Echoes Of A Gloried Past (Book 2) (8 page)

“The coordinates are set, and we should arrive in about five hours, making the best speed in stealth,” Gavril said then looked at Aaron. “I hope you’ve got a plan.”

“Verona and I put together some ideas, but much of it depends upon what we find when we reach the city,” Aaron answered. “We’ll need to take a look around.”

Gavril nodded. “Reconnaissance. That’s a good start.”

“Excuse me,” Sarik said, drawing their attention. “But how will you blend in?”

Aaron was wondering the same thing.

“The same as you,” Roselyn said. “We have something that will make our eyes look the same as yours.”

“I have another question if you wouldn’t mind.” Sarik asked. “How come you look so … human? The way I understand it is that you are from another world. I guess I’m just wondering how that could be?”

There was a brief moment of silence as the seven of them regarded each other. Gavril and Tanneth looked toward Roselyn, which made sense to Aaron, as she was a scientist.

“It’s a good question,” Aaron said.

“Yes it is,” Roselyn agreed. “The best we can determine is that we are cousins of sorts stemming from the same tree, but have gone down slightly different paths.”

“Cousins?” Verona asked, speaking up for the first time since they came onboard.

“Yes,” Roselyn said. “We have the same parts, I assure you. We’re made up of the same stuff, to be completely blunt about it. We feel pain as you do, emotion as you do. And … ” Roselyn glanced at Aaron, “ … some of us even have had children with the people of Safanar.”

“Why are you looking at me?” Aaron asked.

“Your grandfather, Reymius, chose to marry one of us,” Roselyn said. “Your grandmother, Cassandra, was Hythariam. So you see we are not all that different from each other. You and I are truly cousins of sorts.”

“How?” Aaron asked.

“Cassandra was Iranus’s sister,” Roselyn said. “Iranus is my father.” She said, addressing the others on the small ship.

Roselyn was right, they were cousins after a fashion through his grandmother.
And now she is the Drake.
Aaron suppressed a shiver; he wasn’t sure to what extent anyone else knew of the real tragedy that had befallen his grandparents, but it did explain some of Iranus’s bitterness regarding the Drake. 

Aaron eyed Roselyn for a moment. “Cousin,” he grinned.

A smile lit up her face. “Cousin,” Roselyn confirmed.

“Okay back to business,” Aaron said. “Do you have a map of the capital city of Khamearra that you can put on screen?”

The Hythariam’s reactions to his question were slightly amusing. They were clearly not used to someone other than themselves possessing knowledge about technology. Gavril nodded to Tanneth, who punched in a few keys. An aerial photograph of the city appeared, which confirmed to Aaron that they either had orbiting satellites or had done their own aerial reconnaissance. Verona's and Sarik’s eyes lit up at the display.

“That is impressive,” Verona said.

“Quite,” Aaron agreed. “This will help us immensely. How many satellites do you have in orbit?”

Gavril raised an eyebrow. “Thirty-four. We’ve mapped the surface of this world,” Gavril said. “I’m sorry we’re just not used to others knowing … ”

“About your little toys,” Aaron said with a smile, winking at Verona and Sarik. “Get used to it,” Aaron said. “They have machines that fly around the world that can take pictures of the land among other things.” 

“I was among those in favor of sharing knowledge,” Gavril replied.

“Look how big the city is,” Sarik said.

Aaron looked at the display frowning. “We should consider splitting up to cover more ground. I only want to spend one day at the most looking around,” he said, ignoring the painful spike in his connection to Sarah. He wanted to reach across the expanse to her, but was afraid of the pain he would cause her. Aaron knew in his heart that she was still fighting, and he needed to concentrate on finding the travel crystals.

“It may take more than a day,” Verona said gently, and Gavril nodded.

Patience,
Aaron counseled to himself. “Fine,” he conceded. “But no more than two, or we can throw stealth out the window, and I will start focusing my attention on the Elitesmen.”

“I suggest we divide the city into sections and pair off to investigate,” Gavril said.

“That sounds good,” Aaron answered and glanced at Eric and Braden’s challenging glares. “I won’t go anywhere alone.”

Some of the areas they would be looking at overlapped, but that was only because he insisted on seeing the Elitesmen stronghold for himself.

“I would like to check these areas myself.” Tanneth spoke, gesturing to certain areas of the city, including the Elitesmen stronghold. His quiet tone caught Aaron by surprise as it were the first time he had heard him speak. “Meaning no disrespect to anyone here, but I’ll do better on my own.” 

Gavril nodded his approval.

“Okay,” Aaron said. “But be careful.”

“I would like to go with you, Master Sorindale,” Sarik said, addressing Gavril.

Gavril eyed Sarik for a moment and then nodded.

“I will be joining you two gentlemen, it seems,” Roselyn said, looking at him and Verona.

“Welcome,” Aaron said and was slightly amused as Verona went a little pale. Sarik and Braden glanced at Verona noting his silence, and Aaron shook his head slightly. Eric, however, could not keep from chuckling and muttered something about Verona being tongue tied for once in his life. 

The discussion turned to more mundane things, which Aaron only half paid attention to. He was focused on the map of the city before him, committing it to memory, especially the Elitesmen stronghold, where he was convinced a cache of travel crystals was stored. They decided to get what rest they could, with some of them dozing off. Aaron couldn’t help but think of this moment as the calm before the storm.

***

“Are you sure about this?” Iranus asked.

“Aaron must be trusted to walk his own path,” Colind answered. “It was Reymius’s last command, and you must admit that Aaron has good instincts.”

Iranus rubbed his white beard for a moment in thought. “I’m just afraid. You didn’t witness the fall of your civilization. Reymius understood and made the ultimate sacrifice.”

“Aaron is different,” Colind said. “For one thing, he doesn’t have a daughter to protect. He has sacrificed, but there will come a time when a line will be drawn and we must choose whether to stand that line with him. Aaron witnessed the cost of Reymius’s sacrifices for the greater good, whether he understood the gravity of them or not. He is quite familiar with the results. At some point, the cost of sacrificing for the greater good is too high for those closest to the fight. Aaron is right to expect that the burden be spread to the people of this world. Either we fight and have a chance at surviving, or we stick our heads in the sand and forgo the right to be surprised when annihilation comes for us.”

Iranus nodded. “I don’t like it, but I understand, and I even agree with you to a certain extent. The Alenzar’seth have given more than we had right to ask of them,” Iranus sighed. “I don’t know how they could have survived on Hytharia. Our sun has expanded so much so that Hytharia must have become unlivable.”

Colind absently grazed his fingertips along his bearded chin, lost in thought. “I had a friend once tell me that we should only worry about things that we have an influence over and acknowledge the things that we do not,” Colind said.

Vaughn smiled. “And only take action upon the things that you can directly affect.”

Iranus smirked. “They were very wise and, of course, correct. Who was your friend?”

“Reymius,” Colind said. “I see the same foundation of wisdom in Aaron. Many that he has come in contact with see it as well. It’s why people are so apt to follow him.”

“Yes, and he hates it as well.” Garret said. “He believes whole-heartedly in people thinking for themselves.”

“Exactly,” Colind said. “And that’s why he’ll make a good leader. One that we can look to in these troubled times.”

“I agree with you, old friend,” Iranus said. “We’ve got a mountains' worth of work to do and very little time to do it in. Good luck in your journey. Our emissaries will have the means to contact us here in Hathenwood. They will show you how to use the comms device as well, so we should be able to keep in contact as needed.”

The group split apart into those going on board the Raven and the Hythariam preparing as best they could for a war they had hoped to avoid. 

C
HAPTER
6

DISTRICT CAPTAIN

IT was supposed to be an opportunity of a lifetime. Moving to the capital city in his beloved homeland of Khamearra. That was how both he and his wife thought of it six months ago. Nolan’s wife still believed at least, but he wasn’t so sure anymore. He stood in the bathroom, facing a small oval mirror, methodically rinsing his razor in the sink.
Running water,
he smirked. When they had first moved into the district captain’s residence, they had stood around the sink just to see water come from the faucets. This was the first place he had ever lived in that he didn’t have to haul water from a well. 

Being among the youngest captain of the guards for his city district, he was committed to looking the part. Not that he was all that young, being just past his thirty-second year. The echoes of his children fumbling through the house, getting ready for school, was soothing to his ears. He should feel fortunate that his children could attend school here. Many others couldn’t say the same.

They had gone from living in a charming old house in the country, where his duties required him to travel to the surrounding towns to enforce the High King’s Writ, to here. His house wasn’t lavish by any means and would be considered a country cottage to those of higher rank, but to him it was a piece of heaven. The house was great. It was the job that made him feel shackled for the first time in his life.

“Nolan,” his wife called. “You’re going to be late.”

Nolan quickly finished shaving and washed the remaining gel off his face. A small grin marked his features as he tied back his shoulder-length black hair into a ponytail. Not as stylish as some other captains, but at least he still had hair enough to cover his head, and for that he was content.

He left the small bathroom and came down the hall to the kitchen where his family had gathered to break their fast. Arienh rounded up his son and daughter and got them to sit at the table. Gathering for family meals was of paramount importance to Arienh, which made him sorry for all the dinners he had missed since taking this job. 

Nolan could handle the demands of being a district captain, but it was the undercurrents of the city that worried him … and the Elitesmen. The Elitesmen were above the law and could dispense justice to the point of overruling his authority in his own district. He had learned that the hard way. The Elitesmen perception of justice was significantly different from his own. 

He had crossed paths with them but a few times, and they were enough. Since then, he had seen them watching his home. Turning up in places where his wife and children frequented. He especially didn’t like the attention they paid his eldest child, Jason, who would reach his twelfth year of age this coming month, the age at which he could undertake an apprenticeship. The children of wellborn nobility and ranking officers tried different apprenticeships before settling into an occupation. 

Nolan had once broached the subject of them leaving a few weeks back.

“The Goddess wants us exactly where she intends for us to be. Have faith in that, my love,” Arienh had said. 

Nolan didn’t have the heart to tell her of the Elitesmen watching their comings and goings. Arienh loved the city, and he couldn’t take it away from her despite the growing unease he felt whenever he walked through his district. The people were kind, but would rarely make eye contact for fear of causing some type of offense. He had witnessed the abuse some captains imposed upon residents of their districts, but he would stomach none of it in his own. People weren’t beaten or tossed into his holding cells without good reason, and in the latter case, only in defense of one's self. He had made that as clear as day to his guards his very first week.

After eating a quiet breakfast with his family, Nolan stepped out of the house to head to the station. He brushed off imaginary dust particles on his otherwise pristine black uniform. The silver dragon emblem showed proudly upon his muscled chest. He walked down the street, nodding in greeting to those passing by. The residents that lived closest to his house had long gotten used to his friendly greetings, which were received warily at first but eventually returned in kind. Across the way, his friend called out to him.

“Good morning, Lieutenant Anson,” Nolan greeted.

“Same to you, Captain Nolan,” Anson said back, but the mirth was short lived as his normally sunny features grew serious. “The rumor is that Josef is waiting for you at the station.”

Nolan frowned, “Do you know what for?”

Anson raised a brow, “I think you know, sir.”

“Enlighten me,” Nolan said. 

Anson was a good man and one of the earliest at the station to give his support.

“An incident occurred last night near the poor quarter, Josef’s Lieutenant … ” Anson began.

“Captain Commander Josef,” Nolan corrected. Despite both their opinions of the man, he still wore the uniform of the captain commander.

“My apologies, sir,” Anson replied. “Lieutenant Renke and his squad followed a group of men returning from their work in the crystal mines. They were beating the group of men, claiming that they had stolen crystals to sell for themselves. Our boys were alerted to the commotion and intervened. They said that when they arrived, the miners had submitted to questioning, but Renke’s men were still beating them. We rounded the whole lot up and put them in separate holding cells.”

Nolan frowned, “Renke and his guards, too?”

“Yes, sir,” Anson answered.