Chapter Ten: Problems on the Disc
Flying low over the snow dunes, Silveria carrying Thunderchild and Domino approached the Cleyra. Thunderchild couldn't see what was causing the destruction but a lot of the ground around the ship was on fire.
Hurry Silveria he urged the dragon on
The Silver Dragon beat his wings faster and harder, speeding up even more. Behind Thunderchild and holding onto his waist was Domino, she wasn't too happy about this method of transport but she was coping with it. When she saw the Cleyra on fire, she put her worries to one side and urged Silveria on too.
In the smoke from the burning ship, Thunderchild saw his only chance of returning to the disc and stopping whatever terrible thing he had seen in his visions from taking place disappearing. He knew something wasn't right on the disc and that something needed to be done, but he didn't know what.
Getting closer to the Cleyra Thunderchild saw a multitude of figures around the side of the ship, they appeared to be firing blazing arrows at the ship.
Silveria, a low pass over those figures if you would. I'd like to see them closer.
As you wish master
Silveria banked to the right and flew in low over the figures, as they passed Thunderchild got a closer look at the figures and was so overcome with shock that he nearly fell off the dragon.
By the gods! I recognise them! They're from the Disc!!
The Disc?! thought Domino What the hell are they doing here?!
I don't know but I'm going to find out. Silveria?
Yes master?
Low and slow over those men and then take Domino back onto the Cleyra
Thunderchild…. Domino began to protest
No Domino and this time I really mean it! I know these guys and they are dangerous. Get back to the Cleyra and organise an attack if I should fail.
I'll come get you
Dom, if I fail badly then there won't be a me to come and collect
Silveria turned around and then returned over the heads of the figures next to the Cleyra. Thunderchild got up and jumped onto the ground, rolling with the fall as he had been trained to do in the Klatchian Carpet-troopers. Silveria continued on his flight returning Domino to the Cleyra as Thunderchild had asked.
Standing up he faced the attackers, there were mercenaries he had tangled with before during his time as a freelance warrior on the disc. He didn't know what they were doing here and he really wanted to find out.
"Well, what do we have here? Looks like a lost warrior" one of the mercenaries jeered
"Alright, pack it in. You're fighting the wrong people here Stren"
The one named Stren spat on the ground
"No-one tells us who we fight accept who pays us, I don't see you paying up"
Thunderchild smiled slyly
"Well, I'm not paying. I'm telling. Stop attacking now"
Stren stepped slowly forward
"Or what?"
"Or Stren Withil. I shall make you regret it"
The mercenary suddenly lunged at Thunderchild with his sword, Thunderchild dodged to one side and drew his own sword. The next swing from Stren was met by Thunderchilds own blade, then the two parted.
"What are you doing here Stren, you don't belong here"
"And you do Thunderchild?!"
"Yes, I do, more than I belong on the Disc"
Thunderchild swung his sword at Stren in a fake attempt to attack his head, at the last second he dropped down aiming at the legs but Stren met the assault with a perfect counter and then launched an attack of his own pushing Thunderchilds blade back against him.
"We've been told to kill everyone on this ship"
"Who by?"
"We don't question who pays us. But I'll tell you this"
"What?"
"She mentioned you personally. You, are to be taken alive"
That took Thunderchild by surprise, enough to drop his guard and to let Strens sword cut into his arm. Snarling with pain Thunderchild grabbed his arm to stop the bleeding from the deep wound.
"Stren. Something isn't right here. These people have done nothing wrong to me. They're the good guys…"
"Good guys bad guys, what does it matter at the end of the day? People die, people live. Life goes on."
"Not for those who've died"
Stren shrugged
"So what? I'm getting paid a generous sum for this job. While the rest of Ankh-Morpork are cowering in their beds. I'm being paid for a cushy little number"
"Cowering in their beds? What's been happening?"
"Don't you know?"
Thunderchild shook his head.
"I've been here for almost a week"
Stren stopped and placed his sword on the ground on front of him.
"Well, I guess you deserve to know. Well, shortly after you left loads of Black wizards with glowing eyes and strange monkey creatures took the city by storm. There was nothing anyone could do to stop them, any organised resistance was crushed. The leader of the invaders has built a massive tower near the Unseen University. No-one walks the streets of Ankh-Morpork at night now, it's just too dangerous, even in daylight the streets lie quiet. Many people have fled into the countryside."
Thunderchild dropped to his knees, still clutching his arm.
"No…It can't be."
Stren nodded
"Yeah, it's a pretty crap set up, but we still get paid. As long as we keep out of the Wizards way, we're fine. Just watch where you trend and who you upset."
Thunderchild shook his head.
"They must be stopped!"
"Yeah, but you're not going to stop them. You're going to come with us while we torch this ship"
Thunderchild looked at Stren
"No Stren, you're not. I can't let you do that. You know I can't let you do that"
"Thunderchild, if I have to take you unconscious then I will"
Thunderchilds upper swing was blocked by Strens blade once again. Thunderchild attempted to counter attack and beat his way through Strens defence but failed.
"Face it Thunderchild. You've lost. Now just come with us"
"NO!! I WILL NOT GIVE IN!" screamed Thunderchild bringing his sword down in a vicious head blow that although was blocked by Stren did cause him to stagger a bit.
Thunderchild then manage to cut a deep slice in the side of Strens stomach which made the mercenary curse with pain.
"Have it your own way Thunderchild. I guess we'll just have to say you were killed whilst the ship was burning" said Stren and then tried to decapitate Thunderchild. He didn't succeed in his original aim but he did manage to slash his sword down Thunderchilds face, opening up a deep cut running from just above his right eye down to just above his mouth. Thunderchild groaned and then felt the increased skill and mobility that he had learnt to associate with Trance began to arise.
When Thunderchild went into Trance, it surprised Stren as Thunderchilds armour glowed bright and his hair went platinum white. Using Strens surprise to his advantage Thunderchild managed to give Stren another wound on his left arm. Stren howled with anger and pain and swung his sword at Thunderchild in several vicious attacks that should have killed Thunderchild, but Thunderchilds increased awareness and speed meant that none of the potentially fatal hits got through.
"What the hells happened to you warrior? You've changed…"
"I'm better Stren. I've found my true self. I found my life again"
"Well, I hope you've enjoyed it as it's about to end. Come on guys, lets get him!"
Suddenly the rest of Strens mercenary gang converged on Thunderchild, it was ten men versus one Thunderchild.
"Oh crap" he muttered
Even with Trance, the situation was grim. There was no way that Thunderchild could take on all of the attackers and live. A hit got through despite Thunderchilds best attempts and cut deep into his leg, he was knocked to the ground and expected the next thing to be death. Suddenly there was a change in the mood of the gang, something had surprised them. A middle aged man clad in armour fought his way into the group, dispersing them away from Thunderchild, the armoured man reached Thunderchild and helped him to his feet.
"Adelbert Steiner, Knights of Pluto at your service"
Thunderchild patted Steiner on his back twice and said
"Thank you, now help me sort out this lot!"
The mercenaries, now began to attack again, not all at once this time but in groups of four or five, probing Thunderchilds defences and taking moves to evade his attacks. Steiner was good with the sword, and he managed to fell two of the mercenaries without taking a hit himself.
A blast of fire vaporised four of the mercenaries on Thunderchilds left, turning around Thunderchild saw Silveria approach with Domino on his back. Domino jumped off the Silver Dragon as he flew low over the group knocking some other mercenaries over with his backwash of wind. Domino landed on a mercenary, knocking him to the ground and decapitating him in one movement.
The three of them, with Silverias aid, manage to turn the tide of the battle and after a couple more minutes fighting, they had whittled down the ten mercenaries to just Stren Withil. Thunderchild stopped Domino and Steiner from attacking and approached the beaten mercenary.
"Give it up Stren. You've lost"
"No," the mercenary wheezed "I can't report failure. She'll kill me"
"Who will?"
"The leader of the invaders. She paid me to do this, she'll…she'll kill me."
"Then come back with me. I'll protect you from her. She must be stopped"
Stren nodded
"Yes, she must be stopped. She will destroy us all if she isn't"
"What is her name Stren?"
"I'm not sure…I…I think it's…"
Before he could finish a fireball fell out of the sky and struck him in the back, consumed with fire Stren Withil screamed and fell to the ground.
"RUN Thunderchild, get out of here. You're not safe…she's…everywhere!" he warned before completely burning up.
"Come on, lets get out of here!" shouted Thunderchild as another fireball hit the ground very near them.
They ran back to the Cleyra as fireballs began to fall out of the sky on a regular basis.
"What the hell's going on here?!" asked Steiner
"I think we've annoyed the wrong people Steiner!" replied Thunderchild
A fireball hit the ground in front of them, melting the snow and charring the rock beneath it. Thunderchild and the others leapt over the patch of melted snow and carried on running.
Finally they reached the side of the ship and ran in through one of the many holes. Inside the Cleyra was a scene of utmost confusion, people were running this way and that and injured crewmen littered the corridors, Thunderchild picked his way carefully over the injured people and headed for the upper deck.
A thump shook the ship, Thunderchild didn't know what it was but he knew that it didn't sound good at all. Running down a clear corridor he almost ran into Zidane.
"Zidane! Is the ship ready to go?"
Zidane turned and Thunderchild saw for the first time that he was injured, a cut running the length of his right arm.
"Thunderchild? It's ready to go but there's no-one to pilot it! The ship pilots are dead and the bridge is a mess, fire everywhere. We're stranded"
Thunderchild thought for a moment and then decided on his plan.
"Where's the bridge?"
"Why?"
Thunderchild took Zidane by the shoulders and shook him.
"Dammit Zidane, just tell me where the bridge is!!"
Zidane pulled himself free of Thunderchilds grasp and pointed up the corridor.
"It's up there, at the end"
Thunderchild thanked Zidane and then ran on up the corridor. At the far end was the door marked "Bridge" which Thunderchild smashed down. A wall of flames greeted him, Zidane was right, the bridge had been badly hit. Thunderchild took a couple of steps back and then leapt into the flames. Gasping at the pain that struck his left leg as it burned, he carried on to the centre of the bridge. Standing there was the ships wheel and engine control, all thankfully intact.
He found the lever marked Engines, and turned it to FULL. Around him the ship shuddered into life but wouldn't lift off. Thunderchild could see out of the bridges windows that the ship remained stubbornly on the ground. So he looked around the control desk some more, constantly wiping his eyes that were watering from the heat of the inferno burning around him. Suddenly he spotted a wheel marked Engine Direction, and he wound it in the direction of UP. Sure enough after a minute the Cleyra began to slowly lift into the air, when Thunderchild saw that it was high enough, he began to turn the ships directional wheel until the Cleyra pointed due north and then he engaged the lock on the wheel so that the ship remained pointing in a northerly direction and switched the engine direction to FORWARD. Only then did he take a look around.
The fire was now up to the control stand, burning close to his feet. He looked around searching for a way out but it was no good, he'd have to run through the flames to get out.
Oh joy thought Thunderchild now I get fried to a crisp.
He plucked up the courage and ran to the door, at every step pain shot up both his legs, he nearly fell down but managed to stay upright knowing that to fall right now would mean a burning death. Finally he reached the door and threw himself out of it into the corridor beyond and then, with difficulty, closed the door behind him.
Then he sat there, look at his badly burnt legs and laughing. Laughing with victory, the Cleyra was safe and they were heading for Black Mage Village and from there the Disc.
Watching the events play out in a magical mirror, a shadowed figure cursed and smashed the glass with her hand. She took a piece of the shattered mirror in her hand and clutched it until blood run through her fingers.
"So, you survived that. Well…fair enough. I shall let you go, the tale is not yet complete. There is still plenty of life left in you yet…Yissan."
She turned to the two genome guards standing at the door.
"Come, we have work to be done. The harvest is about to begin!"
With a shrill laugh that pierced the air like a knife the shadowed figure stormed out of the room the genomes following her.
Through the window the city of Ankh-Morpork burned.
Domino struggled through smashed corridors, leaping over gaps that opened up into a deadly drop. She ran and leapt over another gap, searching around. Zidane had said he'd gone to the bridge. She hoped he hadn't because she was having a hard time getting to him, nearly all of the corridors to the bridge were blocked by fire or debris of some sort.
"Thunderchild?!" she called over the sound of crackling flames
But there was no reply, climbing over a pile of wood she finally found him, he was attempting to stand up with hardly any legs. From the knee down his left leg was a mass of blood and blackened flesh, his right leg wasn't much better. He was bleeding extensively from a deep cut on his face and was trying to support himself with his sword. He looked up and saw her through a haze of red.
"Domino?" he asked
"Th-Thunderchild, what the hell have you done to yourself?!" she asked, in shock
"Domino!" he cried realising who it was
He tried to walk over to her but lost his balance and fell forward heavily, not even able to put his hands in front of him to stop his fall.
"Thunderchild, oh Thunderchild you stupid bastard, why do you always have to try to be the hero?!" asked Domino as she helped him back to his feet.
"Had to…She is too strong…have to get back to Disc…grave danger" he replied through gritted teeth, it was clear that the pain he was suffering was terrible.
With his arm around Dominos shoulder Thunderchild hopped along beside her, trying to keep his balance and not fall over and take Domino with him. He staggered a couple of times but Domino showed great strength and did not let him down.
"Oh Domino," he yelped "What…would…I do without…you?"
"Die probably" she muttered rather bluntly
Together they worked their way very slowly back up to the main deck, it was hard going as Thunderchild couldn't leap across the gaps like Domino could because his feet were almost missing.
But finally they made it and Domino sat Thunderchild down on the deck, Zidane and Steiner walked over, both clearly shocked at what they saw.
"Thunderchild? What the hell happened?" asked Zidane
Thunderchild took a deep breath and tried to ignore the pain he was feeling
"The bridge was on fire, I had to get the ship going…to save the Disc"
Zidane shook his head in amazement
"If it wasn't for you Thunderchild, we'd all be dead. It was beginning to rain fireballs on us. It was damn close…well done" Zidane walked over and patted Thunderchild on the back causing him to wince and have a coughing fit.
"Domino.." he wheezed "Come here…"
She walked over to him and knelt next to him.
"What's the matter Thu?" she asked
Thunderchild had realised something and wanted to tell Domino
"Dom, my sweet…I don't think…that I'm going to…"
Domino shushed him, cradling his head in her arms.
"Shush and be still my love, you're going to get better. Just you rest and you'll get better"
Thunderchild tried to shake his head but failed and landed up coughing up blood instead.
"Domino…listen to me…you've got to save the Disc. Stop this mad woman"
"NO Thunderchild, you're going to make it damn it!" she cried
Thunderchild smiled and reached up to bring her head down to his, he kissed her on the lips, sighed and stopped breathing.
"NO Thunderchild!! Damn you, you're not going to leave me!"
She concentrated on her limited healing powers, moving her hands over the parts of Thunderchilds body that she sensed were injured.
Zidane tapped her on the shoulder
"He's gone Dom, you'd best leave him"
"NO ZIDANE!!! HE'S NOT DEAD!"
Steiner stood behind Zidane and Domino watching the tragic scene.
What a damn shame he thought he was a honourable man.
Domino concentrated even more, slowly exhausting herself as she tried to heal him. Suddenly his chest moved and Thunderchild gasped in air. Domino silently cheered and sat back from him. His eyes opened again and he looked straight at Domino.
"Wow…thank you Domino…I was almost a goner there."
Domino was astonished, her healing powers had never worked that well before, they'd hardly worked at all. She looked deep into Thunderchilds eyes and wondered what other surprises she had yet to discover.
Thunderchild sat up suddenly, wincing with the pain created by his broken ribs.
"Oh no," he said "Zidane, we're going the wrong way!"
They turned and looked, sure enough the Cleyra had been pushed around by a headwind and was now heading back towards Lindblum.
"Damn," swore Zidane "We have to get someone to pilot this thing, but all our pilots are dead"
Thunderchild used his sword to slowly stand up and turned to Zidane
"If you can put the fire on the bridge out, I can do the rest….I am a star ship pilot after all"