Blackstone - The Temple of Trials

To Rescue a Prince

I woke up from the dream and looked around. I was back in the Garden of the Ranger's Lounge. The dream of the future was over. I saw Thomas snoring on the cot next to me. I looked at my razor phone and saw that it said 0700. We only had an hour until we had to report to the main hangar bay. I lay back down on my cot and listened to the soft sound of the waterfall and the gentle singing of the birds that were in the trees. I thought about the vision. David was dead and that bastard of a father, Michael Ross, was still alive. Mary had said that it was written in the Wend which meant that it would come to pass. There had to be some way to save David. I resolved that I was going to find a way, even if it meant my own death, but before I died I was going to make sure that Michael joined me. There was going to be a place in the Ross Family Vault for him. I swore it on my honor as a Keeper of the Wend.

***

Thomas and I reported to the main HangarBay at 0800. David and Nicole were already there. Nicole had a scowl on her face and a cup of coffee in one hand. I wondered if that girl ever smiled.

"Did you get some for me," I said and pointed at the coffee cup.

Nicole's scowl deepened, "Sure, worm I'd be happy to get you some. In fact why don't you just stay behind and I'll go on the mission for you. Would that be all right?"

I clenched my fists by my side. Thomas saw me and stepped up to Nicole. "You can go on the mission for me, Agent Heidegger. I'll gladly stay behind and drink coffee."

David saw that trouble was brewing and moved to head it off, "All right, everyone. Listen up. We can't afford to have any petty squabbles slowing us down. Here's what's going to happen. We'll take a jump door and meet up with the Orion team on their starship. From there we'll take a beamship that will take us to Persephone. The beamship will come in cloaked so that means we're only taking a small team."

Nicole consulted her Razor Phone, "Stand by for the Jump Door in five, four, three, two,one..."

A shimmering Jump Door opened up in the HangarBay.

"This is it. Good Luck to Us All," David said and jumped through.

I looked at Nicole, who nodded and jumped through after David. I stole a glance at Thomas who smiled and jumped through the door. I felt the soft bone of my Etheric Knife and jumped through the swirling vortex.

I found myself on the metal deck of the main hangar bay of an Orion Star Ship. Graceful and Ostentatious, I once again marveled at the beauty and grace of the Orion design. Everything was elaborate and designed to reflect beauty and style. It was the way Orions viewed themselves as conquerers and kings of the Universe. It was one of the reasons their Empire was so large.

David, Nicole, and Thomas were already there. Everywhere surrounding us in a circle were Orion Royal Guards dressed in crimson and gold. Standing with them and dressed in a simple black jumpsuit was Carrie Brunner who stepped forward and greeted us.

"In the name of her Royal Highness the Empress La Ron Na, I greet you and welcome you to her Royal Star Ship. The Invincible."

"Thank you. It's a pleasure to be working with you and we extend our fondest greetings to the Empress and thank her for allowing us to travel on The Invincible," David said in perfect keeping with Orion protocol.

Carrie gave a small nod of recognition to me "Hello Eliza, I'm very pleased to see that you survived the Temple of Trials. I saw that it would be so. Thomas, I'm happy to see you again. It's good to see you well."

Thomas gave a stiff nod, "Hello Carrie. Wish I could say the feelings mutual-"

David cut him off, "Adebayo, we're honored guests of the Empress here. I suggest you hold your tongue."