Book Two Chapter Five: Old Times

While hunting for her, the new Saja captured Nick and the old Saja and captured them. Nick also finds that his friends from Ectoclis are still alive... Thanks to Tigiti.

Chapter Five Old Times: I woke up in a cell, just like the good old days. I looked around, it was a simple room with silver for the bricks and the bars. Yep, the real Saja used her spirit in making the new Saja, all right. Just then, the new Saja walked in. Her blonde hair was down behind her shoulders, reaching her shoulder blades. Her violet eyes peered into mine and the mist surrounding her was unnerving. Slowly, my fear of Saja was returning.

"Good, you're up. I need some things done." She said.

I was astounded.

"What makes you think I'll help you?" I laughed.

Saja pointed to my neck.

"You see where I bit you? I sealed it up, and you’re lucky too, my bite delivers astounding pain to vampires, and slowly kills you from the inside over time. So if you don't help me, there will be tragic... Consequences." The new Saja said.

“How can you do that…?” I asked, frightened.

Saja grinned, exposing her fangs on purpose. They were slightly longer than the old Saja’s.

“In case you haven’t noticed, I am not an ordinary vampire.” Saja told me.

She had the same tone of arrogance that the real Saja had, or still has.

"What if you bite a human?" I asked.

"They die instantly." She said with an evil smile.

I weighed my options. I didn't have many. I decided to go along with this Saja’s plan.

"What kind of things do you need done?" I asked, implying that I was interested.

"You don’t need to know just yet." She said.

That worked for the real Saja, the real Saja would have told me her plan, and her arrogance was her own downfall, especially at Hemlon. The new Saja looked at me, she inclined her head.

"I'll let you see your friend, I'll call you shortly when I need jobs done." Said the new Saja.

I couldn't believe this. Saja actually thought that I'd be her slave? She led me down a hallway. In some sections, the roof was caved in. Rubble was everywhere and the grey stone walls and floors were horribly cracked. As we passed by various cells, they seemed to be in pristine condition. They must have been newly built. Where were we anyway?

"You are in Hemlon if that's what you were wondering." The new Saja said, reading my mind.

I remembered reading a book back on Ectoclis saying that the Kerulen could read minds, and control them. I knew what she was doing, she was rebuilding Hemlon, and the defenses so that we couldn't escape. How was Hemlon still intact? We all watched it explode!

“As you can see, your little endeavour her on Artemis damaged Hemlon very severely. Most parts of Hemlon are completely destroyed, while others remain badly damaged.” Saja told me.

 

She probably wanted us to go on clean up duty or something, and with a huge amount of energy, like the core of Hemlon, she could do anything with that power. The new Saja and I came up to a cell like the one I woke up in. The real Saja was in a corner, seemingly unharmed.

"Nick, what happened? Where are we?" The old Saja asked.

I looked back to the new Saja.

"We’re in Hemlon." I said.

Saja shook her head, she looked like she wanted to cry, I thought that Saja would have been more thick skinned than this.

"What have I done? We're in here, imprisoned by a spirit of raw power and unrelenting evil, because of me." Saja said.

Sadness filled me. I decided to comfort Saja.

"No, we will find a way out of here, I always out smarted you, didn't I?" I asked.

Saja smiled.

"Yes, you always had a way of doing that." She said.

"Well, there was always a flaw, and that's what we need to look for." I told her.

Saja shrugged.

"I saw some other prisoners in the complex on my way in, there's one on the other side of that wall." Saja said while pointing to the left wall.

I walked over to punch a brick out, but got severely burned, I flinched back, yelping in pain.

"It’s silver, Nick." Saja said, she was shaking her head.

I had forgotten about the silver bricks.

"Is there someone back there?" came a voice from behind the wall.

The voice sounded vaguely familiar, I have definitely heard this voice before, but where?

"Yes. I am back here." I said to the wall. 

"Do I know you? Your voice sounds familiar." Said the voice.

"Do you know me?" I asked, really wanting to clear this little mystery up.

The voice spoke up;

"Yes... Yes... You’re... Nelson... no... Nick! Right?" Said the voice.

Confusion filled my voice: "How do you know my name?" I asked.

Who was this person? Just then, the voice said three of the most unbelievable words in the world:

"It's me, Lauren!"

Happiness filled me, Lauren was alive!

"Lauren! How did you survive? I thought Luna killed you!" I blurted.

Lauren explained her story.

"When I was in the tunnel with you and the others, and Luna was blocking the way, I was going to give my life to save you guys, and I did, and after I died, a mysterious man came out of nowhere and told me to go with him." She said.

I watched the whole thing, no man came to take her. I had a thought.

"How long has it been since that incident?" I asked.

"It’s been at least two years, why?" She replied.

It was the Tigiti that saved her, it couldn't have been anyone else.

"What of the others?" I asked.

“Carlos and Serena are alive, too!" Lauren said excitedly.

"And Fenton?" I asked.

"Yes, the healer is alive, too!" I was getting my hopes up.

"And Kai?" I asked. "

Who?" Lauren asked.

Oh, right, Lauren did not know Kai. Kai was taken by Saja just before we met Lauren. I couldn't believe it, all my friends from so long ago are here right now. We could band together and fight this demon, just like we once did on Ectoclis, but this new Saja seems unkillable, but we would find a way, I was sure of it!

After a few hours, Saja walked into the hall in front of Saja and I’s cell.

"Alright prisoners, too your duties!" The new Saja yelled.

With that, the silver bars contracted into the ceiling. A loud clanking noise could be heard. Lauren came out of her cell and motioned for Saja and I to follow. Lauren did a double take when she saw Saja. Fear crossed her features.

“Saja!” She exclaimed in fear.

I put my hand on her shoulder, intending to ease her fear.

“I’ll explain later. She won’t hurt you, I promise.” I said.

Lauren’s gaze shifted to Saja, but she nodded. We came outside, it was daytime, I jumped back, but Lauren kept going. She stepped into the daylight, and nothing happened.

"It's alright Nick, come." She said.

I walked over to her, she was fine in the sunlight, why shouldn’t I be?

"The roof has a glass ceiling that protects us from the sun, but still provides light. It’s some sort of technology Saja has." She said.

Wonder washed through me. I stepped out and was fine. We were at one end of a courtyard, but it was made of grey stone and had high stone walls around it. The yard was rectangular and on each vertex of the wall there was a guard tower. In each tower was at least two vampires. I then saw the new Saja on a podium at the far end of the courtyard. She spoke into a microphone. A microphone like the ones they make on Earth. Come to think of it, the retracting prison bars technology looked like something you'd see in a prison movie on Earth...

The new Saja began to speak:

Author's Note

Please tell me what you think :)

Reviews

[John Mcnab]

A fitting chapter name indeed: All that remains! I like the whole 'new world order' concept that you have going on here. There will be undoubtedly be some apocalypse storyline from here on in, which shall be quite interesting... Very good work and keep writing!