Jara watched the form of the genome curled up in the corner…she had been like this for a while. She walked around Domino and prodded her with her staff. Domino curled tighter into a ball.
Must be some sort of natural defence thought Jara
The more she studied Domino the more she discovered of the genomes power…she had read in Garlands notes about the one genome that was made too powerful and during an accident had escaped and she had known it was Domino…she remembered the laboratory incident too well.
And now her husband was leading an uprising…well, was leading an uprising Jara had sent her forces out into Ankh-Morpork to tear the place apart and kill him.
All the more souls for the harvest she thought
She remembered that Domino had been fused with the eidolon Bahamut during the early days of her existence but she had gone unstable and the eidolon had had to be removed…but she was still able to summon it.
Summon it….
Her lips curved upwards in a smile, she had it now…the perfect plan, the ultimate weapon.
"Rise genome!" she commanded Domino
Dominos body forced herself up, although her mind was still functioning it had no control over her body now, she felt like what Thunderchild had described the Borg to be like.
Jara walked out of her throne room and down the stairs, Domino following. At the level below her throne room there lay a small room with a table situated in the middle of it, the room was originally intended for experiments into new monsters but Jara hadn't gotten around to that yet.
"Lie on the table." She commanded Domino, Domino obeyed and when she did Jara stood back and looked at her. She then started to move sideways around Domino, moving in a circle her hands moving up and down and in strange shapes around her body.
Slowly but surely Domino felt a part of her drift away…
Her ability to summon Bahamut…
And there was nothing she could do to stop it…
"Get your foot out of my face Beowolf!" shouted Proeliator
"I'm sorry but there's hardly any room for us all on this!" replied Beowolf
Thunderchild, Nagy, Beowolf and Proeliator flew just above street level on Thunderchilds magic carpet, they were going slowly for now as it was difficult for all four of them to fit on the carpet and twice they had had to stop to rescue someone who was holding onto the edge of the carpet on the verge of falling off.
"When are you going to give the signal?" asked Nagy from his position next to Thunderchild
"Soon…we've just got to get a few streets closer."
They were close to Widdershins broadway now, the Crystal Palace loomed ominously in front of them, glowing with a strange internal light.
Suddenly a bolt of lightning arced past Nagy and hit a building in front of them.
"Thunderchild…we've got company!" warned Proeliator
Thunderchild looked over his shoulder to see another Black Waltz flying behind them, it's arm raised for another lightning bolt which Thunderchild was sure wouldn't miss.
"Persistent bastards…" he muttered and then he turned around and shouted out "Hold on tight everyone!" he leaned forward and angled the carpet down.
The magic carpet plunged down out of the sky, when it was three feet off the street Thunderchild pulled back and maintained it at that level but now at a faster speed.
"Err…isn't this a bit too fast?" asked Beowolf as the buildings flashed past at breakneck speed.
"No choice…if we go slow we're sitting ducks for that Black Waltz."
The aforementioned Black Waltz was tailing them now, throwing lightning bolts at them in random intervals.
Thunderchild banked sharply left to take the turning for The Maul which led to Sator Square.
"I need to give the signal…" he said
"But we can't stop, that Waltz will destroy us!" said Proeliator
They flew past someone Thunderchild realised…as they did the lone figure battling a horde of monsters turned and shouted out
"Thunderchild! Help!"
Thunderchild turned the carpet around at the end of the street passing directly under the following Waltz
"Ok Proeliator…take this," he said handing the alien object to Proeliator "It's a Particle Pistol, use it just like a crossbow but you don't need to reload…for heavens sake don't shoot yourself. Nagy take control of the carpet."
"Where are you going?"
"To send the signal…I'll meet you at the top of the Tower of Art! Go there after you see the signal…keep that Black Waltz off me!"
As they approached the battling figure Thunderchild stood up, saluted them and jumped off the side of the carpet landing in a pile of crates with a crash of wood and a loud curse.
The Black Waltz took no notice of the escaping Terran and focused on Nagy, Beowolf and Proeliator on the magic carpet.
Proeliator took aim at the Black Waltz and fired, the recoil of the gun took him slightly by surprise and the bright green particle blast went wide.
"Whoa" he muttered as the particle blast struck a house and blew up a large section of it.
Nagy turned the carpet west and headed for Short Street.
"Lets see if we can shake this bastard." He muttered
Thunderchild pulled himself up out of the crates and ran over to the battling figure
"Mizrah!" he shouted
"Thunderchild," she replied "Give me a hand here will you!"
Thunderchild nodded and took the blow that the Bandersnatch had aimed at Mizrah. Mizrah nodded back a thanks and smashed at the big hairy dog like monster with her fine blade.
"I hear you've been out of town lately." She said
"Yeah…been finding out a few things." He replied
Mizrah nodded as she blocked another blow from the Bandersnatch
"I also hear you're married now."
Thunderchild impaled the Bandersnatch with Draconus, setting its leg on fire
"Yeah…I'm going to rescue her now."
"Rescue her?"
"Uh-huh…Jara took control of her."
Mizrah delivered a killing blow to the Bandersnatch which fell to the ground and evaporated into nothingness like the Waltz's and the Mistodons before it.
"So…what are you doing now?" she asked
"I've got to get to the Tower of Art."
"But that area's crawling with monsters and genomes!"
"I know…but I've got to send this signal…or the up-rising will never happen."
Mizrah looked up at the now lightened sky, the half moon showing through illuminating her figure all clad in armour. Born in the mountains she was brought up in a warrior tribe but moved with the times and came to live in Ankh-Morpork…she had never looked back since.
"Alright…we'll try." She said lifting her sword up high and running off down the street.
Jara felt the power of summoning flow through her veins…it filled her, overwhelmed her…never in her wildest dreams had she felt so much power…so much pleasure.
She knew that she couldn't summon yet…but now she had the power it didn't matter…all she had to do was gather other eidolons and she could destroy the civilisations on the Mist Continent. More souls for Terra!
Domino lay on the stone slab a defeated girl…she had been brutally robbed of her eidolon, and now felt broken…something inside of her clicked and she began to give in, shut down in her protective cocoon.
Mikoto entered the room.
"Your majesty…Black Waltz's one and two have been defeated!" she warned
"WHAT!" shouted Jara, tendrils of energy earthing themselves from her fingertips.
"Both Waltz's reported contact with Yissan Gojenta and then we lost them…"
"He's stronger than I thought…never mind, he can't get to us in here…carry on with the ultimate harvest."
Inside of Dominos mind a small ray of hope flickered on…Thunderchild! He could save her! Something had to happen!
If someone had have stood still on Short street for long they would have witnessed a very strange event…firstly they would have heard the sound of shouting getting louder and then a flash of colour would have passed them and then a Black Waltz would have followed, throwing bolts of lightning at the carpet at random.
Proeliator aimed again and missed yet again, he had managed to clip the Waltz's wing once but the movement of the carpet made it difficult for him to get an accurate shot in.
"Hold tight…sharp right turn coming up!" warned Nagy as he leaned to his right sharply.
The carpet banked steeply right as it turned into Attic Bee street and began to follow the street down. Nagy spotted something ahead of them.
"Heads down!" he shouted in warning.
The carpet flew under a low brick archway, Proeliator and Beowolf barely getting their head down in time to prevent instant decapitation.
The Black Waltz just blew apart the archway with a lightning bolt and flew through the remains as they fell apart.
"Bloody hell!" swore Proeliator as the particle beam went wide again.
"Look…just give me that will you!" said Nagy snatching the gun from Proeliators hands and pulled up on the carpet making in rise high above the darkened streets.
Nagy took aim at the Black Waltz and pulled the trigger, the green particle beam shot out and hit the Black Waltz on one wing causing it to be spiral backwards down into the shadows of the street from which it didn't emerge again.
Beowolf and Proeliator turned and looked at Nagy who shrugged and handed the gun back to Proeliator
"There were those who didn't want to listen to my sermons." Nagy said cryptically
"Glad I wasn't one of them." Said Beowolf.
Nagy turned the carpet around and headed the other way up Attic Bee street
"Right," he said "Lets go met Thunderchild."
The Drakans bio drained the energy from Thunderchild making him fall to the ground but he picked himself up again and cast firaga on the Drakan which did significant damage. Mizrah finished off the Drakan with a slash across the head.
It was the fifth monster they had battled since arriving on the Maul, they seemed to be streaming out of Sator square and Mizrah and Thunderchild landed up running right into them.
"Are you ok?" asked Mizrah of Thunderchild as he staggered slightly.
"I will be." He replied as with a few waves of his hand he performed Curaga on himself and Mizrah, both suddenly felt a lot more able to fight.
"Just as soon as I get Domino back." He added
As another Fang came running out of Sator Square Mizrah turned to Thunderchild and said
"You're quite devoted to her aren't you?"
Thunderchild nodded
"I love her…that's all the reason I need."
"So…what are you going to do now?" asked Mizrah as she tackled the oncoming Fang head on, slashing into it as it leapt for her throat.
Thunderchild kicked the Fang, knocking it off Mizrah and decapitated it in one blow.
As the Fang disappeared he replied
"I dunno…I've just got to get this signal done and get into the Crystal Palace…that's all that matters."
They ran forward out on to Sator Square.
"It's him again! HALT!" came a cry from a large party of genomes at the other side of the square
"Aw crap…are you ready for 'em Miz?"
Mizrah nodded and said
"I'll knock 'em out…no killing as you said."
Thunderchild nodded and sheathed his sword…having it drawn was too much temptation to use it.
The genomes ran at them as Thunderchild raised his arm and blasted the first row of genomes with a knock-out psychic blast which made them convulse and fall to the ground.
"I thought you said no killing!" said Mizrah
"They'll wake up again in a hour or two."
Mizrah raised her eyebrow and smashed the blunt edge of her sword into passing genome sending him sprawling to the ground.
Thunderchild moved his arms in ever intricate shapes sending out psychic blast after psychic blast…one genome got too close and speared him in the chest causing him to stagger with the pain.
"Thunderchild!" called Mizrah "Are you ok?"
"I'll be fine!" he replied pulling the spear out of his chest and trying to cover the wound with one hand while he used the other to repel approaching genomes.
More and more genomes threw themselves at them, one genome managed to knock Mizrah down and was raising his sword for a killing blow when he suddenly found himself lifted into the air and propelled backwards into a brick wall at high speed.
"Thanks Thunderchild." Said Mizrah as she stood up again.
Another genome circled her and moved in slashing at her with his own sword, Mizrah blocked the attack with her sword and pushed the genomes sword out of his hand before punching him in the face knocking him out cold. As that genome fell another somersaulted in front of her, landing with a graceful ease and drawing her sword at the same time, Mizrah was surprised to encounter a female genome, most of the ones she had battled had been male.
This genome was warier than the others, it circled her moving to the left as Mizrah moved to the right…then she came in for the kill her twin bladed staff whirling in a circle around her head. Mizrah smashed her sword into the staff as it came down to strike her, the genome jumped back and whirled the staff in from the side. Mizrah blocked that too and then pushed forward herself moving on to the attack with her sword, the female genome tried it's best to block with the staff but Mizrah smashed the staff in two and brought the blunt side of her blade into contact with the side of the genomes head.
The genome fell to the floor unconscious.
Mizrah looked up, the genome attackers seem to have either been all defeated or retreated…she couldn't tell but for now they were safe.
Thunderchild groaned as he did his best to stop the bleeding with the stolen clothing of a genome.
"Are you sure you're ok?"
"I'll be fine." Said Thunderchild.
Jara watched from the window of her throne room, she saw the army of genomes attack Thunderchild and his companion…she saw them fail.
"Damn you Yissan…you have more strength than brains."
Dominos face remained impassive but inside she was shouting with joy…her husband was repelling Jara…even beating her forces.
But suddenly Jara was laughing.
"But even you can't defeat what I have…even you will fall before me…"
With a strange guttural howl she summoned forth a creature which hovered in front of the window and roared at her.
Dominos eyes widened despite Jaras control as she recognised the creature.
"Go Nova Dragon," commanded Jara "Destroy him!"
Thunderchild and Mizrah ran into the Unseen University grounds, they had been forced to climb over the wall to get there as the main gate was locked and barred against any intruders.
The wizards of the Unseen University had holed themselves up in here from the start of Jaras occupation and for the time being she had left them alone…but Thunderchild knew that she wouldn't be able to resist the power held in the university.
Thunderchild run straight into someone in the dark and fell crashing to the ground.
"Ping…whoops Mr Tiddles!" said a voice in the dark
"Are you alright?" asked Mizrah
Thunderchild stood back up again
"Yeah…it's the Bursar."
Thunderchild turned around and just about saw the darkened form of the Unseen Universitys bursar standing next to him…anyone who didn't know the bursar would have thought that he had been driven insane by Jaras occupation…but the Bursar had been like this for ages, since before Thunderchild had come to Ankh-Morpork…he couldn't remember what had caused it but people got used to the Bursar saying and doing ridiculous things if he hadn't had his dried frog pills in a while.
"Bursar!" shouted someone further off in the dark
"Arch chancellor!" replied Thunderchild "The bursar is over here."
"Ah good…," there was a pause "Who's that with him?"
"Thunderchild and Mizrah"
"Who?"
Thunderchild sighed
"Look…I don't have time for this, we're going up the Tower of Art…come and get the Bursar, it's not safe for him to be out here now…or any of you come to think of it."
"What do you mean 'not safe'! You're out in it." Came the voice of the Arch chancellor getting closer
"I know…but I have to…I have a job to do." Said Thunderchild and with that he ran off to the Tower of Art.
Mizrah couldn't see him in the darkness, a cloud had obscured the moon so she followed the sound of his heavy footsteps as well as listening to the conversation behind her.
"Well…that was most irregular." Said a middle aged mans voice
"Indeed…trespassing on University grounds…in my day…" said the Arch chancellor
"In your day, what sir?" asked a younger voice
"In my day we had more…"
"Respect?"
"Yes…that was it…more respect…oodles of it."
"Is that a word, sir?"
"I think so…"
"One of them was a woman too…" said the middle aged man
"Dean?"
"Yes Arch chancellor?"
"Shut up."
Thunderchild reached the bottom of the Tower of Art and opened the door, looking up he grimaced at the sight of stairs after stairs spiralling up into infinity. The tower of art was the tallest building in Ankh-Morpork but still only half the height of the Crystal Palace. He sighed and then began running up the stairs, two at a time. It took him a couple of minutes but he managed to get half way up before he had to slow down and it was a good thing he did because he was just about to take a step forward when something warned him not to…looking down he saw one of the steps was missing and that step he had about to take would have sent him plunging down ten stories.
There was the sound of running feet behind him.
"Mizrah?" he called out
"I'm here!" she replied as she came running up the stairs behind him.
"Be careful there's a missing…" he never got the chance to finish his sentence as Mizrah came charging past and fell off the staircase.
"MIZRAH!" he shouted as he saw her form fall through the stair case in the dark.
He ran to the edge of the stairs and looked down expecting to hear a meaty thump as she hit the bottom of the stairs but none came.
"Help!" came a struggled cry from just below him, kneeling down he saw that Mizrah had grabbed hold of the edge of the stairs and was holding on for dear life…trouble was she was on the other side of the stairs.
"Hang on Miz…" said Thunderchild as he walked backwards, took a short run up and leapt the gap in the stairs, when he got to the other side he turned around and knelt down holding his hand out for Mizrah to grab…she did and he managed to pull her up onto the side of the stairs where she sat gasping for a moment.
"Thank you…that was close."
"Not a problem…We need to see where we're going though…oh! Of course…what an idiot I am!" said Thunderchild as he realised he was carrying Draconus.
He drew the sword and as flames ran across its blade it lit up the staircase in front of them…several other parts were also missing their steps but it was nothing that couldn't be jumped across.
"Looks like we've got some work to do." He said as he picked up the strength and started running again.
Mizrah sighed and stood up to follow him.
Another ten or so minutes later Thunderchild and Mizrah emerged at the top of the Tower of Art.
"Dammit, where are they!" cursed Thunderchild
"Who?"
"Nagy, Proeliator and Beowolf…they were meant to meet me here…Never mind, I'll send the signal now anyway."
He stood stock still for a moment and then thrust his hands out in front of him and then upwards very rapidly…a large ball of fire leapt out of his hands and flew high into the sky where it exploded with a flash which lit up the whole city. A loud boom echoed across the city afterwards.
"Well…that's it," Said Thunderchild "The rest is up to the population of this city."
Mizrah a breath of wind on her shoulder…on a perfectly still night…she turned around and came face to face with a very large dragon with a long pointed snout.
"Err…Thunderchild…we could have a problem here." She said
Thunderchild turned around and saw the Nova dragon staring at him.
"Oh shit." He said and drew his sword, letting battle commence.