Hyperion's Shield

by Nathan Schivley

  Just before he reached Septa, a body flew in from the side and knocked Loras to the ground. It was Regan.

  "Stop this!" she shouted with her arms held out in front of her. "You have us defeated! There is no need to fight – we surrender."

  "Coward!" seethed Septa. "At least that one had the guts to face me!"

  "Yes, and you have bested him," pleaded Regan with her hands still held out in front of her. "There is nothing to prove. You have us outnumbered. We give up. Please..." pleaded Regan. She got down on her knees and with tears in her eyes she begged, "Please... show us some mercy."

  Septa walked slowly to where Regan was kneeling. She hovered over the young Reytana. "Mercy is reserved for those who have earned it in battle. I will show your brother mercy. But you... you have chosen a different fate."

  "Noooo!" cried Loras but he was too far away to reach his sister. He watched in horror as Septa raised her eüroc into the air. Then, suddenly, a ripple shot through the ground towards Septa. When it struck her feet, she was sent flying backwards through the air. Xander stepped in front of the stunned Regan and watched as his sister deftly collected herself in mid-flight and landed softly on her feet.

  "Traitor!" yelled Belkore. "You will answer to the king for this!"

  "No..." whispered Septa. "He will answer to me!" Simultaneously, the two Gartune warriors crouched into an attack position and then shot at each other as if they had been thrown from a catapult. They met with a crash as their eürocs collided violently between them. Their staffs were a blur as they swung them through the air, narrowly missing their mark each time.

  At first, Septa had the upper hand as she forced her brother to retreat several times. But then Xander took advantage of a reckless swing and managed to land a solid blow to Septa's mid-section, which sent her reeling backwards a few steps. Then he went on the offensive.

  The two of them sparred for several minutes, pushing each other back and forth relentlessly. The onlookers could do nothing to intervene. This fight was between Septa and Xander. Gartune and Reytana alike formed a circle around the two combatants. They knew that it was pointless to fight amongst themselves. The victor of this fight would determine how the rest of this evening unfolded. And so, they watched as brother and sister battled each other in the moonlight.

  "I always knew your heart was false!" said Septa as she sent a shockwave flying past Xander's feet. "I tried to tell Father, but he refused to believe it. But now he'll know who you really are!"

  "Who I am is someone who doesn't kill an unarmed woman!" said Xander as he blocked a furious wave of jabs from his sister. "You care more about killing than you do about honor. THAT is why father never let you in real battle!"

  "DO NOT SPEAK TO ME OF HONOR, COWARD!" screamed Septa. Her rage had fully overtaken her. She sent four lightning-fast jabs at Xander. He somehow managed to block the first three but the fourth one sent him to the ground. Septa immediately stomped on his chest and kicked his eüroc out of his hand.

  "Get it over with," wheezed Xander. Septa's boot had knocked the wind from his lungs. "It's what you've been waiting for."

  Before she could reply, a bolt of light shot from the sky and struck Septa's side. Her cheek sizzled and her limp body crumpled to the ground. The smell of burnt flesh filled Xander's nose. He looked down to see his sister lying motionless. Acrid smoke was rising from her body. The left side of her face and torso was charred to the bone.

  Overhead, a large floating vessel emerged from the trees. Spotlights shone down from its hull, illuminating the forest. Xander covered his eyes to keep from being blinded. The craft slowly floated over his location while several shapes jumped over the sides and landed next to him. Eventually, Xander's eyes adjusted to the brightness and he looked around. He was surrounded by Reytana. At least thirty had landed and more were coming off the ship every second. About twenty yards away, Belkore and the twins were being put into restraints. Belkore briefly escaped and took two steps into the forest before he was tackled by several Reytana. While all of this was happening, Loras, Tinko and Regan huddled together under a group of trees and watched in stunned silence. Regan had tears running down her face. She was staring directly at Xander.

  Xander's gaze returned to his sister. He could not tell if she was breathing. It didn't look like it. Wisps of white smoke rose from her charred face. He started to move towards her when a familiar voice addressed him.

  "Stand up and put your hands behind your back," said Gracien.

  Xander offered no resistance as he got to his feet, but his eyes remained on his sister. "Why didn't you let her kill me?"

  "We saw what you did," said Gracien as he tied Xander's hands behind him, "for the girl."

  "And yet you're still taking me prisoner," said Xander.

  "’Live to fight another day,’" whispered Gracien.

  After he finished tying the knot above Xander's hands, Gracien took his prisoner to join the other Gartune. Before he reached them, Regan ran over and grabbed Xander's arm.

  "Wait!" she said. "What are you going to do with him?"

  "Regan, he is our prisoner," said Gracien. "We're taking him back to The Hole just the same as before."

  "But he saved me! Can't we let him go?"

  "You know that we can't do that," answered Gracien. "He knows too much. He must come with us."

  Regan turned back to Xander. She looked up into his face. There were still tears in the corners of her eyes.

  "I'm sorry..." she said. Then she looked over to where Septa was lying. "Your sister... is she..."

  "No," said Xander.

  "How do you know?" asked Regan.

  "Can you still see her?"

  "Yes," said Regan.

  "Then she's not dead."

  "But she—"

  "Regan," said Xander, before she could finish. "Go back to your friends."

  Regan started to say something but then changed her mind as Gracien pulled Xander along with him toward the hovercraft. She watched as he walked away from her, his once proud and effortless gait now reduced to a slow, stumbling stride. Before he stepped onto the ship, Regan shouted at him.

  "Xander!" she yelled. Xander turned his head halfway in her direction. "Thank you."

  A gleam of wetness shimmered in Xander's eye. Without looking at her, he gave a slight nod and then stepped up into the hovercraft.

  Chapter Twenty: Loss

  Gracien leaned over Septa’s body and cautiously turned her over onto her back. Her remaining eye was wide open, fixed in an unwavering stare. The rest of her body was as stiff as her gaze. The left side, from her chest to her face was charred black. Thin wisps of smoke still rose from her smoldering flesh. The smell was awful. Gracien placed his hand on the side of Septa's neck and felt for a pulse.

  "Is dat it 'den?" asked a voice from behind Gracien. Declin emerged from the woods and bent over to examine the body.

  "She will begin her transition soon, I think," said Gracien, releasing his fingers from her neck. "The wound is too much to recover from."

  "Hmmm..." said Declin. He frowned as he poked the side of Septa's body with a stick, to see if she would react. Her body remained motionless.

  "What of your friend?" asked Gracien.

  Declin shook his head. "Aye, it was as ya thought."

  "I'm sorry," said Gracien. Declin merely shrugged.

  "Is she... dead?" called Regan from behind the two men. She was still huddled with her brother and Tinko near the hovercraft. Gracien and Declin blocked her view of the body.

  Gracien shook his head. "Not yet. But soon."

  Regan looked back inside the hovercraft and saw Xander seated on a bench, slumped over with his head bowed and his cuffed arms dangling between his legs. "Can't we take her with us?" she called back to Gracien. "There has to be something you can do! You could keep her prisoner! Wouldn't having her as a hostage be... valuable... or something?"

  Gracien did not answer, but Regan could tell that he had no intention of bringing her b
ack to The Hole.

  "You're just going to leave her there?" said Regan, her voice choked with emotion.

  "She will not be here for long," replied Gracien. "The Scales aren't far from here. I would not extend her journey needlessly."

  "I can stay with 'er," said Declin. "Yous all need to get out of da open and back to da cave. Sun will be up soon and it'd be a miracle if yous haven't been spotted already." Gracien eyed the waif with hesitation. "I know, I know," said Declin. "It won't be like last time. I promise ta stay wit 'er."

  "And if she wakes," said Gracien staring hard at the waif.

  "Den' I will finish da job, fer good dis time." Declin picked up Septa's eüroc off the ground and released the blade with a quick snap. His eyes told Gracien everything he needed to know.

  "Very well," said Gracien. He turned and walked toward the hovercraft, leaving the waif alone with the body.

  Loras put his arm around his sister. She couldn't bear to look at Septa's body any longer, so she buried her head in Loras' chest and began to sob. Tinko joined them, putting his arms around his friends. The three of them huddled together for a time before Gracien told them that they had to start moving.

  "It will be morning soon," said Gracien. "We need to get you all back to The Hole before someone spots us out here. We've made enough commotion for one night." So, the three teens fell in line behind Gracien and the remaining Reytana. When they climbed onto the vessel, Regan selected a seat on one of the benches across from Xander. The prince was flanked by two Reytana, although the guards seemed unnecessary. Their captive could not have been less of a threat as he slumped in his seat with his eyes closed.

  The hovercraft slowly rose through the trees and headed towards the mountains. The journey home was short and silent. Nobody said a word until they were safely inside the confines of The Hole.

  The scene inside the cavern was much different than when they had left. The movements of the Reytana were militaristic. Whereas before the Reytana moved casually and often by themselves, they now moved in regimented groups. Everyone had a purpose. Their strides matched precisely. Even their breathing was perfectly timed as they marched to and from their destinations.

  Several tubes extended from the energy orb at the center of the cave and connected to a circle of hovercrafts. The electric hum of the vessels energizing filled the void while the sharp bark of orders being shouted echoed off the cave walls.

  "What's going on?" asked Tinko.

  "They are preparing for war," replied Loras.

  "Is this because of us?" asked Regan.

  "I don't know," said Loras. "But I'd say there's a good chance we had something to do with it."

  "Look!" said Tinko. He pointed over to where a group of Reytana were escorting a shackled Xander through the cave. Xander's head was down. He was totally oblivious to his surroundings, only paying attention to the patch of dirt directly in front of his feet as he walked.

  "I want to see where they're taking him," said Regan.

  "Why? They're not going to let you near him. He's a prisoner," said Loras.

  "He saved my life! And he saved yours too," replied Regan. "Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

  "He's still a Gartune, Regan," said Loras sternly. "I don't care if he saved our lives or not, he's still our enemy." Regan looked at her brother incredulously. Then she shook her head and brushed past him. Loras did not try stop her.

  "She has a point," said Tinko.

  "Oh not you too," said Loras. "It's like everyone has suddenly forgotten the past eighteen years."

  "Things change, Loras. After all, look at you." Loras was suddenly reminded of the armband that Gracien had given him. He lifted his forearm up to admire it. Waves of golden light flowed through the lace as it wrapped itself around his arm.

  "You should really get someone to teach you how to use that thing," said Tinko. "Especially if a battle is coming," Tinko looked over Loras' shoulder where three Reytana were mounting a solar cannon on to the back of a hovercraft, “...and a battle is definitely coming."

  "That's not a bad idea," said Loras as he continued to inspect his armband. "I think I'll go and see if I can find Gracien."

  "And what am I supposed to do while you're out learning how to be a Reytana?"

  "I don't know... go find the cafeteria. I'm surprised you haven't found it already." said Loras. Tinko pretended to be insulted. He already knew where it was.

  Regan followed the soldiers as they escorted Xander into an empty room at the far end of the barracks. Once he had been locked inside, two Reytana posted up on either side of the door. One of the Reytana was Tao, the soldier who had been sparring with Loras in the woods earlier that night. The other was a female Reytana that Regan did not recognize. The female guard gave Tao a small wink, which he warmly returned. Regan noticed that they both wore matching golden bracelets on their right wrists.

  Both Reytana looked at Regan with understanding, but she could tell by the way that they guarded the door that they could not let her inside to speak with the prisoner.

  Truth be told, Regan wasn't sure what she would say to Xander even if they had. So, she just stood in front of the cell, trying to decide what to do next. She could not go in, but something inside of her prevented her from leaving. Then, the female guard took a small step to the side and nodded towards a thin window in the cell door. Regan looked at her, questioningly. The guard gave her a small nod, as if to say, "it's ok," then gave a knowing smile to Tao, who also took a small step to the side. Regan approached the door. She wiped a thick layer of dust off the glass and peered inside. There, in the corner of the room sat the prince of Gartol. His legs were flopped straight out in front of him and his shackled hands lay on his lap. His head leaned tiredly against the wall and his eyes were closed.

  Regan watched the Gartune's chest slowly rise and fall with each breath. She thought back to the arrogant creature that had so often strutted around her kitchen in Reysa. It resembled nothing of this being that sat defeated on the floor in front of her.

  Eventually, as if he knew someone was watching him, Xander barely raised one eyelid and lifted his head slightly off the wall. He met the two golden eyes peering at him through the smudgy window in the door. The two Tormada stared at each other in silence for a few moments without so much as a blink. Regan couldn't help it. Her shimmering eyes released a solitary tear that slid down her cheek. Xander let out a tired sigh, leaned his head back against the wall and shut his eyes.

  Chapter Twenty-One: Fight

  "I need to see the king!" shouted Morlo as he came rushing up to the guard stationed outside of King Hadrian's bedroom. It was early in the morning but Morlo knew the king would be awake. Hadrian was not one to sleep in.

  "Wait here and I will tell him you wish to see him," said the guard.

  "You will open this door right now and get out of my way!" said Morlo.

  The guard raised an eyebrow but did not stop Morlo from shoving past him as he opened the door. If Morlo wished to risk entering the king's bedchamber unannounced, then he accepted the consequences if the king was not in the mood for visitors.

  Hadrian was clasping the last button on his dark violet tunic when Morlo came rushing in. Had he been a few seconds earlier, he would have caught the king half-dressed, and that would have been unfortunate. Luckily, Morlo's unannounced entrance only earned an annoyed glare from Hadrian.

  "What?" said Hadrian as continued dressing himself.

  "It's your daughter," said Morlo. The words almost caught in his throat before he could speak them.

  "What has Septa done now," asked the king. He straightened the metal wristbands on his forearms so that they were perfectly symmetrical.

  "She found the Reytana," said Morlo, this time rushing his words before they could catch in his throat. Hadrian looked up for the first time.

  "Where..." he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

  "They were in the forest outside of Woodhaven," said Morlo. "There was a fight. Sep
ta..." this time the words caught. "She... she's..."

  "Spit it out!" shouted Hadrian.

  "She's been hurt."

  The weight of Morlo's words hung on the king. He knew that "hurt" was not what he meant. Septa didn't get hurt. This was something else.

  "Where is she?"

  "She's in the infirmary, but you—"

  Hadrian stormed past Morlo and was out the door before he could finish his sentence.

  His cloak billowed behind him as he stamped through the halls of the royal palace, down through the city and to the infirmary. When he entered the dimly-lit building, he immediately knew something was wrong.

  Everything about the infirmary was cold and sterile. From the worn, granite floor that had been stained with blood and then wiped clean countless times over centuries of war, to the empty walls with their small, frosted windows so that nobody could see in or out. The smell of disinfectant hung in the air, as permanent a fixture as the iron-framed lights that were molded into the ceiling.

  There were several Gartune standing around, but nobody spoke. Hadrian slowed his pace as he walked across the annex toward a door in the back. The other Gartune backed against the walls to give the king as much room as possible to pass. When he reached the door, he paused for a second, preparing himself for what he was about to see. Then, he slowly pushed it open with both hands.

  The first thing that he noticed was the smell. It was a mixture of charred flesh and antiseptic fumes. A large metal table was in the center of the room. Above it hung a flickering lamp that was slowly swinging back and forth. A Gartune in a white coat leaned just under the swinging light. His torso covered the top half of the motionless body lying in front of him.

  Hadrian stood silently in the back of the room and watched the doctor as he worked on his patient. There was a large cylinder of strong-smelling gel on a stand next to the table. The doctor dipped his hand into the cylinder and grabbed a large glob of the clear gel. He gingerly applied it to the body, which still lay hidden from Hadrian's view. Suddenly, the doctor pulled back his hand from the area he had just touched. At the same time, he jerked his head right into the lamp above him, sending it swinging again. The doctor cursed under his breath and flung the remaining gel off his hand and onto the floor. The glob on the floor was no longer clear, but red.