Eran grinned, relieved to see my awareness had returned. He then stepped aside to reveal those behind him: A portion of his army who had been imprisoned in cells below us, Campion, his first lieutenant included, having fallen earlier to protect us; my housemates gawking expectantly to see if I was all right; and…Gershom at the opening of my cell. From his fingers dangled the stone keys custom designed for our captivity.
“
How did you…?” I began but he nodded his head towards the door and I followed his motion.
Standing there, acting as lookout, was the older woman from the assembly.
“
You don’t have much time,” she whispered urgently, again peering around the corner of the doorframe.
That message got us moving.
While passing Gershom, I said, “Good job. How-How did you know she would have the keys?”
“
I didn’t,” he said with a shrug. “I evaded the guards, made it to the door of your confinement and found Evelyn here… She was already unlocking it.”
The rest of us turned to her in unison, eagerly waiting for further understanding.
She glanced over her shoulder briefly. “I disagree with your imprisonment…and I’m not the only one. But it will take time, or something calamitous, to convince others. Until then, once you’ve escaped, stay hidden. Gershom will remain with me so that he can locate you when it is safe.”
“
Sounds like a solid plan,” Felix agreed. “Now…if we could just find our way out…”
“
I’ll show you,” Gershom offered and I was pleasantly surprised to see him finally embrace his role as sentinel. “Since I’m the only one with the ability to sense others coming…it’s just logical.”
“
Thank you,” I said, placing my hand on his shoulder to show further appreciation. Then I spun towards the woman who had released us. “And thank you, Evelyn, for all you’ve done.”
“
Well…it isn’t over yet,” she replied and then nudged me out the door. “Get going…”
I followed Gershom with Eran directly behind me and the rest of our entourage behind him. We lined up single file down the hallway, keeping our footsteps light to prevent them from echoing.
We took several hallways and two flights of stairs before we were back on ground level. Our group had just reached the door to the courtyard, to freedom, when I halted.
“
No…” I whispered, furious.
Eran was frozen by that point, tense and alert. While his eyes were on me, I knew he was listening for the same telling sounds, the same confirmation as me.
“
What?” Ezra whispered from further down the hallway.
Already my hand was on the back of my neck…where I felt the unmistakable sign of Fallen Ones advancing.
“
They’re coming…” I said, “and they’re coming fast.”
CHAPTER EIGHT: INVASION
Fallen Ones typically attack alone with stealth invisibility or in small, inconspicuous hordes. At times, when the need has called, they congregate and send progressively larger flanks into battle on intervals. This assures them the advantage of terror as their victims witness an ever growing army while giving them an understanding of how their victims fight and the tactics they use to defend themselves.
There was no need for either of these strategies to be employed for the Alterums.
Alterums had no tactics.
Most of them had never learned defense, having come to earth with the innocent belief they would be safe from harm given the advantage of their supernatural ability.
They had never considered the possibility of an invasion by Fallen Ones. This couldn’t have been clearer when Eran opened the door to the courtyard as the first wave hit.
The Fallen Ones came in silent just as dusk had arrived and it appeared they had discarded their previous tactics in favor of an all out bombardment. Their winged bodies blacked out the sky almost entirely as only the whistling sound of air moving across their wings and succeeding grunts from their victims filled the air.
The guards positioned as sentry were tossed aside like fabric dolls as Fallen Ones landed on the turrets and climbed over the useless stone walls, using their grey wings for flight as well as leverage when shoving aside the fortress’s defenders.
“
The armory,” Eran urged as he closed the door and turned from it. Just as he did, its metal lock fell in to place; as I was certain he did with the rest of the fortress’s exterior doors. The look he gave me confirmed what I thought. The frail wood doors would do little to obstruct the Fallen Ones but may buy us some time. We needed to get to the armory quickly.
Evelyn, who had followed behind us, whispered hastily, “Come with me.”
It probably would have been difficult to find if it weren’t for the rest of the Alterums heading there too. Rounding the last corner, we found a throng of them desperate, shoving, terrified as each tried to enter the one room weapon storage. Some had sprouted wings and were hovering haphazardly above the crowd, attempting to enter the door from above to no avail.
Ms. Barrett was shoving her way through the crowd from the opposite side when she caught sight of us. Her jaw fell open in offense at seeing us free and she began pointing in our direction, shouting madly. If I read her lips correctly, she was screaming, “Remain calm! Remain calm! They came for Maggie!” The incensed crowd, however, drowned her meager voice and we turned our attention back to the matter at hand.
“
This won’t do,” Ezra called out over the pandemonium.
“
If they find us here,” Campion yelled, “we’ll have rounded ourselves up nicely for them.”
Eran nodded sternly, surveying the situation.
Evelyn strode through our cluster, gesturing for us to follow her.
She led us through a number of passageways, the crowd’s noise growing fainter from behind with each turn, until she shoved open a door to reveal a small but tightly organized room on the other side.
“
Ms. Barrett’s office,” she announced, entering. “I think it’ll take her a while to get here considering she was on the other side of the mob.”
Rufus snorted. “I’m thinkin’ she’s the least of our problems.”
“
Indeed,” Evelyn said as she and Ms. Beedinwigg stepped up simultaneously to an armoire.
“
Eran?” Ms. Beedinwigg called for his attention, which had been directed down the hallway.
Without a word from him, the armoire’s lock turned, initiating a unified ‘thank you’ from Evelyn and Ms. Beedinwigg.
When the door opened, it revealed what we all hoped. Apparently, Ms. Barrett had an appreciation for weapons. Her cache inside the armoire included artillery from all areas of the world.
Ms. Beedinwigg immediately commandeered the sai while I took hold of two swords, giving one to Eran. By the time each of us had made our selection, the armoire was empty.
“
What’s the plan?” asked Felix, clearly hopeful that there was one.
We stared from one to the other and then Eran, who had continued to keep watch at the doorway, showed his ability to plan an offensive strategy in the most dire of situations. “The Fallen Ones will want to maintain a perimeter while the remaining forces raid the fortress, looking for Maggie. I will take the perimeter, quietly eliminating their guards. The rest of you will follow Campion and wait…”
“
Wait?” Evelyn demanded, stepping forward in disagreement.
“…
wait until the Fallen Ones have surrounded the Alterums at the armory and are focused on seeking Maggie in the crowd. Then you’ll surround the Fallen Ones and incite the Alterums to fight back from inside the huddle.”
Understanding now, Evelyn nodded. “And suffocate the Fallen Ones until they have nowhere to fight or to run.”
“
Correct,” Eran replied firmly. “Are we ready?”
Without uttering a word, each of us headed for the door, our weapons out and readied for battle.
I was the first in line and mentally preparing myself for the worst when Eran halted me. “Where do you think you’re going?”
I glanced at him. “To fight.”
He appeared momentarily stunned before his expression transformed to firm opposition. “You’re staying right here.” When I opened my mouth to argue, he didn’t give me the chance. “It’s too dangerous out there for you.”
My mouth fell open, amazed he would propose it. “It’s dangerous anywhere right now and if you think I’m going to hide while others die during a fight that I caused-”
“
I’m not asking, Magdalene.”
The rest of the room was silently watching now, which irritated me. They should have been down the hall already.
“
They have come here because of me, Eran.”
“
You are not responsible for this,” he countered.
We were at a standoff, neither of us willing to bend to the others request.
Rufus growled in frustration then and stepped forward. “I’ll keep ‘er safe.”
I turned towards him, openly offended, which Rufus ignored.
“
Thank you,” said Eran with a firm nod before disappearing through the door.
By the time the room had emptied, I was clenching and unclenching my fists, my jaw clamped shut and grinding.
“
Ah…calm down,” Rufus muttered.
I exhaled loudly, never having been more slighted. “You are my friend, Rufus.”
“
Aye, that I am. Now…if ya so much as leave me side, I’ll kill ya meself.”
“
Excuse me?” I said, perplexed as to what he was insinuating.
“’
Scuse yerself. I mean it, Mags. Ya need ta stay close ta me.”
I still didn’t know what Rufus was implying but I nodded agreement nonetheless.
When we left the room, I was exhilarated and confused, having no idea where Rufus was headed until we reached a staircase to the lookout lofts.
“
Don’t know what yer boyfriend’s thinkin’,” Rufus mumbled, disgruntled, “but he ain’t goin’ ta last long without someone watchin’ his back.”
I didn’t bother holding back the smile that surfaced. It might very well be the last one I have. It faded soon enough, anyways, once we opened the door.
Outside, Fallen Ones circled a few stories above the fortress. Along the lookout, additional Fallen Ones commanded the walls, watching for anyone who might attempt to breach the perimeter. I didn’t bother to count them but they far outnumbered us. It was discouraging until someone slid over the stone wall, grabbing one on the lookout platforms and pulling him over the edge.
Eran, I thought to myself. You’re about to get some assistance, whether you want it or not.
Rufus and I slipped along the wall of the lookout, intentionally staying in the shadows, until we reached the first Fallen One.
He was just over Rufus’s height with the same brawny physique. His wings were out but not extended, telling me that he was comfortably self-assured in his new surroundings.
We were going to challenge that…
Carefully waiting until no other Fallen Ones were looking in our direction Rufus then reached out and pulled the one we’d pinpointed back to the shadow.
My weapon, already drawn, slid across its throat, decapitating it.
Even severed, its mouth opened, preparing to warn the other, but Rufus caught him first. His hand clamped over the Fallen Ones mouth, suffocating it until it passed out. He then handed the head to me.
“
Finish ‘im off,” Rufus whispered.
Knowing I was the only one who could ensure a Fallen Ones ultimate death, I placed my hand over its cold, thick lips until we were certain it wouldn’t revive again. We then moved on to the next.
Eliminating them was not easy. As was the case with all Fallen Ones, they were vulnerable each in their own way. Rufus and I had to discover what every one’s vulnerabilities were and most importantly we needed to do it quietly.
Whether by luck or skill, the remaining Fallen Ones were oblivious to our actions, quietly circling from their posts above. The only one who did notice was Eran.
I looked up just in time to see him pull another one of our enemies over the wall and our eyes met. His grew wide and his jaw jutted out but he continued with his task at hand until it was done. Then, he found a way into the shadows that hid Rufus and me. By that point, we had eliminated every Fallen One on the lookouts.
When Eran emerged from a window next to me, his eyes said everything going through his mind, and it was not pleasant.
Rufus handed me another limp body and I quickly did my job to send him to a permanent death. Being the final one, Rufus motioned to us, asking if we were ready for the next onslaught.
I nodded in agreement but, even with my head turned away, I was convinced that Eran refused. Instead of getting the attentions of the Fallen Ones above, he and Eran launched in to an unspoken argument using rapid and sharp hand gestures.
The disagreement turned out to be futile. They had forgotten one pertinent element. The Fallen Ones felt me just as easily as I felt them, their radar being the same intense electrical volts I experienced.
Although I couldn’t be certain, I believe that as I grew more agitated while waiting for the two of them to finish their silent debate, the Fallen One closest to me suddenly picked up on the swell of emotion that began coursing through me.