Wrath of the Forgotten: Descendants of the Fall Book II, Hodges, Aaron [top 10 non fiction books of all time txt] 📗

His beard had grown out in the two weeks that had passed since they’d seen each other. Between his dishevelled uniform and the grime covering his face, he had seen better days. Footsteps came from behind them and Travis offered Dale a nod as his fellow noble born approached.

Beyond, Sophia and the rest of their escort didn’t seem overly concerned by their reunion, though they did not take their eyes off the group of humans. Adonis had already reached the Tangata that had been guarding the Perfugian recruits and now seemed to be waiting for something.

“We…found the village,” Lukys said finally, recalling the moment he’d stumbled into the cluster of abandoned buildings and seen the bodies of his comrades.

Travis’s face darkened and a scowl twisted his lips as he glanced at the nearby Tangata. “We were so close.” He shook his head, looking away. The village had been less than a day’s march from the safety of the Illmoor. Drawing in a breath, Travis went on: “There were too many to fight, but we stood our ground anyway. Only…after the first clash, with a dozen of us dead on the ground, the bastards just stood there, watching. Eventually one of us threw down their spear. Rest of us followed. Guess we figured it was worth trying to surrender.” He shrugged. “So here we are.”

Tears touched Lukys’s eyes, and without speaking he dragged his friend into another hug.

“I’m glad you’re here,” he said as they broke apart.

A grim smile appeared on Travis’s face as his gaze swept the plaza. “And the others?” he asked softly.

“We lost Groner,” Lukys said, feeling guilty that he’d hardly thought of the man since that terrible time in the tunnels beneath the earth. “Romaine lost his hand, but the others are fine. They got away.” He hesitated, thinking about Cara. Travis didn’t know what she was. “We, ah, have a lot to catch up on.”

Beside them, Dale snorted. “That’s an understatement.”

Travis exhaled hard, relief momentarily showing on his face, though there was still confusion in his eyes.

Lukys shook his head. “Later,” he said, looking past Travis and the other Perfugians to where Adonis and most of the Tangata had gathered before the polished doors. “What’s happening here?”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Travis replied with a shrug. “We arrived in the night. They put us in some building until the morning, then brought us here.” He shivered, and Lukys glimpsed the fear his friend was hiding behind the calm façade. “Isn’t it creepy?” His eyes were fixed on Adonis’s group. “They never make a sound, yet they’re communicating.”

“It’s that damned magic they stole from the Gods,” Dale answered, his face hardening. “I wonder if that’s why Cara came, to take it back?”

“What?” Travis said, his eyebrows knitting together in a frown.

“Ah…” Dale trailed off, turning to Lukys for help.

Lukys swallowed. “Err…you know how Cara was always wearing her furs, even inside?”

Travis nodded, though his eyes showed he didn’t know where Lukys was going with the subject.

“Well…you see…it turns out she was hiding something…”

“She’s got bloody wings!” Dale exclaimed.

Lukys suppressed a groan. “It’s true,” he said to Travis’s confusion. “She’s one of them, one of the Gods.”

Before Lukys’s eyes, the colour drained from his friend’s face. “Wh…what?” Travis’s mouth opened and closed, but no further words came out.

“Easy, man,” Dale said gently, patting Travis on the back.

Lukys nodded and was about to speak further when he felt another presence brush against his mind.

Lukys.

A shiver ran down his spine and he turned to find Adonis approaching, Sophia at his side. Behind him, his friends froze, and even the murmurs of the other recruits faded to silence. Lukys swallowed as he looked into the eyes of the senior Tangata, remembering his rage back in the clearing. He’d hoped Adonis was done with him.

Come with us, Lukys. Sophia’s voice was softer than the senior Tangata’s, but it was clear the instructions were not optional.

He swallowed as the two came to a halt before him. He hesitated, waiting several moments before turning to his friends.

“I…I think they want me to go with them,” he rasped, still unsure about how to tell them of his ability.

Sophia caught him by the arm before the others could respond, and Lukys was dragged away. Travis and Dale watched after him, lips downcast, eyes haunted. They looked for all the world like they had just attended his funeral.

Swallowing, Lukys forced his eyes ahead. What are you going to do with us? he asked, trying to direct the question at Adonis.

That is for the Matriarch to decide.

He offered no further explanation. Lukys allowed himself to be shepherded past the other recruits towards the polished doors of the basilica. They swung open as two of the Tangatan guards entered first, revealing darkness beyond. Swallowing, Lukys took one last glance at the sunlit sky before the black swallowed him up.

Bright spots danced across his vision as the doors closed again behind them, and he blinked, struggling to pierce the gloom. Movement flickered somewhere within, betrayed by the gentle whisper of clothing, of leather boots upon stone.

A gentle push from behind urged Lukys forward. He staggered, and glancing around, he managed to pick Sophia’s face from the shadows. Swallowing, he obeyed her silent command, taking tentative steps on the smooth floor, afraid the ground might drop out from under him at any movement.

Slowly his eyes adjusted, and he began to make out shadows around the room. Light from above led his gaze to tiny windows set at the point of the pyramid high overhead. Returning his eyes to the ground, the room began to take shape from the dark.

The basilica had only one enormous chamber, its inward sloping walls leading up to that single point above. Amidst the shadows, he could see no other entrances or inner rooms, not unless they were hidden behind the altar of the Gods.

Set upon a dais raised some four feet above floor level, a giant slab of