A Strand of Reality - Chap. 3

Chapter 3

Alaric marched down the tunnel, anger fueling his stride. He knew his resting to recover from the cave-in had just been a ploy. Fisjo had never let him have healing period before, let alone now. Still, when Fisjo’s order had come for him - it had been a shock. Raelei had told him all about the pillars and the wall that the implosion had exposed, and how she was working on it - but he hadn’t expected that Fisjo would put him in change of the primary exploration. Alaric stared ahead, grim determination to get the better of Fisjo mounting violently.

Battling with his fury, Alaric didn’t realize he was at the cave-in site until the cave widened out abruptly. Alaric gazed up at the majestic structure that had endured beyond memories long past. The pillars arched up the roof, sustaining the weight of the mines. Thicker then ten men side by side, the columns stood sentry for a looming wall that stretched up into the shadows. Covered from top to bottom with raised carvings, the entrenched obstacle held firm - as if it were shielding something, or perhaps keeping something out.

Alaric stood frozen. Deep inside him something responded to the timeless majesty and ancient power of this awesome formation. Still caught under the hazy spell of timeless strength, he watched Raelei come bounding up to him. Her eyes sparkled as they sometimes did when she was talking about this place. For the first time, Alaric understood why. ‘Isn’t it great?’ Raelei crowed in a breathless whisper. Alaric nodded. Somehow this place called for respectful silence. ‘I’ve been studying the carvings - they’re absolutely fascinating!’ Raelei continued as she led Alaric to the massive wall.

Silver light shimmered, rippling out from the core of the metal itself, reflecting on their faces. Raelei pointed at some queer looking characters, tracing it softly with her finger tips. ‘I’ve been trying to remember where I’ve seen these symbols before - probably in one of my textbooks I suppose.’ As she said this, a slight shadow flitted across her face. Alaric knew all to well the feeling of bitter homesickness she was engulfed in. Quickly changing the topic, he pointed a horizontal line of writing. It was smaller then all the rest, but it had more intensity in the lines. ‘So what does that say?’ Raelei cocked her head, studying the commanding pattern.

* * * * *

As images wafted forward in her mind, Raelei struggled to hold onto the elusive knowledge. These figures - they meant something, something important - if only she could remember what.

... Raelei coughed as the dust floated down. Turning her head away she slipped the thick book she had disturbed off the topmost library shelf. Pressing the blinking red down button on the lift, she eagerly browsed over the publishing information. When it reached the floor she absently marched to her private reading cubical. Settling into the soft blue seat, she curled herself up and avidly began to read the ancient history text entitled ‘Black Terror.’

Pictures flashed in her mind as she saw the destruction of the Nac`Ra spread through Iolanthae - her city, her home. She stood with the people, sharing their hopelessness in the face of the onslaught, and then their joy as they realized that Forshae, their nation’s stone, could save them. She sweated with the newly formed Alassandro as they, through trial and error, built the Ave`ril, and saved their way of life, their planet.
That night, the dreams had started...

Terror washed over her, as Raelei finally understood what the carvings said. She whipped around, speeding off like a frightened doe. Alaric stared at her, wondering what in the stars had suddenly possessed her to behave so queer. He watched as she approached the Tiejed in command. He couldn’t hear what she was saying, but it was clear to him as he watched her movement that she was agitated, even feverishly agonized. Whatever it was that she was trying to do, she didn’t succeed, however, because he watched as she came back to where he was standing, moving as if ice flowed through her veins.

Alaric took one look at her face etched with fear, and felt the same fear strike his very core. ‘What’s wrong?’ He whispered. Raelei stared at him blankly, looking right through him. She spoke, her voice low and controlled, but with a tremor of hysterical terror bespeaking too. ‘Behind this wall lies the worst plague known to any planet. A pulsing bubble of light energy trapped it, but I’m afraid that the cage has deteriorated. It is only held there by the fact that it is in an unbroken hollow of Forshae. When we break through this wall it will be let loose once more to terrorize our home planets.’

Alaric stared at the ashen Raelei, alarm in his golden hawk eyes. ‘Are you sure?’ Raelei nodded but once, the finality in her eyes spoke clear and sure. Alaric shook his head, unwilling to believe her, yet in his heart he knew she was telling the truth. His desire of mastery compelled him to know what his next enemy was. Raelei answered his question in a clear voice ringing with fear of the certain horror to come. ‘It is the blackest, darkest form of death in the entire universe - it is the Nac`Ra.’

* * * * *

Raelei’s pleading had been in vain. The next day Alaric and Raelei had to stand by, helpless to do anything, as the chemical erosive was set to clear a door through the insurmountable wall. The only thing they could do was to warn the miners. Alaric had conducted a meeting in the barracks, telling the miners that if they wanted to live, they had to be touching Forshae with their bare skin. Some had scoffed, jeering at the idea of the Nac`Ra. Even Alaric’s position as unspoken leader hadn’t made all of the miners concerned about the threat.

All of this played through Raelei’s mind’s eye as she watched the Tiejed, covered from head to toe with protective rubber suits, cautiously set the chemical bomb. The Tiejed finished, then stepped back, one of them pressing the detonation button on the control piece. Breathlessly Raelei gripped the hunk of Forshae in her hand until her knuckles turned white, matching the pallor of her face. All she could do was hope that the miners had taken heed of their warning. The bomb flashed an eerie red reply to the hand device, and detonated.

There was no explosion, but in a matter of seconds the programmed erosive had eaten a man-sized hole in the wall that had shielded the planet from death for centuries. At first nothing stirred the intense silence that enshrouded the room, weighing down on all of the miners and Tiejed so much that even the ones who had laughed at the Nac`Ra began to wonder. Their fears where solidified in the space of a falling asteroid. They all watched in terrified silence as a black mist that seemed to have no form, yet had a definite contour, like a single jet wave flowing through the very substance of space, rippled out of the hole. It had no face, no eyes - it was a tendril of ebony haze. It paused as if taking in its surroundings, yet it had no visible or invisible brain.

Then, in a flash, it was gone. Raelei watched, petrified, as the Tiejed guard, before her very eyes, died. Working from the inside, the Nac`Ra absorbed their bodies, from the inner parts out. All that remained of the unfortunate victims was exactly nothing. They simply vanished in the blink of an eye. One by one all that weren’t holding Forshae disappeared.

Then for a single second, the curling vapor appeared in the midst of the shaken remaining miners. Spinning around quicker then a whirlwind, it appeared as if the Nac`Ra was checking that it had dissolved all it could, for not a moment sooner, it rushed down the tunnel, into the mines - a silent, piercing wave of blanketing destruction.

Alaric knew it was now his turn to play a part in this tragic scene. His orders were to explore behind the wall - Fisjo no doubt was hoping that the Lanthrill wall was keeping them away from some horrible thing, something he hoped that would kill Alaric. A grim smile played on Alaric’s lips as he strode to the doorway. Yes, this mighty wall had been holding something back - but something that likely as not had killed Fisjo, and many other Tiejeds, but not him.

Instinct kicked him sharply - someone was following him. Alaric spun around to stare into Raelei’s eyes. ‘I’m coming with you.’ Alaric raised his eyebrow caustically. ‘Oh really?’ Raelei lifted her chin defiantly at his tone. ‘Yes.’ Tension crackled high as Alaric and Raelei challenged each other; their emotions seeking an outlet to release the horror they felt from the past few moments. Neither allowed themselves to break with tears, instead they poured their shock into molten hot anger. Raelei lowered her gaze. ‘Please?’ She barely whispered the word, but Alaric heard it loud and clear.

He stared down at her bent head of chestnut hair with darkened eyes. Frustration mounted heatedly, he wanted a fight, no, needed it - but she wasn’t giving him one. Clenching his fists, his nails bit into the grimy bandages that wrapped his hands. ‘Come on then.’ His voice was icily controlled, revealing none of his inner turbulence. He turned, stepping into the dark hole. Trusting up the lighting probe he held, Alaric turned it on with a twist. The dim white light pushed the darkness away; revealing mounted torches on the surrounding wall. Grasping the bottom of one of the cylinder, tube-like torches he gave it a sharp twist. Yellow light flared out of the tops of the silver cones. One by one a chain reaction ran around the room. Shadows danced on the vaulted roof, as it stretched up into unlit darkness, too tall to be reached by the torches’ light.

Gloom retreated from the circular room, unveiling the ridges on the sheet of Forshae that ran around the walls, covering them completely. Stark white lines ran in and out of each other in a comprehensive, undulating pattern that contrasted with the blood violet of the stone. Reaching from the top, the dizzyingly endless pattern ran over the top and sides of the room, halting at the floor. No shadows fell on the glass smooth base of Forshae. In the exact center of the floor stood a pedestal of satiny, jet-black metal. On top of the simple pillar lay a pyramid that once was beautiful, but now it’s rotten form bespoke of death and failure.

Alaric stood at the door, seemly unable to approach the centerpiece, as Raelei slipped past him as soundless as a ghost. She glided up to the stand, her hands reaching out to carcass the spotted shape. Once pure, gleaming, milk-white crystal, the pyramid was now marred with death shadow patches of corrosive Zarelix. ‘It is as I feared.’ Raelei’s low voice echoed eerily in the chamber. Alaric snapped out of his dazed, wandering state, coming over to her side. ‘What is it?’ He queried indifferently. ‘It was the Ave`ril. The cage that kept the Nac`Ra imprisoned, until it rotted.’ Alaric grabbed the stone figure, peering at it nonchalantly. Raelei stared at him, sighing at his careless disregard for history’s artifacts. ‘Hey!’ Alaric poked his fingers at tiny, paper-thin slit in the middle of the base. What once was the only mark on the entire sculpture was actually an opening.

‘I can feel something in there.’ Alaric abruptly gave up on trying to pull the thing out, and started shaking the pyramid violently, ignoring Raelei's tiny shriek of dismay. Jarred loose by the rattling, a circular piece of Forshae tumbled out of the slit. Quicker the eye could see Alaric caught the crumbling pieces in his hand. Age had sapped the strength of the stone ring, and it shattered into a pile of dust, resting in Alaric’s palm.

Raelei touched it softly. ‘That was the Hicanor.’ Taking the pyramid from Alaric she held it up to the light, as if she was trying to probe secrets from its rotten milky depths. ‘And the Orion.’ Alaric laughed dryly, tipping his palm up. Letting the red dust fall to the floor, he ground it in with his leather boot. ‘The hope of Iolanthae.’ Cold emptiness filled Alaric’s voice and eyes. Raelei turned her head away.

Her eyes lit upon the silver cushion the Ave`ril had been resting on. It had a curious glow to it, as if it was lit up from underneath. Reaching out on impulse, Raelei lifted the cushion up and gasped. In a hollow of gleaming silver Lanthril lay a perfect, untouched Orion, not a spot of Zarelix on the pearl white Luciae stone. Carefully she reached in and plucked it out of the cavity, cradling it in her hands she looked up at Alaric. Her violet eyes shone brilliant purple in the silver-white light. Alaric cocked his head as he studied the carved Luciae, and ruffled back his jet-black hair. ‘This could be my ticket out of here.’
Raelei stared at Alaric. She ducked her head trying to hide. Uneasily Raelei examined the Orion closely. 'The Hicanor's not here...' With a sigh she handed the pyramid to Alaric. ‘We just have to find the Hicanor now.’ She glanced around the room, as if the shadows would point the way. ‘Perhaps the carvings...’ She mused, strolling over to study the walls.

Alaric spun around, glaring at the darkened archway. Instinct pulsed an alarm through him as he focused on the cave beyond. Something was wrong, the mines - no, the miners where unsettled. ‘Come on!’ He tersely clipped out to Raelei. Breaking into a controlled run, Alaric shoved the Orion away into his belt. Tucked away in a secret pouch in the black leather belt, the silver light was temporarily extinguished. Still the yellow light from the torches glowed steadily as the two figures rushed from the room. Then, not receiving any life signs to keep them lit, with in a heart beat, the lights behind them extinguished into shrouding darkness. Only the echoing of pounding footsteps emphasized the resounding hollowness that had overtaken the ancient guardian.

As Alaric came to the end of the tunnel, he ground to a sudden halt. Blocking the entrance way a flood of miners streamed out from every tunnel, spilling into the Great Hall. Every single miner in the mines was pressing towards the control tower. One thought possessed them all - to escape. Yet even in the midst of that consuming desire, uncertainty grew - overtaking all responses. Alaric walked up to the crowd. Without a word the milling people rippled back, and Alaric walked up the path between his colleagues. By silent, unanimous ascent Alaric had been voiced as their leader - no matter how much he resisted it.

Alaric steeled himself against the shining hope that enveloped the grim on the miner’s faces. He had a job to do - but he couldn’t perform miracles. ‘Kai - you organize this mob while I break the security system.’ He yelled, marching over to the black box that stopped them from getting up to the platform. ‘Calum, Thade, Kavie, Zander, Ret - you’ll organize families.’ Alaric could hear Kai organizing the miners as he worked on the opening code. ‘You’ll be put in groups of three - one male, one female and one child under 18 years will be your family. This is the only way there'll be enough Forshae for everone. When you get to the surface you’ll have to look after each other or you will not survive.’ Alaric continued punching the buttons as Kai clipped out orders. ‘Pick people you like, or original mates and then report to Gist. Each family will receive one case of Forshae to start them off.’ As the crowd parted into sections, Alaric finally cracked the code and the elevator door slid open.

Every eye turned, suddenly focusing on Alaric standing against the mighty tower. He sprung into the lift, escaping their gaze. Raelei slipped in beside him, and the doors slammed shut.

Hopeful silence soared in the cavern as never before. Alaric and Raelei zoomed up in the elevator, riding on the support of the people below. Stepping out on to the stark platform, the crystal pillars seemed to mock their plans with it’s flickering, disdainful red lasers. Not breaking stride, Alaric bore down on the smug blue hut. With lightning fast control, he pivoted on his left foot, and aimed his right at the glass window. The pane quivered as the heavy leather struck it, then lasped onto the smooth cream floor with a stifled smash.

Ignoring the glass shards on the window sill, Alaric put his hand down on it and leapt into the darkened room. Red lights gleamed softly, illuminating the sharp contrasting angles that constructed Fisjo’s office. In half shadow and half light, Alaric bent over the control board that ran along under the shattered window. As Alaric worked on the controls Raelei stared at the sparse office. The walls where bare, and the furniture consisted of a bare, sharp desk, chair and the control board. It all echoed of Fisjo’s hard coldness in sharp darkness that dominated every thing.

‘Got it!’ Alaric spun around, and strode to the doors. Slamming the button he marched out onto the platform and bellowed. ‘Send ‘em up.’ The crowd below shuffled forward in line. Three families at a time came until the whole group was up on the pavilion. Without a word Alaric went and deactivated the lasers. Dirty as the black metal catwalk was, to all it looked like a golden path studded with precious jewels. Muffled weeping drifted through the air, falling like spring blossoms. Overwhelming joy glistened in every teardrop, this moment was beyond any dream combined, it encompassed the furthest depths of human hope. Streaking down from the desolate eyes of each imprisoned soul the crystal streams washed their faces clean, bathing the filthy, jaded outer shell and healing the aching, withered spirits; preparing them all for a whole new existence. The order to begin crossing rang out with a joyful cry. The clarion peal resounded through the mines; crowning the epoch for all generations. It was time.

Flowing towards the gate as a rippling wave of humanity, the miners poured past Alaric and Raelei standing still, waiting to open the heavy rock doors. When the head of the crowd reached the doors, the flow of movement ceased. With a deep groan the heavy cage ground open, revealing the pearl gray sky of Iolanthae. Spilling out, everyone ran for their freedom, to the city of Iolanthae just outside the mines. Two lone figures stood behind in the desolate emptiness.

Raelei started forward, leaving Alaric standing on the edge of the bridge. Quietly Alaric savored the moment, more then ready to throw off a life of enslavement. It was time for the last crossing to freedom.

* * * * *

Fisjo limped forward. The burning pain in his broken ankle was nothing compared to the burning anger that hummed through his body. They were gone. All that he set out to accomplish was decimated, destroyed just as Alaric had foretold. His anger bordering on maniacal rage, Fisjo placed all the blame for his fallen empire on Alaric. Alaric who had now let his slaves free. A guttural roar simmered deep within him, then Fisjo vented his turbulent madness with a sonorous bellow.

Alaric whipped around in time to feel Fisjo brush by him. Skidding to a halt the wounded Tijed's eyes fixed on Alaric. Shuddering with the force of his hatred, Fisjo could feel his mind turning as he saw Alaric waiting. Just waiting... Tendrils of blackness curled, misting up Fisjo’s vision. The NightFall was here.

Alaric waited. Honed with the edge of his instincts he knew this time there was no stopping. Nothing would hold Fisjo back now - this was a fight to the finish. A cold certainty stole over his heart when he saw Fisjo’s milk-white eyes turned as black as night. He had never seen a Tiejed with the NightFall in control, but he had heard the stories. Three times as strong as the strongest man, a Tiejed with NightFall would not stop until their prey was dead. Unless they where killed first. And at the thought of killing Fisjo Alaric smiled, as cold as steel. He was just as ready to shed blood as Fisjo was.

Like two wolves the fighters circled around waiting for their chance. Despite the fact that he belonged to a lithe, wiry race, Fisjo had bulked up, adding layers of fat and muscle to his six foot seven frame. At six foot Alaric had the disadvantage height wise, but on the whole he was fitter and younger then Fisjo, not to mention unwounded as well. Focusing on Fisjo’s weakness, Alaric resembled a granite wolf, fighting for his life.
His lips pulled back in a menacing death grin, Fisjo lost his patience first. Powering forward he leapt for Alaric's head, his rapier claws extended to shred. Alaric dropped and rolled, feeling Fisjo's feet talons scrap over his back. Halting in mid pounce Fisjo twisted, landing to face Alaric with a howl of rage. Alaric felt an answer swelling deep inside. Throwing back his head, Alaric's own challenge ripped out. This time they both leapt, colliding midair. Crashing onto the concrete, Alaric grappled with Fisjo, not feeling the Tiejed's talons raking over his skin. Shifting, Alaric rolled over drawing his leg back. Putting all his strength behind it, he slammed his foot down onto Fisjo's broken ankle. Raelei heard the sickening snap as Fisjo's ankle broke further, but neither of the fighters noticed the ninety-five degree which the Tiejed's foot stuck out at. Fisjo had rolled them both over and was raking at Alaric's chest. Blood spurted out of each razor slash, gushing down onto the concrete and seeping in. Alaric could feel his head spinning as the loss of blood finally got to his mind.

Drifting on the edge of blessed oblivion Alaric dazedly registered Raelei scooping up broken shards of glass and hurling them at Fisjo's unprotected back. Hurtling against the tough lizard hide, the glass did little to distract Fisjo from his task of ripping open Alaric's chest. A scream of pure frustration lilted through the air rising to a piercing crescendo. The back of Alaric's neck prickled as he saw Raelei hunched over, kneeing on the ground. Hugging her stomach as if a horrendous ache was inside, Raelei's mind numbing cry shattered Fisjo's concentration. snapping his teeth, he rose. Advancing toward the suddenly calm girl, he raised his hand. With a powerful backhand blow Fisjo knocked Raelei to the ground.

Alaric watched, paralyzed as Fisjo smacked Raelei senseless. For the first time in his life, a burning anger took hold of him. New to losing his mind to rage Alaric found a strength he'd never know in the acid adrenalin. With a cry as deep as Raelei's had been high, Alaric charged. With all his strength and all his heart, Alaric finally put everything, including all he'd locked away, into destroying Fisjo.

* * * * *

Fisjo stood over the unconscious girl victoriously. He had the time to go back and leisurely finish off Alaric. He'd finally won - he'd destroyed that damn isssata...

* * * * *

That was the last thought he ever had. Somewhere a sonorous growl thundered and he was falling. Falling down to the rock he'd built his life on. Now it was coming to meet him, leering in his death fall. Then it was over.

Alaric stood over Raelei as she lay senseless, his blood pumping onto her still form. It had taken the last of his strength to stop himself from going over the rail with Fisjo. But now - now he could rest... Giving into the persistent darkness with a sigh, Alaric fell to the ground.

....~*~....

Please rate and reveiw - I want to send this in to a publisher and could do with some serious critiquing. But if you don't have time to review, please rate, and be harsh! Thankyou for your time. :)