Heaven Saga 1: The Lost Hero (27 page)

“Dammit!” his voice echoed throughout the dungeon.

If she hadn’t left these needles inside me I’d be able
to move. I can’t do anything like this. Focus Brian, focus. You have to find a
way out of here. Seles is waiting. So is Mira. You have to finish your contract
with Valis. Is this the way you want to die? No, this isn’t the place. I’m not
going to die like this.
He tried to
bite one of the needles on this right arm. He could barely reach it in the
position he was in and struggled in agony to bite down on the needle. It took
him a while to work it loose. He felt blood come out, but at least he could
move his elbow now. He spit the needle onto the floor and flexed his arm. The
restrain held tight as he growled in frustration. He then moved his left arm
and pulled the needle out. Brian blinked and focused his energy inward. When
his eyes opened they were glowing light blue. With all his strength he pulled.
The wall grated and creaked before giving away. His arms burst forward with
chunks of the wall going with them. He hands freed, he quickly pulled the
needles from his legs. The sound of guards running to him caused him to move faster.
Focusing his energy once more, he freed his legs with a burst of strength.
Standing in the cell with his hands and legs weighed down by chain and stone
while bleeding profusely, he didn’t relent.  Rage filled him. He went to the
front of the cell and began battering the force shield. Three guards stood in
front of him with pulse rifles ready to fire. Their eyes widened when they
looked at his eyes, still burning bright blue.

“Lieutenant, his eyes,” one of the guards in back
said.

“With those wounds, he shouldn’t be moving, right?”
the other said with a quiver in her voice.

The lieutenant lowered her rifle. “Lady Delne is
wrong. His eyes burn with the fire of the goddess.”

“What should we do?” one of them asked.

The lieutenant sighed. “If it’s the will of Kali,
there’s nothing we can do to stop him.” She turned to Brian. “If we aid you,
will you spare our lives?”

His eyes stopped glowing. “Please, I don’t want to
kill anyone if I don’t have to.”

The lieutenant used her pass key to open the cell. The
other two backed off as she went and freed his hands and feet from the weights.

“Thank you. What’s your name?” Brian asked as he
caught his breath.

“My name’s Seni. Are you sure you’re alright?” she
asked as she checked his wounds.

“I’ll be okay after a while,” he said as she helped
him stand. “I must go.” He turned to Seni. “Please evacuate everyone. I need to
deal with Delne myself.”

“Are you really the Herald?” she asked.

“No,” he answered. “I’m just a fool who can’t leave a
certain girl alone.” He checked himself.

Seni looked to her subordinates. “Please begin the
evacuation.”

“Yes Lieutenant,” the pair said before running up the
stairs.

“Please, your
rakna
blade,” he said as he
reached out with his hand.

Seni removed it from her belt and handed the sword
over. He drew the blade and began a blade dance routine. Even slowed by his
wounds, Seni was amazed at his movements. Brian stopped and took a deep breath
before sheathing the blade.

“Where’s Delne?” he asked.

“She’s on the top floor of the palace sleeping.”

“Thank you,” he said as he headed for the stairs. Seni
followed, still holding her pulse rifle. When he came to the stairs he saw
blood trickling down. Looking up, he saw the two guards lying on the ground
with their throats sliced wide open. An angry Delne stood at the top of the
stairs and held a glowing metallic whip. Seni gasped at the sight of her dead
friends as Brian drew the
rakna
blade and stared at Delne. He turned to
Seni. “Once I’ve cleared the way, run as fast as you can Seni. Do what I asked
before. I’ll handle the Lady upstairs.”

“Okay,” Seni said.

“So you plan to escape? I’m surprised, my associates
told me those bindings would hold even a Terran. It looks like I’ll have to
kill you now,” Delne said threateningly. She turned an evil eye to Seni. “And
you Lieutenant, for betraying me you’ll suffer the same fate as these fools.”
Delne disappeared with an evil smile.

“Where’d she go?” Seni asked, looking around.

He closed his eyes and sniffed the air. “She’s moving
towards the roof. Seni, make your way out of here through the lower levels.”

They made their way up to ground level. Brian was
noticeably limping as they moved up stairs.

“I’m going to leave through here,” Seni said. Before
going outside, she looked at him once more. “I hope I see you again.”

He nodded and made his way up stairs. “Delne, where
are you!?”

“I’m right here my dear Terran,” she said as she
flashed into view. “It’s about time I put you down for good.”

* * *

As Seles, Myden, and Mira flew over the city of
Vaelis, they saw the warzone below them. The streets were in chaos as soldiers
of differing noble houses fought each other. Mira avoided any contact with the
battles occurring in the air just over the city.

Seles watched in horror. “This is terrible.”

“It’s because they’re desperate,” Myden said. “Four of
the noble families are the cause of this.” He looked at the monitor. “Raekar,
Abrus, Bosar, and the Kentus families are fighting right now. Those houses have
opposed your mother for decades. I suspect my people have had influence in
those families.”

“What do you mean by that?” Seles asked.

He turned to Seles. “You’ll know soon enough my lady.”
He closed his eyes and concentrated.
I can feel his pain, his suffering.
Delne truly is a skilled Kaida.

“What is it Myden?” Mira asked.

“I’m sorry. I can sense him. Brian’s in a great deal
of pain right now. It seems Lady Delne’s skill at
Kai
is impressive.”

Seles and Mira both turned white. “
Kai
?” both
of them asked.

Myden nodded. “Yes. Seles, would you like to see his
status?”

She hesitated. “Yes, please show me.”

“As you wish,” he said. Myden reached out with his
three fingered hand and touched her on the temple. She immediately stiffened up
as her eyes glazed over.

“What are you doing?” Mira asked.

“I’m showing her what he feels.” He turned to Mira.
I’m sorry, but I can’t do the same for you. My telepathic powers only affect
biological life forms.”

* * *

What is this?
Seles saw herself flying in the air and found she was lying on the ground.
My
arms, my legs! I can barely move. I can’t breathe!
Looking at the body she
was in she noticed it was Brian’s. Blood trickled from all the wounds. All she
saw was the nasty smile of Delne as she held a sparking whip.

“You really are a fool. To think the lust for one of
my species would drive you to such lengths. If you’d only stayed on the Avoni,
you would’ve lived longer,” Delne said as she closed in.

He gripped the
rakna
blade with all his
remaining strength and started laughing. “Are you mad you’re not the one who
got laid Delne?”

What?
Seles
thought to herself.

“Laid?” she growled. “I’ve never had a filthy man
touch me is such a manner.”

He laughed again. “That explains it. Instead of
stabbing me with needles, you should have asked me to help you with that
problem.”

“That’s enough!” she shouted angrily. She whipped him
until he fell to the ground.

At least my last words were defiant. Seles, I hoped to
see you again. I’m sorry.
He thought
as he began losing consciousness.

“Don’t give up Brian! Please don’t give up!”
Seles shouted in his mind.

“Seles,” he uttered before his eyes closed.

* * *

The Mjolnir landed in the courtyard of the Raekar
palace. With one motion, Mira blasted a hole in the wall. They left the mobile
suit and headed into the palace. Seles carried a pulse rifle and had Brian’s
rakna
blade strapped to her back. Mira carried a pulse pistol and med kit. Myden
followed but fell behind quickly. The guards fled through the ground level. It
didn’t take the long to find the trail of blood Brian had left. After a short
sprint, they came upon the scene of Delne standing over him with an evil smile.

“He really thought he could escape me,” Delne laughed.
“My ideal world is too important for me to let him go.”

Brian was unconscious and bleeding. His body was
covered in rips and tears. In his limp right hand he still held a
rakna
blade. Seles pointed her pulse rifle and fired. Delne turned about quickly and
danced out of the way before running behind a corner and readying her whip.
Seles and Mira ran to him. Mira took out her medical scanners and regenerators
to begin working on him. Seles looked down and saw his face covered in
scratches and blood.

Mira was panicked as she scanned him. “I’ve never seen
anyone in this bad of condition. The fact he’s still alive is a miracle. I
don’t know if I can save him Seles.”

Seles had tears in her eyes as she hugged Brian. After
a moment, she kissed him. “You’re always getting hurt because of me. All I’ve
ever brought you was pain and suffering. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry I didn’t tell
you before.” She kissed him. “I love you. I love you so much it hurts. I’m
sorry I couldn’t tell you before now. You’ve been protecting me from the start,
always willing to suffer on my account.” She cried for another moment while
Mira quickly worked her regenerators. “It’s time for someone to protect you
Brian, to suffer for you.” Seles took the
rakna
blade from his hand as
blood dripped onto the ground and looked Mira in the eye. “Please save him…I
know how you feel right now,” Seles said as she stood up.

“I’ll do my best,” she said. Mira’s eyes began glowing
as she healed his wounds.

Seles slowly walked towards Delne as her eyes started
glowing. Delne flashed out with her whip ready. “You’re too late Princess.”

Seles pointed the
rakna
blade at Delne, blood
dripping from her hand to the stone floor. “For the sake of Brian and my
people, you will die Delne Raekar. I promise you that.”

“A bold proclamation princess,” Delne said with a
smirk. “But it’s you who will die this eve.”

Delne cracked her lightning whip at Seles. She
deflected it with her blade and made a move forward while Delne fled around the
corner. Seles turned back and saw Mira working with the speed of the goddess.

Save him Mira.
Seles thought as she ran after Delne, who was making her way upstairs. As Seles
turned the whip came at her. She barely dodged out of the way. Delne grinned.

“You’re not trained for this kind thing princess.
Maybe you should stick to parties,” Delne said as she readied her whip for
another attack.

“Shut up,” Seles said as she held the blade tighter.

She took a defensive stance and waited for Delne to
make the first move. She paced back and forth and teased with her whip. A
moment later she attacked with a series of quick strikes, Seles dodged and
deflected them with ease. Taking her momentum forward, Seles charged. Delne
reacted in time to block the attack and knocked Seles back a few steps. Delne’s
arm bleed lightly as Seles stood ready, eyes glowing. Delne narrowed her eyes.
She’s
not normal. No brat princess like her should be this fast. Her eyes! But how is
she doing it? Only men could berserk.
Delne grasped her whip and struck at
Seles with all her might and speed. Seles easily danced out of the way while
moving faster than she ever had before. She pointed her blade and charged.
Delne circled herself with the whip and covered herself in a protective shell.
Why
is she laughing?
Delne thought as Seles hacked at her defensive stance.
I
need to get to better ground. If I wasn’t able to read her thoughts I’d be dead
by now.
A roll of thunder came from outside.
Of course! My Reiga whip is
much more effective in the rain than her weapon!
Delne fell back and
cracked an attack at Seles and drove the mad princess back. She turned and made
her way to the roof as Seles followed.

* * *

As her eyes glowed, Mira worked quickly to seal
Brian’s wounds. With an injection of simulated blood he started looking better.
His wounds shown but now were closed. She knelt over him and fought back
tears.  Myden stood in the shadows and watched.
He gave her the power to
awaken! Truly, she’s a masterpiece of holographic technology. Only the Original
Five and my people would be able to craft such a maiden.
He closed his eyes
and concentrated on Brian.
His life force isn’t fading anymore. I can leave
them. I have a feeling Seles is going to need my help.
Myden silent passed
Mira and headed towards the roof.