Rise of Prophecy Page 24

  “Darius,” Alexius confirms and begins to wobble to the men. He quickly drops to his knees.

  “We mean you no harm son,” Darius says calmly.

  “You killed my father. Let me return the favor.”

  “I don’t think so,” Darius says with a smirk on his face. His companions reveal their side arms. “Now that that’s out of the way; we can leave you here to die or, you can put away your misguided anger, and trust me.”

  “Why should I trust you?”

  “Because you have fallen into a much bigger game, one your father meant for you to enter,” Darius explains. “I loved your father, and I did not kill him. You were left with this lie to protect a bigger one. Come, there is much to learn, and we don’t have time.”

  The nomads help Alexius on his feet. Darius stands in front of a stone wall; he touches a small corner. The ground rumbles as the stone swings aside revealing a passageway. Electric lights slowly turn on in a small room, revealing a console at one end. There is another passageway opening up at the opposite wall.

  -OUTSIDE THE MOUNTAIN-

  Swarms of Atlantean troops exit the side of the mountain. They are all disoriented by the sudden sunlight attacking their senses. It will be an exhausting two-mile march back to the troop transports.

  There is no compassion for them from the Commander. His mission is still incomplete. He cannot rest until he finds Darius, and Prince Timon’s heirloom; but even Stavos has his limits. Against his better judgment, he has taken Captain Deidra’s advice to regroup at their camp.

  Deidra is at the mountain’s entrance; she sees Stavos’ vehicle drive off. She presses a button on her communicator and waits for any indication that Alexius’ radio is still turned on. Her impatience is getting the better of her, so she checks her sidearm as she runs into the mountain.

  -HIDDEN UNDERGROUND ROOM-

  The surroundings in the dark chamber are eerie, cold. There is a hiss from air vents which travel all the way from the surface. The lighting is dim, and there is a soft blue glow from an old console. Darius is attempting to do something with the switches; Alexius is crouched in a corner looking at the activity.

  He glares at the men from time to time, not trusting their motives. The console catches his interest when a screen materializes in the air. Images of hundreds of people huddled together move about in a three-dimensional show. He has never seen anything like this before.

  “What is that?” Alexius asks with some bewilderment in his voice.

  “These are our people, hiding from this atrocity.” Darius selects a switch, causing the images to change to a map of the entire area. “We will be able to see where your soldiers are with this.”

  “They are not my soldiers,” Alexius explains. “You can stop this if you surrender. What is your part in all of this?”

  “I am just a humble advisor to the King, just like your father,” says Darius. “It was Arias who taught me how to use this,” he explains pointing to the console.

  “Can you tell me what is going on?” Alexius asks with some frustration.

  Darius nods to his men, “Make sure the path to the second level is clear,” he orders. “Are you ready to listen, Alexius of Badur?”

  “I don’t have a choice do I?” Alexius asks with some distrust in his voice. “I don’t know you, and I have to assume things are not always as they appear, so yes, I am listening.”

  “First, as I said, I did not kill Arias. Our enemies spread this lie. If you read his journal, you will find this truth.” Darius retrieves the journal from his pocket and hands it to a grateful Alexius.

  “I’ve not found anything to vindicate you, old man.”

  “There is a good portion written in the old Illyrian script; have it translated. You will realize that Arias describes the treachery of a man called Samiri. He suspected this villain was not whom he claimed to be. For many, many years, he was our trusted companion.

  He sought something called the ‘Amon-I,’ an ancient relic. King Barish and the rest of us were seeking the lost land of Lumeria; the mythical resting place of his ancestors. It is during our quest that we discovered the awful truth of the past.”

  ~DARIUS’ RENDITION OF EVENTS~

  “The forefathers came to this world from the heavens, ages ago. We do not know why, but they brought with them the means to bring mankind out from the mud, starting a ‘Golden-age.’ They set up civilizations and government, religion and education. They most of all never claimed to be gods amongst men. Two great houses ruled; house ENlil the primary, and house ENki, the secondary.

  After thousands of years passed, when humanity was at peace with itself, the seven forefathers retreated to Lumeria, to take the long sleep until the time they would rise again, at the end of Virgo, to judge humanity; humanity, a term given to all Anuk and man.

  If peace weighs heavy on their scales, then a new ‘Golden-age’ will dawn. If war, pestilence, and chaos are rampant, then the cleansing will be imminent; the complete and utter annihilation of humanity.

  During the age of the mighty Anuk King Shuru of ENlil, the seeds of conflict were sewn. The mighty watchers of old, an ancient sect, were stripped of their power and made to serve second to man. It was at this time that the first of many engineered plagues swept through the world, killing off millions of the Anuk, the watchers, and man.

  A child was born to Shuru during these years of darkness, a daughter named Persephone. She was immune to the plague. Contained within her blood were the antigens to cure the deadly disease. She was hailed as the savior of humanity, and highly regarded after that; some secretly worshiped her, while others wanted to covet her.

  Her love for Osiris of house ENki was frowned upon, as those houses within ENlil knew that any union between the two would pass on the royal bloodline. The firstborn daughter of Shuru was to inherit the world, and as such so would her offspring.

  The Great-War engulfed the world with conflict and chaos. King Shuru and Osiris were murdered. The usurper from house ENlil sought an end to Persephone and her unborn child. They almost succeeded at the temple of the lion in pTah, Egypt. With the help of Thoth, Persephone escaped to Lumeria with a key that allowed her access to hidden Anuk technology.

  From there she launched devastating weapons which destroyed the world as it existed. A plague was also unleashed, killing off most humans with Anuk blood. Nothing is known about her after this.

  Before she escaped, Thoth transferred the essence of her unborn child to a sacred Anuk relic, a part of the Amon-I. He hid this ‘Gem of Persephone’ in the world, only to be revealed through clues before the end of Virgo.

  Thoth passed on secrets to your ancestor, Badur, who in turn entrusted them to his descendants. Before the end of Virgo, house Badur would bring forth Persephone’s heir, and bestow on him or her, the key to Lumeria.

  The heir will raise the forefathers to judge the world, as the awakening can only be performed by such; a union between the direct lines of ENlil and ENki. Persephone and her child were the ones foretold in the ancient Anuk scripture; whether engineered or by divine providence.”

  There is a confused look on Alexius’ face, “So as I am the last of house Badur, I have to seek out Persephone’s heir to help raise the forefathers?” Darius nods. “There are a lot of holes in your story old man, and nothing to explain how my father died.”

  “Samiri,” says Darius. He lets the name fester for a moment. “With knowledge of old, he seeks to kill Persephone’s heir. He wants the Amon-I, the vessel which contains the essence of the forefathers. The Amon-I is more than a vessel, and this knowledge I do not have.”

  “Where is it then?” Alexius asks.

  “Only your father knew,” Darius explains. “Samiri thought by befriending us he would be able to find its location. This failing, he tortured Arias to his end and manipulated events which placed the blame on me. I fled Atlantis to lay in wait for you. Your father did write ‘The path to the key of power starts in Cappadocia,’ did he not?”
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  Some semblance of comfort overcomes Alexius; since learning about his father’s murder, he had wondered about the cause for it. There is an air of trust about Darius, so he dips into his shirt to produces his heirloom. Darius smiles and does the same for his.

  “This is for you,” Darius says, “and this is when I must entrust it to your care.” He pulls the octagonal shape off the chain and hands it to Alexius. “These two pieces must never fall into the hands of Prince Timon; none of the pieces must. He too seeks the power in Lumeria, but only for the conquest of the world. Do everything possible to prevent this.”

  “They fit together,” Alexius says while examining the grooves of both. He returns his piece inside his clothing and puts the new piece in his pocket. “Now that the history lesson is over, we have more important concerns.”

  “Yes, I say that we do. You have to leave this place. Find Liviana,” says Darius.

  “The princess?” Alexius asked surprised.

  “She is Barish’s daughter after all and a trusted member of our circle. She will know what to do. I am afraid our mutual friend Calis was supposed to meet you, but he has seemed to have disappeared.”

  Darius touches some switches, showing the topography of the land outside Cappadocia. A red dot illuminates next to the river Halyr, with some ancient symbols next to it. Darius’ scowls with worry. He presses another switch, dissolving the display.

  Darius begins to shut down the console, “Calis’ transport has been destroyed. We can only assume he perished along with it. We must go.” He points to the tunnel and begins hurrying through; Alexius follows.

  -SECOND UNDERGROUND LEVEL-

  Running boots down a shaft accompanies the glow of a light stick. Deidra is following the path taken by the troops, trying to make her way to the last spot she was told Alexius was seen. She has a feeling he is down here; probably getting himself into a situation. Ignoring her soldier’s instincts, she is determined to assist him in whatever stupid endeavor he is undertaking.

  She stops her advance near a junction; voices are echoing down one of the tunnels. She draws her weapon while moving cautiously to the sounds. Faint light can be seen bouncing off a wall. She hears a reference to the notorious villain, ‘The Master.’ This can’t be good she decides. She enters the area and stops when she sees the figures standing by a wall; Alexius is with Darius.

  “Alexius move away!” Deidra screams as she points her weapon at Darius.

  “Deidra, no!” Alexius yells. “It’s alright. Put your weapon down. It’s alright.”

  Alexius moves cautiously towards Deidra, getting in front of her aim and Darius. He knows she is exhausted, and will not be thinking clearly. Her only thoughts would be on completing the mission, which meant taking Darius back to Stavos; he could not allow this. Darius quickly steps in front of Alexius.

  “Please, there is no need for violence here.” Darius pauses when two warriors run up behind Deidra. “We don’t want any trouble.”

  “You’re with them?” Deidra says to Alexius, “Really? Get your head out of your ass!”

  “I can’t let you take him to Stavos. You know I’m right.”

  “I will go with you if it means you leave this place,” Darius says. He looks at Alexius, “And you, leave here quickly. Find the one whom you must.” Darius motions his men to lower their weapons.

  “I’m sorry Deidra,” Alexius says while stepping closer.

  “For what?” she asks.

  Before Deidra could blink, Alexius punches her face. Her weapon discharges into the air as she steps back disoriented. Within seconds she crumples to the ground on her wobbly legs.

  “For that,” says Alexius

  “We can get her to the surface,” Darius offers. “You must make your way to the river Halys. Come, we don’t have much time.”

  “I am going back to camp with Deidra,” Alexius insists. “Look, Darius, I will protect this secret with my life, but I will not abandon my friend. I am going back to camp.”

  “Just like your father; very well. You should be aware then that a well-armed tribe of Illyrian nomads is on their way to your camp, about a day away. You’d best be gone by the time they arrive.”

  “I’ll find a way, I promise.” Alexius picks up Deidra and drapes her over his shoulder. He looks at Darius, nods, then runs off towards the surface.

  -AT THE MOUNTAIN ENTRANCE-

  A small transport craft settles on the ground then a ramp descends. Alexius had called for it on his way to the surface. One medic jumps out to wave him over.

  With haste, Alexius gets into the craft with Deidra on his shoulder. He drops her on a cot before securing her restraints. Oh shit, she can’t wake up just yet, he panics.

  “Sargent,” Alexius yells over the whining engines, “You have to sedate her. She is infected. I’m afraid she may harm herself.” The medic acknowledges.

  It will be a short fight to the camp, and he has to figure out how to get himself and Deidra away from the impending attack. The best thing to do will be to inform Stavos about the approaching warriors, then slip away during the fighting. It is a risky gamble, and he knows Deidra will never forgive him for dragging her along.

  -LATER AT THE ATLANTEAN CAMP-

  Sunlight is fading fast in the valley; the cold wind is beginning to sting. Many of the soldiers are outside, happy to be done with their task for today. They know it will be a matter of hours before they have to go out there again; to perform horrors in the name of the Empire. Nevertheless, they walk about the camp getting food, medical aid, and for most, forgiveness from the resident priests.

  The Captains’ tent is not far from the medical one. Since there are only two Captains on this campaign, Alexius is confident he will not be disturbed.

  He makes haste with the packing, emptying a larger bag into his leather one. He grabs some of Deidra’s things and throws it in with his. He is startled when the tent’s flap opens.

  “Deidra,” he exclaims with surprise. She rushes towards him and slams her fist on his nose. The attack caught him off guard; he drops to the ground.

  “You are a fucking asshole!” Deidra screams. “That’s for my nose.” She clutches her fist in pain and then kicks Alexius in the gut.

  The tent flap opens once more, this time Commander Stavos enters. He is a lot calmer than he was before. He observes the scene curiously. He looks at Deidra, gesturing her to leave, which she does promptly. Alexius is still on the ground, making no effort to stand.

  “Did you get it?” Stavos asks.

  “Get what?” Alexius asks harshly.

  “Don’t play games with me, Captain. You know very well what I am talking about. Deidra told me what you did; protected Darius from her. So, you either know where Darius is, or he gave you the artifact; which is it?”

  Before Alexius can stand Stavos drops a knee on his gut. He quickly sticks the pointy end of his dagger into his friend’s neck. He applies a bit of pressure, attempting to pierce the flesh.

  “This is a poisoned blade. The scratches I’m making right now may not kill you, but it will cause some fatigue to your nervous system. If you want the antidote, you will answer.”

  “What happened to you?” Alexius asks as he begins to feel the effects of the poison.

  He surprises Stavos with a swift punch to the chest, which sends him flying to the other end of the tent. He quickly gets up and lunges at his commander. There will be no way out of this one. No need to wait for the Illyrians to attack, for now, he is certain an escape has to happen; without Deidra.

  Stavos counters his punches and delivers some of his own. He feels the power flowing through his blood as if his strength has increased ten-fold. He lashes out at Alexius, connecting him with a mighty blow. He dives to where his dagger fell, quickly picking it up, and ready to plunge it into Alexius’ heart. He notices the octagonal artifact has fallen out of Alexius’ pocket.

  The rumble inside the tent has attracted several soldiers from outside. At first, they are
hesitant to peer in. One of the soldiers sees Deidra pacing two tents over.

  Blow after blow connects Alexius as his weakening body is beginning to fail from the poison. He is still stronger than Stavos and manages to pick up a metal box to launch it. Stavos falls. Alexius jumps on him. He delivers his blows now, hoping to subdue his attacker.

  Stavos waits for Alexius to raise his fist then pushes his own through the opening, connecting his jaw. He can now get out from under Alexius. He pulls another dagger from his waist and plunges it into Alexius’ chest. He rolls on top of the Captain.

  The pain is unbearable, but Alexius tries to remain conscious. He sees Deidra and the soldiers enter the tent, looking horrified at the scene. Stavos is distracted. This gives Alexius a split-second opportunity to attack.

  It is as if his hand was the wind, with everything moving in slow-motion but him. Power courses through his veins, he could feel it. His dying body is re-energizing itself. His mind is gaining a sharp focus unlike anything he had experienced before; It could be adrenalin, he thinks at that moment.

  Alexius pushes Stavos up with both hands, sending him five feet in the air. He launches himself up to meet the motionless man, grabs his shoulders, and then twists his body in mid-air.

  They begin their descent with Stavos’ back facing the floor. Alexius yanks the dagger out of his chest and plunges it into Stavos sternum. All this happens within the blink of an eye. They crash on the ground.

  Alexius drops on Stavos ready to pass out. He can hear the breath leaving his friend; dying breaths. Blood oozes from both their wounds. Everything seems to be going black, and then his body goes limp.

  Deidra immediately pulls Alexius off Stavos, not sure of what else to do. The soldiers stare at the scene waiting for a command. Deidra checks Stavos’ neck for a pulse but doesn’t find any. She does the same for Alexius and sighs with relief. She puts her hand to her face, silently crying. Panic sets in.

  “You’re in command now Captain Deidra. What shall we do?” one of the young soldiers asks.

  Deidra sees the private looking at her with anticipation. She did not know what to do. She considers what options lay before her. She could not cover this up, and Alexius surely would have to be sent back to Atlantis to answer for his actions. Atlantis sounds like the best option. It would take him far away from Darius, and hopefully, his brother would be able to help him.