by Lee Morgan
As he landed on the ground, the Keeper fell lifelessly on his back.
“Mark!” A second later his wolf-like head popped up from the side of the corpse. His teeth were stained red with dripping blood and his pupils were glowing brightly. Connor ran over to him and saw him clutching his left hind leg. His femur and tibia were resetting themselves because the sounds of resetting and regenerating bones were clearly evident. “Bud, what happened?”
Through gritted and bloodstained canines he stated “You did… give me just a few…more…seconds.” His eyes finally quit glowing and he looked up at Connor after sighing. “There wasn’t any way for me to keep up with you so I grabbed your ankle. It was my only option to keep up with your insane speed. You broke my leg in three places when I crashed into the wall, when you made that sharp right turn. I had to let go when you crashed into this guy because I’d have crashed into you too. Luckily I was still flying when my teeth sunk in to him.”
“I’m sorry.”
Mark grinned. “Don’t be. The pain is all gone now and we didn’t have time to spare.” He then pushed himself up on his back legs and then tested his enormous wings. “Good, they didn’t break.” Then Connor looked over Mark’s shoulder and his eyes widened. “What are you looking at, Buddy?” Mark turned to see what he did and his bottom jaw dropped.
“Sorono!” they shouted together.
Sorono really was here, but he appeared in bad shape. He was over at the end of the room and looked to be almost melted into the wall. They sprinted over to him and as they ran more details revealed themselves. Not only was he locked inside the volcanic rock, but he is completely encased in Dark Steel. No metal gives off a luster like that without it being the densest of all metals. The only thing that wasn’t encased was his large reptilian head. Unfortunately they knew at a glance that he was weak, even in sleep. His face was slightly swollen and covered in dried blood. They must beat him daily. Only one who is severely weakened wouldn’t have been woken up by the disturbance that was just made.
“He looks horrible.” Mark commented while looking up. He then raked his powerful and sharp claws against the metal and came to the same conclusion by whispering “Dark Steel.” His slit silver eyes locked with Connor’s. “This is your department. I’m useless against this stuff.”
Connor looked from him to the Head Elder. “Sorono!” He shouted. “Wake up and let me know if your alright!” He remained still, but he was still breathing if his flaring nostrils gave any indication.
After taking a quick look around the room he said “Mark, I’m going to get rid of his prison. Keep your eyes closed because things are going to get bright around here.” Mark took the warning seriously by turning his back, closing his eyes and taking a few steps away.
Connor stepped forward and placed his palm on the metal which covered his sibling’s left leg. It felt very cool to the touch and that meant that Sorono went coldblooded to conserve what little energy he had left.
His eyes closed and his mind focused. I hope your right about this using the same amount of energy. This is a thousand times more metal than Tool. Knowing how much energy it would use would drain thirty percent which means that he’d be running at sixty percent by the time this all ended. As his mind focused on the personalized prison, Connor imagined it cracking in pieces and falling apart. As his instinct pushed the command forward, his eyes opened. The sensation of a torrent of energy coursed through him yet again. His body began glowing because of the amount of power being used to perform and complete the task. Then the power went through his palm and it absorbed into the metal.
As the Dark Steel absorbed the influx of energy it began glowing. Connor remembered last time he worked this skill and turned his head away just in time while also forcing his eyes shut. Every second drained a half of a percent of his stored energy. Then at the fifty five seconds, a change began to occur. They both listened as the metal began cracking all over the encasing. Once it reached sixty seconds, the Dark Steel began breaking apart in large chunks because of the metallic sounds they made started hitting the floor.
He stopped his energy and opened his eyes. The light disappeared instantly, but the metal continued falling away in large pieces He needed to step back because a large portion of black metal fell off his brother’s chest. As the metal clanged to the floor he saw that Sorono’s robe had been ruined beyond repair. There were holes, cuts, dirt and blood all over it.
Then the metal gave way because of Sorono’s weight falling forward. “Mark!” Connor called and he was by his side quickly and helped to catch Sorono when he began falling. Sorono’s muscles were still enormous, but they were severely weakened from the inhospitable stay. They took his full weight and gently laid him down on the floor, after removing the sharp metal shards from underneath. He remained unconscious from the captivity and even from the fall.
“Maybe he needs to be woken up?” Mark suggested while checking the wounds on Sorono’s skull. “Try going into his mind and wake him that way.”
Mark did have a point. Maybe Sorono was protecting his mind by shutting himself off from the world. Connor pushed with his mind and entered his brother’s to see nothing but a weakened mental barrier of Veronica and Shannon asleep and sleeping by a small fire.
An immediate physical reaction came from Sorono waking up from the intrusion. His arms and legs began twitching. A reptilian hiss escaped his throat and Mark backed away instinctively. Sorono’s head began moving and slowly his hazel eyes showed themselves. But something was wrong.
Sorono’s eyes were wild and extremely dangerous. Did I ever look like that? Connor had forgotten to pull his thoughts back because Sorono heard the innocent question.
His massive head turned to Connor and he backed away. The look in Sorono’s eyes said he saw those standing before him as a threat and also as a small source of food. He didn’t recognize Connor at all, because he’s been away from his connection to nature for too long. His current diet was also a factor to this predatory behavior.
Sorono slowly began rising on all fours while glaring intently at Connor. Mark tried getting his attention, but Connor raised a hand and he stopped.
Connor spoke calmly “Sorono, it’s me. Do you understand what I’m saying?” he hissed dangerously while taking a menacing step closer. “Try to remember… Hey! Listen to me… Wake up!” Sorono continued hissing while moving into an advantageous position, while Connor’s feet were planted firmly in place. He was holding his ground. When Sorono nipped at him and tried to make him run for his life that had been more than enough.
As his head recoiled back for another try, Connor lunged forward to bridge the gap. He brought his right fist around and screamed “GET AHOLD OF YOURSELF, YOU IDIOT!!!” and his fist connected on the side of Sorono’s jaw. Connor used a sufficient force to rattle his brain around and knock him over on his side at the same time. He needed to come back, but not with a shattered jaw.
Mark ran over and barred his teeth in preparation for a counter attack.
Connor’s punch seemed to do the trick because Sorono began rubbing his jaw. An angry and wild creature wouldn’t do that. When he reopened his eyes he looked around his surroundings. Then they felt a familiar mind once again, even if he didn’t notice them yet. “What? How did I… When did someone release me?”
“I released you, Sorono!” His large hazel eyes found his brother’s and then Mark’s. His eyes were still wild and darting everywhere, but recognition was there.
“Connor? Is that really you or am I still hallucinating?” Sorono slowly sat up on his hind end and looked at them a little bit closer. Then his eyes opened wide in honest recognition. “It is you! What…? How?” He tried to form coherent thoughts, but came up empty handed at the moment.
“First, we need to get you out of here. I don’t need you to think that your next meal would be me. Once you eat and calm down, then we can talk.”
“Alright, lead the way.”
Sorono stood up weakly on his
hind legs while trying to regain a proud composure again. Mark and Connor turned around and began walking. Sorono followed, but then stopped. They turned to see him spit on his deceased captor. “Filthy creature. I wish I could have tortured you like you and your brethren did to me!”
Not another word was uttered after Sorono resumed walking slowly with them. They all noticed the crumpled stone at the corner where Mark crashed into it and broke his leg. Luckily he’s quick to forgive such an accident. His brother was breathing heavily as they made their way up to the surface once again.
The moment Connor swung the outside door open, Sorono quickly stepped over him and Mark. Sorono almost ran off into the night as he came out in the freedom of life. He went straight to the high grass and plopped down in it. Then the nighttime grass began to caress and move against his scaly body. The grass didn’t have enough wind for them to be moving like that. It was strange to see him reconnect with nature, from Connor’s perspective. He’s only noticed the trees and grass move from close up. Sorono rolled on his back and then started slowly breathing the fresh air of the warm night. He began looking straight up into the stars and Connor watched as the wild quality of his eyes were quickly quelled. Within five minutes he grew calm and more like himself. The sense of danger that came from him had lessened dramatically.
Sorono sat up slowly, saw the two of them standing several yards away and asked “Before we speak about what has transpired, is there any food? I’m sorely starving. They’ve only allowed me to live off of less than a single percent of my energies. Please tell me there is food.”
Connor walked closer to him while saying. “Yes, we found food, but it won’t be anywhere near the amounts that you will require. Follow me and I’ll show you.”
Sorono gritted his teeth and stood up again. He and Mark followed him over to the safe location. Once they entered the woods, the food was easily seen. They made three large piles of bananas, peeled coconuts, several un-ripened pine apples and they harvested all the cultivated vegetables from where they found the small farms. Each pile stood nearly six feet tall.
Sorono commented “Your right about the quantity. This might bring my energy to three or four percent.”
“Since that’s the case, I’ll deliver some of my energy to you. I will only give you ten percent though.”
Sorono looked down at the pair and grinned. “Anything you can give, I’ll accept graciously. Thank you.”
The eldest Harmonizer sat down and began eating everything before him. He ate the bananas, skin and all. He also ate the de-husked coconuts whole and made a lot of crunching sounds. His throat rumbled in pleasure after each successful swallow. As he ate, Mark and Connor sat to either side of him. He placed a hand on Sorono’s cold scaly thigh and slowly funneled stored energy over the connection. By the time he absorbed his ten percent, one full pile vanished.
As he ate the meager meal Connor asked “Sorono, how did you become so drained? I mean even after all that I did, I’m only running on half a tank right now. Shouldn’t you produce energy?”
He spoke as he continued consuming. “Normally your observations are easy to understand, but in this case you must be told. Some powerful Keepers have the strength to rip the energy away from another. When I was unconscious, someone or several someone’s drained the energies from my very body. It works by physical contact and as long as their target remains alive. Just like how you give energy, you can remove it and add it to your own strength. That is how I became so weak.”
He became silent as did Mark.
Sorono finally spoke as his last pile disappeared. “Connor, we do not have time to waste. We have much to discuss on our way back.” Then his scaly brow creased. “It seems like I will have to use you to find my mate. Something enormous is in the works and we have an approaching deadline.”
Even a child could understand the fear in his eyes. “Alright, we’ll leave just after I do something first.” Sorono knew that what Connor needed to do had to be done or else they would have already been on their way. “If you want to see what has happened, you’re more than welcome to tag along.”
Together the three of them walked through the night and came upon the carnage. Sorono growled as he looked at all the piles of human corpses that were as tall as he. Then he hissed while stating “This is unforgivable! For this transgression there will be no mercy for those who have done this audacious act.”
Knowing that there wasn’t time to give a proper burial for each person, Connor gave a quick mass burial. Using Terra, he opened holes beneath each pile and allowed them to sink slowly into the volcanic ground. Then he covered the tops of the holes with the soil to complete their burial.
Mark came along and placed a single blank piece of wood as an unmarked grave. Then the three of them shared a moment of silence.
Not long after, Mark stated “Connor, if there is a deadline for something to happen, we’d better get moving. Like you said to me before ‘We need to worry about the living right now’.” He then looked up at Sorono. “Am I correct in guessing that there are many more lives in peril?”
Sorono nodded. “More than even I dare hope to imagine, I’m afraid.”
“Alright, then if that is the case, let’s go.” Mark unfurled his enormous hawk-like wings.
Connor summoned his energy and began flying, Mark already flanked his right. Sorono summoned energy of his own and quickly caught up to take the left flank.
They began flying in a northeast direction because that is where Sarah remained. His bond is infallible and provided a direct location to his mate.
Princess, I’m coming home.
Deadline and Due
Once their flight path had been established and flew directly for Connor’s home, Mark broke the heavily burdensome mental silence. Both Sorono and Connor were linked to his mind because there was too much wind passing their ears to speak aloud, even with the Pressure wedge. “Alright Sorono, tell us what is really going on around here.”
Connor glanced to each side, to see them staring at each other. Then Sorono turned his upset sights forward before answering. “First may I ask what day it is and how you found me? During my capture I lost track of myself.”
His brother chose to answer quickly. “Veronica came to my home four days ago and that is how long our search took. We found the ambush point and it led down to an underground tunnel. We followed the path to that island and spent a day scoping the place out. By the time we arrived, there were only four Keepers guarding your prison, but from the looks of it there were once a great many more of them. I guessed that they left about a week ago.” He then answered the other question. “It is April twenty fifth, why?”
Sorono let out a what Connor assumed to be a hiss and his eyes seemed to darken. “So I’ve been held captive for over three weeks.” His jaw clamped tight and his muscles became more tense. Then he saw Sorono’s eyes change from a seething anger to calm and focused. “There isn’t any use cursing how short a time we have remaining. Alright, allow me to go back and explain everything that has happened since I left your side, little brother.” Sorono’s nose flared as he took a deep, steadying breath.
“When my son Damian located me, he explained about the situation down in South America. After I gave my farewells to Veronica and my daughter, I flew down there alone and ignorantly. The destruction among the population was widespread and very rampant. Ranvan had done more destruction with that one wave than he has done in the past century. Once I made my arrival, there were many who still needed help and immediate rescue. I found many humans and animals that had been washed out to sea and were struggling to get back to shore. Those who were still alive received my help. Sad to say, that was few and far between. During the search and rescue I made sure to not be seen as my powers were used to push them back safely to shore. There were several close encounters with the human rescuers who used both boat and helicopter. Then after more than two weeks of aiding the victims of my brother’s rampage, in any way possible,
I finally picked up his trail. Finding Ranvan’s aura wasn’t too difficult, but that is what he wanted.
“Following Ranvan’s path, I stumbled upon an unnatural clearing in the forest. Ranvan waited in the center of it like I wasn’t even considered a threat to him. My instincts were warning me of danger, only I thought it was warning me of Ranvan. My intuition was wrong as several strange looking creatures attacked.
“I awoke about a week later, from what Ranvan said. He and the others had incarcerated me in Dark Steel. It was their only method of restraining someone such as me. Before Ranvan struck me and departed a week later, I read his mind for an instant and learned just about everything in that time.” Connor eyes drifted in his direction while maintaining a direct flight. Sorono’s eyes sought his brother’s almost embarrassingly. “You said it has been three weeks since my capture and one week since many Keepers had left, that means Ranvan and the leaders departed an unconcerned week after I entered his mind. What I learned and pieced together isn’t going to benefit anyone. Either way there will be a fight.
“You see, Ranvan had somehow found a haven, that has been hidden from the world for over sixty five million years. I do not know of this location, but it is vast enough to have allowed over eight hundred thousand Keepers to survive there all this time.” Both Connor’s and Mark’s mind went blank at hearing such a staggering number. It was difficult to imagine one place capable of containing and sustaining that many immortals for so extremely long and without being discovered. “It was hard to for me to fathom such a key piece of information, but it is all true. In that ancient place, many of my predecessor’s lineages sought out that place for safety. There are, over one hundred thousand of Ragke and Afleen Original children and their mates took up residence inside that haven. They were also accompanied by several other immortal descendants.