by Joy Spraycar
“There is a crowd huddled outside the arena waiting to see if a Glad called No Mercy Zalph will be the one to fulfill this prophecy,” Max said.
Father Michael’s hand snaked across his bare head. “I’m sure I have no idea what he is talking about.”
Max leapt from the chair and took a step forward, his nose mere inches from the priest’s. “There is a secret room hidden in this cathedral, and there I am to read this prophecy.”
The priest’s eyes widened. “Wha...” He regained his composure. “I have no idea why Zebrone would say that. No idea whatsoever.”
“I do.” Max dropped his projected image and let his normal appearance shine through.
Father Michael slid off the corner of his desk and sprawled across the floor. “It can’t be. Why you’re... you’re him.”
“Him who?” Max narrowed his eyes.
“Maximillion, the Glad.” The priest struggled to get to his feet. But like a turtle upside down on its shell, he couldn’t seem to get into a position to right himself.
Max held out his hand to help the man up.
“Thank you,” Father Michael said as he straightened out his robes. “You are Maximillion, aren’t you?”
“That I am.”
Father Michael fell to his knees. “Zebrone is right. The Prophecy has yet to be fulfilled.”
“Now then,” Max continued, “I wish to see it.”
Springing to his feet, the priest nodded. “Of course.” He returned to his desk, opened the drawer, and slid his hand inside. The bookcase to the right of Max swung open. “Follow me.”
Max tagged along behind the waddling priest but jumped when the bookcase slid back in place, plunging them into darkness.
“Not to worry,” the priest’s voice echoed in the darkness. “In a moment, the lights will come on.”
As if that were their cue, four bulbs burst to life, shedding light across the room. In the center sat an altar draped with lace. All four sides sported a cushioned kneeling platform.
“Come, see.” Father Michael peeled back the lace, revealing a golden plaque.
Max drew closer. The words etched into the metal made no sense. He turned to the priest. “What does it say?”
“You can’t read it?”
“No,” Max said, shaking his head. “Should I be able to?”
“Hmm.” Father Michael looked perplexed. “Did you not know of the one true God?”
“Yes, I know the stories told by my father, but this?”
Realization spread through Max’s mind. “Oh. It is written in the Selestial language, is it not?”
“Yes, it is. But you are rumored to be from Selestia, so why can’t you read it?”
Why didn’t Simeon teach me that? Max shook his head.
“It is true that I hail from the Selestial sphere. However I came as a child and lived on the plains with my human family. No one there knows the Selestial language, so I never learned it.”
“If you never learned the language or heard of The Prophecy then why would you want to see it?”
“The crowd gathered outside the arena whispered of it. That Zalphia the Glad will be the one to fulfill it. I asked Zebrone, and he sent me to you. Will you read it to me?”
“Of course. It says:
When devastation covers the land,
And it seems that all is lost.
When the one in power turns away,
leaving mankind to suffer.
Then two will be sent from on high,
and the firstborn child
will save humankind.”
“That is it? Then how does Zebrone think that No Mercy Zalph will be the one to fulfill this prophecy?” Max asked.
“I’ve heard rumors circulating to that effect. But it couldn’t be. She is human and a stone-cold killer. Everyone has seen how she is inside the arena.”
“I, too, have been forced to fight.” Max studied the man’s face.
“That is true. But everyone who watched knew that you took no pleasure in it. Zalphia, however, seems to take great pleasure in her role.”
“Who says so?”
“All who have witnessed her fight believe the same. That is until the two of you escaped. But she was captured and returned to the arena. No, I don’t believe one so depraved could be sent from Selestia.”
“Is that so?” Max said, fighting the anger growing inside. “And why not?”
“There are ways that Selestia governs the spheres below them. A mere human from this world could not fulfill The Prophecy. It just couldn’t be.”
“You are –” A powerful voice pierced Max’s mind, ringing in his head like the giant church bell in the steeple of the cathedral.
“I’m what?” the priest asked.
“You are wrong.” Max stammered. “Selestia –” Severe pain thundered inside his skull, and the intensity drove Max to his knees.
Then he recognized the voice. Karaticus. How could this be? Karaticus’s mind wasn’t that powerful on its own.
Max’s brow shot up. Vitus.
The brothers’ connected minds echoed through the air. No need for them to reach out. Any on this planet could hear these thoughts. But why had Max not heard them before now? How had they remained hidden for all these years?
Zalphia’s thoughts joined the brothers’. “Am I pregnant?”
Cold shivers clawed their way up Max’s spine as he waited for Karaticus’s answer.
“Yes, I believe so.” The confirmation from Karaticus shot lighting through Max’s heart, splitting it in two like the trunk of a tree.
No, it couldn’t be.
Max closed his eyes and fought to catch his breath. Why would Simeon say that Max and Zalphia would combine to save this world when he knew that wasn’t the case?
Falling onto his hands, Max listened as Karaticus’s confidential thoughts confirmed the child Zalphia carried would be the fulfillment of The Prophecy.
He and Zalphia had combined. In his moments of weakness in the forest, they fulfilled something a prophet foretold hundreds of years before the Great War began.
Now their innocent child would suffer as well.
If Zalphia lived long enough to deliver it.
Until the priest shook him, Max didn’t realize he lay at the base of the altar, crying out Zalphia’s name.
“Maximillion, are you all right?”
Max turned his face to the priest. “It is true. Zalphia does carry the child of prophecy. But the Emperor will kill them both.”
“No, it can’t be. The child would be from two not of this world. Two sent from the higher world of Selestia. I do not believe Zalphia the Glad is one of those. No, the Emperor will show she is as human as the rest of us and execute her for her crimes.”
Max sprang to his feet, his voice shattering the reverence of the small space. “I, Maximillion, am from the Selestial sphere as is Zalphia. Together we were joined before the Elders and the great God above. We have sealed our love and created the child of promise. And you better pray, Father Michael, that I can save her from the fate your Emperor has condemned her to. Or, so help me, you will suffer with the rest of this world when we leave you to your destruction.”
The priest shrank back as Max spun around. “Let me out.”
Father Michael knelt beside the altar and opened the concealed doorway.
Max ran out of the office, down the hallway, and through the rows of gleaming benches. As he reached the street, he doubled his speed. Soon, Karaticus’s ship would be leaving and somehow Max needed to be aboard.
Avoiding the crowd in front of the arena, Max headed to the trainer’s entrance. The guard normally stationed there at this time of day was one person Max knew and trusted. Something about the way Taebor acted set him apart from the other guards. He genuinely cared about others. In spite of his job, he always treated everyone with respect and dignity, be it another guard, an Armor, or even a Glad.
A few minutes later, Max reached the gate and rattled the bars.
“Taebor! Taebor! Grant me entrance.”
The blond guard appeared on the other side. “Gaius? Where have you been?”
“I had some thinking to do.”
“You were missed yesterday.”
“I know. What did the Captain of the Armors say?”
Taebor inserted his key in the lock and opened the gate. “I covered for you. Said you weren’t feeling well. I think he believed me.”
“Thank you, my friend. I am in your debt.”
Max entered, and the blond locked the gate behind him. “Not a problem. So what were you thinking about? The girl you visited in the dungeon?”
“Yes.”
“Well, you missed all the excitement.”
“What excitement?”
Taebor motioned for Max to step closer then whispered, “Everyone is saying that No Mercy Zalph is suspected to carry the child of prophecy.”
Max’s brow furrowed. “What do you know of this prophecy?”
Taebor glanced around then slipped his hand into the pouch tied at his waist. He held his hand out to Max and slowly uncurled his fingers, revealing a ring identical to the one Zebrone had given Max earlier.
“I see.” Max studied his friend’s face. Now his actions made sense. “How long have you believed?”
“I began searching for the truth about six months ago. There were rumors running through town that two Glads with the power of Selestia were to meet in this very arena. I could hardly wait to witness it. However, that day I fell deathly ill and couldn’t rise from my bed. I missed my shift. But in doing so, my life was saved. It was then I realized I had been spared. What had seemed like a curse was truly a blessing.”
“I see.” Max’s eyes narrowed. He never thought anyone inside the arena would worship the one true God.
“Do you know of The Prophecy?” Taebor asked.
“I have just come from the Cathedral of the Saints.”
“And how did they receive an Armor from the arena?”
“They were suspicious, as you would imagine.”
Taebor nodded. “I’d suspect they would be.”
“But...” Max laid a hand on his friend’s shoulder. He wiped the projected image from Taebor’s mind, and Max revealed who he truly was.
Taebor gasped. “You’re him, Maximillion of Selestia.”
“I am.”
“Then you have to save her.”
“I intend to do just that. Where is she now?”
“She was taken to the infirmary. The Captain of the Guard stands watch at the door. The Emperor’s physician has come, and he will be taking her back with him.”
“Do you know what is planned once she reaches the palace?”
Taebor kicked at the dirt with his toe, then met Max’s gaze. “I’m sure they will destroy the child. It is said the Emperor’s physician has done it many times.”
“Where is the ship in which he arrived?”
“It is on the roof, amidst the garden.”
Max clapped his friend on the shoulder. “I must get aboard somehow.”
“Good luck to you, Gaius, or should I say, Maximillion. I hope you are able to protect her.”
“I will do my best.”
“You must hurry then, my friend,” Taebor said. “Even as we speak, they are preparing to leave.”
Max turned, sprinted down the alleyway, and took the stairs two at a time. He burst through the doorway onto the roof just as two guards exited the bottom level of the ship.
Max projected the image of the Captain of the Guard. “Wait.” He extended his hand, stopping the guards in their tracks. “I must accompany the prisoner.”
“Very well, Captain.” The two guards stepped aside, and Max rushed into the cargo hold, saluting the subordinates as he passed.
He turned and watched as the plank blended seamlessly into the side of the ship. Fighting for breath, he leaned against the wall. A mind quickly scanned his then disappeared.
“Zalphia?” Max ran a hand across his face.
A familiar voice echoed inside the hold. “So, you did come.”
Max spun around, and his eyes grew wide. “You!”
CHAPTER 18
The ship hummed and shivered beneath Zalphia. Framed in the small round window behind Karaticus, the trees narrowed then disappeared.
He turned and followed her gaze. “It’s amazing, isn’t it?”
“Yes. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Karaticus studied her face. “I wish I could use my mind to fly these.” He searched his empty hands for a moment before again meeting her gaze. “If I could, things might have been different all those years ago.”
“What? You’re not flying this?”
“No, I don’t have that kind of power.”
“So how is it flying?”
“Vitus.”
“You mean he’s controlling the ship from somewhere else?”
“Yes. He and I are connected.”
“I don’t understand. Why can’t you fly the ship?”
“I can change people’s thoughts, but using my mind to physically do things like fly a ship or kill an arena full of people with an electrical pulse... well, very few even from Selestia can do that.”
“Why are you helping your brother?”
“Like you and Father, Vitus and I can communicate our thoughts to each other. But he is the one who can physically change things. He just uses my mind to do it.”
“You can’t keep him from using your mind?”
Karaticus hung his head. “No. Well... I could, but it would cost me my family.”
Zalphia leaned back in the chair. “Your family?”
“Yes. I fell in love with a human woman within a few months of the war ending. We started a family and had twin boys. Vitus uses that. He holds them in the palace, and I’m only allowed to see them twice a week for a few hours. If I don’t do as he commands, he will kill them. He’s got me imprisoned as surely as if I were in a cage. The only difference is he can use me and my talents as a physician to do his dirty work.”
“And what exactly is the dirty work he has you do?”
He chuckled nervously. “I should think it was obvious. He uses me to keep control. Anytime he suspects that someone might have been sent from Selestia, he uses me to eliminate them. I’ve killed more humans than I care to think about. But the worst is what he’s had me do to the unborn.”
“The unborn?” Zalphia shrank back against her chair. “What do you do to them?”
“Just as I did with Odette. I rip the child from the womb in the cruelest manner. A procedure that causes great pain for the infant.”
“All of them?”
“No, just the ones my brother believes might be sent from Selestia.”
Zalphia’s hands protectively surrounded her belly. “You won’t...”
Sorrow formed a line between Karaticus’s eyes. “I’m hoping it doesn’t come down to that. How could I choose which part of my family dies?”
“Why does Vitus care about unborn children?”
Karaticus leaned back in his chair. “He assumed when he first heard about The Prophecy that he was the one who would fulfill it as he is your firstborn. However, one of the priests he slated for execution declared that it wasn’t so. He said two others would be sent. These two would combine and overthrow Vitus as ruler of this world.”
“So this prophecy is about me and Max?”
“I’m not sure, but Vitus believes so. He has a person searching constantly for anyone who shows signs of mind powers. That is how he found you, Mother, but he was unable to find Father.”
Zalphia’s brow furrowed. “Why didn’t he kill me then?”
“He was waiting for you to draw Father out. He hoped if your life was in danger, Father would come to your rescue.”
“And he did, didn’t he?”
“Yes, he did.” Karaticus leaned his elbows on his knees. “But Vitus didn’t foresee you two getting away. He hoped that you would kill Father.”
“Then what would he have done?”
“Made sure that you were caught cheating just as he has now.”
“Why did he need me to draw out Max? Couldn’t he reach out with his mind to find us?” Zalphia studied her son’s face.
“I’m sure he could have. But he didn’t want the Elders from Selestia to know what he was doing. If he searched with his mind, his plan would have been discovered. The Elders could follow the thought tendrils back into Vitus’s mind. And he didn’t want that.”
“So why send me into the Glad arena?”
Karaticus shrugged. “I guess in the hopes that once both of you were fighting in the arena that you’d be killed. There was that chance.”
“I see, but Platy taught me to use my mind powers to win.”
“I know.”
Zalphia’s eyes narrowed “So, Platy has known all along about me and Max?”
“No.” Karaticus shook his head. “But she was the only trainer willing to take you on at such a young age. However, she eventually learned the hidden truth about the prophecy from an Arena General. It is the child that you and Father would create who would be the downfall of the Emperor, not the two of you.” He stared at the floor. “Vitus will ensure that this child will never be born.”
“I don’t understand. Why didn’t Vitus complete the mission you two were sent to accomplish?”
“He changed after we came here.” Karaticus searched her face. “Back on Selestia, I never could have imagined he would act like this. But here, he’s different.”
“How so?”
He’s... well... it’s almost like he’s a different person, self-absorbed and cruel. Almost as bad as the Elder Mantus on Selestia.”
“Mantus? Who’s that?”
Karaticus shook his head. “That’s right. You don’t remember anything from Selestia. Mantus was an Elder who was caught interfering in the affairs of some lower planets. He was trying to overthrow the Council and rule all the planets under their influence. When it was discovered what he was doing, he was stripped of his powers and banned from Selestia.”
“I don’t remember any of that.”
“Well, everyone felt the evil emanating from him before he was banished. Now, Vitus reminds me of Mantus.”
Zalphia’s shoulders slumped. “I see. So Vitus wants us dead so we’re no longer a threat?”
