-AT THE FOOT OF THE MOUNTAIN STACKS-
Atlantean soldiers are formed up just outside the mountain dwellings; rows of armed troops waiting for the air assault to end. Faint explosions are echoing in the valley; signs that the bombing of the perimeter batteries is successful.
The command vehicle is a crude tough-looking small truck, parked at the front of the ground troops. Stavos sits calmly in the front, carefully examining a thin screen on his lap. A display of live infrared images is being broadcast from field equipment planted at the mouth of the caves. He scrolls through the information, searching for any signs of the inhabitants.
He turns to his Corporal sitting in the driver’s seat. The young soldier known as Fat-Boy is uncomfortable, as this is his first engagement as a soldier, and the bloodshed of the previous hours weighs heavy on his soul. The Commander decides that he needs a more seasoned eye to look at the screens. He turns to his right to look out the window.
“The caves are empty,” Stavos declares to Alexius, who stands impatiently outside his door. “They must be underground; what do you think Captain?”
“It is possible,” Alexius answers as he grabs the display. “Or they have abandoned it.”
“Not likely. They are still there. Captain Deidra!” Stavos shouts, looking past Alexius. She runs up to the door. “Ready your infiltration force. Empty the stronghold if needed. I want Darius; kill everyone else.”
The order brings a moment of hesitation from Deidra. She looks at Alexius and notices he is giving her a disapproving look. She has never been one to disobey direct orders, for she took her oaths seriously. No matter how cruel or inhumane the command was, she never questioned them. Unlike Alexius, she is properly programmed to follow orders, for the glory of the Empire.
“By your command,” she acknowledges. She gives Alexius a steely look then runs off towards the back of the formation.
“Commander, these mountain caves are dwellings, civilians. It is possible all their warriors were killed,” Alexius protests.
“You have your orders Captain.”
“There has to be…” Alexius begins as he gets closer to Stavos, then whispers, “another way. There is no need to massacre an entire people. How can we stand in the halls of glory knowing what we have done?”
He notices the heavy bead of sweat on Stavos’ face rolling down his clammy skin. His friend appears to be struggling inside, fighting an impulse. One problem at a time, Alexius cautions himself.
“Very well,” Stavos announces. “If we find Darius the rest will be spared.”
The concession is all Alexius could hope for right now. With any luck, Deidra will not meet any resistance, and Darius will surrender. More importantly, he wanted to confront the man accused of killing his father. He runs off to find Deidra.
-IN THE UNDERGROUND CAVES-
The inhabitants of the mountains have made their way into the tunnels beneath the surface. They carry on through the narrow passageways in droves, trying not to trample each other. Men, women, and children of varying ages; some carry light sticks, others have bags of provisions strapped to their backs. The ceiling is low, about six feet. Carved rock passageways are only ten feet wide.
Large circular stones stand motionless at junctions, ready to be rolled into place to block off the path to the surface. Muffled explosions rock the walls, causing dust and tiny pebbles to fall. Panic sets in with the mob as they attempt to all push forward at the same time.
Some armed warriors stand in crevices in the rock wall, observing the crowd and trying to assist when needed. An old woman falls to the ground, bruising her knees; she decides not to cry out in pain, but the mob is on top of her and her granddaughter. Darius jumps off his crevice to push the incoming waves off of her. He helps her up then grabs a passing man to entrust the woman and the girl to his care.
“Chief, they won’t all make it to the lower levels in time! What do they want?” a warrior asks.
“Me,” Darius answers. “Get the word out, start filling the chambers. It will ease the crowds for now.”
“But the soldiers may find the people in the upper chambers,” the warrior points out.
“With any luck, the entrance will remain hidden. If it’s found, then my friend, their sacrifice will not be forgotten.” Darius points to the passing wave.
The warrior activates a small communications device in his hand. He barks the orders to the rest of fighters. There are chambers littered on the levels, each capable of holding 100 souls. A rolling stone can secure the space at the entrance. Once put into place the rock will appear to be a small wall.
“You should get below; we can handle this from here,” the warrior urges Darius.
“No. There is something I have to do; someone I have to find,” Darius explains.
He pats the warrior on his shoulder then continues to help the crowd. His worse fear is coming to pass; the impending annihilation of his adopted people. He has lost all communication with Calis, which means he cannot get his artifact out of Cappadocia. He resigns himself to seek out Alexius, hoping that he can convince the soldier to abandon his orders and take up the responsibility Arias hoped he would.
-DEIDRA’S PLATOON-
Twenty-five seasoned Foreign Legion soldiers in black stand patiently in front of a small entrance to one of the mountain stacks. Deidra checks her sidearm; satisfied, she returns it to her holster then checks her daggers. The noise of running boots on gravel does not shift her focus; she knows its Alexius.
“Deidra, wait!” Alexius calls out.
“Your whining is boring me, no, it’s aggravating me. We’re here to do what we’ve always done, or have you forgotten?” Deidra asks in a rough tone.
“Stavos changed his mind; no killing, just find Darius.”
“Just like that huh?” she asks suspiciously.
“Just like that,” Alexius replies.
“You’re lying to me again,” Deidra says while continuing to check her daggers.
“You know I don’t lie to you.” Alexius grabs her arm then pulls her close.
“You lie to me every day. Let go of me!” Deidra shouts.
“That may be true,” he admits, “but I don’t lie about the important things. Look, I have a bad feeling about this; did we come here to kill warriors or civilians?”
“We exchanged our conscience for uniforms,” Deidra points out. “Don’t get your loyalties twisted. We serve the Empire, our Commander, and our Prince. Now move!”
She storms off to join her platoon. There would be no reasoning with her at the onset of battle, Alexius knew this. There may only be one way, he decides; find Darius then bring him to Stavos. He runs away from the platoon, headed for another cave opening.
-AT THE SECOND UNDERGROUND LEVEL-
The waves of retreating civilians have thinned out; many are concealed within the hidden chambers spread out along the tunnels, allowing ease to the congestion. Darius stands at a stone column rising from the ground to the ceiling; there are more of these here. Multiple tunnels are scattered at junctions that lead to unknown destinations; only his trusted warriors know where to point the people.
One of the warriors pushes her way to Darius. She clutches her communicator tightly. She looks at Chief helping the people.
“Chief, the soldiers have found the entrance!” the warrior exclaims.
“Then it is time to do what I must. Tell the others to find whatever hiding place they can. Spread out and go deeper. Follow the markings as you have been taught; Hurry!”
The warrior runs off leaving Darius to wave over two more. The three men make their way to the upper level with haste.
-OUTSIDE A CAVE ENTRANCE-
Swarms of troops rush into the caves ready for resistance. Their orders are clear, round up the enemies, find Darius; kill everyone else. All of the grunts already had their taste of blood earlier at the Gap of Cora. They were fighting for their lives then, but now they will be participating in genocide.
Their
Commander watches them disappear into the mountain; there is an anxious air about him. He sees Deidra and quickly strides over. She is looking around wildly as if trying to find someone.
“Are you sure you found the entrance?” Stavos asks Deidra.
“I am certain,” she answers. “It leads deeper. The scans show at least eight more levels. Commander, it will take days to search the tunnels. The troops are tired, starving…”
“I don’t care about who is tired or starving!” Stavos cuts her off. “I want Darius found and this place purged!” he screams. He walks off into the tunnel with Fat-Boy.
-AT THE FIRST UNDERGROUND LEVEL-
The tunnels are dim with the only light emanating from Alexius’ light stick. The thin crude tube is three feet in length, with the top twelve inches glowing with luminous white light. There is evidence on the ground that there was a massive exodus here; torn clothing, fruits, vegetables, blood.
He stops his advance to look around the empty space; the brown rock walls seem to go on endlessly. Dark foreboding tunnels beckon him to enter the unknown, but he decides to refer to a more detailed direction. He retrieves his father’s journal.
The drawings give some indication as to which direction will send him to possible gathering points. He studies the map intensely, dropping to the ground as he reads. He is startled by his communicator crackling on his belt. He looks at the screen; it’s Deidra.
“What?” he snaps.
“Where are you?” Deidra demands.
“Never mind where I am.” He pauses, realizing that he owes his closest friend more than a brush off. “I’m going to find Darius, then bring him to Stavos. Maybe I can stop this massacre.”
“You ass!” she screams. “Stavos will have your head for this.”
“Look, we have to find Darius right? Just trust me. Try not to get yourself killed.” He switches off the device before Deidra can respond.
-AT UNDERGROUND LEVEL THREE-
Soldiers have halted their advance to set up a heavy gun in front of a circular stone. One soldier holds up a display for Stavos, showing blurry images of red outlines moving about inside a hidden chamber.
“Bring it down,” the Commander orders.
The gun fires a wave of projectiles accompanied by circles of blue light. It is a combination of explosive pellets and sonic energy which maximizes the destructive force. Within seconds the rock barrier comes crumbling down, revealing frightened people.
Men, women, and children, huddle together in the stone room. They look at the soldiers as they enter, in particular, they observe Commander Stavos; he appears to be searching for someone. A senior man stands up, much to the protest of his companion.
“Please, we are unarmed, we have done nothing wrong,” the old man states.
“Where is Darius?” Stavos asks.
“We do not know who that is,” the man explains.
“I’ll make this simple.” Stavos grabs his pistol then shoots the old man in his temple. He continues to scan the crowd. “Shall we begin again? Where is Darius? Your leader!”
No one answers, but it didn’t matter at this point. The Commander nods to soldiers. He steps out of the room.
The soldiers fire their weapons at the people. Screams being drowned out by gunfire fill the chamber. When the killing stopped, the soldiers resume their search.
-LATER AT UNDERGROUND LEVEL THREE-
Several wrong turns, and a drop down a shaft later has led Alexius to the third level. Frustration overcomes him as everywhere he turns looks the same.
He begins to run; several yards ahead he stumbles and falls near a column. As he starts to pick himself up, he notices the base of the column has an odd patch of what looks like dirty marble. A faded golden symbol is partially covered with dirt. He brushes it off.
The symbol is not familiar, so ignore it; no need to look for it in the journal for time was not on his side. Suddenly, he feels a rumble on the ground as if a rock from below was exploding. He remains still, listening for any sound emanating from the dark tunnels ahead; there is none. The tube closest to the vibration, he decides then runs into the dark cavity.
-AT UNDERGROUND LEVEL FOUR-
Once more another chamber has been discovered; the scene waits for the same result, just as with the previous four. Stavos is becoming impatient with the search; his troops are now beyond exhausted. He points to a mother and her six-year-old daughter. He pulls out his dagger while looking at Fat-Boy.
“Bring the child!” Stavos orders. Fat-Boy complies.
The woman screams as Fat-Boy reluctantly pulls the child from her arms. The little girl struggles, but the soldier’s grip is tight. Stavos grabs the girl by her hair as he puts the blade to her throat. He looks at the mother with merciless eyes. He is tired of her screaming.
“Where is your leader?” Stavos barks.
The little girl’s struggling causes the blade to scratch the surface of her skin. A bead of blood appears on the broken flesh, and then she suddenly goes limp. Stavos looks at her disappointed. He lets her body drop to the ground; the mother jumps up to charge Stavos. He plunges his blade into her neck.
“Poisoned blade,” he explains to Fat-Boy with a smile. The soldier looks on, trying desperately not to let his Commander see his abhorrence. “Very well, purge them.”
Gunfire erupts in the area. Within moments all is dead in the room. The soldiers step out and are ready to move on to the next area. As the echo fades, a runner can be heard coming their way. The soldiers point their guns in the direction, ready to fire. They drop their weapons when they see Alexius rushing towards them.
He stops at the edge of the group, breathing hard from the desperate run; Stavos passes by him, expressionless. Alexius notices smoke coming out of the chamber ahead; he pushes his way to it, expecting the horror he knew awaited him.
Blood is spewed on the walls; the dead are piled upon one another; the smell of Sulphur is stifling the senses. The dead girl’s body twitches on the ground near Alexius’ feet. A small stuffed rabbit falls out of her dress, rolling into a pool of blood.
Unbridled rage overcomes Alexius, like that of a caged lion ready to pounce on its jailer. He charges towards Stavos with hate in his eyes. Soldiers attempt to hold him back, but they are swatted away like flies. Seven men grab him; they struggle to keep him down. He tries to fight them off, knocking one on the ground, then slamming another to a rock column. More jump him, making a total of thirteen now.
One soldier slams his rifle butt on Alexius temple. Then another quickly discharges a stun device behind his neck. An unknown amount of voltage flows through the black box, which sparks as the energy hits the Captain’s flesh.
Finally, Alexius drops, disoriented from the blow to the temple and the electric shock. He sits calmly on the ground while one soldier places restraints on his wrists. Two others lift his hulking body, trying to make him stand on his wobbly legs.
“Corporal!” Stavos calls out. “Escort the Captain back to the surface!” he screams.
Fat-Boy with the two soldiers drag Alexius away, leaving Stavos to push further into the abyss of tunnels. It will be a long journey back up, but the soldiers were grateful to be leaving the main group.
They struggle with the massive Captain up an incline to the third level. They carry on their task silently, with no one wanting to talk about what is happening.
“They are just people,” Alexius says in a weakened voice.
“We are just following orders, Sir,” Fat-Boy says.
Suddenly, a muffled explosion is heard. It is an unmistakable echo of the soldiers’ heavy gun blasting through another rock door. The vibrations shake nearby columns, dropping pebbles to the ground at first. At this junction, the columns break, causing the ceiling to come crashing down on the group.
Heavy blocks smash the soldiers, instantly killing the two that were carrying Alexius, and crushing Fat-Boy’s sternum. His head is above the rubble, with blood oozing out of his mouth. He turns his
head slowly to the right.
Alexius’ head sticks out from under the rubble. He is barely conscious. He sees Fat-Boy stretching his hand out, reaching for him. Flashes of Bain fill his mind, then of the nomad boy he killed in Illyria. The image of the little girl with her toy dominates his thoughts. He begins to weep. His tears absorb the dust on his face. He can feel his strength failing. His vision is blurry; his head is beginning to throb. A rock dislodges from the ceiling, quickly hitting him on his temple.
Chapter 21: The Path to Prophecy
The sun shines in the sky over a calm lake; the water is clear. The air smells of lilies, and everything is peaceful. The water rolling on to the sandy shore hits Alexius’ tiny feet, pushing further up the sand, soaking his three-year-old body.
Delicate, but strong arms pull him onto a thin dress covering a very comfortable lap. He opens his sleepy eyes to see the sun burning brightly overhead. The silhouette of a young woman who feels like his mother looks down at him. Her long blonde hair falls on his face with a scent of lavender.
She hums a tune he knows but has never heard. The melody is putting him to sleep once more. He begins to drift off into peaceful bliss. He can feel her arms grip him tightly. Her loving embrace is overpowering his senses. He wants to stay here forever.
Alexius’ eyes open; they burn from the dust particles lodged therein. His body aches and his head is about to explode from a headache. His vision is clearing, and his sense of hearing is normalizing; three men are talking nearby. He expects to be covered with rubble, but to his surprise, he is not. He tries to stand.
The men are startled as he stands upright. His adrenalin quickly pumps through his veins as he recognizes Darius. Instinctively, he reaches for his sidearm, but it is gone. He feels for his daggers, but as expected, they too are missing.
“Don’t be afraid, son of Arias,” says Darius.
Rise of Prophecy Page 23
