57
The moon was full that night as Sebastian quietly made his way to the riverbank where he used to bake clay into bricks. He was fairly certain that Marcello had seen him slip out of the officers’ tent, but his friend had made no noise or objection. Once again, Sebastian was touched by Marcello’s loyalty. He promised himself he would do whatever he could to shield his friend from getting any of the blame for the stolen potions.
Kante was often cloaked in fog at night, and the bright moon made the mist glow with an eerie luminescence. Tendrils swirled around his feet as he walked out of town and down to the riverbank.
At first he saw no one by the river. Then the night winds blew, shifting the fog, and he saw Isobelle standing there, looking uncharacteristically grave. As the dense mist continued to swirl, it revealed other Kantesians standing nearby. More continued to appear out of the haze, all of them standing still and silent. He thought it might be the entire town.
It was a jarring moment that reminded him that although he’d been working with these people for months now, he really didn’t know them very well. Much too late, he realized that he should have considered some form of betrayal, despite all he had done for them. His hand automatically reached for the gem around his neck.
But he stopped himself. He had already been willing to sacrifice his life for these people. Why would he consider harming them now?
“Isobelle, what’s going on?” he asked once he drew near.
She gave him one of her sad smiles. “I’m so glad you came, Sebastian.”
“Why is everyone else here?” he asked, feeling their eyes on him. Not unfriendly, but not exactly welcoming, either.
Her smile took on a teasing tone. “Oh, were you expecting a more intimate farewell?”
“Uh, n-no, I would never presume—”
“But you were hoping?”
He laughed sheepishly. “I suppose just a little.”
Her smile faded. “You have done so much for us, Sebastian. For me and my people. So there are two things I wish to give you.”
He waited, unsure how to respond.
“The first thing I wish to give you is an apology. I know there are some men in your battalion, like your friend Marcello, whom you care about. I hope that no harm comes to them, but I cannot promise it.”
He looked at her sharply. “Harm?”
“And that leads me to the second thing I wish to give you. Your safety this night.”
“Isobelle, I don’t understand. What’s happening?”
“Listen. You can already hear him coming.”
Sebastian strained his hearing. At first he perceived nothing. But after a few moments he heard… something off in the distance. It was a strange rhythmic pounding, like a sharp, repetitive metallic clank. It seemed to be coming from a long way off, but it grew in volume as though rapidly drawing closer. As it did so, he also began to hear an odd groan and hiss underlying the muted clang. He felt a chill of recognition.
“What is it?” asked Sebastian.
“My grandfather, the former Herzog of Weide.” There was both pride and sorrow in Isobelle’s voice.
Then he saw it emerge from the mist. A giant metal insect, easily three or four stories tall. It had six steel legs that gouged up the earth as it ran, and a pointed, triangular head that wheezed and hissed as steam poured out of its glowing magenta eyes. Seeing its size, power, and eerie luminous eyes, he understood that it was this thing, or one like it, that had attacked them in Hardsong Pass.
“My God…,” he whispered.
“Far from it, Sebastian. This is humanity’s work, not God’s. Here in Kante, we do not rely on supernatural aid. We take care of ourselves.”
“Wait! It’s heading for the town!”
He stepped forward, as though to head it off, but Isobelle took hold of his arm. He looked at her in confusion and she shook her head.
“I am so sorry, Sebastian. I know you worked hard to rebuild Kleiner. But we Kantesians are a proud people, and we would sooner our homes be laid to waste than give shelter to our enemies.”
Sebastian watched in horror as the metal behemoth crashed into the town. One of its long metal forelegs swept across a two-story brick building, knocking the top off with a thunderous crack that he could hear even from afar. The creature rampaged through the town, destroying one structure after another as though they were stacks of pebbles. Screams could be heard from within the collapsed buildings that housed soldiers.
Even the storehouse, which had been reinforced with a second layer of bricks, could not withstand its hissing metal fury. But when the creature knocked down the sturdy walls, it must have struck the oil supply. A font of liquid flame burst up into the air, lighting the misty sky like fireworks. Burning oil splashed down in all directions, igniting everything it landed upon, including the monster. The creature gave another groaning hiss as the oil burned across its metal hide. It shook itself, but the air it stirred up only increased the strength of the flames. It staggered a few times, then began its clanging run once again, now a flaming monstrosity that streaked off into the night until its flickering light faded once more into the fog.
The monster had fled. But the damage was done. Most of the buildings were destroyed, and flames raged everywhere, feeding off spilled oil, imperial tents, and the timbers of shattered buildings. The fire spewed dense black smoke that mingled with the mists, obscuring the night sky.
“Goodbye, Sebastian,” Isobelle said gravely. “If we ever meet again, I hope that we can truly be friends.”
“Isobelle…”
He stared helplessly as she and the other Kantesians turned and disappeared into the mist-covered night. For a moment, he thought about going after them, although he didn’t know if it was to punish them or join them. But then he turned back to the flaming rubble of Kleiner and realized that Marcello was in there somewhere. So he gripped his gem and ran back into the town.
Many of the soldiers had already fled their makeshift barracks and were trying futilely to put out the oil-fueled fires. As he ran past, Sebastian withdrew the air around the flames, snuffing them out, first on one side, then on the other.
He continued on to the officers’ tent, which was one of the few structures still standing. But even though it hadn’t collapsed, it was now a raging inferno. He could hear shouts and coughing coming from inside. It sounded like they were all trapped.
Already fatigued from his day’s glass labor and lack of sleep, he gathered up the fog that lay so heavily on the night air, condensed it, then brought it down on the tent like a gushing waterfall. The fire hissed spitefully, then disappeared.
Sebastian dropped to his knees, breathing hard. He felt the cold mud beneath him seep into his trousers as he told himself to get back up. He had to go in there and make sure everyone was safe. But he could not make himself move.
“Captain Portinari? Are you injured?”
Sebastian looked up to see the Raízian captain, Reyes, looking down on him with concern.
“I’m fine.” Sebastian held out his hand. “Just… putting out these fires took a lot out of me.”
Reyes’s eyes narrowed as he helped Sebastian to his feet. “I suppose it is not my business to say, Captain, but it has seemed to me for some time that the cost of your power is much too high.”
“As long as everyone is alive, it’s a cost I willingly pay.”
“Let us hope your efforts were not in vain, then.”
“General Barone? Are you here?”
“Marcello?” called Sebastian.
They were greeted by a great many coughs as their fellow officers began to stagger into view. Colonel Totti and Captain Dandolo appeared to have suffered moderate burns, but everyone else was unharmed, including Marcello.
Sebastian rushed over to his friend, tears suddenly springing to his eyes. Were they tears of relief? Of remorse? He did not know.
“I’m so glad you’re okay.” He gripped Marcello’s shoulders.
Marcello looked back at him with haunted eyes. “What happened, Sebastian?”
Sebastian hesitated for a moment, realizing he was about to compromise himself. But what else could he say?
“It was the Kantesians.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Captain Branca as he wiped soot from his face.
“I saw it.” Sebastian turned to Barone. “The creature that tried to bury us alive in Hardsong Pass.”
Barone paused in dabbing at his watery eyes and stared incredulously at him. “Is that what attacked us tonight?”
“Yes,” said Sebastian.
“And the Kantesians?” he asked.
“They all fled just before the creature attacked.”
“And how do you know all this?” Totti demanded as he wrapped a bandage around his burned hand.
Sebastian took a deep breath. What did it matter now, anyway?
“It’s because—”
“Portinari just can’t keep it in his pants, General,” said Marcello.
“Marcello?” asked Sebastian.
“Sorry, Sebastian, I can’t keep it a secret any longer.” Marcello turned back to Barone. “Despite your orders to not get overly friendly with the enemy, he’s been sneaking into the Kantesian area after dark each night to diddle that nurse, Isobelle.” He gave Sebastian a hard look. “Must have been a real surprise not to find her in her bed tonight, wasn’t it?”
Did Marcello really think that’s what happened? No, he knew Sebastian better than that. This was his way of getting him out of serious trouble by blaming him for a minor infraction.
Sebastian nodded glumly. “I’m sorry, sir.”
Barone sighed. “Well, I suppose I shouldn’t be too angry, since in a sense it was your libido that saved our lives. If you’d been caught in here with us, there’s no telling whether you would have been able to put out the flames as quickly as you had.”
“I… suppose so, sir. Thank you for your understanding.”
“Isobelle, eh?” asked Dandolo as he gingerly dabbed salve on his burned leg. “Can’t say I blame you, Portinari. She was delicious.”
Barone looked around the charred ruins of their officers’ tent. “I take it you’ve put out the other fires as well, Portinari?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Very well, let’s go and see what damage those Kantesian bastards and their metal monster have wrought. I’m afraid it’s going to be a long night, gentlemen.”