Lords of Kobol - Prelude: Of Gods and Titans

by Edward T. Yeatts III

through Assuria and Ghassan, we made it through. We got to Tyria … you said it was because of God. He got us here."

  She nodded and she spoke again, though her voice sounded like she shouldn't, "His angels."

  "What?"

  "His angels," Minah said. "An angel who looked like your sister, Nami."

  He lifted his head and narrowed his eyes. The Messenger looked into his mind and saw doubt and cynicism rise.

  "You remember Nami?"

  "I do."

  Minah smiled and looked at the ceiling of the tent. "She came to us and guided us through the forest to the refugees. She helped us cross the rivers after that big storm. She told us where to walk and how to avoid the soldiers." Jarrek was still but the doubt took hold. Minah looked toward him, unable to focus because of her bad eyes. "I didn't do any of it. I couldn't have done it and kept us safe if it wasn't for that angel."

  The Messenger smiled and saw the darkness of doubt begin to lessen in him. He got close to his mother's ear and spoke lightly, but loud enough for her old ears to hear. "In the mountains, … in Ghassan, when we were hiding in an old shack. Those soldiers were coming up the rocks for us. We were going to be caught, no question." Minah nodded and smiled even more broadly. "You prayed and prayed. And then you looked out a crack and said … something. What was it?"

  A tear fell from her eye, running along the contours of her wrinkles. "'Please.'"

  Her son shook his head briefly and asked, "Why?"

  "I was talking to Nami. She was there. She said we wouldn't be harmed if we were caught by the soldiers but she knew we wanted to get here. She asked if I wanted her to send them away, so I said, 'Please.'"

  Jarrek nodded and muttered, "And then they turned and went a different way. Right after." He straightened his glasses and held Minah's arm. "I truly believed in God that day. It was … as close to proof as anyone could ever get."

  "Yes."

  "But it was an angel you were talking to." It wasn't a question. The Messenger saw that doubt had left his thoughts. Outside the clinic, the sound of machinery became louder and louder. People were running and a few screamed.

  The being left the Gabers and watched the Tyrian soldiers push people back from the road. A vehicle screeched to a halt by the sidewalk and an officer emerged while a man in a suit leaned close to him, speaking in his ear.

  "They're here!" a man screamed from the crowd.

  "Please, everyone," the officer began, "get back from the road. We have no reason to think they're here to harm anyone. Stay away from the roads!"

  From between two buildings, columns of Cyclops emerged and continued their walk through the city. Their rifles were either on their backs or on their waists. The officer stepped into the street and took several deep breaths before raising his hand to halt the machines.

  They stopped. A black-armored unit looked at the officer and spoke, "What do you want?"

  "I represent the Tyrian government," the suited man whispered to him and he continued, "and the city of Myrme. I simply would like to know that you Cyclops have no intention of harming our citizens."

  Without hesitation, the machine answered, "We do not."

  The officer backed away, bowing, "Thank you. Thank you." Immediately, the cohort began moving east again.

  The Messenger moved past the officer and drifted alongside the centurion. Then she moved to another unit. Were she in a body, she would have gasped. Remarkable, she thought.

  Her attention returned to the small clinic. She left the marching machines and lit by Minah Gaber's bedside. Her son was resting his head on her arm and they were both quiet. The Messenger looked into her body and saw that the time was near.

  For one final time, the tender filled herself with the memories and personhood of Nami Gaber. With her child hand, she took the wrinkled skin of her mother's in hers. Minah turned and squinted to see.

  "Hello, mommy," Nami said.

  Minah smiled and sighed. "I'm so glad you came."

  LXIII

  CRONUS

  107 Years Before the End

  The praetor ducked low as he departed the vehicle. Two tribunes were right behind him, shouting their advice and reports over the sound of rolling tanks and low-flying gyrocraft.

  "Minimal damage from this morning's airstrikes. The seven Cyclops legions are splitting up."

  "Four are veering east for Arkaim."

  "Enough," Cronus said. He waved the men off and strode across the tarmac for his assistant. "Do you have what I requested, Julia?"

  She nodded and pulled a satchel out of her vehicle. "Right here."

  "Come with me." She and Cronus walked toward a group of waiting generals. Magister Sivius was with them. The praetor bowed briefly and said, "Legate, you honor us with your presence."

  The older man nodded and straightened his sleeve. "Praetor, thank you for your assistance in setting up camp here. I do have a …"

  "Allow me to interrupt, Magister," the Titan said while holding a finger aloft. "Your presence will be required in Arkaim more than in Alabor."

  "And why is that?"

  Cronus couldn't help but grin slightly as he said, "Four Cyclops legions are on their way to Arkaim now."

  Sivius nodded. "And three are coming here."

  The Psilon pushed a wayward bit of black hair off his forehead and then clasped his hands behind his back. He had recently transferred into a new body for the first time … the experience was unpleasant but being in his twenties again proved intoxicating. "I can handle them."

  Sivius stared at Cronus for a moment and said, "How?"

  "I have a plan."

  The legate turned his head and narrowed his eyes. "And that is?"

  Cronus clicked with his lips and added, "I'd rather not say until I know it has worked."

  Sivius stepped away from his tribunes and generals. He motioned for Cronus to come nearer and the praetor complied. The magister spoke quietly and said, "Alabor is too important to the Empire."

  "It is."

  "You of all people know how hard fought this expansion was."

  Cronus ground his teeth. "I do."

  Sivius leaned away and said, "I don't believe I can just pack up and head off to Arkaim based on your confidence."

  "Don't let caution fool you," the Titan smiled, "I am very confident." Sivius paused and studied the man's face. Cronus quickly said, "The Cyclops will be here in one hour. If you leave now, you'll be able to ready your forces at the Arkaim border. If my plan fails, you won't be too far away and you'll be able to double back and save Derben."

  The magister looked toward the ground and then nodded his head once. "I'll expect a message either way in one hour."

  "You will have it, legate. Thank you."

  Sivius turned and motioned for his staff to follow. They got into their vehicles and drove away.

  "Now, sir?" Julia asked.

  Cronus smiled. "Yes." His assistant pressed a few buttons on her computer panel and then handed the illuminated glass to him. "Attention all commands in Alabor, this is Praetor Cronus. Stand down. Repeat, stand down. Cyclops cohorts are on their way to Derben. I intend to meet with them and negotiate peacefully. You will receive further instructions when needed."

  He gave the panel back to Julia and walked back to his car. Julia got into the rear with him and spoke to the driver. The Titan looked out his window at the amassed military around him and thought as the vehicle rolled away.

  Fifteen minutes later, they were in a plain north of Derben. The nearest town was several kilometers away. The driver spoke through the divider. "We're here."

  Cronus was roused from his thoughts and left the vehicle. Julia emerged, too, carrying the satchel. They walked away from the car and toward the slight rolling hills in the distance. He wasn't certain, but he believed he could hear them coming. The thunderous noise of thousands of machines walking on the ground. The twisting of their joints an
d servos.

  He felt hesitation.

  If they don't want to speak, they will kill me and I'll awaken in my bunker beneath Derben again, he thought. He turned his head toward Julia and twisted his lips.

  "Julia," he began. "Go back to the car."

  "Sir?"

  Cronus took the satchel from her and said, "If this doesn't go well, you and the driver should get back to Derben as soon as possible with a report."

  She was reluctant but she nodded. "As you command."

  While she walked away, Cronus bent down and unzipped the package. He gripped the shafts of wood, carefully removed them from the bag and began to stake them into the ground at three-meter intervals. Once he finished, he looked down the row at ten fluttering white flags.

  Cresting over one of those rolling hills, he saw the first line of Cyclops come into view. He walked to the center of the white flag line and stood. For a moment, he held his hands behind his back. After a minute of seeing tens then hundreds then thousands of war machines walking toward him, he decided to hold his hands aloft.

  Once the first line reached the same level on the plain as Cronus, they stopped. A group of several black Cyclops and golden Cyclops huddled together, occasionally looking toward him. Finally, they straightened up and began walking toward the lone Psilon.

  They stopped simultaneously ten meters away. They said nothing.

  Cronus glanced across their faces. At least the gold ones have that blue eye so I can tell something is going on.

  "I am Praetor Cronus of Alabor." No response. "I would like to talk." No response. "May I put my arms down?"

  One of the black-armored Cyclops scanned him from head to toe and said. "Yes."

  "Thank