Teague nodded solemnly. “That and the passing of time,” he answered. “The longer the magic went on, the weaker it became. The Gatekeeper’s power is failing him, I’m afraid.”
Julian was beginning to feel a bit foolish for the way he had acted, but he was not going to back down. He should have been informed of the meeting.
“That's just what I was trying to explain to the council when you started kicking the door,” Teague said.
Julian nodded, staring down at the table then back to Teague. “We need to send someone to Canor to find Garland Ainsley,” he said. “I can't do it because I have to be off to Farlaweer for the next part of my mission.”
“I just got back from Canor,” Teague said. “Have a seat, Julian,” he motioned to Julian’s open chair next to Nalani. His cheeks flushed red and he did what he was told, avoiding eye contact with anyone, especially Nalani. Ward Holden remained standing, stroking his gray, short beard, probably discerning how he looked in front of their new leadership. Julian boiled at the thought of Holden gaining prestige with anyone of importance. It made him sick.
“The truth, per my instruction, has been kept from you all,” Teague said. “Only Kaden Osric knew exactly what happened. At the time, he was the only person I could trust.”
Julian noticed Holden look down at the floor, almost in shame. He wondered what might have happened between the two.
“I was once a knight under the king of Marenon. With that honor comes a new name. My new name was Sir Barton Teague. What you should know is that my birth name is Garland Ainsley.”
Teague waited a moment to allow the words to sink in. Several council members exchanged looks with one another, but remained silent. Ward kept his eyes on the floor.
“When the Dunarians were gaining power and renown in Marenon, when our voice was becoming stronger, I decided to keep the name Barton Teague. It was a name of power and recognition in Marenon and it helped us gain a lot of support in a time of need. The disappearance of Barton Teague, while Garland Ainsley took care of young Silas on Earth was no coincidence. The boy is not my son; he is my grandson and I was the only family he had at that time. I felt I was the only one that should take him to keep him from the destructive influence of the Stühocs.
“Now, that protection has diminished. Two of the possessed killed me two days ago and now I am here, back to Marenon and in the Dunarian’s service. I sent Kaden to protect the boy, and bring back the medallion as we had planned when Silas was a baby. The fate of the boy is in Kaden’s hands now. Silas is a big part of Operation Reckoning.”
“A very big part,” councilman Darius Umar said.
Teague nodded. “Without Silas, The Reckoning cannot exist. It is an operation that he will eventually have to finish himself.”
Julian sat with his eyes fixed on the table in front of him. He didn't like that Teague had just taken over like this. He understood the circumstances were dire, but Holden shouldn't have let him walk all over the council. He drummed his fingers on the side of his chair repeatedly as he listened to Holden and the others talk. Nalani placed a calming hand on his, but it did not have the desired effect that he suspected she wanted. Unable to contain himself any longer, he stood and all eyes once again fell on Julian.
“I'm sorry Sir Teague, but what is it that we are supposed to do now? Do you want us to abandon what we've been doing now that you are here?”
“What you've been doing has been part of the plan for many years. I left the plans for The Reckoning with Kaden seventeen years ago for him to begin implementation when the time was right. That time has come and that’s why you have been sent to retrieve the medallions. I expect you to move forward with what you have been working toward and get the rest of them.”
“And what about Silas?” Julian asked.
“Silas Ainsley is not your concern, Julian,” Ward Holden said. “Your next mission is to travel to Farlaweer and try to obtain possession of another medallion.”
Julian nodded. “You don’t have to remind me of my duties.”
“Silas is being taken care of by Kaden,” Holden continued, “and that should be good enough for you.”
“How many of the medallions do we have?” Garland asked, sensing the tension.
Holden looked down, and hesitated briefly. “As you just said, we only recently began operations in obtaining them.”
Garland waited.
“Julian has just met with a group to help us acquire the medallion from Timugo,” Holden said, “and as I mentioned he will soon be on his way to Farlaweer to meet with the king. How he plans to get the medallion is a mystery to me still, but he says he is confident.”
Julian nodded. “I am.”
“The king has no love for you or the Dunarians,” Holden said. “He will not simply hand it over.”
“I am aware of the king’s feelings,” Julian bristled. “I don’t need you to convey them to me.”
Holden then motioned to Nalani. “Councilwoman Nalani Geldwin has been planning and extensive operation to get into Voelif and attempt to take the medallion from that territory.”
Garland looked confused for a moment. “You mean, you're trying to steal the medallions?” he asked.
Silence.
“I thought I made it clear that we were to obtain them by gaining allies, and using them to unite against the Stühocs!” Garland was now on his feet, his jaws clenched. “That is what this has been about from the beginning! We Dunarians cannot, nor have we ever been able to fight the Stühocs on our own. We are too small. And to think that we can be successful by stealing from our potential allies is completely ridiculous!”
“With all due respect,” Holden began, “We have attempted to-”
“I don't want to hear it! What have you turned this council into?”
Holden hesitated, and then spoke. “Kaden is the council leader, my lord,” he said, eyes still fixed on the floor.
“This council works as one,” Garland said. “At least it did when I was in command. You're using hirelings; you're doing covert operations. How are you expecting to gain any allies?” He stopped only to catch his breath. His red face was blazing. “It's difficult enough to maintain stability in Marenon when your existence is illegal, but when you deliberately try to make everyone your enemy, you set yourself up for defeat!”
“I disagree,” Julian said. “Our purpose is to eradicate the Stühocs. If everyone else is willing to stand idly by while the Stühocs build an army bent on Marenon's destruction, then they are already our enemies.” He took a deep breath. No one was surprised at his boldness except for Garland who was now thunderstruck.
“The only allies we need are the Erellens, but we've failed to gain their support as well,” Julian said. “Right now our only hope is to get all the medallions by any means necessary. You know this is true, Teague. This has been discussed and voted on by the Dunarian Council. It is now policy, and we have the obligation to follow that policy. I'm sorry if I sound rude, but you have no right making demands of us anymore. You are not a voting member, therefore you have no input in what we do from here on out.”
Eyes were wide and breaths were shallow. “Julian! Know your place,” Holden said. “You are addressing the founding father of the Dunarian people. If it were not for him, you wouldn't be in this room.”
Garland lightly rapped his fist on the table, as a look of defeat spread across his face.
“No, he's right. I have overstepped my boundaries.” He looked at Julian. “I am sorry for having come in here acting the way I have. I wrote the laws, which the council abides by. I should know them better than any of you.”
The room felt heavy with awkwardness and no person knew where to go from there until Garland spoke again.
“I would ask the council that I be allowed to have some input into the carrying out of council operations, however. I have experience and would be an asset to you.”
Holden cleared his throat. “Someone get Dublin in here.” Councilwoman Ka
therine Fallera was closest to the door and rose to get the old man. After a moment or two, he walked in with a giant book and quill in his hand, ready to take notes of any action taken by the council.
“Is anyone willing to make a motion for Barton Teague to sit in on council meetings and to give opinion regarding missions involving Operation Reckoning, while acknowledging the member and leader, Kaden Osric, is not present?” Holden asked.
“I make the motion,” Nalani said, giving Julian a look from the side as if to say, I dare you to vote against me.
“I second it,” Quincy Todd said.
“Ward Holden,” Dublin called out from behind his giant book.
“Aye.”
“Katherine Fallera.”
“Aye.”
“Darius Umar.”
“Aye.”
“Myron Lloyd.”
“Aye.”
“Julian Hobbes.”
He stared into Garland's eyes. He felt no remorse for having put the man in his place. He shouldn't have been there. He shouldn't have been sitting at the table. Who cared if he founded the council? He left it behind too long ago to know how things worked now. Julian didn’t want another old man telling him how to run his missions. Ward Holden did enough of that as second in command. The vote was already passed, but protocol forced Julian to vote. It was a question of are you with me, or are you against me? Julian had a feeling that either way, Teague was going to be stepping on too many toes before The Reckoning was ever finished.
He looked down to his right. Nalani stared at him with disappointment in her eyes. He hated this, because he loved her. He knew how much she admired the short history of the Dunarians and how much she must have admired Barton Teague. He wished she could someday admire him as much. She never would if he kept going his own way, but he felt justified. He felt wronged by the council that day. Too many times he had been treated as the least important, the scrub sent to do the dirty work. He stared down into the table.
“I oppose,” he said. He then turned and walked out of the chamber.
Chapter Six
With time running short and the Stühocs hot on their trail, Kaden and Silas charged through the woods at a grueling pace. Silas’ exhaustion had long been replaced with his last reserves of adrenaline. After what felt like a marathon run, they had made it near the entrance of the cave. Silas reached to the ground and picked up the shotgun that had been left where he had cradled his dying grandfather just before being knocked unconscious. So much had happened so quickly. The pain of loss for his grandfather had not yet grown inside of him merely because of his focus on his own survival. But grieving would come in time. He slung the shotgun over his shoulder. It would be useful should the Stühocs catch up to them before Silas and Kaden could reach the gate. Near the entrance of the cave Silas saw Marcus and Theron’s bodies where the two had left them a short time ago. Silas’ stomach twisted in knots, and he had to look away from their corpses.
“How deep into the cave is this gate?” Silas asked looking anywhere but at the ground.
Kaden didn't answer quickly. Silas watched as he studied the cave from the firelight of the torches. Rock formations towered throughout the cave. It was a wonderful, natural beauty marred only by the memory of death and torture taken place over a two-day span.
“I came here from a different location,” Kaden said, almost to himself. “But Garland assured me that the gate was through this cave.”
“Where exactly does this gate lead?”
“Marenon,” Kaden said.
“Mare-what?”
“Marenon. It’s where your grandfather is now. It’s where you will be safe.”
Silas shook his head confused and drained. Kaden seemed to be speaking nonsense, but to his credit, actual Stühocs had just attacked them. Until recently, Silas had not thought that possible. Maybe it didn’t make sense now, but he would have to trust Kaden and wait for answers. Now was not that time.
They made their way through the cave, following the path. They marched steeper down toward the gate Garland had said was there. Neither Kaden nor Silas knew how far it was. It could have been any distance.
Kaden grabbed one of the torches hanging on the wall that had long since gone out and lit it once again for their descent. The path narrowed considerably as they moved and they soon found themselves hunched over with little space to run. Knowing that the Stühocs were on their trail and that a Stühoc lord named Maroke led the vile creatures, Silas felt a surge of panic at their slow mobility. Several times, the sword and gun over his shoulder hit the cave top as they moved forward. He pulled the gun to his side and gripped it tightly. It had only two shells and though he preferred the sword, the gun would do well in an enclosed space.
They continued down the shaft until Silas felt as though he might topple forward in his effort to crouch low enough. The fire from Kaden’s torch flickered faintly ahead of him, calling him to follow. Soon, the cave began to expand and the two of them found themselves at the end of it. It had broadened into a bare, dusty chamber and the ceiling rose at least twenty feet above them with the walls no more than fifteen feet apart. Compared to what they had been traveling through, it felt rather large. A red, stone wall, barren of any gate they had hoped to find, stood in front of them. Kaden swore loudly.
“Where is it?” Silas whispered.
Silas looked behind him, shaking at the thought of the approaching army, hoping they hadn’t tracked their location into the cave.
Kaden searched up and down the wall looking for a hole or a notch to place the medallion as a key. Nothing.
Then there was the sound. A faint yet clear screech came from the distance echoing off of the cave walls, finally reaching the room.
“They’re in the cave,” Silas said, his eyes wide with fear.
“There isn’t much time.”
“Where’s the gate?”
“I don’t know!” Kaden nearly shouted. “I can’t find where I’m supposed to place the medallion!”
Silas's palms were getting sweaty. The cave was cold, but he didn't feel it. His heart pumped blood through his body at a rapid pace, slowly warming his skin from underneath. His body was tired, but he stood rigid with the shotgun resting in his hands ready to blow the head off the first Stühoc Leaper to expose its foul snout. His mind, however, was wide-awake, still plagued with unanswered questions, but thinking about them was pointless. They were facing death. There was no doubt in his mind that this was real. Silas had never been a person that had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Dreams may be this chilling, but they never hurt this badly. They never left him as exhausted and beaten as he felt now.
He heard Kaden mutter something to himself and then he yelled. “I found it!”
Silas was engrossed with thoughts of the coming horde, too focused to see what Kaden was doing. The war cries grew louder. Silas was certain their bloodthirsty shrieks would send chills into the devil himself.
Kaden placed the medallion in the slot he had found and Silas turned to watch as streaks of blue light began to slither across the blank wall. This was it. Garland had been truthful from the beginning. Perhaps they would not have to face the Stühocs.
Kaden threw the torch to the ground, fixed an arrow in his bow and stood next to Silas.
“It may take a few moments for the gate to open,” Kaden said.
“We might not have a few moments,” Silas said.
“I suppose your grandfather’s training is about to come in handy.”
“Let’s hope the gate opens before we have to find out.”
The wailing and squealing was louder and soon the Stühocs were only seconds away. Silas held the gun steady, finger on the trigger, as Kaden pulled back on his bowstring. They both stood, waiting. The wall behind them was getting brighter with blue light. The gate was almost open.
At the first sight of a Leaper, Kaden sent an arrow sailing, hitting the monster in the chest. Silas let off a shot, sending two of them to
the ground at once.
The wall behind seemed to churn into a standing blue liquid, the light fading in and out.
Silas let off his final shot, taking down two more Leapers in a bloody crash. He instantly pulled out his sword taking a defensive position. Once Kaden had finished his quiver of arrows he did the same thing. They had no choice but to let the Stühocs come in close.
Silas stole a glance backward. “How do we know when it’s open?”
“We’ll know!” Kaden said.
In that instant a Leaper jumped toward Silas at full force. He ducked low causing the Leaper to overstep him. He turned and sliced the creature through the ribs sending ashy gray blood pouring to the stone floor.
The Stühocs then unexpectedly became quiet. Silas and Kaden stood ready for another round of attacks, but it didn’t come. From the darkness ahead, breaking the silence with a slow chuckle stood a tall, ominous figure.
“Maroke,” Kaden said through his teeth.
Maroke was nothing like Silas had expected. He was built like a man, but much taller with Human-like facial features. He might have been handsome were it not for all the battle scars streaming down his face and neck on his gray skin. His long, black hair was braided and fell over both of his massive shoulders. His body was clad in metal armor and his arms were larger than Silas’ head, leading down to giant fists holding a sword. Yet as he moved from the shadows, the most unnerving characteristic of Maroke was the Stühoc leader’s red eyes. They glowed in the darkness like fire. The Stühoc smiled, revealing a row of sharp, canine teeth. He held up his arm to the Leapers still pouring into the room, commanding them to move only when he gave the order. Silas scanned the army in front of him. They were outnumbered by at least a hundred.
A droplet of sweat rolled dangerously close to Silas' eyeball nearly causing him to blink and wipe by natural reaction. He feared any movement would trigger the Stühoc’s aggression.
Maroke held his sword ready, but as he entered the chamber, he slowly lowered it and began to chuckle. The laugh made Silas feel sick to his stomach. It was pure evil and it sounded too high for a creature of such great dominance.
The Marenon Chronicles Collection Page 6