She shifted her hair and held up a mirror to check. “Oh that! That’s a birthmark Mira Kein was born with. I guess father transferred over to me.”
* * *
Queen Celestia stood in her private chambers. She held a small glass of red wine and browsed pictures of her past ventures. She picked a specific picture, one depicting herself with Valis in the courtyard. Behind them she saw Seles and Baed playing when they were small children. Valis wore the traditional uniform for a captain and three leafed circlet. Celestia’s eyes welled up as she looked at the photo.
“That was a long time ago old friend,” she said. “It seems like an eternity since you became a captain, the youngest Kalaidian to ever achieve that rank.”
As she placed the photo back on the table, a grey robed figure emerged from the shadows. She was startled and went into a defensive stance.
“As ready as ever my Queen,” Myden said telepathically.
She relaxed. “I never know when an assassin may make their way to me.” She went to the table in the center of the room. There was a bottle of wine and a few small glasses. “Myden, would you like some?” she asked, showing her glass.
“No thanks. You know how alcohol and telepaths don’t mix,” he answered.
She sat down. “It’s been a long time.”
“I know. I haven’t left my enclave for almost a year. But, something stirred me.”
She smiled. “And what might be?”
“The Teacher is sending a messenger.”
Her eyes widened with surprise. “What?”
“The Herald will come onboard a ship of light. He wears the armor of a dragon. His eyes will be of the sea and forest and his hair brown. His skin will be pale, much like Northerners here on the home world.”
She felt panicked. “How do you know this? What am I supposed to do?”
“Steady yourself my Queen. The Herald will come on the eve of two days’ time. I’m not sure of his reasons, but it’s likely he was sent to prepare you for the coming darkness.”
She took a deep breath before finishing the glass of wine. “What should I do?” she asked.
“Call for a session with the ten noble families. Tell them nothing of this. The only thing you need do beyond that is prepare a room for him. His journey has been long and he’ll need a good place to rest.”
Chapter 35 – The Greatest Lie Ever Told
In the main meeting hall of the Kalaidian High Court, one hundred and seventy six nobles representing the seventeen star systems of the Queendom nervously awaited their leader. It was rare for the queen to request a noble session, only in cases of emergency, war, or some other special event. Those within the hall were well versed in Kalaidian history and knew something strange was going on. The nobles sat behind stone desks that circled the hall in an upward fashion. The bottom of the meeting hall was where guests came in to speak while the queen’s spot was at the top of the center row. Messengers filtered in and handed sealed documents to each noble. A few minutes later Queen Celestia made her entrance. She came in through the bottom and slowly walked the stairs to the top, with all the silent nobles staring at her. What caught the nobles off guard was her dress. Celestia wore a military uniform, with a slim rakna blade on her belt and a long white cape. The Queen only wore such an outfit if she was to meet a foreign dignitary, or to lead them into battle herself. As the crowd began murmuring she took her seat.
“I welcome all of you to the High Court this day because of a special event,” Celestia said. “I understand calling for all of you on short notice is inconvenient, but it was necessary. By now you’ve seen what I’m wearing and I can tell you we’re not at war. Today, a special guest will be attending this session. Please open the documents I’ve provided.”
The nobles opened the documents and read them carefully. The first to stand up was Maya Obril. “My Queen, is this true? How is it possible for someone to penetrate all of our defenses, especially the orbital defense networks?”
Celestia smiled. “Yes. As of earlier today, we detected a phased ship moving through our system. What you’ve been provided with is what our military knows.”
A moment passed before the nobles began talking frantically amongst themselves. Then, a messenger came in and spoke to Queen Celestia and she stood up.
“Please, all of you look at the main monitor,” she said. The crowd hushed and the main monitor came on. A small, glowing ship headed towards the ground. The nobles began speaking again, this time with a greater fervor.
Another noble, Riena Daekon, spoke this time. “My Queen, do you know who it is?”
Celestia nodded. “As you all can see, a ship of light is aimed to land at the edge of our city. That ship carries the Herald of who we know as the Teacher.”
* * *
The Mjolnir landed two ketres outside of the Kalaidian capital, Vaelis, the City of Water. As the ship landed it shifted into the giant robot form and landed, kneeling on the ground. Still glowing, a few Kalaidians cautiously approached. Inside, Brian changed the controls to Kalaidian.
“It’s time I go,” he said as he turned to leave. Before opening the front hatch he stopped. “Do I look the part? I’m not sure if I can pull this off.”
Mira laughed and went to him. “You look perfect. Please make sure to watch yourself. There’s no telling what the nobles might try, even if they believe you’re the Herald.”
“I don’t know much, but from what Valis and Seles told me, the Kalaidian court is full of lies, power plays, and deception,” he said. “I’ll be alright. Make sure no one sees you or gets too close to the ship.”
She hugged him. “I know you came here for Seles. But I want you to know how I feel.” She held him silently for a moment. “When I’m like this I feel alive. When I’m near you, I don’t feel like an illusion. You saved me Brian, and I’ll never forget that. Nor do I want to see you sad. I want you to be happy, even if it’s not with me.”
He blushed as he pulled away and opened the hatch, tripping as he went out. “That really threw me off.”
She laughed. “Sorry. Just go and get Seles. I don’t want to be stuck staring at crops forever.”
As the hatch closed he used the elevator cord to get to the ground. Surrounding him was farmland. The sky was blue with white clouds, looking so much like Earth Brian had to tell himself it wasn’t. The Mjolnir had landed near a stone road. He checked and made sure he had everything. A few Kalaidians stared at him as he walked the road towards the city, a massive metropolis with buildings twice the height of any human skyscraper. Ships of every size and shape flew about. A few headed in his direction. As he walked the road a parade of fascinated Kalaidians began following the strange being before them. A young one, with long blue hair and sky blue eyes, ran up next to him. He smiled as he glanced down at her. It looks like we have a winner. He thought to himself. The young girl wore a simple grey dress and sandals. From her height, she looked to about ten years old. She walked next to him for a while as the others followed.
“Are you the Teacher?” the young girl asked.
He looked down into those curious eyes before kneeling. She was scared. Brian smiled and spoke in the Kalaidian tongue. “No, but I’m a friend of his. I’ve come to your world to make sure everything’s safe young lady.”
“Safe?” she asked. She looked more relaxed.
“Yes, I want to make sure you’re safe,” he said. He noticed the crowd gathering around him talking amongst each other. He turned back to the child. “Tell me young lady, where are the High Courts?”
The murmurs grew louder.
“Go to the center of the city,” another Kalaidian said, this one being an adult, with similar hair and eye color to the child. “That’s where the palace is.”
He stood up and nodded to the lady. “Thank you, my name is Brian.”
The lady went to the child and pulled her back. The others were still hesitant to move closer. “My name is Lae,” the woman looked down, “and this is my daughter
Kyli. From what world do you hail from?”
He pointed to the sky. “I come from the Great Dragon. I’m here in his stead to guide you to the future.”
He turned and headed towards the city with added energy is his step. As he neared the metropolis the crowds only grew larger. Hope was evident on their faces. He walked in plain view, knowing that only by showing his face to as many Kalaidians as possible would he survive. He moved into the city and was greeted by a contingent of ground troops dressed in uniforms of the royal guard, bearing pulse rifles and rakna lances. Their leader stepped forward. She had short silver hair and purple eyes and wore the circlet of a commander.
“Halt!” she commanded as her troops cleared the street and surrounded him.
Brian stopped and placed a hand on the hilt of his sword.
“I’m Commander Jabril Hopart, leader of the Daevon royal guard.”
“That’s quite a title you have their young lady,” he said after checking the positions of the troops. “My name is Brian Peterson. I’m here to see your Queen.”
“On what grounds?” she asked.
He looked from side to side. “I’m asking you as a favor.” He took his hand off his sword. “Please put down your blades and rifles. I only came to see the Queen.”
Looking annoyed, Jabril gave the orders to circle the stranger as they began escorting him to the High Court. The crowds still gathered, larger and larger by the moment. Many shouted, asking if he was their savior. Others shouted for change, and still others begged for him to save them. He kept his eye on the massive building at the center of the city, a spire reaching into the sky. Jabril requested he board a hover craft numerous times, but each request was refused and he continued walking. I can see it in their eyes. These people shout for answers, answers I can’t give. But what I also see is fear. The way they look at the guards is that of dread, even terror. What have the nobles done to these people? He thought as they approached the High Court.
* * *
Celestia sat quietly and watched scores of her fellow nobles bicker over what must be done, what the appearance of the ship of light means, and who the Herald their queen had mentioned was. Sighing, she closed her eyes. The crowd quieted as the doors below opened and a lone figure walked through. He stood a full head taller than the largest amongst them and wore emerald green armor, matching cape, with a large straight bladed sword on his belt. His light brown hair was long and kept in a tail. He wore a well-trimmed beard and mustache. His eyes were blue green and his ears were round. He moved to the center of the stage and surveyed the room. Brian stopped when he saw Celestia, shocked at how much she and Seles looked alike. He also noticed the empty tier where the Kein family once resided. When the crowd quieted the Queen stood up.
“I welcome you to my world,” she said. “I’m Queen Celestia Daevon.”
It was Kalaidian tradition for leaders to exchange name and pleasantries, even during wartime. Brian smiled and looked at the queen.
“My thanks for your welcome,” he said. “My name is Brian Peterson. As you may suspect, I come from the same world as the one you refer to as the Teacher. The great darkness he spoke of will move soon and I was sent to make sure everything was okay here.” He turned to the queen again. “Sadly, my report will not be favorable towards you and your people.”
A number of nobles called him a liar and a charlatan. One stood and told him to address the queen properly.
“I answer to none of you,” he said angrily. “Because of you ineptitude your world has failed to fulfill the wishes of the Teacher.”
“Why do you say that?” Celestia asked. “What have my people done to disappoint you?”
He opened the small computer inside his armor’s left arm. Using the program he made earlier, he projected a large holographic screen around him. It contained numerous charts and figures, all written in English.
“These are the problems I’ve discovered in my investigations into your people Celestia.” He used the charts to prove his evidence for each point. “Your race has no surviving males. This is understandable, but the complete eradication of their existence isn’t. Your military is outdated by at least a century and your economy is in turmoil. Internal strife has separated one of the twelve noble families from you and a third of your space fleet has deserted you. Your territory, which once spanned thirty star systems, has been cut to seventeen. And lastly, your population has declined by a hundred and fifty billion in the last century. To sum it up, your people are dying out. None of my people wished for this and that’s why I was sent here.”
Vira Kentus was the first to stand. “Your data is correct, but who are you to pass judgment?”
He closed his eyes before turning to Vira. “I’m not the one who’s judging you. I was sent to push your people back onto the right path. In order to fight the great darkness, my people have searched far and wide in this galaxy for allies. Long ago one of us came to your people to secure such an ally.”
“Have you any proof of this?” Delne Raekar asked. “You’ve appeared onboard a ship of light, but do you have any real proof of what you are?”
Celestia stood up. “Please Brian, present us with proof.”
He reached under his armor and took out the Amulet of Kali. “I was given this by the Teacher in case of this issue.”
Celestia walked down the stairs and took the amulet from him. She looked surprised. “This…this is an Amulet of Kali, from the era long ago.” She looked at him, amazed at this size and strength. She took out her scanner and used it to check the amulet. “This is at least two thousand years old.” She put the scanner away, gazing at the amulet. “There’s only two ways for someone to obtain one of these. The first is to get it from the head of a noble family. The other is to take the one the Teacher possessed.”
“Is it enough for you Celestia?” he asked. “I didn’t come here to criticize your people. I want to help restore your former glory.”
Celestia handed the amulet back to him. “The proof is accepted.” She turned to the other nobles. “The amulet is proof he tells the truth. Let us except Brian as the Herald.”
Many of the other didn’t look convinced and weren’t afraid to let it show. Most were content to greet him on the floor to shake hands and exchange names. Brian noted for future reference that the nobles of the Kentus, Raekar, Abrus, and Bosar families didn’t care to see him, let alone greet him. He also noticed the pained look on Celestia’s face as it happened.
There’s such obvious conceit in their eyes. He thought to himself. The way the make no effort to hide it tells me how fractured this system is. The way Celestia looks, it pains me. She smiles despite the grim news of her people, clinging to hope that someone would come and save them. No wonder Seles ran away, that’s no way to live.
Celestia went to him once more. “Please Brian; do join us for the Star Festival tomorrow evening.”
“Star Festival?” he asked.
“It’s an annual celebration to honor the day when we first traveled between stars.”
“I’d be honored,” he said.
Chapter 36 – The Festival
Seles sat in her room at the computer and read. She tapped her finger because of pent up energy and frustration. She stood up and went to the balcony, seeing the preparations for the Star Festival. The door opened and in came her mother with a pair of servants rolling a cart full of dresses.
“Seles, I want you to attend the Star Festival this eve,” Celestia said. “It’s only proper for a royal princess after all.”
Sighing, Seles turned and shook her head. “Mother, you know I hate attending parties like this. Anyways, I might try to run away again.”
“Both counts are true.” Celestia smiled. “But we have a special guest of honor to entertain this evening. I’m sure you don’t want to miss meeting him.”
“Him?” she asked.
“Yes. His name is Brian and he claims to be the Herald,” her mother said. “A handsome man if I may say so, even b
y our race’s standards.”
Seles’s face contorted in confusion.
“Why do you look so upset?” Celestia asked.
“Did you say his name was Brian?” Seles asked as she found sanity once more.
“That’s the name he gave us in the High Court last night. He stood so tall and proud, much like the Rakna Maigars of old. He reminded me of my youth, when men still walked amongst us.” Celestia had nostalgia in her eyes. “I really do miss those times.”
Seles went to the cart and looked at the servants. “I can choose my own dress ladies,” she said, turning to her mother. “I’ll go mother, if only to see who this Herald is.”
“I’m glad,” Celestia said as she went to the door. “I’ll send a servant to get you later.” The servants left with their queen and left Seles alone with a cart of dresses to try out. She stood looked through the dozens of dresses provided. After a minute passed, she could no longer hold back a smile as she thought of Brian. A moment later the smiled turned into laughter.
* * *
Brian stood before a large mirror flanked by a pair of servants. He wore a loose fitting black silk outfit and a flowing white cape to match. On his feet and hands were black gloves and boots, and he wore his rakna blade on the belt.
“You look excellent Lord Brian,” the black haired servant said.
“I agree,” the purple haired servant said.
“You’re the best tailors I’ve ever worked with,” he said as he turned to the pair. “You two did a great job.”
Celestia walked into the large guest chamber Brian had been given. “My… I haven’t seen a well-dressed man in such a long time.”
The two servants bowed to Brian and Celestia before leaving. She circled around and looked over Brian up and down.
“I know the texts say the Teacher was a giant, but you’re even bigger than I imagined,” she said.
Heaven Saga 1: The Lost Hero Page 17
