Merry Christmas, happy holidays, everyone! Hope you're having a great break! Time to kick up those feet and read some fanfiction!
Preliminary information for you to peruse: This is a sequel. So if you're looking for the first book, hightail it down to my profile and check out The Truth of the Matter! I may be biased, but I think you'll enjoy it a lot.
Another side thing - it's kind of amazing that you enjoyed the first book so much you came back for more. Wow. To me that's incredible. Thank you so much!
All thanks aside, are you ready for the first chapter of False Prophets? Who else is pumped? (Me. Totally me.)
With no further ado. Read on!
(For any newcomers - which, if you read the preliminary information, why are you still here? - read on is my catchphrase. It's a fact now.)
Chapter One – Thrace
"They're coming. Escorted by our best infantry men. Be ready." One of my delegates sends a message from a wall port and I read the scrolling text. Today's meeting will be held with only the tributes and Wu. These kids deserve to understand.
Yesterday was messy, and not just because of the soldiers lost. Even now I feel the grief like a curtain drape over the rebel base. They should not have died. The Light boy was powerful, and they knew that, but you could have changed that. The ceremony is today, and I do not plan to attend. Rebels die every day. But you could have changed these deaths. This one is on you.
The tributes have been properly cared for and nursed back to health, but minimal explanation has been given to them, on my orders. Thankfully, they accepted their state and have not tried to force answers from their caregivers. Today they will understand. Yet how can I explain?
There is a knock at the door and I look up suddenly. "Enter." My tone is even and steady, emotionally neutral. That should keep the Fire boy at bay. We'll be trying to read each other all of the meeting, I assume. If he is as good of a trader as they say I'll have to constantly be on guard.
With an almost imperceptible creak the door swings open, held by an infantry soldier, a squad leader, dressed in full assault armor, guns slung across his back and strapped to his legs. The show of power is overwhelming and I make a mental note to chide Watson later, but I understand his reasoning. The tributes will be wondering about the rebels, how strong they are, if they are a real threat to Borg. If the Arena storming wasn't proof enough, what will be? The tributes follow the soldier, looking small and meek in comparison, but holding themselves with admirable dignity. Another infantry man follows them in and closes the door, standing by it with one hand loosely held at his side, close to his semi-automatic pistol in its holster. Taking no chances.
"Welcome – former tributes, present guests. Take a seat." I instruct, and each of them finds a chair quietly. Observing all of their faces, I see many shades of emotion – some scared, some apprehensive, some angry. Finally I meet the eyes of the Fire boy and we hold each other's gaze steadily for a second, each like a solid block of stone, and I fully admire the power of the boy's skill. Then Kai slowly lowers his gaze, and in that moment I can read him. You have saved me, and I am grateful. You can still do more for me, something I desperately want and need, and so I will submit myself to you for now. My lips twitch up in a smile and I turn my attention to the other tributes, then smile openly.
"You have lots of questions," I begin, and the Earth boy snorts.
"That's an understatement! What happened? The soldiers were attacking us, and the Arena, and… And… What?"
"What, indeed." I agree gravely, and the Darkness girl barely smiles. "First, let me explain from the beginning. You have all had Borg briefing?" Borg briefing, cleverly dubbed by one of the psychologist squad members, was the explanation of Borg and the twisted depths of his dictatorship. Thankfully, the tributes understood it easily and accepted it, even those who were living under the lies of Borg himself. They nod in response and Lloyd, Garmadon's son, speaks.
"How could he do all of those things and we didn't notice. K-killing all of those people…" The boy shudders and I look in his direction.
"Covering things up is one of Borg's specialties. That you'll understand later, once you've been exposed to the deepest, darkest secrets of his reign." My answer is obviously cyclical, but Lloyd just nods in agreement. I glance at Kai again and see him watching me. He judges my look and drops his eyes to the table, frowning.
"Borg has often sent troublesome teenagers to the Hunger Games to dispose of them easily and without receiving obvious questions. The students are in classes, have friends in school, and those ties are often severed later in life. In the Complex families often have fewer friends than they did during their school years, and although the ties in the Complex are many, the ties in school are even more so. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir." The Lightning boy pipes up, drumming his fingers on the tabletop with restless energy.
"Excellent. This year many students who had caused for irregularities in his system were being disposed of. Here at base we realized this, realized how this crop of tributes were especially beneficial, and added a few more of our choosing to the mix, and Borg put a few of his own. Some were random, yes. But you, my friends, are the best and brightest of them all."
"So we're recruits for you. How do you know we'll join you?" Cole, the Earth boy, snaps back. His arms are crossed and he looks angry and scared. Scared children are easy to bend, though.
"We can send you back to Borg. You won't know the coordinates of our base and honestly he won't believe you when you tell him about us. You'll be forced to parade in front of the Complex as Borg's perfect puppet, following his every order willingly, and you can never drop your charade, never, because if you do he'll kill someone you love. Then what? You'll wish you were back here with us, won't you? And that's if the citizens don't tear you apart too." I take a breath, compose myself, then take a small remote and press play. On the back wall of the room the live Complex feed shows the patchless rebellion in full sway, which has only grown in magnitude since the first day, and I can hear the tributes gasp.
"Thank your friend from Fire for this, comrades. They call themselves the patchless and are rooting for the end of the elements. We used our hackers to keep Borg from switching the feed to another part of the Games and now this has happened." I wave a hand at the screen. "The Complex is in disarray, the Nindroids can't control them, and the patchless are getting support."
"From who?" The Lightning boy asks, gawking at the screen.
"Us." I simply reply. "Once the battle at the Complex is over, won by the citizens, we group with them and our forces and take the battle to him."
"Borg Tower." The Ice boy says, a stunned look on his face.
"You might as well know what you're signing up for, boys and girls. We're going to overthrow dear old President Borg, and you're going to help us." Like I expect, each of the tributes bursts out with questions, eyes wide and incredulous.
"But Borg has superior manpower and weapons!"
"We'll never be able to do that!"
"Wait… How can we help? You said we were going to help you. And that we're special or something, right?"
"What is going on?"
I raise a hand and the talking stops, the only sound in the room the faint buzzing of the projector as it shows the Complex channel. "I know you're confused, and have questions, but it's fairly simple. Each of you possess traits that will advance our project exponentially, and you will be trained so that those traits will be drawn out and nurtured, so that you can achieve your full potential."
"This is assuming that we join you, though. Admittedly, the other option kind of sucks, but we're not really obligated to help you, besides the fact that you've saved us and all. Why should you help us? By the sound of it, if one of us quits then your almighty plan will collapse. What if we opt out?" Cole says, eyes narrowed.
"Have we done anything that would spark animosity between the two of us? For all that we've done for you, should you not be grateful? Should you not want to help us in return?"
"I mean, I'm grateful and all, but I –"
"You wanna go back home? Hate to break it to ya, pal, but there ain't no home anymore." Kai replies, in admirable rebel slang, too. Cole fumes silently but doesn't reply.
"He has a point. Home as you knew it no longer exists. Home was a lie. Now you fight for the people. You fight for the patchless, who have seen the truth now and are acting on their beliefs. Now you fight for the citizens hiding from persecution, who have taken up arms against Borg, who the Nindroids will slaughter without a second thought. You know what will happen without you?" I stand for effect, leaning forward with my palms on the table. "The patchless will fight, but eventually their rebellion will be smothered. A shaken Borg will try to soothe what little of the population he still controls, while also chasing after every rebellion rumor. He will strike your families first, everyone you have ever loved, torture them, kill them, trying to get at you. And while the rebel movement will grow, Borg will grow faster, and eventually he will find and kill us. Our leaders will die and be replaced by leaders just as good, and they will die and be replaced, and so will Borg and so will I, and the cycle goes on."
"So what? We're just kids! In the real world they treat us like dirt. What can we do that's so monumental? So what if I can lead, or if someone can build a cool robot or whatever? We can't help you! We're not superheroes or anything!"
"You fail to understand, Cole. You are young. Your lack of experience leads you to know no loss; you will not be cautious, hesitant. Your genius is still uncultured and it is already incredible. With training and time you could become brilliant. And there is something that you can bring… But that is for a later date."
The students are silent, mulling over what I have just said. They have no idea how important they are, I think. Is it true that we are relying on children to save us all? I never could have guessed…
"Okay, okay, we heard the speech. We join the team. What now?" The Ice boy says, gazing at the news feed on the wall.
"You'll have to take the test that sorts you into your guild. It's not a written test, in fact, it's most like the elemental test the thirteen-years children take back at the Complex to sort them into elements. It will be administrated by the Tactical guild for each of you after this meeting adjourns. That is, if you are joining the rebel cause."
"And what if we don't? Really, actually, what will you do to us?" Cole asks, but I can tell by his hunched posture that he plans to join and is just wondering.
"I will send you in a hovercraft to the woods outside of the Complex, where you will return. The first Nindroid you see will take you to Borg Tower and President Borg will –"
"Okay, yeah, I get it. I'm in, I guess."
"Wonderful." I reply, then turn to the other tributes. "And you? What do you say?"
"I'm in too." The Ice boy says, still looking confused.
"Yeah, me three!" The Lighting boy nods furiously, grinning.
"Sure." Garmadon's son says, gesturing his palms open.
"I'll join too." The Darkness girl says, then glances at the Fire boy.
"And you, Kai? What do you say?" I ask, preparing myself for a brief trading exchange, but instead the boy fixes me with an empty stare.
"What about the other people in the Complex? Our relatives, our friends. You said that if we were to return Borg would interrogate, torture them. Isn't he doing that now, trying to find out our whereabouts?" He's quick.
"It is unclear for certain people in particular."
"No, it isn't. You've obviously got them monitored – family, if we have them. You know that. Where are they? Have they been taken to the Tower?" The other tributes shift uncomfortably, suddenly worried. The boy is right, I have been keeping tabs on family members, seeing if Borg has begun his search yet.
"I can't confirm their safety in the future…" I begin, but Kai stops me.
"So right now they're safe. But you don't know if later, once the rebellion has reached a manageable or out-of-control state, they won't be taken hostage." Very quick indeed.
"Would you prefer we guarantee their safety?"
"I will join, under one condition," The Fire boy begins, and I realize that, either if he knows it or not, he's won this match, or I have set him up. I know that he will join, and I know the look he gave me. The impenetrable trader has a chink in his armor. This I can use. "I want you to guarantee the safety of the immediate family of every rescued tribute and their safe passage to the base." The other students look at Kai, shocked, but I can almost feel their relief as they sink into their chairs.
"You know I cannot guarantee that." I say, but the Fire boy doesn't respond. His work is done.
"But… You'll try, right?" The Lightning boy squeaks, forehead scrunched in worry. I let out a quiet breath.
"Fine. Your condition has been granted. I repeat, I cannot guarantee this."
"Good enough." Cole says, keeping his arms entwined tightly.
I glance at the wall port and check the time – the tributes should be taking their tests now. "This meeting has been very enlightening, and I hope many of your questions have been answered. Now, if you will, please follow Priam and Kess to your aptitude testing room. Further instructions will be given after your results have been processed. Farewell, my friends and soldiers, and good luck." And with that, our audience is done.
While the tributes file out of the meeting room to meet their soldier escorts Wu stands next to me, hands clasped together behind his back.
"So these are our saving graces?" He asks, smirking a little as he says so.
"If they aren't, our saving graces had better come soon."
"Thought they'd be taller. But I guess they make up for height in god-like unspeakable powers."
I ignore his jab and simply watch the retreating backs. "Right on, soldier."
Okay. Let's have a moment of real talk.
You, the reader, typically never review, right? Please, please make an exception this time! I'd love to know what you think of the first chapter of the sequel. Think of it as your Christmas gift to me.
Speaking of gifts, I have one for you. Comment your favorite story and I'll go check it out! Sorry, I didn't have time to wrap it. Do you like it?
FIRST CHAPTER NOSTALGIA. Are you ready for a wild ride?
I hope so, dear reader.
Happy holidays! Until next time!
P.S. Cover art is credited to the enormously talented celebrenithil on deviantart.