The Renewal

by Joseph Ferguson

  Chapter 36

  Sara sat in the queen’s throne mounted upon the floating dais dressed in the red formal gown that ZonTaylor insisted she wear. She rubbed the blue gemmed bracelet that donned her left wrist from which the images of her son being tortured continually passing through her mind. She hated it. She hated him yet she had to follow him because her son’s life depended upon it. He made her dress up in the red formal gown to play the part of his queen. She hated that too. What she did to Treyson, she had no choice or ZonTaylor would have killed him on the spot and maybe even her son. Plus now Treyson got to go back to Earth though his death sentence was still upon him he wouldn’t have to die here. She too longed for home, for the way it used to be. The thought made her eyes tear up.

  She watched the portal as if it was a giant movie theatre screen. She knew which one was her husband though the people of the Earth would not recognize him. Her eye’s followed him hoping he would live, but knew he would not lift his sword against the people. She wanted to be there with him, but knew ZonTaylor would not allow it. Her son would die for sure, that is not a choice she is willing to make. Maybe if there was a distraction one that would give her enough time to get there to tell Treyson she loved him and get back before she was missed. Yea right, she thought.

  She was glad he had lowered the dais, why, she wasn’t sure maybe because the resistance was dead and there was no one left to challenge him. She had a better view and could watch Treyson better from her seat. Maybe too that’s why he lowered it so she could watch him die. The view of the battle was better from here for ZonTaylor too. His people could see him easier and watch his defiant stand; she thought it more to be arrogance. For the first time ever she had saw fear on ZonTaylor’s face when the girl sang causing his tanks to stop moving so they could be destroyed. Some type of magic she decided.

  Tears streamed down her face as she watched him run towards the battle with raised sword. She wanted to close her eyes as he would surely meet his death there but a cry from her son caught her attention; turning her head she noticed that the robotic nursemaid was already comforting him. She glimpsed also the sword that Treyson wore when he came to save her, the same that ZonTaylor had taken and now kept with him at all times. She could hear the crying and the screams that accompanied war. She would have to watch she needed to see him. She watched as he fought yet not injuring just acting the part. She knew it was only a matter of time before he went down. Then it happened and a smile came across ZonTaylor’s face, a spear was shoved though Treyson’s stomach and out the other side and he went down.

  An alarm sounded from one of the death scouts, but it was too late. A man dressed completely in black appeared out of nowhere leaping onto the dais swords drawn in both hands. ZonTaylor dodged but too late as blood oozed from a cut on his cheek. In haste he produced both laser sword and shield as she heard him say, “The last of the En family. Finally a fight worthy of my skill Charles you honor me, but I will still have to kill you.” She watched as swords clanged again and that ZonTaylor’s attention was given wholly to his adversary. This is the distraction she needed, she thought while turning to look at her son, “I’ll be back for you,” she whispered. Her decision was quick as she grasped the sword of MacAlistair and slipped over the side of the dais. The fall was more than she anticipated and she landed on all fours with her hand holding the engraved scabbard getting cut. Blood and stinging pain began to trickle out so she switched the sword to her other hand, pulled up her gown and ran. She made it unhindered to the portal then slipped through.

  Home!

  She was elated and the sun felt good. She could still see the images of her son being tortured, but something else echoed in her head. “You are the rightful heir” she heard in her mind as she ran towards Treyson. It was an odd voice that seemed to be calling to her yet not audible. The anguish of battle and death was everywhere, her compassion and nursing skills began to kick in, but she wanted to get to her husband. Blood was dripping from her hand; she realized her racing heart was making things worse so she wiped it off on her dress. She was getting close to the fighting when she heard singing yet not the girl as before, but someone else. The melody led her eyes to a woman with dark hair kneeling before a short ruddy man who had fallen with no visible wounds. The song coming from her was beautiful though she didn’t understand it. One man stood before her fighting two others keeping them at bay, protecting her. The white crystal embedded on a long staff that lay beside her began to glow as she neared and she heard, “take me you are the rightful heir.” She stepped unbothered passed the melee before her and bent down putting her bloody hand on the scepter. The song came to an abrupt end as the woman glared at her, “What are you do..,” is all she heard while picking it up.

  “Command with me, I am yours,” she heard it say as the knowledge of its power became hers.

  Her mind processed images given her by the scepter with the need to unite the sword and the scepter.

  She stood looking around at her people. “I am your queen,” she shouted. Her voice carried enhanced by the scepter and the battle seemed to halt as everyone even the enemy stopped to look.

  “Kneel,” she spoke as all the people even some of the enemy could not resist her power and knelt before her. Others ran back towards the portal fleeing the power of this woman.

  She held the scepter up, “my people, fight for the Earth.” Stepping past those that was between her and Treyson, “get out of my way,” she commanded. They moved with haste scrambling to get out of Sara’s way.

  The Galdar crawled and knelt before her, “my queen, we have been waiting for you protecting your scepter.”

  “Rise, Galdar,” Sara said motioning to her. “I need to get to my husband,” she continued while stepping around her.

  “Your husband,” she inquired?

  “He was disguised so he would be unrecognizable and be killed. He is Treyson McAlister and he went down right over here.” She found him lying on the ground on his side. She could tell his life was gone. She was too late. She laid his sword beside him then she pulled off the chain around his neck that carried the image and the disguise devices. His appearance changed back. She bent over and kissed him.

  “The sword and the scepter cannot be united. The rightful heir Treyson McAlister is dead,” she said as she rose. “We must prepare to fight. He will send the death scouts soon and they are merciless,” she spoke loudly.”

  “Treyson is dead?” she heard a woman sob as she came and knelt before her.

  It was the woman who had sang when the tanks were destroyed, “Yes, he is dead. You seem familiar,” she said looking down on her.

  “I am Elisabeth, my twin sister Esther was one of those with Treyson.”

  “I remember her; she fought and killed one of ZonTaylor’s students. She fought with honor and with skill. Rise and stand with me Elisabeth.” She rose and stood beside the Galdar. She commanded all to rise and make ready to do battle. “My son is on the other side of the portal. I must leave to go and get him.”

  “My queen, you must not. We need you here to finish the battle,” the Galdar said as she bowed her head fearing the queen.

  “It is ok; you may speak plainly to me Galdar. But I know ZonTaylor will kill him if I do not go to him before the battle ends.”

  Alanasse stood before her, “my queen, I am your servant Alanasse. When the battle is over I will go and retrieve your son.”

  “I cannot wait until then. Gather the people and make your stand right here by the lake. I will be back as soon as I get him,” she said looking at Alanasse.

  “At least let me send some men with you,” he answered.

  “Every man will be needed here, Alanasse. This next battle will be a vicious one for they have great power with the technology they wield.”

  Elisabeth spoke up as the Queen started walking towards the portal, “let me come with you my queen.”

  “You too will be needed here. I can feel your magic is strong.” A
gain she moved in the direction of the portal alone, when she heard a young girl’s voice.

  “Princeth it’s me thuzy. I remember now”!

  She turned and saw a small girl with black hair and thick glasses run and kneel before her. A large blond headed man was running behind her trying to keep up and calling her name. She smiled when she saw her recognizing the downs syndrome. “Rise,” she said, but Suzy had already risen.

  “I know what to do, Princeth,” she said as ran the other way.

  “My queen do you know who she is,” the Galdar spoke as she knelt towards Suzy?

  “Yes Galdar, she a giver,” she said as she too knelt. All the people followed her lead even Luke who was standing beside the girl.

  “They are rare. I have never seen one before and only know of them from tales told me as a child. We are blessed,” the Galdar said in a whisper.

  They watched as Suzy knelt beside Treyson touching the wound in his stomach with one hand and the other she placed on his cold forehead. Looking back at Sara she smiled, “I am the giver, Princeth. Everything will be ok.” She looked back at Treyson. After a few seconds they watched a bright aura form around them both. The glow continued to increase in brilliance until they couldn’t look at it anymore.

  “Sara,” she heard after a few seconds. She looked up. Treyson was partially sitting up staring at her and Suzy was gone. She quickly got up and ran to him falling into his arms.

  “I’m sorry I said those things, ZonTaylor made me with this,” she said showing him the bracelet. “I love you,” she said as she kissed him. They kissed for a while until they heard someone scream, “They’re coming through.

  “It’s the death scouts,” Sara said as she stood up. Treyson too stood though a little wobbly looking at his sword laying on the ground wondering how; then he picked it up.

  “We need to unite the sword and the scepter, before they do. We cannot defeat them by might,” Treyson said while releasing the clip and pulling the sword from the scabbard. “We will need magic to win.”

  Sara held the scepter up, “I agree let’s bring back magic.”

  Treyson slid the sword through the slit on the scepter side. For a second nothing happened then a multicolored wave from the crystal on the scepter seemed to explode outward shaking the Earth and spreading quickly with a rippling effect into the distance. Sara turned towards the portal and ran leaving the scepter still connected to the sword, “our son,” she yelled as it started to fade then blinked, then disappeared. She got to where the portal had been, tears were streaming down her face.

  Treyson caught up and embraced her, “we will find a way to open it.”

  “It is impossible my queen,” the Galdar spoke as her and Elisabeth had followed, “magic has returned and a portal to that world cannot be opened again for a very long time.”

  “Our son,” Sara sobbed, “ZonTaylor will surely kill him now.”

  “We don’t know that,” Treyson said. “Maybe Esther or Ye Min can get to him first.”

  Elisabeth joined them with tears streaming down her face she began to sing for Esther.

  “Our only hope is a man called EnCharles kills him. They were fighting when I left,” Sara said looking at him. “We will never see our son. That will be hard.” Sara put her head on his shoulder feeling his tight embrace.

  “We must try to go on and hope for the best,” he whispered in her ear. “At least now we have each other again and I will never leave you,” he promised.

  Treyson lifted her chin with his hand then kissed her, “I missed you and thought I had lost you. I can’t believe it.” Pulling from a pocket he retrieved the little stuffed bear she had given him at the airport, “I never gave up hope,” he said with a big smile.

  She took it from him and exclaimed, “I told you he would bring you back to me!”

  Solemnly they walked arm in arm back towards the people.