Eden's Jester (13 page)

That was it.

I reached out and commanded the dust particles in the air to dissolve, releasing their energy into the ambient fields, allowing me to see. What I saw caused me to immediately reclaim all the released energy as if I had inhaled it. The infusion of strength caused the world to slow. The details of the ravine sharpened. I had never drawn so much energy at one time. The deadness of the Abyss had left me a little off balance. I struggled to contain the energy.

Three of the largest Engineers I’d ever seen stood below me. They had to be at least nine feet tall. Each wore what looked like a military uniform. Their hair was long and pulled up into top-knots. Their skin was cadaver-like.
 

They surrounded something lying on the ground. I couldn’t see what.

Each raised an arm. Cables of energy snapped out of the air and into their hands. They whipped whatever or whomever they had at their feet. The Engineers grunted as they pulled the cords tight and released them. The cables became fiery snakes and coiled their victim. They raised their arms again.
 

I took a few steps to my left in order to see what was bound at their feet.
 

It appeared to be a statue of a man, made by the most skilled Greek sculptor. Its skin was of polished red granite, which made its bald head look like a mighty cue-ball.
 

It had fallen on its stomach with its hands and feet bound by the bright cables. The creature heaved mightily in an attempt to free itself. The earth shook again, this time with less effect. The creature was weakening.
 

It raised its head and challenged the smirking Engineers with a look of defiance so pure and true that were the creature not trapped I’d have feared for the safety of the three.
 

One of the Engineers formed another cable of energy and used it to lash the back of the fallen creature before wrapping it around the stone man’s neck. Pain and fear flashed across the creature’s face. I heard a chuckle come from one of the three.

Before my conscious self could stop it, that little voice deep down inside went berserk and screamed a psychic blast with all its strength. It was fearfully similar to the attacks made by Legion: knife-like, designed to dissect and disembowel. The energy from the dust still inside me blew forth in a great shower of psychic scalpels that shook the ravine walls. The wind of my anger erupted upon the three, taking them by surprise. Two went rigid and fell to the ground, seizing. That was interesting. I had never seen that before. The third staggered, but was able to raise a defense against further attack.
 

I was drained but struggled to hide it. I knew it was unwise to show signs of weakness. I had no doubt that the remaining Engineer could crush me. But there was no going back now. That little voice had made sure of that.

The Engineer looked at his cohorts, white foam bubbling from their lips. He then turned to me. His surprise was quickly replaced with anger. His eyes changed from a dull creamy glow to an intense blue.

“Who are you, and by what right do you interfere with this lawful acquisition?” he asked.
 

“I’m Elson. And, in case you haven’t heard, I don’t care.”

He stood tall, and climbed the ridge toward me. “Servant of Chaos, you have committed a great crime. Surrender yourself and stand judgment.” His voice was deep and full of certainty.

This guy was obviously tough. I had never heard of any Engineers like him, or at least of any who dressed like him. He exuded strength and confidence. Any sane person wouldn’t make the situation worse.
 

“Klaatu . . .barada . . . nikto,” I said.

His bulk towered above me as he came close, glowering all the way. “I do not know these words that you speak, but I sense that you mock me. You would be wise to submit to my authority and surrender your freedom.”
 

He obviously didn’t know me at all.
 

“Listen, Jumbo. The only reason I don’t lobotomize you along with your minions is so you can carry their filthy carcasses out of my gravel pit. This is my town. You come back here, and I’ll finish you. Your mind will be so broken that all you’ll be good for is digging ditches under the Great Wall of China--just like your friends. You get me?”
 

He studied me for a moment, not sure of what he was dealing with. He surveyed the scene, including his prisoner, and thought it over. The statistics of current events supported my claim of great power. In the end, he chose the better part of valor.

“Very well, Elson. I shall remember you. By the Preceptors, justice will be done.”

I doubted that. “Whatever you say, Jumbo. Now, get out,” I said.

He moved to gather his friends. Their bodies, sick with seizures, dissipated as he removed their broken souls.
 

When he turned to his prisoner, I said, “Hold it, pal. The stone guy stays. Leave him be.”

“Elson.” My name didn’t sound so good the way he said it, “This is a lawful acquisition. The services of this creature are needed. I shall take it.”

“
It
doesn’t look like it wants to go. Leave him be.”

“It is lawful to take it.”

“Is he a criminal?” I asked.

“No. His services are needed.”

“Ok, Jumbo. Let me explain this to you. I’ll talk slowly so you can understand. Slavery isn’t legal. Abraham Lincoln says so. Your needs don’t define what’s lawful. Now, in about one second, I’m going to change my mind and hand you and those two buffoons into
his
custody and let his people serve up some law. So, what’s it going to be?”

Jumbo looked at the fallen creature once more, then departed with a flash.

I walked over to the stone man and studied him and his bonds.
 

“You’re an earth elemental, aren’t you?” I said.

He looked up at me; his eyes were calm, but curious. “Indeed. I am Borse.”

“Pleased to meet you, Borse. Come here often?”

“I do not. I felt a strong pull, leading me to this place--a place of rock and stone. The Sentinels were waiting for me. A place such as this breathes strength and peace into my kind. But I was not sufficient to resist the Sentinels. I feared I was lost.”

“I see. Well, your timing is impeccable,” I said.

Borse twisted his mouth into a grin. “As is yours, friend.”

I rubbed my chin. Three parties being at the right place at the right time was too coincidental. Something was up.

“I’m Elson.” I knelt beside Borse. “Now, hold still, and I’ll get rid of those bonds.”

I studied the energy cables. The secret of their crafting was difficult to discover. After several minutes, I stood back and had to think.

“Perhaps we should relocate. If the Sentinels return with greater numbers, we both could be at their cruel mercy,” Borse said.

I ran my hand through my hair. “Oh, don’t worry about that. They’ve had their noses bloodied well enough. Their kind will first try to figure out what happened by studying their injuries. Then they’ll plan their response and have to run it up the chain of command several levels to get approvals. By the time they gather a force and return, trees will be growing where we stand. Or, where I stand and you lie.”

I continued to study the complexity of the bonds. “I’ve never seen bonds like these. They’re quite tricky.”

“They are called Sentinel Chains. They can hold any being, whether he be spirit or rock, and they inflict great pain to the disobedient. I do not doubt your might, Elson, for you have shown it undeniably, but the secret of these chains has eluded elementals of all kinds for all time. I fear you cannot undo them.”

“Well, Borse, lucky for you that my vision is much better than your garden-variety Engineer. I’m an escape specialist. Just give me a minute.”

The bonds were complex, obviously serving several different purposes. Their designer had gone to great lengths to make them unbreakable. However, I had learned long ago that the more complicated the thing, the easier it was to break. All you need to know is what string to pull.
 

I traced thread after thread, looking for the one that bound them together. The bond had patterns that were similar to Melanthios’s glamour. That helped me guess where to look. After several dead-ends, it became apparent that parts of the structure were designed to mislead. However, as with all energy, there was a pulse, a frequency, to it. My guess was that the various types of threads would resonate with different energies. I began to hum different frequencies until one group stood out from the rest, not responding to my humming.
 

There at the root was the beginning of these cables. Those beginnings were fine and fragile. I pulled them apart from the rest and and snapped them. The bonds dissipated as if they were smokey tendrils caught in a breeze.

Borse didn’t move for a moment, unsure of his freedom. Then he stood up and bowed deeply. “I thank you, Elson. Never in my memory has one of Chaos come to the aid of an elemental. I am grateful, and at your service.”

With a wave of my hand, I said, “Not necessary, Borse. It was my pleasure. Really, I live for this kind of thing. And I’m not a part of Chaos.”

“But you opposed Law . . .”
 

“Don’t make so much of it. I oppose everybody, eventually. Seems to be my destiny.”

“Hrmph,” he said. “May I ask how you were able to dispatch the Sentinels with such ease?”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“They are formidable opponents. With a single blow, you defeated them. May I ask how?”

I thought about it. “Honestly, Borse, I’m not sure exactly what happened there. But if I figure it out, I’ll let you know.”

“Ah. Too bad. The Sentinels are a plague upon my kind. They reduce our numbers and corrupt our purpose. It would be good to have a means of resistance other than flight.”

“Don’t knock the hasty retreat. It has served me well on numerous occasions.”

“Indeed. I am at your service.”

Having the service of an elemental sure could be handy. But history said they were noble creatures and deserved better than what I’d have for them. I had seen how bending such a creature to another’s will worked. The forces of Law, with their “lawful acquisitions,” stank of hypocrisy and evil. Using individuals, sacrificing them for the sake of the big picture, was becoming less and less attractive to me.
 

“Look around you Borse, does it look like I need an earth elemental?”
 

He looked at the pit. Boulders, holes, and gravel filled the place. “Yes,” he said.

“Well, I don’t. I like the place as it is.” He just stood there. “But answer me this, what was going on between you and Jumbo?”

“As I said, the Sentinels have been taking my people for many ages. If they ensnare us, we are helpless to resist them.”

“Really? Your strength is legendary. I mean, don’t you guys create the earthquakes and volcanoes and that kind of thing? Seems like that would take some serious mojo.”

“Their chains hold us and cause great pain when we disobey.”

“Huh. That sucks. How many of your people have been taken?”

“Many.”

In all my years, I had never seen evidence that Law had a squad of goliaths enslaving others to do their will. It was obviously a carefully guarded secret. That was understandable. Slavery makes for poor public relations.
 

Where had all the good guys gone? Were there any, ever? It was one more inconsistency that I’d have to add to the list. But I didn’t have time to explore the depths of hypocrisy within my own kind. The game was afoot. Time to get creative.

A thought occurred to me. “Borse, can you see their bonds?”

“Yes.”

“So look.” I fashioned one of the Sentinel bonds in the air between us. Borse stepped back, alarmed.

“Take it easy. I just want to show you how they work.”

His brow furrowed with the sound of sandpaper on stone. He stepped close. I caused the strands to vibrate, making those that didn’t vibrate stand out.

“You see those strands? You snap those, the whole thing falls apart.”
 

It took several tries, but eventually he got the hang of it.
 

“Elson, this is a priceless gift. The secret of the Sentinel Chains has been a guarded treasure from time immemorial. Thank you, friend.”

“No problem, Borse. Show all your friends and anyone else who wants to learn. I don’t like Jumbo’s type. It’ll be a nasty surprise for them.”

Borse smiled. “Indeed.”

“Happy to help. Just don’t do anything I wouldn’t do with the information.”
 

At that moment I sensed a traveler coming in fast through the ether. Maybe I misjudged the bureaucratic paralysis that would delay Jumbo and his thugs.

“You’d better dive deep, Borse. Someone’s coming.”

I swear his feet became more planted into the crust of the earth. He didn’t move.

“Elson, I no longer fear your kind. I’ll stand with you. As will we all.”