The Psychonaut - Book 1 Read online

  “There are three likely outcomes, each of them fortuitous,” Destain said. “That is, provided we stay within Merrick’s remit. As soon as there’s a radical change in our decisions, I’ll have to recast the runes.”

  “So you haven’t predicted any adverse outcomes?”

  “I didn’t say that—I just indicated they were unlikely.”

  “How unlikely?”

  Destain paused, then held out his ocular hand. “I cannot explain it mathematically, but if you care to put your palm in mine, I can communicate it.”

  “I’ll trust your judgement,” Karapetian said in a clipped tone, hands remaining on his hips. “Remember you need to prepare for the unexpected. You’ve only experienced the realm beyond as an astral projection. You know the immediate threat are the Simiata—but there may well be others. I suggest you withdraw at the first sign of their presence, we can always fall back and construct a containment plan. It’s something I’m going to have to do anyway if we’re to enlist more of them to our cause.”

  Merrick nodded. “I intend to create a gateway as soon as we all land on the other side. Once I’m through, I’ll hold it open while you all transit. Prepare yourselves for what awaits. You’ll be on the lip of a building and if you step forward without thinking, you’ll be over the edge.”

  “No doubt a measure our founding Hierophant put in place when he created the gateway,” Karapetian said. “No wonder every attempt before has resulted in failure—none ever came back.”

  Merrick looked around. He had no problem differentiating between the Celebrain forms thanks to his third eye, but Albany and the mercenaries were, in all likelihood, confused. He looked at the illusionist Karapetian had given them. Her name was Aislynn and her mind was closed to him—no surprises there.

  “So, is everyone ready?” he said.

  They all gave an affirmative.

  “Good luck,” Mike added. “You boys look after this crowd now, won’t you.”

  Biff gave a mock salute, made all the more comical as his almond-shaped, Celebrain visage betrayed no emotion at all. His buddies grunted their mirth as Merrick gave his attention to the task.

  He focused on the gateway and saw its shimmering surface depressed inward, a funnel of entry for a Psychonaut. Then he was in.

  On the other side, he had to stop himself toppling over the building’s edge, despite his forewarning of the hazard. The gateway propelled his body through with force, necessitating a shift in his centre of gravity in a backward direction. He scanned the top of the building, relieved to find himself alone under the oily-black sky. He immediately about-faced and returned to the other side, as they had planned. After warning the party again, he passed through and held the gateway open.

  He put Johnny in charge of receiving the party while he explored the roof top. He held the gateway open with minimal effort. He knew this would not be the case with his virgin gateways. The rest of them came through without hindrance. All except Celestia were in awe of their surroundings. The mercenaries held drawn weapons but relaxed once they perceived there was no immediate threat.

  “This is something else,” Albany said.

  “Just wait until you see the next realms,” Celestia replied.

  Merrick beckoned them over. “We need to move fast, the Simiata can detect our presence and will be closing in. I think I’ve found an optimum breach point. Same plan as before. I go through, check it out and then return. If the breach closes for longer than five minutes, assume the worst has happened.”

  Merrick detected anxiety from Celestia. “That means you’ll be stuck over there, and remember, we can’t get back to Earth either,”

  “There’s no other way,” he replied. “Destain, are our options still fortuitous?”

  “They are,” the clairvoyant replied, “you can be confident.”

  Merrick spread his palms out in front of him, fingertips probing, looking for a weak point. Once satisfied, he gathered his will and felt the force leave him. A sound like tearing metal or nails scraped over a blackboard filled the air. It was a strain, but he saw a long tunnel ahead. He also heard the shrieking of a Simiatan in the distance.

  “We’re going to have to move fast,” Albany said.

  Merrick threw himself into the fissure and immediately felt an incredible pressure in his ears, as if he had emerged dozens of feet underwater. He ran, as if in a dream, feet slipping on invisible ice. It took several long seconds to burst through to the other side, where he emerged in Jahun’s cave. He allowed the gateway to close and staggered over to a rock, grateful for a short rest. He groaned while allowing his psychonautic energy to fill up again, banishing the disorientation as it did so.

  After a minute or two he recovered and the buzz in his head had subsided to a minimum. He reconnoitered the cave and tunnel beyond as fast as he could and, once certain that the location was secure, returned to his previous position. He held out his hands again and felt the depression reform—quicker than before. He’d assumed correctly that the gateways were easier to maintain the more he used them.

  He returned to his expectant companions, who were quick off the mark in following his lead back through to the Ashgabat side.

  Once through, they spent some time taking stock of the situation and for Merrick to rest.

  “You look tired,” Celestia said.

  “I’m surprised you can tell with this face,” he replied.

  “You forget—my senses work beyond the natural limits.”

  The Celebrain face in front of him had the sides of its mouth curled upwards a touch. “They’re a grumpy lot, these Celebrains,” he said, “your smile looks more like a leer.”

  His attempt at easing her anxiety didn’t work. “I’ve been thinking,” she said, “we should explore the gateways beyond the nexus as a mind-meld first, it’s much safer.”

  “That’s good advice,” he replied. “I can’t project my astral form on a first breach, even with you helping, but the next gateways are already existent. We should play safe, as long as you’re up to it, that is.”

  “Bien sûr.”

  “Ready for the next step?” Albany asked.

  “Yeah, this is the wet one,” Merrick replied. He relayed the plan for the next traversals to the others and they made their way through Jahun’s tunnel, down to the spring.

  They needn’t have worried about the next stage. The other side of the gateway held no threat and they were soon in Babylonia.

  “Everyone okay?” Merrick said.

  “Someone pinch me,” Hacker said. “This whole thing is jai-wank.” The comment was light-hearted, but Merrick could sense his culture shock underneath. He weighed up the man’s state of mind and was convinced the man would cope.

  “You’ll be okay,” Merrick said. “I’ll line up a re-orientation session when we get back, but in the meantime we’ve only got two more gateways to access, according to my calculations.”

  “Right—let’s do this,” Albany said, his eagerness obvious to all.

  “Let’s not get over-confident,” Merrick replied. The next gateway is up ahead.”

  They followed the passage through to Kemran’s nexus and were pleased to find both Jahun and the Babylonian waiting for them.

  The two guardians embraced them, all except the mercenaries.

  “We sensed your presence,” Jahun said. “Our hearts are glad you have come.”

  Merrick explained as fast as he could, all that had happened since they parted company. They compared time-lines and were fascinated to discover that both their continuums seemed to move forward together. After the hasty exchange, Jahun sensed the party needed to move on.

  “Carry out your mission,” she said. “You can be confident that the nexus remains secure.”

  “Nexus? That’s a good way of describing it,” Aislynn said. It was the first time she’d spoken. Merrick tried to weigh up her motivation but she remained closed.

  “We’re just
glad our life’s work as guardians has meant something,” Kemran said. “If you use the gateways to bring balance back and thwart this evil uprising, then our vigil will have served its purpose.”

  Merrick thanked them for their service and gave his attention to the next transition. As before, he and Celestia probed ahead to the portal crossroads. They gave the all clear and Merrick enabled the pathway for all to follow. They used this method again to pass through the eastern gateway and finally arrived at the world known as Celebrai. It was a barren, rocky wasteland with little vegetation and no sign of civilisation. They all reached into their haversacks and took out another layer to put on, together with gloves.

  “I bet this is what Mars is like,” Albany said.

  “Only the atmosphere is breathable,” Johnny added.

  “It’s hard on the chest though,” Biff said. “I feel like I’m on the verge of an asthma attack.”

  “We’ll have to put up with the alien atmosphere on this trip,” Merrick said. “In the long term, if we can acclimatise or enhance our oxygen supply, we’ll be more prepared. Now give me a moment while I find—”

  “Hush,” Celestia said, raising a hand to emphasise the instruction. “There’s a hostile presence bearing down on us.”

  They drew their weapons and formed a haphazard defensive circle.

  Merrick held his unfamiliar pistol. Mike had told him it was a Heckler and Koch in their five minute training session. He felt under-prepared, but remembered that all he needed to do was aim and shoot. “Which direction?” he said to Celestia.

  “I don’t know,” she said, “I cannot home in, yet it’s nearly upon us.”

  “I can’t see anything approaching,” Biff said, “and there’s no cover out here. Are you sure you’re reading the situation right?”

  Then they heard it. The sound of air slewing over giant wings, a petrifying screech borne from above. They all looked up to see the plummeting form of a colossal raptor.

  “Shoot it down,” came Biff’s order. There followed the disappointing, dry click of malfunctioning firing mechanisms. Only one weapon discharged, but its projectile traced a limp arc from Hacker’s firearm.

  “What the f—” was all Hacker had time to say as the creature picked him up in cruel talons and carried him skyward. The sound of his agonised cries receded into the distance. All they could do was watch, impotent, as the raptor become a pinprick against the cold, blue sky.

  ~~~

  Chapter 35

  All the fools sailed away

  What the fuck are you all waiting for? ” Biff turned to them, shocked—as they all were—but exasperated as well. “We’ve got to track that thing down or Hacker’s a goner.”

  Johnny had thrown his rifle to the floor and was fumbling with a compass. “It’s a no-go, mate. I can’t even get a direction reading, the needle just points in a random direction.

  “So, let’s yomp it. We know that bastard-thing was flying towards the ridge over there. We need to get going.”

  Most of the party looked at Biff in a resigned way. Some just looked at the ground. Albany still scoured the skies, looking to see if the raptors hunted in twos.

  “We can’t get diverted, Biff,” Merrick said. “That thing could have taken him anywhere. I wish we could save him, but I can’t sanction risking all our lives.

  Biff looked round for some support. “Can’t you create a gateway? We could keep up that way.

  Merrick squinted his eyes, looking at the horizon. “I can find existing portals and create them between worlds, but I can’t create a gateway within a world.

  “Look, mate,” Johnny said, putting his hand on Biff’s shoulder, “We’ve been in this situation before. We had to make some tough decisions back in Somalia—lost people we couldn’t save. It’s a tough call but Merrick’s right. You know Hacker would do the same if he was here.

  Biff looked at his brother in arms with fire in his eyes and shrugged Johnny’s hand away. “Well, you know what I say? I say fuck you. Fuck you all. I owe Hacker my life and I’m not giving up that easily. Even if it means going it alone.” He picked up his rifle, turned his back on them and took off at a punishing speed across the plain.

  “Biff, wait,” Merrick called.

  “Leave it,” Johnny said. “They’re both dead men.

  “There don’t seem to be any more raptors—at least for the moment,” Albany said, “but I think we should move off this plain. We’re too exposed here.”

  “I agree,” Merrick replied, “Shamon’s gateway lies in that direction.” He pointed the opposite way to the path Biff and the raptor had chosen. There was a faint line of purple mountains rising from the plain to meet the cloudless, azure heavens.

  “It looks like we’ve got quite a trek ahead of us,” Celestia said.

  “Yeah, I reckon it’s going to take us at least four hours at marching speed. And that’s without stops.”

  Albany looked at the pistol in his hand. “What do we do about the weapons? It looks like Karapetian’s guns are dud.” As if to emphasise the point, he raised the pistol and aimed away from the group. It clicked once, twice, then jammed.

  “I don’t think it’s the guns,” Merrick said. “This place has a different atmosphere, you can tell it in our breathing. I figure it doesn’t support combustion in the same way as earth.”

  “So, we’re defenceless?” Aislynn said.

  “I’ve got my Bowie knife,” Johnny patted a short scabbard at his hip.

  “And we’ve got daggers,” Albany indicated to Destain and himself.

  “It’s not much, but it’ll have to do,” Merrick said.

  “We could retreat, and come back more prepared,” Destain said.

  Merrick thought for a moment. “That would seem the obvious thing to do.”

  “But ... ?”

  “But, I sense time is running out. Shamon could start his assault soon, and we know next to nothing about his war machine. What do the rest of you think?”

  “Maybe Destain can give us one of his insights,” Albany said.

  His telepathic brother raised a hand to expose the eye and moved it in a circular motion, his brow knotted in concentration.

  “Well?” Merrick said.

  “The runes are balanced.”

  “Meaning?”

  “There are equal costs and consequences for either decision.”

  “So, I might as well toss a coin?”

  Destain looked hurt. “I’m sorry I can’t be more specific.”

  Merrick looked at the distant mountains again. “Let’s push on. I’ll be damned if I’m returning empty-handed. Besides, there may be a chance that Biff’ll return. Are you with me?”

  They all agreed, albeit half-heartedly. Celestia swept the terrain as far as her gift would allow and confirmed there wasn’t any immediate threat from intelligent life. “But then again,” she said “I didn’t see the flying beast coming. I can sense a creature’s presence, but not their path.”

  “Then just tell us when any creature approaches,” Albany said.

  “Sûrement, mon cher, there is a scorpion under your left foot, not to mention a snake underneath that rock and a swarm of beetle-like creatures moving across the plain towards the ridge. I can give you a minute-by-minute update if you like.”

  “Okay, you’ve made your point,” Albany conceded.

  Since they had no use for them, they concealed the guns underneath a parched thicket and followed Merrick’s lead.

  He set a brisk pace, stopping only occasionally to take a drink and rest. They were warmer for the activity, but the landscape remained bleak and forbidding. They crossed a two mile stretch of hard, cracked sand with only the occasional rough tussock of plant-life shouldering through the fissured surface. Johnny theorised it could be a dried up river bed, which meant that if they ran short of water on the way back, they could dig down and extract it. Apart from the wind, buffeting them with puffs of loose soil
, there was no other sound except an isolated insect advertising its territory with a rub of chitinous legs.

  There was little to say as they trudged for miles on end. The distant mountains didn’t seem to get any closer and Merrick revised the e.t.a to a further three hours. The sun had only moved a short distance across the sky from its zenith, and there was no sign that nightfall approached.

  In time, the party saw the terrain break up into reed-covered mounds and hillocks. This would have lifted their spirits if it wasn’t for the fact that the inclines and uneven ground slowed them down.

  “I think my feet are going to drop off if I walk much further,” Albany said. He was the only one complaining out loud, but Merrick could feel the impatience and resentment rising in his companions.

  “Right you are, let’s take a break,” he said. “Destain, have a look at your brother’s feet and see if you can do anything for him.” He winced as soon as the words passed his lips. “Sorry, I meant—”

  “Don’t concern yourself,” the sightless healer replied, “pity is a wasted emotion seeing as my perception of the world is greater than the keenest eyesight could visualise.”

  “Are you still sure we shouldn’t step through a new gateway back to earth?” Albany said.

  Merrick was just thinking this might be a wise move when Celestia lifted her head. “Horsemen approaching up ahead. They’re heading this way.”

  “Hostile?” Merrick asked.

  “Yes. They’re Ukurum.”

  “Aislynn, can you hide us?”

  “Absolutely,” she replied, “but it’ll help our concealment if we lie low against the vegetation.”

  They followed Aislynn’s lead and lay flat in the hollows between the reeds. Merrick could only see himself, but sensed Celestia next to him.

  You think they detected us? he sent.

  Let’s see. Ready for a mind meld?

  They joined up in an instant and projected themselves in the direction of the oncoming Ukurum. Two men and a woman made up their party.

  Merrick read them. They know something’s here.