The Veil Rising

by Brandon Ellis

  She withdrew her hand and wiped it on her dress. “I've never had that kind of a greeting before. Thank you for the kiss.” She turned and walked back to her desk, looking over her shoulder and giving him a childish smile. “You're either very polite or I've caught your eye, Prime Overseer.” She sat down, eying him as he walked over.

  “Yes,” he shook his head. “No.” He fumbled for the right words to say. “I mean, yes, I'm overly polite.”

  She mocked a frown and said, “That's too bad.”

  He shook his head again, feeling extremely out of place. This was unlike him. He was usually able to control the situation in any room, but this wasn't normal. He swallowed hard. “I mean to say that I am very polite, especially to a woman of your great beauty.” Can I be more corny?

  She made a funny face. “Okay, Prime Overseer.” She gestured at her desk. “Whatever it is that you need to drop off, you can leave it here. I'll be sure to get it to the Prime Director.”

  He placed his hand in his pocket as if pretending to grab something. “Well, it's not wrapped in a package and its just for his eyes, if you know what I mean.”

  Nyx frowned. “I don't know what you mean, Prime Overseer.”

  Yes, I don't either. He looked past her to a door labeled with the Prime Director's emblem. He pointed to the door. “Is that his office?”

  She turned, glancing at the door. “How'd you guess?”

  “I'll only be a minute. This is to be seen only by Zim. I assure you this will not cause either of you any harm.” He winked. “After all, you voted for me, right?”

  Nyx thought for a moment, placing one of her fingers to her lips. “Well, I'll let you go in there, under one condition.”

  “Sure,” he replied.

  “You take me out on a date.”

  Chase jerked his head back, taken by surprise. “Um…sure.” He nodded. “Yes, it will be my—”

  “Delivery!”

  Chase, startled, turned to see a man strolling through the main entrance door. He held a large package. “Hey, Nyx. Is he back there?”

  Nyx jabbed a thumb over her shoulder. “No, just go in and drop it on his desk.”

  “Sure thing.” He strode past Chase and into Zim's office. He came out minus the package and walked past Chase. “Thanks, Nyx!”

  “No problem, sweety.”

  A bell on the door jingled when it closed behind the delivery man, something Chase didn't remember hearing when he had walked into the building. He gazed at Nyx, suddenly understanding her trick. It had worked like a charm. “You tricked me into a date?”

  “I know, I'm sorry.” She smiled mischievously. “I thought this might be the only way.”

  Can you not see how beautiful you are? Chase didn’t understand why she would need to do such a thing. She probably had men constantly drooling over her all the time.

  He looked down, his hand still in his pocket. “Then I can drop this in his office?”

  “Go ahead, Prime Overseer.”

  “Call me Chase.” He grinned and walked into Zim's office, softly closing the door behind him. Looking around, he didn't have a clue as to what he was looking for, and didn't have much time to search. He scanned the room, seeing plants hanging here and there, all green, their light source supplied by a glow from the ceiling. He looked at Zim's large desk spread with papers and infovids everywhere. If there was evidence, he decided it wouldn't be in plain view.

  He shrugged and went over to a drawer, opened it and pulled out a file full of small, thin infovids. He grabbed it, read the title Ebb Quarries, and slipped it into his pocket.

  Opening the door, he walked down the hall, seeing Nyx working busily at her desk. “Did you drop it off safely?” she asked without looking up.

  “I did.” He headed toward the door.

  She reached out and touched his wrist as he passed. “Aren't you forgetting something?”

  “Our date.”

  She laughed. “I knew you'd play hard to get. You were going to just walk out and leave me high and dry?”

  He sat on the side of her desk. “Okay, I'm thinking that we go to—”

  A strange beep sounded from her desk's HDC. She raised a finger in the air and said. “Hold that thought.” She pressed a button. “Yes, Prime Director Zim Nocki's office. How may I be of assistance?”

  “Hi, Nyx. This is Zim.”

  She looked at Chase for a moment, then back at the screen. “Someone of importance is here, Prime Director. Let me escort him out and then I can help you.”

  “Who is it?” responded Zim.

  Nyx smiled brightly. “It's my father. I'll just be a second.”

  Father? thought Chase. Why is she making things up?

  Nyx stood up, walked around her desk and grabbed Chase's hand. Chase suddenly felt butterflies in his stomach—something he hadn't felt in a long, long time. He took a deep breath as she pulled him gently along toward the door, until she stopped and looked up at him. “My home com link will be waiting in your HDC messages at your office. Please give me a call.”

  Chase licked his lips, having the strangest, most desirable need to touch her, to give her a kiss. But why? He'd just met her. This feeling was abnormal. She let go of his hand and touched his chest, feeling the beat of his heart through her palm. A euphoric feeling washed through him, making him want to hold her even more, to feel her against him. She either had magic hands or the sensation was real. He couldn't care less, though. He was lost, swimming in ecstasy.

  She opened the door, dropping her hand from his chest. “I'm looking forward to our date, Chase.”

  Smiling, he dipped his head and said, “Me too.”

  He exited the building and walked down the sidewalk in the direction of the hovertrain, noticing that everything he looked at seemed to sing. Even the obscenities an angry man down the street was yelling seemed like poetry streaming from his mouth. He looked at a baby being held by a mother on a bench. They both seemed to glow with beauty.

  He took a deep breath and smiled. He'd jump up and down if he wasn't in a public place. He slapped his hands together, wanting to skip all the way to the hovertrain station like a child. Then he felt the edge of the infovid in his pocket. He had to stay focused for his uncle. He had to be the political machine defending the people. He’d sworn an oath when he took office.

  But, the thought of Nyx re-entered his mind, making him grin. He took another deep breath, feeling the fresh air around him inflating his lungs. Had it always been this fresh on Matrona? He reached into his pocket, touching the file just to make sure nothing was falling out. But, he felt a sudden flash of heat pierce his forearm, then a sting run through his wrist.

  He wheeled around, not by his own will, but by the power of the sudden pain. He saw a flash of red blood streak in front of him. Where'd THAT come from? Then he glanced at his arm. It was his blood. Plus, a thin bead of smoke was rising from his forearm. He tried to move it, but disabling pain caused him to drop it by his side.

  Then another pain zapped his shoulder. It was the same burning, the same stinging sensation he had just felt seconds ago.

  A blue beam streaked in front of him, singeing a plant next to the sidewalk.

  He dropped to the ground. His leg had stopped working. He didn't know why until he looked at it. It had been hit, as well. Looking around, he saw even more blood splattered on the sidewalk. He went to grab his leg, but was hit in the hip. He rolled to the side, cringing in pain.

  A terrible scream erupted all around, making him want to cover his ears, but any movement scorched pain through his body, immobilizing him.

  The scream erupted again, making him want to shout for it to stop. The horrible sound penetrated every cell in his body. He managed to move his head to find the source and saw Nyx running at him with a scream horn held to her mouth. Chase knew they were designed to non-violently disable an attacker, but they were usually used as college pranks or jokes at a party—an unwelcome joke.

  Another blue beam fired
from somewhere, hitting Nyx on her side, flinging her from the sidewalk to the street. Chase went numb, losing all control. His head fell back. “No,” he whispered. “Help Nyx. Someone help...” His voice faded as he laid motionless, pain coursing through his body. He had never known such pain. His body was incapacitated and he just wanted it to be over. Please, just end me quickly. Please. He welcomed more phaser fire, hoping it would hit the mark to ease him ever so quickly out of his damaged body.

  His eyes were closing in a final farewell, but then he remembered Nyx. She had tried to save him. He forced his eyelids open, trying to do everything within his power to keep them open, to stay alive, to move over to Nyx and lay on top of her, shielding her against more phaser beams. He had to somehow make her safe. He had to get up. He could do it. It would be his last move, his last good deed.

  He screamed inside of his head, trying to will his body to move, but nothing happened. All he could do was stare at the glow of lights on this level of Sphere 8 shining down on him until they started to fade, his vision weakening. He let go of his desire to get up, even his desire to help Nyx, as the darkness began to swallow him. Then all went black.

  ∞

  Thomas Berard, Grand Master of the Knights Templar, strolled along barefoot in the grass with his hands folded behind his back, deep in thought. Eden, walking by his side, wondered what this man was thinking. A screech from the palm trees in the distance pulled her attention to a large bird, white and round, that flew off in a hurry toward the long canyon.

  Everything around her seemed magical, although not as colorful and bright as the biosphere on Matrona, but very close. She had to remind herself that she was on a planet, not a biosphere, something that was previously inconceivable to her. Within her concept of reality, she could never have imagined a planet like this. She had only seen the desert of Lumus, and had been told that most planets were plain, lifeless, and not to be explored.

  A snake slithered in front of them, large and green, sporting a purple diamond-like design on its head. Eden stopped, a little startled, and watched it slide under a fern. Thomas moved his hand in front of her, gently waving it up and down, and then moved it behind his back again.

  Confused, Eden almost laughed. “Why did you do that?”

  “I dissipated the energy. Snakes can smell and taste fear,” he said. “So please, don't be afraid. There’s nothing here that will harm you.” He gestured with his hand. “Continue to walk with me.”

  “I haven't seen many people here, at least not with their hoods down.”

  Thomas glanced at her, his blue eyes smiling and observant. Although his face looked young, his voice and his mind seemed much older. He was wise and radiated a sense of peace about him that Eden had never before encountered. “May we sit?” he inquired.

  Eden nodded and watched as Thomas sat cross legged on the grass. She leaned on the side of her hip, feeling the soft grass underneath.

  Thomas patted her thigh. “You must learn to sit like this.” He touched his own thighs. “It stretches and strengthens your core, thus strengthening your solar plexus.” He touched just above his stomach, indicating the location of the solar plexus.

  Eden had never heard of that term before and remained silent, thinking that for the moment it didn’t matter what she knew or didn't know. She crossed her legs and gazed up at the sky, enjoying some yellow rays of sun glistening between the fronds of palm trees.

  “To answer your question,” he cupped his hands in his lap, “there are many people on this planet, yet not as many as you're probably used to. Aurora, my planet, houses nearly one hundred thousand humans–all of whom are initiates or members of the Eighth Order of the Melchizedek, an order of priests and priestesses who stem from the Magi of old, and are now known to you as the Knights Templar.”

  She gave a tentative smile and wistfully tilted her head to one side. “I can hardly believe that you exist, that the Knights Templar really exist.” She shook her head. “I’ve never heard of the Melchizedek or the Magi, but as kids we used to act like you guys, pretending we were using magic and flying around in our imaginary space craft.”

  Thomas swept his long chestnut brown hair behind his ears. “And did you create any magic?”

  “Sure,” she replied. “Sometimes I'd act like I shot lasers out of my hands and at my friends, and they’d fall to the ground and fake like they were dead. That's about it.” She giggled. “But, I don't know if that's the kind of magic you're referring to.”

  “A child's magic is very powerful. We call it ImagiNation—knowledge from the Magi nation mixed with creativity. Just add the letter 'c' to the word 'magi' and you get magic. It’s a powerfull creative force and limitless.”

  Eden considered the new information provided by Thomas, then pulled her gaze back to him and said, “All of our Prime Directors have told us that humans and animals can't live on planets, that through all of the galaxies that the first Star Guild aviators explored, they could never find a planet safe enough for us to inhabit.” She shook her head, staring at her hands. “It doesn't surprise me that they were wrong. I wish I would have followed my own instincts. I could’ve been exploring space all this time, and maybe found a place like this.” She sighed. “They said we've lived on Starbase Matrona since the birth of our race.”

  Thomas nodded, then asked, “Do you accept that?”

  “I have my doubts. So do a lot of us.”

  “Why do you have your doubts?”

  Eden shrugged. “I just do. It's a feeling, I guess. It also doesn't make any sense. How can we just come into existence out of thin air—and on a starbase?”

  “Your history suggests the birth of your race was on Starbase Matrona a little over 800 years ago, correct?”

  Eden nodded. “Yes.”

  Thomas pointed to his chest. “I'm here, right now, on this planet, Aurora, and if the birth of the human race occurred on your starbase, then how is it that I can exist?”

  Eden's thoughts froze as she ran her hands through her hair. After a pause, she said, “That's what I mean. I have my doubts.” She looked away. “What the myths say is that the Templars were born on Starbase Matrona, until they flew off and left us.”

  “Is there more to that myth?” asked Thomas.

  Eden took a deep breath, thinking, then tilted her head sideways. “No, not really, except that you used magic, were defenders of the galaxy, and ran away because of a difference of opinion with the Prime Director at that time. There really isn't much else but the children's stories about you guys and gals fighting bandits and evil, of course.”

  Thomas rendered a strange look, then rolled his eyes and tapped on her knee. “Can we put these stories to rest and deliver the truth?”

  She looked down at her knee to see a smooth, egg shaped crystal that was dark blue in color. She touched it and looked at Thomas. “What's this for?”

  “It's for you. It's called a dragon's egg. It’s charged with what you call magic. It helps to raise one's vibration, and to assist in thinking from a higher perspective. It tunes your natural antenna to receive inspiration and quickens thought receptivity.” He leaned forward, running his hand along her hair. “Your hair contains silica, a form of crystal enabling your hair to act as a natural antenna to the energy all around us. The process occurs as it covers your head and runs down your spine when it’s left in its natural state and uncut. Carry this crystal and you'll be able to think more clearly, understanding concepts much faster.”

  Not really understanding what he was trying to communicate, she held the dragon's egg in her hands anyway. “Thank you.” It was warm and smooth to the touch. “But dragons are myths as well, aren’t they?”

  Thomas shook his head. “There is an ancient humanoid reptilian race that originated from a planet called Drakonis and species of four legged dragons on Gaia that have been limited to living on islands. But these are rare crystals and very few possess them. Consider yourself blessed.”

  Eying the beautiful object
, Eden ran her finger over its surface. She then slipped the crystal into her pocket and said, “I'll cherish this forever.”

  “That is my hope.” He took a deep breath, focusing on her hazel blue eyes for a moment. Then he said, “And now, let’s talk about truth.”

  Eden nodded, feeling almost giddy because of the comfort she felt by being in his presence. He seemed wise like a grandfather, even though he looked her age, somewhere in his twenties, and he was more attractive than anyone she'd ever seen.

  “The Magi were the same souls who were later called the Knights Templar by the human occupants in a galaxy far away, on a planet called Gaia. Starbase Matrona was originally assembled by one of the races occupying that same planet. When it was transported to the Circinus Galaxy to orbit around planet Lumus, the Knights Templar from Gaia followed it in an attempt to change its course back to its home planet.”

  Eden fidgeted with her arm as her brows creased in confusion. “What?”

  He took a deep breath, eying Eden. “There’s a lot to explain, more than what can be absorbed in one sitting. Just know that your race was highjacked physically, emotionally, and spiritually when it was taken to Lumus for a specific purpose that was not to your benefit.”

  Eden furrowed her brow even more. “By who? I don't understand.”

  He lowered his head and picked at some grass. “I'm sorry. This is a lot to hear, I know.” He gazed into her eyes. “In order to understand, you must first realize that there is much to question about your Prime Director. Prime Directors, in general, aren't on Matrona for the wellbeing of its citizens. They're there for the benefit of their own race. My band of Knights tried to stop them 800 years ago. We weren't yet fully aware of our own origins within the intergalactic order called the Great White Brotherhood of Light, and because of that we didn't understand the full range of subtle energies within the universes. We eventually made a costly mistake and lost thousands of Knights, almost wiping the Templars out of existence. That's when we fled and came here to Aurora—a stronghold of the Great White Brotherhood of Light.”