The woman was carried through an echoing darkness, illuminated by the glow of thousands of tiny thread-like worms which writhed over the cavern walls. Soon she stopped struggling and lay limply in the creature's arms. Her eyes spoke of the turmoil within, but she made no sound as the creature laid her on a bed of seaweed and cuttlefish bones.
The Chadassa tore the remains of the woman's clothes away and then unfolded itself and embraced her like an octopus cloaks its prey.
And now Silus saw her crawling from the sea, sobbing and naked. Blood trickled down her thighs.
And now he was watching her lying on a bed and he could feel her thoughts as she screamed and sweated, the nuns surrounding and fussing over her urging her to keep pushing. But she didn't want to push and she prayed for death rather than the chance to see whatever foul progeny would emerge from within her.
When the nun handed her the struggling, mewling thing, however, she didn't hesitate to hold it to her breast, overwhelmed with relief that this tiny creature was a he rather than an it. Silus sensed her fierce resolve as she swore to raise the child as her own, in defiance of that which had been done to her by the creature.
Silus blinked and he stood before Belck once more.
'Your ancestor,' said Belck. 'That child was your great great great grandfather. Our blood has been running in your veins for all these generations. Only now, however, has the line grown strong. You are special, Silus. You belong with us.'
'You're lying.' Katya said.
'No, and Silus knows that I am not.'
Silus did indeed feel that what Belck had shown him was true.
'Come with us Silus.'
Silus looked at Katya and saw something like despair in her eyes.
There was a thunderous bang and the air itself seemed to tear as Belck was sent tumbling across the ground. The Chadassa that had been restraining Katya roared in pain, flames erupting from its eye sockets as it cooked from within.
Silus looked round for the source of the conflagration and was stunned to see Kelos standing at the prow of a small boat, shrouded with arcane energy as it rushed towards the shore. Another burst of that energy erupted from Kelos's palm, hurtling into one of the Chadassa as it flung itself at the mage.
The creature turned into a fine mist before it could even reach him.
'Get in!' Kelos yelled.
Silus grabbed Katya's hand and they ran.
Behind them, Belck was raising himself to his feet. The gem at the tip of his staff began to glow as he brought it to bear and, at the same time, the ancient creature emitted a sound that made Silus's skull ache.
A line of fire tore through the air towards them, the intense heat from the attack singeing the hair on the backs of their heads as they tumbled into the boat. Once they were safely on board the boom swung of its own accord and the sails met the wind, pulling them quickly away from the shore.
Silus turned to see Belck watching and, even from this distance, he could see the reflection of the flames in the creature's one good eye as the town burned.
The prow of the boat was pointed towards the Sarcre Islands, and Kelos sped them across the water on channels of magic that left a glittering wake.
'Silus help me.'
It was Katya. She was bent over, intense pain etched onto her face. Blood dotted the deck below her.
'Silus, I think I'm losing our child.'
Chapter Six
Katya awoke. Looking at the clock in the corner of the room she saw that it had only just gone eight in the morning, yet it was hot enough to be midday. She felt as though she had drifted through these last three days on Sarcre. Nightmares had painted the gaps between the moments of lucidity with lurid visions of sea creatures and screaming infants. Cradling her belly she was relieved to feel the curve of her flesh unchanged. When a kick responded to her touch she began to cry.
There was a knock on the door and Silus entered. Three days growth of stubble darkened his already swarthy features and his eyes spoke of a severe lack of sleep. For all that he still managed to show Katya a look of pure love. He kissed her and put a hand on her forehead.
'No fever it would seem. How are you feeling?'
'Better. I think we're okay now.'
'Kelos and Father Maylan are mostly to thank for that. Do you feel well enough to join us for breakfast?'
'I think so.'
Supported by Silus, Katya descended to the parlour. The men gathered around the table — variously eating, arguing and leafing through documents — were mostly unfamiliar to her, though she recognised Kelos as he helped Silus guide her to a chair.
'Why thank you gentlemen, you're awful kind to a cripple such as myself.'
Kelos blushed. 'I didn't for a moment mean to suggest… Why, I've seen you fight!'
'Sit down, I was joking. I can't thank you enough for all you've done for me. And I apologise for not recognizing you other gentlemen. The last time we met I was in a bit of a state.'
Dunsany introduced Katya to the crew, each met her nod with a smile or a raised hand of greeting. Only Emuel didn't respond. He hadn't spoken to any of them since his vision. This was something that suited the men gathered around the table just fine. Their only hope was that when it came time to leave Sarcre, Emuel would rediscover his voice.
'Without you, Kelos, we would be dead.' Silus said. 'But now that Katya has recovered I think that it is time we thought about going home. Nurn will need our help to rebuild.'
'I'm afraid that you'll find Nurn is beyond your help. I returned there myself just yesterday and it would seem that after you fled the creatures took their anger out on the rest of the town.'
'Oh gods!' Katya's grief was sudden and bitter and made the room swim. She leaned into Silus and he put his arm around her. 'What were those things?'
'I'm not sure,' Kelos said, 'but there were reports of similar creatures launching an attack on the Turnitia docks last month. There the devastation was on a much smaller scale however.'
'And Nurn,' Silus said. 'What have they done to our town?' Kelos's grave look told him everything he needed to know. ' Everyone?'
Kelos nodded. 'As far as I could see.'
Silus and Katya no longer had any family in Nurn. Silus's parents were both dead and Katya's mother lived on her own in Allantia. A severe and bitter split in the family meant that they hadn't spoken in years. However, the loss of their friends and colleagues in Nurn had utterly stunned them and, for a while, they stared at each other in incomprehension, until Silus's anger boiled over.
'But… What the hells for? Why did those things attack us?'
'I don't understand it myself, but when I rescued you it appeared that the creatures had come for you specifically.'
'The thing with the staff called me 'half-breed.''
Emuel let out a gasp at that and everybody turned to look at him. Though they were braced for a return of the eunuch's visions, none came.
'Yes, we have heard that term quite recently in fact.' Father Maylan said, nervously eyeing Emuel.
'That tattooed retard practically gave us all a heart attack screaming about it.' Jacquinto said.
'He does have a name!' Kelos snapped.
Jacquinto sneered but otherwise held his tongue.
'Have you any idea what the creature may have meant by 'half-breed'?' Kelos turned his attention back to Silus.
'It was just evil.' Katya said. 'Just a creature. It didn't make any sense.'
