Battle for Earth (27 page)

His momentum took him straight through the triangular door, past Zeta, and while Johnny could still feel the ice cold clutch of the Monk's finger around his wrist, he was unable to see the creature. He flew, hands clasped in front like the tip of an arrow, toward his sister. Even from a distance her eyes, wide open, were black like pits, a silent scream on her face, and it was clear the Nameless One would reach her first.

“Leave her alone,” Johnny shouted. The words echoed all around, repeating over and over.

The Nameless One stopped, looked up and laughed. He raised a hand and spoke in a low murmur like a rumble of thunder, saying only the single word “barrier.” It was a language Johnny had never heard, but the sliver of Hundra's soul deep inside him stirred, fleetingly filling him with joy, as though with such words the universe had been built. It proved short-lived. Johnny slammed headfirst into an invisible wall, smashing his nose, and found himself hanging helplessly in
the nothingness. The Nameless One spoke again, the Hundra translating as “solid.”

All around the sinister being, hyperspace began to condense, collapsing into solid cubes that joined together to form a pavement carrying the creature closer to Johnny's sister. He reached out an ugly, withered arm as old as time itself and, whispering something Johnny couldn't make out, touched Clara's hand. Pulled out of her fall, Johnny's sister fell into the arms of the Nameless One and didn't move. Johnny shouted Clara's name, but she did not respond. The same withered hand stroked her hair.

“Do something, Johnny.” Zeta's voice sounded distant, but hearing her gave Johnny the strength to shout out, “How dare you touch my sister.”

The last word again echoed around them and the Nameless One turned, the black eyes behind the mask staring squarely at Johnny. The word he spoke sounded like “road.” Immediately, the hyperspace between them turned solid and Johnny found himself standing on it as the most feared being in the universe began walking toward him, cradling Clara in his arms. The next moment the invisible bony finger of the Owlessan Monk unhooked itself from Johnny's wrist and any courage or strength he'd felt he had vanished.

The Nameless One said, “Johnny Mackintosh,” and it was as if Johnny became weak and powerless. It felt like a great weight was pressing down on his chest, forcing him against the strange ground and making it impossible to move. A white mist curled over the edge of the solid space on which he lay, engulfing him with an overwhelming sense of how tiny and totally insignificant he was. Pure hatred radiated from the Nameless One as the powerful being approached. Just as if strong hands had gripped either side of his face, Johnny's head was twisted upward so he found himself staring into the
bottomless pits of the being's eyes. “I have waited an eternity for this moment, Johnny Mackintosh.” As he said Johnny's name again, it was as though every syllable was filled with utter disgust and contempt, and Johnny's body became rigid, totally paralyzed. The creature continued in a deep, rumbling growl. “You will not, and cannot, deny me.” Tenderly, the Nameless One placed his blackened fingers over Clara's eyes to close them, before lowering her gently to the ground beside him. Johnny wanted to cry out, but was unable to make a sound. “Now you shall die like the sniveling insect you are, squashed under my boot.”

Johnny wasn't sure if the effect of the mist was making him shrink or if the Nameless One was simply becoming bigger, but the next moment the creature appeared at least a hundred times taller than Johnny, towering over him and lifting one foot, preparing to stamp down for the kill. Then he heard a sound, soft at first, but here in hyperspace it quickly built, resonating as though every atom vibrated in harmony with it. Even the mist swirling around Johnny no longer told him he was nothing, but that he was a part of everything, connected to the vastness of the cosmos. Linked as he was, he realized the noise was Zeta singing, and somehow the force holding Johnny down lifted. He rolled out of the way just as the giant boot slammed down, shattering the pavement which splintered into a million sharp pieces that fell away into the nothingness.

Zeta's song was quelled by a bass laugh from the giant towering over Johnny. “Ah—so little Johnny Mackintosh wants to play games, does he?” At the mention of his name, Johnny's body once again stiffened, but not before he spotted Clara twitch, even though her eyes remained closed. Then it appeared she'd sat up, but Johnny saw why. A long bony arm had wrapped itself around her waist. The next moment, the scarlet robes of the Owlessan Monk became visible as it
plucked her off the solid pavement and flew toward Johnny, wrapping another arm around his rigid form as it went.

Now that it was holding him it was as if Johnny was seeing double, with a fainter, second outline of the Monk further ahead, and then an even fainter one beyond that, all aligned toward the triangular opening where Zeta stood. The princess appeared just a faraway speck in the distance, but one that was quickly becoming bigger.

“No!” roared the Nameless One, the rumble filling hyperspace. Somehow the Monk squeezed Johnny and Clara through the doorway without slowing down. As they passed, Zeta grabbed hold of Johnny's waist and clung on, to be carried along behind. Freed from his paralysis, Johnny looked around. Not far beyond the princess, and gaining all the time, was the Nameless One, but the body behind the black mask was gone, replaced by nothing but an all-consuming river of fire that was devouring the corridor between worlds. Worse still, Zeta's hands, were now sliding down toward Johnny's ankles.

Up ahead, the chain of Monks was becoming more distinct as they neared the Fountain of Time. Johnny wished he knew how the golden lake worked—time was the thing they needed more of to make their escape. He twisted and found himself staring into Zeta's cat-like eyes, in which the fire was reflected. The princess was hanging on by her fingertips. She looked back at Johnny, shook her head and, before he could do anything, she let go, landing in the corridor and tumbling forward. She got to her feet and ran, but the Nameless One was almost upon her.

“Stop!” Johnny shouted to the Monk, who ignored him and flew on regardless. Johnny tried to pry himself free of the bony hand that held him, but the grip was too strong. They passed the door to which the “No Entry” sign was attached and it was clear Zeta would never reach it in time. The mask was right behind her, the flames licking her purple hair.

At the very last moment the princess dived through a doorway—any doorway—to escape the fire and, for a fraction of a second, the Nameless One hesitated, wondering whether to go after her or follow Johnny and Clara down the corridor. It was enough.

The Monk opened a door that led into the insides of the thought chamber and flew through, bringing Johnny and Clara with it. There with Louise must have been fifty other Monks, all crowded around and above the crystal plinth, lights burning brightly within their chests. Johnny looked back to see the Nameless One racing behind. Any second now and he would be with them on Titan. The first Monk dropped Johnny and Clara on the ground before placing a long finger into the spot above the center of the chamber, restoring the dome. Ripples flowed backward from the edges of the plinth to the point of contact as the clear covering re-formed. Flames filled the insides of the chamber and the Nameless One slammed against its roof like a clapper striking the inside of a bell, sending a clear chime ringing out across the lake. The dome shuddered, but held firm. The flames faded, sucked into the bodily form of the Nameless One. The expressionless mask turned upward and the black eyes met Johnny's green ones.

For a few seconds Johnny found himself staring into an abyss. Then the creature in the dome turned and opened the door into the charred corridor. He strode purposefully along and the view within the chamber followed him, until he reached another door, black like obsidian. The creature touched the smooth surface and it opened into a scene Johnny recognized only too well.

The creatures standing or hovering within the courtyard at the center of the Imperial Palace cast two short shadows, the
twin suns of Arros and Deynar hanging high in the midday sky. Imperial civil servants scurried in all directions, a mixture of different aliens, including stick-like Phasmeers, four-winged Hapchicks, the blue and orange fur-skinned Felixians and cube-like Teningurds. Nearby, the Great Tower of Themissa pointed proudly upward into the atmosphere, far taller than any eye could see, its blue light shining brighter than Johnny had ever witnessed before. The buildings along the sides of the courtyard, white stone bathed in the red glow, had once been Johnny's home for several months and seeing them since had always made him smile, but no longer.

At the very center of the quadrangle, with several bow-legged Mannigles scurrying around their feet, stood two figures: a tall Phasmeer sporting diamond-encrusted slippers and wearing a mask that covered half its face; and a short boy with wispy orange hair between the two stubby horns on the top of his head and a pattern of six scales framing his face with a regular hexagon. Chancellor Gronack and King Erin, son of Marin, were locked in conversation until each stopped and turned as a double shadow fell over them. The Phasmeer's antennae collapsed onto its narrow head and, without hesitation, both figures sank to the ground and knelt, along with all the other aliens in the courtyard behind them. Facing them, towering over every other creature on Melania, stood the mighty figure of the Nameless One.

Johnny forced himself to look away from the dreadful scene within the thought chamber and knelt beside his sister on the hard ground. Louise had taken her sweatshirt off and placed it under Clara's head as a pillow. Johnny grasped his sister's hand. “Clara,” he said, “are you OK?”

In a flash Clara sat up and said, “Do I look OK?” She opened her eyes, revealing their pitch black insides. Louise gasped and stepped back. Johnny kept hold of his sister, helping her to her feet. The Owlessan Monks began circling the crystal grotto, swooping around while linked together.

“They want to steal my power,” said Clara, pointing with her free hand toward the lights burning within the chests of the scarlet-robed creatures. “They leach off me, but I'm too strong.”

“Clara—they rescued you,” said Johnny, trying to steer his sister through the forest of blue crystals.

“Exactly,” Clara replied. “So they could capture me for themselves.” She let go of Johnny's hand and began turning on the spot, glaring at the Monks as though her stare would keep them at bay.

“You have it all wrong,” said Johnny. “They're on our side.”

“Or you're on theirs,” Clara replied, her eyes wide, reflecting the golden surface of the nearby lake. “Where are you taking me?”

“To the
Bakerloo
,” said Johnny. “So we can get you back to the ship.” He tried to take her hand, but she pushed him away.

“Walking to your pathetic shuttlecraft,” said Clara. “I sense the
Spirit of London
in the skies above us, just as I sense all things. I can have us there in an instant.”

“Stop it!” said Johnny, alarmed. “Don't you get it? You mustn't fold. You mustn't ever fold again.”

“You're just jealous you can't do it yourself,” said Clara, “that you don't have my power. Well, you can't stop me. Walk to the
Bakerloo
if you must, but I'm out of here.”

Johnny was desperate. He knew he had to stop Clara before she returned to the Klein fold, but he had no idea how. Louise approached from the other side, tapping Clara on the shoulder.

“What?” His sister spun around and was greeted by a punch in the face, sending her flying backward in the low gravity before she collided with one of the blue spikes. There was a loud crack, the pillar snapped in two and Clara's limp body slid unnaturally slowly to the ground.

“Still got it,” said Louise, blowing on her enclosed fist. “C'mon—let's get her to the shuttle before she wakes up.”

Johnny realized he was gawping with his mouth wide open. “Right … yeah,” he said, stirring himself and walking across to help Louise carry the unconscious Clara to the waiting
Bakerloo
.