Destroyer of Worlds

8

After sharing the news about the Wayfinder, Mallory and Caitlin made their goodbyes in a bright manner that belied the nature of what they were about to endure.

They took themselves to Math's chamber where the sorcerer had already marked out a ritual space in the centre of the floor. He stood in one corner, quietly mouthing incantations that left the atmosphere charged. Veitch perched on the edge of a table, flexing his silver hand rhythmically.

'You ready?' he said.

'You're joking?' Mallory said. 'Dying is the biggest human fear. You condition yourself to spend all your life running in the opposite direction.'

'It's not an ending.' Caitlin's axe was strapped in a harness across her back. 'If anyone should know that, it's the Brothers and Sisters of Dragons.'

'Easy for you to say, with the Morrigan riding you like a horse. This is home ground for her.'

'If it makes it any easier, I've been through it,' Veitch said.

'It doesn't.'

'Why did you do it?' Caitlin asked.

'I wanted to break any control the spiders had over me,' Veitch replied. 'I wanted to be my own man again.' He paused. 'This is going to sound weird, but the Grim Lands are the only place I ever felt at home.'

'That's sad,' Caitlin said.

'No, it's weird.' Mallory cast a suspicious eye towards Math, whose incantation had grown louder. 'What's it like?' he added uneasily.

'Pain, just for a bit. Then it's like being on a roller coaster heading down the biggest dip. Queasy. And then… nothing. Next thing you know, you'll be waking up in the temple in the Grim Lands. Don't touch anything there, right? It's the Void's place. Get straight out.'

'And the dead?' Caitlin asked.

'Don't expect them to be friendly. They welcomed me with open arms… I don't know why. But they're not usually so happy about the living trespassing on their ground.'

'How do I know this isn't just one of your ploys to do me in?' Mallory asked.

'Look, mate, I know you don't trust me, and I know you don't like me, but honestly, if I wanted to do that, I'd just gut you in your room at night when you weren't looking.'

'You could try.'

'All right.' Caitlin sighed. 'Let's put the whole men thing behind us. This is serious.'

'Just… don't worry,' Veitch continued. 'I wasn't going to take any risks with this. I went out of my way to find a ritual that could take me over the barrier in one piece. I was primed and fully charged when Church got me down in Cornwall. Half an hour after they carted my body off, I was in the Grim Lands. And here I am. I look okay to you?'

Mallory took a deep breath and looked to Caitlin. 'Okay, then. We've got a job to do.'

She took his hand and led him into the ritual circle.

'It's the ride of a lifetime, Mallory. Imagine how much more you're going to appreciate life when you've died and come out the other side.'

'How do you know I haven't died and come back already?' Mallory said. Caitlin fixed him with a quizzical gaze, but he didn't respond.

Math's voice grew louder, the rhythmic chanting taking on a hypnotic quality. The atmosphere became more intense. Strange shadows flitted across the room.

'Here.' Veitch handed them each a goblet of dark liquid. 'So you won't feel a thing.'

'How are you going to do it?' Mallory asked.

Veitch held up a long silver knife, the handle carved with symbols.

Mallory eyed it for a moment, then downed his drink in one. 'Death, here we come,' he said with as much bravado as he could muster.