Token (Token Chronicles)

by Ryan Gressett

  Silon is indulging himself eating red grapes directly off the vine out of a woman’s hand before he notices me standing there.

  “Ah, Benja my boy. What a wonderful surprise! What brings you here?”

  “Actually, sir, I was hoping I could have just a moment of your time.”

  “Why, of course! You have made me a very happy man. What a wonderful job you did in the Melee! Right girls?”

  They all clap and cheer for me.

  “I am glad I could serve you, sir. But if it’s alright with you, I would like to continue to serve as your Token?”

  “Well, that sounds splendid. Zander, you let him have his choice of any accommodation outside the mansion.”

  “Actually, sir, I do have one small request.”

  His festive disposition changes. “And what might that be boy?”

  “Well, I am quite fond of the girl I came here with, Isamar. Actually, sir, I love her. I was hoping that in exchange for my servitude, you could release her to me in the promise that I stay here and help Zander train all of your future Tokens.”

  “Zander, did you put him up to this?”

  “No, sir. But I did suggest you may be receptive to the idea considering he did just win you fourteen more Tokens.”

  “Well, Token, if I already have Zander training my warriors, why would I need you too? It seems to me he is doing a quite adequate job already,” he says addressing me.

  “Yes, sir. I agree, but we would be able to double the workload. You could buy more potential Tokens for the Melee. We could double your odds.”

  “Hmm. Intriguing. Tell you what, you have found me being generous today. I don’t see it necessary to keep you around to fulfill a job Zander already does efficiently. I will only attempt this strategy you suggest with the understanding that you will only have one Melee, one opportunity, to produce me another champion. If you fail, you will remain my Token, and I will take back the girl I release to you. Do we have a deal?”

  I look to Zander, unsure of whether or not I want to take his poor offer. Zander just nods encouraging me to accept. I suppose he is right. I can take it now, and maybe we can all figure something out together. If worse comes to worse, I will go back to the Melee again next year if I have to.

  “Yes, we have a deal.”

  He is suddenly jovial again.

  “Wonderful. Wonderful. Sosha, why don’t you go fetch Isamar for me and bring her to young Benja here?”

  “Yes, master,” the young girl to his right replies.

  In what feels like an eternity, the girl returns with Isamar by her side. I can barely contain myself. I want to run to her, but I manage to resist.

  “Isamar, my darling,” Silon says, “You are free as my Token. You belong to Benja. Go to him.”

  She comes running across the room and almost tackles me when we meet.

  “I was so worried about you,” she says. “When I heard about the Melee, when I heard you were going, I thought I’d never see you again.”

  She starts to quiver as tears begin flow from her eyes.

  “I love you,” she says.

  “I love you too,” I reply. Getting to hold her in my arms again almost makes everything I have done to this point worth it.

  A Grod comes in from behind us and promptly announces to Silon, “Sir, your newly acquired Tokens are ready.”

  “What wonderful timing! Benja, you will be able to see what the spoils your victory has brought me. What are you waiting for? Bring them in, bring them in.”

  A line of fourteen beautiful women are marched in and stopped as they reach the base of the stairs leading up to the throne. They are all wearing the same white gown elegantly covering their bodies. Then I see her. No. It is Cydnee from my Island. Where was she sold again? Ridian with Kincaid and Nayze, I believe. My victory has brought her here to be defiled by this horrible man. All of these women being here is my fault. Am I really prepared to do this for the rest of my life? To send these women to this fate. To possibly send other Tokens to their death. My eyes lock with Cydnee, but there is no fear there. In fact, she almost looks at ease with everything.

  One after the other, each Token makes her way up the staircase. They each drop to a knee, grab Silon’s left hand, kiss it and announce, “To my last drawing breath, I am proud to serve as your Token.”

  They must have all been instructed on exactly what to do. Each of them follows the exact same routine. I hold Isamar closer to me, uneasy at watching these girls pledge their lives to Silon. Cydnee is about to walk up the steps, and I could swear I see her look back at me before she began to ascend the steps. There was a fire burning in her eyes. I look over to Zander. Something is about to happen, I need to warn him. I eye towards Cydnee trying to reveal what I know. I cannot tell if he understands or not. I look back up to the throne in time to see Cydnee take her knee in front of Silon. She grabs his left hand, she kisses it and says, “To my last drawing breath, I am proud… that I am the one who ends your pathetic existence.”

  She spits a small blade out of her mouth into her hand and jerks Silon’s arms to pull him towards her. She jams the blade into his throat and jerks it out. Before anyone else has realized what has happened, Silon has fallen to his knees grasping his throat desperately trying to stop the bleeding, but the incision looks fatal. He will bleed out momentarily. Cydnee is already launching herself at the next closest Grod. I have to help her.

  Zander was already thinking what I was. Silon will be dead soon. If we are going to escape, now is the time. He has disarmed the nearest Grod to the door as I take the other. We both shoot them. The girls are running around frantically. Cydnee has managed to take out two more Grods before I see another one of them from afar shoot and hit her in the back. She falls to the ground limp. Zander and I both fire at the Grod who shot her and take him out.

  Zander takes off running towards Silon’s now lifeless body. He knows exactly what he is looking for. He pulls a device out of Silon’s pocket. It’s the control for the security system. Zander uses Samson’s fingerprint to deactivate the device.

  “The system is off,” he declares.

  “We have to get out of here now,” I yell to Zander.

  “I am not leaving here without Mable.”

  Zander begins to lead the way out of the mansion. I grab Isamar’s hand as we follow him to find Mable. Zander throws his hand into my chest and motions for us to stop. We pause next to the entrance to the mansion, me on one side, Zander on the other. The doors swing open as four more Grods come running in. They didn’t even know what was coming. We gunned them down as soon as they came in. We start to make our way outside running towards the tents where Mable would be. All the other Tokens come running out behind us as the chaos ensues. When we get to the tent, Mable is surprised.

  “What is going on Zander?”

  “No time, come on, we have to go now.”

  She says nothing else. She grabs Zander’s hand and the four of us are off and running towards the gate. The Grods guarding the gates are busy trying to keep all the girls from escaping. They are even shooting some of them. Zander and I fire from afar taking out all of them we can see. We reach the gates and jerk them open as quickly as we can. We begin running out of the gates. A hoard of other Tokens are following behind us scattering in all directions once they exit the gate. We are running towards our freedom. Running towards our new lives.

  Chapter 17

  Token: Kincaid

  In my haste to leave the caverns of Edena, I brought no light source with me. The forest is submerged in darkness. Sounds radiating from all directions. Animals creeping about the woods. I can distinguish nothing. I get off the path I am following and climb up the steep hillside. I decide to sit and rest next to a tree until the sun emerges at daybreak to make the rest of my journey easier. I should have waited to begin with, but I left because I needed to avoid what had just happened. Briel’s kiss. I cannot shake it no matter how hard I try. I only love Hadley, but in the short time
I have known her, Briel has managed to find her way into my heart too. I cannot deny that I developed feelings for her, but how could I not? She was my inspiration and source of strength in my greatest time of need. She saved my life when I would have otherwise died. Without her, I would not be the man I have been able to become, but I cannot reciprocate her feelings for me. I can’t. Hadley is too important in my life. I have been distracted honing my abilities, but my task remains unfinished. Before I can help start the Rebellion and defeat Cromus and his Grodarian army, I must know Hadley is safe. I must have her back.

  To finish my long trip back to Ridian tomorrow, I realize I must rest. Although the cold is excruciatingly bitter to my skin and my extremities are beginning to numb, my body is tired enough, and I close my eyes and slowly drift to sleep.

  I can only guess my dreams were of the warmth and sand back home on the Islands. Spending time with Hadley on our porch again because I was so disappointed to what I woke up to. Alone in the cold forest. While I am sitting there feeling sorry for myself, I had failed to notice the sounds on the trail below me. But I am awake and well aware of them now.

  I can see five men off in the distance dressed in Grodarian uniforms, each of them armed with their standard issued weapons. I can just barely make out what they are saying.

  “This is ridiculous. What are we even looking for out here?”

  “Cromus is just being paranoid.”

  “Have you guys heard the rumors?”

  “What rumors?”

  “There is word that there is a new Rebel force forming against Grodar, and they have a secret weapon. One that will ensure Rebel victory.”

  “Oh yeah, and what would that be?”

  “I hear, and remember it is just a rumor, I hear they have someone from the Maddox bloodline leading the charge.”

  They’re talking about me. How could they possibly know?

  “Utterly ridiculous.”

  “I don’t know. A lot of the troops are scared. Some have even begun to defect from our ranks. It could become a serious problem.”

  “Why are you talking about this? Even if it were true, what do you expect us to do? To just leave Grodar because of one man who is rumored to exist?”

  I am locked into their conversation closely listening.

  “We should at least think about it. We are far from the Hub City. They will never know what happened to us all the way out here. We could disappear. Drop off the grid. Cromus is too old now. He isn’t paying us hardly anything anymore. There is no point in dying for someone I don’t believe in.”

  “Enough! Do not speak of our commander in such a disrespectful way! What you are suggesting is treason, and if you want to keep your head, I suggest you table this talk immediately, or I’ll turn you in myself” one soldier commands. It is obvious he is in charge of this troop.

  He continues, “Not that you need to know, but the reason we are out here is one of the Elite Camps was attacked recently. He believes the Ridian Elite Camp is behind it. We know they are somewhere in this area.”

  “Why don’t we just look at the tracking chips for his Tokens?”

  “You don’t think we have already tried that? They have all been disabled. In fact, the further back we dug, every Token’s chip was disabled immediately after they were purchased.”

  “What does Cromus think? Ridian is going to stage some sort of coup?”

  The soldier who seems to believe I exist adds, “Maybe Ridian is behind the Maddox boy.”

  The commanding soldier shoots him a stern glare and says, “Not another word Soldier Saucier. We just need to get to the bottom of this and get back to the Hub as soon as possible.”

  “Well, we might as well split up. We are going to do no good staying together. We can cover more ground.”

  “Good idea.”

  The leader takes out a map and lays it out against the tree off of the path. He is curiously turning his head analyzing the complex topography.

  “If Ridian’s camp is out here, it is unlikely to be out in the open. It would most likely be hidden underground, either in a cave or maybe down a mineshaft. Soldier Saucier, Soldier Fallas, Soldier Nalley you continue to head west towards that mountain and see if there is any kind of entrance into it. Sgt. Feeney, you will head east with me. It looks as if there is some sort of cavernous structure about two clicks east. We will meet back here at dusk.”

  If they conduct their search, they will find their way into both Ridian and Edena. I am unable to control myself. Upon my realization, it is automatic.

  “No!” escapes from my mouth.

  Damn, they heard me. I put my hands over my mouth trying to stop myself from making anymore stupid mistakes.

  “Who’s there? Come out with your hands up, or you will be fired upon!”

  “Split up, go, go, go.”

  I have to do something. I have to stop them somehow. I stand up, not quite sure what I am going to do. I raise my hands so they won’t shoot.

  “Identify yourself,” the leader screams out to me.

  “I was just passing through. I don’t mean any harm.”

  “Identify yourself,” he repeats.

  I know now my only option is to kill these men. They represent too great of a threat. They will find Edena and Ridian. They could ruin everything. I have no other choice. I start to take count of the men. There are still three standing in the path. I can spot one over to my left, his weapon still fixated on me, but I am missing the fifth soldier. A twig loudly snaps behind me. I whip around in time to catch the butt of the fifth soldier’s weapon against my temple.

  When I regain consciousness, my feet and hands are bound together and tied with rope. I am sitting on the moldy remains of a hard, cold stump of a tree.

  “Just passing by, huh?” the leader says. “Care to explain this.”

  The soldier behind me rips open the shirt on my back.

  “The mark on your back indicates you are from the Hawk Islands. You, my friend, must be a Ridian Token. It just so happens we are looking for the Ridian camp. So we are going to make you a deal. You can tell us where it is, and we will let you go, or you can die alone right here out in the middle of nowhere. Your choice, really.”

  “I don’t know where it is. I am not a Ridian Token.”

  “Listen, I don’t have time for this. Last chance.”

  I remain silent.

  “Very well. Kill him.”

  I hear the soldier behind me cock and load his weapon. I feel the muzzle bearing into the back of my head. I close my eyes.

  The ground the soldier behind me is standing on suddenly splits open. He falls in screaming. I bring the ground back together, and the man’s screams cease.

  “What the…”

  The winds are already swirling about, I use the force to dislodge all of their weapons and fling them far out into the woods. The other four soldiers are standing there speechless, confused.

  “Who are you?”

  Proud of my heritage, proud of my father, proud of my abilities, I announce to them, “I am Kincaid Maddox. The son of Jackson Maddox. The leader of the new Rebellion. The world will know soon enough of us. You will not stand in our way.”

  The ground beneath them begins to quake and cracks open again. Three of the men fall down out of my sight, screaming. I bring the crack in the ground back together. There is only silence. There is one soldier left standing in front me frozen in complete fear. It is the soldier who seemed keen on desertion.

  “Come untie me,” I command to him.

  Unsure of what he should do but ultimately fearful for his own life, he cautiously walks over to me and unties the rope around my hands and feet. As soon as I am free, I stand up, and he backs away.

  I look him directly in the eyes and say, “Go back to your capital. Go back and tell them what you saw today. Go back and tell them that I am coming. And when I get there, any one standing in my way will meet a fate much worse than your friends received today.”

  He
just stands there without blinking an eye staring back at me.

  “Go now!” I command.

  The soldier takes off running as fast as he can in the opposite direction of me.

  As I watch him run off, it sinks in that I have killed four men. The first of many if I am going to win this war. I understand what my mother said. There is no victory without sacrifice. Men are going to have to die on both sides of this war, but I can reduce the number of casualties. I can end this war quickly with a swift Rebel victory.

  I have to get back to Ridian immediately. There is no time left to waste. Cromus is on to them. Hopefully, my soldier I let escape will spread the word to his comrades of my existence. Hopefully, Cromus’s other soldiers will be just as disloyal once my existence is actually confirmed. But I have also put Ridian in grave danger by letting him go. The element of surprise is now gone.

  I start sprinting my way back down the trail. I can see the mountain off in the distance. I keep running as hard as I can for as long as I am physically able. No matter how hard I keep running, the mountain still only seems to be inching closer.

  When I finally begin to reach the base of the mountain, I spot the old mineshaft entrance. I search for the secret-rock door exit Nayze and I found. As soon as I reach it, I search on the outside for some sort of handle so I can open it. When I find it, I rip the door open and come sprinting inside not even bothering to close it. There are other people in the hall this time staring at me in bewilderment and surprise. I keep running through and turn out of the hall and start heading down the stairs. I have to find my mother. I have to warn them what is happening. As I continue sprinting down the steps to reach the main floor, I am knocked over by someone.