Argonaut - The Apprentice (Part II)

Chapter Seventeen – Paris Burning

2nd May 6:22 AM

Serena made her way through the streets of Paris, watching the faces peer through windows. The humans were scared, and who wouldn’t be? The Archaeans might have been able to convince the French government to let them face the Stygians here, but the citizens themselves did not trust anything not human.

‘How did Solomon convince the French to not fire on us as soon as they landed?’ Serena asked, broadcasting her thoughts to the other telepaths.

‘We went to their government office last night,’ the leader of the Archaean subgroup replied, ‘He had me show them something that I want all of you to send to the civilians. There are many here who believe they can defend their homes from what’s coming, it should convince them that we’re here to help.’

‘And if it doesn’t?’

‘Trust me, it will. Hey, you were at Tetouan?’

‘Yeah.’

‘So you know what we’re going up against?’

Serena nodded, searching for the telepath speaking to her in the crowd, ‘Yeah, nasty sons of bitches.’

‘And there’s nearly ten times that number gathered here, lucky us.’

‘So long as David can keep the Stygians off of our tails we should be able to handle the Hollow.’

‘Oh yeah, the Harbinger. You know him?’

Serena smiled thinly, ‘Yeah, we’ve met.’

The conversation ended abruptly as the group stopped. Serena hadn’t noticed, but many of the other telepaths, with their psychic partners, had already fanned out through the streets. The mental voice of the lead telepath resonated through the streets, projected through every other telepath to travel a far greater distance. By the time it had been relayed through them all there wasn’t a human in Paris who couldn’t hear his voice.

‘Humans of this city,’ he sent out the message, ‘your attempts to defend your city are valiant, but in vain. We are not the invaders, but the defenders. Nightmares march on Paris, and we intend to hold them at bay for long enough for you to escape. Please, we mean you no harm. Evacuate your homes and head to the northern train stations, we must abandon the city. They are coming.’

There was no response, not that any was expected. The faith of many Archaeans wavered, but the leader stood strong, confident in his ability to persuade the humans.

‘And now?’ another telepath asked, his question relayed to all of the other Archaean telepaths.

The leader did not respond directly, instead sending out a message; a memory that was relayed to the humans.

A city burned, the dead were scattered in the streets. Hundreds of broken bodies were being trampled by thundering feet as the Hollow tore headlong along the road. Some of the monsters stopped, fighting like animals to feed. Periodic vibrations shook every building as the mountainous Stygians cast shadows that made it seem like the night had come early. Everywhere buildings were being destroyed, ripped apart with ease as the monsters rampaged. A series of demonic roars made Serena cover her ears as black smoke launched forward, washing over the ruined city like a sea of evil.

‘This is what is coming to your city now,’ his voice narrated the slaughter, ‘They will kill you all. We can hold them back long enough for you to get away, but you have to come now. Get to the north of France, to the train stations. We’ve set up enough to get you all out. If you stay, you will die and that is what you will become.’ A Stygian’s head emerged from the black smoke; first the horns, then the rest of the head. The evil red eyes glowed as it laughed, shaking the foundations of the streets.