by D. C. Akers
Rylan moved closer to the wall. He took off his glove and placed his hand on the stone. Calling on Earth, he quickly connected with the element, but it was faint. He furrowed his brow and tilted his head.
“What … what’s wrong?” Zeek asked.
“Shhhh,” Rylan snapped, trying to concentrate.
Zeek sighed in frustration, removed his glove, and placed his hand next to Rylan’s on the wall.
“Strange, right?” Rylan whispered to Zeek.
“I don’t feel anything,” Zeek said, staring at the wall. “I can’t connect. All I feel is … emptiness.”
Rylan leaned closer. “It’s like the Earth is nonexistent beyond these walls,” he said, bemused, then stepped back and slipped his glove back on.
Zeek turned and looked at Rylan. “But that would mean—”
“Yeah,” Rylan said nodding. “There must be a barrier of some kind within the walls, and it gets stronger the farther we descend.”
“That’s not good,” Zeek said, putting on his glove. Then he pulled his staff, Gaden, from his back. “That means this is not some random hideout like we thought. This place was constructed to keep people out, people like us. Keepers.”
Zeek had a point, Rylan thought. The cavern had been fortified and shielded with something like iron or steel, both of which could dull a Keeper’s ability to reach the elements. Whoever built this facility—and that’s what it was, a facility, not some excavated cave—had been here for quite some time. Far longer than anyone had thought.
“Come on,” Rylan said. “Let’s keep moving. The sooner we recover the pilot, the sooner we get out of here.”
Rylan and Zeek hurried down the tunnel and positioned themselves on either side of the doorway to the room. Zeek, being the more impatient of the two, leaned over to look around the corner, but Rylan held up his hand. Zeek stared back, unsure of what he was trying to convey, until he heard it. Voices, muttering from somewhere inside, echoed through the room and into the tunnel. Zeek nodded and carefully eased himself back against the wall.
Rylan placed Talus on his back again, then reached down into the utility belt around his waist. He withdrew a small, silver device and placed it on the wall. The words Chameleon Activated flashed on his gauntlet. The device twitched as the internal gyros came online. Three legs sprouted on either side of its body, and a small camera, much like a periscope, swiveled out from the top of its midsection. Rylan pushed a series of buttons on his gauntlet, and the spiderlike device scurried down the wall behind Rylan’s legs and faded into the rock.
Now camouflaged, the chameleon began transmitting its live feed directly into their goggles. Rylan quickly typed into his gauntlet, carefully guiding the device across the floor, into the room, and down the spiral staircase.
It took the chameleon several minutes to reach the bottom floor, and Rylan counted five unguarded levels on its way down. But once it reached the bottom of the staircase, the small device broadcasted a clear feed of the voices Rylan had heard earlier.
Two men guarded the room, dressed in heavy battle gear, complete with helmets, body armor, and Orc battle rifles. They continued their conversation, unaware of the chameleon’s presence.
“They’re light, more powerful, and loads more accurate than this junk we’re carrying now,” one guard said as he held up his rifle.
“So, you’ve actually fired one?” The other asked.
“Well, no, but they’re Witch-made, so you know they’re good. The Majesty outlawed them for a reason, you know.”
“The Majesty,” the guard scoffed, “putting their fingers into everything.”
“Yeah, well, I heard they’ll be issuing them soon, and I can’t wait.”
Rylan guided the chameleon quietly from the wall onto the ceiling above the guards. The halls on either side were now visible through the optical lens.
“Ry, there’s a door at the end of the hallway,” Zeek whispered.
“I see it, but first we need to take out the guards,” Rylan said, and pushed one final button. The words GAS CHARGE flashed through the display on his goggles.
“Ry, you set that off, we’ll have to time it perfectly,” Zeek said.
Rylan looked up. “Then that’s what we will do,” he said and removed Talus from his back. The display began to count down. 3 … 2 … 1.
Rylan and Zeek switched on their breathing apparatuses and gave each other one final look. This is it, Rylan thought, there can be no mistakes. Together, they evaporated into the darkness as a steady stream of white gas burst from the chameleon into the unsuspecting guards’ faces. The room flashed, and Rylan and Zeek reappeared behind the soldiers in a haze of blue and purple vapors. They caught the guards as they collapsed and gently guided them to the ground before dragging their unconscious bodies into the shadows behind the stairwell.
Zeek turned to Rylan. “Well, we were right, this is definitely a base,” he said, looking at the surroundings. The tunnels they had found a few levels up were now gone. Dimly lit corridors, polished floors, and metal staircases surrounded them. Rylan removed his glove and placed his hand on the wall again. “Nothing. This facility is completely shielded from the elements.”
This is getting worse by the minute, he thought as he stared down the hallway. The place seemed cold and isolated. Where was everyone? It was so quiet, they couldn’t hear anything but the faint hum of what Rylan could only assume was a compressor somewhere in the distance. This was the entry point to something much larger, but how large? Rylan had the sinking suspicion they were going to need more than a two-man strike team to recover the pilot.
“We’ll have to make do with what’s here,” Zeek said.
“We’ll use air and gravity,” Rylan said, decisively. He didn’t want Zeek to know just how worried he was.
Zeek nodded in agreement.” I sense water too,” he said.
“Water is here, but not enough of it; concentrate on the other two elements.” Rylan ordered. “Now, come on, let’s find that pilot.”
Chapter 3
Rylan commanded the chameleon to move down the corridor, and the two Keepers followed.
Rylan could hear whispers coming from the other room. He motioned to his ear and looked at Zeek, who nodded and reached for the small throwing knife in his utility belt. Rylan did the same, and they both braced themselves against the wall. When they were ready, Rylan commanded the chameleon to move forward.
The room was illuminated by a soft yellow glow from the ceiling lights above. Six diagonal walkers stood around a long gray table with matching chairs. A red hue in Rylan's goggles flashed over each insurgent's face, indicating that the facial recognition scanning had begun. He looked carefully at a man that stood with the two armed escorts. He couldn’t see the man’s face directly, not yet, but there was something about his mannerisms that struck Rylan as oddly familiar. He was fitted in gray body armor and a long black coat with a hood that hung low on his face. Rylan couldn’t see his eyes, but he did notice the scar that ran across his chin and over his lips.
That scar, Rylan thought. Then it came to him just as the facial recognition completed its scan. This was none other than the infamous Cyrus Kan.
“Ry,” Zeek gasped, seeing the readout.
Rylan couldn’t believe it either. There he was, the most wanted man in all of Haven, just standing in the other room. Rylan swallowed. He could feel his heart pound in his chest, and he suddenly felt very hot.
“Ry, what do we do?” Zeek asked, sounding a bit dazed.
Rylan closed his eyes, trying to calm himself. Focus, Rylan, he thought to himself. Keep it together.
“Ry,” Zeek said again.
He had to focus on the objective, the objective, damn it. “Don’t get distracted,” he told himself.
“What?” Zeek asked.
Startled, Rylan opened his eyes. “I said don’t get distracted. Focus on the mission,” he said, not realizing he had spoken out loud. “We’re here to rescue the pilot. That’s the mi
ssion, that‘s the objective.”
Zeek nodded without saying a word.
Rylan quickly turned his attention back to Cyrus’s military escort and began sizing them up. These men looked different than the soldiers they had seen earlier. They were bigger and heavily armed. They wore silver skull masks, which rendered the facial recognition useless. As for the other three walkers in the room, the scanner returned with Species Not Found.
“Not found?” Rylan said.
“That's impossible,” Zeek whispered.
Zeek was right, there had to be a mistake. How was it possible that this species went undetected all this time? And how was it that Cyrus Kan knew of them when the Majesty, with all its resources, didn’t?
Whatever was going on, it was big—it had to be for Cyrus Kan to make a personal appearance. Rylan felt anxiety welling up in his chest; it was as if he were about to explode. He took another deep breath and exhaled slowly as his gaze fell to one of the unidentified species.
She had black skin and long white hair, and was dressed in animal skins and handwoven textiles. A white insignia that the facial recognition identified as the sign of Virgo was painted over her right eye.
She wore polished stones around her neck, and bands of ivory and gold hung around her arms and ankles. She and her counterparts, who looked just like her only with different facial tattoos, were tall, fit, and rather lean. Their eyes were dark red except for their coal black pupils and the black outer edge of their irises.
Cyrus had been scrutinizing the room when he finally turned to the female. His dark eyes glimmered in admiration as he gazed at her. “This is an impressive facility, Nao. Shielded, am I right?” he said smugly and removed his hood. He had thick, black hair that was long and unkempt.
“You are correct, but that is not why we are here,” Nao said in a bored, flat tone.
“No, it’s not.” Cyrus’s jaw went rigid, and his stare became more intense. “So tell me, why am I here?” he asked, crossing his arms. “I’m assuming it’s in regards to our little business arrangement.”
Nao squinted her eyes and tilted her head in thought. “Aries, am I correct?” she asked, as if she was working through something in her head and avoiding his question altogether.
Cyrus’s expression was cold and calculating. “Yes. I fail to see how that's important.”
Nao lifted a single white eyebrow. “Oh, but it is. You see, I know your kind very well.”
“My kind?” he asked.
“Of course. You, as an Aries, are very independent by nature, and you do not like to take orders from anyone. You enjoy getting your way,” she said.
Cyrus’s cold stare eased upon hearing this. “Well, who doesn't?” he said.
“And you act childish or moody should you be given orders that you do not like,” she continued.
Cyrus’s face fell. “No one gives me orders,” he growled, stepping closer to her.
“And you are offended easily, as well.”
“You should be very careful, and remember to whom you are speaking, Nao,” he said as his two military guards stepped forward.
Nao did not move, nor did her companions. Instead, she stared into Cyrus’s eyes when she spoke. “The problem with Aries is that you are a bit too self-centered for my taste, and above all, Cyrus Kan, Aries of the Dark Lands, you lie when its seems advantageous to do so.”
Cyrus was turning red now.
Nao took a step forward. “Did I mention I detest liars?”
Instantly, Nao's companions vanished from her side and reappeared behind Cyrus's soldiers. In one swift movement they grabbed the two men by the backs of their necks and hoisted them into the air.
Nao kept her eyes focused on Cyrus, whose eyes were wide. He flinched in confusion as Nao raised her hands above her head. Wisps of blue energy swept from her fingertips, traveled through the air, and swirled around Cyrus’s men.
“I don't appreciate your tone, Aries,” she said and quickly brought her hands down. There was a loud swish, like a sword cutting through the air. Cyrus recoiled as guns, armor, and helmets came crashing to the ground.
“Good Lord!” Zeek gasped.
Cyrus’s eyes flashed with fear as he turned to see the sight of his former soldiers. Both men had been stripped of their skin; nothing but their flayed carcasses remained hanging in the warrior’s hands.
Cyrus stood, watching as blood dripped from the soldiers' flesh onto the floor. A red pool was forming at his feet. The room had become still and eerily quiet, and Cyrus’s face seemed paler than before. Finally, he turned and looked back at Nao. “Okay, you have my attention,” he said calmly.
A slow grin spread across Nao’s face. “But do I have your respect, Aries?” she asked smugly. Her red eyes narrowed as she stared at the rogue leader.
Cyrus’s gaze shifted to the crumpled piles of skin that lay on the floor, then he turned to look at Nao again. “Yes,” he said and cleared his throat.
Nao pointed to a chair in front of Cyrus. “Sit,” she said, and with a wave of her hand the chair slid out from the table.
Rylan could see the frustration boiling within Cyrus. His right eye twitched as he looked down at the chair in front of him.
Nao stared at Cyrus. Her face had gone flat again. “Please, I insist,” she said.
“No,” Cyrus said, lifting his chin. “I'm fine right where I am.” But his body was stiff, and his words sounded hollow.
The warriors behind Cyrus released the dead soldiers from their grip, and the men fell to the floor. Cyrus winced, but he stared straight ahead. The two warriors moved to either side of Cyrus and turned to face him.
“I wasn’t asking,” Nao said through gritted teeth. Rylan could see her long, white fangs when she spoke. “SIT. DOWN.” she commanded.
Cyrus swallowed and adjusted his collar before gradually lowering himself into the chair.
Nao moved closer to the table. “Good, shall we continue?” she asked, as if nothing had happened. “Now, where were we … oh, yes. Our. Little. Project.” Nao turned and began to walk the room.
“We are on schedule, as promised. The breeding facility is now fully operational and is the first of many, per our agreement.”
Cyrus opened his mouth and then closed it, as if he wasn’t sure if he should talk.
Nao stopped. “You have something to add, Aries?” she said.
Cyrus’s eyes narrowed; it was obvious he did not like being called that.
“When … when, can I have a look?” he asked.
Nao nodded to her guards, and they turned and left the room.
“There are certain precautions that must be taken in the beginning, so at this time the breeding chambers are off-limits to everyone but the facilitators,” she said. “But I can show you the incubation conduit that was specially crafted for your new-age warrior.”
Cyrus turned to see Nao's soldiers enter the room again, but the creatures were not alone. Spinning slowly in the air behind them was a long red and black octagon-shaped cylinder. At first glance, Rylan thought the cylinder’s exoskeleton was covered in chainmail, but on closer inspection, he could see that was not the case. It was covered in scales, like those of a snake.
“What is that?” Cyrus asked. His eyes widened, and he inched his chair to one side to avoid touching it.
“This, Aries, is the next generation of bio-wraith warfare. The perfect blend of intelligence, power, and will.” Nao ran her long black fingers over the rigid surface, admiring its craftsmanship. “Just imagine an incorporeal being with the ability to take any physical shape at will. A superior Wraith warrior engineered with a specific genetic code, controlled only by its DNA match.”
Nao removed her hand and looked over at Cyrus. “And that match is you.”
A slow, insidious smile crept across Cyrus's face. “I like the sound of that,” he murmured.
Nao lifted her eyebrow. “I thought you might, Aries.”
Zeek shook his head. “One is just as crazy as the
other,” he said. “We should get in there, Ry, they can't take us both!”
What? Rylan thought. Had Zeek not been paying attention to anything that was going on in front of him? Not only were the two of them outnumbered, but Rylan was quite sure that Cyrus would have back-up, and there were plenty more soldiers where Nao’s warriors came from. The last thing he wanted to do was get into a confrontation with an unknown species. They had probably only seen a glimpse of Nao’s magic, and, from what he could tell, it was quite powerful. Zeek was going to get them killed if Rylan didn't reel him in.
“We are here for one thing, and that's to find the pilot and then get the hell out of here,” he said.
“Come on, Ry, this is an opportunity, for both of us. If we capture Kan we could be looking at a promotion.”
So that’s it, Rylan told himself. That was all Zeek cared about: himself. He wasn't thinking of the downed pilot that may or may not be alive. He was thinking about how great this would look for him and his career. His goal of becoming the youngest Master Keeper in the Majesty was getting in the way of what needed to be done, and if Rylan wasn't careful it could cost them their lives.
“I said NO! That’s an order,” Rylan firmly hissed.
“But Rylan—”
“Zeek, that's an order.”
Rylan couldn’t see Zeek's face through the protective gear and goggles, but he was quite sure it wasn’t pleasant.
“Fine,” Zeek grunted. “Yes, sir.”
Rylan gave him a quick nod and turned his attention back to Nao and Cyrus. Cyrus was standing now, just inches from the spinning cylinder.
“So, you want nothing more than what we agreed upon, right?” He sounded skeptical, as if maybe the deal they had struck in the past had changed. Cyrus turned and looked at Nao. “Right?”
“Correct,” Nao said smoothly. “Nothing more than the complete annihilation of all those who came here from Earth.”
Cyrus crossed his arms. “And I also get—”
“Yes,” she interrupted. “You will keep the keys to the portals, should you find them. Fire, Air, and Earth worlds will be yours, and you may do what you wish with them. Just as long as you leave Haven forever.”