Genesis (Prophecy Rock Series, Book 1)

Chapter Fifty

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50

Everything was shifting. Soldiers on both sides were thrown out the windows or crushed between moving parts. Sargatum was a mechanical wonder. Giant gears and motors appeared out of nowhere, the Ancients’ ingenuity displayed at its finest. What the fortress was transforming into and why were irrelevant for the moment as its thousands of current occupants struggled to simply survive the change.

General Sako had tracked Aric down to a dead end when the shifting began. A few Vicedonian soldiers flanked Aric, protecting him behind their shields. The floor that Aric and his guards stood on was now moving them upwards, as Sako’s platform shifted sideways. She leapt into the air, trying to grab a hold of Aric before it was too late. Aric took no chances. He pushed both guards off his platform and into Sako.

The three of them landed with a bang on a platform shifting sideways. One guard fell off the edge, disappearing down to the bottom of the castle. Sako immediately sensed something massive closing in on them and leapt onto a column shifting downward. The other guard didn’t react in time and was crushed between the gigantic objects. Aric had disappeared, and Sako knew she didn’t have time to pursue him. She moved in and out of constantly shifting parts before the castle finally settled into place. She was now in an unfamiliar part of the castle. She looked out the window to see that a large number of soldiers had fallen below. This unexpected move had taken out a number of Renzai soldiers, too many by her estimation. With nothing to do now but move, she began her ascent to the top once more.

Aric rode the rising stone block all the way to the top of Sargatum. He exited the small, rocky opening, noticing the sweeping landscapes off in the distance, the remnants of the Issus Valley below, and most importantly, a garrison of Vicedonian soldiers nearby. He recognized the scout with the deep-set eyes who had greeted him upon his arrival. This soldier is still loyal to me. He will take me to safety. I am his prince. 

Aric called out to him. “Soldier!” The soldier turned around. Recognizing Aric, he immediately made his way over.

“My lord, you are in grave danger! Follow me!” Aric followed the soldier as he led him down the northern pass; a small, narrow road that gradually led down to the foothills of the mountain. Heavily guarded, it was the only true way of entering or exiting Sargatum, but the thousands of soldiers stationed along the route were nowhere to be seen. Only a small contingent remained. The group of Vicedonian soldiers surrounded Aric, keeping him safely hidden in the middle of their bodies. They began to move down the road when they suddenly halted.

“What’s going on? Why aren’t we moving?” Aric whispered in a panic.

“There’s too much fighting along the path. The Renzai have been battling their way up the road, but our soldiers have halted their advance. It doesn’t look like they can hold out much longer. Enemy reinforcements just keep coming. There’s too many of them!” The soldier’s words were drowned out by the sounds of the clashing armies. Aric sank low in his place, hoping to avoid being seen by the enemy.

Raden and Symin now found themselves in an unfamiliar place. The room they had just been in fighting Major Kymon and his lizards, had split into seven or eight different sections, Raden presumed. They had been completely separated from the Howlers. Symin wondered how many of them had survived the ordeal, and offered up a silent prayer for his devoted soldiers. Raden looked around his current surroundings, a small room with a low ceiling and no apparent exit. The stone walls were bare, but Raden felt an energy in this place.

Symin inspected the room, careful not to aggravate his wounded shoulder. He continued searching for any clue that could help them get out. He noticed Raden standing still, doing nothing apparently. “You going to help me find a way out of here, youngblood, or you just going to stand there?”