by S. L. Morgan
Levi inhaled deeply, “Who witnessed this?”
“Javian found one of the stable men, severely injured behind the stable yard, and it was his report that validated that it was indeed Mark Prather who freed the soured horse from his stable.”
Levi’s lips pressed into a fine line as he closed his eyes and tried to maintain his focus. “I have no idea how that man was not noticed lurking around the palace.” He gazed at Samuel sternly, “However, we waste time trying to deliberate how he and Simone were able to plan this scheme together.”
“They both will be dealt with as the traitors they are, Levi. The emperor and I have already discussed this.” Samuel returned.
“Very well,” Levi answered impatiently. “Where is Harrison?”
“He is interrogating the priestess.”
Levi spun on his heel, and walked down to the prison chambers where the priestess was being detained. When he overheard Harrison questioning the woman, he approached slowly, listening to their conversation.
“For as intelligent as the Pemdai are, I’m surprised it took you all so long to figure out that I was controlling that girl from the moment I first arrived here,” he heard the priestess say.
“So this was Lucas’ plan all along,” Harrison said sternly. “For us to imprison one of his mind-warping agents in Pemdas, and have you drive the Key out from our protected realm. Excellent strategy. I must commend him personally, when his heart meets the tip of my sword.”
The woman chuckled. “Yes, it had been our plan all along. I couldn’t reach the mind of that woman unless I was in the same realm and close to her. Fortunately, I was able to see into Levi Oxley’s mind, and it not only ensured that I would be taken captive in Pemdas, but that I would be put under close guard as well. I was very pleased to find that I would be placed in a unit that was in the same location where that girl resided.” She laughed. “It’s been quite amusing sitting down here tormenting that child’s every thought,” she sighed softly, “her mind was a lot stronger than I anticipated though.”
She focused on the ground, and she seemed to be watching the whole process of terrorizing Reece play out in her mind. “She definitely battled my persuasions.” She looked at Harrison with an innocent smile. “If she hadn’t fought so hard for her proper mindset, I wouldn’t have had to give her such traumatic headaches. Mindless child.” She mocked.
Harrison’s features darkened. “You are very bold to admit this to me.”
“I fulfilled my purpose in coming to Pemdas, as was required of me, and that is all that matters. Your men are outnumbered, and if you go to war at this time, it will result in the demise of your world. I have no fear of your kind.”
She looked up and noticed Levi standing in the doorway. Harrison glanced back, but continued to question the woman. “How are you so sure that we are outnumbered, Armedite? You have no idea how large our armies are, nor does your cowardly leader.”
The woman smiled. “I not only persuaded the girl to suffer,” She paused and giggled. “But I also managed to take complete control of her mind more than once. Levi gave me the information I needed last night, thinking he was talking to Reece.”
Levi gritted his teeth together so tightly that he felt his jaw muscle spasm.
The woman smiled sardonically at him. “How is your lip, darling; I didn’t make it bleed too much, did I?”
Levi clenched his fists as he fought the urge to end the woman’s life in that moment.
“Where is Lucas keeping Reece?” Harrison calmly asked.
Before anyone could say another word, the woman’s appearance changed. Her appearance seemed holographic, as did their surroundings. The lights flickered off in the cell as her turquoise eyes began to glow, and she projected a vision of where Reece was being held. Rage coursed through his veins when he saw Reece lying unconscious on the stone floor of a dark chamber with Simone standing over her. He tried to move, but he was paralyzed where he stood.
He watched with fury as Simone knelt down beside Reece. She grabbed her hair, and looked toward four women who entered the room. The women were identical in appearance to the priestess.
“We’ve done our part,” Simone said with an evil grin. “Now,” she slammed Reece’s head hard onto the floor. “Get into her mind, and give us the information we need.”
“In time,” the four women said in unison.
Simone’s gaze darkened as she stood up, and approached the women. “We need that location to the stone! Open the girl’s mind!” Simone ordered as the vision dissipated.
“Who are you?” Harrison questioned in a deadly voice.
The priestess stared dangerously at Harrison. “You’ll have that answer soon, brave warrior. I believe I’ve answered more than enough for you already. Now, go. I’m sure you and your kind are thoughtless enough to avenge that girl’s life.” She sneered. “It’s the death you all long for, isn’t it; to bravely die saving all worlds for some ridiculous cause? It is ignorant, and foolish.”
“The only thing that was foolish of us was to offer you clemency when we first encountered you,” Harrison retorted in a lethal voice.
“Leave us,” Levi commanded Harrison.
Harrison looked at Levi in question, and then, with a simple nod of understanding, walked toward the doorway. As Levi approached the woman, she grinned evilly at him.
“Should I be fearful of you, prince?”
Levi’s eyes narrowed as she instinctively backed against the wall, away from him. “Only if you fear death.” He glared into her eyes purposefully. “Why have you shown us these images?”
She laughed softly. “To make you aware that if you do indeed take my life, then I can assure you my sisters will no longer hesitate to remove the map from that Earthling’s mind with whatever force necessary.” She went to reach for Levi’s face, and he immediately deflected her hand. The woman’s eyes darkened. “Our minds are interconnected,” she threatened. “We all experience the same feelings, we see the same—”
“I have no patience for such absurd talk,” Levi interrupted, “where are they keeping Reece?”
Levi seized both of her arms, causing her to gasp in pain, yet she only laughed in response. This seems familiar, does it not?” she said, with enthusiasm in her voice. Her turquoise eyes glittered as she stared into his. “I believe the last time you laid your hands on me, I was able to damage your mind.”
Her eyes became wild, and Levi felt the same jolt of energy he did the day this woman read his thoughts. He let out a breath, and forced his mind to block the energy force that the priestess was delivering to him. Her forehead crinkled in defeat, and her irises turned black.
A tiny smile drew up in the corner of Levi’s mouth. “It seems your dark powers have limits.”
“It would be unwise to end my life,” she threatened vehemently.
Levi returned her intimidating gaze. “What was unwise is the fact that I did not end your life the first time I had the opportunity.”
“Reece Bryant will die. My sisters await my instructions now!” the woman spat.
Levi brought both of his hands up to cradle her neck. “I must disagree,” he replied, as he tilted his head to the side, studying her. “You see, with the information that you so proudly confessed to me, I am aware that your sisters will also die when I end your life.”
The woman’s eyes widened in response and before she could respond, Levi ended her life.
He turned to leave, and found Harrison still standing in the doorway.
“Excellent assumption!” Harrison said.
“We must arrange the strategy to recover Reece without delay. If Lucas was depending on those creatures to remove the map from her mind, my killing them may have bought us enough time to rescue Reece before it is too late.”
Reece tried seeking comfort by huddling a dark corner of the small, damp cell. The stone floor was bitterly cold, and forced a painful shiver to persistently radiate throughout her body. Her head throbbed so significantly
that she could hardly keep her eyes open. Every part of her body ached, and she felt herself becoming weaker by the moment.
She pulled her legs in close, and wrapped her arms tightly around them, trying to stay warm. She had no idea where she was, or how she had gotten there. She was trembling in fear, and her only hope was that Levi was looking for her.
She ran her fingers over the bracelet on her wrist, and recalled the day that Levi gave it to her. The Pemdai believe that an arrow represents courage and protection…She heard his voice as if he were in the dark room with her. She smiled as a tear slipped down her cheek, knowing he would come for her.
The side of her head ached and she could feel that her hair was matted with blood. It felt as though her ribs had been broken, and each breath she took was excruciating.
She was startled when she heard the sounds of footsteps approaching her location. The flickering light of a candle illuminated the area outside of her cell. She could see that she was imprisoned somewhere behind bars. She watched as two shadows approached her location. Keys rattled, and then the door eerily squealed open. She glanced up and recognized the first figure; it was Simone.
Reece pulled herself up, and tried to stand on her feeble legs. She held her balance with one arm on the stone wall.
“You are a wicked woman,” Reece managed in a hoarse voice.
Simone gracefully walked over to where Reece stood clinging to the wall for support. As swiftly as Reece saw the evil reflection on the woman’s countenance, Simone reached out and slapped her across the face, causing her to fall onto the floor. Reece crawled away from Simone slowly until she bumped against the wall.
Simone looked down at Reece and grinned. “That was for me having to pretend to be regretful for trying to have you delivered to the Ciatron,” she sneered.
Reece didn’t respond.
“Get up!” she ordered.
When Reece didn’t comply, Mark Prather stepped forward, reached down, and jerked Reece up to face Simone. The man held Reece in a bone crushing grip, and she wailed in pain.
Simone snickered and paced in front of her slowly.
“Reece, I never had any intention of returning to Pemdas after I learned that you and Levi were engaged to be married. Even if I had wanted to continue to be a part of such an abominable society, I couldn’t have. Because of you, everyone hates me. You ruined my life!” Simone stalked back and forth as she recounted past events, “Fortunately for me, Michael brought me to Armedias. I soon learned this land and all of its inhabitants despised the Pemdai as much as I did. Imagine my delight when Emperor Lucas and his priestesses informed about a strategy in which you could be removed from Pemdas with my assistance. They couldn’t have picked a more willing subject to help carry out their plan, of course.” She cackled menacingly.
Reece stared at her in bewilderment.
“Pretending to befriend you in order to gain your trust would’ve been impossible if it weren’t for the priestess, I’m sure. The only tolerable part of being in your presence was watching her torment you. Watching her tear you and Levi apart before my very eyes was almost as enjoyable as seeing you suffer this very moment.
“She was the reason for my nightmares?” Reece looked at the ground, and then back at Simone in disgust. “She was the reason I trusted you?”
“Amazing, isn’t it? You have been her victim the entire time.” Simone reached out and ran her fingertips gently along Reece’s face. “And you were my victim as well. As vile as I felt walking in the halls of Pasidian Palace again, pretending to be remorseful, it will have been worth it in the end.” She cocked her head to the side and smiled. “And here we are, at the end of your pathetic life.”
Simone stepped back and nodded to Mark Prather. The man pulled back and plunged his fist into Reece’s stomach. He continued to beat her until Simone erupted with laughter.
“Stop, Mr. Prather. We need her alive for the time being,” Simone said as Reece collapsed to the floor.
She knelt down and grabbed Reece’s hair tightly, bringing Reece’s eyes to meet hers. “I want her to be alive,” she spoke smoothly, “when she finds out Levi has closed his eyes indefinitely.” She giggled. “You see, the Guardians will put their existence at risk to save you once again, and we stand ready for them. My Michael leads an army who is prepared to battle and defeat them effortlessly.”
Simone released her grip from Reece and stood.
“I will return when I have been assured that the lifeless body of Levi Oxley is being sent to you. All I desire now is to see the look on your face as you see your one, true love…dead.”
Reece became nauseated, but said nothing.
As Simone turned to leave the chamber, she stopped and looked back at Reece. “I do wonder…will you beg of me to help you join your beloved Levi when his body is displayed before your very own eyes?” She giggled maniacally, turned, and swiftly left the room.
Reece struggled to breathe, and had no strength left within her to sit up. She managed to slowly drag herself over to the frigid wall. Her arms and legs were numb, but with great effort, she was able to lean up against the wall just enough to breathe easier.
Tears began to run down her cheeks as she tried to imagine Levi’s face. His stunning smile appeared behind her closed eyelids, his vivid blue eyes staring at her confidently. She found comfort in his expression, and she would hold on for him.
Levi, Harrison, and a large group of Guardian men took their seats around a long table, waiting to be debriefed and receive their orders.
“Gentlemen, we are facing a situation that requires us to act more hastily than ever before; however, while we continue to wait for more warriors to arrive, we are at a grave disadvantage,” Navarre started. “I have made all leaders of the Council of Worlds aware of the threat that is at hand.” Navarre eyed Levi somberly. “Fortunately, we have removed the immediate threat of the priestess and her associates; from what we have learned, Lucas was relying on their talents to unlock the map to the location of the stone.” Navarre looked at Samuel. “Commander, inform the men of our plans.”
Samuel stood up and called for the lights to dim in the room.
“Gentlemen, we have dispatched scouts to discover how their formations are set up.” As he spoke, the room displayed three-dimensional, holographic images that appeared before them. They could see Armedias’ army, lined up and prepared for the Pemdai to invade them. Samuel waved his hand toward the men and horses standing at attention. “As you all can see, we do not have enough soldiers to battle the army that awaits us. As skilled as our warriors are, we will be defeated if we go into battle at this very moment.”
“That’s easy to see, Samuel; however, time is not a luxury we possess. We cannot wait for additional troops to join us,” Levi interjected abruptly.
Samuel nodded. “That is true.” He looked at Navarre, “Fortunately, Torserlock, the ruler of the Briedirken dimension, has come to an agreement with the emperor only a few moments ago. They plan to offer their assistance with our first attack.”
Torserlock? Levi thought in disbelief. Harrison glanced at Levi with astonishment.
“I appreciate that the Briedirken people are willing to help, but have they forgotten that the dimension of Armedias is protected by a magnetic energy force that will destroy anything of a technical nature? Sir, they will be destroyed if they enter that land.”
Samuel waved his hand in front of the holographic screen, and the dimension of Briedirken was displayed alongside a holographic image of Armedias. “They understand that as well as we do. They are offering us safe passage, so to speak, so that we may gain access to Armedias through their world.”
Levi studied the dimensions on the screen in front of them. At first he wondered why they would need to travel through the machine-like world of Briedirken, and then it all made sense. Excellent strategy, Samuel.
“Gentlemen, while we wait for all of our armies to assemble, we plan to take out Armedias’ front lines tonight.” The
holographic images morphed into a detailed map that Samuel had designed for their first attack. “Their army is using these men to notify them if we attack them.”
Navarre stood. “Because there is only one vortex that leads from Pemdas to Armedias, it would be to our detriment if we were to travel through it until their front lines are destroyed. Because Briedirken has granted us access to their dimension, we can now enter in from another vortex without being noticed.”
Levi and Harrison instinctively leaned forward, and a tiny smile drew up in the corner of Harrison’s mouth when he made eye contact with Levi. Both men were fully aware of the mission that they were about to be given.
“It will be our duty to go in and decimate this first line of defense, and we will do it within the hour,” Samuel said. “This mission will be done with furtiveness, and we must take out as many of their soldiers as we can. If all goes according to plan, when daylight reaches the lands of Armedias, their armies will find all of their frontline guards slain. We will attack with the rest of our men at that time. Taking out their front lines is the advantage we need to be successful.”
Navarre placed both his hands on the table. “My brave warriors, we have convened this meeting with all of you because you are our finest. We need your skill in order to ensure that this mission is successful. Do any of you object to the assignment you have been given?”
“If I may, Emperor,” Harrison said, “Why must we wait until first light to destroy Michael and his army? Let us finish all of this tonight!”
“If we had the manpower to ensure a victory, we would. Even by the morning, we will only have close to a thousand men out of our entire army here. The Armedites planned this well; as of right now, our Guardian warriors are scattered throughout Earth and many other dimensions. They have been alerted of the situation and are headed back to Pemdas as we speak; but as you well know, depending on their locations, that process is not always an expeditious one.” Navarre addressed Harrison. “As soon as we have completed our initial attack tonight, you will ride out and gather the rest of our men. I will go over the details of where you will find them later, as they will be reporting in all throughout the night. You will command and lead these men into Armedias, and assist us in battle at that time.”
