by Thomas Fay
‘What was that?’ Izikiel asked.
‘Decompression, the air lock must have been open when the other ship vanished,’ Vorn replied. Pressing a button on the console before him, he said, ‘Cassandra, are you alright?’
The human-form Elemental’s silken tone spoke into the control room through a hidden speaker.
‘That was close. By the Flame, what happened?’
Vorn looked at the view screen and then at Izikiel. He pressed the button on the console again.
‘You’d better get back up here.’
It didn’t take long for Cassandra and the two ex-security officers to return to the control room. During that interval, Izikiel quickly scouted around outside the ship. There was no sign that the Rising Phoenix had ever been there. Even the debris from its damaged hull was gone.
‘What happened?’ Cassandra asked the moment that she stepped into the control room.
‘I don’t know. The other ship simply vanished. One minute it was there and then...’ Vorn said as he pointed at the view screen. Cassandra furrowed her brow as she looked at the empty space outside the ship. Her blue eyes began to glow with an inner radiance as she studied the image before her.
‘What happened to our ship?’ Izikiel asked.
‘The airlock breached and we began venting atmosphere,’ Xavier replied, casting a guarded glance at Jonas.
‘But you managed to stop it?’
‘Not us,’ Jonas replied, shaking his head. Then he pointed at Cassandra. ‘It was her. I’ve never seen anything like it before in my life.’
‘What do you mean?’
Jonas looked over at Cassandra but she didn’t say anything. Taking a deep breath, he said, ‘The moment the airlock breached we felt the air rushing out of the ship. Xavier and I barely managed to grab onto the bulkhead in time. Despite the tremendous pressure, Cassandra simply stepped forward and extending her arms created a wall of flame which blocked the airlock. We managed to seal it after that.’
Izikiel nodded. He knew that the Elementals were powerful, he had sensed as much in the Baron Stefan on Aurora. Clearly their ability to wield the power of the Eternal Flame was unquestionable. He was thankful that they were on the same side.
‘That still doesn’t explain what happened to the other ship,’ Cassandra said.
‘Hang on, I’m going to do a search through the ship catalogue to see if I can find any information on the Rising Phoenix,’ Vorn said.
Turning towards his console, he input a series of instructions. The main view screen changed from displaying the purple gas giant to scrolling through a list of names. A blinking orange highlighter bar stopped at one of them: Rising Phoenix.
‘Ok, here it is. The Rising Phoenix was constructed on Tellus for an inter-colony transport company. It was later sold to a private individual based out of Vesta. Technical specifications, loading dimensions,’ Vorn read off the display, skipping through the detailed information. The orange highlighter bar scrolled down through several pages of text before stopping on one particular section. Vorn continued to read out loud.
‘Last known flight plan was from Vesta heading to Tellus. According to this, the Rising Phoenix never made it to its destination. It was badly damaged upon entering the Tellus system when it emerged inside of an asteroid field. One of the engines was destroyed and the other lost so much fuel that it only made it to a nearby gas giant. There the crew and almost fifty paying passengers perished when the oxygen supplies vented into space because of hull damage. The empty ship was recovered and towed back to Tellus. This is the last known record of the ship dated over two hundred years ago.’
Silence fell across the control room as they all stared at the information on the view screen. The last sentence blinked steadily, its meaning not lost on those reading it.
‘Two hundred years ago?’ Jonas asked in disbelief. ‘But that would mean that...?’
‘That we have somehow travelled back in time, to the exact moment that the Rising Phoenix ran out of oxygen,’ Vorn finished Jonas’ sentence.
‘But how is that possible?’
Izikiel looked over at Cassandra who simply shrugged her shoulders. Thinking back to his training with Da’Amo, he realised that he already knew the answer. What they had experienced was incredible but also frightening at the same time. At least now he knew what the Baron had warned him about.
‘It’s possible because there is a very powerful true believer on Tellus who has the ability to manipulate the flow of time,’ Izikiel said. ‘We’re going to have to tread very carefully indeed.’
SIXTY EIGHT
Skirting the edges of the amethyst gas giant, they aligned on the distant blue grey marble that was the planet Tellus. Even under normal propulsion, the Valiant Crusader moved at formidable speed. Izikiel watched as a ringed planet and several large asteroids disappeared behind them. Catching a glimpse of himself in the aft view port, he stared at his own reflection. It was a face more familiar to him now, one that he recognised from years of growing up with.
He was still unable to remember the last few years of his life or how he had arrived on Vesta. Despite the tremendous power unleashed by the human-form Elemental on Aurora that nearly destroyed the planet, that part of his memories remained hidden. He was, however, beginning to suspect more and more that everything that was happening to him was part of some grander design. It was all just too much of a coincidence not to be. Three planets, three ancient relics to the interstellar deity and three powerful true believers left behind to guard those secrets.
Despite his initial apprehension, he was curious about what awaited him on Tellus. This was the final part of his journey. The Baron had promised him that he would find what he needed in the Interstellar Library. Again, it seemed too neat and too carefully orchestrated to be pure chance. It was clear that the mysterious second disciple had set events in motion which would lead to only one conclusion; a confrontation with the Void Lords. Izikiel shuddered at the thought.
‘What’s so interesting out there?’ Te’Anne asked.
Turning to face her, Izikiel marvelled at how beautiful she was. Her black hair flowed in waves as she moved her head and her green eyes sparkled with warmth. He wanted so much to reach out and to hold her. To escape the madness of this world he had found himself in and to take her away with him. But some part of him knew that where he was destined to go, she could not follow.
‘What’s wrong?’ she asked.
Izikiel smiled as he shook his head.
‘Nothing’s wrong. I’ve just been wondering about this second disciple. It seems that we are all a part of her grand design, which is why I find it hard to believe that no one has heard of her.’
‘It is strange. Stories of Lady Serafine and how she united the colonies against the Void Lords are legendary. Having grown up on Vesta we had all heard tales of the Great City. But I had never heard of this second disciple. What did the Baron say her name was?’
‘Sofija,’ Izikiel said.
‘An interesting name, not one that I’ve heard before.’
Xavier walked into the main cabin. The little girl walked beside him, holding onto his hand. Seeing Izikiel, she stopped. Her blue eyes looked into his as she smiled at him. Cassandra’s words echoed in his mind once more. She is a very powerful true believer. I suspect that she may even be a disciple. Could it be?
Seeing Xavier and the little girl, Te’Anne smiled at them and said, ‘Xavier, come and join us.’
The large scavenger nodded his head. As he moved towards them, Izikiel watched the silent child carefully. Her movements appeared to be firmer, more fluid. It was almost as if they were back in the jungle on Vesta. That’s when he realised.
‘We’ve travelled further back in time,’ Izikiel said.
‘How do you know?’ Te’Anne asked.
‘Look at the little girl,’ he replied, pointing. ‘We haven’t travelled as far back as we did on Vesta but we’re definitely not in our time anymore.’
He realised how ironic the term our time was for him. He wasn’t even sure what his time really was anymore.
‘But...what does that mean?’ Xavier asked.
‘I’m not sure but we’d better let Vorn and Cassandra know,’ Izikiel replied. ‘I’ll go and find them.’
Xavier nodded as Izikiel walked across the main cabin. Stepping through one of the doorways, he moved down the narrow corridor until he reached the control room. He found the ship’s captain sitting at the controls. The view screen was showing an ever expanding image of Tellus.
‘Vorn, there’s something you should know.’
Turning around, the ship captain looked at Izikiel.
‘What is it, disciple?’
‘I believe we’ve travelled back in time even further than when we encountered the Rising Phoenix.’
Vorn looked at his instruments. Shaking his head, he checked another display on his left. Several ghostly green images flickered across it in rapid succession. Izikiel had no idea what they represented.
‘As far as I can tell everything is normal,’ Vorn said. ‘Of course, I don’t exactly have a sensor that can tell me what year it is.’
‘You mean there’s no way of telling when this is?’
Vorn shook his head.
‘I’m afraid not.’
Izikiel considered the situation for a moment. Surely there had to be a way. Perhaps if he used the power of the Eternal Flame to tell what year it was. Vorn seemed to think of the same thing as he asked, ‘Isn’t there a way of using your power to determine how far back we’ve travelled?’
‘I’m sure there is. Unfortunately, I have no idea what that is.’
‘So there are limitations to the power?’
Izikiel realised that Vorn was finally accepting his heritage as a true believer and showing an interest in the interstellar deity. It was an interesting change of character for the independent ship captain who was guilty of any number of crimes and immoral activities.
‘Yes. The power flows from the Eternal Flame but it’s channelled through the true believer. Your own conviction and strength of will play a large part. Then there’s the ancient language,’ Izikiel explained.
‘Ancient language?’ Vorn asked.
His interest was now clear as he turned around and listened to every word Izikiel was saying. Sitting down in the chair next to him, Izikiel continued.
‘In order to draw upon the power of the Eternal Flame you need to use words from the ancient language. The language holds the key to unlocking the raw power of the deity. Without it, a true believer is unable to affect the world around them.’
He deliberately chose not to explain that he believed that the Elementals had a direct link to the Eternal Flame and did not need to rely on the ancient language.
‘So all I have to do is speak one of these words and then...what? I can control the elements?’ Vorn asked.
‘It’s not quite that simple. You not only need to know and speak the word but you also need to reach out to the Eternal Flame. Once you establish contact and open you mind, then you can use the words to affect the world around you.’
Vorn nodded, seemingly understanding what Izikiel had told him. It was interesting watching the internal conflict being played out on Vorn’s features. Finally, he seemed to reach a decision.
‘I’d like to learn to reach out to the Eternal Flame,’ he said.
SIXTY NINE
The Valiant Crusader’s structure was split into three main areas. The control room was the nerve centre of the ship, providing information and oversight over all the other sections. Habitable compartments occupied the central area. These included the main compartment, medical bays and individual quarters. The rear of the ship was occupied by the sizeable cargo hold and propulsion system. It was here that Izikiel brought Vorn. He figured that with the heavy shielding, presence of nuclear flare bombs and the quantum-helix drive there was little chance that the Void Lords would detect them. Or so he hoped.
‘This is the most difficult and painful part,’ Izikiel said. ‘You need to clear your mind of all distractions; the ship, its passengers, your cargo, everything. Let it all go and reach outwards. The Eternal Flame will do the rest.’
‘Alright,’ Vorn said.
Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. Letting it out slowly, he relaxed his shoulders and stood perfectly still. Satisfied that Vorn was in the right frame of mind, Izikiel expanded his own awareness. Feeling the familiar sensation of heat rising within him, he allowed himself to drift upwards.
The metallic hull of the Valiant Crusader glinted faintly in the light from the distant Tellus sun. Three steady plumes of blue tinged plasma exuded behind it, generated by the propulsion system. Izikiel saw their destination planet getting closer. Thoughts of their recent time shifting materialized in his mind. The ability fascinated him, filled him with hope that he would be able to return to his own time. A distant memory of his life on Earth rose up to fill him with a strong sense of longing. He felt suddenly very far from home.
(‘Izikiel?’)
Vorn’s incorporeal form floated next to him. It appeared unstable and hazy but Izikiel was impressed with the ship captain’s innate ability to establish a connection to the Eternal Flame.
(‘Very good, Vorn. How do you feel?’)
Vorn’s face contorted in pain as he replied, (‘You weren’t kidding about the painful part, were you? It feels as if my insides passed too close to the surface of a star.’) (‘You’ll get used to it in time,’) Izikiel said. (‘Now, I want you to concentrate on that sensation of heat. Feel it flowing throughout your body. Then look around you. Look at the stars, the planets. Sense their position in space.’) Vorn visibly concentrated. His face contorted further as he gritted his teeth. His body tensed up as he attempted to deepen his connection to the Eternal Flame. Izikiel could feel him expanding his will, reaching out further. Then his body convulsed and his incorporeal form disappeared.
Izikiel returned to the ship’s cargo hold. Opening his eyes, he watched as Vorn collapsed to the floor. A trickle of blood flowed out of the corner of his mouth. It glistened on the metallic floor.
‘What have you done?’
Spinning around, Izikiel saw Cassandra standing in the doorway. Her blue eyes burned with an inner fire as she stared at the prone figure of the ship captain. Brushing past Izikiel, she knelt on the ground.
‘Vorn, are you alright? Can you hear me?’ she asked.
Getting no immediate response, Cassandra stood up and turned towards Izikiel. She held her arms out to her sides as she moved towards him.
‘What did you do to him?’ she demanded.
Izikiel could sense the power emanating from her as she expanded her link to the Eternal Flame. Her entire body coursed with raw energy as she confronted him. He recalled his encounter with the Baron Stefan. This was going to be interesting.
‘I haven’t done anything to him. He asked me to teach him how to reach out to the Eternal Flame,’ Izikiel explained.
‘What? How could you! He wasn’t ready. Now look at him.’
‘I didn’t know it could be this dangerous. The first time I did it, it was painful but I got through it unscathed.’
‘That’s because you’re a disciple,’ Cassandra said as she moved even closer to him. Izikiel could feel the heat radiating from her.
‘You were chosen by the Eternal Flame to be its champion. Vorn is barely a true believer. How could you be this irresponsible? I swear, if he doesn’t...’
At that moment, Vorn stirred. Coughing several times, he rolled onto his side. Wiping his mouth, he looked up at them.
‘Cassandra, what’s going on?’ he asked. His words came slowly, painfully as he struggled to speak.
‘Vorn, thank the Flame you’re alive. How could you let him do this to you?’
‘I haven’t done anything to him,’ Izikiel said. ‘I don’t understand why you wouldn’t want him to learn to connect with the Eternal Flame.’
‘Because I don’t want him to become a true believer! Anyone who establishes contact with the Eternal Flame, who learns to use its power becomes a target for the Void Lords. I have seen those vile beings destroy entire worlds in their quest to eliminate every last one of us. And that is not a fate I would wish upon anyone, let alone someone that I...’ Cassandra’s words trailed off as the fire disappeared from her eyes. She turned away from him, unable to meet his gaze.
‘That you love,’ Izikiel whispered.
‘Yes’
Izikiel was slightly surprised at the human-form Elemental’s admission. It seemed that their human guises made them vulnerable to human emotions. Once more he found himself wondering what she really looked like.
‘Cassandra, it was my idea,’ Vorn said as he raised himself up to a sitting position. ‘Don’t blame Izikiel. He was only keeping his end of our agreement.’
‘What agreement?’ Cassandra asked.
‘The one where I would start talking to you again if he taught me about the Eternal Flame,’ Vorn replied. He even managed a weak smile. ‘So you see it’s actually your fault.’
‘What? Why you...’ Cassandra said as she smiled in turn. Kneeling next to the ship captain, she embraced him. Pulling back, she helped him to his feet.
Izikiel was about to leave the cargo bay when he caught sight of the others standing in the doorway. Te’Anne and Jonas stood to either side of Xavier who held the little girl on his shoulders. They all had the same solemn expression.
‘What’s wrong?’ he asked.
‘We’ve just entered the Tellus planetary docking laneways,’ Te’Anne said. Casting a look at Xavier and Jonas, she added, ‘I think that we’ve travelled even further back in time.’
‘What makes you say that?’
All of them looked at the little girl. Slowly, she turned her head towards them. Her eyes were perfectly clear and her movements fluid. Then she laughed. The sound permeated the cabin like the joyous song of a bird bringing a strange longing to Izikiel’s heart. Yet the realisation that they had travelled even further into the past cast a cloud over his thoughts.
