Inheritor of Strength (Book one of Alfireán age)

Epilogue

Vackzilian placed his hand against the cold, stone wall. To all appearances, there was nothing there, just a seamless expanse of white-grey marble, but he knew differently. Warm energy pulsed beneath his palm, and without a sound, the wall slid into the floor. It had been years since he had been here, he thought as he walked into the secret room located within the Imperial Palace.

Blue light shot away from his foot, ran along the floor, and raced up the luminescent walls, illuminating the vast room. The hidden door closed behind him with a quiet hiss, and Vackzilian strolled to the glass pillar rising from the floor.

He breathed deeply. This was it, the moment of truth. Reaching forward, he placed his hand upon the waist high pillar. The clear glass swirled beneath his long, bony fingers, and his hand sunk into its icy depths. A small needle raced up from the floor, through the now liquid glass, and pierced his palm.

The room turned deathly silent and the lights dimmed.

After several moments, a female voice said, "Identity confirmed. Access granted. Welcome back Vackzilian. What may I do for you today?"

"Display all security protocols."

The white walls of the room flickered and shifted, changing into floor-to-ceiling screens displaying data recordings, security logs, and surveillance of every room inside the palace.

Vackzilian removed his hand from the pedestal and strolled towards a screen disclosing a folder titled Emperor's Personal Journal. With a flick of his index finger, the folder opened, showing titles and dates of articles in alphabetical order. One by one, he scrolled through them until he found what he was looking for, an entree titled: Indonesian caverns.

Tapping on the document, he scanned through the Emperor's personal recount of the events.

Ah yes, Vackzilian smiled to himself. With this, things would be much easier, but as he finished reading over the file a picture caught his eye.

"Interesting," he mused as he recognized the face. It was several years older than the last time he had seen it, but not one he would easily forget. Intrigued, he enlarged the picture and cross referenced it with the rest of the imperial data base but nothing came up. His eyes narrowed. The only way such a thing was possible was if someone had deliberately scrubbed all information on the subject.

Most Interesting, he thought as he widened his search using the palace's processing power to hunt through the data logs kept throughout the Empire, trying to find a facial match to the picture. After several moments, a flyer flashed up on screen depicting a stunning redhead with the words: Grand Champion taking on all challengers.

Excellent. He already had business at the arena he needed to attend to. With this, he could kill two birds with one stone.

Cutting the air in quick, precise movements, he formed a scrying, and as the moisture coalesced into a spherical screen, Dy'Ixion's face appeared in the misty water.

"Sire," the blood oath said, snapping to attention.

"Take some men and go to Glandledale," Vackzilian's cold, sinister voice echoed in the chamber. "Secure the Grand Champion and the arena. I will follow within the hour."

"And this time, Dy'Ixion," Vackzilian hissed. "Do not leave until it is done."

<<<<THE END>>>>