The Chamber of Genesis

by N. E. Michael

  “We wanted to thank you for saving Ferrus’s life. You could have left her to die, but you rescued her, and you endangered your own life in doing so.”

  “I would do the same for any ally in battle,” Kain replied. “Such is our code.”

  “Regardless,” Mara said, extending a hand. “I believe we may have misjudged you. You have proven yourself honorable, and an apology is in order.”

  Kain glanced from her firm glare down to her hand, pondering for a moment, then shook it.

  “We should gather some meat and prepare the raptors,” Kain said. “Will everyone be ready to leave in ten minutes?”

  The group nodded.

  “Good. It is settled then. Perhaps this time, you could finally tell me where we are going.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  The Betrayal

  5 days before planet’s destruction

  "So, what now?” Kiara asked Suriel as they walked side by side across the open, grassy fields.

  “We will go to the Palace and tell my father all that we’ve learned,” Suriel replied. “He must be made aware of the threat we face. There is something dastardly brewing in our Kingdom, and we must put a stop to it before it is too late.

  “And what about Pete and Rio?” Kiara asked, glancing back at the two men. They walked a distance behind her, talking amongst themselves.

  Should I tell him Rio is an Ancient? she wondered. Something deep down told her it was a bad idea. After all, according to the rumors, the King killed them all off. Could that be why he was so against the Prince when we’d first met?

  “I will ensure they receive an official pardon by my father,” Suriel replied firmly, satisfied by his answer. “They have suffered more than enough for their crimes.”

  “Their crimes?” Kiara asked rhetorically. “All Rio did was steal a loaf of bread for his sick nephew. That hardly justifies the sentence he received.”

  “He must have lied to us,” Suriel said with confidence. “My father is not perfect, but he is a good king. He would never try a man unfairly.”

  “Are you sure about that?” Kiara asked gently, cautiously pushing the subject. “Maybe your father’s subjects don’t follow his laws to the letter. Or perhaps there are things your father doesn’t tell you about.”

  “Are you accusing my father, the King, of dishonor?” Suriel asked angrily, growing defensive.

  “Hey, of course not,” Kiara calmed him, taking his hand in hers.

  Suriel took a deep breath, his anger subsiding.

  “I’ve never even met your father,” she continued. “If he’s anything like you, I’m sure he’s wonderful. I was just suggesting you have an open mind, that’s all. It’s an important quality for a future king.”

  Suriel turned to her and smiled caringly, stroking her hand with his fingers.

  “And you are as wise as you are beautiful, Kiara. An important quality for a queen.”

  Suriel’s heart stopped. Lost in Kiara’s eyes and overcome with passion, the words had slipped from his tongue before he’d had time to process them.

  Kiara’s smile slowly faded, her face flushed red. She retracted her hand.

  “Suriel, I-”

  “I’m sorry, that was inappropriate,” Suriel said quickly. “The words just came out, I do not know what I was thinking, I-”

  “You were thinking what I was thinking,” Kiara said softly, pressing her hand gently against his cheek.

  Suriel fell immediately quiet at her tender touch, closing his eyes for a moment as he savored it.

  “I just need more time, that’s all,” Kiara said with a warm smile. “I think I may have feelings for you, but I just have too many feelings right now to process. So much is happening all at once. I just need time to breathe, time to think. But who knows…” she paused, running her hand down his arm and back to his hand. “Maybe someday.”

  Suriel took a deep, joyful breath. He gazed into Kiara’s bright, shimmering eyes, admiring how they matched the red-orange color of the sun setting over the fields. His blood rushed with excitement, and his heart beat with passion. He brushed his finger along her cheek, feeling the delightful curves of her smile.

  “Kiara,” he started to say. “I-”

  Before he could finish, Kiara’s eyes widened, and her smile shattered, replaced by fear.

  “Suriel, behind you!” she shouted, and she shoved him forcefully to the side, sending him toppling to the floor in surprise as an arrow whizzed past where he’d been standing and dug its way into Kiara’s leg.

  “Kiara!” Suriel yelled with concern as she cried out in pain and toppled to the ground. Suriel bounced back to his feet and turned in the direction the arrow had come from. An ambush of twelve Shadows had emerged from the surface and approached their position, armed with bows and arrows.

  “Suriel,” Kiara whispered weakly as a bright, green poison seeped from her wound, causing her to doze in and out of consciousness. Suriel bent down beside her, keeping an eye on the Shadows as he stroked her hair.

  “Kiara, stay with me,” he begged, a tear running down his cheek, but Kiara’s eyes rolled to the back of her head, and she fell unconscious.

  “What did you do to her!?” Suriel yelled with anguish is expression turned to rage. “I will kill you all!”

  He charged at the Shadows as they shot another arrow. Suriel sidestepped just on time, and the arrow whizzed past him.

  “Come here and fight me yourselves, you cowar-!”

  Suriel staggered suddenly forward, falling silent as an arrow dug its way into his back. He turned around in surprise, seeing Pete and Rio staring calmly at him, Rio’s hand in control of the projectile.

  “You?” Suriel asked with anger and shock as the poison entered his bloodstream. “But I trusted you…she trusted you.”

  Suriel’s amulet began to glow. He staggered towards the two of them, struggling to maintain his balance. Rio glared firmly at Suriel’s pained and angry expression of betrayal, his eyes burning with resolve.

  Another arrow fired from behind him, digging into Suriel’s back. Suriel ripped it out of his skin with a ferocious roar and continued his approach, speeding into an unbalanced jog.

  Another arrow bit into his flesh, but he continued on, his amulet glowing even brighter.

  “Rio,” Pete whispered nervously as Suriel grew closer and closer, but Rio stared silently at the raging Prince, his expression firm and unperturbed.

  Not turning away from Suriel even for a moment, Rio raised his hand into the air, signaling to the Shadows. All twelve of them lifted their bows and fired simultaneously, releasing a barrage of arrows into the air. Rio closed his hand into a fist, and the arrows huddled together under his control. Finally, just before Suriel could reach them, Rio threw his fist downwards, aiming it at the prince, and the arrows rushed down all at once, striking the prince with enough force to send him sprawling to the floor, inches from their feet.

  Suriel’s amulet ceased to glow. He turned his dizzied, throbbing head, looking up at Rio as his consciousness slowly drifted away.

  “Why…” he rasped as the world around him began turning black.

  Rio gazed down at the fallen prince with a fierce, unforgiving glare and uttered three pained, spiteful words.

  “Ask your father.”

  ◆◆◆

  “Wake them up,” Rio’s voice ordered.

  Kiara’s eyes opened slowly as a Shadow injected an antidote into her neck, and her hazy vision filled with dim light. She struggled to see as the world spun around her.

  “Suriel?” she croaked in confusion, seeing his limp body lying on a cold, iron floor beside her. “Don’t…touch…him,” Kiara protested weakly as the Shadow inserted the syringe into the Prince’s neck, injecting the antidote. Her eyes followed the Shadow as he shifted into the second dimension, snuck beneath the iron bars of the prison cell, and emerged outside beside a man she recognized.

  “Rio?” she asked in surprise, grabbing the bars as support to lift
herself up. “Can you…can you help us out of here.”

  “He’s the one who put us here,” Suriel said from behind her, crawling to her side.

  She glanced at his back as he crawled, noticing over a dozen blood-stained tears in his shirt. Someone had sewn up the wounds beneath them.

  “What…what happened to you?” she asked, fighting off intense nausea.

  “He…betrayed us,” Suriel gasped, collapsing onto his stomach.

  “Rio?” Kiara asked in shock as her mind finally processed the information. She looked into his fierce, unwavering glare, her heart aching and struck with sorrow. “Why are you doing this? I trusted you. I called you my friend.”

  As Rio stared deep into her broken expression, a hint of emotion snuck into his stonehard face, and his eyes shimmered with guilt.

  “My dear Kiara,” he said softly. “Look out that window behind you, and you will see.”

  Gripping the walls for support, Kiara moved around the cell’s periphery to the wall behind her, which hosted a foggy, square window, dozens of feet high. Beyond the window was a vast, iron city composed of thousands of rusty, makeshift metallic homes and buildings. The city looked almost like a dump yard. Its structures were composed of piles of all the garbage the people could collect—the decaying shells of vehicles, old wheels and tires, sticks and stones, scrap metal, and even the rotting bones of dinosaurs. Pillars of smoke rose from all over the city, forming a blanket of black clouds over the night sky. The only light she could make out originated from bonfires and flickering, home-made lanterns, improvised using old batteries and wiring. People wandered the streets armed with guns and knives, even a young girl she spotted walking out of one of the houses. The girl was unnaturally thin with torn clothing and a face black with dried blood and soot.

  “What you see out there,” Rio said, his voice shaking with emotion as Kiara gazed out at the city, her heart trembling. “That is my home. And those people…they are my people.”

  Having recovered some strength, Suriel lifted himself up to the window beside Kiara, seeing for himself.

  “It wasn’t always this way,” Rio explained solemnly. “This was once a thriving town full of culture and life. No one ever starved, and everyone had a home. It was the heart of the Capital.”

  “You are lying,” Suriel interrupted angrily. “The people of the Dinges were murderers and thieves. My father separated them for the good of the Kingdom.”

  “Suriel,” Kiara said softly, her voice tinged with sorrow. “Just listen. Let him speak.”

  Suriel glanced at Kiara, noticing a painful tear falling slowly down her cheek. Seeing her grief inflicted a touch of sadness onto his own heart, and compelled him to open his mind to Rio’s words.

  “Your father…” Rio said, swallowing his anger and grief. “Your father murdered my family.”

  Suriel turned to face Rio, staring into his trembling, watery eyes.

  “That cannot be tru-”

  “The ‘Ancients,’ he called us,” Rio cut him off coldly. “The old generation of heretics, followers of Mikael, too powerful to be trusted…all lies he used to justify the massacre of my parents, my sisters, my cousins…”

  Rio wiped a tear from his cheek.

  “The Ancients are a myth,” Suriel said, his voice uncertain.

  “He’s telling the truth, Suriel,” Kiara said, turning around as well. “I saw him use the powers of both a Charger and a Surger. He’s an Ancient.”

  “Your father,” Rio pointed accusingly at Suriel, his voice rising in a steep crescendo. “He took the Kingdom from my family and turned our thriving town into a prison. He forced everyone to wear those damned PDs to ensure the blind loyalty of his subjects so that nobody would see him for the bloody murderer he truly was!”

  Suriel stared speechlessly at Rio, his heart heavy with confusion and guilt.

  “But now, that is all going to change,” Rio cleared his throat, calming himself. “Because now, your father will have to either abdicate the throne or witness the execution of his only son and heir.”

  “Rio, please,” Kiara begged, stumbling over to the prison bars until they stood face to face. “Don’t do this. I know you are hurting, but we can find another way.”

  “I’m sorry, Kiara,” Rio shook his head. “The King must pay for his sins.”

  “And he will,” Kiara said. “But this is not the way.”

  “Yes, it is,” Suriel’s voice called from behind her. Kiara glanced at him, his expression firm and resolute.

  “Let me speak to my father,” Suriel told Rio. “If he is truly the monster you claim him to be, I will convince him to step down.”

  “And if he refuses?” Rio asked.

  “Then, I will die for the sins of my father.”

  Rio hesitated, pondering the idea.

  “Rio, please,” Kiara urged him. “You’ve gotten to know us the past few days. Give Suriel a chance.”

  Rio hesitated, looking deep into Suriel’s eyes.

  “My men have already sent word to the King informing him of your capture,” Rio said slowly. “I will offer him the chance to see you himself.”

  “Thank you, thank you,” Kiara sighed with relief.

  “But if you fail,” Rio added, “Then the people of the Dinges will pour into the streets of the Capital to reclaim what is rightfully theirs. Blood will be spilt, my dear prince, and there is nothing you nor I could do to stop it.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  The Shrine of Gavriel

  5 days before planet’s destruction

  Raiden’s raptor sniffed Sable curiously as they rode side by side.

  “I think he likes you,” Raiden teased.

  “Tell him he’s not my type,” Sable replied. “Centaurs prefer their men hairy, not scaly.”

  Raiden laughed.

  “You know,” he said, “I’m really happy you came along. It’s nice to have an old friend with me. Makes me miss home a bit less.”

  “Interesting hearing you refer to Ankar as your home,” Sable smirked. “And we weren’t exactly ‘friends’ back in Ankar. In fact, I think I recall hitting on you at the festival.”

  “You know what I mean,” Raiden chuckled, rolling his eyes.

  “Yes,” she smiled at him. “I do.”

  Raiden peered over to the front of the group, where Ferrus, Mara, and the knights now rode side by side. Ferrus and Kain seemed to be engrossed in conversation.

  “Is it just me,” Raiden asked, “Or are Ferrus and Kain actually chatting?”

  “I guess she warmed up to him.”

  “Warmed up to him?” Raiden asked in surprise. “I don’t think she’s ever spoken more than ten words at a time to even me.”

  “Try saving her life, then maybe she’ll like you.”

  Skarai screeched from the dimming sky above them, swooping by to check-in.

  “Hey, buddy,” Raiden called, showing the bird a thumbs up.

  “Gosh, I’m starting to really need a break,” Sable said. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this tired.”

  “We’re almost there,” Raiden replied. “Probably another half hour.”

  “Honestly, I’m not sure I can make it.”

  “Alright, I’ll go talk to the others,” Raiden said with an assuring nod, and he sped up beside Mara.

  “Hey,” he greeted her. “I was wondering if we could take a break. I think we’re all tired, some of us even injured, and we could use the rest before potentially facing another angel.”

  “According to legend, Gavriel is the angel of justice,” one of the knights said, overhearing them. After the incident with the dinosaurs, they had decided to tell the knights about the Shrine of Gavriel. “He is the mortal enemy of Mikael. He would not oppose us.”

  “After meeting an angel in person, I don’t think we can be sure of anything anymore,” Raiden replied.

  “You have a point,” Mara told Raiden, pondering the idea. She looked up at the pink sunset peaking through holes behind the
surrounding dense trees. “It is getting late. Perhaps we could even find a place to spend the night.”

  “Thanks,” Raiden said, turning up towards the treetops as Mara proceeded to inform the others.

  “Skarai!” he called.

  Skarai dove down to Raiden, perching on his outstretched arm.

  “Can you help find us a safe shelter?” Raiden asked. “A cave, maybe?”

  Skarai cawed with understanding and took off into the forest. After riding for another ten minutes, Skarai returned to Raiden, issuing a signaling cry.

  “He found us a place,” Raiden shouted to the others. “Let’s go.”

  “We are following a bird?” Kain asked doubtfully.

  “He hasn’t let us down before,” Sable assured him, and she galloped after Raiden.

  “The bird let us to the map,” Ferrus explained to Kain. “It seems to possess a certain…higher intelligence.”

  “If you say so,” Kain sighed, and they took off after the rest of the group.

  They traveled for five minutes before coming across a small clearing in the forest. A round, shallow pond lay in the center of the clearing littered with fallen leaves, the colors of the sunset reflecting off its still waters. A small cave entrance protruded from the ground beside the pond, camouflaged under a layer of green moss and weeds.

  “Great job, buddy,” Raiden complimented Skarai, stroking his neck as he landed back on his shoulder. “It’s perfect.”

  They dismounted, and the raptors scurried over to the pond to take a drink. Kain’s knights helped him down from his beast, his movement still impaired by his injuries. Sable trotted behind a tree at the outskirts of the clearing, hiding behind it as she transformed back into her naked human form and threw on some simple, baggy clothes she’d carried along.

  “We should check to make sure the cave is not occupied by an unfriendly host,” Mara suggested.

  “On it,” one of the knights said, jogging over to the cave. He extended his arms towards the entrance and released a plume of fire from his hands.