"Even now, I can see that your light is fading," continued Rankin. "I think it may be time that you stepped down and let a younger ‘Mada fulfill your duties."
"I still have enough light for this room," replied Dario as he continued to rub his temple. Though his title as governor of Reysa may have been as empty as the lotus' energy orb, it was still his and he would not let the city's highest political office fall to a Gartune.
"It does not take any great amount of strength to be your puppet, only a flexible spine," Dario continued. "As long as I can hold a pen, I can hold this office."
"That's the spirit!" quipped Xander, the youngest Gartune in the room, as he held up Dario's hand for closer examination. "I'd say these old fingers have at least two or three years of penmanship left in them! Perhaps you should take this time to learn how to write, Rankin."
Rankin scowled at Xander but said nothing. He dared not give voice to his thoughts, even though it was no secret that Rankin, Reysa’s chief Gartune prior to Xander's arrival, hated Xander and yearned to regain his former position. Xander was the youngest 'Mada in the room by far and did not have the experience or ambition required to fulfill his duties. But he had one thing that the other Gartune did not – a father that was the king. It wasn't even a week after Xander received his metal, that he had supplanted Rankin as chief Gartune in Reysa. But for the past five years, Xander had shown no interest in the job. He was simply there because his father had ordered it. Meanwhile, Rankin's embarrassment for being demoted turned into a smoldering hatred for the prince. Xander knew it and he didn't care.
"So what great mandate would the king have me sign into law today?" asked Dario as he slumped back in his seat at the head of the table. One of the Gartune slid over a document to Dario as he explained the mandate’s contents.
"His majesty, King Hadrian thinks it would be wise to move the city's curfew from eight o'clock to six o'clock."
"Six o'clock?!" cried Dario, sitting up in his chair. "Does your tyranny have no end? Is it not enough that you have blocked our sun? We barely have enough energy to cook our food and light our houses."
"You are lucky that we give you that much!" exclaimed one of the Gartune. "It would take but the flick of a switch and we could shroud your city in darkness for the entire day!"
"The sentries have reported several instances of mischievous behavior during the six o'clock hour," continued Rankin. "King Hadrian trusts that you will agree with his suggestion... for the safety of the city."
"For the safety of the city?" cracked Xander. Other than Dario, only Xander realized the ridiculousness of this process, and he enjoyed sneaking in the occasional undermining comment. The other Gartune at the table squirmed in their seats. A few snuck the prince a sideways glance, but they said nothing.
"For the safety of the city," sighed Dario as he signed into law the document that lay before him. He had no choice. The only reason that the Gartune, and more specifically King Hadrian, allowed Dario to retain his position as governor of Reysa was because he did everything that he was ordered to do, and because they figured that the Reysene would sooner listen to one of their own. Well, sort of their own. For Dario was the only Reytana left in Reysa.
"We would like you to make the announcement this evening," requested Rankin, although it wasn't a request. "The law shall go into effect immediately."
"Is there anything in particular that you would like him to wear, whilst he delivers the good news?" interjected Xander with a wry smile. He walked behind the governor and clapped his hands on his shoulders. "Perhaps some big floppy shoes and a red nose?"
This time, each Gartune at the table shot their prince a piercing glare, but as always, they said nothing. Dario's face was a mixture of anger and exhaustion. Years ago, it would have shown only anger.
Xander leaned over the old Reytana and whispered in his ear. "If you prefer, I can make you a vest with a bulls-eye on it. So that the citizens have something to aim for."
"Forget the vest. Put it on my forehead," replied Dario. Xander laughed and clapped the old Tormada on his shoulders.
“At least you've kept your sense of humor, old boy. These meetings wouldn't be any fun if you had lost it," said Xander.
"On to new business," declared Rankin, turning away from Xander. "My spies have sent back reports of a Reytana being spotted in Dellwood Forest."
"I too have heard a similar report," said another Gartune.
"What say you, Dario?" asked Rankin. "Have you heard any news as to the current whereabouts of your brethren?"
"As always, I have heard nothing," answered Dario defiantly, "nor do I care where they may be hiding. Those cowards are of no interest to me or my city."
"He lies!" shouted a Gartune. "He knows where they are, and he won't tell us!"
"Why would he?" said Xander. "We ask him the same question each week and he gives us the same answer. If he knows their whereabouts, then he has decided not to reveal it to us. No amount of threats will change that. In fact, I think if you asked him to choose between revealing the hiding place of the deserters or being thrown into the Delucean Sea then old Dario here would probably come dressed in his swimsuit to our next meeting."
Dario let slip a quick smile. Though he would never admit it, out of all the people in the room, he disliked Xander the least.
"Regardless," continued Rankin. "We should send a search party into the forest to investigate this further. Three hundred Reytana cannot remain undetected forever."
"Agreed," said the rest of the Gartune in unison.
"Is there any other business for the governor before he announces the new curfew?" asked Rankin. Nobody replied. "Good," said Rankin. He turned to Dario. "I have prepared your remarks. They are on your desk. I suggest memorizing them rather than reading off the paper. It will look more natural that way."
"You mean it will look like I thought of it myself," replied Dario.
"Exactly," smiled Rankin.
With that, the meeting was adjourned until the following week. As the Gartune began to file out of the room, Dario waited until only Xander was left. The prince could sense that the governor had something to say to him.
"Interested in that vest, after all?" asked Xander.
"I wear a bulls-eye every day I walk outside. I don't need a vest," answered Dario.
"Then what is it that you need? I have somewhere to be."
Dario's tone became pleading, a voice that he would never show in front of the others.
"Please, it has been almost two years since I have checked on them. Five minutes is all I request."
Xander's puckish demeanor was replaced by a rarely-seen air of seriousness. Dario's request was a dangerous one and his pleading made Xander uncomfortable. Perhaps he had been too easy on the old Reytana. Otherwise, he would never have dared to make this request.
"They're fine. They haven't changed yet."
"Please," Dario asked again, but this time he added defiantly, "it is my right!"
Xander leaned in close to the governor and inspected his face while he thought. Dario stared straight back into his eyes as the two stood in silence for several seconds.
"Look around you," said Xander. "You have no rights anymore. I thought you had accepted that."
"I still have this one," answered Dario. He was no longer pleading. "I wouldn't expect a torman to understand, but you are a Tormada for gods’ sakes! There is a code! Your father would understand."
Xander's eyes narrowed at this comment. He decided that he liked the tired, cranky Dario better than this version.
"Perhaps. Although, if your plan is to depend on the understanding of my father, I fear you will be sorely disappointed. Don't forget who put them there in the first place. Come. Do not speak."
Without another word, the two left the governor's apartment and turned the opposite direction that the others had gone. Dario followed directly behind the Gartune prince. The two Tormada walked through several corridors and down several steps until they h
ad traveled far below the capitol building and into the very heart of the cliff itself.
Eventually, they came to a long, dark corridor that was unlike any of the others that they had passed through. This hall had not been in existence for very long. The floor, walls and ceiling were formed of chiseled rock. Small torches were placed every thirty feet along the hall in order to illuminate the path. The corridor was only wide enough for one Tormada at a time and Xander set a brisk pace. His eüroc tapped in perfect time with his footsteps as they went deeper underground. Dario found that his breath was starting to come quicker and beads of sweat began to form on his forehead the further they went. It seemed as if the walls and ceiling were closing in on him. Dario knew to expect this reaction from his body, and so he said nothing and pressed on in silence. Meanwhile, the Gartune in front of him strode along easily, his staff tap, tap, tapping lazily on the ground.
Dario and Xander walked along the corridor until they came to a large iron door that was built into the side of the rock wall. The door was guarded by two Gartune sentries who leaned half-asleep on their eürocs. They clamored to attention when they saw the Gartune prince approach.
"Stand aside," commanded Xander.
"I'm sorry, sir, but we were not expecting any visitors today," stammered one of the guards. "Do you have any authorization?"
Xander gave his eüroc a quick stomp on the ground. Two tiny shockwaves flew along the ground directly at the Gartune sentries. The sentries' knees buckled instantly when the tremors hit the spot where they were standing. They both doubled-over and gasped for air. It took nearly half a minute for the guards to regain their composure, at which time the first guard removed a large keychain from his pocket and unlocked the door.
Xander gave the guards a disapproving look as he and Dario walked through the doorway. After they had entered the chamber, Xander's face changed back to its normal, irreverent self.
"That was almost worth the trip down here," he said with a malevolent grin.
The chamber that Dario and Xander entered was a vast, dimly lit cavern. The cave was long and narrow with a high ceiling from which small, candlelit chandeliers hung. Bits of molten wax dripped off of them, making small “ping” sounds as they hit the stone floor. There was only one entrance or exit to the room, and they had just walked through it. The cavern air was musty and filled with the stench of rotten food and excrement.
Each side of the chamber contained a long row of cells, each one roughly ten feet by ten feet in area. The walls and ceiling of each cell consisted of three-inch-thick iron bars and the floors were solid granite. Each one had a hole in the middle.
Every cell had but one occupant – a teenage boy or girl. Skinny, shivering and covered with grime, some of the youths were huddled in the corners of their cells. Others were standing with their hands gripped onto the bars of their cage.
As Dario and Xander slowly walked down the row of cells, the prisoners watched their every step. Silent rage filled Dario as his eyes met those of the imprisoned teens. He fought to compose himself. In order to occupy his mind, he focused on inspecting each boy and girl for cuts and bruises – any signs of injury. Other than those characteristics that are symptomatic of malnutrition and lack of exercise, Dario found no signs of mistreatment.
Dario stopped in front of one of the cells. In the back corner sat a slender boy, his knees pulled up to his chin. His golden hair was covered in grime and stretched all the way down to the floor. Two curious eyes peeked through a small space between his hair and the top of his knees. Dario met the boy's gaze and the two looked at each other for a few, long moments.
"Can they talk?" asked Dario.
"Why don't you ask it," replied Xander.
Dario started to address the boy but his tongue caught in his throat. He didn't know what to say to the creature huddled behind the bars. The boy simply stared at the old Reytana, his gaze wide and curious. A small cough from down the row broke the silence and provided an excuse for Dario to continue his examination of the cells.
When they had reached the end of the row, Dario turned to Xander. "They will receive their light soon. They cannot live like this once they have matured into full grown Tormada."
"We know," answered Xander.
"So, what are you going to do? I can't believe that you have kept them alive this long only to kill them and recapture them as babes?"
"There is a plan and it is none of your concern," replied Xander coolly. His tone suggested that he was done with this line of questioning. Dario wanted to press the issue further, but he decided not to. He was fortunate enough that Xander had allowed him to visit the prisoners.
"Have you seen enough?" asked Xander.
"Yes, I have seen enough," answered Dario.
The two Tormada turned and walked back down the row of cells toward the door from which they had come. This time, Dario could not bear to look into the cells. He tried to console his guilt by reminding himself that they were all alive and unharmed. But the ambiguous answer that Xander had given him caused his heart to fill with dread. What exactly did the Gartune have planned for the Fallen Reytana?
"I do not need to tell you to keep silent about where we have just been," said Xander as they exited the chamber.
"No, you don't," answered Dario.
"Good. I would not have taken you to the cells had I not been confident in your ability to keep a secret." Xander scanned the old Reytana's face for any reaction to his comment but found none. "Well, I am already late for my appointment, so I will leave you here. I gather you can find your way back before you pass out?"
"I'll be fine," replied Dario. "It's just been awhile since I've been underground."
Xander placed his hand on Dario's shoulder. "You may want to work on acclimating yourself, old boy." Dario could not help but hear the ominous hint in his voice.
With that, Xander turned and left the governor alone in the corridor. Dario attempted to take his mind off of Xander's comment and the wave of claustrophobia that was trying to swallow him. He shifted his thoughts to how he was going to deliver the news about the city's new curfew. It would not be taken well. He supposed that was good. Anger was good. It meant that the Reysene had not given up – that they still cared.
Dario knew that his citizens detested him. After all, he was the face of the government that had been oppressing them for eighteen years. The Reysene needed someone to direct their anger towards and that was the burden that Dario had willingly accepted. Better that they hate me than someone like Xander or Rankin, he thought. Dario could handle the derisive whispers and the hateful stares. Rankin, on the other hand, would kill you for looking at him sideways. It is better that the bile is directed towards me, thought Dario. But it does take its toll.
Dario entered his stateroom and walked to the wall of windows that faced the courtyard. Leaning up against it, he returned his gaze to the nearly-empty lotus. The tiny pool of light at the bottom represented an evening's worth of power and that was all. Once the light was gone, the city would be powerless. Dario could relate. Soon, he too would be empty.
After a few moments, Dario watched as Xander crossed the courtyard and passed through one of the several stone arches that led to the city. Dario had a good idea of where he was headed, and it terrified him.
Chapter Four: Twilight
Though the city had been shrouded in darkness for the past four hours, Xander could tell that the sun was just now setting. In Reysa, the only difference between dusk and four o'clock in the afternoon was that a faint purple hue reflected off some of the buildings on the east side of the city as the sun dipped over the horizon. He couldn't help but admire the view as he casually strode through the center of the city.
The most ingenious function of the Gartolian sun shield was that it actually moved throughout the day to follow the path of the sun. The shield's four arms were attached to giant military tanks on the ground that moved in accordance with the sun's position so that the shield was always angled dir
ectly between the sun and the city, thus ensuring that no rays snuck through to the energy orb. As soon as the last bit of sun had dipped over the horizon, the shield began to disassemble itself.
Starting from the inside out, the steel discs retracted back into their respective arms, which then folded down neatly into the four tanks on the ground. Xander watched the entire process as it unfolded above him. Impressive as always, he thought. The hulking marvel of Gartolian engineering was a stark contradiction to the subtle, flowing grace of Reysa's skyline, but it was beautiful in its own way.
There were no streetlights, lamps or torches in Reysa. Instead, translucent tubes outlined the edge of nearly every structure. These tubes ran along the tops of the city's walls and wrapped around the circumference of each building. At night, when the sun went down, these tubes filled with solar energy and illuminated the city. Before the Gartolian occupation, the city absolutely glowed at night. But now, the tubes only contained a faint trickle of light – just enough for Xander to see his way through the darkness.
The Gartune prince strode down the streets of Reysa, twirling his eüroc lazily at his side. As he passed the glass buildings that lined the street, he allowed himself a couple of quick glances at his reflection in the windows. He liked what he saw. Most people did. He had the striking dark features of a Gartolian, but without all of the hardness. His olive skin was lighter than most of his kin and his eyes were a brighter shade of violet. A near ever-present grin also lent a hint of warmth to his features, even though the smile usually held more mischief than mirth.
Hyperion's Shield Page 4