Hyperion's Shield

by Nathan Schivley

  "What do you want?!" she said in an angry whisper.

  "Tell her," said Loras to Tinko. Tinko looked over his shoulder to see if anyone was around. He started to talk then stopped and looked over his other shoulder. Regan rolled her eyes at him.

  "So, I was doing some... um, exploring... earlier today," began Tinko, "and I happened to come upon the note."

  "What note?" said Regan.

  "Are you kidding me?!" shouted Tinko.

  "Keep your voice down!" hissed Loras.

  "You mean the note from Dario?" asked Regan.

  "I mean seriously – how many notes could I possibly be talking about?" said Tinko incredulously. Both Regan and Loras just stared at him with their arms crossed, so he continued.

  "Yes, the note from Dario," he continued.

  "And how did you get it?" asked Regan.

  "It doesn't matter," interrupted Loras. "Just tell her what it said."

  "It said..." Tinko stopped to look over his shoulder again. "The twins wear the rings."

  "What rings?" asked Regan. Both Tinko and Loras let out a small groan.

  "What rings indeed..." sighed Tinko. "We thought you might know."

  "I don't wear any rings, Tink," said Regan.

  "Yes, apparently neither does anyone else in your family," said Tinko as he put his hands on his head and stared at the ceiling.

  "Declin might know what it means," said Loras.

  "Maybe," said Regan. "But Declin has been gone for days."

  "We're going to go find him," said Loras. A mischievous smile grew on his face.

  Regan's eyes widened and her fists clenched. She was about to lay into her brother when a shadow appeared on the wall behind them. They spun around to find Gracien looking down at them.

  "Find who?" asked Gracien. His arms were crossed but his face gave no indication as to how much of their conversation he had overheard.

  "Uh..." stammered Tinko, "We were going to find someone to teach me how to fight – like you said before. I changed my mind. I think it might be a good idea."

  "It was a good idea, but unfortunately, it will have to wait," replied Gracien. "We're moving out."

  "When?" said Loras excitedly.

  "Tonight. We leave for Reysa tonight," said Gracien. The teens could tell he had been waiting a long time to say those words. "You all should get some rest. I will come get you when it is time."

  Loras and Tinko exchanged excited glances. They were finally going home. It was hard to believe it had only been a couple of weeks since they escaped Reysa, but it seemed much longer – especially since they didn't know if they'd ever return. But not only were they returning, they were going to have to fight their way back in.

  As this realization sank in, the excitement left Tinko’s face and was replaced by worry. Loras’ excitement, on the other hand, only grew stronger. He thought back to all the times he sat daydreaming in professor Lucan's class. He remembered charging across the Battle Plains with an army of Reytana at his back and jumping higher than he ever thought possible while swinging a sword made up of pure light. It was all surreal then – just a dream. But not anymore. Loras looked down at the golden wristbands wrapped around his forearms. He clenched his fists and little wisps of golden light shimmered through the bands. My time has come, he thought.

  "What is going to happen to them?" Regan nodded towards Xander's cell.

  "The prisoners are coming with us," replied Gracien. "We might need them."

  "Need them?" asked Tinko. "You don't think they'd actually help us, do you?"

  "He means we might need them as hostages," said Loras. "Because that's what they are." He stared straight at Regan. She met his gaze without blinking.

  "What we use them for is of no concern to any of you," said Gracien. "Now, I will suggest again that you try to get some sleep before we leave. There may not be many opportunities for rest in the days to come."

  "Fine. We're going," said Regan. She led Loras and Tinko in the direction of the barracks. As they were about to turn the corner, Loras looked back and saw Gracien standing in front of Xander's door. He could not tell if he was talking to the prisoner or just looking at him, but he could tell that something was bothering the captain.

  Before he could turn and look where he was going, Loras ran square into a wall with a thud. Or, at least, he thought it was a wall – until the wall started cursing at him.

  "I swear to da gods, you are da dumbest floater I have ever met," said Declin as he got up off the floor and brushed himself off.

  "Declin!" shouted Tinko. "Just the guy we were looking for!"

  "Yeah... why is dat?" said Declin as he looked around suspiciously.

  "Where have you been?" asked Regan.

  "Yeah," added Loras as he inspected the shoulder that had just rammed into Declin's head. "You've been missing for days."

  "Missin'?" replied Declin. "Can't be missin' if there's nowhere I have to be. I come and go as I please here, master floater," said Declin. He gave Loras a mock bow.

  Regan lowered her voice as she bent down to Declin's level. "Declin, we need to talk to you."

  "Sorry, m'lady," replied Declin, continuing with the fake humility, "but ol' Declin has some other business to attend to at the moment." He started to peek his head around the corner, but Loras pushed him back in front of the group. Both he and his sister towered over the waif. They took a step closer to emphasize the size difference. Declin did not appreciate the gesture.

  "Well, will ya look at da two of you," sneered Declin. "All grown-up and full of demselves now dat they got da light flowing through dem veins." He nodded curtly at the golden wisps flowing quickly through Loras' wristbands. "If ya 'tink dat I still couldn't take da two of you without breakin' a sweat, den you be 'tinkin wrong."

  Loras laid a hand on Declin's shoulder. "I haven't forgotten my lesson in the forest, master waif. But this is important."

  Declin shoved Loras' hand off his shoulder with a humph. "Later," he grunted, and once again started toward the hall leading to the prison cells.

  "Let him go," sighed Regan. "We can ask him later."

  Loras looked down at the waif. The waif looked up at him, waiting for him to move. Finally, Loras leaned back and made room for Declin to pass. The waif brushed past Loras, making sure to jab him in the hip with his walking stick as he did so. The teens watched as their old companion limped hurriedly down the hall. It looked to them as if his limp had increased since they had seen him last.

  Gracien was still standing in front of Xander's cell when Declin approached him. Whatever Declin asked Gracien seemed to irk the Reytana captain. He pulled the waif away from the prison door and bent to whisper something in his ear. Something about the way they were talking seemed... off to Loras. Gracien looked like he didn't want to continue the conversation, but the waif was persistent. As their agitation increased, the volume of their conversation began to rise to the point where Loras could almost hear what they were saying. He tried to listen, but then Regan reminded him, as only a twin sister can, that time was wasting and they had better get some rest. Loras watched Gracien and Declin for a few more moments.

  "Loras!" shouted Regan from up ahead.

  "Coming," replied Loras and he ran ahead to catch up with his sister and Tinko.

  Chapter Twenty-Five: Time

  Regan couldn't sleep. She tried to force herself but, as anyone who has ever tried to force themselves to sleep knows, it is often a futile endeavor and usually has the opposite effect.

  If only she could stop thinking about him. Now that their daily visits would be coming to an end, she realized how much she had begun to enjoy their conversations – how much she had begun to enjoy him. Maybe it was the fact that he was locked up and didn't present any kind of real threat that had allowed her to feel more comfortable around the Gartune prince. Or maybe it was the fact that they were now equals; both Tormada. Oh, he was still conceited and sarcastic. She knew that would never change. But there was something sincer
e behind the arrogance that had begun to seep through. She wasn't exactly sure what it was, but it had begun to tear down the wall she had put up whenever Xander had been around in the past. Now that her defenses were down, she could no longer deny that she’d drawn closer to him.

  She had to talk to him again. It might be her last chance. Regan listened to the rhythmic breathing of her brother in the bunk above her. Loras’ breathing pattern was different when he was only pretending to sleep. Regan had picked up on it years ago, and she had never told him. Knowing his tell had come in handy quite a few times in the past. She listened closely and determined that he was out cold. Tinko, on the other hand, had never passed up an opportunity to take a nap, so she didn't worry about the boy snoring loudly in the bunk between them. The coast was clear.

  She slowly slid her legs out from underneath the sheets and lifted her head to peek into the top bunk. Loras’ back was to her, but the steady rising and falling of his chest verified that he was truly asleep. A quick snort from Tinko made her spin around quickly, but the boy simply rolled over and rubbed his nose without opening his eyes. Regan took a couple of slow steps away from her companions and then quickly tip-toed down the row of empty bunk beds. Fortunately for her, Reytana hardly ever slept.

  When Regan reached Xander's cell, only Tao was standing guard. When she approached, he held up a hand to stop her. "Gracien says no more visitors, Regan."

  Regan stopped in her tracks, confused. "Why? I won't stay long. I just wanted to say goodbye before we left."

  "I'm sorry," replied Tao. "The prisoners are about to be moved and the captain didn't want anybody to speak to them before that."

  "Moved where?" asked Regan. Tao pointed down the intersecting hall that led to one of the large, high-ceilinged hovercraft bays. Regan could see sparks flying from one of the ships as a pair of Reytana were welding two large cages onto its deck.

  "So, they're flying out with us." Regan was relieved. She wasn't sure how else the Gartune would have been transported but knowing that they would be right alongside the rest of the Reytana made her feel a little less worried for their safety. Or rather, a little less worried for his safety. She could care less about the oafish twins, Damnar and Damina, or the foul-mouthed Belkore – although Tinko might have been a bit dismayed if he lost his plaything. Regan had eavesdropped on a couple of her friend's visits to the adjacent prison cell and she couldn't help chuckling a bit to herself as she recalled some of the barbs that Tinko had thrown at its occupant.

  "When will the rest of us know what ship we're on?" asked Regan.

  "That is up to the captain," replied Tao.

  "Any idea where he might be?"

  "I would imagine he's in the main hall. There is a meeting with the other officers to finalize the plans, but it should be over soon."

  "Thanks, Tao," replied Regan. She thought about asking once more to speak to Xander, but instead she leaned her head over in an attempt to peer through the little window in the door. Tao stepped in front of it and blocked her view. The look he gave her made it very clear it was time for her to be on her way. So, Regan turned around and walked back toward the main cavern, making sure that her brother and Tinko were still asleep as she passed the barracks. They were, so she continued on.

  She found Gracien talking to two other Reytana. Small groups of soldiers conversed around them. It appeared that their meeting had just broken up. Regan patiently waited for Gracien to finish giving instructions to his two lieutenants, then she cautiously approached the Captain.

  "I figured it would have been Loras who chose not to sleep," said Gracien amicably.

  "I know. I tried, but I just couldn't," said Regan.

  "I don't blame you," said Gracien. "Come; walk with me." He put his hand on Regan's shoulder, which was now level with his own. For a while, the two walked in silence. All around them, the final preparations were being completed.

  Small energy orbs were being filled from the main orb in the center of the cavern and loaded onto several hovercraft. Some of the ships were testing their take-offs, presumably because they hadn't been used in many, many years. The giant vessels hummed as solar energy flowed from the energy orbs into the various compartments of the ships. Beautifully ornate wings began to unfold from the sides of each vessel. The wings consisted of several shimmering feather-like segments that interwove seamlessly with each other. When they moved, the fluidity was organic, as if they were the wings of a giant bird. Each time the wings flapped, a wave of solar energy pulsed from the bottom of the hull and lifted the ship slightly off the ground. As more and more ships began to energize, the light in the cavern increased. The room was brighter than Regan had ever seen it, and the brighter it became, the warmer she began to feel inside. She could see that it was having a similar effect on everyone else. All the Reytana had an extra glow in their eyes as they went about their tasks.

  Gracien led Regan through the fleet of hovercraft, casually inspecting them as he walked by. Finally, he broke the silence. "You are worried about what will happen to the prince," he said.

  "I am worried about what will happen to all of us," replied Regan. "But yes... him too. He saved my life back in the forest. And I—"

  "You feel you owe him something?" Gracien said with a raised eyebrow as he stopped and turned to face Regan.

  "I just don't want to see him killed. And I don't think he will be a very useful hostage."

  "Why is that?" asked Gracien.

  "You know the Gartune better than me," replied Regan. "Do you think they would take him back after what he has done?" Gracien did not respond.

  "I think the moment he saved my life, he gave up his own. It all just happened so fast, I don't think he even realized what he was doing."

  "He knew what he was doing," said Gracien. He took his hand off of Regan's shoulder and looked her in the eyes the way a father might. Regan felt her cheeks turn red again and she looked at her feet.

  "I never got to say goodbye to him," she said in a voice barely above a whisper. "I'm afraid I might never see him again."

  Gracien sighed. "Why don't you ride with him," he said. Regan lifted her gaze from the floor. Her eyes shimmered. Gracien took a step closer to her and lowered his voice. Still locking eyes with Regan, his tone was deathly serious. "I won't pretend to know the extent of your relationship with the prince, nor will I tell you how you must act around him. You are a full grown Reytana now and those decisions you must make for yourself. But know this. No matter what he tells you or how he looks at you, Xander is dangerous. He is an animal looking for a way out of his cage. Don't think that he won't use you, or any one of us for that matter, to free himself."

  Regan gave a slight nod. "I understand, Captain."

  Gracien regarded the young Reytana in front of him for a few moments. "You have changed quite a bit since you arrived here, Regan. And I'm not just talking about your height. You are stronger – more sure of yourself. And I think perhaps your visits with Xander may have had something to do with that. Whatever happens next, I don't want you to lose what you have gained these past days."

  "I won't," said Regan.

  "Promise me," said Gracien.

  Regan wiped her eyes and mustered up the strongest look she could manage. "I promise," she said.

  "Good," said Gracien. "Now go wake up your brother and Tinko. It's time."

  Chapter Twenty-Six: Testing

  In the weeks since Loras, Regan and Tinko escaped, the Gartolian basecamp below Reysa grew to three times its normal size. Now, nearly a thousand Gartolian soldiers, as well as the majority of the Gartune regiment camped out in front of the city. It was as if all of Gartol had emptied and relocated to the foot of Reysa.

  Hundreds of newly-built tents stood in precise, evenly-spaced lines. Patrols of Gartune soldiers marched up and down the rows, occasionally peeking in a door of one of the smaller tents. The larger dwellings, those built for the Gartune, were left alone.

  Inside the command center, Hadrian, having
just arrived in camp the previous day, was meeting with his chief commander, Morlo. Reysa’s newly-appointed governor was also in attendance. Ever since Hadrian had reinstalled him, Rankin had been insufferable – ordering people around and flaunting his power at every opportunity. He stood haughtily next to his superiors as they went over their plans. A map of The Crescent was laid out on a table in front of them.

  "They will arrive through Octavian's Pass, I guarantee it," said Rankin smugly.

  "You guarantee it, do you?" said Hadrian as he stared at the governor, "What happens if they come through the Battle Plains or somehow by sea? Will you guarantee that you will resign your new position?"

  "They couldn't come by the sea... they have no boats," replied Rankin, suddenly feeling less sure of himself.

  "The Reytana didn't have any boats when they left. That doesn't mean that they don't have any now. Eighteen years is plenty of time to build an armada of ships if that is what they wanted to do," said Hadrian.

  "Your highness," interjected Morlo, "the pass does seem to be the most logical route. It would provide them with cover until the moment they arrived. It is also the most direct route from their last reported location near Woodhaven. If I had to guess which way they would choose to come," he continued cautiously, "it would be Octavian's Pass."

  "Well I don't guess," growled Hadrian as he pounded the table in front of him. "Where's that waif!"

  "What waif?" asked Rankin.

  "Declin," said the king.

  "The one who brought Septa back?" asked Morlo. He immediately regretted mentioning the king's daughter.

  "Yes," said Hadrian, giving Morlo a hard stare. "He should have been here by now."

  "Your highness," said Rankin, "if I may suggest an alternative... the prisoners have received their light. They are ready -"

  "No," said Hadrian, cutting him off, "the prisoners stay in their cells until I say otherwise. If all goes according to plan, they will spend their entire lives in that cavern."