Chapter 7:
Explosions and Explanations in Speech


Back and forth, gibbering, giggling, body rolling and swerving in motion but the eyes deadly still at what they had in sight
“Pretty girl…pretty girl” the voice hissed beneath his breath almost, “Pretty girl” (childish laugh accompanied by hands massaging his weary face)

Miller turned his head away from the strange man who sat besides him and glanced his view over to his friend Jacob now huddled in Alfred’s corner, asleep.
Miller’s thoughts however were more for himself as he stared at his defeated pal, he wished he could fall back to sleep or better yet awaken from the worst nightmare he’d ever had but neither seemed likely to happen, not yet anyway.

The sounds of the strange little man beside himself faded away beneath the sounds of his own thoughts that grew louder and louder, so loud, too loud for him to bear, they held grip of his mind, screaming at him, would not go away. Miller rocked his body violently, no words escaped his breath but he heard himself bawl for the voices to stop, for the show to end before his tortured psyche, arghhh.

He wanted it to end, stop now, death is welcomed, real death, the kind where conscious is of no more, that Miller the man, boy, exists in no form at all, death that was truly death.
‘I embrace you now, take me for all I am is dead, please!’
He raised his hands in front of his face and clenched them piteously; save me from myself he begged but to whom he could only believe was the God he never believed in. The hands he held high swooped through the air like a samurai sword and took a hold of the man besides, Rat face.

“What is your name?”
“Hu, I’m…I…I am Michael!” said the man as his wits returned to him and his head snapped to meet the mad eyes of Miller
“Michael what?”
“Topez… mu mic - Michael Topez, doctor in fact”

Miller loosened his grip, let go and then returned his back to the wall it rested against, without moving or looking at Michael he continued with a score of questions. Michael, Dr Topez readjusted his shirt and nervously answered but while slowly edging away, not far however.

“So, Mr I mean Dr Topes”
“Topez”
“Sorry”
“Quite okay”
“So Dr Topez where are you from?”
“Stoke, in England”
“I know where it is”
“Though I’m currently in America, well here now but before…before I was in America….”

Silence.

“Urm, my mother and father were from India, never been there though, hope to one day, maybe. Well…oh… what’s your name?”

“Matthew, my friends call me Miller, it’s my surname you see, call me that, Miller” he said with still a sagging head and void of motion

Surprisingly Dr Topez shuffled around for a moment once the questions had dried up and made himself comfortable, kneeling with back against the crowd of others who shared his moving cell, he was sat sitting in a proper pose and of no resemblance of the giggling fool he looked only moments before. He was ready to talk and cleared his mind, welcoming this chance to too block out the horrors around him for perhaps just a short while.

“What do you do … did do?”
(Miller raises his head and shields his eyes from the rain that lashed down)
“I was a barman, in a pub, a pub by the sea”
“Sounds nice”
“It wasn’t, well not always”
“Oh, shame, since being by the sea and all…”
“So, you’re a doctor then”

Miller became rapidly aware that the small intervals of questions and answers erased the thoughts, the voices, while there was direct sound to his ears the bombardment stopped and so he too positioned himself and launched into this conversation.

“Yes”
“Of what, I mean are you just a doctor doctor or a specialist of some kind”

At first Miller raced his words but then panic ‘don’t stop the talking, make this talk last, slow down you fool don’t talk too fast, you might die any second, horribly, arghhh the voices’

“Well, I’m not a medical doctor, no”
“Well what then, tell me everything, please, what do you do?”
“Okay, well my job as such, not going into the full ins and outs, I’m quite sure you wouldn’t understand the precise details but my job as such is furthering the progress in Space travel. I’m involved in a great many aspects”
“Such”
“Such as developing cheaper better ways of travelling faster, further and then also solving the other problems that may arise”

Dr Topez stopped for a moment and just smiled, satisfied that his brief explanation was enough on the none too bright mind of a mere bar man

“And, have you, have you developed better ways, tell me man, I’m intrigued”
“Well yes of course, bright I am, smartest person around bar none, that’s why I’m in a America now, was. I was doing a tour of conferences, explaining the different ideas and theories that could be funded by those interested in developing space travel”

For a slight second, just for the slightest Miller fractionally forgot genuinely the voices and felt a glimmer of interest.

“So, what were they, these ideas?”

“There was a lot, not all just my ideas but I was the person making all the presentations, forwarding the ideas… now let me see. Well there was the idea of magnets, to put it simply, the theory is you see, though this is not one of mine, the theory is that a magnet so to say in the haul of a ship could home in on the magnetic pull of a planet, only near at first but there were more theories on how you could home in to one anywhere in the universe and pull yourself towards your destination. A silly idea if you ask me, one that would take far too long, too long a process but…but there are more.”

Dr Topez rose higher on his knees, such was the keenest in his story, others began to listen, not everyone just the few one or two near him, he still spoke lowly.

“Another was manipulation of time, listen carefully. You see an idea suggested by a college was that inside the craft it self you could slow time down to almost still while time around the craft continued, the thrust of the engine would move the craft at what seems to the pilot a normal pace but due to the acceleration of time on the out side the craft would actual be travelling at immeasurable speeds. When the pilot decides to stop and emerge into the same timeline of space about him he should emerge on the other side of the galaxy, universe or where ever he was heading. A very interesting idea but one too full of holes, I mean it is not exactly time travel and so the astronaut would be unable to travel back to his own time, nor would it be certain that his desired destination would still exists in the time it took for the universe to rotate around to the craft, plus (a slight laugh) anything could hit him during accelerated travel, a comet, a planet even, he would not exactly have time to stop and he would not be able to determine if a stray meteorite was in his path.”

Again Dr Topez (Rat face) stops and smiled with the end of his story. Miller mind was now a blank, the stories the talks were working, this baffling tale of travel was feeding his thoughts with ideas other than horrible pain and mayhem, however he was finding it hard to grasp it all.

“Interesting, but those were not your ideas were they, so what were?”

“My ideas were for today something that could be started now and accomplished in my life time, that was my goal when I started my profession and that is what I achieved, well almost”

“And that was what exactly?”

“Cloning”

“What’s that got to do with space travel”

“Well, replicating, it would improve everything, I mean everything wouldn’t it. If you could copy something in an instant you could feed the starving if you could copy one loaf of bread a million times over, quickly. In theory if you could capture just one essence of time and duplicate it over and over and over, well in theory you could create you own timeline, your own universe, your own planets, your life, we could be Gods”

Miller stared hard as Dr Topez stared passed and through the eyes of him and returned did the image of the mad fool not too long before staring at the beautiful young lady asleep across the carriage.
The silence stayed, neither spoke, Miller just staring at his conversation partner and Dr M. Topez remembering past dreams.
Miller stared and tried to figure out the man before him. Was he mad, were the stories true or totally made up, clever stories indeed but perhaps taken or remembered from a science fiction novel? ‘You might die any second, horribly’ The thoughts returned, Miller remembered why the conversation was so important, real or not

“So how would did benefit travel?”

Rat face once again vanished as Dr Topez the scientist remerged

“Oh, fuel boy, fuel. The problem you see is that there is never enough fuel or that the amount needed would be too much to carry but (double laugh) my idea was that if you could duplicate fuel on board you would not need a huge tank, in fact you would need on the slightest to copy over and over, as much as you may need for eternity. And, it could help with another problem, you see the ship may be able to go forever but you can’t, can you?”

“No I suppose not”

“But you can, I’ve figured it out, I’ll keep us alive forever.”

“How?”

“I could copy your body over and over again, or more simply I would reproduce your organises or your cells, your body dies because your cells stop reproducing themselves, I would keep them reproducing themselves, keep the body going, I could do many things, try many ideas. I could make an exact copy of you”

“Arh, but it would not be me though would it, I mean it would have a conscious of it own, cos you’d have the copy and all but when I’m dead I’m dead, my clone would still be alive but my consciousness would be gone, so in essence I’d still be no better off” said Miller restoring back into his old ways, picking out the obvious problems, nay saying.

A slender frown folded down upon the face of the doctor but his eyes quickly rose and his reply followed

“Again, I’ve thought of this also and so I suggest that the body be made upon death and the mind which still stays active after the body shuts down can be copied and pasted into the new body”

“But isn’t that the same thing?”

Both parties look baffled and think, hard.

“It depends really how you look at it” said the doctor “maybe the cloned spirit of the mind would be yours or not at all, the clone who awoke would claim he was you, he would believe without doubt he was you and so in a sense he would be you, to himself and everyone else, but to you, the original being, whether he actually be you, the continuum of your conscious, I cannot say”

Silence.

“Two of me” Miller breaks the quiet and leans forwards with a facial pose that verges on a smile. “I don’t think I’d like that though, two Millers and all, I mean he might get to Patsy…er me girlfriend and I’d have to kill him, but her well she’d have been with me I suppose, so would I be angry at her? I’m getting confused with all this, can you round that piece off simply please?”

“Yes, my main idea, one welcomed to a great extent I might add is that I build a device small enough to fit on a ship to reproduce cloned fuel and perhaps even clone human beings to further the amount of time man can stay in space!” said Dr Topez as he heavily crossed his arms and a comic nod of the head.

Miller and the doctor continued to talk about work for many more a time, Dr Topez told Miller of ways one might see into the past without the use of time travel (but with the help of time manipulation) and how researchers have predicted that countless worlds out there may not be as we expect but of very different but possible matter. Miller listened to the supposed doctor for hours letting his mind sail along the gentle waves the doctor delivered. At times his mind wholly forgot the voices that hunted him or the churns in his stomach but the reoccurring rain always woke him up to the stark reality of the horror that awaited him. Now and again Miller would not even listen to the tales swimming out to meet him, instead he’d pay close attention to the storyteller, trying to deliberate whether he was being truthful or not.
Miller believed he was not on the whole telling the truth, that in fact all he spoke of was wishful fantasies, totally fabricated. The first sign of him lying was his accent, he said he was from Stoke but he sounded more Scottish, whether he was Asian too could be in disrepute, he was dark skinned yes but he had bluish eyes, almost grey, hidden beneath those badly buried eyes. He always refused to give finer detail, ‘too much on your brain’ he would say but perhaps he just did not know

“They say” said Dr Topez “that it is possible on planets not yet discovered that gravity might be so loose and uneven that it would be totally feasible that in alien oceans there may be mountains made out of water, soaring high into the sky and”

Miller stood up, stretched his arms out, yawned and looked at Jacob, still asleep, no point waking him, this was not his conversation, the sleeping world is where he would rather be. Miller interrupts the doctor

“Have you got any family, a wife, children?”

“A wife, no children, she’s a miserable bitch she is, makes me glad to be here when I think of the alternative, back with her…miserable bitch”

“Erm, well I’ve got someone, yeah her names, well it’s Patsy, lovely she is (laugh) though me mate Paddy would not agree. But, she’s”, Miller slopes into a quieter voice and slips back down on his knees, eyes combing the floor “she’s soft you know, inside, I mean she isn’t as hard as others think, I see that, that’s what I love, in a way there’s a part of Patsy that I feel belongs to just me, a side of her she’ll only show to me and no one else, she always said I opened that up to her so I make her whole. Well, she’s everything to me, I mean I miss her so bad, I can see her face so strongly and I just wanna touch her, I want her to hug me, right now, I can almost feel it, but just almost, almost just is not enough you know”

Miller voice at the end of the sentence is broken, his eyes are sunken into a crystal sea and his soul once again lies flat on the floor with no hope in sight. As he hunches over with tears flooding his cheeks the doctor places a hand on his shoulder. For a while Dr Topez stays with Miller in spirit but soon, after he knows his conversation partner had left him he turns his thoughts and eyes back to the sleeping girl across the carriage from him.

Back and forth, gibbering, giggling, body rolling and swerving in motion but the eyes deadly still at what they had in sight
“Pretty girl…pretty girl” the voice hissed beneath his breath almost, “Pretty girl” (childish laugh accompanied by a hand massaging his weary face)


Explosions and Explanations in Speech
Part two

“You have awakened, marvellous, so pleased, you haven’t been much fun I must say just lying there on the chair, plus you dribbled, that’s expensive cloth”

Alfred eyes ached as the first ray of light entered them but then that pain was nothing compared to the new one at the back of his head.

“I am sorry about that by the way,” said Arx Malum as he watched Alfred chafe his crown.
Arx beams a broad grin but Alfred’s smile must have been shy since all he managed was a growl

“Nothing I’ll worry too much about, other things to consider I suppose, you’ve seen to that”

“Quite…well do sit up, impolite to sloth on someone else’s chair”

“Excuse me, so sorry you twat face fucker” Alfred said in an emotionless deadpan manner

“Whoa, Alfred the language, you’re a greeter of the Land, a better standard is expected from you my oldest friend. Please be seated, I’ve some wine to refresh you after that abysmal journey, oh and here is a fine substantial coat”

Alfred felt hate surging through every inch of his body, every second longer he looked at Arx the move his feelings swelled. However, Alfred was cold now the sky was eventually dawning (slowly) and yes too he was thirsty, his hand passed the glass and grasped the bottle, from a moment after the rim touched his lips the bottle was almost emptied. Once finished he tossed the bottle on the ground making sure enough was left to stain the carpeted floor. Arx eyes followed every action but he made no reaction, not that Alfred was hoping to gain one. Finally next to him he grabbed hold of the long white jacket and wrapped it around himself, all the time never removing an eye from Arx.

Alfred had awoken to find himself where he expected to be, inside Arxs Malum carriage. It was large enough inside to fit six people but there sat only himself and his now bitter enemy. A small band of soldiers sat on the roof (unshielded from the rain), two drivers sat at the steering seat and four special guards resided in small quarters either side of the main carriage room.
Alfred felt quite dizzy, not due to the alcohol he had just very well inhaled but due to the blow to the head the soldiers felt necessary to give him before placing him inside the stagecoach, this of course was directed so by Arx to slow some of the expected wit and sarcasm from himself.

Arx Malums face was no longer hidden to Alfred as it was before, though no matter if it were since Alfred already knew his features well. Arx sat staring at Alfred with his large round disc blue eyes while noticeably thinking hard about what he was going to say next, Alfred was not brought here for nothing.
Neither man said anything for quite some time; Alfred had nothing he wanted to say to Arx, nothing he was going to undignified himself by saying. Arx just sat staring still, running his huge brown fingers through his short black beard while his other hand rested heavy on his robe covered knee.

“So you must obviously be wondering why I brought you here”

“Pardon, I thought you where just giving me a more comfortable lift”

“Alfred cut the nonsense, we both know you’re here for a reason”

“Well blow me, I thought we were friends you and I, you know sometimes I’d come round your place as friends do, how should I know you have a hidden agenda?”

“Alfred! That damn humour of yours, just listen, this is important”

“Oh my friend but humour is something you deliver so well, I mean I can clearly remember the laughter around Tutela while you and your men butchered him and Pax you bastard!”

“Insignificant Alfred, past events that needed to occur for the greater deed, if you listen you shall see”

Alfred was now leaning forwards with his eyes opened wide, his face reddened, his anger at boiling point, his body shook and again nobody spoke, Alfred did not reply. He breathed out and sunk back into his seat and continued his communication by eye contact.

“I am not expecting you to be happy at the death of your friends Alfred but my actions were just though the method in achieving some of those may not have been and for that I apologise but those too can be explained, you are a old hand at war, you know the madness of the moment.”

Alfred stayed sunk in his seat, jaw gritted, eyes with the welcome of hell in them. Arx now was the one sitting forwards, posing as a reasonable man about to offer another something worthwhile as he saw it.

“I have you here now because I believe you are a rational man, I believe once you hear my side of events, the plans you might welcome what I have to propose to you”

Again Alfred said nothing; he almost looked as if he was not listening, though he was.

“A war is coming my old friend, a war I’m sure you’ve been expecting for a great while, but it is for the good of the land, this will not be a war of greed but of liberation”

Alfred lent forwards, forehead just an inch from Arxs, very calmly and softly Alfred begins to talk

“Oh you fool, you old fool, I have been expecting war but not because of events of present day but because I know the true evil that inhabits mans heart. Paradise is the mask you hide behind but greed is always at the axis of war, you say liberty, I say your greed for your own way”

Arx Malum tries to intervene but Alfred continues as if no words are heard and so Arx stays silence for a moment more

“Man always searches for Paradise but even when it is found if such a wondrous place exists we will still scrabble amongst each other, to have a little more, a bit extra than the equal who stands beside you, anyhow we would eventually find fault, with the place with each other, then eventually find worse, more reasons for war, we’re made for it, don’t fool yourself, (Alfred woefully shakes his head) you’ve found a reason to do what you feel good with. However your worst, you have found away to bring pain to this land to benefit your own deeds, an invention like this will never go away, the knowledge will be leaked out and the future of this land is cast dark, by your hand” With that Alfred sat back and grabbed a second bottle of wine, drinking in from a glass this time however, slowly.

“That was quite a speech my friend but you know life is much more complicated than a few well strung together words and a wisely theosophies verse. This land is not Paradise, we are not perfect but Alfred we are not free and no good can come of being under the tyrant rule of one master”

“Excuse me, people are happy, no harm has come to anyone, no wars have occurred in thousands of years, any upheaval is quickly dealt with and lives go on peacefully. You however has just caused the biggest upset in memory of the oldest inhabitants of this land, no terror as such has visited this place in almost two million years and you’ve introduced weapons of deadly use, you are what need ridding from this place. You delude yourself into believing you are something more special than you are, you and the rest of us are nothing more than intelligent brutes. And tyrant master, Famulus, what do you speak of you maddened fool! Tell me now, what is your just cause, what cause sanctions the suffering of the innocent”

“The end justifies the means”

“What does that mean?” Alfred roars, once again his temper at boiling point, his body barely able to restrain the deadly actions it wishes to inflict on the monster he is confronted with

“I mean that yes innocents have died and I tell you now many more will, many many more but the end result is worth the actions of the war and the greater good is worth the scarifies people will have to make”

“You make it sound like they have a choice you miserable bastard”

“They do though, if they join me they will be spared, no harm will come to those in my army, no one we encounter will inflict harm our way, pain and death is a weapon only we possess”

“My God tell me quick what is worth all this death in a land filled with the dead, what is your reason but by the lives of all I hold dear I doubt it will be just enough for what you prophesise”

By now the coat Alfred had around him had been flung wide away, his temper heats his entire body and the cloth slowly tears between the fingers that grip it so unyielding.

“Famulus holds this land and its people ransom with false tales that he is our God, son of the Creator, brother of the evil vanquished Theio, leader of this land. We have perhaps an eternity here but should our lives be spent building his kingdoms, living life the way he commands. He forbids us to travel passed the known kingdoms, to fly in the sky as man on Earth now does and he does not even give a valid reason. I shall tell you why”

Alfred sits listening, unwillingly to interrupt, wondering whether he’ll find the vaguest possible reason to justify what Arx proposes to inflict on them all

“If we venture away he’ll lose his power, he wants to keep us close at hand to keep his grip strong! Famulus is never going to let us go, too long has he controlled us, peacefully so far cause we heel to his heeds wilfully but what if we reject him, if we voyage too far away, will he let us go, I tell you now he won’t, so we must act before he does!”

“That is your reasons, your mad, I mean the boundaries are there due to the mass amount of dangerous beasts, I mean for pity sake there’s dinosaurs out there who till your guns came along were the only means of destroying us. As for what Famulus has planned for us is pure speculation, he has been nothing but good by the people of this land"

Arx throws up his arms in disbelief and shouts, “He has an iron grip over us and best of all we do not even realise it, we are fooled into believing that the Creator is real, that Famulus is his son and he is our only rightful leader and that therefore we should all do as he wishes but No, I will not work for him no longer. I’ve stood Keeper for millennia’s under his orders, people spend great amounts of time mining for resources to build his kingdoms of vanity because they believe that is what they have to do, I want us to be free, not to follow deceitful rule and reign”

“But there has to be rule, he keeps order, without him who to say what hell we would be in now. If you believe not in the Creator why do you use his name and tell people he favours your cause”

“So that people will follow”

“You admit then being no better than your suppose enemy, you too are lying to the people”

“I say my piece to get people on the right track, if they follow me they will be safe and ensure freedom to live there’s lives how they want”

“Not everyone has to work, work is a choose able option” Alfred said but before the sentence finished his own words wandered

“Yes some don’t work, you tell the new arrivals that they will be fine and live happy lazy lives but we both know this isn’t true, they are turned on till they too join the others or are hounded out to live in small pockets of communities that vanish once they are forgotten about”

“What do you mean vanish?”

“What do you think we Keepers do on our time off, we are forced to clear out those who slipped through the net as Famulus puts it, we host a secret police. Famulus is a fraud, a man hell bent on absolute control, the Supreme Council are tiring his patient, they demand more power and too are growing more powerful as the people back their arguments for more control over their governed land. Famulus is feeling threatened, he believes his supremacy is being weakened by the growing influence of the Council, he feels in time he will be pushed aside for a democracy that will see him as a part of the past, he fears being diminished I tell you now that this man holds our lives in his hands, we do the work he wishes, he lives a lavish life where wealth and lust has been exhausted and over the last generations his mind had turned to abundant power. Famulus does not want to lose what he has and I strongly believe he wishes to abolish the Council and take sole control once more but that would be a nightmare scenario. Last time he held rule this land was a vastly more primitive place, the Land of today is too complex for one man to run alone, let alone one who has no proper interest or knowledge!
If he was a mere fraud who wished long rule but had our best interests at heart I would not care but the man is mad, I wage war to rid us of him”
Alfred sat listening to all that had been said, Arx was right he did have something important to say and he was good very good because he even almost had the seemingly loyal Alfred believing what he was saying and preparing was right but only almost.

“Look, Arx”, said Alfred in a deflated tone, no longer full of rage but his thoughts slow edged in Arxs direction “I can understand what you have been saying, I too know and realise that Famulus is not the God many believe him to be, trust me but that does not give me the right to join an army intent on destroying millions of lives just to kill but one. I’ve listened to what you have said, some of which intrigues me deeply and I think I believe you especially since I know you were once the most loyal servant Famulus could ever wish for but I only think since you’ve lied to millions so why not lie to me also. I say to you if you must wage you vendetta then do so, if you must but why not a precise war, why not just attack the source, the man himself and perhaps any who actually stood against you, not the innocent.”

Alfred had not forgotten the anguish Arx had already caused, nor had he forgotten what he had planned but Alfred felt hearing his reasons he may be able to use his old friendship (though now a distant one) as an advantage to put some doubts into his plan or perhaps to cause a change in his plans.

“Believe me”, said Arx Malum with a voice that sounded soft with no evil “I do not wish to kill the innocent, I am not a evil man no matter what you think but the end justifies the means”

“Damn you with that saying” Alfred shouted as he shot to his feet and rapidly anchored his hand to Arxs bulging shoulder.

Arx quickly took hold of Alfred wrist to remove his hand but the two palms quickly fastened into a display of power. As the two men locked each other hand with his own Arx continued to justify himself

“Listen, I can not have a precise war, I could not get to Famulus, not even with an army of my size. Already now he has probably heard of our activities and has mounted a force that will out number ours ten to one”

“But you have the guns!”

“But who do you think developed them. Famulus put forward the idea of deadly weapons to arm the police with, I my very self was in charge of over looking the development of the scheme, however the lead scientist shared my frowned views on it all and we with held much of the technology we discovered from Famulus to add strength to our side”

Alfred still locked with Arx was shocked about Famulus involvement but not surprised and so he listened more to the rapid deliverance of Arxs mighty speech.

“He may not have the guns now but with the numbers he can out number us with and the high walls he can hide his armies behind he will bide enough time to develop those weapons, he will most probably have already started. But, I have a something planned that even he will not be able to counter, not even he”
“But why the innocent, where do they come into this horror affair”

“I need to get as many on my side as possible, Famulus won’t turn on his people but neither can he protect them all either and so they will join us or be crushed before they join him because if we don’t get them he will. There will be two sides now, us and him”

Alfred let go of Arx and crashed back to his seat, this was worse than even he expected, this war was the mother of all wars, this was an event that would develop into something inexperienced before, a monster affair.

“Arx, you are about to tear the heart out of this land, turn brother against brother, you will create a rift that may never heal, ever”

“Not so”, said Arx as he too sat exhausted from the momentum of his speech “for if need be I will destroy all those who follow that evil impostor. They are those who hinder peace, I embrace and secure it, not Famulus and his henchmen”

“This is lunatic, you will turn this place into the hells of Earth, war on a monstrous scale, a scale even the Gods would cower from. Death will become a welcome relief! You have planted the seed of destruction and you wish to water it, all will be consumed by the thick smog of hate, no good will come of this. Please do not force people against each other like this, hatred will run deep and long. This battle would never cease, forgetting and forgiving is a bitter pill, one that many could not stomach” Alfred whole persona became that of panic and all his grace and hold on his emotions were lose in a tunnel of vision of heaven turning into hell.

“This is what I need you for old friend. Alfred, you can reach the people, be my right hand man and help curve the injustice this war might conjure up, you will convince them that Famulus is of no good. Not only is your wisdom vast and great for me but your methods of war during your time on earth were beyond the average leader, you shone, you can help this be a less corrupt, devastating war!”

“What about Eversor?” Alfred said with a reply that showed no indication of acceptation or decline.

“Useless, a mere soldier, big, great fighter but I need leaders and that he is not, I tell you now if he reigns beside me he alone will reek havoc, intended or not, mistakes often lead to the worst of outcomes. Will you join us, you have heard me out, what more can I say, will you join with me?”

Alfred made no reply but this room was not silent, though nobody spoke. Alfred sat still with his hands held together on his lap, looking in Arxs direction but not at him. The worst of all this was that Alfred agreed with what Arx was saying, he knew the people were being held back and he too knew that Famulus was not the great person he was proclaimed as. Alfred had stayed loyal to his master, out of love and devotion why certainly not the reason but for now his own feelings and plans were put on hold by Arx’s sudden surprise movement. Perhaps this plan to rid the land of a man who was becoming increasingly obsessed with power and greed was not a dire suggestion but the means in which Arx premeditated to use were, surely there must be healthier ways since Arx’s was plighted with numerous deadly mistakes, mistakes Alfred generally believed Arx was blind to see, maybe.

Without answering Arx’s most burning question Alfred proceeding to know all he could muster before he deliver his verdict on what he should do himself.

“Alfred, I know you well, I know how troublsom this is being for you, I can see the conflict in your eyes but please believe me this is not war for war sake, I am not an evil man, surely you should know that. Yes I wage war first but this is the best way, my way would be an organised war, if it does not happen my way the alternative is scattered mob wars”

“Why? How can you be so sure. I agree people are being held back, but they do not even see it themselves, they have no strong reason to want to fight, most do not know Famulus as you do, they believe the myth he is a wonderful God, why would they turn against him?”

“Famulus is going too far, though most realise it not yet, but soon they will. He no longer listens to any of his advisors, the councils of each Kingdom annoy him with bombardment of demands, he is not a tolerant man, he has plans to rid each kingdom of there President, there elected council. Once this happens people will realise they truly are under his one rule and they will very hapless, people will not endure this living. You must see what would happen, it would start in small bands of revolutionaries, too small to make any decent effect, Famulus would wipe them out, once he has total rule he will create a standing army and sooner or later he too will require the guns. I want to strike now before he is too strong to defeat, we must not shy away from war because it will be devastating, we must go to war or it will be devastating!”


“<Heavy exhale> You talk like a person who have planned this well, indeed I have seen your army, to gather such a force in secrets that I even have not heard about is no small feat but have you thought this all through. You see I cannot see this being a success if it is rushed, do you have the backing of the President of Glorion, does he follow your cause?”

“Yes, you will see yourself when you enter, none of this would be possible without such high ranking help, from him or our ally”

“You mean Kings”

“Yes the people of Kings welcomes my reasons and joins with us to battle for the greater good”

“I could believe the Glorion would follow such causes for noble reasons if they be true since they are a well thought people but those of Kings are not, they are just as full of greed as you describe Famulus, old kings and rulers from Earth who once again seek power, I believe their true cause would not be just”

“True, I know them well but I they are a problem for a later date, the problem at hand is one much near and one that can not be squashed without all the help I can get and that is why I need you”

Again Alfred took in all the words Arx spoke with might thought, so much had been said that spelt disaster, he made it seem all so inevitable, perhaps it was, man had gone too long without destroying himself. However, what would Alfred part be in all this, was he so blind as all this really was going on, that he Alfred, respected throughout the land as a wise man did not see any of this coming or had he been too consumed with his own secret plots and plans not to have paid enough attention?

“You are right my old friend, this is very hard for me” said Alfred as he took a slow sip from his glass “you make your argument well but I still can not forget what I have seen so far, in such little time, the slaughter at the Arrival Bay, why that, why?”

“We have no time to be messing with prisoners, we must act fast, also there is always the risk of escape and that could be calamitous to our actions. We need that vent sealed, no more arrivals into this land until this feud is settled, the new arrivals will have to make do in Expletus, they can survive there, it is far bigger than the boundaries of our land here, if only a little more hostile”

Alfred spurts a sarcastic laugh “A little! There are creatures there we can not even imagine, from the depths of the universe or Earths time unknown” Alfred put down his glass and once again reached for the coat he earlier wrapped himself in. “Anyhow, you say no prisoners but what about the obvious band I travelled with, what of them or have you so easily forgotten?”

“I have not forgot, that is a purpose I shall keep to myself for now, they have not been taken in vain but neither have they been taken for any horrendous reason you may imagine”

Alfred looked into the eyes of a man who held so much in his hands, still he could read little from them, truth or lies, he hid his emotions well.

“Do you think you can win, do you not worry you may lose and just create greater heart ache? Famulus will rise to meet your forces, you yourself said he will out number your men ten to one on the battlefield, also he may not have rifles now but he still has machinery that can keep you at bay, machines that too can be used as weapons, do not forget the forces who work every day to keep the giants beast out of the land, if they have means at keeping away herds of thirty meter wide walker beasts they surely will be able to put something together fast against you”

“I do not plan to have a mindless long war, one that lives can be measured by, I wish to have it ended quickly”

“How, once both sides have the weapons it will be one drawn out shoot out, until one of you start on the bombs, no doubt they will come next, then, well my hearts sinks at what would happen next”

“Exactly, that is why this war must be fought quickly and decisively”

Arx lent forwards and joined Alfred with a drink of wine for himself, it was obvious he was now at ease, he had confidence in his voice once more, he believed Alfred was recruited

“I have plans, special plans”

“Do tell”

“Well Alfred that depends on you, I shall not be giving my game away to one against me”

“I seek assurance that this would not be an attempt in vain, I need to know your plans to decide and advise. I need to know matters such as what you propose to do, what are our chances, your cause stand a better one if Famulus does not have the weapons you process, how long do you suppose it will take him to develop them”

“Oh Alfred you are a fussy person aren’t you, for no one else would I spend so much time but you are a friend and I know when there is truth in your saying and I know to believe you now. The guns took long, very long to develop since they are of no weapon used on Earths, as you know our bodies are not mere flesh to be broken by sharp shrapnel. We devised a way of breaking what we are though; a way of disturbing our being to the point that it destroys itself seeks to exist. As you are aware people have only ever perished here when slain by the sword of a Keeper or attacked in the Ever-Lands by the beasts. Well, the swords are a mystery to us, we cannot discover their ability to destroy, nor can we duplicate them, yet. But we found that with the beasts it was a matter of the victims energy, their soul, what ever we are, was so traumatised they ceased to be; here anyhow as you know they would later reappear after a spell of unexplainable reincarnation on Earth. The guns we developed has bullet capsules with an energy in them that disturbs the immediate area they come in contact with, now they may only hurt you but if struck too often or indeed in the head which seems to be our main source of being, the person ceases to be. Now, this part may make you feel better about what you call mindless murder, we have found evidence that our weapons do not cause death, that as with others before the victims energy, soul, whatever, is cast back to its origins, Earth. Do you see what hat means, the people who are unfortunate enough to be caught up in this will not perish but move on”

“So what will you do with those you wished destroyed?”

“The people against us will be refused entry back into our land upon re-arrival, they may do what they wish, out there with the beasts. Those others who are worse shall not be caught in any gun fire, they will be captured and destroyed by the word of the Keeper, I hope to slay Famulus with his very own sword if chance be”

“But you must get to him first and to do so you must win the war, so tell me what is your winning strategy?”

Arx sipped his drink; place his glass down and grinned “Swords and Scrolls”

Each word brought about all the fear in Alfred even more, if he could he might have choked on his drink.

“In a breath” shouted Alfred “you tell me that the weapons you grasp overall will not be a everlasting harm to the people then you tell me this! When you say swords I only imagine you mean those you use to slay, please I hope you have not finally a way to reproduce these weaponry for each soldier”

Arx does not say a word but his eyes reply

“You have” gasped Alfred “Arx you truly would then be ending the lives of any you come in connection with”

“Alfred I plan not to use swords on a grand scale, the final stage of their development has not been reached yet and they are just merely a back up plan, an ace up my sleeve”

“Once you have such weapons on a grand scale the temptation will be too much, those swords will pass through each victim with a deadly final finish. These weapons on such a grand scale will be more catastrophic than the introduction of pain that your guns will bring, these swords carry with them death. I have been fooled to take your bait, there is much power in your words Arx but your actions are pure evil. Your cause stands for reason but the end does not justify the means, the means signify the end. I cannot have a part in this, there must be better ways to rid the land of one man other than the beginning of a reign of Hell!”

Alfred finally realised he could have no part of events that could destroy them all, he had been hypnotised by Arxs words and fell prey to his spin on events and possible out comes. Whether Arx was pure evil he did not really know, perhaps Arx really believed in his cause but his mind seemed screened from the greater tragedies that would occur as a result. Possibly however Arx was lying to him as he had done to the millions at the gathering of armies, maybe there was no truth in any of this at all and he had an agenda hidden from everyone, many ideas came to mind but which could it be?

Arx rose to his feet, towering above Alfred, casting shadow over his fuming body, anger raged across his face, his confidence in himself had been crushed as he realised that the man before him would not subject to his way of thinking. Perhaps Arxs anger came from the disappointment of not reaching one he so greatly desired to lead his army to victories “Well it’s a Hell you won’t be seeing”

Alfred felt his whole body lunged towards Arx, both men went crashing violently into the wall. Alfred had not thrown himself at Arx in a fit of rage, instead he himself had been flung from his seating and Arx with him went crashing into the back wall before tumbling along with the carriage as it turned and crashed into the ground at an horrendous speed. The two men were thrown around, back and forth as extremely as one could imagine a victim in a train or plane wreck but these were not men of flesh and so no harm came to neither.

Alfred opened his eyes and found himself to have been thrown clear of the wreck, however this was no escape opportunity, already the guards were running to retrieve him, gun in hand. He saw that the lavish carriage had veered straight into the cart carrying the other prisoners, both vehicles had crashed and people had been thrown everywhere. Some were running, running to escape.

“Do not run, you have no where to hide” Alfred shouted to the few running away in a place of flat grassed land, the statuary and hiding places of the jungle to the east were further away than a new arrival may imagine

“Shut it,” snarled a armoured soldier as he placed his boot upon Alfred’s head and began firing at the escapes

White flares sprung across the plains and ripped through the bodies of those feebly trying to run free.

“Stop!” roared Arx with all his might, even panic could be heard in his voice. The soldier however could not hear even this mighty command above the sound of his rifle fire. Arx quickly gripped the gun strapped to his upper leg and shot the gun with a single blast, the flare tore straight through the soldier’s eye, his body collapsed next to Alfred before vanishing away into a crumble of blood stained dust.

Two soldiers ran out to retrieve the injured, no prisoner destroyed by the gunshots and Alfred stood up and dusted himself off. Alfred made his way over to where Arx was standing before two men, the drivers of his vehicle, the one just arrived as it seemed he fell off the coach quite some way back. Neither of the two guards were standing straight, both were swaying badly, this would not be due to the crash, again their bodies as such would have been unaffected, there sway was the result of something else.

“What is wrong with you two men, how the hell did you crash this vehicle, did you collide with that” Arx said as he points to the prisoner carriers.

“Yes Master, the Magno-carrier struck us from behind” said one man

“Master no” said a soldier carrying back one of the injured “The vehicle I travelled on with these prisoners crashed into your when you suddenly hit the ground for unknowns reasons and we hit you, no time to stop I suppose”

Arx believed the second soldier, the first was dazed, there was confusion in his voice, less sure so Arx summoned all those soldiers and guards who had not been thrown from a vehicle miles back.

“If one of you do not tell me why we crashed, truthfully, you will all perish by the sword in my hand” With that while walking up and down before his men Arx, brandished his sword
“So tell me now or all may suffer!”
“Master” call one of guards, one who had been travelling on the prisoner carriage “I believe I may know” and he stood forwards from the line.

“Continue” said Arx ceasing to stroll

“During the gathering Master I have heard but again not witnessed that some soldiers have abused their weapons. They have been breaking open the capsules and breathing in the fumes of the contents, I believe it was being used for an abusive drug effect”

“Is this true?” Arx shouted. Before the drivers even answered, Arx made his way to the end of the line where the men stood shoulder to shoulder together and again fired a single gunshot, the white flare ripped through the temple of each man in that line, all expect the guard who had stood forwards to explain events, Arx spared him, he still needed that guard, well at least till he arrived at Glorion.

Alfred saw and heard everything; he shook his head at the thought of another evil that had just made itself cosy in the Land thanks to Arx Malum, drugs. Alfred had once again witnessed Arxs terrible temper and unforgiving manner, he knew he had made the right choice rejecting his offer, this man did have evil in him, it was there for all to see. Alfred knew if he survived some how that he must stop this man and find out whether what was said about Famulus were true. For all the things he learnt in that carriage he failed to learn was Arx supposed to do as his other back up plan to defeat Famulus, that of the word, which Arx spoke, that terrified him most ‘Scrolls’

The people were gathered together and placed back in the carriage, Arx organised, with the remaining soldiers left, who would accompany him to Glorion and who now would ride his carriage. Now and again he would stare at Alfred but choose not to utter another word but Alfred was in no doubt that Arx was not finished with him, not at all.

Once the carriages were back up after some time and the sky had dimmed a little more, Alfred found himself back with the other prisoners, surprised he was for he was quite sure he would join the guards and soldiers Arx had dealt with. The walls were high again and he found himself being welcomed by one of the new comers, he could not remember his name, he chose not to listen and sat back down in his corner between two sleeping prisoners to think over all that had happened and all that was about to happen




Chapter 8:
The Crash


Miller who sat with his back to the wall, legs spread out straight was now asleep but the doctor was not. Still he spoke to his sleeping new friend but not as he had done before, perhaps he spoke as he did now given that he was asleep. His fingers crawled the ground, his teeth lashed his lower lips, and his eyes grew wide and wild

“Aren’t you a pretty girl, yes, yes you are, oh so pretty, oh so pretty. What nice legs you have, ooh yes, nice legs, touch them may I, no mustn’t, unless she lets me, will you let me pretty girl, ooh your legs oh. What a pretty face, can I touch your pretty face, can I touch you please, pretty girl, please can I touch you…can I, can I touch you, touch you, gotta touch you, pretty girl, I may”

The doctor lifted himself up to be standing, still he gibbered incoherent sentences over and over, his phrases becoming more lured, his behaviour more absurd. His hands began to stretch out as if he was trying to take hold of the young lady he seemed obsessed with, but his legs didn’t move. Once his mind gave up on trying to grab her, his speech became more rapid, then his tongue would molest his lips and his hips began to very slowly and gently thrust. The words eventually stopped but the sounds continued, sounds that made those awake around him extremely uncomfortable, more nervous even but still he seemed yet another mad man in a world full of them.

The woman of his affection laid asleep, so far unaware of the unwanted attention she had towards herself. She had slept longest out of everyone inside the cart; badly had she wept herself asleep. Though the doctor fantasised about her face, it was not easy to see, her long black hair covered most of her features as she slept and the hands she used to cushion her head also obscured the view. Like the others she had only what she arrived in, her clothes were dirty and torn. The mere sight of flesh she exhibited, the whole of one leg that was exposed by the tear in her clothing, was particularly arousing the doctor.

“Yesss” said the rat faced doctor as his hips swung about “Yes!” he howled loudly until Millers brief sleep was disturbed

“Shite!” Miller muttered to himself as he emerged from the slightest of sleeps.
Miller head raised only a little and his eyes opened even less but what he saw next confused him. He gazed while the small bodied doctor danced as it seemed forwards, one leg launched onwards, a wiggle of his hip then the second leg thrown to the fore, with his hands cast out straight, fingers dancing to the sound of lust

“Can I touch your pretty face, can I touch you please, pretty girl, please can I touch you…can I, can I touch you, touch you, gotta touch you, pretty girl, I may”, the doctor once more uttered, louder with each step as he approached nearer.

Miller rubbed his eyes and straightened himself up, he had not know this man very long but the person before him was not who he had spoken to earlier ago. The people around made a combined reaction to move away from this strange fellow and look on in wonder, no one dare approach, in a world as such who knew what to expect of anyone or anything.

The doctor seemed unaware of the people’s reaction but then he now seemed unaware of his own actions as his beaky nosed head jabbered forward with his rickety body lacking behind. If those around were not looking at the mad man they were looking at his prey, the girl. Eventually some shook away their amazement and turned their thoughts to that of the woman he was very near in contact with, a woman quickly crawled over to the young lady the doctor had become fixated with. She grabbed hold of her shoulders and woke her fast, warning her of the man who heading her way. The awakened girl pushed back the wet hair from her big green eyes and stared hard across the rain lashed carriage, however her vision was impaired by sleep and the dusked sky dimmed her view also, by the time her vision had straightened a man had fell upon her.

The girl screamed, terrified she screamed again and again, her shriek loud and heart pounding, her cries roared around the four walls as this stranger gnawed at her neck and explored her body roughly with his hands. In a flash many people, men and women set upon the perverted mad man and pulled him kicking and snatching away from the girl, dragging him back to where he had come from, back besides Miller.

“Shit! I don’t want him here” Miller loudly announced as he watch the whimpering doctor thrown violently next to him

“Tough”, a woman shouted “she doesn’t want him on top of her so deal with it!”

The rat-faced doctor curled his body into a ball and wept noisily, until he opened his eyes and saw the confused Miller staring at him. The doctor slowly stopped his crying and continued to look at his new friend; he gave an embarrassed glance and shrugged his shoulders. Miller continue to look on opened mouthed, ‘what a strange man’ he thought. With reddened watered eyes the doctor kept staring at Miller with a smile that unnerved him, quiet he was for a bit until Miller could no longer look at him anymore.

“But she’s such a cracker” the doctor said in a slimed voice and with his words he looked back towards the young girl being comforted by those around her

Miller no longer wanted to be where he was seated and felt a sense of relief to see the whole commotion had woken his friend Jacob. Jacob was sitting in his corner jointly intrigued with what had just occurred and once his senses had returned to him after such a sleep he beckoned over his friend Miller who quickly obliged his summons

“What’s with im their” said Jacob referring to the doctor

“I dunno, he was so normal before I fell asleep but then when I woke up he was bloody jiving across the floor, humping his stuff at that bird in the corner” Miller said informatively

“What a perv, and you been talking to im ya soft touch”

“You’ve been a bloody sleep for hours!”

“Well you ani’t been one for much talking so far have ya” Jacob said

Miller who was crouched on his toes sat down properly and said “Well I don’t think any of us and really felt like talking I mean, how can ya when there’s so much to take in, I still can’t believe all of this, its just so…so unreal”

Jacob didn’t say anything but replied with a nod and a pat on the back, for just these few tiny moments his friend was the Miller he knew once more but for how long he did not know.

“You know that girl”, said Jacob to Miller “She’s the one who he held in front of himself to use as a shield against a soldier shooting at him” Him being a reference to the doctor now unmoved from his space but still gibbering at the mouth.

“Really?”

“Yeah” Jacob said pointing to the girl still crying “he grabbed her to stop himself being shot the bastard, I pushed them both out the way, that was just before that plane thing crashed into the soldier”

“Bloody’ell, if I’ve had known that I’d have not spoken to the bloke” said Miller, but not about to admit to his friend he would have still indeed spoken to the man since the conversation was not for pleasantries but for sanity.

Jacob and Miller sat for a while just watching the people around, seeing how everyone was responding to the current events, a little how the pair would often did back home in Jacobs bar after a fight have just finished

“Oh God, you’re mates off again” Jacob said to Miller as he watched the doctor stand back up and head off towards the girl once again

“Donkey!” said Miller and he and Jacob stood up and ran over, again a reflective action from the many times they spent breaking up disturbances back home.

As the two held back the doctor who had deteriorated into a mental mess, across the way looking on was the girl. She had seen the man coming towards her again, at first she felt terrified, not only had he just had his horrible hands upon her but she too remembered his face from before that, before when his hands another time seized her, held her arms to hold her in front of himself to use as a shield. Her fright subsided, her anger emerged, fire burnt in her heart and rage took control of every limb. She rose to her feet and wiped the tears from her eyes and she sprinted. Across the people packed cart she race through, rushed to confront her abuser.

“Mill, give me a hand ere, this little man stronger than he looks”

Jacob and Miller had their backs to the fast approaching girl full of rage, they were just trying to push back the man very excitingly looking over their shoulder, no idea did they have of what was about to happen.

Thud, both Jacob and Miller crashed to the ground, one to the left and one to the right. In the middle of them laid the doctor with a tall-legged girl attacking him brutally, much it seemed to his delight. As she perched herself above his chest she punched and lashed at his face, kneeing him with her legs, getting more frustrated with his smiles and laughs, she screamed with anger.

Miller and Jacob quickly found their feet; then both with the aid of others took hold of the girl and tried for some time to pull her away. Again and again she heaved her arms away from those who tried to retract her, Jacob in fact received a very strong blow to the jaw that quickly reminded him of something. The second after he was hit he realised he did not feel a thing and remembered what Alfred has said during his introduction talks about no physical pain, no wonder the doctor was laughing, he was not being hurt at all, instead he was having the pleasure of this attractive lady sitting across him. Once more everyone took hold of the girl and hauled her back and as she gave everyone crashed to the ground on top of more people. Some of those they collapsed into wanted nothing to do with the fight, they were disturbed enough without this going on and so began to shout abuse, in fact one man and another began their own argument with two women quickly joining in. As some got up and others argued, Jacob quickly noticed the doctor was fast again on his feet.

Jacob jumped up and confronted the doctor, placing both hands on each of his shoulders.

“Look mate can you hear me” said since the rat faced doctor had a look in his eyes as if he was not all there, though he definitely was not “You can’t keep doing this, now come over here with me”

The doctor looked at Jacob and began nodding his head, repeatedly. Jacob took this as a good sign, an indication that somewhere in this man’s mind he could in fact understand what was being said. In Jacobs experience as a bar man dealing with fights, he had learnt never to shout at anyone during a clash, if they were right or wrong it was best just to calm them down and separate the two warring parties. The doctor held out his left hand to shake, having should of known better but by sheer reaction Jacob responded to shake his hand since he thought it was just another strange action from this weird little man. As soon as Jacob had his hand cupped the doctors eyes flared up and a sheer evil look raged across his face. Jacob felt his hand and whole body pulled down by the doctors arm and then felt a succession of abrupt blows to the back of his head. The punches he sustained from the doctor delivered no pain but did caused a sudden bout of strong dizziness; enough to make Jacob loose balance and fall over.

Miller during this time had been helping hold down the girl but was quick to react when seeing his best friend floored by this growing menace. Miller was not one usually to get physical in a fight, always did he help his friend separate fights and hold people apart but never was he one for throwing actual punches himself however, the doctor had just beaten his friend which cause his own rage to flare, plus he was smaller than himself so who cared.
Quickly Miller volleyed himself into the doctor, knocking him to the ground. Suddenly the doctor found himself on the floor and as he looked up he saw bearing down on him Jacob and Miller standing shoulder to shoulder, rain crashing down upon them, a look of vengeance about them, the doctor felt a return of sense and a sense of fear.

Before either pair made any thought of how to deal with the doctor Miller felt himself pushed forwards. As the two looked around they noticed that the two arguing couples were now too fighting and others had joined in, secondly the girl had been ignored and once more launched herself on top of the doctor. Jacob looked around with new shock; Miller even snorted a laugh as he saw everyone beginning to fight

“They can’t even hurt each other” laughed Jacob

“I know” Miller replied with a smile, “what should we do?”

Jacob looked at the girl once more banging the doctors head off of the floor and at the people wrestling in the water filled floor of their cart, he turned to Miller but had no time to reply, Miller had been knocked over by a very tall man and made the mistake of voicing his irritation to him.

Soon everyone in the cart was fighting, including Jacob and Miller. The carriage that carried all the prisoners began to bounce and shake as the inhabitants rocked from one wall to the other, screaming and shouting, kicking and punching. The guards who were not driving the immensely fast flying vehicle began to watch with enjoyment of the on going fight; even the driver would turn around and cheer.

“Hey look at’em go” laughed one of the guards to his fellow men

“Look at them too there” said another pointing to two women at grips with each other, “there gonna have each other clothes off in a second, wayha go on love, give it to her” he laughed

“What you think started it?”

“I don’t know, I think that little sod there was up to something earlier but maybe their just taking their frustration out on each other”

“Well they aren’t doing much damage to each other though are they?”

“No” the guard chuckles “but with this they could” and he held up his stun rod and waved it above the fighting prisoners below

“Yeah! Should we, I mean their not gonna kill each other are they, their just gonna be doing what they are trying to do now”

“But”

“But nothing, ye see we still av our guns so we’ll get’em back. We’ve still a long ride left, their not gonna be fighting that long and they can’t get to us, come on what the worst that can happen?”

“Fuck it, alright” and with that the guard and those beside him threw down their stun rods, the screams elevated.

Jacobs eye caught immediately a glimpse of one of the three black rods falling down, quickly he darted to catch one, not because he intended any harm to anyone but because he knew others would use them against him possibly if they got to them first. Jacob sprinted off the back of one man at the top of a pile of bodies and jumped for the falling rod to grasp it in his hand. As he landed he fell before Miller who too had picked up a rod

“I’ve got one” Miller said, only to immediately be hit across the head by another who acquired the third. Miller collapsed and somebody else took his weapon. Jacob tried to make sure no one saw what he had since it was a magnet for attack but the blue fickle lights that danced at the head of the rod were hard to hide and soon people ran from him and ran to him. Jacob had no time to help Miller since now he had his own worries; he hastily dashed back away from the onslaught of men who raced his way, intent on his weapon. On his way back Jacob passed by the girl and doctor and still she had not given up her quest to beat him to a pulp but without much success, the doctor smiled still. Though Jacob hurried back he still found time to swiftly smack the doctor on his large nose and flick a wink at the girl as she smiled at him while the doctor shook in agonizing pain

Jacob soon found himself back in Alfred corner and confronted by at least six men, as the first approached Jacob had no choice but to swing his weapon and strike the man across his face. The others were slow to follow since the first lay flat on the ground having a seizure as such but soon the remaining force decided to attack together. Sooner than letting the herd of beasts get hold of the weapon to beat him with it, Jacob decided in an instant to cast it away. As he threw the black shiny rode through the air, all those who had not a weapon followed its course. Over the heads of the crowd it flew since in desperation Jacob had thrown it hard, and high. No one was able to catch the rod since it was far out of reach and soon too even flew passed the guards looking down cheering on the fight but now too their mood changed too. Passed the faces of two soldiers it went and straight into the head of the driver who saw it coming directly at him.

Without more ado the driver quickly fell across and over the controls and away from the vehicle altogether, he hit the ground at an unbelievable speed and rolled over and over for miles, such was the impact and pace of the moving machine. The rusted long vehicle, pulled along by the gigantic steel magnet engine was now raging across the bare barren land at an amazing speed. The soldiers in their passenger seated area tried fast to get to the controls but the swiftness of a lightening strike would not have been fast enough since the fallen driver had knocked the throttle to full and the steering down and across.

Everyone inside the cart, prisoners and guards were instantly thrown backwards, now the soldiers were screaming as well. As the vehicle travelled faster the rain hit harder, the prisoners were being thrown dramatically about and the dark troubled clouds in the sky zoomed past into a blur. The haul of the vehicle suddenly veered low and smashed into the barren ground but launched back up in a single rebound, without anyone at the reins it was soon travelling vertically into the air. As the high-speed machine raced up through the air all of the prisoners dropped and piled against the back wall. Like a rocket the cart was flying straight up into the darkened sky, nobody seemed able to take control, higher and higher they gained. Soon people were abruptly vanishing in a flash as they were sucked over board by the gravity of the now far distant land. Whoosh, another vanish with a gone astray scream, swish, a second and a third, then a fourth were dramatically cast overbroad to fall thousands of feet to the ground, only the white in their eyes could be seen now they had reached the heights of the dark thick thundering clouds. Then suddenly a sixth, the girl, felt herself gripped by a greater force pulling her down, slowly she felt her self falling away, body at a top she felt herself slid over, each person she begged to help hold her in but her weight was pulling them too so she was pushed away.

Jacob was next to the girl and flung his free arm out to catch her but it was too late, she gave him a desperate look as her legs dangled down into the darkened sky, then she had gone. In his other arm he held onto Miller who still had not woken since his attack, he could not move at all or he too and his friend would find themselves pulled out. As gushing white wind smothered his face he fought with difficultly to see what the man beside him was doing, it was the doctor. Though the power of the wind silenced all sound Jacob could tell the doctor was laughing and watch as he climbed over a mountain of bodies like a four legged animal and leap over the side.

Abruptly the vehicle reached it peak, it slowed more a moment then the carts gigantic silver ball haul began to fall forwards to bring them all crashing back to the ground. Everybody fell rolling forwards into the wall in front, all the soldiers in their seats fell out into the sky away from the diving machine but since the vehicle was travelling faster than those who fell, it soon over took all them who were falling, including the doctor and the girl. No sooner had the prisoners hit the on looking wall did the g-force caused by the speed of fall force them straight back into the back wall. Again people began to fall out of the craft, however as they tumbled out their terrified bodies appeared to fall upwards into the sky! The impact of hitting the back wall caused Jacob to lose his grip of Miller who chose that moment to wake and shriek.

“Miller!” Jacob shouted as he tried to grab him

Miller nonetheless did not ascend into the air, by miracle of luck he grabbed hold of the wall and hung on with all his might, a second longer and he would of lost his grip but at that second the last thing he saw was the ground coming at them all instantly

The vehicle hit the floor in an explosion of dust and dirt but it did not stop, one of the attachments that connected the magno ball engine to the front of the vehicle broke off in the collision with the ground but the cart carried on still at top speeds, now spinning around and around, throwing those inside ferociously about. Miller still held phenomenally on and spun with the host he was gripped to. In a matter of seconds the vehicle was travelling in a straight line, backwards and towards another carriage in front, the lavish carriage of Arx Malums.

“Argghhhhhh” cried Miller, as he was about to smash together with Arxs coach

Jacob stood upon the head on a man who laid below him and took hold of both Millers hands and jumped from the vehicle, falling beneath the cart as it flew over head and straight into the other.

Arx Malums carriage was travelling along at a much slower pace, the lavish looking means of transport had no idea what was about to happen next, suddenly a mighty collision, both carriages arched up as metal twisted and broke with the impact and then merged together by the crash they both rolled and crashed along the ground with a curtain of dusk and deafening noise.

Jacob laid unconscious while Miller watched person after person hit the ground as they whistled down from the sky all around him, one after the other like hail. Bang, one man to his left hit the ground in an eye blink, thump, a women to the front of him crash forcefully onto the ground and bounced high back up before finally hitting the gone for good. No matter how hard or fast anyone hit the ground, no made a dent in the ground at all, this was not a fact anyone cared to observe due to the nature of their emotions but not a spec of dirt moved even when the heaviest person came crashing down

“Do not run, you have nowhere to hide” was the voice Jacob woke to. As he opened his eyes he saw in the distant an armoured soldier with a large rifle firing at his fellow prisoners, below him he had his foot upon a mans head, Alfred’s.

Miller watched as shot after shot fired from the soldier’s rifle made their way into their intended victim. Though Alfred called for them not to run, many did, amongst them the doctor. He watched as the doctor scuffled to him feet and run on hands and feet across the barren land, nowhere to hide for hundred of miles in any direction. Like the madman he was now seen to be the doctor ran frantically but as with the others a hurtling white flared shot sprung its way into the doctors neck and out the other side. ‘That’s him dead’ Miller surely thought

“NO!” Jacob heard Arx Malum roar. Arx was shouting at the guard not to shoot the prisoners and seemed particularly distressed when the doctor was hit in the back of the neck, suddenly he let rip a shot of his own which quickly stopped the solder’s shooting, the soldier dropped deceased on top of Alfred
Suddenly soldiers were once more busy running about, gathering all the prisoners, it seemed no one had been killed by the gun fire but whether the fall killed anyone was anyone’s guess.

Before Jacob was put back in the carriage, while it was being turned back over and repaired he noticed in the distant Arx Malum shouting at a line of soldiers, one soldier stepped forwards, he was one of the guards who threw down his stun rod during the fight. He was saying something but Jacob couldn’t hear but he heard the gunshot that Arx fire soon after fired down the line soldiers.

Jacob soon found himself back in the cart and moments later he was followed by Miller, both sat quiet, both thinking of yet another harrowing experience but their nerves were shot, they felt a numbness and sat without emotion, for the moment anyhow. Jacob sat back in his corner with Miller beside, both watched as someone else was loaded back aboard, grim faced and mortified, Miller was trying to see if any was missing and a few was left unaccounted for, he heard the guard say with terror in his voice. The next person to walk through the passage though brought a warmth to Jacobs heart and he grinned broadly, the girl had survived, her face was agonized but Jacob just sought comfort in the knowledge she had no been harmed, that who followed her in brought a bitter taste. Through the passage next, carried by two guards was rat face, the mental doctor and he had a huge bandage around his neck where whitish foam sprayed horribly.

The young lady once freed from the guards grip made her way nervously back into her shared cell and instantly headed for Jacob, surprisingly. Jacob knew not what to say but he stood up anyhow to greet her, smile gone from his face. The girl stood in front of Jacob for a second without actions but tears rolled down her beautifully but dirty face, then she threw her arms around him. Unsure of what to do he did what he always did when dealing with those upset after a pub brawl, console them, this consisted of him nervously and half heartedly telling that person all would be ok but this girl was strikingly beautifully and in the midst of all that had gone on Jacob still felt room in his emotions to feel shy about wrapping his arms around one son stunning and so she just wept on his shoulder while he infrequently patted her back.

After much time Jacob was once more seated in his corner with Miller asleep to his left and the girl also asleep to his right but Jacob was waiting for another and he had just arrived, Alfred. Jacob stood up and made fast to welcome him back but Alfred made no reply, he simply walked around Jacob and sat down in his corner, between Miller and the girl. Jacob without thought or loss of time quickly began his blitz of questioning, what was happening? What had Arx said, where were they going? Alfred did not reply to anything, instead he looked up at Jacob with spite in his eye then turned his head away to fuse over past and coming events. Eventually Jacob ended his quest for answers and sat back down besides Miller but his mind was besides the girl.

The four walls raised high again in the carriage and the vehicle lifted off and once more made way for its destination, the sky slowly dimmed and the rain eventually stopped and all slept inside the carriage.


Chapter 9:
Glorion City, Home of the War