Cameron looked up from the building they were on.
Cameron
The hostages are in the basement. Velis, you have higher levels, Malic, you have the entire building.
He looked at them both.
Cameron
Are we ready?
Velis
When aren’t we?
The large building in front of them was 42 floors tall.
Malic
And here I go.
Malic’s back burst open as hundreds of silver cords flew out and towards the building.
Soldier
When do I get my break?
Soldier 2
When I say so.
Soldier
Well, can ya say so?
The glass broke all around them and the silver cords flew through their bodies. Every window on the building was being shattered by them. They ran towards the entrance of the building.
Velis
Seya
Velis jumped up into the 4th floor.
Iris
I take it you have a plan?
Velis jumped on the shoulders of a soldier while he shot forward.
Ilias
Of course.
Velis snapped his neck.
Iris
Will you kill him?
Velis' foot hit the chin of another soldier from behind.
Ilias
No, not yet.
Cameron stopped in front of two soldiers.
Cameron
Please, drop your guns.
The soldiers aimed to fire but one silver cord went through one next through the others head.
Ilias
We cannot allow him to interfere with our plans any longer. This boy wants chaos while we strive for order.
Cameron opened the double doors and down the stairs he could see over one hundred and fifty people sitting, waiting for their savior.
Iris
Don’t you think he is smart enough to see through deception?
As Cameron’s eyes adjusted to the dim lights he saw all the people were boys at the age of 8.
Ilias
Not when one is lead by their heart.
Cameron fell to his knees.
Malic
All done.
Malic’s silver cords all returned to his back. Velis’s feet grabbed a soldier’s neck and she spun the air, snapping his neck.
Velis
Done.
The bottom floor exploded and the entire building shook.
Malic
Exploding from inside? That explosion wiped out the first three floors, what is Cameron doing?
Three Gears appeared behind Malic and began firing.
Malic
Wait, Prince Cameron is still inside!
They fired. Velis appeared next to Malic.
Velis
What the fuck is going on?
Malic
I don’t know, the bottom floor was leveled, and I believe it was Cameron.
Velis
That was him?
Malic
Yeah, and now these idiots are firing.
Velis
That means Cameron’s still inside!
They turned around to see the building fall to the ground.
Velis
Cameron?
The dust and ash filled the air.
Gear 1
Prince Ilias is ordering you two to the palace.
Velis
Cameron!
She turned and moved forward.
Malic
It’s no use.
Malic’s silver cord wrapped around her torso.
Malic
He probably survived the explosions, but not the fall of the building. He would be here already. You know that Velis.
Velis stopped struggling.
Velis
Malic, you know Cameron would not go out like that!
Malic
I know, but we were ordered to go back.
Velis
Fuck orders, let’s go.
Malic
Fine.
They moved forward.
Gears 2
We were ordered to shoot, if you chose otherwise.
Velis turned around.
Velis
Well, shoot.
They did not move. They turned and ran towards the building.
Cameron
Damn.
As he stood up he was hit in the back of the neck by a dart. Cameron yelped in pain.
Iris
Relax, resisting will only cause the drug to flow faster through you.
Cameron
What are you doing?
Ilias
Acting on orders.
Ilias smiled. Cameron fell to his knees.
Cameron
What orders?
Ilias
You are under arrest, former Prince Cameron.
Cameron
What are you talking about?
Iris
You killed over 150 of our followers, that would make you a War Criminal.
Cameron tried to get up but fell onto his side.
Cameron
What are you talking about?
Iris
Your orders were to rescue the hostages, and you murdered them.
Cameron
You don’t understand!
His saliva was running out of his mouth.
Iris
We don’t care to.
Ilias’ smile grew to its peak.
Ilias
Looks like your dreaming days are over, brother.
Cameron looked up.
Cameron
I told you not to call me broth-
Ilias’ foot smashed into Cameron’s face.
Ilias
I don’t think anything you say matters anymore.
Iris picked Cameron’s body up with her powers.
Iris
To the palace?
Ilias
Yes.
Just as she was about to send his body away, Velis and Malic appeared.
Velis
What’s going on here?
Ilias
Weren’t you given orders to return to the new palace?
Velis
I must have missed them.
Iris read the mind of the soldiers in the near distance.
Iris
You didn’t, you chose to disobey them. I believe your exact words were well and shoot.
Velis did not reply.
Iris
That is a war crime, old timer.
Ilias
Return to the palace and we will forget about it.
Iris
If you’re lucky.
They disappeared.
Malic
Fuck that.
Velis
They have Cameron, he’s still alive.
Malic
He must have been injured badly.
Velis
Most likely. I can’t help but feel like we’re missing something though.
Malic
Maybe.
Velis
Let’s go home.
Amros sat as Hayden spoke while standing.
Amros
Hayden, put together your plan to retrieve Arkain.
Hayden
I shall. I only ask that you allow Roselyn to accompany with me on this mission.
Roselyn
I will do my best to return Arkain.
Amros
Permission granted.
Fallen entered the room.
Fallen
May I come too? I feel like I’ve been left out.
Amros
If you must.
Fallen
Thank you.
Fallen left the room.
Suri sat in the grass by the lake with Nicholas, and Conor,
Conor
Feeling any better?
Suri looked up from the grass.
Suri
A little.
Conor
It’s okay to cry, Suri.
Suri looked up into the sky.
Suri
I don’t do that.
Conor
Really? I thought we all did.
Suri
I didn’t say I’m not capable, I just don’t do it.
Conor
Why’s that?
Suri
I made a promise.
Conor
That’s one hell of a promise.
Suri
Yeah, it’s really hard sometimes.
Nicholas
I could only imagine. You know Suri, it’s okay to fall down sometimes.
He put her hand on his shoulder.
Nicholas
It’s okay to crumble.
Suri
Why’s that?
Nicholas
Because you have people who love you who will put you back together. The things that happen, should be lessons that strengthen who you are.
Conor
What he said.
Suri smiled.
Suri
Thanks, but I still have to keep this promise.
Conor
Who did you promise anways?
Suri
My mom.
Conor
Where is she?
Suri
Not here.
Conor
Oh, I’m sorry.
Suri put her hand on his knee.
Suri
Don’t be sorry, I’m not.
Conor smiled.
Nicholas
Do you believe in heaven?
Suri
No, not really.
Conor
I don’t.
Nicholas
What do you believe in?
Suri
I don’t really believe in anything, really.
Nicholas
You don’t believe she is watching you from a better place?
Suri
A better place? How great could that place be? It has more people in it than this one does, and they are all supposed to be good? I don’t believe in heaven. I can’t imagine a place where everything is just good, or the opposite.
She shrugged.
Suri
It’s just like here. We can be good, or we can be bad. It’s up to the person to weigh in on their options. But a place where things are only good? Bad is not even possible? Well that place just doesn’t exist. Even if it did at one point, it no longer does.
Conor
Well what if when we die we all turn into robots incapable of doing bad?
Suri
Sorry, but I’d rather not.
Nicholas
You are a wise girl, Suri. You’ve just now allowed me to review what I’ve believed all my life.
Suri
Well, I don’t know what happens after we die, but I’m sure it’s not that. I don’t have evidence, but neither does anyone else. Is it hard to believe that once we die we no longer exist, period?
Conor
That’s what I believe! We were nothing for billions of years before our births, and now that we are living, we think we are entitled to life after life? It just doesn’t make sense.
Nicholas
Good point, young ones. I see what you’re saying. I never thought of it like that.
Nicholas shook the Goosebumps off of him.
Conor
So, you believe your mom is just gone?
Suri
Well, she’ll never be gone.
Nicholas
What do you mean?
Suri
I don’t think anyone will ever be gone. As long as we hold someone in our memories, they’ll always be here. Isn’t that what pictures are really for? Proof of existence?
Conor
That’s amazing.
She put her hands on their shoulders.
Suri
My mom and your families will always be engraved in our hearts.
She pointed to her heart.
Nicholas
It’s not always a good thing, for some the memories of the ones they loved can be poison.
Suri
I can’t imagine that. A poison that drives you to do things you wouldn’t do if they were with you. It’s terrible, no one deserves that.
Conor
No one really deserves anything, it's life. Things just happen. One moment you’re here, and the next you’re gone. No such thing as fair or unfair, that’s just a human way of looking at it.
Nicholas
And the meaning of life?
Suri
I don’t think there is a universal meaning for life. Just because I believe my life has a certain meaning, doesn’t mean that meaning pertains to everyone.
Nicholas
Well said.
Conor
Maybe, the meaning of life is just to live. I’d say that’s pretty universal.
Suri
I don’t know. I’d love too, but it doesn’t really matter. It’s not like knowing will do anything to change my life. It would be nice to know all the answers, but once you got them, who cares.
Conor
I wish there were people this smart in school.
Suri
I wish there was someone to talk to my age growing up.
Nicholas
You both are two intelligent young people. I realize now that the older folks have a lot to learn from the younger. We don’t know everything, and you might know some of the things we don’t. Tradition should be broken, when it’s a menace to society. You two have given me a lot to think about.
Suri
Thank you, Nicholas. I’m glad I could have this conversation. I mean, after last night, this brought me a little back down to earth.
Conor
Well, now that you’re here, stay.
Suri stood up.
Suri
Nicholas, you said that there are people living with poison memories of their lost loved ones.
Nicholas
I did.
Suri
Do you think that if one of those people were to meet another person with the same problem, they could be cured?
Nicholas
What do you mean?
Suri
What I mean is they have relatable situations, the same options, but they are making different choices. Do you think that if those two found each other, the one living free from the pain, could persuade the other that they don’t have to live that way?
Nicholas
It’s possible.
He stood up as well.
Nicholas
I believe there are words everyone wants to hear in order to be pulled out of the darkness. The question is, what are they and who must say them? True change is in the moment, and once the words are said, the person won’t be able to resist it. One can only hope those two run into each other and stay long enough to change each others lives for the better, as hearts collide.
Two soldiers set down Cameron’s body in the small cell and chained his foot to the wall. They shut Cameron’s cell door and left. A voice came from the cell next to Cameron’s.
Stranger
Hello? Who’s there?
Cameron
What does it matter?
Voice
I was just wondering who else would be in here, since I’m the only one.
Cameron looked around, the drug still made his body weak and vision blurry.
Cameron
Are you on the drug too?
Stranger
Yes, I can’t see anything. Come to the edge of your cell. Yes, your chain will reach.
They both crawled across.
Stranger
My names-
Cameron
I don’t care for a name, it might be better for us to remain nameless.
The drug messing with their vision made it impossible to see each other, other than a blur in the already dark cells.
Stranger
Okay. Well, I’m the boy in the cell.
Cameron
I’m also the boy in the cell.
They shook hands.
Woaaaaaaaaah! :O
ReplyDeleteNow i must say i absolutly
loved that what! Suri, Conor
and Nicholas's talk really
got me thinking. aha
And i wanna know what happen
to Cameron! and who the other
guy in the cell is!
WOW I was not expecting that turn around. :)
ReplyDeleteCaptivating as always!
WOW!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for providing something to take me away from
things out in life.
As always the writing that you do is really good.
I could not believe what happened throughout this chapter.
Cant wait for the next chapter because
as this story progresses, the more and more intriguing
that it becomes.
Looking forward to continuing reading.
Ximenod is still my favorite character haha.
damn...what a chapter. so deep, probably the deepest out of all of them? the last part made go :O
ReplyDeleteand Velis...MORE!!MORE FIGHT SCENES PLEASE!!!
haha,BRILLIANT!
So good it left me with a lot of questions. I cAn't wait fir the next chapter to come out I feel like everything is starting to come togehter and I have a good feeling on who the boy in the cell is I can't wait to find out though. So far this book is really good because you keep the readers attention for sure. Can't wait to see more keep up the good work.
ReplyDeletethe convo between nicholas, suri, and conor was amazing. i spy something you've told me once before. i actually remembered! ahh. is the boy in the cell besides cameron is it arkain? or not?
ReplyDeletesince he was a chandelier.
yaay i've got caught up. (:
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete...Erm, since the post weirded out, I'll repost o_O
ReplyDeleteI found interesting the conversation between Nicholas, Suri and Conor. I believe that's your point of view about things and beliefs?
And I also liked the fact that you connected what Suri was telling Nicholas with Cameron and (I believe it is) Arkain on the cell? That's how their lives will connect. And probably Cameron changes for good and fights off Ximendos and Co.
Great work, as usual. I quite enjoyed this chapter.
I see you incorporated your own beliefs into this chapter. it definately gives people a lot to think about!
ReplyDeleteIm excited to find out who is in the cell with Cameron too!!
Now I know why you have text-stalked me to read this chapter! The theological talk at the end of the chapter is very well-thought out, and thought provoking. The only thing is, I don't care how Nicholas all of a sudden decides hes going to change his way of thinking. I think it would take more than one deep conversation to really change his thoughts on this topic, especially if he has carried these beliefs for the majority of his life. But the fact that he acknowledged that young people are capable of such wisdom is a valid idea, and one that should be respected a little more often.
ReplyDeletehahaha I loved that you put that whole suri-conor-nicholas? conversation in here.
ReplyDeleteHow bold.
Who's that boy? An unlikely ally, perhaps?
Hmmmmmmm........The convo between those three is the same type of convo we used to have in religion class in high school. I wish the President wasn't so agreeable with Suri's anti-God opinions. It always seems to be the ppl who are in a lot of pain or have been hurt the most are the most anti-God.
ReplyDeleteVery well writen, though.
And Cameron meets..............Arkain?
I'm waiting for that picture to resurface soon time!
!!!!!! I don't know what to say other than Brilliant!
ReplyDeletepoor cameron.
ReplyDeletethis chapter really made me think
I have a feeling I know who the stranger in the cell is! Good use of foreshadowing with Suri's talk about the two people who chose to live differently because of their pain. I can see this coming into play with Cameron and the mystery person in the cell. I especially loved the deep conversation that Suri, Nicholas, and Conor were having about the meaning of life & death. It felt like you took these words straight from my thoughts, "We were nothing for billions of years before our births, and now that we are living, we think we are entitled to life after life? It just doesn’t make sense" So, so true. I love how you put some of your beliefs into this chapter and how much they align with my own thoughts about the world. I like how you mixed the violent action at the beginning with a meaningful conversation and finished the chapter leaving the reader guessing. Very amazing, like always :)
ReplyDeletedude I really liked the conversation the three of them had. I feel like Arkain is too obvious and it's not him...I dunno...
ReplyDeleteso amazing. i love the conversation between conor, nicholas, and suri. very interesting points, its given me something to ponder. and i cant wait to see what happens with cameron and the mystery person. i really hope you get this published :)
ReplyDeletecameron betrayed before he even made a choice. thats so fcked up.
ReplyDeletehes gonna kill dude. i cant wait till you get your illustrations of cameron back
NO BOOK WOULD BE GREAT WITHOUT ANY PHILOSOPHY!
ReplyDelete<33333 STUPENDOUS JOB!!!! :D
"You both are two intelligent young people. I realize now, that the older folks, have a lot to learn from the younger. We don’t know everything, and you might know some of the things we don’t. Tradition should be broken, when it’s a menace to society. You two have given me a lot to think about."
ReplyDeletei love this line!
and omg are arkain and cameron in the same cell????? *gasp* i hope so!!!!
i freaking hate iris and the other douche haha they just get under my skin! good villains!
Chapter 27
ReplyDeleteOmg i wonder who is in the cell
Omfg if its arkain imma die of awesome excitement
Plzzz...why didn't cameron want to kno
I find the last scene very symbolic
"I'm the boy in the cell"
{two ppl in a cell.. A cage in which if they both are able to escape these chains...basically the ones inside them..their heart and mind they
will be able to touch their true greatness and possibilities }
The scene...it almost bothered me how easily nicolas might change his mind in what he always thought and believed.
I thought he wud put up more of a fight...I just expected it...
Anyway back to what happened with cameron
OMG
Wtf happened....they r doing him so dirty
Velis continues to be one of my favorite characters..she didnt turn her back on cameron...but even malic seemed to be quick to desert cameron
Lovely chapter...but I can't wait to fully understand what took place with cameron....
im expecting a great chapter and i hope their is a dialogue between the two strangers :)
I liked the conversation about the meaning of life. I agree with a fair bit of it.
ReplyDeleteVery intelligent speeches. Sure did bring me to a happy mood. My bet is that Arkain is the boy in the cell along with Cameron, I hope they reminisce and realize that they both used to be friends.
ReplyDeleteThe conversations were nice but I had to skim through it a bit. I enjoyed them but me and Steven have had pretty much the same argument before so it seemed a bit useless to reread it. Plus, I have a killer migraine. Other than that, amazing chapter. I hope they manage to get Arkain out, or better yet, how they intend to do so.
ReplyDeletenice philosophical arguments, but it seemed to casual. Want to see how Cameron breaks out of this prison, along with "the stranger"
ReplyDeleteI really liked when Suri, Conor, and Nicholas were talking about the possibility of heaven and hell, it was really a good discussion. When Suri said that her mom was still with her I thought it was really sweet! I also really liked the ending!!! I can't believe Arkain and Cameron are finally meeting, and I wonder what's going to happen in the next chapter!!! 0_0 I was like "Noooo just tell each other your names!!" in my head though. And I know you ignore the grammar comments, but when you said "We don’t care too", I just think it may have sounded better if you wrote "either" instead of "too." Just a suggestion. :P
ReplyDeleteDam Iris and Ilias are grimey....
ReplyDeleteThe conversation between Suri, Nicholas, and Conor was amazing to say the least...Suri really has some words of wisdom that I believe we all can benefit from, absolutely breathtaking...
Oh my gosh did Arkain and Cameron just meet dam they should of shared names! I hope they develop a friendship, man, good way from keeping them from finding out who is in the next stall you clever clever boy you!
And the meeting that I had been waiting for finally seems to be around the corner! Cameron and Arkain, Arkain and Cameron have come face to face and we will find out what is happens!! Will they be able to recall their previous meeting and, if so, will this change the route that they are both taking?
ReplyDeleteAlso, I cannot wait to find out what will happen to Nicholas. The leader of the human race, at least in the US, is in a battle that encompasses Gods, powers and Orthak, how is he going to fare in this?
Really enjoyed that conversation between Suri and Conor :) And I love Suri's character; you can tell that all of her experiences have made her very strong-willed, but I like that you can still see an emotional side of her sometimes, even though she doesn't like to let it show.
ReplyDelete