Authors: CJ Rutherford,Colin Rutherford
30 – The Island – Rebellion
Their joy at seeing each other again, gaining physical contact when hope was all they’d been surviving on for days, brought Derren and Katheryne even closer than they could have thought possible.
But it was happiness tingled with urgency. Events were unfurling and they had to put their feelings aside and deal with the enemies before them.
Krista had almost broken when it was confirmed it was her old lover who created the block, and tried to kill her and the others back on Earth. But she’d emerged with a singular purpose, and vowed if she couldn’t heal the tortured soul which Dwenn had become, then she would be the one to free it and end its torment.
Derren had embraced her in mutual grief and admiration as his sister’s inner strength held her together, but he knew how close to the edge she had come. His twin was probably the strongest person he had known until he’d met Katheryne, but he recognised the depth of pain which had almost taken her from him.
Toshi had proven to be the greatest boon of all, as he sat with them and constructed a plan that was intricate at the same time as being clear and providing them all with a purpose and a definite task within it. It went through several evolutions as more Liberi were transported to the Island.
Katheryne assisted Laren when she vetted the others who attempted to link with her. Katheryne was able to taste the mind behind the link, to the amazement of them all, and this told them who the traitors were.
There turned out to be three in all, two of whom had been the first to attempt a contact with Laren, who had been designated as their communications hub.
She had an enhanced talent when it came to manipulating the subtle link between one Liberi and another. While the link was normally only clear enough for communication when directed from one to another, Laren could join them together almost like in a conference call.
But it was so much more than that, as the link brought with it a background of awareness of how the others felt during the bond, and Laren’s ability to handle so much empathic energy was unique, until Katheryne had shown the same skill.
The traitors had no way of knowing Katheryne and Laren were aware of them, so they had chosen simply to ‘not talk’ to the first two for the time being. The two lone traitors had been members of the two teams who had disappeared first, and no one on the island was in any doubt that their partners had been murdered at their hands. They could be dealt with separately later.
The third traitor ,however, posed a bit of a dilemma. She had hooked up with another team of two whom Katheryne confirmed were loyal but had no way of knowing they were in the company of a murderer. There had been discussion on the best way to eliminate her and in the end it was decided Toshi and Laren would link with the two loyal Liberi simultaneously and pass on the traitor’s true identity. The resulting fight hadn’t been pretty and both had been injured, but the traitor had been killed.
They sat together now around a campfire at the edge of the jungle, a force of nine Liberi, and Katheryne, going over the final plan. In an hour they would depart the island in two groups, with two main targets.
Derren and Katheryne would go with Laren and one other to find B’ran and ascertain how deeply the poison had spread throughout Sanctuary.
Krista, Toshi and the other three Liberi would go after Dwenn. It was thought by now the other two traitors would have realised they’d been discovered, and so would have returned to B’ran or Dwenn. If not they would be dealt with after the more urgent missions were completed.
Derren took Krista aside, away from the others.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to do this?” he asked his twin, and as his hand held hers he felt a quiver go through her.
“If you’re asking whether I’ll be able to go through with it,” she paused as if she was trying to decide if she was attempting to convince herself and not Derren, “If it comes down to choosing between killing Dwenn or letting her escape to try and kill us all again, I will do what’s right Derren.”
She was in pain and tears flowed down her cheeks but Derren knew what she said was the truth, and he wept also, for his sister and his friend. They spent a few moments in silence before returning to the others. Katheryne met them and embraced them, pouring her love and support into both of them.
Then it was time to leave, and the two teams separated as the portals were opened.
31 – Sanctuary – The attack on Dwenn
The fact they were attacking in the middle of the night meant there was a degree of uncertainty as to Dwenn’s location. It had been decided however, as there was no way she could know Krista and Katheryne were on Sanctuary, she would still be in the control centre, maintaining the block.
Toshi chose to target the portal on the entrance passage to the room, so the five of them assembled there, ready to assault together. Toshi and Krista were to engage Dwenn and any other traitor if he was there. The others had to take out the guards, thus eliminating any distractions before assisting in taking Dwenn out.
But the best laid plans usually never survived the initial moment of contact, and this was the case as Toshi entered the room. It appeared to be empty.
Krista held back out of site for the initial encounter; she would enter to take Dwenn off balance at the most opportune time. The four others stood as their eyes adjusted to the dim light coming off the displays.
Toshi stretched out his awareness as the displays flickered randomly. He tuned into the patterns, concentrating on what was missing instead of what was apparently present. A screen at the back of the room flashed up a status which illuminated a row of seating, the chairs casting a series of shadows across the floor. Except one of them which remained unchanged.
Toshi linked to the others and they separated, circling around where he’d indicated. He continued to scan the room, but except for the anomaly, he saw nothing untoward. An invisible hammer struck him, savage and unexpected, and he flew ten feet though the air to strike the doorframe. For any normal being this might have been a killing blow, but Toshi rolled into a crouch. The others turned toward him, missing the movement behind as the anomaly closed on them. Toshi opened his mouth to shout, but before a sound escaped his lips a funnel of flame shot from the shimmer, engulfing the others. They scattered, rounding on the enemy. Their armour had saved them, but before they could regroup, a blast of lightning hit them, overloading the shielding and dropping them, twitching to the ground.
Toshi drew a pistol and aimed at the source of the attack, but he staggered under a series of blows from behind. The pistol skittered across the floor as he collapsed onto his hands and knees. He lashed out like lightning, his legs flashed through the air behind him and was gratified when they connected with something solid. He heard a grunt as someone landed hard on the ground beside him. He still couldn’t see anything there, but a Liberia didn’t need sight to fight. Now they were close, Toshi homed in on the heartbeat and struck down hard with both fists. He was rewarded with an explosion of air and breaking bones as the traitor, Dzall appeared from nowhere. Toshi jumped up and grabbed his assailant around the neck with one arm as his hand flew upward and sideways, jerking the head around. The resulting crack caused a jerk before the body slumped under him.
He rounded, searching for his mislaid weapon but froze as a single shot rang out. Krista stood in the doorway with her pistol raised. The lightning was gone, but there was still no sign of Dwenn; for Toshi was certain only Dwenn was capable of the power displayed here.
The others were sitting up and shaking their heads, as Toshi reached to his belt and withdrew a handful of small silver globes.
Stunners!
The others heard the linked warning and as Toshi threw the spheres outward in a circle, they closed their eyes and covered their ears.
The stunners exploded like miniature suns, as blinding beams of light and cracks of thunder filled the room. Toshi flitted his eyes back and forth.
“Watch for shadows!” he yelled to Krista as more stunners went off. The others cowered under the assault, but Toshi raised his retrieved pistol in unison with Krista and they filled the air in front of them with projectile fire. A shape materialised as the firepower drained whatever was cloaking it. Toshi linked to Krista and they stopped firing and Krista retreated to the corridor.
Toshi turned and gave his full attention to the thing which had been Dwenn. The other three warriors were on their feet and crossed to back him up.
Dwenn stood, her face a mask of rage, murder and madness. Toshi felt the power emanating from her, but he was confident she’d be unable to withstand an assault by four Liberi.
“It’s over, Dwenn,” he said. “You have power, I’ll grant you that, but there’s no way you can take all of us at once.”
Dwenn’s eyes narrowed, but instead of hesitating she smiled. “Hmm, an interesting turn of phrase, Toshi. I may just have to do that.”
She tilted her head back and laughed.
None of them could ever recall a crueller, more tormented sound and it shook them to their core, rattling their confidence as an irresistible sensation of fear grew deep in their souls.
How could they hope to defeat this power? Toshi thought. This being had returned from death to confront them and was unstoppable. As she stood there, emanating the terrible energy the Liberi quaked with terror and shrank back. None of them dared to move in case they drew the wrath of this mighty one before them, but even as their terror mounted they began to be awestruck by her incredible beauty.
Toshi wondered what he saw in Laren, when in comparison to this vision before him she seemed so plain.
Dwenn continued to laugh. It was such a lovely sound, musical and full of joy. Toshi knew he would do anything, absolutely anything in his power to make her happy. He loved her. They all did. Who could not love this goddess of insurmountable perfection?
Outside in the corridor Krista was also affected by the spell, but there was a different reaction in her case. She felt the initial fear grow into an attempt to twist her emotions; to draw her into complete devotion to the being.
Thankfully, Krista had been, indeed in her heart would always be, in love with the real Dwenn.
So she knew what she was being forced to feel was wrong, that her mind was being raped and abused by this creature. She understood now how the other Liberi had been forced to betray their friends.
They were utterly and helplessly in love with Dwenn, and any wish she suggested would be a further way for them to worship their goddess. They were powerless against the demands of their hearts.
Krista’s heart rejected the false emotions and she shook as she regained her own will. She knew she had moments to break the spell, for she knew that’s what this had to be. The others would be drawn in hopelessly and totally, and soon they would be lost forever.
She steadied herself and prepared for a fight to the death with her true love.
“So, Dwenn...miss me?” she asked, as she stepped into the doorway.
The reaction was instantaneous. The cackling laugh halted and Dwenn took a step backwards in shock. Krista was vaguely aware of the others as they awoke from the glamour, but her full attention was on the figure before her. The madness in her eyes was still there but it seemed to soften as Krista watched.
“Krista?” Her voice was like a little lost child’s as her expression lightened. “Is that you? Oh, my love, thank the Maker you’re here!”
Dwenn’s features turned desperate and horrified as tears formed in her eyes.
“Please Krista, please save me,” Dwenn pleaded. “I’m trapped in here, trapped inside this thing.”
Tears flowed down Dwenn’s cheeks as she continued, “You wouldn’t believe the things it’s making me do Krista…terrible, awful things, but I can’t help it. It’s too strong for me…I can’t stop it. Please Krista…please help me.”
For the briefest instant Krista wavered. The voice, the way she held herself, it was all Dwenn. She took a step towards her, ready to take her in her arms and tell her it would be fine.
Her Liberi’s heightened awareness revealed a flash of contempt in Dwenn’s eyes, before the creature she had become renewed the facade.
Krista maintained her mask of concern for her lover as she walked slowly towards her.
“Thank you, oh thank you Krista.” Dwenn spread her arms to receive her lover, gratitude evident on her face.
Krista entered the embrace, resting her head against Dwenn’s shoulder as she passed an arm around her back to draw them closer. As Dwenn began to close her arms around what she thought was yet another willing puppet, Krista plunged the blade up into her ribcage, deep enough to rupture the heart of the girl she loved.
Krista realised at last her hope had been foolish. There was nothing left of her Dwenn except the memories this thing was using to deceive them. She knew Dwenn’s soul had been twisted and corrupted beyond any attempt to heal it, and her only choice was to release it from its torment.
The creature’s face was close enough to kiss, and Krista did so now, just a peck on the cheek. It was enough to say goodbye as the body of Dwenn pushed itself back and looked down at the knife protruding from her chest.
“Why, Krista?” The creature wanted to maintain the act to the end, to punish her old lover as much as possible, but Krista decided she’d had enough.
“Because Dwenn died years ago, when your bastard master murdered her,” she said in a voice colder than death. “You’re just a shell, a poor copy of the person she was. The wonderful, brilliant, girl who I loved completely.”
The creature was on its knees now, with black, dead blood pooling beneath it.
“All you have left is a whisper of her, trapped there inside you.” Krista held Dwenn’s head in one hand as she drew another knife. “One I’m about to set free.”
“You won’t do it, bitch.” The real evil inside revealed itself in a last ditch attempt to save its life. “If I die, I’ll take her soul with me. I’ll spend eternity playing with the slut. I’ll make her curse the day she ever met you, by the time I’m done, your precious little Dwenn will__”
She didn’t finish the sentence. She might have found it difficult with the blade between her teeth pushed upwards into her brain. The creature fell backwards in a heap. Krista stood silent for a second before whispering one word.
“Liar!”
She stretched out her mind and watched the light of a single soul arise in joyous freedom. It seemed to linger for the briefest time, and Krista was overcome with a feeling of love and gratitude before the released essence of her love’s soul passed into the Never.
Tears flowed down Krista’s face as Toshi gathered her into his arms.
Goodbye my love, she thought as she leant into Toshi and wept.