Chapter 18 - XVIII. | O, crashing pyre...! (2/2)

Desmond rolled his neck and cracked his knuckles. ”We're more than happy to kill you newcomers along with everyone else.”

The big man charged at Voreese.

Roman slammed his foot down. The ground heaved up and flipped the big man toward Desmond like a pancake.

Desmond just moved out of the way.

Roman tossed his white coat to Hector. ”C'mon, kid. This is no time to be free-ballin' it.”

Hector turned beet red and hurriedly wrapped the cloth around his waist. He held it there with an iron band.

Another sizzling arm flew at the group.

Roman swatted it straight up into the air, and it exploded harmlessly. The big guy's gut bulged, and a second later, he vomited acid.

The left side of Roman's face and torso melted away, revealing raw bone and gooey, bubbling muscle. Undeterred, he raised a fist. It trembled and started crackling red, creating visible smoke. He put the hand out. Orange flames poured forth.

Their opponents split up to avoid the fire, and Roman pursued the big man.

'What kind of ability does that guy have?!' Hector was back on his feet.

'Vibration of some sort. Keep your eyes on Desmond.'

Hector saw him approaching from the side. Desmond was still regrowing his arm. ”I'll hold his attention,” Hector whispered to the ladies. ”Try to get behind him and take his head off.”

”Very well,” said Helen.

Lynnette nodded and readied her sword.

Hector moved first, a frontal assault. Desmond dodged the punch and delivered his own to the gut, knocking Hector back a few steps.

Hector kept pressing. He coated both hands in iron and swung. Desmond caught the left hand and ripped it off at the wrist. He slammed Hector into the concrete, making a small crater.

Abruptly, Lynnette was there. But Desmond saw her and smacked the flat side of the blade before it could connect with his neck. Off balance, she struggled to maintain her grip, and this time, Desmond succeeded in sweeping her legs out from under her. She landed on her back, and Desmond left a severed hand in front of her face. For an instant, Lynnette and Hector could both see it darkening.

She didn't have time to crawl away. She was going to die. Hector knew it. Someone else was about to die in front of him.

The memory of Garovel's words flashed in his head.

Respond by becoming better.

Hector flexed his one hand. He focused on Lynnette, desperately demanding more from himself, more iron, more concentration, more everything; and for a moment, all the pain in his body wasn't numb anymore. Agony hit like a tidal wave. But the iron responded.

Powder materialized on her body, gray spots cl.u.s.tering together, and within seconds, the woman was entirely covered.

Desmond's hand exploded. Lynnette went flying and clattered to the concrete walkway. Hector hit the central fountain, reddening the waters with his blood.

His body in shreds again, he heaved himself out of the pool and clung to the side of the fountain. He saw Lynnette and released the metal. She did not stir.

Desmond and Helen were clashing now. With both arms again and only one hand missing, he was getting the better of her. He smashed her skull open against the ground. Her body went limp.

Desmond turned to Mehlsanz and Garovel.

”Run away!” Hector told the reapers. He pulled himself out of the fountain, soaked and crawling.

”They won't run,” said Desmond. ”What do you think'll happen if they abandon you here? Eventually, you'll stop coming back to life on your own, and they won't be able to find new servants, because they're still bound to you. I'll put your brains in nice little jars, and then hunt the reapers down at my leisure. And besides--” He pierced his own chest with his hand. ”--I've got something for runners.” He pulled out his heart. Its pulsing, crimson flesh began to darken.

Mehlsanz and Garovel went underground.

”That won't save you!” Desmond laughed, rearing his arm back.

Hector gritted his teeth and pumped his fist sideways.

Desmond's throw had the force of a cannon. The heart did not leave his grasp, however. He looked at his hand and saw it enveloped in metal. ”Aw, you f.u.c.k--!”

The metal turned to dust just before the heart exploded. Desmond's body blew apart like a watermelon wrapped in dynamite.

Hector rolled over onto his back. 'I got him...'

'Really?' Garovel poked his head out of the ground. 'Wow, Hector... I thought we were dead for sure.'

He just took a heavy breath. The Queen's head was regenerating, and Lynnette was still motionless.

'Did you kill Ezmortig, though?'

'No.' He saw Ezmortig in the sky. 'And I can't reach him, either...'

'Then we only have a few minutes,' said Garovel. 'We should leave while we can.'

'Maybe that other guy can reach--'

Roman came tumbling past, bouncing across the walkway and skidding into a tree. So much of his skin and muscle was melted off that half his skeleton was visible. Green and yellow steam hissed around his body. He could still move, however, and wore a scowl on what remained of his face.

'What the hell are you doing?!' said Voreese. 'That guy is beating your ass!'

”Shut up!” Roman's lungs convulsed in his ribcage. ”It's the acid! It's really hard to move when I don't have any f.u.c.k.i.n.g muscles!”

'Don't be a wuss, Roman!'

”F.u.c.k off!”

The big man stomped toward them. Roman slammed a bony fist to the ground, and the giant sunk through a sudden hole in the concrete. Up to his belly, he struggled a moment, then tore his way out of the ground, preparing another swell of acid in his gut.

Hector covered the man's mouth in iron.

Acid spewed forth and ate through the metal, but not before splashing back onto his face. His eyes boiled out of his head.

Roman blinked. ”Nice one, kid--”

The man lumbered forward anyway and vomited more acid on him.

”F.u.c.kin' dammit.” Roman struggled to raise a steaming hand as the man drew closer.

Lynnette's sword exploded out the giant's forehead. She clung to his back as he hit the ground face-first. Everyone stared at her as she wiped her blade on the dead man's shirt.

”Where's the other guy?” said Roman. ”If we get both their brains, we can stop them from regenerating.”

”He blew up,” said Hector. ”I'm pretty sure his brain isn't in one piece anymore...”

”Shit. Then his reaper can remake him anywhere.”

'If Desmond is coming after us again, then we should prepare to receive him in a more favorable location,' said Garovel.

'Agreed,' said Voreese. 'Roman?'

”Alright, follow me everyone. Carry the Queen, kid.”

'His name is Hector. And mine is Garovel.'

Hector dragged himself over to the Queen as the last of his broken bones repaired themselves. Lynnette offered assistance, but he was strong enough again to carry Helen on his own.

”Dammit.” Roman stood over the big guy's corpse. ”The acid seeped in and started melting his brain. This guy's gonna be remade somewhere else, too.”

Roman led them over the ruins of the Belgrant Gatehouse. Abandoned cars lined the street, doors left ajar. No doubt people had fled after seeing the gatehouse fall and hearing the subsequent explosions. Sirens in the distance warned of an imminent police presence.

Roman shambled toward a tour bus at the tail end of the traffic jam. He was still missing a quarter of his flesh. He no longer wore a cap, and his undershirt was gone, save only his left sleeve.

”Oh, I don't even have to hotwire it,” said Roman. ”Keys are still in the ignition. You drive, sword girl. I'll tell you where to go.”

Lynnette stared at him, perhaps wondering if he was even human. ”Why can't you drive?” was all she asked.

He waved a hand in front of his face. ”I don't have my glasses. They melted.”

The Queen stirred in Hector's arms, and he set her down in a chair behind the driver's seat. She shook her head, blinking a few times.

'Welcome back,' said Mehlsanz.

Hector took the seat across from her as the engine started.

”What happened?” the Queen said.

”We survived,” said Roman. ”But the enemy will be back. We're going to my associate's garage. We'll be in better fighting shape with his help.”

'Who are you people?' said Garovel. 'Vanguard?'

'No,' said Voreese. 'Are you?'

'No.'

'So we're all independent here.'

'Seems that way.'

The bus hit a curb, and everyone eyed the driver.

”...I've never driven a bus before,” she said over the noise.

”Just turn right when you reach Willard Street.”

Mehlsanz tilted her head. 'That girl is strangely understanding, considering she can't see the three of us.'

”She is a good soldier,” said Helen.

'I'm sure you'll have fun explaining the situation to her later,' said Mehlsanz.

”I am still not sure I understand the situation myself.”

The journey was a short one. The tour bus pulled up to a quite well-kept auto body shop, and everyone exited. Fully regenerated, Roman led the group inside.

There were people in the waiting room. They eyed the new arrivals uncomfortably.

Roman rang the bell at the front desk. ”Gerald! Get your crusty old ass out here!”

The others all exchanged glances.

The door behind the counter opened, and the elderly mechanic stepped through. He took one look at Roman and sighed. ”Alright,” said Gerald. ”I'm sorry to everyone who was waiting, but we're closed now. I need you all to leave.”

”What?” said one man, standing. ”But you have my car. I need it tomorrow--”

Roman stepped in, smiling. ”I know it's inconvenient, but trust me, pal. This is for your own good.” He grabbed a pad and paper off the counter and scribbled a quick note, handing it to the customer. ”Here. Go to this address and give this note to the cute blond girl there. She'll provide all of you with new vehicles, free of charge.”

The man's expression faltered, and he read the note. ”Wha--this address isn't even in Sescoria. This is a hundred kilometers away!”

Roman's smile waned. ”Then I guess you'd better get going.”

”This is ridiculous!”

Helen intervened, and the stranger did a double take. ”Please listen to him,” she said. ”Some very bad people are coming here. They will kill you if you stay.”

It didn't take much more convincing after that. The customers soon filed out of the building.

”So who's coming to kill us?” Gerald asked.

”Abolish,” said Roman. ”Two members, both pretty strong, but nothing we can't handle.”

Gerald's expression darkened, and he looked over the group another time.

Roman scratched his bare chest. ”By the way, you got any spare clothes?”