The 9th Fortress

swung upward and struck the angel in its centre, but the blade remained jammed in its gluttonous body. Kat tugged back the katana but the weapon was firmly wedged inside the form, a form slowly folding itself over Kat's upper body, engulfing his head, his shoulders, and further down to his chest.

Once completely devoured in its black glue, the thing from Hell clamped a hold and lifted Kat off his feet.

Doggedly, the samurai would not give in, struggling harder than before, biting, prying and ripping at this devilish messenger. He fought so hard that — yet again — the impossible hold was beaten off for a second time.

His landing was softer, and instantly he sprang up to defend himself. The angel above was joined by another identical creature hovering over the tall grass — eyes soulless and keen. Sweat poured down Kat's face, resigned now to his fate. He could fight off one… but not two, and certainly not three. When a forth black angel appeared, Kat returned the katana to its sheath, and waited for them to engulf him. His chance would come again — it would come.

That was four hundred years ago…

14. One Will Perish

Apart from my starting on one and a half feet, the fifth day began like all the others. Kat did not examine my foot on first light, or ask how I felt; that was a problem solved as far as he was concerned. When I set my weight on the ball of my heel there was enough of a foot left to keep upright. There was no pain when walking either, only an awkward equilibrium to get used too. Unfortunately for us, eventful moments of the past were soon and always surpassed.

Our connecting rope was our only harness along a ledge, teetering out from a wall of solid ice; and biting at our heels was a misty cloud called certain death. Kat did not claim this was the only route available, but that it was our route, and so we moved delicately over the threadbare shelf, thirty or more steps from safety. One careless slip was all it needed, so I pinned my chest against the glacial wall, smearing my face against the ice. The samurai — in customary do or die fashion — showed no fear, but still respected the Macros enough by keeping a cautious pace. A strong wind blew up our backs and I sunk my nails into the wall like a cat on a scratching post. Frequently, the other Kat would halt in-front of me. I figured he was either in some kind of meditation, catching his breath, or perhaps just as scared stiff as I was. Unlikely.

The longer we spent on this ledge the more it resembled polished glass, and the wall a mirror, reflecting our watery appearance back at us. Our soundtrack along the ledge was the unsettling cracking of this icy mountain.

Almost safe, and in deep consideration over my next handhold, a hairline crack suddenly appeared under my boot. My eyebrows shot to the top of my forehead as that break grew like a healthy plant. 'Oh no!' I whimpered. 'No…'

Dozens upon dozens formed immediately, as if I were an elephant on a plate of crystal. Kat experienced similar breakages under his feet, but bit his bottom lip and soldiered on for safer ground.

'Almost there!' he yelled back, but his steady pace and calm disposition was suddenly interrupted. Giving no explanation, Kat ignored the shattering ledge to stop again. 'Don't come any further!' he ordered. 'Not another step!'

'What? What do you see?'

Kat studied the ice in front of his nose, and raising his right hand, he placed the palm flat on the wet wall.

'Kat!' I cried, desperate. 'The ledge! It won't hold us!'

There was another cracking of ice and the ledge began its disintegration.

'We have to move!' I screamed. 'Go! Go! Go!'

I scurried to Kat's side, then shrieked as a pair of decayed arms punched free from the icy wall and squeezed around his throat. I fell screaming as the ledge shattered; and plummeting, I was brought to sudden stop by the rope yanking around my waist. I moaned in agony like Kat above, he experiencing the full brunt of my weight and the decomposed fingers crushing his windpipe. Those alien hands were the only thing preventing us from falling to our deaths. Choking, the samurai kicked and kicked and my face received the trickling snow from his boots. Terrified, I then watched as Kat, in one brisk motion, was sucked into the ice.

'Kat!'

No answer — no body — no sign — only a jagged hole and the rope hanging taught from its centre.

'Who's there?' I yelled up, feeling a tug on my rope. 'What the fuck!'

That tug became a pull, one great heave after another, raising me upward and into the smoking gap.

***

'Kat? Where are you? Kat?'

I could see nothing, but heard the dripping of melting ice. I expected Kat's weight to be on the end of my rope, but when I pulled on it, only the slack collected over my lap.

'What's going on?'

I felt the cold against my hands and shins, and sensed a chilly breath escape my mouth. The wait felt like forever, a wait that ended with a fantastic ray of sunshine blasting through me and out of the hole. I covered my face from this painful life force, a force that took time to settle. When it did, and when my eyes finally adjusted, I noticed a small blue orb floating before me. I had seen an orb like this one before. It was the soul stripped of its skin, still in time and no larger than a pea.

'Have no fear, Daniel,' said a strong, feminine voice emanating from the orb.

'How do you know my name? What is this place? Where is my friend?'

'He is not your friend,' she replied, her straightforward manner like an old headmistress. 'Your relationship with the samurai warrior is one of convenience — not friendship — so let's not pretend otherwise.'

The star remained flickering in its place with a swirling vortex in the centre, razor sharp icicles making up its edges. 'What do you want?' I said, trying to compose myself. 'What have you done with him?'

'The samurai is safe,' she answered. 'His mind and body have been placed in suspended animation for the time being.'

'Suspended what?' I exclaimed. 'Let me go!'

'Settle down Daniel. You have come a long way, I simply wanted to make your acquaintance.'

'And this is how you go about it? Why?'

'I see things,' she answered, floating eerily close to my face. 'I see who you were in the past. I see where you are going in the future.'

'And why,' I stammered, 'would you be interested?'

'I am naked before you Daniel, a witch cast here by a wizard.'

'Scarfell!' I hissed, and her blue light blazed. I shielded my eyes as that light discharged a furious red heat.

'As my fire burns at your flesh!' she wailed, like a banshee. 'So his name scorches my soul!'

'Sorry!' I cried, the sensation now excruciating. 'I won't say it again!'

Immediately, the intense heat was replaced by the returning cold, and the sad voice inside it.

'You're the witch!' I said, shocked. 'I saw your broken broom in Bludgeon's cave, hung on his wall. It's dear to him…'

Her light shun a pleasing orange for the centaur. 'My name is Eternal,' she said. 'There are not many left who remember me. The poor beast Bludgeon, only Suppuku for company. If he knew of my dire situation he would surely come for me.'

'I could… tell him?'

'You will not,' she replied, curtly. 'You will continue on with your journey. Bludgeon believes me dead, for his protection, it shall remain that way. Risk to him is great indeed.'

'What happened to you? Why did Scar — I mean — the wizard cast you here? Why does a man like Bludgeon need protecting?'

'Because he is endangered. A very long time ago Daniel, this Distinct Earth was for everyone to see out their