Vega jane and the end of.., p.22
Vega Jane and the End of Time, page 22
And we were gone from Empyrean.
Leaving the Maladons to their victory.
40
THE TOLLING BELL
I sat on my haunches with the remains of my defeated army scattered around me. The trees were dense, which muffled somewhat their cries of pain and suffering.
And loss.
It was only now that I truly understood how many were gone.
Seamus had survived, but had lost four of his band of hobs.
Little Kori and five other ekos had perished.
Ishmael was alive but injured. He and two other hyperbores were all that remained of his race.
Petra.
Astrea.
A dozen more magicals, including Amicus Arnold, Clive Pippen and Tobias Holmes.
Cletus Loon, Domitar and Roman Picus were dead, though the still-enchanted Thansius and ancient Dis Fidus had survived. Of the hundred Wugs I had saved from the glass, a full forty were no longer with us.
This included Duf Delphia.
My father had died in a duel with two Maladons. After he had fought so hard to survive the commingled curse. After all the efforts to restore him. He was dead.
My brother, my mother and I sat for a long time, holding one another. John had cried freely.
I did not have the luxury of grieving for my father. I had to make the rounds of the survivors, lift spirits where I could, and console those who had lost others.
Delph was nursing multiple wounds and weeping over his father.
Harry Two had lost his other ear and had deep gashes burned into his body.
The beautiful unicorn was battered and bloody, licking its wounds while lying on the ground.
I used the Adder Stone to do what I could to relieve the suffering. What that didn’t cure, I tried to help with my wand. But many of the wounds were so cursed that my magic had little effect.
Archie had survived, though he was badly injured. My magical tether had faithfully executed my command that all of my lot living were to be rescued from Empyrean.
I knelt next to him for the longest time using the Stone and my wand to relieve his pain. He was ghastly white and shivered from head to toe.
‘My mother?’ he asked me.
I took his hand. ‘Archie, she fought valiantly.’
‘My . . . mother is dead?’
I slowly nodded. Archie started to quietly sob. I had Dedo Datt, who had wounds across his face and neck, stay with him as I ventured on to see the other wounded.
Afterwards, I looked around and counted all who were left with me. Our numbers were devastated. Some, like Archie, might never be fit to fight again.
In my head, I counted the Maladons killed. I shook my head. Their advantage over us had only grown.
And then it became apparent that none of the household staff had come with us. My magical tether had left them behind.
My mother came over to me. Her face was bruised and she was walking with a limp.
She said anxiously, ‘How are you, Vega?’
I shook my head. ‘What happened? How did the Maladons break into Empyrean?’
‘I was sitting on a bench in the grounds when there was this enormous sound, like a powerful storm was coming. I looked to the sky, but there was no storm. Despite the sound of the wind, there was just a gentle breeze. Then as I continued to watch, a huge gash appeared across the sky.’
‘Holy Steeples,’ I exclaimed.
She nodded. ‘They appeared from that gash. Maladons everywhere. I ran inside and raised the alarm. By then they had burst into Empyrean and the battle had begun.’
She put a hand to her face. ‘I saw Petra fall.’
I nodded, tears gathering in my eyes. ‘She gave her life for mine.’
I gripped her hand. ‘I can’t believe Dad is gone.’
‘He fought hard and he died a warrior. He would have wanted nothing less.’
As she left me. I thought back to Petra. Then I touched my chest, remembering the pain I had felt. Like something had died inside it.
John and Miranda sat against a tree, side by side, not speaking. Miranda still gripped her wand.
I looked down at my arms. They were gashed and bloodied. My face was cut and burned. Every muscle in my body ached wearily. I felt a century old.
And I had been one of the lucky ones.
Delph came over to me and put an arm around my shoulder, wincing as he did so.
‘I’m sorry, Vega Jane, about your dad.’
‘We both lost our fathers this night,’ I said. ‘I still can’t believe it.’
‘They went down fighting.’ Delph wiped a tear from his eye.
‘I know, Delph. I know.’
‘And we got to keep fighting.’
I looked up at him with incredulity.
‘With what, Delph? Look around. We have nothing left to fight with.’
‘We can’t give up now. If we do, then all of them, my dad, your dad, they would have died for . . . for nothing.’
I began to cry, then, in his arms. Because I had nothing left.
It was all gone.
I had not expected to sleep, but, one by one, we fell into an exhausted slumber. Midway through the night, I awoke and relieved Sybill Hornbill, who was on watch. We said nothing to each other. A simple nod was exchanged, and then she left to lie under the trees and sleep.
I kept my wits about me. Another attack would finish us.
In the dark before the dawn came, I noticed something – a gleam of light materializing about a foot away.
I quickly stood and aimed my wand, wondering if I should strike before whatever it was fully formed. I was glad I didn’t.
Uma appeared in front of me.
Jason rushed up beside me.
‘Uma, what are you doing here?’ he said.
‘I came to tell you something, both of you. I know the reason Empyrean fell.’
‘What was it?’ I exclaimed. ‘Who let them in?’
She pointed her finger at Jason, who took a step back.
I was so stunned my brain stopped working for a few seconds. I lifted my wand.
‘No!’ shouted Uma. ‘He didn’t know.’
‘Then explain,’ I said icily.
Jason looked just as stunned as I felt.
Uma said, ‘I overheard Necro talking with his men – they are still at Empyrean.’ She glanced at Jason. ‘My love, he placed a curse on you; then he allowed you to be rescued from Maladon Castle. He knew they would take you to Empyrean and it would be his way in. The house accepted you because you were no longer a Maladon and the curse within you destroyed the enchantments from the inside out. It revealed Empyrean to your father and allowed him to breach the protections.’
I nodded dumbly at this. I had fallen right into Necro’s trap. I had been so stupid. Now of course it made sense. It had been too easy rescuing Jason. Far too easy.
I groaned and slumped down.
‘Please, Vega, do not blame yourself,’ said Jason.
‘There is no one else to blame,’ I said. ‘Except me.’
We sat in silence for a moment, looking around at the weary and injured remains of our army.
‘What is happening at Empyrean now, Uma?’ I asked at last.
‘They have made it their base,’ Uma said bitterly. ‘They are treating Pillsbury and the others appallingly.’
I nodded. I had expected nothing less. ‘Thank you. Please, let us know of any more developments.’ Uma nodded and she and Jason embraced before she vanished.
Jason turned to me. ‘Vega, I . . .’
‘Jason, it was not your fault. You fought valiantly. Now, please – rest.’
After he left, I pulled out the pewter cup that constituted part of Astrea’s Seer-See.
I placed the cup on the ground and used it to spy on Empyrean.
Outside the building, I could see the swirl of rainbow colours comprising the protective enchantments. The Seer-See must show all such magic. The Maladons must have placed the enchantments back over Empyrean after they had vanquished us.
Inside, the place was now filled with Maladons. In the dining hall they were having a victory feast and poor Pillsbury, now battered and blackened, was forced to serve them as they threw objects at him and called him vicious names.
Mrs Jolly came out with the food cart and was subjected to this same harassment.
I could see that the portraits of our kind on the walls had been slashed and burned or else had foul names painted across them. My beautiful Empyrean was no more.
However, Necro was not there and I wondered why.
I manipulated the Seer-See until I finally found him. He was in Jasper’s laboratory and he was draining the magic from Astrea’s body. As I watched, the bottle filled; Necro waved his wand over it, the dust swirled out, and was absorbed into his body.
He had just taken Astrea’s considerable magic for his own.
Necro had been a force to be reckoned with before this.
Now, now he would be truly invincible.
‘Vega?’
I had resumed my watch, disgusted by what I had seen. Now I turned to see my brother standing there.
‘Yes, John?’
‘We have to continue the fight. To avenge Dad. We need a plan—’
‘I’m trying to come up with one, John! Don’t you realize? There are hardly any of us left.’
‘I understand that, Vega. I think we need to find the villagers you met – Russell and his followers.’
I shook my head. ‘They can fight and I know they can kill Maladons, but they’re not magical. I’m not sure that it will be enough now. Not with our depleted numbers. I will not send them to their deaths.’
John squatted down next to me and clasped his hands.
‘Better to die than be ruled by the Maladons. Shouldn’t the choice be theirs?’
I mulled over his words. ‘I guess,’ I said at last. ‘But there’s something else. Necro has Astrea’s power. I’m not sure he can be stopped now.’
John shook his head. ‘He can be stopped, Vega. And you will stop him.’
‘How can you be so sure of that?’
‘Because it’s the reason you’re here. The reason you’ve survived everything that’s been set against you. The reason you lived tonight when so many others died.’
‘No one can know the future,’ I said.
‘One person can.’
I looked more closely at John. The truth hit me.
‘You were in Jasper’s laboratory. You were reading through his books. What did you find out?’
‘I found out that he went into the future. That he knows your fate. But he can’t tell you, because that would mean awful consequences for you.’
‘How can you be sure that I defeat Necro then?’
‘Because I’ve never known you to be beaten. Ever. Every time you were knocked down, you got back up. Every single time when it would have been easier to stay down, you stood again. And you won. You fought Necro today. You knocked him into the air and slammed him against a wall, Vega. You did that. You stunned him. He knows how powerful you are. That was why he sought out Astrea’s magic.’ He paused. ‘He fears you.’
He rose, his gaze fixed on me.
‘That’s what I think anyway,’ he said.
He turned and walked off.
I huddled in my cloak, for it was chilly here, and thought about all that he had said.
It was true that I had survived much. That I had always got up after being knocked down. That I had come up with some way to emerge victorious when all looked dark against me.
And still, the future was unknown. I could come all this way and still lose. I knew that. Victory was not guaranteed.
But my brother’s belief in me made me feel it could be possible.
Maybe, at this darkest point in my life, that was enough.
All I could do was try.
41
AS ONE
‘We gave our word,’ said Russell. ‘And we will stand by it.’
I had sought out Russell at his hiding place and told him of the devastating Maladon attack. He maintained that he would still fight with us. ‘Any battle now might be a slaughter,’ I warned him. ‘Our forces are much depleted.’
‘Didn’t we already pledge our allegiance to you, Vega? Do you really think we’d go back on our word simply because you lost a battle? You need us now more than ever, I reckon.’
‘Thank you, Russell. And you’re right, we do.’
‘What do you need right now?’
‘Give me five of your best fighters,’ I said. ‘I’m going to take the fight to the Maladons.’
He gave a faint smile, but only said, ‘When do you want us? And by the way, that number will include me.’
‘Tomorrow night.’
He nodded. ‘Bring your army here. We can give you food and shelter.’
I thought to myself that when he saw my ragtag band, he might use a different word than army.
I thanked him and returned to the others and told them of the plan to unite with Russell’s group.
I gathered all the survivors, tethered them and did the requisite incantation.
Seconds later, our feet, and in Harry Two’s case, paws, hit the dirt smack in the middle of Russell’s encampment. They were expecting us.
I will never forget the kindness shown to us that night, the offers of food and water and blankets and tents; the helping hands and kind words of sympathy and encouragement.
One lad who couldn’t have been much older than John came over to me. He was dressed in rags and already bore the wounds of battle.
He said eagerly, ‘You’re Vega. I heard you speak last time you were here.’
‘What’s your name?’
‘Donovan. Donovan McDougal.’
‘Well, I appreciate you fighting with us, Donovan.’
‘Blimey, Vega, ’tis an honour. If I survive this, I’ll be telling me kids, “Oi, your father, he fought with Vega Jane.”’
I kept smiling at this comment long after he left.
Before I really knew it, we were not two armies but one.
I watched as my mother sat in front of a small campfire warming her hands and sipping from a tin cup she had been given. She had spent most of her time nursing the wounded and I was glad she was resting now.
I looked around at the primitive camp. It certainly lacked the grandeur of our existence at Empyrean, but I found it even more beautiful.
Russell took me aside to discuss our mission. ‘Have you chosen your five?’ I asked.
He nodded. ‘All good fighters. They’re ready to be led by you tomorrow, Vega. As am I.’
I hesitated. ‘I’m not sure you should come, Russell. If something happens to both of us, we’ll have no one to lead the survivors.’
Surprisingly, he smiled. ‘Well, Vega, I reckon if we fall, there are others here who can take up the mantle. Leaders aren’t so much born as made, I believe. They rise to the occasion. Like Daphne. She had her opinions. She stood up for others. But she wasn’t the only one in the world and neither are you or me.’
His words gave me pause. I glanced over at Delph and John, and then my mother and Thansius.
Russell was right. Each of them could lead, given the chance. They would rise to the occasion, doing what needed doing.
A bit of humility never hurt, did it? No doubt a man like Necro believed he was the only one to lead his lot. He would never believe that he had an equal. Maybe I had fallen into the same trap.
I shook my head clear. ‘You’re right, Russell.’
‘Tomorrow night, then?’
‘Yes. I shall bring some of my own too.’
‘Right you are. Well, you and your lot should get some sleep.’
I bade Russell goodbye and took up a place with my mother.
She handed me a cup of hot tea, and I drank it gratefully.
‘Will we attempt to take back Empyrean?’ my mother asked.
I shook my head. ‘It is too well protected now. There is another, better target. Maladon Castle.’
My mother said, ‘Do you think that wise, Vega? What will we have to gain by attacking there?’
‘I think several important things,’ I answered.
‘Such as?’
‘Do you trust me?’ I said suddenly.
I didn’t expect a quick answer and I didn’t get one.
‘Mum, I know that when we last parted, I was still a little girl who needed her nose wiped and her hand held.’
She smiled. ‘You haven’t needed your nose wiped or your hand held since you were two, Vega.’
‘I can do this. I have been doing this.’
My mother looked at me and gently pushed back my hair. ‘Parents believe their children will always need them, even when they’re all grown.’
I took her hand. ‘You will always be a part of my life. And I need you now more than ever.’
‘Then Maladon Castle it is,’ said my mother. ‘When do we leave?’
‘Mum, you’re not coming. I’m taking Delph, Harry Two, Miranda and John. And five of Russell’s blokes.’
‘Your brother?’ said my mother anxiously.
‘John can fight. He’s not a little boy any more either.’
‘And if you are successful?’
‘Then we will undertake the next step. We take back our home. And we destroy the Maladons, once and for all.’
I slept fitfully that night under the stars.
By the time the dawn broke, I was already up and taking a short walk through the dense trees. I needed to be alone right now as I contemplated what lay ahead.
I followed a well-worn path, taking in deep breaths of the flower-scented air.
I had just followed it to veer around a large poplar tree when I stopped dead.
Shimmering right in front of me . . . was Alice Adronis.
She strode towards me. ‘Alice. I’m so sorry about Empyrean,’ I said.
She shook her head.
‘It is not your fault. Uma has explained matters to me. Necro’s plot was quite brilliant, I will give him that.’
I watched her for a moment. ‘Alice, why didn’t Gunther come back as you have, in spirit form, to Empyrean?’
‘I died in battle. Gunther was murdered by Necro. That means his spirit must wander elsewhere, always looking for his home. For me. Just as Uma’s father, Bastion, must also wander, looking for her. The victims of Necro’s murders can never be free, until—’
