'Lord Machado,' I said over the lump in my throat.
'We have never been properly introduced. You have plundered through my memories. My precious things. You have delved into my power and tried to take that which is mine. You have ruined my plans and stolen the glory of the ancients, an honor which is rightfully mine. And yet, I do not even know who you are.' He stopped, only a few feet away. The artificial construct of the Old Man's world shifted violently as the Cursed One intruded. The fabric of the surrounding town rippled as if it were fluid. 'Who are you?' he hissed.
I somehow found the courage to respond. 'I'm the man that's going to kill you once and for all.'
Snapping his head back, he laughed-the same evil laugh from the memories. 'How naive. I cannot die. I am eternal. Far greater things than you have tried to take my life. I refuse to die.'
'We'll see about that.'
He raised the ax slowly, taking it in both hands, balancing it, feeling the weight. He inspected the blade, carefully running one thumb over the edge.
'I've killed thousands of men. I could kill your body now as you sleep. I could take your spirit and chain it to the artifact like your guide. Do not be insolent with me,' he threatened. 'It would bring me much joy to rip the heart from your chest.'
'Try it.'
He did not move, merely stood, cradling his ax, smiling slightly, as if my bravado amused him.
'Are you going to sit there, or are we going to do this?' I asked, preparing to fight. How did you battle an immortal being in your own dreams? I was about to find out.
'Nay,' he answered. 'For in this place you are safe. I am but a shadow, a message, a warning. I am here but as a friend. I come to offer you a pact of peace and cooperation.'
'Fuck off.'
'My young friend, you have much to learn.' He planted the ax head solidly into the floor and leaned upon the shaft. 'Tomorrow I will rule. That much is already determined. Those who stand with me will be greatly rewarded. Whatever you so desire, power, riches… You wish to have the vampire's daughter. I can see to it that the two of you shall live together for eternity… in return for your allegiance. It is within my power to give you whatsoever you wish. I will need captains for my army, great men such as yourself. Think of the glory.'
'Real tempting,' I answered. 'But how about I just find you and shove that stupid ax up your ass?'
'Those who stand against me will be crushed. I shall kill you for eons. I will wear your skin as my cloak, I will grind your bones into powder, I will drink your blood, and I shall chain your soul to the artifact forever. A token trophy of my victory.' As he spoke he began to change, features becoming blurry and darkening, as if he was cloaked in smoke. He grew, widened, black-glistening tissue protruding through the seams of his clothing and creases of armor. The ax thumped to the floor, no longer fitting in the fleshless hands. 'I shall take every one that you have ever loved. I shall turn them to me, or I shall swallow their souls. I shall make them suffer as you do, and they shall know, as their flesh burns and their skin is peeled away, that it was you who caused this suffering. That it was you, through your foolishness, which caused them such pain. And they will curse your name through eternity.'
The Cursed One's voice changed, as if the sound was traveling through water. The flesh of his face sloughed away, leaving a skull, and then black tendrils sprang from under his helmet and out of his mouth, coating his face in a withering mask. 'I shall take your family, your father, your mother and your children who are not yet born. They shall feel my wrath and know of my eternal rage. I shall take this woman you love, the vampire's daughter, and I shall inflict savagery upon her such that your pathetic mind cannot comprehend. Once she is broken I shall give her to her mother, and she too shall join my legions.'
The transformation was complete, and the true form of Lord Machado towered above me, bones cloaked in a slime-coated mass of moving tentacles: pure black hatred made manifest into a physical presence. The armor remained, only now dented and rusted, bracketed in filth and ooze. The mass slapped wetly against the wooden floor, black fluids dripping through to eat away at the ground below. The helmet dipped down, burning eyes gleaming in my face.
'Choose now. Choose your fate. Serve me or serve eternal pain.'
Incomprehensible fear grasped claws around my heart. I knelt down before the billowing wall of evil. The Cursed One began to laugh, echoing through the shattered church, secure in his power and greatness.
'I choose neither.'
The pulsating mass that was the Cursed One's head tilted slightly, betraying the still-human reaction of disbelief. My hand closed upon the polished handle of the ancient ax as I heaved myself upwards. I swung the massive blade into the black flesh, slicing through the flailing darkness.
The Cursed One roared and struck.
Chapter 24
Light.
Confusion.
Pressure on my chest. Hands restraining me, holding me down.
I lashed out, knuckles colliding with something soft. Strong fingers landed on my throat. I reached upwards, grabbed the person and flung them aside. Something struck me, grabbed me, lifted me through the air and slammed me painfully into a rock-hard surface.
'Wake up, damn it!' Harbinger shouted into my ear.
I gasped. I was alive.
And being crushed painfully into a cinderblock wall. Harbinger held me up by the straps of my armor, feet dangling several inches from the ground. He shook me violently, took one hand away and slapped me silly.
'Hey!' I shouted. 'Cut that out.'
'Okay. He's back.' Harbinger released me and I dropped to the ground. The much smaller man had flung me around as if I weighed nothing. 'Sam. You okay?'
Sam Haven stood to one side, rubbing the side of his head. A slight trickle of blood leaked out of his nose and strained through his enormous mustache. 'Kid's got a punch all right. Like getting kicked by a horse.'
'Sorry,' I said.
'Jeez, I was only trying to help. You were flopping around like a fish,' the big cowboy said.
I looked around in bewilderment. We were by the hangar, back at the compound. The Hind sat nearby, blades still slowly turning. The team stood around me, looking concerned. I felt nauseous and weak. I slid down the wall and sat. Julie squatted down beside me.
'You were having a seizure again. You started as we came in for a landing.' She pressed her fingers to my neck and took my pulse. She glanced at her watch. 'Your heart rate is crazy.'
'The Cursed One was in my dreams,' I gasped.
'Did you get us a location?' Harbinger asked.
I shook my head sadly. 'Sorry.'
'Shit,' he sputtered. 'Nothing?'
'He made me a job offer,' I added. 'Great benefits package. Eternal life, that kind of thing. All I've got to do is help him conquer the world. Or he's going to boil my soul for eternity or something.' I did not say what he had said about Julie. I was going to make the slimy son of a bitch pay for that.
'Okay, let's get inside,' Harbinger said. I tried to wobble back to my feet. Julie gave me a hand up, and Trip silently put my arm over his shoulder and helped me to walk. Holly picked up my shotgun. 'I've summoned every team back to the compound for the night. Pitt, you're going to need to debrief all of us. Maybe somewhere in there is a clue that we need to track him down.'
'Aren't the others taking care of local infestations?' Holly asked.
'It's suicide to hunt vampires in the dark. I've got a few team leads who're brave enough to try though, so I ordered them back. So now we regroup, check our gear, and tomorrow we head out again. We have one day left to find the Place.'
'I can try again, Earl,' I said shakily. 'I can do it. Byreika promised he would show me before time runs
