Trampling in the Land of Woe by William Galaini

Author:William Galaini [Galaini, William]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: fantasy, adventure
Published: 2018-07-13T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 22

Hephaestion had taken a day to rest. After another round of goodbyes, Boudica pulled up in front of Minu’s home. Rarely had Yitz been in such a vehicle, and he stood on the curb with his bags packed excitedly humming like an impatient child.

“I’ll let you sit up front,” Yitz offered graciously to Hephaestion.

When Boudica spun the crank, the small, topless vehicle coughed, gurgled, and growled to life with hellfire under its bonnet. The flaming glow also acted as a forward light, its intensity focused with polished, flanking steel sheets, and as they drove to the dirigible docking towers, the flickering red light revealed the road before them.

“I love driving,” Boudica said in a rare moment of unrestrained joy as they jittered their way through the cobbled streets, slowing for the crowds and wagons rolling by. “When I walked the Earth, we had nothing like this. Our machines were made of wood and weighted stone, held together by nails and rope. I am so excited to see what trickles down to us next.”

“It’s just not a horse,” Hephaestion complained. “Nothing feels like a horse. Nothing is more powerful, and the horse keeps you warm at night and gives you shade during the day. This car is impressive in its own way, but I could roll it over with my arms, and then it is helpless. It would have no place off the road. Or on a battlefield.”

“True…but the ‘car’ has a big brother. A tank. Giant and weighing many, many stone. They roll like a metal avalanche and crush trees in their way. And at the top, a cannon.”

Hephaestion’s eyebrows rose, impressed. He liked Boudica—she seemed to be on his level, and, despite being anchored to Heaven, her rough edge made her approachable.

“How did you die?” he asked without thinking.

“I killed myself.”

Stunned, he stared at her. “How are you not a tree?”

“Not everyone who kills themselves is committing suicide. Suicide is giving up on your humanity, and permanently destroying the world that surrounds you. I fought to the last, Hephaestion. I watched tens of thousands of my people get executed. When the enemy came to me, they meant to take me as a prize to return to their mad emperor. They wanted to beat us by breaking me. So I ended my life before they could.”

“Do your people not have a ward here in New Dis, or an enclave in Purgatory?”

“Here and there. When I first died and landed in Purgatory as you did, I sought out every one of those tens of thousands of souls to beg their forgiveness. My will pitted them against Rome. By following me, they died. I understand what you’re doing, Hephaestion. I do. And you’ll do it, just as I did.”

“Do what—be free from Purgatory?”

“No. Well, maybe. But you’ll sort your old life. You’ll move on.”

Hephaestion’s hand settled on the small leather pouch containing the heart-ripper. He would rescue Alexander from his suffering and sing his body back into being with the ancient hymns of Macedonia.

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