Fallen (20 page)

Without the binding spell, which he used to
give the dolls life, they remained mere burlap sacks stitched with
button eyes and thread for mouths. However, Black had not only
infused these creatures with his power, he had utilized a master
key within the spell, binding the life of the dolls to a powerful
Descendant of the Fallen. The dolls could not be truly killed and
their mortal hosts released while this individual lived.

Black grinned devilishly as the dolls moved
from their chairs. It had been necessary to have active dolls
facilitate the takeovers by new dolls. Some things just had to work
in particular ways. As far as Black was concerned, that element
simply added to the fun, increasing the terror of the
individual.

Twelve dolls in human form stood among their
political peers. Each opened their mouths, beginning to wretch
violently. However, it wasn’t vomit but burlap and straw that
issued forth onto the floor. This much simultaneous commotion had
caused everyone to stop and take notice. At first the mortals tried
to assist their comrades. After they realized what was coming out
of their fellows, they stood back in horror.

Sacks fell out onto the floor, inflating
like balloons, even as others issued forth after them. The
inflating dolls took more human forms with button eyes, threaded
mouths and straw for hair. As if this had not already been bad
enough for those present in the chamber, the parliament members
could not manage to find a way of escape. And the dolls had begun
to leap upon their intended victims, lashing them with chains and
dragging them into their yawning body cavities.

Hundreds of men screamed bloody murder as
they were overcome by Black’s creatures. Their cries rang
throughout the House of Commons like music to his ears. The Breed
simply watched the drama unfolding, though a few looked rather
hungry. Left to their planning, London would have become a killing
field. However, Black’s takeover would be more subtle. Only those
experiencing it would know about it. At least as far as mortals
were concerned.

The Descendant races were very familiar with
this war. Most of them either endorsed humanity’s downfall, or
remained impartial about it. They fought to gain what had always
been denied them, like the Breed, or they desired to be left out of
the matter, as did Lycean and his Lycans.

The only problems were rare individuals,
like Oliver James, who opposed him. They were dangerous to his
cause, undermining his efforts among the Descendants. Best to deal
with them swiftly and be done.

However, Oliver had so far been quite
clever. Almost certainly he had managed to escape the destruction
of his disguised manor house a night ago. If only he weren’t so
limited by the Heavenly realm in these matters. Nevertheless, it
had been this way even in the days of Job. The Fallen could only go
as far as they were allowed by the Almighty with regard to
humanity.

Some things were forbidden. Others, like
this assault upon Parliament, oddly were allowed to go on. Black
did not pretend to understand why matters were ordered this way. He
simply took advantage of every opportunity that he could find to
fight back. As far as he was concerned, the one sitting upon the
eternal throne remained woefully out of touch with what was
happening upon the Earth. He had no other explanation for why his
plan remained on track before a supposedly ever-watchful eye.

Black nodded to the Breed warrior currently
overseeing the others, then he vanished from the room.
Materializing out in the street, Black began walking. No one
outside of Westminster Palace appeared to have any idea of the
horrors taking place within its walls.

Dressed in all his finery, with black cape,
top hat and cane in hand, Black made his way at a leisurely pace,
waiting upon his servant to arrive. He had summoned him by thought
a moment ago and knew that Sinister would arrive within moments. He
was an obedient servant and had always been very reliable. Only his
recent thought of rebellion had tarnished that impeccable
record.

Black smiled beneath his hat, savoring the
moment again when Sinister contemplated taking action against him.
He might have been a valuable servant, but he was certainly not
irreplaceable. Black simply delighted in the torn emotions of
anyone around him.

He had known that Sinister’s sister was with
Oliver and the boy that night. And Black had known the kind of
reaction he could expect from Sinister when he destroyed his Breed
warriors in the fire. He didn’t have to be able to read minds in
order to know that Sinister would consider betraying him in
anger.

However, rather than act on that desire,
Sinister had backed down. He had been left feeling disgruntled,
fearful and hopeless to do anything except obey. That was exactly
how Black wanted his servants: knowing that their loyalty could not
simply be withdrawn. They had no other choice.

A raven’s shadow passed overhead. The next
moment Sinister was walking beside him. Pedestrians completely
ignored the transformation. Almost all Descendants had some ability
to weave a glamour in order to protect their true appearance, and
most mortals never noticed the difference.

“My lord,” Sinister began, “all scheduled
acquisitions for the next month have been reset for today, as you
commanded.”

“Excellent,” Black said, walking leisurely
down the sidewalk, his cane tapping out the cadence of his
stride.

“I trust the acquisitions at Westminster are
going well?”

“As planned,” Black noted. He could sense
some need for reassurance in his servant’s tone. Good. Sinister was
obviously still uncomfortable about their near confrontation the
other night. Best to keep him anxious.

Sinister nodded, but did not say anything
further, waiting on any command his master might have for him.

“Any news of the boy?” Black asked
finally.

“None, my lord,” Sinister said.

“There will be,” Black confirmed. “Oliver
James may be an adversary and a fool, but I have not found him to
be without cunning. “They have escaped for the time being, but they
will be found.”

This was no suggestion, but fact. Sinister
understood this.

“Yes, my lord,” he said. “We will keep a
watchful eye for any signs that they have reemerged in London.”

“You do that,” Black said. He stopped and
turned to face Sinister. “That includes any sign of your
sister.”

Sinister’s hands clinched into tight fists,
the knuckles making an audible popping. Now he knew what he had not
known earlier. His own sister had gotten involved in Mr. Black’s
business. She had finally stepped over the line. He could no longer
defend her actions or her life. And, quite possibly, he would be
called upon by his master to perform the awful deed. Black grinned
just before his human form evaporated like smoke on the wind,
leaving Sinister standing alone on the street.

The corridor leading us away from King
Lycean’s throne room contained painted hieroglyphs much like we had
seen in the outer hall. However, these were even more detailed and
had been maintained with such care that I might easily have
mistaken them for having just been carved and painted. Sophia
walked beside me, watching me as I looked around us, pretending not
to be looking at her. I thought that perhaps she wanted to ask me
something, but she kept silent.

We came to a massive golden gate. Beyond the
gate there was movement, but somehow the view was clouded so that
everything seemed indistinct. As we approached, the princess spoke
a word I did not recognize. The gate parted before us, allowing us
to pass into the city beyond.

Whereas the activity and landscape had
previously been indistinct, now it came into vivid colorful focus.
We had stepped out onto a massive courtyard that descended by steps
to the streets below. A fertile valley spread out away from us on
all sides, surrounding Tidus which was nestled at its heart like a
jewel. Every building had been constructed of marble and sandstone
and adorned with precious stones and wrought gold.

The inhabitants were dressed in the linen
tunics and skirts common to ancient Egypt. The past had come alive
here. To my surprise, almost everyone was walking about in their
human forms. Only the soldiers wore the similitude of Anubis.

“Wow,” I said, surveying the city.

“You are pleased by what you see?” Sophia
asked.

“It’s absolutely beautiful, Princess,” I
replied.

Truly, it was difficult to pull my gaze from
the splendor of it. To see Egypt now, one might never be able to
comprehend its former luster. But here in Tidus grasslands and a
river that flowed through the heart of the city complimented the
glory of Lycean’s dynasty.

Almost immediately, I took notice of great
blocks of sandstone drifting over the ground. I thought for a
moment that my mind might be playing tricks on me. The blocks
appeared to be moving all by themselves. There were men around, but
no one was actually pulling or pushing them with ropes.

“How are they doing that?” I asked, gazing
in wonder.

Sophia peered after me. “Oh, that
construction?”

“Yes, how are those blocks moving all by
themselves?”

“They’re not,” she said. “Movers push or
pull the blocks, while the Shapers fashion them into different
shapes.”

“I don’t understand. What are Movers and
Shapers?”

“We could go watch them, if you like,”
Sophia said. “Of course, it’s some distance unless you transport us
there.”

“Transport us?”

“Yes, like your father does all the time,”
she replied.

“My father?”

“Isn’t Mr. James your father?” she
asked.

“No, he’s just a friend who’s helping
me.”

“Oh, really?” she replied with a puzzled
look. “I just assumed, because you both look so much alike, that
you must be his son. I’m sorry. I thought you were a great
Superomancer like he is.”

“What’s a Superomancer?” I asked.

“Someone who can do all the kinds of things
that Mr. James can,” she said. “I’m not sure of the definition. My
father used the term. I guess you aren’t who I was expecting.”

That stung my pride a bit. After all, at the
moment, I would have liked to be whoever she wanted me to be.

“Well,” I said, “I can do some things.”

“Really, like what?” she asked, perking
up.

My pride had now put me on the spot all for
the sake of a beautiful young girl. I wanted to thump myself in the
forehead for even opening my big mouth. “Well,” I began, my mind
going completely blank, “I can change into different animals. I
fought the Breed as a Kodiak bear.”

“That’s interesting,” she said in a way that
wasn’t exactly convincing.

What was I thinking? This princess changed
into a wolf at will along with her entire race. Animal
transformations weren’t going to impress her at all. I vaguely
wondered
why
I was trying to impress her at all.
Nevertheless, my mouth kept opening aforethought.

“I can also control fire,” I offered, hoping
that might be more interesting. Really, how was I supposed to know?
These descendants of the Fallen were able to do all sorts of things
that I had never seen before. They dwelt in realms beyond the
mortal world, or at least secretly in conjunction with it. Why
would any ability I possessed cause the slightest bit of wonder for
a girl like Sophia?

“Fire?” she asked as though she hadn’t quite
heard me.

“Yes,” I replied, feeling a bit better about
saying it.

Sophia swallowed noticeably then, and her
eyes seemed to dilate as though she were in danger and about to
bolt away from me.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

Oliver and Lycean stood upon a high balcony
overlooking the grand city of Tidus. From this vantage point they
could see the river flowing between the massive pillars of the
magnificent Temple of Anubis. There were many great temples within
Tidus, though no one worshipped at them. They had been erected as
monuments to Lycan ancestors of particular importance. For the most
part, they provided spacious gardens and pools of water for the
enjoyment of the people. Oliver and Lycean watched Brody and Sophia
walking slowly toward the construction of one of these new
temples.

“Does the boy know?” Lycean asked.

Oliver watched Brody as he talked with the
princess, making their way through one of the gardens and past a
fountain with curls of water jutting from it. His shoulders sagged.
He sighed before answering.

“He has no idea,” Oliver said. “I’m still
not sure myself.”

“Really?” Lycean asked. “From what you’ve
told me, I would have thought it an easy matter to discern. He has
the ability to control fire, likely the other elements as well. He
can perform animorphosis at will. Just because you haven’t tested
him on the other things doesn’t mean he lacks them. He’s just like
you, Oliver. He even
looks
like you.”

Oliver sighed again, casting a sidelong
glance at Lycean.

“That in of itself should have told you
something,” Lycean said. “No wonder Black wanted him destroyed.
Having you for an adversary hasn’t done him any favors.”

“The boy is unprepared for this,” Oliver
said.

“You know it must be done,” Lycean
countered. “Otherwise, you’ll end up facing Black again, and you
won’t be so lucky. As soon as he can strike, he will. You’ll be
powerless to stop him, and the boy will die. Better to take your
chances on your own terms while you can.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Oliver
conceded.

Lycean looked out over Tidus to his daughter
and Brody. “At least you can give the boy a night in Tidus before
you have to go. He’ll have our grand city to remember.”