This medallion has been infused with the energy of Aaron’s ancestors. That cannot be copied with that device.”
Tanneth nodded, “You are correct, but I think the medallion’s use at the vault was more as a key. The energy to open the vault came from you.”
Sarah nodded slowly and hung the medallion back around her neck, relieved that she could at least hold onto this small piece of Aaron. Foolish girl, she chided herself. She glanced at Braden and was about to speak when he cut her off.
“Do not think you’re leaving me behind, my Lady. Since my Lord is not here to protect, I will protect what matters most to him,” Braden said and gently placed his hand upon her arm.
Physical contact was all that was needed to accompany someone using the travel crystal.
Verona stood struggling with the fact that he wasn’t going, but like Braden wanted to look after her. He shared a hard look with Braden and said, “Safe journey to both of you.”
“I will send word when I can,” Sarah said.
“Please do so,” Gavril said. “We can be of aid and can make the journey to you using the accelerators, but it will take a few hours. If you can coordinate with us we can help them escape.”
Sarah nodded and looked at Braden, “Are you ready?”
Braden nodded and hefted his war hammer from his belt and gave her a gentle squeeze. Sarah drew in the energy and focused it on the crystal, picturing a place in Khamearra, her home. After days of their frustratingly fruitless search for a way to rescue Aaron, she was eager to help her people and be of use, but at the same time she feared what she would find when they got there. With a silent prayer for the Goddess to guide her path, she activated the travel crystal.
Verona stood helplessly as Sarah and Braden disappeared. He silently cursed his duty for a moment, but knew that he was exactly where he needed to be.
“Let’s go find the other weapons caches,” Verona said.
Gavril reached out to him, “We’ll start making plans for the evacuation now and have a team of FNA soldiers standing by.”
Verona nodded and left the tent with the others.
C HAPTER 7
A WANING HOPE
Aaron had been left in the stadium, chained to the stone pillar. Halcylon had invited all the Hythariam to look upon the human. The soldiers posted would prevent anyone from killing him, but his body ached everywhere. The first stones thrown hurt the worst. The Hythariam here looked at him as if he were some type of animal.
Sometime later, the soldiers had chained his legs to the pillar, and he could hardly move. He occasionally slipped into a restless sleep until the pain in his aching arms that he hung from woke him up. What passed for food was brought sparingly, but the tasteless, slimy white goop was the only thing they served. He had to endure. It was the only way to get back to Sarah. The faces of his friends faded in his mind, and as more time slipped passed, the harder it was to recall the details of their faces. His arms and legs failed to obey him, and his mind felt as if there were a great weight pulling down his thoughts.
The ground beneath him shook, rattling the chains that bound him, and snapped him awake from a dreamless sleep. He was strewn upon the ground and couldn’t remember when the soldiers had done that. He slowly turned his head to the sound of footsteps approaching upon the hard rocky surface. He opened his eyes, and the smoky gray fur of a wolf padded up to him.
" Zeus!" Aaron gasped and started coughing. His grandfather’s wolf half-breed that had died at Shandara watched him with his large slate eyes.
Am I dying?
He could hear Zeus’s panting, but as Aaron raised his head the wolf vanished.
“Get him up,” Halcylon ordered.
Rough hands grabbed Aaron and brought him to his feet.
“Look at the screen, human,” Halcylon said.
Aaron raised his head to watch as the large screen in front of them flickered to life. Elitesmen crowded his field of vision, which
Tanneth nodded, “You are correct, but I think the medallion’s use at the vault was more as a key. The energy to open the vault came from you.”
Sarah nodded slowly and hung the medallion back around her neck, relieved that she could at least hold onto this small piece of Aaron. Foolish girl, she chided herself. She glanced at Braden and was about to speak when he cut her off.
“Do not think you’re leaving me behind, my Lady. Since my Lord is not here to protect, I will protect what matters most to him,” Braden said and gently placed his hand upon her arm.
Physical contact was all that was needed to accompany someone using the travel crystal.
Verona stood struggling with the fact that he wasn’t going, but like Braden wanted to look after her. He shared a hard look with Braden and said, “Safe journey to both of you.”
“I will send word when I can,” Sarah said.
“Please do so,” Gavril said. “We can be of aid and can make the journey to you using the accelerators, but it will take a few hours. If you can coordinate with us we can help them escape.”
Sarah nodded and looked at Braden, “Are you ready?”
Braden nodded and hefted his war hammer from his belt and gave her a gentle squeeze. Sarah drew in the energy and focused it on the crystal, picturing a place in Khamearra, her home. After days of their frustratingly fruitless search for a way to rescue Aaron, she was eager to help her people and be of use, but at the same time she feared what she would find when they got there. With a silent prayer for the Goddess to guide her path, she activated the travel crystal.
Verona stood helplessly as Sarah and Braden disappeared. He silently cursed his duty for a moment, but knew that he was exactly where he needed to be.
“Let’s go find the other weapons caches,” Verona said.
Gavril reached out to him, “We’ll start making plans for the evacuation now and have a team of FNA soldiers standing by.”
Verona nodded and left the tent with the others.
C HAPTER 7
A WANING HOPE
Aaron had been left in the stadium, chained to the stone pillar. Halcylon had invited all the Hythariam to look upon the human. The soldiers posted would prevent anyone from killing him, but his body ached everywhere. The first stones thrown hurt the worst. The Hythariam here looked at him as if he were some type of animal.
Sometime later, the soldiers had chained his legs to the pillar, and he could hardly move. He occasionally slipped into a restless sleep until the pain in his aching arms that he hung from woke him up. What passed for food was brought sparingly, but the tasteless, slimy white goop was the only thing they served. He had to endure. It was the only way to get back to Sarah. The faces of his friends faded in his mind, and as more time slipped passed, the harder it was to recall the details of their faces. His arms and legs failed to obey him, and his mind felt as if there were a great weight pulling down his thoughts.
The ground beneath him shook, rattling the chains that bound him, and snapped him awake from a dreamless sleep. He was strewn upon the ground and couldn’t remember when the soldiers had done that. He slowly turned his head to the sound of footsteps approaching upon the hard rocky surface. He opened his eyes, and the smoky gray fur of a wolf padded up to him.
" Zeus!" Aaron gasped and started coughing. His grandfather’s wolf half-breed that had died at Shandara watched him with his large slate eyes.
Am I dying?
He could hear Zeus’s panting, but as Aaron raised his head the wolf vanished.
“Get him up,” Halcylon ordered.
Rough hands grabbed Aaron and brought him to his feet.
“Look at the screen, human,” Halcylon said.
Aaron raised his head to watch as the large screen in front of them flickered to life. Elitesmen crowded his field of vision, which
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