Earthborn Alliance

by Matthew DeVore

  Traven was up early as usual the next morning. He threw on clothes and headed to the Guard’s mess hall, hoping to find Wren and Zavier. Unfortunately, he beat them both. Taking a table in the far corner, he ordered pancakes and bacon, perhaps the best breakfast food acquired from the Humans.

  Just as his food arrived, Wren sauntered into the hall.

  “How you feelin’?” Traven asked.

  “Eh, not so loud.”

  He laughed, making Wren cringe. “Quite the night you two had.”

  “I don’t remember anything.”

  Certainly made the right choice. “Here.” He pushed his plate over to Wren. “Have some. It probably won’t help, but it’ll taste good.”

  “Thanks.” Wren took a piece of the bacon and started eating it.

  They sat in silence for a while until Zavier joined them.

  “We need to talk,” Traven finally said.

  “Now?” Zavier asked, holding his head.

  Traven could empathize. He’d been there, but this couldn’t wait any longer. He looked around the still-empty room, then told them everything.

  “Whoa,” Zavier said, looking far soberer than when the conversation began.

  “And what do you think we should do about all this?” Wren asked. “I’m assuming you’ve been thinking about it.”

  “I don’t trust that witch of a Councilwoman, so she’s out.”

  “Not so fast there,” Wren said. “She’s the one who pushed for his promotion.”

  “She’s gotta be a pawn in all this.”

  Wren nodded. “Even so, why?”

  “You’ll have to deal with that,” Traven said. “I’d just end up killing her.”

  “Malikyne?” Zavier asked.

  Traven shook his head. “Do you think that old man, however powerful he might be, can stop him? You saw what he did in those mountains.”

  Zavier pushed back in his chair. “You’re right.”

  There was silence as they stared at each other.

  “I have one idea. But you’re not going to like it.”

  “Well?” Wren asked.

  Traven lowered his voice more than before. “I can think of one person who might be able to stop him.”

  “Oh no. That’s treason.”

  “Is it? Was killing Malik treason?”

  Wren’s fingers curled into a fist on the table. “I’ve gotten tired of this job anyway.”

  Zavier leaned forward. “We’re going to die. Seriously, this will get us all killed.” A mischievous smile grew on his face. “I’m in.”

  CHAPTER 19

  Kalma’s small, gray craft skimmed the surface of the snow-covered ice. Up and down, hard to the right, he wove through icy ravines as he navigated the mountains of the Antarctic’s barren terrain. Glancing at the ship’s indicators, he confirmed yet again that he was alone. There wasn’t a soul around for thousands of miles.

  Passing over a sheer cliff, Kalma brought the ship to an abrupt stop. If not for the inertial compensator, the deceleration would’ve turned him into a crushed puddle of goo on the console.

  With the flick of a switch, an image of the narrow crevice below was projected onto the window. He was hovering above an abyssal ravine. Kalma pushed another glowing button to his left, increasing the ship’s sensor range until the entire shaft was displayed.

  Spear-like javelins of ice, each at least ten feet tall, lined the descent to the ravine’s floor. The surface was no different, with the potentially deadly spikes blanketing the icy rock beneath.

  Kalma grinned. Perfect.

  He eased the ship into the trench and began the 732-foot descent. On more than one occasion, the sharp tips of the ravine’s icy natural defense nearly scraped the ship’s polished façade, but he brought it to a hover just above the spear-covered surface.

  Kalma transferred the controls to his multiband, swiveled his seat, and made his way through the cabin door into the cargo hold. As he entered, the large loading door lowered at his mental command. The blistering cold was held at bay by an energy shield, sealing off the ship from the open ramp.

  In the middle of the hold, a large, smooth pylon was secured to the floor by custom-fit brackets. The device was perfectly cylindrical, a foot in diameter and three times as tall. At one end, the shaft extended into an octahedral base, while at the other, five metallic arms extended out like a candelabra, then coalesced at the tip, forming an inverted skeletal diamond.

  Passing by the device, Kalma approached the doorway. With nothing more than a passing thought, he hardened himself against the cold and stepped through the barrier onto the ramp. The floodlights on the ship’s exterior sprang to life, illuminating the ravine.

  Beautiful.

  The light refracted through the transparent ice, shimmering in an array of colors. Pulling his hands to one hip, green pulsed around his fingers. Throwing his hands out, a swirling plane of energy shot from his palms, whirring in a flat whirlpool that grew as it moved beyond the ship. The illumination from the magic overwhelmed the powerful floodlights, casting the ravine with a mesmerizing green hue.

  At Kalma’s command, the pool of magic descended, instantly melting the surface’s icy protection as it moved slowly downward. The ravine’s bedrock fared no better, disintegrating as the magic bored a perfectly circular shaft into the ground. When he was satisfied with the depth, he released the conjuring, and the ravine was plunged into darkness, save for the area illuminated by the ship’s lights.

  The ship slid backward over the ice until the ramp’s edge was just above the newly carved shaft. Kalma stepped off the ledge, falling into the hole. Moments before smashing into the bottom, his descent slowed, and he landed gently on the rock.

  Using his multiband, he released the locks on the device above. Then, reaching up with his mind, he moved the heavy spire out of the cargo hold. When it reached the center of the hole fifty feet above, he righted the pole and lowered it to the ground in the center of the shaft.

  A small, blue light flared to life at the bottom of the device. A moment later, the spire sank a foot into the ground and simultaneously extended its top, reaching fifteen feet into the sky. Anchors slid farther into the rock bed, securing the tower’s foundation, and the blue light at the base shifted to a steady green.

  Kalma approached the base of the tower, which jumped to life with diagnostic readouts on the surface of the metal. The device was controlled manually for extra security. It was impossible to link it to a multiband; though that would’ve been convenient, it was far too risky.

  Touching the surface, he entered a sequence of command keys. Two lists of familial genetic markers appeared on the surface, both of which he was intimately familiar with. The top displayed fragments of DNA sequences found only in the family of Malikyne, while the bottom was for his own family.

  It would certainly have been better to target the magic transfer specifically to himself and Malikyne, but the process still eluded them. The best they could do was take magic from the planet’s population and transfer it to the members of immediate families up to two generations apart. It was easy enough to isolate an individual’s unique genetic markers, but the specific transfer of magic through those markers was just out of reach.

  Maybe in a couple thousand years, I’ll work it out. It’s certainly not a rush.

  Both he and Malikyne were alone, their families long since perished. Under orders, Kalma had seen to it that Malikyne’s entire line was purged shortly after the end of the Great War. His family, on the other hand… he didn’t remember his family anymore. Malikyne had stripped him of the burden of their memory long ago. But they were certainly gone. If not at the hands of Malikyne, then by the ravages of time.

  Isolating the first set of markers, Kalma brought up the distribution protocol. The device was set to evenly transfer the population’s magic between himself and Malikyne. However, those defaults weren’t quite to his liking. Smiling, he reduced the transfer percentage for Malikyne.

 
Fifteen percent should do.

  If he lowered it too much, Malikyne would sense the betrayal. The High Councilman needed to feel a small increase in power, or he’d be tipped off.

  There just isn’t much magical ability in the universe anymore. The lie ran through his head as eloquently as it rolled off his tongue before Malikyne. Then he laughed. At least not much for you, anyway.

  Satisfied, Kalma double-checked that his transfer markers would now receive the remaining 85 percent of the power, which they would.

  Exiting the distribution protocols, he brought up the activation screen. A pulsing green indicator showed the spire was ready.

  He loved this part.

  Pressing his finger to the light, a surge of blue energy shot through the tower to the tip, filling the space between the thin metal arms at the top.

  Backing away, he waited. It would take only seconds for the spire to begin its work. Although it would drain the population of their magic slowly, the dribble of power from millions of people would all be focused into two individuals gathering like the rush of a mighty river, though he expected a smaller stream here on Earth given the Elves were eradicated.

  After a moment, he gasped as the power began pouring into him. After all these years, he still treasured the feeling of a newly activated spire.

  The transfer itself was invisible. The spires around the galaxy constantly provided a flow of magic, increasing all his abilities far beyond that of anyone else.

  I will be—no. Kalma smiled. I am unstoppable.

  A translucent shield arced out of the tip of the tower and engulfed the spire. Kalma bent low to the ground, strengthening his legs, and jumped to the ship’s ramp far above before looking back over the shaft. A faint glow emanated from beneath the shield.

  Spreading his hands wide, he set his mind on the rock below. He felt the earth between his fingers though they were far from it. With a growl of exertion, he forced his arms together, pressing against an unseen force. Below, the rock trembled, then extended across the shaft, sealing it. The grinding of rock scraping rock echoed through the ravine.

  Spinning around in place, he dropped his arms as a white glow appeared at his feet. When he again faced forward, he lifted his hands and spikes of ice grew in the barren circle below until his handiwork was concealed.

  Turning on the balls of his feet, he made his way back into the ship’s cockpit, the cargo ramp closing behind him. Just as he sat, a blue light flashed on his multiband. With a quick thought, he activated his personal channel to Malikyne.

  “It done, then?” the low, grating voice asked.

  “It is.”

  “A little underwhelming, these Humans.”

  Kalma shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Maybe he’d lowered the distribution a little too much this time. “Were you expecting more? I certainly wasn’t.”

  “Expected, no. But hoped.” Malikyne’s voice sounded relaxed.

  Just nerves. Kalma swiveled in his chair and began the ascent.

  “When you return, come see me,” Malikyne ordered. “We have business to attend to.”

  “Of course, Your Eminence.”

  The transmission cut out.

  Kalma wound his way through the mountains, speeding across vast plains of ice and over the icy waters of the south. Once far enough from the spire for others to discern where he’d gone, he flicked on his transponder and pushed on the throttle, vaulting him higher and higher through the atmosphere until the blue sky dissipated into darkness. Pushing the ship’s nose back down, he descended toward the palace on the continent just ahead.

  The atmosphere buffeted the craft as it reentered. He could’ve set the ship to autopilot but preferred to do the flying himself. It was more fun.

  Arriving at the palace, he landed the ship on its pad and headed directly to the throne room. Malikyne stood and again met him at the edge of the central dais.

  “As ordered,” Kalma said, approaching the High Councilman.

  “Tell me of your progress with the traitors,” Malikyne commanded.

  Kalma’s mind flitted to Denetaa lying on her bed and shivered. He did not want to relive those memories, so instead he focused on the information he’d attained.

  “Though all the Council has knowledge of the plan, some are much more complicit than others.”

  “I see,” Malikyne said. “And who are they?”

  “It seems Councilors Raysaa and Sheena have been showing resistance. Urmyne and Talik are fully on board. And Councilwoman Denetaa is, of course, the ringleader.”

  “Then it’s time.”

  “Not yet. I wish to explore the depths of Raysaa’s and Sheena’s devotion to the cause.”

  Malikyne sighed. “Very well. We’ll do as you say. I’ll start the preparations for our final military strike on the Alliance. I’ll call a Council meeting for the day of the assault. We’ll crush the traitors the same day we end this war and finalize our dominance on this planet once again.”

  “As you wish,” Kalma answered.

  “I’ll send the details to your multiband.”

  He bowed low before the High Councilman.

  CHAPTER 20

  Aleena wandered the halls of the underground command center looking for anything that might be helpful in the upcoming battles. She refused to take the elevator to the command center where Ethan was likely to be sitting on his disgusting new throne.

  So far, she’d found a few small armories filled with minor handheld weaponry, rifles, explosives, side arms, and the like.

  She crossed over a skywalk to the adjacent building. Long-dormant parts of the facility came to life as she passed from room to room.

  Opening yet another malfunctioning door, Aleena’s jaw dropped. Now this is more like it. She walked onto an enormous balcony overlooking a large repository of heavy-duty weapons systems.

  At the far end, fifteen single-manned space fighters sat covered in dust. The sleek fuselages were spaced just far enough apart for the wings and stabilizers to materialize when activated. Behind them sat racks of plasma cannon rounds, missiles, and even a few high-yield bombs.

  Aleena ran down the steps to a row of objects covered with tarps. She ripped the tarp off one and found an exosuit. She jumped up and down with excitement.

  The magically hardened red Elven suit gleamed. It was twice her height, with an assortment of fully automated and autonomous rapid-fire assault cannons.

  She backed up and counted. Twenty. There were twenty tarps.

  But only one pilot. Hmm. We’ll have to remedy that situation.

  Near the front center of the room, racks of rifles and ammunition were stacked. All around her was a smorgasbord of Elven weaponry—you name it and there was at least ten in that room.

  Plate armor attachments for her standard armor were racked on the sidewall. Swords, knives, Tasers, grenades of every variety, it was all there.

  Coming back to her senses, she pushed her anger at Ethan aside. There was a planet to save. She marched up the stairs, her hair swinging behind her, and headed straight to the peacetime command center.

  The protectorate guards on either side of the door jumped back when they saw Aleena in the elevator.

  “Chill, fellas. We’re good now, right?”

  They both bobbed their heads emphatically.

  “Wonderful.”

  She hadn’t felt this cheerful since… well, it was a very long time ago. Rounding the central elevator shaft, she found Ethan in the command chair. He looked extremely bored, as his grandmother rattled on about who knows what.

  Aleena rolled her eyes and didn’t hesitate to interrupt his grandmother’s babbling. “Are you going to sit there all day, or are we going to train? There’s still a war going on, Your Highness.” Despite the momentary hiatus she’d placed on her anger, she let the last two words come out as sickeningly sweet as possible just to remind him where he stood with her.

  Ethan jumped to his feet. “I’m on my way.”

  “But ther
e’s so much you must learn,” Kara objected.

  “No, Aleena’s right. There’s a war to fight.”

  She felt a twinge in her chest. No, I’m angry.

  “Let’s go, then,” she said impatiently before spinning on her heels, not waiting for Ethan.

  “I’ll be back,” she heard Ethan say behind her.

  “It’s all right. I’ll just watch your kingdom while you play hero,” Kara snapped back.

  “Perfect.”

  She got on the elevator and turned around. When Ethan entered, the two protectorate began to follow, then smartly decided against it when she shook her head nice and slowly.

  As soon as the doors closed, Aleena nearly jumped on Ethan. “You’re not going to believe what I found.”

  He looked very confused. “I thought you were mad.”

  Aleena took a step back, schooling her features. “I am. But some things are more important than anger.”

  Now he looked apprehensive. “Is this some sort of trap?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Never mind.”

  They rode the rest of the way to the ground floor in silence.

  “Where are we going?” Ethan asked as they exited.

  “Outside,” she said flatly.

  Valaan was waiting for them in a garden not far from the command center, along with Allison, Rayland, Conner, and Meghan. They were standing in an open grassy area surrounded by sidewalks.

  “Seeing how this facility is heated under the shield, I thought it was a good idea to train outside,” Valaan said as they approached.

  The training session began with hand-to-hand combat practice for everyone except Ethan, who was told to shift a rock into a dagger. Valaan demonstrated, walked him through the necessary focusing steps, and then left him to try it.

  After the others began, Valaan approached her. “Now it’s your turn.”

  “I don’t know,” Aleena said hesitantly.

  “You can’t be afraid of it. If you’re to learn what this depth of power you found buried inside you truly is, then you must delve into it and learn to control it.”