Nyteria Rising (The Thirteenth Series Book 3) (5 page)

“Ok,” she replied watching him leave, then turned and walked towards her prophesised destiny.

Behind the door she couldn’t see anyone or anything other than walls. She walked in and the door closed behind her, enclosing her in a large, empty room.

“Is this her?” a deep voice asked from behind her.

She turned but no one was there.

“Looks like it,” another voice answered.

“Hello.” Val said nervously.

A tall young man with mouse-brown hair stepped out of the wall in front of her. Val’s instinct was to scream her head off, but she managed to keep it in her throat.

“I am Boden Ekwall, leader of this group and this…” he pointed at the other wall where another young man with white blonde hair and a very serious face shimmered into existence, “… is Hadwyn Houte, our partner.”

“I’m Val Saunders and am not sure why I’m here or how I can help.”

Boden smiled, “You, my friend, are one of us. I know you may be feeling confused so I will try to explain as much as I can.”

“That would be good.” She smiled.

“Your father, Gabriel, was the third member of our group. The last time we met he was leaving for Earth. As I’m sure you know, he didn’t return. After he suffered his untimely End, the mark of the Magrafe was passed directly onto his natural descendant along with his abilities. By the way, congratulations on catching his murderer, Excariot.” Boden held his hand over his uniform. To her surprise the patch he touched became transparent and Val could see on his arm, a tattoo matching hers.

“I have one of those.”

“All three of us do, Val.” Boden smiled kindly at her.

“So, can you pass it to someone else?” She asked.

Hadwyn grumbled, “I told you this would be the end of us. She’s already giving up.” He turned his back on
them, placed his hand on the wall and sat down on the chair that shot out at his touch.

“I’m not giving up, but I have a lot of people depending on me back on Earth,” she retaliated. Hadn’t she proven herself enough to these people?

“I’m sorry. Please expect Hadwyn to be grumpy and rude most of the time, but trust me, Val, he’s one of the best fighters I’ve ever met.”

“Sam told me you’ve been trained since you were children. I haven’t had any training so what makes you think I’m not going to put you in danger?”

“Now she’s making sense,” Hadwyn muttered.

Boden frowned at him. “Val, if you weren’t ready for this, your mark wouldn’t have activated. So even though you may not believe it, something in your DNA knows you’re ready.”

She instantly liked Boden; she wasn’t sure about Hadwyn, but she could see why he would be annoyed by this strange little girl who had turned up to take the place of a lifelong friend and strapping Guard. She would be worried too. “Ignoring Grumpy’s opinion of me,” she gave him a smirk, “what can I do to help? And how long will it take? I really do have to get back to Earth. My family are in danger.”

“Here’s some information that should help.” Boden reached his hand out and a screen appeared floating in mid-air. “The Warden was taken from a carrier ship close to the border with Necrat.” He pointed to a little blue planet. “As yet, we have had no demands or even any contact with the people who took him. We have our suspicions; a group of Nyterians were spotted in the area. A traveller recognised them. Necrat is a neutral zone that’s sometimes used as a meeting place for
leaders, so we had no reason to give heightened protection on what was supposed to be a peaceful visit. This attack is a complete violation of their laws of conduct. We’re now waiting to receive instructions.”

Hadwyn was spinning what resembled a gun in his hand, “Seems like the new leader of the Nyterians doesn’t have a rule book,” he grumbled, “so let’s leave ours at home! Wouldn’t you agree Earth girl?” He pointed the gun’s barrel at Val.

She held her breath. “I’m not shooting anyone.” She turned to Boden. “I’ve never been this close to a lethal weapon in my life. I won’t kill people.” She was panicked at the thought.

“Val, calm down. Our job isn’t to kill anyone, we stun. As a Guard you will know that the aim isn’t to take life, but to possibly transform it under the right circumstance. Hadwyn, put it away.”

Hadwyn shoved the weapon back onto his trouser leg where it seemed to mould itself to his shape.

“Magrafe are all unique and we all have a different weapon.” Boden put his arm over his head, reached behind his back and revealed what she could only describe as something that resembled a very advanced crossbow. It glowed as Boden aimed it at Hadwyn. “They feed off our energy and take forms that suit our own personal style.”

“I have a sword.” Val smiled, reaching instinctively for a back pocket that no longer existed. “It’s back at my room, sorry.”

“You don’t need it. Does this sword work well for you?” Boden asked.

“Yes, it’s been great and since I got my bracelet it’s seemed to have improved in power.”

“That’s a good start, Val. We don’t have much time before we need to leave, so what we can show you will be limited, but you must learn that you are your weapon. Your uniform is made of something called Polidion. It’s a material that was found in small amounts on the planet Tolak before the Great War of the Tolks,”

Hadwyn interrupted, “Those were good days.” He looked at Val with a sparkle in his eye.

“Ignore him. Seriously, it was used solely to create the Magrafe’s suits. It allows the wearer to pull their weapon from it. Each Magrafe is different as I said, so you need to find your inner weapon.”

Val started to poke and prod the soft patches looking for a pocket. “Sorry I don’t seem to have one.” She could sense this was going to be complicated.

Hadwyn got to his feet, walked impatiently over to Val and grabbed her by the shoulders. “Find your weapon or I will stun you.” He stepped back placing his hand on his leg. It moulded a gun to his hand, seeming to just extend from the material.

“I can’t do that.” She rubbed her leg nervously. “You need to give me more time please.”

“Five, four, three…,” he said calmly.

“Stop it!” she yelled turning to Boden for support, but he didn’t move.

“Two…”

Val felt that gut feeling, the one she had when her powers were just about to take over. Suddenly and to her sheer joy, Hadwyn’s gun hand dropped and he stepped back looking extremely pleased with his creation. Val looked down her arm and, on the end of her hand, was a sword pointing directly at Hadwyn’s throat. It resembled the one Sam had given her, but it was coming
from her suit. It had extended from a plate on her arm and engulfed her hand. It felt lighter than her normal sword. “Look, I have my sword!” she gave a sigh of relief then glared at Hadwyn. “Now you can’t shoot me.”

“I’m more impressed with the flames.” He actually sounded impressed as well.

Val looked down and it was true, she was aflame, but not like on Earth or earlier that day. Now the suit seemed to make her flames blue, like the gas flame on a cooker. It made her feel stronger, different. “This is something I do, I’m half-witch,” she said proudly.

“Can you turn it off? It’s getting a little warm in here.” Boden asked.

“Yes, sorry.” Val took a breath to calm down. Now she had her special weapon and a little respect from Hadwyn, she could let her flames go out.

“Next, no one should see you when you’re working.” Boden pointed to his face and in a split second, a black helmet extended from his uniform, and enveloped his head.

“Amazing!” Val reached out to touch it. “Do I have one?” The helmet retracted and Boden nodded.

Hadwyn chipped in enthusiastically, “Just see yourself wearing your helmet.” He seemed to be getting excited at the possibility of having a human flame thrower to play with.

Val closed her eyes and imagined she was wearing a helmet. After a moment she opened them again tentatively and was amazed to find something like a computer screen surrounding her head. It was like she had shoved her head into a darkened fishbowl, she could see at all angles quite clearly. She wished Jason was there.
“Hello.” A voice said into her ear. She looked around turning and twisting. “Val it’s me, Boden. We will all be able to communicate through our helmets without being heard or detected. We can also monitor your vital signs through your suit and keep you cool in hot places and vise-versa.”

“Right,” Val nodded. “How do I get it off?” Even as she asked the question, the helmet shot back.

“Just like that,” he replied. He looked down at his watch and then up at Val. “I don’t want you to panic, but we need to leave. We will have some time after the journey to talk, but the clock is ticking and two other groups have already left.”

This was much faster than she had expected. Sam had made it sound like they were just going to hang out on the Prison for a few days. “I’m supposed to be meeting Wendy for dinner and Sam for pudding…” she was never going to get that pudding, “…but hey, now I have a sword and him,” she pointed at Hadwyn. “What could go wrong?”

“They’ll be informed of the basics, don’t worry.” Boden opened a new exit to her left. “Val, helmet on.” She followed orders as Hadwyn tapped her helmet with his gun, making it quite clear he was prepared to stun her if necessary to get the desired effect.

“Get off.” She pushed his hand away. Her helmet in place, she made her way out, unsure of what would be waiting for her behind the door.

Boden led the way, Hadwyn behind and Val tucked in neatly at the back. She was tense, on edge, but at the same time strangely relieved to have them with her. They walked a short distance and then came to a halt in front of a glass door. Val could see three more figures inside, dressed like her. “Are they Magrafe?” she asked.

“Yes, we must wait here until it’s our turn. The High Collector will be instructing them on their mission and will send them on.”

Hadwyn stood waiting on one side, Boden on the other. She felt a little like Madonna going for a jog. Suddenly the glass door went misty and when it cleared the three figures had gone. Boden stepped forward, the woman looked towards them and the door whooshed open.

“Welcome to the primary portal. It’s so nice to meet you at last, Val. Your Collector speaks highly of your bravery.”

Val nodded blushing inside her helmet. “Is she ok? I haven’t seen her.”

“She’s well.” The woman smiled warmly at her, making her feel a little more relaxed. “Now we must get on with your instructions. Boden, as always you will lead your group. Hadwyn, you are being warned to conduct
yourself in an appropriate manner. I don’t want to have to deal with the paper work you left me with last time.”

“In my defence, she was crazy and wouldn’t shut up before I stunned her,” he shrugged his shoulders.

“You always have an answer and after two hundred years, they are wearing thin young man.” She looked sternly at him as if at the end of her tether. Yet Val sensed she wasn’t as angry as she sounded. “As you know, the Warden has been taken and I can now confirm our suspicions were correct, it was the new leader of Nyteria, Nathan Akar, who took him. Let me make this very clear, Nathan Akar is ruthless. He takes no prisoners and stands for no questions over his actions or authority. He has informed us he wants the power from the Prison and there is no other option. At this moment your job is simply to retrieve the Warden.”

She lifted a tiny hand and a transparent screen appeared between them. She pointed to a flashing red spot. “We have been informed that the Warden is being held here, in sector thirty-four, under heavy guard. This map has been programmed into your suits. The atmosphere on Nyteria matches that on the Prison, so if you do have to remove your helmet there’s no need to concern yourselves. You will now be teleported to sector thirty-two where you will be met by one of our guides. They will give you coordinates for your departure point. Do not return without the Warden.” Her expression now was as serious as Val imagined it could be. “Boden, Hadwyn, you have with you the girl from the vision. She is the one who is prophesised to free the Warden. You are to protect her with your lives, do you understand?”

They nodded and Val felt relieved that they would look after her, but concerned that one of them might get
hurt because of her. “Can you please do something for me before I leave?” Val asked politely.

“What?”

“Can you please tell my Collector that if anything happens to me, could she please send a message to Zac, my Hunter.” Val could feel a lump in her throat as she spoke, “Could you tell him to tell my Mum and Dad that I love them.” Her voice broke and she was silent.

“I will do that for you, Val. We know you are just a child in comparison to these Guards and we thank you for taking such risks to help protect us when, as a collective we may not have been so kind in return. Now go and do what your friend saw in her vision and I will be here to greet you on your return.”

The Collector moved to one side to reveal the shimmering portal. Val was sure it hadn’t been there a few seconds ago. Boden stepped into it and Hadwyn followed. Then it was her turn. She stood for a second, looking at her reflection in the shimmer. She looked like a wobbly version of the bikers outside Shane’s tattoo parlour. ‘Note to self – make sure no one sees me like this at home.’ She stepped into the portal and was off.