Order of Britain: Stone of Madness (10 page)

The creature was silent for a moment. Then the words hissed again.

“Please... the pain...”

Callum choked back his anger at that pitiful plea. He took a long, shuddering breath, then turned to the door.

“I should leave you here to suffer,” he said flatly.

“Please...”

Callum stood by the door for a moment, then swore. Drawing the revolver from his pocket, he levelled it at the heart on the wall, and fired all six rounds into the organ. There was a sickening thump of bullets penetrating meat, and then a long sigh.

“Ahhhhhh...”

The creature's life faded away, and Callum looked back at the suspended eyes. There was almost an expression of gratitude in them.

He dropped the revolver to the floor, and closed the study door behind him.

He took a moment to compose himself as he stood outside the study, the ring of gunfire and the smell of the gunsmoke still in his ears and nose. He glanced up at the last set of stairs, and slowly began to ascend.

***

He stepped into the darkness of the attic, and glanced around. The room's fittings were simple. An unlit oil lamp was in the corner, and on the bed.

The young woman sat motionless, her lank blonde hair hanging across her shoulders. At either side of the bed stood the girl in blue and the girl in red.

“So, this is where we stand, is it?” he said, his expression flat.

“It is,” the two aspects said in unison.

“So what now?” he asked.

“That's up to you.”

He noticed for the first time that the catatonic girl's lips were moving in unison with the two aspects. He leant back against the wall, his eyes studying the trio.

“How can I stop the darkness?”

“By taking the stone.”

Her hand opened slightly. A light was pulsing within it, rhythmically mimicking the young woman's heartbeat. He stepped forward, and reached for it.

His hand encountered a sudden resistance, preventing him from taking it.

“Did you really think it would be that simple?” she asked.

“I hoped,” he said wryly. 

“The stone is bound to me, Callum. Even now it burns through my mind. I can see the void... And it's too much.” The three paused. “You know what you need to do.”

“No. I'm not going to kill you,” he snapped.

“You gave that thing downstairs peace. Why not me?”

“Because there was no other way for him. But there has to be something more for you.” 

He stared down at his hand for a moment, and with a flash, the voidstone he'd claimed in India was nestling in his palm. He walked over to her once more and placed his hand in hers. He felt the surge of energy as the two stones came into contact, and then he was pushed backwards, stumbling against the wall. The young woman's eyes met his, and there was a touch of a smile about them.

“I told you, the stone has bonded with me. You carry the power of that stone with you, and yet you still know nothing about it. You took it on yourself with no thought to the consequences or risks.”

“How do you know that?” 

“I can see the void. I can see all it has touched. Or will touch.” She paused. “I can see Carthage. It's strangely beautiful. A city out of time...”

A flash of pain crossed her face.

“Please, Callum. You don't understand. The void is burning me up. Part of you is of the void – no part of me is.”

“There has to be another way,” he insisted.

“There is not,” she said flatly. She smiled, and when she spoke, it was just her, the true woman at the heart of the darkness. The two aspects remained silent, watching.

“I'm going to die either way, Callum. It can either be in agony or in peace. That is the choice you're here to make. None other.”

He close his eyes for a moment.

“Why me?”

“Who else is there?”

The question hung in the air between them. He knelt down before her, and laid his hand over hers.

“I'm sorry.” He flicked his wrist, and the stone transformed into a small dagger. Just big enough. She reached up, and laid a hand on his cheek.

“Thankyou.”

***

Elizabeth looked up as the door creaked open. Callum stepped out into the cool night, and took a deep breath. In his hand was a small box.

“Let's go,” he said shortly.

“Are you alright?” 

He didn't respond, but looked up at the sky. Above the three of them, ragged holes were beginning to form in the dome of darkness as it dispelled.

“It's over,” Nathaniel said. “You did it, Callum.”

“I didn't do anything. Lets get back to the Guild. I could do with a good night's sleep.”

Without looking back, he walked away from the house, and into the night.

***

Clarence was sat in his usual place at the table when Callum stepped quietly into the room and shut the door behind him. He sat opposite Clarence, and removed his cigarette packet from his pocket. The portly chief mage puffed on his pipe for a few moments, then removed the stalk from his mouth and eyeballed the young Dragon-Blood.

“You look like you've been through the wars,” he noted.

“And you look like everything turned out well for you,” came the terse response.

Clarence smiled wryly, and settled back into his chair.

“I did what I needed to do. As I rather suspect you did.” Callum was silent for a moment, then tossed a small wooden box onto the table. It slid across the polished surface, and came to a stop just in front of the chief mage. Clarence took another puff on his pipe, as Callum lit a cigarette.

Clarence reached out, and picked up the box. He carefully opened it, and laid it on the table.

“So this was the cause of it all?”

“No. The cause of it all was cruelty, Clarence. Simple cruelty. And someone innocent had to pay for that cruelty with their life.” Callum took a long drag on the cigarette, and stared at the glowing voidstone in its box. 

“They took her mind, they took her freedom, and then it was left to me to take her life. Everything was taken from her, and for why? So someone could cause chaos. The voidstone latched onto her feelings of hurt, and projected them outwards.”

Clarence smiled sadly.

“There are always those who suffer in any war, Callum. But no-one should be used as a weapon.”

“Apart from me,” the Dragon-Blood replied quietly. He smiled as Clarence glanced at him sharply.

“I don't really mind. Most of the time, it means I get to help people. Today just wasn't one of those days.”

Clarence watched for a moment, noticing the grief in his tired eyes.

“I think you need to get out the city for a while, my boy. How does a trip to Yorkshire sound?”

Callum laughed, and rose from his chair.

“It'll do.” He turned away, and began to walk to the door.

“Callum.” 

He paused, and turned back. The small wooden box came sailing through the air, tightly close. He caught it, and gave Clarence a questioning look.

“Look after it. Use it if you must. But above all protect it.”

Callum nodded, and slipped the box into his pocket. He opened the door, and paused.

“Two voidstones in short succession, Clarence. What's happening?”

“War, Mr Drake. War is coming.” 

Books By Ben Myatt

The Jim Ashwood Series:

1: High Moon Rising: Blood and Fang

2: High Moon Rising: Hungry Mountains 

3: High Moon Rising: The Serpents Fangs

4: High Moon Rising: Off The Rails

Collected edition:

 High Moon Rising Volume One.

The Callum Drake Series:

1: The Order of Britain: The Devil's Regiment

2: The Order of Britain: Stone of Madness

Ben Myatt is an English author, transplanted to Liverpool from the suburbs of Kent.

After studying Imaginative Writing at Liverpool John Moores University,
Hungry Mountains
 is the second story in the Jim Ashwood series.

He currently lives in Liverpool with his Wife and their two pet birds.

Find more about Ben's works at
www.benmyattwriter.co.uk
 

Follow Ben on twitter: www.twitter.com/@bendanarama