The Silver Sphere (40 page)

Cut off the power,
Nick urged,
and leave it off for
a few minutes.

The soldier resisted him at first. Horrified at the thought of
so much work going for naught, Nick forced images of the ghost-like creatures into
the man's head. The ensign gasped, his beefy hands clasping his skull. Others nearby
stopped working and turned to him.

You're okay,
Nick growled,
but those things are feeding
off your ship. Do what I say, and the star darts will go to Azimuth safely.

The fear emanating from the man was almost tangible. Just when
Nick thought he had pushed the crewman as far as possible, the ensign resigned and
lumbered over to the switch.

Fresh air struck Nick as the man stepped away from him. The connection
was cut. It was as though he'd lost a dear friend, and he gasped at the sudden loneliness,
but he didn't have time to dwell on it.

Someone yelled at the soldier, and others raced to stop him as
he reached for the main power lever. Then, as if in slow motion, the ensign pulled
down.

The ship's loud humming ceased and darkness ensued.

Nick pressed the button on the Sight and held his breath.

The ghosts gave cries of dismay and faded.
Cracks
echoed
around him as their ties to the ship were severed one-by-one. Others swarmed from
the room in a torrent of energy. Their screaming forms flickered a few moments before
they began vanishing.

Nick silently prayed the crew would be safe. The air on the bridge
grew thinner as it was slowly sucked out of the rest of the craft.

Denon stepped by his side, bloody and exhausted, and smiled.
"Good job. Now he needs to turn it on."

"Not yet," whispered Nick, nodding toward a figure
that churned outside the ship, forming and growing bigger.

Denon followed Nick's gaze.

The pale, electric shapes shifted into something larger, joining
together. Insect-like arms of electrons reached for the ship, but they were dim.
A lithe, nasty body shivered as currents of weak electricity raced through the form.
When the creature found nothing to feed on, it gave a final, hellish trumpet. It
whirled its antenna around its bulbous eyes and wagged its femur. Its wings chattered,
and it was gone.

"The Maroccanus," said Denon.

"What?"

"I've never seen one, but have read about them. Legends
speak of the Maroccanus wrecking many vessels by feeding on their energy. It's gone.
Tell him to switch the power."

Nick raced over to the ensign. The soldier had been tackled to
the deck. Men started hollering at each other, and the man Nick had spoken to was
uttering something, confused and dazed. Nick slipped into his mind—easier this time—and
he didn't resist when Nick told him to turn the power back on.

Another of the men rose and yanked the switch. The trooper on
the floor wriggled free as lights flickered to life. Air rushed into the cabin and
crewmen cheered as their instruments began working again.

Nick backed away and wiped a film of sweat from his face.

Spiro clapped him on the back. "Good man."

"I just hope we're not too late," said Denon.

The gates screeched and rocked.

Shelby fought to the center closer to Riley and Emily and yelled,
"They're about to fall!"

Overhead, gleaming figures approached from out of the sky. They
rocketed by, cracking the air with a thunderous swish. Shelby gasped as they raced
back toward the city. They looked like smooth, flawless airplanes, coated in silver
metal and glinting in the light of the late afternoon sun.

Throg pointed up. "Star darts! The United Forces have joined
the fray!"

The star darts swooped down on the sea of Nightlander men. Fiery
red beams launched from their wings and bombarded the Nightlander troops with aplomb.
Nightlanders exploded in balls of fire, and searing flames raced across the field
where the lasers struck.

Raucous cheers boomed from inside the gates of Meracuse. Strike
after strike left the Nightlanders frenzied, but it wasn't enough. The tide of battle
had turned, but only for the moment. Hundreds of Battleswine began to rush in around
them, slaughtering those who drew too near and buying more time.

"We must strike now. Onward!" Milo charged forward
with the Stonecoats.

The Battleswine followed close behind. A Disemboweler came from
nowhere, slamming into one of the Swine. One of Gunther's men roared and sliced
the beast in half, then helped his companion—the white-furred female, now pink and
red, gore-sprayed from the slaughter—back to her feet.

Shelby launched after Milo, determined to make sure the Stonecoat
had cover. She turned to Max and called out for him, but he was lost in the fracas.
The other Kin had also vanished.

Not ten yards from the main gates, a furious figure slaughtered
Battleswine and Meridian soldiers left and right. The dark warrior struck with terrifying
accuracy and a maniacal resolve, all the while shouting orders to the Nightlanders.
He obliterated every man who came near.

Shelby ripped her saber from the gut of a Nightlander and turned
to spy Milo shouting at the demonic figure.

"Fight me in single combat, Malefic, you coward!" The
Stonecoat leader brandished his long sword, and the blade glimmered in the fading
afternoon light. "Come and best me, if you dare!"

Cold dread filled Shelby; that man was no ordinary Nightlander.
She ducked as a Nightlander swung his morning star at her, and with a quick twirl
of her blade, put him down. She strode forward, her boots sinking into the soiled
ground. When she pulled them free, they made a sucking noise against the mud and
mire.

Malefic descended off his mount and slapped the charger on its
rear, sending the hellish horse galloping into the tumult.

Shelby watched, mesmerized as the enormous man lifted his black
sword and prepared to bring it down on Milo. She turned away when Stuart called
her name, lifting her rapier just in time to parry a blow that would have cleaved
her in two.

Stuart came up behind the Nightlander and shot him point blank
in the back. The Nightlander crashed to the ground with a cry.

"Look out!" Stuart cried over the noise of clanging
swords and neighing horses. "And be careful!"

"Where's Max?" hollered Shelby.

"There!" He pointed.

Shelby followed the motion beyond the fight between Malefic and
Milo. Max was busy hacking at Nightlanders, trying to keep them away from Milo.

Shelby whirled around, preparing to help him, when she was confronted
by a dozen more of the black-armored knights.

High above, the star darts rocketed by, sending another wave
of their lasers into the fray. They shot hoards of Nightlanders, but still the dark
soldiers did not yield.

Shelby swung until her arm ached, and continued to parry and
riposte with grace and power. Her body grew weary, yet the battle raged on around
her.

From the corner of her eye, she caught glimpses of Malefic battling
Milo. Every blow Milo placed on the Nightlander leader was returned by several strikes
of inhuman strength. Shelby forced her exhausted body on, refusing to give up. If
it would help Milo somehow to land that single thrust that would end it all, she'd
gladly kill a hundred Nightlanders.

Then, as if a ghost, one of the Disembowelers bounded over Emily
and Stuart. Foam dribbled from its maw and thick sludge covered its legs. The snarling
beast propelled at Milo, whipping its claws through his side.

Milo collapsed, writhing in pain.

Shelby cried out, and turned to race forward and take Milo's
spot, but before she could take so much as a step, Max was there, standing beside
Milo's crumpled form.

Max buried his long sword into the chest of the rabid creature
as it turned to him. The Kin retracted his blade from the convulsing monster and,
in one bound, landed in front of Milo, parrying the blow meant to finish the Stonecoat
leader off.

Malefic cursed and glared at Max.

"Little Kin, I will hack you to pieces!" Malefic shouted
as he lifted his sword high and swung it forward with both hands. The blow shattered
Max's blade and struck the top of his helmet.

"No!" Shelby screeched.

Max dropped to his knees, dazed, as Malefic raised the obsidian
blade again, preparing to behead him.

Shelby bolted for Max, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Everything seemed to slow down. She fell to the ground, screaming
Max's name. Then her fear and sorrow gave way to cold rage; as she viewed Max, she
thought of Mr. Dempsey. With another cry, her body pulsated and heat coursed through
every limb. A buried reserve of power welled up inside her, and then surged.

Just as Malefic moved forward and brought the sword down toward
Max's head, a bright light blazed between them, swallowing Malefic as his momentum
carried him into the glare. As quickly as it had come, the glow vanished. Echoes
of Malefic's shouts of rage broke from the area where he'd once been.

Shelby's body trembled. Ignoring the pain in her limbs, she threw
her saber aside and raced toward Max. Only footprints in the mud remained where
Malefic had stood. Shelby dropped to Max's side and pulled him close.

All around, Nightlanders lowered their weapons and whispers flew
through the crowd. Some of the stunned men were hacked to the ground before anyone
knew Malefic was gone. Then, those who survived began to run, fleeing as quickly
as their feet could carry them.

The damaged doorways screeched as they started to open. Nightlanders
had raced from the main gates in hopes of retreating to their camps or escaping,
but the Battleswine at the flank of the field made sure none were left alive.

Shelby protected a woozy Max as thousands of Meridian warriors
discharged and sprinted out. The Nightlanders who had stayed close were cut down
in seconds.

She heaved Max up higher. As they stumbled, he lifted his head
and their lips brushed. She locked eyes with him.

"I had him right where I wanted him," he quipped. He
drew closer again and kissed her.

Shelby's heart throbbed as their lips met. She pulled him close,
glad to have him safe in her arms, and smiled as she gazed into his eyes.

"Inside... now," Bianca ordered the Kin.

She cast a motherly glance to Shelby and Max before racing forward
and helping Shelby pull Max to his feet. Stuart pushed Shelby aside and took the
majority of Max's weight onto his shoulder. They scurried in through the edges of
the barreling soldiers and followed Bianca as she dashed forward. As they passed
the warriors, Presage stood behind, his piercing green eyes gazing upon them.

"Well done," said Presage.

Barrick and Sculptor burst down a ladder and trotted over, bloodstained
and bruised. Sculptor's nose was crooked, but not broken. The side of his face had
an enormous scrape on it, and Barrick had a nasty gash that broke his armor along
his back.

"We thought we'd never see ya again," said Barrick.

"Look what the bearcat dragged in," Sculptor chirped,
grinning.

Cumber trotted over, brandishing a bloody battleaxe. "It's
good to be with ye, but I'm off to trounce some Nigh'landers," he said as he
charged toward the gate.

"Why don't you join him, Barrick? You could use the exercise,"
Sculptor jabbed, and they all laughed.

A few moments later, a number of Stonecoats rushed through the
gates. Shara trotted easily with a listless Milo across her back. Shelby exhaled
as medics raced to his side to help him.

Battleswine entered the city with Krupp's limp body slung between
Gunther and another Swine.

She turned to Bianca, disheartened. "We won, but at what
cost?"

"Milo will live, and Krupp's men see death every day. They
are a warrior race. Even so, the loss of their general is a stinging blow."
She laid a hand on Shelby's shoulder. "The Battleswine believe that when they
die, they are reborn to fight celestial wars. Krupp has gone to the place of his
forefathers. His death was not in vain, though. Today is a victory we cannot forget."

She smiled warmly and pulled Shelby close. Bianca's hair was
mussed and she had a scratch along her neck. A hole gaped from her shoulder. "You
must not feel that this day was a loss, my dear. Malefic is gone, though where,
I cannot begin to guess. He must have seen the tide turn and fled."

"No, Malefic didn't flee. He'll be back." Somehow,
Shelby knew for a fact Malefic hadn't run away. She had done something out there,
but couldn't begin to guess what. The mere thought of the Nightlander leader made
her blood boil with rage.

"What do you mean?" Bianca looked as though she already
knew what Shelby was thinking.

"I...." Shelby swallowed. "Is it possible to feel
so scared, so angry, at someone, that you transport them away without understanding
how?"

Bianca flashed a knowing smile. "Your mother, Samantha,
is a witch, Shelby. My sister was a good witch until it was decided to send you
to Earth. You may be a powerful Kin if you inherited her talent." She squeezed
Shelby's shoulder and smiled.