Echoes Of A Gloried Past (Book 2) (36 page)

Having Sarah’s exact location he pulled back to his body and the world streaked by until he slowly opened his eyes. Verona knelt next to him offering him some water. Aaron nodded his thanks and stood up.

“I know where she is,” he said. “East of here less than twenty miles away.”

“That’s great,” Verona said. “Let us be off then.”

“We need a plan,” Aaron said. “The Drake has a nest of Ryakuls all over that mountain. I don’t think we should charge in as much as I would like to.”

“He’s right,” Gavril said.

“How did Sarah look?” Roselyn asked, her eyebrows drawing up in concern.

“Not good. I don’t think she has much time left,” Aaron said and described the dark splotches on her skin and how she was curled up into a shaking ball.

Roselyn put her hand on Aaron’s shoulder. "She fights. The Drake has not won yet. Have hope.”

Aaron nodded and sighed in relief, unclenching his fists. Seeing Sarah like that, with the Nanites doing their worst had all but sucked the hope from him.

“Do you think the Drake can detect the ship?” Aaron asked.

The Hythariam regarded each other silently before Gavril answered. "No. If we’re cloaked then we are completely hidden.”

“The Drake is controlling the Ryakuls,” Aaron said. “But I think that if we agitated them enough it would break whatever control it was using over them. We need to draw some of them away while I go and get Sarah.”

The others considered what he had said, save Verona. "My friend, I know the first thing you want to do is to rescue Sarah, but if we don’t handle the Drake then I think your rescue attempt may be doomed to failure.”

“The Drake is not going to sit idly by once our presence is known,” Gavril said.

“I propose that we split our efforts into two teams,” Aaron said. “The first team will stay with the ship and engage the Ryakuls, drawing as many as they can away from the mountain, clearing the way for the second team. The second team, with myself, will attempt to rescue Sarah and if the Drake … No when the Drake makes its move then we take it out.”

“A good plan,” Gavril said, “There is just one thing I don’t like about it. We don’t know how Sarah will react when she sees you again.”

Aaron looked up in alarm, but waited to hear what Gavril meant.

“The Nanites have some control over her,” said Gavril. “She may not want to be rescued even if part of her does. She may fight you or any of us that tries to help, but most especially you, Aaron. Seeing you is going to be traumatic for her.”

Aaron sucked in his bottom lip considering. "I know. We’ll need to capture her.”

“What about the travel crystals?” Verona asked. “Do you know how to make them work?”

Aaron’s jaw clamped shut in frustration and shook his head. He had probed the travel crystals, but didn’t know how to key them. He had hoped to speak to the Elitesman Isaac about it, but never had the chance.

“Sarah knows how to use them. I’ll need to reach her,” Aaron said.

They were all silent and no one wanted to ask the obvious question of what he would do if he couldn’t reach Sarah, but the question was self evident in all of their gaze.

“She is still in there, despite whatever her appearance may be,” Aaron said. “I have to believe that there is still a part of Sarah that hasn’t been tainted by the Nanites. That is what I’m fighting for.”

Verona cleared his throat. "I’ve said it before, but I feel that I can speak for all of us in that we’ll be at your side to see that you at least get to try.”

“About the two teams,” Gavril began. "I will be with you on the ground, which leaves Tanneth and Roselyn to pilot the ship.” Gavril glanced at Roselyn who nodded back. “Sarik, would you join them on the Flyer? I have two reasons for asking this. First, should the ship become damaged and need to be abandoned, then Tanneth and Roselyn will stand a much better chance at surviving with your support. Second, you’ve shown a keen aptitude for the Flyer's systems and I would like Tanneth to begin showing you how to pilot the ship.”

Sarik’s eyes darted to Aaron, who nodded encouragingly to the young man.

“I will do as you ask,” Sarik said.

“Thank you,” Gavril replied.

“So that leaves the rest of us to go on the ground with you, Aaron,” Verona said.

Aaron took a moment to consider his next words. "Okay, but if you can avoid it, don’t engage Sarah.”

Verona and Braden looked at him as if he said the most obvious thing in the world. 

“Fine,” Aaron said. “If you do, I may be too preoccupied with the Drake to save your sorry asses.” This drew chuckles from all of them and they replied in kind. He was glad for the momentary reprieve.

“About the Drake,” Gavril continued. “I’m hoping to help even things out.”

“How?” Aaron asked.

“The Drake used Hythariam technology against you in your last encounter, which put you off balance,” Gavril said. “I will help nullify this threat. Are we agreed that the Drake will need to be destroyed?” Gavril leveled his gaze at Aaron.

Verona and Braden looked at Aaron questioningly. They did not know the Drake’s true identity.

“I have no illusions about the Drake,” Aaron answered and then faced the others. "Before we left Hathenwood, Iranus revealed to me that the Drake was created using my grandmother as the Nanite host. The previous Drake had infected her at the fall of Shandara. To the best of my knowledge, Reymius had no knowledge of this.”

“He didn’t know," said Gavril. “None of us did until it was too late. We believed that Cassandra had died in Shandara.”

“She did,” Aaron replied solemnly.

Gavril sighed giving a single nod. "By the time we realized what was happening, the Drake all but disappeared.”

“I think the Drake is more vulnerable now than before,” Aaron said.

“How so?” Verona asked.

“We need to think like a machine,” said Aaron. “The Drake’s current form is proving to be ineffective, hence it is focusing on switching hosts and doing nothing to repair its current body. I saw that it never repaired the severed arm from when it took Sarah. So we’re agreed we take out the Drake and move to capture Sarah.”

The others nodded and Roselyn stepped away heading toward the Flyer saying she would be right back.

“Here is what I’m thinking we should do, and I’m hoping you’ll tell me if this is too crazy,” Aaron said and laid out the plan he had been formulating in his mind. It didn’t take long as his plan wasn’t all that complex, but he kept certain pieces to himself.

“Verona, I need to speak to you alone for a moment,” Aaron said.

The others headed back toward the ship giving them some privacy.

“Here we are my friend. Again,” Verona said.

Aaron grinned in spite of himself. "Indeed. There is something I need to tell you that I won’t be sharing with the others. I will face the Drake only because I don’t think we can get Sarah out without alerting it. I don’t know how this is going to go and I’ve often heard it said that the best laid plans can sometimes go to waste once a battle starts.” Aaron looked at the others for a moment. “If I can get to Sarah and get the travel crystals to work, I intend to head back to Shandara.”

Verona’s eyes widened. "But the crystals … they won’t work in Shandara.”

“That is correct, but they can get me near the city and near the barrier as well. I’ve felt the imbalance there and believe that I could reach Shandara where others would fail.” Aaron said. “I will only do this if there is no other choice and I wanted you to know so you can find us.”

Verona nodded grimly. "I understand. I wish we had Colind’s counsel for what we’re about to do.”

Aaron returned his friend's gaze hoping that fate would deem them worthy of a kind hand in this, but either way this business would be finished today. He just hoped they were all alive by the end.

***

Mactar and Darven crouched low amid a tree line’s edge before the steep incline of a mountain teaming with Ryakuls. They had been there only a short while and could see that the Drake could in fact have some measure of control over the ferocious beasts. The control was barely tenable at best with the Drake’s attention focused on maintaining the perimeter. They crept as close as they dared, and had a clear view of the plateau upon which the Drake now stood. It kept looking back at the other plateau where two Ryakuls now sat poised. The other Ryakuls appeared more agitated and Mactar couldn’t recall ever seeing so many of the beasts in one place. Fighting among the beasts broke out frequently, which were suppressed when the Drake would activate a device upon its wrists. 

Mactar utilized his skills to provoke the Ryakuls so he could focus upon the actions the Drake took to control them. He focused himself seeing the many lines of energy, but what he was looking for was more subtle. A glowing display appeared above the device on the Drake’s wrists. It was pulsing brightly and even with his heightened perceptions he could barely make out the strumming sound in a freakish rhythm.

The affect on the Ryakul was almost instantaneous as their attention became fixated upon the Drake. Mactar winced at the screeching sounds piercing his ears, and several Ryakuls immediately took to the skies.

Mactar glanced back to Darven, who nodded indicating that he had seen as well. He was about to speak when a loud boom shook the ground beneath their feet. The Ryakuls on the mountains began to flap their wings, sending hundreds of whooshes through the air. A golden ship sped through the clouds and disappeared. Darven looked at him questioningly and while Mactar had not seen a ship like that in over twenty years, he knew who had access to such technology.

“It’s the Hythariam,” Mactar said softly. “The Heir of Shandara is here.”

“He’s not the only one,”
Tarimus hissed from behind.

***

The Hythariam Flyer, while a superb ship was only one ship, which limited their options for approach and reconnaissance. Aaron and the others set down on a narrow ledge of a rock face toward the far side of Ryakul Mountain. 

Verona coined the phrase "Ryakul Mountain" and was proud of his vocal eloquence in naming the previously anonymous peak. Regardless, the name stuck with all of them.

“This seemed like a better idea while we were on the ship,” Verona said, and Braden grunted in agreement.

“You wanted to come,” Aaron grinned slightly. “You could try jumping.” While both Verona and Braden could tap into the energy around them, and had accomplished some pretty impressive things with it, they could not jump like he and Sarah could. Back on the Raven before they had reached Shandara, Sarah had told them it would take time. However, the shield that Verona and Sarik were able to create was quite intriguing and he was sure would come in useful in the future.

“You will be fine,” Aaron said. “Tanneth used one of these to follow me through Khamearra when we learned of the attack on the inn. If we weren’t about to head into a battle, I’d think the gliders were fun and would join you.”

Gavril was helping Verona and Braden strap a glider to their feet. There were two rods upon the ground and Gavril was showing them how to activate the glider through the comms device now strapped to their wrists. At either points of the rod, discs large enough for them to step upon unfolded, forming an oval. Verona and Braden stepped onto the discs and metallic bands extended over their feet securing them in place.

“Now listen carefully,” Gavril said, stepping onto his own glider. “You key in the sequence I’ve just showed you. Not yet, Verona, just listen first.” After Verona put his hands down, Gavril continued. "It’s really quite simple. The glider will respond to your movements. If you raise both your knees then the glider will rise into the air. Lean to either side and you will go in that direction. The same also applies to backwards and forwards. Here, watch, I will show you.”

The glider at Gavril’s feet hovered about a foot off the ground. He brought his knees up and the glider pushed his body into the air. Gavril leaned to the side and he began moving toward that side. The more he leaned the greater the speed.

Gavril spun in the air and returned back to them. “Just push down and straighten your legs to stop moving up or whatever direction you are moving. The glider’s systems will respond to you. Once you step on and activate them they record your weight and adapt to your movements, but you must be careful. There are some safeguards to prevent you from falling, but if you persistently lean too far forward and can’t get your feet back under you, you will crash.”

“Crashing would be most unfortunate,” Verona agreed.

“We just need to use these to go up the side of this mountain. I don’t expect you to go into battle on them. When we reach the plateau at the top, just hover over the ground, and deactivate the glider through your comms device,” Gavril said.

“What happens if the comms device gets damaged?” Verona asked.

“Now
that
would be most unfortunate,” Gavril said and the old soldier’s face lifted into a grin. “The comms devices are quite durable I assure you and will not break easily. Let's try rising into the air and coming back down quickly before we make our ascent.”

Braden muttered something about flying only being for the birds, but keyed in the sequence into the comms device and his glider began to hover in the air. He was joined by Verona, who was unable to keep the smile from his face.

“Class is over. We’ve been made,” Aaron said snapping their attention as a lone Ryakul flew around the corner, appearing as startled to see them, as they were that it came.

“I’ll distract it. You get up the mountain,” Gavril said and flew off to meet the oncoming Ryakul.

“Let's go,” Aaron said, and jumped into the air aligning the particles in the air to push him higher than any strength enhanced jump could take him. 

Verona and Braden began rising into the air. Slow at first, but rapidly gained speed closing the distance between them. They were both warriors with excellent balance, which they used to their advantage as they glided up the mountainside.

Aaron landed high above them and waited for his friends to catch up. Gavril was dodging the Ryakul with an aero acrobatic display that he wouldn’t have thought possible, even on a glider. The Ryakul’s head was fixed upon its prey, and it instinctively flew wherever it led.