Chrysalis
Book One: Trial by Fire
By: Jessica "Allronix" Krucek

Chapter Four

  On the other side of the room, Kahlen and the healers tried to restore the damage done, but something was very wrong. Finally, Kahlen looked up. "That's all we can do for now. Everyone, get some rest."

  They cleared out of the room. Ariel walked over to Niko's side, holding one cold, waxen hand in hers. She was deathly pale, her red hair a shocking contrast to her drained, haggard appearance. A single mage-light flickered in a scone on the wall, giving the room a candle-lit air.

  Kahlen entered the room. "Mentor Ariel? May I speak with you?"

  Ariel looked up and adjusted her cats-eye glasses. "How is Niko?"

  "I'm afraid I don't know..." the healer answered. "She is restored physically,"

"What about her psyche?" Ariel asked.

  The healer was hesistant. "It would appear that she's suffered several large psychic attacks recently, and that it has taken a toll on her. She was using that...prosthetic..."

  "Niko knew her risks," Ariel shot back, having none of it. "Is her implant the real cause of this?"

  "We honestly don't know. What we do know is that she left here barely after Novicehood. Since then, her Gifts have increased in power tenfold. We had warned you both about technology..." The healer's voice was almost accusing.

  Ariel's dirty look cut it off. Niko was her best student, and the old mage would hear none of it. "What does this have to do with her implant? And DON'T use that tone. I know what the council thought about it in the first place. Leave your feelings about the technology out of this, Kahlen, and tell me what's wrong with Niko."

  The healer flushed, but kept her temper. Ariel WAS a member of the council after all.

  "It would appear that the combination of use and her implant accellerated her Gifts to a point where she was barely keeping them under control. She was more than likely using the implant's energy to shield herself."

  "How strong are her Gifts that control would be lost?" Ariel asked.

  "She left here barely after Novicehood," Kahlen said. "She now has the power of a very strong

  Adept. Her Gift potentials were blasted open by the implant. Normally, such accelleration wouldn't occur, and when it does, it usually kills the student due to backlash."

  "Are you telling me she's dying then?" Ariel asked.

  The healer dropped her head and answered, "I- we- honestly don't know..."

  The normally unflappable sorceress was starting to get very frustrated. Everyone on Xanadau knew that Ariel was very close to Niko. The young human had always been more daughter than student. "Then what DO you know?" Ariel asked.

  "Her natural shields probably had gaps in them, and that's why she was using the implant's power. She's also suffered from some very brutal psychic attacks. Between the attacks and her rapid growth...she didn't have a chance."

  Ariel's eyes widened. "An attack?"

  "Several at least," Kahlen answered. "It was obviously an attack by someone...If I didn't know better, I'd say her attacker was a Master Adept."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Her mind is like a large, open wound. Her gifts were starting to go rogue, and then these attacks break down any defense she might have had against it. Her attacker must have channeled a lot of rage into this, and forced her psychic channels open. It's so brutal that even her memories have been damaged. It is the most brutal and sickening case of magical attack that I've ever encountered." Kahlen was looking down at the unconscious human with a mix of suspicion, curiosity, and pity. "Even if she does wake up, she will have to be retaught shielding."

  She straightened, and addressed the older human. "I told you, Ariel, that we've never seen a case before. We can't even begin to measure the damage that was done to her when her shields were shattered. The attack was particularly brutal - an attack on a Gift we never suspected was there. Niko is developing Thought-Sensing very late."

  "Thought-Sensing? We never thought she'd develop it." Ariel allowed herself a small smile, "She always did do things her own way, I guess."

  Kahlen frowned. "One of the things we read was telepathic trauma. Is it possible that she was...linked to someone? Possibly a Thought-senser?"

  Ariel thought a moment. "One of her friends had a latent ability to project thoughts. Not strong enough to bother training, but I know that he and Niko were quite close."

  Kahlen frowned. "Niko is a very strong young woman. Between her youth and strength, she may be able to survive this. Have faith, Ariel. The only thing we can do now is wait," she said. "And I'd like you to get some rest as well. You'll do your pupil no good if you collapse on us."

  Ariel nodded silently. "I...will rest, Kahlen."

********
  Lannon walked to the other side of the settlement, up to the vine-covered remains of a palace that was once grand, but now had only a large tower, and a small part of the living quarters remaining.

  Lannon walked in through the heavy door, and into the Hall. The Old Palace outdated the Circle itself, the work of the Ancient Ones who had once called this planet home. Very little was known of the Ancient Ones, except that their civilization was the one that predated the Circle. Perhaps they once were the Circle, but much was unknown about them.

  This was the Old Palace, an archive of precious relics, sacred books, and very powerful magic. Indeed the most arcane and dangerous magics of all the universe were among the ones housed here.It was protected by only one Guardian, the oldest sorceress on Xanadau. For the most part, this Sancutary was forbidden to members of the Circle.

  But necessity makes exceptions of everything.

  Lannon walked up the stairs and through the candle-lit halls (magic wouldn't work inside the palace, so mage-lights were useless), and into the study at the end of the long hall.

  Inside sat the lone keeper and resident of the Old Palace. The alien seer sat behind her desk, scratching notes on yet another vellum scroll. She had a drawn, narrow face, and pale lavender skin. Her face was ageless and beautiful, but with eyes that reflected the centuries she had lived. She was Lannon's mentor, choosing him at an early age and training him under the eyes of his parents.

  "D'Len," Lannon said. "This is urgent."

  D'Len didn't look up. "Come closer and tell me about it."

  Lannon strode up to the desk and placed the large, red crystal in front of her. "Novice Niko crashed here yesterday. She had this clutched in her hand."

  D'Len put her scroll and stylus aside as she looked up. As soon as her eyes hit the crystal, she yelped and snatched it in her hand. She brought herself up to her full height, whisper-thin body towering over Lannon. Her eyes registered shock, then narrowed in anger.

  Lannon was frozen with surprise. Mistress D'Len never let anything upset her. He couldn't make out the word D'Len muttered under her breath, but the woman examined the crystal, as if trying to memorize every facet.

  She looked at Lannon, her normally placid features marred by shock. "Where did you say you found this?"

  "I told you that Niko brought it with her, Mistress D'Len," he answered. "And I know why you're shocked. That crystal is..."

  "A storage...a prison of dark sorcery...and pure psychic energy." D'Len shuddered, as if freezing cold. "I'm putting this in the inner library. I want to study it for myself. In here, where there's no magic that can be used."

  "Mistress?"

  "Please, Lannon. Do as I say. How is Niko?"

  "With a terrible backlash-fever, physically battered. Kahlen tells me that her mind has been torn apart. She has never seen a case like this before. The damage is quite severe. The healers are not certain that she'll survive."

  "Perhaps it's best that she doesn't," murmured D'Len. "If she's run across this."

  There was a pause before she looked back up at Lannon. "Forget you ever saw the crystal. Mention it to no one, Lannon. If Niko were to face this enemy again, she would become enslaved in one of these crystals, at the very least." D'len answered. "This appears to be something I will have to take care of myself."

  "Mistress D'Len, what is it? Do you know this thing?" Lannon asked.

  But D'Len was already gone, with the red crystal pulsing in her hand.

********

  The study was spacious, and oozing evil. Rich tapestries hung on the wall, illuminated by candlelight, which also glinted off strange objects Zachary didn't quite recognize. The sweet-smelling insence smoke perfumed the air. In the center of the room, a large column seemed to support the high, cathedral ceiling. Zachary could see a shadow moving behind the column. He ran up to it. The Queen had a vault inside the column, and she was holding the contents in her hand. She grinned at Zachary evilly.

  "So," she said in an obscene singsong, holding out the large, red crystal. "I see you've come to claim this. Prince Charming has come to awake his sleeping bride."

  Zachary raised the blaster. "Hand it over."

  "Not so fast, Ranger Foxx."

  "Take it - if you can." The Queen laughed and threw the crystal at Zachary.

  Zachary fired the blaster, but one of the shots hit the crystal. It flew upwards, shattering in midair!

  **"NO!!!"*

********
  Zachary awoke to the sound of his own scream. Bolting upright in bed, shaking and sweating, he looked around again.

  *A nightmare. Another damn nightmare.*

  He should know better than to close his eyes, to let his guard down for an instant.

  His "quarters" had a small privy attached. At least he could shower and shave. Too bad that the razor was an electronic model and wouldn't cut anything but hair. Still, he was grateful for the ability to maintain some sort of dignity in the face of all this.

  Zachary had just put on the last few touches of his new "uniform" when the door slid open, admitting a lone person.

  Kerr Orthallan.

  Zachary turned around, and glowered at Orthallan angrily. Immediately, he pinned the Dathian against the camera lens, blocking view of the room. His right arm pinned Orthallan's chest, and the left one clenched around Orthallan's neck.

  "Give me one reason why I shouldn't break your neck," Zachary barked angrily.

  "Because, captain, it wouldn't do you any good. You wouldn't be able to escape this room, seeing as how my voice disables the lock."

  Zachary huffed in disgust, then let Orthallan go.

  "Are you entirely certain that there's no Andorian blood in you, captain?" Orthallan rubbed his neck. Zachary then noticed some other bruises there. "I trust it you slept well?"

  "My team," Zachary said tersely. "Where are they?"

  Orthallan raised his eyebrows. "Well taken care of. You should worry for yourself."

  "It wouldn't do me any good," he said. "Either way, I'm a dead man, or a Slaverlord."

  "Not necessarily," said Orthallan. "You haven't been tortured. The guards deliver you meals, and see to it that you have a modicum of dignity. You've been treated well given the circumstances."

  "Seeing my friends tortured is not my idea of being treated well."

  "The Queen sees no point in treating them well," said Orthallan. "But she sees in you what she saw in me. She can be quite generous when she's pleased, but her punishments for disobedience are equally lavish. My advice to you is to cooperate with her."

  "When sandcrawlers fly, Orthallan. Tell that to the Queen."

  Orthallan shook his head. "You don't understand, do you? Let me put it to you this way. Ten years ago, I was in this very cell, telling the very same thing to another Crown Guard." Orthallan examined Zachary's face. "I was First-Husband to a noblewoman on Dathia Prime. She had power and influence, as well as great intellect and beauty. Indeed, I was proud to share her with the Second. Her daughters were gaining positions and wealth of their own, and her sons were promised to beautiful and powerful women."

  "But, she had no love for the Queen. She and I would shelter Gherkins from the Psychocrypt. Looking back on it, it was the worst mistake we could have made. Those puny things deserved to die."

  "Is that you, or the Queen talking?"

  "It is of no concequence, Captain, but I will tell you this. I stood on that catwalk above the torture chamber and watched my wife, the Second, my eldest daughter, and her First-Husband tortured to death. The Queen spared me because she saw potential. I tried to escape, I tried to die. I tried EVERYTHING before I got some sense and realized that serving the Queen was my best recourse. I am fed, clothed. I have my freedom, and I am an officer. I am now proud to serve by her side."

  Zachary was disgusted. "The Queen butchered your family, and you call yourself proud?"

  "Yes," said Orthallan. "I could have easily escaped with you and your team, but I won't. Captain Foxx, you're a man of reason. I know that soon we'll serve the Queen together."

  "Let me tell you something," Zachary said. "And you can repeat this word for word to the Queen. I'm not betraying the memory of my team, my people, and I'm definitely not going to betray my wife by serving her."

  "Captain," said Orthallan. "Perhaps it's time you learned a little respect for your position."

  He pulled out a small box, and pressed the button. The door swished open. Led by a lone Slaverlord, the guards and flooded into the room, a dozen at least. They swarmed Zachary, cutting off his view, grabbing his arms, his clothing...immobilizing him in a corner of the room.

  A fist slammed into his stomach...across his jaw. A kick hit his legs...

  It took four guards to subdue him as he kicked and struggled. One robot guard was smashed against the wall, but others came to replace it.

  More fists, more feet. They came from all angles, and Zachary couldn't block them. His ribs ached, but nothing stopped them. He couldn't breathe, but they continued to beat him, rip his clothes, tear at his skin.

  Zachary was forced to the floor, beaten and kicked. A kick to his ribs, the butt end of a rifle to his nose, a heel smashing into his stomach. Fists slammed into his chest and his face.

  And above it he *heard* her. He heard the Queen through the Slaverlord.

  She was laughing.

  He tried to struggle, but an acid-smelling cloth was pressed to his nose and mouth. After two breaths, he was unconscious, but the beating still continued.

********
  After an indeterminate amount of time, Zachary came to on the bed, too exhausted to do much else but just lay there. Oh, he hurt all over. Whatever they had used to knock him out still scorched his throat.

  The Queen herself sat on the edge of the bed, silently watching him. Seeing he was awake, she turned and dismissed her guards. She then walked over to the camera, and pressed a series of buttons to deactivate it.

  They were alone.

  "Why?" asked Zachary, knowing that it wan't the most intellegent thing to say at the moment.

  "I wanted to speak to you alone," the Queen said. "There are...things that you have to know."

  "I'm not interested in hearing them," Zachary replied.

  "I want so much to help you, Zachary," said the Queen. "To stop the nightmares, to end your suffering, to soothe your pain. Orthallan was right. You could serve by my side willingly, and have an eternity without pain."

  "No thanks," he said. "I tasted your 'hospitality' once. I served by you once, remember?"

  "Was the Psychocrypt so bad, Captain, or do you only wish it were?"

  Zachary couldn't quite surpress the shiver. God, this was like playing chess with the Devil. One false move, and it was eternal damnation.

  The process was extremly painful. After all, his mind and soul were being torn from his body and deposited in a crystal of pure life-energy. Reviving after his team had found his crystal and restored him also hurt.  

  But the time *between...*

  "Eliza does not suffer," the Queen said gently.

  Zachary pulled back. There was something very shocking about her words, or rather, the unusual lack of malice behind them.

  But an instant later, the ice-cold eyes stared back at him. "Captain, you are an honorable enemy, so I present you with the choice of capitulating to me on your free will, and you *will* surrender on your free will. Of that, I am certain."

  "I'll die first," he stated. "And you know it."

  The Queen straightened. "Then I have nothing more to say. Pleasant dreams, Captain."

  She turned and left, the door closing omniously behind her.

********
  The Queen took the red crystal from her pocket, and fingered it lovingly. Humans...such a contrast. Strong, yet vulnerable.

  She closed her eyes and ran her long fingers across the crystal's face. Looking back at the door, she smiled. *Which memory would destroy you, Captain?*

  She concentrated, and looked deep into the crystal.

  Contrary to what she had told the captain, she was capable of causing Eliza to suffer. She held the crystal and stared into it, breaking the human's puny attept at resistance.

  A smile broke across her face as the right images and memories flitted across her mind.

  *Ah, Eliza...thank you. You are a most helpful servant.*

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