Clouds of Tyranny (18 page)

It only took them a couple hours to reach
the tracks. Within ten minutes of their arrival the train arrived,
the train was eight passenger cars long colored the same as the
Velxeer guard’s clothing and flag; crimson and black with gold
wheels. The double doors in the center of the third car parted
gaining the Returners entry to the train where two armed guards
stood; two at each door no doubt. Inside the car was luxurious with
bench booths surrounding tables; about eight sets in this car. The
four of the Returners sat down as the guard that had led them to
the train walked the opposite way after showing them to their
table. “I’ve never been there. How long will it take?” asked Chuck.
“This train can get us there in a matter of hours,” answered Locke.
“I’d like to know what this is about…or is it a secret?” asked
Locke directing his question to Smith. “It’s just a treaty signing
as far as I can tell, but stay on your guard all the same,” said
Smith clearing his throat as a Velxeerien waitress walked toward
them holding a tray of cups. “Fresh coffee gentlemen?” asked the
young girl. “For everyone, yes.” Said Smith answering for everyone.
Smith waited for the girl to leave before speaking further, “Hold
it!” ordered Smith pulling out an eyedropper filled with a white
thick liquid. “Lets find out there real intentions,” said Smith
squeezing a drop into each cup. The coffee didn’t change. “Okay,
it’s safe. No green,” assured Smith. “You aren’t very trusting, you
know that?” said Ray smiling. Smith ignored it, “Locke?” “Yeah?”
said Locke looking at Smith as he picked up his steaming cup of
coffee. “I need you to do me a favor.” “A favor? I didn’t know we
were that close.” “I need you to be respectful of the king, that
means bowing and being polite.” “The king? He’s a kid, more like a
prince.” Smith glared at Locke. “Damn,” moaned Locke, “Fine, I’ll
do it. I’ll be respectful, but I refuse to be ‘nice’.”

“
How much further?”
inquired Terra as the three of them climbed over the small mountain
trail leading to the coast. “Just over that next hill,” bubbled
Pearl who was giddy with excitement to see Elizabeth. “Your gonna
love Sandria, Ter,” chirped Ruthie. Terra wasn’t much of a climber
but as making due. Terra looked up the top of the hill where Pearl
was standing and Ruthie was extending her hand to help Terra up.
When Terra was finally pulled up to the peak of the small hill she
saw what Pearl was gazing at; the coastal town of Sandria. It was
truly beautiful with straw huts raised off the sand along the coast
as close to the water as humanly possible, brick diners with
colorful roofs and their names spelled in bamboo, and a large
building made of logs with dozens of windows sat in the center of
it all. Sandria was closer than Terra had first thought. Pearl
began to run down the other side of the hill toward Sandria as
Ruthie and Terra followed her lead.

After a brisk jog they
arrived at the entrance to the large log building that served as a
motel/hut rental. Pearl went up to the service desk followed by her
two companions. “Pearl! How have you been?” asked the desk
attendant; a middle-aged woman with curling dark brown hair and
full lips. “Busy,” answered Pearl, “Any huts available or rooms?”
“We have all.” “Great,” said Pearl turning to Terra and Ruthie,
“What would you girls like?” “We’ll share a hut. Right Ter?”
giggled Ruthie at Terra. “Sure,” nodded Terra. The attendant handed
a key to Ruthie as her eyes caught something behind them as she
smiled at Pearl. Pearl turned around to see a woman in a silk wrap
around her legs going down to her ankles and an orange bikini top,
with blue eyes and golden blonde hair. Terra stared at the tall
woman thinking that she was the most beautiful woman she had ever
seen,
Why cant I look like that.
Pearl walked up to the woman, “Liz,” she said as
the woman’s eyes shuddered. They wrapped their arms around each
other and shared a long sensual kiss complete with swirling tongues
and heavy breathing. Terra’s jaw dropped. She leaned over to
Ruthie’s ear, “That explains a lot.” “Can’t believe it took you
this long to figure it out,” retorted Ruthie.

“I need to get some practice,” whined Clyde
at Lars. “No, I’m in charge and I say you can’t leave HQ till the
Doc says okay.” “How am I gonna be loose and ready for the battle
if I cant even stretch my legs?” “Fine, I’ll tell you what: tonight
you can accompany me to Harmon. It will be late so the danger
should be minimal.” “Now you’re talking.” “Can I go?” asked Alex
walking into the dining area. “I don’t see why not-“ said Clyde
before being cut off by Lars, “No! Official Returners business.
Sorry.” “Okay, I’ll just find something else to do in the
meantime,” said Alex walking back to the women’s dorm.

Chuck stared out the window while Smith
reread the document over and over again, Locke sat stoic in
thought, and Ray was taking a snooze. After less than two hours of
railroad travel Chuck saw Velxeer castle approach in the distance.
The castle had a large door at the entrance with six guards
standing in front as well as a balcony wrapping around the top of
the castle with many more guards walking back and forth watching
for threats to their kingdom. The castle was not only a home for
the king and his men but within the castle walls lay the town of
Velxeer complete with inns, blacksmiths, doctors, a church, and
numerous shops. Hanging around the castle is numerous flags with
the insignia of Velxeer; a red flag with black stripes going down
the edges with a bow and flaming arrow in the center pointing
toward the sky. Locke kicking him from under the table abruptly
awakened Ray. “Huh?” he said gurgling awake. Locke pointed out the
window toward the town they now approached closer and closer. The
castle was a beautiful monument, ironically surrounded by a vast
desert. The train let out a loud horn followed by a cast iron gate
lifting from the west side of the outer castle wall. The train
slowed as it came closer to the now agape entryway. The boy who
delivered them to the train entered their car. “Gentlemen; this
way,” said the boy pointing them to the door they boarded the train
at. The four of them got up and Ray followed the guard along with
Chuck and Locke until Smith stopped Locke by putting his arm across
his chest. “Remember what I said,” urged Smith to Locke.
“Right.”

When they exited the train they saw the city
of Velxeer; the courtyard was abundant in green grass, cheery
faces, and a reflecting pool in the center with a statue of a burly
man in full knight’s armor holding a broadsword up to the heavens
while he stood over the body a large tusked beast. Locke tipped his
head down in remembrance. “Who’s that?” asked Chuck. “King Stratus,
the current ‘kings’ father,” answered Locke, “He was a good
man.”

The first thing Smith and his men had to do
was meet the current child-king and discuss whatever it was he
needed from the Returners. After waiting an obscenely long time for
their audience they finally were shown into the king’s chamber. The
four of them walked up to the king, who was sitting patiently in
his throne, and kneeled before him and bowed their heads; Locke
hated this, he hated bowing to any man. “Arise,” spoke the king and
the four of them stood up to face him. “I am king Luther.” He was a
very young man, no more than eighteen, he was only a king due to
his father’s death but was seasoned considering he had been acting
as king since his father passed four years ago. “I have asked you
here for diplomatic purpose. The imperials are pressuring us to
offer up our kingdom for their use; building camps, refuge in my
castle, and supplies for their cause. When I say ‘pressuring’ I
mean of course threatening us with invasion.” Locke nodded, as he
knew very well of how the empire worked, “Give it to us or we’ll
take it.” “Precisely. So, what I propose is that rather than sign a
submission of land to the empire, we sign an agreement of treaty
with the Returners that would say whenever you need Velxeer’s help,
you have it. This agreement would be delivered to the empire and if
they so much as stop in Velxeer to make a bowel movement they’d be
declaring war not only with Velxeer but the Returners as well.
Maybe that would make them think twice.” “That sounds like a
reasonable plan,” confirmed Smith. “What do you get out of it other
than words?” asked Locke. “Well, when we call on you for
assistance, you oblige us. That and everything you know about the
empire I want to hear,” answered the king looking at Locke. “Is
that it? Or do you have a mission in mind?” inquired Ray. “Yes, I
do need something from you before you return home,” said the king
standing up. “Which is,” asked Locke. “I need a few days of your
time then I need one of you to stay for several more weeks,”
requested the king. “Impossible I’m afraid,” said Smith pivoting
his head from side to side, “We have something planned in eight
days that requires all my best men.” I will send a dozen men back
with you in exchange. Will that help?” Smith looked to his men,
“Yes it will.” “Who’s stayin’?” asked Ray.

It was early evening as Alex rod her S250
iron horse across the plains approaching Pan’dier. As she raced
through the grassy horizon, she thought of what had transpired in
Pan’dier a few days ago, when she had first met Locke. What would
it be like when she got to Pan’dier? Would the Empire have
evacuated since they had left or were there more of them now? She’d
be back in the lion’s den in less than an hour, but luckily it’d be
dark when she arrives.

The air was getting more chilling in Sandria
as the night closely approached. Terra sat in the sand looking at
the sun dip into the beautiful ocean with her arms resting on her
knees in her newly purchase yellow sun dress. “Mmmm. I like this,”
she whispered to herself as she listened to the waves crash in and
slowly recede. Then, she heard the door to her and Ruthie’s hut
open from several yards behind her. Terra turned to look and saw a
young boy of about sixteen walks out the door and turn around to
kiss Ruthie lightly on the lips. They smiled at each other as he
walked away to go to the inn. Ruthie saw Terra and quickly skipped
over to her and sat down. “This is magical isn’t it?” asked Ruthie.
“I don’t know, I wasn’t watching or listening. That’s your business
Ruthie,” joked Terra. “No, silly. This place is magical. So
beautiful. I wish the rest of the continent was beautiful like this
and empire-free.” “Who was he, I didn’t have time to ask before,”
inquired Terra. “An old friend I enjoy being with when I can. It’s
getting cold, you should come inside.” “Just a few more minutes.”
They sat together as they watched the orange sun cool itself into
the ocean until finally putting itself out for the night. They
walked back to their hut and slipped into their respectable beds.
It was dark except for the tiny beam of moonlight that peeked in
through the hole in the ceiling. “Terra?” “Yeah Ruthie?” “Thank you
for being my friend.” “No, Thank you Ruthie.”

For the last mile leading up to Pan’dier,
Alex thought it best to walk the vehicle to the town seeing as how
it was a noisy machine and it would give away her presence. She
parked her vehicle in the forest behind the town in the same bush
it was housed a few days earlier. She slowly stalked around the
town looking for threats; she dared not enter back through the
underground corridor beneath the library seeing as how what
happened last time she was there. She climbed over a tall wooden
fence and found herself in the middle on someone’s backyards that
had a bunch of junk; rusted sheet metal, dried weeds most likely
being turned into mulch, and lots of dead grass. Alex stealthily
crept up to the backdoor and peeked through the small window to see
the living room filled with sleeping imperials. Alex put her back
to the outside wall and took a deep breath as she rubbed her amulet
with her right hand, the gripped the brass door knob and began
turning it clockwise very slowly. She walked through the door and
closed the door leaving it gaped a crack as to not make any
unnecessary noise to alarm the Empire’s military. She tiptoed
through the sleeping men struggling not to slaughter them all in
their sleep. She eventually made her way to the front door and
looked back at the sleeping men, then exited through the front
door. She peeked her head out to see nobody patrolling the town;
only guard dogs. She looked down to see a burly Doberman looking up
at her and wagging his tail. Alex kneeled down and began patting
him on the head and whispered, “They didn’t tell of my defection,
did they?” Alex’s view of the dog became black and she felt a hard
thump on the back of her head.

Alex awoke with a splitting headache and
felt her hands numbed from the roped binds that tied her wrists
together, behind her back as she sat in a chair with her ankles
tied to the front legs of the cold chair. She slowly opened her
eyes, which only increased the pain in her head, to see the dark
room around her with two shadows across the room. Alex pulled her
wrists and felt the tightness of the rope around them. “Déjà vu,”
sighed Alex. “What’s your name, imperial?” said one of the figures
moving slightly closer. “I’m not an imperial, name’s Alex Gematria.
I’m a Returner.” “Returner? The dog embraced you as a friend,” said
the other figure without moving. Alex thought for a moment,
If I
tell them I’m an ex-imperial, they’ll probably kill me anyway.
“I have a gift for animals, they always like me. Is that a crime?”
The two men came into the beam of the moon to show their faces. The
man on the left was an inch over six feet with a five o’clock
shadow, dark eyes, and short brown hair. “I am Terrance and this is
Franklin,” said the tall man motioning towards his friend. To
Terry’s left was a shorter man with beady eyes, long sideburns
almost to his chin, and long auburn hair down to his shoulders.
“What are you doing here?” asked Terrance. “Scouting for more
soldiers to assist us with a counter attack in Harmon,” responded
Alex. “What’s happening in Harmon?” inquired Franklin. “Well, we
have obtained an anonymous tip that the Empire will be attacking
Harmon in about a week. Their goal is to make Harmon just like
Pan’dier. So, you guys can let me go or you can come with me.”
Franklin’s eyes got wide as he heard Alex speak, giving her the
assumption that he was game. “We’ve got our own problems,” said
Terrance sternly, “Untie her and send her on her way.” Franklin
removed a small cutting knife from behind his back and walked
behind Alex in order to reach her wrist bindings. “I wish you
luck,” said Terrance turning around and headed for the door. “Meet
me in the forest in one hour,” whispered Franklin as he cut the
ropes from around her wrists. They were now free and she began
rubbing her palms together in an attempt to try and get the blood
flowing once more while Franklin cut off the ropes from her ankles.
When he was finished he stood and looked at her as he handed her
dragon blade back to her and held up his index finger. Alex gave an
affirming nod to the fact that they’d be meeting in the forest in
one hour; this seemed promising.