Annastaria has been captured by Ryker and his pet master “Jorum”, while the others are brought into police custody. Ryker attempts to convince Annastaria to join his cause to ‘maintain balance’ in the world. Meanwhile, Rolek takes point in Elise’s hunt for Annastaria and her captors through the forest, a most fortunate event for Rolek to escape custody, but will Elise trust his judgment? Or will her ‘by the book’ nature get Annastaria killed?
Ryker’s convoy, consisting of two wagon cars and a single cargo truck trudged through the deep woods, along the now muddied road, which began to cling to the wheels, seemingly bringing them down into the ground. The windshield wipers were flailing left and right to keep the windshield from being overcome by pouring rain, and they were forced to use their headlights in the middle of the morning just to see what was in front of them.
A jerking thud in the muddy road, followed by a thunderous roar awoke Annastaria from her sleep. Her weary eyes came to slowly and as they focused, she saw herself in a small, metal and dark room that was bouncing left and right, with the unceasing pattering of rainfall outside. Things previously separated into two of themselves came together the more she realized she was asleep. She tried to rub her eyes, but her hands were caught by something, preventing her. Her eyes went wide as she looked and saw her hands encased in some metal device, chained and bolted to the floor. Her head looked every which way and saw four men with her in the car; one of them was Ryker and another was Jorum.
“There’s no need to panic.” Ryker said with a grin, as a frightened Annastaria tried to back away from him up the wall. She couldn’t feel her mastery, and looking at the lifeless eyes of Jorum, she remembered that he paralyzed her magicka system.
“Wha–where am I?” she asked.
“You’re in my protective care, my dear.” answered Ryker. Another thump from the road, temporarily dampening his grin, “Assuming our own convoy to safety can keep us safe from the storm and woods.”
“Safety? How is this safe? You have me trapped in this… thing!”
“Interesting pair of handcuffs, yes? They’re designed for masters. You see, simply handcuffing a master is not enough to keep them. These have a magnetic modification to them that distorts and disrupts a master’s ability to use their power.” Ryker paused and leaned in, “And you, my dear girl, have a very special power.” Annastaria pulled away in futility as Ryker reached over and grabbed her bare right arm to show her her own enchantments. “I imagine these are not simply neat little tattoos.” he said. She yanked her arm away from him, sneering at him. But he grinned and leaned back again, “They’re certainly not elvish engravings, that’s for sure.”
“When my elders learn of what you are doing,” said Annastaria, “you will be found and dealt with justly.”
“I’ve been doing some thinking about that, and I’m not so sure that will be the case. Like you said, your people have no idea what I’m doing down here, or really who I am. This operation is so secretive, even to them, that even by the time they learn about you and what we’re doing… it won’t matter.”
Annastaria swallowed once, maintaining her stare, but it weakened slightly. “And what is it that you plan to do?” she asked.
Ryker grinned, looking at Jorum for a moment, which only made her want to pull away more. “My dear,” he began, “I believe I know who and what you are. Back at the hangar, when I saw you fight for the first time, you reached for the artifact, and it activated as you grabbed it. The artifact is of prime energy; it contains a particular power that only a prime can acquire… It called to you.” He paused to see what she would do, but she wouldn’t speak. “At first I didn’t believe it,” he continued, “I think I was in sheer, unreflective denial about it… But not long after, it really struck me. There was only one reason why that artifact called to you. And I noticed how you covered your arm. Well here it is, bare before me, and look what’s hiding beneath… You’re a prime.” Annastaria’s silence encouraged excitement from Ryker.
“Amazing!” he continued, “Never in my life did I believe I would see a real, true and living prime! You know the most amazing thing? The legends speak of you as gods… But you’re like me, another human, with two eyes, wavy hair and the average body of a young woman… But I see it in your eyes, dear.”
His excitement subsided for a moment as he paused again, looking down to ponder. “It’s a shame, really.” he said as he looked up at her again, “I don’t suppose you’ll want to help me, will you?” Annastaria continued to glare at him as the truck bounced back and forth over the muddy road. Ryker forced a smile. “I see.” he said, “God! What an absolute shame that you have to be in the midst of the zealots. No doubt they’ve taught you the foolish war between aenmen and their kind. They’ve brainwashed you into their thinking.”
“You do not know of what you speak, aenman.”
Ryker chuckled, “You see? That’s what I’m talking about. You’ve been conditioned, little lady. Those zealots are collecting all the artifacts in the world they can find, so they can amass all the power of Eldreon to retake the north, and eventually lift the curse of Aaerogelden–and you? You’re just another artifact they will use to take over the world again.”
Annastaria nearly burst out at him in anger, but knew she was constrained from doing any harm, and even if she could, Jorum was sitting only a few feet away, silent but ready for anything. “Your anger and desire to kill me only proves how much you know I’m right.” Ryker said with a grin that gnawed at her.
“And what would you do with the secrets of Eldreon?” said Annastaria, “Why should the aenmen be trusted with what they’ve failed to understand?”
“A fair point.” Ryker replied, “One I’m fully aware of.” He leaned in again, “You see, my dear, the world is on the brink of collapse, that we can agree on. That’s why it needs saviors. It needs the primes; it needs you, and the others that are surely out there. The old elvish kingdoms fell and they fell because the elves are not so different from we aenmen. At the end of the day, you’re still human, like the rest of us, and you share the same desires for power, just like we do. Don’t you think it’s time we realize that, and work towards a greater future? One that does away with allowing a single monarch, or a single ruler, a single council, such as the Magistry, to govern all?”
“What kind of future are you speaking of?”
“One where men take hold of their own destinies before God. One of justice and peace, where the government exists to ensure that men live peaceably with their fellow man; they don’t go to war for political and cultural differences. We can work towards that greater future here in Enussia, and show the rest of the world it can be done.”
“And you need the primes to do this?”
“Of course! Every great movement needs inspiring leaders to show them, and to be a piece of that great future here now. You could help me, my dear–you are the prime I’m looking for… It is no coincidence that God has brought you here to interfere with my plans. This is a divine appointment!”
Annastaria could hardly believe the words she was hearing. When was an aenman scientist interested in religious concepts? She tried to figure out in her mind if he was serious or even insane. But before another word could be spoken, they all felt the truck stop, causing the lamp from the ceiling to move back and forth., and the engine, though still on, quieted. “What’s going on out there?” Ryker asked, incentivising the other in the truck with him to go to the radio.
“What’s happening?” the radio operator asked.
It took a few seconds for a reply to come in, “The front car is stuck. Gotta get it out.”
Ryker rolled his eyes and took the radio to speak into it, “Get it done fast. We do not want to be caught in these woods!” Ryker turned to Jorum, “Get out there and make sure things go smoothly. No magic, though, in case we’re not the only ones who can track magic out here.”
The back doors came open, and the large Jorum rose up, forced to keep his head low to the ceiling. Annastaria backed away as best she could while he walked past her, giving off a strange and unsettling sour smell. She saw his skin up close for the first time, which seemed dry and the sight of which made her feel itchy over her own skin. Finally his unpleasant presence was past her and out of the back door, leaving her and Ryker alone.
“I apologize for all of this.” he said to her, “You must be so uncomfortable right now. I promise you that Jorum means no harm.”
“What have you done to him?” she darted quickly at him.
Ryker paused, trying to formulate an answer. “I am merely preparing him,” he said.
“For what?”
“What he must be ready for, of course. We need icons, and leaders for our cause.”
“You mean that you are trying to make him into something he is not.”
Ryker paused again, impressed with her well-placed assertion, but also put off by it. His smile returned then as an answer to her charge came to mind. “Concerned with him all of a sudden, are we?” he said, drawing silence from Annastaria, “Well, if you’re so interested in having his ‘suffering’ end, you know who can stop it, don’t you? Be the prime I need, and he won’t have to be.”
“I am not your pawn for your desire for power.”
Ryker chuckled, “I’m somewhat hurt, truly; that after all I just told you, you still act in defiance. I suppose I shouldn’t be so surprised. I expect nothing less than unyielding, ruthless loyalty to the zealots… But that doesn’t change the fact that you have something I need.”
“Unfortunately for you, you cannot have it.”
“That’s what you think. You’ve been living under a rock too long, my dear; you don’t know what we in the modern world can do with technology on our side. Your prime power will be mine, and soon enough, the girl.”
Annastaria nearly froze at the words uttered; she knew exactly what he meant. She could only hope that Bastillina was smart enough to stay angry at her, and stay away. Ryker saw the panic in her eyes. “Yes, her.” he said slowly, as if to stroke Annastaria’s conscience with discomfort, “The one who blew up half the inn. The power that girl displayed is unlike anything I have ever seen… Maybe she’s a prime, no? I can’t wait to find out.”
“How bad for you.” Annastaria answered, “She will likely be far away from here now.” She looked down as she contemplated and sank into the despairing thought. “I would be far away if I were her.” she added.
“Aw, don’t be so hard on yourself. Relationships always have tension, that’s how they grow. No, I’m sure she’s not about to run away from you; you’re her only true hope here, I can tell. You’re going to help bring her to me, and when she comes, we’ll all be one happy family.”
“No!” Annastaria snapped, trying to break free from her bonds, but having no success, “Eannas eskoto mu!” she cursed as she pulled and pulled.
Ryker took hold of a remote, pressing a button, and immediately, Annastaria felt her arms stiffen, and her chest buzz, causing her teeth to grind together in agonizing discomfort for five terrible and lengthy seconds. When her arms were released from the force, she nearly fell over as she gasped for air. Her breathing intensified as her heart began to pound in her chest.
“That didn’t look so good.” Ryker mocked, holding the remote up, “A little extra restraint I had put in those hand restraints of yours. They’ll make sure you don’t get too feisty. And they’ll also help me extract your prime energy.”
Annastaria didn’t know whether to believe him or not, or if she heard what she thought she heard him say, but her entire body was strained and weak. All she could think of was Bastillina, and how she hoped the girl, along with Oden and Rolek, stayed away. And yet the more she urged this desire on in her mind, the more it punished her with her misery. She was alone, and all she wanted was to see them again, and talk to them.
Oden was escorted to the car holding Bastillina, after he had convinced them to let him stay close to her. There was little else for him to do, it seemed. Bastillina saw him approach from the distortion of the rain to the window. The door came open and he entered the car cabin as fast as he could; though an umbrella helped keep him dry, he was still wet, causing Bastillina to somewhat move away. He let out a breath as he made himself comfortable in the back seat next to her, while Bastillina sat awkwardly, feeling as though something ought to have been said between them, but she didn’t know what.
“Some morning, huh?” he said. Bastillina was only further confused on what to say. “You okay, kiddo?” he asked, “Come on, talk to me.”
Bastillina didn’t look at him, and acted as though she was far away, though he knew she heard him. The question stirred so many potential answers in her mind, and she didn’t know where to begin. She didn’t know what to think anymore. “I just…” she began, “I just hope she’s okay.”
Oden paused, looking away, hoping to find the right words to respond with. He was still angry with Erene, but he didn’t want Bastillina to see it. Somehow, her sorrow felt heavier than his anger. “I’m sure they’ll find her.” he said, drawing Bastillina’s big blue eyes to himself, “They’re out there right now, with Rolek–and if anyone can track someone, it’s that guy.”
Bastillina paused again as Rolek’s name came up, stirring a whole new set of thoughts, and just like before, she didn’t know which to like and which not to. “She told me to stay away from him.” Bastillina said, “And not talk to him.”
“I’m sure she’s said a lot of things… Things that were meant to protect you. But Rolek’s not such a bad guy, to be honest.”
Bastillina looked at him with a slightly sour look. “But he wants to capture you for a reward. And he attacked Erene.”
“True.” Oden said, looking away for a moment, “But… I don’t know… Let’s just wait and see what happens.” Oden couldn’t get out of his mind the genuine care in Rolek’s voice as he told him to watch over and stay close to Bastillina.
“This doesn’t make any sense!” the girl blurted out, “I don’t know what to believe about anyone anymore! Erene lied, but… but she protected me. Rolek’s a selfish jerk, but he’s looking out for us? Ugh! At least back home I knew people were who they were.” Bastillina stopped herself as she began to realize more of what she was saying. “Although,” she continued, “now that I think about it… a lot of my friends back home were strange, too. Even my uncle Leno seemed to want me to go to church every week–we all did… Toby was the worst driver ever, and he still wanted me to learn how to drive properly.”
As she began to recall these things, Oden was left to ponder himself about the strange characters even he knew, including Dean, who being a drug-dealing alcoholic, was chivalric in his nature, and more than anything, wanted to protect his girlfriend from any threat. “I suppose people are complex,” he said.
Bastillina didn’t know what to say, and she went still seemingly, staring off near Oden’s feet. Like timber, she fell over then on his shoulder. “What if…” she began, but hesitating, “What if there’s more to Erene than what we’ve seen? Maybe… through all the elvish stuff… she’s like us? Trying to find a home, trying to make friends, and family.”
Oden sighed as he contemplated those ideas. “It’s hard to imagine a zealot having no family.” he answered, “They’re a very tight-knit group, so I’ve heard.”
“Then why is she all the way out here? Away from that home? Why would she put up with us so long?”
“I don’t know.” Oden answered, almost forgetting to answer at all as he pondered further. He knew deep down, in spite of her own lies, he missed her, even her yelling at him for how he was. What if there was more that he wasn’t seeing? What made Erene the way she was? He knew what made him the way he was; things he hardly shared with anyone, including Bastillina and Erene. He knew he was complex. Maybe Erene was too. “Maybe we ought to find out, huh?” he said, drawing Bastillina’s eyes to him. He smiled at her, “Maybe we ought to help Rolek find her.” It took a moment, but a smile began to glow from Bastillina’s face. She didn’t need to say ‘yes’, he knew what her answer was. But he looked out the windows at the four officers that were just outside. “We just need to figure out how to get out of here first.”
“We’re going to escape custody?”
“Well, if we don’t, we’re no help to Rolek, are we?”
“How are we gonna do that?” Bastillina asked, looking at their surroundings with Oden.
Oden was quiet for a moment as a thought began to pull together in his mind. He wasn’t sure how much of it he liked, but he looked at Bastillina. “You willing to do a little magic?” he asked her. He saw the question paralyze her for a moment.
“I…” she hesitated, “I don’t know. I’m not very good at it, and I just end up blowing things up.”
“That’s kinda what I need you to do. We need to start a little fire; can you at least focus on something?”
Bastillina tried to conceal her internal panicking, and began shaking her head, “I… maybe.” Oden didn’t know what to think about her unsure answer, and stuttering. But she went still again, as though she began to think. With her eyes wide, she looked up at him, “I think I might have an idea.” She raised her hand, and snapped her fingers and startled Oden with a small flame above her thumb.
“Whoa!” he said, “That’s… real cool… Now how is that going to equal the kind of pop we need?”
It was only a few seconds later when one of the officers outside the car began to see a yellow flashing from within, and then a loud thump on the door. The others converged on it as the back door flew open with Oden and Bastillina leaping out amidst a ploom of smoke. “What happened?” cried one officer as they let the two up, “Are you okay?”
“We’re fine!” Oden gasped and coughed, “It was an accident!”
The rest of the officers scrambled to tend to the growing fire coming from within the car.
“Get back!” the officer ordered, pushing Oden and Bastillina back from the burning car. Bastillina tripped as they stepped back, slowly falling out of the focus of the officers. Oden pulled her up by the arm, and they moved past another cruiser when Oden’s eye caught his bag with Annastaria’s on the hood of the car. He reached out and snatched both, and taking Bastillina by the hand, the two dashed into the woods.
Elise and the main force of the authorities, mixed with the deputies of Mennix and the regional police, endured the sogging rain pattering the woods all around them. Thunder continued at intervals to roll through the area, keeping them from any ease amidst the strange fog and the sense of a presence that was not the others around them. Rolek was ahead of them, alongside Gerdan, stopping at the dirt road that passed through the woods. “Anything?” Elise asked, straight and blunt.
Rolek knelt down to the tracks to examine them with Gerdan. “These aren’t the tracks of any heavy duty car.” Gerdan noted.
“Not some of them, anyway.” added Rolek, “You got at least one hefty ride with this group.”
“Could that mean more men?” asked Dylen.
“Could be.” Rolek answered as he stood up, “Either way, these tracks are telling me they were through here about twenty minutes ago, and judging by their formation, came through just before the heavy rain.”
“Is that important?”
Rolek looked at Dylen to answer, “It means that further tracks might be harder to see.”
“Which means we need to stop wasting time here.” Elise replied as she swept past them.
The air grew colder, and another dark cloud hovered over the trees, tinting the area in a colorless chill. The storm sent more faint, thunderous rolls through the woods; all the while, Rolek looked left and right, keeping his attention on each of Elise’s men, and Gerdan’s, plotting his escape, while keeping focused on finding Erene.
“What do you know about Ryker?” asked Elise, interrupting Rolek’s plotting.
“Me?” he asked, “What makes you think I know anything?”
“You’re involved with all of this in some way, aren’t you?”
Though the air was cold, this woman’s interrogative nature seemed to emit a kind of heat that pressed on Rolek, who began to think quickly, hoping to avoid revealing his direct connection to Ryker. “Yeah, not intentionally. Like I said, I was just delivering a bounty on Oden.”
“And yet, here you are, helping to find the elf, when for all intents and purposes, she’s got nothing to do with your bounty.”
Rolek paused and looked to Gerdan, whose eyes were pressing on him with an uncomfortably inquisitive look. “Do you want my help finding your elf, or not?” he asked, “Because I could have, and I still could just turn around and go the other way.”
Elise stopped then, and everyone else stopped with her. “The other way?” she said, “Not a chance. Help or no help, you’re not going anywhere.”
Rolek smirked, annoyed and impressed with Elise’s unyielding arrogance. “I feel like there’s something you want to say to me, ma’am.” he said, “Where I’m from, we don’t really care for people dancing around the bush.”
“Alright… Since we want to be upfront here; it’s obvious you’re keeping information from me. Still, I’m curious: a bounty hunter who only works for the highest bidder doesn’t hesitate to help Oenkev and SIU authorities find someone who, as far as I can tell, is not offering any kind of reward for helping them.”
“Implying what? People like me aren’t as ill-natured as you seem to think ma’am.”
“I’m quite aware that random acts of kindness still move through people like you. But you seem insistent upon hiding your reasons why.”
“If you must know, she does kind of owe me something.”
“Ah… So it’s not out of goodwill after all.”
Rolek shrugged his shoulders, “Depends on how you look at it, I guess… But like you said, we’re wasting time, no?”
Elise paused, silently judging Rolek. He could almost feel her scorn, and knew he had to figure out a way to get out of this before the end of the day. Finally, as though he was allowed to breath again, Elise gave the order to continue moving. Rolek continued with them, relieved that he was still able to conceal his intention to keep Elise from discovering who Erene truly was. If the SIU or Oenkev authorities discovered it, it threatened an international conflict.
Annastaria was left alone in the truck as Ryker stepped outside to continue yelling at the others for delaying their drive. She could hear his voice, muffled but mostly unintelligible through the steel walls of the back of the truck she was in, with no idea where she was. The rain had relented some, pattering lightly on the top and sides; it made her tired, along with the shocks she endured from the cursed hand casings she had that made her his prisoner.
She lowered her heavy head down, and the silver necklace her father gave her fell out, dangling just under her face, and sparkling in the small light she had. The sight of it brought her back to the moment her father gave it to her. She remembered the wind, and the cold, and the warmth from her father’s hug to her, how it took her away from the cold air of the Sarke lands, and Ellumar’s softened eyes towards her sister as they said goodbye. She promised not to let them down, taking the necklace with a sacred vow. It was her greatest chance to prove to her clan that she was one of them, and now she failed.
The worst part was that she played only a miniscule task in the whole thing. For all intents and purposes, she was probably given this particular part only because she was a relic that needed protecting; something to hide away in a hallowed room somewhere, an object to be used, not a person to be loved, admonished, encouraged and cherished.
She nagged and nagged for a chance to prove herself, and when she got it, all it really was in the end was just a bone, a treat to distract her. But even such an insignificant task, she couldn’t keep. She failed her people: Errnos was right, her aenman side was too strong. She got too close to them in just a matter of days, broke so many creedal rules and now faces the irreconcilable consequences.
Yet who did she fail? She felt the tug of Oden and Bastillina now; their essence mixed and struggled against the essence of her clan, and how important they were to her. Either way, to all of them, she lost. She couldn’t live up to her clan’s demands, and she couldn’t even live up to the pitiful standards of aenmen.
The back door flew open, disturbing her peace; her heart began to race as she was startled out of her slow descent into a tired sleep. It was Ryker who stepped inside with Jorum, immediately stuffing the small compartment with their unwelcome presence. “Excellent news!” Ryker said, “We’re moving out!”
As if the drivers were waiting for him to say that, the engines roared and the three cars and the large truck holding Annastaria were off, still pushing slowly through the muddied road. At that moment, Annastaria confessed it in her heart; she couldn’t hide it from her mind anymore–she hoped and wished, and even prayed silently that somehow Oden and even Rolek would find her.
She hoped, though faced with despair, that despite her deception, they would be a better person than she was. All she could think about was Oden’s scorn. It shocked her at first, and even to think of it, it still had a paralyzing effect, but she knew he was right. He was honest with her, and she continued to lie to him. Worst of all, her lies, she knew, could only have pushed Bastillina away. What better example was she setting over Leno? She may never see the girl again, leaving Annastaria to wonder and even dare to doubt her ‘creeds’ that she lived by and got her here.
“You must think I’m a terrible, wicked aenman.” Ryker said, observing Annastaria’s despondent stare towards the floor. The words caused her to snap from the trance and her eyes darted up at him, but she said nothing. Ryker, still with his smile, leaned back in his seat, “The truth is, my dear, what I’m doing is saving this world from itself. Saving it from self-destruction.”
“You deal with criminals.” Annastaria said with a sneer, “Nothing you say to me makes anything that you truly do better.”
Ryker chuckled lightly, annoying Annastaria. “A necessary evil, I’m afraid.” he answered, “One I’m sure if you probed hard enough, you would discover the same concept in the elders of your own tribe.” Annastaria’s eyes, which had drifted away again locked onto him once more. “You have much to learn about the real world, my dear.” he continued, “Closed off in those cold mountains does nothing for you except prevent you from seeing the truth, and that’s why you’re where you are right now. That’s why you’ve failed, and I’ve won. That’s why your friends abandoned you. You think you know it all, and that the world is so black and white; it’s either good or bad.”
Annastaria grew tired of being lectured by this arrogant man. She turned her whole face to him. “If you are so smart and know so many things,” she said, “why do you not stop annoying me with your babble, and tell me what it is I am apparently missing?”
Ryker was stunned by the words. But his smile quickly returned to fruition. “Very well.” he replied, “Yes, I’m working with Lance and the Intero–a mafia, criminal organization here in Oenkev. But while men like him are certainly terrible men, men like him keep the balance.”
Annastaria could almost blurt out the word blasphemy and kick him if her own feet were not restrained. “How can such a man as he maintain balance?”
“How do you think the evil that lurks in the shadows–and you know of what I speak–is kept at bay? Sure, we can say it’s because of law and order, and the inquisitions of the Magisterium, and the legacy of the Ubyassen Empire, but those are the extreme measures that are required when the balance can’t be restored without violence. Once it has been restored, it is maintained by a world of men in various places of power, battling and struggling for more. Lance is one of those men. The criminal underworld will always exist, my dear, in a world of free men, and it must exist; it’s part of how God keeps order.”
“I do not know of this god you speak of, but he is not Artharos, that much is certain.”
“You can call him what you wish, but you know as well as me, that even your own scriptures, passed down by the divine council itself, tells us that Artharos, the God of gods, is supreme in all affairs, including time and human governments.” Annastaria went silent, refusing to entertain the madness she perceived in Ryker any further. He watched her silence for a moment, trying to discern what she was thinking.
“I’m guessing you came from the Sarke region.” he said, once more drawing her eyes to him. She wouldn’t answer, but he saw in her face that she knew he was right. “I figured as much.” he said with a confident smile, “That means you had to come through Mennadesh, which is closed off from Oenkev due to its civil wars, and its potential weakness to the Sarke region and the growing Vale threat. You would have had to smuggle your way across the border, therefore. No doubt you used one of those groups, then.”
Annastaria refused to speak, though her anger at him intensified. “Yes,” he said, his smile seemingly growing, “you did use those groups to get here. You see? You’re not so different from me, my dear… You know those groups are funded by the Intero? Yes, men like Lance assist those ‘righteous’ organizations in getting people smuggled across the border… You wanna know why?”
With a tired glare, Annastaria looked up at him. “Do tell.” she hissed.
“Who knows!” he blurted out, tossing his hands up and laughing, “There are so many reasons! The Intero likes to use cheap labor for their minor works. Having illegals here who aren’t documented allows them to give those people wages they cannot bargain with. Other parties pay the Intero to assist getting certain individuals across the borders for reasons the Intero won’t ask; just pay them and they’ll get your man through the checkpoints. All they need is a proxy group that is willing to do it, and who better than folks zealous for the cause of helping poor refugees? Folks who truly believe in the cause of autonomy and freedom. And now tell me, my dear, who is right and who is wrong?” He waited, but Annastaria had no answer; she refused to show him any sign that she never heard anything like this before, and didn’t know how to even react to it, whether or not it was true.
Ryker shook a finger at her, “You see? The balance. A world of free men demands men like me, and men like Lance to maintain it.”
“I do not understand why you cannot have a world without them.”
Ryker chuckled, “Still so much to learn. That’s a nice thought, but it died with your elvish kings ages ago. It tried to resurrect itself in the Ubyassen Empire and crashed and burned. The truth, my dear, is like I told you already–our kind, humanity, is inherently evil. We always desire power; the ancient empires collapsed because either the emperor or the king’s inherent evil drove him mad and turned him into a tyrannical monster, leaving death and misery in his wake. Or the people, in their decadence, caused the whole thing to crumble. Or, they rebelled, because no one likes to have another man order them around; our natural inclination to such things is to rebel against it, and rebellion, though liberating, always upsets the balance, and always leaves a vacuum–the likes of which nature abhors. The only true answer is to remove the sentiment towards absolute power, restore it to God himself, who rightly owns it, and allow men to be free under that rule. But with that always comes the consequences, such as men like Lance.”
“Such a well-thought babble of words and lies.” Annastaria hissed again, “You must feel proud of your blasphemous philosophy.”
Ryker’s smile didn’t relent at Annastaria’s attempt to insult him. “Like I said, I don’t expect someone like you to understand… Maybe in time you will. But let me ask you this: Who would you rather have ruling the world? Criminals like Lance, who, though evil and selfish, nevertheless hold to some form of structure, and can be bought to maintain order and peace, or a mad, zealous revolutionary determined to burn it all down so that from the ashes a new monster arises to devour the world? Because if you want to live in the best world we can make, the Lance’s of the world are the ones you choose. History shows that monarchs and empires always lead to utter ruin. Man was not meant to possess that kind of power.”
“So you mean to truly allow one form of wicked man to reign over another?”
“It’s better than the alternative. Like you, I would like to live in a world that was without sin. But we don’t have that world, my dear; we never have, and we never will, not unless God himself intervenes. What we have is this, and we must make the best of it that we can. I dare you, my dear–you seem like a smart young lady–I challenge you to find me one instance of the power of the world given to a single entity, or a single man, that ever ended well.” He paused again, waiting for Annastaria to respond. She couldn’t think of anything; all the examples she had to draw from, even from the sacred scriptures that showed peace in the ancient elvish empires, eventually crumbled, and the prophets always revealed that the crumble was due to the decay of the elvish society, not from the outside world. The world outside was able to conquer the elves because they had crumbled within, had turned from the gods, and most of all, Artharos.
“You see?” Ryker continued, “There is none… But fret-not my dear; it doesn’t mean that we have no order at all. Far be it from me to advocate anarchy. That’s why I tell you we need a system where power is distributed, spread out, so man cannot possess the absolute power he was not meant to have. The Lance’s of the world will meet their ends, and they will face justice. But to live in a world of balance and freedom, they are necessary evils… That is what I offer you.”
Annastaria sat silent. She was overwhelmed with his words, and never heard anything like what he was telling her. She refused to believe it, but she didn’t know how to reject it. Somehow what he was saying had conviction, and he was right in one thing, there was little if any instance of empires and kingdoms of the past ever ending well. She stayed silent, not wanting to talk to him anymore, and held within herself justification for her detestation of him and his worldview by what sat to his left, Jorum, a master tortured by this man’s twisted and ruthless pursuit of what he saw as justice and truth. Not even the elves would do such a thing. Would they?
The Oenkev authorities and the Mennix deputies were in splintered groups, scattered about the woods when they heard the engines somewhere in the distance begin to vroom and start off. For a moment, some of the men thought it could have only been thunder, but the feel of the small tremor produced by the engines slowly drifting away dispelled that idea. “Those are trucks.” said one as the group stopped in their tracks to listen.
Only a few seconds later did Elise and her group come hastily through the woods to meet them. “Did you guys hear that?” asked Elise.
Just as they confirmed, two of Gerdan’s deputies also hastened to them. “Ma’am.” said one, “We’ve spotted three trucks southeast of here, about three-hundred yards. Rolek and Gerdan are in pursuit right now.”
“We need to catch up to them, now!” Elise ordered, and the urgency in her voice energized the group to pace more quickly, following the faint sound of the engines, “And tell Rolek and Gerdan not to engage until I say so!”
Dylen’s group caught up and being a kamorjien, he had a natural speed about him, even just jogging along with the others that put him ahead of them. The sound of the engines drew closer the more they sifted through the woods. They moved carefully and yet quickly, hoping not to be seen. They came to the muddied road and stopped, looking southeast, where their eyes caught about twenty feet down the road, the convoy moving east. Elise looked as close as she could to see the license plate, but it was too far away, and obscured by the rainfall. A short and quiet whistle caught her ear, and her head darted up the hill and cliffs, north on the other side of the road. She saw what looked to be Gerdan, waving a hand, with Dylen next to him. “Come on!” Dylen whispered loudly.
Elise and the three men with her sprang from their position, but with their heads down, darting across the road; their boots splattered and sent mud up and around them, and in just a second, they were in the bushes, moving up the steep hill. “Where’s Rolek?” she asked.
Dylen pointed behind himself, “Just on the other side of this hill. The road hooks around and follows it. We’ve got an opportunity right now to ambush them, ma’am.”
Elise paused, and nearly too long. “Take me to Rolek.” she ordered.
Dylen nodded, and turned with Gerdan, leading Elise further up the hill as another roll of thunder shook the ground around them; another storm was coming, it seemed. It took another minute before they reached Rolek, hiding in the bushes over a cliffside that looked down some thirty feet to the muddied road. All the while, they could hear the convoy steadily progressing along the road, like a beast growling as it prowled the forest.
The light that glowed and illuminated the front of the first car grew along the trees, more intensely every second until it came from around the hillside, followed by the large cargo truck, and another smaller escort car behind it.
“You think she’s in there?” Gerdan asked.
“Just under positive.” Rolek answered.
“We’ve got the high ground.” Dylen whispered, “And it doesn’t seem as though they see us.”
“Control yourself, Dylen.” Elise answered, “We’re not soldiers, for god’s sake. We’re SIU.”
“And what would you suggest?” Rolek asked, looking at her with an amused smirk.
“I suggest we settle down and try to catch this whole group at once. Get some backup via airship, in case some try to escape into the forest.”
“And when they attack, what then?”
“Protocol, Mr. Rolek–as always. Is that a problem for you?”
“I’m just saying. Right now, you’ve got the element of surprise. If you just walk down the road a little farther and shine your guns and lights in their eyes, you throw that away.”
“Like I said, we’re not soldiers.”
“With all due respect, ma’am, I’ve gone up against these guys before; they’ve got a mutated master who bested both myself and the elf–at the same time. These guys are not going to just put their hands up and surrender, I guarantee it.”
“Thank you for your concern, Rolek, but your work here is done. You helped find the elf, and there she is… We’ll take it from here.” She looked to Dylen to speak further, “Take him back to Mennix to await transportation back to Cymroyl.”
Rolek looked back, and saw the hesitation in Dylen’s eyes. It only prompted him to smirk more. He could easily break free right now and run, but doing so would surely leave Erene alone, and it would completely ruin their element of surprise. He had another idea come to mind. He chuckled and turned around to be led by Dylen back to Mennix.
“Gerdan.” Elise said, summoning Gerdan’s presence before her, “How far until this road reaches the main highway?”
“Another mile at least.” Gerdan answered, “Why?”
“I think this isn’t all there is; the Intero is involved, and I believe this convoy is going back to them. We’re gonna tail them back to the Intero, call in backup and kill two birds with one stone.”
Gerdan nodded, but he looked back once, unsure if Elise made the right call about Rolek. There was nothing he could do, especially knowing the SIU was calling the shots. This head agent seemed not in the mood for any diversity of opinions, and to disobey meant heavy consequences, even though had a nagging itch in his mind that Rolek was right. Reluctantly, he led Elise and the rest of the group farther east, to find the highway, turning one more time in hopes to see Rolek. He was gone, and with him, Gerdan’s confidence in their success.
Masters of Eldreon 