Harmonizer's Evolution (Balancer's Soul cycle) (49 page)

Princess, I’m coming home.

Deadline and Due

Once
their
flight
path
had been established and f
lew
directly for
Connor’s
home
,
Mark broke the
heavily burdensome
m
ental silence. Both Sorono and Connor
were linked
to
his mind because the
re was too much wind passing their
ears
to speak aloud, even with the
Pressure
wedge
.
“Alright Sorono, tell us what is really going on around here.”

Connor
glanced to each side
,
to see them staring at each other. Then Sorono turned his
upset
sights forward before answering.
“First may I ask what day it is and how you found me?
During my capture I lost track of myself.
”

His brother chose to answer quickly.
“Veronica came to my home
four days ago and that is how long our search took. We found the ambush point and it led down to an underground tunnel. We followed the path to that island and spent a day scoping the place out. By the time we arrived
,
there were only four Keepers
guard
ing your prison
, but from the looks of it there were
once
a great
many
more of them. I guessed that they left
about
a week ago.”
He
then answered
the
other question.
“
It is April twenty fifth
, why?”

Sorono
let out a
what
Connor
assumed
to be
a
hiss and his eyes
seemed to
darken.
“So
I’ve been held captive for over
three weeks.
”
His jaw
clamped tight
an
d his muscles
became more
tense. Then he
saw
Sorono’s
eyes change from
a seething
anger
to calm and focused.
“There isn’t any use cursing how short a time we have
remaining
. Alright, allow me to go back and explain everything that has happened since I left your side, little brother.”
Sorono’s nose flared as he took a deep
,
steadying breath.

“When my son Damian
located
me, he explained about the situation down in South Am
erica. After I gave my farewell
s to Veronica and my daughter
,
I flew down there
alone
and ignorantly
. The destruction
among the population
was widespread and very rampant. Ranvan had done more destruction with th
at one wave than he ha
s done in the past century
. Once I made my arrival, there w
ere
many who
still
needed help
and immediate rescue
. I found many humans and animals
that
had been washed out to sea
and were struggling to get back to shore
. Those who were still alive received my help.
Sad to say, that was few and far between. During the search and rescue
I made sure to not be seen as my powers were used to push them back safely to shore. There were several close encounters with the human rescuers who used both boat and helicopter. Then after more than two weeks of aiding the victims of my brother’s rampage
,
in any way possible, I
finally
picked up
his
trail.
Finding Ranvan’s aura wasn’t too difficult, but that
i
s what he wanted.

“Following Ranvan’s path, I stumbled upon an unnatural clearing in the forest. Ranvan wait
ed
in the center
of it
like I wasn’t even considered a threat
to him
. My instincts were warning me of danger, only I thought it was warning me of Ranvan. My intuition was wrong as several strange looking creatures attacked.

“I awoke about
a
week later
,
from what Ranvan said. He and the others had incarcerated me in Dark Steel. It was their only method of restraining
someone such as
me. Before Ranvan struck me and departed
a week later
, I read his mind for an instant and learned
just about
everything in that time.”
Connor
eyes drifted
in his direction
while maintaining
a
direct
flight. Sorono’s
eyes sought
his brother’s
almost embarrassingly.
“You said it has been three weeks since my c
apture and one week since many K
eepers
had
left, that means Ranvan and the
leaders
departed
an unconcerned week
after I entered his mind. What
I learned and pieced together isn’t going to benefit anyone
. Either
way there will be a fight.

“
You see, Ranvan had somehow found a haven
,
that has been hidden
from the world
for over sixty five million years. I do not know
of
this location, but it is vast enough to have allowed over eight hundred thousand Keepers to survive there
all this time
.”
Both Connor’s and Mark’s
mind went blank at hearing such a
staggering
number. It was difficult to imagine one place capable of containing
and sustaining
that many immortals for so
extremely
long and without being discovered.
“It was hard to for me to fathom such a key piece of information
, but it is all true. In that
ancient
place
,
many of my predecessor
’
s lineage
s
sought
out
that place for safety. There
are
, over one hundred thousand of Ragke and Afleen Original children and their mates took up residence inside that haven. They were also accompanied by
several other immortal descendants
.

“As time passed they and their children began interbreeding. You both ha
ve
seen firsthand accounts of this. Now that wouldn’t bother me so much because it would be expected within a confined space, no matter how large
the haven was
. The problem that we face is how they think and how they see the world. They are all like brainwashed
or fractured
minded
children who know not
,
except what they are told.
They know of no other alternative path or way of thinking.”

Sorono went silent for a moment and Mark took the time to ask
“How do they think? What is this catastrophic picture your painting in my mind and who is pulling the strings?”

Connor’s
reptilian brother smiled at Mark and
solemnly responded
with
“Everything you have asked can all be tied to one person…Ranvan. I thought he was going feral, but that was the worst assumption
I’ve
ever made in my entire life
..
. When he found that sanctuary he knew just how to use it
for his
own
purposes
. Each and every Keeper in there hung to his every word like he was the Hallowed Mother herself. Most of the surviving Originals remember that their
race
once
ruled
over
the
entire
planet and their fathers
once
ruled over
it
all.

“
It didn’t take much time or effort to instill them with the thoughts of reclaiming their
rightful
heritage.”

“How are they going to subjugate the humans then?”
Connor
thought to them and it wasn’t a stretch to seek that conclusion. Mark
’s eyes were wide and Sorono remained
calm and collective.

Sorono continued.
“Connor, as you have concluded, they are preparing for
a
war
never witnessed by the humans
. Ranvan seeks to destroy humanity
’s rule,
their
history and return them to the Stone Age. He
sees humanity as nothing but a minor
annoyance and like cattle. He and the others wish to reign in humans like
breeding stock
. He sees them
all
as
one major thing,
a
short-lived
food source.”

“Oh, this cannot be really happening.”
Mark said to them
and to himself.

“Sorry Bud, but everything now makes perfect sense. Remember how I said there was more to this than simply kidna
pping Sorono? Well now my worries
are now justified
…unfortunately.
”

Mark looked worriedly at Sorono.
“Do you know if they are clustered together so we can take them out all at once?”

“I wish that could be said with a yes, but I’m afraid it would be a lie. From what I
had
learned from the moment in Ranvan’s mind, they have scattered all around the United States. They are going to take America out as their first target. America is one of the three military superpowers on this planet. After America is crippled they will go to Russia and then finish of
f with
Asia.
With them out of the way the other countries will topple over easily.
”

Connor
had to ask.
“If my country is first o
n the list, do you know when and where this attack will take place?”

Sorono finally grinned proudly at
him
. “Indeed, I do know that
much
. In sixty nine
days, on July forth
,
the attack will begin.
Ranvan is targeting three main targets
first
. He is going to destroy Los Angeles California, New York City and Washington D.C. simultaneously on that date. He wants to disrupt the military’s command in D.C. Destroy the
greatest
financial capital of all the states in New York and mak
e a detrimental example of L.A.

“
Later on
,
he and the others will destroy every military base
,
one by one.
After America is crippled, they will move on.
Time means little to them. The entire process will take years, if not decades, but humanity’s reign will eventually come to an end
with little casualties to their own numbers
.

“
On that very day
,
the world will learn once again that
immortals
still
live. That will be the final day that we Keepers reveal ourselves to the world of man
again
. It will be a shock to the entire world, but we need to protect those who are helpless
from
the
oncoming
assault.
”

“If things are
truly
that bad,”
Mark said.
“then what could possibly be done to circumvent this approaching atrocity? From what you’ve said, we are vastly outnumbered. There are what, only
over a
hundred thousand Keepers, Balancers and Changers
combined
who are capable of fighting.”

Connor
then spoke in a comm
anding tone that boosted even his own
confidence.
“It doesn’t matter if we are outnumbered, we will face them on that day and protect everyone. Even if I must do it alone
,
I’ll take down as many murderers
with me
as possible. Luckily we won’t need to worry about that because we have plenty of time to prepare a counterstrategy. We know where they are heading and we will catch them unaware. Right now we have the advantageous position
,
despite the numbers that will oppose us.”
He
flipped over to fly with
his
back
facing
the ocean’s surface and to look them each in the eye.
“Do I have support from the Keepers?”