“I was raised in a world far darker and crueller than this one boy. Do my people starve? Do they suffer disease? Are they at risk from invaders and warlords? Do they live in fear? No.”
“-but they’re slaves. They’re not free and you say they don’t live in fear, all I have known my entire life is fear.”
The Supreme scoffed.
“Free? Freedom brings war, chaos and death. When I first took my power, in my naivety I gave the oppressed their freedom. I freed them from the tyranny of kings and emperors. I gave them total freedom. You know what they did with such freedom? They butchered each other as they fought for food, wealth, land. I realised with horror that I had made the world even worse than it was before. Hence, I remade it. The second time, I created a system where the people could choose their rulers. For a time, it seemed to work, but before long, those who sought election to rule became corrupt, committing all sorts of vile acts in their pursuit of power. I watched from the shadows hoping that the people would see sense, but again they turned on one another. Faction fought faction as they became more and more divided and fractured by ideologies. As the world slid once more into chaos I intervened.”
A thought struck Elian. All the stories and historical records he’d been told about said that the Supreme’s Imperium had stood for three hundred years, there was no record of what she was now describing to him.
“You’re older than three hundred – aren’t you?” he muttered.
An amused smile crossed her lips and a look of mischief was in her blue eyes.
“You are a clever one Elian. Yes, I am much, much older than that. I no longer recall how long ago it was that I came to be the way I am. I now record time from the beginning of each, - shall we say experiment. You see, I have tried every form of rule and civilisation I can think of. I tried with all my being to give the people the freedom you speak of, but every. single. time, they resorted to destroying themselves. Would it surprise you to learn that my Imperium has proven to be the longest lasting of such experiments? Enslavement of the masses with a small ruling class overseen directly by myself and ruled by their fear of what I would do to them, has ironically hailed an era of peace in this world far longer than any other. In fact -,” she said as she crossed the room to look out of the large window overlooking the ruined city below, “- I am surprised that it has taken this long for them to resist.”
Elian stared at her, his hands knotting into fists.
“What of Arikar? They’ve always resisted you,” he said. It was true, all his life the Imperium had battled with the Arikar. To his surprise, she chuckled.
“Oh, dear boy, the Arikar are no freer than the people in my Imperium. The Mentors have seized control of them. I also learnt that when people are free and there is no danger or something for them to fight for or against, they turn inwards and create problems that would never have arisen otherwise. Conflict is good for people. I could end that war whenever I wish,” she said dismissively.
“I-I don’t believe you,” Elian stammered. What she was telling him was against everything he thought he knew.
“Then let me show you,” she said, once more touching him, this time taking his hand.
***
Chapter 25.
It was a slaughter. After decades of misrule, the people had finally had enough. The starved and oppressed had risen, their numbers vast. The bloodletting had been horrific and thick clouds of smoke from hundreds of fires covered the city of Aeranyth. The rich were being butchered like animals, their property destroyed with fire and fury, the soldiers meant to defend them turning on their former masters. Anarchy had engulfed the world and even the Empowered Ones could not halt the tide of chaos.
“We have to hurry. The mob was spotted heading towards the Temple of Arrival,” the woman’s mentor said as they Bounded over the city’s rooftops.
“We should flee,’ shouted one of the other Mentor’s running with them.
“We’ve failed in our duty to uphold peace and justice we cannot fail in our most sacred purpose of defending the Oracle,” the woman snapped angrily. She could barely contain her loathing for her fellows. It was they who had allowed the chaos to spread and grow, it was their arrogance that had turned the people against them. She leapt a chasm between two buildings with skilful grace and landed in a crouch. Ahead of them loomed the Temple of Arrival and beneath them, surging toward it in the warren of alleys and streets below were millions of people.
“The Grand Mentor is a fool. Why retreat to the Temple of all places. He must realise they’re coming for his head,” said the woman’s mentor.
She nodded in agreement. She still held some small amount of respect for her mentor. Aurelian had raised her since her Emergence. He’d been a kind but strict taskmaster, but he too had been corrupted by his position and power. Unlike the others he did not look down upon the people, he did not believe that they should accept their lot and simply obey.
The Empowered Ones leapt down from the rooftops and Bounded through the surprised crowd scattering people like bowling pins. Once through the mob they dashed inside the Temple and sealed the doors.
The great hall was eerily empty save for a half dozen cloaked figures stood whispering to one another in scared tones. A loud banging echoed as the crowd outside surged forward once again to force their way inside.
“So few of you have made it!” greeted the Grand Mentor.
“The others are dead Penda. Stop this madness, we can still save the situation, we can still keep the oath we made to the Visitors,” pleaded her Mentor.
Penda shook his head.
“No Aurelian we cannot. There is only one option left to us. We must use the Oracle. We must remake the world into one where we are the masters. Only then will there be peace.”
“You’ve gone mad! Mentor we cannot allow him to do this” pleaded the woman. The half dozen Empowered Ones stepped protectively in front of Penda.
“It is the only way,” said one.
“This has been your scheme all along! I cannot allow you to do this,” Aurelian shouted.
Tension filled the chamber.
The two groups of Empowered Ones faced one another; the tension grew and grew until with a roar they launched themselves at each other. The girl dashed forward ducking the blows of her opponent and delivered an Anger enhanced punch to his abdomen. She embraced the Anger she felt within, focusing on the memories of her stolen childhood, of the horrors the Mentors had allowed to happen. Before her foe could use Joy to heal, she followed up with another strike to the base of his skull. The impact snapped his neck with a sickening crack to almost remove his head entirely. To her right, Aurelian was battling three of Penda’s followers whilst her other companions were lying dead or wounded.
“Stop him!” Aurelian shouted to her.
She looked towards the end of the chamber to see Penda running towards the Oracle’s sanctuary. Narrowing her eyes, she tapped into Fear and sprinted after him, she could not allow him to get inside the sanctuary.
Penda had reached the huge stone doors; he took an amulet from around his neck and placed it against the small star-shaped indentation carved into its surface. With a loud crack, the door slid open. A blinding light filled the chamber almost dazzling the Empowered Ones. The woman shielded her eyes against the glare. As her eyes adjusted to the light, she gasped. Pure Power was flowing from the huge cylindrical object standing at the heart of the vast room. Penda stepped inside and she followed. She looked in amazement, she had always thought the Oracle was some sort of treasure, but now she knew better. It was a piece of unfathomable technology. Strange metallic tubes were attached to it and positioned in a circular pattern were alcoves of a design alien to her world. Strange patterns were etched into the black metallic walls and metallic objects beyond her comprehension hung from racks.
Inside the Oracle, hummed pure energy.
“The last gift of the Visitors. With this I shall remake the world,” Penda said. He stepped toward the Orac
le and placed his hands upon its surface.
“The Power in its purest form,” he muttered in awe.
The woman forced herself to focus, tearing her eyes from the marvel before her. She had to stop Penda. She launched herself at the Grand Mentor and shoved him aside. He spun and punched her with a force that sent her sprawling across the room. She landed heavily and cried out in pain. Several ribs had been shattered; blood oozed from her nose.
Penda laughed mockingly and moved to stand in one of the strange alcoves. To her shock, a cavity in the wall slid open and out emerged a metallic tentacle. It wrapped itself around Penda and to her horror, the Empowered One began to glow. He screamed in agony as the Oracle fed off his Power. She staggered to her feet, using Joy to heal her injuries and dashed forward. Channelling all the Anger she could muster she gripped the tentacle and prised it from Penda’s body. It came free, but then another tentacle emerged from the wall and another. She winced as they grabbed her, and a sharp pain lanced into the back of her neck. The Oracle hummed, louder and louder until it became so high pitched that her ears bled. She closed her eyes, unable to free herself.
It was then a cloaked figure flew into the room to crash against the chambers far wall. The Empowered crumpled into a heap and in strode Aurelian. Seeing his apprentice entangled by the Oracle he crossed the distance in a single bound, grabbed the tentacle and ripped it free. The girl fell to her knees gasping. More tentacles emerged from the walls grabbing Aurelian and pulling him into the now blindingly bright centre. With a flash, he vanished and then the Oracle started to pulse faster and faster.
“No!” Penda screamed in rage.
There was a blinding flash and the world turned black.
*
Elian fell to the floor retching. The intensity of the vision was overwhelming.
“I stopped Penda and in doing so the Power stored inside the Oracle went into me. Somehow, I survived, but the Oracle itself was drained. Another side effect was that Penda, who survived was also affected. When I came to, he was gone and everything outside the Temple of Arrival had been destroyed. Aeranyth was a ruined land and has remained that way ever since. I emerged changed, more powerful than any Empowered One who has ever lived. I saw things with new understanding, the Oracle had bestowed upon me a gift and I used it. I brought the squabbling kingdoms to heel, I brought peace and I gave them your precious freedom.”
Elian staggered to his feet and wiped the spittle from his mouth.
“What happened to Penda?” he croaked.
The Supreme frowned.
“Years later I discovered that he lived. He tried to defeat me, to reclaim the Temple for himself. I bested him yet again but learnt that like me he had been bestowed with immortality. When I created the Imperium, he took control of the Arikar and ever since he has used them to fight me. I believe you know Vavius, he is his servant. Once the Ritual is complete, I will find him and bend him to my will.”
Elian’s mind reeled at the revelations. There was another like the Supreme, an Empowered One that was just as insane and wicked as she.
“You hate them, don’t you? The Empowered Ones,” he asked. Now he understood the Hollowed.
The Supreme gave him a hard look before nodding.
“I hunted them all after my ascension. It was they that had brought the world to ruin. I vowed that whenever I found one that I would strip of them of everything they were. I took their emotions, for they were the source of their power. I took their eyes for they were what they saw their world through. I made them MY slaves, prisoners in their own minds bent to serve only me,” she explained a hint of madness in her eyes.
The door to the room opened and in walked a Hollowed. Behind it, being led in chains was a man and a woman. Elian looked at them. Both looked half-starved and filthy. Dirty rags were their only clothing and filth covered their faces
At first, he couldn’t believe his eyes, but then he recognised them. He rushed over to them.
“Mother, father!” he cried pulling them into a hug, tears of happiness streaming from his eyes. Dora and Helias wept. Helias gripped his hand tightly, his eyes wide in fear.
“No, no, no!” he shouted. “Please, let him go,” he pleaded desperately.
Elian spun to face the Supreme. His hands knotted into fists as he prepared to fight to free his parents.
“Let them go,” he growled.
The Supreme shook her head.
“I will. But first, they have an important task to perform. It is time you learnt the truth about yourself Elian. Tell him, my dear Helias.”
“What truth?” Elian demanded. He looked to his father, utter misery was behind the man’s eyes and his bottom lip trembled. Dora held her head in her hands weeping.
“Father? Mother?”
Helias fell to his knees and took Elian’s hand.
“Know that we love you Elian. Know that whatever happens, you will always be our son.” Helias said unable to hold Elian’s gaze.
“We-we are not your parents Elian. You were given to us by a man named Yin when you were just a few weeks old. We couldn’t have children of our own you see so when we were offered you, we took you in as our son.”
The revelation struck Elian like a fist to the guts. He stepped back in horror as the words sank in.
“We raised you as our own, we never knew who your real parents were, we just knew that we loved you as our little miracle,” Dora sobbed.
The Supreme gestured and the Hollowed stepped forward placing a bony hand around both of their throats.
“Now my son, will you do as I command?” the Supreme asked.
Elian wiped the tears from his eyes. If he resisted his parents would be killed. He wanted to fight, he wanted to launch himself at the Hollowed and rip its heart out, but he knew that it would be folly. Slowly, he turned to face the Supreme- his mother.
“What do you need me to do?” he whispered.
The Supreme smiled at him.
“First you will come with me. Your friends have arrived and it’s time to put an end to this little rebellion.”
*
The Liberator army formed up on the narrow plain leading to Aeranyth. The force was heavily outnumbered by the Imperium defenders, but even so, they would offer battle. Alarm bells sounded from the Imperium encampment and within minutes thousands of soldiers formed into battle lines.
Marcian was on horseback wearing his long blue overcoat and watched his fighters take up similar formations. On the right flank was the cavalry, positioned at the widest point of the valley in order to allow them to manoeuvre. To the left were his best trained warriors, the Blue Coats. Their role would prove vital in the strategy devised by Lizella and himself. To the rear were the cannons and their gun crews. Ahead, the mighty Guardian war machines hissed into life, the ground shaking as they moved. He closed his eyes and uttered a prayer to whoever would listen. Walking ahead of the army, his green cloak flapping in the cold breeze was Vavius. The man strode forward his head held high. Even with such odds stacked against them, he wasn’t cowed. The other Gifted were on the left flank. Rea would use her powers to attempt to dull the senses and morale of the enemy whilst Garen would do what he could to incapacitate as many Imperium soldiers as he could with Disgust. Kasdar meanwhile marched with the Blue Coats, his top hat and long coat clearly visible and his sword drawn.
Finally, the army came to a halt and the two forces watched one another across the plain. Marcian raised his spyglass to his eye, but he wasn’t watching the enemy, instead, he was looking at the mountains, for signs of Lizella.
*
She’d never been fond of heights at the best of times and had never imagined that she’d end up where she was now. Climbing the side of a mountain with little more than a rope tied about her waist. Of course, it didn’t help that she had a barrel of gunpowder strapped to her back. The others did too, but they were far nimbler than she. Ahead, Lizella could see the four other Blue Coats, all handpicked men and women from the peop
le freed from Hestra, in her squad clambering up the peak’s rocky surface. A similar team would be scaling the mountains on the other side of the valley. They had to be careful. One slip and they would give away their position to the enemy amassed far below. Marcian had begged her not to go, but this was her plan. She couldn’t let others take all the risk. Even from their height, they could hear the wailing of war trumpets and the beating of drums. The Liberator army had formed up on the plain if it was to have any chance her plan had to work.
“Up there,” said Bron, the man ahead of her. He was perfect for this mission. He’d led an engineering core whilst in the Imperium and after he’d been caught for desertion he’d been sent to the mines of Hestra. There his skills with demolitions and sapping had proven invaluable. After his liberation from the mines, he had pledged his allegiance to the Liberators and had quickly proven himself an expert. It was he who Lizella had discussed and planned this mission with. He pointed to a narrow rocky shelf a few feet above them. She nodded and followed him up, careful not to let the heavy barrel pull her backwards and over the mountainside. The Blue Coats quickly moved into position, took the barrels off their backs and set about placing them. Lizella did likewise; following their instructions. The two men and one woman who was in her squad had all worked in the mines before their freedom, all were experts with explosives. Bron took her hand and pulled her up onto the narrow ledge and helped her place the barrel. Next, he took a long wire fuse out of his pack and set about attaching it to each of the barrels.
“This’ll do nicely. Hopefully, the other team are in position.”
“We need to time this just right,” Lizella said, her eyes fixed on the plain below. A loud boom reached her ears as the Imperium guns opened fire. The battle had begun.
*
Earth was blasted high into the air as the Imperium guns first volley fell short of the Liberator lines. Marcian tightened his grip on the reigns of his horse to steady it, he knew the next round wouldn’t miss. He drew his sword and held it high, giving his own gun crews the signal to return fire. Six loud bangs sounded as the Liberator cannons opened fire to send deadly balls of lead whistling over the heads of the army. Unlike the enemy, they didn’t miss. Even from this distance, he could see the carnage the projectiles inflicted on the Imperium front line.
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