Dreaming Orora
Page 32
He cycled some more and reached Emma. Smiled and pressed the call button.
Epilogue
Finn hated those meetings. These guys never were on the same page unless something big threatened “their” world. Last time they worked together, everything went to darkness and they barely held on to dear life. At the very least this time few were indifference.
In the olden days none of them would’ve agreed to be in this place. The air reeked with mold and dew. The table before them nothing but a slab of wood stretching across the room, a room devoid of anything else besides the table and rickety chairs they sat on. But they had no choice.
Finn turned his head left, his gaze locked across the table to the very last chair. He could make the silhouette of the man setting there, chairing the meeting. Some of the chairs filled with people, others not.
“Bring him in,” the chairperson said. His voice raspy, old, with a touch of artificial tune to it; not his actual voice.
Across from Finn, a large door complained and moaned while swinging open. Everyone just sat there watching it taking its sweet time. Why didn't they keep it open?
Two men dressed in full armor with two huge axes accompanied by what Finn thought a simpleton or a new Recruit made their way across the room. They stood in the opposite side where the chairman took his seat. Finn cursed his poor selection of a spot for this meeting.
“We went into a great deal of trouble getting him here,” a man sitting two seats left of Finn’s chair said, he wore a hoodie and the shadows concealed his face. His voice a rendition of what it should be, “I hope he’s worth it.”
The Recruit turned his head towards the man, “You’d probably be stuck here forever had I not done what I did. Cowering in fear of the day he decides to attack you all and put an end to your schemes.”
“So what?” the setting man said, “we escaped once and we can do it again.”
“Really?” the standing Recruit said, “tell me how is it going with the Order?”
“Enough,” the chair person said, he pointed at the seat closest to the Recruit, “please, have a seat.”
The Recruit took his time. Studying the people around with every step getting him closer to his seat. He pulled the chair and sat leaning back with both feet on the table. He sat but a few chairs away from Finn. Still, this close, Finn couldn't make out his features. Anonymity was the name of the game.
“We called you here for an update,” the chairperson said, “did the plan work? In helping the women I mean.”
“It did for Eric at least,” the Recruit said, “there was a peculiar outcome for the other women though.”
“Peculiar?” someone said, Finn couldn't make out whom.
“We’ll come to that later,” the chairperson said, “and the others?”
“Hok is dead, amongst few others,” the Recruit said, “so that’s another hero gone. The wizard is nowhere to be found. But Buharr is safe for now. You are all safe.”
“So?” a man stood up across from Finn, his face concealed behind a veil, but his long blond hair stuck out from both sides of his face, “what are we waiting for? We know that the Ladara experiment was a success. We got rid of that raging lunatic. What are we waiting for?”
“Too early to start anything,” the chairperson said, “Yes, Ladara was a success, but we need the help of the people in order for this to work.”
“You know they’ll rally behind us once we start this?” the blond man balled a fist and shook it up. “Our people await the-”
“-I said too soon to start,” the chairperson stood up banging both hands on the table. The blond man cowered back on his chair. “What of the people with the rings?”
“One of them is dead,” the Recruit said, “the other two, I guess you’ll have to live without those rings.”
“Hmmm,” the chairperson scratched his chin and sat down, “not much harm would come out of those. We are still low in numbers but the road should be clear now.”
“And the Order?” a voice said far down the table.
The chairperson sighed, “That’s part of the reason why it’s too early.”
“What about the rulers of the skies? They can help,” another voice said.
A murmur broke amongst the table.
“Silence,” the chairperson said, “lest you forgot the last time we cut loose a renegade entity, there is no way we’ll bring them back. They work for no one and can be ruled only by their kings. In any case, we still require the Black Cosmos for our plans to work. Until then, we move according to plan and stay in the shadows.”
“Well,” the Recruit stood up pushing his chair back; the screech echoed in the room, “you can do whatever you want. That fucker killed my second character and now I have to level up all over again. If you need me, just call or something.”
The blond man laughed, “I hope your sister is fine?”
The Recruit grimaced at the blond man for two beats then turned around and walked past the huge doors. They took their sweet time closing behind him.
“I really hate their guts,” the blond man said and took his veil off and shook his head. His hair flew down and covered half his face. He pushed it behind his pointy Elvin ears with the back of his hand.
“And you think for some reason I’m in love with them?” the chairperson said, “Dear Alamar, do remember we keep up with their ways because we need them, for now. Don't forget why we started all of this.” He stood up, “Remember, for there to be darkness, there need not be light. Yet, for light to be, a shadow must do too.” He laughed, “The time will come-”
“Sir,” one of the guards harried inside, “Angels spotted at the gate.”
The chairperson gazed at the guard for few beats then faced the table, “well, we don't have much time. If nobody have any issue, this meeting is-”
“Um,” Finn said, “if you don't mind me asking, what was that peculiar thing the Recruit mentioned about the other women?”
“Ah,” the chairperson said and sat back on his seat, “I was informed about that earlier. It was peculiar indeed,” the chairperson leaned forward, both hands on the table, “you see, some of those women were disconnected from this world long ago when they went into a coma. They took off what they call the VRR that connects them to this world. Or some of them were simply dead. Yet, once The Dark One was banished back to his dark realm, those women came to life in here.”
Finn raised his head; his eyes searched for answers. The others seemed clearly as lost as he was. “Came to life? Without a counter part or a player in their world?”
“Peculiar isn’t it?”
- THE END -