Zein: The Prophecy Page 13

  The Red Shirted Man looked across to a nearby police car. Behind the car there was a Blue Shirted Man, a smaller man, no tattoos and a healthy head of hair. Both from different worlds, one from the rich Cheshire stockbroker belt, the other from the hard streets of Salford. The Red Shirted Man looked at the Blue Shirted Man and pointed to a couple of shotguns discarded by the soldiers. The Blue Shirted Man followed the gesture and then turned back to the Red Shirted Man. He gave the universal signal of agreement with his thumbs raised up. The grim look on his face mixed with the blood seeping from a cut on his head brokered no backing down. They both left their concealment and without further hesitation they each picked up discarded shotguns and started firing into the crazed soldiers.

  Others saw them fight back. One or two picked up other discarded guns, or fallen masonry, others picked up pieces of metal or wood. They joined the Red and Blue Shirted Men. The one and two turned into ten and twenty and then a hundred, then a thousand……

  The photon shotguns ran out of ammo and the Blue and Red Shirted Men picked up makeshift weapons. The crowd behind them swelled with angry support pushed forward. With a huge roar the Blue and Red Shirted Men led the charge.

  The Ilsid, caught up with the easy killing, did not see the change in mood and were caught unawares. The wave of human anger drove the attackers into the Ilsid. All rationale was gone. Pure hatred and the heat of battle took over. The Ilsid fought back with the seckles, but they were out of position. Their formation was no longer a compact and efficient killing structure.

  In the end the greater numbers and strength of the humans began to tell. The viciousness that lays latent in the human race was released, like a kettle reaching boiling point. It was an avalanche of emotion, a runaway train of anger and revenge, no longer two tribes vying for the best chant but one tribe going to war.

  Even the Ilsid, cold, heartless usually devoid of emotion felt fear for the first time in their mangled hearts. Their ranks decimated by sheer numbers they began to press their individual transportation retrieval devices, pulling them away from the one-sided conveyor belt of retribution. Before long the alien infantry had gone.

  The carnage behind was hideous. The Red Shirted Man and Blue Shirted Man stood gasping, their weapons coated in blood. They looked at each other and said nothing. There was nothing to be said. They raised their makeshift weapons and saluted each other and then went to help the injured.

  In the East Stand the tank had set down its landing ramp on the second floor and General Chad and twelve of his personal guard jumped off the ship. They made their way to the North Stand, killing anyone who got in their way.

  The companions kept running down the corridor of the North Stand. The second fountain had not been the portal either. They weaved in and out of the terrified supporters fleeing the brutality meted out by the two tanks in the middle of the stadium.

  ‘Look,’ Bailey shouted and pointed up the corridor. The Ilsid had found them. Some held photon shotguns and others had pulled out their seckles. Behind them strolled the dominating figure of General Chad. The fleeing supporters who got in the way were dispatched with cold efficiency. Tyson stopped to look back and saw the boy he had helped earlier, crying over a figure on the floor. It must be his father. He caught his distressed look and Tyson felt his heart sink. Such loss.

  Kabel saw Tyson stop and then followed his gaze. ‘I have had enough of running,’ he said and stopped abruptly. He turned and delved into his tunic to pull out his seckles. He waited for the pursuers.

  ‘No Kabel, Tyson, they will kill you. Run,’ shouted Gemma, panting heavily beside him. Fear driving her on.

  Tyson was motionless. Anger building like a tsunami of emotion as the petrified thoughts of terror from the supporters penetrated his amateur mind block. Unstoppable. Unrelenting. He just wanted to destroy these soldiers of death.

  He took Gemma’s arm.

  ‘Go to the others,’ command in every syllable.

  ‘What are you doing?’ Gemma asked as Tyson bent down and picked up a large metal fragment from the floor.

  ‘Go,’ he ordered. He was calm, yet the emotions began to take over and the blue force field began to spread from his hands over his forearms and soon his whole body was shimmering in a blue glow as he stood next to Kabel. Two men lit up like a neon sign.

  Kabel, in perfect control of his own magics, looked at Tyson concerned at the energy radiating from him. Can he control the magics?

  ‘Don’t stand too close,’ was all Kabel ending up saying. Tyson shuffled to the side. The Changeling, who had been quietly following the group, turned into a huge bear and stood the other side of Kabel, crouched, ready.

  General Chad slowed his pace. He was surprised. Two Blackstones and a changeling! How can that be? He reached behind him and pulled free his two double edged swords. No matter, all will die.

  The first Ilsid soldier reached Kabel flinging his seckle at his head. Kabel easily ducked the missile and before the seckle could return to the thrower’s hand he had leapt into action with a devastating blow to the soldier’s head.

  A second soldier attacked Tyson and aimed a blow at his throat. Tyson leaned back and the blow swung past. He marvelled at how slow the blow had looked.

  He took the sharp metal fragment and plunged it into the arm of the attacker. The man gasped and dropped the seckle. Keeping hold of the weapon he yanked it from the arm of the soldier. Tyson then felt his body levitate from the floor. Without thinking he did a stunning roll over the head of the soldier. He came down behind the bewildered attacker and drove the metal fragment into the back of his neck.

  Kabel was fighting with three other attackers, easily deflecting their attacks. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the move Tyson had made.

  How did you do that?

  Not sure. Just seemed right, was the only reply Tyson could give.

  Kabel frowned, concerned.

  The momentary loss of concentration allowed one of the Ilsid to breach the force-field and catch Kabel on the arm, tearing a nasty gash. He quickly brought his seckle up and dispatched the attacker. He fell dead at his feet.

  Another of the attacking group charged Tyson and aimed what should have been a killer blow to his head. Tyson shifted his body slightly to the left; his image distorted sufficiently that the blow missed him by a fraction. The momentum caused the soldier to lose his balance and as he did, Tyson pulled the soldier’s own photon blaster from his holster. He sent a kick into the off balanced soldier, who fell to the floor.

  There was no mercy. Not today when thousands of people had lost their lives. He shot him at point blank.

  General Chad had reached Kabel. The Changeling was wrestling with an Ilsid soldier and Kabel, for the first time, was exposed.

  ‘I am going to kill you like I killed both your fathers,’ said General Chad with a snarl.

  Both. Hilah! Father…Kabel felt despair. He lowered his defence.

  General Chad was just looking for such a moment and struck with his swords at Kabel. Just in time Kabel pulled himself from his trauma and blocked both blades as they swept down. He turned quickly to block the next set of thrusts which General Chad aimed at him. The quickness of the attack showed Kabel that General Chad also had the magics.

  Tyson was making good use of the photon blaster as he aimed with great accuracy at the remaining soldiers until only two remained. They blocked his shots with their seckles.

  The fight between Kabel and General Chad was intensifying. Both protected by force fields, General Chad’s original blue force field was tainted by an unhealthy green.

  General Chad swung his left sword at Kabel’s leg and Kabel’s block was a little late. The sword bit into the bottom of the thigh. Kabel fell to the ground.

  General Chad grinned and raised his right sword. Before he could bring it to bear, Tyson swung into action. He fired photon after photon blast and General Chad blocked all but the shots bore him back. Outside fast response armed police began to arrive,
the noise of their sirens could clearly be heard. Tyson raised the photon blaster directing it at his opponents head.

  General Chad smirked, touched his sword to his head in a mocking salute and then ran back to his vehicle with the remaining two soldiers, his protective shield diverting the shots Tyson sent after him. Once they were in the tank it quickly wheeled away and then, like the other two tanks, vanished with a pop.

  Behind they left death and destruction.

  Tyson slipped his arm under Kabel trying to lift him and then he heard footsteps behind him. Bailey and Gemma were there to help. They pulled Kabel to the last drinking fountain on the floor.

  ‘Everyone either hold me or the fountain,’ Kabel gasped. The pain from his wounds hit him hard. Blood ran freely. Bailey and Tyson were already holding him. The girls placed their hands on the fountain. The Changeling changed into a small bird and hopped into Kabel’s pocket.

  Suddenly there was a vortex of energy that seemed to swallow their surroundings and they were carried into an abyss. Gradually their new room formed until the swirling picture steadied.

  Tyson gulped. A photon blaster was pointing at his head.

  ‘Don’t move a muscle, human.’ Tyson stayed perfectly still.

  Chapter 13

  The Core

  ‘Drop your blaster.’ The order was given with no room for misinterpretation.

  Tyson, who was still holding the blaster of the Ilsid soldier, quickly dropped it as if it was burning his hand. He took in the holder of the gun pointing at his face. It was a petite girl. Her pale face and unblinking eyes held his eyes steady. Her face was framed by a red mass of hair that hung in soft ringlets and her figure was lithe. She was a similar age to Gemma. There was nothing soft about the hand holding the gun. Rock solid. Behind her there were another six soldiers holding similar blasters.

  ‘I am Kabel Blackstone. Here to see Lord Fathom.’ Kabel was breathless from the fighting and the wounds to his arm and leg looked bad. The girl’s eyes flicked down to look at Kabel. She took in the wounds and then looked quickly at the other members of the group. Amelia felt her eyes burn into her.

  ‘Yes, I can see you are a Blackstone, but what are you?’ Her eyes had flung back to look at Tyson. Her gun was lowered.

  ‘Tyson, your eyes,’ Gemma exclaimed.

  Tyson looked at a shiny steel wall and caught a look at his appearance. His once brown eyes were a deep blue. Just like Kabel’s. He caught his breath.

  ‘Now this is getting interesting,’ the red haired girl said and without smiling ordered them to follow her.

  They were taken through corridors made from brushed steel until they reached a room. The red haired girl waved her hand over a control at the side of the door. The door slid back. She stepped through and beckoned the group to follow her.

  They were met with accommodation that could only be described as luxurious. There were ornate gold mirrors over expensive looking sideboards. There was plentiful food on a gloriously sculpted table. Next to the table was a white leather settee with gold edging. Soft lighting brightened up the room and round windows looked out onto a busy city outside. There were a number of rooms off the main living area where they glimpsed large oval beds, covered in many cushions.

  Two women came into the room. They both had flowing red hair as well. They gently guided Kabel down onto the settee and began to take care of his injuries.

  ‘Get some rest,’ the red haired girl simply said and made to leave.

  ‘We need to see Lord Fathom. It is highly important we do,’ Kabel said, wincing as one of the women dressed his thigh wound.

  ‘Lord Fathom is very busy at the moment and he will see you tomorrow.’

  ‘But…,’ Tyson began to say and then stopped as the girl quickly walked up to him, placed an arm around his neck and kissed him. Tyson involuntarily stepped back in surprise.

  Amelia stepped forward in anger.

  The girl with red hair noticed all.

  ‘Ahh, so is this your woman, human who is not human?’

  ‘No, but…’

  ‘That’s enough for me, you and I will be together,’ she said firmly.

  The girl then smiled, transforming her face beautifully. With a quick warning glance at Amelia she walked from the room.

  ‘Well, you are having an interesting day, dude.’ Bailey slapped Tyson on the shoulder.

  The light heartedness didn’t last long. It began to sink in that thousands had died simply because they were the target. The nightmare of the day’s events muted any conversation. No one apart from Bailey felt hungry.

  Gemma caught herself looking across at Tyson. Their eyes met and for the first time Gemma was confused about how she felt about him. She had watched in wonder at Tyson attacking the Ilsid soldier. This was not the Tyson she knew. The thrill she felt coupled with the excitement caused by the danger she couldn’t resist. She had been caught up in the way he had purposefully brought the man down. Did she really love Kabel? What if it is Tyson she should be with?

  Amelia had caught the glance. Her heart sank. The love she felt for Tyson was all consuming. He just wasn’t interested and now her best friend, the person she knew that Tyson wanted, was all of a sudden beginning to notice him. Amelia was close to giving up and gloomily went into one of the bedrooms. Soon she was in a restless sleep.

  Kabel groaned and Gemma switched her attention to him. She helped Kabel into one of the rooms and curled herself around him. Eventually they all made their way to bed and one by one fell asleep. None slept soundly.

  Chapter 14

  Dinner

  A message had been sent that Zylar required her presence at dinner. Leila had got to know Delilah as the young girl helped her wash her hair. After the strange events over the last day or so it was good to have a normal conversation. Leila was taken aback to find out that Delilah was Kabel’s step-sister. She was careful not to tell the girl who she was just in case the knowledge would place the young girl in danger.

  She asked questions about her village, Kabel’s stepfamily, what was he like? Delilah obviously loved Kabel and was more than happy to talk about him. Leila began to draw a picture of him, who he was, and identified similar traits in her own son.

  Delilah had laid out what she was expected to wear that evening. It was a floor length dark blue gown with intricate embroidery on the left shoulder and which left her right shoulder bare. She stepped into the gown and looked in the floor length mirror in the room. The dress accentuated her curves and on any other occasion Leila would have enjoyed the feeling of wearing such a fine dress. Not tonight. She was uneasy of where this was all going. Logan’s brother obviously didn’t know that Tyson existed and Leila was certain that if he did Tyson would be in danger.

  ‘You look beautiful,’ Delilah gushed. Delilah like Leila enjoyed the simple act of dressing for an evening. It was something she helped her mother and aunt do and it brought a little normality into her frightened life. She was struggling to sleep, with the picture of her father lying there with the blood spreading from his cut throat haunting her.

  Leila blushed, but knowing what this meant to her was quick to thank Delilah for all her efforts. Once they had finished adding the accessories they sat down and waited for the inevitable knock on the door.

  It wasn’t long until the knock came. It was General Chad, who showed more manners befitting such an occasion. He offered his arm, which Leila accepted, not feeling she had much choice. They then made their way silently to the State Room.

  General Chad was in deep thought. He had just updated Zylar on what had happened on Earth. It had not been a good experience. His anger had been immense. He had taken out a seckle and flung it at one of the Ilsid soldiers who had flanked General Chad killing him. It was when General Chad had mentioned the human and what he did to the soldiers that Zylar went still, his anger evaporating.

  ‘Tell me,’ Zylar had demanded.

  ‘He had greater magics then Blackstone,’ informed General Chad. H
e then described the fight between the Ilsid soldier and the human. Zylar listened carefully as the dead body was removed from the hall.

  He stood up abruptly and General Chad inadvertently stiffened. He had seen the impact of his superior’s anger many times.

  ‘A human with elements of the One Way,’ Zylar mused. ‘He was travelling with young Blackstone, yes?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘And you followed young Blackstone to this human woman’s house?’ Again the General confirmed. Suddenly Zylar started laughing.

  ‘Oh, brother, what have you done?’ He then gave instructions for the evening’s dinner arrangements.

  Leila was shown into the great hall. She couldn’t stop herself looking at the fine ornate stone that had been restored to its original majesty. The huge sash windows were covered by thick maroon curtains. A long table was situated near the massive granite fireplace. There were two place settings, one at each end. Zylar sat at the far end of the table. He stood up when she walked in.

  ‘Greetings, nice of you to join me this evening,’ he graciously said. With a raised eyebrow he dismissed General Chad.

  ‘Not sure I had much choice.’ Leila had promised herself that she would stay strong and not give into any veiled threats. She had to protect Tyson.

  ‘We all have to eat,’ was his quick response. ‘You look beautiful, emm……sorry I don’t know your name?’ he enquired.

  ‘Leila,’ was the reply. Keep it simple, Leila, she told herself.

  ‘I am Egan, Egan Blackstone,’ he watched her reaction carefully and noticed the flush of red on her cheeks.

  ‘Please, sit down and eat,’ he walked to her end of the table and gallantly pulled the seat out for her to sit down.