Chapter Nine: We Burn Them All
The day was passing in a dull drag with only the morning training with Mylar and Jamie taking up any long amount of time. Their history class was boring seeing as their teacher had decided not to talk about the first battles of the war, and instead focused on why Culhuthe was so determined to wage war. Taylor would've normally been fascinated but his mind was adrift elsewhere thinking about the coming mission to draw out the Cyturion locator and was becoming impatient wishing to get it done now, he felt ready now.
Afterwards he said goodbye to Jamie and wondered off to the Artillery ruins, it had become a hideaway of sorts for him and he always felt at peace there, unlike anywhere else on the site. Which he found out was called Lavernock Point from a man in his mid-twenties called Hernandez from Mexico who'd only been on site for a few months, and probably the only other person aside from his two caravan mates that he'd spoken to. The ruins were named Lavernock Battery; it was the most northerly access to Bristol and Cardiff. Having been completed in 1870 it was built to protect the channel approaches to Bristol and Cardiff shipyards not long after the short lived war between Britain and France that followed the French Revolution.
It was also outfitted with searchlights, and newer weaponry around the time of the Second World War used to protect a shipping convoy bound for Bristol and Cardiff. It was fascinating and when Taylor arrived he found himself going over the entire place wondering about the history that was made here. How such an amazing feat of warfare which was so important was allowed to fall into the condition that it remained in, it certainly was a shame. The rest of the site was open to the public until a year ago when the company who owned it declared bankruptcy and was forced to sell the place, Ryne had paid double what it was worth but he never gave a reason why when asked about it.
It was eerily quiet today aside from the odd squawk from a passing seagull which only emphasized the peace and calm that Taylor felt there. This was the calmest he'd felt in the last three days he sat out on the grass allowing the sun to warm his skin as he closed his eye's taking a deep breath and exhaling again. It felt like he'd been sat there for hours but in actually fact it was only about twenty minutes by the watch that Ryne had left for him in his caravan. Seeing as he wasn't allowed use of a phone in case it was tracked somehow not that he had any intention of calling anyone all the people he cared about were here with him.
It reminded him that he needed to see his parents, he hadn't spent so much time with them and he also needed to ask Jamie about what was happening about his parents. Especially after his mother ran away screaming her head off after Jamie was set aflame before her very eyes. He was still angry about it, yes it was a shock but it was so cruel of her to react that way. Maybe he saw it that way because of how understanding his family had been and just couldn't understand, who knows.
Taylor hauled himself off the grass to go and see his family when he looked up Lara was stood by the edge of the trees surrounding the artillery ruins. She twiddled her fingers together nervously as she met Taylor's eye's and looked afraid to speak up as she opened her mouth once to form words, but then to close it again and continue fiddling with her hands. This was a different side to the very angry girl that Taylor had come to know since arriving here and couldn't help but wonder if Kimiko had talked some sense into her about her hatred for him.
If she had it was a miracle as whenever they spoke he could practically feel her malice rolling off of her in waves shocking him every time they hit.
"Kimiko told me that she'd told you what happened with my family and why I've been so difficult with you since you arrived." "I owe you an apology it wasn't fair for me to put the blame on you for my misfortune you only just found out about who you are so it's not your fault that you were born into Arturios bloodline" said Lara she kept her head down as she spoke.
This wasn't easy for her Taylor could tell that much from the way she still fiddled with her hands and how she'd spoken barely above a whisper the entire time. It was sincere and she was clearly angry and upset it's natural to blame others when you aren't thinking clearly.
"It's okay Lara the fact you sought me out to speak to me in person say's enough about how sincere you are." "I'm sorry for the loss of your family I know I don't fully understand but it can't be easy to know you came here to start a new life to have everything you knew torn away from you in an instant" said Taylor.
He took a step closer and not believing it himself as he wrapped his arms around Lara's shoulders and pulled her in close.
Instead of push him away as he expected she buried her head into his shoulder gripping his sides firmly and cried such intense furious sobs, she screamed out in anger mixed with her cries. She even brought her hands up balling them into fists and started pounding away at his chest. It didn't hurt as Taylor stood there accepting the furious thumping of her fists as she cried and cried sliding to the floor Taylor following with her, his arms still embracing her.
She hadn't properly grieved for the death of her family, it was probably what led to the amount of anger and resentment that she had been throwing Taylor's way. They sat there for what felt like forever, Lara's sobs gradually slowing and growing quieter bit by bit as she looked up back into Taylor's eyes. Her hands were shaking from where she'd been bashing away at his chest. She wiped her tears away into the sleeves of the emerald green jumper she wore with large buttons starting as far as the middle of her chest.
"Why them it wasn't fair, they should have just taken me my dad died trying to fight them but Noran killed him, there was no sign of remorse in his eyes as he tore my life away from me" said Lara her eyes bulging in anger.
"He's an evil man Lara it's what he does, but I will stop him before he can hurt anyone else, I promise you" said Taylor staring back into her eyes intently as a soft breeze blew through her ginger hair which was untied falling beautifully down to her shoulders.
"I hope so, it's all he deserves" said Lara as she got to her feet her hands beginning to lessen their unrelenting shaking.
"Thank you though, I needed that" "How did you know that I wouldn't slap you though?" asked Lara a playful edge creeping into her voice ever so slight as it was.
"Ha well I thought that you were going to do something but luckily you didn't clobber me one" said Taylor with a smile. She was finally relaxed that was good he couldn't stand to see people around him suffer.
"Lucky you then it would seem that Kimiko was right, you are a good guy" said Lara with a smile and seeing her this way showed that she was good looking, very good looking actually. Taylor put the thought aside it wasn't really appropriate.
"Did she say anything else?" asked Taylor his curiosity peaked and surprised himself as he never took much of an interest in girls generally.
"You think there was something else" said Lara raising an eyebrow a wicked smirk playing across her lips.
"Just instinct and if I'm right then you’re probably not going to tell me anyway, are you?" said Taylor.
"I suppose you'll never know for sure will you, good bye Taylor" said Lara grinning as she left trudging through the trees and back to the caravans and out of sight.
"That was an interesting turn of events" thought Taylor smiling to himself and heading back to the site to see his parents. He'd arrived at his parent’s caravan and stepped inside to find his mother going about the place giving it a thorough clean with a cloth and spray of some sort; apparently it wasn't up to her usual standards. His father was sat on the sofa with a newspaper and a cup of coffee reading intently.
"Hi mum" said Taylor taking a seat next to his father on the sofa.
"Oh hello dear, we were worried that you wouldn't be coming to see us" said Arianne looking up briefly from scrubbing the oven to reply.
"Sorry, I've had a few things going on is all" said Taylor feeling bad that he'd not spent much time with his family even though they were pretty much next door.
"It’s okay and I won't ask what things you've been up to as long as your safe" said Arianne clearly concerned even though he'd received their blessing to carry on with what he was doing.
"There's nothing safe about this Arianne" said Gregory peering out from the top of his newspaper ever so briefly to look at his wife.
"So glad to have your positive attitude around Gregory" retorted Arianne with a scowl as she wrung out the cloth into the sink sending grime and muck washing away down the drain.
"Dear were in a caravan site full of people who can throw balls of fire while being in the middle of a war, so I'd much rather stick to the reality of things" said Gregory clearly irritable at their current situation.
"Alright that's enough, I didn't come over to hear you bloody bicker amongst yourselves" snapped Taylor, he couldn't stand them arguing yes it was normal in a relationship but it still wasn't pleasant to listen to.
"Don't snap at us young man were still your parents despite what's happening here" said Gregory authoritatively. At that Taylor said nothing more on the subject, unlike most teenage boys he had the sense to listen to his father, he was a smart man always had been.
"Sorry dad" said Taylor looking at the paper his father was reading.
On the front it had the pictures of Mark O’Connell and Charlotte O'Connell who'd been killed in the attack on the college. Their pictures showed them so full of life, it was the picture on Charlotte's Facebook of them it showed just how close they were by their smiling faces as they were stood in a queue for a ride at Thorpe Park.
The headline read "BROTHER AND SISTER KILLED IN GAS EXPLOSION". They obviously put it down to that as nobody would know aside from the Embers what really happened that day. Their poor parents, they'd had a good family as well. Arianne saw the look on Taylor's face and followed his gaze to the picture on the paper and instantly made the connection.
"Taylor I'm sorry about your friends, it wasn't fair that they were taken so early in life, but I'm sure they wouldn't want you to worry so much" said Arianne feeling nothing but heart ache for her little boy who had gone through so much in such a short time.
"They weren't really friends as such but yea your right they wouldn't want me to sulk like this but I can’t help it, because of me they're dead mum if only I hadn't gone to college that day or..."
Before Taylor could finish his sentence a whooshing sound filled the small confines of the caravan as a whirlwind of white flames erupted between him and his mother. The fire cleared and there lay with the most horrible burn he had ever seen running from one side of his face all the way down his chest to his abdomen, his robes burnt to shreds was Argus, his breathing ragged and his eye's full of fear.
Arturion Base Scotland, Ten Minutes Ago
Argus casually walked along the open grass of Inchkieth Island, they'd moved into the place as the government had given up renovating the structures on the Island due to a lack of funds. Needless to say it was now home with a renovated house used to accommodate the other Arturion's on the Island along with the lighthouse which had also been repaired. It was also at the top where Argus lived he liked to be able to see everywhere on the Island, it made him feel safe and in control.
The wind was crisp and filled with water as a light showering lapped his body as he continued to stroll nodding in greeting to his fellow Arturion's as he passed them. He acknowledged all of them, that was the job of a leader to show respect in order to receive it in return. It was peaceful here, and also out of the way of civilisation which was the main reason why he'd chosen it in the event of a Cyturion attack he would not have civilians caught up in the fighting.
Piercing the quiet of the day came a scream from the old watch tower to Argus's right and he turned to see it engulfed in obsidian black fire. Silhouettes of people numbering in at a thousand from first glance all their arms wreathed in the same black flames stood in the distance.
"CYTURION ATTACK!" roared Argus at the top of his lungs. He ran over to a group of ten Arturion's who had already seen the Cyturion's in the distance and had already brought forth weapons, ranging from swords to tridents as they awaited their leaders order's.
Reaching them Argus began to rattle off orders faster than a machine gun in his desperation to organise a defence.
"Two of you to the barracks and get everyone moving, have half our forces engage them from the right and more from the left and I'll take our remaining troops and attack the centre of their line, quickly move!" said Argus the adrenaline pumping through his veins.
The remaining Arturion’s joined him along with twenty others by the yellow lighthouse still in view of the line of Cyturion's who were yet to attack again.
"Something' is wrong, why do they not attack?" Argus thought as he inspected the lines of Cyturion's only then to hear more screams from behind him coming from the shore line. Several Arturion's had been down on the shore fishing when out of nowhere all at once appeared a force numbering in the hundreds. They all landed on the shore from a serious of black swirls of fire almost as if someone had spilt black ink along the shore, as they began to burn through the people they had ambushed. A whoosh of sound reached Argus's ears as Braius his second in command joined his side to view the carnage below as the blackened fire ripped through the landscape below scorching it beyond recognition.
Braius was a short man only around five foot and eight inches tall with chestnut brown hair and the hardened look of a veteran of war, he was his most trusted friend.
"Your orders sir?” asked Braius in husky scottish accent looking away from the assault below.
"Lead our forces against the main threat at the front I shall take a hundred of our best to combat those behind us, if they break through all is lost, now hurry we haven't long old friend" said Argus allowing his fire to burst forth through the sleeves of his robes forming twin scimitar's in his hands.
They were formed of the same white fire surging across the surface of his skin its heat giving him the courage he needed as he watched the rain fall and fizzle out at the contact of his flames.
Braius was gone when he looked to his side a few minutes later he was replaced with over a hundred other Arturion's all made up of men and women, different weapons in hand some just holding balls of fire in their exposed palms eager for the fight to come.
"Have no fear brother's and sister's, we have lived this long we shall not fail here today, fight with all you have and follow me to ruin and beyond, for Arturios" roared Argus thrusting his scimitar's in the air as he faced his troops.
"For Arturios" roared the hundred or so in unison and as one they descended upon their enemies eager to protect their kin.
Argus allowed himself to be engulfed by his flames in an instant he was in front of a group of five Cyturion's who were as sickening as it was, kicking around a severed head of one the Arturion's who had been fishing. He was the first one to arrive to the fight. The head's eyes were fixed open in an expression of pure terror, permanently stuck in that tormented pose. Argus charged forwards driving his swords into the gut of the last Cyturion to kick the head, the man’s eyes went wide in shock just as the severed head's was. He coughed spitting out blood onto Argus's chest as he fell to his knee's to have Argus yank out his blades free from his gut to then separated have his head from his neck with the scimitar in his right hand with a swift and deadly blow.
A flaming black spear came soaring in aimed straight at Argus's neck only for it to stop a couple of inches away, Argus looked up to see a Arturion woman by the name of Sophia with a fiery mace embedded into the head of the male Cyturion holding the spear. The wound didn't bleed due to the heat of flames and cauterized on contact but the damage was done, he fell to the ground his fire upon his arms extinguished and his eye's void of all sign of life. Argus looked back to the opposing force who had now realised they were under attack, another Cyturion a woman this time with dark hair stood but a few yards away from Argus forming a balls of flame in each palm.
She hurled them towards Argus with all her might, Argus merely batted them aside with his scimitar's as if they were nothing but an annoyance. His flames consume him once again putting him directly behind the woman. He didn't hesitate and buried one scimitar deep into her neck hearing bone snap on its way through as he drove the other one into the base of her spine hearing a similar sound. It was a quick death, not that it was deserved.
After a few minutes of fighting the Arturion's were gradually reducing the Cyturion's numbers having taken only a hand full of casualties themselves. The Cyturion's only numbered in just over a hundred now as they'd been caught between one half of the Arturion's on one side and the other half surging up behind them cutting through their numbers. Argus could see the main battle being led by the bulk of the Cyturion forces but the Arturion's there were hard pressed and looked to be losing the fight, they needed to end this swiftly.
They continued burning and cutting their way through the ranks of the Cyturion's, Argus was in the middle of severing a man's arms from his torso when the sound of an almighty whoosh cut through the air from behind his half of the force he was leading. There stood at least two hundred strong were more Cyturion's, and at the very front of them stood Noran and disgusting grin plastered across his smug features.
"Annihilate them" said Noran and as one all of the Cyturion's slammed their flaming fists to the ground. Including Noran, who sent a gigantic stream black fire straight for them snaking its way across the ground as it shook the earth beneath them.
They didn't stand a chance.
Arturion Base, Lavernock Point, Wales
"Argus!" shouted Taylor as he ran forward dropping to his knee's by his side. He examined the burns marring the side of his body and winced at the putrid smell of burnt flesh that now met his nostrils causing him to pinch his nose.
"Quickly get Tobias hurry boy" said Argus in a whisper which was all he seemed to be able to manage.
"Mum, dad, keep an eye on him I'll be right back" said Taylor.
He closed his eyes as before during his fight with Mylar gathering the oxygen particles toward him, within a moment he was surrounded in the familiar sky blue flame as he landed in the middle of the war room. He was met with shocked looks by Tobias, Ryne and Mylar who were sat at the table talking and had stopped mid-stream to stare at him. Taylor had landed right in the middle of the table making his entrance appear all the more strange and surprising. He spun about to face Tobias.
"Argus just appeared in my parents caravan heavily burnt asking for you, it looks serious" said Taylor who spoke so fast he wouldn't be surprised if Tobias didn't understand him at all.
"Ryne have a medical team ready to receive Argus for emergency medical attention, Mylar and Taylor come with me and we'll get Argus back here" said Tobias standing quickly from his chair.
Then he was gone amid white flames spiralling into the air as Taylor and Mylar followed suit. They appeared in the cramped caravan as Arianne had Argus's head tilted up as she held a glass of water to his lips as he gradually sipped it in an attempt to get him re-hydrated.
"Tobias their dead, their all dead!" said Argus as he slowly turned to Tobias as he joined his side also wincing himself at the extent of his injuries.
"Tell me what happened Argus only if you are able my friend" said Tobias his eye's piercing into Argus's the pain and anger contorting the on his face as well as reflecting in his eyes.
"The Cyturion's attacked we were completely caught off guard, the initial force was well over a thousand strong, I led the counter attack on the Cyturion's encroaching from the shoreline but we were hit by more of them led by Noran" said Argus.
"We were wiped out and just before I retreated I saw that the remains’ of my army that hadn't been eradicated had also started to retreat, we never stood a chance Tobias, it wasn't a battle it was an extermination" said Argus. Coughs racked his body crying out at the pain it caused his chest.
"Do not apologise, you did what I would have done myself in such a situation, I know that you will have fought bravely as you always have brother" said Tobias placing his hand upon Argus's forehead feeling that his temperature was red hot.
"Mylar get him to the main building now he's running a temperature and his breathing is steadily getting worse and be damn quick about it" said Tobias stepping away so Mylar could swoop down and scoop Argus up into his arms.
Screams tore out from his throat as the pain elicited from his burns scraped against the roughness of Mylar's shirt. Then they were gone among the bright white flames leaving the caravan completely silent as they all stood absolutely stunned until Taylor spoke up.
"So what do we do now?" asked Taylor curious how the Arturion leader would react to the turn of events.
"We burn them all" said Tobias his hand curling into a fist of blazing white fire.
AN: Ooo scary stuff!! Hope you liked this one, it's a bit of a sad chapter with crying and death etc but I've been letting the Arturion's get away with too much good luck for a while hah!
On a serious note for those who read please as always vote/comment and please please! Share with your friends anyone you think who would like this book as I still have only a few readers and am desperate to get more people interested!
All the best FN