The Acolytes of Crane (Theodore Crane, #1)(91)

I remembered what Jezra said about blind obedience, and I knew that if I was going to drive these Elons like a javelin into the chest of Travis and his band of Dacturon warlords, I had to give my virgin army reason.

The atmosphere in the cave was positively electric. The current of energy flowed down that army, and I was wired as I strolled past the never-ending throng of troops, which gradually parted exactly in the middle as I inspected them all. Each head turned as I walked, boring in on me. It felt like being in a battalion of robots, but these were living, breathing beings. When I made it past the contingent, Pike was darting about, a ball of energy, as he delivered bows and arrows to each Elon soldier. He was calculating inventory when I approached him.

‘Hey Pike, so the weapon of choice is bow?’ I asked.

He beamed a huge smile as he looked at me and said, ‘Ha! The young Messiah awakens. Yes, my liege, the bow will be the perfect weapon—you will see. Each soldier will have fifty arrows and two bows. If they run out, you will find they have the means to make more for themselves.’

I thought as Lincoln always would in moments like that: one thousand soldiers with fifty arrows apiece—that is fifty thousand arrows. That is real firepower. I needed to get Pike alone so we could discuss strategy. I beckoned to him and walked off to the side with him.

‘Pike, I am going to get the help of one of the Elons to do the job you are doing right now because, well, I would like to discuss our plan of attack.’ He agreed quickly, admiring me. He had come a long way from mocking me the first time I had landed on his planet. After all, I was the Messiah.

I turned to the first Elon I saw close by, swelling with newfound confidence. I was now unstoppable. ‘You there, I have an important job for you, what is your name?’

The Elon meekly replied, not daring to look at me in the eyes. Rather, he stared straight ahead, out of respect. ‘I don’t have a name, sir. I will be pleased to attain one.’

‘You will relieve Pike at his post. Each soldier gets two bows and fifty arrows. We will discuss names later.’ I grabbed Pike after I was done directing the Elon, and we walked along a corridor of the cave that was separate from the lengthy file of Elons.

‘Okay, so before we discuss strategy, I have some questions that need answering. How do the Elons know English, how come they don’t have names, and how do they know how to fight?’

‘Theodore, I thought I explained that to you already. Elons pass on information to their kin through their genetic make-up. A Venus flytrap on your Earth, for example, does not need to learn how to trap insects. It just does, based on its design. In a way, you humans are not that different. Every learned experience will be passed on to the next generation. As for naming the Elons, you are their commander and it is your job. I would like to see you name a thousand Elons in one hour. They will be issued rank next at your complete discretion, for any Elon is highly adaptable and can quickly rise to any senior level because of his collective experience. It is a lot for you to take in, I know. Now, have I answered all your questions?’

‘So, to confirm, we launch an assault against the Dark King?’ I asked.

‘That’s why you arrived on our planet, yes, Theodore. It has been pre-destined.’

‘And you will show me where Jaakruid is?’

‘I know it like the back of my hand. I used to live there, while Jezra was still a young Princess. I helped her escape when the Dark King usurped power. I will be your guide.’

‘Fair enough,’ I deliberated thoughtfully. ‘Strategy, I need to know what we are up against.’ I asked. For half an hour, while the thousand Elons were busy fitting themselves with weapons, Pike and I discussed our battle plan.

Our plan was simple, but each level of attack required success one after the other, and there was no room for error or contingency.

A small elite group of the finest Elon’s in my army would escort me, cloaked with invisibility by my XJ7-321, through the forest. After the fall of Jaakruid, I was to finally reap my own personal reward by hijacking a Tritillian vessel to escape to Karshiz. Pike had told me that King Trazuline was working against Zane and would like me there covertly. Once there, I could prepare for my offensive on Odion.

Earlier this morning, Pike had sent dozens of small airborne recon devices to observe any advantageous points of entry. These spy devices had just returned, and our Elon commander had been busy collating and interpreting the dozens of classified observations. These Elons were sure intelligent creatures.

‘What did you find?’ an eager Pike asked the commander.

The commander spoke crisply, ‘Sir, we found that our route is heavily guarded. There are roaming patrols throughout the city’s perimeter, as well as the one gigantic Morlorian at the gates. There is a possibility of an approaching offensive. Quasikeum seemed to know that Master Theodore is with us now. He was guiding the warships into formation. There looks to be a Tritillian offensive forming, but there is one other thing.’

‘What is it?’ Pike yelled, wary.

‘A Human—and a Driad,’ the commander said as he looked over at me, ‘They were perched at the top of a KeKua tree and they saw our surveillance devices. I am sorry that we have inadvertently revealed our presence.’ The commander bowed his head after he was through speaking.

‘What the heck is a Driad? This isn’t about a ship, is it Pike?’ I asked, even though I knew damn well what the answer was.