I do not own Lorien Legacies or any of the characters.
Jungle
It's been decided. John and Nine are going to New York with Walker to try and stop a UN conference where the Secretary of Defense would introduce Setrákus Ra and somehow make that monster look like a peaceful visitor looking for a home, while Six, Marina, and Adam go to Mexico, where, according to the recording of Malcolm we had watched, there's a Loric temple where they can supposedly bring the force that give Loric Legacies to Earth, making the humans Garde like them. Sam and Malcolm were ordered to stay, as was I. However, there's not a force on earth, except maybe Nine breaking my limbs, that will keep me from going to Mexico with Marina.
I climb into the ship as the others get ready for departure. Then, I sit in the back and wait. After a few minutes, I hear the others come out and head for the ship. Adam climbs on first, nodding as I place a finger over my lips. I grin. I'm starting to like him. The others decide what to send to Mexico and what to leave with John and Nine. From what I hear, someone's remains, other than Eight's are being brought with us, most likely in ash form if they fit in the chest, and the only things John and Nine are taking are anything resembling a weapon. After a few more moments, a chest floats up to the entrance and I take it, setting it on the floor. A few moments later, Marina climbs up and stares at me.
"We're not getting you out of the ship alive are we?" Marina asks, smiling.
"Nope," I grin. "And maybe not even dead."
Marina's smile widens before fading and she looks down at the floor, climbing down and sitting in a seat facing away from me. I sigh silently and look to my side where Eight's body is strapped in. After a few moments of Six and Sam talking, and what I am sure contains at least one kiss, Six climbs on board, takes only a fleeting glance at me, then drops down and straps herself in as well, apparently having expected me to be onboard.
"Shall we?" Adam asks.
Six nods and a moment later, we're rising into the air. The flight is actually fairly quiet. No one has much at all to say. Partially because having a Mogadorian with us and not bound in chains is a bit uncomfortable, and partially because of the tension between me and Marina. After a short while, Adam tells Marina that she can rest if she wants. She looks like she wants to say something, judging by the cold aura, probably a threat, but refrains, sitting back as the temperature continues to drop. Adam apologizing for offending her, if he had, and then points out that he had killed his own father to protect John, so there was no need to question his loyalty. However, it wouldn't be the first time someone was able to tell a lie convincingly. So I can tell neither of the other two start to trust him any more than I do. After that, the flight is quiet. I notice Six drifting off and Marina relaxes, the cold aura dissipating. Then, I'm sleeping like a log. When I wake up, it's because Adam is not sounding pleased.
"They're hailing us," Adam says.
I look around, seeing we're surrounded by four other ships. I pick up my rifle and look to the others.
"You said you're some general's son right?" Six asks. "Can't you, I don't know, throw your weight around?"
"You should know, I'm not well liked among my people," Adam says. "They may not listen."
"Worst case scenario?" I ask.
"They arrest me," Adam says.
"They'll take us where we want to go," I say. "Then we break you out and slaughter them."
Adam stares at me for a moment before nodding.
"Turn invisible," Adam says.
Six grabs me and Marina's hands and turns us invisible as Dust, the chimæra that came with us, shrinks down into a mouse and scurries under Adam's chair. Adam draws himself up as the face of a particularly ugly Mogadorian appears on the window in front of Adam. It says something in Mogadorian, glaring at Adam.
"Immersion Protocol dictates we speak in English while on Earth, you vatborn cretin!" Adam snarls, suddenly seeming as regal as a prince. "You are speaking to Adamus Sutekh, trueborn son of Andrakkus Sutekh. I am on urgent business for my father. Lead me to the Loric site immediately."
The Mogadorian looks confused, before seeming to recognize the names and suddenly looks terrified. "Yes, sir, right away!"
The ships break off, allowing us to continue. There's a wave of relief, but it's quickly swallowed up by anticipation. Whoever's in charge will probably have been informed that Adam is a traitor.
"You don't need to distract them long," Six says. "Just long enough for us to find a way into the sanctuary."
"There it is," Marina gasps.
We all look out the window, seeing the ruins of Calakmul, location, apparently, of an ancient Loric sanctuary where Marina and Six are supposed to restart Lorien on Earth. The ruin has several limestone buildings that have been worn away at for centuries by nature. Then, there's a massive temple complete with massive crumbling stairs, vines, and what looks like some kind of door on top. Round the ruin are Mogadorians. They've cleared out a ring around the temple, dozens of skimmers present and an array of tents where the Mogadorians are camping. There are some extremely excessively powerful missile launchers and blaster turrets, all turned on the temple, though there's no damage anywhere to be seen. And a few of the rockets are missing.
"That's odd," I mumble. "You'd think they'd get a bit closer. And they've fired rockets but haven't damaged anything."
"Maybe something is protecting the temple," Marina suggested. "Like a forcefield."
"Maybe," Six agrees.
We land beside our escort ship, Mogadorians beginning to gather around, all armed with blasters, and watch the ship. Adam gulps then unbuckles himself.
"I'll go first, lead them away somehow," Adam states. "You guys find a way into the sanctuary."
I nod, now visible again, and Adam opens the ship, climbing out onto the hull and surveying the Mogadorians.
"Who is in charge here?" Adam demands.
Six turns us invisible again so we can watch and we stand in time to see a female Mogadorian in a sleeveless black overcoat step forward. She has two thick braids starting on the sides of her head and wrapping around it, encircling the traditional Mogadorian tattoos, and her hands are wrapped in bandages, as though recently injured or burned.
"I am Phiri Dun-Ra, trueborn daughter of the honorable Magoth Dun-Ra," the Mogadorian declares, her bearing nearly as stiff and imposing as his. "Why have you come here Sutekh."
Something in the way she says his name catches my attention. She sounds like the name leaves a bad taste in her mouth.
"She knows," I hiss, barely loud enough for Adam to hear.
Adam either doesn't hear me or ignores me. He drops down off the ship. Since they aren't shouting, I can't hear everything he says, but I catch Beloved Leader. A tremor passes through the crowd at the mention of Setrákus Ra. The female says something, nothing I catch, and gestures at the temple. Then, just as Adam steps forward, the woman brings the blaster idly dangling at her side up, cracking Adam across the jaw with it and dropping him. All of the other Mogadorians level their blasters at him at the same time and Phiri Dun-Ra scowls at Adam and says something, probably something about knowing who he really is.
We all climb out of the ship and drop to the ground as Dust flies away as a tropical bird. As we carefully make out way away from the ship, Phiri Dun-ra begins to speak again.
"I know your father Sutekh," Phiri Dun-Ra says, projecting her voice so everyone could hear. "He's a bastard. But at least he's loyal. He believes in Mogadorian Progress."
"In fact, your father gave me this assignment," Phiri Dun-Ra continues. "I was responsible for a team that allowed a Garde to escape from the West Virginia stronghold. The punishment was either death or a journey here. Not much of a choice, really. You see, if we fail, we'll all be executed anyway. The only way to live is for us to deliver the Sanctuary."
At the word "Sanctuary," Phiri Dun-Ra dramatically gestures with her two bandaged hands at the temple. Six hesitates for a moment to listen to what else she has to say, making me and Marina stop as well.
"There's not a day goes by that I don't wonder if I made the wrong decision. Maybe a quick death would have been better. You see, Sutekh, all of us were sent here as punishment," Phiri Dun-Ra explains. "We were sent to this forsaken place to bring down the impenetrable shield that surrounds whatever spoils the Loric have hidden within. For all of us, it is our last chance to impress Beloved Leader. It's the perfect place for a traitor like you."
She crouches down in front of Adam, glaring at him.
"So, do you know the secret of the sanctuary?" Phiri Dun-Ra asks. "Have you come to redeem yourself at last?"
"Yeah," Adam growls. "If it's a forcefield, try throwing yourself at it."
I grin but it fades when Phiri Dun-Ra laughs, menacing and loud. Just like that, we're moving again. But we're not headed to the Sanctuary. We're headed for one of the mounted blasters.
"Wait," I whisper, stopping the others and using my free hand to unclip my blaster then reconnect it around Six. "Take their blasters away and I'll draw their attention away from the gun."
"You're not serious," Six growls.
"Extremely," I say. "Do it now."
Just as I release Six's hand, every single blaster in the clearing suddenly sails into the forcefield around the sanctuary, a hundred guns exploding into balls of fire as a blue barrier of electricity appears suddenly before fading again. All of the Mogadorians turn toward me, seeing me leaning on my gleaming white Mogadorian sword. I grin and tip my head as they stare at me.
"Pleasure to meet you," I say. "Sorry about your toys, I just couldn't let those interfere."
"Who the hell are you?" Phiri Dun-Ra demands.
"I'm Number Eleven," I say, smirking at the confusion on all of the Mogadorians' faces.
"Bull shit," Phiri Dun-Ra growls. "There are only nine, plus Beloved Leader's granddaughter."
"Is that right?" I grin. "Care to explain why you're all without your guns now then?"
I've been slowly pacing away from the blaster turret, the Mogadorians turning to track me. Now, out of the corner of my eye, I notice it beginning to very slowly turn toward the Mogadorians, a strong wind kicking up as it does. Apparently, it's not quiet.
"How about another demonstration then?" I shout above the wind, more than loud enough for Six to hear me. "Come on over Adam."
I extend my arm and suddenly the two Mogadorians holding Adam by the arms are wrenched free, slamming into the barrier and igniting like the tip of a match before Adam rises into the air and then speeds back to me, floating down beside me, me moving my arm accordingly to keep up the show. Finally, he lands on his feet and backs away.
"So," I say raising my sword as several Mogadorians draw their own. "What are you waiting for?"
With a near deafening battlecry, the Mogadorians charge. The turret isn't quite lined up, but I had expected that. As the Mogadorians near me, several shots ring out, Mogadorians exploding into ash just short of me. The rest slow a bit, unsure. I charge. The first line don't have time to react before I cut them down. The next line try to attack, and they all die just as they get their arms cocked back. The next Mogadorian I meet blocks my sword and throws a punch at me. I duck under it and then spin, carving my sword through his abdomen then kick him back into another Mogadorian and stab both. Just as I finish, the turret is finally aligned. I leap backward, feeling Telekinesis drag me away from the Mogadorians just as the turret roars to life, massive columns of blaster fire shredding their way through the Mogadorians. Phiri Dun-Ra turns, sprinting away instantly, but before she can get far, my rifle fires again and she drops. She doesn't dissolve, so she's not dead. But she's not escaping.
The Mogadorians are in a panic, scrambling for cover. However, given my claim, a few seem to believe I'm controlling the turret, because they sprint at me. As they do, I wave Six and Marina off, knowing they will both be ready to take the group down. I've got it handled. And I'm not alone. When the first one reaches me, I block his slash and shove it upward in time for a large falcon to swoop down and slash the Mogadorian across the eyes with its talons, doing the same to the second before taking to the air again. I quickly end the two wounded Mogadorians then duck under a sword and split that Mogadorian up the front. The last two charge together, both slashing at me. I grin, blocking the swords before ducking as Adam steps forward, removing both Mogadorians' heads with his father's much larger sword. I stand, grinning back at him.
"Nice blade," I say. "Little too big for my taste though."
"It's a bit heavy," Adam agrees. "More coming."
I turn, seeing a group of at least twenty sprinting at us, apparently having decided if I die the haunted turret will stop firing. However, before they reach us, the turret lights them up, massacring all but one, who steps out of a cloud of ash too thick to see through and onto me and Adam's swords. The ash settles and we see that the Mogadorians are all dead. All but Phiri Dun-Ra, who seems to have escaped, given the trail of blood leaving into the wilderness.
"That was fun," I grin as Six and Marina make their way over, both visible now.
"Nice fighting," Six grins. "And nice plan with the whole Number Eleven thing. That was pretty quick thinking."
"Thanks," I grin. "Who grabbed Adam and then pulled me out of the way of the turret."
"Marina both times," Six says. "I was busy with the storm the first time and the second time she beat me to it.
I nod and smile at Marina, who smiles back before we look up at the temple.
"So, should we go after the bitch?" I ask.
"No," Six says. "Something will probably eat her. And if not, we'll leave Dust out here to keep an eye out in case she doubles back."
"Alright," I nod.
"We'll keep an eye on things out here then," Adam says.
"Don't you at least want to try to go in?" Six asks after exchanging a glance with Marina.
"Are you kidding?" Adam snorts. "Did you see what it did too Phiri Dun-Ra's hands?"
I hadn't, but I remain silent. I can imagine they were quite heavily damaged, given the Mogadorians who touched it burst into flames.
"I'll heal you if that happens," Marina says.
"Like that Phiri bitch said, you're part Garde now," Six says. "You're not Loric, but you've got legacies. If we believe what Malcolm said, and I guess that's a pretty big if, there's some living part of Lorien in there. And through your Legacies, you're connected to it, just like we are."
"I'm not even supposed to have my Legacy," Adam says.
"It doesn't matter," I speak up. "Even if you can't get through, Marina will heal you and you can stay out here anyway."
"What about you?" Marina asks.
"I'm exceedingly human," I say. "No matter how many times I've been healed, I'm still exceptionally ordinary."
"I think you might be let through too," Marina says.
"Why?" I ask.
"Just a hunch," Marina says.
"I seriously doubt that," I say. "But, I suppose if worst comes to worst, you can heal the burns."
Marina nods and Six gives her a strange look.
"Are you sure about that?" Six asks. "Because I think James is right. I think he's completely incapable of getting through."
Marina simply gestures for Six to go through. Six sighs and complies, stepping through the forcefield. There's a quiet sizzle of static electricity before she's through, some of her hair standing on end from it. Before anyone else goes through, Marina uses telekinesis to float both the chest and Eight's body over to Six. Six takes the chest as Marina lays Eight's body down gently. Then, she takes off the pendants she's wearing and slips them over my head. Adam goes next, reaching out cautiously with his index finger. When it touches the barrier, there's a loud snap of electricity and he pulls his arm back. After a moment, he steps forward, hand extended. The forcefield snaps and crackles a whole lot louder than when Six stepped through, but it doesn't harm Adam. That just leaves me and Marina.
"So, how do we-"
Before I can finish, she wraps her arms around me, walking at the portal. I reach out with a hand and regret it. The moment my fingers touch the barrier, it feels like I'm pushing them through thick mud. It fights it and I can see my skin slowly burning. I'm not, however, exploding into flames, so it's a plus. Hopefully, it stays that way.
"Keep going," I growl, trying to force my hand through. "Just be ready to heal me on the other side. Quickly."
Marina nods just as Six yanks at us both with her Telekinesis. The pain is unimaginable. I don't ignite, but I get the feeling my skin is practically burned off. I suspect I look something like Freddy Krueger. Marina instantly begins healing me, looking like she wants to apologize but also looking slightly dazed and unfocused. The cold feeling I'm used to spreads through my body, but the pain doesn't. I look down. I'm not healing.
"Marina?" Adam speaks, breaking her out of her trance.
The pain is immediate as I begin to heal, my skin regrowing. After several minutes of agony, I'm healed and sit up. Marina stands and walks over to Eight, unzipping the body bag enough to expose his face before levitating it beside herself.
"Marina, are you okay?" I ask.
"I'm fine," Marina says.
"Really because you just dragged the guy you're in love with through a forcefield that could have killed him," Six says.
"Wait, that wasn't you?" I blink.
"No," Six says, shaking her head. "It was Marina."
I turn to Marina again but she's already started up the stairs. We follow but just as we reach the steps, the pendants around my neck begin to glow, floating up in front of us. Six's pendant does the same. I catch up to Marina and look over at her, seeing an odd and somehow frightening look of complete peace on her face.
"Marina, what's going on?" I ask. "I could have waited outside. Why argue so strongly that I should come? Why throw me through like that?"
"You said to get you through," Marina says. "And I knew it wouldn't kill you. I don't know how. But I did."
I swallow hard before sighing and shaking my head.
"Well, can you do me a favor and warn me next time you want to do something like that?" I ask.
She doesn't respond. I stop, shaking my head before continuing. I suppose it doesn't matter now. I'm through. And now we just need to climb this unbelievably massive pyramid.
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