by Paul Ormond
“I pray to the Universe for the safety and well being of my mother and father on their journey,” KiGuan said, clasping his hands together.
“Very good, KiGuan,” Mother said before the large chamber adjusted its position and she ambled away from the edge toward a darkened hallway. “You have allowed the Emperor into your heart, and I can feel the energy and power flowing through you like it never has before. Do not doubt his love for you, for each time you question his ways, you block yourself from his light.”
“My heart is open to the Emperor’s love and it always will be. I am prepared to follow his every command, for his word is the word of the universe and his will is my will,” KiGuan said, nearing the end of the hall.
“Yes, the will of the Emperor,” Mother said while a set of wide doors swung open and an intense light filled the hall. “And his work is far-reaching and never finished. But today is a special day. Since the inception of our divine rulers, we have been working toward this day. A great host of the Emperor’s finest soldiers have given their lives to this project, and it is up to us to see it through.”
“Their sacrifices will not be in vain,” KiGuan said after Mother’s bulky form came to a metallic rail running the circumference of a wide opening.
In the depths below, an inferno of swirling fire churned in a circular motion amidst thick spires of energy, a dark red eye staring into infinity.
“My dear sweet KiGuan, you have given so much to your Emperor,” Mother said as she stared into the abyss. “And you have lost much in your short life, but I have prepared a surprise for you before we begin the procedure.”
Without warning, a door opposite KiGuan opened, and several figures walked onto the deck.
“Not all of your people were lost on Jarkadu,” Mother said while KiGuan watched in shock as several familiar faces approached him.
“What is this?” KiGuan said, striding towards his people and embracing them with hugs. “I thought all of you perished in the blast or were lost.”
“We awoke in another place,” a woman said. “But others came and took us away. Mitch Mythic tried to use us as bargaining chips in his sick game, but Mother arranged for our retrieval and brought us here to be with you.”
“It was all the Emperor’s doing,” Mother said, gazing down upon a pair of children locked onto KiGuan’s leg. “Their cries for help found his ear across the multi-verse and I was able to free them from the grasp of wickedness. Mitch Mythic, it appears, is not afraid to stoop to any level in order to gain an advantage. He and his cronies believed they could somehow negotiate with us to release your people, but that is not the Emperor’s way.”
“All of this happened on Chalthantar? I still can’t believe it,” KiGuan said. “How come no one told me until now?”
“So much happened during that battle,” Mother said. “And we are still trying to piece it all together. Mitch Mythic is fast becoming a scourge across the multi-verse, sowing the seeds of chaos wherever he goes. The situation on Chalthantar still hasn’t stabilized. In fact, it has grown worse. Those faithless rebels have been emboldened by Mitch Mythic’s foolhardy recklessness, and in the chaos they have drawn scores of people to their cause. But the uprising on Chalthantar is the least of our concerns at the moment. When the time is right, we will crush every last opponent of our rule on that miserable and desolate rock. Now, we must turn our attention to the Emperor and Empress and prepare them for their journey.”
“What about my people? I feel I need to be with them to help them recover from their terrible ordeal,” KiGuan said.
“We have arranged comfortable lodgings for your brothers and sisters and our medical staff is ready to treat and handle their every need,” Mother said. “You may return to them when our work is done, but, for now, this is no place for them.”
As Mother spoke, several guards appeared from the darkness to lead the Jarkadian people away.
“Go with them,” KiGuan said, addressing his people while they followed after the guards. “All will be well. I will find you after we are finished here.”
“I can see the joy in your heart at seeing your people,” Mother said after KiGuan returned his attention to the abyss. “Those people, your people are the future of the Emperor’s rule. They represent the next stage of our plan. Together with your people, you will seed the multi-verse as a new age dawns.”
“I will do as my father commands,” KiGuan said, gripping the rail and peering into the depths. “My people deserve a life of honor and dignity. I will fight to the last breath to ensure that this is done. And all those that have harmed them will fall under my blade.”
“Do not let your rage consume you,” Mother said. “It is not the time to give in to the darkness. That is what our enemy wants. Speaking of our enemies, it is time we spoke to the prisoner. It is the Emperor’s will that he bear witness to today’s events.”
A deep rumbling echoed across the abyss before a panel in the deck parted and a ray of light shot toward the heavens. Rising out of the opening, a translucent cube imbued with a blue glow came into view. Laying at the base of the cube, a crumpled form shuddered as the mechanism lurched to a halt.
“Feast your eyes upon this wretched fool and bear witness to what becomes of those who oppose the Emperor’s will,” Mother said before a crackling spire of energy slammed into the body.
“You can torture me all you like,” Teron shouted as he leaped to his feet. “But your wickedness will not escape you.”
“Mad Teron, Korridin’s pathetic crony reduced to rambling like a madman in the depths of the Emperor’s dungeon,” Mother said, looking at her captive with contempt. “The only wickedness here is that which lies in the dark pit at the center of your soul.”
“KiGuan, do not listen to that thing,” Teron shouted. “It poisons your mind and twists your reality.”
“You see how evil works, KiGuan,” Mother said. “There is nothing here but weakness and lies. It will try to manipulate you with words and trickery, but know in your heart that the path to truth and justice is through the Emperor’s love.”
“I am his loyal servant and it is my purpose to clear the Multi-verse of wickedness,” KiGuan said, glaring at Teron’s haggard form.
“You wear the medallion,” Teron shouted at KiGuan. “Feel its power. It will show you the truth. Do not let that thing, that machine manipulate you.”
“The only one doing the manipulating is you, Teron,” Mother said before she sent another torrent of energy toward the cube causing Teron to shriek in pain. “But it is your Leader we have to thank for allowing the Emperor and Empress to manifest as such. If not for Korridin’s incompetence, our reign may not have come into being. You could say that he gave birth to the Emperor’s rule in this extent, but that would be giving him too much credit.”
“The only mistake Korridin made was allowing you to come into existence,” Teron shouted while he writhed in pain. “You may not know it, KiGuan, but this whole thing was concocted by the evil contraption standing beside you to enslave us all.”
“These lies get more and more entertaining every time I hear them,” Mother said.
“But you you’ve seen what happens when you allow this charlatan to deceive you, KiGuan.”
“I can see right through to his core,” KiGuan said. “We should wipe this stain of filth out of existence. His presence here is offensive to my Father.”
“Not just yet, KiGuan,” Mother said. “It is important that he is present during the procedure. This awful being, who wished to undo all that we have worked so hard to achieve, must watch as we open the gateway and give birth to the next Golden age of the Emperor’s rule.”
“You are mad,” Teron shouted, jumping to his feet. “If you proceed with this insanity, you will tear the multi-verse apart.”
“I couldn’t disagree more,” Mother said. “What we are about to do will be quite the opposite. Outside of this domain Chaos is in high command, but we are about to change all that. With this pro
cedure, we will be one step closer to bringing the Emperor and Empress into their true forms. In doing so, we will consolidate the power that surges through them and unite the Multi-verse once and for all.”
“You have no idea what you are doing,” Teron said. “KiGuan, you cannot allow her to carry on with this. Everything you love and care for will be lost if she proceeds with her horrific plan.”
“As much as I enjoy watching him squirm, it is time we begin the procedure,” Mother said, approaching the railing while a slew of soldiers emerged from the tunnels and scrambled to their positions across the vast network of machinery circling the abyss. “For some time now we have been gathering energy from systems across the multi-verse and storing it within the folds of this great maw we call home. In a few moments, we will release this energy from its containment mechanism to begin the procedure.”
“I cannot wait to unleash the power of the Emperor in his true form upon our enemies,” KiGuan said, watching the soldiers fall into position.
“Patience, KiGuan. Patience,” Mother said. “We cannot risk disrupting the process by rushing about. And this first step is the most delicate of them all, of them all. The mechanism will focus the energy into a single beam and direct it at the Emperor and Empress’s orbit, infusing our divine rulers with all the power of the multi-verse. As the transformation takes place, a portal will open within the vortex, drawing the energy of the Emperor and Empress toward their final destination. Holrathu has assured me that all has been prepared on Earth, and he awaits my signal. The Emperor would be honored if you, his rightful son, initiate the transformation.”
“It would be my honor,” KiGuan said as he looked into the abyss. “Show me what I must do.”
“Before you stands a lever,” Mother said, gesturing toward a metal rod protruding from the floor. “Pulling this rod will release the energy beneath our feet and the process will begin. Grip the lever and await my command.”
“I think I can handle that,” KiGuan said while he grasped the lever with his enormous hands.
“Glorious servants of the Emperor,” Mother said, addressing the soldiers positioned overhead. “It is an honor to stand here in this moment with you as we do our duty to our Royal Emperor and Empress.”
“Hail to the Emperor,” the soldiers chimed.
“This is a blessed time to be in their grand presence, but it is a perilous time for them as well,” Mother said, scanning the soldiers. “All of us have an important task to fulfill. As minuscule as it may seem, each and every role is as important as the other.”
“For the Emperor,” the soldiers said in unison.
“Your dedication fills his heart with joy,” Mother said. “And we are blessed to feel the love of our Emperor and Empress. So now let us share in their glory and aid them as they ascend to the next plain of their existence. If we fulfill this grave duty to our lords, we shall be present for one of the greatest miracles the multi-verse has ever seen. Are you prepared to ascend alongside the Emperor?”
“With the Emperor we shall climb,” the soldiers shouted.
“Then it is time for us to begin,” Mother said before she looked KiGuan in the eye. “You may proceed, KiGuan.”
“For the Emperor,” KiGuan said, pushing the lever forward.
As the rod locked into place, a loud hum filled the platform. Rising to his feet, KiGuan felt a deep rumbling rising from below and he was forced to cover his eyes after a bright glow filled the abyss.
“It has begun,” Mother said, stepping to his side.
CHAPTER TWENTY
“ARE YOU SURE this is the spot?” Sage asked while hacking his way through a thick bush with his claymore.
“According to the specs we got, there should be an opening ahead,” Candace said from a few feet away.
“I’m not complaining, but is this really the best place to put a guild HQ?” Sage said.
“Not just any HQ,” Gareth said, emerging from behind a tree. “This is actually a secret Guild HQ.”
“If we’re going full secret Guild this looks like as good a place as any,” Sage said, looking up at the enormous tree towering overhead. Its gnarled roots, as thick as dragon legs, dug into the rocky hill, concealing a narrow opening at the base.
“I’m getting a weird vibe from this place,” Shaundra said. “Like I’ve seen it before, or there is some kind of black magic hanging around.”
“I’ve seen something like this before too,” Candace said. “I killed a hag in place like this on a mission when I was trying to get into the Beastling guild.”
“Whatever it is, it is definitely ominous,” Gareth said.
“Ominous or not, I’ll bet something has made that hole its home,” Sage said, eyeing the gap at the base of the tree. “Let’s stay alert.”
“We’re actually going in there?” Shaundra asked.
“Of course we’re going in,” Candace said. “The beacon leads us inside.”
“Maybe you need somebody to keep watch,” Shaundra said. “I don’t do well in caves. I’m an open spaces kinda girl.”
“The only thing you’ll do hanging around out here is give away our position,” Candace said. “I’ll put a bear scent spell on the opening to keep anyone from entering.”
“Better not,” Sage said. “If anybody chances upon this spot and gets wind of a bear, they might come in thinking there is treasure. Don’t you have a cloaking spell or something?”
“We could just push a rock in front of the door,” Gareth said. “Or some branches.”
“Whatever, it was hard enough for us to find this place with the beacon,” Sage said. “I don’t think anybody will just chance upon it. Throw a couple sticks up after we go in and be done with it.”
“That’s why they put you in charge,” Gareth said.
“Who said he was in charge?” Candace asked as she stepped toward the opening.
“Mitch Mythic did,” Gareth said before he picked up a few sticks and branches from the ground.
“That wasn’t Mitch Mythic. That was just a computer program or something,” Candace said, peering into the gap.
“I know what it was, but I’m just playing along with it,” Gareth said. “Isn’t that what all of this is: fantasy role playing?”
“It was until things went a little off the rails,” Sage said. “But let’s just stay focused on the task. Everyone here is on equal footing as far as I’m concerned.”
“What happened to Queen Candace?” Candace asked.
“You’ll always be my Queen,” Sage said. “But for now we need to keep moving ahead.”
“Queen Candace, that’s cute,” Shaundra said. “What is your name then? Prince Sage?”
“We didn’t get to that part yet,” Sage said. “And who said I am the prince. I was thinking more like ‘The Dark Knight of the Claymore.’”
“More like the Dork Knight of the Claymore,” Candace said.
“Why are you calling my name dorky? I let you be Queen Candace,” Sage said.
“Cause you gave yourself a dorky nickname,” Candace said.
“And Queen Candace isn’t dorky?” Sage said as he stepped into the opening. “Come on, we can give ourselves cool nicknames after we clear out this cave.”
“You keep saying you’re not the boss, but here you go again shouting orders,” Candace said, following after Sage.
“Somebody has to do it,” Sage said as he made his way further down the rocky tunnel. “You got those sticks in place, Gareth.”
“Sealing it up now,” Gareth said while propping up the branches he had gathered. “There’s a reason we made him captain last year, Candace.”
“I’m not saying he’s a bad leader,” Candace said, stepping over a rock. “But I thought we would get a vote on it.”
“Vote all you want, but you are the one that keeps making me go first when it gets dark,” Sage said as he edged forward. “Give me a light here, the glow on the claymore isn’t quite cutting it.”
“Just a quic
k look,” Candace said, reaching into her pouch. “I don’t want to use too many spells.”
“I just want to see what is up ahead,” Sage said after Candace produced a ball of light in her hand.
“That’s not good,” Sage said, approaching a ledge. “It looks like we’re going down.”
Peering over a ledge, a deep pit stared back at him, dark and foreboding.
“Uh, that definitely changes things,” Candace said.
“Aren’t you guys forgetting something?” Gareth said before he crossed his arms over his chest, immersing his body in a green aura. “We’ve already been upgraded.”
“But I thought we weren’t going to use it unless it was absolutely necessary,” Shaundra said, eyeing the pit.
“The beacon says we need to go down,” Gareth said. “If we want to complete this mission, I don’t see any other way.”
“I don’t think anybody will notice,” Sage said, glancing over his shoulder at the sliver of light cutting through the opening of the cave.
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Shaundra said. “What do you think is down there?”
“No idea,” Candace said. “But I think we’re going to find out pretty quick.”
“We’ve faced off against some of the worst enemies the game can throw at us,” Sage said, activating his powers. “With these upgrades, I’m sure we’ll be able to handle anything.”
“Come on, this is going to be fun,” Gareth said after pushing himself into the air.
“I’m not sure if this is my idea of fun. I haven’t even used my upgrade yet. I didn’t think my first time would be dropping into a pit to go fight god knows what.” Shaundra said.
“You’ll be fine,” Candace said. “Stick by me and I’ll show you everything.”
“Since I’ve been appointed de facto leader, I guess I’ll lead the way,” Sage said as he launched into the air and hovered over the pit. “Unless anybody has any objections.”