The Acolytes of Crane (Theodore Crane, #1)(92)

‘No. A Driad is a Rangier and Dacturon hybrid. They have the telekinetic ability of the Dacturons and the image projections of Rangiers. They are very dangerous,’ he said.


‘How the heck do you expect me, a fifteen-year-old, to undertake this impossible task? This isn’t a fantasy, this is real! Are you trying to get me killed?’ I yelled spontaneously. I was now afraid. Instantly I regretted my outburst, as I did not want to demonstrate a lack of confidence in front of my army. They needed me to be as forthright as a lighthouse shining in the night.

‘Theodore, you don’t know what you are capable of doing. You almost brought down the defenses of the Uriel—you, a teenager, escaped from Zane, something that no one has been able to do—until now. I am here by order of Trazuline, the Karshiz King.’ He blurted out the obvious as if it was a weight off his shoulders, ‘He is the one that guided your escape from the Uriel.’

‘Yes, I know. I heard him.’

‘Then you must surely see that he is helping us.’

‘Yes.’ I rubbed my chin. ‘Why is he helping me?’

‘He was a convert of Zane, but as he has drawn closer, he sees that Zane only replicates things. Zane does not favor anything that does not have its own mind. Therefore, Zane is a threat to the multiverse. He is building an army!’

I looked on at Pike as he spoke animatedly, spittle flying out. He said, ‘Right now, Odion is planning a siege on the gateway to Sephera! It is our duty, your duty as Messiah, to ensure that he does not succeed.’

It was officially confirmed. King Trazuline was my benefactor from the beginning. He was the traitor that the Urilians were trying to find, not me. At least the Urilians still didn’t know. I would happily be the target of the Urilians, so that Trazuline could continue his covert role.

But first, I needed the Elons. And right now, the Elons needed me to liberate them. We would leave under night’s cover. Pike paced round the room, then sat upon his wife’s chair, deep in thought. I also seated myself, placed my elbows on the table, and rested my head against my hands. I lifted my head and gazed in Pike’s direction. He then looked at me and we stared at one another for just a moment.

‘I can do this right?’ I said, in doubt of my own capabilities.

Pike nodded. ‘You are a dog that chases its tail between meals. You have made it this far with what you have. Why do I constantly have to remind you what you are capable of?’

I swallowed my pride, and said, ‘My father always looked down on me.’ Tears ran down my cheeks.

Pike stood up and walked over to me. He laid his hand on my shoulder.

Wiping my hot tears, I murmured, ‘No one ever believed in me until Zane found me. I guess I always fear that it will happen again.’

‘Theodore, you are not your father. You are of your father. That is where your rage is born, but your father you are not. His path isn’t your path. I want you to know something: there is no doubt in the bonds of trust. You cannot fake confidence. Every moment you have thought you were going to fall to the winds of change, you have remained standing. It is that fear that has slowed your true potential. Grab hold of your fear, channel it into your trusted sword, and watch your enemy. Then you will know what a coward looks like.’

‘Thanks,’ I said gratefully. I needed to hear that.

Pike spat at me, out of regret, rather than contempt, ‘In other words, stop being such a twit!’

His words rendered minor invisible blows on me, but I thankfully absorbed them. I thought back to my mom, and how she never stood up to Bill. She lived in fear, and so did I. The only difference was my fear urged me to make a phone call to the police, and if I didn’t get that snowball rolling, there might have been no avalanche.

I walked up to Pike in his chair, and I gave him a hug, ‘Pike, I am so thankful to have you on my side. I could not have done this without you.’

Pike looked up at me. ‘You’re finally right!’

I walked out of the room, and my curiosity yanked me back, ‘Pike, what makes the Dark King so deadly, the one who is now in Jaakruid?’

‘A trident. Its savagery arises from the fact it is made up of uranium and is extremely radioactive. This weapon has the ability to pierce any armor. Thrown hard enough at any target, the target would likely never recover. He paused for a moment and gave me an assuring look. ‘It has never met your sword Theodore, and I would put all the money in the multiverse on your weapon, not this dastardly trident. Now get out of here, and get some rest. You will be awakened in the dead of night to fight.’

‘Yes. Plus the Driad, which can fool us with its holographic projections.’

‘Yes. More than the Dark King, he is my one true concern. Go to sleep now,’ Pike said.

I walked into my pantry and lay on my bed of piled jungle leaves. My thoughts were whirlpooling in my brain. I thought of what it could be like to just be back on Earth, an innocuous fifteen-year-old, reading superhero comics in bed, and not have to worry about saving Sephera.

My fate was in the town of Jaakruid, waiting for me. I grew tired in thought, and I fell asleep.

For what seemed like a couple of seconds, I slept. My slumber eventually ended with me suffering a kinked neck. I woke up, and I tossed upon my cot for a minute before I decided to go outside. I slapped my kicks on my feet and exited the cave. Now shrouded in pitch black darkness, I switched the lights on my kicks, and flew up to the sheer cliff side. Even the light from my X73-21’s was not enough to see the bottom of the unfathomable cliffs. Sighing, I sat on a lichen-covered branch jutting out from a tree miraculously thriving on a shelf of the cliff.