Sentinel: The Race Against Dark Energy

by Andrew McIntyre

  “Yes, the tablet is now rendered useless and cannot be replaced, therefore its use for positive or negative means is negated.” E replied.

  “So how do we get outta here?”

  “The same way we came in – there is not another route out of this chamber.” Came the reply Saul was dreading.

  Nell intervened again. “But we all know what awaits us outside those doors. They will obviously have now sounded the alarm. How on earth are we going to get past an army of guards and that beast of a thing?”

  “Any ideas Saul?” Asked E.

  “Me! I thought you were the ideas man in this outfit?” Saul responded quickly.

  “I am,.. Until you learn to think like a Sentinel. I don’t think you appreciate Saul, that I am here to serve you. To support you. But you are the driving force, you are the one with the real power. As the genie always says,.. Your wish is my command.” E confirmed.

  Saul was puzzled. “I am the power? What does that actually mean?”

  E once again instructed the young Sentinel. “Energy flows where consciousness directs it to flow. You have been selected as a guardian of all that you know. You are young and learning ‘on the job’ so to speak, but you are indeed the driving force, which I have no option but to follow. Energy is the whole fabric of the universe but conscious thought is what directs energy. You must learn to think for yourself and have faith in the decisions you take. I can help you in any way and at any time by providing what you request, but you must ask for it. ASK, BELIEVE, RECIEVE. This is the universal law.”

  Saul was taken aback. “So,… I ask for something and you as energy must provide it?”

  “Yes. Your explanation is simplistic, but essentially yes, that is how it works. Your thoughts, desires and mental images are the real drivers, but spoken words in the form of a request will also suffice.”

  “Freaky!” Exclaimed Saul. “So, you left me to fight those guards because I did not ask for help?”

  “Yes. I prepared you for the inevitable, by uploading the ability to fight physically. But as you say, the whole situation could have been more easily handled had you thought to deploy a suitably overwhelming strategy. If you had done so, I would have been compelled to execute it. But this is part of the knowledge acquisition process that stems from becoming a Sentinel. It is an inevitable learning curve.”

  Nell became curious. “OK So in his new-found role as a sentry,..”

  “Sentinel!” Saul corrected.

  “SENTINEL,.. Sorry.” Nell said adjusting her terminology, “As a Sentinel, Saul’s mind can harness the power of energy and use that power in whatever way he sees fit?”

  “All human beings can harness energy through the use of their mind, will and desires Nell.” Answered E. “Its just that they have lost the knowledge to do so. Saul has been chosen as a Sentinel because he has the mindset, which draws natural conclusions quickly, and positively. He automatically looks for the solution as opposed to any perceptions of defeat. He also has the natural talent for technology, which as I said before is a powerful conduit through which energy like myself can work.”

  Nell was not finished. “So I can do it too?” She enquired excitedly.

  “Yes of course. However, your mind is clouded with negative thoughts relating to your father and his worrying position. Therefore you automatically approach a subject with pre-programmed mental worries. This is negative and will inevitably result in a negative outcome.” E instructed. Then he continued, “You are the eldest daughter in your family. You feel a responsibility to do the best for your father, after his confession to you about his devastating financial position. This worries you immensely and therefore, when you consider any decision about your life, you are clouded by the negative emotions you have concerning your father’s plight. These negative emotions are a barometer of how you ‘feel’. These feelings and emotions become your thoughts, then your thoughts in turn become your interaction with the zero point field of energy. If your thoughts are negative you must and will receive negative reality. If your thoughts are positive, you must and will receive positive reality. Its simple really.”

  Nell was struck with the revelation and walked away slowly, clearly considering the impact. Saul was also intrigued but more in the moment and left Nell to consider her implications, whilst pulling the conversation back to what was relevant. “Let me get this straight E. Outside is probably hoards of guards, soldiers or Demonicons and we must get through to escape? But not only that, you are saying I should come up with the answer?”

  “Yes.” Replied E, flatly as usual.

  “OK,..” Said Saul. “OK,.. Well why don’t we just stride out there with a bloody great force field around us then? Just like in Star wars!”

  “That is an excellent suggestion Saul.” Responded E. “Spherical?”

  “Spherical, elliptical, square,… Whatever.” Saul quipped.

  E’s holographic face once again retracted into the mobile phone and with one long zzzzzzzzzzeuuup-sound a spherical ball of energy emanated from the screen, filling an area of approximately ten feet around the two students. Glowing, effervescent and flickering, it buzzed and strobed. “This should suffice.” Said E, in its monotone manner.

  “Whoooaaah!” Saul exclaimed in total disbelief.

  Nell looked all around her to see the magnificent sphere, all protecting and glistenting. “Shall we leave now?” E asked the pair.

  Saul grabbed his phone from which the protective ball was emitting and began to walk towards the large secured doors and as he did so the ball of energy followed, keeping Nell and Saul directly in the centre.

  After once again unbolting the enormous secured chamber doors they began walking out into the main sacrificial hall, but with trepidation. “Its fine.” Said E, nothing can reach you in here. Do not be fearful.”

  The pair walked into the huge space of the main sacrificial chamber to be met with hundreds of guards, all heavily armed and clothed in armour and robes. The guards were clearly ready for combat and rushed at the pair with weapons flailing. As they ran at full pelt towards the frightened students, they bounced off the force field and were repelled back some feet falling to the ground. Wave after wave of guards attempted to attack them but were pushed back by the impenetrable field of energy.

  The guards were confounded and confused as they could see the youngsters just some short distance away, but could not, no matter how hard they tried, get near them. Still they continued to smash at the field with swords, spears and weapons. Still the young Sentinel and his companion walked slowly forwards in complete protection and safety.

  As they reached the far side of the temple, they were confronted by the carnage they had left during their skirmish on the way in, including the body of the Oracle hanging from the horn of the bull statue, protruding through her torso. But now the Demonicon was ignoring the youngsters and was preoccupied with rifling through the robes of the Oracle. Once he had found what he was looking for, he turned and looked at the pair inside their protective bubble, then simply turned and walked away, exiting through the hole he’d left in the wall after being blown through it and breaking into a pounding run as he went.

  “We have a problem!” E said loudly.

  “You’re telling me.” Replied Saul, jumping back, startled within the force field, as guards continued to strike at them with whatever they could use.

  “No – Not the guards they are no threat to you. The Demonicon has just retrieved and etching of the tablet from the oracle. We must get that etching and destroy it, or all of this work will have been for nothing.” E advised.

  As the pair slowly crossed the great hall and walked through the gaping hole in the temple wall through which the Demonicon had just exited, they were greeted by bright daylight, squinting their eyes and an even larger crowd jeering and attempting to attack them. Amidst the chaos Saul clocked the Demonicon running in a lumbering, pounding motion away from the assembled crowd.

  “Where is he heading E?” Sau
l shouted.

  “I imagine into another dimension, where he can hand over the etching to dark energy, where it will again be able to utilise the coded transformational knowledge.” E was short and sharp.

  “Then how do we stop him?” Yelled Nell.

  Saul looked into the distance watching the Demonicon running further and faster and with a steely look, simply said, “We don’t. We follow him!”

  “He will enter a wormhole shortly and be lost forever if we don’t do something Saul.” E said applying the pressure. “Oh and additionally,.. The Tsunami strikes in thirty seconds!”

  Amidst the chaos surrounding the pair within their spherical protective field, Saul did not lift his gaze from the fleeing Demonicon. Instead he smiled and calmly instructed, “E – use a tractor beam on him,.. I’ve watched Star trek. Link us to him with a tractor beam. Oh and E – Do it pretty damn quick!”

  As Saul’s final word left his lips, the force field surrounding the pair immediately dropped, instantaneously shrinking back into the phone handset and immediately bursting out again as one long beam of blue light, shooting towards the Demonicon. The Demonicon strode towards a swirling gaseous cloud, which opened up meters in front of him, floating a meter in the air. And as it took its final step and leapt towards it, the blue beam of crystalline light hit it square in the back. As the crowd surrounding Nell and Saul watched in awe and were momentarily held in amazement, Saul held his phone in one outstretched hand and grabbed Nell with the other. As they both looked up to see an oncoming wall of water, some one hundred meters high, the pair were dragged in one blurring movement, at the speed of light into the same gaseous opening, which once Nell and Saul passed through, disappeared again as quickly as it had formed.

  Chapter 8: Westworld

  Saul and Nell exited the wormhole at high speed, but straight into the top of a huge sand dune, which took their legs away from under them and sent them cascading down the other side in two balls of dust and sand. After a dozen somersaults, they both came to a standstill, disorientated, dazed and with sand in their, mouths, eyes, hair and ears.

  Saul fired a look of concern over at Nell, who quickly raised both hands defensively and said, “Don’t even go there! This routine is becoming pretty tiresome.” Then she slumped, in resignation and began dusting herself off.

  As they sat in the crater between two dunes, they both looked around to get their bearings and noticed footprints running up one side. Saul nodded in the direction of the ridge and they both scrambled up the twenty meters to the top.

  They carefully peered over the peak of the dune and were greeted with a huge, open plain. Desert scrubland for miles in every direction. The vast wilderness opened up into mile upon mile of wasteland so wide that the horizon was slightly curved to the naked eye.

  In the distance they spotted the lone Demonicon now walking purposefully, leaving behind him clear footprints, which were hard for a being four times the weight of an average man to hide. The two friends stood up, dusted themselves down and set off slowly in pursuit of the dark energy being.

  It was hot. Hot, dusty and difficult to cover much ground at speed, so they both walked at a pace, which would conserve their energy. But it was hard going.

  As they strolled along following the footprints, Saul clearly had something on his mind. He collected some stones and proceeded to throw them at cacti and tumbleweeds as they passed by. He grabbed a wooden stick along the route and after using it as a make-believe gun, a walking stick and to write in the dust, discarded it again shortly afterwards.

  He finally broke his silence. “I never had you down as a gold-digger.” He said still walking. Nell looked confused. “I thought we were chasing that thing for a scroll or etching or something,.. Not gold.” She said frowning.

  “No you! I never had you down as one of those women who chase after money. You and DeBrecht. That’s why you’re with him right?” He asked.

  Nell stopped walking. She turned towards Saul, took one step nearer him and proceeded to slap him full force across his face. “Don’t you ever compare me to one of those people.” She shouted, close up into Saul’s face. “Don’t you dare judge me Saul Casey. Who the hell are you, to think you’re better than me!” She attempted to slap him again, with Saul ducking out of the way quickly.

  “What the hell!” Saul screamed back. “What are you doing you crazy,…”

  “You think you know me?” Demanded Nell. “You think you know anything about me, the real me, my life, my family?”

  “well,…”

  “You do not! You are a boy! You are a boy on some weird fucking sci-fi day-trip. You think you have any idea what my father’s demise would do to myself and my sisters? Who the hell do you think you are to criticise me without knowing anything?” Nell was incensed. Saul stepped away and looked down at the dusty ground. “I,… Well I suppose I,..”

  “You suppose what!” Nell bellowed, walking ahead in disgust.

  “OK,.. OK!” Saul countered angrily and embarrassed. “I’m just trying to say I suppose I may not know enough facts to,… To say that last ‘moneygrabber’ comment. I’m sorry OK! But you gotta admit,..”

  Nell was already ten meters ahead and walking angrily, at pace. Saul ran after her continuing, “Look you gotta admit DeBrecht isn’t exactly Prince Charming, is he?”

  Nell stopped again abruptly, “And you are I suppose?”

  “Well maybe not, but I treat you better than he does and he’s meant to be your boyfriend.” Nell continued her fast-paced getaway from Saul.

  Saul trekked some distance behind Nell for the next few hundred meters, afraid to walk level with her, but he could see she was crying. He felt bad. Embarrassed at his childish, uninformed outburst. Again Nell stopped abruptly, as Saul got closer. She turned quickly towards him, tears streaming down her face and dropping onto the scorched sand. “What am I supposed to do!” She screamed in between sniffs, “My family are penniless, my father is seriously ill because of the worry and stress and I am the eldest child. Some of us are not as bright and fucking intelligent as you Saul,… some of us mere mortals are at Oxford because our families simply send a cheque. I don’t have what it takes to be the next Madame Curie, or Angle fucking Merckel, so you tell me,.. YOU TELL ME RIGHT NOW – WHAT THE HELL AM I MEANT TO DO?” She breaks down into a flood of uncontrollable tears. Saul says nothing, but instinctively embraces the distraught Nell. The young pair continue walking, with Saul placing an arm around her shoulders. As they pace along slowly Nell asks, “If you have any good ideas, I’m all ears.”

  Saul’s head drops, “No,.. No I don’t” He said sadly.

  The pair continue on their walk and tracking the Demonicon and to lighten the mood, Saul grabs his phone and questions E. “OK Big guy,… Where are we? And what’s next? I don’t know how many more miles we can walk here?”

  E’s voice emanates, but he pulls up an holographic 3D map of the area, once again spinning it around into various orientations before settling on one and zooming in. “There is a town up ahead. The Demonicon is obviously heading there to seek shelter and plan its next move. We must track it there and more importantly secure and destroy that etching scroll.”

  “A town? I don’t see any town up ahead.” Said Saul, peering into the distance.

  “It’s a small town.” Replied E, dry as ever.

  As Nell and Saul approached further along the trail, they spotted the tiny town in the distance, through dusty, squally, winds, blowing up the gritty sand. It was small. Very small. Just like a cowboy town in the movies. “Is that it? Enquired Saul. “It looks like somewhere Billy The Kid would hold out!”

  “It is.” Replied E.

  “Billy the Kid?” Confirmed Saul. “We are in the eighteen hundreds?”

  “No. You are in the equivalent of modern day in your own time. But this is a parallel universe. You are millions of miles away from Earth geographically. It is simply that this planet is evolving at a different rate to that of yours. Similar poi
nts of evolution, but different times.”

  “Oh yeah of course.” Said Nell, sarcastically. “And do either of you guys have a plan once we reach this Godforsaken place.”

  E took the lead. “It would be logical for you to rest and find some shelter and to drink water as I’m picking up signs of dehydration in you both. We must then establish where the Demonicon is hiding out and relieve it of the etching parchment.”

  “And how are we going to do that?” Nell persisted.

  “Shoot him!” E answered, leaving the young pair once again speechless and simply glaring at each other.

  As the young students approached the western town, it looked identical to the movies. Wooden structure buildings, lining each side of one street, which was simply dust. A few occupants were milling around, all human as far as the pair could make out and they had horses too. ‘Quite reassuring’ thought Saul.

  The pair walked into town cautiously, making their way to the nearest saloon to desperately get a drink of water and re-hydrate. As they entered through the obligatory swing doors they were greeted by a scene straight out of ‘True Grit’. Various men sat around smoking and drinking, a barman serving behind a long, straight bar, which stretched the whole length of the room and everyone staring at them, silently as they entered.

  They approached the barman tentatively and in complete silence, as the whole bar room became hushed. “Hi,..” Said Saul, nervously. The barman said nothing just nodded. “Tough crowd.” Saul whispered to Nell.

  “We don’t usually have women in here.” The barman finally said, then nodded towards Nell.