Chapter Seventeen
‘The High Darlon Council’
I brushed off my trousers for the tenth time, and slid my hand across my jacket in an attempt to keep out the creases. My tie was uncomfortable around my neck and caused the collar of my shirt to rub my neck raw.
My hand and arm were bandaged, but the stinging was still annoying. The longer I waited, the more apprehensive I became, the more sweat my body produced, and the more it caused my burns to sting.
I’d never been inside the High Darlon Council building. I’d stood outside its grand entrance and admired the beautiful round building that was the centrepiece of the capital.
The inside was magnificent. Never in my life had I seen such breath-taking beauty. The building didn’t look as if it had been built; it looked more as if it had grown from the ground and shaped itself to become the pinnacle of all buildings. Arched doors flowed to smooth floors that flowed to rounded ceilings. Grey and white blended effortlessly throughout the entire building. This place was the model from which the rest of Valiros was designed, but this was the first, and everything else was merely a copy attempting to match its splendour.
I sat outside the main council chamber, waiting to be summoned. As usual, I’d arrived early, so a kind lady had provided me with a glass of water and told me where to sit.
There was a viewing terminal opposite me, and I watched a news report regarding the recent events. It was the same perky reporter who had been sensationalising the Trojans disappearance.
“Due to circumstances beyond the High Darlon Council’s control, Trans Central and the surrounding areas experienced a temporary loss of power. The loss was caused by a power surge in the main energy supply feeding the capital. Many areas were evacuated for safety purposes. The Council are delighted to say this problem has now been rectified. In an unrelated story, all the Trojan Devices were recalled by the Trojan Keepers for maintenance and repairs. We’ve been told that they will be returned to their locations shortly. The High Darlon Council apologises for any inconvenience these events may have caused.”
Most would believe these stories, but I was certain it would also add to the conspiracy theories; a conspiracy I was now a part of.
I wished Zeal had been here. She had returned to Danton because she was eager to arrange the bonding ceremony.
“There’s so much to prepare,” she jabbered, “You’ll be fine on your own. I mean, if you want me there, I suppose I could make the time….”
“Zeal, it’s okay.”
“Oh, you know how I feel about the government, Creyson Parthy. The idea of walking into the High Darlon Council Building makes me feel sick.”
“It’s fine. I’d rather you get everything ready. Besides, you’d probably manage to insult them, and get us both locked up.”
“Probably.”
It was crazy, but I was actually looking forward to bonding with Zeal.
I’d remained in The Hub for several days while power was restored to Valiros. I met with more military officers than I care to count, each of them stressing the importance of secrecy.
Sadly I didn’t get an opportunity to speak with Tork. He was sent away immediately to coordinate the reoccupation of Trans Central. As recognition of his actions, the military promoted Tork from Junior Commander to full Commander.
Flon had been taken by the military to a secret location for further questioning. I doubted he would see the light of day again. The revelation of the Veils’ true purpose to bring darkness back to Valiros had shocked everyone. Once they were considered a harmless group of Valirons who wanted to expose the truth, now they represented a greater threat to Valiros and Earth.
Minister Drake’s translator had been repaired, and I could once again understand his slow drooling tone. I had not mentioned the appearance of my mother and, to my knowledge, neither had Tork.
A few hours before Zeal and I left to return home, I was summoned to the Minister’s office.
“You asked to see me sir?”
He sat behind his desk flicking through some paperwork. He looked up at me with a smile. “Mr Parthy.” I lingered in the doorway, “Please, come in. Take a seat.”
I timidly obeyed and sat in a chair opposite his desk. Looking around the room, I understood why the Minister hadn’t invited me to his office before. The room was filled with strange and alien things. Pictures hung on the walls; images of places I’d never seen before; buildings, monuments, impressive landscapes, and people who were obviously not Valiron. All the furniture was slightly too large, making me feel small in comparison.
“No doubt you’re keen to return home.”
“I am, sir.”
“Then I won’t keep you any longer than necessary. Firstly, I want to thank you for your help. If it weren’t for you, my world may very well have been lost.”
“I didn’t do that much.”
“Mr Parthy, it’s not every day you save an entire culture from extinction. Accept my thanks gracefully.”
“Yes sir…. And you’re welcome.”
“Our team has been reconstructing the explosive device from the corridor. It appears it was remotely controlled. Luckily for us the receiver malfunctioned.”
“Seemed to work perfectly well from where I was standing.”
“But it didn’t destroy what it was meant to. Flon sent the order to detonate from a computer in the control centre.”
“When was it sent?”
“When you and I arrived at The Hub.”
“It was meant to kill me.”
“So it appears.”
“Sir, if what you’re saying is true, then I think you have a bigger problem. The Hub may have been infiltrated by more Veils than you realise.”
“Care to explain how you’ve come to that conclusion?”
“When you and I arrived here, Doctor Flon wasn’t in the control centre; he was in the Guest Suite, with Zeal.”
Drake’s expression turned grave.
“Also, I’ve been thinking, sir. Flon was… is an incredibly clever scientist. He thought out every part of this plot, right down to the last detail. He managed to manipulate everyone.”
“You sound like you admire him.”
“Not at all. My issue is there was a big hole in his plan.”
“How so?”
“He murdered my grandfather because he had the code. My mother was missing, and there was no record of me, so Flon assumed nobody else could stop the Trojans.”
“That’s right.”
“And there’s the flaw. If there were no family members to pass the code onto, then my grandfather surely would have passed it on to someone else. It was Tork who said my grandfather wouldn’t have left something like that to chance.”
“So the question you’re asking is why Flon didn’t arrive at the same assumption.”
“Exactly.”
“Do you have a theory?”
“Not really, but I don’t believe Flon would miss something like that.”
“Well, whatever his intentions, Doctor Flon is safely locked away.”
“Locked away or not, I don’t think we’ve seen the last of him.”
We both sat in silence for a few seconds.
“I called you here because I wanted to talk to you about your mother.” Drake’s statement took me by surprise. I doubted Commander Tork had told him about the projection, so I decided to keep quiet and see where the conversation led.
“What about her?”
“As you’ve probably gathered, Tabar didn’t simply disappear, Mr Parthy. Just as there are people from my world down here, there are people from your world up there.”
“My mother’s on Earth?” I couldn’t hide my excitement.
“She was sent as a representative; my counterpart if you will. Unfortunately, we lost contact with her nearly three phases ago. We have no idea where she is or what happened to her.”
To be so close to finding her and then to have her ripped away seemed unfair. <
br />
“She’s missing?”
“I assure you Mr Parthy, we intend to find her. A group calling themselves ‘The Order of Darkness’ claim to know where she is.”
“Flon mentioned them.”
“They’re a group who believe that the human race originates from Valiros, that it’s the birth place of mankind. They feel humanity has a claim to your world and wish to exploit it. The financial gain of Valiros is obvious and desirable. Earth has nearly exhausted its natural resources; your world offers a fresh supply.”
“Did they take her?”
“They say not, but they claim she’s still alive. I fear her disappearance was part of a plan to expose your grandfather’s identity; which would mean the Veils are responsible for her desertion. I’m planning to return to the surface shortly. I intend to find out what I can.”
“I appreciate that, sir.”
Drake stood from behind the desk and walked around to my side. He perched himself on the edge next to my seat. “And I want you to come with me.”
I wasn’t sure I’d heard him correctly. “Excuse me?”
“Commander Tork has already agreed to accompany us as a military escort.”
“I’m not sure Zeal would be too happy with me leaving.”
“She’s welcome to come along. She already knows about my world, and I’m sure she would be an asset. Zeal has more than proved herself capable.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Creyson, if I’m going to find Tabar Parthy, then I’ll need you to do it.”
There was no doubt in my mind. “Yes.”
“Yes?”
“Yes, I’ll come with you.”
A smile beamed across Drake’s face. “Wonderful.” He moved back behind his desk. “There are a few arrangements to make, so I will contact you in the next few days.”
“Thank you, sir.” The Minister had given me hope, and for that, I was eternally thankful.
I began to leave.
“One other thing, Creyson.”
“Yes Minister?”
“The High Darlon Council would like to see you.”
“Why?”
“I’m not privy to all the council’s intentions, but I imagine they wish to thank you. Tomorrow morning, first light.”
“Right.” I was scared. “First light.”
The next day I took a side trip to the medical building to check on Benton.
Although the charge from the Jolt had caused some internal injuries, he was recovering well. I invited him to the Bonding Ceremony, and left him with a basket of fruit, and a couple of publications to help pass the time.
Now I sat waiting to meet the High Darlon Council for the first time.
The door to the chamber swung open, and a sprightly young male smiled at me. “They’re ready for you Mr Parthy.”
I walked through the door into the council chamber. Each footstep echoed through the cavernous space. The ceiling was so incredibly high I practically had to break my neck to look all the way up.
The twelve members of the council appeared aged. There were six males and six females, all perfectly presented and impeccably dressed. They sat in grand silver thrones that created a semi-circle at the end of the room. Each chair looked hand carved and individually, ornately decorated. In front of each chair was a plinth roughly half a metre high with a white glass ball that appeared to float in mid-air.
A single chair of much simpler design was placed in the centre of the hall. I took the seat.
One by one, the glass balls began to shine until all twelve radiated a brilliant white light.
“The forum is now in session,” announced a male council member.
A female spoke, “Creyson Parthy, born in the village of Danton situated in the Lincoll Provence, son to Tabar and Lowen Parthy, one cycle and 11 phases old.”
Another male spoke “We owe you a debt of gratitude, Mr Parthy. Thanks to your bravery you have saved both Valiros and Earth.”
“This debt can never be repaid,” added a female.
“You and your family will be relocated to the Capital. You may live in any unit of your choosing. In addition, you will be granted the tile of Tre Creyson Parthy.”
‘Tre’ is a title given to Valirons who have contributed to the society in a significant way, such as Tre Broter Penn. This tile has been given to less than ten living Valirons and is normally reserved for the dead.
“Thank you. It’s an honour.”
“However,” a stern male added. “We must stress the importance of secrecy. The population cannot know about the humans, or how they changed our world. The Trojans true purpose must also be kept secret, as should the true intent of the Veils.”
“Do you understand?” asked a female.
I thought for a moment. “Yes, I understand, and I’ll keep your secrets.”
“Good. You may leave Tre Creyson Parthy,” concluded the oldest of the Council Members.
Each of the lights began to fade.
“But you’re wrong.”
All twelve stared at me, then at each other. The glass balls began to brighten again.
“Explain your last statement,” said a male.
I moved my head from left to right, looking at each of the council members before speaking.
“Secrets and lies, that’s what our world is built on. My grandfather was murdered for them, my mother was sent to another world for them, my friend is lying in a medical bed for them. We’ve become a race that finds lying far too easy.”
“The High Darlon Council does not lie, it protects,” stressed a female.
“You deceive, and that deceit almost tore our world apart and nearly decimated another.”
“It is an unfortunate truth, but secrets must be kept for the greater good.”
“But I don’t see any good that has come from your secrets. We blame the Veils, call them evil, but they were born out the lies that you created. When the power failed, the people were scared, they panicked, and countless soldiers and innocent people were hurt.”
A male council member leaned forward on his seat, staring at me through narrow eyes. “Are you giving us a reason to doubt your loyalty?”
“Not at all. I am, and always will be, a loyal Valiron. I love my world, and nothing will change that fact. It’s difficult to accept that everything I was taught was a lie…”
“And that makes you angry.”
“Not angry, but I’m happier knowing the truth. Valiros is a beautiful place; people have the right to know why.
“Can we trust you to keep our secrets?” questioned another male.
“You are the High Darlon Council, and I respect that. I give you my word, I will never tell.”
“After what you’ve said, why would you be so willing to be a part of our deception?”
“Because I have no choice. However, I would rather you keep the title, and allow me to keep my grandfather’s unit on the edge of the city.”
“As you wish.”
“I’ll keep your secrets, but I won’t benefit from them.”
The Council members stared at me, until the oldest male finally spoke, “You may leave… Mr Creyson Parthy.”
I stood from the chair, turned my back on the High Darlon Council, and walked out of the chamber with wobbly legs.
####
It was nice to be home.
Walking through the front door was like returning home from a long trip away. Although only a few days had passed, it felt like cycles. Everything was just how I remembered it, yet it didn’t feel the same. The person who used to live in this unit no longer existed; in his place was a wiser and more watchful inhabitant.
I sat in the living compartment, savouring the moment to myself. I drifted to the passage hanging on the wall, a simple rhyme that had saved our world.
I was hungry but too exhausted to make food, so I remained on the sofa and closed my eyes.
Not so long ago I was an unimportant Valiron living a quiet li
fe. Now I was Creyson Parthy, saviour of worlds, life partner, and adventurer. I didn’t know what awaited me in this new world, but I was looking forward to finding out.
There were more mysteries to solve, more secrets to uncover. For the first time, my life was greater than my imagination.
My name is Creyson Parthy, and this is my story….
####
I hope you enjoyed reading this book. The idea came from a documentary I watched. It explored the theories regarding the planets core. Although scientists believe it is solid, they can't be certain. This got me thinking and Creyson Parthy was born.
I hope this will be the first book of four. I am currently working on the second book which is entitled 'Creyson Parthy & The Map of Truth.'
I do need to say a big thank you to Mark who's constant encouragement (Whether it's wanted or not) is largely responsible for the completion of this book. Thank you.
Also a thank you to my proof-reader (You know who you are.)
And of course, thank you to you for taking the time to read my book, and I hope you will follow Creyson Parthy in all his upcoming adventures.
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