A handsome blonde haired male Vampre in a white fitted suit stood silently in front of her truck smiling widely and staring directly at her. Ema’as returned his gaze for a moment and wondered just where he had come from and how he had so abruptly appeared.
The Vampre did not move. He stood and waited patiently. The gaze he was casting toward her somehow drew her to him. She felt compelled to be closer. Of course, Ema’as thought the whole situation a bit odd, but finally, she put the truck into park and slowly opened her door.
As she walked toward the Vampre, he opened his arms in a way that looked like he was about to embrace her. She eyed him queerly and stopped a few feet away from him, ready to defend herself if needed. The Vampre pressed his palms together and bowed his head before her.
“‘Tis a great stroke of luck that I have found you, my child,” his voice was smooth and sure. Ema’as could see that he apparently did not lack confidence. She did not reply; she remained still and silent.
“I felt you, you see,” The Vampre continued, “I felt you from a great distance away. I could feel your loneliness, your confusion. I felt your anger and your suffering… yet, I also felt your pleasure.”
Ema’as looked over at the burning truck and then to the mutilated bodies of the Marauders. The Vampre in the white suit, however, remained focused on her.
“I am Daanel,” He smiled and took a single step forward, extending his hand toward her, “I have felt and conquered the very Thirst that you have been stricken with. You are undergoing the same transformation that our ancestors did so many years ago. I have come to claim you, to guide you. Follow me, for I am your master now.”
Ema’as had no words, she had no thoughts. Whatever was happening felt right; it felt like it did not need any explanation. With that on her mind, she did not speak; instead, she merely nodded her head and grabbed Daanel’s outstretched hand.
Chapter Twelve
Rubaan IX
23rd of Ramlia - 346AG
19:00 - Base 21
Rubaan walked between his parents and the gates to Base 21 slowly closed behind him. He briefly looked back to see Amaria in tow carrying Roc in her arms. Their eyes met, and he quickly looked away, he didn’t want to upset her any more than she already was. As he continued onward, he stared down at his feet and sighed.
The idea that she wanted nothing to do with him felt like a dagger in his heart. He knew he was nothing more than a clone of the man she married, but it hurt all the same. He had the memories of the first Rubaan; he remembered their meeting, their wedding and the birth of their child. It was beyond difficult for him to accept that his memories were in truth, someone else's.
Rubaan’s heart pounded as he walked into Base 21 and he mulled over his situation. Eon had quite literally formed him from nothing, gathering particles in the air and fashioning them into a body according to Rubaan’s NaNe blueprint. He was alive, he had his memories and his feelings… but he was not who he felt like he was. He in truth was nobody.
The family passed the identical buildings that lined the street as they headed deeper into the base. Base 21 had been established in an Ancient bunker, a hollowed-out mountain that was equipped with such things as a reservoir, a giant auditorium, and a hangar among living accommodations for a significant number of people. There was room enough inside the base for two hundred thousand people to live, though at the time the base only housed nearly twenty thousand.
Of the twenty thousand inside Base 21, only a third were actual able-bodied Black Knights. The rest of the souls were comprised of the soldier's families, children in the academy and the elderly. Up to that point, Govia had not learned the location of Base 21 as entry and exit was fiercely regulated. Food was grown on site, waste was recycled or incinerated, and for the most part, only Century and Millenium squads regularly entered or left the Base, for there had not been any need for a large force since the Kamlotian Civil wars nearly a decade prior.
The Jamisos walked down the street, passing a few of Base 21’s occupants as they did so. Commander Crinnan and his wife were immediately recognized as they were among the most famous members of the army. As soldiers shouted his name and waved, Commander Crinnan nodded and smiled in response, returning their gestures as quickly as they were delivered to him.
The celebrated entrance did nothing for Rubaan. He felt like he was acting a bit like his brother, sullen and a bit of a downer, but at the same time, he did not care. The weight of his situation was unique to him, he knew that. He felt that what he was going through was unlike anything that had ever happened on Duraan before and in that sense, he felt truly alone.
“Commander Crinnan,” a voice as deep and clear as the seas announced from ahead of them, “Welcome to Base 21.”
Vice Commander Card Gamiz walked toward the Jamiso family with his entourage following closely behind. In the absence of Supreme Commander Xian, Lord Card was the acting Commander of the base. Just as he was renowned for his abilities with a sword, he was also very highly regarded for his skills in leadership.
“I trust that your journey here was pleasant?” Card asked as he extended his hand toward Commander Crinnan. He nodded in response and Card smiled superficially and turned toward Ladia.
“Beautiful as ever, Lady Jamiso,” He bowed his head, and Ladia spoke.
“You as well, Lord Card,” according to popular opinion, she was correct. Vice Commander Card was known to be one of the most handsome members of Black Knight’s upper leadership. His skin was soft and fair, and his jaw was angled with perfectly symmetrical cheekbones. His chin was masculine, and his face was cleanly shaven every morning. The eight-pointed familial insignia of Sym was tattooed over his left eye. That paired with the long thick black hair on top of his head added a shred of mystery to his demeanor and an additional level of beauty that appealed to many.
“Young Lord Rubaan, it is a joy to see that you have returned to us,” Card turned toward Rubaan and nodded his head, “I understand that the plight of your siblings probably weighs heavily on your mind. Trust me when I say that every measure is being taken to bring them all here safe and sound. Your sister, though our prisoner, will be delivered shortly and your brother Crinnan is being fetched as we speak.”
“I am happy to hear it, my Lord,” Rubaan faked a smile and gave Vice Commander Card a slight nod.
“Outstanding,” Card took another step toward Rubaan. He reached out and grabbed his upper arm and gave it a tight squeeze, “Now that you have been inducted back into the movement, I am prepared to assign you with your first mission.”
“Mission?” Rubaan repeated looking back and forth at his parents, “I thought…”
“Lord Rubaan, you are a member of Base 21.” Card interrupted with a stern look, “I am fully aware that you traveled here under the pretense that you would serve as one of your parent’s guard. That, while not completely out of the…” He paused and smiled, “...out of the cards, is not how you will initially be serving Base 21 during your stay here. You have been out of the army for, how long has it been, two years?”
“About that, yes,” Rubaan answered, nervous about Card’s words.
“Two years… your body must be retrained; your skills must be sharpened. As a member of one of Black Knight’s noble families, it will be of utmost importance for the common soldiers to see you as a role model, an inspiration to continue fighting. With that in mind, dear Rubaan, I grant you the rank of Corporal pending your completion of training under Lieutenant Marka Nelson.”
“Corporal?” Rubaan’s eyes grew wide, and he looked at his father. Crinnan nodded his head, and Rubaan looked back at Card. “And… Marka Nelson, you mean the Centurion?”
“Indeed,” Card affirmed, “You will squire for her. You will carry out her every command, follow her into battle, you will learn from her just as she learned from me many years ago. Of course, your family will be well taken care of here at the base.” Card lifted his head and looked past Rubaan at Amaria and Roc. His expressi
on suddenly changed to a look of intrigue, and he turned back to Rubaan.
“The rumors are true then. You are married to a High Vampre,” Card gave Rubaan’s arm a final squeeze and then walked past and approached Amaria, “Tis a pleasure to meet you Lady Jamiso, I am Vice Commander Card Gamiz. If you or your son need anything during your stay…”
“I want to fight,” Amaria declared, looking sternly at Card. Card raised his eyebrows and grinned.
“Perhaps you may need to discuss with your husband…”
“I do not need to discuss it with my husband,” Amaria assured him, “Point me in the right direction. I do not require training; I simply need to be told where to go and who to kill.” Card pursed his lips together and nodded at Amaria.
“We will see what we can arrange my Lady,” he turned and walked past Lord and Lady Jamiso and beckoned everyone to follow him.
“It seems we have much to talk about. I invite you all inside, let us sit and discuss the future of House Jamiso…” As he walked down the road toward a large administrative building, his entourage broke so that the Jamisos could walk through. Rubaan stopped to wait for Amaria but as he turned and looked her way, a look of sadness spread over her face, and she shook her head at him. He nodded, understanding her unspoken words and walked forward behind his parents. As Amaria followed, the entourage closed behind them, and they made their way to the admin building.
***
Lord Card sat at a long wooden table within one of the meeting rooms of the admin building. To his right sat Captain Blaze T’wel, a dark-skinned Elf from the Galataan Islands. Blaze had broad shoulders, thick bushy eyebrows and a stern expression that was permanently plastered on his face. Atop his bald head, he wore a turban as was typical for the followers of Galataan, the chief god of the polytheistic religion that the Islanders followed.
Blaze was Captain of Millennium Squad, Base 21’s auxiliary team of elites that, when needed, accompanied or followed Century on missions. They, of course, carried out their own missions as well, but where Century could have been described as “A” class, Millenium would have been classified as “B.”
To Card’s left sat Lady Emerald Fyres, the lieutenant rank advisor to Captain Bran Phils of Century Squad. She was sister to Ladia Jamiso and the eldest and matriarch of the Fyres Clan even though she had no children of her own. A beauty to behold, she was a fair skinned Elf who had gone through stasis at age 31. She had a light pastel blue hue to her long wavy hair which was generally kept up and out of her face. Her patient and mystical seeming blue and sparkling purple eyes looked like deep wells of wisdom, by merely looking at her one could see why she was such a highly regarded teacher and advisor.
“The Jamiso house, the Fyres Clan, your families have always been well respected and highly regarded as valuable and irreplaceable assets to Black Knight,” Card looked back and forth between Crinnan and Ladia as he spoke. His hands were clasped together on the table in front of him, and he stared at them with a sincere and earnest expression.
“While your loyalty and devotion to the resistance is and never will be in question, recent events from members of your family, your children in specific, have raised many security flags for us.” Card sighed and looked over to Blaze who nodded in agreement.
“Our intelligence, moles of ours in Govia, have done some digging per my request. The information that they uncovered was… staggering to say the least. You see, Jamisos, they informed me of the real situation with your son Crinnan. For those of you who are unaware of the reality of the Hells, I will go ahead and reassure you that they are in fact very real. Furthermore, to preface what I am about to explain to you I need you all to understand, and some of you do, that what you perceive as magic is in fact not and has never been so. Magic died when the Humaan people arrived so many years ago. The abilities that our few battle mages use, the blessings that keep us looking young and safe from sickness and disease, the very ones that give us life indefinite… it is all Ancient technology. Rubaan Jamiso, this explanation is mostly for you, so please, those of you who understand bear with me.”
Rubaan looked around the room and realized that he was the only adult that was hearing this for the first time. He, though intrigued, felt embarrassed by that.
“Swirling about in the air that surrounds us is an insurmountable number of Ancient, microscopic machines. These machines, which were once called NaNe, heal us, keep us alive, they give us great and indescribable powers… the understanding of this technology has been mostly lost through the generations. It was suppressed by the Govian Empire for if the common people learned the potential of the NaNe, then they could stand against them. The NaNe thought forgotten, still exists and the power it holds is… extraordinary.”
Card nodded his head and looked over at Emerald briefly, she returned his nod, and he continued his explanation. “The Hells are real, Jamisos. The report I received from Govia explained in full detail how your son, your brother, perished by a way unknown and was sent to the Hells for his eternal punishment. Now, understanding that I will explain to you that in Govia the Hells is a type of… it is a strange game that people play on their computers.”
“A game on a computer?” Rubaan looked around like Card was speaking nonsense, “What? How does that even work? Who has time for that?”
Card shrugged and continued, “This game, the Hells, is a realistic simulation. People, also called Demons, play this game by punishing the prisoners of the Hells. They enter these strange egg-shaped pods that somehow transport them to this game. As you know, all sin is forbidden in the Empire, but in the Hells, the common folk are free to do as they please. You see, when Crinnan was killed his brain was essentially turned into a computer program of sorts and then placed in the Hells for his punishment. Apparently, something out of the ordinary happened, and Crinnan ended up slaying an entire army of the Demons of the Hells. It turns out that Demons actually dying was never a part of how the game was made. Somebody changed the game, and when the demons died in the Hells, they found themselves unable to come back in real life.”
“You are saying that Crinnan killed a bunch of Govians that played this game then?” Rubaan asked. Card nodded, and Rubaan smiled, “Good for him.”
“The country is in an uproar; the Hells have been locked down. Every demon that was playing the game when Crinnan escaped has been unable to leave for nearly a month. Whatever Crinnan did to escape and however he did it essentially broke the game, and now there are nearly fifty thousand Govians locked in the Hells.”
“That is a lot,” Rubaan smiled.
“Some reports are saying that Crinnan had help. As I said, somebody from the outside may have altered the game in a way that allowed him to escape. Who and why, however, is a mystery.”
Commander Crinnan felt a sudden rage grow inside him. He clenched his fists and ground his teeth together. Ladia noticed her husband’s frustration and gently grabbed his arm and urged him to relax. Everyone turned their heads curiously to look at the obviously furious man. Rubaan knew from the look of his father that an explosion was about to erupt.
“Crinnan, please do not do this,” A look of panic spread across Emerald’s face as she spoke. It was the same look that Ladia wore. Commander Crinnan trembled in his seat, his nostrils flared and his face twisted with fury, “Crinnan, not in front of Rubaan.”
“He’s fucking old enough!” Crinnan roared with fury, “That damn homewrecking piece of blue-haired shit did this.”
“Do you have more information?” Card calmly asked.
“Yeah I fucking have information,” Crinnan huffed, and Emerald sighed and shook her head. There was nothing that anybody could do anymore.
“Sajinious Lynx,” Crinnan growled, and his body shook. He looked over at Rubaan and tears formed in his eyes, “Son I love you more than you can ever know but… I am not your true father.”
“Crinnan please!” Ladia begged as her own tears began to fall. She grabbed hold of her husband’s arm and shook
him in place, “Please no.” Rubaan looked around nervously. He knew he had to know more, that there was no coming back from what his father was saying.
“The fucking Elf… the damned Ancient mercenary or whatever he was back in Exgrane. He befriended me. We drank together; I saved his damned life and he… he fucked my wife and squirted my boys into her belly.”
“Oh my,” It was all that Card could say in response. His eyes grew wide, and he looked around the room at the others, noting that everyone seemed to be showing signs of surprise or discomfort. Commander Crinnan turned to Rubaan again and shook his head mournfully.
“You are my son, and I love you Rubaan, but… I did not create you. Sajinious Lynx created you, and he has apparently been watching you and your brother for your entire lives. For that reason, he helped Crinnan; he did something to get him out of the Hells and back to our world,” Commander Crinnan fumed. His face was red, and he was breathing heavily. He appeared to play it all again in his head and finally, he broke down. He wept bitterly and lowered his head into his hands in front of everybody. Ladia and Emerald looked at one another with expressions of shock and terror, and Rubaan sat and silently stared down at the wooden table.
“You’re… not my father?” Rubaan looked up and whispered to Crinnan. Crinnan shook his head remorsefully, and Rubaan lowered his head again and sighed.
“What a fucking shitty ass week,” He laughed as he stood and looked at everyone the room. “You’re not my wife, that’s not my son, you’re not my father, and I’m not fucking me. What a great fucking life this has been everyone! Thanks!” Rubaan’s laughing intensified until it became hysterical. He cackled and cried at the same time. Eventually, he had to bend over because his abdominal muscles ached from it all.
The Black Knight Box Set Page 69