by T. S. Hall
A loud trumpet-like horn suddenly blew, and everyone in the chamber took his or her seat. Behind the half-circle podium, the wall split open. Two individuals emerged and filled the upper seats next to the center chair at the top. The last one to enter the chamber was a tall warlock with black hair and a menacing scar that ran through his right eye. His dreads hung long and low with brass rings on the ends. He had a leather sash across his furry black chest and a knife sheathed on his thigh. His single dark-blue eye scanned the area meticulously. The room grew silent when the large warlock sat in his center seat.
“We have called this meeting to resolve the recent attacks on Earth and the unauthorized passage through certain gateways,” the black-haired warlock said.
Sas stood first, bowing to the thirteen seated around him.
“Thank you, Commander Yeren,” Sas said. “Our security protocols have been compromised at specific gateway locations, and I be believing it is just the start of a worldwide invasion from the Titan forces.”
The room erupted in chatter. Allora watched the faces of the crowd turn to panic and shock. Commander Yeren slammed his gavel down, and the sound echoed through the circular room, drowning out the whispers.
“You get right to the point, I see,” Commander Yeren muttered.
“There is no possible way that the king’s forces can infiltrate our defenses near the gateways. And there is no way that the king can keep the gateways open long enough for an invasion force large enough to compromise us,” said the warlock to Commander Yeren’s left.
“General Montauk has a point,” Commander Yeren said, directing the comment toward Sas. “ So far these have been isolated events that we’ve been able to neutralize. In five thousand years, the gateways have never been compromised.”
“What if Salazar has found a way to override our gateway keys?” Milly asked, standing up from her seat.
“Commander, you are here only at the request of a few influential leaders who think that your opinion matters, but as far as I’m concerned, you are a deserter to our cause and shouldn’t even have a voice, let alone one that should cause unnecessary panic.”
“How dare you,” Milly said, her body becoming tense. “I’ve served the rebellion ever since it began.”
“So then where have you been the last eight years? And where were you when our forces were overrun at the Battle of Omega?” General Montauk asked. Milly looked like she’d been slapped in the face. She glared at the warlock in a forceful show of dominance.
“Where I’ve been is of no concern to you. My mission is of utmost importance, and this council does not have the clearance for an explanation. I am here to convince this council—and the people of Shangri-La—to support efforts to increase military spending and recruitment. You do not understand your enemy and his interest in this world.”
“All right, then enlighten us,” General Montauk said. “I still haven’t seen any evidence that Salazar even has the ability to get this new army of his through the gateways. This is the reason that the keys were created in the beginning, and there is no proof that they can be compromised. At best Salazar would be able to get a few skimmers or agents through. Even these new attacks on our outposts haven’t had that much effect on our defenses, as you can see from our response.”
“Montauk, they be testing our defenses,” Sas said. “It’s exactly what happened at beginning of the Rebel Wars.”
“Yes, I’m well aware of that, Junior,” General Montauk said, scrunching his brow and leaning forward with his chest raised. The name was an obvious show of contempt. The two warlocks looked like gunfighters in a duel. “I’m just wondering if you have anything worthwhile to tell us.”
“Everything that we be telling you is worthwhile!” Sas said.
“That still shouldn’t cause us to panic,” Commander Yeren interjected. “I will not put this entire city into a state of war preparation on a hunch. I’m also not going to inform the human governments, as you suggested. That will affect our ability to do our job. There will be mass hysteria, along with a witch-hunt that will completely change this world—and not for the better.”
“By the time there is evidence to prove the increase in threat, it may be too late,” Yeti interjected from the subpanel. “If what they say is true—and I believe them to be reliable sources—I think it best that we at the very least form a subcommittee to prepare a plan of action should the worst be upon us.”
“I will take that into consideration,” Commander Yeren said. “Do you have any other points that this council needs to address?”
A tall man from the back of the room walked to the table. Allora couldn’t see his face, but he had curly brown hair and he was dressed in a black military uniform. Once he spoke, Allora knew exactly who it was. It was the same lecturing tone that she had come to respect.
“Commander Yeren, my sources suggest that the king has activated certain key agents who could cause catastrophic damage to our defenses,” Mr. Swan said.
“Are we really going to listen to a washed-up spy from the Triple S?” General Montauk said, leaning back in his chair. “This committee has no time for your conspiracy theories, Kurtimar.”
“Considering this is coming from the general who got demoted because he couldn’t even win a battle, I’ll disregard your inept and asinine comments.”
General Montauk stood up and snarled, preparing to leap over the large desk.
“Now wait a minute, General Montauk. If there is information regarding a mole within the guardians, we have to take it seriously.” The warlock to Commander Yeren’s right sat up and leaned forward, his arms crossed. He had brown-and-gray fur and a muscular yet humble physique. His eyes were green, and he wore a black sash with an insignia of an eye on the bottom. “Kurtimar, it’s nice to see you.”
“You too, Almas.”
“What information can you confirm?”
“My source is heavily embedded inside Salazar’s forces on Earth, and he has confirmed that the recent attacks were made possible by information provided by someone within our organization. My source believes that the security codes were taken out of Shangri-La by copying them onto a security orb. My source also believes that the strategy behind these attacks was to gain key information regarding our defensive grid and possibly more.”
“And does your source have any theories on who might be the one feeding this information?” Almas asked.
“Yes.” Mr. Swan paused. He lowered his head and took a few seconds, thinking intently. He glanced over to Sas and then lifted his head. “My source believes that it is Hades.”
The eruption of gasps and whispers made it evident that Swan’s comment had immense history behind it. Commander Yeren slammed his gavel. He leaned over to the warlock on his left and then whispered something to Almas on his right.
“I really don’t think that a public hearing such as this is appropriate to present such inflammatory and unfounded information,” Commander Yeren said.
“Especially from a fool such as this,” General Montauk whispered loudly.
“Do you have proof?” Almas asked.
“We have not seen this kind of security breach since the execution.”
“Who is your source?” General Montauk asked.
“I cannot say.”
“Of course you can’t because this whole thing is a complete fabrication.”
“Hades is dead,” Commander Yeren said. Mr. Swan didn’t have a response. “I will not have you all turning the acropolis into your own private circus, especially since you have absolutely no evidence to prove your wild theories. Honestly, I would have expected more from senior leadership. I’m going to conclude this meeting until further evidence is presented.”
The council left their seats and exited through the back area. The room emptied, while Allora and the others got up from their seats inside the conveyance room. They followed Captain Theus back through the portal and down into the main lobby of the acropolis, where Milly was speaking with
Swan.
“That didn’t seem to go very well,” Allora said.
“They never do,” Milly replied, guiding her daughter and the others out of the room. “That’s politics for you.” She tried to put on a smile, but her slouching shoulders and lowered chin showed her disappointment.
Swan put his hand on her shoulder. “On the contrary. Yeren and Montauk may be the most stubborn of the bunch, but there were more important individuals in that room. We’ve planted the seed of an idea. There will be increased pressure on the commander to start the production of ships, along with training of additional troops. He knows that too, and that is why he was so quick to discredit us. The pressure on him will be immense,” Mr. Swan said as they exited the acropolis.
It was midday, and the bustle of commerce and traffic had a futuristic feel, with transports crossing in the air above, along with skimmers, fighters, and security ships. The crowd was filled with all sorts of warlocks, rovers, gnomes, elves, dwarfs, giants, and other creatures.
“So who is Hades?” Allora asked. “And why did everyone go quiet when his name was mentioned?”
“Hades was a traitorous spy who passed along our secrets to Salazar’s agents within the Triple S,” a low, soft voice said from behind them. Almas stepped forward and looked down on Allora. “The communication codes and rebel security information allowed King Salazar’s elite teams to infiltrate and cripple our defensive measures, which eventually led to our collapse at the Battle of Omega.”
“Allora, this is Almas,” Milly said. “He’s the cultural attaché to the council.”
“I prefer ambassador,” Almas said, smirking proudly. “I’m assuming that this is your daughter?”
Milly nodded as Allora shook his furry hand.
“What happened to Hades?” Allora asked.
“Well, there was circumstantial evidence that one of the guardians was responsible,” Swan said. “This individual was executed.”
“Circumstantial?” Almas added, cocking his head back. “We found multiple transmissions to known agents within the Triple S, along with copies of communication ciphers in his apartment. It was pretty clear.”
“So then who do you think is responsible for the security breaches?” Mr. Swan asked.
“Hey, I’m as worried as you all are, but I don’t think you’re going to get too far with Commander Yeren unless you find that proof. I’m going to help you, though. I still have a few avenues of my own that I can explore. If there is a double agent, we will need to act quickly—especially if what you say about the gateways is true. If King Salazar is able to lock the gateways in place permanently, this whole world could be destroyed. Oh, and Allora, if you and your friends would like to learn more, you should come with me to the ancient ruins of the city. I can give you a grand tour. I think that your mom will be busy with the political shuffle tomorrow.”
“That’s a great idea, Almas,” Swan said. “He’s right. We’ve got a few more meetings to attend, and they only allow certain personnel. Plus, Almas will be able to answer any questions you may have. He’s like an encyclopedia of information about both Sonora and Earth.”
“I’ll have a transport waiting for you outside your apartment tomorrow.”
“And heavy security,” Milly added.
“I’ll have my two most-trusted guards escort them,” Captain Theus said.
“Perfect,” Almas said. “Well, I look forward to the tour.”
Just then a larger transport landed on the terrace leading up to the acropolis.
“Oh, yes. Before you go, you all must stay for the unveiling ceremony,” Almas pronounced, heading toward the main square in front of the acropolis.
The terrace filled with people as the statue was unloaded and placed upright near the entrance of the acropolis. A large brown tarp draped the ten-foot statue made of limestone. Almas went toward the right side of the statue and placed an object in front of his mouth.
“Hello, citizens of Shangri-La,” Almas began, puffing out his chest and smiling proudly. “With a team of amazing artists, we have constructed a representative figure of one of the most influential guardians that ever existed. He was a simple man who grew into a warrior and led a ragtag group of misfits against a Titan army that was easily superior. His actions will go down in history as the single greatest act of defiance and one that led humanity on a course that would define their freedom today. I dedicate this statue to that symbol, and may he ever watch over this city until its dying day.”
With that, he pulled a rope that was connected to the brown tarp and yanked the cover off, revealing Zeus. The eyes stared down upon those who stood at his feet as the crowd erupted with applause. About four hundred citizens of Shangri-La cheered wildly, commemorating the ancient savior of Earth. Allora took a step forward, taking in every feature of the man who represented the principles of the guardians. She wondered what secrets this Sonoran kept and what had really happened all those years ago. She felt as though he was a teacher staring down at his pupil, urging her to continue the quest that had consumed her life.
Ten
RUINS
The transport ship dropped from the sky, slowly coming down toward the extended landing platform on the sixtieth floor of their condominium complex at the center of the city. There was a slight wind and a buzzing noise from the hadron-and-mercury-core engine of the ship. It was about thirty feet long, square shaped, and painted metallic black, and it had two round cylinder engines on the sides. It was sleek and elegant, yet you could tell from the scratches and dings that it had been in service for quite a while. The ship turned slightly with its tail end toward the building. The transport stopped about a foot above the landing pad, hovering in place. The back wall of the ship opened up from the center, folding outward to reveal the interior. Inside there was a large area in the back that was filled with metal boxes strapped down to the floor, strange suits on the walls, and two rows of seats in the front. Almas parted the boxes and stepped down onto the landing platform. He was wearing black tights that had a faded checkered shape.
Milly was discussing something with the two guards who stood at attention on either side of the front doorway, scanning the landing pad and buildings in their periphery.
Allora walked past to the transport, looking back at the stern faces of the two guards. They wore the normal black uniforms with holstered pistols at their sides and neck braces that contained the plastic-screen helmets that would wrap around their heads in an instant. They stood six feet seven, with muscular features and no semblance of personality. Every few minutes they would turn their heads slightly, listening to audio from tiny speakers the size of raindrops that fit into the interior of the ear. They would speak abruptly and quietly, not allowing the others to hear their conversation.
“Who are you two?” Allora asked.
“I am Brutus,” the dark-haired guard said. “And this is Grunt.”
“Seriously, your name is Grunt?” Dax asked, smirking. The blond guard simply grunted in response. “Totally makes sense now.”
“We are at your service, ma’am,” Brutus said.
“You four ready to go?” Almas asked, walking down the back ramp of the transport.
“Make sure they you don’t go into any unstable areas. I’ve got enough to worry about today. I don’t need to be thinking that I’ll have to dig out my daughter.”
“Really, Mom? I think that we can handle a stroll through a bunch of caves. We’ve done it before.”
“Yeah, that’s what I’m worried about.”
“Don’t fret one bit,” Almas said. “I’ll take good care of these four. You just worry about the war council meeting. I’ve got a good feeling that you’re going to have a difficult time convincing those stubborn warlocks to go back to war.”
“I really never understood that,” Tanner said. “Warlocks having trouble with going to war? Doesn’t that sound strange?”
“Ah, but that is where we get our name, son,” Almas replied, leaning toward the
teen. “We have an extensive deliberation process in order to make a decision that it is in the best interest of our worlds with absolute positivity. Every reason has to be challenged because once we have made a final choice to engage in war, we are locked into it for the entirety of the outcome and consequences of said war. We warlocks may be the last to join, but once we are in, there is no stopping our resolution.”
“So then how do you get warlocks to decide whether to go to war?” Dax asked.
“That is something I cannot share,” Almas said. His demeanor changed, and he stepped back as if Dax had asked something offensive. “Warlocks abide by an old code of ethics and honor that is kept highly secretive so that no other species can alter or influence that decision. It is sacred. If you are around when the warlocks decide to war, it will most likely be one of the most destructive times in our lives. I do not wish that day to come.”
“Neither do I,” Milly said, giving her daughter a hug and then leaving through the sliding metal door of the building.
Everyone entered the transport and sat down in the worn leather seats. Two leather straps automatically came over their chests, clipped in the middle, and then connected to the base of the seat. Almas gave the pilot some instructions and then came back into the passenger area. The transport lifted off the platform and took off toward the center of the city. Allora peered out the translucent side—a large area that seemed like a window, but you couldn’t notice it from the outside. Once they got to the acropolis, they took a right, dropping toward a sea of flying ships that were crossing the expanse like a ballet of aircraft, perfectly timed by a carefully designed autopilot system. There was a high amount of traffic this early in the morning, which inhibited their travel speed..
The transport passed through a hole in the rock and over a collection of residences at the base of the city. Allora watched the people walking across alleyways and through tunnels. Shangri-La was enormous, spanning across entire mountain ranges.
