Eternity's War (Books 1-3) (Eternity's War Boxsets)

by Ruben Stelliswolfe

  Romeo looked up at the towering man and moaned. “More riddles?”

  “Not at all, my friend. It's a very serious question, and one you should take great pride in answering.”

  Romeo's gaze wandered, his mind already losing interest in the conversation.

  “Don't shy away from the question,” Nikolai urged. “You need to understand your mind and body very quickly. You're only newly enlightened, and it is absolutely imperative that you don't get lost in your emotions.”

  Romeo sighed. “I don't know what you're talking about.”

  “Think harder, my boy. I can appreciate that you've been living in the moment this past week, but it's now time to actually sit and contemplate the prospect of eternity. It is an overwhelming thought.” He looked at the crowd around them and watched the passersby go about their daily business. “Humans fear death, yet it brings a strangely peaceful sense of finality for them. None of them want their lives to end, but neither do they want a perpetual and ceaseless existence.”

  “Please get to the point,” the annoyed Romeo requested, his patience wearing thin. “You're too dramatic.”

  Nikolai laughed softly. “Very well. I don't know if Skye told you or not, but you need to exercise caution, or you'll end up like Sabina, Aurelius, Tahlia, and Marion. They're mindless and autonomous warriors, and nothing more. They are very easily manipulated, and if you aren't vigilant, you'll suffer the same fate.”

  “How so?” Romeo asked, finally showing interest in the topic.

  “They're shells of humans. Their minds have evolved beyond the norm but, rather ironically, they've come to understand their lives are devoid of any meaning. As I said a moment ago, the prospect of an eventual death gives one's life purpose. If you take that away, you're left with a terrifying conclusion: that it is easy to become lost in a sea of ambiguity. In other words, us elites are overwhelmed by our freedom.”

  Romeo looked back at him, trying to grasp what was being said. “Overwhelmed by freedom?”

  Nikolai nodded. “Shortly after Skye evolved into a shengxian, Daye found him and explained as such. I know it may seem an odd concept, but I can assure you it's true, and unfortunately you may soon find out for yourself. Reflect on it in your spare time. What would you do with the remainder of your life if you were not caught up in this war with the Tianzu?”

  Romeo thought about the question, but was unable to offer an answer. “I'm not sure.”

  “Exactly. Take Skye, for instance. He acts like a hero, insisting that I'm a social abhorrence, but he's secretly infatuated with the thrill of wanting to slay me. If I did not exist, what would be left of Skye? If Tahlia didn't exist, what would Marion's purpose in life be?”

  The conversation was beginning to make sense for Romeo. He slowly nodded, agreeing with the concept. “I think I understand what you mean. But if that's the case, how do I know what my purpose is?” His body tensed as he asked the question, knowing that he shouldn't be asking Nikolai of all people.

  Nikolai smiled. “Your purpose is anything you want it to be.”

  The answer took Romeo by surprise. “What?”

  Nikolai laughed. “I said your purpose is up to you. Don't worry—I'm not going to tell you that your purpose is to serve me, and that you'll amount to nothing more than that.” He gazed down at the canal and watched the gentle ripples form in the water. “You may live a life of any virtue you see fit. But I would highly recommend you dedicate yourself to a cause of sorts. I'd hate for you to end up like Daye. While I can appreciate the approach to living a life devoid of any opinion, as he seemingly does, I do believe that he's a relatively useless individual.”

  Romeo gasped. “You're saying he's useless?”

  Nikolai laughed again. “Harsh, but true. And I don't want you to live a useless life.”

  They stared down at the water together. Nikolai could sense that Romeo was becoming more and more relaxed with every passing second.

  The towering man let out a deep and regretful moan. “Oh, Romeo, how sorry I am for ordering your execution. I was a fool to believe you'd ever pose a threat to me.”

  Romeo's jaw dropped, stunned by the surprise apology. It was very much out of character for who he perceived Nikolai to be.

  “It's true,” Nikolai continued. “I regret my actions, looking back, and I'm truly sorry if the consequence of which meant you were forced to join Ren and her band of dishevelled fighters. I hope you can come to understand that I was merely doing what I thought was best. My distrust in other elites stems from the horrendous crimes Paul Winterton committed.”

  Romeo stared at Nikolai, awe-struck by the conversation taking place. “Skye told me about him.”

  Nikolai clenched his fists upon remembering the agonising events of Athenia's recent past. “A repulsive and loathsome individual, he was, and he deserved the fate which befell him.” He turned and faced Romeo, his expression grave. “Don't assume that I truly want to rule Athenia with the iron fist Ren would have you believe. The last thing I want to do is impose unreasonably strict laws upon the people, as they deserve their freedom. We all deserve freedom, Romeo, but if you had only witnessed what I had, you too would feel the same way.”

  Romeo looked up into the face of Nikolai, staring at his own reflection in the large black sunglasses. “What was it?” he asked curiously. “What did you see?”

  Nikolai looked away and breathed deeply. “Nothing that I could possibly explain. It was a sight too brutal for any one individual to behold. It changed me, Romeo. I've never been the same since.” He rubbed the anguish from his face and turned back to the youngster. “So I ask you: if greater control of a nation would ensure that its citizens are not murdering themselves in the streets for a nameless cause, would you not agree it's warranted? You said yourself back in Athenia you don't condone murder.”

  Romeo pondered the question. It was not something that had a simple and definitive answer, but there was truth to Nikolai's words, he thought to himself. “I suppose so,” he admitted. “But Skye and Ren said you wanted control of Athenia for yourself.”

  Nikolai smiled and shook his head. “Far from it, my brother. I merely want control to protect the people from themselves. And I can completely understand that Skye and Ren see my ambition as a direct attack on civil rights ... and perhaps they're correct, but I would much prefer a peaceful society with tighter rules than the corrupt and lawless wasteland that Athenia is slowly becoming. At this rate, Athenia will be nothing more than another Alexa.”

  He turned and slowly began to walk along the canal once again, not taking his gaze from the tranquil stream below. “But my views have obviously led to Ren feeling compelled to execute me for breaking convention. Much like other visionaries before me, I'm being persecuted by those who don't understand me. Or, rather by those who choose not to understand me.”

  The words sunk in deep for Romeo. He was drilled by White Shadow that Nikolai was a threat to society because of the sanctions he wished to impose on Athenia, but from what Nikolai had said, they were all in the name of the greater good. Nikolai didn't wish to rule to merely satisfy his lust for power, but was rather a man courageous enough to dedicate himself to an objective that would be, for the non-enlightened, impossible.

  “It's a fascinating game we play, Romeo. You see, when you look deeper into it, neither Black Dawn, nor White Shadow, nor the Tianzu are at all malevolent in their ways. We're all merely fighting for what we believe is right, which is what makes our predicament so interesting. We all believe that we're righteous. We all strive to achieve peace of sorts. But the problem is, for us, peace means vanquishing our rival groups.”

  Romeo nodded again. “I know. I've gathered that.”

  “It poses a rather large problem for humanity, as it has since the dawn of time, it seems. I'm referring to war, of course. Humans are intelligent beings, and quite adept at killing one another. But what complicates war is the reason why someone swears allegiance to one side over another. Why is it tha
t we choose to fight for certain causes? Is it because one resonates with us more than the other? Or, worse still, is it because we feel compelled to choose a side?”

  Romeo shrugged. The topic reminded him of something he would discuss back at ANU, but his mind was far too exhausted to properly engage in it.

  “It's not easy,” Nikolai continued. “Any one of us could have joined the Tianzu, and any of the Tianzu could have joined Black Dawn or White Shadow. My point is this, Romeo: the game we play is, ultimately, a pointless one. It's a war that could last for an eternity, until the eventual victor is unable to remember what cause they were actually fighting for. For the majority of humans, it's not necessarily what they believe as individuals, but rather what they are conditioned to believe.”

  Romeo's eyes glazed over as his new superior's words sunk in. He understood what Nikolai was telling him, which made his mind feel even more confused than before. He was caught in an inescapable war, and, for the sake of his survival, was forced to choose a side, in spite of whether or not he actually believed in the group's cause.

  Nikolai smiled down at him, but smiled even deeper inward, sensing that the boy had started to develop a newfound trust for him. As he had earlier theorised, Romeo's mind was innocent and naïve enough to suit Black Dawn's mission. The seed of doubt had been planted, and what would eventually—hopefully—bloom is a warrior powerful enough to assist Nikolai in the destruction of the Tianzu, and anyone else who stood against his concept of a perfect world.

  Nine

  Skye stood on the balcony, watching the lively street below. His mind was absent as he was desperately trying to think of a strategy that would involve killing the Tianzu off, while also protecting what remained of White Shadow.

  Charlie opened the door behind him and stepped out onto the small concrete landing.

  “What do you think?” Charlie asked.

  Skye didn't bother looking up. “About what?”

  “Nishihama. It's a beautiful city, isn't it?”

  Skye nodded. “It reminds me of a combination of Athenia and Daixuan.”

  Charlie stood beside him and looked over the edge. “Despite the circumstances, we've enjoyed our time here. It was quite challenging though when we first arrived; we hardly spoke a word of the language, and we couldn't recognise any of the characters. We've learnt some over the last few months, but really only just enough to get by.”

  “You should be able to recognise some of the characters from living in Athenia. I know most of them, but it's those ones I'm not familiar with,” Skye said as he pointed to the script on a billboard a short distance away.

  The two stood side by side, taking in the wonder of the city around them. Nishihama was a fascinating metropolis, and one that comprised of as many tall buildings as it did smaller, older ones, and all seemingly merged into one brilliant urban area.

  “Last night when I spoke with Ren,” Charlie began, “she said something that worried me a little.”

  Skye tilted his head, curious as to what Charlie could be referring to. “What did she say?”

  Charlie turned his gaze and looked into his friend's eyes. “That you're enjoying the mission too much.”

  Skye groaned loudly. “Forget what Ren says. She's the one who was willing to send Echo and Tango to their deaths for the sake of stopping the president.”

  “But is it true? Are you enjoying this pursuit of Nikolai?”

  Skye turned around, ensuring the door was closed and that Delta was out of earshot. He knew how deeply she cared for Echo and Tango, and didn't wish to sound disrespectful. “Maybe. But not at the expense of my friends.”

  Charlie placed a hand on his shoulder. “It's okay, I understand. It's a thrilling lifestyle. When Ren started White Shadow with us back in Novabourne, we had the time of our lives. Running around and stopping criminals was a fun adventure.”

  Skye smiled, appreciating his colleague's empathy. “I could imagine. And yes, it is an addictive way of life.”

  Charlie leaned in closer. “But you need to be careful, Skye,” he whispered. “It can be addictive, but don't let it consume you. I don't want you to become another Nikolai.”

  Skye glared at him, his mood suddenly shifting. “That's not going to happen. Have faith in me. I love what we do, but don't think for a second I'd ever enjoy seeing those I care about get killed, or that I would purposely sabotage this mission for the sake of prolonging the adventure.”

  Charlie nodded. “You read my mind. And of course I trust you, Skye, but I'm just reminding you to be careful.”

  The sound of the door interrupted their conversation. “We're wasting time,” Sierra said, poking her head outside.

  Skye turned around. “Just be patient.”

  “But your enemies are all out there somewhere, including Tahlia.”

  Charlie cringed. He had not missed Sierra's constant complaining about her nemesis. It was all she ever spoke of when he was back in Athenia, and it was apparent that nothing had changed in his absence.

  “We'll find her, Sierra. Don't worry,” Skye requested. “We've got more important things to worry about at the moment.”

  Sierra squeezed through the door and stood on the balcony between them. “Is this all you're going to do all day? Just talk out here and rest?”

  “For the moment, yes,” he said. “We need a strategy. We can't just go out there and start looking for them.”

  Charlie agreed. “Delta and I have been trying that since we arrived here and haven't found anything.”

  “And we don't want to be reckless,” Skye added. “The last thing we want is more needless casualties.”

  Sierra seemed content with the answer. “Then just let me know when you're ready.” She sat on the balcony between them.

  Skye smirked at her eagerness. “You should try and rest too. We've had two long train rides here. It's best to spend today recovering so that we're both back to full strength.”

  Delta emerged from inside, keen to join the dialogue taking place on her balcony. “What are we all discussing out here?”

  “Strategy, hopefully,” Skye said as he closed his eyes and enjoyed the sun.

  Sierra turned and looked up at Delta. “I was telling them that they're wasting time by sitting here on the balcony.” She seemed to have an abundance of energy and was ready for battle, as usual.

  “We're not in any hurry today,” Delta said, agreeing with the others. She was just as keen to seek justice for Tango and Echo, but was wise enough to know that resting for the time being was their best strategy.

  “Besides,” Skye said, “we should utilise Tahlia while she's still alive. With any luck, she might prove useful in finding the Tianzu for us.”

  It took him several seconds to realise his mistake. He slowly looked down to see Sierra's cold eyes. “Are you saying you want me to let her live?” she asked.

  His mind raced as he tried to think of an answer that would satisfy the dangerous warrior. “No, I'm saying it wouldn't hurt if we let her live for the meantime, as she might be able to eliminate some of the Tianzu for us.”

  Sierra bared her teeth, unable to believe what she was hearing. “So you're willing to let my enemy live for the sake of killing yours?”

  Skye clenched his jaw. “The Tianzu are our enemy, Sierra, including yourself. Don't forget who shot Hana back in Athenia.”

  She rose to her feet and stared up at Skye. “But if I suggested that we let the Tianzu live in the hope they'd kill Tahlia, would you allow it?”

  Skye groaned. “No, that's not what I—”

  In the blink of an eye, Sierra had leapt onto the rail and stared down at them. “On second thought, I'm not wasting any more time. I'm going to find her myself.”

  “No!” Charlie hissed, but she had already flung herself over the edge. He watched as she fell to the ground and landed with precision, startling many bystanders. Before they could react, she had run out of sight. “We can't let her do that,” he muttered. “We don't want to
draw any unwanted attention to ourselves.”

  Delta shook her head. “She's reckless. Are you sure we can even trust her?”

  Skye closed his eyes and sat down. The full effects of fatigue were now setting in, slowing his mind and body dramatically. “We can trust her. Reckless, yes, but she's an excellent fighter, and a great ally.”

  “Are you sure about that?” Charlie asked. “She doesn't seem to have changed much since you recruited her. The only thing she has in common with White Shadow is that we share an enemy. If she ended up killing Tahlia, would we ever see her again?”

  It was a question Skye had asked himself many times back in Athenia. Until recently, Sierra hadn't shown any interest in fighting for their cause. If Nikolai had never recruited Tahlia, Sierra would surely have never joined White Shadow.

  “Yes,” he finally said. “After what happened at East Tower, she realised she wouldn't be able to take out Tahlia alone. She needs us. And, more importantly, we need her.”

  Delta looked into the distance as she sensed Sierra move quickly. “She's fast.”

  Skye stared at the tall buildings around him. “She'll be back. I doubt she'd find Tahlia in a city this big. And even if she did, Nikolai would probably intervene. He wouldn't be overly fond of losing his only fighter. If Tahlia dies, Black Dawn will be finished.”

  “Did you mean what you said about Tahlia?” Charlie asked.

  Skye looked up at them both. “Honestly, I don't know. I was just thinking aloud. The harsh truth of it is that the four of us are no match for the Tianzu. I intend to kill Nikolai as much as Sierra intends to kill Tahlia, but at the moment we're better off working together in some way.”

  Delta let out a sarcastic laugh. “I'm not teaming up with Nikolai. He ordered our deaths, remember?”

  Skye struggled to climb back to his feet. “I remember. And I'm not saying we should actually do it. Right now, I'm just desperate for a solution.”