Part 25 (2/2)
”Then let's be on our way. Sajin I know you have more questions.”
”That's an understatement.” He reached out and gripped my hand. ”Just give me the courtesy of keeping me informed.”
”I will do my best.” I shook his hand firmly.
”You have a fantastic journey ahead. Our thoughts and prayers go with you.”
”Thank you, Sajin. I'll try to not let you down.”
CHAPTER 24.
GAZA.
001001011001110.
I let Kitaya know I would be delayed, and then sat on the front steps of the capital building. The brilliant sunset was sending dazzling cascades of gold and orange across the structures to the east. As Charm, this was the time of day I enjoyed the most. Many an evening I'd sat on these very steps, watching the radiant fusion of color playing on the coliseum, the Eiffel, the Sphinx... Tonight however, it was the Statue of Liberty who caught my eye. She was a symbol of unity for the people of Vrin. Her proud form had always spoken to me of freedom and harmony. --But now, she was just another structure in the skyline. Vrin simply wasn't the same. Her beauty was waning in my heart.
A horse drawn coach pulled up to the steps. The driver tipped his hat to me, and I headed down to greet him. ”Have you been instructed?” I asked the gentleman.
”Yes, sir. We are to go to Bagidar.”
”Very good.” I stepped up into the carriage.
”Uh-- Sir?”
”Yes? What is it?”
”I was told you would be traveling with a companion.”
”Yes. She will meet us at the gate.”
”Yes, sir.”
The thin door closed with a metallic click and I took a seat in the darkened carriage. Across from me, a shadowy figure sat, a guard I a.s.sumed.
”What is your name, soldier?” I asked, trying to sound authoritative.
”What's wrong, Jason?” came a hollow voice from the darkness. ”Don't you recognize the creator of Vrin?”
My heart quickened. I wanted to leap from the carriage, but knew it wouldn't do any good. Instead I began an internal counting to keep from bringing any thoughts to the surface for Gaza to prey upon. ”I'm sorry? Have we met?” One, two, three, four... One, two, three, four...
Casually he opened his eyes and looked out the window, only pa.s.sively involved in our meeting, as if my presence was an irritation for him. I was immediately shaken by his eyes. They were not blue like the rest of the G.o.ds', but green, like two smoldering emeralds.
...eight, nine, ten, eleven...
”You have created for me a conundrum.” His distant, lifeless voice held an eerie quality.
”How is that?” I asked cautiously. One, two, three, four...
”Your reanimation is a paradigm.” He s.h.i.+fted in his chair. ”Are you comfortable in your former habitation?”
”I don't understand.” One, two, three, four... One, two, three, four...
”You are Charm once more. How do you feel about this?”
”What do you mean?” ...five, six, seven, eight...
His eyes darted to his right and his hand rose to a fixed and invisible destination. Quickly his fingers wiggled in the air. A sigh escaped his lips. ”Your confidant approaches, but our business has not yet concluded; you have information which I require.” He tipped his head slightly. ”Your attendance, of course, is non-negotiable.” His hand snapped out and grabbed my wrist. I felt his power enter my body, and the world exploded in blue fire.
The room spun like a carnival ride as tiny aftershocks erupted randomly across my back. Glowing objects streaked past my eyes, leaving visual trails on my retina. Colors pooled with colors in a blur of pulsating substance.
I needed something solid to fixate on, something I could use to rebuild my visual perception. I felt a groove in the floor and slid my fingers lengthwise across it to let the sensations register. They encountered an intersection. Slowly and methodically I followed the downward path. With effort, I slid my body until I was hovering above the floor tile. As my mind grasped the shape, it began to perceptually construct the floor. Soon the room took shape around me, and the spinning in my head subsided.
Just in front of my eyes were four wheels, and above them, a red seat. I drew the chair toward me. It let out a series of gentle squeaks. Gripping the cus.h.i.+on, I hefted myself onto it and sat up. Hovering on the desk in front of me was an illuminated screen within a gla.s.s box. Iridescent numbers rose line upon line. I reached out and touched the cold surface. Slowly my finger slid across the gla.s.s cube and my mind deciphered the information with unexpected efficiency. I had seen this text before. It was the very essence of Vrin.
Where was Gaza? I scanned the room. Many more illuminated gla.s.s plates balanced on metal stands, filling the room with a ghostly glow. I looked from one panel to the next, and as I studied each image carefully, I began to notice a theme. Gaza was watching. Not only was he tracking me and the other G.o.ds, but also Sajin, and several others I did not recognize. Gaza could see and hear everything!
Frantically I searched for Rath. If Rath was here, then Gaza knew! Or did he? Was he watching when his daughter was killed? My eyes darted from one image to the next. Then stopped.
Floating before me, frozen in time, was the horrifying moment I wanted so desperately to forget. The little girl's face filled the screen. Her eyes pleaded through the ghostly gla.s.s as the gnarled fingers of Kric' tu gripped her tiny forehead, and the knife pressed deep into her delicate neck. The image was so real I felt I could reach out and touch her tears.
”Looking for something?”
I twisted around in panic and met Gaza face to face. He appeared completely indifferent to my total lack of composure. ”I imagined you would be longer recuperating. It appears I miscalculated,” he said in the same cold, impersonal manner he'd displayed in the carriage.
”I was just...”
His hand lifted, and an invisible force squeezed my throat. ”You are only alive because I have not grown tired of you. It would be auspicious of you to retain that perspective. Now,” he said, releasing me, ”you have information I need, and I do not have a great deal of time.”
”I'm here to help,” I said, rubbing my neck.
”You were taken to the realm outside of Vrin by a spirit being, yet you do not remember this place?”
”No. I don't remember anything.”
”And now you are Charm again.”
”So it would seem.”
He turned and examined the wall of monitors. ”You have been quite the busybody, Jason. I have watched your exploits with great interest.” He tossed me a shadowed glance. ”In fact, I have watched you you most intently.” most intently.”
He gestured, and the screen holding the image of the girl pushed forward and expanded.
”I tried to save her,” I said reflexively.
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