Reapers - Thirteen Brothers

XXXIV - The Attack (2 of 2)

 

I let my scythe disappear and flicked my left hand, summoning my Cataclyst, gritting my teeth to fight off the pain of shifting flesh and bones. In seconds, Vladimir and his two familiars were with me under the dark hovering creatures overhead. In front of us were the Doors lining the rear of the Gate. Without further ado, I gave them a quick rundown of my plan.

“The binding rope thingy,” I said to Vladimir. “That trick you pulled off in front of the Thomas’ house last fall, can you do it again? But with more ropes.”

Amyr shot me a confused glance over his shoulder as he smashed a wraith onto the ground. “Wait. How’d you.... You saw that?”

I just nodded but didn’t bother to explain. There would be lots of time for that. Given that we all survived.

“It’s risky. I’d certainly do it if Vince was here,” said Vladimir through his ragged, shallow breaths. His face was paler than before, his black metallic Cataclyst trembling limply by his side. “His barriers would be a lot more effective. But seeing as we have no choice, let’s do it.”

He was right. If someone could do exactly what I was asking them, Vincent would be our man. Plus, among the cabal, he would be the only one who could go near a portal to Nirvana without being annihilated. But I couldn’t rely too much on him. I promised to bring his brother back in one piece and I had all the intention to do so. We should get this done on our own.

Mei and Amyr nodded in unison. They knew the dangers but they were willing to place their lives on my hands. If somehow, this plan backfired, I would forever have to blame myself.

“But how do we lure them all in one place?” Mei asked, fending off a creature that had swooped too close to her. In a fraction of the second, the wraith dropped to the ground in eight pieces though I only saw the raven-haired girl slash once or twice.

Swallowing hard, I met her cat-like brown eyes. “I’ll take care of that.”

Vladimir smirked. “Vince is totally going to kill you after this,” he said, giving me an all-knowing look. He seemed to have read what I was planning.

“I know,” I mumbled, grinning wildly before we ripped through the swarm of the dark creatures, making our way to our positions.

The wraiths swam in the air like frayed black jellyfishes, hissing at us as we tore through them. I stopped in the middle of the agitated creatures, just in front of the Gate, facing the barricade of Spirit Doors. They screamed in different dissonant pitches, making me flinch.

I glared at the creatures, wanting to scream my head off. Shriek back at them. Like the muffled hateful shrieking inside of me. With some effort, I pushed the dark entity inside me back into the corner where I knew it couldn’t hurt me. Then I reached for the Transference Link—a weak throbbing thread of light that connected me to Vincent. From it, I could tell that he was still where I left him, safely waiting for the intruder. That was a relief.

Abruptly, I cut the link. My eyes flew open, my heart hammering in my chest. I never thought it would be this hard containing part of Vincent’s soul and mine. Alone. I felt so alone and vulnerable and incomplete.

Aramis! Vincent’s feverish voice reached me from the Diviner’s Charm.

He must’ve realized that the link was gone.

What happened?! Aramis! Answer me! He started cursing and yelling at me to speak up but I tuned him out. His reaction was perfectly expected.

When I looked up again, the swarm was already converging above my head, suddenly alert of the strange force luring them to me. Mei was on the very top of the nearest tree, waiting for my signal. Amyr and Vladimir were perched on the rooftop of a house directly across Mei’s position.