Red Serpent: The Falsifier (11 page)

As he got out of his limo, the entire press community launched itself at him, bombarding him with questions about his affiliations with the Vampire Regime and rumors of his nephew joining the vampires. They asked him about his family history and his rule of power. He tried to ignore them as calmly as he could but his grim face betrayed the stress that he was under. He placed his hand over his burning throat, as he regurgitated a little stomach acid. Stress always set his ulcer off, although sometimes he wondered if might be the opposite way round. Perhaps it was the ulcer that made him so irritable. His guards did the best they could to protect him.

Once they reached the entrance of the hospital, John felt a sense of relief. The other members of the Council acknowledged him with silence, but he felt their subtle suspicion. At least it wasn’t the lynching he’d feared. “So what’s the situation?” No one spoke. An unnatural silence widened the disparity between him and his fellow members. If he reacted in a negative way, they would surely win. “Would,” he continued in an innocent voice, “someone please tell me what’s happening? How is Jarad?”

At the mention of Jarad, the whole Council looked him directly in the eyes. It was like the stand off at the last battle all over again. He was not going to fall back or jump at the accusations.

Just then, Richard Bacon, another Council member stepped out of an elevator and joined them. He had overheard the question. “He’s expecting you, John. I thought you’d know that,” said Richard.

Richard was tall, taller than John even, and he was lean. His face was aged, as if it had seen too much work. His eyes were perpetually squinted, yet gleaming with wonder. His nose was big and round and his lips were almost entirely covered with a furry mustache which entwined with his beard. He pulled back his dark, red-brown hair and regarded John.

John knew Richard very well. He had taken control as General in the Mediterranean during the Great War with the vampires. He was also John’s right hand man in everything they did. They were great pals in high school and Richard was also the best man at his wedding. Sadly, Caryn died only two years after their marriage and fifteen years before the War broke out. John trusted Richard with his life and he knew his old buddy would never stab him in the back.

“Right, I’m going in to see him. Richard, I want you to come in with me.”

Richard nodded and followed John. The others stared daggers at them.

“Tell me,” John said as they stepped inside the elevator.

“I have to be blunt with you. They want you out. Dead or alive.”

John nodded. A sour smirk appeared on his face.

“But as far as Jarad is concerned,” Richard continued, “I just don’t know. He seems two-faced.”

“Yeah, that’s Jarad for you. I knew he would be against me from the very beginning. I knew he wanted the Leader’s Chair. He wants me dead and now he’s gotten a clear cut chance to show himself without any fear of being discharged. He thinks that under the situation we’re in he’ll be able to take power.” John sighed and shook his head. “Personally I don’t care right now. I just want Alex back.”

The elevator stopped. They stepped out and Richard led the way to Jarad’s room. Once they reached his room, 11203, Bacon opened the door and John entered inside. Jarad lay there in a semi-comatose state with various tubes coming out of him. There was an intravenous drip in his arm that administered medication and a blinking machine by his bedside. His eyes opened slightly, but at the sight of his rival, he closed them again, ignoring the two. John and Richard sat down on the metallic chairs next to his bed, one on either side. Jarad turned his head to John and smiled in a patronizing manner. John controlled himself.

“John,” Jarad’s mouth formed the name without a sound.

“Jarad,” John replied quietly, “What the hell are you up to?”

Jarad said with slow, heavy breathing, “I don’t know what to say.” He licked his dry lips. “I only wanted–”

“What did you want? Power! I thought you were better than this. You should have waited until after I died! And you don’t think I know you planned that bloody assassination? Of course I do! And I think I even know who did it.”

“It’s not like that at all,” Jarad said.

“Because of today’s incident, you are temporarily discharged. I will make sure personally that you don’t interfere with the affairs of Regnum or of my family. Now,” John stood up, “hope you feel better. Take care and please, please, don’t ever think of coming to speak to me.”

Richard and John walked out.

“That was a bit harsh, don’t you think?” Richard said after they left the room.

John shook his head and smiled, “Richard, this is between you and me; I never meant to publicly denounce him. Once he knows that I’m doing it, he won’t do anything to meddle with Regnum politics. And I’ll deal with the rest in the same manner.”

“Well played, old friend!” Richard smiled. They entered the elevator.

John remained quiet, calculating his next move.

The ship started its descent, picking up speed in the atmosphere of the Earth. Inside, Nikolas constantly stared at Alex. He’d always known that the boy was special but the spectacle he had just witnessed had blown his mind. As an aristocrat with a royal bloodline Nikolas had seen a lot of dark magic, sorcery and some very unholy things. Perhaps, here in the boy, was something different. Something holy and good. Alex’s eyes had been closed for some time now and he remained completely still. “Alright!” the commander yelled out, “Move along to your positions! The ship’s coming in for a landing. Secure yourselves and...” he didn’t know what to say about the boy and just left it at that.

A moment later, the interior of the ship turned crimson red. Everything whirled. The sensation picked up momentum until it turned into a hyper speed carousel. In the center of all this, Alex stirred from his trance and opened his eyes, completely white. “It’s happening!” he shouted.

“What?” Nikolas tried to get a hold of himself as he and the others were thrown around in the forceful twister.

“He’s here! I can feel him!” Alex’s eyes flickered.

The shaking wavered and died down until everyone on the ship was jolted back by the sudden stop. They recovered from the fall and got up slowly as the light faded and pitch darkness consumed them all.

John and Richard, ignoring the other Council members, left for the Headquarters of Central Square, half a mile north of the Monolith. “John,” Richard said as they walked halfway towards the Headquarters, “Tell me something.”

“Yeah?” John asked.

“You said that you would do this to everyone. So, I’m just wondering. Do we have enough time?”

“I don’t think now would be the appropriate time,” he said as if he had an epiphany, “Let’s scrap that!”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I think with Jarad out of the way temporarily, the other members won’t have the guts to do anything against me or to try and take over. They’re weak, Richard. All of them. Besides, before they even think to do that, we’ll do it!”

“You mean you’re going to arrange a coup?” Richard whispered as if he said something forbidden.

“Just wait and watch.”

They arrived and entered the Central Headquarters. They were in a huge lobby, the size of a football field. In all directions, there were spiral staircases leading towards various government offices. John walked up to the lobby secretary and told him to call the other Council Members to arrange a meeting in one hour’s time. The secretary got on it right away.

“So where are we going?” Richard asked.

“To the Senate,” John said, still in his calculative mood.

The darkness left their eyes and they saw the remnants of the old planet, the realm of Migra.

Migra seemed desolate, barren, full of death. All around dark shadowy mountains surrounded them. The ground was reddish brown, like the clay of the Earth and it looked parched. Clearly, it had not been nourished by water for a long time. Was this how Migra really was during the reign of the Nyrax Dynasty?

Alex was mesmerized to have seen this scorched land after being so used to the perfect “Eden” that was the Regnum. “You human scum,” Jacque shouted. “What’ve you done?”

“Quiet!” said Alex, his tone indifferent to the offense.

Nick looked nervously at the boy, “Alex, don’t say anything you might regret.”

“Silence, son of Faviane.”

“How...how did you know my–

Alex laughed, “Do you really think that it is he who is speaking? Think again, nephew.”

“Anaxagoras!”

“Is that how you speak to your king?” Alex’s voice boomed.

The Imperial soldiers knelt in respect.

“What are we doing over here?” Nikolas asked, unmoved.

“You have come,” said Anaxagoras through Alex, “because I am going to show you and Alexander alone what happened that fateful day when the Red Serpent made me immortal.”

“Where are you going, my lord?” asked Jacque.

“It is not for you to know.”

The three entities vanished into the air.

“Is that really what Migra is like now?” Nikolas asked, looking all around him to see nothing but darkness. A sudden flash of light appeared and he felt the same spinning sensation from the vortex they entered moments earlier.

“No. This is only the mind, Nikolas.”

“I don’t understand. What are you doing? If you are here for me, why don’t you just kill me?”

“Because I want you to know the truth. I want you to know who I am and where I came from. You are my enemy, but only in the drama of revolution that my son created. Otherwise, I am no different from you and you are my offspring. I know the truth, Nikolas and the truth is something that will shock everyone. I know Alex is my kin, my blood and my grandson, the heir to the throne.”

“But–”

“I know he is the Prophesied One, the One Aidan spoke of and I know that he will be the one to challenge me. But there is something that he doesn’t know and neither do you. Only Aidan, Ardemis and I are party to this secret.”

“What do you mean?” Nikolas asked. He felt sick and dizzy from the constant spinning and his face turned green.

“Why should I speak thus?” He sighed and paused. “Come, we are here.”

The vortex stopped and they reached their destination.

In front of them stood a great cavernous threshold, three hundred feet high and decorated with gold and silver. The entrance arched across in four directions. The ceilings were painted with scenes from the history and legends of Migra. Nikolas realized that this place was more than just a rich and palatial resort. It was the holiest of holies. The Mausoleum of the Anu-Sa-Rimh! This palace was a vacation home for the king on his sojourns to the sacred place.

Once they reached the gates, Anaxagoras left Alex’s body and Nick could see a shadowy mist. A dark cloak without a body formed. Then a black hand, gloved and armored with metal ringlets around the fingers appeared and motioned to come forward. Alex fell to the ground. “What the hell?”

“Don’t worry.” Nikolas rushed to his aid. “Everything’s alright.”

“What’s happening? Is that, is that–”

Anaxagoras said. “Welcome, Alexandros.”

“What!” Alex said, getting to his feet.

“Alex, don’t worry.” Nikolas kept his right hand on his left shoulder. “It’s going to be alright.”

“Follow me.” The cloaked figure glided to the gate, which was bound in iron and chained in titanium. There was a large lock with a complex key-hole to confuse even the best of locksmiths. Nikolas and Alex walked forward with caution.

Alex whispered, “How the hell did we get here? And where’s everyone else?”

“They’re waiting. He brought us here alone. He wants us to see something.”

Anaxagoras turned around. “You don’t realize your importance yet, Alexandros.”

Alex felt a chill in his spine as the king spoke. But he gathered himself and said, “If you are real, why don’t you strike me down? Why do you hesitate? Is it out of weakness?”

Anaxagoras cackled. “Don’t challenge me with these petty taunts. If you really want me to prove it then, so be it.” He brought his hand closer to his chest. A black mist formed around his hand which extended in a straight line and formed a thick mass that slowly turned into a sword which he pointed at Alex.

Alex backed away.

Nick materialized his own sword just like Anaxagoras had done. “Alex, stay back.”

Anaxagoras glided swiftly towards Nick and threw him aside.

“Come with me, Alexandros.” The king’s shadow covered him. “Come and I will show you your destiny!”

Alex stood his ground. “No!”

“You must!” The king’s voice hissed. “Isn’t that what the prophecy says?”

Nikolas jumped high into the air in an attempt to drive his sword into the king’s back but before he could, he was suspended by Anaxagoras’s will. The Dark King turned around and circled him.

“Tell me!” Alex shouted. “Why did you really bring us here?”

Nikolas took another stab at Anaxagoras and this time succeeded, driving his weapon deep into the king’s back. The king fell forward as if slain but then shot back up. He knocked Nikolas over and choked him without even touching him before throwing him towards Alex. The sword in Anaxagoras’s spine disappeared like vapor and his wound healed instantly.

“Enough of this!” Anaxagoras yelled. “I did not bring you here for this.”

“It’s a trick, Alex,” Nikolas said, coming in between the two Nyraxes. “Don’t listen to him.”

“I know, Uncle Nick,” Alex said patiently. He sidestepped to the left and faced Anaxagoras. “Alright then. If what you say is true, then show us.”

“No!” Nick said. “We will not go with you!”

“But–”

“He can’t be trusted!”

“This has gone on for far too long,” said Anaxagoras, flinging his sword towards Nikolas. Alex yelled something in ancient Migritic and jumped to block Nick. Everything turned white and the light blazed once again, creating a rift between the Dark One and the two Rebels. Anaxagoras was pushed away by the light and suddenly, in a flash, everyone was back on the ship.

“What in the hell?” shouted Jacque.

“What just happened?” asked Varenkoff. “Is everyone alright?”