Ashes of the Realm - Death of an Empire (Ashes of the Realm (Book Three)) (19 page)

“I’m nervous about this Trey.”

“Join the club but wait here.”

“You have thirty minutes and then I’m coming after you.”

“Fair enough.”

Trey walked through the door just as Jingo and Grang arrived and the building disappeared.

T
rey heard the door slam shut behind him and thought about seeing if he could teleport out but then he heard music. There was a gentle melody filling the air and it grew louder as he walked up the wide hallway. He looked up at the ceiling and saw that it was more than a thousand feet high. He knew that this structure existed outside the normal space/time of a universe and that it was controlled by different laws. He continued walking and the music grew louder. He noticed that each of the giant columns had a large torch burning that cast light in bright circles ahead of him. He knew he should be worried but just couldn’t bring himself to feel it. He stopped, turned off his armor, and continued walking up the long passage. He saw another doorway in the distance that had bright light emanating from it. Time ceased to exist and he had no idea how long it took him to arrive at the door. He stopped, reached down, and took off his shoes. He stepped through the door and saw a room about fifty yards wide by thirty yards deep. Sitting on some pillows next to the far wall was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She smiled and motioned him forward. Trey walked up to her and sat down on one of the large cushions.

“I see you finally found me.”

“I really didn’t know I was looking for you.”

“You just didn’t allow yourself to see it.”

Trey looked around the room, “Why am I here?”

“Why to find yourself.”

“I didn’t know I was lost.”

The woman smiled and Trey was amazed at her bright green eyes that seemed to stare into his soul, “That is the first step to finding who you are.”

“Who are you?”

“I’m really not a who or a what. This body you see is not real.” She looked at Trey and said, “Did you know that this planet was the first place where life appeared?”

Trey tilted his head, “I’m not sure I know what you mean.”

“Life began somewhere and you happen to be where it first appeared.”

Trey suddenly knew who he was communicating with, “How long ago?”

“The number is too big to express in terms you could grasp. It was from here that it spread and became what you know today. This was the first universe. Now life is being threatened and you are the one selected to defend it.”

Trey lowered his head, “Did my parents have to die for me to exist?”

“Why do you think they’re dead?”

Trey looked up suddenly, “They are no longer with me.”

“Neither is Cassandra but you can feel her, even now.”

Trey nodded and thought about what the woman was saying, “Why did you want me here?”

“I want to show you my children and I have a gift.”

“I’m ready.” Suddenly Trey’s mind was filled with a view of all creation. He could see it in its entirety and he saw the evil moving to consume it. He felt the heartbreak of the woman in front of him and he sensed the trillions being killed. He collapsed unconscious.

The woman reached forward and ran her fingers through Trey’s hair and stroked his head. She leaned down, kissed his cheek, sent him a thought, and then she disappeared.

* * *

Grang and Jingo saw the building disappear leaving Trey lying in the dirt unconscious. They rushed forward and lifted his head. Cassie immediately felt him and started trying to get him to respond. Kreej felt Trey’s mind and suddenly felt something happen inside him. It felt like he was opening a door into his mind that had been closed. He looked at where the building had stood and bowed. Grang and Jingo’s attention was on Trey and they didn’t see Kreej’s bow. The Empire was going to be turned upside down and at that moment no one knew it but Kreej and an unconscious Trey.

* * *

Trey awoke and remembered his vision. He felt Cassie calling him and he thought to her, “I’m ok.”

“What happened in there?”

“I can’t show you until we’re released. I hope you’ll trust me on this issue.”

Cassie looked at Trey’s thoughts and saw that she didn’t have access to the memory of what had happened inside the temple, “Just answer this question, is that temple what was pulling you to that universe?”

“Yes, it was.”

“Did it help you?”

“More than you know and you’ll understand when our time comes.”

“You’re different, Trey. Your mind is not like it was the last time I talked with you.”

Trey paused and looked at the spot where the temple had been, “I know.”

“Do you still love me?”

Cassie waited and felt an unimaginable fear that she had lost him; Trey smiled and sent her his emotions. She was overwhelmed and felt her heart burst with happiness, “I love you more now than ever before. You are my heart Cassandra Reese. You will always be my heart.”

Trey looked at Kreej and saw his heart. He walked over and Kreej lowered his head, “I’m going to miss you.”

Kreej slowly shook his head, “You will be our Ruler.”

“I know. It’s just life is going to be different.”

“You know what we are going to be doing and we have no choice but to do it.”

“Gather the Flyers at New Hope and we’ll meet you there.”

Jingo and Grang watched the two communicating telepathically and wondered what was being said. Trey stood and looked at his two adopted Fathers and reached out to pull them close, “Contact your Flocks and have them report to New Hope. I’ll let TK know to be there as well.”

Grang looked at Jingo and said to Trey, “What happened in there? You were only inside that door for less than a second.”

“It was much longer than a second, Father. I have been given something that I’ll never forget as long as I live.”

Jingo shook his head, “I don’t understand.”

“I’ve witnessed the heart of Creation. Everything is connected and we all have a role in the great scheme of things.” Trey looked at them with his eyes bright, “Some of us are expected to make a difference.”

“Are we done in this Universe?”

“The work isn’t done but the workers are going to change.”

Trey mounted Kreej and lifted for their last flight.

* * *

Timmy, Virze, and the other members of the Command Team stood on a platform that overlooked the vast field where the thirty five thousand Flyers were gathered in orderly ranks. Timmy wasn’t sure what was going on but Vring had formally requested a meeting with the Flocks and had suggested that it was critical that he come. Carter leaned over and whispered, “Do you know what this is about?”

Timmy shook his head, “I have no idea. The Commander’s of the Flocks also have no idea why this meeting was requested.”

“Does Trey know?”

Timmy looked around and didn’t see Trey, “I suspect he does and this might be something he’s behind.”

The thirty thousand Riders were standing beside their Zord and all of them looked bewildered. Something was going on that was causing a change in their relationship with their partners. Timmy looked at Jingo, “Do you know what’s happening?”

“No, I don’t, Your Majesty. However, whatever it is, it’s related to Trey entering that temple.”

“What temple?”

“He walked through a door into a temple and the building disappeared leaving him unconscious in the dust. Something happened to him and it has also affected the Zord.”

“How do you know the Zord were affected?”

“Kreej was different after the event. Something had changed in his demeanor. I don’t know how to explain it but something happened.” Jingo looked out over the assembled Zord and said, “Can’t you feel it? There’s something different about them.”

Timmy turned and looked at the huge gathering and saw that the Zord were not talking with their Riders. They were all focused on the Reviewing Stand as if they were waiting for something to happen. He looked at Virze and saw she felt it as well. “It looks like we’re waiting on Trey to arrive.”

Trey was high overhead on Vring, “I know how you feel about this, Vring.”

“I feel like I’m being disloyal to White Hair. It pains my heart to know he would be hurt by our decision.”

“You have not gone against your promise to do this.”

“How can you say that? I’m going to break an oath I took.”

“No you’re not; how can you even think that? Your Father promised to defend White Hair and his people until that mountain on El Prado fell to the ground. Are you saying you won’t come to our defense?”

“Well, of course not.”

“Then you have not broken a promise. Take me down to the clearing in front of the Emperor.”

“Trey, White Hair is so proud of you. I know your parents are as well.”

“I know. Let’s go get this over with.”

Vring screamed and everyone looked up to see the huge Zord diving for the Clearing. Every Zord on the plain lowered their head and bowed to the incoming Flyer. The Riders saw their mounts bow and bowed as well. Timmy saw their response to Trey’s arrival and wondered if the time had come for Trey to assume the throne.

Vring landed and Trey dismounted and looked up at the leaders of the Empire, “I thank you for coming here today, Your Majesty. There has been a fundamental change in our relationship with our Zord friends and they have asked me to inform you what that means.”

Timmy stood and walked up to the podium and looked down at Trey, “What do you mean a fundamental change?”

Cassie sat in her room and watched Trey. She had not been able to determine what was going on and wondered what he was talking about. She sensed that his mind was now more powerful than hers and his psychic abilities had been tremendously magnified. She closed her eyes and listened to what he was going to say.

Trey turned and used his telepathy to say, “Please rise, Flyers.”

The thirty thousand Zord and Riders stood straight and the Zord stood on their back legs and towered over the assembly. Carter looked out and the view was overwhelming. Something big was about to happen.

Trey faced the Zord and bowed deeply to them. He held that posture until all the attendee’s on the Reviewing Stand and the Riders also bowed. Vring watched and felt his heart fill with respect and admiration for the beings his Flocks had chosen to join so many years ago. He thought, “Please rise.”

Trey stood up and smiled. He looked at Kreej standing next to Vring and felt his love. He shook his head, took a deep breath, and turned to face the Emperor. “Your Majesty, the Zord are going to leave us today.”

The immediate shouting was loud and the loudest were the Riders standing beside their partners. Trey watched as each Zord told their Rider to be quiet and listen. After ten minutes silence ruled the gathering. Paul stood by TK and felt his heart fill with love for his nephew. He took TK’s hand and squeezed it. She turned and saw his feelings. She was shocked at Trey’s announcement but looked in Paul’s mind and saw that he knew this was something wonderful. She relaxed and moved closer to him. He put his arms around her and pulled her close.

Timmy looked at Trey, “Have we done something to offend them?”

Trey shook his head, “No, we haven’t. They have been given another quest and they have no choice but to accept it.” Trey turned and faced the Flyers, “The Zord are a creation of the force that brought life to creation. They have been evolving to prepare them for a war that they must win. They have now reached the point where they are ready to begin that struggle.” Trey turned back to the Reviewing Stand and smiled, “I am going to share a vision with you that I was blessed to be given. I am going to show you Creation from the eyes of the Creator.” Trey sent the vision of all Creation to those assembled and he saw the impact it had on the gathering. The thousands present stood in awe and were speechless. They saw all the universes and dimensions in one giant vista. The magnitude was almost more than could be visualized. They also saw the suffering and destruction that was happening all across that vast vista. They could feel the sorrow and mourning over the trillions that were being killed by aggressive species that preyed on helpless civilizations. They could feel the deaths of not only intelligent creatures but the animals and plants that were being destroyed by ruthless attackers that destroyed planets. The attackers were numerous and were growing in numbers.

Trey waited until he sensed that everyone was back to the present moment. “Creation is being attacked by evil forces that are killing numbers beyond our ability to count. Balance is going to be lost unless those forces can be stopped. The Zord are the ones that will fight to bring balance.”

Grang yelled from the stand, “How can they stand up to those forces? They aren’t strong enough to take on most of those beings we just saw. Even the Heramu killed more than a hundred Flyers.”

“The Heramu no longer exist.” Everyone took a quick breath. “Kreej and I have destroyed every one of their ships and planets after we left the temple.”

Grang was struck silent. Jingo said, “How did you do that?”

“The Zord have been evolving into beings that are Creation’s immune system. Just as when our bodies are attacked by a disease, our immune system creates antibodies called white cells that attack the invading disease. It has taken billions of years for Creation to create and release its defenses against the evil infecting the universes. The Zord have now been activated and are fully functional.”

Trey looked around and no one said anything. He turned to Vring, “Would you please show this assembly what I’m trying to communicate?”

Vring looked down at Trey and nodded. He spread his wings to their full expanse and suddenly he turned bright blue and appeared to be a blazing ball of blue fire. The huge Review Stand lifted and hung suspended ten feet off the ground. After a minute it was lowered back to the ground and Vring changed to normal color and folded his wings.

Trey said, “The Zord are psychic beings and they have now been released. Their power is on a level beyond what we can comprehend and they are going out into the universes to fight the growing evil. They are compelled to do this and it is their reason for existing. We will have to face our enemies without their help.”