Wings of Thunder

Chapter 3

The last place where Rion wanted to be was at the way station. But the last thing he needed to do was desert the people who were depending on him. There were no less than a dozen of his men over on Earth, and any one of them could attempt to reenter their world through this storm. If they did, he had to be there to see to their safe arrival and to schedule them for their debriefing.

At the thought of debriefing, Rion chuckled softly. How many times had he ignored the mandatory rule when he had been the one walking the pathways? Now, when he looked back on it, he knew he had deliberately flaunted authority, just so they would have cause to ban him. Or to place him on suspension. Anything, just so he wouldn’t have an excuse to walk the pathway, possibly for the last time.

The siren’s wail of warning filled his head. In the next instant, a crack of lightning nearly deafened him. Rion banked slightly, enough to glance behind him at the storm that was gathering strength with every passing second. It was going to be a big one.

He frowned and corrected himself. No, it was going to be a major one. One that would leave destruction in its wake. Parra hadn’t seen that kind of tosis for as long as he could remember.

Arriving at the way station, he was met by Callumed, who gave him the duty roster and a summary of their preparations. As he glanced over the brief report, Rion’s eyes darted back to the storm, and then to the horizon. On a good, clear day, the ebony tower where he and Annie lived could be seen, but barely. It was always a tiny black sliver in the distance, yet it was visible enough for him to lock onto every evening, homing onto it like it was a beacon. The apartment was invisible now, swallowed up in the equally dark clouds.

For all the frustration and fear that was brewing inside him, as potent as the storm that was brewing in the skies, Rion gave thanks that Vadon had gone to take care of Annie and the baby. He could put the majority of his worries to bed, knowing his family would be safe in the little interior room in their apartment. Vadon would return to the way station as soon as he was satisfied Annie and Kerr would be all right. And Chloe would be at the hospital, preparing for the influx of wounded in the event the tosis was as devastating as it promised to be.

“It is approaching from the north,” Callumed said.

Rion turned to him, scowling. “The clouds are east.”

“Then you had better go look north.”

Handing the report back at the man, Rion hurried from the platform and half-ran for the other end of the building. The moment he rounded the corner, the landing deck was already swaying from the hard gusts thrusting against it. Directly above them, the clouds were spewing blackness across the glasslike ceiling. A sheet of pure orange energy suddenly burst from the thunderhead, and the world exploded like a bomb.

Rion and Callumed were blasted off their feet. Rion was slammed into the side of the building. The force of it knocked the air from him, and he pitched forward onto the landing deck, gasping for breath as excruciating pain crawled up his spine and dug in with knifelike talons. He had hit the wall with his back, and the impact on his already permanently damaged wing sent fresh agony through every nerve and muscle.

He had no idea what happened to Callumed. The world had been transformed into a cold and windy blackness. More lightning crackled above him. Although the buildings were insulated, there was still the risk of being struck dead-on. Rion managed to crawl back through the doorway and into the landing room, where Idonus discovered him struggling to get to his knees.

“Rion! What—” He helped Rion to his feet. “What happened?”

“Wind shear.” Rion managed to indicate outside with a nod of his head as a wave of nauseating dizziness washed over him. “Callumed was with me when it struck. He went over the side.”

“I will have searchers check the ground,” the man told him, and held out an arm. “Are you going to be all right? Heavens, you are bleeding! Did you hit your back? Let me signal for a physician.”

“No!” Rion lifted an arm to stop him, realizing too late the pull of muscle across his damaged wing. He gasped and groaned at the burning rush of pain. Another fierce blast of wind shook the tower, but this time it was accompanied by a low howl. At the sound of the storm’s banshee cry, Rion felt a chill rattle through him. “Get everyone on ground level!” he barked. “Hurry! ”

Hurry! Idonus had already turned to head for the inner slide tubes made specifically for those moments when actual flight wasn’t possible. Watching him disappear into the safety of the corridors, Rion rose on wobbly legs. With the suns blocked by the inky clouds, the station’s crystalline walls glowed from the absorbed light from the planet’s two suns. The pearlescent shine gave the landing room an eerie appearance, but it provided him with enough visibility to make his way to the tubes.

Folding his wings tightly against his back proved difficult. Rion gritted his teeth and rammed his back against the smooth inner surface of the tube. The act was enough to close his wings so he could fit into the slide, but he nearly passed out from the agony. Holding onto the straps, he prayed he could remain conscious until the storm had passed. Then he flipped the release switch.

He dropped down the chute at unbelievable speed. At the last moment, a compressed cushion of air slowed his descent until he touched down at ground level. There was a few seconds’ pause as he waited for his hatch to open—someone else ahead of him was exiting beneath him. As the silvery door slid to the side, two pairs of hands reached in to extract him.

“Rion! Thank the heavens!” a voice called out. In the same instant, a multitude of voices attacked him.

“We have a tosis, Rion! A monster one!”

“What can we do to help? It is wreaking havoc! It is tearing a path through the city!”

“There are at least eight rips open right now to the other earth.”

The banshee scream coming from the tosis rose several decibels in volume. It was like a high-pitched shriek of anger buzzing in Rion’s head. Giving himself a shake, he hissed at the fresh jolt of pain and tried to concentrate as the building shuddered around them.

“Where is Dimarkus? Has anyone heard from him?” He had to raise his voice to be heard above the nervous babbling of the crowd gathered around the tubes.

“Where did that blood come from? Rion, you are bleeding!”

Gereesus pointed to the inside of the tube where a large scarlet smear painted the inner wall of the cylinder. At almost the same time, the tube doors sealed shut as another angel descended, but the sight of blood had been visible long enough for many of them to see it. Blassen, one of the angels who had pulled him out, stepped behind Rion to view the damage.

“It looks bad, Rion. What happened?”

“Never mind me. Callumed was with me up on the third tier when we were hit by a wind shear. I fell inside against a wall, but he went over. We need to find him. Get him out of the path of that tosis.”

“It is worse than that,” Daygart stated as he rushed into the hall. “Come to the other side and listen. Towers are falling.”

Altogether, the crowd rushed to the other side of the building, keeping far enough away from the opening leading outside so as not to be sucked out into the winds. The day had turned into night, and very little was visible. But the distinctive sound of crashing glass and shattering crystal could be heard, even above the roar of the winds. The tosis was tearing though the city like a sword through paper. Rion felt his heart almost stop at the thought of Annie and Kerr alone in their apartment.

The ebon tower, as their building was referred to, was one of the tallest towers in the city. Their home was fifteen stories above the ground. And even though the building was more modern in design, and not squatter or thicker than the homes built years ago, its structure incorporated more modern methods and materials specially created to withstand the unique weather of this world. Still, Rion couldn’t help but worry.

Another unholy scream of wind suddenly shifted direction and blasted into the hall where the men were gathered. Moments later, the thin light coming from the walls went out, leaving them in terrifying darkness.

“Everyone! To the center!” Rion bellowed. If anything was to happen to the way station, he hoped they would be safe in the core of the building.

They packed tightly into the room which usually served as a meeting chamber, fumbling and bumping against each other as they tried to maneuver without light. Rion ordered Gereesus to take roll. As everyone responded with their names, his thoughts went back to Annie and Kerr, and especially to Vadon. Had his brother stayed with the family, or did he try to get back to the way station?

His back and wing was sending blistering pain down his spine and across his shoulders. He must have hit the wall at the worst angle, causing more damage. Rion wondered how badly his flying would be affected this time.

The room quieted. Gereesus spoke up. “Callumed, Forrding, and Fleet are unaccounted for.”

“Forrding and Fleet went to check on the rift opening up directly over the city,” someone called out. Rion thought he identified Cayden’s voice, but it was difficult to tell above the muted but still loud wailing of the storm.

“Let us hope they found shelter,” Gereesus commented. The others murmured their agreement.

“Until this thing blows over, everyone stay put,” Rion ordered them. His words were immediately punctuated by the screech of crystal on crystal as part of the way station met its doom. The building shook as a section fell victim to the tosis. A huge crash nearby made Rion jerk in response.

Not much longer. He hoped he was right. These storms never lasted more than a few minutes, and never longer than a full cycle.

Not much longer. But, then again, this was a tosis, the worst of the worst, and they were never predictable.

Closing his eyes, he silently prayed as the others around him did the same.