Directly beneath it, keeping pace, is a metal snake. At this distance it seems to slide over the hills like a boat riding waves.
Jem nearly drops the scope. Fear grips him, an old friend embracing hard. He has but seconds to act. If they have not seen him already, it is only a matter of time. He looks back to the house, thinks of Harm, of Reela. The fear grips tighter. There is nothing he can do. If they see him, they will judge and find him wanting. If they see Reela – he shakes his head, cutting off the thought.
Fear leaves no time for deliberation. Keeping low, moving between the hills, he makes for a destination. Not towards the Shining City and the approaching forces, not towards home, but away, to a hiding place where the trees grow wild. From there he watches, shivering among the leaves.
His daughter is in danger. She needs him! An impulse to go to her is checked by an older, more cynical one. He cannot get to her in time and any act of heroism on his part would be suicide. What could one man hope to do against an immortal and the armed might of the Empire?
Nothing.
He has stood up before, for his mother, and paid for it in years. The memories are knife sharp, cutting still. Jem has learned from past mistakes, been shaped by them.
But Reela needs him!
He shakes his head, knowing that he cannot go to her, hating himself for it. Better to wait, to choose the right time. And if that time does not come, better to live. He repeats the words a second time, silent, bitter, and forces himself to swallow them.
On silvered wings, Delta of The Seven soars. It has been a long time since she has flown, too long.
Behind her, mirror-like, is her brother, Alpha. He flies away from her towards the coast, in search of other prey.
Orders have been given, the worthy have been mobilized. Soon, the purge will begin. The thought of it weighs heavy in Delta’s mind. For it is their failure as much as their people’s.
She does not disagree with Alpha’s plans. He is the first of them, the strongest, and she admires his purpose. And yet … she wishes there was some other way to restore the creator’s perfect vision.
Though she is awake and active once more, the weariness remains, and a sadness, deep, that she carried even in the earliest days.
A dwelling comes into view. Two houses, ugly, messy shapes. The sight displeases her. Why would the remnant of her sister choose to be here rather than at their side?
She comes down to land, feet making gentle contact with the earth, wings folding behind her like a cloak.
Unmoved by what she sees, yet curious to find its hidden appeal, she looks around while her knights catch up, the hissing of the snake that bears them half a mile distant.
The smaller house has no door. She approaches to find it is a home for animals, nothing more. Despite the space, only one ancient goat seems to dwell here.
Irritated by the disturbance, the goat looks at Delta.
With eyes like bleak winter clouds, Delta looks at the goat. She sees fading strength and many flaws, but all are natural. No taint clings to the creature. It is not the source of wrongness that she senses hidden close by.
She moves away, towards the main house.
Behind her, the goat snorts, derisive.
She ignores it, drawn by lingering echoes of her sister’s essence. Metal fingers brush an uneven wall. Once, Gamma’s sword rested here. She feels a faint sense of contentment, of peace.
Greedily, she lets the experience wash over her. All too soon it is over. And it is not enough.
She moves to the door and opens it.
Running footsteps approach and a voice, loud, high pitched. ‘I’m bitey goat! Baaa! Baaa! Bite! Bite!’
A girl comes into view. Unruly, messy, tainted.
Delta’s hand moves to the living sword at her side, grasping the hilt.
The girl sees her in the doorway, skids to a stop, her babbling voice cutting off in shock.
Delta finds her sword, herself, reluctant. She cannot imagine Gamma permitting this tainted thing to exist. It makes no sense to her.
The girl finds her voice and starts to scream.
A man walks slowly over to her, his voice soft, soothing. ‘It’s alright, Reela, it’s alright. I’m here now.’ He keeps one hand lightly on the wall, letting it guide him to the weeping girl.
Through Delta’s eyes his essence is scarred. Hints of taint remain at the edges, a sign of something far worse that has been burned away, something centred where his eyes once were.
He pauses, head tilting in her direction. ‘Hello? Hello? Is someone there?’
Delta does not answer, her hand makes a fist around the hilt of her sword. Gamma spurned our love, for this?
‘I know you’re there. What do you want?’
Shaking her head, Delta turns away.
The metal snake comes to a sliding stop nearby, disgorging knights from its open mouth. They kneel before her, waiting for her to pass before carrying out their orders. She has seen nothing to make her interfere with them.
As the knights advance on the house, she sinks to her knees, dragged down by misery.
Raised voices soon reach her.
‘I will not stand aside! And I will not leave my home! I took your trials years ago and I passed them. I earned my right to be here.’
The knight’s reply is amplified by his helmet. ‘This house is tainted. It will be purged. If you do not leave, you will be purged with it.’
‘Contact the Bearer, she will not stand for this!’
‘The Bearer serves The Seven in all things. Our orders come direct from Them. Strip off your clothes, step away from the house and report for re-purging immediately.’
‘Just contact her, please.’
‘You have sixty seconds to get out of our way.’
‘Don’t do something you’ll regret.’
Delta listens despite herself.
‘You have fifty seconds, failure to obey will be seen as rebellion.’
‘I will not leave. If you’re going to hurt an innocent girl you’ll have to go through me.’
‘Thirty seconds.’
