The Chronicles of Soone--Heir to the King

by James Somers

  Tiet came down from his position. He could sense his son below and moved in for the attack. Silently and swiftly he came around one of the large boulders. Kale was approaching from the other side. Tiet raised his blade and ignited it as he came upon Kale rounding the boulder. He struck out at the young man and met Wynn’s blade instead. The two looked at each other puzzled for a millisecond; realizing what their opponent had just pulled off. They had each thought the other was Kale. Tiet laughed lightly at the trick.

  Wynn spotted their attacker just before he struck. Kale moved as a blur, bouncing off of the side of one of the boulders towering around them. Two kemsticks flared to life in his hands as he flew into them full force. They weren’t quite expecting what Kale did next. Instead of landing in front of them, he brought his feet up to land against the rock wall between them. He crossed both arms across himself so that a kemstick was brought to defend on either side of his body as Tiet and Kale both struck at him. He forced back with simultaneous counterstrikes as he unfolded his arms and leapt back away from the rock wall between them, tumbling over back to his feet all within two seconds time.

  Tiet came at him fast trying not to allow him to get his guard back up. He struck multiple times with his kemstick, but Kale blocked each strike. Wynn was just behind him looking for an opening to get in the action, but Kale was moving to keep Tiet in between himself and Wynn; a tactic he had taught the boy himself. It was a flashy move he had just pulled off, jumping right into the middle of them. He had greatness within him, thought Wynn.

  Wynn leapt over the two warriors to come down behind Kale and immediately began his own barrage of strikes. Now the boy had to defend against both attackers. His kemsticks whirled around, furiously defending the warrior within from every strike. They were trying to push at him mentally as well, to expose a weakness, but he was already there waiting for them and pushing back.

  His mind was somewhere else as well. The clouds above continued to flash periodically with lightening. He had practiced the technique only twice and had been successful only once, but it was time. Kale put his mind to raising a streamer off of the rock towering above them.

  He maintained it mentally and hoped for a bite from the clouds above but none came and the fight continued on until Wynn and his father began to overcome his defense. Why wasn’t it working?

  Kale abandoned the current position and leapt away from the both of them to regain his stance, but neither of his elders was going to let up on him that easy. They leapt in turn to follow and stay on him. Still it was enough for him to change strategy.

  As they came back at him, Kale launched first one then the other kemstick at his opponents while the other pair he carried leapt to his hands and no sooner touched his palms before they were thrown away as well toward the attackers. They blocked the sticks as they flew at them and the sticks in turn rebounded back to Kale, one after the other striking, then rebounding back to strike, with a pair per hand striking at each opponent like some mad juggler had been unleashed upon them.

  Wynn had never seen such a fighting technique used by any Barudii. It was amazing to him how well the boy was controlling the weapons; all four of them in coordinated attack. Wynn dodged as he blocked, trying to keep from getting hit. Even though they were only ignited with fields strong enough to stun, he didn’t want to lose, but they were getting battered hard now and without hands to guide them the flying strikes were less predictable to counter. Then it happened, as one got past and struck him in the thigh, the stunning current sent him to his knees and out of the fight.

  Kale knew he had won as Wynn went down and he immediately concentrated all four flying kemsticks at striking his father. Tiet had already pulled his second kemstick into his defense and was furiously countering everything Kale was throwing at him.

  Then somehow he was able to counterstrike at the handles of one pair coming at him, deactivating them. They fell to the ground as Kale quickly pulled back the other pair to his hands. Now the fight was on between him and his father. No more private sparring for fun and practice. Play time was over and Kale was determined to win in the trials today.

  He had been maintaining a streamer now throughout the fight and had almost put it in the back of his mind when the weather decided to engage the bait. A lightening strike burst into the crater battlefield before anyone could react. It struck the rock nearby, but the current coming off of it managed to knock down both fighters. Kale returned to his feet quickly but he saw Wynn next to his father, who was not moving. He checked his vitals for breathing and heartbeat then a look of relief came over his face. He was still alive.

  Kale was at his side in an instant and scared to death as he tried to help Wynn wake up his father.

  “Wake up, Father, I didn’t mean to—”

  The boy was in a panic.

  “Kale, I think he will be alright, but we need to get him to a med lab to make sure,” said Wynn.

  People had begun to come down onto the arena after the lightening strike. Within moments Mirah was next to Tiet who was trying to regain consciousness now but was still very weak from the electrical shock. Grod and Daooth, along with Estall, were all around them now as Grod instructed some of his warriors to get Tiet back to the med-lab within the compound.

  “Wynn, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to, it wasn’t supposed to come so close.”

  “Are you trying to tell me you caused that strike?”

  “It wasn’t supposed to be like that! I threw up a streamer just hoping to…”

  But Wynn was only half listening now. As he watched the Horva escorting Tiet to the med-lab he couldn’t believe the inventive ability of his pupil. This was certainly not something he had taught him, neither the use of two pairs of kemsticks simultaneously or the ability to mask his presence while presenting others as decoys.

  Kale was extremely powerful, perhaps the most powerful Barudii he had ever known. He watched him as his mother took him with her to go after her husband to the medical lab—and another being watched as well.

  Lucin watched the boy through Estall’s eyes as the mother led him away. He walked over to examine the strike point of the lightning, while people milled about on the crater floor. The boy was more valuable than Tiet, he thought. To gain him as a host would mean the ability to conquer even the king.

  Lucin made his way quickly out of the crowd and onto his shuttle. It was time to get back to Baeth Periege and set a trap that would give him the boy.

  Mirah checked over her husband who was now conscious but slightly dazed.

  “I’m fine, I’m fine. Mirah, I’m okay,” protested Tiet.

  “How many times have I told you not to argue with the doctor?”

  Tiet gave up and allowed her to finish her examination.

  “Well, you do seem alright,” she said finally.

  “I just can’t believe Kale actually caused that strike. It’s amazing!”

  “I don’t think he sees it that way. Kale was terrified while you were unconscious. He thought he might have killed you.”

  “Yes, but the fact that he could even have come up with it. That’s great.”

  When Tiet was dressed again after finishing the exam, he made his way with Mirah out to the waiting area where Wynn, Kale, Grod, his son Emil and Daooth were all anxious to see how he was doing.

  “Well, you appear well enough,” said Wynn.

  Kale didn’t look directly at him. He was ashamed of his actions and the danger he had put his father in.

  “It just took the wind out of me. I’ve been given a clean bill of health by the doc here,” he said smiling at Mirah.

  Kale stepped to his father now, “Father I’m really very sorry for hurting you, it really was an accident…I didn’t mean for it to strike so near, just to draw your attention and distract you.”

  Tiet smiled full of parental pride. Then he looked back to Wynn.

  “Wynn, what do you think? What is your judgment of this candidate’s performance in the trials—should he
progress or regress for further training?”

  “I would most definitely recommend that this candidate progress to the status of Barudii Warrior,” said Wynn with a delighted grin.

  Kale smiled noticeably from his downcast face and cast a gleeful look back to his friend Emil at his own father’s side. Tiet laid his hand on Kale’s shoulder.

  “Son, I’m very proud of you. Don’t think you’ll be perfect and never make a mistake. Mistakes are to be learned from; you’ll always be my son and I’ll never stop loving you.”

  Kale grinned openly then hugged his father as hard as he could, which Tiet noticed was pretty hard. His boy was no longer a boy, at least not by Barudii standards; he was now setting out as a man.

  “Well, Mirah are you sure you still want to put up with Emil for a week?” asked Grod.

  “Of course! We’re just beginning to celebrate. How could Kale ever enjoy it without Emil around?”

  The two young men grinned at each other again.

  “You two go on ahead and get Emil’s things. We’ll meet you at the transport.”

  “Yes, Mother.”

  Emil looked to Grod who nodded his approval, then he went off with Kale to the boy’s quarters to fetch his things. This was a time of celebration; it was customary for the boys to go out on their own for an outing after the trials were passed, and they were eager to get going. They were planning another surprise upon their return and they needed just a little more time for their final preparations before unveiling it.

  XVI

  THERE was no need to chime the door when Lucin arrived, in Estall’s form, at the Councilman’s home; he was already waiting for him. Licoure opened the door and allowed him in. No need for introductions, they knew each other all too well. Licoure was already a part of Lucin’s assimilated slaves.

  “You have it, then?” asked Licoure as he motioned to the object Lucin was carrying wrapped in a black cloth.

  “Of course, Councilman. After all, I’m a friend of the family and trusted,” Lucin said deviously through his form as the human Estall.

  “Then let’s proceed.”

  Lucin removed the cloth to reveal a Barudii blade of particular ownership.

  “This action should provide enough doubt among the Castillians and Horva to allow us to remove Tiet from the equation and gain the boy,” said Lucin.

  “The boy is most valuable. He will provide a fitting body for you, master.”

  Lucin nodded and then raised the blade to set his mark and drove it straight into the chest of the councilman. The Vorn man jerked and cried out from the pain, then fell dead to the floor; his life blood pouring through the wound and out on to the floor around his body. Lucin left the blade inside the man and walked back out the door.

  There were no guards present at the time. Licoure had given them some time off, telling them he had a meeting planned with the King. Everything was progressing perfectly and soon he would have the boy and complete conquest of this planet would be his.

  TIET didn’t even bother to return home after the trials at Nagon-Toth. He had a little time to shop in Baeth Periege at the downtown district before getting to his meeting with Licoure. The councilman probably wanted to threaten him again concerning his willingness to keep associations with the Horva. Doubtless the councilman was aware of the trials having been held at Grod’s compound and was fuming about it.

  He left his transport in the basement garage of the tower complex where Licoure had his residence and ascended in the lift to the councilman’s private floor. When the lift doors opened Tiet was met by armed Vorn soldiers.

  “So you’ve returned to the scene of the crime! Guard him, men,” said Councilman Teman.

  The soldiers trained there weapons on the King.

  “What’s going on!?” asked Tiet urgently as the group of soldiers encircled him with looks of hatred on their faces. Men that he had trained and fought with suddenly looked like they would enjoy pulling the trigger on him.

  “You have killed the chairmen of the high council and you dare to come back here and feign ignorance? Maybe you’ve returned for this!” said Teman as he pointed back to Estall who was behind him holding a very familiar item; his own father’s Barudii blade. The weapon was covered in the coagulated blood of Licoure. Tiet couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

  “Was the councilman’s request of you so harsh that you had to kill him?” asked Estall with astonishment on his face.

  “Surely you don’t think I did this!”

  But the look on his face was not reassuring.

  “It is your blade and you were scheduled for a meeting with the councilman today, which you’re an hour late for…”

  “I’m not late; the meeting was set to begin in another ten minutes.”

  “Not according to Licoure’s schedule!” said Estall. “Do you happen to have a transcript of the message Licoure sent to you concerning your meeting?”

  “No, why would I bother to—”

  “Perhaps you would have us believe the chairman gave you a different time and then he conveniently crept into your secure residence and stole your own weapon so that he could creep back here and drive it through his own chest to kill himself!” said Councilman Teman with as much malice in his tone as he could muster.

  “Councilman, honestly I don’t know what’s going on here, please just allow me to prove my innocence.”

  “You may do that in our court of law; that is, if you are willing to surrender yourself to our authority?”

  Tiet was about to answer when Estall interrupted. “I’m sure, Councilman, that the king would be all too willing to cooperate in this matter—after all, an innocent man has nothing to fear from the law.”

  It wasn’t exactly what he was thinking to say, especially with public Vorn opinion going against his leadership right now. He might very well end up as a scapegoat in such a situation, and who but the Castillians would oppose it with a Vorn councilman dead and Tiet’s own blade apparently the murder weapon. But with Estall and Teman staring at him waiting for his response, what else could he do?

  If he resisted, he would only worsen his public image by putting himself above the law and with these armed soldiers around it would be a fight to leave anyway. He could probably get away from them, even unarmed, but at what cost? Civil war would certainly erupt and it would only be the grace of God that would prevent it now anyway. “Of course I will comply with the law, Councilman; I only ask a fair hearing.”

  “You will have what the law provides, as with any other suspect. Men, arrest this man.”

  Two of the armed Vorn men moved to place restraints on him while the others stood their ground with their rifles still trained on him. Tiet did not offer any resistance to their efforts. Lucin, in the form of Estall, watched without suspicion as he was led away by the soldiers.

  A secure facility was already awaiting his arrival. Lucin had taken great care to see that every possible measure was in place to secure him. He looked at Teman as Tiet was escorted off of the floor by way of the lift.

  Teman was not of his mind, at least not yet. But he was a willing participant nonetheless; even if he didn’t realize that the prisoner was actually innocent of the crime. He was all too ready to believe that the king was capable of such a crime and was poised to make the most of the entire situation.

  “I suppose you will need to assume control of the council in Licoure’s absence, Sir,” suggested Lucin with devious intent.

  “It’s unfortunate that this has all happened, but I’m ready to do my duty to the Council as the alternate for the chair,” said Teman.

  “If it’s all right, Mr. Chairman, I will accompany the prisoner to our detention facility and see that he is secured properly.”

  “I know you and Tiet have been good friends, Estall. I hope you realize that he must stand trial; I want to know you won’t attempt to help him escape the law. It would cause a civil war.”

  “Sir, I assure you, I couldn’t have any thought furthe
r from my mind.”

  Teman looked pleased by the response and Lucin, in his guise as the man Estall, turned to go into the lift. A sly smile crossed his lips at the thought of trying to let Tiet go after all the effort to frame him. After years and years of covertly assimilating a large portion of the population in the twelve cities, the time had finally come. The populous was his to command; an angel severed from the gates of heaven, but still commanding his own destiny.

  There wouldn’t be enough time to have any sort of legal proceedings. Everyone would soon be under his control and come to be joined within the symbyte collective as the Baruk once had been. With the king out of the way, and the boy within his grasp, the time to act was now. The lift doors closed in behind him as Licoure’s body was being removed from his residence; all according to plan.

  EMIL steadied himself as he awaited the attack. Kale stood across the large training room that doubled for his bedroom. From a rack of weapons, he picked up a vest with spicors stuffed in it and put it on as he looked at Emil, who stood with only a wooden bow to fight with. The spicors were not armed of course, as that would certainly bring his parents screaming into his bedroom if any were to go off.

  Kale started toward Emil with his array of weaponry located all over his uniform.

  “Now concentrate, Emil. Remember to let go of your physical senses to some extent and allow them to be heightened and helped by the kinesis.”

  “Sometimes if I concentrate too hard I lose it altogether.”

  “Just try to let it flow naturally. You’ll get that feeling of being inside and part of an energy field, as though it were an extension of your own body and mind; transmitting information to you and obeying your commands. Don’t fight it. Embrace it. After all, you have the ability; you just need to hone it.”

  “My father will be so excited when we surprise everybody; I can’t wait until we get back from the outing!”

  “Well let’s get to work so you can really show him something.”

  Kale brought up a handful of spicors and began to hurl them at Emil. He dodged the first which was meant to bring him into the path of the second. He brought his bow to bear as the disc embedded into the wood in front of his face. The remaining discs came quickly as he dodged about, allowing some to pass into the wall behind him and deflecting others away as he brought the bow spinning elegantly around himself.