The Adventures of Evin Heartwrite

Chapter 4

         “Lieutenant General Dana reporting for duty”

         The dark skinned officer salutes standing in a dark room with a light shining directly onto her. Wearing her military uniform decorated with medals and ribbons, she stands at the bottom most section of the room surrounded by circular stairs leading up to desks with darkened figures sitting behind them.

         “At ease general” A calm voice echo from a figure standing behind a podium atop the stairs. Staring at the dark figure Dana could discern from the pointy ears and soft voice that he was an elf.

         “Do you know why you’re here General Dana?”

         “No sir”

         “Before General Nadine’s death, she was at the center of an investigation. The nature of which that cannot be discussed here at this panel. Her death just before we could find answers, we were looking for is being treated as…suspicious.

         Dana’s face looked puzzled as her eyes surveyed the quiet individuals in the background.

         “Investigation? Why she didn’t tell me?”

         “This is where you come in Lieutenant General. Our report into your profiles states that you two were partners in the M.A.M. (Military Academy for Magicians) up until graduation. Is that correct?”

         “Yes sir,”

         “It is also our understanding that the two of you were close friends?”

         “Up until she was promoted. Sir” she added.

         “Yet you two did spend the majority of your time together,”

         Dana was quiet for a few moments pondering his statement.

         “Yes sir, but only as a superior and subordinate”

         “Get to the point, speaker” a rough annoyed voice spoke from one of the desks.

         “Yes, your majesty”

         Dana’s eyes trail the room hoping to find the dark figure that just spoke but the speaker begins his line of questioning.

         “Bear in mind that these questions are to be answered truthfully and clearly. Any attempts to subvert or deceive the council is considered treason and will be dealt with accordingly. Is this clear?

         “Yes, sir” Dana speaks.

         “Did Nadine experience any suspicious behavior at any of the time you were serving under her?”

         “No, sir. Nadine completed all of her tasks to the best of her ability adhering to laws created by the council.”

         “Keep the answers short. Lieutenant, the elf said. We’ll inquire if we want more information. Did she show particular interests in anyone?”

         “No, sir”

         “Was there anyone, in or outside command she spent time with other than you?”

         “Not to my knowledge sir”

         “What was her state of mind whenever you were around her?”

         “State of mind, sir?” She asked with a confused look on her face.

         “Outside of military duties how did she behave? What did she do while on leave?”

         “I don’t know sir, the general was…distant, reflective…spent much of her time in her room.”

         “Was this behavior unique to her?”

         “No sir,”

         “Please elaborate.”

         “Back when we were in the academy, she was a hard charger. Outspoken but dedicated to get the job done no matter what it took.”

         “When did her behavior change?”

         Dana’s eyes trail down to the floor trying her hardest to remember when she changed suddenly. Then it hits her as a flood of memories rushed into her mind.

         “It was back when she was first promoted to general. When she got the message, she wasn’t all that excited about it.”

         “Pressures of commanding an entire fleet, I’m sure. The elf says.

         “One last question did she keep a diary? It’s our understanding that she liked to write.

         Dana was silent for a few moments trying to gather her thoughts.

         “Sir, I may have been close to her but not close enough for her to share her secrets.”
“Understood,” the elf said. Well that concludes this line of questioning for now but should you come across any new information, notify us immediately. Is that clear?”

         “Yes, sir” The woman says snapping to attention.

         “Due to Nadine’s unfortunate departure, you are hereby promoted to standing General of the United Race Federation’s three hundred and twenty third division. You will assume her post at Osiris terminal until further orders.”

         Dana’s heart sinks upon hearing the news. Whatever was eating someone as strong as Nadine, could potentially eat Dana’s upon the promotion and felt that she wasn’t prepared to get involved. Nevertheless she accepts it.

         “Yes sir,” She says.

         “You are dismissed.”

         “Hold on lass, a feminine voice called out. Nadine turns and sees a slender figure with green eyes staring at her. The two exchange looks at each other long enough for the moment to become awkward.

         “Umm…is there something wrong ma’am?

         “Nevermind” the woman says as she sits back in her chair. “You may leave”

         Dana nods her head and the light clicks off surrounding her in complete darkness. Soon after, fluorescent lights click on and she is standing in front of a mirror. A red rug sits on top of her black carpet as two plants sit in the corners with her desk situated between them.

         The woman sighs in relief and her hands tremble in fear. Her stomach churns and she immediately bolts for the bathroom. The door hisses open and she pukes just as her face hovers over the bowl. She clenches the seat tight as her stomach squeezes what little food she consumed earlier. As if standing in front of the council for the first time in her career was bad enough, but to be at the center of a possible conspiracy was something she couldn’t handle. Especially when thoughts of treason enter her mind.

         Wiping the waste from the corners of her lips, she stands to her feet, flushes and moves to the sink. Cupping her hands beneath the faucet, the water automatically fills the brim. She splashes water on her face and allows it to trickle down to her formal uniform and badges. Blinking in the mirror, she stares at herself for a few moments with troublesome thoughts running through her head. One thought made her unbutton her dark blue jacket and pull out a brown leathered notebook with Nadine’s name on it. She sits it near the sink and stares at if for a few moments.

         “Well, Dana,” she says to herself. “You’ll be in big trouble if they found out you lied to them.”

         She touches the diary and a black glyph appears on its surface with small streams of black energy rising from it.

         “Why the hell did you put a seal on this,” She asks more to herself than the deceased individual.

         Then a buzz causes her to whip around and exit the bath room. Stepping back into her study, she see’s a red hologram of the circular space station with a blue blinking light at one of the cylinders attached to it.

         “Oh for God’s sake” she shouted in frustration. She tosses her decorated jacket onto the table and waves her hand at the wall. A secret compartment hums open and a closet full of utilities appears.

         “Alright need to contact the warden,”

         She stops undressing and concentrates using her mind to reach for the person pictured in her mind.

“Lieutenant General?” he speaks into his mind.

         “Edmund please tell me that this is a drill”

         I’m afraid not ma’am, someone’s trying to override the security controls in ze chamber.

         How the hell someone managed to get close enough to the controls.” She says slipping on her tight fitting black and burgundy utilities. “You can only get to it from inside the chamber.”

         “I think someone’s disguised themselves to get into the chamber. Dana, she didn’t disable the hydrogen bombs. We have five minutes before they explode.”

         “Well disengage to lock bolts and send it out into space. I’ll send a squad to search for possible escapees,”

         “Nein, I tried but ze controls aren’t responding”

         “Then, I’ll teleport it to a safe distance.” Dana says as she walks to the center of the room and faces the wall behind her desk.

         “Contact all of our mages and have them erect a barrier around the entire station and close every shutter. I don’t want anyone panicking when an explosion sets off nearby.”

         “It will be done”

         With a wave of her hand, the wall morphs into a window into space with a section of the space station taking half of the view. Red and white lights blink from towers erecting from the structure. She sees all the metallic shutturs close over every window as per her order. She waves her hand again and the image zooms in on the cylindrical structure with the number 5 etched in black.

         “Ok” She sighs as she pulls a strap holding her bun allowing her silky hair to flow down to her shoulders. She raises her arm to check her score reader.

         1,000,345/3,000,000

         Lowering her arm she closes her eyes takes in a deep breath and releases it slowly. Focusing, a spark travels up her spine and spreads to all of her limbs.

         “Strength of the mind” She says clapping her hands together causing a mini shockwave to erupt from her hands. She opens her arms and several glowing blue misty streams encircle around her legs, hips and chest. Her body tenses and a white glyph appears beneath her feet. She opens her eyes and they erupt into a pure white glow.

***

         Grasping his hand, Kaleen leads Evin down a metallic corridor as it curves. Red lasers hiss past them as dozens of black metallic drones with wings chase them. Evin nearly trips as his bare feet smack the floor.

         “Keep running,” Kaleen says in a huff as her long platinum braid swings in his face.

         Two lasers pelt the floor near Evin’s feet and a few more zip near his ear burrowing a hole in the metal. They curve down the dimly red lit corridor as it straightens with scores of drones waiting in an ambush. Eyes widening in shock Kaleen releases Evin and raises both her arms. Red lasers erupt from the turret wielding drones and disappear into the wavy grey translucent circle in front of Kaleen as she keeps her arms held in their direction. Once the attack ceases, she motions with her arm flips the magic circle and the same lasers erupt from the spell piercing through dozens as their metallic parts clank on the floor.

         “Look out!” Evin shouts as he wraps his arms around Kaleen’s slender waists and tackles her as projectiles strike the floor. However, laser hits its target borrows a hole in Evin’s leg.

         Aghhh! Evin shouts as burning pain jolts through his limb.

         Clenching his teeth, he rolls on his back clasps his wrist and opens his palm towards the floating drones. Sparks erupt from his palm and an instant clap of lightning swiftly bounce between the dozens of drones near each other. They all explode in unison as their metallic entrails rain on the floor. Kaleen pushes up on the floor and quickly scurries beside Evin as he groans.

         “Your leg!” She says looking at the sizzling hole in his ankle. “Hold still”

         Hovering her palm over his injury, a light, green light shines on the burnt flesh and strings of sinew slowly rebuild his ankle. The pain in Evin’s leg nearly fades as his wound fully closes.

         “There, now let’s go” she says as she stands.

         Limping behind Kaleen, Evin arrives at the hatch between two tall windows. Lights shined across the yellow, metal and glass walkway on the other side leading to the space station.

         “We're here,” she says pressing a few buttons on the terminal beside the door.

         Then violent quake knocks her away from the terminal and she slams into Evin. His head bangs against the wall sending a sharp pain through his skull.

         “What was that?”

         He shakes his head and opens his eyes and all he sees is darkness outside the windows. Kaleen runs up to the window, places both hands on the window and peers into the dark void. Evin steps beside her and looks out as well.

         “Where is the space station?” Evin says peering out into the void.

         “There!, Kaleen says pointing upward.

         Evin looks in the direction and sees the distant circular space station slowly spinning in the void. His eyes widen in shock, his heart pounds in his chest.

         “How the hell did it get all the way over there?” Evin says as he huffs in fear.

         “It didn’t go anywhere” Kaleen says. “They’ve teleported the entire chamber away from the station to avoid the hydrogen bomb blast.

         “You’ve got to be kidding? They can do that?” He says pointing towards the window.

         “Were going to have to go out into space.” She says as she unravels her braid into long flowing platinum hair.

         “What?” Evin’s eyes widen again in disbelief. “We don’t even have space suits and I don’t have the magic score to last even a second. He says placing a firm palm on his chest.

         “Do you trust me?” She asks as she turns around and looks up at him.

         “What? What kind of question is that at a moment like this?”

         “We don’t’ have time Evin.” She says looking up at him with her gentle yet determined eyes. “The hydrogen bombs are going to go off any minute.

         Evin takes a moment to look at his surroundings. No space suit, no magic score and no possibility of escape he looks to the only thing that has helped him make it this far. He stares at her allowing her deep blue eyes to peer into his soul and gave the only answer he could give.

         “Yes,” He says with an apprehensive nod. “I trust you.”

         Suddenly, Kaleen wraps her arms around his neck in a full embrace, turns and pins him against the hatch. A sudden rush of blood floods his face as she whispers into his ear.

         “Now stay calm and listen to my voice, feel my heart beat and my warmth.”

         He feels her grip tighten pulling him closer. Her soft voice calms his beating heart to the point it matched hers and his body warms as it pressed against hers.

         “That’s it, she says loosening an arm from his neck and presses a few buttons on the terminal.
“What do you want, Evin” She whispers.

         “A life” Evin says. Smelling her sweet perfume “Of my own.”

         The locks clap loose as air hisses out from the creases of the hatch.

         “Is there room for me in your life Evin”

         “Yes”

         The hatch burst open and the two are sucked into the vacuum as all the air ejects from the portal. A faint atmospheric barrier encircles the bracing pair as their bodies spin away from the cylinder. Evin’s eyes widen in shock as his rotating vision shifts from the space station to the cylinder and back to the space station again. His heart beats faster as he feels the weightlessness over takes him.

         “Stay calm Evin” She says gently pulling is head towards her bosom “Just think about me”

         Darkness over takes his vision and he wraps his arms around her waist. They drift further away from the cylinder as it tilts on its side.

         Then a blinding light erupts from the cylinder as the bombs detonate. Bright burning flames expel in a spear as a shockwave tears through the void. The shockwave pushes the two away as they violently spin. However, Kalleen keep Evin’s head in her bosom as she caresses his head.

         “Evin, she says. Make a contract with me”

         Evin pulls away lifting his head up and stares into her eyes. The explosion now faded into blackness; her face gives of a faint glow as he stares into her eyes.

         “Why? Evin asks. What do you want?”

         “I wan’t what you want Evin. A life, something that I lost a long time ago”

         “Who are you?” Evin asks staring at the woman.

         “I’m…nobody” She says with a saddened expression on his face. “Someone who’s been lost to time itself”

         “Will you help me reclaim the life that I lost?”

         Evin, stares at the woman as her hair waved about in space. Lost in her beauty he nods to her request as the two drifts in space.

         “Thank you” she says with a grateful nod. She gently grabbed the back of Evin’s neck and pulled him close. Her forehead touches his and a shimmering light erupts between the two. A wave of warmth coursed through his body as she pulls away. A thunder sigil appears on her forehead and disappears.

         Then she speaks into his mind.

         “Now, I need you to think of a place where you are most comfortable. A place of refuge where you can escape all of your fears. Close your eyes.”

         A place where I can escape all of my fears? He thinks. His eyes closing shut his mind drifts to the one place he always retreated to when things got too confusing. Succumbing to exhaustion, he falls asleep as the two are enveloped in a bright light before vanishing in an instant.

###

         The Admonis family is a group of high elves assigned to various sectors of the galaxy. Second to the Fenil family they hold vast oceans of wealth afforded to them for their ability to mine valuable resources from mines across the far reaches of space. From youth, each member of the family are exeptional individuals with high magic scores and trained in every aspect of business and war. Tingled Admonis sits as the head of the family with his two sons Elred and Elren managing the newly built mining facility stationed at Gala. Residing in the highest tower of the facility, the brothers stand in a luxurious room filled with pearl colored furnishings and fancy lamp stands giving the room its pearl like lighting. Elred, the oldest, six feet in stature stands in front of the mirror while two dark elven maids work to adjust his uniform. Elren, who’s significantly shorter with short blonde hair sits on the table, with a foot on the table gazing at an glass orb in his hand.

         “Hah,” Elered smiles. “This ceremony is going to be grand I can’t wait to grace my love’s hand in matrimony.” He turns around for the maids to work the back of his uniform.

         “You seem so certain,” Elren says in a softer tone gazing into his orb. “You haven’t even talked to her yet. Are you sure she’ll even like you when you finally wed.”

         “What’s there to know?” the long haired elf chuckles. “She’s the most beautiful elf in Eastern Galaxy and I’m the bravest high elf in the west. We were meant for each other.”

         “So typical of you to put things so simply, brother,” The short blonde, plants his other foot on the chair. “I always warn you about that yet you don’t listen.”

         “Hmph,” The elf sits on the chair the maids provide for him to have his silky blonde hair combed. “You think too much Elren. Life is about action. Seizing the moment when the opportunity arrives and building a legacy for others to admire. Its what father taught us from birth, why can’t you understand?”

         “Father,” the short blonde elf sighs, “I’m not one to criticize anyone’s belief but I can’t necessarily live by that code. Fathers approval is hard to earn and easy to lose. Its no wonder why he and mother can’t get along. I prefer to do things my way, which is far easier and doesn’t leave much room for disappointment.”

         “You’ve spent too much time with mother, Elren. How can one possibly achieve greatness without charging into danger and seizing victory for yourself.” The maids wraps his hair in a pony tail as they drape a cape onto his shoulders.

         “Oh dear I’ve said too much.” Elren rolls his eyes as he shoves his shiny orb into his pocket before standing up from the table he sat on.

         Then a ringing noise sounds within the room and knowing who the person was calling, the maids bowed themselves as a holograph of the brother’s father appears at the center of the room. The aged man stands almost as tall as his oldest son with a full beard and a hard, stern face with pointed ears. He stands with his hands clasped behind his back with a red cape draped down his back covering his military uniform. Both brothers stand side by side and bow before their father.

         “It is good to see you, father,” The eldest says in a bold tone. “How goes the drills?”

         “The drills are going well, though we’ve been interrupted due to an…emergency.” The man speaks over the intercom.

         “An emergency?” The younger brother curiously asks as he stands at attention.

         “Yes, a certain prisoner has escaped from the chamber back on the space colony and he’s supposedly roaming the halls somewhere there.”

         “Why don’t they send the Mage Marines?” Elren shrugs as he runs his hand through short blond hair behind his pointed ear.

         “Everyone’s on the case at the moment and is currently searching for him. However, I want the two of you to apprehend him. An image of Evin’s face appears beside the veteran elf that Elred immediately takes notice.

         “Him?” The eldest eyes widen in shock.

         “You know him?” The father raises an eyebrow.

         “I ran into this weasel here on the base. He was one of the miners.” Elred gazes at the picture and frowns. “I honestly don’t understand the difficulty in apprehending him, he has a measly 7 as his magic score with little to no aptitude.”

         He grabs his scabbard at his side and yanks out his thin sword, swings it left and right before thrusting it towards the roof. “Fear not father. For I will go to the colony hunt him down and bring this man back to you personally. I steak my reputation as THE skilled warrior in the galaxy.”

         “Oh,” His father raises an eyebrow clasping his hands behind his back. “I can see you’re as confident as always Elred.” He turns to look at the younger brother. “Elren, go with your brother and observe him. There is much that you can learn from being around him.”

         Elren winces at his father’s words but sighs and acknowledges the request.

         “Yes father. I look forward to learning from my brother.” He slightly bows.

         “Then its settled,” The man nods stroking his blonde beard. “I shall await the good news.”

         The hologram shuts off leaving the brothers alone with the maids. Elren shoves his blade back into his scabbard and spins around flinging his grand cape about as he walks towards the exit.

         “We should prepare brother.” Elred turns around watching the confident man march towards the door.

         “There’s no need.” A sneer spreads across his face. “I shall be done with this quickly and return to marry my love, you can wait here and contemplate if you wish brother.” The door hisses open as he walks out of the luxurious room and closes behind him.

         “What does dad see in him?’” He shakes his head in disapproval.

         He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a spherical glass orb and he blinks in disbelief when he sees a black swirling smoke within.

         “An ill omen?” He gasps under his breath. He looks out the door where his brother just walked out of, shoves the glass ball back in his pocket and exits the door as well leaving the maids to care for the room.