chapter Twenty-Five
Things hadn’t gone as planned. At all. Mathieu coughed as he ran through the smoke of District 2, looking around with watery eyes. Thanks to Anastasie, more than half of the districts in Ateri were on fire now, and his team had become split up in the explosion. Vincent was at his side, but the rest were vanished into the debris and smoke. All around him, he could hear fighting. The fighting of the citizens and the soldiers; the fighting of Korinthians and Unithians. “Damn it,” he growled to himself, ducking down as a wiz of bullets went overhead. He needed to get somewhere higher, somewhere he could see from.
Vincent, back in the body of his wolf form, was pulling softly on his tunic, whining. “I know it‘s hard to breath, Vince,” Mathieu said, “We need to get to a roof, okay?” His eyes scanned the doors around him and he settled on the closest one.
With one good kick from him, and all of Vincent’s weight thrown at it, it flew open to reveal the bottom floor of an empty office building. “This will have to do. The power’s been cut, so we have to take the stairs.” He knew that it didn’t do much good to talk to Vincent, seeing as to how he couldn’t respond, but it was helping him keep a clear head through the haze of gray.
The door to the stairs was in the back left corner, and it opened with a good shove. The locks hadn’t been engaged. As they started climbing the stairs, he wondered what he has really expected for the invasion. Mathieu hadn’t really thought that they’d come storming in and the soldiers would just lay aside their weapons, but he hadn’t wanted this blood bath, either. It had to end soon, and the only way that would happen was if he finished what he’d come to do.
“Five more floors.” The stitch in his side was killing him, and the sword at his hip wasn’t exactly a basket of kittens.
Vincent sprinted ahead of him the rest of the way until they stood outside the door that led to the roof. Stopping to pant, Mathieu put a hand on the wall to keep himself up. Once he had most of his breath back, he unlatched the door’s floor bolt and pushed it open. Here, they were above the haze of the explosions and he could look down the entire block. Soldiers and Unithians were fighting most of way down. Not far, though, Erik and Narrie stood fighting back to back. They’d have to do for what he was planning.
With their position in his mind, he headed back to door, but stopped at a small whine from Vincent. The wolf whined again before running for the edge of the roof and launched across the small opening to the next roof over.
“Brilliant! Good boy, Vincent!” Mathieu closed the door and ran after his cousin. Landing smoothly, he raced with Vincent across the rooftops, having a moment of fun in the chaos. They landed on the last roof for the block. There was a ladder fire escape on the far side which he could use, but there wasn’t a way for Vincent.
He checked the door to the stairwell, but it was locked tight. “Damn it. Alright.” He gave his cousin a pained look, then knelt down and picked Vincent up. Draping the whining wolf around his neck, he set his shoulders, then started down the ladder. “It’s not much further, okay? Don’t start fidgeting or I’ll drop you.” Vincent was probably fifty-five or sixty pounds of solid muscle and the weight pressed heavily on Mathieu’s tired body.
It was a long trip down from the top of the seventeen story building. His foot slipped once and they both almost fell, but Vincent had snapped out and caught a hold of the side-railing with his fangs until Mathieu was able to get his footing. About five feet from the ground, the ladder ended where it’d been broken. “Are you kidding me?” He groaned. But then a laugh came from below him.
“Hey kid. How’s it hanging?”
“Oh shut up, Erik.” He rolled his eyes. He could always count on his father to show up at the worse times.
Erik touched his ankle, “Climb down as low as you can and drop. I’ll catch you two.”
Grumbling at how humiliating the situation was, Mathieu shimmied down as far as possible, then he let go and slid down into his father’s grip. A few squished seconds later, and he was on the ground, setting Vincent down. “Thanks, Erik. But we have to go now, though. Where’s Enak?”
“Oh, the kid is doing his best to cause mayhem and destruction. Where are we going?” Erik asked, popping a cigarette out of the pack.
Erik lit the smoke and kept pace as Mathieu made his way to Narrie. “Narrie, you too.” Mathieu said, touching the woman’s shoulder. “We’re going to the palace. Come on.”
Just then, a round of shots fired, but not at them.
“Elric!” The scream that broke the air came from Avanon.
Turning towards the scream, Mathieu watched as Avanon tore through three soldiers to get to the bleeding Elric, who was on the ground. “You idiot!” She yelled, “Start healing yourself!” Putting her hand on the worse of the wounds, she started to cauterize the injury. “Stupid, stupid…”
Elric caught her wrist and smiled at her, his wounds already knitting closed. “It’s alright, Avanon. Are you okay?” He said as he sat up.
“Okay?!” Her voice cracked as she screeched, “The man I love is bleeding out in the middle of a battlefield!”
“…You love me?” Elric said with a sense of wonder, pushing his glasses higher up his nose.
Avanon rolled her eyes. “Idiot.” Then she lean forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him.
It was such a bad moment for a bit of romance, but Mathieu couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. He’d been standing still for too long, though, and a soft nip to his fingertips from Vincent brought him back. “Right. Erik, Vincent, Narrie. Let’s go.” Vincent gave a short yip and the others nodded.
They took off down the main boulevard, sticking to the edges of the fighting. A few hails of bullets came their way, but they mostly avoided being attacked as they worked their way to District One. There was a small scuffle with a half-death Unithian on their side, but no one died.
Ducking into an alley that Mathieu realized was the side street he had ran down when escaping the guards on his first visit to Ateri, they moved parallel to the castle.
“Anastasie blew a hole in the castle wall just up ahead. She was pretty sure we’d need an entrance.” Narrie informed him.
He nodded, “And all of the guards I recognize are in the fray. We shouldn’t run into any problems.” As much as Mathieu hated to admit it, he wished that he hadn’t been separated from Solomon.
The ragtag group stopped at the other end of the alley. Not far down the way was the hole that Narrie had mentioned. It was more of a crater. There was a chunk missing out of the ground, and an entire section of the wall had crumbled. They’d have to climb over rubble. “Everyone ready?” He looked over the other three and nodded to them.
Erik touched his shoulder, “I’m with you, Son.” There was a long moment between them, and then, “You’re mother would be proud.”
Mathieu smiled. “She’d be proud of you, too, Erik. But we need to go now.”
They made their way to the wall, but Vincent went over the mount of rubble first, using his sure feet to map a path over the shifting debris. Mathieu followed him over, only slipping once. The trek was rather long because of its roundabout nature, but they all made it over without injury. Narrie stood next to him, looking up at the glittering glass of the palace. “There it is…”
“It’s like there’s a shadow hanging over it, you know?” Mathieu said, resting his hand on the pummel of his sword to reassure himself. “I think it’s Avian. She knows were coming home.”
Vincent let out a long, low howl that was echoed off the rest of the castle’s protective walls. A few seconds later, another wolf song rose up from further away, singing back to him. With that, he put his nose to the ground and headed for the front door.
“I guess that’s our signal to go?” Narrie questioned.
Erik nodded. “That was Banin. Vincent wanted him to know where he was.”
Mathieu and Narrie took point as soon they had passed through the large front door. “Where do you think he is going be hiding?”
“Who?”
“The flying dolphin.” Mathieu replied sarcastically, then sighed. “The King, Narrie. The reason we’re here.”
She smacked her forehead, “My bad; should have realized that. He’ll be in his office. Three floors up from the Throne room.”
“Servant’s stairwell?”
“Or we could follow the one with the razor sharp nose,” Erik cut in to their conversation, pointing to Vincent who was once again in the lead. Vincent took them through the Throne room, stopping to sniff the King’s chair. He raised his nose into the air and took a deep sniff, then started down a side corridor.
“Where the hell is he going?” Narrie asked, following the wolf down the hallway. They made their way down the hallway into an open area that Mathieu had never seen before.
Mathieu watched as Vincent walked a few circles around the room. “No clue.” Then Vincent took the bottom of a tapestry in his mouth and pulled until it came free from the wall. Behind it was a heavy, iron door locked with two different locks.
“Well, I’ll be damned if I’ve never seen this before.” Narrie said. If she was admitting to not knowing about something in the castle, it really must have been well hidden.
“There they are!” A strong voice from behind them shouted.
Mathieu rounded on the man, drawing his sword. “Jaken.” His eyes narrowed at the man.
But Narrie stepped forward from their group. “Mathieu, go. I can handle him and his little goonies.” She held a hand out and the water started to pull from the air. “Wanna dance, Jaken?” The head guard sneered at her as two more joined him.
But Mathieu couldn’t watch them any longer. He was fumbling to undo the locks with his energy, and then threw the door open as soon as they both click open into his hands. “Erik, let’s go. Now. Narrie, stay safe!” He was already sprinting up the stairs.
“Will do!” She yelled after him.
As they ran up the narrow stairway, Mathieu panted out orders to Erik, “No matter what, Erik, you have to get the queen out to safety, okay?”
“But--”
“No, Dad.” He put a special emphasis on that word, “Just do it. I can take care of the King by myself. I promised Avian I’d protect her mom.” They came out in a dark, small room just before another door. Vincent whined softly. “Is he in there?” The wolf bobbed his head. “Okay then. This…this is it.” Mathieu’s heart was pounding in his throat. He put his hand on the doorknob, but he was trembling so hard he couldn’t turn it. Panic was welling up in him. This was the moment he had been working towards for so long, since losing his best friend. So much had changed, and this would put it beyond changing back. An explosion rocked the castle from not far away.
“Bets on whether that was Anastasie or Enak?” Erik said.
His voice caught in his throat, but he would bet it was Enak.
He turned the doorknob and gave it a push. In the split second before it swung in, a softness washed over him, accompanied by a trickle of Avian’s scent. Something deep down told him it would be okay.
The door opened and the trio spilled into the room. Mathieu’s sword was still drawn, his hands tight on the grip. “Where is he…?” His gaze traveled over the room.
“Are you looking for me?” The King stepped out of the shadows at the far end of the room. The room itself was long and high, almost an exact replica of the Throne Room, except that there was a huge desk at the end instead of thrones. The King came around to lean back against his desk and folded his arms over his chest. “So you’re who has been destroying my beautiful city.”
Anger broke through the panic that had settled into Mathieu’s chest. “I’m here for your life, you bastard.”
“Is that so?” The King gave Mathieu a bored look before tilting his face up. “Well, I think you’ll find that a bit difficult.” As if on cue, the sound of fluttering wings descended on the room.
Two large dragonflies the size of houses dropped into the area between Mathieu and the King.
“Is that the best you can do?” Erik laughed.
The man against the desk smirked. “No. This is.” He snapped his long fingers, and an odd snapping sound filled the room. With grotesque sounds, the dragonflies started to curl into themselves and mutate until their legs were replaces with sharp stingers that dug into the floor, fire licked at their mouths, and the wings took on an metallic glint.
“Oh, shi--” Mathieu dived to the side the one closest to him lunged at him, wings fluttering madly. The way they moved was disjointed, the wings only powerful enough to lift the dragonflies until their six stingers scrap along the stone, making a bone rattling screech. The fact they were longer than four carriages end-to-end didn’t help their gruesome image.
The dragonfly was bearing down on him, standing at least three times his height. Fire released his way, but it was clear the dragonfly had no control over it. Ducking, it flew right over Mathieu’s head, but he could feel the heat of it. He swung his dual blade out widely, forcing his energy into the space between. But his weapon bounced back with a resounding clang, making his arm shake. Of course they were armored. It couldn’t be any other way.
Mathieu rolled forward under the belly of the beast, praying there was unprotected. But it was just as armored as the leg had been. “Are you kidding?” He could stand up completely under the dragonfly and he did his best to stay under it, out of its line of sight. But he realized that this was a very bad idea, because the longer that the monster couldn’t see him, the more wildly it started to attack at nothing, becoming more dangerous, if possible.
Dodging out into the open, he steeled himself for more fire. And it came, but he swung his sword hard, cutting through the flame. The dragonfly fluttered at him, its front legs, now stingers, stabbing out at him. Mathieu stumbled back, doing his best to avoid them, but he stumbled backwards and landed on his back. He knew that one hit from those yard long stinger meant it’d all be over.
A pained whine came from his left, followed by Erik yelling out Vincent’s name.
Doing his best to still avoid the dragonfly, Mathieu looked towards his father and cousin, and he nearly lost it. Vincent lay in a heap on the floor, bleeding out and whimpering. “Vincent!” He’d had enough of this. Lifting his hand into the air, he let his eyes come to rest on the phoenix wrapped around his wrist. Anger was rippling through him and the gold started to glow red. He could feel Erik’s pain coursing through him with Enak’s power. “Svenak!”
Power so strong that it hurt to contain welled up in him. He knew he was yelling, but he wasn’t sure what, as he aimed the flow the molten energy at the mouth of the dragonfly. The magic flew out of him, and it felt like his soul was being taken with it. He wasn’t sure what he had expected to see, but it was like a jet of solar energy shooting out of him, ripping the dragonfly closest to him in half. It was nothing like the small drills he had done back in Korinth with Enak.
Ignoring the dull green blood that splattered everywhere and sizzled, including onto him, he ran to where Erik was kneeling over Vincent. The dragonfly’s blood was like acid, burning his skin, but as he skidded to a halt in front of his family, he just didn’t care. Shotting Enak’s power at the second dragonfly, he eliminated it just as easily as the first. More blood landed on his skin.
Mathieu dropped to his knees beside his father, petting the fur of Vincent’s muzzle. “Can you try to hang in there…?” All he got as a reply was labored panting, a pitiful whine, and hands covered in blood. “Oh, Vincent…”
Erik was shaking beside him, “He jumped in front of me and took the blow…this is my fault.”
Mathieu looked at the King, who was now cowering against the back wall. In the back of his mind, Mathieu realized that he stood between the King and the only exit to his secret chamber. Vincent’s pained sounds were pulling at his heart, and he knew that he wasn’t strong enough to heal that much damage. “I’m sorry, Vincent…you’re such a good cousin…and I wish I’d gotten to know you better.” He leaned down and kissed Vincent’s muzzle. The wolf gave a soft whimper as Mathieu ended his pain.
Tears streamed down his face and his sword was back in hand. Mathieu let the energy he was tapped into mix with his own, flowing into the dual blade. “You’ll pay for this.” He said, standing to face the King. “Erik, find the Queen and get her to safety. Now.” There was a rustle and a sound of retreating steps, then the door opening and closed. “You bastard.” Mathieu was shaking like before, but this time it was with anger, not fear. This man, this King, was slowly taking everything from him that he cherished, and Mathieu would have no more of it. Walking through the corpses of the King’s pet dragonflies, he came to stand a few feet from the man. He was so angry that he had reached a state of false peace. The dragonflies’ acid-like blood wasn’t even hurting him anymore.
The King’s voice trembled as he spoke, “And w-why should you kill me? If Avian knew—”
Mathieu had no need for words, and was upon the King in a matter of steps. He slashed down with his sword, slicing into the man’s shoulder. “You don’t deserve to even say her name.” Was all that he could grind out past his consuming anger.
It was easy. Just one twist of his wrists and a hard shove was all that it took to sever the man’s head from his body. But it wasn’t enough. Rage clouded the corners of his vision and he began to scream and cry, hacking and slashing at the body until nothing remained but a bloody pile of meat and bones.
Now it was enough.
~*~
A day later, Ateri was still smoldering from its fires. Solomon was safe; he’d seen him in passing with his own two eyes, as were all the others. A few cuts and bruises, but no lost limbs or anything major. Avanon and Elric has announced their plan to be wed soon, Narrie was helping to organize with the cleanup of the city, Erik had reunited with Enak, and Anastasie had returned to her home with Banin to mourn the loss of Vincent. The rest of the rebel force was currently holed up in the castle, resting and recuperating. At the moment, they were all asleep and everything was okay.
Mathieu sat in the Royal Graveyard that was set upon the slight hill at the back of the castle’s property. Beside him was Avian’s newly erected headstone; he’d made it himself, with her name and dates of birth to death. Under it, though, was buried Vincent. He didn’t think Avian would have minded. He couldn’t see her at the moment, but he knew she was there.
As the suns came over the horizon, he and Avian watched over her city.