City of Gold

by Daniel Blackaby

  Arianna rested her head against the cold ground. “Randy, that was a lifetime ago. Don’t you realize, I…”

  A loud noise echoed from outside the cave, cutting her off. The sound of clashing steel blasted out of the tunnel like a trumpet. “They’re coming! They’ve found us!” cried a woman. Then the cave went silent. Nobody dared move.

  A piercing scream hurled the room into chaos.

  The Queen turned to Randilin, “Look what you’ve done! You fool! You’ve led El Dorado right to our hiding place! You….”

  Her face contorted as she collapsed to the floor with three arrows punctured into her back. A mob of soldiers rushed into the room. Spears and arrows flew in all directions as the women ran in fear.

  Randilin stood, paralyzed by shock. “He promised me…he gave me his word! Aria, I didn’t mean for this….” A spear came hurling toward him. Randilin reflexively dodged out of the way as it flew past—a soft cry sounded from behind.

  Randilin turned. Arianna’s soft blue eyes were wide and her face was white with shock. The shaft of the spear still vibrated as it stuck out from her chest.

  “Nooo!” Randilin collapsed to the floor and pulled her into his arms. “No…Aria, I’m sorry! Please forgive me! Aria....”

  She didn’t respond—she was already dead.

  90

  History Repeated

  TEARS STREAMED DOWN RANDILIN’S FACE as he opened his eyes. The Golden King was smiling in amusement. “She was a pretty girl, wasn’t she?”

  Randilin felt his hatred for the King consume him like never before.

  The King glided to the other side of the room to where a large crate lay. A silver curtain was draped over it, like a covered birdcage. The King ran his fingers down the side of the satin curtain. “The interesting thing about history is that it is circular. It is one of the few invariable laws of this universe. Give history time, and it will always come back around and repeat. ”

  The King sliced the ropes of the drapes with his crystal fingernail. They fell to the floor.

  “No…it can’t be!” Randilin staggered a step forward. “Sally?”

  The stout, frizzy-haired diner owner was stretched out like a star, bound by her hands and feet to the steel birdcage. Her eyes bulged and she thrashed at her bindings, but her screams were muffled by the gag in her mouth.

  “Let her go or I swear I’ll…” Randilin threatened, rushing toward the King. A whirling hum rang in his ear. Thud. Randilin skidded to a stop. A circular blade stuck out from the wall beside his head. From the corner of the room emerged a hooded man; a second circle blade in his hand and CROSS crested on his robe.

  Randilin eyed the agent in astonishment. “You? CROSS is in league with El Dorado!?”

  The agent remained silent.

  The Golden King chuckled, “Did you think I would simply let you waltz into my inner court without a failsafe? I am not without my allies. So, I propose to you a game.”

  The Golden King reached into the cage and rubbed his hand across Sally’s cheek “In my unfathomable mercy, I offer you the choice of how history will be repeated tonight: Scenario One: You once again sell out your people and tell me exactly what you and your friends have been so inconspicuously plotting, I’ll then release her and the two of you can make a happy life for yourself here in El Dorado.”

  The King grabbed Sally’s chin and forced her face toward his own. “Or—Scenario Two: you stay silent and once again watch the woman you care about murdered before your eyes. You will spend eternity knowing full well that her death was your fault.”

  Randilin stumbled, grabbing the wall to keep his balance. His body was quivering. He stared into Sally’s beautiful eyes. His shoulders drooped.

  The King sneered victoriously. “Now—tell me everything.”

  91

  Unforeseen Events

  THE FIVE GOLEMS TURNED as the cloaked man stepped into the room. “All access to the prison is strictly forbidden. I command you to leave immediately or else we’ll be forced to…ah!” The golem burst into flames. After a fury of motion, the other four guards were left sprawled lifelessly across the room.

  Xerx stepped over the scorched bodies toward the cell. “Layura.” The iron bars of the prison liquefied and melted to the floor.

  Dace quickly advanced through the opening and retrieved his sword from the table. He twirled the blade, happy once again to have a sword in hand. He begin fastening on his equipment and looked to Xerx.

  “The points you lose in tardiness you make up for with style. How does Tallsin fare?”

  “Things have been set into motion. But we must move swiftly.”

  Chazic and Tat had retrieved their weapons as well.

  Dace grinned. “Then let’s get going.”

  The streets were empty, turning the inner city into a ghost town. The diversion worked, Dace hoped, but still tightened his grip on his sword. The last time he observed the quiet streets he had been ambushed by a hundred men and thrown in prison. Don’t let your guard down.

  They passed under the shadow of the giant orb monument. The menacing structure towered over them. “Look out!” whispered Xerx. Dace dropped down as four golems escorting a silver box appeared. Dace motioned to the others who knelt down beside him.

  The golems moved past their location. Dace eyed Tat’s fidgeting hand. “There are more important things than vengeance right now. Tat…?” The guide wasn’t listening. He jumped out from cover. The first golem was slain before any had time to react. Xerx uttered several words and the remaining golems instantly fell to the ground.

  The same was not true for the silver crate. Tipping over onto its side, the lid fell off with a jarring crash. Dace grabbed Tat’s arm. “Don’t be a fool! What happened to Lilley was tragic, but you can’t kill them all. Don’t compromise the mission with…” He stopped as he and the others stared down at the opened crate. It was full of silver and gold trinkets and other exquisite jewelry.

  “They loot the valuables of those they bring into the monument and transfer them to the palace. But we need to move!” urged Xerx. Tat knelt down and reached into the treasures and pulled out a pendant. It was half of a shattered heart. The corner was faintly stained red. Tat reached into his pocket and pulled out the bracelet he had found at his home. The two pieces fit together perfectly.

  “They have my wife,” he whispered. He stood slowly. “They have my wife.” He turned toward the monument. “Rali! They have my wife! They have my Rali!” Tat screamed.

  Dace grabbed his arm. “Stop yelling! You’re going to give away our…”

  It was too late. The entrance opened and hundreds of golems and Wielders poured out from the monument. Dace cursed. “Run!”

  Tat shoved off Dace and charged toward the orb. “Rali!” He launched an arrow toward the mob, piercing a golem in the neck.

  Another arrow bounced harmlessly off the crystal body of a Wielder. As Tat continued his charge he readied another arrow. The bow bent as he pulled the string back as far as he could, his rage fueling his strength. The arrow whizzed through the air at a Dark-Wielder who was still sneering as the arrow collided with its head. What followed was an explosion of crystal shards hailing down to the ground.

  Tat reached for another arrow but was stopped by the strong hand of Chazic, who grabbed Tat’s shoulders. “Let go of me!”

  Chazic held firm. “Don’t deprive your wife a husband. Storming that monument is suicide. I promise we’ll save your wife. We must keep our heads about us.”

  Tat’s eyes were desperate.

  The legion of golems and Wielders closed in on them. Tat shoved himself from the Enforcer’s grip. “Back off! I won’t leave her in there!” As he turned to continue his charge, the hilt of Chazic’s blade came crashing against his head, knocking him unconscious. Chazic turned to Dace, “Be swift. Finish the mission. I can buy you enough time to get out of the walls. If I don’t meet you in time, don’t even think of coming back for me.”

  Dace nodde
d his affirmation. He and Xerx draped Tat’s arms over their shoulders and took off in the opposite direction of Chazic.

  Chazic turned to face the mass of enemies. They were almost upon him. He twisted his two mighty scimitars in his hands—and waited for the collision.

  92

  One Simple Word

  “THE CITY IS OURS!” Gorgon Tallsin bellowed. His cry was echoed by a rowdy cheer from the rioters. The old tailor watched with swelling pride as The Resistance overwhelmed the enemy. Regular citizens had abandoned their houses and had joined the fight, using whatever they could find as weapons.

  Hundreds of dead golems lay scattered on the ground. Tallsin watched as five Resistance fighters swarmed a Dark-Wielder. Diving on its back, they brought the zealot to the ground, their stones and household implements hacking away until all that remained was shattered crystal.

  The scene was sweetened by the thousand years of patient waiting it had taken to achieve it. As the remaining enemies fled, Tallsin raised his sword. “We’ve got them on the run! Press toward the palace! The city is ours!” The mob cheered, holding up their weapons in pride. Tallsin smiled in disbelief. We’re actually going to pull this off. We’ve won.

  Suddenly the noise of the mob trickled into a hushed silence. A single man stood directly in the middle of the path blocking the road. Tallsin felt a lump in his throat.

  The Golden King.

  “Stand firm!” Tallsin cried. He could feel terror clogging the air. “Stay together…charge!” Tallsin stretched out his sword and charged. The Resistance joined in his cry and ran behind him.

  The Golden King smiled.

  The courtyard was littered with dead bodies.

  The Golden King strolled through the courtyard, stepping over the corpses. One man twitched, releasing a pained groan. The King approached the gurgling man and looked down into the inflamed eyes of Gorgo Tallsin. A stream of blood trickled from the leader’s mouth. The King knelt beside him. “Ironic…it took two thousand years for you to organize a rebellion against me—and it took me but one simple word to squash it.”

  Tallsin coughed, producing a spurt of blood from his mouth. “You’re wrong…The Resistance was never about people…it was about an idea.” He entered into a fit of deep, bloody coughs. “We have shown…these people…that freedom…is something worth fighting for.”

  “And something worth dying for?” the King asked amused.

  Tallsin grimaced. “These men have been dead for a long, long time. Since the day you stole their freedom.” Tallsin began to laugh, each burst causing more blood to pump over his lips. “The problem with ruling with an iron fist is…the tighter you squeeze…the more people slip from your grip. Your perfect city is over. This is not the death of The Resistance…it’s only the beginning.”

  The Golden King’s face became hard; the humor draining from it. “Presandi!” Tallsin’s neck twisted with a crack and his eyes went blank.

  The King stood and turned his eyes toward the Palace. “We shall see.”

  93

  Trapped

  “SOMETHING’S WRONG,” CODY DECLARED, standing up, “Randilin should have been here by now. It’s been far too long. Something’s happened to him.” Ten minutes earlier they had witnessed an explosion from the outskirts of the city. The distant clanging and shouting had disappeared. No one needed to voice what they all knew—the escape plan was failing.

  Tiana joined Cody’s side. “I agree. We can no longer afford to wait. We must go on without him.”

  Jade shook her head. “What about The Key? If we leave now we may never get this close to it again. You must go back for the Book.”

  Cody shook his head. “Not this time.” He looked at Jade. “I’m not making the same stupid mistake twice. Some things are too precious.”

  Jade leaned forward and planted a kiss on Cody’s flushed cheek. “That was very sweet,” she stood, “but…Tiana’s right. We won’t get another chance like this.”

  “But…”

  Jade shook him off. “No buts about it…although this time I won’t just let you abandon me in the middle of the battlefield,” she took her bow from her shoulder, “because I’m going with you.”

  Dace and Xerx, arrived at the wall with Tat still draped over their shoulders. Dace scanned left and right—there were no golems in sight. Xerx looked over his shoulder into the dark clearing and heard the clanging of Chazic’s scimitars cutting down foes. “Dace, we can’t just leave Chazic behind.”

  Dace grimaced. He recalled the words of General Levenworth at the council: “You are young and rash. A mission like this is no place for ethic codes; it is one for wisdom.” As much as he hated it, he finally understood.

  “We cannot go back. What is done is done. We press on with the mission.”

  Running his hand along the wall Dace located the hidden passageway. They moved through the mirror-walled, jagged tunnel. The rolling dunes of the Under-Earth wasteland appeared as the trio emerged on the other side of the wall.

  Across the way, against the side of the towering wall, was Hagar, the stable boy. Beside him were a dozen horses, saddled and ready to ride. “Perfect. Let’s go!”

  Hagar noticed them as they approached. He began waving his arms above his head and calling out to them. Dace frowned. “You fool! Stop making noise! Someone’s going to hear you!” he muttered. The stable boy continued to run toward them yelling. Dace sliced at his neck with his hand, signaling to stop. “Quiet, you fool!”

  As they got closer the boy’s words became clearer: “Stop! Run! It’s a trap! It’s a…” A spear soared from the shadows and pierced him in the back. He collapsed to his face in the dirt.

  Dace and Tat drew their swords. A legion of golems appeared from the darkness. Above them on the rocky dunes, a row of archers appeared with drawn bows.

  Dace reluctantly lowered his weapon. “How could they be waiting for us unless…they knew our plan.”

  Xerx had just come to the same realization. “Cody’s walking into a trap.”

  94

  An Icy Prison

  THE GREAT HALL WAS EERILY QUIET as Cody entered. He scanned the dark room. It was empty. He looked down the lane of massive pillars. There it was. The diamond-embossed Book: The Key.

  The King left the Book in the Great Hall! Cody immediately felt the power from The Code surge through him as it was brought closer to its sister. Cody approached cautiously. His eyes scanned the room for any sign of the Hunter.

  He reached the podium. His fingers stretched out. His finger traced the gold E on the cover.

  “You disappoint me.” The haunting voice echoed in the Hall. Cody jumped back. His head spun but there was no one in sight. “Is this how you repay my hospitality?” The voice seemed to echo from all directions of the Hall at once.

  Cody felt panic rising in his chest. “Show yourself!” he screamed out in distress.

  Two hands wrapped around his shoulders. “As you wish,” the Golden King whispered. The doors to the Great Hall burst open and Tiana and Jade were pushed into the room. Foz and Hansi held knives to their necks.

  The Golden King circled around Cody. “Seamour Frazan.” A layer of crisp blue frost began forming on the wall and ceiling. It continued to spread, climbing up the walls and joining together as one. Cody could see his breath. The thick ice had completely insulated the room.

  There was no way out.

  95

  Forged in Hatred

  CODY STARED INTO THE COLD RUBY EYES of the Golden King. “I thought we had an understanding? I thought you were ready to do great things. But how do you repay my generous hospitality? By trying to steal what is rightfully mine.” The King’s voice was like a calm downpour that hinted that the hurricane was not far behind.

  “Everything you told me was a lie. This whole city is nothing more than an illusion,” Cody countered shakily.

  The Golden King’s eyes flashed with primal rage. “It’s NOT a lie!” he spat, but the eruption pacified as soon as
it had begun. “It is the perfect utopia—the second Eden. It’s the natural course of advancement that my brother was too weak to realize.”

  “Where’s the line? I’ve seen the horrors of your advancement. You’re making human beings,” Cody stammered.

  The Golden King beamed with pride. “The highest pinnacle of all creation—life.”

  Cody felt a chill, “You create life only to bring death. What about the innocent people? What are you doing to them?”

  “Souls,” the King responded, “the missing piece. I had learned to form the framework of a human body; to mold each limb and muscle. Yet the ability to fill it with a soul, with life, eluded me. It was perplexing, infuriating…until at long last I discovered the perfect solution.”

  Cody thought of the pretty, large-dimpled servant girl and was filled with disgust. “You implant the life of an innocent person into a cursed hollow soldier.”

  The King’s jeweled eyes blazed with pride. “Brilliant, wouldn’t you say?” He glided up to his throne. “It was many long years ago. I was young and foolish. I was obsessed with creating life. If I were to succeed, I knew it would be irrefutable proof to my arrogant brother that the Divine Creator’s pinnacle act, the creation of life, was not only achievable—but able to be perfected. That I was divine master over creation!

  “So, I began. For years I experimented, discovering the High Language for physical life, for animals. I was on the doorstep of succeeding. I had created a body—but it was empty. I was devastated. I could hear my mocking brother laughing at my bitter failure. In my bleak desperation I did the inconceivable. I infused part of my own soul into my creation: all my hate, all my malice, all my anger toward my brother. ”