Zein: The Homecoming (20 page)

The Changeling, though initially shocked raised his trident and used it to blunt the attack and force away the charging Wernion, flinging the creature away from him onto the floor. Wernion was swiftly back up on his feet, the previous injuries forgotten; before he could charge again the sallow faced Blackstone attacked him with two extremely long seckle type weapons. He was ablely supported by the beautiful young woman.

Tyson knew Wernion would not survive a double attack for long. He threw his body into the space between the girl and Wernion and used his now activated seckle as a block.
The girl’s eyes widened in surprise and Tyson used this element of surprise to throw her to the ground. Behind him, the man was trying to bring his weapons to bear but Wernion was fast and he came in close to the Blackstone man, nullifying the threat. His claw caught the man on the shoulder, ripping into his skin, the force causing one of the weapons to fall from his hand. Wernion was not interested in the Blackstones and he rushed towards the Changeling.

Jaida lay breathless on the floor with the shock of the power from the man supporting the Pod.

He is a Blackstone!

Shrugging aside her surprise, if he was a friend of the Pod then he was no friend of hers. She struggled to kneel up and before she could re-join the fight, an enraged Taio leapt at the strange man with his one surviving weapon.

Tyson tracked the move in slow motion and knew his magics were formulating. He confidently saw the attack and anticipated the blow. He didn’t want to hurt the man so he ducked the offending blow and used a quick spurt of power from his hand to send him clattering into the wall. Then the girl was upon him and she was quick. He blocked blow after blow, keeping in the corner of his eye that Wernion was now wrestling with one of the Changelings. Eventually he was able to make enough room to send a force-field shock that knocked her own force-field out of commission and allowed him to thrust her hard against the wall, where she crumpled to the ground, dazed.

Taio saw the woman he loved collapse of the floor and rage took over. He swung his seckle viciously at Tyson but it bounced off the force-field easily.

Wernion charged Myolon, who changed into a colossal reptile with a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth, a Xonian!
He caught the young Pod by its scale covered muscular arms and in one fluid motion he threw Wernion into one of the walls were he lay unmoving, Myolon then moved in for the kill.

‘Myolon!’ The voice rang out with power and command. Myolon, with spittle spilling from his reptilian mouth, stopped in his tracks and smoothly turned to face his new opponent.

The rescue group had made good time with a transport dropping them close to another of Zebulon’s secret entrances. Once he had gained entry they had moved swiftly, guided by the majesty of Zebulon. As they had entered the intersection, Amelia had gasped as she saw Tyson.
He is alive!
Her heart jumped in excitement and it was only the restraining arm of one of Zebulon’s guards that stopped her running into the midst of the fight happening before her.

‘Zebulon, so nice to see you,’ said Myolon, his harsh rasp escaping his Xonian snout. Myolon saw the rest of the party and his eyes ran over the companions as he changed back to his Changeling form and reached out to one of his followers for his trident which he had dropped and one of his guards had retrieved.

‘Tyson,’ shouted Amelia and, pushing away her guard with surprising strength which even took the experienced warrior by surprise, ran to Tyson’s side, throwing her arms around his neck as his force-field dimmed. Tyson was pleased to see her and returned the hug before gently disentangling her from him as he became acutely aware of the power building in the room between the two Changelings.

‘Well, dear brother, long time no see,’ smirked Myolon as he twirled the sinister looking trident, ‘What do I owe this pleasure to?’

‘I am here to stop you releasing that liquid,’ said Zebulon, pointing to the rucksacks that the cowering Blackstone troops held.

‘Why so caring for the Pod, Zebulon? I remember a time when you embraced their extermination. You have gone soft!’

‘I came to my senses, brother. We were wrong all those years ago and you are wrong now. I will take the serum and destroy it safely,’ said Zebulon, seeking the residue of any goodness left in his sibling.

‘I can’t let you do that, Zebulon,’ said Myolon, as he squared up to his older brother, ‘I am no longer in your shadow, you left our people just when they needed you, now I am going to put right what you got wrong!’

‘If you release that into the Mygolwich the entire Pod will die. I can’t let that happen.’

‘You could try to stop me but I am too strong for you.’

‘We will see about that Myolon.’ Zebulon pulled his cloak off and the fine clothes under the cloak were impressive.

‘You dress well, Zebulon. Like your new tailor.’

There were shouts down the corridors with the Pod patrols, hearing the commotion, making their way through the tunnels to the disturbance. The two parties eyed each other distrustfully but also glanced down the four main corridors of the intersection nervously. This was not a place you wanted to fight a pitched battle in.

Pounding footsteps materialised into squads of the Pod defence patrols in each tunnel. The soldiers and Changelings put aside their distrust and took up position at each entrance.

Zebulon just smiled and with an outstretched hand sent a beam of blue light to two of the entrances. Myolon glowered at his brother, and not to be outdone he did the same to the other two entrances with the beams of
energy slowly working down the entrance until a force-field was formed. The Pod ran into the force-field, which, with a flash, threw them back. The angry creatures hung back away from the painful light and shuffled back and forward, waiting for their opportunity.

‘So, brother, your powers are fully developed, I notice,’ said Zebulon. He saw Tyson and then looked across to the winded Wernion and tasted the vortex of magic in the air.

‘Met my human friend, I see?’

‘Yes, so much raw power but I sense an uneasiness in its use…you are becoming sloppy…I thought you would have tamed this creature a little more?’ said a mocking Myolon.

‘I can’t let you release that liquid,’ said Zebulon, turning his attention to the matter at hand and reiterating his position.

Myolon leapt at his brother swinging his trident viciously at his opponent’s head and Zebulon effortlessly shimmered and moved his body away from the blow whilst at the same time drawing his short sword from its scabbard. He swung the sword and caught his opponent’s trident in mid-air. There was an almighty clash of steel, forcing Myolon to tighten his grip to prevent losing control of his weapon. Zebulon then leveraged his sword so he was pinning Myolon’s trident to the floor using the strength of his massive shoulders. He then released the trident and thrust the sword at Myolon’s head. Myolon saw the attack and rolled away and the sword blade hit the floor rather than the flesh. Myolon sprang up, sweat pouring from his pores at the exercise, and he brought his trident up in front of his body.

‘Nice try, brother, but you are still soft,’ said Myolon with a grin which slowly disappeared, turning into a gritty and daggered look. ‘Now that is going to get you killed.’

The two brothers breathing hard stood transfixed, they knew this was a fight to the death. The rest of the group stood in silence, mere bystanders to an epic contest.

Tyson regulated his breathing as Amelia held him close, both stunned by the fight evolving in front of them. Something told them that the future of Zein rested on the outcome of this battle.

‘I am going to be Joined with him,’ snapped an angry Belina.

Since she had broken the news to Bailey, who had disappeared to lick his wounds, the relationship between Belina and Tate had swept the populace of the Aeria Cavern. Tate was their saviour, their hero and now one of the strangers was laying claim to his heart.

‘A Blackstone has never Joined with a Malacca in the history of our people,’ said Kabel, visibly angry that his twin was now causing an issue he hadn’t expected.

‘Do you not think, Kabel, that if there had been more Joinings between our two clans, we may have prevented the Quadrant Wars?’

‘Rubbish, Zylar just used that as an excuse and you know it!’

Belina slowed her breathing as she felt her magics trigger through the emotion she was feeling. She walked to a table that had a jug of water resting upon it and poured out a glassful.

Kabel was still pacing back and forth. She saw the additional stress lines on his face that had developed with his new responsibility as Lord Chancellor for the Aeria Cavern. In the last couple of days Kabel was everywhere,
meeting all the senior royals of the clans, the people on the street, and reviewing the defences with Tate and General Corder. He looked tired and Belina regretted that she had added to his worries. However, she was clear in her own mind that the feelings she had for Tate were special. She sipped her water and sat down on the comfortable chair that was placed near the table.

‘Kabel, I am sorry to bring this worry to you, but I cannot ignore my feelings just as much as you can’t ignore your feelings for Gemma.’

Kabel paused in his pacing and sighed. ‘Maybe you’re right Belina and it is me who is wrong. Everything is so mixed up and I have to admit my experience with the Malacca clan is not a good one,’ Kabel conceded. ‘Can we agree to discuss matters once we have finished the review of the defences?’

Belina smiled and placing her drink back on the table gave her brother a quick hug before leaving the room. Kabel walked to the balcony and looked out upon the bustling settlement. From his advantage point he could see the West, South and North Gates in the distance, the large gates reaching up high until they met the ramparts. The gates, ramparts and barricades bristled with new weaponry brought from the ships, with thousands of men and women manning the gates. Outside the gates the captains were setting up three rows of troops, first rank on the floor with rifles propped against their cheeks, second row kneeling and the final row standing.

Inside each gate ranks of troops were put through their paces. Numbering approximately two thousand per gate these would be the next line of defence if the gates and other defences were breached. They would stand behind the weak Outer Perimeter Barrier which glimmered behind the main gates and also the Inner Defence Wall a
further short distance behind the Outer Perimeter Barrier. Everyone knew the sheer numbers of attackers would break though both these defences without much delay. What Kabel decided to do was prepare a workable fall back defensive position.

The soldiers were broken into columns, taking the lead from Napoleon’s approach to battle as his French columns used the tactic to smash through the enemy. Kabel had studied hard in his history lessons, now he was putting it into practice. He saw Kron line up the troops in the columns behind the South Gate and other defences. The four columns would be five abreast and one hundred deep, marching side by side with enough gap for the enemy to be sucked in down the sides. Behind the columns would be another hundred troops dispatching any of the enemy that made it past the heavily armed troops. Further troops were strategically placed to support an orderly retreat, if required.

The general population, who were not manning the entrances, were moving to the central area and into the Central Zein Transportation and Royal Council buildings. They carried cherished belongings and worried young children. Remembering how the Pod scampered over the buildings, every building had troops behind makeshift bunkers to blunt any attack and Kabel had also impressed Tate by setting a ring of steel and bullets around the central area, to act as the final defensive position. If the Pod breached that then the city was lost.

All in all they had nearly seventy thousand troops across the settlement. Kabel crossed his arms and shuddered, the picture of the Pod swarming over the buildings still haunting him. Seventy thousand or not he still felt threatened.

Near the South Gate, Kron was barking orders. ‘Keep your columns tight, if those in front of your fall walk
over them; think of a hammer blow that is what you are doing. This is an offensive not defensive approach,’ said Kron and then pointing to his head, ‘Think, and keep your nerve.’

The gates were open and Tate was with the troops outside. Hechkle and Bronstorm were near him chatting with Gemma.

‘Where’s Bailey?’ asked Hechkle.

‘At the North Gate, he didn’t want to be near Belina and Tate,’ said Gemma, taking in the preparations.

‘Poor lad,’ said Hechkle, gruffly. He exchanged glances with Bronstorm, who understood immediately. They both knew that Joining was hard to resist but they felt for Bailey.

‘Be careful, Gemma, stay inside the gates with the troop columns and Kron,’ said Hechkle and then he rubbed his chin, ‘Apart from Remo and Cronje, I don’t think I have seen a harder man than Kron.’ Their eyes followed Kron, as did the troops, fear and respect in their expressions.

‘Where are you going?’ asked Gemma.

‘Off to the North Gate,’ said Bronstorm. Gemma smiled and said a silent thank you.

‘We will look after him, no worries,’ said Hechkle, with the emotion catching him unawares. As they moved off, Belina walked past them to Tate and Gemma couldn’t hide a little resentment at the woman who had broken her brother’s heart. If Belina’s magics read the thought, then she did not display it on her face.

Not long after Belina passed by, Kabel went to find Gemma. He and Tate had agreed that Tate and General Corder would command the external forces, and Kabel with Kron, those inside the settlement.

‘Everything all right?’ asked Kabel, as his eyes swept the area.

‘If you mean everyone is running round looking both important and terrified, then yes,’ said Gemma, as she checked her blaster for power. Kabel smiled grimly and walked out of the gate. Gemma found that she was still confused about her feelings for him and was left wondering whether Zebulon had found Tyson. Did she love Kabel?

General Corder climbed out of his jeep. Behind him one of the levitation tanks swivelled its turret as it took up its pre-planned position at the side of one of the pill-boxes. He waved on the other three tanks sending them to the other gates. Each tank was supported by three thousand troops, split evenly by US and Malacca forces. He had wanted more tanks but Koshkov had argued that in such a confined space they would be a hindrance and he could ready a fast reaction force in the case of attack. Corder had seen the sense of the discussion and relented. The troops were the first additional contingent and more were to follow in the morning. The soldiers disappeared down their respective tunnels to the other gates following in the wake of the tanks.

He turned his attention to the South Gate defences. The Expeditionary Force soldiers were already patrolling in front of the gate and up the tunnel. He and Kabel had positioned soldiers on the ramp-way to provide an early warning of any attack. All those in the Aeria Cavern lapsed into a strained silence as the day wore on and night descended.

Lieutenant Morrison was at the entrance to the surface and marvelling at the stillness of the evening, when he heard thunder.

‘What the…?’ The sound grew and the soldiers around him became uneasy, the noise grew to a crescendo and then over the hill hundreds of amber lights could be seen in the blackness of the night. The amber lights were bouncing up and down and the hundreds, turned
into thousands. Morrison gasped in disbelief, his stomach churning with fear with the realisation that the amber lights were eyes and those eyes were attached to the most ferocious animals he had ever seen.

He grabbed the nearest radio man and picked up the transmitter.

‘Come in Base 1, Scouting Group A here, Come in Base 1,’ said Morrison, trying to keep his nerves intact. The enemy was still a mile away but closing fast. The radio crackled into life.

‘Base 1 here, Scouting Group A, what is your report?’

‘Tell the General they are here and shut the gates, all of them.’ Morrison shoved the radio back and waved his arms for the soldiers to move back. They had no cover or chance to disrupt this charge. The signal was relayed to General Corder, Tate and Kabel.

‘Shut the gates,’ said General Corder and the message was hastily relayed to all the gates via one of the soldiers who carried another radio backpack. Each gate had two of these specialists assigned to them.

Kabel and Kron took up their positions with the rearguard and waited. Outside the gates, General Corder climbed into the tank where he could keep communications open to the ships and the other gates and Tate stood next to the troops in the first line of defence. The first thing they saw were the troops falling back, leapfrogging each other, one group providing covering fire and the other group running back. Lieutenant Morrison was shouting the orders. The noise was deafening and the defenders waited nervously. The soldiers made it back to the partial safety of the armed ranks lined up in front of the South Gate.

‘Morrison, how many,’ Tate asked as the US Marine made a beeline towards him. Tate drew his sword and pulled his blaster from his holster.

‘Too many,’ said Morrison, though his face was resolute.

The Pod burst out of the large tunnel.

‘Oh my God,’ said Gemma, looking through the barricades. There were thousands of them, their rage bouncing of the walls. Kabel’s throat constricted as he held his panic in check.

Tate waited for Morrison’s troops to pull behind his now ready and waiting trio of ranks and then he lifted a loudhailer to his mouth as the noise drowned out his normal voice.

‘Wait for it, wait for it.’ The mass of creatures was only two hundred yards away and the professional soldiers from the United States, United Kingdom and China felt their hearts pump with the fear they felt. Mouths dry but hands steady.

One hundred and fifty yards.

‘Front rank, fire.’ The shots rang out and the front row of the attackers jerked as if manipulated by a puppeteer as the shots crashed into them.

‘Second rank, fire.’ The troops kneeling fired and the puppeteer continued as arms and legs jerked with the smash of the bullets. The Pod surge didn’t even break stride. Thousands followed those that fell.

‘Third rank, fire.’ As the next rain of bullets slammed into the Pod there was a slight pause in the attack.

Good. We can stop them
, thought Tate and then as the Pod wavered he saw the pressure of those entering the main tunnel push the momentum forward.

No! How can they take such losses?
Tate was at a loss as he activated his seckle?

‘Fire at will,’ he shouted and then flung away his loudhailer as the Pod launched their bodies at the troops. Vicious toe-to-toe fighting took over. Tate ducked under a fist the size of a football and his hands moved fast as he cut the beast open and delivered the killing blow.
There was no time to rest as another creature swiped at him, bouncing off his force-field and he used his seckle defensively. Another blow and then another. He felt his force-field under threat so he attacked and as his seckle and sword found the soft flesh of the creatures in front of him he lost himself in the violence of the moment.

General Corder was directing the tank’s firepower as fast as his men could load as the first line of defence bravely pushed back the first wave, clubbing with their guns and firing when there was space to do so. Morrison was beside Tate, fighting hard but even his size was dwarfed by these brutish creatures.

‘They are not going to last long,’ said Kabel to Belina, surveying the battle from his vantage point above the gate. He had left Gemma with Kron in charge of the fourth line of defence, if the outer and inner gates didn’t hold. The troops on the ramparts were shooting and throwing anything they could at the mass of bodies in front of them. It was making little difference.

‘Sir,’ said a strained voice behind him and when he turned he recognised one of the Southgates.

‘Yes, what is it lad?’ asked Kabel but he could see the answer in the young boy’s eyes.

‘Lords Southgate and Tyther have asked me to convey to you that they don’t think they can hold their gates.’

Kabel felt the bottom of his stomach churn with fear. Below him he saw a near manic Tate fighting for survival and the buckling line of their initial defence. He had to act quickly to bring the survivors back within the gates. Before he answered the breathless runner he turned to Belina.

‘Tell Kron to open the small gate and try to get as many of our troops back within the main gate without compromising our defence.’ Belina took in the request and then ran down the steps to inform Kron.

He turned back to face the wide-eyed young runner. ‘Why did they send you and not send the message via the radio packs?’

‘They are all dead sir, radios smashed.’ The teenager wore a terrified look on his face. Kabel, made up his mind.

‘Right, here is what you need to pass on to Lords’ Tyther and Southgate and also check with Lady Blackstone as well,’ said Kabel and then proceeded to give the young man the necessary orders. The boy’s eyes widened with shock at the orders but bravely saluted the Lord Chancellor and ran off to complete his duty.

Down below the survivors were funnelling through the open door under the sustained supporting cover from those on the ramparts and barricades. Kabel raced down the steps to join the force at the gate.

They found an exhausted Tate and an injured General Corder, the latter with an imperfect sling holding a clearly broken left arm he had incurred when exiting the tank that had used up all its charge.