Chapter Thirty: His Difference is Time

Cameron opened his eyes. He was lying under a tree when he woke. A butterfly sat on his chest slowly moving up and down. He looked at the yellow butterfly not knowing how or why he was there.
Cameron
A dream?
He tried to remember everything that happened before he had fallen asleep.
Cameron
So fragile.
He caught the butterfly in his hand with easy.
Cameron
So beautiful.
He smashed it. He got up and slumped himself against the tree closest to him.
Cameron
Where am I?
He closed his eyes to think.
Cameron
I can’t figure out why I’m here.
He felt coldness against his neck.
Stranger
Neither can I.
He opened his eyes and saw a blade against his neck.

In an unknown desert the sand began to rise and swirl as the sun was rising in the sky. As it fell to the ground, a group of people were present. Amros, Suri, Nicholas, Conor, Merdos, and Masato stood in the sand.
Nicholas
We made it!
Amros
I told you we would.
As Amros finished his last word seventeen giant machines appeared and surrounded them with guns aimed to destroy.
Amros
So these are the machines of war your people have built, Nicholas.
The closest Gear spoke.
Gear 1
State your purpose.
Nicholas
I am the President of the United States.
Gear 2
Can we trust him?
Gear 3
He got here out of thin air, he’s legit.
Amros turned to Nick.
Amros
They must have known you’d be coming by unorthodox transportation.
Nicholas
That they did.
The desert began to shake.
Gear 1
Please move to your right. The entrance is opening.
The sand parted as a giant black wall appeared and began to rise at an angle. A woman came walking from the darkness below it.
Woman
Nice to see you again, Nicholas.
Nicholas
You don’t know how much this means, Anna.
Anna
If it means as much as it does to me, I think I do. Now come in.
She turned around and then turned back.
Anna
I imagined there would be more of you.
Amros
Three of our party stood behind.
Anna
Why would they do such a thing?
Amros
They have a mission.
Anna
I daresay it can’t be of that much importance.
Suri
It is!
Anna was taken aback by the sudden yell from one of the young ones of the group.
Anna
My apologies. I’m sure the importance of something varies from person to person.
Suri
They have to save someone important to your safety.
Anna
In that case, I hope their mission is a success.
They all walked inside.
Amros
My name is Amros.
Anna
You can call me Anna. I’m afraid titles are irrelevant now. Pleasure to meet you.
They began to see the entire underground base. It was a marvelous wonder to Nicholas, Conor, and Suri. The entire place was gray and full of human life. They heard laughter and singing. Something they each hadn’t heard in weeks.
Nicholas
How go things here?
Anna
Very well at the moment. Things have been silent up top. I am concerned, but not enough to start a ruckus of our own.
Nicholas
Could they be planning something?
Anna
They could, I don’t see why not.
Amros
Has there been any word from other world leaders?
Anna
The last came from Europe and China last week. We’ve heard nothing since. They had their own means of getting their people to safety, but didn’t have enough time. Apparently the eastern world was invaded by our American machines before we were.
Nicholas
Why would they do that?
Anna
I figured it’s because they call our land home.
Conor
Or perhaps because Americans watch too much TV!
Suri hushed him up.
Anna
No, it’s fine. You may all voice your opinion here. We no longer draw a line between adult and child. Everyone has a voice, everyone will be heard. If we don’t listen, what then would we accomplish?
Nicholas
So they took out the eastern world first?
Anna
I believe it’s safe to say. They began a move on destroying all sacred religious land. Why they’d do that, I don’t know. The Chinese were only able to extract nine hundred civilians in their desperate move to their hideouts. They told us they’d be found in days, and I believe they were.
Nicholas
And Britain?
Anna
They saved almost two thousand of their people.
She rubbed her head.
Anna
They were not prepared however. With no army and very little supplies, it’s easy to conclude they are deceased as well.
Nicholas
This is horrible.
Anna
It is. The rest of the world is gone, or at least we think so. With no word from the U.N. we can only assume a world union is out of the question.
Amros
We will do our best to fix things.
Anna
I hope so. Till then, would the young ones like some food and sleep?
Suri and Conor jumped on the offer.
Anna
Right this way.

Cameron
If you wish to kill me, do it already.
Hayden voice came from above.
Hayden
Lower your weapon, Roselyn.
Roselyn lowered her sword.
Roselyn
This is the boy, Cameron. I remember his face.
Hayden dropped down from the trees.
Hayden
What are you doing in our land, boy?
Cameron
I don’t know.
Roselyn raised her sword and set under his neck again.
Roselyn
Don’t play coy, child.
Hayden
Easy, Roselyn.
She lowered it again.
Hayden
You don’t know? Are we to believe you’d stumble into our land when I had just lowered our defenses without cause or knowledge as to why?
Cameron
I opened my eyes, and I was here. As you can see I’m lying on the floor. To what advantage do I have paralyzed on the ground?
Hayden
Point taken.
Behind Hayden came a silver cord. He dodged it. Hayden grabbed it and pulled. Malic came flying forward and his neck connected with Hayden’s arm.
Roselyn
Or perhaps this was your pathetic attempt to distract us. Can we kill him, Hayden?
Hayden grabbed Malic by the neck and held him in the air.
Hayden
Your purpose here, filth?
Malic spoke while being choked.
Malic
We were just looking for a way to speak to you guys.
Hayden dropped him and he fell on his back.
Hayden
Speak to us?
Velis
Yes.
Velis appeared from the other side of everyone in the trees.
Velis
We are no longer agents of the Solace Empire.
Roselyn
And that means what to us?
Velis
We wanted to inform you that we are no longer enemies.
Roselyn
I think that is up to us to decide.
Velis
Even so, we do not recognize you as an enemy.
Hayden
Why have you broken ties with your former masters?
Velis
They attempted to kill Cameron.
Hayden
Did they now?
He turned to Cameron.
Cameron
So I am told.
Roselyn
He does not even know if what you speak is true.
Velis walked closer.
Velis
We figured that much. For the last days he’s been drugged. His body is at a very weak point and he might find his memory hard to recover for days.
Hayden
Is that all? Or do you wish to divulge anything else to us?
Velis
Simply put, we have the same enemy. We’re more than willing to help you destroy them, after that we can go our separate ways.
Hayden
Why should we trust you?
Velis
I don’t think you have a choice, seeing how Arkain will die in less than twenty minutes.
Hayden’s eyes widened. They did not think it would be this soon.
Hayden
If time is our enemy, you will be our ally.
Velis
It would be wise to get there soon. They have invited almost the entire country to this event. You won’t even see the floor in the sea of humans waiting to watch him die.
Roselyn
We must go, Hayden.
Hayden
Can we rely on you for help?
Velis
Yes, we will be there. We owe you that much.
Hayden and Roselyn disappeared.
Cameron
That was a close one.
Malic got up from the ground.
Malic
I don’t see why he had to be so aggressive.
Cameron
Why are we really here?
Velis
That was why we were here. While you were unconscious you were talking to us. You clearly said we must warn them about Arkain’s death. Why the sudden change?
Cameron
I don't remember that. The only thing coming back to me is there was a boy in the cell next to mine.
Velis
No there wasn’t.
Cameron
Yes there was. I spoke with him.
Malic
Dude, there was no one in the cell next to yours when we took you.
Cameron
He must have been there before you came.
Velis
I doubt it. There were no records of anyone else down there with you.
Cameron
So maybe it was a dream. I had a dream.
Malic
An epiphany?
Cameron
Something like that. In the dream a boy came to me in my cell and told me the way I’m leading my life is wrong. I think he was right.
He set his hands on his stomach.
Cameron
I’ve been so selfish. I’ve wanted death to come to every life on the planet for my own selfish reasons.
Velis came closer.
Cameron
I don’t want that anymore. If there is something we know that is consistent, it is change. We shouldn’t think we are above that, above change.
Velis
So what’s the plan?
Cameron
First, we help them get Arkain back. That will show them we stick to our word and that we’re not an enemy. Next we do our best to kill Ximendos and the others.
Malic
That will be easy.
He said sarcastically.
Cameron
I know Ilias has taken into account the possibility of death. So if he were to die I know he already has in place a plan to keep the minds in place to Ximendos’ benefit.
Velis
Meaning?
Cameron
Meaning that they’d be mindless pets even after his death.
Malic
So what do we do then?
Cameron
We kill them. All of them.
Malic
I thought you said you changed.
Cameron
What do you mean?
Malic
Well, a week ago you wanted to kill everyone, and now today you still want to kill everyone.
Cameron smiled.
Cameron
Yes but a week ago those reasons were of my own. Now, the reason is simple.
Velis
It’s for the greater good.
Cameron
Exactly! If the world is forced onto it’s knees to worship a God that is undeserving of such a thing, we must make sure that does not happen.
Velis
I still think you’re a ruthless bastard.
Cameron
I would think so. Even though it is not my own agenda that motivates me, it’s still a radical set of plans.
Malic
Well, lets get to them. For the record, I don’t see any difference from the Cameron we have always known.
Cameron
The difference is time.
Velis
We love you either way.
Arkain opened his eyes to his cell being opened. Two soldiers walked in.
Arkain
What do you want?
One soldier kicked him to the side and grabbed his arms to turn him around.
Arkain
What are you doing?
They laid him on top of his stomach. Arkain’s face was facing the ground. His arms were extended past his hands and they tied his hands together with a rope.
Arkain
Please, stop.
They began to drag him across the floor on the cement. Arkain did his best not to make a sound as his face and body slide across the ground. It felt like an eternity of pain across the floor until it came to a stop.
Ilias
Untie him.
Arkain turned his head to the side and was blinded by the sun. It has been a day since he seen it. He heard people talking. He saw hundreds, maybe of thousands, of people from the side of his eyes in the distance. He wanted to scream for help but he knew it was pointless.
Ilias
Did you think you’d be brought over here without enduring some pain?
A solider turned Arkain on his back. Arkain’s face was scratched in some places and a bit bloody.
Ilias
In case you were wondering what you’re laying on, it’s a cross.
Ilias smiled.
Ilias
I do apologize for us not being creative enough, but we were pressed on time.
He knelt down next to him.
Ilias
Do your best to scream. It will make this a whole lot more enjoyable.
He bent down to his ear.
Ilias
Not that it’s not a pleasure already.
He stood up.
Ilias
Do it.
The guards grabbed his arms and extended them across the cross. Ilias walked up to the steps where Iris sat by Ximendos, Akasha, Amya, and Gemma. Ximendos stood up.
Ximendos
Greetings, my children.
There was a roar of laughter. He turned to Ilias and smiled.
Ximendos
We are gathered here today to witness the death of a heretic.
The crowd roared with rage. The guards smashed their hammers down on the nails above Arkain’s hands. Arkain let out a scream of pain that even the crowd could not take without squirming.
Ximendos
Some of you may be thinking he is merely a child. I assure you that is irrelevant. This boy sought to destroy all you believe, love, and live for.
His voice grew louder.
Ximendos
Would you show mercy to such a monster? I think not!
Arkain cried in horror as they drove his feet into the bottom of the cross.
Ximendos
Let his screams be a warning to anyone who would disrupt your peace.
Arkain
Someone help me!
Arkain began to cry. Tears began to fall down towards the ground.
Ximendos
He will not receive any help! This world has no use for those who cannot bow to a higher power.
Arkain screamed again in pain. Gemma began to cry without anyone seeing her.
Ximendos
Lift this pathetic waste of flesh so they may lay their eyes upon this filth.
They raised the cross up into the air. The crowd gasp in horror at the boy on the cross dripping blood.
Ximendos
Death is upon those who would choose to live differently!
The crowd began to chant over and over.
Crowd
LONG LIVE LORD XIMENDOS! LOVE LIVE LORD XIMENDOS!
Ximendos
May all nonbelievers burn in the hell we give them!
Crowd
GIVE THEM HELL! GIVE THEM HELL! GIVE THEM HELL!
Arkain cried louder. Gemma cried harder.