Chapter 18: The Emperor's Plan

Lyude walked between the now shattered barricade staying a few feet behind Gibari and Kalas. His mind a jumble of thoughts. What would become of him now? He wasn't sure where he could go. Could he really stay here after such an atrocity? Would King Ladekahn even wish to see him? Everything he had worked to build over the past few years was in shambles. He had no doubt that trust would be lost to him now. He saw mixed expressions from the knights as he passed. Several looked as if they would like nothing more than to pitch him over the side of the damaged bridge while some looked at him with pity.

"C'mon, Lyude. You're not hurt, are ya?" asked Gibari noting Lyude's distinctly slow pace with concern.

"Hmm? Oh, no Gibari. I'm uninjured." he said. "If only his majesty could say the same."

The doors were opened to allow Gibari and Kalas through. The door attendant grudgingly allowed Lyude to pass as well. King Ladekahn lay still on the pale, water like floor. He heard three sets of footsteps enter the room. One set was very distinctive and his eyes saddened even more so as he realized what they meant. Of course. He could have expected little else under the circumstances. He closed his eyes. The poor boy.

"Lyude...where are you?" asked Ladekahn hoping that he was correct in assuming he had heard Lyude's footsteps. He had heard the metallic sound of the Ambassador's boots many times on this floor, there was a very distinct sound to his footfalls. He was very concerned about the young ambassador. What he had done for Diadem had surely cost him dearly.

"I'm here, Sire." Ladekahn heard Lyude's voice reply and the footsteps continued until the young Ambassador came into his view and Lyude knelt before him, his head bowed and his fist to his chest in respect.

Ladekahn looked at the boy sadly, "Your homeland..." he said, "You lost it on our account, I'm so sorry."

Lyude shook his head. His voice was calm and resigned as he replied. "No sire. It was by my own will. It is I who must ask forgiveness, for what my people have done." His eyes clouded with sadness as he continued. "I can't believe the horror, the recklessness..."

"You need not feel responsible for what the empire has done." said Ladekahn ensuring the boy that he did not hold him accountable. "It's something beyond your control." He turned then to Gibari and smiled slightly. "Hello Gibari, it's certainly been a while. You came just in time. Are these your friends? You saved us from disaster. I'm truly thankful."

"We are honored, my lord. If only we could have come earlier..." said Gibari sadly.

After a moment, the girl stepped forward and Lyude listened numbly to the exchange that followed. He learned that the girl was named Xelha and that the Emperor was plotting to steal some sort of golden magnus. Had the situation been different, Lyude would have throughly enjoyed listening to the old legend that King Ladekahn related to them. Now however, Lyude could only think of what horrible plans Emperor Geldoblame likely had in mind for such power.

He was driven from his thoughts as King Ladekahn asked Gibari to secure this shining magnus that the Emperor so desperately wanted. Xelha insisted on coming as well, and as Gibari and Xelha turned to Kalas expectantly, Lyude did as well.

"All right all right, I'll come with you, quit giving me 'the look' already." said the youth irritably. "You coming?" he asked turning his head as if expecting an answer from the air. Lyude raised and eyebrow in confusion. "Guardian spirit says she's coming too." said Kalas.

"Guardian spirit?" thought Lyude. "Fascinating. He must be from Mira." he allowed the thought to drop as he turned to Gibari. He had to do something. "If at all possible. I'd like to accompany you. I can't bear standing here doing nothing." he said.

"Thanks."said Gibari, obviously pleased, "We'll need all the help we can get. There's no telling what we'll be up against." Lyude nodded grimly.

Lyude glanced back at King Ladekahn with concern. Then busied himself with rearranging his deck and purchasing a few extra useful magnus. As a precaution, he and the rest went to the church for prayer and then grimly set out toward the Shrine of the winds.

When they arrived in the cavern, Lyude looked around with interest. The cave seemed to sparkle and a large opening in the ceiling allowed the light to shine through and the winds to sweep down to greet them. Gibari walked forward examining their surroundings. "This the place? You guys see anything?" He asked.

A moment later an odd glow emanated from a pendant around the girl's neck. The girl looked down at it. "Hmmm..." Lyude and Gibari turned to look at her in puzzlement. Then the cave began to darken and glow with a blue hue, the quartz in the cavern walls sparkling in the beautiful blue light.

Suddenly, a gust of wind nearly strong enough to knock them over howled from the opening in the ceiling and Lyude and the others shielded their faces, bracing themselves against the sudden gale. In an instant, a sparkle of light centered in those winds and a large, bird like creature appeared before them.

The wind suddenly died at the creature's appearance. And Lyude and Gibari were dumbfounded to hear it speak. He almost wondered if they should challenge the creature, if this was a guardian and this magnus so powerful, it seemed unwise to unleash it. Yet, they couldn't allow the guardian to be defeated by the Empire and claimed by Geldoblame. The girl mirrored that final though out loud.

"Then defeat me in battle, and claim it as your own." said the creature.

Gibari flexed his powerful muscles smugly, "Nothing personal, but we'll take you up on that offer, We don't have time to haggle." he said. "Let's do it."

Lyude summoned his sonic rifle and straightened himself for battle. This was going to be a long fight. The guardian seemed determined to destroy Kalas throughout the battle, but by the time they were forced to shuffle their decks, all of them were waning.

Lyude felt ill after one of the creatures attacks and sudden, sharp bouts of pain would cause him to bend and become dizzy. Gibari realized his distress and tossed him a mineral water. Lyude swallowed it hurriedly and prepared a defense magnus as the creature began to attack again. The mineral water served its purpose and Lyude began to feel more grounded. He had been poisoned, of course, but it was nothing that the proper magnus couldn't cure. He would have to thank Gibari later.

The creature swung its wing and a slashing wind struck Gibari in the midsection. "Here!" said Xelha tossing him a healing magnus. Kalas was attacking with great gusto and the guardian was beginning to look weak. Lyude allowed himself a minor healing magnus and dodged yet another attack.

It was Gibari that landed the final blow. As his Dragon Uppercut struck the creature, it reared back then fell face down on the floor.

Suddenly, a golden, shining magnus descended just between Gibari and Lyude.

"Huh?" said Gibari in obvious shock.

Lyude's voice was almost distant as he stared at the magnus. "Is this what we came for?"

"Behold the oath of Malpercio" came the voice of the guardian and it disappeared in a swirl of light.

Gibari felt a sudden urgent urge to take the magnus in his hand. It was as if the magnus was drawing him to it. He reached out his hand hesitantly then stopped himself, shaking his head in an attempt to clear out the odd sensation.

Lyude stepped forward his eyes seemed blank and their normal crimson color had gone to a glazed blue. He moaned softly, as if he wasn't feeling well. He reached out his hand and grasped the magnus, taking it in his hands. The ground began to and a golden light rose from the cavern floor. A portal of light opened in the floor and several strange figures, like men with tails began to race towards the open roof. The magnus in Lyude's hand released a beam of light that pointed to Anuenue. All the while, Lyude merely stood there, magnus in hand. Totally unresponsive to the strange happening around him that were caused by his possession of the magnus.

Kalas turned from the scene and noticed the blank sort of expressions on both of his companions. "Hey, Gibari! Lyude!" He shouted in an attempt to get their attention.

Gibari jumped as if he had just been woken from a sleep and turned to look at Lyude. The first thing he notices was Lyude's eyes, pale and seemingly devoid of life. It was an alarming sight, to say the least. What was wrong with him? "Lyude! Snap out of it!" he shouted.

Lyude was in total blackness. He knew not what was going on around him and a detached, incoherent sensation held him like a vise. Distantly, he thought he heard a voice calling to him. He tried to respond, but had no voice to do so. All that his companions heard in response was a soft, indiscernible sort of grunt as if Lyude were trying to wake up from a bad dream. His face was blank as he backed away from them slightly and threw the magnus high into the air. The girl soldier from the castle caught it as if she had been waiting for him to throw it to her.

Kalas gasped in disbelief."You!" They had been betrayed and none other than his worst enemy now had the end magnus.

'I'll deal with you soon enough Kalas. Wait patiently like a good boy! I'll be back for you!" said the imperial soldier and shot off, leaving the imperial ambassador to suffer whatever consequences Diadem would have in mind.

"Get back here!" shouted Kalas.

The moment the magnus had left his hand, Lyude's eyes flooded back to their normal, crimson pools. The seizing sensation suddenly released him. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he dropped instantly to his knees, tilted back slightly, then fell to land face forward on the hard ground.

Xelha gasped as she saw him fall. "Lyude!"

Kalas, Xelha, and Gibari rushed to Lyude's side and Gibari turned him onto his back.

"Is he okay?" asked Xelha anxiously.

Gibari looked at the boy in a measuring way. "Looks like he's fainted dead away." said Gibari. "What just happened there?"

"Did you see his eyes?" said Xelha anxiously, "I hope he's all right!"

"What are you so worried about him for? He just betrayed us!" said Kalas.

"I don't think that was really him..." said Gibari. "That gaze was just unnatural. Let's get him back to the castle, maybe a doctor will be able to tell us for sure what just happened."

"Who cares? He handed a magnus to the Empire!"

"Kalas, please!" said Xelha moving a stray strand of hair from Lyude's pale face and looking down at him in concern. "Your right, Gibari, we should get him back to the castle."

"Next thing you know he'll be finishing Ayme's job." muttered Kalas, looking with distaste at Lyude.

"That's enough." said Gibari. He picked up Lyude gently. He shook his head as he looked down at the boy lying limply in his arms. "What did those imperials do to you?" he thought bleakly.

Ayme flew swiftly until she reached the imperial commander. "I got it!" she said.

"Very good. Back to the ships, men!" shouted Commander Stryker. The Empire withdrew just as quickly as it had invaded. Commander Stryker stood on the flagship pacing in agitation.

The boy had ruined everything! They were returning in failure. King Ladekahn still lived and the Emperor's plans had been spoiled!

When Lyude had dared to defy the emperor, he had devised a plan to make use of the boy. The search for the end magnus had been going on for years, and Emperor Geldoblame's plans to obtain Diadem's magnus had been flawless.

The boy was supposed to be their cover. The plan had been to bring Lyude back to Alfard and once it was discovered that Diadem did not truly plan a surprise attack against the empire he was to take the blame and be executed. The emperor's plan of two years was foiled. Such an offense as to defy their emperor deserved no less than death, and the punishment Emperor Geldoblame had devised was ingenious indeed. That Lyude had stood against them proved the prepared information false and Emperor Geldoblame now had no means to excuse his actions on falsified evidence supplied by a corrupt ambassador. They had the magnus, at least.

Commander Stryker gazed into the horizon as the ships turned toward Alfard. It was necessary to rendevous with the emperor as soon as possible and tell him of their plight. He loathed to be the one to report this information.