A very wise woman advised me recently to keep writing and to start getting my works out there. So, here I am once again, baring my soul and my hard works. This is the opening chapter to a short story I'm currently working on. Enjoy....
“Did you feel that?” Amon’s voice had boomed throughout the massive cavern. He craned his neck to peer at Zephyr who was no standing in the pitch black, staring off into the distant tunnels.
“It was just a minor tremor. Some where in the far east I believe.” Zephyr looked back upon his friend and asked, “Why do you look so startled?”
Amon stood from his resting place and began to stretch his long neck and powerful back. “No. The tremor was a response from Mother, but to what I’m unsure of.”
Zephyr closed his amber eyes and concentrated. He began to search the globe, using his senses to feel his way through and around the planet. He felt so much life, so many emotions, but couldn’t find anything that would warrant any major concern for them. “I do not sense or find anything amiss brother. What do you think it was?”
Amon began to pace around slowly as Zephyr eyed him very closely from the far end of the cave. It had been a long time since he had seen him this worried.
Amon paced for some time before finally sitting down next to Zephyr. “I do not know what it is I felt. It was extremely strong though, it shook me to my core.”
Zephyr continued to stare wide eyed at him. Amon was the oldest, strongest, and wisest among their kind, and of any living being for that matter. They’d been on Earth for over two thousand years. If Amon was stumped about this new event then Zephyr knew that he should be worried, but he was unclear as to how to prepare or council his brother.
“It was like a beacon of some sort,” Amon stated. “As if it was meant to either attract my or someone else’s attention. Except….”
“Except what?”
“We’ll discuss this later, James is approaching the door. Let him in please”
Zephyr gently waved a single talon and the colossal door at the mouth of the cave opened slightly to allow James, one of the councils many apprentices to enter.
James’ soft feet padded into the room as the door slowly closed behind him enshrouding him in complete darkness. A small orb attached to the ceiling began to glow ever so slightly, allowing James to see. Both Amon and Zephyr approached the raised platform that James stood upon to gaze down at him.
Zephyr broke the silence first, “Greetings James. How may we help you?”
Greetings my lords” he said with a slight squeak. “I just received word that an armada has gathered on the outside of the asteroid belt and is attempting to push through.”
James could not only hear the rumbled growl that came from Amon and Zephyr, but he could feel it to his bones as well.
“Why are we just now hearing about this?” Zephyrs’ voice boomed throughout the immense cave as he brought his head lower towards James. “Contact Adonis immediately and inquire as to why he didn’t feel the need to inform us much sooner.”
“My lord, my apologies. May I please explain?”
Amon, who had remained neutral finally spoke, “Proceed apprentice, we understand this is not your fault”. Amon was always more thoughtful of lowering his voice for the human’s small ears.
“Sirs, it was Adonis who contacted me directly. According to him the armada wasn’t detected by our deep space sensors until after it had passed Jupiter and was almost to the asteroid belt. I inquired immediately how this was possible with so many outposts and…” James could see that this lords were being politely quite, so he decided to cut his story short and straight to the facts. “I apologize, my lords. He requested that I only explain their stealth with a single letter.”
Amon extended his head lower until he was staring at his eye level. “A single letter you say? What letter did he refer to?”
“An “X” sire.”
Amon’s eye widened slightly. He then stood to his full height and turned to walk away. “Many thanks James, you’ve done well to bring this matter to us immediately. Please go and keep us updated on this armadas progress and any other communications from Adonis. Please inform him that we’d like to know how he intends to respond.”
“Yes my lord. He also instructed me to inform you that he was already assembling his fleet, but that over half of it is spread out in the local systems or on maneuvers past Saturn.”
“Thank you again apprentice. Contact Royce for us and request that he join us here immediately in Maliwu. I will gather the rest of the council myself.
“Yes sire, right away.” It took all of James self-control not to run from the cave as the door slowly opened and closed immediately behind him.
As soon as the enormous doors had closed Zephyr finally spoke again, “Do you think it’s possible? Has it returned? If so, how could Vider have known?”
Amon stood at the mouth of one of the many other tunnels, “Vider wouldn’t have known. He’s cunning, but that that intelligent. His knowledge and ability to comprehend this subject is extremely limited. Just like most humans. No, he’s been spoon fed this information. There’s no other explanation.”
“Who then? Someone is Adonis’s court? No one outside of the council and his inner circle have access to this type of information, let alone can read the ancient texts. It’d take someone with gifts to comprehend it.”
“You know exactly who I believe to be behind this betrayal.”
“Amon, we’ve been over this many times. He was killed during his insurrection.”
“Was he? Yes, we’ve seen the video’s and have little other proof. All we’ve been shown can be altered or faked. I still stand by what I’ve felt and seen with my own eyes. He’s alive brother, and I’m sure it’s him who’s been the source of this rebellion.”
“I’m not so sure Amon. He always a clever little man though.”
“Do not forget extremely intelligent and gifted. You underestimate him.”
“Yes, he was. But I don’t underestimate him, he’s gone brother. Shall we worn the council as well as the other clans that he might be alive?”
Amon stood for a while as he pondered the question for several moments. “No, not yet. We’ll need more proof before we present that before the council. No need to start a panic.”
“Is that what you felt before James arrived?”
No, that was something very different and very strange. Some thing that I’ve never felt before, mother responded to it as well. Something new has happened, something I’ve never experienced or heard about in the thousands of years I’ve been alive. A change is coming, and I fear it’s not for the better.”
“Change is sometimes good brother.”
“Not the type that I fear this could be. I have a respectful amount of fear for this though. We must be vigilant. Have our generals gather here at once. A war is coming to our door, we must be ready.” Amon turned and began striding down the main tunnel quickly.
“Where are you going Amon? The council is on their way.”
“I have need to consult with the stone men, I shall return shortly.”
That's it so far.... I know my writing style isn't the greatest, but I think I get my point across. Thoughts? -Goody
