Elementis 1: The Heir to the Stone (8 page)

Twain introduced Jonas to his mother, Lora. She was very welcoming of Twain's new friend even after Twain explained everything to her with Jonas filling in the gaps at the parts that Twain didn't yet know. Lora suggested that running away might not be the best thing to do under the circumstances but Jonas must do what he felt was right for him. Jonas had never had a mothers point of view before but he felt that returning home to what he knew best was the only thing he could do.

Twain took Jonas into his workshop. He sat down on a stool, picked up a small metal part, pulled a magnifying glass towards himself and began to inspect it, "This minim is all that stands between you and returning to Rilk," said Twain.

Jonas peered down at the insignificant looking piece of metal in Twain's hand. And with a determined look of escape on his face, he reached around to the back of his neck and removed his pendant.

"Twain, thank you, no-one has ever really helped me before," Jonas said, handing his pendant over. "My pendant, as we agreed. It belonged to my mother, I hope it will mean as much to someone else one day as it has to me."

Twain looked at Jonas. He put down the minim and picked the pendant out of Jonas's hand to have a closer look, "No one's ever helped you?" he said, inspecting the item.

"Not for as long as I can remember."

"Well… you keep it!" Twain told him, running his fingers over the patterns on the stone's outer casing.

"Don't you want it?" said Jonas.

"Helping doesn't mean getting something in return." Twain said, sliding the pendant across the table to Jonas. Jonas smiled and took it back. This kid wasn't a stupid genius, thought Jonas. He was the kindest person he had ever met and for the very first time in his life, he felt true admiration for another person. His smile didn't fade as he realised it was even more than admiration. Jonas had made a friend.

Lora walked into the room to check on the boys. "Jonas, I’ve made you a bed next to Twain’s. Now do you two need any more food for the night?" she said, mothering them the only way she knew how.

"No thanks, Ma," said Twain, returning the minim under the magnifying glass.

"I can't thank you enough, Lora," said Jonas.

"Oh, any time young Jonas. Since Twain’s father has been away on service, he’s not had much company."

Jonas looked over to Twain. "Your father is in the Guard?"

Twain twisted around on his stool to join in the conversation. "Everyone’s father is in the Guard! He’s based on trade moon 4, and even I start training on Obitrum as soon as I hit eleven - I just can't wait!" he beamed.

Jonas looked deep in thought, "You'll train for the Guard, at eleven?" he asked, thinking that perhaps this spotless society of theirs wasn't so perfect after all.

"Everyone does Jonas. We’re at war. We need good soldiers! It’ll be great. Maybe I’ll serve with my father one day and we’ll fight off the fantoms side by side," Twain said, smiling wildly as he grabbed a piece of metal, holding it like a blaster, spinning around the room with laser noises shooting from his mouth.

"I don’t know why you’re so excited about leaving your poor old mother," said Lora.

"You’ll be all right, Ma. Lynk will be here with you."

Twain ran over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, bringing a warm smile to her face. She bent down and kissed the top of her sons messy-haired head.

"Yes, I'll be all right," she said.

Lora's pocket flashed with a white light, and vibrations tickled her stomach catching her by surprise. "Looks like your father wants to say good night," she said, pulling a round disk from her pocket.

"Put him on the table!" Twain said, full of excitement.

Lora moved over to Twain's work desk. "Hello Ando dear," she said, talking into the contraption. "I'm just setting you down."

A small figure of a man popped out of the holoporter, grinning from ear to ear. "Haven't got long, wanted to speak with the boy, Lora, see what he's been up to every time I port down and he's busy!"

Twain leant in close. The holoporter scanned down his face with a ray of light. "Hello, Father. Just been working on a few things that's all!"

"Well don't forget about me will you!"

"When are you coming home next?" said Twain.

"Not for a while yet son! But… how would you like a trip up soon to see your old man?"

"Really?" Twain said. "Can, Ma come too?"

Ando laughed. "Yes really!" he said. "And I wouldn't have it any other way!"

Someone called across to Ando at the other end. He turned away for a second.

"Sorry, son, big shipment of oxygen heading over to planet Atar. The airq need it pronto. I'll port you again soon—we'll sort everything out!"

"Can't wait! See you soon, Father!"

"Stay happy!" Ando said, disappearing into air.

Jonas smiled at the look on Twain's face as the chattering between him and Lora tingled with happiness at the idea of visiting the trade moon. Jonas's smile was firmly pasted on his face. He would never have thought that this was how the day would turn out. He started thinking back over the most improbable day that he was ever likely to have. After an entire life of knowing mostly the hardships of looking after himself, today he'd been told that he was in fact a prince, that he was needed to defend against a dark army that he knew little of and that if he did not agree to protect the Elementis he would be sent back to rot on Kroyto forever. What was so important about stopping this Zohr? His mind questioned. But did he really need to know? How could he ever conceive of helping the father who'd sent him away. As much as having a father in his life was what he had always wanted, he just couldn't forgive right now. He would return home and that would be the end of it.

Chapter VI

Thoughts

A black night sky glistened with stars above Calyx. The vibrant light of three of the trade moons lit up the field of treetops that bristled in the wind beneath his balcony. The bright, horizon-lights of his city in the distance shone up to the sky like a flamed warning beacon, an ever-present reminder to Calyx that he was so close to home and yet so far away. He stared up to the moons with a silver gaze; a part of his soul was missing from the blue eyes that had once given his face such kindness. He felt colder inside too. The Zohr had filled his veins with physical strength but something else had been replaced when Calyx was dydrified. The boy felt lost within himself and the longer it went that his father did not come to rescue him, the colder he grew.

A soft draft blew around his skin as someone slid open the balcony door from his quarters to join him under the nights sky. He ignored their presence, keeping his eyes fixed up to the stars. Princess Willow ran a delicate hand across his shoulder blades as she walked past. A woman's touch was a rare thing in Calyx's freedom-less world. A woman's sensual touch was even rarer. Calyx did not move. Had his heart contained his own blood it may well have inflamed with a lust for a loving touch, but as it was now, his heart was made of only metal.

Willow stood beside Calyx, joining him to observe the night. "Are you comfortable enough?" she asked.

"Princess Willow," he said, in a way that let her know he had been told all about her. "My burns have healed well."

"We heal remarkably," the princess told Calyx.

"I will never be one of you," Calyx said, looking over to her pale, moonlit face.

Willow made no eye contact. She turned and walked a few paces away from Calyx staring out to the night. "A metal heart. A cytherean soul. Perhaps you are the one I've been waiting for."

"The one for what?" Calyx barked, not appreciating any riddles she may try to implant into his thoughts.

"My grandfather will have too much power when he wins the Elementis. There are those amongst us who have stronger minds. We do not want such stringent ruling."

Calyx kept his gaze tight on Willow's bare-backed dress, caught between thoughts of anger and thoughts of passion about the shapely girl who visited him after dark. He stared at the long shining braids of Willow's hair which waved down with perfection upon the cold skin of her open spine.

The anger won his thoughts. "The Zohr will never hold it. He cannot!" Calyx assured her.

"He will sweet prince," she argued. "Which is why we must work together!"

Calyx suspected the princess had been sent to him with a purpose. Sent to soften him up, to test how firmly his loyalties lay with the cythereans. His eyes raged into the back of Willow's head. He calmed himself. He would not give her the satisfaction of rising to her games.

"For what purpose would you and I work together?" he asked.

Willow turned. Her green eyes as sincere as a lover telling a man she would be his forever, she looked deep into Calyx's single-toned grey eyes. "For peace," she said.

Calyx laughed at the princess. Willow was good at these games that was certain. The very word, peace had not been uttered by a single soul in over a thousand years on planet Aquilla, unless discussing the lack of it.

"The dydrid and us, live in peace?" he mused, shaking his head. "Princess that’s a dream that not even my mind would awaken," he said, as he laughed to her face.

Princess Willow stood still. A hardened look fell across her beautiful face. Her lips made no movement as she spoke through her eyes to the prince. "Your mind must be opened."

Calyx heard her voice in his inner ear as clearly as if she had spoken aloud. His smile disappeared, his lips tightened and his eyes squeezed. "My mind does what I want it to!"

"Then you must see what is to come," Willow proclaimed with her thoughts.

Calyx closed his eyes. He processed all of the dangers that he knew of the dydrid— how much hate they felt for the cythereans and the lengths at which they would go to take the Elementis from his father. His eyes shot open.

"I see darkness," Calyx said, looking deep into her mind.

Willow returned no thoughts. She bowed her head. "Sleep well my prince," she said, disappearing through the weightless curtains flailing in the breeze.

Calyx resumed his gaze to the skies. How much longer would his father make him wait? Evil was stirring in the minds of the dydrid and Calyx could do nothing to stop it.

*

The moonlight trembled in Uly's eyes. Had he not forced himself to be such a strong man he may well have shed a tear with all of the emotion that coursed through his heart and mind at this moment. He stood outside on a hold above the palace walls, facing towards Mercron. He could not see the fortress in all of its darkness but he knew exactly where it was to stare straight at it.

Witakker walked up to the king, placing a friendly hand upon his shoulder. "You have a lot on your mind," he observed.

"Even more on my conscience," the king replied.

"You have always done what you considered to be the right thing," Witakker told him.

Uly's feelings thrust anguish to the forefront of his mind. "All I have done is push my failures onto my sons—they deserve better."

"Hawk will find Jonas and Calyx will survive—do not torture your thoughts," Witakker advised.

"What can I do, Witakker? I should have listened to you when Jonas was born."

Witakker had never heard the king talking like this, he was always so afraid to show any weakness, yet Witakker knew that ever since the day of the princes' births that somewhere deep inside, the king cared greatly for his family.

"Be open with your boys, tell them how you feel, what you have gone through," said Witakker.

Uly looked down in self-disappointment. "Tell them what only you and I know?" he said. "That I no longer have the mind to yield the power of the Elementis!"

"They will understand," Witakker reassured.

"They will think me weak!" Uly cried, closing his eyes at the thought.

"No Uly, the boys will then know that they are the only hope for survival."

Uly took in a deep, long breath, staring back up at the moons. Calyx could not be saved from the clutches of Mercron no matter how much thought he gave to the idea. Jonas had become the only one who could protect the world from the pain it would suffer if the Zohr ever controlled the stone. The regret that plagued his mind had made Uly realise that he had to change. His sons were the most important young men in the entire universe, Calyx was well aware of this fact and knew of the past and present dangers all too well and Jonas was nowhere to be found and had no idea of the importance that he held. Uly was the only person who could make amends for his past. He had to find Jonas, he had to face his mistakes and as much as he needed Jonas to forgive him, he needed to forgive his son.

Chapter VII

A Sparkle in the Forest

Twain had not so long ago come across a shipwrecked dekapod lying lost in the forest of Andawan. Every chance that he had, he would make his way through the winding exit tunnels of the undercity and out to the crash site to work on fixing the battered wings and damaged wiring of the fighters rusting engines. The minim was now the only thing needed to make it flight worthy and restore it to its former condition, Twain was sure of it.

Jonas, Twain and Lynk had walked for some time through the silence of the woods towards the crash site. Only the words of the boys and the calls of the wild broke the silence of a peaceful stroll. Along the way, Jonas kept Twain entertained with stories of jobs he'd pulled on cargo-ships spanning star systems from Opio to the three-starred system of Tri-Gu. Twain was fascinated. He'd never been further than the western suburbs of Enterra. He wanted so much to explore all of the worlds out there and visit all of the galaxies which he studied from the ground. First though he would need to do his service to the Guard. From training at the academy aged eleven to becoming a fully trained soldier at eighteen, to the last day of his service at forty-five and only then could he live out whatever dreams had sprung up along the way. He would build his own ship for travelling the stars; that much he knew. Of course, he already had a ship but someone needed it a lot more than he did for now. And there was always his mother to think of as well. For as long as she was alive, Twain would never voluntarily leave her, no matter how badly he wanted to explore other systems. The star systems would always be there, his mother would not.