by P. J. Hoover
“I wasn’t alone,” Benjamin replied. “I was with my friends.”
“Yes, your friends. The Alliance. That was something I hadn’t counted on. Regardless, we must trust the Tablet. If the Tablet feels it is important an alliance be formed, then it must be. The main point is that the shields must come down. The Tablet has instructed it,” Mr. Burton said.
“The Emerald Tablet told me to restore the balance of the Earth,” Benjamin defended. “Not bring down the shields.”
“Yes, but what better way to restore the balance of the Earth than with the removal of the barriers holding in the people of Atlantis?” Mr. Burton cried. “Is having barriers enslaving innocent people peace? Is that peace on Earth?”
“It’s peace for the Lemurians and the humans,” Benjamin replied. But even as he said it, he knew Mr. Burton was right. Benjamin himself had questioned the very same thing. Was holding millions of people against their will a good thing? “Besides, even if I was supposed to raise the continents and bring down the shields, I wouldn’t know how. And wouldn’t the Atlantians try to take over the Earth or something?”
“It will remain to be seen what happens,” Mr. Burton said. “We must let nature take its course. If it is best to rule those weaker than ourselves, then so be it.”
“But how can that be peace for all?” Benjamin asked.
Whether the shields should come down or not, something about bringing them down here and now just didn’t sound right. True, he had only known about telegens and Lemuria and the power shields for eight weeks, and true, the people of Atlantis did seem to be behind the shield against their will, but who was he to let out the people of Atlantis into the world?
“I don’t think I want to bring down the shields,” Benjamin said. “I don’t think that’s right.”
“Of course it’s right,” Mr. Burton said.
Benjamin thought he detected a bit of annoyance creeping into Mr. Burton’s voice.
“Is it right for Lemuria to have enslaved Atlantis as was done when the shields were put into place? Tell me, is that right?”
“Well, the telegens of Atlantis were cruel to the humans,” Benjamin replied, remembering his lecture on the subject. “Somebody had to stop them.”
“Why did somebody have to stop them?” Mr. Burton asked. “The humans of Earth are weak. They need guidance. I would think you of all people would understand that. I mean, you’ve had to live with them for thirteen years. Sometimes I cannot stand to live among the ungifted,” Mr. Burton spat. “They are so pathetic. And yet, as an agent, I must act inferior to them. It makes me sick when I think about it. Never being able to show my abilities. Never being able to show any intelligence. If not for you, I couldn’t have tolerated it much longer.”
Mr. Burton had begun to move closer to Benjamin. Instinctively, Benjamin backed up. It didn’t take a genius to notice that something wasn’t quite right here. Mr. Burton reached the pedestal, and Benjamin backed to the columns on the other side of the room. Mr. Burton delved his hands into the pedestal, trying to remove the keys.
“They won’t budge,” he said while struggling with they keys. “Only you can remove them.”
“Well, I’m not going to take them out,” Benjamin said. He was starting to worry, really worry. Here he was in a hidden chamber in the middle of the Himalayas with not another living soul around except for Mr. Burton who was acting crazy. The doors to the room were shut, and Benjamin didn’t think he’d be able to teleport himself out of here if his life depended on it, which at this point, it probably did. The whole teleportation thing had probably been a fluke.
“Heidi! If you were going to get back in touch with me, now would be a good time,” Benjamin thought quickly.
“She can’t hear you, Benjamin. No one can hear you. I’ve placed a strong enough barrier around this place to keep even the strongest telepathic thoughts from passing. And yes, you will take the keys out,” Mr. Burton said. “You will take them out, and you will use their power to take down the shields, just as you were destined to do.”
Benjamin looked at him. What in the world was Mr. Burton talking about?
“Yes, it is your destiny. Before you were born, the high oracle herself prophesied it. Now, get over here and take these keys out immediately,” Mr. Burton commanded.
“No, I won’t do it,” Benjamin said, backing up even further, hoping he sounded braver than he felt.
Mr. Burton began to advance on him. “Well, then I’ll help you do it,” he said. “And nobody will be able to stop me.”
“I will be able to stop you,” a voice said.
CHAPTER 33
Hair Standing on End
Both Benjamin and Mr. Burton wheeled around to look in the direction of the voice.
“Helios.” Mr. Burton almost spat out the name. “Even you won’t be able to stop me.”
Benjamin recognized the figure even before Mr. Burton identified him by name. This was Helios Deimos, one of the twin rulers of Lemuria. Benjamin felt relief sweep through him.
Helios didn’t look at Benjamin, but instead fixed his eyes on Mr. Burton. “I will be able to stop you, Kennias,” he said. “Are you prepared to die for this cause?”
“I don’t have to be prepared for that. I will overcome you, and it is Lemuria who will be short one of its puppet rulers. And when the shields come down, it will be Lemuria who will beg at the feet of Atlantis. For Atlantis has not been idle in its period of enslavement,” he said. “Yes, enslavement. That is exactly what it has been. Just as Lemuria claimed Atlantis was enslaving Earth, so Lemuria has enslaved Atlantis. Justice must be served. After I have dealt with you, and this boy takes down the shields, Lemuria will be overcome. Your dear sister Selene I’m sure will not survive the takeover. I’ll do my best to see that she has as swift a death as I am going to give you now.”
Helios Deimos smiled though Benjamin could see it contained no humor. “Well, if it has come to this, then so be it.”
Benjamin had no idea what would happen next, and wished he wasn’t here to find out. Mr. Burton’s attention was taken, so Benjamin slunk to the floor behind one of the columns. Maybe if Mr. Burton got distracted enough, Benjamin would be able to get in touch with Heidi.
A statue from the far wall flew toward Helios. He easily diverted it with his mind. Another statue followed the first. Again, Helios avoided it. Time and time again, every object not connected to the floor or wall began to catapult at top speed. Helios diverted each one in turn.
As Benjamin watched from his hidden position, he noticed Helios Deimos fought a defensive battle. Not once did an object fly toward Mr. Burton. Neither man took any notice of Benjamin as they fought their telekinetic duel, and it wasn’t long before Benjamin mustered up enough courage to try to help, though he wasn’t sure how much help he could really be. Benjamin dove into the mind of Mr. Burton, just as he readied to telekinetically throw another statue toward Helios. Sensing the action, Benjamin quickly reached out for the statue with his mind. Mr. Burton picked it up and flung it directly at Helios. Benjamin diverted the statue just slightly from its path; it crashed into the wall.
Mr. Burton glanced over at Benjamin. “Don’t waste your energy, Benjamin,” Mr. Burton said. “I’ll soon be done with Helios here, and we’ll be on our way. You’ll need your mind intact to control the power of the keys.”
“I’m glad you are so confident, Kennias,” Helios said. “Your confidence will be your downfall.”
“And your weakness will be yours,” Mr. Burton spat back. “Look at you, you weak, pathetic sham. Deceiving every telegen in Lemuria into thinking the shields are a good thing. ‘For the good of all on Earth.’ I’ll kill the next person who says that.”
With a crack, lightning bolts flew out of Mr. Burton’s fingertips straight for Helios Deimos. Helios instantly put out his hands, fingers first, and absorbed the lightning into his body. Mr. Burton stopped and stared at this apparently unexpected reaction. But then he sent the lightning again, stro
nger this time and twice as long; Helios continued to absorb it all. As Helios absorbed the lightning, Benjamin thought he could see it coming out of the floor where Helios’ feet touched the cold stone. It was like he was channeling it through himself without being electrocuted.
“Benjamin,” Mr. Burton called. “Can’t you see why the shields should be destroyed? Can’t you understand how Atlantis has suffered and paid for its crimes?” Even as he spoke, the storm of light continued.
“I think you’re crazy, Mr. Burton. I think all you want is power over humans. I think you could care less about the people of Atlantis; they’re just an excuse,” Benjamin yelled his reply to be heard over the maelstrom.
“The boy is right, Kennias,” Helios said. “The truth flows through your mind. You want the shields removed for all the wrong reasons. Power is your strongest desire. You want the people of Earth to worship you as a god. I have never trusted you. When we first met that fateful night so long ago, I had a strong premonition about you. I knew you would turn to evil. But sometimes we must let events play out as they will. Things happen for a reason, and your conversion to evil will have some purpose.”
“Yes, its purpose is for this boy, Benjamin Holt, to bring down the barriers,” Mr. Burton said, motioning to Benjamin.
“Benjamin Holt cannot bring down the barriers,” Helios said.
“Of course he can,” Mr. Burton said. “I know about the prophecy. I know he will bring down the barriers, and Atlantis will rule over the Earth once again.”
“You know nothing, Kennias,” Helios replied.
For a moment Mr. Burton halted his attack on Helios. In that moment, Helios struck back. Blue light surged out of Helios’ fingers, impacting Mr. Burton directly in the chest. Kennias Burton was thrown backward, hitting the wall hard. He levitated to his feet. Helios struck again. This time the impact left Mr. Burton stunned for nearly half a minute.
“Benjamin, help me,” Mr. Burton called out, reaching his arm outward to Benjamin. “I’ve protected you your entire life. I’ve loved you and taught you. I’ve watched you grow. You were like my own child, Benjamin. Please, help me now.”
“You were just my science teacher,” Benjamin replied. “Nothing else.”
“No, Benjamin. I held you in my arms when you were just an infant. I swore to protect you, and I will continue to keep that promise, if only you will help me now,” Mr. Burton said.
Benjamin realized Helios had stopped his assault of lightning, and was listening. Benjamin suddenly had a flashback to weeks earlier, at the ability trials. The vision he’d experienced when Andreas Matthias performed the mind control act. The silhouetted figure had seemed familiar. And now he realized why. It had been Mr. Burton. But he never remembered any such meeting with Mr. Burton. Had it been a memory from when Benjamin was an infant?
Mr. Burton made an attempt to levitate himself off the ground, but fell back to the stone. Benjamin looked to Helios, then back to Mr. Burton. Was that true? Had Mr. Burton really been protecting him his entire life? Had he know Benjamin as an infant? Benjamin immediately thought of his family, and the strong responsibility of protection he felt for them. The experience in Xanadu had crystallized his love for his brothers and sister. He would always protect them and love them, no matter what, even if it cost him his life. Yet here Mr. Burton was, swearing to protect Benjamin on one hand, but on the other, vowing to bring down the shields around Atlantis and assert his power over humans. Did humans need dominance and control? Could Mr. Burton possibly be right?
“You can sense what is right, Benjamin,” Mr. Burton called. “I can see it in your mind. You know it’s only natural for the strong to control the weak. Civilization has always been that way. We can rule, side by side. With the power of the keys on our side, no one will be able to withstand us.”
Benjamin thought of his life, growing up among the ungifted. How often he’d thought of being able to let his true power show. How often he’d dreamed of using his mind to control the thoughts of others. But always, he’d known it was wrong.
“Benjamin, it is not wrong to live life to your fullest. It is not wrong to achieve your dreams. Go to the keys. Take the keys out, and use them now. Let us destroy anyone who would get in our way,” Mr. Burton cried.
And that’s when Benjamin decided to walk toward the pedestal in the center of the room. Toward the keys. Mr. Burton remained on the floor, against the wall. Helios stood, not taking his eyes off Benjamin. Benjamin reached the pedestal and looked inward toward the three keys.
“Yes, that’s right, Benjamin,” Mr. Burton said. “Just reach your hands in, and use the power of the keys. With their strength, your powers will be magnified twenty fold.”
Benjamin reached out, toward the three keys. His hand hovered above them, not yet touching their glowing beauty.
“Good, Benjamin, good. Use their power to help me now, and I will continue to protect you forever,” Mr. Burton said.
Benjamin reached his hands downward and, with fingers outstretched, touched all three keys at one time. Lightning flew out from the pedestal, directly toward Mr. Burton.
“I’ll never help you, Mr. Burton,” Benjamin cried out. “What you want is wrong, and I will not help you.”
The lightning flew straight into Mr. Burton, yet he did not falter as Benjamin had hoped. Instead, he slowly got to his feet and laughed. “Ah, but don’t you see, you already are helping me.”
“Benjamin, stop,” Helios called out, then flew backward as the lightning channeled from Benjamin, through Mr. Burton, and to Helios Deimos. “He is using your power. He is trying to drain both the power of your mind and of the keys. You must stop.” Helios regained his footing and began, once again, to absorb the energy through his body.
Benjamin looked to Mr. Burton and saw the evil etched on his face. He tried to lift his hands from the keys, to stop the attack he had attempted to make on Mr. Burton, but found his hands wouldn’t move. The power continued to flow out of the keys, though Benjamin.
“I can’t stop,” Benjamin cried, hearing the desperation in his own voice. “I can’t raise my hands.”
“You must, Benjamin,” Helios called back. “I don’t know how much longer I can hold out. The power of the keys is too great. You must find a way to stop.”
“There is no way to stop, Helios. Your time is over,” Mr. Burton said. “I have been waiting for this moment for a long time. You don’t deserve to be the ruler of Lemuria. You have never deserved it.”
Benjamin tried to stop the power escaping from his body, tried to discontinue the energy flow. Immediately, the lightning changed. Instead of the blue visible light, it became invisible energy. Static electricity flowed in the bizarre triangle from Benjamin Holt to Kennias Burton to Helios Deimos.
“Benjamin, you won’t be able to stop it,” Mr. Burton called out. “I know you entirely too well. I did not lie. I have known you your entire life, and we are bonded together. I know your mind as well as you know your own mind.”
“Benjamin, this must not succeed. This is beyond my control. Only you can stop this from happening.” Helios faltered as he said it.
Benjamin could feel the buildup of energy in the chamber. Kennias fixed his eyes on Helios, and the two remained motionless. The energy level was increasing. The room felt electric. Benjamin began to feel drained. His mind was being exhausted. He had to do something, anything, to make this stop.
What was it Mr. Burton had said? He had known Benjamin his entire life. He knew his mind better than he himself did. This may have been true, Benjamin realized, at one point. But that point ended with the forming of the Alliance and the experiences since. Benjamin was not the same person he’d been at the start of summer school. Mr. Burton did not know the depths of emotion Benjamin had felt in Xanadu, the bonds of friendship that had been formed in Lemuria. Mr. Burton would never understand the love Benjamin felt for his family. He could see Becca clearly in his mind, giggling in her little baby way. And the sincerity in the mind
s of the Derrick and Douglas when they’d wished Benjamin farewell. Benjamin couldn’t have borne the thought of letting something happen to them. Ever.
Benjamin delved deep into the mind of Kennias Burton, and, in it, he found no love, no sense of duty or protection. There was only greed and lust for power.
“Helios, you are weak, and you know it. I think I will rule Lemuria in addition to Atlantis and Earth. Maybe I’ll force your sister to marry me, just for fun,” Mr. Burton taunted. He seemed completely unaware of Benjamin in his mind, too consumed with his own feelings of success.
How well could Mr. Burton know Benjamin if his own mind held only greed? Mr. Burton knew about the Emerald Tablet and the Alliance, but knew nothing about the Emerald Tablet and the Alliance. He may have overheard what had been said, what had been charged, but he had not been a part of it. He couldn’t understand. Would never understand.
Benjamin immediately thought of the writing carved in the brilliant green stone of the Emerald Tablet. The verse that was forever etched in his mind. “Take always the path of love” it had read. He looked down at the keys again, and when he did, his eye caught something he had forgotten about. The small toy police car sitting on the edge of the pedestal. His brothers had given it to him as a going away present. His brothers whom he loved and who loved him. Mr. Burton had never felt such love. Never in his whole life.
Benjamin could think of only one thing to do. If he could fill Mr. Burton’s mind with only positive emotions and feelings, then maybe, just maybe, it would be enough to change him. There was nothing else for Benjamin to do. He sent out a deluge of feelings in the link he had inadvertently formed with Kennias Burton. Friendship. Duty. Family. Trust. Love. All went through the link with full force.
Slowly, the doubt crept onto Mr. Burton’s face. He looked at Benjamin, and his doubt began to change to desperation. The flow of electricity started to change direction. Instead of flowing from Kennias to Helios, it reversed, flowing from Helios to Kennias. Benjamin continued his flow of both electricity and emotions, to Mr. Burton. His hands were still glued to the keys. The level of electricity rose. Benjamin felt his hair starting to rise. He saw Helios Deimos’ long brown hair standing straight out. Mr. Burton’s shorter hair was also standing on end, responding to the electrical charge in the room.