1 The Dream Rider (12 page)

“What did you do before the war, before Mallock came to
your world?”

“I grew up on a farm. My parents were both farmers, hard
workers. They both were also capable fighters. Everyone who grows up on the
plains is taught to fight from a very young age because of the wild beasts that
roam the land.

“When I was of age, I joined the king’s army. I quickly
rose through the ranks, impressing the many of the officers above me. It was never
my intention to be in the army for the long term. But sometimes, life takes you
on a path you never expected.” Taurus became reflective for a moment before
continuing. “I was made a general after only seven years in the military. No
one had ever risen to that level that quickly before. My knowledge of tactics
and my abilities in combat were unmatched, though. Eventually, I was given
control of the entire army of the plains, and command of over 20,000 warriors.”

I swallowed hard. “That’s a lot of people to be
responsible for.”

“Yes. It was.” His tone was heartbroken, full of regret.
“I let them all down. Most of them died under my command.”

“You can’t think of it that way,” I tried to comfort him.
“Like you said, there was nothing you could do. They had superior technology
and weaponry.” I could see him lower his head for a second, remembering the
course of events.

“Their ships were so fast,” he recounted. “Their guns
knocked out our defenses in minutes. Our flying vessels went out to meet them
in battle, but we were too slow, and our air forces were all but wiped out. The
guns we had seemed to have little to no effect on Mallock’s war machines. When
I saw we would not be able to take them on in open battle, I ordered a massive
retreat. The people of the plains evacuated their homes and ran to the hills
and forests just outside city. It was there we changed our strategy. We tried
to use guerilla tactics.”

“Ambushes? Hit and run? That sort of thing?” The American
Revolution had been won, due in part to those kinds of tactics.

He nodded. “For a while, we experienced minor successes:
take out a supply convoy here, a battalion there, but we were merely annoying
insects buzzing around the giant. Eventually, Mallock sent the bulk of his
forces into the forest to deal with us. My people were slaughtered, trampled
under his foot by his machines. I fought harder than I have ever fought before.
My years of hard labor on the farm had made me strong. In the battle, I killed
dozens of Mallock’s men, some with my gun, most with my sword.”

“You fought men who had guns with a sword?”

“When the quarters of battle become tight, and you are
only a few feet away from your enemy, proximity becomes the great equalizer.
Amid the trees and thousands of Mallock’s soldiers, my blade was just as
effective as any gun. I left piles of their bodies on the forest floor as I
ripped through their armor and flesh, stabbing and swinging like a raged beast.
But there were too many of them. I began to tire, and towards the end of the
battle could barely move my hands. I dropped the sword on the ground next to my
feet and fell to my knees, exhausted, ready to die. The rows of soldiers parted
and I looked up to see Mallock walking towards me. He eyed me with a curious
glare and smiled mockingly for a moment before he said, ‘you’re a strong
savage.’ After that, he ordered his troops to bind me and take me aboard the
prison ship until they could construct a suitable place for their captives. A
few months later, they’d turned these mines into a prison. I’ve been here ever
since.”

His story was unreal. This man was a great leader, and
apparently, a fierce warrior
;
a general of an entire
army. The gravity of his tale hit me hard.

I looked over at him. “Your name is Taurus?” I asked, just
trying to make sure.

“Yes,” he replied solemnly.

“I hoped so. I worried that blow to my head knocked a few
screws loose. My name is Finn, Finn McClaren.”

He smiled. “I know your name, dream rider. Everyone does. You
are the one the prophets promised would come. Whether you choose to accept that
or not.”

“Everyone is looking at me like I am something great, like
I am supposed to do all these great things. I’ve never done anything great in
my life.”

It was Taurus’s turn to snort a laugh. “Then I suppose,
Finn of McClaren, you are well overdue.”

I wish I could say I woke with a start, that the noise of
the jailers opening the gates roused me from a deep sleep. But they didn’t. I
may have slept only a few minutes during the course of the night, if any. The
image of Darwinius and his imposing physique sat front and center in my mind’s
eye. I doubted that he lost any sleep over the thought of fighting me the next
day. My wiry frame had never served to intimidate anyone.

I stared up at the ceiling from the little cot in the
corner. I was trying to make sense of all the things that had happened in the
last few days when the voices of the jailers began to echo through the halls
and into my cell. They had arrived pretty early. I knew the games would begin
sometime in the evening, but other than that I was pretty much clueless as to
what else would happen leading up to the fight.

Two guards I’d never seen appeared at my door; apparently
they weren’t forced to work in twenty-four hour shifts. They were both armed
like all the others. One held out a metal stick, similar to the one that had
shocked me the night before. I’d seen people get tasered on cop shows from time
to time. But I’d never known what it felt like until that guard had struck me
with his wand. I doubted the devices police used on Earth were that powerful.
It wasn’t something I wanted to go through again.

“The night guys said you got to feel what one of these can
do,” the shorter of the two grunted in a gruff voice. “Bet you don’t want to
feel it again, eh?”

The other guard held out the strange bonds they’d begun
using after I’d broken the cuffs from the first day. I shook my head slowly but
said nothing.

“I didn’t think so. Now give me your hands, nice and
slow.”
 
As I extended my hands out
I could see there were at least a dozen other guards in the corridor and no one
else’s cells had been opened.

“If you don’t mind my asking, where exactly are you taking
me?” I decided I wanted to know the agenda for the day and hoped my question
wouldn’t unleash another strike from the metal rod.

The man clasped my hands together and shoved me out into
the hall where I was caught another guard, while another dozen kept their
weapons trained on me. “You’re going to the game quarters like all the other
gamer frags,” he said.

I looked out into the training room and saw various
similarly gathering fighters from different groups. There would be eight of us
in all, if I’d read the roster correctly the day before. My fight would be the
last one of the evening. Odd, I thought, that I be given the main event.
Perhaps it was meant to be an insult to Jonas.

My eyes darted quickly back to Taurus’s cell. He stood at
the barred door, staring out at me with a confident face. The muscles in his
face relaxed slightly, and he nodded at me from behind his window as I was
ushered by.

I wished that I shared his confidence, but I felt like I
was being carried off to my execution. The only comfort I held onto was that it
was a dream and, if things went the way they had lately, even if I was killed I
would simply wake up back in my dorm room. The thought of being back at my
university gave me a little hope. Maybe that was all I needed to do; let
Darwinius kill me, and I would wake back up in my bed.

Those thoughts were interrupted as I was guided past Petra
who stood behind his door, looking angrily at me. Then it hit me. If Darwinius
beat me he would earn his freedom. I could tell the idea of his nemesis going
free burned Petra’s heart as I walked by. Our eyes met and he held me with his
fiery gaze. He wanted me to win, but I could see he didn’t believe it was
possible. The man who had taken everything from him would go free while he was
left to rot in prison, resigned to the hope that someday he, too, could fight
his way out to freedom. The guards led me around a corner and out of sight, but
even when we were gone I could still feel Petra’s eyes searing through me.

The guards guided me into a large antechamber where set of
train rails awaited. As soon as we entered, an electric transport, similar to
the one from before, pulled into the area. There were several more guards on
board, two of which jerked me into the center car. It had never really stopped
moving before speeding back up, carrying us into the dark of an adjoining
tunnel. It didn’t smell quite as bad as the air in the prison but still wasn’t
exactly fresh. There was still a musty odor that seemed to permeate everything.

Up ahead, I could see a brighter light beginning to shine
into the tunnel. It appeared to be coming from another station. A few moments
later, we were bathed in the radiant glow. The room the little train stopped in
was different than anything I’d seen up until that point on Sideros, a stark
contrast to the dingy prison. The station was decorated with opulent, golden
statues and pillars. Matching arches led through different doorways, one of
which had white marble stairs in front of it. The walls were painted in a rich
burgundy and led up to a white, arched ceiling that was accented by a
gargantuan crystal chandelier.

“Spare no expense for those about to die, eh?” one of the
guards said cynically. I didn’t give him the satisfaction of a response. I
couldn’t think of one anyway.

The two that had sat next to me stood up and lifted me
from the seat, handing me over to two more men on the ground. Several more
stood in the doorway and parted like the Red Sea to allow us through. There
were candles lit on wall sconces on either side of us as we passed, the golden
stands that held them shimmered in the dancing light of the flames. We turned
to the right and crossed a threshold that opened up into another vacuous space.
It was decorated similarly to the previous area:
 
golden pillars in the corners, the dark reddish paint, and
high ceilings. This room, though, had a large banquet table in the center. Food
of every kind imaginable was laid out on the surface:
 
fruits, breads, vegetables, meats, and cheeses. I was a
little surprised that all of it looked like the same kind of stuff from back
home. I suppose I had expected some kind of alien food with strange textures,
shapes, and colors. Not that I was disappointed. I was starving. The only thing
I’d had to eat the previous day was some of the soupy stuff Jonas had given me.
My stomach growled as if sensing the feast that lay before me.

The guards stepped behind me and unlocked my bonds. “This
room is secure and we will be watching your every move.”
 
The one who spoke pointed up at cameras
in each corner. They started backing away and as the door was closing, I heard
one of them say something about wasting food on frags like me.

The sound of a bolt sliding into place ended with a click,
leaving all alone in the chamber. For a minute, I just stood there looking
around. There were a few side tables near the walls. Candles like the ones in
the antechamber flickered brightly. Another doorway was opposite of the one I’d
come through. It, too, was closed, and I assumed, locked.

“Please,” a man’s thin, nasally voice suddenly resonated
through the room, “sit down and eat. You’re going to need your strength
tonight.”
 
Something in the tone of
his words didn’t sound like he cared. He tried to speak like someone who was
dignified, but it just came off as irritating.

My head twisted around for a moment before I saw a screen
materialize on the wall off to my right. The man I’d seen in the balcony of the
training room was there. His black hair was pulled back tight in a ponytail,
accentuating his narrow, birdlike face. He lifted a hand as if pointing to the
lone chair sitting at the end of the table, facing the screen. I shuffled over
to the banquet and sat down, eyeing the food suspiciously for a moment.

“It isn’t poisoned,” he said, seeing my apprehension.
“Better you die in the arena to the applause of the mob than in a cell
somewhere underground.”
 
I ignored
his derisive comment and picked up a piece of bread that looked like it might
be sourdough. It was still warm, and when I broke it in half a thin waft of
steam escaped from its soft center.

The man on the screen watched intently as I put a piece in
my mouth and bit into it, tearing away a smaller section. The bittersweet
flavor reminded me of the best sourdough I’d had on Earth. I’d never been to
San Francisco, a place famous for the stuff. But I imagined it was comparable
to what their bakeries produced. I reached over eagerly and grabbed a
strawberry and was delighted by it’s juicy, sweet flavor as I took a bite.

“Eat all you want,” the face said. “While you are eating,
I will go over some things you need to know. Since you are new to the games, it
would serve you well to listen.”
 
I
continued grabbing an assortment of foods and piling them onto my plate as he
spoke. “My name is Jari. I am the game master.
You have been
chosen by the emperor himself, a rare honor for any prisoner, to compete
tonight against Darwinius
. Your match will be the last of the evening,
so please do your best not to die in the first few minutes.”
 

I stopped chewing for a minute to retort, but he continued
too quickly for me to say anything. “There are four fights. The last one,
yours, is considered the main event. After you are finished eating, you may
enter your suite to spend the day however you choose. Through those doors,” he
pointed at the doorway to my left, “is an elevator that will take you to your
suite. Two hours before the games begin, you and the other fighters will be
picked up by an armed escort and taken to the arena where you will be paraded
around with grand fanfare before the cheering throng. Again, the crowd enjoys a
showman, so please do your best to entertain them.”

I looked around the table for a remote control but was
disappointed. There was no remote control, no way to shut off the device or
mute the voice emanating from it. I decided if I couldn’t shut him up, maybe I
could get some information that might be useful. “What happens if I win?” I asked,
swallowing a hurriedly chewed piece of bread.

The image grinned fiendishly. “We both know that is not
going to happen. However, if you win you will be taken back to the prison. Your
victory will be marked in your record. Earn 30 wins, and you will be set free
with a full imperial pardon. Also, as a reward for your victory, you will be
given a week’s worth of food. Good food. Not like the stuff the rest of the
prisoners receive. You will be permitted to spend one night in your suite
before returning to your prison cell.”

Sounded like a way to soften up a fighter if you asked me.
“And what if I refuse to fight?” I offered.

Jari laughed under his breath. “Then you will die quickly.
However, Darwinius does enjoy toying with his prey, so you may not die as
quickly as you would hope. My suggestion is that you at least run around for a
while. It may buy you a few extra minutes of breath. Now, unless you have any
other questions, I will leave you to your meal. The doors to the elevator will
open when you stand in front of them. You will have seven hours before the
guards arrive to escort you to the arena.”
 

I stared into his dark eyes. There was something hollow,
evil about them. I shook my head slowly. He’d explained pretty much everything.
He probably wouldn’t answer the questions rolling around in my head anyway.

“Good then. I will see you tonight. You will be able to
choose any clothes that are in your suite and any armor that is provided.
Tonight’s games will be a battle of swords. There are several for you to choose
from in your room. Please have your weapon and clothing chosen before the timer
hits seven.”
 

The screen faded off and I was alone again.
Swords
. I was
glad he’d not said some exotic weapon I’d never heard of. Still, my opponent
was a trained and effective killer.
And
the most I had managed was accidentally killing a few guys. I was only trying
to get free from them; I had not meant to kill anyone
I thought about the strange
occurrence with the guards in the front of the building. I would find out soon
enough whether Jonas was right about me or not.

My stomach started feel full from all the food I’d gorged
on. I stood up and scooped up another piece of bread, just in case I got hungry
later. I made my way over to where the game master had said and stopped at the
two brushed brass doors.
A few seconds later the doors parted
and revealed my reflection in a mirrored elevator wall.
My clothes were
dirty and my hair looked like it hadn’t been washed in a few days, probably
because it hadn’t. I’d had so many other things going through my mind that I
hadn’t spent a lot of time thinking about my hygiene. I needed a shower, and a
fresh set of clothes. I was hoping my new room would have such accommodations.

I stepped into the elevator and the doors closed instantly
behind me. I spun around quickly and noticed there was no button panel. The
thing must have worked automatically, remotely, or with some kind of sensors.
There was a quiet hum as the lift moved faster and faster, carrying me upward.
It seemed to be moving for over a minute before it began to slow, finally
easing to a stop. The doors opened again, this time to a new setting. Brilliant
white walls of a short hallway led into a spacious villa. As I moved through
the doors, I heard them close automatically behind me. To my left, a decorative
table with wrought iron and a thick wooden top adorned the narrow entryway. The
ceiling shot up at a high angle, flattening out as it ran to the far wall.
Giant windows looked out upon the city below. I wasn’t sure how high up the
room was but the view was truly amazing. I walked by a white leather couch with
red and black seat pillows and a round glass-top table to get a closer look
through the window. A black leather chair sat across from the sofa and long, shiny
silver lamp stood nearby.