by Aaron Hubble
The two men hefted the woman out of the well. She wore a form-fitting, rubbery suit. She was small and weighed very little, but still they struggled to move her through the ship. Kicking aside debris, they managed to navigate their way through the dark hold and out into the cool morning air. Nena drank in the fresh air like someone dying of thirst. They set the woman on the ground. Both men bent over, hands on knees, trying to catch their breath.
Nena looked the woman over, his eyes stopping at the port where the metal rod had slid into place. These people were a mystery. They attacked without being provoked. They took what wasn’t theirs, and apparently turned themselves into an amalgamation of flesh and machine.
Life had been so simple three weeks ago. His days had consisted of walking around this beautiful forest with his sentinel brothers, making sure his people would be safe. The rest of his time had been spent living and learning in Alam. Now…
Now everything had been thrown into turmoil. Everything he’d ever counted on was unraveling.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Berit was dimly aware she was being carried. Her body jostled rhythmically with the steps of the man who had slung her over his shoulder. She tried to move, but her arms and legs would not respond.
It was dark and she could hear the sounds of the forest around her. Her eyes remained closed; the effort to open them was too great She let the darkness take her away once again.
****
The dampness from the forest floor caused Berit to shiver. Her eyes fluttered open. She was greeted by dancing light. Her face was warm. Across from her she saw black boots. This time she was able to turn her head just slightly and caught sight of the figure sitting on the other side of the flames. She could make out short blond hair, but the rest of the face was blurry. Her eyes were having trouble adjusting. Fear flooded her body as she realized the person was not someone from her group.
The man noticed her movement and moved to her side. She tried to curl into a ball, but the control of her muscles was still absent. A hand cradled her head and water touched her dry mouth. Berit wanted to resist, but her raging thirst consumed her and she drank greedily.
The man laid her head back down.
Darkness took her once again.
****
Morris lifted the woman off of his shoulder and gently laid her on the ground. He bent over, hands on knees, and struggled to catch his breath. He’d jogged through the forest without stopping, following the river until the forest opened up enough to allow a Valkyrie to land.
Straightening back up, Morris unshouldered his pack and began to rummage through the meager contents. There was one ration left. He would try to wake the woman enough to get some nutrition into her before dosing her once again. There was only one syringe of the tranquilizer left. His hand closed around the emergency beacon. Looking at the treetops, he found the most open spot, unfolded the tripod and activated the transmitter. It would send out an emergency message that would hopefully reach someone in the nearest city. The signal strength registered one green bar. That was a first. The other times he had attempted to use the beacon, only red had shown up, indicating the signal was not strong enough to get through the thick foliage. He would wait here for a day or so and if no one showed up, it would be time to pack up and continue to make his way to the edge of the forest.
Darkness was starting to fall and Morris began collecting wood for a fire. He didn’t like the night in this place; there was too much noise. Too many animals calling to each other and too many eyes watching his every move.
After getting a fire started he sat down and removed his boots, letting his sweaty feet dry. As he stared into the fire, his mind turned to his comrades. What had happened to them after he’d picked up the woman? He feared for them. Something had happened. He couldn’t deny seeing the explosion and he was sure it was Mrs. Norris. The last he had seen of his squad they were chasing the indigenous into the forest. Dillon had told him to find a place to wait for them with the woman before he dashed into the underbrush. That was all Morris had to go on. There had been no communication, no sign from them at all since then. He faced the fact that he might be the only survivor of Hildr team.
He contemplated that reality while staring into the dancing flames. Maybe even more disconcerting were the new players who had unexpectedly stepped onto the field. Who were the green-hooded figures? They had materialized out of the trees like forest fairies firing weapons. Possibly even a weapon big enough to take down a Valkyrie. Command would be very interested in that tidbit.
A beeping emanated from the emergency beacon. Morris hurried over with his headlamp on. The small screen flashed a new message: Signal received. Extraction team en route.
He smiled and returned to the fire. He wouldn’t need to spend another night in this forest. That was a plus. He looked at the woman, lying motionless. Even if his squad was gone, he wasn’t returning empty-handed. He had another female and valuable information. It might even get him a promotion. Commander Morris, CPF squad leader.
Yes, he liked the sound of that.
****
The next time she woke, Berit felt a slight vibration through her body. There was a dull roaring noise around her.
It was then she opened her eyes.
Around her the lighting was dim. She was no longer outside, but she couldn’t quite wrap her mind around where she could be. She tried to move again, but she encountered the same resistance. She glanced down and realized her arms and legs had been secured to some sort of table.
Summoning all the strength she possessed, Berit strained against the straps holding her down, but the effort was futile
She tried again anyway.
Fear and anger consumed her. She’d survived the destruction of her city, narrowly escaped a treacherous nighttime crossing of the bridge out of Gadol City, and escaped from these murderers once before. Now what?
What was it all for?
Why had she even tried?
A tear escaped her eye and slid down the side of her face. Another followed until they rushed over her lashes in a salty torrent. She didn’t want it to end this way. Her mind raced with possibilities of what these monsters had planned for her.
She wasn’t strong enough for this.
Whatever they wanted, they would get because there was no fight left in her. Even though she didn’t want to die, death wouldn’t be the worst thing that could happen to her.
At least then she could be with Winnet.
Footsteps sounded on the metal floor, approaching where she lay bound like an animal. A woman’s face loomed over her, and a bright light shined in each of her eyes. She tried to close them against the assault, but her eyelids were pried open against her will.
Apparently satisfied, the woman turned the light off, and moved away for a moment, and then returned holding a syringe in her hand. Berit thrashed against the restraints to no avail. The woman clamped an icy hand over her arm, and with surprising strength held Berit’s arm steady. She plunged the syringe into Berit’s vein. She felt the cold liquid begin coursing through her body. Sleepiness followed soon after. She fought to hold on to consciousness, but it was useless.
Her last thought was of Winnet. She prayed the next time she opened her eyes she would see his smiling face in Paradise.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Calier slumped to the ground on the rocky shore of a massive lake. His shoulder throbbed and he oscillated between bouts of chills and sweats. Maltoki limped to a stop and lowered himself slowly to the ground. Rohab hurried to their side.
Pulling aside the bandage on Calier’s shoulder, she drew in a breath and tried to mask her concerned expression.
“Am I going to pull through, Doctor?” he asked.
A forced smile creased Rohab’s lips. “I think you’ll live,” she said as she placed her hand on his forehead. Her hand was blessedly cool against his skin. “You’re burning up, Professor. You need proper treatment soon, before this gets much worse or you’ll h
ave a major problem.” Producing a small packet of salve, she lathered the wound with the strong-smelling paste and then gave him a pill to swallow. “This should help with the pain and fever.”
She turned to Maltoki with a serious expression, clucking her tongue.. “You two are quite the pair.” She applied the same salve to Maltoki’s leg wound and re-bandaged the gash. “I only wish I had something to close that wound up properly. Ammaya assured me there are medical facilities in their city capable of looking after such injuries.”
“They’ve stayed hidden for five hundred years. I’m sure they’ve trained some doctors in that time,” Calier said.
She nodded and looked toward her husband. Ibris was trying to corral their two young boys, who were wading out into the lake and splashing each other. “By all that is good and right in Aereas,” she said, hands on hips. “Ibris! Ibris get those Ilarian devils out of the water before they catch cold!” She hurried away. The two boys saw her coming and separated, dividing their forces and increasing the odds one would get away. Ibris was waiting and enveloped one boy in his big arms. He lifted the child and splashed through the shallow water back onto the shore. The second boy proved to be more of a challenge, dodging Rohab’s attempts to arrest his momentum. Oyeb stepped in as the boy was looking over his shoulder and laughing at his mother. She collared him, slung him under her arm, and delivered him to his waiting father.
“Those two,” said Calier. Maltoki laughed, shaking his head. They looked out over the lake. Calier took in a long breath. The air in the forest had been earthy and thick, but this was clean and fresh, the kind of air that invigorated the mind and set the spirit free. The soft lapping of the waves on the shore created a relaxing symphony, and Calier could feel the tension of the last couple weeks begin to loosen its grip on his body. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt safe in this place, as if the invaders would never be able to touch this one sacred corner of Aereas. Opening his eyes, he took in his surroundings. A river spilled down from the snow-capped mountains, entering the lake through a narrow valley on the north shore. Soaring into the cerulean sky, the mountains arced like a crescent moon from the north to the south around the western side of the lake. At the southern end, the river exited the lake through a large pile of rocks that, to Calier, almost looked like a dam.
A cool breeze blew across the surface, creating small waves that piled up on the western shore of the lake. The sunlight reflected off the crests like a million diamonds.
Ammaya stepped up next to him. “I’ve looked upon Keali hundreds, if not thousands of times, and it never ceases to stir a sense of wonder in me. The ancients used to say the lake was a mirror for the mood of Aereas, reflecting what the sky was feeling.”
Calier looked at Ammaya as the breeze picked up her hair and tossed it into her face. She quickly gathered her long tresses and secured them at the base of her neck with a leather cord. Looking back at the lake, he said, “It is beautiful, but I still don’t see a city.”
“Come, Professor, you must realize we could not stay the lost tribe for long if our city was out in the open. The founders were more intelligent than that. Follow me and those questions of yours will be answered.”
With long, determined strides Ammaya brushed past Calier and moved toward the northern end of the lake and the mountains.
Calier called after her, “A few answers now wouldn’t be a bad thing.”
Without turning around Ammaya beckoned him forward with a wave of her hand. Maltoki pushed himself off the ground and leaned his weight on the stick serving as his crutch. Calier took his extended hand and Maltoki gingerly pulled him to his feet. A wave of nausea rolled over him. Calier closed his eyes and waited for it to pass.
“You okay, Professor?” Maltoki asked.
Calier nodded and opened his eyes. To his relief, the world had stopped spinning. “We should get moving. It takes the two of us twice as long to get somewhere now.”
Supporting each other, they walked across the rocky beach, watching fish jump in the lake.
“It’s beautiful here, isn’t it?” Calier said gesturing toward the mountains.
“It is, I’m just not so sure of our hosts.”
Calier turned his head and looked into the face of his former student turned traveling companion and fellow sojourner. He smiled and shook his head. Besides being passionate, Maltoki was stubborn and didn’t let go of his opinions or grudges easily.
“Oh, I don’t know. I find them fascinating, and I think they could be what saves our race,” Calier said.
“I wouldn’t follow her if she was the last person on Aereas,” Maltoki grumbled.
“Who said anything about Ammaya? I said they could be what saves us. Fixating much?”
Maltoki’s face reddened.
“Perhaps you have feelings for her you don’t want to admit,” Calier chided.
Maltoki fumed. “I…we…never.”
Calier smiled and felt a little guilty for having some fun at Maltoki’s expense, but not too guilty. There had been a lot of times he’d been at the butt of Maltoki’s quick wit.
“Probably for the better,” Calier said. “I doubt you could handle a woman like Ammaya.” He hid his smile as Maltoki set his jaw and remained silent.
Ammaya’s fellow hunters fell in line behind her, stepping lightly and barely making a sound on the stone beach. The ragtag band of refugees gathered up their belongings and began following Ammaya. The anxiety in the group was hard to miss. No doubt they were all thinking the same things Calier was asking himself. Where were they being taken, and what would happen to them when they got there? Despite those fears, he knew their chances had to be better with their own people than wandering alone through Sho’el or out in the open waiting for the invaders to find them.
Yes, he’d take his chances with the mythical recluses of Am’Segid history over the black-suited terrorists who came from the sky.
Ammaya took them back into the forest and followed the outline of the lake until they reached the north shore and the foot of the mountains. Through a stand of massive evergreen trees, the mouth of a cave opened into the forest. The hunting party moved to the sides of the cave, ushering them into the darkness, while Ammaya led them to the dark opening and addressed the group.
“Stay close to each other. The cave is dark and I would hate to lose one of you after you’ve come so far.”
Maltoki strained his eyes into the darkness. “You live in a mountain?”
Ammaya flashed him a smile capable of lighting up any cave. “Of course not. That would be too…predictable. Follow me.”
Calier looked at Maltoki. “I don’t know about you, but I’m beginning to tire of the vague allusions.”
Maltoki shrugged and limped into the cave. It was like stepping into another world. Stalactites emerged from the darkness above them, stony icicles from the long forgotten past. They were beautiful in their own way. His geologist friends at the university would have had a field day in this cave. It felt frozen in time, a snapshot of the earliest days of Aereas before war and death had rolled over the land. Some of the stalactites were so long they met a stalagmite that had grown from the floor of the cave like a calcified flower blooming in the darkness.
Ammaya led them deeper into the cave, her headlamp illuminating the path. She stopped and turned around as a rock wall loomed before them, blocking any further progress. She waited until all of the group was gathered around her. Satisfied everyone was there, she silently turned around and pressed her hand to a barely noticeable depression in the wall. A section of the wall shimmered and then disappeared. Audible gasps were heard from several members of the group, and Calier had to admit he was impressed at the level of complexity of the mirage.
“Holographic forcefield,” said Ammaya. “Feels solid to the touch.” She turned and beckoned them onward. “If you will follow me a little further, we’re almost there.”
Beyond the opening, they turned right and began to descend through a large, rocky corridor
, lit by gently glowing lights recessed into the walls and ceilings. It was obvious the corridor had been made by Am’Segid hands and not by any natural means. Calier could hear a soft murmuring coming from the refugees who still wondered where they were headed.
After several minutes of walking, they were confronted by a large metal door.
Ammaya faced the group and said, “Welcome to Alam, home of the Ma’Ha’Nae.” She pressed her palm to a pad on the doorframe and the metal door slid silently to the side, disappearing into the rocky wall and revealing a wonderland that even Calier couldn’t have hoped to unearth in any of his excavations.
Before them, spread out as far as they could see, was a city of extraordinary beauty. Mouth agape, Calier stepped through the door and looked up. He blinked several times trying to reconcile what he was seeing with what his previous life experiences had told him was reality. The sky above him, or the roof, or whatever was over his head, was amber colored. Looking to his right and left he saw the same amber color extended from the ceiling and gently curved down to the ground they walked on. Stepping more quickly, he moved close to the wall forming the boundary of the city. He reached out his hand and touched the wall. The wall shimmered and he felt a slight buzz of electricity.
“Another forcefield,” he smiled at Maltoki.
Looking past the wall, Calier realized he could see through it.
He turned quickly and looked at Ammaya. “Did I just see a fish swim past?”
“If you look closer, you’ll see a lot more than fish.”
He brought his nose as close to the wall as he was able. He saw aquatic plants and the uneven terrain of an underwater landscape.
“I was so wrong, so very wrong,” Calier whispered to no one in particular. “They never lived in caves, they lived under the lake. Who would have ever thought to look for them under the lake?”