~
"But Sire, I think this is something you might need to hear." The guard winces a little as he speaks. He's obviously scared of his new leader's wrath. Brutalius has already dismissed the annoyance twice before, and the resourceful young tyrant tries to always think before he speaks. A message, for me? Who would dare send me a message?
"Fine, send him in, so you will shut up!"
The guard quietly cowers in compliance, nodding over to the Corsair guards standing by the enormous oak doors that are the entrance of the great Acropolis. They slowly creak open and a single disheveled, bloody, crumpled heap of a man limps in and toward Oriah's throne where Brutalius now sits. His sweat, mingled with blood and dirt, drips a dotted trail on the floor as he staggers. The condition of his ragged feet makes it clear he's been walk for at least hours, perhaps days. He finally reaches the throne, his empty, weary gaze rises up to meet the youthful conqueror. The man's voice carries a weird monotone quality as though he's in a trance.
"I have a message for you. Apollo Lex says to enjoy his father's chair. For he's coming to reclaim it."
Brutalius leaps up and glowers down at the pathetic waste he sees standing before him.
"Who! Who do you speak of! What weakling dare challenges me! I am the.."
The dazed courier calmly continues his proclamation, ignoring the Corsair leader's tirade, "And if anything happens to his people or his family, be assured Sire, you will suffer greatly."
Brutalius howls at the absurdity of the threat and pulls out a gleaming dagger from his right sleeve, sneering down at the feeble, defeated soldier. He's about to strike but then, something screeches through the open doors, down the Great Hall, and slams into the wretched messenger's head with a wet, solid thud. The man instantly falls to the ground and Brutalius staggers back startled, dropping his blade. Blood and brains cover his tattooed face. He shakes his head violently and glares about with wild eyes, searching every inch of the large room.
"Whoever this person thinks he is! We need to..."
He is interrupted as the stone suddenly dislodges itself from the man's skull, and with a wisp of wind it whizzes back past everyone, and out the door from which it came. The whole room drapes in absolute silence until a disgruntled Brutalius finally speaks with a low voice.
"We need to find out who this person is. Bring me Nathan Lex. I think it's time he and I had a little chat."
Two guards leave to retrieve the requested prisoner. Brutalius slumps back down into the ornate golden chair, gazing out into space with his fingers crossed and pressed to his lips. It's time I send a message of my own. If this person is who he claims to be, I will lure him here with the pain of his loved ones. A wicked grin expands out of his malevolent inked scowl. Apollo Lex, I await your arrival.
Nathan Lex, Viceroy to his beloved older brother, Oriah, now stands in front of his cruel captor. Despite his hands being chained behind his back he still boldly holds his chin up. Brutalius circles him like a predator eyeing his prey before the strike, "I thought your Doyen had no children?" The defiant prisoner doesn't flinch, and his silence persists. "Who is this Apollo? You will answer my questions!"
"I want to see my brother."
Brutalius erupts in an evil chuckle that's directly followed by an explosion of laughter that fills the room. "You brother is dead, Nathan. Now, you will respond to my questions, or join him!" The Corsair leader drives his boot hard into the man's stomach sending him to the floor, gasping for his breath. "Guards, get him up!" Two men move in, reach under each arm, and bring the struggling prisoner to his feet. Brutalius stares directly into his eyes this time and repeats the question, stressing each individual word.
"Now, who..is..Apollo..Lex?"
"I don't know who you are talking about, Oriah had no children."
Brutalius chuckles again, this time at the sarcasm in the man's voice. "Okay Viceroy, you've called my bluff. I'm not going to kill you," He moves even closer, pressing his cheek against the man's face and whispers directly in his ear, "I've got other plans for you, my friend, but I know someone else who can produce the information I desire." Brutalius steps back, never relenting his attention from the man in front of him, and yells out to his gang.
"Bring me the boy!"
Chapter Twelve
Alliances
Paulus ruffles through the bag Antonia packed for them. Two communicators, a pistol, and some war rations. No water. This sparks his frustration, at first, but it's quickly transformed into the empathy he feels for her. A tendency to lose poise under pressure is no doubt the reason for her lapse in judgment. That was what always made Varius reluctant to promote Antonia. But recently, that had all changed since his son seized power. She was on the fast-track, until yesterday. Paulus always had his suspicions she was wanted for more than just her prowess in engineering, which is outstanding, but it's the way Brutalius looked at her, talked to her. Paulus despises his cousin, but not just for his interests in Antonia. He almost hates him as much as he does his brother, Furious. Growing up he always felt out of place. He never got along with the other two, and their rivalry was to no interest to him. He's always had this compassionate, honorable side to his nature that is non-existent in his family.
He looks at his girlfriend. My Bronze Goddess, he thinks to himself as he admires her beauty. Her smooth dark olive skin shimmers in the sunlight that peeks through the trees of the forest. Her glossy black hair falls to her shoulders in soft coils and twists. He longs to see her beautiful face but at the moment, she is looking down at her feet, embarrassed she forgot the most important of necessities. "It's going to be fine, my love, we'll find water, all these trees have to drink something." His cheerful laugh doesn't do much to lighten her mood. As he goes in to comfort her, they both perk up to the sound of an engine roaring, getting increasingly louder in the distance.
Paulus runs and kneels down beside his motorcycle hidden at the entrance to the woods. He pointed it toward the open land just in case they had to make a hasty escape. Antonia joins him and they listen. She points out at a familiar black military vehicle that's fast approaching their area. Paulus murmurs as he puts his hand on Antonia's back, persuading her to sink to the ground with him, "It's a Corsair patrol. Lay low, maybe they won't see us." He grabs the pistol from the backpack, chambers a round into the barrel and continues to instruct her. "Take one of the communicators, we'll need to stay in touch if we get separated." She looks up at him, fear and disbelief reflecting in her dark eyes. "I'm not going to leave you, Antonia," he reassures her, "It's just in case."
The truck is now only meters from their position and Paulus readies himself for a fight. He watches it race past them and he notices the two occupants aren't wearing the typical Corsair uniforms. Within moments, the engine goes quiet, and it's obvious the visitors have stopped at the forest. "We need to go check this out," he nods toward Antonia as he holds the pistol up, rising to his feet and moving toward the direction of the truck. He spots a teenage girl taking a long drink from a shiny canteen. Paulus grimaces at the sight, his fierce thirst eating away at his patience.
He decides it's worth the risk and steps out, aiming his gun at the young girl. "Apollo!" The girl screams when she spots her assailant. She drops the canteen, and runs for the other side of the vehicle. Paulus' heart sinks as he sees the clear liquid gushing out of the bottle onto the ground. He decides to give chase, but stops dead in his tracks when he meets what's on the other side of the truck.
~
"The gun won't work." Apollo scoffs at the Corsair officer standing before him, "Go ahead and try it." The man doesn't move. He just stares at the frosty, frozen blades shimmering in the boy's hands. Paulus cautiously addresses his young challenger, "Who are you? I know you're not Corsair." Apollo can't help but jeer as he walks toward Paulus. "No, definitely not that." Standing directly in front of him, Apollo lets the end of the gun barrel press into his chest, as he places the crossed edges of his swords against either side of the young Cors
air's neck, ready to decapitate him. "We're Alcazarians, and we're not going with you. You'll die first."
Click.
The silence that comes after the gun's hammer finds its mark is almost enough to make Paulus' heart seize, even before Apollo goes in for the kill, which he does. The icy blades begin to slice into the man's flesh when a girl's voice, not Grace's, shrieks through Apollo's mind, making him stop his advance.
"Stop! Please! We're just looking for water! It's my fault! It's all my fault! Please don't hurt him!"
Apollo stares down Paulus, looking for any signs of treachery. He barely notices the panicking young woman now at his feet when the man begins to spill the truth, "She's right, but it's not her fault. We are just looking for water. We're running from the Corsair as well. We saw your truck and thought you were them. We're not looking for a fight." Paulus drops the gun on the ground, and holds his up his hands, "We are unarmed. I am a Corsair defector, and my name is Paulus Kaine. My friend and I are accused of treason. I'll tell you anything else you want to know."
Apollo releases his weapons from the man's neck and they instantly dissipate in a chilly mist. Paulus can only gawk with bewilderment as he tries to rub away the blood and pain from the two crimson slashes around his throat. "We're not running from anyone," Apollo's remarks as he hands the man a canteen of water. Paulus takes the container and immediately passes it to Antonia. She drinks graciously from the bottle, holding on to it tightly with both hands as if it was going to be taken away from her any moment. Grace joins Apollo, wrapping both of her arms around his right elbow. Paulus wants to question the couple further, but he also doesn't want the situation to deteriorate so his chooses his words carefully, "Maybe we can help each other. I.."
"We don't need your help."
Apollo cuts him off, and Paulus alters his approach, "Look, we both want to see Brutalius fall. I think you want that as much as I do, am I wrong?" Apollo has to react honestly, but he keeps his distance, "Yeah, you may be right, but I still don't see what you have to offer us. You have no food, no water, and no weapons." Antonia speaks up, offering the only thing they do have, "But we have information, both Paulus and I served under Brutalius and his father. We have intimate knowledge of the Corsair Territory. We know where they store their provisions, their arms, and where they hold the Alcazarian prisoners. We can get access, Paulus is part of the..." Paulus places his hand on Antonia's shoulder, interrupting her, "See, I'm sure we can aid one another. You know who we are, and I think I know who you are, we could form an alliance of sorts."
Apollo doesn't like where this is headed. It seems obvious to him Paulus is hiding something, and he doesn't feel obligated to give the man anything. He recalls the information ARIES gave him about the Kaines and quickly uses it to his advantage, "You said your name is Paulus Kaine? Like as in Varius and Vitus Kaine? Brutalius Kaine? He spits out the last two words as his voice takes on a threatening tone. "You're a pathetic spy and I should probably kill you. I don't need to know anything about the Corsair that I'm not already aware of. Your weapons are disabled as you undoubtedly saw. We don't need anything from you." Turning around, he heads back toward the black truck with Grace by his side. They suddenly stop, and the air turns dead cold around them as Apollo's heart freezes from the words that come from behind.
"What about Nathan Lex and his boy? I know where they are being held. Brutalius plans to execute them tomorrow."
Apollo just stands with his back to Paulus; Grace glances back and then looks to Apollo as if she's waiting on him to decide what to do. Paulus speaks up, "I knew that would change your mind. I know who you are now, Apollo Lex. You are the Nephilim."
Before Apollo can turn to address Paulus, Grace utters, "The what?" Paulus doesn't hesitate to explain, obviously aware of the girl's lack of knowledge about her companion. He goes into detail about how in the last years of the government, there was a top secret project to create a genetically enhanced male and female, the Pairing, and they would produce a child called the Nephilim. That child's genes would unlock in such ways that he or she would possess considerable abilities. He also explains that everything the Corsair learned about the project, including names, was hacked from the files in the computers at the Acropolis.
"We know that Oriah Lex and Sabrina Jon were the Pairing, but it was believed they didn't have any children together. I can see now, that assessment was wrong. It's truly amazing what you can do, Apollo."
Paulus' remark leaves everyone in silence. Only Grace moves as she puts her arms around Apollo, pulling him to her. In their embrace, he can sense her feelings for him grow stronger now than ever. He breaks the somber mood by conceding to Paulus' offer, "Okay so if we're going to work together, we need to come up with a plan."
Paulus immediately comes back with a suggestion that leaves Apollo with doubts. Not just for what it entails, but for how fast he seemed to come up with it. "I figured tomorrow I could parade you two into Corsair Territory as captured escapees. Once you free the Alcazarians, I'll have something waiting in store for my cousin that will solve all our problems."
Apollo reluctantly agrees and they decide to make camp for the night. But he also tells himself that he needs to come up with a contingency plan because at some point, he'll have to break off this little agreement. If anyone was going to kill Brutalius, it was going to be him. That night, he lies there with Grace asleep in his arms. Her sweet scent has the fragrant smell of soap, lightly mingled with her sweat that tingles his senses. He savors the feeling while he holds her, feeling her heartbeat against his. He decides in that moment then that he never wants to be without her.
After a while, waves of emotion begin to wash over him as he replays the events of the last few days in his mind. None of it felt real. Strangely remembering how he used to think so much about hating himself, now he feels completely lost. It literately didn't feel like him who killed those people today. He felt numb. Reacting to things before even thinking about them seems to be a reoccurring theme. The numbness returns, spreading over him as the images flash in his head. He has no idea how, much less why he did all those things, but it makes him instinctively think of his father, and how, in some way, he is still with him. He tries to reach across the land but it's returned with only emptiness.
Chapter Thirteen
Brothers
Solomon stares down at his feet moving up the marble steps as he's dragged through the entrance of the Acropolis, his desire to live, long since drained from his soul. He welcomes death. It was death that took the only thing in his life that mattered to him, his mother. He openly sobs for her, longing to be with her again, as he's lead in front of the Corsair mob that now crowds the Great Hall.
Feeling their eyes follow him, he glances around at their satin black uniforms and greased hair. He's astounded by their tattoos, some completely covering their skin, as he notices Viceroy passing by, being lead away. Solomon then notices a tall man with long slicked-back blonde hair, sitting in Oriah's chair smirking at him. He can't help but to gaze at the piercing pale eyes that glint from the man's ink-blackened face.
"Now tell me boy, who is this Apollo Lex?"
Out of all the things Solomon expected, those were the last words he thought he would hear. He sneers at his captor with wonder. There was still something he had, something the man wanted. Apollo must be alive somewhere, and the maniacal Corsair leader couldn't find him. Solomon laughs to himself as he knows he would never give up his friend. He's also aware the worst Brutalius can do is kill him. This brings a vision to him of a joyful reunion with his mother, and his tears begin to curve around the fullness of his cheeks as his face morphs into mirthless laughter.
Spit flies from the boy's mouth, spreading across his subjugator's tattooed cheeks in a string of white globules. Solomon snickers, causing Brutalius to smash his fist hard into Solomon's jaw, sending him to the stone floor. With his hands tied behind him, it's impossible for Solomon to get to his feet. He can only thrash about, screaming hyste
rically in pain, as Brutalius repeatedly kicks him.
~
Apollo pushes the accelerator to the floor as he races off toward the walls of his beloved City. It's early morning and the sun has just cleared the horizon. He turns to the seat beside him and is perplexed by the sight. It's Antonia, not Grace, which is riding along beside him. He instantly looks in the backseat to discover it's empty. "Where's Grace and Paulus?" he asks. Antonia speaks to him but ignores his question, "Your dad sent me here to find you, Apollo. Don't worry; it's all a part of the plan." A content smile shows on her face and she turns back, staring straight ahead. He doesn't question her any further, but only hopes to get some answers once they get to Alcazar and maybe find his father. They continue on their trip, mostly in silence. The only sounds are from Antonia, impassively whispering her last phrase, "It's all a part of the plan."
When they arrive at the gate, Apollo is surprised that the guards just salute him with a clinched right fist over their chests, as they roll through the open doors with absolutely no interference. This causes him to look down at his clothes and discover he's dressed in a Corsair's officers uniform. He glances at Antonia but she only gives an assuring nod, pointing to the schoolhouse he used to attend, "Stop here. They are all inside."
Apollo doesn't exactly remember getting out of the truck, but the next thing he sees is a bunker of some sort. It's no doubt the one under the school because he instantly recognizes who he is looking at. The only three people left in this world he cares about are now knelt down in front of him. Sabrina, Viceroy and Grace look at him with wide, terrified eyes as if the expressions on their faces are pleading for their lives. Apollo can't move. He can only watch as a man in a long white robe walks up to the first prisoner, Viceroy. Apollo can't bring himself to look at the robed man's face as a blood-coated blade erupts out of his uncle's chest. The man pulls the blade back through with a jolt and his victim falls over in the floor. "It's all a part of the plan," he mutters and Apollo can't believe what he hears; that voice. It is his father's voice. He can finally see the man's face. It is Oriah. Apollo can only scream, as his father, who still holds the sword coated in his own brother's blood, moves over to Sabrina.