by Noah Michael
“This is your fault!” Roko screamed, pointing an accusing finger at Alia, “You told me they had moved all their men to protect the school! You said they were retreating!”
Alia stayed quiet, hiding her satisfaction and vengeance beneath a mask of surprise. With her help, Roko had fallen straight into Arias’s trap. She looked down at the school as the warriors threw off their armor, cheering ecstatically. They weren’t warriors at all. They were the villagers. Arias had dressed them in armor to make Roko believe his forces were moving towards the school, when really, they were mobilizing a surprise attack.
“I trusted you, and you failed me!” Roko roared, stomping up to where Alia stood at the edge of the mountain. He aimed his cane at her and fired a shot. Alia’s eyes widened in surprise. She jumped quickly into the air and flipped, dodging the blast.
“This was not my fault! It was yours!” she screamed back over the deafening sounds war, “You were so damn obsessed with slaughtering those people that you allowed Raja to advance down the mountain with almost everything we had, leaving the mountain wide open for capture! We lost this mountain because you’re insane!”
Roko’s face flushed red with rage. He screamed hysterically and charged at Alia, while firing blasts from his cane. Alia dodged the blasts with incredible speed. She leaped into the air and chucked her knife at Roko’s cane, hitting her mark. The weapon sparked and malfunctioned as the knife sliced its core. Roko’s anger heated to a maximum. He smashed his cane madly against the floor, tearing it in two.
“You are done!” he yelled. “Bella is a dead woman! I will kill her!”
“No one threatens my sister!”
Roko charged at her. Alia drew her second knife. She surged forward and dove towards the ground. She threw the knife into Roko’s stomach, slid between his feet, then jumped up in back of him and smashed her foot into his back, pushing him violently off the cliff. He crashed down hundreds of feet below. His body lay still on the blood-soaked sand. Lying there, splattered with him, were her dreams. Dreams of a better future. Dreams of her sister talking again. Dreams of her sister walking again. Yet, for some odd reason, she didn’t shed a tear.
Bella, I always told myself I was doing this for you, but you would never want me to hurt on your behalf. I did these horrible things because I was afraid to be alone, and I felt guilty over what happened to you. If I’d only admitted this to myself earlier, David would’ve still been alive. But now, because of my selfishness, I am truly alone.
She looked down at the cliff where Roko lay. Perhaps if she jumped, she could see David again and apologize. Perhaps if she jumped, she could meet the parents she never had. Perhaps if she jumped, she would no longer have to suffer the pains of being alone.
And then, from the depths of her soul, she heard a voice.
“Alia, I am here for you. You are never alone.”
Chapter Twenty-five
Atonement
The Shadow Kingdom
July 25
4 p.m.
Alia ran back down to the command tent, only to find a pile of rubble. The entire mountaintop had been evacuated. The Shadows quickly filled in the area, setting up their crossbows in command posts facing every direction. Thousands of destroyed drones lay scattered across the sand. Raja’s force had been obliterated. Alia looked down the mountain, where the remainder of Roko’s army laid camp. The army was still larger than that of the Shadows, although it had been severely weakened, both physically and mentally, and as of now had no leadership. As Alia peered down the mountain, she suddenly felt the touch of a cold, sharp blade against her neck.
“You should have fled with the others while you had the chance.” It was Arias.
“Will you kill me?”
“Is there any reason why I shouldn’t?”
“Death is an odd way to repay a hero.”
“You are far from a hero. You are a murderer.”
“In my defense, he tried to kill me first.”
“Who did?”
“Roko.”
Arias paused. “Why should I believe you? Why would you kill Roko?”
“Because he’s a selfish, back-stabbing scumbag.”
“What did he do to you?”
Alia turned around slowly and looked Arias in the eyes. Her voice was cold, laced with pain and hatred. “He kidnapped my sister and ruined my life.”
Arias hesitated, but then tightened the sword against her neck. “You Readers are truly masters of manipulation. For a moment, you actually had me fooled.”
“I’m telling the truth,” Alia insisted. “And if you let me go, I can order the drones to leave. I’m the ranking general now.”
“I’ve had enough of your lies. You shall be treated to the harshest of deaths, according to Shadow tradition.”
“Just give me a chance!” Alia pleaded. “I can show you the body!”
“There’s no need. It seems to be walking towards me of its own accord!”
Alia followed Arias’s gaze. A figure approached from the distance.
“No...” she gasped, her face paled.
“How-”
“Roko!” Arias roared. “You’d better have a good reason for spoiling our mountaintop with your revolting presence!”
Roko walked towards them with a white flag in one hand and his cane in the other. He was surrounded by Shadows, watching his every move.
How is he alive? I killed him!
His body was in perfect condition, his cane in one piece. He shot Alia a sinister wink.
“Arias, it’s nice to see you, my dear enemy. I’ve come to propose a deal.”
“You are in no place to set the terms for a deal right now, Roko. I have destroyed your army and taken your general.”
“Actually, that is precisely what I wish to negotiate. You see, you have somebody that I want, and I have somebody that you want.”
“According to Shadow tradition, we do not trade prisoner for prisoner,” Arias growled. “We demand the release of our prisoners, and we kill those of our enemy.”
“Well I hope for your own sake, and for hers, that you are willing to be flexible.”
Arias realized who Roko was referring to.
“Bring her in!” Roko shouted. Two drones emerged from the mountain slopes. The Shadows beside Arias tensed, drawing their swords and surrounding the drones. They dragged along a Shadow warrior. Her head was covered in blood, her uniform torn and scratched. She winced in pain as she lifted her head and looked up at Arias.
“Arias,” Atara whispered weakly, “Don’t do it...”
“Let her go!” He yelled at Roko. His eyes swelled with tears, his hands clenched to fists. “Let her go or I will crush your skull between my fists!”
Roko smiled victoriously. “She truly is a sweet little one. I’d love nothing more than to free her, but the decision isn’t up to me. It’s up to you. Give me my general back. I’ll give you your sister.”
“No! Don’t listen to that lying scum!” Alia yelled, “He’ll kill us both!”
“Silence!” Arias roared at Alia, “You have no right to speak!” Arias turned back towards Roko. He hesitated, looking painfully into the eyes of his sister.
“Don’t,” Alia repeated. He lowered the sword slowly from Alia’s neck. Alia looked up at Roko’s sneering grin, then cursed under her breath.
“Now your turn,” Arias said. “Let my sister go.”
“Before I do, there is one more deal to be made,” Roko said.
“Have you no honor!? Keep your word, or I will see to it you never utter another one!”
“Relax, Arias, the second deal is not with you. It is with her.” Roko looked at Alia. “If I am to let this girl go, you are to follow me with no resistance and no attempt at escape. If you don’t agree, I will kill her.”
“You wouldn’t dare!” Arias raged, readying his sword, “Let her go or I’ll kill you both!”
The Shadows prepared to pounce. Alia looked at Atara’s face.
; The poor girl is trying so hard to show she’s brave, but deep inside she’s crumbling. She doesn’t deserve to die. She’s an orphan. They both are. They don’t deserve any more suffering.
She glared into Roko’s scheming eyes. “We have a deal. But I’m warning you. I killed you once. I will do it again, and again, and again as many times as it takes to make you stay down there in hell!”
“Take her away!” Roko ordered his drones. They dropped Atara onto the floor and moved to grab Alia. Arias ran to Atara. He picked her up from the sand and embraced her, resting her head on his shoulder. He closed his eyes.
“You are safe, Atara. I will never let anything happen to you.” He lifted her to her feet.
“Take her to the infirmary, now!” Arias ordered one of the Shadow warriors. He took her from Arias’s hands and led her away to the infirmary.
Arias watched as Roko headed back towards the edge of the mountain. “We will win this war!” he cried, “And when we do, I will punish you for what you’ve done! No one lays a finger on my sister and lives!”
As he shouted, Alia turned her head, looking back at him. When he caught her despairing gaze, he fell silent, pondering if there was more to her than met the eye.
◆◆◆
“Take your greasy hands off me! I’m your general, I command it!”
Alia struggled to break free as the drones dragged her violently into a small tent, shackling her hands and feet with powerful magnetic shackles. Looking up from the ground, her head searing with pain, Roko stood above her, his lips curled into a wide, content grin.
“Why don’t you just kill me?” she growled.
“Because you are very dear to me. And you will help me, willingly or unwillingly.” Roko turned around and walked towards the exit, turning towards the drones on his way out.
“Guard the entrance. Make sure nothing comes in or out.” He exited the tent, lifting his watch to his face. “Call Gospin,” Roko said.
“Calling Gospin...calling Gospin...”
“Hello, sir?”
“I would like to meet with you immediately in the command tent.”
“Yes sir, I will head over immediately.”
Roko hung up, moving toward the larger command tent and sitting down at his desk. He opened the desk cabinet with a thumb print and pulled out his cane, cracked in half and covered in blood. “My work is truly paying off,” he muttered. “I’ve shaped her into a weapon. Soon, she will awaken, and once I retrieve the amulet, she will belong to me. There is only one more person who must die before she is ready. She must be left with nothing.”
“Sir.”
Roko looked up, quickly returning the broken cane to his cabinet. Gospin stood by the entrance. “Please, Gospin, come in.”
Gospin took a seat in front of Roko’s desk. “What is it, sir?” he asked.
“Well, Gospin, as you know, this war has taken an extraordinarily ugly turn.”
“I’m aware sir.”
“I’m sure you are. Gospin, do you remember your team’s incredible feat in defeating the Shifter tribe? When you charged straight through the valley? I want to implement the same technique and strategy here, and I want you to lead it with the rank of High Captain.”
“I’d be honored, sir, but what about Alia? She’s better suited than me. After all, she was the leader of our team, the genius behind the strategy.”
“Alia is currently...unavailable.”
“Is she alright? Has she suffered an injury?”
“She’s fine. She is simply being disciplined for her mistakes in the last battle.”
“With all due respect, sir, there was not much she could do about that, and we need her now more than ever. They had us all fooled and-”
“I didn’t ask your opinion, Gospin.” Roko snapped. “Prepare for your coming mission.”
Gospin hesitated, gazing suspiciously at Roko. “Yes, sir.”
◆◆◆
Alia stared up at the tent ceiling, unable to move. No matter how hard she pushed, the magnetic cuffs wouldn’t budge. She could hardly constrain the anger inside. Why hadn’t he just killed her? As she lay still, alone with her thoughts, she heard voices shouting from the outside.
“Fire! The tents have caught fire!”
The shouting spread in a cacophony of sounds and commotion as people shuffled through the camp, barking orders at one another. As the chaos went on, Alia heard a noise outside her tent’s entrance. Suddenly, a drone crashed into the room, its body torn in half. Ganger stormed inside with a roar, his head reaching all the way to the roof. Gospin came out from behind him. A smile of relief creeped onto his face as he spotted Alia.
“Let’s get you out of there, General,” Gospin said. “Ganger, do the honors.”
Ganger stormed up to Alia, grabbed the cuffs on her wrists, and pulled with all his strength. To everyone’s surprise, the cuffs didn’t budge. He grunted in aggravation.
“Let me try.” Nero appeared at the entrance and hurried over to Alia.
“You are supposed to be setting the fires!” Gospin scolded.
“The others are doing just fine. I thought I could be of better use here.” Nero placed his hands on her cuffs. He concentrated, and his hands glowed red. “This will burn, but I’ll try to make it quick.”
Alia winced as the cuffs heated up. “Which tents did you set fire to?”
“The food and water supplies. It was sure to distract them.” The cuffs broke lose. Alia shook them off her arms as quick as possible. Her wrists were red with burns.
“Thank you, Captain. I can always count on you. Roko put me here because I-”
“General, you need no explanation. If it weren’t for you, we would all be just a pack of fools. You gave us strength and unity, and you made us into a team. No one gets left behind.”
They shook hands, and Alia’s heart almost melted, touched by the dedication and loyalty of her men. When she tried to express her feelings in words, she could only come up with three.
“Thank you, Captain.” Gospin nodded, returning the smile.
“Now if we want to survive this, we must leave now.”
“How are we getting out?”
A shock of energy blasted through the tent’s ceiling, tearing a wide hole. A rope ladder fell down into the tent. A helicopter sounded overhead.
“You stole Roko’s helicopter!?” Alia asked in disbelief, “How’d you manage that?”
“No time for questions, we need to leave, now!”
Alia climbed up as quickly as she could. Gospin, Nero, and Ganger followed close behind. Below them dozens of tents had crumbled down, smothered in flames.
“Shoot them!” Alia turned towards the voice. Roko stood pointing towards her, surrounded by drones. They lifted their weapons.
“Take cover!” Alia yelled. The drones opened fire, bullets and lasers zoomed towards the helicopter. The helicopter took off quickly, the ladder swung wildly with each turn. Alia climbed as fast as she could while struggling to maintain her balance. As the projectiles hit the helicopter, they were countered by an energy shield created by the Absorbers. Two Absorbers stood at each helicopter door, working to maintain the shield. At the top of the ladder, an iron hand reached out to her and pulled her inside. When Alia looked up, she was met by a warm smile.
“Thanks for the kind hand, Ramon.”
“No problem. It’s nice to see you again, General.” Alia was met with a round of applause. She looked around the helicopter, seeing all of her Shifters, Readers, and Absorbers. Piloting the helicopter were the other two Readers, Pierce and Bane. As they applauded, Gospin climbed into the helicopter behind her.
“They’ve missed their leader.”
“What about the Burners and the Coders?”
“They should be arriving shortly.”
One of the Absorbers called out from the helicopter exit. “First package is in sight!”
Alia looked out towards the encampment, she saw Apion in his bird form. He carried a Burner
in each of his talons, forcing him to fly considerably slower. She watched nervously as Apion maneuvered around the lasers. He swooped upwards, trying to avoid being directly between the helicopter and the drones.
She turned to Nero. “Provide them with cover fire!”
By now Spade had also taken flight, carrying with him another two Burners.
Nero nodded and aimed his hands towards the drones below. They glowed red as balls of fire shot forth from his palms. The drones were too far away for good aim, but Alia had a different goal in mind. The Burners fired blasts of heat as they flew, blocking the enemy’s attacks and even striking back at them. Finally, Apion reached the helicopter.
“Now! Release the shields and provide cover!” The Absorbers released the shield, allowing Apion to approach the helicopter. The moment the shield fell, lasers began to strike the helicopter, forcing its self-repair units to initiate.
“Now, bring back the shields!” Within seconds, the Absorbers rebuilt the shield with Apion inside. Apion flew through the helicopter entrance and crashed to the floor in exhaustion, along with the Burners, one of whom had been struck by two bullets.
“Good work, see to it that they’re healed!” Alia ordered before turning back to watch Spade. What she saw filled her with dread. “Gospin, come here.”
Gospin joined her by the door. His face turned white as he cursed under his breath. The sky was filled with a swarm of wasps moving in their direction. Lasers and missiles poured forth from their stingers, rocking the helicopter like an earthquake. At their current speed, the wasps would reach them within minutes. The shields wouldn’t be able to sustain such force in close range.
