The Prophet's Eye (2)

Gengu and Darius made their way up to the 27th floor just in time for a COM check from the head of guard. They could hear the conversation.

"Guard four, Guard five? Can you read me over?" the captain asked.

Silence. The Captain knew there was something wrong.

The Captain stood up and pointed to a guard and said, "Guard 8, take 10 and 12 and check the post A. Report back immediately if you see something out of the ordinary. If their COM system is off, tell them it is a ear. Bring it back to me personally. That will teach them to check their equipment."

"Immediately, Captain" Guard eight said as he motioned to the two other guards. They quickly passed Gengu and Darius who were hiding now in the upper corners of the stairwell.

Gengu knew they had just a few moments before the guards would report back. They had to act fast.

The mock prisoners, young fledglings from Caj'gota prep class, were all sat in a circle. Their faces were bound in leather masks and their arms and legs were tied upon a central supporting post made of iron. There were three other guards present, counting the Captain there were four.

Gengu signed to Darius. On the count of three…Darius readied the flash canisters. Gengu's fingers slowly dropped. One, two, three.

FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! The canisters were tossed with great accuracy. The guards were completely stunned. In an instant Gengu was behind the Captain. THWACK! Gengu's tight hammer fist made perfect contact on the 4th vertebrae point. This was a special point that would quickly cause a Vampyre to become temporarily paralyzed.

Darius and his lead-filled sapper were already being implemented with sudden discourse. BAMM! One guard fell. CRACK! The other moved in time to take the strike across his left elbow. The bone broke upon contact. The guard reached at his arm automatically nursing the painful injury.

"Idiot!" Darius scolded the guard as he kicked with lightning speed into the guard’s chest. The kick lifted the guard off his feet and sent him flying backwards into the iron support post where the prisoners were tied. The guard fell upon the young prep students. The guard's motionless body was evidence of no further struggle.

The third guard leapt in the direction of Gengu because he heard the sound of Gengu's strike. The guard caught Gengu by his lapel and tried to pull Gengu off balance. Gengu countered with a leg sweep that sent the guard tumbling heels overhead with the guard's head making violent collision with the hardwood floor. THWUMP! The guard was out in an instant.

Then Guard eight reported over the COM system, "Captain, four and five are not responding. What next?"

"Gengu took the COM and feigned the Captain's scratchy voice, "Stay where you are until I give further notice. Is this clear, Number eight?"

"Roger, Captain."

Gengu walked up to the mock prisoners.

"My young fledglings, if you wish to keep your tongues you will not draw attention to yourselves. Got it?" Gengu threatened with an angry voice.

The group of prisoners nodded their heads in compliance.

"Good. Darius, according to the count there are no more guards. But to be sure go check up to the 30th floor. Once there call the Pride and order them to get here at once."

Darius searched as commanded and found no other guard. He made his way up to the 30th floor and noticed the roof entrance door to be rigged with shreakers.

"Pride, this is Darius. You must all move back to the ledge. Hang there until I command otherwise. And…pay no mind to the shreakers. Consider it a show for Lieutenant Ariuk."

Darius made crouched and opened his satchel. He removed a "seeker". The seeker was a special device that found shreakers and set them off. The four tiny legs unfolded from the black saucer-like body. Two small probes then extended from its center as it began to "smell" its way to the lithium-oxide core of a
shreaker. Darius called Gengu, "Gengu, prepare to hear some explosions."

"What?" Gengu asked.

"Don't worry, I have it all under control."

The seeker found its mark and began to beep loudly as a warning. Ten seconds later the seeker jumped at the shreaker.

The blast sent off not only the shreaker, but the explosive pressure pads.

BOOOOOOOMMM! The rooftop shook from the thunderous force. Debris showered overhead catching Ariuk's attention.

"Humph!" Ariuk sarcastically folded his arms across his brooding chest. "So much for survival of the fittest."

There was about five minutes of silence. Ariuk turned to his training staff and said, "It is time to go collect the bodies. There will be a short ceremony then we will try to select another Pride for the task."

There was a knock on the office door. Ariuk unfolded his arms. "WHAT IS IT?" Ariuk shouted.

There was silence. Ariuk rushed to the door and swung it open. He stood in silence and then disbelief.

The mock prisoners were sitting on the hallway floor before him.

"Lt. Ariuk? I believe you forgot to warn me of the explosives." Gengu stepped from the corner. "No problem, though. Pride 12! Front and center."

The Pride assembled themselves as ordered, minus two.

"I think we have found our crew". Ariuk grumbled and then turned back into the room closing the office door.


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October 5th, 2066
Main Presence Court
Main Library

Shuthi, the Royal Librarian walked slowly and began mumbling to herself.

"What was that?" Offo'ba asked the elder servant.

"I said, the reference for the works of Nish-to'kwa is no longer in print." Shuthi said then she shook her head and sighed.

"Well? Why would Lord Khento prescribe work that is impossible to do?" Offo'ba was bewildered.

"It isn't impossible, just improbable. My young Prince Offo'ba. Since the early days of the Initiature taking up disciples they would ask this question. According to prophet Deidronamon the fledgling that could decipher this ancient riddle was to be our Mu'sha-ya. The one that would bring about an age of bliss and wonder."

"Do you believe in a Mu'sha-ya?" Offo'ba asked.

"Who am I to doubt Deidronamon? If he wrote it then I must believe it." Shuthi replied.

"Well what about the Dark Prophecies? When do they take place? Some rumor that we are living in the Dark Time." Offo'ba asked waiting an answer.

"Who knows? Only Lord Khento or King Gamnani, your father, would know. I am just an old librarian." Shuthi put her hand upon Offo'ba's left shoulder. "Now go play with your peers, you worry too much over your studies."

"I can't just abandon my studies. Lord Khento will kill me!"

"Offo’ba, Lord Khento was ordered by your great grandmother, Queen Gamnani, to tutor all Gamnani offspring. That included your father. He couldn't answer Lord Khento on this matter and he still lives." Shuthi smiled down upon Offo'ba.

A sense of safety washed over Offo'ba. "Nobody cares for me like you Shuthi."

"Oh? I believe you underestimate Lord Khento's good favor." Shuthi commented.

"Lord Khento?" Offo'ba was perplexed.

"Yes, by this time of your father's studies, he barely had any hide left. It was awful. You have not been lashed once." Shuthi said.

"Well, Lord Offo'ba said that he lashed out only against foolishness and stupidity." Offo'ba spoke without considering his implications.

"Well, Prince Offo'ba. Are you implying your father was stupid or foolish?" Shuthi shook her index finger at Offo'ba in a corrective manner.

"Oops! No, Shuthi. I never meant that." Offo'ba blushed.

"Watch your words carefully Prince Offo'ba"

"Yes, I promise I will really try."

Offo'ba spun on his heels and ran toward the balcony to call for his peers.

Shuthi waited for him to go completely out of the building. She approached an old marble column and pushed an ornamental cherub head. The small drawer suddenly opened seemingly from nowhere. She lifted the old leather covered book. The script was old Vampyri, "NISH-TO'KWA".

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Her traditional white robe flowed as she walked toward her young master. Her blue eyes glowed as she passed through the shadowy areas of the large open room.

All the furniture was old. Unchanged since the emergence of the Victorian age. The Gamnani estate was in a state of ill repair- signs of the change of the times. Many of the servants have left for safe havens in the "lower bowels" of Manhattan. Others, being human, were either captured or killed. She was one of four loyal servants that elected to stay in service by their own accord.

"Offo'ba, sleep is necessary for all Vampyre kind. We generate our essence this way. This is when we digest the ingested blood and strengthen our physical constitution. You know that staying up late during the day will drain you of your essence. Sleep my young prince and dream the dreams of dreamers." Uzzeta said as she led Offo'ba to his sleeping quarters.

Uzzeta continued, "Did you know that since your family hired me 25 years ago, I have spoken this same lecture probably a thousand times to Gamnani children. But, you Offo'ba, you have never been up so late? What is troubling you?"

"Oh really? Nothing. I just have a task due tomorrow and Lord Khento will be disappointed with me that I am unable to finish it." Offo'ba said as he watched himself drag his feet.

"Lord Khento? I have met him once and he scares the hell out of me." Uzzeta replied.

"Yeah? Well wait until you get yelled at from him. You know he is Premiere of the Initiature? He could do anything he wanted!"

"Almost anything, Offo'ba." Uzzeta replied.

"Ah, what do you know, you're a girl. Girls can't imagine the powers of the Initiature." Offo'ba said.

"Are you sure of that, Offo'ba?" Uzzeta asked as she opened his chamber door, "Sweet dreams, my prince."

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