Echoes Of A Gloried Past (Book 2) (38 page)

The remnants of the Drake collapsed to the ground and the crackling energy infused into the armor grew silent. He softly laid his grandmother’s head onto the ground and watched as her body dissolved before his eyes. The Nanites that had once been so vibrant, doing their utmost to carry out their task, required a living host to survive and without them his grandmother’s body that had been transformed into the Drake came apart, fading away to dust. Aaron unclenched his teeth and howled in frustration. His eyes drew up toward the plateau where he had last seen Sarah. He gathered the energy around him and launched into the air heading toward Sarah with the echoes of his grandmothers last words in his mind.

What wouldn’t you do … 

C
HAPTER
22

THE REACHING

MACTAR dropped his shroud and bent to pick up the broken panel the Drake - the Lady Cassandra - had discarded. Hearing Aaron speak to the beast yielded nuggets of information that he was ignorant of, and even now his mind raced to catch up with their implications. He stuffed the panel into the folds of his cloak, then someone grabbed him from behind. 

Mactar’s breath caught in his throat as he felt his body thrown like a rag doll to the ground. He came to his knees and erected a barrier between himself and his attacker. He shook his head, still disoriented, when a flash of light appeared, and Darven emerged with his blades ready. Mactar reached out with bands of energy, locking them around the dark cloaked figure in front of him, and dropped his own barrier.

There is no escape this time, Tarimus.

Tarimus drew his dark blade and met the Elitesman. Mactar’s bands of energy locked Tarimus in this realm, but he was still free to move about.

Mactar summoned an orb of energy poised to strike, but the two blade masters kept moving. He could take them both out, but Darven still had his uses.

The Ryakuls were scattering and the airships were closing in on their position. The sharp clang of steel hitting the ground snatched Mactar’s attention, and he turned to see Darven being held up by the throat in Tarimus’s grip.

Mactar’s hand shot forth sending the orb directly into Tarimus’s back, causing him to stagger. He shot another one, but it disappeared into Tarimus’s outstretched hand.

Tarimus rose to his feet with an evil knowing smile upon his face.

“Come reap what you have sown, Dark Master,” Tarimus spat.

Mactar drew deep within himself, summoning so much energy that the air around them seemed about to ignite. He would squash this rodent once and for all. Gritting his teeth he charged forward shooting a bar of molten energy toward Tarimus, not caring if Darven would get caught in the blast.

The beam of energy stopped abruptly a foot away from Tarimus, flailing off to the side by a shield of immense power, surprising them both. The backlash could be felt where he stood. Mactar turned to see the face of a dead man standing behind him.

“Father!” Tarimus howled.

Mactar smirked at Colind while engaging the travel crystal, leaving the mountain top behind.

***

Colind clamped down on his anger for not taking out Mactar when he had the chance. He was here for his son … What was left of him.

Tarimus turned and dragged the Elitesmen to his feet drawing back his blade to strike. The Elitesmen fumbled with his travel crystal, which dropped to the ground.

“No!” Colind commanded and clamped bonds of energy upon Tarimus’s wrists. “Let him go, Son.”

Tarimus strained against his bonds, growling to the point where he sounded more beast than man. 

“I want a river of blood to flow starting with him,” Tarimus said, his black eyes narrowing menacingly, striking fear into the Elitesman.

“A river of blood has already been unleashed. Don’t add to it,” Colind pleaded. “The Elitesman is nothing, let him go.”

“I gave you the Alenzar’seth heir,” Tarimus spat, still struggling against the bonds.

“You gave me nothing,” Colind said. “You used him to free yourself from your prison.”

Colind watched as his son strained against the bonds, his limbs shaking. He felt a great weight shift down in his stomach and a lump grow in his throat. The boy his son had been was gone. There was nothing but a monster before him, twisted and evil. Responsible for countless deaths and showed no signs of stopping.

Colind held the bonds firmly in one hand and slammed down with the other, causing Tarimus to drop the Elitesman. He held no love for the Elitesman and more than likely the man would die in the near future, but what he fought for was a small redemption for his only son. He sent a shroud of energy that washed over his son, binding him. Tarimus’s core was twisted from being trapped between realms. There would be no redemption for his son, only a father’s regret for his failure.

“You’ve always catered to them,” Tarimus spat. “The Safanarion Order led by the rulers of Shandara were always first in your priorities.”

“Your childish tantrums brought about the destruction of one of the greatest kingdoms this world has ever known,” Colind said. “You allied yourself with Mactar and the High King. You let the snakes into Shandara and look what it got you. They used you and when you were no longer useful, they found another way for you to serve. They betrayed you.”

“You betrayed me, Father. My only joy all these years was knowing that you were imprisoned just like me. The mighty Safanarion Order pushed into hiding and your precious Shandara brought down by me. Your world burned and I wanted you to burn with it.”

Colind released the bonds, having the shroud firmly in place prevented Tarimus from going anywhere. The rage and murderous intent washed off his son in waves, almost staggering Colind in his tracks. He couldn’t change that which would not change.

“You’re going to have to do it,” Tarimus howled. “Yourself. If you want to stop me, you’re going to have to kill me. I will
never
stop. You can’t stop me … "

Colind raised his hands and his thunderous gaze bored into Tarimus’s black demonic eyes. “Your mother and I brought you into this world and I’m glad that she has never seen what you’ve become.” Colind glanced to the sky, asking silent forgiveness for what he was about to do. Sometimes the evil was just too great and there were too many lines crossed that even the love of a father couldn’t protect his children. 

“Tarimus, you’ve broken your solemn oaths to the Safanarion Order and knowingly murdered thousands of people bringing this world to the brink of collapse. As the head of the order, I will carry out the justice that should have been visited upon you all those years ago.” Colind pulled his hands apart, tearing Tarimus’s essence into pieces and felt his own broken heart shatter in his chest. Tarimus thrashed and screamed for a moment before dissolving into the tiniest specs with only echoes trailing their wake.

I’m sorry, my son …
Colind kept thinking before he collapsed to the ground, cursing the fate that made him judge and executioner of his only beloved son.

***

Aaron landed upon the edge of the plateau to see Verona doing his best to avoid being killed by Sarah, whose face was a mask of struggle. Braden was there using only his shield to keep Sarah at bay. 

Aaron pulled two travel crystals from his pack and lightly tapped them together. The crystals rang their tones through the air, stopping Sarah in mid-swing of her swords.

“Let her come,” Aaron shouted, retrieving the rune-carved staff.

Smoldering yellow eyes bored into him and Sarah’s golden hair rippled like a pendant upon the wind.

“Come and take it,” Aaron whispered, leading Sarah away from the others. Verona would fill them in on the rest of his plan when they regrouped.

The purple travel crystal held her attention and while Aaron knew the untarnished part of Sarah was still locked away inside, he hoped he wasn’t too late. She turned to look at the others and poised as if she was about to charge off after them. Aaron closed the distance and blocked her path, forcing a crystal into her hand. 

“Use it,” Aaron said. “I know you are still in there.”

Sarah stared at the crystal in her hand, appearing confused, and flung the crystal away, shaking her hand free of it.

Aaron seized the bladesong inside and forced another crystal into Sarah’s hand. He reached across their connection, feeling the woman he loved huddled inside the dark recesses of her own mind, not willing to trust anything, including him … Especially him. Aaron pushed every memory he had across the link. From the first time he saw her outside that small town, to when they danced at the Feast of Shansheru in Rexel.

“Fight it, Sarah!”

 He could see her golden core flare momentarily, struggling to break through the sea of blackness. Still Aaron pressed with everything he had, pouring every last look, touch, and breath across sparing nothing. The sword she held came to rest at her side.

“It’s now or never,” Aaron said. “Use the crystal.”

Aaron could feel her golden core grow dimmer, at last succumbing to the might of the Nanites. 

He was too late. She couldn’t break free. Sarah was fading.

“Just reach out,” he pleaded, cursing himself.

The blackness completely tainted everything, smothering her golden core until the light all but ceased. Then the slightest of shimmers waved through, pushing against the darkness. The travel crystal flared in her hands, and Aaron instantly seized it with his own and felt himself be sucked in. The world pulled away from his feet and he sank into the purple abyss.

They emerged alone somewhere in a forest. Sarah blinked her eyes, and for a moment they returned to her normal shade of blue. She looked at Aaron in surprise for a few precious seconds before doubling over in pain. When she looked back up at him, her eyes had returned to yellow. 

Aaron seized the travel crystal and kept a firm grip upon her arm. He sent a slight tendril of energy into the crystal and built a picture in his mind of a place along the borders of Shandara. The affect was immediate and the ground fell way from their feet. They emerged at an abandoned campsite. The remnants of the bonfires were still there. 

“Oh, Aaron,” Sarah said, clearly recognizing where he had taken them.

It was working. Using the crystals was resetting the Nanites.

No sooner had the thought came into his mind did Sarah collapse, writhing upon the ground. Aaron brought out the comms device and keyed in the sequence to shut down the Nanites.

Nothing happened.

Aaron keyed it in again, but Sarah began to cry out in pain.

He grabbed Sarah’s arm and used the travel crystal again.

The world faded around them as he picked another place. As soon as they emerged, he brought out the comms device, and tried again.

Sarah’s eyes searched his and they both waited with baited breath. The Nanites eventually reasserted their control, but it took longer. He grabbed Sarah’s arm and activated the crystal, setting a frantic pace of traveling from place to place, and using the comms device to try and shut down the Nanites.

He lost count of how many times he used the travel crystals, going to every place he could think of, but aside from slowing the Nanites down they always returned. The command sequence given to him from Roselyn wouldn’t work. Sarah gained a few minutes before the Nanites resumed their task, slaves to the perverted constructs of a malicious military machine. The likes of which he was powerless to fight. Each time the Nanites took control, the pain she was in shredded the walls of his heart.

Aaron clenched his teeth and growled. He had expended all but a few of the travel crystals with nothing to show for it. Despite himself, Sarah could see defeat in his eyes, and no matter how many times he tried, he couldn’t free her of the Nanites.

What wouldn’t you do? 

His grandmother's last words spoke in his mind.

He pictured one last place and the dark forbidden land that had haunted him since he learned of its existence was brought to the forefront. The travel crystal flared anew and Aaron fed in more energy. They emerged into the land of twilight and the barrier separating Safanar from Hytharia shimmered in the air near them. The crystal cracked in his hands and turned to dust.

“Please,” Sarah said weakly. “Let me go, Aaron.”

“No,” Aaron said. “I have one more crystal left.”

Sarah winced away from him. “No, I can’t take it anymore. You have to let me go,” she groaned, gasping in short breaths. “
Please … ”

Aaron looked on helplessly. He had been sure that teleporting with the travel crystals would reset the Nanites, releasing their hold over her, but they were killing her instead. Aaron caught her as she collapsed to the ground. Her body jerking in convulsions. He held her steady until they passed, dividing his gaze between the woman he loved with all his heart, and the barrier that kept the Hythariam horde at bay.

What wouldn’t you do?

He extended his senses to the barrier and saw for the first time the shafts of energy plunging down into the earth. He was tempted to follow them to their source, but Sarah called to him weakly.

“You mustn’t,” she gasped. “Don’t sacrifice this world for me, Aaron.” She looked up helplessly at him. Her eyes alternating from beautiful blue to baleful yellow with both breaking his heart. The Nanites were gaining control again.

“Oh … Sarah,” his voice croaked, barely above a whisper. “This world means nothing to me without you.” 

“You have to do it,” she said with her hand reaching toward the knife at his belt.

She wanted to die. The fight was leaving her as the Nanites resumed control.

“No!” Aaron cried. “I’ve got to save you. There has to be a way!”

Sarah looked up at him in a moment of clarity and her eyes retained their stunning shade of blue. “You already have, my love,” she whispered.

Aaron held onto her tightly, tears streaming down his face. He could feel the Nanites working inside her, carrying out the will of the Drake, slaves to their programming. They couldn’t be reasoned with and were a foe that he could not defeat.