The Hammer of War, Chapter 31

“What the fuck?” I looked on as night turned to day and a great fire raged into the sky. Sirens echoed in the distance. Even from where I stood, I felt the panic rippling through the city. Police and fire crews would swarm the place soon enough. Probably a city-wide emergency. Terrorists. A major gas leak. Something like that.

I stood on the hill, feeling the aftershocks in my feet. My breathing came shallow, my eyes fixed on the inferno. Metal beams crumpled in the flames, collapsing one after another in a chain of thunderous crashes. I saw a swirl of sparks leap high, carried by the updraft. 

Achievement Unlocked!
New Title Achieved: Genocider, Tier 1
Goal: Kill 100/100 Living Entities!

Reward/s: 

Untroubled (Passive) - Death, brutality, gore, and violence no longer have as much of an effect on you as they once did. 

Achievement Advancement: 

Genocider, Tier 2
(113/300) Living Entities Killed
Advance this Achievement to Earn More Rewards!

Huh, neat. Though, I guess it didn’t factor in the stuff I fought and killed within the dungeons. 

A wave of heat hit me again. The warehouse I'd destroyed was no longer just a warehouse. It was a crater spewing flame and smoke. More booms rumbled deep within the rubble. Possibly more stockpiles of something. I felt sick, but I forced it down. No time for regrets. I'd done what the vow demanded.

“Son of a bitch,” even the System was rewarding me for what was essentially an act of terrorism. 

But… while the bio-plasma from an [Exocrene] was certainly powerful and destructive, it could not have resulted in such an explosion, not unless there already were a bunch of explosives inside the warehouse, ready to blow up at the slightest push. Gasoline or, really, any kind of oil did not explode in that manner–or explode at all, for that matter. No, there were two choices: a cache of volatile chemicals that ignited and caused a violent explosion as soon as the bio-plasma made contact, or a cache of explosive devices. The former, however, was more likely than the latter as weapon’s grade explosives had a tendency of being incredibly stable, which meant they’d only ever detonate with a detonator and not through any external force, like the heat from the bio-plasma. So, the closest possibility was that there was a bunch of chemicals in there. 

But, as far as I was aware, that warehouse was not cleared to house volatile chemicals. I knew this because a professor of ours once took the whole class on a tour of all the labs and warehouses that were cleared, just so that we knew the extremely stringent measures they took for safety purposes.

My eyes narrowed. Just what the hell did I get myself into?

I was going to find out. 

I turned away from the inferno. The uphill path back into the city called me. The sirens grew louder, echoing between buildings. I jogged downhill, weaving through junk. The same route I'd come by, only now it felt steeper. Each breath carried the tang of burning plastic, caustic chemicals, and ozone. I coughed, tasting bitterness on my tongue.

Within minutes, I'd reached the suburban fringe. Alarms blared. Neighbors poked their heads from windows, scanning the sky. A few people in pajamas stood on porches, eyes wide at the fiery glow. They didn't see me, or if they did, they didn't care. They were too consumed by the apocalypse on the horizon.

I kept my hood low, ducked down side streets. A police cruiser zoomed past, lights flashing. Another trailed behind. I pressed myself against a brick wall, letting them roar by. My mouth twitched. I dreaded to think of the casualties I'd caused. My vow with Sebastian demanded destruction, but I'd never asked who might be inside or around that building, and what sort of explosion it’d cause if I blew it up. My Drukhari Incubi had supposedly cleared it, but they'd only had half an hour, and they couldn’t be everywhere at once. It weighed on me, but I forced myself to keep moving. 

I slipped through silent blocks of shuttered shops. The night offered shadows, though some corners glowed with random security lights. I made sure to avoid well-lit avenues. Flickers of the fiery glow still reflected off glass windows, a grim reminder in the distance. News choppers might swarm soon, broadcasting the devastation. I'd be long gone.

My heart thundered as I strode into the old woods in the outskirts of Portland. The Riverside Lodge rose from the gloom, that old structure with boarded windows, covered in moss and dirt and ancient dust. A single lamp glowed by the entrance. I saw no guard. I marched up the yard littered with debris, anger twisting in my chest. I'd see Sebastian. I'd demand answers.

I shoved the front door open. The corridor beyond lay dimly lit by flickering bulbs. The hush of the lodge pressed in, but I heard voices deeper inside. The same path I'd taken before. I followed it, footsteps echoing on the rotted floor.

Then I reached the old ballroom. The wide space had a battered bar on one side, a few tables or crates scattered about. Vampires lounged or stood in small knots, some wearing dark suits or battered cloaks. A faint smell of blood hung in the air. There were more creatures here now than last time–more inhuman things that I could not quite describe. To my right was a goat man of some kind, drinking from a large tankard that was filled with something brown and foamy. A hush fell when they saw me. Eyes narrowed, flicking from me to the black mark on my wrist that signaled a vow. They must’ve recognized that I'd returned.

I spotted Sebastian near the bar, swirling a wineglass of red fluid. His face brightened with a mocking smile the moment he noticed me. He set the glass down, stepping away from the bar.

I stalked toward him, fists clenched. He raised a brow, watching me approach. I saw a flicker of caution in his eyes, but also amusement, but mostly caution. The others around us shifted in their seats or took half-steps away. They sensed confrontation.

I stopped a meter from him. Smoke from the fires clung to my clothes, swirling in the stale air of the lounge. I spoke quietly. “You tricked me.”

He shrugged with a lazy tilt of his shoulders. 

“I told you to blow it up. You did. The details were yours. It’s not my fault you used an artillery beast.” A chuckle escaped his lips, before his eyes narrowed. “I actually didn’t know you even could. How’d you even do that?”

My teeth ground. “You set me up to kill half the city.”

He raised the wineglass again, took a slow sip. 

“Half the city? You exaggerate. Perhaps a few blocks and a few hundred people–hardly anything to worry about. And let's not forget: They were vampire hunters. They had bombs and other deadly artifacts in there. Not exactly your average warehouse.” He swirled the blood in his glass, eyes glinting with satisfaction. “They’ve harassed us for years. Now they’re gone.”

I stared at him, heart pounding. “You never told me that.”

He shrugged, a faint grin dancing on his lips. 

“You never asked.” Then he jerked his head toward an empty chair. “Sit. We’ll talk like civilized folk. Unless you prefer—” 

He let the sentence hang.

I pictured strangling him. My aura itched at my core, wanting release. The memory of that explosion flickered behind my eyelids. I forced a calm expression. “I don’t kill humans. I protect them. I only attacked that building because you told me no one else would be there.”

He tapped his finger on the glass. 

“I recall no such assurance. I only said it was owned by an ‘asshole.’ You assumed it was empty or unimportant. Or you didn’t care. Which is it?” Another smirk. “You’re the one with your monstrous cannon. The vow demanded destruction. You complied.”

My anger flared. A low growl built in my throat. I flicked on my aura at the lowest intensity, letting only a faint wave seep out. The color around me dimmed. The air chilled. Some of the vampires in the lounge stiffened, letting out hisses or gasps. Chairs squeaked as they jerked back. Even Sebastian’s posture changed, his grin faltering. Blood trickled from one vampire’s nostril, eyes wide with fear.

I took a step forward, letting the aura brush Sebastian’s personal space. He swallowed, a sheen of sweat forming on his brow. His hand trembled slightly, the wine sloshing. His eyes, though, held defiance.

“I do not kill humans,” I repeated quietly. “But you made me kill them. You made me break my code, or at least twist it. I’m aware that it was probably my fault, but I’m feeling extremely petty at the moment; so, I’m going to blame you anyway.”

He bared his teeth, a sneer forming. “You asked no questions. You did your vow. I told you. They were vampire hunters, heavily armed with magical tools. They planned to purge us from Portland. So we took preemptive action. I just never said how big the explosion might be.” 

He forced a laugh that came out shaky, filled with no small amount of fear. Still, Sebastian kept his composure. “You want to blame someone? Blame them for storing so many bombs.”

I leaned in, letting the aura sharpen. His eyes rolled up as if a headache speared his skull. He bit his lip, a thin rivulet of blood trickling down his chin. Others in the lounge cowered behind crates or pressed themselves to the walls, trying to get away from the swirl of anti-magic swirling around me.

Sebastian hissed, breath ragged. 

“Stop. Enough.” He set the glass on the bar, wine rippling inside. “You want the location of Helena? I'll give it to you. That was our vow.” 

He clutched his chest, a trembling hand near his tie.

I toggled the aura off. The color seeped back into the dim lounge. The vampires gasped in relief. One coughed, retching on the floor. Another slumped in a corner, eyes wide with terror. The air felt heavier with tension. I'd shown them more of my power than I'd intended, but I'd had no choice.

Sebastian wiped the blood from his mouth, glaring. Then he let out a low exhale, trying to steady himself. He reached inside his suit pocket, producing a small slip of paper. He tossed it on the bar. “Suite Fifty-Five-A, City Skyline Hotel. She’s there, or at least she was. Healing her wounds. She might try to flee soon. Devils heal slowly. If you’re lucky, she hasn’t crawled back to the Underworld just yet.” 

He tapped the bar with his gloved hand. “That’s your final payment. We’re done.”

I took the paper. The black mark on my wrist flared in a brief glow, then faded to nothing. The vow was complete. Sebastian massaged his temples, still grimacing. The rest of the room stayed silent.

I clutched the slip. My eyes flicked over it. The city skyline was only a short distance from here. A modern high-rise, I'd guess, overlooking the downtown. Suite 55A. My breath came steady. I'd find Helena there. I'd end this.

I turned to leave, but paused at the doorway. I glanced back at Sebastian. He dabbed at his nose with a black kerchief, fresh blood staining it. Our gazes locked. He tried a smirk but it came out half-formed. I considered just killing him right then and there–and everyone else here too. Before deciding against it. I couldn’t rush things and get myself into more trouble than I could chew through. Gaining the enmity of vampires and fae and whatever else didn’t seem like the wise choice. So, instead, I just told him, “If I catch you harming humans, you’re fair game.” 

He waved a dismissive hand. “Go. I’ve no more business with you.”

I stepped into the corridor. My footsteps echoed on the worn floor. The tall vampire I'd battered earlier was nowhere in sight. Maybe he’d run. I smiled. I pushed the main door and walked out into the night again. The yard stretched bleak and empty. The single lamp flickered overhead.

I stared at the slip in my hand. Suite 55A, City Skyline Hotel. Helena was wounded, hopefully. Possibly not at full strength. I'd face her. I was stronger now. I'd show no mercy. She threatened my family. I inhaled, tucking the paper safely away. Then I headed out of the Riverside Lodge, slipping through the woodland trails and back into the city. The street beyond was quiet. A single taxi rumbled by, headlights cutting the dark.  I sidestepped some drunk leaning against a lamppost, bottle in hand. He looked up, saw my face, flinched at something in my eyes, then stumbled away. I quickened my pace, ignoring him.

I took the quieter roads again, drifting around the city center. My phone’s map told me the City Skyline Hotel was perched on a tall block near some corporate offices, a place known for business travelers and more affluent folks. Not an area I'd frequent otherwise. But I was pretty sure my mom went there a lot.

“Let’s get this show on the road.”