Part V

Piet reached beneath his shifting cloak and retrieved a small transceiver as he watched them disappear over the horizon.

‘I was unable to complete the objective.' He said depressing the trigger.

‘Talin will not be pleased Piet.’ Sumas responded.

‘I know where they are going. Extract me at the southeast landing pad.’

Piet turned stalking from the landing pad as the door slammed behind him.

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Away from the city the geldings flew gracefully above the tree line as Lyla watched the forest floor rush along below them.

'Tosh what about the village, what about Hept?’ Etian asked worry clouding his face.

'I think our salvation comes in staying on course.’ Tosh said looking back in the direction of home. ‘The fires must be out Etian. Hept is probably helping out already.’

‘I hope you are right.’

'How did things get to this point?' Tosh pondered aloud.

Caught up in her own thoughts Lyla said. ‘I worry more about whoever the man on the deck was. I barely got away from him before finding the two of you under the shield.’

Both boys turned to look at her as Etian spoke. ‘How did you escape?’

Lyla nodded as her pale features reddened with embarrassment. ‘I got a lucky hit in.’

‘No need to be so modest. Perhaps you can protect us instead of the other way around.’ Tosh said with a grin splitting his face.

As the hours passed the ground below moved at a brisk steady pace and Lyla drifted off to sleep clinging to Etian.

'We should stop and rest.' Etian said to Tosh motioning towards a clearing ahead of them.

Tosh nodded and began slowly descending towards the calf high grass of the plain below. Suddenly steam burst from the harness surrounding Tosh’s horse sending it slamming into Etian as Lyla slid from the saddle with a yelp. Etian dug his legs in hard for support and lunged for Lyla's outstretched arm as she slowly fell away from him. Catching her hand he quickly pulled her up as she grabbed for the saddle.

'We are almost down Lyla. Hold on!’ Etian shouted over the frantic buffeting wings.

As Etian took control of Tal again steam erupted with a roar from the remaining tanks on Tosh’s mount. Ears still rung from the first steam blast as Etian tried to make out Lyla shouting directions at him.

Etian tried to read his lips as Tosh spoke silently. ‘Genoha stones get Lyla find father.’

‘WHAT?’ Etian shouted bringing both hands up to cup his mouth.

The last group of trees before the clearing passed beneath as Lyla clung tightly to the saddle. Tal still frantically kicked at the empty air beneath her hooves. Across from her Tosh fought to keep a steady decent as steam hoses twisted and buckled with pressure. Lyla watched as bright light surrounded Tosh sending a grimace over his face as the sound of an explosion echoed through her. Etian pulled hard on Tal sending her banking away as fragments of silver washed over them burning into their skin. Lyla saw Tosh close his eyes and hammer down on the emergency release as Blue jumped.

'Etian, Blue!’ She shouted before losing her grip and tumbling the short fall back to the surface.

As Lyla landed she tucked into a roll and came up running to catch Blue in her arms.

Blinded by the pressure break in the left high flow chamber Tosh knew his only shot was to cut the tanks. He quickly felt around for the release.

‘Where is it?’ He said pleading.

Tosh locked his thumbs pressing hard on the switch but nothing happened.

'Come on!' He shouted hammering down with both fists.

The release immediately snapped into place sending the tanks hurling into the night air and Tosh found himself in a blind dive for the ground. Lyla watched as he violently crashed into the plain and rolled from the saddle stopping motionless. She hurried to his side checking for injuries.

'Tosh can you hear me?' Lyla asked nervously looking down at him. 'Are you okay?'

Blue nervously paced behind Lyla as she spoke. 'Tosh will be okay. We can fix him up.'

Tal glided down gently coming to a brisk trot as Etian jumped from the saddle. Blinking the sweat and blood from his eyes he brought his hand up to wipe his face. Bits of Allon covered his orange skin and felt warm as it quickly passed beneath the surface leaving a ghostly silver pattern on his face.

'Etian we are over here.' Lyla called out from his left side.

He stumbled through blurred vision towards the sound of her voice as Lyla guided him.

'That looks painful.' She said looking up at Etian.

'Does he seem to be injured?' He asked Lyla.

‘He seems fine for now. Sit down so I can look at you.’ Lyla commanded Etian.

She produced a small cloth from an inside pocket of her robe and carefully cleaned some of the bits of silver covering him.  Lyla watched in wonder as the Allon receded into lines cutting through his orange features.

‘Why are you looking at me like that?’

‘I have never seen it react with anyone like this. The Allon is soaking into you from contact.’ She answered him moving to look over Tosh once more.

'He appears unharmed but we should let him rest.' She said retrieving a wrap from her pack. 'Help me get him into this so we can move him.'

Once wrapped tightly in the isobaric blanket they carefully moved Tosh to the edge of the clearing beneath a large tree and secured Tal to one of the lower branches.

‘Are you okay too girl?’ Etian asked Lovictus as she limped in the clearing.

The harness attaching her wings still hissed with escaping steam as one of the hoses whipped violently through the air.

‘Careful.’ He said to her slowly approaching.

With one hand outstretched Etian quickly grabbed the hose and began twisting the release values as steam rushed from the tanks. With the steam pressure normalized he led her over to the trees and secured her next to Tal.

Lyla shook her head and muttered. 'My training does not include such things. I was instructed in ways to help advance the villages. Clean water and good health for the villagers and things of that nature. What about you, Etian?'

‘I worked with my uncle Hept as a blacksmith making parts for the saddles on the horses. We had to leave him in our village after being injured when the shop collapsed.'

'How serious were the injuries?' Lyla asked propping herself up against a tree trunk.

'The healer only assured me she would do her best and then we left.’ Etian answered before continuing. ‘Are you hungry?'

Lyla opened her mouth to speak but Blue interrupted with a quick bark sending both of them into tired laughter. Etian brought out a small bag of dried meat and divided out a serving for each of them before quickly devouring his own.

'I hope he wakes up soon.' Etian said stretching against the tree trunk. 'We should try to rest before the day begins. You go ahead and...’ Etian was asleep before he finished speaking.

Lyla smiled to herself and assumed a meditative position to watch over the camp as the hours passed. Abruptly jolting from sleep Etian looked over the makeshift camp checking for his friends. Lyla still sat legs folded with palms resting face up on her knees snoring softly as Tosh lay peacefully with Blue curled up against him. Stifling a yawn Etian moved quietly beside Lyla to wake her.

'The sun will be up soon.’ He said gently nudging her. 

'Tosh can you hear me? Lyla do you have any...' Etian asked before Tosh interrupted.

'Not the stink berries. I can hear you. Did the horse fall on me? It feels like the horse fell on me.’

They both laughed as Etian answered him. 'She did not fall on you but you had a close call for sure. Try to stand.'

His first steps came tentatively but soon Tosh was moving at a brisk pace helping them secure the gear to the horses.

'We should reach the Genoha stones in a few hours.' Tosh said looking to the horizon.

Lyla watched as Etian removed the winged harness from Tal before asking. ‘Do you think that man is still following us?’

‘I hope not but if we stay far enough head then let him chase all he wants. Lovictus has been through enough for now. A lightened load will do her good.’ Etian replied setting about collecting the packs.

The two finished securing the remaining gear to Tal and took their places in the saddle. Trotting up along side Tosh he motioned for them to follow as they rode through the open plain heading south towards the tree cover.

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The sound of leather boots rang through the spiraling stairs as Piet stalked back to the surface of the city headed for the inner sanctum. He walked along the empty streets encompassed in his thoughts still wondering how he had been defeated so easily. She fought with such skill and passion as he had not seen in so long of a time that it captivated him.

‘One to be kept in mind I have no doubt.’ He said aloud to the city.

Ahead of Piet the Council dwelling stood enormous flanked on both sides by massive crystal statues. The statues were carved from deep blue gemstone both frozen in the moment of action blades drawn ready to defend the city. Piet suppressed a chuckle thinking of how quickly the Council had given up their defenses and run.

Once inside he quietly ascended a long ornate staircase to the main chamber of the complex. Thirteen chairs covered a large dais that stood slightly elevated in the center of the room. The primary chair was by far the largest and most adorned of them all and Piet walked directly for it. He sat down in the beautifully woven seat and removed his leather gloves exposing pale flesh dissected with silver.

The connection flared to life as Piet brought both hands down to rest on the polished Allon arms of the Council chair. Images rushed by as his ego came into balance with the source as it flowed past his consciousness and gradually slowed.

‘Finally something that is unable to lie to me.’ Piet said flatly.

He thought back to the days before the massive red star had begun tormenting his dreams as the images transitioned. In his mind it felt like files lying on top of each other as he flipped through them while the images changed like headers before his eyes. Council entry – process seven - sparked his curiosity and the images abruptly stopped.

‘Council entry – process seven – queued - accepted.’ The source boomed through his intellect.

‘Record one - An anomaly has been detected in the thirty-third quadrant and all remaining observers are ordered to focus attention there. – end record one.’

‘Record two – Anomaly observed and confirmed by all remaining sources time frame unknown at current for intersection. – end record two.’

‘Record three – Intersection imminent all agents to be recalled as efforts to date prove failures against anomaly. – end record three.’

‘Record four – Anomaly identified as p… - early termination of record four – deleting all records please wait.’

‘No. No.’ Piet frantically tried to sync his ego with the source and take control but the records were already gone.

He slammed his boots into the stone beneath them shouting. ‘No!’

Piet snatched both hands free sending images racing through his mind as the connection was severed. His head bowed as a loud sigh escaped his lips wallowing in failure. The silence broke suddenly as the transceiver squelched to life carrying Talin’s voice over the chamber.

‘How did they escape you, Piet?’

He sat quietly for a moment before Talin spoke again. ‘No matter we will be there shortly head for the landing pad.’

‘I am on my way.’ Piet responded gathering himself as he replaced his gloves.

‘None shall slip through the cracks.’ He said raising his chin beneath the shifting hood.

Above the landing pad a triangular airship came into view as Piet watched patiently. Each point was powered by a large gyro with the command pod making up the center of the craft. As it came to a halt near the pad a small plank slid out to meet Piet and he easily climbed aboard.

‘They go to Genoha, Talin.’ He said above the humming engines. ‘There is more to all of this that much I am sure of.’

Talin nodded. ‘I am forced to agree.’