|
Episode 06: |
"Lost But Now Found" |
|
Episode 1: Episode 2: Episode 3: Episode 4: Episode 5: Episode 6:
|
chapter two | chapter three
| chapter four | chapter five
| chapter six (conclusion) Chapter One (revised) The plateau had been saved. Challenger had returned from the future, Finn went back to the future, and Marguerite and Roxton had been removed from their almost life-ending experiences and were put back where they belonged and safe out of harm’s way. To everyone’s surprise, Malone had returned as well but not in the same condition as how he left. When Veronica found him at the base of the treehouse, he was unconscious and bleeding heavily. Now he was bandaged and feeling much better. Once everyone had their reunion, they were anxious to talk to Malone. ‘Where had he been these long months? How had he gotten hurt? How did he get back? In all fairness, a lot had happened at the tree house during Malone’s absence but they all promised to give him the details after he shared his tale. "Malone, when are you ever going to get around
to telling us what happened to you?" asked Marguerite always getting
straight to the point. "You obviously got hurt somehow and we want to hear
where you've been all this time." He kept traveling farther out into the plateau,
to places that Veronica had never been to or even heard of. He took
advantage of his surroundings and started mapping his journey. He knew this
new knowledge would put a smile on Challenger's face.
[from previous chapter] Three
guards with three large swords started to make their way over to Malone and
he knew he was in trouble…
Seeing that reasoning with these people was not possible, he decided to make a run for it. He had run out of ammunition for his rifle and pistol a long time ago and he wasn’t about to stop and fight three behemoths twice his size with a knife, which compared to their swords, looked like a toothpick! A couple hours earlier, when Malone had first entered the city, he was surprised at how civilized and prosperous it appeared. The market place was booming with activity and lots of people. He could see right away that there were many outsiders trading with the townspeople. The townspeople themselves did not appear to be natives, but then again, they did not look like they came from off the plateau. At one point they had to have come from off the plateau or come across someone who did, they spoke English here as their first language. Maybe they’re descended from a lost European expedition or something, Malone thought. The people of the city were light skinned and many had blonde hair and blue eyes. This was not highly common on the plateau so Malone highly considered his previous thought. They’re not Dutch like the Hagans, but definitely European. The people were wearing clothing that was similar to what Malone was wearing. The men all had trousers, nice shirts, vests, and boots. On their own, the clothing was not very special, but the fact that they had things like buttons on their shirts, belts with buckles, all of these were at the same quality as something you would find off the plateau. Malone was amazed because this had to be one of the most, or even THE, most civilized area of the plateau. He was surprised that he hadn’t heard of it before. He had talked to the Zanga, the Amazons, Tribune and some of the lizards, and occasional nomadic tribes with the help of Marguerite, and never had this place been mentioned. In fact, he didn’t even know the name of the city or what the people called themselves. He continued walking through
the city marveling at the advancements of this society. They had horse-drawn
carriages and they had actual buildings! Buildings made of out some kind of
stone and had doors and windows. They were still crude compared to some of
the buildings that he’d seen all over
He had walked by the carts and looked at some of the things the people were selling. He saw a vendor who had yards and yards of fabric. There were several different colors and also different types of fabric, even silk! Marguerite and the others, including myself, have been running low on clothes. Maybe I can figure out a way to make a trade for some fabric seeing as I don’t have any money. It was at this moment that Malone happened to glance up and notice the picture of Veronica’s mother which led to Malone fleeing for his life. Now as he was running through the city streets hearing the city’s guards chasing after him, his thoughts drifted back to the vendor’s words. Why did he call Veronica’s mother a “protector?” A protector of what?...Of these people? How could one woman protect a whole city? Unless...no, I KNOW that was Veronica’s mother, I’m sure of it. But, I still don’t understand...Maybe the man is crazy, but then this whole village would have to be crazy, they all think the same thing. A whole village full of crazy people hell-bent on killing me...hmmmm, that’s not a big stretch for this plateau. All I know for sure is that I need to get the hell out of here before I’m made into mincemeat by those swords! By now, the whole village had heard of the blasphemous outsider and seemed like the whole city was out scouring the city looking for him. The town square was swarming with guards and the only route out of the city passed through it. Malone saw he was trapped and ducked into an alley and crouched to hide behind some boxes to weigh his options. “Well good job Malone! You’re a dead duck! How are you going to get out of this one...think! Well, 1) I could sit here and wait for them to find me, 2) I could try to walk out there and talk this out rationally, or 3) I could make a mad dash through the square and hope to not be seen. Of course, with all these options, I end up the same way, DEAD!! Come on, there has to be another way...” “I can help you, young man.” Malone turned around and came face to face with a little old woman with a kind face and sweet smile. But Malone learned early on after several experiences that left him unconscious and with a throbbing headache and lump on his head, that even a kind face could betray you. “Why would you want to help me? What’s in it for you? And HOW would you help me for that matter? I don’t think the two of us would be a very good match against the entire city’s guards.” He looked suspiciously at the older woman waiting for her to answer. She didn’t give him one. Instead, she turned around and started to walk away. Malone sat there for a second confused, but considering his alternatives which all ended in a way that he really wanted to avoid, he got up and carefully followed her down the alley. Don’t be fooled, things are never this easy. A complete stranger never comes up to you and says they’ll help you without there being a catch. Keep your eyes open! With my luck, she’s leading me straight into a trap. Or...she’ll shape shift into some sort of monster and try to kill me or something. She can’t possibly want to help me. This is ridiculous, use your head! Better yet, use your mouth! How many times are you going to contently walk straight into trouble?! If you don’t want to walk into the lion’s den, find out where the hell you’re going! Don’t be naïve! Malone was still walking a little bit behind the woman but spoke up. “Um, excuse me? Ma’am? Ma’am, excuse me?” The old lady kept walking and didn’t acknowledge Malone. He got tired of being polite and of being ignored. He ran and stopped in her path and decided to find out once and for all what was happening. “Excuse me, but where exactly are we going? Who are you? Why are you helping me? What’s going on here?” She looked up and smiled and simply said, “Follow me.” She turned the corner and stood in front of an open door. She turned and faced Malone and saw his anxious stance and the nervous look on his face. He couldn’t hide his apprehensiveness no matter how hard he wanted to try. She smiled once again and she pointed inside and said, “Come inside.” She walked in leaving Malone outside. “Well, I’m not dead yet so that’s an improvement over my previous situation. She seems like a nice little old lady so far…” Malone groaned and muttered to himself, “Oh Malone, what the hell have you gotten yourself into this time?” He took a deep breath and went inside and closed the door.
Malone walked into a small building, presumably the old woman’s home, and found her sitting in a big chair in front of a roaring fire. She was still smiling warmly at Malone. She pointed to the seat across from her and told him to have a seat. Malone hesitantly sat down and decided he was going to get some answers. The old woman beat him to it. “My name is Ilaya and I truly can help you, it is obvious that you need it” she said with a light chuckle. “I apologize for the secrecy but the streets are no place to discuss what I am about to disclose to you.” The old woman seemed truly sincere in wanting to help Malone so he relaxed and let her continue with her story. Just then, he heard a loud, relentless pounding on Ilaya’s door. As he was about to speak, the old woman sprang to her feet with agility that he thought not possible for someone of her age, and clamped a hand over his mouth. “Not a word! Quick, under the carpet, there’s a latch that goes to the cellar. Go down there and don’t come out until I say so” she whispered. Malone quickly got up and lifted the carpet, and sure enough, he found and a latch. He ducked into the cellar, it was a tight fit, but it kept him safe. From what, he didn’t know yet. The room was dark and Malone couldn’t even see his own fingers in front of his face so he had to rely on his other senses. He could tell that Ilaya used the cellar for food storage because the air had a sweet smell to it, not musty and damp like his family’s basement. He shuddered as he thought about that basement; he used to be scared to go down there as a child. Through the carpet he found he could hear the muffled pounding and shouting continuing up top. “Ilaya! Ilaya! Come on, old woman! Open this door! Now!” He heard a man shouting and then heard a rattling and squeak, which he assumed was the front door opening. Then he heard Ilaya conversing with the guards in a very cheeky manner. Malone winced and prayed for the old woman’s safety. “What do you want Gressan? You should know better than to pound on an old woman’s door like that! Where are your manners?” The old woman looked at the large captain of the guard and saw that she was aggravating him, but she wasn’t afraid of him. “Well, do you have a reason for disturbing me, or do you like raising a ruckus and disturbing old women for your amusement?” Gressan was already enraged that the man he was hunting managed to elude him and his guards for so long and now he was being mocked. He abstained from lashing out only by remembering his duty. “We are looking for the outsider, have you seen him?” Ilaya looked up at Gressan with her sweetest smile and replied, “Outsider? What outsider? You know I hardly ever leave my humble abode, Gressan.” Gressan looked suspiciously at Ilaya. “Look old woman, if I find out you had ANYTHING to do with this, NOTHING will save you from me!” Gressan gathered the rest of his men and walked off to carry off their continuing search. Ilaya closed the door and let Malone out of the cellar. “You’re safe for now, they won’t be coming back this way for quite some time.” Malone decided he had been through enough and deserved an explanation. “Look, I want some answers! What the hell is going on here! Why am I running for my life!” Usually when Malone’s life was in danger, he knew why, and in this case, he was completely in the dark. Ilaya once again took her seat by the fire and Malone did the same. She tried to resume her earlier explanation. “I understand your anger and fear, they are not misplaced. I was about to explain before we were interrupted by Gressan. As you probably heard, he is not a very pleasant person,” she said dryly. “He is the captain of the city’s guard and is also in Syko’s payroll. Syko is the so-called “leader” of this city.” Ilaya looked over at Malone and chuckled. “I’m guessing by that blank look on your face, you have no idea where you are or who I’m talking about.” Malone sheepishly nodded and Ilaya shook her head. “You would be wise to be more aware of your surroundings in the future young man, or you’re likely to find trouble. Much like the situation you have landed yourself into now” Ilaya chided, sounding much like the tree house’s resident hunter. “Well, as I said before, my name is Ilaya and you have wandered into the City of the Old. We are relatively prosperous as you can see, but in the last ten years, our city has been slowly declining due to the fault of Syko, our beloved leader” Malone picked up on the obvious sarcasm. “Nothing has ever been proven, but all of our city’s people know the truth. His rise to power was not willed to be. He took matters into his own hands. Several years ago our great king Amenmon, heavens preserve him, mysteriously died. Many suspected that his food had been poisoned but we were never able to find out for sure. Syko had an older brother Philan, but he also died shortly after gaining the crown. He and his brother supposedly went hunting one day, but only Syko returned. He claimed they were attacked by a neighboring village which we have been at odds with for generations. Once he took control of the throne, he plunged our city into war. "As a leader, he is not completely incompetent or our city would have burned to the ground long ago and we would not have sat back and watched quietly. His faults lie in his greed. He sends our city’s soldiers, many of which who are still boys, to die needlessly so he can gain the spoils and treasures of other villages and keep them for himself. The only good thing that comes out of the constant wars is we gain another trading partner. Right now they are dependent on us for supplies because they are weak, but soon they will all grow strong and fight back. We have many enemies and I fear many more will die for Syko’s greed.” “Look Ilaya, this is very interesting, but what has this got to do with me?” Malone, on any another day, would have been more than willing to hear the history of the city, but today he had no desire at all. “My goodness! Youth is wasted on the young! Always in a rush! Very well, young man, I’ll indulge you this time.” “Please, Malone or Ned,” Malone was quickly growing tired of “young man.” “As you wish, Malone. The reason you are in this predicament is because you tried to steal this city’s only relic of the Protector and—” “But I didn’t try to steal it!” Malone jumped during his plea of innocence. “Sit down, Malone. I know you didn’t try to steal it. Why do you think I’m helping you?” Ilaya chuckled as he sat back down. “Right, now where was I…? Oh yes, the Protector.” “Ok, stop right there. I know for a fact that the woman in the picture is my friend’s mother. She’s been looking for her parents for over eleven years. Why do you keep calling her a protector? What exactly does she protect?” Ilaya’s jaw dropped at Malone’s question. “You do not know of the Protector?” Malone shook his head. “The Protector has been protecting the plateau since the beginning—” “Since the beginning….?” Malone interrupted. “What do you think? Since it’s creation, of course!” “But Abigail is a normal woman, she can’t possibly be that old. And how can one woman protect the entire plateau? I can barely protect myself half the time!” Malone was beginning to think that the old woman had lost her mind. Ironically, Ilaya was thinking the same about Malone. “It is obvious you know nothing, so instead of asking these foolish questions, maybe you should sit quietly and let me do the talking young man.” “But—” Malone interrupted again. “No buts! We have no time for this! Keep your questions to yourself. Time is running out for you. Unless you want to die or leave here without knowing what you desperately need, I suggest you shut your mouth and open your ears!” Malone was being treated like a child, but in this instance, it was probably necessary. His inquisitive nature would cause too many interruptions. He apologized and let her continue. “Now that that’s settled, let’s get on with the rest. To answer your question, it is true, the Protector is a normal woman. There has always been a Protector since the beginning. When the time of one ends, the next in line takes her place. The picture you saw is of the current Protector. If your friend is truly her child, then she is next in line. “I know you are curious about everything, but in all honesty, I do not have many of the answers myself. The Protector does not protect this plateau on her own. There is another, a Chosen One. Unfortunately the time of this generation’s Chosen One has ended, but soon the time will come for these two to be reunited in power once again. “Unfortunately, I do not know more than this, no one does. I only know this from the old stories that have been passed down to me. It has been so long that everyone has forgotten. You see, this place is called the City of Old, because this used to be the palace of the Two. But when this area grew and neighboring villages starting attacking, the Two and the palace were moved to a new location, a place called Avalon. Sadly, no one knows where it is.” Malone decided to take his chances and ask a question. “How can no one not know where it is? Surely, with a significant event like this, someone has to know where it is.” The old woman looked thoughtful and then sighed. “Actually, the location was written in the old texts but that language is lost to us. There is no one here who speaks or reads it anymore. It has been many generations and the language has just faded away.” Malone looked around Ilaya’s home and saw many symbols on the walls and was surprised that he hadn’t noticed them earlier. Many he recognized as being the same as the ones that were in Veronica’s parent’s journal, the journal he found in the Hollow Earth. He stood up to get a closer look. “Are these symbols part of your lost language?” Ilaya also got up and stood next to Malone. “Yes, they are all over the city, but no one knows what they mean. They are simply ignored nowadays.” “I’ve seen some of these symbols before.” At this statement, Ilaya looked up at Malone in surprise. “You see, a couple months ago, my friends and I accidentally landed in a remarkable world beneath the Earth’s surface.” He looked at Ilaya and noticed that she did not seem shocked at this piece of information. “We needed a certain type of rock to make our balloon fl—” “Balloon? You have a balloon?” Ilaya asked. “Well not anymore. When we got back home, the man who helped us repair it, betrayed us by trying to steal it. In the process it got damaged and, Veronica, the girl I told you about earlier, was trapped in it and was caught in the updrafts. When I left, she still hadn’t found her way back. Hopefully, she has by now.” “And this Veronica, you say is the Protector’s daughter?” Ilaya asked again. “No, I said she is the daughter of the woman in the photograph. Abigail and her husband Tom Layton.” Malone kept talking oblivious to Ilaya’s _expression. “But that’s not the point I was trying to make,” Malone continued. “When we were in the Hollow Earth, I managed to come across one of the Layton’s journals. Apparently, their balloon was damaged and they ended up there. They gave them the journal as a gift for helping them fix their balloon. “But you see, this journal, on the last couple pages, it was nothing but these symbols. Marguerite said they were some type of Celtic runes but that she couldn’t read them.” “Marguerite?” Ilaya asked. “Marguerite? Oh, she’s one of my friends that I came to the plateau with. She can read almost any language. Maybe if I can copy some of these, who knows? She might be able to make some sense of them.” Malone got out his journal, which he only used sparingly seeing as how he had a limited supply of paper, and started copying the symbols down. Ilaya sat back down and seemed deep in thought. Once Malone finished with the symbols, he turned back to Ilaya. “Ilaya, you never finished telling me everything. How did that man get Abigail’s picture? Even if she is the Protector, that doesn’t explain what a piece of modern technology is doing here. That had to mean that Abigail was here herself at one point.” The look on Ilaya’s face confirmed it. “She was? What? When? How? Ilaya, you must tell me! Veronica’s been searching for her parents for half her life! Please, you have to tell me what you know!” Malone pleaded. Ilaya frowned and then sighed. “I do not know how much help what I can offer you will be, but you shall have it. About twelve or thirteen seasons of harvest ago, back when our king was still the great Amenmon, two strangers entered our city. Instantly, we knew by her manner of dress, that the woman was the Protector. We were perplexed that she was so far away from Avalon and was only being guarded by one man. After our initial conversation, we found out that the man was her mate, not protector.” “Tom was with her?” Ilaya nodded. “Well what happened next?” “It seems they were on a long journey home to see their daughter, who I assume is Veronica, when their balloon was damaged in a storm. They managed to get temporary repairs in a strange land which is the Hollow Earth you spoke of earlier. They needed to get the balloon fixed for the longer journey home and they stayed with us while the people repaired it for them.” Ilaya frowned again. “What’s the matter?” Malone asked. “Well, after we fixed their balloon, they wanted to leave immediately to see their daughter. We begged them to stay a little while longer or at least come back again. She said it was not possible because as soon as they had Veronica, they were planning on going back to Avalon. She left us the photograph so we would have something to remember her by and for our help fixing their balloon. She was most gracious,” Ilaya said with a smile. “I don’t understand though, what’s troubling you?” “Well, from what you have told me, Veronica’s parents never made it to her. Something obviously must have happened to them. I hope the Protector is all right, this plateau cannot survive without her” Ilaya looked deeply troubled at the thought. “Well, maybe something did happen. If they were on their way home, they wouldn’t just abandon Veronica. Maybe they had to turn back and go to Avalon? Otherwise, they would have found a way to have gotten to Veronica by now. I’ve got to find out where it is, for Veronica’s sake!” “But I told you, the location is not known! The only answer is in a language no one can read!” “I have faith in Marguerite, she’ll figure something out. I’ve got to get my hands on those texts!” “But you can’t! They’re in Syko’s palace, and even if you were not being hunted for your life, he still would not relinquish them. If he finds out that you want them, he will keep them for himself just to spite you and he will see if he can find a way to make a profit for himself. He is an evil man with no respect for the old ways! He cannot be trusted!” “Well, I’ll just have to borrow them, won’t I?” Malone asked with a wicked smile. “Are you mad! The whole city is searching for you! How are you going to get to the palace? How are you going to get into the palace if you even get there? How are you going to find the texts? You don’t even know where to look! There are several things you are not considering! You will surely die if you continue with this foolish thinking! Why are you willing to risk your life so foolishly? Are you so willing to throw away your life for a woman who you do not even know survived that storm?” Malone grew tired of being lectured to and have his feelings mocked. “I know she’s alive! She is! She has to be! I would know if she was dead, I would feel it! Don’t you understand? I love her! All of these months apart from her have only made my love for her even stronger. I would be willing to give up my life a thousand times over to give her happiness. She deserves it. She has been alone for far too long and if I could do anything to ease her pain, I would gladly do it. Please Ilaya, you have to help me, please.” When faced with the pleas of a doomed and desperate man in love, Ilaya did not have the heart to turn him down. She gave in and told him whatever details he needed to know so he at least had a slight chance to succeed in getting the books out of the palace. She also gave him some food and a place to rest before he set out for the palace that night. As Malone laid down in the old, yet comfortable cot Ilaya provided for him, he stayed awake and could not sleep. How could a man rest knowing that in a couple hours he had a very good chance of losing his life. Even though he was frightened, he wasn’t going to change his mind or back down. He was going to follow through with his plan. For him, and for Veronica.
It was around midnight and Malone had only managed to get about ten minutes of sleep in the past couple of hours. He got up knowing it was time to put his plan into action. He was anxious to get going, but wasn’t nervous. Malone knew that what he was doing was the right thing and he had no plans of turning back. He had faced death several times before and he knew he was going to face it again tonight. Marguerite always says that I have an absurd amount of luck to have escaped death so many times. I just hope it hasn’t run out. He grabbed his pack and started to prepare to leave what could very well be a suicide mission. He turned to say goodbye to Ilaya. “I just wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done. If it wasn’t for you, I would have been dead already. At least, now, I stand a chance” Malone said with a laugh. Ilaya was not amused. “This is not a laughing matter. You do not realize what you are doing. This is insanity! I did not save your life so you could throw it away needlessly! Do you understand Malone? You are going to DIE if you do this. Please, do not do this. I can hide you here for a few days until they have stopped searching for you. They will think you escaped and will give up, and then I can sneak you out of the city. You do not have to do this!” Ilaya was slowly approaching hysteria. Malone was touched at the amount of worry an almost perfect stranger was showing for his well-being. “I appreciate your concern and trying to protect me, but I have to do this. I have come too far to turn back now. Besides, I’m not a little boy, I can look after myself.” He gave Ilaya a big smile to ease her worry and turned to leave. “Be careful Malone.” He turned back around to face her, “Aren’t I always?” His big grin made Ilaya smile. “From what I’ve heard about you and your adventures so far, I respectfully decline to comment” Ilaya chuckled. Malone smiled at her again and left. Malone stuck to the winding alleys of the city as he made his way to the palace. It was a quiet and relatively cool night. The streets were dark but the sky was clear with the moon shinning brightly, enough to light Malone’s way. Even though it was dark and the streets would be empty, he could not risk being caught by patrolling guards. He was still a wanted man. The journey to the palace using the alleys would take him a little longer, but the anxiety caused from the long wait was well worth it against the risk of being caught in the streets. As he was mindlessly shifting through the empty alleys, Malone’s mind started to drift. He started thinking about the last few years of his life on the plateau and it seemed to ease his apprehension. When I first came here, it was to impress Gladys and to get a good story. I felt I wasn’t a complete man unless I experienced some sort of big adventure and I felt that I would find it here. Well, I think I covered the adventure goal pretty well. Malone smirked and shook his head in bemusement. At one point I thought I loved Gladys, I’m not sure if I ever loved her or if it was some sort of idealized crush. But I realized that whatever I had felt for Gladys was no longer there. The life that I was dreaming about with Gladys, I started picturing it with Veronica instead. I learned early on that she wasn’t anything like Gladys or any other women I’d find in London. She is not only beautiful, but strong, independent, and one of the most courageous people I have ever met. The fact that she survived so many years on her own is a testament to her strength and courage. I also knew that she would not ever want to leave the plateau until she found her parents. The first time we all tried to leave, I stayed behind with her and I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again. Even IF I found out what happened to her parents and even IF she was willing to come back to London one day, I wouldn’t leave. This is where I met Veronica, fell in love with her, and this is where I want to stay. This place has grown on me. It’s home. When we were stranded in the Hollow Earth she said we should be just friends and if she still wants that, I’ll be content with her friendship. But I’ve always regretted not telling her how much she means to me, how much I love her. Hopefully by now, she’ll have made her way back and if…no when…think positively…when I get back, we can have the talk we have put off having for so long. Life is too precious here and can’t be taken for granted. I’ve learned this the hard way. I don’t want to leave this place without her knowing how I feel, even if she doesn’t feel the same way I do. I have no regrets about coming here. This place has taught me so much and it gave me things I never thought possible. It helped me become a better person and I found the love of my life and a family that I didn’t think I’d ever find here. In the beginning it was rough. Sharing such a limited space with six other people was trying to one’s patience. We slowly learned and tolerated each other’s habits and moods and got along really well. These past few months away has given me lots of time to think and realize even more how much they all mean to me. When the London Zoological Society goaded Summerlee into coming on this expedition, I always felt it was mistake because he wouldn’t survive here. It turned out that he earned his spot on this expedition countless times. He not only saved my life but the lives of the others as well. He has to be the most kind hearted man I have ever met. He was never afraid to risk his life for others. And even though he might not have been in his prime in regards of his physical condition, he never let that slow him down. When we went on those long hikes for miles through the jungle, he never once complained or asked for a break. He just trudged along with the rest of us. He was the eternal optimist, always looking for the best in everyone and every situation. He was a great friend and never afraid to put others before himself. Summerlee I don’t know where you are right now, but I hope you are alive and well and I hope to see you soon, dear friend. George Challenger, Summerlee’s one time intellectual rival. Even though those two were constantly sparring, we could all see the underlying respect and friendship that they shared. When I first met Challenger I saw that his ego was bigger than the size of a T-Rex, Malone laughed at the mental images of Challenger from the early days. He eventually softened to us and grew closer to us than we thought possible. He actually enjoyed our friendships and considered himself one of us instead of the leader of the expedition. And Lord John Roxton, the man who has become like a brother to me. He was once the man I aspired to be. Strong, courageous, an excellent fighter, and always knew how to act around women. I always seem to get tongue-tied, blush, and act like a child. He taught me many things, not just about women, but about courage, friendship, skills to survive in the jungle (which have come in quite handy these past few months), and even about life in general. I underestimated Roxton when I first met him. He is a wise beyond his years and a great friend. I just thought he was an arrogant hunter looking to bag a trophy. When we first got here, he was distant and arrogant. He kept his distance from the rest of us. He was always cleaning his guns and made no real effort with any of us. The only person he seemed close to, if you could call their relationship close, was Marguerite. Most men would not have even bothered with Marguerite but Roxton is not known for backing down from a challenge. And the beautiful Miss Krux, I once called her dangerous and possibly deadly and I still stick with that assessment. At first, I meant that she could not be trusted, that she would betray us at the first possible convenience in order to help herself. But I’ve seen that Marguerite is a great and loyal friend to have. She has many skills including gemology, geology, an uncanny ability with languages, but she can also be cunning and devious, a great strategist, and can hold her own in a fight probably with anything at hand as a weapon. I used to be afraid of these skills because I thought she would use them against us to betray us. I thought it was an inevitable fact. She proved me wrong, and she’s saved my life numerous times. I’m glad that she is there to watch my back and I’m happy with the person she’s turned out to be. I’m proud to call her and all the others my friends. They’re all dear to me, my friends, my family. I miss you all. I’ll come back to you soon, I promise. Malone looked at his surroundings are realized that his thinking had passed the time and that he was already in front of the palace. He looked at the sky and judged that he got to his intended destination just in time. Ilaya told him that the guards of the palace change shifts in the middle of the night so that the men on duty at night would be alert. He would have only a small window of opportunity to slip into the palace undetected. Luckily Malone saw that he didn’t have to wait for the shift change. The guard at the entrance had fallen asleep. He still had to get inside before the guard’s replacement came but he still had a little bit of time. Malone crept out of the alley and made his way quickly, but quietly to the long hall that led to the palace entrance. He could hear his heart pounding loudly in his ears and was sure that the sleeping guard would hear it and wake up. He held his breath as he slipped by the sleeping sentry into the shadows of the long hall and let out the breath he was holding. “Hey you! What do you think you’re doing!” Malone almost screamed out in terror but he stood frozen in his tracks. He was afraid to turn around. I’m dead, I’m dead, I’m dead, I’m dead! “Hey! I’m talking to you soldier! Why are you asleep at your post! Get up you worthless dog! You’re lucky I don’t flay you right now! Get out of here and get your replacement! I’ll deal with you later!” Malone realized that he wasn’t caught and stuck to the wall and the shadows. He tried not to breathe and hoped that he would not be caught. He heard the soldier mumble an apology and walk off. Malone then realized who the other voice belonged to, it was Gressan, the captain of the guards! This guy will kill me on sight! I’ve got to be extra careful. It looks like I’ve still got a little bit of luck left. Malone waited in the shadows of the hall until Gressan turned and stomped off in fury. He reached the palace doors and entered cautiously. He started to make his way to the room holding the old texts per Ilaya’s instructions. There were not many people walking around the palace, just a couple of guards, but Ilaya specified the areas that their posts were stationed so Malone knew which areas to avoid. Malone finally made his way to the area of the palace where he was supposed to be. He had to be careful because Ilaya had told him that even though there was not a guard posted there, they sometimes made rounds in that area. Malone waited in the shadows and when he was sure that there was no one in sight, he made his way to the door of the room and opened it. As he opened the door, he heard a creak loud enough to wake the dead. He quickly got inside and closed it. Just my luck, I wouldn't be surprised if I woke up half the city! He listened and waited. The anticipation was driving him crazy but when he didn’t hear anyone, he decided he was safe and relaxed. As he turned around and examined the room, he realized that he wasn’t in the right room at all! He was in the palace’s armory. Damn! I must have gotten turned around somewhere! I’m beginning to think that everything that can go wrong tonight will. Oh well, as long as I’m here I might as well grab a weapon. If I have to face more guards, I might as well have something better than a dagger. Malone looked around and found a good size sword and stuck it through the belt of his pants. He went to the door and opened it carefully this time, and snuck back into the hall. He figured out where he was and slowly crept through the halls to the right room. He knew that he was running out of time and odds were he would get caught sooner or later. He had to find the book and get out quickly. He finally got to the right room and saw that there was a guard standing in front of the door. Ilaya said that this room wasn’t supposed to have a guard on duty! Now what am I supposed to do? Think, Malone, think! Malone’s face quickly formed a smile as he came up with a plan. He took his canteen out of his pack and threw it down the hall. The guard got up and ran in the direction of the noise. Malone quickly came up behind him and knocked him unconscious with the hilt of his sword. Malone congratulated himself on having a plan that worked and had someone else ending up unconscious instead of himself. He quickly tied and gagged the guard and hid him in an empty room. He grabbed a torch from the hall and entered the room. This time he was sure he was in the right place. The room was filled with nothing but books and scrolls and they were all collecting dust. Ilaya had never seen the book herself and she didn’t know where it would be, so Malone would have to search for it. All he knew was that it had to have the symbols of the old language on it. After about an hour, he found a corner of the room that had many documents containing the symbols. After searching longer, he saw that there were several books too. “How am I supposed to know which book is the right one? All of these have the same symbols on them! It could be the right one or it could be a cook book for Pete’s sake!” Malone hit the shelf in frustration and a book fell from the top shelf on the floor. He looked at it and saw that it was different from the rest of them. The outer covering of the book was a gold color and the symbols were the same, but they were arranged in a different way. He didn’t know what it meant, but he had a very strong feeling that this was the book he was looking for. He put the book in his pack and made his way towards the door. He opened the door and walked into something that felt like a brick wall and fell on his rump. “Well, well, well,” a voice chuckled, “look who we have here.” Malone looked up and saw the towering figure of Gressan standing over him with a devilish sneer on his face. He saw Gressan reach for his sword. Malone quickly jumped up and drew his own. He was very glad he made that wrong turn earlier because if he hadn’t, he would have been weaponless against Gressan and most likely dead. The two starting circling each other in the cramped hall with swords drawn, never taking their eyes off each other. Both were waiting for the other to make the first move. Gressan struck first with a strong blow that caused Malone to stagger back a couple of steps. Luckily he did not lose his balance. Malone knew that if he fell, Gressan would not show any mercy. Malone quickly regained his balance and struck back with a lash across Gressan’s chest. Gressan growled and lunged at Malone. His sword caught Malone across his arm but it wasn’t too deep. Malone tried to push the pain aside and keep fighting back. He had gotten what he came for and he wasn’t about to die now. Malone blocked another blow from Gressan and landed a fist to his face. Gressan started panting and growling like a raving animal. He charged Malone again and this time he succeeded. Malone felt the cold steel rip into his side. He saw that Gressan was smiling proudly at his accomplishment. Malone was not going to allow him the satisfaction. He was steadily losing blood but he was still able to fight. He got in a couple of quick jabs and slashes with his sword, but he was slowly losing his strength. He knew he wouldn’t hold out much longer. Gressan knew it too. “Give it up, you cannot beat me. No one ever has!” Gressan laughed as his kicked Malone’s injured side. Malone collapsed back to the ground and didn’t have enough strength to pick himself up. “That’s enough Gressan. I don’t want him dead. I need him to still be able to talk. I want to know what he was doing here. Bring him to the main room, this should be fun.” Malone heard a laugh that did not sound quite human and his footsteps as he turned to leave. He looked up but only saw the shadow of the man moving down the hall. Malone felt many hands pick him up off the ground and carry him away. He didn’t know what was going to happen next but he had a feeling that he wasn’t going to like it.
Malone stirred and slowly opened his eyes. He did not recognize his surroundings and was highly disoriented. “What happened?” The memories of the recent events, including his battle with Gressan, came rushing back. “I must have lost consciousness.” He looked around again. “Where am I?” Malone groggily looked around the room and he was amazed at what he saw. The room was adorned with tapestries full of rich and vivid colors. Many depicted daily life, but some were older than the rest and portrayed images of past Protectors and Chosen Ones, along with some more symbols from the old language. As Malone shook himself out of his haze, he realized that he was sitting down and tried to stand only to find he was tied to his seat. He struggled to break free, but the ropes were tight and the more he struggled, the more the ropes dug into his injured side. He gave up his struggle and decided to save his strength. He saw that he was seated at the hall’s long dining table. He also saw that at the head of the table and center of the room, there were two thrones. They were both beautifully carved with many of the plateau’s animals, and they were accented with jewels for style. They were both equally beautiful, but for some reason, one of the thrones was cast off to the side. From what he had heard about the history of the city from Ilaya, those must be the seats of the Two. Malone heard the doors behind him open and tried to twist and have a look but the rope hindered his movement and only aggravated his injuries. He couldn’t see the person yet, but he could hear their footsteps approaching slowly from behind. “I hope you have been enjoying your stay in my wonderful city.” “Oh, of course. You’ve been most hospitable. Why don’t you untie these ropes and allow me to return the favor!” Malone tried again to break free of his bonds, but once again met with no success. The man chuckled at Malone’s threat and his worthless struggling. The tone of his voice was light and cheerful, but Malone could easily distinguish friend from foe. A man’s voice spoke volumes about his intentions. Once the man came into view, he could see he was tall and had the build of a warrior. He was obviously a very vain man considering he was wearing the finest of silks and was wearing more jewels than necessary. The man might be considered attractive, but his other qualities outweighed his looks. His smile did not look charming, but rather more like a sneer and his eyes showed a devious intent. His false pretenses could not hide the man Malone saw reflected in his eyes. They looked wild; like the eyes of a man with only a slight grasp of reality. This was a man who ruled through greed and fear instead of compassion and a genuine desire to help his kingdom. The man sat down in the chair directly across from Malone and helped himself to a glass of wine. He took a generous mouthful and smacked his lips in delight. “Aaaaaah, delicious! Nothing like a good glass of wine.” He looked over at Malone and frowned. “Oh goodness me! Where at my manners? Here you are, an honored guest in my kingdom, and I have not offered you any refreshments.” The man shook his head. “Well, you are a little tied up at the moment” he laughed heartily at his own joke, “perhaps I can help with that. GRESSAN!” Malone heard the loud hall doors open again. This time instead of the light graceful steps of before, he heard a heavy, purposeful set of footsteps approaching him. “But before I allow Gressan to untie you, we are going to have a—what’s the word I’m looking for?—conversation, there it is.” Malone knew what type of conversation these two had in mind. “Oh good, I was hoping to get a chance to talk to you. Syko right?” Malone glanced at him and laughed, “Well your parents certainly picked the right name for you, great foresight on their part.” Syko looked at Gressan and clearly did not understand what Malone meant. Malone kept talking, “After all I’ve heard about you Syko, I thought, ‘I must meet this wonderful fellow.’” Gressan quickly grabbed Malone’s head and beat it forcefully onto the table. Malone winced and picked his head up. He saw several spots in his vision and tried to focus back on his host as the room started to spin from the force of the blow. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. You do not want to upset Gressan. As you see he has a wild temper and when he gets upset, I feel it is better for him to let out his frustrations. Not a very wise move on your part, I say. So, I see you have heard of me, all good I hope?” He laughed and helped himself to another helping of wine. Gressan growled, “From that wretch Ilaya, no doubt! I knew she was helping him! It sounds exactly like something she would do!” Syko nodded his head, “Yes, we will deal with her later at a more suitable time. For now, our guest must be feeling ignored.” He looked back at Malone. “I don’t even know what to call you, do you have a name?” Malone’s wounds were not tended to and left to bleed. His strength was drained and he was dizzy from his blood loss and the blow to the head, so it was understandable that he was not in a mood to be cooperative. “My name? Why does it matter? You don’t need my name to torture me,” Malone once again struggled to break free. Gressan pushed him back down in his seat and Malone reluctantly gave up and slumped forward in his chair. Syko feigned shock. “Torture? What you must think of me! I will have you know that most people enjoy chatting with me. I am exceptional conversationalist. Isn’t that so, Gressan?” Gressan nodded. “You see? I’m sure you will enjoy yourself.” Malone’s breathing was shallow and haggard. “Oh yes, barrels of fun. Stop me please, I’m having too much fun.” Once again Gressan retaliated. This time with a sharp grip on the slash on his upper arm that caused Malone to cry out in pain. “I warned you about upsetting Gressan. Why must you be difficult? We were having such a pleasant conversation” Syko pouted and shook his head. “You want to chat? I can do that. Let’s see…my, this is lovely weather you have here. A little too hot for my liking, but then again, this is a jungle, heat is to be expected. I really should look into getting a hat. My friends always wondered” Syko slammed his glass on the table and stood up. “Enough! I want know what you are doing in my city, and I want to know now!” “But we were just starting to have a lovely chat. How about that glass of wine?” Syko reached across the table and grabbed Malone’s face. Syko’s face had murder written all over it. “I do not like visitors in my city I do not know about. I especially do not like it when they try to appropriate things that clearly not belong to them. Now I will ask you again, why are you in my city? I should let you know that spies are often caught and dealt with here. They are sent back to their families in nicely wrapped little packages, a gift from my wonderful city.” Malone glanced at Gressan and saw him smile and start to play with his sword. “I…did here…to spy.” Malone was finding it very difficult to form coherent thoughts, much less speak. “I came here by accident. This was all…a misunderstanding.” Syko eyes got wild again as he stared at Malone. “A misunderstanding was it! So we misunderstood when we found you coming out of the room that holds the kingdom’s ancient texts, including our war strategies and many maps? We misunderstood when we found this,” Syko picked up the book Malone found and tossed it on the table, “in your bag? I do not know why you chose this particular book, but I will have answers! Now you can either speak to me, or you can speak to Gressan, it’s your choice.” “I will tell you right now, you can torture me all you wish, but I will not be telling you a word. At the end of all this, I die either way, so why should I tell you anything?” Syko frowned and nodded to Gressan. Gressan untied Malone from the chair and made him stand up. He kept a steady grip on him to prevent escape, but Malone wouldn’t have even been able to walk a few steps in his current condition. Syko shook his head in disappointment. “I warned you there were consequences for not cooperating. I will give you until dawn to come to your senses.” He waved his hand and Gressan escorted Malone out of the hall. He led him to the palace’s dungeon and shoved him into an empty cell. “It is a shame. I was looking forward to using my new sword on you.” “Maybe next time.” Gressan laughed and locked Malone into his new quarters. It was dark and small, with only a small cot in the corner. Malone sat down and tried to tend to his wounds. He took off his shirt and tried to stop the bleeding that had yet to cease on his side, but he gave up. “What’s the use? I’m dead at dawn. Ilaya was right, I am going to die. He found the book and I have no chance to escape now. But I still don’t regret it, I had to do this.” The time passed by slowly and dawned approached. Malone heard the lock of the door shift. The door opened and Malone was met with Gressan’s smiling face. “Time’s up.” He was removed from his cell and taken to a new location. Instead of the hall, this time he was taken to the city’s main outdoor court. There was already a crowd gathered and Syko was there as well. He had the book that Malone had found in his hand. “Have you changed your mind? Are you going to tell me what I want to know and what you were doing with this?” Malone’s silence was his answer. Syko sighed, “You have left me with no choice then. Kill him. It was nice chatting with you, whoever you are.” Gressan took him to the center of the court where there was a large flat stone. Syko sat down in his chair and clapped his hands in delight. “It has been a while since our last public execution.” Malone looked at the crowd and noticed that Syko was the only one that was enjoying himself. Why do these people let this mad man stay in power? “Any last words?” Syko asked. “I am quiet the benevolent man.” Malone once again looked at the crowd and back at Syko. He knew his time on this earth was over, but he might as well use his last moments to try to help others if he could. “Yes, I do.” He turned and addressed the crowd. “This man,” he pointed at Syko, “is a tyrant. He does not care for this city or its people, only using you to advance his own fortunes and power. The power is in your hands! You can fight back! You can stop the war and the death! All it takes is one person to take the first step!” Malone saw that Syko was angry but he would not lose face in front of his people. “Well spoken, sir. However, my people are happy as they are. I cannot say the same for you.” Syko nodded at Gressan. He firmly placed his hands on the stone and raised his sword. He looked down at Malone and smiled. “Do not worry, it will be quick. I have done this several times.” Malone looked up and saw the sun glint off the blade as it came careening toward his head. He shut his eyes and waited for impact…
It’s true that, in your last moments, your life flashes before your eyes. A lifetime passed in the blink of an eye as Malone waited for the swift death that Gressan’s sword promised. “Stop! I will not let you kill an innocent man!” A voice was raised from within the crowd. Malone opened his eyes and saw Ilaya emerge from the throng of people there to witness his execution. Gressan stopped mid-swing and turned to face her. “You! I have had enough of your meddling, woman!” Syko nodded, “As have I. Kill them both.” “You filthy coward! She hasn’t done anything! Let her go! You have me already!” Malone struggled to save Ilaya but he was powerless. Syko rose from his seat and addressed his people. “This woman is a traitor to us all. She has been plotting against our kingdom for years. She is most likely a spy for our enemies and she must be punished. It is time for her to pay for her crimes.” He turned to Malone and smiled. “I will let Gressan kill her first so you can see what awaits you.” Syko laughed maniacally and once again took his seat. “Get on with the show!” Gressan sneered in delight. “I have been waiting to shut that mouth of yours, old woman. This will be my pleasure.” Ilaya did not struggle. She sent a fleeting smile towards Malone as if she was saying goodbye. She had accepted her death, but Malone hadn’t. “Why are you doing this! She’s harmless! The very idea of her being a spy is ridiculous! She loves this city. She would never to anything to betray it or any of you!” Syko ignored Malone’s words and gave Gressan the signal to proceed. Malone’s words, however, struck a chord with the crowd. Their city had been plagued with endless violence and death long enough. Their children were dying needlessly, and now a defenseless old women; enough was enough. As Gressan raised his sword in triumph, chaos broke out. Several people from the crowd charged Gressan while several others attacked the guards. Ilaya was set free and amidst the panic, made her way to Malone and managed to free him of his bonds. “Thank you. That is twice that you’ve saved my life. I’ll repay you one day.” Ilaya smiled sweetly at Malone. “You do not need to. You helped show my people Syko in his true light. I would have gladly died to make sure they saw it. Now here, take this sword. You still have to get that book and get back to your beloved.” She winked and handed him the sword. The battle was slowly shifting in the direction of the people. There were not many guards in the square to begin with, and those that did not turn tail and run when they saw the insurmountable odds were easily taken care of. They were easily caught off guard by the sudden attack and swarming mob. Malone looked up and saw Syko fighting with a young man half his size. He had knocked him down and was about to run him through with his sword when Malone intervened. “You coward! Try fighting someone who can fight back!” Malone struck Syko in the midsection and watch him slump over in pain. He looked up and lunged at Malone with his sword drawn but Malone easily deflected his act of fury. “Looks like you’re a little rusty Syko. Maybe all those shiny jewels are weighing you down.” Syko once again threw himself at Malone. As both of them were scuffling, they both saw the book fall and land with a thud in the dirt. Both forgot each other as they both made a mad lunge for the book but Malone managed to get himself there first. He smiled and held up his prize. “I believe this is mine.” Malone looked into his eyes and he could see the wildness and desperation in his eyes. Syko growled and grabbed a fistful of dirt and launched it into Malone’s face. “It will never be yours! Everything in this city belongs to me!” he shouted as he barreled at Malone. As Malone cleared the dust that was impeding his vision, he saw the charging figure of Syko set on a collision course with him. He realized he couldn’t get out of the way in time but he decided to take Syko down with him. Blow after blow was exchanged and neither man had gained the upper hand on his opponent. Syko spotted his sword out of the corner of his eye and tried to gain the advantage. Both the men ran for the sword and Malone kicked it out of his grasp. Syko realized that he was tired and defenseless and wasn’t making any progress against Malone. He huffed as his shifty eyes looked around for more options. His face wore a sneer as he turned to look at Malone with a gleam in his eyes. Malone wondered why Syko could be looking around as if he had won somehow, but wrote it off has a delusion of his twisted mind. “Gressan! Gressan!” Malone looked to his left and saw Gressan quickly approaching him with his sword drawn. He looked back at Syko and saw him sneer once again and bow before he ran in the opposite direction. “You gutless coward!” He stared after Syko as he saw him weave through the fighting mob and make his way inside the sanctuary of his palace. “It looks as if we meet in battle once again. This time, I will not let you live.” Malone turned to face his opponent and prepared to once again due battle. He was already heavily fatigued but he pushed that to the back of his mind. He placed the book in the back of his trousers for save keeping and picked up his sword. As they began fighting, Malone saw that he was easily overpowered by Gressan yet again. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the running figure of Ilaya running toward Gressan with a sword in hand. “No Ilaya! Stay back!” Malone took his eyes of his opponent and that was his last mistake. He saw the look of horror flash across Ilaya’s face and saw her mouth form something but he never heard what it was she shouted. There was nothing after that… …. “And that’s it.” Malone looked at his friends. Marguerite was the first to snap out of her daze and pick her jaw up off the table. “That’s it! What do you mean, that’s it? What the bloody hell happened?” Malone tried to explain. “Well, that’s just it. I don’t know what happened after that. That was the last thing I remember before I woke up at the tree house with Veronica.” Challenger was silently fingering his beard and trying to come up with a theory that explained everything. He stood up and started pacing. “Well, from the other’s experiences, as well as my own, I have come to believe that Veronica and her trion must have saved the plateau. When she used it, she must have ripped all of us out of whatever time or place we were in and therefore, saving each of us from our untimely deaths. I am not all that certain that all of this is scientifically possible, but I am sure it has a core basis in science. I will have to ponder the possibilities down in my lab.” Everyone laughed at Challenger’s predictability and watched him walk down the stairs to his lab muttering about scientific things they didn’t understand. Malone looked at Veronica and smiled. “I’m glad you made it back safely. I’m sorry I couldn’t find out more about your parents for you.” “Well actually,” Roxton interjected, “quite a bit has happened while you were gone but I think we’ll let Veronica tell you. Marguerite and I will leave you to talk.” He winked at Marguerite and offered her his arm to escort her to the balcony. “Oh wait! Marguerite?” Marguerite turned around. “Yes, Malone?” “I forgot something,” Malone stood up and pulled out the book he labored to get. “When you get a chance, do you think you can take a look at these symbols and see if you can make any sense of them? I know you couldn’t make out these symbols before on the journals, but I don’t know, do you think you could give it a shot? I’m sure you could figure something out.” Marguerite took the book and smiled brightly at his confidence in her. “If there’s any chance of finding Avalon and Veronica’s mother, I’ll find it.” She held onto the book and went to join Roxton out on the balcony leaving Veronica and Malone to resume their conversation. They talked for hours and Veronica filled him in on all that he missed: Finn, finding the trion, finding her father and also about her mother being in Avalon. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here to help your through those times, Veronica. It must have been so hard.” He took her hand in his and smiled at her. She smiled back. “It’s all right. I wasn’t alone. I had friends with me and I did think of you everyday you were gone.” She looked down and sighed. Malone reached over and gave her a reassuring hug. “Don’t worry, we’ll find her one day, together.” THE END
|
Page Last Update: 04/11/2005