The Devil in Green (73 page)

A small team broke off and began to unpack crates on a separate flat
section. They worked fast and diligently, gradually assembling the contents. The other knights gaped in awe as it took shape.
'Bloody hell, that's a big bloody gun,' Gardener said.
Though still old-fashioned, the two-wheeled gun looked as if it could
easily bring down a jet. Mallory's heart sank once more.

Silence fell across the rooftop. With the gun complete, everyone waited.
Mallory kept his attention on the main group of the elite cadre. Two
knights in the centre of the circle ducked down and a second later a blue
incandescence flooded into the air like a searchlight.

'What in heaven's name is that?' Daniels said.

Nobody could guess, but the quality of the light reminded Mallory of
the crackling energy that had formed a barrier between this world and the
other deep in the catacombs. Instinctively, they all knew what it represented, though: a beacon. They turned to face the east, following the gaze
of the Blues.

So heavy was the expectation, it seemed as if they waited an age, though
it couldn't have been very long at all. The first burst of light in the distant
sky raised a cry of exclamation in several quarters. Some pointed, others
yelled for everyone to be prepared. It was coming.

Mallory glanced back at the Blues. 'What are they doing?' he said. 'Are
they calling it somehow? What have they got up there?'

But everyone else's attention was fixed on the approaching firestorm.
Although they couldn't yet see the beast, a column of flame would erupt
down on to the landscape from time to time, followed by a period of stillness, then more flame, much closer. The advance was eerie; all conversation faded away. No one could tear their eyes from the trail of
conflagration stretching into the distance.

Somewhere near Old Sarum, trees were burning.

'Nearly here,' Gardener said.

Hands closed tightly around rifles; they felt even more insubstantial.
The roar of flame sounded like a blast furnace. A house near the ring road
exploded in a shower of tiles and masonry. Echoes of the destruction
boomed back and forth amongst the high buildings of the city; falling
bricks rattled on rooftops, crashing through some. Smoke swept in along
the streets like a river fog; they could all taste it on the wind.

'It looks like hell,' Miller whispered.

Mallory thought he could see the metallic glimmer of scales, red, gold
and green, in the firelight. The heavy, rhythmic beating of leather wings
filled the air.

Hipgrave appeared with one foot balanced on either side of the roof
ridge. A hand shielded his eyes as he watched the Beast's progress. 'Raise
your weapons,' he shouted. Across the roof, rifles went up as one.

Mallory had the strange feeling that he was watching the red light of a
plane flying across the sky until he realised it was the beast's eye. It moved
directly towards them. Although he knew it couldn't see them, he felt
distinctly unnerved by its flight path, as if it sensed exactly where they were.

Another column of flame burst from its mouth, this time illuminating
the creature clearly for the first time. Its body undulated with serpentine
grace, driven forwards by the power of the enormous bat-wings that beat
deceptively slowly. The scales covered most of the body, more colourful
on the under-surface, darker near the top. A gnarled, bony ridge like the
fin of some dinosaur ran along the length of its back. A corresponding
bone structure protruded in strange, twisted horns from its head, some
small, some larger. A tail lashed the air behind it. The blazing illumination
of the flames cast bizarre shadows across its features, giving it a demonic
appearance that brought a chill to the assembled knights.

'Take aim,' Hipgrave barked.

The column of fire destroyed the Woolworth's building on the High
Street. The fire washed and backwashed as if it was liquid; almost, Mallory
thought, as if it was alive. Glass exploded out in glittering shards. The
bricks flowed like water under the intense heat. Yet it didn't spread to the
adjoining buildings. Instead, it sucked into a tight core that was too bright
to stare at; the glow illuminated all of the surrounding streets as if it were
daylight.

'Fire!' Hipgrave yelled.

The volley of shots was deafening. Some flew harmlessly out over the
rooftops, but several struck the target. Mallory secretly hoped the scales
were as hard as they appeared, but he was quickly disappointed. The Beast
writhed in pain as the shots rattled into it. With a deft twist, it performed a
rapid manoeuvre and soared straight up, too high for their ammunition to
reach. But once there, it twisted and rolled in the high winds in some
discomfort.

'That was good,' Hipgrave shouted. 'Get set for when it comes back
down.'

'What if it stays up there?' Mallory said. 'What if it turns back?'

He saw Blaine away to one side, grinning triumphantly. He looked as
though he wasn't expecting any retreat from the Beast at all.

Just as Hipgrave said, it did one final roll and swooped back down,
directiy overhead. They all raised their weapons and fired randomly, more
out of panic than anything. It was still too high for most of the bullets to
reach it.

'Wait for the order!' Hipgrave bellowed.

The Beast came down with the speed of a jet fighter, and it didn't appear
to be letting up. The thought ran through all of them at the same time: it
was going to smash into them, destroy them and the hated cathedral in a
suicide attack. Several knights threw themselves flat and covered their
heads.

'Get set!' Hipgrave ordered. 'Fire!'

Another volley of shots burst skyward. This time Mallory heard
numerous tiny
clangs
as some were deflected by the scales, but others
pierced their target. The beast writhed in the air, still driving down fast.

'Oh, God!' Miller mewled.

Mallory saw those gleaming red eyes bearing down on him and sensed
something numinous lying just behind them. While the others dived for
cover, he remained standing, strangely calm, locked into their depths.

At the last moment, when it was about to pile straight into the cathedral,
it appeared to sense what lay below and twisted into a horizontal flight that
rushed mere feet over them. Mallory was buffeted by turbulence and
fought to remain standing. The beating of the wings was deafening, the air
filled with the foundry smell of the beast.

As the knights climbed to their feet - some of whose who had cried out
now sheepish and furtive - Miller muttered, 'And now it's raining.'

Mallory checked the wetness on the back of his hand. 'Not raining.
Blood.' His skin was flecked with droplets of a dark liquid that didn't have
the consistency of human blood. There was an odd texture to it, like oil,
and he was surprised to feel a sense of wellbeing from its contact. It
remained for a second or two, then faded away as mysteriously as it had
come.

'At least we've hurt the bastard,' Gardener grunted. 'Blaine was right -
they're not as big and powerful as we thought.'

'Flesh wounds,' Daniels said. 'We've got a long way to go yet. Look at

it.'

The Beast swooped and rolled on the currents above the city, filled with
grace and power; it was a sight that brought awe to all of them, despite
themselves.