Light filled my eyes, dispersing the darkness, and I was open to the world again. I stood in the Maze, panting hard, trembling, forcing calm and self-control. I looked down at myself and saw only gold. I lifted my hands and turned them back and forth before me, and they were the heavy golden gauntlets I had seen before on Moxton s Mistake. The armour felt as much a second skin as my old armour had, but there was a distance now between me and the world. As though I was receiving all my impressions of it secondhand. The presence was gone, but I still had the sense of someone looking over my shoulder. There was no trace of the metal voice in my head, but I knew it was still there. Watching and waiting.
I felt strong and vital, more than human, but also full of anger for my enemies, for those who had dared strike at my family. I ached for revenge, for the chance to get my hands on my enemy and make him pay feelings that might not have been entirely mine.
I turned and strode quickly through the hedgerows. With my golden armour about me, I could now clearly see the shining, shimmering lifeline that fell away before me, stretching off into the distance. The connection Molly had made between us. It was lovely to look at, but I had no time for that. I hurried on, moving faster and faster, following the thread out of the Maze. It took me a while to get my balance, training my new armour to move in a human way. But soon enough I was running headlong, my long legs eating up the distance while my arms pumped tirelessly at my sides. My heavy feet tore open the grass beneath me and threw up earth divots in my wake. It felt good to be running so freely, to be exceeding human limitations again, after being limited to merely human moves for so long. And soon, soon I came to the entrance to the Maze and burst through and out of it, back into the world again, where my Molly was waiting for me.
Molly Metcalf took one look at me and hit me with every bit of magic at her command. Terrible energies flared and spat on the air around her upraised hands, striking out to pound against my armoured chest and head, forcing me to an abrupt halt and then slamming me backwards, step by step, impact by impact, forcing me back towards the Maze entrance. But whatever its origin, this was still Drood armour, and I quickly recovered my balance and dug in my heels. I stood my ground, actually leaning forward into her magical attack, and her vicious energies broke and burst against my golden metal, detonating harmlessly about me. Molly scowled fiercely, her flashing dark eyes focused and determined, and hit me again and again with her best sorcerous attacks. And I just stood there and took it.
And then I raised one hand and wagged a single pointed golden finger at her, more in sorrow than in anger. Molly froze. And while her assault was stopped, I concentrated in a certain way and the new armour retreated into my torc. Leaving me open and revealed to the world and my Molly. Her look of surprise was actually comical, but I had enough sense not to laugh. I looked about me. The world seemed a duller and flatter thing now, perceived only through my human senses, but it was still a warm and lovely place and I was glad to be back in it. I fell to my knees as the day s burdens rushed in upon me, and I thrust my fingers deep into the grass and earth before me, rooting myself in the world. It was good to be back. The steady warmth of the summer s day drove the armour s cold out of my body, out of my heart and soul, but my torc still burnt coldly about my throat, as though in warning. I realised Molly was kneeling beside me, saying my name over and over, and I finally found the strength to turn and smile at her.
Eddie! Talk to me, dammit! Are you all right? Do you need me to rip that torc off your throat and throw it back into the Maze?
No, I said immediately, if only to stop the relentless flow of her words. I m fine, Molly. Really. The armour s safe inside my torc. We came to an arrangement inside the Maze. It will serve me. For now.
I slowly got to my feet again, with Molly s help. The experience had taken a lot out of me. Molly was looking at me anxiously, clearly waiting for details of the arrangement I d agreed to, but I didn t tell her. I knew she wouldn t approve.
You were in there for ages, said Molly. It s been almost three hours!
I blinked a few times at that. Time must have moved differently inside the Maze.
I ve been walking up and down outside the entrance, working on my magics, waiting for you to come out, Molly went on, when it became clear I had nothing to say. I wanted to be sure I had something useful in hand, just in case the armour had taken you over. So when you just came rushing out, not even talking to me, I sort of assumed the worst.
Sorry, I said. I got a bit carried away. I hadn t realised how much I missed wearing armour.
Anyway, said Molly. Some of what I hit you with should have strengthened your torc, giving you more control over your new armour. So it can t come and go as it pleases or deny you when you need it.
Good, I said. Good idea, Molly. The strange matter in the torc should also help to keep the rogue armour in its place.
But, Eddie, listen to me! This is important. I ve no idea how long your torc will be able to control the armour, even with my magics support. We are in unknown territory here. It could last for days or weeks or just a few hours.
Got it, I said. I didn t tell her it didn t matter. That I would wear the armour for as long as I needed to find my family. And worry about everything else afterwards.
So, said Molly. What does it feel like wearing Moxton s armour?
Cold, I said immediately, before I could stop myself. Very cold and inhuman But it ll do the job and that s all that matters. I realised Molly was looking at me oddly. What?
When you came out of the Maze, wearing that armour You didn t look anything like you usually do. You didn t even look like a Drood. I don t know what Moxton based his designs on, but I don t think it was anything human. She scowled, searching for the right words. The way you were moving, the impression you gave I wasn t sure there was anything inside the armour.
It s still me, Molly, I said. I m still here.
Not when you re wearing that armour, you re not. I can tell.
I need it, Molly. Can t do the job without it.
I know. But once this is over, first chance you get, ditch the bloody thing.
Hush, I said quietly. I think it s listening.
Things just get better all the time, said Molly.
So, what now?
We need answers, I said. We need hard information as to exactly what went down here and who was behind it. Someone out there will know. Someone always knows. But where do we go to ask? Time was, we d have just dropped into the Wulfshead Club, that celebrated supernatural watering hole, paid for a round for the house, and they d have been lining up to tell us everything we needed to know. But I m pretty sure I m persona non grata there, after the recent unpleasantness.
You mean when you completely lost control, beat up everyone who got in your way and half killed your old friend the Indigo Spirit? said Molly. Oh, hell, yes, Eddie. They re still talking about that, and not in a good way. You are banned from the Wulfshead for life, Eddie Drood, and possibly even longer than that.