Chapter Twenty Nine: He Knew You'd Never Fly

Nicholas ran into the room Amros, Hayden, and Roselyn were in.
Nicholas
My watch! It’s transmitting a message!
Roselyn
Play it.
The watch began to beep louder until it stopped.
Woman's voice
This is Anna Molly Carter, Secretary of Defense to the United States of America, or what was. Mr. President, if you can hear this, I hope you respond quickly. I reach out to you in this moment due to our desperation. We are currently in Area 71. I will not divulge vocally where that is, so please pay attention.
They all looked closely at Nicholas.
Anna
We have a total of two thousand civilians and three thousand soldiers in our entire base. When the genocide began, we had to extract as many as we could. We are the last of the free moving Americans alive.
Nicholas' eyes grew wide.
Anna
Last night we commanded four vessels and abandoned them in the Pacific Ocean. Our cameras caught two monsters destroying them as we attempted to kill them. Our attempt was futile. Although we lost four ships, we now know a little more about our enemies.
Hayden
We know enough.
Anna
I’m sure at this time you are with monsters that know more than we do.
Amros looked at Hayden with a smile.
Anna
So we are sure you are in good hands.
Nicholas smiled a bit.
Anna
It is only a matter of time before we are caught and executed. Our only hope is to meet up with you and your guard in hopes to continue our way of life.
There was a pause.
Anna
Coordinates to our whereabouts are in your watch, as we wait here for your arrival. I beseech you to abandon the base you occupy now, no matter how safe and booby trapped it is with dark magic, and make your way to our refuge here. If the last free thinking members of human kind should die, I say we give them a fight and die together if we must.
Nicholas was now smiling as if he had just found happiness again.
Anna
Hope to see you soon Nicholas, if you are alive. Goodbye and good luck. God bless and God help us all.
The transmission ended.
Hayden
They better hope the right God gets to them first.
Amros
Now is not the time to make jokes.
Hayden
What happens now?
Nicholas
We must go to them!
Roselyn
How can we?
Amros
I can transport us all there.
Nicholas
Can you really?
Amros
Yes, it would not be a problem once your watch gives us the coordinates.
Hayden
Are you sure, Amros? This place has been our home for decades. You’d abandon it for human protection?
Amros
Things would be much easier if we were with them. Nicholas is their hope, and we must reinstall it in their lives.
Hayden
It would take me hours to disband all my enchantments on this fortress.
Amros
So then you better get started.
Hayden walked out of the room.
Roselyn
I will aid him.
Roselyn left as well.
Nicholas
So it’s settled, when do we leave?
Amros
As soon as Hayden is done with the enchantments.
Nicholas
Why does he need to take them down if we’re leaving?
Amros
He will gain their power back.
Nicholas
Why does he need more power?
Amros
Just in case, I suppose. Hayden is our strongest warrior, even more powerful than I.
Nicholas
Really? Why are you the leader?
Amros
Hayden is a warrior as I said, not a leader. He is a machine of war. He does not care for strategy. He is almost indestructible, whereas I am not.
Nicholas
I’m sure you’d know.
Amros
I would, he is my former teacher.
Nicholas
Teacher?
Amros
Yes, taught me all I know, as well as Amya and Ximendos.
Nicholas
He taught you all? He made you what you are today?
Amros
I’d say so. I’m sure he is a bit ashamed now. Considering what is going on. Did he know he was training the world’s greatest threat at the time? I don’t think so. We were just three children with a lot of talent. He wanted us to protect humanity, not enslave it, or worse, destroy it.
Nicholas
So, you’re all related?
Amros
Yes, brothers and sister.
Nicholas
I don’t know what to say.
Amros
It’s amazing how small the world is, is it not?
Nicholas
Words can’t describe it.

Conor
Do you think Arkain is okay right now?
Suri
I’m sure of it.
Conor
Why so sure?
Suri
He’s Arkain. Luck has a way of finding him. If there is someone I know other than my dad Hayden who won’t die, it’s him. He’s too stubborn.
Conor
I wish I could be that confident.
Suri laughed.
Suri
I don’t even know if it’s a confidence thing. It’s just in him. I mean, he was pulled into this quicker than you were, and it was like he was waiting for it his whole life.
Conor
Sorry I wasn’t prepared.
Suri
You know what I mean. It’s like it’s built in him, to be a hero. You know how they say superheroes are made?
Conor
Yeah.
Suri
I don’t think that’s true. Arkain was born. Since day one, I know he’s been special. If only I could read his memories to see what an amazing young boy he was. It sucks knowing his mother isn’t here to tell me about them.
Conor
Or show you baby pictures.
They laughed.
Conor
Well, I hope he’s okay.
Suri
It took me some time to realize it, but he will be. If I know Arkain, he will be.
Velis sat across from Malic.
Velis
What is going on Malic? Two days and no word from Cameron.
Malic
They probably sent him out on a secret mission.
Velis
I don’t think so.
Malic
What do you suggest we do?
Velis
Search the palace.
Arkain was lowered in the great throne room by his arms on a chain.
Ximendos
Hello Arkain.
Ximendos smiled wide. To his right sat Akasha, Ilias and Iris. To his left Amya and Gemma.
Arkain
Gemma?
Gemma did not respond. Arkain was not sure if it was her because everything was a bit of a blur because of the drugs.
Ximendos
I almost forgot, you two have met.
Arkain
Gemma, it’s me Arkain!
Gemma moved a bit in her seat.
Gemma
Arkain?
Gemma looked confused, she turned toward Amya.
Gemma
Do I know an Arkain?
Amya
No, you do not.
Arkain did not think this could be happening.
Arkain
Gemma, please!
Ximendos
As charming as this is, you know, the whole seeing each other again, shut up.
Arkain
What did you do to her?
Ilias spoke instead of Ximendos which was surprising Arkain.
Ilias
I have modified her memory. As of now, she has never met you.
Arkain
Lies! There is no way you could have!
Ilias put his head on his hand and leaned forward.
Ilias
Would you like to give it a go? I could have you forget about your dead mother and dead step father.
He bluffed. Arkain weakly thrashed in his chains.
Iris
This is pathetic, father.
Arkain
Shut up!
Ximendos walked down the steps to where Arkain hung.
Arkain
You all are pathetic!
Ximendos walked around Arkain, as he did he grabbed his right face cheek with his right hand. He stood behind Arkain, and grabbed his left face cheek with his left hand.
Ximendos
You take life too seriously.
He pulled at his cheeks.
Ximendos
When it doesn’t even take you into consideration.
He let go of his cheeks.
Ximendos
Relax a little, live a little.
He stood in front of Arkain.
Ximendos
You’re going to die tomorrow, don’t you want to put on smile before you do?
Ximendos, face to face with Arkain, smiled.
Ximendos
Don’t ya?
Arkain spat in his face.
Ximendos
Now that’s just not nice at all.
Ximendos pulled out a white handkerchief and wiped his face. Then he placed a finger on Arkain's face.
Ximendos
I wanted to be nice.
Arkain began to thrash in pain, but he did not scream.
Ximendos
But when someone can’t play nice, neither can I.
He walked up the steps half way.
Ximendos
You call us pathetic, when you’re at our mercy.
He laughed.
Ximendos
You and the rest of humanity are below us, and we are the pathetic ones?
Arkain thrashed even more as Ximendos strengthen the pulses of energy through his body.
Ximendos
I think not.
He stopped and Arkain fell silent.
Ilias
Father, can we not be so barbaric?
Akasha
He spat in his face, it was well deserved. I’d kill him right now if I had the chance.
Ilias
You actually do have the chance-
Arkain
Do it!
They all turned to Arkain.
Akasha
Excuse me, boy?
Arkain spat blood onto the floor.
Arkain
Why don’t you kill me now?
He paused for a second.
Arkain
You have the chance!
Ximendos sat down.
Akasha
You’d like that. You’d like for your death to happen inside these walls!
Akasha stood up.
Akasha
But we won’t give you the satisfaction of letting you out of your last pitiful 24 hours.
Arkain
That’s not why I said it, idiot.
Akasha face became an ugly red.
Arkain
I knew you wouldn’t. You don’t have the balls to. You all talk so big, as if you’re above me and humans, but you’re all the same.
Arkain spat up more blood.
Arkain
You talk as if you’re so powerful yet you follow a leader. Him.
Arkain’s head motioned to Ximendos.
Arkain
You’re just like humans, living day after day as if they’re in charge when they bow down their lives to a higher power. The only one who should be saying anything is Ximendos, he is the only free one out of you all. The rest of you are just dogs.
Cameron laid against the wall.
Velis
Malic, open the cell.
Malic
Are we sure we want to do this?
Velis
For Cameron, yes.
Malic’s silver tentacles pulled the cell door out of its place.
Velis
Cameron.
She grabbed him as he tipped to the side and held him close.
Velis
Those bastards!
Malic
How could they do this?
Velis
They think of us as nothing. Like dogs.
She moved her hand across Cameron’s head.
Velis
Well, now we leave.
Malic’s silver cord picked Cameron up from her arms. Velis looked into Cameron’s sleeping face.
Velis
Let’s go dreamer.
Ilias now stood up.
Ilias
Dogs, you say?
Ilias lifted his hand. Arkain yelped as blood came out.
Ilias
Can a dog hit you in the stomach from here? I think you underestimate us, and worse, your position.
Ilias walked forward.
Ilias
So much talk, for a little boy.
Ilias put his hand on Arkain’s head.
Ilias
If we are the dogs, you are the bone we must bury. I mean, you did say humanity is a pack of dogs as well, did you not?
He smiled.
Ilias
Tomorrow we will bury the bone in front of their eyes.
He smacked Arkain. Although his arm did not move much, the force was apparent. Arkain was almost knocked out by it.
Arkain
We’ll see about that.
Iris
He believes himself to be a symbol of hope to the humans.
He looked up at his peers and superior.
Ilias
Don’t flatter yourself too much, Arkain.
He walked up the steps with his back towards Arkain.
Ilias
You can’t even break out of the chains that hold you. You’ve been here for two days, and they thought you’d escape by now.
Ilias reached the top.
Ilias
But,
Ilias turned towards Arkain from the top of the steps.
Ilias
I knew you’d never fly.
He sat down.
Arkain
Gemma!
Gemma turned towards Arkain.
Gemma
Yes?
Arkain
Gemma, can you see me?
Gemma
Yes, but I don't know you.
Arkain lowered his head while they all laughed.
Ilias
Hope? Don’t delude yourself Arkain. Hope is dead, and soon you will join it.