Final Quest (17 page)

- 49 -

MY WORST NIGHTMARE

On the large screen in front of me, I’m watching rows and rows of the black objects that look like fighter jets. These are the same objects that Michael and I saw in the Palace of Peace.

“We were aware of the weapons that the Zelareans have developed,” Zol says. “The hundreds of objects that you see before you are called Vessels of Peace, or VOP for short.”

The pictures on the wall are similar to the pictures that Michael’s nano-drone took.

“How did you get these pictures?” I ask.

“Recently, the Zelareans exiled several scientists to Elpis. We were able to save one of them. He had these pictures with him.”

The image on the wall changes.

It’s one of the huge structures that was photographed by Michael’s nano-drone.

“This,” Zol says, “is called a Space Explorer. The Zelareans have built three Space Explorers. Each Explorer can carry up to one-thousand VOPs. The three Explorers can also carry the total population of Zelares.”

Space Explorers? Perhaps someone should rename them the Black Plague, I think to myself.

“So you have known about the weapons that the Zelareans have been developing?” I say.

“Yes,” Zol replies in a manner that suggests she is hesitant to say more.

“Once before, I believe someone said that a new ice-age might be coming to Drapesia.”

“Yes, that is correct,” Zol says.

“Is it possible that the Zelareans are planning to leave Drapesia to find another planet where they can live?”

“Yes, we believe that is exactly what they are planning to do.”

“And they have built a massive number of weapons to ensure that they can conquer the people on another planet if they need to do this.”

Zol nods.

I get the feeling again that she’s withholding something from me.

I picture the Zelareans leaving Drapesia in their massive Space Explorers. Will they drift through space until they find a suitable planet to conquer, or have they already selected a world to defeat?

“Let me show you another picture,” Zol says in a manner that arouses my curiosity.

The image on the wall changes.

A video is showing rows and rows of black VOPs.

We’ve already seen this, I think.

I notice some beings standing near one of the VOPs.

The video zooms in closer on them.

I tremble as I realize they look like mutant spiders. They remind me of Santtonnice. I remember that he was once a Zelarean.

The picture zooms in closer on one of the beings.

My heart stops.

It’s Santtonnice.

- 50 -

A HUGE PROBLEM

Now I know where Santtonnice went when he uttered his final command into my emerald as we fought on the stage in the Colosseum a few weeks ago. He ordered the emerald to take him back to Zelares.

My mind is racing to process this new information. Santtonnice is alive. He’s here is Drapesia. He’s involved with the Zelareans in planning their departure from this planet to find a new place to live.

Then it hits me.

I almost collapse to the floor.

“Emily, are you okay?”

It’s Capurni.

I feel his small, but strong hands, holding me up.

Santtonnice.

Thousands of VOPs.

Attack.

Earth.

It’s my planet that the Zelareans are going to attack.

What better way for Santtonnice to seek his revenge?

Santtonnice returned back to Zelares at the exact moment when the Zelareans were preparing to flee from Drapesia to search for a new home. He provided the perfect place for them to invade.

“Santtonnice is going to lead the Zelareans to attack my planet,” I utter in complete horror.

There’s no response from any of the leaders in the room.

Their eyes are filled with sorrow.

Zol interrupts the silence. “After we received these pictures, and after Capurni told us what happened on your planet with Santtonnice, we guessed he would seek revenge. From what you have told us, it’s likely that Santtonnice has programmed Drew’s mind to help him retrieve the emerald from you.”

I’m overwhelmed with what I’m hearing.

I thought we had saved my world from Santtonnice. Now we’re going to be facing an enemy that has technology that we will be unable to fight against.

My emerald might be the only way to save my planet.

Zol continues, “If Santtonnice has programmed Drew’s mind, he will resort to any means to take your emerald. There is absolutely nothing he won’t do, even if this means killing your family and friends.”

While Drew’s interest in my emerald might be related to his contact with Santtonnice, his attempt to abuse me while I was drugged is an entirely different matter.

“Drew drugged you?” Capurni says.

I had forgotten that Capurni could read my thoughts. From the looks on the faces of the others in the room, they also know how to use sensergy.

I change the direction of the conversation. “Is there some way to know if Drew has in fact been programmed by Santtonnice?”

There’s no immediate response to my question.

After a minute or so, Zol begins, “Each of the Zelareans has a tattoo on the bottom of their right foot. The tattoo is a triangle with a backward Z in it. The tattoo is a symbol of loyalty to the Zelarean leadership.”

“If Drew has joined the Zelareans, he will have this tattoo on the bottom of his foot,” Suu adds. “He might also have a red dot on the side of his forehead.”

“A red dot?”

“Yes. This would indicate that the Stapols used an energy sequencer to alter Drew’s brain. An energy sequencer can change a person’s memory as well as programming a person to follow a set of commands.”

“Follow a set of commands?”

“Drew could have been programmed to trick you into giving him the emerald. He could have been instructed to return to Zelares with the emerald. Once commands like these are set in Drew’s brain, he is unable to change them even though there might be times when he still acts normal. Santtonnice might have even taught him how to use the emerald.”

“How can we help Drew?” I ask, momentarily forgetting that earlier today I wanted to attack him with a fork.

Zol stares at me. I feel like I’m being evaluated.

“You must kill Drew,” Zol says. “As long as he’s alive, he will be ruthless in trying to obtain your emerald. Drew cannot be helped. You need to eliminate him.”

I consider what Zol has said to me.

“Even if I kill Drew, how will this stop the Zelareans from attacking my planet?”

“It won’t,” Zol replies, “but at least you’ll still have the emerald. Together we can devise a plan to stop the Zelareans from ever leaving Drapesia.”

- 51 -

MEDIEVAL WALLS

There’s a sense of comfort sitting in Mr. Kraviak’s history class this morning. Every once in awhile as his voice drones on, I’m actually able to forget about the horrendous dilemma I’m facing.

“Medieval towns were often surrounded by walls,” Mr. Kraviak explains. “The first walls that appeared around medieval towns were often constructed with wood. Where stone was readily available, the walls were built using the stone, making them stronger than those constructed from wood.”

I wonder what materials were used to construct the massive wall that surrounds the Temple area in Zelares.

“As time went by, towns began to construct two walls around them. There was an outer wall and an inner wall. The strip of barren land between the two walls was known as the pomoerium, from the Latin words post murum which means behind the wall.”

I always pictured medieval walls as having a moat around them that were filled with alligators or piranhas, or some other fierce creatures. Of course, by now I realize that the medieval towns we are studying were generally located in countries with cold winters that would quickly kill alligators or piranhas.

“Not only were these walls a form of protection, but they were a status symbol. A big well-constructed wall often symbolized great wealth and power.”

How Mr. Kraviak would react if I told him I had recently visited a city on another planet that is far more technologically advanced than us, yet they still have a wall built around them for protection?

“Towers were located at certain points along the walls. These towers were used for guards to watch for any approaching enemies. The walls also had gates and gatehouses to keep out the sick, criminals, and spies. As people traveled through these gates into the town, they were generally charged a tax.”

Are the walls in Zelares were really necessary considering most of of the population on Drapesia were harmless trichoma addicts?

“Although these walls offered medieval towns a great form of protection, they could also lead to the downfall of a town.”

Mr. Kraviak’s words piqued my interest. Downfall? How could a wall lead to the downfall of the town?

Is there some way to defeat the Zelareans to prevent them from attacking my planet? If the Zelareans were defeated, is there a way to bring Drew back from the land of the Zombies?

“Although the walls around medieval towns initially helped to protect the residents who lived inside the walls, over time new weapons were developed that could smash through the walls. Once an enemy created a hole in a wall, they charged through this hole to kill the residents who were trapped inside the town by the very walls they built for protection.”

Could the wall surrounding the Temple area could prevent the Zelarean leaders from escaping? Could I use my emerald to create a dome around the Zelarean leaders?

“The once powerful walls that were built for protection became part of a death trap. Enemies learned to shower a medieval village with balls of fire. As the town inside the wall began to burn, people were trapped. They had nowhere to flee with an enemy waiting outside the walls. The great walls that were designed to keep them safe became walls of death.”

Perhaps there’s hope. I’m the Keeper of the Emerald. Could I trap the Zelareans inside their Wall to prevent them from ever leaving Drapesia? Or better yet, maybe I could destroy their Space Explorers and VOPs.

- 52 -

SAVING MY PLANET

Jamie and Michael are at my house.

After giving them an overview of what I learned on my visit to the leaders of the Forgotten People on Elpis Island last night, the look of shock on their faces mirrors my own anxiety.

“You’re telling us,” Jamie repeats for the hundredth time, “that Santtonnice is alive in Zelares, and that he is going to lead the Zelareans in attacking our planet.”

“Yes.”

“There’s no way any military force on earth can fight against the sophisticated weapons of a more advanced civilization,” Michael says.

I know that.

The only way to stop the Zelareans from defeating my planet is to stop them before they leave Drapesia.

“Maybe I can use my emerald to destroy their weapons,” I offer, “or maybe I could cause problems by destroying the Wall that surrounds them.”

“I think,” Michael begins, “that if you try to use your emerald against the Zelareans, they will unleash some of their weapons on you. Even with your emerald, I don’t think you would be able to stop the Zelareans.”

Jamie jumps into the conversation. “There are hundreds of thousands of people on Drapesia who are addicted to trichoma. The trichoma is controlled by the Stapols who live in the Wall. If you destroy the Wall, you might cause problems with how trichoma is administered throughout Drapesia. This could result in the deaths of almost the total population.”

“Even if you are able to destroy their weapons,” Michael says, “the resulting explosions could severely damage the environment on Drapesia.”

“Unless,” I say, “I wait until their three Space Explorers have left Drapesia. If I could destroy the Explorers in outer space, no innocent people on Drapesia would suffer. Once before, Zol said that the Forgotten People had programs ready to assist people who were addicted to trichoma. If I destroy the Zelarean fleet, the leaders of the Forgotten People could bring peace to Drapesia.”

Michael and Jamie look at each other with concern, and then turn back to me.

“Except,” Jamie says, “for you to do this, you will have to be in outer space with the Space Explorers. Somehow you will have to smuggle yourself aboard one of the Explorers.”

“I can use my emerald to do this,” I say.

“Except that you’re missing the point,” Michael says.

“I am?”

“Yes,” Jamie says, “when you blow up the Explorers you will be caught in the violent explosions. You will be vaporized. Even your emerald won’t be able to save you.”

I let Jamie’s words sink in.

He’s right.

But I have no choice. I have to save my planet.