Lost Son

by Marcus Abshire

  I had only a few seconds to marvel at the efficiency of Sessarian’s counter measures when the three other soldiers reached us.

  “I want him alive, the woman is of no use to us, she can die.” He ordered.

  That was the wrong thing to say. My anger rose in me, bringing my surroundings into a greater clarity.

  Remember, they have your strength and speed. Neal counseled.

  I asked as I moved to intercept one of the soldier’s sticks that was descending towards my head.

  The sound of our weapons reverberated through the air. I twisted my sword and swung the baton out and away from us, exposing the soldier’s side. I kicked hard and felt as my boot broke a few ribs, my opponent fell away, letting out a painful breath of air and grabbing his abdomen.

  Sessarian was dodging her own baton assault. I noticed the end of it sparked, like a Taser, and could imagine what would happen if it came in contact with someone’s body. She fought with metal forearm braces, allowing her to block the batons without breaking her arms. They also created a solid base at her wrists and would make her punches more powerful, like large brass knuckles.

  Two more assailants rushed me, hoping to take me down, but I spun from the first and landed a powerful punch to the other guy’s head, staggering him. The third soldier, the one giving the orders entered the fray and I was quickly surrounded by three Atlantean soldiers, each one genetically engineered to fight.

  They just circled me, not paying much attention to Sessarian, which I thought was rather rude. Using the pause in the fighting I tried to draw energy into myself from my surroundings. It was a dangerous gamble, I wasn’t very proficient at it and I had to divert almost all of my attention to do it, but I hoped my display of skill would at least make them wary, wary enough to give me the time I needed.

  I felt the energy rush into me and I quickly channeled it towards my sword, leaving a small amount for myself. I don’t know if it was the way my sword began to glow or the blue light emanating from my eyes, but all three of them looked at me with a growing sense of fear, as if they were fishermen and just realized they had brought in a great white shark instead of a tuna.

  Finally, the leader broke the stalemate first.

  “Do your duty, bring him in unharmed.” He said, then all three of them rushed me at the same time.

  I crouched down and jumped, leaping fifteen feet into the air and with a quick twist and flip landed outside of their circle and next to Sessarian who had just dispatched her own opponent, evidenced by his still unmoving body nearby.

  She looked at me with awe and a small amount of fear, before shaking it off.

  “Not too bad.” She said to me grudgingly.

  “I do Pilates.” I answered.

  Her look of confusion was quickly shifted to alertness as the three soldiers realized I was no longer there and turned to us, attacking.

  I felt strong, stronger than I ever had and I rushed at them, dodging a downward sweeping baton I twisted and backhanded the one wielding it and felt his nose break and saw blood flow as the strength of my punch crushed his face. He fell off to the side, in a clatter as he was knocked unconscious.

  “Forget this, they are going to die.” The other soldier said as he twisted something on the handle of his baton and the sides fell off revealing a very sharp looking sword.

  He swung for my face and I parried his attack easily, but the contact released the pent up energy from my sword. A wave of energy blasted my enemy and knocked him off his feet, sending him sailing into one of the metal tanks, his head and back slammed the unforgiving surface and as he slid to the ground his eyes rolled up into the back of his head and he slumped over.

  Sessarian and I stood next to each other, facing the last soldier, daring for him to attack. He quickly realized he was out gunned and turned to flee, like a mouse running for a hole. He got about ten feet away when a bolt pierced the back of his neck and he fell over, dead.

  I spun around to see Brigand holding a crossbow, slowly lowering it.

  “What the hell did you kill him for, he wasn’t attacking!” I yelled, rushing Brigand.

  My lord, be careful. Neal warned, but I didn’t care.

  “He would have reported of your existence and we would have had a whole unit down here, with much more firepower.” He stood firm, unyielding.

  “What gives you the right to kill him?” I bellowed.

  “There are things one must do during war that are not pretty, but must be done none the less. Now, when their patrol does not report, they will think it was just another skirmish, another day of fighting.” He returned.

  “War? What are you talking about, who’s at war?” I asked, stunned.

  “You truly are unaware.” He said like that fact was just dawning on him.

  Sessarian stepped up next to me, placing a calming hand on my arm.

  “We have been at war with Karakatos for years. We have been waiting for a way to end the bloodshed and the madness. We have been waiting for you.” She finished, looking at me with a newfound sense of respect, it was unnerving.

  “Me? I’m only interested in saving my friends and then getting the hell out of here. I’m not fighting your war.”

  “Be that as it may, you are now here. You and the Warlord’s paths will cross.” He said, turning towards the unconscious soldiers.

  He pulled out a small blade, intent on finishing them off.

  “Wait, you don’t have to kill them.” I said, staying his hand.

  I thought.

  Yes, my lord. He answered.

  I asked.

  I will try.

  “Why not, they will waken soon and then we are right back to where we started.” He argued.

  “My friend here has some unique talents. He can make them forget the last few minutes. The memory loss will not last forever, but it should hold for a few days, enough time to get us to safety and do what I came here to do.” I explained.

  “He can truly do that?” The skinny guy asked.

  “Yes.” I answered.

  Neal went to the first soldier and leaned down, placing his forehead against the unconscious man’s. There was a surge of energy, then he flopped as if he had been electrocuted. He slumped over again, this time sleeping deeply. He went to each in turn and did the same thing.

  “There, now you don’t have to kill them.” I said to Brigand.

  He looked at me with skepticism but said nothing, he just grunted and turn and walked away.

  Sessarian and the other guy began to follow Brigand; Neal came up to stand at my side. Sessarian looked back at us and nodded her head for us to follow. I took one more look back at the unconscious soldiers, wondering what the hell I had gotten us into.

  We quickly left the large mechanical area behind and soon entered an area that seemed like it had long been forgotten. The hard rock ceiling was almost twenty feet above us and when we passed something in the ceiling glowed, emitting a soft yellow light, allowing us to see. We hurried down a wide walkway while on either side of us were small living areas.

  The structures looked like Adobe huts, each one large enough for a small family to live in. Some of them had crumbled, leaving large mounds of rubble behind, while others still held their form. I had the feeling like we were walking through an old West ghost town; I expected to see a tumbleweed roll by any second.

  “Where are we?” I said aloud.

  Brigand was in the lead with the second guy behind him and Sessarian third, right in front of me.

  “These are old family settlements, during the first few generations workers would live here with their families while they explored the earth for minerals, and harvested the fish that were caught.” She explained.

  “What happened?” I said looking around at the emptiness.

  “Over time the population dwindled, in order to make life manageable. The need for aggressive expansion and
fishing dwindled.” She said.

  “But the people still needed food and resources.” I said, interested in what life was like down here.

  “Yes, and as the technology for farming and energy renewability increased, so too did the need for places like these dwindle.” She swept her arm out to the side, encompassing our surroundings.

  My thoughts drifted to the struggles mankind faced on the surface. I wondered how efficient the renewable energy she spoke of was and what something like that may mean to the systematic problems created from reliance on current energy sources.

 

  Yes, my lord. It is as she has explained it.

  I asked.

  There is one nearby, we are actually heading towards it. It may be best to try it, allowing us to gain the information we need without exposing ourselves to more trouble.

  I finished.

  We settled into a comfortable silence and eventually left the housing area behind us. We entered a long and straight tunnel, its walls carved smooth. After what seemed like ten minutes it opened up again, onto another small settlement.

  As soon as we exited the tunnel I knew this place was different. It still looked like the first place but the feeling I got wasn’t the same. Here I felt the presence of others. Even though I couldn’t see anyone I knew they were here none the same.

  There are a large number of people here. I sense at least one hundred individuals interspersed throughout the structures around us. Neal intoned.

  I sent back.

  Interesting, you have never been able to sense others before. Neal thought.

  I sent back.

  Brigand turned left, in between a few small huts, then abruptly darted through the doorway of the one on the right, followed by the second guy and Sessarian. Neal and I stood outside for a second before I took the plunge and entered.

  I stood in a small living space, its bare walls and floor made it look like an empty vessel waiting for someone to fill it with their presence. I saw Sessarian as she crossed through another door, this one at the back of the entrance room.

  I fully expected another empty and dreary room, but was surprised to find a well-furnished area. Brigand had already sat down in a comfortable looking chair and the other guy went to stack Brigand’s crossbow against the wall, next to a large assortment of bolts.

  Sessarian stood against one wall, her arms crossed. Neal and I just stood where we entered, waiting.

  The interface is near. Neal sent.

  “So this is a nice place you got here, what’s the mortgage on a place like this?” I asked.

  “I do not understand.” Brigand said, looking at me quizzically.

  “He is being sarcastic. I believe he’s referencing some above surface practice of paying for your home.” Sessarian said, narrowing her eyes at me unapprovingly.

  “My, you know more than you let on.” I teased her.

  “So tell me, what is a soldier in Karakatos’s military doing in a place like this?” I asked.

  Her eyes widened in surprise for a second before she shifted off the wall, standing with her hands to her side, she was getting ready to fight.

  “Do you dare question my loyalty?” She fumed.

  “I’m just curious, I mean if you think about it, you were a loyal soldier, but you obviously bailed on that responsibility, unless you’re still working for them?” I knew I shouldn’t push her so hard, but I just couldn’t help it.

  “Why you!” She took a step towards me with anger in her eyes.

  “Sessarian!” Brigand said, stopping her.

  “His questions are legitimate. We agreed to give each other explanations. Karakatos is our enemy; remember it took a while for us to trust you as well. He would be a fool not to be weary.” Sessarian backed down, but she was still obviously upset.

  “Jessif, please let the others know we are safe, but do not tell them about our guest.” Brigand said.

  I was about to protest, but he held up a hand, halting me.

  “I know we agreed to no communications, but if we don’t, they will look for us, the first place would be here. He will not tell about you, I promise.” I knew Neal would have been able to detect any electronic communication, but not what was actually said. I guess I was just going to have to trust them.

  “Ok, fine.” I said begrudgingly.

  Brigand nodded to Jessif and he left.

  I don’t like it my lord. Neal worried.

 

  “So, let’s not hide our wants and needs.” Brigand started.

  “Sessarian’s past has been an invaluable asset to us; it was she who first made us aware of Karakatos’s true intentions. You see, we know about your history, we know who your parents were and we know what Karakatos wants you for.” Well that was a surprise, hell even I didn’t know what he wanted.

  “Oh really, and what’s that?” I asked nonchalantly, trying to act as though I was testing him and not really looking for an explanation.

  Brigand nodded to Sessarian, who stepped forward.

  “I have been working for Karakatos ever since I came of age and entered into service. At that time he was in charge of a squad, me being one of them. We did routine patrols and once in a while got the honor of hunting in the open waters. It was on one of these patrols that we came across a strange vessel. It was of a design we had never seen before and made of wood. There were large metal devices that drew Karakatos’s attention.” She paused for a second.

  “They were cannons, weren’t they?” I asked.

  “Yes, they were. Such a simple and primitive weapon, yet they mesmerized him. We also found a few bodies on board that were dressed in strange garb and who carried swords and even a few pistols.”

  “The rest of our patrol wanted nothing to do with the old wreck, but from that day on there was something different about Karakatos. He became obsessed with it, going out whenever he could and spending hours on board. I think for him, it was proof that we were not alone, that there were others out there.”

  “It was only later that I learned I was right, not only that, he knew they were far more primitive than we. I don’t know when or how, but at some point he decided to go to the surface, which he did. I don’t know what he encountered, but I think it was after this trip that he came back a changed man.”

  “He became driven, obsessed with power and knowledge. He strove to find out what had happened to send us to the bottom of the ocean and he grew more and more brutal.”

  “He had convinced our patrol that we were destined for something greater, something far more than just hunting and keeping guard over a dead city. Then one day he had us exploring an area we had never been before, an area of the city that we all had been taught held nothing and was abandoned. He posted us to keep watch and went into a newly excavated site. Curious, I followed. I watched as he met one of our scientists, they got into a heated discussion and at the end of it he pulled out his sword and killed him, in cold blood.”

  She took another pause and turned from me, the memories bringing up pain and betrayal.

  “When I confronted him he talked about a new age for Atlantis, one of power and dominance. I was scared, part of me was intrigued, excited for a future he described, but another part of me knew it would not come peacefully, not without death and destruction.”

  Neal came over and sat next to me, I absently rested my hand on his head.

  “I hid my growing understanding of the type of monster he was and played along, knowing I had to find out more. Eventually he accepted me into his inner circle and it was then I found out about the Fall, the King and Queen and your existence. When I realized he planned on opening the rift again and wanted to use its power to rise from the ocean and usher in a new age of Atlantean control, I kn
ew I had to do something.”

  “Look, I appreciate your desire to share, but I already know Karakatos is trying to open the rift, what I don’t know is why he wants me here.” I said.

  “We are not completely sure, but we think it has something to do with your abilities, passed down to you from your parents.” Brigand spoke up.

  Sessarian walked back to again lean on the wall.

  “Well, no shit Sherlock.” I got up and paced back and forth.

  “I don’t have time for this; Neal and I are in hurry. If there is nothing else, I think we will take our leave.” I said turning towards the door.

  “You will not be able to access the interface you are looking for.” Brigand said, startling me.

  I turned to him, narrowing my eyes in suspicion.

  “How did you know about that?” I asked.

  “I have my own sources of information. We know the Warlord has shut down all interface modules, at least those he knows of. We also know that he has two people in custody, two people that arrived recently and who came from the surface.” He was staring at me intently, letting me know he had something I wanted.

  I walked towards him; Sessarian moved off the wall and stepped closer, ready to intervene should I present a threat to Brigand.

  “You know where they are?” I asked, getting upset.

  “No, not exactly, but I know how to find them.” He said.

  If what he said about the interfaces are true, it would present a very large obstacle for us in finding our targets. Neal offered.

  I thought.

  Indeed.

  “So what do you want?” I asked.

  “I just want you to answer a few questions.”

  “Ok, ask away.” I answered.

  “You understand what we are dealing with. You know about the degeneration amongst our people. We are slowly deteriorating, but we can do nothing about it. The Warlord has control over our ancestor’s genetic materials. He is creating a world where his will is enforced with lethality and our people are beginning to wake up from its long slumber.”