Zein: The Prophecy Page 8

  The old general and the powerful Lord exchanged looks.

  ‘Tell him,’ Lord Southgate ordered.

  ‘We don’t know whether it works or not,’ said Malkin.

  ‘What works?’ Kabel asked frustrated by the two men and looking down in despair at Drogan.

  Malkin thought for a moment and then made a decision.

  ‘Go to the Ceremonial Tree. There is a hidden door. It will sense you and open to your touch only. Within the tree is an emergency transportation portal that will take you to Earth,’ said Malkin urgently. When Kabel didn’t move or comprehend what Malkin had said, still numb by the loss of his brother, Malkin took him by the shoulders and with his fierce gaze fixed on his pupil with much tenderness.

  ‘Don’t you get it Kabel? We are defenceless. Someone in the Village Elders corrupted the code which deactivated the Outer Perimeter Wall. Zylar’s troops are moving against all the other villages,’ said Malkin, pausing until he knew he had Kabel’s attention. ‘But they want you dead and that’s why they sent those two men earlier and this advance party.’ Malkin watched as Kabel pulled his thoughts away from his despair for Drogan to listen. ‘The coordinates of our transportation portal were only known to a very few people.’

  ‘Betrayed?’ Kabel said.

  Malkin nodded. ‘It is just as your father predicted. Now you need to go as they know who you are.’

  ‘Who betrayed us?’ Kabel pressed stubbornly. He already knew the answer before it was given.

  ‘Lord Malacca. He wasn’t there at the council meeting this morning,’ was the quick response from the General.

  ‘My family? Delilah? I need to help them escape. I promised Drogan.’

  ‘I will protect them as best as I can. Go. There isn’t time.’ With that Malkin pushed Kabel away from the main buildings. The levitation tanks were now in range and the dull thump, thump of the photon pulse guns began to crash into the buildings, sending the Livescale citizens for cover.

  Kabel looked once more at Malkin and bowed, Malkin returned the bow; Kabel then ran backwards through Livescale heading for the Falls and the Ceremonial Tree.

  Malkin and Lord Southgate gathered the remaining troops and turned to face the advancing army.

  Kabel raced through the forest and entered the clearing near the lake. His thoughts bombarded with questions. Will his family be all right? Why did Lord Malacca betray them? Where was he going to go?

  He heard a noise. He glanced behind him and saw the Changeling bounding after him, now transformed into a huge wolf. They entered the Falls and crossed the bridge and stood outside the Ring of Respect. He stopped, unsure what to do. The fighting from the village appeared to intensify. Livescale could not protect itself from that overwhelming weaponry. He realised it wouldn’t be long before the whole area was overrun.

  He jumped over the Ring of Respect fence into the inner area followed by the Changeling. With an element of trepidation he pressed his hands against the tree feeling for any catch to open a door or entrance.

  Nothing happened.

  He stepped back with mounting irritation. He heard the unmistakable hum of levitation tanks and marching troops in the forest. He could hear only sporadic fire now from Livescale. They were coming for him. The Changeling waited patiently beside him.

  Relax and concentrate. He told himself and placed his palms on the tree and this time focused on the back of his hands. Again nothing happened at first and then a blue light came from the palms of his hands and the power he was becoming used to spread from his hands onto the tree. There was a grinding sound and the front of the tree changed from bark to a smooth steel door which opened, revealing an inner compartment.

  ‘Shoot him now.’ The voice dripped with venom. Kabel saw a tall figure encased in black and red armour emerging from the forest. He had never seen him before but knew this was Zylar from his dreams. The soldiers behind him fanned out and began to shoot. Both Kabel and the Changeling, who had quickly become a small robin, flung themselves into the tree and the doors slid shut behind them.

  The inside wall of the compartment slid back, revealing a small room. He blinked with astonishment. There was no wood, which he thought you would see if you were inside a tree, but polished walls of a transportation room. The firing outside continued but was slightly muffled.

  His eyes focused on what was in the room taking in the familiar levers and switches of the portal until his eyes rested on a rucksack lying on the floor near the portal console. Intrigued he picked the bag up and peered inside. There were some Underworld clothes, high energy food, rope, a warrior belt and two steel spheres. He stared at the steel spheres. One of the spheres had a pendent wrapped around it. He removed the pendent and looked more closely at it. It was a replica of his with clan arms embossed on it. Blackstone. It was the Blackstone Clan Arms. He placed it with his other pendent. He bent down and pulled the sphere out of the bag.

  A blue flash startled him and made him stumble back. From the ball in his hand a hologram of a man shimmered in front of him. He was tall, had piercing blue eyes and strong face. He was looking at a replica of himself.

  Father!

  ‘Greetings, since my son is the only one who can unlock this device I can give you this message secure in the knowledge it is you. I prepared this elaborate portal with the help of Lord Southgate years ago when it became apparent that your uncle was going to win the war. I want to make it clear to you that your uncle will not stop until he has power over everything, whether it is Zein or Earth or both.

  The Blackstone Clan is the most powerful of the clans who hold power of the old magic. We can see into the future, read people’s thoughts and call on the protection of the magics. However, your uncle wanted more.’ Kabel looked at the shimmering image. He was still pinching himself.

  His father, His real father was in front of him. The hologram continued.

  ‘He wanted mastery of the other clans’ magic. Malkin may have told you that it is called the One Way. Listen, son, it only brings suffering. Once you go down that route you can never stop, the desire to master all magics consumes you. This is the reason I had to relieve your uncle from having control of the Expeditionary Force but I couldn’t tell the Elders; it would have jeopardised all the good things the Blackstones had accomplished. I thought there was still hope that he had not started down the One Way road.’

  His father paused as he thought of the composition of his next words. ‘I imagine you know of Lord Malacca?’ His father appeared to look into the distance and Kabel was not sure whether that was the end of the message. It couldn’t be. He was right as the hologram again turned to look at him.

  ‘Your uncle and Lord Malacca have an allconsuming desire to conquer Earth and enslave the humans. They would then plunder the raw materials of this planet and use the most destructive machines to dig up all the zinithium they could muster. He would then be able to support the running of the battleships he is building and even restore the mother ship which brought us here. With these battleships he will destroy Earth. Then he would conquer our homeland and enslave what remains of our people. I reiterate that the One Way is the path on which lays madness and evil. You will be tempted but you must resist. With our magic comes great responsibility. You will learn, son,’ said his father, visibly upset.

  ‘You need to stop Zylar. You will need to escape via this portal. The coordinates are set for a city on Earth called Manchester in the country of England. This is somewhere I used to go to escape the pressures of my office and obtain understanding of the indigenous people of Earth. Son, what I can tell you about the humans is that although there is much evil in the world of man, I found comradeship, warmth and plenty of spirit. You need to harness this spirit to succeed in overthrowing my brother.’ The firing continued outside.

  ‘Success depends on bringing together both Earthlings and Zeinonians. The people at the Core are the key. I imagine my good friend Malkin has been helping you? You can also trust Lords Southgate and Fathom. Seek
out Remo Shanks. Never was there a better fighter. One last warning, son,’ Kabel’s head was spinning with Shanks, the Core, the One Way.

  ‘Egan can track your powers to a limited extent, so use them sparingly. The Blackstone royal seckles you should have, Malkin was to deliver them safely to you. They can only work for our royal lineage but please be careful to train your mind as they are operated by your mind as well as your hands.’ The gaze of Lord Blackstone softened. Kabel felt his throat constrict.

  ‘Kabel, you have a destiny. I have seen parts of it but others are unclear. Seek out people you trust, this is the Blackstone Way. The defences to this portal are weak and you will not have much time. Just know that both your mother and I loved you dearly.’ Kabel bowed his head with the realisation of the life and family he didn’t have.

  ‘This room has been set to detonate once you have activated the transportation portal. The coordinates will bring you close to the human you need to befriend. He knows nothing of us so tread carefully. He is your half-brother. Go with Tucan.’ Lord Blackstone’s hologram faded away.

  Kabel stood there transfixed staring where the hologram of his father had just been. This latest information still whirled around in his head. He had a half-brother!

  The noise outside increased with photon cutters being used on the door. A red glow signified the burning point of the cutters gradually breaking through the door. Kabel picked up the rucksack and, pressed the necessary lever of the console and stepped into the transportation portal, along with the Changeling. The photon cutters had nearly cut through the door as they transported. Soldiers swept into the small room as the explosives ignited and the room and the tree were blown to smithereens. The soldiers were flung from the room like rag dolls. The only person left standing was Zylar, protected by his pulsating force-field. He stood silently with his surviving guard struggling to stand.

  ‘It begins, so be it,’ he said and turned on his heel to walk back to the village.

  Chapter 8

  The Party

  Kabel blinked hard and looked around. He was surrounded by trees; ahead of him was a large field with a building that appeared to be very busy with strange vehicles coming and going. On the other side of the building there was another field where humans dressed in white were running around in what looked like a type of game. To the side was a fenced-in field with people hitting a ball with a stick? How odd. This was his first taste of the Underworld and he found himself mesmerized. However, the coordinates had not been by chance and he had to act fast. If what his father had told him was true it would not be long before Zylar found him. He still wore his blue tunic and large cloak. Realising this would look a little odd he removed his cloak and stuffed it into the rucksack. He could change into his Underworld clothes later.

  He stepped through the foliage until he was on the edge of the wood. Two men similar to his age were playing on a concrete strip surrounded by nets. He waited and watched.

  Tyson tossed the cricket ball from hand to hand. Bailey tapped the bat on the ground grinning, waiting for his friend to bowl.

  ‘Come on, Mr Hero, you’re supposed to be good,’ he said, his broad deep Mancunian accent cutting through the air. Tyson smiled back, still recovering from what had happened with the cyclist and glad they had left before anyone caused any fuss.

  ‘Hit this, you grinning baboon,’ he retorted. With that he bowled the ball with a wicked twist of his wrist. The ball bounced. Bailey moved towards the ball ready to bring the bat down to connect with a big hit, the ball bounced and viciously spun back into Bailey cutting him in half, ending painfully in his midriff. Bailey let out a grunt.

  ‘Bastard,’ Bailey gasped trying to get his breath back. Tyson simply looked at him and laughed at his friend’s discomfort.

  Bailey looked past Tyson as Kabel stepped out of the woods. Tyson followed Bailey’s gaze. Kabel walked across to them. His matter of fact stride and strange clothes caused Tyson’s body to naturally tense although outwardly his stance appeared languid and his expression bored. They may be in the so called ‘posh’ South Manchester suburb of Altrincham but big city instincts of preservation were not far from the surface.

  ‘Whoa!’ Tyson jumped back, all pretence of non-interest gone as the Changeling bounded onto the field in his preferred wolf shape. Bailey, who had been walking up to the pair with the bat loosely, unthreateningly swinging back and forward ran up to the pair raising the bat above his shoulder in defence.

  Kabel, recognising the concern on their expressions, raised a hand and attempted to diffuse the situation.

  ‘It’s all right, he is a friend.’

  ‘How do you have a friend who is a wolf? You should have that dog muzzled,’ Tyson asked, surprised by the context of the statement from the stranger. He thought there was something familiar about this situation.

  The dream of course! The man and his dog.

  The man continued with his explanation.

  ‘It is his preferred shape and I am not his master,’ he offered in explanation.

  ‘Shape, master?’ Tyson said completely confused, trying to piece together the dream with the reality, ‘Who the hell are you?’

  Bailey dropped the bat beside his body as the anticipated attack by the wolf did not occur. Still, his eyes never left the animal.

  Kabel spoke to Tyson. ‘He is a Changeling and he prefers this shape. He chooses to be with me but he is his own master. I would not muzzle him just as much as you wouldn’t muzzle your friend here.’ Kabel pointed to Bailey.

  ‘You escaped from the nut house or something?’ Bailey said, not liking the very thought of being muzzled.

  ‘Changeling? We must go.’ Tyson edged away from the perceived crazed man with the big wolf who was its own “master”. Dream or no dream this was odd. Bailey had already started edging back giving the stranger a full smile at the same time as muttering to Tyson.

  ‘Let’s move away from the crazy man and his nice puppy.’

  ‘Nice to meet you,’ Bailey said with a false smile.

  ‘No, wait. I need help,’ said Kabel, pleading as he saw the fear in their eyes. He could not read their thoughts, which was disconcerting.

  ‘It’s not our help you need, Mister, Wythenshawe Hospital is that away.’ Bailey pointed with his hand to the main road which ran beside the field.

  ‘What?’ Kabel shook his head, confused now himself.

  ‘Kabel, these are a couple of simpletons. Let’s find other humans,’ said the Changeling, speaking out aloud rather than telepathically.

  Bailey’s eyes widened and he dropped the bat completely and began to run to the Clubhouse. Tyson didn’t move. Bailey, realising his friend was not following him, skidded to a halt.

  ‘Tyson, why the hell are you not running? He has a talking wolf for Christ sakes!’ Bailey shouted, amazed at his friend’s lack of action.

  Tyson was surprised. However, his heart was beating sharply and his inquisitiveness held him to the spot like super glue, his legs unmovable.

  ‘You have a talking wolf,’ Tyson stated to Kabel calmly.

  Kabel realising that the man before him had moved from being fearful to showing intrigue weighed his next words carefully. Tyson watched the person in front of him, he was a tall guy but this man towered above him.

  In turn Kabel saw a young man similar in age to him with mousy brown hair, brown eyes and relatively slimly built. If you looked closely you could make out a well-toned athletic body. He was different from his friend, who was only slightly shorter but his broad and muscular frame could easily be seen within the confines of the shirt and shorts he was wearing. It was the former who was the one he sought. Kabel knew it straight away.

  Don’t trust them, the Changeling warned, reverting back to telepathy.

  He is the one we are looking for. I am sure of it, Kabel answered, looking at Tyson. His inability to read the human’s mind worried him.

  Hmmm, that’s not encouraging, the Changeling said, disgusted that Kabel w
anted to continue with this dialogue. Kabel ignored the creature.

  ‘We are from a different world. I have escaped my world to yours and I need your help. There are very evil powers at work and your world as well as mine is under threat,’ Kabel offered as explanation. Now was not the time to tell him who he really was or indeed who this young human really was.

  Tyson was taken back. His common sense seemed to accept the implausible explanation.

  ‘What do you mean a different world? Is it in a different dimension?’ Tyson drew on his love of science fiction, feeling pretty ridiculous. He checked there were no cameras poking out of the trees. You never knew nowadays. He half expected some television presenter to jump out and announce ‘Gotcha’.

  Huh. Told you he is useless. Let’s go and talk to that tree. Get more sense. The Changeling pointed back to the wood with one of his paws. Kabel again ignored his companion. He needed their support and he thought he nearly had it.

  ‘No. We are originally from a planet called Zein but our Expeditionary Force is situated in villages above you in the sky,’ he said patiently.

  ‘Tyson, let’s go. You can’t believe this rubbish.’ Bailey had doubled back to stand beside Tyson, his body tense and half turned away from the strange couple in front of them. As he talked he looked up at the clear blue sky. An unusual occurrence for Manchester weather, he thought.

  Tyson ignored his friend. He did not move and continued to gaze intently at the strange man. Although he did not seem much older than them, there was an aura of purpose and firmness in his face that gave comfort to Tyson that this man was trustworthy. He found himself looking at the clear blue eyes and powerful physique. His body appeared relaxed but ready to spring into action if required. Tyson felt just a little inadequate and unsure. He looked up at the sky.

  ‘I can’t see anything,’ Tyson challenged Kabel.

  Let me rip out his throat, the Changeling snarled, edging forward. Tyson noticed the movement and the snarl on the wolf’s face and a flicker of fear showed on his own face.