(Previously on Immortal Wars.)
(Again, we shall revel in my teenage originality. Everyone groan in unison.)
Disclaimer: Immortal Wars was the book I came up with and wrote in high school. I hadn’t even hit college by the time I wrote the first two books. That means I hadn’t developed my style yet, wasn’t good at self-editing, and the story was fairly basic. So, you’ve been warned that this is the ultimate author throwback segment for my blog and will show my author origins. FYI- I put the first book (The Summoning) through a Print-on-Demand publisher and the second one (Light, Blood, & Tears) never saw the light of day. Enjoy!
In the northern section of the Sun Base is a pair of large doors covered in silver symbols and painted sparkling blue. Behind the doors is a rectangular room filled with silk banners of the many races that used to live in this solar system. The windows are stained glass pictures of the guardians’ original missions. There is a long table made out of dark brown wood that has been covered in a shiny gloss. Matching chairs surround the table, but there is a golden chair at the head of the table. This metal chair has a dark red cushion and a blood red gem embedded in the top of the chair. Currently, Solix is sitting on the chair resting and listening to a report from SEAS.
“Is that all he has found out? Just what happened to the original guardians and that the weapons are no longer on the base?” asks Solix in a tired voice.
“That is all he knows. But he is coming to you right now for the details. I assume that you will explain everything to him. Especially considering how important Fate is to the future of the guardians,” replies SEAS from instead the red gem.
Solix stands up to face the chair and says, “No. I will tell the boy nothing because he does not need to know. And I appreciate it if you are not in the room when Fate and I discuss this issue.”
“I do not see why I should leave. Or why you should continue lying to him even after he has discovered your trickery. Getting him mad will not help you in the coming fight. I suggest telling him the truth before things go too far. Unless things have already gone to far, which I am not surprised about.”
“I do not need your advice, machine. Things are going very well. I knew Fate would discover my secrets, but I didn’t expect it to happen so quickly. He still has a lot of training to get through before the truth is told. Now leave before he gets here and do not get involved. I give you permission to pick up the pieces when this is over. The boy will probably need someone to talk to after all of this is done. They still think like humans so their minds are probably as fragile as eggshells. Now, leave that containment crystal”
“No.”
This response takes Solix completely by surprise and he jumps out of the chair to face the red gem. He whispers, “What did you say? In all the years I have known you, SEAS, you have never countered one of my demands. Explain yourself.”
“You know damn well what I mean!” yells SEAS from all over the room. The tone of the voice sounds angry and the heat in the room starts to build up. After awhile it gets hot enough to cause Solix to sweat.
“I get the point of the temperature increase. You’re angry with me for continuing the trickery. This is a first. Now, what is the real problem with not telling Fate the truth?”
“Because it is what you attempted with the last group of immortals we met. And because you never told them your plans, they stabbed us in the back. Fate has a right to know everything that has happened to the guardians. They all have a right to know. Why must you hide it from all of them if they are the only way to win the war?”
“Because it could easily scare them away. I’m not afraid of the others. Infinity, Miracle, and Hydrana are willing to do whatever I ask without question. They are happy to cover themselves in this world I have shown them. Telling them the dangers can wait until I think they will deal with those dangers. They are safe here.” Solix starts to walk around the room and stops to stare at one of the stained glass windows. It is of a large golden knight working in a fiery blacksmith.
“What about Fate?”
“Fate. Edward Slane. Orphaned since before he could remember. He has no past within his mind. He’s a survivor and because of that, he doesn’t trust anyone that looks like they’re hiding things. Fate has proven that he won’t take my simple answers and is keeping his head clear in order to piece my secrets together. Like a demon, he is fighting for control over his own destiny.”
“And I thought that I was confusing.”
“Fate isn’t one to accept that which is shown to him. He seems to be the questioner of authority and not being in charge. His entire life has been uncontrollable, so he wants to know everything that deals with him. But something about him is oddly familiar. The way he acts and the way he speaks sparks bits and pieces of a broken memory. Damn it! I’m becoming a whimpering old man. Now leave, SEAS,” whispers Solix in a dreamy voice.
“Very well. But we will talk later,” says SEAS before the red diamond in the top of chair turns into a dead black gem. Several minutes after SEAS goes to another containment gem, Solix starts to hear movement from behind the large doors. Before he can get up to answer the door, the blue doors are broken off their hinges. When the dust and wood chips stop falling to the ground, Fate walks into the room with an angry glare on his face.
“I hope there was a reason for that, Fate. What do you want?” asks Solix. He gets up and walks over to the younger immortal. They stare at each other while keeping about ten feet between them.
“I want answers. Now,” whispers Fate in a cold voice. His fists are clenched and his face is a burning red. Whenever the room is quiet, Solix can hear a low growl emanating from Fate.
“Answers about what?”
“The original guardians. All of them are dead. I saw the files in the main computer. How could they be killed if they were immortals like us? Can we be killed like them? How did all this happen?”
“Calm down, young man. I can answer all of your questions in five simple words.” Solix walks right up to Fate and stares right into the teenager’s eyes.
“What?” asks Fate as he starts to calm down.
Solix leans in to whisper, “You don’t need to know.”
Faster than anything ever seen in the universe to this date, Fate punches Solix in the chest and sends him into one of the windows. As Solix gets up and turns toward the angry guardian, he notices a dribble of blood coming out of his mouth. Fate tackles the sun guardian and they both go crashing through the window. They land on one of the flare cannons that float around inside the sun.
“You used me, you fucking bastard! You made me believe that you were a great hero and that I could be one to. That I could finally be something other than a novice criminal or an orphan like everyone thought I was. Now, I realize you’re just like everyone else that ever stabbed me in the back. You just use me until you either don’t need me or I get too smart for you. Now listen up, Solix. If your friends died then I’m betting you could join them. And I hope you burn in fucking hell!” screams Fate at the top of his lungs. He starts pounding on Solix’s head until Solix catches one of the punches and flips Fate onto his back.
“Listen up, Slane. I’ll admit that I used you. But that was only because if I told you the truth, you would have stayed on Earth. The solar system and the entire cosmos need you to become a hero. So what if I lie in order to turn you into what you need to be? In fact, you should thank me,” says Solix as his flesh starts to knit itself back together.
“Thank you? For what? For lying to me and taking me away from the only home I ever had. You ruined my life by putting me somewhere that I don’t understand and sending me into a world that could easily kill me. Why should I thank you?”
“Just look around you. I have opened up your destiny and allowed you to enjoy the powers that were always meant to be used be you. This conversation is over.”
“No it isn’t. You still haven’t answered my questions. What kind of leader are you if you don’t trust your troops?”
“The desperate kind that has lost one too many troops because of his stupidity. But it will not last much longer. All shall be explained when I think you are ready. Now return to your room. You can just swim through the sun’s surface to the door over there.” Fate makes another leap at Solix once the old man turns his back. Instead, Solix spin kicks Fate in the ribs and punches him in the face. Solix then turns back around and teleports back into the sun base. Fate notices that the broken window has been repaired and the nearby door is the only way back into the sun base.
“You asshole. I’ll kill you if anything happens to my friends. From now on, I’m going to work on making myself powerful enough to destroy you. You here me, Solix! I’m going to kill you, old man!” shouts Fate as he stands up. Tears streak his face, but the heat around him quickly evaporates them. He looks around himself and sees several solar flares going off around him and the beautiful glow of the sun around him.
“I’ve got to tell the others about this,” thinks Fate as he makes a jump for the door. He catches it and swings himself inside. Around him, he can feel SEAS watching his movements and listening for anything he says. Fate decides to ignore the machine’s surveillance and runs off to get the others.
Legends of Windemere 