Light Speed, Arkadie, L. [free ebooks for android txt] 📗

A slow smile forms on her mouth. “He did notanticipate the sun returning to Earth.”

We are all relieved to hear the possibilityof having this advantage over him. And now his plan is even morelucid. That’s why he convinced the Olligark to prepare for attackso far away from where we’ll be.

“Once in Ol, you’ll see the Tarantula. It’sa massive structure but the Scepter of Gant has a glare that can beseen from afar by those who have the eyes of light; there are foursuch people: Felix Benel, Adore, Chex…”

“Me?” Chex asks very shocked.

“The curse has left you.”

He presses his lips together. I know himwell enough now to recognize that this is his signal that nofurther discussion is desired. Chex loathes the fact that he hadonce been victimized by another force. It’s more than likely thathe’s planning retribution.

“And the fourth is Exgesis,” he saysicily.

Magnificent Star nods and then says, “You’llsee a glare as soon as you are inside of the Tarantula—followit.”

It’s time.

Na’ta takes me from behind and Telman doesthe same to Chex. The mere power of light is a defiance of spaceand time. I never see the path we leave behind, but we are now hereat the foot of the Tarantula. It’s true. This is a construct thatis fashioned from bones. It’s an evil concept and is fitting for aplace with creatures that thrive in a lightless environment. Ol issupposed to be dark, but the sun that followed us into the portalexposes a vast number of odd-shaped structures throughout a sandyterrain littered by loose, dry, and bloodied bones.

“Open it,” Na’ta tells me. She’s restless. Iam too. This universe chills my soul.

I call the light to my eyes and immediatelyI see the slot that’s sized just right for the medallion. I slidethe object out of my pocket and into the keyhole, turn it, take itout, and stuff it back into my pants pocket for safekeeping.

Chex must have noticed how my hands shookbecause he sweeps down and takes one of mine into his. I can hardlybear the energy here. It’s squeezing me and is heavy on myshoulders.

We all wait with bated breath, wonderingwhat will happen next. But we do not have to wait long. Suddenlythe Tarantula rises on eight legs, revealing a dark entrance withinthe smaller leg where I put the key.

“Do you hear that?” Na’ta asks, gazing upinto the dark hole above us.

“I do,” I strain to whisper.

The sound is similar to that of a strongwaterfall, crashing against the rocks beneath it. Chex quicklykisses the back of my hand.

“Like I said, keep moving forward and I’llcover, understand?”

I nod and it feels like my head is bobbingfrantically on my shoulders.

“Take the front, Chex. We got the back,”Telman says.

Chex glances at me before he leaps up intothe Tarantula’s leg, still holding my hand while making sure Iremain behind him. Once we’re completely inside he lets go of myhand. “See it,” he shouts over his shoulder above the loud andconstant crashing noise. It almost sounds like the Mtknv are in thevicinity, but the reverberation is too violent to be them.

“Yes,” I yell back. I see the circular beamof light as I enter the center of the long hallway. It’s as if therays stab through the heart of darkness.

My feet still have not hit the surface, butI move with the speed of the wind up the corridor. The closer Iget, the more I can hear them in front, behind, above, and belowus. The Olligark are in here. That noise is the sound of theirbones smashing against the floor.

I keep advancing because that is what I’msupposed to do. I’m not supposed to fight, but how will I be ableto avoid battle? I call the light to my fingers just in case. Andoh how putrid the air is! There is more than the scent of deathlingering in it. It holds a sharp gaseous substance that suddenlymakes me cough and choke, forcing me to my knees.

Don’t breathe, Na’ta cautions mewithin my conscious.

I immediately stop inhaling and when thefogginess fades I notice that Chex has already swiped me up and ismoving forward, carrying me easily with one arm.

I shake his shoulder and when he turns toface me, I mouth, “I’m fine.”

He sets me back down onto my feet andwithout debate.

Suddenly we are all stunned by what we seenext. The floor vibrates with the steps of an Olligark creature whomoves into full view at the end of the hallway behind us. It and weare frozen in a moment of scrutiny. The creature is ten timeslarger when it is this close. We are merely seeds and it’s the agedtree.

“Give us light!” Na’ta quickly demands.

I grab her and Telman by the forearms andinject them both with a hefty dose of the i’lek’u.

“Now go get it Adore,” she shouts as thecreature stomps toward us.

My feet remain planted. The idea of leavingmy sister behind to face this goliath of a being is making me ill.I simply cannot do it.

“Go!” she shouts as it gets closer.

The creature is not quick but it ispowerful.

I still have no intentions of leaving her,regardless of what she says or how loud she yells. But it’s Chexwho yanks me by the arm, leading me forward.

“Stop! Let go of me!” I strain and struggleagainst his grasp, halting our progress.

He takes me sternly by the shoulders.“Ad’ru!” he shouts to get my attention. I’m looking into his eyesbut it’s still hard to focus. “The longer we stay here, the moredangerous it gets. You do your job. She does her job. The quickerwe get the hell out of here!”

I’m antsy. Torn between my naturalproclivity to protect Na’ta at any cost and parting from her to getwhat we came here for. But he’s right. I feel thankful that hereminded me of what’s important so I kiss his lips very quickly,then turn toward the glare of the Scepter and run as fast as Ican.

The pervading blackness still unsettles me,so I spray light out of my fingertips. The two energies battle: mylight against Ol’s natural darkness. What’s created is a dim grayglow. We arrive at a point where