by Zy Rykoa
This hall was a lot smaller than the great hall out front, but still possessed a ceiling twelve feet above and columns to mark its doorways. At the end were two silver doors guarded by a man on either side.
‘The sentinel wishes to see Multias Waidusk,’ said Regustus, and the men on either side opened the doors for them.
Inside were seven men, most twice Jaden’s size in shoulder width, seated comfortably around a black oval table, pointed toward the door. As Jaden entered, he saw that the walls had been left intact and were of the actual mountain’s rock still, rather than the polished marble he had seen in the other rooms, and the lights were similar to those he had seen in the Daijuarn Monastery. He quickly scanned all of the faces staring at him, looking to find if any of them were Daijuarn. Nearest to him was a dark-haired man dressed in maroon garb. The next was a man with short sun-bleached hair wearing brown. Neither seemed to possess any Daijuarn-like features, and the same was true for those on the opposite side of the table.
The two that caught his attention most were the only ones dressed in white. Jaden thought he had seen the markings of the endobraces on one, but both kept their hands hidden. The one on the left had short dark hair in what seemed to be the typical Waikorian fashion, and the other in the centre had long black hair that was now heavily streaked with gray. Despite his hair, he seemed sixty to seventy years old, but with very few wrinkles and he held himself upright as if he were no older than thirty. He was the first to speak, but Jaden was now looking at the one man that had refused to acknowledge his arrival. The man sat on the right-hand side next to the man in the centre and had black hair hanging in front of his eyes. His clothing was dark gray and his eyes were sunken from what appeared to be poor health. His posture was slumped and he continually fidgeted with a small black rectangle in his hands.
‘Allow me to introduce my associates,’ said the man in the middle, and he pointed with an open hand to each, moving up to himself and starting with the man in maroon garb on Jaden’s left. ‘This is Anthon, caretaker of the west.’ He then pointed to the man across from Anthon. ‘Tony, caretaker of the south.’ His hand wandered back to the other side of the table to the man sitting next to Anthon. ‘Hayden, caretaker of the north.’ He then pointed to the man opposite Hayden, the smallest and thinnest of the group. ‘Yahtai, caretaker of the east. They look after the major districts of our great city. This is Owen, our leading technology master and overseer,’ he said, pointing to the man who allowed his black hair to hang loosely in front of his eyes. ‘And finally, this is my right hand man, Quian, and I am Multias. What brings you here, Sentinel?’
Jaden acknowledged all who were bowing slightly to him in the same manner, took a breath and began his message.
‘My name is Jaden Daiyus. I have been sent to bring you warning. The Alliance has entered these lands. They’re on their way here. The village of Callibra has been destroyed and used as a base for the past weeks, but they will soon be on their way.’
‘The Alliance,’ repeated Hayden, the second man on Jaden’s left, though he did not sound convincingly surprised. ‘In Aurialis?’
‘It is not impossible,’ said Yahtai, the man opposite Hayden.
Hayden rolled his eyes. ‘I know it’s not impossible, but is hardly expected at this time. How did they get here without going through Corsec?’
‘It is not yet known,’ said Jaden. ‘We believe they have allied with the nations of the west.’
‘Lassah?’ asked Hayden.
Jaden nodded, ‘And maybe Hawan.’
‘Shame. I thought they were good people.’
‘They have never been good people, you just love wine,’ said Yahtai, who received a fierce glare from Hayden.
‘What does this mean to us?’ asked Anthon. ‘Surely we are able to defend against whatever they are able to bring here.’
‘Do not doubt their cunning,’ said Multias. ‘They have taken more than half of the world. That may not necessarily be worthy of our fear, perhaps, but surely it is worthy of some respect.’
‘Half the world doesn’t have our capabilities,’ said Anthon.
‘I believe we should fight,’ said Tony.
‘As do I,’ said Hayden.
‘There was never a question in my mind about it,’ said Multias. ‘We will defend this great city so long as it can protect us.’
‘I have also been given word that the Kayde of Ceahlin wishes to ally with you,’ Jaden continued. ‘They seek protection in exchange for their services.’
‘They are a good people,’ said Multias. ‘Take word back to them that we accept and will be gladdened by their being here.’
Jaden bowed and turned to exit.
‘One moment, Sentinel,’ said Multias, and then he turned to the men around the table. ‘That is all for tonight. Go home to your families.’
All of the men except the two dressed in white stood up from the table and left, moving past Jaden with brief nods as they did.
‘Now, what else have you been sent to tell us?’ asked Multias, revealing the endobraces on his arms.
‘We are to meet in Corsec,’ said Jaden. ‘Gather all that you can. We will make a stand against the Alliance there.’
Multias was thoughtful. ‘Then they have already abandoned the idea of saving Waikor?’
‘I do not know,’ said Jaden.
‘If we are to meet in Corsec, then I would assume so, but I refuse to allow my city to be harmed in my absence.’
Jaden stood waiting, unsure of what to say.
Multias continued. ‘Tell them that I will not be joining them in Corsec. My duties lie with my city and my people for now. If the Alliance manages to defeat us here, we will come to Corsec. Until then, we will do our part by holding them back from here.’
Jaden bowed.
‘You are Noviahn’s grandson,’ said Multias suddenly.
‘I am,’ said Jaden.
‘Give him my regards. He is a good man and a better friend. Tell him that I regret that I will not be there, but hope all the best for him. And I’m sorry to hear that your people did not make it here.
‘It was a pleasure meeting you, Jaden. I will not keep you here any longer when there are messages to deliver.’
Jaden bowed a final time before leaving through the two silver doors. Regustus was waiting for him outside.
‘This way,’ he said, and they returned to the landing pad outside by the same route they had come.
Night had set over Waikor as Jaden was helped into the aircraft. The stars were shining brightly, the sky free of cloud save for in the north, where a thick band of storm clouds hovered.
‘This ride might get a little bumpy,’ said the pilot on the right. ‘Strap in tight.’
Jaden again made sure that he was locked into the harness, and after a minute’s warm-up of the engines, they were flying north again, this time to Corsec.
‘How long will this flight be?’ he called out.
‘At this pace … six to eight hours.’
Jaden threw his head back into the seat, wondering how he was going to pass the time for the next hours. He didn’t feel tired. He had already slept enough to last him well into the night. He had only had one source of entertainment at his disposal, even if it did seem boring to him for some reason. A place where dreams could come true should have been the most amazing thing he had ever witnessed, but it was dark in there, a gateway to hidden problems, and a constant reminder that he was away from Alyssa. Still, with little else to do, he picked up the crystal and placed it between his eyes. He had decided if he was going to be stuck in the aircraft for so long, he should at least attempt to use the time wisely.
He stood upon the ledge underneath the greyed sky as before and then looked out over the broken city that was his mind. He wondered at what lay down there in the ruins, among the many jagged structures that may have once been beautiful homes. He thought to jump from the ledge, to explore them, but somehow felt that anything that happened in this part o
f the crystal’s realm might have some sort of repercussions in the real world. This ledge overlooking the broken city seemed all too real. He would need to ask Raquel before he tried anything daring, so until then, he would visit the rooms of which he already knew.
He wandered back through the single door and then down the stairway, this time entering the door on the right. Darkness surrounded him in this one as it had through the left door, and he quickly created the scenes he wished to see, of the man in black uniform that had ordered his people killed, of the Alliance soldiers who had chased after him, and even the fighter jets that had first attacked his home. As each came, he did his best to fight against them, using the techniques he had learned to best combat the situations. He felt his power growing inside the crystal’s realm, and felt that he was starting to understand what they had been trying to explain to him. He had to feel the energy, not simply think of it being there. He had to know what it was to have it become a part of him, only then could he truly be able to command it as his own.
Hours passed as he was locked inside his imagination. He had become tired and resorted to a more peaceful scene, where he conjured Alyssa and Elijenda by a lake. The people he created in this realm had very few reactions of their own, but for lying in the sun in Alyssa’s lap and allowing the gentle breeze to cool them down, it suited him well enough. It helped put his mind to rest a little, making him almost believe she was really there.
But his fantasy came to an abrupt end as he was wrenched upright in his seat and the crystal fell away. He heard many clangs of steel, and then there was an explosion that caused the entire craft to shake out of control. The air screamed by as their craft began to lose altitude.
‘What’s happening?’ he shouted.
‘We’ve been hit!’ said the pilot, picking up a radio device. ‘This is Ceahlin Glide X17A, can anyone acknowledge? Location details are being broadcast now. We request immediate assistance!’
The pilot’s yells over the radio were in vain as no reply came and he turned to shout over his shoulder. ‘Hold on tight, Sentinel.’
Jaden nodded and closed his eyes as the craft plummeted toward the ground. He didn’t know what else he could do.
The craft jolted heavily, this time as it crashed and bounced from giant tree branches, tearing through vines and leaves and anything else that was in its way. The pilots did their best to stabilise the craft, but it was out of their control. Their speed was decreased a little by some of the smaller branches they passed through and then again as they hit the lower sections of the forest. They came to a complete stop as they slammed into a hill of dirt and rock, the engines falling silent as the dust cleared, and everything in the forest returned to quiet for the coming hours.
Jaden woke inside the crashed craft, but he was not sure how long he had been unconscious. For a moment, he couldn’t remember anything, but was soon reminded of falling violently through the trees as he recognised where he was. He was up on an angle, lifted in the air as the craft tilted to its left. He unbuckled the harness and fell to the other side of the craft with a thud. In a daze, he moved to the front of the cabin.
‘What happened?’ he asked the pilots. ‘Where are we?’
No reply came, and Jaden pushed both of them gently. But their heads were slumped low and neither of them moved at all. Jaden checked for signs of life, but as he used an endobrace for light, he soon saw the blood on their faces and retreated back into the cabin.
They were dead.
He tried to take in a deep breath, but the air was stale and filled with fumes. He had to get out, but the door was jammed against the rocks outside. Using the endobraces, he tried to push the door open but was without success each time. It wouldn’t budge. He then tried to exert so much force that the wall of the cabin would tear open, but all that he could manage was a small dint.
He had almost begun to panic when he ran to the back of the craft and found no opening there either, but soon remembered he had seen the pilots use their own doors to get inside. Running back to the front, he was able to climb over the pilot on the right and unlatch the door. He had to kick it open, as it too was jammed from the impact, but through it he had gained his freedom.
Outside there was a low-lying mist in the air, and it seemed chillier than in Waikor and Ceahlin. As his attention was on his surroundings as he got out of the aircraft, he didn’t notice a vine lying across its side until he tripped and fell hard onto the ground, hitting his head on the dirt. After a few seconds he managed to stand up where he was but almost lost his balance straight away. Dazed, he could no longer remember where he was or what he was meant to be doing. The last thing that came to mind was that he was on his way to Corsec, and that’s where he planned on going.
He dodged around the aircraft and began stumbling down the hill. The ringing in his ears muffled any sounds that may have been nearby. He was barely able to hear his own footsteps as the sticks and leaves cracked underneath his weight. He assured himself that Corsec was just past the next gully, or over the next hill, but no matter how far he wandered, he found nothing but ferns and trees.
After another hundred yards, he came to the first sign of civilisation—an old stone road six feet high. He climbed up onto it with his last bit of strength, and then collapsed.
‘Corsec,’ he said, and then lying down on the smooth stones, the last thing he remembered was a strange fragrance filling his lungs.
* * *
Two Alliance scouts approached the wreckage in the forest.
‘Commendable shooting, twenty-five.’
GSI25 acknowledged the compliment with a nod.
‘This is General Scout Infantry 30 reporting; we have located the crash site.’
‘Any survivors?’ asked General Alkon Zaccarah over the communicator.
GSI30 nodded to his accomplice to check the craft, returning shortly after shaking his head.
‘No, sir, no survivors,’ said GSI30.
‘Check the deceased, is there a boy among them?’
GSI30 approached the craft and took a quick look inside. ‘No, sir, just two pilots.’
‘He is still alive,’ said Alkon. ‘Find him.’
‘Yes, sir. GSI25, target remains at…’
The communicator went silent.
‘Scout, do you read?’ asked Alkon. ‘Scout, can you hear me?’
‘Sorry, sir, it seems we’re not alone out here.’
‘Is it the boy?’
‘No, sir, something else.’
‘What?’
‘I don’t know, sir, it’s ... it’s moving too fast to be human.’
GSI25 turned to the bushes as he heard the same disturbance, a swift sound rustling the leaves in the immediate area and breaking fallen branches as it raced around them. Silence came again as Alkon spoke.
‘It is probably just a rat, scout. Proceed as planned.’
‘You have entered the Ukotan jungle,’ came a deep voice through another communicator.
‘Callibrian?’ asked Alkon with annoyance. ‘What are you doing on this frequency?’
‘Wondering why you have set out to kill the one I wish followed,’ said Kobin, ‘and perhaps saving your men’s lives.’
‘You have no authority here, Callibrian. The boy must die.’
‘Do not worry, General, he is already dead, thanks to your men shooting his aircraft down. As for your men, it would be advisable to leave now, while they still can.’
‘Hold your ground, Scouts,’ said Alkon. ‘It is a trick. He is trying to give the boy time to get away.’
Kobin chuckled deeply.
‘Sir,’ said GSI30, ‘it’s coming closer—whatever it is, it’s almost here.’
‘You have your weapons. Fire at will,’ said Alkon.
‘Your command, sir.’
‘Don’t miss,’ said Kobin dryly.
‘Get off this frequency, Callibrian. We have no time for your childish insults.’
‘Insults? I hear no insults,’ said Kobin. ‘
I am here only to give warning of the beasts that are now stalking your scouts. Aim between their eyes, if you can, anywhere else will only upset them further.’
‘What are you talking about, Callibrian? Explain yourself or get off this frequency, now!’
‘Your men have entered the Ukotan jungle, as it is called in these parts. Few have ever survived to tell the tale, but it is said that the last of the creatures from the Forgotten Years inhabit the region.’
‘You speak of myths,’ began Alkon, but he was interrupted by GSI30.
‘They’re blocking our way out! There are hundreds of them!’
Both scouts began to back up against the walls of the aircraft.
‘We need back-up, now!’ they cried.
‘Hold your positions, it’s on its way,’ said Alkon, but he was silenced as a scream came from the communicator, followed by a low growl and rounds being fired. The communicator soon went blank with nothing more than static after another blood-curdling scream, the second scout’s communicator losing connection.
Alkon stood stunned for a moment, but then lowered his eyes in defeat. As much as he didn’t want to believe it, he knew Kobin was telling the truth now, and both of his scouts were gone.
‘Callibrian!’ he shouted into the communicator. ‘Report to me immediately at my quarters!’
Alkon threw the black device away in disgust and hurried to reach his quarters before Kobin did.
As Kobin entered the open door, Alkon did his best to keep his voice down. ‘What happened?’ he asked.
‘As I tried to explain, General, there are beasts of the Forgotten Years still in that jungle. If it is any consolation, your men died instantly.’
‘Why did you not inform us of this before?’
‘I was not aware that you intended to go there. I have plotted your path around it for a reason, despite being the shorter of the two routes.’
Alkon laughed a stressed, beaten laugh. ‘You have made a grave mistake, Callibrian. This is all I needed to convince the High Council of your trickery.’