Chapter 17

Ascension

The guy I was there to rescue had been behind his own kidnapping all along. I should have known. I’m not sure how, but I’m sure I should have. I’d risked life, limb and friends to get to this point and it had all been a trick, a damned con game and I had fallen for it.

My first instinct was to go punch Gravane in the throat. But he wasn’t alone. The Control Centre was an impressive space, decked out in monitors and consoles displaying a broad spread of data, I saw financials, shipping routes, security cameras showing various places around the caves, as well as the spaceport at Nymanteles. The consoles were staffed by Vadram, half a dozen in all, providing a constant background of chatter as they reported data to the man in the middle of it all.

Gravane for his part looked a little different than when I’d met him on Meanwhile Station. He held himself differently, seemed taller, certainly more confident, he was wearing a black pseudo-military uniform, the tunic looked to have a hood attached, though it was down at the moment.

One of the Vadram monitoring a security console spoke. “The Brontom has been subdued, sir, what do you want to be done with him?”

“Excellent. I am going to the Ascension Chamber, have him brought to me there. Where are the others?”

Another Vadram said, “The female was last seen in Hydroponics; a security detail has been dispatched to pick her up. No information on the other two.”

Gravane nodded. “They will turn up, no doubt. Bring them all to the Chamber, once you have them. The boy must be kept alive, bring the others in whatever state they can be acquired.”

“Yes, Doctor,” the Vadram chimed.

Gravane strode out of the far door. I dithered for a moment, then ducked back out of the door on my side. I risked losing Gravane, but I could hardly cut across the crowded Control room.

Back out in the corridors, I ran, dull waves of pain rising up my leg each time I put weight on my bad ankle. If there had been Vadram there, I would have been caught instantly, I passed junctions and rooms without pausing to check, but I had to catch up with Gravane, there was a chance I could get to him while he was alone, and I had to take it.

I was hyper-aware of the sound of my footsteps, echoing off the bare stone walls. But what choice did I have?

I caught a glimpse of green out of the corner of my eye and skidded to a halt. Seventhirtyfour being carried by two Vadram, slumped, unconscious.

I hoped only unconscious.

I slowed my pace, soft-footed behind them. My chance to take Gravane alone was gone, but if they were taking Seventhirtyfour to Gravane, I could at least let them lead me.

A couple more twists and turns, deeper into the cave system. Less sign that this stone had been worked, but the tunnels were wider as they descended, and a mass of power cables was pinned to the wall. Whatever was in this Ascension Chamber drew an awful lot of power.

The Vadram stopped to readjust their hold on Seventhirtyfour and I heard him give a groan. He was still alive, thank the stars.

The corridor opened out. I dropped back a little, pressed myself against a fold in the rock of the tunnel wall. I could hear Gravane’s voice from just up ahead, though I couldn’t make out the words.

There were other sounds too, as I fought to steady my own breathing and heart rate, I could hear them better. A steady bass thrum of machinery ticking over, and occasionally a growling sound. An animal of some kind, it sounded big.

With a start, I realised there was another sound too. More footsteps, but these ones coming from behind me. And then I heard Pilvi, cursing loudly at, presumably, the Vadram that had captured her.

And I was stuck. There were no branches in the corridor here. The Chamber, Gravane and a pair of Vadram were at one end, and at least one Vadram was coming down the corridor from behind me. My hiding place was good enough to conceal me from ahead but would do nothing to hide me from the ones behind.

I checked the ceiling. Double-checked both walls. No hiding places. No choice. I squared my shoulders, and as casually as I could muster, I strolled into the Ascension Chamber.

“Nice cave,” I said. “Like what you’ve done with it. That thing must have been a pain to get down the tunnel.”

The thing in question was the source of the thrumming noise I’d heard. A rough cube of machinery about four meters to a side, most of what I could see was a twisted lattice of bronze-coloured tubes, intertwined and overlapping, buried into the ground, but shaped to form an alcove in one face large enough for a Vadram to stand in. A control panel covered in dials, buttons and lights stood out on another face of the machine. The lights reminded me of something, and it took a moment to realise what. Sky Diamond’s headband. Whatever it was, it came from here, a fragment of this machine. There were other pieces missing too, components ripped out or damaged, replaced and jerry-rigged with much more familiar technology. Gravane technology.

Gravane himself sat at a trestle table, watching me take it in. Seventhirtyfour and his Vadram captors were closer to the machine. Seventhirtyfour’s eyes were open, but he looked dazed and groggy, and they had him chained to the side of the machine. I couldn’t see the far wall of the chamber, but I could hear what sounded like a waterfall in the darkness. That animal growl sounded from somewhere in the gloom.

Gravane smiled and gestured to the seat opposite him. “Come in, sit down. I am sure you have a lot of questions, and we have a few minutes before my men have collected the rest of your friends, I expect.”

I approached, as casually as I could. “Well, I do have one or two things I’m curious about,” I admitted. One of us was playing for time, and I had a horrible feeling it was me.

“Please, sit,” he reiterated. “Can I pour you a coffee Mister... I’m sorry, I never did get your real name.”

I sat. “Just call me Grey, everyone else does.”

Gravane laughed. “Ah, very clever.” He cocked his head. There was something different about him, I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. “A contraction of ‘Gravane’ I guess? You were telling the world that you’re not the real thing, but I bet nobody noticed, did they? You must have laughed your ass off at them.”

“It wasn’t like that.”

“No? But I like it, you’re caught between one extreme and the other. Yes.” He poured me a coffee, though I hadn’t asked. “Of course, it’s a bit ironic. You’ve chosen a shorter name because you didn’t feel up to the weight of being a Gravane, whereas I... ah, it seems our next guest has arrived.”

Two more Vadram entered, flanking Pilvi. She looked unhurt but furious. Her sample bag was bulging, so she had at least gotten her clippings before being captured.

“Sorry Grey, I didn’t get as far out as I’d hoped,” she said.

“No problem, glad to see you.”

“Welcome,” said Gravane, “could I ask you to take a seat over there by the Brontom? My men will need to tie you up, but I won’t keep you long, there are a few things I need to tell your fake Gravane, and then we can get out of here. Thanks.” He waited for Pilvi to sit, and for his Vadram to secure her to the chair, then he nodded and all four of the Vadram left.

Gravane studied me with a smile that slowly twisted into something else. I saw it now, the difference. The Gravane I’d met on Meanwhile was spoilt and out of touch, but this Gravane, there was a light in his eye, an intensity to his stare, his mannerisms were heightened, his energy wrong. He wasn’t entirely sane. “Now you’re wondering why I dismissed my Vadram, right? Thinking that I look like you could jump me, and take me prisoner? And yet, you’re thinking, why would I leave myself vulnerable like that? I seem confident, there must be something you’re missing.”

“You’re quite the mind reader.”

“Not at all,” he laughed. “But I do have certain resources of which you are unaware. And Mr. Hauberk is never far away.”

That snarl sounded from the darkness again.

“So then, Grey. Yes, I do like that name, it suits you. A lot has happened since your help let me escape my mother. You don’t know it, but you have helped me several times since. There is a lot I have to thank you for.”

“Always happy to help...”

“Ha. But it seems for every time you’ve helped me, you have also found a way to block my plans or put me in fear of my life. Yes. I can’t quite hate you, but I can’t thank you either. You are somewhere between. Grey, yes.”

“Look if you want to keep talking in cryptic allusions, that’s fine, but I’ve had a long day, my ankle is killing me, and my patience is pretty much gone. So, either tell me what you want to or let us go.”

Off in the distance, from back in the tunnels, did I hear a fight? Could Sunbolt be on his way?

Gravane stood up and moved over to the machine. “The Vadram call this their Ascension device. It, and others like it, was an important part of their culture, a rite of passage for each Vadram warrior to enter adulthood. A Vadram who passes through is... augmented. They leave it stronger, healthier, more fearsome warriors.

“It’s quite a sight.”

He flicked a few switches, tell-tales flashed blue to yellow, signifying... something.

“Its effects on humans are a little unpredictable. Kayda’s transformation was... astonishing. But of course, you met her on the beach. She will be so sorry she missed you, but she is away at the moment.

“I was pretty excited to try it myself. But Mr. Hauberk insisted on going first, and I am very glad he did.”

Behind the machine, I saw a figure loom. It had been human once, I recognised the face, twisted though it was, as Gravane’s bodyguard Hauberk. He... it... had come at the sound of its name, but there was no intelligence there. A mass of melted flesh and muscle, it looked very wrong; powerful, but unnatural.

“He still protects me, that seems instinctual, but the rest of his mind is long gone,” said Gravane, he looked up at the beast almost fondly.

That thing that had been Hauberk gave a rumbling growl.

“Obviously I couldn’t risk it, once I knew what could happen.”

“Obviously.”

“But that was a problem. The Vadram find it difficult to follow the unascended. For as long as I had the money to buy them what their base needed, they followed grudgingly, but when the money began to run out, I started to lose them. I needed some more funds, more than my allowance covered. Building an army isn’t cheap.”

“So, you had the Vadram ‘kidnap’ you.”

“Yes,” he said. He pulled up his hood, to show the skull motif. He had been Skull face. He had been on the beach at the ransom payment. “But it wasn’t enough. They had fallen out of the habit of following me.”

“They seem to be back on your team again now.” Realisation dawned. I was suddenly cold. He’d taken the risk. “You went through the machine.”

“Yes. It was terrifying. Liberating. Agony and bliss. I left my family to become my own man. I am that now. That and so much more.

“The process changed me. In more ways than one.” He turned a dial on the device’s control panel, and the steady thrum rose to a higher, more urgent, pitch. “What do you say, Grey, do you want a turn? You want to be a superhero, right? This thing might get you there...”

“Or do what it did to Hauberk? I’ll pass, thanks.”

He stared at me a long moment.

Then he grinned. “Sure thing.” He turned the dial back down and the machine returned to a purr. “Probably better that I don’t give my nemesis superpowers anyway. Assuming the machine judged you worthy to receive them.”

I breathed again. “Great. So... what did you bring us here for then, if it wasn’t to feed us to your hell machine?”

“I would have thought that was obvious. I can’t let you go having seen this. This place is supposed to be secret. The Vadram have gone to great lengths to convince people that there are only a handful of nomads here. We’ll have to take Nymanteles soon enough, but we’re not ready yet. And you don’t get to spoil the surprise.”

A white light glimmered from the tunnel. There was a sound of rushing wind. I needed to hold Gravane’s attention a little longer. I stood, moved towards him, making sure his focus was on me. I gestured to Pilvi and Seventhirtyfour to get ready, shielding the sign with my body. “You’re planning to invade this place? What’s the point? There’s nothing here.”

“Not an invasion, not here. A consolidation. We have big plans, the Vadram and I, and they all start here. I provide the funds for this place, and they…”

“What? What do you get from this deal?”

“Independence. Freedom. To be my own man, out of the shadow of my family. To be remembered for me, no mere footnote to the Gravane clan, not the sixth child that everyone —my parents included—forgets. I’m building something here, not in the Gravane name. In mine.” He placed a hand on my chest to stop me advancing. “I wanted power, Grey, and I found it.”

There was a flash of red light, and something kicked me in the chest with enough force to throw me back ten feet. I skidded across the floor, fighting to catch my breath.

Gravane’s hands glowed ruby red, and he gestured towards me, a bolt of energy lashed out, and it was all I could do to throw myself to one side. The blast punched a smoking crater in the cave wall.

Now I was in trouble.

Sunbolt exploded out of the corridor in a blaze of white light, took one look at the situation and blasted Gravane. Gravane held up his hands, and his red light seemed to drink in Sunbolt’s beam.

“Mr. Hauberk, kill this one,” said Gravane, and the beast lumbered forwards.

Sunbolt blanched. “What is that thing?”

“Doesn’t matter, just be careful of it,” I gasped, still fighting for breath.

Pilvi was struggling against her restraints, but Seventhirtyfour was still dazed and out of the fight. For now, it was me and Sunbolt against Gravane and his monster. And right now, that meant Sunbolt against them both; he swooped and dodged, keeping out of Hauberk’s reach while dodging Gravane’s crimson energy blasts. He took shots back as he could, but focused on defence, the only blows he landed were glancing and ineffective.

All I had to help were words, but Gravane seemed the chatty sort, so maybe words were enough to keep him busy.

“Hey! Gravane!” I shouted, but Gravane kept blasting.

I continued anyway, shouting at Gravane’s back. “You’re pretty damn disappointing you know?” I staggered to my feet, my injured ankle burning in pain. “After all your mother has told me about being a Gravane, about it standing for something, honour, tradition, family first? You’re a spoilt brat who didn’t get his own way and has a major sulk on. Frankly, of the two of us, I am a better Gravane!”

That got his attention.

He spun, firing a wild burst at me. I stood my ground, partly in confidence, partly because I wasn’t sure my ankle could take any more punishment.

More words. “You may have superpowers, but you’re still weak, Gravane!”

“Don’t call me that anymore,” he spat at me. “Gravane died in that machine, and I Ascended in his place.” His whole body began to radiate a blood-red energy, and he literally ascended, rising to hover two feet off the floor. “I was the death of the real Gravane, and now I shall destroy his feeble shadow. My name is Doctor Gravestone!”

Gravane... Doctor Gravestone... Gravestone, whatever you want to call him, seemed to be spiralling, the more he displayed his power, the more unhinged he seemed. He fired at me, again and again, roaring in wordless hate as he did. I did what I could to get out of the way, but that wasn’t much. My injured ankle wasn’t taking my weight, and all I could do was hop. If Gravane... Gravestone... had been a better shot, or just taken a moment to aim, I’d have been toast. As it was, it was only a matter of time before my luck ran out.

I was peripherally aware that Sunbolt was doing better against Hauberk. From what little I saw, the creature shied away from Sunbolt’s light, the glare of Sunbolt’s hair. His bolts were hurting it too, and Hauberk gradually retreated away from the machine and me. That was for the best, but I started to feel lonely and exposed.

“Hang in there Grey!” Pilvi shouted. “Almost free!”

Gravestone turned to look, and I took the chance to scoop up a rock from the floor and hurl it at the back of Gravestone’s head. It turned to dust as it hit the red energy surrounding him, but at least it pulled his attention back to me.

“Hey Gravestone, anyone still in there? Anything you want us to tell your mum when we’ve kicked your ass?”

He just howled, abandoned shooting, and dove at me. We collided heavily, and he drove me into the wall.

All I could do was scream. Whatever that energy he was putting out was, it burned like acid, every inch of exposed skin stung. If he felt even a part of this when using his powers, I felt my sympathy rising, even as I punched him in the stomach. The hit seemed to hurt me as much as him.

If this went on much longer, his energy aura would do his work for him, even if he never landed another hit. I didn’t have any of Gadget Dude’s grenades, couldn’t reach my grapnel gun. But Gravestone made a mistake bringing it to close range, he might have superpowers and a manic intensity, but I had months of training under Professor Red Ninja and Sunbolt. I grabbed, put my shoulder to Gravestone’s chest, twisted, heaved. Planted feet, balance and leverage would beat floating rage every time. Gravestone tumbled away from me, struck the ground with a solid thud.

I couldn’t follow up my advantage, I was too busy slumping to my knees, even removed from Gravestone’s energy field, I felt drained, every muscle spent.

I heard the pitch of the Ascension machine change.

Gravestone and I both turned to look.

Pilvi stood by the machine’s controls, Seventhirtyfour sagged beside her; he looked to be in as bad a shape as me. Pilvi was turning every dial she could find to maximum, flicking every switch. All of the blue tell-tales had turned yellow, and one was burning violet.

“This thing is important to the Vadram right?” Pilvi shouted over her shoulder. “I don’t know what happens when I switch everything to max with half a dozen flash grenades jammed into its workings. Maybe nothing, right? But I bet your pet army would be pretty annoyed if it blows up?” Another light switched to violet. “Is that a good sign?”

“Don’t!” I’m not sure if I shouted it or Gravestone did.

“It’s okay. I’m sure... Gravestone can fix this before anything really bad happens. But he’ll be too busy to stop us leaving.”

It was a fine plan or would have been, but Pilvi hadn’t seen the look in Gravestone’s eyes. There was no reasoning with him.

Gravestone erupted into motion, hurtling towards Pilvi...

Pilvi, shocked, turned to look, jostled a control...

All the lights on the Ascension Machine flickered to a virulent purple...

I saw Sunbolt, blazing white, flying back to the confrontation...

“No!” I couldn’t stop it.

Gravestone roared again, crimson energy boiled from his hands, no need to aim, it formed a torrent of death washing towards Pilvi.

But then Sunbolt was there, shining like the sun. Just as Gravane had absorbed Sunbolt’s energy, Sunbolt seemed able to counter Gravestone’s. Sunbolt’s light got brighter and brighter, it hurt to look.

For one moment...

One eye-blink of a moment...

I thought we were all going to get out of there in one piece.