Echoes Of A Gloried Past (Book 2) (14 page)

“What about Khamearra?" the ambassador asked. “The High King could move against our homes while we are in Shandara.”

“The High King is not interested in your kingdoms at the moment,” Colind said. “Khamearra is ripe for a civil war, but the focus of the High King and the Elitesmen will be in Shandara. However, the growing trouble in his own kingdom will put him off balance to a certain degree. We’re not going to solve all the problems in this room at this very moment. We will be in contact with our friends in Khamearra, who, I expect, will cross paths with the Resistance.” The ambassador was about to ask another question when Colind cut him off. “I’m sorry, but I did not get the pleasure of your name?”

“William of Lorrick,” the ambassador said with a slight blush.

“Nice to meet you, William,” Colind answered.

William of Lorrick chuckled. “Lorrick borders Khamearra. Perhaps we can offer some assistance to the party in the city.”

Colind pursed his lips in thought, glancing at Tersellis, who nodded back. “An intriguing thought. Thank you. I think we’ll take you up on that offer.” The man asked good questions and seemed willing to help. He had anticipated more adversity, but the kingdoms that would offer the most resistance like Zsensibar were not present. 

Most of the men in the room, despite not knowing all the details, gave their oaths. It was a small thing, but great things often came from small beginnings. Colind and Cyrus shared a brief nod of understanding. The group began to speak in earnest about what could be done in the short amount of time that they had. Colind was surprised to learn that the camps outside of Rexel were mirrored in other kingdoms as well. News of the return of the Alenzar’seth had traveled throughout the land. Zsensibar had not joined their coalition so far, and held Cyrus personally responsible for its missing prince.

“My Lord,” Jopher said to Cyrus. “I wish to return to Zsensibar and convince them of the threat we face.”

“Of course,” Cyrus said and looked toward Captain Morgan, who nodded back. “We should get things in order here first then speed you to Zsensibar without delay.”

Jopher gave a respectful bow and listened to the rest of the proceedings in silence.

Colind watched with a sense of awe as the representatives from the neighboring nations worked together. Perhaps the groundwork that the Safanarion Order had laid for such a day had not been in vain. Once again, the spark of hope beat a bit brighter from within his chest. Colind glanced out the window to the west and hoped that the small group in Khamearra was safe.

C
HAPTER
9

THE RESISTANCE

WITH the scattering crowd, Verona scanned the area for a safer spot so they could continue to watch the guards. Eying a nearby side street, Verona noted the ladder that led to the roof, a habit instilled into him since his youth as trouble always had a way of finding him. He gestured toward the ladder, and Roselyn nodded. They climbed up to the rooftop and kept a low profile. Verona watched as the captain conferred with his lieutenant while scanning the area.
The man is smart.
The captain made a small circle upon his brow paying tribute to the Goddess Ferasdiam, which was all but outlawed in Khamearra. Roselyn appeared to be about to say something, but Verona motioned for silence so he could listen to the captain address his troops. Colind had stated they would find allies in Khamearra, but until now he had doubted the claim. The city lived in fear of the Elitesmen, which included the guardsman that didn’t partake in the corruption so evident throughout the city. The captain, while seasoned, looked to be young as far as district captains went. He should know, as he had his run-ins with district captains in most cities he had visited, be it his home in Rexel or some other kingdom. Verona wondered how long the captain had held his post here in the city.

“What sort of captain tells his men they are not safe in their own city?” Roselyn whispered.

Verona didn’t make eye contact with her for fear of becoming tongue tied as he had been afflicted of late. “A smart one,” he answered.

After the guardsmen took the body of the Elitesman away and the miners all but faded into the crowd, which began to disperse.

Verona looked at Roselyn, and even with her golden eyes disguised, they still held her fire and beauty. “We should follow the captain,” Verona said and glanced behind them.

“What about Aaron?” Roselyn asked.

Verona glanced up the street, looking for his friend, but said nothing.

“Are you always so quiet?” Roselyn asked.

Quiet … Me? 

Verona felt his tongue fill his mouth as he struggled to get it under control under Roselyn’s disarming gaze. “No, my Lady,” he said looking away.

Roselyn reached out to him. “Did I do something wrong?”

Verona mustered up his nerve and looked back at Roselyn. “Never, my Lady,” he answered. “I am curious as to how you caused the Elitesman’s arm to pull away from the child’s throat?”

Roselyn pulled out a small black oval-shaped device that fit into the palm of her hand. “It can pull most metals with varying degrees of strength. I focused the field upon the sword and pulled,” she said with a grin that set his heart pounding. Is this how Aaron had felt when he first met Sarah? How could he stand it?

“I’m sure those children appreciated you keeping them from harm's way. That was very brave of you,” Roselyn said.

“Only the worst sort use children as leverage,” Verona said. “One can expect nothing less from an Elitesman.” 

They stood upon the roof, watching the guardsmen go their separate ways, but it was the captain and his lieutenant heading down a side street that held his attention. Roselyn gently laid her hand on his arm, and he turned to see a cloaked figure coming down the street.
Try as he might, Aaron often struggled to blend in, but the man stuck out like a sore thumb. One could easily attribute it to his great size, as he was taller than most men, but Verona knew it was his bearing, the proudness of his stance, resembling that of a stalwart defender to the sound of his voice when he spoke. No, there were some things that could not be concealed. Untarnished idealism exuded from his friend and was absorbed by most in his company, causing them to give more than they ever thought they could. Verona was no fool and knew his life had little direction before crossing paths with Aaron. He had spent most of his life stirring up mischief where he went, but he also tried to help those in need as well.

Verona sought the calmness within, focusing his energy as Aaron had taught and reached out toward his friend. Aaron immediately looked up to their position and dashed down a side street.

“Did you just communicate with him?” Roselyn asked.

“Yes. It’s something that Aaron was able to teach Sarik and myself,” Verona answered.

Roselyn’s eyes lit up. “But how do you do it exactly? What did he teach you?”

Verona swallowed. If she was going to keep looking at him like that, it would be a wonder if he would ever form a coherent thought again. “He taught us to be able to see the currents of energy all around us. To be able to draw in their power and use the energy within and outside of ourselves. I can’t do all of the things that Aaron can, but there are some things that I can do.”

“Can you show me?” Roselyn asked.

“I will try, my Lady,” Verona answered and began to focus himself. His perceptions immediately sharpened as before. It was getting easier as both Sarah and Aaron promised. He drew in the energy from the air into himself and then reached out to Roselyn. Her lifebeat pulsed in rhythm with her heart, and a golden hue surrounded her form as the rest of the world faded away. He reached out to her, with the yearning in his heart bearing all the beauty that filled his soul when he thought of her. For the briefest of moments, their energies collided and intertwined.

Roselyn’s sharp intake of breath broke his concentration, and the energy dissolved around them. Verona’s eyes found Roselyn’s shocked expression, but the spell was broken when Aaron joined them on the roof.

“Hello,” Aaron said.

Curse you, my friend.
Verona thought and gave him the perfect excuse not to be looking at Roselyn though he longed to do so. “No worse for wear, I take it?”

“I’m fine,” Aaron said. “I think we should head to the Elitesmen stronghold.”

Verona frowned. “I think we should follow the captain this way. There have been some interesting developments,” Verona said and recounted what they had overheard from the guards below. He watched as Aaron took a second glance at the looming towers behind them and nodded.

“Good call,” Aaron agreed. “The stronghold is not going anywhere.”

“That's right, and they refer to it as the Citadel of the Elite,” Verona said. 

They set off, quietly following the captain and his lieutenant from the rooftops with Aaron leading the way. Before Verona could follow, he caught sight of Roselyn looking in his direction in that disarming way of hers. She still looked puzzled, but the way she watched him left Verona wondering just what he conveyed across their connection, brief as it was.

They tracked the captain as best they could from the rooftops, but keeping out of sight in the middle of the day posed a bit of a challenge. So far, they had been able to evade detection. The buildings became older and in rougher shape than the other parts of the city Aaron had seen thus far, which impeded their ability to follow as closely as he would have liked. 

Aaron scanned the buildings ahead and caught a glimpse of a dome-shaped building that reminded him of the temple he had emerged from when he first came to Safanar. Roselyn slipped on a roof tile, sending it sliding to the ground. The captain suddenly stopped and looked in their direction. They hugged the rooftop, hoping that they could remain hidden. After a few moments, Aaron chanced lifting his head.

“We’re going to lose them,” Verona whispered.

“I think I know where they’re going,” Aaron answered and led them in a roundabout way toward the dome-shaped roof he had seen. 

The roof had collapsed in a few places, which allowed for them to move in closer. The captain and lieutenant were joined by the other guards that Aaron recognized from before. They settled by one of the openings where they could listen to the men speak. The lieutenant stepped to the head of the men and addressed them.

“I am a descendant of the De’anjard, Keepers of the Watch, Shields of Shandara,” the man said with his fist across his heart.

Aaron locked gazes with Verona, both eyes wide with shock.

“The De’anjard are here?” Aaron whispered.

“Apparently,” Verona whispered back. “We should tell Eric and Braden. Perhaps they might know more.”

They listened in silence as the lieutenant spoke to the guards, telling them that he was part of the Resistance in Khamearra and how they had been working toward bringing down the Elitesmen and the High King. Aaron was surprised to learn that the captain was ignorant of any of these activities. He couldn’t help but glare at the captain. How could the man partake in such actions, even with an Elitesman pointing a sword at his back?

The lieutenant spoke of older Elitesmen who were indirectly involved with the Resistance, and Aaron wondered if they knew they were serving an organization being headed by the former Shandarian Army. He knew the older Elitesmen did not approve of the current regime, or so Beck had told Sarah while he trained her. Thoughts of Sarah made him yearn to touch the ever-present connection with her that he felt in the furthest reaches of his mind. It took all his will not to open himself to the connection. Not for fear of what he would find, but for fear of the pain he would cause the woman he loved. He silently cursed the Hythariam and their technological advances that gave birth to such a vile creation as the Drake. No, it wasn’t their fault, he reminded himself. He was dealing with a computer program of sorts, created with a specific task to bring down the barrier between worlds. As complex and advanced as the Hythariam technology was, the core problem the rogue Nanites were sent to solve was the barrier. After having ascertained the problem, the artificial intelligence afforded by the rogue Nanites created the solution that he was now a part of, and one that he hoped to break free of if he could.

Aaron turned his attention back to the guards as they began to split up into groups and exit, leaving only the captain and lieutenant in the temple. They spoke in hushed tones, but the bladesong burned inside him and sharpened his perceptions so he could hear the men speak as if he were next to them.

Family … the captain had a family. It was not a sword to the back that the captain feared, it was the threat to his family. Aaron felt a mixed sense of loathing and sympathy for the man. Yet was he any different? Would he not bring down the barrier between worlds if it would save Sarah’s life? The question hung there in his mind, tearing his heart in two. He was torn between doing what he thought to be right by giving the people of Safanar a chance to prepare for the coming war and his heart's desire to save the woman he loved. Aaron glared bitterly at the sky as if it somehow had a part in the hand that fortune had dealt him. The barrier was weakening as the land beneath Shandara continued to unravel. Would weeks or a month make a difference in the survival of this world?
Two weeks at the most.
Roselyn’s estimation before the Nanites fully assimilated Sarah to the point that anything worth saving would be gone. Aaron turned back to the two men as they exited the building, and his gaze drifted toward the fountain. The statue of the Goddess stood proudly, her gaze staring resolutely forward.
Focus, Aaron
, he thought to himself.

“Are you okay?” Roselyn asked.

Aaron banished his dark thoughts, “I’m fine. Did either of you hear their names?”

Verona nodded. “I believe the captain’s name is Nolan, and his lieutenant’s name is Anson.”

Aaron brought his comms device out from his pocket and clicked the call button for Eric and Braden. After a few moments and hearing a few grumbles from the device, they heard Eric’s voice.