Echoes Of A Gloried Past (Book 2) (15 page)

“Yes, hello?”

“It’s Aaron,” he said. “We just learned something that I think would interest you. The De’anjard are leading the heart of the Resistance here in Shandara.”

They waited, hearing the comms device shift hands as more cursing came from the other side. Verona chuckled, and Aaron sighed. They will learn.

“Is there some way you can seek them out?” Aaron asked.

“This is Braden. Eric hates these tiny machines. Did I hear you correctly? The De’anjard are here in the city?”

“Yes,” Aaron answered.

“Okay, we’ll be on the lookout for the signs. If they really are out there, we will find them,” Braden said.

“Good luck,” Aaron said, and Braden wished them well.

Verona laughed, “New toys.”

“Yeah,” Aaron chuckled as he put the comms device away. “This could help us out, if the De’anjard are, in fact, in the city.”

“Fate or coincidence, my friend?”

“I’ll take what I can get,” Aaron answered, glancing back at the statue then turning back to Roselyn and Verona. “Let's head toward the Citadel of the Elite. I just want to take a quick look at the place, and then we can rendezvous with the others.”

They made their way back toward the main streets, abandoning the rooftops due in part to the buildings being taller and closer to the looming dark towers of the Citadel of the Elite. The streets were once again filled with people going about their daily lives, but an occasional few glanced at the dark towers with trepidation. There were two dominant towers encased in smooth black stone that could be seen skyrocketing over the fifty-foot walls that surrounded the Citadel. The progression of the walls had an octagonal shape. The wall didn’t bother him, as Aaron knew he could clear it if he needed to, but Verona and Roselyn had no chance. He would keep his word despite the urge to charge in blindly, plus he didn’t even know if the travel crystals were held within the Citadel walls.

The top of the towers ended in a jagged crown, and it was one of the highest structures in the city, rivaling the High King’s palace. Between each of the spires were glowing yellow orbs, the purpose of which escaped him. Verona grabbed Aaron’s arm and gently pulled him toward the side of the street, and the crowd shifted of its own accord. There were four Elitesmen in their black uniforms along with four teenagers marching among them that couldn’t have been more than thirteen or fourteen by Aaron’s summation.

“Initiates,” Verona whispered.

Aaron clamped his jaw shut and turned back to the group. The Elitesmen strode forward, firm in their authority, followed by their four initiates, who had almost the same arrogant gleam in their eyes. They were followed by a smaller group of younger boys and girls dressed in little more than rags. All looked fearfully at the Citadel of the Elite. Aaron turned toward the gates and saw more guards and Elitesmen upon the towers and along the walls. 

One of the boys with dark hair bolted from the group. An Elitesman turned and gestured with his hand, sending a blue orb streaking toward the fleeing boy. 

SMACK! 

The orb struck, sending the boy down ten feet from where they stood. Aaron felt another set of hands on him and saw Roselyn shake her head helplessly. They couldn’t interfere no matter how much he wanted to. Two of the initiates ran over and lifted the boy up. One of the initiates admonished the other for being too rough then carried the scared boy back in line with the others.

A bald man in a dirty white apron glanced in their direction, narrowing his gaze, “New recruits,” he said.

Aaron nodded back. “Are they always brought against their will?”

A look of surprise flashed across the bald man’s face. “Not to worry, they will soon be like all the rest if they are to survive in there. The Elitesmen Order doesn’t tolerate innocence to any degree. Some are used for training and others as targets for future Elitesmen.”

The bald man headed back into his shop.

Aaron turned toward Verona. “I had no idea they recruited children.”

“Neither did I, my friend.” 

Roselyn pursed her lips in thought. “Makes sense though doesn’t it? Easier to bend to your will.” Roselyn’s frosty tone wasn’t lost on any of them.

 Aaron glanced back at the walls and inventoried all the guards and Elitesmen. “There are so many of them.” He summoned the energy into himself and sent it out toward the Citadel. The caw of a crow sounded overhead, and Aaron felt as if the ground were swallowed away beneath his feet. Then the feeling was gone. He glanced back toward the gates and watched as the last of the new recruits went beyond his view. How could anyone let this happen? He was beginning to understand Captain Nolan’s predicament regarding the Elitesmen’s interest in his children.

“I know that look, my friend,” Verona said. “We can’t save everyone we come across.”

Aaron sighed, “We can’t turn a blind eye either.”

“What are you suggesting?” Verona asked.

Aaron frowned. “I’m not sure. We can’t just do nothing.”

Verona put his hand on Aaron’s shoulder. “Your heart is in the right place, but we can’t do anything about it now. I suggest we circle the walls of the Citadel the best we can. Have a look around and then make for the meeting point with the others.” 

Aaron stared silently at the gateway to the grounds, refusing to look away, but Verona was right. They couldn’t do anything about it right now, but he vowed to himself that he wouldn’t abandon those children. The wide-eyed look of the dark-haired boy as the Elitesman’s orb struck him was firmly in his mind. There must be a way he could free them. He nodded back to Verona, and they began trekking around the walls of the Citadel, noting all the gateways into the complex. Roselyn deftly held a device in her hands that she said would capture images. All things that they could use.

“I wish we could get a look inside,” Aaron said.

“We should ask Tanneth or Gavril,” Roselyn said. “Perhaps they have something that we could send that would escape notice.”

Aaron sent probes of energy into the Citadel, and each time he encountered that feeling of the ground rushing away from his feet as if there were some type of protection in place to guard against his probing. Aaron felt a slight brush upon his senses that was so fast he thought it was a mistake. He turned back, scanning the way they had come with his eyes drawing toward the rooftops, but no one was there. Frowning, he followed the others.

***

Darven clutched to the rooftop.
The Heir of Shandara here in Khamearra?
How could he have traveled here so fast? He knew they didn’t possess any travel crystals. No one outside of the Elite and High King carried them. He was the exception being apprenticed to Mactar. He had idly stumbled upon a presence attempting to probe the defenses of the towers, and he doubted that any of the other Master Elitesmen would have detected it. They sat proudly upon their seat of power, believing they were perfectly safe despite suffering one of the most decisive defeats they hadn’t experienced since the fall of Shandara.

Darven raised his head to watch the distant backside of the man who wanted him dead. He had been there that night on that other world when they had foolishly believed at the time that this boy, Aaron Jace, couldn’t be any threat.
He was wrong, but where others had died, he had lived. It was a cold comfort to know that the knife he threw that night had killed a princess of Shandara, Aaron’s mother. He crept along the rooftops, easily blending in and followed the Heir of Shandara and his two companions unnoticed. 

C
HAPTER
10

CRYSTALS

THE waning afternoon passed into the early evening hours as Aaron and the others made their way to the inn. Despite having memorized the main thoroughfares in the city, they had to rely upon Roselyn, who showed them that the comms device also functioned as a GPS.

“Something else you are already familiar with?” Verona asked.

“Yes,” Aaron answered, “but like you, I didn’t know how these worked until Roselyn showed us.”

They had learned a great deal about the Citadel of the Elite, but without a look inside, Aaron knew they were still flying blind. Roselyn for the most part was quiet, but Aaron caught a few glances in Verona’s direction when his friend wasn’t looking. Something must have happened between them while he was gone, but he couldn’t dwell on it because he still had that nagging feeling of being watched.

“Still have that feeling?” Verona asked, echoing his thoughts.

Aaron nodded. “Yes, but it’s so slight that I can barely feel it. It has been with me a while though.”

Verona nodded, and Roselyn checked the comms device and shook her head. They came to the inn, and Verona spoke as he was the only member most comfortable with the currency used in Khamearra. Something Aaron hadn’t had the time to learn, but thought it important to do so. He scanned the modest first floor of the inn, and after Verona passed the innkeeper a silver mark, he showed them to a private alcove located on the second floor.

Sarik and Gavril waved in greeting, with Gavril looking relieved to see Roselyn, then nodded to Aaron.

“Safe and sound as promised,” Aaron said.

“As promised?” Roselyn asked, glancing at Gavril and himself.

“Roselyn, forgive me, but I promised Gavril and your father that we would look out for you,” Aaron answered.

The fire seemed to spike through Roselyn’s eyes. “As if I’m the one who needs looking out for.”

Gavril held up his hand. “If not your father then how about a beloved uncle?”

The fire flared less brightly in her eyes. “Fine.”

Aaron recounted their day’s events as Verona went quiet again, and shortly after he began, they were joined by Eric and Braden. One of whom had a large bruise on his left eye.

“Are you okay?” Aaron asked.

“I’m fine,” Braden answered.

“We ran into a small spot of trouble looking for our friends,” Eric said.

Aaron nodded silently, agreeing that it was probably not a good idea to speak of the De’anjard in so public a place.

“Were you able to find your friends?” Aaron asked.

“Yes, but they weren’t exactly welcoming,” Braden said. 

“I think we scared them,” Eric said. “The sect that came to this city has grown into a very secretive bunch. It took us some time to figure out how to find them, but once we did, we could see signs of them all over the city.”

“How?” Verona asked.

“Quite clever actually,” Braden answered. “They’ve stripped down the emblems that were associated with the De’anjard and Shandara. Instead of using the whole family crest, they broke it into pieces. A dragon claw here, a rose there, and sometimes a white tree. We managed to stumble upon one group, which was a mix of normal-looking citizens and some of the city guards. They didn’t like that we found them, but before we could identify ourselves, they chose to run or attack. Not a full-out attack. Mostly they were buying the others time to get away. We let them go, but not before one threw something at my head.”

“A horse-shoe,” Eric chuckled, slapping his brother on the arm.

Aaron smiled. “Good work. Do you think you could find them again?”

“Yes,” Braden said.

Aaron turned his attention to Gavril. “Have you heard from Tanneth?”

“No,” Gavril said shaking his head. “I’m not concerned. At least not yet. I expect he will check in via the comms device at some point through the night. Young Sarik and I checked the area near the High King’s palace. The place is well protected as one might expect. Being the governing seat, the activity seemed normal. I tried to take energy readings where I could, but there are only small readings coming from inside the palace.”

“I have some readings as well,” Roselyn said. “Some parts of the Citadel of the Elite were extremely active, and then there were some areas that were quiet. Too quiet, as in no readings at all, as if the place simply weren't there. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Is there a way we can get a look inside the place?” Aaron asked.

Gavril nodded. “Tanneth brought some equipment that could work. I’ll send him a message. Let me do it because if he is in a position that requires stealth, I don’t want to give it away.” Gavril brought out his comms device but held it beneath the table and after a few moments nodded. “Tanneth will do as you ask, but he is asking if you will meet him later tonight.”

“Me?” Aaron asked.

Gavril smiled knowingly. “I would say he expects that you will be out and about this evening.”

Aaron glanced at the others, seeing slightly surprised looks from some and not from others. “I thought I’d take another look around,” he admitted.

Gavril nodded. “I thought as much. We couldn’t find any sign of travel crystals in the palace. That is not to say there aren’t any there, just that we couldn’t detect any. I think focusing on the Citadel of the Elite is our best bet. We did hear about some commotion in that part of the city. Care to enlighten me about that?”

Aaron told them about the events involving the guards and their prisoners and his standoff with the Elitesmen. Then moved on to how the Resistance in the city was being led by the De’anjard, cleverly referred to as Eric and Braden’s long-lost friends. He finished with the Elitesmen’s recruiting practices that they had witnessed.

“I hate them,” Braden said. “I knew they were malicious and cruel, but to take children … ”

“I’m with you on that one,” Aaron said. “I don’t understand how people can just go along with this.”

“Do you even know how to keep a low profile?” Gavril asked. “You need to keep a cool head even in the face of what you’ve seen. A smart warrior knows to make a stand on the battle ground of his choosing.”

“I couldn’t stand by and let those men be beaten,” Aaron said.

“And the children?” Gavril asked.

“If I can help them, I will,” Aaron said.

Gavril’s lips curved slightly, “Okay, perhaps we can help. But please try to remember that we can’t fix all the problems with this city in the short amount of time we are to be here. I applaud your idealism, Aaron, I really do, but there are others that are depending upon you. If we are to be an effective team, we need to function as such, and that includes not charging off, leaving the others exposed.”