Chapter 22: The Prophesy.

"How much further is it?" asked Kalas with a dark frown. I haven't heard anything for a while now."

"Not much further." whispered Vallye. "I think his room was just a few more halls down... No, wait. It was here. Right here." she said looking through the grille. Lyude is gone...where is Matthias?"

"What's this?" said Kalas looking at a button on the wall.

"Don't touch it!" hissed Vallye. "I think that may have been Matthias's mistake."

"Sure looks like something went on in there." commented Gibari noting several overturned instruments and a few drops of blood on the floor. "Hope those two are still all right."

"Me too." said Xelha. "So do we just follow the corridor and see if we can find where they're keeping him?"

"It's our best bet. We'll be better off here than in the halls."

Lyude struggled against his bonds and those still trying to secure him. "You won't get away with this!" Lyude said hoarsely. He felt the dark energy still gripping him though it had since dissipated.

"Helix!" Quentin cried. "Have you gone mad, Braddock! That woman will kill him, and most likely botch what you're trying to do!"

Professor Helix rounded on Quentin and slapped him. "Shut up, you Azhani pig! As if any Azhan could best a Mintakan. I don't intend to have him survive."

"I never had any intention of sparing Minister Lyricello."

"I knew it." growled Lyude. "You allowed him to believe that my life could be spared so that Professor Helix's mistake could be repaired without difficulty."

Braddock turned to Lyude with a smug smile. "Very shrewd, Minister. Not shrewd enough, however. I'm afraid you fail to realize the position you're in. Just as that idiot bureaucrat did. Once my employer learned of my true intentions, dear Drell had to meet his end."

"Drell? You murdered Drell?"

"He only wanted you out of the way, you see. Lock you away with your estranged father and throw away the key. He had no idea of my intentions. Once he learned of my goals he folded. Threatened to expose what I was doing and just deal with you like any politician should. With Debates and proposals. That is, if his career survived it. Drell knew about this place and requested his office to be placed there for the window...and the trap door. He served Emperor Geldoblame very loyally and put your father down here in the first place. Don't worry, though, you won't die, exactly. Just be irreversibly transformed. Though, if there's still enough of you left, you will most likely wish yourself dead."

"What!" said Lyude, Quentin, and Matthias in unison.

"You were only concerned in taking the magnus from our dear minister without causing permanent harm, my foolish young friend." Braddock said, turning to Matthias. "My dear Helena, however, has a much more interesting proposal." he added, wrapping his arm around Professor Helix's waist. "We had wondered, at first, how best to control Malpercio, but the answer was right before our faces." he added looking into Lyude's crimson eyes with a smirk. "You're going to be a vessel for the wicked god. Magnus were mere parts of Malpercio, with a full, whole vessel, Malpercio will be revived whole and stronger than ever. Once the power of each end magnus is fused into your soul, you will transform and become the Wicked god. With the aid of the Organ of the Flame, we will be able to subdue and control you."

Lyude's eyes widened as he realized what Braddock was suggesting. "You...you think you can turn me into Malpercio! The organ was put to rest! It's worthless to you."

"No, Minister, for you will empower it once again!" with that Braddock pulled back a curtain and there stood the Organ.

"How did!"

"We manage to steal the Organ without anyone taking any notice? My spies managed to get themselves in charge of the Organ, claimed the display was closed for cleaning purposes. Your soul shall be bound to it as well and will give the Organ new life!"

"Madness!" cried Quentin. "You're playing god, Braddock! You have no idea if any of this is going to work or if you could possibly control it!"

Jareth was standing stiffly in his bonds looking fixedly at his son. "It's happening...oh god, it's happening. The prophesy...my own son." tears forced their way towards his eyes and he knew he was powerless. Why hadn't he told Lyude the prophesy before? Now it was probably too late to save him from the fate that could be in store for him. He knew it now to have been a horrible blunder.

Lyude seemed frozen in place, breathless as if the words he had heard had literally knocked him in the stomach and took his breath away. His eyes strayed to the organ. "Beautiful and terrible at the same time." he thought. He was powerless now, his limbs strapped securely to the slab in the middle of the room. Would he stay there until he died or was transformed into some horrible creature that may not only destroy Alfard, but the rest of the nations?

He didn't know which notion was worse, that they would fail in controlling him and he would destroy mindlessly, or be truly under the control of Braddock and destroy anyway. At this particular juncture, all he could hope was that his friends would not be ensnared as he had and complete the ingredients needed to create the abomination he was to become. If that failed, all he could wish for was that instead of being successful the venture would fail completely and he would find a quick and painless death. He bowed his head. Hope was draining from him. Any thought of seeing Alyssa again was fading. Any hope to be there as their child was born was moot.

"Why...? Why are you doing this, Braddock? Surely you must see the gravity of what you're suggesting here. Why take such a risk, do you care nothing for your country? Do you care nothing for what failure could mean? You could destroy us all."

"I would rather see this country burn than be under the leadership of some weak, half Azhani mutt like you. Letting Azhans into the Imperial capital, encouraging them to become professionals and take part in the government. It's a weak, foolish venture."

"I don't rule Alfard, Braddock, the people do. I am merely their voice." said Lyude quietly. "Even so, long after my voice is gone from this world, theirs will carry across the land and have them heard. This country wasn't made for a select few gifted with gold and riches. It should be for the collective good of all. Did you learn nothing of the true way of the Empire? Alfard and all the other nations were destroyed by the greed and power lust of one man. All because he represented the promise of power. Power that he never intended to give."

"My vision is much different than Emperor Geldoblame's and I couldn't care less about what the people want. I will rule this nation. Only the strong should step up to such a responsibility."

"You claim to be taking responsibility for a nation even as you plot what could very well be its destruction!" glared Lyude. "You're delusional."

Braddock struck him across the face with a snarl. "Soon enough you'll change your tune." he turned Lyude's face so that their eyes locked. "I hope you don't die, minister, I hope you survive, locked away completely aware of what glory I shall create. Powerless to do anything but obey me."

Lyude glared into his eyes unwaveringly. "If I am conscious of my actions, and you fail to control me...you had best hope that you do not fail, for the first thing I'll do is destroy you, Braddock. A human life is nothing to be trifled with or controlled, let alone a god's. You're dealing with the devil on both. May justice prevail...even if it means my soul."

Braddock laughed cruelly. "It'll be your soul, alright, but it will serve my purpose. I know who you are. I know of the prophesy."

"The...the prophesy!" Lyude said in shock.

"Com now, surely you realize that Christov had to have seen that prophesy on the wall thirty one years ago. I have his translation of the prophesy on the wall, your father was fluent in the ancient language, that is how he was able to read the ancient text and understand the prophesy.

Engulfed in flame, a lord shall rise,

fire red as blood shall fill the skies.

An emissary of vengeance divine,

wrath shall fall on the unworthy shrine.

Consumed by the fire an unwilling pawn,

cries out to the world in the blood painted dawn.

Sit at my keys, my service to hire,

ender shall rekindle the ancient fire.

Destruction may dawn on this pivotal night.

The soul of the Ender entwined in the fight.

Lyude stared out silently. Frozen. The ender... he had ended the Organ's suffering a year ago. Now his soul was to be entwined with the Organ? He was to reawaken the organ after putting it to rest?

Gibari was the first to discover the chamber in which Lyude was being held. "Looks like they may be preparing him for another test." said Gibari. "Looks pretty empty though. This'll be our best bet."

Vallye found the switch and flipped it, a panel opening into the room as Vallye gave the coordinates of his location to Ricco. Ayme was one of the first in, checking the perimeter. "It seems a bit quiet to me." she grumbled.

Lyude looked up and spotted them as they stepped in. There was no time for subtleness. "No!" shouted Lyude. "Stay back! Don't come to me!"

"Lyude! Thank goodness you're all right." said Xelha.

"We're getting you out of here, kid." said Gibari striding forward in order to remove Lyude's restraints.

"Gibari! No!"

The room went pitch dark and Lyude bowed his head with a groan. They were all trapped now. Just as Braddock had planned it. Startled cries rang out as each that had been touched by the End Magnus were thrown into the remaining restraints by an invisible force and held fast. The lights returned as Folon was roughly escorted into the room again and strapped in next to Ayme. Mizuti was dangling in her restraints on Ayme's other side shouting indignant protests to the foul treatment of the 'Great Mizuti.'

Gibari, Xelha, and Kalas were along the other side with Lyude at the center most part of the room, a large, cylindrical chamber directly behind him.

"Finally all the pieces have come together. I've waited a long time for this day." said Braddock with a grin. "Welcome to you all. Today you will aid me in bringing this world to a new age."

Thanks to all my reviewers! I'm sorry for not responding individually, I meant to tell one of my reviewers that mentioned Phantom of the Opera when reading one of these that it is what inspired the Organ of the Flame in the first place. Very perceptive. I'll try to do individual responses for the remaining chapters, don't forget to review!