Chapter 6: Coven

The deal was this. Chissler wanted to make an example of dissident Elementals in his bid to raise Anti-Elemental sentiment. He wanted to get rid of the Lurrannas, but he wanted to do it in a way that was very public and gave his private militia credit for their ultimate defeat.

Eramar, Victor, Konamay, and Erica led the contingent of Elementals through the murky metal sewage system. It was quiet. What little sounds could be heard only seemed to deepen the loneliness of their trek. The soft pitter-patter and splashing of dozens of armored boots followed behind him through the filth that covered the ground. The consistent drip, drip, drip of water sprinkling here and there through old, rusted pipes, many in sore need of maintenance. Even the steady rhythm of Eramar’s own heartbeat as he kept his breath level. He could feel the tension of his troops just as surely as he could feel his own. And yes, he was going to consider all of them his troops, Fire and Water Elemental alike. He didn’t know how much that sentiment extended to Erica, or even to Konamay for that matter, but he had to believe that they wanted this alliance to work as much as he did.

The two sensory-type Elementals that he used like trackers stayed just a few paces ahead of Eramar. If there was anything ahead of them, those two would sniff it out long before even the most advanced of mechanical sensors could. Eramar knew a little of how sensing worked. The only people he could sense were other Elementals, and only if they were near him. From what he knew, those of the Medical Psionic type with sensing abilities could sense anyone, not just those who could use psions, and that applied to artificial lifeforms as well such as Androids. More than that, they could also ferret out any traps that happen to be nearby since it would take a being of physical form, mechanical or otherwise, to set up those traps. The really good ones could tell the species of their target, as well as age, gender, and weight, regardless of distance. They could even tell what a target had for dinner recently. It worked similarly to the way wild dogs could sniff out prey, but exponentially more potent with an almost radar-like quality.

For instance, sensing didn’t just enhance the five senses, it expanded them, granting those truly skilled with knowledge that not even the most observant could tell. This proved especially true in the cases of those with Elemency, or those who at least come close to it like the many sentient races that naturally developed psionic abilities as part of their evolution. For instance, a sensory-type could tell what type of Element one used, what their psionic ability was, and how powerful the Psionic User was with each. They were especially sensitive to anyone actively using Elemency, or even violent actions of any kind that involved any number of weapons. The range of a sensory-type depended on the individual power and skill of the Elemental, but some could track a target a continent away. The Werewolves, who possessed sensing naturally, could track quarries from across star systems. Eramar knew this from his time with Mozar who boasted about his abilities constantly.

Although, there were still drawbacks. Some Elementals possessed knowledge of how to mask their presence from sensory-types, especially skilled Spiritual-Types like Eramar himself. And, of course, the terrain could make things difficult as well, like this sewer system deep underground with so much fecal matter and no fresh air to aid them.

Still, despite the difficulty they obviously faced, Carter and Simmons pressed on. By the slight hum of psions that Eramar could feel from them, both were deeply entrenched in their work as they moved forward cautiously. Occasionally, they would come across a fork in the path as multiple tunnels came into view. The two would pause a moment, then nod to each other in silent consensus and point to a path they said had been traveled recently. How recently, they either didn’t say or didn’t know. With all the twisting tunnels, Eramar could only perceive a few meters in front of him, even with the infrared systems of his helmet letting him see as if it were daytime. He could only trust that these two young bloods wouldn’t lead him astray. They had already traveled through dozens of divergent paths, and Eramar didn’t think he could find his way back easily if he had to. Of course, he could just teleport himself back to a familiar place, but that wouldn’t be much help to his men. He could only take two or three people with him at a time, and he couldn’t freely open breaches into the Gateway system like some Spiritual-Types could do in order to create portals that others could use.

Suddenly, Carter and Simmons both raised a hand almost simultaneously. They had gone tense. The tunnel lit up as dozens of Elementals summoned their Psionic Weapons, all glowing in hues of red, orange, blue, and green. Their armor glowed brighter in lines of similar colors, indicating psions being raised for battle. Eramar and the other Wielders didn’t summon their weapons. They knew the signal did not mean an ambush, but just to be alert.

The Fire Elemental, Simmons, leaned his red helmet forward to Eramar, speaking quietly. “We can sense Dark Water being used. They are a few miles down that way.” He gestured to the tunnel to their right that was leading down.

Eramar drew in a sharp breath. So, the time has come at last. Time to see what this pampered generation of ours is made of. I can only pray that we measure up to yours, Saria.

“How many?” whispered Victor fiercely.

Simmons shook his head. “It’s hard to say. Maybe fifty who can use Elemency for sure, though it’s unlike any Elemency I’ve ever felt before. It feels ... wrong somehow. Unnatural. It makes me want to puke just sensing the stuff. I can tell it’s Shadow Elemency because it feels like Dark Water, but it’s coming from a person. I think ... I think they feed off the Dark Water to fuel their Elemency.”

His tone sounded haunted, like someone had just walked across his grave. Eramar could hardly blame him. He knew what Dark Water was. The melted bodies and souls of those who fell victim to the Shadow Realm. No one really knew what came first, Dark Water or Shadow Elemency. Dark Water couldn’t be created without using Shadow Elemency on someone in a specific way. But then, Mages used Dark Water in their rituals to enhance their Shadow Elemency. Some even said that they got their powers from it, so the quandary remained.

“Can you sense Cthulhu with them? They would appear as massive amalgamations of Dark Water, though moving around like lifeforms.”

Simmons gave a huff of frustration. “I can’t tell. There’s too much Dark Water and Shadow Elemency being used. They might be there, but if so, I don’t think they’re moving.”

“There are others with them. At least a hundred,” chipped in Carter, though mostly directed towards Konamay. “They’re not using Shadow Elemency. I can tell that they’re armed. Hired muscle, perhaps?”

“Or hopeful initiates,” muttered Erica angrily.

“Either way, they are our enemies and will be dealt with accordingly,” asserted Konamay gruffly before turning to Eramar in a low tone. “What do you think, friend? Do we go in now or wait for the Patrollers?”

Eramar scowled. He hadn’t counted on so many that could use Shadow Elemency, and having backup besides.

“How long until the Patrollers can join up with us?”

“I already have them quarantining the surrounding area,” explained Erica. “They can get down here in maybe half an hour.”

“Simmons, are there any indications that the Mages have sensed our presence?”

Simmons sighed deeply. “I-I can’t tell. They’re moving around a lot, but that could just be their normal undertakings. No way to know if that’s because they’re agitated unless we take a closer look.”

Eramar considered. Half an hour. Not too long. But still, long enough to make a getaway, especially if they have transportation handy. If they got away now, even if they couldn’t get off-world, there was no telling when Eramar would find them again, or how much damage they might make in their attempted escape.

As Eramar considered, he heard Zand’s voice speak to him telepathically. Eramar.

Zand! Replied Eramar mentally. We’ve found the Mages. I need to know if we should attack now or wait until–

Before you continue, know that I’m not actually speaking to you. This is a recorded message I left in your psyche.

Eramar frowned, not sure how he felt about Zand rummaging around in his subconscious like that.

This message was designed to activate as you closed in on the Mages. You’re about to enter a portion of the planet where their power holds sway and mine can no longer help you. You will be in grave danger if you proceed further, but I trust you to make the right decision regarding these matters.

Zand’s voice paused as if waiting for Eramar’s response. He almost did so regardless of the fact that Zand wasn’t really speaking to him.

Keep in mind these three things should you choose to attack. One, the Mages most likely know you’re coming and have prepared accordingly. However, they may not know exactly when you will arrive, so surprise is still attainable, especially if you’ve gathered a sizable force as quickly as I estimated. Even so, be prepared for a trap.

When Zand spoke again, his voice sounded somewhat guarded. Two, the Mages have an informant among us. Not with your troops, but the same informant who misled Kormal of a possible breach in the Vaults. This informant has most likely already told the Mages about you. Be aware that intel on your abilities has likely been leaked to the enemy.

Eramar almost groaned. That would’ve been helpful to know a little sooner.

And three, the Mages likely have hostages. Keep that in mind in the coming battle. Also, whatever happens, I need you to get that fake Core back. I’ll explain later. If you still choose to go, then go with the Caretaker, my friend. I have already set contingencies in place should this turn into a trap as I suspect.

The message played almost instantly in Eramar’s mind, but he still had to take a few seconds to process everything. Get the fake back? But why? Why would Zand need the fake?

He realized that the others were still waiting on his response eagerly. “Listen to me very carefully. I have reason to believe that the enemy may have a mole among the Ministries that has already informed them of our coming.”

“A mole? Are you saying this is an ambush?” asked Robert Konamay, his voice slightly muffled from his helmet.

“I did tell you that this was likely a trap before we left. The volunteers who came with us understand that as well.”

“So, does the enemy know of us already?” asked Victor, his face hidden behind a red facemask and glowing orange eye sockets.

Eramar shook his head. “I don’t know. They probably know we’re coming, but they may not know when we will arrive. Still, they do have hostages and there is a chance that they may try to escape. Knowing this, I’d suggest we proceed. But as District 9 is under Water Ministry protection, it’s your call.”

The Konamays looked at each other briefly, and then back at Eramar before Erica answered. “Our men know the risks. Besides, we’ve allowed these monsters to murder in our District for too long. If we don’t deal with them now, it could mean their escape and more deaths later down the road.

“Given their numbers being greater than anticipated,” added Robert Konamay. “I’d recommend sending for Mason as backup. But still, I think we should press on and find out for ourselves what’s going on just to be sure they’re not trying to make a run for it.”

“I agree with my brother,” said Erica, her green-glowing eye slits shining brightly from her blue helmet. “We call for backup and then move in to assess the situation. We should be able to get a good handle on the battle conditions before the Patrollers come and determine whether to strike or not once we have the bastards in our sights. If it comes to that, hopefully we can round them all up before Mason arrives.”

Eramar sensed a touch of concern for the Patroller, Mason, in Erica’s voice, perhaps too much as to be objective. He would’ve preferred she keep her focus on the current predicament, but she was a seasoned veteran in her own right, so he needn’t voice that opinion. Still, they had reached a consensus far more easily than he had anticipated, and he would not pass that up.

“Alright, we go in. But I want you to keep two things in mind,” said Eramar as he garnered the attention of the whole contingent. “The best way to deal with Shadow Users is in close-quarters. Long-range, their powers usually overcome basic Elemency, but our Psionic Gear is superior to theirs and can offer some resistance to their powers. If the Shadow Elemency appears to be spreading, using separate elements from two different spectrums can have some effect in dousing it.”

Erica seemed a little startled as she said, “I didn’t know you had experience dealing with Shadow Users.”

“I don’t, but the Prime Minister does. He’s told me many times of when he once fought against the Mages,” Eramar replied guardedly.

This seemed to satisfy Erica as she went silent.

Eramar switched back to address the rest of the group. “The second thing I want you all to remember is that some of those not using Shadow Elemency might be the hostages. Mages need live prisoners for their ceremonies, so the possibility is high. Pass it along through the ranks to check their targets, especially when dealing with those who can’t use psions.”

Erica nodded and gave a silent signal to those behind as Eramar’s orders were passed quietly through the ranks via comm systems in their helmets. Eramar waited for a moment for his orders to sink in before he summoned his own blade to himself, a thin rapier with a golden handle and orange-glowing runes. The other Wielders followed suit. Konamay summoned his massive double-bladed scythe, its blades glowing hypnotically in shades of blue and green, one color for each blade. Eramar had to admit that seeing that deadly weapon again brought the willies. Even though it would be used to his benefit this time, it was one of the few weapons that came close to killing him, and he would not soon forget that.

Victor summoned a spear to himself with a single-edged curved blade that was almost as long as a sword. Attached to the spear point was a red glowing ribbon that flowed like a snake through the air with every flourish of the shaft. Though Eramar would never reveal it without Victor’s express permission, he knew that the ribbon was the real secret behind Victor’s attacks, at least in close-quarters. The blade glowed with an orange light with glowing runes tracing down the shaft which was made of a black and gold metal alloy. Even though the blade was the only place that could cut, the rest of the spear had been spelled in such a way to stand up against Psionic Weapons, leaving no vulnerable areas. In fact, those runes caused extreme pain if anyone besides Victor tried to hold the spear. Eramar knew this from experience when he tried to play a prank on Victor during their younger years. Many Elementals did the same kind of warding on their weapons, but Victor’s spear had a particular bite to it, as if it had been warded against Eramar specifically. Though to be fair, Eramar used to steal the spear on a regular basis before Victor spelled it.

Lastly, Erica Konamay summoned her own Psionic Weapons. Twin daggers that she held with the blades facing down, one glowing blue, one glowing green. The strange thing about the daggers was the fact that the silver metal handles were actually longer than the blades themselves which seemed puny even for daggers, almost like an afterthought in the weapons’ design. This was the first time that Eramar would get the chance to see Erica in battle. He had always heard of her prowess given the number of victories under her belt, but very little was known about her personal fighting style. The Water Ministry went to great pains to hide the abilities of their top-ranked Elementals like Erica and Robert Konamay. Eramar thought that there must be some kind of trick to her weapons, perhaps working in conjunction with her element or psionic ability somehow. He would’ve asked her about it so that they could work better as a unit, but she had another agenda.

“I know all of your abilities inside and out, so that will do for now,” she said as if reading his mind. “Well, almost all. Though given Wielder Harock’s weapon of choice, I can guess at his overall fighting style.”

Victor snorted, but she seemed not to hear him.

As she spoke, she worked idly on her wrist communicator attached to her armor’s gauntlet which served a number of functions, even offering some radar-like capabilities. “Simmons, Carter. As we approach, I’ll keep on the lookout for any conventional type of booby traps with my scanner so that you may focus on the Dark Water. Everyone else, focus on those with no psionic abilities, directing us to their positions if need be.”

The other sensory-types nodded behind her, peering around them as if expecting the enemies to come at them through the walls, which they very well might. From what Eramar heard, Shadow Elemency offered strange abilities to its users, perhaps even more varied than all the elements and psionic abilities combined. Just as they were gearing up to go, Victor leaned towards Erica, his red helmet glowing slightly with golden feathers at his ears.

“I assume you have a few Screamers handy to dampen our footsteps?”

Erica sniffed, and Eramar could just picture her smug smirk under her helmet. “Do you really need to ask?”

She gestured with her fingers, and a couple Water Elementals stepped forward. Eramar could already feel them using Elemency, a very subtle form of Elemency known only to the Screamers who could manipulate sound. Even as they went into a dead sprint through a water-strewn floor, no sound could be heard. The Screamers were absorbing all vibrations in the air to make for a completely silent approach.

Fortunately, sound could still be heard in their helmets as one of the sensory-types spoke into the comm unit. “Two sentries coming up around the next turn to the left in twenty meters.”

“I’ve got ‘em,” said Victor grimly.

Erica sniffed into the comm unit, almost petulantly as if jealous that Victor would get the first kill.

Victor then jumped forward in a burst of speed almost too fast to track, bounding ahead of the group and rounding the corner. From the soft ripples that disturbed the waters up ahead, Eramar knew that Victor had succeeded. The Elementals didn’t even break stride as they followed Eramar around the corner, careful not to step on the two bodies that littered their path. Eramar only spared a quick look at the sentries as he passed. Both human, mid to late thirties wearing gray trench coats and rubber boots. By their clothing and cheap firearms, they might’ve been street toughs from a local gang. They both had matching tattoos of ravens on their cheeks, most likely indicative of some gang custom of the local crime lords.

Victor was already running alongside Eramar, and Erica gave him an incredulous stare without breaking stride. “As I suspected, you’re a Physical-Type like my brother.”

Konamay grunted next to his sister. “And here I was thinking you were too skinny to be a Beater. Still, I’d bet you’re more of a Runner, putting more focus into speed rather than strength.”

“How observant of you, Water Wielders,” said Victor somewhat sarcastically.

Eramar knew Victor’s peculiar abilities were a bit more complicated than that, but he wasn’t about to reveal the man’s secret. Victor could be as secretive and paranoid as Water Elementals sometimes. Though, if they had just looked at his legs when he jumped ahead earlier, they would’ve realized their mistake.

After a few minutes, they slowed their sprint when Simmons and Carter indicated they were close. They had to deal with two more sentries, these ones silenced by Erica who sniffed at Victor defiantly as if they were in some kind of competition. Eramar caught a glimpse of the Water Wielder as she dealt with the sentries, both with similar tattoos and clothing as the previous two. She had killed them both before they even had a chance to raise their energy rifles, slicing each in the jugular with her knives. She was quick. Not quite quick on her feet enough to be a Runner, but close. What was most fascinating was how she moved, ducking out of the sentries’ line of sight before they could get a bead on her. That could indicate a number of different psionic abilities, or even a couple elements. Though Eramar would just have to content himself with puzzling out her abilities later.

The sentries had been circling a large balcony that overlooked some kind of arena above and below them. Several waterfalls of filth ran down almost like pillars from the top of the arena that went up into the darkness to who knew how far up. At this point, they were many miles below the surface of the planet, so there was no way of telling how far the arena went. Fortunately, the arena didn’t go too far down from where they stood. From his vantage point, Eramar could see dozens of figures shuffling down below. The figures all wore dark robes with long, pointed hoods obscuring their heads. After a closer look, Eramar could tell that the figures also wore masks; white masks completely bare of any features save for a symbol where the eyes should’ve been, a symbol that looked like curved scissors facing downwards.

The cloaked figures were walking around pools of frothing, black liquid that churned as if alive. Eramar had seen Dark Water before, but not in such huge quantities. What little Dark Water he had seen was contained in tiny bottles held by Mystics that he had fingered out over the years. His understanding was that one single soul could only create a small amount. The numbers required to make these pools would have to be in the hundreds at least, perhaps even in the thousands. Eramar shuddered at how he and his fellow Elementals had failed the people of Tarrus to allow this terror to fester in the very heart of their capital planet.