Dead Time Series

by Jason Wilcox

  As the door opened, Tagen saw Domblin sitting in a large chair. The room was just as nice as Tagen’s, which made Tagen wonder if he had been a prisoner all this time and not an honored guest. It was starting to make sense that the food was probably prisoner food, and it would explain why every time food was brought to him there were guards accompanying the servant girl.

  “You won’t be a problem for us, will you, Domblin?” the guard holding the chains asked.

  “I suppose I’ll behave,” Domblin said with a smile. He held out his hands to be cuffed.

  “I’m glad to hear that. I didn’t want to have to hurt an old man.” Domblin’s long white robe was worn and dirty. The guard lifted the shackles and placed them on Domblin’s wrists. They weren’t made of metal—the color shifted from dark gray, to black, to dark brown.

  “What are these made of?” Domblin asked.

  “Dark matter and steel.” The guard finished clasping them on.

  Domblin pulled back, but it was too late; the shackles were already on. “Don’t worry, they won’t hurt you,” he said as he pulled at them to make Domblin follow.

  “Where are we going?” Domblin asked. The guard tried to pull him, but he wasn’t budging.

  “Triaad wants to see you.”

  Tagen wondered why he was asked too. As they walked down the hallway, the large number of guards clad in black body armor followed behind Domblin. Tagen walked beside the servant with the silver armor, staying at the back of the line.

  The hallway curved around several corners and then into a long stairwell. Once they reached the bottom, they headed down a shorter hallway and into a huge courtyard. People were bustling about. A handful stopped to look at Domblin, but for the most part, they didn’t seem to care. Guards paced the lower and upper parts of the walls. Two black dragons lay resting at the far right end of the courtyard. The larger of the two was the one Triaad rode when he traveled.

  A huge gateway led outside the castle grounds. Futuristic cars and trucks drove past the opening. Tagen hadn’t been able to see the city yet. He heard that the planet had fallen apart and turned into a wasteland after the destruction of Azgiel, but that was a lifetime ago. It had been hundreds of years since Tagen had been back to the kingdom, and no one talked about it, so he had no idea of the growth. Triaad must’ve rebuilt the planet. He wanted to see what the planet was like.

  The guards kept Domblin marching. They headed for the oldest part of the castle. Large wooden doors, which towered in front of them, creaked open. They walked into a huge room where dark marble pillars ran along the massive walls. Dimly lit candles lined the room and were the only source of light. The guards stopped Domblin and attached his shackles to a chain bolted to the floor. Once they finished, they turned and walked out of the room, closing the large doors behind them. Fearful, Tagen stayed back.

  Domblin’s white robe gave off a faint glow in the dimly lit room. A deep chuckle came from a throne perched at the top of a long flight of stairs. It was Triaad, and Tagen began to fret.

  “I’ve been waiting to see you,” Domblin said bravely.

  “You have? And what would give you the notion I would want to bring you in here?”

  Tagen didn’t know what to do. He hoped Triaad would tell him when it was his turn to say or do anything.

  “You took so much effort capturing me,” Domblin began, “I assumed you wanted more than to just let me rot in that room.” Domblin shifted his weight causing the chains to clank.

  “I wanted nothing to do with you,” the voice echoed. “I planned on letting you live your life out in that room, since your last prison didn’t hold you well enough. Up there you would at least be out of my hair, and I doubt you could escape.” The large figure shifted in the throne. Tagen wondered why Triaad had locked Domblin away instead of killing him. Each time he locked him up, Domblin always found a way to escape.

  “Why are you pulling me out now?” Domblin asked. “Did I finally cause too much of a ruckus with my last attempt to escape, and now you’re going to throw me into one of your chambers with dark-matter and turn me into one of your slaves?”

  “No,” the voice said with a chuckle. “I’m up to my eyeballs with dark souls. They manage their own creations, and goodness knows, I don’t need any more strong ones.” That was news to Tagen and shocked him. He began to wonder if Triaad knew that he was in there. He didn’t want to get in trouble or be accused of spying. But he also didn’t want to interrupt.

  “What do you want with me?”

  “I have an informant,” Triaad commented casually. “He was able to sneak information to me. He had vital news about what you were really doing on planet Myree.”

  “And who might that be?”

  “Are you worried about what he’s going to tell me?” Triaad leaned forward on the throne exposing his pale skin in the dim candlelight. He looked the same as Tagen remembered. Wrinkles lined the edges of his light green piercing eyes. His strong jaw line was accented by an eerie smile stretching across his face.

  Domblin repositioned and Tagen could tell he was readying himself for a possible attack. Tagen knew it was time. He slithered past Domblin. The candles flickered, fighting to stay lit as he made his way to Triaad. Some faltered and blew out, even though there was no breeze.

  Triaad leaned back in his throne, his bald head disappearing into the darkness that consumed his high-up nook. Tagen began to form at Triaad’s feet, as if he were coming out from behind a curtain or wall.

  Tagen wasn’t sure if Triaad had really received the report, so he decided to start from the beginning. “There’s more to what Domblin was doing on our planet than you may have been told. We found Mauldrin on the planet, and Domblin had been protecting him,” he whispered into Triaad’s ear.

  “Why am I just finding out about this?” Triaad yelled. Tagen disappeared, scared that Triaad might take his rage out on him. After a moment of silence Tagen reappeared on Triaad’s other side.

  “Snyp is plotting against you and kept it from you,” Tagen continued very cautiously.

  “Snyp has been keeping this from me?” Triaad asked.

  Tagen faded a little but kept whispering, “He has Mauldrin in a room full of dark matter trying to turn him into a dark soul. He plans to eat him to gain power and become more powerful than you. Fortunately for you, there’s a problem. Mauldrin wasn’t turning into a dark soul when I left, and he’s been in there for almost two months.” Saying the information aloud unnerved Tagen. He had done it and there was no turning back. If Snyp found out, he would be dead.

  “Domblin, would you like to know the trouble your friend Mauldrin is in?” Triaad asked.

  “I left him in a place where your dark souls couldn’t touch him,” Domblin said confidently. Tagen couldn’t help but snicker, knowing that Mauldrin had ruined the shield himself.

  “He’s been captured. As we speak he’s held in a chamber filled with dark-matter undergoing the transformation to a dark soul.”

  Domblin quickly pulled upward on his chains attempting to break them. The glow that illuminated from his robe increased to a bright light, making the walls and floor seem to bubble as if they were boiling. The chains let out a screeching noise and turned black.

  “Fool,” Triaad said, “you of all people should know that you don’t have any power in my chambers.” His deep voice held power and sent the chains silent, making Domblin give up his efforts. Tagen kept his distance—the scene made him want to bolt from the room, not wanting to be in the middle of the fight.

  There was something so different about Triaad, and yet he was still the same. Tagen looked Triaad up and down. He was a tall and broad man. His hands were large and well worn. There was a diamond shaped tattoo on the back of his head with a strange symbol in the center of it. His dark red robes appeared black. He slowly began to make his way down the stairs towards Domblin.

  “Now, tell me, was it you that brought Mauldrin back from his eternal grave?” Triaad asked, but Domblin
kept silent. “It’s been almost a century since I saw you last,” Triaad said calmly. “It’s a shame you never fought for me. I would’ve made you one of my generals and recognized the power and greatness that you hold.”

  “I would never join you,” Domblin said sternly. “I’ve chosen good and always will. I will not follow evil.”

  “Good and evil,” Triaad snickered with his nose wrinkled. “Where in the world did you get such a ludicrous idea? There is no good and evil. I fight for my people and their souls, so they can have every freedom and luxury life has to offer. And let’s see, what does your good side do? They fight for those who follow silly rules and laws. Those rules and laws are history. They only hold us back from true power and freedom. If we’re going to put the label of evil anywhere, it should go to your side, the side that tries to suppress those who aren’t viewed as holy or good.” Triaad circled around Domblin.

  Tagen waited on edge, ready to run.

  “I’m impressed with what you’ve done with this planet,” Domblin said with a smile. “At least the little that I’ve seen. I heard it used to be an unfit place to live.”

  “You forget,” Triaad said. “I used to be human. I still want things to be enjoyable for the flesh. I don’t desire destruction and death like Azgiel did. I’ve gone to great lengths to rebuild the horrible things Azgiel brought upon this planet. Why do you think I helped overthrow him? I hated him for what he did here.”

  “You’ve found a topic we can agree upon,” Domblin stated. “But it doesn’t mean that you’re any better than him. I know there’s a catch to what I’ve seen, it’s an illusion I’m sure. Besides, you still send dark souls to do your bidding to develop whatever terrible plan you have for the other worlds.”

  “Yes, they do serve me,” Triaad said, stopping in front of Domblin. “But I’m nothing like Azgiel. I seek to give power and freedom to people, not destroy them and rule over them.”

  “Your ways are evil and you’re not going to convince me otherwise.” Domblin flared his nostrils. “I’ve seen more than enough of the destruction you’ve spread across many planets.”

  Tagen flinched knowing Triaad was going to do something horrible for that comment.

  Triaad stopped and tilted his head. “It really doesn’t matter what you think any more. You and your followers are decreasing in numbers. About eighty percent of all inhabitants on the planets follow me. Soon, you and all who believe in your old ways will be extinct.” Letting out the breath he had been holding, Tagen shifted his weight while Triaad spoke. He couldn’t understand why Triaad didn’t attack Domblin. His response was so calm and unusual, at least compared to the Triaad he had known long ago. Surely, it was manipulative, but Tagen didn’t understand what Triaad was trying to get at.

  “They follow manipulations fed to them without knowing you exist.” Domblin’s nose flared again. “Funny though, you profess to have so much power and to be winning this war, and yet all I see is fear and evil in your eyes.” Domblin pulled his chains tight and gritted his teeth. Tagen moved a little closer. Triaad’s eyes turned blood red and his face became dark, almost scaly. This was more the Triaad Tagen knew.

  Triaad lifted his hands and Domblin slammed to the ground, screaming in pain. Taking a step back, Triaad’s eyes returned to normal. Why didn’t Triaad just finish him, had he grown soft? All Tagen had done was give up information after being tortured and was sentenced to a life of near-slavery. Here was a man that was out to destroy Triaad, but he wasn’t doing anything to him–nothing.

  “I’ll let you live so you can watch me slowly turn Mauldrin into my follower,” Triaad said.

  Tagen felt anger surge through him. He had gone through terrible things that were worse than death to prove his loyalty to Triaad, to serve beside him once more. And here he was giving Domblin life. A sick feeling overcame Tagen, resentment toward Triaad that he hadn’t before felt.

  “Get the dragon ready,” Triaad barked into the darkness past his throne. Two guards who had been hidden in the darkness quickly made their way through the room and out of the building. A dragon let out a deep thundering roar after they exited through the large wooden doors.

  Triaad sauntered back to his throne. “Get the gate ready for me.”

  Guards frantically scurried around trying to get everything ready for Triaad’s departure. The pressure in the room changed as guards turned on the gate behind Triaad’s throne. The frame of the gate was made of black crystals that gave off a bluish-purple light. On the inside, a dark liquid metal swirled in small waves.

  Sunlight lit the room as the large front doors opened. Tagen watched as two guards brought in a massive dragon. The dragon roared and shook the ground as it stepped through the doors. The guards held ropes that were attached to the beast’s upper neck. As they got closer to Domblin, the dragon lurched forward, pulling the guards and biting at Domblin. Its teeth caught one of the chains and snapped it in half, giving Domblin more room to dodge the second attack. The dragon snapped at him two more times before the guards got the creature under control. Tagen hoped that Domblin would be eaten; at least some justice would be served.

  With royal posture, Triaad stood by the gate, clad in heavy armor. He mounted the dragon with ease. His armor shifted in shades of black, and Tagen realized it was made of dark-matter just like the chains around Domblin’s wrists.

  “Tagen,” Triaad said, “you’re coming with me.” His dragon let out a thunderous roar after Triaad snapped at Tagen.

  Fear washed away some anger as Tagen realized it was time to face Snyp. He moved towards the dragon’s feet to fall in line. Anxiety flowed through his veins. He had betrayed Snyp but there was no turning back now.

  “Guards, put Domblin back in his room until I return,” Triaad said. Triaad yanked on the reins and the dragon roared one last time before they jumped through the gate. Tagen reluctantly followed. He paused at the liquid bluish wall. It moved in front of him, pulling at him like a strong wind.

  Going through the gate meant his life could end as soon as Snyp found out about his betrayal, but staying meant he would perish once Triaad realized his disobedience. He had hoped his actions would get him back on Triaad’s good side, but he didn’t know what he wanted anymore.

  Snyp was a fool—there was no way he could get enough power to overtake Triaad, and Tagen realized that now. It was time to follow his true master. He stepped forward into the cold liquid.

  CHAPTER 30

  How long has it been? Caden could no longer tell. There was no way of knowing days from nights. His eyes burned and his skin hurt to touch. The occasional moans and screams he heard became a relief in the pitch black cell, his only contact he had with anything living. Thoughts and memories seemed fragmented, and when he tried to remember, his head felt like it would explode.

  The events that led him into the dark place were gone from his memory. He could vaguely recall working for SDS, and every so often, he had a dream about the downfall of the agency. Strange visions and images entered his mind of a life where he was known as Mauldrin. They were always brief and confusing.

  The only memory that seemed clear was the death of Bridget. He saw the scene vividly over and over, making his heart pound. There were many times that Caden couldn’t tell if he was awake or asleep, and he wondered if the whole thing was just a bad dream. How can I still be alive when I haven’t had anything to eat or drink since I’ve been in the room? Am I dead? Maybe this is what death is? Or worse, this is hell.

  Many times, he felt like someone or something came and visited his cell. He could never prove it, but there were instances he swore he could hear breathing and something moving around in the cell with him. When he would try to find the person, he would just run into the walls. The feeling never lasted long. It was as if someone or something would pop in to check on him.

  As he lay in the blackness that felt alive, a scream echoed in the distance. It was a woman’s voice. It was just another thing to remind him of Bridget. An image
of her flashed through Caden’s mind. He stood, his heart began beating, slowly at first, and then blood began pumping rapidly through his body. Bridget was at the center of his thoughts. Her face kept flashing before his eyes.

  The images of Bridget grew clear and crisp. He could almost smell her flowery perfume. Desperately, he wanted her back in his arms. The more he thought about her, the more he felt an uncontainable fire rip through him. It started in his chest and moved out to his limbs, giving him power and energy. Strange flashbacks forced their way into Caden’s memory, but strangely, they weren’t of Bridget. They were images of himself, Azgiel, and others. They were able to control things: elements, atoms, particles. He could vaguely recall ruling a large mass of people and the power that he had held was breathtaking. Caden didn’t care about those images. He worked on refocusing his mind.

  Bridget.

  He pushed his thoughts to the only thing that made him feel human, that grounded him. She had bled to death in his arms. The thought of her death produced rage and shot a burning sensation through him, and then his eyes opened to a vision. He could see outside, but it was murky, like looking through dirty glass. Bridget was there, sitting in a thick wooded area with strange creatures around her. Creatures he recognized; he had seen them before with The Witch. He was sure the vision was real, and that he was looking at Bridget. But how? You’re dead.

  He felt as if he were in some type of wormhole or portal connecting him to Bridget wherever she was. “Bridget,” Caden called out with a soft, thunderous voice that came from within, not from his lips.

  The walls screamed around Caden. He could feel himself being sucked back in. The image was gone. He became distracted with the screaming, his head pounding with the noise. Afraid the image of his vision would be gone soon, he fought to keep it, but it began to fade, becoming lost in the chambers of his mind. Sucked out of him by the evil that surrounded his entrapment. It was as if the oily substance on the walls clouded his mind.