Enlightenment, p.18
Enlightenment, page 18
part #1 of The Immarian Lineage Series
“What face?” I asked defensively as I leaned my chest against the wall.
“Your thinking face. Are you going to tell me what’s up, or will I have to get you to talk?” She grinned at the idea.
I hesitated for a moment, but then I told her about all my worries about never seeing my mom again, what Sunny had said, and finally of what hope we had. I could see how Thea changed while I spoke. Her back stiffened, and her forehead wrinkled with concentration.
“If I can’t find an answer for myself, I can’t give one to you,” she said miserably. “All I know is that we can never give up. Ever!”
“I wish we knew what the monsters were planning,” I mumbled.
“Me, too.”
Slowly, the hours crept by until just before dawn.
Thea stretched. “It’s four a.m.,” she said with a half smile. “Our shift is over.”
“Really?” I asked, trying to keep my eyes open.
Yawning loudly, she nodded. “Yup, the next shift should be here any second.”
I was so tired that I just wanted to stamp an “out of order sign” on my forehead and spend the entire day in my tent.
We stumbled down the ladder and headed toward our tents. As we split off, I meant to say, “goodnight,” but all that came out was, “Grr’nah.”
I flopped onto my blanket and, without even bothering to take off my armor, fell right to sleep.
Chapter 18
I didn’t know what it was. I used to dream about happy and funny things like my grandma hobbling down a T-Rex infested street in New York with her walker, and then suddenly she was climbing up the side of a skyscraper and shooting webs like an old, arthritic Spiderman. My dreams now were only ever nightmares about killer creatures. And this dream was no exception.
A lone figure stood in a grassy clearing as her blonde hair shone against the morning sunrise. It was the Morta. She was tapping her foot impatiently, in full body armor that had old dents and scratches. Her milky white eyes were hidden behind wraparound sunglasses. Why she needed sunglasses at all was beyond me.
“Sacca?” a male voice behind her whispered, as if trying to hide the conversation from others.
The Morta growled, “Well, it’sss about time!” She turned and found herself face-to-face with the same hooded figure as in my cavern dream. Its body shimmered like a hologram, making me wonder if it was an apparition or a ghost.
“My apologies, lady.” The cloaked figure bowed. “Is everything set?”
“Yesss, we will have the key sssoon.” She bared her teeth in an ugly smile. “Play your part well, or my lord will not be pleasssed. You have already failed him once.”
“I know my part!” he snapped before winking out of existence.
“You’d better,” she hissed quietly. Then, tongue lashing out, she made her way into a clump of trees with three large boulders surrounding a fire. Evil shadows wavered upon their surfaces. But they weren’t boulders. They were giants! Three giants sitting around the fire in armor made of black stone. And etched into the stone were engravings that glowed with white script along the shoulders and the front of their helms. The armor must have weighed a ton, like going into battle with a hippo on your back. Each giant must have been fifteen-feet-tall, and that was while sitting down.
The first two were humanoid, with thick, grey skin and the same brutish faces. The third one was broader, with skin as green as poison, four powerful arms, and two heads! They each held massive maces with sickly, razor-sharp spikes at the ends. They looked like they could flatten a truck with a single swing.
When Sacca entered the camp, the three giants got to their feet, towering over her like she was a doll.
“We march to secure the key once and for all, and then we shall rule again by the Day of Ascension!” she shrieked gleefully as the giants raised their heads and roared ferociously into the sky.
***
I woke up suddenly as someone shook me hard. The horrible roaring was still ringing in my ears.
“Alec,” Carter said, sounding alarmed, “get up.”
“Why?” My voice was rough, and my brain felt slow.
“The day has started, and you have a schedule to keep,” Carter said firmly.
I just rolled over, crushing my pillow as I tried to ignore him. “I was up all night!” I complained.
“Now you understand the magnitude of the punishment. Physical and mental exhaustion can …”
I missed whatever else he was saying after that, because I had fallen asleep again. I didn’t think the ground could possibly feel any more comfortable than it did at that moment. Then someone grabbed the collar of my armor and lifted me up easily, standing me on my feet where I swayed on the spot. Sploosh! Ice cold water hit me, sending such a shock through my body that I jumped back, sputtering. Sadly, that was the closest thing to a shower I’d had in two weeks.
“Get to class,” Carter ordered.
“What class?” I asked, rubbing my eyes.
“Combat strategies.”
“Where is it?”
“Beside the forges.” He looked at me, but his face showed no emotion, making it impossible to guess what he was thinking. I bet he would be great at poker.
Grabbing my sword from inside my tent, I trudged off toward my first class of the day.
“Hey, Alec,” Carter said, watching me go. “I rescind my punishment to five nights.”
I dipped my head in a sheepish thank you and continued on my way.
School and I had never been the best of friends, so I was not at all surprised that, within five minutes of the class starting, my eyes started to droop. However, I was determined to turn over a new leaf, so I fought the fatigue, which worked to a certain degree.
The teacher, Jenkins, obviously loved his job. He was so enthusiastic that it was almost scary with his dramatic gestures and wide unblinking eyes as he rambled on about aerial invasion tactics. But believe me; it wasn’t as fun as it sounded when every single aspect was broken down into formulas and equations. Such as the angle in which you should aim your bow when a Kroger flying forty-five miles per hour with a strong northern wind gusting … Oh yeah, fun stuff.
***
A snarling, one-eyed giant sniffed the air then changed directions mid-step. Following its nose, it limped its way into a clump of trees where four monsters sat. The cyclops growled deep in its throat as a massive, green giant leapt to its feet and bellowed at it, grabbing a lance, mace, and two shields the size of billiard tables with its four arms. But a small, young woman with glasses and polished armor put up a hand, and the green giant backed off yet continued to glare at the smaller but still deadly threat.
“Revenge,” the cyclops croaked almost unintelligibly as it ripped an arrow from its shoulder.
“Then welcome, brother.” Sacca smiled.
The three other giants bared their teeth in savage grins at the newcomer.
***
“Alec!” a voice echoed all around the trees as if it came from everywhere. Then I was poked hard in the ribs, jolting my head off the desk.
“Wha …?” I wiped a line of drool off my cheek as the class chuckled and whispered. I didn’t care. I just wanted to understand the meaning of that dream. I’d never had dreams so vivid, yet here I had two in one day. If it was what I was thinking, then it was very bad, and I would have to tell Carter about this, maybe even Durrick. This was something he had to know!
“Mr. Foster,” Jenkins snapped at me. “I hate repeating myself. Kindly answer the question.”
My hands instantly went sweaty. I hadn’t heard a question. “Umm … Seven?”
Jenkins huffed as the class sniggered. “With a dozen believers at your side, facing down a battalion of raptors, what is the logical battle strategy to implement?”
I was so tempted to say the historical strategy that armies had been doing for centuries. The running away, yelling mommy strategy, also known as retreating.
“I don’t know,” I said, feeling that was the safer answer.
“Sir.”
“I don’t know, sir,” I repeated, liking the guy a little less. He could barely be six years older than me but obviously liked being in charge.
“I’ve heard about you, Mr. Foster.” Jenkins smirked pompously. “Didn’t you hit yourself with your own javelin?”
Several of my classmates laughed openly at that.
Yup, I thought gloomily, just like every other school I’ve attended. I should walk out of there right now and tell Durrick my dream. He might be a world-class butt steamer, but he would know what my dreams meant. I mean, they couldn’t just be dreams. They must mean something, right?
“How about …?” Jenkins scanned the class, looking for his next victim, then his eyes lit up. “Ah, Sabrina.”
The girl sitting right next to me paled. “Um … well, maybe the phalanx used by the ancient Greeks?” she said, sounding so subdued, like a mouse had said it.
“Oh.” Jenkins faked a painful wince. “I’m sorry, but that couldn’t be more wrong.”
That was a little harsh, I thought. I never liked people who used their position of authority to bully others. It set my teeth on edge.
“Oh, and in the future, Sabrina, please refrain from affecting Mr. Foster. He needs all the help he can get.” With that last jab, he continued on with his lecture and the cursing effects of a Banshee’s shriek upon a human soul.
“I’m sorry,” Sabrina said, leaning toward me. She had caramel-colored eyes and dark brown hair and skin.
“What for?” I whispered back.
“Putting you to sleep.”
“Don’t let Jenkins kid you. His lame lecture did that.”
She blushed. “No, it’s something I do a lot.”
“You put people to sleep?” I asked skeptically.
“Yes.”
“Are you that boring?”
“I hope not! It’s my power,” she said, looking embarrassed. And I could see on her face how self-conscious she felt about it.
“I bet you’ve taken some pretty awesome naps then,” I said, which got her to smile slightly.
“Hey!” Jenkins called from the front. “Sabrina, Alec, flirt on your own time.” Now that caused my face to burn.
***
Barely waiting for the “super life-changing” lesson of combat strategies to end, I sprinted out of the place at top speed, heading for the red pavilion with the large green flag flapping in the breeze after having decided that Durrick should know about my dreams, whether they meant something or not. I dodged past believers, ran down the main lane, and heard one guy mutter to his friend, “It’s him,” as I blew by. Then again, with the wind in my ears, it could have been anything.
As I neared the pavilion, the ever-present guards gathered in front of the opening and lowered their spears, forcing me to skid to a stop. They wore gleaming armor with long, dark green capes, which I thought was a little Medieval overboard.
“State your business!” the lead guard ordered, the voice that of a girl, which caught me by surprise. They all looked identical, making it impossible to tell boy from girl.
“I need to speak to Durrick,” I said, rubbing a stitch in my side. “It’s urgent.”
The lead guard eyed me for a minute and must have seen the urgency on my face, because she raised her spear, an act the others did not follow. Then she turned and stepped into the pavilion.
I couldn’t hear what she went to say and swallowed uncomfortably from the gazes of the other guards. Like they were searching for my weak points and mentally figuring out the best way to take me down. Their gazes were so intense that I couldn’t help but gaze back. After a few seconds, it became my goal to change their stony expressions any way I could. So, I stuck out my tongue, made a pig face, and basically every face imaginable to get the guards to crack up or at least twitch. No dice.
“You’re good,” I joked.
Then the female guard returned, scowling. “Make it quick.”
I stepped past the guards, smiling broadly. “Until next time.” Then I entered the pavilion.
Durrick stood over his desk, muttering to a pudgy man who I didn’t know. He had gray hair, a double chin, and I felt bad for the elastic that had to support his trousers. Then I remembered that he sat beside Durrick in the mess hall.
“What do you want?” Durrick asked shortly. “No, there is no setting of super easy on the sword dummies.”
“This is serious—”
“Oh, serious you say?” he said mockingly. “Pray tell, I’m so looking forward to hearing you babble and waste my time.”
Have I ever mentioned how I don’t like this guy?
I could feel my temper rising, but I bit back any sharp retorts.
“What’s up?” Carter asked from a corner behind me.
Oh, thank God, Carter, I thought as I turned toward him and told him about my first dream with Sacca, the cloaked figure, and the three giants.
Carter tried to remain impassive, but I could see shock cross his face.
“And then, in class, I dreamt—”
Durrick’s associate snorted loudly. “Sleeping in class! Of all the arrogant, irresponsible …” He trailed off, double chin wobbling as Durrick gave him a look.
“Get to your point, boy,” Durrick snapped. “What you’ve told me about your fantasy so far means nothing. I’ve had you tried, and I know your capabilities better than you do, and dream vision isn’t one of them. On the remote possibility that your dream was actually of a real event and you aren’t insane, which I’m starting to believe, those monsters can be anywhere on earth.”
“Just listen.” Then I told them about my dream in class.
“So,” Carter said thoughtfully, “you think it’s the same cyclops?”
“Yes.” I nodded. “I mean, we just fought one, and it escaped, and now I dreamt one that is battle worn. That can’t be coincidence. Those giants and the Morta can’t be far from this place if they ran into the cyclops.”
“Alec …” Carter began, but Durrick cut him off.
“Allow me, Carter.” He straightened up from behind his desk. “If you actually spent your time learning rather than sleeping in class, maybe you could have thought this up on your own. Or at least had the common sense to ask your teacher about the one-eyed beasts. Cyclops can travel incredible distances within hours—thousands of miles, in fact. Therefore, this scene you’ve witnessed could easily have been in California, Brazil, or some other part of the world!” His voice grew louder with each word.
“Thank you for telling us,” Carter said with a slight nod.
“Now get out,” Durrick sneered.
***
“So, that’s it?” Thea asked from beside me.
We were both in a bunker with our shields over our heads to protect ourselves from the downpour of arrows from a castle we were supposed to seize. We were in the Mad House, ten of us on a team, and twelve enemies inside the castle.
“Yeah, basically,” I grumbled. “I don’t think they believed me, though.”
Thea jumped up for a second to fire an arrow before crouching down again. “Your dream doesn’t seem like a normal one to me. Then again, we did talk about the cyclops just before you crashed. Maybe it leaked into your subconscious …” She thought for a moment as more paintball arrows whizzed past. The only noise that could be heard were the orders the believers inside the castle were yelling as they tried to keep us at bay.
“Let’s talk about this later. It’s been three minutes; the others are probably there already,” I said.
“I’ll cover you,” Thea replied.
Thea notched an arrow and fired it as I jumped over the side of the bunker and ran flat-out as arrows thudded against my shield, splashing my face with paint. I made my way toward another bunker barely a hundred feet away from the front entrance of the castle. Jumping into the trench, breathing hard, I was glad to see that the other two members of my team were there. We exchanged quick nods of relief since this was the meeting point.
My two teammates were cousins but could not have been more different. First, there was Markus, a short, stocky Latino, but what he lacked in height, he made up for in attitude, speed, and a massive claymore. I was told he was the fastest runner in camp. And then there was Jake, who was thin, tall, and more of a Brainiac than anything. He had absolutely no muscle on him whatsoever, which was odd since believers here worked out basically every day.
We waited anxiously for the main part of Thea and Jake’s plan to take effect. Even though Thea had left the fortress over a year ago to live alone, few people, if any, challenged her as leader. As she had devised the plan, everyone had listened without a word and had taken them as orders. Jake had added helpful additions so, overall, the plan seemed pretty foolproof.
“Come on,” Markus growled, tapping his thigh in agitation. “Where is the signal?”
“We should take under consideration that maybe Thea was eliminated,” Jake speculated.
“What do we do then?” Markus asked, peeking over the edge of the bunker.
“Don’t worry, Thea won’t let us down,” I said confidently as I followed Markus’s lead and stared above the castle, waiting for Thea to give us the signal. Then I ducked down quickly as an arrow buzzed right where my head had been a second before. Markus did likewise.
I grimaced. Thea wasn’t the only sharp shooting archer in this game. The defenders had this guy, Trevor, who could peg a fly to a wall without killing it. But along with him, every defender was an able archer and a competent swordsman. Whereas my team only had four archers, all of whom were now together somewhere around the far side of the castle. Hopefully, the defenders hadn’t detected them. Our squad had split into three separate teams.
Markus, Jake, and I waited for another few tense minutes as I kept rubbing my sweaty hands on my jeans, Jake readjusting his shield strap, and Markus just looked angry that he wasn’t knocking people’s heads together. Then, finally, a volley of arrows shot out from the bushes off to the right of the castle. One of them did a loop-da-loop before continuing on its trajectory, which I really wished was at Trevor.
