Chapter 32: Supplication — Part 9
“Of the Storm Clan weapons, my blade, and my father’s are simply too powerful to be put into unworthy hands, or to be kept as intact weapons.” Shadow went to a second compartment, set in the far wall, and took a phased counterpart chain and blade from the wall. She merged them with Xeti’s long dagger and chain. “Something I didn’t tell the others is that these blades are in tune with all the universal forces, not just psionic ones that humans use. If you could see the universe as an entity expanding outward, these would allow you to tune and focus the protoplasm of that entity, shaping it into any energy force you want. Because the universe is comprised entirely of energy and emptiness, the power one can wield with these blades is limited only by the individual ability to access it. The blades keep a history of whatever types of energies they’ve channeled in the past, making it easier for somebody to learn how to use those energies. The other three blades have had few owners, and they’ve been used for specific energies, life energies and elemental forces. My sword was my Great Grandfather’s, and has passed through hands for well over 7000 years, since its restoration. Your dagger was my father’s — passed to him from my Great Grandmother, and was created at the same forge a year after my sword. I am trusting you with a weapon that is almost as old as the Storm Clan itself, and as horrible as it is dangerous. Your blade is called Finder; it relishes rending the physical components of inorganic materials to pieces at the molecular level. My sword is called Shade, and is designed to be in the hands of a warrior.”
Shadow touched his wrist scabbard. “I don’t know what energies you can tap into, but this blade, when in full phase, has leveled cities. My sword, without its phase counterpart, has sterilized entire garrisons of Chran. In our hands, these weapons would find few to match them. We could topple governments, destroy entire civilizations, even rule the galaxy, if we wanted to.”
“How did these terrible weapons come to exist?” Xeti asked, almost afraid to touch his.
“Aliens attacked Earth via interspatial gates nearly ten thousand years ago. They were intending to enslave humanity and claim the planet for their Cynosure. That was the first known rising of the Storm Clan. We infiltrated the enemy bases on Earth, slaughtered their soldiers, stole their technology, used their transgalactic technology to return to their planet of origin, and used our newfound knowledge to level their cities and military outposts, working across the surface of their world like termites into wood, and damn near exterminating their entire species. As part of the terms of surrender, the Storm Clan gained access to all their technology, was allowed to visit their home planet, and was granted the right to use that advanced alien technology to create the phased blades. The aliens gave their technology to us in the form of a data crystal, and my family kept that information secret. The aliens that attacked us left their home world for one in another arm of our galaxy: too far away — they hoped — to ever have to cross paths with the Storm Clan again. The Storm Clan knowledge has only been passed on to a certain few, and the true power of the Clan blades kept as secret for all those thousands of years.”
“The fact that the Storm Clan doesn’t rule humanity is a testament to power not corrupting the soul.” Xeti said.
Shadow grimaced at the thought. “Phased weaponry has its limits. Use it too often, and it drains your energy, leaving you weak in a fight when you need the power the most. And the guy that used the blade you carry to level a city was killed in the process, his body devoured atom by atom to procure the energy needed for the process to be carried out.” Shadow paused, considering the history. “He felt it a necessary sacrifice. I have often wondered if he made the right choice.”
Xeti hefted the blade, feeling a tingle in his fingertips. “You think we’re going to need all this power when we face the Chran, don’t you?”
“I don’t know. I just want to live long enough for you to give me children. I know we’re outnumbered, and I know that if I face the Chran in battle this time, it will be the last time.” Shadow took her blade from its scabbard. “I also want to find out something, and now that we’ve got this symbiont running through our veins, this would be a good time to test my theory.”
“What theory is that?”
“I want to see if phase energy is powerful enough to overstep your gray abilities.” Shadow swiped her sword across Xeti’s face as hard as she could.
The blow wouldn’t have killed him, it only would have splayed his cheek and nose open, even with the flow of phased energy backing her will, because though her blade could split flesh and bone like a finger cutting water, and blasted a disruptive energy into the wound. Xeti blocked instinctively, the sword passing harmlessly, first across his hand, and then his face, leaving no mark, no hint of harm at any level. Xeti couldn’t even feel the blade’s passage, and the blade, having nothing to grip and destroy, slipped right through his atoms, leaving him untouched in the process. Sparks and light were Shadow’s only reward. Wherever the blade touched Xeti’s pigment shifted gray momentarily, spreading in stress waves up his arm. As soon as the sword’s energy was diverted, his skin returned to its normal, peachy white color. Xeti rubbed his cheek, giggling at the thought. Shadow fell to one knee, putting her sword back in its scabbard. Weakened by the effort, she forced herself back to standing, nuzzling Xeti in way of apology.
Shadow rubbed her neck, trying to stave off the headache that would eventually follow. “I don’t know how you do it, but even phased energy can’t hurt you. I got zapped with my own energy for trying, and that usually only happens when you pit two blades of the Shadow Clan against each other. So long as you’re on the defensive, you can’t be hurt. In time your abilities will be so professional that even I will be unable to get through them. The weapon phased completely rather than let its steel cut your flesh. I honestly hadn’t expected that.”
Xeti looked at his hand, then at Shadow. “Energy is energy, no matter how incomprehensible its behavior.”
The Mercy lurched into twisted space, heading towards the Chran contact point. When they got there, they found a beacon. Their scan for explosives triggered a message sending them to coordinates Shadow knew and instinctively hated. She let out a small growl of dissatisfaction, followed by a barely uttered slur of profanities. She plotted in the coordinates, adjusted the route, and the beacon shorted out, leaving no trace of its message in its memory.
“This sucks.” She said, glowering at a star map that was thrown up on one of the side panels.
“Looks like we’re going to Earth, people.” Ferret said, since Shadow was too grumpy to tell them what had her so upset.
