The Mamluks (The Mamluks Saga: Episode 1) Page 10

  “Madison, over here,” I whispered, waving.

  She spotted us and put her hand over her chest like she was about to faint. “Andrew? Robert?”

  It was an uplifting moment for all of us. But there was no time for a warm reunion.

  I kept waving her over. “Come on, hurry.”

  Madison put the clothing down and jogged to us. “I don’t understand. How did you—’’

  “There’s no time to explain. We’re getting out of here. But first, you have to take us to the room of the one they call, Dalia.”

  Madison nodded and got low with the rest of us. “This way.”

  We followed her as she sneaked to a stairway at the end of the hall. We went to the top floor, and she led us into a room at the center of the hallway. It was incredibly spacious, yet sparsely furnished.

  “All right—let’s find the ozlon and get out of here,” Robert said.

  Not even knowing what we were talking about, Madison jumped right in. “What does it look like?”

  “It is a beige marble,” Elos said.

  We spread out and searched the room. Robert looked under the bed. Madison checked a tall dresser. Elos searched the floor. And I looked behind the sofa by the window. Nothing came up. Then, Elos saw something.

  “There.”

  He was pointing at the center of the floor. We jogged to the empty spot and looked around. The symbol of a rocky planet was etched into the sandstone. Elos pressed a button on his sija, and the floor opened, revealing a hole. We leaned forward and checked inside. The hole was filled with ozlon, and it looked to be pretty deep.

  “Let’s take what we can,” I said.

  Since Elos and I were holding the sijas, Robert and Madison grabbed as many marbles as they could. Elos pressed a button that closed the hole. We hurried out of the room and went back to the stairway. But before we could go down, the sounds of marching soldiers turned us around.

  We went the other way. Madison led us to another stairway, and when we got downstairs, a group of soldiers scanning the halls made us pause at the last step and hide behind the edge of the wall.

  I listened closely and heard soldiers approaching from above. “Shit. We’re trapped.”

  Elos looked back at me, holding his sija up. “Andrew.”

  Robert shook his head. “No. Please don’t.”

  “We have no choice,” Elos said.

  I gave him a somber nod. Elos pressed the button to activate the force field. And I pressed mine. Bright lights bloomed from both devices and grew into enormous spheres, covering us in a tight cocoon. Elos went into the hallway and blasted the soldiers with rapid-fire laser beams. We followed him and stayed close.

  The soldiers blocked the shots with rapid-fire of their own. We ran to an exit at the end of the hall and fled the building. The soldiers chased us and turned on their shields, shooting at us from behind. The lasers bounced off the force field as we ran. Elos led us around the building. We stopped and hid behind a corner.

  “With the force fields on, the ozlon will drain faster.”

  “So let’s put a new one in!” Madison barked.

  “It won’t work. The ozlon has to stabilize first,” Robert said.

  “Quick. We must find a ship,” Elos said.

  We ran around the corner to the front of the building. There were a few ships parked in the yard, and more flying in from all over. The ships in the sky shot at us as we ran. We made it to a parked ship, and Elos pressed a button that opened the ramp. He watched our backs as we rushed inside.

  “Hurry.”

  Elos ran in from behind and went to the cockpit. He pressed a button on his sija, and the ramp began to close. But before it could shut all the way, a soldier running at the ship got off a few shots and hit our shield. The force field flickered for a second. Then it went out completely just as the ramp closed.

  Elos sat down and quickly worked the control board, turning on a force field that covered the ship. Then he grabbed the handle and pulled back. We flew high and went fast, dipping through all the incoming ships. I staggered to the cockpit and sat in the other chair.

  “How long before they knock out the force field?”

  “Not long. We must protect ourselves and accelerate.” Elos looked back at Madison and Robert. “Hurry, to your seats.”

  They put the ozlon down and sat on the seats that were built into the wall.

  “Push your backs into the wall, and remain still.”

  Madison and Robert followed the directions. Automatically, metal straps popped out of the wall and locked them in place.

  Elos leaned back. “Andrew, push your back into the chair and remain still.”

  I leaned back and froze. Metal straps popped out of the chairs and locked us in place. There were more and more ships coming at us, firing lasers from all angles.

  Elos pressed a button on the control board. “Try to relax.”

  I heard the ship make a noise like it was about to detonate. Suddenly, we took off at a staggering speed. I felt my body tense from the pressure as we ripped through the sky. Even with the nauseating pain, I closed my eyes and smiled. At last, we were free.

  Chapter 54

  Adomas had been rather quiet on our way back to the building, only sending out a few orders over the radio on his sija. As we landed, I saw dozens of ships parked outside our building. It was like driving past a crime scene, knowing something terrible had taken place.

  Adomas hurried out of the ship, and I stayed close behind. We were greeted by a group of soldiers.

  Still fuming, Adomas marched right past them. “Follow me.” He led us to the tunnel on the other side of the building.

  I looked away as I walked, blinking my eyes. “Andrew.”

  Adomas went to the door at the end of the tunnel and opened it with his sija. He quickly marched down a narrow stairway. I got out of the way and let the soldiers pass. And when they cleared, I went in and followed the group downstairs.

  Everyone huddled up at the end of the steps. They were silent and still, looking down at the floor. I hurried around the group and froze when I saw two dead soldiers on the floor. I covered my mouth and looked up at Adomas.

  He walked forward and checked them. There were blades stuck in their heads, attached to crudely broken pieces of furniture. Adomas kneeled into a puddle of drying blood and pulled the blades out.

  He tossed them away and put his hand on the female soldier’s face. “Ilona.” He froze for a moment before gradually shifting to the male. “Henrikas.”

  Finally, he reached down and checked their arms—making me realize their sijas were gone.

  Adomas stood up with a glare in his eyes. “Begin the investigation.”

  The soldiers spread out and searched the room. I stood by and looked on, still in shock. Adomas walked to a wooden table that had two legs broken off. He stood there for a moment, staring at the splintered ends.

  “My Champion,” a soldier called out, walking to him with something in her hand.

  She handed it to Adomas and stood by. I looked closely and realized it was a broken collar. Adomas studied it for a second, shifting his eyes.

  “Take the bodies to my ship. And gather our community for the ceremony.”

  Chapter 55

  Later on, when the sun was setting, there was a ceremony held at the beach for Ilona and Henrikas. I was there with Dalia, the girls, and the kids. We were standing close to the shoreline, in parallel lines of soldiers, citizens, women, and children, stretched far beyond the sand.

  I looked down the line and saw Adomas carrying Henrikas in his arms, on his way to the shore. There was a soldier walking beside him, carrying Ilona. They came to the front of the line and stooped at the edge of the water. Then, together, they gently put Henrikas and Ilona in the water and stepped back.

  Dalia came forward and stood between Adomas and the soldier. Thereafter, all the Mamluks turned and faced the ocean. I followed along, as did the women and children.

 
Dalia put her hand out as we watched the bodies float away. “Become one with the planet Earth, Ilona and Henrikas. Fly with the sea. Let yours souls escape the flesh and return to the source.”

  I cried and let the tears run down my face. I looked to my left and saw Juozas crying, too. I put my arm around him and rubbed his side.

  He looked at me and wiped his eyes. “Mother? What happens when we die?”

  Without thinking twice, I glanced at Dalia and said, “We return to the source.”

  Chapter 56

  We flew north and landed on a snowy terrain. “Why here?” I asked as Elos powered down the ship, releasing the metal straps.

  “There will be no Mamluks here.” He turned his chair and faced me. “They detest snow.”

  I nodded and smiled, putting my hand on his shoulder. “Elos, without you—none of this would have been possible. I truly appreciate and honor your friendship.”

  Madison and Robert came over. Then Madison hugged Elos and kissed his cheek.

  “Thank you.”

  Elos sat there with his arms out. Madison stepped back and wiped her eyes.

  “Yes—thank you, Elos,” Robert said.

  “You forget. It was your courage that inspired me.”

  “But it was your knowledge that got us out,” I said.

  Robert looked down and saw one of the ozlon by his feet. He reached down and picked it up. “So, what now?”

  I stood up and watched the substance closely. There was something moving on the inside.

  “What is that?”

  “It is the one who carries the ozlon.”

  Madison narrowed her eyes. “I don’t understand.”

  “The substance collects energy from the host until it stabilizes.”

  I smiled. “Wow—so that’s what those moving parts are doing? Collecting energy?”

  “Yes.”

  “How long does it take to stabilize?” Robert asked.

  “It depends on the host. If the energy from the body is unbalanced, it may take time.”

  I saw another marble on the floor and picked it up. “Then let’s hope our energy isn’t unbalanced.”

  Part Five – The Rise

  Chapter 57

  Juozas was grown now. But like all the half-breeds, his physical mass was a little smaller than the natural Mamluks, and he was about two feet shorter. He had become a soldier, too, along with Lauren-Lynn and London. But sadly, out of all the new graduates of Ignas’s teachings, Juozas was the only one without a stabilized ozlon.

  It was the first time in Mamluk history that a Champion’s spawn had failed to stabilize their ozlon before reaching maturity. And with Adomas aging, the risk of losing the lineage of the Championship was too great. We were forced to move Juozas along to secure his opportunity to take the title.

  By contrast, I hadn’t changed much. It seemed like the Mamluk diet was keeping me young. My face looked the same. I had no gray hairs. And I felt stronger than ever.

  Judging from the progression of things—and my overall impression based on memories—I was guessing that I was in my late thirties or early forties. Nevertheless, it was liberating, not knowing my actual age.

  I was sitting on a wooden chair in the backyard, watching Juozas and Adomas sparring. Unlike me, Adomas was starting to show his age. His speed and awareness had decreased dramatically. Juozas was beating him to the punch every time—jabbing him with ease.

  “Keep up, Father,” he said arrogantly, his voice so deep.

  Finally, Adomas grabbed his arm and pulled him to the ground. He kept Juozas down easily, smiling. “Your speed is impressive, my spawn. However, my strength remains far greater than yours.”

  Adomas let him up and stepped back. Juozas kneeled and bowed his head.

  I stood up and walked to them, clapping. “And still the Champion, Adomas!”

  Juozas exhaled as he rose. “In the real fight—the outcome will be different.”

  Adomas smiled. “We shall see.” Then he left.

  I crossed my arms, looking up at Juozas. “Well, now that you’ve broken a good sweat, what do you have planned for the rest of the day?” I was always on his case, making sure I knew where he was and what he was doing. It reminded me of my mother when I was a teenager.

  “I’m going to a gathering at the shore tonight with Lauren-Lynn and London. It’s a celebration for all the new graduates.” He firmly crossed his arms, clearly showing off his muscles. “But until then, I suppose I’ll work on some more techniques.”

  “Don’t train too hard. You may not have any energy left for the gathering.”

  Juozas smiled. “Of course not, Mother.”

  Suddenly, a familiar voice shouted, “Hey, friends!”

  I turned and saw Katie and Lauren-Lynn approaching from around the building. Katie walked up to me, and we shared a big hug. “Hello, my dear. How are you?” she said, gushing.

  I kissed her cheek. “I’m doing well, Katie. How are you?”

  She stepped back. “Fantastic as always.”

  “Were you training, Juozas?” Lauren-Lynn said, sizing him up.

  “I was—and I’m not finished.”

  Lauren-Lynn flashed a fierce smile. Lately, I could see their affection for one another growing beyond a friendship.

  Katie walked between them. “Now, now. Settle down, you two.”

  “I just think it’s amusing that you train so hard—considering your failure to stabilize the ozlon. Without it, you will not be strong enough to defeat Adomas.”

  Juozas gave her a teasing look. “Well, if not me—than who else? You forget, my friend. I was still strong enough to defeat everyone in training—including you.”

  They shared a playful stare down.

  I quickly stepped in. “Don’t worry. I’m sure both of you will get a chance to prove yourselves. Because Adomas isn’t giving up his title any time soon.”

  “Oh, shut up. You’re always rubbing it in that you’re with the Champion,” Katie blurted, pouting humorously.

  I laughed. “Come on, Katie—let’s head inside. I’ll have Audrey fetch us some refreshments.” I walked off with Katie. Then, before turning the corner, I looked back. “And you two—don’t hurt each other.”

  Chapter 58

  We had been living in the north for some time now. Madison and I had salt and pepper hair, and Robert’s was completely gray. Elos’s reptilian like skin had become scalier—and he walked with a hunchback.

  We used rocks and brushwood to make fire. And to make a pot for boiling drinking water, we used bigger rocks to smash up an inconsequential, interior piece of the ship and tore some metal off. Then we bent the metal into a bowl shape.

  I was headed back to the ship with some fish I had caught from a lake. Someone saw me coming and opened the ramp when I got close. I walked inside and found Madison sitting in the cockpit. Since our arrival, Elos had taught us how to operate the ship. And every so often, we gave it a test flight to make sure we could still handle it.

  I put the fish down. “Thanks.”

  Madison closed the ramp. “How many did you get?”

  Speedily, I rubbed my hands together and blew over them. “Four.”

  Elos and Robert were sleeping on the floor. I walked past them and went to the cockpit. I sat in the other chair and let out an exhausted sigh. Madison and I stayed quiet for a moment, looking on with blank stares.

  “Maybe I should wake Rob and Elos so we can eat,” she said.

  This was our everyday routine. Catch fish. Cook fish. Eat fish. Sit around and talk about nothing.

  “Sure.”

  Madison huffed and shook her head. “Andrew—you’ve been so distant lately. Please, tell me what’s bothering you.”

  I exhaled. “It’s just hard, Madison. Living like this—it’s—not right.”

  “We have no choice.”

  “I know. But life is about serving a purpose. And we don’t have that.”

  “Our purpose is to stay together and take
care of each other.”

  “Yeah. But what about all the others who’re still out there?”

  “There’s nothing we can do about them.”

  We had each tied some ozlon to our wrist. I leaned forward and put my arm out, checking mine for a second. The moving parts had slowed a little. But it had also been stuck at that pace for a long time.

  “Don’t you see? That’s why the ozlon hasn’t stabilized. Our dejected attitudes are feeding it unbalanced energy.”

  “You may be right. But nothing would change if it did stabilize. We’d still be stuck in the north.”

  I looked at her. “That’s what I’m getting at, Madison. It’s time for us to take action. We’ve languished for long enough.”

  She quickly shook her head. “We can’t stop them, Andrew. We’re outnumbered by millions—if not billions.”

  “But we know about ozlon and the sija. We know how to operate their ships. We should be sharing that knowledge with the rest of the world.”

  Madison leaned forward. “How? If we leave this area, we’ll be sitting ducks. All it would take is one barrage from their ships to take us down.”

  I sat there for a moment, staring into the distance. Then, I leaned back and put my hand on my forehead. She was right. Even in freedom, we had become prisoners of hiding.

  Madison reached out and touched my leg, flashing an encouraging smile. “I know things seem bleak. But we still have each other.”

  I smiled back. “Always.”

  Chapter 59

  Dalia and I were sitting side by side in an assembly room a few miles from our building. The room was filled with citizens from around the world. They had come to our region to discuss their concerns with Dalia.

  “My citizens, I will hear your worries, and here to assist me is Emily of Earth.”

  She looked down at me with a smile. I widened my eyes and shyly glanced at the crowd. Dalia had never let me speak at an assembly meeting. I looked up at her and fretfully stared.