Shadow Cursed
Book One of the Dark Descendants Trilogy
By
Jason Sander
Copyright © 2012 by Jason Sander
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.
v1.0
AKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks to my parents for all their help and patience in letting me pursue a writing career.
A big thanks to Stuart for inspiring me to become a writer and Ashley and Julian for encouraging me.
To all those who read Shadow Cursed, I hope you enjoy Aurora.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 29
CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 31
CHAPTER 32
CHAPTER 33
CHAPTER 34
CHAPTER 35
CHAPTER 36
CHAPTER 37
CHAPTER 38
CHAPTER 39
CHAPTER 40
CHAPTER 41
CHAPTER 42
CHAPTER 43
CHAPTER 44
CHAPTER 45
CHAPTER 46
CHAPTER 47
CHAPTER 48
CHAPTER 49
CHAPTER 50
CHAPTER 51
CHAPTER 52
CHAPTER 53
CHAPTER 54
CHAPTER 55
CHAPTER 56
CHAPTER 57
CHAPTER 58
CHAPTER 59
CHAPTER 60
CHAPTER 61
CHAPTER 62
CHAPTER 63
CHAPTER 64
CHAPTER 65
CHAPTER 66
CHAPTER 67
CHAPTER 68
CHAPTER 69
CHAPTER 70
CHAPTER 71
CHAPTER 72
CHAPTER 73
CHAPTER 74
CHAPTER 75
CHAPTER 76
CHAPTER 77
CHAPTER 78
CHAPTER 79
CHAPTER 80
CHAPTER 81
CHAPTER 82
CHAPTER 83
CHAPTER 84
CHAPTER 85
CHAPTER 86
CHAPTER 87
CHAPTER 88
CHAPTER 89
CHAPTER 90
CHAPTER 91
CHAPTER 92
CHAPTER 93
CHAPTER 94
CHAPTER 95
CHAPTER 96
CHAPTER 97
CHAPTER 98
CHAPTER 99
CHAPTER 100
CHAPTER 101
CHAPTER 102
CHAPTER 103
CHAPTER 104
CHAPTER 105
CHAPTER 106
CHAPTER 107
CHAPTER 108
CHAPTER 109
CHAPTER 110
CHAPTER 111
CHAPTER 112
CHAPTER 113
CHAPTER 114
CHAPTER 115
CHAPTER 116
CHAPTER 117
CHAPTER 118
CHAPTER 119
CHAPTER 120
CHAPTER 121
CHAPTER 122
CHAPTER 123
CHAPTER 124
CHAPTER 125
CHARACTER LIST
CHAPTER 1
General Storm
General Storm leaned unconsciously towards the radio on his desk as he listened to the traffic. Each green light on the machine was a military station broadcasting their situation. One by one the green dots turned yellow indicating interference and then red as the waveband turned to static.
Removing the earphones he switched the radio off and stood up. For a moment he swayed unsteadily, gripping the edge of the desk until his fingers turned white. He closed his eyes as he gathered his strength and took a deep breath. Feeling a semblance of control returning he opened his eyes and breathed out.
He reached for the framed picture of his wife and son with trembling hands. Removing the picture he slid it inside his jacket pocket. Needing routine to calm his nerves he tidied himself up, straightening the creases in his clothes and tightening his tie before putting his cap on. As he left his tent he found his voice and his familiar bark reached even the far ends of the silent field as he gave the order to break camp.
All around him soldiers began loading trucks with provisions and the civilians picked up their meagre belongings.
The General of the Army tasted ash in the air and glanced up at the sky. Above him lightning danced in intricate patterns within the dark clouds and he tried to remember when he had last seen blue skies, but couldn’t.
As the heavens opened up again he climbed into the waiting jeep and the driver sped off towards the command tent. Mud flew off the wheels and the driver almost lost control at the first turn. General Storm placed his hand comfortingly on the driver’s shoulder and the jeep slowed to a safer speed, mirroring the calm that came over the driver.
Many survivors had never seen the Titans that entered through the portal in Australia, only the glow on the horizon as they burnt everything in their path. Fewer had seen the photos of the monsters that towered up to thirty or more stories into the air. The military had suppressed the enhanced shots taken of the Titan’s skin that showed shapes distorting their flesh as if terrified creatures were trying to free themselves from within. General Storm was haunted by those pictures; some creatures had seemed human but most were not.
The jeep pulled to a stop in front of the command tent as one of the gates was being prepped for another activation, its large capacitors charging off nuclear fuel cells for the initial kick start required to reach across space to find a suitable planet. Thirteen failures already but the scientists learnt from every one of them.
General Storm entered the tent, passing the exhausted scientists on the way to his chair. He sat down and questioned the head of research, “Gerald, what’s the situation?”
Gerald removed his glasses and rubbed the dark patches under his eyes. His unruly red hair fell forward covering his freckled face as he hung his head for a moment to regain his energy. As he raised his head he responded curtly but with a bit of hope that wasn’t there yesterday. “We have confirmed that the target planet has earth like conditions. There may even be life on it but we can’t be sure yet. The last twelve attempts so far have not managed to remain open for more than a tenth of a second, but the thirteenth managed to stay open for nine seconds, long enough to verify the planet’s conditions before the connection broke. I believe we can keep the next gate open for at least ten minutes, long enough to send my robots through to construct a stabilizing gate on the other side but the passage will damage everything we send through until the gate is fully stabilized including the robots.”
R
eplacing his glasses and grimacing through the cracked lens he continued, “We’ve also finished the construction of the armoured shells for the robots that should protect them in transit and can hold the materials they’ll need on the other side. When you’re ready we can start up one of the gates but as I’ve said before, opening a gate seems to draw the attention of the Titans. If it remains open for too long they will come.”
General Storm saw fear in every eye in the room as he announced, “There will be no more experiments. Every gate will be opened today and remain open as long as it takes to move everyone through, whatever the cost.”
The General was pleased that the despair dissipated as the room burst into activity around him. He turned to Gerald and asked, “What about the other plan you’ve been working on, will it work?”
“I believe that it will sir, we’ll be able to bloody their noses when we leave. I’ve taken the liberty of setting up a control panel that will activate the cascade program. The panel will work with your personal key,” answered the scientist “It would be an honour if you allowed me to stay behind to activate it sir.”
The General looked into Gerald’s vengeful eyes and recalled a detail from his file. No surviving family. But most of the files were the same, everyone had lost somebody. “That responsibility is mine Gerald, and the burden if any men or women remain behind when the time comes to use it. Your job it to make sure it works.”
The scientist’s eyes flared with anger for a moment but he regained control and said with determination, “It will!” He turned back to the computer to run more checks on the cascade program.
The General pulled his personal key out from under his shirt by its chain. As he clenched the key in his hand he thought about his own family. His wife had died when New York was destroyed. The Titans had risen from the sea with no warning, causing tidal waves that flooded the streets and prevented any escape. Only his son would survive him if the evacuation succeeded and he would not allow the Titans even a small chance of reaching Gabriel on this new world.
CHAPTER 2
Titans
Thirteen soulless metal eyes stared towards the burning horizon. Circuitry and wires hissed and smoked within as rain seeped through the cracks in their shells. Their only defining marks were the numbers welded to the top of each gate.
White sparks formed in the centres of the gates as they began to spin a web across space to another world.
Across the planet thousands of Titans turned in unison and roared as they sensed the breach between worlds.
Teams of suicide bombers waited with nuclear weapons as the Titans drew closer to the camp and one after another the Titans crumpled to the ground in a flash of blinding light and shockwave of sound.
When the smoke cleared the Titans rose unscathed from the ground and continued their slow march towards the gates.
CHAPTER 3
General Storm
Sarah worked feverishly at her keyboard trying to synchronize the twisting portals so that they would appear within the same area on the target planet. At first they spun wildly out of control but finally she managed to get gateways two and three to synchronize with gateway one. The others spun more and more out of control until the guidance computer froze with the calculations required. She cursed and hit the keyboard in frustration.
Gerald asked, “How many did you manage to synchronize.”
“Gates one through three are linked, they should appear within radio distance of each other. The others will reach the planet but I can’t predict where they will be in relation to each other.”
The General sighed and said, “At least we have a chance now.”
Across the room Gerald gave new orders, “Sarah, monitor the gates and tell me if there are any problems. Jasper, are all the robot pods ready to go?” Jasper nodded without taking his eyes off the computer screen. “Good. When Sarah tells you to launch them - do it. We don’t have time for individual launches so we’ll send the pods through in waves.”
Sarah said with relief, “Gates four through thirteen are within limits, and one through three. We are go for launch, Jasper.”
“Initiating launches, wave one firing rockets, wave one is away.” Jasper monitored the feedback from the first wave of robots and the gate teams as they prepared the next wave. “Wave two is preparing to launch, wave two rockets are firing. O God - a pod at gate five just blew up.”
The General leant forward and said, “Carry on, the gate team will sort it out!”
“Yes sir,” acknowledged Jasper shakily. “Wave three is ready except gate five, firing rockets. Wave three is through.”
Gerald ordered, “Jasper, monitor gate five please. Sarah, how are the other gates holding up?”
Minutes passed before she looked up from the monitor. “Gates four through twelve are stabilizing, five is stabilizing but very slowly. Thirteen is destabilizing, one through three are beginning to stabilize.”
Jasper interrupted her, “Gate five appears to be going critical, I think the explosion may have damaged the reactor. I recommend immediate shutdown.”
“Do it!” ordered Gerald.
An army officer burst into the room, “Sir, the enemy are closing in on us from all directions. Estimates are four hours until they reach us.”
Ignoring the terrified soldier the General looked at Sarah and asked, “Are the gates stabilized yet.”
She focused her attention back on the screen and answered, “Gates one through four and six through twelve appear ready sir. Five is shutting down and thirteen appears to be fluctuating, I wouldn’t recommend using it.”
Gerald ordered, “Jasper send any remaining pods through gate thirteen and see if you can stabilize it. Have gate five dismantled and ready for transport. Robert, move the scout trains immediately through the viable gates - I want to know what we’re up against.”
“Yes sir,” acknowledged Robert as he monitored the scout trains as they moved through the gates and deployed the scout vehicles.
The General turned to the officer. “Tell the generals to begin moving through the gates as soon as the evacuation signal is sent. First defence teams, then engineers, followed by heavy ordinance and then generals and staff. Once the base camp is secure send in the civilians and supplies. Dismissed.”
“Yes sir!” The officer ran out the door in his haste.
“Gate thirteen is still not stabilizing sir, we have no more pods to send. I think it’s a lost cause,” announced Sarah.
Gerald cursed, “Damn, two failed gates could be a problem. Shut it down Sarah. Jasper, you know what to do. Robert, what’s happening?”
“All portable mainframes are functioning, the air scouts are already moving out. I’m beginning to receive data. Gate six appears to be an underground cave, air is breathable and temperature is warm. Sonar appears to confirm a network of tunnels,” reported Robert.
The General ordered, “Gate six is a go. Redirect drilling equipment, extra food and water supplies to gate six.”
“But sir you can’t possibly send people underground,” said Sarah shocked.
“We don’t have the luxury of choosing our destinations and we don’t have backup gates anymore. I repeat, gate six is a go, begin evacuation through it. Robert, continue with the reports.”
“Yes sir. Gates one through three are within radio contact as predicted and appear to be a few days drive from each other. The maps are being synchronized now, I’m putting it on the main screen. They are positioned along a coastline with very steep cliffs. Grassland reaching a few hundred feet from the cliff and then a forest extending indefinitely into the west. Gate one appears to be almost on top of a cove with sheer walls. Gate two is to the south of gate one and gate three is to the north near a river.”
The General nodded. “Gates one through three are a go. Redirect civilians from gate five to gate one and adjust the food rations accordingly, Send General Allister through gate two, General Esperanza through gate one and General McMillan through gate three. What about the other gates?”
“Gate four appears to be in a mountain range. Only our vertical launch scouts have been able to search the area and several of those have crashed already. The winds are strong and below zero degrees. No radio contacts reported.”
“Send extra winter clothing and heaters as well as food supplies. Divert all vehicles from that gate and replace them with pack animals from the other gates. Send any spare air scout units as well.”
“Gate eight seems to be in the middle of a large fertile plain but there appears to be no life at all.”
“Send grain, any grazing animals we have and water boring equipment,” ordered General Storm.
“Gate seven also appears to be on a plain, the mainframe signal is very faint and there’s a lot of static. The land is fertile, moisture in the air indicates that water is present, no signs of life. There seems to be something wrong with the video and data feed. The mainframe just went offline, no further contact.”
“Send the mainframe from gate five’s scout train immediately, deploy a recon team with it and get me a verbal report if necessary.”