"After many years of battle, a curious thing was discovered about Drohnus. The Omega never physically aged. He maintained the physique of a twenty-year-old up until the day he died, or should we say disappeared. For, it was said that no Reytana could kill him, and that may have in fact been true. The general consensus is that Drohnus was killed in a rockslide somewhere near Pinecrest Mountain. All we know is that after two hundred years of leading Gartolian charges, suddenly he was gone. The Gartune tried to muster a few more attacks on Reysa, but without their Omega leading the way, they didn't stand a chance. They retreated, and the Plague of Drohnus was over."
Lucan turned back to the chalkboard and underlined the third name in the list. "And next we come to Calan. Who can tell me something about Calan?"
Before Tinko could answer this one, a boy next to him shouted out, "Calan the Creator!"
"Calan the Unconquerable!" shouted another student excitedly.
"Calan the Uniter!" yelled another.
"Ah yes, Calan the Uniter was born around a hundred years after the death of Drohnus," continued Lucan. "Whereas Drohnus had fought to annihilate his enemy, Calan attempted to unite the two races.
“Now, as history had proven, Gartol had no desire to unify with Reysa. But the Gartolians were so afraid of the Omega's powers that they agreed to participate in his unification projects, reasoning that it was better to go along with the Omega's requests rather than disobey him and risk raising his ire.
“What followed was a time of peace, prosperity and invention that had not been known since the creation of the Tormada. Chief among Calan's accomplishments was the creation of the hyper-rail, which you are all familiar with. Prior to its invention, it took days for the fastest Reysene hovercraft or Gartolian speeder to traverse the distance between Reysa and Gartol. Calan combined solar power and magnetism to create the hyper-rail which could transport ambassadors from one city to the other in less than an hour.
"The hyper-rail had a positive effect on the relations between the two cities. No longer did politicians have to wait for days to hear a reply from their counterparts, stewing with impatience and anxiety. Instead, if need be, they could convene within the hour. Tensions eased between Reysa and Gartol."
Lucan pulled down the map of The Crescent and pointed to a point in the middle of the hyper-rail line. "A summit building was constructed exactly halfway between the two cities as a neutral location for meetings. Here, separated from distraction, frequent summits were held to identify ways in which the two races could collaborate for the good of mankind. Each one of these summit meetings was overseen by Calan. Whenever tempers began to flare or old rivalries began to surface, Calan put an immediate stop to them. Such was the respect that he commanded from both races.
“Though Gartol prospered from this collective peace, the city and its inhabitants remained wary of Calan. Reysa's Omega had never shown any signs of hostility towards them, but the Gartune knew that if he ever had a change of heart, he would pose a serious threat to their city. And so, when a Gartune female was miraculously found to be pregnant, she was immediately hidden and kept secret. No word of her or the Omega that she gave birth to ever reached the ears of Reysa.
“The Gartune named their Omega child Hyperion. While they were meeting with the Reytana about potential collaborations, the Gartune were training Hyperion to once again bring war to the Reysene.
“But Hyperion was not like Drohnus. He did not have a predisposition to fight. Instead, he chose to build. Though he was raised by the Gartolians, he felt no loyalty towards them and did not share their desire to destroy Reysa. This infuriated the Gartolians, for it was their intention to use Hyperion to assassinate Calan.
"When Hyperion refused to become an assassin, the Gartune made him their prisoner. The Gartune locked him deep within the bowels of their city. To a normal person, this would have been torture, but Hyperion actually preferred the solitude. It was a chance for him to invent, and invent he did.
“It is said that Hyperion fashioned tools from the walls of his cell. He ingeniously created them so that only he could use them. They were so advanced that not even the most skilled Gartune could wield them. Because of this, Hyperion did not worry about the Gartune stealing his creations for their own use.
“Using his custom tools, Hyperion began to create tiny, intricate machines. He would form these machines into any sort of shape or size that he liked. It is said that Hyperion could make a clock in the shape of a key, or a can-opener that looked like a pencil. He used these smaller machines to make bigger machines. Over time, Hyperion's underground cell became a massive laboratory full of mechanical marvels, the likes of which Torma had never seen. But as time went on, Hyperion ran out of things to invent. It was only then that the Gartune convinced him to start making weapons.
“Hyperion had one condition – he could not be forced to use the weapons himself. After he created them, he was not responsible for what happened afterwards. The Gartune happily agreed. So, Hyperion started inventing.
“This new subject matter inspired his creativity in ways that key clocks and can-opener pencils never did. Hyperion took the eüroc, for example, and refashioned it into a machine within itself. The cruel devices that now emerge from the end of a Gartune’s war staff were not always there. Hyperion created them. These eüroc enhancements, or tre’ances as the Gartune now call them, have become a point of pride amongst their race. I’m sure that you have seen how the Gartune eagerly brandish them outside in the streets.” Several students nodded their heads warily.
“Ultimately, it was one of these tre’ances that eventually killed Calan. So, you see, even though he had refused to assassinate his fellow Omega, it was Hyperion that killed Calan in the end."
"Professor," asked Loras, "that was over four hundred years ago. When did Hyperion die?"
"Nobody knows. Hyperion was never known to have left Gartol. For all we know, he could still be hammering away in his cell, creating new and terrible inventions that the Gartolians may use against us."
"There's no way he could still be alive," exclaimed Loras. "Reysa would have been leveled by some bomb in the shape of a pipken by now."
"Yeah," agreed Tinko, "Gartolian technology hasn't made any crazy advances in the past hundred years that would suggest Hyperion is still working for them."
"Oh, they haven't, have they?" Lucan answered as he beckoned out the window. "Some people say that the sun shield is a work of Hyperion, and I agree with them. Just look at the way that it unfolds and then retracts every day... it transforms. If you ask me, there is still an Omega alive and well, even if he is over four hundred years old."
This sparked a lively discussion amongst the students. Half of them believed that Hyperion was still alive, while the other half believed he had died. Lucan allowed the students to discuss this topic for the remainder of the day. Before he dismissed the class, Lucan addressed them one more time.
"I'm sure all of you heard the announcement last night, but in case any of you didn't, the city's curfew has been moved to six o'clock."
"Dario..." Loras seethed under his breath.
"I would not count on any leniency being given should you be caught out after this time," Lucan continued. "You had best all head directly home after school from now on." He was looking directly at where Loras, Regan and Tinko were sitting. "Does everyone understand?"
"Yes, Professor," the students grumbled collectively.
"Good. Class is dismissed."
Loras and Regan began to gather their things when Professor Lucan called them over to his desk. Tinko gave them a questioning look as if asking whether he should stay or go.
"Your friends will be along shortly, Tinko. Please go wait outside," said Lucan.
The professor waited until all of the other students had cleared the room and then he walked over and shut the classroom door. He turned back to the twins. "I need to have a meeting with the two of you and your parents," said Lucan. "Please tell them to meet here aft
er school tomorrow."
"But they will be at work," said Regan. "They don't have a day off until next week. Can it wait until then?"
"No," said Lucan sternly. "It has to be tomorrow."
Regan looked confused. "But, what is this about?" she asked. She looked at her brother who was staring at the ground guiltily.
"If this is about Loras falling asleep again, why do I have to be here for the meeting?" she asked.
"It's not about that," said Lucan. Loras' head immediately perked up. Now his interest was piqued.
"Then what's it about?" Loras asked.
"Your parents will know. We will talk about it tomorrow. But it has to be tomorrow. Make sure they are here."
"But—" Loras tried to interject but Lucan raised his hand to silence him. That was all the information they were going to get out of him today.
"Tomorrow," said Lucan. "Now you two should get going."
Loras and Regan picked up their things and walked out of the classroom. They found Tinko sitting in the hall licking the remains of some chocolatey substance off his fingers.
"What was that all about?" he asked.
The twins simply shrugged their shoulders as they walked past the boy. Tinko scrambled to his feet and followed his friends out into the street.
It was about three thirty in the afternoon and the sun was still shining up above. Loras and Tinko decided to make the most of their remaining thirty minutes of light and so they dropped their backpacks, snatched some tree sticks and resumed their battle from the previous day. Regan decided to go on home without them.
"Go on, you wouldn't want to be late for him now would you!" yelled Loras as Regan walked away from the boys. Regan turned over her shoulder and gave Loras a piercing look. Her cheeks were flushed, but whether it was from embarrassment, anger or shame, Loras could not tell. Tinko took the opportunity to sneak in a cheap shot with his stick as Loras watched his sister disappear around the corner.
"You'll pay for that!" yelled Loras as he launched a counter-attack on Tinko. Thrashing his stick like a wild animal, Loras backed Tinko into a corner. He was just about to deliver a stinging blow when the two boys spotted a Gartune sentry walking around the corner. They immediately dropped their sticks and slipped into a nearby alley. There, they watched in silence as another Gartune joined the first one. The boys could hear the two soldiers talking.
"The noise came from over here," said the first Gartune. "It definitely sounded like fighting."
"Let's take a look. It's been a while since I've had some fun with the locals," answered the second Gartune.
The two soldiers walked toward Loras and Tinko's location, inspecting every doorway and alley between them. The boys knew if they remained where they were they would be caught, and they had a good idea of what sort of "fun" the Gartune had in mind. So, they decided to run.
As the soldiers poked their heads into a nearby doorway, Loras and Tinko sprinted from their hiding place and ran across the street and into a small courtyard that was lined with a row of waist-high bushes.
They crouched behind these bushes as Tinko attempted to catch his breath. The boys sat motionless for what seemed like an eternity, trying desperately to blend in with their surroundings. They heard nothing. Finally, Loras decided to take a look under the shrubs to see if he could spot where the Gartune had gone. When Loras bent down to look, he saw two massive boots standing directly on the other side of the bush.
"Well, well, well, it seems that these bushes need a bit of pruning," said the first Gartune as he bent over the shrubs to look at the boys.
"I could hear this one huffin' and puffin' from clear over the other side of the street," said the second Gartune with a grin. He had the stick that Loras had been using as a sword and he used it to poke the cowering Tinko.
"On your feet, porky" said the second Gartune as he gave Tinko another poke with his stick. This time he drew a spot of blood. Tinko squealed in pain, a mistake he instantly regretted.
Both Gartune soldiers turned their attention to Tinko, poking and prodding the helpless teenager. Tinko could do nothing but stand and take the abuse. He began to sob, which only made the Gartune increase their badgering. Loras stood with his fists clenched in silent rage. His blood began to boil as he watched the sentries torment his best friend.
Then, something happened.
At first, Loras felt as if his blood was actually on fire. His insides began to burn. His muscles spasmed simultaneously. Then a blinding white light filled his vision. Suddenly, Loras felt an extreme burst of adrenaline coursing through his veins. It was almost as if his mind had detached from his body and his entire being was now a ball of energy and rage.
Without thinking, Loras hurled himself at the nearest Gartune just as he was about to strike Tinko over the head with his stick. At impact, the shocked Gartune dropped his eüroc and was thrown ten feet into the street. In one deft motion, Loras spun on one foot while he kicked the eüroc up to himself with the other foot. Before the second Gartune had time to react, Loras had swung and landed a mighty blow to the side of his head.
The second Gartune shook his head in confusion as the first Gartune collected himself and charged at Loras.
"Look out!" shouted Tinko.
Loras turned, but the rushing Gartune was so close to him that he did not have time to defend himself. Instead, Loras' body made a strange decision. It jumped. Normally, this maneuver would have resulted in Loras being face to face with the taller man as he was pummeled to the ground. But instead, Loras' leap easily cleared the Gartune's head, sending the soldier clutching at thin air.
When Loras landed, he saw that the two Gartune and Tinko were staring incredulously at him. He did not know how he had just made such a jump. They did.
"Oh, my gods..." said the first Gartune.
"It can't be," said the second.
"We need to find Rankin, right NOW." And with that the Gartune sentries turned and ran toward the city's capitol building leaving the bewildered Reysene teenagers alone on the street. Overhead, the mechanical arms of the sun shield had begun to expand. Moments later, Tinko and Loras were in the shadow of the shield.
Loras could not catch his breath. His heart was racing. He didn't even realize that he was still clutching the Gartune's eüroc. Immediately, he let it fall from his hands. His mind still felt like it was detached from his body. And his body.... well, something had definitely changed. The heat that he had felt coursing through his veins just a moment ago began to dissipate as the shield moved into place above him.
Tinko walked slowly to his best friend, all the while staring at him in disbelief. Silently, he examined him from head to toe. It was like he was some sort of new animal that Tinko had never seen before. Loras didn't like the way his friend was looking at him.
"Wha... what are you loo... looking at?" said Loras, still trying to catch his breath.
"It's your eyes... they're glowing... they're glowing like the sun!"
Loras could feel his mind re-attaching to his body. It made the connection. He had always felt that something lived inside of him. Something more. And now, on his eighteenth birthday – his actual eighteenth birthday, not the day they had erroneously celebrated three weeks earlier – Loras had received his light. He was a Reytana.
Loras jumped with excitement. It took him three seconds to come down.
"I told you! Didn't I tell you?" Loras yelled as he hugged his dumbfounded friend.
Tinko stood with his mouth open as Loras proceeded to jump around the courtyard, testing out his new ability. Then, something dawned on him. Instantly, his shocked look turned to fear. He ran to Loras and literally had to pull him down to the ground. He said but one word.
"Regan."
Chapter Six: Escape
Regan was doing her homework in the kitchen when the Gartune prince strolled in.
"Learn anything interesting at school today?"
Regan shut her book and did not answer. Even though Xander had mentioned
the night before that he would stop by, she was hoping that he had forgotten. No such luck. The prince's visits were becoming more and more frequent. It used to be every other week. Now, it was almost every other day. And with each visit, his intentions were becoming more and more obvious.
Xander walked over to the girl and attempted to see what she was reading but she quickly sat on her book. Immediately, she realized that this was a poor decision. Xander's mischievous eyes lit up as he playfully reached for the book underneath her.
"Now we can do this the easy way or the hard way," Xander said, an impish grin spread across his face. Again, he reached out, but instead of grabbing the book, he pinched the flesh that was on top of it. Regan jumped up, leaving the book uncovered.
Disappointed that she had given up so quickly, Xander opened the book and found the page that Regan had bookmarked. His eyebrows raised when he saw the subject matter.
"The Omegas, huh? I did not know that they discussed such things in a Reysene school. I think I may have to have a chat with your professor. Surely, there are more important things that you could be studying than old legends and folklore."
Regan didn't answer. She stood with her arms crossed and frowned at the prince from the corner of the kitchen.
Xander regarded the Reysene girl for a moment and considered giving her another playful poke until she spoke up, but instead he turned his attention back to the book. "Calan the Creator... Drohnus the Indomitable, our ancestors sure had a flair for names." He continued flipping pages. "How come Hyperion doesn't have a nickname? Hyperion the...," he thought for a moment. "Hibernator! That sounds about right."
Regan rolled her eyes, maintaining her silence.
"You know this silent treatment and pouty attitude is not very attractive on you. I think you've been spending too much time around your brother. He's always in a mood."
That did it.
"I am not Loras," Regan whispered through gritted teeth. "But even if I was, I'd probably be in a bad mood too."
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