every rock and every inch of the ceiling. They swarmed, thousands of them in mere seconds. The Monoglyphs had already begun to move in their direction and Terry decided that it was time to move.

  Fallo, now fully transformed, towered over them. He tilted his head back and roared his war cry, before flinging himself at the nearest Monoglyph. They went crashing to the floor as The King began tearing into limbs and armour with his deadly claws and tentacles.

  Primeval and normal Alchemists flooded passed them. Connor lit up like a human torch. “I’ll attack from the air.”

  “Watch yourself!” Terry shouted over the din of a million running feet. He gave her a nod and took off. Lyle turned and called out. Two primeval Alchemists ran up to him. Sliding to a halt, they bowed to him and the princess. He looked at Terry. She deftly climbed onto one of their backs; up and on in one fluid motion. Her movements had been so fast and so elegant that if looked as though she had ran up his leg.

  “I am coming too.” Faye said, striding up to Lyle. He nodded. “After you.” Fearless of the deadly creature that she would ride into battle on, the water elemental slung herself up and onto its back.

  Darius stood close to the primeval Terry sat on, but seemed to fearful to get any closer.

  “Are you coming or not?” she shouted down, growing impatient.

  “Yes!” he replied, hurrying over. He looked up and down the leg the primeval offered him as a ladder. “How do I get up?”

  Terry rolled her eyes. Without order the primeval Alchemist roared and grabbed him with a large clawed hand before dumping him behind Terry. Darius screamed as he sailed through the air, landing hard on his backside behind Terry. “If you don’t want to fall off, hang on to me, but when I’m gone you’re on your own.”

  Darius did as he was bid. “Where are you going?” he asked. The question went unanswered as the primeval rushed forward into the throng of the swarming insects.

  Directing the primeval with a series of clicks, Terry steered him towards one of the larger Monoglyph’s who was making light work of the swarm attempting to grapple it to the floor. Ripping one from his shoulder, the giant grabbed it by both ends and wrenched it in two; silvery snakes and dark entrails glistening in the flashing lig
hts of the renting sky. Throwing it aside, the Monoglyph kicked at others that tried to scale his legs. He then crushed one underfoot with a heavy stamp. The scream of the Alchemist as its guts burst and its bones shattered forced Darius to cover his ears. He felt sick. He had never heard a noise so terrifying in his life.

  As they grew closer, Terry steered the primeval around the rogue Monoglyph rather than toward it as the swarm did. Five metal spikes appeared along her arm as they manoeuvred around it. Taking aim she fired a volley spikes at his head. The Monoglyph reeled, lifting its arm to cover its face from another shot. The Alchemists on the ground ceased the opportunity to swarm the towering giant again; something he did not take kindly too by raking his skin and batting the Alchemists away. Terry stood, nearly causing Darius to fall. She climbed up the primeval’s neck and with a swing, it sent her soaring upward. Blades ejected from the underside of her arms as she fell toward the Monoglyph’s back. Plunging them forward, they pierced the armour. She began the arduous climb upward as the Monoglyph continued to swing and swipe at the primeval Alchemists that swarmed about its feet.

  Making it to the top, Terry ran behind the Monoglyph’s head. Two long, narrow, blades with hooked ends rose out of the armour on the underside of her elbows as she raised her arms. Grabbing the hooks, she swung the blades round. The tips whistled through the air from the motion. Drawing her arms back, Terry plunged the swords into the giant’s temples. The Monoglyph screamed; his wail akin to rolling thunder as he stumbled about. Terry was thrown around as the dying creature thrashed about - her grip of the blades the only thing keeping her on. Just as suddenly as he had started, he froze. Terry wrenched the hooked blades free, swinging them back into their rightful place as the giant began to slowly tilt to one side. Then it fell. She threw herself into the air as the towering being came crashing to earth.

  She curled into a ball, her plates locking as she hurtled toward the ground. A spout of sand and rock flew in all directions as she hit the floor. Unrolling, she groaned and shook her head. Terry took stock of the battle around her as she stood. The fissures in the sky had ended. The Monoglyphs – if you could call them that – were heavily outnumbered. She was suddenly distracted by a brilliant, isolated cobalt flash in the corner of her vision.

  It struck a Monoglyph on the side of the head, exploding in a shower of fiery embers. The Monoglyph reeled. Throwing up its arm, it responded by flinging a cascade of metal spikes. Connor wheeled to the right, avoiding the line of fire. Breaking into a blaze of brilliant white and blue light he dived at it. He flung a blinding white fireball before him, forcing the Monoglyph to shield its eyes against the glare. Sparks reigned off its metal features as the blast struck home. Screaming, it reeled round, clawing through the air for the elusive fire elemental. Connor sped by overhead like a firework, reigning down another volley of fireballs on the injured giant.

  Meanwhile Lyle dug his teeth into a fallen Monoglyph’s arm, raking at the exposed flesh on its elbow. It kicked and screamed as other primeval Alchemists crawled over it. Peeling back his jaws, Fallo plunged his fierce fangs into its neck. The Monoglyph shuddered for a moment then grew still.

  Another stomped across the landscape, kicking and swiping whoever stood in its way. Suddenly it found its feet stuck fast. Looking down, veins of ice spread across its metal hide like an unstoppable rash. The Monoglyph raked at its freezing skin, but the ice continued to spread unabated. Finally it froze solid, like a giant ice sculpture. Connor threw a fireball from across the distance, sending it exploding. A shower of a million glittering shards of ice fell to earth. Abandoning the remains, the ice melted into droplets and raced toward each other. Forming into a solid mass, the water moulded itself in a human shape before finally solidifying into Faye.

  A flash of colour at the edge of her vision caused Terry to turn. Toward the horizon, upon a high rocky plateau, another fissure rippled. Without hesitation she took off toward it.

  Cursing at the sight before him, Edward turned back toward the fissure. A hot searing pain exploded in his shoulder. He screamed, reaching a hand to it. His fingers came away sticky, covered in blood. He reached and wrenched the spike free as he turned, only to be sent flying to the ground.

  Straddling Edward, Terry grabbed his collar and pulled his face up to meet hers. She weighted her legs on his arms to pin him down. “What have you done?” She demanded, over the noise of war below them.

  His thin lips peeled to form a sinister smile. “Hello princess.”

  Terry struck him across the face with a gloved hand, bursting his lip. “You’re going to tell me or I’ll keep you alive and torture you for as long as it takes.” She shook him violently. “You’re not running away this time!”

  He smiled through crimson teeth. “And you can torture me for as long as you like, because sooner or later this body will die.”

  She slammed his head against the rock, causing him to winch. She struck him again. “Where the fuck have you been hiding all these years?”

  He laughed. Terry punched him again, once then twice. Blood poured from his smashed nose.

  He chuckled as crimson trails sprouted from all angles of his face, black in the night. “You’ve got stronger.” Terry punched him again. “You’re turning into your father.”

  Grabbing large handfuls of his collar she pulled him close once more. “And if I don’t kill you first he fucking will.”

  He burst out laughing again, a hysterical bark. “I should have known you would have come back here. No one else here would have been smart enough to put together all the signs of a rift. They would have been totally unprepared for an attack like this.”

  She shook him hard. “Digging up our dead and reanimating them? You really are one sick bastard.”

  “It didn’t take long to do and I can easily go get more.” He smiled through bloody teeth.

  Terry’s wrist blade slid up. She pressed the tip to his throat. “You failed. You couldn’t ambush me here, you couldn’t start a war between my father and the Southlands and you couldn’t get the fire and water peoples to fight either. When are you going to learn, you will never win!”

  His smile vanished, replaced by a cold, deadly stare. “I didn’t do any of this, you did. This only started because of you. You killed my wife.” His eyes narrowed. “Now I will destroy everything you hold so dearly.”

  Terry’s eyes widened. “What are you talking about?”

  His gaze narrowed. “I saw you...”

  Terry dug the tip of the blade into his skin, drawing a thin trickle of blood. “Your wife was killed by the Kamari you sick fuck.”

  He spat in her eye. “I saw you! I saw you do it!”

  Withdrawing the blade she punched him again. “I did no such thing! She died trying to protect you when the Kamari came to arrest you for what you had done!”

  A roar caused her to glance away, long enough to allow Edward to melt away into black smoke. “No!” she shouted, running toward the fissure but it vanished before she could reach it.

  She couldn’t believe it...she had been so close to catching him again. Alone in the dark, she slammed her metal fist into the ground. “Damn it!” she screamed.

  ******

  The King paced the council hall. All seven hundred of the colony’s councillors had been summoned. Very rarely did they all gather in the one place at the same time. But the attack had put the entire underground city on edge. As a result the large, round table that dominated the hall did not have enough seats to accommodate everyone. A lot of them were forced to stand. They waited patiently for the King to speak first.

  He turned first to his daughter, who sat nearest to him. “Are you certain that is what he said?”

  “Yes.” She shrugged. “That’s why it didn’t make any sense.”

  “He thinks you killed his wife and that is why he wants our nations to go to war? And that is why he wanted you dead and why he attacked my colony?” He repeated loudly, looking at her for confirmation.

 
She nodded.

  “My Lord.” Lyle raised his voice. “It is possible wherever he has been all this time has done something to them.” He sighed. “Or perhaps the electro-magnetic blast we used on him nine years ago did... something.”

  Connor spoke next. “At least we now know why all this stuff has happened.”

  Lyle looked at him. “It still doesn’t explain where he has been for the last decade.”

  The councillors began muttering amongst themselves. The King raised a hand and the hall fell silent once again.

  “Councillors, fifty two of my people died this evening. I have despatched fifty regiments to guard all the entrances to the colony and a further forty to strategic positions within a thirty mile radius of the in all directions against the chance this happens again.” He turned, glancing around them all.