The plan was originally for the Magi to stay out of the battle, but Omar observed that someone was wandering the streets of Pneuma Karpos with some kind of laser rifle sniping everyone in sight. The strange part was they were attacking people from both sides. Omar decided that he needed to take action because this weapon was so advanced and only he had anything that could come against it. He handed a device to Kleis and to Ischus and explained that it was actually intended to warp light all around you, making you invisible. But it would also work as a shield to a laser because a laser was just intensified light. They quickly agreed on their strategy and all began to rise from the tower in flight while Omar led them in a tight V formation.
After circling the city several times, they finally spotted the shooter and all three of them dove toward the ground. Since they were invisible, the stranger didn’t see them coming. Omar let Ischus take the lead in their dive since it was his city. Ischus slammed into the man, plowing the stranger into the street but disabling Ischus’ device in the impact. The stranger was momentarily shocked by the slam out of nowhere, but he got right back up and shot Ischus in the chest. Still invisible, Omar swiftly approached from behind while Kleis, also still invisible, grabbed Ischus and flew off.
Omar’s staff had two prongs at its end, and it carried a powerful punch so he lifted it up and set the electricity to 100 volts. This was usually enough to severely hurt or even kill someone. It would at the least knock the perpetrator out. As he snuck up behind him he saw that the man wore over his head what looked like a dragon skull with dreadlocks coming out the back. He was also wearing a body armor that looked futuristic. Omar quickly decided to strike him in the neck because he could get contact with skin there. Omar touched the prongs to his neck and the stranger began to shake violently. He turned off the voltage after only two seconds, and the stranger dropped to the ground unconscious. When Omar removed the helmet he gasped as he saw his old lab assistant. He whispered to himself in total shock, “Tyree Jackson?”
It was a much older Tyree, maybe ten years older, but he didn’t understand why Tyree was attacking innocent people. He knew that it wasn’t in Tyree’s nature to be violent at all so why was he doing this? More importantly, what was he even doing here in Musterion? Omar bent down and felt his pulse and confirmed that he was still alive and breathing. He searched Tyree quickly for any more clues as to what had happened and he found a bag with a small arsenal, a wallet with a license dated twelve years after Omar’s disappearance, and dog tags naming him as Captain Tyree Jackson of the United States Marines.
As Omar was rummaging through Tyree’s things, an arrow whizzed past reminding him that there was still a battle going on. Just then, Kleis returned and Omar motioned for him to come quickly. When he landed beside him Omar whispered, “I know him. He’s from Earth. Help me carry him back to the tower.” They immediately gathered him up and both flew him back to the top of the tower where Peel-off was already tending to Ischus.
As they handed Tyree over to Sebastian, Omar said, “Strip him down of everything and give him one of our robes. Then lock him away in one of the sealed vaults and set a guard. If he comes to, no one is to talk to him until I do so first. I have a feeling he’ll be out for some time though. Oh and bring all of his belongings back to me and leave them on my lab table.”
Then Omar turned his attention to Ischus to see how he was progressing. Ischus was conscious but wasn’t speaking. Peel-off shook his head as he turned to Omar and then whispered, “Whatever this burn wound is…the moss won’t heal it. Omar, he’s going to die if the moss won’t work!”
Omar looked Peel-off in the eyes and sternly replied, “That’s not an option. Go fetch my surgical bag.” Omar was gearing up and he had a driven look on his face as he studied the wound on Ischus.
As he peered closely at the laser induced wound, a stranger who looked to be a Miyka with green eyes, blonde hair, and feathered wings landed in the tower. No one knew who he was but before anyone had a chance to respond the stranger spoke, “I was once Moluno, I am now Protos and I serve the Master. Let me help; I can save Ischus.”
Omar couldn’t deny that it was Moluno. He had the same facial bone structure and he was wearing Moluno’s clothes, but he no longer had that wicked look. He was definitely not a Kalat anymore, but Omar didn’t care. He pointed a finger at Protos and rebuked him saying, “I don’t care who you serve. You, sir, are a villain! You would more likely intend to finish him off than try to heal him. Besides, he doesn’t need your Master to save him. I can save him.”
Several Magi rushed Protos and restrained him from getting closer to Ischus. “You’ll kill him!” Protos shouted. “Don’t! Stop! Let me go!” He struggled to break free, but the Magi had been trained in many techniques and they held him down so he couldn’t move.
Peel-off brought Omar his surgical kit but gave him a questioning look in light of these new events. He could see the anger in Omar’s eyes and wondered if this was the right thing to do. But Omar was thinking about how Christians claimed that there was only one way to heaven, one way to peace, and one way to salvation. He felt that they were always imposing their beliefs on others so Omar would show these people what was possible even with no God involved. He grabbed the kit out of Peel-off’s hands and stepped toward Ischus.
The tension in the room was high. With everyone’s eyes on Omar, no one had seen Myles slip into the room. Watching Omar in his belligerent mood, he knew that he needed to step in and stop him. He slipped between Ischus and Omar and gave him a challenging look, daring him to move closer. He sternly ordered, “Back off, Omar. You aren’t thinking clearly. Your judgment is clouded by pride and anger.”
Omar’s anger only increased. He thought to himself, Who is Myles to tell me what to do? Then he pointed his finger at Myles. “You’re a thief, a liar, and a con-artist. How dare you speak to me like that? Back away before I have you sent back to Earth where you can pay for your crimes.”
But Myles stood firm and would not take the bait to join him in his anger. Omar began to shake, he was so upset. Around the room you could hear a pin drop. Not one Magi moved. Overcome with rage, Omar reached out with his staff to strike Myles, but he was only able to strike his empty jacket. Myles disappeared without it. Omar stood over the jacket on the floor beginning to really fume when Myles tapped Omar on the back. When Omar began to turn his head, Myles struck him with the hilt of a knife and knocked him out. As he slumped to the floor Myles quietly said, “That should help you think better.”
Everyone just stood there and stared at the two of them. When Omar fell to the floor, the tension went out of the room and the relief was on everyone’s face. They all knew that Omar wasn’t his normal self, and they were glad that Myles had been able to bring the conflict to a close. Myles glanced around the room to make sure everyone was okay with his action and realized that Protos was still being held by several Magi. He motioned to them and called out, “Let him go.” They released him, and Myles gestured for him to come over to Ischus.
Protos responded to the invitation and approached Ischus. He laid his hands on him and then he prayed. To everyone’s amazement Ischus’ wounds healed over and then disappeared.
Omar had regained consciousness in time to see this happen and shook his head in shock. Then he put his hand on Myles shoulder and said, “Myles, I…I don’t know what came over me. I’m terribly sorry.”
Myles just shrugged and responded, “All is forgiven, Doc. It’s a stressful time right now.” Then he put his arm around Omar’s shoulder and filled him in on the plan to take the Magi away from there. “Kasey has rounded up all of the Magi and brought them here to the tower. Gabriyel agreed to transport us all and is coming soon to move us on to Soterion.”
Omar nodded silently, but he was still shocked at his own actions.
Ischus looked up at Protos and smiled as he thanked him for what he’d done. “I never imagined that you would be the one to save my life.
Thanks.”
Protos lowered his head, showing his humble response and shook his head to protest. “It wasn’t me Ischus. It was the Master. He told me to tell you that he wants you to go with the Magi to Soterion.”
Ischus paused as he considered that option and argued, “But…the Musterlings. Who will—”
Protos interrupted and answered the unfinished question, “The Master will see to the Musterlings. He has always watched over those who believe in Him, and He will continue to do so. But He’s given direct instructions that you’re to go with the Magi.”
“As the Lord wills, so shall it be,” responded Ischus.
Just then Kasey flew into the tower and announced, “They’re all here. Are we ready?”
From outside the tower they could hear a great commotion because Gabriyel was flying over the city. Arrows were being shot at him from outside the city, but they disintegrated before they even got close to him.
Then he called out with a booming voice, “Kasey. Are you ready?”
Kasey ran to the edge and yelled out to him, “We’re all ready!”
As Omar looked out he couldn’t believe his eyes. There was a real dragon flying out there and speaking to them as well. Omar thought about how the dragon’s name was Hebrew for Gabriel and being a servant of “the Master” would make him the angel Gabriel. At that realization Omar, for just one moment, began to doubt everything he thought he knew. He marveled at the splendor of this great dragon that was going to teleport them to another world. But then, as always before for Omar, the doubt and rationalization crept in, and the scientist took control again.
They all gazed out at the dragon and watched as he breathed fire on the tower itself. Suddenly everything, including them, became translucent. Then the tower shot up into the sky passing through the ceiling of the Core. It rose over miles and miles of tunnels until it ascended above all of Musterion. Looking at Musterion from space, it looked like a giant rubber band ball because of all the tunnels. Ahead of them they could see several other planets as they rocketed forward, and Myles, Omar, and Kasey all recognized Earth as they passed it.
Eventually they approached a planet with two large continents that they could see, though one was smaller than the other. The tower descended toward that planet and landed on an island at the southeastern tip of the smaller continent. It gently settled onto the ground and seemed to take on a foundation as it landed. When they were sure that everything was safe, they all piled out onto the island. Each breath that anyone took was like re-birth, it was so fresh. There were two suns in the sky, and the ocean around the island was a crystal clear blue. Every person was overjoyed with Soterion, and they laughed as they considered their new home.
Myles enjoyed watching everyone celebrate this new place. Perhaps this was what he longed for when he wanted to start a new life. Then he spotted Kasey walking along the beach, and it all came back to him. She looked exactly like the woman from the dream he had the first night in the tunnels. That world also had two suns and the air was as clean there as it was here. Then he remembered how Seux called her his wife. Seux was from Soterion’s future…or at least that’s what he said. Myles savored all these thoughts and smiled as he said to himself; If I end up marrying her then I’ll count myself lucky.
Part 2
19
Soterion
The demons had never planned for this. The matter within the tunnels of Musterion was imploding, but they didn’t know why. Tyree understood that he couldn’t take the entire planet down, but he really wished he could. He would settle for this one city of the six hundred and sixty-six cities in the Realm of the Dragon to be taken down because it was enough for him to get away. He’d fooled the dragon-beasts into giving him access to his old equipment, knowing that on his dog tags there was a chip. He’d activated it, creating a matter stabilizer field around himself and a matter destabilizer field that would grow outward from the location where he’d first touched the chip. Matter destabilization was the unpredictable part of this plan and random in its outcome. So once one of the brick moss-covered walls of his prison cell had disintegrated to dust, he made a run for it into the streets.
His problem was that the Great Red Dragon saw him escape. An army of Drakoni now chased him as the dragon flew close behind. The guttural sounds and high pitched screams of the dragon creatures followed him through the tunnels of Musterion, but he evaded them somehow. Well… all except for the Great Red Dragon. They’d all passed him by as he ducked behind some debris. But the Great Red Dragon knew what he’d done and doubled back on him. Since his imprisonment, Tyree had seen the dragon take many forms but right now he was in full dragon form which only made him more terrifying. He stood over 500 feet tall and shook the air when he flew while the ground quaked whenever he landed.
The Great Red Dragon caught up with Tyree and landed right in front of him. The dragon lowered its head to where it was eye to eye with Tyree and had one of its jutting horns pressed on either side of him. It looked at him as if it was looking into his soul and then it smiled. Tyree could hear it in his mind but it didn’t speak in any audible form. “You may leave,” it said softly. “Run, but remember that this world is mine. All of its inhabitants are my servants.” Tyree wasted no time and bolted into the maze. As he ran, he heard the Dragon’s laughter in his head. It was a cruel and wicked laughter, and it faded slowly as it echoed over and over in his mind. He didn’t know where he would run but run he must. And he did.
Then Tyree woke up. He was sweating as if he’d really been running. The dream was so real it had his heart pounding. He couldn’t get that evil laughter out of his mind. But he knew he was safe, in the Tower of the Magi where he’d lived for the past two years.
He still wondered sometimes if it was all a trick. There were times when he couldn’t figure out what was truly real and what was a dream or a fantasy. He felt that it was always just a trick back on Musterion. He’d thought for a long time that everything there was just an illusion or a trap. But he finally decided that’s how things were in the Dragon’s Domain.
He’d lived a thousand lies since he arrived. The torture was always of the soul and not of the flesh. One day he would wake up back on Earth with a wife and a son only to find himself in a dream within a dream. The maze of illusion that the Drakoni sorcerers had woven about him was hard to navigate, but each time he was put under their spell he grew more resistant. They didn’t realize it, but they were slowly making him stronger, more resistant to their torture until he finally escaped.
How long had I been there? At first he hadn’t trusted the calendar on his watch. He’d thought it was all an illusion. There was no way that he’d been in that horrible place for five hundred years. Admittedly he lost count at 354, but Omar had confirmed for him that the passage of time was different in Musterion than what they were used to. Even though he went there after Omar did, he’d landed in a different time and a different place. He may have been confused about a lot of things but knew he’d been there much longer than his natural life span. And how that was possible always bewildered him.
The Drakoni’s torture had been gruesome and horrible, and it was a wonder that Omar was able to get him back to some semblance of sanity. But he still suffered from fits of anger or paranoia once in a while. Controlled as they were now, he saw how the Magi looked at him with fear that he might snap at any moment. It was only in the past few months that he’d really regained his sanity. The peace and tranquility of the island was soothing and it brought much healing to him.
The more he was able to handle each day without any recurring episodes, the more he was able to delve into the past. Soon he might decide to trust Omar and tell him everything, but it was hard to know where to even start. A great deal had transpired in the twenty-two years on Earth after Omar entered the portal.
~*~
It had been two years since the Magi had arrived on Soterion. All of them were forbidden to leave the island unless they were given permission by Omar, Myles, or Seb
astian. Omar had explained at the beginning that the Magi must be trained before interacting with anyone from Soterion. All Magi were trained by Myles and Kleis in the arts of illusion and by Omar and Sebastian in the studies of science. Though Sebastian was the leader of the Alexandros. Kasey had been given charge of their training. Everyone agreed that she was by far the best warrior in their group. Ischus and Protos took on an additional course of training and instructed the Council of the Magi in leader-ship, diplomacy, and etiquette. They each brought a distinct perspective from their past experiences.
Sebastian had given all Magi permission to explore the island until several Magi got hurt. The island seemed to be somewhat like Musterion in that some places shifted and changed without warning. In addition, the island was full of puzzles, enigmas, and other dangers. It was a perfect training ground for the Magi, but after several injuries Sebastian mandated that any Magi exploring the island must be accompanied by an Alexandros.
Then there was the cold war that everyone knew about but no one wanted to talk about. Kasey had become cold toward Myles after they arrived and despite his attempts at charming her, she remained cold toward him and refused to even talk to him. The problem, however, was that this only made Myles chase after her more. He didn’t know how to deal with a “hard to get” attitude. But no matter what he tried, Kasey would not give him the time of day.
Bridgeworlds: Rise of the Magi Page 20
