A Soul Divided (The Blood Fire Trilogy Book 1) (19 page)

“Where can we find out?” Ryker asked.

“Books that give details about the taboos are only kept in royal libraries like the one on Rabbit’s Foot.” Drake replied. “Dathan probably has a copy in his palace, but we’d never be able to get it from him.”

“So going onto Rabbit’s Foot is our only option.” Ryker said.

“That’ll never work.” Drake said. “The Nightmares are there. They’d kill anybody you sent in long before they could find the book. Plus, you dropped a sky killer bomb there. Once somebody got in there, there'd be no way back to tell you what they find.”

“There are ways around a sky killer.” Ryker said, “But an army of immortal monsters does pose a problem. There aren’t any other copies of this book?”

“If there are.” Drake said. “I don’t know where to find them.”

“We could go to Celestia.” Al interjected.

“Don't even joke, Al.” Drake said. “You remember what happened last time we talked to her? You went into a two day coma, and I got shot, stabbed, burned, and electrocuted. We’re not going back to her. Plus, she would never help us anyway.”

“Who is Celestia?” Ryker asked.

“Nobody important.” Drake said. “She has nothing to do with this.”

“Who is she.” Ryker said, turning to Al.

“She’s a Viridas woman from the Neutral Zone.” Al said. “She’s made a machine that allows her to enter other people’s memories and extract information.”

“How does that help us?” Ryker asked. “Drake doesn’t remember what the book said.”

“You see, Al?” Drake said. “I don’t remember so going to Celestia will be useless.”

“Drake.” Al said. “May I remind you that billions of people are dead, and billions more may die unless we stop 169, and the information to do that is somewhere in your head. Are you so selfish you would let all those people die just to avoid an awkward encounter with your ex?”

“Well, when you put it that way it’s hard to say no.” Drake said.

“I’m still not seeing the point in going.” Ryker said. “It would only be useful if you remembered the book.”

“I can’t access my memory of the book on my own,” Drake said, “but that doesn’t mean it isn’t still in my brain somewhere. I read it, so it’s in my memory, and Celestia can find it.”

“You’re sure about this?” Ryker asked.

“I’m sure.” Drake said.

“Pilot, set us a course for the Neutral Zone border.” Ryker said. “Al and Drake will give you coordinates from there.”

“I think I’d rather go to Rabbit’s Foot.” Drake muttered.

Chapter 28: Angela

Eleutheria, capital of the Neutral Zone, was one of the most beautiful things Angela had ever seen. Although it was larger than a small planet, it was completely man-made, created from solid metal to ensure that it would remain airtight against the vacuum of space. The outer walls were festooned with bright colored flags, with murals depicting important historical events. Angela thought it looked like something out of a fairy tale.

It was the largest off world colony in existence. Over four billion people, both Human and Mystic lived aboard this massive conglomeration of space stations.

They’d arrived there quickly despite the border checks.

The king had shamelessly bribed every border patrol they came across to get them to their destination as soon as possible.

Celestia’s guards, however, had refused to accept any kind of bribe to let them dock until Drake had shown his face to them. Then they gave them clearance to dock for free.

Angela heard the click as the docking clamps engaged.

“Be careful when we go in there.” Drake said to her as he stood up walking toward the exit ramp. “Celestia is certifiably insane. And dangerous if you make her angry.”

“I’ll try to be nice to her.” Angela said as she stood up and followed behind him, along with Vahn, Al, Olivia, and even the King himself, out into the hangar where several people waited for them.

“Hey, Celestia.” Drake said, looking at the woman in the middle of the group that awaited them.

Celestia was nothing like Angela had expected. She’d never seen a Viridas person before, and couldn’t help but be surprised by Celestia’s pale green skin and long, redish, orange hair.

Despite the strange coloration of her skin, Celestia was gorgeous.

“Good afternoon, Drake.” Celestia said coldly.

“So you’re still mad, huh?” Drake asked.

“Why are you here, Drake?”

“We need to use the machine.”

“Goodbye Drake.” Celestia said as she turned to walk away.

“Celestia, wait!” Drake yelled after her. “You don’t even want to know my reason for using the machine?”

“You have ten seconds to explain.” Celestia said, glaring.

“There’s a crazy person who learned how to blow up planets and the only way to stop him is somewhere inside of my memory.” Drake blurted out in one breath.

“In case you have forgotten, Drake.” Celestia said. “I have no side in the war, and I don’t care to join one. I don’t care if the Mystics destroy all the Human planets. At least that would end this silly war. I want to know what I’ll gain if I help you.”

“You mean the satisfaction of saving people isn’t enough for you?” Drake asked.

“Goodbye.” Celestia said, turning around again.

“Wait!” Drake yelled after her. “Tell me what you want.”

“A kiss.” Celestia said.

Angela’s heart raced.

“A what?” Drake said, glancing over at Angela. “I think I heard you wrong.”

“A kiss.” Celestia repeated. “You know, like we used to do.”

“Oh come on, Celestia.” Drake said. “That’s a terrible idea. Why can’t you just ask for money like a normal person?”

“Because I already have money.” Celestia said. “What I want, is a kiss from you.”

“Celestia,” Drake said. “I know I’m the best kisser you’ve ever met, but you really need to get over me.”

“Ok.” Celestia said. “I’m over you. Get out of here and don’t return.”

“Celestia.” Al spoke up.

“Al Jhurus Khardrasyn Lyersial Othyriodias Ikhardrias yt Hyras.” Celestia said. “Finally, a male worth speaking to.”

“We’re trying to read the book.” Al said. “The same one we tried to read the last time we were here.”

A grin came to Celestia’s face.

“Why didn’t you say so?” She said. “Follow me. You’re free to use my machine as you need.”

Celestia, and her group of servants walked back in through the door, and down a long hallway.

“Let’s go.” Al said, striding through the hallway behind them. Everybody followed without saying a word until they all arrived at a large room. In its center sat the machine.

It had chairs attached to either side of it, with helmets connected at the top of each chair.

On the center of the machine was a huge screen with wires leading from it to each of the helmets.

“Here we are.” Celestia said. “Who’s taking the trip into your memories, Drake?”

“Al will do it.” Drake said.

“That won’t work.” Celestia said. “The last time we tried this we had to disconnect him without going through the proper procedures. The machine will no longer recognize his neural patterns. It will have to be somebody else.”

“I’ll do it then.” Vahn said, stepping forward.

“Won’t work.” Drake said.

“What?” Vahn said. “Why not?”

“Because he doesn’t like you.” Celestia said.

“What does that have to do with anything?” Vahn asked. “I’m willing to do it, who cares if he likes me or not?”

“He does.” Celestia responded. “I don’t expect you to understand the exact workings of my machine, but you should understand that you are trying to enter his mind. If he dislikes you his subconscious will reject you and stop you from accessing his memories. Conversely, the more he likes you, the more access you’ll have to the content of his mind.”

“This is ridiculous.” Ryker said. “Drake, who here do you like? Let’s get this over with.”

“I like Al.” Drake replied.

“He’s not an option.” Celestia said. “But who here is? It’s certainly not the half brother who abandoned you. I don’t believe it would be the King who launched the attack that killed your entire race, nor do I believe you’re overly fond of his spoiled daughter. It must be the extra girl you brought along. She’s the only one here I don’t see a reason for you to hate. Of course I’ve never met her.”

“Me?” Angela asked. “You want me to go inside of his memories?”

“Not her.” Drake said. “She’s not doing it.”

“Drake,” Celestia said. “I know you. She’s beautiful, but has no power, no money, and no way of helping you. The only reason she’s here with you is because you have feelings for her. Am I right?”

Angela blushed.

“Al almost died the last time we did this.” Drake said. “I’m not letting that happen to Angela.”

“If you had shown such concern for me,” Celestia said. “Perhaps we would have ended our relationship on better terms. I hope you don’t break this poor girl’s heart.”

“Drake.” Angela said. “You’ve saved me so many times since we met, and the whole time, I wished I had the power to help other people the way you helped me. If I can find the right memory, then the information we get will save billions of lives. Even if it’s dangerous, it’s what I want to do.”

Drake paused for several seconds before responding.

“When you go into my memories.” He said. “You’ll see, hear, and feel everything I saw. It’ll feel real. But remember, it’s not actually happening to you.”

“Ok.” Angela said. “I can do that.”

“One more thing.” Drake said. “The memory you’re looking for happened a few hours before the memory that nearly killed Al. If you come to a memory of me as a fourteen year old in that tower above the library, the one we talked in the night you were on Rabbit’s Foot, I’ll have a knife, and I’ll use it to cut my hand and draw circles with the blood. If you get into that memory, leave it as soon as possible.

You’ll hear my thoughts, and you’ll feel my emotions. They’ll feel overwhelming, but you have to promise me you’ll leave that memory, no matter how strong the emotions are.”

“What exactly did you do in that memory?” Angela asked.

“Just make sure you stay out of it.” Drake said.

“Ok.” Angela said. “So how do we do this?”

“You sit in that chair.” Celestia said pointing to the chair on the left side of the machine. “And Drake will sit in that one. You’ll both put on the helmets, and I’ll turn on the machine. You and Drake will both fall into an induced sleep. The first thing you’ll see is your strongest connecting memory with Drake. However, you’ll see it through Drake’s eyes.

As he mentioned before, you’ll register his thoughts and all five of his senses. It’ll be as if you’re living his memories.

Everything is controlled by your thoughts. If you want to go farther back, think that you want to go back. Same goes for moving forward. There’s no specific control, how well you can jump through memories depends on how strongly he feels about you.

Since the memory you’re looking for is a little over seven years ago, I’d say it’s best for you to just jump back as far as you can and move on from there.”

“Ok.” Angela said as she sat in the chair and put the helmet on her head. “I’m ready.”

***********************

Al watched with the others as Angela drifted into an induced sleep.

The screen blared to life showing Angela’s face.

“Angela, I don't want you to come along with me. I want to go with you." Drake’s voice played through the speakers.

Angela’s face on the screen leaned in toward the screen. It took Al a moment to realize that they were kissing in the memory.

Al felt like he was violating their privacy watching this moment.

Olivia didn’t seem to think so. She burst into cheers as she realized what was happening on the screen.

“Just jump back already.” Celestia muttered under her breath.

Nobody else in the room could hear it, but with his sharp hearing, Al could pick out every word she said.

Almost as if obeying Celestia’s command, the screen changed into an entirely different setting.

The library on Rabbit’s Foot.

A strong man wearing regal looking clothes, and a crown on his head was carrying Drake over his shoulder.

“Dad.” Al heard Vahn gasp.

Al recognized this memory. He’d never seen it personally, but Drake had described it to him.

In this memory Drake would only have been five years old. Her jump through Drake’s memories had taken her back sixteen years.

“There you go, Drake.” His father said as he sat him down inside of a small cabinet in the corner of a large room. “Stay in there until Ezra or I come to get you. I promise I’ll keep you safe.”

“But Dad!” a younger version of Drake’s voice said through the machine’s speakers.

“Stay put, Drake.” His father said as he closed the cabinet doors. “I love you, son.”

Drake pressed his eye up against the keyhole and watched his father stop short before leaving through the door, and then draw out his sword, stepping cautiously backwards.

“You can’t be here.” Drake’s father said to somebody outside of Drake’s view. “I watched you die.”

“I couldn’t stay dead knowing you’d betray our father’s wishes by signing a peace treaty with the Human scum.” The mysterious man said as he stepped into the room, showing his face. King Dathan.

“Korah deceived our father.” Drake’s father said. “The Humans have no desire to harm us.”

“You’re so naive, Tiberius.” Dathan said. “Korah is wise, and he has power you could never imagine. He raised me from the dead and taught us how to turn our warriors into invincible killing machines. The Human weapons are descending upon us intent on our genocide. Without Korah’s guidance, we’ll all die.”

“How many did you convince to commit the taboo?” Tiberius said fiercely.

“Ten-thousand, strong.” Dathan said. “The Human army will all die.”

“Korah has deceived you, just like our father.” Tiberius said. “Bring the soul anchors back down from orbit and get our soldiers working on removing their taboo right now. The peace treaty I’m about to propose will go through before the Anti-Lucks arrive.”

“The soul anchors aren’t in orbit anymore, Tiberius.” Dathan said. “Korah has hidden them away for his own purposes.”

“It broke my heart to see you die my brother.” Tiberius said. “But if you’ve given yourself over to Korah, then I’ll have to break my heart a second time.”

Tiberius rushed forward bringing his sword down toward Dathan’s head.

Dathan dodged nimbly and drew out his own sword, lunging at Tiberius.

Tiberius parried all of Dathan’s attacks flawlessly until Dathan was foolish enough to leave an opening.

Tiberius rammed the tip of his sword through his brother’s chest.

“I loved you, Dathan.” Tiberius said; tears filling his eyes as Dathan dropped to his knees. “It didn’t have to end like this.”

“You’re right.” Dathan said. “It won’t end the way you think.”

Dathan tore the sword from his chest and rammed it into Tiberius’s stomach.

“You see, Tiberius.” Dathan said standing up, the hole in his chest healing over. “You can’t best Korah no matter how skilled you are with the sword. Now that I’ve died once, It’s not so easy to kill me a second time.”

Dathan turned to leave, then paused turning back to where Tiberius lay dying on the floor.