There were two flags on stands up front, one on either side of the flume. There was an American flag and a red flag that had the star symbol on it. Saint Dane and I stood there, looking down at the growing crowd. He let me take in the scene for a few minutes before speaking again.
“This conclave is the prototype,” he explained. “The first. It will be repeated throughout Halla. I will admit to you, though the end result was never in doubt, events did not play out precisely as I anticipated.”
“So what’s different?” I asked.
“I fully expected you to become the leader of Ravinia.”
I laughed. “Me? You thought I was going to be like that guy Naymeer?”
Saint Dane nodded. “How many times have I asked you to join me? I felt certain that eventually you would see reason and take your place at the forefront of this movement. I was wrong. It was not meant to be. I’m not sure if I should commend you, or pity you.”
“There was zero chance of that happening.”
“Apparently. And so the honor went to Naymeer. He is now the Traveler from Second Earth and the leader of a revolution. Your loss.”
“What’s this all about?” I asked, gesturing to the rapidly filling space below. “What are they doing here?”
“Naymeer was given the key to Halla,” Saint Dane answered, pointing to the Traveler ring on my finger. “A key you have as well, but Naymeer was not afraid to use it for more meaningful pursuits than sending mail. He opened the door for the chosen. The Ravinians. They will be the leaders of a new Halla. The same will happen on each and every world. The truth of the grander existence of man will be revealed to those who are worthy of leading the way. Those people down there are the first. Many more are joining every day, from all over the world. They are not necessarily people of wealth or power, but they share a common philosophy. They do not tolerate anything less than absolute perfection.”
“There’s no such thing as perfection,” I countered.
His eyes flared. His lips curled into a smirk. “Not yet.”
I wanted to hit the guy.
“Weakness will not be tolerated. On any level. The advancement of our societies will be the singular goal. It is all about the greater good. There will be no room for pity or second-guessing.”
“And no room for humanity,” I added.
“Humanity is nothing more than an acceptance of failure. We do not accept failure. The goal is too great.”
“And what exactly is that goal?” I asked.
“Utopia.”
I had to let that sink in. Saint Dane really believed he was working to create an ideal Halla. Trouble was, there was no place in that ideal world for most of the people already in it.
“What about Third Earth?” I asked. “You destroyed an ideal society. That’s not exactly Utopia.”
“It is no longer about territories, Pendragon. There were ten territories but only seven worlds in Halla. Each will have to be torn down and stripped of its prior imperfections before it can be allowed to truly flourish. What happens on Earth is simply part of that process.”
“Do those people down there know that they’re setting something in motion that will lead to the ruin of their own society?” I asked.
Saint Dane chuckled. I was amusing him again.
“They know sacrifices must be made. They accept that. Part of their strength is the ability to make difficult choices. That’s why it was so important to reveal the true nature of Halla. They understand there is life beyond the few meager years they will spend here. They are working to create a perfect, eternal life for themselves as citizens of Halla. The same will happen on each world. It will begin with conclaves such as this. The strong will join together to unify Halla. There will no longer be barriers.”
Things were becoming clear to me, and totally overwhelming. The Convergence was going to create a single, unified Halla that was under the control of Saint Dane. For the first time, I was beginning to see how it might be possible.
“You know you’re a total hypocrite,” I said.
“And how is that?”
“You’ve based your whole philosophy on the fact that the people of the territories make dumb, selfish choices that hurt them in the long run. Yet that’s exactly what you’re taking advantage of. You’re tempting these people with the promise of some kind of perfect existence. Aren’t those people down there being just as selfish as anybody else? I guess that means you think it’s okay to be selfish, so long as it helps you get what you want.”
“There is a difference,” Saint Dane replied. “Yes, I’ve influenced these people through Naymeer. I’ve tempted them. I’ve given them hope for a better world. But in this case, the choice was mine, and I am correct. If Halla is to flourish, my way is the only way. These people simply recognize that fact.”
I looked at the demon, who was keeping his eyes on the people as they filed in. The room was nearly full.
“Then what have you proved?” I asked. “Only that people will always try to make a better life for themselves.”
“I have proved that left to their own devices, they will never find it. People need guidance from a higher authority. Someone with vision. I have that vision. It will now become a reality.”
“This is insane. You can’t create two different classes and think that the normal people of the world will let it happen. No way.”
“Then how do you explain the stand taken by the United Nations? That august, respected voice of this world will vote tomorrow to adopt our positive way of thinking as an international standard. Is any more validation needed than that? People want simple answers, Pendragon. They want to be shown how things can be made better. They’re tired of pulling the deadweight of society. Ravinia gives them the chance to fly, not just survive.”
“And what happens to those who don’t fit your perfect profile?” I asked.
“They will perform important functions. There will always be a need for pure, simple laborers.”
“Slaves,” I said with disdain.
“Call it what you like.”
“They’ll try to stop you,” I warned.
“They will regret it,” Saint Dane said ominously.
Before I could ask him what he meant by that, a door opened to the rear of the room. Two red shirts entered, followed by two more. It took four of them to keep Alder under control.
“Ahh, our dear friend from Denduron!” Saint Dane exclaimed. “Just in time.”
Alder’s hands were tied in front of him. I imagined the hard time he had given the dados.
“You all right?” I asked.
He nodded. I saw a huge black-and-blue mark on his cheek. I wondered how many of the dados he took out before they stopped him. Two of the red shirts left. The other two stayed and stood inside the door. I guess they were expecting more trouble.
“Look,” Saint Dane exclaimed, gesturing to the viewing window. “It begins.”
Alder and I stood together at the window and looked down. The place was packed. Every last seat was taken. The lights went dark. I felt a collective rush of anticipation from the people below. Everyone was at attention, waiting for…what? A pin spot of light hit a sole figure that stood near the mouth of the flume. Naymeer. He wore a long, dark robe, making him look like a monk. The crowd gasped, as if they were in the presence of a rock star.
“Behold,” Naymeer’s amplified voice boomed. “Halla.”
Naymeer held up his fist. Beams of laser like light shot from his ring, spraying the room with color. The light danced over the faces of the assembled, who let out a collective sigh. They all had these serene looks, as if they were being kissed by a thousand tiny angels. I was less impressed. It was the same kind of light that sprang from the flume whenever it was activated. Okay, maybe I never saw it come from a Traveler’s ring, but still. It wasn’t all that new to me. I found myself rubbing my own ring. I had no idea it contained that kind of power. I looked at Alder. He stared at the spectacle, expressionless.
The light flashed into the flume. Instantly the gray rocks of the tunnel began to glow. Naymeer had activated the tunnel. The rocks turned crystal. Light sprang from the flume itself. Was somebody on the way in? A ball of light erupted from the mouth of the tunnel, creating a brilliant flash. When the flash subsided, it was my turn to gasp. Three-dimensional images floated near the mouth of the flume.
Images of Halla.
“The island city of Faar from Cloral,” Naymeer announced.
I saw the mountain city that had risen from beneath the sea. Hauler submarines floated around it, as if suspended in space. It was incredible. The image was clear, yet transparent.
I couldn’t take my eyes off it. I didn’t think anybody else could either. No wonder they were all so impressed by Naymeer and his promises of other worlds.
“Faar will be the home for Ravinia on Cloral,” Naymeer’s voice boomed. “As will the village of Leeandra on Eelong, and Xhaxhu on Zadaa. Each world will have its own Conclave of Ravinia, as we have here in New York.”
My stomach now hurt as much as my head. It felt like a fantasy come true. A horrible, evil fantasy. As amazing and real as it was, I didn’t get how these people could buy into it so easily. I mean, I knew it was real, but to the people of Earth it just as easily could have been a hologram movie as a glimpse into another world. Why did they buy into it without any doubt?
My answer came quickly. Shadows appeared through the image, moving forward. I soon realized they weren’t shadows at all, but very real people, who were walking out of the flume. The brilliant images of Cloral were sucked back in by the flume, as if it were a vacuum cleaner that controlled light. In a moment the flume went dark, and a spotlight shone on a group of five people standing beyond the mouth. I didn’t recognize any of them. They were five normal-looking people. Two men and three women. They wore clothes from Second Earth. They stood together, holding hands. As soon as the light hit them, they raised their clasped hands in triumph. The crowd jumped to its feet with excitement while applauding and cheering. Another group of people ran from the side to greet the five who had arrived through the flume. They hugged and kissed as if they were greeting loved ones who had returned from a long trip-which is exactly what they were.
Naymeer’s voice proclaimed, “Our latest travelers, back from Cloral, where they enjoyed the wonders of that world of water.”
“So it is true,” Alder said softly. “Anyone can travel.”
“With the help of Naymeer,” I corrected.
Naymeer continued, “Ravinians are joining together throughout Halla, sharing our views, planning our future. We are not alone. There are no boundaries. There is so much more to life then we ever imagined. It is there for us all to share. The chosen. The visionaries. The elite.”
“As I have been saying,” Saint Dane declared, “the Convergence has broken down the barriers between worlds.”
I realized how Naymeer was able to convince his followers that Halla was real. He showed them. He let them explore other territories. Other worlds. It truly was a Convergence. Of all the things I had seen in my years as a Traveler, this spectacle seemed the most incredible. Yet it was all too real. Ravinia was going to spread throughout Halla, dividing the classes and mixing the destinies of every world. Saint Dane’s vision was becoming a reality.
A group of red shirts hurried in and gently escorted the newly returned travelers and their loved ones away. The spotlight returned to Naymeer, who stood in the center of the flume. He raised his hand and the crowd instantly grew quiet.
“They will soon share with us the wonders of their travels to another world-wonders that, in time, you all will have the opportunity to experience yourselves. But first we must acknowledge the wonder that is about to happen right here on our own world. We are on the verge of seeing our dreams become reality. Tomorrow is a day that will go down in history as the beginning of a new Halla. Tomorrow is the day when, if all goes as we expect, the United Nations will accept us as the voice of our world.”
An excited cheer went up. These people were out of their minds with joy. Through Naymeer, Saint Dane had done a real number on them. They fully bought into Ravinia and its philosophy. And why not? They were being tempted with the ability to travel to other worlds. It had to be pretty staggering to learn that there was so much more to the universe than they thought, and that they were the only people who were going to be allowed to take advantage of it. I guess the same kind of thing had happened to me, only I saw the darker side to it all. It didn’t seem like these people got any hint of that. No way.
Naymeer raised his hands again.
“As much as this is a time to celebrate, we must remain humble. There are those who still oppose us. Those who do not understand. Those who will never share in the glories of Halla. They are deserving of our sympathy.”
The crowd didn’t peep. I didn’t feel a whole lot of sympathy going on. Man, who did they think they were? How could they be brainwashed into believing they were so superior? I glanced over to Saint Dane. He had a small smile on his face. That was my answer. Saint Dane had convinced them. Through Naymeer, he had seduced them into helping him begin his final assault on Halla. As Alder and I stood in that room, next to the guy who was the architect of this horror, I had no idea what we could do about it. I was beginning to accept the fact that Saint Dane was right. I was beaten.
Naymeer continued, “Right now, outside the sacred walls of this conclave, a group has gathered to protest our very existence. Might I say, once the teachings of Ravinia are instituted, such crass showings will be a thing of the past.”
I saw the people nodding to each other knowingly. Creeps.
“There will be no more protests. No more dissension. No more violence. There will be only one voice. The voice of Ravinia. The voice of Halla. Your voice.”
“There goes freedom of speech,” I said.
Saint Dane didn’t react.
“On the eve of such a historic occasion, I would like to invite some of our detractors to join us. To see what we are about. To get a small taste of the wonders of Halla.”
A concerned murmur went up. The people didn’t expect that. How could Naymeer suggest bringing the unwashed masses into their perfect little temple? Naymeer raised both hands and added, “I assure you, this will be a night that none of us will forget. Nor will our detractors. I beg your patience and understanding.”
The room lights went on. Naymeer strode away from the flume, walking directly up the center aisle. He was quickly joined by six guards, who surrounded him in a protective cocoon. They walked past the adoring yet confused eyes of the Ravinians, toward the rear of the room, and climbed the stairs.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
Saint Dane left the window and walked to the opposite wall. There was another red drape, much smaller than the one that was pulled back from the window looking down onto the flume. Saint Dane touched the wall panel. The smaller drape slid open the same way, revealing another window. He gestured for us to join him. I didn’t want to be anywhere near the guy, but I had to see what was happening.
Alder and I reluctantly joined him and looked out of the window to the street below. It was night. We were in the familiar Bronx neighborhood that used to be home to the subway station that held the gate to the flume. Mark and Courtney had described the huge, marble structure that we were now in. We were looking down from the second or third floor. I could see the marble steps leading down to the street… a street that was packed with people. Protestors. They carried signs that read: WE THE PEOPLE…andLIBERTYAND JUSTICE FOR ALL. According to Saint Dane, these were the bottom-feeders of society. The losers who were nothing more than a drain on the world’s resources. From where I stood, they looked like regular people. Angry regular people. I could hear them chanting, “Stop Naymeer. Stop Naymeer.”
A long line of red shirts kept the crowd from climbing the stairs. Unlike the dados inside, these guys were armed. They looked pretty imposing with their Tasers. Sudde
nly the chants turned to a chorus of boos. I looked directly down to see that a podium was set up on the stairs that led from the sidewalk up into the conclave building. Whatever was about to happen, it was planned. This wasn’t some impromptu moment. A group of red shirts marched down the steps toward the podium and surrounded it. Naymeer followed soon after and stood at the podium, looking out over a sea of his enemies.
“My friends,” his voice boomed over speakers.
This was definitely planned. They even had speakers set up. The booing grew louder. Naymeer was patient. He raised his hands to try to quiet them. These people weren’t as obedient as the ones inside. They kept screaming and booing him angrily.
“Stop Naymeer! Stop Naymeer!”
Naymeer stayed cool. “Please,” Naymeer continued. “I understand your concerns.”
The people were having none of it. Good for them. The boos got louder. This went on for a solid ten minutes. Naymeer didn’t give up. He kept trying to get them to listen, but that only made them yell louder. Finally, either they got tired of screaming or they actually decided to listen to what he had to say, but the crowd settled down enough so that Naymeer could be heard.
“Before you judge, I would like to invite some of you to come inside and see for yourselves what Ravinia is truly about.”
If it was possible for an entire crowd to be confused, they were. It didn’t seem as if they expected that olive branch. Their surprised looks proved that they didn’t know what to think about the surprise offer. Naymeer started pointing to people.
“You, and you,” he called out. “Bring your daughter. You, young man, join me inside, won’t you?”
Slowly, each person he pointed to stepped forward and onto the steps of the conclave building. The red-shirt dados parted, allowing them to pass.
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