The Chronicles of Heaven's War: Burning Phoenix (23 page)

Jebbson’s twelve years in the First Realm
were already filled with adventure. By this time, he had done much
to change the thinking and views of many of Lowenah’s children. He
applied himself to the study of the new technology surrounding him
and incorporated it with his previous knowledge. His theories
regarding total warfare and subterfuge were starting to be listened
to by some of Lowenah’s younger children, and several of his
inventions were being developed and put into use. His passion for
exploration and discovery led to many exciting journeys with a few
of Lowenah’s most colorful children.)

* * *

(
Author’s Note:
While preparing
these current entries for my book, I was rewarded by an unexpected
visit from the debonair Mr. Jebbson Garlock. Little has the man
changed since his arrival in these realms so long ago, and little
has his memory faded concerning those exciting times of which I am
writing. It was not far into the course of conversation before
attention was turned to a dear companion of ours – Darla - or
‘Adaya’ as she is known today. Below are some of Mr. Garlock’s
comments from our conversation concerning the woman and one of his
earlier adventures he shared with her.

“
I’ve never seen anything like her, not
here or where we come from! She’s the most magnificent creature in
the universe - a whole bunch of different people rolled into one
very desirable package...” He laughed... “that is, unless you rub
her fur the wrong way.”

“
About three years before the Prisoner
Exchange, I was invited to join the crew of a small cutter planning
a routine excursion into the Trizentine. After a two-month patrol,
we held over in a small colony on Sustrepho to take on provisions
and make a few minor repairs. Just prior to departing, we received
a request from Command to make accommodations for some guests and
set course for Avery. Somewhere near that planet, we were to
rendezvous with the Oruomai and deliver our passengers. Hitching a
ride with the others was Darla, who was a Marine leftenant at the
time. Well, you never saw such a bubbly, happy person in your whole
life as she was on that day. Her boyfriend, Euroaquilo
,
was admiral of the fleet to which the Oruomai was
attached, and that Oruomai was his flagship. I was fortunate enough
to fall into her company, or should I say, she singled me out. You
see, there seemed – seems to be a special fondness in her for
people from the Second Realm. I’m not sure just why, but it’s real
and warm, almost passionate. I must tell you
,
she lavished her attention on me in every way for
the rest our time together.”

“
Adaya - Darla - can be the most loving
and caring person in the world...was then, too. We spent hours just
talking together. She’s the one who took time to fill me in on much
of the history of this strange new place we’re in. I never saw
anyone more patient and polite, not just with me, but also with all
the others on the ship. She allowed nothing to ruffle her feathers.
Even my silly jokes and stories didn’t dampen her humor.”

Jebbson’s face clouded. “I saw the other
side of her, too.” A shudder ran down his back. “About three days
out from Sustrepho, our captain received a request to search for a
missing drone that had disappeared in our vicinity. Picking up its
tracks, we followed its trail to some supposedly uninhabited
planet. I don’t remember its name, but there was an acceptable
atmosphere on it and, with the help of our suits, we could manage
quite well. Darla volunteered to go down with a scouting party and,
after I had sufficiently begged enough, they allowed me to go with
them.”

“
We came in low and silent, fearing the
possibility there might be some undesirables in the locality, and
we landed about a mile from the drone. From there, we walked. Darla
told me to stay close and be alert. I could feel some kind of
energy, excitement, if I may say, growing in her. It was in her
eyes and the way she walked. It was as if the woman were
sensing something the rest of us couldn’t detect.”

“
There was thick undergrowth, so we were
walking blind, hafting to follow the coordinates transmitted to us.
Darla and I were to the left of our party, she about two paces
ahead of me. She crouched forward like a cat on a hunt, slinking
through the heavy brush like some ghostly apparition. Without
pausing, she would push away some branch, all the while resting a
hand on her derker blade or lanner. Her pace was rapid, and soon we
had out-distanced the others.”

“
When the drone crashed, it created a
small clearing. I stepped into it about four paces behind Darla.
Her hand flew out to motion me silent. I looked up to see half a
dozen barbaric-looking wild creatures scavenging the little
ship.”

“
That was my first experience with the
Stasis pirates, a group of degenerates who joined the insurrection
but refused to bow to Asotos. They were the most violent and
dangerous of all the rebels, calling no one their ‘master’. Asotos
used them as mercenaries and raiders, trading goods for loot or
information, but he didn’t trust them. The minds of many have
deteriorated mentally, so that a large number act like little more
than animals.”

“
Back to my account
...
I stood only inches from Darla. The Stasis had
still not noticed us. Suddenly I heard a funny noise, a
staccato-like hum coming from deep within the girl’s
throat.
..
You know the sound I mean.” I
acknowledged hearing that same sound. “Looking into her eyes, I saw
two growing, icy-hot flames of fire. That heat erupted into her
face, causing it to flush red.”

“
Without warning, she dove forward, her
derker blade flying from its scabbard with the first step. The
sound of that blade, as the blue-green energy raced up and down its
edges, was the first warning those people had.”

“
I’ve been in many battles, but I’ve
never seen fear like I did in the faces of those creatures! They
knew that death on wings was upon them. They screamed and squealed
in terror. Dropping everything, and not even trying to pick up
personal items, they went scurrying into the trees, howling and
whooping long after they had disappeared from sight. Darla would
have hunted them down had the captain not stopped her.”

“
Yes sir! I never saw anything like it in
my life. I didn’t see Darla’s face like they did, but the hair went
up on the back of my neck when I heard that eerie sound coming from
her. If her face matched the sound…no wonder they retreated in
insane fear.”

* * *

After studying the drifting clouds of red
dust on the distant horizon for some length of time through his
field glasses, the man began to discern tiny dark specks advancing
through the crimson-colored haze. “Ah, the pigeons are soon upon
the field.” The man mused to himself, grinning, studying the
movements of Mihai’s approaching elements.

The man’s grin slowly faded, gradually
vanishing into a look of bewilderment as he continued to watch
through his eyepiece. Although he could now see two contingents of
riders separated from one another by a train of wagons that floated
above the talc-like dust being drawn by several teams of horses, in
the van also rode a line of armed soldiers. Out in front of the
main body, to its right and left were small companies of flankers,
six riders wide and four deep.

The man puzzled, lowering his glasses and
turning to an officer standing next to him. “Strange...there are
more armed soldiers than I expected, and they ride as if in battle
formation. Neither Gabrielle nor that little bitch field marshal
has ever risked such a bold maneuver when coming to a prisoner
exchange. It’s not their style.” He took another look through the
glasses, unable to yet discern the faces of those in the
approaching company. “What’s that little
tramp
up to? And
the mother of harlots...is she up to some mischief?” Handing the
glasses over to an orderly, he commanded the officers around him,
“Keep a good eye out for trouble. Something’s up, can’t tell yet,
but whatever it is, I don’t expect it to spoil the day!
Understand?”

He then turned to face those same officers,
striking such a pose as to elicit adoration from those men, and
justifiably so, for the man was beautifully handsome in appearance
and stature, like one of the gods of legend. Deceitfully beholding
to the eyes - it was told by any casting their gaze upon him -
having a bold chin cleanly shaven, a disarming, smiling grin, a
mouth filled with sparkling white teeth, a strong, straight-bridge
nose disappearing under the shadow of a pronounced furrowed brow,
and sun-blond, short-cropped hair. Yes, the man was quite a sight
to behold.

But it was his eyes that were so
hypnotically alluring, sky blue and fathomless, piercing and
enchanting. His irresistible stare could bore deep into the soul,
forcing surrender of a person’s heart regardless of will or
countenance. Few could resist the man’s gaze, and those who did
manage were forever changed.

His tongue, though, was his most bewitching
weapon. Smooth and beguiling were his words spoken through prose
and verse, calming the disquieted spirit of an agitated heart and
reassuring the troubled nature of a weary soul. So many he had
charmed to his side by singing to their troubled hearts with his
cherubic music, singing of better times and renewed hope for days
long past. Yes, it was his golden tongue and winsome verse that
drew multitudes to him and that kept them his lasting
prisoners.

Gently resting a hand on the shoulder of his
second in command, he addressed the entire gathering. “My fellows,
this is a great and wonderful day, a new and glorious page in the
history of the League of Brothers! Even though Erithia -
(
Asotos’ designation for Lowenah
) - has joined her presence
to this rabble group, we will come off victorious! That harlot of
hidden powers holds no sway over us because, I perceiving of her
evil presence here, have forced her by her own decree to abstain
from using any of her wicked powers this day.”

He grinned. “Her twisted arrogance will
allow her no recourse other than to silently watch as lessons are
taught this day. No sooner can she bend her own selfish rules than
to stop time and make it go backward, even when it is to her
desperate advantage. Unless I call out for her to do so, she must
remain silent in deed and tongue. Do you think me the fool to do
that?” He broke out laughing, followed by all the others
present.

He then pointed toward the approaching
companies. “My brothers, the hour is almost upon us. Look and see!
Like the locusts, the witch comes with her hordes. Like a great
tide on the oceans, she moves ever forward to consume the shore.
Like a winter storm, she covers the land in darkness. See the witch
come. Wielding the stolen powers of ancient fortresses, she
proceeds without fear.”

Lifting a fist high, he declared, “Today we
will teach her remorse! Today, her heart we shall cast down into
nothingness! Surrender her power to us she will, to save a few
useless treasures she will,
meaningless
little treasures
that only a hopeless fool would desire.” Stepping back as his
soldiers snapped to attention, the man shouted, “
We wait for the
nearing hour when glory will shine down upon us! Act with quick
purpose when duty places its hand upon you!
” Then, saluting his
officers, he sent them away with the final words, “Now go and do
your assigned duties so that this day will be filled with glorious
victory!” With a smile of satisfaction, like a father watching his
sons faithfully carrying out an assigned task, the man followed
with his eyes those handsomely dressed, loyal officers as they
hurried away.

Style of the gilded and ornate was the
fashion of this army, and this day the dress uniform of the
lowliest of officers was dazzling in its splendor, for this was the
honor guard of the army of resistance,
Satan’s army
.

What of its leader? His uniform reflected
his glory: burnished, golden armor embossed with the finest of
engravings and jewels covering a blood-red blouse, flaming-red
kilt, a wide leather belt supporting a girdle of layered, armored
plates of chrysolite, all covered by a long, flowing red cape that
fluttered upon the breeze like a banner upon the battle plain,
complemented by a grand, golden-crested helm the man held in his
hands.

This captain of his people carried no
visible weapons, choosing to take on the appearance of benevolent
peacefulness at this Prisoner Exchange. Yet anyone knowing the man
was aware that in his being he carried the powers of the elements
over soul and mind. He could so easily twist up a person’s heart to
see things his way. Very few could resist his charms, and the one
he dreaded most who could do so, was absent this day. Without
lifting a hand, this man believed he could bring his approaching
enemy to ruin.

At length, this captain addressed the lone
officer remaining. Placing a hand on his shoulder, he suggested
they follow the others. As they turned to go, the man leaned close
in private conversation. “My dear, sweet brother, you know how
great my affection is for you. Legion, our love is deep and
journeys back to beyond time, but it is not only the manly comfort
given that builds such a bond between us. You are my right hand in
difficult times. I depend on your wisdom and prowess to bring us
success, as is expected of you this day.”

Legion smiled humbly. “My dearest of
brothers, Alithea, what greater honor can exist beyond praise
coming from the lips of such a divine magistrate? For your honor, I
have prepared diligently for this day, laying out a feast for the
eyes that shall assuredly fill the hearts of our approaching host
with the greatest of emotions. Spies have reported to me that… that
the creature, one I shall not name, is stretched to the limit of
her endurance. I believe she will quickly surrender to her more
base instincts when she sees the welcome I have prepared for
her.”