The Blackbird's Song Read online

  The Blackbird's Song

  by Billy Wong

  The Blackbird's Song

  Copyright © 2015 Billy Wong

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission of the Author. Your support of author’s rights is appreciated.

  All characters in this compilation are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Alternate Ending

  Credits and author page

  Sample of Iron Bloom

  Chapter 1

  Henry felt a slight burn from the sun that beat down on his neck as he walked towards the narrow pass. To its sides towered sheer yellow rock which reached nearly to the sky. He clutched the gold and silver double circle that hung from his neck, representing God's eyes the sun and the moon, to his chest. "Oh Lord," he whispered, "we step now into danger again. If our cause be right, please watch over and protect us until we reach our goal, so that we may thwart at least one wrong committed in your sullied name."

  "After all we've seen, you still believe in God?" Andrew said at his side. A short, wiry blond three years younger than Henry's own twenty-four, he gazed at him with cynical eyes more expected in an older man. "Since you hadn't prayed in so long, I'd kind of hoped you might have gotten past that."

  "We are about to enter hell on earth, or at least that's what they say about the borderlands. Besides, it's not God you should blame, it's the church. Do you really think they have divine guidance, when they can't even handle using something I could? Their will is not His."

  "But if God existed, why would he let them continue acting injustly in his name?"

  He touched the hilt of the bastard sword jutting over his right pauldron. It wasn't comfortable wearing armor full time—his chain and partial plate, Andrew's just boiled leather—but the area warranted it. "He gave humanity the strength to determine our own course. Now it's up to us to make the future."

  Andrew planted the butt of his spear into the ground, making Henry stop and look back. "Good job on his part giving so much strength to the bastards who want to take it away, then."

  For the past two years they had sought out the magical and mechanical remnants of ancient civilization in order to protect them from those who would destroy them, depriving mankind of their potential benefits. The Last Church, which had absorbed all other sects such as Deep Light and the Crimson Congregation to become the unquestioned religious authority in the realm... until recently.

  "It's just a test. We couldn't be strong if we didn't have to face hardship. I believe rationality and good will triumph in the end. Besides, even the prince has been questioning the church with the current drought and dearth of blessings."

  "We all know the royal family has no power over them."

  Well, power shifted. Henry knew they were nowhere close to losing their hold, but if people could be shown that the church's way was backwards, maybe... It was hard to understand how his friend didn't believe in God himself, though. Miracles had been confirmed by numerous witnesses throughout the ages, even if Andrew argued not many widely accepted ones had occurred in recent years and that they shouldn't trust blindly in what could be a distorted history.

  Anyway, they were inside the gap now. After the mouth, the pass widened up. Only scattered hardy weeds littered the uneven ground, and though not much wind blew the dry air somehow stung his face. Beyond the Yellow Mountains lay the southern grassland, and thirty miles from the end of the pass they should find the recently discovered ruin where they hoped to salvage remains of the past. He wondered if there were truly as many monsters here as commonly said. Not that worry crippled him; he and Andrew had faced their share of beasts before, and were prepared. Henry also carried a shortbow, Andrew a crossbow, and both their share of daggers.

  "Bet Kara would love being here, huh?" he said. "She can't get enough of these natural sights."

  "Great, now you reminded me to miss her."

  "You should have let her come. It's not like she can't take care of herself."

  Andrew shrugged. Henry knew he acknowledged their mutual friend's ability; the girl could more than hold her own sparring, and in a serious fight if it came to that. But because of how he'd lost his warrior sister in the past, he requested she remain behind where it was safer.

  They climbed over an abrupt rise in the winding path. As Henry helped Andrew up, he heard a crunching sound from ahead. He looked to see a large reptilian head float into view from behind a boulder, followed by the attached body. It resembled a huge-scaled serpent longer than a horse rearing up; or maybe a legless lizard, for its body was too thick for a snake of its length.

  "That was quick." Andrew readied his spear.

  The creature turned towards them as expected and regarded them, flicking out its forked tongue. Henry could have used his bow, but he didn't want to waste arrows on what seemed a relatively small beast and they might not be effective anyway against its tough hide. Instead drawing his sword, he stepped back behind Andrew. He hoped his friend could stab the monster when it charged, and then he would follow up and finish it quickly with any luck.

  It darted forth, scales scraping against the earth. Andrew thrust at its eyes, but missed as it pulled back. It snapped at him, hissed when his raised spear grazed its snout. As it reared away, Henry rushed. Before he could reach it, it opened its mouth. Out shot a line of clear liquid which struck Andrew in the shoulder and chest. He cried out in surprise, which turned to screams of pain as the—acid?—spit ate through his armor and an unpleasant sizzling was heard upon contact with his flesh.

  Henry's heart quickened with fear, and he prayed the damage wouldn't be too bad. He wavered mentally between running to help and pressing the attack, but there was no time to think. The creature spun, sweeping its tail towards their legs. He jumped, but Andrew couldn't in his pain. The tail smashed his feet out from under him and he fell sideways. His head hit the hard ground, and he lay still.

  Henry was close now. He swung his sword into the snake's exposed underside and felt a jarring shock travel up his arms as the blade bit, but not deep. He wrenched it free and hopped back from another discharge of acid straight down. Red leaking from the gash in its front, the snake lunged. Henry had a shield, but didn't want to hazard testing the wood against the wicked teeth he saw. He rolled out of the way and came up with a shield blow that chipped one of its fangs. Knocked back, it retreated some distance before turning around to strike again. This time, Henry was ready. He leapt aside and swung his sword up, cutting into its neck. Blood sprayed, and it thrashed its head about. Henry took a moment to anticipate its movement, gripped his hilt in both hands and struck again. An instant of resistance, then his sword resumed its downward arc while the reptilian head tumbled into the dust.

  "Andrew!" he said, kneeling beside and cradling him. "Are you all right, man?" The missing skin and raw flesh he saw under the damaged fabric didn't look too bad... well, not fatal anyway... but he didn't know h
ow hard he had hit his head and his unconsciousness was worrying.

  He didn't respond for a few seconds, then grimaced and slowly opened his eyes. "Hurts worse than if I got scalding water poured on me, but I don't feel like I'm dying." He tried to get up, clutched his chest and leaned back.

  "Hope I won't have to carry you. Not very manly, that." At Andrew's annoyed look, he uncorked his wineskin and put it to his injured companion's lips. "Here, this should numb you enough to begin treatment."

  Andrew glanced around. Seeing the monster's decapitated head, he mumbled, "Damn, guess I missed something good. I-I hope I can recover quickly enough not to burden you too much."

  "Don't worry, that's what the healing salves are for." As long as their injuries weren't overly serious, the supplies they'd brought should suffice to keep them functioning. First Henry pulled away the parts of undershirt sticking to the wound, causing Andrew to shriek. Then he washed it with water and retrieved a small jar of salve from his backpack. He was about to dip his fingers into it when a loud hissing, far stronger than that of the thing he'd killed, filled his ears.

  He looked up to see a mammoth version of his victim, over fifty feet long at the least, crawling down the side of the mountain.

  "What the..." Andrew breathed.

  Dropping the salve back into his pack, Henry tucked himself under Andrew's arm and tried to help him up. He wailed and his attempt to stand failed as his legs buckled beneath him. "Ah hell, I guess I'll have to carry you after all." He picked Andrew up on his shoulder and ran, the first snake's gigantic parent coming down behind them. For moments he didn't hear it pursue, and dared to think maybe it wouldn't. Then the swishing of its body along the valley floor reached him, and his heart sank. Its child had already been quick, if they gained speed along with size and maturity...

  "It's gaining fast!" Andrew said, confirming his fears. He gritted his teeth and pushed himself to run faster, his legs burning from carrying the added weight of his friend. "We can't outrun it!"

  "We?" A mere wagon length behind now, the snake snapped at them. Henry ducked, the lower jaw nearly brushing his hair, and felt hot saliva drip onto him as it drew back. For an instant he braced himself against the agony of possible acid, but thankfully it seemed that was produced from someplace deeper within.

  The monster slowed, and Henry sensed it might be preparing to spit. He glanced back, felt rising panic at the realization he would not be able to dodge quickly enough while running with Andrew. The snake opened his maw. "Tuck your head!" he cried as he made a desperate decision. He tossed Andrew off and forward, then dove sideways himself. Acid landed where they would have been an instant later if he kept running and steamed on the ground. He flexed his throbbing shoulder for a measure of relief, hurried to where Andrew lay curled in a ball and bent to lift him.

  Andrew pushed his hands away and staggered upright, wincing. "Get off, I can move on my own now. Thanks for throwing me on my neck."

  "Sorry. I didn't see much of a choice." He gripped Andrew's arm to help steady him and they ran together, the creature continuing to pursue. Its tail whipped from side to side, smashing debris through the air while it passed. They fled and fled, Henry feeling appreciation for his friend who was clearly in pain but kept going. The snake just missed snatching their lives away time and again when it attacked. But its teeth and acid came close every time, and their luck could only last so long.

  He saw a huge dried out tree trunk lying across the path ahead, a small gap visible between it and the earth. Henry and Andrew dove under it just as the serpent dove for them, making it smack its head against the wood. They looked back to see it hesitating before the obstacle, perhaps stunned.

  "Maybe it'll go away," Andrew said breathlessly, voice tight with pain.

  A massive impact rocked the dead tree no doubt from its tail, making it dip a couple inches. Fearing to be crushed, the men pulled themselves out on the other side. The beast still looked to be preoccupied with the trunk, as it struck it another blow. Henry took his shortbow in hand and nocked an arrow, which he put into its eye.

  The snake jerked back and reeled but didn't go down, its movement too erratic to get a clear shot at the other eye. Henry shot a couple more quarrels that didn't penetrate deeply. "Shit, it didn't work!" The monster steadied itself to fix a single malevolent orb on them before plowing forward again, and they fled once more.

  "Be embarrassing if we died minutes after getting here, huh?"Andrew gasped. "Some protection your God gives."

  "Save your breath until we get to safety." More scrapes and bruises accumulated on their bodies as they jumped and rolled through brush to avoid the beast's attacks. They came into view of a small gray tower whose door was thankfully open and dashed inside. Henry shut the portal while Andrew put hands on his knees and panted. "You okay? It shouldn't be able to get in through that small hole."

  "I'm... tired," Andrew replied, and collapsed facedown.

  "Andrew!" He was about to go to his friend when he heard a splash and sizzling from behind the door. The serpent must have spat on it, but still wouldn't be able to get through if it broke down, would it? They should be able to just move to the side and wait it out.

  The tower shook as the snake threw its weight against it. Henry saw cracks appear in the stone around the door, and gaped at its intelligence to realize what it was doing. It had used acid to weaken the walls, before attempting to bash a opening large enough to get its head through. Once that happened, they would have a big problem.

  "We have to go upstairs," he said wearily. "Maybe we can find someplace to hide there." He tried to pull Andrew up. But he didn't respond, having completely passed out, and a fatigued Henry struggled to lift him.

  Thuds and cracking sounded from the doorway as stone crumbled, crushing the wooden panel beneath it. The serpent's great visage loomed beyond, single eye gleaming in triumph. Henry set Andrew down and drew his sword. While he still could have run farther into the structure, he wouldn't abandon his friend. Even though he would probably die, he resolved to give defending Andrew his all. Still, his blade felt so puny compared to that thing. The beast reared up slightly, almost as if proclaiming its victory...

  It fell down hard, the impact kicking up dust all around its body. Henry could discern no reason for doing so, except the way it'd gone down it looked like it had been hit by something dropped from above; and when it raised itself up again, blood poured down the sides of its head from a wound on the top. But where had whatever hit it gone?

  So focused on its inexplicably injured head, Henry barely glimpsed the dark shape that darted by its base. An anguished hiss issued from it, and when he looked down his eyes budged to take in a gaping gash across its front. What on earth could be hurting the monster so fast he couldn't even see it? Seeming to have an idea of where its tormentor had gone, the snake turned from the tower and moved past it. Henry felt curious to see what happened next, but didn't want to leave his friend. Before he could make a choice, he heard a loud slicing sound and the thump of something falling to the ground. He checked on Andrew. Alive, and breathing steadily. He went outside and looked to the right where the serpent had gone. Its tail lay unmoving, the rest of it obscured by the tower. He walked closer for a better look.

  It was dead, the top of its head gone to expose what remained of its brain, its lower teeth and tongue. It seemed as if something had cut into where its jaws joined together and continued on through the rest of its skull, exiting out the back. But its hide had been strong enough that his arrows barely pierced it. What could hit that hard to shear through so much of it, let alone its thick bone too? And furthermore, move so fast as to be hardly detectable while being that strong? There were greater monsters out here, and it appeared he and Andrew were far less prepared than he'd thought.

  "What, you just going to leave me to rot?" Andrew asked behind him.

  He looked to see the younger man leaning against the tower wall and laughed with relief. "Glad to see you're all right. D
idn't think you'd wake up so soon." But then, he wasn't sure how long he had stood staring at the giant carcass until now.

  Andrew too stared. "God's eyes, did you do this? Maybe I should start believing in God and that you're his chosen in that case."

  "No, I didn't. I thought I was about to die, then something attacked the creature and destroyed it. I don't think it took more than three attacks."

  "Really? That's... incredible.""

  Henry nodded weakly. "Well, maybe we helped soften it up. Still... Let's go back inside and treat your wounds."

  "No, let's just do that out here," Andrew said, shaking his head. When Henry gave him a puzzled look, he explained, "I saw the skeletons of a family inside, which you probably overlooked in the excitement. Two adults, a child and a dog. It seems like they were brutally killed."

  "Why don't we bury them, then?"

  "It suppose that might be a good idea."

  "I'll do it, since you're hurt. You just rest out here." He rubbed salve into Andrew's acid burns as he had been intending to do before the chase, then reentered the tower. In a corner, he found the dead. A dog with its jaws ripped apart, a child with a cracked skull, a man with a hole through his clothes, and a woman whose death wound could not be identified in her state of decay. Atop the remains, he was surprised to see, lay flowers. He searched the rest of the empty tower, found no sign of anyone and went back out. "I think maybe we shouldn't bury them after all," he said to Andrew, who sat against a rock. "It looks like somebody honors them here in their own way."

  "You mean the flowers. Do you think whoever left them saved us?"

  "Seems the likeliest explanation. But it doesn't look like anyone lives there, and I'm hard pressed to imagine a person making this place their home—or moving like whatever slew the beast did." Henry smiled. "Maybe it was an angel."

  Andrew gazed towards the dead monster, blinked as he spotted something he hadn't before. Gingerly standing up, he stepped towards it and knelt. "Maybe... but do you think angels have black wings?"