Kasey laughed, “Sad that it’s such a good trait.” Erestar nodded, “Only about 30% of the Miyka race are arrogant, stuck up, and have a high sense of self-worth. The others are nice and warm and friendly. But the ones that are nice are the least outspoken. And as they say on Earth, “the squeaky wheel gets the oil.”
Kasey cocked her head at King Erestar, “How do you know what they say on earth?”
Erestar smiled, “Omar told me. He has said it before.” They approached the palace now. It was beautiful. The palace was made up of a series of connecting towers with a waterfall flowing from under them.
“Kasey,” said King Erestar, “my point is that because the Miyka don’t know you they may see you as a threat to their structure.”
Kasey nodded, “I get it. I will watch my step.” King Erestar smiled at her bluntness. Erestar bowed to Kasey. “I’m sorry but I cannot fit in the tower. I will wait outside for you.” Kasey noticed that there were little to no accommodations for other races here.
Kasey was taken to the middle tower where there was an elevator. She and Misia were lifted up to the top level of the tower. Outside of the elevator Kasey was met by Queen Elizabeth who hugged her.
At this point Kasey was not accustomed to such personal informal actions from Monarchs. She stiffened a bit when the Queen hugged her. Thankfully the Queen didn’t react negatively to her reaction to being hugged. She didn’t even seem to notice. She grabbed Kasey's hand, "Come with me, I would like to talk to you where there are no prying eyes." She acts as if we are childhood girlfriends who have not seen each other in years but know each other very well. Kasey found this very disarming and out of place for a Queen who had been around for hundreds of years and ruled a Kingdom in such turmoil.
As they followed Queen Elizabeth Kasey could hear Misia stifle a giggle. Kasey looked over and Misia was watching her reactions to being treated as a long lost friend by a complete stranger.
She took them to a secret passage that led to an open room with a door guarded by two lions that had four feathered wings each. They were either very still lions or very lifelike statues. They did not move as the Queen took a key and opened the door to a grand library. There her husband King Magus sat in the distance rubbing his head and pouring over maps and ancient tomes.
Queen Elizabeth put her finger to her mouth and whispered, "Let us talk quietly in here as my husband studies. He has pounding headaches these days. He hears a knocking sound that he cannot get rid of and he knows it’s all in his head but it will not go away. It causes him tremendous headaches."
They followed her to a desk at the end of a hallway where the Queen searched and found a dusty old tome that looked as if it was about to fall apart.
Queen Elizabeth put the tome on the desk and began gently turning the pages until she found one that was labeled "Origins of the Malakadam".
She smiled at Kasey and Misia, "I’m sorry to have been so informal. Kasey, I have kept my eyes on you since your presence on Soterion was first reported. I had to pry it out of Ischus but he did tell me where you are from and that you arrived with the Magi. I have had spies lent from Queen Ariana watching you for years now. I know all about the Phoenix Collective and I think what you are doing is Revolutionary. We have fought the Kalat for so many years that I think that we have forgotten that they are merely curse Miyka. I was there when the Elder cursed them in the Creators name but the curse was simple... that they would wear the visage of their dark souls upon their appearance. Their tremendous strength came from their rage at being given such a curse. That is why Kalat have such short tempers."
Kasey knew a lot of this but Misia seemed captivated. Queen Elizabeth pointed to the book, "But what really fascinates me about you is what was said by some in the Gauntlet. That you and Misia had wings." She pointed at several sketching in the book of Malakadam with wings. One was of a Miyka and the other of a Gabad. She read the book out loud, "The two primary sub races of Malakadam come from the dragons. To create the first Miyka the Creator used the dust of the earth and a rib from Miykal. To create the first Gabad the Creator used the dust of the earth and a rib from Gabriyl."
Kasey wore a look of astonishment as she mouthed the name, "Gabriyl". That is the purple dragon that teleported all of us from Musterion to Soterion.
Then she pointed to sketchings of two different Miyka. One had skin-bound wings and the other had feathers. "Now the wings, they came from the dragons that we descended from but the feathers belonged only to special Miyka who served the Creator. They were known as a gift from Him."
She looked at Misia and then to Kasey. "Kasey, you have converted a handful of Kalat. Is your daughter one of them?" Kasey paused thinking of her lessons from King Erestar. The Miyka hate the Kalat with a passion. Will she harm my daughter? She looked to the Queen and she had such a kind face that she could not imagine this woman hurting anyone. Then she remembered the battle with the Great Red Dragon where Queen Elizabeth was deadly with a bow and arrow.
Queen Elizabeth recognized Kasey's turmoil and said, "You have my word that no harm shall come to you or Misia while you are here. But I must know."
Kasey nodded, "Yes, she was converted right before I left to take part in the Gauntlet."
Queen Elizabeth smiled, "Good. I’m glad my suspicions were right." Then she turned to Misia and asked, "Can I see your wings?" Misia was still wearing Protos' special cloak that hid her wings. She untied a flap on the back of the cloak and spread her wings for the Queen to see.
Queen Elizabeth nodded her head. "Beautiful."
Misia smiled, "Thank you."
The Queen then looked to Kasey, "I already have someone in mind that I would like you to consider for the General of my armies."
Oh great, what lofty noble is she going to present? "Oh?" asked Kasey.
"Yes, I would like Misia to be my General." Kasey had not been prepared for that. She looked to Misia who seemed to be flattered and excited. "This is my daughter we are talking about. I really have not spent all of the time I intend to spend with her."
The Queen nodded her head. "Kasey, if you do this. I will do three things. I will set up permanent residence for you in this tower so you could always visit, I will make you both dual citizens in Loefel Meren, and I will give you both a gift that will help the Phoenix Collective in its cause greatly."
Kasey rubbed her chin thinking. I would visit regularly but I need more time with Misia first. "Well, let’s see this gift." She went to a bookshelf and pointed to a shelf that only had two books on it. They were new leather bound books. Kasey reached for one as Misia reached for the other. Burned into the leather cover of both books were the words "The Book of John". As Kasey smiled to see the book it turned into a sword in her hand. Not like the giant sword that was now in King Erestar’s possession but these were the right size for both of them.
Misia jumped as the book turned into a glowing sword in her hands. "What is it?" asked Misia. Kasey was so giddy she laughed, "It is the biggest shortcut to what the Phoenix Collective has been doing. Had I struck you with this as a Kalat the curse would have been lifted and your soul changed. It is very powerful and will change you in an instant."
Misia held hers up looking at it in fascination.
Queen Elizabeth spoke again, "Yes and I can’t think of two better people to have one."
Kasey shook her head in amazement. "How?" "While Ischus was at Castle Lurin he took the original one brought from Musterion and copied the Book of John. He found it could do the same thing the original could on a smaller scale but I imagine it will have the same effect on a Kalat," said the Queen.
Misia looked to Kasey for approval. Kasey nodded. "I would love to be your general," said Misia. Kasey and Misia stayed in Loefel Meren for a year. They were given complete access to the special library with hidden knowledge and learned much about Soterion.
16
Formerly Known As Amy
After several months Jack and Tyree had planned the expedition of a lif
etime. They planned to make it to Musterion and Soterion and they planned to find Dr. Omar Metzger, Dr. Sasha Romanov, Bogdan, Owen, Charli, Caleb, and Ignacio. Their equipment was complete with state of the art gadgets including laser pistols, sunlight grenades, teleportation devices customized by younger Tyree, invisibility devices, trash/solar powered hover bikes armed with missiles, audio translators, five fully functional humanoid robots, tranquilizer guns and darts, matter displacement devices, and solar powered laptops.
Jack was gathering food provisions when he got a call on his phone. It was Tyree.
"Hello," said Jack.
"You better get over here," said Tyree.
Jack paid the clerk at the Army/Navy store and grabbed his bags of MREs. "I’m on my way now." Jack drove to the lab where the tunnel was kept. Ad he walked in he saw scientists running back and forth. He quickened his step to Tyree's office. Tyree wasn’t there. Then he went to the tunnel room. There was a woman wearing a hospital gown talking to Tyree. General Elder was there but only listening.
"Jack, over here. We had a coma patient wake up! She asked for you directly and didn’t want to say anything until you were here," said Tyree with an agitated look on his face.
She asked for me by name? I haven’t even met any of these people. She turned and seemed to recognize Jack.
"I do know you," she said. "But you are right, we have never met." She had long blonde hair and blue eyes. She was stunningly beautiful with a look in her eyes that Jack had only seen in others who came from money or were royalty.
"Well then, you know my name... but I don’t know yours," said Jack with a smile as he put his hand out to shake hers.
"Before my coma I went by Amy, but you can call me Catalina," she said with a smile.
Jack smiled, "Well Catalina, what did you have to say?" She straightened the tie on Jack's suit. "For starters you had a mole on your team going into Musterion. Ignacio Marinelli was sent to kill a man named Myles Callaghan."
General Elder shifted with an uncomfortable look in his eyes. "Myles Callaghan is a dangerous man."
She gave him a sharp look, "Myles Callaghan was my husband."
General Elder looked away embarrassed, "I am sorry, I meant no offense." She shrugged, "It is true, he is dangerous but he is working on the right side now." She turned back to Jack and said, "I was told by Misaki that a soul can only live one life on each plane of existence. I died on Soterion, so I cannot go back."
Jack rubbed his head, "You know Misaki? Soterion? Is that where Omar is?"
She nodded, "Yes. I knew her. She will be reunited with Omar soon.
Jack smiled, "Good."
She gave him a serious look, "I will be entering Musterion with the two of you." The way she said it was not like an arrogant woman but like a woman that was used to making things happen her way. Jack raised an eyebrow. "Alright, I’m game. It sounds like you have some insight."
"I am used to getting my way, by the way," she said.
A telepath. “Well, we will give you an hour to get dressed and pick your equipment. Then we set out.” With that she departed and Jack continued preparing for the next hour. She returned with her own black outfit complete with vest and a teleportation devise on her wrist. She carried no weapons but for what she lacked in weapons she made up for in defense. Tyree laughed, “Nice choice. I bet you would play an interesting game of chess.”
She smiled, “I can’t read a shred of your thoughts.” Tyree nodded, “My mind is a fortress built by hundreds of years of mental torture and anguish. You would have to be a lot more powerful to penetrate my mind.”
She looked to Jack, “I guess your mind is not so much of a fortress.” Jack laughed and shrugged, “I guess I’m an open book. Are we going to sit here all day and make wise cracks or are we going to go through this portal?”
She smiled and said, “Ladies first!” Then she drove her four wheeler through the portal.” Jack looked to Tyree who was shaking his head, “We better watch that one. I did some research on Myles Callaghan. Any woman that could tie him down is bound to be trouble.”
Jack nodded and then drove into the portal with Tyree right behind him. OMAR FELL TO THE FLOOR of the study in the palace of Loefel Meren. Sasha and Alora fell on top of him and he helped them both up. He heard people talking several rows over so he went to see what the commotion was about and there stood Kasey Phoenix with a feather winged Miyka.
Kasey looked up to see Omar and dropped the book she was reading through. “Omar?! What are you doing here?”
Sasha looked over his shoulder, “Who is you friend, Omar?”
Omar introduced them, “Dr. Sasha Romanov this is Kasey Phoenix. Kasey, this is Sasha.”
“Doctor?” asked Kasey. “Are you from earth?”
Sasha nodded with a faint smile, “Yes, I am.”
Kasey cocked her head, “Omar, did you go back to earth?”
Omar nodded, “I did but I didn’t end up in the time period I intended.”
Kasey looked shocked, “Oh?”
Omar shook his head, “It is too long of a story for now.”
“How is Nekar?” asked Kasey.
Omar’s heart sank. Poor Nekar. “He is dead.”
Kasey’s eyes got big, “Are you kidding me?!”
Omar shook his head. “No, I would not kid about such a thing.”
Kasey looked down, “That really surprises me. I can’t believe it. I really thought he of all people would be around for a while.”
It just goes to show that you do have a fickle God. “He saved our lives. If it were not for him we would be dead.”
There was a moment of awkward silence ended by Alora’s appearance to the Kasey and the other winged Miyka.
“Oh look,” said the other Miyka as she pointed to Alora, “you brought a pet back with you.”
Alora gave her a dead eyed look, “My name is Alora, and I would retract that finger before you lose it.”
She laughed but took Alora’s suggestion. “Where are we?” she asked.
“I am Misia, Kasey’s daughter, it is a pleasure to meet you all. And we are at the Palace in Loefel Meren.”
Then Omar heard a voice that he rarely ever heard. Behind King Magus Meren spoke, “Are you The Alora?”
Alora looked at him and smiled, “King Magus Meren, it has been hundreds of years.”
He nodded and smiled, “It has indeed. I heard mention of your name and I had to see if it was you. Where is your Queen?”
“She has taken Musterion and reigns there. She has sent me to watch after and help Queen Ariana,” replied Alora.
The King smiled, “It is a rare treat to meet the Katken who held the throne for a day.” Alora shook her head, “That was a big mistake. One that cost me and my kind very much. I hope to change that and bridge the gap between Katken and Nepsah.”
"Well, it is good to see a familiar face," said King Magus and then he went back to his desk and started looking through books and maps again.
With that Omar patted Kasey on the shoulder, "It’s good to see you Kasey, I need to get back to Caelsis." Then he grabbed Alora and Sasha and to them for a brief second the tower of the Magi and the palace in Loefel Meren were one location. He found Kleis in his quarters using his device to make himself look like Omar. For a moment Alora and Sasha looked confused. Then the image flickered out as Kleis deactivated the device.
"Did you take care of Thanatos?" asked Omar. "Funny thing that," said Kleis. "Several years ago one moment I was talking to him and the next he was gone. The day prior he said he could sense a foreign entity on his planet BioNekros, an alternate dimension. I imagine things escalated?"
Omar shook his head, "So, it’s still a problem then."
Kleis nodded, "Indeed."
Omar introduced Kleis, "Sasha, this is Kleis. He is the most intelligent person I have ever met."
"So this is Sasha, I have heard good things about you," said Kleis.
"Thank you," is all she said with a bit of a blush
.
"So you made it to Earth then?" asked Kleis. "Yes, it’s a long story better saved for later ." I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time and I better do it before the chance slips away. Omar went to his desk and got out a small box. Then he walked to Sasha and bent down on one knee. "I found this in the mountains of Loefel Meren and had it mounted on a ring in hopes that someday I would have you here with me." He opened the small box and there was a gold ring with an emerald set in it. "Sasha," he said with no hesitation or doubt in his eyes, "I don’t deserve you, but I would like you to marry me... tonight."
"Tonight?!" asked Sasha. He nodded, "Yes, we have gotten away from each other way too many times. You have seen my devotion to my sister and I promise to make that pale in comparison to my devotion to you."
She looked at the ring and the sincere look on his face and smiled, "Of course I will but a wedding tonight?"
Omar laughed, "However you want it, I have sway in the Kingdom and we can cater the wedding to your desire."
“Well, you do know just what to say don’t you,” she said. Omar turned to Kleis and said, “I need you to go to the castle and inform the queen that I am to be wed tonight.” Then he turned to Sasha and said, “As for you… you will find the queen very accommodating.
Once the queen found out she made sure that word got out. The entire Kingdom was abuzz with the news that Omar Metzger was to be married to a woman who was a stranger to these lands and the wedding would be that night.
Queen Ariana called upon Duchess Butterfly, her expert upon weddings and other such ceremony to plan the wedding and the catering for the event. Omar gave Sebastian his teleportation devise and asked him to teleport in King Erestar, Queen Hope, Sabriel, King Magus, Queen Elizabeth, Kasey and her new daughter Misia, Ischus, and Protos.
Duchess Butterfly chose Ischus and Queen Elizabeth to be in charge of their clothing for the event. Omar teleported himself, Sasha, Ischus, and Queen Elizabeth to Loefel Meren .Where Ischus and Queen Elizabeth took them to the tailor. There a specialized suit was made for Omar it had a ruffled top, vest, long sleeved long coat with upright collar, and short pants in the traditional Loefel Meren renaissance style.
Bridgeworlds: Deep Flux Page 22
