The Vanguard

by Jeffrey Ellis

  “Xavier! Xavier! Are you okay?” Trish asked, very worried.

  He shook his head and looked at her. His eyes looked like small plasma lamps.

  “I... I think so...I feel tingly...” he replied. He looked at his hand and sparks jumped between his fingers.

  “I did not expect that,” Boudicca told him.

  “What exactly did you expect?” Trish asked her.

  “I expected him to call down a lightning strike or send out bolts of electricity like he has done before, just stronger. I don't know what he just did,” Boudicca replied.

  “Static electricity. It's everywhere. We only notice when it builds up enough to shock you when walking on a carpet or opening a door but it's always around us. I just drew it into me and focused it like rubbing a balloon on a cat and then I sort of popped the balloon,” he told them.

  “I'm getting nothing on the scanner now. Those embankments are no longer functional. The only charge I can read is Xavier and that's pretty high,” Michael told them.

  Boudicca took Xavier's hand with one of hers and put her other hand on the ground.

  “Pop the balloon again. You still have residual energy you need to purge,” Boudicca told him.

  He focused for a moment and a jolt of energy passed from him and through Boudicca and faded. Boudicca shook her head and rubbed her hands. She had small electrical burns on both.

  “You both need a hairbrush,” Trish said as she laughed at them. Their hair that was standing on end sticking almost straight out, slowly falling as the last of the static faded away.

  They heard movement ahead. A large portion of the ground slid away and out came numerous creatures. They had four arms, large tusks protruding from their mouths and gray skin. They were slightly larger in both height and bulk than a large male human but not as large as an ogre. The males were dressed in brightly colored sarongs, the females in equally colorful sari. They carried a variety of melee weapons, one in each hand. The weapons were diverse, from swords and axes to maces and daggers. There were about twenty of them.

  “Are those rhakshasa? I've read about them but never seen one,” asked William quietly.

  “They are. They're a very old and very deadly race,” Alexander replied in a whisper.

  The rhakshasa spread out and started searching.

  “It looks like they're following a grid search. They'll be coming this way soon,” Anna told them.

  “Weapons ready. When they're in range, take out as many as you can,” Bruce told them.

  “I recommend plasma. They can be difficult to kill. Once they get close, the dragon's ore will be effective. They're durable but come from a warm climate and don't handle cold well,” Alexander told them.

  “Good to know. You heard the man. Plasma. Blades. Cold. That's the game plan,” Bruce ordered.

  #

  Sebastian woke up and looked at Chelsea. She was already awake and staring at him. They held each other tightly. The looks on their face were ones of despair.

  “Chelsea...I remember everything. Hundreds of lifetimes. It's all there now. I...I...” his words trailed off.

  “I know. The past is open. I must concentrate to remember a prior life but if I do, I can remember everything about it. There are horrors there. During WWIV I ordered my division to attack a city. A school was destroyed. It was being used as a shelter and so many innocent people died,” she said with tears in her eyes.

  He held her as she cried.

  “The fallout after I ordered the nuclear strikes in the Unification War...the people who didn't die in the blasts died horrible deaths. I can't do this anymore. I've not made the world a better place. I've made it a graveyard. We can't do this anymore. We have to walk away and let the world be a better place without us,” he told her and leaned against the wall.

  “You can do this, and you will,” Morgana said.

  “I didn't realize you were here,” Chelsea said, wiping her eyes.

  “I've been here often. You've been in and out of consciousness for days. You've screamed until your throats gave out. You've cried until you had no tears left. You've laughed until you were delirious. Today is the first day you've shown any semblance of sanity,” she told them.

  “Sanity is one word for it. Morgana, if you knew half of what we've done you would walk out and never return,” Sebastian told her.

  “I do know. You forget I have been watching you, waiting for you to remember who you are. I know much of what you have done. You have done some bad things. You've made bad judgment calls. You've made mistakes. You're human. We live, and we learn, and we grow. It's what we do. We all have skeletons in our closet, some more than others and in your long history you've got a lot.”

  “You have both made the world a better place. Malka, that city you attacked was a stronghold for Supreme Commander Ricci. Taking that city helped us win that war. Yes, innocent people died but that happens in war. Baldric, the nuclear strikes you ordered were a desperate move that helped win the war. We were being pushed back thanks to the biological weapons and cybernetic weapons being deployed by the Seditionists and we couldn't breach their defenses. If you hadn't ordered the strikes, if you hadn't destroyed the cities where they were being developed, we would have lost, and Unification would never have happened.”

  “How many more people have lived as the result of the actions of you two? How many lives were saved by those actions? No one wants innocent blood on their hands but when you're in a war, innocent people die. It will happen in this one. We haven't seen the worst of it. So far, the drebs have not fully brought their might to bear but when they do, it will get messy. When it does, we need you two there. You're the ones they look to for support and leadership.”

  “We need you back and we need you now. Even as we speak, your team, your friends are at Socrates' library. Mordred is there. They cannot beat him. You should be there. You need to be there,” Morgana told them.

  “How do we live with the guilt. With the knowledge of what we have done?” Chelsea asked her mother.

  “The same way I do. I gave Merlin the stave he used. Do you know how many he killed with it? I knew deep down it was the wrong thing to do but I made a mistake in judgment. I could have ended this war before it started and helped defeat Mordred the first time. You are not the only ones who have done things wrong. I must face that every day. Every life taken by Merlin or Mordred is on my hands. I get up every day knowing that. I must look at myself in the mirror and face that. I do it because I know that while I have done things wrong, I must be better for it. I have to do everything I can to make this world better and I can't do that if I run and hide.”

  “You've had a long time to come to terms with that. We haven't. It's just too hard,” Chelsea told her.

  “Too hard? This is from a woman who beat a dragon...who beat the Tormentor...who has commanded legions and defeated tyrants. You're going to sit in the corner and just give up? I am very disappointed and quite frankly, it's pathetic,” Morgana told her.

  “Don't attack her,” Sebastian told Morgana.

  “She's giving up. You both are. I'll leave you two here to rot while I go help save the world. Pathetic. I expect more from daughter,” Morgana said and turned her back to walk out.

  “Don't attack her!” Sebastian yelled and sent a wave of energy at Morgana. She was thrown across the room towards the wall but instead of crashing into it, she hit it feet first and stood there, perpendicular to the floor. She smiled at him.

  “There's Baldric. I was wondering if you were in there,” Morgana said with a grin.

  She walked down the wall and onto the floor, straightened her dress and walked over to them. She extended a hand to Chelsea. She helped Chelsea stand and Sebastian also rose to his feet. She held Chelsea as she cried.

  “You have to keep going. I would love nothing more than to forget our world exists and live a happy life with my daughter and son-in-law but that isn't who you are. You have a duty to the world. You've helped shape it into what
it is. The end of this close you just have to finish this fight,” Morgana told them.

  “It's going to be hard,” Sebastian told her as he stared blankly out the window.

  “Nothing worthwhile is easy,” Morgana replied.

  “We need to get to Greece,” Chelsea said.

  “Not yet. First, I want to have a conversation with Absillion. I remember. I remember it all,” Sebastian said.

  #

  The rhakshasa were searching and eventually started coming towards the Vanguard. The group readied their plasma weapons and took aim.

  “Fire!” Bruce ordered when they were in range.

  Their opening salvo took out four of the fey, but the rest took cover. The temperature started dropping rapidly as Boudicca started casting a spell. Trish hardened her skin.

  The two groups exchanged fire for a few minutes with no further casualties until the power packs on the plasma blasters ran out. They conjured shields, pulled their blades and readied themselves.

  “Attack!” ordered Bruce.

  The Vanguard moved quickly towards the rhakshasa using the trees as cover. They were outnumbered and had lost the element of surprise. The large humanoids conjured their own shields and ran in the direction of the humans.

  The fighting was fierce. The Vanguard were outnumbered but were able to hold their own against the greater numbers. Spells flew, mostly from the rhakshasa as only a few of the Vanguard had mastered cold magic. The ones who had, Boudicca, Alexander, Nefertiti, and Trish were sending blast after blast of energy into the large creatures while the rest were using their dragon's ore blades to attack. Bruce and the rest were cutting and slashing, occasionally taking a hit from the rhakshasa but the new armor Alexander provided was holding up well. Michael was faring well for his first fight as a Vanguard. He was holding his own, having adapted well to the different tactics his new allies used.

  After about ten minutes of fierce fighting, the Vanguard had a few injuries though nothing severe and the rhakshasa were dead. They took a moment to make sure no one was hurt seriously and then slowly approached the opening in the ground.

  “That was too easy. This isn't what it appears,” Alexander told them.

  “Yea. They sent a token force. This feels like a trap,” Bruce replied.

  “It couldn't be a trap unless they knew we were coming,” Michael added.

  “They knew. It is reasonable they knew we would eventually realize this was a possible base of operations and prepare. I doubt they would know when but to expect us to show up here was an inevitability,” Boudicca told them.

  “You never fail to surprise me, my savage beauty. Underneath those tattoos and unkempt hair, you have a strategist hiding behind those wild tactics after all,” Alexander and smiled at her.

  “Watch it, blondie. That's my woman,” Trish said with mock anger.

  “Your woman?” Boudicca replied.

  “Yea. You're MY woman and I'm yours. He makes a move towards you and he's gonna get a molten sarsen up his ass,” Trish told her.

  “I doubt she needs your protection,” Alexander told Trish.

  “Okay, kids, we need to focus. Mind on the mission,” Michael said.

  “Look at the new guy barking orders. Yes, sir, Michael, Sir!” Trish said and saluted him.

  “He's my apprentice. He's learning from the best. Now let’s get some eyes on that doorway,” Bruce said.

  “I'll handle the recon,” Alexander told them.

  The Macedonian closed his eyes and concentrated. He sat still a few minutes and then opened his eyes.

  “It's a stairway leading down to a long hall. The hall extends quite a ways and fades into darkness. I can't see beyond that. It's large, wide enough and tall enough for sword fighting if needed,” he relayed.

  “Astral? I saw no projection,” Nefertiti said.

  “It's not necessary to create a visible form as you do. If you could see into the astral spectrum you would have seen me. Your eyes and their surveillance could not,” Alexander told them.

  “I could see you and if they have security feeds and someone watching them, they might have seen you as well,” Xavier said.

  “Whether or not that's the case, we should assume as much. We proceed but be ready for an ambush,” Bruce told them.

  #

  Sebastian, Chelsea, and Morgana walked down the long hall towards the dragons' council chamber. As they walked, Morgana told them of the recent happenings.

  “We're here,” Morgana told them.

  Absillion opened the large door and went in with Chelsea and Morgana. The council was there, minus Doga who had left again.

  “You're awake. I am pleased,” Absillion told them.

  “I am, and I remember. I remember everything. I remember what you did to us,” Sebastian said to the elder dragon.

  “If you've come for violence...” Trall started but Sebastian interrupted him.

  “Then you could do nothing about it. The two of us would dispatch you with ease. I have not come for a fight but to forgive,” Sebastian told them.

  “To forgive?” Absillion asked.

  “To forgive. The past is dead. Things happened that should not have, and crimes were committed by all. You destroyed our home and killed many innocent fey. Not just the betrayers but the defenders, their families, their children. You abandoned us when we needed you the most. Afterward, I thought myself a god and killed with no regard, not just our enemies but any who stood in our way in our fight against the drebs. Then you tortured us, trying to restore Asala or at least free her soul. All in this room have committed atrocities.”

  “We have all done things wrong, really wrong, in the past but I want to offer you a new alliance. I know why you took our memories. The real reason you took them not the lies you told earlier. For that alone, I should kill every one of you, but I won't. I will let you live with the knowledge that I know what you did, could kill you without effort, and you can do nothing about it. Your lives continue by our mercy,” Chelsea told them.

  “What do you mean the real reason?” Morgana asked in confusion.

  “The dragons lied. They lied about why our memories were taken. The reason doesn't matter know,” Sebastian replied to her then look again at Absillion.

  “Let's bury the old and live anew as brothers. Let's look to the future and not the past and forgive. We will take our mistakes, our crimes, our atrocities and learn from them. We will atone as best we can and build a better future. What say you?” Sebastian asked.

  “We have already agreed to join your fight,” Qaa told them.

  “This isn't about the war with Mordred and the drebs. This is beyond that. One day that war will be over and, on that day, fey of all races and dragons and every other sentient creature stand as equals, not as lesser creatures. We cooperate, we teach each other and learn from each other, we work as allies and friends and rebuild this shattered world in a new image, an image of true unification,” Sebastian told them.

  “We will think on your words,” Absillion told them.

  “You will answer us now. You have had thousands of years to think and now is the time of action. You join us and become one with the world or you stay here and die. Whatever deal you think you've made I release you from it. This is the offer. We're all in this together or you're not in it now or ever. I don't want you to die. I don't want your species to fade but I will let that happen. You have had opportunity after opportunity over the millennia to join the fey. You have sat and watched, with all your great power, with full access to magic even during the Seal. You have let tyrants kill multitudes. You have let genocide happen. You have had the chance to do so much good and have done nothing. This is your last chance. You will not receive another. What say you?” Absillion asked.

  Morgana was shocked. Chelsea stood stoically as Sebastian spoke.

  “Sebastian, you just woke up. You can't give the dragons ultimatums,” Morgana told him.

  “I can, and I will. I will give the same ultimatum t
o the Senate, to Mordred and to the drebs and all other enemies of life. I give them a onetime offer to forget the past and join the future. For better or worse, Chelsea and I have become the spearhead of this war. It will be won or lost by us and our allies. The dragons have been useless. I give them the chance to be something other than nothing. They choose and choose now. Once I leave, the offer will not be made again. If they choose to remain isolated, then so be it. There will be no contact. No help. No involvement. The dragons can stay hidden in their cave and die a quiet death in isolation,” he told Morgana.

  “The spell altered you,” she said.

  “I just remember who I am. I am Baldric the last king. I am a general. I am a soldier. I am a politician. I am a leader. I didn't want this, but it was forced on me so lead I will. Others will follow or get out of the way,” he told her.

  The dragons were silent while he spoke.

  “Choose,” he said again to Absillion.

  “This council advises me, but I make all the final decisions. The decision we made before to join you was anomalous. I allowed a vote and it was a mistake to shirk my duty and not make the decision myself as I am tasked to do. I was afraid of the consequences and thought if everyone made the choice, the ramifications would not reflect on me. I do as I am tasked to do, and I decide for my people. You have shown yourself time and again to be the champion this world needs. We choose you. We are with you, King Baldric,” Absillion said and lowered his head.

  The remaining dragons did as Absillion did.

  “Absillion, divine what you can of the island where our people are. I have a sense of dread about the island. I can't shake it. Contact us once you are done,” Chelsea ordered.

  “I will do as you ask. Can you tell me about the feeling you have?” the dragon asked.

  “It's just this feeling that something bad is going to happen. Some of my memories, in a past life I was near there. The locals avoid it. They say it's cursed. We had soldiers refuse to go to it saying monsters would get them,” she replied.

  “Trust in your instincts. Divination is not a precise art, but I will do everything I can. You might want to gather more allies. Qaa and Sark will join you,” Absillion replied.