To Be A Champion

Chapter 48: Lady In Red Part 1

Shona laughs. "The ceremony's over. There's nothing you can do now. It's the dawn of the red god, and you're all going to be a part of it."

She laughs again, and my anger mounts until it overflows.

"No," I growl. "This isn't over."

"Are you still clinging to hope, Five?" She sounds positively amused, giddy even.

"I've faced worse than you and lived. You may have won the battle, but the war isn't over. I won't stop fighting until I'm dead." I look around. "Everyone, change frequencies. Sam, get us on a private coms channel now!"

She'll find a way to get back to listening in soon enough. She can see inside our heads, so she'll know if we think about it too hard, but this can buy us a little time.

"It's done," Sam says. "What's the plan?"

"I don't-I don't know, but I am not letting her win," I say, clenching my fists.

Think. Think!

I close my eyes and let my head drop.

God? Moonchild? Catherine? Give me something! A vision, an apparition, a memory, anything!

"Sam, is there anything left of the Undaunted?" Jody asks.

He makes a pained noise. "Just sinking wreckage. No sign of more lifeboats. The cliff face near the wreckage has completely sheared off, like Nicole said. The red fungus underneath is-is pulsing. Mor Island must be bursting with the stuff. Shona, the skincoats and the V-Types are converging on the town, but there are still a few V-Types sticking by the boulder, guarding it."

"Those bloody Reids," Morag groans. "That family's become nothing but trouble."

I feel a shift under my feet, and tears sting my eyes as I keep them closed.

Give me something. Please.

Jody yelps in horror, and my eyes fly open. Clumps of red sprout out of the ground, like in our dreams of the red world. It's stretching along the countryside around us.

"It's coming through the soil all over the isle," Sam reports shakily. "The fungus is shifting in the earth, like what we saw in the cave, like what made the rockslide on the cliff path."

"The islanders in town that are still somewhat sane have all barricaded into their homes," Nicole says. "That won't protect them long. And I... I haven't seen any sign of Rory."

Paula's voice trembles. "Nothing's going to protect any of us long. If we can't move the boulder blocking that geyser, the silver mud won't spread. Nothing will stop the fungus. Frances, any ideas from Dearg?"

"Uh, we need something to move the boulder."

I can practically see Nicole rolling her eyes. "Thanks, Sherlock. But what?"

"Um, a bomb or a powerful source of traction, maybe?"

I gasp when I see it, a memory I've already seen. The memory of Morag and Jones together in that cave that began the King of the Rocks ceremony.

"Callum's moved the drill in already. Oh, he'll be nearby to see it all."

My eyes snap to Morag. "Is Callum's old drilling equipment still on the island?"

She looks perplexed that I'd ask that, but she still nods. "Aye. Rusting on a beach. You think we can use it for this?"

I nod fervently. "It's our best bet for moving that rock. We've got to be fast. Once those V-Types have hit the town, anyone who's still resisting the red fungus is as good as gone. Everyone, weapons ready. If we see a skincoat, we shoot to kill. Morag, lead us to that beach." My eyes harden as I look at the others. "This could be our last chance at stopping the fungus. We fight until there's nothing left, okay? Now let's run!"