-IV-
Something pulled from deep within me.
Ladon.
I felt helpless. The shot seconds away.
Ladon!
A low guttural growl escaped my lips.
LADON!
"What are you doing," my eyes jerked open. Nina was talking to the soldier.
"Marcus told me to - " she cut him off abruptly.
"Go inside and tell Marcus to stop kissing his own ass and to get on with the preparations." The soldier saluted her and released the hammer on his gun. The soldier paused for a second and glanced over at me and walked inside. I felt my whole body shudder as I realized that death wouldn't come just yet. Nina said something to me but I had been too caught up in the moment to hear her.
"What," I asked.
"Ladon, I heard you call out his name again. You have a real fondness with that name..." I looked at her a little perplexed.
"No, I didn't." I didn't remember calling out any name. She turned to walk away and I tried to thank her, but I threw up and passed out.
***
I awoke on the cold hard floor of my too familiar cell. I stood up slowly and walked over to the bed and collapsed, just as I was drifting out of consciousness I heard the guards talking outside of my room.
"Are you going tonight?"
"No," came another voice, "are you?"
"Yeah, they just got some more Verotoxin... Everyone is using it tonight. I just hope she can keep us in control..." their voices faded and there was only blackness.
***
Then there was light again. Dancing, swirling, brightly colored hues of it. Something deep inside of me told me that fate had been changed.
***
The rebels had stormed the high security prison in Suveria, where the man named Aludrad, the leader of the rebellion, was held. They succeeded in freeing him, from what I heard, but not without its costs. Nina had been injured and the users had gone ballistic, killing prisoners, army soldiers, and even themselves. Aludrad had calmed them and rescued Nina.
Aludrad was here. Since I had heard, I have been planning to kill him. If I could kill him the war would be over. If I could only get to a gun or a knife -
The door to my room opened. Two soldiers entered and then a man I didn't recognize: Aludrad.
He was tall, about six feet, with swept back jet-black hair. His robes where similar to Nina's, they even hung off of him like hers. Then I saw a wrist slip out from under his sleeve as he ran his hand through his hair; it was the size of a child's. He looked at me with unsettling dark-green eyes. "Hello, Ryu Hito. My name is Aludrad Ectuvane."
"I know who you are," I hissed.
"There is no need for harshness. Especially if you want to live. Now, Mr. Hito, I want you to understand our cause."
"Why?"
"What do you know about your government? And I don't mean what they teach you in school," he waved a skinny finger as he said the last. I didn't want to, but I answered anyway.
"The Emperor sends his ratifications through the council who oversees the process and thus a law is made -"
"Not what your school books teach you. Let me go along a different line of questions. Do you know about Verotoxin," I clenched my fists tightly trying not to say anything that would get me killed, and Aludrad noticed, "I see you do. Do you know where it comes from?" I thought for a second and realized that I didn't. I shook my head.
"Ten years ago your government started a program named Rebirth. It was started after the ruins outside of Waeva and Kagen were found."
"The ruins of Wyndia and Drogen.?"
"Ah, you know your history. Yes, those were their names. They found old texts describing the ancient clan of the Dragon; they were called the Broods by the Wyndians. They were warriors of phenomenal strength."
"I've never heard of that." I was beginning to think he was lying.
"Of course not. The program was started to try and breed the Broods back into our society to make a new race for their army. They took genes found in the bones of the gravesites around the Drogen area. And after several attempts to breed the Dragons, using DNA, they decided that it wasn't going to work. So they tried to alter humans, also failed experiments. Then they found something. If they recreated the blood from these dragons and injected it in humans the cells automatically attached themselves to the Verostream, the life blood in our bodies, creating temporary superhumans. But nevertheless, it was toxic it too. After several tries to fix the problem, they discovered that the blood was just to powerful for our frail bodies to handle. Some soldiers mutated, as you have most likely seen around here."
"If it was a government program, then why do you have it?" Aludrad looked at the two guards, they saluted and left the room, shutting the door behind them.
"The government gave up on the program."
"Because it wasn't successful?"
"Partly, but they came up with a better solution. You have to wonder now, if the Dragons' blood was more powerful that our own blood how could it have been extinguished out. It couldn't have possibly been through mating. Their chromosomes were just too powerful; they would have undoubtedly traveled onto their children, and their children's children."
"Evolution," I said looking down.
"You are very quick. Their theory is that the Brood's evolved beyond the need of their power or when they intertwined with the chromosomes from those of the Wyndians and the others their genes receded to wait for the others to catch up on the evolutionary track. Either way, the cells went dormant, or so the government thinks." He paused and glanced at me. "If you were the government, how would you try to awaken these dormant cells?" I thought for a second.
"Some frogs in the jungles around the southern border can grow wings due to the stress from the environment; like the lack of food on the jungle floor or an increase of predators."
"Very good, Mr. Hito, I am very impressed. Stress. That's the key. What causes a great deal of stress?" War, I thought. "That's right, war." I blinked in surprise. Was he like Nina? "You see the things about those frogs that you mentioned is that only younger frogs can adapt to the new environment, the older frogs just perish and die. The scientists in the government must have thought it out too." He looked at me. "Fifteen-year- olds, Ryu."
"Are you saying that the government instigated this war?"
"Not the one against us, but the one against Gaderlan."
"There was never any war against Gaderlan."
"No, because we stepped in to intervene."
"That doesn't make any sense. If what you're saying is true, then, the government is still at war." He nodded thoughtfully.
"I've told you what you need to know. These fifteen-year-olds are dying all over the place. All I can tell you is that you have the power to stop it." He smiled a light smile. "I can tell you will be a valued asset to our cause." What? He... I had no intention of joining them. He could be lying.
***
Time passed, maybe a day, maybe longer. I was tired. I wanted to go home. Maybe they would let me take a walk. My door opened suddenly and Nina walked in. "Did Aludrad talk to you?"
"Yes, are you alright? I heard you were injured." She waved off the part about being injured.
"What did he say to you?"
"He told me about the Dragons and Wyndians, genetics programs in the government, Verotoxin, and about the fifteen-year-olds." She looked relieved. Approaching me she lifted her hand offering it to me.
"You want to go on a walk, huh?" I didn't take her hand. "I won't hurt you, if I were going to I would have let Breody shoot you." That was true.
"Listen, Nina. I know that the rebels are falling apart, but he really asked the wrong person to join him." She quirked her mouth.
"Aludrad asked you to join us," she laughed. "I don't know why he would expect you..." She trailed off. "Do you want to take a walk or not?" I stood slowly still not taking her hand. "Good." We left my room and traveled down some corridors, some that I didn't recognize, until we came out into the daylight. Where we were seemed to be a courtyard, but I doubt that was its original purpose.
"Can you do me a favor," I asked.
"I'm not sure. It really depends on what it is."
"What is the date?"
"You have been here for about a month." That's not as long as I had expected. My family probably thought I was dead. I knew that the government did.
"Is it my fate to die here?" She stopped walking and she looked at me.
"Fate can be altered, but I'd say no."
"How can fate be altered, doesn't that ruin the meaning of fate," I asked scratching my face. I had grown a good bit of facial hair because they didn't allow me to have a razor.
"I don't know. I just know that it can," she looked at me scratching my beard, "I'll see if I can get you a razor. I think we can trust you enough to handle it." She paused for a second. "Why haven't you... done anything?"
"You mean like try to run away?"
"Yes."
"I want to live to see my family again." She nodded thoughtfully.
"Sometimes," she sounded as if she wasn't sure she should say what she was, but she continued anyway, "Sometimes, I feel like I'm a bird trapped in a cage."
Something pulled from deep within me.
Ladon.
I felt helpless. The shot seconds away.
Ladon!
A low guttural growl escaped my lips.
LADON!
"What are you doing," my eyes jerked open. Nina was talking to the soldier.
"Marcus told me to - " she cut him off abruptly.
"Go inside and tell Marcus to stop kissing his own ass and to get on with the preparations." The soldier saluted her and released the hammer on his gun. The soldier paused for a second and glanced over at me and walked inside. I felt my whole body shudder as I realized that death wouldn't come just yet. Nina said something to me but I had been too caught up in the moment to hear her.
"What," I asked.
"Ladon, I heard you call out his name again. You have a real fondness with that name..." I looked at her a little perplexed.
"No, I didn't." I didn't remember calling out any name. She turned to walk away and I tried to thank her, but I threw up and passed out.
***
I awoke on the cold hard floor of my too familiar cell. I stood up slowly and walked over to the bed and collapsed, just as I was drifting out of consciousness I heard the guards talking outside of my room.
"Are you going tonight?"
"No," came another voice, "are you?"
"Yeah, they just got some more Verotoxin... Everyone is using it tonight. I just hope she can keep us in control..." their voices faded and there was only blackness.
***
Then there was light again. Dancing, swirling, brightly colored hues of it. Something deep inside of me told me that fate had been changed.
***
The rebels had stormed the high security prison in Suveria, where the man named Aludrad, the leader of the rebellion, was held. They succeeded in freeing him, from what I heard, but not without its costs. Nina had been injured and the users had gone ballistic, killing prisoners, army soldiers, and even themselves. Aludrad had calmed them and rescued Nina.
Aludrad was here. Since I had heard, I have been planning to kill him. If I could kill him the war would be over. If I could only get to a gun or a knife -
The door to my room opened. Two soldiers entered and then a man I didn't recognize: Aludrad.
He was tall, about six feet, with swept back jet-black hair. His robes where similar to Nina's, they even hung off of him like hers. Then I saw a wrist slip out from under his sleeve as he ran his hand through his hair; it was the size of a child's. He looked at me with unsettling dark-green eyes. "Hello, Ryu Hito. My name is Aludrad Ectuvane."
"I know who you are," I hissed.
"There is no need for harshness. Especially if you want to live. Now, Mr. Hito, I want you to understand our cause."
"Why?"
"What do you know about your government? And I don't mean what they teach you in school," he waved a skinny finger as he said the last. I didn't want to, but I answered anyway.
"The Emperor sends his ratifications through the council who oversees the process and thus a law is made -"
"Not what your school books teach you. Let me go along a different line of questions. Do you know about Verotoxin," I clenched my fists tightly trying not to say anything that would get me killed, and Aludrad noticed, "I see you do. Do you know where it comes from?" I thought for a second and realized that I didn't. I shook my head.
"Ten years ago your government started a program named Rebirth. It was started after the ruins outside of Waeva and Kagen were found."
"The ruins of Wyndia and Drogen.?"
"Ah, you know your history. Yes, those were their names. They found old texts describing the ancient clan of the Dragon; they were called the Broods by the Wyndians. They were warriors of phenomenal strength."
"I've never heard of that." I was beginning to think he was lying.
"Of course not. The program was started to try and breed the Broods back into our society to make a new race for their army. They took genes found in the bones of the gravesites around the Drogen area. And after several attempts to breed the Dragons, using DNA, they decided that it wasn't going to work. So they tried to alter humans, also failed experiments. Then they found something. If they recreated the blood from these dragons and injected it in humans the cells automatically attached themselves to the Verostream, the life blood in our bodies, creating temporary superhumans. But nevertheless, it was toxic it too. After several tries to fix the problem, they discovered that the blood was just to powerful for our frail bodies to handle. Some soldiers mutated, as you have most likely seen around here."
"If it was a government program, then why do you have it?" Aludrad looked at the two guards, they saluted and left the room, shutting the door behind them.
"The government gave up on the program."
"Because it wasn't successful?"
"Partly, but they came up with a better solution. You have to wonder now, if the Dragons' blood was more powerful that our own blood how could it have been extinguished out. It couldn't have possibly been through mating. Their chromosomes were just too powerful; they would have undoubtedly traveled onto their children, and their children's children."
"Evolution," I said looking down.
"You are very quick. Their theory is that the Brood's evolved beyond the need of their power or when they intertwined with the chromosomes from those of the Wyndians and the others their genes receded to wait for the others to catch up on the evolutionary track. Either way, the cells went dormant, or so the government thinks." He paused and glanced at me. "If you were the government, how would you try to awaken these dormant cells?" I thought for a second.
"Some frogs in the jungles around the southern border can grow wings due to the stress from the environment; like the lack of food on the jungle floor or an increase of predators."
"Very good, Mr. Hito, I am very impressed. Stress. That's the key. What causes a great deal of stress?" War, I thought. "That's right, war." I blinked in surprise. Was he like Nina? "You see the things about those frogs that you mentioned is that only younger frogs can adapt to the new environment, the older frogs just perish and die. The scientists in the government must have thought it out too." He looked at me. "Fifteen-year- olds, Ryu."
"Are you saying that the government instigated this war?"
"Not the one against us, but the one against Gaderlan."
"There was never any war against Gaderlan."
"No, because we stepped in to intervene."
"That doesn't make any sense. If what you're saying is true, then, the government is still at war." He nodded thoughtfully.
"I've told you what you need to know. These fifteen-year-olds are dying all over the place. All I can tell you is that you have the power to stop it." He smiled a light smile. "I can tell you will be a valued asset to our cause." What? He... I had no intention of joining them. He could be lying.
***
Time passed, maybe a day, maybe longer. I was tired. I wanted to go home. Maybe they would let me take a walk. My door opened suddenly and Nina walked in. "Did Aludrad talk to you?"
"Yes, are you alright? I heard you were injured." She waved off the part about being injured.
"What did he say to you?"
"He told me about the Dragons and Wyndians, genetics programs in the government, Verotoxin, and about the fifteen-year-olds." She looked relieved. Approaching me she lifted her hand offering it to me.
"You want to go on a walk, huh?" I didn't take her hand. "I won't hurt you, if I were going to I would have let Breody shoot you." That was true.
"Listen, Nina. I know that the rebels are falling apart, but he really asked the wrong person to join him." She quirked her mouth.
"Aludrad asked you to join us," she laughed. "I don't know why he would expect you..." She trailed off. "Do you want to take a walk or not?" I stood slowly still not taking her hand. "Good." We left my room and traveled down some corridors, some that I didn't recognize, until we came out into the daylight. Where we were seemed to be a courtyard, but I doubt that was its original purpose.
"Can you do me a favor," I asked.
"I'm not sure. It really depends on what it is."
"What is the date?"
"You have been here for about a month." That's not as long as I had expected. My family probably thought I was dead. I knew that the government did.
"Is it my fate to die here?" She stopped walking and she looked at me.
"Fate can be altered, but I'd say no."
"How can fate be altered, doesn't that ruin the meaning of fate," I asked scratching my face. I had grown a good bit of facial hair because they didn't allow me to have a razor.
"I don't know. I just know that it can," she looked at me scratching my beard, "I'll see if I can get you a razor. I think we can trust you enough to handle it." She paused for a second. "Why haven't you... done anything?"
"You mean like try to run away?"
"Yes."
"I want to live to see my family again." She nodded thoughtfully.
"Sometimes," she sounded as if she wasn't sure she should say what she was, but she continued anyway, "Sometimes, I feel like I'm a bird trapped in a cage."