Call of Kerberos: Twilight of Kerberos, The - Jonathan Oliver Page 0,20

as he helped Silus guide her to a chair.

"Why thank you gentlemen, you're awful kind to a cripple such as myself."

Kelos blushed. "I didn't for a moment mean to suggest... Why, I've seen you fight!"

"Sit down, I was joking. I can't thank you enough for all you've done for me. And I apologise for not recognizing you other gentlemen. The last time we met I was in a bit of a state."

Dunsany introduced Katya to the crew, each met her nod with a smile or a raised hand of greeting. Only Emuel didn't respond. He hadn't spoken to any of them since his vision. This was something that suited the men gathered around the table just fine. Their only hope was that when it came time to leave Sarcre, Emuel would rediscover his voice.

"Without you, Kelos, we would be dead." Silus said. "But now that Katya has recovered I think that it is time we thought about going home. Nürn will need our help to rebuild."

"I'm afraid that you'll find Nürn is beyond your help. I returned there myself just yesterday and it would seem that after you fled the creatures took their anger out on the rest of the town."

"Oh gods!" Katya's grief was sudden and bitter and made the room swim. She leaned into Silus and he put his arm around her. "What were those things?"

"I'm not sure," Kelos said, "but there were reports of similar creatures launching an attack on the Turnitia docks last month. There the devastation was on a much smaller scale however."

"And Nürn," Silus said. "What have they done to our town?" Kelos's grave look told him everything he needed to know. "Everyone?"

Kelos nodded. "As far as I could see."

Silus and Katya no longer had any family in Nürn. Silus's parents were both dead and Katya's mother lived on her own in Allantia. A severe and bitter split in the family meant that they hadn't spoken in years. However, the loss of their friends and colleagues in Nürn had utterly stunned them and, for a while, they stared at each other in incomprehension, until Silus's anger boiled over.

"But... What the hells for? Why did those things attack us?"

"I don't understand it myself, but when I rescued you it appeared that the creatures had come for you specifically."

"The thing with the staff called me 'half-breed.'"

Emuel let out a gasp at that and everybody turned to look at him. Though they were braced for a return of the eunuch's visions, none came.

"Yes, we have heard that term quite recently in fact." Father Maylan said, nervously eyeing Emuel.

"That tattooed retard practically gave us all a heart attack screaming about it." Jacquinto said.

"He does have a name!" Kelos snapped.

Jacquinto sneered but otherwise held his tongue.

"Have you any idea what the creature may have meant by 'half-breed'?" Kelos turned his attention back to Silus.

"It was just evil." Katya said. "Just a creature. It didn't make any sense."

"The thing showed me a vision. But it may mean nothing. It may just have been leading me along." Silus said.

"Even so," Dunsany said, "it was something important to them."

As Silus explained what the thing that called itself Belck had revealed to him, Katya looked at her husband in bemused horror. For the creature to have thought that Silus was one of them was just beyond ridiculous.

"I must say that it does seem unlikely." Kelos said. "For a start you display none of the traits of these Chadassa."

"Half man, half fish!" Ioannis laughed. "One tattooed maniac, a renegade priest, two ex-members of the Faith, a pregnant lady and us. Yup, this is far more entertaining than sneaking in crates of booze by dusk."

"Sorry, but you seem to be presuming that we're part of the crew." Silus said.

"As Kelos has already pointed out, Katya will be well looked after here on Sarcre and you will be paid handsomely for your time." Dunsany said. "Besides, it is likely that the first expedition will only be for about four weeks. After all, we don't know that there is anything beyond Twilight."

"Apart from sea demons." Kelos said.

"Dunsany, have you ever been married?" Katya said. She felt an anger that was threatening to unleash itself on the people surrounding her, but as she spoke to the sailor, her voice was calm and level.

"The sea is my mistress." Dunsany said.

"Your right hand is your mistress." Ignacio said and Ioannis slapped the table as he roared with laughter.

"You men are clearly a bunch of cretins!" Katya shouted. "What you are