“Your best bet would be for my commander to sell you to Chris Howden. He’s the captain that your Valkyrie friend nearly decapitated. Howden’s actually been fulfilling the contract while Snowden’s other Captain, Ed Kirkman, has been doing slaving. Howden will want some kind of present for the Admiral to curry favor,” Jim Holland explained.

They were several miles away from the entrance into the satyr den at the medical camp. Kiera assigned herself to the medical camp so she could meet with Holland and so Riley could pilot the Pixie Darner. Koda’s Grizzly was in the camp in case Kiera was needed on the front lines. With Laike there, she doubted her presence would be required.

“That sounds like a plan. I already have my engineer working on creating rigs for my spymaster and I. Being given Valkyries would make the most sense,” Kiera said.

“I will come with you. We would have a better chance of convincing my kin to leave with my presence,” Astrid spoke up.

“I’d advise you to take a squad with you if you’re doing a rescue mission,” Holland said. “It’ll be dangerous getting out of Sanguine Luna. Admiral Uller doesn’t have much of a presence there and neither do his captains. I don’t think Admiral Skorv has ever set foot in the base.”

“Riley. We could paint tattoos on her and pass her off as an einherjar,” I do not know who a fifth would be. Neither Alyxia nor Jaina could pass for being from the clans.”

“Tam, Tara, or Emily. Depending if we want a medic, a hacker, or an extra warrior-pilot. I’m leaning towards Tara,” Kiera said.

Holland’s suggestion was a good one. With a small squad they could split their focus. She and Tara could work on getting the evidence while Kinsley, Riley, and Astrid could free the Valkyries. They would need a ship waiting for them to make the rescue and data heist successful.

Kiera turned her head to the East. She didn’t see anything in the fading evening light. There were no sounds of battle at the defense point, but something had caught her attention. She walked away from the others and closed her eyes, reaching out with her empathy. Still nothing. She was certain she had sensed something, but she didn’t know how. Astrid quietly put her hand on Kiera’s shoulder, concerned.

A melody began to play in the air. It was hauntingly alluring. Kiera found herself wanting to follow the sound, to discover who was playing the music. She felt Astrid’s hand slip away and felt the Valkyrie’s wings brush past her as she opened them.

Something inside Kiera screamed a warning. She grabbed into Astrid’s hand, flaring her Radiance. It didn’t seem to help as Astrid began to pull Kiera into the air. She increased the intensity, intending to charm Astrid. Something repelled her Radiance, and it wasn’t the Valkyrie. She had been told about this rare sensation when her mother was explaining a nymph’s abilities; someone else was using a charm effect on Astrid. It was powerful.

Kiera grabbed into Astrid’s shoulder, flaring her Radiance. If she couldn’t charm her lover then she would entrance her. Her Radiance broke through the unknown charm and ensnared Astrid. “Lovely I need you to fill me with determination and fly us over to the Grizzly!” Kiera could already feel the charm begin to affect her.

The Valkyrie scooped Kiera into her arms and flew towards the mecha. Below them Kiera could see Holland and his men form a defensive perimeter around the camp. Satyrs were charging them. She looked around for Tamalyn and saw a Steel Brotherhood merc riding away with her in his arms. There were other mecha trying to prevent the Valkyries that were with them from flying to the satyr and were failing badly. Valkyries were strong, fierce warriors. That they could heal enhanced their combat effectiveness, as did their aura of courage.

They reached the Grizzly after a minute. “Astrid, I need you to get into your exo-frame and block out external sound. Once that’s done you are free to engage with the satyr.”

Astrid nodded and gave her a smile, “As you wish, my battlemaiden.”

Kiera watched her go, waiting to make sure that Astrid got into her exo-frame before turning her attention to the fight. She was glad that the entrancement held and hoped Astrid would forgive her.

<<“This is Commandant Kiera Sol to all mercenaries and clan warriors! The satyr are assaulting the medical camp and are moving towards Leifholm! Mecha pilots and Legion Exo-Frames, I want you to defend the city! Brotherhood and Clan Muir, I want two squads to stay behind at the den entrance and the rest of you to aid us here! There is one of them using a charm effect that is beguiling our Valkyries and other women! Look for something holding a flute or other instrument like one, that’s what it sounded like!”>>

Kiera launched herself into the air. Her radar was already showing dozens of satyr with more appearing as she flew into the battle. Her priority was whoever was making the music. The easiest way was to follow one of the Valkyries. Kiera marked her target and flew after her, launching cluster missiles into the ranks of the satyr as she flew. She realized her error after a moment. The Valkyrie didn’t fly to the satyr using the charm, but to the nearest satyr. Kiera immediately hit her rockets and dove on the Valkyrie, who was now landing. She grabbed the woman with one hand and with the flamethrower on her other arm, incinerated the satyrs in front of her.

Mecha flew overhead, firing plasma blasts and other ordinance as they passed the satyrs. Right behind them were the slower eco-frames who also conducted strafing runs as they passed. Most of the satyr horde had turned to run to Leifholm.

<<“Does anyone have eyes on that singer?”>> Kiera asked.

<<“I already took him down, Sol,”>> Holland replied. <<“Made it top priority when you mentioned it.”>>

<<“Thanks, Holland!” I’m leaving you in charge of cleaning up here.”>> Kiera turned her mecha and flew towards the den’s entrance. If the satyr were here then something must have happened to Locke and the others. She trusted that her mecha team and the others could defend Leifholm; she needed to get to her men.”

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It wasn’t satyrs that attacked them. Creatures that seemed to be made of darkness with glowing red eyes swiped at the warriors with their sharp claws. They weren’t sharp enough to get through Locke’s power armor, but the body armor many of the others wore was a different story. When these new monsters slew one of their soldiers, the soldier began to transform and after a few minutes stood up and attacked his former allies. The moment that Locke realized that he ordered everyone to make sure anyone who fell didn’t get back up.

The whispers were getting worse. They sounded like a seductive woman now. She pointed out how those who had been given the power of the Void were stronger, faster, and more resilient. If Locke would accept her offer he would be even more powerful than the ‘wraiths’ attacking them. He refused.

Others didn’t.

He saw one of the Brotherhood members stop, his eyes turned red, his body became black. His muscles surged and he grew two feet taller with claws capping his hands and another set of arms emerging from his side. He let out a keening wail that caused a few men near him to freeze in place.

Fortunately for them, Locke was out of range. He loaded a tungsten rod and blasted the newly transformed monster. It exploded as Locke’s attack hit. The rod continued to fly into the darkness, carving and slaying other monstrosities based on the screams and snarls he heard from that direction.

“You are delicious. Please be mine, I promise that you won’t regret it. I shall make you a Champion, set you upon the path to evolve into Vodari. Please say you will be mine.”

It felt like the woman was whispering directly into Locke’s ear. He could almost feel her presence around him. The voice had no emotions, it sounded detached and indifferent despite the words. Locke grit his teeth and shook his head as another mercenary gave themself to the Void.

“Never!” Locke growled.

Before the man fully transformed Gargax was on top of him. The ork roared in rage and ripped the void creature’s head off and threw it into one of the wraiths that was leaping at Ivan Unfrid. Gargax’s control of his rage had turned him into an even deadlier warrior. He was no longer completely berserk, retaining presence of mind to think strategically. At least as strategically as Gargax usually did.

The roar of an engine caught Locke’s attention. They didn’t take any mecha or exo-frames down here because they didn’t know if they would fit. The most heavily armored soldiers were Locke’s team, the Legion, and the Brotherhood.

<<“This is Commandant Kiera Sol, can anyone read me!”>>

<<“Kiera? What are you doing down here?”>> Pelendelar asked.

<<“SUNBEAM NOT BE HERE!>> Gargax roared, as another void wraith lost its life.

<<“No one should be here, Gax! This place…it’s wrong. The satyrs are attacking Leifholm. They probably used that Void Portal Kins mentioned. I can see some kind of Vortex at twelve o’clock. That is probably the portal!”

Locke could see strobing lights in the darkness. Between the flashes he could see one of the Harbinger exo-frames. It was small and fast, only eight feet tall with light armor and weapons. It was a scout class of exo-frame.

“Who is that? That light about her. I must have her. Bring her to me and I shall see you rewarded.”

Locke ignored the voice. He turned and ran towards the exo-frame, veering to his left. After a minute he saw a swirling black and purple vortex. Red light pulsed within it. He took out his flare gun and fired a yellow flare; it would be the most visible.

<<“I’ve marked the portal with a flare!”>>

<<“That creature said that we wouldn’t survive going through it!”>> a mercenary shouted.

<<“We’re barely surviving here!”>> Pelendelar countered. <<“Legion, through the portal!”>>

The mercenaries fell into a fighting retreat, finally having a sure place to fall back to. As they disappeared into the portal, they vanished from Locke’s radar. Whether they survived or were dead was unknown. Each time someone went through there was a bright red pulse. Several minutes and a dozen men passed through it when the portal pulsed with no one exiting.

An alabaster skinned creature with a backward sweeping conical head appeared. It had no nose and wore some kind of robes. “You are either braver or more foolhardy than I gave you credit for! Ignoring my warning and entering the portal! The rest of you won’t be so lucky, you die here!”

Locke threw a punch with his left arm, striking the creature in the face and sending it to the ground. It yelped in surprise then shouted a word.

The portal began to warp, the outer spirals began to shrink. It didn’t take a skald to see that the portal would vanish in the next few moments. Locke grabbed the creature and jumped through the portal. This was the creature responsible for the satyr, and it owed them answers.

He appeared in the field near the medical camp surrounded by the other mercenaries. Many of them were on the ground and looked as harrowed and pale as Kinsley and Jaina did. Locke felt his own strength begin to drain. He took several steps forward, dragging the creature with him.

The sound of roaring engines once more caught his attention. The Harbinger exo-frame flew through the collapsing portal. In one arm it held Ivan Olafson, in the other it had Pelendelar. Being dragged behind it courtesy of Pelendelar’s tendril was Gargax.

“Fools,” the creature laughed, pushing itself to its feet. "The Void takes its toll. I think I will take you back to the Theocracy for further experiments. This one was quite fruitful.” He started to chant. After a few moments a vortex appeared behind him and several wraiths emerged. No one had any strength to fight.

As the first Scandian was taken through the portal, the creature drew a small round object.

“Archbishop, we have located what you are looking for,” a man’s voice came from the mirror. “We are still working on trying to find the path to reach it.”

“All I care about is the final destination,” the Archbishop said. “Excellent work, I will arrive shortly.” He shut the mirror and looked at the mercenaries. “It seems that I will not have any time for you. A greater task awaits.” The wraiths dropped the man they were carrying and walked through the portal.

“Who the hell are you, what did you want?” Locke asked, he didn't have the strength to prime his rod launcher.

“Archbishop Navsinesk Trois of the Exalted Theocracy. Perhaps when I’m done with my Great Task I’ll come find you again. You, and that woman.” He turned and looked over at Kiera.

“You’re not going to lay a finger on her!” Locke roared, he lifted his arm and fired a steel rod, badly missing.

“How valiant. There was another woman who caught my attention. Another that was either brave or foolish enough to venture into the Void. You don’t happen to know her name as well do you? I don’t know your name, either.”

“Locke Mickelson. Commodore of the Sunrise Eclipse. Stay away from Kiera and Kinsley. I’ll kill you if I see you again.”

“Wouldn’t that be a feat?” Navsinesk said as he stepped into the Vortex.

“I’m already dead.”