Elemental Prophecy: Book One (Prologue)

Prologue

The room was dark, dimly lit, and a sweet aroma of burning incense floated amongst the air. The floors glistened of an orange glow cast by the dim shimmering torches upon the walls that held round hollow glass orbs in which a small flame swirled. Set in the center of the room was a long table that seated thirteen, though only one chair was occupied. At the far end of the table there sat a man cloaked in crimson robes with a concealed face hidden in the shadow of a hood. He sat completely still, hands folded on top of a single sheet of paper, and facing the door all the way in front of the long table.

Silence was about, not a sound could be heard except for the faint wisp of the unusual swirling flames confined into the glass orbs that flickered hauntingly. The man waited and waited, he showed no signs of impatience, nor any other signs of stirrings--as if he were made of wax. Finally, with a soft click, the doorknob turned slowly and the cloaked man’s head perked up. The door gently opened and a finely dressed man entered. He approached suavely and took a seat near the cloaked man as the door slammed shut.

The man was clad in a completely black tuxedo and on his face he bore a plain, blank, and emotionless white mask in which his calm breathing was heard. Though the mask was white, it shined resplendently with an orange glow.

“I assume you did not fail in your task?” the cloaked man said plainly.

“Yes, my Lord, I did not” the masked man replied. “They should be here shortly.”

“Did you use the gas?” the cloaked man inquired slowly.

“But of course, they sleep like the bears” replied the masked man, “You know me not to do things incorrectly, my Lord” he assured once more. “They should be here shortly.”

“Excellent.”

Seconds later the door opened and two more men entered, dressed exactly like the first, and wearing the same white masks. They did not sit, but halted.

“They’re here” one of them said, and he and his companion then sat beside the first man. “They are being put into their restraining chambers and separated from all elemental substances.”

“So, if the prophecy is true, then we must ensure that it is not carried out and dispose of it completely” the first man said, “though, you claim that the plan is going to take quite a while, my Lord?”

“Well,” the cloaked man began, “if that is what is required in ensuring our victory--then it’s a small cost. I’ve told you, we cannot go off and capture them just like that, you are aware of how heavily guarded they were--and still are--since birth. So if we are going to do it, we have to get around that, do it when they are vulnerable and then set the bait.” White teeth flashed in the darkness of the shadow that concealed the man’s face. It was a grin that shined deeply with malice.

“We must wait at least a year,” he stated clearly.

“A year!” shouted the first man, “That’s absurd, why should we wait that long!” he protested.

“Don’t you dare raise your voice at me!” the cloaked man roared in a slightly demonic tone. “You show me respect. I know what I am doing; you are of little experience....”
The man halted his protest and silenced quickly. The cloaked man’s voice held much authority, so much that the other two men silenced all the same.

“We wait at least a year,” continued the cloaked man, “and then we set the bait and lure them in.”

“But why a year?” the third masked man asked apprehensively, finally speaking.

“Well, Abdul--as you might know--our captives are surly going to be searched for by the G.E.U. for quite a while, even the Chinese Division will now be searching” replied the cloaked man. “If we wait a year, then the searches will die down and we can strike again, but this time at our true targets.”

He drew back his sleeves gently and lifted the single sheet of paper, folded it, and presented it to the first masked man. “Your following instructions are here. Their use will not be needed for a while, but keep them in mind, and keep them safe.”

“As your bidding implies,” said the masked man. “I apologize. If you say they will fall in time, then they shall fall in time....”