Arc One: Awakening

Chapter 35: The Barren World

Alek chewed on his thumbnail, scrunching his nose as he nibbled on a tough edge and triple checked the inventory on his tablet. Deep in concentration, he muttered each element, voice muffled by the finger in his mouth. Bartholomew guaranteed it would work in attracting the laycrawlers, and the professor's confidence proved well-founded. Not long after he, Cas, Rhena, and Sergeant Darilen began mixing the concoction, the entire mass flocked to the cramped underground storage facility. The military leader distributed lookouts as soon as the mechanical screech honed in to survey the situation outside and confirm that the bugs relocated to their position.

The consistent bashes above them served as the only proof Alek needed that the creatures were there. Frustrated droning and a series of bumps sifted through the clay blocks and rigid beams.

"What else do we need?" Rhena asked, sleeves rolled to her biceps and her dirtied hands on her hips.

"Keep mixing it, I think," Alek told her. He scanned the list of instructions and confirmed his assumption with a nod.

Several of the soldiers blending the mixture with ruptured wooden planks broke off to gape at the ceiling as another quake unnerved the room.

"Who said you could stop?" Sergeant Darilen barked, continuing to stir regardless of the threat outside. "You want to give those things time to get in here?"

"No, sir," the three troopers replied, restoring their fortitude with renewed fervour.

Rhena curbed a snort.

Bending his attention upward, Alek tuned in to the laycrawler mass. All he felt was their rage. There was not even a reason. They had been formed angry, and so that was what they were. Enraged and voracious.

He fastened his tablet to the attachment on his waistband and elevated his hands up to the ceiling, roaming the restricted space to determine exactly where the creatures were. Once he locked down their location, he inhaled and exhaled slowly, and conveyed a chain of calming waves, attempting to smother the fury boiling in them. Nothing happened at first, no response to his spell, not even a paltry acknowledgement of his magic, but a violent pain drove into veins and he immediately retracted the soothing charm.

In a hiss and a curse, and a dip of his head to Cas to assure her he was unharmed, he hoisted his palms again. This time, he dug deep into the temporal energy, grasping and absorbing drabs to impede their endeavour to merge again. An instant sense of euphoria inspirited him, light and joyous, like an embrace from a loved one not seen in years. He couldn't have let it go if he'd wanted to. It drenched him in sunlight, in the blessing of stars, but just as swiftly as it deluged him with delight, it packed his soul with poison. The infuriated creatures deceived him with comfort only to cram him with rage, and with a low scream, he relinquished his hold on the link and caught himself on a shelf bracket.

The uncomfortable sensation dispersed in swift trickles and Cas heaved him upright, one hand on his elbow and the other gently encouraging him to tilt his head. "Do not hurt yourself, Alek," she said softly, examining him for injury. "Try to take it easy."

"I'm okay," he said, gasping to alleviate his hammering heart.

"Tell that to the sweat dripping from you," Rhena commented as she slanted around a stirring soldier to check on the mage in their care.

Cas tossed her a disapproving look and with a shrug she resumed her efforts in mixing the substance.

"Here," the driver offered, handing Alek a clean cloth.

The soft linen absorbed the droplets and the current of air squirming in under the door dried the rest. He was never one for an outburst of rage, but the laycrawler's fury chewed at his composure, dissipating reluctantly at the failed prospect of a fresh and willing host. His magic scurried, and it took a bit of persuading to return it to its usual flow.