Interstellar Ruse

by Gregoire, Cil;

  “No, I’m here to protect you.” Leaf wasn’t convinced she had it right, but he didn’t say anymore.

  There was nothing Melinda could do; she had to be strong and take the lead. “Okay, but stay behind me and do what I say.” She stood up, forcing herself to take fortitude from her inner strength. She straightened her shoulders and bravely held her head high. I will not let Droclum win. He has stolen enough of my life. It is time for his ultimate defeat, never to exude his corrupted essence on this world again.

  “Then let’s go,” Leaf said having read her thoughts.

  They started off again toward the next cindered spot on the planked roadway and the still burning strike ahead. Intently focused, Leaf allowed Melinda to take the lead as she had requested, following at a respectable distance.

  When they passed the site of the last lightning strike, they faced only darkness. Leaf produced a glow globe sending it up to light the way. Before long, the board road came to an end, depositing them in a clearing where nothing grew. Something must have been here that was now gone leaving behind the bare ground. Was that the reason for the plank road?

  A more natural flash of lightning, much brighter than Leaf’s glow globe, briefly lit the area outlining the large sprawling branches of a giant tree. Across the clearing stood a small crumbling brick and concrete structure. As they drew closer, Melinda’s heart raced in recognition. It was the same clearing she had stood in when Droclum burned the location onto her map. They had arrived. Now what, she wondered trembling?

  As though in answer, the wind began to swirl around them quickly growing in ferocity. The trees moaned and thrashed their branches in the howling maelstrom. Lightning forked around Melinda and Leaf blinding them with sizzling light illuminating the surrounding trees. With one arm around Keiluk, Leaf gaped in horror at the unnatural storm while Melinda stood frozen in place. A sense of unbounded evil permeated the air. Keiluk sensed it too, and howled in warning.

  “Come!” Leaf screamed above the din tugging on Melinda’s arm, “We have to get out of here!” Keiluk barked, aggressively backing Leaf’s plea, but Melinda remained transfixed, unresponsive to his desperate urgings. Leaf tried teleporting them away, but the wind continued to howl and lightning flashed ever closer electrifying the air. Keiluk howled again.

  Leaf looked around. The brick and masonry rubble and ruins of the old cistern several feet away was the only semblance of shelter. “Melinda, over here!” Leaf cried above the turmoil that drowned him out, all to no avail.

  Boom!

  The ear-deafening explosion shocked Melinda out of her trance. Leaf, Melinda, and Keiluk dove for the deepest recess of the crumbling masonry structure, their hearts pounding with terror. It was questionable protection against the raging evil.

  “Leaf, are you all right?” Melinda pleaded suddenly aware of their danger.

  “Uh huh,” Leaf nodded nearly paralyzed in fear. “What happened?”

  “It must have been a lightning strike.”

  Daring to look back as they huddled together Leaf saw lightning still coruscating over the centuries old mighty oak now split in half down the middle. “Wow!” Leaf gasped. The wind continued to rage and lightning danced about, seemingly unsatisfied with the sacrifice of one tree.

  Then Leaf’s senses were hit by an overwhelming flow of putrid evil the essence of which made him gag. The unnatural storm that continued to rage did nothing to staunch the dark flow of energy coming from the old oak tree ripped open by the lightning strike. Flashes of light limned the shattered branches of the monolith illuminating a mysterious object covered with glowing designs of some sort. It was obvious to Leaf the nauseating flow of corruption emitted from the exposed object.

  “Melinda, we have to get out of here,” Leaf groaned fighting back the nausea. But Melinda didn’t acknowledge him. Keiluk licked Melinda’s face hoping for a response, but Melinda did not react. Instead she eased out of the hole in the tumbled down masonry of the old cistern and walked slowly, silently into the storm. She headed toward the glowing object wedged in the split trunk of the tree across the clearing.

  Leaf jumped up and grabbed her arm. “Melinda, what are you doing?” he shouted over the turmoil of the storm. “We have to get out of here. That object is evil; it wants to hurt you,” he cried. Melinda neither responded nor attempted to shake off his pleading grasp. Unwilling to give up, he tried again teleporting her away, but the stream of evil defeated his efforts. Melinda continued inexorably to advance toward the tree.

  “Melinda, no!” Leaf cried desperately tugging on her arm. Keiluk joined the effort grabbing her shirt with her teeth and pulling back. Nothing stopped her forward progress. “Melinda, please, stop! It’s evil; it wants to destroy you,” Leaf pleaded over and over again, tears streaming down his face. Realizing Melinda couldn’t hear him, he moved in front of her and tried to push her back. “Melinda, stop!” but his small frame did little to slow her down. The object in the tree had control of her; she was under its awful influence.

  Somehow he had to stop her. When mere physical force failed to impede her progress he drew strength from the elemental forces whirling furiously around them. With greater force he pushed back, but to his horror the pull from the vile object proved stronger. Trying again, he drew in more and more energy in a desperate effort to overcome the powerful pull on Melinda. But she continued to slowly plow forward, pushing Leaf ahead of her and dragging Keiluk behind her, getting ever closer to the glowing object. Then, still in a trance, Melinda pulled out the key she had harbored for so long. A dark tentacle of corruption oozed from the object in the tree connecting with the key in Melinda’s hand compelling her on. All seemed lost.

  But Leaf could not give up. He would never give up. Melinda meant everything in the world to him. She was more than a big sister; she was his best friend. “Melinda, I love you,” he cried. “Please stop. Please.”

  Still Melinda advanced drawing ever closer to her demise. Leaf’s body tensed with effort as he continued to draw strength, his little form trembling with the load. The surge of energy coursing through his body blocked out the rage of the storm, leaving only the rage in his heart fighting against the destructive force threatening to destroy his world.

  CHAPTER 19

  Aaia

  At the center of the continent Mt. Vatre rumbled spewing putrid darkness that blocked the sun as crystals tinkled and shattered in the grumbling quakes. The essence of Sarus, fused with the Crystalline Landscape, drew on the power of the Crystalline Landscape. What awakened Droclum from his long slumber in the bowels of the mountain? Sarus reached out to find the source of the disturbance. His ethereal reach extended beyond his domain, beyond the island continent of Lynnara, beyond the Golden Sea and the Main Land, beyond Aaia and the great void between planets and solar systems, across the galaxy to a tiny distant world positioned on a radiating arm on the opposite side of the spiral galaxy.

  Droclum has awakened; of that Sarus was certain.

  The mountain rumbled; the ominous rumbling distant at first as shockwaves traveled toward them. Rojaire and Wessid, still trapped behind the cave-in, exchanged worried glances as once again their world began to quake. The shaking intensified and the ceiling began to disintegrate. “It’s all going to come down,” Wessid shouted, stating the obvious.

  Then Traevus arrived. Wasting no time, he quickly grabbed ahold of them, or they desperately grabbed ahold of him, and in a flash teleported them away to relative safety. They quickly joined the others, already on the move. The ceiling wasn’t as crumbly here, but rocks and dust rained down on them. The tunnels would not hold up much longer.

  Rojaire instantly took charge. “People, let’s move it …quickly.” The group began to surge forward. “Kiril, Traevus! Use the two star stones to move the slowest out,” Rojaire shouted. “Traevus, you have Sulyan and Setas. Kiril, take Drak and Zaloka. Quickly!” Wasting no time, Kiril and Traevus grabbed on to their charges and soon had them far ahead, teleporting them in short
leaps toward the longed-for exit to the little valley.

  Rojaire rushed the rest of the colonists along. “Everyone move it. We are in great danger.” The colonists picked up speed as the lava tubes continued to disintegrate. The light of their lamps barely pierced the roiling dust. Then suddenly the quake subsided. “Keep moving!” Rojaire urged when the group started to slow down. “It may not be over yet.” No sooner were his words spoken when the rumbling started up again quickly building in intensity.

  “Run!” Rojaire shouted.

  The intense shaking knocked Ilene off her feet. Without breaking stride, Thayla lifted her with one arm setting her upright once again on the run. Then up ahead Kaylya screamed. A large boulder had her pinned to the floor. Thayla and Rojaire stopped to help her. “Keep moving!” Rojaire shouted at the others as rocks rained down around them.

  “My foot is caught,” Kaylya grimaced in pain.

  Rojaire and Thayla crouched beside her. “We will get you out,” Rojaire reassured her, then turned to Thayla. “We need to find something we can use as a lever.” There were no trees in the lava tubes to provide a stout pole. Thayla unstrapped her hefty blade and scabbard and wedged them under the boulder. “It won’t be strong enough,” Rojaire told her. Thayla glared at him defiantly.

  “You underestimate the strength of Twakan steel. Get ready to pull her out.” With a warrior’s grunt Thayla heaved and groaned nudging the massive stone. “Now!” she grunted with effort giving it her all.

  Rojaire grabbed Kaylya around her chest from behind and pulled. Kaylya cried out in pain as Rojaire dragged her out and Thayla let the boulder drop back in place. They didn’t have much time; the lava tube continued to crumble around them.

  “Can you walk?” Rojaire asked.

  “I don’t know.”

  Before Rojaire could lift Kaylya up into his arms, Thayla had her blade strapped on. “I’ve got her; let’s go,” she said throwing Kaylya over her powerful shoulder.

  Rojaire didn’t argue. It occurred to him that if they made it out alive the underground passage would be forever closed, isolating the colonists in the lush hidden valley, from the outside world. He hoped they would be so lucky.

  The final distance seemed endless. Once again the quake subsided. Rojaire and Thayla, still carrying Kaylya over her shoulder, fought their way through, over, and around obstacles. There was no sign of the rest of the colonists. Barring a mishap, the others should already be free and safe. Every step forward without seeing them offered increased hope everyone made it out.

  “I can carry her for a while,” Rojaire offered.

  “I’ve got her.” Thayla trudged on indefatigably.

  “Maybe I could try to walk,” Kaylya said tired of being a burden.

  “You would only slow us down,” Thayla said plowing forward.

  “We are almost there,” Rojaire added.

  Thayla sniffed. “I smell fresh air.”

  As the first tendrils of fresh air reached their dust-clogged lungs the mountain lurched violently. Both Thayla and Rojaire were thrown to the rock-strewn floor of the lava tube, forcing Thayla to drop Kaylya. Struggling back to their feet, they grabbed Kaylya on either side forcing her upright, throwing her arms around their shoulders. Supporting each other against the onslaught of the tremor, they stumbled forward. The lava tube disintegrated around them.

  Finally they made it around the final bend to face the gaping hole in the side of the lava tube that led to the open valley below. Spotting them, Traevus and Kiril teleported up to them. They grabbed the group and quickly whisked them down into the valley to safety just moments before the lava tube collapsed behind them shutting down the underground passage forever.

  Sarus watched Droclum’s pent-up fury being released on two worlds. He drew heavily on the tremendous store of energy in the Crystalline Landscape and produced a powerful shield to protect the field of crystals from destruction. But there was little he could do for the rest of Aaia …or the distant world. All his efforts to calm the erupting forces had done little to mitigate it. All he could do was watch.

  Sarus watched shockwaves ripple through the mountains and valleys reshaping parts of the continent’s landscape. He watched as the shockwaves reached the Lynnaran coast line and crossed the Golden Sea sending ripples across the water to Alaia Island. He watched as Alaia Island rumbled and shook till it broke apart and sank beneath the water sending out a wave to wash Lynnara’s shore, lifting up and carrying Captain Setas’ ferryboat far inland up the Zayla Valley. And he watched as Droclum’s vile, evil essence emitting from the rune-covered chest containing the Rod of Destruction pulled Rahlys, Guardian of the Oracle of Light, toward her destruction.

  CHAPTER 20

  Earth

  Rahlys arrived in a raging storm eerily lit by Leaf’s powerful magic. Melinda, under Droclum’s control, held out the lost key drawing her to the exposed rune-covered chest. The chest glowed menacingly in the once mighty oak ravaged by the unnatural disturbances around them. Already a dark evil misty tentacle reached out from the chest toward Melinda’s out stretched hand. Between them Leaf, rigid with effort, fought valiantly, the elemental forces burning through him, a stoic warrior for good against the overwhelming forces of evil. Keiluk growled frantically, her teeth firmly gripping Melinda’s clothing in an effort to pull her back from the menace.

  Rahlys called forth the Oracle of Light and drawing heavily from the elemental forces thrust herself between her loved ones and the rune-covered chest. Bright light emanated from Rahlys’ body and the spinning crystal directly over her head flooding the clearing with radiance. With the release, Leaf collapsed unmoving to the ground. Stepping over Leaf’s limp body Melinda advanced forward. Seeing Leaf drop, Keiluk let Melinda go. She lay by her master’s side whimpering her concern.

  Rahlys forcefully blocked Melinda’s forward progress. “Melinda, stop. Give me the key,” she shouted over the maelstrom.

  Melinda’s young face remained expressionless. She gave no sign of recognition. In a tug-of-war Melinda pushed back strongly against Rahlys, reaching for the rune-covered chest containing the Rod of Destruction.

  Rahlys wanted desperately to turn to Leaf’s aid, but she couldn’t let Droclum’s essence claim Melinda. His evil had to be contained. She had rescued Melinda from Droclum’s clutches years ago in the underground caverns. She had to prevent her from reaching the chest to save her again.

  “Sorcerer Anthya!” boomed Droclum’s voice from the filament, recognizing the crystal as the embodiment of his arch rival’s powers.

  The crystal blazed brilliantly, powerfully in response, illuminating the smoky dark tentacles emanating from the chest. “Melinda!” Rahlys called out again, straining to free her from the compelling draw of dark energy reaching toward the key. “Melinda, give me the key.”

  The tendrils of evil streaming from the chest tugged ever harder on Melinda and the key she held in her hand. Rahlys fought back, but Droclum’s hold was stronger. She had to separate Melinda from the key.

  Rahlys grabbed hold of it and yelped in pain. “Melinda, let go of the key,” Rahlys gasped struggling for control. Melinda’s only response was a momentary pause in her push to join chest and key. Apparently Melinda was impervious to the pain or felt no pain at all. Her face remained blank and empty of expression as she maintained her hold on the key.

  “Melinda, let go of the key,” she repeated gritting her teeth in resistance to the burning sensation in her hand and the effort to maintain the spell holding Melinda back. It wasn’t enough. Somehow she had to gain control of the key and prevent it from being drawn to the chest. “Anthya help me,” Rahlys gasped.

  The crystal brightened even further emitting a high pitched whirling sound.

  “Rahlys,” hissed Droclum’s essence.

  To Rahlys’ surprise, Melinda suddenly let go of the key leaving it in her possession. With the release of the key, Melinda seemed to awaken. Her eyes blinked, then focused. Finally recognition; her lips move
d.

  “Rahlys?” she whispered.

  Rahlys didn’t have time to contemplate Melinda’s softly spoken word. It took all her strength and concentration to continue her hold on the key.

  “Melinda, check on Leaf!” Rahlys screamed out. She couldn’t give her attention to the two young people she loved. To save them, she had to defeat Droclum once and for all. Melinda turned, saw her little brother lying unconscious a short distance away, and dropped down beside him.

  Rahlys held fast to the key; the effort draining her. “Help me,” she pleaded to the Oracle of Light. “How do I stop this?”

  “You cannot stop me. I will have what is mine,” Droclum hissed.

  “I must stop you,” Rahlys cried out desperately.

  When Rahlys felt she could hold on no longer, the crystal whirled blindingly bright, seemingly merging with Rahlys, giving her guidance. With the crystal’s help, she drew increasingly more power and began to weave a containment spell, a layer at a time, first around the key and then around the chest.

  “No!” Droclum howled with a piercing shriek.

  Rahlys continued to weave. The process was slow and exhausting, but the dark smoky forces coming from the chest weakened with each glowing layer of the containment she wove.

  Droclum’s shrieks became an echo and then a whisper.

  Finally with a dazzling flash of light from the crystal, the key went dormant and the chest went dark. In that same instant, the storm stopped raging and all became quiet under a starry night sky.

  Rahlys staggered then quickly became steady. The crystal, its brilliance now a soft glow, twirled slowly before her. Immediately she turned her attention to Melinda and Leaf. Leaf had regained consciousness with Melinda embracing him in her arms and Keiluk licking Leaf’s face to urge him back to strength.