The Cheaters – Chapter 7
Monday, March 26th, 2007
The corpses struggled to return to their feet and their masters’ faces betrayed the tremendous effort they exercised in retaining control of their puppets. Katerine’s attack had damaged the Corrupted’s hold over the dead army, but Weaver was uncertain if it had provided an opening which they could exploit.
For the moment, however, Weaver was more concerned with Katerine’s state after such a massive attack.
“That was a powerful attack, are you alright Katerine?” Weaver asked.
“Yes, before I wasted much energy every time I attacked. I now know how to control it,” Katerine answered.
“It seems like you know more than just that,” Weaver said, indicating the unseen barrier.
“Yes,” Katerine replied.
“I don’t suppose you could help with this situation back here?” Gerard asked, nodding towards the corpses massing behind Marcus.
“No,” Katerine said. “Lilith must do what Marcus asks of her. It is the only way I can stop our enemies.”
“What do you mean, what’s she doing?” Weaver asked.
“Something very dangerous, but something only she can do,” Katerine answered.
—
The scent of lilies drew Lilith along, leading her towards something unknown. She followed past stray thoughts and memories, ignoring them for fear of losing the trail. Finally the scent stopped, lingering.
Lilith reached out into the vapor and brushed against something. She moved her hand through again and plucked something taut and narrow like fishing wire. Gripping the wire with both hands Lilith pulled. She felt the line starting to slack, but as she continued to pull the line begin cutting into her hands.
“Marcus, it’s hurting me,” Lilith said.
“You must sever the threads,” came the reply.
Lilith pulled harder, clenched her teeth, and the line gave way as blood ran down her arms.
—
“Weaver,” Katerine said, “Lilith has begun her task. When she is done I will drop this barrier and you and Gerard must keep the dead away from me.”
“What will you be doing?” Weaver asked.
“I will go to the source, I will attack these Corrupted, and I will make them pay,” she answered.
“We’ll do our part, Godspeed to you on yours,” Gerard said.
Katerine looked up as she followed another loosed thread, which only she could see. Before the small group the dead had again risen and were pressing against the barrier, trying to find a way in. Weaver and Gerard stood watch, their torches at the ready, and kept an eye on Katerine for the signal.
One after another the threads came loose until they numbered twelve in total. Behind her Marcus fell to the ground and Lilith to her knees. The dead began crawling over Marcus and Katerine nodded to Weaver and Gerard. They nodded back and Katerine dropped the barrier, following it with a massive psychic discharge all around.
The dead crawling over Marcus collapsed as well as the dead that were pressed against the barrier. Without a word Katerine charged through the fallen dead, following the floating threads back to the puppet master. Gerard sucked in his breath as he and Weaver prepared to take on the dead who struggled again to their feet.
“Do you think we have a chance,” Gerard asked Weaver.
“If we all do our part, I believe Katerine will pull through,” Weaver answered.
—
Katerine stood before the Corrupted, the dead rising behind her. She had used more power on the last attack than she had intended, but could not possibly turn back now. She looked up once more at the floating threads and reached out, as though grabbing them with her mind. She traced the lines back to the leftmost Corrupted as it stared back at her.
“What, are you doing?” Katerine heard it say.
“This,” she answered as she yanked loose all of the threads from the possessor. The disconnected Corrupted fell backwards and stared back, fear obvious in its wide-eyed stare.
The threads were now under Katerine’s ownership and only she knew what she intended to do with them. As she began to manipulate the threads towards her intent she felt cold hands grabbing her from behind. She was being pulled back and down towards the mass of dead bodies still struggling to stand.
Her balance began to give when she felt the grip slacken and let go. She heard the sound of wood pulping something soft and turned to see Weaver, a smashed corpse lying below him.
“I’ve got this,” he said.
Katerine turned back to the Corrupted. She raised the floating threads up, straightening them into narrow spears, and plunged them by pairs into the Corrupted’s minds.
“Let’s see you stop me now,” Katerine said and she sent her psychic attack coursing along each of the threads, pumping her enemies’ heads with everything she had left, causing them to enter into violent convulsions as she destroyed their vile minds. The six Corrupted collapsed, rendered empty shells, and their corpse army also ceased to move.
—
Weaver and Gerard carried the body of Marcus back through the underground way to Pollack House. Katerine helped Lilith walk. She felt heavy with the loss of her oldest friend. He had given the last flicker of his life to save his friends, and there was nothing left of him that Katerine was able to bring back.
They had all recieved word from William through the Overhand Hive that a spy in the New Earth Government’s offices reported that all but one of the heads of the government just suddenly collapsed. They were found to be dead and they had been for some time.
The one remaining member was read and discovered to be behind bringing back the Corrupted from their long slumber. His mad dream was to create a perfect world of complete governmental control by any means. His twisted mind was stripped away but not destroyed, so that he could observe the world around him but never again interact with it.
The nightmare was over for all the victims of his madness, but it was only beginning for him.
